LymeOnline Digital Edition - October 1 2021 by LymeOnline

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GENO WASHINGTO N IS BACK IN TOWN! PAG E 14

Two-hour debate on LymeForward grant

Ready and waiting for Willy Wonka’s arrival

Artisan Florist

Wild and Seasonal

Daily deliveries, order online or self-serve flower shed at 18 Woodmead Road, Lyme Regis DT7 3AD

EXCITEMENT is mounting as Lyme Regis gears up for the filming of new Hollywood movie ‘Wonka’ next month, with preparations already underway at the historic Cobb harbour. The 1930s steam drifter ‘Lydia Eva’, which is set to feature in the film, has been moored in the town for the past two weeks and is drawing much attention from residents and visitors. The star-studded cast of the ‘Wonka’ movie has now been announced – see page 10 for full story. Photo by Max Redwood

DEPUTY MAYOR RESIGNS

Teresa Fowler

35 years experience

Tel: 01297 444743 07721 628 754

TOWN’S YOUNGEST EVER COUNCILLOR QUITS AS INFIGHTING CONTINUES DEPUTY Mayor of Lyme Regis and the town’s youngest ever councillor, Kelsey Ellis, has resigned with a damning letter slamming councillors’ “childish behaviour” and “bullying tendencies”.

Cllr Ellis, daughter of long-standing councillor Michaela Ellis, was elected to Lyme Regis Town Council in 2019 at the age of 19, making her the authority’s youngest ever member. She was later elected chair of the Tourism,

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk Community & Publicity Committee and, in May 2021, as deputy mayor, serving under mayor Brian Larcombe, and was pipped to take the record of the town’s youngest mayor in future years. However, Miss Ellis has now resigned from the council, handing members and officers a damning letter at the end of this week’s marathon

four-hour Tourism, Community & Publicity Committee meeting. In it she called out councillors for their continued infighting, which has blighted the council’s reputation in recent months, and said she has been discriminated against because of her age. Miss Ellis’ full letter of resignation read as follows: “I am writing to inform you that I am resigning from my position as Lyme Regis deputy mayor and town councillor effective September

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Deputy mayor calls out councillors for Affordable properties childish behaviour as she stands down available at Garmans Field development ■ CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE 29 2021. I would like to thank the council members and people of Lyme Regis that have been supportive of my position and my time within the council. However, I would like to put on record the following reasons for my decision. “In the last year I have found it hard to continue sitting as a member of Lyme Regis Town Council; the behaviour of some members has left me feeling embarrassed and anxious to attend meetings. “The constant bickering and childish pointscoring has tarred the reputation of this council, it has also led to aggressive emails being sent to myself and other councillors for voicing our opinions and this is unacceptable behaviour in what is supposed to be a democratic environment. “It was my honest belief that after our members’ away day this behaviour would change. However, it has now become clear that, despite repeated requests to certain council members to let past decisions that have gone against them rest and move on, they have decided to repeatedly bring the past into council meetings, which has fostered an uncooperating atmosphere and borderline bullying tendencies. “This has now led into making what is supposed to be a voice piece for the town of Lyme Regis into a dysfunctional council that cannot work as a team. “When standing for deputy mayor I faced discrimination against my age, which left me feeling that my opinion was not worth voicing as it was unwanted by certain members of the council. These members of the current council made claims that I am too young and, due to working a full-time job, would be unable to fulfil the role of deputy mayor.

“However, since being deputy mayor I have not been included in any correspondence that is relevant to the role. “The attitude toward my age from certain members of this council will discourage other young members of the community to stand for council, and could deter them from taking an interest in local politics. This is, in my opinion, the opposite of the message Lyme Regis Town Council should be sending to the young people of the town. “I cannot in good consciousness continue to support and work in a council that does not share the same ideals that I have in professional conduct and equality. In my time on the council, I have witnessed a level of infighting and political pettiness that should not exist in a modern, democratic council. “For the sake of my own mental health alongside a change in personal circumstances, I feel it is best for me to step down.” Miss Ellis was one of two young councillors to be elected in 2019, with 20-year-old Leon Howe also winning a seat. He has since lost his position after not attending meetings for six months. Miss Ellis is not the first councillor to raise issue with the current level of infighting seen in the council chamber. The Mayor of Lyme Regis called for councillors to show respect for one another after a spate of bickering earlier this year; Cllr Belinda Bawden said she felt uncomfortable and intimidated at meetings and stopped attending for a short period; and most recently Cllr Cheryl Reynolds said she had been left so upset by a meeting between the town council and LymeForward that she had to seek medical advice (see page 12). It is expected that a by-election will be held to fill the vacant seat left by the resignation of Miss Ellis, as long and 10 or more electors call for one. If not, the vacancy will be filled by co-option.

TWO properties at the affordable housing development Garmans Field, in Lyme Regis, have become available. Yarlington Homes has confirmed that onethree bedroom house and one one-bed flat are now available, and will be allocated to those with a local connection via the Dorset Home Choice system. The Garmans Field development, on the outskirts of the town off Timber Hill, was completed in 2018 – the first development of Lyme Regis Community Land Trust, which ensures the properties remain affordable for local people in perpetuity. However, those interested in applying for the properties must be registered on the Dorset Home Choice system, and those previously registered must re-register and ensure their details are up-to-date, as the system is changing. Dorset Council is urging people who are on the current housing waiting list to re-register on the new system no later than Wednesday, December 1 to keep their place. The new, more user-friendly system being introduced is said to make it easier for customers to apply, receive information about their application and bid on properties. Existing applicants were contacted over the summer about the changes and interim arrangements have been put in place to support people who have a change in circumstances or an urgent housing need. Originally customers were advised that they needed to re-register by October 1 but this has now been extended to December 1. Existing applicants will be able to continue to bid for properties that become available on the current system until the end of November 2021. New applicants will be able to register from today (October 1). These applicants will be able to bid for properties from December 1.

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Lyme Regis artist visits prestigious Monaco Yacht Show LYME Regis artist Jess Douglas has been rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s wealthiest at the Monaco Yacht Show. Jess and her partner Eddie Nolan were given free tickets to attend the prestigious show after her work was featured in the German magazine Boote Exclusiv. She said Monaco definitely lived up to its nickname of a billionaire’s playground, describing the trip as an “amazing and surreal experience”. Jess has found a niche market specialising in hand-painting super yachts on to navigational charts, which are often commissioned or bought as unique gifts by crew members. At the show, she was able to talk about her work with yacht designers, owners and crew, and meet people from across the globe she had already made connections with via social media. Jess and Eddie were also lucky enough to be given tours of three of the impressive super yachts at the show, including one she had al-

ready painted, the Binta D’Or. The event was a great success for Jess, with lots of interest in her work, including from ICON Yachts, which revamps old tankers into super yachts. They have already commissioned a painting of their new boat currently under construction. Jess attended The Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis before studying illustration at Plymouth University. She has also worked for a season herself on super yachts. Combining her two loves of art and maritime culture, she started painting boats onto navigational charts six years ago, starting with smaller fishing boats and expanding to super yachts about a year and a half ago. Her work is so popular that she now has a year-long waiting list but is always happy to discuss new commissions. You can find out more via her website www.jessdouglas.co.uk or follow her on Instagram @theyachtartist or search Jess Douglas Art on Facebook

Jess Douglas’ painting of motor yacht Nord, built by Lurssen, onto a chart of the North Atlantic

FROM SUNRISE

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Marine Parade, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3JH Follow us on social media @swimlyme | 01297 442668 | info@we eswim.co.uk

Lyme Regis artist Jess Douglas pictured at Monaco marina and, above, with a model of ICON Yachts’ ‘Ragnar’, which she had already painted

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RNLI issues safety advice as lifeguard’s summer season ends As the RNLI lifeguard season has drawn to a close in Lyme Regis and West Bay this year, the charity is urging people to stay safe on the coast. This summer was one of the busiest ever for the RNLI lifeguards and the last day of patrols was on September 26. With no lifeguard service in operation, the public is being advised by the RNLI to take care when visiting the beach. Beach-goers are advised to know their limits, take note of safety signage and local hazards, tide times and conditions.

West Dorset MP backs 1.25% tax increase for health and social care WEST Dorset MP Chris Loder offered his backing to the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new health and social care levy, which will see National Insurance raised by 1.25 per cent. Mr Loder said it was vital that funding was provided to support the NHS following the coronavirus pandemic, but he wanted to ensure the money went to the correct place – which he believes is Dorset Council due to their “excellent record caring for the people who need it in West Dorset”.

West Dorset harbours bounce back with increased demand HARBOURS at Weymouth, West Bay and Lyme Regis are buoyed up about their future following months of COVID restrictions. All have bounced back with demand increasing, in some cases at a record high. Weymouth has seen a £290,000 deficit turned into an expected £201,000 surplus, although some of the positive change is due to the way certain items are accounted for. Dorset Council’s Harbours Committee heard on Wednesday that visiting yachts during the main season were up by seven per cent compared to 2019 and occupied berths, at 335, now stood at the highest level since 2012, with inquiries still coming in. More than 4,300 visitor nights had been logged during the year. The good news should mean the harbour reserve fund being increases to around £1.56million by the end of the financial year, although councillors were warned that most of that is already allocated for the cost of future big spend items such as replacement pontoons. Money is also being earmarked for future dredging with £50,000 set aside each year. At both West Bay and Lyme Regis, the end of year figures are also expected to be positive with smaller sums also expected to be put into reserves. Harbourmaster for both harbours, James Radcliffe, said there had been increases in almost all areas, although some of the extra income had been negated by higher costs for fuel, vehicles and maintenance. He said commercial activities remained at full capacity with both commercial divers and commercial fishing boats continuing to operate since the first lockdown.

Mr Radcliffe said the Lyme harbour income would also see a boost from the upcoming filming of Hollywood film ‘Wonka’, which is set to take place on the Cobb this month. The Harbour Committee also heard that local harbours should be financially self-supporting over the coming decade – under proposals being put forward in a strategy document. An eight- week public consultation into the proposals is expected to get underway later this year with the strategy expected to be approved next spring. Talks and online consultations have already been held with harbour groups which have attracted around 500 comments with a hundred people taking part in online workshops. A questionnaire around the proposals is expected to be approved at a working group meeting this week. The strategic document, which will guide development over ten

years, will be followed by each of the harbours preparing a detailed business plan to meet their strategic objectives. The emerging strategy, which will not be approved until after the public and harbour user consultation, sets out six goals, including “to be a premium destination by supporting existing and developing leisure, tourism, and commercial sectors, making a significant contribution to the local and blue economy,” and “to strengthen relationships with harbour users and stakeholders and work in partnership to achieve common goals”. The consultation exercise is expected to mainly take place online although hard copies of the documents should be available from public libraries across the county. The draft document can be read in full at the website www.dorsetcoast.com/projects/dorset-harbours-strategy/ By Local Democracy Reporter Trevor Bevins

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Bridport tip to extend opening hours BRIDPORT Household Recycling Centre (HRC) will continue to open at 9am as it starts to operate winter opening hours. From October 1 to March 30, HRCs would usually be open from 10am to 4pm, but from Friday, October 1, all 10 of Dorset Council’s HRCs will now open an hour earlier at 9am. From next year, April 1 to September 30, HRCs will still open at 9am, but close at 5pm. Average daily traffic shows there is more demand for HRCs between 9am and 10am - around 427 vehicles per hour - than there is between 5pm and 6pm - 227 vehicles per hour.

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ALL OVER THE TOWN

with LymeOnline

editor Francesca Evans

Change needed as Lyme loses a voice for young people OVER the past 18 months, all routine at the LymeOnline office has been thrown out of the window. We’ve been to-ing and fro-ing between working in our office and from home during three lockdowns, the busy summer events, a coronavirus scare and finally, last week, we took a little time off to spend with family. This week we’ve made a concerted effort to return to the normal nine to five routine in our Uplyme Road office and get back to some sort of normality. With an autumn chill in the air, I’ve definitely got that ‘back to school’ feeling but things were brightened up with the surprise news that I’d been nominated in the Print Production Achiever of the Year category at the na-

tional newsawards 2021. I know how lucky I am to do a job I love everyday and I’m very honoured to be recognised among journalists working for much larger regional and national titles, whether I win or lose. A big thank you to our readers and all those who have always had my back and supported me throughout my career in local journalism. The LymeOnline team are now all looking forward to the big awards ceremony in November! No celebrations for me after hearing the news this week, though; I had a Lyme Regis Town Council meeting to cover and the mood in the Guildhall was anything but jovial. The marathon meeting ran on until 11pm (al-

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As autumn sets in,m add a little sunshine to your life with The Strawberry Tree’s Spanish cuisine. Tucked away in their new permanent home at the former Courtyard Cafe at the Town Mill, owners Ed and Giselle are now taking bookings for this cosy restaurant and garden seating overlooking the River Lim.

R&B legend Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band return to the Marine Theatre on Saturday, October 16. Having performed with acts such as Georgie Fame at the legendary Flamingo Club in Soho, do you really want to miss him on your doorstep?

Well, it couldn’t really be anything but deputy mayor Kelsey Ellis’ resignation letter, printed over our front page and page 2. I think Kelsey was brave to stand up to fellow councillors – all of them several years her senior – and to do what she feels is best for her own mental health.

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though I admit to giving up and leaving at 10), including a two-hour debate on one single subject – whether or not to go ahead with a grant for LymeForward (see page 12). The discussion was protracted, repetitive and awkward to listen to with personal rivalries that I hoped would have been but to bed over the summer recess still clearly bubbling at the surface. At one stage councillors almost came to a complete impasse and I was surprised they managed to make a decision at all, although I think some would have voted for anything if it meant they could finally move on. Sadly, the meeting ended with the surprise resignation of deputy mayor Kelsey Ellis. I did think Kelsey seemed rather frustrated

throughout the evening but I couldn’t have imagined the damning resignation letter she had burning in her pocket the entire time. She handed it over to colleagues as the meeting closed, tearing them down for childish behaviour, bullying tendencies and discriminating against her because of her young age, saying she had to stand down to protect her mental health – you can read the full letter on pages 1 and 2. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard such a strong condemnation of the council (not even in our Lyme Matters column!). What else will it take before councillors finally sit up, listen and take responsibility for their behaviour? Just a few months ago I wrote about how refreshing it was to see younger people take more of an interest in local democracy. Local council chambers are far more diverse now than they were 10 years ago with more women, young people and those from different backgrounds and political affiliations standing for election. The mayor of nearby Seaton is in his early 30s, Axminster’s youngest councillor is just 18 and Kelsey was our youngest ever councillor, winning her seat at 19 and becoming deputy mayor at 21. She was on track to take the record of the town’s youngest mayor – but can you blame her for giving it up? Lyme Regis council’s continuous bickering and personal infighting will do nothing to encourage more young candidates to step up and, unless things change, the future of our town will sadly continue to be under-represented.

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6 Friday, September 17 2021

LYME MATTERS with Philip Evans Essential reading for all those with Lyme at heart

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philip@lyme-online.co.uk

Damning indictment of council behaviour W

HEN Lyme Regis councillors held an “away day” a few weeks ago to sort out their problems, it was rumoured that they had agreed to draw a line under their disagreements and get on with the running of the town.

I didn’t believe a word of it - and so it has proved. If anything, the relationship between councillors is even more toxic. Let’s fast-track to Wednesday night. A meeting of the Tourism, Community and Publicity Committee sat for four hours, two of which were taken up with discussing whether the council should continue supporting LymeForward with grant funding. We report that debate on page 12 but some councillors have admitted that by the time it came to a vote, they had no idea what had been decided. Present at that meeting was the deputy mayor, Kelsey Ellis, the youngest member of the council at 21, who was tipped to be the town’s next mayor. At the end of the meeting Cllr Ellis, daughter of twice mayor and long-serving councillor Michaela Ellis, handed in her letter of resignation, taking all and sundry by surprise. But this was no ordinary letter of resignation. It turned out to be a damning indictment of the council’s behaviour since she was elected in May 2019. You can read the letter in full on pages one and two. It makes devastating reading for the council. Kelsey said she had become embarrassed and anxious to attend meetings; she referred to bickering and childish point-scoring which had tarred the council’s reputation; she mentioned aggressive emails which had been sent to her and other members; she claimed some

councillors had fostered an uncoopertaing atmosphere bordering on bullying tendencies; she faced discrimination when she stood for the deputy mayor position; and she claimed the council was dysfunctional and unable to work as a team. She concluded her letter by stating: “In my time on the council I have witnessed a level of in-fighting and political pettiness that should not exist in a modern democratic council. For the sake of my own mental health alongside a change in personal circumstances, I feel it is best to step down.” In all the years I have covered local government affairs in Lyme Regis (my first meeting was in 1966) and my time as a councillor and the town’s youngest mayor), I can’t recall a more damaging letter. The allegations of how Miss Ellis has been treated should not be underestimated. The time has come when some action has to be taken. It’s a letter that cannot be ignored and swept under the Guildhall carpet. Kelsey joined the council at the same time as Leon Howe, another young member. Leon lasted about a year before he stopped attending meetings, and though he never made a fuss when he had to stand down due to his attendance record, it was clear he was unhappy being part of such an argumentative group of people. At their first mayor making ceremony, I had the honour of making one of the toasts and, addressing my remarks to Kelsey and Leon, I pointed out that they were the future and the time had come for yesterday’s men (like myself) to hand over the torch to a new generation to forge Lyme’s future. I can’t help thinking we have let them down. Kelsey’s resignation shows that Lyme Regis Town Council is no longer fit for purpose.

The Cancer Research UK BIG Breakfast team (from the left): Michaela Ellis, Anita Routley, Francesca Evans, Christine Evans, Johanna Hopkins, Jackie Evans, Ali McLoughlin, Carol Evans

BIG Breakfast makes BIG money ONE in every two people will suffer from cancer at some time in their life. That’s a frightening statistic which means that every family is likely to be affected by this terrible disease at some time or other. Cancer Research UK has had to cut its funding for research by £45 million pounds because of the pandemic. This is why local fundraising has to continue and I am delighted to report that the Lyme Regis committee were able to stage their popular BIG Breakfast last Friday, rais-

ing just over £1,000. We served about 70 breakfasts, which was down on previous years, but because of the generosity of Lyme Regis Butchers, who provided most of the ingredients free of charge, reducing our overheads, and an anonymous donation, we were able to meet our target. Our gateful thanks go to Andrew Bolton of Lyme Regis Butchers for his brilliant support, to all those who supported the event and my team of volunteers who did such an amazing job.

Why I’m such a proud Dad IN a career in newspapers spanning 56 years there have been many highs and lows, especially in recent times with the continuing demise of local papers caused by the inevitable march of the digital age. This Wednesday, however, was definitely one of the highpoints. Out of the blue came an email informing us that my daughter Francesca, who edits this newspaper with great pride and dedication, was one of eight nominations in the print production achiever of the year category in the national Newsawards. We were highly chuffed when LymeOnline was commended in the category for best community website last year. But this personal recognition of Francesca’s achievements in a highly compet-

itive industry is definitely a cut above. It goes without saying that my wife and I are hugely proud that she has been nominated and will sit among some of the most talented young newspaper executives in the country. The winners of the awards will be announced at a posh dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London in November. I won’t tell you how much tickets to this function cost, but there’s no way our family will not be there to support her, including our son Darren, who works in the national press, and his partner Jen. Unfortunately, Francesca’s sister, Zoe, who helped to build the LymeOnline website, will not be able to attend as she is heavily pregnant and unable to travel

from her home in Ireland. Since launching LymeOnline, I have watched with pride how Francesca has developed her skills. She is very much the boss, having control of all content in the paper and on the website, liaising with advertisers and helping deliver the paper. She also records a weekly video news bulletin for our website, having taught herself the editing process, and records an audio news round-up for Lyme Bay Radio. And she still finds time to do her bit in the community, especially for the football club and Cancer Research UK. I offer advice where necessary but she rarely needs that. And I write very little these days - this column and the local sport - and I

cover the occasional event and stand in for her when she’s on holiday. People are usually upset when I turn up with my camera and notebook, asking: “Where’s Chezzie?” It’s a seven day a week job but she rarely moans about the long hours and she has to put up with a good deal of criticism from some of the keyboard cretins in Lyme. She’s passionate about her hometown and on occasions finds it distressing when she has to cover the egregious behaviour of our local council, knowing full well we will be criticised by certain councillors just for doing our job. Proud Dad? You bet I am.

LymeOnline editor Francesca Evans who is among nominees in the national Newsawards in London

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COVID-19: The latest on local coronavirus figures

Coronavirus cases continue to decline CORONAVIRUS case rates continue to decline across Dorset, although there was a small increase at the end of last week. The latest figures released on Friday, September 24 showed that there were 963 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Dorset Council area, compared to 965 the previous week, and 901 in the Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) area, compared to 978.

This means the case rate per 100,000 people is currently 253.6 in the Dorset Council area, compared to 254.1 in the latest update on September 17, and 227.0 in the BCP area, compared to 246.4. There are currently 26 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across Dorset, a slight decrease from 30 reported on September 17. As of September 19, 1,154,588 doses of the

Antonio and Julie Gravili, pictured with their many retirement cards currently hang the window of their Church Street restaurant

Lyme Regis says farewell to one of its favourite family restaurants ONE of Lyme Regis’ longest-running and most-loved family businesses, Antonio’s Trattoria, has closed doors as the owners take retirement. Antonio and Julie Gravili have run the popular Church Street restaurant for 27 years, but have now decided to retire and split their time between Lyme Regis and the north east, to be closer to their daughter. The Gravilis came to Lyme Regis by complete chance back in 1994. They had been looking to buy a restaurant in the South Somerset area, but between viewings decided to take their children to the seaside for a few hours and fell in love with Lyme Regis as soon as they arrived. They had initially hoped to take on what was then Stan Williams’ restaurant The Beachcomber in Coombe Street, now the Blue Lias Gallery, but later settled on their historic property just around the corner in Church Street – a former vicarage with original beams, stone walls and a fireplace which added to the cosy atmosphere at the restaurant. Before Antonio’s Trattoria there wasn’t much in the way of foreign food available in Lyme Regis, with only a handful of restaurants to choose from – a far cry from the foodie paradise it has become today. The restaurant quickly established an excellent reputation for traditional Italian cuisine and, tucked away from the town centre, has relied almost entirely on word of mouth and good recommendations for the past 27 years. Antonio and Julie have served four generations of families over almost three decades. In fact, the restaurant has remained such a

firm favourite that one customer from their opening night in 1994 – Lyme Regis resident Joe Tresoire – also dined with them on their final night earlier this month. The restaurant was filled with regulars for Antonio and Julie’s swan song, with Julie commenting: “It was just like having a party with all our friends, but a very bittersweet moment after all these years. There were even a few tears.” She added: “We were very lucky to have found Lyme Regis. The town has been very kind to us and we have been supported by so many locals and visitors who return every year.” Antonio added that Lyme Regis had been a wonderful place to raise their family, with excellent schools. The couple have employed countless local youngsters over the years, some of whom now return with their own children, and have supported local causes including both the organ and tower appeals at the neighbouring St Michael’s Parish Church. They plan to keep their family home in Church Street and lease the restaurant below, with Antonio hoping that it will remain a traditional trattoria with focus on homecooking. The couple now hope to spend more time with family, including son Alberto and daughter Gabrielle, as well as make the most of their time in Lyme Regis. In their 27 years in the town Julie said they had never even seen the annual carnival procession as they have always been too busy in the kitchen. “Now I will get to experience Lyme a bit more!” she added.

COVID-19 vaccination had been administered in Dorset. A spokesperson for Public Health Dorset said: “Since last week’s update, case rates in Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole continued to decline but we have seen a small uptick in the last few days. This is reflective of the regional and national picture. “Our local case rates are above the South West average but remain below the England average. “In line with the decrease in case rates in recent weeks, we’ve also seen COVID-related hospital admissions start to fall. There are currently 26 people in hospital with COVID-19 in Dorset. “With COVID-19 continuing to circulate in our communities, it’s really important that anyone with symptoms gets tested and self-isolates whilst they wait for the result. “Regular rapid testing when you haven’t got symptoms is also key to stopping the spread as you can check you’re not infectious and potentially passing the virus on to others. “Anyone who hasn’t yet had their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can still book an appointment to get their jab.” Further figures for the Dorset area are expected to be released later today (Friday) and you can find the most up-to-date information on the LymeOnline website. Coronavirus cases in the Lyme Regis area re-

main have also been dropping, according to the latest government figures. In the seven-day period up until September 23, there were 16 recorded cases in the Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale area, a decrease of six on the previous week. This means the case rate per 100,000 people was 220.6 – below the figure of 253.6 for the Dorset Council and the national average of 351. The neighbouring area of Uplyme, Kilmington & Colyton has dropped well below the national average and now has one of the lowest case rates in the country. As of September 23, the area had just five reported COVID-19 cases and a case rate of 59.5 per 100,000 people. However, other neighbouring areas – including Burton Bradstock & Chideock, Bridport South & West Bay, and Axminster – have all seen fairly significant rises in the latest figures. Figures for surrounding areas were as follows: Seaton –11 (decrease of 1); Axminster – 30 (increase of 21); Burton Bradstock & Chideock – 55 (increase of 21); Bridport South & West Bay – 29 (increase of 10); Bridport North – 23 (decrease of 10). You can find out more details on COVID case numbers in your local area at https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

Visit our ‘Coronavirus: Live Update’ section on the LymeOnline website for the most up-to-date figures and latest news on the COVID pandemic

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The Rifles raise staggering £100,000 for veterans as they march into Lyme Regis ABOUT 200 men and women – many of them ex-servicemen and women – marched into Lyme Regis on Sunday, September 19 at the end of a 50 mile sponsored walk to raise funds for The Rifles Regimental Trust’s Care for Casualties. The walk started at Lulworth Cove with a drumhead service on Friday and, after walkers camped at Weymouth and West Bay along the route, they arrived in Lyme Regis on Sunday afternoon. The walkers gathered at Lyme Regis Football Club for refreshments before marching two abreast, led by motorcycles and bugles, along the seafront, finishing at Lyme Regis lifeboat station. The Jurassic March, honouring 56 men from the regiment who died for their country, raised a staggering £100,000 for the Ri-

fles’ charity, which supports veterans with injuries and PTSD. The marchers carried with them 56 pairs of boots representing the numbers of those colleagues lost since 2007. The marchers also raised funds for the RNLI, carrying 20 collection buckets en route which were presented to lifeboat operations manager Nick Marks during a welcome ceremony. He congratulated the marchers and thanked them for their donations which he said had helped the RNLI to launch lifeboats on rescue missions 87 times since they started their march on Friday. The walkers were also greeted by the Mayor and Mayoress of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian and Wendy Larcombe, who presented them with medals, along with harbourmaster James Radcliffe.

Walkers pictured on the slipway with the boots of 56 men from the regiment who died for their country, which were carried along the entire route Photo by Andy Butterfield

Motorcycles led the walkers along the final stretch of Marine Parade

Walkers arrive at the slipway, the finishing line of their 50 mile hike along the Jurassic Coast

The walkers were welcomed by buglers in the lifeboat station boathouse at the Cobb

THE Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, hands out medals to those who completed the walk

Friday, October 1 2021 9

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Ready for ‘Wonka’

The 1930s steam drifter ‘Lydia Eva’ moored at Lyme Regis harbour and captured on drone camera by Max Redwood

LYME REGIS are holding a

COFFEE MORNING AND CAKE STALL

EXCITEMENT is mounting at the Cobb in Lyme Regis as preparations are made for the filming of a new Willy Wonka movie. As previous revealed by LymeOnline, scenes for Warner Bros and the Roald Dahl Story Co’s upcoming production of ‘Wonka’ are set to be filmed at the historic harbour this month, with fishermen and businesses in the area offered a sum to cover disruption to their work. Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet, known for his roles in ‘The King’, ‘Little Women’ and upcoming release ‘Dune’, will star as the iconic inventor Willy Wonka in this new adaptation based on the character created by Roald Dahl for his novel ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. The film will be directed by Paul King, known for the ‘Paddington’ movies, and produced by David Heyman of the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise. The full, star-studded cast has been announced this week, including high-profile names such as Oscar-winner Olivia Coleman and Mr Bean himself Rowan Atkinson.

Comedian Matt Lucas of ‘Little Britain’ and ‘The Great British Bake Off’ is also among the line-up, along with Jim Carter who played Mr Bates in ‘Downton Abbey’, and Oscar winner Sally Hawkins of ‘The Shape of Water’. The story will focus on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening his famous chocolate factory, based in 19th century Britain during the Industrial Revolution. The movie will include several musical numbers and it is reported that scenes to be filmed at the Cobb will include a spectacular snow scene. Props have been arriving ahead of the filming, including a classic Bedford truck which was seen driving along the Cobb, and the steam drifter ‘Lydia Eva’ which has garnered much attention from residents and visitors. Built in 1930 and based in Great Yarmouth, the boat is the world’s last surviving steam-powered herring drifter and is currently moored out the aquarium at Lyme Regis harbour.

A vintage Bedford truck arrives at the Cobb ahead of filming (photo by Debbie Conibere)

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Tales From Lyme’s Past

A glimpse of our history with Peter Lacey

Mary Anning Rocks trustee Brandon Lennon standing by the new location for the Mary Anning statue (please note, this mock up is not to scale). Below, a maquette of the proposed statue by artist Denise Dutton

New location unveiled for Lyme’s Mary Anning statue A STATUE of famous fossil hunter Mary Anning is set to be unveiled in her hometown of Lyme Regis next year, on what would have been her 223rd birthday, if planning consent is forthcoming. Having raised £100,000 for the statue through a successful crowdfunding campaign, the Mary Anning Rocks organisation made public complaints that delays at Dorset Council were holding up the project. After the story hit the national press, Mary Anning Rocks says it is now working much closer with Dorset Council and hopes to be able to unveil the much-awaited statue in a newly-proposed location on May 21 2022, which would have been Mary’s 223rd birthday. Planning permission is being sought to site the life-size statue on the corner where Long Entry meets Gun Cliff Walk, as shown in the images, which is where she would have found many of her groundbreaking scientific discoveries. It had previous been proposed to site the statue below the Marine Theatre on Gun Cliff Walk. The new location is said to reflect the only known portrait of her, with Golden Cap as the backdrop. Mary Anning Rocks has received full consent from the landowners and is now working

Corporation Terrace, now known as Lym Close

on a planning application with the aim of submitting it before the end of the year. The application will include heritage and ecologist reports as the location is part of a World Heritage Site and designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. Dorset Council has said it will try to deal with the application quickly in time for the unveiling on May 21 2022 and artist Denise Dutton has now started work on the statue.

The proposed new location reflects the only portrait painted of Mary Anning, with Golden Cap in the background

Lyme in the 20th Century - Part II THE town’s estimated population in 2020 was put at 3,671. In 1901 the medical officer’s report stated it was 2,095. There were 923 males and 1,172 females, during the year 30 babies were born of which six died before their first birthday. The death-rate for adults show a degree of longevity; out of a total of 35 deaths, just nine were in the 15-65 age range. Longevity was put down to the small variation in seasonal temperatures. Among the causes of death were cancer 3, influenza 1, tuberculosis 1, bronchitis 5, heart disease 2 and whooping cough 1. The one case of scarlet fever resulted in the child’s room in Bridge Street being disinfected and the disease contained. The report stated the water supply remained “most satisfactory (not entirely accurate) and the new drainage system at the Cobb is a very great improvement in that part of the town”. The bake-house, milk-house and the slaughter-house were all considered to be managed in ‘a good sanitary manner’. The common lodging-house was judged “as satisfactory”. It provided bed and a meagre breakfast (costing 4-6 pence) at a very basic level for the destitute, the homeless and tramps. There had been only one case of overcrowding in respect of the working-classes that being a cottage in Jericho. Just what was considered over-crowding in 1901 is a matter for conjecture. Over-crowding was certainly present in 1911 when a family of 11 were living in one of the town’s first council houses. Corporation Terrace (now Lym Close) was built adjacent to the then gas works, the threebedroomed properties being designated as ‘workmen’s dwellings’. Children had to sleep ‘head to toe’. There was no bathroom so the family had to make do with a tin bath in the kitchen. At that time some lighting was by gas, otherwise it was paraffin lamps and candles, cooking was done on a coal range which helped to heat the ground floor. The meagre living conditions were a

world away from Lyme’s amenity boasting hotels and the expectations of their cliental. The fortunate few to have social housing were far better off than the majority of the working-class, their only option was rented accommodation that lacked most of sanitary amenities we take for granted today. It is a little wonder that children were often sent home from the elementary church school in Church Street because of the unwashed condition of their bodies. The town’s medical officer reported on their verminous state, hair lice being a common problem. The important and progressive Education Act of 1918 raised the school leaving age from 12 years to 14 years and abolished all fees in State Schools. The Church Street school is recorded (1910) as having an average attendance of 190 boys and girls, while the average for infants was 87. The numbers provide an indication of the town’s child population in the 5-12 age range. In the early 1900s there was no youth culture and no recognised period of adolescence. For the vast majority of children when they reached age of 12 years (some even earlier) it was the start of their working life. Adulthood was customarily marked on reaching the age of 21 years and from 1918 it was also the age that men were granted the right to vote, women had to be nine years older. Social change was taking place albeit at a slow pace. To be continued... Peter Lacey Local author and historian Peter’s new historical novel ‘Touching the Past’ is now on sale in Herringbone’s of Charmouth, as well as Lyme Regis Bookshop. Find out more about the book in LymeOnline’s podcast with Peter at lyme-online.co.uk/category/multimedianews/podcasts/

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Council agrees to continue paying LymeForward grant after claims the organisation was facing ‘discrimination’

IT took Lyme Regis councillors almost two hours this week to finally break a stalemate over whether they should continue paying a £10,000 grant to community interest company LymeForward. The protracted debate came amid claims that LymeForward CIC was being “discriminated against” and treated differently to other town council grant recipients, while some councillors raised concerns about a lack of financial transparency within the organisation and said it was not clear how the grant money was being spent. The £10,000 grant for LymeForward, which operates the food bank and other community projects to help the vulnerable, was one of several to be approved in February 2020, with £2,500 paid each quarter. However, the council noted that most recipients had been unable to act in accordance with their initial applications due to COVID-19 restrictions, and has been reviewing grant agreements to ensure future compliance as it moves into a “post-COVID era”. The grant agreements for all other organisations were approved earlier this month, but the council said it needed to set clear objectives for LymeForward before funding could be released. LymeForward has already lost £6,000 a year in funding from Dorset Council, which scrapped all grants for Local Area Partnerships in March. In highlighting the importance of the organisation at this week’s Tourism, Community & Publicity Committee meeting, LymeForward chair Sue Davies said that they had seen a surge in demand for the food bank due to COVID-19, and were the only local organisation in receipt of a town council grant to continue to work throughout the pandemic, extending its services to support the community. According to its latest newsletter, the food bank is currently supporting about 25 people. Ms Davies said that during this time there had been “little support or interest” from town councillors and many LymeForward members and, after taking on the chairmanship, she had to deal with a “legacy of corporate and HR issues”. However, she said LymeForward had since

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk opened itself up to scrutiny, had complied with all legal requirements of a CIC, including the submission of various reports on all financial data, had its accounts approved by an accountant, and was making a “real tangible difference to people’s lives as we move out of COVID”. Ms Davies has had a public falling out with the town council’s former representative on LymeForward, Cllr Belinda Bawden, who raised concerns about the governance of the organisation and a high turnover volunteers and staff. The argument resulted in Ms Davies submitting two complaints about Cllr Bawden to Dorset Council’s monitoring officer, both of which were ruled to be unfounded. Commenting on this, Ms Davies continued: “As more stringent lockdowns emerged, we were continually having step up our services and provide a safe system of care for volunteers – so much to celebrate. “But through this LymeForward was becoming undermined by a campaign of intimidation and harassment, and despite raising concerns with the town clerk and mayor no action was taken. Up to this present day the situation has been escalating with mounting evidence.” Commenting on the delay to the grant payment, said added: “Earlier this month we became aware that an additional clause had been inserted into a draft term agreement with the town council with no prior knowledge or consultation. This is discriminatory in as far as we are the only organisation to have this revision imposed upon us.” Three letters from members of the public were then read out on the matter. One, from former Lyme Regis resident Geoff Baker, questioned whether it was appropriate for councillors who were associated with LymeForward through the Lyme Regis Community Support group and other organisations to vote on the grant agreement. Janet Breeze questioned what the town council’s policy was on funding a CIC “in the full knowledge

there are serious concerns about its governance and financial management”. Caroline Aldridge, a former food bank volunteer, questioned how the grant money would be spent, adding that the food bank was the main function of LymeForward and this did not cost anywhere near £10,000 a year to run. She claimed that funding was being spent on staff wages which was not appropriate for a small-scale food bank. The relationship between the town council and LymeForward has now become so strained that one member said she had had to seek medical advice after a recent meeting between the two organisations. Distressed Cllr Reynolds left what she described as an “uncomfortable” meeting, saying she had become very upset by the “dreadful behaviour” of council officers, as well as a letter she had received the previous day from the town clerk and mayor that had made her feel “completely inadequate”. She said that she had been so distressed over the matter that she could not stop crying or shaking, and had since had to see a doctor. Cllr Reynolds commented: “The reason for this behaviour is due to the ongoing problems that this council appears to have with LymeForward, the only organisation that has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, providing the food bank throughout, and they also worked as an emergency hub for Dorset Council during that time.” She listed several other community projects that LymeForward was managing and questioned what else the council was looking for. Cllr Michaela Ellis added that LymeForward had been described as a “priority organisation” when the £10,000 grant was first allocated for its core running costs, with no additional conditions in the agreement. She continued: “All of the other recipients have had their grant agreements confirmed with no extra conditions, so why is LymeForward being treated differently. Is this not discrimination?” She later added: “I just can’t understand why people are arguing about this money which is being used to help our most vulnerable people.

“I don’t like the way some people are treating LymeForward when it has done so much for the people of this town.” Cllr Tara Webb also described the scrutiny placed on LymeForward as a “witch hunt”. Cllr Rob Smith said he felt one of the main issues was that LymeForward members wanted more transparency on how money was being spent, and concerns were also raised about the organisation’s level of community engagement, which was one of its initial priorities. The Mayor, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, said he would have liked to have seen LymeForward assisting the council with community engagement on major matters, such as the proposal to create a Dorset National Park. Cllr Bawden said LymeForward had more paid staff than ever before but seemed unwilling to carry out the tasks it was first set up to do. Council officers also raised the issue that LymeForward would likely change its articles of association in its constitution at its next annual general meeting, following Dorset Council’s scrapping of Local Area Partnerships. Town clerk John Wright said this could fundamentally change the nature of the organisation, and the council would then have to review its grant agreement again. Having previously agreed that they had to set clear objectives for LymeForward to move forward with the grant agreement – a decision they are unable to rescind for six months – councillors struggled to find a way to move forward and the protracted debate continued for two hours. Cllr Kelsey Ellis proposed that they set the objective for LymeForward to provide financial transparency, but the town clerk said that it was unclear exactly what this meant. Cllr Ellis eventually withdrew her proposal and it was agreed instead to go ahead with the quarterly payment of £2,500 on the condition that LymeForward works with the town council to deliver its community engagement strategy. It is likely that this will be considered again following LymeForward’s annual general meeting in November.

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th ou m r a h C & e m ly p U , is g e Lyme R ONLINE - MOBILE - AND IN PRINT LymeOnline is an independent, family-run website and newspaper offering unrivalled and comprehensive coverage of the Lyme Regis, Uplyme and Charmouth areas. Launched in 2018, we have quickly become the first choice for local news and were commended for Community Website of the Year in the national newsawards 2020. We offer competitive advertising and sponsorship rates, and our multi-media approach means we reach a wide audience of both residents and visitors, of all ages.

We let the figures speak for themselves... The LymeOnline website is visited by an average of 30,000 users a month The free, fortnightly LymeOnline printed newspaper has a distribution of 4,000 and the digital version on our website is read by an average of 1,600 people We have a combined following of more than 7,000 across Facebook, Twitter & Instagram Almost 2,000 readers are subscribed to our weekly email newsletter Call editor Francesca Evans on 07810 221 420 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk for details on our competitive advertising rates and exclusive sponsorship packages

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ARTS | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS

Geno’s coming back to town! R&B singer Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band is set to perform at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis next month. The England-based soul band was originally active from 1965-1969 after legend Washington, now in his 70s, hit

the scene as part of the US Air Force. He caused a sensation singing with R&B acts Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and Zoot Money's Big Roll Band at the legendary Flamingo Club in Soho. His live shows were immortalised in two of the biggest selling albums of the 60s.

During the 6os he released his bestknown hits, including ‘Hi Hi Hazel’ and ‘Que Sera Sera’. Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band have been regularly touring the UK again since 2007 and have previously appeared at the Marine Theatre. They will return on Saturday, October 16 with support from Queen Biscuit, a blues and roots duo formed of guitarist Ben Carr and drummer Lucy Piper. Whilst both based in the South West, their sounds come from a much farther place – the Mississippi Delta & its ‘Hill Country’ area, where both have spent time soaking up the music and culture. Lucy has recently worked with artists on blues record label Ruf Records, and learnt her trade playing with her blues musician father Julian Piper. Ben’s latest album ‘Good Times’ was described by Paul Jones on BBC Radio 2 as “excellent”. Tickets for this event cost £20 in advance or £25 on the door. To book, visit marinetheatre.com

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THE GREAT GATSBY CHRISTMAS BALL

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Young organists in the organ gallery at St Michael’s at the end of their 2017 annual concert

Young organists to perform at parish church ❊

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AFTER two years of absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is now possible to resume the tradition of an annual young organists' concert at St Michael's Parish Church in Lyme Regis. This will take place on Sunday, October 10 at 3pm, featuring the church’s wonderful Skrabl organ. All eight organists are aged between 10 and 18. They are learning under the Salisbury Diocesan ‘PipeUp Scheme, which provides

subsidies to pay for lessons. PipeUp started some 15 years ago and has trained almost 50 new organists in Dorset and Wiltshire. The music on October 10 will be wide ranging, from magnificent Bach to strange but fascinating modern compositions. There will also be an interlude of piano duet music by Ravel, played by one of the students and her teacher.

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ARTS | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS

Rio Carnival comes to Lyme Bay

LATIN band Orpheus promise to get everyone dancing when they perform at Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis this October. In an explosive celebration of Brazilian music, they’ll bring sassy sambas and slinky bossa novas to the town’s dance floor. This six-strong band combines the exuberance of Rio’s carnival and the sophisticated sounds of Astrid Gilberto’s ‘Girl from Ipanema’. Orpheus is fronted by singer Annika Skoogh, who is no stranger to Jazz Jurassica audiences in Lyme Regis. This, however, is a relatively new project for her reflecting her passion for Brazilian Latin. Originally from Ecuador she was brought up in Sweden. She said: “I’ve learnt to sing in Portuguese as Brazilian music just doesn’t sound right in any other language. Capturing the right ‘feel’ is important. “You can expect a variety of tempo and styles. From intimate bossas to uptempo sambas, some in English, some in Portuguese. There’ll be shimmying and hip-swaying. And maybe an audience sing-along.” In Greek mythology, Orpheus was a legendary musician who could charm all living things and even stones with his music. The event will kick off the band’s South West tour and launch their debut CD, ‘Crickets Sing for Ana-Maria’.

Julie Sheppard, director of Jazz Jurassica which is organising the gig, said: “We opened May’s festival with a big Latin orchestra which put a big smile on everyone’s faces. There are lots of Latin fans out there. “I’ve really missed dancing over the past 18 months. Now, with ‘Strictly’ back on our screens, I’m hoping this happy music will inspire people to come out and dance once again. So, come on down and join the carnival!” Orpheus will be performing at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on Saturday, 21 October at 7.30pm. Tickets are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/jazz-jurassica

Marine Players to thrill with premiere of murder mystery THE Lyme Regis-based Marine Players have developed a penchant for spooking audiences in recent years. Following successful productions of ‘A Tomb with a View’ and ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, the players are set to thrill audiences once again with the world premiere of ‘Died in the Wool’. The play is being written and directed by Juliet Henham, who has performed on stage with the Marine Players in past productions, adapted from an idea by Peter Henham. The setting is the country home of Professor and Mrs Holroyd. Will their unusual guest bring a mystery in her wake? Who is the strange man at the vicarage? And why has a young man come all the way from California to see them? Find out in this light-hearted murder mystery – a tease on Miss Marple. Performances will be held at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis, nightly from Wednesday, November 3 to Satur-

What’s on Sunday, October 3

Jazz in the Bar Marine Theatre, 7pm The Marine’s intimate bar room jazz gigs return with a celebration of saxophonist Sonny Rollins, widely recognised as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians, with Jade Gall and Philip Clouts. Tickets from £10 at marinetheatre.com

Monday, October 4

Football Club Bingo Lyme Regis Football Club, 7.30pm Bingo night on the first Monday of every month at Lyme Regis Football Club. Cash prizes, eyes down at 7.30pm.

Tuesday, October 5

Lyme Regis Town Band AGM Woodmead Halls, 8pm All welcome at Lyme Regis Town Band’s annual general meeting. LRTC Planning Committee Guildhall, 7pm Members of the public are welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum. For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk

Wednesday, October 6

THE Marine Players are set to return with another murder mystery in November

day, November 6 at 7.30pm. Seating will be in accordance with any applicable COVID restrictions. For more information or to book, visit www.marinetheatre.com

Theatre: ‘Mary Anning: Lost in Time’, Marine Theatre, 6.30pm A new play from AsOne Theatre Company based on the final days of Lyme Regis’ famous fossil hunter Mary Anning. Tickets starting from £13 available at marinetheatre.com LRTC Environment Committee Guildhall, 7pm Members of the public are

Send your diary dates to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk Visit: www.lyme-online.co.uk/events

welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum. For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk

duction of the Eurasian beaver, and the white stork in Britain. Tickets from £10 at marinetheatre.com

Thursday, October 7

LRTC Strategy & Finance Guildhall, 7pm Members of the public are welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum. For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk

Talk: ‘TV Times – My 30 Years Making Television’ Woodmead Halls, 2.30pm Eric Harwood, a locallybased producer of Heart and Soul Films, will give this talk for the Friends of Lyme Regis Museum with clips from his celebrity projects, including Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, Bob Geldof and John Lennon, plus extracts from his Great Wall of China epic film. Entry costs £2 for members and £3 for non-members. Comedy: Ed Byrne: If I’m Honest... Marine Theatre, 7pm A TV household name, in the past year Ed has appeared on Live At The Apollo (Host, BBC), Mock The Week (BBC), The Pilgrimage (BBC), Top Gear (BBC) and QI (BBC).Tickets £25 from marinetheatre.com Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday, raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association. Doors open 7.30pm, eyes down 8pm.

Tuesday, October 12

Talk: ‘Bringing Back the Beaver and its Pals’, Marine Theatre, 6pm Derek Gow is this month’s speaker and has played a significant role in the reintro-

Wednesday, October 13

Thursday, October 14

Theatre: Paines Plough: Sessions Marine Theatre, 6.30pm The acclaimed theatre companies Paines Plough and Soho Theatre brings their latest production to Lyme Regis. Tickets from £10 available at marinetheatre.com Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday, raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association. Doors open 7.30pm, eyes down 8pm.

Friday, October 15

Music: Dave Kelly & Bob Hall with Hilary Blythe, Marine Theatre, 7pm Friends since they were neighbours in the sixties Dave Kelly & Bob Hall have had illustrious careers in the British Blues Scene and have won many awards for their artistry. Tickets from £16.50 at marinetheatre.com

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Lyme Regis reforestation charity petitions Prime Minister for weekly climate address LYME Regis-based international environmental charity, The Word Forest Organisation, has launched a petition calling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to broadcast a science-led Weekly Climate Address to the nation. It is hoped a weekly address – similar to those broadcast throughout the coronavirus pandemic, but based on issues surrounding climate change – would keep the public informed on what the government is doing to tackle environmental issues in the long and short term. A spokesperson from The Word Forest Organisation, which plants fast-growing trees near the equator in Kenya to tackle carbon emissions, said: “The past 18 months have proved the UK government is able to pivot in the wake of rapidly evolving news, from fluid situations, at short notice to produce frequent media broadcasts to address an existential crisis. “It’s time to do the same for our other existential crisis: climate chaos from global heating. “To best facilitate these broadcasts, The Word Forest Organisation suggests a new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) be formed. It should invite participation in and contribution from independent climate scientists who should also feature in the weekly broadcasts, as per Professor Chris Witty and Professor Jonathan Van-Tam in respect of COVID-19. “Further input should be sought from environmental NGOs and well informed climate

action groups. They have first-hand experience on the best ways to avert unnecessary catastrophic events from taking place.” The reforestation charity’s team suggests that the Weekly Climate Address could also be used to demonstrate how to get the nation to Net Zero more expediently, whilst also dealing with any problems the UK might face in the meantime: drought, interruptions to the food supply chain, forthcoming extreme weather, etc. The Earth is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the 1800s and the charity says we are nowhere near meeting the targets set in the Paris Agreement in 2015, which were designed to prevent global temperatures from exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The Word Forest Organisation’s patron, meteorologist Clare Nasir, and special scientific advisor Professor Bill McGuire, have both support offered their support for the #WeeklyClimateAddress campaign. They are featured, along with other climate concerned individuals, in a powerful poem written by the charity’s CEO and co-founder Tracey West, to Boris Johnson urging him to put the broadcast in place. The charity is hoping to garner support from environmentalists from all walks of life, corporations, other charities and environmental groups. It has already received more than 500 signatures on an online petition. The results from the petition will be presented to the government during COP26 which is set to take place in Glasgow in November 2021.

They say that, ahead of the conference, and to show true UK climate leadership, the government needs to convey with great urgency the assistance they’re putting in place to help individuals, corporations and councils, enabling them to take immediate action to mitigate climate chaos. Tracey West commented: “The climate crisis is wreaking havoc across our planet. “All countries, bodies of water, humans and wildlife are interdependent upon the wellbeing of each other. With increased frequency

and ferocity, they continue to be gripped by extreme weather events and the related chaotic fallout: examples include extreme rainfall or glacier melt leading to flooding and landslides. “The UK government must now show leadership and take action today. Please support our petition by signing and sharing it, for all of our sakes.” You can support the petition by visiting the website www.change.org/p/boris-johnsonhold-a-weeklyclimateaddress

Almost 600 solar panels could be installed at County Hall ALMOST 600 solar panels are expected to be added to County Hall as Dorset Council strives to cut its carbon footprint and save money on running costs. They could generate almost 200kilowatts of electricity, saving 41,300kg of CO2 emissions in a year. In all, the council is hoping to install 572 panels, most of them mounted on pitched roofs although some will be put on flat surfaces with frames to tilt them 10degrees from horizontal. Larger south-facing buildings in the middle of the site, those with distinctive green roofs, have largely been chosen which will make the panels difficult to see from ground level. It has been calculated that the County Hall roof area is 6,335 square metres and with the photovoltaic modules only covering 972 square metres, only about 15 per cent of the total. None of the buildings on the three hectare County Hall site are listed although there are the remains of a Roman town house in the grounds to the north with the site of the town’s former Roman walls to the western edge of the site. The site is within the

Dorchester Conservation Area, although an outline of the application says that panels would not be installed on any roof which fronts a highway. “The passive nature and small scale of the proposed development means there will be no significant adverse effects on the local community and it is considered that the installation of PV panels on the roof of the building will not adversely affect the visual amenity of the site or surrounding area,” said a statement from the council’s planning agent, Albion Planning, based in Worthing. The agent believes that the panels fall within the scope of being allowed

without full planning consent under current government development rules. Work on the County Hall roofs is expected to be undertaken by Ringwood-based Empower Energy Limited which, the company says, has installed more the 40MegaWatts of commercial solar systems to date. The prior approval documents are expected to be considered by Dorchester Town Council’s planning and environment committee next week for its comments with the application open to the public until October 10. By Local Democracy Reporter Trevor Bevins

How the panels might look (courtesy of Albion Planning & Empower Energy) at Dorset County Hall in Dorchester (pictured left)

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LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL New CCTV camera installed to deter vandalism on seafront roof

NEW security camera has been installed on the seafront following several deliberate breakages of the new glass balustrading.

Four of the glass panels surrounding the flat roof area above Marine Parade have shattered since they were installed last July. The first breakage was caused by a stone propelled from one of our mowers, but the latest three incidents have all been deliberate acts of vandalism. A CCTV camera has now been installed directly overlooking the roof to help deter any further incidents. With exceptional zoom capabilities and an infra-red mode for low-light, there shouldn’t be any problems identifying the culprits if more incidents occur. The good news is that although the panels have been broken – at a cost of around £5,000 to replace – the glass has largely performed in the way we would expect, breaking into small, non-sharp fragments. Fortunately, no one was hurt in any of the incidents. There has been some concern locally about the potential danger to the public and whether the type of glass used was suitable for the location. We employed an independent expert to advise us on the suitability of the glazing, who has confirmed the glass used is exactly right for the area and the potential uses of the roof.

The consultant, Richard Kells, described the barrier system as ‘spot on’ and confirmed high-rise buildings in London would use the same type of glass. There were calls locally to replace the panels with laminated glass, but the consultant said this type of glass was now banned following the Grenfell fire. Speaking to a council meeting last week, Mr Kells said: “You don’t want to waste more money putting laminated glass in, then possibly falling foul of building regulations which might change. “Post-Grenfell, the only option is what the council currently has. You have a very good barrier system compared to other buildings I have inspected. “It is spot-on from a compliance perspective. “So far, in our experience, there hasn’t been a fatality from falling glass. Injuries from falling glass are quite a rare thing.” With the glass now being given the seal of approval from an expert and a security camera installed to deter or catch vandals, we can now begin to think about how we can make best use of the roof area. PICTURED right (from left) Ross Johnstone from WCCTV who supplied the CCTV camera, the town council’s operations manager Matt Adamson-Drage, and Aran Craig from TopSparks who helped install the camera.

WONKA fever about Council considering new to hit Lyme Regis! ways to deter seagulls WARNER Brothers will be filming scenes in the town for ‘Wonka’, a family-friendly story which reimagines the early life of one of Roald Dahl’s most beloved characters, Willy Wonka, before he has his chocolate factory. The council has been in talks with Warner Brothers since early-summer about the production team using sections of our car park at Monmouth Beach. All filming will take place in the harbour and Cobb area on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 October, the first shoot during the day and the second a night shoot, as well as rehearsals on Saturday 9 October. The production team will begin preparing the Cobb from Monday 4 October, dressing it as

the set and making it ready to film on. On filming days, public access to the Cobb will be restricted, although full access will be maintained while the set is being dressed. Production vehicles, filming equipment and a marquee will be located on sections of Monmouth Beach car park either side of the Boat Building Academy, which means there will be less public parking available during filming. Although public access will be maintained at all times, there may be some temporary inconvenience while vehicles associated with the filming are moved into or out of the site and an on-site management team and temporary traffic control will manage this.

Seafront railings to be replaced this autumn WORKS will take place this autumn to replace the historic cast iron railings along the Marine Parade. The railings, which date back to the late 19th or early 20th century, on the eastern end of Marine Parade are in a poor state of repair and over the years have been patched up with pipe or scaffold poles. The council initially started on this project in 2017 but encountered some planning issues which meant the work couldn’t take place until now. The work will take place from early-November after the school half term holidays and is ex-

pected to be finished by the second week of December. It will involve the replacement of around 220 metres of railings and 98 posts. We will try and keep disruption to a minimum but there will need to be some management of vehicle and pedestrian movements on both the Cart Road and Marine Parade during the works. Access and parking will be maintained at all times but it may be necessary for pedestrians to walk at times on the lower level to maintain a safe distance, or for short sections of Cart Road to be cordoned off temporarily to vehicles.

WE’RE looking into new ways to deter seagulls following another season of persistent complaints. The complaints have included seagulls stealing lunches and ice-creams, cutting faces as they grab for food, and fouling on people. In 2017, the council launched its seagull action plan, which aimed to mitigate the nuisance caused by the birds through educating the public and promoting awareness. The plan included delivering a leaflet to residents and visitors in Lyme Regis with advice on the law relating to wild birds and ways to deter seagulls from nesting on properties. It also involved placing signs on the seafront to discourage people from feeding the gulls. This was further supported by the introduction of a Public Space Protection Order by the former West Dorset District Council, which

made it a civil offence to intentionally feed seagulls. Our enforcement officers can issue fixed penalty notices and a £100 fine to anyone caught intentionally feeding seagulls, although they have found it very difficult to catch people in the act or to prove it was intentional. But the benefits of this campaign have worn off and we now need to look for alternative measures to keep the public safe. One of the measures we’re looking at is an audible bird scarer, where ultrasonics, distress and predator bird calls are used to disperse flocks of seagulls. It is hoped this technique can be used as part of a co-ordinated plan. The details of that plan aren’t yet clear, but we want to start work now in the hope of seeing results before the nesting season in May and June.

New online booking system for beach huts WE will soon be taking beach hut bookings for 2022. The office has been inundated with enquiries from people eager to book a hut for next year and we have now released further details about the booking process. Our online booking system has been enhanced, so people will now be able to add several bookings to their basket and Lyme Regis residents will be able to claim their Gateway Card discount on the website. We will still be giving priority to Lyme Regis residents to be able to book one of our annual,

summer or winter packages, before they are released to the wider public the following day. The residents’ priority day is on Tuesday 12 October and the main booking say is on Wednesday 13 October. We would encourage everyone to use the online booking system, if possible, as it’s the quickest and easiest way to check availability, book and pay. All the information you need about beach hut bookings for 2022 is available on our website at www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk/book-abeach-hut.

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Time to take action now before half of Lyme Regis is underwater

DEATH NOTICE VALERIE FRANCES HAWKINS It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Val at Riverside Nursing Home, Sherborne on Sunday 26th September 2021, aged 79 years after a short battle with cancer. She will be sadly missed by all of her family and friends. Valerie’s funeral service will take place on Wednesday 20th October at St Michael’s Parish Church, Lyme Regis, at 12 noon. Strictly family flowers only please. Donations may be made in memory of Val to AJ Wakley & Sons, Silver Street, Lyme Regis. These donations will be distributed to local charities.

■ AN open letter to the Mayor of Lyme Regis: Just because I no longer live in Lyme Regis, it doesn't mean that I don't care about it. I especially care about its future, or rather the future of our children's children. I'd like to bring something to your attention and I urge all of you to consider it seriously. Following Boris Johnson's address in New York, when he made his call that "it is time for humanity to grow up", I set to doing some research on how the continued global warming and its consequent sea level rise could affect Lyme. I was astonished and horrified to come across predictions published by the reputable science group Climate Central, which produced a map of land projected to be below annual flood level by 2050. OK, most of us will be dead by then, but our children and grandchildren hopefully will not be. I have consulted Climate Central's map of its predictions on land projected to be below annual flood level in 2050. If you look at it and zoom in sufficiently, if global warming keeps on going the way that it is and according to the science, by 2050 significant areas of Lyme will be in danger of becoming underwater. These include: the museum, the guildhall and Marine Theatre, and therefore much of lower Broad Street, Church Street and Coombe Street, Marine Parade, the amusements, SWIM, all of the homes on the front, the Harbour Inn, Royal Standard and Cobb

Arms, the entirety of the Cobb, all of Cobb Square, all of Monmouth Beach and the car park and homes down there and much else besides. I have no idea whether these predictions will come to be or not but I urge that they are worth investigating by yourself via the town clerk or through a global warming committee which I hope the council has these days. Clearly, Lyme without a Cobb and harbour, a beach, seafront, seafront pubs, theatre and museum would cease to be a tourist attraction. As visitor income provides the overwhelming majority of the town's economy, it would be a dead Lyme. May I suggest that, in tandem with COP26, you and the town's many vested interests investigate this matter and commence urgent plans for a worse case scenario. Seriously, as Boris is warning, action is needed now. A couple of years ago when I was having a fag outside The Volly, a well-known Lyme local who is employed by Dorset Council in a senior position relating to the upkeep of the town told me, "there is no such thing as climate change". Clearly his belief is wrong and borders on imbecilic. I know you to be a man of much greater intelligence and I respectfully suggest that if your mayoralty is to be deservedly marked by a legacy, there is no more important issue than this one. Geoff Baker, Wiltshire

There’s more to Lyme’s history than Mary Anning! ■ IT is great news that Andy Rattenbury has written a community play on ‘Lyme and the Sea’ (LymeOnline, September 17). Lyme does have a history before and after Mary Anning! As the author of ‘Ebb and Flow, The Story of Maritime Lyme 774-2010’, I hope that it will include an important aspect that my research revealed. Lyme has a really early record of a merchant ship voyage in 1069, from Lyme to York. How the voyage came about and why it is recorded is an interesting story and needs to be better known! There are many other aspects of our maritime history that are often overlooked, such as the Slave Trade, the Newfoundland Cod Fishery, Lyme seamen taken captive and held to ransom, the long history of ship building going back to the Lyme Galley of 1294 and much more that is detailed in my book. I hope that the information meetings will provide an outline of just what will be included in the play. Peter Lacey, Fairfield Park, Lyme Regis

Please note, the views expressed in letters are those of the author and not necessarily of this newspaper. Send your letters to LymeOnline, Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

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WITH the furlough scheme coming to an end yesterday (Thursday), Citizens Advice has set out your essential checklist if you’re facing redundancy. The charity’s frontline advisers have supported nearly 45,000 people with redundancy issues since the pandemic began – equivalent to one person every four minutes. Matthew Bradbury, senior employment expert at Citizens Advice, said: “If you’re at risk of redundancy, it’s important to know you do have rights to help protect you from unfair dismissal and to ensure you’re paid what you’re owed.” • Check if your redundancy is fair. There are rules to protect you from being discriminated against and from being picked for redundancy for an unfair reason. Examples of unfair reasons include choosing someone for redundancy because they work part-time or have made a complaint about health and safety. Visit the website www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/leaving-a-job/redundancy/check-if-your-redundancy-is-fair/ for more information. • Check how much redundancy pay you get. You’re entitled to at least ‘statutory’ redundancy pay if you’ve been an employee for two years or more. The amount you will get depends on your age and how long you have worked for the company. However, you may be eligible for enhanced redundancy payment on top of the statutory amount as part of your employment contract so check your contract carefully. • Furloughed? Make sure you get 100 per cent redundancy pay. If you are made redundant while furloughed, your redundancy pay should be based on your normal wage and not the 80 per cent that you’ve been getting during furlough. • Check your notice period. If you’ve worked for your employer for at least a month you’re entitled to paid notice that you’re being made redundant. After one month in the job, you must be given one week’s notice, rising to two weeks

after two years’ service, and then a further week per year unemployment up to a maximum of 12 weeks. You may be entitled to a longer notice period as part of your employment contract and your notice period only starts when your employer confirms that you’re going to be made redundant. Your employer might decide to give you notice pay instead of making you work your notice period - this is called ‘pay in lieu of notice’. • Check your holiday pay. You’ll be paid for any statutory holiday you have left over when you leave. This should be at your normal pay rate, even if you’re currently furloughed on 80 per cent of your pay. Your employer may also tell you to take any remaining holiday during your notice period. • You might be entitled to paid time off to look for work. If you have worked for your employer for two years by the end of your notice period, you’re entitled to ‘reasonable’ time off to apply for jobs or go on training. Visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/leaving-ajob/redundancy/preparing-for-after-redundancy / for more information. • Check if you’ve got legal help via your home insurance. Sometimes people get 'legal expenses cover' as part of their home insurance package, and if they think their redundancy is discriminatory or unfair they may get free legal help to challenge the decision. If you have a trade union at work, you could also contact them. Your union can help you work out if you’ve got a claim, and support you through the process. Citizens Advice in Lyme Regis is now running drop-in advice sessions on Wednesdays 10am to 12noon at the council offices, Church Street, DT7 3BS. Please ask at town council reception and no appointment is needed. Alternatively, telephone Freephone 0800-1448848 or send an email using the contact form

axminsternews

Friday, October 1 2021 19

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National awards for Axminster Drama Club

Axminster Drama Club chairman Leigh Conley and fellow member Ellis Holt dressed to impress at the NODA Gala Dinner

AXMINSTER Drama Club has been awarded a trophy by the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA). Each outgoing president of the organisation has the opportunity to present The President’s Trophy to a club of their choice and on this occasion, Christine Hunter Hughes chose the Axminster club to be the recipient for its production of ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ in December 2019. In making the presentation at The NODA Gala Evening, she explained that, despite the pandemic forcing the abandonment of many productions, she still had a tough decision to make in deciding which society in the whole country should be given the award. She said: “Even allowing for the reduced number of productions, there were still many contenders for so many very different reasons, but the society I would like to present the President’s Award to is Axminster Drama Club (ADC) for its production of 'George’s Marvellous Medicine'. "I was so impressed with this Christmas production which I attended in December 2019, and which, although primarily a show for children, grabbed and kept the attention of the whole audience. “I was also impressed with the whole team spirit so clearly displayed right across the group, who made all their own props, scenery and costumes. “The group embodies my vision of our hobby bringing as it does, the feeling of friendship, camaraderie, tolerance, with a sense of belonging and community, as well as great entertainment for their audience.” The award was made at a ceremony held in Durham earlier in September and it was ac-

cepted on behalf of Axminster Drama Club by chairman Leigh Conley and fellow member Ellis Holt. The pair also accepted top award in the NODA Best Poster Competition, which was also for 'George’s Marvellous Medicine’. Mr Conley said: “The awards reflect what is a real team effort to stage each production and we were delighted to attend the gala on behalf of the club to accept these national accolades.” The club is now preparing for its next show, which will be ‘Nativity! The Musical’, due to be staged at The Guildhall, in Axminster, on Friday, December 17 and Saturday, December 18. Tickets are already on sale at www.ticketsource.co.uk

■ FIREFIGHTERS from Axminster were among those to deal with a serious kitchen fire in Seaton, which left the occupant unable to return to their home. Crews from Axminster, Seaton, Sidmouth and Lyme Regis were called out to the incident, in a second-floor flat, at about 4.20pm on Sunday, September 26. All those inside the house got out safely but one man needed treatment by ambulance paramedics, and the householder was supported by British Red Cross Emergency Response volunteers. The fire was brought under control at 6.30pm but firefighters were on the scene throughout the evening and night, checking for hotspots and clearing the smoke. The incident finally closed at about 8.15am on Monday, September 27. The fire, which had started in a chip pan, caused 80 per cent damage to the kitchen, and the whole building was damaged by smoke. ■ AXMINSTER Town Council has apologised to residents after an accident resulted in a power cut in the North Street area on Wednesday, September 22. A statement from the Mayor of Axminster, Cllr Jill Farrow, said: “In respect of the power outage around North Street in the afternoon and evening of September 22, Axminster Town Council is very sorry for the serious inconvenience this has caused. “Our member of staff was dealing with a health and safety issue when the apparent accident with cabling occurred. “We will be looking into lessons which can be learned.” Cllr Farrow added that, thankfully, no one was injured in the accident and that the council was in discussion with Western Power about the incident.

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Cups presented at Young Farmers' harvest supper AXMINSTER Young Farmers' Club held their harvest supper at the Kings Arms in Stockland. The guest speaker was Rob Corbett, owner of Castlewood Vineyard in the Axe Valley. The club had not been able to present all trophies due to the COVID-19 but as they were unable to a show and sale dinner they presented their stock cups, the results having

been announced earlier in the year. The winners were: Overall Member - Jon Turner; Senior Boy - Jon Turner; Senior Girl Zoe Ellis; Junior Boy - Warren Herrod; Junior Girl - Amelia Dare; Members' member - Zoe Ellis; Stock judging - Jack Chapple; Public Speaking - Amelia Dare; New Member - Harry Palmer; Club Leaders - Dan Johnson Chairman’s - Dan Johnson.

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FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin

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Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer

■ IF you can recall the Steve McQueen film ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ from the 1960s, you may remember the film’s theme tune ‘Windmills of Your Mind’ sung by Noel Harrison. I remember the film and the part in which Steve McQueen flew in his glider to Noel singing ‘Windmills’. I was amazed when I was sent to meet Noel in his modest, terraced cottage in Ashburton, near Plymouth. He answered the door with a beaming smile and we sat in his sitting room chatting about his hit UK top ten record. I thought he had written the song but he soon put me right, explaining that he was not the writer but the performer of the song, which went on to win at the Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Noel couldn’t be at the Oscars to perform the song because he was in England working with Oliver Reed and Hayley Mills on a film called ‘Take a Girl Like You.’ His place at the awards ceremony was given to the legend Jose Feliciano. In his career he also toured with the Beach Boys and Sony and Cher, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, featured on music programme Hullabaloo, and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, not to mention The Man from U.N.C.L.E. His famous father Rex Harrison performed in many productions in his career, such as Dr Dolittle including the song ‘Talk to The Animals’. Noel passed away in 2013, aged 79. Photographing him was one of the highlights of my career for sure; a very chatty and interesting man. I asked him to play and sing ‘Windmills of Your Mind’ as I photographed him, he did, and it’s something I will always remember.

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THE BEAUTIES OF LYME REGIS & CHARMOUTH, rare facsimile limited edition, 1997 No.202 / 500 isbn: 0952743418, with slip case, mint condition, £55 - 01297 442627.

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HEDGE TRIMMER, Black & Decker corded, 240volt, 375mm blade, £20 ONO - 0794 705 9486. MOTORBIKE JACKETS & TROUSERS, 2 x nearly new, reflective, waterproof Richa jackets, very good condition, sizes medium and large, and one men’s and one woman’s motorbike trousers, size L and DL respectively, £40 for all - 01297 445328. MEN’S LEATHER JACKET, genuine Superdry brown leather jacket, size 2XL, £20 - 01297 445328. BATHROOM CUPBOARD, under sink cup-

Fairfield House are now recruiting for the following positions:

Full Time Care Assistant Night Carer – 2 shifts a week Competitive rates of pay depending on experience, friendly place to work, under new management For a Job Description/Application Form please contact us on 01297 443513 or email: admin@fairfieldhouse.co.uk

LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL

The

Woodmead Halls

Do you love a good wedding? Lyme Regis Town Council is looking for wedding stewards to support civil ceremonies at the Guildhall.

is looking to appoint a part-time

Stewards are the town council’s representatives at ceremonies and will help ensure a couple’s special day goes smoothly.

Duties to include: BOOKING CLERK, BOOK KEEPING and MINUTES SECRETARY for the Management Committee (four evening meetings a year)

Duties include setting out the room before the ceremony, welcoming and seating guests, operating a music player, and calming any last-minute nerves.

Administrative Assistant

Maximum 5 hours per week Remuneration £250 per month (£3,000 per annum) Office accomodation provided

Stewards are paid a fixed rate of £25 per ceremony, usually lasting no more than two hours. Weekend availability and a willingness to work in a room with up to 80 other people is essential. Training and a uniform will be provided.

This is a new appointment and more hours may be available in future

An ideal steward will be friendly, calm and able to work flexibly.

Apply to Philip Evans by email to: info@woodmeadhalls.co.uk

To find out more about this role, contact Adrianne Mullins on 01297 445175 or email admin@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk

Friday, October 1 2021 23

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Ressies score Charmouth top of the league after three wins seven after storming start football

AFTER a scrappy start against Ilminster Town A, Charmouth found their feet and began to build pressure and create chances in this Perry Street League Division two clash. A series of efforts came close and in the 21st minute Ty Allen hit the top corner of the woodwork. Charmouth began to dominate possession

and more chances came but no end product. Pressure continued with a couple of corners and more shots until the 44th minute when Jack Farrant broke the deadlock, placed the ball into the bottom corner, after a great assist from Sam Dibling, to make it 1-0 to Charmouth. Although the Robins went in 1-0 at halftime, Ilminster looked like they could break

Uplyme beaten by a ‘soft’ penalty UPLYME first team travelled to Sandford 2nds hoping to build on the previous week’s excellent performance. Even with a number of players unavailable in the defence, it was a good 11 that started the match and dominated from the start. The Sandford goalkeeper pulled off a string of excellent saves in the first 20 minutes. After a fantastic link-up between Cody Bowditch and Daley Holmes, Alex Jones had a great chance to put the visitors ahead, but blazed high over the bar when it looked easier to score. With 10 minutes to go in the first half, Uplyme conceded a penalty which was comfortably put away to give Sandford a 1-0 lead. After honest words at half-time, Uplyme came out firing and completely dominated the whole half but could not find the back

of the net due to an excellent performance by the Sandford keeper, and the game ended 1-0. Manager Steve Gillan said: “A huge shame that such a good game of football was decided on such a soft decision. Not one opposing player appealed for a penalty. It was truly inexplicable. I’m hoping these decisions even themselves out over the season, but that was a painful call. “However, we were sloppy in the first half and need far more attention to do the simple stuff at pace. We tend to try and score the perfect goal when just a goal will do. “Their keeper was outstanding with some great saves. We were told he wasn’t their usual starting keeper, so a little unfortunate timing. Conor Newns, filling in as centre back, had an excellent game.”

back into the game at any time. A nervy restart for Charmouth with Ilminster getting back into the match and the defence switched off and a scuffed shot rolled through the back line to make it 1-1. Charmouth then stepped up a gear with Adzy Whitehouse hitting the bar, and some great chasing down from debutant Ashley Williams who tucked away a great goal, giving Charmouth a 2-1 lead. Charmouth then finished the game off with Williams setting up Brin Seward for 3-1. Minutes later a Whitehouse crossing was met with a rare Jonny Vaughan header to make it 4-1 and then, in 68th minute, Sam Dibling set up Whitehouse for 5-1. On 74 minutes the game was wrapped up with Williams providing the assist to Brin Seward to complete the 6-1 scoreline. Charmouth win 6-2, three victories in three games, a brilliant start to the season seeing them top of the table and a great tribute to the club’s past chairman, Steve Pratt.

Rovers away in Junior Cup LYME Rovers have been drawn away to Wyndham Athletic FC in the first round of the Dorset Junior Cup. The match will be played on Saturday, November 6. Wyndham play in the Yeovil and District league.

bowls

Lyme bowlers bid farewell to a successful season LYME Regis Bowling Club members ended their season with the annual President’s team v Captain’s team. The teams were drawn randomly, but, for some inexplicable reason most of the more experienced bowlers were playing on the Captain’s side. The end result was a handsome win for the Captain’s team. And it was good to see Jan Parsons back on the green after her recent hip operation. After the game, members enjoyed a tasty barbecue which was cooked by member John Kench and his good lady, whilst Avril Sherring supplied the non-carnivores with

fishcakes. Prior to the barbecue, both the President, Alan Nabarro, and Captain, Trevor Allman, made speeches thanking all those members who had worked so hard to keep the club going during the pandemic – Avril Sherring, catering officer; Barry Rattenbury, bar manager; Barry Rattenbury and Steve Pomeroy, greenkeepers; Sue Rowe, club secretary; Jim Moseley, maintenance; Paul Moffitt, publicity; Barry Driscoll, fixture secretary; Nicky Driscoll, ladies captain; Rom Hunt, competition secretary; and Nola Stephens, ladies secretary. All the above were presented with a gift by

Alan, who also recognised the work of club captain Trevor Allman and his vice-captain Allan Weech. It’s been a successful season for the club, not only managing to increase membership but also getting members to the national finals at Leamington. Work starts in earnest next week when a ‘gang’ will be down at the clubhouse demolishing the kitchen in readiness for the new one. A grand opening will follow. Back to the bowling, the club ended on a high with wins over Topsham and a touring team of retired civil servants from Plymouth.

LYME Regis Reserves dominated from the kick-off in their home Devon and Exeter Division Three match against Hemyock on Saturday. Right from the start the Seasiders’ forward players linked up with some good combinations which won a corner in which Gary Knight volleyed into the net from just inside the box. Lyme quickly added a second from Matt Bradley, a new recruit who showed some brilliant close control and foot work. He beat three men and placed the ball past the keeper from the edge of the box. It was an electric start with Lyme two up in a matter of minutes. Bradley made it 3-0 with some brilliant passing football coming from Jon Davies, calm on the ball when picking it up in the middle and feeding into the front four, releasing Ben Bowditch who for the second time this season slid the ball across for his team mate to place into an empty net. Hemyock pulled one back just before half-time when Lyme started to tire after their hectic start. But they started the second half strongly as they took advantage of getting behind the visitors’ back three time and again with Bowditch and Louis Rinaldi adding two more goals, making in 5-1. After some great play by Matt Bradley, having turned his man in midfield and driving forward, he found Louis Rinaldi who flicked the ball through the defender’s legs, into the path of Cam Fowler to slot home cooly past the Hemyock keeper. Robbie Fowler wrapped up the win with a tidy finish in the box after good passing again by Louis Rinaldi and Darius Pickering. Manager Matt Preece was slightly disappointed they conceded two fairly scrappy goals on the break in the second half, but overall he thought it was a “really enjoyable performance, probably my favourite one to watch from the sideline since stepping into the role”. Preece added: “Our front four today of Zak Harrison, Matt Bradley, Louis Rinaldi and Ben Bowditch were outstanding and each worked hard, played great football and each would have a claim on being man-of-the-match, but just shading it for me was Louis Rinaldi, scoring one, having two goals disallowed for tight calls, setting up three and his tireless pressing and running. I was really proud of all the players today.” Squad: Rob Harp, Robbie Fowler, Gary Knight, Wallace Blackmore, Jon Davies, Alex Rowe, Cam Fowler, Zak Harrison, Ben Bowditch, Louis Rinaldi, Matt Bradley. Subs: Darius Pickering and Shaun Vallely. This victory sees the Reserves go into third place in Division Three. Tomorrow (Saturday) they are away to leaders Westexe Park Rangers.

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October 1 2021

New shirt sponsors for the Seasiders

LYME Regis first team have new shirt sponsors for the current season - local building firm D.G. Bastin Construction Team Limited. Pictured with David Bastin, a director of the company, who presented the shirts,

are (back row, from the left): Tom Bastin, Fred Parsons, Kingsley Wellman, Chris Higgs, Cameron Fowler, Brad Rowe, Gary Knight, Stefan Taylor, David Bastin, Sam Bastin, Julien Simier (manager). Front row (from the left): Ben Turner, Ben

Bowditch, Sam Pollard-Jones, Callum Garrett, Rob Fellingham (captain), Callum Larcombe, Louis Rinaldi. The shirts were supplied by VX3, from Paignton, represented by Tristan Beavis (far left).

Seasiders back on song AFTER an indifferent start to the season caused by COVID, injuries and unavailability, Lyme Regis 1st team have rediscovered their form - and spirit.

The Seasiders struggled in their opening games of the new season, but after snatching a point with a great header from Fred Parsons against Devon and Exeter Premier favourites Lapford, they travelled to South Devon for a convincing 40 win over Dawlish United. Manager Julien Simier was particularly pleased to have drawn with Lapford, having been beaten twice in recent times, one of them in last season’s Premier play-off. After that game, Simier, in his first full season solely in charge of the Seasiders, told LymeOnline Sport: “We are starting to get our spirit back, playing for each other and enjoying our football. It was great to see.” Simier was similarly pleased with Lyme’s 4-0 win at Dawlish which sees them sitting in sixth place in the table, currently led by Beer Albion,

By PHILIP EVANS closely followed by Lapford but with a game in hand. It’s too early to be talking about championship favourites, and the Seasiders certainly have a bit to do, but the draw against Lapford shows they are more than capable of competing with he best and Simier is confident his side will be giving all the front- Penalty saver Chris runners a run for Higgs their money. At Dawlish, Lyme dominated from the start and

Brad Rowe put them 1-0 up after around 15 minutes. That’s how it stayed until half-time after Lyme failed to capitalise on a number of good chances. The Seasiders continued to dictate play in the second half but conceded a penalty which was brilliantly saved by Chris Higgs. Manager Simier thought this was the turning point of the game as Lyme upped their energy levels and went on to score three more goals with numerous other chances going begging. Young Tom Kilcoyne, full of running, was brought down just outside the box and Mark Bailey made it 2-0 with a brilliantly struck free-kick. Kilcoyne also provided the assist for a Brad Rowe tap-in to make it 3-0 and Tim Bastin completed the 4-0 scoreline. Simier was impressed with the performance of 18-year-old Kilcoyne, who plays without fear, and Bastin’s work rate but singled out keeper Higgs whose penalty save came at a crucial time in the game.

Friday, October 1 2021 24

SUPPORT THE SEASIDERS AT THE DAVEY FORT

Lyme Regis 1sts v. Exeter University Kick-off 3pm skittles

First steps to restart Lyme skittles league LYME Regis Skittles League committee will be meeting this month to consider getting skittles up and running again. The initial meeting will be held with the 2019/20 committee members and a list of options will be discussed. At the moment it is thought that the earliest that Lyme skittles could restart would be after Christmas, given that there is a lot of preparation required to organise a restart. To assist the committee with their discussions, all team captains (or delegated team members) have been asked to inform the committee of the level of interest that currently exists within each team and whether they feel the time is right to restart games in the New Year. An email to all teams said: “Please feel free to add any other information you feel is worthy of discussion. “The committee will then formulate a forward plan based on those responses and work out the next steps (e.g. a meeting with team captains and representatives, an Emergency General Meeting or an AGM - or a combination of each). “Please let us know your thoughts either via phone call, email, messenger, WhatsApp or by talking to a current committee member.” Serving on the current committee are: John Fry (chairman), Mark Williams (treasurer/shared secretary), Jenni West (shared secretary), Emma Blackmore, Daniel Buckley, Winston Chapman, Jon Hunt, Tim Mayers and Kevin Trott.

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