Welcome to Mudeford Mag The Your lo cal magazines
Let the summer begin!
Summer’s here at last, and I’ve been making the most of it with my dog Millie — enjoying camping adventures, chasing sunsets, and popping along to a few local festivals too!
Have you been to any local events recently? There’s always something going on in the area if you enjoy great food, live music and family fun. I’ve also been venturing into the New Forest and discovering new spots to enjoy with Millie. We are so lucky to have so many beautiful places on our doorstep. Sometimes life can get so busy we forget to take a moment to just look around us and appreciate it all.
When I’m not out exploring, I’ve been trying my hand at improving my gardening skills (not my natural strength), but I’m pleased to report it’s finally becoming a lovely space to sit with a book after a busy day — or to tune into the latest episode of Your Voice | Dorset Podcast, of course.
However you like to spend your summer, I hope this issue gives you plenty of inspiration. And if you’ve found something new locally that you would like to recommend, we’d love to hear about it.
Rebecca Smith
A lovely community lunch in Hurn
By Revd Sandra Prudom, Christchurch Community Partnership chief executive
Hopefully you all enjoyed the mini heatwave we experienced in May when I wrote this column –let’s hope it lasts through the summer!
It has been a busy time for us. In addition to all our usual activities, we also had the annual (and eagerly anticipated) 4Com ‘Easter’ Lunch. We were able to utilise three minibuses and various cars to get around 50 clients, both old and new, out for an enjoyable afternoon.
4Com is a local business that has been very generously providing these wonderful events for our clients over many years, and we are very appreciative. They not only host us at the lovely Chapel Gate venue out at Hurn, but fund a
delicious two-course meal, served by their own lovely staff who volunteer each year, and then round it off with entertainment – as who doesn’t love a game of bingo?
We were particularly delighted to have a table of staff and residents from Avon Reach Care Home, who also enjoyed it immensely. They say a picture paints a thousand words, so here are some photos to illustrate what fun we all had.
Rev Sandra Prudom Chief Executive Officer
T: 01202 989632
E: contact@ccpartnership.org.uk
W: christchurchcommunitypartnership.org.uk
Sandra with 4Com’s Dean Cartledge
Pat and Sascha enjoying the lunch
Who can say no to cheesecake?
Eyes down for bingo
WIN TICKETS FOR THE ROCKET MAN 2025
FRIDAY 15 AUGUST 7.30PM AT THE REGENT, CHRISTCHURCH
A celebration of Sir Elton John will take place in Christchurch this summer.
Audiences to ‘The Rocket Man’ can look forward to seeing a live band take them down the ‘Yellow Brick Road’ with two hours of glorious Elton hits, including ‘Saturday Night’s Alright’, ‘Crocodile Rock’, ‘I’m Still Standing’, ‘Philadelphia Freedom’, and many more.
This tribute act will take audiences on a journey through Elton’s life and career, the highs and the lows with many a laugh brought to life, live on stage.
REGENT CENTRE BOX OFFICE
01202 499199
TICKETS £32
For your chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, simply find Sammy Seagull who is hiding somewhere inside this month’s magazine (excluding this page).
Send an email with the subject line ‘Sammy Seagull’, the page number where he appears and your contact details to competition@ themudefordmag.co.uk.
Closing date is 31 July 2025
PREVIOUS WINNER: Congratulations to Marlene Gotch, who won tickets to The Regent Comedy Club with Geoff Norcott for correctly answering that Sammy was hiding on page xxvi.
Coffee Break Time
How to solve codeword
Every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number.
All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number.
To start you off we reveal the code for 3 letters.
Solutions on page xxii
sponsored by Louis P Creative
Coffee Break Time
You are the culmination of your life
By Elizabeth McPherson
I have just celebrated my 60th birthday, and it seems hard to believe that 60 years have gone by in what seems like a flash.
It is at birthdays of this stature that, I think, it is allowable to reflect on your life and indulge yourself in a bit of nostalgia.
You just never know what someone has done in their life, which is why, whatever anyone’s age, I always ask about their life, what they have done and where they have been.
I used to work in a clinic, and I loved hearing the stories of the patients who had my rapt attention as they sat in the waiting room. I recall speaking to an 83-year-old who had just returned from her holiday in New York. When I asked where she stayed, she replied, with a twinkle in her eye, “Times Square.” She further went on to tell me that she sipped cocktails on the rooftop bar.
I asked if she had resisted the late-night shopping. “No,” she said. She had felt compelled to start a shopping spree at 1am, along with many others. We both laughed out loud.
For me, this lady’s story will forever stick in my mind. When I am 83, I want to be in New York, on a rooftop, sipping cocktails.
I am glad to say that for me, there have been lots of wonderful bits. I can recall being convinced, at age 18, that 21 was the age to be and telling my mum that I could not wait to get there, because then I would know everything I would need to know about life. I laugh at that, as little did I realise I had so much to learn.
It can sometimes be painful to look back at ‘who you once were’. But I say this all the time: you are still YOU. Even
if there may be a few more wrinkles than you had when you were younger, every one of them is a testimony to the life you have lived. After all, ageing is a privilege, not a right.
In truth, as we age, we become the sum of our total parts. All the parts of us form the person we are today, a person who now has the wisest head on their shoulders and can be such a comfort to those younger than us, who turn to us for our guidance and support.
We are our life experiences, both good and bad. We are all the jobs we have had and all the funny things that have happened to us. We are our stories, and we are better for them.
When you look at it, life is incredible, and we must never judge a book by its cover.
Whenever you do look back, remember to smile and marvel at how far you have come.
With Love Beth
The Lifestyle Concept beth@thelifestyleconcept.co.uk Phone: 07932 945738 www.thelifestyleconcept.co.uk
© Kit Suman, Unsplash
Xchurch Music Festival, Christchurch Quay, 18–20 July
An unforgettable weekend of music will take place in mid-July as The Quay in Christchurch hosts the town’s annual music festival.
With a full line-up of music across three stages, there will be no shortage of talent on display, so make sure to bring your dancing shoes!
As well as live music, there will be a wide range of food and drink on sale from local vendors. Plus, there will be plenty of entertainment for the whole family, with funfair rides and the Kid Zone. Run by The Dorset Children’s Foundation, the Kid Zone will have activities for young children, from face painting and interactive games to arts and crafts.
Tickets cost £27 per adult for a Friday ticket, £32.40 for a Saturday ticket, or £37.80 for a weekend ticket. Children aged under 16 cost £11.25. Book tickets and see the full lineup by visiting the festival’s website: xchurchmusicfestival.co.uk.
CHRISTCHURCH u3a
By Paula Watton
Introducing our new venue: The Runway. We’re very excited about this. It’s going to make a huge difference as we will be able to use these lovely new premises for a variety of meetings.
Meanwhile, our Christchurch Monday Market stall depends on volunteers, so if you can spare a morning or just a few hours, please pop into The Epicentre to put your name down. Your help will be gratefully received. How about setting up and running a new group with a friend? There are several new groups starting this year but there’s always a place for more.
Following the launch of our new programme on 24 June, u3a members can join groups from 1 July. Apply directly to group leaders.
Finally, Kathleen has planned some lovely summer activities:
12 July: Meal and skittles at the Walkford Arms Pub, £3 per person.
13–17 July: We’re going camping. You need to bring your own tents, campervans, equipment, etc.
In July and August, Kathleen and Denise are organising dinghy, paddleboarding and canoeing at Mudeford Quay Green. No tuition given. Bring beach shoes, picnic and a change of clothes. Weather permitting.
Enjoy the summer!
Christchurch u3a | The Epicentre, 27a High Street, Christchurch 01202 480027 | Group co-ordinator information: groups@christchurchu3a.org.uk
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by
Helen Simonson,
paperback £9.99
In the summer of 1919, Constance Haverhill is forced to relinquish her beloved job and cottage at the estate she helped to run during the war. Instead, she’s sent as an old lady’s companion to Hazelbourne-onSea, where she meets Poppy, a trouser-wearing local who runs a ladies’ motorcycle (and, hopefully soon, flying) club, and Harris, her recalcitrant but handsome brother, a pilot wounded in battle, who warms in Constance’s presence. But things are increasingly complicated. As the country prepares to celebrate peace, the women of the club are forced to confront the fact that the freedoms gained during the war are being revoked. In a timeless comedy of manners, with sharp humour, biting wit and a warm heart, Simonson captures the mood of a generation facing the seismic changes brought on by war.
Book Reviews
By Kirsty Robinson
The Big Hop: The First Non-stop Flight Across the Atlantic and Into the Future
by David Rooney, hardback £18 Jetting off on holiday is so commonplace these days that it’s hard to imagine that it was only just over 100 years ago that the first flight across the Atlantic occurred, and that was only 16 years following the first ever powered flight of less than 60 seconds. David Rooney, a curator at the Science Museum, tells of the race between four teams to successfully cross thousands of miles of ocean, with miraculous escapes, a duplicitous Rear Admiral, and a final triumph, but for which team? These Atlantic pioneers weren’t scientists or upper-class officers. They were ordinary men, risking their lives in the name of progress, who ultimately ushered in the age of global connection in which we live now.
Gordon: The Meanest Goose On Earth Wins It All by Alex Latimer, paperback £6.99
Gordon’s back! Gordon is the meanest goose on Earth. Well… he used to be, but now, he’s trying to change his ways and be a Good Goose. The trouble is, it’s really tricky to be kind and patient and good, especially when you’ve always been mean. In ‘Gordon Wins It All’, Gordon decides he wants to be good at everything, so he arranges Grover Garden’s first-ever Grand Tournament. He’s determined to win every event and prove he’s the best goose around, even if that means cheating with the help of his old friends at the Meanest Goose Society. But will Gordon’s selfish scheme be everything he dreamed of? Honkingly funny, highly illustrated and full of laughs, this is the perfect series for emerging readers.
Why not pop into the shop to have a browse and see lots of lovely new publications for summer? Or you can contact us on 01202 418403, email sales@bh6booksandhome.co.uk or find us on social media @bh6booksandhome to place orders and discover all that we have to offer at BH6 Books and Home, 69 Southbourne Grove, BH6 3QU.
By Colin Nash | Head Chef colinnashrestaurant.co.uk
Pan fried breast of pigeon with puy lentils, beetroot, bacon and chestnut cream
INGREDIENTS:
Serves 4 starters
4 pigeon breasts with skin on
100g puy lentils (pre-soaked)
1 slice of smoked streaky bacon
1 shallot (peeled)
1 small beetroot (peeled)
100g cooked chestnuts
100ml double cream
100ml beef stock
Oil, salt and pepper
Pickled mushrooms (optional)
1 sheet of spring roll pastry
(optional)
Method:
Soak the lentils the day before in cold water. Chop the chestnuts into small dice and boil gently in the cream for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, finely dice the shallot, beetroot and bacon, and gently fry in a little oil for two minutes.
Drain off the water from the lentils, add to the diced mixture and add the beef stock. Simmer for about one hour or until the lentils are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
Liquidize or mash the chestnut and cream to a smooth paste. When everything is ready, it is time to fry your pigeon in a hot pan with a little oil for about three minutes on each side and leave to rest for two minutes in a warm place.
Put a spoonful of lentils in the middle of each warm plate, followed by some chestnut cream. Slice each pigeon into four quarters and arrange over the chestnut. Should any of the sauces become a little dry from over boiling, add a little water to keep them from burning.
The pastry ring in the picture is a piece of spring roll pastry wrapped up and around an oiled metal ring and baked in the oven for 5 minutes. We also add a few pickled mushrooms at our restaurant.
Colin Nash Restaurant
Lyndhurst Road, Hinton, Christchurch, BH23 7EF
T: 01425 200050
W: www.colinnashrestaurant.co.uk
Battling your addictions
You may not consider that you have an addiction, but if you are becoming concerned regarding a certain aspect of your behaviour, worried that it may be bad for your health, using money you do not have or taking up too much of your time, then this article may be worth reading.
If it is a habitual indulgence beyond your control and negatively affecting your life, then it is an addiction. Commonly one thinks of alcohol, drugs, and gambling but we can become addicted to TV, the internet, food, our phones and even exercise. Addicts will experience excessive preoccupation in their activity. They often find themselves spending much more time on the activity than at first intended, often resulting in devastating consequences on other aspects of their life such as finances, relationships, or jobs. Most addicts have experienced multiple failed attempts to quit, or perhaps swapped one addictive behaviour for another. Even those who outwardly deny any concerns regarding their habit may often inwardly have a nagging discomfort that they would in fact like to change things if they could.
We are all vulnerable to addiction because, at first, engaging in a new activity may bring enjoyment, comfort, or excitement, but gradually we will find we have to increase the amount of the activity just to get the same amount of satisfaction; the pleasure effects fade as we become tolerant to the activity/drug. We then find we need to perform more and more of our activity while getting less and less buzz from it. Eventually, we are doing it no longer for pleasure but only to avoid feeling unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
All addictions (and in fact, all mental health disorders) develop from an environment where our essential human needs are not being met. These
needs are security, attention, autonomy, sense of achievement, sense of community, status, privacy, emotional connection and being challenged to give life meaning. People commonly turn to addiction after major life events or losses such as bereavement, redundancy, disability, or becoming homeless.
Most of the perceived pleasures of an addiction are actually an illusion.
Addictive behaviour is an attempt to relieve distressing feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, loneliness, or boredom that are experienced when our needs are not being met. However, it does not end up relieving this distress — it ends up causing it.
There is a common pattern that lies behind all addictions: ‘the expectation pathway’. Understanding what drives your own personal addictive behaviour is an important part of getting it under control. Dopamine is generated when we crave an addictive activity, and this deceives us into expecting that we will achieve the satisfaction we want if only we do enough of it. However, we never achieve this longed for high level of satisfaction, but we go on expecting it so we repeatedly do it in vain.
In very simple terms, to get a handle on our addiction, we need to attend to our unmet needs and learn to set up the expectation that NOT performing the addictive behaviour will be more pleasurable. Easier said than done, I know.
Dr Armorel Wood MBACP, Accred MNCS Professional Counsellor
077665915211 | woodarmorel@gmail.com www.mapletreetherapy.org.uk
From medieval to millennium, Christchurch Monday Market
By Julie Ratcliffe, Christchurch History Society
Each week, with only a few exceptions, Christchurch holds its Monday Market on High Street. Weekly markets in towns like Christchurch are a tradition that goes back to medieval times. The Saxons founded Twynham (Christchurch’s original name) as a Burgh, fortified towns that were also centres of trading and commerce, including markets. When the Normans arrived, a feudal system was introduced. Markets needed a charter giving them permission to trade, with rules on payment of tolls by traders. The Lord of the Manor of Christchurch, the first Baldwin de Redvers, granted a charter to the canons in around 1140. Charters were also given for annual fairs.
In the mid-13th century, the seventh Baldwin de Redvers granted the tolls collected at the weekly Monday market (and the fairs) to the Burgesses, who were like today’s councillors. The weekly markets would sell fresh produce, non-foods, and livestock. Christchurch’s market was held in the market square, which was where High Street, Castle Street and Church Street meet, and where the present Old Town Hall was first located.
The market continued over the centuries, but perhaps due to the rise of shops in the high street, in 1872 the Burgesses decided a weekly market was no longer needed. This caused consternation amongst the farmers, who set up their own markets to auction livestock.
It wasn’t until a century later that the council decided to reinstate the Monday Market. The first was held on the late May bank holiday in 1976, and was a roaring success, with an estimated 3,000 people crowding the high street.
reported a decline. This location also used up valuable parking spaces. A Town Centre Forum raised the idea of moving the market onto High Street. This idea gained momentum that was sealed by the enormous success of the Millennium Food and Wine Festival’s market, so the Monday Market moved there in 2002.
Unfortunately, the move was not without its problems. The bus companies demanded that they should be able to run as normal on market days. The matter even went to a government inspector who found in the bus company’s favour. However, after a three-month trial, and local protests, along with Christchurch Council’s determination, in 2004 buses were finally banned from High Street on market days.
With its origins in Saxon Twynham, and by royal charter, to its new beginnings at the start of the millennium, Christchurch Monday Market remains a popular attraction for locals and visitors.
Visit www.historychristchurch.co.uk or email enquiries@historychristchurch.co.uk to find out more.
After this, the market was moved to the car park behind the then town hall. The 1980s saw another change. With the demolition of the town hall buildings and development of Saxon Square, the market was moved again, this time to Bank Close car park.
This market wasn’t as popular, and its traders
Talks:
Held at Christchurch Junior School, Clarendon Road, BH23 2AA. Doors open at 7pm.
2 September – The Dorset Female Penitentiary, by Clare Humphreys-Vincenti
7th October – CHS Annual General Meeting. Come along and find out more about us!
Photo by Julie Ratcliffe
CATCH
We launched a new podcast in February, Your Voice | Dorset Podcast, where we speak to the people of Dorset and learn about how they help their communities and make life in the county so special.
Since the last issue, we’ve published several new episodes, including an interview with the singer songwriter Polly Morris all about her love of music. Describing her process, Polly said: “I think as a singer songwriter you write about what you experience, you write about what has moved you and made you laugh.”
We also spoke to Peter and Linda Thornton, who turned personal tragedy into a powerful legacy.
The Ferndown couple founded a charity, the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation, after the tragic death of their son in 2008. John was a member of the Royal Marines and was killed in Afghanistan just two weeks before he was due to come home from a six-month tour.
Today, the charity gives grants to young people to help them chase their dreams, such as helping youngsters take part in international sports competitions by paying their travel expenses.
When selecting who receives a grant, Peter said: “What we’re looking for is young people who’ve got that drive, that energy, to want to succeed. We’re looking for people with Royal Marine Commando values: courage, determination and cheerfulness in adversity.”
And more recently we spoke to Sam Everard, the founder and CEO of the Bournemouth-based charity called SAMEE, which won a prestigious international award earlier this year.
Sam had to go Vienna in Austria to collect her award. What was the highlight of her trip? Meeting a dog called Dave at the British Embassy, which served biscuits shaped like Dave. But you’ll have to listen to the podcast to hear more of this delightful story.
Peter and Linda Thornton
Host Marilyn and Polly Morris
Wayne Ingram and Sam Everard
New Dungeness Lighthouse
By Keith Morton | Association of Lighthouse Keepers | alkhurst@gmail.com
Following on from the previous article regarding the various lighthouses that have been built at Dungeness, we now arrive at the fifth and current lighthouse to be built there.
In the 1950s, work was about to start on building a nuclear power station at Dungeness, however the site chosen, close to the sea, meant the station building would obscure the light from the lighthouse built in 1904 in certain directions to the west. So again, a decision was made to build yet another new lighthouse. This would be the first major new lighthouse construction for some 50 years and would use the latest design technology.
The construction would use precast concrete rings which were fitted one on top of another to form a vertical tube. Each ring was 1.5m high, 15cm thick and 3.6m in diameter. It was necessary that the lighthouse was coloured in Black and White rings, so the colouring was impregnated into concrete as each ring was constructed.
The lighthouse was opened in 1961 and was initially equipped with a flashing xenon arc lamp. However, the new technology did not prove to be effective and was soon replaced by an array of sealed beam units which remained until 2000 when they were replaced by a small fourth-order optic from Lundy South Lighthouse. In addition to the main light, sector lights were installed in windows below the main light.
From 1962, the lighthouse was floodlit to aid visual identification and to reduce the mortality rate of migrating birds which were prone to hit the lighthouse at night.
During 1954–56, trials had been conducted at Dungeness with a triple frequency electric fog signal
sounded through Tannoy emitters which had proven successful and were installed in the new lighthouse at Dungeness.
In the new lighthouse, 60 such emitters were installed in precast concrete blocks. The emitters remained in use until 2000 when they were replaced by an electronic signal installed in the base of the tower – it sounded three blasts every minute but in 2022, it was changed to one blast every 30 seconds.
The Dungeness Lighthouse is monitored and controlled from the Trinity House Control Centre in Harwich.
Dungeness Lighthouse © Keith Morton
Top six reasons to take a cruise holiday
By Austin Rowlands
If you’ve never been on a cruise before, you might be surprised by what’s in store. A cruise is one of the most convenient, exciting, and value-packed ways to explore the world. Here are the top reasons why you should consider taking a cruise holiday:
1. Value for your money
One of the biggest perks of cruising is how much you get for your money. Your fare includes accommodation, food, entertainment, and transport between destinations — for less than what you might spend on a traditional land-based holiday.
2. See more dream destinations and only unpack once
Imagine waking up in a new location every day — without ever needing to repack your suitcase. On a cruise, you can maximise your annual leave and tick off many of your dream destinations in just one trip.
3. More time at destinations than you think On most cruises, you get a full day in almost every port. And with more cruise lines including
more evening and overnight stays, you’ll have time to soak up the local nightlife. If you wish to explore further afield, you’ll find a huge range of shore excursions you can join to help you get to the heart of each destination.
4. The only way to experience some must-see destinations
Sometimes a cruise is the only way to reach certain landscapes and cultures that are inaccessible by train, car or plane. You’ll find it nearly impossible to see remote places of untouched beauty such as the Norwegian fjords, interior rivers of South East Asia, or the glaciers of Alaska on a land-based holiday.
5. Onboard entertainment and activities
From Broadway-style shows and live music to cooking classes, cruise ships are packed with activities for all ages. Whether you want to relax by the pool, hit the gym, or try your luck at the casino, there’s something for everyone.
6. Exceptional dining experiences
Many cruise lines offer a variety of speciality and fine dining on board their ships, as well as cookery classes and foodie shore excursions, so you can take your tastebuds on a journey as well. Why book a cruise with Effortless Holidays? With so many variables when it comes to cruise itineraries, cabins, offers and ships, it can all be a bit overwhelming when picking a cruise holiday. At Effortless Holidays, we’re experts in the different cruise lines, ships and destinations, and can recommend the best options for you based on your budget, requirements and preferences. If any issues arise once you’ve booked your cruise, we’ll
provide solutions to resolve them quickly. And as we’re based locally, we can even meet up with you face-to-face over coffee to discuss your holiday plans.
Effortless Holidays’ independent status means we can provide you with impartial advice and support and offer you special deals and discounts you won’t find on the high street. At the very least, we’ll always be able to price match, so you’ll never need to pay more to use our service. If you’d like to know more, please get in touch.
Austin Rowlands
Effortless Holidays
T: 01202 948338 or 01425 562132
M: 07701 092290 or 07845 195363
E: austinrowlands@effortlessholidays.co.uk
W: www.effortlessholidays.co.uk
COMPETITION Win £20 gift voucher for Discovery Village
With the school summer holidays fast approaching, here’s your chance to win a gift voucher to go towards entertaining your children or grandchildren in August.
Located in Christchurch near to Bournemouth Airport, Discovery Village has been entertaining children through theatrical and imaginative play since opening in September last year.
Designed for children aged seven years and under, this immersive indoor role play experience offers a fun alternative to soft play centres.
Terms and conditions
We’ve teamed up with Discovery Village to offer you the chance to win a £20 gift voucher towards a play session. To enter the prize draw, email competition@themudefordmag.co.uk with the subject line ‘Discovery Village competition’ and the answer to this question:
In what month did Discovery Village open?
Closing date is 31 July 2025
The first correct answer drawn will be the winner. Employees of Pulford Publicity Ltd or Discovery Village are not permitted to enter. There is no cash alternative. The editor’s decision is final. Personal details will be stored securely and will only be processed to determine the winner. The winner’s name and details will be passed on to Discovery Village for the purpose of allocating the prize.
Homes for House Martins
By Tom (CHOG)
April 2025 saw the official opening of a House Martin tower and wildlife area in the Hoburne Estate in West Highcliffe. A fantastic attendance of over 60 people, including BCP Councillors Andy Hadley and Paul Hilliard, watched as Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group (CHOG) Chairman Chris Chapleo opened proceedings. Chris thanked all those involved in the building of the wildlife area, including BCP Council, The Parks Foundation and New Milton’s Men’s Shed, along with New Milton Sand and Ballast which provided the materials for the tower, the aggregates for the pond and space for the Men’s Shed volunteers to build it.
House Martins arrive in spring to breed over the summer and can be identified by their white rump and underside, which contrast with their blue-black upper parts and tail. They are slightly smaller and plumper than Swifts and Swallows, and can be seen on the ground collecting mud for their nests. They were red-listed for the first time in 2021 as a Bird of Conservation Concern in the UK, due to a decline in the breeding population; therefore, it is important to provide nesting habitats for this species, and the tower is the second one installed in the BCP Council area.
Councillor Andy Hadley, BCP portfolio holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, spoke during the opening and said: “The area includes the tower, a two-level pond and wildlife-friendly native plants all within a fenced area. As soon as the pond was
built, many animals and birds started using it, you can even see the House Martins flying about as we speak.”
The warm and stable spring this year was good for insects, so hopefully this summer will be a better year for House Martins. And if you are visiting the wildlife area, look out for dragonflies as they chase other insects or rest on stones and plants. One of the most impressive UK dragonflies is the Emperor, which can even be seen eating its prey in flight.
The northern end of the Quarry Pond at Hengistbury Head can be a good place to watch Emperors (like the one in the photograph), along with other dragonflies and damselflies.
CHOG is an independent organisation and registered charity, which is dedicated to recording, promoting and conserving the wildlife of the Christchurch Harbour area. To find out more about CHOG, please scan the QR Code or visit www.chog.org.uk for the latest daily sightings, the Harbour Wildlife Dragonfly & Damselfly List, and details of the social media sites where you can interact with CHOG.
Emperor dragonfly © Tom (CHOG)
House Martin tower opening. Photographs courtesy of CHOG
Puzzle solutions
The castle at the end of a spit
Article and photos by Tricia Hayne
If that headline sounds like the beginning of a children’s adventure story, it’s with good reason. For how many castles do actually stand at the end of a spit? How many have seen almost 500 years of adventure? And how many are now threatened by the very location that makes them unique?
Hurst Castle. Built in the reign of Henry VIII to counter the threat of Spanish invasion, its central keep has stood solid through the reigns of 23 monarchs. The 17th century saw the imprisonment of Charles I; the 18th a Roman Catholic priest. There were shipwrecks and smugglers, Preventative Officers and lighthouse keepers.
With the Napoleonic wars came renewed danger. Walls were strengthened, and more powerful weapons installed. And while the guns were never brought into play, the castle did do service as a military hospital.
Ongoing fear of the French saw the addition of two Victorian wings. Massive 38-ton guns were trained on the Hurst Narrows, their ammunition
20th-century searchlight
moved from the jetty along narrow railway tracks. Then, during the two World Wars, searchlights captured any action in the Hurst Narrows between the castle and the Isle of Wight, and Bofors guns were trained on the skies.
Throughout it all, the castle remained – as it is today - accessible only on foot or by boat. Despite the collapse of one of the east wing walls in 2021, it retains an air of permanence that belies the constant threat of the sea as it batters the narrow spit connecting the castle to the mainland at Keyhaven. For an adventure novel, there’s no lack of inspiration!
I am the membership secretary of The Friends of Hurst Castle. Members are involved with everything from upkeep and displays to guided tours, litter picks and historical research. They also receive a regular newsletter, can take part in events and are entitled to free entry to the castle. Why not join us?
To find out more, email trjhayne@gmail.com.
One of the castle’s 38-ton guns
Friends run their own marathon for DCCF
The famous London Marathon was held on Sunday 27 April on the streets of the UK capital. At the same time, two Dorset women ran their own version of the marathon from Lulworth to Portland Bill, where they were met at the finish line by the friend whose battle with cancer inspired them.
Judith Baker and Jane Austin ran their ‘London Marathon in the Purbecks’ on Sunday in honour of their friend Win Wood, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
The pair of runners, who dubbed themselves ‘The Trotting Tits’, completed their 26.2 mile route in seven hours and 45 minutes. They were running in aid of the Dorset Cancer Care
Foundation (DCCF), which provides financial support to cancer patients and their families living in Dorset.
In total, the pair raised over £1,900 for the DCCF, smashing their target of £500.
58-year-old Jane is a retired programme lead manager in mental health for NHS Dorset. She received a position in this year’s TCS London Marathon MyWay virtual event, which allows people to run their own route anywhere and still have it recorded on the official marathon app.
She was joined by Judith, a 57-year-old customer ambassador at Dorchester South Station for South Western Railway, and they were supported on their Sunday run by a team of friends and family providing regular refreshment breaks.
Their friend Win met them at Portland Bill for an emotional end-of-race celebration.
Judith said: “We are so overwhelmed by the support and encouragement we received before and during the run, both from our loved ones and the DCCF. People who had heard what we were doing cheered us on and even donated money along our route.
“Hugging Win at the finish line made all the effort worthwhile. We are over the moon that our friendship has led to us being able to support this great local charity and in doing so help many other people, who like Win are fighting cancer.”
DCCF provides non-returnable grants to help struggling cancer patients pay for things such as household bills, respite breaks, domestic care, transport, and parking costs while undergoing treatment.
For details of how to support the DCCF or to apply for a grant, please visit: www.dccf.co.uk.
L-R: Jane Austin, Win Wood, and Judith Baker in front of Portland Bill Lighthouse
RNLI Mudeford Fundraising Crew Newsletter
Meet Lexi
Lexi, a local GP, started volunteering for RNLI Mudeford in 2019. With her passion for the sea and a desire to contribute to the safety of her local coastal community, she quickly found her place as part of the team, and is now a tractor driver, head launcher and lifeboat medical advisor at RNLI Mudeford Lifeboat.
Dates for the diary
RNLI Souvenirs
Find our stall plus books and jigsaws at Mudeford Quayside, Sundays 10am to 4pm, weather permitting.
Sunday 10 August
Funday with funfair, live music, lifeboat demos, paddleboard races, duck race, food & craft stalls and more from 10am to 4pm at Mudeford Quay & Green.
Sunday 31 August
Pirate Day with kids’ games from 10.30am to 1.30pm at Avon Beach near Lifeguard Station, weather permitting.
Join us
Thank you
A big thank you to Laura, The Noisy Lobster shop manager, and her team for their support for Mudeford RNLI. They are proud to announce they have raised just over £44,000 since 2012 for RNLI Lifeboats from stocking RNLI cards and calendars in their shop every year.
Mudeford Lifeboat Station’s JustGiving Page www.justgiving.com/ campaign/rnli-mudefordlifeboat-2025?utm_ medium=CA&utm_ source=CL
For more information on our events or monthly meetings, please contact Adele at adele.orr.63@gmail.com We are always pleased to welcome new volunteers for our fundraising team. We meet at 2.15pm on the first Wednesday of the month at Stanpit Village Hall.
Lexi and the tractor © RNLI
Laura from The Noisy Lobster with Adele Orr, chair of the fundraising crew © The Noisy Lobster
La Plume de ma Tante Story Short
by Mark Laming
The only French I can still remember from my school days are the words ‘La plume de ma tante’ (the pen of my aunt). Not exactly the most helpful phrase for holidaying in France. I was never interested in studying, especially when it came to foreign languages.
Too much hard work for a lazy individual like me meant my education took a battering. Whilst the term ‘academic’ never applied to me, I did however like our French teacher, Miss Taylor. In my mid-teens, something inside me started to whizz around every time she entered the classroom. A schoolboy crush that, if I’m totally honest, never went away. I have carried fond memories of her throughout my life. Miss Taylor, you quickened my heart beat and still do.
Rather than trying to please her by being the perfect schoolboy, I did everything in my power to be told to stay behind after class and attend one of her detentions. My theory was based on having more time to observe the beautiful woman with the long brown hair and sky-blue eyes.
On one occasion I must have smiled at her for too long, hoping for some indication that she also liked me. Instead, she asked why I was pulling such stupid faces and to grow up. On that day my confidence was shattered and I was well and truly put in my place.
***
Possibly because of my lasting memory of Miss Taylor, anything to do with France automatically makes me think of her. Whenever my wife and I holiday there, back comes ‘La plume de ma tante’. I’ve never attempted to grasp any other words, which is a bit silly considering the number of times we visit this wonderful country. I struggle to buy things in shops and rely on pointing to the item. More often than not, my purchases are the wrong ones — much to my wife’s amusement.
***
Now my wife and I are back in France taking a short break. Our grand plan includes visiting a chateau or two and buying wine and smelly cheese to take home.
There’s only one thing that’s spoiling our holiday: my wife bought me this wretched book on the ferry, ‘Learn French in One Day’. She’s determined to improve my language skills.
She’s really getting on my wick with her parrot-fashion singsong:
“Je suis, Tu es, Il est, Elle est, Nous sommes…”
It’s a long drive to Amboise and we break the journey to buy water. Inside the supermarket, I go off looking for some wine for the evening. It is an incredible store that sells everything from a custardcoloured bikini to car tyres. Dodging the trolleys, I turn up an aisle and stop dead in my tracks as I spot a familiar face.
“What in heaven’s name are you doing here?” I ask in utter surprise.
The woman looks really good for her age in her long skirt and white shirt, just as attractive as all those years ago in school.
Before she has a chance to reply, I ditch my shopping basket and cross over to plant a kiss on both her cheeks.
All the time we are speaking, I stand there trying to tuck my tummy in pretending that time has been kind to me too.
She asks, “Is it really you, Colin? What are you doing in France?”
A smile comes over her face and she bursts into laughter. I have to ask her what is so funny.
“I just have this picture of you trying to pay for all that shopping and getting all hot and bothered when the cashier looks confused as you mutter: La plume de ma tante. You never learnt anything else, did you?”
I manage to say, “Now you are embarrassing me. You are referring to
when I was 15. It was a long time ago.”
We chat for a few minutes, and I glance at the woman who tells me she has been married, but it hasn’t worked out. Now, her life centres around all things French as she has settled into her new life abroad. She enquires whether I would like to keep in touch. I feel uneasy and switch the subject to the incredible prices of the wines on offer. I am just about to say goodbye when she asks for my mobile number to keep in contact. In a feeble voice I lie, “I don’t have a mobile.”
Then I hear my wife’s voice. She is just the other side of the bread gondola. I tell my friend from the past that she is about to meet my other half.
My wife instantly recognises the woman I am talking to and says, “Well, fancy seeing you again, and in France of all places. It’s young Penny Worthing, one
of my reluctant pupils. A regular in my detention class for not concentrating during French lessons, just like my husband, and he still can’t speak the language.”
My old school friend, Penny, nods to my wife and then turns to me, muttering, “Miss Taylor, our French teacher, is your wife?”
I grin but keep silent.
Penny whispers, “Perhaps all those French lessons did pay off after all.”
Mark Laming has written six novels that have been set in New York, Spain and the UK. Over the last 30 years, he has penned over 100 short stories of which four have been broadcast by the BBC. He was nominated for The People’s Book Prize 2019 for his novel ‘Shadow with Nowhere to Fall’.
My drive to make Dorset the safest county
By David Sidwick Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner
Being Dorset’s Police and Crime Commissioner is a great honour. Serving the people of Dorset as your voice in policing is a job I take extremely seriously. Ensuring residents are safe, and importantly feel safe, where they live, work, and play, motivates me, my team and everyone at Dorset Police to keep delivering on your behalf every day.
A key part of my role as PCC, alongside robust scrutiny of the Force and setting the police budget, is to provide a Police and Crime Plan setting priorities and a strategy for how they should be achieved. These priorities are based on what you, the public, have told me you want to see. In my first term as PCC, I purposely drew up a plan to cover the next eight years, ensuring long-term changes could be successfully delivered. I knew the sticking-plaster effect of short-term fixes would not be enough to achieve the changes needed, and I knew Dorset could rise to the challenge of an ambitious strategy.
The priorities in my Police and Crime Plan cover the reality of policing a county like Dorset; a county which attracts a huge number of visitors each year and has proud rural communities and busy town and village centres. These priorities include a pledge to cut crime and anti-social behaviour; make policing more visible and connected; fight violent crime and high harm; fight rural crime; put victims and communities first; and make every penny count.
Of course, there will always be challenges in policing, but over my past four years as PCC, the Force has seen some significant progress in several key areas. Dorset remains one of the top 10 safest places in the country — a particularly impressive feat considering our poor funding
from central government and dealing with the challenges that seasonality and rurality present. Crime has fallen, and positive outcomes are on the rise, alongside a substantial reduction in antisocial behaviour which has fallen to the lowest level since 2007/08.
Work is relentless to shut down harmful county lines and tackle street dealing thanks to initiatives such as Operation Scorpion and Operation Viper, as well as the proactive work of our neighbourhood policing teams. I know the issue of drugs is a key concern for the public; in every survey my office undertakes, it is always one of the subjects consistently raised, along with burglary, anti-social behaviour, violent crime and violence against women and girls. My Police and Crime Plan has key commitments to tackle each of these issues through proven methods of enforcement, education and prevention.
Dorset is a special place to live, work and visit, and I am unwavering in my commitment to ensure we remain one of the safest counties in the country and continue to drive to be the safest.
I want this column to be a true connection with you, the people I serve. If there is a general issue you want me to discuss, please let me know. To contact the PCC, visit the website www.dorset.pcc.police.uk.
Getting ready to help families through the summer
By Tracy Blick, Christchurch Food Bank+
Hello and thank you to all those who support us. We are more than just food; we want to walk with individuals and families on their journey out of crisis, using all of our Christchurch Food Bank+ (CFB+) projects.
After a super busy Easter, we are now planning our ‘Fun for Families Day and Picnic’ in August. It’s great to bring families together for fun, food and friendship for ‘free’; times are hard and money is tight for so many.
We are also preparing summer holiday top-up bags and ‘meals in a bag’. We provide all the ingredients, recipes and tips to make a good home-cooked main and pudding together, as well as an invite to our ‘cooking together’ workshops.
How can you help? In the summer, we give out 300 boxes of cereal and cartons of UHT milk a week! So we are always grateful for donations of these, as well as tinned fruit, baked beans and pasta sauce jars.
Here is a testimony encapsulating the impact our projects can have.
One of the families we had been working with previously was approached by their landlord, who was increasing the rent by £500 a month. They were unable to afford this increase and therefore were issued a Section 21 (eviction) notice.
The family were placed in temporary accommodation and some of their belongings put into storage. The mum and daughter’s mental health suffered, and mum had to give up her
three jobs to take care of herself and her children.
CFB+ walked with them through BCP, CAB, CMA and Shelter meetings and helped them with food through the Hardship/Family support fund.
After four months in a hotel, Housing gave them a temporary flat, but most of their belongings had gone, and the family needed to start from scratch. Once the home was secured, the CFB+ furniture bank provided all furniture, kitchen and bedroom packs, and assisted mum with collecting belongings stored with friends.
We are still having regular meetings with mum and the school, all the children are thriving, and mum is back in work. She said: “We would never have survived as a family without the help and support of the foodbank. The team are so kind and always gave me hope that we would get through this.
“This was the hardest time of my life but I always felt they were there for me. Making our home look new and homely gave me the kick up the bum I needed. I’m back at work, kids are doing well, and we are back settled as a family. I can never thank [CFB+] enough for loving and liking me even when I didn’t like myself.”
We rely on donations both financial and material from our community, individuals, groups, companies, trusts, grants and organisations. For more details, visit our website Faithworks.org/christchurchfoodbank, Facebook or call 0758 7371088. Thank you in advance from Tracy, Sarah and the team.
Projects Manager Tracy Blick and Deputy Manager Sarah Lyon
Desperate call for volunteers in Christchurch
A Christchurch charity says it is in ‘desperate need’ of volunteers.
Christchurch Community Partnership is dedicated to eradicating loneliness and social isolation in the area. As part of this mission, it operates several services including weekly lunch clubs, monthly coffee connections, Sunday roasts, afternoon teas, social outings, shopping trips, and more, plus transportation to and from events.
The charity offers transport to residents in Christchurch as well as surrounding areas such as Burton and Highcliffe, but anyone is welcome to attend who can organise their own transport.
However, the charity needs volunteers to provide these vital services.
Liz Carter, Christchurch Community Partnership’s volunteer coordinator, said: “We are in desperate need of volunteers to help us.
“We are grateful for any time that volunteers
can offer, from one hour a week to half a day or a whole day a week. We are very flexible and can work around them.”
The volunteer roles needed include:
• Minibus drivers to transport clients. Must be aged between 21–70 and have a clean licence for at least three years.
• ‘Bus Buddies’ to help clients on and off the minibus.
• Lunch club helpers.
• ‘Christchurch Angels’ who go into clients’ homes and encourage them along to activities. Must have a clean driving licence.
To apply, email liz.carter@ccpartnership. org.uk or call 0751 606 8326 or 01202 989632. For more information about Christchurch Community Partnership, visit christchurchcommunitypartnership.org.uk.
News from All Saints
By Revd Kathy Hicken
I hope that you’ve all been enjoying the lovely sunshine that we’ve had recently – it makes such a difference to how we feel, doesn’t it?
Let’s hope we have much more to come over the summer and we’ll be able to really make the most of this beautiful part of the country that we are blessed to live in!
I’d like to give you a bit of an update on how we are getting on at All Saints with the rebuilding project. The question I still get asked the most is: “When is the rebuilding going to start?”
Well, I believe I can now truly say: “Very soon.” It has been a mammoth task to get to this point, but now we really do hope and expect to see preparations begin within the next three months, so please do keep an eye out. I feel as though the community of Mudeford will let out a collective cheer when work on the ground starts!
We are still in the process of raising funds, because whilst our insurers have been great, and they will fund the rebuild exactly like for like, we are looking to make the building more accessible for all and to bring it into the 21st century (whilst keeping its historical integrity) – and this part we will need to fund ourselves.
We’re so thankful for the funds that have been donated and raised so far, by our church members, our community partners, from grants,
and from events that our fundraising team have hosted. Do keep an eye on our website and social media for information about events we are running.
We’ve also been delighted to welcome an associate priest, Revd Wendy Cooper, to help me out with the joyful challenge of running our two parishes – All Saints and St Luke’s Burton. Wendy lives in Burton, but she works across both parishes. She’s already a great help and has been very well received by both churches.
One of the great privileges of being part of All Saints is the huge commitment that it shows to serving our community, and a real highlight of the year for us is our role in helping to organise the Mudeford Arts Festival, which is running again this year on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 July. It was my first one last year, and I was bowled over by the huge range of creativity on show, from beautiful crafts to fabric and wooden gift items, photography, jewellery, pottery – and so much more!
I’ve never seen so many gifted and creative people in one place. I can’t wait for this year’s event, and we hope you’ll come and say hello to us in the refreshment tent.
God bless you all,
Revd Kathy Hicken
CHRISTCHURCH PROBUS CLUB
A friendly club for retired professionals and businessmen, meeting monthly 10.15am at Christchurch Harbour Hotel, Mudeford. Guest speakers, excellent lunch, social events for wives and partners. Membership enquiries to James Wheildon via 07963 288206 or email to james.wheildon@hotmail.co.uk, or see website: www.probuschristchurch.com.
River pageant spectacular to take place this summer
Christchurch and Boscombe & Southbourne Rotary Clubs are joining forces to organise a new river pageant as part of this year’s Christchurch Carnival.
The pageant aims to raise money for charities including Hengistbury Head Outdoors, the Bourne Water Dragons and the Pink Champagne Breast Cancer Survivors.
With support from the local Chamber of Trade, Town Council and BID team, the pageant will take place on the River Stour from Tuckton Bridge to Christchurch Quay on Saturday 16 August, starting at 12noon. The public will be able to watch from either side of the river.
It will feature decorative floats, boats and other watercraft, including novelty rafts, stand-up paddleboards and canoes. The pageant will end
with two dragon boat teams racing down the river.
Local community groups, including Sea Cadets, Sea Scouts, paddleboarders, kayakers and canoe clubs will be taking part. Other clubs, organisations, businesses and private boat owners are invited to join.
Organiser and Rotarian Gerry Clarke said: “We are inviting local business to get behind this innovative new project and help raise money for two local dragon boat cancer charities and the Hengistbury Head Outdoor Education Centre. Whether you can sponsor the event, provide a prize, or help in any other way, we would love to hear from you.”
To take part, contact Clarke on 07710 611123 or email 3gclarke@gmail.com.
Images © Gerry Clarke
SumMer evEnts roundup
Sunday 20 July, from 1pm
Garden party at Brackenwood, God’s Blessing Green, Holt, BH21 7DD, to raise money for Dorset Cancer
Care and Wimborne Scout Group. Christchurch & District Concert Band to perform. Cream teas, plant stall, tombola and crafts will be available.
31 July, 28 August, 25 September
Jazz at The Boathouse on The Quay in Christchurch, taking place on Thursdays once a month. Free to attend. Upcoming acts include Julie Dunn and the Land Girls. Contact Gerry Clarke for details on 07710 611123 or email 3gclarke@gmail.com.
2 August 2025, 12noon–10pm
Christchurch Quay will host Stompin’ on the Quomps in early August. This smooth jazz festival will contain a whole afternoon and evening of lively music including jive, funk and Big Band swing. Plus, there will be a full market with a range of food and drink providers, plus family entertainment.
10 August
Head over to Mudeford Quay for the RNLI Mudeford Lifeboat Funday. This free-to-attend event has been held for around 25 years and aims to raise money for the local lifeboat station as well as entertain the community. Look forward to the funfair, raft races and duck race.
15 to 17 August
Christchurch Carnival is back once again. This free community event aims to raise money for local organisations and charities. As well as stalls and entertainment on The Quay, the event culminates in a grand parade through the streets of Christchurch on the Sunday. To take part in the parade, fill in the registration form on the carnival’s website: christchurchcarnival.co.uk.
Christchurch marks VE Day
A huge crowd gathered in Christchurch to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day on Thursday 8 May.
The evening celebration on Christchurch Quay was hosted by MC Paul Kinvig. Highlights included vintage music performances from Lisa Locarno and The Fifinellas, as well as lively sets from the GI45 DJs. The Band of the Royal British Legion Christchurch
and an appearance from Scottish Piper John Adams added gravitas to the occasion.
In the late evening, the beacon lighting ceremony, sponsored by REIDsteel, was followed by a heartfelt tribute from the mayor and a moving rendition of ‘I Vow to Thee, My Country’.
Following the event, Christchurch Town Council said: “Our VE Day 80 celebration on Christchurch
Quay was a beautiful tribute — filled with music, memories, and community spirit.”
The town council contracted Stir Events CIC to organise the evening. Earlier in the day, Stir Events also delivered a VE Day celebration on behalf of Castlepoint Shopping Centre in Bournemouth.
Mandy Polkey, managing director of Stir Events, said: “It was an incredible honour for Stir Events CIC to be entrusted with two very special VE Day events. To see so many people come together in Christchurch and Bournemouth to remember, celebrate, and enjoy was deeply moving. My heartfelt thanks go to our talented performers, committed team, and wonderful volunteers.”
© Oak Photography
Nature’s Footprints
From rarity to breeding pairs, egret numbers are growing in the South
By Janine Pulford
Said to bring good fortune and prosperity, there are two types of white egrets that have put in more of an appearance around the Dorset and Hampshire waterways over the last few decades.
Whilst this may not be music to fishermen’s ears, the birds are a sight to behold.
The Little Egret is a small, white heron that used to be a rare visitor from the Mediterranean, but is now a familiar sight. Often solitary, they are easy to spot against a muddy riverbank or on wetlands, and their increasing numbers have possibly come about because of rising temperatures due to climate change. It is reported by Dorset Wildlife Trust that the Little Egret first bred in the UK on Brownsea Island in 1996. You are likely to see them at Stanpit Marsh in Christchurch, around Poole Harbour, and along Dorset riverbanks.
In comparison, the Great White Egret is an enormous, dazzling white heron with a dagger-like beak that is bright yellow for most of the year, but generally black in breeding birds. It is almost the size of the Grey Heron with longer legs and a longer neck. Great
White Egrets are seen regularly in the UK but most frequently in the southeast of England and East Anglia. One was spotted at Blashford Lakes in Hampshire in February 2025. Several pairs now nest in the UK. They like wetland habitats and the first breeding pair was recorded on the Somerset Levels in 2012.
One difference between the Great White and Little Egret is the colour of the feet. The Great White Egret has black feet whilst the Little Egret has bright yellow ones. Although their startling white feathers give them away, egrets are shy and once they realise they’ve been spotted and could be in danger, will fly further down the river to find a quieter location to do their fishing. As well as fish, they eat insects, small crustaceans,
small mammals and frogs, which they swallow whole. White egrets were once persecuted for their wonderful neck plumage that heralds the breeding season. The birds were almost wiped out in the 1800s when their plumage became fashionable and was highly sought after. At one time, it was said the neck plumes of Little Egrets were more valuable than gold. This didn’t go unnoticed by a passionate group of people in Didsbury who amalgamated with Fur and Feather meetings in Croydon in 1891 which became the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in 1904. The RSPB’s original raison d’etre was achieved in 1921 when the Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Act was passed in time to save the birds from extinction. More birds gained protection with the Protection of Birds Act that followed in 1934 and 1954. In 1981, the Wildlife and Countryside Act, given to us in part by the EU Birds Directive, came into being. All birds in England, Wales and Scotland including their nests and eggs, are protected by law, with certain exceptions. Visit www.rspb.org.uk for the most noticeable exceptions and the schedules of protected birds.
Great White Egret, Moors Valley Country Park, Dorset © CatchBox 2021
Little Egret in breeding plumage © Danny Howe Photography
