Viewpoint March 2015

Established Over 35 Years Mid Mar 2015

Your Independent Local Magazine

VIEWPOINT

Volume 39, Issue 5

VERWOOD RINGWOOD FORDINGBRIDGE WEST MOORS WIMBORNE ASHLEY HEATH ST IVES, ALDERHOLT

Royal naming ceremony The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, was due to name the new P&O Cruises’ vessel Britannia in Southampton on 10 March 2015 (after Viewpoint went to print). A ship for the nation, Britannia in her Union Jack livery will fly the flag for Britain across the globe.

Free take on e it’s

thisissue

Inside •

SPOT THE BUNN Y

• EASTER AC TIVITIES

• SOPHIE EL LIS-BEXTOR

IS THE BLUSH’ • STEP BACK IN HARBRIDGE FATIME AT RM FACE OF ‘COPPE R

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

Vol 39 • Issue 5

VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE 01202 870270 editor

janine pulford

editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk

assistant editor

liz turner

news@mags4dorset.co.uk

managing director

ben pulford

design@mags4dorset.co.uk

design director

louis pulford design4dorset@btconnect.com

graphic designer

daniel lee

design4dorset@btconnect.com

account managers

mark beechey

sales@mags4dorset.co.uk

07875 962344

russell harness

advertise@mags4dorset.co.uk

01202 816140

company secretary

nick pulford

accounts4dorset@btconnect.com

editorial

HelloReaders

It’s hard to believe that Easter is almost upon us. Despite the fact that Easter eggs have been in the shops since New Year’s Day, there will no doubt be the last minute scramble for eggs on the Easter weekend.

Spare a minute to remember those of us who don’t actually eat chocolate. As I am lactose intolerant, Easter is a cruel time of year. I love chocolate but even dark chocolate eggs can contain milk. And somehow soya chocolate is not the same. Nevertheless I’ve still spent many a happy but messy hour with my children making chocolate nests and decorating cakes with mini eggs.

There’s a recipe to make meringue nests, which I tried and tested in the office - and I’ll be making more, along with ideas to keep the children entertained during the holidays in our Easter feature on pages 36-9.

There’s also a fun Spot the Bunny competition on pages 4-5 with wonderful prizes of Lindt Gold Bunnies, guaranteed to keep chocoholics happy.

Have a wonderful Easter and enjoy celebrating the new life that comes with springtime.

Liz Turner, Assistant Editor Follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/mags4dorset Follow us on facebook: www.facebook.com/mags4dorset.news Join the editor at www.facebook.com/janine.pulford Visit our website: www.mags4dorset.co.uk Email the editor at: editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk

Pic of the month

Easter parade - Photo Liz Turner

Viewpoint Magazine is independently published and distributed free to homes and businesses in Ringwood, Verwood, Three Legged Cross, Ashley Heath, St Ives, West Moors and Wimborne. Views or opinions expressed in Viewpoint Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement deemed to be unsuitable for publication. Information about a service does not imply recommendation. All purchases made through this publication are done so entirely at your own risk. The copyright on all written material, logos and advertising artwork produced by our studio remains with Viewpoint Magazine and may not be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher.

The Editor reserves the right to amend or shorten contributions in order to fit in with the editorial policy and style of the magazine

COPY CLOSING DATE 2 APRIL 2015

First Floor, King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9EN Tel: 01202 870270

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Hoppy Easter

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TITION

COM P E

Spot the

BUNNY!

Hop to it!

There are two wonderful family prizes to be won this Easter courtesy of mags4dorset and Lindt chocolate Each winner will receive two iconic Lindt Gold Bunnies.

For the ‘grown ups’, there’s a Belgian milk chocolate Gold Bunny with a golden bell weighing in at a tasty 500 gms. A choccy feast surely too good for the children!

So for the youngsters, there’s a cuddly Lindt Gold Bunny soft toy, with a hidden pouch containing three mini milk chocolate bunnies. And of course loving parents and grandparents can always share the big bunny with the children.

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

local To be in with a chance of winning one of these prizes – each worth almost £38 - you will have to go on an Easter bunny hunt.

Look through the magazine and find the Easter bunnies, identical to this one, which are hiding in the advertisements, then let us know the names of the advertisers where he appears.

SPOT ME!

Enter through the website at www.mags4dorset. co.uk or send your answer to mags4dorset Lindt Easter Bunny, 1st Floor King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset. The closing date is 26 March 2015. There is no cash alternative. Employees of Page & Pulford are not permitted to enter. The first two correct entries drawn will be the winners.

The editor’s decision is final. mags4dorset will deliver the prizes, but there is no guarantee this can be done before Easter. The winners will be welcome to collect their prizes from the office and must agree to publicity photographs. Good luck!

There is no need to count the bunny pictured here.

What is a rabbit’s favourite dance style?

Hip-Hop! What do you call rabbits that marched in a long sweltering Easter parade?

Hot, cross bunnies How do you catch the Easter Bunny?

Hide in the bushes and make a noise like a carrot How do bunnies stay healthy?

Eggsercise Why did the rabbit cross the road?

Because the chicken had his Easter eggs

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local

Body on beach identified The body of a woman found on Mudeford Beach on 20 February has been identified as that of missing 62-year-old Bournemouth woman Sandy Glyn. Her family have been informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been notified.

Verwood run

The Christchurch and East Dorset Partnership is holding a running event on 22 March at Potterne Park, Verwood. Under the banner Run Dorset it will include a half marathon, 10k, 5k and a fun run. Registration opens from 7.30am with the family fun run starting at 8.30am, the half marathon starts at 9am and the 5k/10k at 9.30am. Visit www.rundorset.co.uk for full details and cost to enter.

Water drops in price Good news for SEMBCORP Bournemouth Water (SBW) customers. The average household water bill is set to fall by £18 (over 11 per cent) for the period April 2015-March 2016.

The company is keen to emphasise that smaller bills will not mean a decline in service, or large bill increases in the future.

Stapehill winner collects prize The winner of the Asus Memo Pad in the mags4dorset survey draw was Gemma Bryant from Stapehill, Wimborne.

Gemma’s name was drawn from nearly 100 entries.

SURVEY PROVES readers love Viewpoint

The survey carried out by mags4dorset about its magazines generated almost 100 responses. Editor, Janine Pulford, said: “The results are brilliant. Most of what we do is right and we are pleased that so many people took the time and trouble to fill out the survey. It was quite detailed, and we would like to thank them all. We’ve taken on board the negatives - fortunately the positives far outweigh them. We also found out that printed news magazines are as popular as ever, with 94% of those surveyed reading them frequently.

However only 7% said they read publications with limited news content.”

Here are some of the statistics:

97% view Viewpoint favourably 84% think the news is well written 80% like the name Viewpoint 84% feel it has plenty of articles for a good read 71% like Viewpoint’s design 79% think the fact that Viewpoint is owned by a local

independent family company with a local office is important.

75% enter competitions frequently 67% like the front cover design 72% read it every month or most months 70% have used the advertisers

The most popular sections are local news (93%), in and

around the area (92%) and town features (86%). A third of those who took the survey keep the magazine for 1-5 months.

Other facts 74% are aged 45 plus 71% think CashUnity is a good concept 49% of readers use Facebook As well as being the editor, Janine is also a director and co-founder of the company that publishes 4Dorset and Viewpoint and added, “4Dorset’s statistics are very similar.

They were published in the March issue of the magazine, which can now be read online.”

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

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First Yeoman in council’s history

Yeomen of the Queen’s Bodyguard in state dress at Windsor Castle

Search dogs Saxon and Inca are hanging up their boots after 126 (dog) years’ loyal service with Hampshire Fire and Rescue. The two Labradors between them have attended more than 500 operational incidents where they have been vital in securing many convictions.

Fire investigation dogs are trained to work out how fires started by using their advanced sense of smell.

Saxon, 11, has served with HFRS for a little over a decade while her younger sister Inca, 10, has been there for eight years.

Tower of London, guard to continuing my service Her Majesty on state and for Her Majesty. It will be ceremonial especially exciting if occasions. Their I am on duty with my headquarters son.” Trooper Rhys is at St James’ Lugg is currently Palace. As It is both an serving in the a member Household Cavalry. honour and of the Royal Steven’s Household, a pleasure enrolment took a yeoman’s place on 3 March to a patriot before the state visit commitment and dedication to the of the President of Royal Family is Mexico when he complete. was on duty for Her Steven is Majesty. no stranger to this type of duty, having completed many ceremonial seasons in London with the Household Cavalry. He said, “It is both an honour and a pleasure to a patriot. I look forward

“

“

In what is a first in the history of East Dorset District Council, the current vice chairman and Ferndown councillor, Cllr Steven Lugg has been enrolled as a Yeoman of the Queen’s Bodyguard. It is thought the appointment could be the first of its kind in any council in the country.

To be eligible, forces personnel must have served 22 years, have reached the rank of Sergeant Major and hold the long service and good conduct medal.

The Bodyguard dates from 1485, when King Henry VII formed his own personal bodyguard. The Queen’s Bodyguard, as distinct from the yeoman warders at the

Fire dogs hang up their boots

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local

Healthy future for former hospital The former Fordingbridge Hospital, is to be given a new lease of life as homes Planning permission has been given to Landmark Estates to regenerate the empty buildings, creating 11 flats and four single storey houses ranging from one to two bedrooms.

Built in 1885, the grade II listed late Victorian buildings were previously used as a workhouse and then in the 1930s it became a Public Assistance Institution.

In 1948 it was incorporated into the NHS and was known as Fordingbridge Infirmary. In 2007 the hospital was vacated by the NHS in favour of the more practical newly constructed healthcare buildings directly behind the site.

The building project is scheduled to begin in the next few months and is estimated to be completed by the second quarter of 2016. All of the properties will include parking and have either a private outside space or access to communal gardens.

“The Fordingbridge Hospital is a much loved landmark in the local area...”

James Bradley, managing director, Landmark Estates said: “The Fordingbridge Hospital is a much loved landmark in the local area and we are thrilled to be taking on the regeneration of such an important building. Having been empty for some years now, we will be able to restore the historic façade of the building and maintain it for future generations.

We believe that these homes will be popular with local people who are looking for easy access to into Fordingbridge but also to be close to the New Forest.”

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

in correspondence

DORSET POLICE FEDERATION LAUNCHES #CutsHaveConsequences Campaign

This campaign is designed to inform you of the effects that the government cuts have had to your local Police Service.

The Police Federation is the staff association for serving police officers up to the rank of chief inspector. At the heart of our core purpose is to “act in the interests of the members and the public”. We have been constantly reminded over the past year that public interest is paramount in all that we do and therefore this campaign is running to ask the question “Is this what you want to happen to your Police Service?”

The number of police officers in Dorset has already plummeted by 19 per cent in the last five years because of spending cuts. That is one in five fewer officers. It is especially visible in rural areas, where there has been at least a 50 per cent reduction in safer neighbourhood officers. It might appear to be the “softer” side of policing that is disappearing, but I fear that you the public don’t realise what you’re about to lose. It is not only everyday contact with police officers that will be lost; there will also be a detrimental impact on crime prevention and proactive policing.

The police service is measured on crime statistics and the fact that crime has been falling over time does not happen by accident. Effective patrols and targeted policing are the reasons. If you start to remove those things, it won’t be long before crime rates start to rise again. Specialist areas of policing are also being slowly eroded, traffic policing, dogs and marine units are all shrinking to keep the core function of 999 emergency response going. Police stations in the heart of communities have closed their doors to you.

We are urging you the residents of Dorset to recognise what is happening, realise that the Force simply cannot take any more cuts and write or preferably speak to your local politicians to let them know the importance of policing to you and your community.

Tony Tester Chairman Dorset Police Federation dorset.polfed.org/cutshaveconsequences

MOBILITY SCOOTERS ARE HAZARDOUS TO PEDESTRIANS

WIND FARM WON’T SPOIL JURASSIC COAST

Please ask Peter Rodger to produce ANOTHER helpful guide on this subject.

(Viewpoint 39/4 Make Way for Mobility Scooters).

This time get those mobility F1 speedsters to realise that charging about on pavements/stores/precincts etc is not safe for pedestrians!

We are amazed at the speeds some manage without a care for the more able bodied citizens, often elderly or hard of hearing. We are NOT supposed to ‘get out the way’ (whether or not we are aware of their presence).

Last Christmas a lady was knocked over completely by a younger speeding mobility driver in a fair in the Poole precinct. Surely their speed in such places should be no faster than pedestrians – who do not walk or wander in such places at 8mph.

Bryan & Anne Peters St Ives

Your recent Viewpoint Magazine (39/4) carries a report of comments by the Bournemouth Council leader on the proposed wind farm off the Dorset Coast. His words seem highly contentious and exaggerated to the point of being meaningless.

Having walked most of the Jurassic Coast for nearly 60 years and never ceased to be delighted by its natural beauty, I fail to see how the wind farm can detract from it one iota. Not one flower in a field; not one blade of grass, nor one grain of sand will be lost. Along with millions of other visitors we will go on enjoying it year after year.

ALERTING YOU TO BUS SERVICE LOSS I wish your readers to be aware of the potential loss of Gardbus Service 132 Wimborne to Ringwood from the end of April. For many vulnerable people, and particularly those living on Ameysford and Heatherlands estates, the high quality Gardbus service has been a lifeline.

I ask everyone to get involved to support the saving of this vital service; it is an essential need for some people.

I have contacted Simon Gard, our MP and our county councillor already.

Cllr S Lugg Ferndown

As for losing its World Heritage Site status; having it hasn’t changed its beauty in any way, so losing it again will make no difference. Dorset will still have an outstanding coastline to be enjoyed by all. And there will be renewable, green energy from the wind farm for our grandchildren. It is to be hoped that the Culture Secretary is foresighted enough in his review of the proposal.

Charlie Wassell Verwood

WE DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE MIU! We live in Ferndown and have seen the news about MIU’s not being used (Vol 39 issue4). We use Victoria Hospital for blood tests etc but this article was the first we knew about an MIU being there.

It would have been helpful to have been informed about the MIU as the facility appears not to be very well advertised.

In addition it is a fairly restricted service ending at 4pm and only on weekdays and we guess that most demand for MIU or A&E is likely to be outside their advertised times.

Peter Russell Ferndown

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local

Tortoise found Roman around Hillside The ‘tortoise’

Remembering our heroes Help for Heroes received a donation of £500 raised by Variety Remembrance at Verwood Hub last November. Photo shows some of those involved in the event as well as the organiser Warren Brown (front left) presenting the cheque to Neal Williams, H4H Team Dorset on 18 February.

Quiz time

Dressed as gladiators, soldiers, genteel ladies, slaves and even gods, Year 3 and 4 pupils at Hillside Community First School in Verwood tackled their Ancient Roman topic with enthusiasm.

Workshops in shield making, lucky charm and bag making, creating a design for a pillow and even Roman country dancing occupied them during the day and the cold weather didn’t dampen their attempts to make the ‘tortoise’ – an impressive army defensive formation, using their new shields.

A quiz, carried out whilst they lounged Roman style on their decorated pillows, finished off the pupils’ day.

One boy said, “That was great fun. I especially enjoyed pretending to be a soldier, using my shield.”

Woofability benefits The Bournemouth & Poole Preservation Club (BPPC) made a donation of £1,000 to Woofability raised at the club’s first Heritage and Transport Rally at Pilford Farm last July.

Woofability is a local charity that provides specially trained assistance dogs for those with mobility problems. The dogs give companionship and independence

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

by carrying out a range of tasks including emptying the washing machine, pressing the button at traffic lights and helping their owners dress and undress.

The 2015 Heritage and Transport Rally will take place on 11 and 12 July. The BPPC will once again support Woofability and will shortly be naming a puppy.

Lavina stands beside the panel for 1991

One American group with their panel

local

Needlework groups invited to stitch up last panels of ambitious project

By Janine Pulford

A needlework project that started as an ambitious idea in 1998 is in its final ‘throws’ nearly 17 years later

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

Lavina and the 1967 panel

O

wner of a handicraft shop at the time, Lavinia Earl from Verwood was inspired to start the project after learning that the origins of the centuries’ old Bayeux tapestry in France were unknown.

What’s more, the 70 metre long embroidered cloth, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest, could even have been designed and constructed in England.

She decided her project would be equally magnificent, but would recognise all those who embroidered it and any exhibitions of the final work would be held to raise money for the War Child charity.

‘Embroidery of the Century’ will cover the entire 20th century on 100 huge panels, each around the size of a double bed and each depicting one year, illustrated with its historical events. Due to the sheer size of the venture, individual panels have to be embroidered by groups of at least five people.

The groups can be based anywhere in the world.

Before getting the multinational project off the ground, Lavinia needed sponsorship and took her idea to Coats Crafts UK. They agreed to sponsor all 100 panels, provided she engaged at least 15 needlework groups in advance.

“This took about 18 months,” said Lavinia. “And because of the long timescale some groups later pulled out, and I had to replace them.”

But eventually Coats Crafts were on board. They supplied all the panels, and Lavinia was then tasked with finding 85 more groups to take up the gauntlet.

And so the years passed, with Lavinia never stopping her search for an army of volunteers with good needlework skills. She inspired groups as far afield as Australia, America, Africa and Holland to contribute.

“So far I’ve managed to get 89 groups involved and 60 of them have completed and returned their panels,” said Lavinia. “The work I’ve received is outstanding.”

For continuity, the panels each feature the year, a cameo at the top of a couple in that year’s costume, plus side bars and borders in specific colours.

Lavinia needs just 11 more needlework groups to volunteer to complete the last panels.

“If you feel inspired to get involved please contact me,” she said playing down the fact that she is now 78 and has battled with various illnesses and accidents whilst trying to pull the threads of the project together. Despite all the hitches, she can almost see the end in sight.

“Volunteers should be reasonably skilled embroiderers,” she added.

“Embroidery silks and other fabrics are not provided, so it really is a voluntary effort.

“When completed, ’Embroidery of the Century’ will be exhibited around the country, starting in London and then moving to major towns before being exhibited abroad.”

If you feel you can help Lavinia, email her lavinia@laviniaearl.com or visit www.embroideryofthecentury.org.uk

local

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in health & fitness

CHARITY OF THE YEAR:

Cancer Research UK’s Relay For Life Bournemouth & East Dorset

Join the Relay for Life

11 and 12 July

Pam Bentley pictured second from left holding the banner

Hello everyone. My name is Pam Bentley and my role is to co-ordinate cancer survivors and help get them involved with the Bournemouth and East Dorset Relay for Life.

I also want to encourage readers to join in with the event which will be held at the Ferndown Leisure Centre on behalf of Cancer Research UK. Everyone is welcome.

It’s not only a fun 24 hour event undertaken by enthusiastic teams, it is also a celebration of survival.

We invite cancer survivors to join us and lead the teams in a lap of honour before judging the best dressed team. After this, the celebration of survival is continued with a light buffet and entertainment.

It was not until I joined the committee of Relay for Life several years ago, as a cancer survivor, that I realised how amazing our young people are.

To see so many giving up a whole week-end, after weeks of fundraising, so that essentially I and many others can continue to enjoy the results of vital research undertaken by Cancer Research UK is truly a humbling experience.

Relay for Life is also an opportunity for cancer survivors to meet, exchange stories, at the same time enjoying the enthusiasm of the hundreds of youngsters taking part.

If you are a survivor, and would like to register, you can do so by visiting cruk.org/relay, following the links to Bournemouth and East Dorset.

Alternatively if you would like to learn more about the event, I shall be delighted to hear from you.

Thank you.

Pam Bentley Co-ordinator pam.bentley@ uwclub.net

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Don’t be DUPED Action Fraud has seen an increase in the amount of people signing up for free trials for unapproved or misleading pharmaceuticals or supplements.

The scam usually involves a ‘pop up’ on your computer or a text message advertising a free 14-day trial. In signing up to this trial you are asked for your credit or debit card details and after the 14 days have elapsed, recurring payments are taken.

Recurring payments or continuous payment authorities are similar to a direct debit, but can be much harder to cancel or identify who is debiting your account. In most cases victims are finding it extremely difficult to cancel the subscription and the products are either not delivered or are inferior.

Common pharmaceuticals or supplements being advertised are teeth whitening products, food supplements and slimming tablets.

Protect Yourself • If you desire such products speak to your GP or a local pharmacist.

• Be vigilant of free trials and always read the Terms and Conditions.

• Conduct basic online research of the company before registering your details and financial information.

• It is important to remember that in most free-trial cases because you have paid for a product and received it, this cannot be recorded as a fraud. If you have already entered your card details on one of these websites, call up you bank immediately to stop these payments and give Action Fraud a call on 0300 123 2040 for advice.

in health and fitness

Help Lifestyle MOVE more than any other gym Staff at Verwood Lifestyle Gym are urging people to come forward to keep fit and, in doing so, raise money for gym equipment for a local school

The gym is taking part in a worldwide campaign called ‘Let’s Move for a Better World’, promoted

by Technogym.

Gyms measure their members’ physical activity using the same unit of measurement, the MOVE. The UK facility with the most MOVEs wins Technogym equipment to donate to a school of their choice.

Karl Prince from the Verwood Lifestyle Gym, said: “We are aiming to MOVE more than any other gym in the UK and to do so we need help!

We are asking people to come down to the Verwood Gym until Sunday 22

March, sign up to the challenge and have a workout, either as a member or a casual user, and their MOVEs will be registered and count towards our overall total.”

There will be dedicated, supervised slots for casual users, so they should call ahead to find out times. People who are already members can also support the cause by signing up to the challenge.

For more information visit http://lifestyleverwood.com, search Verwood Hub on Facebook or call 01202 828740.

New BREATH for faster treatment

The BREATH team at work

A faster treatment service for Emergency Department (ED) patients has been trialled successfully at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

BREATH - ‘Bournemouth Rapid Evaluation Assessment Treatment Hub’ - sees patients who arrive by ambulance transferred straight into a ‘hub’ where a dedicated senior doctor directs a team of nurses in heart monitoring and taking necessary blood samples or x-rays. This allows ED staff to design a plan of action for a patient’s urgent care within 20 minutes of their arrival. Patients who need resuscitation are still seen immediately by the emergency resuscitation team.

After visiting the BREATH hub, patients are streamed to the most appropriate service for them.

Care and support charges Dorset County Council is asking residents for their views on charges for social care ahead of changes to be introduced by the Care Act in April.

Although most of the changes the Act will bring are legal requirements, there are some aspects councils can decide at a local level, which include: • The level of certain charges that will apply for people who can afford to pay for services • The circumstances when the county council will give a refund to people who miss a service due to illness or other absence • Charges for the carers’ ‘Short Breaks Service’ • Administration charges and interest rates that will apply to the new Deferred Payment Agreement (loan) scheme.

A public consultation is now underway, and the county council is keen to hear from local people about the proposals before any changes are made. Hurry, the consultation closes on 16 March. Log onto www.dorsetforyou.com/care-actconsultation and complete the on-line survey. Hard copies are also available in public libraries or you can call Dorset County Council on 01305 224646.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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gardening

Digging time FOR SPRING Busy preparing - advertising feature -

Paul and Debbie at Holly Hedge Nurseries have been busy preparing stock for spring planting. They both look forward to welcoming regular and new customers to the nursery.

Plenty of new perennials and alpines are now available for planting up herbaceous borders and rockeries. Large specimen plants have been specially chosen for ‘instant’ gardens and to complement the many smaller shrubs on site.

There is also a good quantity of hedging conifers, laurels, bamboos etc to provide screening and privacy in your garden. All plants offer excellent value for money and Paul and Debbie are more than happy to provide guidance to help you choose the correct plants for your garden.

So, if you want instant colour, pretty foliage, a new hedge, evergreen plants or a beautiful ornamental tree for your garden, then now is a perfect time to pop in to see our wonderful selection. Bedding plants and hanging baskets will be available as usual from the beginning of May. A delivery service is available to help with larger, heavier loads. Credit cards are accepted. The Nursery is open every day and is situated along the Verwood Road (B3072) which runs between Verwood and Three Legged Cross (see advert).

For most of us March is the start of the gardening year.

It’s a month of digging and – so long as the weather is favourable – sowing.

Existing flower beds, borders and veg patches need to be re-invigorated and livened up so a bit of soil conditioning by way of manure and compost being worked in to the ground will provide much needed nutrients before planting anything new.

Gardening myth of the month is that you should add sand to clay soil to help drainage ... which is possibly the worst remedy to try as it turns clay soil into a rock-hard substance.

What you should use is large quantities of organic matter such as compost because this coats the clay particles, opening up pores in the soil which lets air, water and roots move freely and makes the soil more attractive to earthworms and other organisms that loosen the soil even more. Generally speaking, organic matter can turn even the worst clay soil into good soil within a

Well,

couple of years.

One of the easiest ways to breathe new life into borders or containers is to go for some instant colour such as the much loved pansy. The perfect spring bedding plants, along with primulas, forget-me-nots and wallflowers, pansies are great for filling the gaps in borders once you have cleared away bedraggled or dead plants.

(from left) Matt Hill presents the £4626 cheq ue to Jo Malyon, Services Manager (Alzheimer’s Society) on behalf of customers and staff

well, well The generosity of Haskins Garden Centre’s customers in Ferndown has enabled the company to donate a cheque for £4,626 to the Alzheimer’s Society, its 2014 charity of the year. The money was raised by the Haskins’ team at events and competitions with a large percentage being donated by customers in the charity wishing well situated near the exit.

Scents and scentsibility

T

he Fordingbridge and District Horticultural Society enjoyed at talk by local nurseryman Marcus Dancer about scented plants.

He suggested lonicera syringantha, a hardy bushy honeysuckle, for scent at the beginning of the year. It flowers on the young stems and apparently bullfinches love it.

Christmas box is another. This evergreen shrub with glossy green foliage has the added extra of scent that also benefits the pollinating insects.

Members learnt that they should not let the shrubs get too big and as a general rule, once they have flowered, they should be pruned to keep them bushy and healthy.

Some are just as happy in pots. Soil type for the plants and how and when to feed them was also explained.

Every plant was accompanied with an A4 picture to identify it. Many members

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

had questions regarding the plants, some already owned them and asked for help in caring for them, others had spaces they wished to fill in the garden and wanted ideas.

Marcus’ depth of knowledge and his ability to explain in simple terms was scentsational.

And he finished on an interesting point: all gardens have their own microclimate and just because a plant grows well in your neighbour’s garden does not mean it will succeed in yours - the joy of gardening!

As well as giving the talk, Marcus had a great selection of plants for sale.

The table show last month was one stem of hellebore and the three winners were: 1st Keith Bennett, 2nd Harry Brownings, 3rd Chris Bennett.

Next meeting is 30 March when Chris Evans will be giving fresh ideas for summer bedding, baskets and containers; so why not come along and join in.

local

East Dorset and Christchurch council tax to rise The Bishop with Alison Francis (holding the award) and fellow members of the environmental working party, from right Linda Bunting, Derrick Powell, Mary Allen and Mike Lunt with the Rector, the Revd Canon Vanessa Herrick

Bishop of Salisbury visits Wimborne The Bishop of Salisbury, the Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam, has presented the diocese Eco-congregation Award to Wimborne Minster for the second time.

The award recognises the work of churches in addressing environmental issues.

The Bishop visited the Wimborne Deanery meeting at St John’s Church, where he gave a presentation entitled ‘Renewing Hope’ which was followed by a discussion on the theme pray, serve and grow.

East Dorset District and Christchurch Borough Councils have each agreed an increase of 1.95 per cent on their element of the council tax for 2015/16.

This means those living in a Band D property will pay around 7p extra a week.

This rise is the result of a reduction in government funding for the coming year of £304,000 for Christchurch and £418,000 for East Dorset.

With small increases in the elements of the council tax from Dorset County Council (1.99 per cent) and Dorset Fire Authority (1.89

per cent) and a freezing of the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner’s element, the total Band D council tax in Christchurch in 2015/16 will be £1655.23 (with an additional £13.07 for Burton Parish residents and £26.87 for Hurn Parish residents).

For East Dorset the total Band D council tax will be £1672.23 (with an additional average of £47.72 for the town or parish element of the council tax, varying according to location).

Honour for Townswomen’s Guild member Verwood Afternoon TG member, Barbara Chisholm, will make history when her suggested topic is debated at the National AGM in Glasgow in June. It is the first time a member from a Dorset guild has been successful in being selected. The debate will discuss the closure of homes and communities for severely disabled adults with learning difficulties.

Shocking figures reveal speeding problem

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peeds of up to 123mph have been recorded on road cameras in Dorset and Hampshire.

In Dorset one driver was captured going 102mph in the 50mph limit on the A31 Ringwood Road at St Leonards - 52mph too fast.

The top five offenders of 2014 were revealed by police forces following a request for information by the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

The fastest speed in Dorset was

recorded on the A35 Tolpuddle Bypass where the driver was doing 110mph in a 70mph limit.

On the A338 Spur Road northbound at Ringwood 104mph was recorded in a 70mph limit with another driver clocking up 99mph.

A third was recorded doing 100mph going southbound.

In Hampshire three drivers were going 123mph, 122mph and 114mph on the A31 in a 70mph area with another doing 113mph on the A331, again in a 70mph limit.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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RINGWOOD NEWS

CONTINENTAL CHOICE Remembering Wellworthy Ringwood VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO IS FLAVOUR OF THE DAY FIND OUT ABOUT Oooh la la! Ringwood residents have got a real taste for continental cuisine The three day French market held in the Market Place in February was a great success and shoppers are now looking forward to an Italian market in June.

It’s a year since there was a request for a French Market, and the first continental stall holders were welcomed with opened arms.

Mayor of Ringwood, Councillor Barbara Woodifield said: “Other towns have regular markets like these all year round and they have been shown to increase visitor numbers to those towns. We hope this will have the same effect in Ringwood, but we will be looking to local businesses and residents comments before committing to more.”

The Italian market on 19-20 June will also take place in the Market Place, occupying the same sites as the weekly Wednesday market and it hoped this will follow the French market in increasing footfall into the town.

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

The continental markets are being held on the same weekend as the Saturday Farmers’ Markets in the Furlong so shoppers will have plenty of choice.

The Town Council recently created a working party to look at the re-generation of the High Street and town centre and how best they might support local business. The council is looking at the potential membership of a ‘Town Partnership’ made up of local business representatives and how best to work together.

Jo Hurd, the deputy town clerk for Ringwood Town Council, said: “I am supporting councillors in moving this project forward and would be happy to hear from any local business who feel they would like to get involved, or have more information about the project.”

More than 20 local businesses in Ringwood have closed since last December and the new initiative will look at ways of supporting new business as well as attracting new business to the town.

It is now 17 years since the Wellworthy Factory closed, after 55 years manufacturing in Ringwood. Initially supporting wartime requirements, it continued to produce world class engineering components up to its closure in 1998.

A new exhibition about the piston factory’s role in the town is opening on 16 March at the Meeting House in Ringwood. The three week exhibition will include photos, videos, plans and other artefacts.

It will be of interest to ex-employees and their families, along with those who have an interest in the history of Ringwood and engineering in general and there will be the opportunity to chat with people who worked in the factory.

• • • •

The ‘major and essential contribution’ from Wellworthy that improved the Spitfire.

The ‘JL’ machine and why it had a trophy.

Wellworthy’s connection with the L&SWR main-line railway.

The association between Ringwood Carnival and a tank engine component.

Any further loans or donations including documents and components, can be taken to The Meeting House, Meeting House Lane.

The exhibition is open from 10am-12noon from 16 March to 2 April, Monday to Saturday and 2:30pm on Wednesdays

Council support for Fanfare for Spring

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ingwood Town Councillors have made a grant of £1,000 to the town’s Rotary Club to support this year’s Fanfare for Spring.

Roger Bettle, who is coordinating the Barbara international festival of performance art, Town Mayor Cllr Mrs a £1,000 Woodifield presents told councillors there had been a very han of cheque to Mike Callag positive response from businesses in the b Ringwood Rotary Clu town to requests for sponsorship but, as costs were expected to be higher than the previous year, it was hoped that the council would support the application for festival funding.

Councillors were pleased to support the event and match last year’s funding and thanked Roger and his team for all the work they put into its organisation.

Fanfare for Spring is being held on Saturday 16 May.

RINGWOOD NEWS

Ringwood’s youth centre finally comes of age

T

By Liz Turner

here was a clear sense of pride when young people, councillors and architects gathered in Carvers Recreation Ground to mark the start of the construction of the Ringwood’s youth centre.

It’s 30 years since it was first suggested that young people in the town needed a space of their own. By the time the schools break up for the summer, their dream, which will be named The Place, should be a reality.

The building will be taking shape, next to the skate park, on Carvers Playing Field, over the next 20 weeks at a total cost of £548,000. Hampshire County Council has contributed £400,000 to the project, from its ‘Investing in Hampshire Fund’, adding to a £70,000 contribution from New Forest District Council, £75,000 from the Town Council and £5,000 from Ringwood School.

The Place will provide a permanent base for youth based activities and youth workers, to include a youth club, as well as charities and voluntary organisations that provide advice and support services for young people. It will also be a meeting place for the Town Council’s Youth Advisers and can be hired for parties and events.

It was HCC leader Councillor Roy Perry’s support that secured the majority of the funding. He met Ringwood School students, who have campaigned for the centre, telling them that he was delighted to show the county’s support for the town’s young people.

He said: “There are 1.3m people in Hampshire and on average they are all contributing 40-50p towards this project. I am sure it will be well used.”

He explained: “This is an excellent example of councils working in partnership to improve services and facilities that are especially of benefit to Hampshire’s young people. I am very pleased that the County Council has been able to contribute to this investment, and I commend the Town Council and Ringwood’s local community for their vision and commitment to put up some of their own funding.”

Margaret Oliver, assistant head at Ringwood School explained that the students had worked hard to support the centre.

“The original students who had the idea of building this centre have now left university but it has been well worth the wait.”

She added that fundraising would continue at the school to help buy equipment for inside the building.

Student Sam Whittington, is one of the Town Council’s Youth Advisers. His brother George, aged 19, had also

Councillor Perry (in the digger) helps celebrate the start of the building work

Aquamarine Aquamarine is the March birthstone.

It gets its name from the Latin for water or sea, indeed its colour resembles a sparkling ocean.

Its shade varies from deep blue to a light blue green colour. Aquamarine is a gemstone which is special to sailors as it is considered to be a lucky talisman which helps to protect them at sea. Historically, it was believed that Aquamarine had a range of healing powers. It was used as an antidote against poison, a cure for the stomach, liver, jaws and throat and a means of soothing anxiety and negative moods.

By David at Fields Jewellers

Youth Adviser Sam Whittington overlooking the site

started campaigning for the centre when he was in year 10.

Sam, aged 15 said: “ It’s amazing that it is finally happening and students at school are delighted that their fund raising has paid off. Ringwood really needs this youth provision as it has not been good for years.”

He also paid tribute to town clerk Steve Nash and Councillor Jeremy Heron for their support.

Fellow student, Jade Wardle said: “It will be really good because we have waited five years and when it is finished we will be able to come here and talk to our friends instead of using the skate park or sitting under a tree.”

Anyone interested in volunteer work at the new facility or at the Youth Drop-In at Carvers Recreation Ground on Monday and Wednesday evenings should contact Jenny Critchlow on 07971 533301.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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RINGWOOD NEWS

District council tax FROZEN

New Forest District Council has committed to freeze its share of council tax for the sixth year running while investing in services for residents.

The council’s budget and medium term financial plan for 2015/16 was agreed by full council at a meeting on 23 February.

Front line services will be protected, said council leader Councillor Barry Rickman, despite the funding gap created by less government grant. The council will also enable funding to support investment in modern services through the use of its carefully managed reserves. Looking to the future, the financial plan will ensure that the council’s reserves are sufficient to sustain both future investment and safeguard services.

The cost of council services to council taxpayers will be the same in 2015/16 as it was in 2010/11. Band D properties will pay just £155.76 towards the services provided

by New Forest District Council, which is less than £3 a week.

“Year on year we are having to deliver services with less funds, so I am proud that we have been able to protect and improve essential services for residents and that we have a robust plan for the future. We have continued to deliver efficiencies and savings, but we have not reduced services” said Cllr Rickman.

Welcome at Ringwood WI The recently formed Ringwood WI is encouraging new members to come along to its monthly meetings.

It is the only WI of the eight in the area which meets during the day, on the fourth Monday of the month from 2-4pm at the Meeting House.

Ringwood WI aims to provide opportunities for members to learn and

develop new skills, make friends, and have a voice on issues that are important to them locally, nationally and internationally.

The next meeting is on Monday 23 March when there will be a talk on New Forest District Council recycling by Mandy Pickard.

To find out more, contact Janet on 01425 470826.

- advertising feature -

Crow Farm Shop

Crow Farm Shop is a family-run business, sharing a passion for food with great taste and flavour.

Outstanding seasonal produce is sourced from small scale farmers and producers, who are mainly local. Whenever you shop at Crow Farm Shop, you’re helping

support the local environment and economy. And while you’re shopping you can enjoy freshly made drinks at the welcoming coffee shop.

- advertising feature -

Allen Richings Fine Art Visitors to artist Allen Richings’ studio gallery in West Street, Ringwood will find him working on his easel.

His paintings feature sporting celebrities, racehorses and family pets, along with the odd local.

By Allen Richings Art Gallery

- advertising feature -

Made Closer Made Closer is an online marketplace and high street shop in Ringwood selling a wide range of products that are made closer to where we live.

It stocks everyday items from household cleaning products that save you money and save the environment, to a growing range of New Forest Marque manufacturers.

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

advertising feature

Everyday is special for mothers at

SIMPLY BEAUTY Simply Beauty was established in Ringwood in 2009 and has rapidly become an integral part of the High Street

T

he salon was awarded Clarins prestigious award of ‘Gold Salon’ in 2013 one of only 85 in the country, and offers Clarins professional treatments for men and women as well as luxurious OPI pedicures and manicures, Shellac, waxing, threading and massage therapies.

Simply Beauty also offer the full Clarins range for retail sale along with OPI nail colours and hand and nail treatment products and the beautiful, locally made Connock London Kukui Oil range of bath and body products. The Simply Beauty team were delighted recently when local girl, Amanda Connock came along to their launch event to talk to them about how she created the Kukui range and founded Connock London.

Amanda Connock (front left) with salon owner Alison Smith and the team at Simply Beauty (l-r) Steph, Luci, Kate and Beth at the launch of Connock London Kukui Oil range of bath and body products

Salon owner Alison said: “We love being part of the Ringwood and New Forest communities and like to get involved in local events, we will be at the Family Fun Day in May and always sponsor carnival and Christmas parades. We also support the Brand New Forest loyalty card scheme and offer Brand New Forest card holders 10% discount off treatments*. You can buy a card from us for just £5. Follow

us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with the latest special offers, news, new products and events. ” Alison and her team pride themselves on offering a friendly, professional service and exceptional customer care. Call to make an appointment or pop in for friendly advice on all aspects of skin care and beauty. *Excluding courses, packages and special offers.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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RINGWOOD NEWS - Advertising feature -

MORE SPACE FOR GREEN SPACE IN NEW RINGWOOD OFFICES Green Space UK, until recently a Poole-based company employing around 25 staff, has moved to new offices on Crow Arch Lane in Ringwood “We’re sad to be leaving Poole, however after huge growth in 2014, we simply needed more space," says Brennan, the owner of the business. “Much of our growth has come thanks to word of mouth and recommendations from our fantastic customer base; you just need to look at our Checkatrade reviews to see how happy they are!

We are a family-run business that focuses on our customers’ needs, and I think that’s what really sets us apart.”

Green Space UK offers artificial lawns as well as an exclusive insulated conservatory roof system that can keep conservatories warmer in winter and cooler in summer, turning them into a yearround usable room.

“Our team will be growing into our new larger offices, so we’re on the look-out for motivated and hard-working people in and around Ringwood to join us in our continued success."

Anyone interested in finding out more about careers with Green Space can call 01202 355 780 or visit www.gogreenspace.co.uk.

Visitor information at Easter Ringwood Town Council’s visitor information service will be open in time for Easter. Council staff Nicky Dicken-Fuller and John Gilford and a group of volunteers will be able to give advice from the Gateway. It is operated quite separately from the town, county and district councils.

Christine Smith who manages the VIC staff said “We are always looking to improve our service and now sell maps and local souvenirs to people popping in.”

Residents who would like to volunteer should contact Christine on 01425 484725 or email: Christine.smith@ ringwood.gov.uk It is open 10am–4pm: 4 April (Easter Saturday), 6 April (Easter Monday), Saturdays 16 May–19 September, Bank Holidays 2 May, 31 August and 5 December for Christmas Lights Switch on.

Support for

FRENCH RECEPTION

A grant of £300 has been awarded to Ringwood and District Twinning Association by Ringwood Town Council to fund a civic reception for French twinners in May. The Twinning Charter with Port Audemer was set up in 1986 and many local organisations now have direct links with the town, including Ringwood School, Ringwood Musical and Dramatic Society and the chess, rugby, table tennis and camera clubs.

- advertising feature -

Serenity Therapy As a fully qualified and experienced hypnotherapist and counsellor, Julie is dedicated to enriching the quality of her clients’ lives.

Utilising the power of hypnotherapy and counselling, she can help clients improve their self-

confidence, change negative habits such as overeating or smoking, deal with fears and phobias and eradicate negative thoughts.

Call Julie to arrange a FREE, no obligation consultation: 01425 475713, email: julie@serenitytherapy.org.

- advertising feature -

St Martin’s Gallery With a new range of Charlie Bears and fresh stock arriving for the spring, St Martin’s Gallery is packed with a cornucopia of jewellery, pottery, silk flowers, pictures,

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

ceramics, jewellery and glassware.

Set in the historic St Martin’s Church, it’s not surprising that the gallery is one of the most visited arts and craft centres in the south.

- advertising feature -

RINGWOOD NEWS

Lamberts of Ringwood Lamberts of Ringwood has been a gun shop for many years specialising in new and used shotguns, new and second hand air rifles and accessories.

It stocks a wide selection of country clothing with brand names such as Beretta, Deerhunter,

Chatham, Ridgeline, Laksen, Sealskinz, Alan Paine and many more. It also has a variety of gifts for the country person ranging from pewter to bronze. The shop has a large range of rubber boots in stock as well as hats and gloves, ideal for dog walkers.

Volunteers needed

for kurling club Brendoncare, the local charity which supports older people, is currently looking for volunteers for its new kurling club in Ringwood.

Brendoncare works to tackle social isolation through friendship and wellbeing clubs. Volunteers play an essential role and the charity is proud to hold the Investing in Volunteers award.

The Ringwood kurling club meets every Wednesday from 1.303pm at the Greyfriars Community Centre. Volunteer Kathryn Saunders said: “When I heard about this

new club, I signed straight up to help out. I enjoy volunteering with Brendoncare, and kurling is great fun.�

There are a range of volunteering opportunities from making the tea to organising the activities. Important to all roles is a desire to make a difference to the lives of older people and a sense of fun.

If you have a couple of hours to spare and would like to help, please contact the charity on 01962 852133.

Meesons Solicitors (established over 200 years) Partners Meriel Quain and Susan Bowen with Kevin Pratt, Ian Turner (consultants) and Jan Brian.

Ready to assist with buying and selling properties, wills including charity fee schemes, probate, elderly

client matters, family and litigation problems.

New House, Market Place, Ringwood BH24 1ER 22 Salisbury Street, Fordingbridge SP6 1AF

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

advertising feature

Secure your pick of the plots at Ringwood’s first retirement living development from McCarthy & Stone McCarthy and Stone, the UK’s leading retirement housebuilder, is delighted to announce the arrival of its first Retirement Living development in Ringwood, Cornmantle Court, which launched in the area in September last year.

W

hile there are other retirement villages in Hampshire, Cornmantle Court on Parsonage Barn Lane, is the first of its kind in Ringwood and since opening has received a rapid influx of residents with 45% of the 33 apartments now reserved or occupied, 13 of which sold off-plan with early reservation.

Retirees in and around the area are therefore invited to register their interest in this luxury development of 33, one and two bedroom high quality apartments for the over 60s now, as interest from the local community continues to increase.

Jacqui Meenan, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for McCarthy and Stone, explains: “There has been a notable lack of retirement housing available up until now in Ringwood and as the UK’s leading retirement housebuilder this is something which McCarthy and Stone was keen to address.

“Cornmantle Court gives

local homeowners the first chance to buy a stunning retirement apartment in the much sought after location of Ringwood. Not surprisingly it has already attracted significant levels of interest from local purchasers wanting to stay in the area, but who were looking to downsize to a more manageable and lower maintenance property.

I would therefore encourage anyone interested in securing one of these stunning apartments for themselves to get in touch without delay.”

McCarthy and Stone is committed to helping people stay independent for longer and Cornmantle Court will offer the independence of retaining home ownership, while living in a secure, low maintenance and energy efficient apartment.

What’s more, with all the maintenance of all external and communal areas taken care of, homeowners can spend more time enjoying their retirement with family and friends.

Facilities include a homeowners’ lounge ideal

for socialising with friends, beautifully landscaped gardens in which to relax and a convenient guest suite should homeowners have friends or relatives to stay. The development will also benefit from its very own House Manager, who will ensure the smooth running of the development, a security entrance system, plus 24-hour emergency

call points for added peace of mind for both homeowners and their families.

Situated just half a mile from Ringwood town centre, Cornmantle Court benefits from close proximity to a host of local shops and amenities including The Furlong Shopping Centre, and the popular weekly market held in Ringwood High Street.

For further information about the development and to arrange an appointment, please contact the sales team on 01425 489352.

Alternatively please visit the sales office, open Tuesday – Saturday from 10.30am – 5.00pm.

For more information regarding Cornmantle Court please visit: www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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Discovering the

MAGICAL in the every day Singer and song-writer Sophie Ellis-Bextor has been announced as the face of ‘Copper Blush’ - the Dulux 2015 Colour of the Year

The model and mother of three dazzles in a stylised film and stunning series of photographs that show her embodying the warm glow of a new dawn with the ‘Copper Blush’ shade, as she embarks on a new chapter of her career heading back into the studio to record her 6th album.

Like Sophie, you can be inspired by a colour that brings with it a warmer spectrum of pinks, reds and oranges into your home.

BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

advertising feature

CHOOSING THE COLOUR OF THE YEAR ‘Copper Blush’ was predicted as the Colour of the Year following extensive research by a 20-strong panel of global colour and trend experts who specialise in different areas of colour use, brought together by Dulux parent company, AkzoNobel.

Collectively the team scours the globe, exploring a broad range of different cultures and industries including interiors, fashion, beauty, design and even social and economic influences.

The result is an annual trend forecast known as ‘Colour Futures’, which depicts five key trends for the year ahead and one true Colour of the Year. 2015 marks the 12th anniversary of ‘Colour Futures’, with ‘Copper Blush’ being the 12th Dulux Colour of the Year. Turn the page to find out how Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s photo shoot went with Dulux to promote ‘Copper Blush.’

- Advertising feature -

INTERIORS COMPLETE Oh what a year Stewart and Chris have had Since moving their soft furnishing business Interiors Complete from Wimborne to Ferndown, their feet have not touched the ground.

The success of the move has taken them completely by surprise.

The showroom has beautiful displays of fabrics, carpets, wallpapers and blinds by a variety of famous companies including Sanderson, Morris & Co, Harlequin, Romo, Villa Nova, Prestigious Textiles and Voyage to name but a few to tempt you.

Interiors Complete offer a complete making and fitting service including curtains, pelmets, valances, tie backs, Roman blinds, bedspreads, headboards all hand finished to your requirements.

They can restore and re-upholster your beloved old chairs and sofas.

Just choose your fabric from their vast range and leave the rest to Stewart and Chris.

If it’s difficult to get out and about, they also offer a home choose service where they will bring samples to you at home.

They can be found on the main road at Kingsland House, 512 Wimborne Road East, Ferndown BH22 9NG (next to SAM’s newsagent), where there is FREE parking right outside the shop and round the back.

Visit soon you’ll find a warm and very colourful welcome.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

advertising feature

RFM WINDOWS RFM is a local independent retail company with over 20 years experience as installers of UPVC, aluminium windows, doors and conservatories.

Visit their Ringwood showroom for a no pressure, no obligation quotation.

No job is too small or too large. RFM can provide small one window replacements to larger new build contracts.

SOPHIE CAPTIVATES THE COLOUR OF THE YEAR Sophie wakes in a nightgown and begins walking around her bedroom. As the sunlight seeps through her curtains, the copper light comes to life and reveals a unique insight into her first moments as dawn breaks and she prepares for the day ahead.

The overarching theme for Colour Futures and this year’s Colour of the Year is the concept of ‘finding the wonderful in the normal’ and ‘discovering the magical in the everyday’, as such we see Sophie Ellis-Bextor welcoming a new day and a new dawn in a beautifully dreamlike way.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, comments: “Style is incredibly important to my everyday life and although people regularly comment on my vintage fashion tastes, it was really great to be part of such a lovely contemporary shoot with Dulux. Copper really is everywhere at the moment and totally on trend so it’s no surprise that ‘Copper Blush’ is this year’s Colour of the Year.”

To view the film visit http://youtu.be/F7L-UhsgoqE

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

CONTAKT CARPETS Dave Pope has been in the carpet trade for over 45 years and his family run business, Contakt Carpets, was established in Ringwood 29 years ago.

Working with his son Ryan, they specialise in a first class, personal service and offer expert fitting with uplift and disposal of old flooring and moving of furniture if required.

With a lifetime of expertise, Contakt Carpets deals with virtually all major manufacturers of carpets, vinyls, laminate and real wood flooring with extensive ranges in the showroom and samples available for loan. Free measuring service.

BRIAN’S KITCHENS Brian Pugh has lived and worked in the Fordingbridge area since 1979. He has been designing kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and studies for over 18 years and prides himself on providing quality products and a personal service, whether designing and fitting a complete kitchen or mobility adaptations in the bathroom.

He says, “Service is paramount especially when helping my customers choose their cupboard doors, tiles or appliances. There is no need to trawl round showrooms. Allow me to bring the designs and samples to the comfort of your home.”

Most types of kitchen appliances, bathroom fittings, sinks, taps and worktops are available. If not, he will do his best to locate the items you require.

Brian’s Kitchens will help you create the ultimate bedroom or unique bathroom from a wide range of styles using contemporary, traditional or bespoke designs.

Due to an illness 17 years ago, Brian has a good understanding of mobility needs and the requirements for the less mobile, yet he will ensure the room still looks attractive like a standard kitchen or bathroom.

local

Moses Rutland merge in style

At the launch Philip Moses (pictured right) and Clive Rutland (centre)

Philip Moses and Clive Rutland celebrated their rebranding as Moses Rutland Chartered Surveyors at a launch party on 25 February.

Over 40 guests and staff were welcomed to the Bartley Lodge Hotel, Cadnam where they were greeted with drinks and a selection of canapes followed by a short presentation by Philip Moses outlining the goals and aspirations of the two newly merged companies.

The joining of Moses Survey Limited and Rutland Chartered Surveyors combines a wealth of knowledge spanning several decades.

Moses Rutland have offices in East Dorset and Hampshire offering both residential and commercial services. www.mosessurvey.com

30 Miles for JT’s 30th

Royal Marine John Thornton who was sadly killed in Afghanistan in 2008, would have been 30 years old on 12 April.

As a tribute, the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation is inviting people to take on a 30 mile challenge.

You can walk, run, cycle, swim, row or complete the distance in the gym and can take on the challenge in one go or do ten 3-mile challenges as an individual or in a team. The choice is yours.

The challenge is to complete 30 miles between 30 March and 12 April. Registration £5, includes a t-shirt and fundraising pack. Your commitment is to raise a minimum of £30 for the JTYAF and to send in a ‘selfie’ taken at some time during your 30 miles. Visit www. jtyaf.org or give Pete a call 07792 121 645.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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local

Damerham Church stunning in white

Cdream!

L-R Ben, Karen, Cassie, Gemma, front left Emily and Lily

The annual Snowdrop Sunday event was held over the weekend of 14 and 15 February at Damerham Church. A continual stream of visitors strolled around the churchyard and surrounding area to see thousands of snowdrops and pop into the church for a warm drink and delicious slice of homemade cake. There were stalls with books, bric-a-brac and snowdrops for sale. Quite a Valentine treat for many couples.

FREE health walks

Regular guided health walks set off from Fordingbridge Library at 10.30am every first and third Thursday in the month. The walks are on uneven gravel tracks in all weathers and last for about an hour. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing. Just turn up and join this friendly group or call Craig on 01590 646671 for more information.

Fete on the Fields Book your stall now for Ferndown’s Fete on the Fields.

Taking place on Saturday 20 June, this free event will be held on King George V Playing Field, Ferndown.

Pitches cost £20. In its second year, the family fun day out will include entertainment, a tug of war, classic cars and much more. To book a stall call Pauline Yexley 01202 875264 or e-mail pyex421@btinternet.com

Hilarious ‘Happy Campers’ coming to Fordingbridge If you want a good laugh, book tickets for ‘Happy Campers’ by Richard James. The spring production by Fordingbridge Players stars Annie Mitchell, Betty Price, Nicki Salmond, Richard Holland, Laura Skelton, Adam Farr and Nigel Bonynge.

Centred around a family sent on a camping trip to the Yorkshire countryside to scatter the ashes of a beloved brother and father, there are revelations all round as the family of ‘townies’ try to cope with life on the wild side, all ending in a surprising treasure hunt.

Performances will be held in the Drama Studio at Burgate School, Fordingbridge from 9–11 April, 7.30pm. Tickets £8 from Jessica’s in the High Street or call 01425 652395. www.fordingbridgeplayers.or.uk

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

ake-maker’s

Cassie Emery-Tyler is the winner of the January 2015 CashUnity prize draw.

The monthly draw, devised by mags4dorset and aimed at increasing footfall in local shops, is in its second year.

Cassie, who is training to become a midwife, was the first person to win the £1,000 prize, which is now given in a new and exciting way, and she literally couldn’t stop smiling.

“It’s the first thing I’ve ever won,” she said when she walked into Speciality Cakes to collect her cash and shopping vouchers. With her were daughters Lily and Emily and her sister Gemma Stockley.

Husband Kevin, though very pleased with Cassie’s win, was unable to make the photo shoot.

Cassie told the managing director of mags4dorset, Ben Pulford, that it was the second time she had entered CashUnity following encouragement by Speciality Cakes’ owner Karen Jacobs, who issued the winning receipt.

Speciality Cakes has been a participating trader in CashUnity since the initiative began in January 2014, and Karen said, “We always hand out entry cards and it’s really wonderful that one of our customers has won. It’s a fantastic scheme to keep independent businesses trading and helps us as individuals.”

The new prize structure means that Cassie not only receives £500 cash to spend as she likes, but she also wins a £250 shopping

One of Cassie’s cakes

voucher to spend at Speciality Cakes, and five £50 shopping vouchers to spend at any other CashUnity businesses.

Ben said, “The scheme has really taken off and our first winner of the cash combined with the CashUnity vouchers was thrilled with the variety of choice of where to spend them.”

Cassie chose to spend her vouchers as follows: £50 Speciality Cakes, £50 Webb’s Butchers, £50 Tony Hair, £100 the Fish Inn. But the icing on the cake for Cassie was the luxury of spending money at Speciality Cakes because in her spare time, she makes cakes for friends and relatives. “Both my daughters have birthdays coming up too,” she said. “Lily will be six and Emily will be four.”

“We are confident they will be getting beautiful cakes on their birthdays courtesy of CashUnity,” said Ben.

CashUnity

Specified Period 1 Mar 2015 - 31 Mar 2015 BROADSTONE & POOLE FORUM JEWELLERS

£1,000 monthly prize guaranteed!

184E The Broadway, Lower Blandford Road, BH18 8DP 01202 600350 forumjewellers.co.uk

POOLE JOINERY

188 Stanley Green Road, BH15 3AH 01202 661299 poolejoinery.com

TIMS TILES

Innovation Close, BH12 4GF 01202 716969

CashUnity HAS CHANGED!

The popular initiative devised by mags4dorset and backed by local traders has changed.

Following the launch of the scheme last year, mags4dorset has given away £13,500 in prize money to shoppers as a thank you for supporting their local traders. There were over 7,000 entries in 2014 and all the prizewinners admitted they liked using their local shops and used them regularly. This is great news and proves the scheme is working. What is even better this year is that CashUnity will ensure some of the prize money is reinvested directly with the participating traders making it a win win situation.

The monthly prize being offered under the initiative is still £1,000, but it will be awarded as follows: £500 cash to spend as the winner likes, a £250 shopping voucher to spend at the participating trader that issued the winning receipt, plus £250 in shopping vouchers, which can be broken down into £50 vouchers to spend at any of the participating traders, published in the directory. So you see, the value is the same, but the local economy is instantly better off too. The winning receipt must still be produced before the prize is allocated.

Any local businesses wanting to be part of this amazing initiative that inspires local people to use their local shops, and puts money straight back into participating traders’ businesses, get in touch now. Ring Mark on 07875 962344.

Full terms and conditions of CashUnity can be found at www.cashunity.co.uk

CHRISTCHURCH & TUCKTON AVON CAUSEWAY

Hurn, Christchurch, BH23 6AS 01202 482714 avoncauseway.co.uk

CLARITY HEARING

45 High Street, BH23 1AS 01202 478881 clarity-solutions.com

HONORA (Wool Shop)

69 High Street, BH23 1AS 01202 486000 woolitwork.co.uk

NEALS & SON BUTCHERS 182 Tuckton Road, Tuckton, BH6 3AA 01202 429366 butchers-shop.co.uk

THINK PRINT

TONY SMITH KITCHENS

CROW FARM SHOP

UNDERWOOD EYECARE

THE FISH INN

517 Wimborne Road East, BH22 9NH, 01202 892200 tonysmithkitchens.co.uk

7 Penny’s Walk, BH22 9TH 01202 891955 underwoodeyecare.co.uk

XEROCAD PRINT CENTRE

527 Ringwood Road, BH22 9AQ 01202 897297 xerocad.co.uk

FERNDOWN IND. ESTATE DORSET SOILS & AGGREGATES LTD

Unit 4, 13 Cobham Road, BH21 7PE 01202 874207 sandandgravel.uk.com

HOWDENS JOINERY

47 Cobham Road, BH21 7NP 01202 876150 howdens.com

SELECT PVCU

112-114 Cobham Road, BH21 7PQ 01202 877977 selectpvcu.com

THE WHEEL SPECIALIST

21 Haviland Road, BH21 7RZ 01202 875553 thewheelspecialist.com/locations/ bournemouthdorset

FORDINGBRIDGE CAXTON DÉCOR

7 High Street, BH23 1AB 01202 473167

26-30 Salisbury Street, SP6 1AF 01425 652700 caxtondecor.co.uk

TONY HAIR

FORDINGBRIDGE BOOKSHOP

The Fountain, 1 High Street, BH23 1AE 01202 486868 tonyhair.co.uk

CRANBORNE LA FOSSE AT CRANBORNE London House, The Square BH21 5PR 01725 517604 la-fosse.com

FERNDOWN BARRINGTON THEATRE Penny’s Walk, BH22 9TH 01202 894858 barringtoncentre.co.uk

BASIC ELEGANCE

Unit 5 Longham Business Park, 168 Ringwood Road, BH22 9BU 01202 578093 basicelegancefurnishings.co.uk

CROWNING GLORY

515 Wimborne Road East, BH22 9NH 01202 892968

FERNDOWN ELECTRICAL SERVICES 125 Victoria Road, BH22 9HU 01202 872869

FERNGAS

40 Victoria Road, BH22 9HZ 01202 876020 ferngas.co.uk

INTERIORS COMPLETE

512 Wimborne Rd East, BH22 9NG 01202 890185 interiorscomplete.com

SWAN JEWELLERS

55 Victoria Road, BH22 9HU 01202 892990

15 Salisbury Street, SP6 1AB 01425 653725 fordingbridgebooks.co.uk

PRICE FARM FOODS 69 High Street, SP6 1AS 01425 652228 pricebutcheruk.co.uk

SELECT PETS & FOODS Green Lane, SP6 1HT 01425 655998

HIGHCLIFFE CHRISTCHURCH HEARING AID CENTRE LTD

351 Lymington Road, BH23 5EG 01425 272771 hearingaid-centre.co.uk

HIGHCLIFFE COACH HOLIDAYS

312 Lymington Road, BH23 5ET 01425 271111 highcliffecoachholidays.co.uk

KINSON SPECIALITY CAKES

1528 Wimborne Road, BH11 9AF 01202 572021 cakesindorset.co.uk

RINGWOOD ALLUM & SIDAWAY

47-49 High Street, BH24 1AD 01425 475180 allumandsidaway.co.uk

BICKERLEY GARAGE

Kings Arms Row, BH24 1BH 01425 470203 bickerleygarage.boschauto.co.uk

CONTAKT CARPETS

2 Pedlars Walk, BH24 1BZ 01425 477159 contaktcarpets.com

Close Date 7 Apr 2015

Crow, BH24 3EA 01425 473290 crowfarmshop.com

West Street, BH24 2AA 01425 473185 thefishinn.net

LIBERTY’S OWL, RAPTOR & REPTILE CENTRE Crow Lane, BH24 3EA 01425 476487 libertyscentre.co.uk

MADE CLOSER RETAIL LTD 2 High Street, BH24 1AF 01425 517715 madecloser.co.uk

MILLSTREAM MOTOR COMPANY

Unit 9 Millstream Trading Estate.

Christchurch Road, BH24 3SB 01425 477822 millstreammotorcompany.co.uk

PAPER MOUNTAIN

2 Meeting House Lane, BH24 1EY 01425 476751 papermountainuk.co.uk

POULNER FISH & CHIPS 4 Butlers Lane, Poulner 01425 478310

RINGWOOD SOUND & VISION 58 High Street, BH24 1AG 01425 478688 ringwoodsoundandvision.co.uk

SCOLTOCKS HEALTH FOODS 1 Market Place, BH24 1AN 01425 473787

SOUL SHED

(Cultural Gifts Store)

THE SWANS RESTAURANT

Pennine Way, BH31 6UL 01202 825777 marstonstaverns.co.uk/Verwood/ Swans

VERWOOD SURPLUS STORE 52 Ringwood Road, BH31 7AJ 01202 826994 verwoodsurplus.co.uk

WEST MOORS SELBY BUTCHERS

150 Station Road, BH22 0JB 01202 873121 selbybutchers.co.uk

WEBB’S AWARD WINNING BUTCHERS 165 Station Road, BH22 0HT 01202 855817 facebook.com/webbsbutchers

WEST PARLEY COZY STOVES

179 New Road, BH22 8ED 01202 573084 woodburnerdorset.co.uk

TIEGLA TILES

159A New Road, BH22 8EB 01202 594459 tilesdorset.co.uk

WIMBORNE DRUSILLA’S INN

Wigbeth, Horton, BH21 7JH 01258 840297 drusillasinn.co.uk

F B SALON

Mill Lane, BH21 1JQ 01202 842282

LITTLE CANFORD GARAGE

4 Fridays Court, High Street, BH24 1AB 07786 282381

98 Wimborne Rd West, BH21 2DS 01202 886980 littlecanfordgarage.com

ST MARTIN’S GALLERY

MIRAGE BOUTIQUE

Mockbeggar Lane, Ibsley BH24 3PP 01425 489090 stmartinsgallery.co.uk

28 Mill Lane, BH21 1JQ 01202 881931

TOWNHOUSE HAIRDRESSING

14 East Street, BH21 1DS 01202 884700 reevesandgallagher.com

19 High Street, BH24 1AB 01425 473666 townhousehair.co.uk

THREE CROSS LEWIS CONCRETE

Old Barn Farm Road, Woolsbridge Ind. Park, BH21 6SP 01202 821895 lewisconcrete.co.uk

PETALS FLORIST

John Brown’s Garden Centre, Ringwood Road, BH21 6RD 01202 827444 verwoodflorists.co.uk

VERWOOD CUSTOM CREATIONS

Unit 1 Enterprise Park, Blackmoor Road, Ebblake Industrial Estate BH31 6YS 01202 823231 customcreations.furniture

EBBLAKE AUTOCENTRE

Unit 4, Verwood Trading Estate, Blackhill, BH31 6HA 01202 824516 ebblake.co.uk

GILBEY CLEANERS

29 Vicarage Road, BH31 6DR 01202 826176 gilbeycleaners.co.uk

REEVES & GALLAGHER

SCF HARDWARE

Unit 1 & 2 Brook Road, BH21 2BH 01202 857140 scfhardware.co.uk

WIMBORNE TYRES LTD

Unit 3 Brook Road, BH21 2BH 01202 881509 wimbornetyres.co.uk

WINTON APPLIANCE ALLIANCE

8-9 Cardigan Road, BH9 1BJ 01202 513202

CARLY’S CRAFTS

1A Cardigan Road, BH9 1BJ 01202 512106

WAYAHEAD TRAVEL

731A Wimborne Road, BH9 2AX 01202 522484 wayaheadtravel.co.uk

Trench with Sopwith Camel and Mark V tank

local

Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the First War World

By Liz Turner

T

o mark the start of the Centenary of the First World War, the Imperial War Museum in London opened new permanent First World War Galleries where visitors can discover the story of the war - how it started, why it continued and its global impact, through the lives of those who experienced it at the time on both the front line and the home front across Britain and its Empire.

Drawing on IWM’s First World War collections, which are the most comprehensive in the world, over 1,300 objects including weapons, uniforms, diaries, letters and souvenirs, are on display alongside photographs, art and film – many of which have never been seen before.

When it opened, Diane Lees, Director-General of IWM said: “The Imperial War Museum was established while the First World War was still being fought to ensure that future generations would remember the toil and sacrifice of those who were impacted by it.

“These new galleries allow audiences old and young to explore the First World War in great depth.

They will experience the sights, smells and sounds of the recreated trench, see what life was like at the front with the Sopwith Camel fighter plane and Mark V tank looming above, learn of the terrible strain the war placed on people and communities and discover

32 |

VIEWPOINT March 2015

the role that women and children played on the home front. Visitors can consider some of the big questions and choices, ordinary and extraordinary, that people of Britain and its former Empire had to face in this first ‘total war’ and discuss the impact the conflict had on the world in which we live today.”

So it was with high expectations that I stepped into the galleries to see what I could find out about the First World War. I have to admit I love going to museums but even I was amazed at the range of exhibits on show and how fascinating these galleries are. Forget stuffy dusty museum cases, these galleries are interactive, with plenty you can touch and explore, and exhibits placed at child height so they can find learning about the war interesting and exciting.

Exciting may seem a strange word to use, but for children this makes all the difference. The First War World was horrendous but these exhibits mean children will get a real sense of what life must have been like in the trenches, at home and in the Middle East.

I visited at the beginning of the school half term and the museum was full of children, not school parties but youngsters with their parents, grandparents and older siblings. And not just English children, there were French, German, Americans and Austrialian – all fascinated by what they saw.

I was amazed to see objects, displayed for the first time, from the Christmas Truce, including a button from a German tunic that was given to a British soldier as a souvenir. Photos of the soldiers were especially moving.

A series of trench signs, such as those ‘to Hells corner’ and ‘Piccadilly Circus’ showed the complexity of the trench and dugout networks of the battlefields of the Western Front.

IWM Photo

listed in its entirety.

Seen by over 20 million people at the time, half the population of Britain, it is shown with the original musical accompaniment.

We’re shown how the war affected everyone’s lives at home.

Children were not spared from the efforts. A jumper which belonged to a Sea Scout tells the story of their observation role along the coast.

This is an exhibition which will appeal to all ages - those wanting to learn about the war in depth and those just exploring the themes for the first time. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time – it’s fascinating.

There is a catapult for hurling grenades, geophones used in mines beneath the trenches to detect the enemy, and a hollowed out fake tree which became a camouflage lookout in no man’s land. Nothing boring for children – or adults - about these.

You can walk around a naval gun from HMS Chester, learn about Jack Cornwell VC who at the age of 16 courageously manned the gun in the Battle of Jutland, through to Tirpitz, a pig that was saved from the sea after the German ship SMS Dresden sank off the coast of Chile and later became a mascot on board HMS Glasgow.

IWM London is at The Supply Line, uses an interactive table over 4 metres long Lambeth Road SE1 6HZ to show the unprecedented scale Admission is free and it is open of production required on the home 10am-6pm, closed 24-26 December. front to keep the troops fed and fighting. Visitors can help make shells, food and boots to be sent to the front, through large, digital animations.

At the centre of the galleries the towering 9.2 inch howitzer gun ‘Mother’ is on display, and there’s a Union Jack used by a chaplain to conduct burials on the Somme. Visitors can watch the original 1916 documentary film of the Imperial War Museum battle - now UNESCO

A bygone era lives on

Robert with Jack, Kirk on the cart

local

Robert with last year’s foals

AT HARBRIDGE FARM

By Janine Pulford

As I approach the red brick farm on the Somerley Estate, I hear the familiar chink, chink, chink of a horseshoe being crafted on an anvil approaching long before I saw him. The clip clop of his horse coming down the road was always a time of great excitement, particularly on the day he ate my little wicker chair that was in the front garden.

Of course Robert knows the memories heavy horses instill, but he has to make a living, so he breeds and trains these noble creatures before selling them on as working horses.

It takes four years to fully train a heavy horse, so the farm always has a mixture of yearlings through to four-year-olds with the added excitement of new foals every year.

The wonderful part about what Robert does is that he is preserving heavy horses for future generations and helping to ensure they don’t disappear from our countryside.

A fully trained Percheron costs £4,500 plus VAT and Robert aims to breed and train six a year to meet demand. They are not only purchased for farm jobs, but are used for riding, driving, hobby pursuits, wagon rides and timber work.

“We’re selling, when others can’t,” Robert says.

We’ve all heard the sad and sorry stories of unwanted horses that are being sold in quantity for slaughter these days and Robert tells me that the meat value of a Percheron is about £450. Luckily his horses are destined to keep the bloodlines strengthening as part of our farming heritage, rather than being slaughtered before their time.

Robert’s senior stallion Axl is aged 15 and is still doing a good job!

Percherons originate from the former Perche province of France. Originally bred as warhorses, they became carriage horses and were eventually used for agriculture, as Jack admirably demonstrates. Harbridge Farm traditionally used shire horses and it was Robert’s father, Tom, who invested in the first Percherons in 1951. “He bought two from Chivers Jam,” says Robert. “They cost £7 10 shillings each.”

Little did he know how significant these purchases would be in the history of the farm.

These days, Sampson Percherons improve the bloodline by buying horses from France - a far cry from the Chivers Jam stock.

When Jack reappears, it’s my turn to sit on the cart and discover, with Kirk at the reins, the horse’s steady gait and watch as Robert and his willing helper Claudia Weiss spread haylage over the field to feed a herd of horses that trot up for breakfast. (During a normal winter, the horses munch through 450 bales).

Being at one with the countryside is an incredible feeling and I see bullfinches in the bare trees and fill my lungs with the clear, cold country air. The horses’ breathy snorts and the unique horsy smell that fills my nostrils again spirit me back to my teenage years.

“It’s not always like this,” says Kirk bringing me back to 2015. “We have to do this whatever the weather. Even in the pouring rain.”

The job immediately loses some of its charm and then other drawbacks are thrown into the mix. Vets bills, horses that should be in foal that don’t get pregnant, and the matter of fights breaking out at feed time and the chance of being kicked if you’re in the wrong place.

It’s clear that you have to love the work to be involved with it and Robert, of course, has a natural gift when it comes to dealing with horses, he says: “Percherons are calm and easily managed, but can be unpredictable. The control you have over horses is a very thin veneer, the clever bit is not to let them know that.”

As well as looking after his own horses, Robert trains other people’s horses and runs courses, educational organized groups of more than 5 people and experience days. He and his wife Barbara also host an annual event at the farm.

So if you want to be at one with the heavy horse, contact Sampson Percherons through their website or Facebook, or put this event in your diary: 19 April, the Southern Counties Heavy Horse Association working event with craft tent and trade stands from 10am-4pm at Harbridge Farm.

“

The control you have over horses is a very thin veneer, the clever bit is not to let them know that

“

A man raises his hand in welcome. I notice his jeans have a hole in them and his coat is covered in hay. He will surely know who I’m looking for, so I ask him where Robert Sampson is.

“That’s me,” he says cheerily, lifting the grey cob’s hoof and shaving it a little before carrying on with the job.

He explains the skill was handed to him by his father and the same applies to two of Robert’s four children, Tom and Fred, who are also farriers.

My introduction to the owner of Sampson Percherons has come in an unexpected way and I soon discover that Robert, like the generations before him, runs the farm in a traditional manner.

Most of the farming on the land is carried out by his magnificent black or grey Percherons.

Much, I imagine, in the same way as it was when Robert’s great great grandfather became the tenant of Harbridge Farm in 1882.

Despite Robert’s nationwide reputation as a breeder of Percheron heavy horses, a profile that was lifted hugely by ITV’s documentary ‘Horsepower’ with Martin Clunes, his sense of ordinariness prevails.

As I stand in the farmyard, a cart draws up and in the harness is a sturdy, yet docile Percheron called Jack. The muscular black horse pulls an enormous bale of haylage fixed to a purpose built cart.

“These days, it’s difficult to get hold of equipment,” says Robert, who explains that he sources harnesses from the Amish communities in the United States. “They make carts too, but I made and maintain this one myself.” He nods to Kirk Ross who sits open to the elements on a wooden seat and encourages Jack to keep going to the next field where horses are hungrily waiting for breakfast.

Robert explains that he has 25 Percherons as well as a mixture of New Forest ponies, cobs, cross breeds, (Percheron x New Forest for a heavy, clean legged cob), the odd hunter and a Shetland pony.

To me it’s horse paradise, but Robert says in no uncertain terms, “Sampson Percherons is a business not a nostalgia kick.”

Yet when I look around, I can’t help feeling nostalgic. Harbridge Farm transports me back to the days when I could hear the milkman

Spreading haylage – Robert, Kirk and Claudia

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 33

in and around the area

what’s on

this month 21 March 1.30pm

Verwood and District Horticultural Society spring flower show. Verwood Memorial Hall. 01202 814376

21 March 7pm

Barn dance in aid of About Face Head and Neck Cancer Charity, Twynham School, Christchurch. £15 including fish and chip supper. 01202 269519

23 March 10.30am

Music for the Mind for people with memory problems, aimed at carers and cared for, United Reformed Church, Verwood.

01202 827800

23 March 2-4pm

Ringwood WI talk on New Forest District Council Recycling by Mandy Pickard.

The Meeting House, Ringwood.

01425 470826

23 March 8pm

Alan Pickering’s Spirit of New Orleans, Bournemouth Traditional Jazz Club, Bluebirds Social Club, Longham. £6, £7 for visitors.

25 March 7-10pm

Stargazing from Badbury Rings with Wessex and Fordingbridge Astronomy Group. Booking essential. 01202 883402

25 March 7.30pm

Verwood Organ & Keyboard Society. Robert Wolfe playing the Lowrey Royale at the Hub, Verwood. £7 (members £5)

26 March 10-11.30am

West Moors library coffee morning with representative from NeighbourCar organisation. 01202 873272

34 |

VIEWPOINT March 2015

Details were correct at the time of going to print but readers are advised to check before attending events

26 March 11am

Fleet Air Arm Association meets at Royal British Legion, Church Road, Ferndown.

07815 824841

28 March 12noon-4.30pm

Bournemouth Orchid Fair and Show. £3, U16 free. Allendale Community Centre, Hanham Road, Wimborne.

07712 479056

4 April 1-4pm

Ferndown and District Horticultural Association spring show, Ferndown Village Hall, Church Road, Ferndown. Free entry. Schedules and entry forms 01425 276164

8 April 10.30am-12.15pm

The Bernie Farrenden Duo, The Nelson Tavern, 75 Mudeford, Christchurch. 01202 485105.

‘History and Work of The Priest’s House Museum’ talk by James Webb in The Scout Hall, off Station Road, Wimborne, in support of The Phoenix Stroke Survivors Support Group, Wimborne. 01202 884737

29 March 7.30pm

9 April 10.15am

28 March 8pm

John Maddocks’ Jazz Men at St Leonards Hotel, 185 Ringwood Road, St Leonards. £8. 01202 701295

31 March 2.30-4pm

West Moors library Easter activities for children aged 5 - 10. Free event but need to book. 01202 873272

1 April 12noon

Ferndown Probus Club lunch and talk ‘Freelance Comedy Writing’, Dudsbury Golf Club.

01202 875757

2 April 7.30pm

Verwood and District Horticultural Society present talk by Sue Campbell on ‘Queen Victoria’s Kitchen Garden at Windsor’. Verwood Memorial Hall. 01202 814376

4 April 10am-3pm

Free family entertainment at Furlong Shopping Centre, Ringwood, including chick handling and New Forest miniature donkeys. Easter craft stalls and cakes. www.thefurlong.co.uk

New Milton Decorative and Fine Arts Society. ‘From Michelangelo to You – The Story of Art and Science’

by Sally Hoban at Memorial Centre, Whitefield Road.

01590 643046

10 April 7.30pm

Ferndown and District Horticultural Association, ‘Location. Location’ a photographic journey around Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire with John Lewis.

Ferndown Village Hall, Church Road, Ferndown.

13 April 2.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society, illustrated talk ‘Daffodil/Narcissus Hunting in the Wild’ by Derrick DonnisonMorgan. West Moors Memorial Hall. 01202 871536

16 April 8pm

Verwood Traditional Jazz Club, The Hideaway. 17 Moorlands Road, Verwood presents Bob Reynolds New Society Jazz Band. Doors open 7pm.

01202 873725

17 April 7pm

Ferndown Voice 2015 final, Barrington Theatre. £4.

01202 894858

18 April 10am-4pm

Poole Vikings Model Club scale model exhibition, Parkstone Grammar School, Sopers Lane, Poole. Displays include aviation, military, transport, marine and sci-fi models. £3, £1.50 children. 01202 743494

18 April 10am-4pm

Braeside Bowling Club, Braeside Road, St Leonards, open day. 01425 476754

18 April 10am-4pm

New Forest Jazz Workshop meets at Godshill Village Hall, near Fordingbridge. www.

NewForestJazzWorkshop.co.uk

23 April 7pm St George’s Day concert, Wimborne Minster. Organised

by EDDC chairman Cllr Robin Cook in aid of Alzheimer’s Society and Friends of Victoria Hospital Wimborne.

Bournemouth University and Arts University Orchestra and Chamber Choir. Music by English composers. £10, £5 students. Wimborne TIC or 07968 265897

26 April 9am-5pm Boatjumble, Boatmall and Boatmart, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst. 01590 612888

27 April 2-4pm Ringwood WI demonstration of ‘Chocolate Creations’ by Angela Brice. The Meeting House, Ringwood.

01425 470826

29 April 7.30pm

Fayrewood Singers spring concert, Verwood Methodist Church. 01202 280491

Verwood Organ & Keyboard Society. John Mann playing an Eminent at Hub. £7, members £5. Doors open 7pm.

01202 814976

21 April 7.30pm

6 May 12noon

18 April 7.30pm

Verwood Historical Society.

Talk by David Reeve ‘Law and Disorder in 17th century Wimborne’. St Michael’s Parish Centre off Manor Road.

01202 824175

Ferndown Probus Club lunch and talk ‘Writing Books’, Dudsbury Golf Club.

01202 875757

8 May 7.30pm

Concert of popular music

by Bournemouth Electronic Organ Society at The Allendale Community Centre, Wimborne.

01202 590383.

Ferndown & District Horticultural Association, ‘Bournemouth and Area magic Lantern Show’ with Janet Burns. Ferndown Village Hall, Church Road, Ferndown.

23 April 11am

9 May 10am

21 April 7.30pm

Fleet Air Arm Association meets at Royal British Legion, Church Road, Ferndown.

07815 824841

West Moors Horticultural Society plant sale, West Moors Memorial Hall.

01202 871536

in and around the area

COMP ETITION

Five Star Swing

“They swing like crazy” BBC Five Star Swing is recognised as one of the most versatile and accomplished jazz and swing bands currently touring the UK and on Sunday 12 April it will be bringing its impressive repertoire to the Barrington Theatre in Ferndown.

Band leader Chris Smith’s compositions and arrangements are frequently played

by Jazz FM, Capital Radio, BBC Radio Big Band, as well as Five Star Swing. As a piano/ trumpet player, Chris has appeared on BBC Breakfast, at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and The Royal Variety Show. He has toured extensively with the Herb Miller Orchestra (Glenn’s brother), as well as performing at jazz festivals throughout the world. Under Chris’s direction, Five Star Swing’s vocalists and musicians create the vibrant sound of the big band era. Style is added to every performance from an exciting repertoire, featuring songs from Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Glenn Miller and jazz favourites, through to modern day artistes such as Robbie Williams, Jamie Cullum and Jools Holland.

Vocalist and saxophonist Simone Smith

has recorded with Paul Weller and has played an alto saxophone solo on the Paul Merton Show.

Trombone player, Mike Innes, recording history includes Shirley Bassey, Gary Barlow, Elaine Paige, Darius and The Pet Shop Boys. He has appeared on television with Jools Holland and Steve Coogan.

With original compositions and arrangements to suit not only the audience, but the versatility of the players, the band’s jazz and swing favouties will make this a big band bonanza to celebrate.

mags4dorset and The Barrington Theatre have two tickets to give away for Five Star Swing’s show on 12 April, doors open 7.30pm.

For your chance to win the tickets answer this question:

Who is the band leader?

The closing date is Tuesday 31 March 2015.

Enter through our website: www.mags4dorset.co.uk or send your answer on a postcard to Five Star Swing competition, mags4dorset, 1st Floor, King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9EN. The first correct entry drawn will be the winner.

Employees of Page and Pulford Ltd and The Barrington are not permitted to enter. There is no cash alternative. The editor’s decision is final.

Go wild

over 10 years of National Park

Wildlife films celebrating the world-class landscapes of the New Forest, have been produced to mark its 10 year anniversary as a National Park.

Simon King, best known for presenting Springwatch and Big Cat Diary, has produced three fascinating films, looking at the rich wildlife of the National Park’s internationally-important patchwork of ancient woodlands, lowland heaths and diverse coastline.

Simon King said: “Ever since I was a child, the New Forest has held an unparalleled magic for me. The remarkable mix of ancient, natural and human history is a compelling cocktail for all lovers of the outdoors.”

The films can be see on www.youtube.com/ newforestnpa

Simon King

Winners

Competition winners for tickets at Barrington Theatre, Ferndown: Joan Adams from Ferndown, The Producers.

Answer Dave Saunders.

Stan Clark of Verwood.

Dire Streets. Answer John Brunsdon.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 35

BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

CRACKING days out for Easter

advertising feature

Liberty’s Owl Raptor And Reptile Centre Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre is near Ringwood on the edge of the New Forest. Home to a large collection of birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls and vultures, there are also reptiles such as snakes, lizards and spiders in the indoor reptile house.

Enjoy a fun, exciting and educational visit. Observe these magnificent birds flying free and reptiles up close. If wet, displays move indoors.

Experience the thrill of falconry with Liberty’s Flying Experience Days.

Vouchers make ideal gifts or treat yourself. www.libertysfalconry.co.uk Liberty’s is a rescue centre for wild birds of prey, injured or needing care before release back to the wild. Medical and rehabilitation costs are funded through entry charges and donations.

Open daily March-Oct 10am-5pm 01425 476487 www.libertyscentre.co.uk

Kingston Lacy

It’s almost that time of the year again when Cadbury teams up with the National Trust to offer families the ultimate day out with their popular Easter Egg Trail at Kingston Lacy.

This year, the Cadbury Eggsplorers Easter Egg Trail at Kingston Lacy (28 March – 12 April) will be inviting families to unleash their inner explorer to follow the clues around the garden and complete their adventure, before receiving a delicious Cadbury chocolatey treat.

Every single Cadbury Easter Egg Trail will help support special places looked after by the National Trust for future generations to explore.

The Cadbury Easter Egg Trail at Kingston Lacy will run daily between 28 March and 12 April from 10.30am to 4pm. The trail costs £2.50 per person, normal admission applies.

Laser Madness

Don’t be bored this Easter. Come and play Laser Tag at Laser Madness Christchurch.

With inspiring lighting and pumping sound effects, Laser Madness Laser Tag Arena is specifically designed to deliver an adrenaline packed experience for all ages from 6 to 66. Play on your own or as part of team to plunder enemies’ bases whilst protecting your own. Whether it’s for a party or a casual game, this is one adventure you do not want to miss. Younger children in your group?

Bring them to play in the Monkey Madness softplay centre on the ground floor, or buy a double play ticket and do both!

Open every day from 9.30am. Reid Street, Christchurch, BH23 2BT 01202 481015 www.lasermadness / Facebook: lasermadnesschristchurch www.monkeymadnessplay.com / Facebook: monkeymadnesscc

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

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CRACKING days out for Easter

BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

Wimborne Model Town Spinnaker Sailing Club Situated on the outskirts of Ringwood, Spinnaker Sailing Club has been home to an enthusiastic band of dinghy sailors for over 50 years. Attracting families from all over Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, Spinnaker Sailing Club is used for sailing all year round and offers members a varied menu of gentle cruising, fleet racing, team racing, training and a wide variety of social events. When time is short Spinnaker Sailing Club is the place to sail - anytime, any conditions, you can be on the water with a minimum of delay.

As a recognised RYA training centre Spinnaker Sailing Club offers courses to anyone aged 8 to 88! Sailing courses are available after school, evenings, weekends and during the school.

As a family friendly sailing club our emphasis is on safety whilst having fun and learning.

To find out more about Spinnaker Sailing Club, please visit www.spinnakerclub.co.uk

Wimborne Model Town reopens on 28 March with free quizzes around the Lilliputian buildings, a new illuminated dolls’ house collection and push button ‘00’ gauge railway including Thomas. Absorb the Sensory Garden features and check out the storytelling chair. Enjoy refreshments in the tea room with gifts galore in the shop.

The Furlong Centre

This Easter Saturday, The Furlong shopping centre in Ringwood has some egg-stra special surprises in store.

There will be free family entertainment for all including the ever popular chick handling and the adorable New Forest miniature donkeys.

Plus with Easter craft stalls and cakes you can pick up a tasty treat while you shop. www.thefurlong.co.uk

Heavy Horse Centre

This award winning park is guaranteed to keep the whole family entertained for hours as they enjoy fascinating talks and tours or wander around exhibits from days gone by.

Meet the friendly heavy horses and farm animals. Enjoy Dorset’s fine scenery on a heavy horse wagon ride around the park, or take a daring tractor trailer ride down the valley. ‘Drive’ a farm tractor in the off - road arena. Adventure play areas suit most ages and include an undercover go-cart arena, straw fun barn with drop slide and zip wire, children’s fairground rides and pony rides. Learn about the life of the working horses and ponies on the Memory Lane tour. Relax with home cooked food at Smokey Joe’s cafe. It’s a unique and memorable day and at same time visitors help provide a permanent home for over 20 rescued heavy horses.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

CRACKING days out for Easter

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Honeybrook Family Farm and Riverside Park Honeybrook is a traditional working Dorset farm. Come and meet the friendly farm animals from dandy donkeys, gleeful goats and porky pigs and many more. Take in the beautiful surroundings and wildlife from a bumpy tractor ride or stroll along the Riverside Trail. There’s something for everyone at Honeybrook - an adventure playground with water jets and bouncy pillow, an indoor soft play area, pets’ corner and a cosy café serving scrumptious hot and cold snacks. It is open daily from 10am to 5pm during the Easter holidays and children can hunt for chocolate eggs over the Easter weekend.

Life Centre Life Centre is a not-for-profit business that joins all its activities and events to support the charitable work of Bournemouth Community Church. This work includes running a drop-in centre, a ‘foodbank’ hub, a thriving group for seniors, a community choir and much more. There is also active support for full-time workers around the globe from New York to Nepal, involved in teaching programmes, anti-human trafficking work, AIDS orphanage support and job creation projects.

Life Centre’s 1,000 seat auditorium, 200 seat conference suites, smaller breakout rooms and bustling café facilitate business meetings, training courses and community events. Over the Easter holidays there will be both a children’s and a youth holiday club and there will be shows of classic and also more recent films on different days throughout the school holidays. For more details check out the website (www.lifecentre.biz) or Facebook page, or pop in and see the building for yourself.

Priest’s House Museum and Garden The Priest’s House Museum and Garden has fun for all the family this Easter, with ‘Buster Bunny’s Big Easter Activities’ from 1-11 April.

This historic townhouse and local history museum also has a beautiful walled garden and tearoom. The annual pass allows unlimited visits during normal opening hours (excludes some special events and ticketed events).

Fun and Biscuits

Located in the heart of Ringwood, this soft play café offers a two-storey play frame and a separate soft padded area for young babies and toddlers. Visit this friendly, safe place where young ones can let off steam whilst the adults catch up over a drink and treat.

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

CRACKING days out for Easter

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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

Egg-sausted after all your activities?

Enjoy making and eating these Easter nests

MINI EGG MERINGUE NESTS

RECIPE BY CADBURY You’ll need

2 medium egg whites 100g caster sugar Cadbury mini eggs Cadbury flake

What to do

Preheat the oven to 1100C, gas mark ¼. Grease and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.

Using an electric mixer and a clean grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, add the sugar a little at a time, whisking well between additions to form a thick gloss meringue.

Fold in the crushed flake and spoon or pipe 16 rounds onto the baking sheets.

Make a small hollow with a teaspoon to form a nest shape, top with 50g chopped mini eggs. Bake for 3 hours until crisp and dry. Cool.

The meringues can be kept in an airtight tin for a week or two prior to use.

Oz

Wizard of

Roost boost

The Swish of the Curtain Theatre Company Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth, 20 February Review by Janine Pulford

Easily rivalling the best West End performance I’ve seen, the Swish of the Curtain Theatre School pulled off something truly spectacular. Their production of the Wizard of Oz included outstanding costumes, scenery, singing and choreography.

My preconceived ideas of wind machines were blown away with brilliant technology that whirled the characters out of Kansas depositing them in the Land of Oz. From then on the performance lifted off visually with a feast of colour. Costumes sparkled, Munchkins danced and sang and the audience clapped along with familiar songs. There were characters who flew gracefully on and off the stage, bubbles, foam (snow), strobe lights and pyrotechnics, making it a show full of surprises.

Word perfect Dorothy played by Sammy Toms had a convincing accent and her little dog Toto was unflappable. Dorothy’s three companions, the loveable Scarecrow (Harvey Walsh), the squeaky Tin Man (Jack Howlett) and the Lion without any courage (Ollie Slee) were strong and vibrant characters. Their arrivals were absorbing, especially the stunning apple tree scene that concealed the Tin Man. The willowy Wicked Witch of the West, Ellen Lewis, was all dark side and excellent with it.

Not a moment passed when the cast weren’t giving their all, and enjoying it too. Their energy and enthusiasm was inspiring.

Though hard to single out favourites, the Lion was an absolute scene stealer and the Jitterbug dance routine was exceptional. What a gift the director Tina Witham has along with choreographer Caroline Barnes and musical director Jonathan Prentice.

The Wizard of Oz by Swish of the Curtain Theatre School was a top class performance, no wonder it played to a full house and received a standing ovation.

Full review can be found at www.mags4dorset.co.uk

Pupils with teacher Sarah Hobson (left) and Beatrice Dopita from the River Allen Bat Roost

Children and staff at Allenbourn Middle School, Wimborne have developed their wildlife garden and put up boxes for bats, birds, hedgehogs and voles. Paid for by the Parents’ Association, the boxes were installed with the help of Beatrice Dopita from the River Allen Bat Roost and Dorset Mammal Group, who said, “These wildlife habitats will be really valuable to the bats and other mammals in the town centre, and will help with our bat monitoring programme.”

For more about the programme visit www.dorsetmammalgroup.org.uk

Voice of Ferndown upcoming final The finalists of the Voice of Ferndown are preparing to give their all on 17 April at the Barrington Theatre in Ferndown. The live show, with around 14 star performers, starts at 7pm and tickets are just £4 each. Judges include piano man Matt Black and Forest FM’s Steve Saville. Organisers Steve Lugg and Aidan

Byrne will co-compere the evening. The 2013 winners Harmony Twist will also be performing.

Promising a night of top entertainment, the show will help to promote Ferndown as the hub of contemporary music in the area. Free programmes available. Call the Barrington now to book your seats. 01202 894858.

Theo promotes Miss Marshmellow Wimborne based Miss Marshmellow Confectionary Ltd received its Small Business Sunday winner’s certificate from Theo Paphitis recently. Owners Jackie Cornish and Gavin Kieser had tweeted Theo about their business during ‘Small Business Sunday’, a weekly initiative set up by Theo. He re-tweeted their message to his 260,000 followers and since then their business has over 1000 more Twitter followers and extra orders for confectionary.

They are also profiled on www.theopaphitissbs. com. Anyone looking for a re-tweet from Theo should tweet him about their business on Sunday between 5pm and 7.30pm and include the hashtag #SBS. Six businesses are retweeted every Monday at 8pm.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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motoring

New drug drive law A new law against drug driving which came into force on 2 March has been strongly welcomed by road safety charity Brake It is now a criminal offence to drive with drugs in your body in England and Wales, removing the need to prove impairment and making it much easier to prosecute drug drivers.

The new law has specified zero-tolerance limits for a range of illegal drugs, and will be enforced with the aid of roadside screening devices. Those found guilty will face a maximum six month jail sentence, £5,000 fine, and automatic 12 month driving ban.

The extent of the UK’s drug driving problem was revealed by Brake last year, in their survey finding that the equivalent of one million drivers (3%) admitted to having driven on drugs in the past year. One in nine (11%) said they thought they had been a passenger with a driver on drugs. It’s estimated that drug driving may account for as many as 200 deaths a year in the UK. As well as tackling drivers on illegal drugs, the law clarifies the position for drivers using medication, with set limits for a number of prescribed drugs that can affect driving. Drivers taking medication in accordance with the advice of a healthcare professional will not be at risk of arrest.

Brake is reminding drivers that some prescription and over-the-counter medications can make you unsafe on the road, and is urging them to always read the label, or check with their doctor or pharmacist

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

if unsure, and never to drive if their driving may be impaired. A Brake survey in June last year found one in six drivers (17%) either ignore warnings not to drive or do not check at all.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: “Drug driving wrecks lives, and it is a crime for which there is no excuse. We are delighted that our long-running campaign for a tougher law is finally seeing success. We believe the government is doing the right thing by taking a zero tolerance approach; we hope this will make it clear that driving on any amount of drugs won’t be tolerated. Anyone tempted to drive on drugs should be in absolutely no doubt of the penalties they face for endangering people’s lives and that it simply isn’t worth the risk. We will continue to campaign for further action to stamp out risky, illegal driving that ends and ruins lives daily. The crucial next step to back up this and other vital life-saving traffic laws is for government to give greater priority to traffic policing, to ensure the recent trend of falling traffic police numbers is reversed.”

The new law is also being welcomed by the family of 14-year-old Croydon school girl Lillian Groves, who was killed outside her home by a speeding driver on cannabis in June 2010. Their campaigning was instrumental in securing the change, which is also known as Lillian’s Law.

FACTS

Illegal drugs have a variety of very serious negative effects on driving ability, and the effects can be highly unpredictable given their unregulated and variable nature.

Drugs affect different people in different ways and the effects can last for days, sometimes without that person being aware of it. The likely effects of some common illegal drugs on driving include: • Cannabis slows your reaction times, affects your coordination and concentration and makes you drowsy.

• ‘Stimulant’ drugs such as ecstasy, speed and cocaine distort your perceptions and make you jumpy. They can also make you over-confident or paranoid and confused.

• Heroin and other opiates make you feel relaxed and sleepy, slowing reaction times and impairing coordination.

• Historically, levels of drug driving have not been fully recorded, but research suggests that the scale of the problem may be similar to drinkdriving. A study by the Transport Research Laboratory found that 18% of drivers and 16% of motorcyclists killed in road crashes had traces of illegal drugs in their system, the most common being cannabis.

motoring

A The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu welcomes two new rallying exhibits in support of its new exhibition, A Chequered History, celebrating the history of motor sport.

The Ford GT70 and the Ford RS200 are both prototypes of fascinating designs with their own ‘chequered histories,’ echoing the bitter-sweet nature of motor racing and rallying. Both were designed to win rallies, but success eluded them.

Doug Hill, Manager and Chief Engineer of the museum, said: “I am both delighted and grateful that Ford Heritage has offered on loan to the National Motor Museum two of its important historic motor cars.

These rally cars will greatly enrich our already fabulous collection of competition motor vehicles.”

Brian Bennett, Ford of Britain Corporate Affairs Manager, said: “Ford is proud of its long association with the National Motor Museum and is pleased to be able to loan two of the most precious vehicles from its Heritage collection to support A Chequered History. This comes at a most appropriate time for Ford with the recent announcement of the new Ford GT, inspired by the multi Le Mans-winning GT40, and the new Focus RS, the 30th Ford vehicle to

History wear the RS badge since 1968.”

The GT70 was conceived in 1970 to rival the giants of European rallying. Its steel platform chassis was clad in an aerodynamic fibreglass body, with independent suspension all-round. The midmounted engine powered the rear wheels through a five-speed ZF transaxle. Although designed to accept a range of engines, including a 2.6-re V6, the lighter four-cylinder 1.6-litre BDA unit was found to suit the design best.

Only five examples were constructed, before the project was scrapped in a cost-cutting move by Ford. However, this GT70 was tested on European rally events, before a stint on the Ford press fleet. After many years in storage in a parts warehouse, it was restored.

Joining the GT70 is the third of six RS200 prototypes, one of the most remarkable rallying machines of the 1980s. The RS200 was also designed to be competitive in European rallies, using a midengine layout. However, this all-new design used four-wheel drive and a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, creating a fast, light-weight car with sharp handling. The body, made by fibreglass specialists Reliant, was assembled over a rigid

1971 Ford GT70

platform chassis.

To prove that the RS200 was a true production car, 200 examples were built – a requirement of the stringent Group B rallying regulations. However, despite getting off to a promising start, its motor sport career was cut short when the governing body for motor sport events, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, ended the Group B class from 1987 following a number of fatal accidents. These unsold rally cars were converted into exclusive roadgoing performance cars, with the addition of upmarket interior trim.

A Chequered History was due to be officially opened by Sir Stirling Moss on 5 March 2015 (the day Viewpoint went to print). Consisting of two exciting new displays, this exhibition will feature some of the most remarkable machines in the

198 4 Ford RS20

0

history of motor sport, along with a unique collection of memorabilia and archive film.

Grand Prix Greats will tell the story of this historic racing tradition, from its earliest beginnings to modern-day Formula 1, while Road Race and Rally will celebrate the high-octane thrills of rallying, hillclimbing and circuit racing.

Visitors can enjoy A Chequered History as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction. www.beaulieu.co.uk.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

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Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements

Jan 2015

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Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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specialist services

MONTHLY HOROSCOPES with RUSSELL GRANT MARCH 2015 ARIES March 21 - April 20 Your financial situation will improve dramatically towards the end of March.

Take care to put a portion of your income into a savings account or your boosted bank balance will soon disappear.

TAURUS April 21 - May 21 Don’t be surprised when a respected authority figure develops a crush on you as March turns into April. The two of you will make an impressive power couple. Do you already have a lover? Then take a romantic trip together.

GEMINI May 22 - June 21 A Solar Eclipse on the 20th invites you to apply for a position that becomes available quite unexpectedly. This is your chance to move up the ladder of success. This job will have significant fringe benefits. Your social life picks up as March melts into April.

CANCER June 22 - July 23 Spending more time with friends will brighten your mood as March turns into April. Be sure to attend as many parties during this exciting period as possible. All eyes will be on you. This calls for a shopping expedition.

LEO July 24 - August 23 A romance with someone who is much older or younger spices up the final days of the month. The two of you have lots to teach each other. If you’re already in a relationship, encourage your partner to develop their artistic talent. Your support will prompt your amour to reach a whole new level of success.

VIRGO August 24 - September 23 The Solar Eclipse on the 20th will prompt you to launch a romance, business venture, or both. Two heads are much better than one on this magical day. Creating a budget is strongly advised towards the end of the month, when your financial priorities will change.

LIBRA September 24 - October 23 A Solar Eclipse on the 20th brings a fabulous work assignment. Getting paid to be creative is an answer to a prayer. The final days of March are perfect for adding decorative touches to your home.

SCORPIO October 24 - November 22 The final days of March will prove romantic, when your partner gives you a fabulous gift. Are you single? This is a great time to post a provocative profile on an online dating site.

SAGITTARIUS November 23 - December 21 An opportunity to travel, write, or teach will arrive in mid-March. The Solar Eclipse on the 20th is perfect for finding a more spacious home or adding a member to your household.

CAPRICORN December 22 - January 20 A Solar Eclipse on the 20th will prompt you to sign up for an art class. Developing your creativity will boost your self esteem and bring hidden talents to the surface.

AQUARIUS January 21 - February 19 A plum position will be offered on the 20th, when a Solar Eclipse improves your financial prospects. This job will give you an extra measure of freedom, which is a relief. The closing days of March are ideal for domestic pursuits of all kinds.

PISCES February 20 - March 20 A Solar Eclipse on the 20th is ideal for transforming your appearance.

Now is the time to get a salon treatment, cosmetic procedure, or dental work.

Keep your mobile charged as March turns to April, because you’ll be fielding a lot of calls. That’s the price you have to pay for being popular.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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specialist services

ASK THE EXPERT

By Nolan Irving

Q. How do you see the property market shaping up in 2015?

A. Well the start to 2015 has been extremely positive with lots of interest and enthusiasm from people wanting to move this year but I do generally try to steer clear of making predictions. There are so many factors that can affect the market and plenty of statistics you are able to throw into the mix but the fact remains that there is an awful lot of sheer guesswork involved – and in the case of estate agents, plenty of optimism.

But since you ask – here goes…

The first thing to say is that it looks set to be a very interesting year which, as I said earlier, has started very positively. The end of 2014 remained pretty buoyant even through the festive season and the level of interest from potential buyers

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VIEWPOINT March 2015

has been very strong in the early part of 2015. The number of first time buyers was at its highest in 2014 since before the crash and I’m sure the Chancellor’s early Christmas present to the property market in the shape of Stamp Duty reform has benefited the market by cutting the cost of moving house for the vast majority of people.

At the moment we still have a real shortage of properties to offer to the excellent quality buyers that we currently have looking. Whilst this is the case, prices are inevitably going to keep rising, as they did significantly last year, and buyers will remain very motivated to secure homes as they come to the market.

But it’s never plain sailing. After

The Curlews, Verwood. £200,000 sold stc on first day of marketing and other buyers waiting for similar homes

all, mortgages themselves may be cheaper, but getting your hands on one is becoming rather more of a challenge, thanks to banks and building societies tightening up their lending criteria. And of course, lurking in the background is the knowledge that interest rates are probably going to start rising sooner rather than later.

Finally, there’s the looming General Election and the uncertainty that always surrounds elections is compounded this time round by the fact that the current political landscape is so complicated that not even seasoned political commentators are prepared to predict the winner.

On balance, though, I should say that the prospects for the property

market in 2015 remain good. If the stock of properties increases then that should mean prices won’t rise quite as fast as they have been but I do expect things to continue to move along nicely.

Give me a call if you are thinking of selling and I will be more than happy to pop round and have a chat with you and provide you with an up-to-date market appraisal for your home.

For a no obligation discussion and an honest market appraisal of your home, just give me a call.

Nolan Irving – Irving and Sons 01202 823333