Iwas born and brought up in Dorset, my parents having moved from Nottingham to Dorchester for my father’s job as a surveyor and auctioneer with Henry Duke and Son. Our first house, a tiny cottage in Martinstown, meant my mother would walk into Dorchester with me in a pram to do the shopping. The move was a seismic change, but they settled in well and Dad loved running the saleroom. I’m the oldest of 5 sisters, but tragically Alexia died as a baby; we nevertheless had a good childhood, with tolerant, loving parents. I went to school locally, finishing at The Green School in Dorchester, the old grammar school. I loved my time there—hated the serge green skirts—but looking back, can see that we all benefitted from dedicated teachers. I knew from the age of 12 that I wanted to be a journalist. Somehow, I remember watching Angela Rippon on the news, and although I didn’t particularly want to be a TV journalist, I became set on becoming a news reporter. I also loved writing, and I went to Manchester University to do an English degree. The first year I nearly failed my exams because I spent my time working on a student magazine I started, but Manchester in the early 1980s was hugely exciting; it was all about music, with the Hacienda nightclub, the Smiths, the 30 different nightclubs that cost 50p entry, and all those post-punk bands. My first job was with the Swindon Evening Advertiser but you were based in village outposts such as Pewsey, where you
got to report on the local cattle markets, fights at the parish council, traffic problems and court cases. On local newspapers, you see all of life, good and bad, but as a 22-year-old, I was desperate for a more exciting job. I couldn’t face working there any longer, so I broke my contract and went to work for a news agency in Bristol, essentially supplying copy for London papers. It was very fast moving, but I learned just enough to go to London and get shift work for the Fleet Street papers. Working shifts was how you showed the news desks that you could write, file copy on time, ask sensible questions, and work with photographers. You then had to phone your copy in, from a public phone (pre-mobile) to a highly skilled copy taker, who after a while would ask “Is there much more of this…?” That, of course, would teach you brevity. And you never knew where you’d be sent next.
I worked for the Sunday Times for a year; it was a tough training ground, going onto the Insight team and covering a famous inquest in Gibraltar into the killing of IRA members by the SAS. Then I moved to the Mail on Sunday as environment correspondent where I spent nearly a year reporting on the global scandal of the ivory trade. I worked closely with campaigners, spending a lot of time in Nairobi and Burundi. The decimation of African elephant herds was happening fast; the UN had backed the idea of a controlled, legal market, disastrous, because vested interests in such a lucrative trade made it open to every kind of corruption. Brian Jackman, of the Sunday Times, was covering the same story at great length. The campaigners gave copies of our reports to every delegate at the UN meeting in Lausanne in1989, where there was finally a vote for a complete ban on all ivory trading. It was at this conference where I met my husband Mike McCarthy, who was then The Times’ environment correspondent, and far more knowledgeable than me. We bonded over elephants.
But the travel, though wonderful, was too much for us, once we’d had our daughter, Flora. At that point, there was never the option of working part time or from home. In journalism those practices didn’t really exist until Covid. I moved to the London Evening Standard as their health editor, and then political correspondent, where I came to know and write about all the London hospitals, the major health reforms and medical breakthroughs. Later, working for editor Max Hastings, we were able to demonstrate to the Blair government the effects of the severe underfunding of the NHS. I wrote a lot about a series of scandals in maternity care, and it still worries me that there’s been really so little progress for women.
I went to the Observer newspaper for five years, wrote a book about a minor obsession of mine, bird flu, then in 2007 I started as special advisor to Alan Johnson, Labour Health Secretary, and then when he became Home Secretary. Being a Spad is a fantastically difficult, interesting and exciting role, immortalised of course in The Thick of It, but the best part of it was working with civil servants
and politicians to try and find ways through seemingly intractable problems. I learned more from working with Alan than from anyone in my career, in terms of his negotiating skills, the way he came to a judgement and his extraordinary ability to communicate.
I then moved away from politics and into management, and worked for the Royal College of Surgeons, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health as their chief executive, including the very difficult challenge of keeping the college, its global examinations and membership work running in spite of lockdown during the Covid years. Despite all the work the College did, children got left behind during Covid and I hope the public inquiry lays bare how their needs were completely brushed aside.
I left the College three years ago when we moved down to Dorset, but I was lucky to be able to continue working in child health. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, the top specialist children’s hospital in the country, offered me a role as a Non-Executive Director, and I travel up to Liverpool regularly for meetings, and to see how the staff care for children and young people with so many conditions relating to their physical and mental health, including areas such as addiction—for example there is now a specialist vaping cessation clinic.
I’ve now been chief executive of Mosaic, supporting bereaved children, for two years. We help more than 400 children and young people each year across Dorset to deal with the loss of someone special to them, such as a parent or grandparent, through specialist counselling and coming to our activity days, sailing or day camp. The charity was the brainchild of Margaret Hannibal who began it 18 years ago and it’s nurtured by the communities—we are now rolling out bereavement cafes across the county, so children can come at the end of a school day to meet their peers, do some fun activities and talk to someone, if they want to. And that’s the crucial point, it’s their choice and it’s their life, so we are there to help them get back on track. I work with a brilliant small team of staff, trustees and volunteers who help with everything from fundraising to IT and every day is different, but hugely rewarding.
Mike and I have 3 children, Flora, Seb, and Hugo. Flora has just had our first grandchild, Sophia, a year ago, so I try to help her a lot with her care. It’s unmitigated joy, being with her. I just wish she’d keep her socks on for more than 30 seconds.
I admit I was a bit wary of returning to live in Dorset after a busy life in London. Mike and I knew that we wanted to live where we could walk out into glorious countryside, but what neither of us had bargained for was the unbelievable spirit of friendship and interest in history. It’s the people, obviously. It’s given us a new life and Cerne Abbas, I think, is a very special place. You can walk out in any direction over the hills and reflect on your day and be grateful for where life has taken you. ’
With a centre page spread of beautiful photographs of local fruit and nuts by Robin Mills, this month’s issue is packed full of themes related to nature, the environment, and the beauty of the world around us. In our cover story, Jo Revill recalls her time working on the global scandal of the ivory trade, something that local author Sophy Roberts will likely touch on when speaking about her book A Training School for Elephants at BridLit in November. We welcome back Seth Dellow this month with his interview of Baroness Jenny Jones. Speaking about political attitudes towards the environment and climate change, Baroness Jones says: ‘They don’t get that if you start killing off species, it actually affects humans. We are in a mess.’ In his instalment of The R Word, Sam Rose examines the complex impact of the UK’s deer species on natural recovery, while Bob Ward discusses Net Zero and the UK’s small percentage of annual global emissions. This month, we also welcome back Fergus Dowding, who, like many growers, is trying to find ways to use and store the glut. Caddy Sitwell presents part six of her series about judging at horticultural shows. She recounts a story that after past shows, ‘unsuccessful leeks’ were cooked into a recuperative soup, and the post-show day was called ‘Broth Day’. While we are delighted to bring back Seth Dellow and Fergus Dowding to these pages, we also bid a sad farewell at the funeral of Humphrey Walwyn who wrote the popular column, Laterally Speaking, for twenty years. We look forward to sharing memories of Humphrey and his writing in an upcoming edition. Another great supporter and inspirational artist, Hugh Dunford Wood, recently passed on after a short illness; some of his work will be showing at Sladers Yard in West Bay in November and on page 53 his son Jesse pays tribute to him.
Fergus Byrne
in your Marshwood Vale Magazine
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Contributors
CATCH UP ON OUR OCTOBER ONLINE COVER STORY
Robin Mills met Alastair Braidwood near Dorchester
I’m really Dorchester born and bred, but my father was a Scot. He followed my grandparents down from Scotland, who moved here for my grandfather’s health. My father met my mother, who was born in Broadmayne, here in Dorset, and it’s where I’ve grown up, feel like I belong, and love to be.
Whatever I’m involved in, I tend to jump in with both feet. Music is such a big part of my life that as a family we wonder where it’s come from. My parents haven’t really passed it on to me, or my sister who is very musical, so perhaps it skipped a few generations. My mother sings in a choir, and my father has a good appreciation of music, so it clearly hasn’t come out of nowhere. There was, and still is, a very good music department at Thomas Hardye School when I was there which gave me great encouragement to develop as a musician. I then went to Royal Holloway College in Egham, Surrey, for three years and got my degree, but couldn’t wait to get back to Dorset afterwards. When I came back from university, I started working for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, initially doing marketing and PR, but quite quickly moved into the library, sorting out all the sheet music for the concerts. I did enjoy that, but a couple of years ago I left to start a freelance career. I’d always intended to have a proper job with a wage, but I was getting offers of gigs, either to act or play music, so I thought I’d give it a go. Thus far I haven’t starved, although I can’t say I’m raking it in.
went down well. During A Time to Keep , all those years ago, I met well-known local folk musician and director Tim Laycock, and he and I now perform together as a duo. We have some gigs coming up in October, when we will be performing traditional songs and readings about the autumn, describing what the rural year used to look like a century or two ago in Dorset.
Much of my bread and butter today comes now from playing the organ at various church services. There’s always a dearth of organists at village churches. As an instrumentalist I’m a jack of all trades and master of none, but I play the hurdygurdy for folky things, bash a guitar in a ceilidh band, and play the church organ in all its forms a great deal—and I sing. In the spring and summer, my folk song walks are popular.
I’m classically trained as a musician, with an interest in jazz, and some classic rock, but traditional folk music is my main interest. The more unusual styles of early folk music, plus choral and church music being my main genres these days. It comes from an interest in tradition and history, and how music links us to the past, but having said that traditions in folk music are constantly changing, so there’s a need to keep up with them. That helps keep the traditions relevant to today’s world, as can fusions of other genres like jazz, pop, or music from other cultures lead to new directions with traditional folk.
I started acting, aged nine, in Dorchester’s 4th Community Play Fire from Heaven. Then, as a teenager I was in the 5th play A Time to Keep , written by David Edgar and Stephanie Dale in 2007, a large production involving over 100 people, set in Dorchester in 1804 when there was a great threat of invasion by Napoleon. That was huge fun, and my involvement (with both feet) included acting, singing, and playing music, even some of the tech. Since then, there have been two more Dorchester Community Plays, and various productions with the New Hardy Players, for which I’ve acted and written music, and been musical director, including the very enjoyable and successful adaptation by Howard and Alison Payton of Far from the Madding Crowd in 2019. I’m taking on an increasingly directorial role with the New Hardy Players, our most recent production being A Few Crusted Characters , which was also great fun to do, and
About 10 or 12 years ago, attending a very wet folk festival with absolutely nothing to do except sit in a damp gazebo, I started to learn to knit. We knitted bunting which we hung up round the gazebo, and I’ve just never stopped. I’ve learned many different styles and techniques, and now I teach other people to knit. I hope to start my own knitwear brand this autumn, specialising in fisherman’s guernseys, and other classic, practical pieces of knitwear, made entirely by hand. I’m doing it all myself, although if orders come flooding in I may have to think again. I’ll be selling through a website, social media, going to craft fairs, and through word of mouth, which can be a powerful thing. The difficulty is getting people to understand the cost of the hand-made item, which pays someone a reasonable wage to make something from scratch. It is unavoidably expensive, but the product is so much better in terms of quality, sustainability, ease of repair, and the use of only natural materials. The damage wrought by fast fashion, produced by cheap
labour overseas, is well known. The percentage of people’s income spent on clothes used to be much higher and was spent on fewer clothes; it’s better to possess one item and look after it, and repair it when necessary, than to have 10 items and throw 9 of them away. Until the industrial revolution so many people were involved in the production of cloth; it would take 8 spinners to supply one weaver with yarn, which gives one an idea of how many pairs of hands the process of making a garment took. Wool, once the source of wealth and employment for so many people all the way back to medieval days, has today become almost worthless to sheep farmers due to competition from cheap materials and high costs of production, but there does seem to be a resurgence in demand for the many uses it can be put to. The British Wool Board have done excellent work in promoting this wonderful fibre with so many benefits.
The ceilidh band I lead is called Tatterdemalion. This year is special as it’s 10 years since we started playing traditional tunes at weddings, parties and fund-raising occasions for people of all ages to dance to, and we’re celebrating with a family ceilidh at the
Corn Exchange, Dorchester on 13th September. All the tunes we play come from two manuscripts of folk music dating to the 1820s and 1830s, which would have been recognisable to Thomas Hardy, although we have slightly updated them with a bit more beat and some different harmonies to make them more danceable. We were brought together by Tim Laycock, who provided the first tunes, and his wife Angela, with her amazing knowledge of so many dances, her enthusiasm and persuasive manner, is our main caller. Since we started playing together, providing music for the New Hardy Players’ productions, we have all become great friends. In fact, I met my wife Juliet years ago as we were both playing in the band, but it took me a while to realise I liked her rather a lot, and so we married last year. We have so many things in common, like folk music, living history, and dressing in a classic style. We try to live in as environmentally friendly a way as possible in our lovely little spot in Dorchester. Juliet works at Athelhampton House as resident historian, although that job title covers many roles. She organises living history events there, including the Tudor Week at the end of October.
Artsreach & Wootton Fitzpaine Village Hall presents Wild by Black Country Touring. Featuring original songs, immersive soundscapes and storytelling, Wild is a vibrant, moving, captivating show that will leave you wondering... what is your Wild? at 7.30pm Tickets £12.50; 11-17yr old £6; Family £35 From Artsreach.co.uk and 01297 560948 Card and cash bar and raffle with proceeds to Wootton Hall.
Screening: NTL – Mrs Warrens Profession (12), 120 mins, 7pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £17.50 To book electricpalace.org.uk
Thursday, 30 October
Clapton & Wayford Village Hall AGM business followed by wine & nibbles, 7.30pm; all welcome. More details from Mary (01460 74849).
West Dorset Ramblers group 10 mile walk. Pilsden Pen circular via Drimpton, To book and for details please contact Chris 07715760884.
Family Theatre: Fun For Little Ones- A Tribute to Ms Rachel, 12pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £16.50 To book electricpalace.org.uk
Friday, 31 October
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (12A) 1975 100 mins, 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £7 To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Samba Drumming Workshop with Drum Devon An enthralling trip to Brazil - James from Drum Devon’s 90-minute workshop on Brazilian Timbal drums. Drumming isn’t just fun, it’s good for you too! (Please note £10 per ticket for this exclusive event) 19:30 The Community Waffle House, Axminster EX13 5AP Book your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/samba-drummingworkshop-w-drum-devon-tickets-1638341707149?aff=ebdss bdestsearch. Or email live@waffle.org.uk for more info
Saturday, 1 November
Mozart’s Requiem 10.30 am to 16.30 pm at Thomas Hardye School Dorchester. Weymouth Choral Society warmly invites you to an exciting singing day, featuring the much loved Mozart Requiem, with special guest director Victoria Ely. Cost: £20 per singer, to include music hire, morning refreshments, afternoon tea and cakes. For further information and to book your place, please visit: weymouthchoralsociety.org.uk, email philip.wise76@gmail. com or telephone 07762 416590.
Charity Ceilidh, fun night of dancing with caller and live
music from the Wyld Band. Bar and hot snacks available. 7pm-11pm. Dancing 7.30pm. Wootton Fitzpaine Village Hall, DT6 6ND. Tickets: £10 (£5 under 14). To book email saintandrewsmonkton@gmail.com.
Faure Requiem For All Souls, 5pm at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, DT1 1XA. Admission free. More information at www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Musbury. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
West Dorset Ramblers 8 mile walk. 10.30 Musberry. To book and for details please phone Ian 07826 150114.
FOWL talk at Weymouth Library. Julian Halsby, author of a book of modern ghost stories, entitled. “When Reason Dreams”, will be the speaker for the Friends of Weymouth Library (F.O.W.L.) talk at 10-30a.m. in the Library. The stories are set in the modern world, in places where you would not expect to encounter the supernatural. Tickets are available in the Library @£2 for members and £3 for nonmembers. Contact nos. are the Library on 01305 762410 or 01305 832613. Everyone welcome.
Saturday, 1 - 2 November
Winsham Art Group 2025 exhibition The Jubilee Hall, Winsham, TA20 4HU. Saturday and Sunday 10am – 4pm. Email : suzyna48@gmail.com for further details. Step into a world of colour, texture, and expression—an annual exhibition of new, original art by our talented members at affordable prices.
Sunday, 2 November
Choral Eucharist 10.30am at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, DT1 1XA, with Will Todd’s Mass in Blue as the setting (accompanied by jazz ensemble). The service is free to attend and all are welcome. More information at www. musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
‘In Real Life’ A live experiment in influencing, connection, and chaos! Totnes Fringe Audience response :‘Bats*** crazy!’ ‘An absolute hoot!’ For more info checkout www. villagesinaction.co.uk. 5pm. Show Tickets £10-£12. suitable 16yrs + Bar open and book a lush roast dinner preshow! King’s Arms Skittle Alley, Stockland, nr Honiton, EX14 9BS.
Sunday, 2 - 8 November
Bridport Literary Festival – see www.bridlit.com for individual events. for individual events.
Monday, 3 November
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock. An evening of Scottish Dancing in Chardstock Village Hall 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00. For more information contact David on 01460 65981 www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk.
Scandinavian art course, 6wks, starts 2pm-3.30pm, finishes Dec 8th. Also Online on Fridays 2pm. Artists included: Edvard Munch, Anders Zorn, Nikolai Astrup Norwegian landscape, Carl Larsson, Karin Bergoo Akswli GallenKallela, The Skagen Painters: Scandinavian Impressionism. United Hall Bridport, East Street, DT6 3LJ. Full course, 6 lectures, £65. Fridays on line, 2pm start, 6 lectures £60. Individual lectures, £13 per lecture per person. The course is booking now if you would like to reserve a place email: chris. pamsimpson@btinternet.com Tutor: Pam Simpson MA, Pam spent her career as an Art & Design Historian working in London Art Colleges.
Hawkchurch Film Nights, in association with Moviola.org, proudly presents ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’, 124 mins, cert.15 (strong language, sex references). Doors open 6.30pm, film starts 7.00pm at Hawkchurch Village Hall, EX13 5XD. Ticket reservations £6.50 from csma95@gmail.com or leave a message on 07753 603219; tickets also available in advance for £6.50 from Hawkchurch Community Shop or £7.00 on the door (cash only). Subtitles for hearing-impaired patrons provided if available. Home-made cake, teas, coffees, soft drinks, wine and other refreshments available.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 11:30am, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Wednesday, 5 November
West Dorset Community Orchestra meet for rehearsal in the Christian Fellowship hall, East Street car park, Bridport DT6 3PL from 6-30p.m. to 7-45p.m. Contact 01308 456297 www. westdorsetmusic.org.uk.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 7pm, Uplyme Village Hall, DT7 3UY, 07787752201, https:// www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Art Workshop 10 until 12.30 cost £17. At the URC church Chard St, Axminster. Painting Birds and Birds in Flight. Using stencils/coloured wash and pastels.Enjoy trying different techniques to depict Birds and their surroundings. ( materials supplied but bring some paints if you have them). To book a place contact:gina.youens@btinternet.com.
My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome! 10am-11:15 (some experience) 11:30 - 12:45 ( mixed ability) 1pm-2:15 (a Partly seated class with barre work for balance, confidence & fun) 2:15- 3.30 (mixed ability) (Also on Zoom 10:30 am )Bull
Hotel ballroom, 34 East St, Bridport DT6 3LF. Do get in touch and come and dance! Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk
Thursday, 6 November
Dancing at Combe St Nicholas Village Hall alternate Thursdays from 1930 to 2130 hrs (Postcode TA20 3NY). Admission is £4.00 per person and includes a cuppa and a piece of cake! Group is friendly and inclusive and welcomes everyone who wants to do a bit of dancing and social chat. The Dancing Keys provide the music and John is calling. For further information, please contact Neil Arnold (neil.j.arnold@gmail.com) or 01460 234693.
Memoir of a Snail (2024, Australia, 15, 95 mins, Director: Adam Elliot). Animation. A bittersweet memoir of a melancholic woman called Grace Pudel - a hoarder of snails, romance novels, and guinea pigs. Doors 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm start. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall (TA18 8PS). Membership £30, guests £5 per film. For more information/ book guest tickets, please email mickpwilson53@btinternet. com or k_everard@live.com. Alternatively, ring Mick Wilson on 01460 74849 or Julia Borland on 01460 72769.
West Dorset Ramblers 7.5 or 8.5 miles walk Bridport Airport & the Brit Valley. Start 10am Pymore To book and for details please contact Ian 07826 150114.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 5:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Dance Connection - block start, holistic movement practice, 7:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Friday, 7 November
My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus .Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome! 10am11:15 with experience 11:30 - 12:30 Mixed ability. Find out about our beginners courses. Jubilee Hall, Church street, Winsham, Chard TA20 4HU. Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk
Saturday, 8 November
Choral Matins 11am at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, DT1 1XA, with music by Stanford, Seal, Ireland, Holst and Patterson. The service is free to attend and all are welcome. More information at www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org
Lunchtime Concert 12.30-1pm at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, DT1 1XA with Maddie McCoubrie (alto sax) and Rob Taylor (piano). Admission free. More information at www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7.25 mile walk from Athelhampton House. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Sunday, 9 November
Singing Bowl Soundbath 2PM Bridport Unitarians, 49 East St., Bridport DT6 3JX £17 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning give you a sonic deep-tissue massage, taking you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Booking please 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com.
Lyme Bay Chorale’s Remembrance Concert including Fauré Requiem. Lyme Regis Parish Church at 4pm. Admission free with a retiring collection in aid of the Royal British Legion. lymebaychorale.co.uk.
Screening: Royal Ballet – La Fille Mal Gardee (12A TBC) 210mins, 2pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £11.50. To book electricpalace.org.uk
Monday, 10 November
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish Dancing in Chardstock Village Hall. 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00, For more information contact David on 01460 65981. www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 11:30am, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Tuesday, 11 November
Singing Bowl Soundbath 9PM Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Rd, Sherborne DT9 3LN £17 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning give you a sonic deep-tissue massage, taking you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com.
Bridport Film Society - Ernest Cole: Lost and Found by Raoul Peck. Cole, a South African photographer was first to expose the horrors of apartheid to a world audience. His book House of Bondage, published when he was only 27, led him into exile for the rest of his life, never to find his bearings. The film recounts his turmoil as an artist and his anger at the silence or complicity of the West in the face of the Apartheid regime. 7.45pm Bridport Arts Centre. Members and Guests (£5) only.
New Arts Group The History of the Castle Speaker: John Goodall, Architecture Editor of Country Life. Bridport Town Hall 1.30 for 2.00pm. All welcome £10.00.
Wednesday, 12 November
Kilmington Film Night “Four Letters of Love” (12A) Starring Helena Bonham Carter, Pierce Brosnan. Heartfelt adaptation of Niall Williams’s novel. Gorgeous, sun-dappled Irish locations provide the backdrop to a sweeping narrative
propelled by destiny. Doors and bar open 6.45 film start 7.15 at Kilmington Village Hall EX13 7RF. Tickets £6 can be ordered by contacting: John at wattsjohn307@gmail.com or Tel: 01297 521681. West Dorset Ramblers 10 mile walk Beaminster to Lewesden Hill. Start 10am Yarn Barton. To book and for details please contact Philip 07874 198660. West Dorset Community Orchestra meet for rehearsal in the Christian Fellowship hall, East Street car park, Bridport DT6 3PL from 6-30p.m. to 7-45p.m. Contact 01308 456297 www. westdorsetmusic.org.uk.
My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome! 10am-11:15 (some experience) 11:30 - 12:45 ( mixed ability) 1pm-2:15 (a Partly seated class with barre work for balance, confidence & fun) 2:15- 3.30 (mixed ability) (Also on ZOOM at 10:30am) Bull Hotel ballroom, 34 East St, Bridport DT6 3 LF. Do get in touch and come and dance! Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk.
Thursday, 13 November
Kilmington Film Matinee “Four Letters of Love”
(See 12th November). Matinee, doors open 1.45pm film starts 2pm, cream-teas served during the interval but must be pre-booked with your seats @ £4. see above and www. kilmingtonvillage.com/other-organisations.html for more information.
Chard History Group Present the History of Hats by Sue Owthwaite from the Bridport Hat shop. 7 For 7.30. Upstairs Chard Guildhall (with Lift). Members £2.50 visitors very welcome £3.50. For further details Tessa 07984481634.
Dean Carter live 7pm Durbervilles Cafe, 90 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3B suggested donation £10 Having spent the previous year playing around the Wheel of the Year album the guitarist singer-songwriter whose use of a loop pedal makes him sound like a whole ensemble or band will be making a selection from favourite songs and instrumentals from all his four albums on release, plus previewing as yet unreleased and unheard material–also giving the Yule/Xmas single track Standstill-Sol Invictus a play!
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 5:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Bridport History Society will be welcoming Dr Mark Forrest who will give a talk about the Black Death in Dorset in the fourteenth century. The talk will be held at the United Church Hall on East Street, Bridport. Doors open at 2.15pm for a prompt 2.30pm start. All are welcome, members £1pp, visitors £5pp. Bridport History Society meets on the second Thursday of each month (except July and August). Membership is open to all (£12 individual / £18 couple). For more information visit: www.bridporthistorysociety.org.uk.
Friday, 14 November
Ile Valley Flower Club Demonstration by Lucy Ellis from Bratton. Titled The Colours of Christmas. Broadway Village Hall close to Ilminster. 2.30 pm start. Refreshments on arrival. Tickets £15. Available from 01460 75025 - 01460 67149.
Netherbury Nature Group West Dorset Wilding Project by Sam Rose. Netherbury Nature Group was set up to make Netherbury a more wildlife-friendly village. We’re a friendly, informal, group that holds regular meetings, puts on talks and other events as well as engaging in a variety of field work and projects. Open events with more events for members only - but it is free to join and so what not join! The Village Hall events are generally £3.00 for admission and have a cash bar. All meetings start at 7.00pm and doors open 6.30pm See here for more details: http://netherburynature.org/nature2/menu. php.
Renowned lutenist Matthew Nisbet will present ‘After Sunset Fadeth’, a historically-informed programme of early music to be performed by candlelight at 7pm in St Peter’s Church Dorchester. Matthew will perform on a variety of lutes and baroque guitar, introducing these beautiful period instruments and the music written for them. The concert will be performed without interval and last around 75 minutes. Tickets are priced £10 and available to purchase online at: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/st-peters-church-dorchester.
For more information visit www.musicatstpetersdorchester. org.
The Comedy Store 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £19. To book electricpalace.org.uk
My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus. Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome! Find out about our beginners courses. 10am - 11:15 with experience 11:30 - 12:30 Mixed ability. Jubilee Hall, Church street, Winsham, Chard TA20 4HU. Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk
Saturday, 15 November
Craig Milverton Trio 2025 marks 100 years since the birth of Oscar Peterson — one of the most dazzling, soulful and technically gifted pianists in jazz history. And who better to honour that legacy than Craig Milverton, the UK’s leading exponent of Peterson’s style and swing? St Michael’s Church, Church Street, Lyme Regis DT7 3DB. Opening / performance times: 7pm doors/ 7.30pm show. £21 advance/£10 under 18s. https://jazzjurassica.co.uk/
Axminster and District Choral Society present a programme of contemporary British music by Sir John Rutter, Bob Chilcott and Andrew Millington. 7.30 pm at the Minster Church, Axminster. Tickets £16 and £14 from axminsterchoral.co.uk or 01404 43805.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Hardy Monument. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome. Comedy: Geoff Norcott - Basic Bloke 2, 8pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £20.50. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Christmas Fair at St Mary’s Church, Charminster, DT2 9RD. 11.00 am to 3.00 pm. All are welcome to come along. Lots of Stalls to browse & buy from - Cakes, Nearly New, Gifts, Christmas items, Cards, Tombola, Books, Puzzles and Games, Kids’ Corner, Toys, Bric-a-Brac, Refreshments and much more.
Saturday, 15 - 16 November
Chardstock Art Exhibition An eclectic collection of works by over a dozen well-known local artists in support of our community shop. 11.00-5.00 both days, Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BJ (next to the school); Free entry; refreshments available. Further information 01460 220115 or 07526 505559.
Sunday, 16 November
Jazz by the Sea 8pm at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis. The Fabulous Red Diesel. The Fabulous Red Diesel’s refreshing take on jazz and soul has been lauded by fans and critics alike. Having released their eighth studio album, ‘Goddess the Seahorse’ in 2024, and a new live album in 2025, they are fast becoming one of the most talked about bands on the circuit, with Barbara Streisand/Eartha Kitt style vocals, beautiful
original songs, and sublime arrangements. £16 advance/£18 otd.
Screening: John Cleese Packs It In (12A) 81 mins, 7pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £10. To book electricpalace.org.uk
Monday, 17 November
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock. An evening of Scottish Dancing in Chardstock Village Hall 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00. For more information contact David on 01460 65981. www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 11:30am, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https:// www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Tuesday, 18 November
West Dorset Ramblers 7 mile walk. The Three Melburys circular walk. Start 10am To book and for details please contact Heather T 07798 732252. Beaminster Museum’s winter programme of events begins with To Win the Day, a powerful folk drama performed by Dorset-based group Time & Tide. While the story of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs is well
known, this moving production asks: what became of the women and families they left behind? Blending 19th-century songs, historical documents and real-life stories of endurance, To Win the Day offers a stirring portrayal of courage in the face of adversity. Tickets are £8 on the door, and the performance starts at 2pm. Please note: seating is limited. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. www.beaminstermuseum.co.uk.
A Turn Lyme Green Talk The Dorset Bee Helen BolterGriffin from The Dorset Bee will illustrate which pollinatorfriendly plants and flowers to grow for year round bee foraging. “Sow the right seeds to improve food for bees.” She will also highlight solitary bees and the Bridport Bee Hotel project. Driftwood Cafe, Baptist Church, top of Broad Street, Lyme Regis 6.45 for 7pm. Refreshments available. Donations welcome.
Wednesday, 19 November
West Dorset Community Orchestra meet for rehearsal in the Christian Fellowship hall, East Street car park, Bridport DT6 3PL from 6-30p.m. to 7-45p.m. Contact 01308 456297 www. westdorsetmusic.org.uk.
Coffee Morning including cakes, scones & savouries, and bacon/egg rolls (made to order), 10.30am – noon; all welcome. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. More details from Julia (01460 72769).
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 7pm, Uplyme Village Hall, DT7 3UY, 07787752201, https:// www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Colyton & District Garden Society ‘The Return Of Saul Walker’ Head Gardener, Stonelands House, Dawlish ---’All Things Orchids’. Venue : Colyford Memorial Hall, EX24 6QJ , start 7.30 pm. Members free, guests £3.00. Parking in the hall car park. Information : Peter Clark : 01297 553341. My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome! 10am-11:15 (some experience) 11:30 - 12:45 (mixed ability) 1pm-2:15 (a Partly seated class with barre work for balance, confidence & fun) 2:15- 3.30 (mixed ability) (Also on Zoom at 10:30 am) Bull Hotel ballroom, 34 East St, Bridport DT6 3 LFDo get in touch and come and dance! Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk
Thursday, 20 November
Dancing at Combe St Nicholas Village Hall alternate Thursdays from 1930 to 2130 hrs (Postcode TA20 3NY). Admission is £4.00 per person and includes a cuppa and a piece of cake! Group is friendly and inclusive and welcomes everyone who wants to do a bit of dancing and social chat. Fresh Aire are providing the music and Ali is calling. For further information, please contact Neil Arnold (neil.j.arnold@gmail.com) or 01460 234693.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 5:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN,
07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/ Film: I Swear (15) 121 mins, 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £8.50. To book electricpalace.org.uk
Friday, 21 November
West Dorset Ramblers 8 mile walk. Ringstead coast & country. Start 10am Ringstead NT c.p. To book and for details please contact Jill & Simon 07974 756107.
Illustrated talk – popular speaker and local author Anne Mosscrop will give a lively and humorous account of her trip from her early days of travelling - ‘Safari cycling in Kenya’. £6 includes wine/soft drink and nibbles. Please book and pay in advance. Proceeds to be shared between Village Hall and Christian Aid. 7.30pm, at Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. Further information from Mary (01460 74849) or Julia (01460 72769.
Music: An Eve with Don Letts (Screening, Q&A, DJ Set) 7pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £20. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome! Find out about our beginners courses. 10am - 11:15 with experience 11:30 - 12:30 Mixed ability. Jubilee Hall, Church street, Winsham, Chard TA20 4HU. Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk
Saturday,
22 November
Thee Men of Cerne will be presenting a concert on Saturday 22nd November in St Mary’s Church Cerne Abbas .Dsoors open 6pm for 7pm. Bar available.Charities supported are Prostate Cancer and Breast Cancer. Tickets free at Cerne Stores but donations requested after concert.
Choral Evensong 4.30pm at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, DT1 1XA, with music by Reger, Bruce Payne, Howells and Finzi. The service is free to attend and all are welcome. More information at www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Abbotsbury Swannery. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Music: Bridport Big Band 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £11.50. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
I Am Dram Artsreach presents this hilarious and touching one-woman show by Hannah Maxwell about her family’s involvement in amateur dramatics. 7.30pm. Powerstock Hut, School Hill, Powerstock DT6 3TB. Tickets £12.50 (Under 18s £6). www.artsreach.co.uk, 07755 590579 or on the door.
Saturday, 22 - 23 November
Forde Abbey Charity Christmas Fair With 40 local artisan stalls spread throughout the house for all your Christmas Gifts. Join our Christmas festivities and explore a wonderful selection of products from some of the Southwest’s finest
artisans, crafters, and food producers. Tickets:£5 (free to under 15s). To book: www.fordeabbey. co.uk.
Sunday, 23 November
Candles on St Catherine’s Hill Abbotsbury. 1.15pm till dusk. A wheel lit by decorated candle bags (led tea lights) will be formed on the hill below St Catherine’s chapel together with a pathway to the door. Many of the bags will have been created by children from local schools. Candle Bags on sale £2 each in Abbotsbury shops, Bridport Tourist information centre and from the Abbotsbury Village hall on the day from 1.15pm (where there will be an art workshop available for decorating the bags). Volunteers will assist you in placing your bags on the path to the chapel and at 3pm an A cappella group will be singing in St Catherine’s chapel . At 3.45 there will be a dedication to St Catherine and to those loved ones remembered in messages and images on the candle bags. As you leave the chapel and dusk falls, the lights become more and more visible and can be seen for miles around. All are welcome to enjoy this special event.
Advent Concert given by The Occasional Singers at 3.00pm. St Mary’s Church, Edward Road, Dorchester DT1 2HL. St Mary’s Church in Dorchester will be filled with the glorious sounds of choral music, as the Occasional Singers perform a programme of Advent songs and carols. Admission is FREE with a retiring collection in aid of Citizens Advice. Everyone is most welcome.
Dalwood Jazz Club presents Bruce Adams with the Martin Dale Quartet with Bruce on trumpet, Martin - sax, Gavin Martin - keyboard, Denis Harris - drums and Kevin Sanders - bass. 3pm Dalwood Village Hall, EX13 7EG (near Axminster). Bar for beer/wine/soft drinks and tea/coffee/cake etc. Parking at the Village Hall £12.50p. If possible, please book in advance and pay (cash or card) at the door.
‘No One is Listening’ (A Ghost Story). In this chilling tale, master storyteller Vic Llewellyn takes us on a joyful, funny and heartbreaking ride through a landscape of ghosts, forgetfulness and fading memories. 7.30pm. For more info checkout www.villagesinaction.co.uk. Tickets £15. Suitable 11yrs +.Licenced Bar. 15 min interval. At Stockland Village Hall, Stockland, EX14 9EF.
Monday, 24 November
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock. An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall
7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00. For
more information contact David on 01460 65981. www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk.
Winsham Art Club 2pm at Jubilee Hall TA20 4HU. The theme this practical session is Lithino Printing. It is a 2.5 hr. session led by a visiting tutor. Small friendly group of mixed abilities. Members £5, non-members £7. Annual membership £15. All welcome. Contact: Email : suzyna48@gmail.com for further details.
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 11:30am, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/
Tuesday, 25 November
Bridport U3A talk at The Bridport United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport, DT6 3LJ. The speaker is Colin Divall and the talk is entitled ‘Do you really call that progress, Mr Marples’. It is a study of the railway closures 1950 - 75, featuring the Abbotsbury & Bridport lines. The talk starts at 2.00 pm, lasts for up to 1 hour followed by Q & A and then refreshments. Members free, visitors £3.00.
Bridport Film Society - Unmoored by Caroline Ingvarsson. A Swedish TV presenter’s life unravels when she confronts her domineering husband about an accusation against him. Her subsequent flight precipitates a chain of lies and paranoia. The suspense builds slowly and almost imperceptibly tightening, until you suddenly realise you’ve been holding your breath. 7.45pm Bridport Arts Centre. Members and Guests (£5) only.
Marking the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Beaminster Museum’s second seasonal talk focusing on how this pivotal campaign affected the West Dorset town. While the skies over Dover may be the enduring image of the battle, our speaker will explore its local impact and legacy. The talk begins at 2pm, and tickets are £5 on the door. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. www. beaminstermuseum.co.uk
Wednesday, 26 November
Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society Talk, ‘The R-Word: Rewilding Unwrapped; by Dr Sam Rose. Uplyme Village Hall 7.30pm. Doors open 7pm. Members free; guests £3. More information https://ulrhs.wordpress.com.
West Dorset Rambler 8 mile walk. The Cerne Valley via Upcerne and Minterne Parva. To book and for details please contact Philip 07874 198660.
West Dorset Community Orchestra meet for rehearsal in the Christian Fellowship hall, East Street car park, Bridport DT6 3PL from 6-30p.m. to 7-45p.m. Contact 01308 456297 www. westdorsetmusic.org.uk.
My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus HolisticBallet class for fitness, fun, posture, balance,strength, friendship and fabulous music. Bull Hotel ballroo’My Ballet ‘ All adults 18-80 plus. Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome! 10am-11:15 (some experience) 11:30 - 12:45 ( mixed ability) 1pm-2:15 (a Partly seated class with
barre work for balance, confidence & fun) 2:15- 3.30 (mixed ability) (Also on Zoom at 10;30am) Bull Hotel ballroom, 34 East St, Bridport DT6 3LFDo get in touch and come and dance! Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail. com www.my-ballet.uk
Thursday, 27 November
Dance Connection - open class, holistic movement practice, 5:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s Church House Hall, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.dance-connection-wessex.co.uk/ Film: I Swear (15) 121 mins, 2pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £7.50. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Screening: NTLive – The Fifth Step (15), 7pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £17.50. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Friday, 28 November
Axminster Flower Club Christmas Demonstration Magical, Mystical Christmas Floral Demonstration with Angie Blackwell of Cottage Flowers, Ilminster. The Minster Church, Axminster EX13 5AH. 2.30pm. Tickets: £10. Contact: 07742964895.
Kilmington Film Night “The Salt Path” (12) Doors and bar open 6.45 film start 7.15 at Kilmington Village Hall EX13 7RF. Tickets £6 can be ordered by contacting: John at wattsjohn307@gmail.com or Tel: 01297 521681.
La Vie En Rose Bridport Arts Centre 8pm. The heartfelt wail of the blues; the sultry heat of the campfire; the crazy swirl of the bal musette, all fused together with virtuosity and passion in the melting pot of 1930s Paris: the result was gypsy jazz. Bridport Arts Centre, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NR. Box Office 01308 424204 £18/17/9 http://www.bridport-arts. com.
Film: Good Fortune (15) 97 mins, 7:30pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £8.50. To book electricpalace.org. uk.
My Ballet All adults 18-80 plus Holistic ballet for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Complete beginners welcome!Find out about our beginners courses. 10am - 11:15 with experience 11:30 - 12:30 Mixed ability. Jubilee Hall, Church street, Winsham, Chard TA20 4HU. Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk
Advent Carol Service 4.30pm at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, DT1 1XA sung by University Music Bournemouth Chamber Choir. Traditional Advent carols alongside glorious choral settings by composers including Anna Lapwood, Bruckner, Sally Beamish and John Tavener. The service is free to attend and all are welcome. More information at www.musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 6.5 mile walk from Came Wood. For further information please ring 01308
898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
WI Christmas Fayre Come along for a warm welcome, tasty lunch, interesting stalls and produce. Free entry! 12noon -3pm at Chideock Village Hall DT6 6JW.
Cantamus presents ‘Magnificat’ a concert of beautiful choral music for Advent. St Mary’s Church, Cerne Abbas, at 7pm. Tickets £12 from the village shop or on the door. Refreshments available. cantamus-dorset.org. Beginners Sewing Workshop. At the URC church, Chard St, Axminster ( car park opposite) 10 am until 2 pm. Cost £18. Come and learn more about your sewing machine. Make a small project: bag, placemat, fabric box etc. To book a place contact : gina.youens@btinternet.com.
Music: The Skids + Support, 8pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets £31. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
Bridport Dance Festival Tango Day ‘Celebrate Tango’ A Day of Argentine Tango, art, poetry & performance. 10am - 12pm Beginners Tango with Barrio de Tango. £16 earlybird/£20 thereafter Tea/coffee included. 3.00 - 5.00 Beginners & all levels with Tango Fandango. £20 Earlybird/£25 thereafter Tea/coffee included. 7:30 - 10:30 Evening Milonga, dancing for everyone, Tango dance, poetry readings & performance woven together. By Leo & Tracey Tango Fandango. £20 Earlybird/£25 thereafter - All day Earlybird £50pp £65 thereafter. Earlybird tickets are limited. Bookings: Bridport TIC Phone: 01308 424901 or arrive at the door on the day - Booking recommended. www. bridportdancefestival.org.uk
Saturday, 29 - 30 November
Mapperton’s Christmas Market 2025 Saturday: 10am–6pm | Sunday: 10am–4pm. Get into the festive spirit at Mapperton’s Christmas Market 2025 – a magical weekend of Christmas cheer in the heart of the Dorset countryside. Your £5 entry includes free parking, access to the beautiful Mapperton Gardens, and helps support Weldmar Hospice. Under-15s go free. Santa’s Grotto: £5 per child. The site is wheelchair-friendly and dogs are welcome in the market and café (gardens excepted). Join us for a weekend filled with festive charm, delicious food, and the warmest of Mapperton welcomes.
Sunday, 30 November
Netherbury Repair Cafe 10:00-12:00 at the Village Hall. Why not bring your broken items and see if one of our lovely team can fix them. And while you are waiting you can sample what the cafe offers: home-made cakes, delicious coffee and a range of Clipper teas. Vegan and vegetarianfriendly. We are always looking for new volunteers and so if you love fixing things, baking or being part of a fun community event then come and join us.
Choral Eucharist 10.30am at St Peter’s Church Dorchester, DT1 1XA, with music by Karenza Briggs, James MacMillan and Grayston Ives. The service is free to attend and all are welcome. More information at www. musicatstpetersdorchester.org.
Singing Bowl Soundbath 2PM Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA £17 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning give you a sonic deep-tissue massage, taking you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Please book 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com.
Music: Wessex Military Band 4pm, Bridport Electric Palace, DT6 3NY. Tickets from £10. To book electricpalace.org.uk.
EVENTS IN DECEMBER
Live or Online send your event details to info@marshwoodvale.com BY NOVEMBER 14th
Making Plans
for Christmas?
Make Plans
for Christmas
Christmas
One of the many conundrums in politics is how our politicians represent us. Do they truly understand our concerns or are they divorced from reality? These binary questions seem to be levelled at the House of Lords more than any other political institution. With 850 members, an average age of 71, and 85 hereditary peers, it’s easy to see why.
But dig a bit deeper and this narrative begins to unravel. The story of Baroness Jenny Jones of Moulsecoomb—one of only two Green Party peers in the upper chamber—is remarkable. From a council estate in Brighton to the hallowed halls of Westminster, Baroness Jones has forged a career championing the natural world and challenging successive governments on their environmental and human rights credentials.
Now residing in Dorset, the 75-year-old shows no signs of slowing down and fondly remembers her time growing up on the Moulsecoomb estate in Brighton, East Sussex. ‘I had a happy upbringing as both my parents worked in catering. My dad was a hospital cook and my mum was a waitress. We always lived from wage packet to wage packet, and I didn’t know we were poor until I got to grammar school, when all the other girls had dresses and I only had my school uniform.’
But it wasn’t just the formative experiences at Westlain Grammar School that would shape her perceptive outlook. ‘One of the things about
Moulsecoomb’, Jenny recalls, ‘was that, although it was an estate, just across the road was Wild Park. I would go into the park and play football. I had concern for animals and nature, and my first march with CND [the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament] was in 1968.’
Jones’ working-class upbringing and her early encounters with wildlife at the adjacent nature reserve have evidently left an impression on her. It’s why she can say with confidence: ‘I don’t have any fear of authority. It’s really helped me in the House of Lords and once you are in, you have the same opportunities as anybody. It’s egalitarian, because you’re all Lords. There’s a lot of people a lot richer, and some people are more knowledgeable.’
It’s a refreshing attitude from the Baroness who was introduced to the upper chamber on November 5 (Bonfire Night) 2013. At that time, she was the first Green Party peer in the House of Lords and was joined six years later by Baroness Natalie Bennett, who served as leader from 2012 to 2016. Being in politics for more than a decade has earnt Baroness Jones a reputation as someone who speaks from the heart and whom other peers, when they see her in the corridors, remark ‘hello trouble.’
But being involved in politics and, in the words of Benjamin Disraeli, climbing “the greasy pole”, has not been a straightforward process. As Jenny recognises, the process requires a lot of ‘hard work’, as well as
Baroness Jenny Jones talks to Seth Dellow about challenging authority, the state of British politics, and the power of being “trouble” in Westminster.
‘luck, pure luck.’ She credits the moment her political fortunes changed when she stood—and was later elected—to be a member of the inaugural London Assembly in 2000.
‘After a year, the Evening Standard newspaper ranked us all. I came last and was at the bottom. So, I just started being more me. Darren Johnson [the then-Green Party Assembly leader] was important, and I was trying to be like him,’ Jones reflects. She was one of just three Green Party members elected in 2000, and subsequently served as Deputy Mayor under Ken Livingstone from 2003 to 2004. ‘Not feeling entitled and not fearing authority, it meant I got on with Ken Livingstone, and Boris Johnson.’
Baroness Jones’ involvement in the London Assembly, and later the Lords, has not been without attention from the national media. In 2014, she was arrested and later de-arrested after attending an Occupy London protest, and in 2016, it became public knowledge that she, along with other Party members including Caroline Lucas, had been monitored by the Metropolitan Police as “Domestic Extremists”—despite never having committed any crimes.
But the approach of modern policing in Britain represents a deep-seated concern for Baroness Jones. Referencing the latest Crime and Policing Bill, which is backed by the Labour government, Jones warns
that ‘there has been plenty of policing legislation; they are squashing free speech and adding to the problems the police have got. Some of the people they have arrested include vicars, people in wheelchairs, and elderly people.’ As part of the government’s plans, police forces will also be granted powers to put conditions on repeat protesters—including those from the group, Palestine Action.
The group, which has been proscribed a terrorist organisation by the UK government, has been cited in Parliament by Baroness Jones. ‘I’m concerned about suppression of free speech, as long as it’s not hate speech.’ Speaking about the actions of the group— which recently saw four arrested breaking into RAF Brize Norton to vandalise military aircraft with red paint—she said: ‘They had committed criminal acts for which they allowed themselves to get caught and went to court and had jail time. But I said that I did not think they met the threshold for terrorism.’
Another topic which Baroness Jones has not shied away from is immigration. In a recent Lords debate on the latest Immigration Bill, she characterised the contributions of other members as ‘claptrap’, urging them to stop ‘spouting’ what she described as ‘right-wing nonsense.’ Being unafraid to intervene in salient topics is a hallmark of Baroness Jones, and its new leader, the self-described ‘eco-populist’, Zack Polanski, is clearly of the same persuasion.
At the Green Party’s latest conference, he courageously declared: ‘Migrants and refugees are welcome here.’ Coupled with a sharp rise in membership numbers, which now overtakes the Liberal Democrats, the party is gaining national momentum. It stands at 12% in the polls and made history by returning four MPs at the last General Election. Jenny certainly agrees: ‘I think we are looking strong and clear, and taking no nonsense’. But, is it enough to challenge another, self-styled populist leader, Nigel Farage?
‘I think we have more and more credibility’, Jenny reflects, ‘Zack’s idea is that people vote Reform because they are disillusioned. I think if we can highlight their flaws, the way to beat them is to actually solve the problems.’
Aside from the swirling debates around immigration and policing, Baroness Jones has used her platform to advance the founding principle of the Green Party of England and Wales: the environment. She has devoted her energy to campaigning on various topics, including climate change and salmon farming.
Asked about the current health of our country’s environment, Jenny commended the role of community activism, but warned of the consequences of politicisation. ‘There are some people taking responsibility for small places, but I don’t think Labour get nature. The Tories talk about nature as if they own it; Labour talks about climate change but can’t extrapolate down. They don’t get that if you start killing off species it actually affects humans. We are in a mess.’
It’s a significant point. Since 1970, UK species have declined by 19% and around 1 in 6 species are now threatened with extinction. It raises serious questions about sustainability and whether enough is being done to protect the environment. In Baroness Jones’ view, policies from central government, such as the introduction of twelve new towns, represent
‘urban sprawl’. ‘They won’t have enough facilities, GP surgeries, independent shops, not enough bus services.’
As for the clean water situation, which is a prescient issue for communities across Dorset, Devon and Somerset, Jenny’s initial optimism for change with Labour has evaporated. ‘Having partially nationalised the railways, I wonder if they got cold feet about the water companies. I thought I would enjoy some of Labour’s policies. Labour has been awful about the water situation.’
As someone who has spoken more than 1,000 times in the House of Lords, Baroness Jones is no stranger to the world of politics. However, the very chamber where she has devoted much of her energies in later life is earmarked for seismic reform. Legislation is currently being scrutinised that would remove the remaining 92 hereditary peers—a move that would not impact Jenny as a Life Peer. But she says the government are doing it in ‘such a mean way’, along with proposals for a mandatory retirement age.
Reform of the upper chamber has already been on Jones’ mind. She and her Green counterpart, Natalie Bennett, tabled a bill which would have created an all elected second chamber. ‘That would include around 300 peers, and it would have still the crossbench element, so that we could have the expertise there.’
Concluding our interview, Baroness Jones reflected on the future of British politics and the next General Election—which is scheduled to take place in 2029. ‘I think Labour they might just hang on, but they will need the Greens and/or the Liberal Democrats as it could be a hung parliament. I don’t think Reform will make the gains it wants to. I think by then we might have woken up to its flaws.’
Seth Dellow has put together a montage of some of Baroness Jenny Jones’ comments in Parliament, which can be viewed at www.marshwoodvale.com.
Baroness Jones outside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (Alamy).
This Month in the not so distant past
Looking back at historical moments that happened in October, John Davis highlights Nelson’s Column.
It has been estimated that within the Greater London area, there are more than 1500 statues.
Interesting then that perhaps the most iconic of them all is perched over fifty metres up in the sky, where effectively only the pigeons ever get to inspect it regularly.
Nelson’s Column, occupying its central position in the middle of Trafalgar Square, commemorates the life and death of one of Britain’s most renowned sailors and the sea battle which led to his demise.
The overall design, a base, Corinthian fluted column, pedestal and statue was the brainchild of William Railton and was selected as the best entry in a national competition. Building started in 1840 and the structure was completed by November 1843 at a cost of £42,000 (estimated at over £5m today).
The column itself, the base and the pedestal are constructed from Dartmoor granite, while the five-metre-high statue of Nelson, made by Edward Hodges Baily, was carved from sandstone mined in an Edinburgh quarry. The four bronze lions at the base were not added until 1867 and are attributed to Sir Edward Landseer better known for his paintings of animals. Each of the four sides of the base show scenes from Nelson’s most famous battles. In addition to Trafalgar, they illustrate the Battle of the Nile, the Battle of Copenhagen and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent.
Over half a million pounds was spent refurbishing the statue in 2006 and regular inspections are carried out to check on signs of wear. (1)
There have been a number of successful attempts to climb it, illegally, usually by members of activist groups keen to get their message across from one of London’s most prominent landmarks. The most famous was probably staged by two climbers from the Greenpeace organisation in 2016 when the statue of Nelson was kitted out in a large facemask to register their disapproval at the capital’s air pollution levels. Horatio Nelson was born in Norfolk in 1758. His father was a clergyman, and he was the sixth of eleven children. He was educated at several local grammar schools until the age of twelve, when he decided to join the navy, probably following the
influence of his godfather, a serving naval captain. He enlisted as a midshipman, the lowest rank for an aspiring officer, and served on a variety of warships. Perhaps because of his godfather, he might be classed as a ‘nepo’ (2), or maybe he was spotted because of his potential. Maybe because of both, he rose quickly through the ranks and had his own command at the age of twenty.
He lost the sight of one eye at Calvi, Corsica in 1794 and his right arm from above the elbow three years later.
Nelson served particularly in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic Sea and saw action during the American War of Independence and against the navies of France and Spain.
He lost the sight of one eye at Calvi, Corsica in 1794 and his right arm from above the elbow three years later in an unsuccessful attack on Santa Cruz in Tenerife. Bouts of illness, particularly malaria and dysentery, forced him to take spells of shore leave during his career, and he failed to master his lifelong problems with seasickness. As a result, he resorted to napping in his armchair at night, as the use of a hammock or bunk too greatly mimicked the motion of the ship.
Nelson’s greatest naval successes are the ones depicted on the base of his Trafalgar Square memorial (see paragraph four) before his life was ended by a French sniper’s bullet on the deck of HMS Victory in October 1805. Was his conspicuous position, wearing full dress uniform, a case of over-enthusiastic bravado or did he feel it necessary that his men should see him there in the thick of the action? That the last words he actually spoke were, “Kiss me Hardy” (3), addressed to his close friend and the captain of HMS Victory, may be apocryphal as more recent evidence suggests it was, “Thanks be to God, I have but lived this day and now I die content.” Tradition also says
that his body was preserved in a barrel of brandy for the return to England where he was interred in St. Paul’s Cathedral with full military honours.
As with all public figures from the past, revisionist historians have since taken several bites into Nelson’s reputation. Apparently, there is evidence, mainly in the form of letters, to suggest he was closely allied with the cause of slave owning plantation bosses in the West Indies and expressed opposition to the abolitionist movement led by William Wilberforce. Although married to Frances for eighteen years, his long-term affair with Lady Emma Hamilton was classed as ‘the scandal of the day’. They had a child together, Horatia (born in 1801), who Nelson was devoted to. Government officials ensured though that neither Lady Hamilton or Horatia benefited from Nelson’s wealth, pensions or titles after his death.
Nelson was known to be vain. He was a complex character, easily flattered and disappointed when not given full credit for his actions. He was however a highly professional leader of men, a skilled seaman who became adept at all aspects of marine combat. On many occasions, he was prepared to take risks and switch strategies unconventionally especially if he could exploit the weakness of his enemies.
Notes:
(1) For an hilarious example of health and safety going AWOL watch the short film on You Tube where John Noakes goes to the top of Nelson’s Column during an episode of Blue Peter in 1977.
(2) Nepo is an abbreviated version of the word nepotism and is used to refer to someone who might have benefited in their career through the influence of a close relative.
(3) The Hardy Monument which stands 22m high on Black Down near Portesham in Dorset was erected as a memorial to Vice Admiral Thomas Hardy of Nelson fame who was captain of HMS Victory. It is not connected to the famous author of the same name who included Dorset (Wessex) in many of his novels.
Semi-retired and living in Lyme Regis, John Davis started working life as a newspaper journalist before moving on to teach in schools, colleges and as a private tutor. He is a history graduate with Bachelors and Masters degrees from Bristol University with a particular interest in the History of Education and Twentieth Century European History.
Admiral Horatio Nelson, Nelson’s Column, London. Photo credit Beata May
The R-Word: Oh deer!
Red, Roe, and Rogue. Dr Sam Rose looks at the complex impact of the UK’s deer species on natural recovery
In past episodes of the R-Word we have talked about the roles of cattle, pigs and ponies in rewilding. As major herbivores, they each play a role in causing Disturbance, in the Dispersal of seeds, and in the promotion of Diversity; the three Ds of rewilding. They work at different height levels in the ecosystem (I’m sure there is a technical word for that..?), with pigs foraging and rootling in the soil, cows grazing and doing low level browsing, and ponies grazing but significantly browsing higher up the shrubs and trees. But what about that other free roaming herbivore, the king of the mountains, the elusive Bambi, the unfortunate roadkill… what do the deer do?
I will come onto that, but first some context. There are five main species of deer in the UK: the mighty Red, the secretive Roe, the pack-running Fallow, the increasingly present Sika, and the tiny Muntjac. There is also the Chinese Water Deer, but its distribution is quite restricted so I will not dwell on them here. Only the first two, the Red and the Roe, are native to
post Ice Age UK, the rest are immigrants who would probably struggle to get a work permit nowadays.
As with many of our ‘non-native’ (Fallow), or ‘invasive non-native’ (Sika and Muntjac) species, they arrived here at the behest of the aristocracy. Fallow, which are considered naturalised, were originally from the Middle East. They have been here since the Normans took Hastings by the scruff of the neck, having been brought over from Europe as ornamental or hunting deer for Royal Parks or large estates. I find this confusing, as if you introduce deer to look pretty, hunting them seems self-defeating. Perhaps that is why the Fallow are as determined as possible to damage the countryside… revenge?!?
Sika arrived mid 19th century from the far east, again as ornamental for large estates, and made good their escape, particularly into eastern Dorset and the New Forest area. Finally, the little Muntjac was brought over from China by the Duke of Bedford in the early 20th Century and carelessly allowed to
escape Woburn Park to make hay over the south and east of England.
Most deer in the UK, including all five species set out here, are wild animals. Deer fences are used on some estates, but mainly to keep deer out, although in some cases, to keep them in (see below). For the most part, they are free to jump your too-low fence and nibble your young trees and saplings, and although each species has a slightly different diet, they all love young tree shoots, which is a problem for natural regeneration.
So, context over, what is their role in rewilding? Well, it is a biggie, and it varies from the other herbivores mentioned at the start for the simple fact that they are wild, and prone to jumping fences willynilly (and not everyone can afford deer fences). Red deer act as keystone grazers and browsers, but also impacting on woodland habitats and upland areas through excessive browsing and trampling. When the system is in equilibrium, i.e. with natural predators or sufficient culling, they maintain a mosaic of open grassland and regenerating woodland, supporting biodiversity; but overpopulation can severely hinder forest recovery, and trampling can damage peatlands. Roe deer are smaller and more solitary, and influence woodland dynamics at a smaller scale. Being picky eaters, their ‘selective’ browsing helps create structural diversity in an ecosystem, though high numbers in a small area can suppress young trees and shrubs significantly.
Fallow deer contribute to maintaining open habitats but can become too numerous and roam around in marauding packs, like teenagers on a Friday night. This leads to overgrazing, reduced understorey vegetation and crop damage—from the deer, not the teenagers. Sika deer occupy a similar niche to red deer but also pose a serious threat through hybridisation, affecting native red deer genetics. In numbers they can also exert significant grazing, browsing and trampling pressure. Finally, Muntjac are small but have big appetites and browse heavily at shrub level, damaging woodland regeneration and altering plant communities. Do not underestimate the Muntjac— they may look cute, but they will eat your Begonias without a second thought.
Yes, it is complex, but in essence, there are too many of them (certainly in Dorset anyway), they breed quite efficiently, and they eat a lot. There are no natural predators, apart from cars, and not enough culling. They provide an important role in rewilding, restoring natural disturbance and vegetation patterns, but with excessive numbers, the ecosystem goes out of balance and that can slow natural regeneration. This was beautifully demonstrated by two
conversations I had this week with two local land managers within an hour of each other. One farmer said that in fact the deer numbers on his land were a bit lower than they should be, and that the deer were not browsing enough of his scrub. In contrast the second said that there were way too many deer on their land and they couldn’t keep the numbers down, no matter the amount of stalking they did. They were 5 miles apart, max!
with excessive numbers, the ecosystem goes out of balance and that can slow natural regeneration
So, what to do? Well because of all of these issues, the royalty of UK rewilding, Charlie Burrell and Issy Tree at Knepp built a deer fence around the Wildlands and introduced herds of Reds and Fallows. They have no wolves or Lynx (yet) and so they control the numbers by culling, and keep their farm shop well-stocked with delicious, healthy venison. They also keep out the wild deer so can keep their herd ‘unsullied’ by the local riff-raff. In terms of rewilding, it is very effective, but it is not something everyone can, or should do.
Deer are important for rewilding, but as our system is out of balance (no predators) they need management, and not just for rewilding, but for forestry, crops and other managed nature recovery. They also need management for us—there are between 40,000 and 70,000 road collisions in England each year involving deer. So as Wolves and Lynx (Roe deer specialists) are not coming back any time soon, we need to cull, and then get that lean, wild meat into our local supermarkets, hospitals, butchers, schools and restaurants, and not at ridiculous prices; venison should not be seen as an ‘elite meat’.
Things are beginning to change in this respect, but in the meantime, look out for Bambis, and enjoy seeing them in the ‘wild’, but don’t get too attached!
Dr Sam Rose is a photographer and podcaster about nature and rewilding – see his website at whatifyoujustleaveit.info and podcast “What if you just leave it?”. He also heads up the charity West Dorset Wilding (westdorsetwilding.org) and the Brit Valley Project (britvalley.org) but the views expressed here are personal and are not said on anyone else’s behalf.
Nature Studies
AUTUMN SPECIAL
by Michael McCarthy
Photographs by Robin Mills
It’s a parade, a grand autumn parade of everything that the trees and shrubs have to offer in terms of their produce: hips, haws, sloes, crabapples, acorns, conkers, hazelnuts and berries of all kinds, and this year it’s visible like never before. So here’s a good look at it.
After Britain’s sunniest-ever spring and warmestever summer (and just the right amount of rain at summer’s end) 2025 has been the perfect year for the production of wild fruits and nuts in woods and hedges, as well as cultivated fruit in gardens, allotments and orchards. It’s what is known as a ‘mast year’, which happens only occasionally, when
there is so much produce like beech mast that wild creatures cannot eat all of it, so some survives to produce the next generation of seedlings.
For that’s the point of all these berries and nuts: plant reproduction and spread. They’ve evolved to be attractive to birds and animals who will eat them and then, some distance away, poo out the seeds (or, like jays with acorns, bury them for winter consumption, then forget where.) We don’t really think of them like that, do we—as devices or instruments? For example, how would you define a fruit? A sweet and tasty version of a vegetable? Well, a good scientific definition would be: a seed dispersal mechanism.
Studies
That dispersal programme begins in high summer, with elderberries and rowan berries, which are the first to be eaten by the birds, along with blackberries, which, you may remember, this year we humans were gathering early, in late July. Then in the countryside we have an efflorescence of about 40 fruits and berries and half a dozen nuts lasting through the autumn, which in many places this year have been astonishing in their abundance. I’ve seen hawthorn bushes so covered in haws that you cannot see the leaves; I’ve seen a blackthorn bush by the side of the River Frome near Dorchester which must have held 2,000 smoky-purple sloes; I’ve seen a carpet of acorns so thick that you couldn’t see the ground underneath; I’ve seen crabapple trees bending and weighed down by the profusion of their fruit.
Red and blue are the predominant hues of all this, and it’s worth noting that the wild fruit autumn colour scheme, which evolved to attract birds, is substantially different from that of spring wild flowers, which evolved to attract insects to pollinate them; the flowers are predominantly yellow and white. A possible conclusion: bees and thrushes see the world through very different prisms.
We relish them both though, early flowers and later fruits, simply for their beauty. So enjoy the rest of the autumn riches, right through to the scarlet of the holly berries you hang in your Christmas hall, along with the mistletoe (if the mistle thrushes, which, true to their name, really do adore mistletoe berries, have left you any.) Recently relocated to Dorset, Michael McCarthy is the former Environment Editor of The Independent. His books include Say Goodbye To The Cuckoo and The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy.
Mast, on the beech tree
Crabapples, for making jelly
Hazel nuts or cob nuts
Sloes, fruit of the blackthorn
TIPPING POINT
Bob Ward looks at why net zero is important to Dorset
Some newspapers and politicians try to make net zero seem like a burdensome and bureaucratic government target, but the truth is that it is vitally important for protecting lives and livelihoods in Dorset.
Net zero is shorthand for an updated target in the Climate Change Act 2008 for the UK to cut effectively to zero by 2050 its annual emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The aim of this is to stop the UK’s contribution to the rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that are driving climate change.
When we burn oil, coal and natural gas, we release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Some of it is absorbed by the land and oceans, but the rest remains in the atmosphere, where it enhances the Earth’s natural greenhouse effect by trapping heat. The carbon dioxide can stay in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, so our burning of fossil fuels has helped to increase concentrations by more than 50 per cent since the start of the Industrial Revolution.
We are also increasing levels of carbon dioxide by destroying forests and other vegetation that absorb carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. And some other industrial processes, such as cement-making, also release carbon dioxide.
Although carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas that is driving climate change, there are other gases that also contribute to global warming.
Methane, which is the main component of natural gas, has an even more powerful warming effect than carbon dioxide, but only lasts for up to 12 years when released into the atmosphere. The main sources of emissions of methane are leaks from drilling for natural gas, decomposition of organic material in landfill sites, and the natural release of methane burps during the digestive processes of ruminant animals, particularly cows. Methane levels in the atmosphere are also rising.
Carbon dioxide largely becomes dispersed within the atmosphere once it is emitted, so concentrations are more or less the same the world over, instead of highest over the biggest emitters. Hence low-income countries in Africa, which have made very little contribution to the increase in greenhouse gas levels, are faced with the same problem as China and the United States, the largest emitters. And because they are poorer, they are often more vulnerable to impacts.
Dorset is already experiencing the growing impacts of climate change. Our temperatures are rising, leading to the earlier arrival of spring weather, but also increases in the frequency and intensity of
summer heatwaves and higher risks of wildfires. We are also receiving more rainfall, and heavier downpours, with more risk of river and flash flooding, because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. And as glaciers and the polar ice sheets melt and slide into the ocean, and seawater undergoes thermal expansion, sea level is rising along coastlines, including in Dorset, leading to more coastal flooding and erosion.
We need to adapt to these impacts because they will continue to increase until the world stops adding to concentrations by reaching net zero emissions. That means cutting emissions from fossil fuel use as much as possible and compensating for any residual emissions by increasing the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, for instance by planting more trees, or using man-made technology to remove and store carbon dioxide. The longer it takes for the world to reach net zero, the bigger the impacts of climate change with which we will have to cope.
However, we are a long way from reaching net zero as a world. Man-made emissions of greenhouse gases reached a record level of more than 57 billion tonnes in 2023. The UK along with 193 other countries has ratified the Paris Agreement, which commits us to limiting the rise in global temperature to well below 2 Celsius degrees compared with pre-industrial level, and to pursue efforts to limiting warming to 1.5 Celsius degrees. The latest analysis by the World Meteorological Organisation concluded that we have already experienced warming of 1.34 - 1.41 Celsius degrees above pre-industrial level.
A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2018 indicated that to have a reasonable chance of limiting warming to 1.5 Celsius degrees by the end of this century, annual global emissions of carbon dioxide would need to be cut to net zero by about 2050. To limit warming to 2 Celsius degrees, annual global emissions of carbon dioxide would need to reach net zero by about 2070.
Following this report, the UK’s expert advisers, the Climate Change Committee, recommended that the Climate Change Act 2008 should be amended to have a target of reaching net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2050. Parliament passed the amendment in 2019, making the UK the first advanced economy to enshrine net zero in law. There are now 138 countries that have committed to achieving net zero emissions, although some have set target dates later than 2050.
However, the UK is currently committed to the target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 because its expert advisers at the Climate Change Committee have warned of serious consequences if warming exceeds 1.5 Celsius degrees. Not only will
the increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and sea level rise result in growing costs, but the risks of crossing major thresholds in the climate system, with very serious consequences, will become unacceptable.
...other countries are responsible for more than 99 per cent of the current emissions that are harming Dorset and the rest of the UK
For instance, the latest analyses suggest that warming of more than 1.5 Celsius degrees would raise the probability of the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which would make a rise in global sea level of several metres inevitable. Such warming would also increase the chances of a collapse in the Atlantic Meridional Oceanic Circulation (AMOC), an ocean current that moves warm sea water northwards into the North Atlantic, making our climate far milder than it otherwise would be. If the AMOC breaks down, our climate will start to cool, at least partially offsetting global warming. However, climate models suggest it will also result in a drastic reduction in rainfall in the UK, effectively bringing an end to arable farming.
Some politicians and newspaper columnists argue that it does not matter if the UK seeks to achieve net zero emissions, as it is currently responsible for less than 1 per cent of annual global emissions. However, this means that other countries are responsible for more than 99 per cent of the current emissions that are harming Dorset and the rest of the UK. The only way we can persuade others to increase their efforts is for us to lead by example.
So far, the UK has been setting an important example by cutting its annual emissions of greenhouse gases by more than 50 per cent since 1990 while growing our economy by over 80 per cent. But we still have much to do to reach net zero by 2050.
Bob will be at Sladers Yard, West Bay, on Thursday, 27th November, 7pm to deliver an informative and engaging talk followed by a Q&A where he will answer your burning questions about Dorset’s path to net zero. Tickets at Bridport Tourist Information Centre: https://bridportandwestbay. co.uk/tickets/talks
Bob Ward FGS FRGS FEI is Policy and Communications Director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science.
AWASH WITH SQUASH & FEASTING ON FRUIT
Fergus Dowding is storing for Winter
Hello everybody, hope you’ve all been growing monster crops while I’ve been away from the Marshwood. This year has been about coping with the wonderfully intense sunshine and endless strong wind. Water, water, water, more than you thought necessary, much more, because the ground just below the surface was like concrete. When it finally rained in September, growth was astonishing. We now look like we have enough to eat through the winter. We enjoy mild winter weather here in Martock and leave crops in the ground, all except carrots, which get eaten too badly. Beetroot go woody if left out, so are stored in paper sacks in the barn. If winter turns frosty we’ll store celeriac, cabbage etc like this too. Parsnips, which need the cool of winter before they taste sweet, taste better straight from the ground, bacteria getting into slug and carrot root fly divots causing stem canker as winter proceeds.
One of our favourite crops is Winter Squash, principally butternut, which are last to mature, these we store all over the house as they need it dry—the house looks beautiful! They keep well right into midsummer.
Winter salads grow well in the polytunnel, true spinach the complete favourite, outdoors they
grow so slowly that slugs eat big holes in the leaves. Not disturbing the soil too much helps the survival of ground beetles that eat slug eggs. Generally, plants sown in August will be strong enough to produce leaves all through the winter. We plant our garlic indoors too, all around the perimeter of the tunnel 12” apart, they get less rust there and much bigger bulbs, harvested three weeks earlier than outdoor ones.
We also sow overwintering Acquadulce broad beans in November and December, this stops them getting too leggy and getting damaged by frost. Sowing indoors in seed trays for transplanting 6-8 weeks later escapes rodents. You need good compost to do this, the quality of today’s bagged, overly-woody composts is a troublesome subject.
This has been a top year for all fruits and nuts. Apples particularly. It is proving difficult to use them all. We store a lot in a cool damp place, Cox varieties until Christmas, Spartan, Winston and Ashmead’s Kernel until February. Our favourite cooker is Warner’s King, much sweeter than the Bramley. We are juicing a lot this year. Once bottled, it keeps full flavour for many years. And what was Guy Fawkes’ favourite meal? Bangers and mash.
A journey through nature
DR KEVAN Manwaring, MA Creative Writing programme leader at Arts University Bournemouth has published a new book of ecothemed poems.
How can we honour the Earth, while also acknowledging our own embodied situatedness upon it and complicity within its crisis, however lightly we strive to walk upon it? Bringing together ecologically-aware poems written primarily since moving to West Dorset, this collection strives to explore that challenge, drawing upon experiences while long-distance walking, wild swimming, wild camping, cycling, travelling on trains across continental Europe, and spending time deeply embedded in nature.
Both local and globally-minded and featuring poems inspired by the Jurassic Coast, Wessex Ridgeway, Cornwall, Brittany, Ireland, Vienna, and Turkey, Erth Praze offers a paean to Planet Earth, while also expressing the pain and hope of being alive in perilous times.
Priced at £10.99 and published by Goldendark, Erth Praze is available direct from the publisher and/or IngramSpark. ISBN: 978-1-9191678-1-7. For more information visit www.goldendark.co.uk.
VEGETABLES BEYOND THE GARDEN
by Caddy Sitwell
The Horticultural Show. Part Six - The Leek Shows
‘The pit, the pub and the leeks’
The Pot Leek sometimes known as the Pitman’s Leek was the star of hundreds of leek shows in the Northeast of England. These shows, closely aligned with the mining community became a phenomenon that took hold especially around Durham and Newcastle. A hundred years ago it was hard to find a village pub that did NOT have a show or a man that was NOT growing leeks on his allotment. ‘Everyone’s friend, dad, uncle and grandfather grew the leeks—it was like a religion up here’. After a day underground one could imagine the rush to get up to your allotment, to tend your pigeons and leeks in the heavenly fresh air.
The first recorded show in the region was in 1846 but by the 1930s there were 35 in the town of Ashington alone. The names of the leeks carry some of this history with them, the characters and villages responsible for breeding them. The Joe Jones leek, the John Golightly, the Sammy Dickenson, the Stoke. The region was gripped by leeks and to some extent still is.
Aghast from the sight of hundreds of leeks laid out in a sports hall in Tyneside I was shown in a back room
at the Bedlington Station Working Man’s Social Club how they are judged. The leek must have no more than six inches of blanch from base plate to the point where the leaves split, known as the ‘button’ and are judged not only on cubic capacity but overall condition too.
The process is slow and thorough and specific to the scoring criteria of the National Pot Leek Society. With a top prize of £1200 this must be conducted accurately, and John Soulsby is the man for it: he has been growing, showing and mentoring growers all his life. His leeks are grown in polytunnels with science-based nutrition, and he posts wonderful YouTube videos to guide you.
In the past, though, the ingredients of one’s precious leek trench were swathed in secrecy. Sometimes it was even bagged up and taken with you when you moved house. Muck from the milkman’s pony was certainly in there but some added hoof clippings from the blacksmith and lamb’s tails from the farmer, pigeon muck, seaweed, and the odd dead cat that chased the pigeons. And if that wasn’t enough, a vomit-inducing liquid fertiliser was concocted by steeping sheep dags in water with fish heads and a bucket of blood.
Utmost care was lavished on the plants during the nine months of growth; leeks were sung to, talked to and played Glenn Miller. There were sleepless nights before lifting, but at last and if these pearly white monsters emerged from the mud in a show-worthy state, they were wiped with milk and nursed in the crook of rough arms like newborns to the show hall.
In the early days the prizes were household goods which was a draw for the wives but made for a bizarre show room. There are pictures of club halls with rows of leeks on the tables disappearing into the distance beside three-piece suites, colour TVs, dinner services and a twin tub washer.
Sponsorship from breweries brought ever-increasing cash prizes and with that came jealousy and the occasional crime. It was not unknown for families to take turns at night with a gun to protect their leeks from ‘slashers’. A few strokes of a knife could ruin many years work, and the trauma sometimes put growers off for ever.
The Monday after the show was often given as a holiday to recuperate. It was also called Broth Day as unsuccessful leeks were tumbled into a vast copper pot with onions and spare bones and cooked up into a restorative soup.
But why leeks and why there? Some say that it’s a magic combination of perfect soil and the sea breeze to blow away the frost. But it might be more to do with the miners’ temperament. Pot leeks are majestic vegetables and extremely hard to grow. Miners, who were notoriously good at gardening and at relishing a challenge, took it up with single minded gusto. The craze became part of their social life and who’d have thought you could win a telly with a leek? There were larks to be had, and the friendly rivalry could take you seamlessly from the mine to the allotment and the pub with a pee stop at the trench on the way home.
NOVEMBER IN THE GARDEN
By Russell Jordan
Hopefully the very warm and sunny summer will have provided ideal conditions for plants to have laid down the optimal cocktail of chemicals, in their foliage, to provide stunning autumn colour. In order for there to be a truly blazing display of autumn colour the leaves have to remain on the tree, or shrub, long enough for the orange, yellow and red hues to be revealed as the plant withdraws, or breaks down, the green colour derived from chlorophyll. If there is very wet and windy weather then the leaves can be blown off the plant before the best colour gets a chance to develop, so a nice, gentle, descent into colder conditions is beneficial.
On the subject of trees; the period of drought during the summer seems to have led to a higher proportion than normal of limbs being shed even from relatively young and apparently healthy trees. I have a Liquidambar styraciflua (American sweetgum tree) that suddenly split near the crown, dropping a couple of large branches, despite being less than twenty years old and previously showing no signs of stress or disease. This coincided with the first named storm of the season and, being in full leaf, a strong gust of wind exposed an underlying weakness which, I suspect, was created as a response to lack of water this summer.
Once deciduous trees have shed their leaves this month it would be timely to take a good look at any trees that you have in your garden just in case they have developed any cracks or fissures over the past year. With the limbs denuded and the tree in its dormant state, the approaching winter months are the best time to get a qualified tree surgeon involved to undertake any remedial work necessary. The one caveat here is to check that any tree due to have work done, or to be felled, is not subject to a ‘TPO’ (Tree Preservation Order) because doing any tree surgery to a protected tree can result in a hefty fine. TPO’s can be placed on trees by third parties, even if they are on your land or in your garden. They may pre-date your ownership so if there is any doubt it’s best to check with your local authority—a qualified tree surgeon should have plenty of knowledge of dealing with such things.
From trees come leaves! I’ve mentioned before how light accumulations of leaves, on lawns, can be gathered up by running over them with a lawnmower
set on a high setting (this only works if your mower has a collecting system). Heavier deposits, especially if they are large, leathery, leaves are best raked up manually although leaf collecting machines are available if you have really large areas to rake.
The collected leaves are best dealt with by allowing to rot down in their own dedicated ‘bins’, rather than adding to your usual compost, because their lack of ‘greenness’ means that they rot down slowly and can be a hindrance to the more active nature of a ‘general’ compost bin. Sprinkling a handful of organic nitrogenous fertiliser, such as ‘fish, blood and bone’, between each layer of leaves may speed up the breakdown as the nitrogen, missing from the dead leaves, is supplied by the fertiliser and ‘feeds’ the microorganisms that power decomposition. The resulting leafmould is a fantastic soil improver and mulch to use around specimen plants—especially those that require woodland conditions in order to thrive.
November to around the end of March, basically when deciduous plants have lost their leaves and are ‘dormant’, is the period when bare-root plants are available and should be planted in your garden. If you want to increase the number of trees in your garden, obtaining them as bare-root specimens is usually the most cost effective way of doing this and is especially useful when it comes to establishing new lengths of hedging. Now is a good time to research bare-root suppliers, you’ll find plenty online, because you’ve got the rest of the winter in which to plant anything that you order now. Suppliers tend to start lifting the material around now but will continue throughout the bare-root planting period whenever conditions are favourable (they can’t use their machinery in very wet or frozen ground).
It may be the beginning of the bare-root planting season but it’s the end of the spring bulb planting period. Traditionally tulip bulbs were planted no earlier than November, as a cultural method of avoiding ‘tulip fire’ disease, but I note that this once ‘gospel’ advice is now largely discredited and control is limited to discarding any tulips which develop the disease (the foliage is distorted and looks like it might have been scorched by fire). In addition, if any signs of disease have been noticed previously, do not plant tulips in the same ground for a number of years, as the fungal spores, from a pathogen called Botrytis tulipae, remain
in the soil long after the infected tulips have been dug up and burnt.
I tend to divide spring bulbs into two different groups; those that are planted in order to ‘naturalise’, often in grass, where they will flower year after year and others which I treat as ‘annual’, used in containers and bedding schemes, where I do not necessarily expect them to perform after the first year. Tulips most often fit into the latter group whereas spring bulbs like crocuses, daffodils and snowdrops are more likely to be naturalised. I may well ‘recycle’ bulbs, from containers and bedding schemes, into permanent beds and borders in the hope that they may flower in subsequent years but this is very much ‘living in hope’, rather than relying on them to provide floral impact beyond their first planting. Obviously you should only replant bulbs which are showing no signs of disease and are still a good size. Mummified, withered or rotten bulbs should not be planted, something that’s equally true of new bulbs. Last month I may have advised you to get anything not reliably hardy into pots and prepared for going into the greenhouse. Now’s the time to make sure all your tender perennials are moved into frost-free conditions. Cannas were probably lifted last month but dahlias can be left in the ground until the foliage begins to
collapse—I’d get them lifted, labelled and under cover now even if their leaves have yet to turn black. They can be stored as bare tubers, all stems cut off and soil removed, as long as they are placed somewhere which does not freeze; cannas are best stored as dormant rhizomes potted up into non-watered compost (it’s hard to describe the fact that the rhizomes don’t want to desiccate completely but they mustn’t be kept wet while dormant either).
I’ve not really mentioned beds and borders so far. These days we don’t usually adopt the old ‘slash and burn’ approach, so even herbaceous perennials tend to be left alone, except for those that have collapsed into an unsightly mess and are ‘edited’ out for the sake of the overall appearance. If the weather remains relatively warm and dry, for November, then it’s still possible to do the standard ‘lift, divide, increase and replant’ on clump-forming perennials. This form of propagation is almost foolproof and congested herbaceous perennials will benefit from regular division even if you are not producing new plants from them. Any divisions that you do not replant can be potted up and given away to fellow gardeners who may be establishing borders of their own—I know that I’m going to have masses of ‘Goldenrod’ (Soildago) to gift away when I reorganise part of my own mixed border!
PROPERTY ROUND-UP
Country Homes for November
AXMINSTER
£500,000
Beautiful four bedroom detached property, set within the heart of the pretty rural village of Churchill, and bursting with character and period features. Wrap around gardens, predominantly laid to lawn, range of established plants and trees, two storage sheds, gravel path from driveway.
Fox & Son: 01297 32323
MORCOMBELAKE
£650,000
Beautiful, 3 bed detached cottage positioned amidst the tranquil beauty of the rolling Dorset hills, this home offers a detached garage, solar panels, beautiful countryside views, an enchanting summerhouse/home office and an abundance of parking.
DOMVS: 01308 805500
TRINITY HILL
£1,650,000
Chain-free. Hidden away and with four double bedrooms, this beautifully renovated character home sits in a historic private estate with walled garden extending to almost an acre, double garage, double workshop outbuildings, and approximately 18 acres of grounds.
DOMVS: 01308 805500
MARSHWOOD
£750,000
Charming and versatile detached home. The house is a converted chapel and now Listed Grade II with spacious accommodation over two floors plus a self-contained annexe and fabulous country views.
Gordon & Rumsby: 01297 553768
CHARMOUTH
£565,000
Three bedroom detached Colt bungalow set into a rising hillside plot with additional small paddock/orchard ideal for horticulture or small animal husbandry and has a good-sized detached garage and a very useful wooden garden chalet/studio.
Kennedys: 01308 427329
MANGERTON GUIDE
£800,000
Beautifully presented four bedroom home thoughtfully extended and reconfigured to create a light filled and versatile living space. At the heart of the home is a stunning orangery that serves as the kitchen, dining, and main living area. The garden is a true highlight of this home.
Goadsby: 01308 420000
Indie Rock from Axminster
AXMINSTER based five-piece indie rock band, Leonian Dream, are bringing their mix of dreamy soundscapes and grungy energy to Bridport Arts Centre on November 22nd.
Formed in 2021, Swiss singer songwriter Leonie Prater and Black Country-born guitarist Thomas Rogers each bring their own unique flair and background to the band. Their self-titled debut EP dropped in 2025 and was championed by BBC Introducing, Radio X, Amazing Radio and Future Hits It kicked off a busy summer of festival shows that put them firmly on the map. To book tickets visit: www.bridport-arts.comor telephone 01308 424204.
Leonian Dream are at Bridport Arts Centre in November
Spectacular WOODLAND DREAM
an enchanting world of woodland glades and handcrafted architect-designed treehouses
Whether you choose to enjoy it as a thriving business, develop it for events, courses or corporate use, or set it up as your own personal woodland sanctuary, the chance to own the truly spectacular Mallinson’s Woodland Retreat in Dorset only comes once in a lifetime.
Thoughtfully developed and nurtured with sustainability and biodiversity at its heart, this stunning oasis has welcomed guests into an enchanting world of woodland glades and handcrafted architect-designed treehouses for over 15 years. With planning permission for five more treehouses, the owners are now ready to pass this internationally acclaimed destination to new custodians.
Whether you’re a couple dreaming of a lifestyle business, a hospitality brand looking to expand in the high-end eco space, a course provider looking for a venue, an investor seeking an income-generating asset or a family wanting your own private escape, this opportunity offers something unique.
Set in 13 acres of tranquil Dorset woodland and meadows, with three award-winning treehouses, Mallinson’s Woodland Retreat is a truly special place that combines design, craftsmanship, and nature in perfect harmony. The ultimate treehouse escape is ready for a new chapter. For further information visit: https://mallinson.co.uk/woods-treehouse-business-for-sale/
CHRISTMAS SORTED!
Make a date with some Special Events in the run up to Christmas
The Christmas fairs at Athlhampton and Mapperton in November, along with the brand-new Festive Fête at Symondsbury Estate in early December, are Christmas events that appeal to everyone.
The Dorset Food & Drink Winter Cheer Food Fair takes place over two days at Athelhampton on Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th November from 10am to 3pm. Organisers have brought together a superbly curated selection of local producers and artisans. Whether it’s local cheese, funky craft ales, seasonal treats, seasonings, chocolates, wines, or handcrafted items, there are plenty of stocking fillers, allowing you to shop small or large depending on your budget. From Filberts to Furleigh and Mercato Italiano to Matt Follas’s Muir Liquors, there are delicious treats on display to tempt all tastes.
On Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th November there is a Charity Christmas Fair at Forde Abbey & Gardens near Chard. From 10am to 4pm you can explore a wonderful selection of products from some of the South West’s finest artisans and food producers.
The following weekend, on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th November, head to Mapperton near Beaminster to explore over 100 stalls featuring local artisans, food producers, and festive gifts— perfect for your Christmas shopping. Soak up the atmosphere with live music, festive decorations, and the aromas of roasting chestnuts and mulled wine in the air. New this year, enjoy their Winter Wonderland Bar and seating area, offering both indoor and outdoor spaces to relax and embrace the season. Between shopping and discovering, visitors can refuel at one of eight food vans serving everything from waffles and chestnuts to Prosecco and seasonal treats, or visit the Coach House Café for a seasonal menu of winter favourites. The
Mapperton Christmas market will be open from 10pm to 6pm on Saturday and 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Visit mapperton.com for tickets.
This year, Symondsbury Estate has rung the changes with two events. The Community Christmas Evening will be on Friday, 5th December, from 4pm to 8pm, featuring carols and uplifting performances by the Rock Choir and a local school choir. There will be tasting tables, hand massages, gift-wrapping stations, exclusive offers, and a magical Christmas trail with a chance to win a fabulous prize, while Santa greets visitors at his enchanting grotto in support of Bridport Young Performers.
On Saturday 6th December, Symondsbury will host a cosy and carefully curated event brimming with Christmas inspiration. Discover 19 handpicked local makers and artisans offering stunning gifts, from jewellery and ceramics to candles, crafts, and delicious treats. There is even a special Christmas Literary Fair at the Symondsbury Estate Visitor Centre bookshop, featuring talks and signings by acclaimed authors of beloved nature and cookery books. Throughout the day, there will be live music, festive workshops, and plenty of opportunities to eat, drink, and be merry.
With farmers’ markets in Wimborne, Weymouth, Sherborne, and Poundbury, there is plenty of opportunity to find delicious treats for Christmas. And if you want to all some extra style and flavour don’t forget to visit the new Mercato Italiano online store https://mercatopronto.uk. The natural evolution of Ilaria Padovani’s lifelong dedication to Italian food, it brings her curated selection of rare, regional formaggi, salami, and pantry essentials to kitchens near and far. Built on decades of expertise and close ties with Italy’s finest producers, it delivers the depth of a market stall with the speed of modern life. Christmas is a special time and Mercato Italiano is not short of special treats.
B’STILLA
By Mark Hix
I don’t shoot as much these days as I’d rather be on the water fishing, but I shoot occasionally and tend to break down and joint the birds for various dishes like Escalope Holstein and curry and this unusual dish, which is a must try dish.
If you’ve done the same you can use the thighs for this and the drumsticks for the stock, as the thighs will be moister than the breasts in the B’stilla—but up to you.
If you’ve been to Morocco you may have come across b’stilla. It’s usually made with pigeon and is a sort of sweet and savoury pie with sugar and almonds that were probably originally used to disguise the gaminess of the birds.
As pheasants are cheap and plentiful, I thought they’d make a good alternative to pigeon, and this helps get round the potential dryness of pheasant meat. Chermoula is a classic Moroccan spice mix often rubbed on fish. I’ve used it to flavour the pie filling. Warka pastry—the thin stuff they make in north Africa—is tricky to buy and to make so you may be better off looking for filo.
INGREDIENTS
• About 20-24 warka pastry leaves or sheets of filo measuring about 18cm square
• 60g melted butter
For the game filling
• 1 pheasant with the breast and thigh meat removed from the carcass and cut into rough 3cm chunks. Bones and drumsticks from the pheasant carcass for the stock
• 1 litre chicken stock (can be made with a good quality cube)
• 6tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• A good pinch of saffron
• 1tsp powdered ginger
• 1tbsp chopped parsley
• 1tbsp chopped coriander
• 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1tsp salt
• 1tbsp icing sugar
• 100g butter
• 5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
For the sugared-almond mixture
• 350g ground almonds
• 5tbsp icing sugar
• 3tbsp orange-flower water or 4tbsp water
• 1/2tsp ground cinnamon
To serve
• Icing sugar
• Ground cinnamon
Serves 4
DIRECTIONS
• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6. Chop the pheasant bones and simmer them gently in the chicken stock for 45 minutes. Strain the stock through a finemeshed sieve and discard the bones.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, and fry the pieces of pheasant until nicely coloured, stirring every so often. Add the following chermoula ingredients - onion, garlic, saffron, ginger, parsley, coriander, pepper and salt, and stir well. Add the strained stock, bring to the boil and simmer very gently for 30 minutes.
• Add the tablespoon of icing sugar and the 100g of butter and simmer for another 20 minutes. The meat should be tender now and the cooking liquid quite rich and flavoursome, reduced to a few tablespoons, just coating the meat. If not, simmer a little longer. Break the meat up a little into the sauce with a spoon, and leave to cool.
• To assemble the b’stilla, first take a straight-sided tart or cake tin with a removable bottom (or a bottomless flan ring on a baking tray) measuring 18cm to 20cm across by 5cm or 6cm or more deep. Brush the bottom and sides with some of the 60g of melted butter. Lay a square of filo on the base. Then lay on another 5 sheets all round the tin, overlapping the central sheet on the base, then going up the sides of the tin so half the sheet overhangs the edge ready to be folded over later. Repeat this with another 5 filo sheets.
• Mix together all the ingredients for the sugared-almond mixture and spread half of it on the base of the pastry, leaving about 1cm around the edges.
• Place 2 more sheets of pastry over the sugared almond mixture. Mix the chopped eggs with the pheasant mixture and spoon all the pheasant and egg filling over the pastry. Cover with 2 more leaves of pastry. Spoon the rest of the almond mixture over the pastry then cover with a couple more leaves. Brush with more butter and fold the overhanging sides up and towards the middle then cover with one more sheet and firm down the top with your hands.
• Bake the b’stilla in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the b’stilla to loosen the sides and place a serving dish or flat plate upside down over the tin. Carefully invert the b’stilla on to the plate and then slide on to a baking tray or the base of the tart tin without the sides. Brush all over with melted butter and return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes. If the b’stilla is browning too much then cover with foil and turn the oven down.
• Remove the b’stilla from the oven and leave to cool a little. Using a fish slice, carefully transfer to a serving dish. Cut some long strips of paper about 1cm wide. Dust the top, preferably with a dredger or fine sieve with some icing sugar then lay strips a couple of centimetres apart and dredge with the cinnamon to create a lattice pattern or stripes.
Radiance
Eclectic Sladers Yard exhibition to include work by inspirational Bridport artist
While the Christmas Radiance show celebrates the variety and wonder of Sladers Yard’s artists, the inclusion of work by the recently deceased Hugh Dunford Wood adds a poignant dimension to a fabulous, wide-ranging exhibition.
Passing after a brief illness, Hugh Dunford Wood leaves behind a vibrant legacy with a diverse body of work that includes wallpaper, cushions, jewellery, and even handpainted men’s ties, alongside his highly regarded radiant landscapes and spirited portraits.
Radiance offers visitors an eclectic selection of curated works by artists such as Louise Balaam, Petter Southall, Martyn Brewster, Björk Haraldsdóttir, Vanessa Gardiner, Alfred Stockham, and Howard Phipps.
Radiance is at Sladers Yard, West Bay from Saturday 15th November to Saturday 10th January 2026.
Radiance includes work by Alfred Stockham, Martyn Brewster, Derek Matthews and Louise Balaam
A Brook through the Trees, Hugh Dunford Wood
Green Lane, Hugh Dunford Wood
Hugh Dunford Wood
AFTER an overly structured upbringing with military parents and boarding school, Hugh Dunford Wood left it all and worked his whole life as an artist and designer having secured a place at the famed Ruskin School of Art in the 1970s.
He made a good living and brought up a family of four by painting landscapes and portraits alongside a successful fashion business, Dunford Wood Designs, hand-painting brash silk ties with a large team of artists under his direction, collaborating with many famous labels such as Paul Smith, Yoshi Yamamoto and Harrods.
He designed flatware, sculpture, jewellery, fabric and even had a parallel career hand-printing colourful wallpaper, still available with the renowned Hamilton Weston historical wallpaper company.
Alongside his personal work, he held positions throughout his career as artist in Residence at The Royal Shakespeare Company and the Globe Theatre as well as with the Church of England in London.
He has exhibited widely in the UK and abroad with work in the collections of the V&A Museum, in Colleges at the University of Oxford, and many private collections around the world.
In his later years, Hugh developed a series of workshops sharing specific craft skills such as Wallpaper and Textile Printing, and Sketchbook Keeping. He got enormous pleasure from passing on the skills he taught, encouraging confidence in others. He even got a medal from King Charles, who awarded him the President’s Award for Endangered Crafts in the House of Lords.
Hugh has been hugely inspired by the natural world, the natural form, colour and a broad imagination.
He has always sketched, painted and drawn in little clothbound books that he has carried with him wherever he was in the world, often gathering attention, crowds and new friends as he observed people with a pencil, pen and brush.
This really was his foundation, his grounding, and his way or relating and connecting with the world. Sketching really fed his appetite and his imagination.
He always loved music from orthodox chanting to freestyle jazz, poetry, novels and films but mostly people—especially younger generations who gave him so much energy and fed him so many ideas.
In a recent interview, Hugh said ‘neither hide nor hoard your talents, but share them, and accrue to them by enquiry with other artists and makers. Celebrate life and remember that the world is full of hosts—there are just not enough guests. So travel, overland, with your sketchbook and not with a camera.’
And this outlook and attitude has taken him on many an adventure throughout his colourful life.
Hugh Dunford Wood — 1949 - 2025.
Remembered by Jesse Dunford Wood
Hugh Dunford Wood producing his hand-made wallpaper
Dark Lane, Hugh Dunford Wood
Hugh Dunford Wood
Primordial Dance
The Poet and the Painter
In advance of a Bridport Arts Centre exhibition of paintings by Helen Garrett, with poetry by Kate Innes, Helen and Kate discuss their influences and inspirations.
Kate:
Helen, how has living in Dorset influenced your artistic work?
I have very early memories of being in our garden at home as a child and finding different materials that were left around from my father’s various building and carpentry jobs. Reclaimed wood, slate, sand and stone. I’d dig out clay and shape it into pots. There were plants that made colours when I squished them in my fingers. I think my love of experimenting with colours and materials grew from this. Spending hours observing, close to the ground is very visceral - you witness life and death and transformation, it makes you curious. I was always making things. Also, living in a place where the cliffs are visibly falling into the sea, and there are ammonites that startle you with how old they are. As a child you get a sense of evolution and time here. It’s a strong landscape which is soft and nurturing, full of apple blossom and sunlight in the summer and yet edgy, wind-blown and frightening in the darkness. I was absorbing all of this with horror and delight.
Kate:
How have you come to create this exhibition - Primordial Dance and why is it called that?
Even though I lived away from Dorset for some years, I felt that the print of this place was captured inside my body. It feels profound and poignant to have returned. I wonder about the essence of what we are. Is this linked to the land we come from and our ancestors…or is it something else? My artwork touches on some of these more metaphysical ideas and experiences that seem to be universal for humans. I made a painting called Primordial Dance some years ago and it felt like a real breakthrough. It seemed to express that a little bit of everything exists in everything else. So perhaps we carry a deep memory of everything inside of us. Painting for me is a kind of dance between action/
intention and yielding/listening. A space can be created where inner and outer worlds of experience touch and something is released—transformed. A threshold. And that’s where my interest lies.
Kate:
What about the other influences that have come into your art through your travels?
Certain places I’ve been to have profound resonance, Crete in particular. There’s something about the music, the colours and spirit of the mountainous landscape that connects strongly.
I’m curious what that felt connection is. I start to look into the culture—try to get some understanding about what imagery was used through the centuries, what animals, shapes, gods. I think there’s power in very ancient artefacts. The symbolism touches something deep inside of us that we sort of know but can never fully know—I suppose that’s the same with everything, ultimately, a mystery. So, I like to work with the things that we share as humans—like the love between people, or parents for their children and how we might navigate important rites of passage through our lives.
Helen:
Kate, I know you have a background in archaeology that’s really influenced your writing. You write historical novels, but you also distil your knowledge into just a few lines of poetry. How?
I’ve worked on excavations and studied archaeology, as well as working as a Museum Educator. I’ve always been fascinated by the way objects and images hold stories about the past. I live in Shropshire—border country—where the past is a constant presence in the landscape. In my books, I’ve tried to reanimate the remains from written history, legends and imagination.
But poetry was my first writing love. It’s been a real pleasure to include poems inspired by your work in my new collection The Matter. It feels like the words
and images resonate and amplify each other. When I saw your painting The Messenger, I had an immediate emotional response to it, as if I was meeting a person from long ago. One recognises a fellow human, but you cannot reach them. There’s a longing to connect and understand. I try to do that through writing. A poem often begins with a little seed of an idea that needs some time to grow and develop. I write down, without thinking too much, the words that come in response to that feeling or idea. Then the work of forming it begins, usually by cutting lots of words away until I get back to the kernel of the truth. It feels like a symbiotic relationship, not that I’m the artist and that is the product, but that I’m working with words and ideas that have been around for millennia.
I think both of us can see connections with archaeology in our creative practice. The process of revealing, appreciating and investigating.
Helen: I think curiosity is a big part of it. And taking
risks. Having confidence that none of the hours of exploration are wasted.
Kate: And it’s exciting that we’ll be taking part in a further live conversation and Q&A about our art and writing with documentary film-makers Steph Farmer and Trevor Hearing of ArtScape Productions as part of the Private View event for Primordial Dance. Really looking forward to that.
Primordial Dance runs at Bridport Arts Centre from 28th November to 20th December.
Private View and premiere of new artist film: Helen Garrett—Befriending the Mystery, 29th November, 6pm. Masterclass with Helen Garrett and Kate Innes, 8th December, 11am. Ancient Hauntings: Author event exploring Kate Innes’ recent book for young people about archaeology on Crete, 20th December, 11am. Winter Celebration, with live music, readings and poetry, 20th December, 6pm. Book events through www.bridport-arts.com
1 - 30 Nov
Kit Glaisyer: The Romantic Landscape presents a series of large paintings inspired by Lewesdon Hill, an ever-evolving exhibition of Kit’s West Country landscape paintings, popular Cafe Royal series, and evocative Drip Figures on show in his gallery. You can also enjoy the progress of his private commissions in his upstairs studio. Open Saturdays 10am - 3pm or by appointment. Kit Glaisyer Fine Art, 11 Downes Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3JR. 07983 465789 www.kitglaisyery.com @kitglaisyer
Until 8 November
As Dreams Are Made on Marzia Colonna MRBS collages, Fiamma Colonna Montagu ceramic sculpture. Petter Southall furniture. ‘As Dreams are Made on’ is a celebration of the wonders of life. Sladers Yard Contemporary Art & Craft Gallery, Cafe Sladers, West Bay, Bridport Dorset DT6 4EL. Open Wednesday to Saturday 10am – 4.30pm. t: 01308 459511 gallery@sladersyard.co.uk sladersyard.co.uk.
8 November - 24 December
Present Makers 2025 Exhibition of hand-crafted, contemporary gifts including jewellery, ceramics, textiles, prints, wood and glass as well as unique Christmas cards, and decorations showcasing the work of South West makers. Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 5. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX. thelmahulbert.com / 01404 45006. Free admission.
Until 15 November
From and To A new exhibition by Laura Eldret and the people of West Dorset at the Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre exploring and celebrating ideas of creative
freedoms. The exhibition is by Dorset artist Laura Eldret in collaboration with communities of Bridport and West Dorset and will incorporate creative contributions by local people. It will also offer local residents the opportunity to use the gallery as an open creative space for their own creative activities – anything from busking to drawing to creative meet-ups (more info on how to do this will be announced shortly). From and To is one of 60 new works commissioned across the UK as part of Our Freedom: Then and Now, a new UK-wide, locally-led arts and creative programme, reflecting on what ‘Our Freedom’ means to communities following the 80th anniversary of VE/VJ Day. Bridport Arts Centre pitched to explore what ‘creative freedom’ means to the town and wider West Dorset area and have been developing an exciting programme of activity in which the local community can get involved. Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre South Street, Bridport. https://www. bridport-arts.com.
Filled with Delight David Gommon (1913-87). Paintings from 1936 to 1985, to coincide with the publication of a monograph on the life and work of David Gommon, published by Sansom & Co. The Art Stable is delighted to be presenting the fourth exhibition of paintings by David Gommon, and delighted too that his work is being celebrated and documented in the wonderful monograph which is being published by Sansom & Co at the same time. This is the first comprehensive overview of Gommon’s work, with a text by Philip Vann and it places Gommon’s work within the wider context of his times and the radical currents of contemporary art during the mid C20th. The Art Stable, Kelly Ross Fine Art, Child Okeford, Dorset DT11 8HB. kellyross@theartstable.co.uk. 07816 837905.
15 November - 10 January
Radiance celebrates the variety and wonder of Sladers Yard’s artists, along with a special selection of work by Bridport artist Hugh Dunford Wood. With new work by established painters and printmakers, the gallery is showing rediscovered paintings in the case of Alfred Stockham. Two brilliant ceramic artists new to the gallery, include the intriguing forms of Emily Myers and the delightful figures of Derek Matthews, who join a fabulous selection of ceramics. As Petter Southall’s work becomes more playful and adventurous, there are lamp bases, low tables, console tables and dining tables plus sculpture in wood alongside his remarkable range of handmade chairs. Richly coloured woven textiles, scarves, throws and cushions, books, cards and posters offer something for every budget. Sladers Yard Contemporary Art & Craft Gallery, Cafe Sladers, West Bay, Bridport Dorset DT6 4EL. Open Wednesday to Saturday 10am – 4.30pm. t: 01308 459511 gallery@sladersyard.co.uk sladersyard.co.uk.
22 November - 4 December
Pop-Up Vintage. Open every day from 10.00am -4.00pm. Beautifully curated vintage and retro treasures for a truly sustainable Christmas. Sourced, cleaned, repaired and upcycled so that you don’t have to. “Those that know...know.” Malthouse Gallery, Town Mill, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU.
28 November - 20 December
An exhibition of paintings by Helen Garrett with poetry by Kate Innes. Each of Helen’s paintings is a unique exploration of the evertransforming contexts in which we find ourselves. Touching the edges of philosophy, archaeology and physics, the work becomes a vehicle for contemplation as we reflect on the human experience. Helen is particularly interested in the link between ancient times and the present through material and place, both in the UK and in the Aegean. Kate’s work in poetry and fiction is inspired by her background working in archaeology and museums. She seeks out the stories held within places and objects – exploring
the physical and spiritual lives of our ancestors. 10am-4pm, Tue-Sat. Free (voluntary donation to BAC) Primordial Dance. The Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, South Street, Bridport DT6 3NR.
Until 10 January 2026
A Life Outside: Hope Bourne on Exmoor. Exhibition offers a new appraisal of the work and life of Exmoor writer and artist Hope Bourne. Created in partnership with The Exmoor Society which cares for The Hope L. Bourne Collection. This exhibition considers Bourne’s status as one of the West Country’s most significant nature writers, whose work and way of life are especially prescient in this time of advancing environmental crisis. It draws on new research by writer and Guardian Country Diarist Sara Hudston, whose book A Life Outside: Hope Bourne on Exmoor will be published next year. Sara is co-curating the exhibition with Kate Best, for the South West Heritage Trust. Somerset Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 5.00 pm. For more information visit SRLM.ORG.UK.
Tales from the gallows
STURMINSTER NEWTON & PORTLAND
GALLOWS humour gets a make-over when Ha Hum Ah Theatre brings its new play, Making A Killing, to Dorset with Artsreach on 11th and 14th November.
The play, which opened at Cornwall’s open air Minack Theatre, is a razor-sharp, dark comedy about justice, corruption—and the cost of survival in a world disturbingly like our own.
The ropes are ready, the crowd is waiting and the hangman has a new apprentice ...
When Claus Kohler is apprenticed to Master Frantz Schmidt, Nuremberg’s seasoned executioner, the two men are thrown together in a world where duty, morality and power collide—every decision leaves a mark. These were dangerous times—as the gallows fill and suspicion takes root, the fates of the two men become dangerously entwined, until both must decide who they are, and which side of the rope they stand on.
This play is based on a true story, drawn from the diaries kept by Schmidt, who, from 1573 to 1617, was the executioner for the towns of Bamberg and Nuremberg. During that span, he personally executed more than 350 people while keeping a journal throughout his career.
Making a Killing is at Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple, on 4th and 5th November, 11th November at the Exchange at Sturminster Newton and 14th at Royal Manor Theatre, Portland, both with Dorset’s rural touring charity, Artsreach.
Celebrating Palestrina with Tallis Scholars DORCHESTER
ONE of the country’s finest chamber choirs, The Tallis Scholars come to St Mary’s Church, Dorchester, on 11th November, in a programme that celebrates the 500th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest musical figures of the Renaissance, Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina.
Over the past five decades, Peter Phillips and The Tallis Scholars have helped to establish the sacred vocal music of the Renaissance as one of the great repertoires of Western classical music.
The programme will include one of Palestrina’s 107 settings of the Mass, alongside several of his most moving motets. In a striking dialogue across centuries, the concert also features works by the renowned Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, whose contemplative sound world provides a modern counterpoint to the Renaissance master.
Founder and conductor Peter Phillips says: “There
would be many different ways of acknowledging Palestrina’s achievement ... and making a comparison with one of his peers. Although Pärt doesn’t write polyphony in the way Palestrina exemplified, he can create an atmosphere in his music which sits well alongside that of the Renaissance master—their two views, old and contemporary, of the Nunc dimittis text are fascinating.”
This Dorchester performance offers a rare chance to hear one of the world’s most celebrated vocal ensembles in the intimate and resonant setting of St Mary’s Church. dorchesterarts.org.uk
Artsreach brings Making A Killing to Sturminster Newton and Portland in November
A royal favourite’s fall from grace DORCHESTER
THE Elizabethan adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh, one of history’s most charismatic characters, is brought back to Dorset at Dorchester Corn Exchange on 6th November in a Dyad theatre production, That Knave, Raleigh, which follows the astonishing highs and lows of his dramatic career. Andrew Margerison, who also wrote the play, plays a man who was the favourite of one monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, and fell fatally foul of another, James I.
Raleigh’s Dorset connection is Sherborne Castle. In 1592, the explorer, soldier, dandy and poet was granted a lease to Old Sherborne Castle by Elizabeth. But he found it difficult to renovate, so he built a new house, Sherborne Lodge (now Sherborne Castle), in the castle grounds, completed in 1594. Raleigh’s estate was forfeited after he fell out of favour with King James, and the property was later purchased by Sir John Digby, whose family has owned it ever since.
That Knave, Raleigh is the latest play from Dyad, whose previous productions have included A Christmas Carol, Lady Susan, A Room of One’s Own, Christmas Gothic, Austen’s Women and Female Gothic).
In a life spanning around 65 years, Raleigh achieved more than others might do in a hundred lifetimes. His story ranges from the Huguenots to the Armada, from adventures in the New World to the horror of a public beheading in Old Palace Yard.
The final chapter of Raleigh’s life is perhaps the
most daring, strange and heart-breaking. Margerison’s retelling details the hero’s fall from grace taken directly from historical records. That Knave, Raleigh is also at the Tacchi Morris Arts Centre at Taunton on 7th November.
A new light on old tunes VILLAGES
A VIRTUOSO trio of folk musicians, Jon Doran and the Northern Assembly, have a short tour with Artsreach, coming to the village halls at Shipton Gorge on Friday 7th November, Langton Matravers on Saturday 8th and Drimpton on Sunday 9th, all at 7.30pm.
Shining a new light on old tunes and tales from the British Isles, this new musical collaboration seeks to capture the excitement that lies within traditional song and breathe new life into old stories by injecting the energy they feel these narratives deserve.
With virtuosic instrumentalists Heather Ferrier (accordion) and Jordan Aikin (whistles and pipes), the trio create songs that combine exhilarating contemporary arrangements with the much loved traditional performance style and striking vocals of acclaimed folk singer Jon Doran.
Consciously moving away from the conventional folk song performance style, the trio rely upon their dissimilar musical upbringings and experiences to conjure emotions and communicate a story far deeper than the words of the song.
That Knave, Raleigh is in Dorchester and Taunton in November
Selling the American dream DORCHESTER
MAJOR national annual dates these days are at least as much about selling as they are about celebrating— and that’s certainly the case in Terry’s: An American Tragedy About Cars, Customers, and Selling Cars to Customers, coming to Dorchester Arts at the Corn Exchange on Thursday 13th November.
Memorial Day weekend ... the US-of-A. The sales team at Terry’s Cars and Automobiles is preparing to honour the fallen by slashing prices on some gently used, (mostly) American-made cars. But the pressure’s on—if Terry’s team doesn’t shift 66 cars by Monday, there’ll be hell to pay…
From award-nominated, Lecoq-trained company Brillig, Terry’s is an absurd, sitcom-style tragicomedy with original live music, physical theatre and one very special balloon. There’s no guarantee the team will reach the target, but it’s going to be the ride of your life.
Period instrument stars CONCERTS IN THE WEST
FOUR musicians who were the first period instrument string quartet to be selected as BBC New Generation Artists come to Dorset and Somerset on 28th and 29th November, on the final Concerts in the West tour of 2025.
Consone Quartet—Agata Daraškaite and Magdalena Loth-Hill, violins, Elitsa Bogdanova, viola, and George Ross, cello—formed their ensemble at the Royal College of Music in London, and are in demand with their expressive interpretations of repertoire, notably from the classical and romantic eras.
The late Sir Roger Norrington said of them: “They play with perfect intonation, tremendous attack and impeccable historical style. All the four instruments work together with such intelligence and imagination that I would happily listen to them every day.”
The quartet launched their professional career in 2015, shortly after which they were awarded two prizes at the 2015 York Early Music International Young Artists Competition, including the EUBO Development Trust Prize and a place on an emerging artists scheme in France. They went on to win the 2016 Royal Over-Seas League Ensemble Prize, and in 2022 were awarded a prestigious BorlettiBuitoni Trust (BBT) fellowship.
As well as enthusiastic receptions at London’s major venues, they have
performed in Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria and Slovenia and at festivals including Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Dartington, Two Moors and Buxton. Consone are Artists-in-Residence at Paxton House (2023-2025) and at Saxon Shore Early Music Kenardington (2024-2027).
For the regular coffee concert at Bridport Arts Centre at 11.30am on Friday 28th November, they will be playing Haydn’s String Quartet in G minor, and for the two full-length concerts at Ilminster Arts Centre that evening, and Crewkerne Dance House on Saturday 29th, both at 7.30pm, they will be playing Hugo Wolf’s Italian Serenade, Mozart’s String Quartet No 18 in A major and Beethoven’s String Quartet in B-flat major, Op 130
Just your average bloke
BRIDPORT
GEOFF Norcott is that very rare thing on the UK comedy scene—he is a Conservative! But coming out as a right-winger hasn’t impeded his career too badly, and he is now on a new tour, Basic Bloke 2—There’s no Bloke without Fire—coming to the Electric Palace at Bridport on Saturday 15th November.
He revealed his political alignment in 2013, when he was nominated for Best New Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival for Geoff Norcott. Occasionally Sells
Out, which was about—among other things—the fact he was now a Conservative voter. He also took this show to the Edinburgh Fringe.
This new national tour 2025-2026 for a regular star of Have I Got News For You, The Last Leg, Would I Lie to You?, Live At The Apollo, 8 Out of 10 Cats, The News Quiz, Geoff Norcott’s Working Men’s Club and many more, is his first tour under a Labour government, so he’s got plenty to get off his chest!
Geoff is also taking advantage of the rediscovered tolerance towards jokes being jokes to tell you what he really thinks. How much he judges people. Bad parents, people who eat too much, anyone who wears a dressing gown beyond 9am ... it’s fair to say the gloves are off.
Unlike most sequels, Basic Bloke 2 will move beyond some of the themes of the original (while fully aware that a comedian doing a ‘sequel’ at all is a bit ridiculous). He’s been moving in male mental health circles for a while, but while they’re all saying blokes should ‘check in’ on each other, he’s wondering what happens if you do ‘check in’ all the time but they mainly want to send you politically incorrect memes.
When two equals 13 HONITON
DON’T expect a crowded stage when Blackheart Orchestra comes to Honiton’s Beehive centre on Saturday 8th November—there are only two of them, but these talented multi-instrumentalists between them play up to 13 instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, bass and bowed guitars, piano, organ, vintage synthesisers, omnichord, melodica, glockenspiel and electric percussion.
Chrissy Mostyn and Rick Pilkington draw on a kaleidoscopic range of influences from Pink Floyd and Kate Bush to contemporary minimalist composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass. The duo combine folk and rock roots with electronica and classical.
They are supported by Foxpalmer, a London-based band playing a blend of rock, Americana-style folk and indie, to create a sound that is as striking and captivating as it is different. Their debut album, Dark Tides, is released this year.
Biscuits and home
LITTON CHENEY
BISCUITS are a familiar feature of most European culinary traditions and they have a special place in the heart of Croatian actress Tina Hofman, who brings her one-woman show, Pepper and Honey, to Litton Cheney Community Hall on Sunday 30th November—appropriately in the afternoon, at 2.30pm. Tea and biscuits anyone?
Ana has been on a journey. Born in Croatia, she has arrived in the UK, determined to make it home, But as she focuses on life in this new land, she is haunted by the voice of her grandmother—calling for her to stay true to her national identity and yearning for Ana to come home.
As Grandma bakes her traditional Croatian pepper biscuits (believed to bring a loved one back home), will this be enough to be reunited with her granddaughter? But what is “home” to Ana now?
Pepper and Honey is a poignant, subtle and timely play about the journey, familiar in these troubled times to so many migrants and refugees, of change, cultural differences and the conflict between upholding the traditions of the “old country” and embracing those of the new.
And, with perfect timing, Croatian pepper biscuits are baked during the show and with the help of the audience.
Blackheart Orchestra comes to Honiton in November
Jazz and soul by the sea LYME REGIS
THE Jazz by the Sea programme at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, brings the acclaimed Fabulous Red Diesel to Dorset on Sunday 16th November.
Playing an appealing blend of jazz and soul, the band released an eighth studio album, Goddess the Seahorse, in 2024, and a new live album this year, and is fast becoming one of the most talked about bands on the circuit.
With vocals that hint at iconic voices from Barbara Streisand to Eartha Kitt, beautiful original songs and sophisticated arrangements, the Fabulous Red Diesel opened for The James Taylor Quartet and sold out Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s three times.
They have played Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Rye and Sidmouth Jazz Festivals, as well as appearances at Boomtown, Small World, The Green Gathering and Glastonbury. Ian Bowden of Sidmouth Jazz Festival described them as “an amazing and original band with excellent musicianship, outstanding arrangements and infectious grooves.”
Young cello star with BSO EXETER
A RISING star of the cello, Hugo Svedberg, joins the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Thursday
13th November, at Exeter University Great Hall, for a concert entitled Sunshine and Shade. He will be playing one of Tchaikovsky’s best-loved pieces, the Variations on a Rococo Theme, a work characterised by carefree charm, grace and the indomitable spirit of his idol, Mozart, filtered through his own Russian and Romantic sensibilities.
The concert, conducted by David Hill, also includes Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin, Faure’s Pelleas et Melisande Suite, and Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony (No 4)
Still in his teens, Hugo Svedberg won first prize in the national Pole Star Prize for Swedish young musicians in 2024. In the same year he appeared on BBC Young Musician. He began playing the cello aged six and studies with Adrian Brendel. He has been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and has won several competitions, including the Two Moors Festival Competition and the Bromsgrove Young Musicians Senior Platform. He is a music and academic scholar at Canford School in Dorset. In his free time he enjoys playing tennis and paddleboarding. Hugo plays a fine Tecchler cello on loan from a generous sponsor through the Beare’s International Violin Society.
Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin is perhaps one of his most personal creations and is a memorial to
Fabulous Red Diesel are coming to Lyme Regis in November
Screen Time
with Nic Jeune
Top Six at the Flix
Bridport Arts Centre
Wings of Desire (1987)
Astonishing things happen and symbolism can only work by being apparent. For me, the film is like music or a landscape: It clears a space in my mind, and in that space I can consider questions. Chicago Sun-Times. Roger Ebert.
All That Heaven Allows (1955)
All That Heaven Allows is the fountain from which directors as disparate as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Todd Haynes, and John Waters have all drunk. Slant Magazine. Eric Henderson.
Mildred Pearce (1945)
Impeccable, bleak gloss, with the supreme Crawford engineering the greatest comeback of them all. Mildred Pierce is one of the finest noir soap operas ever, with the queen of pathos shouldering the storm alone. Best Actress. TV Guide Magazine.
McCullin (2012)
While the pictures have a stark power undiminished by the passage of time, it’s the photographer’s eloquent commentary that provides the film with its most moving moments. Hollywood Reporter. Frank Scheck.
Bridport Electric Palace
I Swear (2025)
I Swear is surely destined to be one of those break out British films that does stellar business and it deserves to be seen because it is both life affirming and uplifting. Any Good Films. Simon Hooper.
Langham Wine Estate as part of Purbeck Film Festival
Withnail and I (1987)
It had a miraculously literate script whose every line deservedly became a quotable classic and the film boasts a once-in-a-lifetime combination of perfect performances. The Guardian. Peter Bradshaw.
the fallen in the First World War, including his friends and brothers. Profoundly moving, this is a work infused with love and devotion for lost loved ones.
The women who spied VILLAGES
SINGER song-writer Louise Jordan, who specialises in telling the hidden histories of women over the past couple of centuries, is touring a new show, Behind Enemy Lines, which has a four-date Artsreach tour in November, on 7th at Broadwindsor Comrades Hall, Saturday 8th at Marnhull village hall, Sunday 9th at Nether Compton and Friday 14th at Piddletrenthide’s Memorial Hall.
This new show tells the story of the women who worked as spies in occupied France during the Second World War. Based on Louise’s extensive research, the show brings the women of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to life through original song, live music and storytelling.
After the fall of France in 1940, SOE was established by Winston Churchill to ‘set Europe ablaze’. These extraordinary women were trained in sabotage, subversion and silent killing. Thirty-nine women were infiltrated into Nazi-occupied France and together their courage, daring, ingenuity and sacrifice helped defeat Nazi terror. Behind Enemy Lines brings their stories to life...
Louise has a Masters degree in Human Rights and 10 years’ experience touring the UK and Europe. She accompanies herself on guitar and keyboard, and has released seven recordings gaining national radio play on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show & Radio 4.
In 2016 she began touring her critically acclaimed one woman show No Petticoats Here, about extraordinary women of the First World War and in 2018 created The Hard Way, the story of working class suffragette Hannah Mitchell. In 2020, she launched Florence, to celebrate the many inspirational achievements of Florence Nightingale in her 200th anniversary year. In 2021, Louise launched a new project, Pop-Up Pedestal, challenging audiences to consider who is commemorated in our public spaces and why.
She has had commissions by many national and regional organisations, including Parliament, Dreadnought South West, the V&A Museum and Groninger Museum, and has worked with the National Trust and University of Oxford to share her approach to opening the history books and sharing hidden women’s histories through song.
Louise Jordan’s Behind Enemy Lines has two more dates in the New Forest, on Saturday 15th November, at the Jubilee Hall, Fawley, and St Marks Community Hall at Pennington, on Sunday 16th.
Oh yes it is PANTO VENUES
SINCE COVID, the pattern of event booking has changed radically, and venues around the country are trying to make sense of the new normal, which means that audiences either book months or even years in advance (usually for comedians, big musicals or rock bands) or at the very last minute.
Perhaps the one exception is the annual pantomime, which hangs onto its appeal from generation to generation. Theatres are juggling with dates. Gone is the opening-on-Boxing Day tradition, replaced by November starts to accommodate school parties and most shows now finish sometime early in January. Some families book as soon as they
have been to the annual panto, all ready for the fun 12 months down the line. They get the best prices and the widest choice of seats, even if they don’t know what the show is or who will be in it.
The 2025-26 season is now announced and costume and set makers around the country are getting ready with ever-moreinventive and spectacular colours and styles to delight children and their parents over the Christmas period.
The most popular story this year is that of Jack and the Beanstalk, and it will be performed at Exeter Northcott Theatre by Le Navet Bete from 27th November to 4th January, at Bristol’s grand Hippodrome with a starry cast led by Will Young from 6th December to 4th January, and at Weymouth Pavilion, where local favourite Jamie Riding leads the company from 19th December to 3rd January.
Peter Pan will be flying in to take the Darling children on the adventure of a lifetime at Bath Theatre Royal from 11th December to 11th January, with Tristan Gemmill as arch-baddie Captain Hook. Peter Pan is also the choice of Southampton Mayflower, where Alexandra Burke takes on the villainous role from 13th December to 4th January.
With the Octagon still closed, Westlands at Yeovil has been refitted for theatre audiences, and now it’s one of the best pantomime venues in the south west. This year’s show is Beauty and the Beast, on stage from 12th December to 4th January.
Taunton Brewhouse’s Christmas show is not a ballet. They will be staging a new stage version of the famous story of The Nutcracker, from 2nd to 28th December.
Bristol’s Old Vic Theatre has a new production of Treasure Island from 4th December to 11th January.
Younger children might enjoy the Plymouth Drum Studio production of Raymond Brigg’s Father Christmas, on stage from 27th November to 28th December at various day times.
Tickets are selling fast, so visit thetre’s websites for full details.
The Young Lit Fix
Scarlet Morning Written and illustrated by
N D Stevenson
Published by Quill Tree Books/Harper Collins Hardback £14.99
Reviewed by Nicky
Mathewson
TWO children, Viola and Wilmur, are stranded in a starving salt encrusted town called Caveat, waiting for their parents to return. They have been abandoned here longer than they can remember but still hold on to the hope that their parents will come back for them. They only have one prized possession which is a mysterious book filled with pages they don’t understand and a compartment that is locked.
Caveat used to be a town with a bustling harbour but gradually the sea turned sour and the salt crept closer and closer until there was no sight of the ocean any more. They would often walk out across the ragged floes of salt to find shipwrecks to explore for provisions, but the ocean they found didn’t resemble the one they had read about in books. It was sickly and the salt spray would burn.
One night during a ferocious storm there came a knock at the door. Viola and Wilmur knew not to open it as the day had been full of bad omens, but the door came crashing in and in its place stood a tall imposing figure of a woman peering out at them from beneath a wide brimmed hat.
Cadence Chase, captain of a fine ship with an eccentric crew of diabolical pirates. Chase is looking for something and she believes the children have it. The children need a way out of Caveat to search for their parents. Should they swap their treasured possession for a ride out of there?
N D Stevenson, the creator of Nimona, brings us a sensational, magical, pirate adventure which is the first in a duology of illustrated novels. Full of plot twists and humour this is perfect for confident readers age 9+
10% off for Marshwood Vale readers at The Bookshop on South Street, Bridport. 01308 422964 www.dorsetbooks.com
Jon Monie and Tristan Gemmill appear in Peter Pan at Bath
KING AND CONQUEROR
Review by John Davis
There is accurate history and there is watchable television but it is not often that the two meet.
Take the recent television series King and Conqueror, for example-a dramatization of the events leading up to perhaps the most famous date in British history, 1066, and the Battle of Hastings.
Now I am no medieval historian but there appears to be strange anomalies here. Would the Pope have made Edward the Confessor into a saint had he known he was really a psychopath guilty of matricide? Would Harold’s brother Tostig, Earl of Northumberland, have been able to control volatile hordes of northerners when his screen persona is more akin to someone who has just left school? Did William’s half-brother, wan and simpering Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, suddenly morph into a man capable of fighting alongside William at Hastings and then to become a Crusader? Well maybe not.
To tempt the viewer in, Episode One opens with a terrifying and noisy combat scene from the ‘battle’. Not exactly a spoiler, because we know how this is going to end and not in a pleasant way for one of the chief protagonists.
This is followed by some seven episodes of eleventh century conniving, betrayal, general skullduggery, wheeling and dealing and marriage negotiations mostly conducted inside candlelit castle rooms where it is difficult to see the characters let alone their facial expressions. What is it with lighting budgets on productions these days? At least some of the lengthy conversations could have been done out in the open affording both attractive scenery and more natural light. Although, perhaps not, as the weather in the eleventh century always seems to be dark, wet and blowy on both sides of the English Channel. (Well, actually Iceland in this case.)
Cast-wise, James Norton (Harold) always gives one hundred per cent and I liked the fact an actor, not perhaps so well known to some British audiences, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, was selected for the role of William. Eddie Marsan, more accustomed to playing strong characters, seems a strange choice for King Edward while Juliet Stevenson (Lady Emma) hypes it up with a passable
impression of Cruella De Vil on a bad day. Great support from other female leads comes from Emily Beecham, Clemence Poesy and as always Clare Holman.
Costumes look appropriate throughout although I’m not sure royalty and nobility in those days were guilty of so much dressing down. Make-up must have been minimal as everyone appears grubby and in need of a good hair wash and tidy and it amazes me in all historical film productions how age, illness, violence, disfigurement frequently ravages characters but never seems to prevent them from displaying a surgery-fresh set of teeth.
The close-up scenes of the battle itself are impressively done giving a convincing portrayal of how noisy, gory and intense one-to-one warfare must have been in those days especially with no discernible livery to differentiate the sides. The use of CGI (computer generated imagery) is less effective. The aerial views of the battlefield are blurred and give little indication of how each commander directed the conflict tactically and the view of the huge fleet supposedly gathered to transport William’s invading army looks nothing more than fluffy cotton-wool cumulus clouds on the horizon. The appearance of what was to become known as Halley’s comet arrives conveniently but six months later than records actually state and of course there is the travesty of Harold’s fateful arrow. I can hear the production crew discussion now: “Well, it’s on the Bayeux Tapestry, so we’ll have to include it somewhere”. An entirely wrong time and means to get the ‘point’ across, I’m afraid, and most possibly historically inaccurate anyway.
King and Conqueror; written by David Mar Stefansson; directed by Erik Leijonborg; BBC/IPlayer; eight episodes.
Postscript: If you have the staying power, see it through and enjoy it as the drama it is intended to be. Get to the end of Episode Eight first and then take out your authoritative sources and texts and research what actually came to pass in 1066 when Saxon and Norman cultures became inextricably conjoined.
Campaign to restore Dorset’s rivers and wetlands
Dorset Wildlife Trust has launched Water for Wildlife, an urgent campaign to protect and restore Dorset’s rivers, wetlands, and coastal habitats. The campaign highlights the importance of water for both wildlife and people and calls on the public to support vital restoration work.
Dorset’s waterways are under growing pressure from pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Agricultural run-off and sewage discharges are damaging rivers, seas and harbours causing algal blooms that harm wildlife and disrupt ecosystems. Under 15% of Dorset’s rivers are in favourable ecological condition, putting species such as beavers, otters, kingfishers, and water voles at risk. Over 90% of the UK’s wetlands have disappeared in the last century. These habitats, among the most biodiverse in the UK, support rare wading birds, amphibians, and dragonflies, while storing carbon, reducing flooding, and filtering pollutants.
Across its 42 nature reserves and the wider countryside, Dorset Wildlife Trust works with landowners and conservation partners to restore river flows, create wetlands, and improve water quality. Volunteers are central to these projects, carrying out surveys, practical conservation work, and habitat restoration.
The campaign builds on previous successes. At Wild Woodbury in Bere Regis, pioneering restoration of the River Sherford headwaters created resilient wetlands, improved water quality, and supported wildlife including lapwings, snipe, frogs, dragonflies, and freshwater invertebrates. At Kingcombe Meadows, restored ponds have boosted biodiversity, supported amphibians and insects, and provided vital breeding and feeding grounds. Tadnoll & Winfrith Heath is the next phase — building on lessons learned at Wild Woodbury, the Trust is rewetting and restoring floodplains to expand wetland habitats, improve water quality, and support a wider diversity of wildlife.
Head of Wilder Landscapes, Rob Farrington said, “Wild Woodbury demonstrated how effective wetland restoration can be for water quality and wildlife. At Tadnoll Heath, Dorset Wildlife
Trust will build on that success to create more habitats, strengthen ecosystems, and ensure Dorset’s rivers and wetlands thrive for generations to come. Public support is essential to make this possible.
Donations to the campaign will fund practical restoration, including leaky dams, ditch-blocking, and re-establishing natural river flows, bringing cleaner water, climate resilience, and richer biodiversity back to Dorset.
For more information or to donate, visit: https:// www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/appeals/water-wildlife
The River Hooke, photograph by James Burland
Vintage large wooden step ladder 7 treads 6/7ft tall. Very good condition. £50. (buyer collects). 01460 220635. Vintage wooden ladder. 18ft long. Good condition. (buyer collects) £45. 01460 220635.
Large Red Rug. Beautiful super taj pattern 3.66m x 2.74m purchased from John Lewis. Very good condition can email photo. Bargain £250 ono Tel 01297 489257.
Gents Scarpa walking boots, size 12, gortex lined, little used £30. Two large hard shell suitcases,approx.60cm w x80cm L.Used only once.£10 each. Gazco
Logic gas fire with black contemporary surround. Fits standard flue. Cost £700 but now no longer needed. Free marble panel and hearth.£125 or best offer. Blacksmiths leg vice 105 cm long to fit bench. £70. Also other old files etc. to sell. Tel.01308 423849.
For sale vgc Cath Kidston watch in box £35 old Tipton bear £15 Jemima Puddleduck miniature collectable teapot also Peter Rabbit miniature teapot £8 each ring 07814537404. Free for collection. Two Square metres of
FOR SALE
non-slip floor tiles. Tile size 600mm x 300mm. Light stone colour, matt ceramic. Ideal for small porch or cloakroom. Tel: Dorchester 01305 608484.
HPDeskjet 2130
All-in-One Series Printer, Print, Copy and Scan, with two new ink cartridges, £25, Ilminster, 07929 330184.
Panasonic Digital Cordless Phone
KX-TG6812, with Two Handsets, (cost £69.99), still boxed as new - just over a year old. £25.00 for quick sale. Ilminster, Tel 07929 330184.
Bosch Garden Shredder, Model ATX Rapid. Hardly used, Powerful 2200 watt motor, 240 volts, excellent condition with wheel’s, mulch collection bag and instruction manual, £125 ono, Maiden Newton, Tel. 01300 346612.
Shooting Stick/ seat, virtually as new, adjustable 21”-32” from detachable soggy ground plate to seat, suitable for use up to 20 stone (127 kilos), aluminium and leather construction. £27. Dorchester 7775 318683. Can be posted. Brand new unused tyre and unused wheel. Tyre size 225/75r 16c. £50 tel: 07522896755 (Seaton).
Leather sofa, traditional tan colour. Extremely comfortable. Vgc. £295. Phone 07816873161 Bridport.
Free to CollectorCareco Elixir Bath Lift, used twice. Cost £200 + £60 assembly. Free 07816873161 Bridport.
Yeoman Log Burner and Flue £200.00 o.n.o 3ft Divan Bed,Mattress and Headboard £30.00 o.n.o Colyton 01297 551455.
Exercise bike for sale £25. Seaton 01297 625879.
17inch Diamond alloy wheel and tyre 5 spoke 215x50xr17 £65 Phone 01308 422997. Or 07748 605477. Hall/Lounge Table Light oak. Two drawers and bottom shelf. L 39” W 17” H 32”. Good condition. £25.00. Crewkerne. 07891 705598.
David Shepherd, painting in frame. (Nine Elms, The Last Hours). £20.00. ph 07494 057654.
5 Staghorn sumac trees, (approx 3ft high) = £30. 6 Staghorn sumac trees (approx 7ft + high) = £70. Phone 07494 057654. Stress less beige leather 2 seater recliner sofa. Excellent condition. £200. Yeovil. Tel. 07704332979. Folding bed: 30” wide, 3” thick foam mattress (with Fire Regs Label) and 4 wheels, only used 3 times, vgc, £30. Tel: 01460 74464.
For articles for sale, where the sale price is under £1000 (Private advertisers only — no trade, motor, animals, firearms etc) simply email the details to info@marshwoodvale.com. Unfortunately due to space constraints there is no guarantee of inclusion of all free ads. We reserve the right to withhold advertisements.
For guaranteed classified advertising please use ‘Classified Ads’ form or email info@marshwoodvale.com.
GRAZING LAND
Free grazing and stables available. Would suit two small ponies. 5 Miles west of Bridport
Please Tel 01297 489257 for more info.
WRITING
Budding Authors.
Writing an interesting story, the past achievements of an organisation or a family history for self-publishing and need some advice with style, layout and editing? Contact freelance author and editor John Davis on johndavis77@ btinternet.com.
CHIMNEY SWEEP WANTED
Vintage & antique textiles, linens, costume buttons etc. always sought by Caroline Bushell. Tel. 01404 45901. Jan 25
RESTORATION
FURNITURE.
Antique restoration and bespoke furniture. Furniture carefully restored and new commissions undertaken. French polishing and modern hand finishes.
Phil Meadley. 01297 560335. phil.meadley@btinternet.com
Secondhand tools. All trades and crafts. Old and modern. G. Dawson. 01297 23826. www.secondhandtools. co.uk. Mar
Dave buys all types of tools 01935 428975 Mar
Coin & Stamp Collections
Wanted
Discerning collector / investor seeks pre-war collections of stamps and coins. Individual items considered. Tel Rod on 01308 863790 or 07802261339. Mar 26
