Sherborne Times January 2018

JANUARY 2018 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

GROWTH MARKET Meeting Sherborne's Stallholders

sherbornetimes.co.uk

WELCOME

S

o here we are, and so soon it seems. An untouched year lies at our feet like powder snow. Will we charge through, shaking branches, laughing as we go, or pace preoccupied, eyes front, and head swimming?

Perhaps we’ll tread carefully and gratefully into the newness, each crunching, squeaking step a reminder of our place in it all and the indelible difference we make.

This month we put names to familiar faces and meet the stallholders of Sherborne’s Thursday and Saturday markets. A town’s market can be a defining characteristic, a lifeblood that brings with it a sense of cohesion and ritual. Those of us – myself often included – who pace preoccupied, eyes front, and head swimming, would do well to slow or even stop, just long enough to buy an apple, a loaf, a fish, some flowers. You’d be surprised how good it makes you feel.

This year the Sherborne Times celebrates its 10th anniversary, and for that I am grateful to you all.

Here’s to a wonderful 2018.

Glen Cheyne, Editor editor@sherbornetimes.co.uk @sherbornetimes

CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard Photography Katharine Davies Feature writer Jo Denbury Editorial assistant Helen Brown Illustrations Elizabeth Watson Print Pureprint Distribution team David Elsmore Christine Knott Sarah Morgan Mary & Roger Napper Alfie Neville-Jones Maggie Pelly Claire Pilley Geoff Wood Contact 01935 315556 @sherbornetimes editor@sherbornetimes.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk

Homegrown Media Ltd 81 Cheap Street Sherborne Dorset DT9 3BA Sherborne Times is printed on Edixion Offset, an FSC® and EU Ecolabel certified paper. It goes without saying that once thoroughly well read, this magazine is easily recycled and we actively encourage you to do so.

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither Sherborne Times nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

Sherborne Times does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior permission from Sherborne Times.

Additional photography: contributor's own, Shutterstock and iStock 4 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Sarah Attwood Thrive Health and Wellness @thrivehw thrivehealthwellness.co.uk

Annie Gent Sherborne Preparatory School @Sherborneprep sherborneprep.org

Simon Barber Evolver Magazine @SimonEvolver evolver.org.uk

Sue Hawkett Weldmar Hospicecare Trust @weldmar weld-hospice.org.uk

David Birley Elisabeth Bletsoe Sherborne Museum @SherborneMuseum sherbornemuseum.co.uk

Peter Henshaw & Mike Riley Riley’s Cycles @rileyscycles rileyscycles.co.uk @DCNSherborne dcn.org.uk

Richard Bromell ASFAV Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers @CharterhouseAV charterhouse-auction.com

Sarah Hitch The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms @SanctuaryDorset thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk

Bill Brown

Mark Lewis Symonds & Sampson @symsam symondsandsampson.co.uk

Mike Burks The Gardens Group @TheGardensGroup thegardeneronline.co.uk Michelle and Rob Comins Comins Tea House @cominsteahouse cominstea.com Gillian M Constable DWT Sherborne Group @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk David Copp Jenny Dickinson Dear to Me Studio, Fine Stationery @DearToMeStudio deartome.co.uk Maeve England Mogers Drewett Solicitors @mogersdrewett md-solicitors.co.uk Eleanor Farr Oxley Sports Centre @OxleySports oxleysc.com Jimmy Flynn Milborne Port Computers @MPortComputers computing-mp.co.uk Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.)

CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS Fort Financial Planning ffp.org.uk Andy Foster BSC(Hons) BA(Hons) BArch(Hons) CEng MIStructE RIBA Raise Architects @raisearchitects raisearchitects.com May Franklin-Davis Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Paul Gammage & Anita Light EweMove Sherborne @ewemoveyeovil ewemove.com Jan Garner Sherborne Scribblers John Gaye Sherborne Literary Society @SherborneLitSoc sherborneliterarysociety.com

Gemma Loader BVetMed MRCVS Kingston Veterinary Group @TheKingstonVets kingstonvets.co.uk Loretta Lupi-Lawrence The Sherborne Rooms thesherbornerooms.com Sasha Matkevich The Green Restaurant @greensherborne greenrestaurant.co.uk Jemima Munro BSc Phys (Hons), MCSP, HCPC registered The London Road Clinic @56londonroad 56londonroad.co.uk Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership @swanhousevet newtonclarkevet.com Kitty Oakshott Upstairs Downstairs Interiors @updowninteriors updowninteriors.co.uk Lindsay Punch Lindsay Punch Styling @stylistmum lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk Kate Reynolds Leweston School @LewestonSchool leweston.co.uk Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom Glencairn House Clinic glencairnhouse.co.uk doctortwrobinson.com Paul Stickland Black Shed Flowers @NaughtyDinosaur blackshedflowers.blogspot.co.uk Val Stones @valstones bakerval.com Wayne Winstone Winstone’s Books @winstonebooks winstonebooks.co.uk

62 8

What’s On

JANUARY 2018 52 Antiques

119 Finance

18 Shopping Guide

56 Gardening

121 Tech

20 Profile - Pete Chell

62 SHERBORNE MARKET

122 Directory

22 Wild Dorset

70 Food & Drink

126 Short Story

26 Family

80 Animal Care

127 Literature

28 Unearthed

84 On Foot

128 Crossword

38 History

88 Cycling

129 Pause for Thought

40 Interiors

90 Body & Mind

130 Councillor David Birley

48 Architecture

108 Property

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5

SA Don’t miss the big Yeovil Audi

Over 300 New, Demonstrator and Approved Used models across the Audi range.

Don’t miss out. Visit yeovilaudi.co.uk/sale

Yeovil Audi. Look No Further.

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Audi range: Urban 16.1-65.7 (7.5-4.3), Extra Urban 30.4-83.1 (9.3-3.4), Combined 23.0-76.3 (12.3-3.7). CO2 emissions: 287-97g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Optional wheels may

ALE Yeovil Audi Houndstone Business Park, Mead Avenue, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8RT

01935 574981

yeovilaudi.co.uk ď‚ ď‚‚

affect emissions and fuel consumption figures. Images are shown for illustration purposes only. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. Accurate at time of publication [December 2017].

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 8 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

JANUARY 2018 Listings

Sherborne Twinning Association

Wednesday 10th 7.30pm

____________________________

Present: Epiphany Party

Cinematheque film - Paterson

First Thursday of each month

Memorial Hall, Digby Rd. Sponsored by

Yeovil College. A small cinematic

music with The Drovers. Tickets £12.50

sublime film from the triumphs and

9.30am (starting 4th Jan) Networking Group Outside Olivers coffee shop. Need some inspiration for the New Year? Want to meet other small business owners and

Sherborne Twinning Association. Live

(inc. hot supper & a glass of wine) from TIC Sherborne.

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miracle. Jim Jarmusch conjures up a

setbacks of daily life. Non-members £5 01935 421905 cinematheque.org.uk

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entrepreneurs? We use the footpaths

Monday 8th 9.30am-3.30pm

Thursday 11th 2.30pm

around Sherborne or quieter areas of the

West Country Embroiderers -

(doors open at 2pm)

town to walk and talk. It’s free, we just

Working on Unfinished Projects

Sherborne Museum Winter Talk

ask that you bring the desire to move

& Inspiration Day

series - “Prison For The Poor:

your business forward as well as helping

Sherborne’s Bridewell and its

others to do the same. Updates on:

Digby Hall, Hound Street. West

Subsequent History”

Facebook @yourtimelifecoaching Instagram

Country Embroiderers Sherborne & District meet on the 2nd Monday of

each month with an optional workshop

Raleigh Hall, Digby Road. With speaker

£15 payable in advance. New members

Barry Brock. Admission: £5, members free. Tea and cake provided.

#yourtimecoaching Twitter @yt_coaching

____________________________ First Thursday of each month 2pm-3.30pm

very welcome. Details: Ann 01963 34696 ____________________________

____________________________ Thursday 11th 2.30pm

“My Time” Carers’ Support Group

Sherborne District Gardeners’

The Shielings, The Avenue, DT9 3AJ.

Assoc. Meeting

Good company, advice, information,

Castle Gardens on The Garden Centre

Drop in for a coffee, cake and a chat.

Digby Hall, Hound Street. Talk by

relaxed atmosphere and more, just for

Year. 01935 389375

you! For more information call Sarah

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01935 601499 or Richard 01935 816321 ____________________________ Monday 1st 2pm

Wednesday 10th 7.30pm

New Year’s Day Guided

ArtsLink Flicks -

Town Walk

My Cousin Rachel (12a)

From Sherborne Abbey porch. Walk off

Memorial Hall, Digby Rd. A young

Sherborne’s history north of the Abbey

late cousin’s mysterious, beautiful widow,

the seasonal indulgences and explore

with Blue Badge Guide Cindy. No need to book, just turn up! £5. 01935 815341 sherbornewalks.co.uk

____________________________ Saturday 6th 2.30pm

Englishman plots revenge against his

believing her responsible for his death.

Based on a novel by Daphne du Maurier. £6 from Sherborne TIC 01935 815341.

Pre-film supper £12. sherborneartslink.org.uk ____________________________

Thursday 11th 8pm Sherborne Historical Society -

The Queen’s Bodyguard

King Canute: Denmark, England

of the Yeoman of the Guard

and the Conquest of 1016

Digby Hall, Hound St. Blackmore Vale

Digby Hall, Hound Street. Talk by Dr

members welcome. Annual fee £5. 01935

who became one of the great European

and Yeovil National Trust Assoc. talk. New 425383 bvyntmembership@outlook.com

____________________________ Saturday 6th 7pm

Ken Lawson on the Danish Canute,

figures of his time. SHS members: free.

Non-members: £5.

____________________________ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 9

WHAT'S ON Friday 12th

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Free Facial Friday

Thursday 25th 7.30pm

The Sherborne Rooms, 56 Cheap Street.

Sherborne Floral Group - talk

mini facial using Neal’s Yard Remedies.

“Chelsea” & A.G.M.

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for further details

30 minute slots with skin consultation and

& slide show, Pat Cherrett

Booking essential 07545 328447

Catholic Church Hall. 01935 812722

Sunday 14th 11am-4pm

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performances and screenings in support

of Sherborne Food Bank. Tonight - Rory will be talking about travel writing and his UK best sellers “Stalin’s Nose” and

“Under the Dragon” as well as “Berlin: Imagine a City”, a Washington Post

Book of the Year. Tastings, dumplings, samosas and bakes from COMINS

TEA. Handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and

Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel

Thursday 25th 8pm

Centre Open Day

Sherborne Historical Society

Oborne Road, Sherborne DT9 3RX.

- The Unification of Italy 1871:

pie & mulled wine. There is limited

available nearby on Oborne Road. List

Dr David Laven on the tensions

at The Lighthouse, Poole

a united Italy came into being. SHS

Ballet. Trip includes coach from and

cocktails from FORAGER SPIRIT. Suggested voluntary donation £7.

Entry by donation, to include a mince

A New Look At Its Inherent Problems

Sunday 28th 12.35pm

parking on site, additional parking

Digby Hall, Hound Street. Talk by

Ballet Trip - Swan Lake

of open days at ssmc.co.uk

between the myths and realities of how

Performed by St Petersburg Classical

members: free. Non-members: £5.

return to Sherborne and tickets for the

____________________________

sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk

____________________________ Friday 26th 7pm for 7.30pm Mayor’s Quiz Night to benefit The Rendezvous & The Friends

Wednesday 17th 7.30pm Cinematheque film - Julieta Yeovil College. Enthralling meditation

on the mechanics of memory, grief and alienation, from stories by Nobel Prize

winner Alice Munro. Non-members £5 01935 421905 cinematheque.org.uk

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matinee performance at 2.30pm. £56/£51 Friends from Sherborne ArtsLink 01935 815899 sherborneartslink.org.uk

____________________________

of the Yeatman Hospital

Planning ahead…

Digby Memorial Church Hall, Digby

____________________________

the night & we can put you in a team.

Shape & Style Class

gluten free alternative, available from

when shopping by only trying on and

Road. Teams of 6 people or come on

Thursday 1st February 7.30pm

Tickets £10 to include fish & chips or

Sherborne venue. Save time and money

Mid West Office Supplies, 21 Cheap

buying clothes you feel good in. Email

Street. Wine, soft drinks, raffle. Email charityquizsh@gmail.com

info@lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk for more info ____________________________ Friday 2nd February 11am

Thursday 18th 10am

Sherborne Snowdrop Service of

Ramblers Walk

Remembrance and Thanksgiving

Meet at Kings Arms Pub, Thornford

Sherborne Abbey. Hosted by Sherborne

Bradford Abbas, and Clifton Maybank.

example of organisations working

DT9 6QD. 5.5mile walk via Wyke Farm,

Churches Together, this is a marvellous

01935 415612 southsomersetramblers.org.uk

together to support those who have been bereaved. All are welcome. Members of

____________________________

staff from Weldmar Hospicecare, Marie

Wednesday 24th 7.30pm Sherborne Science Café: The Geology of the Origin of Life

Saturday 27th January 6pm -10pm

Raleigh Hall, Digby Road. Dr Martin

Other Side with Rory Maclean

sherborne.scafe@gmail.com

DT9 5JB. A series of free talks, live

Gledhill, retired General Practitioner.

10 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Church Studio, Haydon, nr Sherborne

Curie, the Yeatman Hospital and Cruse

will take part in the service which will be followed by refreshments.

____________________________

JANUARY 2018 Workshops and classes ____________________________

Children

Please share your recommendations and contacts via facebook.com/Sherborne-Parents or mail@sherborneparents.com

Thursdays 2.30pm-4pm (first session in New Year is 12th Jan) ArtsLink Parkinson’s Dance Tinney’s Lane Youth Centre, Sherborne.

A fun, supportive and therapeutic class with movement specifically designed

for those experiencing the symptoms of Parkinson’s. These sessions, led by

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____________________________

Sundays 11am-1pm

Fridays 10.30am-11am

Art Club@Thornford

Rhyme Time under 2’s

No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford

Sherborne Library. Rhyme time sessions

a passion for art who want to improve

2 with their parents and carers (but all

DT9 6QE. Aimed at youngsters with their drawing and painting. Fun and

informal. 8 years and upwards welcome.

All materials provided. £15 for 1 hour

or £30 for 2 hours. Call 07742 888302, email alicockrean@gmail.com or visit

are aimed at babies and toddlers under children are welcome). The session is

based on sharing nursery rhymes, action songs, musical instruments and board books. It is fun, interactive and noisy!

____________________________

alicockrean.co.uk for more info.

Saturdays 10.30am-12pm &

____________________________

Sundays 12.15pm-2pm

with a cup of tea and social time. Free

Tuesdays during term time

Float Session

with donations welcome. New people

from 9.30am-11.30am

welcome. Find out more from ArtsLink

Baby and Toddler Group

Oxley Sports Centre. Fun family time

01935 815899. sherborneartslink.org.uk

____________________________

Nether Compton Village Hall. A small

Thursday evenings

and friendly group with plenty of toys

as well as crafts, songs and snack time.

fully trained specialists, are finished

7.30pm-9.30pm Art Club@Thornford for Adults No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford

with floats available. Please call centre to check times before going, on 01935 818 270 or 818 277

____________________________

Do come along! £2 per child (50p per additional sibling)

____________________________

DT9 6QE. Tutored art with Ali

Cockrean. Suitable for all abilities,

including beginners. Pay as you go, £10 per session (tuition only) or

Thursday 11th 7pm

places. Please call 07742 888302,

January Detox? Don’t Do It

alicockrean.co.uk for more info.

With our nutritionist Hayley. Ticket

your features by wearing colour and how

£15 (materials included). Limited

Sherborne Rooms Workshop -

email alicockrean@gmail.com or visit

The Sherborne Rooms, 56 Cheap St.

____________________________

price £10 to include a light meal & a

Saturday 13th

and advice also available.

Booking essential via thrivehealthwellness.

To book call 01935 508249, email

Thursday 11th 7.30pm

____________________________

theslippedstitch.co.uk

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-12pm Knit & Natter at The Slipped Stitch The Julian, Cheap St, Sherborne.

to make the most of colours you already

own. Email info@lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk for more info

____________________________

glass of something. Winter skincare care

Kickstart Your Health workshop

____________________________

co.uk/events

info@theslippedstitch.co.uk or online

Colour & Style Class

Thursday 18th 7.30pm Make-up in 10

____________________________

Sherborne venue. Boost your confidence by learning how to bring out the best of

Sherborne venue. Look good and feel sherbornetimes.co.uk | 11

WHAT'S ON great by learning a quick, everyday and

all instruments. £10 in advance or £12

up products in 10 minutes. Email info@

laurelswift.co.uk

flawless make-up routine, with 10 makelindsaypunchstyling.co.uk for more info

____________________________

on the door. Contact Julia 01935 817905 ____________________________

Thursday 25th 7.30pm

Fairs and markets

‘How To Build A Capsule

____________________________

Wardrobe’ workshop

Thursdays and Saturdays

Sherborne venue. Learn how to create

Pannier Market

wardrobe and wearing everything in it.

effortless style by streamlining your

The Parade

Every third Saturday 9.30am-4pm

____________________________

Monthly Book Fair

Email info@lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk for

Thursday mornings 9.00am-11.15am

Church Hall, Digby Road. New, second-

____________________________

Church Hall, Digby Road

more info

Country Market

Saturday 28th 1.30pm-4.30pm

____________________________

hand and antiquarian books. 01803

613356 colinbakerbooks@btinternet.com

____________________________

Sherborne Folk Band workshop

Every third Friday in

Every fourth Saturday

Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road

each month 9am-1pm

(exc. April & December) 9am-4pm

DT9 3NL. Learn to play folk tunes

Farmers’ Market

Saturday Antiques & Flea Market

by ear, experiment with chords and

arrangements. Suitable for all levels and

Cheap Street

____________________________

Church Hall, Digby Rd

____________________________

At the Corn Exchange January 2018 CODEBREAKERS DR MARK BALDWIN

Sunday 21 January, 2.30pm The story of Enigma, Germany’s secret cipher machine

KINETICS

GALA PREMIER & SECOND SHOWING Wednesday 10 January, Friday 12 Jan, 6.00pm Based on one women’s reaction to early-onset Parkinson’s

For full event listings, visit our website

A VIENNESE WHIRL SWANSEA CITY OPERA

Saturday 20 January, 8.00pm Evoking the magic and music of Vienna

Dorchester Arts, The Corn Exchange, High East Street, Dorchester DT1 1HF Dorchesterarts | 01305 266926 | dorchesterarts.org.uk 12 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

JANUARY 2018 Sport

Sherborne Town FC

____________________________

1st IV. Toolstation Western League

Premier Division. Raleigh Grove, The

Every Sunday 9am Digby Etape Cycling Club Ride From Riley’s Cycles. 20 - 30 miles,

Sherborne RFC

bike recommended. Facebook: Digby

Gainsborough Park, The Terrace Playing

Terrace Playing Fields. sherbornetownfc.com Toolstation Western League Premier

average 12 to 15 mph. Drop bar road

1st IV. Southern Counties South Division.

Etape Sherborne Cycling Club or text

Fields. pitchero.com/clubs/sherbornerfc

Sherborne v

Saturday 13th

Roman Glass St George (H)

____________________________

Sherborne v Trowbridge (H)

Saturday 13th

Every Tuesday and Thursday

Saturday 20th

Chard v Sherborne (A)

7.30pm–8.30pm

Walcot v Sherborne (A)

Saturday 20th

Mixed Touch Rugby

Saturday 27th

Bishop Sutton v Sherborne (A)

Sherborne School Floodlit Astroturf,

Sherborne v Corsham (H)

Wednesday 31st (kick-off 7.30pm)

____________________________

Roman Glass St George v

Mike 07443 490442

Ottery Lane. DT9 6EE. Novices very welcome. £2 per session, first four

Division 3pm start Saturday 6th

Sherborne (A)

sessions free. Visit sherbornetouch.org or

____________________________

call Jimmy on 07887 800803

____________________________

DAYS OUT & HOLIDAYS with TAYLORS COACH TRAVEL ____________________________ Crab Fest, Salcombe Sunday 6th May Adult £22.00, Club £20.00

____________________________ Lynton & Lynmouth Sunday 13th May Adult £21.00, Club £19.00

____________________________

Short Breaks

Day Trips

____________________________

____________________________

Diana: Her Fashion Story,

Cardiff Shopper

Kensington & Afternoon Tea

Saturday 14th April

11th - 12th May

Adult £21.00, Club £19.00

2 Days - £185.00

____________________________

____________________________

Tiverton Horse

Harry Potter Weekend

Drawn Barge

14th July - 15th July

Saturday 28th April

2 Days - £155.00

Adult £32.00, Club £30.00

____________________________

____________________________

Compton Acres & Poole Sunday 27th May Adult £23.50, Club £21.50

____________________________

2018 brochures available now. Book early to avoid disappointment

01935 423177 www.taylorscoachtravel.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 13

PREVIEW In association with

Nicole Guarino. Masks by Dorothee Brodrück

MARK BRUCE COMPANY: MACBETH 25th-27th January Merlin Theatre, Bath Road, Frome BA11 2HG 7.45pm £15 / £12.50. 01373 465949 merlintheatre.co.uk

With direction and choreography by visionary artistic director

into Bruce’s new production.

design, the Frome-based Mark Bruce Company’s Macbeth will

bone and, for me, it is the least ambiguous of Shakespeare’s

Mark Bruce, a cast of nine outstanding performers and dramatic realise a beautifully harrowing vision of an internal wasteland formed from the pursuit of power through ruthless means.

Drama, dance and film audiences will be drawn to Bruce’s

imaginative vision of the treacherous Macbeths’ toxic world of jealousy, ambition and corruption. Set in a supernatural and

brutal underworld, both tragic and beautiful, with a horror film atmosphere of menace and murder... all of this will be packed 14 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Mark Bruce says: “Macbeth hits you fast, cuts through to the plays. Its darkness opens our nightmares. We recognise

fundamental traits inside ourselves and the consequences of

acting upon them. The vicious pursuit of power to fill a void will always be relevant - the Macbeths are everywhere in every age, because they are a part of us.” evolver.org.uk

CHURCH STUDIO HAYDON DORSET

RORY MACLEAN

Rory will be talking about travel writing and his UK best sellers “Stalin’s Nose” and “Under the Dragon” as well as “Berlin: Imagine a City”, a Washington Post Book of the Year.

SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY 6PM -10PM (talk 7.30PM)

Tastings, dumplings, samosas and bakes from COMINS TEA Handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and cocktails from FORAGER SPIRIT In conversation with the team behind

THE FROME INDEPENDENT MARKET Music from

PILOTE SATURDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 6PM - 10PM

Alternative, emotive edibles from THE BAKEMONGER Tastings, dumplings, samosas and bakes from COMINS TEA Handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and cocktails from FORAGER SPIRIT

A series of free talks, lectures, live performances and screenings in support of

Suggested donation £7

N E W Y E A R R E S O L U T I O N

ACTIVEWEAR OPEN 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM

33 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE, DT9 3PU

I�'� ���� f��

��LE 16 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

PHONE 01935 816551

Starts on

27th December

discounts on our beautiful clothing brands

CLOTHES JEWELLERY SCARVES GIFTS HOME

Sherborne O1935 814O27 Dorchester O13O5 265223

www.melburygallery.co.uk

PROUD TO BE STOCKING LOEWE TV’S CALL IN FOR A DEMONSTRATION As a well established TV and radio shop, Godden & Curtis have been offering a wide range of audio visual sales and repair services for over 47 years.

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP Greenhill, Sherborne, DT9 4EW Tel: 01935 813451

Established in 1968 as a radio and black and white TV shop in Newland, we moved our business to our current premises on Greenhill in 1972. We have continued to deliver the high standard of service and great prices that our business was built on.

www.goddenandcurtis.co.uk

OUT NOW AND ONLINE www.bridporttimes.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 17

Shopping Guide

Bike phone holder, £8.99 The Present Finder

Himalayan pink bath salts, £4.75 Naturalife Wholefoods

Ducksday 3in1 star ski jacket, £35 & ski pants £25 Ginger & Pickle

Pukka Aloe Vera juice, £11.99 Naturalife Wholefoods

Dog collar & lead, £29-£39, Chuckit ball launcher, £9.99 Orvis

HEADLINE HERE Jenny Dickinson, Dear To Me Studio

Work off the festive excess in style. Be it swimming, cycling, yoga, gym, hiking, running, skiing or just walking the dog, Sherborne has your kit covered. deartomestudio.com 18 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Ducksday star snowsuit, £35 Ginger & Pickle

Men’s walking boots, £89.99 Mountain Warehouse

Women’s training shoes, £20 Mountain Warehouse

Canterbury men’s training top, £42.50, Canterbury women’s training top, £39, t-shirt £17.50 Sherborne Sports Centre

Barbour walking jacket, £249 Orvis

Cycle jersey, £45 Riley’s Cycles

Canterbury training pants men’s £32.50 & women’s £28.50 Sherborne Sports Centre

Varley legging, £75 & gym top, £55, S’well water bottle, £32.50 Circus

Zoggs swimsuit, £35 & swim shorts, £18 Oxley Sports Centre sherbornetimes.co.uk | 19

Profile

PETE CHELL

Evolution Aesthetics Words Jo Denbury Photograph Katharine Davies

T

ucked away on a hill between Sherborne and Corton Denham, there is to be found something of a high-tech solution for the ageold body dilemmas. Pete Chell, of Evolution Aesthetics, with the help of some highly sophisticated technology, has the ability to make our grabbable bits less grabbable.

Fat freezing or cryolipolysis is the treatment of the moment. This new, non-invasive method for eviscerating love handles, bra bulge or the generally over-indulged belly is gathering momentum. It’s pain-free to the point of some people even finding the whole process relaxing.

Pete also offers something called HIFU. ‘This is for stubborn fat, that no amount of dieting or exercise will get rid of,’ explains Pete of his other tool: High-Frequency Focused Ultrasound. It applies focussed pressure on a particular area and will destroy fat cells permanently.

The fat is liquefied and then processed by the liver and excreted as urine. It sounds like the perfect answer to sufferers of failed diets or even gym-goers with a belly bulge or arm fat that just won’t budge.

Alongside the love-handle liquidators Pete also offers a range of skin-tightening and cellulite therapies and the more traditional wrinkle removal and enhancement procedures. If not for the expansive views of rolling countryside you could be forgiven for thinking you were visiting a Harley Street clinic. Pete’s approach is considered and highly professional. ‘Everything is discussed and documented,’ says Pete. ‘This is actually a very natural way to lose fat and I want people to make informed choices about their treatment.’

A recent success story involved a young woman who suffered from excessive sweating. ‘She rang me after her treatment and said: “this has changed my life. I finally feel confident about myself ” which was brilliant to hear.

Appearance and the associated self-confidence is an important part of our lives. I want to help people achieve that,’ he explains.

20 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

“It sounds like the perfect answer to sufferers of failed diets or even gym-goers with a belly bulge”

But if like me, you are a little wary of these procedures and their side-effects, you needn’t be, you are in very good hands. Pete Chell was an operating theatre department practitioner for 27 years before he began Evolution Aesthetics in late 2016. He also happens to be a consultant teacher for the UK and Overseas Resuscitation Council. Pete actively encourages consultations – as many as may be required – to answer questions and discuss outcomes ahead of treatment.

So what does this born and bred Yeovil man do in his spare time? On Saturday mornings he and his wife – a matron at Yeovil hospital – take their grandchildren swimming. Pete loves cooking curries and in the summer volunteers as an ambulance worker at music festivals

where he has been known to hang out in the VIP tent with the likes of the super-vet Noel Fitzpatrick.

Pete’s passion though lies in enhancing our best bits. Interestingly he is finding that 25-40 year old men and women are opting for wrinkle-preventative treatment as a way to reduce ageing as it helps to prevent the very muscle habits that lead to lines and the need for fillers. The fat loss treatments also instil the motivation to then maintain the results with a healthy, active lifestyle. For some it’s a head start, for others a new beginning.

To arrange a free consultation, contact Pete on 01963 220937, info@e-a.org.uk or visit e-a.org.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 21

Wild Dorset

WINTER WONDERS

A

May Franklin-Davis, Dorset Wildlife Trust

s the cold weather deepens, it is hard to imagine how wildlife copes.

However, among the bare trees, fallen leaves and frosty ponds there’s a wealth of changes occurring. January and February may bring short days and biting winds but when the sun does shine, it’s with real clarity and the air is crisp.

One of the most eye-catching sights is the gathering of starlings, known as a murmuration. Hundreds, sometimes hundreds of thousands, flock together creating mass waves of movement in the air. The best time to catch this spectacle is just before dusk, when the birds are about to roost. Studland nature reserve offers a fantastic seat to watch the starlings in flight. Inland, fieldfares (pictured) and redwings are moving around in flocks on hedgerows and fields. Other birds, such as song thrush and tawny owl, are becoming more vocal. Song thrushes will be trying to claim territory, while the hooting of the tawny owl is simply males and females communicating with one another.

Hedgehogs and bats are among those who choose to hibernate to survive.

The cold temperatures and scarce food make the winter months challenging for non-hibernating animals. However, there are ways to help local wildlife.

Feeders filled with nuts and seeds can provide a life-line for small birds. For example, black sunflower seeds are a great source of oil while nuts provide vital protein. Many species will already be preparing for the warmer months.

Blue tits and great tits are starting to look for places to nest, so consider putting up nest boxes.

Although very rare, the purple emperor caterpillar can be found on twigs and branches awaiting warmer temperatures to undergo the transformations to become a butterfly in the summer. Easier to find are the eggs of the brown hairstreak butterfly on blackthorn and purple hairstreak butterfly on oak, as they spend the winter hibernating. Newts are waking from hibernation and moving to their mating ponds. Most plants are dormant this month so a glimpse of flowering snowdrops reminds you that spring is around the corner.

FACT FILE: • Ducks, geese and wading birds can be found in coastal wetlands: visit the nature reserve at Arne (Wareham), The Fleet (Weymouth) or Christchurch Harbour.

• Great spotted woodpecker may be doing its signature drumming in woods.

• In sheltered areas, early spring flowers can surprise and delight.

• In ponds on quiet nights frogs can be heard starting their soft croaking mating calls.

dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk 22 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 23

Wild Dorset

SHERBORNE DWT

Gillian M. Constable, Dorset Wildlife Trust Sherborne Group Committee

A

ccording to sunset tables the earliest sunset was achieved about 14th December (16.01) and so we have already gained a few minutes of evening light. Dawn, surprisingly, does not start getting earlier until about 1st January (8.16). I asked a climatologist friend the reason for this imbalance, he was most likely to know why, and did not get an answer.

DWT reserves are excellent places for a walk on a bright day and with luck the first signs of spring might be seen and perhaps a colourful sunset admired. The latest edition of the DWT Magazine describes a short walk near Holway Woods, to the north of Sherborne, on fairly level ground. The same magazine reports that four new species of bat have been recorded at Holway Woods in 2017.

The Sherborne DWT group is not having a January meeting but in February we shall be starting the 2018 programme of talks. Our talks are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month in Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road. Our first talk will be about climate change and Antarctica.

Following the Portland Observatory bird records this autumn it became apparent that something 24 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

strange was happening. On 24/10 they commented about the day list ‘the only real oddity making the list was yet another hawfinch’ and records of hawfinch have continued. These large finches with huge powerful bills are scarce in Britain. We have only seen them a couple of times and not in Dorset. The BTO says this autumn’s numbers are 12 times higher than usual and RSPB comments ‘once in a lifetime encounter.’ So, with last winter having been a waxwing winter, this one seems to be a hawfinch winter. A recent Times article suggests the best places to find them are around stands of hornbeam trees or in well-berried yew groves. ‘The Flora of Dorset’ (Bowen, 2000) indicates that the Sherborne area is one of the best for finding hornbeam trees although not one of the 36 great trees of Dorset listed in ‘Great Trees of Dorset’ is hornbeam.

Hornbeams are generally scattered over Dorset with no strong soil preference. Bowen notes that there is a large tree at Durweston. Good luck at spotting a hawfinch and always check the bird table for one if we have a hard winter. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS ON COURSE? Contact us for a pension review.

PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s PlaceWealth Management

40 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JG Tel: 01747 855554 9 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PU Tel: 01935 315315

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The Partner Practice represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. Peter Harding Wealth Management is a trading name of The Peter Harding Practice Ltd.

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 26 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

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UNEARTHED DARCY DRYDEN, AGED 12 Leweston School

W

hen Darcy moved down from Oxfordshire with her family eighteen months ago, she was already a prolific athlete, with swimming, middle distance running, cross-country and triathlon being her main focus. Now in Year 7 at Leweston School, Darcy has racked up a seemingly impossible nine National titles, two European and two World titles, all gained in 2017, whilst training as part of the Leweston Pentathlon Academy!

To say that Darcy is talented is an understatement, but this mixed with her dedication to training and a strong support network around her is the key to her amazing run of success. Darcy has been able to arrange training around her academic work, with running and swimming taking place at school, led by experienced coaches.

Darcy has quickly and easily picked up new skills with specialist one-to-one fencing and shooting lessons, also taught by professional coaches at Leweston. More recently she has had the opportunity to take up riding, the fifth element of the Modern Pentathlon, and she aims to become part of the highly successful Leweston Equestrian Team in the near future.

Darcy is still able to pursue her many other interests, including playing the piano, art and design and drama productions alongside a successful academic career. However, for now it seems that her chosen path is very much a sporting one and it is likely that Darcy Dryden will be a name to look out for in the future! leweston.co.uk

KATHARINE DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY Portrait, lifestyle, PR and editorial commissions 07808 400083 info@katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk www.katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk

28 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

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Wild Year

Turn over a new leaf and help support Dorset’s wildlife and wild places in 2018. Join Dorset Wildlife Trust today. www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/join

DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST Photo Š Paul Williams

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 29

Family

LEADING THE WAY

R

Annie Gent, Deputy Head (Pastoral), Sherborne Prep

eflecting on some of the news stories of last year, such as the various antics of Mr Trump, the bid for Catalonian independence, the ongoing tragedy of Syria and the refugee crisis, all of us in education must be wondering what the children in our care understand about the world they live in. I feel a real sense of duty to them all, to equip them for their lives as young adults so that they become outward facing, positive individuals.

We can do much more than offer a traditional classroom education.

We are able to really encourage children to think for themselves, to take a stand, to hone the art of leadership and to nurture their moral compass, so that when they reach the dizzy heights of adulthood, their sense of global awareness and their place in their own community is sound. We aim to instil in our children the realisation that they have within them the power to instigate change; however big or small, in leading and championing current affairs or issues of their day, and to stand up for what is right.

Our educational duty, even for our younger pupils, surely has to be teaching them about servant leadership and encouraging them to step up and take responsibility. Our senior pupils are certainly ready to embrace this, despite being just 12 and 13 years old, and we place great importance on our leadership programme. Children (and some grown ups!) might think of a leader being someone who leads from the front and gives orders from there, but it doesn’t take long, in discussions and workshops, for the children to come up with a plethora of different leadership styles. It is fascinating to hear them discuss the alternative examples of leadership that they have experienced and to analyse the effectiveness of different approaches in a range of situations.

Women’s equality remains a hot topic in the news, and encouraging our girls to embrace leadership opportunities within the school community and to recognise their own leadership potential is also an important part of our personal development programme at Sherborne Prep. Personal Development sessions provide the children with a freedom to explore topics in a safe non-judgmental environment that do not fall into the traditional ‘academic’ subjects and they relish this opportunity, growing in maturity and understanding with each session. Children as young as 7 are beginning to step up and look beyond themselves, seeking ways that they can offer to their community, creating a supportive, cohesive and happy environment.

2018 is the 160th anniversary of the birth of Emmeline Pankhurst, and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. I know many of our children will draw inspiration from these and many other leaders of their day, and who knows, perhaps next century they will be writing about the anniversaries of some of the children I have taught, who have gone on to make their mark in the history books. sherborneprep.org 30 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 31

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32 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Reception places available for September 2018 For more information or to arrange a private visit please contact the Headteacher, Mrs Neela Brooking on 01935 872706 or email office@thornford.dorset.sch.uk Ofsted “Outstanding”, SIAMS “Outstanding” School Games Gold Award Boot Lane, Thornford, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6QY www.thornford.dorset.sch.uk

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 33

Family

DIAMONDS ARE A BOY’S BEST FRIEND TOO Kate Reynolds Head of Leweston School

I

f men really were from Mars and women from Venus, where would they choose to send their offspring to school?

Co-ed or single sex? The arguments for and against each system will be familiar and Sherborne offers examples of both. Evidence has long suggested teenagers get better exam results from single-sex classes, although this has been more pronounced at GCSE than A level, but of course education is about a great deal more than exam results. Do girls in co-educational schools for example avoid STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) at A level because convention has it that they are unfeminine? Do some girls even exaggerate their 34 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

lack of technical or scientific understanding, thinking that being mathematically- and scientifically-challenged is attractive to the boys? ‘I just don’t get Physics…’ Are boys in co-ed classes unwilling to engage emotionally and creatively, thinking that to do so is unmanly?

Such perceptions might seem outdated to us as modern parents, but even a cursory glance at teenage popular culture will reveal from where such self-limiting conceptions may come. Even a visit to the gym is likely to involve ceaseless video images that would make a Pathé film clip seem positively emancipated.

Yet it would be a mistake to assume that gender stereotyping among pupils is the same issue over all age

groups; the youngest pupils as well as those at the top of schools often seem to have a more straightforward understanding of who they are and simpler interactions with the opposite sex. Of course by the time they reach university or the workplace, we expect them to have got the hang of themselves and each other.

Perhaps it is not surprising that it is often the angst-ridden pubescent years when things get complicated in class. Fairly straightforward up to Year 8 and increasingly grown up and considerate from the Sixth Form, National Curriculum Years 9, 10 and 11 are potentially more problematic. Unfortunately Year 11 is also GCSE year when any negative effects of

this may have lasting consequences, most obviously in disappointing results, but possibly in a pupil’s choice of A levels and consequently therefore even their careers.

It is sobering to think of potential doctors, engineers and teachers who may have been diverted off-course by transient adolescent insecurities, obsessions and fluid cultural convention.

On the other hand, many will see co-education as fundamental to the natural social development of a child. Don’t we all want to see our children comfortable and confident in their relationships with the other sex?

Co-education does not imply peace and harmony, and it is emphatically not meant to be a party. It means children getting the hang of each other’s foibles as well as qualities in ordinary day to day life: getting frustrated at each other’s stubbornness as well as marvelling at their creativity.

If they do not reach that point in good time, before they arrive at university or enter work, then we have clearly not prepared them well enough.

The diamond model is a creative solution to the question ‘which is better then?’ Boys and girls are taught in mixed groups up to a certain age (the lower point of the diamond) then in separate classes for the middle part of their schooling (usually aged 13 to 16) and then together again for the Sixth Form.

While this is not a new solution, it is one which seems to be gaining popularity, with around fifteen schools nationwide using a version of the model. In limiting the flexibility of the school with regards to class sizes in the separated years, it is expensive to operate and this may be why its uptake has been limited so far.

Many of the schools which have adopted such a system have done so at the same time as moving from single sex to co-ed. This is the case at Leweston: focused on embracing the advantages of co-ed, but unwilling to leave behind those very compelling strengths of single sex they have seen at first hand.

At Leweston, which is in the process of moving from all girls to co-ed from nursery to A level, girls and boys will be taught in separate classes from 13 to 16 (Years 9 to 11) for Maths and Sciences where gender separation has been shown to have the greatest benefit. That way, we hope that boys and girls will not only achieve their best grades but also find themselves in a position to make strong A level and career choices and their parents won’t have to choose between Mars and Venus. leweston.dorset.sch.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 35

Family

Children’s Book Review

Wayne Winstone, Winstone’s Books, Independent Bookshop of the Year 2016

The Dollmaker of Krakow by R. M. Romero (Walker Books), £12.99. For readers aged: 9+ Exclusive Sherborne Times Reader Offer Price of £11.99 from Winstone’s Books

A

n enchantingly heartrending conjuration that weaves folklore magic with the darkness of Nazioccupied Poland.

Karolina is a living doll who’s been transported from the Land of the Dolls on a “kind wind” following a cruel war with the rats.

She wakes “in her new world with a glass heart”, in the workshop of a dollmaker in Krakow, Poland. When Karolina speaks to him, the Dollmaker is certain that he’s lost his mind. He made her, after all, “and I can’t make something that comes to life,” he reasons. But Karolina explains that “gardeners do it all the time with flowers.”

Through shimmering, lyrical language, and Karolina’s consummate compassion, we are witness to a transformation in the crotchety widower Dollmaker.

He begins to smile, to make friends, to feel light and

hope. And then, when darkness descends on their city in the form of the Nazis, together they must use their newfound magic to save their friends, no matter what.

The author does not shirk from relating the brutal realities of the Jewish experience in Nazi-occupied Poland, yet the overriding message is one of hope and love, and the wondrousness of acts of kindness.

This is a sublimely big-souled book, with an exquisite ambiance of timelessness.

“It’s genuinely beautiful to read, the writing is of such high quality. The characters are incredibly well imagined and rise from the pages as fully-formed, interesting people dealing with seismic events and problems. Both worlds - that of reality and that of fantasy - are deep, rich and vivid.” winstonebooks.co.uk

Where anything is possible 'Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016’ 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128

COLOURING PAGE

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 37

History OBJECT OF THE MONTH

PAISLEY SHAWL, LATE 1800s Elisabeth Bletsoe, Curator, Sherborne Museum

T

his detail is taken from a gorgeously patterned shawl from the late C19th, 304cm long and 158cm wide. The two long sides have a narrow green border edging a deep inner paisley one, leaving a plain cream centre. The two short sides are fringed in repeating earth colours echoed in the paisley pattern. Its former owner was a Miss Harriet Ellen Brown who was born in Sherborne in 1861 and who, with her three sisters, used to live at the Castle Hotel in Long Street, which her mother Eliza managed after the death of her husband in 1870. At least one of the sisters used to borrow the shawl to wear as a cloak, according to the donor, Harriet’s daughter, Madge.

The striking boteh symbol, similar to a teardrop, originated in Persia as early as 1700 BCE and combined floral elements with a stylised cypress tree. Many cultures have used and adapted this shape; currently the national symbol of Azerbaijan, it represents the creativity of fire and relates to the Zoroastrian religion.

The paisley pattern evolved mainly in Kashmir where shawl weaving prospered during the time of the Mughal Empire, absorbing influences from China, India and the Middle East. The shawls were for ceremonial use and worn by men.

During the early 1800s the East India Company imported these goat-hair shawls into Europe in large quantities, where they were bought for upper class women, who appreciated the warm, enveloping material and complex patterns. Kashmiri shawls were expensive luxury items but cheaper copies were produced in Paris and Lyons to keep up with demand; in Britain 38 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

in Norwich and Edinburgh, and to a much greater extent the small Scottish town of Paisley, already famous for its silks and damasks, after which the pattern was named.

Initially, British shawls could only be produced using the colours of indigo and madder, but refinements in technique and the introduction of Jacquard looms from France so greatly assisted the industry that by the mid C19th there were roughly equal numbers of imports and the Paisley bought in Britain.

The Paisley was a “must have” accessory and the long shawl, often a blend of wool and silk, increased in size to accommodate the fashionable crinoline. It featured in paintings by Ford Maddox Brown and Holman Hunt, gradually becoming accessible to all. Popularity hastened its decline, however, since every woman was wearing one, they were no longer sought after. Later in the century, the Franco-Prussian war halted imports from Kashmir to France, while the development of the bustle presented a certain difficulty in the wearing of larger shawls.

Paisley was revived in the 1960s, when it was incorporated into fashion’s “Peacock Revolution.”

Associated with rebellion and non-conformity, the adoption of such influences from India and the Middle East helped to foster a spirit of multiculturalism. The wearing of paisley remains popular with contemporary countercultures.

The Museum is closed during January for the changing of exhibitions. Opens Thursday 1st February on winter opening hours 10.30am–12.30pm.

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Interiors

Glenmore by Clarke & Clarke

JANUARY BLUES

J

Kitty Oakshott, Upstairs Downstairs Interiors

anuary blues have taken on a different meaning this year in the interiors world and we are introducing you to January blues in fabric and wallpaper form.

The classic combination of blue and white hasn’t aged, it just keeps getting better with more interesting fabrics and wallpapers on the market in that old favourite combination. Blue and white can look great in any style of home from historic cottages to a traditional farmhouse to modern glass-fronted buildings.

Checks and stripes are an obvious way to explore blue and white themes, a traditional blue and white check is absolutely timeless, and mixing checks with stripes can work really well. Try and stick to the same tones of blue throughout your mix of checks and stripes, but it really can work with any blue from navy to duck egg.

Denim blue is very on-trend at the moment, mixing it with a warm cream colour can create a calm and cosy interior look.

Blue and white doesn’t have to be stripes and checks however, there are plenty of contemporary geometric 42 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

patterns or traditional toiles. Woven or embroidered designs can add that bit of extra texture which can help to bring a room together.

Try accentuating your blue fabrics with a white trimming - pom poms create a soft and fun feel and look great along the bottom of a blind, or you could accessorise with some beading, a fan-edge trim down the leading edge of a curtain or a bullion fringe on an armchair. The possibilities are endless!

Have you thought about traditional indigo-dyeing techniques to introduce some variation? The beauty of indigo-dyed patterns is that they are never completely uniform and therefore add a lovely handmade feel.

How about bringing in the blue and white theme through a wallpaper, or a lampshade in a fun print?

Whichever way you choose to introduce blue and white into your home, I hope it will be an interior style you come to love! updowninteriors.co.uk

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Manor House by Clarke & Clarke sherbornetimes.co.uk | 43

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Architecture

THE VIEW FROM MY WINDOW

T

Andy Foster, Raise Architects

his is the view from the window of my studio at home. For those that live on the Dorset/Somerset border, a view like this or better, is quite common. We’re lucky.

Of course, it’s not just the view from my window. It’s the view from my window as seen through the screen of my iPhone. I’ve had an iPhone since they first came out in the UK, a little over ten years ago, and every year it feels as though it plays a more significant role in my life. In all of that time, I’ve used my phone like everyone else. Just as Apple and the ‘app-makers’ wanted me to. In a way, that allows my phone to demand my attention, to distract me from what’s going on all around me.

A few weeks ago, I decided to make a stand and take ownership of this little piece of technology. My iPhone now has just one page. An image of the view from my studio window; the place where I work best. The place that is calming and soothing after the exertions of the office and wherever else I’ve been. The place where I’m writing this article. I’ve retained only essential applications, moving them to a single nest of folders at the bottom of the page and all notifications have been switched off. Simple really, but it still took ten years to do it!

But this isn’t about the phone. What’s important here is the state of mind that led me to drastically re-arrange my phone’s set-up, the blockage that had prevented me from doing it sooner and the intense satisfaction that has resulted from making this thing mine.

I can think of some parallels.

It’s similar to those moments when you finally decide to tidy your desk or a room. You feel so much better for having done it and you wonder why you hadn’t done it much earlier.

It’s similar to when, having snapped away with your digital camera on auto settings for years, you suddenly decide to investigate how to use the manual settings and the satisfaction that you derive, after some practice, when the results are noticeably improved.

And it’s similar to when clients (and architects) develop a design whose sole purpose is to impress their peers before that version is scrapped having contemplated what is actually important and a much better solution emerges.

So how do we see what’s holding us back and how do we overcome it?

Well, I’m no psychologist, but in my experience, the key to this isn’t so much about problem-solving or quality of thought, it’s more about not thinking at all. It’s about having an empty mind, achieving clarity, being in the moment, breathing. These days, I suppose, you might call it mindfulness. But whatever you want to call it, it’s about getting your mental self to a place where you can see your self-imposed blockages for what they are, and where you can begin to see what you really want to achieve. Yes, what you REALLY want to achieve.

Robert Pirsig (who sadly passed away during 2017) wrote the 1970’s cult classic on the subject that is at the heart of this article. In it, he refers to the opening line of an instruction manual which he’d kept because he thought it offered a clue to a better future. It begins: “Assembly of Japanese bicycle require great peace of mind”. From Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig As the light breaks on 2018, I have a simple desire to become more conscious of my own, self-imposed obstacles. If we all did that, we stand a chance of making the world a little better than it might otherwise be. I think we owe it to ourselves, the planet and everyone else. raisearchitects.com 48 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 49

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Antiques

THE NUMBERS GAME

A

Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers

s an auctioneer, I cannot get enough of numbers. In business, every day we process a lot of numbers. Telephone numbers, house numbers and postcodes, numbers when taking a debit card payment, the number of lots in an auction, lot numbers and how much an item sells for. Numbers, numbers, numbers, they are everywhere.

Being honest, at school, maths was never my strong point. Algebra and I never really connected, but I can do the sums and have a good ability to remember numbers.

This is very useful in my line of work and it is not just the ability to remember what a lot sold for, or the area code (I do love to know the area codes) for Cheltenham (01242 if you wanted to know), but to explain to someone why their treasures are not necessarily of any great value.

Take a stamp for example. Here, clients who have inherited stamp collections proudly announce they have a Penny Black or several Penny Reds. While some of these can have a high value, most do not which is usually disappointing news. To me, there is something mildly romantic about a Penny Black. It was the world’s first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. Production of these charming little stamps with a lovely portrait of a young Queen Victoria started on 1st May 1840 and ran for less than a year. However, what most people don’t realise is that during this limited time, they printed 286,700 sheets which had a massive 68,808,000 stamps – that’s over 68 million for those who can’t be bothered to count the zeros. The first Penny Red was printed in 1841, running until 1879, with about 21,000,000,000 (yes, that’s 21 billion) made - we do see and sell a large number of them.

If there are 21 billion of anything then generally it will not have a great value, although as usual there are some very rare exceptions - such as stamps from Plate 77. Plate 77 is the Holy Grail of stamps to many collectors and can be worth many hundreds of thousands of pounds. Sadly, I suspect you have more chance of winning the lottery than finding one of these. If you are one of the lucky ones, please give us a call!

If these numbers are a bit too big for you, or if stamps just aren’t your game, you might like 1,788. This is the number Aston Martin produced of their DB6 from 1965 to 1970.

Not a large number (just as we like it) and therefore unsurprisingly they are worth big bucks. Having held classic and vintage car auctions for over 15 years we have sold a couple of DB6’s. The last one we sold, about 5 years ago, had been off the road for 30 years, only had three wheels and the owner had removed the cylinder heads. Despite all this it sold for £150,000. Big numbers indeed. charterhouse-auction.com

52 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Barn-stored Aston Martin DB6 sold for ÂŁ150,000

A group of Penny Black stamps sold for ÂŁ1,700 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 53

CHARTERHOUSE Auctioneers & Valuers We are now accepting entries for our forthcoming auctions: Pictures, Books, Automobilia & Antiques Friday 19th January Classic & Vintage Motorcycles Sunday 4th February Classic & Vintage Cars Sunday 11th February Contact Richard Bromell or Beverley Garrett for advice and to arrange a home visit The Long Street Salerooms Sherborne DT9 3BS | 01935 812277 www.charterhouse-auction.com

54 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Sold Successfuly for ÂŁ26,000

At Bill Butters Windows we offer total window, door and conservatory solutions. Based in Sherborne, Dorset, we manufacture, supply and install high quality aluminium and uPVC products using market leading suppliers to service both the retail and commercial sectors.

For more information visit our website or come down to the showroom.

Unit 1a > South Western Business Pk > Sherborne > Dorset > DT9 3PS T: 01935 816 168 > sales@billbutterswindows.co.uk > www.billbutterswindows.co.uk

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 56 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Castle Gardens, award-winning garden centre and restaurant Everything you need to enjoy your garden all year round

New Year offers at Castle Gardens Sale starts 27 December at 9am Open New Year’s Day! 50% off Christmas decorations

Store room clearance sale

Bigger savings from 15 January. Don’t miss huge discounts on garden furniture!

50% off outdoor plants with this advert Valid this January at Castle Gardens with this advert only

Terms and conditions: One voucher per transaction, no cash alternative, subject to availability, not to be used in conjunction with other offers or discounted items.

Look out for our series of free talks at Castle Gardens, taking place every Thursday at 2:30pm. We’ll be kicking things off with a discussion on Hedges and barriers on Thursday 25 January.

Open Monday-Saturday 9.00am-6.00pm & Sunday 10.00am-4.30pm (tills open at 10.30am) Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5NR

New garden plans for the New Year?

We are experts in design, hard landscaping, planting and maintaining gardens. We also offer one off services; lawn maintenance, weeding, pruning and tidying. Have a look at our website to see a showcase of recent works BEAUTIFUL GARDENS | DESIGNED | BUILT| MAINTAINED

www.queenthorne.garden Call: 01935 850848

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 57

Gardening

MAN WITH A PLAN

Mike Burks, Managing Director, The Gardens Group

W

hen January rolls round, it can feel a bit like there isn’t much gardening to be done, and although this might be true, it’s the perfect time for making plans and resolutions - for the garden at least. So here are mine, or more precisely, here are the proposals that I’ll be taking forward to the next meeting with the stakeholders of the garden I share!

Firstly, although I’ve really enjoyed how the wildflower lawn has developed over the past few years, I feel that I’d now like to accelerate its progress. To do this I plan to sow seeds in the next few weeks, and once germination has taken place, I’ll prick the seedlings out into cell trays to grow them on as plug plants. They’ll be ready in early spring and I’ll plant them in clusters through the lawn, that way I can note how successfully or otherwise they begin to spread through the whole lawn. On my seed list are Wild Pansy, Fox and Cubs, Foxgloves and Oxeye Daisies.

I’ve recently been speaking to garden clubs about companion planting. This is a technique where different plants are grown together because one benefits the other or sometimes they provide each other with a mutual benefit, an example would be the use of Tagetes or Marigolds among tomato plants to ward off attack from whitely.

Included in the talk are not so friendly neighbours known as allelopaths, which will actively attack their neighbours, these include some really tough weeds, such as Couch Grass, which exudes its own hormone weed killer from its roots. Some allelopaths can be useful and these include Pot Marigold or Calendula, which will battle against Mares Tail – a particularly pernicious weed. I’ve evidence that it works well in this regard, but I’ve also read that Calendula can be used to control Ground Elder. As I have no reliable evidence of this, I’m going to trial it this summer and I’ll let you know the results.

Although our garden is an oasis away from the bustle of the garden centre and our daily grind, it’s got to a stage where a bit of hard pruning is required on

58 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

some Dogwoods, Buddleia and a trellis fence clothed in Honeysuckle, Rambling Roses and a vine. This sort of work should have been carried out in stages, however I’ve now left it too long and so drastic action is needed. Luckily the work required already has been approved and should soon go ahead, and because my suggestions in the December article must have been listened to, I am the proud owner of a brand new Felco Pruning Saw! Armed with this and the support of Elliott Cuff, a former member of our team at Castle Gardens who now runs his own gardening business, results will soon be seen.

One of the down sides of such pruning is that there will be a huge amount of root left in the soil, which will try to replace the growth we’ve taken away, so to combat this raid regrowth, some gentle summer pruning may also be required.

I also plan on extending the range of vegetables grown in pots as I really enjoyed growing round carrots, Cape Gooseberry and a “cut and come again” salad mixture while taking part in various projects with schools last year. This year, I’m going to expand the range of salad leaves and will position them so that it’s really easy to pop into the garden and snip off a handful at lunchtime – you can’t get fresher than that!

Finally, last autumn I discovered an incredible crop of gourds growing in the garden centre compost heap which were by complete accident. It must have been thrown out at the end of the spring but obviously thrived as it grew more than 290 beautiful fruit. These are edible; however I prefer them as ornamentals. The compost heap is obviously a great spot for them but it’s also a fairly risky place too, so I’ll have to make everyone aware not to cover over the plants with debris through the summer. It is likely that with me paying attention to the correctly planted specimen that it won’t perform anywhere nearly as well as its pioneering predecessor, but that’s the fun of gardening for you. thegardeneronline.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 59

Gardening

THE PLOT HATCHES

Diary of a First-Time Flower Farmer

O

Paul Stickland, Black Shed Flowers

ne of life’s great joys is snuggling up on a cold winter’s evening with a handful of tempting seed, bulb or plant catalogues. A promise of the gardening year to come, new species, colours, fragrances, old friends and new. Imagining new borders, planting combinations and future bouquets, pure joy!

I’ve always loved catalogues. As a child I used to obsess over the Britains Toy catalogue, with their wonderful farm animals and equipment, but my favourite part was their model gardens. Those flocked velvet striped lawns and plastic flower beds full of rigidly spaced delphiniums and tulips, top heavy trees, wobbly rose arbours, wrought iron gates and cardboard crazy paving, all very much of their time. Amazingly, I still have all of mine, I like to think that they inspired my later horticultural adventures.

In reality though, being taken to all the wonderful Edwardian gardens of Surrey as a child by my gardening obsessed Mother was probably the greatest inspiration.

When I first started gardening, in a secret valley surrounded by pine forest in the midst of the Surrey heathlands, my Mum started sending me back copies of the RHS journal, The Garden. Here was gardening mixed with botany, experts discussing their subjects with scientific understanding and precision. Perfect.

It was in the back of one of these journals that I saw an advertisement for Scotts Nurseries in Merriott and they had a catalogue. I had to have that! Written with great passion and erudition by Michael Wallis, it became my first gardening bible and it was from there that I bought my first mail order plants.

I remember the thrill of them arriving. Dryas octopetala, a delightful and seldom seen alpine, which I was later to see in the wild limestone dykes and ditches of the Burren in Western Ireland. A lovely mat-forming alpine, shiny oak-leaved foliage with the most beautiful eight-petalled creamy white flowers, followed by wispy white seedheads.

Then there was Geranium sanguinium var. Lancastriense, the pale pink relation of our rare native Bloody Cranesbill, found growing romantically on Holy Island. Lastly the golden form of Origanum vulgare, much beloved of Margery Fish in her East Lambrook garden and I believe shared with Michael. I still have the offspring of this very plant, forty years on, a tangible link with the grande dame herself. Years later I was to meet Michael and was 60 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

able to tell him how much his catalogue had meant to me.

Scotts is sadly no more, it was a plantsman’s delight, before the term was even in common parlance. However there are now more specialist nurseries than ever and running Black Shed Flowers, we now have access to the amazing range of wholesale nurseries and seed merchants. And their catalogues...

We’ve been buying in some very choice perennials from fantastic nurseries such as Arvensis Perennials in Bradford upon Avon, Newey, Hortus Loci and Orchard Dene which offer the finest selections as used by the new wave designers such as Piet Oudolf and Tom Stuart Smith. However to provide enough flowers for our customers and clients we need to scour the seed catalogues to build up our stock.

Companies such as Chiltern Seeds, a wittily written array of gems and the very aptly titled Seedaholic, whose website and descriptions are so interesting and informative. Derry Watkin’s Special Plants offers a splendid eclectic collection of rare seeds. Then there’s Jelitto, Sarah Raven, Plants of Distinction, Moles, Nicky’s Seeds and Higgledy Garden, all destined to lure and nurture new generations of plantsmen and women with a well-turned phrase and a delicious photo.

So what will Black Shed be growing this year from these catalogues? Spires of azure, sky blue and lilac larkspur and delphiniums, row upon row of delicate and subtle foxgloves, apricots, whites, creams, through rusty browns and yellows. Scabious from blue through mauve and white to deepest burgundy and palest peach, Cornflowers in all shades of blues and purples, rusty Rudbeckias’ and zany Zinnias, Amaranthus in all shades and forms, soaring structural Cardoons and Italian violet artichokes, willowy grasses and papery everlasting flowers to extend our season. The frothy fillers, Ammi and Daucus, Gypsophila, multi-stemmed sunflowers and an even larger selection of the amazing Cosmos varieties that proved so popular last year. Then there will be deliciously fragrant Sweet Peas in all the most fashionable colours. All gleaned from the well-thumbed leaves of those tempting catalogues on a cold and frosty midwinter Sherborne night. blackshedflowers.blogspot.co.uk instagram.com/paulstickland_

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 61

SHERBORNE MARKET Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

O

n a cold misty Thursday morning, sun barely peeking over the horizon, the congregation of vans at the bottom of Cheap Street make for a welcome sight. The modes of transport might be modern but the ritual has been happening on this very spot since mediaeval times. Hidden under layers of hats and gloves, feet stamping the pavement for warmth, a small group of people busy themselves with metal frames and tables.

‘I usually arrive at 6.30,’ says Steve who runs both the fruit and veg, and the pet food stall with his partner Claudia. They took over the fruit and veg stall in October 2016. For Steve, the best part is the chatting to customers and other stallholders. ‘Before I began this job I was up at 6am and back home at 6pm. That meant I ended up being very antisocial but now I know everyone.

The market is the centre of town.’ >

62 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 63

64 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Steve says, ‘As much as I can, I buy seasonally and locally. We have great suppliers from around Sherborne and surrounding villages. We also work with farmers in Bridport and Westbay, and we try to support smaller producers.’ Alongside the fresh produce Steve also has Black Garlic from South West Garlic, jams from The Cherry Tree, Reads Coffee and eggs from Silverthorne Farm in Milborne Wick.

Scott Bedward is another regular - he took over the flower stall from his father Richard, who had been running it for 10 years. He travels from Wimborne and sells at two markets – Dorchester and Sherborne - which keep him busy through the week. The day starts early for Scott, when he leaves the house at 6am to collect the flowers.

‘The best bit about it is being your own boss,’ enthuses Scott, who originally worked as a printer.

‘It is nice being with customers and I like the banter between the stall holders as well,’ he adds. ‘January is always a slow month but I have the snowdrops and primroses, as well as hyacinths and cyclamens.’

Popular in Sherborne are cut flowers, especially tulips, which are brought from Holland by someone Scott calls ‘The Flying Dutchman’.

When he can, Scott sources flowers from the UK but that’s not without its challenges. ‘Last year the Scilly Isles were hit by terrible storms and the price of narcissi had to go up very high because only a quarter of their crop was left. It’s a business that is entirely reliant on the weather,’ he says with a wry smile while standing in the dripping mist.

Newcomer Keith Budden has brought his version of vintage and steam punk to Sherborne. Keith was previously a restorer of vintage cars but has always collected interesting pieces. His is an eclectic mix of fencing gear, goggles, bottles, militaria as well as vintage coats, shirts and shoes.

Keith also sells at the Langport Market and will also source vintage clothes by request. As the day makes a vague effort to become light, a passer-by stops at the stall and searches through the racks for a kilt jacket – her husband has recently lost his original.

Keith makes a note of her husband’s size and promises to look for a new one. Clearly he relishes a challenge.

His own taste is the “quirkier the better” ‘but the most important thing is that I am working with stuff I love. There’s a great atmosphere at this market and it’s totally bonkers down our end with Scott singing.’ > sherbornetimes.co.uk | 65

66 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

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68 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

“Before I began this job I was up at 6am and back home at 6pm. That meant I ended up being very antisocial but now I know everyone.”

Next to Keith is Sue, who runs the Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic independent consultant stall and has been coming since October 2016. ‘I had a job in finance but then my mother became sick and I took time off to look after her. After that I felt I needed something new to do and so decided to become an Independent Consultant with Neal’s Yard. I wanted something totally different and to not be stuck behind a desk. Neal’s Yard was, and still is, a product I use and love, especially the fact they are organic and natural - I could never sell something I hadn’t tried. They’re a family business too and the products are made locally in Gillingham.’

Colin Loader from Taylors Bakery has been selling here for the last 9 years on behalf of Taylors of Bruton.

‘At Taylors we bake all day and night. We have to use a strong flour from Oxfordshire because all the loaves are hand-baked.’

Colin gets to the bakery in Bruton at 6am to load up.

‘Sherborne’s favourites include wholemeal, sourdough, seeded and cottage, but I also take orders,’ he explains.

‘We have 8-10 bakers working around the clock servicing 20-30 markets a week. For example today, Thursday, Taylors are at 5 markets.’ But what Colin likes about Sherborne is that ‘you get to know everybody, we all get on well with each other and help each other out.’

Another pair of regulars are John and Diane who run the fish stall on Saturdays. John left school at 15 then spent 15 years at sea as a fisherman on a beamer – a trawler boat that stays out for the week MondaySaturday. ‘I did that until Diane said it had been long enough and told me to come home for good,’ he says, and for the last 18 years they have been running the fish stall. Based in Brixham, John is up at 3.45am and straight out to auction. ‘I buy all my fish in the morning

at the Brixham auction so it is “day fresh”,’ he says.

About 60 boats go out from Brixham so there is a plentiful variety available but John knows what the Sherborne customers like. ‘Turbot, Brills, Sea Bass, Dover Soles are the favourites,’ he says. One lady who is well into her 90s comes weekly for her turbot. It’s clearly a stall where the early birds get the best catch.

John and Diane have been here so long they they’re on first name terms with customers. ‘I love the atmosphere and the people here,’ says Diane. It’s a wonder how they keep warm in their van but then they both lift their legs to reveal hefty sets of fisherman’s boots. ‘You can’t work with cold feet,’ says John, who knows better than most after his years spent 50 miles out at sea.

As he effortlessly guts and wraps fish for the customers he tells me of his concern for the sea. The sea is getting warmer and unusual fish are appearing in our local waters. ‘You’re getting more and more sharks,’ he says ‘and sunfish, which can’t be good,’ he adds. But, for the time being, there’s plenty of lemon sole and cod’s roe for January.

At the helm of Sherborne’s market is a lady by the name of Judy Aplin. Judy ran a fashion stall for 30 years. ‘We have such a good bunch of traders,’ she says. ‘It is so important to support the market in the town because markets are dying out as more and more people buy online.’

‘What is so good is that we have a year-round market with a wonderful range of traders who set up every week and provide us with the necessities,’ she says. Her concern is that Cheap Street must be supported so as to prevent shops from closing down. ‘The town is only allowed around 15 traders on ‘The Shambles’ that runs from the parade up to the paper shop,’ she explains ‘we’re on land owned by the Sherborne Castle Estate.’

The name ‘The Shambles’ originates from a time when farmers and country folk would bring their livestock to the market for slaughter. ‘Blood would be running down South Street,’ says Cindy Chant our local Blue Badge guide. ‘Mediaeval Sherborne depended on its fairs and markets,’ she explains. ‘I think the Thursday market began in 1286 but the Saturday market probably began in the early 1900s.’ Interesting to think what might be here in another 700 years…

Sherborne Market is open on Thursdays and Saturdays all year round. For more on the history of Sherborne, visit the fascinating sherbornewalks.co.uk or better still join Cindy on one of her guided walks around town. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 69

@elizabethwatsonillustrations

Open to all for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week Bar open 11am - 11pm Long Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3BY T: 01935 813131 E: relax@theeastbury.co.uk W: theeastburyhotel.co.uk 70 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

ROLLED PORK BELLY, SLOW-COOKED WITH CLOVES, GINGER, STAR ANISE & ORANGE Sasha Matkevich, Head Chef and Owner, The Green with Jack Smith, Apprentice Chef

Ingredients

Serves 6 2kg free-range pork belly (boneless and rolled) 1 celery stick 1 medium onion 2 tbsp coriander roots and stems (chopped) 6 cloves garlic (peeled & crashed) 2 tbsp fresh ginger (peeled & sliced) 1 red chilli 1 tsp cloves 3 star anise 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds Zest of 1 orange 100ml soy sauce 75ml honey 1 tbsp olive oil Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Method

1 Place pork belly in the large cooking pot and add cold water to cover. Bring to the boil.

2 Skim the fat and impurities. Add celery stick,

3

4 5 6

7

8

onion, spices, chilli, ginger, garlic, chopped coriander and orange.

Add more water if there is not enough to cover the meat. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer gently for about 90 minutes or until the meat is cooked and tender.

Carefully remove the pork belly from the pan and set aside.

Remove the chilli, strain the liquor into a saucepan and put it on a gentle heat, just to keep it hot.

In the meantime, remove butcher’s string from the pork belly and slice into individual servings. Season the meat with a little Cornish sea salt and pepper.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan with olive oil until it starts to smoke, then add the pork and fry until crunchy and golden brown.

Present meat on six warm plates or bowls, pouring the beautiful, aromatic and rich sauce over. Serve immediately with steamed green vegetables, chopped parsley and brown rice.

Vashe zdorovie! greenrestaurant.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 71

Food & Drink

THE CAKE WHISPERER Val Stones

FRANGIPANI MINCEMEAT TARTS

COFFEE BREAK Kafe Fontana

Old School Gallery

Oliver’s Coffee House

The Three Wishes

82 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ

Boyle’s Old School, High Street, Yetminster, DT9 6LF

19 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PU

78 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ

@kafefontana kafefontana 01935 812180 kafefontana.co.uk

@yetminstergalle 01935 872761

@OliversSherbs 01935 817777 Olivers-Coffee-House thethreewishes.co.uk 01935 815005

yetminstergallery.co.uk oliverscoffeehouse.co.uk

72 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

If, like me, you made a huge amount of mincemeat over the Christmas period (see my November recipe), here is a delicious fruity marzipan tart recipe to use up any left over. We like to eat these tarts to celebrate new year and beyond — they freeze very well.

For this recipe use shortcrust pastry - this quantity will make 12 tarts or one tray-bake made in a 23cm x 23cm tin.

Ingredients

Sweet shortcrust pastry 125g plain flour plus a little extra for rolling out 25g icing sugar Pinch of salt 75g unsalted cold butter 1 egg yolk (18g) 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract 15ml ice-cold water (tip - I keep a bottle of water in the fridge and change it every week so I’ve always got it fresh and ready for pastry-making) Mincemeat 1 jar of my quick-and-easy mincemeat (visit sherbornetimes.co.uk for November’s recipe) or good quality bought mincemeat Frangipani 200g ground almonds 200g caster sugar and about 6 teaspoons extra for scattering over the tarts 4 large eggs 2 tsp almond extract 75g glacé cherries, chopped into halves 50g flaked almonds Method

1 Set the oven for 190C, fan 200C, convection gas 6 2 Sift the flour, icing sugar and salt into a large bowl 3 Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until it disappears 4 Separate the egg, setting aside the egg white as this can be used make the frangipani. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the yolk to the flour mixture

5 Add the vanilla extract, water and, with a knife, work the mixture until it forms a dough that holds together then knead until smooth. Roll into a ball and flatten slightly before wrapping in cling film and resting in the fridge for 1-2 hours 6 While the pastry is chilling grease a 12 hole mince pie tin or the square tin 7 To make the tarts, roll out the pastry to 2-3cm thick, use a 7cm fluted cutter to cut out 12 circles, press them gently into the mince pie tin or for the traybake form a square slightly larger than the tin 8 Place the pastry into the tray by easing the pastry onto the rolling pin, if the pastry tears, don’t worry as once the pastry is in the tin it can be pressed to join the tear, use a fork to prick the pastry base 9 Place tin in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes while you make the frangipani 10 Place the ground almonds, caster sugar, almond extract, eggs and reserved egg-white and beat together well 11 Take the tin out of the fridge, place a spoonful of mincemeat in each pastry, add a half glacé cherry and then top with a teaspoon of frangipani mixture, add a little more if you can still see the mincemeat and carefully spread the mixture to the edges of the pastry case to ensure that the mincemeat is covered so it doesn’t leak out of the tart.

12 Sprinkle caster sugar over the tarts and then scatter a few flaked almonds on top or for the traybake spread the jar of mincemeat over the base of the pastry. Scatter the halved glacé cherries evenly over the mincemeat retaining about 12 for the top. Spoon the frangipani over the mincemeat and ensure it is spread evenly over the mincemeat and to the edge of the pastry.

Scatter the frangipani with caster sugar and then the flaked almonds and then the remaining glacé cherries 13 Place in the oven and bake the tarts for 15-20 minutes, until the tops and bottoms are golden or, for the traybake, bake on the middle shelf for 30-35 minutes. Do not over-bake as the frangipani will become too dry 14 Remove the individual tarts after 4 minutes onto a cooling rack when cool place in an airtight container or allow the tray bake to cool in the tin and then cut into 9 squares and store in an airtight container 15 These lovely treats can be served hot or cold and they are delicious on their own or served as a pudding with ice cream, fresh cream or custard, or all three! bakerval.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 73

Food & Drink As we enter a new year we are perhaps all full of ideas for how we are going to make decisions in 2018 which are better for the environment and also, in turn, perhaps better for ourselves. Living here in Dorset we are very fortunate to be able to shop locally and benefit from the bountiful larder this county has to offer. In the small town where we base our business, we often say how amazing it is to have a butcher, baker, greengrocer and, of course, a tea merchant. As a nation we have certainly become more aware of where our food comes from - particularly meat, cheese and vegetables, and alongside this has grown an awareness of the importance of soil and agricultural practice. But what of the products that we consume that are grown miles from our doorsteps?

Do we give these the same amount of thought? And does it matter? For this first issue of the year we want to share with you that for tea it certainly does matter where it comes from. Tea is grown in delicate ecosystems around the world and, as in any food system, there are people who nurture and care for the land and those who don’t. Last year the soil association agreed to publish a series of country-specific articles on the topic of soil and tea, written by us at Comins. This is the second of those articles focused on Sri Lanka. We have chosen to share this as many of us drink and enjoy tea from this great tea-producing nation but perhaps know little about exactly where it is from or importantly how it has been grown. The reward for buying tea from a garden that cares for the soil is not only the support for a sustainable future but of course a truly great tasting cup of tea.

A JOURNEY TO SRI LANKA AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SOIL (Part One) (first shared through the Soil Association, July 2017) Michelle and Rob Comins, Comins Tea House

74 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

S

ri Lanka is the fourth largest tea producer in the world, with orthodox black tea accounting for 95% of the country’s tea production. Tea is grown and picked all year long due to the favourable climate with characteristics being defined by the altitude where at which the tea is grown. Low grown tea is from sea level up to around 600m. Mid grown tea grows from 600m up to 1200m and high grown tea is above this up to about 1800m. As the altitude increases the tea becomes more delicate as the growth rate slows, bringing out lighter flavours. These are fine teas to be savoured and enjoyed without milk and extremely popular at our tea houses.

First a little history. Tea did not get to Ceylon until 1867 when a planter named James Taylor marked the birth of the tea industry by starting a tea plantation in Loolecondera Estate near Kandy. However, it was not until the 1870s that an unfortunate event meant that tea became a major crop. It was at this time that the numerous coffee plantations were devastated by a fungal disease called Hemileia vastatrix or coffee rust, better known as “coffee leaf disease” or “coffee blight.” After experimentation with other crops it was found that tea cultivation was the best alternative to coffee. The tea industry had begun.

We move on 150 years through a complicated history of British occupation as a colony and the issues that this brought, to independence and then post-independence. Throughout this period, tea was grown and, of course, was highly dependent on one of its greatest assets - its fertile soil. Caring for the soil in Sri Lanka has had its challenges and one of the most interesting references we have encountered highlighting this plight, is the book ‘The Plantation Raj’ (reprinted 2012) by Herman Gunaratne who worked in Sri Lankan tea for his whole life.

Working his way up from the entrance ‘creeper’ position in a small estate to the top of the tea industry in Sri Lanka, Gunaratne talks openly about many of the issues in the Sri Lankan tea industry and concentrates a great deal on soil management. One of the main factors in this is soil pH. In fact, when writing about his then Tea Research Institute duties he states that their most important function was ‘maintaining the soil at the correct pH to ensure that the tea plant not only thrives but also flourishes in favourable condition.’

He goes on to explain that for tea to thrive

economically, the soil pH should be maintained at 4.5-5.5. If it dips below 4.5 it cannot support tea as a monoculture, or most crops for that matter.

Gunaratne indicates that in the twenty years before his 2012 publication, this area had been badly neglected by many estates. What is the impact of neglecting this maintenance? Well, increased acidity reduces productivity and, as in many agricultural stories, this led to farmers trying to reverse the decline by adding government-subsidised fertiliser. This actually made the problem worse, increasing acidity further. The solution is in fact to stop fertilising, add calcium magnesium carbonate and make an analysis before taking further steps.

Another large issue in Sri Lanka (and undoubtedly other countries) is that of viable soil depth. Weeding can often result in the top layer of soil being scraped away. Gunaratne states ‘The wealth of any plantation lies in the top two feet of soil.’

This is where the roots of the tea plant sit. Weeding involves using a hoe-like implement to dislodge the weeds. Gunaratne writes of his experience working for a planter in the early sixties who would not allow any weeding scrapers with anything larger than a 1 1/2 inch base and 2 inches in length. He goes on to describe that in the 10-15 years before his publication, larger and larger implements were being used. Without a good top soil, yield will decline until the tea estate will not be economically viable.

A topic we discussed in depth on our sourcing trips to Kenya was that of placing pruning between the tea bushes as one of the ways to overcome this issue. This improves the soil structure, nutritional content and fertility. According to Gunaratne ‘Economic burdens inflicted by short-term planning policies’ meant that this practice was stopped in Sri Lanka as well as the mulching of green matter for the same purpose.

So on to today and while there are undoubtedly areas where good agricultural practice is ignored, there are many examples that we have seen on our tea trips where tea growers are taking the right steps [in our humble eyes] and, as a result, producing great tasting and sustainable tea. One such estate is Idalgashinna in the Uva district, in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and next month we will focus on some of the specifics of our trip to visit the team there. cominstea.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75

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There is always a vegetarian option available and we are happy to cater for any additional dietary requirements. For those wanting a more luxurious Sunday experience, the Kings Restaurant a la carte menu is ideal.

Booking is recommended to avoid disappointment George Albert Hotel Wardon Hill, Evershot, Nr. Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PW Tel: 01935 483430 www.gahotel.co.uk 76 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

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Food & Drink

CHILE David Copp

78 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

I

feel sure that many of you will have visited a vineyard or a winery at some stage of your life. I have been lucky enough to visit many around the world. But the most glorious vineyards I have yet seen are in Chile.

Missionaries from Mexico brought the first vines to Chile to make communion wine. When the Conquistadores came, they preferred the local wines to the travel sick Spanish wines. Then European immigrants brought vines from Portugal, Spain, France and Italy and the industry got under way.

Grape-growing was restricted under Salvador Allende but his successor repealed his laws and Miguel Torres made a serious investment bringing modern wine-making equipment and French barrels in 1976.

In the last 40 years, Chile has emerged as one of the finest wine producers in the world.

And because her wines were unknown, they were reasonably priced. I consider they offer the best ‘value for money’ wines we import.

Chile started by producing excellent cabernet sauvignon and merlot wines in the Maipo region, close to the capital Santiago, where Chilean copper rich landowners had decided to showcase their wealth by buying fine country properties and planting vines.

It so happened that the conditions were almost perfect for these tried and tested Bordeaux varieties. The towering Andes provides a superb backdrop and their snowmelt waters irrigate the sun-blessed valleys.

Cloudless skies and cool breezes from the Pacific during the heat of the summer are priceless benefits when one is seeking fruit flavour. Good drainage is always helpful because vines are encouraged to dig deep to find the minerals that make them healthy, and add complexity and interest to their finished wines.

Fruit ripens remarkably well here and that is why the imported Bordeaux varieties do so well.

Eduardo Chadwick of Errazuriz, one of the very top Chilean producers, has had the courage to arrange tastings of his wines up against Bordeaux First Growths and Super Tuscans in Berlin, Rio, Tokyo, Beijing and New York. He made the point that Chile does produce refined

and distinctive world class wines. The advantage of having wealthy proprietors is that they are prepared to do what is necessary to get the best by lowering yields and ageing wines in French wood before bottling.

Lower yields and imported barrels mean higher prices for the top wines but I marvel at the sheer value one gets from Chilean wines across the board. The structure of the Chilean wine industry helps. There are a number of larger companies such as Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, Errazuriz, and Luis Felipe Edward competing with each other.

And in order to compete they have invested well in manpower and machinery.

Many of the world’s leading viticulturalists and oenologists such as Michel Rolland from France, Paul Hobbs from California and Brian Croser from Australia have been brought in.

The wineries are superbly equipped and the industry is well led by Chadwick and others. I cannot remember the last time I tasted a bad or even indifferent Chilean wine.

Whereas cabernet sauvignon and merlot introduced Chilean wines into world markets they have been followed up with some quite wonderful chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir wines. My Burgundian friend, Paul Bouchard, really admires Chilean pinot noir which he considers world class. It may take the Chileans a few years to catch up with the polish of the centuries-old burgundian estates but they will do in time. Even less well known varieties like gewürztraminer perform well when planted in the right soils and micro climates.

Apart from Maipo and Aconcagua regions there are several other fine wines. The Casablanca and Maule Valleys both produce exceptional white wines. I particularly like Wine Society’s Limari chardonnay and sauvignon blanc (both around £6.75) and its biodynamic silbador chardonnay from the Casablanca valley. I consider the Society’s merlot my house wine and Leyda pinot noir elegant enough for treats. But every good wine merchant, and we are blessed with Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Vineyards in Sherborne, will have similar treats in store to tell you about. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 79

Animal Care

UNDER THE WEATHER

Mark Newton-Clarke, MA VetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons

F

ew of us can believe it’s January 2018, something to do with age, I think, but Happy New Year to all. Writing this before Christmas, Winter was just starting to close its grip and by the time this article is read we should have an idea of how strong its fingers are. Today we seem so buffered from the elements that the weather can appear just academic, having relatively 80 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

little effect on most of our lives. Or does it? The woes of the NHS in Winter reflect the level of infections in humans that often manifest as respiratory disease and its many complications. This increase in coughs and colds affecting humans and pets alike, is associated with bad weather due to several factors, some social and others physical but it is a consistent Winter theme.

Our cats are most vulnerable to respiratory conditions due to the cat flu viruses which almost all cats contract in the first few weeks or months of life.

One of these is a herpes virus, related to cold sores in humans, which recurs in the same place often after a period of cold weather. Cat flu behaves in a similar way, coming back periodically to produce the characteristic sneeze and sore eyes that many of us are familiar with. Well-fed and cared-for cats rarely get complications from cat flu but the very old, young or immuno-suppressed can suffer from serious secondary infections. In the early stages, human anti-viral medicines based on acyclovir can be very effective at limiting the flu symptoms but they are expensive.

The most important therapy for viral infections is good nursing care, making the patient feel better to buy time for the immune system to gear itself up to fight back. Cats notoriously stop eating and drinking when they feel unwell, retreating into a shell and setting themselves up for a downward spiral. Our job is to break that cycle, keeping them hydrated and decongested so improving their feeling of well-being to hasten recovery. The simple act of stroking a sick cat to make it purr can significantly speed up recovery, thought to be due to an improvement in oxygenation.

Most cats can be back to their busy lives of sitting around all day within a week or so with the right support and treatment.

With cold, long nights and many hours spent indoors it’s hardly surprising that little unwelcome visitors want to share our centrally-heated homes and partake of our pets’ blood (and sometimes ours).

I am, of course, talking about the humble flea that just loves our Winter life-style. We had something of a flea-fest in the Autumn and the knock-on effect takes the form of eggs and larvae in carpets and softfurnishings. It’s easy to kill the adult fleas on your dogs and cats (but only if you use an effective product), the challenge is to totally cleanse the house. Remember that if you find living fleas on your pet despite using an approved insecticide, the fleas are almost certainly a new population from your carpets. Not pleasant! This situation requires a strategy of containment (keep pets out of most rooms) and blitz the rest with hoovering and washing of anything not nailed down. Keep going and in six weeks you should be free of the flea. Just in time for Spring, almost. newtonclarkevet.com

Sherborne Surgery Swan House Lower Acreman Street 01935 816228

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You could change someone’s life – maybe your own sherbornetimes.co.uk | 81

Animal Care

COCCIDIOSIS

Is Your Herd or Flock at Risk?

Gemma Loader BVetMed MRCVS, The Kingston Veterinary Group

C

occidiosis is a protozoal disease that invades the cells of the intestines in sheep and cattle.

Coccidial oocysts (similar to eggs) will be present in most environments and a low level of exposure at a young age will result in an immunity against disease. Disease only occurs if animals are subject to heavy infections/challenges or if their resistance has decreased. Adults will be the initial source of disease, however due to their immunity it only clinically affects younger naive animals.

The majority of the life cycle of this parasite occurs within the intestines of the host animal. This results in the production of thousands of oocysts which are shed in the faeces. The oocysts, once shed, require optimum temperature and moisture in order to mature and become infective. These conditions can occur in straw yards/pens as well as at pasture; predominantly in spring and autumn. Infection occurs via the ingestion of infective oocysts.

Coccidial parasites invade the cells of the intestinal wall causing damage to the gut lining. This in turn results in poor digestion and reduced water reabsorption.

Clinical signs can vary from being just simply a decrease in weight gain to more significant effects such as bloody mucus diarrhoea with straining, lethargy, dehydration, weight loss and increased susceptibility to other infections. These signs occur relatively late on in the infection process when damage to the intestines has already taken place. Killing the parasite at this stage will not reverse this damage therefore long-term effects may persist e.g. poor growth rates.

The most important role of treatment in infected animals is to reduce both the severity of disease and the number of oocysts shed (which will in turn decrease the risk of new infections in other susceptible animals).

82 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Treatment of clinical cases should include oral fluids with electrolytes to address dehydration, as well as coccidiostats to reduce disease severity and oocyst shedding. Affected animals should also be isolated to reduce the spread of infection.

Coccidiosis treatment is likely to be effective when it is instigated in the early stages of the coccidia life cycle – this is before clinical signs are seen. Therefore, a strategic plan of preventative treatment based on previous history of disease before clinical signs occur is much more effective and economically viable than reactive therapy in already infected animals. Most coccidiostatic drugs available for prevention and treatment will allow the animal to develop immunity against coccidiosis while preventing intestinal damage and economic losses.

Below are important points to consider when it comes to prevention and control: • Employ management practices that reduce contact with faecal material - bed up pens frequently, reduce stocking densities and use well-drained pastures.

• Reduce faecal contamination of water and feed by raising buckets/troughs above ground level.

Move feed points around regularly.

• Limit contact between animals of differing ages (i.e. early and late lambs).

• Avoid over-grazing pastures as this will force animals to graze down to the roots of plants where they may pick up a higher number of oocysts.

• Minimise stress in young animals, as this will increase their susceptibility to disease.

If you suspect coccidiosis is causing problems in your herd or flock, please contact our surgery for advice on 01935 813288. kingstonvets.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 83

On Foot

THE SHERBORNE COUNTRY WAY Bill Brown

I

t’s the New Year, time to shake off the old one, time to take a deep breath and make plans for the new!

Plans for the garden, plans for that holiday and plans for taking a bit more exercise perhaps. I can’t help you with the first two, but I can with the third.

The Sherborne Country Way might be just what you are looking for. It is a walkers’ route which circles Sherborne. It’s divided into 9 short sections of about 3 or 4 miles each: you can walk just one or two sections at a time and then, perhaps, complete the whole walk over a period of months – or even years! There’s a huge sense of achievement to be had from completing one of these walks. The walk starts at Longburton, sweeps westward and north up to Cadbury Castle before coming south via Charlton Horethorne to return to Longburton.

Richard Jefferies was a Victorian nature writer, noted for his depiction of English rural life. He wrote that if you travel quickly along roads – and remember this was long before the car had been invented – you only see the “outside” of the countryside. To enter its “heart”, to really appreciate it, you need to walk along its old trackways, footpaths, bridleways and farm tracks. That’s what I’m inviting you to do – walk into the “heart” of the delightful pastoral countryside that surrounds Sherborne.

Let’s make a start. This month I shall take you along the first two sections, as far as Trent. In future months I’ll guide you around the rest of the route.

Opposite the church in Longburton is a lane which leads you up to a number of orchards, clothed in white and pink blossom in the spring time. You walk through the middle of one, over ‘stepping stones’ to guide you.

It’s then round the back of Leweston School before dropping down to the hamlet of Lillington, where the church stands next to an ancient barn, rather like the 84 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

parson and the farmer surveying their respective flocks.

It’s then up and over Lillington Hill – what lovely views there are as you descend down into Thornford!

The Sherborne Country Way passes close by the church and then down, with more glorious views, to Bradford Abbas, where the first section ends.

On the first two sections of the SCW there are no less than six churches. I sometimes think that there are so many of these glories of the English countryside that we take them for granted. One of the very best, not only on this route but in the whole of Dorset, is St. Mary’s, in the centre of Bradford Abbas. Before you enter, and I hope you will, just stand back and admire the 90ft mediaeval tower - inside are wood carvings to

take your breath away.

It’s time to return to the main route, up Back Lane, to the A30. We need to be careful here as we cross this busy dual carriageway to Marl Lane, opposite. This leads us down to three glorious hamstone villages, Over Compton, Nether Compton and, finally, to Trent. Each one, with its church, is a treasure, so don’t hurry, just stroll and enjoy. As you enter Trent, a footpath sign on the wall of the Rose & Crown tells you that it was placed there by the Ernest Cook Trust. Ernest Cook was the grandson of the founder of the famous travel agents, Thomas Cook. He sold his interest in the company for a massive sum and devoted his life to buying country estates. This extraordinary philanthropist bought nine

of them, Trent being one - the trust now owns many properties in the village. Each year it distributes over £1 million in educational grants to benefit young people to help improve their outdoor education.

I think it’s time to pop into the Rose & Crown for refreshment! Next month I shall take you up onto the high green hills of South Somerset - I hope you will join me!

Maps,information and the route in detail can be found in the full printed guide: The Sherborne Country Way by Bill Brown. Available from Winstone's, The Abbey Bookshop and the Tourist Information Centre. Cost is just £2.95 and for every booklet sold at least £1.00 will be given to the Macmillan Cancer Unit in Yeovil Hospital. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 85

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HERE'S TO A WONDERFUL 2018 86 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

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Cycling

RETURN TO THE FOLD

I

Peter Henshaw, Dorset Cyclists’ Network & Mike Riley, Riley’s Cycles

’m on my bike, sitting behind a bus on Waterloo Bridge. Waiting there, I’m joined by another cyclist, then another, then another. In a few seconds, we’re a gaggle of more than half a dozen, and as the bus moves, so do we – a couple of six-foot cycle couriers, some office types heading for meetings and a young lad on a Santander (they’re not Boris Bikes any more). This is central London, where more and more people are choosing to get around by bike, thanks to the growing profusion of cycle lanes, paths and superhighways.

What does all this have to do with Sherborne? Well, being on the mainline to Waterloo, London is two and a bit hours away, with no changes or complications en route.

So to experience the capital’s wonderful bike facilities, you just need to hop on a South Western Railway train. There is a caveat, which is that full-size bikes can’t be taken at rush hour, though compact folders can go as carry-on luggage on any train you like. Or you could travel up sans cycle and hire a Santander when you get there.

Anyway, I’ve taken the folder option, my old green Brompton, and if you watched the BBC spoof W1A, you’ll know all about these little bikes, which incidentally are still made in London. I’d come up on the 7.28 out of Sherborne, seeing Old Castle and its cedar trees silhouetted against a gradually lightening sky. Half an Ian McEwan novel later, we’re pulling into Waterloo, bang on time, and 15 minutes after that, I’m skimming along Cycle Superhighway 3 with the wind behind me.

CS3 (as the road signs call it) makes a superb introduction to cycling in London, a piece of segregated two-lane blacktop with good views of the river. It takes us eastwards to Tower Hill, away from the Thames, then further east along Cable Street, where Oswald Moseley’s fascists were prevented from marching by East Enders. It’s worth a visit for the fantastic giant mural commemorating the battle.

Leaving CS3 we head north through the back streets to Mile End Park, created after World War II on bombed-out industrial land. It’s a linear park, the traffic-free path winding through, up and over a mound, which is the nearest thing to a hill we’ll see on this ride.

One small roundabout takes us straight into Victoria Park, where the cafe by the lake does a good coffee, and you can cycle right round the park’s perimeter on a wide, 88 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

leafy path. Not all London’s parks gives unrestricted access for bikes, so it’s worth getting hold of Transport for London’s superb cycle route maps – they’re free and can be ordered online at tfl.gov.uk/forms/12419.aspx We leave Victoria Park at Canal Gate to join (surprise, surprise) Regents Canal. It’s time to slow down, because the tow path is narrow and shared with joggers, dogs and pushchairs. Down here, appreciate how industrial London used to be, the canal lined with ex-factories and the odd massive chimney. But gentrification is well underway, the factories now occupied by 30-somethings gazing intently at giant Apple Mac screens. Houseboats line the wharfs and gasometers are being transformed into glassy offices.

When the canal enters a tunnel, the towpath stops, so it’s more backstreets to get to Regents Park, then Hyde Park, past mews where the proverbial broom cupboard fetches more than a big detached at the posh end of Sherborne. These back road routes can seem circuitous, but they’re well signposted, and, from the south edge of Hyde Park, it’s easy to follow the signs south for Battersea Bridge.

Back at the river, the Embankment’s pavement is wide and allows bikes up to Chelsea Bridge, where we join another cycle superhighway (CS8, this one). The Waterloo signs urge you to cross the river at Lambeth Bridge, but it’s more fun to keep going and parade around Parliament Square, which used to be only for the brave but now has cycle traffic lights and lanes galore. Then it’s a final blast along CS3 and back to Waterloo for the 3.20 home to Sherb, avoiding the standing-room-only rush hour.

So there it is, a good day out from Sherborne to explore several corners of the capital, with some decent cycle routes as a bonus. Thoroughly recommended. PH ____________________________________________

From the Workshop Bromptons, although they are easy to fold/unfold, have 16 inch wheels which drop nicely into a pot hole.

Folders with larger 20 inch wheels are nicer to ride on our rough roads but still fold down small enough to take on a bus or train. A nice example is the Dawes Kingpin which is made in the Dahon factory MR rileyscycles.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 89

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 90 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

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Body & Mind

OUT WITH THE OLD

Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms

T

he new year brings in fresh opportunities - out with the old, in with the new, as they say. But when was the last time you took that approach to your make-up or toiletry bag?

Many of us can hold our hands up and admit to hoarding skincare and make-up products, whether we tried something new, received a gift, saw a good deal or just couldn’t bear to throw something away.

We all too often feel we will keep something for best, for those special occasions, and then come to realise the product has gone off, and, disappointed, we throw it away. The emotional attachment we have to beauty products such as the lipstick you wore to that wedding or the fab water-proof mascara from that holiday in 2007, can verge on unhealthy – literally!

On that note how old is your make-up bag? Ever given it a proper wash? If your responses are ‘can’t remember’, ‘as old as the hills’ and ‘…no’, chances are you won’t be alone.

A good clear out and a few slick product updates will not only help save your face from a bacterial breeding ground, but will also give you fresh ideas and create space for a new arsenal of beauty loveliness.

Give tweezers and other tools a good wash, sharpen pencils, reunite floating products with rogue lids and ditch dog-eared packaging.

Spread all of your make-up in front of you and assess what you have and use, and whether anything looks past it. Assess on a practical level (pulverised eye shadow 92 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

and furry lip glosses are on the hit list!) and from a ‘does it suit you’ perspective (frosted lilac lipstick was never forgiving), bin anything beyond saving or compile a new ‘fancy dress’ make-up bag for when you need to return to The Nineties for an evening.

Generally non-powder cosmetics and skincare have an open shelf life of 24 months and this is usually printed on the container. Although they may go off sooner if they have not been kept in a cool dark environment - use your eyes and your nose as your guide here.

Powder-based cosmetics go off far less quickly. If they are 100% mineral-based then bacteria will have a very hard time taking hold so they will last a lot longer than standard products.

To get the best results with application, make-up brushes should be washed every week or so. Oils from the face get collected onto the brushes and can then form a hard layer on top of the powder, which damages the powder texture and colour and makes it tricky to apply. All brushes should be washed in anti-bacterial hand-wash and, if made from natural hairs, conditioned with hair conditioner. Gently blot off excess water with a tissue and place in a warm place to dry.

You’ll be surprised how much a simple clear out can breathe new life into your make-up routine and open your mind to new products for a new year. thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk

Abbey Brides

Beautiful bridal gowns & dream dresses 81 Cheap Street, Sherborne Contact Alison 01935 321375 | 07890 708552 abbey.brides@virgin.net www.abbeybrides.co.uk @AbbeyBrides

KICKSTART YOUR HEALTH WORKSHOP Saturday 13th January 2018

Take charge of your health by joining Thrive to start the new year with a fresh focus.

NO SWEAT An effective, pain-free and non-surgical approach to fat loss and body contouring.

Our state-of-the-art treatments offer a genuine alternative to months of gym work or surgery.

For a FREE no-obligation consultation please contact Peter Chell on 01963 220937 | info@e-a.org.uk West Down Business Centre, West Down Farm, Corton Denham, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LG www.evolution-aesthetics.co.uk

"Leave the house confident in the colours and shapes that make you, you"

Clear advice and helpful tips. No targets or pressure just support to help you feel better and back in control.

• Nutritional advice • Digestion and immune system support • Goal and intention setting • Stress reduction Booking essential

Thrive Health and Wellness, Sherborne Sarah Attwood Cert. ASK 07708 926000 www.thrivehealthwellness.co.uk sarah@thrivehealthwellness.co.uk

Colour Analysis, Shape & Style, Consultations, Wardrobe Re-styling, Personal Shopping, Online Shopping, Mens Styling, Bridal Packages, New Mum Styling, Colour & Style Parties, Skincare & Makeup Advice, Gift Vouchers Available 07969 557004 INFO@LINDSAYPUNCHSTYLING.CO.UK WWW.LINDSAYPUNCHSTYLING.CO.UK sherbornetimes.co.uk | 93

Body & Mind

WHAT TO WEAR Lindsay Punch, Stylist

94 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

T

here is nothing like the prospect of a shiny New Year to make you feel like refreshing your wardrobe. However, the New Year should not be about creating a new you, think about how you can reignite your own style with your existing clothes by creating and maintaining a simple wardrobe which is only full of items you really want or need. If you have a wardrobe full of clothes yet spend every morning deliberating over what to wear - only to conclude you have nothing to wear, then a capsule wardrobe could be just what you need.

The concept of a capsule wardrobe is not new there are endless blogs and articles floating around, and it has become hugely popular recently as more people aspire to a minimalistic and less stressful way of life.

Many find reducing the number of decisions they need to make every day, saves time and allows freedom to spend that time on other aspects of their life, as well as being more mindful when shopping and saving money.

It has been reported that Albert Einstein bought several versions of the same grey suit to avoid wasting brainpower on choosing an outfit each morning. Years later, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg, Chanel’s Karl Lagerfield and Apple’s late Steve Jobs adopted the same approach.

A streamlined capsule collection of clothes needs to be created with versatile pieces that can be styled in multiple mix and match combinations so you can create a number of outfits for different occasions. The feeling of being effortlessly stylish and ‘put together’ increases confidence and every outfit will be as stylish as the next!

Your capsule should be built on a foundation of timeless basics and mixed with seasonal pieces to keep it fresh.

The basics differ from person to person, depending on what you already own and your colouring and shape, so simply consider basics to be the building blocks of each outfit you wear. Your basics can include jeans, tailored trousers, good quality knitwear, a tailored or leather jacket. These items are worth investing in and will be a part of your wardrobe for many years.

If you are not sure how to start your capsule wardrobe, do some research and look for style inspiration on Google images or Pinterest boards and enter a search on capsules by season or colour. Start saving images and ‘mood boards’ you love to help you learn how to

mix prints, colours or signature styles. This does not mean you need to copy looks entirely, simply work with your own style. If you are a lover of floral, prints and feminine colours, then you should not copy the style of a monochrome, striped capsule! I will be hosting my own capsule wardrobe challenge and sharing my own capsule style in January on Instagram (@StylistMum) and Facebook (@LindsayPunchStyling).

Once you have your inspiration, it is time to raid your existing wardrobe. Look for similar items such as a smart blazer, your favourite jeans, straight leg trousers, knitwear in neutral colours and a silk shirt. Include statement pieces like a fabulous dress or something sparkly so you do not get bored. These pieces should not be saved for best and can be dressed down with denim. Gather your key items and hang them on a rail, then make a shopping list of items you might need to purchase to bring the rest together. When shopping for your new pieces remember everything you buy should be versatile and work with your existing wardrobe.

Start to clear out the rest of your wardrobe and get rid of worn through, never worn and does not fit. It is not to say to get rid of everything else, you can put your clothes to one side of your wardrobe so you have a clear section for your capsule. Equally with items that do not fit, take them out, store them away, re-visit them in 6 months. If they still do not fit, then you should let them go. This is not being ruthless, this is to help clear your mind!

When you have your capsule ready to go, start wearing it and continue to do so for 4 weeks, take photos of your favourite combinations so you can refer back and review how you can introduce new pieces.

Your new streamlined wardrobe will not only help you feel liberated but also contain plenty of great outfits to help you project your best self. Being organised will help you to revaluate the amount of money you spend on clothes verses what you actually wear. With this knowledge, you will enter the New Year being more mindful and confident.

To learn more, join Lindsay at the next Capsule Wardrobe Class on Thursday 25th January 7.30pm in Sherborne. lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 95

Body & Mind

DETOX OR NOT?

Loretta Lupi-Lawrence, The Sherborne Rooms

H

ands up, who is tempted to detox after the wonderful over-indulgence of December?

Every year I hear more that friends and clients are banishing the booze, starting an array of alarming ‘faddy’ diets and pushing bodies to limits they are not used to in the gym. I used to be one of those people until I realised my own body was a wreck and responding very badly to this forced behaviour. My skin was a pimply dark dull mess, my body battered and bruised, and my digestion and mood all off. As a Neal’s Yard Remedies 96 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

consultant I have learnt about winter and what it brings, part of which is hibernation. We need warm soulful food, plenty of water, sleep and rest, exercise but not excessive, warmth and, for our skin, a new routine to nourish and rejuvenate. Refresh your skincare and start using oils and antioxidant-rich creams like Wild Rose Beauty Balm and your skin will thank you for it.

Our nutritionist, Hayley Frances, is a guru on what really is the right way to enter 2018 diet-wise.

“It is generally accepted that after weeks of festive

indulgence, the right thing to do in January is detox. Unless you’re the sort of person who can shrug off any hangover and glow like a skincare model after weeks of cheese, mince pies and canapes, you’ll probably have had the ‘D’ word at the back of your mind for a while now.

Please don’t do it. You will undoubtedly feel the need to be healthier – and you can be, without the need for an extreme diet. Instead, try to ease yourself into a nourishing and hearty January and February and cook the kind of piping meals that warm the soul and provide nutrient-dense fuel during the bleakest months.

Starting a strict weight-loss regime or health kick in January is futile and unnatural. It is dark, cold and grey and we can go for weeks without seeing the sun. Salads and juices may taste wonderfully worthy, but on their own they are not enough to sustain and instinctively feel like the wrong thing to eat when it’s frosty outside and you can see your breath in the air. Eating this way, at this time of year, will probably make you feel miserable, which is counterintuitive to any kind of ‘health’ plan and completely obstructive to progress.

So, unless you have been to see a nutritional therapist and they consider a January detox important for your health, please avoid it.

Right now, I am feeding my family healthy doses of stodge, balanced with some crunchy greens. Curries, hot pots, stews, hearty wholegrain pasta dishes are all on the menu; dishes that are rich in organic animal fats and protein, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds, organic goat’s cheeses, root vegetables and wholegrain carbohydrates. Sure, cut right back on the abundance of alcohol, sugar and processed treats that fill our tummies in December, but for goodness sake fuel your body in January, don’t starve it! When the daffodils come out in March and you feel the sun dance across your face again, that’s the time to cleanse and, I promise, if you wait until then it will feel really good.

Join Loretta and Nutritionist Hayley Frances at their Winter Nutrition & Skin workshop at the Sherborne Rooms on Thursday 11th January from 7pm until 8.30pm. Ticket price £15 to include supper and a glass of something. Ticket price redeemable against nutritional consultancy and or skin care purchases. To book call Hayley Frances Nutrition on 07586 717678

THERAPY ROOMS & OFFICE SPACE Our therapy rooms hold a diverse clinic of practitioners each running their own practice.

We use and sell Neal’s Yard Remedies products within our therapies. Pop into the shop to order your bathroom essentials or book a free one to one skin consultation & mini facial. Parties & workshops available.

We have rooms ready to be rented for either long or short terms or meetings. Quiet space with heating, desks, seating and wifi.

Pop in for more information or call

01935 507290

email sherbornerooms@gmail.com or visit www.sherbornerooms.com

56 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3BJ

OPENING HOURS: Monday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Tuesday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Wednesday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Thursday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Friday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Saturday: 7.30am ~ 4pm Walk in, relax. No appointment necessary

56 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3BJ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 97

Body & Mind

REFLECT AND RECHARGE

W

Sarah Attwood, Cert. ASK Kinesiologist, Thrive Health and Wellness

elcome January, a chance to hit the reset button. Now is a great opportunity for a spring clean of life: mind, body and soul. A time to take stock of what really matters, of how to spend more time doing things you enjoy and start afresh where needed.

Warning: This is not going to be an article advocating the health benefits of green smoothies! Surprised? I believe in an holistic approach, that means looking at you and your health in its entirety with your job, home life, worries and diet thrown in. There’s no point beating yourself up for not following a 7-day juice plan if the only reason you’re doing it is because your negative mind-monkeys are telling you to lose weight. We need to find out what YOU want, WHY you want it and create steps to help you get there.

Last year for me was a big year of change, of running Thrive full-time and of learning to manage my time appropriately (still working on that one). The eat well, sleep well and rest well part was OK but the exercise well was rather intermittent. Take a moment to reflect on your 2017. How was it for you? How would you like to feel in 2018? What does happiness look like to you?

What does health feel like for you?

Mind

Hands up the over-thinkers, the overachievers and the endless to-do listers (I’m with you). This is a chance to leave the shoulds and woulds in the past, and embrace the “I can” movement. Resolutions remind me of the phrase ‘rules are made to be broken.’ We all make them thinking that this year we really will give up smoking/go to the gym more/ not eat so much chocolate, but after a few days, when the willpower wears off, we’re just left feeling deflated.

Check your attitude and how you talk to yourself.

Do you constantly berate yourself for not having done enough or being good enough? If you talk to your friends the way you talk to yourself, you wouldn’t have many friends left. Make 2018 the year you start practising the power of positive thinking. Whether you wake up and say ‘Today is going to be a good day because…’ or whether you prefer reflecting at the end of the day, whichever your preference, stick with it.

Implement a Jar of Happiness in your house where 98 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

everyone can add in something they’re grateful for on an ad hoc basis. It’s a lovely way to reflect on all those notes at the end of the year.

Body

Food, supplements, exercise, rest – think about WHY you need your body to be strong. I like to think of it as a spring clean. Nothing too dramatic or draconian but a gentle, consistent approach to truly nourishing your body to produce longer lasting results. Introduce meal planning to help prep for those busy times, ask the family what they want. I haven’t quite embraced the entire week of prep on a Sunday afternoon but I do like to have a few meals planned and in the freezer as we all have ‘I need dinner NOW’ days.

Is exercise a way to keep you feeling fit and able to run around after your grandchildren? Is it about stretching more to help get rid of that niggling back pain? Do you want to complete your first 5 or 10k this year? Is it the link between a healthy body and a healthy mind that keeps you focussed?

Soul

Take a moment to step back and identify the areas that matter to you (friendships, career, home life, finances) and think about how much time you devote to them.

How is your job going? Can you make time for your hobbies? Are you surrounding yourself with supportive friends or are you aware some are energy-drainers?

How would you like to feel focussed for the whole year? I don’t make resolutions any more but work with a vision board and goal-setting instead. It’s a chance for me to identify what’s important in my life and work on a plan to help keep the balance. There will always be bumps in the road and diversions to trip you up, but staying focused on your WHY will help you navigate the year.

Whatever your goals and dreams, come along to the Kickstart Your Health workshop to find your ‘why’, to think about what’s important to you in 2018, explore simple ways to improve your diet and to discuss how to stay well.

Kickstart Your Health workshop, Saturday 13th January.

Book online at thrivehealthwellness.co.uk/events

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 99

Body & Mind

JUMP INTO JANUARY

Eleanor Farr, Oxley Sports Centre

W

ith the decorations coming down, Christmas jumpers put away and the cards recycled (I hope), it’s tempting to feel a bit flat in January after all the excitement of Christmas. We think about the long month ahead with money tight and our jeans even tighter. But there is much to look forward to in January. It’s a time of abundance with snow drops and early daffodils beginning to bloom, bringing with them the certain promise of spring and bargains still to be had.

We start to think of our New Year’s resolutions in earnest, perhaps it will be giving up smoking, abstaining from alcohol or joining a gym, embedding good habits of exercise and eating into our life routines. Whatever your goals are, it’s a good idea to take stock of where you are right now and what you need to change so that when you set your targets and achieve your goals, you can reward yourself with perhaps a new pair of jeans or a holiday to show off your new swimsuit-ready body. Either way, the time is now and here are a few suggestions to help galvanise you and turbo boost your good intentions.

The best place to start is with you - keep a food diary for a week, recording what you eat, drink, how much and when, and how you've slept. This sounds very basic but when you look at it, at the end of the week, you will feel quite empowered and may even realise that when you have cheese late at night you don’t sleep quite so well! Be honest with yourself and you will be rewarded with a laser-like focus on what you need to change and 100 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

where your weak points are - perhaps surprisingly on a Thursday night when your food shop is ebbing, it’s just not quite Friday and the pre-packed curry calls.

We also recommend getting your basic body stats checked, for example your body measurements, bust, waist, hips, or arms, neck, stomach, whatever you feel is important to you. Enlisting a fitness buddy to accompany you along your journey could be a lot of fun. Blood pressure and body fat to muscle ratio should be taken at this point and recorded. Local gyms will do this or a basic check-up at your doctors if you haven’t had one for a while is a good idea, especially if you intend on embarking on a new exercise routine in the coming months.

Armed with your food diary and body stats you can start setting your targets. It might be very health conscious for example, “I want to be able to play football with my grandson without having to sit down after five minutes” or “I want to look amazing for my summer holiday and not have to wear a sarong to hide bits I’m not so happy with.” Whatever it is, in identifying the goal and giving a realistic timescale, you can begin the exciting journey to change and bloom into who you really want to be.

Oxley Sports Centre is running a Shape Up Challenge in January to guide you through the process with nutritional recommendations and exercises tailored just for you.

For more information and a food diary to start you off visit oxleysc.com/shape-up

Amelia Rose Bespoke Beauty in association with The Green Restaurant We are Delighted to offer you an indulgent relaxing morning or afternoon having your favourite Treatments. Choose Two from the following and enjoy a Two Course Lunch from the Menu du Jour at The Green Restaurant just next door.

• Swedish Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage • Holistic Head Massage • Darphin Glow and Go Facial Radiance Manicure • Radiance Pedicure

only £60.00 per person or £110.00 for two when booked together Amelia Rose Bespoke Beauty 1 The Green • Sherborne • Dorset • DT9 3HY T: 01935 389688 • E: info@ameliaroseholdings.co.uk www.ameliarosebeauty.co.uk This offer is not available in conjunction with other discounts or special offers

LONDON ROAD CLINIC Health Clinic • Acupuncture • Osteopathy • Counselling • Physiotherapy • EMDR Therapy • Shiatsu

• Podiatry and Chiropody • Manual Lymphatic Drainage • Soft Tissue Therapy, Sports & Remedial Massage Therapy • Hopi Ear Candle Therapy

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Jump into

January

TAKE OUR SHAPE UP CHALLENGE *Free food diary online at oxleysc.com/shape-up

For more information please call 01935 818270 or go to our website www.oxleysc.com Bradford Road, Sherborne DT9 3DA

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 101

Body & Mind

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BODY

A

Jemima Munro Specialist Physiotherapist, BSc Phys (Hons), MCSP, HCPC registered, London Road Clinic

s the New Year begins, it is a common theme to hear of people making those good old New Year’s resolutions. Ones that may ring a bell with you are those of taking better care of yourself or joining the gym/doing some regular exercise. Within the clinic we often see that some of these people have injured themselves in starting this new activity or hobby.

Therefore, I thought it would be helpful to give you a little reminder of how to approach your new resolution without, hopefully, having a problem.

The first thing of which to remind you, is the importance of good upright posture. It is so easy to forget this as you exercise. Whatever your method of exercising, the better the posture you can hold, the more likely you are going to work your body accurately. It is very easy to slip into habits old and new! However, if you can try to ensure that the muscles you think you are working, are the ones you are working, hopefully you will get even more benefit from what you are doing.

Another thing is to remember that although you may be very enthusiastic about your new hobby or activity, your body may take a little bit of time to get used to it. So build up gradually on the level you are working at, whether that be the length of time, number of repetitions or the weight or load you are using. It may seem like common sense but it is easy to get carried away when you are ready and motivated, but your body needs a chance to develop and strengthen. A good way of knowing how much to do is by listening to what your body is telling you. If you are unable to maintain the good quality of movement that you hopefully started

102 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

with, then your body is probably telling you that you have done enough this time. Once we start using the wrong muscles or start cheating to continue the exercise then our chances of injury may increase. It is often helpful to get an expert such as a coach, personal trainer or fitness instructor to check your techniques regularly when you start and as you progress, to make sure you are keeping on track no matter how good you are!

For those of you who just want to take better care of yourselves, maybe at work, to minimise those aches and pains that you get from sitting at a desk or from the stress levels - what about making a New Year’s Resolution to not forget your body? Regularly check that your work-station set-up is correct for you, particularly if you share a work space. There are lots of helpful tips about this online or your company may have someone trained in guiding you with this. Don’t ‘settle for’ or ‘make do’ as your body will not thank you! No matter how busy you are take regular breaks - your brain and body will be much more useful to you and you will probably be much more efficient in the long term. These breaks don’t have to be long. Even if it is just a stand up and have a wiggle – it is better than nothing.

If you have found these tips helpful but need a bit more guidance and advice or if things have started to go a bit wrong and there are aches and pains starting, then it is always worth seeking help. Here at London Road Clinic we would be happy to help and set you on the right track so please ring us on 01963 251860.

56londonroad.co.uk

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME The Treatment Options

I

Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom, GP and Complementary Practitioner, Glencairn House

rritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is an extremely common condition affecting approximately a third of the population at any one time. A variety of factors such as food intolerance or allergy, gut flora imbalance in the colon, the after-effects of a ‘tummy bug’ and stress contribute to IBS. The commonest symptoms are abdominal distension and bloating, often accompanied by altered stool form and frequency, excess wind and cramping tummy pains. If you suspect you have IBS, the diagnosis should be confirmed by your GP in order to rule out other conditions such as colitis, diverticulitis and, most importantly, bowel or colon cancer. These conditions can also present with the same symptoms and they must always be excluded before IBS is diagnosed and treated. Other symptoms such as passing blood with your stools or weight loss must be reported to your GP and never be self-diagnosed as IBS. There is no single treatment for IBS but a combination of therapies, supplements and dietary changes may bring relief. Conventional treatments, prescribed by your GP are anti-spasmodics (e.g.

Mebeverine), anti-diarrhoeals (e.g. Loperamide), bulking agents (e.g. Fybogel) and even SSRI antidepressants (e.g. Prozac).

Eliminating foods that people are allergic or sensitive to, reduces IBS symptoms especially gas and bloating.

Allergy-testing with skin prick tests or IgE blood tests identifies foods that cause symptoms due to allergy.

Food intolerance is less well understood but elimination of suspected foods, particularly wheat products, can lead to identification of those foods that cause IBS symptoms. Some people can’t digest food sugars such as

lactose (found in milk and diary products) or fructose (found in fruits). Elimination of these food groups may be successful in reducing symptoms such as bloating, wind and cramps.

Imbalance of gut flora can be corrected by taking probiotics, the so-called ‘friendly’ bacteria (lactobacilli and bifidobacter); studies have shown a reduction in IBS symptoms with probiotic supplementation.

Herbal remedies such as peppermint oil and artichoke leaf extract have been shown in studies to be effective for treatment of IBS symptoms. Chamomile relieves spasms and colic, especially where IBS is associated with anxiety.

Homeopathic medicine is another complementary medicine that has been shown in studies to relieve IBS symptoms. The homeopathic approach is characterised by the overall holistic view of the patient and the condition.

Lycopodium, Aloes and Arg Nit are often successful.

Advice from a homeopath is recommended in order to be prescribed the most appropriate medicine according to the symptoms as well as the overall profile of the person.

In summary, once the diagnosis of IBS is confirmed by your GP, I would advise a food diary to help identify foods that bring on your IBS symptoms and modify your diet accordingly. Take regular exercise. Try to identify and deal with stress triggers. Take a probiotic daily.

Then you could try herbal or homeopathic remedies as outlined above. Hopefully these approaches will help with that troublesome bloating once and for all. doctorTWRobinson.com GlencairnHouse.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 103

Brister&Son Independent Family Funeral Directors

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01935 873033

care@tovic.com

We are delighted to announce that following our recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission we have been awarded a rating of Outstanding. This means we are in the top 1% of care homes in England.

The Old Vicarage CQC overall rating

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Set in its own secluded, beautifully landscaped gardens, woodland and meadow, and with stunning views overlooking the Dorset countryside, it’s hard to resist the charms of the Old Vicarage. As soon as you step through the front door of this charming country house, you’ll discover an oasis of comfort, warmth, calm and relaxation.

Our highly trained staff ensure that everything - from the mouth-watering food and drink and the stylishly cosy bedrooms to the wide range of activities - will make the Old Vicarage truly a home from home. We have been recognised by the Cinnamon Trust as being one of the best pet friendly care homes in the country.

To arrange a visit please call on 01935 873033 or email care@tovic.com

Live for today and plan for the future

Sherborne Office

01935 817903 James Mobile

07824 389750 Lucinda Mobile

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lucinda@ssfs.co.uk

Strategic Solutions is a trading style of Strategic Solutions Financial Services which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, number 525733. Principals: Kevin Forbes: Jefferson Fawcett: Giles Wellington: Allan Cruse.

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 107

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 108 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

SUPERSTITIOUS

Mark Lewis, Symonds & Sampson

W

hen I was aged about seven I was told that if I didn’t do something, the sky would fall on my head and bring bad luck to everyone concerned. It has stayed with me ever since and is particularly inconvenient.

Some people are very superstitious saluting a magpie, not treading on cracks in the pavement, never putting new shoes on a table or using a knife to stir food.

It is also commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy, and certain spiritual beings, particularly the belief that future events can be foretold by specific (apparently) unrelated prior events.

But where does all this irrational behaviour stem from?

We can blame the Romans for encouraging some superstitions, and the worshiping of the gods by ancient civilisations and druids also led to a belief that certain rituals could alter future events. Whether inserting a rusty nail through a lemon successfully warded off the evil eye, for example, may have worked, we will never know.

The most common superstitions are: A fear of the number 13 - this may be because Judas was the 13th disciple.

Itchy palms - some believe that if the right palm itches you will meet someone new, while an itchy left palm means that money is coming.

Walking under ladders - the shape of an open ladder is a triangle, which signifies life in some mythologies.

When you walk through the triangle, it’s thought that you tempt the Fates. You also run the risk of awakening spirits that live within the triangle, including evil spirits

who may not be happy with the disturbance.

Breaking a mirror - 7 years of bad luck unless you bury the mirror outside. This may be because the mirror is a reflection of the soul.

Finding a horseshoe - usually good luck, so long as it is the right way up to catch the blessing. Throw it over your shoulder and make a wish. (Check there is no one behind you otherwise it is bad luck for them!)

Knocking on wood - this dates back to a time when people believed the gods lived in the trees and a knock would ask for luck.

Tossing salt over your shoulder - if you do this you will ward off evil spirits.

Black cats - sometimes good and occasionally bad, as witches were believed to keep black cats as a companion.

Saying “bless you” - Romans believed a good sneeze could release your soul into the world and a “bless you” would keep it in. A sneeze during the black plague in 1665 usually meant someone was about to die.

Then there are people who salute a blackbird, never look at the new moon through glass, keep rabbits’ feet, wear lucky underwear, make a wish when they blow out candles, keep their fingers crossed and never pass another person on the stairs. The list can be endless.

The more I think about it, the more ridiculous it appears, a load of mumbo jumbo, but that is not going to stop me visiting a house and leaving by the same door I enter. It is just not worth the risk but it is very inconvenient in my profession! symondsandsampson.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 109

Chesters Commercial

Sherborne House Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JG

A stunning Grade I listed property located in the centre of Sherborne.

FOR SALE / TO LET The house provides 1,217.5 sq. m / 13,115 sq. ft. of accommodation The whole site extends to 1.8 acres Originally constructed in circa 1720 by Benjamin Bastard for Henry Seymour Portman, the house has been used as a private residence and girls school during its history. The house extends to three storeys and retains many of the original features.

The entrance hall and staircase have the renowned Baroque mural paintings by Sir James Thornhill which depicts the story from Ovid’s Metamorphoses of the Calydonian Hunt and covers the wall and ceiling.

Chesters Commercial

CHESTERS COMMERCIAL IS AN INDEPENDENT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY PRACTICE We have expertise in all areas of the commercial property market including property agency, valuation, planning and development and leasehold advisory. We pride ourselves on our local knowledge and our extensive client list.

COMMERCIAL AGENCY - PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - VALUATION LANDLORD AND TENANT - RATING - PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Chesters Commercial Limited First Floor Motivo House Bluebell Road Yeovil Somerset BA20 2FG T: 01935 415454 E: info@chesterscommercial.com www.chesterscommercial.com

Not found what you’re looking for?

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 “A huge thank you to Luke, Simon and the rest of the team at Knight Frank in Sherborne for helping steer us through the sale of our family home. We are happy that we chose to work with such an experienced and knowledgeable team.”

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 “We have today completed the sale of our latest project just outside of Gillingham. From conception we found the advice of the team at Knight Frank, Sherborne invaluable. Prior to completion they sold the property for full asking price. We constantly deal with a number of various agents in the Dorset area, but have to admit that they are head and shoulders above the rest. If you are considering selling I strongly recommend them being your first port of call.”

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Property

PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST RENT ARREARS Paul Gammage & Anita Light, Ewemove Sherborne

R

esearch by the Residential Landlords Association suggests that 28% of landlords have experienced rent arrears in the last 12 months. What’s more, earlier this year, a study by Your Move found that at least 9% of tenants across England and Wales were in arrears.

So how do you reconcile rent payments and collect both rent and arrears?

Even the most efficient and well-organised landlords may find themselves dealing with a tenant who is in arrears and sometimes, with persistently late or non-payers, it can feel like the law is weighted heavily in the tenant’s favour. All of which means, it’s very important to ensure you have the best possible systems to avoid arrears in the first place, as well as having protection in place in case the worst happens.

Insure against lost rental income

There are a variety of landlord insurance products available to help minimise your risk of loss. You will need to check the terms of any such policies to see what degree of tenant referencing they require, how much they will cover and whether that includes legal costs.

Check that your agent provides their own Client Money Protection Insurance.

Consider your collection process

This should include a written policy for dealing with late payment (including repayment terms) that you must stick to. Collect rent by way of direct debit and have a system that tries to collect again if the first attempt fails.

Send reminders in advance of the day rent is due.

Prepare for late payment

But what if, despite your best efforts,

Even the best tenants can fall into arrears sometimes so make sure you make provision for some arrears as you plan your annual costs. As early as possible in your career as a landlord, build arrears into your financial plan. As you plan, budget on the basis that you will only receive 10 out of 12 rent payments a year. This should give you a sufficient buffer to see you safely through any periods of late or non-payment.

the rent is still not paid?

Vet tenants and ask for a guarantor

A thorough vetting of any prospective tenant is essential.

Most letting agents will do this for you but do check that their vetting process includes checking a tenant’s employment and previous landlord and, in some cases, asking for someone to guarantee the rent payments. Ask your agent if they will visit the prospective tenant in their current home, it’s the best indicator as to what sort of tenant they’ll be.

114 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

The first thing to remember is that you cannot evict your tenant yourself for non- or late-payment of rent.

Indeed, you may be committing a crime if you do!

Harassing a tenant can also result in criminal sanctions and fines. Of course, you will need to contact a nonpaying tenant promptly but this needs to be handled sensitively. Find out what’s gone wrong and then establish the best way forward.

Your options will vary from repayment plans to temporarily adjusting the rent or in the worst case scenario, applying to the courts for eviction. Remember, if you want to evict your tenant you will have to apply to the court for an order and there will be a period of at least two months even if you succeed before you get an order for vacant possession. ewemove.com/sherborne

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Anita Light & Paul Gammage, Branch Directors Call: 01935 350 350 Visit: www.EweMove.com/Sherborne

Property

WHERE THE BOUNDARIES LIE Maeve England, Partner, Dispute Resolution, Mogers Drewett

P

erhaps it’s down to our territorial instincts, but boundary disputes among landowners are fairly common, be it in relation to commercial, agricultural or residential land.

Boundaries are recorded on title deeds but are not always marked exactly. A red line showing the perimeters of a property may give only an approximate indication and may not show if the boundary lies on one side of a wall or fence or down the middle of it.

Sometimes the title deed may be years old and things have changed since but not been recorded, such as a wall, fence or extension to the property, or boundaries moving by long use or agreement.

Disputes can even arise with new-build properties.

Take the alarming case of Simon and Maggie Dancer who are currently unable to sell their house thanks to a quirk in the boundary lines which means their neighbour owns half of their master bedroom. As part of a development of link properties, their ‘flying freehold’ master bedroom was built over a driveway and subsequently wrongly ascribed. You might imagine that such an error could be quickly rectified – but when the developer of the properties has sold them all and transferred responsibility to a warranty provider, it can take time and expense to have such mistakes corrected.

Conveyancing checks

This only underlines the need, when buying or selling property or land, to ensure that your conveyancing solicitor is checking boundaries closely. Particular areas to watch out for include: • Connecting areas if two properties are joined • Walls and fences, particularly if they are relatively new • Extensions, even if they are minor • Shared access points such as driveways, parking areas • Making sure that the plans look like a reflection of what is on the ground 116 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

What to do in a dispute?

There are many different situations in which a dispute could arise. You may be either buying or selling when an error or anomaly is uncovered. Alternatively, you may not be moving but want to make some changes that your neighbour does not agree with. Or it may be that the neighbour wants to make a change or even claims that you are occupying a section of land that belongs to them.

When a dispute arises, the first step should always be to discuss with the landowner in a calm and friendly way.

After all, it is in everyone’s interests that a disagreement should be resolved as painlessly as possible.

If you cannot agree, then you should consult a

solicitor. They (or you) can gather together all the available documentary evidence – title deeds, Land Registry plan, any other documents, such as aerial photographs, that exist. As well as the positioning of boundaries, the title deeds may specify such things as who has responsibility for a boundary and any restrictions on erecting or moving/changing a fence or wall.

Your solicitor may be able to resolve the situation by communicating with your neighbour and/or their solicitor and mediating on your behalf. A meeting on site involving various experts such as surveyors could also be arranged. Mediation may be a route to resolving the matter, in a meeting between you, your neighbour

and respective solicitors with an independent mediator.

The final resort may be going to court to have the issue resolved.

Think ahead

Sadly, when disputes arise, it can take a significant amount of time for them to be resolved – even years in some cases. If you are thinking of buying/selling or making some alterations to your land or property and have a nagging doubt about something, it may be worth looking into the matter ahead of time and doing some initial research. mogersdrewett.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 117

Mogers Drewett Solicitors.

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Finance

P

TELLING FORTUNES

Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.) CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS, Certified and Chartered Financial Planner, Fort Financial Planning

rediction season is upon us. I’m glad I’m not a financial media pundit whose job requires making predictions on the outcomes of major world events.

In recent times, from the Brexit referendum, to the US presidential vote, to general elections in Australia, the Netherlands, France and the UK, the record of many media and market pundits, pollsters and self-appointed ‘gurus’ has not been particularly distinguished.

Time after time, emphatic and confident-sounding headlines about the likely outcome of these events, together with the likely market reaction, have proved incorrect. This wouldn’t matter so much if many investors didn’t take these calls seriously.

On 19th April, The Times of London splashed with ‘Theresa May Set for Landslide in Snap Election Brexit Voters to Desert Labour’. The story said “May’s Conservative Party was on course to win a majority of more than 100 seats in the June national election.”

As we now know, the Conservatives not only failed to increase their majority, they lost 13 seats and fell short of the majority required to govern in their own right. The opposition, the Labour Party, gained 32 seats despite much pre-poll analysis writing them off.

Around this time, The Economist magazine editorialised that in the event of such an inconclusive result, the pound sterling and UK equities would “surely” take a hit. Yet on the day after the poll, the FTSE-100 benchmark index ended 1% higher. The markets today are even higher than in April.

Think back to the US presidential election in 2016.

Market analysts quoted by CNBC predicted dramatic falls (of up to 13%) in the US equity market if Trump defied the polls and pundits to win the election.

Of course, not only did Trump defy the polls and win, but equity markets took the news “in their stride”

(as one newspaper reported). The S&P-500 quickly moved to a succession of record highs and by June 2017 was about 15% above its pre-election levels.

It’s tough to forecast the outcome of an event, but even if you get that right, there’s still no guarantee the market will react as you assume, given the huge number of inputs that drive prices every minute of every day.

So it’s worth asking that if market professionals find it hard to accurately and consistently predict the outcome of major events and the market reaction, why should anyone bother making investment decisions by second-guessing prices?

The fact is markets price news quickly. So if collective expectations of an event change, you would expect prices to reflect that almost instantly. While many people think they can outguess prices, the highly competitive nature of markets makes it extremely hard to do that consistently and without costs eating up any gain they might receive.

The evidence reflects that, with most money managers struggling to match benchmarks over time.

So what can you do? An alternative approach is to assume prices in highly competitive markets are fair and that they contain information about expected returns.

You can use the information in prices to form portfolios that are designed to deliver outperformance.

Through broad diversification and by maintaining a long-term focus on your goal, you can improve the reliability of outcomes so that one-off geopolitical events, economic news and stock-specific factors do not throw your plan off course.

The news will come and go, of course, but using an evidence-based approach that harnesses the power of the markets means you can avoid the headline blues. ffp.org.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 119

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120 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Tech

H

appy New Year! “I’ve got the best broom I’ve ever had; it’s lasted years and had 4 new heads and 2 new handles! I only ever use it for a bit of light sweeping and I don’t see the point of getting a new one.”

So, what’s all that got to do with computers then?

Well you’d be amazed how many people still have old Windows XP and Windows Vista PCs and laptops that they don’t want to replace because they “only use them for email and a bit of internet…just a glorified typewriter really.” Now, just to put you in the picture, Windows XP was retired by Microsoft some years ago and most software and anti-virus companies have ceased supporting both operating systems at the same time.

These machines are now in their twilight years being over 10 years old and really ought to get replaced.

Not that I should complain as they keep going wrong and I keep fixing them…it’s all good business but there is a risk in all of this. These older operating systems are no longer receiving updates that keep you secure in a challenging on-line world, nor are they supported by most of the anti-virus companies, and the only remaining supported browser is Mozilla Firefox! That means your computer will be more susceptible to hackers and other scammers, who could exploit bugs that Microsoft is no

longer fixing to gain access to your machine and steal your personal information. The final nail in the coffin is that if you have to replace your printer, most new ones aren’t supported either. Like it or not, you will eventually have to bite-the-bullet and upgrade.

That is not really as life-changing as it may seem as despite the bad press around Windows 10, it’s much better than Vista and Windows 8, that were never popular. Furthermore, we can make Windows 10 look much like your existing setup and most of your programs like Word and Excel, along with email and internet browsing, will look very similar. All of your data is transferrable along with your email history and address book, so there is little to worry about…just do it!

New laptops and desktop PCs are relatively cheap today compared to 10 years ago and you get a lot more for your money. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the speed improvements.

As always, if you need help with this or any other related technology, you know where to come!

Coming Up Next Month … Phishing, Spear Phishing and Related Scams. computing-mp.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 121

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www.dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 123

Free No Obligation Quote

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124 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

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Short Story

THE CALL

C

Jan Garner, Sherborne Scribblers

ora was happily baking in the kitchen when the phone rang. She dropped her whisk in the bowl and lifted the receiver.

“Hello,” she said.

“Hello,” replied an unfamiliar voice. “I’m sorry to disturb you and I’m sure what I have to say will come as a huge shock, but as someone who’s been through the same thing I thought you really should know.”

“Know what?” Cora replied.

“Your husband is having an affair.”

“I beg your pardon.” She spluttered. “Who are you?”

“It doesn’t really matter who I am, someone had to put you in the picture, because as I know only too well, it’s always the wife who’s the last to know.” She sighed. “I only wish somebody had been good enough to warn me when my husband strayed, maybe then I could have saved my marriage; as it happened, it was far too late for that. Twenty years, twenty good years, she reiterated, wasted, just like that. I lost everything, him - the house – the lifestyle – the prestige that comes from being the wife of a very successful man. Which I why I’m phoning you, perhaps you can stop them before it goes that far?”

“I can assure you that there really is nothing to stop.” Cora said huffily. “I trust my husband implicitly” “Of course you do dear; a happy marriage is based on trust. Without that, it all falls apart.

But I’m afraid you’re wrong, his sordid affair is common knowledge throughout the Company.

Frankly, it’s been a huge shock to us all. No one believed he was capable of it. I mean to say, he’s so conservative and if you don’t mind me saying, awfully dull and boring. But that was before he met Mercedes. Don’t you just love that name? You know the type, legs up to her armpits, boobs that need scaffolding. Honestly, I’m telling you he doesn’t stand a chance, she won’t settle for anything less than a shiny gold band on her finger.”

“That’s quite enough, please stop this nonsense?” Cora shouted irritably.

But it was no use, the woman was in full flow, utterly determined to deliver her unwelcome message.

“What kind of delusion is it, do you think? She continued, that makes old men believe it’s their charm and scintillating personalities and not the size of their bank balance that make them so irresistible to women half their age. It’s pathetic really. Instead of a brandy in their hot chocolate and an early night, they’re out in trendy clubs pretending their still twenty five. The mind boggles. It’s not long though before a predictably short marriage precedes the inevitable divorce which always entails an over generous financial settlement.”

She laughed scathingly. “Then the old fool wants you back. Mine nearly missed the boat, I had moved on by then, found myself a gorgeous toy boy, he did me a power of good, I can tell you. I wasn’t going to be parted from him unless the reconciliation package my ex was offering suited me: and believe me I made damn sure that it did. Do you blame me? After all I had my old age to consider. But you, you can bypass all that nonsense and protect your interests. So, unless you want a divorce. Take my advice and get rid of him while you still can.”

Cora had heard enough and quietly replaced the receiver.

“Who was that?” called her husband.

“Just a wrong number my darling” she giggled, as he shuffled his way through the kitchen on his walking frame.

126 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

Literature

LITERARY REVIEW John Gaye, Sherborne Literary Society

Hearts and Minds: The Battle of the Conservative Party from Thatcher to the Present By Oliver Letwin (Biteback Publishing) £20.00

I

Exclusive Sherborne Times Reader Offer Price of £19.00 from Winstone’s Books

should start this review with a declaration of interest: although I do not live in Sir Oliver Letwin’s West Dorset Constituency, I have for many years admired him as a diligent and caring constituent MP and as a thoughtful and sensible influence on the Conservative Party. So his recently published book, Hearts and Minds, was always going to be of interest. It did not disappoint.

The book is both an autobiography and an account of Tory thinking since the days of Mrs Thatcher’s premiership.

Although it is often said that there is little ideology within Conservative Party thinking, and that is why they can be more pragmatic in their policies while in government, this particular book shines a light on the basic principles, indeed ideology, underlying their decisions while in power.

But just as importantly, it provides, where appropriate, a mea culpa for where things have not gone well. Letwin delves into why planned outcomes were not achieved despite the best efforts of the politicians’ planning. It is refreshingly honest in its forensic investigations over the politics of the last 50 odd years. It also provides a really good insight into the personalities of many of those who were instrumental in guiding the activities of the Coalition. I particularly enjoyed his honest appraisal of the very decent motivations behind his colleagues in the Lib Dems with whom he had to negotiate each and every policy decision.

Oliver Letwin was only elected as an MP 20 years ago but he has been surrounded by politics all his life. His parents were academics, originally in Chicago, and often hosted many of the leading advocates of free market thinking around their dining table, at which the young Oliver heard and learnt much. Given that this was in the 50s and 60s, it was inevitable that the one unifying element was their dislike of both fascism and communism. This coalesced into the basic ideology of support for the various ‘freedoms’ and the development of the theory of ‘free market liberalism’. And this fortunately was also the basic ideology of the Thatcher regime, in which he cut his teeth as a political advisor.

Looking to the future of the Conservative Party, he maintains that this is still the way forward, albeit rebranded as ‘social market liberalism’, which provides the prosperity, social justice and security for all elements of society. He is highly critical of the most recent general election where he felt the party lost its way by not focusing on the many benefits of its core beliefs while worrying about what Corbynistics was offering the electorate.

This book is a very honest appraisal of both his political life and that of the Conservative Party over the last 50 odd years. Most importantly, not being a devotee of political tomes, I found it very easy and fascinating reading. sherborneliterarysociety.com

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Women, men and children

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DOWN 2. Following immediately (7) 3. Lead batsmen (cricket) (7) 4. Sample of cloth (6) 5. Pass a rope through (5) 6. Leg bone (5) 7. Not yet finished (11) 8. Eg Huw Edwards and Trevor McDonald (11) 14. Active during the day (7) 15. Husbands or wives (7) 17. Fabric associated with Scotland (6) 19. Ousel (anag) (5) 20. Synthetic fibre (5)

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PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

I

Sue Hawkett

n the November issue Jono Tregale reminded us about seasons, the significant events associated with each and how we might choose to respond. Since then we have enjoyed the vibrant and soft colours of autumn followed by the crisp winter mornings and statuesque trees. For me, winter is always a bit too cold!

But all seasons have their unique beauty and are important. They remind us of the rhythm of life, our shared humanity and mortality. For we all share in new birth, love, nurture, growth, the warmth and security of family, friendships, the value of dependence and interdependence, times of diminishing vigour and death. Each phase is unique because each person is unique, precious and wonderfully made. But this rhythm is not necessarily sequential.

Throughout life we all experience loss in some form or other and experience the associated pain. It may be an early memory of a pet dying, separation from friends or family, death of a child, a grandparent, close friend, parent or partner. We all encounter loss and grief. Yet our culture, our stiff upper lip, seems to stifle the expression of this, restricting the opportunity and permission to grieve which may lead to suppressing it for years. I recently became aware of ‘Saying Goodbye Services’ which are remembrance services for people who have lost a child at any stage of pregnancy, birth or infancy whether recent or 80 years ago. The calm of a Christian service can help many to say goodbye, grieve, remember and find support in the company of others experiencing similar emotions. These emotions are natural and normal, like the seasons of the year. In John’s Gospel ( John 11:17–36), we read how Jesus showed emotion (‘Jesus wept’) when he witnessed the grief Mary and Martha felt over the death of their brother Lazarus. This illustrates that in sharing our pain he also gives us comfort and hope.

Grieving is hard work. It is a journey that is painful but being allowed to grieve, yet not forgetting the loved one, leads eventually to being able to smile again.

Each year in February, Sherborne Churches Together host the ‘Sherborne Snowdrop Service’ this year held in Sherborne Abbey at 11am on 2nd February. The service provides an opportunity for people to remember, give thanks and say goodbye, irrespective of what or when their loss was or their beliefs. The service includes readings, music and the option of lighting a candle. The event is run by organisations from the NHS and charities who care about those who are bereaved. These organisations, Yeatman Hospital, Weldmar Hospicecare, Marie Curie, and Cruse, will take part in the service and be available to listen and chat afterwards over refreshments.

Whatever your experience of loss, you may find in this service a quiet, calm and supportive environment to say ‘I remember and give thanks for you.’

Sherborne Snowdrop Service, Sherborne Abbey, Friday 2nd February, 11am For further details see posters or contact sherbornesnowdrop@gmail.com

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 129

OUT AND ABOUT

David Birley, Sherborne Town Councillor & Rosie

I

wish you all a very happy New Year and Rosie would like to wish all her friends lots of happy tail wags.

Rather than making New Year resolutions, which I seldom manage to keep, I have some New Year wishes.

Please can we have no more empty shops in our town. 2017 was truly an annus horribilis for Cheap Street and some units have been empty for far too long.

The rents and rates of our shops are rapidly becoming unsustainable for independent retailers. Of course there is a place for chain stores on our streets but you can see these shops anywhere. What we and the visitors to our lovely town both need and want is to have a large number of thriving independent shops selling specialist items which you will not find on Amazon. However the shops need your support, so if you value Cheap Street and all our other lovely shops, it is just a matter of use them or lose them.

My next wish is please can we get going with the new art gallery project, it will make such a difference to our town. We all know the effect Hauser and Wirth has had on Bruton. Although I must admit that I do not understand some contemporary art, I enjoy visiting the gallery and having a cup of coffee in the very good restaurant and we also suggest going there to our guests.

You will not find any empty shops in Bruton, indeed there are now extra train services to cope with the number of visitors.

My third wish is that we have another lovely sunny day for this year’s Sherborne Summer Festival which will be on 16th June. Last year’s event was a great success

130 | Sherborne Times | January 2018

and we hope this year it will be even bigger and better.

In 2017 we were able to make seventeen donations to local charities and good causes including both of our town primary schools, Good Neighbours, Sherborne in Bloom, Sherborne Voluntary Ambulance, the Town Band, ArtsLink and Sherborne and District Dementia Association. We hope to see you in June and that you will help us make a difference to more good causes. DB ____________________________________________

I

would like to say “Hi” to all my doggy friends and thank their owners for all the kind things they said about my September article.

I wish that all owners would be more responsible and carry bags to pick up poo, we can’t help it if we get an urgent call of nature. It is horrible for us dogs to have to watch where we put our paws and also for our human friends.

Please can we be allowed into more shops and restaurants. When I go abroad I am not only allowed in everywhere, but made to feel welcome. I sit very quietly at my owner’s side and am always willing to help finish off any food that may be left on the plate. It must be such a help to restaurants not to have to scrape the plates into the rubbish bin.

My final wish is that more shops would keep treats for when we are out walking. Lots of them do and I make my owner stop at all the ones I know. Some of them also put bowls of water out which is so refreshing on a hot day. R

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