Sherborne Times May 2018

MAY 2018 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

FULL CIRCLE with artist and illustrator, Cherrill Parris-Fox

sherbornetimes.co.uk

WELCOME

C

olour squeezes from the trees as we stagger blinking into the light.

Spring has, if not exactly sprung, arrived at least, late and worse for wear but all the more happy to be here. Queues gather in the gelataria, children take to the parks and tourists explore our nooks and crannies anew.

And so to May… This month and next sees the welcome return of Dorset Art Weeks – the UK’s largest open studio event. Between the 26th May and 10th June 313 venues will open their doors to some 125,000 visitors. DAW offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes view, an opportunity to meet artists and discuss their work first-hand whilst enjoying an exciting programme of exhibitions and supporting events. The Sherborne area plays hosts to 35 venues, an eclectic mix of old friends, established names and interesting new arrivals. Of these, we meet Cherrill Parris-Fox, a Dorset girl who has returned to the fold. Fashion graduate of late 60’s London, illustrator for the likes of The New York Times, mother, teacher, interior designer and abstract artist, Cherrill channels this boundless energy into her vivid paintings. One piece deserving of a special mention (if only because I’ll never get to type these words again) is the bubble gum ticker-tape chaos of Four Gold Trees and a Desperate Dog. Have a wonderful month.

Glen Cheyne, Editor glen@homegrown-media.co.uk @sherbornetimes

CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard @round_studio Sub editors Jay Armstrong @jayarmstrong_ Elaine Taylor Photography Katharine Davies @Katharine_KDP Feature writer Jo Denbury @jo_denbury Editorial assistant Helen Brown Illustrations Elizabeth Watson @DandybirdDesign Print Pureprint Distribution team David Elsmore Christine Knott Sarah Morgan Mary & Roger Napper Alfie Neville-Jones 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

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

Mark Armand SPFit @spfitsherborne spfit-sherborne.co.uk Simon Barber Evolver Magazine @SimonEvolver evolver.org.uk Lucy Beney MA The London Road Clinic @56londonroad 56londonroad.co.uk

Jan Garner Sherborne Scribblers Nicholas Goodden @gr8thingstodo greatthingstodo.co.uk Craig Hardaker Communifit communifit.co.uk

David Birley davidpfbirley@hotmail.co.uk

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

Elisabeth Bletsoe Sherborne Museum @SherborneMuseum sherbornemuseum.co.uk

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

Michael Blowers Mogers Drewett Solicitors @mogersdrewett md-solicitors.co.uk

Colin Lambert colinlambert.co.uk

Richard Bromell ASFAV Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers @CharterhouseAV charterhouse-auction.com Mike Burks The Gardens Group @TheGardensGroup thegardeneronline.co.uk Ali Cockrean @AliCockrean alicockrean.co.uk Gillian M Constable DWT Sherborne Group @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk David Copp Jenny Dickinson Dear to Me Studio, Fine Stationery @DearToMeStudio deartomestudio.com Melanie Fermor Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Jimmy Flynn Milborne Port Computers @MPortComputers computing-mp.co.uk Hayley Frances Thurlow Hayley Frances Nutrition hayleyfrancesnutrition.com Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.)

CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS Fort Financial Planning ffp.org.uk Andy Foster Raise Architects @raisearchitects raisearchitects.com Paul Gammage & Anita Light EweMove Sherborne @ewemoveyeovil ewemove.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 Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership @swanhousevet newtonclarkevet.com Kitty Oakshott Upstairs Downstairs Interiors @updowninteriors updowninteriors.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 Jonathan Stones Sherborne Literary Society @SherborneLitSoc sherborneliterarysociety.com Val Stones @valstones bakerval.com Huw Thomas Sherborne Preparatory School @Sherborneprep sherborneprep.org Diane Tregale St Paul’s Church @StPaulsSherb stpauls-sherborne.org.uk Wayne Winstone Winstone’s Books @winstonebooks winstonebooks.co.uk

62 8

What’s On

MAY 2018 48 Antiques

114 Finance

18 Shopping Guide

52 Gardening

117 Tech

22 Profile - Emma Robins Jewellery

62 CHERRILL PARRIS-FOX

122 Folk Tales

24 Wild Dorset

70 Dorset Art Weeks Directory

124 Short Story

28 Family

72 Food & Drink

127 Literature

36 Art

84 Animal Care

128 Crossword

38 History

88 Cycling

129 Pause for Thought

40 Architecture

90 Body & Mind

130 Out and About

42 Interiors

106 Property

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5

Beauty All-new design featuring: • Sharper lines • Wider grille • Distinctive new rear light strip.

Book your test drive with the all-new A7 Sportback.

Call 01935 574981 or search ‘Yeovil Audi A7’.

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Audi A7 range: Urban 30.4-45.6 (9.3-6.2), Extra Urban 48.7-54.3 (5.8-5.2), Combined 39.8-50.4 (7.1-5.6). CO2 emissions: 163-147g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results.

and brains.

Filled with intelligent technology: • Twin 10.1" and 8.6" touch screens • Driver assistance including cruise control, park assist and HD Matrix LED headlights • quattro all-wheel drive.

The new A7 interior with twin touch screens.

Mead Ave

Yeovil Audi

Yeovil Audi. Look No Further.

Preston Rd

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

Way Stourton

Av e M ea d

Lu ft on W ay

e Western Av

Houndstone Business Park

Houndstone Retail Park Luft on

01935 574981

Way

yeovilaudi.co.uk ASDA  

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 8 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

MAY 2018 Listings

Small Paintings Group Exhibition

Sunday 6th 7.30pm

____________________________

Jerram Gallery, Half Moon St.

Yetminster Community Project -

artists. 01935 815261 jerramgallery.com

Yetminster Jubilee Hall. Tickets £10, to

love classic stories & poems & would

Wednesday 2nd 2pm & 8pm

or Spar Yetminster

reading aloud with a small, relaxed &

____________________________

Michelle Brown. New members &

01963 23525

theartssocietysherborne.org.uk

Monday 7th 2pm

1½-2 hrs with Blue Badge Guide Cindy.

Friday 4th – Tuesday 8th

Bank Holiday Guided Walk

1,000 years of history for £6

Sherborne Abbey Festival

____________________________

From TIC, Digby Rd. Guided walk

First Thursday

Music events throughout the town,

international performers as well as local

Every Monday 2pm-3.30pm ‘Feel Better with a Book’ group Sherborne Library, Hound St. Do you

Exhibition of smaller pictures by selected

The Fat Marrow Blues Band

____________________________

include supper, from ycp873@gmail.com

enjoy listening or taking part in shared

Arts Society Sherborne: The Art of the Sherborne Missal

Monday 7th 8am

friendly group? Free. 01935 812683

Digby Hall, Hound Street. With

Alweston Car Boot Sale

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10.30am

visitors (£5) are welcome. 01935 474626

____________________________

Sherborne Town Walk From Sherborne TIC, Digby Road.

of each month 9.30am Netwalking from Bean Shot Café, 3 Johnsons

schools, programmes & tickets from

Sherborne TIC sherborneabbeyfestival.org

____________________________

The Coming of the Railway:

with Blue Badge Guide Cindy Chant

focusing on the impact of the railway. £6. sherbornewalks.co.uk

____________________________ Monday 7th

Courtyard, South St.Want to walk &

Friday 4th 7pm

Sherborne ArtsLink FLICKS

talk with other small business owners &

Holwell Music & Performance

entrepreneurs? Updates on Facebook @

Night & SwapShop

For films see sherborneartslink.org.

yourtimelifecoaching yourtimecoaching

Holwell Village Hall, DT9 5LL.

____________________________

drinks. £4 suggested contribution.

@yt_coaching

First Thursday

Refeshments available. BYO alcoholic

uk. Tickets £6 from Sherborne TIC or on door if available. Bookable pre-film supper £12 TIC 01935 815341

____________________________

____________________________

Wednesday 9th 10.15am

of each month 2pm-3.30pm

Friday 4th 7pm for 7.30pm

Probus - Navigating the Royals

“My Time” Carers’ Support Group

Words with Wine with author

HMS Ark Royal & the Royal Yacht

The Shielings, The Avenue, DT9 3AJ.

Victoria Glendinning

Slessor Club, Long St. With speaker

Good company, advice, information,

includes glass of wine & canapés. Tickets

Drop in for a coffee, cake & a chat.

Raleigh Hall, Digby Road. £5 entry fee

relaxed atmosphere & more, just for you!

from Winstone's Bookshop or on the door.

For more information call Sarah 01935

Peter Chapman-Andrews. Info: 01935 851641 probus-sherborne.org.uk

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____________________________

Thursday 10th 6pm-8pm

601499 or Richard 01935 816321

Friday 4th 7.30pm

Sherborne Chamber of

____________________________

Schola Cantorum Leweston -

Commerce Drinks & Nibbles

First Thursday

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat

of each month 7.30pm

St Andrew’s Church, Yetminster. In

Plume of Feathers, Half Moon St.

General Knowledge Quiz Night Vineyards, 2 Tilton Court, Digby

Road. Teams of 4, £5 pp. Cash prize for

aid of St Andrew’s Church Restoration Fund, entry £10

____________________________

the winning team! Booking essential.

Saturday 5th 10.30am-12pm

____________________________

A chance for local business owners & professionals to find out more

about the Chamber and its events. sherbornechamber.co.uk

____________________________

01935 815544

Spring Plant Sale

Thursday 10th 7.30pm Sherborne District Gardeners'

Friday 27th April - Friday 18th May

15, Kings Close, Longburton. Plants, cakes, raffle, refreshments - admission free.

____________________________

Digby Hall, Hound Street. Talk by

Tuesday to Saturday 9.30am-5pm

Assoc. AGM & Talk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 9

WHAT'S ON photographer Colin Varndell. 01935

____________________________

Martock PCC

389375

Monday 14th 9.30am-3.30pm

"Songs and Tales Tour”

____________________________

West Country Embroiderers:

Friday 11th 7pm–8.30pm

Experimenting with

Martock Church, Church St, TA12

'Age Well, Age Happy' -

Recycled Bottles

Frankincense Intense Facial

Digby Hall. Hound Street. With tutor

Masterclass Sherborne Rooms, 56 Cheap Street.

Pauline Spence. New members very

6JL. With internationally-renowned

performer Jonathan Veira. Tickets £12 on door or from 01935 827759.

____________________________

welcome, details: Ann 01963 34696

Sunday 20th 10am-9pm

____________________________

Charity Top Cue

07545 328447

Wednesday 16th 2.30pm

Billiard Tournament

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Sherborne W.I. Talk -

Saturday 12th 10am

“Illegal Immigrants”

Pot Black, Yeovil. In aid of Friends of

Plant Sale

Catholic Church Hall, Westbury.

Booking essential & places limited.

Parson's Yard, Cheap Street. Sherborne

District Gardeners' Assoc. 01935 389375 ____________________________

Talk about invasive plants by

Dr. Francis Burroughes. New members & visitors always welcome (£4),

the Yeatman Hospital & Southmead Hospital Neurology Department.

Free viewing. Raffle & refreshments. friendsoftheyeatman.org.uk

____________________________

to include refreshments.

Sunday 20th 2pm-5pm

____________________________

Poyntington Plant & Cake Sale

Hospital Blues: Nursing in

Wednesday 16th 7pm

Sherborne during the First

Dorset Wildlife Trust

Poyntington Village Hall. With Royal

World War

Sherborne Group -

Glanvilles Wootton Village Hall,

‘The Magic of Mushrooms’

Monday 21st 7.30pm

Stock Hill Lane, DT9 5QF. With local

(doors & bar 7pm)

historian, Luke Mouland. £8 to inc.

Memorial Church Hall, Digby Road.

MOVIOLA: Three Billboards

2-course supper, reservations: 01963

With James Feaver. Admission £2.50, refreshments on arrival

outside Ebbing, Missouri (15)

____________________________

friendsofholnest@gmail.com

Friday 18th 2.30pm

Leigh Village Hall, DT9 6HL. £6 on the

____________________________

Women in History

door, interval ice creams. leighvillage.org.

Sunday 13th 8am (sellers £5 per

Sherborne Library, Hound St. With

Saturday 12th 7.30pm (doors open 7pm)

210632 or 07760 261056 or email

Celebration Tea.

____________________________

uk/events/moviola 01935 873269

____________________________

Mark Dubuisson. Free. 01935 812683

Wednesday 23rd 10.15am

____________________________

Probus - AGM

Hospital Car Boot Sale

Friday 18th - Sunday 20th

The Terraces, DT9 5NS.

Fast Track Bridge

Slessor Club, Long St. Info: 01935

____________________________

for those who know little about bridge but

Wednesday 23rd 6.30pm

01963 440351

Junior School Concert

Oborne Road, DT9 3RX. Entry by

Saturday 19th 6.30pm

Tickets £12 on door or 01963 440929.

____________________________

Glebe Farm, Trent. Smart/evening dress.

car) 9am-12pm (buyers 50p) Friends of the Yeatman

851641 probus-sherborne.org.uk

Free parking, sorry no dogs

Hall at Sparkford Inn. Weekend course

Sunday 13th 11.30am-3.30pm

are keen to learn, barryjn77@yahoo.com

Wells Cathedral

____________________________

St Michael’s Church, North Cadbury.

Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre Open Day

____________________________

donation. 01935 816324 sswc.co.uk

Dinner Dance & Auction

Sunday 13th 10am-5pm

£30 pp, tickets must be purchased by

Wednesday 23rd 7.30pm

googlemail.com

Building With Dirt

White Tara Day Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, DT9 4LA. With Anna Howard & Dean Carter. £40 (booking deposit £20), 01935 389655 10 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Proceeds to Friends of St. Michael’s

____________________________

1st May. 07875 031167 ameliacapewell@

Sherborne Science Café:

____________________________

To Clean Our Homes

Saturday 19th 7.30pm

Memorial Hall, Digby Road. With Dr

MAY 2018

Children

____________________________ Wednesdays 10am-10.45am

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

Aquatots

____________________________

____________________________

Sundays 11am-1pm

Milborne Port Village Hall

Art Club@Thornford

(Tuesdays) & St Paul's Church Hall,

to book. £3.50. 01963 210783 or email

No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford

Sherborne (Fridays)

Leweston School Pool. Parents &

toddlers, 3 months to 3 years. No need office@leweston.dorset.sch.uk

____________________________

DT9 6QE. Fun & informal. 8 years+.

Pip’s Messy Play 10am-11.30am

Fridays 10.30am-11am

All materials provided. £15 for 1 hour

Rhyme Time under 2's

or £30 for 2 hours. 07742 888302,

‘Edible’ messy play improves fine motor

email alicockrean@gmail.com or visit

skills & encourages trying of new tastes & exploring new textures. No need to

Sherborne Library. Fun, interactive

book, £3.50 per child. Info: Debbie on

& noisy, for babies & toddlers under 2 with their parents & carers but all

alicockrean.co.uk

____________________________

FaceBook or 07793 114546

____________________________

Daniel Maskell. sherborne.scafe@gmail.com

with donations to Sherborne Food Bank.

children are welcome

____________________________

____________________________

denmangould.com/otherside

Monday 28th 8am

Sherborne Floral Club -

Saturday 26th - Sunday 27th

“Inspirations"

12pm-5pm

Alweston Village Hall. 01963 23525.

Catholic Church Hall, DT9 3EL.

Buckland Newton Open Gardens & Flower Festival

Planning ahead…

Info: 01935 812722

Plants, teas, scarecrows, music,

____________________________

Saturday 26th — Sunday 10th June

bucklandnewton.com

Mike Denham & Tom 'Spats'

____________________________ Thursday 24th 7.30pm

Demonstration by Martine Coleman.

Alweston Car Boot Sale ____________________________

bellringing for Marie Curie Nurses.

Friday 1st 7.30pm

____________________________

Langham in Concert

Many venues open around Dorset.

Sunday 27th 10am-4pm

Cheap Street Church. Tickets £10, inc.

dorsetartweeks.co.uk.

Playshop 10am-12.30pm

Dorset Art Weeks Pick up a guide in the TIC or visit

Angels of Sound - Voice

refreshments, from TIC & on the door.

For local venues see page 70-71

followed by Divine Union Soundbath 2pm-4pm.

Saturday 2nd, Sunday 3rd &

Saturday 26th May 6pm -8pm

Oborne Village Hall, Oborne,

Saturday 9th June 11am-12pm

In aid of Friends of the Rendezvous

____________________________

DT9 4LA. Dean 01935 389655

& 2pm-3pm

____________________________

Blackmore Vale Embroiderers'

Haydon Church Studio, Haydon, nr

Sunday 27th 11am-12pm

Guild Workshops

Sherborne, DT9 5JB. Artists Paul

& 2pm-3pm

Newman, Russell Denman and Eleanor

Blackmore Vale

Bishops Caundle Village Hall. Free

Goulding in conversation and Q&A

Embroiderers' Guild Workshops.

with Jay Armstrong of Elementum

Journal. Tastings and bakes from Comins

Bishops Caundle Village Hall. Free

Tea + handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and

mini-workshops alongside their

exhibition during Dorset Art Weeks -

Other Side - Dorset Art Weeks Exhibition Opening

cocktails from Forager Spirit. Free event

email contact.bveguild@gmail.com

mini-workshops alongside their

exhibition during Dorset Art Weeks email contact.bveguild@gmail.com

____________________________ Sunday 3rd June 12pm Tim Edwards sherbornetimes.co.uk | 11

WHAT'S ON DT9 6QE. Tutor: Ali Cockrean. Suitable

Fairs and markets

only) or £15 (materials included). 07742

Thursdays & Saturdays

visit alicockrean.co.uk

The parade

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-12pm

Thursday mornings 9am-11.30am

Knit & Natter at The Slipped Stitch

Country Market

The Julian, Cheap St. To book call 01935

Church Hall, Digby Road

or online theslippedstitch.co.uk

Every third Friday 9am-1pm

____________________________

Farmers’ Market

Other Side -

The Slipped Stitch workshops

Human Flow by Ai Wei Wei

1 Cheap St DT9 3PT 01935 508249

Cheap Street

Memorial Cricket Day Chetnole Playing Fields, DT9 6PD

Raising money for the Yeatman Hospital

for all abilities. £10 per session (tuition

____________________________

888302, email alicockrean@gmail.com or

Pannier Market

____________________________

____________________________

508249, email info@theslippedstitch.co.uk Saturday 9th June 7.30pm

Haydon Church Studio, Haydon, nr

____________________________

____________________________

theslippedstitch.co.uk

Every fourth Saturday

Thursday 3rd 10am-12pm

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

in collaboration with Sherborne Area

Sew Bunting Workshop with

Saturday Antiques & Flea Market

from Comins Tea + handcrafted spirits,

Thursdays 3rd & 10th 1pm-4pm

____________________________

Sherborne, DT9 5JB. Film screening Refugee Support. Tastings and bakes

Ali from Butterfly Bright - £22

Church Hall, Digby Rd

liqueurs and cocktails from Forager

Sew a Cute Cloth Doll

Saturday 5th 10am-5pm

otherside-eventbrite.co.uk

Saturday 12th 2pm-4pm

Memorial Hall, Digby Road. Collectables,

Spirit. Tickets £7 in advance from

Monday 11th June 6pm-8pm Sherborne Chamber of Trade & Commerce AGM Digby Memorial Church Hall, Digby Rd ____________________________

Workshops and classes ____________________________ Thursdays 2.30pm-4pm ArtsLink Parkinson’s Dance Tinney’s Lane Youth Centre, Sherborne A fun & therapeutic class for those experiencing the symptoms of

(held over 2 sessions) - £45 inc. materials

May Day Craft Fair

Yarn Shop Day - raising money for

antiques & crafts. Free entry. 01749

The Friends of the Yeatman Hospital,

special offers, demonstrations, knit and

677049 westcountrycraftfairs.co.uk

____________________________

natter - FREE

Saturday 12th 10am-3.30pm

Saturday 26th 10am-1pm

Fleamarket

Sew a Piped Cushion Cover -

Memorial Hall, Digby Road. 1000s of

____________________________

a video game & figurine stall from a

£45 inc materials

Friday 4th 10am-4pm Loosen Up Your Painting Style No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford

collectables, antiques & crafts, including renowned specialist. Free entry. 01749 677049 westcountrycraftfairs.co.uk

____________________________

DT9 6QE. Tutor: Ali Cockrean. Suitable

Saturday 19th 9.30am-4pm

email alicockrean@gmail.com or visit

Church Hall, Digby Road. New, second-

____________________________

613356 colinbakerbooks@btinternet.com

for all abilities. £50. Call 07742 888302,

Sherborne Book Fair

alicockrean.co.uk

hand and antiquarian books. 01803

Parkinson’s, inc. tea & social time. Free

Wednesday 16th 10am-4pm

____________________________

with donations welcome. Info: ArtsLink

Learn Good Colour Mixing Skills

Saturday 26th 9.30am-3.30pm

01935 815899 sherborneartslink.org.uk

Vintage Market

____________________________

No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford

Tuesdays 2pm-4pm & Thursdays

DT9 6QE. Tutor: Ali Cockrean. Suitable for all abilities. £50. Call 07742 888302,

quality vintage. 07809 387594

5pm-7pm & 7.30pm-9.30pm Art Club@Thornford for Adults No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford 12 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

email alicockrean@gmail.com or visit alicockrean.co.uk

____________________________

Memorial Hall, Digby Rd. 30+ sellers of

Monday 28th 10am-6pm Sherborne Castle Country Fair

MAY 2018 Sherborne (New) Castle, New Rd, DT9

Ottery Lane. DT9 6EE. Novices very

Terrace Playing Fields. sherbornetownfc.com

from Sherborne TIC. 01749 813899

sessions free. Visit sherbornetouch.org or

Wincanton v Sherborne (A)

5NR. Tickets £12.50 adults, £4 children sherbornecountryfair.com

Sport ____________________________

welcome. £2 per session, first four

Saturday 5th 7.30pm

call Jimmy on 07887 800803

Monday 7th 12pm

____________________________

Sherborne v

Compton House Cricket Club

Malmesbury Victoria (H)

Over Compton, DT9 4RB

____________________________

Saturday 5th

Every Sunday 9am

Compton House v Cattistock (H)

Digby Etape Cycling Club Ride

Saturday 12th

To include your event in our

From Riley’s Cycles. 20 - 30 miles,

Portland RT v Compton House (A)

FREE listings please email details –

average 12 to 15 mph. Drop bar road

Saturday 19th

date/time/title/venue/description/

bike recommended. Facebook: Digby

Compton House v Cerne Valley (H)

price/contact (in approx 20

Etape Sherborne Cycling Club or text

Saturday 26th

words) – by the 5th of each

Mike 07443 490442

Compton House v

preceding month to gemma@

____________________________

Broadstone 2nds (A)

howmegrown-media.co.uk

Every Tuesday and Thursday

____________________________

7.30pm–8.30pm

Sherborne Town FC

Due to the volume of events

Mixed Touch Rugby

1st XI. Toolstation Western League

received we are regrettably unable

Sherborne School Floodlit Astroturf,

Premier Division. Raleigh Grove, The

to acknowledge or include them all.

DAYS OUT & HOLIDAYS with TAYLORS COACH TRAVEL Day Trips ____________________________ Compton Acres – Poole Sunday 27th May Adult £23.50, Club £21.50

____________________________ Nostalgic Steam Train Ride & Swanage Saturday 9th June Adult £28, Club £26

____________________________ Bourton on the Water & Moreton in Marsh Sunday 17th June

____________________________

Adult £19, Club £17

Short Breaks

____________________________

____________________________

Air Show – Weston Super Mare

Austria – Imperial Vienna

Saturday 23rd June

11th – 18th October

Adult £19.00, Club £17

8 Days - £965

____________________________

____________________________

2018 Day Excursions & Holiday brochures available.

To join our mailing list please call the office on

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

PREVIEW In association with

Pennie Elfick ‘Cube 4’

NAMVULA Friday 18th May, 7.30pm Winterbourne Stickland Village Hall, DT11 0NT £10/£7 01258 880920 artsreach.co.uk

Creating an intrepid new world where folk and urban

appear at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend this summer. Backed

vibrant eclectic music scene, Namvula crosses boundaries

and jazz musicians, including bassist Liran Donin of

traditions of her Zambian homeland blend with London’s with a refreshing honesty and evocative lyricism,

transporting listeners into different worlds while staying firmly rooted in African soil. With Namvula’s highly

anticipated second album ‘Quiet Revelations’, the gifted

song-sculptress digs deep into her inspirations, exploring different aspects of female hood. Namvula is also set to 14 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

by a stellar band of some of the UK’s most respected African Mercury-nominated Led Bib, saxophonist Chris Williams,

and Senegalese percussionist Mamadou Sarr who tours with international star Baaba Maal, expect an unmissable night of outstanding musicianship.

evolver.org.uk

CHURCH STUDIO HAYDON DORSET

DORSET ART WEEKS EXHIBITION OPENING In conversation plus Q&A with artists Paul Newman, Russell Denman & Eleanor Goulding

SATURDAY 26TH MAY 6PM - 8PM

Tastings and bakes from COMINS TEA Handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and cocktails from FORAGER SPIRIT

HUMAN FLOW - AI WEI WEI Film Screening (in collaboration with Sherborne Area Refugee Support)

SATURDAY 9TH JUNE

7.30PM

Ticketed event - £7 in advance from www.other-side.eventbrite.co.uk Tastings and bakes from COMINS TEA Handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and cocktails from FORAGER SPIRIT www.denmangould.com/other-side

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

Suggested donation £7

'Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016’

Meet Historian Earl Spencer Tuesday 15th May 7pm Cheap Street Church

Charles Spencer will be delivering a fascinating illustrated talk on his new book To Catch A King

Tickets £3, available from Winstone’s Books 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128

Dorset Art Weeks | Venue 28 26 May- 10 June, Haydon Church Studio

Spanish glories of the 16th century

DENMAN & GOULD + PAUL NEWMAN graphite, sculpture, photography, textiles

Lobo Versa est in luctum Victoria Tenebrae Responsories and Lamentations for Holy Saturday Victoria Requiem Mass, 1605

Saturday 2 June Workshop: 12pm - 2pm (Town Hall) Concert: 7pm (St Mary’s Church) “Phenomenal” (The Times)

Haydon Church Studio, Haydon, near Sherborne, DT9 5JB www.denmangould.com | www.paulnewmanartist.com 16 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

“Devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine)

art + film + performance WEST COKER / EAST COKER odartsfestival.co.uk

Image: Megan Calver and Gabrielle Hoad with Susie David, 2016 | The Buffer Zone | Photo credit: Susie David

#odartsfest

Shopping Guide

Leuchtturm 1917 sketchbooks £21.95 Midwest Stationers

Mondrian coloured pencils £10.99 Winstone’s Books

Stacking travel paint and palette £5.65 Midwest Stationers

Children‘s sketchpad from £1.25 Abbey Bookshop Crayola crayons £3.40 Abbey Bookshop

Royal paintbrushes £2.95 Midwest Stationers

ART CLUB

Jenny Dickinson, Dear To Me Studio Whichever your art form, whatever your age, accomplished and aspiring artists can find all the supplies they need in Sherborne. deartomestudio.com 18 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Artist hand £17.99 The Little Art Shoppe

Great Art book £7.99 Winstone’s Books

Treehouse book £25 Winstone’s Books

Embroidery hoop £3.35 The Slipped Stitch

Origami book £9.99 Winstone’s Books

Fine art printing and framing £poa Old Barn Framing Gallery sherbornetimes.co.uk | 19

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

An evening with

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Doors open 6.30pm. Event starts 7pm

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Under 18’s from £25 Grab your chance to meet the legend.

Photo, signature and meet opportunity VIP / Corporate tables available - ask for details Memorabilia Auction Evenings MC - Mr Paul Booth Two course meal included in the price followed by Graeme’s after dinner speech TICKET BOX OFFICE

01935 483430

George Albert Hotel Wardon Hill, Evershot, Nr. Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PW Tel: 01935 483430 www.gahotel.co.uk 20 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

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 that our business was built on.

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Sherborne O1935 814O27 Half Moon Street, Sherborne, DT9 3LN CLOTHES

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OPEN 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM 33 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE, DT9 3PU PHONE 01935 816551 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 21

Profile

GEM OF AN IDEA

EMMA ROBINS JEWELLERY Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

E

mma Robins is serious about her jewellery.

“It has always been something I have wanted to do,” she explains, “and so, when I was on maternity leave with Rosemary, I began my own business.” Rosemary is now one and the business has grown from a dream to a reality.

Her rings, pendants, bangles and earrings are all in pure silver and incorporate a variety of gemstones that come in a delicious selection of colours. Take the stunning Tourmalines - they range from dark pinks to the palest of pinks, making them ideal for stacking rings. Or there are Citrines that purr with a golden heat, set as rings and chunky pendants.

The Aquamarines are the palest of blue, while the Amethysts and Morganites give a delicate sparkle.

When Emma opens her jewellery workbox, it’s like sitting in the most tempting of sweet shops.

Sadly, far too often jewellery such as this can have dark origins, however these are ethically-sourced stones that come from conflict-free zones of Zambia and are individually crafted there by Zambians. Emma’s father lives in Zambia and when she visited him towards the end of the last year, taking Rosemary for her first taste of Africa, she spent a lot of time getting to know Howard her ‘local stone man’ and Alex, another local, who has become her silversmith.

“Everyone makes a plan for their life in Africa,” says Emma. “I am always amazed how they teach themselves so much with so little, and Alex taught himself to be a silversmith,” she explains. “They live with very few things in Africa and my business keeps Alex going with his life in Lusaka. I want to give people here an opportunity to wear these stones which are so wonderful, and to make them affordable.”

Africa is in Emma’s blood. She was born in Zimbabwe and lived there until she was 10 years old and the ‘troubles’ began. The family then moved to Botswana (although her grandmother remained in

22 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Zimbabwe) and her father began his family’s life again.

He was a farmer in Zimbabwe and hoped to continue farming in Botswana, but it didn’t work out. “The land was too dry,” explains Emma, “so after two years my parents decided we should move to the UK and, when I was in Year 7 we moved to Stalbridge.”

Emma admits that she has always loved jewellery, perhaps partially due to the influence of her mother who was a jeweller and goldsmith. Sadly, her mother passed away seven years ago and her father has since remarried and returned to Africa. He has settled in Zambia and that makes it all the more pleasurable for Emma to visit and research for her jewellery business. “Zambia has incredible semi-precious stones. I choose hand-cut stones that come directly from the mines and then work from the stone to find the design. I prefer simplicity in design, and each stone is hand-cut which means every piece of jewellery will be individual. The silver is a unique by-product from copper production, so it is sustainable and of a high quality: whereas most silver in this country is a 925 parts, this silver is 999, which makes it slightly softer but also brighter.”

Emma did a course in silver-smithing at Strode College but, with baby Rosemary at home, she has less time to make the jewellery herself which is why she is so pleased to have the opportunity to work with Alex in Zambia. “However, I do hope soon to have the facilities to make size alterations to rings myself,” she adds. For now, she has a very wide collection of sizes available. She hopes in the future to make a couple of trips a year to Zambia and to continue to expand her line. When asked which of the stones is her favourite, she laughs and vacillates between the gorgeous Aquamarine and the unusually green Tourmaline. Whatever the choice, her mother would be very proud of what Emma has begun during her maternity leave. emmarobinsjewellery.com

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 23

Wild Dorset

HEALTH AND WELLBEING, NATURALLY

A

Melanie Fermor, Dorset Wildlife Trust Volunteer

t least one in four of us will experience mental health issues at some point in our lives, so it’s a good idea to think about ways to help boost mental wellbeing every day. Did you know that connecting with nature has a powerful positive effect on both physical and mental health?

Simply stepping outside into nature is one of the simplest and most accessible ways of improving our health. People of every age and ability can find a way to escape the indoors and soak up the green calm of nature. Studies show that time spent at the seashore, in the forest or in heathland improves our mood. We are so fortunate in Dorset to have a wide variety of wild terrain to explore right on our doorstep. Have you ever looked out from the coast and felt your troubles ebb away with the waves and shrink into perspective in the infinite stretch of sea and sky?

A walk with nature can increase your heart rate and help strengthen your muscles, and you’re far more likely to walk for longer and go further if you’re in a beautiful, natural environment.

Volunteering for one of our conservation projects can certainly build up a sweat and has been found to have significant positive effects on mental wellbeing.

If you need inspiration why not join our ‘30 Days Wild’ initiative? The challenge encourages people to do thirty random acts of wildness during the month of June. Last year nearly 50,000 people signed up to take part and the benefits were found to be far-reaching and long-lasting.

You’ll receive a free pack full of ideas and encouragement plus a wall chart and badge. There are also school packs available to help teachers bring a wild twist to their lessons but it’s not just for kids. The group of people who were found to benefit most last year were younger adults and those who weren’t ‘nature lovers’. Why not give it a go?

Sign up to take the ‘30 Days Wild’ challenge: www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild • The University of Derby found that ‘30 Days Wild’ participants felt happier, healthier and more connected to nature.

• Being wild in June is easy! Try taking a walk by a river or watching the sunset.

• Wild kids – try drawing a beetle or making a leaf rubbing.

• Families – make footprints on the sand or make a mud pie together. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

24 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Image: Matthew Roberts sherbornetimes.co.uk | 25

Wild Dorset

SHERBORNE DWT

Gillian M. Constable, Dorset Wildlife Trust Sherborne Group Committee

M

ost of us indulge in some foraging during the year - maybe brambles to add to apples for desserts or elderflowers to make some delicious cordial or perhaps some fungi for an autumnal supper. The May speaker for our Sherborne DWT meeting is James Feaver who lives in Dorset and runs foraging courses and a truffle-hunting business. As a child he collected crabs and lobsters on the Gower coast and also developed an interest in fungi, leading to the formation 10 years ago of Hedgerow Harvest, which organises foraging and wild food courses.

Our meeting is on 16th May in the Digby Memorial Hall at 7.00pm for 7.30pm, and the title of James’s presentation is The Magic of Mushrooms. Some edible mushrooms, e.g. morels (see above), hedgehog, and amethyst deceiver, are easy for a forager to identify, however he won’t be encouraging the collection of the magic mushroom, Psilocybe semilanceata, the possession of which is illegal in the UK. This year sees the 50th anniversary of the formation of Butterfly Conservation (BC) and the 30th anniversary of the foundation of its Dorset group (DBC). Initially 26 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Image: James Feaver

the BC charity operated out of Compton House at Trent and was run by the Gooddens but it is now based in East Lulworth. It has a staff of more than 80 and over 34,000 members. At the recent DBC members’ afternoon, an informal form of Annual General Meeting, we celebrated DBC’s 30 years with 2 superb butterfly cakes (see their website, www.dorsetbutterflies. com). Bearing in mind our recent unpleasant winter chill, we were told that data collected by members over 30+ years suggest that cold winters lead to a good summer for butterfly numbers.

One place where each spring you can listen to the song of the nightingale is BC’s reserve at Alners Gorse.

On first arrival the male of the species sings both day and night. One spring we met a sound recordist there; he was camping locally as the reserve was the best place he knew for recording without the sounds of modern life. He assured us that the song in the middle of the night was more beautiful than in daytime. We are well pleased by the daytime song and have not tested his theory. 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

www.peterhardingwm.co.uk

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 Peter Harding Practice Ltd.

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 28 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Bringing out the best in every pupil

For more information or to arrange a visit please contact the Registrar Charlotte Carty 01935 810911/registrar@sherborneprep.org/www.sherborneprep.org

30 Days Wild Improve your health and happiness and do something wild every day in June

Sign up: www.mywildlife.org.uk/30dayswild

DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST Photos Š Jane Adams, Katharine Davies, Christine Endicott

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 29

UNEARTHED AMY NORTHAM, AGED 15 The Gryphon School

W

hy compete in one sport when you could excel in five? Amy first took up the grass roots sport of Biathle, continuous run-swimrun, in her final year at primary school, and has since progressed to compete in modern pentathlon. She is training across all five sports for around 14 hours a week and trains with Yeovil Olympiads athletics, Sherborne Storm swimming, fences and shoots at Leweston Pentathlon Academy and is also learning to horse ride.

Despite her young age she has already tasted international success. Last September Amy travelled to Spain with the GB squad to compete in the World Triathle U17 championships. Triathle is a continuous shoot, swim then run, repeated four times. Amy had an exceptional race and came in second. Later in the year she was selected for the GB U19 squad to compete in a Tetrathlon (which includes fencing) in Germany. This was Amy’s first experience of travelling alone with the team. She learnt lots from the experience, especially in the fencing element.

Jamie Cooke, Rio Olympic Pentathlete said, ‘Working with Amy is always a pleasure. To see her quiet determination when tackling new challenges and her dedication to training is inspiring.’

Deputy Head of PE at The Gryphon, Gareth Peirson said, ‘Amy’s consistent success is based on an unbelievable work ethic and willingness to improve. She is a fantastic role model and we are all very proud of her!’

In the coming weeks Amy has a busy time ahead with competitions at Nationals, Qualifiers for Europeans and World Championships and the U17 rankings. She'll take it all in her stride I'm sure. gryphon.dorset.sch.uk

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

30 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

TORY PAINTS A decorative artist based in Somerset, painting bespoke designs in your home.

Sherborne Surgery Swan House Lower Acreman Street 01935 816228

Yeovil Surgery 142 Preston Road 01935 474415

www.newtonclarkevet.com

01963 220995

tory@torymcternan.co.uk

@torypaints

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 31

Family

WINNING WAYS Huw Thomas, Director of Sport, Sherborne Prep

W

hen looking back at the successes of a term from a sporting perspective, it is very easy to look at the percentage of our wins, our results against local rivals and turning defeats from previous years into victories and places secured at prestigious events. We could also look at scholarship applicants, and regional or even national recognition for our pupils. Parents can often judge the schools by the way they perform against rival schools, and those everincreasing glossy school guides produced by the world’s media can so often do a school an injustice by the overuse of statistics. As Director of Sport at Sherborne Prep, I firmly believe that results should not be the real focus of our attention and we should, instead, be looking towards the ‘bigger picture’. Whilst, of course, we all enjoy the highs of a sporting success, for me the sense of achievement and reward comes from seeing the learning and development of the whole child across their time at the Prep rather than on any given Saturday.

Too often the result is seen as the most important factor. Do we really want this to be the case in junior sport? At the Prep, we try to look at a different set of success criteria. We aim to develop each and every child through our sporting programme by building confidence and social skills whilst ensuring they are having fun and being active, regardless of the level they achieve. Within this philosophy, the demands placed on our older children at the Prep are significant; they are encouraged to be role models and leaders for our younger children, ambassadors for the school and to set the tone both on the pitches and throughout the school. It is of fundamental importance that our ethos filters through the school at every level and within all activities, whether they be sporting, musical or academic.

In my opinion, winning a particular fixture or event should not be our primary focus. We are actively 32 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

encouraging our pupils, parents and staff to move away from this mentality. The focus must be on individual and team improvement, the skills being developed, and the behaviour and learning involved in winning or losing a game. Likewise, showing respect for their opposition and the sport itself is an imperative life skill. We are all keen to see the pupils working hard, enjoying what they do and striving to get better. Effort and performance are, of course, key elements to any

child’s all-round development. Our aim as a sports department is to solidify these attributes by encouraging participation in competitive sport and to face those inevitable character-building challenges. We are working hard to create an environment where the pupils are encouraged to take opportunities, seek a challenge and to develop an understanding of how to play and perform. Hopefully, the result will be a child with the essential life skills of respect, humility, positivity and

perseverance beginning to shine through. Cultivating a healthy environment, where our pupils can accept and learn from the challenge that sport provides, is core to what we are trying to achieve.

To us, winning at Sherborne Prep is happy, hardworking children who are both involved and improving. We are indeed winning! sherborneprep.org sherbornetimes.co.uk | 33

Family

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

Boy 87 by Ele Fountain (Pushkin Press), ages 8+, £6.99 Exclusive Sherborne Times Reader Offer Price of £5.99 at Winstone’s Books

T

his is a very timely book for the world we find ourselves in, superbly written with memorable characters.

Fourteen-year-old Shif and his best friend Bini are ordinary boys with big ambitions, but their world implodes when they attract the attention of the military “giffa”. Wrenched from their families, they’re sent to a remote desert prison, where their cellmates are barely clinging to life.

However, the boys’ arrival sparks hope in the imprisoned men, and they give everything to ensure their escape. Reaching the nearest town, Shif has only just begun the perilous journey which he hopes will end in safety and freedom.

34 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Set in an unnamed country, this is a timely and important book which illuminates the realities of life as a refugee. The first-person narration simply but powerfully conveys Shif ’s terror at the violence and cruelty he encounters, as well as his sense of loss. The horrors he is escaping are all too real, but this is ultimately a story about the power of kindness and the strength of the human spirit.

‘Boy87 is an original and beautifully written page-turner of a novel about love, survival and the strength that can be found in a hopeful human spirit’ Sarah Crossan, Carnegie Medal Winner winstonebooks.co.uk

COLOURING PAGE

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 35

Art

WHY DRAWING AND PAINTING CAN FEEL SO DIFFICULT Ali Cockrean, Artist

A

s a youngster for whom art was a real passion (and being hungry for information), I often studied ‘How To Do It’ art books. These all tended to follow a similar format which identified the correct tools and materials required, gave a broad range of hints and tips on a particular medium, showed a variety of techniques appropriate to that medium and detailed how to avoid the classic pitfalls. Often these books were a bit dry and uninspired but I still worried if I didn’t have the correct paper or the right brush for the particular type of paint I was trying out. And, crucially, if things didn’t go according to plan I would generally blame myself for not having the required skill to master the techniques described.

When I started teaching students how to paint and draw better, I initially approached it in much the same 36 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

way that I’d taught myself, via technique-driven learning.

However, it quickly became apparent to me that teaching someone how to make marks on a surface with a variety of tools and media is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to developing drawing and painting skills.

The reason students struggled to master the techniques I showed them was that they gave up too quickly; they didn’t allow themselves the time and space to practise the skill. With encouragement and a bit of verbal whip-cracking for those reluctant to believe that they had what it took, they all improved and inevitably mastered whatever technique they were learning.

Granted, for some it happened more quickly than others but, crucially, they all got there in the end.

As a tutor, I realised that mastering the technique wasn’t actually the issue for students, rather it was the

mindset they were in. I listened to the words people used in the early stages of learning a new technique: “I can’t do this”; “It’s too difficult”; “I’m no good at this”; “This isn’t for me.” On occasions, this was after less than 15 minutes of practice!

It got me wondering where all this negativity was coming from. So I started to develop an interest in the psychology behind learning to draw and paint. This inevitably drew me to looking at the way our brains work. It wasn’t long before all became clear. In layman’s language, we have two sides to our brains: the lefthand side, which is essentially the more logical part, and the right-hand side, which is home to the more creative side of our nature.

Generally, from an early age it’s the left-hand side that is regularly exercised as we learn the rules of

social acceptability and conformity - topics such as the importance of timekeeping, organising, neatness and self-regulation. It starts very early in life with “put your toys away neatly” and continues all through our adult lives as we manage our daily lives and work.

The right-side activities of our brain are a whole different matter. This is the daydreaming, imaginative and socially oblivious part of us. This is the area that would have us running along the beach barefoot and skipping to the sound of the breaking waves every day, when time doesn’t matter and all that’s important is the feel of the wind in your hair and the sand between your toes - the bit we learn to control and hide until we go on our annual holiday for a couple of weeks!

The right side is also the part of the brain which is fabulous at art, the uninhibited, expressive and creative centre of our soul. Often, however, after years of being bullied by the logic of common sense and respectability, it takes a back seat and allows the left side to dominate and control.

So, when we decide to take up a creative pursuit such as art, possibly for the first time or after a long break, it’s not surprising that our left brains initially try to run the show. The problem is, the left side isn’t so great at art. As we struggle to learn a new painting or drawing technique, it’s the left side that keeps telling us, “Give up, you’re no good at this” introducing and then reinforcing our negative mindset.

My own experience of tutoring is that 30% revolves around teaching students the practical skills and techniques required, and 70% around managing their emotional journey as they face the rollercoaster of highs and lows – the times when things go well and they are thrilled at what they’ve achieved and the crashes to the depths of despair when a painting hits the skids and has to be rescued.

I concentrate on explaining that the key to improving as an artist is understanding not how to avoid the lows (because frankly every painting has challenges) but in learning how to deal with them, and how to appreciate that the experience of working through the lows, finding solutions and recovering from the issues is the route to success.

So, my advice to all students is give yourself more time to practise, be tolerant with yourself as you learn, expect to make mistakes and face the challenge of recovering from them, and, finally, acknowledge when things go well and pat yourself on the back. alicockrean.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 37

History

OBJECT OF THE MONTH

THE MOUSTACHE CUP Elisabeth Bletsoe, Curator, Sherborne Museum

I

t may seem to us that the apparently quirky study of facial hair cannot reveal much about history, yet it actually tells us a great deal about the ways that masculinity, gender and sexuality have shifted over time. A popular view prevalent from the medieval period until at least the 17th century was that beard growth was a form of excreta produced by the body and linked to heat within the testicles, and therefore virility; it was also believed that a full beard would prevent the ingress of disease via the mouth and nostrils.

During the Enlightenment, however, with the development of new shaving technologies, a smooth face was seen as more aesthetically pleasing and was associated with youth, hygiene, sincerity and openness of mind. Later, during the flowering of the British Empire, soldiers were influenced to grow facial hair through exposure to local cultures in Asia and India. The savage cold experienced during the Crimean war also encouraged protective growth so that from 1860-1916, wearing a moustache was a regulation of the British Army. The fashion spread to men at home who were keen to become associated with military heroism and authority. Since the 19th century was also the age of explorers (men who were often unable to shave “in the field”), a rugged masculinity came to be implied by full beard growth.

So, during the Victorian period, moustaches were particularly fashionable and instructions on their maintenance featured heavily in gentlemen’s books of etiquette and manuals of politeness. Charles Dickens became obsessed with his whiskers and wrote to his friend Daniel Maclise that they were, “glorious, glorious...without them, life would be a blank,” later entering into the spirit of competitive beard-growing 38 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

with Wilkie Collins and Augustus Egg. Waxes and dyes were applied to the bristles to hold them in place and give the appearance of vigour; the drinking of hot beverages became perilous, however, since the wax would often melt into the liquid and cause unsightly droopage.

The mid-C19th introduction of the moustache-cup was a timely invention accredited to the Staffordshire potter Harvey Adams, a Methodist and political activist.

Designed to eliminate the moustache wearer’s problems, it featured a semi-circular or butterfly shaped ledge, in which was a small opening, across the cup’s diameter.

The originals often featured heavy gilt and raised floral decoration with matching saucers but became so popular that the form was reinterpreted and copied, spreading to European and American markets. The moustache and the use of such cups declined during the First World War since men struggled to maintain good grooming in the trenches; again, the military influenced domestic fashion. Nowadays, the cups are highly sought after, particularly since the rise of the hipster movement and “lumbersexuality” has encouraged another return to prominent facial hair.

The museum’s moustache cup (C. 1870) can be seen as a symbol of social discourse about notions of masculinity although it has another significant meaning for our volunteers in that it was gifted to us for good luck by Gold Hill Museum, Shaftesbury, when we first opened in May 1968. We hope the well-wishing it represents continues as we celebrate our Golden Jubilee this year.

Opening times: Tues-Sat 10.30am-4.30pm. Admission free, though donations are appreciated. sherbornemuseum.co.uk

31 Cheap Street Sherborne 01935 815 657

traditional | contemporary | heritage sensitive | simple | sustainable raisearchitects.com

Architecture

M

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD Andy Foster, Raise Architects

y route into architecture was not a direct one.

Being conscious, for some time, of not being an architect has made me, I think, more conscious of being an architect. More aware, perhaps, than others of the things that only architects see and know. More tuned in to the long, drawn-out procedure that is required to become an architect.

At this time of year, we start to think about taking on young architect graduates when they leave university in June - a process we take very seriously, as we do their transition from student to practising architect. I am always heartened by their enthusiasm and dedication, but I’m also intrigued by how much they have yet to learn, despite their extensive education.

Take, as an example, the threshold at the entrance to a building. What will they know? They will be aware of the importance of ‘entrance’, and they will have some knowledge of materials and building construction. They will most likely be able to refer to some memorable examples by 20th century masters such as Le Corbusier or Carlo Scarpa.

And they will be aware of some notable ancient ones too in, for instance, English cathedrals or Greek temples.

They will know that when man first wandered into a cave, or erected that first shelter in the woods, he inadvertently invented the concepts of ‘inside‘ and ‘outside‘ and simultaneously, by implication, the line separating one from the other. The line that is both literal and metaphorical and that has been used down the ages in literature and poetry to denote the transition from one state of being to another. One world to another.

However, and not to put too fine a point on it, will our young architect be able to design the threshold of a building in sufficient detail that someone else will be able to construct it satisfactorily and with sufficient quality that the client will consider it delightful? Or, to use that other test of architectural success, not notice it?

Answer: Unlikely.

But let’s not be too hard on our ardent young architect. Even with an intensive course like architecture, it is impossible to pick up the sheer weight of skill and knowledge required to design every building element down to the finest detail on day one. The threshold to a building may well be considered to be of fundamental 40 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

importance and therefore worthy of concentrated attention but then again, what element of a building is not of fundamental importance?

And anyway, you might have thought that, after 5,000 years of building, the profession would have figured out the ultimate threshold solution by now! But there are no ultimate solutions in architecture because mankind is drawn to novelty as much as it is drawn to consistency. As soon as something is perfected, it is time to move on and reinvent it, regardless of whether the reinvention is an improvement or not.

Whilst our relationship with continuity is ambivalent, we also find that technology, materials, regulations and society’s expectations of performance are always on the move. So our poor young architect will soon realise, if they hadn’t already, that the world they aspire to join is in a constant state of flux. (I have spent the whole of my career to date working with the transition from British to European Standards. No prizes for guessing what the rest of my career is going to involve!)

And when you think more deeply about the design of the external threshold to a modern building, you quickly conclude that it is a complex junction. Not only does it need to allow for the safe passage of those with walking difficulties or wheeled transport, but also it has to keep out the wind and the rain. Increasingly, it needs to be air-tight. The thermal continuity has to be maintained between floor and walls and door. There can be no gaps. And whilst it is somewhat simpler to design the threshold of an outward-opening door, most entrance doors are inward-opening for reasons of welcome and protection, and this makes things much more difficult.

So, I have every sympathy for our young architect.

On leaving architecture school and starting work, they may think they’re about to step across a threshold as if it were something of narrow, finite and constant width.

But if this particular threshold had dimensions, they would be as deep and as broad as an entire career, and they would change over time. It’s a threshold that will never finally be crossed.

Probably best not to let on just yet. sherborne@raisearchitects.com

“… a threshold is a line which separates two territories of spirit, and very often how we cross is the key thing.”

John O’Donohue

Image: Annie-Spratt sherbornetimes.co.uk | 41

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 42 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

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ant to make a statement with your soft furnishings this season? Why not lead the way! We are seeing emerging trends which are incorporating trims and contrasting fabrics to make a feature of a leading edge. This could be the edge where two curtains meet or the bottom edge of a blind - in fact any edge you like, it’s up to you. Just to give you an idea, why not add a decorative beaded edge to a delicate plain silk curtain? If you are interested in taking it one step further, add a matching pelmet with the same beaded edge. Add a co-ordinating patterned blind that picks up one of the colours for a sophisticated look.

A decorative edge on a pelmet can also really frame a beautiful set of curtains. Pick out a co-ordinating braid, bead, tassel or pom pom trim, add it to the underneath edge if it’s a braid or pom pom or make a feature border 46 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

stitched on top if you decide to go for a flat braid or tape. This can look beautiful on a soft pleated pelmet; don’t forget you can add the same trim to a plain lampshade to tie everything together.

To have a bit of fun with a leading edge why not go for a coloured pom pom trim added to the bottom of a roman blind? Add the pom poms so that they are just popping out from the bottom of the blind and are in view when the blind is up. Or, as most of them come stitched onto a decorative tape, make a feature of it. You can even get giant pom poms if you want to make a real statement. Why not add some co-ordinating scatter cushions somewhere in the room, and make sure they have the matching pom pom trim too?

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leading edges. This can look smart, especially if you have other patterned fabrics in the room. It means that you can add interest without adding another pattern. You can get some beautiful textured, patterned and even sparkly tapes, whatever takes your fancy.

Why else would you have a leading edge? This could be for cost-efficiency. Sometimes you may have a window that is just that little bit bigger than the fabric allows; this is where a leading edge can come in handy. It can give you that extra little bit of width and, if you choose your fabrics carefully, it will look like it was supposed to be there all along. If this is the case, why not team a beautiful patterned fabric with a cheaper plain fabric on the leading edge to save yourself a few pennies!

So, in future, why not consider braids, pom poms, beads and tassels to create a feature of your new curtains or blinds? updowninteriors.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 47

Antiques

OLD WIVES’ TALES Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers

W

e all know more than just one old wives’ With safety in mind, the executors had previously tale. Some of them hold the occasional removed the personal jewellery from the house. This was grain of truth. I quite like the one about in case of a burglary and also because they really wanted how breaking a mirror brings you seven years bad luck. more time to think about what they wanted to keep.

Although mirrors have been about for many thousands Having gone through the thought process of what to of years (the Ancient Mesopotamians produced mirrors auction, a box was dropped off at our salerooms. in polished metals and stones from 4,000 B.C.) the In the box there were several leather-covered mirror as we know it today emerged in the 16th century, jewellery boxes. These always get us excited as usually with Venice being the centre of manufacture. a pretty box will have something pretty inside it! The Needless to say, these mirrors largest of these boxes was were very expensive and only for the first to be opened and the wealthy and, according to revealed a charming Victorian the old wives’ tale, if you broke gold necklace in the form of a mirror, the break brought you a serpent, beautifully crafted bad luck for seven years. We can with the serpent’s head being possibly thank the Romans for mounted with cabochon this. Back in Roman times, they garnets. thought it took seven years for a It was also in beautiful soul to renew itself. Personally, I condition, having clearly been think it was probably more likely loved but worn sparingly that it took seven years of servant only on special occasions wages to pay the local Lord over the past 150 years. So it of the Manor if you broke his was no great surprise when prized mirror! it was sold in our February Another old wives’ tale is, jewellery auction that it “lightning never strikes in the attracted many admirers. On same place twice.” Thankfully I the day, after spirited bidding have not been struck by lightning in The Victorian gold serpent necklace from telephone, internet and sold by Charterhouse for £3,200 the past 5 decades, but I am aware commission bidders, the hammer it can strike and strike you again in came down at £3,200. the same place. Really what they were referring to was Following the auction was a jewellery collector from an unusual event never occurring twice under the same the North of England. He has been collecting Victorian circumstances to the same person. jewellery for many years and was so impressed with the However, although I have not been personally struck price we achieved for the Victorian serpent necklace that by lightning, at Charterhouse the occasional thunderbolt he decided to let us sell a piece from his collection – a does hit us, and recently hit us twice – in a good way!

Victorian gold serpent necklace in a leather box. So, it We had been instructed to clear a property. The looks like I have had the good fortune to be struck by beneficiaries to the estate had collected what they were lightning twice! bequeathed or wished to retain, requiring Charterhouse to remove everything else to enable the house to be sold. charterhouse-auction.com

48 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

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@elizabethwatsonillustrations 52 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

House of Gold book launch with author Natasha Solomons Thursday 3 May

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Gardening

SOIL IMPROVERS AND MULCHES Mike Burks, Managing Director, The Gardens Group

I

mproving the soil is often a topic of discussion among gardening folk, but why is this and what do you need to know before you start? Most soils in our local area are clay-based, however you will find patches of sandy and chalky soils too. More importantly, all of them will be improved by the addition of organic matter.

Ideal additions to the soil include your own garden compost, composted farm manure, composted bark, and other products such as Westlands Soil Conditioner, which contains a range of recycled materials. In recent times the use of peat has been frowned upon due to the impact of its harvest on the environment, and it isn’t necessary to use it nowadays as there are lots of good alternatives.

Dug into a clay soil, any of these additions will open up the soil, allowing the easier passage of water and providing space for the plant roots to explore. Worms and other micro-organisms will start to flourish and nutrient availability will be enhanced. In sandy soil the organic material’s job is to create a structure and help bind the soil together, increasing its ability to retain moisture and again improving the soil environment. In chalky soils too, the addition of such material will open the soil up and make it easier to work.

Another way of incorporating soil improver is to add a thick layer of the material on top of the soil. This is called a ‘mulch.’ Over time this will find its way into the soil with the help of worms and micro-organisms but, in the meantime, it will have other benefits. Firstly, it will help to conserve moisture over the summer, and secondly it will help to control weed growth. It will also protect the soil from being damaged by torrential rain, which is an unfortunate feature of recent weather patterns.

Creating your own garden compost is an important part of gardening. The more diverse the material used, the better the quality of compost produced. The challenge is that often your compostable material comes from a 54 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

limited source, such as lots of grass clippings in the spring and early summer. This can lead to a sludge of wet material being produced. To combat this, save up some of the other material that you have including egg boxes and newspaper and add those in to break up the layers of grass clippings. Leave this to decompose for a decent amount of time, potentially several months, depending on how tough the material is. In an ideal world you would have three bins: one that is being filled, one that is composting and a third that has completed the composting process, ready to be emptied.

There is also a new product on the scene that will perform the soil improving functions from a very local

"the use of peat has been frowned upon due to the impact of its harvest on the environment, and it isn’t necessary to use it nowadays"

source. ‘Bloomin’ Amazing’ is a new, light and nutritious peat-free and plant-based soil enricher. It is a by-product of a pioneering renewable energy venture, situated near our garden centre in Poundbury. This is a collaboration between the Duchy of Cornwall and local farmers and will supply green gas to 4,500 local homes during winter and 56,000 in summer. ‘Bloomin’ Amazing’ is a three-in-one gardening product which conditions the soil, helps suppress weeds and provides valuable nutrition. I’ve used it alongside other soil improvers in our garden and on projects elsewhere, and it’s going to be a very useful addition. thegardeneronline.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 55

Gardening

FINDING BALANCE Nicholas Goodden

I

t has now been six months since we left London for Dorset. Although it has been a particularly long and wet winter, as I am sure you noticed, spring is now well under way and we’re glad the rain didn’t defeat us, even though it did put our Shepherd’s Hut renovation project on hold for a while.

For the past two months we have been working relentlessly on our new vegetable garden; this went from being a simple patch of grass to a fenced-off vegetable garden with six garden beds totalling 100 square feet of growing area and a compost pile that would make Kew Gardens jealous. We had to be very resourceful and 56 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

clever in our daily budget management and find creative ways to reach our garden goals. Recycling old wooden pallets to use as a fence, using bamboo growing on our land as a structure for a polytunnel, planting willow branches to form a natural outer fence and propagating every plant we could to avoid buying too many.

These periods of hard manual labour, which I enjoy very much, were interrupted by the need to go back to London every second week or so. Financially this is our safety net. My lovely wife Chrystall and I are both freelance professional photographers; photography work can be quite seasonal and die off in the winter,

so I still work as a marketing consultant for a hotel group. Meanwhile Chrystall works in Sherborne at a renowned coffee shop on Cheap Street making friends with the locals.

It didn’t take long for me to feel like a stranger in a city I called home for 18 years, but this reassures me that we made the right decision. After nearly two decades of living there, I felt that I was losing sight of who I once was (I grew up in a tiny French village).

The pace of the city and the, at times, rudeness of people was affecting me; that and the simple fact that no matter how high you climb the ladder, the city

will always find a way to empty your pockets. Although I once loved living in London, moving back to the country was the best decision I could have made for both my mental and physical health. There is a famous saying: “Tired of London, Tired of Life”. Although this saying may once have been true, I just cannot relate to it anymore. I left London because I was craving for life.

But back to our magical garden!

Last month I wrote about our artificially-lit indoor garden and how it helped us defy the British weather, allowing us to harvest sweet, ripe tomatoes and chillies throughout the winter. The warm glow of my LED growlight has also proved particularly helpful as a nursery for the young seedlings destined for our veggie patch.

Common is the problem of sowing indoors on the windowsill too prematurely and witnessing young seedlings desperately stretch for light while waiting to go out in the great open, only to be destroyed by the last remaining frost on a mission to surprise everyone.

So, while preparing our garden, we patiently watched our seeds germinate and grow under LED lights until it was safe to put them out; until then they could develop into strong juvenile plants ready to face the uncertain British spring.

I mentioned propagation earlier and what a pleasure it is to grow plants from another existing one. We are human and we love a freebie - I’m sure you do too! So, I’ve been lifting bamboo clumps nearby, cutting savagely through their rhizomes and transferring them into a nice spot in our garden. It’s not easy but it’s very satisfying.

Same with primroses and snowdrops - we have so many but not always in the best spot, so I’m lifting them, splitting them and spreading them around our garden like Easter eggs for an Easter egg hunt! Oh, and strawberries… couldn’t be easier. My mum had so many plants she practically begged me to take some and plant them in my makeshift greenhouse.

It has been a very steep learning curve changing from spending 2 hours a day in the London underground to spending 4 hours a day caring for plants, but the rewards are such that I’d never go back. And the best part of it is we’re already excited about living here, even though it’s been raining almost daily, so I’m thinking it will only get better and better. That’s what a positive mind can do.

Next month we will tell you a little about our new-found passion for everything foraged. greatthingstodo.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 57

Gardening

58 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

DIARY OF A FIRST TIME FLOWER FARMER

O

Paul Stickland, Black Shed Flowers

ver the last few weeks our fellow flower farmers the length and breadth of the land have breathed a collective sigh of relief as our so-called spring and that horrendously long winter have given way to the early stages of summer. It’s been a tricky and frustrating time for all gardeners but running a flower farm really magnifies the problems. We garden lovers well know the irresistible urge to foster new life as winter turns towards spring. That it took so long this year has really been tricky for us; the need to sow and plant versus the reality outside has been really challenging! We don’t have big polytunnels and we don’t use heat, so we have to accept what our fickle climate throws at us. We watched Mother’s Day and Easter sail by with not one single bloom on the farm. The small tunnel space that we do have has been crammed to the brim with eager seedlings waiting for the soil to warm and dry ready for planting.

The dahlias are champing at the bit in their pots, however by the time you read this their fat tubers will hopefully be exploring their newly enriched beds.

There’s no real break in the flower farming year.

As soon as the dahlias succumbed to the first frosts in November, we had to divide, wrap and store them.

That took a month; we have rather a lot! Seed sowing started as the new year rolled in. Meanwhile we spent the winter months preparing all the new beds that we’re bringing into production this year; any half-decent day and we were out there - and most of the less decent ones too! We use a no-dig method, simply laying as much organic matter and compost on the surface of the beds as possible and letting the worms and mycorrhiza get to work, echoing the way a woodland lays down its leaves to form a rich soil beneath the trees on even the most inhospitable of terrains. It’s such a simple and labour-saving system but the results are amazing and the soil that we’re planting into this year has improved in structure, workability and drainage.

I find gardening and growing endlessly fascinating and challenging, with so many joys and delights. Is there any thrill greater than watching seedlings germinate?

That moment when a recalcitrant cutting finally takes root? The day that patiently cosseted plant finally springs into long-awaited bloom?

If you recognise those delights, then we share something really special. There’s a basic urge in almost all of us to garden, whether recognised or not. The old cliché about us being a nation of gardeners is quite true.

Our weather systems may be challenging at times but we enjoy a temperate climate which allows us, with a little ingenuity, to grow a stunning range of plants from all over the world. Gardeners are intensely aware of these seasons and the soil upon which we all depend, that connection with the ‘real’ world is an extraordinary gift. It lends some perspective on the pitiable antics of our species and offers the possibility for a path forwards. It’s easy to lose hope observing the shenanigans of our politicians and socalled leaders. I’d personally like to see the establishment of a ‘Garden Party’, where we concentrate our efforts on re-greening this planet, nurturing and sharing the wonderful bounty that nature has gifted us. We should stop squabbling over the meaningless accumulation of wealth and territory and leave a better, cleaner, greener world for our children and grandchildren. We only have a short time on this amazing, small world but in that time we could achieve so much.

Gardening seems to bring out the best in people.

Gardeners tend to be happy and, even if not, the solace that they find in the activity and delights of the garden have such positive benefits. Perhaps it’s all that time outside in the elements (possibly a little too much this winter and spring!), being close to nature, busy observing, taking a break from the worries of the world. Somehow it helps to put things in perspective for me. I love visiting my gardening and botanist friends; they’re invariably optimistic, enjoying the present and planning for the future, and they are generous to a fault. There’s something about growing and propagating new life that makes you want to share it with your friends and fellow enthusiasts.

There’s always something new to learn, seeing a loved plant in a new context or simply marvelling at people’s gifts for effortless planting combinations and style. I love that constant state of learning. It feels like a passion that will never end. I’m happy with that. blackshedflowers.blogspot.co.uk paulstickland_ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 59

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60 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

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CHERRILL PARRIS-FOX Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

C

herrill Parris-Fox grew up on a farm in Leigh and, after a long career in the arts, it was the desire to care for her elderly mother and the call of home that brought Cherrill back to Dorset.

Sadly, her mother passed away just seven months later.

Cherrill reminisces how her mother’s love of creativity influenced her. ‘I remember coming back from school and mum would have painted a room in the house a different colour or created some new thing – she was definitely the one who inspired my work.’ >

62 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 63

64 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Cherrill began her painting career at Yeovil College where she took a foundation course in art before studying fashion at what was then, St. Martin's School of Art, London. ‘I loved fashion drawing,’ she says, ‘and discovered that was what I wanted to pursue.’

She worked as a fashion illustrator for a number of publications including the Sunday Times Magazine, the New York Times and Country Life while bringing up a young family of two girls and supplementing her income with teaching. Cherrill later went on to teach drawing at Cheltenham College and, more recently, at the Royal College of Art, but it was on her return to Dorset that she found a new metier – abstract painting – which she’ll be showing as part of this month’s Dorset Art Weeks.

‘I suppose the two greatest influences on my work, or painters that I admire most, are Rothko and Patrick Heron,’ she says. ‘I love the simplicity; that you throw everything at the painting, layer upon layer, then scrape it back.’

‘There’s an internal energy to my paintings,’ she continues, ‘of “this is it, this is me”. Largely I’m happy

with the outcome but sometimes I’ll finish and there’s a certain amount of soul-searching still to be done. I'll often turn the canvas upside down before going to bed, leave it and ignore it for a time, and usually, hopefully, something new will reveal itself.’ Cherrill explains: ‘It’s a relationship you have with your work, a search for an authentic voice in each painting, and I know that it’s happened when I see it reflected back.’ She tells me that sometimes this happens over only a matter of days but often the painting can go on and on. What’s clear is that Cherrill’s work is highly individual, expressing a freedom of line and colour that is intoxicating.

The series that Cherrill will show for Dorset Art Weeks is loosely based on a palette of neutrals with tones of neon and gold. She uses mixed media, ranging from household paint to oil pastels and chinagraph.

‘I keep going until I like it,’ she says. A favourite, shimmering in the dusky light of her studio, is a dynamic abstract with bird-like shapes that seem to dance against a background of mauve and gold. > sherbornetimes.co.uk | 65

66 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Cherrill Parris Fox Colour the Clay sherbornetimes.co.uk | 67

68 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Another has bold blocks of black and splashes of red against glistening gold overlaid with grey. The effect is magical.

The use of black is something that spills over into Cherrill’s home, to great effect. It’s a treat to view the art in her home as, when not painting, Cherrill works as an interior decorator. Her eye for line and colour won her the Homes and Gardens Interior Design competition in 2002, and she has gone on to work for clients who have become good friends, returning for her advice time and again. She has a natural ability to create a cohesive decorative style that brings together both practicality and inventiveness. This requires a good eye and it must be incredibly reassuring to have someone like Cherrill guiding you when embarking on a new decorative scheme.

Cherrill moved into her new home last year and the renovation took two months. She has the good fortune of being close neighbours to Artichoke, Westbury’s home decor emporium with its quirky style and unique vintage furniture, and also to Paul and Helen Stickland of Black Shed Flowers, who are helping Cherrill landscape her garden. Until recently she was using her kitchen as her workspace but has now installed a studio at the end of the garden where she hopes to both work and show her paintings.

It’s been a busy year for Cherrill but, from the sad passing of her mother, the family have come together and one of her daughters – Georgia Parris – has made a film inspired by her grandmother. In fact, Georgia wrote the screenplay while staying with Cherrill in Sherborne. The film, Mari, was shot in and around the town earlier this year and Cherrill helped with costume and production.

Her other daughter, Louisa, is a fashion designer and has recently launched a collection of silk scarves and dresses for which Cherrill drew a series of illustrations.

Life has a habit of coming full circle and now that Cherrill is back in Dorset, and when not assisting her daughters or designing an interiors scheme, she’ll be back at her easel where she first began all those years ago. ‘Sherborne and this house found me,’ she says. ‘It made me make decisions,’ she says. ‘Call it serendipity, but now I’m here, I’m going to indulge myself and play.’

Amen to that.

Dorset Art Weeks Venue 22 Garden Cottage, Westbury, Sherborne, DT9 3EJ parrisfox.com dorsetartweeks.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 69

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PAINTING IN OILS

HAND THROWN

Magnolia House, Totnell, Leigh, DT9 6HT

Wallis Farmhouse, Duck Street,

STONEWARE POTTERY

andydenham@aol.com

Cattistock, DT2 0JH. 07961 555116

Fairview, Chalmington, DT2 0HB.

____________________________

vanessa@vanessabowman.co.uk

07876 767989

17. Plaxypots

vanessabowman.co.uk

dorsetdame@gmail.com

WHEEL-THROWN AND

____________________________

____________________________

HAND-BUILT STONEWARE

5. Jane Shaw

11. Jane Huxtable Brown

Totnell House South, Leigh, DT9 6HT

BRONZE SCULPTURES AND

PAINTER, OILS AND

01963 210719 / 07740 873687

DRAWINGS

WATERCOLOUR

plaxy.arthur@gmail.com plaxypots.com

Cattistock House, Cattistock, DT2 0HY.

Daws Cottage, Higher Wraxall,

____________________________

01300 320761 / 07931 772387

DT2 0HW. 01935 83613

18. Old School Gallery

jane@jane-shaw.com

mac@macjanebrown.plus.com

ART GALLERY AND CAFE

janeshawsculpture.com

____________________________

Old School Gallery, High Street,

____________________________

12. Peter Thomas and Trevor Ball

Yetminster, DT9 6LF. 01935 872761

6. Madeleine Preston

LIVINGWOOD - WOODTURNING

yetminstergallery@gmail.com

PAINTING, SCULPTURE AND

& STICKDRESSING

____________________________

DESIGN

Old Rectory Cottage, Rampisham,

19. Pearl Gatehouse

Culvers (Studio), Cattistock,

DT2 0PT. 07585 895614

PAINTING AND DRAWING

DT2 0HY. 07541 049402

peterlivingwood@gmail.com

Moreys, Melbury Road, Yetminster,

madcreate@me.com

peterthomaslivingwood.co.uk

DT9 6LX. 07901 734330

madeleinepreston.co.uk

____________________________

pearlgatehouse@yahoo.com

____________________________

pearlgatehouse.co.uk ____________________________

70 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

VENUE DIRECTORY NORTH WEST REGION 20. Carolyn Brettell

Liz Howe, Malcolm Shepherd, Emma

rebecca@stanleybydesign.com

CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPE /

Riley, Barry Hooper, Jan Billings,

victoriajardine.com

NATURE ACRYLIC ARTIST

Alastair Kinghorn, David Metcalff. 3

stanleybydesign.com

4 Huish Farm Cottage, Clifton

Southdown, Charlton Horethorne, near

____________________________

Maybank, Sherborne, DT9 6RE.

Sherborne, DT9 4NQ. 01963 220367

31. Graham Church

01935 410462 / 07931 828824

info@pippahillsculpture.co.uk

DRIFTWOOD METAL

carolynbrettell@hotmail.co.uk

pippahillsculpture.co.uk

AND FOUND OBJECTS

carolynbrettell.co.uk

____________________________

Providence Place, Holnest,

____________________________

26. Wessex Contemporary Arts

DT9 6HA. 01963 210579

21. Laurence Belbin

A DYNAMIC ARTIST-LED GROUP

church938@btinternet.com

PAINTING, DRAWING AND

Vida Comida, The Swan Yard, Cheap

____________________________

SOME ILLUSION (yes, illusion)

Street, Sherborne, DT9 3AX. 01963

32. Anne-Louise Bellis

Westbury Hall, Westbury, Sherborne,

220570 / 07818 098788

PAINTINGS

DT9 3EN. 01935 816618

josaurin@josaurin.com

The Old Cow Shed Studio,

info@laurencebelbin.com

wesca.co.uk

Manor Farm, Glanvilles Wootton,

laurencebelbin.com

____________________________

DT9 5PZ. 07970 797748

____________________________

27. David Marl

albellis@btinternet.com

22. Cherrill Parris-Fox

PAINTINGS

theoldcowshedstudio.co.uk

ACRYLIC/MIXED MEDIA

St. Probus, Marston Road, Sherborne,

____________________________

ON CANVAS

DT9 4BL. 01935 389673

33. Robert Woolner

Garden Cottage, Westbury,

burgoyne.marl@gmail.com

PAINTING AND

Sherborne, DT9 3EJ. 07967 828184

____________________________

DRAWING IN MIXED MEDIA

parrisfox7@yahoo.co.uk

28. Haydon Church Studio

Chantry Cottage, Glanvilles Wootton,

parrisfox.com

GRAPHITE, SCULPTURE,

DT9 5QJ. 07837 719511

____________________________

PHOTOGRAPHY, TEXTILES

robwoolner@mac.com

23. James Budden

Haydon Church Studio, Haydon, near

robwoolner.com

PORTRAITS AND FIGURES/

Sherborne, DT9 5JB. 07886 278565

____________________________

OILS AND PASTELS

eleanor@denmangould.com

34. Zoe Roberts

93 Cheap Street, Sherborne,

denmangould.com

PAINTING, PRINTMAKING,

DT9 3LS. 07887 538313

paulnewmanartist.com

AND DRAWING

jamesbudden@btinternet.com

____________________________

Keepers Cottage, Minterne Magna,

jamesbudden.co.uk

29. Blackmore Vale Branch

DT2 7AT. 07528 014013

____________________________

Embroiderers’ Guild

zoeroberts1@hotmail.co.uk

24. Mark and Miranda Pender

TEXTILE ART AND EMBROIDERY

zoeroberts.co

PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS,

Bishops Caundle and Caundle Marsh

____________________________

COLLAGE, CARDS

Village Hall, Holt Lane, Bishops

35. Barbara Fulford-Dobson

Abbots Fee, Greenhill, Sherborne,

Caundle, DT9 5NB. 07963 557078

PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

DT9 4EP. 07896 354616

contact.bveguild@gmail.com

The Studio, Abbey Street, Cerne

mirandapender.mp@gmail.com

bveguild.blogspot.com

Abbas, DT2 7JQ. 01300 341284 /

mirandapender.com

____________________________

01300 341000 / 07811 398637

markpender-art.com

30. Victoria Jardine

cerneabbey@hotmail.com

____________________________

and Rebecca Stanley

____________________________

25. Horethorne Group

CERAMICS AND PAINTING

For full details of all participating

MIXED EXHIBITION IN

Glenwood House, Longburton,

artists please pick up a copy of the

HOUSE AND GARDEN

DT9 5PG. 07812 952691

Dorset Art Weeks Guide or visit

Pippa Hill, Sam Dodd, Rachel Reilly,

victoriajardine@hotmail.co.uk

dorsetartweeks.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 71

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 72 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

KAFE FONTANA , YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT COFFEE SHOP AND BISTRO Since 2008

Visit us during May and you might receive one of our limited edition loyalty cards!

Visit us soon to enjoy seasonal menus, featuring homemade dishes and local ingredients (often from Sarah & Nigel’s cottage garden) from breakfast through to afternoon tea.

Ask about our business and event catering, theme nights and celebration cakes made to order.

www.kafefontana.co.uk Find us at 82 Cheap Street, Sherborne DT9 3BJ Tel: 01935 812180 tweet @kafefontana

Little Barwick House Restaurant with rooms

COME FOR DINNER, STAY THE NIGHT

Delicious, classically based dishes with a modern twist, served in an elegant, but relaxed, fine dining atmosphere.

www.littlebarwickhouse.co.uk 01935 423902 Rexes Hollow Lane, Barwick, near Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 9TD sherbornetimes.co.uk | 73

Food & Drink

THE CAKE WHISPERER Val Stones

SOMERSET CIDER BREAD

I

’m from Yorkshire so I can make lots of Yorkshire breads. I love making bread of any kind and have tried many recipes from all over the world but there are still many I haven’t baked yet. This cider bread is made with Somerset Sheppy’s dry cider but you can use a cider local to your area. This bread takes a little time but it’s worth it, it’s almost like a rye sour dough and it keeps well. It can be served with cheese, in a sandwich or, my favourite, toasted and topped with Somerset 74 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

butter and homemade Seville marmalade.

The loaves are also perfect for a showstopper lunch.

Slice off the tops and hollow out the loaves so that you can fill them with homemade soup (placing the bread lids back on before serving).

I like to weigh the liquid in my recipes as it is more accurate than using a measuring jug.

This recipe will make 4 loaves.

Method

What you will need

Two flat-edged baking sheets, if possible Clean tea towels or a baker’s linen sheet A plastic or glass-lidded container to put the starter in A plastic spray bottle (mine is from a garden centre).

Keep it just for spraying the oven when you bake bread as it helps to create a crust on the bread. Alternatively, you can place a baking tin in the bottom of your oven and let it heat up before putting the loaves in the oven.

Place the bread in the oven and then pour a cupful of cold water into the baking tin; the water will turn to steam and give your bread a good crust.

Ingredients for rye starter

This needs to be made 4-6 hours before making the bread.

I usually make mine the night before.

200g strong white flour 50g rye flour 5g fresh yeast (if possible, but if you can’t get fresh use a 7g sachet of dried yeast) 5g fine sea salt 175g water Method

1 Mix the two flours together and rub in the yeast.

2 Add the salt and the water mixing with your hand until the dough comes together.

3 Place in the lidded container and leave overnight.

Ingredients for cider bread

The quantity of prepared starter 750g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting 250g dark rye flour 10g fresh yeast (or 2 sachets of dried yeast, 15g) 20g fine sea salt 450g good dry cider 150g just-warm water 30g good quality olive oil

4 Set the oven for 220C conventional, 190C fan assisted, gas mark 5 5 Turn the rye starter into a large bowl - try to do this in one scoop.

6 Add the flours and rub in the yeast, then add the salt.

7 Make a well in the middle of the flour then add the water, cider and oil. Stir in with your hand, gathering it together. Tip it out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball.

8 Place in a lightly floured bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 40 minutes.

9 Lightly flour two tea towels or the baker’s sheet.

10 Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 4 equal pieces.

11 Take one piece and knead into a round and slightly flatten with the heel of your hand. Fold one edge into the middle and press down with the heel of your hand. Fold the other side into the middle and press down. Fold one half over the other to create a roll with the seam at the bottom. At this point you can round the ends or you can roll the ends to make a small point.

12 Make two folds on one of the tea towels and lightly flour, place the roll in the fold (this will stop the loaves from touching each other). Repeat this process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough. Cover with tea towels and leave to prove for 1½-2 hours or until roughly doubled in size.

13 Transfer the loaves onto the flat baking sheets allowing two to a sheet. Using a sharp knife or a razor blade (I use a Stanley knife with a retractable razor blade), make a cut the length of each loaf.

14 Spray the inside of the oven with water and then place the loaves into the hot oven.

15 Bake for 10 minutes and then turn down the oven to 210C/180 fan/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 35-40 minutes. The loaves should be golden in colour and the bottom of each loaf should sound hollow when tapped.

16 Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack.

The loaves will keep for two days but I usually freeze 3 and eat one fresh. You could be very kind and share the bread with family or neighbours. The frozen bread will last up to 4 weeks. To use the frozen bread, take a loaf and defrost it, then bake for 10 minutes to crisp up again. bakerval.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75

Food & Drink

76 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

AEGEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN FOOD Hayley Frances Thurlow, Cook, Caterer, Nutritional Therapist Imagine yourself sitting in a sun-drenched, outdoor café on the Greek Mediterranean shore. On the horizon, the vast turquoise sea meets the brilliant blue sky. Everything around you seems influenced by sea and sky, from the aquamarine-painted tables and chairs of the café to the foamy-white buildings and small shops jutting out over the seawall where the Mediterranean laps and splashes. The warm sun on your shoulders and the cool sea breeze on your face enhance the spectacular view, as the fragrance of white flowers scaling a peach-coloured trellis above your table mingles with the smells of salt and sea…

I

have always been profoundly moved by life on the Mediterranean: the climate, the people and the close connection between food and family; the way food is revered and adored. Food, in this part of the world, is chosen and eaten with true love. It is a ritual to share with friends and an integral part of life itself. Diet is barely a socio-economic indicator on these shores; a fisherman and a yacht-owning billionaire will enjoy identical meals, at the same taverna. Even the poorest of people feed themselves properly.

Many of the happiest moments of my life so far have been spent in the Aegean and Mediterranean - boozy afternoons in tavernas devouring calamari and carafes of white wine, barbecued sea bream against a backdrop of hot pink bougainvillaea, and fresh pizza margherita straight from the oven. As a nutritionist, cook and caterer I am profoundly influenced by this cuisine. For me, it is the most joyful, healthy and sustainable way of eating, the perfect balance of nutritionally sound and tasty food. I religiously use the principles of these diets to help my clients recover their health, lose weight for life and improve their relationship with food – and this method hasn’t failed me yet.

Sure, the UK climate, to some extent, limits our ability to live out a Mediterranean romance. But, surely, we should make the best of what we have? Across the

Mediterranean and Aegean, vegetables and fruits are consumed in a wholly seasonal way, with produce such as wild greens, thin zucchini, green beans, spinach, spring peas, finocchi (or fennel), cherries and wild mushrooms being consumed in the spring, and tomatoes, aubergine, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon, figs, peppers and onions in the summer. In late summer the wine harvest begins followed by persimmons and pomegranates and then, finally, olives are harvested at the earliest point of autumn. We can eat the same way here – maybe not the same vegetables and fruits but we can still try to follow a seasonal pattern. In terms of the diet itself, we can adopt the key Mediterranean features of abundant vegetables, wholegrains, olive oil, fish, limited dairy and occasional meat. We can learn from the Mediterrean attitude towards food and take more time choosing, preparing and enjoying what we eat and drink. We can ensure that the quality of food we buy is always the best we can afford and approach food with love, not anxiety. We can share meals with the people we hold dear and always thank the person who has cooked for us. We can embrace nature, grow our own food and get our hands covered in soil, as often as possible. Fresh air should run through our homes and, when the sun shines, we should sit out in it.

Finally, we must ensure that the humble and delicious lemon features regularly in our diet. Lemon zest, packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, magnesium and potassium, is even more nutritious than the juice and even works beautifully in a simple Spaghetti Bolognaise.

Hayley is a Nutritional Therapist, Cook and Caterer based at her clinic in Stoke-sub-Hamdon and The Sherborne Rooms. Hayley also visits clients in their own homes and offers both private and corporate services, including oneto-one consultations. hayleyfrancesnutrition.com

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 77

Food & Drink

CHILE David Copp

C

hile, that long, narrow country stretching over 3000 miles down the Pacific Coast of South America, has some of the most perfectly sited vineyards I have ever seen. The land between the mighty Andes and the ocean is blessed with a wide range of macro- and micro-climatic conditions for growing vines.

The most distinctive features of the environment are the Mediterranean-style climate, with rain concentrated in the winter months and long sunshine hours in the summer providing an extended growing and ripening period; the melted snow waters and minerals of the Andes which enrich the valley soils; and the diurnal differences in temperature which encourage activity in the vine while giving it relief from the daytime warmth and which, in so doing, add intensity of aroma and fruit flavour to the wine.

The three main growing regions are in the Aconcagua, Central and Southern valleys. The Aconcagua is a transversal valley running from 78 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

the mountains to the sea and, in the cooler, coastal areas, produces very fine sauvignon blanc in a style different from those of New Zealand. I also admire the chardonnay wines from Limari and Leyda: they get more sophisticated by the vintage.

The Casablanca Valley, by far the largest of the three regions, runs along the coastal plain with foothill slopes rising gently up to 400m above sea level, tempered by the maritime breezes. It includes the Maipo, Rapel, Curico and Maule Valleys, and produces many world-class cabernet-sauvignons and outstanding merlots which, quite frankly, please my pocket as much as my palate.

The southern region includes Itata and Bio-Bio Valleys where Miguel Torres became the first major European investor in 1978. Chile had been making wine for 450 years following the Spanish conquest but it was not until the 1850s that they began planting the noble varieties from France and Germany. However, the real significance of the Torres investment was that it

signalled European confidence in the quality potential of Chile, and also because it led to the technological revolution absolutely vital to Chile’s ambition of becoming a world-class producer.

The transition to democracy in 1990 was a further step in the right direction in that it encouraged substantial investment, mainly by Chileans who were wise enough to bring in the very best Europeans and Californians to set the standards necessary to be successful in world markets. The Rothschilds, Robert Mondavi, and top French, American and Australian oenologists came to Chile, many as investors in their own right. As a result, Chile is now the world’s 7th largest wine producer and she exports 70% of her production.

The most widely planted white varieties are sauvignon blanc and chardonnay: the red varieties, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. A lot of progress has been made with carmenère, an old Bordeaux variety that survived in Chile but which was ruined

by the root louse phylloxera at home; it has become the signature red grape of Chile. Its warm, spicy flavours, medium tannins make it food friendly and it pairs well with gamey stews and barbecued lamb.

For me the cabernet sauvignons are the real attraction. The well-drained slopes and soils around Santiago produce world-class wines, a little bit softer than the Medoc cabernets, probably because they are given longer fermentation and maceration times.

However, I also like the merlots for their full flavour and roundness. They may be less distinctive than the greatest wines of Pomerol but they are full-bodied and fruity. The Wine Society’s Chilean Merlot from the Rapel Valley at £6.75 is a steal. It is one of my ‘house’ wines. The Exhibition Alto Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 at £13.50 is for special occasions.

I was sad to hear today that Adolpho Hortado is leaving Cono Sur after twenty years. A man after my own heart, his sheer enthusiasm and natural winemaking wit will not be lost as he intends to develop a new project. I love people who are always bright and cheerful: his favourite word by far was ‘super.’ I particularly liked the pinot noir wines he made. My good friend the Burgundian shipper Paul Bouchard praised him to the heavens.

Adolpho is just one of many outstanding winemakers who have taken the basic offering and made it something special. They work with all the popular varieties but have shown they can adopt and adapt varieties like shiraz and malbec. In fact, there is no variety I know that does not do well in Chile’s sun-blessed soils.

However, I do not want to distract you. Whether you are a cabernet sauvignon or merlot fan, a sauvignon blanc or a chardonnay enthusiast you will find a feast of examples that will be hard to better in terms of value for money. The wines are such good value because good vineyard land was so much less expensive than in Europe, yields so much higher and labour costs low.

The Chilean currency worked in favour of exports, and we must remember that Chile was an outsider trying to get a toehold in key world markets. Now the Chinese have cottoned-on to Chile’s virtues as a supplier, prices will harden. However, alert to the potential of their vineyards, they are beginning to make blends which will help keep prices sensible. Single varietal wines and, of course, single vineyard wines will always be more expensive but when you want something special they can be relied on to give you wines that will leave you with a smile on your face.

I can hear Señor Hortado saying ‘super!’ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 79

Food & Drink

JERSEY ROYALS, PEAS AND ASPARAGUS POT-AU-FEU Sasha Matkevich, Head Chef and Owner, The Green

C

lassical pot-au-feu is not a dish that ‘springs’ to mind in May but I love how this vegetarian version allows you to use all the best vegetables this month has to offer.

Ingredients Serves 4

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 medium banana shallots, diced 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 100ml dry white wine 1.5 litre homemade vegetable stock 150g Jersey Royals, washed and diced 1 small fresh bay leaf 2 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley 150g baby turnips, peeled, blanched and quartered 150g baby carrots, peeled, blanched and diced 150g asparagus, peeled, blanched and diced 100g fresh peas, shelled and blanched Cornish sea salt and black pepper to taste Method

1 In a large, heavy-based pan heat the olive oil over a medium heat.

2 Add shallots and garlic. Cook until golden and soft.

3 Add the wine and reduce for approximately 4 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

4 Add potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and stock.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

5 Add turnips, carrots and cook for 5 more minutes.

6 Add asparagus and peas, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes.

7 Turn off the heat and discard the herb’s sprigs.

8 Divide the broth among 4 soup bowls and serve immediately. greenrestaurant.co.uk 80 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

COFFEE BREAK Kafe Fontana 82 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ @kafefontana kafefontana 01935 812180 kafefontana.co.uk Old School Gallery Boyle’s Old School, High Street, Yetminster, DT9 6LF @yetminstergalle 01935 872761 yetminstergallery.co.uk Oliver’s Coffee House 19 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PU @OliversSherbs Olivers-Coffee-House 01935 815005 oliverscoffeehouse.co.uk The Three Wishes 78 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ 01935 817777 thethreewishes.co.uk The Trooper Coffee House The Trooper Inn, Stourton Caundle, DT10 2JW @TrooperinDorset @thetrooperinn 01963 362405 thetrooperinn.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 81

Food & Drink

A RARE BREED

N

estling among the rolling hills of Dorset, on the outskirts of Sherborne, lies ‘Lavender Keepers Farm’, home to a (growing) herd of 130 native breed Tamworth Pigs and one very passionate farmer!

The Tamworth pig is an affectionate and highly intelligent animal, happiest outside and therefore ideally suited to the British climate. The breed was almost driven to extinction in the post-war drive for mass farming and improved efficiency but, with the passion and dedication of farmers like James from The Rusty Pig Company, it is making a comeback.

Free to frolic in the mud and bathe in puddles as nature intended, these easily-distinguishable rustyginger pigs are the oldest and most pure breed of native pigs in the British Isles and, as such, provide foodies and ethically-conscious consumers with a unique taste experience that is like no other.

A strong believer that the happiest pigs produce the tastiest meat, farmer and founder of The Rusty Pig Company, James, has spent the past two years caring for and raising his expanding herd of Tamworths to produce highly prized, slow-growing, flavour-packed meat that includes sausages, bacon and slow-matured joints of premium pork.

“As a passionate small-scale farmer, I ensure my pigs are treated well, fed with the best foods and given large areas in which to roam. I’m responsible for every stage of their care and my customers appreciate this hands-on farming; it’s the right way to farm and I believe this is 82 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

reflected in the quality of our meat.”

The Rusty Pig Tamworths grow at their own speed and take almost 50% longer to mature than standard commercial supermarket ‘pink pigs’ - this results in a stronger, more flavoursome meat that cooks differently from mass-produced pork. This is a difference that James is keen to explain; he has therefore produced a range of Rusty Pig recipes and cooking instructions that enhance these natural superior flavours.

As part of James’ personal mission to champion his native breed Tamworth’s, The Rusty Pig Company is opening its farm gates as part of The Great British Open Farm Day on Sunday 10th June. Visitors are welcome to visit the farm and meet these charismatic and playful animals in their natural environment, where James will be on hand to answer any questions and invite you to take the Tamworth ‘Taste Challenge’!

This summer, The Rusty Pig Company are launching their first Meat Box Delivery Scheme direct to local consumers.

Filled with a selected range of prime cuts and favourites including his own winning sausage recipe, each box will be delivered to your door. You will be able to order directly online by visiting their website. Each delivery box will feature a detailed recipe and cooking instructions to ensure that whether you want the tastiest crackling or the most delicious breakfast sausages you will get it right every time! therustypigcompany.com

OPEN FARM SUNDAY

10th JUNE

Fun for all the family • Meet the Tamworth pigs • Beautiful surroundings • Live music • FREE hot sausage!

• Fresh meat to buy • Cider bar

readscoffee.co.uk

RBO

S

ET

REA D

Come and visit our

FEE

S

HE

OASTED COF 'S R

RNE DOR

COLOMBIA SUPREMO LA MANUELA Excellent aromatics, with superb balance.

Full flavour really comes through when brewed in a cafetiere, also makes for an ideal filter brew.

11am - 4pm

Find us at: Lavender Keepers, Great Pitt Lane, Sandford Orcas, Sherborne, DT9 4FG See more at therustypigcompany.co.uk

Free delivery in Sherborne call 01935 481010

Farming the same land for 300 years

Somerset Trading Barn Open Day, 26th May, 10-4pm, Farm shop tasters, hot food and refreshments plus vintage tractors and workshops with Sprout & Flower

Linley Farm, Charlton Musgrove, Wincanton, Somerset BA9 8HD info@kimbersfarmshop.co.uk

Telephone: 01963 33177 kimbersfarmshop.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 83

Animal Care

84 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

THE CURE

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

I

n veterinary medicine, a permanent cure for any illness is uncommon and for cancer, you would think, downright rare. The word “cancer” is as unpleasant as the disease but it’s a word we hear increasingly often in both human and veterinary medicine, much to our dismay. Following the news that a canine or feline family member has been affected, I am usually asked about possible causes, treatments and outcomes.

Simple answers to these questions do not usually exist, as there are as many types of cancer as types of tissue in our bodies. Tissues that have a high rate of regeneration with cells dividing rapidly are at the highest risk of developing cancer, hence blood cells, skin and intestinal lining are common sites. The young are at increased risk as they are still growing, whilst in the old, protective mechanisms are starting to fail. In humans, exposure to a wide variety of substances is associated with certain cancers but this is less relevant to most dogs and cats. In dogs, the difference in cancer risk between breeds means genetics are probably the most important factor in susceptibility. In outbred cats, viral infections with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) reduces immunity leading to an increased cancer risk.

Interestingly, sunlight exposure in dogs does not cause melanoma, as in humans, and in cats UV light leads to a different form of cancer on the ears and noses of white cats. Even more interesting is a skin cancer of young dogs, called a histiocytoma, that spontaneously regresses as the immune system recognises a problem and fixes it. If only this happy outcome were repeated more often.

There are similarities and differences between the species but one statistic applies to all and is a reason to have some optimism when a diagnosis of cancer is made. That is, about 30% of cancer is cured with surgery, performed in timely fashion and in a way that minimises the risk of recurrence. The keys to successful surgical removal of any cancer are early diagnosis, accurate staging and good surgical technique.

So how do we achieve these? For skin cancer, it’s

much easier as owners bring their pets in the moment they detect a lump or bump that wasn’t there last week.

Happily, a proportion of these are ticks, warts, infections or nipples! Anything else gets a needle biopsy, or fine needle aspirate (FNA), which is quick, painless and easy. A tiny sample of the offending lump is spread on a microscope slide and examined. We can do this during a routine consultation but, if specialist interpretation is needed, the slide is sent away to a cytologist.

Anything suspicious is earmarked for removal, our default position for treatment. In planning the operation, we always take into account the general health status of the patient and then the possible effects of any surgery on future ability and appearance. We also look further afield to determine if there has been any tumour spread to nearby or distant tissues. This is the process called staging and it helps us to plan the surgical details and additional treatments, if necessary. Staging accurately can be quite complicated and may require biopsy, CT or MRI scans for the best assessment.

We gather all this information and sharpen our scalpels, get all excited about “a chance to cut is a chance to cure” and then realise that the owner is unsure about the whole thing. Cancer is cancer, right? You might delay the inevitable but is it fair on the animal to have bits chopped off, surely only for the problem to recur a short time later after a long and painful recovery? Well, I hope that these few words help to get cancer in perspective and encourage affected owners to find out the precise nature of their pet’s disease and how best to fight it.

We can be optimistic about certain cancers as, even if malignant, many spread only locally and even then quite slowly. It is these that we can treat successfully after careful evaluation, restoring many pets to a normal life. We are also lucky to have specialist veterinary oncologists nearby to support us, and with new techniques and new anti-cancer drugs, survival rates for many cancers are significantly improving. newtonclarkevet.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 85

Animal Care

THE INS AND OUTS OF IBR

I

Gemma Loader BVetMed MRCVS, The Kingston Veterinary Group

BR (infectious bovine rhinotracheitis) is caused by bovine herpes virus 1. It can affect cattle of all ages and is a disease which is highly contagious and infectious. The virus causes inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and the end result is often pneumonia. The virus is shed in secretions from the respiratory tract and infection occurs via inhalation from close contact of infected animals. IBR can also cause infections within the reproductive tracts of both males and females. The virus can be spread by semen of infected bulls often resulting in abortions and foetal deformities.

Following infection, cattle then develop a latent infection and despite appearing clinically normal may suffer relapse of disease when under stress.

In adult cows, infection is associated with a drop in milk yield for a prolonged period of time, reduced fertility and abortions. Very occasionally they may show signs of a cough and ocular discharge and, on occasion, the disease may be so mild that it may be overlooked.

Younger cattle often have more obvious and severe signs. Mild cases present with a cough and conjunctivitis; in more severe cases cattle may have a high fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing and a purulent ocular and nasal discharge.

Stressful events such as calving, transportation and housing often trigger activation of the virus. Clinical signs usually become apparent 2-3 weeks following the stressor. During an outbreak of IBR the morbidity rate may be as high as 100%, but the mortality rate is generally very low at approximately 2%. It is most often the first few cows to develop the disease which show the most severe symptoms.

Diagnosis of IBR in an individual cow can be performed via two methods: blood sampling - this can detect latent/pre-exposed infection; or swabs of nasal secretions – this directly detects the virus in active infections.

The level of IBR within a herd can be determined through measuring bulk milk antibody titres.

As IBR is a virus, unfortunately there is no specific treatment. Those with a fever would benefit from anti-inflammatories and any animal demonstrating signs of secondary bacterial infection may be dosed with antibiotics. Once an animal has become infected, it remains infected for life, the infection remains latent in the body and may recur and be shed again at a later date. Vaccines may be used in an outbreak to protect others.

Prevention of IBR infection is mainly achieved via vaccination, however it does not stop infected animals from shedding the virus at a later date.

Management procedures can be brought into practice to help avoid the introduction of IBR including careful biosecurity and quarantine of newly purchased stock. kingstonvets.co.uk 86 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 87

Cycling

TO THE SEA

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

A

re you thinking about summer holidays? Of course you are, after the wettest, most snowy March on record – and if, strictly speaking, it wasn’t, then it should have been! The good news is that the time to start planning your summer holiday is now, which should not only bag you a cheaper ferry ticket but also give increased anticipation time into the bargain. Even better news is that a whole network of traffic-free cycle routes and quiet roads are waiting for us, just across the Channel.

What we can’t do now is cycle down to Weymouth, hop on the Condor Seacat with our bikes, then 88 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

hop off in the Channel Islands or St Malo, because Weymouth’s harbour needed £10 million of work before it could accept the giant new ferry and funding couldn’t be found. This is a shame, however you can catch the same boat in Poole.

To get to Poole from Sherborne, you cycle the back roads to Sturminster, then take the North Dorset Trailway to Blandford, then more quiet roads to Wimborne and the traffic-free Castleman Trail into Poole, where you catch the ferry to Cherbourg. Last time I cycled out of Cherbourg, it was up a long hill out of town on a main-ish road, but I’m told it now has

“Catch the overnight boat, arrive early morning and cycle the 10 miles into Caen alongside a canal, getting there just after the cafés have opened”

dedicated cycle routes which make the whole experience more restful. The other Poole destination is the Channel Islands, and I do like the sound of Jersey’s network of Green Lanes – cars are allowed but the speed limit is 15mph and cycles, walkers and horse riders have priority.

If military history is your thing, I can recommend Ouistreham, the little port which serves the Portsmouth-Caen ferry on the French side. Catch the overnight boat, arrive early morning and cycle the 10 miles into Caen alongside a canal, getting there just after the cafés have opened. The military history connection is that this, of course, is D-Day country, so you can spend a couple of days riding up and down the (very flat) coast, taking in the Normandy beaches, D-Day museums and some stunning ice cream. Good for a long weekend.

Holland is renowned for its traffic-free routes and cycle-friendly urban roads, so it’s still a bit of a cycling mecca, and the Harwich-Hook of Holland is a fun way to get there. Harwich is a fair old way from Sherborne but you can get a combined rail/ferry ticket, and the train stops right by the ferry terminal. The train will take bikes, though you’ll probably need to pre-book. At the other end, you ride off the boat and straight onto a gloriously traffic-free path that heads up the Dutch coast, into Germany and, if you’ve got the time, Denmark as well.

If there is such a thing as cycle heaven, this is it.

There’s another aspect to all of this I haven’t mentioned yet. Cars are not compulsory on crosschannel ferries, and there is nothing to stop you booking yourself and your bikes on board. It’s a real experience to arrive at the ticket office on two wheels, join the motorcycle lane and ride up the ramp into the bowels of a big ship. Some safety-conscious ferry companies now insist that you walk your bike aboard because, as we all know, bicycles are terribly dangerous things, especially at 10mph! Nevertheless, it’s still an experience to walk onto a ro-ro ferry – it certainly beats sitting in a tin box.

Wherever you are cycling this summer, enjoy. In the meantime, feel free to join one of Dorset Cyclists’ Network’s Thursday evening rides. We leave Culverhayes car park in Sherborne every Thursday at 6pm. All welcome, regardless of ability.

For sportier riders, please join Digby Etape CC who meet on Wednesday evenings and weekends. Details can be found on sherbornecycling.club or through the Facebook group rileyscycles.co.uk dcn.org.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 89

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 90 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

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Body & Mind

SAVING FACE

Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms

R

etinol may sound scary but experts and beauty buffs can’t stop preaching about this wonder ingredient. If, like us, you’re constantly on the quest for flawless skin (who isn’t?) then this could be your wonder ingredient.

Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A and is pretty much the only ingredient clinically proven to help reduce lines and wrinkles. There are other forms of this potent ingredient which could mislead us into 92 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

thinking that all Retinol is strong and scary and skinstrippingly bad!

Retin-A, retinol and retinoic acid belong to the family of retinoids, which are chemical compounds of vitamin A. Retin-A is a prescription-level retinoid that is stronger and used for severe acne and clinical anti-aging treatments. Retinol is the over-the-counter version of Retin-A, which becomes the active retinoic acid when it hits the skin. It is available in different

percentages, with 0.5% being a good active marker and slightly higher percentages available only from cosmeceutical skincare ranges. There has been a huge surge of cheap, unlicensed products onto the market, in which the stability of ingredients could be questionable so it’s important to know what you are buying.

So how does this miracle worker boost skin?

Enzymes in the body convert retinol to retinoic acid, which is an active form of vitamin A. This increases cell turnover, stimulates collagen and elastin production and refines the surface of the skin. This increases the appearance of firmness, diminishes the look of fine lines and wrinkles and significantly improves uneven skin tone.

It is appropriate for treating everything from pigmentation to cystic acne and wrinkles Retinol is definitely a powerful multi-tasker.

Retinol breaks down in sunlight, which is why most retinol products are held in opaque packaging and used at night. Exposure to UV light renders the product less active and therefore less beneficial.

Always use a high, broad-spectrum sunscreen when using a retinol product as your skin can become more photosensitive too.

It is a misconception that retinol thins the skin - it actually thickens it, increasing cell turnover and collagen production for thicker, more youthful skin.

While retinol is suitable for everyone, different strengths are appropriate for different skin types.

Retinol can be irritating if your skin is sensitive, enhancing inflammation and producing eczema and peeling. Retinol can also be quite drying, so it is recommended that those with dry and dehydrated skin seal the product in with a moisturiser thirty minutes after applying.

When introduced too quickly and too strongly, retinol causes redness, dryness and even flaking to all but the most tolerant skins. However, this can easily be avoided or minimised by gradually introducing the ingredient into your skincare routine and building up slowly. It is recommended to limit initial use to once or twice a week, gradually increasing frequency as it becomes tolerated.

With guidance from a skin therapist, you can introduce your skin gently to this powerful skin hero and the benefits will be clear to see. thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk

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hayleyfrancesnutrition.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 93

Body & Mind

AGE WELL, AGE HAPPY Loretta Lupi-Lawrence, The Sherborne Rooms

T

here are a few things in life you can be sure of: death, taxes and ageing - although lumping in the ageing process with death and taxes gives what is coming to us all a very bad reputation!

In my line of work I hear the trepidation in my clients’ voices when the talk turns to our ageing skin and bodies - but is ageing really so bad? Look at Helen Mirren or Susan Sarandon. Let’s be honest, they are ‘older’ ladies BUT they look better than I do at 44! They use their age to empower themselves and, in doing so, are not only beautiful but sassy, witty and great fun.

Once you’ve found your first grey hair and wrapped your brain around the shock and realisation that comes with this grey hair, the whole ageing process could start to tumble out of control in your mind. We need to accept it and let it happen: grey hairs, wrinkly skin, shrinking (yes, alarmingly this is true) and everything generally moving southwards. We can take pride in our changing appearance and do what we can to age well.

What comes with our years? Wisdom, the ability to laugh where once life was terribly serious, enough common sense to fill a house, knowledge in all sorts of topics both relevant and useless, plenty of memories to play back and make us smile, a big circle of family and friends, and many lessons learnt and stories to tell. I already know my joints aren’t what they were, getting up from playing with our toddlers on the floor is starting to really hurt my knees, my eyesight is not as sharp, I’m most definitely more forgetful and if I can get through a film awake it’s a miracle! I know I am at the beginning of the ageing process; three years ago I had not one wrinkle and now I have a few.

I’m loath to admit, however, but it could be so much worse and now I generally feel quite good about it. If we stop and take stock, getting a bit long in the tooth steers us out of trouble (mostly) and gives us ultimate 94 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

responsibility for living our lives to the fullest. Feed yourself good nutrition, exercise regularly and take time to be and accept your present self.

A great skincare routine will also help with holding back those wrinkles and happy laughter lines. The Neal’s Yard Frankincense Intense range is award-winning, Soil Association organically certified, and has no nasty chemicals, using tripeptide technology instead. Most importantly, it works. Frankincense is the go-to essential oil for anxiety, grounding and focusing but its antiageing properties are quite impressive too - good enough for celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Geri Halliwell and Thandie Newton, to name drop a few! A simple but luxurious routine with this range would be: • Wash your face: wet your hands, not your face, and lather in the facial wash then remove with a wet and warm muslin cloth; • Use toner – this finishes the cleansing process, also known as a “double cleanse”; • Use your lift serum - pat into your face, massaging your face with circular motions; • Dab on the lift eye cream around your eye socket carefully with your ring finger (it won’t drag your skin); • Moisturise with the lift cream - a wonderful, luxurious product to finish off your routine.

“It has nothing to do with clothing or make-up. Just put your shoulders back and chin up and face the world with pride.” Helen Mirren My advice is age gracefully, age well, age happy!

Loretta is running an ‘Age Well, Age Happy’ Frankincense Intense Facial Masterclass on Friday 11th May 7pm–8.30pm.

Booking essential and places limited. 07545 328447 thesherbornerooms.com

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Local experts & suppliers including: • Bridal & Menswear • Photography/Videography • Photo booth • Floral Design & Decoration • D.J. • Bands & Entertainment • Jewellery & Accessories • Cakes & Confectionery • Stationery • Hair & Beauty

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 95

Body & Mind

SETTING THE TONE

Zoe Charlton & Martin Armand, Personal Trainer, SPFit

I

n April’s edition we introduced the concept of strength training. We discussed that strength training is a form of exercise which uses resistance, weights or even body weight to induce a muscular contraction. It can build physical strength, muscular endurance and increase skeletal muscle.

Becoming stronger can help us all in our day-to-day lives.

During consultations, many of our clients say that their goal is to become more ‘toned’. This is something that is commonly sought-after globally, especially among women. But what does this mean? The word ‘toning’ is somewhat ambiguous. To achieve a more ‘toned’ or ‘defined’ appearance you need to combine exercises that will build lean muscle and decrease body fat percentage. This does not mean ending up as a ripped bodybuilder with bulging muscles. It means that the less subcutaneous bodyfat (fat under the skin) you have covering your muscles, the more ‘toned’ and ‘defined’ you will appear. Muscles themselves do not ‘firm up’ or ‘tone’, they either shrink or grow in size.

Recently there have been many debates on weight verses repetitions when looking at training programmes.

It has long been believed by many that if you don’t wish to ‘bulk’ you need to spend extensive periods of time doing a high number of repetitions paired with light weights. But, if you are wanting to ‘tone’ and gain ‘definition’, the general advice would be to perform 8-12 repetitions with a weight that is putting enough stress on the muscles to allow it to grow. This is known as Hypotrophy Training.

So, what weight should we be lifting? If, by the 5th or 6th repetition, it has become almost impossible to continue while maintaining correct form then you are 96 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

probably lifting too heavy a weight. This could lead to injury and regression. However, if, by the 11th or 12th repetition, you feel like you can continue with more reps then you are possibly not challenging your muscles enough to gain optimal benefits.

By around the 10th repetition you should be finding the exercise challenging, with the aim to complete on the 12th rep and then enjoy a well-earned rest and recovery period.

One of the most functional exercises is the squat an exercise that mimics everyday activities such as sitting down onto a chair and being able to ease yourself back up safely with control. The squat is a compound exercise that primarily targets the muscles in the thighs, hips and buttocks. However, it also strengthens your core muscles, bones, ligaments and the insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body.

When teaching the squat, we can move through several steps to progress the exercise. This means that, no matter what your current fitness level, strength or flexibility, there is a starting point for everyone’s individual requirements and level of experience. With correct guidance and coaching we can lead clients from Swiss ball squats, box squats, suspension strap squats and dumb-bell squats through to barbell back squats.

Once clients have gained strength and correct technique mastering this compound move, it offers options of further developing their training and skills. Amongst our clients we find that becoming stronger with this exercise is extremely fulfilling, reaping physiological and psychological benefits, and making everyday activities much easier to accomplish. spfit-sherborne.co.uk

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This month at the Sherborne Rooms: Free Facial Friday 4th May, 30 minutes mini facial Age Well, Age Happy Masterclass Friday 11th May, 7pm until 8.30pm Hands on class discussing how to age well including full facial with Frankincense Intense range. £10 per person (redeemable on any purchases above £25) Spaces limited Booking Essential for all events

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

Body & Mind

PROACTIVE OR REACTIVE? Craig Hardaker, Communifit

A

s I make my morning coffee, I realise I have only a drop of milk remaining – I must get some more I tell myself. The next day soon arrives. Drat – I forgot the milk! I should have been proactive yesterday, when I first noticed, but I wasn’t.

Unfortunately, I reacted, and this left me with black coffee and dry cereal! There are many situations during the week where we are reactive to a situation when we should have been proactive. The question is, do we do this when it comes to our health?

Working in the fitness industry for over a decade, I have instructed many individuals who have been reactive to their health. There are many different reasons why people suddenly want to improve their health, for example, “My partner has told me that I’ve put on some extra weight so I’ve decided to do some exercise,” “I am not happy with the way I look - I really want to improve how I feel about myself,” “My walking and balance have worsened - I need to strengthen my legs.”

It is fair to say that reacting to a reduction in 98 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

our health is much harder than being proactive and maintaining our health. Of course, it is much easier said than done. Maintaining good health should be an important part of our weekly routine – but what exactly is good health?

Good health is a combination of three key factors: physical, mental and social well-being, all of which are massively important to our quality of life. With this in mind, plus the fact that life expectancy is on the up, could we be more proactive? Good physical health helps us to complete everyday activities that are physically challenging - this could be anything from a physically demanding 9-5 job to standing from a seated position, depending on the individual. Good mental health helps us to keep on top of our emotions.

It can also help to reduce the likelihood of depression or anxiety. Good social well-being helps us to feel a sense of belonging. After all, a connected person is a supported person in society.

What then must we do to improve any one or a

Specialised Exercise Classes

“I’m Craig Hardaker & have been working in the health & fitness industry for over 12 years.

I enjoy working with individuals, improving their physical condition to help with everyday activities - no matter how big or small.”

45 minutes

45 minutes

combination of the three key factors that contribute towards good health? It is simple - exercise!

Exercise improves our physical well-being by targeting aerobic fitness, muscle strength, joint mobility and muscle flexibility to achieve everyday activities. Exercise improves our mental wellbeing with the release of endorphins, a chemical hormone that triggers positive feelings within the body. Exercise improves our social well-being, as we feel more confident and happy around others. So, whether you are being proactive or reactive towards your health, exercise really does help.

Next month I will discuss different types of exercise and one that truly matters, but for now I am off to buy some milk…

45 minutes

30 minutes

Pay as you go

Communifit offers specialised exercise classes in local community halls. communifit.co.uk

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Sit & Strengthen

£4

Stand & Strengthen

£4

Don’t Lose It, Move It!

£4

Golf Strength Conditioning

£4

A chair-based exercise class aiming to increase your strength, exibility, joint mobility, balance & functional independence - all while having fun!

Wednesday 2pm at the West End Hall Friday 12.15pm at Tinneys Lane Youth Club

Same objectives as sit & strengthen, but you are standing! Targets all major muscle groups. You must be able to stand for the whole duration.

Wednesday 3.15pm at the West End Hall Friday 1.30pm at Tinneys Lane Youth Club

An active circuit-based class improving muscle strength, aerobic tness & core stability. Be proactive, not reactive, towards your health & tness!

Wednesday 4.15pm at the West End Hall Friday 2.30pm at Tinneys Lane Youth Club

Dynamic strength conditioning, using resistance to strengthen both upper & lower body, and your core. Improve both your golf and everyday strength.

Tuesday 7.30am or 8.15am at Folke Golf Centre Booking not required. For more information call 07791 308 773 or email info@communit.co.uk

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 99

Body & Mind

TEA AND SYMPATHY? Lucy Beney MA, Counsellor, 56 London Road Clinic

E

ven with the current increase in awareness of mental health issues, counselling has an unfortunate image in some quarters. People imagine some earnest do-gooder - most probably with dangly earrings and eccentric footwear - offering tea and sympathy. How can “just talking” help? And is counselling even a job?

Whilst anyone can call themselves a counsellor, if you consult a practitioner who has had an accredited training and belongs to a recognised professional body, that individual will have been extensively - and expensively - trained over several years. Counsellor education encompasses aspects of psychology, neurobiology, communication, ethics, creative expression and child development. The work of leading philosophers, psychiatrists and psychoanalysts is dissected and examined in essays and assignments. Within an established ethical framework, every newly qualified counsellor will work with clients using their own philosophy and preferred therapeutic approach, carefully distilled through time and experience in both the classroom and in clinical placement.

In the counselling room, as in life, “relationships are not the icing on the cake - they are the cake” (Dr Dan Siegel, UCLA, 2017). While different therapeutic approaches will appeal to different people, the single most important factor in the success of counselling is the relationship between the client and the therapist. A good counsellor will sit with their client - one human being with another - to offer empathy and authenticity, in a non-judgmental environment, listening actively and watching attentively as the client’s story unfolds.

Counselling is most definitely not about telling people what to do. The therapist may suggest ways in which a given situation may be approached, or explain developmental or behavioural processes where beneficial, 100 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

but primarily counselling offers a unique opportunity for people to talk about their feelings, think about their choices, explore their lives and make positive changes.

The client is free to determine the path they take and is encouraged to take full responsibility for it.

In difficult times, talking to a relative or friend can be enormously helpful, but sometimes there are reasons why speaking to a professional may be more useful. A counsellor is not emotionally involved in the client’s day-to-day life; the therapist can clearly and calmly reflect back aspects of a client’s situation without the possible distortion of self-interest, self-delusion or damage-limitation. Acknowledging and accepting the pain, trauma or unhappiness of someone you love is hard - very hard. Individuals commonly hide their suffering to avoid hurting those closest to them, while family and friends may have their own reasons to navigate around, rather than address, an individual’s distress.

Finally, counselling - whether short-term or longterm - can offer a targeted and limited intervention in a person’s life, to provide that unique individual with the reflection and resources they need to come to terms with the past, to live in the present and move forward independently into the future, towards the destination of their choosing. It really can change lives.

Lucy Beney MA has recently completed an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling and is in placement working with parents and young people at London Road Clinic, Milborne Port (56londonroad.co.uk), as part of the Somerset Mindful Emotion Coaching project, run by EHCAP Ltd - a social enterprise - and commissioned by Public Health Somerset. She is a member of the BACP. 56londonroad.co.uk

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Body & Mind

HAY FEVER

Prevention and treatment options

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

W

ith the arrival of spring our spirits are lifted but for some there is a slight dampener – the arrival of the hay fever season due to the pollens from trees, flowers, weeds and grass. The troublesome hay fever symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, congestion, itchy eyes and mouth, and occasional wheeze are certainly not welcomed. They can have a major impact on enjoyment of life, as well as work and school performance – poorly controlled hay fever can result in dropping an exam grade according to one study.

To prevent the allergic reaction being triggered total avoidance of circulating pollens is needed. You can go some way to achieving this by closing the bedroom windows during the day, and avoiding grass cutting and camping when the pollen count is high (greater than 50). However, in reality, effective avoidance is not possible and instead medical treatment is needed.

Conventional medical treatment is through the regular use of a non-sedating antihistamine such as Cetirizine 10mg throughout the season, which can be purchased at a chemist or prescribed by your GP, as well as Opticrom eyedrops to treat itchy eyes and Beconase for nasal congestion and sneezing. Long-acting steroid injections given at the start of the season are no longer favoured due to their adverse side-effects at the site of the injection and generally.

Complementary medical treatment may also be considered. Homeopathy can be helpful for both prevention and symptom relief. Pollens in homeopathic form taken throughout the season can be a very effective preventative. If symptoms break through despite this,

102 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

a combination remedy containing Sabadilla, Allium Cepa and Euphrasia is effective at relieving sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes respectively. Some patients combine conventional and complementary medicine as antihistamine alone often doesn’t control the symptoms totally. Herbal medicine is another complementary medicine that has been in use for hundreds of years and which was recorded by Dr Culpeper in 1653 - Eyebright and Plantain are said to strengthen the membranes that line the nose and relieve irritability and inflammation.

Many of the allergic symptoms may also occur outside the hay fever season but to a lesser degree. Trigger factors such as house dust mite, mould, and dog and cat allergy can cause hay fever-type symptoms such as sneezing and runny nose. Often the allergic trigger factor is obvious and elimination of it may bring about relief, however, it may not always be possible to discover the trigger factor. At this point allergy testing can be helpful; skin prick testing is a simple and reliable method which is scientifically valid and backed up by evidence-based medicine. One of the commonest causes of non-seasonal allergy is house dust mite. Identifying this by skin prick testing is useful; eliminating house dust mite from the household with high-filtration vacuuming, using microporous mattress covers and regular changes of bedding will all help reduce the symptoms.

Hopefully all this advice will free you from itchy eyes and sneezing during the hay fever season and allow you to enjoy the spring and summer months to their fullest. doctorTWRobinson.com

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Brister&Son Independent Family Funeral Directors

When your family suffers the loss of a loved one, we are here to support, guide and reassure you – every step of the way Call Daniel on 01935 812647 100 Lenthay Road, Sherborne DT9 6AG Email: daniel@wsbrister.com www.wsbrister.com

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16 Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JQ Tel: 01935 816817 Please contact Clive Wakely or a member of the dedicated team for any advice or guidance 104 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

The Old Vicarage Leigh, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6HL

01935 873033

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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

28 January 2016

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

@elizabethwatsonillustrations 106 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Independent Letting Agent representing town and country property throughout Somerset and Dorset Lettings & Property Management

5 Tilton Court, Digby Road, Sherborne DT9 3NL T: 01935 816209 E: info@stockwoodlettings.co.uk

Leigh, Nr Sherborne

Substantial period farmhouse in rural location, with large kitchen, three reception rooms, rear hall/ utility/cloakroom. Four large double bedrooms, shower room and family bathroom. Outside is parking for several cars, double garage with mezzanine storage, six loose boxes with concrete frontage, pond, garden, grazing of about 1 1/2 acres. ÂŁ P.O.A

www.stockwoodlettings.co.uk

Property

DAMAGE TO RENTAL PROPERTY IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM

A

Paul Gammage & Anita Light, Ewemove Sherborne

ccording to a survey by Access Legal in 2015, damage to property costs landlords an incredible £4.5 billion a year. The most common damage and disputes include broken appliances, damage to carpets and internal décor, cigarette burns (even when smoking is not permitted) and dirty premises. It is not possible to completely exclude the chances of damage but there is much you can do to minimise the risk.

Get your property in order and be a good landlord

Ensure the property is in a clean and respectable condition before tenants move in.

Keep the property in good repair and respond quickly to repair requests.

Prepare a proper inventory and tenancy agreement

You are unlikely to be able to deduct money from a deposit unless you can prove the damage by reference to the inventory and it is well worth getting it prepared by a professional. Equally, your tenancy agreement needs to be crystal clear. It should spell out the tenants’ obligations and allow you or your agent reasonable access to inspect and/or repair the property. It should also be quite clear about what is not allowed, for example smoking, pets etc.

Vet potential tenants

The importance of this cannot be stressed enough. There are legal checks that must be carried out. Make sure you also check references from previous landlords/agents.

Have an effective check-in and check-out process

This is the point at which you use your inventory and any other necessary reports or information to accurately record the state of the property. A professional is often more experienced when it comes to a tenant leaving and will know where to check to avoid unexpected surprises. If damage is not noted at this stage of the process, you’re unlikely to be able to withhold any monies in respect of it.

Carry out regular inspections

Regular inspections are a must and we recommend inspecting your property at least every quarter. If there is damage it needs to be properly recorded in the presence of the tenant and repaired promptly. Do make sure you give your tenants proper notice of visits and call at a convenient and reasonable time. ewemove.com/estate-agents/sherborne

108 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Maximise your yield

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If your tenant leaves in the first year we’ll find you a new one for free

Peace of mind

Real time 24/7/365 updates from our award winning system

Sherborne’s Most Trusted Estate Agent Based On Thousands of Independent Customer Reviews on We know choosing the best estate agent can be difficult.

One of the things our customers said which helped them decide was hearing real life stories from existing customers.

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

Investment Property Sold on Behalf of an Existing Client

Meet

your local experts

Your local property team at Knight Frank Sherborne will ensure a fresh, forward thinking service, grounded in local knowledge and true market expertise.

Our long-standing relationships with clients show our dedication to providing the best service possible. Let us sell your property, so you can get back to what you love, sooner.

Luke Pender-Cudlip MRICS Partner, Office Head With over 30 years of property experience plus a chartered surveyor’s credentials, Luke’s experience is extensive.

He has been involved in property of all shapes and sizes from £400,000 to £20 million. His client base has also been varied having dealt with those in finance, food, modelling, recruitment, sport, government and many more from all corners of the world.

Simon Barker MRICS Partner Simon has been selling country houses from the Sherborne office since 1995. He mainly concentrates on the sale of properties up to £1,250,000. He has also assisted with a number of sales over this price point, since joining Knight Frank.

For property advice or a no-obligation market appraisal of your home, please call our team.

We’d love to help you.

T: 01935 590023 sherborne@knightfrank.com 15 Cheap Street, Sherborne DT9 3PU

Property

DON’T LET THE WRONG CONVEYANCER SPOIL THE SPRING BOUNCE Michael Blowers, Mogers Drewett, Partner and Head of Residential Property

T

raditionally, this time of year is a popular time to put property on the market. Spring has brought us longer, brighter days and gardens that are beginning to bloom; the rigours of winter seem behind us.

If you are putting your property on the market, understandably enough, your first concerns are likely to be ensuring the house looks its best, touching up any defects etc., followed by choosing which estate agent you are going to instruct. Then, of course, there is the matter of the asking price and deciding how much you’re prepared to be flexible. In short, there are plenty of things to think about!

One really important question that often gets overlooked however – and which sometimes is just hurriedly decided at the last minute – is which solicitor you will use for the conveyancing on your sale or purchase. Indeed, quite often people will just use a solicitor recommended to them by their estate agents, taking their quality on trust. I really believe that this is a mistake. The conveyancer can make a significant difference to how quickly and smoothly the sale goes through. Getting the right solicitor can make the whole process far less stressful.

In our increasingly online age, there is perhaps a perception among some that both estate agency and conveyancing can be done remotely online, as if they 112 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

are simply the delivery of a commodity. They are, in fact, highly specialist services and, like every service, need to be tailored to the individual. A good conveyancer will know the market in which the property is selling and will do all the necessary searches thoroughly, keeping the client informed.

Frequently, one of the frustrations in a property sale is that the ‘other side’ are dragging their feet and taking an age to respond to queries or requests for information. In an online scenario, things can sometimes grind to a halt when this happens – no one is really taking responsibility for keeping the sale moving. This is where a good conveyancing solicitor can really make a difference, chasing up the other side to ensure that everything is satisfactorily resolved and moves along in accordance with their client’s desired timescale.

So, if you are thinking about getting your property on the market, don’t forget about the conveyancer.

Choose one who understands the market, offers fees that are fair and transparent, and that you feel you’ll be able to work with. After all, you’re likely to be in quite a lot of contact with them.

If you don’t, your spring ‘bounce’ could soon become a flat summer! mogersdrewett.com

1

TURNING YOUR DREAM HOUSE INTO YOUR FOREVER HOME Forward-thinking legal expertise on your doorstep mogersdrewett.com | 01935 813 691 Sherborne | Bath | Wells | Frome

Finance

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

O

ver the last two months I have explained the importance of asset allocation (the mix of shares, bonds and property) when building an investment portfolio and why regular rebalancing of these asset classes is so important in controlling risk. Another very important component to consider when investing your money is the costs. There are many different layers of charges and these are often hidden from investors.

Upfront Fees

These fees can be charged by the adviser, fund managers and the investment provider/platform when setting up and buying new investments. They can also be hidden from investors with bid and offer prices or within certain products. In our experience we have seen initial fees in excess of 5%, which can make a big impact on the amount of capital being invested.

Ongoing Fees

It doesn’t matter whether you’re investing in a stocks and shares ISA for the next 5 years or saving into a pension for the next 20-30 years, the ongoing fees have a significant impact on returns for investors.

With many different layers of charging and hidden costs it is often very difficult for investors to really understand the true cost of their own investment portfolio. For example, a fund manager may advertise their annual management charge at 1.5% but, when you look closely at their total expense ratio (TER) or ongoing charging figure (OCF), it can be significantly higher and closer to 2%. Another frustrating fact for investors is that even these figures do not take into account all expenses within the fund. Many fund managers are frequently trading within the fund and investors should be wary of fund managers who turn over their portfolio too much. The frequency of trading is often referred to as the Portfolio Turnover Rate and these can incur high additional charges. With the added costs of the adviser charges and investment provider/platform fees, some investors can pay up to 3% per annum in charges.

114 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Let’s look at the impact of costs on investing £100,000 over 20 years and a 2% difference on the ongoing costs of investing.

Investor A and B’s portfolios both achieve the same return of 7% before charges. Investor A was paying ongoing charges totalling 1% per annum whilst Investor B was paying 3% per annum. At the end of the term, Investor A’s portfolio would have grown in value to £320,714 compared to Investors B’s portfolio which would be valued at £219,112. The 2% difference in charges each year would result in a difference of £101,602! Looking at it another way, Investor B’s portfolio would have had to achieve a return of 9% per annum in order to realise the same result as Investor A. Exit Charges

Although the number of investors being charged exit penalties and charges on surrendering their investments has reduced over recent years, there are still investment products and providers which do make these charges.

We have also experienced some very well-known stock brokers and wealth management companies adding on substantial dealing fees and administration costs on closing portfolios.

How much are you paying?

At FFP we believe that all investors should know exactly how much they are paying for their investment portfolios and that this should be reviewed regularly.

An important part of our investment philosophy is to keep costs as low as we can for our clients. To do this we build portfolios using institutional investment funds which have no upfront or exit charges and very low ongoing charges. Remember a 1% saving in charges is the equivalent of an extra 1% return!

In next month’s article I’ll be talking about behavioural finance and our role in coaching clients not to make the same mistakes as most investors! ffp.org.uk

Your Life, Your Money, Your Future Trusted, professional, fee based advice We live in a complex world. At FFP we aim to remove complexity, replacing it with simplicity and clarity so that our clients can enjoy their lives without worry

FFP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

Telephone: 01935 813322 Email: info@ffp.org.uk Website: www.ffp.org.uk

AHEAD IN THE CLOUD Our real-time cloud accounting solutions present you with a full picture of your financial position 24/7, allowing you to proactively plan and respond ahead of tax deadlines.

For a fresh take on your accounts, speak to Hunts

T: 01935 815008 E: info@huntsaccountants.co.uk W: huntsaccountants.co.uk @Hunts_Sherborne The Old Pump House, Oborne Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3RX

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 115

Live for today and plan for the future

Sherborne Office

01935 817903 James Mobile

07824 389750 Lucinda Mobile

James Oliver DipPFS CeMAP Independent Financial Advisor Pensions and Retirement Planning • Investments • Inheritance Tax Planning • Mortgage and Equity Release • Life Assurance and Protection

james.oliver@ssfs.co.uk

07791 094 551 www.ssfs.co.uk

Lucinda Warren CeMAP BSc (Hons) Independent Mortgage Advisor Mortgage • Life Assurance and Protection • Buy to Let Mortgage

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

Tech

I

n the beginning there was the teleprinter; the results of your computing were simply displayed in printed form on a roll of paper. Then there was the CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor that displayed the text electronically in a pretty monochrome green. This was followed by better and better CRT monitors able to display pretty graphics and play video. Then the laptop came along and with it the LCD (liquid crystal display), first in black and white and then colour. This technology was quickly taken up in PC screens as well and the rest, as they say, is history. Today LCD has been replaced by LED and OLED (organic light emitting diode) flatscreens and I have only seen one CRT monitor in the last two years… they really are old technology now.

If you have a PC then you’re spoilt for choice nowadays. Prices have tumbled since the eye-watering early days of flat screens and you can choose from 19” up to 38” ultra-wide. In reality, for ordinary users, the top end would be a 27” from about £145, where you have the option to either increase the size of what you see by using a lower resolution (if, like me, your eyesight is failing), or be able to see more on the screen by using a higher resolution. A 19” is really as small as you would want to go otherwise it defeats to purpose of having a PC… you’d be better off with a laptop.

If you have a laptop then it’s all about the trade-off between size and portability. The largest common laptop on the market is 17.3” and they really are pretty big and

clumpy, hardly portable at all. However, if you’re tight for space, then a 17.3” on your desk as a permanent feature instead of a PC, screen keyboard and mouse does start to make a bit more sense.

Going down the scale we come to the commonest size at 15.6”, where there is a huge choice of laptops that are both portable and still big enough to be a real replacement for a PC. Below that there are 14”, 13” and 12” that actually become more expensive, as the bones of the laptop have to be squeezed into a smaller and smaller space. However, these laptops are pretty cute in size and really portable, especially as the latest ultra-thin ones are fan-less and have solid-state disk technology.

Below them are the tablets and e-readers between 7” and 11”, and finally the mobile phones at 6” and under.

So, what’s best for you? I always tell people to have a good look around before making any decision - you may have been using a small screen for years and you simply don’t realise how affordable a bigger screen can be. Visit one of the large computer superstores where they will line up a variety of laptops for you to compare side-byside, then do your shopping to find the best prices.

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

Coming Up Next Month…R.I.P. CD & DVD, USB & SD computing-mp.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 117

BRYAN C. COOPER LTD TRADITIONAL BUILDERS - Since 1968 -

A family run Sherborne business established for over 45 years Renovations, Extensions and Alterations, Patios, Boundary Walls and Fencing _________

Purpose-made Joinery, Internal and External Decorations, Bathrooms and Kitchens _________

Wall and Floor Tiling, Repairs and Maintenance, Roofing and Fibreglass Systems

96 Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3DT Email: bccooperltd@btconnect.com Web: bryancooperbuilders.co.uk

Tel: 01935 814946

Renewable Force Ltd Energy that doesn’t cost the Earth

Air Source Heat Pumps Ground Source Heat Pumps Underfloor Heating

Tel: 01963 23291 / 03333 701568 Email: contact@renewableforce.co.uk Website: www.renewableforce.co.uk 118 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Brocante Vintage Shop Specialising in French Collectibles

Open Thurs, Fri 9-5 and Sat 9-1 Spire Hill, Cooks Lane, Stalbridge DT10 2SG 07968 941196 www.oakland-collectibles.com

WEDDING HIRE AVAILABLE

Free registration appointment for new clients when accompanied by this advertisement Kingston House Veterinary Clinic Long Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3DB Mon-Fri 9.00-10.30, 16.30-18.00 Sat 9.00-10.30 T: 01935 813288 (24 hours) E: sherborne@kingstonvets.co.uk kingstonvets.co.uk

SECURE SELF STORAGE ROOMS TO LET Various sizes available Freedom to come and go when you please within opening hours Quiet rural location Situated between Sherborne and Wincanton

DESIGNER

New Wedding & Occasionwear collection available & fitted for you.

Or have your outfit personally designed & made for you!

www.perriashby.co.uk

01935 812 927

Half Moon Street, Sherborne opposite the Abbey

Covering South Somerset & North Dorset Small Business Support

Networks & Cabling

New PCs & Laptops

Wireless Networks

Repairs & Upgrades

Broadband Setup

Virus Removal

Disaster Recovery

The Weighbridge • High Street • Milborne Port • DT9 5DG www.mpfix.co.uk

01963 250788

Tel: 01963 361303 Mobile: 07855 898452 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 119

Free No Obligation Quote

Steve Devoto

M: 07551 306827 E: help@thelocalboilercompany.com www.thelocalboilercompany.com

Wills ––– of Sherborne –––

Plu m b i n g & H e at i n g Lt d Local & reliable plumber. Gas Safe registered, fully insured • New build • Renovations • Boiler installations • Vented & unvented cylinder installations

• LPG • Bathroom installations • Free quotes • Competitive prices

T: 07885 420609 E: wills.plumbing@hotmail.co.uk

120 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

Wayne Timmins Painter and Decorator • • • • •

Interior & Exterior Fully Qualified 20 Years Experience Wallpapering & Lining Residential & Commercial

01935 872007 / 07715 867145 waynesbusiness@aol.com

SHERBORNE & DISTRICT FENCING & GATE Co. •Domestic fencing specialist •Over 30 years experience •Free quotations

DAVE THURGOOD Painting & Decorating interior and exterior

07792 391368

•10 Year Guarantee •No VAT

NO VAT

01935 330095

www.sherbornedecorators.com michellethurgood@sky.com

Residential, commercial & heritage interiors Exterior work undertaken, paint spray finishes for new residential & commercial work

07976 565 285

www.justmintdecorating.co.uk justin@justmintdecorating.co.uk

Competitively Priced, High Quality Carpets, Vinyls, Woods & Rugs SHERBORNE SHOWROOM NOW OPEN Unit 16, Old Yarn Mills, Westbury, Sherborne, DT9 3RQ A family run business established in 1998, we promise a highly professional level of service Tel: 07733 101064 or 01935 817885 www.lsflooring.co.uk

The Manual and Electric Garage Door Specialists

Replacing an existing garage door? Planning to build a new home or garage?

Founded in 1991, Dorset Garage Doors are a family business covering Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. All our work is guaranteed and carried out by fully trained installation engineers • 10 year warranty on selected Garador products • Spares, Repairs and Installation

01963 363782 or 01258 472830 enquiries@dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk Unit 9, Station Road Business Park, Station Road, Stalbridge, Dorset DT10 2RN

www.dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 121

FOLK TALES with Colin Lambert

PAUL PETERS & MARY - NAME THAT TUNE

“U

p at 8 you can’t be late, for Matthew & Son…” It’s Monday morning. Coffee, wheatgrass, and I’m off to the gym – Abbey104 on the radio, of course. My gym programme takes 90 minutes. It’s tough but it gets the endorphins flowing.

“I’m Only Human… … don’t put the blame on me…” ends. The presenter has a soft, deep, voice that sounds good on radio. Then, his voice changes; he mentions Mary being late and I sense his concern. Be patient, all will become clear.

Instead of heading home, I drive to the Abbey 104 studio, park and enter, remembering not to speak if the “On Air” red light is on. I sign in, am given headphones, shown a different red light and told to speak when it comes on - and ‘speak proper’ ‘cos it’s live on radio!

Yikes, scary! The light comes on and here we go.

‘Hello Paul Peters. Thanks for letting Folk Tales visit your show. I’m told you started on Pirate Radio in a Fort near Southend?’

‘That’s almost right. But first I must mention Mary (who has arrived and is sitting next to me, also wearing headphones). Mary Tompkins grew up in the West Midlands, moved to Kent and worked for Radio Kent in the late ‘80s. She married but sadly lost her husband and adopted son through accident and illness. The last 5 years, however, has seen Mary become a much-loved 122 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

part of Abbey104.’ Mary smiles.

‘And Paul Peters?’ I ask.

‘Born Barnet, end of the Northern Line (“Finchley Central is ten long stations...”) and a bit of a loner. I played truant from school and cycled to Alexandra Palace, from where the BBC transmitted to the nation. Studio A had the Marconi-EMI Emitron system, while John Logie Baird installed his mechanical systems in Studio B.’ ‘You were hooked?’

‘Yes, however, on leaving school aged 15, I found myself working in a factory making typewriter covers.

I acquired a reel-to-reel tape recorder with microphone and made my own recordings, pretending to be a DJ. BBC radio was boring and Pirate Radio had come to life.’ Mary is smiling and nodding.

‘At 16, I started sending my recordings to radio stations. Then, in November 1965, I took a train to Southend and a boat to Fort Knock John in the Thames Estuary, which became my home as a DJ on Radio Essex. I was, however, too young and very homesick. By Christmas I was home.’

‘Back at the factory?’ I enquire.

‘Yes, however by 1967 I was a DJ working in a recording studio off Oxford Street, living in Kensall Rise and in love with Tony, my first partner. I set up my first

business “Total Management Entertainment” in 1971.

More importantly, I was making demo tapes and sending them to radio stations. BBC Radio Medway (now Kent) played my recording on air and sent me a cheque for £4.50. I was too shy to follow it up so sent another demo and… my own radio show was born again.’

‘I met Geoff, my life partner, in 1975 but our 42-year-long adventure was sadly cut short by his death last year from cancer. I used to hide the fact that I was gay. Since Geoff ’s death I realise such matters are so unimportant when you Love the One You‘re With.’

Mary and I understand what Paul means. Do you?

‘So, what happened next?’

‘Well, I took my cat to the PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals), started chatting to the manager and within two months was PDSA Appeals Director, a job which lasted for fifteen years. Geoff and I bought our first property, a cottage in Wales. We had this idea that whatever the asking price, we’d offer half.’

‘Did it work?’

‘Oh yes. We got a bit carried away. A few Welsh cottages became a house in Camberwell, the odd hotel and even a department store in Lymington, which Geoff and I managed. I kept my DJ hand in with hospital radio. Then, in 2003, we moved to Stoford. I have my

own studio and happily spend hours recording shows, which are played throughout the world. I have three shows: The Pirate Years, The Swinging ‘60s and The Fabulous ‘50s which are played in, amongst others, Chicago, Mexico and Australia.’

‘Abbey104 and Mary?’ I ask.

‘I’ve been with Abbey104 for 4 years. Geoff and I did the show together, so his death left not only “A hole in my heart” but also an empty seat in my studio. Mary wandered in one day; she made me laugh again and is becoming quite a celebrity in her own right.’

‘And next?’

‘As I age, I see the elderly and vulnerable in a different light. This year I set up a charity, geraniumtrust.org, to provide friendship and support to the lonely and elderly.’

Mary is smiling; her picture is on the website home page.

The red “On Air” light goes off but not before I thank Paul and Mary for letting Folk Tales pop into the show and for sharing their amazing journeys.

Paul Peters (and Mary) can be heard live Mondays 10am to 12am on Abbey104.com or FM 104.7.

“Name that tune” email answers (prize for the winner) to studio@abbey104.com. colinlambert.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 123

Short Story

AS THICK AS THIEVES

T

Jan Garner, Sherborne Scribblers

he answer to my problem came to me in the middle of the night. Although I was loath to drag up the past, I was desperate, and it made perfect sense. If all went to plan, nobody would get hurt and surely the money was a drop in the ocean to someone like him.

Anyhow, he owed me. I thought back to all the influential people I’d introduced him to, who‘d been instrumental in his success. Of all the days I’d spent addressing envelopes; the endless knocking on doors before elections. And then when he was finally on his way, he’d jettisoned me like some piece of useless baggage. By the time I eventually got out of bed, I had the whole thing worked out. All I had to do was find that box.

My morning was spent going through mountains of paperwork in my office; I found what I was looking for under a pile of 1970’s yellowing newspaper cuttings of Teddy Heath’s election victory over Harold Wilson. I re-read the articles, and then full of nostalgia I picked up the incriminating photos of my college friends that I’d kept hidden for all those years. Among them were Rolly Rawlins, now a High Court Judge – Timothy Snape, London’s Police Commissioner and Michael Templeton – MP. All successful – all implicated, and all hiding the truth about what really happened on that shocking day in Oxford. I knew what I had could destroy each of them, but it was Michael I needed to see. I switched on the computer and looked him up.

He was still handsome.

Fortunately, his next constituency surgery was only two days away. That was worryingly close to my deadline, but it was my only chance if I didn’t want Frankie Spiterie’s boys re-arranging my looks. I rummaged through my wardrobe for a half decent suit; I wanted to look good for our meeting.

My nerves kicked in as I sat in the small outer room of the community centre and waited until one by one an assortment of people filed in to see him.

There was no recognition in his greeting to me; so I explained about the trouble I was in with London’s most notorious gang, and what I needed to keep me out of their clutches.

‘What makes you think I can help?’

I slid the envelope across the table. As soon as his 124 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

manicured fingers removed the photographs, the colour drained from his face. He lifted his head and studied me.

‘Jeremy?’ he whispered.

I smiled, but his eyes narrowed.

‘Are you trying to blackmail me?’ he spat out the words.

Stung by his unfriendly attitude, I barked back, ‘the photos are my insurance. I won’t use them unless I have to. Given our past history Michael, I felt certain that you would want to help me. After all £30,000 isn’t much to you, I’m sure. And don’t forget, you are where you are today because of me.’

He laughed, ‘that’s rubbish, I don’t owe you anything.

You're broke aren’t you Jeremy? Still gambling; that always was your weakness, you bloody fool.’ He laughed again.

‘It’s no laughing matter,’ I said. ‘If I don’t pay up, they come after me. So, are you going to help me or not?’

‘I don’t have much choice, do I? But I want all the photographs and negatives first; where are they?’

‘At my flat.’ I wrote my address on the pad he’d tossed me.

‘You will have the money by tomorrow’ he said.

‘And remember, this will be the only time I will help you, is that clear.’

‘As crystal.’ I replied.

It was after seven when I answered the knock on the door.

‘It’s all there’ the heavy said as he banged the door shut and dropped the bag. I nodded toward the package on the table, ‘that’s what you want,’ I said. Whilst he checked the contents I glanced in the bag, it looked ok and anyway I wasn’t about to argue with him.

‘Is this the lot?’ he said.

‘Yes, honestly, that’s everything.’

‘That’s good, oh, there is just one more thing,’ he said.

‘Michael asked me to give you this,’ His thin lips curled into a smile as he raised the gun and fired. ____________________________________________

Frankie’s spurious arrest for my murder was the highlight of Timothy’s police career – and dear old Rolly was more than happy to send the gangster down for life.

How do I know all this? That’s another story!

J. Biskup

Property Maintenance Ltd

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BEST PRICES ON THE MARKET FREE QUOTATIONS SHERBORNE Tel: 01935 815712 • Mobile: 07912 145988 Email: jm.biskup@gmail.com www.jbiskup.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 125

MAY 2018 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

BEHIND THE SCENES with artist, Suzy Moger

Special edition

bridporttimes.co.uk

OUT NOW

Available across Bridport and beyond Read online at bridporttimes.co.uk

Literature

LITERARY REVIEW Jonathan Gaye, Sherborne Literary Society

We Were Warriors: One Soldier’s Story of Brutal Combat by Captain Johnny Mercer (Sidgwick and Jackson, 2017) £8.99 paperback Exclusive Reader Offer Price of £7.99 from Winstone’s Books

A

nyone who follows events in Westminster should have heard of a new name on the block – Johnny Mercer, MP for Plymouth Moor View.

Already – he was only elected in 2015 – he is the ‘go-to-MP’ for the media on issues pertaining to defence, veterans or mental health.

These were the areas he felt were not being addressed sufficiently by our government and which drove him into politics. This book provides an insight behind that motivation.

It is very much a warts-andall tale, going right back to his childhood as the sixth of eight children living in a two-up, two-down terraced house in Dartford, Kent.

His father worked in the local branch of Lloyds Bank and, perhaps more significantly, was an extremely devout Baptist, a belief system that encroached onto the Mercer family behaviour to a level that meant that “the things children or ‘non-believers’ our age knew about – TV shows, politics, pop music and so on – were totally foreign to us.” This somewhat extreme religiosity was to impinge on the mind and character of Johnny Mercer well into his early adult life.

Johnny was a talented and keen musician, which gave him an opening to escape from home early and got him a scholarship place at boarding school. Here he was to discover just how strange his home life was when compared to that of his peers - a childhood which perhaps gave him the resilience, strength of character and independence of thought that ensured he passed some very rigorous and physical tests to be commissioned, aged 22, into the Gunners with

the single aim of serving in their specialist regiment - 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Then, having acquired the highly cherished and necessary green beret (not easily earned as an officer in the army, rather than in the Royal Marines) and having completed his technical training, he recounts his three, all very different, combat tours of Afghanistan. This is the ‘brutal combat’ of the title and should be required reading for all politicians, particularly those who are likely to formulate our foreign policy and commit our forces to war.

For those ex-warriors of a different generation it is absolutely gripping; for those who have never soldiered, this is an insight into the brutality of combat, the team-work, camaraderie and loyalty of professional soldiers and, not least, into the psyche and qualities of leadership to be found in all ranks of the services. It explores the pressures that these young men are faced with and explains the author’s subsequent wish to influence the after-care of those who have placed themselves in harm’s way on behalf of their country.

There is a growing library of high-quality literature describing the lives of soldiers in combat; this is a very worthy addition to that library.

Johnny Mercer MP will be the guest speaker at the Sherborne Literary Society luncheon at Leweston School on 20th July.

For more details visit sherborneliterarysociety.com/events sherborneliterarysociety.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 127

All in the Balance

Vintage watch repairs, restoration and sales

Telephone Michael Elderton on:

01963 365749 / 07926 980381 or email: info@allinthebalance.co.uk website: allinthebalance.co.uk

01935 812888 @doodlesplaycafe info@doodlesplaycafe.co.uk doodlesplaycafe.co.uk 1 Abbey Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3LE

APRIL SOLUTIONS

ACROSS 1. Moral obligation (4) 3. Introduction (8) 9. Foot support (7) 10. Essential (5) 11. Loving (12) 13. Explanation (6) 15. Treelike grass (6) 17. Constantly; always (12) 20. Large spoon with a long handle (5) 21. Uncommon (7) 22. Small stall at an exhibition (8) 23. Close (4) 128 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

DOWN 1. Gives up any hope (8) 2. One who steals (5) 4. Made good on a debt (6) 5. Beneficial (12) 6. Large household water container (7) 7. ___ Macpherson: model (4) 8. Courtesy (12) 12. Knowing many languages (8) 14. Evaded (7) 16. Not genuine (6) 18. Hard and durable (5) 19. Mountain system in Europe (4)

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

Revd. Diane Tregale, St. Paul’s Church and Chaplain to The Gryphon School

I

t’s strange how memories are triggered. This sofa I’m sitting on for instance. When I sit on it, it’s as though a magic “play” button is hit. A kaleidoscope of images collage through my mind… the first time I met my future husband’s family in their home; my daughter’s first Christmas; happy times with family visiting from Germany and Australia (and the UK).

This sofa has become the muster point for group photos to mark a celebration of special occasions - wedding anniversaries, birthdays, or simply being all together. Today as I sit here this becomes more poignant as it is the last time I shall do so. My mother-in-law is shortly to move from this, her long-time family home, into smaller sheltered accommodation to support her through the next phase of her life. The sofa will be picked up by a charity and will find a new home in which to act as a stage set for the major and minor events of life there.

Funny how our memories are so selective. It’s often the positive ones that take centre stage.

I have to think much harder to reach the other ones - the mundane, the unending hours of playing Scrabble, the minor disagreements, the feeling of confinement as the rain lashes on the window and it’s too cold to venture outdoors.

Memories seem to be like that. Selective. I can remember only sun shining on holidays in Britain when I was a child and the sea was always warm to swim in. I speak to other people who remember only rain on their holidays. Perhaps more to do with the gloomy atmosphere than the meteorological conditions of the time?

For me as a Christian, I am grateful that God chooses to have selective memory as he looks at his children. Many times, the Bible speaks about how, after we have owned up to him for the wrongs we have done and the mistakes we have made, through Christ he offers us forgiveness. He chooses to remember these things no more. He doesn’t hold a grudge or count them against us, bring them up or remind us of them. He keeps no record of our wrongs.

I wonder if a similar thing could be said about us? Does our selective memory allow us to be generous towards others? To remember the good experiences we have shared together and to forgive - and choose to forget - those other times? And what about towards ourselves?

Do we remember the times we have acted well, grasped hold of positive opportunities, been loving towards others – or are our minds paralysed with memories of failure, times we have let others down, mistakes we have made and opportunities we have missed? Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, your mind and your soul – and to love your neighbour as yourself. In order to have the best chance of doing this, perhaps we need to ask for grace to begin to love ourselves. And perhaps out of this will emerge minds that can focus on positive memories and be filled with optimism for the future. stpauls-sherborne.org.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 129

The Jamie Turner Band

OUT AND ABOUT David Birley

T

his year’s Sherborne Summer Festival will take place on Saturday 16th June so, as they say these days, ‘Save the Date’!

Many of you will remember the event that was put on for the Queen’s 90th birthday in 2016. It proved very popular and we had many requests for another summer event in 2017, which we held in Purlieu Meadow. We were lucky to have a really hot, sunny day and the event attracted around 5,000 people. Following that, we had even more requests for a repeat, hence we started planning this year’s event last November.

This year we are hoping the Summer Festival will be even bigger and better. It will again be in Purlieu Meadow, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Wingfield Digby, and admission will be free. The programmes, packed with interesting articles and photographs of our town and community, will also be free. We have a great line-up of bands who are all kindly not charging for their performance, and there will be acts from our community and schools.

Now in its third year, the Festival is made possible through the support of advertisers and donors, which has been overwhelming. I particularly enjoy my time visiting all our local shops and businesses and encouraging them 130 | Sherborne Times | May 2018

to support the event. Those who have done so are all listed in the programme, and I do hope that you, in turn, will do your best to support them. We are also very lucky to have a great team of volunteers who help with all aspects of the Festival and without whom it would not be possible to create such a popular and successful event.

All proceeds from the Festival go to local charities and good causes - last year we made seventeen donations. These included, amongst others, Sherborne in Bloom, the Amateur Players of Sherborne, Good Neighbours, ArtsLink, and Sherborne Museum. We also helped to fund special projects at both our primary schools. In the programme you will see some articles headed “Helping to make a difference”. These are written by groups who received donations and explain how the donation has helped them.

So please don’t forget to pick up your free programme, which will be available later this month, and do come along to Purlieu Meadow on 16th June.

It’s going to be a great day! @sherbornesummerfestival @summerfest_s

Crafting quality timber buildings and gates since 1912

Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7LH Tel: (01963) 440414 | Email: info@sparkford.com | @sparkfordtimber www.sparkford.com

Now open Sunday lunchtimes, serving traditional family roasts Classically presented local meats and vegetarian alternatives 3 The Green, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3HY @greensherborne 01935 813821 www.greenrestaurant.co.uk