Sherborne Times September 2020

SEP TEMBER 2020 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

RIDING THE WAVE with Sherborne's growing cycling fraternity

sherbornetimes.co.uk

WELCOME

W

e were knobbly-kneed ragamuffins on the streets of West London. Riding in packs on Team Murrays, Diamondbacks, Mongooses and Grifters, we bunny-hopped our way through an endless suburbia in search of jumps, kerbs and anything that looked like a ramp. Out after breakfast and home for tea, fuelled in between by Slush Puppies and Monster Munch. I’m not sure my dad ever knew where I was but I’d return tired, scraped, dusty and glad.

Nearly 40 years on, and as a parent of two boys myself, I’m not sure either. Not of where they are, but whether it’s safe for them to get there.

For all its horrors, lockdown, in many ways was a joy. The empty streets willed children and adults alike out of hiding and onto their bikes. Roads that once posed a threat now offered opportunities. The sudden demand left bike shops empty and manufacturers playing catch-up to fulfil long waiting lists of orders.

So now what? Cars might be back on the roads and our bikes back in the shed but lockdown has revitalised our sense of cycling’s potential and brought its obvious benefits firmly into focus. Sherborne has the makings of a cycle-friendly town and with an inkling of support from those in charge, now is the time to make cycling a change for good.

Keep well.

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

CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard @round_studio Sub editor Sadie Wilkins Photography Katharine Davies @Katharine_KDP Feature writer Jo Denbury @jo_denbury Editorial assistant Helen Brown Social media Jenny Dickinson Illustrations Elizabeth Watson elizabethwatsonillustration.com Print Stephens & George Distribution team Barbara and David Elsmore Nancy Henderson The Jackson Family David and Susan Joby Christine Knott Sarah Morgan Mary and Roger Napper Alfie Neville-Jones Mark and Miranda Pender Claire Pilley Ionas Tsetikas

1 Bretts Yard Digby Road Sherborne Dorset DT9 3NL 01935 315556 @sherbornetimes info@homegrown-media.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk Sherborne Times is printed on an FSCÂŽ and EU Ecolabel certified paper. It goes without saying that once thoroughly well read, this magazine is easily recycled and we actively encourage you to do so.

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

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

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

4 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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

Natalie Howell Mogers Drewett Solicitors @mogersdrewett md-solicitors.co.uk

Mike Burks The Gardens Group @TheGardensGroup thegardensgroup.co.uk

James Hull The Story Pig @thestorypig thestorypig.co.uk

David Burnett Dovecote Press

Lucy Lewis Dorset Mind @DorsetMind dorsetmind.uk

Jenny Campbell Sherborne Scribblers Paula Carnell @paula.carnell paulacarnell.com Cindy Chant Sherborne Walks @sherbornewalks sherbornewalks.co.uk Ali Cockrean @AliCockrean alicockrean.co.uk Gillian M Constable DWT Sherborne Group @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk David Copp Carolyn Corlett guggletonfarmarts.com Rosie Cunningham Jemma Dempsey James Flynn Milborne Port Computers @MPortComputers computing-mp.co.uk Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.)

CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS Fort Financial Planning ffp.org.uk Andy Foster Raise Architects @raisearchitects raisearchitects.com Claudia Gunton Craig Hardaker Communifit @communifit communifit.co.uk Andy Hastie Cinematheque cinematheque.org.uk Sarah Hitch The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms The Margaret Balfour Beauty Centre @SanctuaryDorset @margaretbalfourbeautycentre thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk margaretbalfour.co.uk Carolyn Hopkins The Truckle Truck @TheTruckleTruck thetruckletruck.com

Chris Loder MP @chrisloder chrisloder.co.uk Sasha Matkevich The Green Restaurant @greensherborne greenrestaurant.co.uk Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership @swanhousevet newtonclarkevet.com Simon Partridge SP Fit @spfitsherborne spfit-sherborne.co.uk Cath Rapley Lodestone Property @LodestoneProp lodestoneproperty.co.uk Mike Riley Riley’s Cycles rileyscycles.co.uk Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom Glencairn House Clinic glencairnhouse.co.uk doctortwrobinson.com Paul Stickland Black Shed Flowers @blackshedflowers blackshedflowers.blogspot.co.uk John Stokoe CB CBE Dorset Historic Churches Trust dhct.org.uk Jonathan Stones Sherborne Literary Society @SherborneLitSoc sherborneliterarysociety.com Val Stones @valstones bakerval.com Emma Tabor & Paul Newman @paulnewmanart paulnewmanartist.com Reverend Jono Tregale St Pauls Church Sherborne @StPaulsSherb stpauls-sherborne.org.uk Sally Welbourn Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Martin Williams Amateur Players of Sherborne aps-sherborne.co.uk

64 8

Market Research

SEPTEMBER 2020 48 History

100 Architecture

10 Community

54 Antiques

104 Legal

16 Theatre

56 Gardening

106 Finance

18 Film

64 RIDING THE WAVE

108 Tech

20 Art

72 Food & Drink

110 Short Story

26 Family

80 Animal Care

112 Crossword

38 Wild Dorset

84 Body & Mind

113 Literature

44 Outdoors

96 Property

114 Pause for Thought

Thinking of letting your holiday home?

We know that your holiday home is just that – a home.

That’s why our local team is dedicated to managing your property with the same care and attention you would. With tailored services to suit your needs, you can be as involved as you like, so why not get in touch today?

01929 448 708 newowners@dorsethideaways.co.uk dorsethideaways.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5

Have three months of this. On us.

Whether you’re after something practical, something powerful, or just something new, now’s the time to choose an Audi. Because we’ll cover your first three monthly payments with up to 5.5% APR Representative*, and provide deposit contributions between £700 and £16,000 across the new Audi range.

Ocean Automotive Limited (t/a Yeovil Audi) is an Appointed Representative of Automotive Compliance Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No 497010). Automotive Compliance Ltd’s permissions as a Principal Firm allows Ocean Automotive Limited to act as a credit broker, not as a lender, for the introduction to a limited number of finance providers and to act as an agent on behalf of the insurer for insurance distribution activities only. *At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) pay the optional final payment and own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess mileage and fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan 5.5% APR Representative. 18s+. Subject to status & availability. T&Cs apply. Ordered by delivered by 30/09/2020. 36 to 49 month agreements only. Agreements with a term less than 46 months may receive a contribution less than the equivalent of 3 monthly payments however you will not be required to be make a monthly payment for the first 3 months. Excludes RS, R8, e-tron and PHEV models. Audi deposit contribution range: A1 Sportback receives £700 and A8 receives £16,000. Indemnities may be required. Finance offer not available in conjunction with any other finance offer and may be withdrawn at any time. Accurate at 07/2020. Freepost Audi Financial Services.

Mead Ave

Av e

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e Western Av

www.yeovilaudi.co.uk

Yeovil Audi

Houndstone Business Park

Houndstone Retail Park

Way Stourton

Yeovil Audi. Look No Further.

Yeovil Audi

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

01935 574981

yeovilaudi.co.uk

 

MARKET RESEARCH

NO.5: Carolyn Hopkins, The Truckle Truck

Welcome to The Sherborne Market!

What brings you here?

I’m incredibly lucky in that my profession is also my passion! I’m a cheesemonger, but rather than a ‘bricksand-mortar’ shop, I sell from a vintage Citroen HY van, so I travel around to markets and festivals. The Sherborne Market is already one of my favourite pitches.

Where have you travelled from?

I’m based in Shaftesbury, so not far.

Tell us about what you’re selling?

I sell fabulous cheeses and accompaniments. Most of them are British, many are local, and a few come from mainland Europe, but they’re all exceptional. With such limited space, everything I stock has to be the best of the best, so I’m always looking out for award-winners but also, new products, or cheeses and accompaniments, made by the smallest producers who you don’t see anywhere else.

Where and when did it all begin?

I started the Truckle Truck in 2018, after the delicatessen I used to manage closed down. As a peripatetic trader, I travel all over – my very first event was in Peterborough, and I’ve been to festivals in places like Lyme Regis, Bradford-on-Avon and Thame.

Most of my pitches are closer to home though, like 8 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Shaftesbury, Wincanton and Sherborne, of course.

What do you enjoy most about selling at markets?

The atmosphere, without a doubt. Everyone, from customers to traders, is relaxed and friendly, and so many people stop by just to say hello, or to admire the truck. There’s a real feeling of a community among the traders, too, especially at regular markets, which as a solo trader is lovely to be a part of.

If you get the chance, which fellow stallholders here at Sherborne would you like to visit?

I’m a huge foodie, so I’m always on the lookout for interesting new products, or people doing the classics really well. And of course, anyone selling cheese would always catch my eye!

Where can people find you on market day?

My usual spot for The Sherborne Market is just outside the Abbey Pharmacy, at the bottom of Cheap Street. thetruckletruck.com

___________________________________________ Every 3rd Sunday April – September The Sherborne Market Cheap Street, Abbey Green, Digby Road and Pageant Gardens @thesherbornemarket

___________________________________________

THE

Hand picked & selected artisan market featuring local producers, suppliers, amazing food, arts and crafts.

Sunday 20th September

Community

OUR MAN IN WESTMINSTER Chris Loder MP, Member of Parliament for West Dorset

Image: Liz Murray

T

he summer months in Parliament have flown by, but they have been important nonetheless; with Business and Planning, Immigration and Stamp Duty Bills to name but a few. In October, there will be the second reading of my Private Members’ Bill on Animal Welfare and I will write more on that in my column next month. The end of December is our line in the sand when it comes to trade deals and, in Government, all hands are on deck to drive through the deals we need. Some of you may have read opposition suggestions that our NHS is up for sale as part of this. I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth and, as a new MP, it frustrates me greatly when these tactics trigger a considerable societal reaction on something my colleagues on the benches opposite know is not true.

The Parliamentary recess has offered an opportunity for my team and me to focus on the constituency and to work on the many priorities we have here at home. Economic regeneration is my key priority. This pandemic has dragged us into a recession, and we are vulnerable to the effects of that in West Dorset, perhaps more so due to our high level of small and micro-sized businesses here. I’m working to reprioritise the Local Enterprise Partnership and to get funding invested here where it’s needed. This is essential to safeguard ourselves from the threat of a ‘second wave’ and to ensure that service organisations do not take advantage of the challenges we are facing.

The Coronavirus crisis is resetting a lot of 10 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

relationships, especially commercial ones. Many commercial rents locally have become affordable only to the chain stores and big-name brands. As demand is rebalanced, which is already self-evident in our high streets; we will need to watch and see how this reflects in the cost of running a business here, in particular with rents. At times like these, it is other factors that make a difference to consumers. Loyalty, quality, helpfulness and ease; that’s why our local shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés, often family-run, are coming into their own right now. I believe we just need to increase the accessibility of our smaller shops and businesses and boost their online competitiveness.

The sound of tractors running into the night across the green and golden fields is a sure sign of harvesttime. At home on the farm, it is something that my family has done for almost a hundred years, in order to help feed our communities and to ensure our beef cows have enough food for the winter. Harvest is also the key marker for the changing season from summer to autumn. I hope it will also be the marker for a change elsewhere too, in respect of a step forward to us all returning to normality.

I welcome your thoughts on these and any other local issues that matter to you. Please write to me at Chris Loder MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA and I will do all I can to help. chrisloder.co.uk @chrisloder

SHERBORNE INDIES ABACUS FINANCIAL

ANNA STILES POTTERY

AVALON DISTILLERY

Johanna Kemp, your local independent mortgage and insurance specialist. Helping with mortgages, equity release and protection.

Regular lessons, short courses, wheel throwing and hand building.

Artisan distillery based in Cerne Abbas. Producers of the award-winning Viper Gin and, more recently, hand sanitiser.

07813 785355 jk@abacusfinancialoptions.co.uk abacusfinancialoptions.co.uk

One off lessons with a finish and glaze service.

07742 408528 annastilespottery.com

BREWED BOY

CHAPTER HOUSE BOOKS

Sherborne’s only brewery. Brewing modern craft beer, with an on-site bar open Fridays and Saturdays.

We carry a large general stock of second-hand modern and antiquarian books, both hardbacks and paperbacks; also used sheet music, CDs and DVDs.

Unit 16, Old Yarn Mills, Sherborne DT9 3RQ 07889 731071 info@brewedboy.co.uk info@imaginaryfriends.beer @brewed_boy @imaginaryfriendsbrewing

FLY JESSE

The only baby shop in town!

Fly Jesse’s focus is on the artisan, organic & handmade.

37 Cheap Street, Sherborne DT9 3PU @flyjesseonline flyjesse.co.uk

Trendle Street, Sherborne DT9 3NT

info@viperspirit.co.uk @viperlondondrygin @viper_gin viperspirit.co.uk

COMMUNIFIT

Personal training, outdoor training, bootcamp courses.

Sit and Strengthen, Stand and Strengthen classes.

01935 816262 chapterhousebooks@hotmail.com chapterhouse-books.co.uk

07791 308773 @communifit info@communifit.co.uk communifit.co.uk

GLENHOLME HERBS

GODDEN & CURTIS

We are a family-run business located in Sandford Orcas, specialising in growing a huge range of herbs, pelargoniums, salvias and wildflowers.

Penmore Corner Bungalow, Sandford Orcas, Sherborne, DT9 4SE 01963 220302 / 07855 279072 @glenholmeherbs glenholmeherbs.co.uk

@shoplocalinsherborne #shoplocalinsherborne

Television and audio, sales and repairs.

Greenhill, Sherborne DT9 4EW 07718 253309 / 01935 813451 simon@goddenandcurtis.co.uk goddenandcurtis.co.uk

SHERBORNE INDIES MELBURY GALLERY

THE PEAR TREE DELI

THE PLUME OF FEATHERS

Delicatessen & cafe open 9am-3pm, Monday - Saturday.

We are a bright and colourful shop selling a wonderful individual collection of clothes.

Lots of new clothing, jewellery and accessories arriving.

Half Moon Street, Sherborne DT9 3LN

Delivery & take away service for sandwiches, coffees and cakes plus many more deli items.

Half Moon Street, Sherborne DT9 3LS

16th century pub serving Italian small plates. Authentic homemade dishes using some of the finest Dorset and Italian ingredients.

Half Moon Street, Sherborne DT9 3LN

@Melbury Gallery melburygallery.co.uk

01935 812828 @ThePearTreeDeli @thepeartreedeli peartreedeli.co.uk

PURE HAIR

RILEY’S CYCLES

Pure Hair is the perfect place to relax and be pampered.

Established salon of 17 years. Hair and Beauty Finalist 2019 & 2020.

Riley’s is Sherborne’s long established cycle shop, providing a range of bicycles and e-bikes plus parts, accessories, clothing, repairs and servicing.

Half Moon Street, Sherborne DT9 3LN

Trendle Yard, Trendle Street, Sherborne DT9 3NT

01935 814172 @purehairsherborne @purehairsherborne

01935 812038 info@rileyscycles.co.uk rileyscycles.co.uk

SHERBORNE MARKET FRUIT & VEG

SHERBORNE WEB DESIGN

THE THREE WISHES

Your local ‘one-stop shop’ for everything that falls under the umbrella of web design; custom built for you.

Enjoy coffee and lunch in our garden and restaurant. Now open until 8.30pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Join us for Thai Night every Thursday.

118 Yeovil Road, Sherborne DT9 4BB

78 Cheap Street, Sherborne DT9 3BJ

01935 813241 info@sherbornewebdesign.co.uk sherbornewebdesign.co.uk

01935 817777 reservations@thethreewishes.co.uk thethreewishes.co.uk

Seasonal and local, fruit and vegetables.

Every Thursday and Saturday on the Conduit, plus home deliveries.

07871 609345 / 07515 554549

sherbornemarketfruitandveg@aol.co.uk

01935 389709 theplumesherborne.co.uk

THE ROSE & CROWN TRENT The country inn loved by locals and travellers for generations.

The perfect place to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the views or curl up on an autumn evening.

Trent, Sherborne DT9 4SL 01935 850776 theroseandcrowntrent.co.uk

@shoplocalinsherborne #shoplocalinsherborne

Community

THE CHURCH THAT ROCKS BRADFORD ABBAS Jemma Dempsey

‘I

t wasn’t without controversy,’ recalls one of the organisers. A live rock band performing in a village church on a Saturday night isn’t what most parishioners would imagine ahead of Sunday service the following day. But Bradford Abbas likes to ring the changes and in 2016, The Church That Rocks was born. Part of a much larger fundraising effort known as ‘St Mary’s Week,’ a swathe of villagers come together baking, brewing, singing and dancing to raise cash for a host of local good causes. It all started with paying for a defibrillator, but the events kept going and the money kept coming and so it’s become an annual affair.

One of the main organisers says getting the support of Reverend Tony Gilbert was instrumental in securing the church’s backing for the Saturday night, who he says reminded people that once upon a time St Mary’s was the only public building in the village that you could use for big events, ‘For a wedding, you would turn right to go down to the altar, get married, turn left and go up to the back end for the party.’ Some pews do have to be moved to make space for dancing and for the bar, but it’s all put back in time for Sunday morning.

But St Mary’s Week has always been about more than just a boogie in the church on a Saturday night.

There are street stalls and food, dance troupes, face painting, jazz music and more recently, a 5k fun run which the organisers hope will become a fixture in local runners’ calendars. And these events aren’t confined to a weekend in May. The volunteers behind St Mary’s Week have spread their wings and held film nights in 14 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Anna Jurkovska/Shutterstock

February, a popular scarecrow competition and, during lockdown, a Covid-safe orienteering and Easter egg hunt in the village.

Like so many events, this May’s offering had to be cancelled; another victim to the pandemic. But with their strong sense of community spirit, the organisers have decided to hold an outdoors ‘Church That Rocks’ in the adjoining park in the village, on Saturday 12th September from 3pm. There will be live music and, as always, local landscaper Rob Green will be on hand to distribute his potent homemade cider; a well-known brew in the village. There will be a Covid-secure bar where you can pay by card or receive ‘clean money’ in change if paying by cash. ‘We’ve given it a lot of serious thought,’ says Ruth Jacklin, another trustee and key organiser, ‘but we’re trying to make it a smaller event this year so we can reduce the number of volunteers.

Usually, we’d have lots but they’re normally elderly and we don’t want to put them at risk.’

Entry to the event in the park on the day is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. All the organisers ask is that you come with a picnic, a blanket, some hand sanitiser and your family. And please bring the sunshine.

___________________________________________ Saturday 12th September from 3pm The Church That Rocks Westbury Park, Bradford Abbas

BradfordAbbasStMarysWeek

___________________________________________

WAITING FOR GODOT Martin Williams, Amateur Players of Sherborne

Davizzio/Shutterstock

W

ith a new director and a small cast, Amateur Players of Sherborne felt they had a good choice of play to perform in the cosy intimacy of Sherborne Studio Theatre on Marston Road.

Scheduled for April, Samuel Beckett’s masterpiece Waiting for Godot would provide a challenging and thoughtprovoking addition to APS’s lengthy and varied repertoire.

The play was cast in the summer of 2019, and rehearsals got underway just before Christmas. Godot - for those who do not know it - can be performed on a minimalist set and is technically quite simple. It seemed a perfect fit for the converted chapel, and with APS’s outstanding reputation and recent sell-out shows, tickets were already selling fast by the beginning of March.

Alas, we all know what happened next. Rehearsals came to an abrupt halt. It seemed reasonable at first to plan for possible re-arranged dates, perhaps in July.

After all, the show was just about ready to go - all that was needed was to keep the actors up to speed. And so, throughout the long weeks of lockdown, the cast continued to ‹meet’ and to rehearse, courtesy of videoconferencing technology.

Sadly, it soon became apparent that indoor performances would not be re-appearing any time soon. Sherborne Studio Theatre, like theatres everywhere, remained closed and found itself wrapped in mournful pink ribbon. So, what to do with all the effort, all the many, many hours already committed?

Could it simply be abandoned? ‹The show must go on!’ If not indoors, then

outdoors. It is the summer, and Sherborne is blessed with wonderful outdoor venues. A proposal to perform al fresco was greeted enthusiastically by both the cast and the APS committee, who have put their backs into ensuring that Paddock Garden, with its ready-made performance space, will be turned into a Covid-secure area, set to welcome audiences at 2.30pm on Saturday 5th September, and again on 12th September.

While many, or even most, people will have heard of Waiting for Godot, it is a fair bet that very few will ever have received a good answer to the question: ‹What is it about?’ Indeed, it could be suggested that if anybody should present you with a confident explanation, you should smile and nod, and move swiftly on! But APS is providing a perfect opportunity for local audiences to experience what has been called ‘the most important play of the 20th century,’ and to enjoy one of the very few shows available in the area this summer. ___________________________________________ Saturdays 5th and 12th September 2.30pm Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot Paddock Garden, Newland, Sherborne. Performed by

Amateur Players of Sherborne, directed by Jerome Swan.

Tickets £10 and include a free programme, drink, and entry to a draw. If weather forces cancellation on the 5th, tickets

can be transferred to the 12th. Ticket holders are welcome to bring their own seating, rugs, picnics and so on, and are asked to remember the need for social distancing. Tickets are available at aps-sherborne.co.uk or 07585 278722.

___________________________________________ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 15

Theatre

CONFESSIONS OF A THEATRE ADDICT Rosie Cunningham

T

he Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2015 production of The Merchant of Venice, directed

by Polly Findlay, is part of the ‘Culture in Quarantine’ series. I must admit that I found the play hard to watch given the racial discrimination tension that currently fills all our newsprint. Makram J. Khoury’s portrayal of Shylock is as a harsh, cruel and uncompromising Jew. Shylock is a wronged father and despised outsider, and he wants his revenge. A play that is as powerful as ever.

Three Kings is a new play by Stephen Beresford written for and performed by Andrew Scott as a virtual theatre experience for The Old Vic’s ‘In Camera’ season. As I write this, however, on the eve of the first performance, disaster has struck, and Andrew Scott is in hospital (not with Covid) therefore the play has been delayed until he is recovered. Watch out for new dates and tickets.

A special mention to the magnificent Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre who thrive during adversity whether it be Covid or unseasonable weather. Performing Jesus Christ Superstar to a significantly reduced capacity, mandatory face coverings and temperature screening. Running until 27th September, tickets can be bought online at openairtheatre.com The whole point about live arts, why millions of people spend billions of pounds on buying tickets for theatres, concert halls and festivals, is that they are live. They are thrilling and you see great performers in the flesh. Live will always be better than digital – which is processed and packaged for the screen. The ‘creative industries’ were a shining success story for the UK before the pandemic struck, contributing nearly £112 billion annually to the economy and employing 2.1 million people. So, getting the performing arts going again is vital for the economic good of the country. Digital streaming will be with us for the next year or so and, possibly forever, as organisers think more creatively about how to keep their venues open and functioning.

John Cleese has been performing to an empty Cadogan Hall or as he put it similar to ‘the AGM of Michael Palin’s fan club.’ Why there is no hope examines the dysfunctional world we live in. He comes up with some gems, many of which would be deemed inappropriate by a large percentage of the world population, but this is uncensored Cleese who will not be silenced. I quote, ‘Millennials have an attention span of seven seconds, goldfish have an attention span of nine seconds … and Trump is in between’ and, ‘We all speak a language called balto slovonic or BS for short.’ I admit that I found a lot to laugh at. Oh dear…

Finally, in other cultural news and now that art museums are open again, Tate Britain has extended their Aubrey Beardsley exhibition until 20th September and Tate Modern their Andy Warhol exhibition until 15th November. Tickets have to be booked in advance. Both are wonderful and worth a day trip up to London with the possibility of Titian at The National Gallery squeezed in too, on until 17th January 2021.

16 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Makram J. Khoury. Image: Hugo Glendinning sherbornetimes.co.uk | 17

Film

ON FILM

Andy Hastie, Yeovil Cinematheque

A

t the time of writing this (the beginning of August), Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer to the Government, has just announced that in order to fully open up schools in September, we have probably gone as far as is possible in easing the lockdown for now. Whilst completely understanding the need to keep everyone safe, it does suggest that the date when cinemas, theatres and concert venues can open meaningfully is disappearing into an unknown future black hole. Our film society, Cinematheque, is caught up in this limbo land, so we will have to wait until it is possible for large groups of people to collect 18 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

inside, without fear of contracting Coronavirus. After being involved with a variety of film societies for nearly 50 years, it is a strange feeling to be ‘on hold’, and not actively researching, watching, and programming a season of films with others.

In 1971, I left school after my A-levels and wanted some experience of life before further education.

I joined the Maudsley Psychiatric Hospital in Camberwell as a porter. On the same site is the Institute of Psychiatry. These were the days when Hans Eysenck was Professor of Psychology there, and it was the world-leading psychiatric centre.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

'The film society committee and a handful of nurses stayed to the end it seemed a shame not to - but I learnt a good lesson back then: always check the film before you show it!'

One day, I came across a notice asking if anyone was interested in starting up a film society. I went along to the introductory meeting - me, an 18-year-old porter, and a group of psychiatrists and research psychologists!

We managed to set the whole thing up, showing films in the institute lecture theatre. There were many French films - Chabrol and Truffaut were both very popular, but I also remember Mike Leigh coming along to introduce his film Bleak Moments. For some reason, I’m not sure why, Terry Jones was with him (he did live just around the corner).

Once the film society was up and running, we had a request ‘from above’ to show the newly released documentary Asylum, outlining controversial psychoanalyst R D Laing’s Archway Community Project, where patients and therapists lived together in less confrontational, anti-psychiatry harmony. We managed to order the film and set the date.

A few weeks later, the lecture theatre was packed full of many world class psychiatrists, psychologists and psychoanalysts. The film had arrived - reel to reel projection in those days - and the site technician had set everything up. There was a short introduction, then the film started.

It didn’t take long before the first bang of a flip seat turned into a cacophony of bangs as almost the entire audience upped and walked out. We had ordered the right ‘Asylum’ but the distributor had sent the wrong film! Same title, very different films. The ‘Asylum’ we were showing was an Amicus horror film, the middle of a trilogy, which included The House that Dripped Blood and Tales from the Crypt, about deranged patients escaping from a gated, secured hospital to terrorise the locals, with the great Patrick Magee overacting as only he can. The film society committee and a handful of nurses stayed to the end - it seemed a shame not to but I learnt a good lesson back then: always check the film before you show it!

If you are looking for any current film suggestions, I would highly recommend Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

Set in 18th century France, it tells the love story between a female artist and a reluctant bride whose portrait she is painting. This is such a beautiful and heartbreaking film which I am sure I will be returning to in this column. It is available on Amazon Prime.

Stay safe. cinematheque.org.uk swan-theatre.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 19

Art

ARTIST AT WORK

No. 22: Claudia Gunton, Meander, oil and acrylic on wood panel, 50 x 30cm

M

aking art is not an external process; it is an expression of my inner heart and soul the need and desire to bring ‘out’ what is ‘in’.

Over many years, I have walked my two lurcher hounds, immersing myself in the living passion of nature, near where I live in south Somerset. I have an especial love of trees; it inspires my art and I paint to express that personal vision. In the same way the seasons change colours and shapes from spring through to winter, so my art work has morphed from one style of expression to a new and more emotionally honest style of expression - growing and changing with each new painting, developing skills to bring more of the ‘in’, ‘out’.

I paint primarily for my own fulfilment, yet also for the viewer – the one who stands in front of a canvas of mine, lighting up with ‘Oh yes! Now I know the spirit of what you felt; I know where you walked and what you saw because I can see and feel it too!’

I invite you to share my lovely places of visions and colour, as we are richer because of them. @claudiaguntonartist Meander is available to purchase for £170.

Claudia will be taking part in this year’s Somerset Open Studios event, 19th September - 4th October. somersetartworks.org.uk

20 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

The Joinery Works, Alweston Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5HS Tel: 01963 23219 Fax: 01963 23053 Email: info@fcuffandsons.co.uk

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Art

THE AVIATION AND MARITIME ART OF JOHN FINCH Carolyn Corlett

S

cheduled to coincide with the 80th anniversary of The Battle of Britain, this exhibition, opening on Saturday 12th September at The Guggleton Farm Arts in Stalbridge, presents a rare opportunity to see the fascinating and detailed work of artist John Finch.

John, who has been painting maritime and aviation subjects for 40 years, has recently moved to Dorset and this will be his first solo exhibition for 20 years. Much of his previous work hangs in collections worldwide with a considerable number of paintings documenting the era of the flying boats on show at the National Museum of Bermuda. His work has also appeared in many publications, in particular The Battle of Britain

by Roy Conyers Nesbit which includes John Finch’s painting Ventnor RDF Station - the only known visual depiction of the site, as it was, in 1942.

This body of work on show at the Guggleton consists of oil paintings depicting a vast range of subjects within the aviation and marine genres. Finch’s aviation subjects extend from the biplane fighters of the 1930s, to the jet age of the 1950s, and includes the spitfires and hurricanes of the 1940s. The marine paintings span from the Age of Sail to the express liners and battleships of the 1930s and 40s. There are also a number of Fleet Air Arm paintings showing Royal Naval carriers together with their air components.

A proportion of the profits from the sale of these particular paintings will be donated to the Barracuda restoration project at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

More than just accurate depictions, John Finch’s works have been described as having a subtle but achingly romantic air of melancholy to them, making each of his paintings a rich and valuable window into a number of lost worlds. Often, John chooses to paint a particular subject because there is no existing photographic record of the event. He creates a visual depiction of these moments in history by using first22 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

and second-hand accounts. One such example in the exhibition is a depiction of the raid on Kenley aerodrome, on 18th August 1940; the reference for which was a description detailed by Alfred Price in his book The Hardest Day. Graham Mottram, Chairman of the Society of Friends of the Fleet Air Arm Museum and Director of the Fleet Air Arm Museum 1995-2015, will speak at the opening reception on Saturday, in particular reference to some of the paintings, their continuing

John Finch Fairey Flycatchers - Fleet fighters over their carrier HMS Glorious in the 1930s, oil on board 35 x 55cm

importance, and on the work of the Museum in context.

The talk will take place outside and undercover, with an opportunity to view the show in the gallery in small groups. Refreshments will be available. Free tickets to this event are available from the Guggleton website guggletonfarmarts.com/whats-on/events/

and Maritime Art of John Finch

___________________________________________

Guggleton Farm Arts, Stalbridge, DT10 2RQ

Saturday 12th September 2pm-4pm Opening Reception: The Aviation

(socially-distanced ticketed event)

___________________________________________ Saturday 12th-Friday 25th September 11am-4pm daily Exhibition: The Aviation and Maritime Art of John Finch guggletonfarmarts.com/whats-on/events/

___________________________________________ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 23

Art

GETTING CLOSER

An excerpt from ‘The Art Class’, a fictitious work Ali Cockrean, Artist and Tutor “Unmute Tom! It’s the button in the middle of the screen at the bottom… no, not that one, the one with the picture of the microphone on it… there you go!”

Meredith’s eyes sparkled and she beamed at a rather perplexed looking Tom on the screen in front of her.

“Blimey! That was tortuous. Sorry for being such a technological Neanderthal Meredith!” Tom grinned back.

“Oh, don’t worry. I was exactly the same 4 months ago.”

There was a brief silence, just long enough for both of them to feel mildly self-conscious, as they simultaneously realised that this was the first time they had been properly alone together. Even if they were 5 miles apart.

At Meredith’s first visit to Anita’s garden after lockdown, the two women decided to meet every week for a painting session. Occasionally, they would get together at Meredith’s, but her garden was tiny and social distancing was a bit trickier, so mostly Meredith would drive over to Anita’s, bringing a homemade cake or biscuits as her contribution to the afternoon.

They would paint for a couple of hours and then break for tea and inevitably Anita would say, “Shall we ask Tom if he’d like to join us for a brew? He’s been shut up in that house on his own all week.”

24 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

It wasn’t long before Tom became a part of their painting party, bringing along his paints and often a few samples from the art shop for them to try. He would turn up with a new range of brushes or perhaps a range of paints for them to critique.

Meredith loved these sessions. Tom was so knowledgeable about art practice in general - she always learnt something new. He reminded her of her father; he had the same patient, calm, encouraging approach to teaching and deep dulcet tones to his voice. Tom was also a very accomplished painter in his own right and sometimes she would just sit back with a cup of tea in hand and watch him work. Occasionally, she would close her eyes and let his voice wash over her as he talked with Anita.

In their early sessions together, Meredith wondered if Anita might be playing matchmaker, but quickly discounted this theory. Anita was lively and spontaneous, sometimes a little bossy, but always the centre of attention. She was the glue that held the little group together and loved to hold court.

Perhaps this was the reason that in mid-August, when Anita had disappeared inside to make a pot of tea, Tom asked Meredith for her email address. Having

said earlier that afternoon that Meredith’s painting style reminded him of a particular impressionist artist, he ventured, “If you don’t mind, I’ll email over some examples of her work for you to see?”

Meredith thought that she could probably find them online for herself, but she recognised that this was a gentle way of Tom offering her a direct line of communication with him. He carefully wrote down the details and read the address back to Meredith just to make sure it was correct. As Anita appeared through the patio doors with a tray of tea, he quietly closed his notebook and no more was said.

Meredith didn’t like admitting to herself that over the next couple of days she was checking her emails far more than usual… but she definitely couldn’t ignore the feelings of disappointment when nothing appeared from Tom. It was turning into a long week.

Just when she’d convinced herself that she must have read far more into his request than was actually meant, his email landed in her inbox and Meredith felt a spark of pure joy.

It was the hesitant start of a correspondence that bloomed over the following weeks. They talked about their shared love of art and painting: their past lives, experiences, and as they settled into the comfort of a growing friendship, their previous relationships, loves, losses and hopes for the future.

They still met at Anita’s every week, but somehow this felt quite separate to the emails they were now sharing daily. And here they were, having taken the bold step of video calling… sitting opposite each other for the first time.

“So, this is a bit strange,” Meredith mused, “What shall we talk about?”

“How about we plan your first exhibition Meredith?”

Tom smiled, “I’ve got the space above the shop and a guest list. We just need more paintings.”

“I’m nowhere near good enough Tom! What are you thinking? And anyway, even if it weren’t a crazy notion, it’s not possible with Covid.”

“Next year, Meredith. Whenever it’s possible and you’re ready.” His sincerity moved her, “And you ARE good enough, trust me. Just sit with the idea for a while. And in the meantime, perhaps we should talk about us…” (to be concluded in the November issue!) alicockrean.co.uk

RICHARD PIKESLEY 11th - 26th September

CHASING CLOUD SHADOWS

SUMMER EVENING, MOVING SHADOWS

Oil

We are delighted to welcome back Richard for his sixth solo exhibition with us. He will be in the Gallery to discuss his work on 11th and 12th September. The occasion of this exhibition ‘Chasing Cloud Shadows’ has also allowed the launch of Richard’s beautifully written and illustrated book, Landscape Painting, signed copies of which will be available. Written over two years, it is the book that Richard has always wanted to write – “pulling together experience from nearly fifty years of painting and teaching”.

SEE THE EXHIBITION ONLINE

www.jerramgallery.com THE JERRAM GALLERY Half Moon Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3LN 01935 815261 info@jerramgallery.com Tuesday – Saturday sherbornetimes.co.uk | 25

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UNEARTHED Jasmine Moore, aged 18 The Gryphon School

F

inding light and positivity in the times of a pandemic is not an easy feat. Particularly, when future plans have been halted.

Gryphon School student Jasmine Moore was one of the thousands for whom sitting A-levels became effectively redundant.

Her goal of studying Liberal Arts at Durham University was left in the hands of the examination boards and estimated grades.

Add to this the closure of sporting facilities, which took away her passion for swimming, and you can begin to catch a glimpse of the uncertain and frustrating times which has cast a shadow over many students this year.

However, after four weeks of lockdown, Jasmine had a lightbulb moment and set a personal challenge to motivate herself over the proceeding weeks in aid of a worthy charity. Her idea was quite simple; to run ten marathons in ten weeks.

‘My dad and I came up with the idea and he’s also doing it,’ Jasmine explained. It’s had its own difficulties, ‘6km a day, every day, for ten weeks, has been tougher than we initially thought.’

Up to now, they’ve raised more than £2,000 for the UNHCR, specifically the refugee crisis in Syria. ‘The refugee situation has been out of the news due to Covid-19,’ Jasmine explained, ‘We wanted to not only help financially but also put it back in the news.

‘Locking down’ is nothing compared to the hardship that refugees cope with each day.’

It is still possible to donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/drandrew-moore gryphon.dorset.sch.uk

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

28 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Family

Children’s Book Review

By Ethan (aged 12)

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny, illustrated by Edward Bettison (Macmillan Children’s Books, 2020) £12.99 Sherborne Times Reader Price of £11.99. Available to pre-order from Winstone’s Books

T

he Monsters of Rookhaven is an adventure story about a secret village that’s hidden from the human world and discovered by two orphaned siblings. The siblings, Tom and Jem, befriend a rebellious Rookhaven monster, Mirabelle, and set out to help the monsters find their true purpose and a sense of belonging. They teach them the way of the humans and to have courage to stand up for their family.

I really enjoyed this book because it was exciting and had lots of action and plot twists. My favourite part was the big fight between the mind-possessed humans and

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

the monsters because it had lots of tension and heroism. This story surprises the reader by its characters changing, sometimes from bad to worse! Keep an eye out for a slightly dodgy man turning into an out-of-theordinary being!

There seem to be two morals to this story – one being that different races and societies can co-exist and work well together, even if they have had bad history. The second being that you should listen to everyone, even children, as their opinion might be life-changing.

I would recommend this book to children aged 10+.

Go wild this autumn

Family

BACK TO SCHOOL

R

Lucy Lewis, Dorset Mind Ambassador

eturning to school after a long break can be difficult at the best of times. For some, school is essentially an unpaid, full time job where they have very little personal freedom and autonomy.

Heavily micromanaged jobs are associated with high levels of stress in adults and this is no different for young people. Coupled with a long, enforced absence from school, a global pandemic, and extra restrictions, it is understandable that young people might struggle to return to school. If you are a parent of a child or teenager, here are three strategies you can employ to support their mental health during this potentially stressful transition: 1. Be aware of changes in your child

Most likely, no one knows your child as well as you do. For example, you know whether they are prone to irritability after school, or whether this is a new behaviour triggered by the pandemic. All children are different and display their emotions to different degrees.

Some common signs of mental health difficulties include increased sensitivity, anxiety, changes to sleeping or eating habits, tearfulness, negative thoughts, or unexplained physical complaints such as headaches or stomach aches. If you are worried or unsure, contact your doctor or a mental health professional to clarify what are normal and manageable responses. They can help identify which behaviours suggest they may need further evaluation or support.

2. Engage in open, respectful and regular conversations about their feelings

Regularly ask your child about how they are feeling.

It can be particularly difficult to get teenagers to share their feelings, but it is vital that you consistently make the effort. You can try sharing a few minor concerns you have yourself, such as having to work with an annoying co-worker again or difficulties reading the emotions of others wearing masks. This can prevent the conversations 30 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

from feeling one-sided. It will also help empower your child by showing you care about their view and demonstrate that it is fine and normal to have worries.

It is also important not to trivialise or dismiss their concerns. Your automatic response to minor issues may be that your own situation is harder, they are not really struggling or that they are complaining over nothing. Keep these types of thoughts to yourself. You are entitled to your opinion but responding in this way can result in them feeling as though they haven’t been heard or understood. It could prevent them from opening up to you in the future. Sometimes, it is easy to forget that young people have had less time to develop resilience and healthy coping mechanisms to deal with difficult situations and sudden change.

Listen to them without interrupting, paraphrase what they said back to you and let them correct you

Rawpixel/Shutterstock

until they feel you have understood them. Tell them it is completely fine to struggle – everyone does at times – and that they can come to you with any emotional difficulties, whether seemingly trivial or otherwise.

3. Lead by example

Demonstrate how you manage your emotions.

Something as simple as announcing you’ve had a stressful day, so you are going to have a long bath, a jog, or however you (healthily) manage these emotions, can help your child to focus on solutions rather than a force they are powerless to. Children learn through observation; if you respond inappropriately to a difficult situation or emotion your child may also adopt similar behaviours in the future.

Young people benefit from a calm, open environment with regular structure, especially in these

uncertain times where it is easy to feel overwhelmed by daily life. Build a schedule that fits in time for unstructured play, mealtimes, homework, and bedtime, so they can form healthy habits and know what to expect from their day.

Finding support:

If you believe your child is struggling, the first step is to contact your GP and make them an appointment.

Young Minds also have a dedicated phone line for parents (0808 802 5544). Dorset Mind Your Head also offers many mental health resources, services, and education for young people with mental health difficulties in Dorset – and their parents. Discover more at dorsetmindyourhead.co.uk dorsetmind.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 31

Family

HOME FRONT Jemma Dempsey

T

here are beads of sweat forming on my upper lip, my heart is beating too fast, I feel clammy and slightly uncomfortable. Ordinarily, I’d put it down to a hot flush, but not this time. No, my state of unease is because it’s the start of August and I find myself transfixed by the calendar informing me there are 5 weeks of summer holidays to go, after what felt like a lifetime of home schooling. The temptation to open a bottle of wine and drink it all is great. Maybe if I put it on my breakfast cornflakes no one will notice.

Remarkably, back in February, before Boris Johnson had even heard of Coronavirus, we booked a few days at a National Trust campsite for the end of August. We decided to glamp it up a bit and went for the ‘Safari Tent’ option as it was the only way I could persuade the husband to even consider camping again after our last experience which involved composting toilets. He became very familiar with the Morrisons supermarket in Kingsbridge that holiday - shame the relationship hasn’t continued. But before we head north to Cumbria, we’ve got four long weeks to fill.

The daily refrain of, ‘What are we doing today?’ makes me want to morph into a smiley game show host and conjure up a once in a lifetime outing or activity never to be forgotten, or, more importantly, repeated. I know suggestions of the park won’t cut it, so depart to stick a load of washing on. I’m sifting through the options while simultaneously sorting clothes and ponder the growing pile of toys gathering dust on the living room floor, when I have a eureka moment. I shriek with delight, for as any mother knows it is the battle to keep the house tidy which is rarely won. I decide the solution is to swap the spare room-cum-study with our youngest’s bedroom. Now the husband isn’t returning to his actual office anytime soon, he’ll be here for the foreseeable and he needs a proper space to work. And our youngest has outgrown his box room and has been wanting a bigger room for ages. It does mean we lose the ‘spare room’ but so be it; if we have guests, they can sleep on a blow-up bed in the living room, where the toys were. Problem solved;

32 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

husband has a proper office, son has a bigger bedroom.

I am a genius.

How is it possible that I have 6 single duvets? I try to justify this to an incredulous husband by saying they’re for different seasons, but even I’m not buying that one. Also, under the soon to be departed spare bed, I find clothes I haven’t worn since I was in my 20’s. I make my best Marge Simpson ‘mmmm’ noise and start making two piles – one for the tip, the other for the charity shop. Worse is to come - I discover bags of bed linen. Lots of them. The husband correctly states that bed linen has been my fetish over the years.

Quite possibly, I admit, but when we got a kingsized bed, I couldn’t just throw away all my double bedding. And then he does what everyone does in a marriage, but which you hopefully don’t get caught doing - because if you do, you know you’re in for it – the eye roll. I shout that it’s a sign of contempt and that a relationship with contempt is surely in trouble.

He then raises an eyebrow, to which I squeal that that’s another sign. Deciding he’s had enough of my festering fetishes and cod psychology he goes off to contemplate his new office.

And so, the migration process begins, it feels like we’re moving house, but in a way it’s worse as nothing is actually being packed up in boxes. Whose stupid idea was this? The entire house is full of stuff and I have developed a twitch like Herbert Lom, the crazed police commissioner in the Pink Panther films with Inspector Clouseau. Slowly, over the next couple of days, once the move is complete, I sit down and go through all my beloved bedding – Irish linen, pure cotton, bought in sales or on a whim, and keep two of my favourite sets.

The rest I bundle up, with labels, and take to one of the few charity shops in Sherborne which is still accepting donations during the pandemic. I reluctantly begin to hand the bag to the volunteer, informing her they’re all matching sets, 100% cotton and labelled accordingly.

She smiles and says she appreciates the effort I’ve made.

And then I release my grip on the bag, walk out of the shop and I don’t look back.

Olga Pink/Shutterstock

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 33

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Family

A COMMITMENT TO FLOURISHING

W

hen Theology teacher Nikki Bowerman applied for the job as Sherborne’s Head of Pupil Wellbeing in February, she had no idea just how crucial her new role would become in the months ahead. But as the COVID-19 crisis took hold and the School asked pupils to stay at home for the final term of the academic year, Nikki was tasked with finding ways to nurture their development from a distance.

‘It’s not just COVID that’s made my job more relevant than ever,’ says Nikki, who joined Sherborne from a state comprehensive three years ago and loves the School’s ethos of care, kindness and compassion.

‘The emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement has also been an important feature of recent months.

There’s been a lot for young people to process, and Sherborne’s pupils have been wrestling with the issues in their usual thoughtful manner.’

This speaks of Nikki’s wider remit. As well as sharing 36 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

oversight of pupil wellbeing on a day-to-day basis with the Deputy Head (pastoral) and Chaplain, Nikki has specific responsibility for the School’s Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum. She’s designed a programme that builds across the five years of a boy’s time at Sherborne, drawing on cutting-edge research into personal formation and development.

‘I’ve always been interested in the role education plays in character formation,’ reports Nikki, who read Theology at Exeter University. ‘There’s been a lot of interesting research in this field of late, including a programme designed at Wellington College that uses Aristotle’s philosophy as a basis for character education.

I’ve taken that as my starting point for Sherborne’s Wellbeing Programme.’

Nikki has developed a curriculum that helps pupils develop habits to shape their flourishing, both at the School and in the future. It engages with a variety of themes, including ‘care of self,’ ‘care of the world,’ ‘care

and personal hygiene, remain very much in place. It raises challenges that I don’t think anyone in education has considered before.’

For all that, Nikki is keen not to lose sight of the other features of her job. ‘I want to help pupils think deeply about things like social justice and diversity,’ she enthuses. ‘That’s why I’m setting up a pupilled Diversity Council to engage with issues such as sexuality, gender identity and race. We also have a joint pupil pastoral forum with Sherborne Girls in which pupils discuss pastoral matters and help shape policy across both schools.’

Nikki hopes practical initiatives like these will reinforce and support the learning from the Wellbeing curriculum. As she concludes: ‘This is all about developing the right dispositions among pupils, so that they know how to look after themselves, other people and the world. That’s how we’ll ensure they flourish in every sphere of their lives.’

Three Post-COVID Wellbeing Tips

Image: Josie Sturgess Mills

of others,’ and ‘positive relationships.’ These all support the government’s Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) statutory curriculum but engage with the issues in a way that enshrines Sherborne’s commitment to pupil wellbeing.

‘Sherborne prides itself on its concern to help every pupil become more fully themselves,’ says Nikki. ‘Our House structure and tutorial system ensure every boy has close mentoring from a trusted member of staff, who helps them pursue goals that are right for them.

The Wellbeing curriculum that I’m spearheading reinforces this at every turn.’

Nikki is alive to the challenges of the months ahead, as pupils return to school after lockdown. ‘I think the boys’ relationships with their tutors will become more important than ever,’ she reflects. ‘It’s going to be vital that we have a support network in place, at the same time as ensuring the practical aspects of life post-COVID, such as social distancing

Life after lockdown is by no means easy.

Here are Nikki’s tips for wellbeing in this challenging new world.

1) Make time for yourself: it can be easy to fill every minute with busy-ness, but if lockdown taught us anything, it’s the value of making time for yourself. Try to find space each day just to be you. You’ll feel much better afterwards.

2) Make time for others: few things improve mental wellbeing as effectively as doing something for another person. As many of our boys found during lockdown, small acts of kindness, such as delivering shopping, give you a profound sense of satisfaction.

3) Practise mindfulness: we introduced all of our pupils to the Headspace app in the early part of lockdown. Many of them have found these techniques to be invaluable in enhancing their wellbeing. sherborne.org

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 37

Wild Dorset

Pink grasshopper at Bradbury Rings. Image: Melanie Fermor 38 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

PRETTY IN PINK

G

Sally Welbourn, Marketing Manager, Dorset Wildlife Trust

rasshoppers are pretty common in Dorset but every so often, a rare pink variety pops up on a nature reserve or in a garden. These pink ladies (or gentlemen) are actually a result of a genetic mutation known as erythrism, which affects the production of pigment – either a lack of the usual pigment or an over-production of an alternative pigment, resulting in various shades of pink and red rather than the usual green or brown. The gene responsible is recessive so it works in a similar way to albinism. It isn’t easy being pink, however, as these unusual grasshoppers are much more vulnerable to predation; many don’t make it to adulthood and have a shorter than the usual two-month life span. One family spotted a pink grasshopper whilst out exploring Bradbury Rings in Dorset earlier this summer and it was a great find for them as their son, Oscar, had been enjoying bug-spotting during lockdown!

Another pink, but more common view on our landscape this time of year, is heather on heathland. The delicate pink and purple flowers appear from August to October and are a contrast to the tough, wiry, sprawling stems they grow upon.

Plants grow tightly packed together and can live for 40 years or more. Historically, heather has been used for many purposes, such as fuel, fodder, building materials, thatch, packing and ropes. It was also used for making brooms which is how it got its Latin name – Callunais – derived from the Greek word meaning ‘to brush’.

Heather is easy to identify; the stems are woody and coarse, sometimes clumped together and close to the ground in exposed areas. The flowers grow loosely up the stem and the short, narrow leaves are borne in rows. Heather can be found on heath, moors and bogs and can attract all sorts of nectar-loving insects, such as bees, who can see the colours pink and purple more clearly than any other colour.

Look out for heather on Dorset Wildlife Trust heathland nature reserves, such as Upton Heath in Poole. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 39

Wild Dorset

SHERBORNE DWT Gillian M. Constable, Dorset Wildlife Trust Sherborne Group Committee Member

I

t is with regret we inform you that, after taking advice, we find it necessary to cancel the September DWT Sherborne group indoor meeting. However, we are able to assure you that the meeting has been rescheduled for next year. Sadly, this was the meeting I was most looking forward to in 2020 - Christopher Legrand on Botswana and Namibia. At this time 30 years ago, we were on a safari, primarily bush camping, in Botswana and it would have been wonderful to relive the expedition.

The above picture was sent to me by a friend and fellow Sherborne DWT attender. If you look at the right hand side of the big bee, a much smaller bee can be seen with antenna protruding through the larger bee’s wings. The question was - had I seen something like this before? I had not. The photo was taken on a sunny day during a three generational family walk along Trent Path Lane. The granddaughter instructed her father to take a photo of the big bee and then her grandfather contacted me. Some studying of a bumble bee book convinced me the large bumble bee was a queen buff-tailed and a bumble bee life cycle suggested the small one was a male.

Since it seemed to be an unusual photo, I forwarded it to a friend with greater expertise, who in turn 40 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Image: N. Roberston

forwarded it to national bee expert, Steven Falk, author of Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. His reply was: ‘a red-tailed male trying to mate with a buff-tailed queen.

This does happen occasionally. I don’t think it produces any viable offspring.’

It was an interesting identification and it goes to show that a quick iPhone snap on a family walk can lead to an unusual record. I always try to get a quick record shot and then, if there is time, worry about camera settings.

The latest BTO magazine : Bird Table - 25 years of Garden BirdWatch has the results for the spring bird watch. This is the quarter when we would have expected to see bramblings and siskins in the garden for a few days and we had not seen any. The BTO data indicated we were not alone in this. There were reductions of 78% and 45% respectively, from the number of garden watchers reporting their presence. Perhaps it was the very wet weather. There was also an interesting but sad report about chaffinch numbers that although they are still being reported in many gardens, their average number per garden this spring was the lowest ever only two, compared to five or six in the past. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

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Wild Dorset

BEES AND TREES

Paula Carnell, Beekeeping Consultant, Writer and Speaker

D

id you know that to nourish one colony of bees, it takes one acre of blossoming trees, shrubs or flowers to thrive? This wisdom has been shared amongst beekeepers longer than anyone can remember. Does it take into account the current quality of plants and blossoms? Well, if it takes us 48 plates of salad to receive the same nutrition as a single plate 70 years ago, what kind of acreage do the bees need now?

I recently read an article from the Alan Turing Institute saying that civilisation is severely under threat and predicting that we have only a couple of decades left before life, as we know it, is irreversibly unsustainable. Throughout my adult life, there have been campaigns to save the rainforests, whispers of how many harvests there are left across the planet to feed us, soil degradation and intensive agriculture, demanding massive forest clearances. Before human dominance, we had over 60 million km2 of forests around the globe, and now there is less than 40 million. There are studies stating that humans have destroyed 35% of the planet’s forests and the remaining 40 million km2 have been impacted by people living around them.

Britain is tinkering on around 13% forest, whereas in contrast, beautifully ‘green’ – in all senses of the word – Bhutan, has 75% forest coverage. We really need to protect the few remaining ancient woodlands we have left in the UK. Shockingly, 108 ancient woodlands are planned for removal or damage under the new HS2 project. We will only see the true benefit of planting 42 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

new trees after one hundred years – far from alignment with the Turing Institute's prediction. Keeping our existing ancient woodlands is crucial now for the survival of civilisation.

Keeping this article to the connections between trees and bees, as they are indeed intrinsically connected, as I write this, I am also preparing for an online webinar about propolis. This is an incredible substance manufactured by bees to protect themselves inside their hive. By collecting resins from trees, the bees then chew the resin, combining it with wax and honey, as well as their own digestive enzymes. The resulting product is pliable when warm (inside the hive) and the bees use it to line their hive, filling in any draughty gaps. In the wild, when bees live in cavities of trees, over time the entire cavity will become lined with propolis, providing a waterproof seal with antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral and antiseptic properties. Unfortunately, beekeepers found the sticky resin inconvenient as it was gluing frames and hive boxes together, creating a sticky mess during inspections, as well as a permanent golden stain. Bees were then bred to be less productive or interested in making propolis. Smooth planed wooden hives made it tricky for bees to attach propolis to, and so their natural defence was reduced. Could this also coincide with the increase in bee diseases?

By using only local queens in the establishment of the bee colonies I work with, I am finding that they are becoming more productive in propolis production; perfect for me, as I like to remove surplus propolis and

Angus Gormley/Shutterstock

make tinctures and balms. As propolis is very resinous, it takes a long time, and a strong alcohol, to extract the properties. I then use the resulting residue in an oil infusion to maximise the use of this powerful product. I have been lucky to meet and learn from many experts in the field of the medicinal properties of propolis. Firstly, one of my herbal medicine tutors, Luiza Barclay, who has a clinic near Salisbury. Luiza uses propolis in her medicinal practice. James Fearnley is one of the world’s greatest propolis experts – he lives in the UK and is a director of the Apiceutical Research Centre. His books share information on the historical uses of propolis by humans, intertwined with the latest scientific research.

Often it takes many years for the science to confirm what many traditional medicinal practitioners have known for centuries. German research in 1988 identified how the bioflavonoids in propolis stimulate the production of interferon, an important factor in maintaining a strong immune system. Propolis can be taken many ways: dissolved in alcohol as a tincture; ground into powder; taken in capsules and sprinkled on food. Luiza blends her propolis into balms and creams, and I have started to do the same – mixing beeswax and vegetable oils to produce creams for my ageing skin!

Attending a Bee Conference in The Netherlands in 2018, I learned from Karsten Massei the concept that propolis may be the bee’s skin. We transfer our human perspectives to that of the colony, forgetting that the individual bee is not sustainable without the colony.

The colony, in turn, cannot survive without the balance

of its members: a queen, workers and drones. If the ‘one’ is made up of 50,000 individuals, what holds them together? Massei spoke of the bees collectively breathing in through the spring and summer months, expanding, then slowly breathing out, contracting into a smaller colony through the winter months. Held together by the highly protective ‘skin’ of propolis lining their hive.

Marla Spivak, from the university of Minnesota, has bred her own line of honeybees that are resistant to major bee diseases, purely through the production and lining of their hives with propolis. It was at her university that an entombed mouse was found inside a hive. Mice often creep into warm beehives to shelter in the winter; bees will sting the intruder. Unable to drag a mouse corpse from their hive, they coat it entirely in their propolis, keeping the hive free of bacteria and viruses. These tales are shared in my book ‘Artist to Bees’, yet I have since learned so much more.

The connection between bees and trees is vital for their health, and also ours, so I am pleased to have initiated the #1milliontrees campaign with Madagascan Honey producers Ilanga-Nature UK. Their beekeepers are the guardians of the forests, protecting each new tree ensuring food for their bees in the future. For me nothing beats a deep inhalation when opening a hive, a combination of honey wax and propolis entering my nostrils and going deep into my lungs. Perhaps that is why beekeepers are said to live long and healthy lives… paulacarnell.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 43

Outdoors

44 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

On Foot

THE PEARL OF DORSET Emma Tabor & Paul Newman

Distance: 3 miles Time: Approx. 2 hours Park: Charmouth Road - fees apply Walk Features: A mix of field, wood and town with beautiful views over Lyme Regis and the Cobb with a delightful return alongside the River Lym, visiting the Town Mill.

Refreshments: Black Dog Tea Rooms

E

ach month we devise a walk for you to try with your family and friends (including four-legged members), pointing out a few interesting things along the way, be it flora, fauna, architecture, history, the unusual, and sometimes the unfamiliar. For September we take a short walk around Lyme Regis and into some of the surrounding countryside to the east and north of the town centre before returning along the wooded banks of the River Lym. There is an option to extend the walk at the end by exploring Broad Street and taking a detour through the award-winning Seafront Gardens above the Cobb, returning along the Promenade. >

Image: Paul Newman sherbornetimes.co.uk | 45

Directions

Start - SY343925 Charmouth Road Car Park. There are great views from here east along the coast, towards Golden Cap and Portland.

1 Turn right out of the car park onto Charmouth Road (A3052), walk uphill along the pavement for a few yards and you will then see a church on your left, with yew trees. To the right of the road is a Coast Path sign for Charmouth. Go through a kissing gate and up some steps, then head diagonally uphill across a boggy field to another kissing gate on the far side - you might be able to see grey wagtails here. Go through this gate then head towards a large wooden gate with another signpost for the Coast Path. Continue uphill towards some mixed woodland; there are some good views back across the Cobb from here. You will then see a signpost in a gap in the middle of the trees. Go through the kissing gate here and turn left onto a track.

2 Follow this track for a few yards and then turn right before a wooden five-bar gate. Here you will pick up a diversion for the Coast Path. Head through the trees, up some steps, meandering through the woodland with dips and hollows either side.

There is a good variety of trees here and in spring you will be able to see bluebells. Keep following the diversion signs uphill and then to the left at warning signs for a landslip. After a couple of handsome oak trees, the path twists and turns, going back downhill towards some houses. Follow some steps down and then turn right onto a path to emerge at a road.

3 Cross the road and head down a narrow path, walking between large wooden fences bordering properties. After a few yards emerge back onto the Charmouth Road. Turn right and then cross the road to the entrance of Timber Vale Caravan Park - here you will see a public bridleway sign. Follow this through the entrance of the park, keeping to the drive which then becomes a track. Ignore a footpath sign to the left (by some electricity poles) and continue to where the track meets the corner of a tarmacked track. Here, turn left to follow a sign: Lyme Regis 1 mile. Go through a small gate and walk downhill across a boggy field towards a five-bar gate, with woodland on your right. Keep heading downhill across another field to reach a second fivebar gate with a small gate to the side of it and a sign for the Wessex Ridgeway. Keep on the track, entering 46 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

into woodland with waterworks on your left. The track soon meets the Liberty Trail, with a pretty thatched cottage ahead. Here, turn left and follow the signs back into Lyme (away from Dragon’s Hill).

4 After a few yards, cross a small brook, keeping along the Wessex Ridgeway, passing by a signpost indicating the site of the Old Mill. Cross the river, go through a gate, turn left and follow the river back towards Lyme (ignore the path ahead uphill).

Follow the river on a well-worn footpath, through pasture, to a gate. Go through the gate, with a weir on your left and some small tributaries either side, into a mix of fern and woodland with robins and wrens calling above the gurgling water. Cross back over the river to keep the Lym on your right. Carry along the path which becomes more substantial until it joins the road coming from Middle Mill Farm. Continue down this road towards the town, climbing slightly above the river. Where it meets Roman Road, cross straight over onto Windsor Terrace. Continue, keeping the river on your right, past more buildings on your left. Cross Woodmead Road by another weir, then into Jericho (a ‘no through road’). After a few yards the road ends in the river so cross onto the right bank and continue to follow, now with the Lym on your left, to emerge at Mill Green. Follow Mill Green, passing colourful cottages, to meet Hill Road.

5 At the start of Coombe Street, the river flows under the road, with a leat running to the left of a raised path above the river. Here, turn right and follow the footpath (The Lynch) signed for the Town Mill, walking between the leat to your left and the river to your right. The leat is crossed by a series of small bridges leading to properties which line the path.

Eventually this path arrives at the Town Mill, with a range of facilities including galleries, studios and cafes as well as the working watermill. After the mill, make your way through the courtyard, cross the river and up some steps into Broad Street Car Park. Here, you have the option to either turn left onto Broad Street, returning to the start of the walk along Church Street leading to Charmouth Road, or to turn right and head up Broad Street, to explore the high street and take the detour (approx. ¾ mile) mentioned at the start. On your way back up Church Street, look out for the sign denoting the entrance to Long Entry, the old coast route to Charmouth, just after the Museum and Marine Theatre.

D I S C O V E R | E AT | S H O P | S TAY | C E L E B R AT E

Welcome to Symondsbury Estate, set in the beautiful Dorset countryside just a stone’s throw from the Jurassic Coast. Join us for lunch. Browse our shops.Visit the gallery.

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+44 (0)1308 424116 symondsburyestate.co.uk Symondsbury Estate, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6HG

History

COACHING INNS Cindy Chant, Blue Badge Guide

C

oaching inns were a vital part of the coaching era. All coaches usually started from an inn, their destination was to an inn and nearly all the coach stops en route, which were about every eight to ten miles as that was the maximum length the horses could travel, were inns. Nowadays, we use railway terminals, bus stations and motorway service areas for refreshments etc.

The old coaching inns satisfy our nostalgia for romantic dreams: their friendly hosts, charming barmaids, log fires, mild ale, traditional English food, are all promoted by the tourist companies for those ‘get away breaks!’

These old inns had to be efficiently run. In a system which demanded a change of horses in less than a minute, there was no time for leisurely comings and goings like our modern hotels.

So important was the inn to coaching that it is fair to say without it, coaching would not have developed in the way in which it did. A whole industry grew up around coaching. Each inn required its team of barmaids, chamber maids, cooks and waiters to attend to the travellers, while ostlers, grooms, stable lads and blacksmiths were on hand to attend to the horses.

Furthermore, there were coach builders, wheelwrights and harness makers nearby, who were all employed to 48 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

duncan1890/iStock

build and maintain the coaches.

A good coaching inn would provide parlours, dining rooms and bedrooms for its guests. There would be cellars for the wine, a brewhouse, and then the stables, coach houses, and numerous outhouses all adjacent to the main building.

As well as taking coach bookings, the inn might also serve as a venue for the local law courts, gatherings and balls, auctions, and other community activities. In some places, the landlord might trade in commodities such as coal, salt and bricks. At coach times, the inns became frenetic with travellers milling around, porters attending to the baggage, coachmen taking a quick ‘nip’ and post boys straightening their beaver hats and brushing their red or blue jackets in order to impress potential customers.

As Sherborne was on a busy coaching route to and from London, there were several inns here in the town.

The Angel, The Antelope and The George, all situated at the top of Greenhill. The Angel and The Antelope shared stabling for over 80 horses and The Angel still retains the impressive notice above its door ‘Licensed to let Post Horses.’ The Antelope was once originally called ‘The Horseshoe’ but in 1748, having been hugely developed with extra stabling, tack rooms and coach

room cottages to cope with the busy coaching trade along the Bristol Road, it was renamed ‘The Antelope.’

Then, at the top of Cheap Street, The George which claims to be the oldest inn in Sherborne.

Further along Cheap Street, and at the entrance to the Old Cattle Market, now the town’s main car park, there was The Swan Inn; its stable yard now redeveloped into shops and the inn even more recently converted into residential properties.

At the bottom of the town into Half Moon Street, were (and remain) the Half Moon Hotel and The Plume of Feathers. There was also The Kings Arms (now Perri Ashby and Symonds & Sampson), where to the rear of this building, the former stables have now given way to the newly built offices of the Sherborne Times!

As the road winds west towards Westbury there was the very last inn, The Coach and Horses, nowadays known as ‘The Weavers,’ the social club for the employees of the former silk factory.

Other local towns were just as busy as Sherborne…

The main posting house in Shaftesbury was The Red Lion, which was enlarged in the eighteenth century taking over two rural coaching inns, The Cook and The Star, and then became The Grosvenor Hotel, as we know it today.

In Dorchester, The Kings Arms was the principle coaching inn, with its fine bow window on the first floor, commanding a long view of coaches coming along the road from London, and through the entrance arch, traces of the old coaching stables may still be seen. It was here that the coach carrying George III always changed horses on his journey between London and Weymouth.

Wincanton claimed to be really important as it was the staging post for the west (111 miles from London, 111 miles from Plymouth) and each day and night, about 17 coaches went through the town. One of the most famous established coaching inns in Wincanton was The Greyhound where Queen Victoria slept on her way back from Sidmouth in Devon.

There were, of course, many other coaching inns along these routes and far too many for me to include in this small study. Today, all these inns have changed their use either to small hotels, posh restaurants, B & B’s, or public houses, like The George in Sherborne, or as so many others, to just private houses.

Next month, I will continue with the coaching routes, schedules and services.

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sherbornewalks.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 49

History

LOST DORSET

NO.3: FERN GLEN REFRESHMENT ROOM, STUDLAND, IN 1905

A

David Burnett, The Dovecote Press

visit to Studland by boat was an essential component of a Bournemouth holiday before the First World War; traps and charabancs took visitors to Corfe Castle, Swanage, and other local beauty spots. One contemporary description must have had the government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme in mind, noting that ‘the ample refreshment room permits the tourist to have tea at separate tables on the beach.’

Studland became fashionable when the Bankes family of Kingston Lacy, who owned much of the Isle of Purbeck, released land for development, leading to ‘a red brick epidemic’ of new building. Despite that, the village retains its charm and the beaches are amongst the best in Dorset, particularly for families – rather like the one having its picnic in the foreground. dovecotepress.com Lost Dorset: The Villages & Countryside 1880-1920, by David Burnett, is a large format paperback, price £12, and is available locally from Winstone’s Books or directly from the publishers.

50 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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History

HERITAGE IN OUR MIDST John Stokoe, CB CBE, Chairman, Dorset Historic Churches Trust

Image: Katharine Davies

H

ow often do we and visitors to this glorious county, including our town of Sherborne, see but not understand the significance of the historic buildings which populate many of our towns and villages?

Within Dorset, we are privileged to have over 300 historic churches, which across the centuries have provided places for Christian worship, community activities and in times of emergency, havens of refuge.

Sherborne is fortunate to have a number of such churches, the centrepiece being Sherborne Abbey with its awe-inspiring architecture, derived from a legacy stretching from Saxon times and its founder, St Aldhelm, in AD 705. These churches are close to the hearts of members in the Sherborne community who worship there, and to others; they are the foundations of the history of the town. Visiting these beautiful buildings and their cousins across Dorset, gives people a sense of the history and heritage of the county and the families who live here. The history of our nation and society can be observed on their walls.

However, the longevity of these buildings is no accident. They require constant maintenance and upkeep to enable their appearance and to remain faithful to the original concept of the architects, whether Saxon, Norman, Victorian - or unashamedly 20th Century.

Involved in this preservation work is the Dorset Historic Churches Trust, your Trust, which I have 52 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

been privileged to serve for nearly 18 months.

Founded in 1960, this year is our 60th anniversary and in July we were due to celebrate the milestone in the Abbey. In common with many other organisations and groups, we were prevented from doing so by the Covid-19 pandemic.

I was concerned that many, if not all, of the Trust’s activities would be curtailed by the necessary restrictions placed upon on our lives as we strive to defeat this virus. However, after much careful planning and consideration of risk, we have decided that we will continue with the annual ‘Ride+Stride’ event on 12th September. Many of you will know of this as the major fundraising event for the Trust, where there is the opportunity for teams of enthusiastic supporters of our church buildings to cycle, ride or walk the lanes and byways of the countryside around Sherborne and across Dorset, visiting as many churches as possible to raise funds to continue the preservation of our historic church buildings. Those involved this year will know that they do so in a safe environment and will be playing a huge part in sustaining our heritage.

As a Trust, we are adapting to life in the Covid-19 era and I am confident that, with our County-wide network of friends, we will continue to play our part in preserving and sustaining the history and heritage of Sherborne and Dorset for years to come. dhct.org.uk

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The Aviation and Maritime Art of John Finch Exhibition 12-25th September 2020, open daily 11am-4pm

The Guggleton Farm Arts, Stalbridge, DT10 2RQ Opening reception 2-4pm Saturday 12th September (socially distanced, ticketed event) A rare opportunity to view the fascinating and detailed work of John Finch, a successful artist for over 40 years.

For information and free event tickets, visit guggletonfarmarts.com and go to Art, Events, or email carolynjcorlett@icloud.com

Type to enter a caption.

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 53

Antiques

HOUSE SALE

A

Richard Bromell, ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers

n early memory was wandering around a country house auction with my parents.

Wandering might be a slight over-statement.

As a parent, I remember my kids ‘wandering’ around with me 20 years ago, and in reality, it was dragging them around wherever we were!

But the country house auction memory is strong.

I suspect, living in a modern house, this was the first time I went into a large dwelling and I remember the staircase in particular with its dark, carved wood – a far cry from our family home with its white gloss painted bannister rail and wrought iron balustrades.

I expect we were only there as my late father had a large interest in military history and militaria, and there was a group of medals in the sale which he looked at and then bought at the auction. This was all back in the early 1970’s. At this time, there were quite a number of country house auctions. Moving forward to the 21st century and the country house auction is a rare occurrence indeed.

Having been at Charterhouse for over 20 years, we have had a few small off-site sales, but not a country house auction. That is… until the end of July.

Eight years ago, I carried out a valuation for inheritance tax (more commonly referred to as probate) for a solicitor in Exmouth. The lady’s family had been in the house, a substantial 19th century dwelling with large rooms and high ceilings, since about 1900. Moving forward to early 2020, her son passed away and I was asked back to carry out the probate valuation for his estate.

He never married, and with only a few close cousins, the executors took the decision to instruct Charterhouse to auction the contents. My initial thought was to remove the contents back to our salerooms in Sherborne.

At our salerooms, we have all the infrastructure set up for running auctions and running offsite classic car and motorcycle auctions, we are also well positioned to work outside of the salerooms.

However, the temptation to hold a country house 54 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

auction in Exmouth was just too much. Thankfully, the executors were also excited by this and agreed, but it would be with a twist. Viewing for the sale would be at the house, with everything left in situ. The personal papers were sorted and removed by the executors and overall, there was not too much remaining sorting to do. That was, apart from the attic rooms. Here, three generations of the family put all their unwanted items upstairs, out of sight and out of mind. I quite enjoyed working up there - sorting through the old toys, ceramics, glass, tools and furniture riddled with wood worm! But there were also some nuggets hiding in the

Archibald Thorburn, Red Grouse in Flight, watercolour, sold for £83,200

attic, including a Clarice Cliff pottery tea set.

We had two days of viewing at the house, but then went back to our Sherborne salerooms to hold the auction. Traditionally, a country house auction would be held in a marquee in the grounds of the house, but with security issues, poor Wi-Fi and Covid-19 restrictions in place, the decision was taken to hold the auction online with absentee and telephone bidding at Charterhouse World Headquarters!

Bidding was fast and furious for all the lots. Top lot was a watercolour drawing of Red Grouse by Archibald Thorburn which sold for a total of £83,200. There were

also many other lovely lots, which contributed to a sale total of over £320,000, such as a cut, faded and worn carpet in the dining room bought by an American bidder for £9,100, the Clarice Cliff tea set from the attic for £338, and even a vintage Silver Cross pram, sold for £65 to a buyer near Sherborne who openly admitted they had no idea why they bought it.

It was a great auction and it certainly had the ‘country house bidding fever’ I hoped for, although the auction was held online 60 miles away from the house! charterhouse-auction.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 55

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Gardening

NEW VARIETIES CAUSING A BUZZ Mike Burks, Managing Director, The Gardens Group

A

n important part of our business is that we still grow some of our own plants. Although the majority come from UK-based specialist growers, we still raise a number of crops for our hanging basket service and to sell in our three garden centres.

It’s important to us, in that it keeps us having an understanding of how plants are grown - or as I often put it, it keeps compost under our fingernails!

It allows us to try out composts that we sell and as a result, we have been able to move totally over to peatfree composts (Sylvagrow) this year, after successful trials in recent years. This also gives us the knowledge of how to use peat-free composts, so that we can pass this onto gardeners.

Our growing activities keep us in touch with companies such as Ball Colegrave, who are at the cutting edge of plant breeding. They are propagators and growers of young plants that are sold onto nurseries, often as plug plants to be grown on.

Every year, Colegraves hold open days where their trials of new varieties are on show and we were really 58 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

pleased that this year’s event still took place, despite the challenges of 2020. We were off to North Yorkshire for a few days away, which included our wedding anniversary, and so a small detour saw us arrive at the show grounds near Banbury. I’d arranged it as an anniversary present for Louise and such gifts often see a good deal of flak coming my way from friends, but it’s something she really enjoys and so it had her approval!

The trials are set out in different ways, but the newest varieties of bedding plants and some herbaceous varieties just have a code number and are planted in rows. If they don’t do well, then the plants are left to show that they have failed, so some rows look pretty awful. Others don’t grow evenly as they may be unstable and will need more work, but those that have done well really show up.

We were given a slip of paper to vote on our favourites, which wasn’t easy. Elsewhere, new varieties from recent trials were on show, now with actual names rather than numbers, and these were in a variety of tubs, hanging baskets and borders in stunning displays.

It was a glorious day and the insect activity around

the gardens was extraordinary. On some varieties, the bees, hoverflies and butterflies were in huge numbers.

We had a long discussion with one of the Colegraves team and he told us that it was something that they noted formally now and was a really important factor in selecting new varieties. Some wildlife experts are evangelical in that we should be encouraging insect activity, and pollinators in particular, using native or wild varieties specifically, but many are now saying that it doesn’t matter what the food source is. Certainly, the bees of Banbury didn’t seem to care!

There are some useful rules though, including that simple, single flowers are much easier for insects to find as their food source. Tubular flowers are often very popular, and this was certainly true with a fabulous range of Lobelia in the trials. These were not the hanging basket or edging varieties of Lobelia but the larger, upright types (similar to Lobelia cardinalis) now in a fabulous range of colours. So, look out for Lobelia Starship Blue in a dark blue/purple.

Also, in our top ten were new varieties of Nemesia,

similar to Wisley Vanilla, with an extraordinary scent, including Nemesia Lady Mary. We also loved Nepeta Whispurr Pink – a great name for this Catmint (get it?) with pinky white flowers and again lots of insect activity. And there was a stunning Echinacea called Cheyenne Spirit with huge daisy flowers in different colours on the same plant.

Among those plants not necessarily for the insects were some outrageous Begonias in the Megawatt range.

These are like giant bedding begonias and had fabulous foliage colours as well as powerful flowers.

And so to North Yorkshire and Nidderdale, where the woodland, rivers, moors and dales were a huge contrast to the trial grounds, but all in very fine form – very green with moss and ferns with, higher up, heathers and bilberries (as they call them here), and full of wildlife too. Away from the madding crowd, it almost seemed like life was back to normal. We may be struggling, but the insects appear to be enjoying 2020. thegardensgroup.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 59

Gardening

DIARY OF A FLOWER FARMER

I

Paul Stickland, Black Shed Flowers

t’s difficult to believe that it’s been a month since I wrote the last missive from Black Shed. Feels like a couple of weeks. So much is happening in the garden; it’s really difficult to keep up as the garden changes gear and roars into autumn. There’s barely time to think. Perhaps, that’s a good thing…

We have some very interesting new clients this year.

One in particular is keeping us very busy all on his own.

Quite how he found us is unclear, but we’ve been asked to fill a rather glorious house with flowers, every week, and not always the same one. A dream job in many ways, equally challenging, exhausting and rewarding.

He’s a true lover of seasonal British flowers and we’ve been given pretty much free reign to experiment with the fantastic bounty that the farm effortlessly provides at this time of year. From a single stem of one of those ‘Amazing Grey’ poppies in a slim glass vase, to a 2m high explosion of burgundy Amaranthus and fiery, glowing dahlias, it’s been a weekly opportunity to play with the best of the field. It’s meant that I’ve been away from the farm a lot though, which puts pressure on Helen and our trusty team of dedicated volunteers but it’s great to get out and away from the endless distractions here.

Our last adventure involved flowering a very interesting holiday home in Buckinghamshire and another in Wiltshire. To call them holiday homes was a bit of a misnomer, to put it mildly! Helen was very busy on the farm, so I took our daughter Tabitha with me. Luckily, she’s inherited my extreme nosiness gene, so she loves helping out and exploring our clients’ houses just as much as I do. So, we packed the van with a couple of thousand stems and set off on the hottest day of the year, not knowing what to expect at our destination…

As we scrunched up the long gravel drive, it soon became clear that this ‘holiday home’ was something really special; a 17th Century brick mansion, all Dutch gables, castellations and towers, built around an exquisite courtyard with its own chapel. Nervously opening the van after four and half hours driving in 30-degree heat, I was dreading the state of the flowers.

60 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

We’d conditioned them carefully in the cool of the Hunt’s huge barn at Blackmarsh Farm and that care paid off, as they emerged fresh and ready for us to swing into action. As the housekeeper showed us round, both our eyes were out on stalks at the gorgeous rooms, hallways and meandering corridors. We were delighted to be able to use the wonderfully cool boot rooms to prepare the flowers. Tabitha is a bit of an old hand at installs now and soon set to work, filling dozens of fine glass bottles with single stem Dahlias, whilst I created a dozen very large arrangements. She did a fantastic job and listening to her singing as she carried her work through the labyrinth of corridors was unforgettable.

Time was pressing on and we had another house to fill a good two hours away. This was a different job entirely. Our very generous client asked us to deliver and arrange 500 Dahlias to a very well-known actress and her family whilst they stayed in yet another ‘holiday home’ – this time a deliciously faded four square early Georgian gem. I’m not very good at recognising people and have little interest in films and their stars but there was little doubt about the identity of the beneficiary. Bemused and surprised by the arrival of such a riot of colour in the gathering dusk, she soon guessed the benefactor and was utterly charming and friendly. Tabitha and I set to work and whilst I created some large arrangements, Tabs filled some beautiful vases. Dahlias are not the easiest of things to arrange on their own, but she did a fabulous job. So, when the curious children of the house asked if they could show her around the building and gardens, she jumped at the chance.

It was a beautiful evening and whilst I finished off in the gathering dark, I could hear them all giggling and running up and down the stairs, and in and out of the extraordinary rooms of the house and gardens, in the still warmth of the night. It was utterly magical, reminiscent of the dreamlike party sequence in the book Le Grand Meaulnes; an experience which I, and I hope Tabitha, will never forget. Not such a bad job this really! blackshedflowers.blogspot.co.uk @blackshedflowers

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 61

OPEN 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM 33 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE, DT9 3PU PHONE 01935 816551

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62 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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SPOKESPEOPLE Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

T

his morning, while walking along Long Street, I was mulling on this very article when two young lads came past me on bicycles, wind in their hair, arms raised (yes, I know, very irresponsible) and singing their hearts out. It was a timely reminder of the joy that cycling brings. Ask any cyclist why they do it and ‘joy’ is no doubt high on their list. The levels of fitness achievable, an estimated 10-year increase in life expectancy and the obvious environmental benefits add to a very long list of incentives. If, like me, you are over 50 then the health benefits are certainly appealing. For younger riders it’s enough to simply be free. While the positives are inarguable, the reality for many, if not most of us, is that our public roads are just too unsafe.

Somebody determined to change that is cyclist, writer and Sherborne old boy Adam Stones. You might have heard Adam deliver an inspiring talk on ‘How cycling transforms people and places’ at the TEDx Sherborne event last year. Adam grew up here, and although he now lives in Amsterdam, he still takes a keen interest in the well-being of his hometown. He is a strategic advisor to BYCS, the international cycling culture change agency that is responsible for the fastgrowing ‘Bicycle Mayor Network.’ Adam’s commitment to cycling took hold at the age of 25, with a coast-tocoast ride across the US. His book, The Limey Project, published this autumn, chronicles his adventure. >

Mike Riley, Riley's Cycles 64 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 65

Digby Etape

Stephan Godfrey, Riley's Cycles 66 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

In 2003, Adam and a friend, Nick Cracknell, set off for the US. ‘We weren’t cyclists, there was no social media and we were very naive,’ says Adam of that time, ‘but we had a lot of fun. We discovered that we were able to achieve much more than we thought we could. That gave us huge clarity and confidence in our lives.’

For Adam it became a ‘personal transformation.’

He suffered from anxiety and the ride gave him strength both physically and mentally. It also opened his eyes to how cycling affects the dynamic of a town.

‘There was an absence of cycling in many places across the US but I noticed that in the places where there was a cycle-culture, the people were much more welcoming. I guess what I am saying is that in towns where there was an absence of cycling, there was an absence of people.’ Car culture, it seems, numbs a town’s community spirit.

Adam’s vision is for Sherborne to become a cycle-friendly community. A town where cyclists can move freely through a network of cycle lanes connecting neighbouring villages. Cycle lanes would allow people to go about their lives: travelling to school, work, friends and the shops, without having to jump in their car or onto a bus. Incidentally, the NHS claims that one in six deaths is due to inactivity and it was announced recently that GPs will soon be prescribing cycling as part of an exercise programme to maintain wellbeing. ‘Sherborne has always punched above its weight,’ says Adam, ‘and research has shown that creating a cycle-friendly town will improve the economy and the health of its residents.’ As part of the town’s proposed post-Covid rejuvenation, we now have a chance to make Adam’s vision a reality.

The timing couldn’t be better. Sherborne Town Clerk, Steve Shield, agrees that this is the opportune moment to consider cycle paths ‘as part of the wider feasibility study for cyclist (and pedestrian) access within the town’s post-lockdown recovery plan.’ He adds, ‘we are looking to hold a stakeholder drop-in session in September where local representatives of cycle groups can be party to that process.’

There is potential to introduce cycle tracks that would connect outlying villages such as Milborne Port and Bradford Abbas to Sherborne. Imagine a cycle-friendly town where workers are incentivised to commute by bike (greencommuteinitiative.uk), a town that actively encourages tourists to arrive by train and explore by bike. ‘Now is the time to find cycling ambassadors within the town,’ says Adam.

Here in Sherborne, we're lucky enough to have two bike shops – Riley's and the charitable partnership, Hope2Cycle. Mike Riley, of Riley’s Cycles, knows a thing or two about the benefits of cycling. Mike was working as an engineer when he felt it was time for a change in life. He bought the business and cycle shop seven years ago and recently, with a view to retirement, has introduced several new business partners. Then came lockdown, the global resurgence in cycling and a three-fold increase in sales. ‘We are in a buoyant position,’ he agrees, ‘but it was largely due to putting in the groundwork.’ Mike’s original motivation to take up cycling remains, ‘It was for physical health and mental wellbeing,’ he explains. ‘I find cycling very therapeutic; I am Type 2 diabetic and am able to manage it through the exercise I get cycling.’

Mike is secretary for Sherborne’s Digby Etape (a pun on Sherborne’s legendary local pub and the Tour de France); a thriving cycle club that meets several times a week. ‘It’s great to see people arrive wound up, full of the problems of the day, and return from the ride joking and relaxed,’ he remarks. ‘During lockdown many people took to cycling because the roads were quieter, but now we have seen a gradual increase in traffic and it’s almost back to normal.’ The safety issue for cyclists has become a problem again and Mike agrees that the cycling gold-medalist Chris Boardman has a point when he suggests that legislation should be changed in favour of the cyclist over the motorist.

That is, in the same terms that it is generally assumed that if a driver runs into the back of a car it is the fault of the driver who does so, so it would apply to drivers bumping cyclists - the car driver is assumed guilty until proven otherwise. ‘It might just act as a deterrent and act to curb aggressive driving,’ says Mike.

Dave Hyland is one of Mike’s business partners, a fellow member of Digby Etape and also a keen family cyclist. In recent months he has often been seen out on the roads with his wife Lucy and youngsters Annabel, 8, and Ed, 6, while his older sons Josh, 16, and George, 18, tend to go it alone. ‘I became a cyclist in 2014, when I realised I needed to get fit. I joined the gym at Sherborne Sports Centre and Gary who works there said, ‘Right, there is a sprint triathlon coming up and you’re doing it!’ I did and it got me into cycling.’

Dave is happiest on the open road, ‘I am a road cyclist - I am too old to go on those off-road trails as I don’t bounce as well I used to – but, really, for me, cycling is the freedom and the ability to see different > sherbornetimes.co.uk | 67

Dave, Annabel, Ed and Lucy Hyland 68 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 69

Alfie, Nick and Beau Bourne 70 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Adam and Noah Stones

places, to be outside and not in a car, with a group of friends, chatting. It’s social and healthy.’ So, when lockdown came around, it was an ideal opportunity for Dave and his family to get out on their bikes together.

‘At the start of lockdown, we were able to cycle out of Sherborne on the roads but then people started to get back in their cars and clearly showed no concern for youngsters on bikes. The problem with Sherborne is that there are no cycle paths out of the town, and it is something that must be addressed. We need to find a way to either reduce traffic on certain roads or create cycle ways so that people can safely cycle to and from the town. It’s very clear that if people could cycle to work, countless would.’

So, all power to those young lads I saw this morning, leading the way to a new future: a future where we cycle safely to school, to work, and to the homes of friends in neighbouring villages. This isn’t a fairytale. It is very much a possibility. Now is the time to speak up, form an action group and engage in the council drop-in sessions this month (details to follow on sherborne-tc.gov.uk). Sherborne will be a safer, healthier, happier and more prosperous town for it.

The Limey Project by Adam Stones is available now from Winstones at £9.99.

Adam’s Action List for a Cycle-Friendly Sherborne Infrastructure (Non-built): Signposting ‘quiet routes’ across the town and - in time - trialling cycling priority streets; producing local cycling route maps with hospitality business sponsorship.

Leadership: Making a public statement of intent by schools, councils and businesses; embedding cycling into the local plan.

Innovation: Opening a pop-up innovation lab to crowd-source local ideas; starting an annual cycling celebration festival.

Activation: Introducing a ‘Cycling Buddies’ scheme to build confidence for people going to school or work; securing grants for bike/ebike support for key workers and elderly residents; promoting local deliveries via cargo bikes; incentivising shoppers to cycle with local voucher schemes; rewarding employees who cycle with extra paid holiday.

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 71

elizabethwatsonillustration.com

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72 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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Food and Drink

THE CAKE WHISPERER Val Stones

QUICK AND EASY LEMON CURD

Image: Katharine Davies

I

’m old enough to remember a TV programme called ‘That Was the Week That Was’ and so the loss of March, April, May, June and July 2020 should be called ‘That Was the Year That Was’. It has been the year COVID-19 decimated the world physically, mentally and spiritually but also brought out the best in humanity.

The explosion of baking and cooking was phenomenal as there was little option but to make your own; restaurants, cafes and pubs could only provide takeaway food. It was ironic that the unavailability and closure of all food outlets and restaurants was to reawaken folks’ interests in cooking meals, baking, making and sourcing ingredients. Social media was inundated with sourdough loaves dressed up with exotic patterns or the one slash top. Folk began to dig for Britain and there was an upsurge in the sale of vegetable and flower seeds, and I was one of the many who, with 74 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

free time, was able to spend more time in my garden.

Summer is the time for making jams, jellies and curds to nestle away for the coming months. One of my favourite things to make is lemon curd; I love the sharp, tangy taste and the smooth, rich texture which spreads so easily. Lemon curd is so versatile; once made, it can be stored for up to six weeks in the refrigerator and used for spreading on bread and toast or is perfect when folded into yoghurt for breakfast. It’s also a basis for many puddings. A favourite cake of mine is a lemon and elderflower cake where the lemon cake is sandwiched with lemon curd and elderflower Chantilly cream.

I used to make my curds in a double boiler, but it took ages to stand and stir the mixture until it reached setting point. I decided to try speeding things up a bit and using my microwave – I found that it worked! I learned early that you need to be gentle heating things up as if I used full heat from the start, the egg scrambled.

What you will need

• A strong microwavable bowl - it could be ceramic or plastic. If you only have plastic, then place 2 bowls (one inside the other) to give rigidity to the bowl, as when the curd begins to bubble it will make the bowl very soft and will be difficult to lift out of the microwave between stirring.

• At least 4 clean 1lb jam jars in the oven on 80C fan oven - warming for 10 minutes.

• A balloon whisk • A heatproof jug - to pour the curd from the bowl into the jars • Wax circles - to cover the curd before lidding Ingredients For approximately 4 x 1lb jars

Zest and juice of 6 lemons, at room temperature.

Tip - if you use lemons at room temperature, they will release more juice.

6 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten 525g caster sugar 340g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 1 rounded tablespoon cornflour 4 drops of lemon extract (optional and preferably @holylamaspicedrops) Method

1 Place the cornflour in a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to form a smooth liquid.

2 Place the zest, lemon juice, sugar and butter into a bowl and stir to combine the ingredients. Once the sugar begins to dissolve, stir in the cornflour mixture.

3 Place the bowl in the microwave and heat on medium heat for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the microwave and whisk to combine all the ingredients. Repeat this again and you should see the mixture thickening around the edges of the bowl. Whisk the ingredients making sure the mixture is smooth before microwaving again.

4 Microwave on medium for a further 1 minute and whisk again.

5 Microwave for 2 minutes on full power and whisk again; the mixture should be thickening at this point.

Time to test the set…

Remember that the heat will make the curd seem to be thinner than it is and as it cools, it will thicken further.

6 Take a wooden spoon and stir the mixture so that the back of the spoon is well coated. Using the handle of a knife or spoon run it along the back of the wooden spoon through the curd to leave a trail.

7 After half a minute, if the mixture hasn’t run back and the gap remains open, then the curd has reached setting point.

N.B. If the mixture runs back, microwave again on full power; at this point, it may need one or two more minutes cooking.

When you are happy with the set…

8 Pour the curd into the jars, using a heat-proof jug.

Fill to within quarter of an inch of each jar as the curd will shrink back a little.

9 Cover each with a waxed circle and then lid, label and date. Leave to cool completely before storing in the fridge.

If you have my recipe book Val Stones, The Cake Whisperer you will find the lemon and elderflower cake, and on my website, there is a recipe for a really quick and delicious lemon syllabub.

I also make an apple curd and a lime curd both of which can be found on my website. bakerval.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75

Food and Drink

STRACCI WITH RABBIT AND WILD MUSHROOMS Sasha Matkevich, The Green

A

n Italian classic – a little labour intensive and does require a pasta maker, but it’s a simple, comforting dish and rather satisfying at this time of year.

Ingredients Serves 4

1 whole rabbit, oven ready 1 saddle of rabbit 1 celery stick, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 leek, diced 1 onion, diced 1 large tomato 1 garlic clove, crushed 90g unsalted butter 1 large onion, finely diced 500ml vegetable stock 90g fresh spinach pasta dough 90g fresh plain pasta dough 90ml white wine 40ml cold pressed olive oil 200g sliced wild mushrooms (ceps, chanterelle, pied de mouton) Tip: Ask your butcher to joint the rabbit and bone the saddles for you – keep the bones for the recipe.

Method

1 With the rabbit bones, make the jus, using diced celery, carrot, leek, onion, garlic, tomato and icecold water. This should take you approximately one hour although good jus can also be found at your local supermarket.

2 Cut the saddle meat into small pieces, about 1cm x 1cm.

3 Preheat the oven to 150 C. 76 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

4 In a roasting pan heat 35g of butter, add the legs and brown all over. Season well with salt and black pepper.

5 In a large pan, heat 20g of butter with the finely diced onion. Cook until just soft. Add the rabbit legs and vegetable stock to cover. Cover the pan with kitchen foil and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.

6 In the meantime, make the pasta (stracci)…

7 Roll out the spinach and plain doughs to setting #2 on your pasta maker and cut with a knife into triangles.

8 Set aside on a tray, dusted with semolina flour and cover with a cloth. Back to the rabbit…

9 Remove the rabbit legs from the oven and strip the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and set aside the tender meat, keeping it covered and warm.

10 Heat 10g of butter in a pan, season the rabbit saddle meat and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside (it should still be pink inside).

11 Pour off the butter from the pan and add the white wine to deglaze. Bring to the boil. Add the rabbit jus and let it to reduce for 5-7 minutes.

12 Whisk the remaining butter into the sauce, season to taste and stir in the leg meat.

13 Heat the olive oil in another pan, add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add to the sauce.

14 Cook the stracci in salted, boiling water for 1 minute until al dente. Drain and mix with the sauce.

15 To serve, divide the pasta and sauce among four warmed plates and top with perfectly cooked rabbit saddle meat. Serve immediately.

Buon appetito! greenrestaurant.co.uk

A MONTH ON THE PIG FARM James Hull, The Story Pig

I

t’s smoulderingly hot! We are experiencing incredible temperatures at the moment; the rain is coming ‘they’ say, but it’s not here yet. The farm is coated in a layer of fine dust, the fields are dry and the hills we look at have burnt up to a crisp. It’s too hot for me and the pigs; they are not keen on these high temperatures and regulate their body temperature by lying in cooling mud and then rolling round to coat themselves. Then, they lie in the sun and bake with their sunscreen on until they begin to sizzle, and the cycle starts again.

We are glad we invested in wallow troughs for them this spring, although what actually seems to happen is that they make their own wallow next to the bought ones – normally, undermining the main trough in the process! There’s me, watching daily, waiting for the inevitable tipping point to arrive. Then, I have to dismantle the troughs, re-site them and start again. Pigs and heat are a real welfare issue and this year, with the new troughs, we have noticed the pigs are less stressed and happier.

We have a large group of new additions to the herd, 7 sows farrowed just before the temperatures soared, giving us about 60 new piglets; some were born outside in the fresh air their mothers choosing to give birth under a tree and the stars - rather than a pig ark. Who can blame them in this heat? Now, all 7 litters have joined together to form a huge gang; they streak about mob-like, running flat out and squeaking and then hiding. I have to move them in the next few days, that’s going to be fun!

All pig jobs are having to be done during the early mornings or later evenings, it’s just too scorching in the day. The last two days have been taken up with hauling straw for the winter months to keep the pigs snuggly and warm - very nice to be in our air-conditioned tractor but a shock when you get out! Blue, our most faithful dog, has followed me, trip after trip, like his life depends on it, and when we get back to the stack, he doesn’t stop to rest. No, he chooses to run up and down the pig fence, as only a collie would, barking at the mud-covered pigs - they ignore him!

Since my last article, many of you have asked about our shop, it’s not here yet, but you can pick up from us - just ring Charlotte or myself, place your order and we will have it ready for you.

It’s a quiet time for our little flock of sheep at the moment, they just get on with things, eating and lying under our big oak tree. Such is life.

Finally, the lavenders are starting to grow -hang on, that’s not fair - they have doubled in size!

But they grow stealthily, quietly with no fuss, and suddenly we look at them and there they are... bigger. We can’t wait to share them with you all, and our beautiful garden too, it’s full of flowers and veg at the moment.

Doesn’t it sound idyllic down on the farm? Maybe, one day, I will write about the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff; the borrowing of money, the dealing with our local planning authority, the non-stop work, the unplanned deaths… not now though, it’s nicer to write about lavender! thestorypig.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 77

Food and Drink

HOME SOIL David Copp

Rebecca Hansford and Ian Edwards of Furleigh Estate

I

return to the subject of English wines again because Dorset and Hampshire have firmly put their marker down, alongside Sussex and Kent, as the recognised leading producers of the nation’s most attractive sparkling wines, increasingly exported to USA, Canada, Scandinavia and other markets.

Sussex and Kent attracted a lot of investment because their well-drained south-facing Southern downland offers superb conditions for the Champagne grape varieties. Their proven ability to make top-class, fine wines has been established. I have followed the progress of Ridgeview, Nyetimber, Furleigh Estate and Camel River because they quickly proved themselves by winning top medals in international competition.

The competition is fierce so it is good to see the quality of Sherborne Castle Estate being recognised.

Wines in the west country are nothing new. It is true that the Romans first preferred West Sussex, where they built their smartest villas, during their 300 years of occupation. The next lot of invaders to our islands seem to have preferred beer to wine. But when the Normans took control after 1066, there was a resurgence of interest in wine, thanks to a little bit of encouragement from above.

William the Conqueror admired one of his priests, Roger de Caen, because his sermons were shorter and sharper than other clerics. Firstly, he made Roger Bishop, then Chancellor of England. Bishop Roger was left in charge of England when William had 78 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Image: Katharine Davies

to return to France to sort out domestic disputes in Normandy. Headquartered in Sherborne, he built the original castle to house his Norman administration and planted vines to make them feel at home. Thanks to the Domesday Book, that marvellous record of English property, we know the precise details of vine plantings in England.

Once the Normans had settled the country and turned their attention to governance, vineyards were usually created and maintained by the monasteries (the main users of wine) until Henry VIII made his infamous land grab after which winemaking in England seems to have fallen into decline. It was not until 1981 that John Wingfield Digby, a landowner devoted to farm diversification, planted vines on his estate at Wake Court near Sherborne, that vineyard planting began to increase again.

Today, more than 5000 acres are planted, mostly with the grapes that produce top quality sparkling wine. England and Wales are generally considered cool climate white wine producers. Eighty per cent of English wine production is white wine and most of the balance, rosĂŠ. Bottle-fermented sparkling wines are our strongest suit, so Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the long-established key varieties of Champagne, are the preferred grapes.

I am delighted to report that in the 2019 International Wine Competition, English sparkling wines won 10 gold medals. The 2020 competition has

had to be re-arranged, but when it is held, I expect even better results because the 2018 vintage was one of the best yet in England.

Why have English winemakers been so successful?

I think there are four main reasons. Our well-drained, chalky downland soils, with gentle south-east facing slopes, are ideal for making top quality wines. At Sherborne, the limestone soil is basically limestone overlain with clay loam and helps the vines push deep in their search for minerals and water. The second reason is that vines like long hours of gentle sunshine to fully ripen the grapes. Our summers are getting warmer and drier. Thirdly, the best sparkling wines are made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier; the ‘Champagne grapes’ that contribute fruit flavour and freshness to the healthy acidity generated by the soil and climatic conditions. The fourth reason is that we have found some extremely gifted winemakers, often trained in France or elsewhere in the fine wine world, who carry out the viticultural practices essential for fine winemaking.

Great wines come from well sited vineyards that are deep ploughed for aeration in the autumn followed by good pruning on the appropriate vine training scheme.

At Sherborne, the Geneva double curtain system is used to train the leaf canopy downwards in two parallel cordons. By reducing the amount of shade and allowing more direct sunlight, growers get higher quality grapes and higher yields.

Winemaking is a year-round task but, inevitably, the most decisive action takes place at harvest time, usually the beginning of October. The grapes for sparkling wine need to be at the winery as quickly as possible after picking. Sherborne Castle wines are made by Steve Brooksbanks at his winery near Shepton Mallet.

It is essential that grapes for the finest, most delicate sparkling wines get into the fermentation vats as soon as possible after picking and are processed carefully to meet the standards required for regional certification.

Sherborne Estate retains its own fermentation vats, which are prepared for the vintage. Since acidity is vital to freshness, the pressing and fermentation is carried out without any delay and when the fermentation is complete, the wine is bottled, probably in the early Spring, then brought back to Sherborne for maturation.

I like the Sherborne Castle rosé for its fruit flavour (Pinot Noir and Seyval Blanc) and am not surprised it was so highly rated by my colleagues judging the English Wine Awards. Pinot Noir established its

reputation in Burgundy as a classic red wine variety, but it has produced some excellent rosé wines in the west Country. I am sure that as climate change warms up our southern vineyards, they will be producing very acceptable Pinot Noir red wines within a few decades.

The other wine I shall be watching carefully is the Sherborne Castle ‘Special Reserve,’ a crisp, dry, fruity white wine made from four relatively unknown varieties chosen for their suitability to English growing conditions. Now our coastlines are providing us with fresh sea fish and shellfish, we can expect an increase in demand for this style of wine.

Sherborne Castle wines are of particularly interest to me because they reveal the benefits of a wider approach to the diversity of farming in our region. Bishop Roger may have started his first vineyard to make his fellow Normans feel at home in Dorset, but he also indicated where his imported vines grew best.

Global warming may not please everybody, but the winemakers of Dorset will have nothing to complain about if they continue to get enough warmth to fully ripen their grapes every year. As yields increase, prices will fall and those who have had the courage and skill to invest their money and time in English wines will get due reward.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Sherborne Castle Estate Sparkling £23, Vineyards A fantastic, locally-produced fizz that completely over delivers on style and flavour. Some real complexity for an English sparkler.

Sherborne Castle Estate ‘Special Reserve’ White £11, Vineyards A fresh and fruity dry white wine,

predominantly the Seyval grape which grows very well in England. It’s like

having all the stone fruit of a Viognier, but the freshness of an Albariño.

vineyardsofsherborne.co.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 79

elizabethwatsonillustration.com 80 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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Independent veterinary services for livestock in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Collection points for livestock medicines and supplies at Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Blandford and Shaftesbury Please call the office on 01258 472314

www.friarsmoorvets.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 81

Animal Care

GROWING PAINS

Mark Newton-Clarke, MA VetMB PhD MRCVS Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons Annette Shaff/Shutterstock

S

eptember was one of my favourite months when I was young but then later on in life, the spring months seem more cheerful. Maybe not this year but let’s dwell on other things. Since restrictions were eased and we were able to start on the backlog of vaccines, dentals and routine operations, the clinics in Sherborne and Yeovil have never been busier. Into the mix goes a surge of puppies and their problems, and a 82 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

spike in emergency work. With our clients still waiting outside for the essential verbal part of the consultation and pets being taken by us into the buildings for examination and treatment, time management is important. This is a thank you for all the patience shown by owners as the whole process takes longer than normal. The bullet- and virus-proof screens should be up in reception by the time this is read so no waiting

outside in the rain this autumn and winter.

Last month, I chatted about puppies and this month I thought I’d tell you about some classic puppy problems that lead to a visit to the vet - all seen in the last few weeks. So, what do puppies do that lands them up at Swan House? Eat stuff, fall from a height and be unlucky enough to have a congenital problem, for starters. Add to that fleas, ear mites, worms, upset tummies, runny eyes and a rashy or scurfy skin. That shortlist covers just about everything; most of which is worrying for owners and unpleasant for puppy, but easily treated. However, nothing is trivial and really young animals can go downhill rapidly due to their sparse reserves of energy. Testing blood glucose is therefore one of the essential parts of any investigation into a sick puppy.

Let’s go back to my shortlist. ‘Eating stuff ’ is deliberately vague as obviously it depends on whether puppy has gorged on the contents of the recycle bin, slug-bait, a piece of elastic/plastic or drugs - prescription or otherwise - we see it all! The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is excellent for advice to owners (for a fee) if you suspect a toxin has been gobbled down the puppy gullet. The VPIS database on animal poisoning means they can give detailed information to owners and vets, often reassuring that treatment is not needed or guiding best practice if it is. They can be found online but the telephone number is 01202 509000 (last time I checked, 1 minute ago). Let’s hope you don’t need it, for puppy or geriatric alike.

Poisons are one thing, physical obstructions of the gut quite another. Sudden, dramatic and lifethreatening signs of intestinal blockage are seen early in the symptomology (persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, collapse) though I have seen a handful of the tricky-to-diagnose, slow-moving partial obstructions.

I have waited 5 days for a champagne cork to exit a Golden Retriever and 10 days for a bit of plastic to go through a Cockerpoo. Both dogs displayed normal vital signs and remained stable (although closely monitored by blood tests, ultrasound and x-rays) throughout their illness so avoided surgery to remove the offending item.

Less fortunate are those that suffer an intestinal perforation caused by the sharp edge or physical bulk of an intestinal foreign body as it makes its way down the gastrointestinal system. The bacteria in the gut are harmless if they stay there but given access to the peritoneal cavity or blood stream, they can wreak havoc.

Trauma caused by an intestinal foreign body allows this to happen, so we see localised or generalised peritonitis (infection and inflammation of the body cavity) and sepsis as a result. One such case, involving a young Spaniel, came in recently, after two-weeks of going off her food and losing weight, with only a single episode of sickness - nothing dramatic.

I was the first to attend this case and after some careful fingertip searching of the tense abdomen, I could feel something I knew was not normal. But that’s about as far as your fingers can take you, along with a list of likely possibilities in your head. Luckily, my co-worker Kate was on hand to run her ultrasound probe over the troubled abdomen. An hour later, Kate was removing a foot-long section of gut that had been compromised by a sharp piece of plastic, working its way slowly down the intestine. By compromised, I mean perforated and infected, leaking bacteria into peritoneum and blood vessels; a life-threatening situation. Now, chopping out a piece of gut and joining the two ends together is not easy. Imagine trying to create a waterproof seal between two bits of floppy hosepipe using only a piece of cotton.

An inadequate metaphor but illustrative. Anyway, Kate performed her usual miracle and this plastic-hungry puppy was eating again only a few hours after surgery and has made a full recovery.

Pups at height. Not good. Of course not, but 6 inches is big if you’re the same size. Immature bones are not strong, and a short drop can cause fractures. So, for wriggly puppies in arms, hold carefully and firmly; puppies on the ground need to be protected as they are easily stepped on. Two examples this last month, both successfully treated but in very different ways using a mixture of the past and the present. By that I mean an old-fashioned plaster cast for one and some internal Meccano for the other. The method we choose depends on a number of factors. For example, type of fracture, its location - especially how close to a joint, the age of the puppy and unfortunately, financial considerations.

Specialist orthopaedic surgery always runs into the thousands of pounds, so insurance is really important for young puppies, giving everyone peace of mind and the opportunity to get the best treatment available. We offer a free month of insurance, through PetPlan, for puppies coming in for vaccination - very worthwhile if you need it.

Stay safe and well, puppies and owners... newtonclarkevet.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 83

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YogaSherborne Classes online and outside • Small classes and 1-1’s • Hatha Yoga • Relaxation and guided meditation Contact Dawn for more details 07817 624081 @yogasherborne hello@yogasherborne.co.uk Yoga Alliance qualified teacher 84 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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Body and Mind

LOCKDOWN SKIN Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms and The Margaret Balfour Beauty Centre

Avesun/Shutterstock

L

ockdown skin; it’s a thing. It has its own hashtag, Instagram pages and will probably end up in the dictionary.

For many, the initial problems of skin dehydration and dullness concerns came from a rapid change of lifestyle and the loss of normal routines. The ‘every day’s a holiday’ syndrome which, no doubt, involved eating and drinking the wrong things, excessive screen time and probably enjoying too much of the very hot 86 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

weather we had.

Others had these skin concerns due to the extreme stress that materialised as a response to the altered lifestyle factors, where sometimes having several too many glasses of wine a day was a coping mechanism.

Extreme stress causes us to produce the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol, which in turn can lead to weight held around our stomach and adult acne flare ups. Throw lack of sleep, lack of fresh air and enjoying craved sugar fixes

into the mixing pot and our skin is now showing the effects of those months and needs some replenishment to reboot it. Happily, professional skincare therapists are now on hand and able to touch your faces, intensively treat and advise you on how to continue to protect and care for your skin. I personally cannot wait to get on a couch and drift away while my face has a party at the hands of a professional!

The next trial for our faces is the wearing of face coverings or masks. They should always be regularly changed or laundered of course, otherwise they are ineffective in protecting you and others. However, despite wearing a clean face covering, the heat, sweat, make-up and the effect of the compression on the skin creates its own challenges.

At the salons, we are already seeing an increase in blocked pores in our own skins: bumpy complexions and actual, real spots! For me, this was the catalyst for taking the mask-wearing factors seriously. Obviously, because we work in close contact services, we are wearing masks all day, every working day, and so these issues have been sped up and heightened compared to

what you may have noticed at this point.

Deep cleansing and exfoliation are key here, particularly in the regularly covered area but also on the rest of our face and bodies, as we also tend to get hotter when wearing masks and so perspire all over. Use gentle cleansers or soap-free face washes and up your cleaning to twice a day, if you usually only have a night routine.

Change to clay-based cleansers, exfoliants or masks particularly if you start to suffer from skin breakouts.

Treat these individual breakouts with an ‘on the spot’ topical treatment to minimise bacteria and speed up healing. Try not to pick as you will do more damage and an open spot will not like being covered by a mask.

Exfoliating can be upped to twice or three times a week in the jaw line area to smooth the bumps and help the pores to keep clear of blockages and bacteria build up.

As life gets back into some sort of routine, aim for your skin to do the same. thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk margaretbalfour.co.uk

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 87

Body & Mind

THE LONG AND GRINDING ROAD LAND’S END TO BRISTOL

S

Mike Riley, Riley’s Cycles

ince I was encouraging folk last month to take their bikes on adventures, it seemed opportune when my son Matt suggested we ride Land’s End to Bristol. This is the toughest part of the Land’s End John O’Groats (LEJOG) route. He had 4 days available and Grandma would help with childcare at our home, giving respite for our daughter-in-law.

Customer’s work took priority, so, as usual, setting up Matt’s bike and my own were at the bottom of the list.

Matt’s wheels were swapped for a lighter set of Hunt 4 seasons on his Genesis Croix de Fer. I had the same set and fitted them to my Reilly Spectre titanium bike.

88 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

A third bottle cage was added to carry tools, leaving 2 water bottles cages.

I selected Schwalbe G One Speed tubeless tyres because punctures would delay us, and the timetable was tight. These would also suit Matt for commuting duties.

Every possible route has been documented by folk travelling this cycling pilgrimage. I opted for a route which claimed to select the least bad climbs.

I chopped the route into daily sections and created GPX files for each day. If you have not experienced cycle GPS computers, your life has been all the richer.

Compatibility and ease of operation are alien concepts;

I guess developers think cyclists like to suffer, so they make it as hard as possible to use these navigation ‘aids’.

Well-known GPS supplier Garmin, have recently fallen victim to a crippling ransomware attack so their servers were down. After hours, I found a convoluted ‘work around’ to load the routes onto the cycle computer including the elevation profiles.

We split my Lotus bike packing set, so Matt carried the handlebar bag and I had the saddle bag. Hotels were booked for two nights, so minimal kit fitted the two bags. This added a few kilos, especially when water bottles were full.

A spare folding tyre and inner tube each were talismans against punctures with CO2 canisters to inflate tyres. All we took was a spare jersey, minimal après-ride clothing (flipflops, shorts and t-shirt), toiletries, ‘Bum Butter’ chamois cream, chain lube, first aid kit and a few tools and spares.

Penzance, Land’s End, Camborne 59km, 680m, 4:10 hours

After driving the hire van down, we set off at 13.52 along Longrock seafront. It was apparent this was not a cycle-friendly route, as we were confronted with vehicle drivers fighting for parking spaces then a very rough surface. Abandoning the scenic route, we took to the road. After Penzance, at the pretty village of Mousehole, we rode up what felt like a cliff; our first taste of lung-busting climbs. On arrival at Land’s End, after a slight detour via Sennen Cove, it was shrouded in sea mist. After a quick selfie, we rode back to Penzance. Time was getting on, so we put our heads down and pressed on, passing through Hayle, the sea mist again cooled us, and we cracked on until arriving at Tyzacks hotel. The reception was unmanned, so we took the bikes up to our room for security. After showering, we went for a meal figuring all that exercise allowed us to eat the dirtiest options on the menu!

Camborne, Bodmin, Launceston 119km, 1645m, 9:40 hours

A late breakfast service and an ambitious choice of ‘a large Cornish’ meant departure after 09.00. Early navigation issues took us in a circle at Redruth, then a Google shortcut lead round a farm field, followed by walking along an overgrown woodland path to tarmac.

After a pasty pitstop, we were on route for Bodmin moor, an insect hit above my glasses and stung me.

Remembering my GP was stung in a similar place and fell unconscious, I halted. Matt checked it was not a bee

sting and we continued.

The familiar Camel trail was a treat, with a pause at the Blisland Inn to replace fluids before hitting the moor.

The climb to the moor was long, and the plateau covered in low cloud. Matt was anxious to reach the hotel before dinner service stopped; pressing on, our average speed crept up and I shouted a regular countdown of miles remaining for encouragement. The hotel was called Eagles House and guess where eagles nest… on a high point. The room was great and although I was out of place in very casual clothes, we enjoyed a good meal with superb views across countryside we had traversed.

Launceston, Wellington 115.82km, 1248m, 9:38 hours

On a couple of occasions, we met another cyclist called Sammy riding the whole LEJOG route, raising money for the Firefighter’s charity; we chatted while a large dairy herd ambled to milking. The granite way was a highlight and we appreciated crossing railway bridges instead of plunging into valleys, however, there was still a testing climb out of Oakhampton.

This day’s destination was Wellington, where a lift back to Sherborne was planned. The last 10 miles seemed to be routed the most tortuous way possible, adding to the pressure to reach the rendezvous.

Wellington, Bristol 91km, 510m, 7:45 hours

We were weary and sore by now and I would not have objected to stopping, as I had a painful nerve in my buttock. We elected to continue, but with the best will in the world, departing with a baby and toddler around is never quick. Our start at Wellington was later than ideal, but we were very grateful for the lift.

After crossing Somerset levels then Bridgewater canal and River Parrot trails, we decided to call it at Redhill village on the outskirts of Bristol. Again, the clue was in the name and the end point turned out to be atop a killer hill. Just as Matt said, ‘You can carry on, but I am phoning Nathan.’ I saw the sign behind a bush for the recreation hall - what a relief! We loaded up the dusty bikes on my son Nathan’s car and headed to Pensford, the rendezvous point for collection to return to Sherborne. The Riverside Inn had delightful views from the back garden, including a weir and a viaduct, but no food, so our reward was deferred but a cider refreshed me. rileyscycles.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 89

STRENGTHEN THE BODY Image: Stuart Brill

Craig Hardaker, BSc (Hons), Communifit

L

ast month, I wrote about the importance of mental strength. This month, I want to discuss the importance of physical strength; strength training is an important type of activity that should be undertaken at nearly every stage of our lifespan.

With inactivity comes muscle deterioration and weakening. This same process also occurs as we get older, a process referred to as sarcopenia which is an age-related decline of muscle tissue (see previous articles!) When we are 100, we won’t be as strong as when we were 90; at 90, we won’t be as strong as when we were 80 and so on… Once we reach approximately 35 years of age, muscle tissue and bone mineral density begin to deteriorate, which can lead to an increased risk of injury, joint pain and falls.

Although our bodies will weaken, the speed of this is determined by us, what we do and how often we do it.

Fighting the negatives of the ageing process is key to a healthy, happy and independent way of life. Strength or resistance training can assist with slowing this process.

We need to use resistance that will transfer through our bones, muscles and joints. This resistance is what will make us ‘stronger for longer’ and help slow down the natural weakening of the body due to our muscles’ ability to adapt when a stimulus, or stress, is placed on our body. In order to better tolerate this ‘pressure,’ the muscles respond by increasing in size with supporting ligaments, tendons and connective tissue also mounting in strength. Resistance can come in a number of forms.

90 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Here at Communifit, we use body weight, elastic, dumbbells, kettlebells, ankle weights and barbells to name a few.

Structured, targeted and specific strengthening exercise, using resistance, must be completed regularly each week. It is recommended that older adults complete two or more sessions per week of muscle strengthening exercise, focusing on all the major muscle groups. Completing strength training is something that many can do in the comfort of their own home.

You don’t have to buy fancy equipment or a gym membership. It can be activities as simple as: • Slowly sitting and standing from a chair • Pushing up against a wall or kitchen worktop • Rising up onto the balls of your feet • Biceps curls, overhead press, lateral and frontal raises with makeshift dumbbells using jars or milk bottles • Slowly stepping up and down from the back step Not all exercises suit everyone; what may work for one person may not for another. This is where structure and safety are important, and how we can help. During lockdown, we have created exercise sheets, videos and online 1-1 personal training sessions. These have been hugely popular as we seek to invest in our health. If we can help you, please do contact us. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay strong. communifit.co.uk

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Body & Mind

GETTING BACK TO WEIGHTLIFTING SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY

Simon Partridge, BSc (Sports Science) Personal Trainer and Dan Ogden, Strength and Conditioning Coach, SPFit

W

e’ve been delighted to welcome our members back since reopening in July. Most people had not been able to do any weightlifting for 4 months so it was imperative that we started back safely and effectively. One of our favourite coaching phrases, and one particularly applicable to weightlifting, is ‘please leave your ego outside the building’.

Remember, unless you have had access to a full home gym, you will not be able to lift what you did before lockdown. Think long term; it does not matter what you can lift this week, but how much you have progressed by say, Christmas. So, here are some tips to ease you back into your training. These are for the first few months not just a few days.

• Take more time to warm up • Work on your flexibility and mobility, even more than before • Start with a lower volume – use fewer sets then build these up progressively • Start with a lower intensity – slow things down, take your time • Try and rebuild your technique so it is even better than before • Respect all the other gym users • Most importantly – enjoy being back in the gym whatever training you do We love to use the five big lifts: deadlift, squats, bench press, overhead press and pull ups in our weekly strength programmes. Here we’ll focus on the deadlift.

We’ve chosen the deadlift because it is a great exercise to increase overall body strength, improve 92 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

posture and it burns a lot of calories. It is a weight training exercise where a loaded bar is lifted off the ground to the level of the hips, torso perpendicular to the floor, before being placed back on the ground. It is a compound exercise, so it works multiple muscle groups at the same time (quads, glutes, hamstrings, adductors, calf muscles, abdominals and all your muscles in the lower and middle back, as well as the trapezius).

Here are Dan’s coaching cues when performing the deadlift: • Stand with your mid-foot under the barbell, feet approximately shoulder-width apart • Reach down and grip the bar with a shoulder-width grip • Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar • Lift your chest up, squeeze your shoulder blades together, straightening your back • Take a breath in to create tension in your abdomen, hold the breath and drive your feet through the floor standing yourself up • Return the bar to the floor by hinging at your hips, pushing your glutes backwards, whilst keeping a slight knee bend • Once the bar has passed your knees, bend your legs lowering the bar back to the starting position Our own fitness is always about playing the long game.

The pandemic and all its ramifications make being patient and doing everything safely and effectively even more important. Remember the old saying, work smarter not harder. Please make sure you have fun and just enjoy being back in the gym. Good luck everyone. spfit-sherborne.co.uk

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Body & Mind

FATIGUE FOLLOWING COVID-19 AND VIRAL INFECTION

Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom GP & Complementary Practitioner

O

ne of the commonest symptoms that patients are complaining of following Covid-19 infection is fatigue. This is often the case following other viral infections such as flu and glandular fever. The fatigue is not relieved by rest, not present before the infection and is now having a significant impact on quality of life. The other common symptoms are difficulties with concentration, memory ‘brain fog’, unrefreshing sleep, flu-like symptoms, along with recurrent sore throats, gland swelling and balance problems.

The reason for the lethargy and the other symptoms is the effect of the viral infection on the immune system. It has been either damaged or malfunctioning in a way that is not understood. The components of the blood that normally fight viral infections are reduced, particularly the Natural Killer (NK) white blood cells.

Inflammatory markers in the blood are also elevated which suggests ongoing inflammation and sub-optimal restoration of the immune system.

The impact of this post-viral fatigue on a previously fit person can be devastating; there is a prolonged and significant effect on occupation, personal relationships, education, social and personal activities.

As the exhaustion and associated symptoms follow a viral infection such as Covid-19 there is no doubt in the diagnosis. However, if there had been some symptoms prior to this, other treatable causes of fatigue or the other presenting symptoms must be excluded and referred to the patient’s general medical practitioner.

Red flag symptoms such as unexplained weight loss and other symptoms suggestive of cancerous conditions

94 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

must be reported to the GP. Post-viral fatigue has a variable and fluctuating outcome. It is still early days in our full understanding of recovery from Covid-19 but many patients take a considerable time to recover. Eventually, the fatigue passes but there is often a fluctuating pattern of good and bad periods of health in the process. Until then, it can be very frustrating because of the effect it is having on quality of life.

As explained earlier the widespread cause of the post-viral fatigue and other symptoms is an overactive immune response leading to damaged tissues and imbalanced body systems. Therefore, the strategies for recovery must be aimed at repair and rebalance.

In order for the body to repair itself, it must be provided with the supportive healing components of a healthy balanced diet, reinforced with Vitamin D, Omega 3 fish oils, Zinc, Vitamin B Complex and a probiotic for the immune system.

A clear understanding of energy management is essential for the recovery from post-viral fatigue and Covid-19. It is important to be aware of energy saving strategies, by learning pacing techniques and avoidance of ‘over doing it’. Equally important are strategies to gain energy; these are chiefly by attending to sleep hygiene with a strict bedtime routine, muscle conditioning and stress reduction. Techniques such as meditative mindfulness, yoga and gentle limited exercise will all be needed to aid recovery. doctorTWRobinson.com glencairnHouse.co.uk

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elizabethwatsonillustration.com 96 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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Property

CAN SOCIAL MEDIA SAVE OUR HIGH STREET? Cath Rapley, Lodestone Property Photoroyalty/Shutterstock

I

t’s hardly new news that the British High Street has long been searching for a new identity - just like the beloved Cheap Street in Sherborne. Can you believe it was nearly 10 years ago that retail guru Mary Portas was commissioned by the (then) Prime Minister, David Cameron to revive town centres?

A decade later and the impact of Coronavirus is accelerating its decline. According to the BBC, market intelligence firm Springboard has suggested there was a 40% drop in footfall in July. We’ve seen many familiar names go into administration, like Laura Ashley, Oasis and Virgin Media, while countless small businesses and sole traders struggled to survive. Conversely there’s been an up to 40% rise in online sales.

But if the High Street as we know it is on its way 98 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

out, shouldn’t we just accept change is natural? After all, we started switching from grocer shops to supermarkets in the 1950’s and now they’re the norm – although retail parks are often criticised for taking the heart out of towns. So what is it that evokes such fondness in us for this row of shops and cafes?

One reason is that it originated a safe space to meet – and is still seen as that today. ‘The High Street came about in the 1870’s,’ explains social historian Juliet Gardiner. ‘Because of urbanisation, people no longer had the facilities to grow food themselves.’ Then with the Suffragette movement in Edwardian times, shopping became an important leisure activity for women because they wanted somewhere respectable to go in their free time, unaccompanied by men. As a

result, tea shops and department stores were born.

Thus, modern retail has historically provided spaces in which people can come together to talk and eat, as well as do business – activities so important for our wellbeing. However, just as fast fashion overtook haberdashers in the 1960’s, we aren’t spending our time and money in the way we used to – and the pandemic accelerated this trend dramatically. But there is hope.

Many small operators who were forced to pivot during lockdown used social media to their advantage and if others could embrace similar strategies to combine the virtual and ‘in real life’ worlds, this could result in a thriving modern high street.

It’s all about thinking, and in many cases working, on your feet. Take Jane Wood, the owner of Oliver’s Coffee Shop in Cheap Street, who suddenly found herself running the business entirely by herself after furloughing her staff. ‘She was using Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to advertise the fact that the business was still here and that she was cooking and making cakes,’ says her manager Mandi Domoney, holding the fort while Jane takes a well-earned rest. ‘Instagram was particularly effective – she put a picture of a sponge on over Easter and had 18 orders that day. She’d put up a photo of a traybake of brownies and they’d be gone within the hour. People were looking for comfort and familiarity and Jane could provide it quickly.’ She cemented her place in people’s affections by being visible in this time of crisis which should stand her in good stead for the future.

Social media executive Millie Neville-Jones, from Sherborne marketing agency Lolly, explains how several other local businesses also harnessed the power of social media too, citing Vineyards, the independent wine shop in Sherborne, who started broadcasting virtual winetastings on Instagram Live and were really successful in keeping in contact with their customers. ‘They were able to talk directly to locals but also reach a wider audience,’ she explains, ‘and were authentic and spontaneous which is what you need to be.’

It wasn’t only the High Street businesses that embraced social media though – the self-employed and the creative, were equally inventive. The Jerram Gallery introduced virtual tours. Dorset artist Paul Newman, also an event co-ordinator for Somerset Art Works, took part in the #artistsupportpledge on Instagram, where artists sell their pieces at more affordable prices ‘something we don’t usually do because we are careful not to undervalue our work,’ says Paul. Once they have

sold £1,000 worth of their work, they pledge to buy another artist’s creation, keeping the money flowing.

For Paul, the experience of selling via social media has boosted his confidence and skills when it comes to promoting his work and he hopes to incorporate this into the way he works when things ease fully.

32-year-old personal trainer Craig Hardaker, from Sherborne, also thrived – eventually.

‘Looking back, I panicked when lockdown was first introduced,’ he remembers. His business, Communifit, runs classes for all ages and abilities but specialises in teaching fitness in nursing and care homes. His work is as much about community as it is wellness, having created fitness programmes for the elderly when he noticed his grandmother wither away in a home. ‘I wondered how I was going to survive, as I obviously wasn’t able to go into teach face-to-face any more.’ But as he had over 17K followers on Instagram, he soon realised that he had an established network of people he could reach out to. This meant he quickly spread the word that he was running virtual classes and personal training sessions, even instructing a 92-year-old lady using FaceTime, which he describes as ‘pretty special.’ Craig felt comforted that he had a lot of people rooting for him and that the Sherborne business community supported each other online through this time too.

Together they created an Facebook account called Sherborne Viral Kindness, in which many businesses and residents participated in doing good works for each other – you may have been one of them.

So, where the High Street was once innovative in providing physical communal spaces for connection, it seems the internet can now also facilitate that urge we have to interact in a changed world, especially if we combine both elements of virtual and real-life. Some companies already do this very successfully; we like to think that Lodestone Property has balanced the perfect combination of old and new. Simon Neville-Jones, our Dorset manager, feels that the marriage of physical offices alongside using social media to communicate with clients has increased our reach. He also has a personal connection to Sherborne, ‘It is my local high street, so I have a keen interest in it and if businesses could continue to use both the old and new ways of business, there’s a very promising future ahead.’

I couldn’t agree more. lodestoneproperty.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 99

Architecture

Image: Dawn Addison, Raise Architects

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

I

Andy Foster, Raise Architects

’m about to start designing.

But before I can put pencil to paper, I am faced with a host of questions. What strategies will I use? Can I give the client what they want? Will my design be any good? All projects start in this way, but frustratingly the design process isn’t linear, and simply answering these questions won’t lead me to the final design. First, I must take a leap of faith and come up with a solution, then test it to see which questions 100 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

it answers. If it doesn’t answer the right questions, it will be time to start again.

This particular project involves a Grade II listed former vicarage. Its layout is familiar: mature trees rise from behind a tall boundary wall; impressive entrance gates lead to a gravelled forecourt with the well-proportioned redbrick house beyond; an entrance porch with a shallow stone arch shelters an ornate front door; elegant chimneys extend the brickwork

high above the eaves line of the steeply pitched roofs.

The extensive gardens wrap around to the south, while to the north a further gated entrance leads to a service courtyard and coach house.

The owner of the property can’t provide a detailed brief for her project since, at this stage, neither of us can predict what might be possible. She can, however, articulate the problem. Designed for staff, the service end of the house comprises several relatively small spaces that face the forecourt. These include the kitchen, scullery and pantry. Her question is, how can the house be modified to suit contemporary living with a large family kitchen and dining area that opens on to the garden? And how can this be achieved without compromising this fine listed building?

Some initial research reveals that the house dates from 1877 and is attributed to a prominent local architect of the period. However, certain uncharacteristic aspects of the design make me question if this is true. Anecdotal advice suggests that the house was the vicarage to the village church. This would almost be believable except that the church is a quarter of a mile away and the house sits adjacent to a Presbyterian chapel. It therefore seems more likely to have belonged to the chapel. But how does one account for the relative scale and grandeur of the house compared with the austere nature of the chapel?

A chance discovery of an image of the minister gives an insight into life in the 1880s. It shows him with his family, building a snowman in the garden while the housekeeper looks on from a downstairs window. Reference to early Ordnance Survey maps reveals that the house was substantially extended soon after completion. Why did the original design prove inadequate? What is the story of the minister and his family?

In carrying out a dimensional survey, I realise that the service end of the house has been altered over the years, but it is difficult to identify the precise original layout. There are no original fittings in this area, so I can’t tell if the kitchen had a range with a back boiler to provide hot water, nor whether the house was built with flushing toilets. Close to the rear door, there is a well. Could water have been hand-pumped to a tank in the house? There were so many improvements happening to domestic sanitation at the time, but what was installed in this house? Perhaps the best of what was available?

In a project like this, I have to answer the question

"Little is known about the first occupants and their circumstances, although one image provides a tantalising glimpse of family life" posed by the client, but I also have to respect the original house. In some ways, it is as if I have more than one client, only one of which can provide me with straight answers. But there is another ‘client’ who I have to consider too, and that is the Local Authority Conservation Officer. Their support is vital since we will need Listed Building Consent for any alterations, but what will they think? And will I be able to persuade them that my, yet to be realised, design is sympathetic and complementary to this protected building? To this end, I must do what I believe is right and not fall into the trap of second-guessing the questions that they may have.

In summary: I have a client who can’t fully articulate a brief because what is possible is currently unknown; there are no original drawings and no confirmation of the original architect; little is known about the first occupants and their circumstances, although one image provides a tantalising glimpse of family life; there is a lack of knowledge of the precise layout and fittings in the original service quarters; and I have no idea what the Conservation Officer will think of my future proposals.

It is in this context that I must begin. The answers to the questions raised, fascinating and intriguing as they may be, will not tell me what to design.

Many things will have to remain unresolved, time is pressing, and I need to deliver. Such is the messy start to most projects. Coming up with a coherent response is both the challenge and the joy of what I do. What will I come up with? I’m about to find out.

How will I know if it’s any good? From experience, I have found that the quality of the solution will be gauged by the extent to which it feels ‘just right’.

When the client says simply, ‘yes, I like it.’ And when the design, and its impact on the original house, begs no further questions raisearchitects.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 101

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Legal

WHAT DOES THE STAMP DUTY HOLIDAY MEAN FOR YOU? Natalie Howell, Chartered Legal Executive, Mogers Drewett

T

he chancellor last month announced a temporary holiday on stamp duty on the first £500,000 of all property sales in England and Northern Ireland.

The tax threshold has been temporarily raised until 31st March 2021 to boost the property market and help buyers struggling because of the coronavirus crisis.

Here I explain your Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) liability both now, while the nil rate band has been temporarily increased, and after March 2021, when the stamp duty holiday ends.

What is Stamp Duty Land Tax? (SDLT)

Stamp Duty is a tax you pay if you buy a residential property or a piece of land in England and Northern Ireland. While often referred to as Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), that’s only the name in England and Northern Ireland – it’s different in Scotland and Wales, where it’s known as ‘land and buildings transaction tax’ and ‘land transaction tax’ respectively.

The crucial thing to know about SDLT, if you’re buying in England or Northern Ireland, is that you have 14 days from the date of completion to pay Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Take longer than 14 days and you could face a fine and possibly interest on top.

own property and property investors.

During the time that the ‘stamp duty holiday’ is in force, buyers will only start paying SDLT on amounts above £500,000. For those purchasing a second property while they will still benefit from the ‘stamp duty holiday’ they are still required to pay the additional 3% SDLT surcharge for additional dwellings.

What will I pay after the stamp duty holiday ends?

From the 1st April 2021 the reduced rates applicable during the ‘stamp duty holiday’ will revert to the rates of SDLT that were in place prior to 8th July 2020.

In England, every property transaction completed in excess of £125,000 is liable to pay SDLT at varying levels depending on the cost of the property and if it is a second property.

Property Price

SDLT Rate

Second Property

Up to £125,000

0%

+3%

£125,001 to £250,000

2%

+3%

£250,001 to £925,000

5%

+3%

£925,001 to £1.5m

10%

+3%

£1.5m +

12%

+3%

How much stamp duty will I pay now?

At the moment, any residential property transactions that complete between 8th July 2020 and 31st March 2021, the Chancellor has announced a temporary ‘stamp duty holiday’ whereby the nil rate band has increased from £125,000 to £500,000. This applies to everyone including first time buyers, those who already 104 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

If you are planning on buying or selling a residential property, it is important that you appoint a specialist residential property lawyer to act for you to ensure your interests are protected at all times. mogersdrewett.com

mogersdrewett.com Sherborne | Bath | Wells

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Finance

Many people reading these articles would naturally assume that it is logical for people ‘in the know’ to be able to beat market returns. Sadly all of the evidence points to the fact that when outperformance appears it is through luck rather than judgement. In the article below, television producer and writer Dave Goetsch understands that it is long-term returns that are important, much akin to FFP’s The Art and Science of Investing.

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

A TRANSFORMED INVESTOR’S REACTION TO CORONAVIRUS

T

Dave Goetsch, Executive Producer, The Big Bang Theory

he news is full of stories about Coronavirus. It’s scary. My 10-year-old son came home from school today worried about it. We don’t know how many people this will infect, nor how it will impact the world economy. This is exactly the kind of thing that would have freaked me out 20 years ago, spiked my blood pressure, and made me glad that all my money was in cash. Back then, I would have seen this story as yet another piece of evidence for why I chose not to invest in stocks. Because I couldn’t predict the future. ‘Why invest when you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow?’ I would ask no one in particular.

One of the great gifts in my life has been learning that I can still invest without needing to know what is going to happen tomorrow, because I’m a long-term investor.

It’s been 20 years since Y2K (Year 2000), 12 years since the financial crisis, 10 years since H1N1 (swine flu), and six years since the Ebola outbreak. Any money I might have invested right before Y2K (which hit on the heels of the Asian financial crisis of 1997), and left through all those ups and downs, would have turned out fine—as long as I was widely diversified, with low costs.

I don’t plan on touching the money I have in the market for 20 years. So, when it’s 2040 and I look back at the coronavirus story of 2020, what will I think? Honestly, I don’t know. I gave up trying to predict the future a long time ago. But based on nearly 100 years of market data, I am choosing to be a long-term investor. I believe that the reason I get a good return over decades and not months is because markets are uncertain. If they weren’t, we’d call them a savings account. For me, riding out these ups and downs is not only one of the best ways to build a portfolio, it’s the most stress-free way of living.

I might be wrong, but decades of financial science suggest it’s a sensible course, and that’s good enough for me.

Article reproduced with permission. Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd ffp.org.uk

106 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 107

Tech

RANSOMWARE… AGAIN! James Flynn, Milborne Port Computers

Ransomware /'ræn.səm.weər/

noun.

‘A type of malicious software designed

to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid.’

So, as I write this month’s article and after completing my internet research on the subject, I find yet another global company has been hit with ‘ransomware.’ Canon USA is sadly the victim, although we do not know at this point how serious the attack is. This is now becoming one of the most worrying factors in the computing world. The reason for re-visiting this topic is because of the increase of larger companies being targeted by hackers over the last month and the amount of media coverage it has received. Plus, how it affects you as ‘end users.’

Some of you may have heard of the technology company Garmin. They were hit with ransomware late last month which crippled most of their website, email, chat, aviation data and of course, the ability to upload activities from its GPS devices for running and cycling.

This blackout lasted quite a few days and Garmin was bombarded by the general public for answers via social media but releasing little information on the attack.

The worrying thing about this attack is that Garmin ‘unofficially’ paid the ransom for the encryption key and this is how they got their systems back up and running.

This potentially means the attack was so bad that it encrypted all of its user’s data and it would cost more 108 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

to re-write all new systems than paying the millions of dollars to the hackers. Now, our advice to the general public would be to NEVER pay the ransom, as there is no guarantee that you will get the encryption key and your money will probably just disappear.

Don’t be fooled into thinking just because these hacks are happening to companies that they are less likely to target you. How can you avoid this? You can’t stop the incoming email if you are unfortunate enough to get one, but you can be vigilant and savvy enough to realise that it is a scam. Firstly, if in doubt, just delete the email! The new development is that the scam email that you receive to start things off now includes your name and address, as well as being well written without the usual spelling mistakes and Americanisms.

Secondly, you should have good anti-virus software to block the virus, and ensure you have a good backup system, either online or on a removable drive that is not permanently connected to your computer. Thirdly, DO NOT let random people onto your computer remotely to sort out your internet problems (or Amazon account that you don’t even have!) This is an extremely easy way to leave the virus on your computer.

I know in the current situation it is hard to try and keep on top of all these things, but I will leave you with this: ‘your computer is only as good as your last backup’ As always, you know where to come! computing-mp.co.uk

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Short Story

A TALK TO SCHOOL LEAVERS Jenny Campbell, Sherborne Scribblers

‘F

or the past thirty-three years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: if today was the last day of my life, would I do what I am about to do today? And whenever an answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.’

The person who said that was Steve Jobs, the American business magnate who died from pancreatic cancer in 2011. Was he talking about the voice of conscience, do you think? Perhaps. But he may also have been talking about that still, small voice inside each one of us which defines WHO and WHAT we truly are. In Hamlet, Shakespeare, as always, had exactly the right words for it: ‘To thine own self be true; and it shall follow, as the night the day, thou canst not, then, be false to any man.’

During my own school days, there were two occasions when I did not so much listen to that still, small voice as recognise two subjects which made my heart sing. The first was writing – or composition as it used to be called – and led to entering my first writing competition, in the Bournemouth Daily Echo. The subject was ‘The Island I Would Most Like to Visit’ and the competition was run in conjunction with the local Gaumont cinema to promote a film called The African Queen. It was open to all age groups and I, at fourteen, wrote about Hawaii which came second to a middle-aged entrant’s Easter Island; but that love of writing has continued throughout my life and given me so much pleasure over the years, not least in the likeminded friends I have made.

Despite an eventual career in nursing, I have also pursued another interest which began with my first French lesson at school. The sheer joy of being able to communicate in another language was a revelation to me and I still remember the shock of that realisation. Decades later, nearing sixty, I did a 3-year Open University French Diploma course which included

110 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

two summer schools at Caen University where we had to speak French for the entire week - not easy when we had so much grammar, translation and dictation at school, with very little conversation. I have enrolled in several French courses since and still struggle orally, but continue to love reading in that language.

So, what I’m saying to you is this: when you hear that voice inside you – be it in a matter of conscience, relationships, work, hobbies or whatever – don’t ignore it. Because that is truly YOU and it is a voice which will serve you well throughout your life.

I began this talk with a quotation, and I am going to finish with a few more. ‘PLAN B,’ said the actor, Sylvester Stallone (probably in some film or other), ‘you’ve always gotta have a PLAN B.’ Boris Johnson must certainly have wished he had a PLAN B at the start of the Covid crisis because, as somebody else wrote: ‘Success in life is not how well we execute PLAN A. It is how smoothly we cope with PLAN B.’ To put it another way, in the song by Bob Newhart, a 20th century American entertainer: Be prepared!

That’s the boy scouts’ marching song, be prepared…

You can’t, of course, be prepared for every situation in life. Sometimes, stuff just happens and we have to deal with the resulting challenges as best we can. Speak to anyone, in their quieter, confiding moments, and you will find that, regardless of how successful, confident or untroubled they may appear to be, they have all had to cope with the unexpected. And what I have learnt is that life goes on, the sun always comes out eventually and until it does, we have to emulate members of the SAS whose motto is: ADAPT, IMPROVISE AND OVERCOME. One last thing: If neither PLAN A nor PLAN B work, always remember that there are 24 more letters in the alphabet. So, stay cool, keep calm – and have a GREAT life!

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 111

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AUGUST SOLUTIONS

ACROSS 1. University lessons (8) 5. At a distance (4) 9. Group of notes played simultaneously (5) 10. Less dirty (7) 11. Duplication (12) 13. Remove from a container (6) 14. Dancing clubs (6) 17. Verification (12) 20. Changed gradually (7) 21. The Hunter (constellation) (5) 22. Loop of cloth worn around the waist (4) 23. Jewel (8)

DOWN 1. Scottish lake (4) 2. Type of photographic shot (5-2) 3. Perform below expectation (12) 4. Encrypt (6) 6. Spore-producing organisms (5) 7. Scarceness (8) 8. Detailed reports (12) 12. Meat sellers (8) 15. Spicy Spanish sausage (7) 16. Smear or blur (6) 18. Sheltered places (5) 19. A single time (4)

112 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

Literature

LITERARY REVIEW Jonathan Stones, Sherborne Literary Society

Rag and Bone: A Family History of What We’ve Thrown Away

by Lisa Woollett (John Murray 2020), £20 Sherborne Times Reader Offer Price of £18 from Winstone’s Books

T

he author, a lifelong mudlarker and beachcomber, is searching for traces of her ancestors; a succession of scavengers and dustmen who eked out a living among the stews of the Thames embankment in the last two centuries. But while digging up unconsidered trifles in the ooze of the great river, her keen social historian’s eye takes her up and beyond ancient stairways leading into the former heartlands of her ancestors lives. Informed both by her own imaginative empathy and her meticulous researches (she frequently quotes, for instance, from Henry Mayhew’s ground-breaking work published in 1851, ‘London Labour and the London Poor’), she employs her gift for evocative imagery in often intriguing revelations.

Did you know, for example, that in an attempt to curtail the outbreaks of bubonic plague, which had broken out in the area in the fourteenth century, Smithfield’s butchers were instructed to dump their waste in the Fleet to keep it off the streets, and that Pudding Lane derives its name from the entrails – ‘puddings’ - that slipped from their carts on the way to the Thames?

But when the author travels down the estuary into the North Kent marshes and winds up on the Isle of Sheppey, the mood gradually darkens as she encounters the waste created by the radical changes in our culture in the middle of the last century, brought about by the combination of planned obsolescence and industriallyinduced consumption. By the time we arrive at Whitsand Bay in Cornwall, where she now lives, apocalypse beckons. There she observes, after a storm,

that ‘plastic still carpeted much of the sand, graded in ever smaller pieces as it ranged down the beach’. And in the pools, we find that much of the floating debris is made up of ‘nurdles’. These are resin pellets, about the size of lentils; the raw material that is melted to make almost all the plastic we buy – from carrier bags to plastic chairs. Never meant to be seen by consumers, they will have been lost in industry spills during transport and manufacture. Being small and light, they are easily blown by the wind as they enter our waterways and eventually end up in the oceans, where seabirds and fish mistake them for food.

‘Today, like other microplastics, nurdles turn up on the most remote beaches and are found throughout the world’s oceans.’

Filter feeders are among the organisms worst affected by microplastics. A single mussel can filter up to twenty litres of seawater in a day – leaving them vulnerable to ingesting microplastics drifting in the water. Blue whales are also filter feeders. The recent ban on oyster farming in Chichester harbour because of an 80% decline in their population, as a direct result of this ingestion of toxins, is but one example of the disastrous effect plastics are having on the environment.

That our wastefulness is already having dire consequences is now incontrovertible - the only questions which remain: what we are going to do about it and do we have the will to do so before it is too late?

This deceptively important book is an urgent warning which we ignore at our peril.

James Rebanks English Pastoral 'Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016’ 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128

A new James Rebanks is always an event. The No.1 bestselling author returns with a stirring history of family, loss and the land over three generations on a Lake District farm. Highly recommended.

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PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

O

Reverend Jono Tregale, St Paul’s Church

rdinarily in September, a ‘pause for thought’ might reflect on the summer now drawn to an end – holidays enjoyed, travels returned from, friends spent time with. But this year, things have been different. For many people, long prepared plans have been thwarted, trips cancelled and fewer options on offer. And for some, it has been a summer of anxiety, uncertainty and even of unexpected loss. It hasn’t been the summer we were all hoping for in March. Many will be feeling just as exhausted as at the beginning of the summer; some will have increased worry as the economy struggles to recover, perhaps fearful of a ‘second wave’ and further lockdown.

What will the future look like for us and for our children and grandchildren? For those heading to university, will they be confined to their bedrooms watching lectures online?

For those at the end of their education, will there be jobs for them in their chosen field, or indeed any jobs at all? For those wanting to move home, will it be possible? Much has changed; much remains very uncertain.

And the church finds itself in that same position as the rest of the nation. After four months of not being able to meet in its buildings for worship – unprecedented in its history – it has gathered again over the summer but without singing, socially-distanced and masked. It has never been like this before. Well, not quite. But as an institution, as a ‘community of faith,’ it has been through crisis before – wars, famines and plagues – and it has survived, perhaps even come through stronger than before. The story of faith sustaining each generation and passed on to the next. Stories of resilience, heroism, compassion, hope. And here, in Sherborne, a continuous story since the foundation of the Abbey over 1,300 years ago.

It is this rich resource of the past which enables the church to look forward with hope. We may not have been able to celebrate Easter in our churches but the resurrection of Jesus, death to life, is the most hopeful act of history. That all is not lost, that darkness will turn to light. Rich resources of the past enabling us to face the future with hope. It’s not a promise that things will return to normal – the normal we used to know – but that faith will endure, that prayer, worship and caring will not cease.

What resources in your past, or experiences you’ve been through, will act as a rich reserve to enable you to face the future with confidence? Are there stories within your own life, or those of parents and grandparents, which might help to sustain you through the uncertainties of the future? Stories of courage, of determination, of resilience, perhaps even of faith. Treasure them, carry them closely, ‘pause for thought’. stpauls-sherborne.org.uk

114 | Sherborne Times | September 2020

TATLER SCHOOLS AWARDS 2020 ‘BEST HEAD OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL’

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