NOVEMBER 2023 | FREE
A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR
ENSEMBLE CAST with The Newt in Somerset
sherbornetimes.co.uk
WELCOME
I
t’s probably time to dismantle the pool. I’m not kidding anyone into thinking there’s still hope of a day warm enough for a dip. It was hard enough over the so-called summer, as I stood nobly up to my nobblies in uncomfortably cold water, attempting to rouse enthusiasm only to be met with pitying glances from behind phones and firmly closed windows. The days spent preparing the ground, repairing tears and dutifully maintaining chlorine levels make it hard to admit defeat, but having a pool up in your garden in late autumn is, I concede, a bit weird. And so to November… Rebecca de Pelet falls for Portland, Peter Henshaw takes the scenic route to Milborne Port, and Archie O’Shaughnessy is off to Merzouga in a 1985 Renault 4. Simon Ford celebrates our rainforests, Julius Roberts treats us to a stew by the fire while Val Stones rustles up some toffee apples. Claire and Katharine meanwhile, sneak a peek behind the curtain at The Newt in Somerset and meet some of the many talented characters involved in this extraordinary reinterpretation of the traditional country estate. Oh, and Clare Balding joins us. Which is always nice. Have a great month. Glen Cheyne, Editor glen@homegrown-media.co.uk @sherbornetimes
CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne
Lisa Avey-Hebditch
Peter Henshaw
Fiery Fox Candles
Sherborne Transport Action Group
Design Andy Gerrard
Bill Bennette
Sarah Hitch
Sherborne Scribblers
The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms and
Photography Katharine Davies
Elisabeth Bletsoe
Features writer Claire Bowman Editorial assistant Helen Brown Social media Jenny Dickinson Print Stephens & George Distribution team Jan Brickell Barbara and David Elsmore Douglas and Heather Fuller The Jackson Family David and Susan Joby Mary and Roger Napper Jean and John Parker Hayley Parks Mark and Miranda Pender Claire Pilley Caspar Sheffield Joyce Sturgess Ionas Tsetikas Lesley Upham Paul Whybrew
The Margaret Balfour Beauty Centre Sherborne Museum
Richard Hughes Avena Carpets
Yvonne Bright ReBorne Community Church
James Hull The Story Pig
Richard Bromell ASFAV Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers
Clifton Jelbert Sherborne Douzelage
Mike Burks The Gardens Group
Lucy Lewis Dorset Mind
Paula Carnell Sarah Littlewood BSc DVM MRCVS Cindy Chant & John Drabik
Kingston Equine Vets
David Copp
Chris Loder MP
Heather Crewe
Taff Martin
Oxley Sports Centre
Sherborne Chamber
Rosie Cunningham
Paul Maskell The Beat and Track
Rebecca de Pelet b-side
Tom Matkevich The Green Restaurant
Amelia Etherington Gillian Nash James Flynn
PO Box 9701 Sherborne DT9 9EU 07957 496193 @sherbornetimes info@homegrown-media.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk ISSN 2755-3337
Milborne Port Computers
Paul Newman & Emma Tabor
Simon Ford
Suzy Newton Newt & Dyl
John Gaye Sherborne Literary Society Andrew Graham
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 | November 2023
Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons
Sherborne-Ezo Link Archie O’Shaughnessy Jessica Gregory Mogers Drewett Solicitors
Sherborne Times is printed on an FSC® and EU Ecolabel certified paper. It goes without saying that once thoroughly well read, this magazine is easily recycled and we actively encourage you to do so.
Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS
Emma Rhys Thomas Art of Confidence
Craig Hardaker Communifit
Mark Salter CFP Fort Financial Planning
Andy Hastie Yeovil Cinematheque Lucy Hawkins
Val Stones Joanna Williams Sherborne Town Council
James Henderson Sherborne School and Sherborne Abbey
Max Windham Sherborne School
80 6
Art & Culture
NOVEMBER 2023 76 Antiques
134 Finance
24 What’s On
80 The Newt
136 Legal
28 Community
89 Gardening
140 Tech
48 Family
92 Home
142 Short Story
58 Science & Nature
98 Food & Drink
144 Crossword
66 On Foot
111 Animal Care
145 Literature
72 History
118 Body & Mind
146 Pause for Thought
OPENING SPRING 2024 Unearth the hidden secrets of Sherborne House, and gain exclusive insight into what lies ahead for its new life as The Sherborne.
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Art & Culture
ARTIST AT WORK
No.60 Bend In The River, Lucy Hawkins Acrylic on Khadi paper, 60 x 76 cm, £595
I
am drawn to the wilder places of the Southwest such as Exmoor, North Devon and West Penwith, alongside the gentler beauty of the Somerset Levels or Dorset’s Marshwood Vale. I like to take my paints outside and work on location to capture a true experience of being within a landscape – how it feels and what it looks like. I aim to use an expressive visual language of colour and mark-making to create immediacy and a sense of place, which sometimes leans towards abstraction. Bend in the River was painted on the banks of the River Parrett in Somerset. I’ve visited the river at various points during its journey and through different seasons. This was painted on a hot day in the height of summer when the trees and foliage were lush and at their greenest, the river languid and cool. There are some good swimming spots on the Parrett so this really 6 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
was an immersive experience! Camping out, exploring and painting on Exmoor has been my latest project; capturing the deep woodland valleys, streams and stunning open moorland painting en plein air. This series of paintings will be exhibited at Lanacre Gallery, Withypool on Exmoor in November. Lucy is Head of Art at Beaminster Secondary School in Dorset. lucyhawkinsartwork.co.uk lucytiptop
___________________________________________ Saturday 18th November - Sunday 3rd December Lucy Hawkins Exhibition Lanacre Barn Gallery, Withypool, Exmoor moorlandart.com
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招待 / Invitation: Niwaki HQ Winter Open Day Great gifts from Japan for keen gardeners, craftspeople and homemakers, incorporating our popular biannual samples and seconds sale.
Saturday 18 November 10am–3pm Niwaki HQ Showroom 7 Chaldicott Barns Semley, SP7 9AW 1 min from A350 8 min from A303
Great stuff from Japan for the garden, workshop & home
Art & Culture
ON FILM
Andy Hastie, Yeovil Cinematheque
R
uben Ostlund is a Swedish director with a reputation for pricking the pomposity of the ultra-rich and their privileged leisure. He first came to the attention of Cinematheque members in 2015 with his breakthrough film Force Majeure. This savagely funny tale of Tomas and Ebba, a couple with two young children at an exclusive ski resort won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Whilst eating at a terrace restaurant, the family are involved in an unexpected avalanche which swamps the diners, crashing into the tables. They are split up in the mayhem but reunited later. All is well until CCTV footage of the event shows that Tomas, rather than protecting his family, is seen legging it, leaving behind his wife and children to their possible fate. Needless to say, this doesn’t go down well with Ebba, as the rest of this very dark comedy chronicles the breakdown of their marriage, piercing commonly-held stereotypes of what a man’s role should be in the modern world. Force Majeure was soon followed by The Square (2017), a Palme D’or winner at Cannes. It tells the tale of Christian, a self-important curator of a contemporary art museum in Stockholm. In the latest exhibition, a pretentious installation called The Square is centre stage. It is Christian’s unfortunate way of publicising this piece that backfires and in this hilariously cynical black comedy, it is the modern art world and the influence of social media that are parodied mercilessly. Ruben Oslund cements his position as one of contemporary cinema’s leading satirists with his latest work Triangle of Sadness (2022), which Cinematheque shows at the Swan Theatre on 1st November. Yet again a Palme D’or winner, this is a riotously funny put-down of the super-rich, online influencers and high fashion. Beautiful couple Carl and Yaya are fashion models and are offered free places on a luxury cruise. They find 8 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Triangle of Sadness (2022)
themselves on a super yacht with a Russian oligarch, two arms dealers, a tech millionaire and various other candidates for the worst of symbolic late capitalism. The captain (a superb Woody Harrelson) is a Marxist alcoholic, running an increasingly chaotic ship with a disgruntled immigrant crew. With this upstairs-downstairs set-up, the inevitable disaster strikes and everyone’s world is literally turned upside down. Moving backwards and forwards through acerbic black comedy, farce and gross-out humour, this entertaining, unsubtle satire lampoons the wealthy, bringing karma to the service workers, but it also shows that when role reversal occurs the oppressed can quickly become the oppressors. With beauty as currency, one of the shallow underlying themes, a ‘triangle of sadness’ is apparently a term used by plastic surgeons for the worry wrinkle that forms between the eyebrows, removable by botox. Following in the footsteps
of Lina Wertmuller’s Swept Away (1974) and Luis Bunuel’s Exterminating Angel (1962), Triangle of Sadness is a class conflict satire for our time.
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cinematheque.org.uk swan-theatre.co.uk
Members £1, guests £5
Wednesday 1st November 7.30pm Triangle of Sadness (2022) Cinematheque, Swan Theatre, 138 Park St, Yeovil BA20 1QT ___________________________________________
Join us on the first Wednesday of the month at 3pm and 7pm Digby Hall, Hound Street
1st November: Wells Cathedral: A Cathedral Founded by Springs 6th December: Bring an Object: Audience participation talk based on artefacts brought in Members free; visitors £7 theartssocietysherborne.org sherbornetimes.co.uk | 9
Art & Culture
CONFESSIONS OF A THEATRE ADDICT Rosie Cunningham Image: Marc Brenner
Hiran Abeysekera as Nathuram Godse in The Father and the Assassin at the National Theatre
R
ecently I saw The Father and the Assassin at The National, the little-known story of Nathuram Godse, the journalist and nationalist who murdered Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, who had been radicalised and believed was overseeing the political collapse of India. The play was written by Anupama Chandrasekhar, one of India’s most exciting playwrights, with Hiran Abeysekera playing the most exciting, empathetic and involving role of Godse, and Paul Bazely, a very convincing Gandhi. When it comes to National Theatre Live, as I am sure it will, I urge you to go and watch it. I saw A Voyage Round My Father, John Mortimer’s celebrated autobiographical play, at the Theatre Royal Bath, where Rupert Everett takes on the titular role as Mortimer’s eccentric barrister father, who bullied everyone, particularly his wife and son, in part to make up for his loss of sight which often frustrated 10 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
and angered him. Despite a stellar cast, and Richard Eyre directing, I have to say that Everett did not rise to the role, made famous by Laurence Olivier’s 1982 gloriously witty and acidic television performance. The performance was beset by forgotten lines and seemed to lack cohesion, not least of all we in the audience found the dialogue hard to hear throughout. The production is touring and can be seen in Chichester and further afield. Now to something on our doorstep. I am embarrassed to say that it was the first time that I had stepped over the threshold of our very own Sherborne Studio Theatre, the corrugated iron chapel affectionately known as ‘The Tin Tabernacle’, home to the Amateur Players of Sherborne. Art, written by Yasmina Reza, is a three-hander play translated from French, featuring Marc, Yvan, and Serge whose long friendship begins to fall apart as they are presented
Jack Bardoe, Rupert Everett and Eleanor David in A Voyage Round My Father at the Theatre Royal Bath
with Serge’s new extortionately expensive painting – a white canvas with several infinitesimal white lines. Their reactions uncover and raise long-embedded antagonisms towards each other, which highlight their different personalities and varying approaches to what it means to have a fulfilling life. Graham Smith directs this hugely successful tragicomedy play with loving care and Alex Scrivenor, Chris Williamson and Andrew Middleton are to be commended for their handling of challenging and unrelenting roles as emotions follow a roller-coaster of highs and lows, ultimately demonstrating the fragility of friendship. This charming 52-seater theatre offers a warm welcome, comfortable seating and a bar with refreshments and snacks. Their next production is Twelfth Night from 4th-9th December, to be directed by John Crabtree, which I will definitely be going to. What an absolute gem of a theatre.
Image: Manuel Harlan
There are some wonderful online talks coming up at The Wallace Collection which would alleviate any autumnal gloom. An insightful look at Frans Hals in November, who painted The Laughing Cavalier, and a tour of the splendours and magnificence of Versailles in December, to mark the 400th anniversary of the palace. Finally, I was recommended a short new film directed by Wes Anderson called The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar written by Roald Dahl, which stars Benedict Cumberbach, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel and Ben Kingsley. Part of a Roald Dahl series of shorts from Anderson, it’s only 39 minutes long, utterly bonkers and charming, and guaranteed to brighten your day. To be found on Netflix. cft.org.uk aps-sherborne.co.uk wallacecollection.org sherbornetimes.co.uk | 11
Art & Culture
B-SIDE OURSELVES Rebecca de Pelet
W
hich island is 30 miles from Sherborne, has a rich, cultural heritage and possesses one of the most important bio-diverse ecologies in the world? The answer is…the Isle of Portland. But most people I talk to have never heard of it or have certainly never visited it. After 19 years of living in the South West, I only did so for the first time in November 2021. A walk along the cliffs’ edge led me to discover the fields of beautiful beach huts, many of which have been there for over a century and are still owned by islanders themselves. According to Dorset Council statistics however, of the 11 areas in their remit which are within the top 20% most deprived nationally, 10 of them are within the former borough of Weymouth and Portland. Acting directly into this stark dichotomy is b-side, an arts organisation which aims to embody and enrich the island throughout the year and which also hosts an annual festival which runs over four days in September, as well as a Fringe that carries on even longer. b-side has a unique and powerful vision of inclusivity, internationalism and sensitivity to the host community which has led it to provide a huge range of opportunities for islanders to experience and be enriched by cultural activity. Speaking to The Guardian this September, b-side’s Director, Rocca Holly-Nambi, highlighted the challenges the island faces, ‘Portland has a vibrant community and a strong artistic scene. The place is magical but it’s also got the Bibby Stockholm here – it’s got two prisons and it’s been constantly quarried. It’s been done to a lot. Through the arts, we’re trying to set up stuff we can do together.’ >
Image: Paul Box 12 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 13
At this year’s festival, I put a rotary dial telephone to my ear for the first time in years whilst sitting in the island’s community garden and listened to Kae Tempest urge me in verse to take action in the face of climate change. I pressed my hands to the 16th-century walls of a derelict cottage facing the sea which has survived tempest and flood for centuries, while being led via headphones to think about both its and our future. I sat in the dark mustiness of the island’s theatre and watched a Turner prize nominee’s short film explore the different kinds of rafts we all construct to keep ourselves afloat. I knotted a siren’s rope to hold my hopes as the water lapped against the harbour wall. I watched wicker-masked figures walk towards the sea, lighting fires to celebrate the truth that we are all enough. Festivals are important things. The anthropologist David Picard argues that ‘the defining element of the ‘festive’ lies in its ability to allow people to mediate different forms of life crisis, from pivotal points in the life cycle to the shock of migration, environmental disaster or revolution.’ Portland and its people are certainly experiencing the first three with the hope, perhaps, of embracing the fourth through the arts. Local resident Pam knows this well. Having developed M.E. five years ago, she is often confined to her coastline home, even to her bed. Despite such physical limits, the lighthouse, sea and birds outside her window have offered her mental freedom. But it was this year’s festival which meant she could explore the depth of this paradox creatively. Desperate to play a part in a performance being developed just beyond her door, she was ‘blown away by how b-side kept looking for ways to bring me in until they found them. That is everything. That is the kind of accessibility we all need.’ Pam went on to play a central role in the final piece, voicing the Island itself in a recording which reiterated her
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identification with Portland, ‘I am in one place but my mind is free.’ b-side’s approach to festivity extends throughout the year and it is focusing on two vulnerable sites on the island in particular: the derelict remains of a Tudor Cottage at Chiswell and the land at the windswept southernmost tip of the island known as the Bill. The latter supports delicate biodiversity and traces of Portland’s farming history can still be seen: it is a last landscape. The bleak summation of the island by Victorian surgeon Frederick Treves in 1906 as ‘a dismal heap of stone’ and its long-held reputation as an industrial landscape due to its quarrying heritage are at last being supplanted by the views of people who have discovered its vital heritage and wild beauty. But at a cost. One of the questions being asked by b-side concerns what opportunities there are for an island with finite resources to develop in ways which benefit local economies while also respecting the environment and its communities. This island, on our doorstep, is at a new point in its life cycle, is welcoming new migrants, is facing environmental threats and perhaps needs a revolution – via the medium of the festive, the creative. This year’s Fringe-closing parade saw Portland residents and visitors dressed as dinosaurs, mermaids, ravens and even bananas: a carnival their ancestors would have been proud of. The literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin argues that such ‘carnival spirit…frees human consciousness, thought and imagination for new potentialities’ since it ‘suspends traditional ideas and power structures’. And surely this is what the isle of Portland needs; the freedom to both protect and re-imagine itself. Why don’t you join in? b-side.org.uk
THE FREE WESSEX ARTS AND CULTURE GUIDE
EVOLVER MAGAZINE
Pick up your copy at arts venues, galleries, museums, art shops, cafés, libraries and tourist information centres (etc) throughout Dorset, Somerset, East Devon, West Wiltshire, Bristol and Bath Or subscribe online at: evolver.org.uk Instagram: evolvermagazine
14 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
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Art & Culture
KIT GLAISYER
A JOURNEY THROUGH WEST DORSET ON CANVAS
T
his month, Dorset-born artist Kit Glaisyer presents his evocative exhibition ‘West Dorset Paintings’ at Poundbury’s grand Jubilee Hall, from 22nd to 26th November. This expansive venue, encompassing over 100 square metres, provides an ideal backdrop for Glaisyer’s works. Among these, a commanding 10-foot oil painting on linen vividly 16 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
capturing the essence of West Dorset’s landscape. Kit’s work pays homage to the enduring essence of oil painting. His creative process often begins with an Impressionist response to his chosen subject, enabling him to capture the immediacy of the moment. Subsequently, he embarks on a meticulous and deliberate process, applying thin layers of paint
over weeks, if not months. The result is therefore not a fleeting impression but rather a vivid tapestry of light and colour. Kit’s artistic journey stands as a testament to the interplay between his natural surroundings and his connection to the world of art. From an early age, he immersed himself in the landscapes of the Blackmore Vale, often employing the ‘en plein air’ technique, learning from his father, a GP and talented artist. Kit’s artistic origins bear the marks of luminaries such as John Sell Cotman and the illustrious British Watercolour Tradition, with echoes of J.M.W. Turner’s fluid watercolour sketches in his early work. As Glaisyer’s skills matured, he transitioned to oil on board, inspired by the works of John Constable. Particularly captivating were Constable’s intimate depictions of the skies and landscapes surrounding Hampstead Heath. It is worth noting Constable’s own exploration of Dorset, where he created several modest yet profoundly impactful paintings during his honeymoon – a chapter that left an indelible mark on Glaisyer’s artistic sensibilities. He then won an art scholarship to Sherborne School, which provided enlightening art school expeditions to the venerable museums of Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Barcelona. These journeys exposed him to the rich tapestry of artistry across Europe, spanning classical art to the contemporary avant-garde, serving Kit as an enduring wellspring of inspiration. However, it was the Post-Impressionist movement, notably the works of Paul Cézanne, that kindled Glaisyer’s passion for exploring the tactile nature of paint and canvas. This pivotal phase laid the foundation for the vibrant and transformative work we see today. Kit then continued to art college in Bournemouth and Farnham, and eventually London. His artistic exploration encompassed a range of styles, from selfportraits paying homage to Rembrandt, to figurative compositions resonating with influences from Picasso. Then, a serendipitous encounter with the abstract art of Gerhard Richter at the Anthony d’Offay Gallery in 1995 marked a significant turning point for Glaisyer. It was here that he realised that a painting’s ‘vocabulary’ need not be restricted to landscapes or figures – it could delve into the very essence of paint itself. Over the course of the next five years, Glaisyer embarked on an immersive journey into the realm of Abstract art, departing from his previous focus on landscapes. This period offered him a fresh perspective
on colour, texture and the intricate interplay between paint and canvas. When he eventually came back to Dorset in 1998, he brought with him the insights gleaned from this artistic sojourn, enriching his approach to landscape painting. His return to Dorset marked a significant juncture in his artistic expedition. While he continued to exhibit in London as an Abstract painter, Glaisyer took time to rekindle his connection with the landscapes of his homeland. Interestingly, his initial foray into landscape painting drew from personal memories of London, portraying scenes that vividly depicted his old studio in Camberwell, the labyrinthine roads around Elephant & Castle, and the otherworldly vistas of South London. Subsequently, he embarked on an exploratory series of paintings of nondescript petrol stations lining the route from London to the West Country. In his relentless pursuit of subjects closer to home, he serendipitously stumbled upon the Café Royal, a quintessential greasy spoon café near his Bridport Studio, channelling the spirit of Edward Hopper’s iconic masterpiece, Nighthawks. However, it was a mist-shrouded panorama of the Bride Valley that permanently altered the course of Glaisyer’s artistic odyssey. Here, in this enchanting vista, he devoted an intensive five months to crafting a series of three Bride Valley paintings. Little did he anticipate the response these labour-intensive creations would evoke. They set in motion a cascade of private commissions, each requiring a devoted eight-month investment to reach completion. This patient approach to painting, steeped in dedication and reverence, harks back to the ethos of 19th-century European Romantic artists and the venerable tradition of the American Hudson River School, where art was regarded as a sacred tapestry deserving of the time it truly required. Glaisyer’s forthcoming Poundbury exhibition promises to be a emotive experience leading the viewer on a visual journey through the landscapes of West Dorset – a journey painted with ardour, precision and an unwavering connection to the venerable traditions of art. kitglaisyer.com
___________________________________________ Wednesday 22nd to Sunday 26th November Kit Glaisyer ‘West Dorset Paintings’ Jubilee Hall, Great Cranford Street, Poundbury DT1 3BW
___________________________________________ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 17
Art & Culture
A HOMECOMING Clifton Jelbert
I
t is not unusual for Sherborne and the surrounding area to produce highly talented musicians and singers – just think of Ruth Rogers (violin), Dame Emma Kirkby (soprano) and Chris Martin (Coldplay) amongst others. Classical guitarist Michael Partington came to Milborne Port as a young teenager when his parents owned a shop on London Road. Michael attended Yeovil College, studying guitar locally with Wendy Partridge. While finishing his A-levels Michael started teaching guitar and was employed by the county to teach in several local schools including Ansford, Bruton, Frome and Yeovil College. In 1991 he made the decision to go to America, where he subsequently became an Artist in Residence and director of the guitar programme at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, where he now lives. In addition to his teaching work, he has made many personal appearances throughout North America, Europe and Scandinavia as a soloist and with ensembles. He has also performed on BBC Radio 3 and National Public Radio in America. 18 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
His performances can be heard on many recordings which include a wide range of material from classical and traditional pieces to contemporary compositions. 2023 sees the release of his 11th solo CD, this latest one entitled Concoctions From the Kitchen is dedicated to the music of American composer Bryan Johanson. Michael Partington is one of his generation’s most engaging concert players and was praised by Classical Guitar magazine for his ‘lyricism, intensity and clear technical command’. Sherborne Douzelage is indeed fortunate that Michael has agreed to perform a recital this month as one of its fund-raising activities in aid of the Douzelage General Meeting of 27 countries in Sherborne in April 2024. ___________________________________________ Saturday 25th November 7.30pm Michael Partington Guitar Recital Cheap Street Church. Tickets £15 from Winstone’s Bookshop or Mary Clothier at marydmc38@gmail.com or 01963 251255. In aid of Sherborne Douzelage.
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Time to treat yourself, at THE CLOCKSPIRE “Champagnes of great finesse and distinct style”
Champagne Ayala Dinner Wednesday 8th November We’re thrilled to welcome Maison Ayala to The Clockspire. Join us from 7pm for a special evening of discovery as Ayala’s exquisite selection is paired with spectacular seasonal dishes - vegetarian available on request. £130pp • Early booking recommended • Our last Champagne Dinner sold out! Call 01963 251458 or scan below to book online
Christmas at The Clockspire Show your appreciation this Christmas with one of our specially curated Christmas Hampers - bursting with gourmet delicacies selected by Head Chef Luke Sutton. There are 3 to choose from. Call 01963 251458 or email hello@theclockspire.com to enquire.
Plus! We’re now taking bookings for festive celebrations and Christmas Day - whether it’s a family get-together or a treat for your team. Ask to see our festive menus.
01963 251458 • www.theclockspire.com Gainsborough, Milborne Port, Sherborne DT9 5BA
Art & Culture
COUNTER CULTURE Paul Maskell, The Beat and Track
No. 25 Nick Drake: Time Has Told Us
I
n the annals of music history, there exist artists whose brilliance far outshines their fleeting time in the limelight. Nick Drake, a singer-songwriter whose hauntingly beautiful folk melodies continue to captivate listeners, is undoubtedly one such artist. With just three studio albums to his name, Drake left an indelible mark on the music world before his untimely passing in 1974 at the age of just 26. Nick Drake’s recording process was as unique as his music. He began his career in 1969 with the release of his debut album, Five Leaves Left. Recorded in just two days at Sound Techniques in London, the album featured minimalistic instrumentation and Drake’s gentle acoustic guitar and voice at the forefront. The hauntingly delicate River Man and the introspective Day is Done, immediately showcased his songwriting prowess and melodic sensibilities. 20 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
For his second album, Bryter Layter (1970), Drake took a different approach. This time, he embraced a more lavish sound, adding brass and string arrangements to his songs. The album’s jazz-infused tracks like Northern Sky revealed a different facet of Drake’s artistry. Yet, despite the increased complexity, the core of his music remained rooted in a deep sense of introspection. Nick Drake’s final studio album, Pink Moon (1972), took the stripped-back approach to the extreme. Comprising just Drake’s voice and guitar, the record is a stark meditation on solitude and vulnerability. Recorded in two late-night sessions at Sound Techniques, the album’s title track, Pink Moon, is a stark and chilling masterpiece, setting the tone for an album that would become one of his most celebrated. While Nick Drake’s music is often characterised >
Reproduced by permission of Bryter Music – The Estate Of Nick Drake sherbornetimes.co.uk | 21
by its ethereal beauty, his lyrics delve into the complexities of human emotion and the fragility of life. Five Leaves Left explored themes of melancholy and longing, with tracks like Fruit Tree and Cello Song pondering mortality and the fleeting nature of fame. Bryter Layter introduced a more optimistic tone, with songs like Hazey Jane II expressing a glimmer of hope. However, Drake’s introspection remained constant, as he continued to grapple with themes of love, identity and the passage of time. Pink Moon is perhaps the most intimate of Drake’s albums, with songs like Place to Be and Parasite baring his soul. The album’s introspective nature, combined with its minimalist production, makes it an emotionally raw and haunting experience. Upon their initial release, Nick Drake’s albums received critical acclaim but failed to achieve commercial success. Drake’s music was ahead of its time and his reluctance to perform live further hindered his visibility. Tragically, Nick Drake passed away in 1974 at the young age of 26, official records state an overdose of antidepressants although the circumstances surrounding his death remain a subject of debate. It was only after his death that his music began to find its audience. In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, a groundswell of interest in Nick Drake’s work began to emerge. His albums found a new generation of listeners. Songs like Pink Moon gained prominence through their use in television commercials, introducing his music to a broader audience. The 2000s brought a significant resurgence of interest in Nick Drake’s work. The release of the documentary A Skin Too Few and a Volkswagen commercial featuring Pink Moon further fuelled his posthumous popularity. His albums were reissued and a new generation of musicians cited him as a profound influence.
One of the most enduring mysteries surrounding Nick Drake’s legacy is the existence of a rumoured fourth album. While there have been whispers and speculations about unreleased recordings, no concrete evidence of a full fourth album has ever surfaced, although handwritten lyrics are said to exist. Some believe that Drake’s emotional struggles in his final years may have led to additional unreleased material. In 2007, Joe Boyd, who produced two of Drake’s albums, mentioned in an interview that there were indeed additional songs recorded but their status and whether they constitute a cohesive album remain unclear. Drake’s estate and those close to him have been understandably protective of his work, leaving fans to wonder if there might be more of his haunting music waiting to be discovered. Nick Drake’s three studio albums stand as a testament to the profound impact that an artist can have in such a short period. His unique recording process, deeply introspective lyrics and haunting melodies continue to resonate with listeners today, decades after his passing. The enigma of Nick Drake, his elusive fourth album and the enduring beauty of his music ensure that his legacy will remain a source of fascination and inspiration for generations to come. thebeatandtrack.co.uk
___________________________________________ Tuesdays 7pm-8pm Under the Radar Abbey 104. The Beat and Track’s Paul Maskell often joins
presenter Matt Ambrose on his weekly radio show, bringing
you the best new sounds from established underground artists and new and rising acts from across the world. Listen live on 104.7FM or online at abbey104.com
___________________________________________
Nick Drake: The Life
Talk and signing with author Richard Morton Jack Wednesday November 15th, 6.30pm for 7pm Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne Tickets £10 members, £12 non-members from Winstone’s Books or www.sherborneliterarysociety.com 22 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
A D AY O F C H R I S T M A S S H O P P I N G
CH AL D I COTT A DV ENT FAIR Mulled wine, mince pies & plenty of festive spirit!
Shops and stalls include: NIWAKI, ANOTHER COUNTRY, BRAMLEY, THE TRAVEL BOOK COMPANY, COMPTON MCRAE, PINK HOUSE MUSTIQUE AND MORE FOOD | FASHION | HOMEWARE | CRAFT | BOOKS SATUR DAY 2 D E C E M B E R 10: 0 0 A M - 4: 0 0 P M CHAL DI COT T B A R N S SEM L E Y S P 7 9 AW
WHAT'S ON Digby Hall, Hound Street. All are
Mondays & Thursdays
Every 1st Saturday (March-
1.30pm-4pm
December) 10am-3pm
Sherborne Indoor
Sherborne Digby Hall
Short Mat Bowls
Monthly Market
Saturday 11th 1.30pm-3.30pm
West End Hall, Sherborne
Next to Library, Hound St. Antiques,
Christmas Knitting, Crochet
____________________________
welcome. Visitors £3. 01935 389375
____________________________
arts, crafts, cafe and more. Free entry
Club and Afternoon Tea with
____________________________
The Slipped Stitch
Mondays 2pm-5pm &
Wednesday 1st 3pm and 7pm
Tuesdays 7pm-10pm
Audience Participation Talk -
Milborne Port Village Hall. £15.
Sherborne Bridge Club
Bring an Object
Sherborne FC Clubhouse, Terraces
Digby Hall, Hound Street
bridgewebs.com/sherborne
audience members with some of the
Thursday 16th 10am
members, £7 for non-members
Meeting at The Queen’s Arms pub,
____________________________
Ness Lee ness@mindfulnessherborne.com
01935 812329. All welcome
01963 210409
____________________________ Tuesdays 10am-12pm Fine Folk Dancing Charlton Horethorne Village Hall
Booking essential. theslippedstitch@gmail. com bookwhen.com/theslippedstitch
____________________________
Based on artefacts brought in from
Saturday 11th and
presenter’s objects interspersed. Free for
A Mindfulness Walk
theartssocietysherborne.org
Corton Denham. £12. Bookings:
£2.50 per session. Beginners welcome.
Friday 3rd 7pm-9pm
07702 374954
01963 220640.
A Conversation with WWII
____________________________
Pathfinder Pilot Flight
Thursday 16th 2pm
Every 1st & 3rd Thursday
Lieutenant Colin Bell
Sherborne Museum Winter Talk
10am-12.30pm
Digby Memorial Hall, DT9 3NL
series: Medieval Trade in Dorset
friendsoftheyeatman.org.uk
Road. Free for members, visitors £5.
Castleton Probus Club The Grange, Oborne, DT9 4LA New members welcome.
____________________________
Tickets £10. admin2@
Digby Memorial Church Hall, Digby
____________________________
Light refreshments provided
edwardhiscock6@gmail.com
Tuesday 7th 8pm
____________________________
Talk: Feting the Finns 1918-
Thursday 16th - Sunday 19th
Every 1st Thursday 9.30am
2018: 100 Years of Intrepid
Old Yarn Mills Christmas
Netwalk for Business
Independence
Open Weekend
Owners & Entrepreneurs
Digby Hall, Hound Street
Old Yarn Mills, Sherborne DT9 3RQ
sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk
Hossack Antiques, Studio Sherborne,
Pageant Gardens. @Netwalksherborne
____________________________ Thursdays 2pm-5pm
Members free, visitors £5
____________________________
____________________________
With Wilkie Antiques, Molecula, Mary Holtby & Co. Thurs-Sat 10am-6pm and
Rubber Bridge
Wednesday 8th 6.30pm
(September-April)
Julius Roberts: The Farm Table
Sherborne Bowls Clubhouse,
- Book Launch and Cookery
Saturday 18th 10am-12.30pm
Culverhayes car-park
Demonstration
(last repair 12.15pm)
01963 210409 bridgewebs.com/sherborne
Repair Cafe
____________________________
The Butterfly House, Castle Gardens
Thursdays 7.30pm-9.30pm
Tickets £5 available from
Winstone’s Books or online at
Cheap Street Church Hall. Bring
shop.winstonebooks.co.uk
household items to be repaired and
avoid landfill. Volunteers and repairers
St Michael’s Scottish Country Dance Club
____________________________
Davis Hall, West Camel
Thursday 9th 2.30pm
07972 125617 stmichaelsscdclub.org
Sun 12pm-4pm. Free parking
____________________________
needed. repaircafesherborne@gmail.com or
@repaircafesherborne
£2. New starters very welcome.
Sherborne & District Gardeners’ Association Talk: Tales From the
Saturday 18th 10am-3pm
____________________________
Potting Shed
Niwaki HQ Winter Open Day
24 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
____________________________
NOVEMBER 2023 Son & Grandson
Sunday 26th 2pm-4pm
Gifts from Japan for keen gardeners,
Digby Hall, Hound Street.
Singing Bowl Soundbath
incorporating biannual samples and
sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk
please book in advance 01935 389655
7 Chaldicott Barns, Semley SP7 9AW craftspeople and homemakers,
Members free, visitors £5.
Oborne Village Hall DT9 4LA. £15
____________________________
ahiahel@live.com
seconds sale. niwaki.com
____________________________
Wednesday 22nd -
Sunday 19th 1.30pm-4.30pm
Sunday 26th 10am-6pm daily
Sunday 26th 7.30pm
Sherborne Folk Band
Kit Glaisyer –
Solo Story-Telling -
Digby Memorial Hall. Suitable for all
West Dorset Paintings
Dominic Kelly - Mara
levels. £15 on the door or cheaper via the website sherbornefolkband.org
Jubilee Hall, Great Cranford Street,
Sandford Orcas Village Hall
____________________________
Poundbury DT1 3BW
07983 465789 Kitglaisyer.com
Sunday 19th 3pm
____________________________
01963 220208. £12, £5 u18s, £30 family. Suitable 13+ artsreach.co.uk
____________________________
____________________________
Wessex Strings Concert
Saturday 25th 11am-5pm
Monday 27th 7.30pm
Cheap Street Church
Christmassy Mind Body
Two-Man Play - Living Spit -
£10 from Winstone Books (cash only)
Spirit Fayre
A Christmas Carol
or £12 on the door. Free for under 18s.
____________________________
Digby Hall, Hound Street DT9 3AA
Chetnole Village Hall
Tuesday 21st 8pm
Mediums, therapists, exhibitors, tombola. £1. All welcome.
Suitable 12+ artsreach.co.uk
Talk: Brunel - Father,
____________________________
01935 873555. £12, £5 u18s. ____________________________
FRIDAY 8 - SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER 2023
westlandsyeovil.co.uk | Box Office: 01935 422884 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 25
WHAT'S ON Thursday 30th 7pm Sherborne Literary Society’s Words with Wine Talk: Lulu Taylor on The Forgotten Tower Raleigh Hall, Sherborne. Tickets from Winstone’s, website or on the door,
Dorchester Road, Sherborne,
(3pm KO unless otherwise stated)
Dorset DT9 5NS
Saturday 4th
Men’s 1st XV (3pm KO)
Lymington (A)
Saturday 4th
Saturday 11th
£7.50 members, £8.50 non-members
Avonvale (A)
Blackfield & Langley (H)
Thursday 30th 7pm
Saturday 11th
Wednesday 15th
Sherborne Flower Club
Royal Wootton Bassett II (H)
Portland (H) (7.45pm KO)
Digby Hall, Hound Street £15. 07737 583695
____________________________
____________________________
Open Evening Saturday 18th
Saturday 18th
National demonstrator. All welcome.
Corsham (A)
Laverstock & Ford (A)
____________________________
Sherborne Football Club
Saturday 25th
The Terrace Playing Fields,
United Services Portsmouth (A)
Sport ____________________________ Sherborne RFC The Terrace Playing Fields,
Dorchester Road, Sherborne,
____________________________
Men’s 1st XI
listings@homegrown-media.co.uk
Dorset DT9 5NS
Prebook now
Talk and signing by presenter (and dog lover)
Clare Balding Isle of Dogs: My Canine Adventure Through Britain
Tuesday 5th December
Tickets and further information available in store 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816128
26 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Community
MARKET KNOWLEDGE
LISA AVEY-HEBDITCH, FIERY FOX CANDLES
Welcome to The Sherborne Market! What brings you here? We love the town and its people and after giving The Sherborne Market a try a few years ago we were hooked – as were our new Sherborne-based customers! Where have you travelled from? We have come from Wimborne in East Dorset. It’s a very similar market town to Sherborne but has the Minster instead of the Abbey. Tell us about what you’re selling. We sell our hand-poured soy wax candles, melts and reed diffusers as well as some handmade match pots which are always popular. Where and when did it all begin? We started Fiery Fox Candles during lockdown. We had always supported local artisan candle makers as we loved the high-quality home fragrance products we could buy from them but this came to a grinding halt as we could no longer attend events such as The Sherborne Market so we started making our own and the rest is history. 28 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
What do you enjoy most about selling at markets? I love meeting new people and hearing how they have seen our cute Fiery Fox logo in shops or on social media or smelt our products in the homes of their friends and family. Having repeat customers visit us is always a pleasure and rewarding them with a free candle when they complete their loyalty card is a lovely feeling. If you get the chance, which fellow stallholders here at Sherborne would you like to visit? I’m always sure to visit Emma Keys Portraits with her fantastic drawings and paintings as well as Knott Sea and her marvellous macrame creations and not forgetting The Vintage Salvager with his industrial rustic style homewares and furniture, also our friends at Compton Candles. Where can people find you on market day? On Digby Road opposite Tamburino’s. fieryfoxcandles.co.uk
Hand picked artisan TRADERS featuring local producers, suppliers, amazing food, arts and crafts.
2023 Nov 19th dates Dec 17th Flying the flag for local
Community
SHERBORNE FESTIVE SHOPPING DAY
I
Taff Martin, Chair of Festive Committee
t’s that time of year again, Sherborne’s Festive Shopping Day, when we showcase the best of Sherborne, local traders, entertainment from schools and organisations and each year growing bigger and better. And let’s not forget lighting up the town with Christmas trees. When I first became involved with the Sherborne Chamber of Trade back in 2014 and offered to help plan the festive shopping day, little did I know what I had let myself in for. Ten years since that rather rushed last-minute panic of a day, I am now President of the Chamber. After last year’s event in which some shops recorded their best-ever sales, we are still working to improve. With a very small team each year we have expanded the event, set in place by past chamber members such as Thelma from Melbury Gallery, Jane from Oliver’s Coffee House and Margaret Balfour to name a few. From the early days of making announcements over a small PA system, to now planning and running the whole event has been a steep learning curve. This year, as ever, Father Christmas will be in attendance outside the Post Office on Cheap St and Princess Pinkie will be entertaining children throughout the town. The stage on The Parade will be full of musical entertainers from local schools and folk groups. Our compère for the day, Steve Bennett, will be running the stage and announcing the countdown to the switching on of the Christmas lights. With small towns and high streets facing challenges nationwide, I am so proud of how Sherborne is bucking the trend and positively growing with at least six new businesses opening this year. We are lucky to have award-winning independent businesses, some celebrating big milestones in trading, but also shops that people will travel to, bringing visitors to the town and extra trade for other shops and cafes. Another very pleasing thing to witness is the way new businesses are working in harmony and helping each other to promote the town as a whole - Cheap St, South St, Long St, Digby Road, Old Yarn Mills and Half Moon St, which we are closing for the first time to accommodate even more stalls. We cannot however rest on our laurels and continue to explore new ideas for attracting visitors to Sherborne throughout the entire year. I would like to end this by welcoming visitors to this year’s Sherborne Festive Shopping Day and by thanking our Festive Committee of Lynda Martin, Tina Kerr, Lee Drage, Nigel Phillips, Millie Furby and also Ian Crighton for his creative input. Lastly, thanks to Sherborne Town Council who provide a very generous grant each year towards lighting and entertainment, and to the event’s sponsors – Battens, Eastbury Hotel and Hunts Accountants.
30 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
10am-4pm
SHERBORNE FESTIVE SHOPPING DAY SUNDAY, 3rd DECEMBER
Event SPONSORS
Event ORGANISERS
Supported by
FOOD
|
FESTIVITIES
|
FUN
ADD THE DATE TO YOUR CALENDER TODAY! NEW FOR 2023 .... MARKET STALLS IN CHEAP STREET, ABBEY ROAD, HALF MOON STREET AND DIGBY ROAD
@sherbornefestive
@sherbornefestiveshopping
@sherborneCOT
Community
THREADS OF TIME
Richard Hughes, Avena Carpets, traditional carpet weavers for The Sherborne
A
s a traditional British carpet manufacturer, I find myself privileged to carry forward a legacy that spans over a century of historic carpet production. Our journey began in the 19th century as John Crossley & Sons, a name steeped in history and craftsmanship, and we are known for being home to traditional narrow looms used for weaving intricate Wilton and Brussels carpets. The company eventually evolved into Avena Carpets, as we are known today, but the heritage techniques we use have remained the same for decades. Seven dedicated employees from John Crossley & Sons decided to preserve the art of narrow-loom carpet weaving and they faithfully continued this tradition until 2016. That is when I stepped in, acquiring Avena in 2020-21 (at the end of a global pandemic), with a commitment to manufacturing bespoke, fine-pitch Brussels and Wilton carpet, a particular specification that defines our craft, made here in Britain where homegrown manufacturing has been in decline for some time. My personal journey intersected seamlessly with Avena’s legacy. I have previously supplied and installed carpets for the royal household, interior decorators and 32 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
historic houses across the country from National Trust and English Heritage properties and even super yachts. So, when the opportunity to acquire Avena arose, it felt like a natural progression. Our fine-pitch Brusselsweave and Wilton carpets, for those unfamiliar, are unique in that they are exclusively manufactured in a 27-inch width. Each carpet is painstakingly hand-sewn together, fabricated off-site in our factory on the outskirts of Halifax, and meticulously finished on location. This approach stands in stark contrast to the larger domestic looms, ranging from 3 to 5 metres, which are primarily designed for convenience in mass production and installations of carpets for the average modern home or business. I like to think that what sets us apart is our dedication to preserving tradition. Our yarn is 100% British wool, with much of it traceable right down to the farms that produce it. The only non-natural material we incorporate into our carpet is polypropylene, used in our ‘small chain’, which amounts to less than 0.05% of our carpet. In traditional woven carpet, a warp and a weft are the two key components, and our small chain
serves as the warp. That means that over 99.5% of our end product, is made from natural products and will naturally compost. Our commitment to using British wool involves working closely with the British Wool Board, with our local depot situated in Bradford. Our trusted spinners source the wool from the depot, ensuring that our supply chain remains local. In fact, approximately 95% of our supply chain partners are located within twentyfive miles of our factory. We are actively striving to enhance our sustainability credentials and nearly 50% of the yarn used in The Sherborne project is traceable to specific farms – a testament to our dedication to keeping the art of traditional carpet weaving alive, even as British manufacturing faces challenges. The Sherborne project boasts a stunning range of designs, many of which are truly exceptional to make and look at. It is rare to have the opportunity to use such a diverse range of designs in a single project. Our traditional looms enable us to produce various specifications of carpets, and The Sherborne utilises every capability our looms offer. This project involves different pile heights, varied finishes, body and border rugs, fully fitted carpets, and more – all intricately interconnected with meticulous attention to detail and requiring the specific skillset of our team. The colour combinations in particular are nothing short of spectacular. For those curious about how a carpet is made, it is quite difficult to summarise the various methods into a soundbite but I will try my best. There are multiple techniques for crafting carpets, including tufted, handtufted, hand-knotted, Wilton, and Axminster. Avena specialises exclusively in Brussels and Wilton carpet production. The key difference between Wilton and Axminster lies in the pile content – while Axminster
is exclusively cut pile, Wilton can be either cut pile or loop pile. What truly distinguishes Wilton carpets is that the yarn used for the pile is continuous from start to finish, like a jumper, thanks to its woven nature. We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop. Everything from design and production to sewing and fabrication, to off-site installation, is carried out by us. With this project, the finished Wilton pieces are transported to The Sherborne in manageable sections, where they are meticulously completed on-site. The Sherborne project involves a significant amount of hand sewing. Each room of the historic Sherborne House has a different design. Our trusty looms allow us to produce approximately ten to fifteen metres of carpet per day and, given the number of unique designs, it is fair to say that we have been kept busy and we have used every skill set and machine specification possible from our factory. Our committed team of twelve members comprises a diverse range of skill sets, including designers, tuners, weavers, production managers and stampers. We also have the privilege of nurturing two apprentices who are learning the art of traditional carpet weaving. We are committed to apprenticeship schemes to preserve traditional skills across generations and promote British manufacturing, British wool and heritage techniques for generations to come. There is a true beauty of retaining tradition in a rapidly changing world. The Sherborne project is a testament to our craftsmanship and we are excited to be part of such an extraordinary transformation. As we continue to weave the fabric of history, we are excited to see our hard work come to life in this timeless journey. avenacarpets.com thesherborne.uk
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 33
Community
PINFORD LANE
Peter Henshaw, Sherborne Transport Action Group
I
love old roads. There’s a romance about them, especially the ones unencumbered by tarmac or thundering traffic. People have been born on the road, conceived on them, lived their lives on England’s highways, struck deals there and even died on them. But roads also change with time and who would guess that Pinford Lane, the lower, direct route between Sherborne and Milborne Port, once formed part of the main road between London and Plymouth. Not only that but there’s now a good legal basis for its reopening as a public bridleway for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Let’s be clear first of all what we mean by Pinford Lane. It’s not the private estate road which pops out on the A30 just east of Crackmore Rocks. In Sherborne the original Pinford Lane leaves Castletown Road by St Mary Magdalen Church and runs roughly eastwards, crossing the estate road just north of Pinford Farm. Then it carries on the same west-east alignment as a well-used track, right up to Goathill Road. Back in the early 18th Century, this was the main road but it was bypassed by the new turnpike and suffered the highway equivalent of a demotion. A chat 34 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
with Jim Hart, who was rights of way liaison officer for Yeohead & Castleton Parish Council and has spent years studying the history of Pinford Lane, tells how this happened. In 1753 the Shaftesbury and Sherborne Roads Act created a turnpike trust to improve a cluster of routes which included the one between Coldharbour and Milborne Port. Great things, the turnpikes. That beautiful sweep of the A352 up Sherborne Hill, for example, smoothing out the climb by working with the contours rather than fighting them, is a case in point. East of Sherborne, the new turnpike road followed the route of what is now the A30, later dramatically blasting its way through Crackmore Rocks. All was well and good, except Pinford Lane was still there, and some canny folk kept using that to avoid paying tolls on the newer turnpike. This naturally blew a big hole in the trust’s finances so a petition was swiftly drawn up to close the old lane. Many turnpike trusts did this to prevent toll avoidance, specifying exactly which classes of traffic (carriages, horses, pedestrians) were now barred. In the case of Pinford Lane, the language is very
specific. It was to be stopped up to prevent the passage, ‘of any Cattle or Carriages whatsoever.’ In practice, this meant that pedestrians and horse riders could carry on using Pinford Lane exactly as they had before. On maps, it continued to be marked as a road or lane, in many cases just like other roads in the area. In 1951 for example, Somerset County Council included the eastern section as a bridleway on the Definitive Map, and no objections were raised until the late 1960s, although there is anecdotal evidence that Sherborne and Milborne Port residents carried on using it informally. Fast forward to 2023 and our three local councils – Sherborne Town, Milborne Port and Yeohead & Castleton – have decided to make Pinford Lane the subject of a joint Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO), which is a recognised means of reopening historic routes as public rights of way. An application has been lodged with Dorset Council. The benefits of reopening Pinford Lane are crystal clear. It would provide a safe, convenient, traffic-free route between Sherborne and Milborne Port for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Not only would this
be a boon for leisure and exercise but an open Pinford Lane could be a stress-free commuter route, just what we need when everyone needs to cut down their carbon emissions and adopt a healthier lifestyle. In three words, it would benefit the economy, environment, everyone. It will help the DMMO application if there is clear evidence that Pinford Lane has been in use within living memory. So if you, or someone you know, has memories of using Pinford Lane, please complete the user-evidence DMMO form, available from Sherborne Town Council office or from Nathalie Hetherington at Milborne Port Parish Council office. Forms will also be available at Jim Hart’s talk on Pinford Lane (see below). Forms must be sent to: Vanessa Penny, Definitive Map Team Manager, Dorset Council, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1XJ. ___________________________________________ Saturday 11th November 7.30pm Sherborne Museum Talk: Jim Hart on The History of Pinford Lane Digby Hall, Hound St
Admission free, donations to Sherborne Museum
___________________________________________ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 35
Community
HELPING OTHERS TO HELP THEMSELVES THE SHERBORNE-EZO LINK Andrew Graham
‘If your plan is for 100 years, educate the children.’
A
frica may seem far removed from the concerns of the day in Dorset. But we all know that Africa is an increasingly critical part of the world at an increasingly critical time in the world’s history. The Sherborne-Ezo Link offers us in rural Dorset an opportunity to support and encourage good people working hard to make a difference. The Republic of South Sudan is a landlocked country with rich agricultural potential which has suffered years of civil war environmental challenges and famine before and since independence (2011). The diocese of Ezo, population 1.5 million, covers an area of 1500 square miles. For its bishop, the Right Reverend Isaac Ephraim, to travel from the regional centre to the outlying parts takes more than 12 hours by car (if he can find one) or on the motorbike funded by the Sherborne-Ezo Link. The Sherborne-Ezo Link has been in place for more than 40 years. It is a relationship that is little known locally but which deserves wider attention and interest. In recent years the Link has raised more than £25,000. It is focusing its support on the 700 children of Masumbu School in Ezo by funding: building the capacity of the school to grow its own crops; teaching 36 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
the children about agriculture and providing each child with a school meal; building a kitchen; providing solar panels to generate electricity for lighting classrooms and powering teaching aids. Bishop Isaac and his wife Nora are remarkable human beings who have given up well-paid positions in NGOs and outside the country to commit themselves to the service of the community in Ezo. They are trying to do the right thing in difficult times. When the bishop and his wife visited the Sherborne area in 2022 they explained the situation. Much is positive: a Mothers Union of almost 1000 members; a number of schools where early years and primary education is provided by volunteer, unsalaried teachers and more than forty ordained clergy plus numerous volunteers. Government funding, infrastructure and organisation are at best limited and at worst nonexistent. Even a limited amount of money properly targeted can have an impact out of proportion to its scale. If you feel inclined to help and support the people of Ezo in South Sudan then please consider making a donation. Please contact atomkins1@gmail.com or ajngraham820@gmail.com for more information.
PLEASE HELP OUR CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN The cost-of-living crisis means food donations are at an all-time low and Sherborne Food Bank is spending nearly £1000 a week on vital foodstuffs. PLEASE help us ensure nobody goes hungry this Christmas by donating to the Food Bank if you can, either by a cash donation online or by dropping one or two items in the baskets at our local supermarket collection points. Alternatively, bring your donations to our stand in Cheap Street on Festive Shopping Day, Sunday 3rd December.
• Soup • Baked Beans • Pasta Sauces • Tinned Tomatoes • Tinned Vegetables • Instant Mash • Tinned Meats & Meals • Rice Pudding • Tinned Fruit • Porridge • Sweet Biscuits • Savoury Biscuits & Snacks • Boil-in-the-bag Rice • Toiletries Donation points can be found near the check-outs at
Thank you
www.sherbornefoodbank.org 07854 163869 | help@sherbornefoodbank.org
Community
A CLASSIC CAR, MARINE BIOLOGISTS IN THE DESERT, 4,000 MILES AND JOINING THE FRENCH
B
Archie O’Shaughnessy
reakfast conversation in our house has recently taken an automotive turn. Morning grunts of, ‘Pass the toast,’ have been replaced by the likes of, ‘What d’you think’s worth more: side panel right or offside door?’ In some ways, it is a wasted comparison: ‘offside front door’ is no longer up for grabs (having been reserved by rally organisers 4L Trophy). And ‘side panel right’ now belongs to a reading initiative, based in Vancouver, Canada. The bodywork panels being evaluated belong to a 38-year-old Renault 4 van, which we affectionately call Sandy. The reason we’re discussing the surface value of her body panels boils down to sponsorship. In less than 5 months, myself, Sandy and university friend 38 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Alf will depart on a 4,000-mile journey to the deserts of Morocco and back, loaded with books and school supplies. It’s our way of helping children in the wake of the terrible earthquake, which in September hit some of the poorest communities of this North African country. The convoy which we will join is the 4L Trophy, an annual humanitarian rally. It runs from France to Merzouga, in the Sahara, near the Algerian border. We are one of the only non-French teams, which means we’ll add another 1,400 miles to our journey and hopefully a few more French words to our vocabulary. Throughout our trip, we will supply sponsors with live updates in the form of Facebook and Instagram posts and live reports. And there should be much to recount.
Established in 1997, the rally can only be joined by people aged under 28, with Renault 4 cars; their objective is to carry around 50 tonnes of vital school supplies to children in remote areas. The Trophy, which launched with 5 teams, now features over 1,000 cars. The drivers cover their own costs (via donations and sponsorship), as well as coming up with their own cargo. Anyone wishing to support us can donate a certain amount - any figure they like. Or they can cover the cost of a specific item in our budget. Business owners can support us by sponsoring space on Sandy’s bodywork. For our cargo, we have chosen to partner with the educational non-profit Kashfi’s Children, which produces illustrated, dual-language storybooks. They have agreed to cover all production and printing costs. We’ll carry these award-winning books to remote regions, where there is a shortage of high-quality educational resources of this kind. At first glance, Alf and I aren’t a team most suited to the desert. As recently graduated marine biologists, into climbing and kayaking, the Sahara isn’t where you’d think to find us. But we have shared some tricky moments. One such being when I broke my back in three places during a white-water trip in Wales. It was largely thanks to Alf ’s calmness we were able to contact Mountain Rescue. Plus, neither Alf nor I are strangers to old cars – having each driven a few of our own. And anyone familiar with what’s under the bonnet of a Renault 4, will agree that they have the advantage of being easier to work on than a more modern ride. However, it’s our shared recognition that we have been fortunate enough to receive a full and rounded education, which spurs us on to make this trip. We have each visited parts of the world where the kind of education we received is not always accessible; Alf travelling through the mountains of India and myself growing up in Morocco and more recently travelling in Latin America. Seeing the 4L convoy passing through southern Spain, hundreds of Renault 4s each emblazoned with sponsor’s stickers, had a profound effect on me, aged 10. Many years later, as a conservationist, I believe in doing all possible to find practical solutions to problems, rather than simply identifying them. Alf and I feel that the 4L Trophy does just this; allowing us to deliver books to rural communities, whilst simultaneously raising awareness of the education struggles faced by children around the world. The books are printed in the dual languages of
Arabic and French. This second language serves the desire of young people to further their chances in education and commerce. With this ability comes their chance to find jobs in tech, tourism and business. Or to continue their studies, either online or overseas. The books we carry will be given to Enfants du Désert, a non-profit offering education in southern Morocco. Set up in 2005 by a French couple, this organisation fights tirelessly to use learning to better the lives of the children around them. Enfants du Désert has built schools, libraries and community centres, planted vegetable gardens, trained teachers and imported books and classroom equipment. One could say that they are a project that seeks to educate children from the cargo of a thousand classic cars. Made in France in 1985, Sandy will be our companion as we pass through four countries and two continents. Since rolling off the production line, she’s travelled over 100,000 miles. It’s a challenge for a van of her age and for us as a team but we’re ready to take it on, pushing ourselves and Sandy out of our comfort zones. We’ve divided her bodywork into sections businesses can sponsor, displaying their logo. In doing so, we’ve tried to cater for all budgets. The more prominent the area, the higher the price hence the fixation at breakfast on the desirability of her panels. When each of these is finally snapped up by a sponsor, the chances are we’ll go back to talking about toast. But for now, at least, the focus is on Sandy the Renault 4 van. Sandy the F4 sandy_the_f4 To donate or sponsor, please email aoshaughnessy@hoopoebooks.org or text/call Archie on 07880 342737 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 39
TRANSFORMATION
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O F F E R AVA I L A B L E W H E N YO U B U Y T W O C L A R I N S P RO D U C T S ( O N E TO B E S K I N C A R E O R F O U N DAT I O N ) . W O RT H B A S E D O N M L VA L U E O F S TA N DA R D S I Z E P RO D U C T S . O N E G I F T P E R C U S TO M E R W H I L E S TO C K S L A S T. C H O I C E S U B J E C T TO AVA I L A B I L I T Y. N OT TO B E U S E D I N C O N J U N C T I O N W I T H A N Y OT H E R O F F E R .
Community
REDISCOVER THE DIGBY HALL Joanna Williams, Facilities Officer, Sherborne Town Council
T
he Digby Hall, nestled next to the library on Hound Street, has a multitude of opportunities waiting for you. With events running seven days a week, you might be surprised at the range of activities on offer. There is everything from martial arts and mahjong to history and horticulture. Over recent years, the Digby Hall has soared in popularity and become a thriving hub for community events in the heart of Sherborne. The hall dates back to 1972 and due to recent modernisation, it has evolved into a light and airy space, comprised of four uniquely different rooms. The venue is fully equipped with an excellent range of facilities including a sound and lighting system, digital projector, licensed bar, private kitchen/kitchenette facilities for each room, cloakroom, toilets, tables and chairs and a fantastic stage for some truly memorable performances! There is also an on-site car park. Hirers love it as a destination and, as well as community groups, the hall attracts from far and wide such as Artisan Route who travel from Scotland to showcase their range of clothing and Stitch Fabrics from London who use the hall to sell their fabric to 42 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Image: Sherborne Arts
their South West customers. The large Main Hall (and kitchen) is the bestknown space, playing host to many fantastic events over the years, and is now regularly used for lectures and band nights. Three smaller rooms circle around the Main Hall and have proved the perfect space for hobby groups, classes and meetings. The Studio is incredibly bright with floor-to-ceiling windows and doubles up as dressing rooms, if needed, for the Main Hall. The Wingfield Room is the closest to the Main Hall and works brilliantly as a breakout space, or as a separate room, as it has its own private toilets. The Small Hall sits adjacent to the Digby Hall entrance and is light, spacious and has a great little kitchen. During the pandemic, the Digby Hall became a lifeline for the town as the Covid vaccination clinics took centre stage and so it continues with the local medical centres now hosting boosters and flu jabs. Shortly, we are planning to recommence weddings at the Manor House on Newland and the Digby Hall is perfect for a reception gathering. With some flowers and other decorations, it can be transformed into a personalised venue for you.
Image: Sherborne Town Council
New partnerships have been introduced to the Digby Hall – a great array of courses and clubs for the community. Rock Choir is fast becoming a popular group with participants enjoying an uplifting and inclusive dynamic. Dance Wessex say they enjoy all the fun and health benefits associated with dance, ‘in the amazing ambience of the Digby Hall.’ There are art groups, Pilates, a gardening club and historical and art societies meeting with wonderful speakers. There is a martial arts group, ‘which aims to build confidence and improve life skills in a safe and friendly environment’ and Dorset Adult Education, which offers courses including psychology, maths and creative writing. The hall hosts local traders for the monthly market on the first Saturday of the month. Symonds & Sampson also hold their property auctions in the hall and say, ‘It is a great venue. Lots of parking, a large room – which has accommodated the BBC crew for Homes Under the Hammer – and a good lawn at the back for celebrating when the lots are sold!’ The Sherborne Art Exhibition is an annual must-see. It is regarded as one of the best open art
exhibitions in the South West and the hall is the perfect place to showcase it. There is a fantastic caretaking team who are available to help groups with setting up, clearing away and connecting audio and visual equipment. They keep the space clean and tidy and are always on hand to help. Come and see what the Digby Hall has to offer for you – find a new hobby, meet new people and get involved with your local community. We look forward to welcoming you soon and invite you to follow our Facebook group @Digby Hall, Hound Street for up-todate event information, including our monthly ‘Digby Hall Calendar’ of events, which can also be found on the council noticeboards around the town. Sherborne Town Council runs the hall. If you are considering setting up a club or class or holding an event, the Digby Hall could be just the venue. Prices start from as little as £6 per hour and daily rates are available. Booking the hall is easier than ever, you can check availability and hire a room online via the Digby Hall page of the website sherborne-tc.gov.uk. You can also telephone 01935 812807 or call in and see us at the town council offices and we will be more than happy to help. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 43
Community
OUR MAN IN WESTMINSTER Chris Loder MP, Member of Parliament for West Dorset
A
s the nights draw in, our energy usage once again becomes a topic of conversation. The seasonal increase of heating our households and businesses during the winter months is to be expected but it has not been without its challenges. We should not forget that this time last year, the typical household’s energy bills had increased by 27% and many households were forecast to pay over £3,000 per year. You may recall that the Government implemented the Energy Price Guarantee – a cap of £2,500 for the average household on dual-fuel tariffs – to tackle rising bills. A raft of measures were also introduced for businesses and off-grid households, including the Alternative Fuels Payment Scheme and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Taken together, this package of measures provided - and continues to provide - an unprecedented level of financial support, worth over £78 billion across 2022-23 and 2023-24. This winter, we can cautiously expect a return to 44 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Image: Len Copland
some degree of normality with our energy bills, as wholesale energy prices have dropped to their lowest level since October 2021. Nonetheless, for those households and businesses struggling to pay for their energy bills, support is still available, and I’d be very happy to help should you need any advice or assistance. Aside from the immediate situation, there are also questions about our long-term energy usage. How resilient is our energy supply? What can be done to minimise the environmental impacts of energy production? How can we reach Net Zero by 2050 without burdening households and businesses in rural areas? In response to these questions, the Prime Minister recently announced a new approach to delivering our Net Zero commitment, especially where it would unfairly impact rural people through rural energy provision. Under the previous approach, new or replacement oil or gas boilers were banned from 2026 – a policy which over two-thirds of
constituents who recently completed my Rural Energy Survey disagreed with. The reality is that the previous approach risked disproportionately affecting rural families, businesses and those with low incomes the most. It would have pressed people into paying thousands of pounds for a new heating system in three years’ time. In my view, this was unjustifiable, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. Moreover, the preferred alternative – heat pumps – come with an average price tag of £10,000, which realistically many people simply can’t afford to pay for. The wider debate about Net Zero has rarely included an understanding of its consequences. The language of Net Zero has featured the pros but very rarely the cons and that is why the Prime Minister has balanced these and adjusted some of the immediate initiatives, whilst still maintaining our commitment to Net Zero at 2050. I have been clear that the balancing of pros and cons for rural Britain was not adequately understood, which led to my scepticism with the former policy. In rural West Dorset, most of households are not on the gas grid. Even with the assistance of a Government grant, it would simply not be practicable for these households and businesses to find the extra capital to pay for a new heating system in relatively short order. Under the new approach, off-grid households and businesses will will not need to replace their current boiler with a heat pump until its first replacement after 2035. This is positive for those properties and premises in Sherborne and the surrounding villages, many of which are centuries old and do not have the right conditions for the installation of a new heat pump and already have a well-functioning system in place. For households and businesses that are able to and want to transition to a heat pump today, there are grant options available under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We must not lose sight that per capita, carbon levels in the UK are at their lowest since the 1850s which we still want to progress more. The UK has also overdelivered on its targets, with the fastest reduction in emissions in the G7. We’ve had the fastest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions down by nearly 50% compared to 1990, while China has increased their emissions by 300%. Taken together, this enables a more pragmatic and realistic route to be implemented in due course by 2050. I’d be interested to know your views on this – you can contact me at: hello@chrisloder.co.uk
Trusts Administrator Sherborne (Part-Time) We are looking for somebody to work with our Private Client team ensuring the smooth operation of Trusts for our clients. Ideally you will have Trusts experience but we would welcome applications from those with book-keeping experience and an interest in Trusts work. Liaising with Clients, Trustees, HMRC and internal teams, this role would suit someone who wants to use their experience, eye for detail and numeracy skills to help colleagues and clients navigate their matters.
If you would like to know more or to submit your CV by way of application please contact hr@mogersdrewett.com. mogersdrewett.com 01935 813 691 enquiries@mogersdrewett.com
chrisloder.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 45
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Family
UNEARTHED George Maycock, aged 18, The Gryphon Sixth Form
G
eorge started his final year of A levels this September but he spent his summer very differently from many of his peers. Last year George entered the Innovation Competition, a national contest to win a prestigious internship at the Bank of England. Applicants were invited to produce a five-minute video on the topic ‘How can artificial intelligence impact the mission of the Bank of England? George was one of just 10 young people across the UK – many of whom were already at university – who were selected to go and work in London for the summer. After passing the rigorous security checks George started on his new projects. Working alongside senior employees his projects involved econometrics and the monitoring and surveillance of UK banks. He then moved to work with another team, where he got to use his computer science skills to develop a program for text analytics, helping the Bank process long documents through automation and topic analysis, rather than having employees read every one of them. George says, ‘I found the internship incredibly rewarding. It was such a stimulating environment and I was working alongside such incredibly intelligent people. The technology being used at the Bank of England is cutting-edge – it was an amazing experience.’ George is currently studying for A levels in Computer Science, Economics and Religious Education and is now busy working on his application for Cambridge University, where he hopes to study Human Social Political Science. Whilst he has a real talent for computing, he is interested in looking at how the economic climate can link to extremism and he hopes to forge a career in politics or economics on the international stage. gryphon.dorset.sch.uk
KATHARINE DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY
Portrait, lifestyle, PR and editorial commissions 07808 400083 info@katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk www.katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk
48 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
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Family
Children’s Book Review
Evelyn Lawrence-Archer, Aged 5, Leweston Prep
D IS FOR DOG! by Em Lynas and Sara Ogilvie (Nosy Crow, £9.99, hardcover)
Sherborne Times reader offer price of £7.99 from Winstone’s Books
I
liked the book. It made me laugh. My favourite dog is the ‘U’ dog because it was chewing the slipper under the bed. I like the dogs who were tangled together. I really liked pages ‘D’ & ‘E’ because ‘D’ shows two dogs that are friends dancing together and ‘E’ is begging which I think is cute and I like how its paws are swaying. If you don’t know your alphabet then you get used to the 50 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
letters and the pictures help you to understand what the letters mean. Each letter is funny. I like that ‘K’ is for keeping his favourite toy, which was a pink rabbit – my rabbit is Peter Rabbit which is my favourite toy. The 'Q' dog is chewing a shoe or two on the stairs – it looks a bit cheeky and funny because he is so sneaky! The whole book made me laugh.
Get this parrot off my head, Its claws are digging in, My mouth is full of feathers And they’re tickling my chin. A photo of one flying Would be much nicer instead, Of one that wants to sit here Like a hat upon my head. Take my picture with a monkey, Alligator or a bear, Not a great big ugly parrot Doing nasties in my hair
E
le
stine Thist rne
Illustrations and verses by Sally Evetts
‘A humorous look at some of the quirkiest memories of childhood, depicted through 17 pages of drawings and verse.’
To purchase your copy of Ernestine Thistle by Sally Evetts for £7.50 (including p&p) please contact the author at sallyevetts33@gmail.com or call 07867 541070
Individual prints also available |
Ernestine_Thistle
Family
70 MILES FOR MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE
T
Amelia Etherington
he dates between the 31st of August and the 5th of September were a shaping, reflective, blister-filled time for me. I walked the 70 miles from Sidmouth to Kimmeridge along the infamously steep South West Coast path. I set out on this adventure in aid of MND (Motor Neurone Disease) which my father was devastatingly diagnosed with in June 2021. So far there is no guaranteed cure and support for research into MND is desperately needed so, of the £60,000 we managed to raise, half will go towards these crucial research developments and the rest to MND S-W which has been a lifeline for our family over the past two years. The path I set out to tackle has always been particularly special to my father and me and is something we had always hoped to do together but (as I joked in my Just Giving blurb) ‘the bright red mobility scooter now says otherwise’. It was a wonderful section to choose as the geography and landscape changed dramatically each day, and I was beyond blessed with the weather. The first day was the only day to let me down on the weather front and my goodness did it try its best to. I can safely say the only time I’ve ever been less dry is when fully submerged in a body of water. But of course, in a twisted trick of irony, once settled in a warm pub in Seaton, the cloud parted and the sun descended! 52 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
For the rest of the 4 days, I had baking sunshine and as I marched (!) up the hills and stumbled along the shingle beaches, I met the most wonderful people, I ate the most delicious food (The Anchor Inn in Seatown is a firm recommendation) and I had endless time to reflect on the reason behind it all. On day two, my right knee started to give me a lot of grief and luckily various friends and family came to my rescue to provide sufficient distraction from the pain and more importantly to stuff me full of Starmix and Tangfastics, which greatly helped my energy and endurance! It was a very special time for contemplation and to think about what my dad and my whole family have been through the last two years. There have been ups and downs, which echoed some of the brutal terrain I encountered on the path, but he has carried on with his sense of humour still wry, his abundant love of life still shining through and his overwhelming enthusiasm still very much present. Although he could not join me along the walk itself, his encouragement at pit stops along the way made it all the more special. To have him there, experiencing it as much as he could, was incredibly special and I have created memories I really will cherish forever. bit.ly/justgiving-amelia-etherington mndassociation.org
L U X U R Y O N
A C C O M M O D A T I O N
C H E A P
S T R E E T
Style in the heart of Sherborne w w w . t he t o w nho use sh erb orn e. com i nfo @lux ur y c o t t a g es . com
Family
Max receiving his Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet certificate from His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, Angus Campbell
Image: Wessex RFCA
BRITISH ARMY OFFICER SCHOLARSHIP
O
Max Windham, Upper Sixth Form, Sherborne School
n the date of writing this, it has been precisely one year since I first applied for the British Army Officer Scholarship. On 6th September 2022 (Lower Sixth year) I entered the Careers Department along with three other boys and Mrs Fraser quickly pointed us in the right direction. By March, I had worked my way through a dozen or so documents and attended the in-person medical at Pirbright camp. I was then invited to an online interview with one of my two recruiters.
54 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Between the end of March and the latter half of June, I didn’t hear a squeak from my recruiters, which was rather disconcerting, to say the least! Finally, after they had read through all the profiles of the applicants, they chose between 200-300 to attend the Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB) at Westbury. Caspar, Elwell, Charlie, Georgia (from Sherborne Girls) and I were asked to attend. Of the two AOSBs offered, I had selected the second one which was split up into four overlapping intakes across six days at the end of July. As a word of advice to those who may pursue an Army Officer Scholarship in the future - in my opinion, the one at the end of July is preferable, since you will have more time to prepare during the summer holidays. At the beginning of my AOSB, I approached the ominous entrance to Westbury camp in the afternoon – my eyes half open after waking up at home in the North of Scotland at 3am. That evening I sat two of the psychometric tests in Sandhurst Hall. Then we had supper and relaxed in the candidates’ mess. I was allocated a bib (Blue 12) and a green coverall – from then on we were told to refer to each other by the number on the bibs. Day 1 started with a 6.30am wake-up. Between 7.30am-1pm, we attended briefings and practices of the various tasks. Then we went on to complete the indoor physical test which included a mid-thigh pull and a medicine ball throw. After lunch, we returned to Sandhurst Hall for the essay and the remaining three psychometric tests. The final task of the day was a couple of formal interviews with senior officers and board members. Day 2 started with another early wake-up. After a prompt breakfast, we were back at Sandhurst Hall for one hour to attempt the planning exercise. Once the hour was up, we hurried down to the interview rooms. We sat down facing a large map, our sheets were taken away from us and we were then chosen at random. Each member of my group (of eight) was asked to stand by the map, in front of four officers. We subsequently presented our plan and then a seemingly relentless stream of questions followed. With the aim of picking up on flaws within our plan and testing our mental arithmetic. Next was the bleep test where I achieved the maximum score of 11.7 and then individual tasks (assault course) soon after. From there we headed back to the accommodation, picked up a packed lunch and then I departed by train, heading back to Inverness airport where Dad was waiting for me. Two weeks later Caspar, Georgia and I received a letter in the post which congratulated us on achieving a full scholarship. We were all delighted and, to celebrate, Dad very kindly took me off salmon fishing later that week. Looking back on this experience I can confidently say it was, both mentally and physically, the most challenging thing I have done. I would highly recommend those who are thinking of a career in the army as an officer to go for it since it sets you up well for after school with a position at Sandhurst and the funding for a gap year and university. Even if you are unsuccessful at the scholarship it will give you a flavour of what Main Board will be like if you choose to try again. sherborne.org
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 55
Family
INSTRUMENTAL
James Henderson, Executive Director of Music, Sherborne School and Director of Music, Sherborne Abbey
A
s the summer drew to a close, most schoolaged musicians around the country returned to their musical instruments, after a period of inactivity, in readiness for the new school year— though some, of course, returned to them only once the term had begun and a small handful of them were deciding whether or not to stop and focus on other things. Some had attended summer courses and had maintained their practice routines almost throughout the break, as part of a process of preparing to take their ATCL or LTCL performance diplomas, or Grade 8 exams—often on more than one instrument—in readiness for university application forms or perhaps just as part of their musical pathway. The role of a music department, then, is to add enrichment to and to stretch and challenge, those who have stayed with their practising and who are inevitably ‘better’ than they were just weeks before; to build new ensembles or rebuild previous ones for those who became musically ready just in time for the term to begin (or possibly just after it had begun); and to provide opportunities for those who had wanted to drop their music altogether or who perhaps had yet to even try it. 56 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Inclusivity of all musical standards is the order of the day, as is flexibility within the aim to produce truly productive musical opportunities. Whether through links with other schools, through charitable ventures with the Choir at Christmas, involvement with Festive Shopping Day or performing weekly on Fridays in Cheap Street Church, the ethos of a music department needs to be, and Sherborne School music is, all-inclusive and, one that is entwined with the local community. In its huge 112-strong choir, its 70-strong wind band, its 22-strong swing band with its dinner and jazz events, and its almost legendary congregational singing in services held in the Abbey, the Music School is a collection of teams from the staff team (there are 28 specialist visiting music teachers) to the pupil teams (there are about 20 established ensembles). Whilst our well-established groups are often crowd-pleasers and essential building blocks in a pupil’s musical pathway, our smaller chamber groups are specifically chosen for a particular competition or concert and these projects run over a specific number of weeks rather than over the three terms. Over 350 instrumental lessons take place each week – there is an ensemble for every pupil’s ability level and there
Images: Josie Sturgess-Mills
are performance opportunities for everyone—whether playing to full-time members of the music staff, to friends in informal concerts that are not open to the public or in the well-established concert series of lunchtime recitals. At the heart of the Sherborne School Music School is a manager who pulls everything together in coordinating and administrating the very full music diary that is available at sherborne.org/co-curricular/music. Laura McCormick welcomes audiences to Cheap Street Church, to concerts in the music school and in the Big School Room on Hospital Lane and administrates all of the events: external and internal competitions with external adjudicators that challenge the most gifted and able; choral evensongs in Bath Abbey, Salisbury and Winchester Cathedrals; and short-term collaborative projects with Sherborne Girls involving orchestras, piano duos, string quartets, musicals and rock music. A trip to Oxford, with an orchestra joint with Sherborne Girls and The Gryphon, is planned for March 2024, including an overnight stay and an intensive rehearsal day (with a concert open to the public) in Oxford Town Hall. Meanwhile ‘open rehearsals’ for parents are a recent popular addition.
Collaboration and team spirit are key to musical success. We encourage our young musicians to make a choice and then to be committed because most ensembles rehearse on a longer growth basis than just one of the three terms—and being a member of the team then involves individual practice sessions in order to maintain high standards. Music Technology plays a big role in the process: composers beaver away at their composing work-stations for fun, for competition entry, and for GCSE and A Level coursework submissions. They then collaborate in the performances of their music. At the same time rock music flourishes, as it has for many years, and the Clapton-style ‘Unplugged’ is particularly popular as a collaborative exercise. It is also important to keep variety at the forefront of the musical offering. ABRSM, Rock & Pop and Trinity ‘live’ exams are now complemented by online digital grades. Electronic Music and DJ clubs run alongside Theory and Aural classes and Music Theory for all standards. There really is, and indeed needs to be, music for everyone. sherborne.org sherbornetimes.co.uk | 57
Science & Nature
Ian Redding/Dreamstime
DRAWN TO THE LIGHT Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra Gillian Nash
W
ith the flight season for the majority of moths now at a close, many of those species still flying have wings of rich autumnal colour enabling concealment among the seasonal wilting leaves and vegetation. At first glance the Black Rustic has the appearance of a rather dull moth not unlike the many ‘brown moths’ often referred to and so unlike the vibrant yellow, orange and russet shades that for lepidoptera recorders herald the onset of autumn species. A closer look however reveals an intricate pattern woven into brocadesque lustrous velvety jet black scales of the forewings, with just a small white crescent mark. Revealed only in flight the hindwings of the male by contrast are cold stone white, thinly bordered grey. Woody herbaceous and hedgerow plants, various 58 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
grasses, dandelions, plantains and heather are among species chosen on which eggs are laid during the moth’s flight season of September to November here in southern counties. At first tiny green larvae overwinter, resuming nocturnal feeding when conditions allow. Once fully-fed a pupa is formed by May, remaining hidden underground until the emergence of an adult moth the following autumn. Resident and although now widely distributed throughout much of the UK, numbers appear to be declining within its usual varied habitat which includes wild unmanaged areas, hedgerows, parks and gardens or any open areas where suitable plants grow. In this country, some believe that the sighting of a black moth symbolises inner peace and strength and perhaps such an appearance may even mean good things are coming your way.
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Science & Nature
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60 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
BRITAIN’S RAINFORESTS Simon Ford, Land and Nature Advisor
Wistman's Wood, Dartmoor sherbornetimes.co.uk | 61
Science & Nature
F
or many years, I worked on Dartmoor, Exmoor and in Cornwall. One of the habitats I liked visiting most was the ancient woodlands, which were often situated in deep shady ravines, on cliffs or sometimes in a high, rocky inhospitable area of moorland. The woods were usually low growing, with gnarled and contorted oak trees and stunted hazel and holly underneath. What perhaps makes them stand out most though was how vibrant the green was, even in the winter, when the leaves had fallen. This was because of the large amount of mosses and lichens cloaking the trees and also on the rocks and fallen trunks below. The other distinctive feature is the number of luxuriant ferns, growing in the shady conditions. These range from tiny and rare Tunbridge and Wilson’s filmy ferns to great big ferns such as the scaly male and shield ferns, which look like giant shuttlecocks. Some ferns such as the southern polypody have found a toe hold on the horizontal branches of oaks, rooting into the mosses that coat the trees. Here, they do not need to compete with other plants and are able to get light and moisture. Lichens, positively drip from the trees, often more blue/grey in colour than the dark green mosses and also incredibly varied. Some coat the trunks, while others hang off the branches. I particularly like the rare Lobaria or lungwort lichens, which look like savoy cabbage leaves, attached to the trunk of a tree. Another favourite is the Usnea lichens, commonly called ‘string of sausages’, with clusters, hanging off branches. On the ground and on rocks, you may find Cladonia lichens which have the common name of ‘pixies cups’ and ‘pixies matchsticks’, and when ready to reproduce, produce lipstick red spores. In these upland areas, there may be a small stream or river cascading down the hill, with the constant sound of flowing water. Mosses like the Polytrichums, look like miniature conifer plantations, while the Thudium ones appear as tiny fern-like fronds. Woodland plants will vary, depending on the underlying geology, but may include bilberry and sometimes heather, in acidic areas like Dartmoor and Exmoor. Other areas will be coated with woodrush and pendulous sedge and in some cases, bluebells in the spring. While we may get some of these characteristics in Dorset woodlands, particularly in the west of the 62 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
county, our climate is not wet and humid enough (despite evidence to the contrary last summer!). Rainforest woodlands are found mostly in the far west of England in Devon, Cornwall and Cumbria, in west and north Wales, in the west of Ireland and the west coast of Scotland. In these areas, there is plentiful rain, lots of fog and mist and the temperatures are generally quite mild. For the lichens to flourish, they are also very intolerant to atmospheric pollution and ammonia from intensive agriculture or sewage. The westernmost areas are usually some of the cleanest, with 3000 miles of Atlantic Ocean to the southwest, from where the prevailing winds come. Unfortunately, our rainforests are very much as threatened as those we think of in the Amazon, Africa or Asia or the temperate cloud forests in Ecuador or Costa Rica. Records show that many of our upland areas such as Dartmoor, the Welsh mountains such as Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons and the Lake District were once cloaked in such woodlands. What we see (and sometimes love) today, is very much a degraded habitat, cleared of trees in our own ‘slash and burn’ and turned over to intensive sheep farming. The sheep then eat any saplings that try to establish and often get into the remaining woodlands and prevent any regeneration. We have become accustomed to upland areas being completely denuded of trees but that is entirely down to man (and his sheep!). The loss of such rainforest woodlands is not only very damaging to wildlife but also exacerbates flooding downstream, as we have seen at Lynmouth, Boscastle, Porlock and Cockermouth. There are now attempts to re-establish some of these areas by conservation bodies, through natural regeneration and planting and excluding sheep. Guy Shrubsole has recently written an excellent book on Britain’s Rainforests and George Monbiot has also written a thought-provoking book called Feral, both of which can be bought at Winstones. If you are holidaying in the West Country, do have a look at places like Wistman’s Wood or Blackator Copse on Dartmoor, the Dizzard in North Cornwall or Woody Bay and Brownsham in North Devon. They are every bit as amazing as tropical and temperate rainforests in other parts of the world.
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Science & Nature
HIVE OF ACTIVITY
Paula Carnell, Beekeeping Consultant, Writer and Speaker
D
uring autumn I try and make space for contemplation, a much-needed breathing space after the busyness of the summer bee season. This year the season was extended with my travelling to speak at conferences in Saudi Arabia, Chile and Turkey. I am also observing the cycle of seasons on a wider note within our lives. Almost seven years ago I was invited to visit what is now The Newt in Somerset. In February 2017, what we now know of as beautiful gardens and award-winning hotels, was wild woodland and multiple building sites! It was an honour to be invited to look inside the fences. As a local, I have had the gardens and house at Hadspen as a significant part of my life, exhibiting in the house for a charity fundraiser and attending balls and exhibitions on the front lawn. When my boys were young we would visit after school and at weekends to walk around and have a cake or an ice cream. I was not going to pass up an invitation, directly from the new owner, to take a peek at what was happening beyond the sight of the A371! 64 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Tia the gardener and Katie the estate architect walked me through the building site and into the ancient woodland, telling me of the plans for a luxury hotel and restoring the once beautiful gardens that had laid as scrub for far too many years after their demolition. The seed for me was the talk of bringing out the spirit of the land, and sharing its stories. I love a good story, almost as much as I love sharing it, so after being asked to consider what part bees could play in this new venture, I went away inspired to make a difference! If I was a conventional beekeeper, I could have suggested 100 or so beehives filled with bee colonies bought in for their bred behaviour, calm, efficient honey producers. As I keep my own bees all around the estate, it was very important to me how they worked with bees and introduced colonies from outside the area, although what most people do, I knew was very damaging to our native pollinators. I put together a plan, a many-page document of ‘what I would do if it was mine and there were no
limitations’! After a nail-biting day or so, the reply came, ‘Great, now will you do it?’ I had set up my business ‘Creating a Buzz about Health’ a year before and was only 18 months into being recovered from Ehlers-Danloss. Suddenly my business took a new direction, focusing on the bees and including The Newt in creating a buzz! Through wonderful synchronicity, the bees introduced me to Joe Bleasdale, now an octogenarian, who’d been beekeeping for over 40 years. He also didn’t use chemicals or feed sugar and he was the first to join my ‘Bee Team’. Linda from Wincanton, who had been one of my carers whilst bed-bound, was next, then Minnesota-born Rande and, once The Newt opened in 2019, Kerry and Goldie. Together we built the bee programme and produced the content for the beautiful ‘Beezantium’. It was my plan that we should not bring any colonies or Queen bees into the area, using only the native wild bees found living in the trees and swarms. As the swarms arrived, we then split the healthy survivors to create the now over 20 honeybee colonies. Each year from the initial 2 wild colonies, our bees grew and expanded, bucking the global trend of increasing bee losses. The bonus of working this way was the benefit to the native solitary and bumble bee species. During my first bee audit, I found 8 species out of the possible 275 we have in the UK. By not overpopulating with honeybees, the species diversity increased to 28 in 2022. As I did not want the honey bees to be put under pressure to produce honey, especially whilst the gardens were still young and local forage minimal, it was important to me to have an alternative income source for the bees, a bee programme that could justify the investment in hives, equipment and the Bee Team! Bee Safaris were the first step – guided tours for garden visitors showing different species of bees, which flowers they like to forage on and where the wild bees live in the trees. My initial plan for a bee visitor centre included a simple shed with an observation hive. After my trip to Bhutan in 2018, I was inspired by the honey houses in the mountains, where people lived with honeybees in the walls of their homes. Working with Piers Taylor’s team and Katie, the Beezantium was born and then formed by the wonderful creative team of Kossman DeJong in the Netherlands. Deciding what information to put into the honeycomb interior walls was a mammoth task – far more information and facts than
Images courtesy of The Newt in Somerset
space or time would allow – so we reduced it according to themes: inside the hive, around the hive and the human connection with bees. The idea is that visitors enter the Beezantium as if entering a hive and see the world from the bees’ perspective. Since it opened in 2021, bees have moved into the hives in the walls where they live all year round. I wanted the hives to enable natural habitat as much as possible. When we used more conventional hives, they were created larger than usual observation hives to ensure the bees could remain in the hives and not have to be moved out during the winter. Since opening, tens of thousands of visitors have made their way through the woods to the apiary where the Beezantium proudly stands – a testament to the bees and a culmination of many people’s and bees’ dreams! paulacarnell.com Paula’s weekly podcast, Creating a Buzz about Health, is available on all popular listening platforms. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 65
On Foot
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On Foot
THE UNDERCLIFF Emma Tabor & Paul Newman Distance: 7 miles Time: Approx. 5 hours Park: The Ship Inn, Church Street, Axmouth, Devon EX12 4AF Walk Features: This is a linear walk along a section of the South West Coast Path which starts from Lyme Regis and follows the undulating path of The Undercliff to Axmouth. The Undercliff is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and of national ecological and geological importance. Park at Axmouth and catch the 378 bus to Lyme Regis then walk back to Axmouth. The route can be quite challenging and arduous, mainly enclosed by woodland with occasional views to the sea, but the drama of the location, geology and variety of wildlife to be seen make this worthwhile and utterly rewarding. Stout footwear is essential - and a packed lunch! Refreshments: The Ship Inn, Axmouth >
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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. This is more of an established route, rather than a walk we’ve devised, as it follows this geologically and ecologically unique part of the South West Coast Path. There really is a sense of adventure as you enter The Undercliff with no pathways out, inland or seawards, until you reach the other end. It is also possible to take the walk in the other direction but this route allows you to explore Broad Street and Lyme’s seafront before heading towards The Cobb to start the walk. The route undulates continuously with climbs up and down steps in places but the sense of being surrounded by foliage and canopy for a prolonged period of time is mesmerising. At points, there are glimpses out to sea and sheer chalk cliffs appear inland through the surrounding canopy. The ecology is precious and diverse, mainly ash, field maple woodland and scrub which has developed on an active band of folds and troughs, also including orchids, ferns and fungi as well as numerous songbirds, peregrines and ravens - effectively temperate rainforest. A landslip on Christmas Day in 1839 created Goat Island, which you cross towards the end of the walk, when a large field became detached from the main 68 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
cliff and moved seaward. In such a special and unique environment, this is an absorbing walk, laced with curiosities, unfolding over deep geological layers and shifting time. Directions
Start: The Ship Inn, SY 257 911 1 Park in the car park at The Ship Inn in Axmouth and then take the 378 bus to Lyme Regis, alighting outside the Coop on Broad Street. 2 From the bus stop, you have the option to explore Broad Street and then walk along Lyme seafront, or explore Langmoor and Lister Gardens. Once you have done this, head towards The Cobb to begin the walk. 3 With The Cobb behind you, walk into Monmouth Beach Car Park and at the bowling green on your right, turn right to follow the coast path (Seaton 7 1/4 miles) up steps and between beach huts. At the top of the steps, turn left for Seaton (Undercliff 1/4 mile). Go to the next footpath sign and carry on for Seaton, passing through the meadow and wood pasture of Ware Cliffs, home to many orchids and a good spot to look out across The Cobb and Lyme Bay. You will soon reach a fence with designs depicting Mary Anning and her dog Tray, which takes you into The Undercliff. From this point, there is an early and very steep route out towards
Chimney Rock but otherwise, you now stay on this path, initially a track, until you reach Goat Island in another 4 miles. 4 Along the route, a small grassy area with seating above Pinhay Bay makes a good stop and there are other points of interest including the remains of a pumping station where you meet a track at Rousdon Cliffs above Charton Bay, as well as an 18th Century sheep wash. The route is clearly signposted so just keep following the signs for Seaton, with the sea to your left. After 3 1/2 miles, the route climbs towards Goat Island and you make the high ground again, as you emerge onto the meadow above Haven Cliffs.
5 From Goat Island, the coast path heads along the cliff top before soon turning inland, following along the right-hand edge of a field and then into an overgrown lane for another 200 yards. Where this emerges onto a track, the coast path goes left. Go through the hedge ahead and keep straight on across a field, heading downhill to a stile in a hedge. Cross the stile, to emerge onto a road, Stepps Lane. Head downhill for just under 1/2 mile, soon entering into Axmouth to reach Chapel Street. Turn left until you reach the main road with the Ship Inn opposite. southwestcoastpath.org.uk avmtbustimes.wixsite.com
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enquiries@chedingtoncompost.co.uk WWW.CHEDINGTONCOMPOST.CO.UK sherbornetimes.co.uk | 69
At Bill Butters Windows Ltd we offer total window, door and conservatory solutions. Based in Sherborne we design, manufacture, supply and install high quality aluminium and uPVC products using market leading suppliers to service both the retail and commercial sectors.
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History OBJECT OF THE MONTH
THE KHODYNKA CUP Elisabeth Bletsoe, Curator, Sherborne Museum
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lthough nowadays the museum rarely takes in items that are unrelated to our local history, the so-called Khodynka Cup has a riveting story of its own to tell. An enamelled beaker 10cm high, it is decorated with a blue, red and yellow strap-work pattern on a white ground and embellished with a line of gilt around the base and just under the rolled rim. The Romanov eagle is depicted on one side and the ciphers of Nicholas and Alexandra on the other; strong clues as to its provenance. A much prized commemorative piece, it was created for the Coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna on 31st May 1896. A huge festival was planned for that day to celebrate the occasion and gifts were to be given out to all – a package of food containing hard sausage, bread rolls, sweets, nuts and gingerbread, with the enamelled mug wrapped in a coloured souvenir handkerchief. There were to be ‘many great spectacles’, including a circus of Durov’s performing animals and ‘royal appearances’. People came in droves and could hardly wait until the time scheduled for the gift-giving at 10am on the 31st, for fear that nothing would be left. One worker was recorded as saying that the mugs were meant to be very pretty and that they would last forever – a true marvel. On the eve of the Coronation, half a million revellers gathered in agitated anticipation on Khodynka Field in Moscow, an area in front of the Tsar’s podium which was normally used as a military training ground. It was an ill-considered location, full of ruts, gullies and potholes, and on that night there was no moon causing many people to fall in the darkness and injure 72 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
themselves. The immense crowd became even more tightly packed by the next morning and the number of Cossacks sent in to maintain order was wholly inadequate. Then a rumour swept around that each beaker contained a gold coin. The already unruly and excited crowd surged forward, causing confusion and a fatal crush. Over three thousand people were injured and more than half of these died, being either suffocated or trampled to death. The scale of the psychological trauma can scarcely be imagined. Nicholas was in a quandary as he felt he could not disappoint all the many international celebrities who had been invited and, in an ill-judged move, he chose to continue with the ceremony, rather than have to announce an official day of mourning. The decision cast a shadow over the start of his reign and even, it is believed, contributed to his eventual fate. The calamity became known as ‘The Khodynka Tragedy’ and the Tsar was dubbed ‘Bloody Nicholas’ despite his later attempts to compensate the bereaved families. The Tsarina herself named the beaker ‘The Cup of Sorrows’. Most of them were damaged in the event and, of those that remained, few survived the Russian Revolution, so this one gifted to the museum in 1986 is incredibly special. sherbornemuseum.com Sherborne Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10.30am to 4.30pm. Admission is free but donations are very much appreciated.
The Joinery Works, Alweston Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5HS Tel: 01963 23219 Fax: 01963 23053 Email: info@fcuffandsons.co.uk
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History
HAYDON PARK Cindy Chant & John Drabik
Ambiguous clues to Haydon Camp's past
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ot many know of Haydon Park and what it was used for during and shortly after WW2. It is situated high on Jerusalem Hill, formerly Sir Walter Raleigh’s deer park, and now part of the Digby Estate. In 1943 the Americans built a station hospital here for their injured troops and also for those of some allied and enemy forces. The wounded came in at Weymouth and were transported to this safe and peaceful haven - the top road from Dorchester to Middlemarsh was constructed specially for this purpose. Others arrived by train at Sherborne station. The hospital, known as ‘The 228th American Hospital’, was huge with well over 1,000 patients and it consisted mainly of Nissan huts with some brick buildings. It had surgical and medical wards, an operating theatre, a dental clinic, 74 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
accommodation blocks and a garage with maintenance facilities. One of the Nissan huts was converted to a church and was used for Catholic and Protestant services. Several local girls from Sherborne and Milborne Port were employed there, and many others were invited to the weekend dances, as some of the men with musical instruments had formed a ‘swing band’. By the end of the war, the hospital had tended nearly 23,000 patients. Just prior to D-Day, an unfortunate event occurred during a training session. A terrific explosion was heard coming from the nearby castle grounds when a lorry carrying a load of mines had reversed over one of them. 29 Americans were killed and several others were severely injured. The incident was censored and kept hushed up, and it was not until 1989 when a plaque was
laid at the war memorial in front of Sherborne Abbey that people became aware of it. They are remembered on Armistice Day each year and sometimes American visitors come specifically to pay homage to their unfortunate comrades. After the war, Haydon Camp was given over by the MOD for use by the Polish Resettlement Corps. Over one million Poles were displaced by the war – some were refugees, others survivors of forced labour camps and some were regular soldiers who had regrouped in Europe. Many joined forces and fought with the allies making a substantial contribution towards the war effort. Under the British high command, 228,000 Polish men and women were serving all over Europe and Africa, in varying roles such as in armoured and rifle divisions or as nurses and administrators.
There was even a Polish Airborne Parachute Brigade. They participated in the Siege of Tobruk, the Battles of Arnhem, Monte Cassino and Falaise Pocket. Those who had any flying experience took part in the Battle of Britain flying British planes in various squadrons. The Poles were fearful of returning home to the new Soviet Communist regime and this led to the ‘1947 Polish Resettlement Act’. It was Britain’s first mass Immigration Law and provided safe accommodation in the many abandoned camps throughout England, Scotland and Wales. It offered British citizenship to the Poles who had bravely fought alongside them and now supplied a much-needed labour force, helping to rebuild war-torn Britain physically and economically. 140,000 made their way to our shores and this number increased to over 162,000 by 1951. Some came as regimental friends and some as families. Haydon became one of the many camps earmarked for Polish families. The Nissan huts provided accommodation for two families by being divided across the centre, each half with its own door and windows. They were given basic surplus NAAFI furniture along with a small cast iron stove which proved to be inadequate during winter conditions. With sheltered walkways, canteens providing meals, and communal washrooms, Haydon Park became a little Polish village. They were expected to find whatever work they could, such as general labouring or in the local leather and glove factories. Friendships and a community were formed within the camp, and they raised their children in the Polish spirit, maintaining their Polish traditions as much as they could. They created a nursery for when parents went to work and a college, the Joseph Conrad School, where the older ones learned English in preparation for finding work. The little Nissan church became the central hub on Sundays with their Polish priest Father Alojzy Finc, who served as an army chaplain with the Polish 2nd Corps in Italy. But Haydon Camp was always regarded as temporary accommodation and soon families started to move out whenever work was found, often travelling to the industrial heartlands of the North to find it. Some remained in the area and settled in Sherborne, as some of us oldies may well remember. Once a bustling American hospital and then a Little Poland, the camp finally closed in 1956. All that now remains of the life and happenings at Haydon are a few tarmacked surfaces and the remnants of some of the Nissan hut floors, all overgrown and slowly being reclaimed by nature. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75
Antiques
NOT A TYPO
W
Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers
hen I was a teenager, I remember being taught the art of touch-typing on a typewriter. In those days computers were becoming available for office use and the lessons were to teach me how to type my own letters as in years to come secretaries, it was predicted, would not be around to perform such tasks as computers would be doing everything for us. However, decades prior, secretaries were the backbone of business producing letters and documents. From the 1920s large companies would have typing pools, also known as secretarial pools. The secretaries who worked in the pools were available to assist any executive or manager without a permanently assigned secretary. We often come across old typewriters, rather like old sewing machines. They were all well-engineered and built to last. Combine this with people reluctant to throw them away – why would you when you have an attic, a shed or a garage to store them in just in case you might want to use them again one day, and they are in bountiful supply? Back to my typing lessons, some 40 years ago, and I remember vividly being instructed to put my fingers on the ‘home keys’ of the QWERTY keyboard to begin typing. However, it might not be entirely unsurprising to most of you reading this, that learning to type as a 17-year-old was not at the top of my list of things I wanted to do or had any real interest in becoming a master of. Today, like many ‘old’ people, I do wish I paid more attention when at school and yes, I regret messing about in class and not learning how to type, which rather unfortunately, was always on a Friday afternoon, or what I liked to call back then, the start of the weekend. 76 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
However, as an auctioneer and valuer, I do come into contact with typewriters. Not long superseded in most countries by photocopiers and personal computers, as mentioned above, people have a particular reluctance to throw them away. A chipped or broken vase, which could be valuable, people will put in the bin, but an old typewriter no way! And this can be a good thing as there is a market for some (not all I add in quickly!) typewriters. One of my favourite typewriters is an Olivetti. Their range of Lettera machines comes in wonderful oranges and other bright colours, unlike the black ones used by thousands of typists in secretarial pools. And then again, there are the unusual and quirky typewriters pioneered by companies as being the best thing since sliced bread. Generally, these go back to a time when typewriters were not standardised, and in our 1st December auction of Collectors Items, we have one such typewriter. A client in Southampton was having a sort-out at home and asked us to value and auction a collection of Chinese ceramics and a typewriter. An unusual combination, the Chinese ceramics, valued at over £10,000, will be sold next year, but the Blickensderfer No 5 typewriter, with its unusual DHIATENSOR keyboard, as opposed to the usual QWERTY keyboard, has a loyal following. Not a rare typewriter, Blickensderfer produced over 74,000 No 5s from 1893-1913, they are interesting and I am sure this one will easily find plenty of bidders in the auction. charterhouse-auction.com
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Fancy revamping your wardrobe? Come to a SWISH! Saturday 25th November 1pm-3pm Digby Memorial Hall, Sherborne, DT9 3NL • Bring clothes and accessories cluttering your wardrobe that you love but don’t wear • Take home some new items for FREE! • Completely free, just bring a max of 10 items of men’s, women’s or children’s clothes/ accessories in good condition • No need to bring clothes if you don’t have any to donate. Just come along anyway! •Bring clothes from 11am onwards. No more clothes accepted after 2pm
Get Swishing!
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Forthcoming Auction Programme
Coins, Medals & Stamps with Model Trains & Cars 30th November Christmas Luxuries with Wine, Port & Whisky and Antiques & Interiors 1st December Decorative Arts & Mid-Century Modern 3rd January Pictures, Books & Maps 4th January Antiques & Interiors 5th January Further entries invited
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1937 Gold Proof Coin Set sold for £9,500
Contact Richard Bromell for advice on single items and complete house contents Valuations for Probate and Insurance
The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne DT9 3BS 01935 812277 www.charterhouse-auction.com
CHRISTMAS OPE N WE E KE N D November
Thursday 16th Sunday 19th
Opening Times Thur/Fri/Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 12-4pm Free Parking
UNIT 10 + 11 Molecula Modern Design & Antiques molecula.co.uk
UNIT 15 Studio Sherborne Artist Studio & Gallery victoriayj.com
UNIT 17 Holtby & Co Antiques & Decorative holtbyandco.uk
UNIT 10 Wilkie Antiques Antiques & Decorative @wilkieantiques
UNIT 13 Mary Hossack Antiques Decorative Antiques & Brocante maryhossack.co.uk
SHE RB O RNE
D O RS ET
DT 9 3 R Q
20TH CENTURY DESIGN . ANTIQUES . ART . LIGHTING FURNITURE . BROCANTE . DECORATIVE ITEMS . GIFTS
THE NEWT Words Claire Bowman Photography Katharine Davies
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ovember’s arrival might mean shorter days and chillier mornings but you won’t hear anyone complaining at The Newt in Somerset – the 2,000-acre estate near Bruton that opened in 2018 and brings hotels and spa, gardens, farmland, cyder orchards and garden attractions together under one stylish umbrella (one bearing The Newt branding, naturally). In fact, the team positively embraces the changing seasons, particularly Fire Night, which has grown into the biggest, most highly anticipated date in the estate calendar. While previously held as a private event for the 500 staff and guests, this year Newt members will be invited to join the party – a multi-sensory spectacle of burning effigies, pyrotechnics, live music and lashings of beef stew, apple cake and mulled cyder, with shades of America’s famous Burning Man festival. If the mesmeric clip of last year’s 25ft burning willow stag is anything to go by, it should be quite the spectacle. >
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‘This year we’re evoking Arthurian legend by burning an effigy of a wyvern,’ explains Ed Workman, CEO of The Newt, when we meet for a coffee in the hotel’s elegant Croquet Room. ‘Fire Night is a counterpoint to our Wassail celebrations in March when we awaken the apple trees with the sound of cannon fire – on Fire Night we give thanks to the trees for a bountiful harvest. We bid them a restful sleep and ward off any mischievous spirits that might be hiding in the branches. It’s a chance to announce how many tons of apples we’ve harvested this year and to really think about the land and what it provides for us.’ The land certainly provides. From the autumn beetroot salad and heritage tomatoes served in the Garden Café and the cyder-inspired cocktails in the Hadspen Hotel bar, to the venison and juniper sausages in the farm shop, everything comes from the estate. ‘We’re fortunate not just to be producing exciting things that our chefs want to use in our restaurants but food that people will appreciate and want to eat at home,’ says Ed, segueing neatly into his plans for growing The Newt’s e-commerce business – produce that is delivered across Somerset, parts of Dorset, and the whole of Central London courtesy of The Newt’s
fleet of electric vehicles. ‘We’re lucky to have people working for us who have real expertise and passion for what they do. That grounds us and makes us authentically West Country. Most of the team have grown up around here or have ties to the area; without them, The Newt could be a very beautiful shell.’ Step forward Master Butcher Lloyd Tucker, whose family farmed near Street and who left school at 16, worked as a butcher’s apprentice and scooped the title of BBC’s Young Butcher of the Year before joining The Newt four and a half years ago. Working with farm manager Cameron Knee, who oversees the largest pedigree herd of British Whites in the UK, a flock of Bleu de Maine x Dorset Down sheep and the herd of red and fallow deer that roam in the deer park, Lloyd and his team have recently moved their butchery from the farm shop to a state-of-the-art glass-fronted facility at their operation on nearby Avalon Farm. ‘It’s important to us that there’s transparency in everything we do,’ says Lloyd. ‘All the estate meat is high welfare, has full traceability and comes through our butchery to supply our hotels, shops and e-commerce.’ > sherbornetimes.co.uk | 83
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Keen to pass on his expertise, Lloyd is launching a series of butchery masterclasses so that anyone eager to sharpen their knife skills or looking to treat a carnivorous loved one can do so. ‘I’ll take a lamb carcass and guide the class through the different cuts, from boning a leg to French trimming a rack,’ says Lloyd. ‘After that, we’ll stop for lunch and barbecue the meat, and everyone goes home with an apron, woodenhandled knife and some recipe cards. It’s a great way to spend a morning.’ If you’re more interested in what’s in your glass than on your plate, members can also book on to a cyder workshop run by Cellar Master Greg Carnell, who is married to Bee Consultant (and long-time Sherborne Times’ contributor), Paula Carnell, who runs honey tastings and bee safaris on the estate. Using apples that have been hand-picked, pressed and cold-fermented, Greg and his team of cyder makers approach the production just as they would wine, their Riesling-style Fine Cyder, he tells me, pairs perfectly with Christmas lunch. A Royal Navy pilot before switching careers at the age of 50 to pursue his passion for cydermaking, Greg stumbled across the job right back before The Newt had even opened its doors in 2017. One CV and four interviews later, he was meeting builders on-site. ‘I’ve got photos of the Cyder Cellar when it was half a foot off the ground and surrounded by rubble. We were learning to work with builders to project manage the installation,’ he says, pointing to a building that blends so seamlessly with its surroundings that it’s hard to believe it hasn’t been there for decades. ‘It was a blank piece of paper effectively and in five years we’ve gone from that to probably some of the best cyder in the country – the only three-star gold medal winner at the coveted Great Taste Awards and the only one top 16 out of 4,500 artisan products to win a Golden Fork.’ This same pursuit of excellence is shared by the bakery team, led by Brazilian-born Head of Bakery Paulo Silva, who brings to our cover shoot the most Instagram-worthy sourdough I’ve ever seen; and by vegetable gardeners Grace and Lucy. They arrive sporting sage-green ‘Grow Slowly’ jumpsuits – as worn by the team at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show (The Newt were the headline sponsor). Lead Grower Lucy, who worked previously on
private estates and Bishop’s Palace in Wells before joining the team two and half years ago, has come prepared with a selection of red klimaro cabbages fresh from the veg patch, a variety that can be harvested in winter and stands a good chance of making its way on to Chef Beth Hopkinson’s menu at the Garden Cafe. ‘Brassicas love the silty loamy soil here – it’s easy soil, high in fertility,’ says Lucy. ‘But my favourite veg is always the cauliflower. I love how the leaves curl over to reveal the perfect white head nestled inside. It’s a beautiful thing.’ Perfection is something of a common goal here. From the Roman Villa with its intricate mosaics to the lakeside Beezantium and shell-encrusted grotto, everything has been painstakingly created, grown or renovated to the highest possible standard. Should you ever tire of visiting – unlikely since something will almost certainly have sprung up since your last trip – membership will also allow access to The Newt’s partner gardens: the Eden Project, Wakehurst, Great Dixter, Blenheim, Chatsworth and Kew among others. Gardens that look just as striking in the depths of winter as they do in the height of summer. ‘There’s something beautiful about the green blur disappearing to reveal the trees in their skeletal form,’ says The Newt’s ebullient Head of Programmes, Arthur Cole, who trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. ‘That’s when you really get to appreciate the true structure and definition of our woodlands – the mature trees, the veterans, the grandmother trees. After all, the cycle of the seasons is all part of the natural order of things. ‘Instead of running away from it and chasing the sunshine in November, why not embrace all the great things happening here?’ Arthur suggests. A Mushroom Masterclass, anyone? A dawn walk and traditional hedge-laying course perhaps? Or maybe a visit to the Story of Gardening museum where you can don a VR headset and immerse yourself in Monet’s lily pads? So as the seasons turn and The Newt takes on an earthy hue, it looks like we won’t have to travel far to escape the winter blues. Fire Night is on Friday 10th November. For details of membership and events, visit thenewtinsomerset.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 87
Affordable interior fabrics thefabricbarn.co.uk
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Crafting quality timber buildings and gates since 1912 Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7LH Tel: (01963) 440414 | Email: info@sparkford.com | @sparkfordtimber | www.sparkford.com 88 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Plant and protect
As winter approaches, November remains a busy time in the garden. Some tender plants will be in need of protection and there are still plenty of opportunities to plant now for an improved outdoor space next year.
With much of the garden lying dormant over the cooler months, now is an excellent time to plant bare-rooted hedging plants, while many trees and shrubs will also benefit from a head start over winter. These newly planted additions will require a little protection from the wind and cold, while your containers will be pleased of some insulation too. Wildlife can always do with a helping hand at this time of year, and you can easily encourage winter visitors with a little bird food. You can pick up your hedging plants, trees and shrubs 7 days a week:
Open Monday-Saturday 9.00am-6.00pm, Sunday 10.00am-4.30pm (tills open at 10.30am)
Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5NR
01935 814633
castle@thegardensgroup.co.uk
www.thegardensgroup.co.uk @thegardensgroup
Buy a composter from £6 A delivery charge of £10 per order applies
Buy one at £6, get a second one at half price
getcomposting.com
Or call 0844 571 4444 quoting reference DOR22L sherbornetimes.co.uk | 89
Gardening
HEDGING
Mike Burks, Managing Director, The Gardens Group
E
very garden has a boundary of some description but what better way to frame your garden than with a natural hedge full of wonderful interest? Such hedges not only look natural but they can also encourage wildlife and protect the garden from harsh winds. This is much better than a fence or wall as the wind is filtered so swirling is avoided. Autumn is the traditional time to plant hedges as many of the plants labelled as hedging plants are grown out in the field and dug up once the leaves have dropped when dormant. Rather than being potted up, the bare-rooted plants are bundled up and delivered to us from our specialist growers, normally from late October until early March. To ensure that the roots don’t die they are kept moist and frost-free by heeling them into a compost bed. Most bare-rooted plants are 60-90cm (2-3ft) in size and will happily transplant during the dormant season. Planting bare-rooted plants is very simple – there is no solid root ball to accommodate in the ground and a simple slit made with the spade into well-prepared soil will be sufficient. Add some multipurpose compost and Rootgrow and firm in well. This is important, as you need the roots to be in contact with the soil to prevent the plant from drying out. Once in, keep well watered and a good mulch such as composted bark or Bloomin’ Amazing will keep the weeds down and moisture in. The range of bare-rooted plants is quite large and a mixed hedge often starts with a predominance of tougher plants such as hawthorn (flowering May) which also acts as a ‘nurse’ crop, protecting the other slower growers. With white flowers in the spring, red autumn berries and a dense, thorny habit, quickthorn is a fast grower and establishes easily. Sometimes, particularly with nature in mind, blackthorn is added too. Also with white flowers and thorns, the bluey/purple fruit are sloes used for sloe gin, but they are also a great source of food for wildlife.
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I love hazelnuts so always include a small percentage of common hazel which adds catkins in the late winter and early spring, along with nuts in the autumn once the hedge matures. Spindle too in small numbers gives extra interest with autumn berries as does Guelder Rose which is in fact a Viburnum and has white flowers before the berries. Field Maple will add interest with its butter-yellow autumn colour and eventually interesting bark textures. Hornbeam bulks up the hedge too and will hold onto its autumn leaves for a long time giving extra protection. Dogwood in the form of Cornus sanguinea gives flowers, berries and some great autumn colours and will fill in the gaps left by others. Flowers, in addition to the white already mentioned, can be added by including a few Dog Roses. Simple pale pink flowers are a joy popping out scrambling through the hedge. A thornier and showier rose, Rosa rugosa, could be used too and these are available in pinks, reds and whites and are large blousy flowers by comparison. Single species hedges include, of course, common beech which is often chosen because if trimmed regularly, will hold onto its leaves through the winter. Genetically these are the same as the beech tree which will shed its leaves but the trimming keeps the plant in a juvenile growth phase which means the leaves, although brown, are held onto throughout the winter. They also can be trimmed to be a very neat shape. For extra interest, there is purple beech, which is slower growing but will eventually make a spectacular hedge. Evergreens are available too in the form of privet, both green and golden, and Lonicera nitida, which is a shrubby form of honeysuckle. With flowers, fruit, great foliage colours and habitats for wildlife, whilst providing protection from the wind, hedges have got to be a good choice. thegardensgroup.co.uk
cjp/iStock
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Luxury curtain & blind maker Designing and making luxurious curtains and blinds, free no obligation quotes Supplying fabric, poles, venetian blinds, roller blinds, bespoke lampshades and cushions Affordable interior design, room schemes and design advice Working hand in hand with Sherborne Property Refurbishments providing an house team of trades to deliver your project suzy@newtondyl.com 07899 754455 Farthings, Coldharbour, Sherborne Suzy_Newton www.newtondyl.com
SHERBORNE IS A HARD WATER AREA
If you suffer with the following problems you could benefit from a Water Softener
EST 2006
• Scale build up in pipes and kitchen appliances • Scale on taps, showers, toilets, taps and sinks • Skin irritation, dry skin or eczema • Increased use of washing detergents, shampoos and soaps • Clothes not as soft as you would hope after washing • Stained crockery and glassware • Unpleasant tasting water • Poor water pressure and flow rates
For a free, no obligation survey/quote please contact: 01458 274289 or customerservice@on-tap.co.uk
• Weekly Domestic Cleaning • Commercial Cleaning • One-off & End of tenancy cleaning • Carpet cleaning • Oven cleaning
www.on-tap.co.uk On Tap Water Treatment, 5a Avalon Park, Somerton Business Park, Somerton TA11 6SB
92 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Contact us for a free quotation www.baytreecleaning.co.uk e: office@baytreecleaning.co.uk 01935 83700
11 Dreadnought Trading Estate, Bridport DT6 5BU 01308 458443 www.bridporttimber.co.uk Hardwood Flooring Specialists Registered Farrow & Ball Stockist In-Can Tinting Bespoke In-Home Colour Consultancy Certified Bona Contractor From the Anvil Ironmongery
LIZZIE PRICE SHADING SOLUTIONS
S HE RB O R N E 01935 810141
sherborne@jackson-stops.co.uk jackson-stops.co.uk
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Blinds, Shutters, Awnings, and so much more... Call 07879 992000 / lizziepriceshadingsolutions.co.uk
Competitively Priced, High Quality Carpets, Vinyls, Woods & Rugs SHERBORNE SHOWROOM NOW OPEN Unit 12, Old Yarn Mills, Westbury, Sherborne, DT9 3RQ A family run business established in 1998, we promise a highly professional level of service Tel: 07733 101064 or 01935 817885 www.lsflooring.co.uk 94 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
STALBRIDGE REMOVALS AND TRANSPORTATION IS A FAMILYOWNED BUSINESS BASED IN SHERBORNE, COVERING ALL SURROUNDING AREAS, AND MOVING CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE UK
We pride ourselves on understanding your specific requirements and, with our personal service, professional care and technical expertise, we aim to make your move as stress-free as possible Alongside removals, we offer clean, secure and dry storage facilities
Full or part-packing service ✓ Boxes and packing materials ✓ Floor protection ✓ Mattress and furniture covers ✓ Piano covers ✓ Packing blankets ✓ “I would not hesitate to recommend Stalbridge Removals, the best removal company we have ever used” “We would 100% recommend this brilliant removal company. They are competitively priced, very efficient and the staff are lovely.”
STALBRIDGEREMOVALS@HOTMAIL.COM 01963 204205 OR 07745 858440 www.stalbridgeremovals.co.uk
Home
ROLL WITH IT
FLOCKED WALLPAPER Suzy Newton, Newton & Dyl
F
lock wallpaper was originally invented to imitate expensive cut velvet hangings. Traditionally it was created by adding ‘flock’ – a waste product of the woollen cloth industry, which came in powdered form – to an adhesive-coated cloth to create a raised velvet-like textured pattern or design. Today ‘flock’ has been replaced by man-made fibres such as polyester, nylon or rayon. This process gives the wallpaper an embossed or raised-coated surface and is available in different types of wallpaper patterns. This mild embossed look gives your walls an artisan feel and works well on feature walls in areas with less traffic – lounge room, living or dining areas. A good trick for taking the attention off imperfect walls! If you have an older home, chances are your walls aren’t perfect. Because the flocking’s nap (the angle of fibre hairs) absorbs light, its surface appears matte and flattened, which minimises wall irregularities. Also, the largescale pattern typical in flocked wallpaper expands the eye over a greater area, which also helps distract it from smaller flaws on the wall. In addition to using flocked wallpaper to make a bold statement, it’s great for adding texture. Although grasscloth and silks are the conventional texture go-to’s in wall treatments, they have a high material and installation cost, and they don’t work with some lifestyles and allergies. Flocked wall coverings are available at an array of prices and don’t require special installation. Going with a flocked paper isn’t an excuse to skip wall prep. You still want to try to repair any holes and cracks in your wall before wallpapering. However, any blemishes that do remain won’t be emphasised with a flocked wallpaper. Low-traffic areas, like dining rooms, home offices and bedrooms, are ideal spaces for flocked wallpaper. Avoid installing it in rooms where it may come in contact with water, such as kitchens and bathrooms. Cloakrooms are okay if there’s adequate splash protection around the sink. High-traffic areas in homes with children or animals are also places to possibly forgo flocked wallpaper. Because of its tactile draw, children might be tempted to run their hands along its surface going up and down staircases and navigating hallways. Evaluate your family’s lifestyle before installing flocked wallpaper in busy areas. Largely thanks to homeowners becoming braver with decorating choices – our homes are bolder and more expressive. The desire for texture and maximalism is prevalent as a backlash to the long-reigning minimalist trend, with this in mind Osborne and Little have embraced flock in their new collection, ‘Irisa’. This is a global collection taking inspiration from artisan textiles and abstract art, and they use flock to create geometric shapes edged with metallic and playful designs showing stylised flowers and foliage. All in all flock wallpaper is a gorgeous addition to any room. The velvet-like look and feel work perfectly in giving some added dimension and luxurious layering to your room. Suzy_Newton
96 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 97
Brunch, light lunches, coffee, cakes & Pastries Open 9:30am - 4pm Monday - Saturday Sherborne DT9 4JX Call 01935 815040 to book a table or just pop in
E AT, DRI N K, A N D E N JOY TH E VIE W FROM FIELD TO TABLE A Dorset cafe with a difference, we champion homegrown and celebrate nature. Meet our Tamworth pigs, feast on our artisan produce, and enjoy our idyllic views.
OPEN
Saturday & Sunday 10am-2.30pm Friday & Saturday pizza night (booking essential)
5pm-8pm
Lavender Keepers Sandford Orcas Sherborne DT9 4FG thestorypig.co.uk Get in touch with James or Charlotte 07802 443 905 info@thestorypig.co.uk
98 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
PRIVATE FUNCTION ROOM NOW AVAILABLE
Open lunch and dinner Wednesday to Saturday, and Sunday lunch Greenhill, Sherborne 01935 710386 www.newell.restaurant
Food and Drink
HEARTY SAUSAGE STEW WITH BEANS, SWISS CHARD & CINNAMON
T
Julius Roberts
his is a dish I often find myself yearning for on a long, dark evening. It sits somewhere between a soup and a stew. As the beans cook they relax into the unctuous broth, studded with rosemary, chilli and cinnamon for a soothing warmth. If you can find Italian sausages, they have a coarser texture and pleasing richness, but a quality British banger will do the trick too. We eat this on our knees by the fire with rain lashing against the windows. All it needs is a hunk of bread with butter thick enough to leave teeth marks. Ingredients serves 4–5
500g Italian sausages 3 cloves of garlic 2 celery sticks 2 brown onions 3 tbsp olive oil a generous pinch of chilli flakes, for warmth, not prickly heat a few sprigs of rosemary (sage or thyme also work) 2 bay leaves 1 stick of cinnamon a small glass of Madeira, sweetish sherry, beer or white wine 2 plum tomatoes from a tin 1 x 700g jar of white beans (or 2 x 400g tins – I like to use 1 cannellini and 1 butter bean) 750ml chicken stock (see page 306) 250g Swiss chard or cavolo nero Method
1
Start by slicing the skin of the sausages so you can remove the meat. Then roughly break into small meatball-size pieces. 2 Finely slice the garlic, celery and onions. 3 Get a large heavy-based pan hot, drizzle in the olive oil and, once warm, add the sausage. Fry for a few minutes to release the fat and get some colour on the meat. 4 Turn the heat right down and add the garlic, chilli
100 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
flakes, rosemary, bay leaves and cinnamon. Don’t let the garlic take on any colour – this stage is about slowly infusing flavour into the oil, so you want a low heat and a gentle sizzle. 5 When ready, pour in the Madeira to deglaze the pan – you can do this early, to cool down the pan if your garlic is beginning to colour. With a wooden spoon, scrape up all the goodness from the bottom of the pan, then add the onions and celery, and crush in the tomatoes. 6 Season generously, mix well and cook on a gentle heat for 10–12 minutes, until the onions are sweet and wonderfully softened. 7 Add the beans and pour in the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for about 20–30 minutes, until the broth thickens and the flavours come together. 8 Strip the stalks from the Swiss chard and chop into 2cm pieces. Add them to the broth and simmer for a few minutes, then add the leaves and stir through. Put the lid on, turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes. 9 When ready, remove the lid and have a taste. You might want to add a touch more chilli flakes if the warmth isn’t quite there, and more salt if the broth isn’t rich enough. 10 Pour generously into bowls and serve with thick slices of lavishly buttered bread for dunking. The above is an extracted recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts RRP £27 (Ebury Press)
___________________________________________ Wednesday 8th November 6.30pm Julius Roberts: The Farm Table Book Launch and Cookery Demonstration The Butterfly House, Castle Gardens.
The TV chef, farmer and activist will be cooking up a storm,
demonstrating recipes from his new book. Tickets £5 available from Winstone’s Books or online at shop.winstonebooks.co.uk
___________________________________________
JULIUS ROBERTS
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 101
Food and Drink
Magdanatka/Shutterstock
102 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
TURBOT ON CROÛTE WITH TARRAGON CREAM
T
Tom Matkevich, The Green
his is quite an involved dish but can mostly be prepared well in advance and serves as a very impressive main course at a dinner party or Sunday lunch. Of course, turbot is a pretty premium ingredient but other firm white fish would also work well, such as halibut or even cod, just make sure it is as fresh as possible. The nuttiness of the buckwheat adds a unique dimension and the classically made tarragon sauce also complements the fish perfectly. Ingredients
For the turbot: 2 shallots, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 200g mushrooms such as hedgehogs, oysters or chestnuts, finely chopped 150g dried toasted buckwheat 20g butter 200g kale, stalks removed and cut into strips 10g parsley, finely chopped Zest of 1 lemon 2 sheets pre-rolled puff pastry sheets 500g turbot fillet 1 egg, beaten Olive oil, salt and pepper For the sauce: 150g double cream 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 shallot, finely diced 30g butter 20g tarragon, stalks removed and finely chopped 180ml dry white wine Salt and pepper Method
1
Add a little olive oil to a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent, stirring constantly. Then add the mushrooms with a good pinch of salt, stirring frequently for 15-20 minutes until they have shrunken significantly and most of the water has evaporated.
2 To cook the buckwheat, add it to a saucepan and rinse under a cold tap until the water runs clear. Then add 420ml of water and place on a medium heat. Once simmering, cook for 15 minutes with the lid on. Remove from the heat and let rest for another 15 minutes. Remove the lid, add the butter and stir until melted. Combine with the cooked mushrooms and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and place in the fridge to cool. 3 For the kale, bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to the boil. Set up a bowl of ice water to the side. Add the kale and cook for 30 seconds, remove and add straight to the ice water to halt the cooking. Once cooled, remove the kale and pat dry with a paper towel. Add the kale to a bowl and combine with the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste. 4 To assemble, lightly flour a work surface and set down a sheet of puff pastry at around 1/2cm thick. Add the buckwheat-mushroom mixture and spread it into an even layer in a similar shape to your fish piece. Place the fish on top and the kale on top of that. Carefully lay the second puff pastry sheet on top and seal, removing as much air from inside as possible and crimping the edges with a fork. Place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour. 5 Preheat the oven to 200C. Glaze the pastry with the egg using a pastry brush and cook on a large baking tray for around 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for around 10 minutes before serving. Slice into portions gently using a bread knife. 6 For the tarragon sauce, place a medium saucepan on a medium heat and add the butter, garlic and shallot. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure it does not brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine and boil for 10 minutes or until reduced by roughly half. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the cream, followed by the tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Serve alongside the warm fish. greenrestaurant.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 103
Food and Drink THE CAKE WHISPERER Val Stones
TOFFEE APPLES
Image: Katharine Davies
N
ovember is here and it’s time to make toffee apples – always a must for Guy Fawkes Night on 5th November. My earliest memory of Bonfire Night was at my Nana’s house – I was about 5. My cousins were always there watching the fireworks from the living room window and once they were finished we were allowed outside to sit by the fire eating baked potatoes that had been wrapped in foil and baked in the embers of the fire. Toffee apples were then eaten – their crunchy sweet outside contrasted with the tart apple inside. I made them for my own children and when they were at primary school I made 200 each Bonfire Night to sell at the school’s celebrations. I now only make them as treats for my grandchildren. Timing - 5 minutes preparation, 5-10 minutes cooking What you will need - A large heavy-based pan. A sugar thermometer (not essential), a large wooden or silicon spoon, a lightly buttered baking sheet, 6-8 toffee apple sticks and cellophane squares. Ingredients
6-8 medium eating apples or a mixture of small and medium 1 lb Demerara sugar 2 oz unsalted butter 2 teaspoons vinegar 1/4 pint water 1 tablespoon golden syrup Sprinkles optional 104 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Method
1
Put the sugar, butter, vinegar, water and syrup in the pan and gently heat until the sugar has dissolved, place the thermometer in with the ingredients then boil rapidly for 5 minutes. 2 Wipe the apples to remove any wax as this will stop the toffee from sticking to the apples, then push sticks into the apple cores. Place some sprinkles in a small bowl. 3 Continue to boil the toffee until the sugar thermometer reaches 143C/200F (soft crack). If you don’t have a sugar thermometer then test for setting point after 5 minutes by dropping half a teaspoon of toffee mixture into a glass of cold water – if the toffee forms a ball of solid toffee in the bottom of the glass it is set. If the toffee forms a soft syrup in the bottom of the glass the toffee needs cooking for a further 2-5 minutes. Test again after this time. 4 Hold the pan tilted so the toffee goes to one side, dip the apples into the toffee and twirl around for a few seconds until completely covered. Allow excess toffee to drip a little then place on the buttered sheet to cool. 5 If you wish to add sprinkles as soon as the toffee apple is removed from the pan dip it into the bowl of sprinkles. 6 When cold wrap each toffee apple in a square of cellophane and seal with a twist. The toffee apples are best eaten fresh but can be kept at room temperature (not in a refrigerator) for a day or two. bakerval.com
Christmas Wreath Workshops Enjoy an afternoon of Festive flowers and mulled wine with your friends! Come and enjoy one of our wreath making events to bring you leaping and bounding into the festive season! Join us between 6-9 pm on Thursday, 30th November or between 12.30-4.30pm on Saturday, 2nd December and create your very own stunning Christmas wreath guaranteed to dazzle your friends and family. £55.00 per person on Thursday 30th November £60.00 per person on Saturday 2nd December Pre-booking is essential
Santa's coming to The Eastbury! Saturday 16th December 2023 Join us for a fun filled family day from 12.30pm and get a chance to meet Santa! Enjoy festive treats, children's activities, face painting and best of all meet Santa in our Santa's Grotto! Take a picture with Santa and pick out an exciting gift available for each child! £15 per child and adults enter for free! On the day meet our Spa therapist for tester treatments while the children play! For an extra special treat book our Festive afternoon tea! This must be booked when purchasing your tickets
Call us to book your tickets to one of our events on 01935 813131 or email relax@theeastburyhotel.co.uk The Eastbury Hotel & Spa, Long Street, Sherborne DT9 3BY T 01935 813131 | E relax@theeastburyhotel.co.uk W www.theeastburyhotel.co.uk
Food and Drink
A MONTH ON THE PIG FARM James Hull, The Story Pig
T
he days are rapidly shortening, almost before our eyes. The sun is lower in the sky – I have to wait for the sun to come up and it beats me to bed in the evening. I generally still have more energy to keep gardening in the evenings but am being curtailed. I have tried potting lavenders by head torch but it is not ideal so I will add fitting lights in the polytunnel to my list for winter. I had to hunt hard to find my head torch, left dusty and forgotten since March – it had slipped to the bottom of the pile, the charger missing. I needed Charlotte to patiently dig it out for me as I blustered around trying to find it myself. For half the week now I have been feeding the pigs in the early morning dark. It has dried up at the moment and both the pigs and I are enjoying the beautiful weather – it makes life easier and pushes the winter mud away for a bit longer. As I write in early October, we are approaching our last weekend before moving the cafe inside. It’s more complicated than it sounds and requires heaving the covers off of our giant tipis. Eventually with a lot of pulling, climbing, huffing and puffing they will pop over the top and gently slide down into a huge heap of heavy canvas – the likes of which it seems almost impossible 106 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
to fold up into anything resembling neatness. Then the poles are lowered to the ground and suddenly it is down – the area is naked with the sunsets no longer framed by their magical shapes. But the weekend waits for no one so we haul it all to our barn, where we have just laid a new wooden floor to give our winter quarters a new cosy lift. We heave the long poles skywards and up and down we go repeating the process until eventually a tipi is erected in the barn. It is incredible – it fits with a mere few inches spare from the roof. It fills the space majestically and changes our barn into our winter cafe home. Every year there is an element of excitement when we move in from outside and then the opposite in the spring. The next few months are all about hunkering down and looking forward to, first Christmas and then spring. We will decorate the tipi with Christmas lights, drape hessian to lower the ceiling and generally make it cosy. Charlotte will make hearty stews, soups and homemade bread and our breakfasts will continue – the smell of crispy bacon filling the barn. Who am I kidding – I have almost lulled myself into a false reality where I actually like winter. But we have to get through it before we can make it to spring (two mentions of spring
in my November article, not bad I think!). As the dry weather continues we have been busy in the garden, finally changing two of our large beds from a riot of herbaceous craziness to a bit more order and hopefully less weeding. Lavender in lovely straight rows, different varieties, will by next year be surrounded by step-over apples and climbing roses will start to climb our new pergola. I am learning that gardening never ever finishes – it just evolves. We try things – some work and some don’t but we both love our new beds and hope you will too. To finish, I want to write a little bit about two people – Erin, someone who bowled into our cafe in the height of summer asking if we had a job. She started the next day and stood next to me for the rest of the summer, learning, serving and generally being a pleasure to have around. Our customers got to know her and now she has flown to Australia to travel and explore. We miss her here and hope she has a great time – we can’t wait to have her back when she returns. Good luck Erin. And finally, our village of Sandford Orcas has lost a colossus. Steve Rose whom so many knew, not just in our village but for miles around, and loved has passed to the other side. Steve was 73 and I think we can all agree had a life well lived. He had lived in the village longer than any other resident – he was born here and there was nothing he didn’t know about our area. Working all over the world in his younger days, he could hold court with locals and strangers alike with his tales of kings and hot foreign lands. Steve was always busy and just this summer he organised the parking for our Open Farm Sunday event. Afterwards, as we sat and relaxed, he regaled us with his stories, the younger staff members listening on in disbelief, and the rest of us laughing until we had tears in our eyes and had to tell him to stop. He was in his element with an
audience. Since we had known him Steve had worked continuously as a builder and local handyman. My first memory of him was of driving through the village before owning our farm and on the side of the road was a man rebuilding a wall. His hair was the first thing I noticed – shoulder length, a flowing blonde mane, that many an older pop star would have been envious of. Seeing a car he didn’t recognise, he stepped into the road, bringing us to a halt. Once he had all the info he needed and had told us all the things he thought we should know, we went on our way. That was Steve – everyone knew and loved him. Rest easy Steve. thestorypig.co.uk
Corton Denham
Now Taking Bookings for Christmas Period* Bar and restaurant open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 11am-10.30pm *Please note we will be closed for Christmas Day
www.thequeensarms.com | info@thequeensarms.com | 01963 220317 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 107
Food and Drink
LANGUEDOC David Copp
Romas_Photo/Shutterstock
L
anguedoc is a huge wine-growing region in southern France, stretching east from Carcasonne to Beziers and beyond - to Montpellier and Nimes. It is an old vineyard and its product was probably well used by the Caesar’s Army going backwards and forwards to Spain. However, it has to be said that its finest wines have never been in quite the same category as the best of Burgundy and Bordeaux. For a long time, it produced huge quantities of what I describe as ‘everyday’ wine, such as that consumed by the carafe in Parisian cafes and restaurants. Wagon loads came north by rail every night. I remember going to the main receiving depot in Paris after a late-night party, just in time to see a very, very long line of empty wagons beginning their long return journey south. However, over the last quarter century, many changes for the better have taken place, thanks to EC inducements to pull up more commonplace varieties on the flatlands of the coastal hinterland and plant more sophisticated varieties in carefully selected hillside sites. 108 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Another benefit has been the influx of more sophisticated growers and winemakers who have not only improved the range of popular priced offerings but also extended the range to include interesting varieties such as Grenache Blanc, Picpoul and Roussanne. The net result is a range of extremely distinctive red, white and rose wines that have won the attention of many different admirers across Europe. In production terms, red wines still predominate. However, there are now very sophisticated white and rose wines produced in selected higher elevations such as Picpoul de Piret. Even though the region looks Mediterranean on the map, its geographical influences are Atlantic and maybe that is what helps in the production of Servieres, a fruity example of Cinsault that I consider a real treat. Because the region produces so many different wines from less familiar varieties I strongly advise having a chat with your wine merchant or supplier about which grapes and winemakers to try. I think you will be surprised at the treats that can be found.
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Animal Care
ISLE OF DOGS
MY CANINE ADVENTURE THROUGH BRITAIN Clare Balding
Image: Alex Lake 112 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
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was so lucky to grow up surrounded by dogs. The very first being I truly connected with as a kindred spirit was not my mother but her dog, Candy the boxer. Candy was the one I looked to for reassurance and support. She was the one who helped me transition from crawling to walking by allowing me to grab her rolls of excess skin and haul myself to my feet. She was the one who comforted me if I was crying. She was my playmate and, until my little brother was born, my one and only companion. We had lurchers as well, but they were steadfastly aloof, interested more in the food I threw around than in me. As it happened, I threw around a lot of food, especially the mashed potato I didn’t like from shepherd’s pie, or bits of ham. I’ve never liked ham. Bertie and Cindy stayed close by my side whenever I was eating, as they never knew what might come their way. My mother says I am still unreasonably fussy. I would say I am selective, especially about tomatoes and pineapple. Candy took her role as my protector very seriously, and I think she instilled in me a love for dogs that is part of my very soul. I spent most of my childhood thinking I was a dog. It seemed more fun than being a human. I was once speaking at a children’s literary festival in Jersey, when a little girl put up her hand to ask a question. She was only about four years old and had been considering my statement about thinking I was a dog. ‘Can I ask, please, Clare Balding,’ she said in a serious and thoughtful tone, ‘when did you realise you weren’t a dog?’ The audience laughed. ‘And, Clare Balding, did you work it out for yourself or did your parents have to sit you down and tell you?’ I loved that image so much – my parents telling me to ‘SIT’ as they explained that I was not a dog – that I wrote a short book for World Book Day called The Girl Who Thought She Was a Dog. I have always hoped the little girl in Jersey who asked that question knows that she was its creative inspiration. I know plenty of children who have connected with the concept and plenty more who have taken to heart the motto of ‘Be more dog!’ In other words, prioritise the things that matter: love and friendship, playtime and exercise, sleep and food. If we put those things at the top of our list in life, we won’t go far wrong. As I grew into adulthood and work took off, however, the prospect of having a dog of my own started to look a little remote. I was travelling too much, there was no regularity to my schedule and I didn’t have a house with a garden. Then, in 2002, Alice and I got together. I say that as if it was an easy start to a relationship. It wasn’t. I had to pass a stringent checklist of interests, habits and ambitions in life. No, I didn’t want children; yes, I did want to travel; no, I didn’t want to move out of London; yes, I would improve my golf (which was terrible); and yes, I would support her work. Alice finally agreed to live with me and said we could move anywhere in London, as long as it was Chiswick. I had never really been to Chiswick, but it was on the right side of town for getting out to see my family so I agreed and we found a house with a garden that we could just about afford (with the help of a hefty mortgage). I only had one question: ‘Can we get a dog?’ The above is an extract from Isle of Dogs by Clare Balding, out now RRP £22 (Ebury) __________________________________________________________________________ Tuesday 5th December 6.30pm for 7pm Isle of Dogs - Talk and Signing with Clare Balding Cheap St Church, Sherborne.
Tickets £5 available in-store from Winstone’s Books or online at shop.winstonebooks.co.uk
__________________________________________________________________________ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 113
Animal Care
THE COST OF LIVING Mark Newton-Clarke MAVetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons
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often become exasperated when I listen to the BBC news, as it seems to me the range of topics covered has become more limited recently. Whether it’s the terrible wars in Ukraine and Israel, the most recent natural disaster or the spiralling cost of HS2, individual stories seem to dominate for a few days and then disappear off our screens, rarely to be heard of again. The cost of living is another example and, like many other issues, has gone away only in the sense that a different headline has taken its place. Looking after our pets properly is not cheap, not in terms of time or money. Estimates of monthly expenses vary widely across cat and dog breeds but using the RSPCA online calculator, a cat can cost up to £180 and a medium-sized dog up to £270 and that’s per month! I must admit that I was never the sort of person who totted up how much my kids were costing me as they were growing up and neither did I do this for my pet dogs and cats. Well, not until recently! The fact is, it’s not difficult to calculate with some accuracy the fixed costs of owning a pet although the unexpected is more difficult to predict. For some reason, rational thought seemed to fly out of the window during the Covid crisis as prices for puppies and kittens rose in proportion to demand. Three years on and the animal rescue centres are at full capacity with pets now deemed too expensive to keep – not an attitude for which I have much sympathy. I save that for the poor abandoned animals. So let’s have a closer look at the costs of pet ownership. You can shop around for pet food and we all know there’s a bewildering range of different brands out there so competition is high between manufacturers and this helps to keep prices down. Yes, quality varies and like most things, you get what you pay for. However, unless your dog or cat has special dietary needs, the most expensive food isn’t always the best and cheaper alternatives are fine providing they satisfy nutritional requirements, are palatable and don’t upset tummies. If you are changing foods, do so gradually as gut bacteria can take several weeks to adapt to different 114 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
diets and the addition of probiotics often helps with the transition. Ok, cats and poodles are fussy so sometimes you have to be flexible. Now, how about veterinary bills? Although I’m tempted to compare today with 40 years ago, it really isn’t relevant as how veterinary practice looks now is so different to then. In what way, you may ask? Firstly, like doctors, young vets all have huge student loans to repay and the government currently levies a 7.3% interest rate on the loan. So employers have to pay new graduates more to compensate. Secondly, and more importantly, the standard of medicine and surgery has had to keep pace with expectations so the level of training and equipment in a modern veterinary practice is not dissimilar to an NHS hospital. Thirdly and relevant to the title of this article, global inflation has sent the cost of medicines and consumables into orbit along with everything else in our lives. There is yet another major factor at play that is changing the face of veterinary medicine in this country and that is corporate ownership. Although
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original names of veterinary practices may be retained, many are owned by the same company. So when I said you could shop around for your pet food, it’s becoming much more difficult to do the same when choosing a veterinary practice. I will let you draw your own conclusions about what happens to competitive pricing between vets in an area when most of them are all under the same corporate umbrella, as they are around here. The Newton Clarke Partnership Ltd is totally independent and will remain so for the foreseeable future and even though I now work as an employee, I’m proud that the practice still bears my name. Let’s get back to the subject. We have introduced a Pet Healthcare Plan (PHP) that fixes costs for all vaccines, parasite treatments and consultations for a monthly fee. Many vets operate similar schemes but none of them in this area offer unlimited consultations with nurses and vets. The PHP gives pet owners peace of mind as the decision to visit the surgery is made so much easier when the consultation fee is covered by the plan. As a result, we see patients earlier on in the course of their illness, helping us to triage more quickly,
speeding up diagnosis and treatment. In many cases, the consultation ends with reassurance rather than intervention, in itself an important aspect of medicine. So the PHP can look after the ‘housekeeping’ but what about the unexpected? Nasty surprises happen in many areas of our domestic lives with washing machines packing up and cars needing costly repairs. We can’t insure ourselves against everything but veterinary medical insurance has become very popular over the past 25 years, with good reason. Like any insurance policy, you hate paying the premiums and when your pet is the insured, you hope never to make a claim! Ironic. The fact is, insurance cover takes away the financial stress if your pet needs treatment, which is stressful enough as it is. The problem is, premiums are high for certain breeds that are very popular, for example, pugs and bulldogs. So if you are planning to own a breed likely to need expensive treatment, make sure you factor insurance premiums into that cost of living equation. newtonclarkevet.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 115
Animal Care
THE IMPORTANCE OF DENTAL CARE IN HORSES Sarah Littlewood BSc DVM MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon, Kingston Equine Vets
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y their nature, horses are stoic creatures. As with all prey animals, hiding any obvious vulnerability is a must in order to protect against predation. The intrinsic behaviour of masking pain, in relation to dentistry, has carried on into domestication where many horses will continue to eat despite significant dental discomfort. Where wild equines consume varied fibrous, stalky vegetation which requires prolonged chewing, thereby naturally wearing down sharpness in the cheek teeth, the modern management of horses particularly those being fed easily digestible concentrates doesn’t elicit the same degree of chewing required to keep a horse’s teeth 116 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
wearing down correctly. As such regular dentistry is paramount to maintaining a healthy horse. Like in human medicine, routine dental care is a fundamental aspect of basic and preventative healthcare. An important part of an annual health check, along with vaccination, should include a thorough dental exam by a veterinarian or certified Equine Dental Technician (or EDT). It is advised not to wait until a horse has started to display signs of oral pain or evidence of having lost condition before having their teeth examined. Part of the process would first include a discussion prior to the oral exam relating to any observed odd
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eating habits. Behaviour such as ‘quidding’ (dropping balls of food), chewing to the one favoured side only or food packing to one cheek which comes and goes, can be indicative of poor dentition. Poor ridden performance due to discomfort with a bitted bridle can also highlight an underlying issue, especially in younger horses. Equine dentals include external visualisation of facial and mandibular symmetry and examination of incisors, as well as internal inspection with the aid of a dental gag, head-torch and mirror to assess all the surfaces of premolars and molars. The upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw in the equine mouth, which
predisposes to sharp enamel overgrowths on the outside of the upper teeth towards the cheek, and the inside lower teeth towards the tongue. These points can be incredibly sharp, leading to ulceration and sometimes significant damage to soft tissue which as you can imagine can be excruciating as they try to chew. As a minimum during any equine dental, these sharp enamel points are rasped off. A routine dental for most horses occurs every 6-12 months – any noted dental disease may require more regular monitoring. Dental pathology is first identified during annual exams and depending on the severity of the disease, management is either through more regular check-ups to monitor progression or referral to a specialist for advanced treatment. In all geriatric animals or those getting ‘long in the tooth’, tooth loss and gum recession are standard - in horses, this is no different. Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercemetosis, known as EOTRH, is a painful and progressive syndrome resulting in the destruction of the roots of incisors. Signs your elderly horse might be suffering from this condition include struggling to pull hay from a hay net or the diagnostically significant ‘carrot test’ of whether they are able/willing to bite into a carrot. Failure to do either may be indicative of pain within the roots of their incisors as loss of prehension is easily assessable at home. A number of pathologies can arise within the cheek teeth, misalignment can lead to irregular wear and cavities can ultimately lead to fracture and potential tooth loss. A complaint commonly seen is diastemas or gaps that have developed between teeth, where food packs into the space and sits rotting. The severity of this particular disease depends entirely on the close proximity to the gum. Periodontal disease in horses is seen when plant matter is able to sit close to the gum for prolonged periods of time where it starts to rot. Managing this entails regular removal through flushing, filling or widening of these gaps so matter does not as easily get stuck. In summary, routine dentistry enables early identification of emerging pathology so it can be acted upon before it becomes clinically apparent. Prevention of dental disease is far more desirable than dealing with the repercussions of neglecting these essential routine dental appointments. kingstonvets.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 117
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Body & Mind
NAILING IT SAFELY Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms and The Margaret Balfour Beauty Centre
T
he health of our whole body shows through our natural nails. The blood flow shows through the nail plate - very pale nails can indicate anaemia, kidney or heart disease, white nail beds can indicate liver problems, yellow nails diabetes or psoriasis and rippled nails inflammatory arthritis. Though nail changes accompany many conditions, these changes rarely are the first sign and many nail abnormalities are harmless. Our nails are often used as tools not jewels but do deserve respect at the end of our hard-working hands. As such precious, useful commodities, it is important to look after them and expose them only to healthy substances. Our nail plates do not breathe or absorb air, they are made of dead keratin – a type of protein – and they are only alive at the matrix from where they grow. In that sense, they are very similar to hair. If you apply or have applied traditional nail polish, ensure that the polish used does not include harmful chemicals such as toluene and formaldehyde as these 120 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
are harmful not just to the nails but to your health overall. Nail polish with these harmful chemicals can penetrate the layers of the nail’s keratin and the nails start yellowing, chipping and flaking so it is important to only use revered brands and apply a proper base coat as a barrier. Polish and gel polish removers contain solvents like acetone and ethyl acetate that dry out nails and warm acetone ‘baths’ for removing gel polish are especially harmful as they increase the absorption into our skin. Any solvent dries out the nails, causing cracks, peeling and brittleness which weakens the nails. To combat the drying effects of the removal, use nail oil daily and hand and nail cream to add the moisture back into the nail plate. Gel polish has had some bad press this year and there can be serious complications caused if not in professional hands. If ultraviolet lamps are of poor quality or not used long enough, the methacrylates cannot ‘cure’ or harden fully. When combined with poor application through lack of training, the chemicals in the gel can enter into the skin and lead to an allergic
MINDFUL WALKS
F ROM T H E QUEEN ’ S ARMS , CORTON D EN H AM with Ness Lee, Mindfulness Coach and Counsellor A chance to slow down, tune into your senses, connect with nature, and learn some easy mindfulness tools to help with everyday life.
November 11th and 16th • December 7th Cost £12. To book, please contact me at ness@mindfulnessherborne.com 07702 374954 www.mindfulnessherborne.com
Art of Confidence
Movement Practices and Wellness Be your body and mind’s best by attending to posture
Pilates on the Reformer Move, and feel better
Beautiful studio location at Unit 3, West Down Farm, Corton Denham, Sherborne DT9 4LG Contact Emma Rhys Thomas 07928 291192 or email quantockpilates@gmail.com
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reaction. Use and receive gel polish manicures from only professional and reputable brands. There are many gel polish brands that still use HEMA, formaldehyde and other unhealthy substances that have no place on our natural nail plates. Unfortunately, these products can find their way into the UK market via other countries that have less stringent health requirements and allow the use of these chemicals in the formulations. So even a well-known brand that was formulated for another country can have nasties in it that the UK market would not allow. It is often stated that nails should have a ‘break’ and be allowed to ‘breathe’ perhaps during the winter or after a period of prolonged wear. As I have mentioned before this is not needed as the nails do not breathe and so as long as they are not discoloured or showing signs of damage, nail polish or gel polish may be worn continuously.
YogaSherborne Sherborne, Milborne Port and Trent • Hatha Yoga outside when possible • Relaxation and guided meditation Contact Dawn for more details 07817 624081 @yogasherborne hello@yogasherborne.co.uk Yoga Alliance qualified teacher
thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk margaretbalfour.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 121
Body & Mind
COPING WITH STRESS AT WORK
STRATEGIES FOR A HEALTHIER WORK-LIFE BALANCE Lucy Lewis, Dorset Mind Ambassador
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n today’s fast-paced world, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the demands of our professional lives. The pressure to meet deadlines, navigate office politics and achieve career goals can lead to chronic stress, which, if left unchecked, can have serious consequences for our mental and physical health. This article will explore effective strategies for coping with stress at work and achieving a healthier work-life balance. 122 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Understanding Workplace Stress
First, it’s essential to recognise the signs of workplace stress. Common symptoms include constant fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating and even physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches. If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms regularly, it’s time to act.
Establish Boundaries
In today’s digital age, it’s easy to feel tethered to work 24/7 due to emails and smartphones. However, it’s crucial to establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Set specific times for work-related activities and stick to them. Avoid checking work emails or taking work calls during your personal time whenever possible. Be firm with this boundary and remember that we work to live, not live to work. Your well-being is more important than your job. Practice Stress-Reduction Techniques
Incorporate stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine. Mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation can help you manage stress at work. Taking short breaks to stretch and clear your mind can also be beneficial. Take Regular Breaks
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work but regular breaks are essential for maintaining your well-being. Step away from your desk, go for a short walk or find a quiet spot to relax during lunch. These breaks can rejuvenate your mind and help reduce stress. Engage in Physical Activity
Physical activity is a powerful stress reducer. Regular exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. Find an activity you enjoy, whether it’s going for a run, practising yoga or hitting the gym. Even a 30-minute workout a few times a week can make a significant difference in your stress levels. Seek Professional Help if Necessary
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Set Realistic Goals and Prioritise Tasks
One of the main contributors to workplace stress is an overwhelming workload. To combat this, start by setting realistic goals and priorities. Break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks and create a to-do list. This not only helps you stay organised but also provides a sense of accomplishment as you tick off completed tasks. If your workload is continuously unmanageable, speak to your manager to see if any adjustments can be made or solutions can be found.
If your workplace stress is becoming unmanageable and affecting your mental health, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. A mental health professional can provide valuable strategies and support to help you navigate workrelated stressors. If in a crisis: • Please call 999 or get to A&E as quickly as possible • Call Samaritans at 116 123 • Or Dorset Healthcare Connections Helpline via 111 For more information and resources regarding stress management, visit mind.org.uk and search ‘stress’ dorsetmind.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 123
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Body & Mind
MOVING FORWARD Emma Rhys Thomas, Instructor, Art of Confidence
T
he brain is hungry for information, all of the time. The body feeds the brain that information and the brain responds – a conversation in perpetuity! A discourse that constitutes the individual. Together they make up the mind state. A confused mind, grief, anxiety, overload, a busy life, accident or injury can disrupt the natural flow of the conversation. A poor communication highway may further develop into poor life choices, quick fixes, sleep deprivation, more anxiety, more overload, pain and injury. A call to action ‘How do you not see me? Why do you not hear me? Surely you can feel me? I want you to know me! I am broken, you did this! I need you.’ ‘But I am lost, I cannot even find myself. I search the only way I know. Questions, more questions. Self-talk and no answers.’ ‘Your loss pains me, I feel it. Look at me, talk to me. Communicate with me, feed my senses. I will support you. I will start your journey back to freedom. For I am you,’ said the body to the brain. We are all animal. The animal instinct when experiencing fear, hurt or fatigue is to contract. The first response to sharp pain is to pull away. A shrinking. Like a hedgehog that curls up in a ball, we too hunch our shoulders and drop our heads. Our backline wraps over us, protecting the soft squishy bits that have no bony skeletal markers – we literally try to make ourselves smaller. The same happens as we age! Working on changing this type of posture changes our mood and heals mind and body from within. If you find yourself on the threshold of stepping into a new movement regime it is probably because your body is trying to tell you something, has been niggling at you, and you have finally heard it, felt it, listened to it and are answering the call for help. You have, 126 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
consciously or subconsciously, made your mind up to do something about it. An important aspect of starting something new is the screening questionnaire. An induction session gets to the ‘whys’. The obvious questions are about health and exploring the history of how you got to be in your current state: How you are presenting in the moment. However, just as important are those questions relating to your future: Your aims, your goals, the hopes that are embedded in you making new moves towards change for the better. From my own Pilates perspective, client goals are varied. However, common themes emerge; improved strength, relief from pain, flexibility, general maintenance and feeling better. What each individual client means requires further interpretation. Finding out what needs to be accomplished to fulfil their expectations is a journey. Some answers become apparent over time and sometimes reading the moving body indicates a
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change of direction. For example, a measure of strength for a client may mean a stronger upper body to cope with the carrying demands of babies and toddlers in a growing family, or simply doing the gardening. It may conspire that the back and the deep abdominal strength need developing. Perhaps leg work is indicated. Bigger biceps and a six-pack will not get the job done. Pain relief may mean getting out of bed more easily or dealing with a specific injury. Flexibility does not often mean a client has ambitions to dance the cancan, only to undo feelings of being stuck, locked or rigid. General maintenance means finding balance and freedom in every plane of movement, as required in a tennis match, on the rugby field or simply doing the supermarket dash. Clients simply want to get rid of the groaning and gripping and go forward! Going forward means getting out of those shrinking, contracting postures. It requires positively feeding better movement patterns, strengthening elements and mobilising, initiating and stabilising practices in the
body. To me, our bodies resemble the Milky Way on the inside and the Universe on the outside. There is a lot of stuff going on and we might also consider that, like the universe, we are forever expanding, extending our outer reach in order to maintain our full range of movement for as long as possible. I have the privilege to work with clients on a very personal level, 1-2-1 and small groups allow for this and I thank my clients for trusting me – not just a Pilates class but a lesson in healing too. But the same goals can be achieved in many, many movement practices. A commitment to take a walk in nature every day will have good outcomes for that crying-out demand of the body for some attention; and the body will start to heal, start to deliver healthy, trusted messages to the brain and the brain will respond. If it is listening, the mind will become stronger, more flexible, more resilient to pain and also move forward.
quantockpilates.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 127
Body and Mind
NEVER TOO LATE TO TRY
Heather Crewe, Aquatics and Swim School Manager, Oxley Sports Centre
D
id you know that one in three adults in the UK cannot swim? This equates to around 14 million adults, which is an astounding statistic! This begs the question, why is this figure so high? I have been teaching adults to swim for over 20 years and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of my job. When I have asked my students why they have put off learning to swim, I have often had responses such as having an unpleasant experience as a child, being uncomfortable with putting their face in the water, feeling they are too old to learn, feeling embarrassed about wearing a costume or trunks or simply believe there is no point. Believe me, I have heard every reason under the sun! Though many people may believe they are alone in feeling scared, embarrassed or dejected about learning 128 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
to swim, that’s absolutely not the case. In fact, learning to swim in group lessons is an amazing way to challenge these beliefs, as students are all like-minded individuals who have had similar experiences and are able to share this with each other. Learning to swim as an adult is very different from learning as a child. Children often seem to have an instinct when it comes to swimming, for example how to right themselves in the pool, and they often seem to have a fearlessness when it comes to jumping right in. As adults, our experiences and resultant fears can be very deep-seated and difficult to overcome. However, when you have taken that first step, faced your fears and dipped in for your first lesson, the result is an emotional and empowering feeling which will keep you energised for days.
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I have incredible admiration for those adults who are scared but still come along and just give it a go. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone say to me after their first lesson ‘I hated that!’ In fact, they are so happy that they came and these new positive experiences begin to challenge the preconceptions created by the old. So, dig out your swimming costume, dust off the goggles and book in at your nearest swimming pool for your first lesson. I promise you won’t regret it! About to have your first lesson? Here are a few tips: Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions your teacher will not mind you doing so. Have an end goal in mind: If an adult just wants to conquer a fear of swimming where they cannot reach the bottom then
I will teach them about treading water and floating on their back. If an adult wants to feel comfortable being in the sea and not be frightened then that is what we will learn together. If an adult just wants to be confident in the water with their children or grandchildren and not panic when they get splashed by the water, I will use all sorts of equipment and tricks to help them relax and enjoy being in the water. If an adult just wants to be able to move through the water with their feet off the ground then I might teach them a hybrid of strokes. Be patient and give yourself credit. Learning to swim takes time and practice. It’s an amazing thing you’re doing just by stepping foot in the pool and challenging your fears. Give yourself a massive pat on the back! Most important of all – relax, have fun and enjoy. The atmosphere is extremely important; you need to feel safe and encouraged and have a connection with the teacher. There are no rules when it comes to teaching adults. Thinking outside the box and putting some fun in the lessons is why adults come back again and again. Here are just a few quotes from adults whom I’ve had the pleasure of teaching over the years: ‘It’s been great to find that I can learn to swim at last. I was extremely nervous, but our teacher inspired confidence to keep going.’ (Sheila aged 68 years old) ‘It’s never too late to take that first step to learning to swim and to enjoy being in the pool. It’s a great confidence booster and great fun learning to swim with other like-minded adults.’ (Robert, 66) ‘Amazing swim fit class tonight with Heather, first time in years I have done front crawl...it’s been my nemesis and I have had many panic attacks trying to get my head under the water and the breathing right… but tonight I did it! Thanks Heather so much.’ (Catherine, 39) ‘When my children were growing up, we made sure they had swimming lessons. Seeing them swim I always thought I would love to swim like that, they just seemed to glide through the water. Now at 65, learning to swim properly has given me confidence in the water. I feel better in myself – it has improved my mental well-being as well as my fitness levels.’ (Bev, 65) ‘Having swimming lessons at the age of 75 has given me confidence in the water as well as helping me build my core strength and overall fitness levels.’ (Daphne, 75) oxleysc.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 129
Body and Mind
STRENGTH TRAINING Craig Hardaker BSc (Hons), Communifit
S
trengthening the local community’ – our muchused slogan but one we hope with many beneficial elements. Whether it be our charity work, supporting children in sport, hiring community halls or just bringing people together – we hope they all marry well with what we are trying to achieve. In this month’s article, however, I want to concentrate on the its literal meaning – why do people need to maintain their strength or become stronger and what are the benefits? As a broad-brush statement, strength training will enhance your quality of life and improve your ability to do everyday activities. There are many benefits but here are my top five: Maintaining muscle tissue
As we age our muscles weaken, this process is called sarcopenia - a natural process we look to slow down in all our over 60’s group classes. We can lose around 8-10% of muscle tissue every decade from the age of 35. By strength training twice weekly, you can reduce this to only 1-2% every decade – sizeable difference with obvious benefits. Controlled body fat
The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn. Muscle requires large amounts of energy (even when sleeping!) burning lots of calories in the process. The more muscle we have, the better our metabolism. One advantage of this increased metabolism is it becomes less necessary to store excess calories as fat, as our muscles are constantly burning calories. Improved bone health
Bone density can improve with strength training. Developing strong bones reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis and decreases the risk of bone fractures. Strength training is a bone-stimulating activity and 130 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
"We can lose around 8-10% of muscle tissue every decade from the age of 35. By strength training twice weekly, you can reduce this to only 1-2% "
‘
SFIO CRACHO/Shutterstock
plays a vital role in slowing the process of bone loss. Several studies also indicate that strength training helps in building bones as well. This is extremely beneficial in offsetting age-related bone mass decrease. Decreased risk of injury
Improving muscle strength decreases the risk of falling and other related injuries. Developing strong bones and muscles can help to reduce the risk of falling or, if you were to fall, the severity of the injury. Increased strength won’t only allow our bodies to become more resistant to injuries but also reduce the chances of daily aches and pains.
Increased strength
Quite simply, strength training will make you stronger! We will be able to lift heavier items and shortly after completing a strength programme, we will find that daily tasks become easier to manage. Whether you play rugby for Sherborne or are in your 90s – strength training will give you the opportunity to perform better, and in turn increase confidence. So there you have it, just five benefits of strength training. It is obviously very important to follow safe, sensible procedures when strengthening. communifit.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 131
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Sherborne 01935 816 817 ˙ Yeovil 01935 479 913 Pre-payment plans available www.ajwakely.com Please contact Clive Wakely, or a member of our dedicated team for any advice or guidance. 132 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
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Finance
NAVIGATING THE FINANCIAL FIREWORKS OF MARKET TURBULENCE
E
Mark Salter, Certified and Chartered Financial Planner, Fort Financial Planning
very year, as autumn paints the sky in hues of red and gold, families and friends gather to celebrate the enchanting Fireworks Night. In many ways, the volatility of investments in the financial market can be compared to these dazzling displays of pyrotechnics. Just like the unpredictable patterns and bursts of fireworks, the world of investments can be both mesmerising and tumultuous. Investors, akin to spectators, need to remain vigilant and prepared for the unexpected twists and turns that come their way. Investment markets, much like fireworks, are colourful and enticing. However, beneath their vibrant facade lies a world of complexity and uncertainty. Market volatility refers to the rapid and unpredictable price movements in both upward and downward directions. These fluctuations are caused by various factors such as economic indicators, geopolitical events and investor sentiment. Anticipation and Excitement - Fireworks Night is marked by the anticipation of breathtaking displays. Similarly, investors eagerly await opportunities, hoping for profitable ventures and robust returns. However, just as fireworks can fizzle out unexpectedly, investments can sometimes fail to meet expectations, causing financial disappointments. Diversity of Display - Fireworks come in diverse forms, from sparklers to aerial shells. Similarly, investments encompass a wide array of options – stocks, bonds, property and cryptocurrencies, each with its unique set of risks and rewards. Diversifying one’s investment portfolio is akin to enjoying a variety of fireworks; it spreads the risk and ensures a more stable financial future. The Element of Surprise - Fireworks often surprise spectators with unexpected shapes and colours. Similarly, economic events, political decisions or corporate developments can cause sudden market movements. An example of this was seen in 2022 as rising interest rates, inflation and political decisions, had a huge impact on the value of more defensive assets such as bonds and GILTs. 134 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Strategies for Managing Investment Volatility
Education and Research Just as understanding the science behind fireworks enhances the experience, investors benefit from educating themselves about financial markets. Research and knowledge empower investors to make informed decisions and weather market volatility with resilience. Diversification Spreading investments across different asset classes reduces the impact of a poor-performing investment on an overall portfolio. This strategy is akin to enjoying various types of fireworks – some might be dazzling, while others are more subdued, but together they create a fulfilling experience. Long-Term Perspective Fireworks displays are ephemeral but the memories linger. Similarly, adopting a long-term investment perspective allows investors to ride out market fluctuations, benefiting from the market’s overall growth over time. Professional Guidance Just as spectators rely on pyrotechnic experts for a safe and enjoyable experience, investors can seek advice from financial professionals. Wealth managers and planners provide valuable insights, helping individuals make prudent investment decisions tailored to their financial goals and risk tolerance. As we marvel at the fireworks illuminating the night sky, let us draw inspiration from their unpredictable yet beautiful nature. Just as skilled pyrotechnicians choreograph stunning displays, knowledgeable investors can navigate the complex world of finance, using education, diversification, patience and expert guidance as their guiding lights. By embracing the spirit of Fireworks Night, investors can find beauty in the volatility, transforming the challenges of the market into opportunities for financial growth and stability. ffp.org.uk
Your Life, Your Money, Your Future Trusted, professional, fee based advice We live in a complex world. At FFP we aim to remove complexity, replacing it with simplicity and clarity so that our clients can enjoy their lives without worry
FFP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Telephone: 01935 813322 Email: info@ffp.org.uk Website: www.ffp.org.uk
CRISIS. WHAT CRISIS? Here we go again – once more unto the breach. There’s no hiding that times are tough but fret not, we’ve been here before and together, we can find ways to protect your finances and look to the future. Let’s hatch a plan. 01935 815 008 | huntsaccountants.co.uk
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 135
Legal
MANAGING GREAT EXPECTATIONS
THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE STORY Jessica Gregory, Residential Property Business Development & New Enquiries Manager, Mogers Drewett
I
n the famous Dickens novel, Great Expectations Pip is set on a determined course, striving for social standing, status and wealth however those goals shift somewhat when life events drive home the values of loyalty and compassion. Throughout our lives, we experience many moments where we’ve assumed how something may play out but find ourselves disappointed or pleasantly surprised when the outcome lands. The trick is in how we adjust. In a world of next-day Prime delivery, everything being accessible via a finger press and increasing demand for five-star treatment those ‘expectations’ are still very much ‘great’. Legal matters are equally subject to the rigour of expectation with our thoughts skewed by friends and family experiences, Google search or even a film or TV drama. As humans, we hate surprises so our minds will want to fill gaps in knowledge and create scenarios to prepare us for the unknown. The challenge for service providers is knowing where on the scale of anticipation the client sits and how far from reality that might prove to be. In truth be it legal or financial services, car repair, booking flights or high street retail experience, this issue of expectation management has become essential in maintaining a successful, resilient business. One way to mitigate a mismatch in expectation vs reality is to take a dedicated approach, supporting the entire client experience. Here are 8 ways in which I believe the customer journey can be smoother and more successful. Clear Initial Communication: From the very first interaction, provide clear and transparent information about the process, potential timelines and costs. Be sure of what to expect right from the start. 136 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Thorough Information Gathering: Invest time in understanding a customer’s specific needs, concerns and goals. Tailor services to their unique situation Assessment of Communication Preferences: Ask clients about their preferred communication methods (in-person, online, email, phone calls) and respect their choices throughout the engagement. Mindful of Generational Diversity: Generational differences in communication styles and expectations require an adaptation in approach to suit a client’s age. Consistency of Communication: Maintain consistent and regular communication with clients. Provide updates, even if there is no major progress, to keep them informed and reassured. Personalisation and Knowing the Client: Remember important details and make customers feel valued as individuals. Efficiency and Reducing Duplication: Avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. If a client uses two different areas of your business ensure that information is shared efficiently between teams. Managing Queries and Concerns: Be proactive in promptly addressing client questions and concerns. Provide a clear point of contact for queries and ensure that any issues are resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner. These customer-centric practices are often found missing when we have cause to interact with insurers, banks, mobile phone companies, or any organisation large or small that’s lost its connection with its customers. It should be possible to stay connected and build strong long-term relationships. However, it starts with listening and managing those all-important expectations. mogersdrewett.com
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138 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Free registration appointment for new clients when accompanied by this advertisement Kingston House Veterinary Clinic Long Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3DB Mon-Fri 9.00-10.30, 16.30-18.00 Sat 9.00-10.30 T: 01935 813288 (24 hours) E: sherborne@kingstonvets.co.uk kingstonvets.co.uk
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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 139
Tech
WINDOWS 10 STILL ON TOP James Flynn, Milborne Port Computers
H
ave you upgraded to Windows 11 or have you stayed with Windows 10? Have you bought a new computer with Windows 11 on it and downgraded it to Windows 10? Or have you upgraded and then downgraded? In October 2021, Microsoft unveiled Windows 11, the highly anticipated successor to the widely used Windows 10 operating system. With a sleeker design, improved performance and a range of new features, Windows 11 promised to be the next big thing in the world of computing. However, two years after its release, Windows 10 still holds a more substantial share of the market. Windows 10 holds 71.64% of the world’s total Windows-based operating system market share, while Windows 11 holds just 23.61%. But why? One of the primary reasons Windows 10 continues to outpace Windows 11 in terms of adoption is the hardware requirements. Windows 11 introduced stricter requirements, including the need for a compatible 64-bit processor with a minimum of 1 GHz, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, as well as a compatible graphics card. These requirements left most older PCs and laptops unable to upgrade and basically made users stick with Windows 10 if they wanted to maintain their existing hardware. This upset a lot of people because some users had extremely expensive and powerful machines that just didn’t meet the requirements and were stuck without a solution to upgrade apart from buying a new computer that did meet the requirements. Even for users with the necessary hardware, Windows 11 has faced its fair share of compatibility issues. The transition to a new operating system often brings challenges for software developers and hardware 140 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
manufacturers to update their products accordingly. This has led to compatibility problems with older software applications and hardware drivers, making users hesitant to make the switch. It is still at the point that Windows 10 offers a more stable and reliable system for users which some don’t want to risk with Windows 11. Windows 10 has been around since 2015, giving users ample time to become familiar with its interface and features. Many users are comfortable with the taskbar layout, the Start Menu and the overall user experience of Windows 10. The drastic design changes in Windows 11, including the centred Start Menu and the removal of certain elements, have been met with mixed reactions. Some users prefer the familiarity of Windows 10 and they may be resistant to change. Windows 10 is now known for its frequent updates, which can sometimes be disruptive. However, Windows 11 introduced a more aggressive update approach, with mandatory monthly updates for all users. This approach has raised concerns among users who value control over their system’s updates, as well as those who worry about potential compatibility issues with their software or hardware. So, should you upgrade? In my opinion, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. If you’re happy using Windows 10 and don’t particularly want to learn a new way of doing things then stay with what you know. If you fancy a change and are open to using a different-looking Windows operating system, then by all means move to Windows 11…but please don’t do it on a Friday afternoon! computing-mp.co.uk
Short Story
AN UNEXPECTED GESTURE
I
Bill Bennette, Sherborne Scribblers
arrived in London to take up my new position as sales assistant for a new bathroom fittings showroom. I had found lodgings in Earl’s Court in the form of a bedsitter. My room was in the rear of the building on the ground floor overlooking a tired uncared-for garden. It was good to have an open outlook in that built-up area. On arrival at Longridge Road, I was met by the charming Irish housekeeper who welcomed me, instantly inviting me to join her for tea in her basement flat just as soon as I had unpacked my things. Mrs O’Grady seemed kind and as soon as tea had been poured, gave me a five-minute rundown on all my new neighbours in the large building. There were 12 rooms, only two bathrooms and a couple of separate loos, which we all shared. All rooms had a wash basin in the corner with a single-ring electrical hob unit standing on a small indifferent cupboard. We became friends quite quickly and soon she was coming to my room with a bag of crisps or some nuts, for a glass of wine, which in winter was chilled outside my window. There followed a summary of her day’s events. She offered her services to do my laundry and was an excellent ironing lady at a modest rate. In return, I tackled the garden which she overlooked from her small sitting room. There were some reasonable, if not overgrown shrubs but it was not long before the whole space became wonderful again. I planted a few annuals for instant colour, adding to the vista from our respective spaces. Our friendship seemed to grow when one day she made a bold pass at me by letting her overall fall open to reveal a totally naked woman of a certain age - not the prettiest of sights. ‘Just help yourself, young man. Have as much fun as you like.’ I managed a wry smile and said: ‘Another time perhaps. I have to meet my work colleagues for a going away drink for one of the salesgirls in a few minutes’ time at the Goat in Boots.’ Mrs O’Grady snapped her clothes shut and walked off in a huff. What was I to do? I had no romantic feelings whatsoever for that woman who was much older than my mother. I really enjoyed living in my bedsitter and appreciated the fringe benefits I had seen as a simple expression of friendship from a pleasant old lady trying to mother me.
142 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
I then had to go out and set off to the pub where I saw Tom, a fairly new friend. I told him about my landlady and asked for his opinion. He was laughing to almost hysteria as he said: ‘Well, if you do it once, you will be under her spell forever. I have come across old women like her a few times. I cannot imagine that you would fancy her.’ ‘I most certainly do not but it is difficult. I love my bedsitter which is perfectly situated for the underground station, getting me to work in a mere 10 minutes. After my rebuttal, I imagine it would be impossible to take someone home for a little spiritual communion. I like the old dear but had no idea that she was coming on to me. Clearly, she had other ideas.‘ ‘Oh, she had her sights on you the minute you walked through the door. A young chap with long-staying power is what those old ladies long for. She would probably make your life hell going forward.’ ‘Well, what should I do? Look for another bedsitter? She will give the agency a damning report no doubt so they will not refer me to another landlord with a new place for me.’ ‘Just play it politely by ear. If you are lucky, she will set her sights on another bloke who moves into the building.’ That is exactly what happened. I remained charming and carried on giving her the odd glass of wine every so often but remained politely aloof. I even invented a longstanding girlfriend with whom I kept in touch and, for that reason, wasn’t free to pursue other relationships. Tom was spot on about Mrs O’Grady finding another tenant with whom to amuse herself. I had a very early start one day so at 5.30am opened my door to find a dressing gown-clad landlady leaving the new Polish chap’s room opposite mine. She had the audacity to grin as she gave me a lascivious wink.
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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 143
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Suppliers of both new and pre-loved vinyl, official t-shirts, merchandise and memorabilia. Come visit and “Try before you buy”. The Beat & Track, The Old Shambles, South Street, Sherborne, DT9 3LN
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OCTOBER SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Least quiet (8) 5. Abound (4) 9. Come to a point (5) 10. Curdle (7) 11. Constantly; always (12) 14. Deep anger (3) 15. Peers (5) 16. Legume (3) 17. Fellowship (12) 20. Rude (7) 22. Newly-wed (5) 23. Run at a moderate pace (4) 24. Most precipitous (8)
DOWN 1. Memo (4) 2. Beseech (7) 3. Regardless of (12) 4. Intentionally so written (3) 6. Choose through voting (5) 7. Our galaxy (5,3) 8. Not guided by good sense (12) 12. Tennis stroke (5) 13. Stir dust (anag) (8) 16. Acquiescent (7) 18. Type of lizard (5) 19. Cried (4) 21. Allow (3)
144 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Literature
LITERARY REVIEW John Gaye, Sherborne Literary Society
Lawrence of Arabia by Ranulph Fiennes (Michael Joseph, £25 hardcover)
Sherborne Times reader offer of £23 from Winstone’s Books
N
umerous books have been written about this extraordinary man who found both a home and a retreat in Dorset, including a highly regarded autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, which has since become required reading by all those seeking a commission in the US Army. So what does Ranulph Fiennes bring to this book that makes it stand apart from all the others? The critical input that differentiates this from previous biographies is the author’s own experience commanding Arab soldiers in the army of the Sultan of Oman in 1968. I know many army officers who’ve had the experience of commanding soldiers from other nations and cultural/religious backgrounds. Almost without exception, having overcome various barriers and having absorbed both a new language and a clearer understanding of the culture, they have come back richer for the experience and with love and respect for those soldiers with whom they have shared some exciting and often life-threatening experiences. Fiennes commanded a reconnaissance platoon of the Sultan’s army consisting of soldiers of mixed ethnicities and he had to overcome numerous cultural obstacles and inter-tribal rivalries to make them all blend together into an effective fighting force to take part in what was one of the more exciting insurgencies of those days. It is this experience, shared with Lawrence of Arabia, that gave the author a greater insight into the problems that Lawrence had to overcome in bringing together numerous conflicting and competing tribal groups to become an effective army to confront the
Ottoman army’s occupation of the Middle East in 1917. TE Lawrence was an extraordinary and complex character. An academic and archaeologist, without any initial pretensions to be either a soldier or a diplomat, he was something of a romantic who had fallen in love with the people of the Middle East and was driven by his ideals, his personal integrity and deeply held convictions to take on the role of leadership to further the cause of the Arabs and their desire to rule their own lives for the future. Not only did he show incredible courage in the face of the Turkish enemy – he had a £20,000 price on his head – he also exhibited a total disregard for the normal standards of dress and respect for senior officers when dealing with his own side. A loner by nature who had a complex family background that always made him feel like an outsider amongst his own people, he found his home amongst the people of Arabia long before his military involvement began and he was already hugely respected by the many people he had met during his extensive travels throughout the region before the war intervened. This very readable book highlights the essential parts of Lawrence’s life, delving back into his complex childhood and what drove him to his destiny as a leader of the Arab people to further their cause against the Ottoman occupiers of their land and subsequently to fight their corner against the post-war plans of the Western powers. sherborneliterarysociety.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 145
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT
A
Yvonne Bright, ReBorne Community Church
cross schools and churches harvest festivals have been celebrated during the months of September and October - and even earlier than that we have observed the farmers harvesting their fields, working late into the night and trying to get that extra cut in to increase the produce of their land. Whilst on holiday in Devon recently it was interesting to see how quickly the field’s produce sprang up after a cut with new shoots quickly pushing upwards towards the sunlight. The sea at times by the shoreline was plentiful with fish and the friendly seals enjoyed huge meals whilst showing off to the holidaymakers, ‘oohing and aahing’ as they swam with great agility and sleekness close to the shore. Great provision. As Christian followers of Jesus, as we read scripture we are assured of the promise of God’s provision for our every need – note: need, not wants - and so it is for the world God created. Yet we see and hear of famine and drought and hunger and starvation for many people in the world. But there is more than enough for everyone. How have we become so much more aware of our own needs and so much less aware of the needs of others? In the busyness of life, there is a temptation to lose sight of the purpose of community and of the commandment Jesus gave us that says, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and Love your neighbour as yourself ’. There is no commandment greater than these. The harvest season will roll into autumn and winter. We are told in scripture that the seasons will follow one another. That goes for our lives too. What season of your life are you in at the moment? I believe in our lovely area we are blessed with Food-banks and food share initiatives – active provision for those around us who are in need. But it goes further than that (can you smile at someone, say ‘hello’, and become a true friend in word and action?) and if you are a follower of Jesus, then share the love of Jesus in word, deed and action. Our purpose in every season is not just for ourselves but for others, and ultimately for God. As I shared in the celebration recently of a new church established in Manchester City Centre I was reminded of the truth that before we embark on any life journey/ season, we need to recognise and know that God loves us. Then we can be brave and courageous and together we can be a force for the Kingdom of God and every season can be a fulfilled one.
146 | Sherborne Times | November 2023
Join our team... Sherborne International, part of Sherborne School, seeks teachers of all core subjects as well as staff to support boarding, sports and activities, on its academic holiday courses 2024, to be held between the following dates: SPRING COURSES For boys and girls aged 11-17 (GCSE / IGCSE Revision Course or Intensive English Programme) 24 March to 14 April
SUMMER ACADEMIC PREPARATION PROGRAMMES For boys and girls aged 8-17 (Intensive English / Pre-(I)GCSE or mid-course booster / Pre-A Level or IB / Global Leadership) 3 July to 14 August If you are interested in working on either or both programmes, in full or in part, or if you would like more information about our courses, we would love to hear from you at summer@sherborne.org or telephone 01935 814743. Newell Grange | Sherborne | Dorset DT9 4EZ | UK
www.sherborne-international.org
Newell Grange Campus HOME OF SHERBORNE INTERNATIONAL Sherborne School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants for this post must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including reference checks with previous employers and a criminal record check with the DBS.
Green by name and nature
LO C A L LY S O U R C E D I N G R E D I E N T S S E A S O N A L P RO D U C E MICHELIN BIB GOURMAND WINNERS 20 21, 20 2 2 a n d 20 2 3 Tuesday - Saturday Lunch 12pm - 2pm | Dinner 6pm - 9pm 3 The Green, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3HY 01935 813821 @greensherborne www.greenrestaurant.co.uk