The BV, Dec 21

NEVER PRINTED - YOUR GREEN CHOICE

December ‘21

ISSN 2634-8810

From the heart of the Blackmore Vale.

Good People in this issue:

POLITICS

HERMIONE Norris

An entire phone call spent basically agreeing on life, Will Smith and crisps. Making life so easy, thank you.

ANDY PALMER He really is a Deputy Editor extraordinaire. And a shocking cheat at selfies.

Rachael ROWE who possibly had almost as stressful a week as I did.

Roger GUTTRIDGE who tracked down Dickens

TRACY Chevalier

The international bestselling novelist who was happy to share her Hanukkah moments with us.

Barbara COSSINS Who's the brain, the energy and the inspirational passion behind the Love Local, Trust Local Awards. And also knows hhow to put o a party.

TRACIE Beardsley

who gets an honourable mention because I've missed her - she's not even IN this issue.

Front cover: The Excited Pheasant by Carl Bovis 2

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POLITICS

3

INDEX

These are clickable short cuts: just click the number to jump to the page

4

14

A Country Living - Steve Oxford

56

Animals

106

Art with Edwina Baines

67

Book Corner

118

Business News

75

Charity pages

79

Christmas Baking Special

92

Christmas Gift Guide

22

Community

130

Deaths

44

Equestrian

116

Family Law

50

Farming

79

Food & Drink

109

Health

134

Jobs

34

Letters to the Editor

38

Local History

12

Looking Back | Roger Guttridge

9

News

104

Night Sky

62

Out of Doors

100

Photography

28

Politics - Simon Hoare MP

141

Property

114

Puzzles

30

Random 19 - Hermione Norris

40

Rural Matters - CPRE

71

School News

60

Take a Hike

32

Tales from the Vale | Andy Palmer

36

Then & Now | Roger Guttridge

122

What's on

54

Wildlife

December’s was always going to be a huge issue; packed to the brim with excellent Christmas goodness. It’s been wonderful to put together.

But Christmas isn’t always joyful, of course. I read a lovely quote this week: ‘Christmas is a terrific amplifier. Love gets lovelier… and hurt gets hurtier, loss gets lossier, lonely gets lonelier and family gets crazier.”

It’s a good thing to remember.

Secondly – this huge issue is here, like every other, thanks to the genuinely amazing team of people who don’t ever seem alarmed by my random emails or odd requests. Courtenay and I thank you all.

And lastly – thank you, dear reader, for being here too. We hope you have a good month, a wonderful Christmas, that you eat far too much and enjoy every second. And we wish you a peaceful and happy 2022.

Laura & Courtenay.

(don’t forget we’ll be out later in January – we’re taking Christmas off. We rather think we’ve earned it.)

We heard a certain someone has a special message for the residents of the Blackmore Vale... (hint: hit play!)

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POLITICS

5

Roger Guttridge journalist & historian

Tracie Beardsley - journalist

Rachael Rowe - journalist

Andy Palmer - Deputy Ed, columnist and cheat

Laura & Courtenay Hitchcock.

Jane Adams - Wildlife

Rob Nolan - Night Sky

Edwina Baines - Art

Heather Brown food columnist

Wayne Winstone the voice of the books

Andrew Livingston (and Martha) - Farming

Louise Stratton - NFU

Rupert Hardy - CPRE

Lucy Procter - equestrian (The Glanvilles Stud)

James Cossins - Farming

Ian Girling - Business

Charlotte Tombs - or CharlotteFlowers to me

Mel Mitchell - Fitness

Karen Geary - Nutritionist

Paul Birbeck - Local Guide

by Laura Hitchcock

Deserving social enterprise is crowned the 2021 LLTL Champion At a dinner event, the winners of the 2021 Love Local, Trust Local Awards were announced this week - and the overall winner raised an emotional response as their story was heard.

Hosted at The Langton Arms in Tarrant Monkton, more than 120 local food producers, farmers, fishermen and entrepreneurs arrived at the awards evening full of expectation. The only Dorset food & drink awards to take place as a real event this year, the Love Local Trust Local team aimed for a night to remember.

There were 13 individual awards to be won, including Cheese, Dairy, Meat, Fish, Bakery, Drinks, Honey, Jams & Condiments, Fruit & Vegetables, Innovation & Diversity, Conservation & Sustainability, Recognition Award and The Rising Star.

We are the champions The well-deserving 2021 Champions were Gullivers Farm, Shop & Kitchen, whose story touched everyone in the room on awards night.

Gullivers is a social enterprise who regenerated the oldest building in West Moors (1789) and opened its doors in October 2015 as a farm shop, a market garden, a farm & a deli kitchen. They pride themselves on farming responsibly and mindfully, holding themselves

8 image © Robin Goodlad

image © Robin Goodlad

accountable for ethical and environmental standards on the organic, biodynamic farm.

In addition to which, throughout the business the team offers work and opportunities to those with learning disabilities, special educational needs and disabilities.

Supporting Local The awards are sponsored by range of Dorset’s small businesses, all keen to support and strengthen the work of our British farmers, fishermen and food producers. From local solicitors and estate agents to farmers and furniture makers, this is an event full of local Dorset organizations working

together to promote our amazing local food industry By producers for producers The Love Local Trust Local movement was created by Dorset farmers in 2018 in order to recognize and celebrate the hard work of farmers and local food producers.

Love Local Trust Local is also tackling corruption in the food labelling industry, and helping to protect Britain’s world-leading food production standards.

The awards were created by farmers and producers, for farmers and producers, with the main objective being to truly celebrate the work that goes into our local food production.

In association with

by Laura Hitchcock

Blanchards Bailey are a Dorset based law firm renowned for POLITICS their personal expertise, excellent client service and active role in local communities.

Emma Alford from NFU, Courtenay Hitchcock, Debbie Robinson

Lizzie Crow from Lizzie Baking bird

Zoe Kay & Louisa Matthews

Paul Dunlop from Blanchard Bailey, Caroline Hooper from Peggs Farm & Mike Braund from Caffe Delizia

Paul Dunlop from Blanchard Bailey, talking to Vic Irvine from Cerne Abbas Brewery

All images © Robin Goodlad www.robingoodlad.com

LLTL founder Barbara Cossins

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All images © Robin Goodlad www.robingoodlad.com

Barbara Cossins, Rachael Perrett from Meggy Moo’s Dairy with colleagues from Gullivers Farm Shop Mike Braund from Caffe Delizia, Karen Hooper from Tarhinton Farms and Andrew Kitchenham from Winfrith Bakery

Justin Frampton from Conyers with Peter & Mandy Morgan – Book and Bucket Cheese Andrew Robinson (Symonds & Sampson), Sam Purcell (Harbarn Developments), Eric Tavernier (Restaurant Les Enfants Terribles) with Fisherman Bob Summerhayes

Barbara giving her thank you speech.

The Dorset Goat Meat Team

Love Local Trust Local 2021 Winners BAKERY - SWEET

Lizzie The Baking Bird

BAKERY - SAVOURY Winfrith Bakery

JAMS AND CONDIMENTS Mrs J’s Stuff

HONEY

Stephen Toop

DRINKS

Cerne Abbas Brewery

FISH

Portland Shellfish Ltd

MEAT

Dorset Goat Meat Company

CHEESE

The Book & Bucket Cheese Co

DAIRY

Madjeston Milk Station

FRUIT & VEGETABLES Bee Nice Blooms

INNOVATION & DIVERSIFICATION Open Air Dairy

CONSERVATION & SUSTAINABILITY Gullivers Farm Shop & Kitchen

RISING STAR

Weymouth 51

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

Restaurant Les Enfants Terribles

LLTL 2021 CHAMPIONS

Gullivers Farm Shop & Kitchen

LOOKING BACK

by Roger Guttridge

When Dickens came to Sherborne ‘Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.’

So began the greatest occasion in Sherborne’s literary history, and there is no doubt whatever about that either.

William Macready (left) was a well known English actor, but had retired when he moved to Sherborne and invited his friend Charles Dickens (right) to raise much-needed funds with a public reading of A Christmas Carol

The date was December 21, 1854, and the man reading the opening line of A Christmas Carol to an enraptured audience was none other than Charles Dickens himself.

What’s more, this was only the second time that Dickens had read his famous Christmas ghost story in public, which makes the occasion even more historic.

Dickens didn’t love Sherborne Whether the great man was entirely happy to be there is open to question.

According to Vickie Macintosh, of Macintosh Antiques in Newland, where the reading took place, Dickens complained to William Macready, who organised the event: ‘Must I come? The place smells of cowshit.’

Macready, a Shakespearean actor and manager of London’s Covent 12

Garden Theatre, was a great friend of Dickens, who dedicated his third novel, Nicholas Nickelby, to him.

So the cow-poo comment was probably made at least half in jest. But perhaps only half, for Dickens had visited Sherborne before and sampled its aromas with his own nostrils.

‘A public health report in 1852 tells us there was raw sewage running down the walls of Greenhill and that the stench in Half Moon Street was unbearable,’ Sherborne historian Katherine Barker tells me.

‘At the bottom of town, the boys used to block the sewers.’

Sherborne Literary and Scientific Institution Macready had become a major figure in Sherborne since retiring from the London stage

in 1851 and moving his family to Sherborne House in Newland, which he rented from Lord Digby.

Within months of his arrival he agreed to become president of the Sherborne Literary and Scientific Institution.

In June 1854 the Institution moved its headquarters from Cheap Street to the former stable block next to Sherborne House, where it hosted classes and lectures and maintained a fastgrowing library.

Proceeds from Dickens’ reading would be used to add to the library but preparations for his visit did not go smoothly.

The original plan was to hold the reading in the then Town Hall in Half Moon Street, which could accommodate a larger audience.

But some townsfolk expressed their ‘dissatisfaction’ with the admission price of five shillings

get in touch with Roger: roger.guttridge@btinternet.com

by Roger Guttridge

LOOKING BACK

(25p – worth about £15 today).

It didn’t help that the reading was fixed for 2pm on December 21, which clashed with Sherborne’s last market before Christmas.

A public convenience Six days before Dickens was due to appear, ticket sales were so slow that the Institution decided to switch the event to their Newland premises.

They even commissioned construction of a toilet block, which Vickie says was Sherborne’s first public loo.

Rachel Hassall, Sherborne School’s senior archivist, writes that the change of venue ‘originated in the sensitive desire to compliment Mr Dickens with a full house’.

Macready was outraged. He felt that five shillings was not an unreasonable charge and that Sherborne was snubbing his illustrious chum.

‘A crown, what is it?’ he lamented.

‘The cost of a bottle of bad wine swallowed at a public dinner?

The price of a local ball ticket? A sum so often squandered and frittered away when we cannot tell where the money goes?

‘But for a definite and intellectual and laudable object, 5 shillings was found to be a very large sum of money indeed, and it soon became evident that to avoid “the beggarly account of empty boxes” that would have insulted Mr Dickens and disgraced the locality, fresh arrangements must be made.’

According to the Sherborne Mercury, Dickens passed

through Yeovil on the afternoon The money was spent on many of December 20 on his way to great works of English literature Sherborne. including a ‘cheap edition’ of It’s assumed that he travelled by Dickens’ own books. train to Frome Macready was outraged. Macready and thence remained in He felt that five shillings by carriage, Sherborne was not an unreasonable until 1860, by although passenger which time charge and that trains now Sherborne was snubbing his wife and reached Yeovil at least three his illustrious chum following the of his children opening of Hendford station the had died, among them Dickens’ previous year. godson, Henry.

Twenty-four hours later he stood Sherborne House now held too on the stairs at the present-day many unhappy memories and Macintosh Antiques building to the former actor moved his deliver his reading in a ‘quiet, family members to Cheltenham. unaffected tone’.

In 2003 the Friends of Sherborne ‘The room was crowded to House hosted an in-costume reexcess, and many were unable to enactment of the Dickens reading obtain admission,’ reported the at the original venue with John Mercury.

Flint in the starring role.

‘The reading occupied nearly • To buy a copy of Katherine three hours, to the great delight Barker’s £5 booklet on Macready, of the audience.’

Dickens and the Sherborne Literary The reading raised £22 for the Institution, email: katherinebarker@ library fund, equivalent to about lanprobi.org.uk £1,300 today.

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A COUNTRY LIVING

Happy baker happy bread

by Rachael Rowe

Oxford’s Bakery was established by Frank Oxford in 1911 at Alweston, near Sherborne. For this month’s A Country Living, Rachael Rowe spoke with Steve Oxford, the families fourth generation baker to be working the same 100 year old oven.

Fourth generation baker Steve Oxford with a tray of hot scones he’s just removed from the 100yr old oven installed by his great-grandfather in 1921

When I arrive at Oxford’s Bakery in Alweston, owner Steve Oxford is showing two baking students how to check for a sticky bottom on a Dorset lardy cake. He’s also reminding them about a dirty underpants test and other top baking tips (you need to book a course to find out the answers).

It’s the end of the day for Peter and Penny who are busy packing up bags and trays of scones, fruit bread, cottage rolls and more after enjoying themselves on the traditional baking course. But there’s a lot more to the work at Oxford’s Bakery as I find out after asking Steve.

How did you get into the baking business?

“Ever since an Oxford could reach the bench here, we have been 14

baking things. I started making cottage rolls when I was six. I didn’t think I would get into this, but I helped at places like the Dorset Steam Fair. In the 90’s it was not cool to be a baker. I was a DJ at the time and lived in Bournemouth. I had a choice of working in Abu Dhabi or helping Dad in the bakery. I went to Wareham Farmers market, and people there said how they would love to have a bakery. I realised that I could add value by using quality. Within six months I turned Oxford’s Bakery into a limited company.”

The old way The bakery was formed in 1911 when Frank Oxford moved from Sturminster Marshall to Alweston and took the lease. He married

the same year “Two of the most expensive things he did,” says Steve with a grin.

The 1921 oven is still used today - and the baking tins are 75 years old. The bakery has used Stoate & Sons flour, from Cann Mill in Shaftesbury, for over 100 years.

Steve still makes bread with just the basic four ingredients - flour, salt, water and yeast.

What’s an average day like at Oxford’s Bakery?

“Since the pandemic, this bakery works 22 hours a day. The night bakers set the doughs using a traditional sponge and dough method. They use pre-ferments made 24 hours earlier. Night bakers bake all the goods. The day bakers set the doughs

by Rachael Rowe

for the night bakers. At 6am there is another set of people such as the pastry chef They also do a lot of prepping for the next day.”

So you have three shifts?

“There are essentially three shifts. We spread out the staff, which avoids all of us having to isolate at once. We started this system in the pandemic.”

A COUNTRY LIVING Delighted baking course pupil Penny bags up her day’s produce,

The impact of lockdown I saw a look in Steve’s eyes as he recalled the early days of the pandemic.

“Before they even started talking about furlough and lockdown we knew we’d keep going. Rather than shut down I put out a shut. Butter was scarce. We ran video on social media that said a delivery service using local we would keep baking. This taxi drivers and even students. oven never stops - apart from on the day Christmas Day. “...the people of Stur And after the prime I said we will were queued up minister made his provide bread to outside all masked lockdown speech I whoever needs had 521 messages it. We delivered it up. And they all on my phone. for free. Sixty five cheered and clapped. It was the only thousand people I’m so humbled time I cried after saw that video. work. It was the by the people of “We went from having five shops Sturminster Newton” adrenaline and a sense of relief. and a bakery to “I recall going being a Dorset-wide call centre. into Sturminster Newton with We got supplies of local eggs a load of bread for the bakery. and cheese as all the delis were Steve Oxford checks his pupil’s Dorset Lardy cakes for a sticky bottom.

Note the 75yr old baking tin.

The people of Stur were queued up outside all masked up. And they all cheered and clapped.

I’m so humbled by the people of Sturminster Newton and how they have supported us. It makes getting up in the morning worthwhile.

In the pandemic, people changed their shopping habits. They took an interest in local producers.

We now have more people just buying a loaf of bread from us.”

When is your busiest time?

Well Christmas is our third busiest time of year. The busiest is the summer holidays. We have shops in places like Canford Cliffs and Dorchester that get lots of tourists. And festivals are important to us and a big part of our business. I could go from selling a Dorset lardy cake at the Steam Fair to an oat milk latte and vegan sausage roll at Larmer Tree.”

What one item from your range at Oxford’s Bakery would you recommend?

“Without a doubt an Oxford’s sourdough (in our Random 19 feature, Masterchef winner and local chef Mat Follas named Oxford’s as the shop he can’t pass without going in,

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A COUNTRY LIVING purely for the sourdough - Ed). And that’s down to Dave the Bread, our excellent head baker. If I was on a desert island, I’d go for the Eccles cake and a Dorset lardy cake.”

by Rachael Rowe

“...I have baked the world’s largest Victoria sponge. I have also been to Darjeeling and Nepal, teaching local hotels how to make a traditional English afternoon tea”

What would you advise anyone wanting to come into the bakery industry?

“Lots of people want to come into the business - they see it is really busy. But you always need to be on top of the quality. If you put an effort into the ingredients you source, it shines through into your products. There’s an old saying: ‘Happy Baker - happy bread’ If you could change the Bake Off, what would you do?

(Steve gives me a look).

“I don’t really watch it! But a real baker would need to be able to produce those creations 300 days a year and be consistent.

The key to being a professional baker is consistency. I wouldn’t really change that programme.

What I would do is get some really knowledgeable people with years of experience to share their knowledge with the public.

It’s the difference between a personal brand and skills.”

What has been the highlight of your career?

“Oh Man, I’ve done a few things!

I have baked the world’s largest Victoria sponge. I have also been to Darjeeling and Nepal, teaching local hotels how to make a traditional English afternoon tea.

However... without a doubt the highlight has been being able to work with my family. And to work with the people I love.”

If you’re interested in gifting one of Steve’s courses for Christmas, or are keen to book one for yourself, at time of publishing Steve promised he was ‘just about to’ update the website with new 2022 dates: https://www.oxfordsbakery.co.uk/ 16

Some of the bread produced by students on the Traditonal English Baking Day course with Steve Oxford

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VILLAGE AND VALE

Okeford’s Fundraising Jam Maker Extraordinaire Hangs Up her Preserving Pan

After over 30 years of making jams and chutneys to raise funds for Okeford Fitzpaine Village Hall, local resident Anthea Calcott has decided to stop creating her popular preserves which have featured at fetes and sales in the area. Anthea is also a recycling genius- as everything has been sourced from gluts or windfalls. An incredible £21,000 has been raised over the years from jam and chutney sales which has contributed to improvements at the village hall.

Marston Church near Frome reinvents itself as a music venue

Marston Church is a beautiful 18th century church less than 2 miles from Frome. Used occasionally for church services, new life is being brought to the building as a music venue. Starting with a Daisy Chapman concert during the Frome Festival, regular open mic sessions on Sunday afternoons have brought performances from some wonderfully talented singers and musicians who love the accoustics and enjoy the setting.

On 15th December Frome actor, Pip Utton, will perform his solo play “A Christmas Carol” in the character of Charles Dickens. Says organiser John Salmon “Those who have seen Pip will know this is not a performance to be missed. Those who haven’t - well here’s your chance.“ On 22nd December Belshazzar’s Feast are showing their celebrated Christmas show that mixes folk, pop and classical music with superb wit and dry humour. John adds “tickets are just £15, and selling fast, so please don’t be disappointed.”

For details of all our Marston events please keep an eye on www.marstonmusic.co.uk.

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The BV’s favourite Christmas traditions Nearly everyone has one - that moment that makes you sigh with contentment, and think ‘Christmas is here’. BV Editor, Laura Hitchcock, shares a personal Christmas, and asks some of the BV’s contributors over the last year to share one of their own.

We made a mistake when our boys were small. I admit it. We loved Christmas, and like most parents we wanted to build the magic for them, too. Not with big gifts - with moments. Memories.

Special traditions which flow together to build an annual holiday of significance in the family, different from any other time of year.

Oh it definitely worked. Our big kids love Christmas. That’s the issue. We didn’t realise that here we would be, twenty years later, still doing all of them.

The Hitchcock Christmas We still enjoy the after-dark visit to Sherborne’s Castle Gardens Christmas display to buy ‘just one bauble,’ (it never is). We dig out the same (ugly) pocket Advent calendars my sister lovingly made our three small boys (and the - pretty - one we

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had to buy when a daughter came along a few years later).

We watch the full rotation of Christmas movies together through December - but never Arthur Christmas, that’s saved for the day the trees go up, watched with takeaway pizza.

That ‘tradition’ started when, having spent the entire day decorating the house and two trees with the ‘help’ of three boys under five, there was no way we were cooking dinner. These days we’re done by mid-afternoon, and yet pizza is still on the menu.

It’s always Polar Express on Christmas Eve, and Wonderful Life in the still calm space between Christmas and New Year.

We still all go together to choose the two trees from Cranborne Estate - though I no longer haul them on to the car roof. Now there are strapping man-sized boys to help their dad, I simply provide ‘helpful’ advice on the roping. Which isn’t listened to, obviously.

And on Christmas Eve, Courtenay is still expected to sit and read aloud ‘The Night Before Christmas’, often with a teenager in his lap. In fact, now I think about it, the trying to persuade teenagers that he doesn’t need to read it this year has become a new tradition in itself.

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Favourite moments And yet, while I love all of these things and the hundred other silly small rituals December contains, they are not my favourite moment.

That is Christmas morning, when I creep out of bed to put the turkey in the oven, and fill the stockings. Sneaking into bedrooms for the empty ones because... well, with a youngest who is 14, there’s no good reason that I still sneak them in. But I do. Everyone is asleep, the house is beautiful but resting, decorations flickering gently as it breathes. The work is done, the day is still to come and it’s a perfect moment of accomplishment, relief and warm anticipation. And a small brief personal space with my own thoughts and memories.

Teenagers I asked the teens for their best moments, not sure what to expect. They surprised me: ‘Waking up on Christmas morning and just remembering it’s Christmas.’

‘Everyone at the dinner table before we eat. The food smelling amazing, the bustle of dishes

coming in, everyone chattering and laughing, but still with the day stretching out ahead.’

And our daughter picked a tradition which isn’t even one we made - we created the rule (one desperate Christmas filled with little sleep and excited small children) that they couldn’t wake us before 7am on Christmas Day. Naturally they could never stay in bed that long, so they would all collect their stockings and jump into their oldest brother’s bed, spending the first hour of Christmas with each other and no grown-ups, squidging and exploring the stockings, guessing what each parcel might be.

This is our daughter’s favourite tradition: ‘waking up and seeing a full stocking and proceeding to drop everything as you carry it to your brother’s room not-soquietly.’

Intrigued, I extended the question - I asked some of the people from the last year who have contributed to the BV to share their own favourite traditions...

Simon Hoare MP “The thing that tells me not only that it’s Christmas but that as much planning and preparing has been done as can be done is to sit down with my three daughters and read to

them Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales. It’s such a lyrical, evocative piece. It never fails to stir and it says to us: Christmas is here!”

Timothy Medhurst, antiques expert. Random 19 Guest “For me Christmas is made completely wholesome by watching Elf with a bottle of Bucks Fizz, lovely!”

Heather Brown Food columnist “My favourite Christmas moment is when our two sons bring their unopened stockings into our bedroom and open the gifts with us. Whatever the rest of the day looks like, whether at home or staying away, celebrating with few or celebrating with many, that moment is always the same. It’s a special moment, just between the four of us, and I cherish it before the delightful chaos of the rest of Christmas Day. “ Tracy Chevalier, novelist Random 19 guest “We celebrate the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, which involves lighting candles every night for 8 nights, eating latkes (fried potato pancakes), a bit of singing and dancing, and small presents. But we love fairy lights so always put them up in the cottage for 19

December. And I do nip out to the Brace of Pheasants in Plush on Christmas Eve to join in carol singing and a drink. It is a great community tradition.”

home from work and pulling up outside the house with all the lights really does give me that Christmas feeling!”

Sarah J. Naughton, author Andy Palmer, Columnist Random 19 guest “Our tradition is on Christmas “For me, Christmas really begins Eve for supper I’ll hot smoke when the Salvation Army band pigeon breast on the barbecue starts playing carols outside my and Kae will make a coleslaw local department store. There’s with added clementine and something about their prim chestnuts. I’ll make uniforms and “I stand and watch, some spiced wine the Christmas while listening to with a handful of lights glinting off Close to the Edge equally sentimental the brass that

by Yes.” transports me strangers, as straight back Ian Girling, Chief shoppers go bustling to Victorian Exec Dorset past loaded with London. I stand Chamber. and watch, with a presents” Business handful of equally Columnist sentimental strangers, as “Christmas really arrives for shoppers go bustling past loaded me when it’s time to put the with presents, and am usually a Christmas lights up. My wife blubbering wreck by the end of enjoys decorating the outside Once in Royal David’s City.” of our home with beautiful (tasteful!) Christmas lights Mat Follas, Chef and the house really does look Random 19 Guest fabulous at Christmas. Coming “Our tradition is actually for both

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the longest and shortest days. As a family, we tie a memento on our apple tree and read a poem at dusk to mark the turn of the seasons.”

Simon Gudgeon, sculptor Random 19 Guest “I’ll take a stroll around the sculpture park, which is incredibly beautiful on a frosty winter morning, and continue my daily habit of a swim in the river – yes, even on Christmas Day. But definitely before the wine, rather than after it!”

Courtenay Hitchcock, BV co-owner (and feeling left out) “For me it all begins on Christmas Eve. When the boys were small my parents always took them out for the day at Moors Valley, and Laura and I grabbed the solo hours for our own private Christmas in the kitchen, prepping and cooking up a storm, carols playing, drinking fizz... 15 years later and our grown ups ‘Christmas Eve Cook Up’ is still sacrosanct. I love it.”

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COMMUNITY

Welcome one and all - there are new shops on the block in thriving Sherborne Recently the BV received a letter to the editor commenting on the emptiness of Sherborne’s shopping streets, with numerous empty shop fronts. Editor Laura Hitchcock investigated - and in fact found the truth a far happier tale.

Sherborne, like every high street, has struggled through the last few years. Physical shopping footfall is declining across the country, and the pandemic in many places appears to have hastened the end of many previously-bustling shopping streets.

It was with pleased surprise then that I visited Sherborne to find it busy with shoppers, and with a greater variety of traders on its main streets than I had previously noticed or expected.

“We’ve had some empty shops during the pandemic for obvious reasons. But I don’t think there’s a single empty one now which isn’t being renovated, or has someone ready to move in” says Jane Wood, President of Sherborne Chamber of Commerce and owner of Oliver’s Coffee House for the last decade.

“If you like shopping, you’ll like Sherborne. And if you like unique, independent shops selling locally and ethically sourced gifts, food, clothing and more, with some great service thrown in, then you’ve got to love shopping in Sherborne.”

A town of Indies Independent shops are run by people who live in and around a town - and they have been the lifeblood of the Sherborne community since the abbey was built over a thousand years ago.

Even during the most difficult of 22

years through the pandemic, in the last year new names have been welcomes to Sherborne town centre with an eclectic range of goods and services: Sherborne Antiques Market 71 Cheap Street Regular readers will be no strangers to Craig and Philip’s new antiques market - we featured the store last month, showing how the stunning and witty window displays lure shoppers through the door, and the atmosphere of fun, the genuinely warm welcome, and of course the fascinating contents keep people inside.

There are currently 42 traders displaying antiques within the market, including three TV experts – Timothy Medhurst (Antiques Road Trip), Paul Atterbury (Antiques Roadshow)

and Debbie Serpell (Dickinson’s Real Deal).

No website, but find them on Facebook here.

Open 7 days a week: Monday to Saturday 10 till 5, Sundays 11 till 4.

Market Sundays 10 till 4.

Phone: 01935 713760 Artichoke 14 Cheap Street Arabella has been trading Sherborne for a few years from a couple of locations in town - but has finally found a terrific shop on the high street where she sells decorative antiques and brocante living.

Artichoke is another shop to lure you in for a browse, filled with a mix of items from linens to vintage French furniture - and also an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Stockist.

Auctioneer Phil Traves (left) and antiques dealer Craig Wharton run the Sherborne Antiques Market image Courtenay Hitchcock

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COMMUNITY Arabella regularly rearranges the interior of Artichoke to reflect the seasons and her latest items.

Artichoke is open 4 days a week: Wednesday to Saturday 10 till 5.

No website, but find them on Facebook here.

Phone: 07854 383090

terrific lunch option, as are the fresh sandwiches (Napoli salami, creamy brie, rocket & caramelised onion chutney £4.25). There’s plenty for the sweet tooth too - the Bocconcini del Nonno (traditional soft Italian almond biscuits covered with crisp almond flakes) are delicious, and the Panettone & Italian Christmas cakes are a range worth serious exploration.

Ingredients are offering a range of hampers for Christmas - frankly perfect for the foodie who has everything.

Ingredients-dorset.co.uk Open 5 days a week: Monday to Friday 9.30 - 4.30 Saturdays 9 til 4 Phone: 01935 713410

10am-4pm

Ingredients 73 Cheap Street A family run delicatessen & gourmet fine food store with a large range of products sourced from the Mediterranean as well as local to Dorset.

The deli counter is, as you would expect, stocked full of Mediterranean charcuterie, an array of cheeses from Italy & Spain as well as a good range of local produce, and a range of Italian & Spanish antipasti. The hot pasta boxes are a

Ingredients delicatessen & gourmet fine food is the place to go not just for lunch and antipasti but for a foodie gift inpiration too.

SHERBORNE FESTIVE SHOPPING DAY SUNDAY, 5th DECEMBER

Event ORGANISERS

EVENT SPONSORS

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ABBEY 104 BROADCAST

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CHEAP STREET PARADE & LIGHTING OF THE TREE 4PM— AT THE CONDUIT

PLEASE NOTE: NO VEHICLE ACCESS TO CHEAP STREET OR DIGBY ROAD ON 5th DEC UNTIL 6PM ORGANISED BY SHERBORNE CHAMBER OF TRADE & COMMERCE, SUPPORTED BY SHERBORNE TOWN COUNCIL WWW.SHERBORNECHAMBER.CO.UK

23

COMMUNITY Caroline Nichols 18 Cheap Street Caroline Nicholls isn’t a new face in Sherborne, but she has recently upsized from her original shop in Swan Yard.

British country clothing and accessory designer, specialising in exquisite country style. www.carolinenicholls.com/ Monday to Saturday 10 till 5, Sundays to Christmas 10 till 4.

Phone: 07894 545388 Candy Cabin Higher Cheap St An old-fashioned sweet shop, with retro classics to traditional sweet jars; pick ‘n mix, freshly made instore candy floss, fresh popcorn and custom made sweet jars.

No website, Facebook here 07403 289362 Lemon Vintage 81 Cheap Street Clare has dealt in vintage clothing for ten years and has

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Lemon Vintage is the ‘home of clothing, accessories & beautiful things

a reputation for an eye for a designer piece. Lemon Vintage is the ‘home of clothing, accessories & beautiful things; ideas and pieces to add zest to life and living ethically’.

Clare stocks vintage, pre-loved

and upcycled items alongside designer pieces and high quality ethical beauty products in her ‘Bohemian space’.

Closed Wednesday and Sunday Otherwise open 10 till 4.30 Phone: 01935 813743

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STURMINSTER NEWTON - ADVERTORIAL

This’ll be the best Sturminster Newton Christmas ever!

Goods from our local producers, shops and craftspeople are not stuck in a container – they’re here already. And our traders are doing their utmost to meet your needs. Here’s what Stur Christmas and New Year’s Day offers...

4th December is our Small Business Saturday.

Thanks to the authorities working with retailers we’ve got free parking and special offers from our traders.

As Christmas is galloping towards us do not forget our two community shops turning your pre-loved items into new to be-loved goods for our residents and for the benefit of our community. We have: The Boutique Officially renamed as The Boutique (from The Community Chest) by Alice Fox Pitt in November, the shop is full of lovely, good quality clothes at easy prices – treat yourself!

The Emporium Gentlemen - remember the

Boutique manager Cheryl and one of the shop’s regular customers

26

Dapper Chaps boutique, everything you need for your Christmas outfits.

Also look out for children’s toys at The Emporium and children’s clothes at The Boutique. The clothes are inexpensive and the quality is good - just what a parent of growing children needs. And you can buy new toys and donate the ones no longer played with.

Stock is turning over all the time and makes shopping fun without breaking the bank.

Do also support our other two charity shops – Stur has four fun ‘pre-loved’ shops to browse in while supporting good causes – it’s a shopaholic’s paradise for buying good quality goods at low prices.

Profits from our other charity shops go to The Friends of

The Dapper Chaps is

Blandford Hospital - raising funds to support our local hospital - and also Brainwave, helping children with disabilities reach their potential through specialist therapy programmes.

The Country Market On Tuesdays in Stur. there is the special treat of The Country Market in the ground floor of The Exchange, open 9 until 11.30am.

Here you will find everything homemade, home grown and hand crafted. The Country Market is a cooperative, and sells the produce directly to the public (or through selected retailers) under the Country Markets label. A brilliant place for all those unusual Christmas gifts - and lovely food treats.

And when you have done your shopping linger for a coffee and a chat – there is always someone to talk to.

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Christmas Events coming up in Stur:

STURMINSTER NEWTON - ADVERTORIAL

Hidden Christmas Angels

From 1st December keep your eyes open for Christmas Angels appearing around the town.

They are for you to take home to keep, to give a name to, and if you like, to bring to the Christingle Service at St. Mary’s Church, 4pm on Christmas Eve afternoon.

Look forward to these ten treats: 1. The Car and Bike enthusiasts will be meeting as usual in the Station Road Car Park on Saturday 4th December (weather permitting) – bring your pride and joy or just come to admire.

2. From 4th December to 18th December take part in the SturShops quiz to win a hamper – pick up a form from The Emporium, the Exchange, Holebrooks Fine Foods or Hansons 3. 10th and 11th December Christmas at the Opera raising money for The Exchange and the Pantry (event now sold out) 4. Join The Rotary’s ‘Santa Stride’ on 12th December along the Trailway.

5. St Mary’s Church Carol Service on 19th December .

6. 23rd December 5pm - Carols in the Railway Gardens 7. St. Mary’s Church Christmas Eve First Mass of Christmas – 11.15 pm 8. Christmas Day at St Mary’s Church Holy Communion 10.00 a.m.

9. 27th December FREE PARKING for you to come into Stur and shop in the sales.

10. And finally, 1st January The Classic Cars (and other vehicles) Run sponsored by Harts to raise funds for the Air Ambulance. The beautiful selection of vehicles will assemble in Station Road Car Park from 10 am to noon. Come and revisit the history of road transport.

For more information and regular updates visit https://sturminster-newton.org.uk/

27

POLITICS

On lost souls

by Simon Hoare MP I would like you to share an experience of mine which I hope none of you will ever experience.

Picture this: three years ago my eldest daughter, while we were on holiday in Wales, wanted to go on a kayak. We hired one for a few hours. It was a lovely, warm, calm August day. We had a lovely time. Returning from our trip, and about 100m from shore, we hit the confluence of the river estuary, a fresher wind and a turned incoming tide. I was at the stern, a wave caught us under the bow. We went over. Both ended up in the water. If I close my eyes I can still hear the panicked cry of ‘Daddy!!’ as we both bobbed to the surface. My daughter was then 10. I grabbed her. Still buffeted by rising waves going over our heads I got her to hold the kayak. I rescued the paddles and we swam to an inlet where, scratched by barnacles, soaked through and frankly frightened, we sorted ourselves out. Caught our breaths. Paddled like fury and returned to the little beach and safety.

For those in peril on the sea I thought of this as I read about the souls lost in the Channel this week. The words of the hymn ‘Eternal Father Strong To Save’ so recently sung at Remembrance 28

Sunday echoed in my ears: ‘for victimising the ‘others’ to protect those in peril on the sea’. Not the ‘us’. a single one of us can ever Is it naïve to make the following pretend to understand or share comment? Is the fact that some the imperatives, dangers, hopes, of our fellow human beings are fears, aspirations that drive prepared to risk life and limb people from their homeland to to come to the UK a source of seek a better future across our pride? They don’t see the White continent. I had the If I close my eyes Cliffs. They see a tiniest glimpse of I can still hear beacon of hope, a the gut tightening citadel of decency, the panicked cry a functioning anxiety of a much of ‘Daddy!!’ as we democracy, a stable loved daughter in trouble in a choppy both bobbed to form of governance, sea. But, we were a land of peace and the surface. not in the middle of opportunity. A of the world’s busiest shipping country of values and honour. I lane. It wasn’t November. We think there is something rather weren’t in an overcrowded, not noble in that assessment as to fit for purpose vessel. We could how we are seen. see the shore.

A Christmas Story A beacon of hope We are approaching the I am more than aware of the Christmas Season and we focus additional pressures that upon the birth of Jesus. But the those making the crossing Christian story would have been put on our social and other a very short one had not two services. The current situation parents, for the safety of their is not sustainable. We must child, made a flight into Egypt. work collaboratively with the Let our charity be more than a French and other European form of ritualistic, platitudinous Governments to have a shared words. Let it be more than that. response.

Let it start with the simple truth: I pray that we actually try to we talk of people not statistics. solve the issue rather than May those who lost their lives playing the blame game and Rest in Peace.

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"May I wish all of my North Dorset constituents a peaceful Christmas and a happy 2022" Simon Hoare MP

Simon Hoare MP holds regular surgeries. If you would like to book an appointment, please contact Simon: by tel: 01258 452585 email: simon.hoare.mp@parliament.uk or by post: The Stables, Whitecliff Gardens, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7BU

www.simonhoare.org.uk @Simon4NDorset fb.com/simonhoarenorthdorset

THE RANDOM 19 QUESTIONS

The Random 19 with actress Hermione Norris

by Laura Hitchcock © Amanda Searle

A familiar face in the nation’s prime time drama shows, Hermione’s extensive television credits include the hugely successful, long running comedydrama Cold Feet (ITV) for which she was nominated for a British Comedy Award for her role as Karen Marsden.

Among her many leading roles in television, she has starred in Between Two Worlds, Luther, Innocent, In The Club, The Crimson Field and Spooks (four series), for which she won a Best Actress Award at the ITV Crime Thriller Awards for her role as Ros. Hermione recently bought a farmhouse near Sturminster Newton, where she lives with her husband, their two children and the two dogs.

1. What’s your relationship with the Blackmore Vale (the loose North Dorset area, not us!)?

My husband went to Bryanston School, so we’ve always had a connection to the area. While living in London, one of our favourite escapes was a coastal walk from Eype to Lyme Regis. We bought a cottage in Thorncombe (actually from an advert in the original Blackmore Vale Magazine!), and spent every weekend and holiday there from 2001.

Eventually we left London and moved just west of Yeovil – a couple more Dorset moves followed, and we’ve now finally settled just outside Sturminster Newton.

2. What was the last song you sang out loud in your car?

I have Adele’s new album on repeat! So so good.

But for weeks it’s been ‘Easy On Me’.

3. What was the last movie you watched?

Would you recommend it?

Oh, it was gut-wrenching. Seven Pounds – my son made me watch it with him last weekend. It was heartbreaking, filled with so many fears, just your 30

worst nightmare. Harrowing. I was sobbing – I’d have preferred to watch High School Musical, to be honest! Will Smith was terrific though, he’s such a beautiful soul.

4. It’s Friday night - you have the house to yourself, and no work is allowed. What are you going to do?

Watch Schitt’s Creek back to back episodes. Or maybe The Family Stone. With cheese and biscuits.

And Nuts. Olives. Chocolate. And crisps. Lots of crisps.

5. Who’s your celebrity crush?

Harvey Keitel. Does he count as a celebrity? (yes! – Ed). He’s a celebrity to me! I’ve always really liked him.

Harvey Keitel is Hermione Norris’ celebrity crush.

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by Laura Hitchcock

THE RANDOM 19 QUESTIONS “

Hermione with Ophelia, her Great Dane © Lucy Sewill

6. What would you like to tell 15yr old you?

“How others behave is none of your business. Don’t walk out on yourself.”

7. If you were sent to an island for a year and could only bring three things, what would you bring (the island is already equipped with a magical power source and a laptop)?

• Teabags – I’d not survive without some builder’s tea.

• Music – I’d need lots of music. Can I just have full access to Spotify?

• Big notepad and pens.

8. The best crisps flavour?

Cheese and onion. Ooh, no.

Ready Salted McCoys! Thick, fat, crunchy and satisfying.

(YES! Finally! The right answer! - Ed) 9. And the best biscuit for dunking? (swift and unhesitating) Chocolate digestives. MILK chocolate digestives.

10. What book did you read last year that stayed with you?

Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker.

It’s harrowing, but it’s brilliant.

So clever, retelling stories we

all know but from the female perspective.

11. Cats or dogs?

Dogs.

I mean, I love both, but… dogs.

We have two - a great dane called Ophelia, and a pointer called Bess.

12. What shop can you not pass without going in?

When I’m in London - American Vintage, Otterlenghi…

Locally it has to be Holebrooks the butchers and deli in Sturminster Newton, what a great shop.

13. What was the best thing before sliced bread?

A cup of tea. (another unhesitatingly swift answer) 14. What’s your most annoying trait?

Oh I’m VERY annoying. I annoy myself. Self-criticism, I think. But I’m working on it, I’m working on it!

15. Your favourite quote?

Movie, book or inspirational - we won’t judge.

“Our humanity is a poor thing, except for the divinity that stirs within us” - Francis Bacon I’ve always loved this quote

– when we moved here I got myself some wooden letters from Hobbycraft, painted them gold and put it on the wall.

16. Tell us about the best evening you’ve ever had?

Any evening with my husband and children. Probably the simple ones having a barbecue on Burton Bradstock beach at sundown.

17. Your top three mostvisited, favourite websites (excluding social media & BBC News!)?

• RightMove. I’m obsessed. Not with moving, but with looking at property. Doesn’t matter where really – Scotland, London, Cornwall…

• Net a Porter • Graham & Green 18. What in life is frankly a mystery to you?

Just life in general really.

What? It’s true!

19. You have the power to pass one law tomorrow, uncontested. What would you do?

I will ban all violence against humanity.

Violence in all its forms. Verbal, Physical – let it all be gone.

31

by Andy Palmer

TALES FROM THE VALE

Tales From The Vale A young girl grows Among the students to whom I teach the guitar is a 10 year old called Laura. She is an utter delight.

Laura is serious, hugely determined, she listens to what I say (unlike some of my students), she practices hard (unlike some of my students) and every week I see amazing progress (unlike etc etc). She is one of my favourites, and when she and her dad arrive in our drive 20 minutes before the lesson starts – which I told them to do - we all play guitar and have a laugh before the lesson. My weekend could not start in a better way.

Laura’s dad, Damian, is himself a guitarist and he twiddles away on my other guitars, pedals and amplifiers while I teach.

I see progress to the extent that when Laura started she couldn’t play a single chord – and now, with some prompting, she has written her first two songs.

‘We’re going to write a song today,’ I announced.

‘How do you write songs?’ she asked.

‘We choose someone or something you feel really strongly about, say, your brother, and we write about how lovely he is to you and how much you love him.’

That, apparently, wasn’t a contender so we’ve ended up 32

with Andy Palmer

with two masterpieces; ‘Pixie, You Rock,’ (her dog) and ‘Strawberry Lollipop’.

With my greatest respect to Laura, I don’t think Taylor Swift should be too worried about being toppled from her throne as yet, but that day will come.

Stairway to Heaven But we had a problem.

When Laura first came to the Studio for lessons she was so nervous that she visibly trembled and couldn’t speak. I really felt for her but I had a solution. Her dad is obviously in the Studio, so I said to Laura, ‘You and I are Team Laura and we’ll have a competition with Dad.’ Much happy nodding, as it took the pressure off her.

And for a few weeks the competition would be me playing parts of famous songs, for example the intro of Stairway to Heaven or Smells Like Team Spirit. Damian would pretend he didn’t know the answer.

I’d give Laura the answer on a scrap of paper and she’d turn to her dad and say, with the utmost indignity (which I always admire) ‘Dad, everyone knows that’s Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin’, and she and I would shake our heads sadly at her dad’s ignorance of classic rock music. Damian would look defeated and Laura beams in

triumph. And Laura would be relaxed enough to sink in some guitar magic. …my weekly telling off And so the lessons delightfully progressed. And it appears that Laura has got over her nerves.

I know this because no lesson is complete now without her telling me off. The sheer incongruity of it makes me smile.

Recent indignant accusations include: Laura: Andy, you’re wearing odd socks!!!

Me: I’m a man – it’s what we do.

Laura: Well, it’s wrong!!

And then we had: Laura (even more indignant than normal, and that’s saying something): Andy, there’s a big cobweb under the table!

Me: Can’t be, I hoovered the Studio yesterday.

Laura: Look, it’s there (points at what does turn out to be a large cobweb, give the girl her due).

Me: I left that one on purpose because I like cobwebs.

Laura gives me a suspicious glare and shakes her head pityingly.

And then it was: Laura (with a curious mixture of delight and indignation, I don’t know how she pulls that off, but she does): Andy, you’ve got nail varnish on your toenails!

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by Andy Palmer Varnishing - the truth And yes, I had varnish on my toenails. Midnight Blue by Rimmel (I rather liked it).

I explained that while dozing off in front of the telly my wife saw fit to apply the varnish to my right foot (not both feet – she’s not a weirdo).

And I told her and Damian that in a suddy (is there such a word?)

(There is now - Ed) bath. I got the shock of my life. I saw what I took to be a small black mouse or huge spider skim across the surface of the water and I jerked upright in terror, sloshing water over the floor.

False alarm: the ‘mouse’ or ‘spider’ turned out to be my Midnight Blue (by Rimmel) toenails which I’d forgotten about.

Last word goes to Laura. I asked her why she wanted to learn guitar not piano. She said, ‘because guitars are cool.’

And there, we are in agreement.

Guitars are cool. Saxophones aren’t – and if any reader says they are, I’ll just imitate Laura and shake my head pityingly. You can learn from children.

Bloody Cliff Richard!

My method of teaching is not to get students to learn chords by rote as it’s boring. I get them to tell me three songs they’d like to play: it tells me a lot about them, plus I work out the best way to play them and we go through

the chords. Then they can start impressing their mates by playing an actual song, plus build up a repertoire of chords which relate to actual songs, so they remember them, and they begin to see how chords work together.

With another student, Paulo, at our first meeting in the Studio I asked what song he’d like to learn.

He answered, ‘The Young Ones

by Cliff Richard.‘ Unfortunately we were both drinking coffee at the time, so after I’d wiped my splurted-out coffee off my Fender Stratocaster (USA-built Custom Shop, sunburst, I’ll have you know), I said, ‘Good one! But really, what do you want to learn.’

And rather hurt, Paulo repeated, ‘The Young Ones by Cliff Richard.’

‘Great song,’ I gabbled (there’s a place in life for white lies,) ‘it goes like this,’ and I played the intro riff. Think I got away with it.

And, over the years, we’ve gone through a veritable smorgasbord (why are smorgasbords always ‘veritable’?) of 60s and early 70s songs. You name it, we’ve done it: I Saw Her Standing There, Black Magic Woman, Dock of the Bay, Honky Tonk Woman, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Have I The Right, Dock of the Bay, Need Your Love So Bad, Pretty Woman, Dock of the Bay (he likes this song, you’ll note) and Waterloo Sunset are a fraction of what we’ve done. And we’ve done the Otis

TALES FROM THE VALE Redding song.

And a remarkable transition has come over me. I’ve come to like stuff from the 60s that I’d always considered below my ‘cool factor’. I’m rather ashamed at my former arrogance; there’s a reason why these songs are still popular. They’re bloody good.

They’re well-written, they tell a story and they’re played well.

Dock of the Bay is good.

And it’s all thanks to Paulo teaching isn’t all one-way.

As a footnote I’ll add that it’s an idea to Youtube Cliff singing the Young Ones. Not only is he absurdly handsome - so reminds me of me when I was 20 (I pay you to be accurate - Ed) - but the girls in the audience, all absolutely adoring Cliff, are dressed like our grannies.

Unsurprisingly, the boys in the audience view Cliff with sullen resentment!

95 million songs?

There’s a common misconception about guitar teachers; students think that they can mention any song – literally any song – and the teacher immediately knows how to play it. I usually point out that there are 95 million recorded songs (figure from EMI) and oddly enough I don’t know every one.

A bit of a lapse in my work ethic, you might think (‘don’t you take teaching seriously?’).

No matter, I still get questions like, ‘how does Ritchie Blackmore play the opening riff in Mistreated?’ Well, I have no idea, I say (I do really, but I want to make a point) but perhaps send me a mail before the lesson rather than spring that on me.

Another student asked ‘do you know ‘To Sir, With Love’, by Lulu?’

‘No,’ I said emphatically, ‘It was a massive hit in 1967,’ she said, as if that would jog my memory.

I replied, ‘I was seven years old and more interested in where the next biscuit was coming from...’

33

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the Editor Want to reply? Read something you feel needs commenting on? Our postbag is open! Please send emails to letters@theblackmorevale.co.uk I am writing, I’m afraid to say, with a complaint: I have very much missed the column from Vineyards in the last couple of issues, and demand its prompt return. I enjoy wine, but in all honesty I know little about it.

I have always been happy to simply grab a good-looking bottle with a familiar name in my local supermarket.

Since I have been reading your wine column over the last year I have been fascinated - what was once a rather intimidating landscape has become more understood, and I have become more adventurous in my choices.

I have also been encouraged by the apparently genuine friendliness and charm of the column to bravely visit my own local independent wine shop - and was relieved to find it as friendly, welcoming and helpful as I hoped.

Please bring Vineyards back.

I require more education and good suggestions!

Mr A B, Shaftesbury

(it wasn’t by choice that they went away! Vineyards have recently moved premises in Sherborne, and the understandable upheaval meant they needed a little time.

If you turn to the Food & Drink section, you’ll find them back with some excellent advice for your Christmas table! - Ed) ***

For those who unbelievably still refuse the vaccination for Covid, here’s an extract from The Times newspaper of November 24, 2021 in their leader column.

“Those dying in hospital have sometimes admitted they were to blame for refusing vaccinations.

34

Exhausted doctors have given vent to their anger that they must still treat people whose plight was largely avoidable. Statistics show that almost all those now in intensive care, apart from those with underlying conditions, have not been vaccinated.”

And for those who have had their two jabs, The Times adds (leader November 22nd) “A third dose takes protection from infection from approximately 50% to more than 93%.”

We have just returned from M&S in Blandford. Approximately 50% of customers were not wearing masks. This is despite the fact that not only is the infection still with us, there is a more transmissible variant creeping across the world.

Writing in The Times, a pharmacist, Dr Brian Walker, adds, “…global research has found that masks can slash incidences of coronavirus infection by 53%. The study found that masks are more effective than social distancing and hand washing. Other than vaccination or drugs, masks offer the best protection available.”

And still we have aggressive and selfish idiots (Piers Corbyn comes to mind) with no scientific and medical knowledge who think they know better than the world’s leading medical professionals and scientists.

BJ, Shaftesbury

(since receiving, masks have again been ruled as mandatory - Ed) ***

What a lovely article on page 28 of your November magazine about the old Co-op in Child Okeford (see Roger Guttridge’s Looking Back article here) . What a surprise for me to see the

photograph too, showing the staff line-up at the time. The young lady on the far right is my aunt Mary Wareham (later Mary Day) who lived just along the road from the Co-op at the Barracks, Upper Street. She worked there for many happy years and was well known in the village. Thank you for the memory.

Judy Waite nee Wareham. ***

I am sure others will already have told you but the plane in the readers photos section in the October issue is a Tiger Moth, not a Swordfish. The CAA have a database called G-Info and anyone can look up any CAA registered plane (starts with a G-) and ‘EMSY’ comes up as a Tiger Moth to prove the point.

Turns out I am a plane geek after all!

Thanks for the Magazine.

Colin O, Hinton St Mary

(you are correct Colin - I actually received rather a lot of corrections.

I didn’t feel it needed me to print them all... - Ed ) ***

David Warburton MP has been vocal in his concern at the lamentable condition of our increasingly polluted rivers.

And yet he voted against the amendment to the Environment Bill that would have prevented water firms discharging raw sewage into our rivers.

Why would Mr Warburton and his colleagues want to stop water companies from having a legal obligation not to pump raw sewage into our inland waterways?

In 2020 alone raw sewage was dumped into rivers more than 400,000 times, at enormous ecological cost.

If the financial sustainability of a privatised water system depends on the wholesale dumping of raw, untreated sewage into our rivers, then that system is not fit

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR for purpose and should be replaced by a model of public ownership that prioritises ecological sustainability and public health.

Our precious countryside deserves so much better.

Mr A Fletcher Milborne Port

Gratuitous Pog picture because I could.

Therefore I did.

- Ed

***

I’m excited at the prospect of Aldi opening a superstore in the retail park just outside Stur – it’ll be great for the town and will bring jobs and people to our area.

I’ve worked with town planners and retailers up and down the country for 25 years and there is concrete evidence that such new openings has a wider beneficial effect on the community.

Let me give you a very small example: I talked to a group of publicans in a rather down at heel seaside town who were horrified at the news that Wetherspoons was going to open a superpub right in the middle of them. Wetherspoons famously stocks a huge range of drinks at low prices and their menu is absurdly inexpensive.

‘They’ll undercut us all,’ was the publicans singular message.

I visited the area a year later to interview these publicans.

They were all still there.

All their pubs were thriving – as was Wetherspoons. Thousands more people were flocking to the place as ‘Spoons acted like a huge magnet and some people – after visiting the cavernous superpub preferred a quieter more cosy pub even though their drinks were more expensive. As for food sales, the old pubs upped their game by providing a more gourmet alternative to ‘Spoon’s canteen-like offering.

Those who run Stur Biz are doing a good job, but they cannot make people open new jobs and businesses in the area. These will only come when entrepreneurs are convinced that there will be a market for their products.

Yes, there are one or two tired shops in Stur that may be hit but businesses must evolve.

AP Hazelbury Bryan ***

I was frankly offended by Andy Palmer’s story in Tales from the Vale (Nov issue) about him checking out his friend’s new girlfriend. It was patronizing and sexist, and I hope you won’t publish degrading ‘tales’ like that again.

Name and address withheld.

I think if you read it again (see Andy’s Nov column here) you’ll see he makes exactly the opposite point – that the men involved were completely outwitted by more socially and emotionally sophisticated women who clearly possessed the upper hand - (your female) Ed

We loved your Tales from the Vale piece about giving birds in your garden individual names.

Eg Andy Palmer calls the wrens, René, Renata and Renoir, which my children love and they’ve started to do it, which is driving me slightly mad, so thanks for that!

But my wife wondered, when the birds disappear for a while does Andy sing, ‘Wren, will I see you again. These precious moments

etc’. She also added, ‘bet they don’t publish this!’

BB, Sherborne

I hate to disappoint your wife.

But I did.

And knowing Andy, I can categorically comfirm that yes, he does - Ed. ***

What an absolute treasure trove the Sherborne Antiques Market is! Thanks to your article last month, I went into Sherborne especially to visit it - and I’ve been back twice since.

And while there I’ve stopped for (excellent) coffee in two different coffee shops, discovered a number of other small independents and managed some of my Christmas shopping.

This is the very best of an independent high street in action, one excellent shop drawing in visitors who then explore further, and in turn bring in more custom as they tell their friends and family. Thankyou for highlighting not just this fantastic shop, but all the small independent shops you share every month, it really has opened my eyes to the diversity I have found since moving to what I’ll admit I thought was a ‘quaint sleepy area’ for my retirement.

Janet H Stalbridge

35

THEN AND NOW

by Roger Guttridge

The Georgian phoenix that rose from the ashes of disaster

When fire ripped through Blandford on June 4, 1731, it was a catastrophe for the town and a personal disaster for most of its inhabitants.

But the destruction of almost the entire town centre also paved the way for a magnificent phoenix to rise from the ashes.

During the following years and decades, Blandford brothers John and William Bastard designed a new town centre that to this day is seen as a model of Georgian planning and architecture.

Among other things the brothers had the vision to create a wideopen space at the heart of their development.

It wasn’t like that before 1731.

A cluttered place From Malachi Blake’s contemporary sketch illustrating the extent of the fire, we know that pre-1731 the Market Place was a cluttered environment.

The Shambles, the old Town Hall and four cottages called Middle Row stood parallel to the present-day Corn Exchange and adjoining shops but further out.

Occupying a sizeable site at the junction of the Market Place and Salisbury Street was the Market Cross, where cheese and butter were sold.

A document dated 1644 refers to a set of scales ‘which the cheese 36

was weighed with at the Cross’.

The stone cross probably survived the fire but was cleared away soon after along with the charred debris all around – although the spot was still known to locals 100 years ago as ‘the Cross’.

In the late 19th century, workmen digging up the road discovered some worked stones that had originally formed part of the cross. By 1906 they were said to be ‘piled together in a small enclosure near the Rectory’. Does anyone know where they are today?

These two pictures, taken 120 years apart, underline the versatility of Blandford’s open Market Place, which is

variously used for car parking, market stalls, the May Fair and ceremonial events.

Then and now The former Posting Office (far left) is now W H Smith & Son. The poster on the wall is advertising a show. At the time of the earlier picture, about 1900, Greyhound House – the original Greyhound Inn – was the National Provincial Bank, which it remained for many years. Part of the ground floor is now vacant following the closure of Beaton’s Tearoom last year.

The other part is a florist’s. In the background of both pictures can be seen the Crown Hotel, looking much the same in 2021 as it did in 1900.

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07599 311443.

Leave a message and one of our friendly co-ordinators will call you back.

Due to the heavy demand for our services, we are urgently trying to recruit extra drivers. Might you be interested?

We pay 45p/mile expenses, and you decide what journeys you will undertake and how often you are available.

If you are aged under 80, own a car, and are interested, please call Philip on 01747 824645 or email: walkerphilsu@gmail.com. Further information is also available on our website: www.gillinghamcarlink.org.uk Gillingham Area Car Link Scheme, registered charity no 1138732

37

by Paul Birbeck

LOCAL HISTORY

Rats, fleas and Black Death (the shaping of north Dorset) Why are so many north Dorset parish churches outside their villages? The answer is the Black Death, argues Paul Birbeck

Across the Vale, there are examples of parish churches found in isolated positions.

These include Holnest, Hilfield and, particularly, Hazelbury Bryan, where the church and Manor House are 1km from today’s main village.

Local historian Maurice Beresford in his 1954 study, ‘The Lost Villages of England,’ cited 19 places in Dorset where a village had existed in the middle ages, but was later abandoned.

There are a number of possible explanations for these fascinating anomalies, each demanding research.

Most medieval village desertions are linked to the Black Death (bubonic plague) which arrived on a trading ship docked at Weymouth in 1348 (there’s a moderately hilarious plaque on the north quay ‘celebrating’ Weymouth’s place in history for this honour).

The acutely fatal disease quickly spread across the country by fleas living on rats, causing one of the worst catastrophes in recorded history – a deadly plague that ravaged communities 38

across Europe.

Over three or four years, as many as 50 million people died in Europe.

The population was reduced from some 80 million to 30 million. Breaking out in Asia (some believe not too far from Wuhan province, from where Covid 19 is believed to have spread) the Black Death came to Britain from the eastern Mediterranean, Italy, Spain and France. A familiar spread to today’s pandemic!

Hazelbury Bryan aflame!

The parish of Hazelbury Bryan, near Sturminster Newton, includes the hamlets of Droop, Kingston, Parkgate, Pidney, Pleck, Wonston and Woodrow. In 1201 the village name was Hasebere, a name derived from the Old English meaning a hazel grove or wood.

Bryan is the manorial name of Sir Guy de Bryan, of Woodsford Castle, who gave his surname to the village in the 14th century when he married the daughter of Always free - subscribe

by Paul Birbeck

LOCAL HISTORY

the First Earl of Salisbury.

The original settlement is the hamlet of Droop, which is the location of the parish church and Manor House.

The church dates mostly from the 15th century, though it is likely that earlier buildings existed on the site. The other hamlets in the village are believed to have originated as a result of the Black Death which twice struck the original settlement, causing the villagers to respond by burning it and rebuilding several smaller settlements on higher ground nearby. It is presumed that most villagers houses were wood, wattle and thatch (which burns easily) but the manor houses and churches were stone. So they stayed put.

Farms grow, crofters leave After the Black Death, labour shortages forced traditional Lords of the Manor and monastic owners, to change from being lord of men (lordship) to being landlords who rented out their land. This resulted in fundamental changes to the landscape across the Vale.

Traditional open field arable land was converted to pastoral farming which required fewer workers. Isolated family dairy farms surrounded by hedged and ditched fields became common.

Change continued as agricultural techniques improved during the 17th and 18th centuries causing smaller tenancies to merge into fewer large ones leased to well-to-do tenants.

Ancient landholding rights were overridden, causing rural poverty across the Vale. There are many examples of shrunken villages associated with depopulation and poverty during this period. For examble, Melbury Bubb had 33 houses in 1672 but only 28 residents by 1841. As opportunities for work diminished, families were forced by poverty to depart their homes in tears as they sought new livelihoods elsewhere.

Progress or social mayhem?

These changes are a common theme in Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Woodlanders,’ and ‘Tess of d’Urbervilles’ and local resident dialect poet, William Barnes wrote in ‘Two Farms in Woone’ (see image above for full poem) “That’s it. In these here pleace there used to be Eight farms avore they were a-drwd together, An’ eight farm housen. Now how many be there?

Why after this, you know there’ll be but dree.”

Barnes deplored the changes in farming which increased output and profits through better

William Barnes ‘Two Farms in Woone’ in the Dorset dialect

organisation, mechanisation and more efficient use of labour, at the expense of the traditional rural community.

Rural depopulation is of course still going on today.

Some may say that many villages still occupied are ‘lost’ or deserted in winter because of their high proportion of second homes owned by affluent townies who have priced local people out of their local housing. The present generation has therefore been forced out in search of employment and an affordable home.

The Vale is an area with a fascinating and complex history.

39

RURAL MATTERS - monthly opinion column from the CPRE

Crushing rejection of the draft Local Plan’s Housing Strategy

The view towards Ball Hill, Plush, in Dorset AONB image - Rupert Hardy

The CPRE feels Dorset Council’s summary of responses to the consultation on the Draft Local Plan raises more questions than it answers, says Rupert Hardy, Chair of the North Dorset branch.

Dorset Council (DC) recently published a summary of responses to the consultation on the Draft Local Plan. Dorset CPRE is undertaking analysis of the responses and what they purport to show.

A community response Firstly, the recently published summary of responses to the draft Local Plan (LP) has revealed overwhelming opposition to Dorset Council’s housing strategy, disguised as a misleadingly low number of responses. This was achieved by recording the submission of each town and parish council as a single response and by incorrect categorisation of many of their responses.

A search for answers to the question DEV1: Do you agree with the suggested approach and what it is trying to achieve? suggests only 460 responses, of whom 72% disagree.

Although this shows a rejection, it is highly misleading in number.

Amongst the responses are the names of Town and Parish Council Clerks, who represent over 108,000 residents between them.

40

Sorting the data Draft Local Plan?

As statutory consultees, the views All of this seems like an effort to of Town and Parish Councils hide the reality, or at best it is a should be easily accessible; but poor collation. the alphabetical 56% of Dorset is listing of Town by town responses by first designated as Area of CPRE also found name, rather than Outstanding Natural numerous surname, makes examples of Beauty (AONB), this more difficult. respondents who more than any other Discovering the had comments true scale of county in England to make on opposition to the housing policy, LP is further complicated by the but their comments have been fact that responses are recorded recorded elsewhere. Places in the name of individuals, rather such as Wimborne Minster and than their organisations. Who Weymouth are unable to support would know that the Dorset CPRE the LP, but have confined their response can only be found comments, understandably, to under the name of Chairman their own town.

Peter Bowyer, or Jo Witherden CPRE identified the the Planning Consultant who put representatives of a further together our submission to the 124,000 residents of Dorset

View south from Rawlsbury Camp in Dorset AONB. image - Rupert Hardy

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41

RURAL MATTERS - monthly column from the CPRE towns and villages, who do not agree with the housing proposals.

Dorset CPRE will be requesting a meeting with the chairs of Dorset Council’s Planning Committees to outline their case that Dorset Council should claim exceptional circumstances to reduce the number of planned homes, following the example of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Dorset’s Green Pastures Under Threat From Developers Secondly we analysed the responses relating to the AONB. Some 56% of Dorset is designated as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty New Oakborne Housing Estate at (AONB), more than any other Winterborne Kingston. county in England. image - Rupert Hardy Much of the housing proposed development will inevitably result by development. This means that in the draft LP will be built either in residual adverse impacts on town and parish councils who in or very close to AONB land, the Cranborne Chase AONB.” believe themselves protected changing forever the county’s By contrast, numerous from development are enjoying a unique landscape and rich developers’ submissions propose false sense of security. biodiversity. reducing the Town and parish councils who Research carried Natural England current protection responded to the Dorset Draft out by CPRE, of AONBs. Wyatt Local Plan represent 287,000 and a number the Countryside voters.

Charity, reveals of neighbouring Homes suggests “these sites should Of these, 88% do not agree with that housing authorities are not be excluded the draft LP, which proposes over that has been highly critical of the simply because 4,500 homes in or within 250m of approved in the village is an AONB. Dorset plan.

AONBs nationally, within the AONB”.

Dorset CPRE now calls for Dorset since 2017/18, is Persimmon Grainger admit Council to acknowledge the overwhelmingly large executive overwhelming public opposition homes, with only 16% affordable that part of the proposed Dorchester development would to the Local Plan and to accept housing. have an impact that its findings put Dorset is one of the main town and parish on the setting at risk the special authorities regularly councils who of the AONB, areas of Dorset’s surrendering green fields as but promise believe themselves countryside. opposed to brownfield sites. to minimize Accordingly, we protected from believe it is now any “specific, Adverse impacts on AONB development are timely to revisit evidenced Natural England and a number reports” by tree enjoying a false the whole Plan, of neighbouring authorities are planting. sense of security especially in the light highly critical of the Dorset plan.

Dorset Council of recent statements For example, “Natural England admits that the public interest by Michael Gove, who clearly considers there is limited scope test used to justify the release signalled a shift towards greater for major new development of AONB for major development recognition of AONBs as meriting within the Dorset AONB above is necessary to meet its excess special consideration in future that already allocated.” development plans.

With reference to development at housing target and Cllr David Walsh concedes it is ‘likely’ that Rupert Hardy, Blandford Forum, they state that protected areas will be affected Chair, North Dorset CPRE “The scale and location of the 42

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43

EQUESTRIAN

by Mouse Berry

Happy Times, International event rider Sam Griffith’s top 4* (now 5*) horse is enjoying his retirement just outside Gillingham. image © Rose Lewis, Daydream Equine Art

Happy Times (the busy life of a retired event horse) Retired event horses enjoy a life just as varied as when they competed, says ex-Head Girl Mouse Berry Since retiring in 2018, top fiveof routine, Mouse says it’s star horse Happy Times has lived important to keep everything as on the outskirts of Gillingham similar as possible for him. with the Berry family. Frances “He no longer jumps as there is ‘Mouse’ Berry, who cared for him no need to. He always jumped during his eventing career, and with so much velocity and groomed for him at the London enthusiasm that it would be easy 2012 Olympics, He no longer for him to pick up an shared with us how injury. the now-20-year-old jumps as there He loves his time in is no need to. the field with his pony Oldenberg gelding is adapting to companions, Bluebell He always retirement. ‘wife’), Enya jumped with so (Happy’s “He now enjoys a and Donk.” varied life, including much velocity Since his retirement, being introduced and enthusiasm Happy has successfully to hacking quietly, shown in veteran rather than with a view to classes ridden by Sarah Gwilliam, fitness. By taking him out with coming second at Royal Windsor no pressure, I am introducing and winning the Gillingham and Happy to the idea that his role Shaftesbury and Frome Cheese has changed. He makes the 10 shows this summer. minutes trip back to Sam Griffith’ s yard at Symphony Farm most He’s a big show-off weeks where he’s schooled to “He still loves a crowd and keep him supple and to ensure enjoys showing off in the ring. his mind is settled.”

His signature move is a flying Having always had a life change; asked for or not!

44

This winter he will do some dressage with Hayley Lippiatt, and hopefully return to the show ring next summer. He’s certainly not thinking of putting his hooves up yet!

Keeping Happy fit and well is very rewarding and his long term Sam Griffiths with Happy, who has retired just ten minutes down the road from Sam’s yard image © Rose Lewis, Daydream Equine Art

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EQUESTRIAN soundness is a tribute to Sam’s management.

He’s fed on Saracen Horse Feeds, he has regular physiotherapy and acupuncture and is still cared for buy the same team of vets and farrier as he was when competing.”

In 2016 Happy was inducted into the Eventing Hall of Fame.

He loved cross-country and had total confidence in Sam - and vice versa. Together they were known for making the most enormous and technical courses around the world look easy.

“He’s retired, but he is still very much the superstar with all that know and love him.”

The Happy facts: • • • • • •

• • • • •

Happy Times.

Born in 1999.

Sire - Heraldik Owned by Dinah Posford, Juliet Donald and Sam Griffiths.

Ridden by Sam Griffiths.

1,711 British Eventing Points.

Sam Griffiths and Happy Times at Barbury Castle, July 2018 image © Griffiths Eventing Team Happy Times with Mouse Berry, who has cared for him during his eventing career, groomed for him at the London 2012 Olympics, and now looks after him in his retirement. image © Rose Lewis, Daydream Equine Art

Completed: 27 3* (now 4*) 13 4*(now 5*) 3rd at Badminton, and twice 3rd at Burghley.

Represented Australia at the 2012 London Olympic Games Numerous international wins and placings.

Happy Times, Mouse Berry, and Happy’s ‘wife’ Bluebell. image © Rose Lewis, Daydream Equine Art

45

EQUESTRIAN

Lucy Procter, co-owner of the Glanvilles Stud, shares a diary of life on a Thoroughbred stud.

Beautiful, record-breaking Honeysuckle!

Breeding stock sales, tracking horses and the glory that is the matchless Honeysuckle - Lucy Procter reflects on November at the Glanvilles Stud

The Tattersalls sales ring in Newmarket with Demonstration in the ring and her final sales figure on the big screen. ©Tattersalls/Laura Green

Here on the stud, we’re still enjoying the dry autumn as we can keep our later foaling mares living out on grass, day and night.

As the in-foal mares enter the last three months of their pregnancy, we bring them into individual stables overnight so we can give them more food, as this is when the foal inside them does the majority of its growing.

Once winter proper arrives and the land gets wet, the rest of the mares will also come in at night to limit the damage to our paddocks.

Tattersalls December is in November Our focus this month has been preparing Demonstration, a three-year-old French flat-bred filly from a strong German family, to be sold in Newmarket at the 46

Tattersalls December Mares Sales to help build muscle and improve - which is, perversely, usually at the condition of her coat. the end of November as it was At the sales earlier this week, the this year! hammer fell at 18,000 guineas Breeding stock sales (a guinea is £1.05), “...fillies retiring making a modest are the start of the from racing are profit and keeping whole breeding process; where sold as broodmare everyone happy. fillies retiring from prospects, and in- But if the Tattersalls racing are sold as sales ring is where broodmare prospects, foal mares change the breeding hands” and in-foal mares dream begins, the change hands as winner’s enclosure breeders adjust their broodmare for a Group/Grade 1 race is the bands. Demonstration arrived ultimate destination. with us from France just five weeks before the sale, straight Our girl Honeysuckle out of racing, and she needed We were all delighted that plenty of feeding to get more our TGS-bred wonder-mare, weight on her in a very short Honeysuckle, managed to reach space of time. As well as daily this ultimate destination for the turnout, we built her fitness on ninth time on Sunday, when the horse walker, and the girls winning the Hatton’s Grace spent many hours grooming her Hurdle at Fairyhouse in Ireland Always free - subscribe

for the third year on the trot.

Including those nine Grade 1 races, at the start of her fourth season under rules, Honeysuckle has 13 wins to her name from 13 runs.

There is little that hasn’t already been written about her and her partnership with her equally indomitable jockey, Rachel Blackmore.

But the really hot news is that Honeysuckle’s win on Sunday makes her record equal to that of Bula’s from the 1970s - 13 consecutive wins from debut under rules.

Indeed, if you include her pointto-point win, which doesn’t count as under rules, she has technically already surpassed his record with 14 wins from debut!

How much further can this mare go?

And can her full brother, Last

Royal, due to make his seasonal debut soon, after over a year’s absence from the racecourse due to injury, prove himself worthy of her?

Tracking the best of the rest There are plenty of other TGSbred runners for the coming season and, as our Racing Post horse tracker shows (right), it is starting to get jolly busy out there on the racecourse.

Some of these racehorses we are following with particular interest as we are still breeding from their dams. Any good performances on the track from them will help improve the sales potential of their younger siblings.

Could one of these TGS-bred racehorses scale the heights to glory and be our next Grade 1 winner?

Honeysuckle’s win at Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in Ireland meant she matched the existing record set by Bula in the 1970s 13 consecutive wins from debut under rules. image GBRI/Racingfotos.com

47

In association with VOICE OF A FARMER

My least favourite month is over

by James Cossins, a fifth generation farmer in the Tarrant Valley.

Farmers are working together to improve the habitat and increase quality food production, but we can’t be undermined by lower standard imports, argues James Cossins November is normally one of my least favourite months of the year. The days are getting shorter and, generally, there’s wetter and colder weather arriving.

This year, although the days are shorter, the weather has been particularly kind to us farmers.

There’s been very little rain and the generally mild temperature has led to cattle being able to stay out grazing for longer without creating an enormous amount of mud.

Also most of the autumn arable operations have come to a close.

Most of the crops sown have established well and there should be a mass of yellow flowering oilseeds in April to look forward to.

Improving diversity In the past month there have been many farmer meetings taking place out on the farm or in other venues rather than looking at each other on Zoom It makes a pleasant change to actually meet fellow farmers again.

I am sure that online meetings will still have a place but it is great to get out and about once more.

One such meeting involved our Cranborne Chase Cluster group which is made up of like48

minded neighbouring farmers looking to co-operate to improve the diversity of our farms. We join forces to create a better environment for soil, water, air and wildlife habits.

The most recent gathering involved us learning from an advisor how best to manage our soils in order to produce good crops. This involves not destroying the soil structure by poor management involving compaction and poor organic soil content. We were also encouraged to do an earthworm count as a measure of soil health.

Our local agricultural discussion group hosted an interesting evening with our MP Simon Hoare.

Simon gave us his thoughts on the future of farming which he thought was positive; although we must accept the need for change in how Government support is implemented, with a greater emphasis on the environment rather than just food production.

Simon stressed that, with his involvement in the shaping of the Agricultural Bill, food production was still a key part of farming activities. It seems that some MPs have forgotten that food

production was a key part of the UK economy.

He said that although some trade deals have been successfully negotiated we must not let food production standards from imported foods undermine the high standards and potentially higher costs of production that we have in this country.

Thank you Simon for the support you give to agriculture and it’s associated industries, as I know you are often in a minority voice within government in keeping the rural voice alive.

Higher prices inevitable As we look forward to next year we as farmers and growers face many challenges, especially with high input costs such as fuel, fertilisers and feed costs.

We have recently received a milk price increase, which is very welcome, and also cereals remain high, but I fear and believe that food prices in the shops will have to increase without anyone being any better off.

Let’s hope that maybe there will be some normality back next year. Perhaps that is wishful thinking.

Merry Christmas to you all!

James Always free - subscribe

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49

FARMING

Working on the solutions

In last month’s column, Louise Stratton was considering how farming is part of the solution to climate change; this month she muses on how so much of the NFU’s work is about finding that solution.

The NFU is working on solutions primarily through our lobbying work; an example of this occurred last week when Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, kindly arranged a meeting in his constituency for a group of farmers with Victoria Prentis MP, Minister of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

As with any decision it is so valuable to hear the other point of view. Defra are in the midst of moulding new policy for the agricultural industry, and this was an excellent opportunity for both the farmers and the Minister to hear one another’s viewpoint. We had a hearty discussion on a range of topics – new environmental schemes, the dairy and pig sectors and water regulations.

Having some input To be able to openly discuss the barriers, and for the farmers to have the opportunity to offer tweaks and alternatives to certain policy issues is so 50

valuable. They are practical people, and it is fundamental that the policy makers hear the actual implications on those whose businesses these decisions impact. We are fortunate that the local MPs and the DEFRA Ministers are willing to have this conversation.

As farming impacts across so many areas, it is imperative that policy for one area doesn’t conflict with another, so our take home message to the Minister was “ensure policy is joined up, using carrots not sticks, and farming will have a positive future.”

How the Piddle Valley affects Poole Harbour’s wildlife Continuing the theme of providing solutions, the big example in Dorset is the work on nutrient reductions into the Poole Harbour catchment.

The Poole Harbour catchment is one of three sub catchments in Dorset.

Both the Frome and Piddle rivers, two of the main rivers flowing into the

Harbour, are in picturesque rural catchments rising in the Dorset Downs and flowing through the chalklands and across clay and gravel to enter Poole Harbour.

Over 75% of the land within the catchment is used for agriculture - cereals are dominant over the chalklands, with much dairy and beef farming in the west and in the lower floodplains.

Poole Harbour is one of the largest and shallowest natural harbours in the world. The harbour is of exceptional ecological value, renowned for its outstanding landscape, wildlife and fisheries and is protected by a multitude of conservation designations, of local and international importance.

A solution for an historic issue Poole Harbour’s nitrate levels have been building up for many years. The nitrates come from several sources, with agriculture being one of them, but it can take nitrates 30-plus years to filtrate from the top of the catchment to the Harbour itself, so we are dealing with an historic

FARMING

issue as well. Water habitats have a much lower concentration of natural nitrate, so excess nitrates in the Harbour will have an impact on the natural environment. The most visible example is a rapid growth of algae, challenging the habitat and reducing the amount of food for birds and fish.

Defra’s initial response was to impose a Water Protection Zone (WPZ) on the whole catchment.

The creation of a WPZ in Poole Harbour presents a real threat to the future of farming in the whole of Poole Harbour’s catchment.

This approach creates a lack of flexibility for farmers and a loss of control over their business, not an approach any business would relish being forced into. A regulative approach creates no support for farms as they adapt.

We’d rather create a joined-up

policy, and work on using carrots not sticks.

Leadership in partnering We believe that there is another option, namely a voluntary scheme to address farming’s contribution to nitrates in the Harbour. The proposed scheme will support farmers to reduce the amount of nitrate being lost from their soil, helping slow, stop, or even reverse the Harbour hypertrophication.

The scheme is being driven by a group of farmers from within the catchment, who are passionate about creating a different future for our industry and improving the environment at the same time.

Poole Harbour Catchment’s farmers have a unique opportunity to work together, to become leaders in voluntary nutrient management and to show there is a better, alternative solution to simply adding further

regulation.

The scheme has attracted funding, it has run a small trial in 2021 and in 2022 a pilot scheme will be up and running.

It is hugely exciting and the NFU are supporting the farmers with the developments, alongside many different individuals and organisations, making it a brilliant example of partnership working. But sitting at the heart of this, are the farmers.

In the New Year I will introduce you to some of our Dorset farmers and what they are doing on their farm. But until then, I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and don’t forget to support our British farmers with what is on your plate on Christmas Day, starting with the turkey! From today we have a useful NFU Turkey Finder to help you purchase your turkey direct from a local producer.

Louise Stratton Dorset NFU County Adviser

Wishing readers of The Blackmore Vale a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

info@trethowans.com

01722 398137

51 www.trethowans.com

POLITICS Dorset Horn and poll sheep are the only sheep breed that can breed all year round

52

Our Christmas lamb nativity disaster!

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FARM TALES

by Andrew Livingston

It’s not the greatest idea to include farm stock with your church nativity play, explains Andrew Livingstone With this being the month of good tidings and general merriment, I will share the tale of the legendary nativity that culminated in faecal matter desecrating the floor of our local church.

In a time pre-millennium, as a four-year-old I would pretend to pitch in on our farm. I would run around, tripping over everything while hunting for eggs. Or I would spend an hour or so sitting on the tractor, pretending to plough fields.

However, during lambing season, I would actually do my favourite job - feeding the orphan lambs.

Our farm in the village of Hooke was unique in the fact that with our Poll Dorset ewes, we could lamb any time of the year.

Famous Christmas birth Whilst most farms have lambs yearly in the spring, Dorset ewes, including our Polls, can have lambs in the late autumn in the lead up to Christmas.

Rearing lambs around Christmas allows for less competition in the market, allowing for a better price for your produce.

In the lead up to Christmas 1999, our small herd of ewes looked as if they were about to pop,

and not from eating too many Christmas puds!

All the served ewes got promoted into the spare stable with the chickens to hunker down to survive the cold and sure enough, December was filled with many woolly Christmas lambs.

One such lamb, affectionately (and with great original thought) called Woolly, took a shine to me as a young child after we bottlefed it from birth. The little lamb would follow me around the farm helping with my chores before being locked up at night.

Woolly soon became a hit with the village. She was as famous as a lamb could be. People would come from far away after hearing of the birth of the Christmas lamb.

With Christmas Day fast approaching someone had the bizarre idea of utilising our little Christmas lambs to take this year’s nativity to the next level.

Christmas Woolly So on Christmas Eve, with the village packed into the church like Christmas crackers in their box, Woolly made her showbiz debut.

Rumours had travelled about the special guest acting in this year’s show, but the nativity started as

any normal one would with the standard hymns and readings.

However, with the news of shepherds on their way to the stables, the next hymn began.

Poor Mary The rejoiceful sounds of Silent Night being sung by the congregation were met with the percussion instruments of tiny Shepherd’s hooks as they walked down the church aisle, with the accompaniment of bleating.

Oddly, laughter began to reverberate around the church as my little Woolly had her moment of fame.

However, the poor Three Wise Men who followed suit weren’t laughing - and had to ask Santa for new trainers that year as they couldn’t quite dodge the trail of excrement left in Woolly’s wake.

Meanwhile poor Mary at the front of the church had more than childbirth to contend with as Woolly began to eat her costume.

Playing the role of Joseph on the day, I smiled and laughed with the locals of the village at Woolly’s antics. I’m still not sure if this is the traditional message of Christmas, but laughter has been a staple ingredient of our Christmases ever since!

Andrew in church with Woolly, and (right) looking on whilst Woolly enjoys hugs with the Shepherds. (thank you to Andrew’s dad for digging out the pictures.)

53

by Jane Adams

WILDLIFE By our wildlife guest columnist, Jane Adams - Naturalist. bTB Badger Vaccinator. Nature writer. Photographer.

Bee Watcher.

The jackdaw has several call notes, commonest is the ‘jickaaw’ (like it is saying jackdaw). Other notes in the same pitch are ‘Kyak’ – ‘Keeyak‘ and an alarm call of ‘Kiiyaar’ image: Jane Adams

Have you seen those broken black lines in the sky at dusk?

Where are the jackdaws and rooks going at dusk? In this month’s nature column, Jane Adams discovers her local corvids are having a noisy sleepover.

Have you noticed how jackdaws and rooks often fly in broken lines across the sky at dusk?

Get up high and you might spot hundreds of lines, each one like a spoke in an aerial wheel leading to a central hub. Their winter roost.

If you’re below a ‘spoke’, it can be a noisy affair. I can’t help imagining frustrated parents screaming at their wing-dragging youngsters, imploring them to get a move on.

Home to roost In reality, this calling whilst flying may just be a way for family groups to stick together as the light fades, and if you follow one of these lines, you’ll be in for a treat.

I live on a ridge. It’s a supple 54

spine of Dorset chalk flecked with oak, beech and elm. Half a mile away is another ridge, and between lies a valley cradling a patchwork of rain-soaked fields.

I came across my local rook and jackdaw roost by chance. They’re worth looking out for - though goodness knows how I missed mine for so many years.

A noise you feel inside From my ridge, I can see black wings converging on a group of tall beech trees across the valley.

Silhouetted against a bloodred sky, they resemble black bees buzzing round a towering hive. I can’t hear them properly from this distance, but as I walk down the hill and cross the valley, the sound of yaks and craws increases. By the time I

reach their roosting trees, their individual calls have combined into a bellow. A sound that gets right inside you.

There must be hundreds, maybe thousands of birds. But within the chaos of flapping wings and calls, there’s also order. I pick out groups - possibly families - sitting side-by-side on branches. They’re squeezed together, their wings touching, somehow ignoring the surrounding chaos.

As I walk away, there’s the sound of a distant gunshot.

The roost takes to the air as one screaming, dislodged entity. It circles, rising and falling in the fading light like a billowing black sheet.

Gradually, it settles back into the trees.

Then silence.

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by Jeannette Hampstead

How to save hedgehogs

WILDLIFE

Not all hedgehogs need rescuing, no matter how vulnerable they look.

Here’s how to spot those that need help – and how to give it Image by reader Judi Low of the ‘Hedgehog Highway’ which she installed in her garden fence to encourage hedgehog traffic. She says “almost straight away hedgehogs started to come in to the garden, and I now have a resident hibernating in an also newly-installed hedgehog house!”

This year has been incredibly busy at our Hedgehog Rescue; we have now had over 780 hedgehogs admitted since 2018. This month we have really struggled to cope with the number of young and orphaned or abandoned urchins. It is really hard to have to turn so many away from our door, especially as there are very few other places close by to take them. It is heart breaking.

What can you do to help these poor baby hedgehogs? Firstly, keep feeding them in your garden to help them put on weight. Even if they do not come for a few nights, please keep putting the food in the same position in your garden at around the same time and they will know where and when the food will arrive. The hungriest ones will always be the first to arrive. They eat more than you think and a hungry hedgehog can eat up to 200 grams of food a night.

Safe feeding tips Place the food in a dish, not on the ground. A dish will keep the food cleaner than if put on the earth. Wet cat food in jelly freezes more quickly than dry cat food but either will help a hungry hoglet.

Leave fresh water out in several places in your garden.

Do not feed a hedgehog by it is the lack of available food the light of a torch. They will that causes most issues. Some get used to seeing the torch folk are encouraging people to light and associate it with food pick these night visitors up and delivery. When they see a car’s take them to a rescue. If they are lights they will run healthy and well, they If you continue towards it expecting are more likely to die in support food only to find a rescue of the stress feeding all caused by being picked something much bigger and less forgiving. winter, it will up and put into a box, driven to a rescue and survive When to rescue caged. A healthy hog If you find a small hedgehog out does not need to be inside in the during the day, at this time of the warm but outside in the wild so year they will be in need of help. it can look after itself.

Pick the hedgehog up wearing gloves and put it in a high sided Which animals to rescue box with some heat. A hot water A healthy hog is out at night; an bottle or warm water in a plastic ill hedgehog can be seen out bottle will need to be replaced of its nest during the day, and regularly to keep the hog warm. these are the ones the spaces Put an old towel or jumper into in a rescue should be saved for. the box to help it stay warm If you do pick a hedgehog up and snug. Give it some water at night because you consider in a shallow saucer or bowl. it is too small to hibernate, and Let it have a good drink before put it in a box with the intention offering some cat food in jelly. of caring for it yourself, please Our maximum capacity for do so with the support of your hedgehogs is 38, as we only local rescue. They will talk you have space and time to care for through the care needed and that many. Anything over puts give you help and assistance. pressure and stress on me and Jeanette at Hedgehog Rescue of the lovely volunteers who all Hazelbury Bryan 01258 818266 kindly give their time and energy free to help the hedgehogs.

If you’d like to support Jeanette’s However, a healthy hedgehog work and our North Dorset out at night feeding in your hedgehogs, please consider garden will probably do very purchasing something from the well. If you continue support rescue’s Amazon wishlist here feeding all winter, it will survive; 55

VET

Common festive risks for pets Christmas is usually full of joy; meeting friends and family, delicious food and plenty of gifting. However, for our pets this wonderful time of year can be filled with many unexpected dangers.

The Damory team have rounded up the biggest issues they see each year over the festive period forewarned is forearmed!

Common Dog Dangers over the Festive period: 1. Chocolate: Theobromine is a stimulant in chocolate that makes it very poisonous to dogs. Try to avoid putting chocolate decorations within reach of your pet, on the tree or underneath.

2. Christmas puddings and mince pies: The grapes, sultanas and currants in these Christmas treats are toxic to dogs. Ingestion can cause kidney failure so keep these foods out of reach and ensure all leftovers are disposed of.

3. Cheese: Always abundant at Christmas, cheese can

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always pose issues to our dogs as eating too much can lead to inflammation of the pancreas, called pancreatitis.

Ensure your food is kept away from any sniffing noses.

4. Cooked bones: Once they are cooked these can splinter which can pierce their digestive tract or cause an obstruction. Ensure Christmas meat is kept in a secure location and any leftovers disposed of in secure food waste bins.

5. Articial sweeteners: A common sweetener called Xylitol can lead to potentially fatal hypoglycaemia and acute liver failure. This is often found in many sweet treats at Christmas so ensure these are kept away from your pets at all costs.

6. Glass baubles: These, if dropped, tend to smash into shards and can cause injury to paws, as well as sometimes being eaten. If swallowed this can obviously cause irritation, perforation and blockages.

One way to avoid is to opt for shatter-proof baubles or decorations made of pet-

friendly materials.

7. Salt dough ornaments: Due to the salt component ingestion can cause potentially fatal salt toxicosis with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and seizures. Make sure these are hung high up out of reach or avoid their use if you have a curious pet.

8. Batteries: Due to the increase in gifts, ingestion of batteries is more common at Christmas. This can cause chemical burns and heavy metal poisoning. Keep batteries away from pets and avoid leaving small toys around.

9. Fairy lights: Some dogs will try and eat anything! Fairy Lights may cause electric shock if chewed. Use an extension cord that shuts off if damaged and secure wires out of reach if possible.

10. Silica gel: often found in packaging to keep products dry. They are non-toxic but if ingested can expand and cause blockages in the gut.

Make sure any packets are disposed of.

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Common Cat Dangers over the Festive period: 1. Tinsel: Cats love to play with tinsel, but this can cause life threatening blockages in their stomach or intestines. To reduce the risk ensure you always supervise your pet, or you can use pet friendly alternatives.

2. Fairy lights: Cats like to chew and therefore are at risk of electric shock. Use an extension cord that shuts off automatically when the wire is damaged and secure wires out of reach.

3. Candles: Candles attract curious noses and often fall over when they are brushed against. This can result in burns to tails and paws. Keep candles well out of reach of cats, and ensure they are safely extinguished when you are not in the room.

4. Snow globes: Snow globes contain antifreeze (ethylene glycol), as little as one tablespoon can be fatal to cats. Avoid purchasing these to remove this fatal hazard.

5. Poinsettia, mistletoe and ivy: These are all mildly toxic and can cause vomiting, drooling, diarrhoea and can cause other symptoms. Keep these well out of reach.

6. Silica gel: Commonly found in packaging, they are typically non-toxic but these can cause blockages in the intestines. Ensure when

opening packages and gifts that you dispose of these carefully.

7. Mouldy food: Mouldy cat & human food, particularly dairy products, bread & nuts contain lots of toxins that can make your cat seriously ill.

Do not forget to check your cat’s food & bowls for mould, especially if your cat grazes or you use puzzle/slow feeders.

To avoid this risk, ensure your food recycling is secure and cat food should always be fresh and in-date, ensuring cat bowls and feeders are cleaned regularly.

8. Cooked bones: Bones can pose the same risks as with dogs potentially requiring emergency surgery. Ensure

Christmas meat is kept in a secure location and any leftovers disposed of in secure food waste bins.

9. Chocolate: Like dogs, chocolate is severely poisonous to cats. Never hang chocolate decorations on the Christmas tree and remove chocolate presents from under the tree.

10. Christmas trees: Pine needles can cause an upset stomach, cuts to paws and mouth and in severe cases can perforate the intestines.

To avoid this vacuum daily, and ensure your tree is secure. It is also worth considering keeping cats out of rooms with Christmas trees.

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RESCUE ANIMALS

Can you offer a Christmas fairytale ending to one of these five mature cats looking for their ‘happily ever after’?

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POLITICS

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POLITICS

Rushmore Estate to the Ox Drove 11 miles

Big views and easy to find paths with lots to see and enjoy.

The routes we feature have always been created and walked recently by ourselves, so you know you can trust them - we aim for unpopulated routes with as little road and as many views as possible!

You can always see the route and follow it yourself via the free Outdoor Active app - see all our routes here (you’ll need to create a free account to see them)

Although long-ish, this is an undemanding route through a folded landscape, using easy-to-follow paths which beg you to slow down and saunter around, enjoying the oftensurprising views, the parkland and the forest tracks.

Walking The Shire Rack through Chase woods.

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CLICK THE MAP TO SEE THE ROUTE ON OUTDOOR ACTIVE, OR SCAN THE QR The view of Winkelbury Hill from the Ox Drove never fails to impress (and surprise anyone who’s walked on it - you cannot see the dramatic folds when you’re on the hil

From Chase Woods you wind your way up to the Ox Drove with its views (detour to eat lunch enjoying the view from South Down above Alvediston - highly recommend!). Then winding back down to the Rushmore Estate via a spine between folded valleys, enjoying the finish of the wide, sweeping curves of Tinkley Down and Tinkley Bottom. How can you resist a walk that ends in a Tinkley Bottom?

The fascinating abandoned walled garden next to Rushmore Golf Course.

Very inappropriately named ‘Dank Wood Corner’. It’s not dank, it’s quite lovely.

Walking into Tinkley Bottom.

Come on now.

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FLOWERS

The pagan history of the Christmas wreath

Charlotte Tombs, an experienced Dorset flower farmer at Northcombe Flowers in Sturminster Marshall, shares her growing year and seasonal thoughts with us.

One of our favourite signs of Christmas dates back thousands of years, says Charlotte Tombs I am worse than a toddler at this time of year.

Every time I return from a walk with the dogs my pockets are bulging with the myriad of autumnal treasures that I have found and foraged. There really is so much to be picked up - you just have to open your eyes and take the time to really look around you to see the beauty that is out there: brightly coloured leaves; broken twigs with the most amazing lichen growing on them; pine and fir cones; dried grasses and teasels; catkins; berries; willow whips and so much more.

These autumn gifts are what makes a Christmas Wreath so special, combined with seed heads and dried flowers that I grow in the summer with wreathmaking in mind.

Eternal life A Christmas wreath with its circular shape and evergreen foliage is said to be a representation of eternal life, and of faith, as Christians in Europe would often place a candle Pagan tradition The word wreath comes from the old English word ‘writha’ whose literal meaning is ‘that which is round’.

Wreaths are also connected with the pagan holiday of Yule, marking the winter solstice which was celebrated by ancient Germanic and Scandinavian people. This 12 day festival which was also called Mid Winter was held to honour the returning of the sun and the seasonal cycle, which alone is good enough for me.

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on a wreath during Advent to symbolise the light that Jesus brought into the world.

Wreaths are also used at funerals, again as a representation of the circle of eternal life.

Your own wreath Lots of flower farmers will hold wreath workshops for you to learn to make your own. Do check out www. flowersfromthefarm.co.uk to find your nearest, or enquire about one of mine www. northcombeflowers.co.uk Disclaimer: all wild plants are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is illegal to dig up or remove a plant including algae, lichens and fungi from the land on which it is growing without permission from the landowner or occupier. For more information please see www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

How we embrace Christmas Cyclamen, Wreath Making workshops, gifts for loved ones, and of course, the trees… yes, we’re embracing it all.

There’s no denying it any longer. It’s time to embrace it. We are officially full of festive cheer and are ready for Christmas!

It’s a funny time of year at Thorngrove; you might think with such cold weather, things slow down when it comes to plants…this couldn’t be further from the truth!

Not only are we putting out the seasonal plants such as poinsettias and princettias, and we have Christmas trees to make room for!

Hyacinths planted a little while ago will be making themselves known, and we continue to make sure they’re as good as they can be. Not to mention the gifts and lifestyle shop gets a bit of a seasonal makeover as we bring in a whole range of unique and exciting products!

Winter baskets and troughs have also taken up a huge amount of the glasshouse team’s time as customers look to bring vibrancy and splendour to their homes and gardens this December. It’s always a sight to behold when many of them

Thorngrove – but the hard work can be less noticeable this time of year as everyone knows that a much deserved break and end of year celebration is just around the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we’d love for you to make Thorngrove a stop on your rounds this December.

Have a fantastic Christmas and New Year everyone, and as we previously mentioned, even if you’re not celebrating this time of year, we send our end of year well-wishes to you and look forward to seeing you in 2022!

The work you don’t see The shop windows, and various benches around the garden centre may feel very beautiful and seasonal, but behind the scenes there’s an immense amount of cleaning after last season to make sure no pests make the plants their new homes, and we’re always looking ahead. Making orders for plugs of next years herbaceous and bedding plants, planning in for new products, making use of cuttings, and considering options for events to stay connected with the community.

The most wonderful time of the year There’s no question that it can be hard work, for everyone - from the plant nursery, glasshouses, café, shop, tutors, students, and everyone else behind the scenes at EmployMyAbility and 63

In association with OUT OF DOORS

The voice of the allotment with Barry Cuff

Not just for summer, the butterflies have been active on thr Sturminster Newton allotment’s ivy throughout November’s warmer days.

Image: Barry Cuff

A November plot - Barry Cuff shares the result of careful planning with a continuing harvest from his winter allotment.

After the deluge on the last day of October, the first three weeks of November were quite dry allowing us to work on the plot.

In fact the many sunny warm days meant the flowers on the ivy in the hedge were alive with Hover Flies, Bees, Peacock and Red Admiral Butterflies. Some weeds also continued to flower including Gallant Soldier, Red Deadnettle and Fumitory.

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A continuing harvest An allotment can be very productive as long as the soil is fed, and a little planning is used in the crops sown. Here at the end of November, we are currently still collecting the following fresh produce: • Early Nantes Carrots - dug as required • Musselburgh Leeks - dug as required • Blue/Red Moon Autumn Radish - pulled for salads • Various Oriental Leaves - cut for salads • Monarch Celeriac - one plant lifted every other week • Greensleeves Celery - dug as required and now covered with fleece to protect from frost • Palace Parsnip - two or three roots per week • Brendan Brussels Sprouts picked once a week

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Cendis Cauliflower - the first curd weighed 2.5kg and lasted well over one week used in various meals Ironman Calabrese - all plants are producing good side shoots Witloof Chicory - lifted mid month, topped and tailed, and then stored in moist compost in the dark to produce tasty chicons over the winter months Santonio and Crokini Tomatoes - five plants of these two varieties were harvested of green fruits which are now in the greenhouse to ripen.

as the manure. As our Allotment Association is a member of the South West Counties Allotment Association, we receive a very generous 50% discount on our order of 35 packets. Most of our seeds are obtained from Kings, with just a few varieties from Fothergills and Thompson & Morgan. This amounts to about 50 packets for sowing in 2022.

At moment we have a small number of people on the Sturminster Newton Allotments waiting list. Now is the time to add your name.

In additon to the fresh harvest, in store we have potatoes, onions, garlic, winter and butternut squash. While in the freezer there’s sweetcorn, French beans, broad beans, runner beans and peas.

A load of manure The site’s delivery of well rotted horse manure arrived on the 8th - over the next two days we wheeled away our own 35 wheelbarrow loads, some being spread straight away.

A seed hoard Our seed order from Kings Seeds arrived on the same day Always free - subscribe

by Pete Harcom Head Gardener at Sherton Abbas Gardening

Garden jobs for December Here are this month’s jobs from Sherborne gardener Pete Harcom perfect for a mild crisp December winter’s day.

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Winter digging can continue This is weather permitting - only when soil is not too wet or frozen. To feed the soil and improve the structure, use garden compost, well rotted manure and leaf mould.

Heathers are now in bloom There are good selections available in the garden centres One idea for colour in the home at Christmas In early December cut shoots from your winter flowering shrubs - in the warmth of the home or greenhouse they will open up and flower in time for Christmas.

In the greenhouse Ensure all is clean and clear of rubbish and waste - this will reduce the number of any overwintering pests. But do leave spiders alone; they’re useful predators, let them have the corners.

Sow seeds of Alpine plants These can be very easy to grow in a cool greenhouse. Some alpine seeds need exposure to low temperatures before germination, and an average UK winter should provide the right environment.

Cut rust-affected hollyhocks Take them right down to the ground, and dispose of the stems, don’t add them to your compst.

Fungal spores and many pest-pupae overwinter in the soil at the base of plants, ready for action once spring arrives and growth begins again. Remove (and compost) old mulches in all areas of the garden, and lightly dig around the base of plants to expose pests to predators (birds love grubs!) and winter weather.

Avoid disturbing large piles of leaves now.

Leaf piles are amazing for wildlife, providing shelter and a great nesting spot for hibernating animals, such as hedgehogs, small mammals, frogs and countless insects.

Birds will also peck through leaf piles looking for worms and grubs.

Hang fat-balls and bird feeders Hang them all around the garden; birds who are coming in to feed will also enjoy feasting on your troublesome overwintering aphids and other pests.

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Scrub pots and seed trays Do this before stacking away, to get rid of any lingering pests and diseases.

Last chance to protect plants with fleece It’s a simple way to help those in exposed spots in the garden Now is a good time to clean up those gardening tools!

Bring them into the shed - clean, sharpen, and oil them, and then you are ready for Spring!

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Pete 65

Voice of the Books

BOOK CORNER

Sherborne’s independent bookshop Winstone’s has won the ‘British Book Awards South West Bookseller of the Year’ four times and was winner of the ‘Independent Bookseller of the Year’ national award in 2016. Owner Wayne Winstone is one of the three judges for this year’s Costa Prize for Fiction. This year Wayne was selected as one of the top 100 people in the Book Trade’s ‘Most Influential Figures’ listing.

This month Wayne is featuring two exceptionally beautiful books by illustrator/artists Angela Harding and Susan Ogilvy.

Angela Harding, you may remember, illustrated the memorable covers of Raynor Winn’s books Wild Silence and the Salt Path. The second illustrator is Somerset-based artist Susan Ogilvy, who has produced an exquisitely illustrated, one-of-a-kind celebration of the hidden beauty of nature and the ingenuity of birds, ‘Nests’.

A Year Unfolding by Angela Harding £20 - signed copies available A beautifully illustrated guide to nature through the seasons by much-loved printmaker Angela Harding. The cover of this stunning book has an exclusive triptych printed on the reverse - a perfect collector’s item, and wonderful gift.

This stunning work, the first book that is solely dedicated to Angela’s art, is a celebration of her beautiful prints, and a glimpse into her detailed and meticulous process.

A Year Unfolding is a journey through Angela’s year in nature, watching the seasons unfold in front of her from her studio in Rutland, and giving the reader detail into how nature transforms and evolves over the course of the year. A Year Unfolding also tells the stories behind some of Angela’s most popular images, giving context to Angela’s celebrated work, as well as new art created specifically for the book.

The beautiful illustrations and evocative imagery of the prose make this the perfect book for nature and art lovers everywhere. (click the image to buy) Nests by Susan Ogilvy £20 Susan Ogilvy started painting bird nests by accident. Tidying her garden after a storm, she found a chaffinch nest - a sodden lump on the grass.

She placed it indoors on a newspaper, and over the next few hours, as the water drained out, the sodden lump blossomed into a mossy jewel. She was amazed, dropping everything to make a painting of the nest at exact life size. It was the start of an obsession; Ogilvy has since painted more than fifty bird nests, each time marvelling at its ingenious construction. Every species of bird has its own vernacular, but sources its materials - twigs, roots, grasses, reeds, leaves, moss, lichen, hair, feathers and cobwebs, less usually, mattress stuffing and string - according to availability. Ogilvy would, of course, never disturb nesting birds; she relies upon serendipity, which is why all her nests have either been abandoned after fulfilling their purpose, or displaced by winds.

This wondrous book is all the more special for its rarity. Few modern books exist specifically on the subject of bird nests; the most recent among the author’s reference works was published in 1932. Exquisitely designed and packaged, Nests will be an essential addition to the libraries of all nature lovers. (click the image to buy) 67

BOOK CORNER

Gift the books we love from local authors A book is a foolproof gift for most people at Christmas - if you love to read, you can never be disappointed when you receive da thoughtfully chosen new book. If you’re looking for some inspiration, we’ve rounded up our favoutite, exceedingly gift-able, books by local authors.

Dipping into Somerset and Wiltshire

IF you love Somerset, or know someone who does, Deepest Somerset, by journalists Gay Pirrie-Weir and Fanny Charles, would be the perfect Christmas present. It’s packed full of fascinating facts and gorgeous photographs. And your gift also helps local charities – the proceeds of Deepest Somerset will be shared between the Children’s Hospice South West, the Farming Community Network and Somerset Community Foundation.

Somerset is the third and final book in the Deepest series, following Deepest Dorset, (published in 2016 and now sold out), and Deepest Wiltshire, which is supporting Wiltshire Community Foundation, with donations also to Wiltshire Air Ambulance and the military charity SSAFA. Scandals and innocents The aim of the Deepest series is to go beyond the familiar features – whether it’s Lulworth Cove or the Cerne Giant in Dorset, Stonehenge in Wiltshire or Cheddar Gorge and the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset – to reveal more about the history, culture, and lives of the people who live in these beautiful counties.

In Wiltshire, the authors discovered the stories of the real Winnie the Pooh, the scandalous Lady Meux and a 19 year old boy hung for a crime he didn’t commit, whose tomb at Trowbridge is a place of pilgrimage for anyone interested in the early history of trade unionism.

Prince Charles’ ’wonderful book’ Somerset has a rich food and drink heritage. Chef Philippa Davis from Shaftesbury, who has created recipes with local ingredients for all three Deepest books, went to Porlock to learn about – and taste – Porlock Oysters. Fanny Charles spent a day with one of the world’s great cheese-makers, George Keen, at Wincanton, to learn about cheddaring and how his family has been making this traditional, clothbound, unpasteurised, farmhouse Cheddar for more than 100 years. Gay Pirrie-Weir talked to Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis about his lifelong Methodism. They all tasted a range of 68

artisan ciders and heard from cider-maker Julian Temperley about his historic victory over the EU to be allowed to call his great creation Somerset Cider Brandy.

In the introduction to what he calls “this wonderful book,” Prince Charles writes about the connection between people and the land, and “the profound cultural role” that farming plays. He contrasts it with the “industrial production process which severs us, not just from the source of our food, but from the sacred and cultural aspects of a community’s precious sense of place.”

Famous contributors Contributors to Deepest Somerset include Sir Cameron Mackintosh and National Hunt champion trainer Paul Nicholls, while Wiltshire contributors range from the president of the NFU to Time Team star, archaeologist Phil Harding.

Deepest Somerset and Deepest Wiltshire, both £25; for more information ring 01963 32525 or visit www.deepestbooks.co.uk Always free - subscribe

Lost Dorset: The Towns

BOOK CORNER

David Burnett - £20

Regular readers cannot fail to have noticed that ina ddition to his regular allotment column, Barry Cuff’s name frequently appears beside historical black and white images of Dorset. Barry is a collector, and has amassed the largest collection of historical Dorset postcards. David Burnett, the author, has worked with Barry to select the right images to illustrate the county’s towns.

Rare images Lost Dorset - the towns is a backwards glance at Dorset’s towns through the period covered by the postcards – on the coast, inland market towns, or the scattered heathland settlements that have since grown into some of the county’s largest communities. Few of the 375 postcards chosen for this book have been published before, many are extremely rare, and they combine to form a unique portrait of urban Dorset between the invention of the postcard in 1869 until just after the First World War, a period of extraordinary change.

Local towns included in the book: Blandford • Dorchester • Gillingham • Shaftesbury • Sherborne • Stalbridge • Sturminster Newton • Verwood • Wimborne

Lost Dorset - the Towns is available from Winstone’s in Sherborne here.

Around the world in 80 plants Jonathan Drori - £20

In addition to being an utterly perfect gift for any gardener or plant lover, this bestseller and Waterstones Book of the Year Shortlist title made our round up because Jonathan Drori and his wife, novelist Tracy Chevalier, live in the Piddle Valley in North Dorset.

In his follow-up to the bestselling Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori has created an inspirational and beautifully illustrated book that tells the stories of 80 plants from around the globe.

He skilfully brings to life the science of plants by revealing how their worlds are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore. From the seemingly familiar tomato and dandelion to the eerie mandrake and Spanish ‘moss’ of Louisiana, each of these stories is full of surprises.

Some have a troubling past, while others have ignited human creativity or enabled whole civilizations to flourish.

With a colourful cast of characters all brought to life by illustrator Lucille Clerc, this is a botanical journey of beauty and brilliance.

Around the World in 80 Plants is available from Winstone’s in Sherborne here.

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BOOK CORNER

Dogs and their Humans

Lucy Sewill - £35 In this remarkable new collection of photographs, renowned portrait photographer Lucy Sewill turns her lens to man’s best friend and the bond that they have with some of the nation’s favourite celebrities.

Lucy lives near Dorchester with her family, and you can see one of the images from this book in this month’s Random19 - that of Hermione Norris with Ophelia, her Great Dane.

Lucy’s intimate portraits give the reader a glimpse of some remarkable, and previously unseen, relationships between some wellknown faces and their favourite pets. Among the celebrities Lucy has photographed are BBC Radio DJ Sara Cox and her dog Dolly; Spandau Ballet musician and actor Gary Kemp and his dog Piper and BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin and her dog Waffle.

“It’s not about the celebrities at all” says Lucy “you have squeaky toys, and it’s all about the dog.”

The result is a revealing series of photographs

Accidental Adventurer Nahla Summers - £10

Sturminster Newton resident Nahla Summers spent ten years having some re=markable adventures - and this is the book whoch chronicles her journey.

Have you ever wanted to know how to achieve your goals? Live your dream? Understand the meaning of it all? Do you want to change the inner chatter in your mind that stops you from your fullest living life?

Nahla Summers will take you on a journey of resilience, purpose, facing fears and taking the time to stop and stare. From a place of deep sorrow, Nahla transformed her life by travelling 8,000 miles raising nearly 250,000 acts of kindness.

8,500 miles Nahla has cycled 3000 miles across America, walked 500 miles from South to North England, and completed a World Record breaking, 5000-mile journey on a stand-up bike through every city in the UK. Why? Because she is driven by a message and a community that is so much bigger than her. The message is simple, if happiness is the goal we seek, then kindness is the action that will get us there.

The Accidental Adventurer is available from Amazon here.

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revealing some truly beautiful bonds.

Dogs and their Humans is available from Winstone’s in Sherborne here.

SCHOOL NEWS

Sturminster Newton High School enjoyed fundraising for Children in Need Sturminster Newton High School students thoroughly enjoyed raising money for Children In Need in November.

There were various fundraisers including a Personal Assistant Sixth Form Auction, a Cake and Sweet Sale, Non-Uniform Day and the ever popular events Throw a Sponge at a Teacher and ‘Jail and Bail’ (which sees teachers being covered in things such as flour and honey, drinking mystery drinks and having cold water thrown on them).

The school would like to thank everyone that donated, the School Council for organising the activities and those that were brave enough to volunteer!

They are really pleased to announce that the final total raised was a magnificent £936.

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SCHOOL NEWS

Dorset pupil won first prize in Austria’s 2021 STEM Challenge for girls Bryanston school sixth former Lara-Marie P has won first prize in the Austrian Government’s 2021 STEM Challenge for girls in the ‘upper school’ category.

As an Arkwright Scholarship holder, D&T Ambassador, and part of the School’s Greenpower Team, this is the latest in a series of successes for Lara-Marie.

More than 100 girls The Austria-wide MINT Girls Challenge (translating as ‘STEM’ in English for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) honours creative ideas and approaches in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology.

More than 100 girls submitted their ideas and entries to showcase how STEM can contribute to a more sustainable future for us all, before the judges whittled down the final entries to a small selection of finalists.

Headmaster Mark Mortimer commented: “We are all extremely proud of Lara-Marie; this is an incredible achievement.”

Aaron Phipps comes to Cranborne Middle School Cranborne Middle School have been lucky enough to welcome Paralympic GB wheelchair rugby player, Aaron Phipps, into school during November. As part of their whole-school tutor day based around the theme of resilience, pupils participated in a range of off-timetable activities designed to encourage greater resilience both in school and beyond.

Aaron spoke to each year group about his journey to Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020. Pupils heard about his challenges as a teenager after contracting the life-threatening disease meningitis, his determination to succeed at wheelchair racing after having both legs amputated below the knee, the challenge of climbing Mount Kilamanjaro, 72

the majority of which was on his hands and knees, and achieving his life-long ambition of winning Olympic Gold by beating the USA 49-54 in the wheelchair rugby.

Aaron’s overriding message was that ‘We all have choices’ and that, by making the right ones, we can go on to achieve things

we never thought we could. After being inspired by Aaron, pupils took on the challenge of trying out new sports they had never done before: Ultimate Frisbee, New Age Kurling and Handball.

This was most definitely a test of their resilience but they stepped up and welcomed the challenge!

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SCHOOL NEWS

A notable month at Gillingham Secondary School Sports Leaders rewarded with professional Bath Rugby Jerseys

Sixth form ran a community project to help people using the food bank.

“We decided to do a food bank as we wanted to help people who needed support - especially at this time as there is a shortage of food.

People are getting £80 a month less due to Universal The sports leaders officiating & running this year’s Credit cuts, so we realised we should take some Gillingham tag rugby festival were lucky enough to action to help. We put posters around school for students and staff to see, and went into assemblies get to work with and be trained by Lewis from Bath Next Gen. At the event, Max & Freya were then to spread the word. We then took collecting boxes to every tutor - in a week we took the food to the food chosen by the primary schools as the two leaders bank, who were incredibly grateful. who best demonstrated the skills required to be It was a successful event - we were able to provide a an outstanding sports leader and received these pro jerseys, generously donated by Lewis and Bath minibus load of food to people who needed it.”

Carly Stainer, 6th Form Student Rugby as a reward for their superb efforts.

Dorset’s new SEND school in Shaftesbury is named Coombe House School Coombe House School, named after the original house on the site known as St Mary’s in recent times, will be part of the wider Dorset Centre of Excellence development.

Headteacher Katie Charles joined the project in October. She says: “I’m looking forward to welcoming my new colleagues to Coombe House School so we can build long-lasting relationships with our students, parents and the community.”

The first teachers have been recruited, an experienced staff with a range of primary, secondary and special education backgrounds.

“The school will be dedicated to preparing our students for their future. This underpins our promise to equip every student with the essential life skills,

knowledge and qualifications to ensure they embark on the next stage of their life journey with as much confidence and independence as possible when they leave.”

A gradual opening Coombe House School will open in spring 2022. It is anticipated that 60 students will join the school in the first year, and this will grow to around 280 students over the next five years.

Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Early Help, explained how this will work: “The admission process starts with a council referral to the school. If it is decided by the family and school professionals that the school can meet the young person’s needs, a plan will

be developed to make transition as smooth as possible.

The children and young people will join the school at a time that’s right for them, not necessarily at the start of a new school term.” £37.5 million plan Coombe House School is part of the council’s wider £37.5 million plan to improve the lives of Dorset children with SEND. Five hundred places for children with SEND are being created across Dorset within this plan currently more than 250 Dorset children and young people with SEND are educated in expensive, independent provision, many far out of our county.

This currently costs Dorset Council around £14 million a year.

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Book a flight on Arctic Air at The Prince of Wales School

Staff at Dorchester’s Prince of Wales School have encouraged the next generation of writers, geographers, explorers and pilots as part of an inspiring week of learning.

Children arrived at school on Monday morning to find a snowcovered runway leading out of the school entrance. Headteacher Mr. Gary Spracklen greeted them dressed in ‘Steam Punk’ attire, beside a 20-foot Christmas tree that had popped up seemingly overnight.

Mr Spracklen, playing the role of ‘Airport Manager’ welcomed children into the ‘#InspiredToLearn Arctic Airfield’ which also included a full-size santa sleigh complete with a life-like Rudolf, the red nosed reindeer!

Snowy airfield in school Upon entering the main school building, children were shocked to come across a snow-covered airfield where their main school corridor once stood! Year 4 pupil Alfie said, “We all thought we were coming to school for a normal day of learning... our school has been transported to another world! It’s a very exciting place to be!”.

Beyond the snow-covered airfield, children found themselves in an arrivals lounge complete with security checks and passport control gates. In the 74

lounge, it was clear that everyone was waiting on the arrival of a very special guest - Phileas Fogg.

Year 2 pupil Grace explains, “Apparently he’s an adventurer who is on an around the world trip in eighty days. I think we are going to find out more about it soon.”

Working with the Royal Navy Assistant Headteacher, Mrs Sam Johnson said “It’s taken the team lots of time to plan out the individual elements to ensure the week ahead truly inspires all our young learners. We’ve worked with a number of partner organisations to make this happen including the Royal Navy

who have been highly supportive of our plans.

Over the weekend, a dedicated team of our staff came into school and transformed our corridors and classroom spaces”.

Firing imaginations Chair of Governors Mr. Kevin Tatchell said, “This transformation has only been possible because of the hard work of a dedicated staff team” A recent OFSTED school report on the Prince of Wales School stated “...teachers look for every opportunity to supplement the curriculum with activities and events that inspire pupils and fire their imagination”.

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CHARITY

How Dorset charities were given a helping hand when they needed it the most

The first Countrymen UK Group was formed here in Dorset at Rylands Farm, just outside Sherborne.

The Battens Charitable Trust has helped hundreds of Dorset based charities for more than 35 years, stepping up donations during the recent pandemic when it was needed most, as Gail Livingstone reports.

Getting together with loved ones is what Christmas is all about yet for many people it can be a very lonely experience, especially in rural communities. At Ryland’s farm outside Sherborne the Dorset Club of Countrymen UK gives valuable support to men who find themselves isolated because of deteriorating physical or mental health or changing social circumstances. It is just one of many local charities that the Battens Charitable Trust (BCT) has donated to since its inception in 1985.

From donations to a Trust Battens Solicitors, a 300 year old firm has three offices based in Dorset at Sherborne, Dorchester and Wareham. The company had a history of supporting local communities in Dorset and Somerset through charitable giving, the firm’s partners donating to local good causes from their own income until the trust was eventually established in the mid- eighties.

Since then it is estimated that the BCT has donated more than half a million pounds to local charities

through personal bequests and explains; “The Coronavirus legacies from Batten’s clients as pandemic was a particularity well as the general public. challenging time for a charity Consultant Solicitor Ray Edwards like ours, which supports older who helped found the men in rural Dorset.

During the BCT believes the trust Most are extremely pandemic the has played its part vulnerable to the BCT donated virus, so we had to in helping countless smaller charities £25,000 to local find new ways to help across Dorset; foodbanks and them and their carers “It is a privilege to during the lockdowns. volunteer NHS This included making be able to support local communities in organisations changes to our venue this way, especially to make it safe, smaller charities that are often offering support in people’s overlooked. We have donated homes and delivering food to schools, sports clubs, arts parcels where they were needed. foundations as well as the Dorset The role that local funders like Wildlife Trust to name but a few.” the Battens Charitable Trust play During the pandemic the in this is absolutely essential.

BCT donated £25,000 to local Without their support we simply foodbanks and volunteer NHS wouldn’t be able to do what we organisations and hospitals in do.” the South West who were facing unprecedented demand for their If you would like to make a services. donation to the Battens Charitable Playing an essential part The pandemic also made it difficult for many charities to fundraise so support from the BCT was vital at this crucial time as the Director of the Dorset Club of UK Countrymen Julie Plumley

Trust then please contact Louisa Dustan by emailing bct@battens. co.uk or by visiting the firm’s website www.battens.co.uk The Dorset Club of UK Countrymen can be contacted by visiting www.countrymenuk.org.uk 75

CHARITY PAGES

In association with

Could you be a Shining Light for dogs like Florence this Christmas?

Margaret Green Animal Rescue have launched their Shining Light Appeal for the rescue dogs in their care like Florence Florence was found discarded on the side of the road by a concerned member of the public. She was taken to Margaret Green’s Lincoln Farm, where her condition shocked even the experienced Rescue Centre staff. Manager Helen said: “I have worked here for over 19 years and I have never seen such an emaciated dog. She urgently needed our help - who knows what could have happened to her.”

Florence was quickly assessed by staff and began receiving veterinary care – with her weight a mere 10.4kg (her ideal weight being 20kg) her vital organs were shutting down, her eyes were sunken and she could hardly stand.

Progress and setbacks This kind of condition doesn’t happen overnight Florence had obviously been suffering for a long time. First aid was warmth and comfort - cosy blankets to help her feel safe and warm, and regular food and drink; eight meals a day.

Despite slow steady progress, there was more devastating news to come – Florence had suspected life-threatening kidney failure. Thankfully, after the initial worry, the vets felt her diagnosis could be managed with a special diet, and Florence continued to improve.

The Margaret Green staff are all so proud of her Florence is now the queen of the loving home that she truly deserves.

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Florence weighed half what she should, her vital organs were shutting down, her eyes were sunken and she could hardly stand

courage and resilience, and absolutely thrilled that Florence has now found the loving home that she truly deserves. Her story was inspiring for all the staff – finding dogs like Florence a happy ending is the reason they all work so hard.

Help to defy the odds Sadly this is not an isolated story - Margaret Green Animal Rescue see hundreds of dogs come into their centres each year for costly and timeconsuming care. The charity are appealing for donations this Christmas through their Shining Light Appeal to be able to save and care for dogs in need like Florence. With your help, they can help the rescue dogs to defy all odds.

If you think you could be a shining light this Christmas, make a donation via the Donate page on Margaret Green Animal Rescue’s website and using the reference ‘Light’ in the comments box.

Every donation will makes a difference, ensuring the charity are ready whenever a dog needs them.

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Ward Goodman specialises in the charity, community and not for profit sector.

Ward Goodman has a dedicated team of accounting and auditing professionals delivering a comprehensive range of services to registered charities, community groups and not for profit organisations. The team are trained specifically to carry out charity accounting, auditing and reporting and to communicate effectively with Trustees, management and volunteers. Contact the team today for a free consultation.

Santa Stride into Christmas It’s back! The Rotary Club of Sturminster Newton invite you to register, grab your Santa suit, your family and your friends and join in the wellloved charity fun run/jog/walk in Sturminster this December.

For more than sixty years, the Rotary Club of Sturminster Newton members have been raising money and changing lives with their popular community events such as The Cheese Festival, The ‘Big Lunch’ and the annual ‘Santa Stride’ along the trailway.

In just the two years prior to the pandemic, the Sturminster Newton Club raised over £20,000, and 100% of all monies raised was donated directly to registered charities. The club selects both local and international causes, from local schools to eradicating Polio across the globe, disaster relief for Nepal and the local Air Ambulance.

The Santa Stride Perhaps an oddity for those living further afield, but for many Sturminster Newton residents, the sight of countless Father Christmas’ gathered together and walking the trailway signals the start of the festive season.

The ‘Santa Stride’ is an annual community fun run (or walk) which begins at the start of the Trailway in Sturminster Newton, and this year the event is on Sunday 12th December. Hundreds of happy entrants will run, jog or walk between two and seven miles down the Trailway towards Shillingstone and back - all dressed as Santa! It is open to any age and ability, individuals, families

The Santas striding along the trailway are an interesting sight!

or groups; how fast and far you go is up to you. If you’re concerned about not owning a Santa suit then fear not - it is included in the entry fee (along with a choice of suits for tinies up to 8 years old – a mini Santa suit or a very cute Elf costume!).

The cost of entry, including Santa suit and festive refreshments, is just £5 for Adults and £2.50 for children, with under sixes free.

To register, please download a sponsorship form here and collect sponsorship before the event this year the Rotary Club has slected the Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance. Last time Santa Striders raised over £1,000!

Individuals, families and groups are all very welcome - and the most active participants who wish to run the course set off 90 minutes before the slower walkers.

Once registered, entrants will be able to collect their Santa suits before the event at the Santa Stride Pop Up Shops in The Exchange Atrium.

Sturminster Newton Rotary is a fun, friendly and welcoming club and always welcomes new members. If you would like to find out more please enquire here.

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Established 1991

Celebrating 30 Years of Caring Somerset Care are proud to have been supporting people to live the life they choose for the past 30 years. We would like to say thank you to all of our customers, residents, colleagues and the local communities who have been on this journey with us so far. Here’s to the next 30 years!

0800 817 4990 www.somersetcare.co.uk 78

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POLITICS

Heather Brown is a member of the committee of the Guild of Food Writers, and a home economist with a passion for Dorset’s brilliant foodie scene. Heather runs Dorset Foodie Feed, championing Dorset’s food and drink businesses, as well as working with food industry clients.

The Christmas Baking Special Over the last couple of years we have probably all had a little more time at home than we expected, and many people have experimented in the kitchen, discovering a love of cooking they simply didn’t have time for previously. But there is something about Christmas that inspires more home-making than any other time of the year. Whether that’s decorating a tree, making a Christmas card or baking a cake, many of us are tempted to roll up our sleeves and get a little creative.

If you like to explore the kitchen at Christmas, then I have put together some festive recipes to get your home smelling lovely and Christmassy - these are perfect treats for your Christmas houseguests, and also make wonderful, personal, gifts for loved ones.

Heather x

PS - don’t forget my own foolproof Christmas Cake recipe featured in last December’s issue here - it reliably gives that delicious deep Christmassy flavour whether you make it two months or two days before Christmas. You can also find all of last year’s Christmas recipes here (including my infamous mincemeat, the easiest sausage rolls to impress, and the superChristmassy star-topped jammy biscuits)

Autumnal Sausage Bake image: Heather Brown

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by Heather Brown

FOOD & DRINK

Festive Cookie Dough Puds If you are looking to make some sweet treats for your loved ones this year, then these cookie dough balls are for you. Simple to make, no fancy equipment needed, not even any baking - and they’re deliciously sweet.

When I was a caterer, these were one of my Signature sweet ‘bakes’ and I loved adding a little fondant holly sprig at Christmas time.

Ingredients • • • • • • • • •

90g butter 75g caster sugar 75g soft brown sugar 1tsp vanilla extract 100g plain flour 100g chocolate chips 200g dark chocolate 50g white chocolate a little green and red fondant

Method

• Mix together the butter, both sugars and vanilla extract really well, until the mixture is no longer grainy, usually about 2-3 minutes.

• Carefully mix in the flour and the chocolate chips (the mixture should be fairly stiff once all combined).

• Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls - just smaller than a ping pong ball size). Place them onto a lined tray or a plate and place in the fridge for about an hour to harden.

• Melt the dark chocolate (either in the microwave or in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water).

• Using your hands, coat the dough balls in the melted dark chocolate. I found that • the easiest way is to get lots of the melted chocolate on both hands and then pick up the dough balls and simply roll. It’s definitely messier this way, but you can use gloves if you wish!

• Leave the chocolate to set.

• Melt the white chocolate and then drizzle it onto the top of the chocolate so that it looks like a Christmas pudding topping.

• Then roll out the green fondant and using tiny cutters, or a sharp knife and a steady hand, cut into holly leaves. Attach these to the dough balls with a little water.

• Next roll tiny balls from the red fondant and attach, also using a little water. I find that the pre-made little packets of coloured fondant (from most supermarkets) work well here as you don’t need much.

NB - This recipe doesn’t contain raw eggs so is fine to eat raw. Some have an issue eating uncooked flour - if so, simply heat the flour in the oven (loose on a tray) to 73º and then let it cool completely before using. I have never bothered though, and I have made (literally) thousands of them!

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all images © Heather Brown

FOOD & DRINK

Traditional gingerbread biscuits “The fiery little gingerbread biscuits are full of flavour and perfect with a mulled wine or cider (and they smell heavenly in the oven when baking.

They are perfect to make with children and can be a fun activity to decorate together. You can also add a hole at the top of each biscuit so that when cooked, you can tie a ribbon on and hang from the Christmas tree.”

Ingredients • • • • • • • • •

100g salted butter 2 tbsp golden syrup 1 tbsp treacle 100g soft brown sugar ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tbsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground cinnamon 225g plain flour 50g icing sugar

Method

image © Heather Brown

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• Grease and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.

• Melt together gently in a saucepan the butter, golden syrup, treacle and sugar. Once melted, remove from the heat.

• Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the spices • Gently add the flour mixture to the buttery mixture and mix well until you form a soft dough.

• Wrap the dough in cling film and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• Pre-heat your oven to 160º fan/gas 4.

• On a floured surface, gently roll out the dough. It will be quite soft, so make sure the rolling pin and the surface are well floured to avoid sticking/tearing.

• Using cutters, cut your shapes - stars look beautiful, but any seasonal shape, or even simple hearts work well. Place the biscuits onto the baking tray.

• Reform the dough and repeat as needed.

• Bake the biscuits in the oven for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of your shapes) until the centre of the biscuits feel slightly firm when pressed lightly with a finger tip.

• Leave them on the tray to cool slightly before trying to move as they will be softer, straight from the oven.

• I like to add a little water to the icing sugar in a little bowl and then drizzle the biscuits with icing sugar but you can of course be as creative as you like with the decorations.

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FOOD & DRINK image © Heather Brown

White chocolate, cranberry and Oreo rocky roads “This recipe is very forgiving - the ingredients can be switched without altering the finished bake. You can change the dried fruit for nuts (or just add some nuts in extra if you want both), add more marshmallows if you prefer the rocky road to be softer, even change the biscuits to your favourite type – try some fun party rings maybe!”

Ingredients

• • • •

500g white chocolate 200g dried fruit (I use dried cranberries) 2 packets of Oreos 100g mini marshmallows.

Method • Simply line an 8″ square baking tin with baking parchment.

• Melt the white chocolate (either very gently in a bowl in the microwave or in a pan over a low stove heat).

• Take off the heat and stir in the dried fruit and marshmallows.

• Gently break up 1 packet of the biscuits into rough quarters and stir into the mixture.

• Tip the mixture into the baking pan and spread evenly.

• Break up the other packet of biscuits and sprinkle over the top of the pan. Gently push into the mixture.

• Place the pan into the fridge to set for at least 1 hour.

• Once it has set, cut up into pieces and enjoy!

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by Laura Hitchcock

MEET YOUR LOCAL

Meet Your Local: The Fleur de Lys in Cranborne This month we’ve been chatting to Matt and Emily who run the Fleur de Lys in the village of Cranborne, a welcoming 17th century inn where you can eat, drink and stay in one of their nine bedrooms.

How did you end up at The Fleur de Lys?

My wife and I moved to France 16 years ago with two young children (a total which has now grown to four children!). We built several houses as I was (am?) a builder, and we now rent them out for holiday lets.

We then set up Biginfrance.com where we do celebrity chef cookery courses, yoga retreats and other activity holidays - all alongside catering for very large numbers, cooking in large Chateaux throughout France. With this being very seasonal we found ourselves wanting a new project in the UK to continue our passion for food (Matt having been in and out of the catering industry for 25 years).

That’s when we found and fell in love with the Fleur de Lys inn in Cranborne. Taking over in September 2019 we had an amazing start and were very well received... but were bought to an abrupt halt due to Covid.

Tell us about your team?

We have an amazing team of locals and have a real sense of 84

family at the inn. Charlie Farwell is head chef - he was previously in London and did five years at the Ritz hotel, so you can imagine the level of detail that goes into the food. It’s obviously all homemade; amazing sauces and a beautiful Lobster bisque that is outstanding and a signature dish.

Front of house we have Tony as GM and he’s supported by a great local team including Sue, Emma, Vonnie and everyone else who plays their part. They all welcome guests with warmth and we’re proud of our friendly relaxed family-style atmosphere.

has to be the outdoor fire kitchen we built during lockdown. We have six different fires we cook on; in the summer we cook solely out there and it has a real Mediterranean feel. It’s relaxed dining where you can watch the chefs cook on fire, which is great theatre and gives the food an amazing charred taste that reflects our menu.

Emily & Matt, owners of the Fleur de Lys in Cranborne

What’s your favourite local place to visit on an afternoon off?

We are situated in a beautiful village with fantastic walks, along with lots of local producers and local businesses. There’s the amazing la Fosse restaurant for fine dining and the very quirky six penny brewery for artisan ales!

What are you most proud of so far?

We’re most proud of how the team has pulled together. But in terms of physical achievements it Always free - subscribe

FOOD AND DRINK

What part of the building is your absolute favourite?

Emily and Matt are proud of the warm, welcoming and relaxed atmosphere in the inn.

The inn dates back to the 17th century and is mentioned in Tess of the d’Urbervilles. The entire building is steeped in history, and we love every one of the nine ensuite bedrooms that are just so quaint. But it’s probably the beautiful inglenook fireplace - where better to sit, with the fire going, a nice local ale and some beautiful non-pretentious food.

Which meal is your most popular? What do people drive from afar to come specifically to you for?

We are renowned for our fire cooking and amazing steaks and beef cuts that we get from a company called From Salt to Smoke that are in the village.

This was set up by Matt and another business partner, and is now supplying some of the best hotels and restaurants on the south coast. We also use Cove on the Quay in Poole for all our fish and we buy whatever they catch on their Day boats. So you can expect whole wood-fired Dorset lobsters in Thermidor sauce.

Whole fish cooked on the fire The Fleur de Lys is renowned for its fire cooking, having built an outdoor fire kitchen during lockdown with six different fires

and beautiful seafood such as mussels and clams, scallops and oysters - oyster we sometimes cook on the coals with a sumac butter that are just sublime.

Tell us about any of your really local suppliers?

Cranborne is so unique and has some fantastic suppliers. Some

of our favourites are; The Book and Bucket Cheese Company. Award-winning local cheese.

As said before, From Salt to Smoke butchers. They provide fantastic local Himalayan dry aged beef, local game, pannage pork and lambs. Also their new charcuterie range is phenomenal.

Orchard Bay Bakery for the best sourdough and bread around.

Cranborne watercress. Lovely salads produced right here in the village.

What’s next?

We have some amazing mini break deals. So if you want to get away to a beautiful inn in a stunning location on the edge of the New Forest then this is the place for you.

We are also just about to take on two big inns in Devon. Watch this space!!

The Fleur de Lys is open 9am until close every day.

To book a table or room call 01725 551 249 or click here: https://thefleurdelysinn.co.uk/

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by Simon Vernon

POLITICS FOOD & DRINK

Notes From An Epicurean: The king of cheeses

What Stilton should you stock for your festivities – or would another blue cheese suit you better? Simon Vernon explains what’s on offer Christmas is traditionally a time in a cylindrical form, the milk when we indulge in fine food. coming from English dairy If we are lucky enough to be herds in the district of Melton involved in a festive gathering it Mowbray and surrounding areas is a good excuse to stock some falling within the counties of extra cheese to see us through Leicestershire, Derbyshire and the holiday period.

Nottinghamshire.’

There are some cheeses It is now governed by the which everyone ...potted Stilton is Stilton-makers associates with association, usually white Stilton formed in Christmas, but one crumbled up and 1948. After an must be named the King of English inserted into a jar unfortunate food cheeses – Stilton. poisoning incident with some blue This world-famous in the 1980s, mould added delicacy is named when Stilton was after the village of Stilton, wrongly blamed, the rules of Cambridgeshire, where it was production were changed to sold at the Bell Inn situated on only allow pasteurised milk to be the Great North Road. Stilton used. quickly developed a huge following with people stopping Which Stilton is for you? off to sample it while travelling If you want the true blue stilton between London and the north. flavour I would advise you to go The cheese was actually made for a large piece rather than the in Leicestershire, but sold Stilton in jars. The potted Stilton exclusively at The Bell. is usually white Stilton, crumbled Stilton is the only English up and inserted into a jar with cheese named and protected in some blue mould added and a law as ‘a blue or white cheese wax seal placed over it. made from full-cream cow’s Once the jar is opened the wax milk with no applied pressure seal should be removed and the (in the making or forming), cheese left for the blue veining that could be pierced, but not to develop. The contents of the inoculated, that forms its own jar usually just turn a shade of crust or coat and that is made blue...

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If you are planning a large gathering, then my advice is to go for an entire baby Stilton. They weigh about 2.5Kg (compared to a full-sized Stilton of about 7.5Kg). They are made in exactly the same way as the traditional size but using a smaller mould.

The ‘real’ Stilton?

If you want to taste a cheese which tastes as Stilton used to be when made with unpasteurised milk, then I suggest you search out Stichelton. It’s made in Nottinghamshire in the same way, but it cannot be called Stilton as it uses unpasteurised milk.

The local blue You may prefer to have a local blue cheese - in which case the superb Dorset Blue Vinny, made at Woodbridge Farm just outside Sturminster Newton, is a great alternative (and is also named and protected in law). Rather than using the full milk as with Stilton, the cream is skimmed off before production which means Blue Vinny is lower in fat and therefore could definitely be argued to be a healthier option!

I wish you a festive foodie Christmas! Simon Always free - subscribe

by Rachael Rowe

The chef making liqueurs in the Blackmore Vale

FOOD & DRINK Chef, forager and liqueur-maker Mat Follas, with his two most popular flavours Marmalade Whisky and Blackberry liqueurs.

Mat Follas won BBC MasterChef in 2009, and opened his first restaurant, The Wild Garlic in Beaminster to notable acclaim.

Mat now teaches forgaing courses, has a new fine dining restaurant, Bramble, in Sherborne, whoch doubles as a base for his newest adventure Mûre Liqueurs. Rachael Rowe went to meet him.

On a bitterly cold day, the smell of cooking infusing through Bramble Restaurant is welcoming warmth. Chef Mat Follas is preparing food for the evening but I’m here to see another side of his business.

Whenever I think of liqueurs, my mind goes to those half-inspired buys from a package holiday trip, or an over-sweetened mass-produced bottle of something. The Mûre range of liqueurs developed by Mat Follas are produced right here in North Dorset and are definitely something to bring out at any time of the year- not just for Christmas.

I asked Mat what inspired him to start making liqueurs?

His main business is with his foraging days, so blackberry was his first liqueur. It’s also where the company name Mûre comes from (mûre is French for blackberry, and blackberry liqueur is commonly known as crème de mûre).

“I wanted something with blackberry to make sauces with, but all the available shop liqueurs were horribly over-processed. I had a couple of jars infusing from foraging days, so I developed a liqueur. Just for myself initially.”

The company formed two years ago using a crowdfunder with a range of three liqueurs.

“It sold out in five days,” smiles Mat. Clearly people knew he was on to something. However, Covid-19 got in the way of plans for new premises in April 2020. Mat focused on his liqueurs, but getting licensing was a challenge as hand sanitizers were prioritised. He’s now into the second phase of the project, and aiming to launch in shops in the New Year. Sales so far have been excellent.

Taking their time Unlike gin, liqueurs take time to develop their flavour and are a combination of cooking, infusing, tasting, and sampling. It took at least six months to perfect his blackberry liqueur with cycles of macerating, brewing and cooking.

“There’s something to be said for time in the bottle,” Mat reflects.

But how do you know when the flavour is just right?

Mat does a lot of blind tasting. His roast coffee and rum liqueur was blind-tasted against other similar products until he got the flavour he wanted. The blackberry liqueur was tested against cassis and other similar products. He found many of the popular commercial products over sugared and just awful. He simply kept tweaking his products until they were good. And his Properly Bitter Lemon? It was just good (it is). As Mat says: “I’m an OK cook, so I’m coming at it as a chef rather than a booze maker.”

Is there a favourite?

During winter the Marmalade Whisky liqueur is popular, whereas people go for blackberry in summer. Next year he is looking at developing more flavours in the company and has been successful selling in his restaurant and market stalls.

If you are looking to include some liqueurs in your festive shopping, mine’s a marmalade whisky!

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Eat, drink and be merry - how to pair your wines this Christmas Wine and food are a match made in heaven, and there’s no better time to learn the art of wine pairing than Christmas, when we carefully curate a festive feast full of flavour. Sadie Wilkins has put together some top tips to help your tipples tantalise the tastebuds around your table.

Pop. Fizz. Clink.

Let’s begin with bubbles and get things started with a sparkle.

Although a very welcoming aperitif, a glass (or two) of fizz can absolutely sing with a smoked salmon starter – opt for a bottle with a little more flavour, so it can handle the cured character of the fish. A blancs de blancs Champagne is a favourite, made with 100% Chardonnay grapes, its high acidity handles the saltiness of the smoked salmon perfectly – same goes for oysters!

Of course, fizz does not need to finish at the beginning of proceedings, and there’s a very special reservation for a glass of Prosecco with a slice of traditional Panettone – it’s the merrier version of a cuppa and cake, with the fruitier notes from the Italian sparkling pairing beautifully with the dried fruits tucked inside the sweet cake.

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Catch of Christmas Day In amongst the rich indulgence of the holiday, it’s nice to serve up a lighter fish dish for a refreshing respite. The classic pairing for a lightly grilled or baked fish would be a crisp Chablis, but if you look to other French whites, you’ll find a couple of pairings that will last you a lifetime. One being the magnificent Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, a wine made from the lesser-known Melon de Bourgogne grape in the west side of the Loire – it’s light, crisp and has delicious, zippy notes of citrus that work in harmony with the salinity of the fish. Saltiness in food really sings alongside a wine with real acidity.

Alternatively, pour a Picpoul de Pinet for your guests, one of the oldest grapes of the Languedoc.

With its alluring, delicate notes of acacia, citrus, pear and honey blossom, it charms fish dishes

with its well-structured acidity that is freshly balanced on the palate.

The Main Event A traditional turkey is more gamey than its feathery friend, the humble chicken, and needs a wine that has some real structure to it. A classic choice would be Rhône red such as a rustic Chateauneuf du Pape, but if you are looking to make a more interesting white wine choice that isn’t a buttery, oak aged Chardonnay from either Burgundy or the new world, then a barrel-aged Hungarian Dry Furmint from Tokaji makes for a stunning selection. It’s fruity yet robust, has a lively acidity yet a round body, with luscious, silky – almost creamy – notes from its time spent in oak. In short, gamey birds do well with complex layers in the glass – also bearing in mind that your turkey Always free - subscribe

by Sadie Wilkins, Indie Wine Merchant will most likely have other robust flavours beside it on the plate such as cranberry sauce or chestnut stuffing.

All things are wonderful in moderation, and we all enjoy the odd ‘high fat’ rich dish. Indulgent meals cry out for big and bold wines to meet them head on – it’s good to remember this when the Boxing Day curries, or various goose fat potatoes make an appearance over the festive period.

dried fruit and sticky consistency, we find that a marriage made in heaven is found with a Sherry – of the PX (Pedro Ximenez) variety to be precise. A good PX mirrors the flavours on the palate, in the glass – it’s almost a pudding in itself! If you want a lighter dessert with all the flavours of Christmas, a good glug of PX Sherry over some vanilla ice cream is fantastic, and a great alternative to the usual affogato, which uses coffee instead.

Sweet Treats Pudding wines are still underrated even though they are one of life’s greatest pleasures.

When dealing with the sweeter end of the spectrum, there is one key principle: ensure that the wine is sweeter than the dessert.

Otherwise, it will all be a bit flabby.

Though, when it comes to the timeless tradition of a Christmas pud, with its dense, winter spiced

A well-deserved toast!

All that’s left to do is raise a glass to each other and the year that we’ve just come through.

It seems like it’s been a bit of a whirlwind for everyone – we managed to scoop the Harpers Wine ‘Best Indie Wine Merchant of the South West 2021’ award and overall ‘No.5 in the whole of the UK’ in the midst of it whilst moving premises in Sherborne too! We’d love to see

FOOD & DRINK

you in our new digs (9 Old Yarn Mills, Sherborne DT9 3RQ) - and if you make it to us this side of Christmas we can help you source some of the delicious wines in this month’s article.

Sadie

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By Rachael Rowe

The eco-conscious shopping habit thriving in North Dorset

None can now claim ignorance of the effect our human behaviours are having on our climate - and chief amongst these is our driving consumerism. Rachael Rowe has been searching for the best eco-shopping in North Dorset, where you can shop with a guilt-free conscience.

Whether it is an inspirational speech from Sir David Attenborough or the increased adverse weather conditions that spark a conversation, climate change is a major issue. All of us have a role to play. A simple thing we can all do is to make a few swaps to reduce the use of plastic and fossil fuels in our daily lives.

Researching and writing this article was a fascinating insight into how local retailers have made sustainable changes and how each product has a story of the way it minimises the impact on the environment. If you are looking at reducing your carbon footprint, take a look at these ideas from local indie retailers.

Bouquets from Bright Blooms Flowers are popular gifts in the festive season and for celebrations year round. I spoke to florist Esther Biggs about the changes she has made at Bright Blooms in Shaftesbury to reduce plastic.

“There is no floral foam in the shop. I looked into sustainable

Worth an explore - in addition to a large range of loose dry household goods, the new Eco Store in Sturminster Newton has an excellent browsing range of gifts and ideas

versions but even those shed microplastics. Today, we use moss or a glass vase which can be reused by the customer.” The shop does not use cellophane either and any packaging is reused within bouquets and arrangements.

Swap Paraffin Candles for Soy Wax It’s that time of the year for candles and they also make great

The Botanical Candle Co. is filled with delicious scents from the handpoured soy wax candles (and it’s not just candles - a whole range of eco-conscious homewares are also available)

gifts. Traditional candles are usually made from paraffin wax which is a byproduct of the oil refining process, and has toxic properties. Soy wax candles are made from soya beans and are more environmentally sustainable. There’s a wonderful range at the Botanical Candle Company in Shaftesbury which are made in the town, cutting down transport costs. It’s such a shame the Blackmore Vale doesn’t do scratch and sniff pages because the scents are a delight, especially their seasonal ranges.

Refillable waste-free food The amount of plastic in the home is frightening but there are some practical ways to swap a few things and be more sustainable.

The new Eco Market in Sturminster Newton has a range of spices and foods without plastic packaging for your festive

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FOOD AND DRINK cooking. Bring a container to fill up or use one of their recycled jars. There are beeswax wraps and recycled foil as well for storing your food in a more sustainable way.

Homewares also contain a lot of plastics. At Coconut and Cotton in Shaftesbury you’ll find lots of inspiring ways to make those household swaps. There are wrapper-free Marseilles soaps, fluffy ostrich feather dusters (from certified and sustainable sources), and natural sponges. You’ll also discover new ways to clean and cook with plastic free brushes and utensils.

The Christmas Handtied Bouquet from Bright Blooms in Shaftesbury - florist Esther has made a conscious effort to remove all plastics, replacing florist’s foam with moss or a glass vase, and no more cellophane wraps.

More Environmentally Friendly Gifts At Folde in Shaftesbury there are locally made willow baskets and a range of books about nature and the environment.

Charity shops also have a great selection of unwanted items suitable for rehoming. Check out the famous Emporium in Sturminster Newton where there are eclectic ideas and all manner of festive-themed items suitable for gifts.

Gifts for the Gardener If you are looking to make a few changes in gardening habits or are looking for gifts, there are several environmentally friendly ideas. I loved Coconut and Cotton’s plantable seed greetings cards. Recycled crushed whelk shells are perfect for the gardener who has everything. They come from a sustainable fishing centre in Wales and are used as ground cover - you’ll find them in the Botanical Candle Co (£4.95 for a bag). At Alweston, the Elm Yard Gallery is the place to find Martin Galbavy’s garden ornaments made from redundant old tools.

It just takes one or two small changes but we can all start to make a difference to our impact on the environment by thoughtful buying – and checking out our local shops for inspiration.

Coconut and Cotton in Shaftesbury have sourced an entire shop filled with eco-freindly products, from these wrapper-free Marseilles soaps, fluffy ostrich feather dusters (from certified and sustainable sources) through to plastic free scrubbing brushes and utensils

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ADVERTORIAL

Olives Et Al - the best kept Festive Secret

Olives Et Al have been on the main road just outside Sturminster Newton for almost 20 years - and yet, locals still stop by for the first time, surprised at what they find inside...

Christmas at Olives Et Al has long been something of a secret one stumbles across. Having been slap bang next to the A357 just outside of Sturminster Newton for nearly 20 years, the most heard saying the first time people visit is, “I’ve been driving past for years and always meant to stop.” This is usually followed by, “Wow, I never expected you to have so much or for it to be so lovely.”

Stocked for the festivities Visit anytime in the run up to the Festive Season and you’ll be met by a truly wonderful

mix of local and British Brands along with a real eclectic mix of authentic continental favorites from Panettone to Amaretti Biscuits, Cheese to Charcuterie, Crackers and Biscuits as well as the entire Olives Et Al range of Olives, Antipasti, Sauce, Dressing and Snacks. You can even stop by daily for breakfast, lunch and a superb cup of coffee.

“I’ve only been with the business a short while but I can’t believe the amount of genuine love and affection I’ve experienced from customers for everything we do here since I’ve joined,” says Dani Morris a recently addition

to the team. “I really love seeing the faces on customers as they discover another treasure, or something they simply haven’t been able to find anywhere else.”

Hampers and foodie gifts for all The small but perfectly formed shop was a lifeline for many during the recent lockdowns and offered a local and nationwide delivery of all manner of groceries from yeast to loo roll, eggs to butter, bacon to cheese as well as all the normal Olives Et Al goodies. This has now developed into a superb range of hampers and gift bundles comprising not just Olives Et Al products but selected from everything else this fantastic little Deli on seeming steroids has to offer.

8ish to 5ish Open Monday to Saturday – as they say: 8ish to 5ish with Late Night Shopping until 8pm every Wednesday in the run up to Christmas.

See you there!

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POLITICS

The Christmas Gift Guide Most of us like the idea of shopping locally – but it’s often not as easy as logging into Amazon. We know. But if we each buy JUST ONE CHRISTMAS GIFT from independent businesses this year, we’ll reallocate a vital £2.7 billion between us*.

So we’re glad to bring back our Shop Local Christmas Gift Guide – where you can find some of the fantastic small businesses, crafters and entrepreneurs we have right on our doorstep.

Whether you want a ‘forever’ piece of jewellery, a sweet treat or a festive decoration for your home – it is possible to buy them from local traders who live near you! And when you buy from a small business, you’ll often end up with an item that’s unique, made with love, and shows the person you’re buying for that you’ve put lots of thought into their present.

Plus, when we support a local business, we’re helping our local economy and making where we live a better place, too. So, here’s our guide to some of the local businesses who can help you put the best ever gifts under the tree this year.

"For every £1 spent with a small business 63p stays in the local community" Clare Rayner *Finder Christmas Spending Stats 2021

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ADVERTORIAL

Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park is putting on the BIGGEST Christmas event they’ve ever done in 2021!

The whole farm gets a fabulous festive makeover by the top team of Elves and right in the middle of the park; the enchanted ‘Christmas Experience Barn’ takes centre stage.

Dorset’s number one attraction for children aged 0-8 will be a wonderful winter wonderland of excitement and entertainment for little ones.

Meet Mrs Claus, the snow fairy, donkeys and the main man in red, the one and only, Mr ‘Farmer Christmas’! And it wouldn’t be Christmas without a few extra surprises...

There are adorable animals to meet, bouncy bumpy tractor rides, buckets full of indoor and outdoor play and a warm welcome from the friendliest

team in Dorset! The Hen House restaurant serves delicious homecooking, with the most tempting cakes and biscuits! Join us for breakfast, and lunch, or a roast dinner with all the trimmings on Sundays.

December opening times Come and enjoy a truly magical atmosphere - the ‘Farmer Christmas Experience’ is running 11th – 23rd December, with additional Twilight Events from 20th – 23rd (see ad below for further details).

DAY BIRTH TY S PARA GE PACKILABLE AVA

Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park is open Wednesday to Sunday the first week of December (then 7 days a week in December, until 23rd inclusive).

Please check out our latest news article for everything Farmer Palmer’s has to offer you and your family this festive season.

We can’t wait to see ‘ewe’!

All visits to Farmer Palmer’s MUST be prebooked online, book early to avoid disappointment. Safety and comfort will always remain a priority, and in the event of a lockdown all pre-booked event tickets will be refunded.

OP N EVERYED AY Open ti ll 23rd Dec* Reopen 15th Ja n7 days a week

GIVE AN ORIGINAL GIFT OF FUN THIS YEAR

One that shows how much you really care

NEW ONLINE GIFT VOUCHERS

MOO MONEY GIFT VOUCHERS

Can be redeemed towards online admission bookings for 2022

Can be bought via our SHOP and redeemed towards gifts, food and more

For anyone visiting more than 5 times a year, Farmer Palmer’s Annual Passes are a baaargain!

bookings.farmerpalmers.co.uk

shop.farmerpalmers.co.uk

bookings.farmerpalmers.co.uk

ANNUAL PASSES

GREAT FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENT IDEAS, BIRTHDAYS OR SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES SOME JOY!

www.farmerpalmers.co.uk

* Hours Vary in Dec

email. shop@farmerpalmers.co.uk 97 622022 Wareham Road, Organford, Poole, BH16 6EU - 01202

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READER’S PHOTOGRAPHY

Blue Tit Sharon Towning

The rickety bridge, Shapwick Nature Reserve Nicholas Allan-Innes

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READER’S PHOTOGRAPHY

Crawford Bridge, Spetisbury Meyrick Griffith-Jones

We welcome photography submissions from readers - the only rule is that they must have been taken locally in the last month. Our cover shot is usually selected from our submissions pile each month.

If you’d like to join in, please either use #BVPhoto and tag us on Instagram (@ theblackmorevale), share it in our Facebook Group, or simply email it to photos@ theblackmorevale.co.uk.

Badbury Rings and the final autumnal show - Benn Churchill

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READER’S PHOTOGRAPHY Steam train coming in to Gillingham - Phil Cutler

Sunrise on West Moors Andy Pattenden Deadman’s fingers on a dead Oak tree - Marilyn Peddle

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Fluffed-up Dunnock Marilyn Peddle

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Robin Adam Pakenham

Wimborne Minster from Eye Bridge Paul Waterkeyn 103

by Rob Nolan

NIGHT SKY THIS MONTH

The Seven Sisters

Find RPN Photography on Facebook here

There have been so few clear nights this past month, Astrophotography is becoming a challenging task! Hopefully as the temperatures continue to drop we’ll be treated to some very crisp clear, albeit cold, nights.

I didn’t have much time to capture this month’s image, and it’s another well-known object in the night sky. The Pleiades (Messier 45), also known as the Seven Sisters is an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot B-type stars in the north-west of the constellation Taurus. It is among the star clusters nearest to Earth, it is the nearest Messier object to Earth, and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky.

17th Century stargazing The cluster is dominated by hot blue and luminous stars that have formed within the last 100 million years. Reflection nebulae around the brightest stars were once thought to be left over

material from their formation, but are now considered likely to be an unrelated dust cloud in the interstellar medium through which the stars are currently passing.

Galileo Galilei was the first astronomer to view the Pleiades through a telescope.

He discovered that the cluster contained many stars too dim to be seen with the naked eye.

He published his observations, including a sketch of the Pleiades showing 36 stars, in his treatise (Pamphlet) Sidereus Nuncius in March 1610.

A marmite effect This image was taken using a Skywatcher 200 PDS Newtonian Reflector Telescope

and dedicated Cooled Astro Camera with 2 ½ hours of total integration time during November.

The diffraction spikes (that ‘Christmas star’ effect) created by the brightest stars are the result of the design of a Newtonian reflector telescope.

The secondary mirror of the telescope is mounted on the front of the scope with 4 spider veins. As light passes through the tube, the spider veins cause the diffraction spikes seen in the image.

A bit like marmite, some Astronomers love the effect of diffraction spikes, others not so much! If you don’t want to have diffraction spikes in your images, stick to Refractor telescopes!

The Night Sky, December - what to see this month: As the year draws to an end, the planets of our solar system line up for a final parade, set to a backdrop of some brilliant winter constellations and a final meteor shower to top off proceedings.

The Hunter Orion (The Hunter) is a personal favourite constellation of mine and is now in full view above the horizon from around 9pm looking east and moving south as the night draws on. The stars that make up Orion’s Belt are some of the easiest to identify in the night sky.

The Goddess of Love On the 6th, find the crescent moon and then look towards the upper right to spot brilliant Venus, often best viewed during twilight, just after sunset.

Viewing Venus during twilight with a telescope may reveal the details of this extraordinary 104

world, including dense clouds within its 98% carbon dioxide atmosphere. It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, a fitting description for the brightest natural object in Earth’s night sky after the Moon.

On the 7th December, Venus reaches the brightest it will be this year, look towards the south-west after sunset.

The planets Jupiter, Saturn and Venus hang around the moon over the course of the 8th and 9th.

Meteor shower On the night of the 13/14, the Geminids meteor shower will put on a display, clouds permitting!

The debris that causes this celestial event is in fact debris from the asteroid Phaethon, rather than from the traditional comets.

On the 17th of December, the star Aldebaran and the

Hyades star cluster lie to the right of the moon. Although, they are actually unrelated with Aldebaran being 65 light years away and Hyades about 2 ½ times further away, this is what’s known as ‘line-of-sight coincidence’.

The Winter Solstice shortest day and night greets us on the 21st December at 15:59 pm.

On the 31st of December at 7am low in the south-east, catch a glimpse of Mars close to the narrow crescent Moon.

And that brings our Night Sky of 2021 to a close.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the column and the images that I’ve shared this year! All that remains is to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and New Year, and I hope Santa brings you a telescope so that you can observe the night sky in all its glory from where you are. Until next year, clear skies!

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ART

by Edwina Baines edwina@theblackmorevale.co.uk Olivia Clifton-Bligh against a backdrop of images showing the casting process image: Edwina Baines

In the studio with Olivia Clifton-Bligh Edwina has been talking with resident sculptor and bazaar organiser Olivia Clifton-Bligh - not only a sculptor working in bronze, paper, wax and clay but also a printmaker specialising in linocut and woodcut techniques. She studied Art and Art History at Goldsmiths’ College and has work exhibited in London and throughout the UK. When married and with a baby due, the family moved out of London and Olivia took her portfolio to Longleat House.

Here she was successfully interviewed by the late Lord Bath, who chose all the artists for the hub at Bull Mill Arts, near Warminster. He was interested in fine art, so had very specific parameters: he was insistent that each artist was a professional and able to live by their work.

Consequently Olivia has been a resident artist at Bull Mill Arts for nearly twenty-one years.

“The lion has a beautiful silver gilded Queen bee on his tongue and a honeycomb-crafted mouth” image: Edwina Baines

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Her sketch books are filled with the flora and fauna of the surrounding landscape: the valley water meadows, ancient woodland, open downland and historic parkland. These notebooks have become her zoographical and narrative reference library for studio work.

Telling the Bees In the studio space, I could not help but be drawn to the huge bronze sculpture of a lion, the title of which, Olivia explained, was Bee Speaker. Olivia’s

husband is a bee keeper and they keep three hives in the garden. However, the honey is not harvested - rather the bees are kept as pets. The lion has a beautiful silver gilded Queen bee on his tongue and a honeycombcrafted mouth.

‘Telling the Bees’ is an old bee keeping tradition: in days gone by the Speaker’s role was to knock on the hive and inform the bees of the important events of the day. If the custom was omitted or forgotten and the bees were not ‘put into mourning’ then it was believed a penalty would be paid: the bees might leave their hive, or stop producing honey - or even die.

Olivia is drawn to such stories associated with the environment and her sculptures each have a fascinating tale to tell. The lion started life as paper pulp and cardboard over a robust metal and wire armature before the casting process could begin.

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‘Bee Speaker’ Telling the Bees is an old bee keeping tradition: in days gone by the Speaker’s role was to knock on the hive and inform the bees of the important events of the day. image: Edwina Baines

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ART start off with a clear idea of the story but not always an exact idea of what it looks like.”

The Christmas Bazaar We are all now increasingly aware that, whilst still embracing the spirit of giving, we need to be conscious of the environmental impact of our seasonal excess.

It is more important than ever to buy high quality, unique, handmade Christmas presents.

Bull Mill Arts Bazaar began ten years ago, and Olivia organises, stewards and curates the event herself. This year it runs Saturday 4th December to Sunday 12th December, and includes twenty-five guest artisans alongside the nine resident artists; ‘brimful with gorgeous hand-crafted goods from contemporary sculpture and ceramics, to handsome homeware and inspiring interiors, exquisite accessories and festive whimsy.’

Olivia will have on sale her own stunning limited edition linocut prints based on the ancient calendar known as the Irish tree Ogham - a lunar calendar and Celtic Tree Alphabet. Each print is hand burnished using stone, bone, silver and sheepskin barens and individually illuminated with shellac lacquer and gold or copper leaf.

‘I am the shining tear of the sun’ (see below) shows the alder tree with the Celtic crow deity Bran in the third lunar month of the year when the alder branches are still bare of leaves but the new little cones and catkins have already formed.

Eco-conscious makers Olivia is also keen to celebrate and support fine craft and local makers, inviting new and returning artists including potters, printmakers, blacksmiths and hatters.

“I enjoy sharing the space with other artists who are really good at what they do. It’s more of a 108

by Edwina Baines edwina@theblackmorevale.co.uk

pop-up show - People say it’s like walking into Aladdin’s cave.

I want people to feel they could buy a Christmas present for every member of their family.

This year more than ever, I have tried to incorporate people with environmentally friendly credentials.”

These include Organic Bulbs with a collection of bee friendly flower bulbs and Earthsong Seeds, who sell medicinal herbal seeds with health-giving potential in the tradition of the home apothecary. Other artists are encouraged to consider their carbon footprint: Under the Stairs design, print and sew a small range of home textiles, using non toxic inks, organic fabrics and packaging.

Olivia also likes to include some charitable associations and Chris Lock, the Wiltshire photographer will be selling his 2022 calendars: all proceeds from sales will be donated to Hope and Homes for Children. One neighbour even makes unusual jams for the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital.

Springhead for Christmas Another local exhibition (3rd to 5th December) is the ‘Garden of Delights’ Christmas sale at beautiful Springhead, Fontmell Magna. Created twenty years ago by Julie Byngham, local folk artist and Lucy Yarwood, potter, they sell their work directly to their customers but like Olivia also invite other local craftspeople.This year artists will be selling an eclectic mix of jewellery, metal garden sculpture, stained glass, pottery, prints, textiles, photography, glassware, decorations and much more.

Both of these excellent exhibitions are free to enter and promise to be full of gifts for the perfect Festive celebration.

Unless you’re one of those organised people who have done your Christmas shopping

by Halloween, the sudden realisation that we are only a few weeks from Christmas can send us into a flat spin.

Why not think out of the box a little this year?

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HEALTH

Are you SAD?

Studies have shown 29% adults experience symptoms of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) at this time of year. Dee Swinton from Dorset MIND has some suggestions on staying positive in the darker season.

SAD is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health most of the year exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year. Usually, it’s more common in the winter months, when we experience dark nights and gloomy days.

The causes are still not clear, but there is evidence to suggest reduced sunlight exposure makes us have a decrease in serotonin levels and a lack of vitamin D. It can also increase the production of melatonin, which makes you sleepier. These can result in depressive feelings and low mood.

Symptoms of SAD range in severity, and can include: • Low energy • Anxiety • Low self-esteem and not wanting to see people • Changes in appetite; usually eating more and craving carbohydrates • Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions • Feelings of hopelessness and at extreme, suicidal thoughts Here’s our advice for helping you stay positive during the winter months:

Get Active – Any movement can boost serotonin, endorphins and other feel-good chemicals in your brain. These will help lift your mood and sleep better, plus look after your physical health.

Build exercise into your day if you can, and if you’re able to get outside, you’ll benefit from exposure to vitamin D too!

Connect – Speak to your family and friends, this is a key step of the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

Reduce your isolation by reaching out and make sure you interact with people regularly – not just via your phone.

Eat Well – For a season that’s known for over-indulgence, we encourage you to get a variety of fruit and vegetables into your diet each day. Eating sugary or processed foods will affect your energy and mood swings.

A balanced nutritious diet is essential for maintaining a positive mood and avoiding lows.

Don’t forget to hydrate regularly too.

Combat Stress – A build up of stress can tip over into a crisis and/or burnout, which should be

avoided where possible. Focus on what you can control, break tasks down into manageable chunks - and seek help if you need it. Relaxation techniques are all beneficial for your wellbeing.

Create Joy – Bring some joy into your life every day if you can.

Incorporate more of the things you enjoy doing and it will help keep your stress levels under control.

Treatment and support Always seek the advice of your GP as your first step. SAD itself has a choice of ways to help treat it; Light therapy exposes you to bright lights that mimic outdoor light, talking therapies can help, as can medication and social prescription solutions such as eco-therapy. Your doctor will recommend the best option for you.

Dorset Mind offers low-cost online counselling across Dorset and ecotherapy as part of a range of 1-2-1 and group support for adults.

Find out more by visiting: https://bit.ly/DMHelpSupport 109

by Karen Geary, a Registered Nutritional Therapist DipION, mBANT, CNHC at Amplify

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ways to enjoy the festive season without feeling guilty

Oddly, Christmas dinner is probably one of the healthiest meals we eat all year – mainly because it’s made from scratch, contains highly nutritious ingredients and the plate is piled high with veggies. But what about the rest of the holiday? Opposite is Karen Geary’s guide to navigating the best of the festive season without feeling guilty.

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TO EAT / DO

At mealtimes Always ensure there is a good quality protein source (animal or plant-based) on your plate with each meal to keep you fuller for longer and help control your appetite.

Make veggies the star of the dish – ideally half the plate.

The buffet.

Go for the ‘real foods’ – meat, cheese, crudités fruits, nuts.

If you are asking people to bring something, make suggestions, so you don’t end up with five Christmas cakes Snacking If you stick to three meals a day, no snacks - this is the absolute best way to survive the festive season. ‘Rest and digest’ is really important for your gut health, for balancing blood sugar and maintaining weight. If you do snack, go for the plain nuts and satsumas.

How hungry are you?

Chew slowly. The pace at which you chew your food can make a massive impact on how much you consume. It’s also a good way to appreciate how much time, effort and love has gone into the preparation.

BE AWARE At mealtimes Limit the starchy carbs. A couple of roast potatoes is probably fine – think half a cup of carbs so you don’t end up in a food coma.

The buffet Pastry and refined carbs in moderation.

Especially the stuff that has been bought in packets. Don’t deny the host your appreciation of their home made sausage roll though!

Snacking Those chocolates in those big tins are hard to avoid once you start... just sayin'...

How hungry are you?

Check in with your hunger before you eat.

How do you want to feel at the end of your meal? Satisfied or stuffed?

At the bar White spirits are the low sugar choice - vodka and soda or a gin martini, followed by unsweetened dark spirits, then wine (red is lowest in sugar), beer (stout is lowest in sugar) and then cider (dry is lowest in sugar).

At the bar Mind how you go with the cocktails, even the alcohol free ones – especially those with lots of syrupy add-ins. I’m talking about you, espresso martini.

If you are the chef, don’t have a drink until you have served up – that way you don’t get frazzled.

Drink Up Drink water! It plays a part in regulating your appetite, so make sure you drink plenty during the day.

Drink Up Make sure you drink your planned water intake for the day by putting it in a jug or bottle and note the times you should be refilling.

No diet talk Lead from the front in setting boundaries when people start talking about diets and other people’s food plates. Saying “I’m not looking for feedback on my plate” whilst taking a big bite of your roast potato with direct eye contact normally does the trick.

Starting the day Try and grab a few minutes for yourself without the noises and distraction. A coffee in silence or even meditation or a few minutes of deep breathing. Make sure you get some ‘me time’.

No diet talk Don’t talk about dieting or weight – especially in front of the kids. And don’t comment on their food choices either.

Starting the day Stay off social media and don’t watch the news. You know you are not missing anything.

We are what we consume.

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by Mel Mitchell

HEALTH

Mel Mitchell is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor & sports massage therapist based in Sturminster Newton.

How to actually enjoy some exercise at Christmas!

A home-based workout routine that is fun and allows guilt-free drinking and eating is explained by personal trainer Mel Mitchell

This time of year, it is far too tempting to curl up in front of a fire with a mince pie and a glass of wine rather than enjoy a good workout.

With the festive season fast approaching I thought I would share ways to keep active during the Christmas period.

This time of year often sees a change in our normal routine particularly with fitness classes, as instructors and gyms generally take a break.

I love my food - one of the reasons I exercise is so I can eat what I want. Christmas is of course no exception! This time of year is all about spending valuable time with those that you love, eating, drinking and being merry.

home? See the box below for a brilliant seasonal circuit instead!

Always happy to answer your questions - send them to me on melmitchellmassage@gmail.com

Your 12 days of Christmas home workout

Why not try this 12 days of Christmas bodyweight workout special. It is based on the song Twelve Days of Christmas; on the first day of Christmas my trainer gave to me… one burpee. On the second day of Christmas my trainer gave to meeeee... two lunges and a burpee… and so on.

1. Burpee Christmas exercise - make it fun 2. Lunges It has become a tradition for me to go out for a 3. Press - ups run on Christmas morning, mostly so I can eat and 4. Sit Ups drink guilt-free but also to clear the head and get 5. Squats some much needed fresh air. This doesn’t mean 6. Plank Shoulder Taps that you all have to go out for a run (unless of 7. Leg Lowers course you want to!). You could incorporate family 8. Lateral Lunges time with going out for a walk or bike ride together.

9. Tricep Dips Bring the kids, dogs if you have any, and go 10. Mountain Climbers explore. Exercise during the festive period doesn’t 11. Touchdowns have to be a chore. Family games such as Twister 12. Supermans or computer games such as ‘Just Dance’ incorporate movement but add the element of fun and family All exercises can be modified to all abilities so why bonding. not give it ago at some point during the holidays.

I personally love a circuit or high intensity workout If you want any clarification on the exercises feel but don’t have any weights or gym equipment at free to get in touch!

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PUZZLES

Crossword

Jigsaw

Simply click to complete on your tablet, computer or phone - or there’s a download option if you prefer pen and paper.

Sherborne Abbey.

Just click the picture to complete the jigsaw

(you can choose a different number of pieces - make it harder or easier, it’s up to you!).

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Twelve Top Tips to avoid a Christmas Debt Hangover A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips.

This Month: How to avoid a nasty January bill fest.

Christmas is a time of giving, but you don’t want to give yourself a headache in the New Year with bills and debts you can’t afford.

It’s all too easy to overspend – but you must decide how much you can afford before you start spending. Planning, budgeting and organisation are key to avoid getting into debt. If your spending runs out of control at Christmas, debt can easily become a way of life. If you do get into difficulties, get advice as soon as you can from your local Citizens Advice Bureau (0800 144 8848) or from another free confidential debt advisory service such as Stepchange or National Debtline.

Here are our top tips for avoiding a Christmas debt hangover: 1. Plan early for Christmas.

Be realistic and budget accordingly. Manage expectations as to what you or Santa can give and try to resist pressure to spend more than you can afford.

You won’t enjoy the day if you are worrying about how much you owe.

2. Work out how much you are going to spend on each person and stick to it. Agree with family in advance limits on the amount to be spent on each other; some only buy gifts for the children, make gifts, or choose a ‘family day out’ instead of buying

expensive presents.

3. Don’t forget the everyday bills; rent, mortgage, utilities, food and other existing debts still have to be paid – and the consequences can be severe if you slip behind.

It’s Christmas, but get your priorities right.

4. If you do need more money, don’t just run up an overdraft without talking to your bank first – it will work out much more expensive. Try to avoid taking out a short-term pay day loan - the interest rates can be extortionate.

5. Keep things simple. If you can afford to pay for your goods outright by cash, cheque, or debit card, don’t be persuaded to take out credit agreements unless they really do work out cheaper 6. Shop around to find the best price. Buy what you want and not what other people say you need.

7. Be wary of extended warranties. The cost of a repair could be less than the cost of the warranty.

8. Buy safe to be safe. Whatever the deal, whatever the temptation, don’t buy from unauthorised traders and don’t borrow from unauthorised lenders. Take care with internet purchases, especially from online market places.

9. Read the small print. Check for hidden extras in any credit agreement. Work out the total amount payable.

Ensure that the monthly instalments are within your budget before signing.

Interest free credit can seem attractive, but if you don’t pay on time, or miss a payment, you could have to pay a lot more.

10. Do your own credit checks.

If you are going to use a credit card, shop around and compare terms. Some cards charge high interest rates, but provide interest free periods or discounts. Budget for all these costs and put the payment dates in your diary 11. Be organised. There’s a lot to remember at Christmas.

If you’ve borrowed money don’t forget that it won’t be long before you have to make a payment. Make sure you pay on time, even if it is only the minimum, or you will be faced with additional charges.

12. Start planning and saving for next Christmas. Once Christmas is over, it’s worth looking at what you did well and what you didn’t. Learn from your mistakes and start planning how you will do things differently next year.

This might also be a good time to start saving for next Christmas.

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FAMILY LAW

Simple online Wills surge due to Covid-19 - are they risky?

Is filling out a form online a good alternative to the traditional way of drafting a Will? We asked Lucy Mignot, Senior Associate and specialist in probate and trust disputes for her views.

The use of online Wills has surged in the last year, but online Wills rarely cover all situations, leaving individuals and estates vulnerable to future claims, says Lucy Mignot: “DIY Wills are a false economy; testators may save money initially, but their estate could be eaten up after death by litigation, or an unnecessary tax bill. With DIY Wills it is very easy to get the formalities wrong and end up with an invalid Will. This means the estate passes according to the previous Will, or the intestacy rules, potentially passing to different beneficiaries to those intended, or even to the state.

Errors in a Will cannot be easily rectified - if at all.

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Another issue with DIY Wills is that, often, testators don’t consider what they want to happen if their intended beneficiaries predecease them.

Again, this can lead to a result contrary to that intended.

Ambiguity in a Will is a real problem in a DIY Will. Where a term is ambiguous, this may have to be resolved by an expensive court application.

Doing the work As someone who handles disputed Wills, I cannot stress enough the benefit of a file of papers relating to the preparation of a Will. These can provide evidence needed to avoid claims

based on lack of capacity, undue influence etc. They often also record the reasoning behind a testator’s decisions. That can be enough to prevent a dispute.

In many cases involving homemade Wills, testators have thought about what it is they want to achieve but sadly lacked the technical legal knowledge to put their wishes into place effectively.

This can result in significant costs being paid from the estate and a lot of stress for the family, even where there is no dispute between the family members.”

For contentious matters relating to Wills, Lucy Mignot can be contacted on lucy.mignot@blanchardsbailey. co.uk or 01305 217303.

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FAMILY LAW

To have a Trust... or just to trust.

A relationship breaking apart is painful - but when you own a property together, life becomes more complicated says Karen at Porter Dodson LLP

Life’s complicated.

Instructing a solicitor shouldn’t be

Everything is in place. Your offer has been accepted on the house of your dreams; the mortgage has been approved; and you have instructed your conveyancing solicitor. You are buying with your partner; you are contributing more towards the deposit, but that doesn’t matter, you trust each other.

What happens if living together isn’t quite a perfect as you had imagined, the relationship breaks down and one party wishes to realise their interest in the property?

Co-owners get equal shares The starting point with regards to legal ownership will always be the legal title, which is recorded at the Land Registry. Co-owners are usually entitled to joint and equal shares in the property, unless a clear contrary intention can be shown.

This situation often leads to disputes, so much future upset could be saved by simply entering into a Declaration of Trust at the outset.

A Declaration of Trust is a legal document which sets out the financial arrangements between people who have an interest in a property. The premise for the document is that it provides legal certainty surrounding property ownership and entitlement, which may vary from what is recorded at the Land Registry.

The Declaration of Trust is drafted specifically for your requirements, it will record the arrangements surrounding contributions, mortgages, intentions, income, repairs, insurance, any indemnities and how the net sale proceeds should be divided on any future sale.

The Declaration of Trust is legally binding. This means the contract cannot be changed unless both parties agree, in which case amendments can be made. Ideally, a Declaration of Trust should be set up alongside the purchase of the property, but it is also possible to prepare one after completion.

If you would like to discuss the possibility of entering into a Declaration of Trust, please contact Karen Watts on 01308 555639 or karen.watts@porterdodson.co.uk.

We’re all about listening, understanding and advising Whatever you require, we will advise you with clarity and efficiency, offer value for money and an unparalleled level of legal advice.

Contact Karen Watts in our Bridport office on 01308 555639 to discuss your matrimonial and family matters.

We can also help with: • Wills and LPAs

• Employment law

• Conveyancing

• Dispute resolution

• Trusts

• Commercial property

• Funding care

• Corporate commercial

info@porterdodson.co.uk www.porterdodson.co.uk 117

BUSINESS NEWS

Who’s taking care of the boss?

As we reflect on the year gone by, the importance of positive mental health has really been put on the agenda, reflects Dorset Chamber’s CEO Ian Girling Mental Health is an issue we take seriously, and one which we need to consider in the workplace.

The statistics around mental health are worrying: • 1 in 4 adults will experience some form of mental illness in any given year • 40% of new or longstanding work-related illnesses are caused by stress, depression and anxiety • we lose over 12 million working days per year to this • 300,000 people with a longterm mental health problem lose their jobs each year.

Studies also show that an investment of £1 on training in this area should provide a benefit to the value of £10 to a business.

What about the boss?

In business, management will often focus on the mental health and wellbeing of our teams. A question I am asking businesses is who’s taking care of the boss?

Business owners and leaders are often isolated and carry huge responsibility.

The stresses and strains of running a business are significant, and we should not overlook the welfare of the boss.

It’s rare we ask how the boss is.

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Got Your Six and sharing experiences and To support the mental health feelings we can all relate to and wellbeing of bosses across and, importantly, strategies for Dorset, we’ve developed a project managing these pressures. called Got Your Six (GU6) (named after a term used by WW2 fighter It’s ok to not be ok pilots where they protected It was an inspiring, incredibly the ‘backs’ of fellow pilots in human and levelling event. We formation, at the were all surprisingly vulnerable rear ‘six open, and it was It was an o’clock’ position). great to find that inspiring, Essentially we are sometimes it’s ok incredibly building a bank of not to feel ok. I’m so GU6 Champions who very proud of this human and are qualified mental levelling event. initiative, and the fact health ‘first aiders’ that it has received and there for businesses owners huge support from the business and leaders to reach out to at any community. time. We’ve had a huge response If you’d like to find out more or and the project has been met reach out to us, please contact with great support.

Xanthe on Xanthe.grace@ dorsetchamber.co.uk.

Sharing the load And of course thanks to our Within GU6 and through our sponsors and partners Lester events, we are building a neutral, Aldridge, Dorset Mind and Ouch non-commercially driven, nonTraining. You can see more judgmental confidential hub information at dorsetchamber. where we can talk and discuss co.uk/gu6-dorset our challenges with other empathetic business leaders in Finally I’d like to wish you and order to gain clarity, respite, and your families and very happy control over issues that may be and peaceful Christmas and a affecting us. wonderful New Year. Here’s to a Our first event, the first of its much better year to us all. kind by any Chamber, was a huge Ian success, with many business leaders coming together

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Solicitors

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all at Battens Solicitors!

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0800 652 8373 | enquiries@battens.co.uk | www.battens.co.uk

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CONTACT Old Market Hill Sturminster Newton DT10 1FH 01258 475137

www.sturexchange.co.uk @ExchangeDorset Facebook.com/Stur Exchange

Living Spit's The Nativity

Radio Gaga

A cornucopia of Christmassy comedy

The Ultimate Queen Tribute

Wed 08 December, 7:30pm Tickets £14/ £13 conc

Sat 29th January, 7:30pm Tickets £21.50

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Fri 10 & Sat 11 December, 7:30pm

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One of the most accomplished mountaineers of all time Tickets £16/ £15 conc

Greatest Songs From the Movies Sat 22nd January, 7:30pm

An unforgettable mix of themes and songs 123 Tickets £17/£16 conc

WHAT’S ON

by Gay Pirrie-Weir

Shouting “it’s behind you” to the worst of the pandemic... or are we?

Pantomime is traditionally a Christmas entertainment, but you could be forgiven for thinking that the whole of the past 21 months has been a bit of a panto, with mistaken identities, inflated promises and false starts.

Unless some new news of fresh variants with their vividly coloured spikes emerges, and the governmental response is more cautious than populist, all is set for a return to (almost) normal on the Christmas show front, with our local theatres preparing for the happy shouts of “It’s behind you” and “O no it isn’t” ringing out from children and their adults.

The shows that finance the rest of the theatrical year are in rehearsal, and celebrities, TV stars and local favourites are preparing to meet their public in the ever popular stories with their heroes, villains, knockabout comics and time-honoured slapstick routines, peppered with current pop songs and snatched dance video moments.

Across our area there are shows to suit most tastes, from the traditional to the quirkily modern. Expect jokes about PCR tests, bumbling brokers men called Track and Trace, and (hopefully) badly-thatched, pompously blustering landowners promising the moon and demanding obedience and adulation.

There are few things more heartening than to

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watch a child’s face at their first pantomime, where the magic comes to life at the same time as they are encouraged to shout, squeal and join in the fun.

Theatres across Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire have devised an exciting menu of shows for all the family: Yeovil’s Octagon Audiences are delighted that three of the venue’s favourite panto stars are back on stage for Mother Goose, which runs from 3rd December to 2nd January. Gordon Cooper, Jack Glanville and Lizzie Frances star in Paul Hendy’s new version of the story of the woman who was so worried about how she looked that she (almost) lost all her friends. But it’s a pantomime and that means we all live happily ever after.

Weymouth Pavilion From 11th December to 2nd January, audiences will get taken for a ride – on Aladdin’s magic carpet from Old Peking. Our hero escapes the clutches of

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by Gay Pirrie-Weir

his wicked uncle Abanazar and rubs the magic lamp, but all is not well until the very end of the show, when riches and happiness come to him and his mother, the redoubtable Widow Twankey.

WHAT’S ON

Bath This holiday season you can see the all-time favourite show Cinderella in the beautiful Theatre Royal from 16th December to 9th January.

Or for the younger audience, Five Children and It is in the Egg, the adjoining children’s performance space, from 10th December to 16th January.

Grown-ups might like the spoof comedy A Christmas Getaway in the Ustinov Studio, a brand new seasonal story by New Old Friends.

Bristol The Old Vic has the Wardrobe Ensemble’s version of Robin Hood, on now until 8th January. As always, the city’s “alternative” show is at the Tobacco Factory. OZ, a new look at Dorothy and the yellow brick road, is on stage from 10th December to 16th January.

Bournemouth Pavilion Peter Pan runs from 4th December to 2nd January.

Noel Brodie is back for his seventh season, and joined by Shaun Williamson (Eastender’s Barrie) as Hook, David Ribi in the title role, Sarah Jane Buckley as Mrs Darling and Holly Atterton as Tinkerbell.

Poole Beauty and the Beast is the Lighthouse’s first ‘home grown’ production in many years, and is based on the brilliant Andrew Pollard show that started life in Salisbury in 2018, with a few “Poole” tweaks. It stars Michelle Collins, Chris Jarvis, and Wade Lewin, (who was in Bridgerton) as the Beast. It’s on from 9th to 31st December.

Wimborne Tivoli Sleeping Beauty runs from 17th December to 2nd January, stars Alex Anstey, Chris Casey, Courtney Jackson, Tegen Jones and Sophie Lee-Stevens.

If it’s big names you crave, travel further for Joe Pasquale as Wishee Washee in Aladdin at Plymouth, Lesley Joseph and Rob Rinder in Snow White at Bristol Hippodrome or Craig Revel Horwood in Cinderella at Southampton Mayflower.

Beauty and the Beast is Poole Lighthouse’s first ‘home grown’ production in many years, and stars Michelle Collins and Chris Jarvis.

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WHAT’S ON

Wincanton Town Festival of Lights shines a light on Sustainability.

An illuminating trail of light installations themed on sustainability, will be set in the gardens of the Greening the eARTh Gallery in Wincanton (formerly Clementina’s) and in additional locations through the town.

At this free event visitors will be invited to explore the grounds and gallery to view the installations whilst enjoying warm cider, hot chocolate and pizza and hearty stew, all sourced from local producers The events will featuring local

artists including Zac Greening, eARTh Vader, Fossil Optical and Jigantics to name but a few.

The Wincanton Town Festival of Lights launches on the 27th November and will be running from 5pm - 9pm on consecutive Saturdays - Saturday 27th

November, and 4th, 11th and 18th December.

The Greening the eARTh gallery, 7 High Street, Wincanton, BA9 9JN IG/ FB @wincantontownfestival Email | wincantontownfestival@ gmail.com

On the 11th December the wonderful Wassail and Tall Tails Theatre present ‘The Tale of the Charming Rat’.

by Nick White & Richard Young

Wassail and Tall Tails are delighted to bring their co-production to Wincanton Town Festival this December!

Asha has been invited to a party and it’s up to Cooper to get her there on time! Will he pull it off without getting caught by Rats All Folks Exterminators? Join in this epic adventure and help him along the way.

The Tale of the Charming Rat has been made possible with public funding from The National Lottery through Arts Council England.

A 25-minute retelling of the classic Cinderella story, t​ he free tickets can be booked here.

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WHAT’S ON

Best Ever Christmas Show 2021 Best Ever Christmas Show - the most popular Christmas show in Dorset - is BACK!! We missed you last year so we have a brand new adventure for 2021 - a fun pantomime for all the family!

The hugely successful Best Ever Christmas Show returns to the Minster Theatre, Allendale Centre, Wimborne this December.

See Father Christmas with his jolly Ho, Ho, Ho!, laugh at his naughty Elves, and keep the spirit of Christmas alive and exciting for everyone! There’ll be buckets full of laughter, plenty of audience participation - and a FREE ice cream for every child - so book your tickets and let Best Ever Christmas Show take you on a magical mystery ride into the world of Santa’s grotto!

Best Ever Christmas Show comes to the Allendale from 11th to 24th December 2021.

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MOZART AND A MIRACLE orchestral works performed on a quartet of historical instruments

SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER 7:30PM

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MOZART Symphony 35 in D major ‘Haffner’ HAYDN Symphony 102 ‘Miracle’

Friday Lunchtime Recitals 1.45PM

CHEAP STREET CHURCH (unless otherwise stated)

7th January - Soloists I

14th January - Soloists II 21st January - Strings

28th January - Singers 4th February - Brass

11th February - Woodwind 18th February - Pianists I

4th March - Chamber Music 11th March - Pianists II

18th March - Wind Band Recital, Big School Room, Sherborne School

This concert is funded by The Continuo Foundation Tickets: £10 at www.ticketsource.co.uk/pocketsinfonia or on the door (cash only)

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FREE ADMISSION | ALL ARE WELCOME

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Parking optional.

Chimney essential.

After an extraordinarily busy and successful year, we would like to wish all our clients, old and new, a relaxing and very happy festive break. Should you wish to discuss any of your housing matters or requirements in 2022, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Do call or pop into our Salisbury office.

41 Milford Street, Salisbury, SP1 2BP 01722 568382 | struttandparker.com

50 Strutt & Parker offices nationwide

Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or letting, we help you open the next chapter of your life.

With discerning service, intimate local knowledge and over 100 years of bringing the best of the UK to the world; your future is in safe hands.

Salisbury office 01722 568382 struttandparker.com

The company we keep speaks volumes. Let us help you begin your next chapter too.

Stoford Guide price £950,000 SOLD

Downton Guide price £1,200,000 SOLD

Chilmark Guide price £3,850,000

Hanging Langford Guide price £395,000

SOLD

SOLD

To list or not to list, that is the question

For this month’s property column Brad and Susie from Meyers are considering the myth that mid-winter is a bad time to list your property: As we move towards the Festive Season, most people are focussed on what to buy their loved ones for Christmas rather than buying a new home.

Majority of people assume that the housing market will go quiet during December. It’s what happens immediately after the Christmas lunch has been packed away however, that makes for a good house selling market.

could therefore be one of the best times to be advertising your house for sale.

In addition to that, the housing market continues to see record numbers of potential buyers for each house that comes to market and with the market continuing to be this competitive, having your house on the market, or better still, Under Offer, is a prerequisite for a happy ongoing house hunt.

December listing Some Agents won’t allow buyers History and the data crunchers, even to view a house if they are show that the month of not proceedable, and whilst December can be a great time getting your house on the market to start to market your home (as now might seem like an odd time long as you take to do it, actually it there will be photos without could be absolutely something in the the right time to your decorations!). region of 41 million do so if you are Rightmove, the biggest online visits to RightMove considering a move housing portal, between Boxing in the first part of claims that there next year.

Day and the New You need to get will be something in the region of Year: known as the ahead of the game 41m visits to their ‘Boxing Day Boom’ and put yourself in site between Boxing a good position to Day and the New Year; known as be able to ‘offer’ on that dream the ‘Boxing Day Boom’. house you fall in love with.

Potential buyers are at home, the festivities are largely over We are always here to help and and they take this quiet time in answer any questions you might the family calendar to see what have so feel free to get in touch. is out there on the market. This And in the meantime, if we don’t 144

meet you beforehand, we hope you have a wonderful Christmas everyone - and an even better new year.

Brad at Shaftesbury – 01747 352077 Susie at Blandford – 01258 690553

Top December tips • •

•

• •

Don’t miss out on your dream home because you are not proceedable when you spot it sellers will only take you seriously if you are ‘under offer’ and ready to go; you then make them ‘proceedable’ too Don’t look at a new potential house, offer on it, then retrospectively rush to get your own house on the market and sold. Post-Covid, it is essential to plan ahead, prepare your house for sale, get on the market and secure your own buyer before you start looking Take photos of your house without Christmas decorations You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by getting your house on the market now; 41m visits to Rightmove could have your perfect buyer right there!

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£140,000 North Fields, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2 bedroom Flat for sale

£600,000 Ham Lane, Sturminster Newton DT10 1JN 4 bedroom bungalow for sale

Wishing all our clients a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year £595,000 Wimborne Road, Blandford Forum, DT11 9HL 4 bedroom house for sale 145

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PRODUCTION SCHEDULE:

a beautiful stretch of coastal walk was marred two weeks ago by an argument with a snall stubby blackthorn bush - resulting in one punctured shin which swiftly became a seriously infected leg. Beware blackthorns everyone, they're not good for you!

Please do note the January date; we're taking a much-needed Christmas break!

Next Publication Date: 14th January Submission Deadline:

7th January Next Publication Dates:

4th February 4th March Further forwards - publication always first Friday of the month.

Copy booking deadline always the Friday prior to publishing

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Watching the red kites wheeling over the Cranborne Chase Image: Laura Hitchcock