The Blackmore Vale December 2020

Blackmore

Vale

THE DIGITAL ONE...

December '20

ISSN 2634-8810

The

cover image: The deliciously grumpy robin image was provided by Carl Bovis | https://www.carlbovis.com/

Letter From The Editor And so we made it - the final breaths of 2020. It's been one heck of a year, hasn't it?

And here we are inside our fourth edition (fifth if you count the Lockdown Supplement - and three nights of almost no sleep pulling it together tells me we definitely must count the Lockdown Supplement), and final one of 2020.

Yes, we know it's huge. Sorry. But it's so full of Good Things by Great People, please do grab a mug of tea and take your time to read all the way to the end.

Now, before you go any further, press play on the video above. Particularly if you're in Shaftesbury, Sherborne or the Winterbornes - there are special instructions for you in there. No, really.

We wanted to close up the year by a quick glance back at the haze of the last few months. Firstly, an enormous cheer of grateful thanks to all the people who bring you The Blackmore Vale. The magazine is still pulled together every month by just us two. Yet we have managed by luck, perseverance and sheer blatant flattery to surround ourselves with the most incredible, wise, generous, talented and fun group of people who quite literally make the whole thing possible.

Back in August when we started this journey we were filled with excitement and optimism - but we honestly never expected to be producing a 110+ page magazine by Christmas. If I'm honest, back then it felt like a lofty aspiration to plan for a Christmas special of 75 pages!

And of course, biggest thanks must go to you. Said so many times, but it is genuinely true; without you not only reading in your thousands, but also clicking, liking, sharing, writing in, chatting on Facebook, Tweeting mad nonsense (and cute animal pics) and generally being ace, we'd never have got this far, let alone be looking at a 2021 filled with plans, commitments and grand exciting things.

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas break - may it be a time of happiness and quiet contentment for you, and I hope each and every one of you gets to spend it with at least one loved one.

We're taking some much-needed time off, so our January issue will be a week late - see you then!

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COVID UPDATE

An open letter from

restrictions are bringing for us all. considered separately for each council, to support the decisionSeveral factors are considered making process. This would be when looking at the tier system, extremely difficult because of the it’s not just about our headline way that our health and care infection rates. The government system operate. We have a single Over the last few days, lots of also looks at the infection rate in integrated care system, spanning people have been asking us: Why older people, the impact on our both council areas. The acute has the government placed both care sector, and pressure on our hospitals each admit patients Dorset and Bournemouth, local hospitals - all of which from across the county, from both Christchurch and Poole Councils continue to be a concern in both council areas. We need to balance into Tier 2 restrictions? council areas. Taking into pressures in the hospital system account all of these measures, so NHS colleagues work as a We understand that many people it is our view that Dorset single system to make sure as will be frustrated and Council would still be placed much capacity as possible is disappointed by the decision into Tier 2 restrictions, even available in the right place at the about going into Tier 2. On public discounting the higher rates in right time. health grounds, we support the the BCP Council area. decision the government has We realise that there are many taken. This is based purely from Collectively across the county we other considerations affecting the perspective of the need to have a plan and roadmap to people's health and wellbeing as reduce our infection rates. Before reach Tier 1. To achieve further the pandemic continues. There is lockdown on 5 November, freedoms, we need to keep faith a real need to keep our local NHS infection rates were climbing in obeying the rules now. services from being overwhelmed. rapidly in both council areas. Both Stopping and limiting social To make sure we have the right areas were under Tier 1 measures mixing between households will level of critical care capacity, to and this was not enough to bring our infection rates down. If care for everyone who needs it, control the spread of the virus, we all continue to do that, as we consider it necessary to make which is passing mainly through hard as it is, we stand a good this tough decision now. Tier 2 is contact between households. chance of reaching the next the right decision now to secure a review on December 16 with a better chance of a more If we exited lockdown at our strong chance of a positive sustainable future and a return to current infection rates, then Tier 1 decision to move to Tier 1. If low COVID rates. restrictions would not be enough infection rates continue to fall, we to continue to bring rates down, can expect less pressure on our Please do your bit and help us to and we would risk having to go hospitals, and a falling infection stop the spread of COVID-19 in back into tougher measures. rate in our older population, all of Dorset.

Avoiding this potential yo-yo which will be crucial in how that situation is a more sensible decision is made.

Public Health Dorset course of action, although we We’ve also been asked whether appreciate the difficulties that the our hospitals could effectively be

“It’s incredibly frustrating and disappointing to be in Tier 2 rather than Tier 1. Currently the assessment is made looking at the data of the whole County rather than by Council area. If it were, North Dorset would be in Tier 1. I have spoken directly to the Health Minister to make the case that Dorset should be assessed according to council rather than County boundaries. I hope this will be the case when

the data is reviewed in mid December.

Despite the annoyance and frustration we are all feeling I would urge two things: first, we continue to obey the Rules as that’s the very best way to get us into Tier 1; and second when trying to answer the question “what benefit have we accrued by keeping our Covid figures low?” we reflect upon our low death rate and how resilient our

local health and council services have been.

As a Tory my Party’s deep instinct is to champion liberty and business. The fact that it is Tory Ministers who are making these incredibly difficult and finely balanced judgement calls should underline how serious the situation is.

Simon Hoare MP for North Dorset

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Creating a Culture of Kindness

by Rachael Rowe

“I’m so glad we pushed ahead with this project. It has meant that people can have a decent meal.”

Karen Rhys, Project Manager.

A giant catering jar of mixed pickle catches my eye as I walk into Vale Pantry in Sturminster Newton to see how it works.

“We get all sort of things delivered,” smiles Karen Rhys the project manager from behind an obligatory mask.

Today the shelves are laden with basics from pasta to chicken, frozen fish and fresh fruit but the preparation begins the day before when deliveries arrive. Karen explained: ”The delivery from Fareshare arrives each Wednesday and it’s like a giant jumble sale as the supplies are unloaded. We also Fruit and Vegetables are free and unlimited to all Vale Pantry members

Cllr Carole Jones & Karen Rhys in the Vale Pantry

get surplus items from local suppliers so it all avoids food waste.”

Vale Pantry is part of the Your Local Pantry network and is the UK's first rural one. In the first three weeks of opening, 131 members have signed up, and as I wait to talk to the team another enquiry comes in.

differs from a food bank in that it allows a person to select what they want instead of being given a free box of items, and is more like a shopping experience. The pantry is open twice a week on Thursday and Saturday.

There has been tremendous support locally from farmers, volunteers, business owners, and shops donating items.

There are 91 Local businessman John Romans families, and 225 and Spears Travel Centre have children; the Pantry allowed them to have the shop free until March. The pantry estimates they are rent even has someone who writes helping around 450 simple recipes. people in North Donations vary from Dorset. local businesses A member pays £4.50 a week dropping off surplus which allows them to select a bread, fruit and number of items from the shelves, working out at an vegetables to a farmer approximate value of £15-20. who made a batch of I notice the fruit and vegetables are free. There gooseberry jam. But are even items for people the kindness extends with food intolerances. It further than that.

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Councillor Carole Jones, another of the project team, explains:

struggling to pay bills but is also creating a community of volunteers who then get to know other people.

Cllr Jones looks moved as she relates another memorable encounter. “A husband and wife were skipping breakfast and lunch so they could feed their children. She told us 'what you have done has enabled us to sit down and eat together as a family'.”

”There was a lady whose car had broken down and she couldn’t get here. She told us she did not have the £4.50 for the week’s shopping. So we said we would just get her some things to help her. But someone else How can you help? in the back of the shop Vale Pantry are short of looked up and said household items such as washing powder and toiletries and would 'I’ll pay hers' ”.

There’s a real sense of the community coming together to support each other in small ways that make a big difference.

People wonder why local doctors at the Blackmore Vale Partnership are involved. Karen Rhys explains “A third of appointments at GP surgeries are not about medical problems. They relate to loneliness, food poverty, financial problems and other social issues.”

The pantry not only helps people

appreciate any donations. As these items tend not to go out of date, they are not generally 'surplus' in supermarkets, and they are expensive.

Cllr Jones specifically asked for items such as washing powder, toothpaste and toothbrushes, cleaning materials, and sanitary towels and tampons.

These basic items specifically are

in very short supply.

And if anyone is tired of looking at their lockdown stockpile of toilet rolls, they could easily be re-homed!

Financial donations are also welcome of course - the Pantry will use it to get extra supplies and potentially support people who really are in dire straits.

The Pantry is almost up to its first milestone of 150 members, and considering the next stage in its development which will depend on getting supplies.

It is a concerning sign of the times that the membership is almost full already. A lot of rural poverty is simply not as obvious as it is in cities.

But it’s the kindness to others that strikes me most about the Vale Pantry; an infectious kindness spreading through the community that is really powerful, and a catalyst for positive change.

As Cllr Jones says: “We give a lot of virtual hugs in here at the moment.”

To contact the Vale Pantry email thevalepantry@gmail. com or call 07968 348481 You can take donations to 35A Market Place (the old Spears Travels), Sturminster Newton.

To register as a member, or to offer your services as a volunteer, then simply click here (or use the contact details above)

Stocked shelves with an array of groceries in the Vale Pantry

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NEWS

Help keep children cosy this Christmas

by Laura Hitchcock also very welcome (we all know life feels just a little bit better with a new warm pair of pyjamas on - Ed)

If you’re not sure if your donations are in a good enough condition, Dorset Council are asking people to only give what you’d want to receive yourself.

Drop-off and pick-up points • Blandford Children’s Centre Black Lane, Blandford, DT11 8SW 01258 474036

Drop off: Fri 4, Mon 7 – Thu 10, 9:30am – 4pm Pick up: Mon 14 – Fri 18, 9:30am – 4pm

• Shaftesbury Children’s Centre Wincombe Lane. Shaftesbury, SP7 8PZ

01258 474036 Drop off: Fri 4, Mon 7 – Thu 10, 9:30am – 4pm Pick up: Mon 14 – Fri 18, 9:30am – 4pm

How it works: • Sherborne Children’s Centre

An appeal for children’s winter coats and warm pyjamas launches today to keep Dorset children cosy this Christmas.

2020 has been a tough year for so many people, and Dorset Council want to make it just a little bit better for children across Dorset.

So we are asking you for donations of new, or nearly new, winter coats and warm pyjamas that are suitable for ages 3-12yrs.

Coats and jackets in all shapes and sizes are welcome, although heavy-duty styles are the most needed, particularly if they’re weather-resistant.

Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children, Education, Skills and Early Help, said; “With winter drawing in we are asking residents to support Dorset’s children to help them stay warm and dry. Coats especially can be a significant cost for many families.”

New warm children’s pyjamas are

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There will be one week where people can drop off items, an isolation period for the clothing to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and then a week where families can simply drop in and pick up coats and pyjamas.

No checks, forms or prebooking – simply help where it’s needed.

“In rural areas there are less venues available for a drop off." added Beacon ward Cllr Jane Somper. "The Parish councils and church benefices have been brilliant in helping, allowing me to have a small space where people can drop off coats and pyjamas, I’m also happy to come and collect locally if people can’t get to venues - 07710 395359”

Tinney's Lane, Sherborne, DT9 3DY 01258 474036

Drop off: Fri 4, Mon 7 – Thu 10, 9:30am – 4pm Pick up: Mon 14 – Fri 18, 9:30am – 4pm

• Wimborne Children’s Centre Gordon Road, Wimborne Minster, Wimborne, BH21 2AP 01202 225710

Drop off: Fri 4, Mon 7 – Thu 10, 10am – 2pm Pick up: Mon 14 – Fri 18, 10am – 2pm

• Sutton Waldron St Bartholomew's Church Church Lane, DT11 8PB 07710 395359

Drop off: Fri 4, 9am – 4pm, Sat 5, 9am – 2pm, Mon 7 – Thu 10, 9am – 4pm Pick up: Mon 14 – Fri 18, 9am – 4pm, Sat 19, 9am – 2pm

• Friends of Stour Connect Stour View Close, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1JF

01258 471359 Drop off: Fri 4, Mon 7 – Thu 10, 8:30am – 4pm Pick up: Mon 14 – Fri 18, 8:30am – 4pm

• Iwerne Miinster St Mary's Church DT11 8QB

Drop off: Fri 4, Mon 7 – Thu 10, 9:30am – 4pm Pick up: Mon 14 – Fri 18, 9:30am – 4pm

Tributes to Ray Humphries – “one of Shaftesbury’s finest”

Ray Humphries MBE

The streets of Shaftesbury were packed with people who turned out to pay their respects to one of the town’s best-loved residents, “Mr Shaftesbury,” as many called him, Ray Humphries MBE, who died on 24th October.

He chaired Shaftesbury Carnival Committee for 37 years, and became a patron after he stepped down from the chairmanship. A carnival committee member said: “No-one ever worked so hard for Shaftesbury.”

Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, the funeral on 10th November was a private family service, but the cortege passed through the High Street, stopping at the Town Hall, where Shaftesbury Silver Band played a tribute to Ray, a longstanding member who played the side drum.

Tributes poured in from those who knew him personally and had worked with him, from residents and civic leaders of other towns who knew him through the carnival and his years on the town council, and from people who simply knew him as “a great man who will be missed by many,” (as he is described in one of the messages on the town council website).

Ray, a former Mayor and town councillor, was an electrician by trade, and ran the still much-missed Humphries’ hardware shop in the High Street for many years.

He was a leading light in the glittering Shaftesbury Carnival, one of Dorset’s finest.

Stuart Campbell, also on the town council site, said: “You’ve helped to make Shaftesbury a better, more connected place and have touched the lives of many. You are truly one of Shaftesbury’s finest – long may you be remembered.”

Ray was born in Shaftesbury, served as a town councillor for 13 years and was Mayor twice, in 1997 and 2001. He was a trustee of the Hope Trust and the William Williams charities, chaired Shaftesbury in Bloom and was a member of many other organisations, including the Royal British Legion.

In 2010, the town council invited Ray and his wife Chris, to be Freemen of the Town – a rare honour that has only been awarded to 11 people.

In 2011, in recognition of his long and remarkable service to the community, he was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The current Mayor, Andy Hollingshead, said: “Ray will be remembered with great warmth, fondness, and admiration across the whole of Shaftesbury, the town of which he was so proud. Carol and I send our deepest condolences to Ray’s family.”

As a drummer, he not only played in the Silver Band but for dances and parties, including the fondly remembered Electric Bath Band. He played at many amateur dramatic and musical performances, including the annual SNADS pantomime at Sturminster Newton.

When you read the many tributes to Ray, you get a real sense not only of this lovely man with his warm smile and his infectious sense of humour, but of a true local hero, a man who loved and served his town and his community and always had time for people.

As a journalist who knew him for nearly 40 years, I would echo those tributes. Ray was always generous with his time, happy to answer my questions, give a comment on a local issue, or just have a gossip about people we knew, how the carnival had gone or the latest goings-on in the town council. He and Chris were a wonderful partnership. He will be much missed and long remembered.

Fanny Charles

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Shapwick war memorial will benefit from a grant of ÂŁ1,330 from War Memorials Trust Grants Scheme supported by voluntary donations.

Stoke Hill Mine near Bath where the stone for the new cross was sourced.

They were very accommodating in the selection process, helping to secure a high quality single block amidst their orders for 60 tons at a time for large scale operations.

The money has enabled the North Dorset village’s war memorial Frances Moreton, cross to be restored (and Director, War strengthened) with a like for like Memorials Trust said, replacement, after it was recently damaged.

"War Memorials Trust is delighted to support Those involved in the project are this project and assist Pamphill & Shapwick Parish the community to Council, who paid for the improve the condition remainder of the work outside of the war memorial. the scope of the grant and Our war memorials organised the restoration with pay tribute to those War Memorials Trust and local who lives were stone mason, Abe Shaffer who impacted by conflict carved the cross out of Stoke and it is important we Ground stone. remember their sacrifice as well as the A special thanks to Bath Stone consequences of war.

Group who own and manage

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If anyone knows of any other war memorials in need of help please contact the charity or, if you believe in the importance of our work, support us as the charity can only give further grants if it raises enough money."

Jonny Purchase Pamphill & Shapwick Parish Council

Shapwick's restored war Memorial

Free Tablet Opens Up A Whole New World for Beryl In Sturminster Newton difficult to get to their local library. In Sturminster Newton this service is coordinated by volunteer Carey Pearce who has heard first-hand the difference the tablets have made to the ladies’ lives.

Beryl Davis from Sturminster Newton is amazed at how useful her tablet is for staying in touch.

A second lockdown was made a lot easier for some of Dorset’s most clinically vulnerable residents, thanks to the gift of free tablet devices.

Earlier in the year Dorset Council teamed up with Everyone Connected to identify people who were previously shielding and would most benefit from receiving free tablets.

Beryl Davies from Sturminster Newton was one of 10 people to receive a tablet, along with help on how to use it from Dorset Council’s Digital Champion volunteers via the Digital Hotline.

The 68 year-old said: “This tablet has been brilliant, it’s opened up a whole new world for me. At first it was a bit difficult to know what to do with it but after speaking to Geoff on the Digital Hotline a few times it’s become a

“They have particularly benefitted from being able to organise bill paying online and being able to access large print online books.”

Carey said.

“Both ladies have highly praised Geoff their Digital Champion and the Digital Hotline, any problems they have encountered have been dealt with swiftly and in a patient, caring and kindly fashion.”

lot easier, and now I use it a lot.

The Everyone Connected project gave out devices to help people who were once on the shielding list and offline, to help them feel less isolated. People who received the devices included those who were aged over 70, on low income or had a health condition.

“I keep in touch with my friends from church, do my bill paying online and keep up to date on what’s happening locally. This is definitely helping me get through lockdown especially with enlarged Dorset Council’s deputy leader, print.”

Cllr Peter Wharf, said: Beryl’s neighbour and Sturminster Newton Home Library user Rosa was a fellow recipient of a tablet and added: “I’m now able to do my online food shopping and arrange deliveries as well as keeping up to date on local news, access talking books and so much information.”

They both receive the Home Library Service provided by Royal Voluntary Service and Dorset Library Service, which delivers books to people who find it

“It’s been very heartening to hear how the free devices and support from our digital champions has made such a difference to people’s lives.”

Anyone who needs help with an IT issue or using devices like tablets and smart phones can call the free Digital Hotline on 01305 221048 every week day from 10am to midday.

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Real or not real?

That is the question It appears 2020 is the year many people are switching to a real tree - the British Christmas Tree Growers Association have said there has been a 24% sales rise year-on-year.

But an argument has waged for a few years now over whether a reusable artifical tree is actually a greener option than a real tree being cut down.

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Artificial Trees have seen a growth in popularity over the last couple decades, with many thinking they are the ‘green’ choice, saving a real tree from the axe and being re-used year after year.

But environmentalists actually disagree; mostly due to one ingredient – they are made of plastic. A 6.5ft artificial tree has a carbon footprint equivalent to about 40kg of greenhouse gas emissions – over twice that of a real tree that ends its life in landfill, and ten times that of a real tree which is burnt.

Earth.

“At any one time in the UK there are about 100m trees growing with all the benefits that trees give to the environment. These trees would not be growing if it weren’t for the Christmas tree market,” “People worry about the environmental impact of having a cut tree but in fact, the growing process is positive” confirms Pete Hardy “one acre of our plantation provides the daily oxygen needs for 18 people, whilst a single farmed tree absorbs more than 1 ton of CO2 throughout its lifetime.”

Recycle a fresh tree for compost or mulch, and it has negligible or even negative emissions. The Weldmar Hospicecare charity and their popular Tree-cycle scheme are reviving for 2021. Click the link to book your own collection they'll be in this area on the 8th of January, and suggested donation is £10.

It’s the start of Christmas.

Trinity Street Christmas Trees owner Pete Hyde said “This year we have partnered with Weldmar Hospicecare - in return for a donation to this valuable charity, we will collect and dispose of your tree with environmental responsibility”.

Buying a real, local Christmas tree is good for the economy and the environment and also makes for great memories.

When buying a real tree, Friends of the Earth advise to look for one that is locally produced - and we’re incredibly lucky to have some great growers right on our doorstep.

“Locally grown real trees are the best option if you can get one,” says Mike Childs, head of research at Friends of the

Buying a real tree creates a memorable family moment, and often heralds the start of the Christmas period. For us it’s a family affair, and we all head to one of the local grower's field days to select our trees and see them cut down. It’s definitely the start of Christmas in our house!

involved in growing and caring for Christmas trees is immense! The planting, cutting, pruning, constant shaping, sensitive feeding... Plus it takes up to 10 years to grow a six-foot tree that’s a lot of nurturing!'

What type of tree?

Eight out of 10 trees sold in the UK are Nordman fir - the classic tree we all know, with the pine needles we tend to loathe! The remainder are nearly all Norway spruce - the non-dropping softerneedled variety, but all the growers we spoke to supply a variety of trees including Nordman Fir, Noble Fir, Frazier Fir plus the traditional spruces.

"The Christmas Tree selection process is often a happy

Surely growing Christmas trees is easy money for landowners?

Pete Hyde laughs - ‘you’d think, wouldn’t you? But it's taken me the last seven years to work out just how much care and attention they need throughout the year to get the right Christmas Tree shape in December. The amount of work

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occasion, but sometimes it can be contentious, with so much choice these days!" acknowledges Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group. "Gone are the days when it was just the size of the Norway Spruce that was the issue. We now stock, from specialist growers in the UK, seven or eight different varieties and in lots of sizes and forms including cut, potted and pot grown trees. Think carefully about the space you're placing your tree in (width and height!) and whether you value needle retention over things like scent.

The Nordman, Noble and Fraser Firs are the ultimate in Christmas Trees. Their luxurious and wellproportioned appearance and feel make them second to none.

They also have little needle drop

and the Fraser Fir has a wonderful scent."

We asked Richard Deffee, Head Forester of the Cranborne Estate for his expert top tips on choosing a great tree this year: • Measure your space before buying – they look much larger when you get them in the house than out in the field!

• The Nordmann fir are more expensive than the traditional Norway spruce, but they will hold their needles much better.

• Buy from the grower if you can as you will usually get a better

deal and a fresher tree. Some growers allow access to the ‘growing trees’ in the field - this way you are guaranteed a fresh tree and lots of choice.

• If you can’t buy from a grower then do buy British, and local if you can – many trees are imported and may have been cut many weeks prior to purchase.

If you already have an artificial tree, do keep it and keep using it – but if it becomes a little bedraggled and artificial is still your thing – maybe you could opt for a second hand one in order to keep the carbon footprint down.

Pete Hyde offers his customers the ability to choose their tree direct from the plantation via Zoom: don't expect Willa to be much help though, she's just here in the perennial hope of a squirrel.

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So how do we 'Stop the Drop'?

The biggest fear of a real tree is that dreaded needle drop. But if you follow the right steps, it needn’t be an issue.

1 - Buy local.

That way your tree will be freshly cut: It’s no surprise that one which was cut three weeks ago and travelled from another country is feeling a little weary by the time it gets into your house.

If you can, use one of the local growers open field days. Failing that, buy from someone who uses a local grower so that you know your tree is as fresh as possible.

2 - Don’t decorate too soon.

There are limits on how long a tree will stay fresh. Keep it in your garden in a bucket of water, and only bring it into the house when you’re ready to decorate, as late as possible. If your tree has been up for four weeks by Christmas Day, it’s going to be past its best.

3 - Trim the bottom

Before putting it up, cut a 2cm slice off the bottom of the trunk: the same way you trim a bunch of flowers before putting them in a vase.

4 - Water it!

At the end of the day, it's a giant house plant! Always keep them in a stand which holds water, and top up the water levels daily. We have big trees, and I water them every night before bed. I know each will drink at least a litre of water a day.

5 - Avoid the heat.

If you have a choice, try not to place your tree right next to a radiator or fire.

RURAL MATTERS

Why You Should Oppose 600 Home Development in North Blandford Last week Blandford Town Council voted narrowly against a major new housing development of 600 dwellings sited north of the bypass, with up to 200 of them proposed in Pimperne parish.

This was an historic upset as all expectations were for approval prior to the meeting. As Cllr.

Carter, a Town Councillor and one of the key architects of the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan put it “the Plan is inextricably linked to this development”.

However this is a deeply flawed application being actively promoted by Dorset Council and elements within Blandford, with scant regard for the consequences and the people of the area, especially Pimperne.

After hearing speeches from Dorset CPRE, Pimperne Parish

Council (PC) and the Blandford Allotment Society, councillors saw sense and voted 8-7 against on grounds of adverse environmental impact and concerns over access and highway safety. This follows objections by Pimperne and Stourpaine PCs, Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and North Dorset CPRE, with more likely to follow.

Supposedly North Dorset suffers from a housing supply shortage.

This is the main reason for wanting to build this huge development along with the need for a new primary school in Blandford, which is expected be built from Section 106 proceeds paid by the developer, Wyatt Homes. It is bizarre logic to build more houses just to get a new school.

The government used 2014 household projections rather than later ones which suggest lower housing needs.

Local Plan Housing Targets for the Dorset Council (DC) area are currently 24% lower than the government’s housing need target of 1,827 homes using 2014 household projections. There is clearly no need for new houses in Blandford itself as there is 11.5 years housing land supply at the current build rate, thanks to many new approved developments around the town, which is over twice the government housing target of 5 years. If only DC would stand up for Dorset rather than give in to demands from Westminster.

• Secondly the scale of this development means it is a strategic one, and should only progress as part of the DorsetKey Concerns wide Local Plan formulation • First a recent independent report, Dorset’s Housing Needs, which is three years away at the earliest. The potential allocation commissioned by Dorset CPRE, of the site was considered demolished the government’s through the Blandford Plus Standard Housing Method for Neighbourhood Plan (NP), but assessing local housing need. the legality of the plan has been challenged and Dorset Council is currently seeking legal advice. The inclusion of an area of land within Pimperne parish, which would accommodate up to 200 houses, is not justified as it is contrary to the made Pimperne NP, which was voted on and offers protection, Rolling downland which would be desecrated by the housing development. Taken with the parish housing from bottom of garden of Bolney, one of the worst affected houses on the south east target only 39 dwellings side of Salisbury Rd.

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makes much more sense but is not cheap. The creation of another pedestrian crossing on the A354 on the Salisbury Road and another by the Bellway development will exacerbate the situation. The bypass will cease to function effectively and impact severely on the whole area.

• The allotments are going to be moved onto arable land. It will take many years of soil creation to produce fruit and vegetables on thin chalky land used for cereals. There are 140 affected allotment holders.

Martin Prior is one of the many allotment holders protesting the development. Pictured on his Lamperd's Field Allotments on the north side of Salisbury Rd.

The NP requires that any development should not reduce the gap between Blandford and Pimperne, which this proposal does.

• The greatest irony of this development is that the new school is only envisaged for phase 2 with no guarantee it will go ahead, while 167 houses are being built as part of phase 1 and will be occupied by families who will put even more pressure on existing overcrowded schools within Blandford before the new school is built. Medical services are already under major strain as well.

major road separates it from the housing.

There are very limited employment opportunities in Blandford, so most seeking employment would head for • Thirdly there will be severe Poole, thus more cars are likely adverse visual impact on the to be used by new residents, Cranbourne Chase Area of causing more congestion.

Outstanding Natural Beauty, as There has been little attempt to part of the site is within this, as address climate change, a key well as the setting. This will be concern of Dorset Council. It Please Protest! exacerbated by the sloping beggars belief that a council that nature of the site, and the declares a climate emergency Much of North Dorset will be number of tall buildings which could then permit a development affected by this development so it will be difficult to screen, with such as this. is critical that residents send a current provision totally strong message of protest to inadequate.

• Fifthly noise from the bypass Dorset Council and the The AONB is now an International will impact seriously on government. Please post your Dark Sky Reserve and all properties close by. It is ironic comments on the Dorset development should meet their that most of the so-called planning portal without delay criteria. The developer in its affordable homes will be located application has clearly not close to the bypass. or email covered Lighting and its effects Noise mitigation measures planningteamd@dorsetcouncil. on Dark Skies properly. suggested here are frankly gov.uk pathetic e.g. closing windows • Fourthly the development is at night in noise-sensitive Ref. P/OUT/2020/00026 not sustainable, with the bypass rooms. having to be crossed to access the town, whose centre is not • Another key issue is Highways.

Rupert Hardy, within walking distance. This will The A350, a strategic arterial Chairman, encourage the use of cars, as will route will suffer major North Dorset CPRE the location of the school for congestion with a new parents living in Blandford, while roundabout and three new residents of the new pedestrian crossings. Building development will probably also new pedestrian bridges, to convey their children by car as a supplement the existing one,

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POLITICS

View from Westminster

by Simon Hoare MP

Talking Trump

hammer blow (fatal, hopefully) to the distasteful rise of populism (not to be confused with Given the electoral events in the popularity). At this time, more USA I hope you will forgive me if I than ever, America needs a provide, this week, a few thoughts Leader, not a baseline echo and comments on them. chamber. America has returned What a relief it is that Mr to Government by Grownups and her place, as Leader of the Free Trump has lost.

World, and a country to be respected, has been restored As I write he is still shouting the through the quiet majesty of the odds and seeming ever more electoral process. erratic as a result. I was encouraged that 82% of UK Tory What will a Biden Presidency voters would have voted for President-Elect Biden if they could mean for us in the UK? One of his earliest acts will be to revoke the have. I would too. departure of the US from the Paris Climate Change work. In Mr Trump was never suited to the UK we know how important public office because he did not understand the key motivator to this area of public policy is and the power and thought do so was public service. leadership that the US can bring It has always been about him and will be immense. There is going his clan – a political version of The to be a Green Revolution in Addams Family. So, the first thing America.

I would say is: it’s nice to have a NATO, so often in the sights of Mr grown up coming into the White Trump can breathe easy.

House.

President Trump was right to criticise those NATO countries Mr Biden has public service and who too easily leant on US duty written through him like a financial muscle and did not pay stick of Blackpool Rock. His pragmatism teaches him that it is their own way (the UK was never among that number). good to build alliances and coalitions of the willing. His But he was wrong to question the Presidency will see a return to underlying need for a strategic, that abstract ‘thing’ of the geopolitical alliance. NATO President being the Father of the Nation and recognising that there needs reform but it also needs to exist and not have its status and is a quiet dignity in the Oval Office and Office of the President. efficacy undermined from within.

I believe we will see a more Trump had no such robust White House when it understanding: his was a perpetual campaign battle.

Mr Biden’s victory also delivers a

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comes to issues such as Russia, the Crimea and Ukraine just as I believe we will regarding Human Rights in China. We should expect to see the Iran Nuclear Deal dusted off and renewed. All of this I would welcome.

With my Chairman of the Northern Ireland Select Committee in the Commons hat on I know how close an interest Mr Biden takes in the affairs, both North and South, of the island of Ireland. He is, like me, a strong defender of the Good Friday Agreement. He understands that it is the bedrock and springboard for peace, reconciliation and a brighter future for the people of both the North and the Republic.

The Biden White House will be a good friend to Britain, as was evidenced by the fact that our PM received the first European call from Mr Biden. The Special Relationship ebbs and flows but it always endures. We share too much for it to be otherwise.

THE BLACKMORE VALE

BH Fish, born during the pandemic, scoops top prize in inaugural Dorset Food & Drink Awards 2020 The Love Local Trust Local Awards are all about championing Dorset Food and Drink Producers, Dorset farmers and the Dorset fishing industry.

The Cossins Family, fifth generation farmers in the Tarrant Valley, are specialists in diversification: alongside the family farm they also own the free-house family pub The Langton Arms in Tarrant Monkton

The last Open Farm day was in 2018 at a time when major supermarkets were being taken to court for their dishonesty in promoting food from British farms that did not actually exist.

There were news reports of meat testing stating that a fifth of samples tested revealed “unspecified animals” DNA and TV was rife with documentaries showing cheap imported meat being labelled with the Red Tractor label giving the consumer the impression they were buying British meat instead of cheap foreign imports.

It was clear to the Cossins Family that people wanted to support British farmers, but with the many scare stories in the newspapers and media, a lack of trust in food labelling was apparent. So they decided to do something about it.

They created their own 'Love Local Trust Local' label for Dorset food you can trust, to promote quality, honesty and proximity in all the food and drink that we buy and consume.

Heather Brown of Dorset Foodie Feed runner up of Local Champion 2020

and Rawston Farm butchery & farm shop in Tarrant Rawston well-known for stocking delicious, locally produced, Dorset food & drinks.

Barbara Cossins explained, “We want to put consumer trust back into buying local, Dorset food with genuine provenance and full traceability”.

The Love Local Trust Local label assures the consumer:

• This food has been grown with Every third year Rawston Farm love & care and to the highest hosts Open Farm Sunday, opening ethical standards the farm to the General Public • This food has transparent and and they noticed one of the most full provenance and complete frequent questions they were traceability asked was 'how do we know that • This food has been produced the food we buy really is what it with the main ingredients says it is?' sourced from less than 30

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miles of its’ origin • This food fosters community spirit & is good for our overall environment.

They use the label themselves and have now started to share it with carefully selected Dorset businesses that share their ethos and believe in local, well-sourced food from our fabulous county.

It seemed like a natural progression to launch the new Food & Drink Awards to champion Dorset food & drink producers and Dorset farmers and fishermen.

Barbara Cossins is passionate about Dorset food and farming and is also a keen advocate of supporting small, local businesses.

With the support and encouragement from several prominent Dorset businesses as sponsors and judges, the inaugural awards were planned for Autumn 2020. Then Covid-19 entered our lives!

However, the decision was made to push ahead. Barbara explained, “surely there is no better time than now, in the midst of a global health Bill Meaden of Cranborne Chase Cider proudly showing his three runner up plaques

pandemic, to embrace all that is “local” as we strive to feed our families with nutritious food and drink with known provenance that we can trust. “we could not be more pleased as to how these new Dorset Food & Drink Awards have been received" continued Barbara. "I am so thankful for the support from all of our sponsors, they were heavily involved in the judging process, which we took very seriously and a number of our entrants were visited to understand their stories and how they manufactured their produce.

The judges found choosing a winner for each category so difficult as the entrants were all so strong and all were deserving contenders.

We, together with every entrant of this years’ awards, should be incredibly proud of the outstanding quality of Dorset food and drink that we produce. I am proud to be their champion”.

Jon and Rob from BH Fish . Barbara Cossins – founder of Love Local Trust Local. Paul Dunlop, Blanchards Bailey LLP. Sam Purcell, Harbarn Developments Ltd Sponsor and judge, Paul Dunlop of Blanchards Bailey said “we were amazed that BH Fish were able to create what they had in such a short period, were so passionate about the produce and the customers, supported fisherman during a time they would have been out of work and promote Dorset produce”.

Barbara continued “The story of the Love Local Trust Local label doesn’t end here. With such The overall winner of the 2020 fantastic support for our inaugural awards we envisage Awards, and our Local being able to champion more Champion, was unanimously agreed as BH Fish from Poole, a and more artisan Dorset companies and cottage industries company born at the start of as well as the already well the Covid-19 pandemic.

established Dorset brands such as Blue Vinny, the winner of our 2020 Cheese category. We have the likes of The Book and Bucket, our cheese category runner up, making a real name for themselves amongst Dorset foodies and beyond.

Our Awards are to champion all of the fabulous Dorset food and drink producers, and the next stage is to get other counties to follow our path, adopt the Love Local Trust Local label themselves to support British farmers and stop the unnecessary importation of essential foods”.

Dorset Food & Drink Award Category Winners 2020

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LOOKING BACK

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

Roger Guttridge recalls the bombing of Sherborne

Foster’s Infants School in Newland took a direct hit

It was North Dorset’s worst day of the Second World War, yet it was also a case of mistaken identity.

When 37 Heinkel He 111 bombers flew over Yeovil just before 4pm on September 30, 1940, their intended target was the Westland Aircraft factory and aerodrome.

But 90 per cent cloud cover at 20,000 feet obscured the Somerset town and Sherborne copped it instead.

Estimates of the number of bombs that fell on the Abbey town in three disastrous minutes vary wildly from 60 to 300.

But other statistics of the destruction are more certain.

Eighteen people died and 31 needed hospital treatment.

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The names of the dead are recorded alongside the war memorial in Half Moon Street.

afternoon came from Edward J. Freeman, clerk to Sherborne UDC and the district air raid precautions controller.

More than 680 buildings It happened to be Mr were damaged and 86 Freeman’s birthday and he destroyed, mostly houses or had taken a rare day off and shops. was queuing for the cinema in Yeovil when he heard the ‘thud Foster’s Infants School in of bombs’ to the east and saw Newland took a direct hit but the pall of black smoke. thankfully its pupils had left It could only be Sherborne and for the day 15 minutes earlier. he drove straight back and Amazingly, the Abbey and its picked his way through the historic precincts survived debris to the council offices. virtually unscathed as bombs The raid had cut off all water, rained all around. gas, electricity and telephone services and blocked the The most detailed account of Sherborne. the events that autumn

LOOKING BACK sewers and all roads out of Sherborne.

The telephone exchange took a direct hit and its supervisor, Miss Maud Steele, became a heroine after organising the relaying of urgent messages to the outside world by road.

For her dedication to duty, she became one of the first recipients of the new George Cross, known as the ‘civilians’ VC’.

There were several strange incidents.

In The Avenue, a Miss Billinger reputedly climbed from her bath into the open air after much of her house was blown away.

The cemetery also took a direct hit and a coffin, buried just a

week earlier, was blown out of the ground.

In Horsecastles, bombs landed on both sides of a terrace causing outhouses to implode away from the main buildings due to a bellows effect.

At a bakery next to the Picture Palace in Newland, a hoard of silver coins was thrown on to the cinema roof and retrieved by an ARP warden.

At least six bombs were delayed action and went off 12 hours after the raid.

damaged, Mr Freeman sent his billeting officer to organise rehousing.

But by the time he arrived, all the homeless had already been offered alternative shelter by other townsfolk.

Like most crises and disasters, the raid brought out the community spirit.

After learning that 10 council houses in Lenthay had been destroyed and most of the remaining 108 houses badly

‘If ever I have admired the people of Sherborne as a whole, it was after the raid.

‘I had told the schools they might have to put people up that night, but in the event it wasn’t necessary.’

‘It was quite extraordinary what happened there, and it happened all over the town,’ Mr Freeman told my late colleague Rodney Legg in an interview for Dorset County Magazine in 1984.

The wreckage of Phillips and Son’s outfitting department and (far right) the part of the Half Moon Inn, which narrowly avoided destruction

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MEET YOUR LOCAL

Meet Your Local: The Fox Inn, Ansty Our regular column in which you discover the faces and stories behind the pub sign. This month we've been chatting to Robert at the Fox Inn, Ansty.

The Fox Inn is owned and run by brothers Robert & Will Wallis.

It was the first pub - and original home - of the Woodhouse family, whose brewery 'Hall & Woodhouse', now in Blandford, was formerly in Ansty

How did you end up at the Fox? We (The Wallis family) have been farming in Ansty for 21 years at Brewery Farm. Over the years we have diversified into the tourism market with 3 luxury lodges and a campsite. When The Fox Inn became for sale as a freehouse back in 2018 myself and my brother Will took the chance to acquire the historic inn - the link to the Woodhouses is where Brewery Farm got its name!

as an outlet for our homegrown organic meat. Two; to ensure our holiday guests have a great place to go to. Three; to make a proper hub for the village.

We are proud to say we have achieved some of our goals (many more to go!) with a lively locals bar and thriving seasonal trade with quality food & drink.

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

On a rare afternoon off when I am not pouring pints or chasing cattle, nothing beats a walk to our neighbouring pub The Hambro Arms at Milton Abbas with Pepper (the dog)! We are After negotiations, we took on the lucky to be surrounded by such pub on 3rd June 2019 and opened an abundance of fantastic walks. the doors at the end of June after You are spoilt for choice with three intense weeks of many circular routes that find refurbishment! their way back to The Fox, including the famous Dorset Gap We took the chance on the pub & Rawlsbury Camp on Bulbarrow having never been involved in Hill. Should you fancy a longer hospitality before for a number of walk the pub can provide a reasons. The first was simply cracking picnic.

The Fox Inn at Ansty

During Lockdown 2.0 we have also made our own walking routes book for charity donations.

Tell us about your 2020...

During Lockdown 1.0 we offered weekly takeaways one day a week with a changing theme weekly: to include pizzas from our proper pizza over, burgers, fish and chips etc. Most weeks we were doing over 100 meals! It was great to be able to see all our locals and give them (especially those working and with young families stuck at home) some respite from having to cook each night.

Over the summer we were overwhelmingly busy and we adjusted our business to work with the restrictions including a bespoke handmade bar outside, huge outdoor menus to minimise contact and enough seating for 150 outside socially distanced. We also served all day everyday from 12-9pm to help spread the volume of customers across the day which worked brilliantly in keeping a steady and safe flow of people. Throughout the summer we also sold bespoke ‘Fox’ pint glasses to raise money for our local school at Cheselbourne.

The bar in the Fox

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Nominate your own local - send an email to editor@theblackmorevale.co.uk

MEET YOUR LOCAL

And what's been your biggest challenge?

Finding staff who want to come and work out here (or indeed are able to) as we are quite rural!

Made even trickier by the constant change in needing staff from being shut without announcement to suddenly open and being run off our feet, to being shut again! Although we are incredibly lucky with the staff we do have who have been brilliant throughout what has been an extraordinary year.

The famous Fox Burger!

What are you most proud of?

No one particular thing, but of everything we have achieved in such a short space of time, especially with Covid chucked in the mix! In a year like 2020 it can be hard to remember the positives. But before we took on the pub it was beginning to lose its reputation. With the support of our staff, locals, and friends, we believe the pub has turned a corner. We have an exciting and changing choice of beer and drinks, a seasonal and quality menu, a great team, fresh décor and regular events including tasting nights, live music, quizzes and fundraisers. We are now attracting people from far and

wide including walkers due to the fabulous surrounding countryside and even horse riders who can make use of our hitching post while they enjoy lunch or a drink!

front of the fire.

Which dish is your most popular?

We always have lots of seasonal specials and often host theme nights including, pie & wine, gin & What part of the pub is tapas and so on but our top seller is always ‘The Fox Burger’. It's no your absolute favourite?

Our recently refurbed Private surprise: made from our own Dining room ‘The Den’! We organic cattle on our farm just 50 completed it during Lockdown. meters away, with Somerset With a table for 10, comfy seating bacon & Dorset cheese! and log burner and cosy colours it is perfect for private parties, What's next? shoot groups, business meetings We're not going to let Tier 2 get and more. On a winters evening us down! there is nothing better than We've been open again since the settling in with a proper pint in 2nd, but please brush up on the new rules before coming: one household inside, and up to six people outside - so grab a coat, hat & five friends and we'll see you soon.

Current opening times are: Thursday from 3pm through to Monday 11pm - takeaways also available!

And we have lots of exciting plans for coming festivities. Watch this space!

Visit the website give us a call 01258 880328

Bart enjoying the shade.

Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with all the pub news.

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Tales From The Vale with Andy Palmer.

Go up Bulbarrow Hill and at the top, just off Cuckoo Lane, apart from a really beautiful view, you’ll see disused buildings, aerials and, across the lane, old Nissan huts.

All looks a bit dull, but this is a site of considerable national importance. It was a Gee Station, used during the war to allow RAF greater accuracy in its night-time bombing raids across Germany and occupied Europe. The servicemen working on the radio transmitter station slept in the Nissen huts - I presume they lulled themselves to sleep singing Puccini’s Nissen Dorma...

Until the invasion of North Africa, Bomber Command was the only way of bringing the fight to the Germans on land, so ‘hitting the Hun’ was of political as well as military importance.

German bombers on one occasion unwittingly bombed neutral Dublin instead of their target in west England. An act for which the Nazis apologized (we can presume without really meaning it, perhaps the Nazi Ambassador had his fingers crossed when he said, ‘sorry, and all that’), and post-war Germany paid compensation for the atrocity.

Back to Bullbarrow.

It is so-named because it is the site of an Iron Age fort, whose inhabitants buried each other (not at the same time, obviously) in barrows, or burial mounds, and is also referred to in popular music.

Few people will not be keenly aware that the British band, Half Man Half Biscuit, refers to Bulbarrow Hill in their song, ‘Third Track Main Camera Four Minutes’. Well worth a YouTube.

This terrific song, I need hardly tell you, comes from their 2000 album, Trouble Over Bridgewater, in which, again, as most of you will know, the narrator bemoans the increasing The Germans also used similar popularity of trendy holiday technology. The British were destinations, such as Cuba and aware of this and, it is believed by Iceland, saying, ‘I’d much rather some, our boffins ‘bent’ their go down to Dorset, with its radio direction beams so that wonderful Bulbarrow Hill’. I’m

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Less amusing is the fact that on 13th February 1969, a Gloster Meteor jet fighter crashed on Bulbarrow Hill (Grid ref 805068) killing both pilots, R Woolley and Flight Lieutenant RV Patchett. The cause of the crash has never been established. But two local men, John Tory and Donovan Browning received bravery awards for risking their lives trying to save the pilots.

Some people of a certain age will remember the rather lovable TV pundit and countryman, Jack Hargreaves, who, briar pipe firmly clenched between nicotinestained gnashers, achieved a degree of fame with his Out Of Town programmes. *and seeing as we have the skills, here's Jack fishing just outside Sturminster Newton in 1983. Ed:

*no need, we have the technology to enable the curious. Ed:

The only problem was that it was more a case of ‘Missing the Hun’ as bombing was highly inaccurate in the war’s early stages. Only 10% of bombs dropped came within miles of the target.

GEE is a British radio navigation system, devised by the gloriously named Robert Dippy, and developed at the Telecommunications Research Centre at Swanage, Dorset.

surprised Dorset Tourism hasn’t cottoned on to these wise words.

Jack’s ashes were spread in 1994 on Bulbarrow Hill above his home, Raven Cottage in Belchalwell.

This village’s unusual name, I am more or less reliably informed, doesn’t stem from the residents’ widelydocumented love of pickled onions, but refers to a ‘cold well on a hillside’. More romantic, I suppose, but I’m rather keen on the pickled onion thing. Which, incidentally, I just made up.

thing which, incidentally, I just made-up.

The two-acre site where the personnel manning the GeeStation lived is reported to have been acquired for £30,000 by a Richard Hayward in 1991, after he rented the site since 1970, where he ran a woodyard making fences and pit props.

Mr Hayward is reported to have said that shortly after buying the land’s freehold, he was offered £500,000 for it. And that, now with planning permission for a residence, it is worth closer to £1m.

And if you drive past you can see a substantial and very attractive house almost at the end of its

building. It may already be finished, but I can hardly claim that checking up on its progress is ‘essential travel,’ as I write this during lock-down.

Before I sign off, I’ll mention that during the war, my father, when a young lad, was, with his mates, regularly bussed from Plymouth to Dartmoor where the young scamps rigged up apparatus on dark nights so that German bombers mistook the moor for the Naval Docks at Devonport.

‘So your aim was to attract the bombs,’ I asked my dad. He said the lads, volunteers all, found it very exciting. Their protection consisted of helmets made from compressed cardboard, and they dug trenches they’d jump into when the bombs arrived, ‘Oh,

well that’s all right, then,’ I said.

Similarly, my mum, a nine year old London girl during the Blitz, even now tells of how exciting she found it in the shelter in their garden while high explosive rained all around. ‘We had cocoa, could read all night,’ she says, wistfully. Mind you, this is a lady who said she found VE Day, ‘rather dull’.

And I have in my possession an old black and white photo of VE Day celebrations and I can clearly see my mum, then a very pretty 14 year old, looking rather left out.

What steely youth we had then, eh?

The view from the top of Bulbarrow Hill, with Rawlsbury Camp to the right, taken in October by Courtenay Hitchcock

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Win a £114 Waterproof Dog Bed with Dogs Dogs Dogs!

We are really excited to be working with the team at Dogs Dogs Dogs – and we’re kicking things off with a giveaway of this amazing heavy duty waterproof dog bed; depending on the size you need, it’s worth up to £114!

If you win you get to choose the size you need, obviously: if you have a Jack Russell in a tiny cottage, then you’ll probably not be wanting the jumbo sized option! We, on the other hand, had a Rottweiler; we would definitely have needed the Jumbo dog bed. Good grief that dog could take up some room! entry options.

To enter, simply click the image to The closing date for this competition is 12th January 2021 go through to the website where and only entries received on or you can complete the

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before that date can be included.

The prize will go to the first randomly chosen entry. Good luck!

12

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Dorset Blue Vinny We are the only producers of Dorset Blue Vinny Cheese which we make on our family farm in the heart of Dorset. You can find an array of gifts for cheese-loving friends and family through our vending machine, Christmas pop up shop or our website.

www.dorsetblue.co.uk

The Pear Tree The Pear Tree Deli and Restaurant, in Sherborne offers many gifts for the "Festive Foodie". From Cheeses and Chocolates to many Dorset products such as Beers, Wines, Ciders, Jams, Pickles, Olives, Biscuits, Homemade Christmas Cakes and Puddings. Our bespoke hamper service also makes a great gift. Please call 01935812828

www.peartreedeli.co.uk

Print In The Bag Ltd Quick turnarounds offered on Christmas Cards for the people of Dorset. We are offering 50 A6 cards printed inside and out for just £39 with envelopes and postage, and we will setup a design for FREE! 100@£49 and 250@£59 - ask for other sizes! 3 to 4 working days turnaround. www.printinthebag.co.uk/products/greeting-cards

Victoria O’Brien Ltd Catering Christmas for you at home!

We have a selection of delicious side dishes, vegetarian/ vegan dishes, individual and family puddings.

All homemade in our commercial kitchen in Wincanton.

For more information/ Order by 19th December Info@victoriaobrien.co.uk 07815 551586 www.facebook.com/victoriaobriencakesbakescatering

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Novia Stationery Give the gift of stationery for Christmas. Diaries, Calendars, Pens, Notebooks, and much more. Gift Vouchers also available. Free local delivery to Gillingham and surrounding villages, for further afield please call Helen to discuss your requirements on 07551 911 801 or email sales@noviastationery.co.uk

www.noviastationery.co.uk

Bridget Fox Cards I am an Independent Flamingo Paperie Partner, supporting UK artists and printers, selling beautiful, ethical everyday greetings cards for all occasions, charity Christmas cards, giftwrap, tags, bunting, colour-ins, fabulous paper craftkits, and more, and I deliver locally. Please ask for a brochure or visit my website. www.facebook.com/bridgetflamingocards

www.bridgetcards.co.uk

Sturminster Newton Literary Festival Treat yourself with the 2021 Sturminster Newton Literary Festival Calendar. Each month has a local photo and a quote from Thomas Hardy or William Barnes. All proceeds will fund the 2021 literary festival. Email sturlitfest1@gmail.com or phone Rachael on 01258 861979. Calendars are £7.50 each (£10 with UK postage).

www.facebook.com/sturlitfestival

Kafe Fontana We are a Small Café with a Fantastic Menu, We offer Breakfast through to Lunch and Afternoon Tea, Throughout December we will be offering Xmas Dinner nights, Give us a call if you would like to book a table.

We also have a selection of cakes, Jams and Chutneys

www.kafefontana.co.uk

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Caroline and David Pass Photography Freelance photographers looking to share our love of photography through selling greetings cards, gift tags, prints and note books. Genres include Animals, Floral, Food and Landscapes. Our work is for sale online, in independent shops in Dorset, at craft fairs and events.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CandDPPhotography

The Swan Gallery We have reopened with the launch of our Christmas exhibition of fine watercolours and oil paintings. This complements our huge stock of antique prints, from topography to birds, dogs, cats, humour, for children, and antique maps of everywhere from Dorset to Japan!

We open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm or email us at eat@peartreedeli.co.uk for more information.

www.swangallery.co.uk

PlasticFreeThings.com Eco-friendly gifts; Made by small UK businesses; No plastic; Mostly free delivery!

www.plasticfreethings.com

ingredients ingredients - your recipe for the perfect Christmas!

Visit our delicatessen on Cheap St, Sherborne or order online for Gourmet Hampers, elegant Gift Boxes, Charcuterie, Cheese & Antipasti. Our shelves are packed with your Christmas favourites: luxury Panettone, mouthwatering Amaretti, Neideregger selections, Panforte & much more...

www.ingredients-dorset.co.uk 34

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Julie Vatcher Artist Unique, contemporary fluid artist based in Poole.

Inspired by local landscapes, paintings and jewellery are available to view and purchase on-line or at my studio in Broadstone. Weekly workshops in fluid art are held, great fun to do with family & friends. Gift vouchers are available.

www.julievatcherartist.co.uk

The Dorset Ginger The Dorset Ginger Company produces award-winning non-alcoholic ginger drinks and a Sicilian lemonade.

Our drinks can be enjoyed on their own, as mixers for cocktails & mocktails and even used for cooking & baking! Check out our website for gingerific hampers and other gifts.

www.dorsetginger.ltd

From Your Mother's Garden Inspired by my mother’s joy derived from her small garden and the often breath-taking beauty and magical quality of every living aspect of it, I set about capturing it in images. From this, I have created timeless pieces to symbolise the un-ending bond between mother and daughter

www.frommymothersgarden.co.uk

Grey Gum Grey Gum have a range of handmade timber products and accessories all under ÂŁ100 that make the perfect Christmas gifts. Cup coasters, chopping boards and cushions all handcrafted in Dorset. which make fantastic gifts.

www.greygum.co.uk/gift-ideas

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Rawston Farm Butchery & Farm Shop We are now starting to take orders for all of your festive meats, treats and deliciousness! From our home reared turkeys, local goose and duck, and our very own Tarrant Valley Beef. Open Mon – Fri 8am - 5pm, Sat – 8am – 3pm, Sun 10am- 2pm.

www.rawstonfarmbutchery.co.uk

Jess A Little Creative Jess A Little Creative make unique, hand-drawn, highly patterned greeting cards. Each card is professionally printed for a high quality finish.

Special Christmas Offer!

Use code SAVE15 to save 15% when you buy 4 or more cards. Use code SAVE25 to save 25% when you buy 10 or more cards.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/jessalittlecreative

Reads Coffee Reads Coffee Roasters, Sherborne an awardwinning family run business specialising in Single Estate Origins, a unique range of Espresso Blends and a fantastic selection of Loose Leaf Teas.

Offering bespoke Christmas gifts, the perfect present for any coffee or tea lover! Please call Charlotte to discuss your order.

www.readscoffee.co.uk

Olivers Coffee House Gift vouchers available from just £10 to spend as you wish either on our delicious products or on an afternoon tea experience - the perfect Christmas gift for Tea/Coffee/ Cake lovers!

www.oliverscoffeehouse.co.uk 38

Vineyards of Sherborne Christmas in a box’ 2020 - Six delicious bottles that play a role over the festive period in a gift box with tasting notes for £70. That’s Christmas wrapped up!

Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire brut NV Ward Valley Sauvignon Blanc Sacchetto Pinot Nero Growers Touch Cabernet Sauvignon Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port Domaine des Baumard Côteaux du Layon dessert wine 37.5cl

www.vinyardsofsherborne.co.uk

Beads with a Twist Now open for all inspirational Christmas gift ideas.

Beautiful bespoke pieces of jewellery, commissions taken. Also offering a repair service

www.beadswithatwist.com

Trouvaille Gallery Stockists of these hand poured incredibly scented eco soy candles containing no beeswax, paraffin, palm oil or petroleum derivatives, with natural, cotton wicks for a cleaner burn and are stocked in two sizes of recyclable lidded tins. These amazing candles are produced by The Rhubarb Candle Company based here in the Dorset countryside.

trouvaillegallery.co.uk

Laura Jones’s “Epic Adventure Prints” f you’re buying for somebody adventurous this year, look no further than local illustrator Laura Jones’s “Epic Adventure Prints”. Inspired by her own travels around the world, there’s a huge selection of colourful art spanning everything from the London Marathon to Kilimanjaro. All prints are customisable for a unique gift.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EpicAdventurePrints 39

ADVERTORIAL

How many business ideas have originated in a pub?

It was a Tuesday; I had been at my new job working on the production line of a Christmas hamper company for only two days, yet the tedium was already taking its toll.

Deflated by the mundanity of the job and my weak graduate job prospects, I headed to the pub for what seemed like any usual meet up.

That evening was, however, a turning point in my life and the start of what is now SustainaBox.

So, what is SustainaBox? Why are we different?

Firstly, for every SustainaBox purchased we pledge to plant a native tree ourselves here in the UK. This concept was influenced by my mounting feeling of inadequacy to make a genuine difference in the world around me. Planting trees gives you the power to make such a change, to make a real, substantial and lasting impact.

Secondly, my time on the production line of a hamper company highlighted the amount of non-recyclable, nonbiodegradable and general waste that would inevitably end up in landfill.

That’s why we are making large strides in our aim to make our packaging fully compostable. We even include a packet of seeds so you can use your SustainaBox to grow your very own plants!

Thirdly, each of our six boxes include products not only of the highest quality, but each has their own mission to balance profit with purpose. Where possible we have sourced from here in Britain, therefore supporting small, local and independent businesses.

We want to give you the promise of a unique and fresh present to gift this Christmas, not a gift that’ll collect dust by midFebruary, but one that’ll prosper and grow for years to come.

2020 has been a different year for us all, why not make a difference with SustainaBox? Jamie Price www.sustainabox.org.uk

Their Favourite Books...

To finish off 2020 on a warm and happy note, we randomly selected some of our columnists and local community pillars for a book recommendation.

But we had some ground rules: we had no interest in an obvious shopping list of latest releases. We asked for a genuine personal recommendation, for them to share their personal favourite read during 2020, with a couple of lines* as to why they loved it.

I wasn't looking for the cleverest or newest titles: this wasn’t about impressing anyone.

It could have been a brand new release, but I pointed out that they may simply have finally got around to reading Du Maurier’s Rebecca (*holds hand in air*), or had gratefully enfolded themselves in the comforting familiarity of a tenth time through their guilty pleasure fantasy series (*also me*).

Whatever it was, we asked them to share honestly. And the results are a beautiful and eclectic array of titles, many of which I was not familiar with.

And so I share them here, in their own words: if any take your fancy for yourself or as a gift, simply click the image. As many as possible will take you straight to Winstone's so that you can support an indie bookseller at the same time. *never ask a writer for their 'favourite book with a couple of lines'. You'll get at least two titles, plus a 300 word review...

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The Old Ways, by Robert Macfarlane A book I’ve really enjoying spending time with this year is ‘The Old Ways – A Journey on Foot’, by Robert Macfarlane. Those who know me will already be aware of my love of the Dorset Holloway, and as a county we are blessed with ancient tracks and drove roads galore. Whether enjoying another ramble with Ernie the dog up to the Dorsetshire Gap, or seeking out new views across the vale from the escarpment above, this book captures the essence of the ancient paths across the country. Reading it has always inspired me to get out and explore even more; there’s always something new to discover.

Luke Rake Principal and Chief Executive Kingston Maurward College

Master & Commander, by Patrick O'Brian The Aubrey/Maturin series, by Patrick O’Brian is the most consistently utterly charming historic novels ever written. They chart the relationship between a Royal Naval Captain and a freelance surgeon (and spy), against a brilliantly researched historical backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. This is the first book, but I’ve read the entire series twice, many volumes three or four times, and I know when I read them again, I’ll find new nuances throughout.

Andy Palmer

Five Rivers Met On A Wooded Plain, by Barney Norris I've just finished this page turner. There is something so comforting about reading a book situated in a place which you're familiar with. Salisbury has a starring role as the story weaves its way through five lives which converge on a fateful night. It should come with a warning that once you start to read it, you can't put it down!

Fiona Oliver, co-director of Wiltshire Community Foundation, part of the national network of rural community foundations which give money and cash where it is most needed; this year WCF has launched a successful emergency Coronavirus Response Fund.

Bookends, by Jane Green This is one of my favourites - an easy read and a comforting escape from the world for an hour or two. It is also a nice reminder of how rewarding it can be to follow your dreams.

Heather Brown, Dorset Foodie Feed

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I Heard the Owl Call My Name, by Margaret Craven In 2018 we went on what was truly “the holiday of a lifetime”, in a tiny boat travelling the Inland Passage in British Columbia, in search of the Spirit Bear.

Margaret Craven’s sad, poignant, funny, insightful and inspiring book, written in 1967, evokes the atmosphere, the landscape, the weather and the extraordinary lives of the First Nation tribes of the pacific seaboard. It’s a slim volume, but not at all a quick read, as you follow day by day the life of Anglican vicar Mark Brian with the residents of his new parish, accessible only by boat. Thanks to Polly Mathewson for recommending it.

Gay Pirrie-Weir, freelance journalist, co-editor of the Fine Times Recorder; co-author of Deepest Wiltshire and Deepest Dorset Underland, by Robert Macfarlane Robert Macfarlane confronts one of our great atavistic fears – the underworld – in his latest book. From neolithic cave paintings to nuclear bunkers, he explores the past, present and future under our feet, buried deep beneath the seabed, frozen in time, locked in memories off man’s inhumanity to man. It’s utterly fascinating – and quite terrifying. As someone whose idea of hell is pot-holing, Macfarlane’s description of exploring the tiny, dark tunnels in the Mendip Hills is spell-binding – when I could open my tight-shut eyes and stop my heart pounding! It’s an important book, asking big questions – but it’s also a great read.

Fanny Charles, freelance journalist, co-editor of the Fine Times Recorder; co-author of Deepest Wiltshire and Deepest Dorset The Five, The untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper, by Hallie Rubenhold A fresh approach to the women behind the killings, they were women, wives, mothers and daughters, facing the worst that Victorian Britain could throw at them. This book explores the details of each of their lives that led them to be in the wrong place at the right time. Beautifully and compassionately written.

Jane Dawes Managing Partner Blackmore Vale Partnership

The Code of the Woosters, by P. G. Wodehouse Any Jeeves and Wooster - but particularly The Code of the Woosters. I find that whenever I need to pause and take stock of the maddeningly changing world around us there is nothing better to reset my perspective on life than to revisit for the 20th time anything written by PG Woodhouse.

Woodhouse’s world is wonderfully graphic in its praise of the ludicrous and his sense of comic timing is unsurpassed. I truly challenge anyone to not find comfort, amusement and solace against the vastly inferior real world in the pages of Bertie’s adventures.

John Paget-Tomlinson Head of Senior School, Leweston School

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Meadowland, by John Lewis-Stempel A friend’s recommendation during early Lockdown 1, Meadowland has charmed me each month as we have journeyed through this year.

Appreciation of birdsong, flowering plants and nature in general has sustained many of us, so imagine the joy of a book which does just that in wonderful prose, month by month. The author writes of what he knows, what he observes in one field in Herefordshire and you will soon be walking with his red fox, flying with his kites, waiting for the next revelation. A wonderful book to keep and enjoy every year.

Sara Jacson MBE chairs CedarsCastlehill at Shaftesbury and is founder chair of the Friends of North Dorset Women’s Refuge Conversations with Friends, by Sally Rooney I’m sure that loads of you will have watched this year's fantastic TV series Normal People adapted from Irish writer Sally Rooney’s novel. If you did (or didn’t), then do read that but I would also like to recommend Sally’s 'Conversations with Friends', which was her debut novel. It’s about two college students and the strange, unexpected entanglement they forge with a married couple. It will appeal to anyone interested in friendship, jealousy and relationships. Sally does not include a great deal of descriptive prose instead it is full of brilliant, touching and funny dialogue. I felt as if I could hear the voices of the characters in my head. It is a book which touches on the events that make up the delicate passions and cruelties of human experience.

Edwina Baines, Arts Correspondent Bechamp or Pasteur? by Ethel Hume History, they say, is written by the victors, and as a journalist and historian, I’m fascinated by the way facts get distorted. I was taught that Louis Pasteur was God’s gift to chemistry and microbiology. Not so, according to Ethel D. Hume.

She reveals Pasteur as a fraud and a plagiarist, whose greatest talent was in the self-promotion needed to build his fame and fortune.

His victim-in-chief was his great rival and fellow professor Antoine Béchamp, apparently the brains behind much that came out of France’s uni labs in the late 19th century.

Hume’s book was first published in 1923 but the 2017 edition is revised for easier reading, with an extended preface by R.B. Pearson.

Roger Guttridge The Labyrinth of the Spirits, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Labyrinth of the Spirits is a translation from a Spanish cycle of books (Shadow of the Wind and The Cemetery of Forgotten Books) set in Barcelona in the period of the Spanish Civil War. Interestingly, the cycle can be read in any order which is part of the labyrinth Zafon creates so beautifully. He is a compelling writer who conjures up the atmosphere and emotion of the period, and those who live in it, with both intensity and simplicity. Books are often described as ‘unputdownable’ and this one most definitely is. However, and this has never happened to me before in my reading career, I felt I could not pick another book up as I knew it could never match what I had just read.

Zafon is an author anyone with a soul and imagination should read.

Simon Hoare MP

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BOOKS

Voice of the Books

As I am writing this, we are just about to come out of the second lockdown and are massively looking forward to welcoming customers back.

Exciting things have been happening in the world of publishing and bookselling.

Firstly, we have the long-awaited memoir from Barack Obama which will be an excellent gift choice for many loved ones, the reviews so far have been excellent praising his warmth, honesty and ability to write. This year’s Booker Prize Winner has just been announced and has gone to a deserving debut novelist Douglas Stewart, and for children JK Rowling has written a magical fairy tale 'Ickabog' which will delight many a child this Christmas.

Wayne Booker Prize Winner 2020 Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stewart £14.99

1981. Glasgow. The city is dying.

Poverty is on the rise. Agnes Bain had always dreamed of greater things: a house with its own front door. But she and her three children find themselves trapped in a mining town decimated by Thatcherism. As Agnes increasingly turns to alcohol, her children try their best to save her.

It is her son Shuggie who holds out hope the longest. But despite all his efforts to pass as a ‘normal boy’, everyone has decided that A Promised Land by Barack Shuggie is ‘no right’. Agnes wants Obama £35, £5 off at Winstone’s to support and protect her son, but her addiction has the power In the stirring, highly anticipated to eclipse even her beloved first volume of his presidential Shuggie. memoirs, Barack Obama tells the Laying bare the ruthlessness of story of his improbable odyssey poverty, the limits of love, and from young man searching for his the hollowness of pride, Shuggie identity to leader of the free Bain is a blistering and world, describing in strikingly heartbreaking debut. personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.

"Barack Obama is as fine a writer as they come. It is not merely that this book avoids being ponderous, as might be expected, even forgiven, of a hefty memoir, but that it is nearly always pleasurable to read, sentence by sentence” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Ickabog by J.K. Rowling £20, ages 7+ The Ickabog is coming... A mythical monster, a kingdom in peril, an adventure that will test two children's bravery to the limit. Discover a brilliantly original fairy tale about the power of hope and friendship to triumph against all odds, from one of the world's best storytellers. "this is zinging storytelling with bite and a twist"

JK Rowling asked children from around the country to submit drawings to illustrate this fabulous new book; Evelyn aged 9 from Bristol was one of the lucky winners.

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BOOKS

Who rode to hounds in Wiltshire on an elephant?

How many new houses are being built for the military on Salisbury Plain? What’s the traditional cheese made into a cake in Devizes?

Find out in Deepest Wiltshire, the book that gives and gives.

Deepest Books are sold to raise funds for charity - in the case of Deepest Wiltshire it is the county’s community foundation, the air ambulance and a military charity; So far over £20,000 to the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation’s Covid Emergency fund from the sale of

the book.

Deepest Wiltshire is the ideal gift, full of fascinating stories, quirky characters and pieces from local celebrities (including actor Nigel Havers, actor and comedian Jon Monie, Lord Lieutenant SarahRose Troughton, footballer Don Rogers, Olympian David Hemery and the irrepressible former High Sheriff Nicky Alberry.

There are features about the history and landscape, the people who live and work in the county, about the food, the military and the church (from tiny medieval buildings to one of the world’s greatest cathedrals).

Brimming with entertaining and unexpected snippets – and all the money you spend goes to the charities.

To find out more and to order, visit www.deepestbooks.co.uk

Brigit Strawbridge's beautiful book 'Dancing with Bees' is now out in paperback, but there are a few signed hardbacks left!

Unlike the paperbacks, they have beautiful colour end papers by John Walters.

Click here to order one direct from Brigit on her web site.

Beautiful 100 Birds by popular West Country photographer.

Carl Bovis' evocative and humourous photography has won him a large and loyal following on social media with almost 55,000 fans on Twitter.

And justifiably so - his work is not only technically excellent, but also fun, characterful and keenly observed, making it a joy for all who are allowed to share in the results of his passion.

His book '100 Birds' is a delight for any bird lover; featuring 100 of his best, or most interesting, bird photos, coupled with Carl's comments on how, when and where he got the shots, some information about the birds, plus personal stories and experiences. It's a joyous book, and his love of the natural world shines from every page.

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THEN & NOW

Then and Now with Roger Guttridge

It’s regarded as one of Dorset’s most picturesque villages and a magnet to tourists, but it wasn’t always so.

An artist’s impression of the medieval Milton Abbas

In fact the tyrannical village squire who created it was public enemy number one among many of Milton Abbas’s 18th century inhabitants.

Soon after buying his Milton Abbas estate in 1752, Joseph Damer (later Lord Milton and late still the Earl of Dorchester) took the first steps in an ambitious scheme of demolition, development and landscaping designed to transform both the medieval village and the valley in which it stood.

The caustically tongued Sir Frederick Treves summarises the story rather well in his Highways and Byways of Dorset (1906).

‘He [Damer] found the ancient village squatted indecently near to the spot where he intended to build his mansion,’ wrote Treves.

‘With the fine, quarter-deck highhandedness of the 18th century squire, he ordered the offensive object to be removed, and it was so.

‘The old, untidy hamlet was entirely demolished as soon as the new Milton Abbas had been erected well out of sight of the great house.’

The thatched cottages today are white but a century ago the walls were yellow.

Treves noted that they were ‘mathematically placed’, 20 on one side, 20 on the other, with an identical space between each and a chestnut tree planted in each space.

‘It is impossible to be rid of the idea that this is a toy town, a make-believe village, a

The replacement village in 1852

counterpart of the Hameau at Versailles,’ Treves observed.

The ‘new’ village was built between 1773 and 1779.

It involved 40 double houses, each for two families and with a small garden, to house the medieval town’s displaced inhabitants. As the tenants’ leases expired or were bought up

by Damer, the inhabitants were moved to their new homes and the old buildings demolished.

It was a major upheaval for families who had lived and worked in the valley for generations. Some found the new cottages inadequate and sought homes elsewhere.

But a Blandford lawyer called William Harrison stood his ground. Blessed with the security of a three-generation lease and

the legal nous to defend it, he flatly refused to budge.

One day Lord Milton, who intended to create an ornamental lake below the site of the old town, ordered the opening of the Abbot’s Pond sluice gates, flooding Harrison’s house.

Undeterred, the lawyer took his landlord to court and won.

Soon after, the squire apparently mistook the ringing of the Milton Abbey bells on Guy Fawkes Day as a celebration by villagers of his courtroom defeat.

As astonished parishioners looked on, he had the offending bells removed and carted away on wagons.

Harrison could not be so easily dislodged and sat tight until his death, at which point the park was finally completed.

Milton Abbas in the 21st century

roger.guttridge@btinternet.com

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Contains Affiliate Links

From toddlers staying in bed at nap time thanks to Percy the Park Keeper through tricky non-bookreading 10yr olds to teens refusing to travel without The Hunger Games downloaded to their phones. I simply cannot imagine our house without audiobooks.

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In association with Audible, our absolute favourite go-to for audiobooks. We actually have THREE subscriptions in our house...

The Joy of Audiobooks My third son was never a big reader - he always preferred non-fiction books on tractors and cars to the latest adventure of the 100-mph dog. But he couldn't resist the sound of Mr Gum, or David Tennant as Hiccup the Viking.

Audiobooks. Are you a fan? I honestly can't imagine our house without audiobooks.

More than once I've been upstairs in the evening in my house and heard four different versions of Stephen Fry talking quietly as each child listened - for the 100th time - to their currently selected Harry Potter.

When my brood were small we regularly borrowed cassettes & CDs from the library. We holidayed to the sound of Harry Potter, Muddle Earth, the Hobbit & Percy Jackson. When my eldest was diagnosed with a chronic illness aged 10, he was stumped - even on his 'well' days he couldn't watch screens or read a book without blinding headaches. But one day he remembered the Harry Potter CD collection on the shelf... and over the following year I think he became word-perfect in all 7 books.

Even the committed-to-non-reading boy teen years have been liberally filled with books, thanks to discovering Douglas Adams’ Hitchhikers Guide (No.3 says he loves both Stephen Fry AND Martin Freeman as narrators, and not to fret about the switch halfway through the series), Game of Thrones, Ricky Gervais and the huge selection from today’s top comics; a whole new grownup world of literature and comedy opened before them.

And don't for a second believe that it's somehow 'cheating' if you're not reading the words. Simply listening regularly expands vocabulary and increases an innate literary understanding. It allows more difficult books with complex topics to become accessible far sooner, it widens literary horizons far beyond the books on your home bookshelf. And of course, it allows you to be soothed to sleep by David Tennant...

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Juicy Use of the Christmas Party Funds for Candlelight Care Usually at this time of year the staff at Candlelight Care would be as busy as Santa’s elves, preparing for client Christmas parties as well as providing high-quality care to people across Somerset and beyond.

But of course this hasn’t been a normal year, and so the Christmas parties for clients and staff alike have been cancelled.

But Candlelight Care is still determined to bring some festive cheer to the vulnerable people they support – and so the Christmas party fund is being put to a different use!

The money has been used to produce some unique ‘Candlelight Care’ apple juice for clients and staff. It has been professionally pressed, using donated apples from an orchard

owned by a friend of Proprietor Cherry CatleyDay. Each client and staff member will receive a bottle of the juice and a personalised card, which will be hand-delivered to them by one of Candlelight Care’s Team Leaders during December.

Candlelight Care has, like all Cherry Catley-Day and James care providers, spent the majority of 2020 dealing with Catley-Day (Live in Care manager) with the apples the effects of the pandemic used for the Christmas gifts such as sourcing PPE and this year. managing rotas to accommodate been a year unlike any other, and isolating staff. As we near the has created a number of unique end of this unforgettable year the challenges. Although we had no Company wanted to thank its choice but to cancel our staff for their dedication and traditional festive parties we hard work, and the clients and didn’t want our clients and staff families for their patience, and to go without completely, and by felt that this unique gift would be creating our own apple juice we the perfect gesture. are giving them a delicious gift with a personal touch. Here’s Cherry Catley-Day, Proprietor of hoping for a happy, healthy, and Candlelight Care, said, “2020 has more normal 2021!”

Voice of the Blue Light: Blandford Rural Neighbourhood Team Monthly news from different voices within the North Dorset Police Team.

Dave Mullins PC2186

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESPONSE

I am PC Dave Mullins and with PCSO Mike Sinnick we are the Blandford Rural Neighbourhood Policing Team.

We have both worked in Neighbourhood Policing for over 10 years and are based in Blandford.

The Blandford Rural patch covers approximately 120 square miles from Farnham and Chettle in the East to Ansty and Hilton in the West and from Spetisbury in the South to Iwerne Minster and Fiddleford in the North.

We are working hard to patrol the area and effectively engage with the public and partner agencies to resolve local policing priorities.

We work with our response teams, volunteers including the Special Constabulary and have a close working relationship with the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team.

PCSO Mike Sinnick

With the current situation, we are focusing our efforts on high visibility patrols in key areas. We will be challenging people we come across in line with Government legislation along with supporting the most vulnerable within our communities. Please follow Government guidelines and advice from the NHS to help keep yourself and others safe.

CHRISTMAS The Festive period means we all have an increase in the amount of goods and possession we have in our homes. Even in the current circumstances, when we are all home a lot more, the increase in presents and goods leads to a greater risk of thieves entering our homes to take whatever they can lay their hands on!!

electrical items, mark them with your postcode and house number and take photographs of jewellery • Think about how you dispose of packaging after Christmas- boxes on show by the bin give thieves a hint of what they can expect to find indoors.

• Don't leave car keys near your front door. There are thieves who will break into just for the keys to your car. Also keep contactless cards out of sight • Keep an eye out for anyone who seems to be taking an interest in cars or homes in your area.

Please have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year Dave MULLINS PC2186 Blandford Rural NPT

• Always keep your doors and windows locked where possible, even if you’re in your property

North Dorset Police

• Keep shopping bags out of view, whether in the car or in the window of your house

North Dorset Police

• Hide small items like iPads, mobile phones and jewellery in unconventional places - most burglars will only steal what they can carry • Record serial numbers of

North Dorset Police

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Sunset in Shaftesbury 29th November Taken when the mist was dense, the sunset wasn't visible on the ground at all. Shaftesbury's aeriel mast is in the foreground. by Luke Pankhurst

Reader's Photography Piddles Wood 13th November by Meyrick Griffith-Jones

Sunset at Hammoon Harbour 1st December by Marilyn Peddle LRPS

Sturminster Newton

Wimborne Minster

Christmas creeps quietly across the Vale this year...

Blandford Forum

Gillingham

With no fanfare or big occasion, the strangely unannouced Christmas lights are slowly spreading across the Vale.

As we go to publish, Sherborne and Wincanton are yet to light their trees hopefully they'll light up this weekend.

Please do send us your pictures of your Christmas decorations inside and out: we will share as many as we can on our Facebook page.

Shaftesbury

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image: Carl Bovis See more of his work on his website here

Feed the Birds Our local wildlife columnist is North Dorset resident

Brigit Strawbridge Naturalist, wildlife gardener, well-known British environmentalist and bee advocate.

As winter approaches, and temperatures begin to drop, food becomes scarcer, and more difficult to find for many of our wild birds. As a result, we begin to see an increase in garden bird visitors as they come in from the fields and hedgerows in search of extra food.

The numbers and variety of garden birds visiting the feeders in our back garden has increased hugely in the last few weeks. As well as the usual blackbirds, sparrows, robins, blue tits, great tits, and wrens, who we have become used to seeing all year round - there are now goldfinches, a pair of bullfinches, a female blackcap, a song thrush, and at least two families of longtailed tits.

I adore long-tailed tits. It’s not only their impossibly cute looks that melt my heart, but the way they flock together in extended families - always looking out for one another - and the delightful chattering sounds they make as they land on the feeders. I love some of the old English names that long-tailed tits have been known by over the centuries too, such as mumruffin, long-tail titmouse, poke pudding, and (my favourite)

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bum-barrel which stems from the domed oval shape of their nests.

To cater for long-tailed tits and other winter visitors of the avian kind, we try to keep our bird feeders well stocked throughout the winter.

We fill them with the best quality bird food we can afford, including sunflower hearts, peanuts, and fat balls… as well as soaked sultanas and windfall apples, which we leave on the ground for blackbirds, thrushes, redwings and fieldfares.

It is important, once you have an established feeding routine, not to change it, as the birds will come to rely upon you, and include your garden on their daily foraging circuits. Equally important, is that you regularly clean your feeders,

bird tables, dishes, and bird baths. Mouldy food, and droppings, encourage bacterial growth and transmit disease - so hygiene is paramount. Maybe, this Christmas, you could help birds AND bring joy to family members and loved ones, by gifting bird feeders, together with a few months’ supply of bird food? It’s certainly a thought…

Further advice on bird hygiene by clicking here.

Don't forget you can still buy signed copies of the beautiful hardback edition of Brigit's Dancing with Bees direct from her website here.

ANIMALS

A Vet's Voice: The Graduate's Life... from the Small Animal Team at Damory Vets, Blandford

If you’ve visited Damory Vets within the last few months you may have seen two new faces amongst the small animal vets. We (Annabelle and Alice) started working at Damory in July and August respectively and since then we’ve been settling into life as new graduate veterinary surgeons.

Quite unintentionally, we seem to have made it a little difficult to tell us apart. If you were to request “the new young female vet with brown hair and whose name begins with 'A' ” you still wouldn’t have narrowed down the selection! Our consults tops do have our names on them, but presently they’re mostly obscured by the many layers of PPE. Prior to graduating, we have studied for five or six years at university, covering all areas and species from bees right through to bulls. We undertake 38 weeks of work experience, usually arranged during our holiday periods, in areas of both animal husbandry and within veterinary practices.

During this time, we’ve learned how to tip sheep, milk cows, take blood samples, place intravenous catheters and much more.

Although some of these skills we are unlikely to use again within the realm of small animal practice, all these experiences shape each vet’s perspective of

animal care.

Even after completing all this training, there are many contrasts between the vet school and the "real world", and so many aspects of veterinary life that can only truly be learned on the job.

The cases we work through in lectures are now in front of our eyes, the results we interpret are now attached to real animals and the discussions we plan now involve real people.

At university, we’re generally taught the active ingredient (or generic name) of medications we then emerge into the real world only to discover that each drug has multiple different trade names of various strengths and presentations. Flea and worming products in particular seem to be an ever-shifting myriad of combinations, formulations and names.

Our final year and beginning of our working careers have, like everything else this year, been slightly different to what we had imagined. Examinations held online, virtual graduation ceremonies, and starting our first consults in the car park was certainly not how we’d pictured this year going!

of our practice gazebo in a particularly violent storm we’re sure everyone is glad to be back in the warm during the darker colder months.

Vet school prepares you for day one, but it depends on your first job to build you up for the coming years. We’ve been lucky to join the small animal team at Damory, who have all been incredibly supportive and are always willing to provide encouragement, advice, or another perspective on any challenging cases. The transition from veterinary student to newly qualified vet can be a daunting and overwhelming time, but it has also proved incredibly rewarding.

We'd like to take a moment to thank everyone – owners, colleagues and animals – for welcoming us into this busy community. Your help and understanding have made the transition into veterinary practice so much easier, and we will strive to continue our life-long learning to help both you and all of your pets.

While the weather in the summer was for the most part dry and warm, following the loss

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ANIMALS

Ted We are looking for foster families as well as adoptive families! We ask foster homes be within an hour’s drive of Bournemouth (dogs in foster use our local vets).

We rehome to adoptive families within a 2 hour driving radius of Bournemouth; a home check and

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Buddy a vet check is required, with a ÂŁ200 adoption fee, which will contribute to the care of all our dogs.

We offer help and support for you both in the future - do contact us if you have any questions.

Zeus 2

FOR SALE Saddleback x OSB weaners 8 weeks old.

Tel 01747 852042 07969 123557

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Take a Hike...

One of our favourite starting spots is Washer's Pit, between the villages of Fontmell Magna and Ashmore. 11 miles.

(Images from May - Courtenay has a knee injury which has prevented any hikes this month. We walk this one all through the year, but be aware that Stubhampton Bottom gets very muddy during the winter!)

Deep in Ashmore Wood 58

A long hike each month; not always in the Vale but always within reach for a day's walk.

We've always created the route and walked it ourselves - we aim to create interesting, 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 need to click the 'contents' tab) We usually do 10-15 miles - let me know if you'd like different distances.

Be aware the starting stretch through Stubhampton Bottom gets very muddy in poor weather - this is a very different walk in May to that which we did in January!

Farnham Woods

No road work except two crossings this is the longer extension of one of our favourite 'quick' routes, made for longer days and picnic lunches!

Stubhampton Bottom

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL 5* RATED ROUTE We use the premium version, but the free version of the Viewranger App is excellent.

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OUT OF DOORS

Old Places, New Adventures Our market towns might help beat the ‘Bleak MidWinter’ blues Winter provides opportunities to experience the festive season in our market towns – in a normal year our market towns host a variety of events which build upon traditions which are centuries old.

In the early Middle Ages, people celebrated Yule or Jol. Thought to have celebrated the turning of the year after the winter solstice.

Yule became synonymous with the "Christmas season."

In recent years the Vale towns have held dedicated annual Festive Shopping Days.

Sherborne town centre comes alive as it hosts a variety of different musical, fun and entertaining activities. There’s also an award-winning Christmas display at Castle Gardens, a few minutes drive from the town centre. Shaftesbury Christmas Market is normally a Christmas shopper's paradise, hosting a wide array of stalls selling fresh local produce and artisan gifts to the background of buskers and musicians. There is seasonal street food to sample, as well as regionally produced drinks.

Gillingham and ‘Stur’ also offer seasonal events. Do support anything your local town manages to do this year - our 2020 Christmas will be like no other.

Less obvious are the smaller events which can be found. Last year, the ancient tradition of Burning of the Ashen Faggot was revived with a twist in the Digby Tap, Sherborne.

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By Paul Birbeck, Blue Badge Tour Guide.

Traditionally, the faggot, a bundle of green ash bound with nine straps of withy, is thrown on the fire by the oldest person in the room and, as each band burns through, a toast and a wish made plus a glug of cider consumed from “a mighty jug of sparkling cyder’s brought, with brandy mixed to elevate the guests.’ Sounds like fun.

across Dorset throughout the 19th century.

The plays were an important way for low paid agricultural labourers to raise a small amount of money, making a big difference to the families involved.

In some areas, damsels claimed a withy band and the girl whose band was first to break would be first to marry. Some half-burnt ash is reserved to form the basis of next year’s faggot, representing enduring life, and a faggot kept in the house through the year is said to deter evil spirits. This custom is thought to date back to the festival of Jol.

The Dorset poet William Barnes wrote ‘The Humstrum’ which recalls the sound of a primitive home-made rebec-like instrument used by mummers in the Blackmore Vale.

Smaller local events and centres add to the seasonal variety. I talked last month about the Goose Markets, and another tradition still practiced in Sherborne has survived the passage of time. “Pennies” is the custom when at 9am on Christmas Day, townsfolk who go to the Castle Estates Yard, are given a small gift of new minted coinage sealed in a dated Sherborne Castle Estates commemorative card “Wishing You A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year”. At the time of writing, the tradition is being adapted to make the experience “covid-19” secure and safe.

Attendees will collect chocolate money and a coin dated to the year. Well done to the Estate for maintaining this centuries old event.

Also, look out for local Mummers plays. Christmas mumming was a significant Yuletide celebration

A rebec being a bowed stringed instrument with a narrow boatshaped body and 1-5 strings which was played on the arm or under the chin like a violin.

From ancient customs to modern ashen faggots and chasing-thepudding along Weymouth beach, the West Country knows how to celebrate the festive season in style. I hope the current pandemic does not become too restrictive and that we all have an opportunity to beat the Winter Blues by exploring and supporting our market towns and finding things to enjoy this ‘Bleak Mid-Winter’.

Click here for details of Paul's Zoom talk on Christmas Traditions around North Dorset, 16th & 21st Dec, 2-4pm, £10.

IN THE GARDEN

The Voice of The Allotment Another wet Autumn with over 7 inches of rain in October and a further 3 inches for the first three weeks in November.

can never make enough compost despite having four heaps.

Just one or two slight frosts, not cold enough to kill the Cabbage White Butterfly caterpillars still active on the Brassicas. Their other pest Whitefly are present but nowhere in the numbers of previous years.

Neighbouring plots are cutting excellent cauliflower. Our early Autumn varieties were cut in October ( Cheesy and Violetta De Sicilio ) and we eagerly await the variety Cendis which should be ready at the end of November and carrying on through December.

During drier spells we have managed to mulch all the bare ground with copious amounts of well rotted horse manure and friable home made compost. We

The plot has supplied the table with carrots, parsnips, beetroot, leeks, celeriac, celery, sprouts and calabrese all harvested as needed.

The Autumn/Winter salad plants are doing well due to the mild weather and include three

with Barry Cuff

varieties of radish plus oriental mustards, radicchio and Winter cress.

Our garlic cloves ( Marco ) were planted on the 13th and on the same day the Witloof chicory was lifted, the leaves and longer roots removed. These have gone into a container of moist compost and put in the dark. We hope to have chicons in about 6 weeks.

Many are now wanting to grow their own vegetables and fruit.

With small gardens space for production is limited and allotment waiting lists are growing. Why not get your name on a list now. Either apply to your local council or allotment association.

Barry's allotment in Sturminster Newton supplied all of these for his table this month.

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IN THE GARDEN

Garden Jobs for December

from Pete - Head Gardener at Sherton Abbas Gardening

As Percy Thrower used to say:

NOW’S THE TIME...

To Sow If you have a Greenhouse or a cold frame, sow sweet peas, broad beans and winter lettuce.

How about trying some ‘Microgreens’? These can be grown in a small container on a windowsill e.g. lettuce, spinach, basil radish, and beetroot. These are a really good source of key nutrients and beneficial vitamins, including antioxidants, iron and potassium and magnesium for a healthy diet) and can be added to soups, sandwiches and winter salads.

To Protect put some straw or bracken around tender shrubs and plants (even hardy fuchsias benefit from having their crowns protected and insulated).

To Prune before the frosts set in; Prune Climbing roses (between now and February), and cut back high grown roses to reduce wind rock in the winter months. Also grapevines, Wisteria, blackcurrants, gooseberries and redcurrant bushes. Autumn fruiting raspberries should also be cut down to within 5cm from the ground.

AND THERE’S ALSO TIME...

To Plant Newly purchased trees and shrubs. Root balled trees and hedging plants, are usually a more cost-effective option than potted plants and trees.

Poinsettias That old favourite at this time of year, and often the first Christmas 'decoration' in the house…

Poinsettias are Native to Central America they therefore do not like the cold!

When buying them, be careful they have not been stored or displayed just inside shop doorways (where they get a blast of cold air every time a customer comes in).

Choose plants carefully, watch out for discoloured or brown tips on foliage, and if some of the leaves drop when

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you pick the plant up, then just gently put it back on the display, and walk away!

When the plant arrives at home, try to keep it at around 18°C (65°F) and in a well lit area, or on a windowsill. Water sparingly, they do not like to sit in water and let the pot soil almost dry out before you water again. Mist regularly, as this helps keep the foliage fresh.

With good care, Poinsettias can last longer than just the Christmas season; prune the plant back hard in April, repot it in May and keep in a light cool spot during summer. Poinsettias may revert to their taller natural growth but… gotta be worth a try?

Gardening is good for your health, burns calories, and gives you a chance to soak up that ol’ Vitamin D - especially with all that sunshine we have at this time of year... Err hmmm…

Best Wishes for the holiday season. Pete

Flowers in December

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, tis the season to be jolly!

I’m well aware that many people have already started the annual unpacking of Christmas decorations and that houses in my village have already been adorned with lights and tinsel, but fresh foliage and floral decorations need to be done at the last minute if they are to look good on Christmas Day. Anything once cut starts to die and a real tree or branches of holly and ivy when bought into our warm centrally heated houses won’t last long at all.

We have a tradition in our family of putting the tree and berried foliage up around the house on Christmas Eve, but I realise many will want to get it done well before then. My advice would be to always make sure a real tree is in water, and use varieties of foliage such as holly, conifer, yew and ivy for decorating as these are tougher than others and can therefore be bought into the house a little earlier.

Decorations for your festive table can always be created using floral foam which holds water and allows it to drink prolonging the vase life. Alternatively create your table decoration in advance and store it in a cool place such as a garage or shed until needed.

One tradition we can make a start on now are Christmas wreaths, which bring a festive look to any front door. Being outside in the cold the foliage lasts for weeks and can be sprayed with water if it starts to look a little wilted.

I will be selling a wide range of handmade wreaths on the lead up to Christmas which can be ordered on my website (listed below). I’ll also soon be starting the first wreath-making workshop of the year! Intended

to be in November but delayed

by Covid, the first date is Saturday the 5th December.

I love teaching the workshops in my Stalbridge studio; carols playing in the background, mince pies to nibble and lots of chatter over steaming mugs of tea… it’s the start of Christmas for me.

I’ll be teaching how to make a wreath as the professionals do, using a moss base, mixed foliage varieties and a selection of dries goodies. More dates and ticket info can be found on my website.

So it only leaves me to wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas.

Oonagh Langrishe The English Florist www. theenglishflorist.co.uk oonagh@theenglishflorist.co.uk

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Amazing image caught by photographer Marilyn Peddle of the Bere Marsh Barn Owl looking on at how his home improvements are coming along.

Thanks to the wonderful generosity of the people of

Dorset, The Countryside Restoration Trust are pleased to report the £30,000 BOB fund target has been exceeded and there are now sufficient monies not only for the roof repairs but also to be able to dig out the

ditch immediately in front of the owl barn and carry out important groundworks around the barn so that its structural integrity is made safe for many, many years to come.

News from Sturminster Newton

The White Hart Alehouse provided an online ordering takeaway service, and began a side line in Christmas Hampers.

Beads with A Twist took to providing an online creative silver clay jewellery tutorial and The Bull Tavern began a pizza service on Friday nights.

We applaud their entrepreneurial spirit and diversification.

more than ever.

The planned Late Night Shopping event on 6th November was abandoned due to Lockdown, but in true Stur spirit, several town businesses extended their hours in those last few days.

The doors may have closed but several retailers took to using social media posting videos and pictures of their wares, Agnes & Vera cleverly numbering each item for ease of purchase.

The planned reopening of ‘The Stur of the Moment’ under new ownership was discarded and an Afternoon Tea delivery service emerged.

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There will be a Producer’s Market in Market Place on Saturday 5th (10am-2pm), with plans under way for indoor craft stalls at The Exchange on 5th, 12th and 19th December.

With the added bonus of free parking on these dates, thanks to Dorset County Council, we hope you’ll venture into town to buy So, as the doors begin to reopen your Christmas gifts and take and their festive window dressing refreshment at one of our fabulous cafes and hostelries, brings Christmas joy, let me and, if you stay until dusk, you’ll remind you that Saturday 5th be rewarded by the sight of our December is Small Business historical market town aglow in Saturday and your continued festive illumination. support to all the Sturminster Jackie Wragg Newton businesses is needed

EDUCATION

Astonishing Mural for Ludwell Primary School from Renowned Dorset Schoolchildren in Ludwell are enjoying a spectacular new scene in the school library, thanks to artist Phyllis Wolff.

The three metre long mural is a vibrant and engaging scene, creating for the children the sense of being within touching distance of the nature it displays.

Every kind of bird I could think of is found darting through the

Last week, Wardour Catholic Primary School took part in a fundraising walk to raise money for EdUkaid.

Based in Salisbury, EdUkaid is a small charity which operates in southern Tanzania to improve access to education for some of the country’s most disadvantaged children.

Wardour has been linked with Namgogoli School and the aim for the walk was to raise enough money to buy three boxes of chalk for the school - each box of chalk costs £30. St Patrick’s class worked out that collectively, the

leaves of the trees, or nestled among the branches, whilst hares box below the canopy and a fox peers sleepily from its den.

Squirrels, badgers, stoats, water vole, dormice, hedgehogs... Phyllis lovingly points them all out to me (along with a pair of dinosaurs and a fairy, requested by her grandchildren!), and the inclusion of the incongruous mess of sadlytoo-recognisable litter scattered in a corner. children walked 160 miles around the school field and raised £120 – enough for four boxes of chalk.

The children from Wardour will be writing to the children at Namgogoli to tell them how they

All the children have regular library sessions, and are enthralled with the new mural.

Headteacher Jennie White commented "Children, parents and teachers are all excited to have such a beautiful piece of art in school, and I'm thrilled that it's going to be enjoyed for so many years to come" celebrate Christmas here and are looking forward to hearing about how they celebrate Eid. If you would like to donate to EdUkAid, please click here

Wardour Catholic Primary School Reception Class proudly completed their Walk for Chalk

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Virtual Open Event at Kingston Maurward College Kingston Maurward College is pleased to announce that its fourth Virtual Open Event will be taking place 5th – 11th December with live webinars taking place throughout the week with Deputy Principal Oliver Symons.

Previous virtual events have proved highly successful and contributed to an uplift in student applications for the new academic year, and have achieved excellent engagement with potential new students for September 2021.

Two exciting new course areas will be starting in September 2021; the new Level 3 programme in Marine Aquaculture has been designed in conjunction with key industry and research partners to fill identified gaps in the labour market across Dorset’s aquaculture industry.

In addition, the College will launch its Rural Business,

Heritage & Land Management programmes which will equip the next generation of rural business managers and owners to enhance their understanding of how organisations thrive in the marketplace, and how they are managed in the ever-changing world they operate in.

The webinars with the Deputy Principal and his team will comprise a presentation, short video and live Q&A session, where attendees can ask any questions about qualifications required, campus facilities, transport, bursaries, and applications for full-time courses, apprenticeships, and degree level courses.

On the website, visitors can also view videos by Oliver Symons and Principal, Luke Rake; plus see a 360-degree virtual tour, explore courses, and apply online for courses starting in September

2021.

Oliver Symons said: “Although we would rather have people physically visiting our stunning campus, the virtual events provide an excellent insight into Kingston Maurward College, our ethos and how we have closely aligned our programmes to the needs of industry in Dorset and beyond."

For any further information please call 01305 215000 or email Marketing@kmc.ac.uk

Deputy Principle Oliver Symons

Shaftesbury School Raises 'Phenomenal' Global Interest in Cutting Edge Future Classroom At the start of 2019, Shaftesbury School teacher Alex More took delivery of a cutting edge Epson projector for the school’s use - one of only ten in the country.

Exciting as it was, it was only the start of the school’s journey into a Future Classroom. “It just made me think” explains Alex, lead teacher of innovation in teaching and learning at the school “if we had a time machine, and brought a child from 1920 into today, they wouldn’t recognise the transport, the fashion, the food… and yet they’d be instantly at home in a classroom.” So he set about designing a ‘future classroom’ seeing what he could change, and what effect it would have on the students. The results have surprised everyone, and gained international interest.

Alongside the Epson projector, the classroom now enjoys an array of touch screens, virtual reality, augmented reality - and no desks. Instead pupils use tablets and clipboards, and the walls are covered in white boards.

teacher to overlay a digital diagram in a real world setting: perhaps placing a dinosaur in the middle of the classroom for everyone to walk around. When I spoke to Alex, he had recently finished a lesson where he had been exploring a whale shark with a class - not by looking at an image or video, but spinning and rotating it, exploring it inside and out.

“It’s such an exciting development, the opportunities really are limitless” enthuses Alex. “And 2020 has fast-tracked it. The pandemic has forced our digital systems to become a mainstay of our teaching model, and we need to embrace that.

The ‘Future Classroom’ is really already here, and constantly surprising us with new ways to teach and engage, especially in STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineeering, arts and maths)” He added: “There’s nothing wrong with the older traditional methods of teaching, but we

Whilst very much enjoying the technology, when asked for their thoughts on the Future Classroom, it's interestingly the lack of desks which the pupils mention most often, with the apparently empowering freedom of movement it creates. Pupils commented: “Its lack of tables and such a wide open area give the feeling of freedom” “The layout. It isn't traditional with desks facing the whiteboard and the teacher at the front. It’s more interactive and engaging” “The atmosphere; it's quite relaxed and has lots of space.”

Industries across the world have been in contact with the school to hear about the project, with Alex describing the global response as “phenomenal”.

He added: “This is all in the experimental stage still, but the response from staff and pupils so far has been amazing.”

Inside the Future Classroom

By agreeing to share the results of the experiment, Alex has managed to secure equipment from a range of big tech brands at no cost to the school.

With the use of the VR Headsets, the school can take pupils on trips around the Globe Theatre or the Tate Modern, for example.

Augmented Reality allows a

want to combine it with this technology to continue expanding knowledge and skills.”

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EDUCATION

Dorchester School Declares Major Incident Following Visit from Mr Grinch.

Children and staff put on a united front following the unexpected and unwelcome visit of Mr Grinch (and Max the dog) at The Prince of Wales School in Dorchester on Friday 20th November 2020.

An official statement, released by the school read ‘MAJOR INCIDENT - OFFICIAL STATEMENT ‘Following the unexpected visit of Mr Grinch (and Max the dog) this morning at the gates of The Prince of Wales School, the supreme and combined council of the Senior Leadership Team and School Council (Pupil Voice) will be holding an extraordinary whole-school meeting today at 11:20am. This private virtual meeting will involve all pupils and staff’

we are determined that we won’t let ongoing challenges ruin the opportunity for inspiring learning opportunities.

Point Three - MR GRINCH WILL We have our biggest ever festive BE CONVERTED TO CHRISTMAS programme planned, starting with an #InspiredToLearn Deputy Headteacher at The Creative Week followed by a Prince of Wales School, Miss Ann Christmas Jumper Day, Virtual Johnson, speaking about what Christmas Disco, Virtual Wholewould now follow said, ‘that with School Carol Service, Wholeour joint whole-school mission School Hot Christmas Dinner (in now clear through our threepartnership with Local Food point action plan, we look Links), Virtual Christmas Quiz forward to next week when the (Parents Vs Children) and not real magic will begin…’ forgetting a very special *top secret* whole-school Christmas Following the extraordinary It is understood that Mr Grinch’s production. whole-school meeting, the visit to The Prince of Wales is the We have carefully planned each supreme and combined council of first in a series of inspiring activity in a COVID-aware way to the Senior Leadership Team and learning experiences planned for ensure maximum fun and safety School Council (Pupil Voice) the children and staff at The for all. Our #InspiredToLearn issued a ‘Declaration of Intent’.

Prince of Wales School on the run Christmas is going to be the best This included a three-point action up to Christmas. one ever and we can’t wait to get plan that they had all agreed on started!”. in response to Mr Grinch’s visit to Headteacher, Mr Gary Spracklen, The Prince of Wales School who was mysteriously missing during the time of Mr Grinch’s Point One - CHRISTMAS IS NOT visit said “Christmas is always a CANCELLED busy time of the year at The Point Two - WE WILL WORK Prince of Wales School. This year,

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TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS THE BEST #INSPIREDTOLEARN CHRISTMAS EVER

EDUCATION

Downlands School Takes Their Christmas Fair Virtual As with most schools, Downlands School on Blandford Camp rely on the annual Christmas Fair as a big fundraiser.

This year they have tried to think outside the box and instead of giving up in it, they have organised a virtual event instead!

The virtual Christmas Fair is being held on a website which launches today - Friday 4th December.

Click the picture on the right to visit the website and support the school.

Any entry payments can of course be made securely online.

Entries must then be emailed with the activity, name and contact details in the subject box.

There will be prizes for different categories in each of the activities.

Do please go and have a look, join Visitors are able to choose from a in and show your number of different activities and support! competitions.

Some are free of charge and some have a small entry fee.

parents; completely CovidFriendly!

The Year 4 cast who will be starring in Gillingham Primary's Christmas Production

Staff at Gillingham Primary School refused to give up on their annual muchloved Christmas production this year.

And they have gone one step further; with a little ingenuity (and technical skill) they are

managing to put together a Whole-School production!

Each class has their own part and song, and each will be filmed in individual bubbles.

The school is incredibly grateful to the partner of one of our members of staff who will be filming each individual part, and then sharing them online as a single whole production to their

In addition to the production the staff have planned a full Christmas activity schedule for the children, including Christmas lunch day (albeit sandwiches and festive cakes) on Save the Children Jumper Day – Friday 11th December. There will be a Whole School craft day, they are enjoying online advent calendars. And as a treat, the a school has paid for a viewing of the online Pantomime being run by ex-Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan.

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EDUCATION

Cranborne School Celebrates Resilience Pupils at Cranborne Middle School have enjoyed their first Tutor Day of the year.

The school holds one of these events each term, designed to broaden the children’s awareness and understanding of a range of wider topics which fall outside of normal curriculum lessons.

This term they were treated to a visit by Paralympian Aaron Phipps who joined them to explore the idea of resilience both in life and in learning.

Shaftesbury School Student wins International Young Engineer of the Year Award.

James Pester, a Year 11 student at Shaftesbury School, has been named Young Engineer of the Year at the SIG Awards in global recognition for his STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Maths) work in the space industry.

He very quickly had the children hooked with his tales of wheelchair rugby, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and his absolute determination to succeed.

The pupils spent the rest of the day looking at how their brains help them learn, and developing strategies to become more effective and resilient learners.

Competition also featured heavily during the day with I, and the SIG team, will be happy to support you and your fellow students at Shaftesbury School to make all those personal endeavours worthwhile and show, and advise on, the work opportunities available to you all.”

James said “I’m really happy to receive this award – it goes to show that if you put effort into what you do and make it a

pupils being challenged to compete for their houses in a variety of sports and some hotlycontested inter-tutor group challenges to demonstrate their new-found resilience in learning. priority and work hard at it you will get noticed. To me STEAM is much more than a subject; it’s going to help build our future and keep our generation and the generations after us safe and stable and able to live”.

James is a STEAM ambassador for Shaftesbury School, representing 20 students from years 8-11 who are completing CREST Silver and Gold awards.

James demonstrated a drive and eagerness to pursue an engineering career after his experience with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) activities. Through working with the Shaftesbury School’s STEAM projects, Martin Coleman, Partner from Satcoms Innovation Group said “Congratulations to James from everyone in SIG. James, you won this award because you saw the “adventure” of starting an engineering career and the relevance of your schoolwork and STEAM activities.

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Martin Coleman from SatComs Innovation group presented James Pester with the award.

In association with CHARITY PAGES

Charity: Dorset Community Action What we do: We’re a charity that exists to support charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises across Dorset.

We bring people together to develop community based solutions to deliver better services for everyone’s benefit.

We have several upcoming sessions that your organisation can benefit from in the run up to Christmas, all provided for you free of charge!

What we have coming up:

Take a look at our Events Listing and book your place today!

Our sessions run on Wednesdays, and December’s are all free of charge.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, so on the 9th we are offering all Village Halls and Community Spaces an interactive workshop to provide you with the knowledge and confidence to provide a safe environment for all your users.

This training is designed to follow on from ACRE Safeguarding Week to date and stay supported. for community buildings and we would like to particularly encourage representatives of What we can offer you: village halls and community Supporting both new and centres to attend. established groups, we help your organisation's projects though 1:1 On the 16th we advice, tailored consultancy and wrap up with a group-based training to enable networking event, you to be successful and offering the financially sustainable. We put chance to share local need at the heart of your successes Community Action, providing and also discuss services where a local need is your hopes, clearly identified and empowering needs and groups to develop their own concerns for the solutions to the challenges they new year, join us face. for this fun and friendly session to If this sounds like you, or you’re cap off the year. keen to know more, then get in Each session will also have a roundup of the latest funding and government guidance to help keep you up

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touch and one of our specialist Advisors will be able to help support you!

Click here call 01305 250921 or email info@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk

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.

Charity: Sexual Trauma and Recovery Services (STARS Dorset) STARS Dorset is a panDorset charity that offers one to one support, free of charge, for anyone of any age or gender, who lives works or studies in Dorset and has experienced any form of sexual violence such as rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse or domestic abuse at any time in their life.

STARS Dorset provides several different types of support including an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service, a one to one Counselling service, a Children and Young People's Service and a Support Line.

Last year the charity supported more than 1800 people in the county. This year it has continued to support anyone who has needed it, during the first lockdown it increased the hours of its Support Line and continued to offer support through its counselling service and Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service both online and by the phone.

This year the charity has also launched two new projects, one is a 20-week counselling project specifically for anyone who has suffered from domestic abuse, and the second project is to support children and young people across Dorset who have witnessed and experienced domestic abuse.

As with many charities this year the number of people that need support has increased yet the ability to fundraise in the community has decreased, as has the amount of businesses who are able to offer donations and take part in challenge events which help raise vital funds for the charity’s work.

STARS Dorset are therefore asking anyone who is able to donate or knows a business who might like to, to get in touch.

Text Donations can be done via your phone, text ‘STARSDORSET” to 70085 to donate £3, or through their social media @starsdorset or via their website.

The charity will also be organising a sponsored Firewalk next year, and a chance to Sky Dive for them. If you would like to take part in either of these challenge events please either email info@starsdorset.org or call their office on 01202 308840.

More information about the charity and the work they do can be found on their website www. starsdorset.org.

Anyone who has been affected by sexual violence and would like confidential advice and support in Dorset can call the STARS Support Line on 01202 308855 or visit www.starsdorset.org

From the 1st April this year until the 30th September the charity has supported 1033 adults and 272 children and young people across Dorset.

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Contains affiliate links

I have four kids, aged 20, 17, 16 and 12. It therefore follows that I'm ridiculously over-familiar with the cost of mobile phone packages.

We've scoured and searched them all in the desperate hunt to save as much money as possible while we're the ones responsible for paying for their thumb-twitching screen addiction.

And honestly? All four of them are now on the same package, and I've never found another to come close.

I don't pay for the 20yr olds any more of course; but if it helps, he works for an app company, is more tech-savvy than I will ever be, and yet he also sticks with this same package.

And yet - no one ever seems to know about it! It's actually Vodafone's answer to the issue of young adult users and their perennial need for connection. So I'm on a mission to save you. Here's what I personally love:

• none of their social media use counts towards their data allowance. So no matter how much they Snap their Chat, Insta their Gram or Whats their App, they still have a full data allowance to use when they actually NEED it.

•outside of the social networks they get 6GB a month on the £10 plan (£12GB for £12), exclusive of any current offers.

• No phones. All Voxi do is the SIM card. That's it. Simple.

• calls and texts are endlessly free. Not that they'll ever use such an old-fashioned thing as a real life phone call, obvs.

• NO CONTRACTS. It's sort of contract benefits, without the lengthy tie in, you can cancel it whenever.

•it uses the Vodafone network, so coverage and signal are reliably excellent.

•the support staff are rapid and actually helpful • it works across Europe at no extra charge, so they can chat endlessly while on holiday too.

So if you're eyeing up the current bill with alarm, or listening once again to their endless whinging about their medieval data limits, go check out Voxi. They might be worth a switch.

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Heather Brown is a food writer and home economist with a passion for Dorset’s brilliant foodie scene. Heather runs Dorset Foodie Feed which helps to champion Dorset’s food and drink businesses, as well as working with clients to recipe test, write food based copy, help foodie businesses with their online presence and make food for digital content.

IG: @dorsetfoodiefeed

The Christmas Cooking Edit

by Heather Brown I think we have all had a little more time at home than we expected to this year, but there is something about Christmas that inspires a little more home making in many people than at other time of the year. Whether that’s decorating a tree, making a Christmas card or baking a cake, there are lots of options to tempt us to roll up our sleeves and get a little creative.

If you like to explore the kitchen a little more at Christmas, then I have put together some festive recipes to get your home smelling lovely and Christmassy, as well as filling some hungry tummies.

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Mincemeat

"The difference between homemade mincemeat and supermarket mincemeat is so significant that I would encourage everyone to have a go this Christmas (or to buy mincemeat from a small producer who will have handmade it in small batches at home for you). This recipe is not complicated, but it does take a little time. Fortunately most of that time is spent waiting for things to soak or cook slowly so you can get on with other things."

Ingredients • 200g Bramley apples (peeled and grated) • 1 heaped tsp of mixed ground spice • 1/2 tsp of cinnamon • 225g shredded suet (I use the vegetarian kind)

• 500g dried fruit (like raisins, sultanas and currants) • 175g soft brown sugar • Zest and juice of 2 oranges (you can also add some brandy, sherry or spiced rum if you wish)

Method: • In a large ovenproof bowl or saucepan, mix together all of the ingredients really well. Then cover with some cling film or a beeswax wrap and leave for 12 hours (see, I told you there was lots of waiting). You can give this a stir every so often through the 12 hours if you wish.

• After about 12 hours, preheat the oven to gas 1/4 (110 fan). Remove the cling film, give the mixture a good stir and cover the bowl or pan loosely with a piece of tin foil.

• Cook in the oven for 3 hours.

• After that time, it will look runny, fatty and weird but give the mixture a good stir and leave it to cool down.

• Once cold, give the mixture another good stir and then you can pop it either into clean and sterilised jars, or if you know you will use it this Christmas, then you can store it in a tupperware tub that seals well and place it in a cool, dark place until you are ready to use it.

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Sausage Rolls "Sausage rolls are essentially just sausage meat encased in pastry. Simple.

To make really delicious sausage rolls I recommend using homemade pastry and then visiting your local butcher and buying their ready made and herbed sausage meat.

It doesn’t seem like much of a change, but the flavour of local sausages is so much better."

Ingredients: • 1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry (or to make your own, use Delia Smith's quick flaky pastry which works brilliantly).

• 6 sausages • A little beaten egg Method: • Preheat the oven to 180º fan (gas 6) and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

• Roll out the pastry to a rectangle 1/2cm thick.

• Remove the skins from the sausages and squidge the meat into long sausages. Lay on the pastry, leaving space between each sausage so you can fold the pastry over the sausage meat.

• Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pasty into strips between each line of sausage meat.

• Using a little beaten egg, dab some down one side of each of the strips of pastry and fold the pastry over the sausage meat. Secure the two edges together by pressing along the edge.

• Cut the sausage rolls into the size you desire and place them onto a tray.

• Brush each sausage roll with more beaten egg. Cut two slits into the top of the pastry to give the steam somewhere to go when baking.

• Bake for 20mins (if small) and 30+mins if large. The sausage rolls will be cooked when they are a deep, golden brown and the sausagemeat in the centre reaches 73º and is no longer pink in the centre.

Mincemeat Swirls Ingredients • 1 packet of ready rolled pastry • 1 jar of mincemeat (preferably your homemade!)

• 5(ish) tbsp of icing sugar.

Method: • Preheat the oven to 170º fan (gas 5) and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

• Roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle about 1/2 cm thick. (*Cheat tip - buy ready rolled puff pastry and just unroll it).

• Spread the pastry with a good, even layer of mincemeat.

• Roll up the pastry so you have one large mincemeat sausage.

• Cut the swirls into approx 1cm slices and lay them flat onto a lined baking tray.

• Bake in the oven for 15 mins until the pastry has gone slightly brown. Leave to cool.

• Once cool, mix the icing sugar with a little water to make your icing and simply drizzle across the swirls with a spoon.

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"Like the sausage roll recipe above, these are also super simple and require just three ingredients, mincemeat, puff pastry and icing sugar - they are my cheat Mince Pies."

Christmas Cookies "These are simple to make and the combination of two different sugars leaves the cookies soft and chewy in the centre. They take just 20 minutes from ingredients to tummy to make the cookies and should you have a little extra time, I have also included a simple way to make them look a little festive too."

Ingredients • • • • •

125g butter 125g caster sugar 100g soft brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg

• 200g self raising flour • 25g cocoa powder • 200g dark chocolate (broken into chunks) To decorate - 100g white chocolate and some red and green fondant.

Method: • • • • •

•

• •

Preheat the oven to 170º fan (gas 5) and line two baking trays with baking parchment.

Beat together the butter, both sugars and the vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg.

Then add the flour and cocoa powder and gently stir through until well combined and the mixture is beginning to get firm. Add in the chocolate chunks and stir through.

Using your hands, separate the mixture into 12 evenly sized lumps of dough and place them on the two trays. Space them evenly across the trays, leaving room for them to spread out when cooking (you don’t need to flatten them).

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Its tricky to tell if they are cooked as the cocoa colour won’t change colour much, but they want to be quite cracked across the top and not be very runny/wobbly in the centre.

Leave them to cool. They will be quite soft when hot, but will firm up when cool.

When cold, melt the white chocolate in a bowl and dip one side of the cookie into the white chocolate so that it looks like a Christmas pudding. You can finish with a fondant holly sprig and berries if you wish.

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Star Topped Jam Filled Biscuits

"Who doesn’t love a buttercream and jam filled vanilla biscuit?! If you want to make something without chocolate or the usual Christmas spice, then baking vanilla biscuits and sandwiching them together with a little buttercream and raspberry jam can be just as festive if adorned with stars and a sprinkle of caster sugar ‘snow’."

Ingredients: • 175g butter • 200g caster sugar • 2 eggs • 1tsp vanilla extract

• • • • •

400g plain flour 1tsp baking powder 75g butter 150g icing sugar Raspberry jam

Method: • Mix together the butter, caster sugar and vanilla until fluffy and pale. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then carefully mix in the flour and baking powder. The mixture should form a soft dough.

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

• Preheat the oven to 170 fan (gas 5) and line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.

• On a floured surface, roll out the dough so it is 1/2 cm thick (the dough is delicate so be careful). Using a 5cm (approx) cutter, cut out 12-15 round discs and transfer them to a baking tray. Then cut out 12-15 more round discs and from the centre of each circle, cut a star shape with a knife. Transfer these to the other baking tray.

You may need to re-roll the pastry to cut out all your circles and the above numbers are estimates based on the cutter size (if you use a smaller cutter you may get more circles for example). Just keep re-rolling until all the dough has been used up.

• Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes until the biscuits are lightly golden in colour.

• When the biscuits have been removed from the oven, take a little more caster sugar and generously sprinkle the biscuits with the sugar.

The heat from the biscuits will melt the sugar enough to stick it to the biscuit. Leave the biscuits to cool.

• Whilst the biscuits are cooling, make some buttercream icing by beating together the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. You can add a little vanilla extract if you wish.

• To finish the biscuits, smear some of the buttercream on the base of the circle without the hole, then spread some raspberry jam on the top. Top with a star biscuit so that the jam peaks through the hole.

FOOD AND DRINK

Christmas Tips From An Epicurean This Christmas is going to be quite different to what we are used to. So even more reason than usual to indulge in those foods we don’t eat all year, those wonderful high calorie indulgences!

which really suits this time of year, a little like entering the world of the Nutcracker ballet.

Even though we cannot travel so freely they do deliver so still time to order one of their famous hampers.

If one would prefer to shop in person then in our part of the I grew up on a farm and am now world there are many excellent a food consultant but, for many independent shops and delis: years, I was lucky enough to work Ingredients and The Pear Tree at Fortnum & Mason, London. The in Sherborne, or Compton festive period is always a McRae in Semley. wonderful time to visit, from the Christmas windows which attract This year more than most, we wide acclaim to the interior with should be supporting our local its red carpet, chandeliers and shops and restaurants. Mat Follas assistants in their Hunting Pink (Masterchef winner 2009) is Jackets. opening his new restaurant Always the busiest time of year Bramble in Sherborne. and the customers enjoy the chance to look for those special Christmas is the time for feasting treats as well as Christmas staples with friends and family; usually a and the staff get to do some roast with all the trimmings, but celebrity spotting while always with our reduced gatherings, this delivering their customary could be the year to try goose or excellent service. duck, smaller birds, and more Fortnum & Mason was established in 1707 and still retains a timeless quality

flavour!

Hand carved Smoked salmon, pork or game pie with chutney, potted Stilton or The classic Fortnum's Christmas Hamper. Who a hefty wedge of doesn't love to receive that distinctive Eau de Nil branding? And there's something for every budget. Stilton, mature Cheddar. (click to shop!)

For those extra special treats, one could try Iberico air dried ham, Spanish ham from the black footed pigs (hence the name Pata Negra).

They feed on acorns; the meat has a wonderful nutty flavour with a fat which melts

in the mouth.

Simon Vernon

Elvas plums, beautiful greengage plums, cooked and soaked in sugar, make a wonderful accompaniment to cheese.

Speaking of cheese, if one loves smelly gooey cheese, Vacherin Mont d’Or, is a seasonal speciality only available at the end of the year. Made with milk from the Alps, wrapped in spruce bark, once ripe it has a wrinkled soft rind on top, when one breaks through the skin the luscious runny cheese can be spooned out.

Alternatively, the British Stinking Bishop, named after the pear the rind is washed in, a pungent, soft cheese.

Finally, please spare a thought for those who will still be working over the holiday period; restaurants, farmers, delivery drivers, retailers and, of course, the NHS. When I returned to dairy farming, often Christmas lunch would over run, and while the rest of the family would be enjoying cheese and Christmas pudding I would have to cut things short to milk the cows and feed the stock… animals don’t respect holidays!

Let us celebrate the end of 2020 with good food and good cheer, have a Merry Christmas and wish for a return to some normality in 2021!!!

Simon Vernon

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FOOD AND DRINK

There are many reasons why supporting local small businesses is important in any given year, but, this year, it’s vital for the survival of our beloved village and town high streets, which have had to weather the full force of Covid restrictions.

Local economy aside, there’s something rather magical about buying from a smaller independent retailer who can offer you something ‘off of the beaten track.’

Many families will be having a very different time this Christmas and for those who will be separated from their nearest and dearest, sending them a gift that is local through and through not only shows thought, but is a way to impart a little bit of ‘you’ and your county to them.

So, with that in mind, I thought it a good time to remind those looking for an alcoholic gift (even if it is to yourself) that we make our own successful products at Vineyards: Sherborne ‘G’ Gin, Baked Apple Sherborne Gin, ‘The Bean Shot’ Espresso spirit, and an Amaretto.

Our journey into distilling began in 2018, when we hired the mobile still ‘Ginny’ from the awesome people at ‘Still on the Move’.

What we didn’t know at the time was how well our choice of botanicals were going to go down with the gin-loving community of Dorset!

Let’s just say that quite a few of us felt ‘ginspired’.

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We were lucky enough to get praise from Taste Award judges who claimed it was ‘Gin as it should be’ and placed us 1st in a local Dorset Gin tasting against some of the big boys.

Fast forward a couple of years and we are absolutely delighted to have ‘G’, Sherborne’s first gin, as a permanent product on Vineyards’ shelves. The journey of making this happen was exciting and full of local support.

Let’s just say the folk of Sherborne know how to get ‘into the spirit’!

We have to give a HUGE thank you to Bob and Vicky from Liberty Fields who have helped us to get our gin on our shelves.

As much as we would love to have a copper still permanently out the front of Vineyards, we are not sure that we could get away with making the town smell of juniper 24/7 (Hogarth springs to mind here!). So, Liberty Fields have really helped us out here and we are chuffed for a local Dorset company to be on board with bringing our Gin baby to market.

We’ve also used Wyke Print for the printing of our labels designed by local illustrator Matt Murphy and Richard Budd Photography to capture the fun, so it really is a Dorset affair!

The Baked Apple variation on our flagship original gin followed shortly after and is great at this time of year as an alternative to Sloe Gin, or in a Winter Negroni.

Most recently, we have collaborated with Bean Shot Coffee in Sherborne and now have our very own espresso spirit made only with natural sugars

making it lower in sugar than

image by Richard Budd

Did someone say gin?

by Sadie Wilkins, Indie Wine Merchant, Vineyards of Sherborne

most mainstream slimline tonics.

Finally, a collaboration with E18hteen Distillery in South Petherton means we have a mighty fine Amaretto which is natural in colour and made using almonds, not apricot kernels like most on the market.

Any of our products would be perfect to ‘celebrate home’ this year. Get in contact to hear the full low down on each product, it’s one of our favourite things to talk about.

We delivery nationally too.

Take care, stay safe this Christmas and keep it local.

Sadie

01935 815544 shop@vineyardsofsherborne.co.uk

Sadie & Hannah from Vineyards of Sherborne

THE BLACKMORE VALE

FOOD & DRINK

Your Christmas Five a Day

by Rachael Rowe

With the festive season upon us thoughts are naturally turning to Christmas Dinner and celebratory meals.

grows the Igor and Nautic brussel sprout varieties.

Fresh vegetables are a major part of the feast as well as part of your five a day. Many vegetables eaten traditionally at Christmas are grown locally in North Dorset.

Rachel from Abbott’s Greengrocers in Shaftesbury recommends the tops from sprout stalks sold in her shop as an edible treat, as well as the familiar green sprouts.

If you think you have it difficult planning your festivities around the latest Covid-19 guidance, spare a thought for our Dorset growers. They usually begin planning their Christmas growing in January, based on what has done well the previous year.

What sells well and is in demand last year featured heavily in this year’s growing plans.

Sprouts are a popular vegetable at Christmas time. Some people believe you should not eat sprouts before the first frost, but newer varieties allow them to be eaten earlier in the year when in season. Sara Cross from Gold Hill Organic Farm at Child Okeford

“We have grown them successfully for over 15 years.

They slowly mature up the stalk so we can pick them over a six week period up to 4 times.”

“People sometimes throw them away but you can shred the leaves like cabbage or they go really well in a stir fry.”

When it comes to cooking them her sprouts are usually steamed, and sometimes a little bacon is added.

So what are the options if you fancy something a little different (but local) this Christmas? Sara Cross has several recommendations when it comes to vegetables.

Radicchio or place it in the oven with olive oil for a very different taste.

As for her top tip, ”I like celeriac either boiled with the potatoes then mashed with them to give a subtle celery taste -or they roast brilliantly with the parsnips.”

It’s also important to use up all the cold turkey and ham. Sara grows Japanese salad leaves which are the perfect combination with these meats.

Buying local reduces food miles but your vegetables are likely to be fresher. At Gold Hill, vegetables are picked the afternoon before or on the dayand you can smell the carrots and herbs in the shop. Make it a resolution to support your local food producers and add a little variety to your five a day.

Rachael Rowe is a freelance food, health and travel writer in North Dorset. Her portfolio is at www.rachaelrowe.com

If you like the flavour, roasted Jerusalem artichokes are an option. Or you can steam

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BUSINESS NEWS

with Andrew Diprose of DORSETBIZNEWS

Cream of the crop: BV Dairy to create 32+ high-skilled jobs as £2m expansion gets green light A North Dorset dairy manufacturer is planning to create more than 32 highskilled jobs as part of a £2m expansion.

Family-owned BV Dairy says the approval of £750,000 in funding from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) has secured plans to create the major new facility at its Shaftesbury site.

Construction is expected to start in January 2021.

It continues the major investment of the past four years including a new chill store, a kefir bottling facility and an automated process department.

Vaughan Heard, Finance and HR Director, said: “We are delighted to secure the grant funding from RDPE. “It will support us in our aim to provide increased long-term opportunity for local employees Vaughan Heard

Blackmore Vale Dairy

and security for farmers and rural workers in North Dorset.

“We are extremely proud of the wonderful dairy industry heritage and legacy in North Dorset, and to play our part in bringing these quality products to a national and international audience.

“The additional capacity created by the new facility, together with the improvements in technology, allows us to court major new customers – which in turn creates more opportunity for our dairy farm suppliers.

“I would like to thank the RDPE for its generous grant funding.

“I also wish to extend my sincere thanks to Simon Hoare (North Dorset MP), our many Dorset suppliers and Ian Girling, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce, for their collective support and assistance in helping BV Dairy to secure the necessary funding.”

Simon Hoare commented "Whenever I visit Blackmore Vale Dairy I’m struck by their innovation and commitment to excellence. Their use of our fine quality local milk and the business that provides for our local dairy farms is incredibly important. I’m delighted they’ve secured this grant and pleased to have helped them in the process”

BV Dairy was founded in 1958 by father-and-son team Jack and Christopher Highnam.

They began by making clotted cream on a kitchen top at the family’s Old Rectory Farm in Kington Magna near Gillingham.

The dairy is now in the hands of the third generation of the family, Jim Highnam.

BV Dairy employs 130 people and had an annual turnover of £36.7m in the 12 months to March 31, 2019, its latest published accounts.

Milk is sourced from Red Tractor accredited farms within a 25 mile radius of the company’s Wincombe Lane site.

Its specialist dairy products are supplied to the manufacturing, catering and food service industries.

They include soft cheeses, crème fraiche, buttermilk, cream (single, double and whipping), Dorset clotted cream, fromage frais, yogurts including Greek style, soured cream, ricotta and mascarpone.

Andrew Diprose is the Founder and Editor of Dorset Biz News, Dorset's No.1 business website

with Andrew Diprose of DORSETBIZNEWS BUSINESS NEWS

Room with a view: traditional shepherd’s hut is a real labour of love for craftsman Craftsman David Jevons barely stops for thought when he’s asked about his work.

“I absolutely love it,” says the 40-year-old father of two.

“It’s just so satisfying.

“Creating something from scratch and then seeing the reaction of my customers. I can’t imagine anything more rewarding.”

David’s business, The Dorset Hutmaker, centres around building traditional shepherd’s huts.

He studied design and then carpentry, but only launched out on his own four years ago.

David said: “I love shepherd’s huts; their design, their functionality, their history and

their presence.

“Although I started The Dorset Hutmaker in 2016, I’ve spent years learning how to build them using the best of traditional and modern techniques.

The term ‘hut’ – while accurate – doesn’t really do David’s work justice. They’re bespoke wooden works of art in a range of lengths and widths which take 12 weeks or more to build with an average cost of around £21,000.

Once the basic design is selected each customer selects the bespoke finishes, including lighting and electrical options, hand-made furniture and interiors and a fully installed wood-burner.

Reclaimed and British grown timber is used, where possible.

David works with local artisans

and one of the UK’s last remaining manufacturers of traditional ironmongery.

“Every hut is different for each customer and that’s what makes it so special,” said David who is married to Stephanie.

Stephanie has her own business, Floral Design by Stephanie Jevons, and the couple share the same workshop in Tarrant Launceston near Blandford.

They’ve been married nine years and have two sons, Brody, aged seven, and Ted two.

So what sort of uses do David’s customers have for their shepherd’s huts?

It could be a stylish guest bedroom, home office, an artist’s studio, a children’s playroom or just a peaceful retreat.

And, of course, if you ever decide to move, you just take the hut with you.

Businesses, from spas, hotels and salons to farms, pubs and glamping/campsites, can use the extra space for treatment rooms, an outdoor bar or perhaps a food trailer.

David said the first lockdown had been tough for his business.

However, since then, there had been lots of interest and various projects had come in to keep him busy.

The launch of a new range of bespoke furniture items on Etsy had also been successful.

He said: “The combination of the staycation and working from home has definitely had a positive effect on sales.

“With current restrictions on travel, it seems people are choosing to invest in their home and garden.

“It’s a very enjoyable, and satisfying, way of making a living.”

David Jevons, his wife Stephanie and son Brody with a shepherd’s hut from The Dorset Hutmaker.

BUSINESS NEWS

Music to Rosie’s ears: Musica founder and chief executive is named 2020 Woman of Inspiration “I’m absolutely over the moon.”

improve dementia care through the use of responsive, musical activities designed to improve the wellbeing and quality of life for both those living with dementia and their carers.

The reaction of Rosie Mead, Founder of Blandford-based Musica Music and Wellbeing CIC, after hearing she had been named a Woman of Inspiration in this year’s top 100 WISE (Women in Social Enterprise) list.

The company has gone on to provide support to healthcare professionals and family carers by offering guidance on how music can be embedded into daily care routines.

Rosie Mead Rosie said: “The benefits of music in dementia care are significant. to support people living with “The use of meaningful music can dementia during Covid. help to strengthen connections “Being recognised for those between the individual living with efforts is a big boost for the dementia and their caregivers, whole team.” reducing social isolation as well as improving overall wellbeing and WISE 2020, held by Pioneers Post Megan Peat, CEO, NatWest Social quality of life. in partnership with NatWest, & Community Capital, said: “The “I want to bridge the gap between focused this year on how stars of stories of these leaders who have research and practice by the social enterprise world had shown agility, resilience and supporting caregivers to have an adapted to Covid and showed it adaptability over the last few understanding of the research ‘who’s boss’. months will inspire many on their behind why music benefits people living with dementia as well as Musica Music and Wellbeing CIC is path towards rebuild and recovery.” how they can put this a not for profit organisation understanding into practice as specialising in dementia care.

Musica’s free online part of their relationship-centred Rosie, and the team at Musica, introduction to music in dementia care.” looked at innovative ways to dementia course is made up of support caregivers during the videos, podcasts and handouts Musica is considered one of the pandemic to use music in the around the power of music in leading music and health daily lives of people living with dementia care. organisations and is on the SE100 dementia.

It takes around one hour to index for 2020, listing the top 100 In August the company launched complete. performing social enterprises in a free online introduction to In addition to this, each learner the UK. music and dementia. receives an email series of ten The organisation operates across tips for using music in dementia the UK delivering online support, Already 250 people have signed care. training, coaching and meaningful up to the course worldwide.

They also receive access to music activities for healthcare Rosie, who is the Chief Executive Musica’s online community where providers and family caregivers to of Musica, said: “I’m absolutely they can connect and engage with support relationship-centred over the moon to be included in other caregivers to share ideas, dementia care. the top 100.

To sign up to Musica’s free successes and challenges.

“We’ve worked really hard this year to change what we’re doing

Musica was established in 2010 to

introduction to music and dementia care, please click here.

Advertorial

The Latest Financial Support for Businesses in 2020 As the second Covid-19 lockdown took effect on 5 November, the Chancellor returned to Parliament to announce extensions to key support measures for individuals and businesses over the coming months. Here's our quick rundown of the basics: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will now run through to March 2021.

Employees will receive 80% of their salary for hours not worked, capped at £2,500 a month.

Employers must cover National Insurance contributions (NICs) and workplace pension costs.

One important difference from the previous furlough scheme is that claims can be made for employees notified to HMRC with

a real time information (RTI) submission by 30 October.

Self-employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) - two further grants.

The new extension covers a sixmonth period divided into two additional grants. The level of the third grant is now 80% of average monthly profits. Applications for the third grant covering the three months from November 2020 to January 2021 will open on 30 November and will be capped at a maximum of £7,500, paid in a single instalment.

HMRC says that it will pay the grant “sooner than planned and in good time for Christmas”. No details as yet but a fourth grant will cover the three months from February to April 2021. To claim,

BUSINESS NEWS you must have been eligible for the previous two (even if they were not actually claimed), so this excludes anyone with • average annual profits exceeding £50,000; • self-employed income that makes up less than 50% of total income; or • no trading history before the 2019/20 tax year.

Job Retention Bonus (JRB) The £1,000 JRB will not now be paid in February Government-backed loan schemes - the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) and the Future Fund - have also been extended through to the end of January.

For the full details of these schemes, please click on the article links and go to www. wardgoodman.co.uk/hub

BUSINESS NEWS

Testimonials: Are You Using Them in Your Digital Marketing?

by Joanne Dewberry, author of Networking A Successful Small Business

Testimonials. How often do you read them before purchasing a product?

I would hazard a guess and say a lot! According to research by Nielson 92% of consumers trust a recommendation from a peer and 70% will trust a recommendation from someone they don’t even know, highlighting the need to collate, gather and use your business testimonials.

Testimonials play a big role in building a brand, developing credibility and loyalty, customer service but also for search engine optimisation.

Testimonials provide your customers with a voice, and allowing them to express it increases customer engagement and interaction as well as loyalty.

Businesses with testimonials will rank higher in search engines as

both Facebook and Google favour businesses with testimonials (recommendations).

According to MOZ’s Local Search Ranking Factors Survey (2018), online reviews could make up 10% of how Google (plus other search engines) rank search results. Some businesses choose to use platforms like Trustpilot and Tripadvisor to collect and collate their testimonials, where they are awarded stars or a satisfaction percentage.

Whatever you use the process is super simple but the benefits are huge to small businesses.

Ask for testimonials: Using your social media, email marketing or even directly asking, encourage customers to leave testimonials of the service/ product they received.

Emphasise how easy the process is and avoid using language like “write a review” which makes it

sound like a chore. Instead, opt for 'leave a review'.

Share your testimonials: Again using social media et al, share with your customers what others have had to say, make the testimonials work as a marketing tool.

Include CTA in your paperwork: Adding call to actions onto all correspondence, email footer, website footer, compliment slips, invoices, receipts, reinforcing the importance.

Make your testimonial obvious: Have a page on your website, even if that’s a link to your Google testimonials, be proud and show off.

So if you want to rank higher in searches, develop your brand and increase your customer base make sure you are utilising and collecting testimonials everyday.

Awards Entries 50% higher than expected The organisers of the Sherborne Business Awards have announced that entries to the awards are 50% higher than expected at this stage.

November achieved 50% more than expected.

Said Nigel Reeve of the organisers Marketing West, "We set out a strategy for the awards to be easy to enter. Entry must be free and take no more than ten minutes to complete.

The response to the awards has been fantastic with entries Entries opened at the beginning starting to come in on the day of November with the entry forms entries opened. on the awards website, www. sherbornebusinessawards.co.uk.

Local sponsors have also backed The organisers estimated an entry the awards with over half the target figure each month and

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category sponsorship already sold."

Entries for the awards close on Monday 25th January 2021, while the awards presentation will be at lunchtime on Thursday, 25th February.

Sponsors already include NFU Mutual, Sherborne Town Council, Battens Solicitors, Trophy Solutions, Valmiera Glass, Hunts Accountants and Mogers Drewett Solicitors.

WHAT'S WHAT'S ON ON

It’s (socially distanced) behind you!

Theatres fight back against Covid blues THERE was relief all round for local theatres, concert halls and arts centres when the Government announced we would be in Tier 2 when the lockdown eases on 2nd December.

It means that the carefully planned, socially distanced, Covid-secure pantomimes, Christmas shows, concerts and other events can go ahead, with all the relevant protocols and arrangements made. Booking is essential as the venues need to have contact details of all audience members, so don’t just turn up and expect to be admitted. The rule of six will apply, so no big parties. Make sure the venues know how many people are in your group so that seating can be organised.

Many of our local theatres have leapt at the chance of offering seasonal entertainment to their audiences. They can only use 50 per cent of their seating capacity, so there will be high demand for available tickets among those who want to enjoy something of a “normal” Christmas.

Nurse Nellie will be saving the pantomime at Yeovil Octagon, on various dates from Friday 11th December to Sunday 3rd January.

The five-strong (bubbled) cast, led by Gordon Cooper, Jack Glanville and Thom Ford, performs Paul Hendy’s new show, which incorporates many of the best-loved moments from the pantomime genre. When a baddie steals the joy of pantomime, will Nurse Nellie and her friends manage to rescue it?

Oh yes they will!

Bath Theatre Royal has the hilarious farce The Play that Goes Wrong from Thursday 17th December to Saturday 16th January, just the thing to banish the 2020 winter blues. You might have seen the play, and others from the successful company, on television. It is MUCH funnier to see it in the flesh.

On the more serious side there is David Mamet’s Oleanna from 3rd to 22nd December, and then from 4th to 16th January.

Starring Jonathan Slinger and Rosie Sheehy, this brilliant 1992 play is the uncomfortable dissection of a claim by a student

Meet your Local

by Gay Pirrie-Weir that her tutor has sexually harassed her, and the effects her claim has on both their lives.

Chris Jarvis has written the Poole Lighthouse pantomime, Happy Ever After, and he and his friends will perform it between 18th December and 3rd January.

There are four live shows at Bournemouth Pavilion – but no pantomime. Fans will be delighted that Paul Jones and the Blues Band will be back at Wimborne Tivoli on 12th December, as well as a Covid version of Jack and the Beanstalk from 18th December to 3rd January, also at the Tiv. Congratulations to all those theatres that persevered with productions in the knowledge that their efforts might be scuppered by the rules. Let’s support them if we can, and look forward to a post-vaccine 2021 Christmas with Covid “Behind You” See the Fine Times Recorder for an updated list of live shows across the region.

Salisbury Playhouse has two shows, Little Robin Redbreast for the younger audiences and Guy Masterson’s inspired solo performance of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. The family show runs at various day times from Monday 7th to Sunday 27th December, and Scrooge takes centre stage in the evening from 15th to 19th December.

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WHAT'S ON

Our next event in the theatre is our first National Theatre production War Horse followed by Fleabag the week after.

Our next ballet is the perennial Christmas favourite Bolshoi Ballet’s The Nutcracker. Tickets available from www. shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk

After almost 20 years of bringing top level music to Dorset, Wessex Acoustic are glad to be hosting a very special Christmas show after this rather lengthy lock down with no live music.

Are you missing live music?

Wishing there was a concert you could enjoy as part of the Christmas festivities? Your wish is granted!

Normally based in Blandford, Wessex Acoustic Folk Club has arranged for the use of St Peter’s Church, in the High St., Shaftesbury (at the top of Gold Hill) this December.

There will be a seasonal concert with top international stars Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman at 8pm on Friday 11th December.

The celebrated virtuoso partnership of “the doyenne of

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Irish harpers” (Scotland on Sunday) and “one of the UK’s most staggering and influential acoustic guitarists” (fROOTS), has graced venues large and small in twenty-two countries on five continents.

Chris and Máire’s performances are a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, coupled with striking new compositions and Chris’s “delightfully subversive” wit.

“Dazzling virtuosity... delightful” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH; "In a class of their own" THE GUARDIAN;

"Takes one of the most effete instruments in traditional music and breathes a fire into its belly" * * * * THE IRISH TIMES; The new ‘Christmas Lights’ Album is “A delightful, satisfyingly

original, often refreshingly unpredictable take on festive favourites. Gorgeous and uplifting " THE LIVING TRADITION This is your chance to see this fabulous duo in concert in the perfect setting of a beautiful church.

Support from Shaftesbury’s Anne-Louise Richards.

Due to the Covid safety measures in place for this concert, seat numbers are limited and have to be be reserved in advance. Tickets are £15 each, from the club box office on 01202 732239 or 01747 850212.

Are you a local artist keen to share some news or a new piece of work? We'd love to feature you!

Send it to us on editor@theblackmorevale.co.uk

Artist Snippets

Stephanie Grace – ‘The Hare’ Local artist Stephanie Grace starts a process of building up several layers of colour and tone before applying her intricate detail to the painting. Her love of nature, colour and life is clear to see in this beautifully detailed gouache painting of a hare in a bespoke frame and hanging in Trouvaille Gallery.

www.trouvaillegallery.co.uk

Sarah Jack - Smuggler’s Cave - £1350 Professional artist, Sarah Jack offers contemporary, textured landscapes and harbour scenes which can be mailed from her studio. Her work can be found on www.sarahjack.co where many pieces are still available or in galleries around the south of England.

www.sarahjack.co

Diane Ablitt Contemporary Artist, Diane Ablitt, offers poster like harbour scenes painted in gouache, from Child Okeford. 01258 860959

tabby04ablitt@gmail.com

Clare Shepherd – artist and teacher Clare lives and works on the Cranborne Chase, painting largely landscape. Clare’s interest is in the application and manipulation of paint in both oil and watercolour. She teaches regular weekly art classes in Blandford and area.

www.clareshepherd.com

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ART

by Edwina Baines

Rose Hatcher The Workhouse Chapel, Bath Road, Sturminster Newton

edwina@theblackmorevale.co.uk

Now in its ninth year, ‘Handmade for Christmas at The Workhouse Chapel’, the creation of textile artist Rose Hatcher and showcasing dozens of makers and artists from Dorset and surrounding counties, has become one of Dorset's most loved and best attended Christmas events. Prospects for ‘normal’ opening this year looked bleak.

Rose had decided to place everything on hold, until, at the beginning of October she woke one morning with the fullyformed plan to carry out Christmas sales online.

The response from all the artists was very positive; so an opening date of 1st November was set.

That meant that Rose, alongside local maker and coconspirator, Kate Osman, had just two weeks to pull the whole enterprise together! As a result, many loyal customers will now be celebrating the return of ‘Handmade for Christmas’… online (www.workhousechapel. co.uk).

spending the whole day with her.

“If somebody comes to your door, you greet and offer them hospitality. I’ve always tried to do that, so that when people leave The Chapel, they feel like they’ve been to a friend’s house.”

Rose has cleverly managed to inject the same unique Christmas spirit into the website - for web-browsers will Rose and Raffy enjoying the comfort of the find the same When lockdown is eased, hourWorkhouse Chapel sofa long ‘shopping appointments’ will warmth and snippets Image by Raffy's owner, Michelle Clements-Davies of creative frivolity here as in artist and to sell something that be offered. Rose commented “It will add lasting value to the will be a very different experience The Chapel. And surely, even masked, sanitised and circulating ownership. this year and there will be lots of clockwise, a ‘shopping rules to follow, something which appointment’ will be a rich and Rose has been aided in her feels very strange to us, but the unforgettable experience!

There endeavours by glass artist Kate demand has been so strong that is something for every taste, from Osman. Kate, in Rose’s own we felt we had to do something.” exquisite hand-felted or words, is “the sensible one”; the machine-embroidered pictures, social media guru helping to In previous years, the joy of The ceramics, wooden items, cards, generate sales through Chapel exhibition space was to silver jewellery and recycled glass advertising, whereas Rose’s walk in from the cold and find a to inexpensive, quirky stocking innovatory and creative ideas (like festive atmosphere, a sense of fillers.

There is even the same her amusing personal blogs warmth and sanctuary: a place entitled Musings and Ramblings), where cosy sofas snuggled up to a Bargain Basement as before! help to increase followers. One of bright wood burner and hot Feeling that there is a disconnect her titles in particular caught my coffee and biscuits were always these days between people and eye – ‘Coddi-wompling’. Do you on offer. the things they buy, Rose seeks to know what that means? English imbue her items with a human slang but a word which could Rose explained that total connection, to link object with easily be added to your strangers would enter the vocabulary, it means to ‘travel in a Chapel and end up

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vocabulary, it means to ‘travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.’ Rose says: “Currently I am coddiwompling my way through life.”

countryside more than ever before. I wove tapestry on a loom from a boot sale, using wools that had been owned by an old friend.”

However, there is no vague destination associated with this website and the duo are finding that their loyal customers are returning. Every morning sees Rose packing up the parcels (pledging not to use any new plastic packaging materials); and every afternoon sees her posting them out. There is also click and collect service from The Chapel and heavy, fragile and larger items can be delivered locally.

During this time she crystallised her new thinking: she realised she was interested in taking “the precious” out of her work. “As artists, when we’ve made something, we’ve put heart and soul into its creation - we are reluctant to ‘spoil’ it by use”. But rather than the finished piece of work just being admired, Rose is keen to bring ‘art’ into everyday use - to be appreciated on more than just a visual level - to be handled and used.

Rose herself is an artist best known for using silk and wool fibres to create exuberant images; she also makes jewellery, either using hand-rolled felt beads, semi-precious stones or recycled salvaged items. However, knowing that Rose is constantly seeking to explore alternative artistic disciplines, I wondered whether the first lockdown months had given her a chance to investigate other mediums and techniques.

By working predominantly with ‘valueless’ things - natural, found, pre-existing and recycled materials - the only costs are time and skill and the value lies not in the cost of materials, but in the human effort.

Following a course at West Dean College last February on ‘Jewellery from Found Materials’ she is now combining eco-silver and semi-precious stones with discarded copper wire, old “I felt lockdown was a strange gift. washers and pipe olives to create All other pressures were taken jewellery. Having developed her away and there was time to tapestry weaving skills, she is explore different things. I started restoring an old floor walking every day at dawn and loom and plans to weave rugs taking photographs, appreciating using recycled fabrics and old our beautiful wool. Old curtains have been

Inside The Workhouse Chapel image by Rose Hatcher

transformed into clothes “to honour the materials which already exist in the world.”

Looking forward to her tenth year, at the moment Rose is happy to regroup and consolidate - just working with current Workhouse Chapel exhibitors, but always on the quest for extraordinary new makers and artists to join H4C. To book your shopping appointment email handmade@workhousechapel.co.uk

with preferred date and time.

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HEALTH

How to enjoy your Christmas tipple without feeling guilty!

by Karen Geary, a Registered Nutritional Therapist DipION, mBANT, CNHC at Amplify

So we already know the bad news; alcohol is not good for you, and the reasons why have been published numerous times. But it’s Christmas, and it’s been a horrid year – I hear you.

If you don’t drink, skim to the bottom to read my alcohol-free choices. But if you do have a drink this Christmas, please drink moderately and enjoy everything about it; the type of glass you choose, the preparation, the pleasure in being able to afford the ingredients, sitting with your family bubble whilst you imbibe – even if it is over Zoom. Feelings of gratitude and joy are helpful for our emotional wellbeing. That is not an excuse to over do things!

Making ‘good’ alcohol choices, especially if you are watching your weight, as well as avoiding hangovers, revolve around minimising sugar. It is the major contributor to weight gain, especially around the waist.

Adding sugar also makes you feel worse the next day. Add a few of those syrup shots to your favourite cocktail and before you know it, the sugar and calories are adding up.

Spirits Spirits are produced by distillation so they can be the lowest sugar alcohol choice as well as low in calories. Buy a spirits measure and stick to single measures though.

Best choices are the white spirits such as vodka, gin, tequila, followed by other unsweetened

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spirits such as whisky.

Clean drinks ideas: • Potato based vodka (gluten free) with soda water and a slice of lime.

• Gin martini (with an olive) • Silver tequilla. Try a Norcal Margarita, one of my favourites when I lived in California .

• Whiskey sour made with fresh lemon or lime juice

Wine Wine isn’t filtered like spirits which is why people get hangovers from the yeasts, sulphites and other toxins. Red is the lowest in sugar but can be high in toxins (hence the hangovers). This is followed by dry, rosé, medium white, sparkling wine and finally sweet wines, which contain around 2 teaspoons of sugar a glass. It’s not true that champagne has the least sugar – it’s usually because it is served in a smaller sized glass. Extra brut is the exception.

The small amount of resveratrol in red wine is meaningless.

Better to have dark chocolate!

Beer Beer has around 3 teaspoons a pint. Stout has less sugar and alcohol than other beers, followed by bitters and lagers.

Extra strength lagers tend to have more calories and sugars.

Ciders Cider has a deceptively high sugar content but is a great gluten free choice. Dry cider is the best option as it is lowest in calories and sugar. Around 3-4 teaspoons of sugar for a pint.

Liqueurs – a 50ml pub measure is around 4 teaspoons of sugar.

Lots of artificial colourings and sweeteners tend to be added too.

Avoid.

Going alcohol free There are some fabulous alcoholfree choices around these days without that sugary taste. Seedlip (very gin-like), Aecorn, Botonique, sparkling tea, kombucha are all great choices.

Wishing you all a very peaceful, and Covid-free Christmas.

HEALTH Experienced Trainer & Gym Manager Roger Teasdale shares his personal tips and recommendations.

‘I eat healthily but I still can’t lose weight.’

Part 2 – The Common pitfalls: Portion Control –

don’t get away with it because it’s a smaller drink – a large glass comes at a whopping 228 calories!

Oils and Dressings – consider Unfortunately size does matter! what you cook with; all your oils, butters and sauces have to be When was the last time you included, and often make the measured an actual portion of biggest dent in your energy something, say breakfast cereal? budget. Sachets of tomato sauce The numbers/colour codes may at 20 calories each and look ‘healthy’ on the labelling, but mayonaise at 82 calories! do be aware of what their portion size is – it is often way less than 5 of those mayonnaise you think. Even if you are not sachets add up to the going to track fully it is definitely equivalent of a light worth, every once in a while, checking that your portion meal on their own (not measurements are correct; it is recommended!). very easy for them to creep up when measuring by eye.

Over rewarding – allow yourself Liquid Calories – sports/energy drinks and alcohol are where people can often slip up. It’s easy not to even think about the energy in drinks; if you don’t want to consider it at all then just drink water!

Roger Teasdale

having a bigger chunk of cake than normal, or super-sizing your meal because you’ve exercised.

These ‘rewards’ can very easily undo any progress you’ve made and more.

Don’t deny yourself anything (as you are more likely to fall off the wagon and have a binge) but just consider the quantity and frequency of the treat foods/ drinks.

treats, yes, but be careful not to over-reward your efforts by

An energy drink will typically come in at over 200 calories which makes quite a dent in the recommended daily intake (2000-2500).

A typical pint of lager is 180 calories, so if you have 5-6 pints you are looking at around half of your daily calories without even considering food – and we all know that snacks often accompany a couple of drinks.

If white wine is your tipple you

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Local Equestrian Community mourns the passing of Pat Burgess MBE Warmth and love radiates from the countless messages and memories being shared for renowned Wilton RDA teacher Pat Burgess, who sadly passed away peacefully on 4th November at home with her family by her side.

Born and raised in South Africa, she emigrated to England in 1964, and when injury forced a stop to her own show jumping career, Pat turned to teaching.

Her teaching reputation grew and during the 1980's she coached the British Olympic Eventing team, training such legendary names such as Lucinda Green, Richard Meade and Ginny Leng.

Her greatest passion in life was the Wilton RDA. Since 1975 she was its driving

force.

She always said she ran the RDA on "love, joy and enthusiasm".

Most importantly for Pat the RDA was never simply about how to hold the reins - it was not a 'lesson', it was about fun, freedom, confidence, self belief, generosity and love. With these in place the lesson could begin.

carrying the Olympic torch in 2012. On a very wet day, Pat was cheered on by her family and friends as she charged up one of the steepest hills in Dorset!

Throughout everything Pat never lost her tremendous sense of In December 2008 Pat was humour. Her five children, Pete, awarded an MBE in recognition Jim, Tracey, Tom and Sally, nine of her work with the RDA. Her grandchildren, nine great family and all her friends were grandchildren and many, many extremely proud of her. friends will miss her enormously and strive to continue her legacy Pat was also given the honour of of love, joy and enthusiasm.

Donate in Pat's Memory

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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SITUATIONS VACANT

AUCTIONS

Job Title: Catchment Monitoring Technician Location: Dorset – Field based role around the Wessex Water region Salary: Circa 26,000 per annum Hours: 40 hours a week – Monday to Friday At Wessex Water, we are recruiting for 2 newly created Catchment Monitoring Technicians to join our Science and Monitoring team. If you love working outdoors around the countryside, working on farms and in river catchments, then this would be a great opportunity for you.

What will you be doing?

This role would be mainly field based and entails soil, water, crop and manure sampling to provide the data needed to support catchment management activity and to evidence it’s impact. An important part of this would also be collecting river and final effluent samples as part of a water quality monitoring programme.

Along with travelling around the wonderful Wessex Water region, a big part of your role will be communicating with farmers, landowners, customers, and internal water quality and biosolids teams to finalise any monitoring plans. You will also assist the wider team in advising end users on the samples and their results.

What are the requirements?

We are looking for enthusiastic and self-motivated individuals with a genuine interest in the environment and agriculture. Previous experience of working within an agricultural or environmental role, where you have had to communicate and build effective working relationships with farmers, farmer representatives and landowners is highly beneficial.

Ideally the successful candidate will hold a degree or diploma in a relevant agricultural or environmental science field. But equivalent experience will be equally valued.

To help assist you with your role, you will be given a company vehicle for business travel.

Due to the remote nature of the role, you will need to hold a valid full UK driving licence. Additionally, holding a trailer licence would be beneficial but not essential.

Sound interesting? Please apply by clicking - www.wessexwater.co.uk/careers/vacancies/req003428 102

SITUATIONS VACANT

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES / NOTICES

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PUZZLES

CROSSWORD

We made it! The tech battles were numerous, but with a little help from our mates at Dorset Tech (well - we handed it to them in a whimpery fashion and they rolled their eyes and did what was necessary in about 4 nanoseconds) we finally have the functioning crossword! Simply click to complete on your tablet, computer or phone - or there's a download option if you prefer pen and paper.

(we're on a roll now what next?

D'you want a sudoku too? Ed)

JIGSAW

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To complete the jigsaw simply click the image and the interactive jigsaw will pop up.

If you wish you can choose a different number of pieces to start with - make it harder or easier, it's up to you!

THE BLACKMORE VALE

LEGAL

Don’t leave it too late…

Expert help on common legal issues from the team at Porter Dodson LLP.

This week: Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney Many of us now know what a Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney is and how it authorises a trusted person to deal with your money and assets if you become unable to.

But we can be mistaken in thinking that a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney is not so important because next of kin know what is best for us and can make decisions and give instructions to health care providers if necessary.

The reality is: not necessarily so.

The Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney affords you peace of mind that the persons you trust are able to make decisions on your behalf relating to all your health and care needs in the eventuality that you are no longer able to make these decisions for yourself.

If you put in place a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of

Attorney, your appointed Attorneys will be able to make decisions on your behalf. This covers everything from washing, dressing, eating, medical care, care homes and even Life Sustaining Treatment.

Attorneys with authority to make these decisions on your behalf, the decision will ultimately be with the Doctors.

Doctors and other medical professionals must, of course, act ‘in your best interests’ at all times and may deem keeping you alive The Life Sustaining Treatment artificially as so, even if this is point is one that most clients find contrary to the wishes that may very important when providing be known to your family. instructions for a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of The only way to ensure Attorney. This sensitive subject is your family or loved ones covered separately in the have the overall say on document due to the weight of this difficult decision is to its importance.

You can choose whether you wish to grant your Attorneys authority to be able to give or refuse Life Sustaining Treatment on your behalf. If you have strong views on this that you would not want to be kept alive artificially, you would be advised to complete a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney and appoint Attorneys that are aware of your wishes.

In the absence of appointed

put in place a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney.

In certain extreme circumstances, if you find yourself unable to make your own decisions and there is no Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney in place, your family may have to apply to the Court of Protection in order to be granted the right to be able to make decisions in relation your health or proposed treatments.

This is an expensive, upsetting and long drawn out process.

Having a Lasting Power of Attorney in place is much like taking out an insurance policy; one hopes it will not ever be needed, but if your family or loved ones do need to call on it, they really do prove invaluable.

Lesley Hamilton lesley.hamilton@porterdodson.co.uk

Lesley Hamilton

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Considering an Equity Release Mortgage?

A very buoyant housing market and changing circumstances for many has led to an increased level of enquiries on the subject of Equity Release.

slowly (normally called Drawdown) rather than in one lump sum and to protect a certain level of inheritance for your beneficiaries.

But what exactly is Equity Release? What is a Lifetime mortgage? How do I even know where to start? What do I need? Can I spend the money on anything? I didn’t know it could be used to buy another property?

Do I qualify for equity release?

Ask yourself the following questions to see if you qualify for equity release: • Is the youngest homeowner at least 55?

• Are you a UK resident?

• Do you own or do you want to own a property in the UK? • Is your property worth at least £70,000?

• Are you mortgage free or able to repay your mortgage in full with the equity release mortgage?

• Do you plan to release at least £10,000?

A lifetime mortgage or ‘Equity Release’ as its better known, is a mortgage secured against your house that allows you to take a tax-free lump sum, or regular income, without the need for monthly payments, although you can usually make voluntary payments to slowdown the roll up or even repay some of the balance. The mortgage plus interest is eventually repaid when you die or move into long-term care and the property is sold.

Lifetime mortgages offer a range of flexible options such as the ability to withdraw the money

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Often pensions are fixed and living costs rising, meaning the pinch has caused savings to be exhausted. You don’t always need to downsize you can raise some capital to stay in your own home.

Clearly there are downsides to using a lifetime mortgage. Such considerations as a reduction in

state benefits and a smaller inheritance to pass on must be considered.

There are also other forms of finance available such as interest only mortgages for older borrowers. It is these considerations that need to be considered in relation to your personal situation.

Equity Release forms part of the later life mortgage range. Over the years we have seen UK property prices continue to rise, which has led to many of us seeing our largest and most valuable asset being our homes, having all of this money ‘tied up’ can become restrictive and many feel that they will not ever benefit from the growth. Being able to utilise a proportion of that property without the need to sell your home is a great solution for many.

Equity Release may involve a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks, ask for a personalised illustration.

Stuart Adams is a member of SOLLA, The Equity Release Council and Later Life Advice Specialist at Bloomfield & Associates Ltd in Independent Financial Advisors in Shaftesbury.

PROPERTY Susie Palin (Blandford Forum Branch) 01258 690553 / 07570 357553

Brad Hansford (Shaftesbury Branch) 01747 352077 / 07814 962161

Meyers Estates Agents is a Multiple Award-Winning Franchise business based in Dorset that challenges the stereotypes within traditional Estate Agency. Founded in 2011 it is underpinned by four key business principles: WE CARE Our service is tailored to the needs of each individual with a highly personalised approach. We also support our local communities through our sales and lettings income PROUDLY RELIABLE We intend to be the service you can rightly rely upon to live up to our ‘fast sales’ reputation ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY We strive to make the journey what it should be, exciting, effortless and enjoyable GENUINELY PROFESSIONAL As a team, we are consistently professional and driven by our values and principles

£429,950 Marmalade Cottage, Milton Abbas Four Double Bedroom Family Home

£185,000 Sturminster Newton Detached Two Double Bedroom Coach House

www.MeyersEstates.com 111

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'The Blackmore Vale' is published by Bluebean Publishing Ltd in Dorset, UK.