The Purbeck Gazette - Issue 179

December 2014 Issue no. 179

Magazine archive at:

Blooming Lovely! Pg12

Purbeck Remembers. Pg18-19

Purbeck Christmas Challenge Pg34-57

Goat Eggs (yes, really). Pg58

SWANAGE POST OFFICE Great range of Cards & Gifts (including ‘Frozen’) at Hallmark!

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all of our customers!

Swanage Post Office, Kings Road, SWANAGE. BH19 1ER 01929 422 461

SWANAGE & PURBECK

Swanage Associated SaT

TAXI

Taxis

Call Martin

07969 927424

Telephone (01929)

421122 or 425350 Station Approach, Swanage. BH19 1HB

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The Purbeck Gazette

Editor’s note...

W

elcome to the December edition of YOUR Gazette! It’s nearly CHRISTMAS! Just a little excited...!

The colder weather is approaching, so keep warm and please do check on any elderly or infirm neighbours in case they need a helping hand. Don’t forget that our wonderful Purbeck Good Neighbours are on-hand if needed - just a phone call and a £2 donation away.....

We have struggled to fit in all your news, views and events this month and have a bumper-packed edition!

So much going on here in Purbeck that there’s simply no reason to get bored.

This edition sees the final chapter in this year’s ‘Purbeck Gazette Christmas Challenge’, where we ask you to make an effort to complete all of your Christmas shopping right here in Purbeck. Our pages are packed this month with local advertisers reaching out to you, letting you know what’s on offer and inviting you to their place for a delicious dinner, party to remember or to purchase that extra-special gift for a loved one. Respond to them - pop in for a bite to eat with friends or browse the items on offer.

Without our advertisers, there is no Purbeck Gazette. No Purbeck Gazette equals no community news and views, so we can’t encourage you enough to support your local shops!

Have a fabulous festive season!

FREE CAR STICKERS THIS MONTH! Collect from our office in Commercial Road, Swanage on Tues or Thurs!

YOUR Community Magazine 20,000 copies (15,000 door-to-door)

Swanage - Dorchester Lulworth - Bere Regis Over 10,000 MORE copies than our closest competitor! All YOUR news, views & events - written by LOCAL people - a real community paper, produced FOR YOU DAILY NEWS WEBSITE FOR PURBECK: www.purbeckgazette.co.uk What happens, as we get the news in, online, FOR YOU.

Public Notices & Information

TIDE TIMES DEC‘14 Peveril Ledge, Swanage

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Low --00.24 01.15 00.02 02.48 03.32 04.15 04.55 05.34 06.10 ------00.02 00.52 01.39 02.25 03.11 03.56 04.40 05.54 06.11 ------

High 03.44 04.57 05.59 06.54 07.42 08.26 09.07 09.46 10.25 11.02 11.40 00.00 00.40 01.26 02.25 03.32 04.35 05.30 06.17 07.02 07.45 08.28 09.11 09.56 10.43 11.33 -00.54 01.55 03.03 04.19

Low 11.03 12.03 12.55 13.43 14.29 15.14 15.57 16.38 17.16 17.52 18.32 06.46 07.25 08.14 09.21 10.42 11.43 12.33 13.19 14.05 14.50 15.35 16.19 17.09 17.48 18.34 07.01 07.58 09.09 10.26 11.38

High 16.36 17.41 18.37 19.26 20.08 20.48 21.27 22.05 22.44 23.22 -12.20 13.05 14.03 15.10 16.15 17.13 18.02 18.46 19.28 20.09 20.52 21.35 22.21 23.09 23.59 12.27 13.27 14.36 15.54 17.09

Low 23.27 NP ----- - FM -- - ST ---19.03 19.45 20.39 21.53 23.06 NP ------ - NM -- - ST --19.26 20.27 21.42 23.54 --

ST=Spring Tide NP = Neap Tide NM=New Moon FM=Full Moon

Swanage Town Council Meetings - December 2014

Finance & Performance Management Council

Mon 8th Mon 15th

9.30am 7pm

Please check the Town Council’s website www.swanage.gov.uk or call the Town Hall on 01929 423636 for the latest information.

Wareham Town Council Meetings - December 2014 Policy, Resources & Finance Planning & Transport Council

Mon 1st Mon 15th Tues 16th

7pm 7pm 7pm

Purbeck DC Meetings - Open to public - December 2014 Licensing Board Council Audit & Governance Planning Board Policy Group

Thur 4th Tue 9th Tues 16th Wed 17th Wed 17th

9.15am 7pm 5.30pm 9.15am 7pm

Meetings are subject to change. To double check, see: http://www.dorsetforyou.com/ meetings/purbeck and see ‘dates of council and other meetings’

About The Purbeck Gazette & Purbeck Media Ltd The Purbeck Gazette prints 20,000 copies every month and delivers throughout the region from Swanage to Dorchester, Lulworth to Bere Regis. The Purbeck Gazette is published by Purbeck Media Ltd. All editing, graphic design and lay-up is completed in-house by Purbeck Media Ltd. The Purbeck Gazette is printed by Blackmore Ltd of Shaftesbury and distributed by Tudor Distribution Ltd of Poole.

The Purbeck Gazette Daily News and Gazette online website is managed and edited on-site by Purbeck Media Ltd. Purbeck Media Ltd also publishes The Purbeck Guidette, the Purbeck Visitor Guide.

All rights reserved.

OUR TEAM: The Gazette team consists of: Nico Johnson, Editor, Joy Lamb, Sales & Accounts Executive, David Hollister, Columnist, John Garner, Columnist, Charlie Hobbs, Columnist. Kim Steeden, Spotlight Diary Editor, David Bishop.

VOLUNTEERS: A massive thanks to our volunteers, whose help is invaluable each month with proof reading. They are the very professional: Gerry Norris and David Holman. Thank you both so very much!

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See www.purbeckgazette.co.uk or drop into the office Tuesday or Thursday

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A small gathering of super heroes from the 185 that were powering their way around the corridors of Wareham St Mary Primary School recently! Our school felt a very safe place to be that day!

We are proud to announce that we have nearly raised £130 so far for the BBC's Children in Need fundraiser.

Sunrise over Wytch Lake, by Ben Buxton

CONTACT US ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS/IT COMMUNITY MATTERS COUNCIL MEETINGS DIARY SPOTLIGHT FEATURES 100 Years - Purbeck Remembers Blooming Lovely!

Gazette Gardening, with Simon Goldsack John Garner writes - Problem Solving My Wartime Memories - Brian Guy writes Purbeck Bonfires!

Purbeck Christmas Challenge Swanage Carnival Presentation Evening Telling It Like It Is - David Hollister writes FOOD The Gourmet Peddler HEALTH & BEAUTY LETTERS MOTORING - David Hollister writes NATURAL MATTERS SPORT TRADE ADVERTS sponsored by Sydenhams YOUR PICS

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17b Commercial Road Swanage, Dorset BH19 1DF www.purbeckgazette.co.uk

THE OFFICE IS NOT OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC.

ADVERTISERS ONLY PLEASE!

Editorial Enquiries: Editor, Nico Johnson 01929 424239

ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk

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Advertising Sales:

at: www.purbeckgazette.co.uk Joy Lamb 01929 424293 or email: ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE

See our website shop at: www.purbeckgazette.co.uk for rate card, booking & payment Prices from £25.80 (inc VAT) Discounts available

The legal stuff...

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this magazine, but the Editor is unable to accept responsibility for any omissions or errors that may occur. The inclusion of any article or advertisement does not constitute any form of accreditation or approval by the Editor. No part, written or visual, of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the Editor.

DEADLINE FOR JAN IS 12pm, MON 8th DEC

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LULWORTH RANGE WALKS & TYNEHAM VILLAGE OPENING TIMES The clue is in the heading above - these are our readers’ letters. They are NOT articles, they are letters. By you. Our readers. They are not our letters, they are yours - your letters. Simple!

Please send all letters to ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk with ‘letter to the editor’ in the email subject line. Please do not exceed 350 words. If handwritten, please ensure it is short and legible.

PLEASE DO NOT DUPLICATE LETTERS TO OTHER PUBLICATIONS WE DO NOT PRINT MULTI-PUBLICATION LETTERS.

JAN edition deadline: 12 noon Mon 8th Dec

Well Done Blondie!

Dear Readers, The Commando 999 Royal Marines thirteen mile speed march (became fifteen due to route change!) and the Lord Mayor’s Parade Suffice to say we got a rapturous welcome all the way round the fifteen miles of central London, including during the Lord Mayor’s Show.

Particularly from the women who were wowed by the testosterone being radiated by three hundred Marines pounding by doing a ten minute mile.

I cycled the first eight miles and ran the remaining seven. The ‘ouch’ factor on the knee was bearable, all other systems worked perfectly. My son hoped it was going to kill me so he could get his hands on the inheritance, he was most disappointed.

The bike I was riding was supplied to me by Boris Johnson and delivered to my hotel. Being the oldest man (being just short of 77), I was spoken to by the Prime Minister and so was my son, aged 54, also a former Bootneck.

Below, you will see a picture of David Cameron speaking to me (photo credit www.gillshaw.co.uk).

The photograph above was taken before the Speed March started.

Regards, Derek (Blondie), Swanage Below also shows: The Naval Officer in uniform is the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas KCB DSC ADC. The Royal Marine with his back toward the camera is the Royal Marine Corps, Regimental Sergeant Major.

The Lulworth Range Walks and Tyneham Village are open to the public every weekend with the exception of: 15/16 November 2014 In addition to the weekends, they are open every day during the following times (all dates are inclusive): 20th December 2014 - 4th January 2015 Tyneham School & Church exhibitions open 10am -4pm whilst open DATES CAN BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE Ffi, please call 01929 404819

Beach Huts - What A Shame!

Dear Editor, As a temporary resident of Swanage for many years, I have been intrigued to observe the redevelopment of the seafront over the past year. The scale and execution of the civil engineering - earth retaining walls, etc. - showed a promising commitment to this key aspect of the town.

Imagine my dismay, then, when the new beach huts began to take shape.

To my understanding, the classic concept of a beach hut is to have a private space that can, at the same time, open up to become part of the public realm and permit views to the beach and sea. The new huts have been designed with a single, offset, solid door and therefore no natural light for the interior.

If you did have to shut yourself in for privacy or to shelter from the wind and rain, it would be like sitting in a tiny garage! Even with the door open, the interior space appears cut off from the outside world - dark and gloomy.

Instead of insulting our senses by producing a range of crude, primary colours for these doors, a simple arrangement of semi-glazed, (stained timber?) double doors - to open up the whole interior - would have changed the whole outlook and practicality of this development.

A further issue is that I am fairly sure that, from a seated position, the view to the sea from the upper level huts is constantly interrupted by the pitched roofs of the huts below!

What a shame...

Yours faithfully, Pete Silver via email

Housing - Rights And Wrongs Dear Nico, I’m sure many readers will agree with me when I say I feel privileged to live in Purbeck. I’m equally sure that many of you who maintain a passing acquaintance with what are now referred to as the old values will agree that privilege, like respect, has to be earned.

I won’t even pretend to be familiar with the whole of English Law, but I do not believe that it is stated anywhere that a right exists for anyone to live in a particular part of the country, and this would appear to be where David Hollister and I disagree.

I don’t often disagree with David, in fact I have a huge amount of respect for him, but I remain uncomfortable with the ‘affordable housing’ issue he espouses so enthusiastically. Firstly it is positive discrimination, which often invites a backlash, and secondly it flies in the face of market, social and demographic forces.

Reporting on a public meeting in Langton he states, a touch critically I thought, that ‘many of the speakers were more concerned at (sic) the location of any sites for affordable homes than with the actual fact that such homes were needed.’ And why shouldn’t they be for goodness sake?

A quick flick through the history books should make it obvious that any attempt to make people of a different disposition live side-by-side will always end in pain and tears.

Older and retired folk come to Purbeck for a bit of peace and quiet. They have earned this, and are not going to be too chuffed about being landed with a garden full of screaming children right next door.

But for the sake of argument let’s assume a need for affordable housing exists in some shape or form. Can someone explain to me then why developers have to pay for it? Mr H cites one or two who have made a few bob and can afford to be philanthropic, but most of the ones I know are just making a living the same as the rest of us.

One argument I have heard is that the service industry needs cheap accommodation, so why are local hotels not required to chip in? Why should anyone in Swanage who employs staff not chip in?

Of course, the short answer is that the government sold off all the council houses in the seventies and couldn’t then afford to build new ones, so they looked around for a patsy.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Square & Compass Worth Matravers. 01929 439229

LIVE ACTS FOR DECEMBER Sat 6 8pm Bottled Beer & Beard Fest! Mother Uckers Sun 7 2pm Corn Potato String Band Sat 13 8pm Pronghorn Sun 14 2pm Ranagri Wed 16 8pm Blue Suede Poetry Club (John Hegley) £7.50 Sat 20 8pm Boy Le Monti Sat 27 8pm Eva Abraham Sun 28 2pm FB Pocket Orchestra Mon 29 8pm Arnie Cotrell NYE 31 10pm Count Bobo and the Bullion www.squareandcompasspub.co.uk

Mr Developer needs permission to build houses and they therefore have him over a barrel. I believe the term is blackmail.

In all fairness, developers should be compensated for having to foot the bill for David’s social conscience out of council tax income, but I won’t be holding my breath.

David Bishop, Swanage, by email

Serfdom Still Alive And Well Dear Editor, I was interested to read David Hollister’s latest column, where he revisited the ever-popular (and often divisive) subject of affordable housing. This time the spotlight is on Langton Matravers, a village where a need for affordable housing has been identified.

David wrote about Mr Turner’s potential site in Langton, for which plans have been submitted. This is one of a few possible sites within the village that are up for consideration. There is much talk of what is actually ‘affordable’, and now much discussion within the village about where the new housing should go, what it should look like, who should live in it and so on. A recent meeting gave people the chance to find out further information, and introduced the idea of a ‘working party’ to address the issue of affordable housing within the village.

I am willing to bet that the majority of those on the new working group are already happily settled in their own homes. Therefore, the ‘working group’ will surely be more interested in any impact on them and their lives (view, preferred parking spot, protecting their own property price, etc), over and above the rights of those who need housing in their home village?

I believe any working group should be compromised of those who completed the survey, and who require housing, not those who could be seen to be protecting their own ‘investments’ whilst trying to control future expansion of the village.

Affordable housing is something that is desperately needed in this area, and has been for decades. Meetings and discussion are all well and good, but what those of us who have fully-grown children either forced to live with us at home, or forced to move out of the area need, is local housing RIGHT NOW, not years of yet more meetings where the already-housed somehow think they have the right to decide whether they ‘approve’ of where housing for the rest of us is built, and how.

It seems the days of serfdom are still alive and well, where those ‘with’ get to decide the fate of those ‘without’. I wonder how many years it will be before any actual bricks are laid?

Please withhold my name and address as I do not wish to have my point of view argued every time I visit the Village Stores - I am not as brave as Mr Hollister when it comes to putting my head above the parapet!

Name and address supplied, withheld on request.

Parish People Object Dear Gazette, In his November article on affordable housing, David Hollister refers to a public meeting in Langton Matravers attended by a colleague on his behalf on which he partially based his piece.

I understand David also had a personal presentation by the applicant developer of Spyway Orchard, which lies outside the village’s settlement boundary. He hasn’t so far invited the same from Langton’s Affordable Housing Community Working Group.

Arranged to inform parishioners on all the issues relating to the building

of affordable housing (AH) not to question the need for it, the September public meeting succeeded in defusing simmering anger in the village that an unprecentedly large scale development was being imposed on it from on high. As a result, the Community Working Group was set up to actively address the provision of AH (not AH and more market housing as the Spyway Orchard application proposes) in a more sustainable way, tailored to meet the demand for it in a timely way. See www.ah-langtonmatravers. org.

David may not have read all the documents submitted to Purbeck District Council in response to this application before publishing his comment piece. Of these, 7 support it, 115 object with 12 neutral. Objectors include the National Trust and the Holiday Property Bond which provides twelve jobs in Langton. So 5% are in favour, 86% are against the proposal, with the remaining percentage neutral. Letters of objection express valid concerns about such a large development of affordable homes where a disproportionate amount of the site is given over to market housing.

Most have declared their support for affordable housing if properly planned.

The developer bought the land knowing that it lies outside the settlement boundary and therefore he could never build his dream retirement home on it as was his original wish. He has submitted repeated multi-dwelling market housing applications for development on the site which were rejected by the planning authorities on each occasion. He now wishes to use 45% of the site for eight market houses and to cram twenty-four affordable homes on the other 55%.

Parish people object to this high-density development. These objections include road congestion and safety in Durnford Drove, flooding, job losses and the risk of mis-allocation to people without Langton connections because too many houses come on-stream in one go, as has already happened. PDC, our own Parish Council and now central government have stated a preference for small, scattered rural AH sites. Other such sites without the major drawbacks of Spyway Orchard are now being very actively explored to secure AH in Langton in a sustainable and safe way.

Yours sincerely, Barrie Mayes, Langton.

Patients’ Participation Group Dear Editor, Patients’ Participation Group On behalf of the Patients Participation Group at Swanage Medical Practice, I would like to thank all the members who assisted with this year’s flu clinics.

1373 people attended the first clinic and 1512 the second.

The smooth running of the clinics was helped by everyone keeping to their time slots making it once again a successful event.

Anyone who still requires a flu jab can ring the surgery and make an appointment.

The Patients’ Participation Group meets every two months. It supports the GPs, organize information events, and have input into the general running of the Surgery.

We would welcome new members. If you would be interested in joining you can pick up a leaflet from the Surgery Cherry Bartlett, Chair of PPG

DEADLINE FOR JAN EDITION: NOON, 8TH DECEMBER

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Who helps The Homeless?

Bring Back ‘Mr Plod’

Dear Editor, I met up with a man of the road recently, something which may increasingly occur in future, even in Wareham. It was the usual sad story, if indeed it was true, - broken family, unhappy childhood, loss of job, fatherhood, break up, illness, drugs, debt, homelessness.

My question is, for a start, is there any provision for such, any initial help, any facilities available in reach of Wareham? Should we have them, where and how? Ideas please.

Andrew Salmon, via email

Dear Editor, I was woken up at 2am the other morning by what I assumed was the police helicopter circling round. As I was trying to return to the land of nod a strange thought crossed my mind.

How much cheaper, quieter and stealthier it would have been to have a policeman pounding the pavement? Maybe then we would see some benefit from the £500,000 Swanage residents pay for policing in their Community Charge every year.

Silly thought really!

Regards, Peter Wakefield, via email

Generous Donation To Club

A Good Article Phoebe Dear Gazette, We had to go to the dictionary to look up the title of the letter praising Phoebe’s article in the November issue!!

It was indeed a very good article -- I think she could become another Catlin Moran.

Thanks, Rosemary Stevens, by email

Marvellous Response Wareham

Dear Nico Thanks to Furzebrook Hall Committee On behalf of the committee and all members of the Wareham Disabled Club, I would like to thank Jayne Wilson, Clair Green, Anne Tranter and all the stallholders at the Furzebrook Village Hall monthly table top sale for the generous donation of £528.00 to our club.

The table top sales are held every 4th Saturday and I would urge as many as possible to support it as any money raised from the sales by the Furzebrook Hall Committee is donated to charity. The picture shows Jayne and Anne handing the cheque to Rev Martin Adams.

Bryan Bashford – Chairman

‘Raise The Roof’ Thanks Dear Nico, I am writing on behalf of the Fundraising group of the Swanage Methodist Church “Raise the Roof” appeal to thank Church members and friends within the community for the fantastic support we have received in raising funds to repair the roof of the Church hall which is part of a listed building built in 1907.

Work is underway and going well and we continue to fundraise so that we can complete the repairs, redecorate the hall and get it back in use for the many local groups who use it as soon as possible.

We are very grateful for all the help we have had and continue to receive - thank you very much.

Maggie Hardy, Fundraising Group Chair

Dear Editor, RNLI Street Collections – 2014 I would be grateful if you would publish this letter in the Gazette to inform our supporters that a total of £856.21 was collected in Wareham on three separate street collections in 2014.

This was a marvellous response and I would like to thank everyone who contributed to our cause. All of the money raised will go towards the rebuilding of the new Swanage Lifeboat Station.

Yours sincerely, Peter Booth, Chairman Wareham Branch.

Brainless Town Council?

Dear Gazette, Who on the Swanage bird brain Council decided to construct a solid concrete wall in King George Playing Field for the purpose of our teenagers to carry out ‘Graffiti’ on both sides of the wall? Not a very bright idea!

Once they have finished graffiting both sides of this wall including the edges, where do they go from there? They will be bored. ‘I know let’s start to graffiti the public toilet walls in the park’. Better still, why not start graffiting the side of the Swanage Railway carriages during the night, then we can see our work when the train goes by the park, or the railway bridge and so on. Once they start graffiting there will be no end to the graffiti around the town.

If the Swanage Town Council have spare money to spend why not resurface the pavement on the corner of Rempstone Road and Gilbert Road close to the Railway Station, so our coach visitors have a flat and smooth surface to walk on? It is a disgrace to see how terrible the pavements and roads are in Swanage.

This is one issue this Town Council cannot seem to understand is that this town is a ‘Jewel’ to the tourist industry and trades in the southern corner of Dorset. I know that Dorset County Council has responsibility for the roads and pavements, so get things moving.

The Dorset County Council are given a certain sum of money, around five million each year, some years it’s been higher. So what part of that money is our share for improving roads? I will tell you now, it’s nil! It’s been like that for years.

Ken Harvey, Swanage, by hand.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Memorials

supplied in Granite, Marble & Purbeck Stone Memorial Renovation undertaken and Inscriptions added I will make a home visit at a time to suit you

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Popular Cafe To Close

Alzheimers - An Appeal

Dear Nico, Kaffee und Kuchen, High Street, Swanage Unfortunately, partly due to circumstances outside our control, we shall be closing Kaffee und Kuchen at the end of November 2014.

Both Claudia and I are very sad that we have had to do this; we are very thankful that we have been able to meet and make so many friends over the period of time that we were open.

It has been good to have been part of the community along the High Street and it has been great to have been able to welcome different organisations for meetings and ‘get togethers’. We do hope that you can all find suitable venues for the future.

We would like to say a big thank you to ALL our customers and suppliers.

All of you have helped to make the Kaffee into what it is.

We shall often be in town and we hope we shall see you there.

With many thanks and love to you all.

Bill and Claudia Wilson

Dear Editor, This Christmas 850,000 people will be living with dementia. My mother died with the condition, so I know from personal experience the devastating impact dementia has on everyone touched by it – and how important it is to know that support is out there when you need it.

On Saturday 6 December, Alzheimer’s Society will have the incredible opportunity to fundraise for people living with dementia and we need your help to raise as much as possible.

All the money raised will help support people living with dementia stay in their own homes and be part of community life for longer.

Celebrate some early festive cheer by joining one of our teams collecting money at Homebase stores across the UK. It couldn’t be easier – you can choose a store near you.

If you can spare just a few hours to help us collect, please get in touch today by calling 0845 678 7678 or visit www.alzheimers.org.uk/homebasecollection – and ask your friends and family to support this important cause.

If you can’t help this time, you can find out other ways to get involved at www.alzheimers.org.uk/noplacelikehome Thank you so much for your support.

Best wishes, Sir Tony Robinson , Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador

Walking Group Long Ramble Dear Readers, On the first weekend of October the Swanage Walking Group tackled a section of the 630 mile South West Coast Path that extends from Minehead to Poole. Jill, Lorraine, Brian and Shirley spent months organising the visit, walking out the route, arranging accommodation and car sharing before it all fell

into place.

We covered the section from Lynmouth, the scene of the flood disaster on 16 August 1952, to Minehead in three days. The first coastal walk involved an ascent of 991 feet rewarded by a spectacular view of Lynmouth and Lynton. At Countisbury Common there was a herd of Exmoor ponies.

Towards the end of the walk was Sisters Fountain marked with a stone cross where Joseph of Arimathea took refreshment on his way to Glastonbury.

The next walk was a descent through woodland to St Beuno’s church which is thirty five feet long and the smallest church in England. It is named after a 7th century Welsh holy man.

The final walk began at the picturesque village of Allerford with its pack horse bridge, followed by a walk by the River Aller with its wooden bridges.

I broke away from the main group with two others to look at the coastguard lookout at Hurlstone Point 357 feet above sea level with a magnificent view of Porlock Bay. The walk concluded with us standing in triumph at the beginning of the coastal path at Minehead.

In the evenings most of us had candle-lit meals at Stones, which was adjacent to the hotel I stayed at. We got on very well with each other and had lots of hugs.

The final meal was at the Old Ship Around about twenty minutes walk away from my hotel. Here we presented the organisers with some bottles of wine and flowers.

Returning from the pub was the only time we got wet. For October we were very lucky with the weather with the heavy rain falling at night. Much better than that dreadful weather in August 1952 that claimed 34 lives and destroyed 100 buildings at Lynmouth.

Robin Brasher, Swanage

Free Lunch!

Dear sirs, Free Lunch – for Volunteer Driver Can you spare some time about once a month to drive some single elderly people to the United Reformed Church in High Street where they can enjoy a social time together and also a hot lunch?

Volunteers also take their passengers home after the lunch. Swanage Friendship Club provides this service from the beginning of September until the end of May. If you cannot make odd weeks do not worry we can usually make other arrangements for absences.

For more details contact Alan Marriott on 426325.

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The Purbeck Gazette

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Canzonetta - Now We Are Ten

Over £1600 Raised By Dive

Hi Nico, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! In 2004 a friend and I decided to set up a group. We were a diverse lot.

Planning official, coastguard officer, teacher, quarry owner, freshwater biologist, graphic designer ... BUT we had a common bond. We loved to sing AND we had a secret weapon in the shape of voice coach Jacqueline March who loved the challenge of close harmony singing.

A suitable name was chosen, CANZONETTA (from the Italian meaning ’little song’). Our first outing was to be as guests of the Belvedere Singers at their Christmas Concert. Dressed in our signature black and red we marched smartly out to face the large audience in St Mary’s Church Swanage. A bold rendition of the Medieval ‘Gaudete’ burst forth and Canzonetta was born!

We quickly progressed to presenting our own concerts, predominantly in the beautiful churches of Purbeck and East Dorset. Canzonetta’s stylish presentation and wide –ranging repertoire resulted in a large local following, we sung everything from familiar folk songs to beautiful and reflective sacred music and sometimes something more modern!

Ten years, seventy concerts and two hundred songs later and Canzonetta are still going strong and enjoying making music. We have raised over £12,000 for charity and contributed to the funds of many local churches.

A bell tower in Shapwick, the bells in Bere, a Guide hall in Swanage, (a toilet in the Holy Rood, Wool) and there are all those church roofs (and their leaks!).

We are ten this December! Time for a celebration. We are having birthday concerts at St Martin’s on the Walls in Wareham and at All Saints Church in Swanage, so do join us to celebrate in song.

Our ’old girls’ are joining us for the Swanage concert. The old favourites will be dusted off. Steeleye Span watch out, ‘Gaudete’ is going to be really loud ten years on.

Lynda the soprano, Canzonetta.

Dear Nico and Readers, I would like to say a BIG thank you to all who were able to sponsor me in my fundraising Tandem Sky Dive on October 4th.

As of today (9.11.14) on www.justgiving.co/Karen-Wright9 there is (£886.00 plus gift aid £155.25) £1041.25 for The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and from the sponsorship forms I have £569.50, plus there will be some gift aid to add on to that for Cancare.

So well over £1600. Thank you again.

For those of you who said I was a bit mad, I now have to agree. I really don’t think I will be doing it again (in a hurry). I enjoyed the free fall and the views over Salisbury but when the chute opened, I did feel very very poorly and also somewhat sore with the harness.

I wonder what Wing Walking would be like?

Yours sincerely, Karen, Studland.

Three Musketeers - New Scheme Hi Editor, Good news - at last after months of wheeling and dealing, the idea of Swanage as a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’ has finally come to be!

The Three Musketeers are leading a new scheme to ensure, if possible, everyone in Swanage and the surrounding districts will support our drive to help us all be aware of people who need that extra care in our community.

We already have an amazing level of support from the Mayor, the surgery, the fire, police, and ambulance services, which is really wonderful.

If you’re interested in finding out more contact us, for the time being, through Purbeck Good Neighbours (see page 27).

Jean Gibbs (chair)

Documentary Evidence Please Dear Editor, As a staunch supporter of the Stop the Swanage Gas Rig group, I was delighted to read the article on page 58 of November’s issue, ‘Suttle Family Gain Extra Reassurance Of No Fracking From Infratrata’.

What a revelation, Infratrata have written a letter to assure the Suttle family that no fracking will take place. Further Infrastrata hope that ‘… this written agreement might provide extra reassurance to those who might have any worries.’

I for one certainly hope that this is true, but what evidence is there? An article in our highly respected Gazette is not such evidence and forgive me for saying it, but I don’t believe that the oil or gas industry are always honest with the public, so I for one will not be ‘taking their word for it’.

But I do genuinely hope that this is true and hereby ask both the Suttle family and Infrastrata to disclose the letter referred to and better still, the actual agreement for the lease of the land (redacted to ensure that confidentiality is maintained where necessary) to the public and in doing so kill of the issue of ‘F***king’!

I look forward to hearing from the Suttle family (especially ‘Matty Winspit’ and ‘Johnson S’ on Facebook) and of course, Infrastrata.

Regards, Jason Haiselden, Swanage, by email

Name Calling Harmless Jest Dear Editor, In response to Neville Langford’s letter in November’s Gazette, I am disappointed that he considered the letter I wrote, which was about the newly-awarded rights of the public to now film Council meetings, where

The Purbeck Gazette

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I ‘tongue-in-cheek’ likened certain Councillors to glamorous and popular film stars to add a little humour and irony to the piece, to be ‘childish name calling’.

I do not think the Councillors took any umbrage at this harmless jest. As evidence, at the next Council meeting it actually provided a humorous respite in the proceedings, when Gary Suttle stated that he had not really minded being likened to Marlon Brando as such – but was slightly concerned as the latter was now deceased.

I responded by saying that given the lack of activity by the Council towards the Gas Rig it was an easy mistake to make! That was also a joke by the way.

I suppose the test to see just how obtuse this ‘name calling’ was, would be to consider whether Ali Patrick would prefer to be likened to Meryl Streep over Meryl Streep’s preference to being likened to Ali Patrick? Another joke. We all know you are a fab Mayor Ali! Certainly the Council meetings could do with a little more lightening up. Wouldn’t it be great if the public were queuing to come along for the entertainment value and to actively participate in the running of their town?

As a sense of humour is pretty much the last thing us British still lead the world in, shouldn’t we be making the most of that?

If Mr Langford wants to hear some real ‘childish name calling’ I could obviously oblige – but then that would be – well – just childish name calling!

Andy Kirkwood, Swanage, via email

In Praise Of Mowlem Dear Editor, In reply to the hatred Robicer has for the Mowlem. I must agree it is not the most beautiful building, but it is what it means to the people of Swanage and its visitors that matters.

Built as a meeting place it serves this purpose admirably, with many activities taking place throughout the year. Take a meal sat by the window and you can imagine you are on a cruise ship when the tide is in. A book should not be judged by its cover.

On reflection Wareham all year round sets the majority of its activities and events on the quayside. At Christmas time the surrounding pubs and restaurants and obviously the residents of Wareham are happy to see the quay dark and dismal. Not the flicker of a light - nothing. I just cannot wait to get to the magic of Corfe. What they do at this time of the year is absolutely wonderful and the atmosphere it radiates is mythical.

If Robicer’s wishes were to be granted it would result in two demolition sites along the seafront. The first being what was the Pier Head Restaurant - perhaps this person does not venture that far on his visits.

Frances Timberlake, via email

Shocking Decision By PDC Dear Editor, Purbeck Shooting School.

Over the last nineteen years, Graham Brown has developed a highly successful and well respected business, with a wide range of customers including disabled children, at Purbeck Shooting School, Puddletown Road.

Although noise levels are inevitably an issue with a shooting school, Graham has been encouraged to invest heavily in building up the business as Purbeck District Council planners appeared, over many years, to have accepted that the noise was not at unacceptable levels.

He was shocked therefore to be served with a planning enforcement notice earlier this year, which would effectively close his business. He appealed and recently a Planning Inspector considered this appeal in a public enquiry. I was the only member of the public to be present during all four days of the enquiry.

From the comments and demeanour of the Inspector it seemed she would grant the appeal. In fact she did not - much to the shock of Mr. Brown.

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He was given an impossibly short time to overcome the noise problem, and as a result unless he appeals to the High Court, probably at enormous cost, his business will close.

People who live in towns probably think that life in the country is quiet but the reality is very different. In the immediate vicinity of the school there is frequent noise from heavy tanks, HGV traffic, helicopters, quarries, army firing and the gliding school.

The vast majority of us living here have learnt to accept this noise, including most of those living or working close to the school. Unfortunately for Graham Brown this does not apply to all residents, a tiny number of whom have created this problem for him.

This is a dreadful situation for an honourable gentleman who for many years has done his utmost to comply with the PDC planning requirements and provide a great sporting facility for the area.

Do you feel pleased with yourselves PDC planning officials?

Jim Parsons, Bere Regis, by email

Successful Business In Jeopardy Dear Nico, A House in the Country?

Why do they do it? Why do people move to the country and expect it to be just the same as living in the town? Why buy a house in a country lane and complain about the smell of the farm next door, or the mud that tractors leave on the road? Why buy a house next to a country pub renowned as a venue for live music, and then whinge about the noise?

In the latest manifestation of this strange behaviour a man buys a house a kilometre away from an established shooting school then tries to get it closed because – guess what? – he can hear people shooting! Well, what a surprise! In my experience guns do go ‘Bang!’ – if you don’t like the noise you should perhaps choose to live somewhere else.

The proprietor of the Purbeck Shooting School, Graham Brown, and his family have worked hard to build up a successful business and a valued local asset, and in the process raised nearly half a million pounds for charity.

The school, which has been running for twenty years, caters for all ages and abilities, from school and youth groups to pensioners and the disabled.

Several British Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal winners have competed there. The ground has been sympathetically landscaped, and as well as providing the opportunity for people to learn and practise a popular sport it also serves as a mini wildlife refuge.

I know that Mr Brown has tried hard to limit the noise of shooting by closing off some of the stands and by restricting shooters to the use of less powerful cartridges, but with the best will in the world he can do little about the vagaries of the weather. Wind direction and atmospheric pressure can affect the sound of gunfire, as those of you who live within a fifteen-mile radius of the Lulworth Ranges are aware. Sometimes you are going to hear people shooting: it happens in the country.

I am saddened and angry that someone can move into the area and threaten another person’s livelihood in this fashion. Apparently the complainant doesn’t object to the sound of heavy artillery and machine gun fire, nor the noise of tracked military vehicles on the Puddletown Road. One can’t help suspecting a personal vendetta against Mr Brown and his business.

Perhaps we also need to question the attitude of the planning authorities and the decision-making process. Any enterprise that encourages our youngsters to leave their violent computer games and learn to handle real guns with all the respect and self-discipline that the sport demands is surely worthy of our support. There are about fifteen thousand licence holders who own shotguns and firearms in Dorset. The majority of these will have visited Purbeck Shooting School, many of them on a regular basis. If a viable rural business that makes such a valuable contribution to the local economy has to close because the complaints of a tiny minority override the wishes of the majority then democracy is ill-served.

Yours etc. Mike Etherington, by hand.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Let’s End 2014 With A Bang... Or Not

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David Hollister writes...

was astonished to learn that the Lower High Street in Swanage will not be closed on New Year’s Eve, despite the probability that a few thousand revellers will travel to Swanage from all over the country to celebrate New Year’s Eve. I wrote to Fiona Gaffney, the Purbeck Neighbourhood Chief Police Inspector, for her comments.

Inspector Gaffney states “Historically Police across the country have been looked at to provide road closures during prearranged events, using powers that should only be employed in an emergency such as a traffic collision or incidents that require cordons to be put in place.”

“These are clearly not suitable for events and incidents that are known to occur. All events, whether in Purbeck, the rest of Dorset or indeed across the country now need to get formal road closures, applied for in this instance via Dorset County Council, to ensure the safety of all those visiting events that occur on the highway” “Purbeck Police and other partners including Swanage Town Council, Purbeck District Council and Dorset County Council work closely together to ensure that all events within Purbeck are as safe as they can be. We successfully have worked with Swanage Pubwatch for the last two years to ensure a safe New Year’s Eve.” “This has included local groups applying for and staffing a road closure for Lower High Street. We are all keen for this to take place again this year, however, a road closure application needs to be made. I have no objection at all to this road closure being applied for and have sought to encourage a closure to be in place to ensure the safety of all. Unfortunately at this time there is no one willing to apply for the closure. As discussed above, it is not the police’s responsibility to apply for or staff such a closure.”

“I hope this clarifies matters, I look forward to the Swanage community pulling together to ensure a safe New Year’s Eve. Please remember that New Year’s Eve is a planned event that we know is going to happen and therefore those involved have plenty of time to plan and get the necessary safety measures in place” Fiona is of course 100% correct in everything she says, except for the fact it has NEVER been planned or advertised. However, the simple facts that remain are that a) road closures - whether strictly legal or not – have been made on this piece of road since time began so if it worked then, why fix it now? b) so far, no-one has been run over or injured - so let’s keep it that way however it is achieved, c) it’s a public highway and in my book, that means it’s the public authorities who should apply for the closure; the Town Council, the District Council, or indeed the Police.

It isn’t right to impose this on the landlords, shops, and ‘pubwatch’, who did not instigate this annual gathering. And I only disagree with Fiona when she says “this is a planned event; it isn’t the police’s responsibility to apply for or staff such a closure”.

I’m often asked “Why don’t you put more in about places other than Swanage?”. The short answer is that I just don’t get the feedback, phone calls or letters from other places. I have recently managed to annoy people from as far away as Langton, Corfe, Church Knowle, and councils even further away than that, but if now’t comes in to me from Wool, then like as not, I won’t be writing about it. Which may well be a good thing for

them what don’t like to be upset.

Swanage has a hugely popular and informative Facebook group. It’s cunningly called “The Swanage Facebook Group” and now has well over 4000 members. If you want to know what’s going on and who’s doing what to whom, and why, it’s a must. Some of the photographs, especially the landscapes, dawns and sunsets, are world class. We have a huge vein of photographic talent right here in Purbeck. Like all public forums it has its share of extremists and idiots, but I’d like to publicly thank its moderator, Paul Thompson, who must spend hours keeping an eye on what goes in and what goes on. What we now need are similar sites dedicated to Wareham, Wool, Winfrith and so on.

I see that the Ferry’s off for its annual refurbish which is scheduled to take until mid-December, (we hope). So within 24 hours the Dorset County Council have started roadworks on the ‘long way round’. Nothing, I trust, that couldn’t have waited till the ferry came back. But then the last thing DCC Highways gives a damn about is inconveniencing the travelling public.

Incompetent, or indifferent?

We bought a house adjacent to a Railway. Admittedly it was an ex-railway at the time, but now there’s track laid where we used to walk the dog (!) and we have the pleasure of trains of all shapes and sizes going back and forth almost every day. It would therefore be churlish of me to complain about the noise. Equally as churlish as it would be if I bought a house adjacent to a shooting school and then complained about the noise of gunshots.

I’m sad to hear that the appeal made by Purbeck Shooting School against the recent Enforcement Notice was unsuccessful. Planning Officer Steve Boyt says “Whilst considering the appeal, the Planning Inspector assessed the importance of the School as a facility that supports and encourages recreational clay pigeon shooting as well as the positive contribution that the School makes to the local economy”. That, I’m led to believe, is eight full- and part-time jobs.

Mr Boyt goes on to say “Despite these considerations she considered that because of the harmful impacts of shooting noise on neighbouring residents, that the planning condition should be enforced without any changes.”

“The Council will be starting to monitor shooting noise levels from the School again in the New Year to check whether the limits in the planning condition are still being breached. The Council has contacted the proprietor to explain that it is still open to working with him to try and find a solution that will enable the School to continue running at the same time as meeting the needs of local residents”.

Suppose it will be ‘Purbeck Water Pistol School’ then, unless someone wants to completely redesign the shotgun.....

What Mr Boyt doesn’t say – and clearly isn’t allowed to tell me – is exactly how many local residents are up in arms (pardon the pun) about the Shooting School. Secretly I tend to believe that it’s more than none, but less than two……

Next month – end of the year review – for a change I won’t be having a go at anyone. Just celebrating all the great things that have happened in Purbeck in the last twelve months. And believe me, there’s so much that I’m going to be hard pressed to squeeze it all in!

The Purbeck Gazette

11 p .07 £3 ek we er

Brian Guy Donates To Blesma

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n Wednesday 19th November, Laura Hyde, Community and Fundraising Events Manager for Blesma (British Limbless Ex-Service Mans Association), drove all the way down from London to collect a donation from Brian Guy, raised through the sale of his book, ‘Cameos of War’.

Brian self-published his wartime memoirs, with all profits going to Blesma.

Thus far, Brian has raised £700. The first print run of the book has now sold out, but we are collecting a list of people who would still like to purchase a copy with a view to a possible second print run (dependent on numbers).

Please do contact us at the Gazette if you wish to order a copy, either by email at: ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk or phone on 01929 424239. If enough pre-orders are achieved, a second print run will be possible.

Well done Brian - we’re all proud of you.

The Purbeck Gazette

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VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY REQUIRED

On the gate, in the shop, with maintenance, giving talks, fundraising or office admin.

If you can spare a few hours a day, or a week, then please come and see us and have a chat about how you can get involved, or please call us on: 01929 425866

The Swanage Pier trust Registered Charity No. 290397

Blooming Lovely!

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he Annual Wareham in Bloom and Best Kept Allotment Awards were held on 31st October in Wareham Town Hall. The results of these local competitions for residents are as follows: Wareham in Bloom Best Street: Hemsbach Court Best Front Garden: 24 Stour Drive, Mr S Anderson Best Front of House: 13 Mill Lane, Mr and Mrs Runyard Best Arid Garden: 9 Wyatts lane, Mr and Mrs Saunders Best Public House: The Quay Inn Best Civic Building: The Town Hall Best Business: The Purbeck Pizzeria Highly Commended: 32 West Mill Crescent, 99 Bells Orchard Lane, Kings Arms, Duke of Wellington, 19 Wyatts Lane, Wareham Library/ Information Centre Mayors Special Award: Mr and Mrs Cherrit for Lady St Mary Church Flower Festival 2014 Best Kept Allotment Competition Best Plot (Northmoor): Mr P Randall Best Plot (Bestwall): Mr B Hunt Best Flowers: Mr M Vere (Bestwall) Best Produce: Mrs P Grey (Bestwall) Best Crop: Mrs W Long (Bestwall) Highly Commended: Mr J Patrick, Mrs D Peel, Mr D Cox, Mr R Hooper,

Mr V Hughes (all of Bestwall site).

Trophies and certificates were presented by the Mayor, Councillor Mrs Carol Turner.

In addition, two South/South East in Bloom certificates for ‘Churchyard of the Year’ and Small Conservation Project for Redcliffe Riverside Path were presented to John Smith/ Cllr Keith Critchley of the Wareham Burials Joint Committee and to John Scott of WDDT. Rod Curtis, Town Clerk, on behalf of the Wareham in Bloom Committee Pictured are the Trophy/Certificate winners

The Purbeck Gazette

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Purbeck Fireplaces Woodburning & Multi-fuel Stoves HETAS approved installation service Flue components & liners Twin wall Flue Systems 21a Commercial Road, Swanage, Dorset Tel: 01929 426770 / 07800 843399 www.purbeckfireplaces.co.uk

Suttles Go Pink For Breast Cancer

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sle of Purbeck and Poole-based Suttles supported Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October, including Breast Cancer Care’s ‘Pink Fridays’ for the third year in a row, raising £1004 through staff and customer donations.

Suttles’ lorry drivers and their lorries were turned pink for the fundraising.

Office staff brought in cakes to raise money and had a ‘dress down’ day.

In addition, Suttles’ trade customers kindly offered donations as they collected their aggregates from Suttles’ Mannings Heath depot.

Office manager, Sue Holland, co-ordinator of Suttles’ fundraising month, said “Sadly most of us know of someone who has been affected by breast cancer, so it’s a really worthwhile cause to support.”

“Each year we’ve raised more than the previous year - so we’d like to say a big thank you to our staff and customers for being extra supportive this year! I’m also personally overwhelmed by the response of our customers at our Manning’s Heath collection site, who donated over £800 alone!”

“We’d also like to thank Sign Images of Swanage for donating the lorry and vans’ pink signs, plus Site Safety of Ferndown for donating the pink hi-vis jackets worn by our staff.”

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For further information about Suttles, call 01929 439444 or go to www. suttles.co.uk Pictured are Suttles staff and Suttles’ lorry drivers with their ‘pinkified’ lorries!

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The Purbeck Gazette

Wareham Town Council Update

Julie, our Gazette correspondent, details the goings on in recent council meetings.....

News from Wareham Town Council Meeting November 2014.

District Councillor Report Councillor Budd reported on possible changes to Purbeck District Council Committees and the Councillors’ Code of Conduct and a new public address and sound recording system for the Council Chamber at Westport House.

Dorset Fire Service It was noted that the merger of Dorset, Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Services had taken a step forward with the approval to merge by Dorset Fire Authority on 4 November.

Financial Matters The Council was happy that the external auditor had approved the Annual Return of Accounts unreservedly.

Planning and Transport Committee Report The committee had looked at applications for planning consent and tree management and their only concern was proposed work at Fourfields Barn, North Bestwall Road.

There might be news about the pedestrian footbridge at Wareham Railway station after a meeting on 14th November with a representative of Network Rail. Meanwhile, work has stalled and the Council’s request for a ticket machine on the northbound platform has been rejected by Network Rail.

Amenities Committee Report The business covered Legionella Risk Assessment, possible tree planting

at the side of Howards Lane car park, the consequences of play area inspections, the toilet cleaning contract, electrical testing, the premises at 2 Mill Lane and refurbishment of the War Memorial wedge slabs.

Electoral Review of Dorset Councillor Budd recommended that the Town Council pre-empts County Council ward boundary changes with its own proposal. Changes are needed to even out the number of electors per councillor while retaining community identity. The number of County Councillors will rise by one to 46.

Car Parking at Streche Road The Council supported the use of the car park at the former Wareham Middle School for school parking to relieve Monmouth and Streche Roads subject to consultation.

Town Council Christmas Reception Invitations are sent to the town’s voluntary organisations so that the Council can thank volunteers and especially the Volunteer of the Year who has been selected by a panel from public nominees.

Police Station The Council regretted the ending of counter service at Wareham Police Station.

Free Car Parking In support of Small Business Saturday on 6 December, car parking in Purbeck District Council and Wareham Town Council car parks in Wareham will be free. Look out for the press release Next meeting Members of the public are welcome to attend the next meeting of the Wareham Town Council at 7pm on 16th December in the Council Chamber, Wareham Town Hall.

R.N.L.I. Crew Profile

Ollie Clark

RNLI volunteer crew member

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joined the crew at Swanage RNLI back in 2006, when I was seventeen.

I grew up in Swanage, my favourite part of living here is the sea and I spend a lot of time on the water dinghy sailing.

Although I’d thankfully never had to call upon them, I had always known

about the lifeboats and my Dad’s friend was on the crew. So when I got to seventeen, I knew I wanted to volunteer and help others stay safe on the water too.

I am now crew on the inshore and the all-weather lifeboats as well as being mechanic on the inshore lifeboat, so I’m very much involved with the station. It’s a great experience, what I enjoy most is the training we get from the RNLI in order to do the job.

We train once a week, on a Wednesday and the training can involve anything from a man overboard exercise, to a establishing a tow on a broken-down vessel, to doing an evacuation with the helicopter crew.

It’s an amazing experience and ensures we are equipped with the skills needed to do the job for real. I’m an electrician by trade so it couldn’t be more different to the day job and I’m very grateful to my employer and colleagues for allowing me the flexibility to respond to shouts.

The next year or so while the new station is being built will be a bit of an upheaval for the crew, we’ll be changing for shouts in one of the portacabins in the boat park, but we’re really excited and know that it will all be worth it.

It won’t be long until we’ll be enjoying our amazing new facilities and new state of the art Shannon class lifeboat, and we feel very fortunate.

Swanage’s current Mersey class all weather lifeboat, Robert Charles Brown, will make her final journey down the slipway of the current lifeboat station at the beginning of December before the building work commences on what will be the new station.

Watch out for information on the dates and times for this historic occasion on the Swanage RNLI website swanagelifeboat.org.uk, facebook. com/SwanageLifeboat or twitter @SwanageLifeboat

The Purbeck Gazette

Thank You Roger

Dear Nico, We have received a substantial donation from the estate of the late Roger Brown (pictured). Roger was well known to us as the sale of his ‘Rogered’ t-shirts sponsored the Matron’s Round column in the Gazette each month, and he believed passionately in the need for Swanage Hospital.

We have lost a good friend.

Your readers might like to know that the money was used to purchase a piece of equipment that the consultant in our Ear, Nose and Throat Outpatients Clinic will use with every patient.

As a result, thousands of patients will benefit from Roger’s generosity.

We think it a fitting tribute.

Thank you for all your help and support, Yours sincerely, Terry Buck, Treasurer, Friends of Swanage Hospital.

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The Purbeck Gazette

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One Week Of Fun = £22,000 For Charity Swanage Regatta & Carnival gives away more than £20,000 to charities and good causes fter a successful carnival week where the sun shone throughout, the Carnival Committee was delighted to be able to give away £22,000 to local charities and good causes. A wide range of organisations benefited from the donations including local schools and help groups that serve our community.

This year’s main donations went to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, The Swanage Stroke Club, Forest Holme Hospice and the chairman’s charity, The Swanage RNLI Boathouse appeal. Each of these received £2000 or more.

Swanage Carnival Chairman for Carnival 2014, Chris Tomes, reflected on the successful week and said: “It is always such a pleasure to be able give away the money raised by Carnival to so many charities and good causes in our local area. The committee of volunteers work tirelessly throughout the year in order to put on the spectacle that is Swanage

A

Tate Swanage!

Carnival and being able to donate to so many organisations makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

A new executive committee has been elected for Swanage Regatta and Carnival 2015 and we welcome Brian Norman as President, Linda Welsh as Vice President, Becky Mack as Chairperson, Maria Burgess as Vice Chairperson, Andy Wright as Secretary and thank Mandy McDonald for continuing as Treasurer.

Work has already begun on preparation for Carnival 2015 and we hope to once again make carnival week the busiest week of the year in Swanage.

If you have any ideas for new events or would like to become a carnival volunteer and get involved with helping to organise the many activities and events please let us know! www.swanagecarnival.com, secretary@ swanagecarnival.com Picture of donation recipients and carnival committee members, along with Swanage Mayor, Ali Patrick, by kind permission of Angela Sturch, Purbeck Electrical, Swanage. painted with sticks, ferns, and dribbled paint to create their beautiful, autumnal pictures. Year 1 and 2 have produced some fantastic work based around Monet and David Hockney, including a super silk banner. Year 3 have been learning about local butterflies at Durlston, making beautifully observed pastel drawings, and Year 4 linked to their SS Great Britain visit with carefully collaged ‘views through a porthole.”

“Years 5 and 6 enriched their war topic with powerful depictions of the regeneration of the battlefields. What a talented bunch of artists our children are!”

Poppy Thanks...

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any families from Swanage Primary School attended, and were impressed by an exhibition of children’s art work displayed in the school hall. In connection with The National Big Draw, children from across the school contributed to a ‘Gallery’ with an environmental theme. The exhibition showcased a wide range of techniques and mediums including batik, silk painting, textiles, oil pastels, collage and painting.

Acting Head Teacher, Miss Etherington commented: “The children were so proud to show their work ‘professionally’. Reception children confidently told me what they had learnt about Jackson Pollock, and how they had

Dear Readers, Charlie says thank you to everyone who bought crocheted poppies (made by Auntie Sue when she had a broken leg!) from Purbeck Electrical in Swanage.

We raised £177 for the British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Thank you kind people of Swanage.

Charlie Sturch.

The Purbeck Gazette

With This Crab....

17

T

he St Albans Head station of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) paid the annual rent on Monday 17th November for its base in a former coastguard lookout that is now owned by the Encombe Estate. When Mr James Gaggero, who bought the estate for £20m five years ago, renewed the lease in 2012, he said that he would be content with rent of one crab a year.

Dirk Aldous, the Station Manager, made the presentation and said that the weather had been so bad lately that crabs had been hard to come by, so he first presented Mr Gaggero with a soft toy in the form of a crab.

However, he went on, the Salt Pig in Wareham, which specialises in local produce, had come to the rescue at the last moment and had acquired two crabs, which he handed over to Mr Gaggero. There was another surprise for Mr Gaggero when Mr Aldous then gave him a framed photograph of the Crab nebula, taken from the Hubble telescope. It was, he said, a token of gratitude for Mr Gaggero’s interest in the station as its Patron and for his generosity towards it as landlord.

In accepting the rent and gifts, Mr Gaggero praised the work of the station in helping to protect local fishermen and recreational users of the inshore waters around St Albans Head. He emphasised that it depends on members of the public both for contributions and for volunteers to man the station.

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) supports HM Coastguard by keeping a visual watch along UK shores. Its trained watchkeepers assist in hundreds of potentially life-threatening incidents every year. Everyone in NCI is a volunteer and the organisation is funded entirely by contributions from the public. There are four stations in Dorset: St Albans Head, Swanage, Portland Bill, and Lyme Bay (Burton Bradstock).

James Gaggero is the fourth generation of the Gibraltar-based Gaggero family to have chaired the Bland Group. The Bland Group was founded to ship passengers and freight across the Straits of Gibraltar and today has interests primarily in travel and hotels. James started work within the Group in 1982 after a career in the Irish Guards, succeeding his father, Joseph, as Chairman in October 2007.

Photo: Dirk Aldous (left) presents the crab to James Gaggero

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Happy Christmas to all our customers!

PURBECK ELECTRICAL 61 High Street, Swanage. (next to the Red Lion)

01929 424177

Merry Christmas to all!

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raises Funds!

he Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance held recently at Studland Village Hall was rated a big success by everyone who took part.

The evening was a sell-out and no-one had realized how many Rock ‘n’ Roll fans live in Purbeck! A Charity Raffle was very well supported by Purbeck traders and business.

The final total raised £423.00 for the Wareham and Purbeck Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The Rock of Ages Band provided live music for both dancing and for listening. A highlight of the evening was a comedy interlude featuring a local ‘Skiffle Band’ organized by host Dave Arnold, who also sang some songs to introduce the event.

A new date for 2015 will be announced shortly (info: 01929-421401) – watch this space!

Just measuring how much wrapping I’ll need for all these wonderful Christmas gifts from Purbeck Electrical....

Hairdryers, Kettles, Radios, Toasters.

They’ve got the lot - Christmas lights too!

Come and be amazed!

100 YEARS 18

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The Purbeck Gazette

here was much chatter on Facebook prior to the 2014 Swanage Remembrance Sunday parade, service and commemoration at the newly-built memorial. Much of it was negative with regards to the apparent lack of planning on the part of the Town Council to ensure the rebuilt monument was ready for the centenary of WWI - grass seed had only recently been laid, leaving swathes of mud in evidence despite the memorial being completed in July. Although a Tarmac path was finished leading to the monument, the security fencing was still in place on Memorial Sunday. I too was prepared to be 'appropriately angered' at this lack of respect when attending the commemoration at the memorial.

However, having watched the parade from the Mowlem to St Mary's parish church, consisting of members of the 3 Harrogate Squadron, the Ringwood Pipe Band, veterans, the Legion Standard Bearers, members of the Legion, dignitaries and members of our Coastguard, Police, Fire, R.N.L.I., our M.P. and others, anger at the town council seemed inappropriate and out of place.

I then attended the service at St Mary's, which was emotional and apt, with a packed church paying their respects to those who fought for our freedom without choice in muddy trenches and horrific conditions, one hundred years ago. Walking back in the parade to the memorial after the church service, we arrived with a small patch of blue overhead, circled by black clouds, as thunder pealed around the hills, and lightning flashed in the distance. It did not rain over us. The wreath bearers, speakers, standard bearers, religious leaders and general public gathered under the watchful eye of organiser, Frank Roberts, with continuous thunder threatening all around.

For some reason the ugly fencing and bare, bleak earth separating the public from the memorial seemed entirely appropriate. It was as though some tiny whisper of the horrors of the trenches was with us, some small reminder that although we were cold in the growing darkness as the speakers narrated, it was nothing in comparison to what those who fought for us suffered. Several commented to me that it seemed weirdly appropriate to have the muddy areas and the metal fencing, bearing in mind what we were commemorating, and they were right.

Yes, to the complainers - some things are more important than pretty lights on the newly-painted beach huts, and the memorial should really have had priority in this, the centenary year, but somehow, it worked, and things not being perfect were a reminder that in life, things just aren't perfect. We've had to fight, and pay dearly for the freedom we enjoy today - including the freedom to moan!

I have learnt an enormous amount from spending time talking to our local WWII veterans in the past few years, one of the things that has been consistent is that to them, they really did fight for us - our way of life, our freedom to make the choices we do, our freedom to simply be ourselves. This was borne out by a town parading and remembering on a grey, dismal day, proud to be the next generations, able to commemorate the sacrifices made by those who came before us - not glorifying in war, rather honouring and respecting those who fought (often with no choice) for our communities - for home.

To all of you who have served, and who currently serve - thank you. To those who organised Remembrance Day parades, services, dedications and commemorations this year, thank you. To everyone who attended a Remembrance Day service, parade or commemoration, thank you. It is too easy to forget the true cost of the ease of our lives today, and forget those who paid so dearly for it.

When you go home, tell them of us and say, For their tomorrow, we gave our today.

(John Maxwell Edmonds, 1875 - 1958) Nico Johnson Pictures: Top left: wreath bearers, right: Frank Roberts and Charlie Allen.

Facing page: Top: Ringwood Pipe Band, Legion Standard Bearers departing St Mary’s Church after the service, bottom left: The tale of the Unknown Soldier read by members of the council, forces and emergency services, right: wreath bearers prior to laying the wreaths on the newly-built and rededicated memorial. This page, right: Eddie Chinchin plays The Last Post.

The Purbeck Gazette

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19

THE SWANAGE ARMY LINK

am sure that many of you will be aware that since 1984, soldiers have regularly worked on our Railway following a mad dash to the Mid Hants Railway in March of that year to wind up thirty miles of telephone cable, literally, on huge cable drums.

Four weeks after the fifteen soldiers started work, a Railway Inspector from London approved the Swanage Railway for business and trains to Herston Halt commenced.

In those early days soldiers were dragged into many tasks right across the Railway - and many pubs too! But times have changed and for the past seventeen years they have focused their efforts at Herston Halt. There, soldiers are able to contribute towards the progress of the Railway, without it impeding military team-building, and in the most basic terms, soldiers getting run over by an 80-ton locomotive!

One of the tasks soldiers assisted with in 2004 was the installation of a new thirty metre long access ramp, and following this Swanage Town Council offered the Royal Signals the Liberty of Swanage.

This was accepted in July 2005 two days after the London Bombings.

It was following The Liberty that the Swanage Army Link was formed, informally linking the Town, the Army, the Railway, the Royal British Legion, Team Herston and Heroes Haven.

Plans were afoot to celebrate our thirty year unique association, which were due to take place on Armed Forces day last June, but for a host of reasons 2014 did not pan out quite as I had anticipated; isn’t that always the way!

On 5th May I took the decision to postpone the Armed Forces weekend events in favour of some more focus in 2015. I am therefore pleased to report that planning is now being refined, and further details will follow.

Despite the agony of that decision, our link with 3 (Harrogate) Squadron is as strong as ever and we are grateful to the Officer Commanding Major Becky Jacques, also Major Jo Wilson who was in post for two years until May 2014 – and of course the Sergeant

Major WO2 (SSM) Paul Kemp. The Army worked at Herston for a weekend in September, and twenty-four soldiers and civilians made some very good progress.

The Railway hosted a D-Day event back in June which was attended by some fine gentlemen who had served at the time, and then there was a fantastic effort by our local community to mark the D-Day anniversary at Fort Henry.

The service to celebrate the life of Ernest Pitcher (Victoria Cross) followed, and then the Normandy Veterans’ Medal Ceremony at Swanage Station on Monday 8th September. I recalled a summer edition the IPM programme on BBC Radio 4 when a relation of a Veteran relayed that she had received her relative’s medals from the MoD in a Jiffy bag through Royal Mail.

I reflected that so late after the event, it must be very difficult to deliver such medals with true dignity. I was therefore humbled some twenty days later when Mr Tony Watts, working on behalf of the French Government, delivered these medals to our respected Warriors with true ceremony.

I am sure that Nico will capture the events of Remembrance in true form. We made a decision that the Swanage War Memorial should be re-dedicated immediately prior to the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Sunday, it was fitting then, that we also made some special arrangements!

For the 300 who were present, I hope that the Remembrance Readings, the crepuscule, the thunder and lightning, the fencing and bare earth will have made Cannon John Wood’s Re-dedication very special.

I am extremely grateful to Andy Blyth, Nigel Bower, Ian Brown, Steve Churchill, Sam Jackson, Grant Lovett, Chris McGraw and Angelo Wiggins, who all volunteered to read the verse with no dress rehearsal; for a two of them there were massive personal hurdles to overcome.

I thank all for your courage. Frank.

20

My War-time Memories.

By Brian Guy

E

ach time I get set to write this month’s tale of our battles in Holland some new memories come flooding back. So again I have to put off the Bridge too Far, let me instead recall. Food. Glorious Food. Firstly Compo rations?

They are a wooden box of things necessary to keep fourteen men alive for 24 hours; food, tins, soup, toilet paper, cigarettes, boiled sweets and biscuits. The men saved the sweets just in case they came across civilian children. My favourite was tinned bacon. They cut a pig down the side in strips, rolled it up tight and stuffed it into tins, wrapped up in a roll of old fashioned greaseproof paper.

Tasty; but absolutely lethal.

The tins were boiled in cauldron of blistering hot water, the procedure then was to hold the tin away from you, and stab it with your Commando knife. With the result that a jet mixture comprised of scalding hot steam, water, and bacon fat, would fly out about fifteen feet. Get in the way and you would be badly burned. You then got hold of the end of the bacon, and unrolled it from the tin, dangling it from your fork. The greatest danger then was not to eat the grease proof paper, as it was most unappetising. Our cooks? They prepared the inevitable soup and biscuits.

Living on “compo” rations is all very well for a little while, but biscuits, soup, and tinned food are not much to keep a healthy young man of nineteen going. Many of us were often hungry, so the addition of some fresh horsemeat and spring onions cooked in freshly made Norman farmhouse butter was something that tasted out of this world! Cooked in a billy-can all mixed up together, it did not look all that appetizing, but to us it was a feast, washed down with strong army tea, all out of the same can. Nectar! Sheer nectar, never had anything like it since.

Bit of a shame, I lost my knife and fork and the second part of my billy-cans in action. The Germans took a distinct dislike to my eating tools and blew them up, all my meals and drinks came out of one tin and with one spoon.

The redoubtable Spud was an artist at finding a bit of fresh meat, he chased it into the most inaccessible place before dispatching it. He then brought it back to our harbour area where our cooks hated the sight of him! The very last thing they wanted to do was cook fresh food, all they ever wanted to do was to open tins and dish out biscuits. One short and one tall, they seemed to spend their whole time dedicating themselves to the adoration of CANS! Shortly after, we moved on and Spud had given them more fresh meat to butcher and cook. That night as we dug our holes and settled down for some rest, we heard Germans whispering amongst themselves a short distance away, too damned tired, we left them alone, in the morning we went after them. They had fled leaving behind a sack full of schnapps, one brave fellow volunteered to try it and found it much to his liking.

We had now harboured in a field that sloped downwards, to where the two cooks had set up their field kitchen.

Behind them, was a steep grassy slope, about forty feet down to where there was a small stream. First light we were away, returning late that night, after being in action all day, tired and hungry. We found that the two cooks had been drinking our schnapps, passed out, rolled down the slope dead drunk and were laying in the stream at the bottom.

Out of this world. We got our own cold tinned food that night. We have heard tales of revenge in the battlefield, I have never seen it, but at times like that. Well, it makes you think.

Prisoners? Just a young man like me.

The war in Normandy had by now, become very bitter. There had been talk and rumours had circulated, about the German SS shooting our prisoners in cold blood. Both Canadian and British prisoners, and that feelings were running very high over this rumour. (Later proved fact) For the most part we treated enemy prisoners very well, and with some sort of respect. Some of the poor devils had been through pure hell, most of them looked pleased to be out of it anyway.

Give them a fag, and send them back on their own! Nobody wanted the job of escorting prisoners all the way back. Except the fanatics of the SS, they had to be escorted back and watched, they were a surly lot, and

The Purbeck Gazette one could feel their hate. The cost in lives had now become very heavy indeed, on both sides. So, at this time, there was a persistent idea that prisoners were not to be taken. I think it fair to say this did happen, though I do not think it lasted very long, but it did happen.

Some attacks had an air of unreality about them. It was while taking part in the attack on another village in front of Caen that I remember this odd feeling of unreality. We had opened up our assault on this village and the road leading into the village sloped down gently until it was at head level with the surrounding fields.

Sat in the middle of a ploughed field on our left was a tall naked infantry man, all by himself, sat bolt upright against his small pack and dead, without a stitch of clothing on him, I can still see him now, as clear as crystal. The pale waxen colour of his body stood out so sharply against the brown of the ploughed earth.

The most bizarre scene that I have ever experienced, but that was not the end of this unreal feeling; half way down this sloping road a German had dug a small hole in the vertical bank and had got in there. Unfortunately there was no way for him to retreat or fall back, he was utterly isolated, the hole he had dug was not even deep enough to put his rifle in, it stuck out for all to see. In front of him mines had been laid, but on top of the road and level with the enemy’s hole he had dug in the bank. Everybody, who came down the road seeing this German rifle sticking out of the bank, gently lobbed a hand grenade into the top of dugout. I think he was blown up or shot several times because his rifle was still sticking out of the bank when he had been killed, time and time again. All we had to do was to just lift the mines off of the road and the way was clear.

This was not the end of this odd period, there then followed a very tragic scenario. As we entered the village there were British and German wounded laying on a bank waiting for treatment for their wounds. A field dressing station had been hastily cut into a steep bank, and among them was a young German, grey faced and badly hurt, waiting for the medics attention. I remember him so clearly, he had a green scarf with light green squares round his neck. This young German was in great pain, and it showed on the poor devils face.

Nearby were a group of three infantry men, all at once one of them went berserk and in an insane and terrible rage, swearing and cursing, he went for this young German, got hold of his scarf and throttled him with it, all the while screaming with rage, his mates grabbed him and tried desperately to drag him off, but they could not hold him. I am sure he killed him. This was the only time that I know of prisoners not being treated well, or properly in the prevailing circumstances.

Behind us now, the memory of the devastating battles in Normandy.

A great many of our heroic friends and comrades had stayed behind.

Casualties had been severe.

Huge destruction had taken place. The towns and villages of Normandy laid waste, in some places the villages were razed to the ground, gone completely.

The great swan now took place, where we raced across France, stopping only to bring our new recruits up to battle standard. Before us now lay the great wet flatlands of Holland, and what was known as the Seven Bridges to Arnhem. Many savage battles were to come amongst the canals the bog and sandy conifer woods.

The last time, if you recall we had just taken Weert, and that is where we start in the next episode. Later I was going to pay the price of war.

But this time there would be no going back.

Happy Christmas everyone Brian’s book, Cameos of War, is available from the Purbeck Gazette in Swanage, priced at £11. All profits will go to BLESMA. Get yours now while stocks last - last few remaining!

The Purbeck Gazette

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Wareham Physics Teacher Wins Award

P

hysics teacher Mark Nicolaides picked up an Institute of Physics (IOP) Teacher Award on 15 October at a ceremony in London.

Nicolaides attended the IOP Awards Ceremony to receive his award from Dr Frances Saunders, President of IOP. The physics teacher at the Purbeck School, Wareham, was recognised in particular for his leadership, which has created one of the best-performing post-16 courses in the school, with many students going on to study for physics degrees.

The IOP’s teacher support manager, Chris Shepherd, said: “Each award winner has an outstanding reputation within their own community, and has affected the lives of their pupils in a positive and lasting way. We are delighted to extend that recognition and honour to these exceptional physics teachers.”

The event, organised to celebrate the success of scientists, teachers and leaders of high-tech businesses, was held at 8 Northumberland Avenue, yards from Trafalgar Square.

Pictured are Dr Frances Saunders and Mark Nicolaides.

WPM Residential Lettings If you need to Let or want to Rent, contact WPM. We offer a personal service to Landlords & Tenants 23b Commercial Road, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1DF. Tel: 01929 426200 Web: www.wpmlettings.co.uk Email: wpm.tiller@virgin.net

Merry Christmas to all our customers!

22

The Purbeck Gazette

The Purbeck Gazette

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Information Required! What Do YOU Know?

South View Cottages, Swanage

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rian and Wanda Day of South View Cottages, Mount Pleasant, Swanage, have provided this very early picture of Swanage - when the surrounding area was little more than a vast quarry, supplying the stone to build the town.

Brian and Wanda have for some years been trying to gather information on their cottage, highlighted in the picture above.

As one of the earlier buildings, it was quite likely that it was built with a specific purpose in mind - do you know what that was?

Brian and Wanda would be really grateful if anyone out there has any information regarding the history or past residents of South View Cottages - please email us at ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk or write to 17b Commercial Road, Swanage, Dorset. BH19 1DF

eaders will have seen in the September and October issues of the Gazette the photo of two elderly men listening to the radio broadcast in the Anchor pub in 1953 (left), the year of our Queen’s Coronation. The photo was taken by the American master photographer John Livingstone.

Who is this John Livingstone?

John comes from a small Wisconsin town called Oshkosh. As a growing lad he took an interest in photography besides Latin and Spanish. He joined the US equivalent of our Home Guards following the Japanese attack on the major US Pacific naval base Pearl Harbour and when old enough joined a US Army artillery unit. He quickly found himself in Swanage in the awful winter early 1944. He was billeted at Albany Court Hotel up Park Road, later to be my home.

In March, 1945, during the Rhur Pocket campaign, John found on the battlefield in an abandoned German Army courier’s dispatch case a little Zeiss Tengor box camera loaded with a roll of unused film. This he made his own to record the last few months of the war in Europe. As the war ended John found his camera useful in his job with US Military Police CID tracking down deserters and black marketers in Paris and London.

He returned to the US and university studies from which he gained a commission in the US Army and went back to Europe. This time he was stationed in Austria taking a strong interest in Soviet Army activities for which his camera again proved useful.

It was during this period that John took leave and visited Swanage to see how the old town had changed from wartime to peacetime. It was during this visit that he took the photograph of the two gentlemen in the Anchor pub. Why did John go into the Anchor? The answer is that it was his favourite watering hole during his wartime stay. He also paid a return visit to Albany Court Hotel and met the owners Bob and Elsie Haworth and at her High Street home, an ex-girlfriend, pharmacist Mary Lloyd.

In 1954 he returned to civilian life and established a photography and

public relations business in Carmel, California after going back to school to formally study photography. In 1967 he earned a master’s degree in Spanish Literature at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Residence and travel in Europe, including another Swanage visit, followed from 1969 on, enabling him to amass an extensive collection of documentary photos of the life and times of the people of Europe, resulting in a retrospective exhibition, “Fifty Years behind the Lens” which included prize-winning prints previously exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute and the Pentagon.

A pictorial book captioned in five languages, Carmel by Itself- Portrait of a Unique American Community by John Livingstone was published in 1982.

John at his home in Portland Oregon is presently completing a manuscript for a book entitled Katyusha and Grisha, the Liaison of Catherine the Great and Potemkin.

He has also written a book entitled “The Importance of being from Oshkosh”, which provides anecdotes of his most interesting varied life, some very amusing and others interestingly highlighting life in a 1930s American provincial town for a growing boy besides the murkier side of his military activities..

Finally, in 2013 on the 61st anniversary of the Queen’s reign, John received a letter from Buckingham Palace thanking John for the photograph of the two gentlemen listening in the Anchor to the Queen’s Coronation ceremony, followed by a notification that the splendid photograph has been added to the Royal Photograph Collection at Windsor Castle.

This made headline news in his home town. The newspaper referred to the Queen as “Her Majesty the Queen” instead of simply the English Queen, which I feel shows an interesting attitude to our nation.

Written by B J Haworth, Swanage, October 2014 Writers foot note. As a young teenager in the 50s I sometimes wondered who were the GIs who occupied my home during the war. My curiosity was stimulated by the odd cigarette packet, daily order sheets etc. found under floorboards, besides small arms ammunition in our back garden. It was in May this year that an old musician friend of my dad’s brought to my notice an article in a Dorset glossy, which enabled me to establish contact with, and befriend John Livingstone i.e. one of those GIs.

So, Who Is John Livingstone?

R

The Purbeck Gazette

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Out Of The Blue

L

ooking back at October this year we had 115 crimes (41 crimes fewer than last year) and 753 calls to police regarding issues in Purbeck.

This year Purbeck has had a very successful Halloween and Bonfire night passing without any major incidents. As I write we have also seen Remembrance services across the Purbeck Isle, giving thanks to those who gave their lives in conflicts past and present, with special attention being paid to the Great War in this centenary year.

Six officers managed to attend nine parades across the section with some good planning and direction by our Special Constable colleagues.

With those events fresh in our memory a thought now casts to the near future with Christmas fast approaching, literally just around the corner.

Please ensure you all have a safe and Merry Christmas and consider the security of your homes at this time of year.

Every festive season we sadly see reports of houses broken in to and, yes I am sorry to say, the presents stolen from right beneath the Christmas tree! Please try to keep any presents hidden up until the big day, and also ensure when you go out all windows and door are closed and locked. If you have an alarm please ensure you use it, let’s not make it easy pickings for any would be burglar.

Please also beware of cold callers at your door and if you have any doubt as to their intentions please call Police. If you would like some advice regarding home security please do not hesitate to contact your local Police

Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) contact details below.

Lastly please spare a thought for any neighbour, especially elderly neighbours, as we head in to the worsening weather. They may not go out for weeks due to bad weather and you may well be the friendly face they need in a time of emergency.

We have also had a worrying few instances of criminals calling the vulnerable and elderly pretending to be Police officers. They use this status to obtain sums of money from them. Please have a conversation with any such people you know and tell them that the police will never ask them to withdraw money from their account to give to us.

To contact Dorset Police please call our police enquiry centre by dialling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency when there is a risk of harm or a crime is in progress. Alternatively, call the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 (mobile phone tariffs may apply). Remember if you See Anything Suspicious (SAS) call 999.

For the latest information on what your local police are doing follow our social media, Twitter - @PurbeckPolice and Facebook – facebook.com/ Purbeck-Police, we really value your support and comments.

Purbeck Safer Neighbourhood Team

Swanage Fire Station Update

H

i and welcome to this month’s look at what has been happening at Swanage fire station.

Operationally we have attended sixteen emergency call outs since my last report, these have included: • Six false alarms at different properties around the town, • Five stand by moves to cover Wareham and Westbourne areas whilst they were dealing with other fires, • One call to assist our Ambulance colleagues to remove a patient to hospital, • We also attended one car accident and two further special services.

For one of these incidents we responded to station to find a young child with his parents waiting for us as the young boy had got his finger stuck in a steel disk. He was very distressed and in pain and the crew worked for forty-five minutes using small tools and tin snips before they eventually managed to cut the disk away from his finger. The young man was very brave and able to return home without any medical treatment.

Lastly, at 05:53 one morning we were alerted to a local address with the report that the premises had been struck by lightning. On arrival, just seven minutes after the call was received, Watch Manager Nick Corben, the incident commander, was faced with a building with a fire in the roof space.

He increased the responding appliances to three; the crews extinguished the fire in the roof by 06:43 using four firefighters in breathing apparatus, two main jets and one hose real jet. The rest of the property was searched using a thermal imaging camera to ensure the fire had not spread to the rest of the building.

That’s it for the calls this month. But I’m pleased to say our two new recruits Firefighters Liam Blake and Joss Gibson successfully passed their basic training on the 31st October and are now able to attend fires as part of the crew, so well done to both of them.

I would like to just spend a little time now thinking about how you can keep yourself safe from fire during the approaching festive season. Last

year Swanage crews attended four property fires in the Christmas week, so here’s a few tips to keep you and your family safe this year.

Top tips for a safe Christmas • Firstly working smoke alarms, the more you have the safer you’ll be. You should have one on each floor of your home – best on the hall and landing ceilings. If you have only one smoke alarm and two floors, put it where you would hear it if you were asleep - on the ceiling at the top of the stairs leading to the bedrooms.

• Installing your Smoke Alarm is easy to do and only takes a few minutes, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If it’s difficult for you to do, ask a family member of friend to help you or contact us. Don’t be tempted to have a go yourself if you feel unsteady or unsure - you could fall and injure yourself. The best and safest thing to do is request a Home Safety Check from us by calling 0800 038 2323 or visit our web site at www.dorsetfire.gov.uk.

• Plan your escape route. Make sure you and your family know the quickest way out in the event of a fire. Consider an alternative route in case your usual one is blocked.

• Never leave cooking unattended and avoid cooking after having a few to drink. Never leave candles unattended. Keep decorations, cards and wrapping paper away from candles, fires, lights and heaters.

• Ensure you switch off fairy lights and unplug them before you go to bed or leave the house. Check your Christmas tree lights conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598).

• Don’t overload sockets. Always turn off plugs when they are not in use.

• Make sure cigarettes are extinguished properly and never smoke in bed.

• Check on older relatives and neighbours this Christmas as they are at greater risk from fire.

• And finally, in the event of a fire: get out, stay out and call 999.

That’s all for now. From all the crew at Swanage Fire Station can I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

Stay safe and remember to test your smoke detectors.

Phil Burridge, Station Commander

The Purbeck Gazette

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The Purbeck Gazette

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SWANAGE AREA SENIOR FORUM

Passionate about our community

Hope, Compassion and Peace in 2015

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Swanage Area Senior Forum

T

he community packed the November meeting of Swanage Area Senior Forum and was served a very varied menu.

Firstly, Jan Turnbull, Chair of the Friends of Swanage Hospital outlined how the official announcement of the assured safety of our hospital should mean the expansion of health services available to local people on their doorstep.

She went on to tell us about the closure of the Purbeck Project and the commitment of those involved to implement the proposals, including the setting up of an Integrated Health and Social Care Locality Team.

The Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group has launched a Dorset-wide

Any Queries email: york.house@hotmail.com 8/10 Cauldron Avenue, Swanage, Dorset (Registered Dorset County Council Level 3 Care)

Clinical Services Review to be run by McKinsay Consultants at a cost of £2.7 million and Jan urged everyone to be part of the public consultation process starting in June next year.

Jean Gibbs, Forum committee member, Chair of Purbeck Good Neighbours and now Chair of the newly-formed Swanage and Area Dementia Friendly Community Group then gave us an exciting outline of what it hopes to achieve in making everyone aware of how to deal with this life-changing condition.

The mood of the evening then changed when Swanage Museum curator and historian, David Haysom entertained us with a nostalgic and fascinating slide show presentation of Swanage from Edwardian times through the Second World War and beyond.

Whilst reflecting on a very busy, productive year in our community, the highlight being the Swanage Hospital news, we on the Swanage Forum Committee have come to realise that vigilance must be the watchword for 2015 in the protection of our much-valued public services.

We take this opportunity to wish you all a happy festive season and look forward to seeing you at our next meeting in January 2015.

Watch this space for details.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Purbeck Good Neighbours Newsround We would like to wish all our volunteers and clients ‘A Very Happy Christmas and New Year’, and invite you to our Christmas Tea Party at 2.00pm on Wednesday 17th December at Emmanuel Church, Victoria Avenue, Swanage.

The same wishes go to all our sponsors who have funded and supported us during 2014.

They are:- Westover Motors, Herston Wives, Beacon Group, Synergy Housing, Purbeck Gazette, Dorset Volunteering, Swanage & Purbeck Rotary, Wareham Rotary and Dorset POPP. Thank you all so very much - with your help and support, our volunteers can assist those in need for a small donation, making this community safer, more friendly and better able to take care of its own.

Could you be a Purbeck Good Neighbour?

Are you able to do occasional simple tasks for someone locally?

If you live anywhere in the Purbeck area and can spare some time to help a neighbour who lives nearby with a small task – we’d love to hear from you!

We do not do heavy work or continuing care. We only do small one -off tasks. contact our Central number: 01929 424363 email: purbeckgoodneighbours@yahoo.co.uk

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Wareham Area Senior Forum

Winning Town Crier!

n 8th September, Wareham Area Senior Forum’s Anne Laugharne invited members to partake of a cup of tea or coffee and a bacon butty before settling down to listen to a talk on the history of the Royal Navy at Portland up to and including the First World War, presented by Stuart Morris.

This was followed by a series of new issues arising on health and pensions from Jenny, one of the POPP Wayfinders for Wareham. The meeting ended with a rousing rendering of a number of nostalgic songs from the First World War, led by Maurice Turner and more than fifty members thoroughly enjoyed their morning.

The Senior Forum will be holding its AGM and Christmas gathering on 8th December. We are hoping for lots of old and new members to join us. Why not find out more about joining the Committee?

We meet approximately five times a year and it would be good to have some new ideas for 2015!

‘‘

‘‘

Wareham Area Seniors’ Forum

Christmas Social with Nibbles Wareham Parish Hall (on Wareham Quay) 10am to 12 noon Monday 8th December

with entertainment by: Maddie Stevens, Wareham’s very own Pam Ayres, AND Lady St Mary Senior Moments Handbell Ringers.

Followed by our AGM For information, or for transport to attend, call Sue on 07825 264353.

Age 50+ All welcome

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wanage Town Crier, Andrew Fleming, achieved 3rd place at the National Town Crier championship on October 19th in Hastings.

In a close fought competition he scored 326 points, just 4 points behind the winner from Cheshire and the 2nd placed Crier from Flanders in Belgium and beating last year’s winner.

The competition took place in the main shopping centre and shouts were marked for loudness, clarity, diction and intonation with a ‘home cry’ in the morning and a cry on ‘World War 1’ in the afternoon.

Wareham Town Crier, Jacquie Hall, also retained her place as the national leading lady crier.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Fun - with a capital ‘F’

by David Hollister

I

n the ‘good ol’ days’ when we all thought we were Bodie and Doyle, we roared around in a selection of Ford Capris; I had five, eventually ending up with a much-loved and now lamented 2.8i Injection Special.

Fantastic acceleration; you needed a couple of bags of cement in the boot to keep the back end down; a decade of va-va-voom. The Capri had to go, as a Boarding School trunk wouldn’t fit in the boot; we replaced it with a SAAB9000i.

A spacious, practical and comfortable car which actually bored me stiff.

It was probably because it was so quietly sleep-inducing that I missed the policemen on the Askers Hill near Dorchester and picked up not only my first ever speeding ticket, but an accompanying ban for exceeding 100mph.

There was a succession of practical family cars until we discovered the Mazda MX5. We’re now on our fifth, a top-of-the-range 2.0i sport-tech which has traction control so there’s no need for the cement. The common factor in all these fun cars is of course the sense of balance; the front wheels do the steering, the rear wheels do the propulsion, as laid down by the gospel of St.Jeremy.

In ten years, nothing in my price range has come close to the MX5 for sheer enjoyment. Makes me feel young every time I slide into it and regrettably old and creaky every time I try to climb out….

Now at last there’s an affordable option. The Toyota GT86 is a frontengined, rear wheel drive head turner, at £28,500 somewhat outside my own price range but less than half the price of a Porsche or an A8. A round 200-mile 24-hour trip to Buckinghamshire seemed an ideal opportunity; time enough to sus it out but not long enough to fall in love with it.

The red Toyota GT86 TRD (Toyota Racing Developments) model that Steve Johnson from Westover Toyota kindly lent me was top-of-the range, with ‘optional’ extras including slightly wider wheels, the attractive fullleather trim, centre armrest, rear parking sensors, and the Toyota ‘touch and go’ navigation system with full Bluetooth connectivity.

This is the next generation of the classic sports car experience. Old-style sports-car feel, coupled with – but not overwhelmed by - 21st century technology. The low driving position gets you really involved with the sports-car sensation. I can’t remember driving anything that just ‘seems to fit’ as well as the GT86; with seat, steering wheel height and rake adjusted, the car becomes an extension of your body. The gearchange is positive to the point where if it were in a saloon car, you’d call it ‘notchy’. But in the GT86 – it’s just right.

The brakes and handling are astonishing, the 2.0i engine revs right up to over 9000 rpm and delivers power and torque across the range. We drove up on the motorway, and back ‘the pretty way’. And this was where the problem became evident; here’s a brilliant car, and nowhere to use it.

The roads are generally too crowded to use cruise control for any length of time; 0-62 in 7.6 seconds is superb until you end up having the hit the brakes because the idiot in the fast lane is doing 50mph.

What I needed to do was to find a disused airfield, maybe an empty car park, switch off the Traction Control and the Vehicle Stability control, and have half an hour’s fun tearing Steve’s rear tyres to shreds. What I ended up doing was driving it the only way that our rotten road system will allow – ever so safe but ever so boring. When I took it back to Westover, I actually felt ashamed that I hadn’t put it to its proper use.

This is a driver’s car, first and foremost. There are rear seats, really only suitable for very small children or people fitted with castors. But the driver needs to know where he’s going because the Sat-Nav is one of the worst I’ve ever experienced.

Other Toyotas fitted with this system have been brilliant but this one defies both description and understanding. Other systems say ‘turn left’; this

one says “bear left” - most of the time; some of the commands delivered when you’re actually in a roundabout are delivered too late so you end up either going round again or going down the wrong road. I am good at getting lost without a sat-nav. But have seldom got lost with one!

We achieved 36mpg on a mainly extra-urban cycle as against 44mpg claimed; that’s 82%, one of the best ever. Maximum speed limited by traffic and the law, but claimed 140mph and I can well believe it. It’s got 181 CO2s on the combined cycle. There’s a squirty kit, but space-saver wheels are available.

My only other gripe is the absence of steering wheel audio controls; the radio volume is controlled by a little button in the top left-hand corner of the sat-nav, hard to find – especially in the dark - and, when found, with no features to assist in easy use. In a car of this price, where taking your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel could easily result in a nasty ‘off’, I’m sorry, but this is a real negative point.

But let’s not let these small problems overshadow the brilliance of the car itself. At any speed worth doing in this sports car – or indeed in my MX5 - you can’t hear the radio anyway so turn it off and enjoy the show. If you want immaculate stereo sound then buy a Bose system for your home.

If you want quiet and comfort, then buy a Toyota Auris. If you want fuel economy, then buy a Prius or a Yaris Hybrid.

If you want out-and-out sensation and Fun with a capital F, then buy a GT86.

But would I buy one? In the ‘Bodie & Doyle’ days the answer would have been “in a heartbeat”. This is a Rolex for the price of a Swatch. But at my advanced age, maybe a step too far. Talk to Steve Johnson at Westover Toyota on 01202 532020, ask for a brochure, go for a test drive!

More fun than watching The Professionals!

Wanted Cash Buyer Seeks Motor Vehicles. £100 - £10,000 prompt collection & settlement. Mature polite buyer.

No pressure or obligation. Often better than part exchange offer.

DVLA paperwork completed.

Classic & left hand drive motors especially wanted. Best prices paid.

07967 245172 www.blue-moon-cars.co.uk

The Purbeck Gazette

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The Purbeck Gazette

30

Economic Update

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he FTSE 100 Index fell by a similar amount over both the last three and twelve months to the end of October 2014. Having started both periods around the 6,730 level, it finished at 6,546 at the end of October 2014, but had hit a fourteen year high during September. This was soon followed by a fifteen month closing low of 6,195 in mid October 2014. This fall was caused by ongoing concerns over Europe, Ebola and the falling oil price. This doom and gloom only seemed to be temporary, however, as the FTSE 100 recovered quite strongly from that low point.

Oil prices have been falling and Brent Crude Oil fell to its lowest level for four years on 4th November. Having hit $115.59 per barrel on 29th June, by 4th November it had slumped by nearly 30% to $82.08.

This does have an impact on the FTSE 100 as oil shares form a large percentage of the FTSE 100. Some of the fall in oil prices is because the Middle East have been forced to drop prices as they are concerned that the US will become self-sufficient due to their shale production, plus there has also been decreased demand from Europe and China.

In time, in order to stabilise the oil price, the Middle Eastern countries may need to cut production.

Global commodity prices generally have fallen to 5 year lows with the Bloomberg Commodity Index (metals, sugar, coffee, Brent crude oil, live cattle and lean hogs) having fallen by about 14.5% from the end of April to the end of October. The fall in commodity prices will also have been affected by the strong US dollar.

The UK economy looks quite strong, with GDP looking likely to exceed 3% this year and unemployment falling. However, the FTSE 100 has been held back as the UK has a lot of stocks which are exposed to commodity markets. In addition, the stronger sterling exchange rate has affected company earnings, as many companies derive their earnings from overseas. Our analysts ‘remain broadly positive on the outlook for UK equities, especially larger companies’.

UK base rates remain at 0.5% and look likely to remain at that level until next Spring. There will be an Autumn Budget statement on 3rd December.

In summary, the UK and US currently look quite strong, whereas Europe and the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) look to be weaker.

Kate Spurling lives in Swanage and is an investment manager in the Dorchester office of Charles Stanley (01305) 217404 kate.spurling@charles-stanley.co.uk Charles Stanley & Co Limited is authorised by the FCA and is a member of the London Stock Exchange.

Sold a property?

HMRC has set up specialist tax investigation teams to concentrate on recovering unpaid tax from particular business sectors or as a result of tax fraud.

One of the latest HMRC taskforce teams is looking at property tax evasion in South West England.

The property taskforce is using data gathered about property transactions by the Valuation Office in order to target taxpayers who may have sold properties but not declared a capital gain on their tax returns. The same data set will be analysed for possible non-declaration of rental income.

Where rental income has been under-declared the taxpayer can use HMRC's Let Property Campaign to make a full disclosure, and pay a minimum amount of penalties.

This involves registering with HMRC to make a disclosure then paying all the tax, penalties and interest due within three months. However, once the HMRC taskforce is at your door, it's too late to take up the generous terms offered under the Let Property Campaign.

If you have something that should be declared, or you just need confirmation that nothing is due, please contact us to discuss.

Quality Signs Traditional and Modern methods and styles.

01929 481215 kevin_vicars@outlook.com

Book advertising at: www.purbeckgazette.com

The Purbeck Gazette

31

Lottery Celebrates 20 Years In Purbeck

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ew figures reveal that The National Lottery has invested more than £33 million in Purbeck projects in the twenty years since the first draw on 19 November 1994.

In the past two decades 329 grants have been awarded to individuals and organisations in Purbeck, helping to change lives and transform communities. These include: - The largest ever National Lottery grant in Purbeck so far was for over £10 million awarded in January 1995 to the Tank Museum - Some of the smallest grants awarded so far in Purbeck have gone to local World War II veterans to make commemorative visits to the battlefields where they saw action - One of the first National Lottery grants awarded in the area was £700,000 in December 1995 to the Swanage Pier Trust Other Lottery-funded projects in the area include the Jurassic Coast Trust; Purbeck Triathlon Club and Swanage Sailing Club.

Jackie O’Sullivan, from the National Lottery, said: “In twenty years, The National Lottery has helped transform life in Purbeck for the better, creating cultural landmarks, empowering communities and developing world class sporting talent.

“National Lottery funding has improved people’s health, preserved our rich heritage and created a better future for all. In addition to all the projects that have benefited, thousands of individuals across the UK have won life changing prizes with 3,600 millionaires created to date.

“National Lottery players can be proud of the positive changes they have helped bring about since the first draw in 1994.”

SWANAGE INSURANCE BROKERS LTD Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

PAYING YOUR LENDER TOO MUCH FOR YOUR HOME INSURANCE? Contact us for an alternative quote - you will be surprised!

01929 424228 Email: office@swanageinsurance.co.uk

MOTOR - HOME - COMMERCIAL - LIABILITY - TRAVEL

32

Trading Standards N

ew legislation is set to make it easier for consumers with food allergies or intolerances to identify which foods they should avoid.

The Food Information for Consumers Regulations, will, from December 2014, change the way that allergen information is given on food labels or when food is sold loose from premises such as a deli or when served in a restaurant when you are eating out.

The changes aim to provide allergen information in a clearer, more consistent way, making it easier for you to make safer, informed choices when buying food.

The Regulations list fourteen allergens in total. These are: Gluten containing cereals such as wheat and barley, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide, lupin and molluscs.

Under the new rules these allergens will be emphasised on food labels, using for example bold or italic type in the ingredients list so they will be easier to identify. Where foods are purchased without packaging such as from a deli, café or restaurant allergen information will now need to be given in written form on a chart, label, menu or something similar, or be provided orally by a member of staff. If the allergen information is not clearly given up front then clear signposting information to where this information can be obtained must be given.

Remember if you have an allergy or intolerance: -Always check the ingredient list of a product to find out what allergens it contains, -When eating out, let the person serving you know your dietary requirements, including how severe your food allergy or intolerance is, don’t be afraid to ask what allergens a dish contains.

-Always check what allergens are in a dish even if you have eaten it before, as recipes and ingredients can change -If you are not sure about a dish or about the information you have been provided with, don’t risk it!

-Always carry any prescribed allergy rescue medication with you.

Further information in relation to food allergens and intolerances can be found on the Food Standards Agency website; www.food.gov.uk/allergy.

The Purbeck Gazette

The Purbeck Gazette

On Top Of The World!

YOUR Pictures.....

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Send us your pictures to ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk Original files ONLY please, as they come straight off the camera with NO alterations. Some mobile phones may not produce useable pictures due to low resolution. Remember to include your name in the email!

Honey Bee Nest in the blackberries, by Denise Exon

Lamp post removal, by Andy Weekes

Autumn colours, by Denise Exon

Sandbanks Ferry heading off for maintenance 4/11/14, by Robin Brasher

Sunset at Harmans Cross, by Anne Elford

Ballard Down Gorse whilst on holiday, by Lucy Plows, aged 15

Kimmeridge, by Clive Murray

A walk in Kingston, by Clive Murray

The Purbeck Gazette

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The Purbeck Gazette

Christmas Challenge Hey you! Yes, you! We challenge YOU to take up the ‘Purbeck Gazette Christmas Challenge’!

Can you purchase everything you need for a great Christmas right here in Purbeck?

We think so, and we challenge you to give it a go this year!

We have an excellent range of retailers, offering a mind-boggling array of goods, amazing local produce and foodie delights, fabulous service providers, talented arts and crafts people, and a wide selection of entertainment to enjoy.

We are also lucky enough to boast a great range of party venues, so there is simply no excuse to cross the water and spend your hard-earned cash elsewhere! Keep it local!

PURBECK ARTISTS & STALLHOLDERS

Christmas Market Sat 6th - Sun 14th December 2015 11am - 4.30pm Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys, Unusual Gifts

Worth Matravers Village Hall Tea, Coffee, Cakes and Mince Pies

The Purbeck Gazette

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FREE CHRISTMAS CAR PARKING We understand that Swanage Town Council was meeting to discuss the possibility of offering free Christmas parking, but had not held the meeting by the time we reached our deadline.

Free parking supports Small Business Saturday Shoppers in Wareham and Corfe Castle can enjoy some free parking in the run-up to Christmas.

Purbeck District Council and Wareham Town Council will not be charging people to park in their car parks in on Saturday 6 December.

By providing free parking, the councils, together with the local Chambers of Commerce, are backing Small Business Saturday which is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses.

Eligible car parks are: Bonnets Lane (East), Wareham Bonnets Lane (West), Wareham Connegar Lane, Wareham Rempstone Centre, Church Street, Wareham Streche Road, Wareham Norden car park, near Corfe Castle West Street, Corfe Castle Howards Lane, Wareham

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The councils will also be waiving parking charges in the same car parks on Monday 22, Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 December.

Councillor Peter Wharf, Economy and Infrastructure Spokesperson for Purbeck District Council, said: “Purbeck District Council is delighted to be working with the Chambers of Trade to support the campaign and local traders in Wareham and Corfe.

“We very much hope that this gives people the incentive to shop locally, supporting the small businesses that are the lifeblood of our economy.”

Neil Eames, Development Manager for the FSB, said: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our neighbourhoods, and we need to encourage them as much as possible.

“We hope that free parking will encourage more people to come along and discover the range of businesses and smaller retailers in the high streets, and ultimately help give them a boost in the run up to Christmas. The FSB is delighted to work with the councils and town chambers to promote the ‘buy local’ message as much as possible.”

Signs will be displayed in the participating car parks advising shoppers of the free parking.

Purbeck Mummers Out And About!

he Purbeck Mummers will be touring once again this year. Starting at the end of November they will be out and about performing a two hundred year old traditional Christmas play, and after each performance they will be collecting for a local charity.

Dates are as follows:30th November Lunchtime: The Sandford, The Clay Pipe, Bakers Arms, St Peters Finger.

7th December Lunchtime: Various venues Poole High Street and quay, 14th December Lunchtime: The Quay Wareham, Conservative Club Wareham, Black Bear Wareham, Duke of Wellington Wareham, Kings Arms Wareham.

19th December Evening: British Legion Swanage, Black Swan Swanage, The Globe Herston.

26th December Lunchtime: Corfe Castle Square, Fox Inn, Castle Inn, Square and Compass.

Belvedere Singers Christmas Concert

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wenty five years of entertaining audiences in Purbeck – this Christmas, the Belvedere Singers are celebrating their silver anniversary and at the same time introducing their new Musical Director. Rebecca Bruton.

Rebecca has chosen a wide range of Christmas-themed music for this concert, from classical to popular, and no doubt will be encouraging the audience to join in with familiar carols.

Soloists this year include The Serrell Singers Children’s Choir, Jemima Bennett, Evie Cooper and organist Sam Ryall.

As well as giving enjoyment to their listeners, the Choir will also be raising money for charity.

Over their long history, the Choir has raised thousands of pounds for a variety of charities, mostly local, and this year, as always with their Christmas concert, the proceeds will be donated to the Friends of Swanage Hospital, who have done such a wonderful job in keeping our hospital open.

The concert will be at St. Mary’s Church, Swanage at 7:30p.m. on Saturday, 13th December.

Tickets: £10 to include interval refreshment; children under 12 free; available from Choir members, Corbens or at the door. Further information: 01929 423729. See advert, left.

The Choir look forward to welcoming you to their Silver Jubilee Christmas Concert.

Santa In Wareham!

Father Christmas will make his annual appearance on the roof of the Red Lion Hotel in Wareham on Sunday, 14th December. The fun will start at the Town Cross at 4pm with entertainment on stage, though this will be preceded by street entertainment from Guugge 2000 band with their distinctive and resounding sound.

Father Christmas will then parade through the town (what will he arrive on this year?), then appear on the Red Lion roof before disappearing down the chimney in his 'gold boots'.

All children are then invited to visit him in his grotto to receive a gift bag.

Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and friends are all welcome to watch the spectacle but only you children can receive a gift!

Colin Appleton, Wareham Father Christmas Committee

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The Purbeck Gazette

The Purbeck Gazette

Thank You All!

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Commercial Road Traders & Friends and Swanage Rotary Club Invite you to our

Christmas Fair

Sat 6 Dec - 10am to 4pm Browse the many stalls selling a wide variety of gifts & food whilst listening to live Christmas Music and enjoying a Mince Pie, some Roasted Chestnuts & Mulled Wine!

Commercial Road & Station Rd, Swanage Dear Readers, Please pass on our sincere thanks to all the people locally who filled shoeboxes for this year’s Christmas Appeal. We have successfully shipped 210 boxes to needy children in Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and the Philippines.

We are particularly grateful for the help of local schools: Corfe Castle, St George’s, St Mary’s, St Mark’s, Swanage Primary and Swanage School.

By filling and wrapping these boxes the children and their families are helping to bring joy to children in much less well-off countries.

For many it will be the first present that they have ever received and it lets them know that somebody, somewhere, cares By shipping the boxes directly to our Rotary International colleagues in the target countries we can be sure that the boxes are delivered directly to the children most in need.

With very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, Bob Foster, President - Swanage & Purbeck Rotary

The Wareham Scouts and Guides will again deliver local Christmas cards in the Wareham, Northmoor and Stoborough/Ridge area.

Stamps are 25p and available from Horsey’s and Farwells in North Street and at the Tourist Information in South Street and also at Carey Post Office.

Our special post boxes will be in these four locations and at the Scout and Guide Hall. The last day for posting will be Tuesday 16th December and the cards will be delivered by Christmas.

Thank you for supporting us in this venture which helps raise useful funds and helps local people deliver cards in the local area.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Colonial Christmas

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elebrate Christmas at Studland Beach this December. Knoll Beach Café has a special Colonial Christmas menu with food from India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa from the 1st to 22nd December, as well as a traditional Christmas menu.

Prices start at £10.95 and are perfect for group bookings and parties; booking is essential on 01929 450305. There are also special treats for dogs so your four legged friends won’t miss out on the festive food at Studland.

Why not escape the Christmas shopping crowds with a winter walk at Studland beach. Throughout December the National Trust will be running a family Festive Explorer Trail through the sand dunes and heathland.

Discover Christmas traditions from around the world and enjoy the beautiful Studland nature reserve at the same time. The trail is £2 per child which includes a Christmas gift at the end.

The National Trust shop at the Knoll Beach Centre has a fantastic selection of gifts and home ware as well as beautiful Christmas decorations.

The Knoll Beach Café and Studland’s National Trust car parks and shop are open 7 days a week except for Christmas Day from 10am until 4pm. For more information please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/studland-beach.

PURBECK’S RAILWAY

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ull steam ahead for Swanage Railway over the Christmas period.

This festive season sees a range of exciting events for all the family.

Santa Specials Enjoy a festive treat as your family boards our Santa Special train at Swanage station. During the one hour round trip through the wintery Purbeck countryside Santa will visit you at your seat with a present for every child while his helpers serve drinks and biscuits.

Adults will enjoy a festive drink and locally produced mince pies.

Traditional Christmas Lunches Experience a truly festive trip back in time. Step on board our luxury dining train this December and enjoy the sumptuous surroundings and service of Christmas past. Your 3 course meal is served as the train steams through the rolling Purbeck countryside.

Christmas Carol Train On December 12th why not climb aboard our special Carol Train for a festive journey through the Isle of Purbeck. You can enjoy and join in carols sung at heritage stations along the route.

Heritage locomotives will haul the train through a wintery Isle of Purbeck stopping at stations where the Harmony Rocks Choir will sing carols accompanied by the Wareham Town Band.

Winter Warm-Up Gala Enjoy a special day out in Purbeck over the festive period. On 27th December see steam and heritage diesel locomotives in action. Watch the engines working hard recalling the years past when Railways were the backbone of our transport network. for details of all events and to book tickets go to www.swanagerailway. co.uk

The Purbeck Gazette

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CHRISTMAS CHARITY MAIL SPONSORED BY THE LIONS CLUB OF SWANAGE

8th - 16th December COLLECTIONS FROM: Swanage - Tawny’s Wine Bar (9.30am - 3.30pm, not Sunday) Herston - Emmanuel Baptist Church Langton Matravers - Poppy’s Café at Putlake Harmans Cross - Moonfleet Garage Corfe Castle - Dragon’s Bakery Studland - Village Hall (Dec 4th &11th) DELIVERY TO: Swanage, Langton & Worth Matravers, Kingston, Harmans Cross, Corfe Castle, Church Knowle & Studland

ALL CARDS 25P EACH THIS YEAR’S PROCEEDS TO LOCAL-BASED CANCARE & HARLEQUIN

The Purbeck Gazette

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NEW & SECONDHAND BOOKS 35 Station Road, Swanage. 01929 424088

HUGE stock of Remainder books now in - grab a fantastic bargain!

Wide selection of local books - the ideal Christmas gift Gift vouchers available - Collectables - First Editions OS Maps, Cards, Calendars, Gift Stationary, Gift Vouchers Use your local shops or lose us!!

Find us on Facebook: The Swanage Bookshop

Call in and browse at your leisure • OPEN 9.30am - 5.00pm

website: www.editionone.co.uk

email: info@editionone.co.uk

Our Recommended Book For Christmas ‘Rajasthan; Exploring Painted Shekhawti’

by Ilay Cooper

Above: Rubu (left) and Ilay relaxing after climbing to Baghor Fort.

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ocal author Ilay Cooper is more recently remembered locally for penning ‘Purbeck Revealed’, a hugely popular and informative read focusing on the Isle of Purbeck. However, Ilay, a son of Purbeck, also grants the title of ‘home’ to another location, one diversely different to Purbeck - India.

Having travelled intensively throughout his life, often financing his travels by working in a Purbeck quarry, Ilay is also a very well-regarded author in India, having published various articles and guides in that great continent, bringing tourism to forgotten towns and villages with his writing, and forging life-long friendships along the way.

Ilay’s most recent contribution, ‘Rajasthan; Exploring painted Shekhawati’, is a 294 page hardback tome relaying Ilay’s past discovery of the somehowforgotten painted havelis, large palace-like buildings built by the wealthy, adorned by beautiful murals, scattered throughout the Skekhawati region of India.

With hundreds of colour plates (taken from Ilay’s extensive personal photo library), and a cover which has recently won a certificate of merit for excellence within the category of ‘Jackets (covers) in English’ in India, this is a publication worthy only of an author of the highest acclaim.

After ten years of studying the buildings and paintings of Shekhawati, Ilay was Commissioned by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) to properly document the painted towns.

Having discovered unpublished writings by two British officers who also explored the region in 1831, ‘Rajasthan...’ relates the adventures of Ilay and his assistant, Rubu, as they follow the journals of the British officers who travelled to the same places over almost two hundred years ago.

Written in Ilay’s usual engagingly informative style, mingling personal experiences, meetings with locals and adventures on the road with historical fact and giving an insight into the deeply complex social culture of India, this is a beautifully-illustrated and completely engaging read. Add extracts of the original journey in 1831 by Colonel Lockett and Lieutenant Boileau to the mix and you have a wonderfully readable inter-mingling of history and social culture in the region from different perspectives, a couple of centuries apart.

For someone living so quietly while here in Purbeck, often seen cycling

the backroads, Ilay’s adventures are well worth a read - being declared a ‘foreign hand (spy)’ and being set upon by the local Indian press were just two of his many interesting encounters whilst seeking out and documenting long-forgotten art in Shekhawati with Rubu.

Sure to be a raging hit internationally, with plenty for the Indian government to get their teeth into (as usual, Ilay is not shy in coming forward with some honest political commentary!), this is an absolute winner for Christmas, and blows other travel/adventure books out of the water.

A huge congratulations to Ilay - this is a culmination of decades of work and research, and is something truly worthy to leave behind as an example of a life extremely well-lived. Purbeck should indeed be proud.

Available online or order through your local bookshop: ISBN: 978-9383098-21-7 RRP: £50 (a bargain for what you get - I’ve ordered my copy) NEXT MONTH: Purbeck author, Alexander Ford’s ‘Final Age; A Child’s Eye’.

The Purbeck Gazette

The Mowlem

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O

nce again, the Mowlem Theatre has a very strong programme for December and the Christmas Season.

On Saturday 6th December live on stage is Richard Digance, a rare performer in that he’s respected by comedians for his original material and by musicians for being an accomplished performer/guitarist.

The three films on offer over Christmas are brand new and not released at the time this article was written.

The Imitation Game tells the story of Alan Turing, the genius British mathematician and computer scientist who led the charge to crack the German Enigma Code that helped the Allies win WWII. Paddington is the story of the well-known bear and stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters and many other well-known voices.

The Hobbit: part 3: The Battle of Five Armies is the latest in the cycle where Bilbo and Company are forced to be embraced in a war against an armed flock of combatants and the terrifying Smaug from acquiring a kingdom of treasure and incinerating all of Middle-Earth.

In the New Year we have the well-loved tale of Cinderella and her nasty, vindictive and facially challenged step sisters Sam and Ella, written and performed by Swanage Drama Company.

We look forward to seeing you!

Christmas Offers T

Some Christmas gifts from Purbeck Sports Centre he Sports Centre is offering some fabulous incentives to get a head-start on those New Year resolutions or keep up the fitness regime this December.

Festive family offer Why not take a break from the pre-Christmas stress and chill out with the family during the weekend of 20 and 21 December? Two children can swim free with one full-paying adult. The offer applies during general public swimming sessions (see website for times).

To enjoy the offer, cut out the voucher in your About Purbeck magazine and bring to the Centre to redeem.

Start that resolution early with 12 days of fitness!

Non-members only.

Why wait until January to start that New Year’s resolution? Enjoy 12 FREE gym sessions in December (cardio only) and if you join the Gold Card membership scheme before 31 December, you’ll receive a FREE induction as well (£10 Wellness Key cost still applies). £1 badminton Celebrate the Sports Centre’s new badminton courts for just £1 per player on 6 or 7 December.

The sports hall walls have been painted a bright blue colour, recommended

by Badminton England which also funded the paintwork. The shade of blue means that a fast-moving shuttle can be seen easily by players, making the game even more exciting!

Book a court during the weekend of 6 and 7 December and see the difference for yourself!

If you book a court on Sunday 7 December or any other Sunday, try a combination of squash, astro tennis, badminton and table tennis between 10am and 4pm and pay only £1 per person per day for the lot (including equipment hire). Courts to be booked on the day, subject to availability.

For more information, visit the Sports Centre’s web pages at www.dorsetforyou. com/purbecksportscentre or telephone 01929 500 000

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GET SHOPPING!

The Purbeck Gazette

The Gallery At 41

W

e would like to wish all our customers a Very Merry Christmas!

‘The Changing Year’, our exhibition for the festive season, celebrates the changing seasons. Our Dorset artists are familiar with the stunning landscape that surrounds us, but wherever they travel their easels and sketchbooks go with them. Landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes, here and abroad, in all weathers and times of year, still life and the human form are represented in paint, bronze, stone, glass and ceramics.

We have wonderful paintings by Richard Price ROI, Felicity House PS, David Atkins, Mike Jeffries, Judy Tate, Vicky Finding and Edward Vine and sculptures by Moira Purver ASWA, Sue Lansbury and Brendon Murless.

Our beautiful crafts, which would make very special gifts, include handmade porcelain lanterns by Sheila Hickey and unique glassware from award winning Steve Robinson and Chris Dowding. We have ceramic necklaces and porcelain from Do Michells, sea glass Jewellery from Mary Baker, silver and bronze jewellery by Sue Lansbury, painted ceramic ware from Janet Parker-Laird and atmospheric photographs from Donna White and Andy Farrer.

There is truly something for everyone and we are open from Tuesday to Saturday up to 23rd December 11to 5pm and then on Saturdays only from 3rd to 24th January 11 to 4pm.

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Acanthus Gallery

Acanthus Gallery - superb contemporary abstract paintings, unique handmade ceramics and unusual designer-maker silver jewellery. eresa Lawton’s exhibition continues until the 10th January. Teresa has exhibited widely over the last twenty years – including many exhibitions and art fairs in London, The Royal Academy Summer Shows and at the New York and Singapore Art Fairs.

The gallery currently has a good selection of work by two Dorset potters; Richard Wilson and Yo Thom. Richard works in West Bay and is known for his bright, functional earthenware.

Yo’s pots are quiet in colour, but made with exquisite craftsmanship and a great sensitivity to her chosen material.

The contemporary jewellery collection includes work of great ingenuity; acrylic cuffs that have been embossed with the fine details of flower petals and leaves, and that have the intense colours of stained glass. A necklace and ear-rings that include hand fashioned blackberries and silver leaves the berries made from tiny onyx and garnet beads.

There is also very precise, clean and minimalist jewellery from Henrietta Fernandez who has recently been selected as an associate member of the prestigious Designer Jewellers’ Group.

Website:www. acanthusgallery.co.uk E m a i l : i n f o @ acanthusgallery.co.uk Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 10.30-4.30 closed Wednesday and Sunday

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A Year Worth Waiting For...

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angton Matravers-based sculptor Moira Purver is thrilled to have had her life size sculpture “Self-Contained Man” selected for this year’s Royal West of England Academy exhibition in Bristol.

Moira works largely from life, studying the surfaces and movement in the human form producing sculptures with vitality and warmth.

When she first visited the RWA gallery in 2009 it reminded her of the galleries in Edinburgh she visited in her childhood. She became determined to have a sculpture exhibited there sometime in the future.

As this is the fourth time she has tried for the RWA exhibition, the waiting has made having her sculpture accepted this year extra special. Then when she visited the exhibition and saw her sculpture in the middle of the main gallery she was even more thrilled.

Moira came back to sculpture later in life and exhibited for the first time along with other local artists as part of the Purbeck Art Weeks exhibition in 2008, this gave her the confidence to look for other ways to exhibit and she took part in two exhibitions in the Mall Galleries in London in 2009.

She loves a challenge and enjoys targeting different exhibitions. This obviously brings with it the risk (and reality) of rejection but she has happily found that the disappointment of rejections has been more than compensated for by the joy of the acceptances.

2014 has been a year where her perseverance really seems to have borne fruit. At the beginning of 2014 she had three sculptures accepted for the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) exhibition in the Mall Galleries.

In May, having exhibited with the Society of Women Artists since 2009, she was elected as a full member of the society (SWA), which led to additional exhibitions this year in London and Winchester.

Then in October her sculpture was accepted for the RWA exhibition, a definite cherry on the cake.

The RWA 162nd Annual Exhibition is on from 12th October till the 7th December.

Moira’s work can be seen on her website www.moirapurversculpture.co.uk and is available at the Gallery at 41 in Corfe Castle. A perfect Christmas gift option - do pop in and have a browse. www.moirapurversculpture.co.uk

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HEIRLOOMS OF WAREHAM 21 South Street, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 4LR, 01929 554207 www.heirloomsofwareham.co.uk

Jewellers & Silversmiths For all of your Jewellery & Silverware needs

Christmas Inspiration View our selection of Antique and Modern Jewellery and Silver

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF OUR READERS, WRITERS AND ADVERTISERS!

Thank you for your continued support throughout 2014 - we’ve now been independent for four years and the paper has doubled in size, thanks to our advertisers. Please remember that if you support your local shops, they in turn support the Gazette, thus providing the revenue to print community editorial, letters, points of view and community group updates.

Keep shopping local and you’ll continue to have a local paper!

The Purbeck Gazette

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Something For Everyone!

T

he word ‘emporium’ is often used, but rarely is it totally relevant to that which it describes. In the case of Skinmates in Swanage High Street, you’d be hard pressed to describe the amazing selection of quality good for sale in this long-standing Swanage shop.

Owner, Ray has been serving the town of Swanage for decades, stocking a mid-boggling array of superior sheepskin products and leatherware.

From genuine sheepskin rugs, to moccasins, slippers, mitts, gloves, suede bush hats, belts, bags, wallets, and much much more, there’s no ‘collection’ of sheepskin or leatherware goods within a driveable distance that can compete with Ray’s selection.

Now that the winter winds have started blowing, why not pop into Skinmates and check out the array of sheepskin items which will help you keep warm?

And if you are looking for a perfect Christmas Gift – who wouldn’t be delighted with a lovely pair of sheepskin slippers or mitts? Alternatively, pop in for a browse and you’re sure to find something to delight even that person who is difficult to buy for!

Happ Christmas and a wonderful New Year to all customers of Skinmates, past and present. Have fun and keep warm!

The Purbeck Gazette

Crochet Classes Starting Soon!

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i Everyone – Just to let you know that we can now offer you our loyalty card and gift vouchers.

We have many hand-made items for that special Christmas gift.

Our free bra measuring service is still available, but if you are finding it difficult to visit us during the day then we can offer a late night service on Thursdays – By appointment only.

Also on Thursday evenings we are re-starting our crochet classes. Places are limited so do contact us at the shop if you wish to attend.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Steph, Purl-n-Lace

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Gifts For Perfect Hair

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or lots of ideas for Christmas presents, why not pop into INNOVATION Unisex Hair and Beauty salon? With ideas from Tigi, Wella, and Tangle Teezer, and a wide variety of gift packs to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s a wide range of beautifully presented gift boxes available from Orifluido, with their luxurious hair oil and a beautiful free gift in every gift box – from a free hairspray, to a free mascara or a beautiful free body cream with the luxury of Orifluido oil within each of these products. We have a range of hairdryers – both GHD and DIVA and a good range of GHD hair styling irons, including the new GHD styling wands and tongs.

For the men there are lots of ideas too and for every two TIGI hair products you buy, you get a toiletry bag free, so you can make your present to suit your man! We’ve got free toiletry bags from Wella and Tigi too.

If none of those ideas are for you, then why not buy a GIFT VOUCHER, which can be redeemed on hair or beauty services or products. Don’t forget to make that hair appointment to look extra special for those Christmas celebrations! We look forward to seeing you very soon.

The Gift Of Beauty CORFE BEAUTY Corfe Castle B 07885 589581 eauty Voucher - Pamper a special person in your life with a treatment at Corfe Beauty. The relaxed, tranquil environment at Hartland and the welcoming experienced therapists make Corfe Beauty the ideal place for a real treat! Vouchers are available from £10. To order your voucher please call or text 07885 589581 or email therapists@ corfebeauty.com Corfe Beauty is open six days a week (including four late evenings). Large parking facilities and refreshments available in the reception. We also offer a Home Visit service if you are unable to reach us.

Non-Surgical Cosmetic Treatments. Dermal Fillers. Wrinkle Smoothing Injections.Thread Vein Treatments. Dermaroller. We welcome Karen Riley MA BSc RGN NIP. Karen is regarded as one of the most skilled and experienced practitioners in the south of England.

You may book a free consultation with Karen who will identify your needs and offer a plan tailored to your individual requirements.

We wish you a Happy Christmas and Healthy New Year! Jane, Alison, Jenny and Karen.

Christmas Gift Vouchers Available Waxing * Electrolysis * EyeBrow Shape Eyelash/Brow Tint * Eyelash Extensions * Gel Nails Manicure * Pedicure * Indian Head Massage * Massage Aromatherapy * Dermalogica Facials & Products Hartland Stud, Soldiers Road, Norden, Wareham, Dorset. BH20 5DU www.corfebeauty.com

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The Purbeck Gazette

Christmas and New Year, a time to look back, Projects started, motivation we now lack, New Year Resolutions still to be made, Of hopes, promises and best plans laid, Let Ivamy Designs help with some, And change your house into a home, From our initial designs on the first day, We continue to care every step of the way, Call into the showroom, or give us a ring, See what transformations 2015 can bring.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Ivamy Designs Team.

Perfect Gifts For All

R

emember the summer Air Show and the Battle of Britain memorial flight - the Lancaster, the Spitfire, the Hurricane- the roar of the mighty Vulcan and the superb flying display of the Red Arrows?

All are remembered with our official Royal Airforce gentlemen’s gifts of key rings, mugs, cufflinks, pen sets and clocks. Perfect for the budding aviators.

We can also offer an exciting new range of solid silver jewellery set with natural gemstones of labradorite, rose quartz, amethyst and opalite. All are beautifully presented in gift boxes and sure to delight the lady in your life without breaking the bank.

For those of you who have their sights set on the vistas of the world or heavenly bodies, we can offer quality binoculars from £8 to £400 and Astro Scopes from £49.

New for 2015 The Opticron Vega - a truly lightweight performance binocular available in 8X, 10X and 12X magnification. Rubber armoured, waterproof and multicoated performance in your pocket.

Great spec, great price - from £55 to £65 with a five year warranty.

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Delicious, festive foodie delights, prepared by the best restaurants, cafes, retail outlets and public houses in Purbeck.

Just for you.....

Prepare A Feast

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he Curtis family have been butchers for three generations. In the past sixty one years we have provided quality meat to the people of Wareham and beyond.

When Basil Reginald Curtis started the business back in 1951, he insisted on selling only the finest quality produce he could buy. This still holds true today, where our policy is to only sell the best. This is why we source Mathers Black Gold Beef direct from Aberdeenshire, Purbeck Lamb and Purbeck Pork from a Local Farm.

Likewise our poultry is the best money can buy. Farm Turkeys, Geese, Ducks and Chickens..

The rest is free from any antibiotic growth promoters.

We also produce many Home Made products. Sausages (only using the finest natural skins), dry home cured bacon (all cured on the premises), pies, pates, faggots, black pudding and our famous Christmas puddings.

Our high quality meats and attention to detail have formed the key to our success everywhere from local trade to nationwide accolades.

Get your Christmas orders in soon!

Let the team help you arrange the best Christmas feast ever, with a selection of high-quality Curtis goodies!

Merry Christmas from the Curtis team.

B.CURTIS LTD Traditional High Class Family Butchers

CHRISTMAS ORDERS NOW BEING TAKEN FOR THE VERY BEST IN: LOCAL DRUG-FREE FARM POULTRY (TURKEYS, CHICKENS, DUCKS & GEESE) SPECIALLY SELECTED ABERDEENSHIRE & PURBECK BEEF

FINEST LOCAL PURBECK PORK & DORSET LAMB HOME CURED GAMMONS (RAW OR COOKED) LOCAL VENISON & PHEASANTS HOMEMADE PORK SAUSAGES CHIPOLATAS & SAUSAGEMEAT PORK PIES, GALA PIES & GAME PIES OX TONGUES, SALT BEEF & PICNIC HAMS WIDE SELECTION OF LOCAL & CONTINENTAL CHEESE & HOMEMADE PATES

Wishing all of our customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

B Curtis Ltd, 19 West Street, Wareham 01929 552478 C Hallett, 25 North Street, Wareham 01929 552022 www.bcurtis.co.uk

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Treats From Your Deli

K

eep it local and buy foodie gifts which are sure to delight those you love this year.... make up a gift bag of Dorset deliciousness.... teas, biscuits, marmalade, ales, ciders etc. We will tailor make hampers just perfect for you. We have gorgeous homemade Christmas puddings and mince pies, as well as fudge, jams, honey and chutneys etc...We also offer vouchers, which are fabulous for those you know who love good food.

Catering at Christmas time and for New Year couldn’t be easier either... delightful West Country cheese boards, to full deli banquets with a full array of lovely treats.

Pop in and experience the loveliness of a very deli Christmas!!!

For all your Festive catering, party nibbles and delicious deli spreads Lots of foodie gift ideas: Hampers, Cheese Boards and Vouchers etc...

Pop in and discuss your requirements for this Christmas and we will do our best to help.

26 Institute Road, Swanage email: thepurbeckdeli@yahoo.co.uk

01929 422344 www.thepurbeckdeli.co.uk

Seafood Swanage Bay Fish Orders now being taken for Lobsters Platters & Crabs for Christmas and New year. made to order for For all of our Polish customers, we are now taking orders for CARP for Christmas your festive We will be open until Christmas Eve buffets 48 High Street, Swanage. Tel: 422288

www.swanagebayfish.com

The Purbeck Gazette

Chococo

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CHOCOCO the purbeck chocolate co.

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f you want to buy locally-made edible gifts this Christmas, look no further than Chococo, the chocolate shop, café and kitchen on the Commercial Road lanes in Swanage, now open seven days a week year round.

Their fine chocolates, handmade daily with many local fresh ingredients, have now won an incredible forty five national fine awards since 2003.

For Christmas this year, the Chococo team will be offering the much talked about Dorset Blue, with Blue Vinny cheese, Brilliant Black Cow, winner of an International Chocolate Awards 2014 Bronze medal, made with Dorset’s Black Cow vodka, and such festive flavours as Kumquat Twist, winner of a 2014 Gold Great Taste award, rum-sozzled Christmas Puddings and their 2012 Great Taste Award winning Mulled Wine.

They have also created a new range of stylish Christmas trees, new chocolate baubles, bars, new camper vans (yes you did read that correctly!) and owls to hang on your Christmas tree, new snowmen, chocolate biscuit cake Yule logs and lots more gorgeous treats to delight.

By the way, if you have to cater for specific dietary needs, they offer many items in both milk and (nondairy) dark chocolate and some chocolates are also soya-free.

Meat The Boys!

Fine handmade chocolates & gifts to delight this Christmas Enjoy festive hot chocolates, coffee and cakes in our café.

We are now open 7 days a week Find us at: Cocoa Central, Commercial Road, Swanage Tel: 01929 422748 www.chococo.co.uk

We wish all our customers a Merry ChocHoHo Christmas!

Their café will be offering freshly baked festive cakes and more alongside their extensive range of hot chocolates, coffee and their exciting DIY hot chocolates – choose milk, dark or even white chocolate to melt and whisk in the milk!

If you cannot make it to Chococo’s shop in Swanage, you can also buy their chocolates at their second shop on Winchester’s High Street and at ChocoCake on East St in Wimborne. Their chocolates are also available to order online or by phone for nationwide delivery.

J.J.Moore 34 High Street, Swanage 01929 424891

Family & Catering Butcher For all your Christmas needs...

WE VOTE

NO

A

s Christmas approaches and your thoughts turn to your festive catering, you will want to be sure that the centre piece of your celebration meal is the very best available. No one wants their perfect turkey dinner turning out to be a ‘complete turkey’!

At J J Moore all our turkeys are free range and we stock both traditional white and bronze turkeys.

For your accompaniments, we can also supply the sausage-meat for your stuffing, the bacon and sausages for your pigs in blankets, so all you need is to gather together your vegetables, plus of course your friends and family, and get cooking.

If you are not a turkey lover then fear not – as we also have some tasty alternatives, including Dorset lamb, Wiltshire pork, and Scotch Beef, as well as fresh ducks and geese and much, much more.

So don’t wait – start planning those tasty Christmas menus – and put your orders in at J J Moore today!

Fresh Dorset Turkeys, Fresh Ducks & Geese, Dorset Lamb, Scotch Beef, English Gammon, Hand-Raised Pork Pie, and much more....

Wishing all of our customers a very merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year!

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The White Horse 01929 422469 11 High St, Swanage. BH19 2LP. www.thewhitehorseinnswanage.co.uk

PARTY WITH THE EXPERTS THIS CHRISTMAS! Purbeck’s Premier Live Music Venue for the last 18 years!

Live Entertainment @ The Horse

Sat 29 Nov C.T. Trio (formerly Decades) BUFFET-STYLE PARTY FARE Sat 6 Dec FROM £8.95ph* Chill Sat 13 Dec CALL TO BOOK YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY NOW! Lady Winwoods Maggot All needs & requests catered for Sat 20 Dec Discounted drinks FREE premier LIVE entertainment Skint *valid for bookings of 20 persons or more Sat 27 Dec For info on our live events, please see Voodoo Chilli website/Facebook/Twitter

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Food

The Gourmet Peddler The Bikemonger Cooks....

Goat Eggs *

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really love our local food scene... yes we have a scene going on. This local theatre of food goes from blokes exchanging recipes in pub gardens, food clubs in rural pubs, great local eateries, to wonderful organised events like the Church Knowle Food Fayre. Here you can explore all the local delicacies, and meet the interesting folk behind them. It was at this event, whilst sat in the sun, on a bale of straw, watching a butchery demonstration, local ale in hand, that the inspiration for this recipe came to me in the form of a sausage and a bottle of local sauce.

I’ve never cooked scotch eggs before, and technically I still haven’t, as these are a local variation using goat sausages from Gourmet Goats (Purbeck:www.gourmetgoatsdorset.co.uk), and Dorsetshire Sauce (Lulworth:www.fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk). It’s not a difficult recipe but the timing is critical, you are aiming for cooked meat but a soft yoke: a tricky one to pull off. But don’t worry, whatever you end up with will be much better than the spheres of unappetizing vague brown matter of mysterious and possibly sinister provenance served in lieu of real food often found in petrol stations.

You will need: Nice local free range eggs (mine came from an honesty box in Studland) Six large Goat sausages Full grain mustard Salt, pepper Fresh parsley Dorsetshire sauce (it’s a little bit like Worcestershire sauce but much nicer and tangier) Breadcrumbs Plain flour A beaten egg What you need to do: Boil up 4 eggs, starting them in cold water, and boiling for 3 to 4 minutes.

Place the eggs in cold water, and let more cold water run over them. You want to totally arrest the cooking process.

Carefully peel the eggs. I am pretty awful at this; they tend to pop open, so I now cook extra eggs to allow for this.

Pre heat the oven to around 180c.

Now line up three bowls: plain flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs... these are for later.

Take the meat out of the sausage skins, pop it in a bowl, add loads of fresh parsley, a little full grain mustard, salt and pepper, and loads of the

Dorsetshire Sauce. Mix it up by hand.

Using your hands take the meat and make a flat 15mm thick (1/2 inch for you traditionalists) and about 15cm (6 inches old chap) burger patty, and place on a floured surface (the flour stops it sticking).

Now pop the egg in the middle of the burger and carefully mould the meat around the egg. I say carefully as I managed to pop some eggs again!

You are aiming to completely enclose the egg, with an even thickness of meat all around.

Role the egg in the three bowls: flour, egg, and lastly breadcrumbs.

Deep fry until golden. This should take around 4 minutes at 150c.

I tested one of the eggs, cutting it open and checking the meat is cooked, if it’s still a little raw on the inside I pop it in the oven for 5 minutes.

Serving: I think these are much nicer served cold with a little cheese, pickle and beer.... on a hillside. But do try a hot one, it’s your reward for being such a damned good cook.

So what does goat taste like: It’s difficult to describe, but bloody nice, a slightly gamey beef perhaps? Apparently it’s also low in bad stuff, and high in good things. But really I don’t care about that when something tastes this good. * Goats probably don’t lay eggs.

The Purbeck Gazette

Purbeck Products A Winning Bake!

At Christmas

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P

urbeck Producers are now in full swing for Christmas, taking orders and preparing for Christmas Markets.

This month we will be doing extra markets, the first is at the Christmas Market in Station Road on the 6th December, Gary and Tina of Jurassic Cottage Foods will have a stall in Commercial Road and as an extra will be providing Purbeck turkey rolls, roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.

We will be in Commercial Road on the 13th December from 9am to 1pm and then we’ll have a quick dash to Putlake Adventure Farm for their Charity Christmas Market.

All proceeds from the market will go to About Face and Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. Starting at 2pm and finishing at 6pm, this is not to be missed for a lovely Christmas atmosphere.

The last market for December is on the 20th in Commercial Lane, 9am - pm Once again we have sponsored a tree at the Purbeck Christmas Tree Festival at Kingston Church; this brings together businesses, organisations, groups and families for a truly spectacular event and brings back the meaning of Christmas.

We as Producers started our markets with the kind support of Alfie and Gloria O’Connell at Putlake Farm with wonderful community support, in 2015 we will be holding extra markets there throughout the year, with the same support from the present owners, Karen and Steve.

As usual we will be holding our monthly markets in Commercial Road on the second Saturday of the month; this gives you all a chance to catch up with us in both locations.

The first market will be in February in Commercial Road and you can find all dates on our website www.purbeckproducts.co.uk Purbeck Producers would like to thank Nico and Joy, and all traders in Commercial Road for their continued support throughout 2014, Karen and Steve at Putlake and all our customers that turn up, rain or shine.

Another special thanks to Nick for all his work behind the scenes and Jane for letting us take over her home and wine for our monthly meetings.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and best wishes for 2015.

PURBECK PRODUCE FARMERS’ MARKET COMMERCIAL ROAD, SWANAGE Saturday 6th - Swanage Christmas Market from 9am Saturday 13th - Commercial Road Market 9am - 1pm Saturday 13th - Putlake Farm, Langton 2pm - 6pm Saturday 20th - Commercial Road Market 9am - 1pm

Orders still being taken for Christmas LOCAL PRODUCE FROM LOCAL PRODUCERS

www.purbeckproducts.co.uk

N

igel Dragon, baker at Corfe Castle Village Bakery, won sixteen awards, including seven firsts, and the West Country Specialists Champion Shield at the Western Bakery Championship held at Cullompton, Devon, on 12th October 2014.

Well done Nigel!

Before You Eat Out...

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urbeck District Council and the Food Standards Agency are reminding diners to ‘look before they book’. They want everyone to check food business food hygiene ratings before choosing where to eat.

The ratings – which are based on the hygiene standards – can be found at www.food.gov.uk/ratings or by checking the green and black stickers that should be displayed in premises.

If you cannot see a sticker, just ask.

The ratings are determined by Purbeck District Council’s food safety officers and range from 0-5, with a 5 rating being the highest level.

Currently, 87% (428) of food premises in the District are rated 4 (‘good’) or above. 95% (494) are rated 3 and above.

The Food Standards Agency has found that displaying a score of 3 or above is good for business and they have awarded the District Council funding to work with local businesses to encourage them to display their stickers prominently.

Councillor Peter Wharf, Economy and Infrastructure Spokesperson for Purbeck District Council, said: “This is an important time of the year for Purbeck businesses and they are proud of their good food hygiene ratings.

“It is easy for people to choose where to eat based on the food hygiene rating, so we are encouraging all businesses in the district to display their sticker.

This will help customers make an informed decision about where they eat, which is good for local business!”

Catherine Brown, Chief Executive, Food Standards Agency, agrees: “This Christmas, do this one little thing for peace of mind when eating out.

Take a moment to check the food hygiene rating, pick the right place and enjoy a great meal.”

For more information, visit www.food.gov.uk/ratings

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The First Two Laws

By Anthony Bright-Paul, author of ‘Climate for the Layman’ We are lucky enough this month to have a short article by author, Anthony Bright-Paul. Anthony is swiftly gathering influential international acclaim after publishing his book, ‘Climate for the Layman’.

Anthony happily admits he is no scientist, however several years ago he set off on a journey to find the truth behind the climate change rhetoric we see and hear so much of these days. Gathering research and information, as well as compiling the responses to his questions from world scientists, ‘Climate for the Layman’ is receiving excellent reviews from the scientific community, and turns much of our current thinking on its head.

Carbon Dioxide causing global warming? Think again... A theory that won’t go away is back... A short introduction to the subject is below, with further information available in ‘Climate for the Layman’, available online as either an e-book or paperback. Prices vary.

I

f I drive my car to my local Supermarket and back, a distance of five miles, the engine gets hot. Why is that? Because of work done. To be more specific the engine has got hot by reason of compression, combustion and friction, all of which are forms of work that produce an increase of temperature. This illustrates very simply the First Law of Thermodynamics.

If I were to put my hand on that hot engine – well, please don’t – it would also illustrate what is meant by thermal contact. Your hand would be scorched. As it is the air surrounding the engine is warmed.

If I leave my car to stand say overnight in my driveway, what will happen?

The engine will cool down, without any work. I do not have to cool my engine because everything under the Sun will cool down naturally and inevitably by the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. Even red-hot lava will cool to black basalt.

If I make a hot cup of coffee with boiling water at 100ºC, the coffee will also cool by itself. If I wish to keep the coffee hot I can put it in a thermos flask. This will delay heat loss, but after 24 hours the coffee will be tepid.

The coffee may be trapped, but heat is never trapped.

The Sun does not send heat through space but Solar Radiation. This radiation produces heat on contact with the surfaces of this planet, and the atmosphere is warmed from the bottom up – which explains why there is snow on the tops of mountains. The atmosphere cools by 2ºC

for every 1,000 feet of altitude.

Clouds and Water Vapour, Carbon Dioxide and Methane all conspire to keep the Planet cool during the day, and also warmer during the night, by delaying (not trapping) heat. Thick cloud, fog and mist clearly intercept the Sun’s rays in the daytime. Only when the Sun breaks through is there a sudden rise in temperature.

Carbon Dioxide is a clear colourless gas, whose bubbles one can see in every carbonated drink – not to be confused with smoke. Carbon Dioxide is a food for plants – it is their breakfast, lunch and dinner.

More Carbon Dioxide will lead to a greener world and increased food production. Plants not only feed off Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere but all produce Oxygen for us humans and all the animal kingdom to breathe.

Written specially for Purbeck Gazette

Infrastrata Public Meeting - Swanage Gas Rig

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nfrastrata, the company involved in the proposed installation of the exploratory Gas Rig in Swanage, held a public meeting at the Mowlem in Swanage in October to inform residents of their plans, and to offer information regarding the planned rig.

A good number of residents attended, and most seemed happy with the information on-hand, giving positive feedback about the information made available.

Members of the ‘Stop the Swanage Gas Rig’ group set-up outside the venue, offering alternative information to the public, both about the gas rig, and about fracking - an extraction process that will not be used at this particular site as the geology is unsuitable.

Andrew Hindle, CEO of InfraStrata plc, said: “We were pleased that the information event attracted so much attention locally and that a good

number of people came along to find out for themselves about the facts of the project.”

“The event was busy from start to finish and the majority of people who came were generally supportive. We welcomed everybody who attended, whatever their views.”

“The team spent many hours talking to a handful of people who oppose our plans and we responded fully to all their questions. I’d particularly like to thank the Mowlem Theatre for letting us hire their excellent facilities and helping to ensure that the whole event went smoothly.”

The rig is proposed to be installed next winter, in south Swanage, near to Suttles Quarry and California Farm.

Pictured: Infrastrata public meeting, Stop the Gas Rig protesters outside.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Problem Solving - Or Tea, Boulders & Prog Rock

by John Garner

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or many years I have harboured an urge to climb. One of the greatest pleasures of my youth was climbing.

And just about anything was fair game.

Trees were an option and so was the back of my house as I invariably forgot my keys and had to scale the back wall to pop open my window, which I left unlocked just so that if I forgot my keys I would be able to scale the back wall and climb in through the unlocked window. Jump on to the bin.

Reach up and grab the drainpipe (cast iron) just above the wall fitting.

Scramble up until level with the first floor window. Traverse until close enough to the first floor extension roof. Crawl on all floors up pitched roof and then prize open stiff, but unlocked small higher window. Wriggle through about half way until I could reach down and pop the window latch on the main window.

Wriggle out. Open window. Climb in. Go downstairs, unlock the back door and retrieve school bag. Actually on two occasions that I did this the sequence of events was extended by a knock at the door from neighbour/ policeman checking that I wasn’t a burglar. Which was reassuring in a way.

A reader as vigilant as my old neighbours may well suggest that the time spent ensuring the window was unlocked could have been better spent making sure I had my keys, but I actually really enjoyed climbing up the back of my house and sometimes did it even when I had my keys.

Scaling conker trees was always a joy and in the summer scrambling up an overhanging tree and jumping into the river was even better as it combined the twin elements of climbing and swimming. Anyway, I have decided to give the climbing thing another go, despite the fact that the climbing days of my youth date back to a time when prog rock was littering the charts with its twenty five minute, sit on the floor cross legged and find your inner thing, guitar solos. I was far too hyperactive to sit on the floor and find my inner thing so I went out and climbed stuff, damaging quite a lot of my outer things in the process.

Why I’ve waited so long to get climbing again is a mystery really, but I think as one gets older one becomes less enamoured with the idea of plunging off a steep overhanging cliff face to one’s inexorable doom, so that might have some bearing on my reticence to date. A real and ever present threat in the climbing world, but not if you stick to small scale, low level stuff and cover the floor with a foot or so of padding to cushion your inevitable falls.

Whilst Purbeck does not exactly have the Alps in terms of extreme climbing, it does offer some pretty good climbing opportunities, so I’m told. It’s not something I’ve experienced, but I hope to next spring and summer and in readiness for this I’ve started to use an indoor climbing centre to prepare me for the real thing. The centre in question is The Climbing Project in Poole and an excellent place it is.

Whilst I am new to this marvellous sport, I have found it to be the most rewarding and testing of experiences so far, although I’m sure the painful

permutations even at this level are almost endless. I’ve been bouldering, which is effectively climbing at lower levels without ropes, but appeals to me for two reasons. 1. You need small amounts of gear. A pair of climbing shoes and a bag of chalk and you’re away. 2. It’s very technical and can be amazingly rewarding when you get over or round a particularly tricky section of wall. The down side is that you use just about every muscle in your body which feels like a good thing until you wake up the day after your first session and can’t get the teabags out of the packet because every slight movement is agony.

The instructor said that the day after the day after would be worse, so using an odd sort of logic I decided to put this increased agony off until the day after that, by going climbing again straight away. Needless to say it didn’t work and I wasn’t able to make or lift a cup of tea for two more days. Still, a few weeks later and my enforced tea drinking famine is over and I am already amazed at the ability of the body to contort itself into all sorts of previously gravity defying positions to sort out various climbing ‘problems’.

Yes. You heard right. Bouldering uses the word ‘problem’ to specify a certain climb. Now in the 1980s ‘problem’ became a very dirty word. A pariah of a word in a decade of ambition. In those dynamic, go-getting,’ lunch is for wimps’ days of goal achievement and wealth accumulation there were no problems. There were only challenges with attainable solutions.

Problems were driven to the margins of society. Problems suggested defeatism. Problems sounded negative. ‘Problem’ needed rebranding. At the risk of sounding glib and stupid anyone using the word problem was immediately sacked, ostracised and in many cases tried and charged with crimes against capitalism. Problems suggested weakness. Challenges could be overcome and a challenge was the preferred choice for the serious minded mover and shaker.

There are many dictionaries that will give you the definitions of both words.

Broadly speaking a problem is defined as: something that is difficult to deal with and needs to be overcome.

A challenge is defined as: euphemistic language designed to motivate people to believe that the world is full of only positive outcomes. (Or in less euphemistic terms- management speak for a load of bollocks.)

In the deconstructed world of indoor climbing you have a go at a problem and hopefully solve it. If not you have another go or find a different problem and have a go at that. I imagine that doing the same outdoors with the distracting addition of the elements to factor in and the lack of spongy crash mats to prevent your immediate concussion syndrome makes the problem even more intense.

I look forward to the whole process, however problematic it may be. It will be like listening to those early Genesis albums for the first time … again. It may well take you back to an era when a word spoken meant exactly what it was. However, you may well not be catapulted back into your youth by the climbing experience and let’s hope you’re not catapulted straight into traction either. But I recommend having a go.

So I’m preparing for the summer and I shall take a flask of tea with me as a reward for overcoming any problems I encounter. If I can get the lid off that is.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Gazette Gardening with Simon Goldsack

Gardening for Wildlife ecember is the start of winter and for wildlife this is a time for hibernation or hardship. So to help it thrive in your garden, here are a few ideas.

Leave an area completely undisturbed and free from human litter. This will provide a safe haven for all sorts of insects and small mammals.

If you are having a bonfire re-build it on the day you are burning so that any creatures that have set up home such as hedgehogs have a chance to escape Leave perennials and grasses standing in the borders and prune back in spring rather than autumn. This provides animals with shelter, your plant roots with insulation from the cold, seed heads for birds and nesting material for both birds and mammals.

Leave some piles of logs to decay down slowly for invertebrates and fungi Design your garden in layers Tree canopy provides perching points for birds to check for danger and spot feeding opportunities.

Shrubs provide protection from predators, food, nesting sites and shelter.

Perennials and grasses are great for pollen, nectar, food, insects and seeds.

Ground covering plants are shelter for a whole host of insects and

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invertebrates from woodlice to centipedes. These animals are the base of the food chain from which all wildlife higher up the chain need to live successfully Berries provide a rich source of nutrition for birds.

Berries form an important part of many bird’s diets. You should be able to provide fruit for much of the autumn and winter. Redcurrants in a hedge will ripen from July to October, Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) in September/October as does Pyracantha the fire thorn. Holly follows on through December and January and Crab apples are excellent for attracting Fieldfares. For late berries try Cotoneaster an excellent group of shrubs for wildlife.

C. Cornubia as a tree, C.lacteus or C.horizontalis wall trained and for hedging use C. simonsii and C.franchetii.

Holme has a wide range of plants and bird food and feeders to help you get more wildlife into your garden Happy Christmas! Simon Pictured:- Top left: Cotoneaster lacteus. Brilliant for insects and birds. Above: Crab apples attract fieldfares.

Green Light For Wareham Solar Farm

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solar farm that will generate enough clean electricity to power 1,500 homes has been given the green light by planners. Renewable electricity supplier and generator Good Energy has received the go-ahead from Purbeck District Council to develop a 5.8MW solar farm at the Oaklands Plantation, just north of Wareham.

The scheme will make a valuable contribution towards meeting Dorset’s renewable energy targets while enhancing Britain’s energy security.

Its development will also release an annual £5,000 to be spent in the community by local people – for the 30 year lifetime of the project.

Hugo House, Good Energy’s senior project developer, said: “We are very happy that this scheme has been backed not only by the planners but also the local community.”

The site at Oaklands is very well-screened, positioned between a landfill site and a commercial forest. Approximately 20,000 solar panels will be installed across the 20 hectares of land which is currently used as a Christmas tree plantation, grazing pasture and a motorcross track. The land surrounding the panels will be recreated as grassland which can be grazed by sheep and will be managed to improve its quality and biodiversity.

Some areas of the site will also be adapted to recreate heathland and a wetland area will be introduced to provide habitat for heathland species.

These measures will provide valuable new habitats for a variety of wildlife.

Purbeck District Council’s planning report on the scheme concluded that the solar farm met its policy which positively supports appropriate development of renewable energy schemes and the promotion of a strong rural economy, including farm diversification.

The application also received the support of Wareham St Martin Parish Council and attracted 26 letters of support from residents.

Construction of the Oaklands solar farm, which will operate for thirty years, will get underway in spring next year.

Pictured: Hugo House, Good Energy’s senior project developer, pictured at the solar farm in Woolbridge, near Wool, Dorset.

The Purbeck Gazette

63

New Opportunities for Visitors with Disabilities If you’ve walked along the clifftop in the last few weeks, you will have noticed some major structural work taking place at the Observation Point.

Thanks to funding from the Dorset Short Breaks Scheme, to help children with disabilities and their families enjoy days out, work on the new wheelchair accessible viewpoint should now be complete.

Spetisbury Construction have removed a section of the existing wall and replaced it with a three metre stretch of toughened glass. This will allow wheelchair users and children the chance to safely enjoy the spectacular panoramic views, which we all take for granted.

The scheme has also allowed us to buy a new Tramper electric buggy and an amazing Trekinetic K-2 off-road wheelchair, which are both available from the Castle.

Xmas Shopping The Castle is open every day from 10am – 4pm, it is free and within is our shop stuffed with interesting, useful and fun items, including stocking fillers, bird food, locally made jewellery, books, smellies and jellycat cuddly animals, so why not pop in.

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New Land Durlston has recently grown - by around 40 acres! Swanage Town Council has passed over the old landfill site and adjacent quarry workings and meadow to the Park, which we will be managing for wildlife and people. Working under an initial 21 year lease we have already began surveying the area for wildlife and repairs have started to one of the dry-stone walls.

Over the next few years we will start to clear some of the encroaching scrub, introduce grazing and create some new and improved access for visitors.

The area has huge potential for wildlife and should prove to be a real asset for Durlston and Swanage.

Work will continue throughout the winter and if you would like to help out then why not come along to one of our work parties Arts University Bournemouth Exhibition From the 10th December to the 11th January, come along and enjoy an exhibition of work by Short Courses students from the Arts University. Featuring work including photography, textiles, model-making, ceramics and fashion, the show should feature something for everyone.

Margaret Green Animal Rescue

uring the festive season we are asking kind members of the public to dig deep and buy something to cheer up a rescue cat or dog at Christmas time. We are hoping to get as many people as possible involved in our shoe box appeal. All you have to do is fill a shoe box with tasty treats and toys for the pets that are in our rescue centres this Christmas.

When you are shopping for goodies for your own pet in the run up to Christmas, please put that little something extra in your basket and bring some joy to another pet that isn’t so lucky. You can drop off your shoe boxes at the Church Knowle Animal Sanctuary and Visitor Centre or Lincoln Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre for Dogs in Winterborne Kingston. For more information and address details please visit www. margaretgreenanimalrescue.org.uk.

If you are stuck for ideas for your shoebox, why not include some of these suggestions: For dogs: tennis balls, nylabones, squeaky toys, treat balls, rawhide treats, dog biscuit treats or liver treats. For cats: catnip mice, ping-pong balls, cat biscuit treats, liver treats, play tunnel, bag of catnip or catnip spray, scrunchie ball, toy on a string.

If you don’t want to make a shoebox for a cat or dog and would like a different challenge who not make one for one of the horses, chickens,

goats or sheep!

All of the animals, staff and volunteers at Margaret Green Animal Rescue would like to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Christmas.

The Purbeck Gazette

64

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Get Ready For Christmas!

t this time of year you will be very busy with all your Christmas preparations, so we thought that we would give you a few tips to help you cope!

Avoiding Back Pain at Christmas Here are some common sense do’s and don’ts to help your back through the festive season: Dos Sit with a cushion to support your low back.

If you have to stand for a long time, change your position regularly and hold your tummy muscles in: it supports your back and helps the waistline!

Use a step ladder and don’t stand on a chair to put up the Christmas decorations.

Take advantage of home delivery and internet shopping if possible.

Be careful putting the turkey in the oven, go down on one knee and use your stomach muscles to help support you.

Try and keep up some regular stretches.

Lying flat for thirty minutes with a pillow under the knees gives your back the best rest.

Don’ts Sit too long especially in a ‘comfy chair’ Stay in one position for too long. Changing position helps muscles and joints to rest and helps the circulation.

Over reach, or stretch when putting up decorations.

Carry too much shopping and do distribute the weight evenly.

Wrap presents or write cards sitting on the floor and also don’t stay bent over for long periods.

Forget to keep up some exercise. Try to walk every day for at least twenty minutes – it also helps to relieve stress.

What to do in an emergency over Christmas For a sudden onset of severe spinal pain or obvious sprain or strain: Rest- find pain free positions with lots of support.

Ice Pack - (wrapped in a tea towel) for up to ten minutes.

For a sprained swollen lower limb: Support - the leg on a pillow with the foot at hip height.

For extra pain relief you can use paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen or codeine.

But - Do not take Ibuprofen and aspirin together. If you take either of these tablets, eat first and stop if you get stomach pain, indigestion or diarrhoea. If you are already on medication and are not sure what is safe ring NHS Direct on 111.

Unfortunately Physiotherapy or Chiropractic rarely provides a ‘quick fix’.

Follow the emergency procedure above for the first 48 hours and then get an appointment as soon as possible.

Don’t ‘stress’ about gift buying, give a friend or loved one a real treat –we sell gift vouchers which can be exchanged for any of our treatments such as a massage, reflexology or craniosacral, all especially recommended after the hectic Christmas preparations. They can also be exchanged for something from our range of exercise equipment or memory foam pillows etc.

Swanage Therapy Centre We would like to thank all our clients for their continued support and wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

We are open on December 24th, 29th & 31st from 9am - 1pm.

Normal hours on 30th December.

5 Court Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1JB

T: 01929 426506 www.swanagetherapycentre.co.uk

CHIROPODY Rachel Ciantar

Home Visits & Clinic Appointments Comprehensive foot care - Diabetic Patient’s Care Biomechanics & Orthotics Registered with Society of Podiatrist & Chiropodists, HPC Registered

Contact 07979 840542 NEW PATIENTS £5 OFF FIRST TREATMENT

Craniosacral Therapy

Alexandra Troy CTET Developed by an osteopath for gentle, deep effective release and realignment in the body for all kinds of pain and discomfort For further information please call: 01929 424911 or 07970 595103

www.cranial-swanage.co.uk

SHIATSU Japanese Acupressure Therapy by

Nichola Morgan B.A. Dip. Seitai Shiatsu (Japan)

Advertise your Health or Beauty Service HERE! See www.purbeckgazette.co.uk for rates

Christmas Greetings Gift Vouchers Available SWANAGE (01929) 427289

The Purbeck Gazette

Matron’s Round

Our Local Hospitals’ Monthly Column

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Edith Mason-Hubacher I.T.E.C. M.I.P.T.I B.A.U.K.

Qualified Bowen Practitioner Indian Head & Neck Massage Gift vouchers available Telephone: 01929 424956 or 07967 978 695 for details

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s we approach winter, we are mindful that some of our elderly and less mobile neighbours may not find it as easy to get around and may find it more difficult to stay well. We all read stories about the combination of low income and cold weather leading to some people sitting cold in their homes and without enough food.

Malnutrition in the elderly is a big concern for community services, charities and families/carers alike.

Eating well helps keep us well – our medicines are more readily absorbed, our skin and other organs will stay healthy and we will have more energy. Hospitals nationwide regularly admit elderly patients who are underweight or malnourished and work to remedy the situation by delivering appetising meals to suit patients’ needs and their personal taste as part of their clinical care.

In both Wareham and Swanage Hospitals, the catering teams work closely with the ward team and dieticians to make sure that food is freshly cooked, there is ample choice and lunchtime is not just about the calories but also a social occasion. When necessary, the texture is adjusted for patients who find it difficult to swallow and the portion size is geared to suit personal preferences. The Wareham team are currently reviewing hospital food and the way it is delivered, thinking of new ways to make mealtimes more enjoyable for patients. A similar review will soon be starting in Swanage. We are also starting to think about ways we might expand our services to older people within our community and hope to have more news on this in the New Year.

Against this backdrop, it is great to be able to tell you that, once again, Claire Thompson, Senior Chef at Swanage Hospital successfully competed in ‘Salon Culinaire’ at Southampton University in October.

This regional event, organised annually by the Wessex Branch of the Hospital Caterers’ Association, is designed to promote the talent that exists in hospital catering today and promote the NHS as an employer for skilled chefs.

This year, Claire entered seven categories: muffins, cold (diabetic) dessert, patients’ afternoon tea tray, Victoria sponge cake, bread-making, biscuits and vegetarian starter. Competition was tough, with more than sixty five entries and we were thrilled when Claire came away with six medals and certificates – three silvers and three bronze.

Our congratulations go to Claire and her team in Swanage and to her colleagues in Wareham, who continue to focus on providing freshly cooked food every day as an integral part of patient care in both our hospitals.

And so, until next time, take care, Matron Darren Pictured - Claire with her certificates and medals.

Swanage Hospital Minor Injuries Unit Open 7 days a week from 8am - 10pm If you have an injury, we’re here to treat it!

Call us on 01929 421329.

We’re here for YOU, so use our services!

Kate Smith, ITEC

NEW TREATMENTS!

Eyelash & Eyebrow Tinting - Eyelash Perming & Lifting Kaeso Natural Facials HOLISTIC MASSAGE THERAPY, WAXING, FACIALS, MANICURE, PEDICURE, SHELLAC, EYELASH & EYEBROW TREATMENTS

Kate Smith is available at:

RubyTuesdays Tilly Mews, Swanage Call Kate for details on 07505 313179

Nanette - Mobile Hairdresser Tuesdays only 15 years Experience & Qualified NVQ Level 3 Specialises in Shampoo & Sets, Perms, Cuts & Blow-Drys

Tel: 07872 997915

The Purbeck Gazette

66

Celebrate Christmas with Celebrate The Joy Of SWANAGE TOWN BAND Christmas

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wanage Town Band will be performing and accompanying the audience, in an evening of Christmas music, carols and festive songs for all the family, on Wednesday 17th December at 7.30pm at Swanage High Street Methodist Church. Admission to this event is free.

Mince pies and drinks will be available and there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Church Hall roof repair fund and the Town Band’s nominated charity.

The evening of celebration will also feature the popular ‘Four Dees’ barbershop harmony quartet (Dave, Dave, Steve D and Derek) and instrumental performances from individual band members, but much of the evening will be with audience participation.

at Swanage, High St Methodist Church Wednesday 17 December at 7.30pm FREE ADMISSION Refreshments available For more info tel: 01929 422421

So bring all your family and friends and make the evening part of your Christmas celebrations.

Free entry – no advanced booking or tickets necessary!

For further information telephone 01929 422421

ROTARY YOUNG MUSICIAN COMPETITION To be held at Swanage Methodist Church on Saturday, 7th February 2015 Budding musicians are in for a treat this year, as Swanage and Purbeck Rotary are planning for their Young Musician Competition to be opened up to young people aged between 7 & 18 (KS2 to KS5), allowing a much wider age range a chance to play or sing in front of a judges’ panel and the local community.

This is an opportunity for solo instrumentalists and vocalists to show off their musical talent. The competition will be judged according to age group, with the best musicians from each age group having the opportunity to perform at a concert in the evening.

The overall winner of this competition will be asked to represent Swanage & Purbeck at the Rotary District Competition.

The competition is being held in the Methodist Church on Saturday 7th February 2015. In order to enter the competition you need to complete an application form which is available by contacting swanagerotaryyoungmusician@outlook.com The rules and further details will also be forwarded to you.

We plan to hold the competition over the day with the provisional timings as follows: KS2 (7-11) at 10:00 KS3 (11-14) at 14:00 KS4 (14-16) at 15:00 KS5 (16-18) at 16:00 With the Evening Concert at starting 19:00.

SWANAGE AND PURBECK ROTARY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND THE YOUNG MUSICIAN 2015 COMPETITION AT SWANAGE METHODIST CHURCH Please come and watch the local young musicians play!

Refreshments will be available throughout the day. Admission to all parts of the day is free.

The Purbeck Gazette

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The Purbeck Gazette

Wareham Wednesdays Get Spooky!

A massive well-done to the whole crew of Wareham Wednesdays for an outstanding season of fun in 2014!

We attended the Halloween Bonfire and Fireworks at Bestwall in October, and had a fabulous time, along with hundreds of locals.

Real family fun was on offer, with a selection of rides and entertainments, a show by a local street dance crew (who were fabulous!), fancy dress and a fantastic firedancing display by Simon Chainey (pictured, right).

The enormous bonfire was lit with cannon fire, after the marvellous Muddlecome Men used a HUGE match to light the cannon! (pictured, below left). The fireword display was absolutely amazing - a huge display, and although I’m told the grand finale didn’t go off as planned, no one noticed!

A big well done to all of you who work so hard throughout the year to bring fun and entertainment to the good folk of Wareham you do a grand job! Not only do you keep us all entertained on Wednesday nights, but you raise money for charity too, so hats off to all of you!

Can’t wait until next year - see you all there!

Stoborough’s Amazing Bonfire!

Following on from their success this year, Craig and Alan are intending to make the bonfire an annual event, and will be asking the school pupils for suggestions for the bonfire theme for 2015.

See you all there next year!

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n the 5 th November a spectacular bonfire night event at Stoborough was organised by Craig Smith of CJS Landscapes and Alan Morgan from the Young Farmers Club.

The two men built the bonfire, and persuaded local companies to sponsor the fireworks.

Pupils at the local Stoborough School were involved and had great fun making shields for the Viking ship and guys for the bonfire.

Despite this being a free event, the evening raised an amazing £1500 which is being donated to the Stoborough School.

The Purbeck Gazette

Sport

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Sea Rowing - Not Just About Racing

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ust because the racing season has come to an end, it doesn’t mean that activity stops at Swanage Sea Rowing Club. Casual rowing continues throughout the year, so long as the sea conditions aren’t too rough.

Paul Meacham is the committee member responsible for organising social rowing. He points out that the majority of club members row for fun and fitness, rather than to compete.

“The rowing club is open to anyone in the community,” says Paul. “You needn’t have rowed before, nor be particularly strong. We have rowers of all ages, from 10 year olds to those in their 70s. And you certainly don’t have to do serious training if you don’t want to.”

Regular outings this year have included rows to Studland for breakfast, sunset rows to Old Harry Rocks, and bird-watching trips to Dancing Ledge.

“An unexpected and magical highlight was a close-up encounter with Ron the seal, who seems to have taken residence in the area,” says Paul.

Also popular is rowing along the cliffs to look at the caves and geologic features of the Jurassic Coast. But one of the more challenging social rows was an outing to include all the landmarks that the five Swanage gigs (boats) are named after.

“We headed out past Peveril Point, Tilly Whim Cave, Dancing Ledge and Winspit,” explains Paul.

“Then we turned back and crossed Swanage Bay to Old Harry Rocks. It was quite a hard row, but very satisfying.”

The social trips have proved so popular this year that the club is looking to extend them in 2015 to include longer rows, for example, to Poole and Lulworth Cove.

Non-members can get a taste of rowing at the open sessions which currently run on Saturday mornings from 10.30 to 12.30. Starting at the Stone Quay (opposite Gee Whites), these short rows cost £2. There’s no need to book, but after three such sessions, people need to become members to continue rowing.

Paul points out that no specialist clothing is necessary for social rowing.

“Just turn up in sensible clothes that you might wear for a county walk – lots of loose layers with a light waterproof jacket. Old trainers or wellies are ideal footwear, and it’s a good idea to bring a drink.”

For more details about the rowing club or membership go to www. ssrc.org.uk or phone Gill Jennings on 01929 424144.

The Purbeck Gazette

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Purbeck Marathon Photography Winners

Scenic Marathon, Beautiful Photographs eflecting its status as one of the world’s most scenic Marathons, The Purbeck Marathon introduced a competition for amateur photographers in 2014.

Participants could enter photographs in “Scenic” or “Running” categories according to the content of their photographs.

The categories represented the fact that The Purbeck Marathon is a challenging endurance sporting event that runs through the beautiful natural scenery of the Isle of Purbeck and also passes iconic landmarks such as Corfe Castle.

Photographs were submitted to The Purbeck Marathon committee with a presentation evening for the two winners on 22 October at L’Artishe in Swanage.

Adrian Wright’s winning “Scenic” photograph (above) was taken as the runners crossed Tyneham ranges. This is part of the MOD’s tank training terrain, an area not normally open to the public and a part of the course that helps to make The Purbeck Marathon particularly unique. Be careful not to deviate from the marked path at this point! The photograph also serves to illustrate the remoteness of some parts of the course.

Michael Fry’s winning “Running” photograph (right) shows eventual

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winner, Matthew Bennett, inching ahead of defending champion and this year’s runner-up Steve Way at about 22 miles during the long climb from Corfe Castle. This is one of the toughest climbs on the course but look at the view!

Rose Clarke, Race Director for The Purbeck Marathon, noted the success of the competition: “The Purbeck Marathon is more than a Marathon and we are looking at continual improvement of the event not just from a running perspective but also bringing the race to as many people as possible, allowing greater involvement with the local community.”

The organisers have already started planning the next event which is scheduled for Sunday 20 September 2015.

Entries are coming in fast and are available through www. thepurbeckmarathon.co.uk.

The marathon is a community event, put on by volunteers in order to share our favourite runs with you and to raise much needed funds for local charities and good causes.

Thanks to everyone who entered their photographs - we look forward to a bumper crop of pictures next year!

Jem’s Hat Trick Of Awards!

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orset Under 17 cricketer Jem Warner picked up a hat-trick of awards at the annual county presentation ceremony on Friday 17th October.

Seventeen year-old leg-spinner Warner won the three trophies after being chosen as LV= U17 Player of the Year, DCB (Dorset Cricket Board) Youth Bowler of the Year and DCB Youth Player of the Year.

Warner topped the county bowling tables for the season and in the match against the Isle of Wight returned the stunning figures of seven wickets for just one run, a feat matched only by the West Indian fast bowler Curtly Ambrose.

The Dorset U17 manager Tim Hill said: “Jem had an outstanding season and helped the team to win its group of the Under 17 County Championship”.

Over the winter months Warner, who also plays for Premier League team Swanage, has been selected to train with the Academy at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.

Three hundred players and guests turned out for the awards event, which was held at the Goldsands Stadium in Bournemouth.

The presentations were made by Lewis McManus - a former Dorset youth cricketer - who now plays for Hampshire and England Under 19

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Swanage Bowlers

ith the successful Club tour to Spain becoming a lovely memory now, our Indoor Season is well underway at Swanage Bay View Holiday Park alongside Joe’s Gym - we feel we are also keeping fit in a friendly competitive environment.

Our inter-club fixtures are now happening with clubs from Dorchester, Weymouth, Poole and Bournemouth playing at home and away. The men are so far undefeated in the Over 60s League and the ladies are doing well in their inter-club league, having proudly accepted the Edna Paisley Trophy at the County Annual Presentation Lunch recently.

They will shortly be celebrating their success at their Annual Christmas

Lunch at the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club. Another annual social event for all Club members, where winners are presented with their trophies, takes place soon with lunch at the Pines Hotel.

Our monthly social events are still well supported at the pavilion, Northbrook Road; the next one being a return of the popular Pub Night with pub games and sausage and mash. The Pavilion Players, at great expense, have agreed to return and perform in ‘Dick Whittington-ish’ at our December party.

If you are interested in joining us or simply want to hear more, please telephone Jean Thomas on 426795.

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New Under 8s Team For Swanage

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wanage Football Club is thrilled at the success of the newly-formed Under 8s team, pictured, as part of their ongoing youth programme.

The team is being coached by Lee Turner and his assistant, Mark Woolston. The coaches and team members would like to say a huge thank you to everyone at All Brick & Stone, who have sponsored the kit, enabling the boys to all look the part.

Thanks so much to Brick & Stone for their generous sponsorship.

So far the team have performed brilliantly, having won four out of six matches played.

Well done boys - keep up the good work!

Mike Nash (Press & Media Officer @ Swanage Cricket Club) and proud dad!

Swanage Tennis Club

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ctober brought with it the eagerly contested Swanage Tennis Club singles and doubles championships.

The men’s singles proved to be a popular competition and produced many closely matched games and some very good tennis.

Eventually, club coach Nathan Fowler put his theories into practise and

showed his competitors how it is done, claiming the coveted title.

The ladies singles attracted a little less interest but still had plenty to offer in terms of competitive zeal and expertise. The final was played on an unusually hot Sunday with Jo Kiddell and Deborah Miller battling for the title. After two sets of excellent play, Jo managed to claim the victory.

The doubles competitions were played with a spirit of fun and friendly rivalry. The mixed doubles proved very popular and saw some wonderful extended games and rallies. The final had to be postponed due to rain, which only served to heighten the buzz and tension of the remaining competitors. Eventually, on a clear evening Helen Knight and Nathan Fowler achieved a comfortable victory over Margaret Needs and her partner Mike Angell, winning 6:3.

Hard hitting, top-spinning tennis was the order of the evening for the men’s championships. Every pair fought well but were only rewarded with four games from the very strong pairing and eventual winners, Andy Moore and Jeff Veale.

The ladies doubles attracted a mix of club and country players, making it very difficult to identify the stronger pairings. In the end, the pairs were very closely matched but Helen Knight and Sam Christmas claimed the title by a narrow margin.

Other Results Men – Away to Christchurch: Nathan Fowler/Kieran Straicey and Mike Angell/Jeff Veale, 2:2 in rubbers but Swanage won by sets.

Photo shows Nathan Fowler and Helen Knight, both won two of the championships this year

New Lady Captain - IOP Golf Club Sam Hill and Tracey O’Reilly. The stableford competition played on the Dene course was won by Pam Matthews.

Sue Pride, the out-going Lady Captain, was delighted to announce that she had raised £1,870 during the year for her chosen charity, MOSAIC, which helps bereaved children and young people throughout Dorset.

Well done Wendy - here’s to a great year to come!

W

endy Notley takes over from Sue Pride as the Lady Captain at the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club and her chosen charity for the year is the Teenage Cancer Trust. She will be supported during the year by her Vice Captain, Vix Evans.

Lady members joined in the fun at the “drive in”, played a stableford competition before joining the new Lady Captain back in the clubhouse for tea.

The 4BBB competition on the Purbeck course was won by Alison Rumble and Angela John with 43 points and the runners up with 42 points were

Above left: photographed left to right – Vix Evans, Wendy Notley, Sue Pride.

Above - the ‘Drive-in’ gang with Wendy, centre.

72

Swanage Football Club

The Purbeck Gazette

W

alking football for the over 50s has arrived in Swanage. It started on the 18 November and we are delighted as a Club to bring this to our Town. It takes place every Tuesday between 1O am. and 11 am.in the hall at Day’s Park at a cost of £2.50 per session.

We are hopeful that, with an ageing population as Swanage has, this should be an absolute roaring success. With the backing of Dorset FA, our club committee members Simon Kidby & Eddie Rainford have worked really hard in getting this off the ground.

The benefits to you, if you attend, not only will you improve your fitness you will also have a great chance to meet new people and make new friends.

Though based on association football, the key difference in the rules, from standard football, is that if a player runs then they concede a free kick to the other side.

This restriction, together with a ban on slide tackles, is aimed both at avoiding injuries and facilitating the playing of the sport by those who are physically disadvantaged as well as the more able player. The manner in which the sport is played promotes cardiovascular fitness whilst producing the least stress on the body.

The saying “You never lose it” is a saying quite apt for Walking Football because if you’ve ever played this ‘beautiful game’ here is another chance to get back playing again. You hear this saying time and time again from ex- players, you just can’t beat playing, so here is the chance you’ve been waiting for.

The First Team have been progressing well in the Dorset Senior Cup, being drawn away to local rivals Wareham Rangers. This was always going to be a tricky game and to come out 5:4 winners after trailing 4:2 in the game was a great achievement for Alan Lay’s side. The next round, on paper at least, was an easier match.

It proved to be just that as Swans rolled Poole Borough over quite convincingly 9:2. This has led us to a mouth-watering tie in the Quarter Final of the Dorset Senior Cup. We have been drawn at home against Dorchester Town of the Evo stick Southern Premier league, four leagues above ourselves.

The tie is scheduled for Wednesday 3 December under the lights at Day’s Park - kick off 19:45. It would be great to see a bumper crowd at this game just like we had at the recent FA Vase games.

We have been without a match day programme for most of our games this season, but this is an issue we hope to rectify in the coming weeks and hopefully will have one in place for the Dorchester game.

As regular readers of this article will be aware, we have been running a Mini Kickers session for 5-8 year olds on Saturday mornings between 10 and 11. This has gone from strength to strength. Where we started with 2 or 3 youngsters we now regularly see up to 20 5-8 year olds attending. This is such an important aspect of our club as it is the feeder into our new teams.

Our current U8 side, managed by Lee Turner has been a team our mini kickers have progressed into and it is hoped that once the boys

and girls start playing for a youth team their whole playing career will be within our Club.

The Club can now seriously see the day when a minibus will be back at our Club. We have progressed well in setting money aside to purchase a bus and we are getting close to the stage where we can start looking for one.

If there are any organisations who are looking to sell on their bus we would be more than interested. Please contact me on 07919277568.

Remember to keep an eye on our website www.swanagefc.com and our 2 twitter feeds @swanagefc & @swanagefcyouth for all the latest news.

COME ON YOU SWANS! John Peacock

The Purbeck Gazette - Proudly Supporting The Swans

S

Swanage & Wareham Rugby Football Club

wanage & Wareham started their league programme against local rivals Dorchester. For the first game it was a comfortable victory by 59pts – 9pts, with Swans winger Charlie Rowberry scoring three tries, scrum half Chris Tomes adding two, with five other players also scoring.

Swans next game was away to Frome where they had a great win by 27pts-12pts, with tries from Kiwi full back, Callum Baird, Karl Barton, Robert Elford, and Rowberry.

On 27th September Swans entertained Midsomer Norton, and once again put the visitors to the sword with a 60pts – 5pts score line. Rowberry had three more tries, and Barton had two, with the other scorers being Matt Roberts, Kirk Jones, Mike Cottrell, Charlie Parish and Joe Desmond. On 4th October Swans 1st XV should have played Dorchester in the opening round of the Dorset/Wilts cup, but the visitors had problems with prop forwards, so Swans had a bye into the next round.

The following week they had to travel to Gillingham to play against North Dorset, and in a tough encounter Swans came away with a 25pts – 12pts victory. Rowberry had two more tries with Tomes grabbing one and Swans Fijian recruit Val Valehei landing one.

On 18th October Swans had a visit from Swindon club Supermarine. It

was a field day for the hosts winning by 90pts – 3 pts. Charlie Rowberry landed six tries, with Valehei, and Charlie Parish scoring two. A week later Swans travelled to Sherborne, with the hosts opening a 24pts- 5 pts half time lead. However the visitors came back with tries from John Sheldrake (2), Charlie Rowberry and Daffyd Wright, with a Charlie Parish penalty goal, to run out winners by 24pts – 27pts. The latest league game was on 1st November, when Swans welcomed Salisbury to Bestwall. Before half time Swans had completed their bonus point try as Joe Desmond and Kirk Jones both scored (28pts – 3pts). In the last five minutes of the match Salisbury ran in two late tries to make the final score Swans 28pts Salisbury 15pts. So Swans have started their season with an unbeaten run of seven league victories taking them to the top of Southern Counties (South) league, seven league points clear of their nearest rivals, Sherborne.

MAIN FIXTURES FOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER November 29th Dorset/Wilts Cup Final TBA 6th Dec Swans 1st XV v. Wimborne league SC(S) Home 2.15 p.m.

13 Dec Swans 1st XV v. Bradford on Avon league SC(S) Away 2.15 p.m.

20 Dec Swans 1st XV v. Frome league SC(S) Home 2.15 p.m.

Ron Butler (Publicity Secretary)

The Purbeck Gazette

73

Spotlight Event Diary

Diary Entries are FREE if your event is FREE. If you charge, then it’s £5 plus VAT per entry, per month. DEADLINE for Jan is noon, Mon 8th Dec KEY: * = Start time not known or n/a; Ffi = for further information; Sw = Swanage; Wm = Wareham; VH = Village Hall, Telephone code 01929 unless otherwise stated.

DECEMBER 2014

Mon 1st * Teresa Lawton Exhibition At The Acanthus Gallery, 12a West Street, Wareham. * Phyllis Wolff Exhibition ‘Landscape & Identity’, an exhibition of contemporary paintings. At The Dorset County Museum. * Colonial Christmas at Studland At Knoll Beach Cafe. a menu from India, Austrailia, New Zealand and South Africa. Bookings essential, prices from £10.95. Ffi: 01929 450305 11:00 ‘The Changing Year’ Exhibition At The Gallery at 41, Corfe Castle.

19:30 Wareham-Hemsbach Society Christmas Social. Carey Hall, Mistover Road, Wareham. Contact Robin Brasher. Tel: 427015.

Tue 2nd 19:30 Wareham Camera Club Meets at Parish Hall, Wareham - Penny Piddock “Creative Photography in Practice” Visitors welcome. Ffi: Contact Roger Starling on 01929 553822 Wed 3rd 12:30 Christian Aid Advent lunch At Wareham Parish Hall The Quay.

Minimum donation £3 Traidcraft stall . Bread and soup lunch . Ffi: Email: atsalterandfamily@btinternet.com 17:30 Swanage Coastal Change Forum Meeting Bi-annual meeting, at the Emmanuel Baptist Church & Centre, a guide to who does what in severe weather, Free, 01305 224833 or swanagecoastalchange@dorsetcc.gov.uk 19:30 Wareham & District Archaeology & Local History Soc At Wareham Town Hall. Talk by Rob Curtis - A Glimpse of Stocking. Xmas raffle with mince pies and festive drinks. Visitors welcome, £2.

Fri 5th 18:30 Isle of Purbeck Model Railway Group Meets at Furzebrook Village Hall, Furzebrook Road, Wareham, BH20 5AR. Entrance £2, children 50p. For further information contact Terry Jenkins -07960 691479.

19:30 Swanage Photographic Society Meets in the Rectory Classroom, Church Hill at 7.30pm. For: The Harris Cup (Prints - Open) and The Bichard Trophy (Open) Competitions. Judge: Dave Warhurst. Visitors welcome. ffi Colin Brixton – 423841 19:45 Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting At Wareham Day Centre, Bonnets Lane, Wareham. A meeting on the first Friday of every month to answer any questions about alcohol misuse and alcoholism. Proffessionals and members of the public concerned about family or friends are welcome to attend. Free. Ffi: www. westdorsetaa.org.uk Sat 6th * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800. * Holme Christmas Fayre At Holme Farm Nursary. Local suppliers, Music, Craft Stalls, Taster Tables. Ffi: 01929 554716. * Badminton for £1 At Purbeck Sports Centre, Wareham. Ffi: 01929 500 000. * Chill Live entertainment at The White Horse, Swanage. * Wartime Christmas Festival & Fayre At The Tank Museum, Bovington. Ffi: www.tankmuseum.org or 01929 405096.

09:00 Purbeck Produce Farmers Market At Commercial rd, Swanage. Ffi: purbeckproducts.co.uk 10:00 Art Exhibition At The Little Green Gallery, Swanage. Original artwork by Hamish Murray and new work by Tony Kerrins. Ffi: 01929 421758 www. littlegreengallery.co.uk 10:00 Swanage Rotary Christmas Fair Commercial Rd traders and Swanage Rotary Club together put on one fantastic Christmas fair. Local crafts, wreaths, gifts, jewellery, chocolates, bags, food, soaps, cards, toys, fabrics and more! For more info on selling on the day, call 01929 423199 or email wendyanddoug@ btinternet.com - first come, first served!

11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

11:00 Ranger School of Dance Christmas Bazaar At The Millpond Theatre Studio.

Free admission.

19:30 “An Evening of Christmas Cheer” With Swanage Town Band and Purbeck Arts Choir, at the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Swanage. Ffi: 01929 481419 20:00 Bottled Beer & Beard Fest! With The Mother Uckers. Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 Sun 7th * The Purbeck Mummers Various venues on Poole High Street and Quay at lunchtime.

10:30 Jingle Jog Walk, jog, hop or skip your way around Moors Valley, embracing the festive season. Choose from 10k, 8k and 2.3k routes. Funds raised will

ensure the charity’s vital services continue over the festive season and beyond.

Children 5yrs and under FREE (2.3K route only and must be accompanied by a paid parent/or guardian participant) 6 to 17 years old: £5 Entry Fee (£15 min sponsorship) Adults 18+: £10 Entry Fee (£30 min sponsorship) Ffi: 01202 718266 or at fundraising@diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk. You can also vist our website for more information http://www.diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk/ Email: fundraising@diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk 11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

12:00 Arty Bazaar At The Boilerhouse Gallery, by the railway station at Corfe Castle.

Art, Craft, Food, Vintage.

14:00 Corn Potato String Band Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 15:00 Christmas on the Walls with Canzonetta At St Martin’s on the Walls, Wareham. Relax and enjoy an hour of lovely Christmas music in the cosy setting of this tiny church. Retiring collection for church funds.

Mon 8th 10:00 Wareham Area Senior Forum At Wareham Parish Hall. Christmas Social with nibbles. Followed by the AGM. Ffi or transport to attend: 07825 264353 11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

Tue 9th 11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

14:00 Purbeck Parkinsons At All Saints Church Hall, Ulwell rd, Swanage. Ffi: 01929 425970 19:30 Wareham Camera Club Meets at Parish Hall, Wareham - “Bert’s Bole & Woodhouse Trophy Natural History Competitions” Visitors welcome. Ffi: Contact Roger Starling on 01929 553822 Wed 10th * Arts University Bournemouth Exhibition At Durlston Castle. Includes Photography, textiles, textiles, ceramics and fashion.

11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

14:00 Stoborough WI Christmas Party - lunch 1pm. Marie Lloyd entertains(Rita Barrington) 17:30 ‘Me to You’ Evening At Ever After, 22, Institute rd, Swanage. 10% off all purchases, goodie bags and raffle prizes.

19:30 Swanage Garden Society At Herston Hall, Swanage. Christmas Buffet! (£10).

19:30 Studland WI Meets at Studland Village Hall. Seasonal Social Event. Followed by refreshments. Competition: Christmas napkin.

Thu 11th * Fondue Feast At The Scott Arms, Kingston. Booking essential, £17.50 per head.

11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

14:00 Winfrith’s Crafty Friends Meet in the Village Hall 2.00-5.00pm. We will be decorating glass jars in which small change can be collected in aid of the Village Hall.

Fri 12th 11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

19:00 Swanage Railway Carol Train Catch the nostalgic journey through Purbeckenjoying carols sung at our heritage stations. Mince pie and drink included. Pre booking essential: swanagerailway.co.uk or 01929 425800.

19:30 Langton Village Carols With Swanage Town Band, St. George’s Church, Langton Matravers. Ffi: 01929 481419 Sat 13th * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800. * Stalls in the Hall At Harmans Cross Village Hall. Free Admission.

09:00 Purbeck Produce Farmers Market At Commercial rd, Swanage. Ffi: purbeckproducts.co.uk 09:30 Freebay Tabletop Sale At The URC Church, Swanage. Free table and entry. To book a table, or Ffi: 01929 422406 11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

74 14:00 Putlake Farm Christmas Market Purbeck Producers, local crafts, christmas trees, wreaths, Father Christmas and much more!

19:30 The Kast Off Kinks At Swanage Bay View Holiday Park. Tickets £16, £25 with meal. Online tickets from www.showplug.net 19:30 Bingo At the D’Urberville Hall, Wool.

19:30 Belvedere Singers Silver Jubilee Christmas Concert At St Mary’s Church, Swanage. Tickets £10, free for under 12’s. Concert to benefit Friends of Swanage Hospital.

20:00 Pronghorn Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 Sun 14th * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800. * The Purbeck Mummers: The Quay Wareham, Conservative Club Wareham, Black Bear Wareham, Duke of Wellington Wareham, Kings Arms Wareham at lunchtime.

10:00 Rainbows Coffee Morning & Christmas Bazaar At The Mowlem Community Centre in Swanage. Lots of stalls including beautiful crafts, books, toys, photography, cakes, jewellery, tombola and great coffee! Cakes and biscuits too! Come and join us... bring your friends for a chat and enjoy great sea views, great company and lots more! Tables £5. Call Marjorie on 07717 682323 for more info.

10:00 Purbeck Antiques & Collectors’ Fair At Furzebrook Hall, Furzebrook, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5AR. Delicious homemade lunches and cakes.

Admission £1 Adults including free entry into prize draw to win a £10 voucher.

Free Parking. Disabled Access. Further details:- 01929 761398 11:00 Purbeck Artists & Stallholders Christmas Market at Worth Matravers Village Hall. Crafts, Arts, Jellies, Jams & Chutneys. Unusual gifts. Tea, Coffe & Mince Pies.

14:00 Ranagri Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 15:00 Happy Birthday Concert At All Saints Church, Swanage. Canzonetta are celebrating ten years of making music with a special birthday concert.

Canzonetta ‘old girls’ will be joining the singers to perform some of the choirs favourite Christmas arrangements. Something to please everybody with gorgeous harmonies. A good Christmas blend with the peaceful and moving alongside lively renditions of familiar carols. Followed by tea and birthday cake!

Retiring collection for ‘The Wave Project’.

Mon 15th 00:00 Arts University Bournemouth Exhibition At Durlston Castle. Includes Photography, textiles, textiles, ceramics and fashion.

11:00 ‘The Changing Year’ Exhibition At The Gallery at 41, Corfe Castle.

Tue 16th 14:00 The New Christian Spiritualist Church Queensmead community Hall, Queens Road, Swanage. Guest Medium Angie Page.

19:30 Wareham Camera Club Meets at Parish Hall, Wareham - “Members’ Presentation Evening” Visitors welcome. Ffi: Contact Roger Starling on 01929 553822 20:00 Blue Suede Poetry Club (John Hegley) £7.50 Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 Wed 17th 12:30 Christian Aid Advent Lunch At United Reformed Church Wareham. Ffi: Email: atsalterandfamily@btinternet.com 19:30 Celebrate Christmas With Swanage Town Band, Methodist Church, Swanage.

Ffi: 01929 481419 19:30 Swanage Town Band At Swanage High St Methodist Church. Free Admission, refreshments available. Ffi: 01929 422421.

Thu 18th 19:30 Barns Reading In the Village Hall Langton Matravers. Reg and David Saville will be giving their seasonal festive . All welcome , free admission!

Fri 19th * Soul & Dance Night At The White Swan, Swanage. * The Purbeck Mummers At The British Legion Swanage, Black Swan, The Globe Herston various times in the evening. * Jerkshack Caribbean Feast & Disco At The Scott Arms, Kingston. Three course menu for £25, includes a welcome rum punch.

19:30 Swanage Photographic Society Meets in the Rectory Classroom, Church Hill at 7.30pm. For: Anders Rd 2 ‘Open’ and Browne Rd 2 ‘Cemetery/ ies’ Competitions. Judge: John Tilsley ARPS Visitors welcome. ffi Colin Brixton – 423841 Sat 20th * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800.

09:00 Purbeck Produce Farmers Market At Commercial rd, Swanage. Ffi: purbeckproducts.co.uk 10:00 Books, Coffee and Cake At Moreton Village Hall (DT2 8RF) 10am to 12 noon FREE ENTRY Huge selection of books for just 25p a book. Home made/grown produce and crafts too . Donation of books always welcome. Make a morning of it in Moreton - visit Lawrence of Arabia’s Grave and the beautiful etched glass windows in the Church. For more details contact Maeve 01929 463221 or moretonvillagehall@talktalk.net website: www.moretonvillagehall.btck.co.uk

The Purbeck Gazette 13:00 Children’s Christmas Party At The Legion, Swanage.

15:00 Tea With Santa At Holme Farm Nursary. Drink and cake with Father Christmas, plus the Scary Bones Christmas Story, read by the author. Children’s gift to take home - under 12’s £5. Call 01929 554716 to book.

20:00 Boy Le Monti Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 Sun 21st * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800.

00:00 Grand Xmas Draw At The Conservative Club, Swanage.

15:00 Matt Wallis At The Legion, Swanage.

Mon 22nd * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800.

14:30 Paddington (U) Matinee At The Mowlem Theatre, Swanage. Ffi: www. mowlemtheatre.com - 01929 422239.

19:00 Paddington (U) At The Mowlem Theatre, Swanage. Ffi: www.mowlemtheatre. com - 01929 422239.

Tue 23rd * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800.

Wed 24th * Santa Special At Swanage Railway. Pre booking essential. Book online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or on 01929 425800.

Thurs 25 HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF OUR READERS! Fri 26th * The Purbeck Mummers At Corfe Castle Square, Fox Inn, Castle Inn, Square & Compass at various times at lunchtime.

Sat 27th 20:00 Eva Abraham Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 Sun 28th * Fun Quiz At The Conservative Club, Swanage.

14:00 FB Pocket Orchestra Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers.

Ffi: 01929 439229 Mon 29th 20:00 Arnie Cotrell Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229 Wed 31st * New Years Eve Party with Alexis At The Conservative Club, Swanage. * Top Sounds Disco At The Legion, Swanage.

22:00 Count Bobo & The Bullion Live music at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers. Ffi: 01929 439229

WEEKLY EVENTS

EVERY MONDAY 09.00 U3A Table Tennis Group meet at Harmans Cross VH. 09.30 Under 2.5 years old group. Till 11am. at Parish Hall, Wm. 09.45 Toddler Club URC, Sw. Till 11.15 10.00 Table Tennis Club Sw FC All ages/abilities £2.50 Till noon. 480093 10.30 Extend Exercise Class to improve strength, balance & flexibility. At Furzebrook VH. Donations welcome. Ffi: 471490 13.00 Play and Learn at Wareham’s Children’s Centre, Streche Rd, Wm. Till 2.45pm 13.00 Under 1s and Tums at Chapel Lane, Swanage. Till 3pm 14.00 Pins and Needles at Harmans Cross VH. 14.00 Swanage Disabled Club meet until 4pm. Meeting place alternates between Catholic Hall & Queensmead Hall, Sw. Transport available. Call Mrs Daphne Saville on 01929 425241 ffi.

16.45 Soccer Skills Sw FC First Sch chldn £1 Till 5.45. 425175 18.00 Sw Tennis Club Snr Club Session. 426312 19.00 Wareham Choral Society meet URC Meeting House, Chch St, Wm. Till 9. New singers always welcome. 554229/553460 19.00 Swanage Youth Club. School year 10 and upwards. Till 9.30pm 19.00 Whist. Come & join us at the Reading Room, Church Hill, Swanage. Ffi, call 07984 968733 19.00 Purbeck Chess Club. Mortons House Hotel, Corfe Castle. Ffi, call Brian Beard 425988 19.30 Purbeck Quire rehearse at Wm Methodist Church. New/visiting singers (no audition necessary). String & wind players also welcome. Ffi: 423505 or 480737.

19.30 Wareham Art Club Workshop at Wareham Parish Hall. Ffi: 553718.

19:30 Badminton & Table Tennis Club, Adults, Swanage Methodist Church Hall. Small friendly club. All levels welcome. Til 10pm. 07917 473390 19.30 Wm Folk Dance Club Stoboro’ VH. All welcome. 553519/422730 19.30 Swanage Badminton Club at the Swanage School, till 9.30pm. Ffi: 07986 653219 20.00 DARTS at the RBL Club, Sw. 20.00 Herston Hall Management C’ttee Bingo EVERY TUESDAY 09.00 First Steps Toddler’s Group. Swanage Methodist Church till 10.15am. Ffi: Tom

The Purbeck Gazette

Bullock on 421767, office hours, or tom@swanagemethodist.org.uk 09.30 Well Baby Clinic at Chapel Lane, Swanage. Till 11.30am.

09.30 Kiddies Corner Mother & Toddler Group (term time only) No fee - donations welcome. Purbeck Gateway Church. 551415 09.30 Wareham Art Club Workshop at Wareham Parish Hall. Ffi: 553718.

10.00 Sw Tennis Club Associate Club Session. Till 11. 426312 10.00 Sandford Toddlers at Sandford Community Hall, till 11.30am.

10.00 Short Tennis at Sw FC All ages & abilities £1.50 Till noon. 425175 10.30 Swanage Walking for Health Group starter walks (15-30mins). Start from the Mowlem Shelter on Swanage Seafront. Get back into the swing of things gently!

Ffi: 475692 11.00 Guided Church Tour at Bere Regis Parish Church. Volunteer-lead tour of this wonderful medieval church. No charge, but donations gratefully received.

12.00 Nature Tots (0-4yrs) at Bovington Memorial Hall Garden. Until 2pm 14.00 Swanage Walking for Health Group. Walks of 60-90mins, various locations.

Walks are very social, for a range of abilities. Walks start from car parks at Studland, Corfe, Arne, Durlston, Langton, Acton, Worth and Kingston. Ffi: 475692.

14.00 Harman’s Cross Village Hall Art Group Till 5 14.00 Wareham Short Mat Bowls. Furzebrook VH. Roll-up session, all standards welcome. Ffi 401799 17.00 Sw Tennis Club Junior Session till 6pm. 426312 18.00 Sw Youth Centre Girls’ Night (Yr 8+) Till 10 18.00 Yoga - gentle at Swanage Arts Centre, Commercial Rd, Sw. £6 for 70 mins or £20 per month. Private lessons also available. Ffi call Johanna (certified Yoga teacher): 07892 680360 18.15 Sw Bridge Club Mowlem Comm’ty Room. 423497 18.15 Sw Cricket Club Practice till 8.30pm 18.15 Sw Bridge Club Mowlem Community Room. 423497 19.00 The Mayday Singers rehearse at The Old Malthouse, Langton. New members very welcome, contact Paul Baird 07802431012 19.30 Swanage Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at Swanage Day Centre, High Street, Swanage. If you want help to stop drinking, you are welcome. Or call 01202 296000 for more details.

19.30 Sw & Langton Folk Dance Club Langton VH. Ffi: 421913 19.30 Belvedere Singers rehearsal at All Saints Ch, Ulwell, Sw. All singers welcome!

423350 20.00 Sw Regatta & Carnival Assoc Bingo Herston Leisure, Herston Yards Farm, Sw. 20.00 Carey Hall, Wm Bingo 20.00 LEAGUE POOL at the RBL Club, Sw. EVERY WEDNESDAY 09.00 St Mark’s Toddlers Group, St Mark’s Church, Swanage. Herston, Sw Till 11am 09.45 Corfe Wool Workshop Corfe VH, East St. Members £1.50; non-members £2.50.

Till12.00. 427067 10.00 Short tennis for adults at Swanage Football Club. All welcome. Equipment supplied. Till noon.

10.00 Breast Feeding Group at Wareham’s Children Centre, Streche Rd, Wm. Offering peer support and breastfeeding counsellor advice. Till 12 noon. Ffi: 552864 10.30 Play and Learn at Kids of Wool (BH20 6DY) until 12 noon.

11.00 Volunteer Centre Drop-In at Swanage Library till 1pm. Find our about volunteering to support community groups & charities 13.15 EBC TOTS meet Emmanuel Baptist Ch, Victoria Ave, Sw. Til 2.45. £1 per child.

14.00 Herston Senior Citizens meet Herston Hall, Jubilee Rd, Sw. All welcome 14.00 Health Qigong: Fitness and relaxation. Till 3pm. With Penny at the Mowlem Community Room, Sw. Ffi 07969925502 16.15 Swanage Football Club U-7s Training til 5.15pm. £1. Ffi: 426346 17.15 Swanage Football Club U-9s Training til 6.15pm. £1. Ffi: 426346 18.00 Swanage Youth Club. School years 7&8. Till 8.30pm 18.45 Sw Hockey Club Training Wm Sports Centre. Till 8. 424442 19.00 Wm Bridge Club at the Library, South St. 552257 19.00 Wareham Short Mat Bowls Club Roll-up evening Furzebrook VH. 401799 19.30 Swanage Musical Theatre meet Swanage Bay View Complex Rehearsal Room.

All welcome. Ffi: 426161 19.45 Badminton Group meet at the Purbeck Sports Centre until 9.15pm for games of mixed doubles. Ffi, please call Kate on 01929 421806 or email katespurling@ btinternet.com 20.00 Sw Youth Centre Club Night (Yr 9+) Till 10 20.00 Sw Royal British Legion BINGO. High St, Sw 20.15 Dorset Buttons Morris Practice. URC Hall, Wm. 423234/421130 20.30 Wm Swimming Club Adults. All standards + stroke improvement. Till 10 22.00 Sw Youth Centre Club Night (16+) Till 11.59 EVERY THURSDAY 08.30 Wm Home Producers Veg, cakes, plants, flowers, handicrafts. URC. New producers/helpers welcome. Till 11. 553798 09.00 Swanage Painting Club. Catholic Church Hall, Rempstone Rd, Sw. Friendly group. New members including beginners welcome. Till 1pm. Ffi: Jan on 01929 480471 09.30 Play and Learn at Chapel Lane, Swanage, till 11am.

09.30 Well Baby Clinic at Streche Road, Wareham, until 12 noon.

09.30 Sensory Play for under ones, at Bovington Centre until 10.30am 10.00 Wm Parent & Toddler Group During term Parish Hall, Quay Till 11.45. 556806 10.00 Wool Country Market D’Urbeville Hall. Cakes, preserves, plants, crafts,

75

vegetables. Coffee & biscuits available.

10.00 Sw Tennis Club Associate Club Session. Til 11am. 426312 10.00 Tea, Coffee, Biscuits at Queensmead Hall, Sw. Til 11am. Adm 50p 10.00 Volunteer Centre Drop-In at Wareham Library till 12pm. Find our about volunteering to support community groups & charities.

10.30 Harman’s Cross Village Hall Chinese Art Group 10.30 Mid-Week Market Morning Service URC, Church St, Wm. Prayer requests to Revd. Simon Franklin 556976 11.00 Sensory Play for 1-4yrs old at Bovington Centre, until 12 noon.

13.00 Studland Toddler Group at Studland Village Hall until 2.30pm.

13.30 Under 1 year olds at Wareham’s Children’s Centre, Streche Rd, Wm. Anti-natal mums welcome. Till 3pm. Ffi: 552864.

13.30 Toddler Group. All Saints’ Church, Sw. 423937. Till 3pm (Term times) 14.00 Life drawing classes at Harmans Cross Village Hall from 2pm till 4pm. For further information, ring 427621.

14.15 Sw Over-60s Meet in the Rectory Classroom, Swanage, Sw. All Welcome.

15.00 Guided Church Tour at Bere Regis Parish Church. Volunteer-lead tour of this wonderful medieval church. No charge, but donations gratefully received.

17.45 Swanage Youth Club. Learning Difficulties and disability (age 11-25) night. Till 7.30pm 18.00 Five High Singers, United Reformed Church Hall, Swanage. 11 - 18 years. Till 7pm 18.15 Sw Cricket Club Practice till 9pm 18.30 Swanage Sea Rowing Club Circuit Training at Swanage Middle School. Ffi: 07776 201455 19.00 Health Qigong: Fitness and relaxation. Till 8pm. With Penny at Furzebrook VH, Wm. Ffi 07969925502 19.00 Purbeck Gateway Club meets at Wareham Youth Centre until 9pm. Purbeck Gateway is a club for adults with learning difficulties. We meet during term time and have fun! All welcome. Ffi: Lew on 552173. Email: Lewisbell1@aol.com 19.15 Wm Town Band Brass & Woodwind players welcome. 551478/01202 242147 19.30 Short Mat Bowls in the Durbeville Hall, Wool. All standards welcome, till 9.30pm.

Ffi: 552682 19.30 IoP Arts Club Choir meets till 9.30pm at Swanage First School (NOT Dec 14, 21, 28, Jan 4, Feb 22, Apr 5,12) till May 10 19.30 Swanage Youth Club Youth Action (year 7 - sixth form). Till 9.30pm 20.00 Herston Hall OAP Committee Bingo Sw EVERY FRIDAY 09.30 Health Qigong: Fitness and relaxation. Till 10.30pm. With Penny at Furzebrook VH, Wm. Ffi 07969925502 09.30 Little Fishes Baby and Toddler Group. Catholic Church Hall, Rempstone Road, Swanage. Term time only. Until 11.30am. Ffi: Alex on 07904 412067.

10.00 Swanage Library Rhyme Time, until 11.30am.

10.00 Table Tennis Club Sw FC All ages/abilities £2.50 Till noon. 480093 11.00 Toddler Time For Under 5s And Carers. Wareham Library. Stories, songs and crafts. Every Friday, including school holidays. Ffi: 01929 556146 14.00 Pottery Classes held in Corfe Castle. 2 - 5pm. Call Rachel 01929 480455 to book. £10pw 14.30 Short Mat Bowls at Durbeville Hall, Wool. Till 4.30pm. All standards welcome. Ffi: 552682.

18.00 Purbeck War-Game & Model Club. Royal British Legion, Sw. 426096.

18.00 Sw Youth Centre Club 12-13 (Yr 7-9) Till 8 18.00 Sw Tennis Club Senior Club Session. 426312 18.15 Sw Bridge Club Mowlem Community Room. 423497 19.00 Sw Youth Centre Seniors Club Night (Yr 9+) Till 9.30pm.

19.00 Swanage Scouts meet during term time at the URC Church Hall, Sw. Open to boys & girls aged 10-14 years. Ffi: swanagescouts4th@hotmal.co.uk 19.30 Short tennis for adults at Swanage Football Club. All welcome. Equipment supplied. Till 9.30pm. £3.

20.00 BINGO & TEXAS Hold’em Poker at R.B.L. Club, Swanage.

20.00 Sw Youth Centre Live Bands (as advertised) Till 10pm.

22.00 Sw Youth Centre Late Session (Yr 9+) till 11.59pm (members free) EVERY SATURDAY 09.00 Sw CC U11 - U15 Practice till 10.30 09.30 Sw CC U9 & U10 Practice & Kwik Cricket till 10.30 10.00 Tea, coffee and home-made cakes in the Parish Hall on Wareham Quay during the Community Market. Til 2pm. Bric-a-Brac stall weekly. Christian bookstall .most weeks. All welcome for a warm-up and a friendly chat.

20.00 Herston OAP Committee Bingo at Herston Hall, Sw EVERY SUNDAY 09.45 Skyscrapers Children’s Group at Swanage Methodist Church Hall. Including a cooked breakfast, games and fun bible stories, ages 0-11. Ffi: Tom Bullock on 421767, office hours, or tom@swanagemethodist.org.uk 10.00 Arts and Crafts Market at the Mowlem in Swanage. A wide range of local art for sale, including pottery, glass, cards, fabric and much more! To book your table, or for more information, call Tony on 01929 421321.

10.30 Stoborough Emmanuel Baptist Church meet at Stoborough First School, Stoborough. All very welcome.

13.00 Sw Royal British Legion BINGO. High St, Sw.

The Purbeck Gazette

76

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The Purbeck Gazette

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The Purbeck Gazette

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