The New Blackmore Vale Magazine

Edition 15

Friday, April 16, 2021

w e n he

T

Blackmore Vale

Fortnightly

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Your chance to be a STAR jumper!

Dorset charity Sexual Trauma and Recovery Services (STARS Dorset) is asking everyone to star jump for one minute or indeed five on May 28.

STARS Dorset, which offers

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n Anyone affected by sexual violence who would like confidential support and advice can call the STARS Support line on 01202 308855 or visit starsdorset.org.

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What’s inside this week Announcements Arts & Entertainments Antiques & Collectibles Business Church Education Equestrian Farming Field And Stream Food & Drink Health & Wellbeing Home & Gardens Items For Sale Letters Local Services Motoring MPs’ Round-Up Pets

29-31 54-55 37-39 66-69 62 79 80 82-89 81 34-36 50-53 40-43 26 32-33 44-49 n Firefighter retires after 37 years’ service: P7 n Iconic Gold Hill set for extensive weeding 63-65 and tidy-up: P14-15 n The Dorset farmer who was a pioneer in the field of vaccination: P20-21 58-59 Property 90-95 Recruitment 70-73 56-57, 82-83 Sport 74-78 80-81 Puzzles

Meet the Team Miranda Robertson

Lloyd Armishaw

Lorraine Drake

Editor

Publisher

Distributor

newsdesk@ blackmorevale.net Tel: 01963 400186

newsdesk@ blackmorevale.net Tel: 01963 400186

lorraine_drake @icloud.com Tel: 07850 529937

Debi Thorne

Ad sales manager debi.thorne@ icloud.com Tel: 07876 563683

Contact Us Advertising: adverts@blackmorevale.net Editorial: newsdesk@blackmorevale.net Postal enquiries to: The New Blackmore Vale, 3 Alfred’s Way, Wincanton, BA9 9RU

Karen Bate

David Armishaw

News editor

Classified adverts

karen.bate@ blackmorevale.net

classified@ blackmorevale.net Tel: 01963 400186

Classified and private ads: classified@blackmorevale.net, 01963 400186 or online at blackmorevale.net Letters: newsdesk@blackmorevale.net News stories: newsdesk@blackmorevale.net Sport stories: sport@blackmorevale.net

DEADLINES The deadlines for advertising and editorial is the Friday before publication.However every effort will be made to include death announcements until the Tuesday.

Steve Keenan

Reporter sport@blackmorevale.net Tel: 07940 143223 Ruth Armishaw

Commercial manager newsdesk@ blackmorevale.net

Bridget would never have wanted this

By Miranda Robertson newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

A Blandford family have been left angry and upset after they say they were not told about rules at the cemetery’s new burial area which prevent them installing the grave their loved one had set her heart on.

Bridget Weston, 56, died on December 12 after a twoyear battle with cancer.

Both her parents – Tully Coll, who died in his 50s and was well known as a trainer at Blandford Football Club and Pat – who died two years ago – are buried in the older part of the cemetery. Their grave is bordered by kerbstones.

A short distance away Bridget had buried her son JJ, who died aged just 23. He also has a grave bordered by kerbstones. Bridget, who was

DISTRAUGHT: Chris Coll with his children Shyla and Kaizer, Jack O'Donoghue and Kelly-ann Simonsohn at the grave

mum to four, had planned her resting place to be just the same and her distraught family ordered the headstone and kerbstones in January.

However in March they say they were told no graves in

the new area were allowed kerbstones. Nor are they allowed other decoration that could get in the way of mowers.

Bridget’s cousin Paula Jenner spent much of the

lockdown year with her and describes Bridget as ‘my best friend’.

She said: “If we had been told about these rules we would never have buried her there. We would have had her cremated and put with her mum and dad, or her son.

“This is so traumatic for her kids.

“A friend of mine whose mum is buried there says she wasn’t told about these rules either. It’s easier for maintenance apparently.

They find it hard to mow around kerbstones. But Bridget was very particular that she didn’t want anyone walking over her. She would be devastated.

“This is all wrong – we paid thousands for her funeral, so why couldn’t they tell us then?”

Blandford Town Council were approached for comment.

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Poppy raises £2,715 Little Poppy Bond from Henstridge raised an astonishing £2,715 for the National Autistic Society after walking 1km per day for seven days.

The happy four-year-old is an intermittent toe walker and has nonverbal autism, so each day is a challenge in itself. But that did not stop her from embracing the walks and raising the funds during Autism Awareness Week.

Poppy’s mum Amber said: “We managed to raise an amazing £2,715, which is incredible.

“I am so proud of Poppy she smashed her walk.”

If anyone would like to sponsor Poppy, please go to her Just Giving page at justgiving.com/ fundraising/amberbond1

Blaze alert at printers of your NBV

By Steve Keenan newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

It’s just as well that The New Blackmore Vale is only published every fortnight as it would have been a little late last week. And a bit smoky.

Blackmore, the company that prints the NBV, had a fire which broke out early on

Wednesday morning – the day the magazine goes to press.

The fire service was alerted and engines drove around the corner from their Shaftesbury base to Longmead Industrial Estate.

The fire was quickly extinguished but with staff having evacuated the building with the windows

closed, smoke damage was extensive near to the affected press.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

The printworks was out of action on April 7-8 but printing resumed last Friday.

“Just 48 hours after the fire, we were able to get back into production in a limited form,” said commercial

director Simon West.

And the company was comfortably able this week to print 40,000 copies of the edition you are reading.

“We would like to extend our huge thanks to the fire service and our staff,” said Simon. And we’d like to thank Blackmore – and our luck in last Wednesday not being press day.

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4

Easter in Mere had a sombre start as a cross of sorrow was carried and placed on Castle Hill.

The Reverend Carol Green and her family led the Walk of Witness

on Thursday April 1, from the Vicarage and around Mere at 6pm before carrying and placing the cross of sorrow on Castle Hill at 11am on Good Friday.

Police keep a vigil at home of millionaire

By Steve Keenan newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

A police presence remained this week outside the home of Sir Richard Sutton, 83, found dead at his North Dorset mansion nine days ago.

Crime scene and forensic officers were still inside Moorhill on Tuesday, the day after Sir Richard’s stepson appeared in court charged with his murder.

Thomas Schreiber, 34, was arrested in London hours after Sir Richard was stabbed repeatedly in the chest. His partner Ann Schreiber was also attacked and airlifted to hospital in Bristol, where she remains.

Her son has also been charged with attempted murder and dangerous driving.

More flowers were laid outside the family home in Higher Langham over the weekend, including a bowl of mixed bulbs.

A card read: ‘From Ann at Waitrose. A lovely man. Our

thoughts are with you.’

Four other bouquets were also laid at the end of the drive to the house, which Sir Richard moved into in 2014.

Moorhill is typical of the tiny, scattered hamlet of Higher Langham, an isolated, extended property behind closed gates worth £1m or more.

One resident, John Murray, who is aged in his 70s, said: “We don’t even register as being big enough to be a village.”

The home is right on the border of Buckhorn Weston and Gillingham parishes.

Barry von Clemens, Mayor of

Gillingham said that the only time that Sir Richard had any involvement with the town was in putting a planning application for gates at his house.

“It’s very sad news. Our thoughts are with the family at their sad loss,” he said.

While his partner Ann owned and ran The London Clinic in Sherborne, an osteo and physiotherapy practise, Sir Richard was rarely seen.

But when the couple were driving through the narrow lanes, they would stop and say hello, say neighbours. Said Sandra White: “They were

friendly if you saw them out and about but they didn’t mingle a huge amount, which is fine.’

North Dorset MP Simon Hoare knew Sir Richard from business dealings long before the two of them moved to North Dorset.

Said Mr Hoare: “He was a charming man. He had a very good sense of humour, he was politically astute and genial. If you wanted to conjure up a picture of a country gentleman then that was him.”

Sir Richard ranked 435 on the Sunday Times Rich List, with a fortune of £301m. He owned several hotels and 7,000 acres of land in Dorset, Berkshire, London, Lincolnshire and Aberdeenshire. He had farming and property businesses.

He is divorced from his first wife, Fiamma Sutton, and has two children, son, David, 61, and daughter, Caroline, 55. Ms Schreiber has three children from a previous marriage, two daughters, Louisa, 39, Rose, 35 and her son Thomas.

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By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

A club for farming folk and outdoorsy types is gearing up for a welcome return to supportive fun as lockdown eases.

The Countrymen’s Club at Rylands Farm in Boyshill near Sherborne offers a vital lifeline for retired farmers and outdoor loving men to meet and support each other as they face life’s challenges.

For men who find themselves isolated, perhaps from deteriorating mental or physical health or changing social circumstances, the club offers a healing environment in idyllic countryside and a platform for fun.

So when the coronavirus pandemic struck in March 2020, and the club was forced to cease its meetings, many of the club’s members were upset and anxious.

Jan Millward said: “What were we going to do? The farm had become a lifeline to so many and as well as providing a safe space for the men, it offered a precious

Club tackling men’s isolation set to welcome members again few hours of respite for their wives and carers, many of whom had also forged friendships through links with the club. We had several frantic phone calls, many of whom were desperately upset and anxious. We responded by making weekly phone calls, writing newsletters, and sending out quizzes, activity sheets and links back to the farm. Nothing was going to replace welly boots on the ground, but we had to try.”

Even though most staff were on furlough, contact with members was maintained. On VE Day, two volunteers drove their vintage tractors and visited local countrymen with bags of Waitrose goodies.

Bird houses and planters were given to members to make up at home and most importantly, the volunteers listened.

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BONDING: Members are looking forward to better times

Jan said: “By the summer, as a support group we welcomed back our first countrymen, with strict covid policies in place. The relief on their faces was palpable. The worst part?

Stopping them from hugging us!

“At the weekends, we arranged for two couples at a time to come for a cream tea and enjoy a farm walk. This involved a huge amount of preparation and disinfectant. Paper cups and plates were the order of the day.

Our chair of the board, Liz Rose, was there to offer support and signposting for the carers.

“We continued to support the whole group and as the second national lockdown loomed in November, we were able to tick over with just a couple of countrymen attending sessions at a time.

In early January, Something Else fishy in Milborne Port brought out freshly cooked sausage and chips for everyone on site. A real treat and a great morale boost for the whole team as well as the countrymen who were there at the time. Many of the club members however had to shield, and those in care settings were still not allowed out.

“Then that chink of light – vaccinations! One by one the countrymen got vaccinated. The complete despair was replaced with hope. We introduced zoom singalongs and drew up rotas so

that we could get the men back when they could in small groups. Just by having a date on the calendar, however far away, gave them something to aim for.”

The Countrymen Club is now welcoming new members.

Jan added: “The need for clubs like ours is vital now more than ever and we are here and we can help. The countrymen are a resilient lot. Many of the group are retired farmers, others just have a love of the countryside.

Most are also facing personal health battles including dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke. Some are socially isolated, others lonely with little or no company at home. The farm has a way of bringing them back.

“Feeding and checking the animals, driving buggies across fields, and putting the world to right in the barn over a cup of tea is incredibly healing as well as a fun way to spend an afternoon.”

The club started in 2012 by Julie Plumley at Ryland’s farm. Her own father had Parkinson’s and he was missing the farm environment. At the start of 2020, 12 farms nationwide joined Countrymen UK. For information about the Countrymen’s Club ring 01963 210789 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) or email admin@countrymenUK.org

Hero firefighter retires after 37 years

By Karen Bate Firefighter Mike Tealey has hung up his helmet as he retires after 37 years with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service.

Mike joined Mere Fire Brigade in 1984, aged just 19 and since that day, Mere Fire Station has always been his ‘first home’.

Group manager Wayne Presley, who manages the fire stations in Wiltshire, said: “I want to say thank you to Mike and his family, on behalf of the residents of Mere, and across our wider service area, for his dedication to keeping them safe. Remaining in any role for 37 years is impressive, but on-call firefighters and their families make a huge commitment to their communities, as call outs can mean missing meals, family occasions and other events. On behalf of the service, I send Mike good wishes for a long and happy retirement – without the sound of a pager!”

Mike has not only been a hero in the community but an inspirational ‘hero’ to his wife Sandy and four children.

Despite the pager playing a significant role in the lives of his family, interrupting birthdays, Christmas lunches and holidays, they could not be prouder.

Sandy said: “Mere Fire Station was always Mike’s first home from the get go as he was so dedicated to the job and I soon got used to this fact. Quite often there were days when Mike and I and all the kids would be packed and ready for a day out, when his bleeper would go off.

He would just look at me and I would just respond with a ‘yes, go’ and we would have to bundle out of the car.

“One of the funniest memories

was many years ago when we were at my mum’s house in Templecombe. Back in those days the fire service had the old alerters. Mike fell asleep, as he quite often does. We believe Wincanton’s signal must have set off Mike’s alerter and he woke up, ran out of the house and up the street, until he realised where we were.”

Mike’s son Kevin, who lives in Perth, Australia, said: “Dad loved being a firemen as he loved helping people and animals. There were many times we would be about to go on holiday and he would hear his bleeper go off and run out the

door shouting ‘I won’t be long’ but we understood as dad and the crew do an amazing job.

He’s a true hero. I’m so proud of this man.”

His daughter Leah said: “I remember when I was little, dad would quite often go out on-call at night. His alert would wake me up and I would go into to my parents room as I hated dad going out at night times. So mum used to set up the old radio with the long pull out metal aerial so we could listen to dad and his crew out on the fire call.

So that way I knew he was safe.

“There were times if we were out and we came across a car accident or if anyone needed help he’d park the car safely, and also where we couldn’t see anything. He’d jump straight out without any hesitation to help until the services were there.

“We’ve all had our birthdays missed and Christmases’ - but we wouldn’t have had it any other way. He always will be a true inspiration to us all. We are so proud to have Mike as our dad.”

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Green team celebrating great first year An environmental group is celebrating a great first year after planting 250 trees and making 200 bottles of apple juice.

Marnhull Green TEAMS – (Taking the Environment Around Marnhull Seriously) has been moving mountains, despite much of their first year being spent in lockdown.

They have published a recycling booklet launched a community allotment and planted

community fruit trees. An organic gardening group has also been established.

Marnhull Green TEAMS members have been meeting monthly – mostly

by Zoom – and have heard some very interesting talks by invited speakers.

The fundraising was successful during the year too, and the group ended the year with more than £600 in the bank. The funds will allow the group to initiate more projects during 2021/22.

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They plan to promote more apple pressing, tree planting and are organising an Eco Trail for Marnhull where villagers can showcase their own green projects from PV panels and batteries to electric cars and wildlife meadows – at their homes.

Like and follow Marnhull Green TEAMS on Facebook, or contact them at marnhullgreen@ outlook.com or 01258 268714.

Picture by Archie and Kathleen, from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Marnhull

Shop back with a bang

By Miranda Robertson newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

An award-winning bridal shop in Blandford has reopened after the long lockdown and covid uncertainty.

Exclusively Yours featured on the front of one of our earliest NBVs, with an eye-poppingly gorgeous dress of poppies to mark Remembrance Day. It’s been a hard, long winter since, with ‘nonessential’ shops forced As our client you are important to us. You can expect your dedicated account handler to close and couples to give you the best advice when setting up your policy and continued support when you STUNNING: The gorgeous poppy having to radically need it. dress featured on our front page change their wedding BUY TO LET At David Upshall Insurance plans due to the virus. ex sample dresses at hugely H O L I D AY H O M E S Services we pride ourselves But now Kayleigh knocked down prices. Kayleigh COMMERCIAL UNITS on our old fashioned service, Hartey is feeling the old, sources these all over the country, to whilst embracing the latest familiar buzz of helping ensure her brides have the best technology. brides and their mums We’re here to help... quality and the best price. Top find the perfect outfits designers include Enzoani, Maggie for their big days.

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9

£20k target for Rotary Club’s cycle ride Shaftesbury Rotary Club’s North Dorset Cycle Ride is gearing up for May 16.

This popular ride, which takes in the amazing natural beauty of towns and villages in the Blackmore Vale, is the club’s biggest fundraising event of the year and with many charities suffering financial hardship because of covid-19, this year’s event will more important than ever.

Shaftesbury Rotary Club are aiming to raise an ambitious £20,000 for Prostate Cancer UK and other local charities.

The main sponsor of the event is BV Dairy and managing director Jim Highnam said: “We are proud that our local family business is supporting the North Dorset Cycle Ride. We have some keen cyclists at BV Dairy, including myself,

ON YOUR BIKES: There’s still time to register for the North Dorset Cycle Ride

that will be taking part and many employees will be volunteering as marshals too.

The stunning route, that takes riders to the South and West of Shaftesbury, will actually pass many of the

local dairies that we buy milk from, so it’s a perfect fit for us.”

While entry numbers will be capped to allow for staggered start times and social distancing, the usual ‘charm’ of the event will be very much present, including the iconic Gold Hill ‘finish’ line that will involve cycling, or at least attempting to, up the famous Hovis hill.

Cyclists can choose from three routes – a familyfriendly 12-mile route, a

tougher 25-mile route and a serious 50-mile ride.

Registration will be online and will cost £25 for the 25mile and 50-mile rides and £2o for the 12-mile route.

Young people aged between 10 and 16 are half-price and children under 10 are free.

Covid-19 restrictions mean entries will not be accepted on the day.

Riders can sign-up by going to cycleride.shaftesbury rotaryclub.org or ring Martin on 07341 866941.

Support to help ease stress April is Stress Awareness Month, and Dorset HealthCare is reminding people that support is available to help alleviate stress before it spirals out of control.

The trust has put together a new webpage signposting a wide range of support services available for people who are struggling to cope or feel they are in crisis.

It features a host of useful contact information, including where to access 24-hour telephone help and the chance to talk to someone online, as well as self-help resources and tailored support for children and young people.

10

Clare Hurley, head of Dorset HealthCare’s adult psychological services, said: “Many of us around the UK are experiencing high levels of stress.

“Not only does it have an effect mentally, but stress is also linked to physical health problems, such as heart disease, our immune system, insomnia and digestive problems.

“If you are feeling stressed and need support, we provide a range of services that are here to help you take the right step to guide your through.”

To take that first step, just visit dorsethealthcare. nhs.uk/takeastep.

By Miranda Robertson newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

Youngsters of any age are being invited to apply for up to £1,500 to help them in land-based studies.

Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show has set aside funds to encourage ‘countryside professionals of tomorrow’. Students looking to pursue a career in agriculture, horticulture and other countryside or land-based studies at college or university can now apply to the show’s new student support fund.

The aim of the fund is to support young people aiming to make their living from the land.

Grants can be awarded for course fees, books, equipment or transportation costs. With the show being on the border of three counties, the scheme is open to all students who are residents in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Matthew Price, President of the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Agricultural Society, said: “The past year has been a very strange year and in such difficult times

Grants of up to £1,500 up for grabs for land-based studies DEERE JOHN: Agricultural machinery in the main ring at the 2019 show

for our students, we feel strongly that it is more important than ever to help the very best in the field enter into key industries that not only feed the country, but also make up a huge part of the countryside economy.”

An appeal for donations in the autumn proved successful with the appropriate funds raised to confidently support the first students of the fund. During this

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appeal for donations, Immediate Past Society President Anthony Wilkinson, Julie Hillier and Robe Gale completed a 900mile bike ride from Lands’ End to John O Groats that raised a great sum of money for the fund.

The fund aims to encourage more people into the diverse range of countryside roles and facilitate young talent entering the agriculture sector and other

countryside related industries.

Mr Price added: “We are delighted to be able to support the next up and coming talent within the agriculture or countryside industries. The show’s background makes it fitting to give back into an industry that is so important by assisting a young person in training to enter into their desired field within the agriculture or land-based sector.”

The Student Support Fund Applications are now open for anyone entering into college, university or apprenticeship course of any age. Visit the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show website to apply for up to £1,500 per year.

The Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show returns this summeron Wednesday and Thursday, August 18 and 19, over two days to ensure its safe return.

“The staff here are quite simply wonderful, they can’t do enough for you. The food is excellent with plenty of variety and my quality of life has improved since moving here.

I only wish I made the decision sooner.” Current resident

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Concerns at GPs’ appointment system

By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

‘Making an appointment for my dog to see the vet is easier than it is to see a doctor.’

A Gillingham resident is worried face-to-face appointments with GP’s are being ‘fizzled out’ after The Barn Surgery in Gillingham announced it is using the Total Triage system for ‘at least six months’ while it undergoes refurbishment.

An announcement from practice manager Katie Pearce, Dr Lewis and Partners said: “From April 14, we are bringing in a better system of allocating appointments, with the clinical team assigning the right type of appointment at the right time, based on information from our patients.”

Patients must fill out an eConsult form online. If this is not possible, they must answer triage questions on the phone.

And Gillingham Surgery Partner Dr Chris Pearce said he anticipated ‘slightly more face to face consultations’ under the new Total Triage system.

“Whilst it is correct that one of our two sites is currently undergoing refurbishment, it is not the case that face to face consultations will be any less available under our new Total Triage system, or during the period of refurbishment. We would probably anticipate conducting slightly more face to face consultations than we do at the moment,” he said.

“We have invested in an informative digital telephone system which shows us that unfortunately we are unlikely to ever be able to answer enough phone calls to meet the current level of demand for appointments and advice.

“The very necessary response to the covid pandemic has reduced the degree of

COUNTRY

WIDE WALL LOFT SURVEYS

continuity of care we can offer our patients. We believe that continuity of care makes General Practice safer, more effective and more personal.

So we have decided to triage all requests for appointments and advice, twice a day, using our clinicians.

“They will allocate face to face appointments, home visits, phone calls and time for remote responses to the GP who knows the patient best, taking into account the relative urgency of the query.”

Dr Pearce added: “We have been using eConsult for over a year, so it is isn’t that this is a new development.

“The hope is that rather than reverting in six months, our patients will find that they get to interact with their own GP more of the time, we don’t ever “run out” of appointments, and their queries and problems are dealt with much more quickly.

“So ideally our patients will want us to keep working like this once our second site is back in action.”

The resident, who wants to keep her identity private, says she has lived in Gillingham her entire life and is upset it is getting harder to see a doctor.

She said: “I really hope the new system works. It has been easier for my dog to have a face-to-face consultation with the vet.”

Total triage was established during lockdown to minimise the spread of coronavirus. It was never meant to be a permanent change to the way GPs work. Nor was it ever claimed to be a satisfactory replacement for face-to-face consultations.

For an appointment go to gillinghamsurgery.co.uk and click on Consult your GP online. For details about eConsult go to econsult.net/nhs-patients

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Iconic landmark

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Elizabeth, 14, lost her nana Jackie Healy following a stroke in January and Elizabeth decided she needed to raise awareness.

Elizabeth incorporated her DofE and started making jewellery and pots and on Good Friday she held a sale, making the fantastic sum in her nana’s memory.

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EVERY LITTLE HELPS: In 2018, Shaftesbury Tourism secured £10k from Tesco which paid for a deep clean of the hill. A cherry picker was hired by Dorset Council to clear the buttressed wall of invasive vegetation, the gutters cleared, all loose tiles lifted by specialists and re-secured, and the railings painted by volunteers

By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

One of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks, the 180 metre-long wall along Gold Hill, the steep, ancient cobbled Shaftesbury street, will be weeded in May by a team of specialist contractors.

Known internationally for its setting for the ‘boy on bike’ in the Hovis Bread advert made in 1973, Gold Hill has appeared in many films including John Schlesinger’s adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd in 1967 and is considered as ‘one of the most romantic sights in England’.

However, the former Mayor of Shaftesbury Roger Booth who served the town between 1980 and 1981, says through the ‘neglect and inertia’ of Shaftesbury Town Council and Dorset Council, the Grade 1 Listed hill and wall are in a poor state.

In a letter to both councils, Roger said: “Sadly, through neglect and inertia by both the Shaftesbury Town Council and the Dorset Council, the authority who has responsibility for the road, the listed hill and wall are in a poor state – both suffering

from overgrown vegetation on both the wall and the highway curtilage. This overgrown state fronting the cottages is contrary to listed building planning laws and should not have been allowed to flourish.

“It gives a disreputable impression to both locals and visitors alike and must not be permitted to continue.

“Indeed, if left unchecked, damage will occur to the cobbles by tree/shrub rootage.”

In 1982, a Gold Hill Preservation Committee was set up by Shastonians Leo Williams and Brian Harding, supported by Roger and the following Mayor of Shaftesbury, Colin Howes, along with town and district councillors, in light of the concerns of locals that the cobbled street and wall needed vital repairs.

The Preservation Committee worked long and hard and more than £40,000 including the generous donation of £10,000 from Hovis. Remedial works were finally carried out and completed in 1984.

Roger said: “Myself, and all who care about Shaftesbury owe it to them to not let this shameful neglect go on a moment longer

set to benefit from extensive weeding

GOLDEN WEEDING: Gold Hill in all its glory and, right, how it is today with some parts overgrown with weeds

than necessary and demand that that both the town council and Dorset Council take immediate action to rectify this and come up with a plan of action to restore our national treasure.”

The Mayor of Shaftesbury, Andy Hollingshead, said: “Gold Hill is of huge importance not just to Dorset but nationally and it is imperative that it is looked after to the highest standards. I can confirm specialist contractors will be attending to the weeding of the wall this May. We need to employ specialists due to the height of the wall, as well as the sensitivity of the stonework.

“Dorset Council Highways Department treat the cobbles twice yearly and that is in their scheduled works programme.

ONGOING JOB: The weeds are taking over

“While I note Mr Booth’s concerns about the frontage of the houses on Gold Hill it is not something I am able to comment as these are privately owned.

“I do like his idea of a body to ‘look after’ the interests of Gold Hill and will be looking into that further.”

The ancient cobbled street runs beside buttressed walls which are the grounds surrounding ancient Shaftesbury Abbey, built

by King Alfred the Great.

The walls are believed to have been built in the 1360s, when royal permission was given to build town defences.

The east side of the highway is lined with cottages many dating from the 17th century.

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Leisure centres under new management Freedom Leisure has taken over the

management of Goldenstones Leisure Centre, Westlands Sports and Fitness Centre in Yeovil and Wincanton Sports Centre.

In partnership with South Somerset District Council, not-for-profit Freedom Leisure has £3.5m to invest, to make changes and improve services and facilities at the centres which were set to open on April 12.

Lynda Pincombe, Specialist in Strategic Planning at South Somerset District Council, said: “We are excited to be working with Freedom Leisure over the length of the contract and look forward to seeing investment in the facilities across South Somerset that will benefit our communities and enable them to be healthy and have access to exceptional cultural and leisure activities.”

Ivan Horsfall Turner, managing director at Freedom Leisure, said: “We are pleased to start in Yeovil and Wincanton and together with South Somerset District Council we aim to continue to encourage a happy, healthy community – enabling more people to be more active more often.”

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OFSTED INSPECTION: St Gregory’s in Marnhull

School’s improvement impressing inspectors

By Miranda Robertson A village primary school has impressed Ofsted inspectors with its improvements after a couple of less than sparkling reports.

St Gregory’s in Marnhull, known as St Greg’s, had been given a ‘requires improvement’ grade twice in succession, with the latest issued in February 2019.

But on a third inspection – carried out virtually during lockdown – Ofsted acknowledged much is being done to improve standards, with praise for the ‘effective action’ being taken by the leadership team.

The school has 103 pupils on roll and capacity for 168.

Its previous report marked overall effectiveness, effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for pupils as ‘requires improvement’.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare and early years provision were deemed ‘good’.

Now leaders and governors are being urged to ‘take further action to ensure that curriculum plans for the foundation subjects are adapted to ensure pupils’ progress across the school’s mixed-aged classes’.

Since the last inspection, three governors have joined the school, including a new safeguarding governor, says Ofsted.

At the time of the virtual inspection, about 65% of pupils

were being educated at home.

Around 80% of all vulnerable pupils and those with special educational and/or disabilities (SEND) were on site.

Inspector Dale Burr told headteacher Debbie Field his team had looked at feedback from parents, spoken to teachers and governors and viewed pupils’ work and felt staff were now empowered to make the changes necessary.

He said: “Since the last inspection, you have rightly focused on empowering staff to become effective subject leaders. They have taken part in high-quality training.

Staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to lead their subjects well. This is particularly the case in English and mathematics.

He added: “In January 2021, you acted quickly to revamp your remote education offer following feedback from parents.”

He added: “The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides effective support for pupils with SEND. This has improved since the last inspection.

Well-trained staff support pupils pastorally and academically. The SENCo has detailed and precise plans. Her work with teachers is ensuring there is effective provision for pupils with additional needs.”

You can read the full letter on Ofsted’s website.

School’s delight at Turing £50 tribute

By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

The headmaster and CEO of Sherborne School Dr Dominic Luckett says he is ‘delighted’ one of the school’s most eminent alumni Alan Mathison Turing OBE is featured on the new £50 note in celebration of his pioneering work.

Turing, the codebreaker and computer pioneer, was educated at Sherborne School and is best known for helping accelerate efforts to read German Nazi messages with the Enigma machine.

His groundbreaking work is believed to have been pivotal in shortening the Second World War. The banknote will be the last to change from paper to polymer and will enter circulation on June 23 in honour of Turing, who was born on that day in 1912.

Dr Dominic Luckett said: “We are delighted that Alan Turing, one of our most eminent alumni, is featured on the new £50 note in celebration of his pioneering work and his extraordinary impact upon science, technology and society.

“His crucial work as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park and his enormous contribution to the subsequent development of computing have become more widely recognised in recent years and we as a school are keen to do all we

can to preserve and promote his legacy.

“Many of our boys draw inspiration from his genius and, as one example of that, a team of computer science enthusiasts are spearheading a project to produce an app providing a virtual reality experience of Alan Turing’s life, his possessions and his time at Sherborne School.

“The boys have conjured remarkable solutions to the problems they have encountered in moving the project forward at this challenging time, emulating the resilience and resourcefulness that Turing himself so clearly exemplified.”

Alan Turing was born in Maida Vale in London and boarded at Westcott House at Sherborne School.

Alan gained a mathematics degree at King’s College, Cambridge and a PhD at Princeton University in New Jersey. In 1936 he published a paper which today is recognised as the foundation of computer science and began working at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire in 1939, where he helped develop the Bombe machine.

The machine is capable of breaking secret German military messages

which were sent using the Enigma machine.

In 1952 he was arrested because he was homosexual and in 1954, aged 41, Alan died from suicide by cyanide poisoning in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

This was disputed by his mother, Sara who argued he accidentally ingested cyanide during a chemistry experiment.

Alan was posthumously pardoned in 2013 and four years later, in 2017, the government agreed to officially pardon all men who had criminal records for being homosexual.

BANKNOTE TRIBUTE: Former Sherborne School pupil Alan Turing is featured on the new £50 note, below

n The Alan Turing page can be found on Sherborne School website: oldshirburnian.org.uk/alanturing/

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Friends’ car boot sale cancelled In light of the on-going pandemic, the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital have decided to cancel its car boot sale on May 9 at the Terrace in Sherborne.

Liz Turnbull, trustee and events co-ordinator of the Friends said: “Sadly this is the third car boot sale we have had to cancel due to the

restrictions on public gathering as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

“As a responsible hospital charity we cannot ignore Public Health England guidelines.

“We shall continue to review the situation and keep our options open regarding our July car boot sale.”

17

How you can help the terminally ill with care at home

By Miranda Robertson Terminally ill patients across the Vale are to benefit from a new service to allow them to be cared for at home without the usual delays in admin.

Weldmar has long offered people with terminal conditions nursing in their own homes. Over 80 per cent of its services are carried out outside the hospice in Dorchester.

However care packages have been subject to delays while a team of experts decides the best protocols – delays the hospice describes as ‘unacceptable’.

A growing need for these services has put pressure on

the hospice to raise the extra money it takes to allow people to be where they are most comfortable in their final days.

Weldmar describes the move towards better, faster care at home as its biggest ever development in patient care.

Now Weldmar is asking for donations big and small to help fund the new service and a team of health care assistants. People can choose to donate any amount, from £24.95 for a referrals coordinator to work quickly across clinical services to provide a Weldmar at Home care package for the same day – without the current

REASSURANCE: Caroline Sweetland

delay – to £1,038.84 for a carer to provide hands on care and support for a patient for a whole week in their own home.

Individualised care packages are often needed, however there is often a shortage of carers available to provide a reliable and consistent service at short notice.

Last year alone 46 per cent of Weldmar patients wanted this type of care – an increase of 11 per cent on the previous year.

Caroline Sweetland, Director

We are back

of Nursing at Weldmar Hospicecare, said: “When patients are living with a terminal diagnosis, they need the reassurance that no matter where or how they want to receive care and support, it will be available.

“Patients often require rapid specialist assessments and appropriate care packages being implemented within hours. For some patients this has been taking days, or even weeks, which just simply is not acceptable.

“The covid-19 pandemic has made this even worse. Many of our patients don’t have the time to wait for a full package of care to be in place. In the meantime, if their health deteriorates rapidly, they are admitted to hospital instead of being able to stay in their own home.

This can hopefully be avoided if an appropriate and necessary care package can be put in place quickly.”

Donations can be made at weld-hospice.org.uk.

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Trust attractions all ready for recovery

By Steve keenan newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

The three great National Trust paid-for attractions in the area are hoping for a strong recovery this summer after figures revealed dramatic falls in visitor numbers last year.

Stourhead, Kingston Lacy and Corfe Castle have all reopened their gardens but are accepting fewer visitors who must pre-book hourly admission slots.

Other restrictions include a one-way route through the Stourhead gardens.

Stonehenge, an English Heritage site, also reopened this week with a similar postlockdown approach to controlling numbers.

All are members of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, a body which records visitor numbers over the years.

Last week the ALVA

RECOVERY HOPES: Stourhead, Kingston Lacy and Corfe Castle

revealed numbers for 2020 which predictably showed a sharp downturn, with Stonehenge suffering a dramatic 80% fall from 1.6m visitors to 314k.

Kingston Lacy had 263k visitors (-36%), Stourhead had 259k (-34%) and Corfe Castle welcomed 134k (-48%).

Yet because so many large attractions in the UK are indoors, such as The British Museum and National Gallery, the four local

outdoor attractions all actually rose up the popularity rankings.

Stonehenge was the 20th most visited paid-for attraction last year, compared with a 33rd ranking in 2019.

Other rankings were Kingston Lacy at 48th up from 89th; Stourhead ranked 52 (96) and Corfe Castle 114 (129).

Garden cafes at the attractions are able to serve customers seated outside, or with takeaway food. Indoor

restaurant/café seating and the big houses at Stourhead and Kingston Lacy will not be able to open before May 17.

A spokesman for Kingston Lacy also warned visitors: “The garden is looking lovely, but it won’t be quite as you’re used to seeing it.

We’ve had almost no gardeners at the property for many weeks.

“We have a small team in now, but nowhere near what we’re used to, so the garden isn’t perhaps as wellgroomed as you might be expecting.”

Bernard Donoghue, a director of ALVA, said its annual figures showed the attractions sector had had “a devastatingly hard year”.

He called on the government to introduce a new bank holiday at the end of September to help the tourism industry recover.

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The inspiring Dorset farmer who was

By Steve Keenan newsdesk@ blackmorevale.net

A headstone in a church graveyard in Worth Matravers bears an epitaph for Dorset farmer Benjamin Jesty.

“He was an upright honest Man, particularly noted for having been the first Person (known) that introduced the Cow Pox by inoculation, and who from his great strength of mind made the Experiment from the (Cow) on his Wife and two Sons in the year 1774.”

The words were written by Jesty himself and are not that boastful, given that he is now being widely acknowledged as the pioneer of smallpox vaccination two centuries after his death.

Just as the coronavirus shut down the world a year ago, a book was published coincidentally entitled Benjamin Jesty: the Grandfather of Vaccination.

The author is Patrick John Pead, a retired microbiologist who worked for the Public Health Laboratory Service and who spent 40 years establishing Jesty’s credentials as the person who developed the vaccine.

He says that English physician Dr Edward Jenner is widely given historic credit for developing the vaccine more than 20 years after Jesty.

But says Pead: “It is now historically appropriate to recognise that Benjamin Jesty, the Dorset yeoman farmer, preceded Jenner by being the first to devise and perform vaccinations with cowpox to protect against smallpox.

“There is no doubt that Jenner brought vaccination to the world through his persistent hard work and persuasion. But equally, 20

Dorset was the true birthplace of vaccination.”

Born in Yetminster in 1736, Jesty married Elizabeth Notley in Longburton in 1770. They lived at Upbury Farm, next to the church – a blue plaque from the Yetminster Local History Society records the fact.

Smallpox was a leading cause of death in the 18th century, killing an estimated 400,000 Europeans each year. Cowpox, a milder disease, was also common but folklore said that dairymaids who contracted cowpox from cattle didn’t seem to catch smallpox.

With the first two of the couple’s seven children

born, there was an outbreak of cowpox in nearby Chetnole. Jesty went to the farm and vaccinated his wife and young boys by scratching their arms and introducing pus from the udder of an infected cow.

The cowpox ran its course and the boys came through easily with just mild fevers, although Elizabeth took longer to recover. The treatment’s value was demonstrated in the years which followed when the two boys, exposed to smallpox, failed to catch the disease.

However, history relates that Jesty’s experiment was met with hostility by his

neighbours. He was labelled inhuman, and was “hooted at, reviled and pelted whenever he attended markets in the neighbourhood”. The introduction of an animal disease into a human body was thought disgusting.

In 1797 the family moved from Yetminster, when Jesty took up the tenancy of Downshay Manor Farm in Worth Matravers about the time that Jenner began to spread the refined vaccination worldwide.

Vaccination is not a discovery or medical breakthrough but a development from variolation, substituting

a pioneer in the field of vaccination

cowpox as an inoculum instead of smallpox. The World Health Organisation officially declared smallpox to be eradicated worldwide in 1979.

Down on the coast Dr Andrew Bell, rector of Swanage, became a friend of the farmer. An account of Jesty’s vaccinations was documented by Bell, who went on to vaccinate 200 of his parishioners.

Jesty told Bell: “There is little risk in introducing into the human constitution matter from the cow as we already without danger eat the flesh and blood, drink the milk and cover ourselves with the skin of this

innocuous animal”.

As news of Jesty’s work spread, he received an invitation in 1805 to visit the offices of the Original Vaccine Pock Institute in London. He travelled with his eldest son, who was willingly inoculated with live smallpox to test his resilience to the disease. He succeeded.

The institute awarded Jesty a pair of gold mounted lancets, a testimonial scroll, 15 guineas expenses, and arranged for a three-quarters lifesize portrait to be painted in oils by artist Michael Sharp.

The story goes that the Dorset farmer was an

portrait was handed down through two generations but went missing in 1884. Pead found it 120 years later in South Africa, in the home of a branch of the Jesty family.

It was bought by The Wellcome Trust in 2006 and how hangs in its headquarters in London.

His grave is in the churchyard of St Nicholas of Myra in Worth Matravers.

He published notice of his PIONEER: A portrait of vaccinations posthumously, Benjamin Jesty and the blue plaque in his having written his own birthplace of Yetminster. headstone epitaph.

Above: Upbury Farm and, His wife Elizabeth showed left, the gravestone of Jesty and his wife commendable integrity Elizabeth at St Nicholas when she added the word Church in Worth Matravers “(known)” to the text but rumours of previous cowpox impatient sitter who could vaccinators remain only be kept quiet by the unsubstantiated. artist’s wife playing to him In writing about the havoc on the piano. caused by covid-19, West Surgeon Alfred Haviland, on Dorset MP Chris Loder paid seeing an engraving of Jesty, his own tribute to Jesty. “He described the subject as “a was the first to introduce the good specimen of the fine idea that those people old English yeoman, dressed infected with cowpox, a in knee breeches, extensive relatively mild disease, double-breasted waistcoat, could be protected against and no small amount of smallpox, by administering broadcloth”. the less virulent virus.

Added Pead: “Sharp “Dr Jenner is given historic captured a dignified pose: credit for developing the the portly farmer exudes an smallpox vaccine, more than air of sturdiness and 20 years later in 1796, but in reliability. We should all truth it’s West Dorset’s own draw inspiration from the ‘Farmer Jesty’ who we have ingenuity and courage of to thank for the pioneering this humble Dorset farmer.” medical discovery that is Jesty died in 1816 and his still saving lives today.”

21

Estate agents’ aid for Age Concern

THANKS: Dianne Cooper, Chairman of Age Concern North Dorset, thanks James Weldon, Beverly BrookeJones and Brandon Telling, on behalf of the trustees of the charity for their support

Age Concern North Dorset, based in Sturminster Newton, received £125 from Roy Barrett Estate Agents after staff gave up their fee for any house completion between January and March 2021.

Age Concern Trustee said: “Not only is this very much appreciated by Age Concern North Dorset who rely totally on donations and their own fundraising efforts, but it shows that local businesses can have a large part to play in keeping the spirit of generosity alive in a small town.”

Anger over tourism website contract

By Steve Keenan newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

The company running the Shaftesbury Town Council website is pulling the plug in retaliation after accusing the council of “highly deceptive” behaviour in awarding a new tourism promotion contract.

Shaftesbury-based Ixel Media built STC’s site in 2015 and has run it since.

The firm also built separate sites for the council-owned Oasis pool and its neighbourhood plan.

But boss James Hughes is angry that he was snubbed by a committee dealing with the £8k digital tourism marketing contract – despite being asked to tender at short notice.

Instead, the council awarded the deal to Somerset-based Rocketbox, which did not even bid for the contract in the first place: the firm is already working for the council on creating a new branding image for the town.

“It is highly deceptive to have been invited to submit an offer only to have it suppressed without consideration,” said Mr Hughes.

“Why, as an existing vendor to the council for many years, have we been so poorly treated and excluded?”

He said he would no longer 22

n Mr Hughes told The New Blackmore Vale that the council “clearly” gave preference to the branding company despite there being a number of suitable digital firms local to Shaftesbury.

“My key argument is not based in anger but in deep frustration. The contract has been awarded in haste to a non-local, nontendering firm.

“No questions about transparency or procedures have been followed and I have not heard from the council since March 9 about the process for a complaints procedure. maintain the council’s websites.

“As a result of the actions of the council, my company has withdrawn all future business dealings.”

His decision means that STC has had to find another company to rapidly build a site and transfer over content before its deal with Ixel expires on April 24.

STC charged only £792 a year for site maintenance. It also built and ran the two separate sites for free. Now all three sites will be merged into one, with quotes obtained by the

“It is a very poor way to deal with vendors.”

In a statement, Brie Logan said the new tourism website and marketing would launch in mid-April, and that the build of a new Shaftesbury Town Council site was “well underway” but the cost was not disclosed.

And she added: “I cannot make a specific comment in relation to James’s request to present a proposal.

“It is at the discretion of the chair as to whether a statement is read out in public session by either the chair or member of the public.” council for a new build being around £4,000.

It was 18 months ago that the council decided it wanted its own, new tourism website and put out separate tenders for digital marketing and branding contracts.

Rocketbox won the branding deal last July but a deal for a digital marketer fell apart in the autumn.

As a result, there has been no council-funded marketing of Shaftesbury since September, despite the huge rise in staycations.

A week before the General

Management Committee met on February 23, Mr Hughes says he was invited by council business manager Brie Logan to tender for the contract.

He provided a statement and outline proposal to committee chairman Piers Brown – but was not called to speak.

Instead, Cllr Brown instead championed Rocketbox in order to have “one coherent message and plan”.

It was suggested by Mrs Logan that three contractors be sought.

But Cllr George Hall added: “In normal circumstances, the prudent thing would be to look at all options. We don’t have that time. Rocketbox are very professional with a broad spectrum of skills. It is an easy step for them to go forwards. It is a no-brainer to me.”

Hughes sat through the online meeting visible to all but unable to speak without being invited by Cllr Brown, despite Town Clerk Claire Commons pointing out his availability.

He was also stung by criticism of the site as “clunky” by Cllr Phil Proctor, as the council had twice declined a free redesign of the website.

The marketing contract for Rocketbox was later waved through by eight votes to none at a full council meeting on Mar 9.

Family’s protest at new protest Bill

By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

The Chapman family from Shillingstone staged a peaceful ‘Kill the Bill’ protest in the square at Blandford Forum on April 3 to co-ordinate with national protests.

All six members of the Chapmans held placards to protest against certain parts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021, which is making its way through Parliament. The bill has come under fire by many MPs for its potential to contravene the European Convention on Human Rights to the freedom of assembly and association and thus stifle democracy.

Tatiana Chapman said: “Why do women have the vote in 2021? Why do people of all races have equal rights in UK law? The answer to both of these questions, and the reason for many other rights which we now take for granted, is through protest.

“While the bill contains many important and useful improvements to the law, such as the introduction of a ‘stalkers register’, it also has several proposals which we believe would unacceptably limit our right to peacefully protest – a crucial part of any functioning democracy.

“In short, the bill would allow the police to impose additional conditions on static protests that might ‘cause serious annoyance’ and introduce an offence of ‘intentionally or recklessly causing public

MAKING A STAND: Members of the Chapman family take part in a Kill the Bill protest in Blandford Forum

nuisance’. These offences would carry a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment – longer than is usually given for cases of rape.

“We believe if this becomes law, it will fundamentally limit our essential right to freedom of expression and to peacefully challenge the government. As we have seen repeatedly throughout history, protest has been vital in bringing about improvements to human rights.

“Examples of violence and disorder, as we saw in Bristol, should not take away from the credible problems with the bill. It is important to note the police already have the powers to deal with any violent disorder or vandalism under existing legislation.

“The bill is being quickly pushed through parliament at a time when the public and media is focused on covid-19

Facemasks raise £1k for Macmillan

A woman from Blandford is making masks for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Kath Chun has raised more than her original £1,000 target for the vital service after feeling that charities were getting sidelined during the pandemic.

She said: “I made my first face coverings for my family and friends to try out. The orders began to trickle in and my initial design has now evolved into a

washable, three-layered cotton, shaped face covering with adjustable elastic available in three sizes for men, ladies and children.”

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and during a time, ironically, when the right to protest is severely restricted. For better or for worse, over the last year we have lost many of our freedoms. While this has of course been an extraordinary time with extraordinary

measures, as we come out of the pandemic, curbs on basic freedoms must not become the ‘new normal’.”

Tatiana added: “We would like to thank the very kind man who came and brought us coffee. Thank you.”

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23

New plans for up to 150 homes

By Nicci Brown

Plans have now been submitted for another 150 homes next to the Bellway Homes development being built on the outskirts of Blandford at St Mary’s Hill, Blandford St Mary.

The site north of Wards Drove is included as an option in the draft Dorset Local Plan, but not in the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan, which goes to public vote in a referendum taking place on Thursday, May 6 and which aims to protect the parishes of Blandford, Blandford St Mary and Bryanston from unwanted development.

The outline application has been submitted by Hallam Land Management and is for the erection of up to 150 dwellings, along with open space and landscaping, including play areas and ecological buffer, new vehicular and pedestrian accesses to include the North

Dorset Trailway, parking, engineering works and infrastructure including cycle and pedestrian connections.

Comments on the outline application are open until April 21.

Richard Brown, of the Dorset AONB, has said the site is located on land to the south of the Bellway Homes site, where 350 homes are planned, following the approval of a reserved matters application which was subject to an appeal, and indicated the effects of this latest application on Dorset AONB were unlikely to be significant.

He said: “This site sits at a lower elevation in the landscape than the Bellway Homes development, and potential views of houses within this adjoining area from within Dorset AONB are likely to be very limited.”

But Blandford & District Civic Society have objected to the proposal, saying it is

Question a legal expert over the phone for free

both speculative and premature, adding to the ribbon development along the A350 and impact on the character of Blandford St Mary caused by the already approved 350 houses at St Mary’s Hill.

They said: “Since their approval, Dorset Council has declared a climate emergency.

“Further development without adequate public transport and significant employment opportunities will make Blandford a commuter town for the south east conurbation to which residents will travel to find work, so increasing the carbon footprint.

“Development in neighbouring Charlton Marshall, towards which this development is creeping, was recently refused on appeal on the grounds that it would result in unsustainable travel patterns and a reliance on the use of the private car, and we would argue that at this time, so too is this.”

Age UK North, South & West Dorset, in partnership with local solicitors from Nantes, Blanchards Bailey and Humphries Kirk, is holding a free over the phone service for anyone over 50 to ask an expert questions about wills and power of attorney.

Surgeries will go ahead on pre-planned dates by telephone and will be by appointment only.

Richard Bristow from Age UK North, South & West Dorset said: “We are happy to work with local solicitors to provide this much needed and valuable service to local older people. Issues around making a will or power of attorney can be confusing and being able to talk things through with a solicitor can make all the difference.”

To book call 01305 269444 or email enquiries@ageuk nswd.org.uk

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Richard is hospital Friends patron Richard Hunt, the chairman of Hunt’s Foodservice, will be Patron of the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital in the organisation’s 70th anniversary year.

David Hayes, chairman of the Friends of Yeatman Hospital charity, said: “We are particularly delighted that Richard, whose family connections with the Friends date back to the founding meeting of our charity, which both his family and business have supported for the past 70 years.

“The Hunt name is synonymous with Sherborne having been a major employer in the town for more than 100 years, so it is natural we should invite him to lead our celebrations during the important anniversary year which starts on July 26.. Richard’s role will be to ensure that during this difficult period we respect the both the hospital and the town in all that we do.

“The Yeatman Hospital is

FRIENDS PATRON: Richard Hunt

central to the support of our community of Sherborne and its outlying villages. It has served us and our predecessors loyally through some challenging episodes in our recent history, and particularly throughout the

pandemic. The Friends 70th Anniversary is an ideal time to celebrate its history while looking towards its future with confidence. All of that makes it all the more appropriate that we should welcome Mr Richard Hunt

TO

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whose family is so representative of Sherborne’s more recent history, as our 70th anniversary patron.”

Mr Hunt said: “For all the years I can remember my family and I, have supported the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital the way they supported my mother when I was born at the hospital back in the 1960s, so when asked to be the patron of the 70th anniversary celebration I could not say no.

“The core approach to the Friends’ anniversary programme is to say thank you to and to invite support and cooperation so the people of Sherborne can participate. We shall achieve this by reaching out to everyone who have supported us. Discussions have been held with Sherborne Town Council, the Chamber of Trade, Rotary and schools and volunteer groups to use the anniversary to take their minds off the pandemic and enjoy a good news year.”

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*Offer available on selected plots and at selected developments. Must not exceed 5% of the property value. Incentive ordered upon completion and lead times may vary. Items are subject to availability and provided by an external company. Valid on reservations before 30th June 2021. Offer may not be used with any other incentive or purchase assistance scheme. For full details speak to a sales consultant. 59462

25

Couple noted for care and attention Our Loose Canon...

with Canon Eric Woods DL

Twice on my watch as Vicar of Sherborne, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visited the town, and the Abbey itself.

The first time was in 1998, for the dedication of the Abbey’s new Great West Window. It was very much what in my trade we call a “stamp and circumponce” service, and I had little opportunity to do other than meet and greet our royal visitors.

But in the processional line-up I did notice Prince Philip in animated conversation with my head verger, the late Keith Batten. Keith told me afterwards that the Duke was fascinated by what you might call the “physics” of the new window: its installation, and the techniques of its making and firing and leading.

I remembered that when, for The Queen’s 2012 Diamond Jubilee Tour of the nation, Sherborne was chosen as her only destination in Dorset. The then

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Canon Eric Woods with Prince Philip

Lord-Lieutenant came to see me to plan the event. HM and HRH, she said, were rather “servicedout” – wherever they went there were more “stamp and circumponce” events. Could we do something different?

That’s where my 1998 memory cut in. The Duke was fascinated by anything technical. Couldn’t we put trestles over the pews and get Abbey-related artists and craftsmen to do their stuff as he toured the church? But what about The Queen? Well, why not a marquee of the Close with a wonderful display of Dorset foods, wines and other produce?

And so it transpired. The LordLieutenant escorted The Queen round the marquee. I escorted Prince Philip round the Abbey.

He was in his element as he talked to stonemasons, carpenters, joiners, carvers of wood and stone, calligraphers, stained glass artists and so on.

But one table was without its artist. John Coleman, a wonderful iconographer, was unwell. And he had two gifts for our visitors, which it fell to me to present in his absence.

The first was a lovely icon of St Philip. The visit was taking place on May 1, the Feast of St

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Philip and St James. Prince Philip seemed delighted with it.

The second was in a little velvet ring bag. It was a miniature which John had written for Her Majesty. (Icons are written, not painted, as they are regarded as prayers).

It was a very happy hour. But the best is yet to come. Later that month HRH was taken ill and had to spend a time in hospital.

When he recovered, I received a telephone call from Buckingham Palace. Throughout her husband’s illness, said the Lady in Waiting, Her Majesty had carried the miniature icon of St Philip with her every day. Could I please supply the iconographer’s contact details, so that The Queen could send him a message of thanks? When he received that message, John was walking on air for weeks.

All of which is testimony to the care and attention given by the Royal Couple to the “minute particulars” of their visits. More importantly still, it is witness to the deep love they had for one another for so many years, and to their shared Christian faith.

Our hearts go out to The Queen as we pray for the Duke: May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

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Would you like to know about the fiery friar whose temper led to his abbey getting burned down?

Or where the widowed wife of an Elizabethan superstar kept his decapitated head?

With gatherings of up to six and two households now permitted to meet up outside, Ordnance Survey is launching the Secret Stories app to banish those lockdown blues and turn family walks into mini adventures.

The Secret Stories app is free to download and brings Dorset’s towns and cities to life, with each self-guided tour revealing a diverse and interesting mixture of folklore, celebrity, history and myth as you follow the route around.

Each Secret Stories tour varies, but can contain a mixture of audio clips, images, challenges, puzzles, teasers and directions to help you immerse yourself in each location as you move

New app is putting local history back on the map

SECRET STORIES: Sherborne’s abbey and castles feature

from story to story.

On Sherborne’s Monks and Megastars Tour, families will uncover the hidden history of Sherborne’s Abbey and castles.

They will cross paths with the legend of explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, discovering his life, his glory and his unfortunate end.

The first Dorset locations to feature walks include

Sherborne, Lyme Regis, Shaftesbury, Abbotsbury, Wimborne Minster, Dorchester, Mudeford, Hengistbury Head, Blandford Forum, Portland and Milton Abbas.

Nick Giles, managing director for OS Leisure, said: “We know it can be difficult to find something for everyone to enjoy together outdoors which is why OS

has created Secret Stories, to make a walk more fun and interesting for the whole family.

“Simply download the Secret Stories app, make your way to the location of your choice, and pick a ‘tour leader’ for the group. Then set off on a guided tour and learn about unique stories together, everything from mysterious deaths to scandalous romances, rogue kings and much more.

“We’re hoping that as we all emerge from lockdown, particularly with the restrictions we still have in place here in Dorset, Secret Stories will be the perfect way to get outside and have some fun while improving your local knowledge.”

27

FUNERAL DIRECTORS’ Q&A Becci Wiles Woods Funeral Services How long have you been a funeral director?

I have been a funeral director with Woods Funeral Services since September 2020, but I have worked in the funeral industry with another funeral director since 2017. I started as a funeral operative and started training to be a director in 2019.

Why did you become one?

One of my favourite movies growing up was a film called My Girl, it was about a young girl who grew up living in a funeral home in America. I was fascinated by everything that was shown, from arranging the

funeral to the day of the funeral and everything in between. As I was leaving school we were shown a list of careers that would suit our personalities and interests and funeral director was on my list, and that’s what I’ve wanted to do ever since.

Best part of your job?

It’s difficult to say what the best part of being a funeral director is, I genuinely love every part of my job. If I had to give an answer though it would be that I like the knowledge that I have done the absolute best for the families that I work with, It’s already a difficult time when you have lost a loved one and if I can take away some of the stress or worry then I will do everything I can to make that happen.

And the worst?

Arranging a funeral for someone who has passed away too young.

If you were not a funeral

director, what would you be?

I have wanted to be a funeral director since I was a child so I would not want to do anything else. If I had to choose then it would be forensic investigation.

How has the pandemic affected funerals?

The pandemic has had a mixed effect on funerals. The negatives have been the reduced number of mourners that are permitted to attend a funeral service, we often have the ability to live stream a service but that would never be anyone’s ideal way to pay their respect. Also the lack of physical contact – when you greet someone, you often shake their hand, if you see them upset you offer them a comforting hand on the shoulder or a hug but we cannot do that now – it’s the worst feeling when you see someone upset and can only offer a word of comfort.

What would your epitaph be?

I did my best.

How are funerals changing?

I’ve noticed that there are more families asking for a less traditional approach to funerals, often requesting a non-religious service and on occasion asking us to wear clothes different to our normal top hat and black coats. There has also been an increase in direct cremations since David Bowie passed away.

Favourite reading?

There’s a beautiful passage from a children’s book called No Matter What: Small said: “But what about when you’re dead and gone?

Would you love me then? Does love go on?” Large held Small snug as they looked out at the night, at the moon in the dark and the stars shining bright.

“Small, look at the stars – how they shine and glow. Yet some of those stars died a long time ago.

Still they shine in the evening skies…love, like starlight, never dies.

PUBLIC NOTICES SHERBORNE TOWN COUNCIL VIRTUAL ANNUAL PARISH MEETING The Annual Parish Meeting will be held using Zoom commencing at 7pm on Monday 26 April 2021.

All residents, voluntary organisations and the business community are invited to join the Sherborne Town Council Annual Parish Meeting. The Town Council will present its Annual Report and would welcome reports from organisations and the business community.

If your organisation would like to give a presentation on their activities, or to submit specific questions or items for discussion to the Town Council please contact the council office using the details below (before 23 April 2021): Sherborne Town Council, The Manor House, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset.

DT9 3JL. Tel: 01935 812807 or email s.woodford@ sherborne-tc.gov.uk

28

LICENSING ACT 2003

LICENSING ACT 2003

Notice of application for the VARIATION of a PREMISES LICENCE. Name of applicant: BRENDAN AND LUCY MCGEE. Address of Premises: THE ILCHESTER ARMS HOTEL, CHURCH STREET, ILCHESTER, YEOVIL Post Code: BA22 8LN. DESCRIPTION OF VARIATION BEING SOUGHT:WE ARE EXTENDING THE PREMISES LICENCE TO THE NEWEST SECTION OF THE HOTEL, THIS WILL INCLUDE LICENSES FOR LIVE AND RECORDED MUSIC, PLAYS, FILMS, LIVE TELEVISED SPORTS AND ALCOHOL. Date by which Responsible Authorities and other persons may make representations: 28.04.2021 A record of the application made to the Licensing Authority will be kept on a register at the address given below and the register may be inspected during normal office hours.

All representations regarding this application MUST BE IN WRITING and sent to: South Somerset District Council, Licensing Department, The Council Offices,Brympton Way, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2HT

Notice of application for the VARIATION of a PREMISES LICENCE. Name of applicant: BRENDAN AND LUCY MCGEE. Address of Premises: THE BULL INN, THE SQUARE, ILCHESTER, SOMERSET Post Code: BA22 8LH. DESCRIPTION OF VARIATION BEING SOUGHT: EXTENSION OF LICENSE TO THE GARDEN AREA AND MOBILE BAR AREA. THIS WILL INCLUDE LICENSES FOR MUSIC, PLAYS, FILMS, SPORTS AND ALCOHOL. Date by which Responsible Authorities and other persons may make representations: 04.05.2021 A record of the application made to the Licensing Authority will be kept on a register at the address given below and the register may be inspected during normal office hours.

All representations regarding this application MUST BE IN WRITING and sent to: South Somerset District Council, Licensing Department, The Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2HT

Announcements IN MEMORIAM MARTIN COWAN (MARV) 20/04/2001.

20 long years have passed us by without you here by our side.

Miss you each and every day.

Love forever Mum, Ken & all the family xx

MARGARET SCAMMELL 6/4/20 AND JIM SCAMMELL 17/4/20 Mum and Dad Never more than a thought away

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ALASTAIR BURT Alastair’s family would like to thank everyone who sent cards, messages of sympathy and flowers on the sad loss of Alastair. Thank you also to Bracher Brothers for their care and help at this sad time.

JEAN SWANTON The family would like to thank everyone for the cards, calls and tributes received after the loss of 'Nan'. This has been a great comfort to us all. We would also like to thank Merefield & Henstridge, Randy & Eugenie Hiscock, Rev Anne Heywood, Simon Whaley, Rosalyn Mills, Victoria O'Brien, St James' Church, Tom Lyle, Mark Thistlewood and everyone who lined her final journey and attended the service virtually.

This is our personal message of thanks.

DEATHS DUNN ANDREW JAMES ‘A. J.’/’DINGLE’

ANNIVERSARY 16/04/2018

Passed away peacefully aged 56 years.

Beloved son, brother, father and grandad.

He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Private funeral service to take place on Friday 23rd April, 2.00p.m. at Yeovil Crematorium Donations in memory of Andrew for Marie Curie also St. Margaret’s Hospice may be sent c/o Clive Wakely, A. J. Wakely & Sons, The Old Police Station, Carrington Way, Wincanton, BA9 9JS. Tel: 01963 31310. Please make cheques payable to the charity.

AUDREY MARGARET GRAY

HARRIS HARRY ALAN

Loved and missed by all the family XXX

Remembering a much loved mum to Chris, gran to Julian & Amy. Grandma to Betty Kim, Hydie & Matt.

Missed every day, always in our thoughts.

Died peacefully at home in Trent on 25 March 2021, aged 78. Wonderful husband of Hilary, much loved father of Tim and Caroline, proud brother of Jeff and the late Auston, adored grandfather of five, and friend to many.

Private funeral. Donations in memory of Harry are invited for St Andrew's Church, Trent c/o Harold F. Miles (Funeral Director), South Cadbury BA22 7ES. Tel. 01963 440367

BRIAN MOREY Passed away on the 23rd March after a short illness, aged 75, surrounded by his family at home. But let us tell you about the man. Through sorrow & challenges, he raised a happy, loving family, held true to his ideals and brought joy to all our friends.

We are heartbroken, but feel incredibly lucky to have called him Dad. He is survived by his wife Janet and three children Craig, Alan & Nikki. If you would like to donate in his memory, please give to Marie Curie c/o A.J. Wakely & Sons, 16 Newland, Sherborne, DT9 3JQ or donate online at ajwakely.com

ALDWORTH RICHARD Remembering Richard Aldworth. Richard died peacefully on 8th April 2020. Due to covid we could only give him a small cremation. We are holding a private interment in Marnhull remembrance garden.

Richard was a kind and generous person, always willing to help with a smile and chat.

He was a loving husband, father, gramps and brother and we all miss him greatly.

Donations if wished to The Lewy Body Society c/o Grassby and Close Funeral Service, 4 Innes Court, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1BB, Telephone 01258 471024 or made online by visiting grassbyclosefuneral.co.uk

JEAN REDFERN Passed away at Yeovil District Hospital on the 29 March 2021, aged 83 following a protracted illness. Wife of the late Barrie and a dear sister to Raymond. Auntie to her many nieces and nephews in the UK, Australia and Canada who loved her dearly. She will also be sadly missed by her many friends in Burton-on-Trent and North Dorset. Private funeral service due to covid-19 restrictions at Holy Rood Church, Shillingstone. Donations, if desired for Julia’s House and Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, may be made online by visiting close-funeral.co.uk or cheques payable to the charity c/o Colin J Close Funeral Service, Peel Close, Salisbury Road, Blandford DT11 7JU. Tel: 01258 453133

29

Announcements

A J Wakely& Sons

HEWITSON JENNIFER

Independent Family Funeral Directors

DEATHS

Choice of Hearses available including our Land Rover Hearse

TUCKER MICHAEL LEE (MIKE)

– 24 Hour Service –

Sherborne Tel: 01935 816817 Wincanton Tel: 01963 31310 Pre-payment plans available

Please contact Richard Wakely, or a member of our dedicated team for any advice or guidance.

PETER JACKSON FUNERAL SERVICES Independent Family Owned and Run Funeral Directors

aged 25 years of Castle Cary. On 23rd March 2021, tragically in a road accident.

A much loved son, brother, grandson, fiancée, step dad and friend.

Private Cremation.

Donations in memory of Mike are being invited for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. C/O Harold F. Miles, Funeral Directors, South Cadbury, BA22 7ES. Telephone (01963) 440367.

Private Chapels of Rest • 24 Hour Service • Golden Charter Pre Paid Funeral Plans

Henstridge (01963) 362570

Mons, High Street, Henstridge, Somerset BA8 0RB

GREGORY ROBERT DAVIES

Gillingham (01747) 833757 Harwood House, Newbury, Gillingham SP8 4QJ

pjfs@btinternet.com www.peterjacksonfuneralservices.co.uk

died peacefully on 8th April 2021 at his home in Gillingham, Dorset, aged 82.

Loving husband to Janet for over 50 years, beloved father to James and Fiona, fatherin-law to Helen and Duncan and very proud grandpa to Alice and Tom. Private funeral.

Donations if desired to the Mobile Cancer Care Unit provided by the Cancer Charity “Hope for Tomorrow” at Kingscote, Priory Park, London Road, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8HZ

Jennifer Hewitson of Sturminster Newton sadly passed away on 6th February 2021 aged 77 years.

Jennifer will be missed by so many.

Private funeral service to be held at East Cemetery, Boscombe.

A thanksgiving service will be held at a later date.

No flowers please but donations if desired for the Dorset County Hospital and Friends of Blandford Hospital, c/o Grassby and Close Funeral Service, 4 Innes Court, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1BB, Telephone 01258 471024 or made online by visiting grassbyclosefuneral.co.uk

GROVES MICHAEL JOHN (MIKE)

Family Run Caring & E cient • Private Chapels of Rest Personal Day & Night Service “Golden Charter” Pre-paid Funeral Plans available Memorials in Stone Marble & Granite, etc.

Shaftesbury (01747) 853532 imere昀eld@aol.com Gillingham (01747) 835335 www.mhfd.co.uk “Ridgemount”, Pitts Lane, West Melbury, Shaftesbury, Dorset. SP7 0BU

30

Aged 81 years of Corton Denham. On 30th March 2021, suddenly at home.

A much dearly loved husband of Sybil, devoted dad, father-in-law, grandad and friend to many.

Private funeral.

Donations in memory of Mike are being invited for Queen Camel Medical Centre Equipment Fund C/O to Harold F. Miles, Funeral Director, South Cadbury, BA22 7ES. Telephone (01963) 440367.

Announcements PRESTON DAVID

ISOBEL ZENA BOATSWAIN

David died peacefully at home in Mappowder on 28th March 2021 with his family around him. Due to covid restrictions we are holding a private funeral service.

Much loved and missed by his wife Julia and all his family and friends. Donations if wished to Marie Curie c/o Grassby and Close Funeral Service, 4 Innes Court, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1BB, Telephone 01258 471024 or made online by visiting grassbyclose-funeral.co.uk

Much loved cousin and friend. Died peacefully aged 86, 23rd March 2021.

Private service and burial at St Mary's Church, Iwerne Minster. Donations to Wilton Branch Riding for the Disabled Association (please make cheques payable to Merefield & Henstridge) c/o Merefield & Henstridge F/D, Ridgemount, Pitts Lane, West Melbury, Shaftesbury, Dorset. SP7 0BU. Tel: 01747 853532

VICTORIA (BUNTY) STONE (NÉE NETTLEY) Peacefully on the 27th March 2021 at home in Blandford. Wife of the late Donald Stone.

Much loved mum, grandma and great grandma. Private Funeral Service due to covid restrictions.

Donations are invited for Julia’s House. C/o Peter Jackson Funeral Services, Mons, High Street, Henstridge, BA8 0RB. Tel: 01963 362570

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Find us at: dignityfunerals.co.uk/local

Newell, Sherborne DT9 4EZ Tel: 01935 813479

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STURMINSTER NEWTON

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Part of Dignity plc. A British company

31

Letters

Who attacked our lovely Gilbert?

What mindless idiot vandalised the antlers on Sir Gilbert (as I call our Ronal stag on the Peacemarsh roundabout)?

A lovely, life-sized stag representing part of our coat of arms for Gillingham.

I despair!

BB Peacemarsh n Readers may be surprised and alarmed at the recent decision by Wiltshire planners to permit the construction of a bungalow on a highly visible site in the heart of the Cranborne Chase area of AONB. The application submitted by the owners of Cools Farm, Tisbury focused on the merits of a share farmers agreement and where to locate new accommodation for such an individual on the farm.

Despite vehement opposition from councillors from the neighbouring parish councils of West Tisbury and East Knoyle, and their supplications to investigate several other sites closer to the existing farm buildings, the planning committee favoured the remotest and most intrusive location. By granting new access on to the most hazardous stretch of the C309 (Tokes Lane), the principle of a new dwelling here has been accepted and the value of an AONB been questioned.

Discussion in committee relished an informative debate on the calving habits of a suckling herd while ignoring any review of alternative sites.

Presumably respect for lockdown had prevented any committee members actually visiting the farm to consider these.

A lucky day for the applicants and a sad one for rural England and those ramblers and riders who enjoy the 32

Cartoon by Lyndon Wall justsocaricatures.co.uk

unrivalled and unspoilt countryside from this part of the Wessex Ridgeway.

Disappointed dog walker from East Knoyle n Now that Royal Mail has announced record profits may I suggest that they might like to invest in a bucket and sponge and clean their vans?

There can be no scruffier or battered fleet of vehicles on the road.

I remember the days when the vans were bright red, not dull pink and brown with mud.

Come on, let’s get some pride back ‘Royal’ Mail.

Nigel Hayter nThe NBVM’s MP’s Roundup (p64/65) provides a valuable outlet for our bevy of local MPs, but it’s a shame at Easter that not one of them mentions Yemen and the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis, currently being driven by British weapons and logistics since

President Biden pulled the US out of arming Saudi.

Yemen was already ravaged by mass starvation due to Western sanctions, as well as by a cholera epidemic and, of course, covid.

Please pray for the men, women and children of Yemen.

Mark Pennell Corton Denham Sherbone n I was pleased to read of your plans to expand into Stour and Avon – a much deserved success I think as the NBVM is very impressive. However, a little more coverage of the Wincanton area, where I am sure you have a wide readership, would be welcome.

Roy Carne n Thank you for giving the sponsorship of the G & S show by Gritchie Brewing Co.

front page coverage in your April 2 edition.

It is particularly significant and worthy of recognition that a local brewery shall be sponsoring the show in 2021 after such a very difficult period for the brewing and associated hospitality industries during lockdown restrictions.

There are of course many synergies between farming and brewing not least because farmers provide a key ingredient to the brewers, and no doubt one or two of them might enjoy indulging in the finished product too! Isn’t it great when local businesses support local events like this and particularly in such testing times for all. May I add my thanks to Guy Ritchie and his team for their key support of this year’s show on 18th & 19th August and promise him I shall be doing my bit to reciprocate by quenching my thirst with a pint or two of Gritchie Ale throughout this summer and beyond!

Matthew Price President Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show n After a period of seemingly lying fallow, we are all being increasingly treated once more to the world as seen through the eyes of Bill Woodhouse (Letters 2/4/21).

Whilst he is of course entitled to his views, I do expect the NBVM to exercise some editorial judgement in what it deems fit for publication, and not provide him with the kind of platform he was afforded by the previous incarnation of this newspaper. If his letters are reprinted verbatim, it will only encourage him further.

Michael Stone Pimperne We apologise unreservedly.

Somehow his letter snuck

Letters more homes.

Surely we will need a proper medical centre including a day surgery unit?

Yvonne Phillips Gillingham

through during the editorial process despite making little sense and despite Mr Woodhouse having a swipe at Dorset Council’s support of the Gypsy community for no apparent reason. We are very, very sorry this happened. Ed n I’ve never written a letter to a paper before but feel strongly the editorial team has a duty to call out blatant racism, and shouldn’t be giving it a platform in their pages. An apology, and a ban on future letters from this individual is in order.

Dr Hazel Robinson Absolutely. The letter was intended to be spiked but found its way onto the page.

We will ensure this never happens again and apologise profusely to anyone who may have been upset by Mr Woodhouse’s remarks. Ed n I would like to respond to a couple of letters in your most recent NBVM, As a Dorset councillor representing Sturminster Newton, I am part of a steering group for the future of the St Mary’s School. The council’s preferred option is to use the site for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and the consultation process shows overwhelming support for this too. Whilst the initial purchase price may seem high, I consider, along with many of my colleagues that we are spending to invest in future revenue savings. We have 250 children and young people that have to attend independent provision, costing Dorset Council some £14 million each year. It currently costs an eyewatering £60,000 to provide independent out of county provision per child, this reduces to £22,000 for high quality provision within Dorset. Had we as a council had to repurpose an old site,

nWhile out on his daily walk near Charlton Musgrove, photographer Nicholas Dibben caught this stunning Red Kite on camera.

Nick said: I see this Red Kite most days on my daily walk.

This time it had just caught a field vole and flew over my head at about 30ft.”

Nick’s photograph’s can be found on Facebook Nick Dibben and nickspics47zxc

or had to build new the costs would have been far higher than the purchase price paid.

On a recent tour of the site we could see that all classrooms are fitted with desks, chairs, the libraries are stocked, there are fully kitted out bedrooms, the kitchens are ready to be in full use again. This site is ready to take children as early as this September. The site also offers additional possible income streams which we will be exploring and please believe that we councillors are working hand in hand with officers to give the people of Dorset the very best educational and respite facility for those that need it most – our children of Dorset.

Carole Jones Dorset Councillor for Sturminster Newton n As a frequent user of Sherborne railway station before the arrival of coronavirus, I would like to echo Maggie ForbesBuckingham’s comments (Letters, Apr 2) on Colin who used to work in the ticket office.

For those of us who prefer to plan our train journeys and buy our tickets by interacting

with a human being rather than a computer he was absolutely perfect – knowledgeable, helpful, patient and courteous with a dry sense of humour, in an age when these qualities are not always guaranteed from those working in customer facing roles.

He will be a hard act to follow and sorely missed. I hope South Western Railway gave him the send-off he deserves.

Gordon Lethbridge Sherborne n Firstly, may I say how much we enjoy your new format. The Blackmore Vale now has a lot more teeth and it is good that our four MPs are actively contributing.

May I therefore bring to everyone’s attention a problem which I believe is looming in Gillingham: Health facilities.

We are a population of around 12,000 and almost 2,000 children in education. Do you, your readers and the Dorset MPs and councillors agree that the present facilities are not sufficient?

We have four supermarkets, two petrol stations and building permission for 1,500

n Just to say many thanks for including the article and picture on Sturminster Community Learning Centre re-opening in edition 14.

Three people already have mentioned the article when requesting an appointment.

And of course thank you for the magazine itself, an incredibly valuable community asset.

David Shepherd Chair of Trustees n Yet another spat concerning DC, although precipitated by the planning decision in 2019 of NDDC. In the light of the purchase of St Marys School, it seems ironic that this should involve the demolition of the former NDDC building in Blandford, which perhaps could have been utilised for the one option of SEND, identified as one possibility for St Marys.

Town councillors now seem to be at loggerheads with the new county council.

It further seems illogical to me in that I assume we, as council tax payers will now, because of the DC purchase of St Mary’s, which is in Wiltshire, be making a significant indirect payment of council tax to that county through our compulsory contributions to DC. Smart strategic thinking.

I see, from a recent DC advertisement for digital staff that we the tax payers, are now referred to as customers.

Jeremy Bloomfield East Stour 33

Food & Drink

ENFORD FARM SHOP Home reared Lamb along with locally produced meat, veg, fruit, deli and game.

Follow us on Facebook for all of our latest deals and offers including weekly meat pack deals

HALF PIG APPROXIMATELY £100 (depending on weight) Open all day, everyday outside shop Fri, Sat Farm shop open 8.30am-5pm Also Arts disiplay Durweston, near Blandford.

01258 450050

34

Fruity veg is full of good things

Rebecca Vincent is a Wincanton nutritionist

So far in this seasonal series we have focussed on the wonderful vegetables available to us, but this time we are going to take our first foray into the delights of seasonal fruit…or are we?!

I have to admit when I was planning this column I did think this would be my first fruit-based recipe, however, despite being used in a myriad of puddings rhubarb is in fact a vegetable!

Given its long-standing history in “sweet” dishes the US even reclassified it as a fruit in 1947.

Rhubarb is typically in season in the UK from around April through till late summer (forced rhubarb is usually available December to March, and field grown from April to September).

While it is most commonly used in crumbles, pies, and stewed sweet, this recipe will allow you to enjoy rhubarb with both sweet and savoury dishes.

It is a good source of vitamins K, and A, and fibre, as well as antioxidants anthocyanins and

proanthocyanidins which give rhubarb its colour.

The herbs we use also have the potential to contribute to our health.

Thyme, a member of the mint family, contains good levels of vitamins C and A, as well as copper, iron, and manganese.

It also contains a variety of flavonoids including, apigenin, naringenin, luteolin and thymonin which contribute to its antioxidant capacity.

This recipe is incredibly simple but can be an exciting addition to a variety of dishes!

Thyme Roasted Rhubarb (serves 4-6) 4 medium sized stalks of rhubarb leaves from medium bunch of thyme 1-2 tbsp of honey or maple syrup Heat the oven to 180 degrees (160 fan).

Cut the rhubarb into 2-3cm long chunks (cut straight or on the diagonal), mix with the thyme leaves and honey or maple syrup, then arrange in an ovenproof dish.

Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the rhubarb is soft when tested with a knife, but still holds its shape.

This is lovely served warm with some live yoghurt and chopped nuts, with a cheese board or even as an alternative to apple sauce with roast pork.

Rebecca Vincent BSc BANT registered nutritionist rebeccavincentnutrition.co.uk

THYME OUT: Roast with rhubarb for a health-packed treat

Food & Drink

Cooking...

with Mrs Simkins

The Quickest Quiche – aka Self Crusting Quiche Most people love a quiche, or more correctly, a savoury tart (strictly speaking, quiche filling was originally just eggs, cream, and bacon) and they are easy to make at home. The filling is whipped up in a flash, but the pastry is a bit more time consuming.

In recent years, crustless quiches have become popular and even more recently self-crusting quiches have stepped into the limelight.

Self-crusting quiches or ‘impossible quiches’ as they are known in Australia, are a cross between the two: a little flour is added to the filling, which browns slightly on the bottom and sides during baking, giving a very light crust effect and is a little more substantial than the crustless version.

Try this easy cheese and onion version – it’s absolutely delicious and super-quick to make.

Variation You can easily customise it if you like: use a diced regular onion rather than spring onions and/or add up to 100g of other bits and pieces such as lightly cooked vegetables (cauliflower or asparagus, for example) lightly cooked bacon or what have you.

Makes an 18cm quiche, serves 2-4 3-4 fat spring onions, sliced or snipped with kitchen scissors

1 teaspoon of oil 2 medium eggs ¼ teaspoon mustard powder Black, white and cayenne pepper to taste 1 tablespoon double cream (or milk) 40g plain flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder 75g mature Cheddar cheese, grated 150ml milk Preheat oven to 190C (170C fan oven) gas mark 5 or

Mum’s Kitchen...

Frozen Eton Mess Ingredients 8 meringue nests 300ml double cream 325g of best quality lemon curd 200g raspberries Method Line 8 individual ramekins with cling film taken well over the rim.

Lightly crush the meringues and set aside.

In a good sized bowl whip the

equivalent You will need a greased 18cm flan/pie dish and a balloon whisk Cook the onion slowly in the oil until soft, drain on kitchen paper.

Whisk the eggs and seasoning together in a large jug. Whisk in the cream or milk. Sieve the flour and baking powder together and add gradually to the egg mix, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk.

Arrange the onions and 50g of the cheese over the bottom of the dish Pour the cheesy egg mix carefully over the top and scatter with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Serve immediately: it’s wonderful warm, but also good cold.

MrsSimkins.co.uk twitter.com/MrsSimkinsCooks info@MrsSimkins.co.uk

with Diana Holman

cream to soft peaks. Fold in the lemon curd and raspberries.

Fold in the crushed meringues and spoon into the ramekins.

Open freeze until firm, then wrap the overhanging cling film over the top of each and freeze again until ready to serve.

About 20 minutes before you wish to serve them, unwrap and turn out into pretty bowls.

Leave out at room temperature for around 10 minutes before serving.

35

Food & Drink

By Karen Bate The love Sandford Orcas villagers feel for their local was evident after they banded together and raised enough money to replace the windbattered marquee at The Mitre Inn in the village.

In brighter times, the marquee was used to host beer festivals over the years.

But after severe winds ripped through the canopy a new one was desperately needed ahead of pub’s re-opening as coronavirus restrictions are eased.

The hospitality sector has been deeply hit by Government restrictions over the last year, so owners Cheryl and Allen Page launched a crowdfunding campaign for a new marquee.

And in less than one week, the couple were stunned to find the funds had poured in as generous villagers and regulars of The Mitre had dug

deep into their pockets.

And with another £250 donated to the cause from Sandford Orcas Village Hall, a new marquee was bought and placed in pride of place outside the inn at the end of March.

Alex Ferris said: “The Mitre has established beer festivals using the marquee, and other events locals look forward to.

Unfortunately with the severe winds the old marquee needed replacing.

“It is testament to the pub’s importance that it took less than a week to crowdfund the Mitre’s new marquee erected on 31st March this year, with £250 donated by the Sandford Orcas village hall and the balance given by regulars.

“Others have contributed to new external heaters for the marquee, ensuring we all enjoy the pub to its fullest capacity.”

Cheryl and Allen became tenants of The Mitre in

In tents drive to fund much-loved marquee December 1992, and since then have become pillars of the community offering great beer, delicious food and two pairs of friendly ears.

The pub was originally built in 1851 as a cider house but is now a freehouse. The couple sell beer and cider from local breweries including Apex Brewery and Yeovil Ales.

Over the ensuing years the

couple refurbished the pub and then bought it in 2013 and replaced the roof in November the same year. In 2014 The Mitre was rewired and redecorated and two ensuite rooms were added with the addition of a shepherd’s hut to complement the building’s character.

To find out more about the pub go to mitreinn.co.uk

Advertisers get an amazing response from the New Blackmore Vale!

To book your ad, call Debi on 07876 563683 or email debi.thorne@icloud.com n Discounts available for series bookings. n Free design service and professional advice. n Reach 60,000-90,000 readers 36

Antiques & Collectibles

Future sales to be held over two days Having held another bumper sale of over 1,000 lots on offer in their April 10th sale Clarke’s Auctions at Semley have decided to hold their future sales over a two-day period.

They have been extremely busy during the lockdown period with probate valuations, private client valuations and house clearances and have seen their sales go from an average of 600 lots per sale to over 1,000 lots per sale.

Much of the bidding is now taking place online and they have found that selling this way takes longer than when the

bidding was mainly to be found in the room. Therefore, in future they will be holding the first part of the sale on the Friday with the remainder to be sold on the Saturday.

FORTHCOMING ONLINE TIMED AUCTIONS 200 Lots of Fine Art, Antique Furniture, Silver, Porcelain and Collectables Entries for this sale are closed Auction opens Wednesday 21st April and Closes Wednesday 28th April Viewing by appointment on Thursday 22nd April and Friday 23rd April 450 Lots of Carpets, Rugs and Textiles Entries for this sale are closed Auction opens Wednesday 21st April and closes Wednesday 28th April Viewing by appointment on Wednesday 21st April and Thursday 22nd April 700 Lots of Antique and Modern Household Furniture and Effects, Collectables and General Items Entries for this sale are closed Auction opens Wednesday 5th May and closes Wednesday 12th May Viewing by appointment on Thursday 6th May and Friday 7th May Up to 1,000 Lots of Shooting, Fishing, Hunting and Taxidermy Items Entries for this sale are closed Auction opens Wednesday 12th May and closes Wednesday 19th May Viewing by appointment on Thursday 13th May and Friday 14th May Viewing of online sales and registration to bid on our website in due course: www.salisburyauctioncentre.co.uk Sales conducted on the Auctionmarts platform Absentee bids accepted from those who have viewed Netherhampton Salerooms, The Livestock Market, Salisbury SP2 8RH Tel : 01722 321215

sale to enable any of their future sales, prospective buyers to or for any other queries, have plenty of time to please phone either view the sale online.

Richard Clarke or Karen Their next Antiques & Marshall on 01747 Collectables sale will be 855109 at the main held on Friday the 7th offices on Kingsettle and Saturday the 8th of Business Park, Station Road, Semley, An early 19th May and it is already looking to be another Shaftesbury. For century school oil on busy sale with the usual information regarding canvas array of antique and consigning items to their painting of period furniture, modern upcoming Classic Cars, two young design furniture, silver Motorbikes & girls. Sold for £450 and jewellery, ceramics Automobilia sale please and glass, paintings, contact Matt Whitney Richard Clarke, the on the main office auctioneer, feels that the rugs, and collectables. They are number. antiques business has still taking entries for fundamentally changed this sale so if you are during the lockdown Antique having a clear-out please period and feels that & Classic Clock Repairs even when they are able get in touch with them & Restoration to open their doors once on the telephone number Longcase Clocks a specialit below. more, the vast majority Antique Clock sales of buyers will still prefer To arrange any home Clocks Unlimite visits or to arrange to bid online in the Tel: (01935) 423233 Mobile: 07974 520545 valuations to value items comfort of their own www.clocksunlimited.co.u for consignment into clocksunlimited@aol.com home but they are looking forward to the relaxation of the covid guidelines and to welcoming their customers back in to the saleroom both for viewing and participating on the sale days.

Auctioneers & Valuers Clarke’s Auctions always launch their NEXT SALE: Friday 7th May and colour catalogue at theSaturday 8th May saleroom.com and easyliveauction.com at Antiques & least a week before each Collectables

CLARKE’S AUCTIONS

WE BUY RECORDS, COLLECTIONS LARGE and SMALL. Call BILL 07967 816506 or 01747 811100. Email bill@ rebornrecords.co.uk GOOD CONDITION VINYL RECORDS WANTED Larger collections preferred. No classical please, cash paid 07831266478

Online, commission and telephone bidding only Colour catalogue available the week before the.saleroom.com & easyliveauction.com

Joseph Farquharson RA (Scottish 1846-1935).

The Flower Borders of the Artist's Garden at Finzean, Aberdeenshire – oil on canvas. Sold for £6,000

An Art Nouveau Arts & Crafts enamel plaque depicting a lady. Sold for £1,350

Please contact Richard Clarke or Karen Marshall on 01747 855109 Station Road, Semley, Shaftesbury, SP7 9BU enquiries@clarkesauctions.co.uk clarkesauctions.co.uk

37

Antiques & Collectibles

Ups and downs of Stalbridge Park’s former manor house

By Hilary Townsend, president of Stalbridge History Society.

The Stone Lions Have you ever wondered why stone lion-head crests can be seen above two stout ashlar piers on either side of the 17th century entrance to Stalbridge Park?

Once the fifth largest manor house in Dorset, stood there.

Built around 1618, in 1636 it was bought by the immensely wealthy Earl of Cork.

The new owner supported the Royalists and when the Civil War broke out King Charles I stayed at the house on 8th October, 1644 on his way to a battle. The Earl’s youngest son Robert and his brother Francis, on a grand tour were marooned in Geneva by the Civil War. When they returned, they found the Stalbridge house greatly neglected. The house passed to Robert Boyle, who conducted

many of his early scientific experiments there, becoming famous as the ‘Father of English Chemistry’. His father had loved building impressive fireplaces and the house was assessed for 30 hearths in the Dorset Hearth Tax Returns l662 to 1664.

By the early 18th century the house belonged to Peter Walter, an avaricious, greedy former steward who became very rich and enlarged the park. His grandson Edward Walter made

the park bigger still. He had no male heir so the estate passed to the Paget family (Uxbridge and Anglesey).

This family did not need to live at Stalbridge Park so the house was not maintained well. In 1804 there was one last royal visit, King George the third staying at Weymouth was invited to visit the house and ‘partake of refreshment’. The house was asset stripped and pulled down in the 1820s.

Great prices achieved At Acreman St Antiques Auction our March online only sale was a great success, with 90% of items sold and achieving great prices, including the wonderful collection of Japanese woodblock prints the best seeing £1,000 along with the Oriental carpets and rugs, the best selling for £1,000 and a small antique carpet saddlebag selling for £600.

With over 200 lots of jewellery up for grabs and thanks to your generous donations, 64 lots sold on behalf of the Breast Cancer Unit Appeal at Yeovil Hospital, raising over £4,500.

For our 30th April online sale we are looking forward to being able to allow physical viewing by appointment following new guidelines.

Items have been pouring in and we have on offer a wide selection of entries including jewellery, silver, furniture to include an oak Arts & Crafts blanket box dated 1905 with carved decoration depicting Griffins Est. £100-200, a wonderful Aesthetic 38

Movement glazed top mahogany cabinet in the manner of Bruce Talbot Est. £300-500 and a pair of Oriental hardwood inlaid side tables Est. £150-250. Also on offer is a large selection of paintings and pictures, oriental, garden items and general antiques and collectables.

We are inviting entries for our May 28th online auction (by appointment) and also entries for our upcoming specialist Textiles, fashion & apparel auction to include designer and vintage clothing, antique lace and linen, tapestries and needlepoint, sewing related items, soft furnishings and fabrics.

We are happy to give free valuations and appraisals on any items you may be considering for auction and home visits can be arranged. We will take in from single items up to complete house clearances.

For any enquiries please contact Gill Norman on 07908 333577/ 01935 508764 or auction@acremanstreet antiques.co.uk

In 2018 the present owner gave permission for the site to be researched and Dorset Diggers, a community group led by a professional archaeologist, began this work. Sadly, the pandemic has greatly hindered it since then.

Just beyond the Stone Lions inside the park there used to be a beautiful pond, deep, mysterious, fed by springs and edged with handsome stone. It is gone now but, aged nine and armed only with a jam jar, I caught the biggest sturdiest newts I have ever seen.

ACREMAN ST. ANTIQUES AUCTION SHERBORNE

General Antiques & Collectables Auction Friday 30th April 10am ONLINE ONLY through easyliveauction.com VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT THURSDAY 29th APRIL

We are now taking in for our 30th April Auction For all enquiries please contact Gill Norman on 07908 333577 or 01935 508764 auction@acremanstreetantiques.co.uk

Antiques & Collectibles

Would you pay £30k for a Ford Escort?

A rusty old two door Ford Escort is estimated to sell for up to £30,000 in an auction of classic cars on Wednesday, July, 14.

While the Ford Escort provided the nation with affordable and reliable transportation, the car discovered by Charterhouse Auctioneers buried in a Dorset garage is a very rare RS2000 model. The first Ford Escort Mk I rolled off the production line in 1968. Over the next 32 years more than four million Escorts were made. And the Escort Mk I RS200 is the holy grail to lovers of the Ford blue oval badge.

The RS2000 was produced by Ford at their Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) facility at Aveley, Essex. Back in the early 1970s, the RS2000 offered everything you could want in a sports saloon with great handling, performance, practicality, easy maintenance and affordability. On sale between 1973 and 1975, this model was popular and it is estimated of the 5,334 RS2000s built only 3,759 were for the UK market. It remained much in demand, even after production ceased, until the MKII versions

ONE OF THE LAST SURVIVORS: The 1975 Ford Escort MKI RS2000 above, and right, buried under a pile of stuff

arrived in the summer of 1975.

The RS2000 being sold by Charterhouse is an extremely very rare survivor. First registered in 1975 the car was finished in diamond white, rolling off the production line with a cigarette lighter, reversing lights, and a heated rear window.

Over the past 46 years this RS2000 has had only seven owners. The current owner bought the car from a retired gentleman in Bournemouth over three years ago who in turn bought it from his brother. It is thought the car was last on the

road nearly 25 years ago, having been stored in garages since then.

With so many RS2000 MkIs having been raced and rallied and others succumbing to rust and being scrapped when they were of little value or interest, this is quite probably one of the

last genuine Ford Escort MKI RS2000’s in original condition to be offered for sale.

Needing full restoration, it is nevertheless estimated at £20,000-30,000 when it goes under the Charterhouse hammer in their classic car auction being held at The Haynes International Motor Museum at Sparkford, Somerset on Wednesday, July 14.

Charterhouse are now accepting further entries for this specialist auction of classic and vintage cars. Richard Bromell and the team at Charterhouse can be contacted for entries at The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne 01935 812277 or at charterhouseauction.com

Auction salerooms reopen John Jeffery (Auctioneers) Ltd has reopened its Netherhampton salerooms. There are a number of sales now lined up, all of which will be timed online sales through the firm’s own website with viewing available by appointment. Director Iain Soutar says it will be lovely to see a lot of friends back in the saleroom if only for viewings.

He said: “We have sales for fine art, carpets, sporting goods and general furniture and effects scheduled. We did a 1,100-lot sporting sale in this fashion last autumn and it

proved very successful, so now seems the right time to try it with other sales. We do however hope to be able to get back to our regular Friday general sales in the room as soon as it is practical. Many vendors have had items here in storage for a very long time and we thank them for their patience and feel there will be a lot of pent up demand for their goods.”

30th June

Sold for £12,000

14th July

Had A Lockdown Sort Out? Specialist Free April Valuation Days Royal Doulton & Border Fine Arts 19th Silver, Jewellery & Watches 20th Coins, Medals & Stamps 21st Model Cars, Trains, Dolls & Toys 22nd Picture, Books & Postcards 23rd

June Classic & Vintage Motorcycles July Classic & Vintage Cars Further entries now being accepted The Long Street Salerooms Sherborne DT9 3BS 01935 812277 • www.charterhouse-auction.com 39

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Summer bedding in packs and pots Geraniums for summer colour A whole host of hostas 42

Vegetable seedlings and herbs Young tomato plants Marguerites and osteospermums

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41

Home & Garden

Gardening...

...with botanist Dr Dave Aplin

For peat’s sake, it’s time to forego classic compost mix For those of a certain age – and I include myself – the late Geoff Hamilton was the figurehead of BBC gardening. He was especially passionate about halting the use of peat-based products, for good reason. He felt it unnecessary for gardeners to endanger natural peatbogs to grow plants. Yet over quarter of a century later, peat remains a key constituent in most UK composts while the case against peat has escalated to focus on its contribution towards global warming. climate change.

Why is the horticultural industry Fortunately, peat-free alternatives make reluctant to switch to alternative products? Peat is undoubtedly a brilliant good replacements although unfortunately they are still hard to find. gardening product. It is a uniform, free These comprise composted garden from pests and diseases, gives good waste, pine bark, dried sewage sludge aeration at the roots while being able to retain large amounts of water. It is clean and coir. Coir is the leading product from the thick, fibrous husks that to handle and tactile, making it pleasant surround coconuts. Like peat, coir is to work with. It is something gardeners very absorbent yet able to maintain a have mastered the art of using to high air content. Westland’s ‘New produce great-looking plants. It is Horizon’ compost is perhaps the most naturally nutrient-poor, making it possible, by adding fertiliser (and lime), readily available peat-free compost, while MiracleGro, Levington and to produce a multitude of commercial SylvaGrow all offer alternatives. In my compost mixes to suit any plant. No experience, if the words ‘Peat-Free’ are wonder peat is so popular, so what’s all not emblazoned on the front of the bag the fuss about?

Many of today’s peatlands were formed then it almost certainly contains peat. around 10,000 years ago. They comprise In 2011, the government set voluntary targets to end sales of peat-based semi-decomposed plant and animal compost for domestic use by 2020. This remains, that are very acidic and dramatically failed, leading to the waterlogged. This produces a special current cohort of celebrity gardeners environment for distinctive plants and protesting loudly. It is certainly animals, yet is inhospitable to most unacceptable that peat-alternative micro-organisms. This means rates of composts remain hard or impossible to decay are slow and peat gradually find in garden outlets accumulates. In so doing, the the ‘writing peatbog forms a massive Soil Testing Service despite on the wall’ for deposit of thousands of years Professional laboratory soil tests horticultural peat, so of the greenhouse gas, carbon • gardeners • landscapers if you can’t find any dioxide. Globally, peatbogs • small holders at your local store Wild昀ower meadows, veg, fruit, 昀ower, cover 3% of the Earth’s make sure you ask: new & established gardens. surface, yet hold as much ‘Why not?’ Next Fast, accurate & easy to stored carbon as all the time, as spring interpret soil report within 7 days world’s forests combined. www.soilvalues.com advances we look at Critically, once peatlands are how frost damages 07598 714 082 damaged, through drainage plants and what we and extraction, decomposition can do to reduce this rates accelerate and carbon happening. dioxide is leaked into the soilvalues.com atmosphere, contributing to 42

GARDEN SERVICES

GRASS & BRUSH CUTTING Orchards, paddocks, plantations etc.

ROTAVATING

Rough ground to seed bed

MINI DIGGER/SLEW and high lift DUMPER MOSS PROBLEM Scarifying, spiking & coring

PATIO & PATH CLEANING etc.

Call 01963 237890 24/7

Landscaping, Groundworks and Garden Maintenance, Specialists in Patios, Fencing, Driveways, Walling, Ponds, Turfing Free Quotations

amralphlandscaping@gmail.com Tel: 01747 850544 www.ralphlandscaping.co.uk Mobile: 07921 637227

WELL ROTTED MANURE, £50 per load within 20 miles of Sherborne, 01963 210269 TOPSOIL Always available Barn stored, screened or as-dug Small or large amounts Tel: 01963 363208 07836 747895 LAWN SCARIFYING Moss and thatch removal Tel 01747 821 726

MAN WITH MICRO-DIGGER Garden clearance, patios, fencing, decking, landscaping, driveways. 30+ years’ experience. Contact Ken - 07882 441873 01963 32034 GARDEN SERVICES Herbaceous borders, pruning, wildlife gardens Regular maintenance, RHS Quals, Insured, Ref available.

Tel 07877 413676

Home & Garden (see also Local Services) DANNY'S GARDEN & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE All trees, hedges, fencing, gravel paths/driveways, pressure cleaning, concrete bases, free quotations, fully insured, 0754561973501258721376

TREE SERVICES

Treecare Co. Tree Specialists

TREE STUMP REMOVAL Pruning, bracing, shaping.

Preservation of mature trees.

Hedge cutting. Trees supplied & planted.

Landscaping & maintenance.

Heavy duty winch hire available.

Tree Surgery BS.3998 Contractors to local authorities.

WOOD CHIPPINGS FOR SALE Free Quotes & Advice Tel/Fax: Shafts 853512 Mobile: 07831 262083 Established in 1976

At TreeCare we care...

GREENHOUSES supplied/erected alloy/ten colours spares-repairs-glass Chris Abrams 01258 452632 GARDEN RESCUE TEL 01747 821 726 LES BENHAM Garden Property Maintenance All Hedge/tree work/ rubbish clearance gravel driveways/ pressure washing patio and fencing work fully insuranced/free quotes 01258 458849/07788 907343 lesbenham@yahoo.co.uk / check a trade MALCOLM KELLY. Grass cutting and hedge cutting.

All garden maintenance.

01258 817541. 07717 368134.

Established in 1978, Cullingford carpets & interiors continues to be a family run business providing a high-quality service across the south-west

CARPETS

FLOORING

RUGS

SOFT FURNISHINGS

Cullingford Carpets & Interiors

Newbury, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4QL Tel: 01747 835394 Wincanton Business Park, Somerset BA9 9RR Tel: 01963 33574 Open: Mon-Fri 8.30-5.30 Sat 9.00-4.30 www.cullingfordcarpets.co.uk email: info@ cullingfordcarpets.co.uk

LAWN MOWING SERVICE Tel 01747 821 726

TREEWISE (Established 1997)

Tree Surgeons

Professional and experienced tree surgery and landscaping services to residential and commercial customers. We also offer a range of equipment for hire.

Available 24/7 Free quotations Fully qualified team Full public liability insurance Safe Contractor Approved

Tel: 01747 228484 Mob: 07770 833734 www.valetreesurgeons.com Vale Tree Surgeons Limited, Gillingham SP8 4LX

TJ Allard Tree Surgery

Professional tree care, 15 years experience NPTC qualified & Fully insured

t Felling and removal t Crown reductions & thinning t Specialists in large trees t Tree dismantling & pollarding t Site clearance & mulching t Stump grinding t Fencing t Ground work Tel: 01747 838342 Mob: 07825786449

Experts in all aspects of TREE SURGERY, HEDGECUTTING & STUMP REMOVAL NPTC qualified & fully insured No job too small, Friendly, personal advice and free quotations.

Make a wise choice and call David Merefield today on 01747 850906 / 07966 522361

Tree Tree Surgery.

Surgery. Reductions.

Reductions. Felling.

Felling.

Hedge Trimming.

Stump Grinding.

Hedge Trimming. Stump Grinding.

Woodchip Woodchip supplies. supplies.

Family run business Family run business since since 1946 1946 Tel: 01963 250005 Tel: 01963 250005 Mobile: Mobile: 07976 07976 934 934 252 252 www.bandgdown.co.uk

AYRES TREE CARE Specialising in all kinds of tree work from pruning to hedge trimming, areas gravelled or forest barked.

Waste carrying licence, fully insured FREE ESTIMATES

01747 850 129 or 07951 284 639

North Dorset Tree Surgeons We carry out all aspects of tree surgery, hedge cutting and stump grinding.

Fully insured and NPTC quali昀ed.

Call Will today on 01747 854517 or 07872 970741 Professional

Experienced

Reliable

43

Local Services

Jeans Electrical

www.jeanselectrical.co.uk

APPLIANCES SALES, REPAIR & INSTALLATION

PROPER DOMESTICS • APPLIANCE REPAIRS

& INSTALLATION

01747 416059 www.properdomestics.com

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE REPAIRS, Washing machines, dishwashers, ovens etc, Call Darren or Jason 07979 976514

Jeans of Mere, offer appliance repairs on most brands with fixed labour repair charges (parts on top)

Call 01747 860215

Planning & Building Applications for New Build, Extensions and Conversions

01747 822162

Our advice is always free www.bell-associates.co.uk

Quantity Surveying Estimating Surveying Building Dispute Resolution

Davies & Sons – Builders All aspects of building works undertaken Over 20 years of experience FMB Registered since 2002 For a free no obligation quote Call Mark on 07525834551 or Email: davies.mark66@yahoo.com Find us at fmb.org.uk

Search for Davies and Sons or our postcode BA10 0DZ

01749 813625

Robert Chalke Associates www.rca-qs.com

Joseph Crocker Computers Custom built gaming & office PCs Desktop, laptop and mobile device diagnosis and repair General computer and IT advice

ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING & ELECTRICAL

Architectural Services

COMPUTER MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS Purchase advice, virus removal, new PC setup /installation,intern <None>et connection, upgrades, computer/ software tuition. Call Gregg on 01963 370713

NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL 01963 23669 or 07484 690824 josephcrockercomputers.co.uk

Steve Guppy Home Maintenance & Improvements

Fully Insured Tel: 01747 590584 Mob: 07812 106 513

ELECTRICIAN: Small jobs to full rewires. Fusebox upgrades. testing & certification. Prompt, quality service at reasonable rates (no VAT).

Call Alan 8am-8pm 07388696147. Email alanaac@me.com SW BUILDING & RENOVATIONS swbuildandrenovation@gmail.com All aspects of building and plumbing catered for. Tel: 07970 437786

B.LUCAS General builder

25 Years Experience, City & Guilds Qualified Extensions, Renovations, Alterations, New Build, Plastering, Floor and Wall Tiling, Brickwork, Blockwork, Stonework and Patios, Fencing and Decorating.

FREE estimates, No VAT 01747 228827 07809 362919

Damp Control Timber Treatments Dry Rot Condensation Control 30-Year Bonded Guarantee

Building trust with quality workmanship

We provide end-to-end communication, budgeting, staffing, organisation and project management to produce a solid, high quality building, every time.

Tel: Wincanton 01963 202382 Mobile: 07881 504426 Email: maplepres@aol.com www.maplepreservation.co.uk Period and listed Property Specialists See our main advertisement in the Property section

We’ll get the job done 44

All types of building and electrical work undertaken Fully qualified New builds Extensions Maintenance Attic conversions including rendering, plastering, paving and tiling Free on site estimates No VAT No job too big or too small

01963 364553 07966 496299 www.ecrservices.co.uk

DORSET WOOD TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS

www.stswithun.com

Oak Timber Framing Bespoke Timber Building Traditional Building Specialist inc All Building WorkGAll aspects of Lime External and Internal Rendering/Plastering/Repointing Lime Crete Flooring Chimney Rebuilds and Repointing

enquiry@stswithun.com

Contact Dave Welsh 07838 654468

Our commercial projects include new construction and repairs or restorations.

Maple Building & Developments

ECR Services

Tel: 01747 832386

www.dorsetwood.co.uk

djwelsh@btinternet.com

Local Services

COMPUTER SERVICES

Get connected. Stay connected.

DECORATION, FLOORING & CARPENTRY

WiFi • Email • FaceTime • WhatsApp Skype • Google • eBay • Amazon Facebook • Twitter • Instagram Laptop Tablet Smartphone desktop PC

• Friendly, patient, and knowledgeable help • Keep in touch with family, friends and colleagues for free over the Internet • Sell online easily, quickly and reliably

• Buying advice, setup and installation I’m Phil Hudson, your local tech expert and trouble-shooter. I’ll come to you and sort things out, at a time that suits you. Or you can drop off your machine at my workshop for quick, efficient care and maintenance.

Call me now on 07805 783147 CLEANING, HANDYMAN & GENERAL SERVICES

J & C Handyman Services Plumbing Painting & decorating Shed erecting & repairs Flat pack furniture Shelves & curtain rails

Door hanging & skirting boards Guttering and facia clearing and replacement Fencing Pointing etc...

No job too small Please call with your requirements 01963 364457 07368 516658 dorsethandyman26@gmail.com www.jchandymanservices.com General building Extensions/Renovations Loft conversions Oak frame buildings Groundwork/Landscaping All your property needs Tel: 01747 851149 Mobile: 07979 527379 email: alanlewisaml@aol.com

CLEANER: Efficient and organised. Satisfaction guaranteed Refs available. Andrew 07838 377788

SHINY STOVES OVEN CLEANING Ovens,Ranges, Aga’s, etc.

Independent Family Run Business Covering The Blackmore Vale Area

Tel 01935 592461 Mob 07875 272401 www.shinystoves.com

AN EXPERIENCED & RELIABLE HANDYMAN call Chris 01258 860826 07413 678076

DORSET LIME Specialists in all external and internal lime work.

Lime crete flooring.

All aspects of traditional building.

John Banham’s

Property Service REFRESHING Bathrooms & Kitchens

Upgrades and Carpentry Decorating services Refreshing sale and rental upgrades Handyman projects Plumbing repairs Tiling services Contact: John Banham

Call Dave or Dan 07492 181788

Of昀ce: 01747 838 087 Mobile: 07768 190 131

PAINTING & DECORATING

email: refreshingrenovations@gmail.com

Local, Quality Painter & Decorator 35 Years Experience Free Quotes • No VAT Call Richard on

Home: 01258 880670 Mob: 07825 512 627 ‘Your home in safe and capable hands’

FITTED WARDROBES made to measure (in white, other door colours available), from £200, free quotes. Bob Humphries 07885 286508

REFURBISH YOUR STAIRS AND JOINERY NO OBLIGATIOND SURVEY AN PRICING

INSTALLATION

BY OUR OWN TEAM

New of refurbished stairs using our contemporary glass or quality stop chamfered/ traditional turned newels, spindles, handrails and mouldings.

WE ALSO MANUFACTURE BESPOKE DOORS AND WINDOWS

01202 825 555 21 Black Moor Rd, Ebblake Ind Est, Verwood, BH31 6AX

www.briggs-products.co.uk

45

Local Services HOUSE & RUBBISH CLEARANCE

GARDENING & LANDSCAPING (see FENCING AND REPAIRS, No VAT, Call Dave Whitehand on 07549 151799

Clive Smith Ltd. SKIP HIRE

SKIP HIRE ALL AREAS COVERED ALL SIZE OF SKIP AVAILABLE PLEASE RING

CLIVE SMITH ANYTIME

01258 860 166 or 07974 822 243 HOU CLEAR HOUSE CL ARAN ANCE CE Plus; Sheds, Attics, Garages & Gardens Quality Items Offset Registered Waste Carrier

DRYSTONE WALLING AND LANDSCAPING yenstonewalling.co.uk 01963 371123

SELF DRIVE DIGGER AND DUMPER HIRE, 01258 861647 R&W FENCING SERVICES All types of fencing, agriculture and domestic 01258 880892 07980 036250

FOOTINGS, driveways, drains, bulk excavation and farm tracks. Call 07955 808983

HAVING A CLEAR-OUT? Advertise your unwanted items on 01963 400186 JACK'S HOUSE CLEARANCE Often without charge. Books also wanted for cash.

07542 389447. And website jackshouseclearance.co.uk

Tel: 01258 440838 Or: 07853 275379 enquiries@back2market.com

All Size Skips Available Full muckaway service available, small or large loads inc grab lorries Tipping facilities at our premises Sand, gravel & top soil supplied Loose or in Bulk Bags

SK I

PH

IR E

T F PLANT

Serving the West Country for 40 years SEPTIC TANK EMPTYING SERVICE The same team are still providing Pete White’s friendly service

Trade and DIY welcome Ring for enquiries

Gillingham 01747 826107 Trusted family run business

EE

TI

LL

DY

STI K

PIN

AI G BRIT

N

HOUSE CLEARANCE PROFESSIONALS Including sheds, Lofts and Garages.

01202 855 349 - Discounts for saleable items -

www.allcleanwaste.co.uk Registered with Dorset County Councils Trading Standards, licences with The Environment Agency.

46

01963 370924 email: orders@wessexwaste.co.uk

Local services also Home & Garden)

Machine or Hand-Lay Local Authority Approved ESTABLISHED 1988

All aspects of Surfacing Roads Drives Footpaths Drop Kerbs Resin Bond Drives

For all your fencing and decking needs Closeboard, panels & sheds supplied and fitted.

Gates made to measure.

Sherborne Fencing Ltd Tel: 01935 814272 Mobile: 07814246332

ALL IRONWORK Handrails, gates, railings, repairs., restoration. 01258 880301

Local Services classifieds: 01963 400186

D KING & SON Tree and Garden Services, 25 years experience, registered waste carrier, free estimates, all areas covered, no job to small, 07831 091239, david.king63@aol.co.uk

Crown Garden Care Concrete & Floor Screed Mixed On site Any Quantity Delivered

Call for a free quote 01747 820234 The Depot, Longcross, Warminster BA12 6LJ

info@cgtarmac.co.uk

www.cgtarmac.co.uk

Sand Gravel Stone Cement Blocks etc Supplied Loose or in Big Bags Good Quality Top Soil in Stock

Now available... Rockery Stone

Competitive Rates HARGRAVES LANDSCAPE & DEMOLITION Call us now for a free quotation on 07871 327962.

01747 853687 or 01747 855630 www.hardimanconcrete.co.uk

Lawn Service, Fencing, Hedges, Tree Work etc.

All Garden Maintenance Services Domestic & Commercial.

Fully Insured & Reliable.

Tel: 01747 821726 07904 355 921 Mullins Garden Services

Lawn Mowing Hedge Cutting Strimming Clearances Please enquire on (M) 07585334780 or (H) 01258473502 for a free quote Covering Sturminster Newton and surrounding areas.

47

Local Services MISCELLANEOUS

JASMINE CARS TAXI SERVICE 07495 922821

PIANO TUNING, repairs, Sales of reconditioned pianos. Julian Phillips BA CGLI. 01258 471194

Comfortable, spacious and clean estate cars.

For hospitals, airports, seaports and local work.

Distance no object, day trips and special occasions.

Lady driver available. For safe Covid-aware transport.

5 star Google rating. JUST ASK! www.jasminecarsdorset.co.uk jasmine.cars@btinternet.com

WORK UNIT approx 150 sqft, £62 per week.

Office/storage unit to let £27 per week.

Caravan/storage/parking from £30 per month.

07811 837061

WANTED - Dave buys all types of tools.

Call 01935 428975

Over 30 years experience

Best prices paid please call:

www.kpcleisure.co.uk

BOOK YOUR AD: 07876 563683 (DISPLAY) OR 01963 400186 (CLASSIFIEDS)

PLUMBING, HEATING & DRAINAGE

LTD

01747 826656 franksgroup.co.uk Phoenix Chimneys

& Property Maintenance Clive Young carries out Chimney Sweeping Solid Fuel Stove Servicing & Repairs All Chimney Work Birdguards & Cowls Repointing & Leadwork

Call 01258 455947

mandy4phoenixchimneys@gmail.com

Flushing

www.quinnsheating.com

Oil servicing and repairs, plus all other aspects of plumbing and heating carried out

t:01747 854887 m:07525 755 696

Oil/Natural Gas/LPG Installations Bathroom and Kitchen Installations New Boilers and Cylinders Underfloor Heating & Renewables Landlord Safety Certificates All workmanship guaranteed, along with manufacturers’ warranties.

• Condensing and

01258 446186 07973 183658

D&T Plumbing and Heating

MJ HPPS LTD Plumbing and Heating Contractors

• Natural Gas, LPG and Oil • Central Heating and Power Combination Boilers • Landlord’s Certificates • Bathrooms, Kitchens and Tiling All • of the Blackmore Vale area covered

Servicing

HEATING AND PLUMBING

FRANKS

•Boiler Replacement •Boiler Servicing •Gas, Oil & LPG MAINTENANCE GROUP •General Plumbing •Bathrooms Installations, •Landlord Certification servicing and •Solid Fuel Stove maintenance Installation and

Office: 01747 829222 Mobile: 07900916810 Email: mike@mjheat.co.uk

ABBEY DRAINAGE UNBLOCKING DRAINS Toilets Rodding High pressure jetting CCTV Surveys No dig relining Septic tank and water treatment plant installation All repairs and renewals No call out charge

SOLID FUEL INSTALLATIONS LTD accredited installers from the competent persons scheme for wood burners, multi fuel stoves, chimney liners and twin walled flues.

Sweeping chimneys, birdguards & cowls.

Fireplace alterations to your needs, chimney works including pointing. 01749 677440, 07921 074602 solidfuel3@aol.com solidfuelinstallationslt d.co.uk K.SANSOM CHIMNEY SWEEP Brush & Vacuum A.P.I.C.S Registered 01963 370038

A A FRAMPTON, seasoned hardwood logs, full load, 2.2 cu metres, £135, half load, £80. Dumpy Bags £55,Call 07860 242485, 01747 826408

Paul’s Oil and Gas Services

Sinks

01747 640188 07587 238563 48

We cover all of the Blackmore Vale area

Servicing, maintenance and call outs for domestic, commercial & catering natural gas, LPG and oil appliances.

Very competitive rates 40 years experience 01747 850395 or 07502 044896 email: stuartchardstuartchard@live.co.uk

Local Services ROOFING

Tom the Roofer I cover all aspects of roofing work, gutter replacement, cleaning and repair work

Based in Wincanton

t:01747 854887 m:07525 755 696

Tel: 07931 583614 valesideroofing@hotmail.com Find us on

CHRIS LANGLEY FLAT ROOFING BLANDFORD Specialist in Hi-performance felt & GRP. All of our work is GUARANTEED. All types of roofing professionally carried out.

PERSONAL SUPERVISION OF ALL ORDERS.

FREE D AN QUOTESATES ESTIM

01258-450879 | 07855-402799 Clangley12@aol.com

Fibre Cement, Onduline, Boxed Profile and Corrugated Metal Roofing Sheets available from our depots in Yeovil and Dorchester. www.roofinggear.co.uk YEOVIL DEPOT 01935 700425

DORCHESTER DEPOT 01305 257828

sales@roofinggear.co.uk

dorchester@roofinggear.co.uk

TUITION • Felt Roofing Specialist • Tiling, Slating and UPVC • Velux Windows • No Job Too Small • Insurance Work • Leadwork

FRENCH/ITALIAN TUITION. Experienced CE, GCSE, A Level tutor. Alison 07895 720975

Friendly Service Free Estimates Mobile 07973 248319 scott@scottmilesroofing.co.uk

SHERBORNE GUITAR TUITION 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com

WINDOWS & DOORS

Locksmiths & Key Cutting Emergency Callout UPVC Lock Repairs Established 1976

GRAHAM'S WINDOWS & DOORS More than 15 years’ experience installing high quality UPVC windows and doors, conservatories, warm roofs & aluminium. We provide the very best products with a wide range of colours and designs.

Buy with confidence

Visit our shop on Shaftesbury High Street

Call 01747 826311 Emergency callout 07747 488587 aslshaftesbury.co.uk

Quantum Locksmiths •24 Hour Call Out •UPVC Repairs •Key Cutting •Lock Changes •DBS Checked •No VAT

We are a Yeovil-based, family-run business, covering Dorset, Somerset and the South West. Reasonable prices and friendly service!

grahamswindowsanddoors.co.uk

Call: 07900-196427 01258 721236 Email: info@quantumlocksmiths.co.uk Follow us on

See our reviews on Facebook: facebook.com/GrahamsWindows

Follow us on

( 07530 693187

If Carlsberg did adverts... they’d do New Blackmore Vale adverts. Book yours on 07876 563683 (display) or 01963 400186 (classifieds) 49

Health & Wellbeing

Be mindful.. and give yourself space Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzz word, it’s everywhere.

You can take part in online mindful baking classes, mindful art, mindful dance, mindful colouring and the list goes on.

As a Yoga Instructor, when some years ago I first heard the term ‘mindfulness’ as a separate entity to yoga I was intrigued to know what exactly mindfulness was and how did it differ from the principal core of the tradition of yoga. I decided to do a bit of research to find out more. I bought books, attended workshops and courses. I learned of many great people whose work have much to do with this new found phenomenon, two of them being Jon Kabit-Zin and Thich Nhat Hanh.

Jon Kabat-Zin is founder of the programme MBSR, mindfulness based stress reduction. This

programme has helped thousands of people recognise and cope with stress related problems. It is widely used and recommended by doctors and health professionals.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddest monk and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, author of many remarkable, empowering books on peaceful practices that are so simple to read, yet contain great wisdom.

While these and many others are

to be congratulated for bringing mindfulness to our ‘attention’ I soon realised ‘mindfulness’ was not a new concept or a new way of doing things. It had been an integral part of my yoga.

Mindfulness has been about for as long as we have.

We all know that when we have time to slow down, we can appreciate everything around us more easily. We can hear the birds singing, we can recognise that a friend might not be as jolly

as normal, we can start to think about ourselves and what makes us happy or sad, what we enjoy or don’t.

The problem is we are often just to busy to pause and pay attention with full awareness.

We jump from one busy task to the next, whether that be work, school, housework or gardening the list goes on. We are so busy doing, we forget to just be.

It’s a wonderful thing that mindfulness has become a buzz word and that we can be reminded to slow down and pay attention, try Mindful yoga, Mindful cooking, Mindful walking, give yourself some space to pause and just be.

Finola Brennan The Cedar Tree Blandford the-cedar-tree.co.uk 07780 952 395

Tech allowing grandmother to speak

By Miranda Robertson A family from Gillingham say they are so grateful for pioneering technology, which will allow them to hear their mother’s voice after motor neurone disease started to rob her of her speech.

The grandmother of seven, 71, who wants to remain anonymous, has been ‘banking’ her voice as it becomes harder and harder to speak due to the disease.

Her husband, 65, said: “For the whole family this will be a great comfort to them all to be able to hear her voice when she can longer speak.”

Over the last couple of years, Dorset HealthCare’s speech and language therapy team has trialled a ‘voice banking’ service, funded by the East Dorset and New Forest branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

50

A member of the voice banking team in action

Staff help patients ‘bank’ their voice, which then gets fed into software so they can communicate in their old, familiar tones.

The woman’s husband said: “My wife was diagnosed in November, but her symptoms started just over a year ago. It was frightening to start with but we go from day to day now.

“She is still at the stage

where she can walk and we make the service permanent. try to get out for a walk Dorset is one of the few every day. All food has to be areas in the country to offer pureed and speech is very this service. hard for her – it’s a big On average, 50 to 60 people effort. We’re still coming to are diagnosed with MND terms with it. Rose from each year in Dorset. More Weldmar comes here once a than 80 per cent of them will month and she is excellent.” develop communication The pioneering technology to problems, with many losing help people retain their voice their voices altogether. despite the ravages of motor A short film outlining how neurone is now being made the voice banking service available permanently in works, and the positive Dorset. MND patients can impact it had for some local record hundreds of words people with MND, can be and phrases to communicate seen at bit.ly/3rOcug0 in the event of losing their To find out more, go to: voice as the illness dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/adul progresses. t-speech-and-languageThe service has proved such therapy a hit, used PODIATRY CLINIC by more ST EDMUNDS than 40 Burton Street, Marnhull DT10 1PS people, the Julie Anne Smith DPodM MCPod trust has NEW hcpc registered Podiatrist now CLINIC T. 01258 821297 provided E. stedmundspodiatry@gmail.com funding to

Health & Wellbeing

Meditations in nature: Under an awesome April sky Leonardo de Vinci proposed that “once you have tasted the taste of the sky, you will forever look up”. I, too, am constantly in awe of the sky. It is, after all, the canopy under which we live our lives. With its shifting moods and colours, it affects us in more ways than we realise, from a sense of lightness and space under a high blue sky to a feeling of heaviness and closeness when low, dark grey clouds sit heavily upon our day.

In April, the sky is a shifting kaleidoscope of shapes and shades. The air over Britain is still cool from winter, but the heat of the spring sunshine is warming the ground. As the warmth rises into the cool air, the contrasting temperatures create voluminous cloud formations and subsequent torrential downpours.

Today, the sky tells me that anything could happen. The arctic wind has chased away the sun’s warmth and the daffodils in my garden have bent their heads towards the ground; broken by the morning’s ground frost. Even so, I don my boots and head out to enjoy whatever my stormy adventure brings.

April originates from the Latin verb “aperire”, which means ‘to open’, and this is exactly how April feels to me. The flowers, the trees and life itself are all opening up. The energising yellowness of celandines, primroses, and daffodils gleam optimism from the banks of the lane, whilst overhead, a white haze of abundant blackthorn momentarily colours my world

WOULD LIKE TO MEET Male, 72 Seeks cuddly sized lady 60-70 for friendship & LTR. 07516 715808

HEALTH & WELLBEING

white. Its fine, delicate petals the southern edges of this mini slipping like confetti in the monsoon, blue sky pretends all wind. I immediately recall my is well. I am not convinced and grandmother’s portent of a take shelter under my rain blackthorn winter heralding icy jacket. As I walk down towards weather when the trees are in the river, I marvel at the drama flower; the folklore is certainly of nature’s performance; my true of today. Absorbed by the steps accompanied by the burgeoning life around me, I rhythmic sound of raindrops on barely notice the ominous anvil my hood; like music to my ears. shaped cloud whose margins I love the month of April. engulf the entire horizon ahead of me. n Dr Susie Curtin Highlighted by the sun, the blue curtin.susanna@gmail.com slate sky sits oppressively on the land contrasting the FREE COUNSELLING SERVICE greening We have received funding from the National Community Fund to enable us to offer a telephone contours support line for anybody having trouble coping with these weird below, and times that we are going through.

What ever your problem, give us a call and grey patches our friendly counsellor will try to help. of cloud The help line is available: Tuesdays Daytime 1 - 4 pm tumble down Wednesdays Evening 6 - 8 pm in discernable Thursday Daytime 12 - 3 pm streaks of rain.

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| www.acnorthdorset.org.uk 51

Health & Wellbeing

Wild garlic packs a flavoursome and health-boosting punch Wild garlic is in abundance at the moment, with the fresh green leaves coating some of Dorset’s woodland floors.

Soon the white, delicate flowers will burst into life, making this time of year one of the most magical and walking through forests of wild garlic is a visual and sensory pleasure.

This fantastic herb is weaker than its cultivated cousin garlic, but has many of the same health benefits. It is reported to be extremely good for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, so beneficial to heart health. It is antiseptic. It stimulates the production of bile, which is good for the gall bladder and liver and helps to remove toxins from the body. It can also rid the body of threadworms!

We eat an awful lot of wild garlic at this time of year, so I thought I would share a couple of quick recipes.

Pesto: Large handful of wild garlic leaves. Packet of pine nuts. A good slug of olive oil. Salt, pepper, lime or lemon if you like and/or a good wedge of parmesan or hard goat’s cheese (grated).

Put them all into a blender and whiz up. When the flowers are out, pick some of them and pop them on top of some cooked pasta, tossed in the pesto.

Soup: Cut up one large onion and a chilli. Cook with a small bit of olive or coconut oil on a low heat.

the celeriac is tender, add a couple of cupfuls of frozen peas, the nettles and wild garlic and bring to the boil.

Take it off the heat and blitz in a food processor. Add any seasoning to taste.

Wild garlic leaves keep well if you pick them and put them in water and both recipes pack a highly nutritive and healthy punch.

The soup is excellent for Yin deficiency – which is when, as we get older, we start to dry up – so it helps replenish some of the fluids in our body. Beware with the pesto, it is delicious and being too greedy about it can cause duvets to fly about the ceiling!

Once soft, add some paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper.

Peel and cut up a small (or half) a celeriac. Add to the pot. Put in a can of coconut milk and about the same again of water plus one organic low salt vegetable stock cube. Pop a lid on the pan and cook for about 20 mins. Pick a huge bunch of wild garlic leaves and some nettle Fiona Chapman is tops. Give studying naturopathy all this a and herbal medicine at wash and the College of chop. Once Naturopathic Medicine

How to help a child through trauma ‘Everyone’s Invited’ is a website where young people can share their experience of abuse or trauma. Many of the stories, as standalone encounters, do not add up to a great wrong. They are accounts of intrusive, offensive and thoughtless acts.

Many are far more traumatic.

Collectively they are a window into a society that has lost its way. They merge together to form a picture of a world young people must struggle to find their way through, accepting the unwanted, acting out the unacceptable and then living a lie by pretending what has happened is ok.

In such areas, where do we start to help our children? Surely our main role, whatever their age, is to keep the channels of communication not only open but positively flowing because parents need to be that safe place 52

where children can come to find out more, to test a theory, to discuss something or someone that is worrying them, to utter that cry for help. We don’t need to know all the answers, but we do need to be approachable, honest and ready to listen.

Perhaps we also need to live a good example. The rules of yesteryear just don’t apply anymore. Interaction with friends, availability of ‘information’ regardless of age, the way your past does not stay in the past, it’s right there in

front of potential boyfriends, girlfriends, flatmates, employers, just a screen swipe away. At the very least, we need to examine how we interact with others, how we describe people or relate to people.

There has been media coverage of schools not accepting responsibility because the ‘incident’ took place out of school hours or away from school premises. Before I put my head above the parapet, I would also add there has been coverage of incidents that DID

take place at school that were brushed under the carpet very firmly and in fact, as I write, a mother is sending me accounts of just such incidents. But, surely, just because our children are at school, we are still their parents. Surely it never stops being our responsibility? If you’re wondering how to start this conversation, it’s easier to talk to your children avoiding eye contact. So, a walk or a car journey. It’s less confrontational and has a natural end point to the conversation when you get to the end of your journey.

A longer edition of this article is available by contacting Alice Johnsen. If you have been affected by this issue and would like support please contact Alice. n Alice Johnsen is a life coach based just outside Sherborne.

07961 080513 alicejohnsen.co.uk

Health & Wellbeing

A walk around...

BEER HACKETT Distance: Approx 4 miles This walk weaves you for five miles about the parish of Beer Hackett. The village is about five miles south west of Sherborne and a mile north of Yetminster. Park by the church, which is worth a visit. It’s rather large when you consider that the population of the parish is only about 100. Take the footpath heading north from the nearby Church Farm, crossing several low lying fields with clay soil. After half a mile you’ll reach the parish boundary, which follows a stream.

Double back and head south east along a footpath, crossing more fields, possibly with lots of cows.

Don’t worry if you meet cows when out walking.

They’re usually friendly and curious and may nuzzle you; however, if you have a dog, however harmless you know Fido to be, the cattle see a wolf and act accordingly.

Continue for half a mile until you reach Claypits Lane (I wonder how it got that name?), a track that takes you north for a quarter of a mile, where you’ll meet a footpath that will take you south-east for five furlongs (a kilometre if you’re still in

with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade

metric) to the hamlet of Knighton, where you’ll meet the Macmillan Way which will take you south-west for half a mile to Tibble’s Copse.

Skirt the copse and head north-north-east, crossing the road and heading north. Soon you turn north-west when you come to the corner of

Lower Wood and rejoin Claypits Lane, close to Claypits Farm. Turn left and follow the lane southwestwards past Greenways Farm until you meet the road. Here you turn right and walk west-north-west along the road for half a mile and you’ll be back at your car.

What’s the main problem people present with in therapy?

As a mental health professional and psychotherapist, I’m often asked the above question.

Stress, depression including bipolar, behavioural disorders. eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, addictions/ dependencies, relationship problems, stress, grief and loss are but a few – but the overwhelming one by far is FEAR. Statistically, anxiety and panic are at the top of the list; both of which are forms of fear. Fear is usually

found lurking around when our mental health isn’t good – and it’s an insidious, nasty, annoying and incapacitating thought and feeling. It’s at the root of many mental health disorders – it may or may not be the cause; but it’s nearly always present. Whether it’s fear of being unhappy, alone, unloved, unappreciated, unheard, physically unwell, disliked, unsuccessful, unattractive, isolated, judged and many other insecurities we have – fear can tend to make us think, feel and behave David Stanton IAC ICPT ISOCS ISSUP Senior Psychotherapist/Counsellor. in unhealthy Trainer and Mental Health Consultant. ways.

Individual and Group face to face sessions; also via video on WhatsApp, Skype, Messenger and Zoom.

However, Clinical Supervisor to other Health Care workers. fear is also a Counselling for Individuals, Groups, Couples, Children, Adolescents and Families. 40+ years experience. basic instinct Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Self Esteem, Relationship problems, and emotion; Family Dynamics, Bereavement, Eating Disorders, Substance/Alcohol Abuse, Addictions. without Isolation, Loneliness, PTSD, Bi-Polar, OCD, Sexual/Physical Abuse, Self Harming, Death Anxiety, Sex Issues. Lack of Meaning & Purpose, which Anger, Phobias, Gender, Sexuality. humanity Social Justice. Con昀ict Resolution. Crisis Management. probably Available for Mental Health and Emotional Wellness Workshops, Retreats, Seminars, Training and Talks. wouldn’t Emotional Intelligence and Awareness Educator have to all Education Establishments and Businesses. survived and CONFIDENTIALITY ASSURED Please contact through the websites thrived. In www.tatvacenter.com fact, most www.edas-addictionservices.com or telephone - David 07 584 711 488 living things

can become fearful. Fear alerts us to the presence of danger or the threat of harm, whether that danger is physical or psychological. As most know, we tend to react to it with ‘fight, flight or freeze.’ Fight is fairly self-explanatory, flight is run like hell and freeze is the ‘rabbit in the headlights’ or the ‘caught red handed’ syndrome!

None of which are comfortable. We’re often advised to ‘face your fear’ – something I don’t advise unless you have professional support. Forcing someone to do something against their will is not only traumatic; it’s against our basic human rights (if we’re fortunate enough to have them.) In therapy we use various therapeutic approaches to combat fear; including exposure therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy to name a couple of common techniques.

Another very common fear is the fear of therapy itself! As individuals we’re not great in owning our character defects and shortcomings. Exposing our insecurities, flaws, mistaken beliefs and generally

our shadow or dark side is not easy. We tend not to want to go there, or admit we’re fallible; because most have quite fragile self-esteems and our confidence can easily be toppled. Any suggestion of false-pride or overblown ego is usually met with either denial or defensiveness – as are many mental health problems. So a good therapist needs to have empathy, sympathy, compassion and understanding, plus good skills; so as not to make their clients feel worse. Anxiety is horrible if you’ve not learnt how to control it. The thought of losing control itself can literally be terrifying. Even change is usually not viewed as fun; rather it’s thought of as stressful. HOWEVER, the good news is that anxiety and fear can be successfully treated and living without much of either is incredibly liberating and can totally transform one’s existence – I’ve experienced it in my own life and seen it happen many times to others. n Psychotherapist David Stanton lives near Sherborne.

53

Arts & Entertainment

You can help bring new art hub to life

By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

The director of the annual Free Expression arts festival in Blandford has finally secured temporary planning permission for an arts hub in the town.

After 18 months, Kate Seegar has finally received planning permission to turn two sheds on Nightingale Court Garden into art spaces to enrich the lives and delight the community.

And now she is seeking volunteers to help bring Blandford Art Hub into a thriving creative centre, to renovate the two sheds for workshop spaces and to help market the hub, boosting its platform on social media.

“It was a long hard battle but the Blandford Art Hub did it, well at least for the next three years,” said Kate.

“The landlord of Nightingale Garden gave me two sheds from which I can run Blandford Arts Hub. And now, getting planning permission, albeit temporary, means I have the opportunity to create the art hub and show how you can get creative with a couple of old sheds. If it’s a success there is no reason for Dorset Council not to issue permanent planning permission. It’s not the

EXPRESS YOURSELF: How the arts hub could look and, below, some of the activities it could host

perfect outcome, and it’s proving expensive, but it’s an acceptable compromise, at the end of the day I can at

least proceed forward.”

Kate has received much support from the community, with scores of people excited

Now Open

CYGNET GALLERY The Creative Heart of Shaftesbury Where established and new artists exhibit their work in a professional setting Open: 10.00am – 4.30pm Cygnet Gallery Swans Yard, Shaftesbury SP7 8JQ www.thecygnet.org.uk The Cygnet Gallery is a Swans Trust Project. Charity no. 1063757

54

to have an art outlet in the town. Some 200 people signed the petition Kate started last year for Blandford Art Hub. “I could not have done this without all the different help I have received,” said Kate.

“Either financially, people offering advice and moral support, signing the petition or the strangers who came up to me asking how it was going or that they couldn’t wait for it to start.”

Kate is the director and founder of the vibrant community arts festival in Blandford, which celebrates all areas of the arts with workshops, circus performances, exhibitions and live theatre.

She said: “There are some really creative people in Blandford and I think it is so important for so many reasons to have an outlet for the arts. The hub would not only give people a space for their creativity, but it would serve as warm and welcoming base to signpost people to other arts taking place.”

Kate is planning get her workshops up and running in time for the school summer holidays, although the Arts Hub will be for everyone in all age groups.

“This year there may be no Arts Festival, we hope to return in 2022, but we will still be bringing the arts to the town through the Blandford Art Hub. It’s all very exciting, and I am really looking forward to the future of the arts in Blandford. So watch this space.” nIf you have any questions or would like to volunteer, get in touch with Kate on 01258 451954, email at freeexpressioncreative @gmail.com or log on to free-expression.com

Arts & Entertainment

Chance to contribute to exhibition on year of the pandemic Guggleton Farm Arts in Stalbridge is searching for people to write, snap, paint or stitch their way into the history books in The Lockdown Journals project.

Guggleton is running a four-

week journaling project to document pandemic stories and become an archive of history in the making, similar to the Spanish Flu exhibition, which painted a vivid picture of a nation gripped by disease.

Any form of art is welcome between Monday, April 19 and Sunday, May 16. A digital record of each journal will be in a permanent archive at Dorset History Centre. Some will feature at the Guggleton Gallery,

Stalbridge and the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester.

For more information visit: guggletonfarmarts.com/lockdownjo urnal

Facebook: @theguggleton Instagram: guggletonfarmarts

Pearl’s talking lines & colours Yetminster artist Pearl Gatehouse will be showcasing her stunning paintings in her Talking Lines and Colours exhibition at Shaftesbury Arts Centre between April 28 and May 4.

Pearl said: “As an artist, I try to be an interpreter, illuminating and conveying to the viewer my visual experience of nature.

“I love painting seascapes and wide Dorset landscapes, with a feel of fresh air and sense of freedom.

“Recent restrictions

however have led me to discover in my garden and locality, sources of inspiration, a desire to celebrate the rich colour of a briefly flowering peonie, pops of colour in a winter garden and the poetic, fragile beauty in imperfection; fragments of dry beech leaves, broken twigs and fading petals.

“Drawing, mark-making and plenair painting, the recording of form and sensation are basic to my practice. Back in my studio ad gallery space, the act of

painting becomes an alchemy of sustained concentration, charcoal and juicy oil paints.

“Each work is unique and I hope provides a source of delight and discovery to the interested viewer.”

It’s all systems Mo-zart for opera festival Dorset Opera have announced that they will be going ahead with their 2021 Festival with performances in the Coade Hall at Bryanston from July 19-24 inclusive.

The festival, which was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, will take a slightly different form in being devoted to one composer as a

‘MozartFest’.

They will be performing two of the three da Ponte operas, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutte, along with a semistaged performance of Handel’s Acis and Galatea in the Mozart orchestration.

Priority booking will open this month, and general booking will start in May. For details see

dorsetopera.com.

But there will be no summer school this year. They say: “Providing an introduction to professional opera for singers and technical theatre students has been at the heart of our existence since 1974.

“However, it is felt that adding a further 70 people from around the UK and across the world to the 80-

odd soloists, orchestral musicians, production and technical teams already living in close proximity on campus when the country is just emerging from lockdown, would not be the safest idea.”

They look forward to welcoming their regular participants and supporters during the 2022 festival.

55

Puzzles Arrow words

Crossword

Fast food item (3,3)

Very basic

Italian volcano

1

Secretive behaviour

Suppose

2

3

4 8

7 Aural recipient

Star

5

6

9

Real

10

11

Data point (abbr)

Wet earth

Aware of (2,2)

Equipment

Falsehood

Carries

Reared

13

12

Deeds

15

14

17

16

18

Eggs

19 Days before

Trap

21

Suddenly changes course

Could

Roof overhang

Lowest vocal range

20

‘Give __ _ kiss’ (2,1)

Colour of blood

22

Liable

Across 7 Deep-seated (7) 9 Group of nine things (5) 10 One step below British ‘Commander’ honour (inits) (3) 11 Competent (9) 12 Got up (5) 14 Advanced class (7) 16 Marshall (7) 18 Complete confusion (5) 19 Objectionable (9) 20 Former pope (3) 21 Scrub hard (5) 22 Accumulates (7)

Viper

Type of skin swelling

Wordsearch Movies With ‘One’ In

P Y N E R T Y A E I E D H L O

R N E N O Z P O R D O P I H H

O H I N A E E T C S N E R T E

T A I G H N I N H L O L O Y D

O W I N E F U N N Y B O N E S

M O I R E N E K E O B N E N R

AIR FORCE ONE CAPONE DROP ZONE FUNNY BONES GONE WITH THE WIND INDIANA JONES IRON EAGLE LONE RANGER

56

B N N L F S O E I E W E A O W

S H E A I O T E N B N R G M I

T A T N N G R O H O E A L K G

O F R G O R H C N T G N E L E

N E N G N P A T E E S G H I U

E T H E D E A D Z O N E N M E

MILK MONEY ONEGIN PHONE BOOTH RHINESTONE SHE’S THE ONE THE DEAD ZONE TOMBSTONE TWILIGHT ZONE

E L N C T N T C R O N R H N J

S I N D I A N A J O N E S S D

D N I W E H T H T I W E N O G

Down 1 Learned people (8) 2 Exhort (4) 3 Incomparable (6) 4 Frail (6) 5 Royal emblems or badges, for example (8) 6 Breeding stallion (4) 8 Categorizing (11) 13 Spillage (8) 15 Reply (8) 17 Disregard (6) 18 Make (6) 19 Drive out; expel (4) 20 A malicious look (4)

Sudoku

4 7

9 6 8

8 6

6

4 3

8

7 1 9

7 1

For the solutions turn to page 82-83

6 5

2

3

8

4 5

2 8 1

5 2

Brain chain RESULT

27

+1

÷4

+48

÷11

×5

Puzzles (for cleverclogs)

Jumbo 3D Sudoku

Cryptic Crossword 1

9 9

6 1 4 2 7

3 2

7

2 6 9

8 2

7 4 9 6

8

54×

20×

3÷

3

5 9

6 4

1

3

8 7 3

2

9

4 8

5

12

7

16

8 9 6 2

11+

5

17

576×

0

27+

2÷

17+

21+

216×

36×

378×

4÷

3

3÷

1

1

11+

20×

1

9+

1

Brain chain (Hard version) RESULT

38

+149

-97

+30%

18

+120

×1/3

Can you solve these brain chains entirely in your head? Start with the bold value on the left of a chain, then follow the arrows and apply each operation in turn. Write the result in the box.

19

20

96×

2

26+

15

2

21

22

5

1

14

13

Killer Sudoku Pro:

140×

7

11

Place 1 to 9 once each into every black-bordered 3×3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines.

Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.

1

6

9

10

5

4

8

5

4

2

4

3 4

5

6

9

7 4

3

8

7 9 1

3

1 5 9

2

1

2 5

7 5 2 3 9

8

7 8

8

2

2

Place 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3×3 box.

No digit may be repeated in any dashed-line cage, and each dashed-line cage must result in the given value when the stated operation is applied between all of the digits in that cage. For subtraction and division operations, start with the highest number in the cage and then subtract or divide by the other numbers in that cage.

23

1 5 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 20 21 22 23

Across Pay for bad bribe (3,3) Fellow I grade mostly regarding taxes (6) Thread in knitting is terrific (4) Descents in eagles when flying (8) Restrain husband with grey hair (4,4) Gently touch first of hedges in country walkway (4) Force in New Jersey after start of insurrection etc possibly (6) ‘Decreased’ Irish department containing individual (6) Catch sight of European intelligence operative (4) Function, we hear, finished for deferred payment (8) Height or breadth with a switch at the front (8) Recall distinction in school (4) Kindheartedness? It’s found in the Mediterranean (6) University academic, one scanning manuscripts (6)

Down 2 College with material that’s worn out fabulous creature (7) 3 Group of eight upset firm a little (5) 4 Conclude matters with dog over? (6,7) 5 Lay in a fine car to be reviewed in period for accounting (9,4) 6 Source of clean locks? (7) 7 French city with time for commercial representative (5) 13 See Greek character is raised in heavenly place (7) 15 In audience, detective noticed ugly object (7) 17 Son alas misjudged Latin dance (5) 19 Old piano found over a long period in musical work (5)

57

MPs’ round-up

Knowledge and education can be our best defence I was saddened by the news of Prince Phillip’s passing. A good innings in every respect and a life of public service in support of Her Majesty. n Before Parliament rose for Easter a couple of weeks ago, the Defence Secretary at the Despatch Box outlined the details of the Government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. And as ever, when defence policy is in question, we heard the familiar injunction reminding us that defence is the first duty of every Government.

But one thing that the last year has shown us is that the concept of defence has to be seen in a wider context. This doesn’t just encompass advances in drone, cybersecurity and disruptive military technology, but also measures designed to mitigate against the

Somerton & Frome MP David Warburton risks posed by this and future pandemics. Covid-19 has had a greater impact on our freedoms and economy than any military conflict since the Second World War. And while the vaccine rollout continues, it’s clear we need to develop and sustain a domestic vaccine capability in the years ahead if we are to protect the UK against splintering

international supply chains which, inherently, are subject to logistical difficulties and political manoeuvring.

This pandemic has demonstrated that threats from viruses can rival military and security threats. Developing our defences against future pandemics must be a strategic priority – a view the Government is now acting on.

The Prime Minister’s announcement last week that approximately 60 million doses of the Novovax vaccine will be produced in the North East of England is hugely significant, as is the launch of the new Health Security Agency (in place of Public Health England) – which will have as its mission the monitoring of future epidemiological threats.

The stunning success of the UK’s vaccination programme demonstrates the immense importance of science – and,

indeed, the value of education and the transmission of knowledge. There can be no better exemplification of the value of apparently obscure knowledge than the global race for a vaccine. And, given the contribution that scientists have made, I do hope to see a renewed focus on education in the years ahead.

The surest defence against future, unforeseen threats, is to ensure the next generation can value, acquire and wield knowledge in the best interests of all. The pandemic has shown us that education and science are the most powerful weapons in overcoming the threats we face.

As we now know, it may well be our ability to meet epidemiological threats with scientific solutions that ensures our institutions and way of life are preserved for – and by – our children and grandchildren.

not been supportive of.

I accept that, as in wartime, we have to be careful about impositions that are quickly placed but slowly lifted. I am also by instinct rather keen on minimising government and Whitehall diktats. However, if covid passports can expedite the return of some of the freedoms put in abeyance over the past year, I am likely to support.

Indeed, other jurisdictions from Israel to the EU are working on vaccine passports for a variety of activities, from traveling abroad to shopping. This could create a fait accompli in which countries and individual businesses seek to adopt vaccine checks. It would be odd for government to intrude on proprietors trying to make premises safe for customers and staff based on best available evidence which gets back to my point about whether covid passes will make a material difference to risk.

The judgement is eased somewhat by government saying it will rule out the requirement for certificates in settings like public transport and essential shops. There has also been talk of time-limiting covid certification.

Government has said that certification would in any event not be ready until June. Indeed, we have just enjoyed the first few days of pubs being reopened – albeit outside in our temperamental climate – without needing so-called vaccine passports. Various forms of certification are now due to be trialed in high attendance events – including at a reducedcapacity Wembley for the FA Cup final. Clearly the transition from the rule of six in a beer garden to 90,000 football fans crammed into Wembley will require caution. But we will get there and covid certificates might just help.

Rights and responsibilities of covid pass

I’ve been doing and supervising hundreds of vaccinations in London and Wiltshire.

As we anticipate something approaching normality with venues opening up, the question of covid passports or certificates has become prominent. There’s precedent, notably Yellow Fever certificates demanded for entry by a number of countries and vaccination required for some occupations, notably health workers.

The first test is whether mandatory or permitted covid passes will significantly protect other people or not. If not then ditch the idea. Otherwise I think we have to reflect on rights and responsibility being sides of the same coin. Personally I don’t have a principled objection to people being asked to show they are not posing a risk to others if and when they interact with other people. That could mean being vaccinated, showing 58

MP for South West Wiltshire Dr Andrew Murrison you’ve recently had a negative covid test, showing you have antibodies to the virus or showing a valid reason for having none of these.

My experience is that most people would agree. Indeed, my ear is frequently bent in favour of ID cards – a potentially greater imposition and one I’ve

MPs’ round-up

Vote for candidate who’s put legwork in The joy of the Easter message and the renewal of the Seasons came under pressure with the announcements of deaths recently. I will not add unnecessarily to comment upon the Duke’s death save to say that his devotion to duty, service and the subjection of the self to another were hallmarks of character that stand out and which we should all seek to replicate. A chapter has closed but our Island Story continues. May the Duke rest in peace and the Queen’s faith sustain her at this desperately sad time. I know both will be in the thoughts and prayers of all of us in North Dorset.

assurance to give it is that this was an isolated crime and that there is no need for anxiety for the local community. Justice must run its course so I will comment no further on this desperately sad event.

n The terrible murder of Sir Richard Sutton caused shock and anxiety in and around Gillingham. Why we think North Dorset should be exempt from such crimes of evil I don’t know but we do, don’t we? Our local Dorset Police have responded magnificently and if I have one message of

n My late father was (unlike me) a keen DIYer. Whenever, as a boy I was enlisted to help with some home decoration project I was very much the junior apprentice – able to pass a nail, hold a ladder etc but not actually to ‘get my hands dirty’. Unsurprisingly, I used to get bored – why can’t we just

MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare

get the paint/paper on rather than all this tedious prep work that no one will see? My dear father would repeat his mantra: it’s 80% preparation, 10% perspiration and 10% decoration. In a few weeks’ time Dorset will go to the Polls to elect our new Police & Crime Commissioner. Dorset’s current Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, is stepping down and I want to place on record, on your behalf, my thanks to him for all that he has done and for being so accessible to me as your MP. The role of Commissioner is important: it is not a day to day operational role (that is the Chief Constable’s job) but it is a role whereby an elected person can set goals, strategies and priorities that meet the needs of the area. Politicians have always been involved with policing as the old police authorities demonstrate. There are a number of candidates standing and I would urge you to vote for David Sidwick.

He is standing as a Conservative but that is not the reason I recommend him to you and ask you to support him. It is because he is the ONLY candidate who has spoken to me regularly over the last two years, as your MP, to find out the issues and needs my constituents and communities have of the police. He has done the same with business leaders, farmers, community groups, charities and councillors over the same timeframe. He has a very clear understanding of the needs of policing our rural area.

My father always had excellent results from his handiwork. I don’t think David Sidwick knew my father, but he has followed his mantra of concentrating on the preparation for a job. He will hit the ground running, having done his homework and he will deliver for North Dorset.

So please vote for him – he will serve us all well.

Such sadness at passing of Duke of Edinburgh I write this with great sadness following the passing of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh last Friday. I have sent a letter to Her Majesty the Queen on behalf of the people of West Dorset to express my deepest of sympathies to her and the rest of the royal family at this time. I know there is a profound sense of affection and care among us, not only for what Duke of Edinburgh has stood for all these years, but also his selfless lifelong service.

The loss of a partner of over seven decades is devastating to anyone, and I would not presume to know Her Majesty’s feelings. However, I would wish her to know that the country is standing alongside her in support and

MP for West Dorset Chris Loder sharing in her grief. I hope that this will bring her a small comfort.

His Royal Highness completed more than a staggering 20,000 solo engagements between 1952 and 2017 while also being a loving father and

grandfather, and loyal husband. We in West Dorset have been fortunate enough to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen on several occasions.

He visited Sherborne in 1998 when Her Majesty unveiled the Great West window of the Abbey and again in 2012 as part of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee tour. On this trip, they visited again the ‘Cathedral of Dorset’ as a stage on the Queen’s route around the UK after 60 years as our Sovereign.

In 2016, Her Majesty and the Duke came to Dorchester with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to open Queen Mother Square. It was a wonderful day seeing the royal family come together to

celebrate the opening of such a landmark of our county town.

It is hard to quantify the impact that Prince Philip has had on our nation as a remarkable man with a turbulent life that was entwined with almost all major events of the past hundred years. He stood by the side of Her Majesty the Queen for over 70 of those years, sacrificing a private life for one of devoted public service.

The Duke of Edinburgh will remain steadfastly in our country’s national memory as flags fly at half-mast in West Dorset and across the country.

My thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty and the Royal Family.

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Pets

Ask the vet...

What elements do dogs and cats actually need in their diet?

Dogs and cats can eat a variety of foods and, broadly speaking, they need the same elements in their diets as us. There are some significant differences though and they have certain essential requirements.

The three main food types are protein, carbohydrates and fats. A balanced diet must also include micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

Cats are obligate carnivores and this means that they need animal protein in their diet (either naturally occurring or synthesised). They can metabolise carbohydrates although they have no actual requirement for them except during pregnancy. It has been suggested that a high carbohydrate diet can predispose cats to type 2 diabetes, although it appears that obesity is more of a significant factor.

Dogs are omnivores so can thrive on a varied diet as long as it includes the required micronutrients. If you choose to feed a homemade raw or cooked diet it is important to ensure the diet is complete and contains appropriate levels of vitamins and

with Lynn Broom

minerals – ideally determined by a qualified nutritionist. It is also important to be aware of the human health risks as well as the potential risks to your pet of feeding a meat based raw food diet.

Puppies, like children, have slightly different requirements to adults. Large breed puppies are more prone to developing joint problems. This is partly genetically determined but diet can play an important role in their development. A diet with the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorus as well as a diet which encourages slow growth can help minimise the severity of these issues.

In the short term management of diarrhoea it has been shown that the gut heals more rapidly if a low fat, easily digested diet such as chicken and rice is fed in small frequent meals. It should not, however, be relied upon long term because this is not a balanced diet.

It is also important to recognise

what is not suitable to feed our pets that we consider normal parts of our own diet. Onions, leeks and garlic can be extremely toxic to dogs and cats causing life threatening anaemia. Grapes (fresh and dried) can also be highly toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure. A very recent finding has suggested that this may be due to the presence of tartaric acid (cream of tartar) which can form on grapes in certain conditions. Dogs are very sensitive to even low levels of tartaric acid. Macadamia nuts can also be toxic to dogs.

The theobromine and caffeine present in chocolate is toxic to dogs. The concentration varies from high concentrations in 90% dark chocolate (just 4 squares can be toxic to a Labrador) to low levels in many milk chocolates.

Xylitol is a sweetener present in many foods including some sweets and peanut butter and this causes a catastrophic drop in blood glucose in dogs and can cause irreversible liver damage.

To ensure the best health of your pet it is important to feed a complete balanced diet suitable for their species and life stage and to avoid potentially toxic ingredients or treats.

Urgent appeal for hedgehogs’ food funds Donations are always welcome at Hedgehog Rescue at Hazelbury Bryan, which has rescued 200 of this endangered species in the last two years.

Since Jeanette Hampstead opened the hedgehog hospital, she has been taking in hedgehogs from North Dorset for emergency treatment and specialist care.

And with hedgehogs eating up to 200g of wet food each night, along with a handful of dry food, costs mount up!

Jeanette said: “We always return the healthy hedgehogs to the same area in which they were found, where possible.

60

“The hogs know that area and are able to find food and water but it always helps to have a dish of clean water in your garden.

“When people visit us at Hedgehog Rescue of Hazelbury Bryan they are surprised at the amount of food hogs eat in one evening.

“They can eat, depending on their size and weight 200grams of wet food a night with a handful of dry food on the side.

“Desperado came to us as a juvenile in November last year and is waiting for release.

“He weighs 736 grams now.

“You can imagine our hedgehog food bills over the winter when we had over 30 hedgehogs in residence at one time.

“We were using, at one point, 14 cans of wet cat food inside and

LOST AND FOUND Blandford & Sturminster Newton Cats Protection These are the most recent cats that have been lost or found.

Please check out our Facebook page or give us a call if you have lost or found a cat so we can reunite cats with their owners: Lost Cats: Milton Abbas – black slightly fluffy girl Durweston -b/w boy Stour Road, Blandford: black boy Blandford – tabby boy with collar Found Cats: Ashewll Mere – Calico tortie Milborne Port: l/h tabby boy with chip (address details incorrect) n We still offer neutering and micro-chipping for £5 in postcode areas DT10, DT11, SP5, SP7, BH21 and now also in SP8 call 01258 268695.

A5 PAINTING OF YOUR PET £25 from photo to katiepetremears@gmail.com COCKER SPANIEL PUPPIES for sale bitches and dogs available.

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another six outside the sanctuary.”

You can donate at paypal.me/pools/c/8wAppktG05

Pets

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Luna

Coral

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Cats looking for new homes: Luna (2) b/w sweet cheeky boy no dogs, cats or children. Buster (5) b/w gorgeous chunky boy desperate for love. Teddy (8) friendly black boy and his friend Pebbles (3) grey

& white girl very timid looking for a home together. Coral (2) pretty calico tortie very sweet and very shy, quiet home needed no other pets Call 01258 858644.

Independent family run business offering a very personal, caring pet cremation service to bereaved pet owners.

Collection Service Farewell Room Out of Hours Service provided Located in a rural countryside setting on the Somerset Dorset border Contact us on: 07900 654 440 www.companionsatpeace.co.uk

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Church

An example of true service with the Rev Richard Priest, of Stour Vale Benefice

Vicar in the Vale The servant King! Or the servant Prince!

Having just celebrated the death and resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who was also known as the servant King because he gave his life to his people, it seems rather strange to have just heard the announcement of the death of HRH the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh who could also be known as the servant Prince.

He will be remembered not only for the constant strength and support he gave to the Queen during their many years together, the occasional gaffs and the great sense of humour he shared with Her Majesty.

As a man of strength and daring he was seen to take a subservient place at the side of his wife, giving up his ambitions and career to follow in the public role as the servant Prince. He offers us all an example of true service and duty.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Shaftesbury Team Ministry Sunday 18th April: 9.30am: St James’ - Parish Communion 9.30am: St Peter’s - Parish Communion 11.15am: Enmore Green Family Service 11.15am: Compton Abbas – Parish Communion 6pm: Motcombe - Evening Worship Sunday 25th April: 9.30am: St Peter’s - Parish 62

CHOCS AWAY: Pupils at North Cadbury primary are happy with their eggs

Kids learn of Easter story Children at North Cadbury Primary School had a chocolatey start to the Easter holidays after parishioners at St Michael’s Church in Woolston gave them chocolate Easter Eggs along with a little booklet about the story of Easter.

The children then went on to take part in the PTA’s ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ raffle, winning more than 100 donated Easter Eggs.

Communion 9.30am: Motcombe - Parish Communion 11.15am: Melbury Abbas – Parish Communion 6pm St James’ – Reflective Communion Service Team Office: 01747 853060 facebook.com/ShaftesburyCofE n Mass times for Catholic churches in Marnhull on Sundays and Thursdays, 9.30am; in Gillingham on

Sundays at 11am and Wednesdays at 10am. n St Simon and St Jude’s Church of Milton on Stour are collecting used ink cartridges for recycling. All donations are gratefully received and can be left in the porch of Milton church or contact Karen on 01747 822263. n St Mary's, Stalbridge

There will be a service of Morning Worship on April 18th at 10am.

Everyone is most welcome.

Further services will be held on 1st and 3rd Sundays each month.

Facebook.com/stalbridgechurch

Motoring

Private collections come up for auction Dorset Vintage and Classic Auction’s May Sale will delight IT COULD BE YOURS: This beautiful 2003 Porsche 911 classics enthusiasts.

Carrera 4S is up for auction DVCA’s Specialist Auction Sale at the Dorset Vintage and on May 20 is already boosted by Classic Auction sale on May two private collections, one from 20 Dorset offering a mouthwatering selection of pre- and post-war British motorcycles, and the other from Devonshire, offering a selection of part restored prestige vehicles.

Prestige entires so far include: n Five from Jaguar: a 1947 MkIV 3.5 Saloon part restored, a 1949 Mk V 3.5 litre saloon, a part restored 1957 XK150 Coupe SE, a 1988 XJS 5.3 Convertible, and a 1994 XJS 4.0 Coupe with manual 14/40 Princeton Tourer LM transmission.

Series n A brace of Bentleys: a 1953 n A pretty Riley 9hp Merlin R Type Saloon and a lovely Saloon 2000 Arnage Red Label n A rare Jouffret 4 Seat tourer, (powered by the Bentley 6.7 litre probably the sole survivor engine as opposed to a BMW n And a dear little Morris unit).

Minor 2 Seat Tourer, a 1931 n A part restored 1936 Rollsside-valve example and an older Royce 20/25 Six Light Saloon restoration.

by Cockshoot, and a 1955 Also included are: Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire n A Series 3 Land Rover, 346 Automatic, an ex. wedding 1977 88” with hardtop, car. overdrive and freewheel hubs, Sporting entries are: and a Morris 1000 two door n 2002 Alfa Romeo GTV TSaloon from 1970 that is a good, Spark Lusso usable example. n 1971 MG B Roadster with And these motorcycles: fast Road Specification and 5 n BSA, 1935 B1, 250cc De speed gearbox Luxe n 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera n Francis Barnett, 1957 4S, professionally maintained Falcon 74 regardless of cost n Levis, 1929 A2, 350cc, n 1949 Triumph Roadster n Levis, 1938, A2 2000 with modifications n Royal Enfield, 1957 350cc n 1971 Volvo P1800E Coupe Clipper manual with overdrive and a n Sunbeam, 1936 Model 14, great history with one owner from new n 1965 Alfa Next Auction Romeo 2600 20 MAY Bertone Sprint Please contact The pre-war BRIAN CHANT section T: 01963 363353 includes: E: info@dvca.co.uk n A W: www.dvca.co.uk venerable Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Station Rd, Stalbridge, Vauxhall, 1926 2003, £18000-£20000 Dorset DT10 2RH

250cc Semi-Sports n plus a little Yamaha. 1968 5 OU-5 (U-5E) moped Please visit dvca.co.uk for the latest consignments, and if you

would like to include your historic vehicle in DVCA’s live and online May Sale, call Brian Chant on 01963 363353, or info@dvca.co.uk

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Motoring

Gardener Michael Car & Motorcycle MOT Testing Centre

By Karen Bate When well-known Gillingham landscape gardener Michael Hansford drove his beloved ‘Rosie’ onto the We Do Vans forecourt, owner Simon Prout was amazed.

Simon had sold the red Peugeot Tipper truck to Michael 24 years ago when he was the Fleet Sales Manager at PO Baker and Sons of Station Road in Gillingham.

Michael loved the vehicle and christened it Rosie. But after 24 years, Michael felt it was time for an upgrade and took his beloved Rosie to We Do Vans, which has been owned by Simon since 2013.

Simon said: “Not only was the red Peugeot Tipper truck

MOTs for Classes 1, 2 & 4 All Makes Servicing 4 Wheel Laser Alignment Tyres Air condtioning Hybrid & EV Servicing

01963 32999 john@wmstuning.com www.wincantonmotorsport.com

01747 854789 / crewscars.co.uk Five Square Motors (Bosch Garage) Salisbury Road (A30) Shaftesbury SP7 8BU

in tip top condition, but along with the normal paperwork it came complete with the original sales invoice, brochure together with the original, unused complimentary Bakers duster we gave Michael and the truck in 1997. I was amazed.

“And aside from this, what was so unusual was Rosie has done less than 70,000 miles in all these years. After very good service Michael decided it was time for an update. He came back to me, although this time trading as We Do Vans but still in Station Road, and took delivery of an updated model.

“Let’s hope they share another happy 24 years together.”

CAR SALES

2013 (63) BMW 1 Series 1.6 116i M Sport Automatic 5dr. 136bhp, petrol, 8 speed automatic, great performance, M Sport body styling wheels & seats, parking sensors, bluetooth, climate control, auto lights & wipers, 67,500 miles £9850

2015 (65) Honda HR-V 1.6i-DTEC EX SUV 5dr. 120bhp, diesel, heated leather, sat nav, park sensors, reverse camera, lane aid, sign recognition, auto lights, main beam assist, cruise, sunroof, £20 road tax, upto 68mpg, 43,800 miles £11850

2015 (64) BMW 3 Series 330D M Sport 3.0TD Automatic 4dr. 258bhp, diesel, 8 speed automatic, M Sport body styling & wheels, sat nav, leather, parking sensors, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, 48,800 miles £15000

2014 (64) Mini Hatch 1.5TD Cooper D 3dr. 114bhp, diesel, climate control, bluetooth, hill start assist, auto lights & wipers, Free road tax, upto 74mpg, 57,700 miles £7450

2015 (15) Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge 3dr. Petrol, air con, alloys, sunroof, bluetooth, £30 a year road tax & upto 58mpg economy, lovely small car with retro looks, 21,400 miles £5850 2018 (68) Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Active X 5dr. 140bhp, petrol, partial leather, heated seats, parking sensors, reverse camera, sat nav, cruise, auto lights, main beam assist, sign recognition, lane aid, upto 55mpg, 6,900 miles £13000

2018 (68) Renault Clio 0.9TCe GT-Line 5dr. 89bhp, petrol, GT Line exterior styling & wheels, sat nav, partial leather, cruise control, auto lights & wipers, parking sensors, 14,400 miles £9975 2006 (06) Renault Clio 1.6 Expression Automatic 5dr. 111bhp, petrol, automatic, well kept example with only 39,000 miles £2650 2014 (14) Suzuki Swift 1.2 SZ3 5dr. 93bhp, petrol, air con, alloy wheels, bluetooth, low running costs, upto 56mpg, £30 a year road tax, 50,700 miles £5250

2017 (17) Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium Automatic 5dr. 100bhp, petrol, parking sensors, heated front screen, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, upto 65mpg, 33,700 miles £9500

2015 (65) Toyota Yaris 1.4D-4D Icon 5dr. 90bhp, diesel, reverse camera, touch screen, bluetooth, great economy & performance, Free road tax & upto 74mpg, 46,100 miles £6450

2016 (65) Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium X 5dr. 100bhp, petrol, partial leather, heated seats, park sensors, reverse camera, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, Free road tax, upto 65mpg, 49,900 miles £7850

2005 (05) Toyota Alphard G 3.0 V6 Automatic 8 Seat MPV Estate 5dr. 220bhp, petrol, 6 rear seats can lay flat to form a bed, swivelling front or rear facing seats, parking sensors, reverse camera, touch screen, bluetooth, auto lights, rear heating, leather seat facings, recent cambelt change, 76,600 miles £7000

2019 (19) Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost ST Line X 5dr. 125bhp, petrol, ST body styling & wheels, partial leather, heated seats, sat nav, park sensors, auto lights, main beam assist, cruise, lane aid, sign recognition, 12,800 miles £15500 2017 (67) Ford C-Max 1.5TDCi Titanium X MPV 5dr. 120bhp, diesel, partial leather, heated seats, auto lights & wipers, xenon lights, cruise control, sunroof, parking sensors, upto 68mpg, 22,800 miles £12000 2017 (17) Ford Kuga 2.0TDCi Titanium X AWD 4x4 SUV 5dr. 180bhp, diesel, all wheel drive, heated leather, sat nav, auto lights & wipers, xenons, cruise, park sensors, reverse camera, sunroof, electric tailgate, 32,100 miles £15000 2017 (67) Honda Jazz 1.3 i-VTEC SE Navi Automatic 5dr. 102bhp, petrol, automatic, sat nav, parking sensors, auto lights, main beam assist, cruise control, sign recognition, lane aid, precollision warning, 13,500 miles £10250 2018 (67) Honda Jazz 1.3 i-VTEC EX 5dr. 102bhp, petrol, front & rear park sensors, reverse camera, auto lights, auto main beam, sign recognition, lane keeping aid, pre-collision warning, cruise control, 12,500 miles £10250

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2004 (54) Toyota Land Cruiser 3.0D-4D LC5 4x4 Station Wagon 5dr. 161bhp, diesel, 4 wheel drive, heated leather, 8 seats, sat nav, touch screen, cruise, adjustable suspension, sunroof, parking sensors, 132,500 miles £7450 2013 (13) Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 SE 5dr. 100bhp, petrol, partial leather, heated seats, heated steering wheel, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, 45,800 miles £4750 2017 (67) Vauxhall Astra 1.6CDTi Elite Nav 5dr. 136bhp, diesel, sat nav, heated leather front & rear, heated steering wheel, cruise control, auto lights & wipers, upto 58mpg, 82,500 miles £7650 2018 (68) Vauxhall Grandland X 1.2 Turbo SE Automatic SUV 5dr. 130bhp, petrol, 8 speed automatic, sign recognition, lane keeping aid, auto lights, main beam assist, cruise control, parking sensors, 28,400 miles £13250 2012 (62) Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle 2.0TD SE T30 9 Seat LWB Minibus. 140bhp, diesel, 8 seats plus driver, massive boot, air con, rear heating, sliding side doors, recent cambelt change, 136,500 miles £10833+VAT = £13000

Motoring

really digs new tipper truck WANTED: Car trailers, horse trailers and cattle trailers, all types. Call 07736 871092 HYUNDAI i10, '11 plate, 72k miles, new MOT, 5 door, 1 litre, FSH. £1,950.

07971042490 Michael Hansford and Simon Prout with the two trucks

MOTORBIKES WANTED Non runners and unwanted Call Keith on 07966 213344

INDEPENDENT LAND ROVER SPECIALISTS Parts, repairs, servicing, MOT preparation, 42 years’ experience, 01749 880817 nicholaspaxton.co.uk

John’s Caravans Mobile Caravan Servicing & Repairs Please call

01747 853114 or 07546 548017 Keeping you on the move...

BMW, 318 D ES, 2006, MOT end Jan 22. Reliable. £1,100. Call 07947 439242 HEAVY DUTY CAR/VAN RAMPS £25. 01963 370517 3 TON FLAT BED TRAILER, wooden floor, good as new. £325 01963 210773

Tarrant Valley Classics Classic car repairs, servicing and MOT’s Quality work at competitive rates by time-served mechanics

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Best prices paid please call:

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65

Business Dorset portfolio aims to ignite multi-billion investments An investment roadmap aimed at delivering a multi-billionpound boost to Dorset’s economy and thousands of jobs over the next 10 years has been published, at investindorset.com.

The Dorset Living Better investment prospectus presents an ambitious portfolio of investment opportunities across all that is best and unique about the areas covered by BCP Council and Dorset Council. In the next decade it aims to deliver: n a £24 billion uplift to the local economy n 48,000 jobs n 480,000 sq m of new commercial floorspace n and 8,600 new homes while protecting and enhancing Dorset’s world-class environment.

It sets out how Dorset can embrace technology to be at the forefront of confronting some of humanity’s biggest challenges – from an ageing population, to sustainable food production, to tackling climate change and cyber security – while also

The Army’s BattleLab Defence in action

growing the local economy.

It details how key sectors in the Dorset economy including health, finance, defence and aquaculture can evolve and attract new investment, and why 5G connectivity is a vital catalyst for innovation, social inclusion and wellbeing.

And it focuses on why some of Dorset’s unique attributes, including an older population, one of the best integrated care systems in England, and an outstanding natural environment, can be harnessed

for social good and economic gain.

Ambitions include: n Delivery of the proposed Medtech (medical technology) Science Park at Wessex Fields, bringing together health research, education and industry to be a global leader in health innovation, especially for healthy ageing. n The creation of a National Aquaculture Centre of Excellence and an offshore aquaculture park to tap a global £173 billion market for

sustainably farmed fish, shellfish, aquatic plants and algae, and build on Dorset’s national status as a ‘High Potential Opportunity’ for aquaculture investment. n Developing Dorset’s defence and cyber security cluster, working with the Army’s BattleLab Defence Innovation Centre at Winfrith, to develop new products and technologies that could be commercialised.

This is especially relevant given the recent defence review and the commitment to invest £23bn in new technology.

Work on the prospectus began last summer and has been driven by the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), working closely with local authorities, business, education and environment groups.

The prospectus will help inform future bids to the Government’s £1.5 billion regional Shared Prosperity Fund which is launched next year, and more immediately to the £220m pilot scheme called the Community Renewal Fund.

Furlough could cost companies dear

By Miranda Robertson newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

An HR expert is warning businesses that furlough cannot be used for notice periods – and to take stock of the viability of all their staff roles now or face even higher costs.

Gemma Murphy, Director and HR Consultant at ViewHR, which has clients Dorset-wide, says there is a danger that keeping employees on furlough could be ‘kicking the can down the road’ if it allows unviable jobs to survive short term.

The furlough scheme has been extended to the end of September.

Gemma said: “There is no 66

doubt that the scheme has helped the country avoid the huge rise in redundancies that many were predicting 12 months ago. But has it just enabled financially distressed businesses to keep unviable jobs going? And what will happen to such jobs when the scheme ends?

“At ViewHR, we have had the unfortunate job of working with many businesses who have had to make redundancies during the pandemic.

“Whilst the opportunity to keep more people employed on Furlough longer is of course wonderful, I cannot help but think that many businesses are kicking the

can down the road.

Ultimately, the furlough scheme exists for what will be viable jobs down the road but instead there are strong signs that many unviable roles are surviving just because of the scheme.”

Gemma says costs associated with furloughed employees such as the accrual of holiday, length of service and also the introduction of contributions from August, could be the difference between sink or swim for many businesses.

She said: “If ultimately employees will have to be made redundant, the costs will become higher as service increases as there may be the risk of claims.”

She added: “If a business does need to make redundancies, it is critical that they follow a fair and reasonable redundancy consultation process. Failure to do so will in the long run result in costly claims in the employment tribunal. So many businesses try to save money and take short-cuts at the restructuring stage only to have to pay it back in compensation costs later. This can be crippling.”

View HR and insolvency practitioners Antony Batty & Co are offering a free initial discussion to businesses worried about how to proceed. Call your nearest office for details.

Business Get a midlife MOT check Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is asking businesses with employees aged over 45 to take part in the new Midlife MOT programme.

Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, the pilot has been created to help individuals in midlife evaluate personal health, finance and skills and for employers, the scheme claims to help drive business growth, increase productivity and improve staff retention.

For the individual, it can help with planning for the future.

Employers taking part can access a free bespoke toolkit, helping

them review finances and staff’s personal health and skills.

Dorset businesses who sign-up to take part will be given access to a digital resource pack enabling them to promote the initiative to their midlife workforce.

The online resources include links to comprehensive support and advice from wellrespected organisations.

A series of webinars and podcasts are being offered

by Dorset LEP from Monday April 19.

For details go to To find out more or register and take part go to: dorsetlep.co.uk/midlifemot

Reach tens of thousands of readers with an ad in the NBV! Call Debi on 07876 563683

REMOV ALS & STORAGE

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Wincanton (01963) 34065

Why do we still vote with ballot papers and pencils?

By Adrian Fisher MBE, an award-winnng maze designer from Durweston In this global electronic world, there is one human activity where electronics have no place – elections. In his 2012 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama warned: “Our enemies seek the ability to sabotage our power grid, our financial institutions, our airtraffic control systems. We cannot look back years from now and wonder why we did nothing.” On 19 February 2013, a tower block in Shanghai was identified as the nerve centre of one of the world’s most dangerous military cyber-hacking operations; it had launched more than 140 attacks since 2006. On 14 December 2020,

hackers believed to be working for Russia were found monitoring internal email traffic at the US Treasury and Commerce departments, as part of ‘a huge cyber espionage campaign targeting the US government and its interests’.

Once you have hacked into another nation’s security systems, you can interfere with their elections. A simple innocuous hidden program could tip the balance, scattering votes both ways, but making sure you get the result you want.

In 2016 rumours abounded that Russia might have ‘helped’ Donald Trump get elected; and in 2020, that China might have ‘helped’ Joe Biden get elected. In 2020, using the same total of 157,212,717 votes, 176,789

votes (just over 1%) ‘precisely re-allocated’ would have given Trump a 52-seat majority instead of Biden’s 74-seat victory.

In this field of human endeavour, Britain leads the world – the ballot box. Ballot papers are numbered to prevent and detect fraud; ballot paper lists are sealed after the count, and remain secret unless opened by court order.

The method is pencil and paper, collected in ballot boxes, and counted by hand by tens of thousands of different people, watched by others. It’s as incorruptible as the Women’s Institute.

Elections are too important to risk with electronics.

Unlike the USA, the UK requires all postal votes in before polling day, so that a

definitive result can be declared within hours of closing the polls. I would also change the law and require every voter to reapply for a postal vote every time, to minimise postal voting; this would reduce postal votes all cast the same way by the head of the household, and increase true democratic freedom.

Russia and China had the motivation and capability to influence the US 2020 Presidential election. Maybe they didn’t; maybe a few statistical improbabilities were highly significant, but so few as to be “easily dismissed” by politicians. We simply don’t know.

I urge the UK never to abandon its ballot papers and pencils, and commend it to the USA. 67

Business

By Steve Keenan Small companies in the South West are being warned to beef up their cyber security as attacks on businesses is rapidly on the increase.

The South West Tourism Alliance (SWTA) has backed a new police and private industry initiative to persuade businesses to counter the threat as the region gears up for its busiest ever summer.

Dorset, Devon and Cornwall top the list for staycation bookings in self-contained accommodation such as cottages and campsites. But the boom comes against a backdrop of small firms being targeted by criminals.

According to the Federation of Small Businesses, 46% of businesses in the UK suffered an attack on systems last year and lost an average £3,200 each time. Small firms are collectively subject to 10,000 cyber attacks a day.

The SWTA backed a recent seminar by the South West Cyber Resilience Centre (SWCRC), which is headed up by Superintendent Martin Moore, on secondment from Devon and Cornwall police.

He told the seminar that the bar for cyber crime was lowering enormously, with so many more people understanding how to do simple hacking.

“You can even buy kits,” he said. “There is a real move towards targeting businesses rather than individuals. The threat is only beginning to grow.”

According to a report by insurance company Erismus, the UK hospitality and food sector spent the least on cyber security in the 2018-19 period, committing only £1,080 on average compared with £22,050 by financial and insurance firms.

The increasing dangers were spelt out by Rob Partridge, a member of BT’s Ethical Hacking Team, which helps customers improve its cyber 68

Small businesses warned of ever changing web scams security by specifically trying to break into systems.

He pointed out that even the simplest social media posts asking people to name their first car, mother’s maiden name or birth date were designed to elicit information that could help change passwords.

“There all these little quizzes are out there, so think about what information you are giving away,” he said. “The answers help build up a complete picture of you – and it only takes 32 milliseconds to get onto your device.”

The founder of a small firm may well use easy passwords to set up systems, and hackers have what are called Rainbow or Dictionary lists of obvious passwords that they will use to try and gain access.

More seriously, if they manage to physically attach a Keylogger into a USB slot on a computer, that will record every keystroke – and password – and pass on the information.

The SWCRC also has the backing of the South West Business Council and has hooked up with eight

accredited computer security companies in the region which will take firms through a process whereby they can achieve Cyber Essentials Certification for £295.

Roz Woodward, co-founder of Securious in Exeter – one of the eight – listed the five essential steps that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) should take. n Keep systems up to date.

These updates include ‘patches’ which are often created to tackle new security threats. n Protect systems from malware with anti-virus systems. n Control who has access to your data. n Secure settings, not default settings which have shared user accounts and passwords. n A firewall.

Rob Partridge also suggested that companies consider a password manager, which creates new numeric and character passwords with each log-in. Rob uses one on his Google accounts.

The SWCRC covers an area from Cornwall up to

Wiltshire. And like other Cyber Resilence Centres s around the UK, it aims to protect SMEs with advice, scam updates and webinars.

It’s free to join – just head over to brimcentre.com/ network to find your local centre and sign up.

The initiative is not for profit but does offer different levels of membership and services – including a low-cost project whereby students from Bournemouth University attempt to hack company systems to show weak spots.

In concluding the seminar, Sup Moore said: “If you want bespoke IT support and don’t know where to start, you’ll be shown how to access inexpensive services through new links with regional universities, or how to find a trustworthy company near you.

“We expect to have a continuing relationship with companies that sign up with us. We can’t recommend individuals so our ability to provide services is an important one.”

Business

ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS ON COURSE? Contact us for a pension review.

PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management

30 Haven Road, Canford Cliffs, Dorset BH13 7LP Tel: 01202 830730 40 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JG Tel: 01747 855554 9 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PU Tel: 01935 315315

Email: peterhardingwm@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.peterhardingwm.co.uk The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the title ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

Peter Harding Wealth Management is a trading name of Peter Harding Practice Ltd.

69

Recruitment

ST JOHNS’ HOUSE

ST.GREGORY'S CHURCH MARNHULL seek to appoint an experienced and enthusiastic organist and choir director to develop our church music and small SATB choir for the next generation.The focus is on church worship with opportunities for community-wide recitals.RSCM rates are given.For further information please contact Revd Gaenor Hockey gaenor@protonmail.com 01258821605

Weekend Cook

require a St Johns’ is looking for a cook to work on Saturdays and Sundays, preparing good, wholesome food for up to 19 residents, including a Sunday roast.

Working hours: Saturday and Sunday – 8.00am to 1.30pm £10.45 per hour You will need catering experience and a current Food & Hygiene certificate (or be willing obtain this) Please telephone 01935 813245, call at the House or email: assistantmanager@stjohnshouse.org for a job description and application form St Johns’ Almshouse, Half Moon Street, Sherborne, DT9 3LJ

CRANBORNE FARMS IS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FOCUSSED FARMING BUSINESS BASED IN EAST DORSET.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE: GRAIN CARTING ROLLING TOPPING GENERAL FARM WORK

We require 2 enthusiastic and reliable individuals to join our team for the 2021 harvest.

Candidates must have a full UK driving licence. Some tractor driving experience is essential however tuition can be provided for the correct candidate. Apply via Info@cranborne.co.uk

RUSHMORE GOLF CLUB

Connect to Employment open afternoon 15th April 21 @ 2pm.

For people with additional needs who would benefit from employ– ability skills and life skills coaching, supported voluntary work placements, job searches. Free course.

Bath Road, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1JF 01258 471359 admin@friendsofstourconnect.org

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An opportunity has arisen for a dynamic forward-thinking individual to take on the role of Head Chef at Rushmore Golf Club.

A busy club with a great reputation for its food both in terms of quality and variety, looking after the day-to-day operation of the kitchen and standard daily service, but also responsible for many match meals, society bookings, business meetings and external events catering for up to 80 people in any one sitting.

You will be experienced in a kitchen environment and have good working knowledge of health and safety regulations as well as stock holding and working to a defined GP %.

You will have a desire to showcase yourself and the drive to push standards in all areas of the business.

Reporting directly to the GM you will be solely responsible for all areas of the food offering at Rushmore Golf Club.

The club are happy to break the boundaries of traditional golf club cuisine and embrace a modern approach. The hours are predominantly daytime.

Only occasional evening work is necessary.

Please contact Declan Healy with your CV and Covering Letter to golfmanager@rushmoreuk.com

Recruitment CARE ASSISTANT Castle Cary: We are looking for a person to join our dedicated team, caring for our 23 elderly clients in our comfortable residential home. Experience preferred, but not essential. For further details please contact Sally Tel: 01963 350272

CLASSIFIED AD TAKER WANTED FOR THE NEW BLACKMORE VALE AND NEW STOUR & AVON We are looking for a warm and friendly person to man the phones and take ads for the New Blackmore Vale and its new sister publication The New Stour & Avon.

Our ad taker will be speaking to all sorts of people on the phone, including taking death notices, so a warm and compassionate nature is a must. You will have to be unflappable, especially when it gets close to deadline!

A meticulous nature is also essential – you will be responsible for getting lots and lots of different ads right. They need to be spelled correctly, put in the right section on the spreadsheet and invoiced promptly. You'll be proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word, and not be daunted by accounting

A COMMERCIAL CLEANER is needed to work at a site at Holton Heath Trading Park BH16 6LT Monday to Friday, 6am to 9am £9.25 per hour Phone: 023 8070 6060 email: recruitment@citycleaning.co.uk BARISTA/WAIT PERSON required by Number Sixteen, Café/Wine Store in Wincanton.

Must be over 18 yrs. P/T or possibly full time for right person. Email: info@numbersixteen.uk

packages.

This is the perfect job for someone organised who loves people and likes to be busy. A background in publishing or advertising would be ideal, but not essential. We are looking for someone with a mature attitude, a reliable and honest person who really wants to get things right for our advertisers. Full and part time hours available for the right candidate with an immediate start.

If you would like to be part of this friendly team who have extensive experience in publishing and be part of this exciting new venture, please send your email to and a little supporting narrative to let me know why I should choose you. debi.thorne@icloud.com 07876 563683

Join our ‘Outstanding’ team Now recruiting for Registered Nurses at Newstone House, Sturminster Newton.

Senior positions available, full and part-time hours up to £24.12 per hour depending on experience.

Call us to find out more!

• Competitive pay & enhancements • Paid breaks • Access to gain more professional qualifications • Free uniform • Excellent career development • Choice of ‘on duty’ meals

Call 01258 470695 | ColtenCareers.com

(Search ‘Newstone’)

GREAT STAFF READ THE NBV! CALL DEBI TO ADVERTISE A VACANCY: 07876 563683 71

Recruitment

Be a part of a team where we care, for our residents and for each other...

At Bramley Care, our values are at the heart of everything we do. These values underpin our philosophy of care and respect for our residents in our two care homes and our home care clients. But equally important, also the way in which we look after our valued employees.

Is Bramley Care a good company to work for?

At Bramley Care we ensure that every member of the team receives the support and recognition they deserve.

Additional to the ongoing support and training we also organise regular events that bring our staff together, such as meals and summer barbecues etc.

Will Bramley Care support me in my career development?

Staff development is extremely important to us. We encourage further training up and above the required basics. We are also keen to promote

internally and encourage team members to take on additional responsibilities.

What skills and experience would I need?

What is essential is that you have a truly caring nature, you are reliable and trustworthy and that you are someone who cares for others. You will have excellent communication skills, both in written word and verbally and are

able to work and enjoy being part of a team. You will always strive to provide the highest standards of care, ensuring that you show the utmost respect to our residents, home care clients and your colleagues at all times.

For more information on joining us please visit our website bramleycare.co.uk or call 01747 855844.

Complete care solutions

Join our team Our current vacancies include…

Home Care Assistants Cook Activities Co-ordinator Senior and Team Leaders Care Assistants

Exce Compet it llent supp ive pay o Re rt Guar ante cognition and train ed h ing awar ou d Use of Br rs • Fami s Paid amley ve ly busine trave ss l • Un hicles* iform

Specialists in providing bespoke, professional care for older people and people in the community. Whether in the comfort of their own home through Bramley Home Care or in one of our specialist residential care homes at The Old Rectory in Dorset or Bramley House in Wiltshire.

We want to provide the very highest standard of care to all our clients, and to do that, we want to recruit and retain the very best. We believe that our employees are our heroes.

If you would like to join our team we would love to hear from you. *For full time home care assistants

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bramleycare.co.uk 01747 855844

Recruitment PARISH CLERK CHARLTON MARSHALL PARISH COUNCIL Vacancy for a Parish Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer.

The Clerk is the sole employee and works largely under their own initiative. The post is for 35 hours per month.

Good literacy, IT and office skills are required. Salary will be NJC scale LC1 (£20,092-£24,491 pro-rata) commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Further details on website charltonmarshall.org.uk, email charltonmarshall@dorset-aptc.gov.uk or telephone the existing Clerk, Marie Dando on 01202 695962. Closing date for applications 30 April 2021.

CHAPMAN MOORE require a full/part time experienced bookkeeper/ wages clerk to be office based. Please apply with full CV to chapman moore@btconnect.com or in writing to Sue Moore, Townbridge House, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4AA CLEANER. Tisbury based family, looking for regular, reliable efficient cleaner 2x4 hours per week.

Tel: 07983 561323 WORKER REQUIRED on a game rearing and stock farm.

Wincanton/Sherborne area.

Busy and varied work, with attention to detail required.

07974 691423

NEAR CHILD OKEFORD: Van driver required to deliver to shops and restaurants: 24 hours per week. (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday) email for application form and details crookand churn@btconnect.com ELDERLY LADY in Mere requires extra cover for occasional hours. Please telephone 01747 860548 SAMPLE MACHINIST URGENTLYREQUIRED for clothing manufacturer in Shaftesbury. Experience essential. Call: Kerryn 07957 388196

FORKINGOUT are looking for enthusiastic staff to join the catering team at The Larmer Tree. Good rates of pay, flexible hours for midweek and weekend work. Full training will be given. Please contact us at mail@forkingout.co.uk or 01722 328808 for more information.

SITUATIONS WANTED CARE WORKER AVAILABLE, experienced in dementia, Parkinson's, palliative care. Good cook & housekeeper, DBS & references available, live in or out call 07775 211891

LIVE-IN CARER AVAILABLE for the elderly and dementia. COVID vaccinated, excellent references and DBS checked. Contact Cecilia on 07711356062

EXPERIENCED CARER NVQ3.

Qualified in all aspects of care, insured, DBS, references available. Please contact 07584 247233 EXPERIENCED SELF EMPLOYED CARER has availability for days/nights Insured, DBS and references, please contact 07578 891657

EXPERIENCED SELF EMPLOYED PRIVATE CARER, available night/ days. DBS, insured and references.

Contact 07898 609405 GARDENER for spring tidy-ups and planting.

Qualified, ref, DBS available. 01963 210421 CLEANING SERVICES OFFERED: Please call 01258 860136

GENERAL BUILDING OPERATIVE Experienced general building operative required to carry out a variety of work on commercial and domestic projects. Driving licence essential.

HAMMOND BUILDING CONTRACTORS

philip@a-hammond.co.uk 01258 472394 A Hammond & Sons Ltd, Worton House, Church Street, Sturminster Newton, Dorset DT10 1DB

DOMESTIC CLEANER. One 2 hour session every 2 weeks.

Phone 01747 855617.

MULTI TASK PERSON REQUIRED with experience in the building trade. Painting and decorating also part time or full time. Ideal position for semi-retired person.

Working in the Wincanton area.Tel no 07762 321421 CHAMBERMAID REQUIRED at PLUMBER MANOR HOTEL Sturminster Newton. Permanent but part-time 8am – 12.30pm approx Monday-Saturday but only 4 days a week on a rota working as part of a team of 4.

Uniform provided. Own transport essential, paid holidays. Call 01258 472507 or email book@plumbermanor.com. To start on 26th April.

Victoria Motors Ltd of West Stour require an enthusiastic and responsible person to work in a very busy used car site. The job is both physically and mentally demanding and includes car valeting, smart repairs, driving and site management.

Training can be provided for all jobs. Salary circa £20,000 per year depending on experience and ability.

Telephone us on 01747 838103

GREAT STAFF READ THE NBV! CALL DEBI TO ADVERTISE A VACANCY: 07876 563683 73

Sport

Golf club getting back in the swing

By Steve Keenan sport@blackmorevale.net

At 7.30am on March 29, the new general manager of Sherborne Golf Club was up to watch the first ball be hit off the tee for 84 days.

Alasdair Danson-Webster, 35, has only been in the job for six months but, as he says: “It’s been stop, start from the beginning.”

So it was a relief for him to see club member Andrew Robson hit that ball down the fairway – such a relief that he stayed on the first tee for another two hours, meeting and greeting members, many for the first time.

“There were a lot of smiley faces, a lot of people just happy to be out getting exercise with a purpose. For many, it was their first swing in three months – there were some scattergun shots.”

Only members were allowed to play until April 12 but the course was busy, with 85% of tee times taken. “We’re not at full tilt yet,” says Alasdair. “Some haven’t even played yet as they are waiting for their vaccination.”

Indeed, warning signs have been put up around the course reminding players to keep their distance, not to touch the flags and to only use their own equipment and golf balls.

Now the task is to get the course into top condition after excessive rain in January and February.

The course is a month away from the level wanted, says Alasdair.

“We worked hard during lockdown but the soft ground meant we weren’t able to cut the playing surface until the third week of February.”

PGA professional Alasdair arrived at Sherborne via Dubai and Celtic Manor. His brief from the management committee, he says, is to ‘future-proof’ the 127year-old club.

And that means shaking things up a bit, with new membership plans aimed at busy, younger people.

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JOIN OUR CLUB: Top, Alasdair Danson-Webster, at Sherborne Golf Club Above, the course is on its way back to top condidition and, inset, warning signs are dotted all around the course reminding players to keep their distance from each other

The talk in the industry is that golf is in for a boom year, says Alasdair, and he wants to capitalise on that.

Men aged 25-45 and women aged 45+ are reportedly the growth markets, a slightly different profile to the existing membership, which is retired males with an average age of 64.

“The club has to evolve and we are changing our appeal. If we are attracting 25 to 35-year-olds, you want to get them hooked and convert them into full membership. I also want to focus on junior golf development.’

From May 16, there will be a Flex Membership. You pay

£395 for 130 points, with each round worth different number of points based on time, day and season.

For example, a peak-time round on a Saturday morning is valued at 12 points, but a Twilight round after 3pm on a Tuesday is four points.

Playing at such an off-peak time would allow 32 rounds in a year – about £11 a round.

You can top up points and play on other courses with which Sherborne has reciprocal arrangements, including Salisbury and South Wilts.

“It is great value,” says Alasdair.

“It is appealing to tradesmen, who can finish at 4pm in summer and play a round. It’s a

modern style of membership that allows people with a limited amount of leisure time to become a member of a traditional golf club.”

Another option is to pay £199 for 90 days of unlimited golf as a one-off, as a pathway to membership.

Full membership rates are currently £282-£884 for those aged 18-29, and £940 for players aged 30 and over.

There’s no doubt a careful line to be drawn without upsetting longstanding members – but to evolve, there has to be a philosophy about what it means to belong to a club as well, he argues.

For example, many golfers wanted part rebates for the months they were unable to play.

Says Alasdair: “If a gym closes, you would get a rebate. But a private members’ club is run with fixed costs – the staff, the machinery, that sort of thing.

“A private club is not for profit.

It makes minimal profit, which you re-invest. If you lose 10-15 members, it blows the business plan out of the water. If you are a member, you buy into that club.”

The club declined to give rebates, instead offering a 4.25% discount when renewing by a certain date. But the argument worked – the attrition rate for March renewals was no larger than previous years at 8%, he said.

As of Monday, members have been able to use a marquee for drinks before the clubhouse is able to open on May 17, should the roadmap go to plan.

By then, the course will be in tip top condition, the Flex membership will be up and running and a new groundsman may have joined the team – the job is currently being advertised.

And Alasdair may have found a home locally for his family, currently still in Lancashire while he lives above the shop.

It’s a reset challenge for all at the club.

Sport Turbos swimmers make welcome return to RiversMeet pool The RiversMeet leisure centre in Gillingham reopened this week, with the North Dorset Turbos Swimming Club quick to make a return to the pool.

The club’s youngest swimmers, ‘Pre-Turbos’, were back in the water for an hour-long Tuesday session in the 25-metre pool. But there is no indication yet of when competitive swimming can resume.

“Like everyone, we’re hoping this marks the beginning of the end of covid-19 restrictions for the leisure industry,” said the centre’s general manager Alan Waistell. “What we really need now is for everyone – existing members and potential new members alike – to come and support us by getting back in the water and onto the treadmill.

“At present it’s individuals and families only.

“All being well, our full range of classes restarts next month. People can check our

GOOD TO BE BACK: North Dorset Turbos are back in the water

Facebook page for details on pool and gym hours.”

The swimming club’s elite, county-level swimmers will again start training in two lanes of the pool every Wednesday. Turbos’ third session is on Fridays at 7pm.

“We’re again in RiversMeet’s debt for slotting us straight back in with our regular training schedule almost as soon as they restart themselves – the third time now they have

done this,” said Turbos chair Alex Wynter.

“As we inch back to normality our coaches will be giving the children time to regain their pre-lockdown fitness, then we can start to think about club time-trials, and – everyone hopes – a return to competition later this year.

“Few sports are more dependent on facilities than swimming, and the challenge now is to rebuild not just our

Village cricketers pull out of league over health fears Village cricket club Shroton has confirmed it will not take part in the Dorset Premier League for the second season running.

Batsman and former captain Marc Doble told The New Blackmore Vale in February that the team had yet to commit to playing league cricket this summer.

With a small squad and a number of older players, protecting team members was a prime consideration – it was also the reason for declining to play last summer.

“We usually only have 11 players available,” said

Marc. “To pull out is not a decision we would take lightly as the cricket club is the heartbeat of the village.”

The season starts on May 1 when Shroton were due to play Christchurch at home.

All the club’s fixtures have now been scrubbed from the league’s website.

It means champions Dorchester and rivals, including Sherborne CC, will only play 16 games this season as the league shrinks to nine teams.

Shroton won promotion to the top-flight in 2016 and finished eighth in 2019, the last full season of the

Premier League.

It is now likely that Shroton may have to re-enter the league at a lower level next summer.

Meanwhile Sherborne starts its season in two weeks away to Broadstone and also ends it away, to Wimborne – should all go ahead as planned this summer.

In Division One, Stalbridge, Shillingstone, Marnhull and Compton House (Sherborne) are among 10 teams competing for the title.

In Division Two, Shaftesbury and Blandford compete, and play each other in their opening fixture.

club but our sport too. Any and all local youngsters aged from eight to eighteen with an interest in or experience of competitive swimming should get in touch with our secretary Nikki Hopkins: secretaryndt@gmail.com nThe Oasis Swimming Pool in Shaftesbury is due to open in the week commencing May 3. The open air pool is heated to 29C. More at facebook.com/ shaftesburyoasis

Sevens tourney tickets sold out

Early bird tickets for the North Dorset Rugby 7s tournament on July 24 have sold out just five days after going on sale. Apart from being a rugby and music festival, there are plenty of bars, food and a live showing of the British Lions.

There are four competitions: a men’s social of 32 teams (fully booked), women’s social of 16 teams (spaces available), a men’s elite of eight teams and veterans 10s, of six teams (spaces available).

North Dorset RFC is also considering an ND7 youth tournament on the evening of July 23. Tickets priced £8.50 with camping at £12.50pp.

Information: nd7s.co.uk 75

Sport

Three cups and the BV League returns Dorset Senior League Cup April 10 Stalbridge FC 1 Cranborne 1 Wincanton Reserves Broadstone FC

0 4

Difficult conditions and a stop start game saw both teams settle for a draw.

Charles Parry netted for Stalbridge, Brandon Huckstepp for the visitors. A bad day at the office for Wincanton Reserves who conceded four and had five players booked. Stephen Thomas scored two for the visitors.

April 5 Wincanton Reserves Sturminster Marshall

3 2

Broadstone FC Stalbridge FC

6 1

Tisbury United Merley Cobham Res

3 0

Two goals from Lee Gales helped Tisbury notch their first win in the competition with a 3-0 win over Merley Dorset Premier Supplentary Cup Group A, April 10 Merley Cobham Sports 6 Sturminster Newton Utd 0 Merley made it three from three in the Cup with a convincing 6-0 drubbing of Sturminster Newton.

The Cobhams were in front within two minutes and Asa Phillips scored the first of three goals after 24 mins.

It was 4-0 at half-time and although Stur’s young frontline caused problems, Merley hit two more, with Josh Buck firing into the corner to round off the scoring.

76

NET PIC: Tisbury Utd in action v Merley Cobham. United won 3-0

Cobham Sports. Wincanton Reserves took quick revenge over opponents that had beaten them in the away fixture two days previously.

Gary Chapman, Daniel Golden and Oakley Page scored the goals in a 3-2 victory but Stalbridge suffered a second heavy defeat.

April 3 Poole Borough Tisbury United

4 0

Stalbridge FC Hamworthy Rec Res

1 3

Sturminster Marshall Wincanton Reserves

4 0

Neil Kellaway was the only

Shaftesbury Reserves on fire but Stur lose first three games April 6 Sturminster Newton Utd 0 Gillingham Town 1 Shaftesbury Reserves Holt United

3 2

Devon Arnold scored another brace for Shaftesbury Reserves following his double against Bournemouth Sports three days earlier.

Aaron Lane-Leney also scored again as Shaftesbury pipped Holt United 3-2.

Buddy O’Shea scored the only goal of the game in the 70th minute as Gillingham

squeezed past Sturminster Newton, despite having Taufik Ben Salem sent off in the first half.

April 3 Gillingham Town Holt United

4 0

Shaftesbury Reserves Bournemouth Sports

5 3

Sturminster Newton Utd 0 Merley Cobham Sports 2 Goals from Elliot Bevis and Jack Dicker set Gillingham Town on the path after half-

Picture: Peter Hewett

scorer among three Blackmore Vale teams who all lost to teams from the south, scoring for Stalbridge against Hamworthy Rec Reserves.

Jordan Fisk bagged a hattrick against Wincanton Town Reserves, while Jim Crossin scored two against Tisbury. time to a comfortable victory, with subs Joseph Paterson and Aaron Rodriguez also getting on the scoresheet.

First half goals for Mali Benjamin and Ryan Mitchell put Shaftesbury Reserves 2-1 ahead at half-time before the team stepped up a pace, Devon Arnold firing in a quick brace and Aaron Lane-Leney slotting home. No joy for Stur who had three players booked and lost. n There are 11 teams in two groups. Teams play home and away. The top two in each group play the semifinals on May 15.

Sport

Gills v The Royals in Dorset cup semi Dorset Senior Trophy April 10 Second round Shaftesbury Reserves Tisbury United

5 0

Quarter finals Blandford United Sturminster Marshall

4 1

Gillingham Town Hamworthy Recreation

4 3

In a game twice postponed from December, Shaftesbury Town Reserves went through to the quarter finals with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Tisbury United and will now meet cup holders Merley Cobham Sports in the last eight. The Rockies went in at half time 1-0 up but piled on the pressure after the break and Mali Benjamin slotted home in the area.

Aaron Lane-Leney, James

Coffen and Oli Mayo also got on the scoresheet and Benjamin added a second.

Gillingham and Blandford are already through to the semi-finals following victories last weekend and will now play each other in a North Dorset derby.

Gillingham were 2-1 down heading towards half-time when they scored three times in three minutes through Elliot Bevis, Taoufik Ben Salem and Aaron Rodriguez with his second of the game.

Hamworthy pulled one back in a lively second half but it’s The Gills into the semi with their third win on the trot.

Meanwhile, Sam Watson scored a hat trick for Blandford in a 4-1 demolition of Sturminster Marshall, while Elliot Manson also got on the scoresheet.

ANDY MAN: New Blandford boss Andy Savage will take over in June in time for pre-season training

New Blandford boss enjoys cup win New Blandford United manager Andy Savage watched his team for the first time last weekend when The Royals recorded a 4-1 cup quarter-final win over Sturminster Marshall.

The Royals’ boss is moving back to Dorset after eight years in Cornwall and will officially take charge in June for pre-season training.

The Dorset Senior Trophy is the only competition

Blandford is still involved in this season, having declined to take part in a Dorset Premier League Cup competition in April and May. The league season was abandoned in February.

Savage, 44, coached and played in Dorset Senior League football, became an assistant manager at Poole Town Reserves then played for and managed Godolphin

Atlantic in the South West Peninsula League.

He takes over from Jamie Haylock, who quite the job in November.

Blandford chairman Steve Powell said: “I am really excited, we have a genuinely good team, good management and coaching setup.

“I am really proud with the work everyone at the club has done over the last few

years and I look forward to continued success under our new management team.”

Added Andy: “What do I bring to Blandford United?

Just myself as an open, honest and experienced coach and manager.

“There will be a bit of a learning curve as I reacquaint myself with the local football scene in Dorset, but don’t see that taking too long to get over.”

APRIL 18 Blackmore Vale Football League 10.30am Bradford Abbas v AFC Blandford Utd Sturminster Rovers v TGR Team Gryphon v Donhead Barbarians Wincanton Utd v Bruton Colts

APRIL 20 Dorset Premier Supplementary Cup 6.30pm Gillingham Town v Sturminster Newton Utd Holt United v Shaftesbury Town Reserves APRIL 24 Dorset Senior Trophy 2.30pm Gillingham v Blandford United

APRIL 25 Blackmore Vale Football League 10.30am Bradford Abbas v Team Gryphon Sturminster Rovers v Bruton United Colts TGR v South Cheriton Comets Wincanton v AFC Blandford

FOOTBALL FIXTURES APRIL 17 Dorset Premier Supplementary Cup 3pm Bournemouth Sports v Gillingham Town Sturminster Newton v Holt Utd Dorset Senior Trophy 2.30pm Quarter final Shaftesbury Town Reserves v Merley Cobham Sports

77

Sport Blackmore Vale Football League April 11 Bruton United 4 TGR 4 South Cheriton Comets Team Gyphon

1 1

Wincanton United Donhead Barbarians

2 1

Wincanton maintained their 100% record in the League this season in a hard-fought victory against Donhead.

The 2-1 win means that Wincanton have won all 11 of their games, scoring 72 goals.

At the other end of the table, Bruton picked up their second point of the season in a 4-4 thriller with TGR. The results mean TGR move to joint second with Donhead and South Cheriton Comets.

Sturminster Rovers 5 Bradford Abbas 1 A flurry of goals late on in the first half decided this match.

Goalless after 30 minutes in an even game with few chances, Stur scored three goals in as many minutes.

The first was a screamer from the edge of the area, Ben Cowley’s shot flying in off the crossbar.

Almost from the re-start young George DanorisHandman found himself one-on-one with the keeper and coolly slotted home.

And a minute later he bagged a brace, slotting home unmarked at the far post after an accurate right-wing cross.

Following the half-time break, Bradford Abbas pulled one back from the penalty spot after Aaron Harkham was pulled down by the keeper but any hope of a recovery was extinguished by Stur’s fourth, turned in by Kyle Griffin from close range.

78

BOYS IN BLUE: Wincanton in action against South Cheriton

Picture: Connor Standfield

Wincanton on winning streak The scoring was completed five minutes from time, Stur’s second five-goal haul in as many games.

Iain Fullerton April 4 Sturminster Rovers Team Gryphon

5 4

TGR Bradford Abbas

5 1

Wincanton United South Cheriton Comets

6 2

Team Gryphon blew a 3-1 lead to lose 5-4 at Sturminster Rovers, with Theo Crane and Jay Donoris both scoring doubles for the home team.

Ben Hooper scored two for

Gryphon. However, there was good news for Gryphon’s second string, TGR trouncing local rivals Bradford Abbas including a hat-trick for Dan Prigg.

Runaway leaders Wincanton United made it 10 out of 10, their 6-2 win over South Cheriton Comets including braces for Nick Hewlett and Kieran Davis.

AFC Blandford 2 Donhead Barbarians 2 Blandford had the better of the early play but after 15 minutes the visitors took the lead against the run of play with a well struck shot across the keeper.

Shortly before half time, Blandford looked certain to

equalise with a shot hitting the post.

The ball rebounded to Laws but with the goal at his mercy and the keeper out of position, his thunderous strike hit the outside of the opposite post. Blandford equalised early in the second half with a free kick from Marcus Longdon from the edge of the box, his shot curling in at the keeper’s near post. But with the Blandford keeper still celebrating with teammates out of his area, the ball was launched from the restart and sailed under the crossbar into an empty net.

Not only was the vision and awareness superb but the execution sublime, a ‘worldly’ that sparked wild celebrations from the visitors.

Blandford failed to let their heads drop and equalised again through Parry with 20 minutes remaining.

There were further chances atboth ends but neither side could find a winner.

Iain Fullerton

Education

By Miranda Robertson newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

The Dorset Reading Partners charity is celebrating its 15year anniversary – and launching an appeal for more volunteers to help children become confident readers.

The charity trains, equips and supports a large team of volunteer reading partners who provide regular 1:1 help to children in primary schools right across the county, and their services are needed more than ever as pupils settle back into school after a year of disrupted learning.

Charity manager Juliet Ruddick said: “Dorset Reading Partners was set up in March 2006 to provide quality in-school help for developing young readers, and since then we have worked with more than 4,000 local children.

“Our reading partners don’t just listen to children read; they make reading fun by offering choice, conversation and skilled support, and children flourish as a result of this approach.

“Our aim is to help children enjoy and succeed at reading, and it is always so satisfying to

A volunteer helps a child with their reading at a Dorset school

Could you help a child to read? Volunteers wanted see a previously reluctant reader become more enthusiastic and confident as we progress.”

She added: “We really look after our volunteers, providing comprehensive training, DBS checks, top quality resources, ongoing support, and regular meetings and visits to ensure

they have the best possible experience with us. Many of our brilliant team have been with us for years, but we are always looking for more people to join us, especially now as we prepare for the busy year ahead.”

Could you help inspire a child

to read? Dorset Reading Partners would love to hear from you if you love books, enjoy working with children and have two hours a week to spare over a year. You can find out more at dorsetreading partners.org.uk or contact Juliet on 01305 458515.

Gillingham School pupils invited to apply for grant cash Pupils in financial need from Gillingham School who want to continue their educational journey into college or university are being invited to apply for a slice of the George Butler Scholarship Fund before April 30.

Former pupil George Butler was a local farmer and ran the farm at Gillingham School throughout the 1960s and 1970s. When he died in 1999 he left part of his estate to establish a fund to give financial assistance to needy former pupils to continue with further and For encouragement and insightful higher support through your INTERVIEWS, contact Caroline... education. caroline@branchingoutmentor.com Trustees or 07983 786650 www.branchingoutmentor.com say they Whatever the stage you are at, are I will equip you with tools to approach your indebted to interviews with a genuine self assurance.

George

Branching Out

Butler for providing help to pupils to meet the considerable costs and fees now involved in continuing studies. They welcome applications for student maintenance costs, and/or payment of university or college tuition fees and/or the acquisition of books or equipment. Ten applications were received last year for awards from present and past pupils of Gillingham School.

Based on the applications, the trustees decided on support ranging from £200 towards a laptop up to £1,200 for those applicants who best met the criteria.

Written applications should be sent to: George Butler Scholarship Fund (2021) c/o 1 Knapp Cottages, Wyke Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4NQ If submitting by email, attach your file and send to phenderson@gillinghamdorset.co.uk Letters must include postal and email address, details of the applicant’s background, • dates of attendance at Gillingham School and exam results achieved, full details of the courses of study applied for nand how the George Butler Award would support the applicant.

79

Equestrian

BALE AND HEARTY: Mark Thistlewood busts some moves as part of his Chaps on, Chaps Off pilates classes

Saddle up for some equestrian pilates

By Karen Bate

Frustrated at watching his friends on a North Dorset eventing yard look after their horses but not themselves, Pilates teacher Mark Thistlewood launched his Chaps On, Chaps Off pilates programme for sporting equestrians.

With 15 years of pilates expertise and a horse-rider, Mark started his rider-specific Pilates programme four years ago to help riders strengthen and condition their own

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80

bodies.

And Mark is teaching these pilates techniques in his Chaps On, Chaps Off sessions three times a week on Zoom.

He said: “I started teaching friends at a local eventing yard using the shavings bales as exercise apparatus. The bale is a readily available bit of kit at yards that is mimicking the ‘sitting box’ from the pilates reformer apparatus. I was frustrated at seeing them look after their horses fantastically well but not look after themselves “The sessions were designed to be a whole body strength, stretch and conditioning programme aimed at using the time with maximum benefit - busy riders have very little time for themselves. Event riders can be riding seven or eight times a day. The bale gives access to quality exercise, potentially outdoors, with no need to change out of jodhpurs or have much other special equipment.

“Sporting riders can become extremely tight and stiff through riding so much and through yard work. Typically I see very short, tight hamstrings and inner thighs quite often accompanied by relatively weak quads.

“Stiffness in the hip joint leads to movement pattern dysfunction of the lumbar spine.

“Many riders are also very stiff in the thoracic spine (ribcage) and have trouble raising arms above the shoulder. Yard work often leads to wrist and shoulder problems.”

The 50 minute Chaps on, Chaps off session is for the sporting rider. It is fast-paced and a challenging whole-body workout.

Mark said: “The main aims of my sessions are a weekly

flexibility maintenance and improvement regime along with improving core control, balance exercises and improving body awareness. If riders want to continue enjoying their horses throughout their lives they need to keep up their own fitness and my classes are perfect for that.”

Classes start at 6.30pm on Wednesday, 8pm on Thursday and 6pm on Friday and available at £7.50 per session bookable in blocks of six.

For more information go to northdorsetpilates.co.uk

Field & Stream

The vital importance of our hedgerows

By Niina Silvennoinen, Dorset Wildlife Trust volunteer The tranquility of sunny fields, chirping linnets and buzzing bees amidst the familiar patchwork of hedgerows – it’s a quintessential summer scene in north Dorset. Hedgerows are such an integral part of our landscape that one could be forgiven, while recognising their beauty, for overlooking their overall importance. Yet their cultural, historic and ecological significance can hardly be overstated. Most British hedgerows are a few hundred years old, but some date back all the way to the Bronze Age. Traditionally built to form boundaries and prevent cattle from escaping, hedgerows have evolved into havens for

A brown hairstreak butterfly Pic: Philip Precey

biodiversity, increasingly also having a role in preventing soil loss and decreasing carbon.

Hedgerows are created with a range of shrubs, trees and flowers, and hide a surprising number of our best loved woodland species. These include hedgehogs and dormice, who use them as wildlife corridors, while finding food and shelter.

A linnet

Pic: Amy Lewis

The changing colours across the seasons mark a range of food sources, from the hawthorn’s creamy white, nectar rich blossoms in May to its bright red berries in the early autumn.

Other common hedging plants include blackthorn, hazel, bramble and honeysuckle to name but a few, providing a wealth of nutrition, nesting space and protection for wildlife from

birds and mammals to insects, such as the rare brown hairstreak butterfly.

It is estimated that about half of Britain’s hedgerows have been lost since the middle of 20th century, and the current estimate for the combined length of hedges is around 500,000km.

Many hedgerows are protected by law, but today, neglect and poor management are major problems and many of the UK’s hedgerows are in poor condition as a result of the decline of traditional management techniques like hedgelaying.

The Blackmore Vale has a long, rich history of hedgelaying, and hedgerows are an essential part of its pastoral landscape. To learn about creating your own hedgerow for wildlife, go to dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/WildlifeHedge

Springtime brings some welcome returns THE FIELD with Tria Stebbing What glorious up and down weather we have now.

The lambs have gone from basking in the sun to sheltering from the biting wind in less than 24 hours – such is the nature of farming.

Luckily, they are growing fast now and can cope with the sudden change of temperature. I am also pleased to report that Jed the poorly lamb has also grown strong, both he and his sister Jackie Rose appear to have benefitted from their sleepover under the kitchen table and run to greet us every day with enthusiasm.

Two of the lambs have also enjoyed a visit to the local school, as the field is close by, we were able to take two of the older lambs in to visit

the children in their springtime assembly. The children were given the task of choosing two “J” names for the ewe and ram and came up with Joseph and Jasmine. It will be an ongoing project for the children to be involved in all that the lambs need and to monitor their growth.

New life is surrounding us at the field. The regular Canada geese are back with their young and the hedges that were laid in the Autumn are springing back to life with new shoots and blossom.

Hedgerow flowers seem to be early this year and we are having to work fast to do some of the more mundane jobs on the smallholding before nature takes over again. Soon we will be unable to do much around the pond as the Early Spotted Orchids will be coming through, making a wonderful purple array of spikes

between the grass shoots. There is a legend that the plant grew under Christ’s cross, and the leaves were spotted with the blood of Christ, hence local versions of the name being Gethsemane and cross flower, it can also be referred to as adder’s meat, kecklegs, and ironically goosey ganders.

The weather is great for harrowing and rolling the field, which means playing sheep chess and moving the flock about. Harrowing pulls out the old dead growth and encourages the new growth which is also helped by rolling. Rolling firms up the ground and gently crushes the crowns of the grass which encourage it to spread

and grow quicker.

Fingers crossed it warms up a bit soon, this dry spell has been great for getting everything done ….but look out for the blackthorn winter.

HEDGE LAYING, TOPPING & HAULAGE. Please phone Andrew 01747 855198

81

Farming

The gavel falls on stellar career for well-known auctioneer FORTHCOMING SALES

Wessex Machinery Sale, Shaftesbury SP7 8BT Collective sale by auction of 80 Agricultural tractors & Vehicles 400 Lots of Farm Implements & Machinery 400 Lots of Associated Spares On Friday 30 th April Catalogues available from our website or by post Enquiries to Simon Whaley 07971 571612 simonwhaley@scauctioneers.com On behalf of Mr M C Denning FOR SALE BY AUCTION 175.71 Acres (71.21 hectares) OF ORGANIC GRASS KEEP Comprising 134.69 Acres (54.61 hectares) in 5 Lots At Manor Farm, Fifehead Magdalen Plus 41.02 Acres (16.60 hectares) At Kings Court Palace, Gillingham Available to both Organic and Non-Organic Farmers Auction at Manor Farm, Fifehead Magdalene SP8 5RR on WEDNESDAY 21 st APRIL 2021 at 6.30pm Social Distancing will apply Sale particulars available online or by post Enquires to Iain Soutar 07971 571608 iainsoutar@scauctioneers.com

Mark Northcott, one of the most familiar faces in livestock markets across the south west, is hanging up his gavel.

Mark joined Senior & Godwin in 1973, at the tender age of 17, and worked closely with Paul Lewis and Ben James.

He soon rose to become the youngest and most respected calf auctioneer

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in the UK, regularly selling over 1,000 calves a week.

He joined Symonds & Sampson in 1997 heading the agricultural sales department, and holding regular collective fodder, standing straw and maize sales as well as numerous farm dispersal sales throughout the region.

Mark has auctioneered in many livestock markets including Sturminster Newton, Dorchester, Yeovil and latterly Frome where he was a director.

Symonds & Sampson’s Senior Partner, Mark

Urgently wanted

COWS COWS COWS To receive top price for all barren cows.

Brookfield Livestock Marketing Limited.

Payment on the day of purchase.

New Forest Ponies and Others De-Pastured on the New Forest Timed online sale Opening on Thursday 27th May and closing on Thursday 3rd June In conjunction with The New Forest Pony Breeding and Cattle Society and The New Forest Livestock Society Catalogue and registration available online in due course

Haulage arranged

07811 381 159

For details and catalogues www.salisburyauctioncentre.co.uk 01722 321215 The Livestock Market, Netherhampton, Salisbury SP2 8RH

Lewis, said: “I have known Mark all his professional life and his knowledge and enthusiasm for his work has helped many farmers over the years. He will be a loss to the agricultural community but he leaves the firm in very good hands as Greg Ridout will take over as head of agricultural sales.”

Mark will continue to act as a consultant to Symonds & Sampson.

Meanwhile for details of forthcoming Agricultural sales, please contact Greg and the team on 01935 382909.

Puzzle solutions (From pages 56-67) Sudoku

5 2 8 6 3 1 9 4 7

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4 7 6 5 2 9 3 1 8

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H E F O T R U S T E N E R U D A C T N O N K I G O V B B N E E E R S N A V E M E R E D A S B A S S C Y S

E S T A T A P T

Farming

Necessity is the mother of innovation

By Steve Keenan An adapted beer fridge is helping fuel the rise in popularity of fresh farm milk sold direct to consumers in The Blackmore Vale.

Farmer Dan Miller of The Dorset Dairy Company has converted the fridges to hold 50 litres of milk fresh from their herd of 140 Friesians at Crib House Farm near Stalbridge.

And Dan’s engineering skills has made it feasible for farm shops and smaller outlets to stock the dairy’s milk refill stations. Twice-weekly deliveries are now being made to 20 outlets across Dorset and Hampshire as well as food shops in Yeovil, Mere and Wincanton – all new outlets in the past year.

Each has a fridge of pasteurised semi or whole milk, with the number of barrels delivered according to demand. A double fridge of semi and whole milk was first installed last month at both the Spar shop and Post Office in Marnhull.

Customers buy a litre bottle

AN UDDER SUCCESS: Alex and Dan of the Dorset Dairy Company and below, their machine at Harts of Stur

for £2 and refill it for £1 a time. The concept has really taken off, says Dan’s partner Alex Rawe. “We didn’t set out to do it. It is purely reacting to demand,” she says.

Their farm is too remote to attract customers so in 2019 the couple first invested in two large, fixed milk vending machines in huts at Harts of Stur and The Hub in Stalbridge. Both still operate but require a lot of hands-on maintenance, said Alex.

Farm shops and other outlets noticed a trend for creamy, unhomogenised milk fresh from the herd and the couple started to get a lot of requests to install a machine in their stores. Alex said: “The large

machines cost a fortune and there are logistical issues in putting one in a store you don’t have access to. So Dan came up with a smaller, easier version and adapted a beer fridge to make it suitable for milk.”

They trialled one in The Udder Farm Shop in East Stour, which had used 13 litre chilled milk containers in its kitchen. When busy, the store was changing these containers several times a day. “The 50 litre barrels in our machines has worked very well for them,” said Alex. Their other machines, which are constantly being improved, are all customerfacing, with new installations

this year including The Shaftesbury Deli and Marnhull. A map of locations can be found at thedorset dairyco.com/fresh-milk.

In another development, the couple have now expanded to add wheels to the fridges and sell their milk at markets in London and Salisbury as well as three in Wiltshire markets at Devizes, Trowbridge and Chippenham.

“We are not turning into a massive milk processing business,” laughed Alex, who recently had the couple’s first baby. “If we had the time, money and manpower, I guess we could sell the machines.

“But the demand is there for the milk and it’s about reacting to that. Yoghurt is still our main business, the milk side is getting stronger and then we have the cream.”

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Any problems with these puzzles? Email newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

Jumbo 3D Sudoku

Killer Sudoku Pro

90

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Cryptic Crossword B U N G I C H O R I N E S A A L S W A

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83

Farming

Check your farm machinery is up to scratch Don’t let your machinery put you and your team at risk this spring. Nick Lay, Claims Technician at Cornish Mutual gives some machinery safety tips.

“This is a busy time for many, and in the rush to get jobs done there can be a temptation to take short-cuts with machinery safety,” explains Nick. “Maintenance and servicing should always be a priority but it is especially important before periods of heavy use. Machinery or vehicles must be safe and roadworthy every time you take them out, even if it’s only for a quick job.”

With more farm traf昀c on the move at this time of year, it is also important to keep pedestrians safe. “Last year the most common cause of accidental death on farm was being struck by a moving vehicle. Avoid unnecessary risks and accidents by keeping vehicles and pedestrians apart wherever possible – oneway systems, mirrors and using turning circles can help. Whenever you leave a vehicle, or someone approaches the cab, follow the ‘safe stop’ procedure – apply the handbrake, check all equipment is

We’re in it together

safe, stop the engine and remove the keys.”

“Keeping machinery clean and well maintained can also reduce the risk of 昀res”, reminds Nick. “Pay close attention to combustible materials such as dried-on grease, oil and crop materials, particularly in the engine bay. Electrical faults are also a common cause of 昀res so it’s worth checking machinery electrics frequently, dealing with any faults

straight away, and making sure electrical accessories are 昀tted correctly.

“Machinery maintenance may not always seem a priority but delaying regular checks, and not complying with equipment and health and safety regulations, can be both costly and risk serious accidents,” concludes Nick.

For more advice, see our Safety on the Farm Guide by visiting www.cornishmutual.co.uk/farm-safety/

Through our insurance products and services, we are here to protect you and your farming business against a range of risks.

For generations we’ve been putting farmers across the South West at the heart of what we do. To our Members, we’re the local specialists that understand the challenges you face and are here to help.

From your very first conversation with us, to the moment a claim is paid out, We’ll always do the right thing by you. But don’t just take our word for it – ask your neighbours about us.

Want to speak to us direct?

Call us on 01872 277151 or visit cornishmutual.co.uk

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85

For Diva (Sherborne) Ltd – Public Auction Reduction of

TRACTORS & FARM MACHINERY

Farming

Pre-breeding planning

Inc: JD6420S c/w Quicke Q970 Euro Loader, JD6155R, JD6120 c/w Quicke Q49 Loader, JD5055E Tractors. West 10T & Marston 8T silage Trailers, HiSpec 2600 Tanker, Teagle 8150 Dual Chop Tomahawk, Lely Hibiscus 915 CD Vario Twin Rake, Kongskilde FCT 1260 2.6m Forage Harvester (2019), Dowdeswell DP100S 4F Ref Auto Reset Semi Mtd Plough, Hardi Master 8500/1000 12m Mtd Sprayer, AG150 Hybrid Dispenser, Quicke 175 & Strimech 1.5m Shear Grabs, Prodig Dung Grab, Bucket, Flat 8 Grabs, Silage Pusher, PZ Zweegers 300 Haybob, A Frame, Milkbar 50 Teat Mobile & Plastic Calf Feeders, Elec Fencing Equip. Peugeot Bipper Van. No VAT: IAE 2x2 GI/Wood Horse Loose Boxes (as new).

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TUESDAY 20th APRIL

By Alice EJ Miller BVSC DBR MRCVS selected to breed from.

Friars Moor Livestock Health There are several things to consider when selecting beef heifers.

Currently the calving season is still Traditionally these include retaining SPRING COLLECTIVE AUCTION OF underway for many spring calving beef heifers with the best genetic merit TRACTORS & FARM MACHINERY, herds, and whilst it may seem premature and from the most efficient cows, NEW TOOLS & WORKSHOP CONSUMABLES AT FROME MARKET, STANDERWICK, FROME, BA11 2QB to start thinking about getting cows and keeping heifers with good THURSDAY 29th APRIL back in calf, it is important that we help conformation, adequately sized Large entry of Modern Machinery our clients plan for the start of their next external frame, and a docile nature.

Full catalogue available on our website.

Tools at 10am & Machinery at 11am. Viewing: Machinery breeding period to ensure their system is We also use age and weight targets.

2-5pm Wed 28th April and all lots on the Morning of Sale. as efficient as possible.

We aim to calve heifers at 2 years of Enquiries 01373 831010 or via our website Firstly, this involves making sure the age and given that the gestation LAND & PROPERTY AUCTIONS cows that have calved are healthy after period of cattle is 9 months we rear Timed Auctions 9am-5pm via registration at cooperandtanner.co.uk/land-and-property giving birth, so they can return to them to ensure they have hit puberty THURSDAY 29th APRIL – Rural Lots Inc: reproductive cyclicity without Somerton Moor, Walton – Single enclosure of and are cycling by 15 months of age pastureland extending to approximately 7.45 acres. complications.

We also carry out at 65% of their mature body weight.

Guide Price: £20,000 to £30,000 fertility examinations on bulls as early ENTRIES BEING TAKEN FOR OUR In addition to this we can then help NEXT AUCTION ON 27th MAY as possible, so if we do identify clients by examining the heifer’s Enquiries/to discuss entering property or land into an auction contact Hannah Pole 01373 455060 or infertility issues, there is time to resolve reproductive tract using rectal George Trippick 01458 834288 the problem or get a new bull before he ultrasonography to record whether FARMS & LAND is needed. Finally, pre-breeding they are cycling and capable of For free Marketing Advice phone Martin Hemmett 01373 455060 or preparations also involve making getting in calf. Early cycling heifers Ross Whitcombe 01458 834288 decisions on which heifers (cows that are more likely to get in calf quicker www.cooperandtanner.co.uk have not had a calf yet) should be so have a better chance of timely rebreeding and are more likely to rear heavier weaned calves.

We also use a pelvic measuring tool to take internal measurements of the height and width of the pelvis to calculate whether their birth canal is a suitable size to be able to safely deliver a calf. These internal Independent veterinary measurements have been shown to services for livestock in provide a more accurate Dorset, Somerset and appreciation of the size of the pelvic canal in comparison to the Wiltshire external size of the frame.

With all these considerations we Collection points for livestock can help ensure the best health and medicines and supplies at Sherborne, welfare for the cows and their Sturminster Newton, Blandford and Shaftesbury calves. If you would like more information on this or would like to Please call the office book in a pre-breeding visit, please on 01258 472314 call our farm office on 01258 472314 or email me: www.friarsmoorvets.co.uk alicemiller@friarsmoorlivestockhe 86 Commencing at 11am. Viewing 9.30am.

C-19: Only one person per household please, observe social distancing & wear masks. Catalogue online inc Conditions of Sale & Payment Terms. Enquiries 01373 831010 or www.cooperandtanner.co.uk/forthcoming-sales

Farming

We’re getting back to normal and enjoying the spring Ruth Kimber’s Farmer’s Diary Having had lots of frosts over the last fortnight, meadow grass is slow to keep growing, dare I say we need some soft, warm, refreshing rain! More of the cattle are now out, but the dairy still has a good deal of top up feed back at the farmstead.

We planted broad beans in the autumn to avoid black fly attack later. The frost completely knocked the plants flat several times, but they pop back up as the temperature rises.

Rolling the fields to press out any humps and bumps continues, after the dairy finishes a field, in goes Terry with the rollers. The land can be quite tender, especially after rain. As the year proceeds the land dries out quicker and conditions can change in hours. Farming is so dependent on the weather.

Another of our inspections happened last week. The Red Tractor inspector turned up and inspected our cattle, buildings, tracks, land and records. He was very pleased and gave Tom, Jen and the farm team a thumbs up.

Alan has cleaned all the

calving equipment, calf jackets, buckets, veterinary etc., and packed it away, ready for autumn.

Paul has been tormented by a mole taking up residence on our lawn. Paul takes pride in the lawn but is also happy to have wild areas in the garden too. Any ideas out there how to persuade our new tenant to move on?

I have been interested to hear covid-19 regulations have benefited our skies. The reduction of light pollution has had knock-on positive effect on our wildlife. Light can disturb wildlife sleep patterns, including breeding and feeding routines. Even here in our village, I have noticed over the years the glow of town lights changing the night sky and the reduction of how many stars are visible. The fairly new habit to flood gardens, drives, decorate trees and buildings with lights all add to the depletion of dark skies.

A plea to all those living in the countryside, please don’t over-use lights, as it all adds to the robbery of all of our dark skies.

The Somerset Trading Barn is now open and welcoming back our customers.

Gradually the farm shop site is getting back to normal, the kitchen will open May 18 as

long as the regulations RELIEF MILKING WORK allow.

WANTED n Kimbers Farm Shop West Dorset area, flexible on BA9 8HD on Wincanton hours. Some experience – Racecourse Road B3081 eager to learn. 07772 585763 kimbersfarmshop.co.uk Farmers. FREE RABBIT Tel 01963 33177 Open Tues-Fri 8.30am-5pm PROTECTION by experienced vermin controller. 07875821628 Saturday 10am-4pm

Mob: 07966 244536 Hydraulic Hose Specialists and Stockists to the Agriculture, Forestry, Automotive and Transport Industry Pneumatic fittings Quick release couplings Air brake fittings Pressure wash hoses + lances Hose clamps Up to 1 ½ “Hose stocked Hydraulic Hoses Variation of oils Mobile service available

Cote Farm Works, Kilmington, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 6RF Email: hoses@ardiesels.co.uk

WESSEX METALS

STURMINSTER NEWTON & BLANDFORD AREA

WANTED

SCRAP METAL RECYCLING

Scrap Metal, Cars, Heavy and Light Iron Farm And Factory Clearance Weighbridge

TOP PRICES PAID Skips/HAIB lorry available for onsite collection Tel 01258 860 166 or 07974 822 243 87

Farming G R E E N S L A D E TAY L O R H U N T Forthcoming Dairy Sales Telephone: 01278 410250. Email: livestock@gth.net SEDGEMOOR AUCTION CENTRE NORTH PETHERTON, SOMERSET, TA6 6DF (M5, J24) Thursday 22nd April at 10.30am Short Notice Final Dispersal Sale of

400 DAIRY CATTLE

Comp: 334 Dairy Cows & Heifers Inmilk &/or Incalf and 25 Yearling & Younger Heifers * CIS HERD AV: 10,570 KGS. 4.08%BF 3.34%P; SCC=137 * ROTARY Parlour; CUBICLE Housed * CALVING ALL YEAR ROUND * SERVICES TO: Aberdeen Angus, British Blue & Holstein For Y Farms Partnership

(Removed from Lodge Hill Manor, Shepton Mallet, Somerset)

** Live bidding on MartEye, please register in advance at gth.marteye.ie **

SEDGEMOOR AUCTION CENTRE Tuesday 27th April at 11.00am with the Heifer Calves The Spring Fever Collective Dairy Sale of

250 DAIRY CATTLE

* 30 Freshly Calved Cows & Heifers from Dinnaton, Peacehay, Walkabout & Leading South West Breeders * 2 Holstein Bulls from Huntlodge & Pegasus * 19 Incalf Heifers from Steventon & Tyrywen * 31 Yearling Heifers from GJ Dalton & Tyrywen * 45 Heifer Calves from JF Cobb & Sons & TJ & MJ Lloyd & Partners

To include The Dispersal of the Milking Portion of the “Stbridesvalley” Herd of

95 PEDIGREE HOLSTEINS

Comp: 95 Dairy Cows & Heifers Inmilk &/or Incalf

* CIS HERD AV: 9,657 KGS. 4.11%BF 3.33%P; SCC=187 * ROBOT Milked; CUBICLE Housed * CALVING ALL YEAR ROUND * AI SIRES * Families Inc: Blackrose; Charity; Echo; Fawn; Gina; Kimo; Miss America; Pamela; Roxy; Snowboots; etc.

For LJ ML &amp; GJ Williams (Removed from Magor, Monmouthshire) in conjunction with Gwilym Richards Auctioneers

MAY Thurs 13th SEDGEMOOR AUCTON CENTRE. The May Collective Dairy Sale of Freshly Calved Cows, Heifers, Youngstock & Bulls. ** Further Entries Invited **

Sedgemoor Auction Centre

North Petherton, Somerset, TA6 6DF (M5, J24) Telephone: 01278 410278 www.gth.net

TOTAL STOCK FOR THE WEEK 6720 Stock from across the West Country, sold to buyers from throughout the Nation

Returns for Saturday 10th April 2021 DAIRY CATTLE (60) Heifers to £2200. Others £2100. Cows to £2000. Others £1800. (1466) STORE CATTLE & STIRKS - FORWARD STORES (992) Steers to £1500 (1x LIMX & 1x CHX). Others £1495 (LIMX) £1485 (1xBRBX & 1xS/ DEV) & £1470 (AA). Heifers to £1500 (SIMX). Others £1395 (1x CHX & 1x

88

BRBX) £1375 (BAX) & £1370 (LIMX). GRAZING COWS (5) to £1425 (LIMX).

SUCKLERS (4) to £930. STIRKS (470) Steers to £1090 (LIMX). Others £1070 (LIMX) £1040 (LIMX) & £965 (LIMX). Heifers to £1090 (LIMX). Others £1050 (LIMX) £995 (PA) & £980 (LIMX). CALVES (456) - Beef Bulls to £485 (BRBX).

Others £435 (CHX) £420 (CHX) & £418 (BRBX). Heifers to £400 (BRBX).

Others £365 (CHX) £350 (LIMX) & £348 (LIMX). Black & Whites to £275. Others £200. (2609) SHEEP STORE LAMBS – Friday (657) to £167. Others £158.50 & £155.50. Overall Ave £120.47. CULL EWES & RAMS (1243) Ewes to £200 (2x). Others £171 & £170. Rams to £194. Others £173 & £171. Overall Ave £120.21. GOATS (25) to £165. Overall Ave £101.96. BREEDING EWES (18) to £146 for Ewe Hoggs. Rams to £250. Overall average £145.50. COUPLES (228E & 331L) Doubles to £280 (£93.33/life). Singles to £235 (£117.50/life).

Overall Ave £68.06/life. ORPHAN LAMBS (109) to £57. Overall Ave £19.03.

(110) PIGS – WEANERS (18) to £50 (3x). BREEDERS (3) to £132. FORWARD STORES (68) to £172. CULL SOWS & BOARS (21) to £145.

The West Country’s Gateway to National Abattoirs

Returns for Monday 12th April 2021 PRIME CATTLE (100) Steers UTM av 206.4ppk to 239.5ppk & £1,593.57.

Others 233.5ppk, 230.5ppk & 228.5ppk. Others £1,589.88, £1,565.23 & £1,522.50. Heifers UTM av 204.4ppk to 242.0ppk and £1,384.32. Others 238.0ppk, 232.5ppk & 229.5ppk. Others £1,371.75, £1,370.25 & £1,359.24.

BARREN COWS (58) Continental av 149.8ppk to 186.5ppk and £1,494.45.

Others 184.5ppk. Others £1,439.78. Native Beef av 143.2ppk to 164.5ppk and £1,224.58. Others 154.5ppk. Others £1,167.62. Dairy av 127.5ppk to 169.5ppk and £1,248.45. Others 145.5ppk. Others £1,157.69. FINISHED SHEEP (1861) Hogg ave 304.44ppk to 325.0ppk and £164.00. Others 316.0ppk, 312.0ppk & 310.0ppk. Others £155.00, £154.50 & £154.00. Lamb ave 350.65ppk to 372.0ppk and £149.50. Others 370.0ppk & 366.00ppk. Others £148.00 (2x) & £147.50.

FORTHCOMING SPECIAL SALES

For full COVID-19 rules on market attendance and up to date sales list please refer to our website https://www.gth.net/sedgemoorauction-centre and/or Saturday market report https://www.gth.net/ market-reports.

APRIL Fri 16th..... Store Lambs, Cull Ewes & Rams & Goats.

Gates Open 12 Noon Sale 4pm

Saturday 17th April Monthly Catalogued Sale of

120

Suckler Cows, Calves, Heifers & Bulls Approx 12.30pm Ring 1

* 12 Bulls – 4 Aberdeen Angus, 1 British Blue, 2 Charolais, 4 Hereford, 1 Limousin * 60 Continental Cows & Calves – 1 Ped Simmental * 18 Native Cows & Calves – 1 Ped Aberdeen Angus * 5 Incalf Cows & Heifers * 3 Bulling Heifers – 1 Ped Aberdeen Angus, 2 Ped Limousin

For further information please contact Meg on 01278 410278 APRIL Fri 23rd..... Store Lambs, Cull Ewes & Rams & Goats. Gates Open 12 Noon Sale 4pm Sat 24th.... Special Sale of Busk Calves 11am Ring 3 Sat 24th.... Monthly Sale of Native Store Cattle 10am Ring 2 Wed 28th.. Orange Market Dedicated Sale for bTB Restricted Cattle. Store Cattle – 15 Months & Over, Prime Cattle & Barren Cows. Stock to be booked in with the market of昀ce by 21 st April.

Licences to be obtained from Truro Trading Standards on 03000 200301 or CSC. TBlicensing@apha.gsi.gov.uk Sale commences 4.30pm

Farming

MACHINERY AND FODDER AND AUCTIONS ONLINE TIMED COLLECTIVE AUCTION

TRAILERS AND GARDEN MACHINERY

COMBINES, TELEHANDLER, TRACTORS, ATV & VEHICLES

WORKSHOP

Opening Monday 19th April and Closing Thursday 29th April 2021 from 7pm, on various farms across Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire.

John Deere 9780i Hillmaster 25’ Header (07), Claas Senator 60 with 10% Header, New Holland T7.200 (14), Iseki TG 6370 4wd (16), Massey Ferguson 6180 (96), Polaris Sportsman 570 ATV (18), CAT TH357D Telehandler (20), Iseki TG 6490 4wd, Valtra T203 Direct (14), Massey Ferguson 6475 (09), Valtra N121 (07), Valtra T214 Direct (18), McCormick X7.460 with Loader (17), John Deere 5050E 4wd (18), Case 95C (17), Massey Ferguson 135, Massey Ferguson 35 (62), Ferguson T20 (Diesel), Massey Ferguson Industrial with Loader, Ransomes MG2 Crawler, Great Wall Steed Pick-Up (15), Great Wall Steed Pick-Up (14), Interna琀onal 956XL (92), Interna琀onal 956XL (86), Land Rover Defender 90 Pick-Up TD5 (06), Massey Ferguson 7720 Dyna-6 (15), John Deere 5050E 4wd (18), Deutz 6.00S 4wd (95), Kawasaki Brute Force 750cc ATV (17), Landini 4wd, Massey Ferguson 135 – Original, Ford 7810 Series II 4wd (89), Interna琀onal 474 (Spares), Interna琀onal 454 (Spares), etc.

John Deere X166 Ride-On Lawn Mower - only 11 hours (17), Ifor Williams 10’ x 6’6” Flat Bed with Headboard, Bu昀alo 16’ Beaver Tail Trailer, 8’ x 4’ Plant Trailer, Cricket Pitch 3’ Cylinder Mower, 12’ Flat Bed Trailer, etc.

3 x 2,500ltr Metal Diesel Tanks, Dexion Racking, Power Tools, Mini Engineering Lathe, Workshop Power Tools, Herras Fencing Sec琀ons, Electric Hoist (3 Phase), Gasoline Generator, Metal Oil Tank, Whacker Plate, etc.

SUNDRIES AND MISCELLANEOUS

Tower Light with Generator 9m Li昀, Slot Machine, Quad Bike Box, Large Industrial Incinerator, 15 Bags of Caus琀c Soda Prills, Mini Digger Buckets, Railway Sleepers, Large Tanalised Timber, 20 x 8’ Sec琀on of Cladding, etc.

ON FARM SALE OF FODDER TUESDAY 20th APRIL

9.30am Gomershay Farm, Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2RT 50 x 4’ Round Bales grass Silage, double wrapped, not spiked stacked on hard standing. Analysis available on day of sale Also to be sold by sample at Gomershay Farm: Hewle琀s Farm, Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2SW 60 x 4’ round Bales grass Silage, double wrapped, not spiked, stacked on hard standing. Analysis available on day of sale

FARM MACHINERY

Grasstech GT120 Zero Grazer (19), Major LGP 2050gln Vacuum Tanker (09), 8t Dump Trailer, Shelbourne Powermix Pro 15 (18), Marshall QM 12 Grain Trailer, Marshall BC25 Bale Trailer (20), Redrock 160/13.5 Silage Trailer, Vaderstad 3m Carrier Drill, Simba Versa-Tilth 4m Cul琀vator, Massey Ferguson 500 4m Drill, 56 Bale Carrier, Amazone ZAM Fer琀liser Spreader (18), John Deere 530 Mower Condi琀oner, Heavy Duty Buckrake, Homemade 3m Front Press, AG Dispenser Tilt Kit, NC Super 3000 Slurry Pump, Richard Western 2000g Spreader, Drop Side Tipping Trailer, Flat Bed Tipping Traielr, Top Fill Pump (Spares), 10t Tipping Trailer, John Deere Bonnet/Loader Guard, Various A Frames, PhiBer AC3104X Bale Accumulator, Major 9’ Galvanised Topper, Case Wafer Weights, Ferri TM47 Hedge Trimmer, Storth Lagoon S琀rrer, Parmiter Contractor Post Driver (Q-Fit Mounted), Valtra 600kgs Weight Block, Trailed Tine Cul琀vator, Ferguson Potato Ridger, Massey Ferguson 3f Conv. Plough, Ferguson Cul琀vator, Ferguson Earth Scoop, Ransomes Elite Trailer Plough, Parmiter Post Driver, 16’ Aluminium Lorry Body, Browns Bale Handler (Pin & Cone), Albu琀 SG220 Sheargrab (CAT brackets), Telehandler Bucket (CAT brackets), Albu琀 Dung Grab (CAT brackets), ALO Shear Grab Fork (CAT brackets), Browns Silage Pusher (CAT brackets), NC Road Brush, Lely Slendimo 320 Classic, AG Dispenser 175S Dispenser, Richford Bag Crane, 6’ Howard Rotavator, 3 Point Linkage Bale Spike, Rear End Tractor Loader, Parmiter, Gu琀ler Master 3m Harro昀ex Seeder, Kidd Pasture Topper, Dalbo 6.2 Cambridge Rollers with Breaker Rings, Amazone 4m Combina琀on Drill, 15’ Tasker Low Loader Trailer, KV Tarrup 9439 Single Rotor Rake (14), HEVA 3m Mini Tilth Cul琀vator (06), Marshall 105 Rotor Spreader, Lucas and Reco Straw Choppers, KV 4m Combi Drill c/w with Front Mounted Tank, Dowdeswell, Lemken and Overum Ploughs, Tennant 6400 Yard Sweeper and Collector, McConnel PA34 Hedgetrimmer, McHale Bale Wrapper 991HS with Remote, etc.

LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT

Ifor Williams HB511 Horse Box, WOPA Foot Trimming Crush, 3 x Round Feeders, 3 x John Shepherd 20’ TMR Feeders, John Shepherd Rectangular Feeder, IAE Foot Trimming Crush, Bateman Ca琀le Crush, IAE Ca琀le Crush, Ritchie Combi-Clamp Trailer, IAE Docking/Crutching Crate, 6’6” Link Box, 3 x Portable Cow Cubicles, 4 x Milking, Various Galvanised Water Troughs, 3 Point Linkage Galvanised Feeders, etc.

10.30am Dan Carter, Billhay Farm, Semley, Sha昀esbury, SP7 9BP 100 tons clamp grass Silage 75 tons clamp maize Silage Grass Analysis: DM: 30.0% DVal: 68% ME: 11.1mj/kg CP: 14.7% Maize Analysis: DM: 42.1% DVal: 71% ME: 11.5mj/kg Starch: 39.5% Also to be sold by sample at Billhay Farm: Kingdsown Farm, Longbridge Deverill, Warminster, BA12 7DY 50 x 120 x 70 Bales 2020 Hay, barn stored 11.45am Cock Road Farm, Laverton, Radstock, BA2 7RF 42 x 120 x 90 Bales Wheat Straw, barn stored 5 x 120 x 70 Bales Wheat Straw, barn stored 84 x 120 x 70 Bales 2019 Hay, barn stored 140 x Round Bales 2019 Silage, double wrapped with 6 layers of wrap, not spiked, stacked on hard standing 1.00pm Forty Acre Farm, Babcary Road, South Barrow, Yeovil, BA22 7LE 80 x 4’ 6” Round Bales Wheat Straw, net wrapped, barn stored ALL LOTS TO BE PAID FOR IN FULL ON THE DAY REMOVAL WITHIN 4 WEEKS UNLESS STATED DIFFERENTLY Contact Greg Ridout 07817 517467 or Rachael Holder 07772 310482

FORTHCOMING SALE DATES: FRIDAY 7th MAY Dispersal sale of 2 New Holland Tractors, Shelbourne Mixer Wagon, 26’ NC Bale Trailer, Grassland Machinery & Excellent Range of Livestock Equipment

TUESDAY 11th MAY Dispersal sale of 3 Tractors, 2018 JCB Telehandler, JCB 8060 Digger, Grassland Machinery & Livestock Equipment

VALUATIONS | AMC AGENTS | PLANNING | RURAL AGENTS

89

Property LIVESTREAM AUCTION 23 April & 21 May

A 23 UCT AP I O RI N L

Guide £295,000 An intriguing, par ally renovated Grade II Listed co age, offering considerable poten al for a buyer. EPC Exempt.

A substan al detached 4 bedroom house requiring complete modernisa on set in grounds of about 0.23 acres. EPC=G.

Guide £170,000 A unique opportunity to acquire an interes ng site with possible development poten al (STPP). In all approx. 1.9 acres.

Wimborne 01202 843190

Sturminster 01258 473766

Wimborne 01202 843190 A 21 UCT M IO N AY

A 23 UCT AP I O RI N L

A 23 UCT AP I O RI N L

DORSET DEVON HAMPSHIRE SOMERSET WILTSHIRE LONDON

St Leonards

Durweston

Guide £250,000 A charming 2­3 bedroom period co age requiring upda ng, located within this popular North Dorset village. EPC=G.

Stoborough

Guide £225,000 A single building plot in a small leafy close extending to approx. 0.2 acres, with PP for a contemporary detached dwelling.

Yeovil

Blandford 01258 452670

Wimborne 01202 882103

Yeovil 01935 423526

Land For Sale ­ Auc on 21 May Marston Magna 27.92 acres of arable land with road access Yeovil 01935 382901

Guide £200,000 A detached former church/nursery with garden and parking, offering development possibili es (subject to PP). EPC=B.

A 21 UCT M IO N AY

A 21 UCT M IO N AY

A 21 UCT M IO N AY

Sturminster Newton Guide £275,000

A 21 UCT M IO N AY

Wool

Cucklington 9.17 acres of pastureland with good access and mains water Sturminster 01258 472244 Maiden Newton 30.41 acres of pasture land available as 2 lots

Dartmoor

Guide £145,000 The unique opportunity to own the iconic Sheeps Tor and 127.35 acres of freehold moorland including Yellowmead stone circle.

Axminster 01297 33122

Melplash 12.97 acres of level to sloping land with far reaching views Osmington 6.93 acres of gently sloping land with sea views Askerswell 60.09 acres of pasture land with conserva on appeal Dorchester 01305 236237

PLANNING

Horton

Guide £95,000 4.68 acres (approx.) of grassland and mixed woodland with a temporary structure, in a secluded, rural loca on.

Wimborne 01202 843190

VALUATIONS

BUILDING SURVEY

Property

QUALIFIED EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL

Sha esbury

Guide £155,000 An ideal investment or first me buy located within walking distance of shops in a popular residen al loca on with parking and private garden. EPC=C.

No on

Sturminster 01258 473766

Dorchester 01305 261008

Bryanston

Guide £665,000 A charming 3 bedroom end of terrace dwelling da ng from the 18th Century, situated in an enviable loca on with beau ful gardens and far reaching views. EPC=E.

Puddletown

Blandford 01258 452670

Dorchester 01305 261008

Sherborne

Guide £445,000 A well presented and spacious 4 bedroom family home with private garden, situated in a sought a er residen al area on the outskirts of the town. EPC=E.

Cann

Sherborne 01935 814488

Sturminster 01258 473766

SALES

LETTINGS

AUCTIONS

Guide £1,250,000 A 4 bedroom house with four excellent holiday co ages in a spectacular rural and elevated se ng and grounds of approx. 2.5 acres. EPC=F. (House)

Guide £350,000 A charming Grade II listed 3 bedroom co age set within mature gardens close to the centre of this well­served village. EPC Exempt.

Guide £300,000 A quaint 2 bedroom character co age with a beau ful garden with summerhouse, double garage and stunning views over the Blackmore Vale. EPC=G.

Property National Country & Equestrian Property Specialists

Over Wallop, Hampshire Immaculate four bedroom family home which enjoys an elevated position in much desired location 0.3 Acres

£1,400,000

Allerford, Somerset Thriving and pro昀table holiday cottage business with residential property set in truly breathtaking position within the National Trust park £1,000,000

6.6 Acres

£1,300,000

Motcombe, Dorset Immaculately presented smallholding with four bedroom home, outbuildings and an amphitheatre situated in a village location 2.1Acres

POA

eq ui re d

Si m ila r

S

ST old C R

Gardens

Penselwood, Somerset Equestrian property with pro昀table holiday cottage and planning for further development, set in highly desired location

Donhead St Andrew, Dorset Four bedroom detached country home with breathtaking views to the rear. Sale agreed, similar urgently required Garden

£765,000

East Knoyle, Wiltshire Stunning traditional barns with full planning to convert to two contemporary dwellings 0.5 Acre

£625,000

If you are thinking of selling please contact us for an initial discussion on 01722 782727 or email admin@foxgrant.com

foxgrant.com COUNTRY & VILLAGE

FARMS, LAND & SMALLHOLDINGS

EQUESTRIAN SPECIALISTS

TOURISM & LEISURE

Property

A sanctuary right in the heart of town An elegant Georgian townhouse in the heart of Blandford with 1.5 acre gardens including part of an island is on the market with Symonds & Sampson.

The historic market town of Blandford Forum is noted for its Georgian architecture, much of which was rebuilt by local architects the Bastard Brothers following a fire in 1731.

Stepping into the Grade II Listed Stour House, a short walk from the bustle, offers sanctuary. Dating from about 1735, the property has been

lovingly renovated and styled by the current owners, providing the best of modern living whilst retaining the character. Elegant and wellproportioned rooms are flooded with natural light, many with views to the garden.

The accommodation across three floors provides comfort and practicality; four reception rooms include a study, a master bedroom suite, four further bedrooms, stylish bath and shower rooms, and below extensive storage in the cellarage.

Electric gates lead from the road to covered parking and useful outbuildings, and within the garden an attractive two-storey former coach house has planning for conversion to a studio/gym.

A property extending to approximately 1.5 acres in the heart of the town is rare indeed. Private terraces lead to sheltered lawns include to a croquet lawn, paths through planted borders to vegetable plots, and trees adjacent to the River Stour.

Cross the bridge to part of an island – this is Swallows &

Amazons territory, with views across the water meadows to the south, or across the trees and roof tops to the church tower, to remind you that you are still within the town.

Stour House is a sanctuary to savour; to live and work from home, to lock up and leave, to fill with family.

All with the convenience of amenities within walking distance. It’s a rare find.

The Guide Price is £1,350,000, contact Richard Taylor on 01305 261008 to find out more.

93

Property

Memb No: A101 REMOV ALS & STORAGE

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Dorchester (01305) 783795

Gillingham (01747) 828680

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Sherborne (01935) 433341

Warminster (01985) 215991

Wincanton (01963) 34065

Yeovil (01935) 433341

Head Office: 01963 34065 email: enquiries@armishaws.com www.armishaws.com

Property Record-breaking spring for property There has never been a better time to sell your home, says Fox Grant.

March 23 saw the highest number of sales agreed in one day than in the past 10 years (says RightMove) and the South West is a property hot spot. Buyers are reevaluating where they live and work, and they are keen to live in the beautiful counties of Dorset, Wiltshire & Somerset.

Head of office at Fox Grant, Charlotte Roberts-Barr said: “Fox Grant were instructed to sell the utterly charming Willow House in Fontmell Magna.

“Within 48 hours of the property being launched to market we had over 20 viewings. The vendor stipulated exact timings for their move, but such was the demand we were able to secure a chainfree buyer who could exchange quickly with a long stop completion. The offer was well in excess of the guide price.”

If you’re thinking of putting your

property on the market, Fox Grant has a host of keen buyers ready to proceed, many of whom will move to your specific timescales.”

BLANDFORD RENTAL: Spacious one bedroom house. Unfurnished.

Great location. Allocated parking, rear garden.

CTBand A. £575.00pcm.

Sorry no pets/smokers.

Tel: 07929 181611 Close to FONTMELL MAGNA lovely 2 bedroomed cottage on far, hall, kitchen with dining, double height sitting room with wood burner, double bedroom, twin bedroom, bathroom, WC, shower.

Small private garden, parking, electric heating. £770 PCM 01747 811908

SECURE YARD TO LET. Rolls Mill, Sturminster Newton. 07795 561546 ELDERLY COUPLE wish to rent 2 bedroom bungalow, radius of 15 miles of Castle Cary (country), Excellent refrences - 01373 813091

RURAL 1 BED STUDIO offered in return for dog walking and light gardening, would suit semi-retired.

07795 077693 or email jocurtis1412@icloud.com

PROFESSIONAL MALE seeks property for rent from £400 per month.

Blandford & surrounding areas. Excellent references 07832 828855

CHUBBS HOUSE Shaftesbury is a sheltered accommodation of 21 Flats and is a registered Almshouse run

by Shaftesbury Municipal Charities. The House is for independent living and situated close to the town centre, owing to extensive refurbishing Chubbs have vacancies for 1 bedroom flats, applications are invited from persons 55+ years. For further details and an application form ring 01747853374 or email clerk@chubbshouse.org.uk

GROUND FLOOR TWO BED HOLIDAY FLAT. West Bay, telephone 01963 23456

WANTED barn or unit midland or just the yard to rent, anything considered.

Call Steve 07470 750294

STUDIO/OFFICE SPACE Busy organic farm under Hambledon hill.

4.8m x 2.7m, £200 per month not including services. Fitted carpets and water, contact Goldhillorganicfarm@gmail.com

www.stswithun.com A new property construction by us

enquiry@stswithun.com

Tel: 01747 832386

PERIOD & LISTED PROPERTY SPECIALISTS • Over 25 years experience in the care, maintenance, conservation & refurbishment of historic, listed & period properties of all sizes & construction • Sympathetic new construction & extension to period properties • Traditional carpentry, joinery, masonry & plastering • Decorating & interior finishing in all forms & styles • Kitchens, bathrooms & bespoke fittings • All work is accredited, insured & guaranteed 95

We also supply & install Automated Gates & Entry Systems