The New Blackmore Vale - Issue 123 by The Blackmore Vale Limited

Six peaks in a month to help the homeless

AGE is no barrier for marathon walker Nick Brooke who is a week into a 900-mile ‘six peaks’ solo trek from Dorset to Ben Nevis in Scotland at the age of 72.

Nick is highlighting homelessness across the UK and raising money for Soup Kitchen in London, where his son, Orlando, has worked for the past four years.

Nick is sleeping in just a bivvy bag –without a tent or sleeping bag – and carrying a 12kg pack.

And he will attempt to live off just £13 a day, to reflect what Universal Credit offers.

Nick is aiming to do the walk, taking in six peaks in 30 days, at an average of 30 miles a day.

You can follow his journey on Instagram @900Miles6Peaks72YrOldNick

The route is inspired by the Manx myth that seven kingdoms can be seen from the summit of the Isle of Man’s highest hill, Snae Fell – those of Wales, Ireland, England, Scotland and the Isle of Man itself, as well as the kingdoms of Neptune – the sea – and of God – the sky, heaven.

Nick said farewell to the Blackmore Vale (near Cucklington) last Friday (May 30), heading first to Snowdon and then on to

Holyhead, before catching the ferry to Ireland.

He will climb Lugnaquilla Mountain in the Republic of Ireland and then head to Slieve Donard, the highest mountain in Northern Ireland.

He will catch another ferry to take him to the Isle of Man, where he will climb Snae Fell, and a further ferry will take him to

Heysham from where he will head to Sca Fell Pike.

The final leg of his walk will take him to Scotland and Ben Nevis.

Nick says his body is ‘a bit battered’ and that his feet ‘are not in the best shape’.

Looking forward to the walk, he added: “I may shiver, because I like to travel as light as I can to survive.

“I may crawl into the bivvy bag soaking wet, hoping for sunshine in the morning to dry my bedding before the next night.

“But I know it's not the same as going to sleep, cast adrift by society, homeless and hopeless.

“I feel I have the energy for one more big bivvy adventure and one that raises money for those that are so much less fortunate than I have been.

“It will be a month of hard work and walking 30 miles a day more or less, but also of fun and reflection, and if only a few more people join me in feeling for our homeless friends – and the challenges they face – then it will also have been worth any pain and cold I've endured on my way."

Donate at www.justgiving.com/page/nickbrooke-1

newsdesk@blackmorevale.net 01963 400186

lorraine_drake@icloud.com 07850 529937

Blandford rallies after RBL burglary

THE Blandford community has responded in force after thieves broke into the Royal British Legion (RBL) building, with medals reported as stolen and the premises trashed.

Dorset Police said the Poppy Stables at the site on Church Lane were reportedly broken into sometime between 1pm on Monday (May 12) and 12pm on Wednesday (May 14).

Three First World War medals and £40 worth of donations were reportedly stolen, and chair Terry Clarkson said the meeting room – which serves as a safe space for members to meet with veterans and their families who need support – was trashed following the break-in.

He said it looks like a knife was taken to the upholstery of a settee and armchair, with these now being “completely unusable”.

Now, the Blandford

community has raised £1,235 to help the Legion make repairs.

Two GoFundMe’s were set up in response to the damage, one by Steven Boyle and another by Owain Hughes at Damory Garage.

Damory Grange said: “The Legion is a cornerstone of support for local veterans and a vital part of our town’s identity. We want to do our part to help them recover.

“We’re starting this fundraiser to help replace what was lost, repair the damage, and get the Legion back on its feet. All funds raised will go directly to the Blandford Forum branch.”

Steven Boyle said: “During my time in Blandford, I fostered close relations with the RBL and I am passionate about giving them some much-needed assistance during this time.

“The RBL do amazing work for our serving soldiers,

Some of the damage caused in the raid

reserves and veterans and they deserve our support during this difficult time.”

Luckily, Terry Clarkson said the stolen medals have now been recovered and in time will be remounted and put back on display.

He said: “I would just like to express on behalf of the branch

my deepest thanks to all who have donated money, offered us replacement furniture, or offered to help clean up the mess. It has truly been humbling and a thank you for all the supportive comments both on social media and face to face it really does mean a great deal to us at Blandford RBL.”

Specialising in Window, Door & Conservatory installations in & around Dorset, Somerset & Wiltshire, since 1989.

• WINDOWS • DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

SOLID ROOFS • BI-FOLDS • SEALED UNITS • FASCIA, SOFFIT & GUTTERING

Showroom in Orchard Park Garden Centre, Gillingham SP8 5JG

Open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm

Wartime family drama

A POWERFUL and true story of families lost and found comes to Dorchester in July.

Not for Keeps, being performed by Dorchester Drama, was written by local writer Vince Jones and is based on his own story as the unexpected result of a romantic wartime liaison.

Vince, who lives in Martinstown, near Dorchester, is one of about 22,000 children fathered by American GIs in the UK during the Second World War.

His mother, Mary Vera Carpenter, was married to a soldier who was away fighting in the Far East and her lover, Thomas Irving Sampson, was also married.

Mary’s husband disowned her and the young son they already had and petitioned for divorce when he returned from the war, and Mary gave up Vince for adoption when he was six months old.

Vince, who was born Robert Irving Carpenter, has set Not for Keeps in two time frames – the 1940s, when he was given up for adoption, and 1990s, when he reconnected with his mum.

He said: “Mum never forgot

the day she gave me up for adoption and it makes a very powerful scene in the play.

“When the woman took me, she had to wrench me from mum’s arms and mum said that as I was carried away down the corridor I looked back at her all the way.”

It would be 51 years before mother and son met again.

Vince’s adoptive mother, Iris, never hid the fact he wasn’t her birth son and in 1994 he started searching for his family, scrolling through years of microfiche records in Portsmouth.

His past started fitting together and it was when he met his cousin, Brenda – the daughter of Mary’s sister, Peggy – for the first time that the first contact with his birth mother was made.

Brenda contacted Peggy, who wrote to Mary, letting her know about her adopted son, describing him as ‘a smashing chap’. Not long after, they met.

“I always imagined I’d finally meet mum in an old people’s home, where she’d be sitting looking out of a window, but, in fact, we met at her sister, Peggy’s, house, with lots of

other people bustling about and coming in and out. It was remarkably ordinary, really,” said Vince.

During the war, Thomas worked as radio operator in a B17 Flying Fortress plane, flying missions over Europe. It was his job to keep a tally of planes that were shot down and the men lost.

As a ‘reward’ for surviving 24 missions, he changed jobs and continued as a radio operator, but this time at Heathfield in West Sussex where he liaised with the French resistance before returning to the US.

Vince, who is well known locally for his plays, started writing his story in 2016 with encouragement from Mark Tattersall at Dorchester Arts and playwright Stephanie Dale.

He offered it to Fran Sansom at Dorchester Drama and the play is being directed by Sean Colledge.

Vince said: “It is about such a personal subject I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to direct it myself, but it was also hard to let go of the play because I had ideas of how I wanted it to look on the stage.

“I have seen many Dorchester Drama productions and been impressed with their work, so I’m looking forward to seeing it brought to life.”

Not for Keeps is at Dorchester Arts, High East Street, Dorchester on Friday, July 4, at 7.30pm and Saturday, July 5, at 2pm and 7pm.

Tickets are £14 plus concessions from the box office on 01305 266926 and online at dorchesterarts.org.uk.

Freedom to explore

THE Dorchester Townswomen’s Guild will be hosting Mike Walsh and Peter York for a talk about MV Freedom.

On Monday, June 9, at 2pm, they will be explaining how the charity provides access to the sea for people living with any disability/mobility issues, via a 10-metre catamaran. Visitors are welcome (£4). Dorchester Community Church, Liscombe Street, Poundbury (DT1 3D). Call 01305 832857.

Mary Vera Carpenter, Vince’s mum, around the time she met Vince’s dad, Thomas

Open farm

THE Slow Farming Company at Clanville Manor Farm, Castle Cary (BA7 7PJ) will be welcoming visitors this weekend as part of Open Farm Sunday.

The event promises fun for all ages with a tractor and trailer safari, vintage tractor parade, the opportunity to meet the animals up close, bouncy castle and barbecue.

The event is on Sunday, June 8, 11am to 3pm – to book a free place visit www.slowfarming.co.uk/ pages/open-farmweekend-2025

Setting out their stalls

GUSSAGE All Saints Village Fete, being held later this month, is a traditional event with stalls staffed by villagers.

This year’s event at Gussage Hall includes the Bierfass Band, children’s entertainer Jamie Jigsaw, children’s traction engine rides and maypole dancing.

Proceeds are used to help maintain the village hall and Gussage All Saints church.

The fete is on Saturday, June 21, from noon-3pm and entry is £3 – children free. No dogs.

Village fete

THE East Stour village fete takes place this Sunday (June 8) at East Stour village hall and field (S8 5JY) from midday onwards.

Entry is free, and there will be refreshments, entertainment, crafts and stalls.

Meet the bishop

THE former Bishop of Sherborne and, later, Truro, Bishop Tim Thornton (pictured right), will be centre stage at an event at St Andrew’s Church, Fontmell Magna.

‘An Evening with Bishop Tim’ will see him in informal and relaxed conversation with Robert Wellen, churchwarden at St Andrew’s and a former employee of Church House,

Westminster.

Members of the audience will be able to ask questions.

The event on Friday, June 27, will start with drinks and nibbles from 6.30pm, and will conclude with an ‘after chat’ with drinks and nibbles from 8pm-8.30pm.

Tickets are not required for the event, but a retiring collection will be held for the St

Andrew’s Fabric Appeal. For more information, contact robertwellen@ btinternet.com

The honey bees produce an early crop

by Robbie Baird, North Dorset Beekeepers

THE month of May isn’t exactly a time of the year traditionally linked with the harvest – not the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness generally associated with gathering in the crops.

But many beekeepers – and particularly those in our part of the country – will be checking to see if there’s a crop of honey that must be taken from the hives right now. And there’s no time to wait. It has to be done now!

Honey bees visit flowers on many of our native trees and plants, gathering food for themselves (pollen and nectar), while providing a pollination service that ensures viable seeds produce the next generation of plants for us all to enjoy in the years ahead. And not only that, much of the food we eat relies on insect pollination in one way or another.

Living in Dorset, you can’t fail to see the bright yellow fields in spring. That’s the oilseed rape plant (Brassica napus), and much of the vegetable oil consumed in the UK is extracted from the seeds of this plant. It’s an important crop. The plant can be windpollinated, but studies around the world, including here in the UK, have shown the yield

achieved after insect pollination can be more than 30% higher.

Honey bees love oilseed rape! It yields a lot of nectar and pollen at a time of the year when bee colonies are growing fast. In fact, so much is collected that there is often a surplus which the bees convert to honey and store. This can be the source of a spring honey crop.

But one honey can be very different from another. Honey is a complex mixture of sugars and other substances after the bees have worked their magic.

Nectar brought back from the oilseed rape contains a high percentage of glucose (rather than other sugars like fructose).

Glucose causes the honey to crystallise quickly, which is why it’s important to remove it from the beehives immediately after the oilseed rape has stopped flowering (which is now). Heat generated by the colony helps keep it liquid for a while, but the bees find it harder to use their stores once solidified, and beekeepers struggle to remove it without destroying the valuable beeswax comb.

Once harvested, it will solidify quickly, but its crystals are small, and it has quite a smooth feel on the tongue. Beekeepers also use it to make set honey and to seed runny honey to make a soft-set or creamed honey.

So, that’s why beekeepers are harvesting honey right now. There will be another summer honey harvest later in the year, but this spring honey and crop pollination are great examples of the value honey bees bring to us humans, and why it’s so important to preserve them for future generations.

The life and work of the

Gardening for a good cause

THE owners of the Fonthill Estate in Wiltshire are hosting a special open gardens event to raise funds for UK gynaecological cancer charity, Lady Garden Foundation.

Lord Margadale, Nancy Morrison and Penny Plane have planned the event in memory of family friend, and daughter, Emily Plane, who lost her life to ovarian cancer in 2023.

Emily would have celebrated her 30th birthday this June, hence the timing of this fundraising initiative.

"Emily loved her visits to Fonthill, and we couldn’t be more pleased to open the garden in her honour,” said Nancy Morrison.

“It’s a special way to remember her and share something she enjoyed with others."

Visitors to the event on Sunday, June 8, noon-5pm, will be able to meet Lord Margadale and his gardening team, and tour the grounds, including the floral and vegetable gardens.

They will also be able to enjoy stalls hosted by local artisans and enjoy refreshments.

Tickets are available online priced £10 – visit www.eventbrite.com and search ‘Fonthill House’ – or at the gate priced £12. Fonthill House is at Fonthill Bishop (SP3 5SH).

honey bee is endlessly fascinating. If you’d like to learn more and have a fun afternoon with North Dorset Beekeepers, you’d enjoy a Bee Experience Day. There are two afternoons planned in June this year and you’ll find out more at www.northdorsetbeekeepers. org.uk.

www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk

experience meets depth of specialism.

www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/personal meets depth of specialism. delivering a client. property, future, Private Tax Trust Personal Law.

Breadth of experience meets depth of specialism.

Life’s a journey. Don’t walk alone.

• Employment Law

blanchardsbailey.co.uk walk alone. Innovative. the sharpest on delivering a and every client. your first property, planning for your future, managing Private Inheritance Tax Planning and Trust help you difficult changes. Personal Law.

• Employment Law

Life’s a journey. Don’t walk alone.

• Family Law

• Court of Protection

Approachable. Professional. Innovative. Bringing together some of the sharpest minds in law, we’re focused on delivering a standout service to each and every client.

• Court of Protection

• Family Law

Personal Law.

Approachable. Professional. Innovative. Bringing together some of the sharpest minds in law, we’re focused on delivering a standout service to each and every client.

• Court of Protection

• Residential Property

Approachable. Professional. Innovative. Bringing together some of the sharpest minds in law, we’re focused on delivering a standout service to each and every client.

• Residential Property

• Contentious Probate

• Residential Property

• Contentious Probate

From the thrill of purchasing your first property, to the challenges of planning for your future, we’re here to help.

• Contentious Probate

• Wills, Probate and Estate Planning

Life’s a journey. Don’t walk alone.

• Property Disputes

From the thrill of purchasing your first property, to the challenges of planning for your future, we’re here to help.

• Property Disputes

• Wills, Probate and Estate Planning

• Property Disputes

• Wills, Probate and Estate Planning

Approachable. Professional. Innovative. Bringing together some of the sharpest minds in law, we’re focused on delivering a standout service to each and every client.

www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/business depth of specialism. Personal Law.

• Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Inheritance Tax Planning

• Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Our team are experts in managing Private Wealth, High Value Assets, Inheritance Tax Planning, Succession Planning and Trust Administration and can help you navigate life’s milestones, difficult decisions and important changes.

• Inheritance Tax Planning

• Succession Planning and Trust Administration

• Inheritance Tax Planning

• Succession Planning and Trust Administration

www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk

From the thrill of purchasing your first property, to the challenges of planning for your future, we’re here to help.

• Employment Law

• Family Law

• Court of Protection

blanchardsbailey.co.uk

Blandford | Dorchester | Shaftesbury | Weymouth

www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/agriculture

• Residential Property

• Contentious Probate

Breadth of experience meets depth of specialism. blanchardsbailey.co.uk

• Contentious Probate

Breadth of experience meets depth of specialism. blanchardsbailey.co.uk

• Contentious Probate

• Wills, Probate and Estate Planning

• Property Disputes

• Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Inheritance Tax Planning

• Wills, Probate and Estate Planning • Property Disputes • Litigation and Dispute Resolution • Inheritance Tax

• Succession Planning and Trust Administration

Blandford | Dorchester | Shaftesbury | Weymouth

• Wills, Probate and Estate Planning

www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/personal www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/contact-us/blandford www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/contact-us/dorchester www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/contact-us/shaftesbury www.blanchardsbailey.co.uk/contact-us/weymouth

• Property Disputes

• Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Inheritance Tax Planning

• Succession Planning and Trust Administration

Celebrating a good night’s sleep

As third generation family business

The Bed Specialist celebrates it’s 60th anniversary, we learn how it all began with a touch of entrepreneurial spirit.

The year is 1965. Ruth and Derek Lush were on a long weekend away in Wales visiting their friends who owned a furniture shop. After seeing how their business thrived and the exciting collections of furniture available, they returned home to Yeovil brimming with ideas, keen to establish their very own furniture shop. After a last-minute dash to post a letter at the general post office in Huish, Derek noticed the old Cooperative stores were up for sale across the street and that same night an offer was made on the premises. The dream became a reality and Preston Furnishing – The Bed Specialist was established.

The shop soon became well known as the go-to destination for trusted advice and quality furniture, building a reputation for stocking household name brands for every budget. Now owned by the third generation of the same family, Nick Stokes learnt his trade from dad Martin who spent 40 years in the business and today, the team at The Bed Specialist continues providing award winning expertise, quality products and honest service to each customer because sleep has never been more vital to maintain good health and wellbeing.

June 2025 sees The Bed Specialist in Yeovil reach their big milestone of 60 years trading in the town and the business continues thrive, welcoming customers back time and again. Nick says “We rely on our happy customers recommending us to friends and family. Customers who purchased their beds back in the 60’s and 70’s regularly return to let us know how our furniture has been at the centre of their homes for generations. The business has been built over many years on a reputation of trust and good value so we truly appreciate the good will of our customers returning and sharing what we offer. In a hectic world where folks are busier than ever, choosing the right mattress is a worthy investment in yourself and we love to see the difference it can make”

This local Yeovil based business has grown into a leading force for good sleep

in the UK furniture industry and now sells premium beds, mattresses and luxury bedding to customers the length and breadth of the UK offering free delivery services on the entire range. The collections can be viewed online and purchased via the fantastic website. Guides and advice blogs along with useful hints and tips on every mattress can be found online too. Of course, not forgetting their beautiful showrooms which are open six days a week where you can browse and test over 40 beds and mattresses with the helpful guidance of their sleep experts.

The Bed Specialist now offers a 100-night sleep trial on every mattress purchased in store with a no quibble swap if it isn’t quite right after the first few weeks of sleep, and the special Anniversary summer sale is going to be quite something with some of the biggest discounts and offers they have ever managed to negotiate from suppliers such as Vispring, Hypnos, Sleepeezee and Dunlopillo to mark the momentous occasion.

Nick concludes, “We can’t wait to welcome you to our showrooms in

Huish, straight opposite the Yeovil General Post office. Theres ample free parking and you’ll be amazed at what is on offer for every taste and budget in our double storey showrooms. Thanks for being a part of our 60-year journey and we can’t wait to help you find the perfect new bed in the years to come” Shop online at thebedspecialist.co.uk or call 01935 423 596 to find out more.

Hazel’s creating eco-friendly fashion

PRELOVED fashion and vintage fabrics are being given a new lease of life thanks to the efforts of a Shaftesbury-based artist and grandmother.

Hazel Keating, who is in her 60s, has spent decades sewing, designing, and collecting unique fabrics, from old dresses and household textiles to donated offcuts and vintage finds.

She has now used this experience to create a slow fashion brand, Hazy Made, that reworks preloved jackets using vintage textiles from her personal collection.

Each piece is individually designed and stitched by Hazel in her home studio in Shaftesbury – and no two are the same.

She said her experience as a trained fashion designer and exhibiting textile artist with the local collective The Textile Set

brings an artistic flair to every jacket.

“Starting this business later in life has been such an exciting adventure, one that combines my lifelong love of art and design with my commitment to sustainability,” she said.

*Packed lunch included in these trips

*SUDELEY CASTLE & GARDENS - DV932

HORSE DRAWN BARGE & FISH & CHIP SUPPER - DV939

*HORSE DRAWN BARGE & TWO COURSE MEAL-Tiverton Hotel - DV948 SUNDAY LUNCH SPECIAL - IOW- Brunswick Hotel-Shanklin - DV937 Sat 14th June - £79pp Sat 21st June - £89pp Sun 6th

“As a mother and grandmother, I’ve spent decades creating and curating, and now I’m thrilled to share my passion through these unique jackets.

“I studied fashion design at art college, and sewing and designing have been constants in my life ever since.

“Over the years, I’ve gathered an incredible collection of fabrics, each with its own story, everything from my children’s bedroom curtains to dresses I made in my twenties.

“Now, I use these cherished materials to transform pre-loved jackets into something new and extraordinary.

*RHS HAMPTON COURT PALACE GARDEN FESTIVALFlower Show - DV935

BATTLE OF THE PROMS CONCERT - DV946 – SB551- Starts 16:00pm SECRET SUNDAY LUNCH - DV930 *HIGHCLERE CASTLE - DV944

LLANDUDNO - Includes West Highland Railway, Portmerion Village, Snowdon Mountain Railway, & Ffestignog Railway etc - SB554The Llandudno Bay Hotel TROSSACHS LOCH LOMAND – VICTORIAN STEAM – SB551 The Winnock Hotel, Dryman

*PAIGNTON & DARTMOUTH STEAM RAILWAY & CRUISE-DV948

Creative grandmother Hazel Keating, right, has started Hazy Made in her 60s

Courage under fire

MEMBERS of the public have received Chief Fire Officer’s Commendations in recognition of their courageous actions.

The awards were presented by Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole at Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s annual awards ceremony, held at Tidworth Garrison Theatre.

Care worker Alice Chubb was commended for rescuing an

Church choir

THE Phoenix Voices Choir will help celebrate Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) churches in a concert in Ilchester on Sunday (June 8).

The choir will be singing at St Andrew’s Church from 5pm – donations to the CCT.

elderly woman from her smoke-filled home in Sherborne in January.

After arriving at the property, Alice could hear an alarm sounding, but did not initially realise it was coming from inside the house.

However, once she opened the front door, smoke billowed out and she could see the kitchen was on fire. She could also see the elderly occupier inside.

Alice immediately called 999 then, with no thought to her own safety, entered the house and carried the woman outside.

Having placed the casualty in her own car, Alice provided first aid until the two fire crews from Sherborne and an ambulance arrived on scene.

Hannah Dowdall was also commended for rescuing a neighbour from a fire at her home in Weymouth in July last year.

Hannah had just arrived home

when she heard a smoke alarm nearby and went to investigate.

She realised her neighbour's house was on fire, with black smoke coming from the door.

After instructing her partner to call the fire service, Hannah showed calm determination to go inside and guide the elderly woman to safety.

CFO Cole said: “These

commendations are my opportunity to give public recognition to individuals who have gone above and beyond to help someone else.

“In both these cases, members of the community have shown exceptional quick-thinking and courage, and I have no doubt that two lives were saved as a result.”

FASHIONS & LINGERIE

Alice Chubb receives her commendation from Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole blackmorevale.net

Raise the roof

A TINY Vale village needs to raise in excess of £150,000 to replace its church roof.

St Barnabas Church in Queen Camel (BA22 7NS) dates from the 14th century, and is in desperate need of repair.

As part of its fundraising efforts, the village will be holding its annual Church Path Fayre on Saturday, June 7, from 12.30pm.

The Church Path Fayre is always a great afternoon of fun and games with a variety of attractions including a teddy bear zip wire from the top of the tower. All courageous teddies receive a certificate for their bravery, having been taken up in a rucksack before the flight.

In addition there will be an assault course, chicken chucking, splat the rat, face painting and a range of other attractions including trips up the tower and friendly pygmy goats.

For adults there are all the usual stalls as well as the very popular bottles on cards and, of course, an excellent raffle which always has wonderful prizes.

The barbecue will be fired up, with plenty of other refreshments on offer including Pimm’s and homemade cake.

Contemporary or traditional kitchens manufactured to order

Gillingham Showroom

01747 833 789

Unit 21, Kingsmead Business Park, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5JG

Opening Hours

Monday–Friday: 9am–5pm Saturdays by appointment only Closed Sunday.

www.solsticekitchens.co.uk

Garden View at Bramley House in Mere is our exclusive, intimate wing offering unparalleled, personalised care for residents with advanced-stage dementia. Garden View provides a rare opportunity for personalised, high-quality care in a serene and controlled environment. This exclusivity ensures that each resident receives the utmost attention and bespoke care, tailored to their unique needs. Specialist wing designed to cater for residents with advanced stage dementia

Why choose Garden View

Engaging

Sensory room

Comfortable living spaces

Family involvement and support

Comprehensive end-of-life care

Home-cooked meals

Pride celebrates diversity

A PRIDE Day aimed specifically at families will return to Wincanton tomorrow (Saturday, June 7) following the success of its launch event last year.

The Balsam Centre’s Family Pride Day aims to bring together families from across south Somerset to recognise and celebrate diversity in any form, as well as the common ties that connect us all.

The event is supported by 2BUSomerset, a specialist support service serving the needs of young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ+) people across Somerset.

More than 100 people attended the inaugural event in 2024.

Activities on the day, which is free to attend, include pizza-making, a glitter hair bar, face painting, games, a dance competition, friendship bracelet-making and other crafting activities.

The event sends out a clear message of acceptance and inclusivity, and organisers hope local people will once again come together to celebrate everything that makes their family unique and special.

Balsam Centre Deputy chief executive, Emma Brown, said: “The Balsam Centre is

a safe space for our LGBTQ+ community and allies, and recognises and welcomes diversity in all its forms, including race, ethnicity, neurodivergence and age.

“Following the success of our first Family Pride Day in 2024, we’ve decided to make it an annual event, bringing local families together in celebration of not only our differences but also everything we have in common.”

Family Pride Day is at The Balsam Centre in Wincanton on Saturday, June 7, and runs from 10am-2pm. Entry is free.

For more info go to www.balsamcentre. org.uk/events-1/family-pride-day

Near misses

REPORT a minor traffic collision or near-miss online and help the council target road improvements.

Collisions involving injury, where someone is in danger, where an offence may have been committed or details have not been exchanged should always be reported to the police, but Dorset Council wants to know about other incidents.

Information about damage-only, non-injury accidents and near-misses helps the council identify where road improvements are needed.

Near misses, which might be at low speed with another vehicle, a pedestrian or bike often go unreported. Lots of small incidents at the same location can highlight the need for changes. This might be new signs, or a junction redesign.

As well as giving details about the incident, you can pinpoint the exact location using an online map.

https://dorset-self.achieveservice. com/service/Report-a-non-injurycollision-or-near-miss

Discover Leweston Prep – Where Every Day is a New Adventure!

At Leweston Prep, learning goes far beyond the classroom. Our pupils thrive in a nurturing environment filled with exciting enrichment opportunities, from music, drama, and the arts to coding, cookery, and languages – there’s something to inspire every young mind.

We offer an inclusive sports programme where every child is encouraged to get involved, build confidence, and enjoy the benefits of teamwork and physical activity, whatever their ability.

Our beautiful campus is home to a thriving Forest School and Equestrian Centre, giving children the chance to explore the outdoors, build resilience, and connect with nature –whether they are riding ponies or building dens in the woods!

Our topic-based curriculum brings learning to life, encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a love of discovery across all subjects.

Leweston Prep: A new adventure every day – where learning is an experience, not just a lesson. Come and see the difference for yourself.

The best way to experience Leweston is to book an individual tour, tailor-made to your requirements.

Leweston ‘Visit Weeks’ are available to book now. These offer a personalised guided tour of the School during which you can find out more about academic, creative and sporting opportunities, view our extensive facilities and talk to the Admissions team about entrance, transport, enrichment and more. Your visit will also include a meeting with the Headmaster, Mr Richard Thompson.

Leweston Prep School Visit Week | 16 – 20 June 2025

nimal boarding has now been operating on the current site of Branscombe Kennels and Cattery in Stour Row, just outside Shaftesbury, for around 50 years.

Branscombe Kennels and Cattery consistently offers high levels of care for the four-legged members of the families, from across Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset and beyond. We are now regularly seeing customers from as far afield as Bournemouth, Poole, Bath, Andover and even London and Wales!

Many customers are long-term regulars bringing their dogs and cats, as they recognise the level of care offered. In addition, the family and their wellqualified team are all dog and cat lovers. Whether it is the two good walks that the dogs get each day, sessions in the arena/agility area or visits to the on-site groomer, they recognise the level of service offered and that what is offered really makes a difference.

In the past six years since Peter, Nadja and Stephen took over, they have set about making a range of improvements and changes, whilst retaining the ethos of quality care for the dogs and cats they look after.

Branscombe Kennels and Cattery was recognised in the Shaftesbury Business Awards with a Best Family Business award last year, and again this year with awards both in Shaftesbury and Gillingham for its Customer Service and as a Best Family Business. “We are justifiably proud of these accolades” says Peter Sale, one of the Directors of the company.

Back in the saddle

by Tim Cook

“We are not resting on our laurels” says Stephen Nunn, Director. “We have made significant improvements to the heating, lighting and drainage systems. We have an ongoing programme of refurbishment and improvement. This includes plans to further improve the cattery and to redevelop one of our kennel blocks, as well as the security of the site. We look forward to the future with anticipation and hope to be here serving the community for another 50 years or more.” ADVERTISING FEATURE

Copyright BlackmoreVale

A LARGE crowd turned out to welcome weary cyclists as they ascended Gold Hill in Shaftesbury at the end of the North Dorset Cycle Ride.

The event took place in excellent weather and attracted 110 entries – and featured a new ride, the 22-mile gravel crunch. The riders were all diehard North Dorset cyclists and thought the route was as good as previous years.

The 50-mile ride again included the iconic Zig Zag Hill, one of many challenging hills the cyclists faced.

The 6km family fun ride was this year bigger and better than last year with more cycling tests at Shaftesbury Primary School for adults and children.

BV Dairy sponsored the event for a fifth year and proceeds will go to Prostate Cancer UK.

Shaftesbury Rotary Club would like to thank all the volunteers who came out to help at the event, together with the Nadder Centre, Abbey Primary School RotaKids, Shaftesbury Primary School, Lidl for the refreshments at the feeding station, and Coffee Devils at the Nadder Centre.

Five-star stables for happy ponies

HANFORD

Stables have been awarded a five-star rating by Dorset Council, under The Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Head of riding, Charley Pearson, said: “It is great to have received this five-star rating, it shows how much attention to detail the stables team put in to keeping each pony fit and well.

“It is important that we educate our pupils in the foundations of animal welfare, so that all the girls who learn to ride at Hanford appreciate the importance of looking after our ponies – this will hopefully shape the way they deal with, and relate to, animals throughout their lives.”

Hanford Prep has a busy riding stables in the centre of the school with 20 ponies, some owned by Hanford, others belonging to pupils.

Nearly all girls learn to ride, having individual and group lessons in the indoor riding arena and taking part in outrides in the school grounds and surrounding countryside.

Gillingham’s new mayor!

GILLINGHAM has a new mayor for the civic year 2025/26 following a mayormaking ceremony on May 28.

Councillor Fiona Cullen was elected as town mayor, with Cllr Donna Toye deputy mayor.

Retiring mayor Cllr Roger Weeks thanked councillors and staff for their support during his mayoral year and paid special tribute to his consort, the late Yvonne Weeks, who had supported him until her death in March of this year.

Cllr Weeks proposed Cllr Cullen as the new mayor and highlighted her dedication, leadership, and community engagement and praised her balanced judgement and environmental commitment.

In his nomination speech, Cllr Weeks said: “Fiona is a deeply committed and highly respected member of this council. Her service to the town is characterised not only by

Mayor’s consort Adam Cullen, Mayor Fiona Cullen, deputy mayor Donna Toye and deputy consort Peter Crocker

unwavering dedication, but by a thoughtful, compassionate, and purposeful approach to local government.

“She leads by example, bringing a steady hand, a sharp mind, and a generous spirit to every discussion and decision.”

“She will bring energy, insight, and integrity to the role of mayor,” they added.

Deputy mayor Cllr Toye was

proposed by Cllr Paul Harris who said: “Cllr Toye serves this community with diligence and integrity. She brings with her a wealth of experience, a lifelong affection for Gillingham, and a steadfast dedication to public service.”

During the ceremony the robes and chains of office were handed over, and badges of office were presented to Adam Cullen, the mayor’s consort, and the deputy mayor’s principal consort, Peter Crocker.

A council spokesperson said: “The mayor and deputy mayor are looking forward to supporting residents, businesses and organisations, attending events and promoting Gillingham throughout Dorset and beyond.”

If you would like the mayor to attend a function, contact Donna O’Neill, on 01747 823588, or email GTC@ gillinghamdorset-tc.gov.uk.

Taking Hardy on tour

A CAVALCADE of camaraderie is travelling through Dorset this summer, bringing some of Thomas Hardy’s lesser known stories to life in four of the county’s most breathtaking outdoor settings.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the New Hardy Players are touring A Few Crusted Characters, a series of short stories that have been described as Hardy’s Canterbury Tales

A cart with a full complement of passengers is travelling from a prosperous market town to the village of Longpuddle.

En route they meet a stranger – the audience – and stop to relate a series of tales about local characters, their good luck and misfortunes.

The 90-minute play has been adapted from the original texts by Victoria Bowles and is directed by Penny Levick and Alastair Braidwood.

A cast of 30 aged between seven and over 70 play everything from drunk farmers, lusty youths, canny lasses and a vicar to bees, cattle, a hedge and trees.

Alastair said: “Performing in beautiful settings with live music is a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary.

“The New Hardy Players are known for their faithful adaptations of Hardy’s works, and this will be an authentic retelling of his tales that everyone can enjoy.”

As well as evening performances, two afternoon shows will be staged for families, which will include children’s games and activities beforehand.

Penny added: “We are putting together a very ambitious show in a short space of time, and it’s been amazing seeing it come to life.

“We are a diverse cast of players, about half of them have

Small stages

MODEL theatres will take centre stage at a special event at Lufton Church next weekend.

These paper toy theatres allowed people –especially children – to perform mini productions of real stage plays, using cut-out actors and scenery on a small stage. They were very popular in the first half of the 19th century.

The exhibition will include historic model theatres, sheets of characters and scenes and accompanying playbooks.

The exhibition is open Friday to Sunday, June 6-8, 10am-5pm.

Admission is free. More information can be found at www.lufton.co.uk

never worked with the New Hardy Players before, but were in the community play or local drama groups.

“It is an ensemble piece with no ‘main star’ –every part is important and our players love feeling a part of this group.

“They are people who love Dorset and the local community and its heritage and are having a great time putting this together!”

The New Hardy Players formed in 2005, at the request of Norrie Woodhall on her 100th birthday.

Norrie was the last surviving member of Thomas Hardy’s original band of players who formed in 1908, with his blessing, to stage adaptations of his works.

A Few Crusted Characters is

being staged at Abbotsbury Swannery on Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7 (7.30pm performances), Maumbury Rings, Dorchester, on Sunday, June 8 (4pm family show), Holme Gardens, Wareham on Friday, June 13 (7.30pm) and Minterne House, near Dorchester, on Saturday, June 14 (7.30pm) and Sunday, June 15 (4pm).

Tickets are £15 plus concessions from Dorchester Arts on 01305 266926 and dorchesterarts.org.uk

Live music will accompany key scenes – Lucy Sturge plays the flute

Station is on the right track

by Hilary Daniels

TRACKLAYING at Shillingstone Station continues apace, and the team seem to be working with new vigour now that the station is in plain sight – on one recent damp Wednesday they completed a 60ft section in one five-hour shift, an amazing effort.

Visitors to Shillingstone now have a ringside view of the intricate process of tracklaying, and the new extension is now roughly 85% complete.

Unfortunately, some visitors will also find North Dorset Railway’s new car park a little

The road closure at the bridge is in force until Friday, June 20, 24 hours a day.

But with the new track getting so close to the station, visitors won’t want to miss keeping up with its progress, and accessible parking is available at the station itself.

Steeped in three generations of history, Bakhtiyar of Stockbridge and London has long been a respected leader in the Persian and Oriental hand-woven carpet trade. Headed by internationally renowned carpet expert Masoud Mazaheri-Asadi.

Spend time with Bakhtiyar’s specialists and you will quickly discover their passion and love for the craftsmanship of the carpets they source. They pride themselves on meeting client’s specification, advising on projects whether it be a trade enquiry at their London warehouse, or a customer at one of their shops in Stockbridge, Hampshire. Masoud is often called upon by auction houses, insurance firms and institutions to identify and value carpets and invited to share his expertise with media outlets such as the BBC.

We would be remiss to say that is all they do, carrying out general repairs for clients, whilst also working with many historic organisations to clean and restore carpets, bringing them back to life, in some cases removing 200 year old stains.

Their team of highly skilled cleaners and restorers carry out repairs using the traditional knotting methods to fully restore rugs to their former glory, taking wool dated from the same period as the rug, to perfectly match the rest of the piece.

Friday 6th to Sunday 8th of June 2025

Open 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily

Join Masoud Mazaheri-Asadi, third generation and internationally renowned Persian and Oriental carpet specialist, together with his son Koroush and immerse all your senses in the delights of hand woven carpets, runners & flat weave kelims at our three day selling exhibition. With contemporary pieces freshly cut off the looms, to eye catching antiques found in the hidden depths of the Bazaars and Mosques, there is something to suit all interiors.

Home viewings can be arranged during and after the exhibiton.

Taste the delicious home-cooked food of Persia over a leisurely lunch, with all proceeds raised in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

We offer a cleaning and repair service and are giving complimentary appraisals during the exhibition.

MINTERN BARN, LUCCOMBER FARM, MILTON ABBAS, BLANDFORD FORUM DORSET, DT11 0BE

Directions: Approach the exhibition at Luccombe Farm from Winterborne Whitechurch (A354), using the Milton Abbas Road. (AA signposted)

Ample parking is available and the Mintern Barn is wheelchair accessible.

School welcomes new mayor

MILTON Abbey School has congratulated a long-time member of staff on becoming mayor of Blandford.

Former mayor, Councillor Nocturin Lacey-Clarke, officially handed over the role to Cllr Hugo Mieville at the town council’s mayor-making ceremony.

Mr Mieville is Milton Abbey’s alumni association manager.

He arrived at the school in September 1985 as a French teacher, and after Bruce Coleman retired in 1988, took over as head of Modern Foreign Languages until 1999, organising many French exchanges with schools in Brittany and Paris.

He was also master in charge of football and Damer tutor.

From 2016 to today, Hugo

has served as MAA manager.

He has seen and directed the school from almost every aspect and outlasted six headmasters.

Current school head, James Watson, attended the mayormaking event.

A spokesperson for the school said: “Milton Abbey School is delighted for mayor Mieville and wishes him every success.”

Eco inspired

GREEN-MINDED householders are being invited to showcase their properties as part of the Dorset Greener Homes initiative this autumn.

The event highlights green and sustainable energy and the organisers are looking for householders willing to talk to visitors about their ecorenovation.

Features can be high-tech, like PV panels and battery storage, heat pumps, EV car chargers or solar heating. But they can also be simple solutions – repurposing materials, cutting waste or biodiverse gardens.

Sam Wilberforce, who organises the open homes event, said: “The homes do not have to be perfect, and the work may not even be finished.”

Show your support

SHOW your solidarity for everyone living with dementia by wearing an Alzheimer’s Society Forget Me Not badge this June.

One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime. In the south west of England there are more than 101,500 people living with dementia.

Alzheimer’s Society’s Forget Me Not Appeal will help to fund life-changing dementia support for people living with dementia today, and research that could mean a brighter future for people who may face it tomorrow.

Alzheimer’s Society patron Dame Judi Dench is supporting the campaign, she said: “Every Forget Me Not badge has its own meaning. Having seen the impact of dementia first-hand, I’m sadly all too aware of how cruel and unforgiving this condition can be. Not only for the person affected, but their loved ones too. This June, join Alzheimer’s Society and thousands of people across the country and wear your Forget Me Not – to support people living with dementia today and those who may face it tomorrow.”

Alzheimer’s Society offers friendly support through a range of virtual and

in-person services, including a dementia support line (0333 150 3456), online support forum and dementia advisers.

Find out where to buy your badge at alzheimers.org.uk/ForgetMeNotAppeal. The suggested donation is £10 – every £50 raised could help families to access support from an Alzheimer’s Society expert dementia adviser to help them navigate their diagnosis.

LEGAL

Grow your family tree with expert help

EXPERTS from seven counties will be available to help people researching their family trees at a family history day in Wilton.

Family history societies from Wiltshire, Bristol and Avon, Berkshire, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire are expected, along with representatives from the Rifles Museum, South Wiltshire Industrial Archaeological Society and Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre.

“A wealth of material is available online these days, but nothing beats getting person to person advice when we get stuck,” said Bob Knightley, chairman of Wiltshire Family History Society.

“Whether you’re just getting started or have been researching for years and seem to have come up against a brick wall, we’ll try to help – and it’s all free.”

Wiltshire volunteers recently completed the mammoth project of transcribing the original registers of births and burials – sometimes written in Latin or on parchment – for each of the 300-plus parishes in the county.

The records cover the 300 years until national registration was introduced in 1837. The earliest are from St Thomas’s, Salisbury, dated 1530.

They have all been published, along with marriage records, and will be available at the family history day at the Michael Herbert Hall on Saturday, June 21.

Secure Your Home. Safeguard Your Legacy.

Safeguard Your Hard-Earned Assets from 40% Inheritance Tax, Looming Care Fees, & Potential Family Disputes.

Discover the Power of a Living Trust

Your home is more than just bricks and mortar — it’s the foundation of your family’s future. But without the right legal protections, it could be vulnerable to rising care costs, probate delays, and unnecessary inheritance tax. At Oakwood Wills, we help you shield your assets with one powerful tool: the Living Trust.

Why Consider a Living Trust?

Inheritance Tax Planning: Are you concerned about losing 40% of your already taxed hard earned wealth to the government? Our bespoke legal strategies, meticulously crafted using trusts and wills, ensure your assets stay where they belong – in your family’s hands. Fully compliant with UK law, we shield your estate from the grasp of inheritance taxes, giving you peace of mind and financial security.

Protect Your Assets from Care Costs. Placing your main residence into a living trust can ring-fence it from potential future care fees. With care costs now averaging thousands of pounds per month, this can be a crucial move to safeguard your estate — and your children’s inheritance.

Care Fees Protection: With average care fees hitting £2,000 per week and typical stays ranging from 3 to 7 years, these expenses can quickly deplete most estates. Our custom-tailored solutions offer a lifeline. While many believe protection is impossible, we’ve developed a tailored legal strategy fully compliant with UK law to safeguard your assets, including protection against care fees.

Minimise Inheritance Tax Liability. A Living Trust can be a valuable tool in inheritance tax planning. By legally transferring ownership of your home and selected assets into the trust, they may fall outside of your taxable estate.

Avoid Probate: When a property is in a Living Trust it is not subject to Probate.

Wills: Don’t leave your loved ones squabbling over vague wills! Oakwood Wills specializes in drafting crystal-clear documents that leave no room for ambiguity. No more family feuds. Just smooth, conflictfree asset distribution that honours your final wishes. Lasting Power Of Attorneys: Statistics don’t lie – the chances of incapacity rise with age. With our Lasting Power of Attorneys services, you can appoint trusted individuals to make financial and healthcare decisions on your behalf. No more court approvals, no more uncertainty in times of crises – just peace of mind knowing your interests are in safe hands.

Maintain Full Control of Your Assets. When you set up a living trust, you remain as one of the trustees — often alongside trusted family members. This allows you to manage and use your assets as normal, with surviving trustees stepping in only if you lose capacity or pass away, ensuring a smooth transition with no court delays. Personalised, In-Home Consultation – Free of Charge Oakwood Wills offers complimentary consultations in the comfort of your own home or via online meetings.

Call us today on 07832 331594

For a complimentary consultation, reach out to Oakwood Wills.

Tel: 07832 331594 or Email: info@oakwoodwills.co.uk

Email: info@oakwoodwills.co.uk

28 years of the Beaminster Festival

In its 28 years the Beaminster Festival has established a tradition of supporting BBC Young Musicians. Previous guests such as Benjamin Grosvenor, Nicola Benedetti, Emma Johnson and Alison Balsom will all say how important local festivals such as ours are to young performers.

This year, Jacky Zhang, still only 17 and finalist in 2024, phenomenal pianist and composer, will play Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. Ewan Millar, oboe and finalist in 2020, presents a highly virtuosic but charming programme. Pianist, Martin James Bartlett, winner in 2016, returns for the 3rd time, playing 4 hands piano with his colleague Dina Duisen including iconic duos by Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Debussy (Dolly Suite). Finally, Guy Johnston, winner in 2000 and now one of the most celebrated cellists of his generation, joins another finalist of that year, Tom Poster, piano, in a fabulous cello recital.

A highly unusual concert is given by the Corvus Consort together with the Ferio Saxophone Quartet with music by Bach ( Jesu, Joy: Wachet Auf; Air on a G string) and the glorious Allegri Miserere revoiced by Owain Park.

Brochures available at TICs, libraries, and other local outlets.

Find out more and book your tickets at: www.beaminsterfestival.com Or call 0333 666 33 66

If lighter music is to your taste we have the Fairey Brass Band; Steve Knightley with music from his Winter Yards Album; cool jazz by James Pearson (Artistic Director of Ronnie Scotts) together with Lizzie Ball; Planet ABBA; and Graffiti Classics, who combine comedy and dance with a dash around some pop classics.

As well as music, theatre, art and literature are well represented. The Three-Inch Fools, a brilliant, multi-talented, fast paced musically driven troupe will be performing in the gorgeous grounds of Beaminster Manor. Local artists will be displaying their talent throughout the week at Beaminster Public Hall, and five literary events, including authors Trevor Ware; Alan Edwards; Daisy Goodwin; Julian Evans and Lalage Snow.

With some 70 volunteers helping, this really is a community event. The 28th Beaminster Festival promises to be the best yet with ticket sales already extremely buoyant. Brochures are freely available, or visit www.beaminsterfestival.com or buy tickets on 0333 666 33 66, and visit this charming little town in West Dorset. You are sure of a warm welcome.

3 JUN

3pm | Three Inch Fools – The Most Perilous Comedie of Elizabeth I (Beaminster Manor)

9 JUN

5.30pm | Choral Evensong University MusicBournemouth-Chamber Choir and Friends

28 JUN–6 JULY

10am–5pm (4pm last day) | Beaminster Festival Art Exhibition in conjunction with Mosterton Art Group (Public Hall)

28 JUNE

2pm | KNDS Fairey Band

Secret Galleries and Gardens of Beaminster (all weekend)

29 JUNE

7.30pm | Martin James Bartlett, Dina Duisen: piano 4 hands

30 JUNE

11.30am | Morgan Szymanski: guitar

7pm | Gildas String Quartet

1 JULY

11.30am | K. Dienes -Williams: organ

2.30pm | Trevor Ware: Arctic Genius: Sir William Parry (L)

7.30pm | Steve Knightley: Winter Yards

2 JULY

11.30am | Jacky Zhang: piano

2.30pm | Alan Edwards: I Was There, with Kevin Long (L)

7.30pm | Corvus Consort & Ferio Sax Quartet choral concert

3 JULY

11.30am | Ewan Millar: oboe, Tobias Boyles: piano

2.30pm | Daisy Goodwin: Diva with Jo Willett - Maria Callas (L)

7.30pm | Lizzie Ball, James Pearson: Gershwin

4 JULY

11.30am | Grafﬁti Classics: fun String Quartet

2.30pm | Julian Evans: Undefeatable with John Dean (L)

7.30pm | Guy Johnston: cello recital, Tom Poster: piano

5 JULY

2.30pm | Lalage Snow: My Family and other Seedlings (L)

8pm | Planet ABBA (Beaminster School)

6 JULY

7.30pm |Meliora Collective: Gala Concert

Venue: St Mary’s Church, Beaminster DT8 3BA unless otherwise indicated. (L) Literary event

Photo: Steve Ullathorne

Jack Zhang Fairey Brass Band

Steve Knightley

Martin James Bartlett

Our loose Canon

Reflections on the death of Pope Francis and his life’s work

Canon Eric Woods

DEADLINES, and holidays, have prevented me from commenting earlier on the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor, Leo XIV. Robert Harris’s epic novel Conclave [2016] and the superb film based upon it had prepared me for a long period before the white smoke indicated the election of the new Pope, with all sorts of hints of conspiracies and shenanigans going on behind the sealed doors of the Sistine Chapel.

In the event, the Roman Catholic Church seems to have handled both the funeral of Francis and the election of Leo with a kind of holy efficiency which makes our Anglican attempts to find a successor to the former Archbishop of Canterbury look pathetic.

As far as I’m concerned, Francis has joined my select list of favourite popes who have understood that their primary duty is to be the “Servants of the servants of God”. I rejoiced in 2014 when Pope Francis made Pope John XXIII [died 1963] a saint. “Good Pope John”, as he is often called, was a man of simple faith and great humility. In a letter he wrote “This morning I must receive cardinals, princes and important representatives of the Government. But in the afternoon, I want to spend time with some ordinary

Brian Thomason Retirement after 40 years

After an incredible 40 years of dedication to our community and the world of dentistry, we are announcing the well-deserved retirement of Brian Thomason, one of the most respected, and the most longstanding member of our team here at Sturminster Dental Care.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Brian first acquired The Old Malt House Dental Practice in 1985, and has been the driving force behind its continued growth and success. His unwavering commitment to patient care, and clinical excellence saw the practice evolve into what we know today as Sturminster Dental Care, following our relocation and rebranding in 2015, for which we were awarded the prize for “Practice Design and Interior” at the Private Dentistry Awards in 2016.

Reflecting on his 40-year career, Brian said, “Since I announced my retirement, many of you have told me how proud I should be of what has been achieved here. Thank you for your very kind words, but let me borrow some words from Walt Disney: ‘Whatever we accomplish belongs to our entire team, a tribute to our combined effort.’ It is lovely to be able to formally acknowledge this has always been a whole team effort. I am so grateful to everyone that I work with, and it is for this reason that we call Sturminster Dental Care a ‘family’. Looking forward, you, as our patients, can rest assured that, following my retirement, there shouldn’t be any great changes in the way that the practice continues to operate; your care will remain the highest priority. Thank you for the privilege of having been able to live and work in this wonderful town and for all your support, which has been so very much appreciated”.

people who have no other title save their dignity as human beings and as children of God.” And whenever he did so – and he especially loved to visit the sick and the dying – he always gave them the priceless gift of encouragement.

In John’s Gospel we read that Jesus gave us a “new commandment” – to love one another. I hope that most of us are signed-up to that in theory – but translating it into practice is another matter. “To love the world for me’s no chore; my trouble is the man next door.” William Blake wrote long ago, “He who would do good to another must do it in Minute Particulars: General Good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite and flatterer.” We need to start in little ways: a word of encouragement, a helping hand, a smile. And if we are at the receiving end of the helping hand, and deep-down resent it, we need to learn how to respond with grace and with humility. What moved me most following the death of Francis was a cartoon – yes, a cartoon – in my daily newspaper. It showed St Peter at the pearly gates, and around him a host of angelic trumpeters waiting to welcome Francis into the Kingdom of Heaven. Meanwhile, to the right, there was a little door marked “Service Entrance”, and there was the unmistakable figure of Francis humbly entering through that door. I hope and pray that Pope Leo XIV – and the next Archbishop of Canterbury – will follow in his footsteps. Let me say it again, the proudest title they can possess is to be a Servant of the servants of God: “Servus Servorum Dei”.

Outstanding

quality

dental care for the whole family

A beautiful smile starts with healthy teeth

Award winning state of the art facilities • Caring and friendly environment • Daily emergency appointments • Daily hygienist services

Treatment options include:

Tooth whitening • Cosmetic treatment

Child and Adult orthodontics • Invisible Aligners

Dentures • Dental Implants

Brian

driving and to patient saw know following in 2015, Interior” Reflecting retirement, has borrow to our to formally grateful

can changes remain to live been

Brian A and are retirement of the longstanding at Sturminster

Dental

Sturminster

Photo by Deb Dowd on Unsplash

Inspirational leaders enable school children to flourish, says report

THE Christian vision, inclusive ethos and inspirational leadership of Buckland Newton CE Primary School have been praised in a SIAMS – Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools –inspection.

The inspection, carried out on May 1, commended the school for living out its Christian foundation in a way that enables pupils and adults to flourish.

The report highlights that the school’s vision: ‘Let your light shine – on everyone, everywhere, every day’ (Matthew 5:16), is embedded in all aspects of school life and is a powerful force for aspiration, compassion and inclusion.

Key strengths noted in the SIAMS report include:

• Inspirational Christian leadership that ensures all strategic decisions are grounded in the school’s vision.

• A deeply rooted and biblically informed ethos that encourages every individual to shine and support others to do the same.

• An inclusive and nurturing culture,

particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), creating a strong sense of belonging.

• Valued and engaging collective worship that enhances spiritual reflection and community connection.

• A highly effective Religious Education (RE) curriculum that fosters deep understanding and respect for diverse faiths and worldviews.

Headteacher, Phillip Sales, said: “We are delighted with this SIAMS report that shows our school is a flourishing church school.

“It is a testament to the dedication of our staff, the enthusiasm of our pupils and the strength of our school community.

“We are especially proud that our Christian vision is recognised as being so clearly lived out in everything we do.”

Buckland Newton Primary, which has 95 pupils, is a member of SAST, a multiacademy trust with 18 schools across Dorset and South Somerset.

Sarah Willoughby, who leads its Church

Pub fundraiser is anything but birdseed!

A COMMUNITY has pulled together to save its local pub – by purchasing it.

The current owners of the Bird in Hand in Henstridge have run it for more than 40 years and are planning for their retirement.

The pub is popular with locals and visitors alike, and turns a profit.

“It’s the focus of the village,” said one regular. “You know you will meet certain people in the pub at certain times of the day. And it’s a source of local information. If you need a plumber, a decorator or a gardener, just mention it in the Bird and you’ll get several recommendations.”

Henstridge villagers (and Bird in Hand regulars) have pulled together to hatch a plan that will keep the pub open as an essential meeting place in the village.

The Bird in Hand Society needs to raise over £500,000 to buy the pub, carry out renovations and cover initial running costs. While it hopes to get some grant funding

and has received considerable support from the Plunkett Foundation, the Society wants to raise at least £250,000 from a Community Share Issue, which is open until July 31.

School Flourishing programme, added: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with and support Buckland Newton.

“Inspiring, impressive and inclusive are some of the many adjectives used to describe this amazing church school, and I know they will continue to shine their light, both within their own school and beyond.”

The report also recognised innovative initiatives such as the ‘Big Question’ approach to spiritual and ethical reflection, the integration of RE with home learning and community engagement and the strong emphasis on wellbeing and personal development.

The Community Shares are priced at £1, with the minimum purchase being £100.

“We don’t want to price local people out of the chance to support their pub,” said Zoe Godden, chair of the Society. “That’s why we’ve set a ceiling of £50,000 for individual holdings. If that is too much, then a group of people, such as friends or families, can buy shares between them.”

Local businesses can also buy shares – for such enterprises the upper limit is

£100,000.

But you don’t have to live in Henstridge to help save the pub. Anyone over the age of 18 can take part in the Community Share Issue.

Friends and families of Henstridge locals, as well as people who once lived in the village but have moved away, have pledged to subscribe to the share issue.

Full details of the Share Issue and how to apply are published on the Society’s website birdinhandsociety.org.uk

Fern Brook Lodge residents enjoy reminiscence and rhymes

Residents and staff at the care home in Gillingham enjoyed reminiscence and rhymes during an interactive session.

Jan Millward from Rural Rhymes and Reminiscing led a session for the residents with support from the home’s in-house activities team. Residents at the care home on Fern Brook Lane looked at a range of vintage items themed around baking and cooking. Jan regularly visits Fern Brook Lodge to run the sessions which encourage the residents to chat about their memories of yesteryear, including baking with their families.

Fern Brook Lodge, which is part of the not-for-profit charity, Care South, provides residential, respite, and dementia care. The care home’s dedicated activities team runs a daily programme of events to encourage residents to socialise and make friends.

Visitors can enjoy complimentary cakes and hot drinks while experiencing the warm and friendly atmosphere at the Welcome Wednesdays sessions from 2pm to 4pm each week.

Fern Brook Lodge also hosts Memory Café sessions every Thursday morning from 10am to 11 am for people living with dementia and their carers. There is no need to book - just drop in on the day.

A good start in life

LOCAL families charity

Home-Start Wessex has opened a new free family haven group in Dorchester.

The group runs on Monday mornings at the Dorchester Family Hub and is open to families with children under five who have been referred to the charity for support.

Home-Start Wessex works closely with local GPs, midwives, health visitors, social workers, family support workers and pre-schools/nurses.

If a parent of a child under five feels they are struggling and cannot cope, they can speak to their healthcare professional, who can complete a referral.

Once the referral is received, a Home-Start Wessex coordinator contacts each parent to understand their individual needs and agree a programme of support.

This could be carefully matching the parent with a

trained volunteer for weekly home visits, telephone befriending with weekly calls or the opportunity to attend one of the charity’s family groups to meet other parents, learn new skills and gain confidence.

Kathy Fryatt-Banks, chief executive of Home-Start Wessex, said: “Our free family support groups offer a warm welcome and support from fully trained staff and volunteers.

“It’s a relaxed opportunity to meet with other parents and share experiences, which can make a life-changing difference.”

Over the last year, the charity has transformed 1,682 lives, helping a record 501 families.

Home-Start groups provide a safe space for little ones to explore, grow and learn and help parents to gain confidence.

One mum said: “Just being with the group and making new friends, my confidence has

Outstanding Care

Together we can make a difference

grown 100%.”

Over the past few years, the charity has seen a sharp rise in demand, with families struggling for a variety of reasons, including the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

To keep up with demand, Home-Start Wessex is appealing for new volunteers who can help provide the support local families need.

A spokesperson said: “With more people in crisis, our services are in high demand and

more vital than ever.

“We could not run our service without our amazing volunteers.

“We are actively recruiting kind, compassionate volunteers to offer emotional and practical support to parents with young children in Dorchester and across Dorset.

“If you could spare a few hours a week to support local families through challenging times, please contact belinda@ homestartwessex.org.uk

Scan me with your smart phone for more information and hear directly from clients and

ones.

Care South at Home provides caring and professional services that are reliable, flexible and individually tailored to you.

Handing over the reigns at Probus club

THE chairmanship of Gillingham Probus Club is handed over by Andrew Tinsley (right) to John Owen at the club’s annual meeting at North Dorset Rugby Club.

Members were treated to an excellent talk and presentation on 1960s Pop Music by club member Les Yeates after the meeting.

Speaker secretary Roger Lester continues to seek out interesting talks on a wide variety of topics and recent ones have included The Battle of the Atlantic, Custer’s Last Stand and The Voyages of the Beagle.

A visit to Yeovil Railway Centre is planned for June.

Probus is a club for retired men with a PROfessional or BUSiness background which meets fortnightly at the rugby club.

More details can be found on its website at https:// probus-gillingham-dorset.org.uk or by emailing the honorary secretary at secretary@probus-gillingham-dorset.org.uk

Potfest South West - A Celebration of all things Clay in the Dorset Countryside

Potfest South West, held at the Turnpike Showground near Shaftesbury, has quickly established itself as a vibrant highlight in the UK arts and culture calendar. Following a successful debut, this annual event offers a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the diverse and captivating world of clay.

Visitors will be treated to a stunning and diverse array of work from over 90 selected makers, ranging from established artists to exciting new talents. Whether you’re seeking functional tableware, intricate delicate pieces, or bold sculptural forms, Potfest South West delivers a visual feast. It’s a rare chance to connect directly with the artists, understand their creative processes, and acquire unique pieces that each tell a story.

Beyond the sheer volume of beautiful ceramics, the festival cultivates a lively and engaging atmosphere. The popular potters’ competition, with its intriguing themes, sparks creativity and friendly rivalry, offering visitors the chance to vote for their favourites. Demonstrations, talks and raku firings offer an educational and engaging element to the show and all this is set against the backdrop of the stunning Dorset countryside.

Potfest South West is more than just an artisan market and pottery fair; it’s a true celebration of artistry, craftsmanship, and the enduring appeal of clay.

www.potfest.co.uk

Sheep group meets

CERNE Sheep Group enjoyed its first outdoor meeting of the year in May – a visit to the show herd of Wessex Saddleback Pigs owned by the Carr family from Sturminster Newton. The evening was rounded off at the Fiddleford Inn.

On Monday, June 9, the group will meet at 7pm at Lyscombe Farm, Drakes Lane, Piddletrentide (DT2 7RF) where it will be shown round this Dorset Wildlife Trust farm by the Ranger Ben Atkinson. Afterwards, members will adjourn to the local hostelry.

Enquires to Celia Messer on 01258 459599.

Glorious gardens open for charity this summer

A HOSPICE-CARE charity

with its roots in the Blackmore Vale is opening beautiful private gardens across Somerset and Dorset to raise funds – and celebrate community, nature and the generosity of its supporters.

This year marks a special milestone for St Margaret’s Hospice Care, as it celebrates providing 45 years of free care.

To mark the occasion, the charity is opening over 45 gorgeous gardens throughout the spring and summer.

From charming cottage gardens to wildlife-rich estates, each garden offers something unique – and every visit helps St Margaret’s raise vital funds for patients and families across the region.

Among this year’s gardens is the 45 acres of orchards, fields,

Members of Dean Cockwell's family, volunteers at the Spetisbury Station Project and Emma Calnan for Spetisbury Parish Council

Station memorial is a fitting tribute

A NEW commemorative bench has been unveiled at Spetisbury station on the former Somerset & Dorset railway. The bespoke metal bench, featuring a silhouette of a steam locomotive, was commissioned by the family of the late Dean Cockwell and made by Giles Stuart of Abbot Street Forge in Dorset. Dean was the founder and project manager of the Spetisbury Station Project, which is working to preserve and enhance the station site on the North Dorset Trailway.

Dean's family, Spetisbury Parish Council and the Station Project jointly funded the bench, which Eileen Cockwell officially unveiled in a small ceremony, after which everyone enjoyed tea and homemade cake.

gardens and grounds at Hanford school for girls near Blandford Forum (pictured). Wildflowers grow along borders of paths and in the walled garden to support pollinators and provide important habitats for local wildlife. The grounds team cultivate plants from their own seeds and propagate from cuttings, striving to improve biodiversity. The grounds are a key part of the school’s education programme – pupils are encouraged to learn valuable gardening and horticulture skills and are welcome to make dens, climb trees, and ride horses in their free time.

This open garden season offers a rare opportunity to explore hidden gems and meet passionate garden owners.

St Margaret’s hopes to raise £27,000 from this year’s

campaign, which could pay for 360 community nurse visits to patients receiving hospice care, in the comfort of their own home.

Pick up your 2025 Glorious Gardens brochure from local garden centres or any St Margaret’s Hospice shop, or visit st-margarets-hospice.org. uk/glorious-gardens to plan your visits and support a blooming good cause.

Festival of flowers

A VALE village is looking forward to the return of its popular flower festival and open garden later this month.

The village of Shillingstone will be welcoming visitors over the weekend of June 21-22 (11am-5pm). Village gardens will be open to visitors, with cream teas for sale.

Holy Rood church will be adorned with floristry from Martha & the Meadow, the Big Yellow Bus Project, Shillingstone CofE Primary School and local florists.

On entering the church you will be greeted by a sound installation of bird song.

Designed by members of the local garden club, spearheaded by Margaret Kennard and Emma Whicher, the main church feature will see the space bathed in a gentle swathe of hedgerow greenery.

“I hope we have created something special in the church where, the outdoors meets the indoors,” said Emma.

“It has been fantastic linking with our local charities and schools to pull together what will be beautiful displays.”

Parking and tickets (£10, children go free) are available at the Portman Hall (DT11 0SF).

Help in an emergency

A FIRST aid awareness class, with a focus on seizures, was recently held in Yeovil to help families caring for children with epilepsy feel more confident and prepared in emergency situations.

The class was the result of a collaboration between local epilepsy specialist nurse Emma Christie, Mini First Aid Dorset and East Somerset, and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, which generously funded the event.

Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity provides specialist nurses who care for seriously ill children living with complex, lifelong conditions across the UK. The charity was inspired by the legendary author’s passion to help seriously ill children and their families.

Established shortly after his death in 1991 by his widow, Felicity, along with Sir Quentin Blake, the Charity works closely with the NHS to provide over 150 nurse specialists, including 40 epilepsy nurse specialists.

In Yeovil, the charity funds nurse Emma, who supports children with epilepsy and their families through personalised care plans, guidance, and emotional support. Her

role is instrumental in helping families navigate the challenges that epilepsy can bring, ensuring that no child or caregiver feels alone in managing the condition.

A group of 16 attendees were able to take part in a class led by Mini First Aid, which covered essential first aid topics, including CPR, how to help someone who is unconscious but breathing, and what to do in the event of a seizure, among other vital first aid skills. .

Find out more at www.roalddahlcharity. org and www.dorset.minifirstaid.co.uk.

Spring celebrations

THE May Fair at Lovington CE Primary School brought staff, pupils and members of the community together – and raised £950 profit.

The May Queen, Jessica, was crowned and the day started with Pippin class ‘do-si-do'ing’ and setting the scene with country dancing.

Bramley and Russet class kept up the pace with Maypole dancing in the sun.

And the Castle Cary Sygnets

gave it their all for the crowds and even persuaded some to join in!

The rest of the day saw children running their own stalls selling friendship bracelets, sweets and prizes. Teachers and parents were pelted with wet sponges in the stocks and the event also included birds of prey, face painting, archery, splat-a-rat, hook-a-duck, barbecue, bar and raffle.

Fair’s fair

WOULD you like to attend a Blandford Summer Fair?

Calling all Blandford’s clubs and societies, restaurants and eateries, artists and artisans, musicians and entertainers…

It has been proposed that the town hold a summer fair on the Marsh and Ham on August 25 (August bank holiday Monday) starting at 10am.

Organisers would like to gauge local interest – they need to know if you would you be interested in taking part.

They’re aiming to create a local community fair, showcasing the best of Blandford and its surrounds, providing a day of entertainment with market stalls, crafts, charity and food stalls, demonstrations, exhibitions and a fun fair in the Crown Meadows.

Would you like to showcase your talents, offer homemade goods for sale or draw attention to your local charity? If so, call Colin Stevens on 07966 453348 or email colin. stevens44@gmail.com

Hospice helper

THE gardens and grounds at Littlebrook Farmhouse in Belchalwell are set to open again in aid of Julia’s House Children’s Hospice.

The garden features a large landscaped pond area as well as fruit trees, formal terracing and vegetables, all with spectacular views of the Blackmore Vale.

The garden is open on Sunday, June 8, from 2.30pm5pm and visitors can wander at will and enjoy tea and refreshments on the terrace.

The full address is Littlebrook Farmhouse, Belchalwell Street, DT11 0EG and entry to the garden is £6.

Further details are available from Jackie on 01258 863683 or at springheadjackie@hotmail. com

A recent review by the Board of Julia’s House Children’s Hospice revealed that the recent changes to employment National Insurance and minimum wage rules have

added an additional cost of about £250,000 to the annual maintenance of the hospice service.

Concerns also exist over the recent volatility in financial markets which might affect future investment performance. This has made the need for donations and legacies ever more important.

Puppy love

THE Dogwise Training team entertained residents and staff at the Mellowes Care Home in Gillingham with a demonstration of its Obedience to Music routines.

Residents and staff were able to make a fuss of the dogs and chat to their handlers before and after the display. Dogwise Training, based in Mere, is pleased to offer performances at charity fundraising events and care homes where there is enough space to do so. It will also be at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show and other local events.

Big band bonus

TWO Dorset music organisations have benefited from donations following a free concert featuring the Swing Unlimited Big Band at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Dorset Rural Music School and Youth Music Wessex each received £500 thanks to donations from members of the public at the end of the concert.

The Dorset Rural Music School charity, based in Blandford, has been in existence nearly 80 years.

It offers affordable, highquality tuition for learners of all ages, and runs choirs and ensembles, schools workshops, creates community projects and presents live performances.

Youth Music Wessex, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, aims to provide training and

performance experience for young musicians, and events and projects for the wider community.

Sue Young, president of Wimborne Rotary Club, which organised the concert, said: “I am pleased that as a result of our audience’s generosity we have been able to make these donations to organisations supporting and encouraging musicians in the area.”

County show coins in the cash for charity

THE Dorset County Show has donated a total of £15,938 to Dorset charities.

This year’s donations have been made to Julia’s House and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI).

Julia’s House, which provides practical and emotional support for families caring for a child with life-limiting or lifethreatening condition, received £8,469.27.

The funds raised will go towards providing frequent and regular support in clients’ own homes, in the community and at its hospices.

Martin Edwards, chief executive of Julia’s House, said: “Every child in our care who is facing a short-life diagnosis deserves the best possible support.

“This is what the Julia’s House nurses and carers can provide, as well as looking after the siblings and parents through everything they experience.

“Thank you to everyone involved in the Dorset County Show for raising these vital funds so this can continue.”

With agriculture at the heart of the County Show, £7,469.27 has been donated to the RABI, a farming charity that offers practical, financial and emotional support to those involved in farming across the county.

Zoe Gascoyne, regional manager of RABI, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all

who have supported the show with the donation to the RABI.

“Last year alone, we helped over 1,500 farming households across England and Wales, along with 12,000 farming people with our of cost-of-living one-off grants.

“Whether it’s financial, practical or emotional support you feel you need, the RABI is here for the farming community.

“Support from the RABI is confidential, non-judgemental and the helpline is open 24 hours – we understand farming isn't 9-5.”

Chair of the show, Jason Bowerman, added: “All of us at the county show are proud to have raised so much for such significant charities that reach so many residents of Dorset.

“The work of both Julia’s House and

RABI is vital.

“The support of those contributing, particularly to the charity night, is greatly appreciated.

“We hope the money donated can assist families and farmers across the county.”

The Dorset County Show returns on Saturday and Sunday, September 6-7, near Dorchester.

This year, the show will once again celebrate the best of rural life in Dorset, with attractions including Paul Hannam Stunt Show, Atkinson’s Action Horses, alpacas, local food and drink and much more.

Tickets are on sale now, with Early Bird prices available until June 25.

Swing Unlimited Big Band at the 2025 concert

FLOWER FESTIVAL, Cream Teas, 6-8 June, Leigh Church, DT9-6HL. Music daily.

JOIN US FOR LUNCH, Sherborne Community Kitchen, only £7. Every Thursday and Friday at the Raleigh Hall. Doors open from 11.30 tea, coffee. Lunch served 12.30. To book: 07561-067381

SATURDAY 14THSUNDAY 15TH JUNE 12-5pm

Tintinhull village NGS Open Gardens

Visit 10 gardens

Start Village Hall BA22 8PY Refreshments - plants 07739 977431

21/22 JUNE, 11:00am - 5:00pm: Shillingstone Flower and Open Gardens Festival, Cream Teas. Parking/ tickets/village map: Portman Hall, DT11 0SF. £10, children free.

SHAFTESBURY EMPORIUM

Friday 20th & Saturday 21st June 9 - 4.30pm Town Hall Shaftesbury Lots of wonderful locally crafted & consumable items for sale. Free Entry Supporting DSAA & Weldmar Hospice

FRIENDS OF THE YEATMAN HOSPITAL CARBOOT sale

8th June 9-12. The Terrace, Sherborne, DT9 5NS.

OPEN GARDENS

WINFRITH NEWBURGH,

A variety of beautiful village gardens will be open on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June. 12:00 - 4:00pm. Admission £5. Free parking. Tea, coffee and cakes will be served in either the village hall or the church. Event supporting Julia”s House children hospice.

STOUR PROVOST FLOWER FESTIVAL CREAM TEAS AND STALLS, 21 & 22 JUNE 2PM TO 5PM. ENTRANCE £5 UNDER 16 FREE, POSTCODE SP8 5SA

ANSTY SUMMER SALE

Saturday 14th June 11.00am - 1.00pm THE COMMANDERY, ANSTY MANOR, SP3 5QA

Come to browse and buy. Pre-loved quality clothing. Good standard household items. Bric-a-brac. Fabrics.

In aid of St James Church Restoration Appeal. By kind permission of the owners of Ansty Manor.

CHARITY CLAY SHOOT

In aid of Ducks & Drakes Cancer Trust

Sunday 6th July at 10am Holcombe Farm, Alton Pancras, DT2 7RT

LAST ENTRY 2pm

Individual Guns

Teams of 4 FIBRE WADS ONLY PLEASE Individual Traps & Team Flush BBQ & Refreshments

Enquiries: 01300 348788 www.ducksdrakescancertrust.org.uk

MERE MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION

Fathers’ Day Weekend Special

An excursion for the whole family with 14 superb working layouts in a wide range of types and sizes, plus trader support. Light refreshments available and free parking nearby.

JUMBLE SALE at Marnhull

Royal British Legion DT10 1PR on Saturday June 7th. Doors open 10.15.

Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th June 10am - 4pm Mere

LYN’S BINGO at Marnhull

Royal British Legion DT10 1HR on June 16th. Eyes down 7pm.

Saturday 14th June 2025 at 2.15pm

In the glorious gardens of historic Gunville Manor

Live music - Flooded Lane Ukelele Band

Mr Bubbles children’s entertainer

Tea & homemade cakes • Produce stall Pimms station • Bric-a-brac • Kids games • Books

Family fun for all Sorry - No dogs

2 X TICKETS TO RHYTHM OF THE DANCE Friday 25th of July Westlands Ballroom - Yeovil TO ENTER VISIT: https://blackmorevale.net/comps/ and answer this simple question: Which Instrument is most closely associated with traditional Irish music? A Fiddle/Violin

Events

Arrive in Style

Chauffer driven

Rolls Royce for hire

The perfect car for your special occassion!

Weddings from £450

Call: 01747 826282

Sunnyhill Campsite & The Jolly Farmer Bar

April 1st to Oct 31st Open mics last Thursday of the month with bar available Bar Friday & Saturday 4pm Breakfast Cafe Sat & Sun10am-2pm SUNNY HILL BIG WEEKENDER FESTIVAL AUG 22ND-24TH

BERWICK ST JOHNSOLSTICE

FREE CAMPING WITH YOUR TICKET 14 YEARS AND UNDER FREE sunnyhillcampsite.co.uk https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ e/1049827170327?aff= oddtdtcreator welcomes LOCALS & CAMPERS

THE PILGRIM SINGERS PRESENT, A Summer Serenade, A Charity Concert in aid of Médecins Sans Frontières, at The Dogs, Tout Hill, Wincanton, BA9 9DL, Sunday 6 July 5pm, Garden opens at 3pm for picnics, Tickets £15 (under 18s free), Available: on the door, from choir members, Wincanton Post Office,, or contact 01963 33695, Strawberries & Cream and Pimm’s included, Marquee cover

Ashmore FILLY LOO

White Horse Morris Men Friday 20th June at 7pm

Featuring the Horn Dance at Dusk Steps in Time

Country Dancing by the Pond with Hambledon Hopstep Hot Drinks & Cake Local Beer, Cider and Wine

Blandford Fashion Museum

Lime Tree House, 11 The Plocks, Blandford Forum DT11 7AA

Power Dressing 1770 - 1990

Plus other displays covering 200 years of fabulous fashion

Tearoom and gift shop

Opening Hours: 10am - 4pm

Monday; Thursday; Friday & Saturday

• Anglican High Mass at Wimborne St Giles: First Sunday of each month at 11am. BH21 5LZ.

• Blandford Methodist Church: Sundays – services at 10.45am. Thursdays – coffee and a chat from 10am-noon. Fridays – lunch club for over-55s from noon at £5 per meal. Phone Joyce Wild on 07817 505543 to book.

• Blandford Evangelical Church: Sunday – 10am Family Service, including classes for three-18 year olds. Monday – weekly gathering for older people 2.30pm-3.30pm. Tuesday – Footprints, an activities playtime for preschool children, 10am-11.30am and 1.15pm-2.45pm. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings – small groups meet at homes at 7.30pm. The church is in Albert Street. Phone 450689 for more information.

• Castleton, Sherborne, St Mary Magdalene (DT9 3SA): First, third and fourth Sundays, Sung Mattins; second and fifth Sundays, Holy Communion. All services are BCP at 11.15am.

• Chalbury Church: Fourth Sunday of the month, 10am Holy Communion.

• Chatty Café Scheme: Pear Tree Café, Half Moon Street, Sherborne, Mondays 2pm3.45pm.

• Cheap Street Church, Sherborne: Prayer time –9.45am Thursday; Thought for the Day – 10.30am Thursday. Sunday service at 10.30am. Monday Music second Monday of the month at 6.15pm with a bring and share supper. Taizé Service second Sunday each month at 6.30pm – half an hour of prayer, meditation and music; further details from vicarlesley@outlook.com Rendezvous Community Cuppa – third Monday each month, 10.30am-12.30pm; chat, ‘cuppa’ (£1) and cake (£2); support/ advice from local surgery, speak to a pharmacist, blood pressure checks and Age UK will attend; all welcome; profits to Rendezvous.

• Digby Memorial Church Hall: Sherborne Quakers – meet

Sundays 10.30am in the Griffiths Room. Friends of Sherborne Abbey afternoon tea on Thursday, June 19, at 3.30pm. Sandwiches, scones and cakes. Choral Evensong in the abbey at 5.30pm. For catering purposes, RSVP to chris.hamon@sherborneabbey. com by Monday, June 16. Donations appreciated from Friends members on the day to cover costs – non-Friends £10.

• Hinton Martell: Second Sunday of the month, 10am Holy Communion.

• Horton Church: First Sunday of the month, 10am Holy Communion.

• Horton & Chalbury Village Hall: Third Sunday of the month, 9am Breakfast Church.

• Kingston Lacy: Second Sunday of the month, 9.15am Holy Communion. Fourth Sunday of the month, 9.15am Family Service.

• Longburton Village Café: In St James’s church. Tea, coffee and cakes £2.50. Tuesday, June 17, 10.30am-noon.

• Lufton Church: Prayer Book services every Sunday at 6pm. Sung Mass on the third Sunday. See www.lufton.co.uk for details.

• Milton-on-Stour Church: Organ recital by Simon Bending on Friday, July 4, 7pm for 7.30pm start. Free entry but donations welcome towards church running costs. Refreshments and raffle.

• Our Lady’s RC Church, Marnhull: Mass Sunday, 9am and 6pm.

• Sacred Heart, Tisbury, and All Saints’ Wardour Catholic Parish: Sunday Mass – Sacred Heart, Tisbury, 9am, coffee after Mass; All Saints’ Wardour 10.30am.

• Shapwick: Third Sunday of the month, 9.15am Holy Communion.

• Shaftesbury Quakers (Society of Friends): Meets for one hour each Sunday from 10.30am at the Quaker Meeting House, Abbey Walk, Shaftesbury SP7 8BB.

• Sherborne Abbey: Monday to Saturday, 8.30am Morning Prayer; The Sepulchre Chapel.

Mondays, 9am CW Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. Tuesday, noon CW Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. Wednesday, 10.30am Holy Communion with Homily; The Lady Chapel (alternates CW and BCP). Thursday, noon BCP Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. Friday, 9am Ecumenical Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. First Friday of the month, 9am Requiem Holy Communion; The Sepulchre Chapel. Third Friday of the month, 11am Remembering the Fallen. Saturday, 9am CW Holy Communion; The Sepulchre Chapel.

• Sherborne Abbey Remembering the Fallen: Short service on the third Friday of the month at 11am in the Lady Chapel.

• Sherborne Churches Together: Pentecost Picnic on Saturday, June 7, in Pageant Gardens. Act of worship at 3pm followed by bring-your-own picnic.

• St Gregory’s, Marnhull: Sunday services 8am and 10am. Other services, visit www. stgregorysmarnhull.org.uk.

• St John’s Church, Enmore Green: Service every Sunday at 11.15am; parish communion on the first Sunday of the month; prayer services every other Sunday.

• St Margaret’s, Margaret Marsh (Shaftesbury Benefice) SP7 0AZ: Alternating first Sundays Mattins and Holy Communion, 11.15am. Everyone welcome.

• St Mary’s, Motcombe: Evening worship (BCP) – every first Sunday 6pm; parish communion – every second and fourth Sunday 9.30am; evening worship – every third Sunday 6pm.

• St Mary’s, Sturminster Newton: First, third and fourth Sundays – 11am Holy Communion; second Sunday – 9.30am Morning Prayer; fifth Sunday – 11am Benefice Holy Communion; second and fourth Sundays – 6pm Evensong; Wednesdays – 10am Holy Communion. Let’s Eat Cake on

Saturday, May 24, raised £642.35 towards the East Window repair. Christian Aid: Almost 900 envelopes were posted through doors and £304.90 was returned via Marilyn Stansfield, with more donated via Freepost or electronically.

• St Mary & St Bartholomew’s Church, Cranborne: Book of Common Prayer Evensong with the Benefice Choir, first Sunday of the month at 6pm.

• St Peter’s, Hinton St Mary: First, second and third Sundays, 9.30am Morning Prayer. Fourth Sunday, 9.30am Holy Communion.

• St Thomas’, Lydlinch: Second Sunday, Holy Communion 11am; third Sunday, Evensong 6pm; fourth Sunday, Matins 11am.

• Two Rivers Benefice: Sunday, June 8 – Pentecost – 9.30am Communion at St Mary’s Church, Blandford St Mary; 11am Communion at All Saints Church, Langton Long; 11am Family Service at St Mary’s Church, Tarrant Rushton; 4pm Dementia-Friendly Service at St Mary’s Church, Charlton Marshall. Sunday, June 15 –Holy Trinity – 9.30am Communion at St John the Baptist Church, Spetisbury; 9.30am Family Service at St Mary’s Church, Charlton Marshall; 11am Morning Worship at All Saints Church, Langton Long; 11am Communion at All Saints Church, Tarrant Keynston.

• West Camel Independent Methodists: Meeting at All Saints Church (BA22 7QB). Sundays, June 8 and 15, 6pm –evening services. Sunday, June 22, 6pm – visit of Chris Hemborough of Project Mozambique+ Sunday, June 29, 6pm – United Service. Contact: Geoff.mead@yahoo.com or phone 01935 850838.

• Witchampton Church: Third Sunday of the month, 10am Holy Communion.

• Woodlands Methodist Church: Cream teas afternoon on Sunday, June 8, 3pm5.30pm. Teas £5.

Shooting sector and rural jobs

SANDRA

Heron’s letter

– New Blackmore Vale, May 9

– raised concerns about the practices involved in gamebird shooting.

While we respect the right to express opinions, it is important that public debate is informed by facts and context, especially on an issue that supports both conservation and rural livelihoods across the UK.

Contrary to the claim that gamebirds are ‘trapped in cramped conditions for most of their lives’, it is important to note that gamebirds, unlike poultry species such as chickens, breed only during the spring.

Birds are kept in these breeding facilities for only a short time period.

There are legal requirements for the owners and keepers of animals, including gamebirds, to ensure their welfare and there are specific government codes of practice for these species.

Reared birds are not kept in ‘miserable pens’, as suggested.

Instead, they are managed through a carefully regulated process designed to prepare them for a life in the wild.

While not every bird is harvested, those that are form an important source of sustainable, healthy food.

Game meat is increasingly valued for its nutritional benefits and low environmental impact.

It is incorrect to suggest shooting offers no environmental benefit – in fact, it plays a major role in conservation and biodiversity, delivering £500 million worth of work annually – equivalent to 14 million workdays or 26,000 full-time jobs – through habitat restoration, woodland management and species protection.

Economically, shooting contributes £3.3 billion to the UK and supports thousands of rural jobs and communities.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) supports continual improvements in welfare standards and environmental stewardship, ensuring the shooting sector continues to deliver wide-ranging benefits that are often overlooked.

David Gervers BASC regional director

south west England

Thorny questions of economics

IN his article in the Politics section – New Blackmore Vale, May 23 – Dr Andrew Murrison made a statement which shows the nonsense of economics as a measure of prosperity.

He suggested it is more advantageous to have trade deals with countries such as India and the USA rather than our nearer European neighbours.

Has he done the sums for fuel costs and environmental pollution? I’ll return to this question later.

Since then, Labour’s Stella Creasy has shown herself to be just as bound to the ‘science’ of economics as any other politician of left, right or centre.

She has suggested that relieving poverty by lifting the two-child cap on child benefit would give those benefiting more spending power, which in turn would boost economic growth, which in turn would more than compensate for the cost of relieving poverty!

It’s the magic money tree again, the idea that we can all be wealthier if only we keep spending, regardless of the utility or environmental impact of what we buy.

Clearly, we are all economic units – whether earning or spending, our function is to be cogs in the great economic machine.

In his 1972 book Small is Beautiful, the late Dr EF Schumacher described the

‘fallacy of conventional economics’ in these words: “Call a thing immoral or ugly, soul-destroying or a degradation of man, a peril to the peace of the world or to the well-being of future generations; as long as you have not shown it to be ‘uneconomic’ you have not really questioned its right to exist, grow, and prosper.”

The problem is compounded by the fact that economics is applied to each process or company in isolation.

For example, if a shipping company is profitable, it is seen as ‘a good thing’, as it contributes to economic growth.

But any company hiring its vehicles, whether HGVs or ships, does so to transport its goods, meaning that the cost is a negative quantity in its accounts.

So, in this case, one company’s profit represents a cost to another – even without labouring this point, it should be obvious that freight transport is not an end in itself but a means to an end and should not be counted as a positive contribution to national prosperity.

So much for the economics of international shipping.

As the prominent economist, the late JK Galbraith, said of the sometimes muddled thinking of his own profession: “It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than to put out on the troubled sea of thought.”

Revd Colin Marsh Gillingham

More is less on BBC radio

I WOULD like to thank James Ackland – New Blackmore Vale, May 23 – for raising the matter of the continued failure of our national broadcaster to promote quality music on its several radio frequencies.

Being pre-war and living

alone, with poor health and no longer able to drive, I have relied on the radio to provide me with entertainment and information.

With the passing of time and the increasing number of radio frequencies with which the BBC broadcasts, the quality of programming has correspondingly deteriorated.

Just after the war, when there were just two main BBC radio programmes – BBC Home Service and BBC Light Programme – the quality of content was far superior to what is put out today on multiple frequencies.

Later, when the BBC introduced Radio 2 and the Third Programme, it enabled more quality music of every type to put out on air.

Fifty years ago, fine, light popular music, then known as ‘standards’, and to which Mr Ackland refers, were introduced on BBC Radio 2 by knowledgeable folk from varied backgrounds, such as Alan Dell, Benny Green, Humphrey Lyttelton and Steve Race.

Now we have the repetitious tom-tom thumping, guitar bashing, demented wailing and screaming of manufactured celebrities who are passed off to a gullible public as a great talent rather than a great pain.

To make things worse, those presenting these programmes seem to be suffering from the same defects.

The spoken word has suffered correspondingly at BBC Radio 4, where noisy self-advertising seems to be the main thing, especially when promoting pointless programmes.

Much of the current content of Radio 4 is of no consequence and little value.

Persistent gabbling and distortion of language seems to have become an addiction to many of the regular participants in its programmes.

Some regular presenters

speak clearly and decisively but many do not – it is if they are challenging the listener to decode what they are trying to say.

A handful of the same news items are repeated over several days, often from television programming, but without the pictures.

If one can receive BBC Radio 4 Extra, then it is clear just how bad things have become, as programmes from past times were much superior to those current.

It is hardly surprising that more people will turn to their cassettes and CDs if they can’t get Tony Bennett to calm their nerves.

Michael Tarrant Wincanton

Hospital driving has big pluses

FOR the last 10 years of my working life I was responsible for recruiting, organising and supporting volunteers of one type or another in both a maritime and a communitybased environment.

I retired at the age of 70, and it only seemed right and proper with all the free time I was going to have available that I did some volunteering myself.

Little did I know that free time during retirement is a fallacy and for some reason you seem to be busier than when you were at work.

I am three years in now and I am still trying to work out why.

I tried several volunteering opportunities. But for one reason or another, they did not suit me.

I tried Shillingstone Railway, the Blandford Fridge and several other charities, but none of them was what I wanted, and I eventually realised it was because I had had a life of having to be at a certain place at a certain time.

I resented doing that once I was retired.

I was talking to my downstairs neighbour, and he

told me about volunteer hospital driving.

There are a few checks to do and a few forms to fill out, but once you have been cleared, it is all systems go and all it will cost you is your time.

Your mileage is paid for and I find that covers the cost of running my car, including all the petrol.

I would really recommend this as a form of volunteering because you get offered jobs a week or so in advance.

You can either accept them or turn them down. So it all fits into your lifestyle.

You get to meet some interesting and nice people, and you get to know your way around the different hospitals.

So far, I have been to Southampton, Dorchester –many times – Bournemouth, Poole and Salisbury.

We go as far afield as Exeter, but only if you want to.

So, if you are interested, give the Friends of Blandford Hospital a call on 01258 450095 and talk to Leonne, Lisa or Lucy.

Nigel Barrow Via email

Good turnout for concert

I WANTED to thank you for including our Gillingham Singers article in the New Blackmore Vale

Our spring concert on May 17 was a great success with more than 111 in the audience.

The inclusion of the article I am sure helped considerably on the audience front.

Richard Nye Gillingham Singers

Coffee

morning raises £583

THE Easter coffee morning in Church House, Wimborne, raised an amazing £583 towards the cost of flowers to be used at the Minster Flower Festival.

The festival will take place

from September 26-29.

The day had started off with rain but by the time the coffee morning opened the sun was trying to appear and about 70 people attended the event.

Christine Oliver, who is designing the festival, said how grateful she was to all who supported the occasion, all those who supplied cakes, all who donated prizes for the raffle, all who gave donations because they were unable to attend and all the helpers who made the event run so smoothly.

Anthony Oliver Wimborne

Concert at the Minster

WIMBORNE Choral Society will perform Kodaly’s Missa Brevis and Tippett’s Five Spirituals from A Child Of Our Time, at the Minster on Saturday, June 28.

The choir will be led by our new musical director, Colin Davey, and accompanied at the organ by Sam Hanson.

The concert will also

Reader’s picture

include a masterpiece from French composer Duruflé. Christine Brienne Wimborne

Led Zep for me, not Perry Como!

JAMES Ackland – New Blackmore Vale, May 23 – asks why some singers’ music is not heard on the radio now.

He quotes figures of 15 million being aged 65 and over who would appreciate the music of Perry Como, Dean Martin and so on.

Well, I’m 72 and I really don’t like music from the 1950s early 60s.

I was getting into music in the mid-60s, so listening to Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin plus others.

It was a new era of music back then.

As a teenager I was more interested in ‘new’ stuff.

As for 15 million overs-65s, I wonder how many of them would be interested in listening to 1950/60s music?

Lynn Jaquest Via email

New Blackmore Vale reader Stephen Nicholls took this photo of a swan and its cygnets on the bank of the River Stour on May 26.

Arts & Entertainment

A taste of eastern and central Europe

STURMINSTER Newton

Literary Festival is holding a cultural event to celebrate local people from eastern and central Europe at The Exchange this weekend.

The event will open with traditional dance from the town’s Bulgarian group, which meets weekly at The Exchange, followed by Latvian folk songs from Eva Šteinrēdere and friends from her Latvian choir.

Both events will give the audience an opportunity to try out their dance and singing skills.

A taste of each country’s cuisine will complete the event

with time for visitors to mingle with and talk with those taking part.

Using the map of Europe, other members of the community will talk about the city, town or village they left to settle in Dorset.

Sturminster Newton, a small traditional country town with farming as its main occupation, has seen recent changes in its population.

Of the Poles and Bulgarians who went there to work some returned to their countries after Brexit, others stayed to raise their families.

And since the Ukraine war

began, Ukrainian families have joined the town’s community of central and eastern Europeans.

The free of charge event, supported by Dorset Council, is on Saturday, June 7, at 2.30pm.

Light-hearted fare for Summer Soirée

WINCANTON Choral Society’s Summer Soirée will be a ‘bonne bouche’ in more ways than one!

It features a light-hearted evening of music by George Shearing – Songs and Sonnets, from Shakespeare, by turns jazzy and swooningly beautiful; and John Rutter – The Sprig of

Thyme, settings of folk songs from across Britain, some more and some less well-known, but all in beautiful four-part harmony.

Complimentary canapés will be on offer in the extended interval – with the usual pay-bar – to round off the society’s 35th anniversary

Sustainable Shakespeare

THE HandleBards, a watchword in sustainable touring, are getting on their bikes to present Much Ado About Nothing at venues around Dorset.

They are cycling more than 1,500 miles on their national tour of the play, running to September, carrying their set, props and costume behind them on their bikes.

The troupe began in 2013 when four friends pedalled Twelfth Night to 20 UK venues and have grown to become an internationally renowned theatre company.

The Handlebards have been said to bring ‘Shakespeare into the modern era’ and offer ‘a charmingly chaotic brand of Shakespeare to audiences’.

Much Ado About Nothing is at the Larmer Tree, Tollard Royal, on Sunday, June 8, at 6pm; Castle Court School, Corfe Mullen, on Wednesday, June 11, at 7pm; Brownsea Island on Thursday and Friday, June 12-13, at 7pm; Maumbury Rings, Dorchester, on Sunday, June 15, at 6pm; and the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis on Tuesday, June 17.

celebrations.

Among his numerous musical talents, musical director Neil Moore is a concert clarinettist, and he along with longstanding and brilliant accompanist Jackie Bevan will supply the musical interludes.

The event is at the Assembly

Hall at King Arthur’s School, West Hill, Wincanton BA9 9BX on Saturday, June 14, at 7.30pm Tickets priced £10 are available from www. ticketsource.co.uk/wincanton choralsociety or on the door. For more information, phone 01749 860457.

Opera at church

by Alison Arthur

THE opera is coming to the Minster Church in Warminster this weekend when The Athenaeum Singers and The Athenaeum Orchestra present a concert.

Favourite choruses from popular composers – Verdi, Wagner and Donizetti, for example – paired with the Messa di Gloria, composed by an 18-year-old Puccini, are promised.

Two professional soloists will bring the leading roles to life.

English National Opera tenor Rhys Batt’s performance at Glynebourne last year was described as ‘a

breakthrough performance for a talented young tenor’.

Bass Niall Hoskin followed singing and studying at Clare College, Cambridge, with extensive operatic roles and is a founder member of Men with Horns, who perform repertoire for male voices and horn quartet.

The singers have loved rehearsing Messa di Gloria and hope for a great audience to present it to at the concert on Saturday, June 7, at 7pm.

Tickets, priced £20 – free entry for children – including canapés in the interval, are available at www. athenaeumsingers.com

The event will open with traditional dance from a Bulgarian group

Musical comedy reflects long-gone era

THE Rude Mechanical Theatre Company are set to present their hit musical comedy, Gentle Harry’s Farm, at venues around Dorset.

Agnes Church and her very special friend and neighbour, Minnie Heartfelt, just love their boarding school, The Gables School for Jolly Nice Girls!

But domestic science college calls – and husbands after that, steady sorts with prospects –like the Hon Ernest Dartford, and children – one of each, of course, then, after that, the WI – to be useful.

But first under the blissful summer blue of Gentle Harry’s Farm, among the cows and sheep and the sweet hay with magpies chattering their rhymes above – One for sorrow! Two for joy! – they were going to have such a ‘twiffic’ summer! Then of all things they find

some bounders have burst into the bank in Eastbury and nicked the cash! And the place is swarming with coppers! Bliss! Bliss in abundance! What a cackle! It would be such a summer! Meanwhile, the brown-eyed cows and the other animals chew – and listen. And the magpies chatter.

Gentle Harry’s Farm, tucked under the Downs in the breathless July of 1957, buzzes with hilarity, sighs with tenderness and chirrups with gentle satire.

Bursting with live music and original songs, this new version of The Rudes’ hit musical comedy, first performed in 2011, is sure to raise a smile.

Gentle Harry’s Farm is at The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers on Friday, June 13; The Abbey House, Abbotsbury on Saturday, June 14; Mill

Farm, Bradford Abbas on Thursday, July 3; Stourpaine Village Hall Field, Stourpaine on Friday, July 4; and Child Okeford Recreation Ground,

schedule and information are all available from www.therudes.co.uk

Child Okeford on Friday, July 25. Tickets,

Gentle Harry’s Farm, set in 1957, chirrups with gentle satire

Sudoku 3D puzzle

Cryptic crossword

Across

7 Line in good article mostly showing development (6)

Place 1 to 9 once into every black-bordered 3x3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.

Killer Sudoku Pro

8 Outlandish old, old movement based on instinct (6)

9 Learner in bay swimming in skilful fashion (4)

10 Bear deal for breakdown – with the ability to be understood? (8)

11 Fib? It easily changed what’s possible (11)

14 Take out on a current basis? (11)

Down

1 Anger I expressed in concert producing difficulty (7)

2 A Western railway is amiss (4)

3 US singer, posh bass, angelic-looking figure (6)

4 Put about sale of goods (6)

5 Frolic largely and another of a sentimental kind? (8)

6 Set of contestants in playing area (5)

18 Six in this way featuring in a formal statement offering guidance (8)

(8) 11 Fib? It easily changed what’s possible (11) 14 Take out on a current basis? (11) 18 Six in this way featuring in a formal statement offering guidance (8) 19 Wise man beginning to savour maturity (4) 20 Follow second unionist

19 Wise man beginning to savour maturity (4)

20 Follow second unionist in Peru after revolution (6)

21 Article’s top feature in football? (6)

Killer Sudoku Pro Place numbers 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3x3 box. No digit may be repeated in any dash-lined cage, and all the digits in any cage must add up to the value shown in that cage.

12 Most foolish inventions found in random list (8)

13 Experienced type taking in good reel (7)

15 Cold inept person gets nearer (6)

16 Regular pattern, something followed by metrical experts? (6)

17 Element first off showing hatred (5)

19 South-western sailor gets mop for cleaning

Anger I expressed in concert producing

A Western railway is amiss (4)

US singer, posh bass, angelic-looking figure (6)

4 Put about sale of goods (6) 5 Frolic largely and another of a sentimental kind? (8)

6 Set of contestants in playing area (5) 12 Most foolish inventions found in random list (8) 13 Experienced type taking in good reel (7) 15 Cold inept person gets nearer (6) 16 Regular pattern, something followed by metrical experts? (6) 17 Element first off showing hatred (5)

South-western sailor gets mop for cleaning (4)

Politics

‘Gaza: We’re witnessing genocide’

NEWS reports have finally begun to feature sickening details of the barbaric and inhumane slaughter, maiming and starvation of innocent Palestinians in Gaza. All attempts to justify the situation as Israel having ‘the right to defend itself’ have been shown to be totally bogus. In what way does defending yourself necessitate snipers shooting children in the head, as is being reported by a number of the brave medics who have gone to Gaza to try to help save lives there? It’s sickening that so many public figures are doing all they can to avoid calling the situation genocide, when that is clearly what we are witnessing. Presumably, the fear of being called antisemitic is the reason for such reticence, but that allows Israel to act with impunity.

As a nation we are shamed

Ken Huggins on behalf of the Green Party in North Dorset

by our Government’s failure to pressure Israel to stop its criminal actions. The temporary suspension of trade talks is a frankly pathetic response. Recently published figures show that UK exports of military supplies to Israel have expanded hugely since Labour came to power. In the first quarter of

2024 these exports were less than £300,000, but in the final quarter of the year the amount was more than £127 million. This was in spite of a government announcement in September 2024 of the suspension of 30 arms export licences. Attempts to justify the continued exports by saying that the equipment is not used in Gaza are nonsense. There is no way of controlling how and where the equipment is used.

The Palestinian West Bank has been illegally occupied by Israel since the 1967 war, and to date some 160 illegal Israeli settlements have been built throughout the territory. Over the years there have been countless reports of armed settler attacks on neighbouring Palestinian villages, aided and abetted by the so-called Israeli ‘Defence’ Force that has ironically labelled itself as ‘the

most moral army in the world’.

The Israeli Defence Minister has just described plans for the building of a further 22 Israeli settlements in the West Bank as a move that “prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel”. And there we have the true ultimate goal.

The real danger to Israel lies in the lack of a Palestinian state, and the ongoing demolition of Gaza is simply acting as a recruiting sergeant for those terrorist organisations that seek to destroy the Israeli state. Hamas cannot be destroyed. It can only be turned from an army into an insurgent group, and history shows that insurgencies are impossible to overcome by brute force. The answer lies in establishing what the Palestinians so desperately need and deserve, a state of their own.

Huge unforced error of foreign policy

THIS Government is proficient in making bold proclamations and hollow promises. But this week Sir Keir delivered something he’d promised, and every self-respecting citizen of this country should wish he hadn’t.

The Prime Minister has decided to pay £100 million a year to lease back military facilities we already own, on territory we have long administered, all while citing international law so complex even the Defence Secretary seems unable to explain it. We are told this is about ‘compliance’ with UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea). Yet when pressed, nobody in office seems able to say which clause, article or subparagraph demands we empty our wallets. No wonder China is delighted.

This is the greatest unforced error of British foreign policy since Iraq, and possibly Suez. I can’t think of another example

Conservative MP for South West Wiltshire

Dr Andrew Murrison

of any government ever paying to give away territory unforced and unthreatened. Not one. I’m not only angry at the unforgivable humiliation but despairing of the postcolonial guilt and universalist Groupthink that has left us so unwilling and unable to stand up for ourselves and exposed the public to a serious act of deliberate self-harm. Spitting

tacks? You bet.

Meanwhile, on the home front, ministers continue to speak of ‘energy recovery’ and ‘capacity’ for waste incineration – the usual green-hued buzzwords – but the reality is more landfill-in-the-sky than clean energy. If Scotland and Wales can pause new incinerators, what exactly is stopping Westminster? I’d go further – tax incinerated waste as we do landfilled waste. Raise some money and discourage burning rubbish. Win-win. Dentistry remains a masterclass in dysfunction. We train the dentists. We build the dental schools. And then we send these well-qualified professionals off into the private sector because the NHS dental contract introduced by the Blair government makes NHS practice financially impossible. Units of Dental Activity – an Orwellian phrase if ever there was one – have strangled the system for two decades. The

result is clear – in most of the country, NHS dentistry is a theoretical right but in practice, a unicorn.

We need honesty. Is NHS dentistry still meant to be universal, or are we letting it drift out from under NHS provision like ophthalmic optics in the 1940s? If so, say so – stop pretending and be honest with the public.

Then there’s education. The Labour benches applaud a pay rise for teachers and an underfunded employers’ National Insurance hike but schools in my constituency are telling me the cupboard is bare. Efficiencies? They made them years ago. The only ‘flexibility’ left is which teachers or teaching assistants to sack or whose hours to clip. Is that the plan?

Sovereignty ceded, waste mismanaged, teeth still on edge and schools told to make do. The rhetoric remains ambitious – the reality, anything but.

Volunteers help make Somerset special

THIS week is Volunteers’ Week, a chance to recognise and thank the incredible people who give their time and energy to support others and bring strength to our communities. From the quiet helpers behind the scenes to those leading local projects, volunteers are the heartbeat of our towns and villages.

Since becoming MP for Yeovil, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many volunteers across South Somerset and beyond, and I’m constantly in awe of their generosity and commitment. Whether supporting NHS services, staffing charity shops, running food banks, helping young people or caring for our green spaces, their contribution cannot be overstated.

Groups like Chard WATCH, which supports adults with learning difficulties and mental

Lib Dem MP for Yeovil Adam Dance

health needs, simply couldn’t operate without volunteers. The same is true of the brilliant baby banks, church groups and local sports clubs I’ve visited over the past year. Their impact reaches far beyond those they support directly, helping to build community spirit, reduce isolation and create safe and

welcoming places for everyone. I’ve also seen how vital volunteers are during difficult times. From those helping families affected by the closure of Yeovil’s maternity unit, to those supporting people hit hardest by rising food and fuel costs, volunteers are often the first to step up when help is needed.

Volunteering is not only good for the community. It also offers real benefits to those who take part. It brings connection, purpose and pride. At a time when many people are struggling with loneliness, stress or hardship, giving time to others can be a powerful source of hope and wellbeing.

As your MP and a proud Liberal Democrat, I’ll keep standing up for our voluntary sector. That includes pushing for fairer funding for

community projects, backing local campaigns and making sure volunteers’ voices are heard in government. Our party believes that the best decisions are made closest to the people they affect, and volunteers play a vital role in making that possible.

To those who already volunteer – thank you. You are what makes Somerset such a special place. And if you’ve ever considered getting involved, I encourage you to take that first step. Even a small amount of time can make a big difference.

Let’s use this week to celebrate the compassion, kindness and spirit of those who give so much to others. Happy Volunteers’ Week – and thank you for all that you do.

Backing hospital maternity services

MAY proved to be another incredibly active month. From celebrating Somerset Day and VE Day to holding busy advice surgeries across Glastonbury and Somerton, it’s been wonderful connecting with many of you and hearing your stories directly. Hearing your voices gives me the tools I need to go into Parliament, not only to amplify the issues facing constituents, but also to celebrate our wonderful area. However, May was not without its challenges. Recently, I received the worrying news that Yeovil District Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit and Maternity Services would be temporarily closing. The announcement is deeply distressing for expectant families who rely on these critical services being safe and accessible. While I understand staffing and safety issues prompted this decision, it has raised serious questions about healthcare provision in our rural communities.

LibDem MP for Glastonbury & Somerton Sarah Dyke

Since the closure was announced, I’ve been inundated with messages from concerned constituents who fear the temporary closure could become permanent. Many have shared anxieties about increased travel times – especially worrying given ambulance wait times in the south west are already above national averages. My immediate priority has been demanding clear answers and reassurance from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s leadership. This week, I have a crucial

meeting with the trust’s chief executive to discuss proper measures to support mothers and babies in the short term.

On a broader scale, I’m deeply troubled by the erosion of smaller, community-focused hospitals nationwide. Centralisation might appear efficient on paper, but it disproportionately disadvantages rural communities. These communities often struggle to access adequate healthcare due to distances and limited public transport. The closure of maternity and special care units adds an extra layer of risk, particularly impacting women’s health.

In response, I have launched a petition calling for Yeovil’s maternity services to be fully reinstated as quickly and safely as possible. Please add your voice by signing at www.sarah dyke.uk/saveyeovilmaternity unit.

Alongside my campaign, I am raising this issue directly in

Parliament, pushing for an urgent debate and demanding transparent discussions about staffing, funding and hospital management from the NHS Trust. It’s essential that clear timelines are provided and detailed action plans put forward to resolve these issues swiftly. Our dedicated and hard-working healthcare staff and affected families deserve clarity, not more uncertainty and stress. Your experiences matter. If you have been impacted by this closure or share these concerns, please get in touch with me. Working together, we can ensure this vital issue remains at the forefront and secure the best possible outcomes for families across Somerset.

As always, I want to hear from you. If you would like to share your views, have an issue I can help with or wish to register your interest to attend one of my regular advice surgeries, please don’t hesitate to contact me at sarah.dyke. mp@parliament.uk

Politics

VE Day: War was battle of values

MANY of us I am sure will be wondering – yet again – where is the year going? Time does seem to gallop on at pace. We were therefore fortunate enough to have some proper national time to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. I was honoured to be able to attend events in Blandford, Gillingham and Shaftesbury where local people met to remember, reflect, commemorate and celebrate. In my pre-beacon lighting remarks at Shaftesbury I focussed on the fact that the Second World War was a battle not so much of territory but of values. Those values of freedom, democracy, the Rule of Law, together with the right to worship, love and congregate as we see fit, all shine out as the perpetual beacons safeguarded by the ultimate sacrifice of those who took up arms. As we met, we reflected on just how close we came to losing that battle of values and contemplating how life would have been had VE Day not dawned.

Following the House of Commons hit being during an air raid, when restoration work

Reader’s picture

Conservative MP for North Dorset

Simon Hoare

began, Atlee and Churchill decided that the archway –which was heavily scarred and damaged – that leads from Members’ Lobby into the Chamber of the Commons should remain unrepaired –standing as a constant reminder as to just how close the democratic flame came to being extinguished. Every time I conduct a tour of the Commons, I always point this out and my guests, irrespective of age, always fall silent with many nodding on the potency of the

symbolism. As we say in our remembrance prayer – we will remember them.

Recently a Shaftesbury resident attended one of my advice surgeries – to book an appointment please email simon. hoare.mp@parliament.uk – to discuss how the planning process might be able to help deliver more community defibrillators. I took up cudgels on her behalf and raised the issue with Dorset Council. The council has looked into it and is convinced that planning financial contributions could be provided through Community Venue contributions. Town and parish councils would be the initiator of this, and the Dorset Association of Town & Parish Councils will be asked to spread the word. I shall certainly do so when I hold my regular North Dorset Town & Parish councils get together. This is good news for our communities.

I was delighted to receive a letter from the Public Health Minister to advise me that Westminster Memorial Hospital is to be awarded additional funding from the 2025/26 estates

safety fund. Having championed the hospital in Parliament and worked hard with so many local people across North Dorset to save the hospital from closure, this is a further vote of confidence in the hospital and its future, thereby ensuring a vibrant community bedded health facility for years to come.

One of the overlooked casualties of the 2008 financial crash was the SME housebuilding sector. Banks tightening the borrowing rules and access to finance getting harder for small builders, many simply went out of business leaving housebuilding virtually solely in the hands of the national volume builders. Recent Government announcements have initiated a series of policies targeted at resurrecting and supporting this sector. I see this as being good news. Local companies employ local people. They know their communities, what will sell and the styles and materials that fit into an area. This announcement could make a real difference in delivering sensitive and appropriate rural housing. Let’s hope so.

Bridehead manor auction highlights

MANY of the historic contents of Bridehead, a Regency manor in West Dorset, will be auctioned next week ahead of the estate’s sale.

Bridehead, set in the village of Littlebredy and first recorded in the Domesday Book, evolved from a 17th century farmhouse into a Gothic Revival home surrounded by landscaped grounds.

It has been home to the Williams family for over 220 years.

The auction, conducted by Duke’s of Dorchester on Thursday and Friday, June 12-13, features a remarkable collection of art, furniture and antiques.

Highlights include oil paintings by Richard Ramsay Reinagle and Adriaen Van De Velde, a rare 1636 floral still-life by Jacob Marrel, Regency furniture, including a 4.5 metre oak dining table, and exquisite Chinese Famille Rose ceramics.

A vast family library of more than 1,000 books, including John Hill’s The Vegetable System and a full set of political sketches by John Doyle, is also for sale.

Public viewing will take place at Bridehead the week before the auction.

For more information, visit bridehead@dukes-auctions.com or phone 01305 265080.

Bridehead dining room, featuring paintings and furniture coming up for auction with Duke’s in Dorchester next week

Antiques & Collectibles

Advertiser’s announcement

Garden pots and quality jewellery

CLARKE’S Auctions is holding its monthly sale on Friday and Saturday, June 13-14, just in time to welcome the summer season!

It is the perfect opportunity to browse a beautiful selection of garden pots – ideal for giving an outdoor space a seasonal refresh.

In the jewellery section this month, highlights include an elegant 14ct gold flat link necklace, estimated at £400£600; a striking 21ct gold dress ring set with black onyx and white stones, expected to fetch £100-£150; and a contemporary continental 18ct gold bracelet, weighing 68.4g, with an estimated value of £2,500£3,500.

Among the many fascinating lots in this month’s sale is a 17th century gilded carved oak

Corpus Christi, likely of Italian origin.

The exact provenance remains uncertain, but this striking piece is sure to draw attention.

In addition, the auction features Clarke’s usual diverse selection of antiques, collectibles, jewellery, silver, gold, furniture, paintings, rugs, toys, militaria, ceramics, glassware and Chinese and Asian works of art.

Gold and silver prices are at their highest levels in years and now is the ideal time to sell.

Enquiries about consignments for this or future sales, probate or insurance valuations and full or part house clearances can be made to Richard Clarke or Karen Marshall on 01747 685592 or visit the salerooms at The Old

De Morgan tiles sell for £7,500

ACREMAN St Auctioneers & Valuers, Sherborne, saw strong prices in its May auction with the star lot being a set of four William De Morgan tiles sold for a hammer price of £7,500.

Other lots to sell well included a 17th century Jesuit book of sermons – hammer £1,100; an antique pine dresser – hammer £800; and textiles including a pair of floral interlined curtains –hammer £390; and Irish lace – hammer £320.

Acreman’s auctions this month are on Thursday, June 26 – General Antiques & Collectors; and Friday, June 27 – Jewellery, Silver & Watches.

Viewing is Wednesday, June 26, 10am-4pm.

The catalogue and bidding

are available through Easyliveauction.com and Thesaleroom.com and Auctionet.com for Acreman’s timed auctions.

Acreman is now accepting Garden & Architectural items for its end of July specialist auction.

Valuation days run from 10am-3pm: Jewellery and watches, Tuesdays and Saturdays; silver and objets d’art, Tuesdays and Saturdays; toys and collectables, Wednesdays and Saturdays; oriental and Asian, Thursdays and Saturdays; coins, stamps, books and ephemera, Fridays and Saturdays; militaria, Fridays and Saturdays; textiles and fashion, Mondays and Saturdays; paintings and contemporary art, Mondays

and Saturdays.

Anyone unable to get along on the allocated days can phone or email to make an appointment – house visits can also be arranged if required.

Acreman is also accepting consignments for its upcoming sales and can offer advice on items being considered for auction.

Photographs can be emailed to auction@acremanstreet antiques.co.uk or visit the salerooms, open Monday to Saturday 9am-4pm.

Acreman can take in everything from single items to complete collections. It can also offer advice and valuations to householders who are downsizing or who need to deal with a whole house and can arrange full house clearances at competitive rates.

Anyone who has anything they would like to consign should contact Gill Norman on 07908 333577 or 01935 508764 or via email.

although according to my I-SPY book of cars I still have a few more cars to see,” said Richard Bromell, from the auction house.

The 1966 Matra Djet V is one of only 916 models which rolled off the production line.

The Djet was the world’s first mid-engined production road car.

Fitted with a Renault 1,106cc engine in a lightweight fibreglass body, it had a top speed of 106mph.

It was bought in France by the late owner as a restoration project and was subsequently registered in the UK in 1985.

Charterhouse estimates it could sell for £5,000-£10,000.

CHARTERHOUSE – following its dispersal auction of The Moretonhampstead Motor Museum, which realised more than £600,000 – has been instructed to sell a extremely rare Matra Djet in its classic and vintage car auction at Haynes Motor Museum later this month.

“Despite having been a car enthusiast for over 50 years, this is the first time I have ever seen a Matra Djet in the wild,

The auction house is inviting further entries into its specialist classic and vintage car auction at Haynes on Thursday, June 26.

To enter a vehicle, contact Richard Bromell at Charterhouse, The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne on 01935 812277 or cars@charterhouseauction.com

Home & Garden

The thorny problem of weeds and tackling them

by Sally Gregson

THE good side of dry spring days is that half an hour’s hoeing in the vegetable garden when rain is not forecast saves hours of hard work later on. Weeds take up precious moisture in the vegetable garden, better used to keep the vegetable plants happy. It’s important, however, not to hoe perennial weeds such as docks and dandelions, but to insert a prong, or in the case of large weeds, a small fork, deep down alongside the weed and extract the entire root system. Otherwise docks and dandelions and their kith and kin seem to be encouraged to make a return bigger and stronger than before. The roots should definitely not be put on the compost heap. Very few compost heaps reach the heat required to kill roots. In

fact, the margins of a compost heap are a notoriously good place to make more of them. If you have a council-collected

garden waste bin, that should be the first destination for such persistent weeds. Or the bonfire. Pernicious weeds such as

ground elder present quite a problem in a new garden. Not only do their roots make a downward trajectory for Australia, but the flowers’ seeds are flung far and wide. Trying to pull them out only causes their roots to break and branch and come up round the corner. Without recourse to translocated weedkillers, the gardener’s only remedy is to dig out anything especially precious in the path of the ground elder, clean the roots meticulously and repot the plant for at least a year. If you leave a fraction of root, the whole thing will re-grow and the problem will be worse.

Cover the whole area with a permeable membrane to prevent light from encouraging the weeds to re-grow. It will take at least 12 months. And be vigilant for shoots coming out of the sides, making a bid for freedom. With luck the problem will be resolved by the following year, and the area can be replanted with flowers and vegetables.

Enjoying a summer of dahlias

by Sally Gregson

AT last summer is upon the garden. The bulbs – the daffodils, tulips and the wallflowers are beginning to fade, and the return of strong colours and brilliant sunshine is a seasonal treat. Dahlias, in particular, are making a welcome return to our containers, and to the borders. And the colours are vibrant –velvet red ‘Arabian Night’; orange ‘Totally Tangerine’; and shocking-pink ‘Magenta Star’ for example. They make a strong statement, celebrating hot sunny days. They are the highlight of the summer garden. Dahlias are edible, too. Scatter the brilliant petals on salads for flavour, texture and, of course, colour. Just a few will really cheer up a tired lettuce at the bottom of the fridge. And thereby it will earn dahlias a place in the vegetable garden.

There are two, quite different methods of keeping dahlias year on year, undamaged by frost, here in the south of England. The one is that dahlia crowns, if prepared well for frosts by covering them with piles of straw or even garden compost, need not be lifted and stored over the winter in the greenhouse. They can be left to take their chances in the ground. And in this benign part of the world, it mostly works.

The more cautious approach is to cut back the top-growth in autumn, lift the tubers and store them in the greenhouse, lightly sprinkled with soil or spent compost and kept just on the damp side of bone-dry. These tubers should all be potted up in commercial compost enriched with slow-release fertiliser in May.

However, those crowns left in the ground, especially after a

wet winter, tend to start growing much later than those that have been lifted and given protection. But it is at the expense of a few weeks of flower later in the summer.

It’s important, especially in this dry spring, to keep the tubers well-watered, whether in pots and containers, or in the

ground. They are fleshy plants that need plenty of water, so the compost or soil does need to be kept moist. And remember to stake them, especially those in the ground. Dahlia heads are heavy. They need support to keep their faces clean and beautiful, the better to look their gardeners in the eye.

Dahlias are the highlight of the summer garden

Half an hour’s hoeing in the vegetable garden when rain is not forecast saves hours of hard work later on

Home & Garden

Tree Surgery. Reductions. Felling. Hedge Trimming. Stump Grinding. Woodchip supplies.

Family run business since 1946

GARDEN WASTE AND OTHER OUTDOOR RUBBISH taken away, FREE estimate. Tel: 07789-232608

Tel: 01963 250005

Family run business since 1946

Mobile: 07976 934 252

Tel: 01963 250005

Mobile: 07976 934 252

North Dorset Tree Surgeons

We carry out all aspects of tree surgery, hedge cutting and stump grinding. Ash dieback specialist. Fully insured and NPTC qualified. Call Will today on 01747 854517 or 07872 970741

Professional Experienced Reliable

in all aspects of

ALL GARDEN MAINTENANCE, waste clearance and fencing work undertaken contact Cameron on 07565903746 for a quote today all Jobs undertaken

SELF DRIVE DIGGER AND DUMPER HIRE 01258 861647

adverts@blackmorevale.net

GARDEN AND PLANTING DESIGN. Wildlife gardens and meadows. Expert gardening, plant care and advice. Extensive plant knowledge. Call Stephen and Claire at Manyberries 01963 441454. www.manyberries.co.uk

Lady Landscaping

Home & Garden

Plants to keep your garden buzzing all summer long. Summer tips from The Blooming Wild Nursery

The Blooming Wild Plant Nursery

native bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects such as moths and hoverflies, require additional support during the summer months to find food and nectar. Their natural grassland habitats are declining due to increased land usage for building and hard landscaping, making them more dependent on garden plants for pollen and nectar.

Your local Plant Nursery specialising in: Herbaceous perennials, ornamental grasses & Native Wildflowers.

All plants are grown in peat free compost. Ideal to attract bees, butterflies, and wildlife to your garden, or outdoor space.

NOW OPEN Wed - Fri: 9.30am-4.30pm Sat 10am-4pm

01963 371060 | www.plantwild.co.uk

Cabbage Lane, Horsington, BA8 0DA

HEDGE CUTTING and Lawn mowing services, Shaftesbury-Blandford & local villages. Please call Trevor 07970-012130

GUTTERS CLEARED

• Windows,

• Fascias,

• Soffits,

• Gutters cleaned,

• Repairs,

• Free Estimates 07788-376752

DRYSTONE WALLING AND LANDSCAPING

www.yenstonewalling.co.uk 01963 371123 / 07751 278363

M & A J

Landscaping

~ Fencing ~ Walling ~ Patios/Steps ~ Concreting/Tarmac ~ Tree work ~ Garden maintenance malcgin@hotmail.com 07399-521377

GARDENING SERVICES AND GENERAL MAINTENANCE

HUSSEY CARPET AND FLOORING, South Street, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4AP

Domestic and Commercial Carpets,Vinyl,Luxury Vinyl Tiles, Laminate and Wood Flooring. Contact Chris Hussey 07885273470 husseyflooring@gmail.com

You can contribute by growing open-flowered, nectar-rich plants in any outdoor space, whether large or small. Even a 1m square area in a border or patio container is sufficient to grow a variety of plants. Ensuring a variety of flowers bloom for as long as possible will provide food for pollinators throughout the summer months and into autumn.

Many summer flowering perennials add colour and feed pollinators until early autumn.

Why not come along to the nursery to choose your favourite.

JACKS AFFORDABLE TREE CARE 07936-498493 LAWN MOWING SERVICES. Tel: 01747-821726

WANTEDDave buys all types of tools Call 01935 428975

WELL ROTTED HORSE MANURE

£60.00 a transit load. Contact Roger on 07885 826396 or 01202 826502

EX-DISPLAY SHEDS, Stables/field shelters, summerhouses, offices, workshops, agricultural 01935 891195

GREENHOUSES Supplied/Erected Alloy TenColours Spares-Repairs-Glass Chris Abrams 01258-452632

ASBESTOS REMOVAL

Garages, Sheds, Lean to’s, Roofing and Cladding Collection and Dismantling BY Registered Hazardous Waste Carrier Call 07973 444620 or 01722 414478

Lawn mowing, strimming, hedge cutting, Shed Clearances etc. Contact Billy 07849 571742 PETER PORT UPHOLSTERY A Local Family Run Business based in Shaftesbury, Offering a wide range of services including foam cut to size and Re-stuffing of feather cushions. 01747-228384 Peterportupholstery@googlemail.com.

JAMES AYRES

DORSET TREE CARE Specialist Tree Workers

All kinds of trees expertly felled, topped and pruned. Hedge cutting. All rubbish cleared. Licensed waste carrier. Fully insured. Tel: 01747 850129 / Mob: 07951 284639

LANGTON NURSERIES (C W Abbott & Son) Bedding and Basket Plants. Fruit Trees and Ornamental Trees, Perennials & Shrubs, Terracotta pots, Wild Bird food 20kg £14.50, Stockists of Kings, Franchi and Fothergill Budget Seeds, Potting Compost. Open daily 10am – 3 pm. Langton Long Blandford Forum Dorset DT11 9HR. Telephone 01258-452513.

07760 469411 WINDOWS

07773-254174

PIERCY PLASTERING ALL TYPES OF PLASTERING, FLOOR SCREEDING & RENDERING. WINCANTON & 20 MILE RADIUS. HELPFUL ADVICE & FREE QUOTATIONS CALL NEIL: 07974 185923 or 07811 211586.

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS LTD. All aspects of building and plumbing catered for. Tel: 07970 437786 e: swbuildandrenovation@ gmail.com

ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING & ELECTRICAL

HARRY JACK, HOME SERVICES. Handyman, home maintenance, landscaping, roofing. Harryjackhome services@gmail.com 07855-544618

BAILEY & SUN LTD. Groundwork, man and machine hire. Footings, ditchings, driveways, new build, drainage, extensions plus lots more. Call for a quote. 07546-762236. sun@baileyandsun.co.uk.

ASA ARCHITECTS. All drawings for planning and construction. 07770 421624. Free consultation Based in Shaftesbury. Works throughout Dorset. www.asa-architect.co.uk. andystrange@btinternet.com

GRASS CUTTING SERVICES 07475-129099

G.S GENERAL BUILDER. Extensions, renovations, alterations, plastering, brickwork, block-work, stonework and patios, fencing. NO VAT. Call Garry: 07933-921382

LR LANDSCAPING, Patios, Garden walls, Fencing. Call Luke: 07476-533581

HANDYMAN, reliable and experienced Call Chris 07413 678076

G ROSE PLASTERING. For all your Plastering needs Experienced and reliable Phone 07766-243762

CHARLIE IVE PLANT HIRE LTD, Operated & Self Drive, Excavators & Dumpers -- 0.5T - 6T -Attachments--- Breakers - land Rake- Riddle Bucket -Augers- Tiltrotator,07388-441638

T F PLANT

Sand, gravel, cement and topsoil supplied

Trade & DIY. Supplied loose or collected. Small or large loads also bulk bag materials & small handy bags. Muck-away service of inert materials

Plant, 8 Brickfields Industrial Estate, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4JL

STEVE ADAMS CHIMNEY SWEEPING HETAS

registered woodburner and flue installer. Birdguards and cowls 07932 655267

CHIMNEY SWEEP Brush & vacuum. APICS registered 01963 370038

Martin Simmonds

Chimney Sweep

Martin Simmonds

Chimney Sweep Manual and Power Sweeping, Stove Servicing and Maintenance, Camera Inspections, Property Maintenance 07368 250305/01747 590799

Manual and Power Sweeping, Stove Servicing and Maintenance, Camera Inspections, Property Maintenance 07368 250305/01747 590799

Martin Simmonds

Chimney Sweep Manual and Power Sweeping, Stove Servicing and Maintenance, Camera Inspections, Property Maintenance 07368 250305/01747 590799

NVQ Qualified. APICS Registered Friendly, Reliable Service

Martin Simmonds

Chimney Sweep

Martin Simmonds

longthorpeindustries@gmail.com

NVQ Qualified. APICS Registered Friendly, Reliable Service longthorpeindustries@gmail.com

Manual and Power Sweeping, Stove Servicing and Maintenance, Camera Inspections, Property Maintenance 07368 250305/01747 590799

NVQ Qualified. APICS Registered Friendly, Reliable Service longthorpeindustries@gmail.com

NVQ Qualified. APICS Registered Friendly, Reliable Service

Chimney Sweep Manual and Power Sweeping, Stove Servicing and Maintenance, Camera Inspections, Property Maintenance 07368 250305/01747 590799

NVQ Qualified. APICS Registered Friendly, Reliable Service longthorpeindustries@gmail.com

longthorpeindustries@gmail.com

NVQ Qualified. APICS Registered Friendly, Reliable Service longthorpeindustries@gmail.com

SOLID FUEL INSTALLATIONS

LTD

Accredited installers of Wood burning & Multi fuel stoves, Chimney liners, twin wall flues, fireplace conversions, replacement hearths, chimney restoration & rebuilding, dealing with water ingress, cowlings, bird guards. Fully Insured, long term established. 01749 677440 – 07921074602- solidfuel3@aol.com www.solidfuelinstallationsltd.co.uk

• Cherry picker & scaffold if required

• Thatch property wood burners

• Plastering rendering exterior decorating

K.SANSOM

Local Services

DEREK ETHERINGTON BSc(Hons).

PC/Mac, Repairs, Networks, Websites, Tuition. Free local callout. 01963362403 07855287150 www.dcenet.co.uk

MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

Purchase advice, Virus Removal, New PC Setup/ Installation, Internet Connection, Upgrades, Computer/ Software Tuition Call Gregg on 01963 370713

DECORATION, FLOORING & CARPENTRY

M & M PAINTING & DECORATING. 30 years experience. Fully insured, clean & tidy. References available. FREE no obligation quote. Tel: 07534-952486 / 01305849380

Painting

& Decorating

Local Quality Painter & Decorator.

35 Years Experience

FREE Estimates. No VAT Call Richard on Tel: 01258 880670 Mob: 07825512627 ‘Your home in safe and capable hands’

PAUL WEST DECORATING SERVICES and wall-paper specialist. Also handyman. 35years experience. Free quotes. 07773-459168. paul.west945@gmail.com

GARETH TANNER

G.O.T. DECORATING City and Guilds qualified Interior/exterior Decorating Free Quotes no VAT Tel 07736644452

go.tanner93@gmail.com

COUNTRY CARPENTRY

Doors, repairs, general maintenance etc Call Nick on 07887 358570

LES BENHAM PAINTING SERVICES

Property Maintenance Domestic/Commercial

Inside or Out

Fully Insured/Free Quotes 01258 458849/07788 907343 lesbenham@yahoo.co.uk / check a trade

• 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.

Meditations in nature: The booming bitterns of Avalon

by Susannah Curtin

WIDE open skies and bright sunshine greet me as I arrive on the Somerset Levels. I have come here to experience the deep, resonating, echoing sounds of male bitterns that occasionally issue forth an extraordinary booming noise to mark their territory and attract a mate.

Bitterns are one of the most charismatic birds of our wetlands. They are incredibly difficult to see. Not only are they rare, but they are very shy, skulking around in the dense reedbeds. As well as this secretive, reclusive behaviour, they are perfectly camouflaged to replicate the buff-coloured, streaky lines of their reedy habitat.

I remember the first time I saw one. It was sitting inside the edge of some reeds, where it had stood perfectly still for hours. It was only when it moved very slightly that I could see the tawny brown stripes I had been watching all afternoon was, in fact, a bittern. Up until then, this enigmatic creature was more of an idea than a reality, having read a lot about them but never actually seeing one.

Bitterns – Botaurus stellaris – are part of the heron family. They are thickset birds with slightly short necks that can elongate and then retract. They move with incredible stealth, silently slipping, like a snake, through the reeds. When cornered, a bittern will flatten itself and stretch its wings up and out so that it resembles the top of an open umbrella, or it

will thrust its head and neck vertically upwards so its bill is pointing towards the sky. It is quite capable of holding these positions, or standing completely motionless, for long periods of time.

I find it rather ironic, given the difficulty we have in spotting them, that they are the loudest and deepest sounding of all our British birds. Their call is a low frequency ‘boom’ that resembles a foghorn and can be heard up to three miles away. They make it by expelling air through their oesophagus. They expand their gullet to create a large echo chamber and then forcefully exhale the air in small bursts to create the distinctive call that reverberates through the surrounding countryside. Conservation volunteers listen out for these calls each year to determine the number of calling males that are marking their territories, and given how difficult they are to see, this is how they record the UK’s population of them. Each call is plotted on a map and then triangulated to determine who lives where. Fortunately, each booming male sounds slightly different, which makes the task somewhat easier.

Bitterns are another success story that can gladden the heart of a conservationist. Although once a common bird across the whole of the UK, numbers began to fall in the Middle Ages when it was eaten at banquets, favoured by taxidermists, and its wetland habitats were drained for agriculture, causing bitterns to almost vanish from the UK by the 1870s. However,

Health & Wellbeing

Bitterns are a conservation success story but are still on the Amber List of conservation concern and are legally protected

by the turn of the 20th century, a few had returned to Norfolk to breed, but after that the population severely declined again to only 11 booming males due to further degradation of their habitat.

The RSPB, in particular, has been fundamental in their comeback by creating and restoring more wetlands and the reedbeds that bitterns depend upon for feeding and breeding.

In 2024, 283 booming males were recorded, which was a 20% increase on 2023, and it is hoped this year will return a similar increase. They are doing well but are still on the Amber List of conservation concern and are a Schedule 1 species giving them legal protection. By the time I reach my favourite hide, the hollow calls of several bitterns have graced my ears. It is such a magical, unearthly sound to reverberate over these watery levels.

Sometimes you can see them as they fly from place to place, but alas, not for me today.

But it is no matter as there are other joys to behold here.

There are several pairs of marsh harriers quartering the reed beds looking for snakes, lizards, frogs or rodents, and high above them, there are hobbies that are soaring in pursuit of dragonfly. These sleek, swift-like birds are perfectly silhouetted against the dark thunder clouds gathering in the distance, adding drama to the landscape and threatening rain.

There are also blackcaps, reed and Cetti’s warblers calling, and fish are jumping as the increasing breeze creates small capillary waves that sweep across the lake. All this life living in the shadow of an ancient Glastonbury Tor. It is such a timeless and tranquil scene. As I gather my belongings and make for home, one last bittern booms his farewell. He will be the last one I hear until next year. But what an extraordinary day this has been. It won’t be long before I return but sadly the bitterns will, by then, have finished their booming.

n Dr Susie Curtin (email curtin. susanna@gmail.com).

Health & Wellbeing

Silence is not always golden

by Kay Parkinson

‘SILENCE is golden,’ they say, and sometimes, it is.

The hush of early morning before the world wakes or the pause in conversation where understanding lingers, perhaps the stillness of a quiet walk beside someone you trust. Silence can be sacred, soothing, even healing.

Yet, not all silence is golden, and not all silence is chosen. Sometimes silence is shaped by discomfort, fear or the aching uncertainty of what to say. Nowhere is this more evident than around the grief of losing a baby. In that space, silence can feel less like peace and more like abandonment.

June is SANDS Awareness Month, created to gently break that silence. It exists for families who have lost a baby through stillbirth or in the first

days of life, whose heartbreak is too often met with quiet sidesteps and unintentional erasure.

Stillbirth and neonatal death are not rare. Thousands of families are affected each year. Yet so many grieve in silence, unsure if their sorrow will be met with compassion or discomfort. In my work, I often talk about shame, the kind that creeps in when grief is met with avoidance. When people don’t ask, don’t mention the baby’s name, when it feels that the world quietly moves on, and you’re left standing in the rubble.

But grief like this doesn’t need fixing, it needs honouring and that can begin with the smallest of gestures – lighting a candle, saying, ‘I remember’, acknowledging anniversaries, making space for stories.

The Malthouse Care Home Bay Road, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4EW

Our friendly team truly care for your family like they would their ownproviding compassion, respect, and dignity. With a deep commitment to meeting residents’ individual needs, whether it’s residential or respite care, The Malthouse is your perfect choice.

Letting someone know their loss matters and that their baby is not forgotten. If you’re unsure what to say, it’s okay, you don’t need eloquence and you don’t need to understand it to honour it. ‘I’m so sorry’ or ‘I’m here’ are enough, your presence speaks louder than platitudes ever could.

For grieving parents, this month might bring up a swirl of emotions. It’s okay to retreat and it’s okay to take part. Writing your baby’s name in a memory journal, creating a ritual, planting something in their honour or connecting with others who understand can offer moments of stillness and recognition. None of this takes the weight of grief away but it can create a gentle thread of connection, something to hold

onto as you learn to carry love and loss side by side.

SANDS Awareness Month offers a place to be seen. A reminder that their babies, though no longer here, lived and were deeply loved. Let’s break the silence not with noise, but with tenderness, truth and the kind of honour that tells a grieving parent their story and their baby matters. SANDS has a free national helpline on 0808 164 3332 or visit www.sands. org.uk n Kay Parkinson is a therapist specialising in trauma, emotional neglect and the impact of shame on identity and self-worth. Kay’s work focuses on transforming shame through the lens of authentic honour. Visit www.placetotalktherapies. co.uk.

June is SANDS Awareness Month, which exists for families who have lost a baby through stillbirth or in the first days of life

Hawthorne can help blood pressure and ease heartache

by Fiona Chapman

THE blossoms this year seem to be particularly good. I cannot believe how heavily laden the Hawthorne – May – trees are. There will be a good crop of berries, I hope. This morning, I had a lovely walk up on Hod Hill gathering Hawthorne – Crataegus – blossom. Crataegus monogyna is used for the heart. The blossom and the berries are used to strengthen the heartbeat without putting it under additional strain.

I use Crataegus in a huge number of prescriptions for high blood pressure and bad circulation. It can also be used for heartache – for anyone suffering from a loss or breakup. I can so understand this –

gathering the flowers in the sun with the skylarks singing overhead is a powerful boost to the mood – even if my dogs were rather staggered and bored, as I usually walk as fast as I can.

The elder is also coming out, Sambucus nigra, and I am longing to collect some of these flowers, too. The flowers make a lovely tea once dried. Among other things, elder is extremely good for hay fever and, drunk from January onwards, together with nettles, helps prepare the body for the hay fever season and mitigate the effects of the pollen. Nothing tastes better than the flowers you harvest yourself – I find them much more potent than those I buy in.

Health: Just for men

AN event in Sherborne next week will shine a spotlight on men’s health.

Sherborne Area Primary Care Network (PCN) is holding a fair at the Digby Hall on Thursday (June 12) from 2pm-6pm.

The Friendly Food Club will deliver fun and practical cookery sessions, and Livewell Dorset will give advice and presentations on issues such as weight management,

cholesterol and smoking.

The Sherborne PCN social prescribing pharmacy and frailty teams will be present, supporting in a variety of ways, such as taking blood pressure, advising on medication and signposting to physical and mental health resources and support groups.

The event will also focus on prostate cancer and support for carers, and a Repair Café will be on offer.

A hot cup of elderflower tea is also useful for pushing blood to the surface and helps with sweating, and so is used to bring out a fever.

Everything seems to be very early this year. I want the world to slow down so I can really appreciate every flower coming out in the garden. My family think I am mad as I wonder around telling the plants they are so clever!

The lily of the valley, Convallaria majalis, has been amazing and prolific – the whole garden has been scented with them. I won’t be harvesting

A hawthorne tree in

Fiona Chapman uses Crataegus in prescriptions for high blood pressure and bad circulation

these as it is a schedule 20 herb – meaning poisonous – but the roots are good for the heart. They are made into a tincture and should only be prescribed by a qualified herbalist. I am harvesting the abundant mint I am growing, and with the chamomile and lavender, I am determined this year to have enough dried herbs to see me through the winter with some delicious and healthy, systemsupporting teas. I just must steel myself to pick them.

n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist (email Pellyfiona@gmail.com).

bloom.

Uncork a fabulous English Wine Week at The Clockspire, with Langham Wine Estate

Sherborne, May 2025 – Local fine dining restaurant The Clockspire is preparing to celebrate English Wine Week (21st – 29th June 2025).

The award-winning restaurant will open up a taste of the exceptional, with Dorchester-based winemakers Langham Estate. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or simply curious to explore, you can enjoy Langham’s wonderful Corallian Classic Cuvée NV and elegant Blanc de Blancs NV, both available by the glass for the duration of English Wine Week. It’s the perfect opportunity to treat yourself and discover the incredible quality wines being crafted right here in the region.

At Langham, their passion starts in their single-estate vineyard, where classic Champagne grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier – flourish. Their winemaking philosophy is all about letting the natural goodness of the grapes shine through, using gentle methods with minimal intervention and without unnecessary additions. The result? Highly acclaimed traditional method sparkling wines that truly express the unique chalky soil of our beautiful Dorset countryside. Each sip tells a story of the land and the care that goes into every bottle.

For a truly immersive experience, join The Clockspire team for a special wine dinner on Thursday, June 26th with guest speaker Tommy Grimshaw, Langham’s talented Head Winemaker. Tommy will share insights into the fascinating world of English winemaking, making it an engaging and accessible experience for all.

Head Chef, Luke Bryant, has created an exquisite four-course menu specifically designed to enhance the unique flavours of Langham’s terroir-driven sparkling wines. It’s a culinary journey that promises to excite your taste buds and deepen your appreciation for the perfect pairing.

Tickets for this exclusive and intimate event are £80 per person. And booking is easy –simply visit The Clockspire’s website to secure your spot. Come and discover the sparkle of English Wine Week with us – a truly enjoyable experience awaits!

This English Wine Week, we’re opening up a ‘taste of the exceptional’ as we partner with Langham Wine Estate. Enjoy exceptional Langham wines by the glass at a discounted price all week.

Thursday 26th June

And, for a truly immersive English Wine Week experience, join us for a special wine dinner with guest speaker Tommy Grimshaw, Langham’s talented Head Winemaker.

Enjoy 4 spectacular courses, paired with Langham wines - for a very drinkable £80 per person. Give us a call or book online.

Father’s Day

Sunday Lunch or a deliciously different savoury Afternoon Teataking bookings now.

Paella – a taste of sunny Spain!

THE sun’s out and it’s time for paella!

Consider investing in a paella pan from any good kitchen shop or online. It makes a fun and colourful weekend dish for family or friends.

So many variations exist –including vegetarian – but this is my favourite combination.

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 chicken thighs – salt the skin and rub some paella spices all over.

Put in the oven for 20 minutes at 190 degrees so you know they’re cooked through.

1 chorizo sausage, slice into rounds

1 yellow onion, diced

2 tbs olive oil

Seafood of choice

1 packet raw prawns

1 handful of mussels/clams at the fish counter

1 squid sliced

1 100g samphire, if possible

6 large shell on, cooked prawns for garnish

Or simply buy a bag of mixed frozen seafood from the freezer at a supermarket and put this through the rice with the chicken and chorizo.

Method

Heat the pan with the olive oil and add the onion, chorizo and then the garlic.

until the ingredients are covered.

Paella rice absorbs the water and cooks gently covered with a large lid or tin foil.

Add a little more stock if the rice is still not cooked.

Take off the lid and scatter all the seafood and the lemon wedges over.

Add some stock to steam the

mussels and the other seafood will cook quickly, too.

After five minutes remove the foil and scatter samphire and flat leaf parsley for garnish.

Serve with a green salad. n Annie des Forges, Director/ Chef, The Table Bruton. Annie Austin, Director/Host and Concierge Somerset Roadtrip.

Enford Farm Shop

Durweston DT11 0QW

Home reared and locally produced meats, game, deli, fruit, veg, free range eggs and lots more.

2 garlic cloves, diced or sliced

1 packet of paella spices

1 500g paella rice

1 packet flat leaf parsley

1 fish or chicken stock cube – or ask your fishmonger for bones and boil them yourself

Tip in the rice and stir through – the oils from the chorizo will start to add flavour.

Add the cooked chicken thighs.

Tip the paella spices in and fold all the ingredients together.

Now add a litre of stock – or

Half a lamb £90 |

Open Wednesday to Saturday 10am-5.30pm. 01258 450050 Chicken feeds etc available.

TRADITIONAL COUNTRY PUB SERVING FINE FOOD AND DRINKS

Peter and Karlene are delighted to invite you to the Plough Inn at Manston and look forward to seeing you soon.

We are delighted that our renovation and expansion project has been well received by customers as have our food and beverage offerings. After a very long search, we now have a fully staffed kitchen and offer our full lunch and dinner menu every day from Tuesday lunch until Sunday lunch. We are closed after lunch on Sunday and all day Monday. We offer a wide range of beers, cider, wines and spirits as well as a range of non-alcoholic options.

A Pub With Warmth And Atmosphere

The bar and snug have been refreshed but retain all the old features that made this cosy area so attractive. And, by popular demand, we have a new wood burning stove to provide atmosphere and warmth whenever needed! We have a completely new kitchen, beer cellar and new male, female and disabled washrooms. The old conservatory is now an insulated garden room and we have a new dining area which can accommodate a further twenty guests.

Hearty Food And Distinctive Drinks

By experimenting with our menu and listening to our customers we have developed a popular menu ranging from light snacks to exciting specials and everything in-between. Please look at our menu and see if you can spot your favourite country pub meal. For Sunday lunch, in addition to our full menu, we offer a traditional roast with all the trimmings. Our range of drinks has evolved in response to customer demand and caters for all tastes. But most importantly we have built a wonderful team to look after you all and ensure a great experience at the Plough.

We hope to see you soon, Cheers, Peter & Karlene

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

MARTIN AND JUNE OF SHAFTESBURY CAR LINK WILL BE TAKING A SHORT BREAK ON MONDAY 23rd JUNE 2025FRIDAY 27th JUNE 2025

THE TELEPHONE LINE WILL THEREFORE BE CLOSED BUT ALL PRE-BOOKED JOURNEYS WILL BE FULFILLED URGENTLY WANTED.

Shaftesbury Car Link are needing a volunteer (or volunteers) to assist with running the scheme initially part-time but with a view to eventually taking over the scheme in its entirety.

For further information or an informal chat please contact Martin and June on 07763 426664 or via email to shaftesburycarlink@gmail.com

Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence.

Logical Transport, 65 Bishopsworth Road, Bristol, BS13 7JW is applying for a licence to use Logical Transport, Torbay Road Industrial Estate, Torbay Road, Castle Cary, Somerset BA7 7DT as an operating centre for 5 Trucks and 5 Trailers

Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who believe that their use or enjoyments of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Hillcrest House, s86 Harehills Lane, Leeds, LS9 6NF, stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice. Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice.

A Guide to Making Representations is available from the Traffic Commissioner’s office

LICENSING ACT 2003.

Application for a Premises Licence. The Shaftesbury Deli, 37 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8JE has applied to Dorset Council for a premises licence to sell alcohol on and off the premises: Hours: Sun–Thu 09:00–19:00, Fri–Sat 09:00–20:00. Any representations must be made in writing to Dorset Council, Licensing Team, County Hall, Dorchester DT1 1XJ or at www. dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 24 June 2025. It is an offence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003 to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application, the maximum fine on summary conviction for the offence is unlimited.

IN MEMORIAM

Nicky & Jackie

Beloved children, it’s 6 years this year that you’ve both left. I miss you every single day. Grief is a space nothing fills. Love Mum.

I did not get the chance to say goodbye. My treasures are the memories and happy times we shared together. They are safely locked in my heart and always will be. Nobody will ever take them away from me. They belong to us and only us. Love and miss you forever x

DEATHS

Derrick Collett

peacefully passed away at home on Tuesday 6th May 2025. Following Derrick’s wishes there is no attended funeral service. Derrick’s family would like to invite you all who knew him to the family home on Sunday 22nd June 2025 from 2pm to 4pm: Clovers, Madjeston, Gillingham, SP8 5JH, to share fond memories of Derrick, light refreshments will be provided.

CYNTHIA SHIMALI

Cynthia formerly of Sturminster Newton passed away peacefully on 28h April 2025 at St Denis Lodge, Shaftesbury, aged 87. Funeral Service at Hamdown Burial Ground, Shillingstone on Wednesday 18th June 2025 at 11.30am. Family flowers only, please. Donations, if desired, for Battersea Dogs Home and Alzheimer’s Research UK may be made online by visiting www.grassbyclose-funeral.co.uk or cheques made payable to the charity sent c/o Grassby & Close Funeral Service, 4 Innes Court, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1BB.

DEATHS

JEAN BRICKELL

Aged 94, of Bournemouth and formerly of Shaftesbury, wife of the late Norman Brickell, passed away peacefully on 22nd May 2025 surrounded by her family. Private cremation

Valerie Gaye Hine

Peacefully passed away at home on Monday 5th May 2025. Funeral is to be held on 11th June 2025 at 11am at Salisbury Crematorium. Donations will be received to The Dogs Trust. Funeral being held by Bracher Brothers, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4QL, 01747 822494

Eileen Roby

Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother at the grand age of 99 passed away peacefully at home on 21/5/2025 after a short illness. She will be missed by family and friends . The funeral will be at 2.30 on the 23/6/2025 at The Barn, Harbour View Crematorium. Any flowers to Harbour View Donations to Parkinson.org.uk

John Edward Neal

Peacefully on 17th May 2025 aged 89 of Marnhull, Dorset. Dearly loved husband, dad and grandad. Funeral service at Higher Ground Meadow, Hackney, Corscombe, Dorset, DT2 0QN on 9th June 2025 at 1pm followed by a burial. Please wear something colourful. No flowers but donations to Dorset Wildlife Trust or the Cinnamon Trust.

PAUL ANTHONY HAYWARD

On 19th May 2025, peacefully in The Cedars Nursing Home, aged 77 years. Of Shaftesbury. Funeral service takes place at Salisbury Crematorium on Monday 16th June at 12.00noon. No flowers please. Donations if desired for Dementia UK may be made online at www.mhfd.co.uk or sent to Merefield & Henstridge F/D, Ridgemount, Pitts Lane, West Melbury, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0BU. Tel: 01747 853532.

The family would like to express their grateful thanks to the staff at The Cedars Nursing Home for their care and kindness to Paul.

GARRETT Lorna

Passed away peacefully on Friday 23rd May 2025, aged 91 years. Much Loved Wife to the late Norman, Mum, Grandma and Great-Grandma. Funeral Service will take at St. Andrews Church, Leigh, on Friday 20th June, 2025 at 2.00pm. Donations if desired to ‘Marie Curie’. All donations and enquiries to A J Wakely & Sons Funeral Directors, 16 Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JQ. Tel: 01935 816817.

(please make cheques payable to the charity)

Valerie Barker (of Wincanton)

Passed away peacefully at Yeovil & District Hospital on Thursday 15th May 2025, aged 84 years. The funeral service has taken place. Donations, if desired, to The Friends of Wincanton Community Hospital may be sent c/o A. J. Wakely & Sons, The Old Police Station, Carrington Way, Wincanton, BA9 9JS. Tel: 01963 31310.

Please make cheques payable to the charity.

ROWELL Dennis

Passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday 21st May 2025, aged 83 years. Much loved, partner, dad, grandad, brother and uncle. He was a top bloke who will be greatly missed. Funeral service will be held at Mendip Crematorium on Thursday 12th June 2025 at 1:30p.m. Family flowers only. Donations, if desired, to Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance c/o A. J. Wakely & Sons Ltd, The Old Police Station, Wincanton, BA9 9JS. Tel: 01963 31310.

Please make cheques payable to the charity.

IAN PENNYCOOK

Passed away peacefully after a short illness on Monday 12th May 2025, aged 96 years. Much loved Husband to the late Ann, Father to Felicity, Nicola and Charlotte, Grandfather and Great-grandfather.

Funeral Service will take place at Yeovil Crematorium, on Thursday 12th June 2025 at 2:00 pm.

Family flowers only please.

Donations if desired, to Weldmar Hospicecare. All donations and enquiries to A. J. Wakely & Sons Funeral Directors, 16 Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JQ. Tel: 01935 816817.

DEATHS

Porter

Thomas Charles (Charlie)

Died at home in Stalbridge on 29th May

Beloved husband, brother, uncle, great-uncle and friend. No funeral at his request.

Greta Mary Paull

Peacefully on 29th May 2025. Greta aged 86 years of Stourton Caundle. Dearly loved Wife to Henry. Mum to Pam, Mark and Roger, Granny and Great Granny. Funeral service at Yeovil Crematorium on Tuesday 17th June at 1.20pm. Family flowers only please, donations if desired for The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Trust. C/o Peter Jackson Funeral Services, The Old Reading Room, Shaftesbury Road, Henstridge, Somerset, BA8 0RB.

PATRICIA MARY MASEY “PAT”

On 23rd May 2025, peacefully in St Denis Lodge Care Home aged 96 years. Of Shaftesbury. Wife of the late Stace and Mum to the late Michael. She will be greatly missed by all her family and friends. A Celebration of Pat’s life will take place at St Peter’s Church, Shaftesbury on Friday 27th June at 11.30am. No flowers please. Donations for Friends of St Peter’s may be made online at www.mhfd.co.uk or sent to Merefield & Henstridge F/D, Ridgemount, Pitts Lane, West Melbury, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0BU. Tel: 01747 853532.

PITMAN

Derek Leslie Randolph

‘Lofty’

Peacefully on 13th May 2025 in Yeovil District Hospital, aged 83 years, of Stalbridge and Hazelbury Bryan. Much loved Husband, Dad and Grandad. Funeral service at Church of St. Mary & St. James Hazelbury Bryan, on Wednesday, 25th June at 12.00pm. In memory of Lofty, please wear a splash of red with smart/casual attire. Family flowers only. Donations if desired, for Sightsavers can be made online at peterjacksonfuneralservices.co.uk or cheques made payable to the charity may be sent: C/o Peter Jackson Funeral Services, The Old Reading Room, Shaftesbury Road, Henstridge, BA8 0PP. Tel: 01963 362570

Dave Collins

On 6th May, unexpectedly but peacefully, at home aged 67 years. Burial has taken place at Higher Ground Meadow Corscombe. Remember him over a cup of tea.

BOWDEN

Teresa Ann

Aged 88 years of Wincanton, On 23rd May 2025, peacefully at Yeovil District Hospital. A much loved Mum of Gill, Chris and Trude, Nan, Great Nan, Aunty and Friend. Funeral Service at St Luke and St Teresa’s Roman Catholic Church, Wincanton. On Monday 16th June at 2pm. Followed by interment in the cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations in memory of Teresa are being invited for Yeovil Hospital Charity, C/ O Harold F Miles, Funeral Director, South Cadbury, BA22 7ES. Tel: 01963-440367

FULFORD

Robert Francis – ‘Bob’

Suddenly, but peacefully on 7th May 2025 in Yeovil District Hospital, aged 96 years, of Stalbridge. Beloved Husband of the late Gladys. Dearly loved Father of Robert and the late David. Loving Grandpa and Great Grandpa. Funeral service at Yeovil Crematorium on Tuesday, 24th June at 1.20pm. No flowers please. Donations if desired, for British Heart Foundation can be made online at peterjacksonfuneralservices.co.uk or cheques made payable to the charity may be sent: C/o Peter Jackson Funeral Services, The Old Reading Room, Shaftesbury Road, Henstridge, BA8 0PP. Tel: 01963 362570

BENITA STREETER (BEN)

On 28th May 2025, peacefully at Bramley House Care Home, Mere. Aged 88 years. Formerly of Elm Close, Motcombe. Devoted wife to Brian and mother to Susan, Colin and Sarah. Much loved sister, auntie, grandmother and a dear friend to many.

Private cremation has taken place. Donations in her memory for Dorset Wildlife Trust and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance may be made online at www.mhfd.co.uk or sent to Merefield & Henstridge F/D, Ridgemount, Pitts Lane, West Melbury, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0BU. Tel: 01747 853532.

Please make any cheques payable to the individual charity of choice.

DEADLINES

Display

• Unattended funerals starting from £995

• Tailored and unique Attended Funerals

• Prepaid funeral plans also available

• Local knowledge and expertise with a reputation for quality that is second to none

• Reassurance that your loved one will be looked after with utmost care and professionalism Available 24 hours a day. Find us at: dignityfunerals.co.uk/local

• Reassurance that your loved one will be looked after with utmost care and professionalism Available 24 hours a day. Find

Newbury, Gillingham SP8 4QL Tel: 01747 822494

Newell, Sherborne DT9 4EZ Tel: 01935 813479

Recruitment

Funeralcare ‘not always sad,’ says Becca, 22

AFTER years working in the care sector, Becca Cook, 22, made a life-changing decision to become a funeral arranger – a move she describes as the ‘best decision I’ve ever made’.

Prior to her role at Co-op Funeralcare, Dorchester, Becca’s journey into funeralcare began in an unexpected place –her college placement.

While studying health and social care, she chose to work in a funeral director’s office instead of the hospital or care home placements selected by her peers. What was meant to be a 120-hour placement quickly doubled as Becca enjoyed the work.

When the placement ended, Becca pursued nursing at a hospital, believing it was the natural next step. It wasn’t long before she realised her heart was elsewhere.

Becca said: “I loved my placement so much and didn’t want to leave. Once I started working as a nurse, I quickly found that I missed being at the funeral directors.”

Becca brought with her a wealth of experience from the care sector, where she had worked since the age of 16.

Over the years, she gained insight from roles supporting on hospital trauma wards and serving as a community therapy assistant. Although she enjoyed helping people during vulnerable times, she found it was challenging to provide the one-to-one care she valued most.

Becca said: “Working in the hospital, I found that you weren’t always able to give people the attention they needed, and that was something I struggled with.

“Transitioning to funeralcare allowed me to provide the compassionate, personalised

support I’ve always aspired to provide.”

Becca is part of a new wave of young professionals entering funeralcare, challenging stereotypes about the age profile of those working in the sector. Often seen as an unconventional career, funeralcare is now attracting those who prioritise meaningful, people-centred work.

Becca’s experience reflects this. “Funeralcare isn’t what people think – it’s not always sad,” she said. “There are moments of connection, gratitude and putting smiles on faces.

“Helping someone through a difficult time in their life and seeing the difference I can make is incredibly rewarding.”

While the role can be emotionally challenging, Becca finds strength in her ability to offer comfort.

Becca said: “When families are experiencing a difficult time, I know my role is to guide them and make the process as smooth as possible.”

Becca also credits her supportive colleagues at Co-op Funeralcare for making her career move rewarding. Becca said: “The team I work with is incredible. We not only support our clients but also each other.”

Becca Cook of Co-op Funeralcare, Dorchester

Recruitment

CLEANER WANTED

Mondays 10-2 in private home, Tollard Royal. Can be flexible in school holidays. Please ring 07970 155860

HELP REQUIRED, construction of a barn and modification of a farm layout, development and landscaping. 2 days per week. Thursday & Friday. Exceptionally high wages. (Bishops Caundle) Tel: 01963-23393

QJ HULL LTD QUALIFIED

ELECTRICIAN required

Full/Part time 01747-830518

PART-TIME GALLERY

ASSISTANT First-View at Stourhead, 6-12 hours per week, some weekend days. Jane 07900 363259

SITUATIONS WANTED

NVQ CARER AVAILABLE for days and nights. 20 years experience. All aspects of care covered. Excellent references. Blandford forum and surrounding villages. Please call 07384-273853

SELF EMPLOYED COMPANION/ CARER available for day sits/ help with appointments, shopping trips, errands. DBS and insurance. 07859 337637

Shaftesbury Abbey Museum & Gardens

Become a Trustee at Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Gardens

Are you passionate about history and culture? Do you want to make a meaningful impact within your community? Shaftesbury Abbey, Museum and Gardens, a small yet vibrant museum, is looking for dedicated trustees to help guide our future. We are seeking expertise in fund-raising, finance, and property management.

WHY JOIN

US?

• Preserve Local Heritage: Play a key role in preserving and promoting the rich history and culture of Shaftesbury.

• Shape the Future: Contribute your expertise and ideas to help shape the museum’s strategic direction.

• Collaborate & Network: Work alongside a dynamic team of volunteers.

• Support the Arts: Advocate for arts and culture in our community and beyond.

TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To ensure the museum carries out its duties and meets its objectives

• To ensure the museum remains compliant with the aims of the Charities Commission

• To be resonsible for forward planning, policy making, agreeing targets, and evaluation of the museum’s work

For more information, please contact Peter Wildman at chair@shaftesburyabbey.org.uk or telephone 07787 782727

Countrymen’s Club Manager (Part-Time)

Location: Rylands Farm, Holnest, Sherborne, Dorset

Salary: £15.50 - £17.00 per hour, 21–28 hours per week (must include Tuesdays and Thursdays).

Closing Date: Monday 16 June 2025 (late applications considered)

Countrymen UK is a small, hands-on charity helping older men overcome isolation through meaningful, farm-based activities. We are seeking a practical, compassionate Manager to lead our Dorset project and its future development. You will manage staff and volunteers, plan outdoor sessions, ensure compliance and necessary fundraising and marketing activities, and maintain positive relationships with carers, funders and partners. We are looking for someone who is organised, confident with people, and enthusiastic about rural life. Experience in health, social care, or working with older adults is a plus. A car owner/driver is preferred.

This is a rewarding role offering flexibility, purpose, and the opportunity to grow the charity.

To apply or find out more, please contact Julie Plumley – Trustee at julie@futureroots.net or telephone on 01963 210789

All completed applications to be sent to: julie@futureroots.net

More detailed information about our work is available on our website at www.countrymenuk.org together with the Job Description. Please read the Job Description before submitting an application

Port Regis is a delightful preparatory school, for day and boarding children aged 2-13, in Shaftesbury, Dorset.

We are seeking to recruit to the following roles:

GYMNASTICS COACH

We are seeking to appoint a Level 1 or Level 2 Gymnastics Coach, or a committed candidate willing to gain qualifications at the Port Regis Gymnastics Club.

Part-time or full-time hours are available, including evening and weekends.

SWIMMING TEACHER

We are seeking to appoint one or more swimming teachers to join our team and teach children’s swimming lessons. We can offer some flexibility with regards to the timing of the hours worked to suit the successful candidates. A swim teaching qualification is desired but not essential as we can arrange the relevant training for suitable candidates.

Part-time or full-time hours are available, including evening and weekends.

LIFEGUARDS

We are seeking to recruit lifeguards to work a variety of hours. A lifeguarding qualification is desired but not essential – we can arrange the necessary training and qualification for successful candidates and have a course running at the school from 18th-22nd August 2025.

Part-time or full-time hours are available, including evening and weekends.

Applications are invited from candidates who are big-hearted and model great drive and enthusiasm. The successful candidates can expect competitive rates of pay and benefits; and to join an exceptional working environment and staff team. For full details of the roles and application procedure, please contact Victoria Lander-Gray, Sports Centre Manager, on victoria.lander-gray@portregis.com or call 01747 857800.

Early applications encouraged

Port Regis (Charity No: 306218) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The successful applicants will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS and safer recruitment vetting checks.

Motoring

Motor show raises £37,000 for blind charity

DORSET Blind Association’s ninth annual Motor Show, held at Lulworth Castle last month, raised a record £37,000-plus

More than 6,000 visitors came through the gates to enjoy a display of vehicles, entertainment, local food and drink and 50-plus retail and charity stalls.

The show welcomed a record-breaking 280 vehicles, from vintage and classic models to luxury supercars, drawing motoring enthusiasts from across the south of England.

The charity would like to thank this year’s Platinum sponsors, Blue Sky Financial Planning, and Supercar sponsors, Daizun.

It would also like to thank Porsche Centre Bournemouth, which partnered with Blue Sky to bring a line-up of Porsches to the display field.

“We are absolutely blown away by the response to this

year’s Motor Show,” said Sam Baker, event organiser and community relations officer at Dorset Blind Association.

“The atmosphere was electric, and the support we’ve had from volunteers, car owners, sponsors and the local community has been overwhelming.

“These funds will help us continue providing vital services to blind and partially

sighted people across Dorset.”

Entertainment included performances by Jitterbug Jive, the Just Sing Choir, The Land Girls, Miss Lisa Locarno, and the Bournemouth Carnival Band, alongside circus fun and children’s activities provided by Jamie Jigsaw.

For more information about the Dorset Blind Association and how to support its work, visit www.dorsetblind.org.uk.

2017 (17) Ford KA+ 1.2 Zetec 5dr. 85bhp, petrol, 5 speed manual gearbox, parking sensors, cruise control, hill hold, air con, Bluetooth, upto 56mpg economy, small exterior with a spacious interior, 76,900 miles ....................................£6450

2017 (66) Ford Ka+ 1.2 Zetec 5dr. 85bhp, petrol, manual gearbox, city pack, parking sensors, cruise control, £35 a year road tax, 50mpg, 63,700 miles...£6250

2013 (63) Ford Fiesta 1.0T Titanium X 5dr. 125bhp, petrol, manual gearbox, parking sensors, cruise control, partial leather, heated seats, £20 road tax, upto 60mpg, cambelt kit replaced, 24,500 miles...................................................£7850

2012 (62) Ford Ka 1.2 Studio 3dr. 69bhp, petrol, 5 speed manual gearbox, £35 yearly tax, 50+mpg, simple car with basic spec, cambelt replaced, MOT Nov 2025, private sale on behalf of a customer, 73,500 miles .......................................£2950

2021 (21) Ford Puma 1.0T ST Line X MHEV SUV 5dr. 155bhp, petrol hybrid, manual gearbox, partial leather, sat nav, parking sensors, cruise control, collision detection, road sign assist, 47,200 miles....................................................£14650

2014 (14) Ford Kuga 2.0TDCi Titanium X AWD 4x4 SUV 5dr. 163bhp, diesel, 6 speed manual gearbox, 4x4, high seats, leather, heated seats, heated screen, sat nav, park sensors, auto park, reverse camera, sunroof, auto lights & wipers, cruise, lane aid, sign recognition, hill hold, electric tailgate, cambelt replaced, 92,500 miles .........£7450

2018 (68) Ford Kuga 2.0TDCi ST Line SUV 5dr. 150bhp, diesel, manual gearbox, sat nav, road sign assist, cruise control, parking sensors & auto parking system, reverse camera, partial leather, 61,800 miles.................................£12750

2006 (56) Renault Clio 1.2 Campus 3dr. 60bhp, petrol, manual gearbox, simple basic car, clearance vehicle to be sold as seen, new MOT, full history & invoices back to 2011, only 73,900 miles.....................................................................SOLD

2006 (06) Mercedes-Benz CLK200 1.8 Kompressor Sport Automatic Convertible 2dr. 163bhp, petrol, 5 speed auto gearbox, recent new roof & shocks absorbers, full history, 15 stamps, heated leather, electric roof, auto lights & wipers, cruise, park sensors, MOT June 25, private sale on behalf of a customer, 77,500 miles ...........................................................................................................£4250

2019 (19) Renault Captur 1.5DCi Iconic Automatic SUV 5dr. 90bhp, diesel, automatic gearbox, sat nav, parking sensors, cruise control, road sign assist, upto 67mpg, cambelt replaced, 26,800 miles.....................................................£11650

2012 (62) Renault Scenic 1.5DCi Dynamique Tom Tom 5 Seat MPV 5dr. 110bhp, diesel, manual gearbox, sat nav, partial leather, park sensors, cruise control, sunroof, cambelt replaced, £20 road tax, 85,100 miles.....................£3450

2015 (65) Peugeot 308 1.2THP Allure Automatic 5dr. 130bhp, petrol, 6 speed automatic gearbox, sat nav, park sensors, reverse camera, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, hill hold, only £35 a year road tax, 50+mpg economy, cambelt has been replaced, 69,500 miles..............................................................DUE IN SOON

2018 (68) Volvo V40 Cross Country 1.5 T3 Pro Automatic 5dr. 152bhp, petrol, automatic gearbox, sat nav, parking sensors, reverse camera, cruise control, winter pack, heated leather, 54,900 miles...................................................£12650

2014 (14) Ford Transit 2.2TDCi 350 Trend 12 Seat Minibus 5dr. 125bhp, diesel, manual gearbox, 3 front seats, 9 rear seats, Bluetooth, standing head room, 75,500 miles...............................................................................................£12600

2020 (69) Ford Tourneo Custom 2.0TDCi Titanium 320 L1 H1 Automatic 9 Seat Minibus 5dr. 130bhp, diesel, 6 speed automatic gearbox, 8 seat plus driver, reversable seats for conference or forward facing, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, heated front seats, park sensors, cambelt replaced, 97,000 miles ............£21500 + VAT = £25800

2020 (69) Ford Tourneo Custom 2.0TDCi Titanium 320 Automatic 9 Seat. 130bhp, diesel, automatic gearbox, cruise control, heated front seats, parking sensors, cambelt replaced, 97,100 miles....................................................£19800

2020 (69) Ford Transit 2.0TDCi Trend 350 MWB MR L2 H2 11 Seat Minibus 5dr. 130bhp, diesel, 6 speed manual gearbox, 10 seat plus driver, 2 front seats, 9 rear seats, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, parking sensors, heated front seats, hill hold, cambelt replaced, 90,200 miles.........................£19500 + VAT = £23400

2020 (69) Ford Tourneo Custom 2.0TDCi Titanium 320 Automatic 6 seat. 130bhp, diesel, automatic gearbox, wheelchair access vehicle, ramp, winch, 3 front seats, 3 removable rear seats plus space for wheelchair, could be used for motorbikes / jet ski / paddleboards / golf cart / model planes, heated front seats, cruise control, parking sensors, cambelt replaced, 98,800 miles.................£13500

2014 (64) Kia Venga 3, 1.6 Automatic (Sat Nav) 5dr. 123bhp, petrol, 4 speed automatic gearbox, high seating, decent boot, sat nav, parking sensors & reverse camera, electric sunroof, partial leather, heated seats, cruise control, sign recognition, hill hold, only 38,800 miles........................................................£7850

2005 (55) Mercedes-Benz SL350 Automatic 3.7 V6 Convertible 2dr. 245bhp, petrol, automatic gearbox, electric folding hard top, sat nav, heated leather seats, parking sensors, cruise control, 61,500 miles..........................£8500

2016 (66) Mazda 3, 2.0 SE-L Nav Automatic 5dr. 120bhp, petrol, 6 speed automatic gearbox, sat nav, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, parking sensors, sign recognition, heated seats, hill hold, 75,900 miles...................................£8450

2019 (19) Renault Captur 1.5DCi Iconic Automatic SUV 5dr. 90bhp, diesel, 6 speed automatic gearbox, sat nav, cruise control, auto lights & wipers, parking sensors, hill hold, high seating, sliding rear seats, upto 67mpg economy, 20,300 miles .........................................................................................................£12250

2017 (17) Vauxhall Astra 1.4 SRi 5dr. 100bhp, petrol, 5 speed manual gearbox, auto lights & wipers, parking sensors, cruise control, pre-collision assist, sign recognition, hill hold, Bluetooth, 63,600 miles ..............................................£6950

2016 (66) Vauxhall Mokka 1.6CDTi SE 4x4 SUV 5dr. 136bhp, diesel, 6 speed manual gearbox, 4 wheel drive, high seating, big boot, heated leather seats, heated steering wheel, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, parking sensors, hill hold, performance & economy, upto 60mpg, 65,500 miles ....................................£7250

The show attracted more than 6,000 visitors PHOTO: Yuugen Visuals

VW T4 CAMPER LEISUREDRIVE conversion 1993,needs some work for mot, suit enthusiast,£3250,more details 01963-210342 / 07956-076202

VOLVO V70 D5: excellent condition black exterior, grey leather interior. MOT to April 2026. 190k miles, nothing for these cars. £1650. Contact 07711 950450

CARS wanted pre 1990s Any condition including unfinished projects Cash/Transfer. Please Phone Paul 07890 096907

CREWCAB. 2016 (65), 156k miles, Black, 12 months MOT. Weekend vehicle. £6,000.00 Tel: 07563-729297 / 07583-847432

Please

James

Motorcycle Repairs

BRIDGE MOTORS

Wincanton Ltd. Silver Street | Wincanton | BA9 9AW | 01963 33313 www.bridgemotorswincanton.co.uk

owners, Sat Nav, 59,000 Miles ........................................................................................ £10295

2018 (68) 1.0 Skoda Citigo MPi Greentech SE, 5 Dr, Blue, 1 Owner ......... £5795

2018 (68) Renault Megane DCI Estate GT Line 2 owners, 47,000 Miles, Renault Service history, Sat Nav, Silver ............................................... £9995

2018 (18) Vauxhall Mokka X Design Nav 1.6 CDTi, Only 21,000 Miles, Met Blue, Service History ................................................................... £10295

2017 (66) Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSI SEL, Met Blue, 53,000 Miles ........... £7995

2016 (16) Fiat 500 0.9 Twin Air Lounge, 3Dr, 50,000 Miles, Coral Pink, Alloys, Pan Roof ....................................................................................£5795

2013 (63) Volvo V40 SE Lux 1.6 Petrol, 6 speed, Met Blue, Full Leather, Sat Nav 1 Owner, Full Volvo History .................................................... £7995

2013 (13) VW Scirroco 2.0 TDI GT Blue Motion Tech, Full Leather, Heated Seats, 19” Alloys, 1 family owner, VW Service History, 92,000 miles, Exceptional Car .................................................................................... £6695

2015 (64) VW Golf SV 1.4 TSi SE, 1 Owner, 64,000 miles .................. £7295

2019 (19) Peugeot 208 Active, 5Dr, only 34,000 miles .................. £6895

Sherborne Classic & Supercar Show 2025: A Must-See Event

The Sherborne Classic & Supercar Show returns on Sunday, 20th July 2025, bringing over 1,500 vehicles to the stunning grounds of Sherborne Castle. From vintage classics to modern supercars, this event has something for every motoring enthusiast.

This year’s show will feature a special guest appearance by renowned racing driver and TV presenter Tiff Needell. Known for his expertise and passion for all things automotive, Tiff’s presence will be a highlight for fans eager to hear his insights and stories from the world of motorsport.

Adding to the thrill, Mini Landrovers join the lineup—scaled-down, fully operational replicas of the iconic Land Rover. Perfect for young enthusiasts, these vehicles offer children the chance to navigate a custom-built course, introducing them to the joys of driving in a fun and safe setting.

Beyond the cars, visitors can indulge in a diverse selection of food outlets, offering everything from gourmet street food to classic British fare. Whether you’re craving artisan burgers, wood-fired pizzas, fresh seafood, or indulgent desserts, there’s something to satisfy every palate. The event also supports local charities through Sherborne Classic Cars CIO.

Doors open at 10:00 AM, with early access from 9:30 AM for advance ticket holders. Adult admission is £18 in advance (£22 on the day), and children under 16 go free.

For tickets and details, visit https://classic-supercars.co.uk/

Photos by Len Copland.

MULTICO TENONER, single phase

New cutting blocks. £1050 Tel 07513-244033

3 PACKS WATERPROOF

WHITE GLOSS RVL flooring, 6 panels=1800 m2 per pack, £150 Buyer collects, 07840-204228

CLASSIFIED ADS

RECLINER ARMCHAIR

£120. 01963-32855

WOODEN LIVESTOCK/ Camping trailer. All electrics and spare wheel. £100 ono. Sherborne: 01935-814360

SHOPRIDER MOBILITY SCOOTER. £475. Tel: 07791-847767

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS

ACTIVE SPORT, 4 wheeled trolly, folds to 76cm high, 20cm wide. £50. Tel: 07518-771925

SWIVEL OFFICE CHAIR, black, adjustable height. £15. Tel: 01202-677607

BLACK STRAPLESS ANKLE LENGTH evening / cocktail dress size 10 ideal prom/party dress £20 Gillingham area 07769-708992

SICILIA BBQ FROM HOMEBASE run by gas cylinder very good condition £50. 01747-840835.

VON HUES FOLDABLE TROLLY CART £45 07967444150 or 01747 840141 leave a message Gillingham Area

TOWER CARPET WASHER. TCW Aquajet. Brand new. Unopened box still sealed. £50. Tel: 07485 163197

VINTAGE SILVER CROSS PRAM, £50 ONO, Possibly Montreal/Quebec Model, From early 1970’s, Navy Blue, In working order. 50+ years old so obviously has signs of wear, Collection from Bishops Caundle, Tel: 07794-900663

OLD MAHOGANY DAVENPORT in reasonable condition. £40. Tel: 07563-677169. N. Gillingham.

BRASS FIREPLACE ORNAMENTS. £20. Tel: 07791-847767

SOLID PINE PANELLED cottage doors printed white. Complete with hinges and latches. 1 x 180x79 cm. 1 x 186x76 cm £40.00 each

Must collect. Bishops Caundle. 01963 23518

LADIES ELECTRIC MOBILITY CHAIR beige full working order 3yrs old £50 buyer collects Semley Tel: 07805-595995

HARDWOOD GEORGIAN

EXTERIOR French doors single glazed. £50 07812-719315

QUALCAST ELECTRIC LAWN RAKER/SCARIFIER £25 and 60cm.electric hedgecutter £15. Tel. 01747-811611.

1 CHRISTIE TYLER LEATHER

ARM CHAIR Excellent condition, very comfy. £40. (buyer collects) Another arm chair if required. Tel: 07771-349263

APROX 100 MACHINE CUT, teracotta peg roof tiles. Good condition. Tel: 07944-999872

LADIES PURPLE COLOURED 3/4 length coat. Fur collar, hardly been worn, immaculate condition, size 14. £15. Tel: 07895-718046

GREEN GARDEN CHAIRS good condition £10 ONO. 01258-880506

MOSAIC INLAY GARDEN

TABLE 28” diameter. Terracota and gray design. Grey metal detachable legs. Excellent condition £45. 01747-860503 Mere.

4 x WHITE FANTAIL PIGEONS

£35.00. Guys Marsh 07780-358597

MIELE HOOVER DUST BAGS (12) plus filters free, 01935-814079

BENCH PILLAR DRILL.

Parkside PTBM 500 A1. New, unused, still in original box. Bargain. £40. Tel: 01963 33160.

UPVC EXTERNAL WHITE HALF PANEL Double Glazed Door + Keys , 2006 mm x 85.5. £25.00. Tel. 07903-678306

NEW AARKE LUXURY CARBONATOR soda siphon with instruction book. £50. Tel: 01747-826654

2 PAINTED FAUX BAMBOO STRAIGHT back chairs, royal blue and turquiose blue, £15 each. Tel: 01747-837834

HOUSE ORNAMENTS/ JEWELLERY for sale, offers excepted. Tel: 01258-473082

FORD FIESTA SPARE WHEEL brand new with tools and jack kit, £50. Tel: 07855-451398

FREE CAT FOOD ROYAL CANIN 2 boxes 24 pouches, plus 2kg dried food, long date, suitable for older cats, or to help with kidney problems. 01963-23477

25mtr ELECTRIC CABLE, for caravan or campervan, £15. Child Okeford. Tel: 01258-861887

2 CHILD CAR SEATS, used once. £5 each. Tel: 07494-356444

LARGE , MEDIUM , SMALL and minature Hosta’s for sale Pack of 6 or 4 minature from £8 Large £5 Medium £4 . 01963-371315/07989-525553

GLASS TOPPED CANE AND WOOD conservatory table 5ft6ins x 3ft. and 6 matching upholstered chairs. Excellent condition £50. 01935-816481

INDESIT UNDER COUNTER FRIDGE with ice compartment. Height 85cm,width 50cm,depth 58cm.Good condition..£20. Tel. 01747811611

GRANDPARENTS SELLING

JOIE BABY rocker. £10. 07817-031241

PENNY LLAMA & ALPACA RESCUE, excess bags of Llama/ alpaca manure (free to collect) call 01725 552061

BIKE CARRIER, holds 4 bikes, fits on car towing hitch, good conditiion, £50. (Mappowder) Tel: 01258-817475

CORGI SCAMMELL

CRUSADER flatbed trailer model. Original box. 36 CM X 6CM Very good condition. £15.00 Kington Magna 01747 838882.

DAEWOO SLOW COOKER, 1.5 Ideal one or two people. Never used. £8. (Shaftesbury) Tel: 07773-657363

ELECTRIC FLYMO, Turbo 250, As new, £50 ono. Tel: 01747-853913 LG SOUND BAR MODEL

#NB2020A £30.00 OVNO Tel: 07842 120313

4ft 6ins OTTERMAN STORAGE bed Mirrorcoil ortho mattress Laura Ashley cream metal headboard. Disassembles for transport . Downsizing sale exc. cond. £45 Tel 07976-937830.

ROLLATOR FOR SALE Very little used - 4 wheel /folds flat and brakes. Tel 07798-760107 £30

Diagnostics can take many forms but blood tests are often the first step

Why diagnosing a pet’s problem isn’t simple...

by Lynn Broom

Longmead Veterinary Practice

SOMETIMES a patient presents with an obvious problem with a clear cause and an appropriate treatment plan. Sometimes it is less straightforward and a diagnostic process needs to be followed. It can be frustrating for owners not to get a clear

diagnosis without spending time and money on tests but, without them, the best we can do is make an educated guess. If finances do not allow, then symptomatic treatment may be tried to see if symptoms resolve. If they do, it may be that we were correct, or it may be that we treated the symptoms, but the underlying cause remains or recurs. This can lead to

KC FOX RED LAB PUPPIES for sale. Ready 18th July. Contact 07518-358303.

BABY BUDGIES, all colours, Sherborne: 01935-814360

4 SPRINGADOR CROSS black lab puppies available please call Sue on 07917-132854

frustration as an owner if we, the vets, have not communicated our reasoning fully.

Diagnostics can take many forms. Blood tests are often the first step. Initially, general biochemistry and haematology can give us an overall picture of your pet’s health. It may be completely normal or give pointers towards an infection or organ disease. Interpreting these findings can be difficult. Do normal results mean there isn’t a problem or does it mean the problem does not show up on these tests? Further blood tests, x-rays, ultrasound scans or even CT or MRI scans may be indicated.

Each test costs money and again, when we are trying to spend your money carefully, we try to prioritise tests in order of most likely to be diagnostic. Unfortunately, tests may not be definitive, requiring further tests to clarify the results. The less common or more complicated the condition, the less likely initial tests will find the cause.

Medicine is an inexact science a lot of the time and patients don’t always follow textbooks, making some results confusing and apparently contradictory. More than one condition can occur at the same time, meaning that symptoms may not relate to the same cause. Atypical presentations of common conditions can further confuse the situation.

Specialists estimate for all the tests required to investigate the presenting symptoms, which allow multiple tests to be run together, and this can get to the cause more rapidly but with a

higher immediate cost. Specialists, as the name suggests, also specialise in certain areas of medicine meaning that their knowledge of that area will be more concentrated and they may be able to tailor tests more effectively.

It is important to consider the whole situation before deciding on a plan for investigation. For instance, what is your financial limit? Set it in advance and monitor progress so that you can stop spending money on more tests if you can’t afford them but acknowledge that this may prevent a diagnosis being reached. Consider other underlying issues – the age of your pet or other conditions such as arthritis. Also consider what you will do once you get a diagnosis – can you afford lifelong treatment? Would you consider chemotherapy? What would you consider a good outcome? These are all personal to each of us and some people will opt for euthanasia rather than amputation, for instance, whereas others will take advantage of all the treatment options available to maximise life.

It is important to know that ‘Gold Standard’ investigation and treatment is not a ‘one size fits all’ and what works for one person and their pet may not work for another. We, as vets, should offer all the options available. This can include euthanasia because it is better to prevent suffering by putting a pet to sleep if we cannot provide a good quality of life within the confines of cost or other factors for that patient’s future.

COLLIE X SPANIEL PUPPIES, Vaccinated and chipped. £300. Ready 18th June. Tel: 01963-362751

BOXER LOVERS, registered charity, seeking experienced loving homes for rescue dogs, some have been abused, homes will be vetted. Tel: 01747-822345

PEMBROKE CORGI PUPPIES

Beautiful tricolour kennel club registered pups. Health tested parents with exceptional temperament. Insured, vaccinated flead and wormed to date. 07484-679645

Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

MID

n For details, please call the helpline on 01258 858644 or visit our website, www.cats.org.uk/middorset

Calling young photographers...

THE RSPCA Young Photographer Awards has opened for entries.

Last year, more than 4,000 children and young people with a passion for photography, animals and nature entered the competition.

Now budding photographers aged 18 and under are being asked to submit their photos capturing the animal kingdom on a camera or mobile.

Ellie Rothnie, awardwinning photographer and photographic guide, will again be on the judging panel.

Ellie said: “The RSPCA’s Young Photographer Awards is the ultimate celebration of young creative talent.

“Every year, the entries are astounding, and indeed many

winners from this competition have become immensely successful professional photographers.

“I am truly honoured to be a judge again – I can’t wait to see this year’s entries.”

Winners in each category will be awarded trophies and a selection of prizes at a ceremony at the Tower of London in December.

To submit an entry, or for more information on the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards, latest news, galleries and photo tips visit www. young.rspca.org.uk. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, August 13.

Sponsors of the competition are Natures Images – wildlife photography holidays – and Camtraptions – camera traps for wildlife photography.

and cattery.

glazing

n Meme, six, gentle loving girl

n Cole, 17, bit of a character

n Rosie, three, sweet girl looking for a quiet home

n Teasel, seven, beautiful little fluffy girl, no young children

n Jasper, 11, and Misty, 10, delightful pair still looking for their forever home together

n Robin, eight, shy boy, lost an eye. Needs an indoor home and a special person to bring him on

Sport

New owners take over at Yeovil Town

NEW Dubai-based owners have taken over at Yeovil Town FC –just two months after the previous owner, Martin Hellier, announced he was stepping away from the club.

The club, which finished 18th in the National League last season, have announced that Inflection Holdings, the family office of Prabhu Srinivasan, has acquired all the shares previously held by The Hellier Trading Group and consequently a majority shareholding in the club.

Prabhu Srinivasan will operate as owner and chairman, supported by his wife, Bhavna, and son, Sahil. Stuart Robins will continue as executive chairman.

The news is a significant milestone in the club’s history and puts an end to two years of stewardship under controversial former owner Mr Hellier.

The club said in a statement that the new owners have made the investment to “augment the future roadmap of the club”.

The new owner has been described as a “multi-faceted

FOOTBALL

global leader and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in banking, retail, technology, travel, real estate, e-waste and wellness.”

The club added: “More importantly, he has built one of the largest multi-sports youth platforms in India and the Middle East.

“His wife, Bhavna, is a seasoned leadership coach and business strategist, widely recognised for her contributions to entrepreneurship and wellness integration.

“Their son, Sahil, has a deep-rooted passion for football. He has cultivated extensive expertise, having trained in Spain, Germany, the UK and UAE under prestigious league clubs.

“He has designed proprietary programmes for youth training. His academic focus in sports science at New York University strengthens his understanding of football analytics and strategy.”

The family lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Executive chair Stuart Robins said: “We are thrilled to welcome Prabhu and his family to our club on this landmark day.

“Having spent considerable time with Mr Prabhu, I am confident Yeovil Town is in great hands.

“I’m excited to commit to the long-term vision we have co-created, centred on developing and growing the club for our wonderful supporters.”

Owner and chair, Prabhu Srinivasan, said: “Investing in Yeovil Town Football Club is a moment of immense pride for us.

“This club’s rich history and potential inspired us, and we are committed to being a responsible steward as we embark on an exciting new journey together.

“We are focused on making a positive impact on players, fans, employees and the entire community.”

Mr Prabhu was present at Yeovil Town’s home match against Sutton United, where he experienced first-hand the passion of the club’s supporters.

He said: “Despite the result, I witnessed the fans’ outstanding passion.

“In the middle of the game, I moved to the Thatcher’s Stand to be among the fans. I really appreciate and respect the terrific support the team enjoys from its wonderfully loyal fanbase, and I am looking forward to meeting them in the coming weeks!

“I am excited and proud to lead our unique club into a bright, new, stable future. We are committed to delivering success for you – our amazing supporters, key stakeholders, and the wider Yeovil community.”

‘Tumultuous’ era reaches an end

FORMER Yeovil Town owner, Martin Hillier, has described his two-year stint at the club as ‘somewhat tumultuous in terms of public relations’ in a leaving statement.

The former owner was a controversial figure throughout his two-year tenure, particularly when the club issued orders banning fans from Huish Park for expressing views seen as negative about Hillier.

This abuse – some of which criticised Hillier for going on foul-mouthed, late-night rants on social media – was the catalyst for him to step away

from the club he purchased in May 2023.

In a now-deleted post on Facebook, just hours before his side kicked-off against AFC Flyde on March 29, Hiller announced his intention to sell.

The club did not stay on the market long, as Yeovil Town announced last week that the family office of a Dubai-based family – Inflection Holdings –led by entrepreneur Prabhu Srinivasan, had completed a takeover of the club.

Hillier, a long-time Glovers fan and previous club sponsor, was initially a shining light

during a stormy period as he helped oversee the club’s promotion back to the National League.

But the fairytale was not to last.The club’s first season back in the sixth tier of the English football league pyramid saw them finish just four points above the relegation zone, and published accounts showed the club made a loss of nearly £2.8 million.

In a leaving statement, Hillier said he was proud to have played a significant role in reviving the club.

“Jack [Hillier’s son] and I are

truly honoured to have forged friendships with so many club supporters, staff and volunteers, players and, of course, [manager] Mark Cooper, and while it might have been somewhat tumultuous in terms of public relations, I am proud to have served with my heart if not at times with my head, yet I am still resolute in my beliefs that this two-year period will have served to prepare the club to go on to the next level under the ownership of Mr Prabhu Srinivasan,” the statement read. It added: “We wouldn’t change a single memory.”

New

Rockies busy bringing in new faces

by Avril Lancaster SHAFTESBURY FC

have been working hard to help manager, Jim Milligan, and chair, Steve Coffen, move the club forward.

The club played at their highest level ever at Step 4 of the English football pyramid last season, finishing 17th in the Pitching In Southern League Division 1 (South) in a turbulent year.

Milligan saw his side struggle with injuries, suspensions and availability following his return from Bemerton Heath Harlequins in January.

Leighton Thomas, Cameron Beard, Liam Farrugia, Sam Davidson, Moss Jackson-Collis, Luke Burbidge and Harry

GOLF

FOOTBALL

McKeown have all signed on again for the 2025/26 campaign.

Milligan has brought in experienced defender Jim Ward from Bemerton Heath, along with keeper Jonathan Hill, who returns after stints at Larkhall Athletic and Westbury United.

Hill made 32 appearances for the Rockies in 2018/19 when Shane Murphy left for New Milton Town.

Milligan has also brought in Sonny Pike, from Hamworthy Recreation, who made 40 Wessex League appearances, scoring six goals, as well as Harry Baker, from Wimborne Town, who spent part of last season on loan at Melksham

Shaftesbury finished 17th in the Pitching In Southern League Division 1 (South) last season

NETBALL

SOME 18 ladies took part in the Rainbow Maker competition on another beautiful Sunday at Wheathill Golf Club.

Past captain Heather Bush designed the competition in 2006 – it is a ‘Goulash’, one to score on the first six holes, two to score on the next six and

three to score on the last six holes.

First were Judith Rowsell, Sue Rees and Molly Shire with 88 points, and second were Fiona Cruse, Valerie Hyldon and Marion Hodgson with 82 points.

n SHERBORNE Golf Club

Women’s additional Stableford, May 15.

Town and can play either up front or in midfield.

Toby Holmes has joined the Rockies after a loan spell last season from Wimborne Town in which he scored three times in eight appearances.

Holmes offers quality and experience that will be key in the 2025/26 campaign.

The club has seen average attendances of 161 at Cockrams and would like to welcome more fans.

The two affordable football initiatives last season, against Larkhall Athletic and Helston Athletic, produced bigger attendances.

The Rockies are also looking for more volunteers and young people to support the club in any way.

Bryanston role for ex-England player

BRYANSTON School has appointed Asha Francis, former England and Singapore international, as head of netball and performance sports lead.

Asha – pictured – enjoyed a successful playing career that included Super League titles with Team Bath in 2006, 2010 and again as captain in 2013.

She also spent time in Singapore as an assistant coach with Super League club Mannas and general manager of the Sport Ready Netball Academy.

She returned to the UK in 2021 and was named technical coach at Team Bath before being promoted to head coach in 2022.

Asha said: “I’m really looking forward to joining Bryanston to have the opportunity to leverage my coaching expertise and experience to inspire and develop more young players.”

Bryanston’s director of sport, Rory McCann, added: “We are delighted to welcome Asha to Bryanston. Her exemplary coaching skills and impressive track record speaks for itself.

Most recently, she was head coach of the French netball team and has been working at the University of Gloucestershire, overseeing all aspects of the netball programme.

“Her appointment reinforces our commitment to offering the best sporting experiences for our girls and ensuring that our scholars receive exceptional support from top-tier sports professionals.”

Asha will begin her role in September, focusing on strengthening the school’s netball programme and driving broader performance sport initiatives.

Heather Bush presents the winners with their trophy

Field & Stream

King of the Singers – and the success of the stork

by AJ Selby

“That certain night, the night we met

There was magic abroad in the air

There were angels dining at the Ritz

And a nightingale sang in Berkley Square.”

– Maschwitz & Manning AH! The nightingale. An elusive, drab looking bird with a song to enchant the Gods. What poetry he has inspired and what music he makes. High in the deep cover of early summer shrubbery he hides himself but allows all around to know he is King of the Singers.

In all probability, they didn’t actually inhabit Berkley Square, or Hampstead, where John Keats wrote Ode to a Nightingale – although Keats’ friend and housemate Charles Brown claims one built a nest in their garden.

It’s a poem about nature and mortality, appropriate too, as Keats died aged just 25. During a stop-off in Chichester, on the way home, I noticed a statue and memorial to Keats at the bottom of the high street.

Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!

No hungry generations tread thee down;

The voice I hear this passing night was heard

In ancient days by emperor and clown.

Why am I writing about the nightingale – Luscinia megarhynchos? Another visit to Knepp last week offered a chance to listen to these enchanting birds that sing at night across the estate, but also,

fortuitously, in the scrub that borders the campsite. You lie in your tent, maybe with the flap open on warm evenings, and wait for the show to begin.

Curtain up starts with a single bird, clearing his throat and letting out a few tentative notes. Then another joins in maybe 30 yards away, and then another and maybe a fourth or fifth. The birds sing and break for a few seconds and sing again, sometimes with a different sequence of notes.

The effect is of a continuous melody of liquid gold emanating from the scrub while the listener is totally absorbed in the performance – it can go on for hours through the night.

The birds arrive here in April and start singing towards the end of that month. By early May they begin to pair and then busy themselves with nesting and raising chicks, so that the males singing by the end of May and into early June are the singles still hoping their mellifluous notes will attract an available female. Laying back in the tent and hearing these wonderful birds is a fabulous experience, and with very little light pollution at Knepp, the drifting songs across a starlit sky in near total darkness stirs that primaeval connection with nature.

There are some great walks there with varying habitat from forest to scrub, open fields to lakeside and boggy meadows to parkland oaks.

Readers will recall my wildlife watching mantra of ‘stand still and let nature come to you’ and so it was an hour

from twilight when pausing on a path to watch red deer scuttle through the thorn there came a long-lost sound high up in an ash tree. The gentle murmuring was a memory of days past, but the soft notes of the turtle dove were unmistakeable.

I think it is probably nearly half a century since I heard these beautiful birds, which are still on the red list of endangered species in the UK.

How devastating then to read that the European shooting ban implemented in 2021 has been lifted and a ‘quota’ of 132,000 birds can be shot and killed on their migratory routes this year. There are no words…

A bird that has been reintroduced to the UK and is one of the stars of the estate is the white stork, or crane, as it is sometimes known. Knepp has been a flag-bearer since the release and resettling of birds from Warsaw nearly 10 years ago, and in 2024 some 53 young birds were hatched.

Walking across an old meadow, I saw a moving

shadow in front of me, and as I looked up, there not 30 feet above my head carrying a bundle of dead grasses in its beak, was a stork, looking for all the world like a pterodactyl. It gave a lazy clap of its wings and soared up into an ancient oak 100 yards off to the nest where the heads and bills of a couple of chicks could be seen through binoculars – the fresh bedding it was carrying would be used to keep the nest clean. There are several huge nests, mostly in the old oaks, and the success story of the storks – after their extinction in the UK 600 years ago – shows what can be done with determination, cooperation and the right habitat. There are now other nesting pairs in Sussex, notably at Wadhurst, and nearby Storrington has been named as Europe’s 16th stork village, and the first one in the UK. In Saxon times it was known as Estorchestone – abode of the storks – and it is most apposite that these magnificent birds have come ‘home’.

Storks became extinct in the UK 600 years ago but are now thriving at the Knepp Estate in west Sussex after being introduced from Poland

Talking turkey and watering the trees...

by Ruth Kimber

MORE lovely sun, but it’s becoming a real worry with little rain for the crops and gardens.

The last of the first cut silage is finished and all sheeted down in the barn, ready for the milkers’ winter feed.

The farmyard manure is now all on the fields, much of which had been spread on the maize fields, ploughed in and will grow the hungry maize plants. It was so good not to cause mud on the roads, something we try hard to avoid, but not always easy or indeed possible.

The last of the maize has been planted and the first plants are now emerging.

If we have rain, we will have to keep an eye out for slug damage.

We planted a row of lime trees in February and now we are wondering whether to water or not. The thought is if you don’t water, you will encourage

the tree to look deeper for water, making for better, stronger roots.

However, the trees need to survive this unusually dry period, so Paul has been giving them a bucket of water every week. It’s pond water, and when we planted the trees, we also planted a pipe which leads down to the roots, sticking up as a funnel to take the water. He has also mulched around each tree, to conserve moisture, now it’s fingers crossed!

We are now preparing for the first of our turkey poults to arrive – these will be ready for the Thanksgiving market in November.

Paul and I went to a turkey conference in Essex. We have been purchasing our turkey poults from the Kelly family for 45 years.

Firstly, we bought them from a – wait for it – Mr Fox! He grew the day olds for six weeks, then we took them on to

Christmas. We quite quickly felt we could do the brooding part, and as our children were young, they would enjoy the baby turkeys.

The day olds are really sweet, a bundle of fluff, but they quickly grow wing feathers, then lose their cute, cuddly look. They become quite ugly, even a bit vulture like!

However, they have some really endearing ways – when you enter the pen, or later the field, they all rush up to say ‘hello’!

and generally talk turkey!

We were given cold turkey rolls, turkey tacos made with slowly cooked thigh, drumstick and wing meat, and raised turkey pie for lunch.

Derek and Molly Kelly started the business in 1971, Derek will be 95 in June and still plays a useful part in the business. He also has a herd of beef. We sang an early Happy Birthday to him.

The purpose of the meeting was to look at trends, regulations, new innovations

It’s a real family business, with son, Paul Kelly, and now grandson, Toby Kelly, all involved. They are giants in the turkey world, both breeding and growing turkeys.

Fluffy yellow turkey chicks are cute but they quickly grow wing feathers and lose their cuddly look

Farming

Sheep sheared –and now they don’t

recognise each other!

by Tria Stebbing

FARMERS have been crying out for rain after months of dry weather – in fact, the driest spring on record. But clearly all you need to do to make it rain is book the sheep in to be sheared!

Two days before shearing the weather took a turn for the worse, raining sideways without let up. What to do? The sheep need to be dry. We thought about putting them into an empty stable we had access to, but then had to consider that they would have been shut in for 24 hours – and 24 hours to sit in their own poo and wee, which is almost as bad, if not worse, than wet fleece.

So, we left them out and hoped we would not have to cancel the shearer.

The day dawned dry and very windy, and when we checked the sheep, we found they were not too bad, and we had everything crossed our late afternoon booking would happen. So, the sheep all sat in the shade under the trees, out of the drying sun, as only they could.

Joe, the shearer, arrived and on inspection decided we were

good to go. Most of the flock had been done before, but the Dutch Spotted had not, and we were very curious to see their markings underneath their enormous coats.

It is fascinating to watch an experienced shearer – the sheep are so very calm. Do they know they will feel better without the big fleece? Do they feel safe with him? Who knows. They behaved so well, and we were so relieved to have them all done.

The sheep will not recognise each other for a few days, which was amusing as the ewes still have their lambs at foot. A lot of head butting was going on when random lambs tried to latch on to the wrong ewes.

The splash of rain has made the grass start to grow, thankfully. The buttercups have been prolific this year, and much joy is had watching them sway in the wind.

It is now the machinery’s turn for attention. The antique baler – I have a special name for

it – will need cranking up; the bale twine will need to be checked, as the mice eat it; and the tedder extracted from under the farming detritus. The tractor is good to go, as it has been out playing at the Three Okefords.

The thistles need a spray before they flower and start to

seed themselves, but they are best sprayed at the rosette stage before they shoot. We will have our work cut out to manage them – it might be cut, bag and burn this year.

Such happy days watching the lambs grow into little characters, enjoying the long evenings and looking forward to the joy of living in this beautiful vale.

The sheep are calm when sheared by an experienced shearer. Do they know they will feel better without the big fleece? Do they feel safe with him? Tri Stebbing wonders

We provide a friendly, local service at competitive prices. Based at Redlynch near Bruton, we supply Car, Commercial, Agricultural, Plant & 4x4 tyres and offer a 24hr breakdown service. We won’t be beaten on price.

Call us on 01749 813957 or 07971 012628 or find us at www.southwesttyreservices.co.uk

Equestrian

Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

QUALITY HAYLAGE,

hay . All June made. 3ft, 4ft and 6ft bales. Collect or delivered. Call Mark 07860 759996 or 01300 345293

HUNGRY NOW?

Your business could be here for as little as £45 per week...

*Based on our fortnightly rate for a 5x2 advert

Pneumatic

Air

Hose

25 ACRES MOWING GRASS available Mere area, 01747 860452

HAY MAKING SERVICE. Small and Large Bales. Also, round bale, square bale, haylage, silage. Tel: 01258880892 - 07980-036250

CONCRETE GROOVING SERVICE.

Cowco Southern. Call Ted: 07970-965040

POL PULLETS FOR SALE

Great layers and a variety of egg colours available, ready from July. 07545-468700

WANTED: LAND TO BUY in Dorset. To grow trees and shrubs. Tel: 07810-472347

APPROX. 7 ACRES

SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR SALE / HIRE

Tel: 01258 472288

Mob: 07977 936109

New and second hand containers - blue/green - all with box locks

R&W FENCING. Agricultural paddock and stock. Also part time help required. 01258-88089207980-036250 EVERY WEDNESDAY WEEKLY SALES OF PRIME CATTLE CULL CATTLE DAIRY CATTLE & CALVES. PRIME, STORE & CULL SHEEP

GRAZING, with stables and water. TO LET in Sandford Orcas. Preferably somebody prepared to look after 4 beef cows as well. Tel: 01963-220773

EVERY FRIDAY – SALE OF STORE & BREEDING CATTLE

WEDNESDAY 11th JUNE SALE OF PIGS

MONDAY 16th JUNE SALE OF TB RESTRICTED CATTLE ******************************************************************** WEDNESDAY 18th JUNE SALE OF REARED CALVES

FOR ADVICE ON ALL CLASSES OF STOCK PLEASE CALL BRADLEY TOWELL 07496 263916 TOM ROGERS 07384 462288 TREVOR ROWLAND 07968 480401 LESTER WILLIAMS 07778 646031 ROSS WHITCOMBE 07815 985737 CLIVE PEACH 07970 620859 ANDREW FRIZZLE 07977 136863 Frome Livestock Market, Standerwick, Somerset, BA11 2QB Contact: 01373 830033 info@fromelivestock.com www.fromelivestock.com

Cows Cows Cows All Grades

Also, Bulls plus Organic Cattle Farm Assured or Non-Assured

No V.A.N Number, No Problem! Payment on the day - Farm purchases Haulage Arranged

Brookfield Livestock Marketing Ltd 7 Days a week. Tel: 07811 381 159

Friday 20th June

STANDING STRAW AUCTION

ON-FARM AUCTION

Gomershay Farm, Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton

Thursday 17th October at 11.00am

Wednesday 28th June at 6.30pm

Genuine Dispersal of 2 Tractors, Telehandler, 24:24 Parlour, Poly-Tunnel, Grassland & Livestock Equipment, Workshop Items, etc

Thursday 17th October at 11.00am Silverlake Farm, Sherborne, DT9 6SN

Wednesday 28th June at 6.30pm Bindon & Pinhay

Bindon & Pinhay

Silverlake Farm, Sherborne, DT9 6SN

The Grain Store, Heathfield, Rousdon, Dorset

4 Tractors, 2 JCB Telehandlers, Forklift, Pick-Up,

The Grain Store, Heathfield, Rousdon, Dorset 830ac of Standing Straw

Genuine Dispersal of Combine, Self Propelled Sprayer, 4 Tractors, 2 JCB Telehandlers, Forklift, Pick-Up, Arable Machinery & Livestock Equipment

• 461ac Wheat

• 237ac Winter Barley

• 132ac Oats

237ac Winter Barley • Durweston

Friday 30th June at 12 noon Durweston

Travellers Rest Farm, Durweston, Blandford, Dorset 6,220 acres of Standing Straw

6,220 acres of Standing Straw • 2,442ac Wheat

• 2,442ac Wheat

• 2,006ac Winter Barley

• 1,557ac Spring Barley

• 178ac Oats

• 37ac Oil Seed Rape

178ac Oats 37ac Oil Seed Rape

2017 Claas Lexion 650 Combine with Vario 770 Header, Shelbourne Reynolds RSD20 Stripper Header, 2011 Bateman RB17 (3,708hrs) Sprayer, 2019 Massey Ferguson 7720S Dyna6 (2,320hrs) & 7718 Dyna6 (2,880hrs), 2016 New Holland T7.210 (3,610hrs) & T7.200 (4,365hrs) Tractors, 2012 JCB 531-70 (2,145hrs) & 1997 527-58 Telehandlers, 2010 Isuzu Rodeo Pick-Up, Doosan Pro5 18 Forklift, McConnel 8.2m & 6.3m Cambridge Rollers, Twose & Watson 10’ Tandem Rollers, KRM Sola Ares 2713 Drill, Vaderstad NZ 6m Cultivator, Kuhn HR 4004 Hyd. Folding Power Harrow, KV DXA 4.7m Trailed Discs, KV LD85 5f Rev Plough, Kuhn VariMaster 153 5f Rev Plough, McConnel 3m Shakerator, Kverneland TL Geospread Fertiliser Spreader, McConnel Magnum Euro 280 Hyd Offset Topper, Bomford Hawk 6m Hedgecutter, Kuhn FC313 TG Mower Conditioner, 2 x Stewart 16-21L Grain Trailers, Marshall BC25 Bale Trailer, Cattle Hurdles, Attachments (Q-Fit), Machine Spares, Workshop Items, Weights, etc.

1997 527-58 Telehandlers, 2010 Isuzu Rodeo Pick-Up, Doosan Pro5 18 Forklift, McConnel 8.2m & 6.3m Cambridge Rollers, Twose & Watson 10’ Tandem Rollers, KRM Sola Ares 2713 Drill, Vaderstad NZ 6m Cultivator, Kuhn HR 4004 Hyd. Folding Power Harrow, KV DXA 4.7m Trailed Discs, KV LD85 5f Rev Plough, Kuhn VariMaster 153 5f Rev Plough, McConnel 3m Shakerator, Kverneland TL Geospread

2021 Merlo TF 42.7 CS Turbo Farmer (2,690hrs), 2010 Case Puma 140 (10,939hrs), International 674 with Loader, 24:24 Fullwood Afimilk Parlour, Cotswold Flush, Fullwood Auger Master Feeders, Ambic Teat Sprayer, 2000 Fullwood 12,500ltr Fabdec Bulk Tank, ND Jeanes 15t Bulk Bin, Rowlands 20t High Discharge Bin, Mollasses Tank & Stand, 2018 Anka Pro Foot Trimming Crush, 2010 Marshall QM2 Silage Trailer, 2005 Joskin 11000ME Slurry Tanker, 2017 Keenan VA2-18 Feeder Wagon, 2020 Aerworxx 10-30m Aerator, Lely Splendimo 280F Mower, 2012 Pottinger Lion 301 3m Power Harrow, Browns Flail Topper, 2002 Major 700 Road Brush, Ifor Williams TA510G Livestock Trailer, 2021 Merlo 8ft Bucket, Wylie Shear Grab, 25ft Single Axle Bale Trailer, Single Leg Mole Plough, Teagle Tomahawk 4040 Bale Shredder, Mixit PTO Lagoon Stirrer, Quicke 210 Loader Bucket, Logic Contact 200 Weed Wiper, 2009 Joskin 4300/209SDH Shallow Disc Injector, Feed Trailer, Large Quantity of Electric Fencing Stakes, Reels & Fencers, Quantity of Feed Troughs, Various Feed Buckets, Mobile Milker, Hook on Buckets, Wydale Teat Feeders, Parlour Matting, Parlour Fans, Calftel Group Hutches, Various Field & Yard Gates, 32mm Water Pipe, Parlour Spares, Quantity of Astro Turf, Emergency Bulk Tank, Concrete Water Troughs, 60ft x 30ft Poly Tunnels. Further entries invited.

Friday 7th July at 12 noon Wynford Eagle

Friday 7th July at 12 noon

On behalf of John Swain Limited

Wednesday 25th June

DISPERSAL AUCTION

ON-FARM DISPERSAL AUCTION

Pinhay and Bindon – The Grain Store, Heathfield, Rousdon Approx. 1,000ac of Standing Straw

Saturday 29th July

Buckham Down Farm, Beaminster DT8 3SH

Friday 27th June

Pinhay and Bindon – The Grain Store, Heathfield, Rousdon

Approx. 8,5000ac of Standing Straw

Dispersal sale of 4 Tractors, Farm Machinery, Bygones and Miscellaneous

Please contact Greg Ridout 07817 517467

517467

Mappowder

An extended and beautifully renovated former coach house with land and gardens in a superb central village location. In all 2.44 acres. CTB F, EPC D, Freehold. Guide £850,000

Broad Oak

Guide £595,000

A fine Grade II listed former village Post House with attractive gardens, a substantial barn/workshop and lovely views to the village church and surrounding countryside. CTB E. Freehold.

A substantial detached house in an edge of village location just a stone’s throw from Sturminster Newton, approached by a no through lane and enjoying verdant views. CTB F, EPC D, Freehold. Guide £850,000

Marnhull Guide £525,000

A character south-facing stone house in an excellent central village location with a large oak-framed double garage, workshop and southfacing gardens. CTB E. Freehold.

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

Shroton

An exceptional barn conversion set within a beautiful plot, offering a substantial detached home that seamlessly blends character with modern comfort. CTB E, EPC

Shroton Guide £435,000

This delightful 2-bedroom end-of-terrace cottage has been fully updated village. CTB D. Freehold.

This delightful 2-bedroom end-of-terrace cottage has been fully updated but retains great charm. It is situated in the heart of this most desirable village. CTB D. Freehold.

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

Sherborne | 01935 814488

Nr Sturminster Newton Guide Price £1,100,000

An established glamping site in an accessible and tranquil location. Ecologically diverse with a series of ponds and lakes and off grid electricity.

Nr Sturminster Newton Guide Price £1,100,000 this presented 4 bedroom country home with stable yard & paddocks, in 4.11 acres. CTB E.Freehold,

Tucked away down a no through lane is this extended and very well presented 4 bedroom country home with stable yard & paddocks, in total 4.11 acres. CTB E.Freehold, Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

Sturminster Newton | 01258 472244

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

attractive, double-fronted 3-bedroom period property

An attractive, double-fronted 3-bedroom period property tucked away on an idyllic country lane with character features throughout and views over the neighbouring countryside. CTB C. Freehold.

neighbouring countryside. CTB C. Freehold. Sherborne | 01935 814488

Sherborne | 01935 814488

Newton | 01258 473766

Leigh

OIEO £500,000

An end of terraced house situated in a quiet residential area of the town with an attractive, enclosed garden and garage. CTB B, EPC D, Freehold.

set in attractive gardens and backing onto farmland. No onward chain. CTB F. Freehold.

A tastefully improved 4-bedroom village house with light and spacious accommodation, set in attractive gardens and backing onto farmland. No onward chain. CTB F. Freehold. Sherborne | 01935 814488

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

North Cheriton

OIEO £400,000

Sturminster Newton

Milborne Port

D, Freehold.

Child Okeford

Freehold.

Sturminster

Marnhull

Sturminster Newton | 01258 472244

Moving home: Traditions around the world

SPRING has seen a large spike in house moves.

Armishaws Removals has uncovered 10 traditions for anyone relocating this year.

n Paint your porch blue – United States

ACCORDING to Southern American superstition doors and shutters should be painted blue as ‘haint’ – evil – spirits can’t travel over water. There may be some truth to the myth – the lime used in the blue paint repells mosquitoes, reducing illness in newly painted homes.

n Roll a Pineapple – China

ONE tasty Chinese tradition involves rolling a pineapple into your home from the moment you enter it. It should be rolled in every room while chanting phrases of good fortune. Plus, afterwards, you can make a nice fruit salad.

n Plant a pomegranate –India and China

POMEGRANATES are another fruity addition. Pomegranate trees are planted outside new homes of couples wishing to have a family.

n Broomin’ marvellous – England

salt should be the first items brought into your new home. Bread to ensure you never experience hunger, salt to fill your life full of flavour. They’re often presented as gifts.

n Can on a hot tin roof

– New Zealand

IN New Zealand, once the new homeowners have settled in and night has fallen, friends and family throw tin cans onto the roof to scare away evil spirits – and ensure the new arrivals answer the door. They’re then welcomed inside for a housewarming shindig.

n Spill the beans – Korea

IN Korea red beans are scattered in every room to banish evil spirits and bring luck. Red is considered a lucky colour throughout Asia.

n Hang the chimney hook

– France

RATHER than the old broom, carrying its old dirt, old luck and maybe old spirits, a new home would be given a new broom.

n Burn sage – North America

NATIVE Americans would burn sage to remove bad energy once erecting their tepees. This is another tradition backed by science as burning sage can reduce germs.

n Bring bread and salt –Russia and Germany

A JEWISH custom in Russia and Germany insists bread and

PENDAISON de crémaillère, is the tradition of ‘hanging the chimney hook’. Dating from the medieval period, once the house was built, the last thing to be put in place was a hook above the fire to hang cooking pots. A meal would then be prepared to thank those who helped build the house. Pendaison de crémaillère is still the term for a French housewarming party.

n Opening a bottle of wine

– Armishaws

OPEN a bottle of wine. This isn’t actually a tradition but if you’ve just spent the day moving house, you deserve a nice, chilled glass of wine. Good work and cheers!

If you’re not particularly superstitious, you can still find plenty of great new home and house moving tips at Armishaws.com/blog

Symonds & Sampson are proud to announce two newly qualified Chartered Surveyors within the firm

Salome Shaddick and Will Cairns can proudly put the letters MRICS after their names, having successfully attained their APC qualifications. The pair have been with the firm as Graduate Surveyors based at the Tiverton and Sturminster Newton offices, respectively, where they have gained practical experience within the various professional departments as part of the firm’s formal two-year graduate training programme.

Partner A-J Monro commended the duo, ‘Many hours of study groups, supervised practice, in-house training, mock interviews, and hard work have paid off for the pair, and we are thrilled to see their efforts pay off as they are now fully qualified Rural Chartered Surveyors’. As a multi-disciplinary firm, Symonds & Sampson offers a range of career opportunities within residential, commercial and rural property sectors, and would be very pleased to hear from anybody looking to move to or within the property industry. Please find details on their website www.symondsandsampson.co.uk/careers.

DORSET | DEVON | SOMERSET

Dorset buyers make pets priority

DORSET is a county of pet lovers, as 33% of people say they would put off their dream home purchase if it wasn’t suitable for their pet.

In a recent survey commissioned by Barratt David Wilson Homes’ Southampton division, more than one-third admitted they would be unlikely to pursue their dream home if it wasn’t suitable for their pet.

The same survey also revealed that 58% of respondents in Dorset have made adaptations to their home to make it more suitable for furry family members and spent an average of £285 doing so.

Wilson Homes Southampton Division, says the results are not surprising.

“We know that pets are an integral part of the family and our research confirms that homeowners are prioritising their needs as well as their own when choosing a property.

“We find that our developments offering plenty of green space, walking routes and animal-friendly features are favoured by customers looking to make life as comfortable as possible for everyone living there –including pets.”

Megan Hamlyn, marketing manager at Barratt David

Barratt David Wilson Homes is currently building Roman’s Quarter in Gillingham and Niveus Walk in Shaftesbury.