The New Blackmore Vale - Issue 153

Edition 153

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Friday, July 31, 2026

The New Blackmore Vale www.blackmorevale.net

FULL STORY:

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MOTHER COURAGE Union marks 150 years of championing women Page 8

A RIGHT ROYAL

Thousands turn out to welcome King Charles and Queen Camilla to Blandford

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GREEN FLAGS GALORE Town celebrates three top-notch open spaces Page 11

RAISING THE ROOF Churchwarden chuffed with Trust improvement grants Page 17

What’s inside this issue…

• Main pic: Railway extravaganza brings people together this summer page 18 • Above: Gillingham sisters celebrate their card shop award page 7 • Left: Brownies bid farewell to much-loved Snowy Owl page 5

Announcements Antiques & Collectables Arts & Entertainment Church Events Farming Field & Stream Food & Drink Health & Wellbeing History Home & Garden

EDITORIAL Paul Jones - Editor in Chief We love hearing your news and views.

Get in touch with us by emailing newsdesk@blackmorevale.net or calling 01963 400186 Lloyd Armishaw Publisher newsdesk@blackmorevale.net 01963 400186 Lorraine Drake Distributor lorraine_drake@icloud.com 07850 529937

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its architectural heritage with creating a warm, welcoming and functional venue accessible to all those using it.

For the first time in the building’s 300-year history, the magnificent first-floor rooms, including the historic town hall, are fully accessible.

The refurbishment has also included the sensitive restoration of the Corn Exchange (1858), including the reinstatement of its Victorian tiles.

The building is now also licensed to host civil ceremonies, creating a unique and historic setting for weddings and other

PHOTO: www.dorsetphotographer.co.uk

Royal seal of approval

A VISIT from the King and Queen marked the reopening of Blandford Forum’s historic civic building after a major restoration project.

Blandford Forum town council welcomed their Majesties to the Corn Exchange, showcasing the transformation of this Grade I-listed building, which has served as a focal point for community life for generations.

Designed and built by the Bastard brothers in 1734, the building needed significant repairs to its roof. The town council had to balance preserving

important life events.

A stunning portrait of their Majesties is proudly displayed in the entrance lobby, along with a plaque recording the official opening of the venue.

Cllr Colin Stevens, mayor of Blandford Forum, said: “It was a tremendous honour to welcome their Majesties to the Corn Exchange and showcase a project that has transformed this historic building for future generations. The refurbishment has created a more accessible, sustainable and welcoming space for our entire community.”

Upon exiting the building, the King and Queen were greeted by cheering crowds who filled the Market Place.

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Meet your MP THE MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Vikki Slade, is meeting residents across the constituency on her second Summer Village Tour.

The tour, held over five days last week and with five more dates at the end of this month, is visiting villages from Holt to Stoborough, giving residents the opportunity to speak with her about local concerns, community ideas and national issues.

Vikki Slade said: “I believe MPs should be visible, accessible and rooted in the communities they serve.

“That’s why I’m looking forward to taking my Summer Village Tour back on the road and spending dedicated time in each community, hearing directly from residents on the issues they care about.

“The best part of this job is speaking with people about the issues that affect their daily lives, whether that’s a local concern, or an idea for making the area even better.

“I hope as many people as possible will come along for a chat, and I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones along the way.”

The remaining dates are: August 24 – Wareham and Stoborough; August 25 – Sturminster Marshall and Shapwick; August 26 – Lytchett and Upton; August 27 –

Food festival

Bloxworth and Bere Regis; August 28 – Holt and Gaunts.

Residents who would like to attend can register via the Summer Village Tour online registration form – https://forms.gle/ wjAXwhBGnu47YCNHA – or by calling the constituency office on 01202 798718.

All sessions require advance registration and places are limited – residents unable to attend a session can contact Vikki Slade by email at vikki.slade.mp@parliament.uk.

Rutters Rutters SOLICITORS SOLICITORS

MAKERS, bakers, brewers, artists and growers will be offering their wares when the Dorset Food & Arts Festival returns to The Great Field at Poundbury tomorrow (Saturday, August 1).

Visitors can browse more than 75 stalls including food and drink from award-winning producers, handmade gifts, crafts and arts, and live music.

Festival coordinator Caz Richards, from Dorset Food & Drink, said: “We love hosting this event at the Great Field. It’s about fresh air, great food and bringing people together. It’s shopping with heart, and a big win for supporting local seasonal food.”

The event runs from 10am-4pm and admission is free of charge.

Disco night

SEVENTIES music will be the order of the day for a disco at Thornford Village Hall.

The event, in aid of the hall, is on Saturday, September 7, from 7pm until late, and a licensed bar will be on offer.

Tickets are £10 from thornford.disco@ gmail.com or £15 on the door.

History stories make a comeback BEYOND Market Day will be the subject of a talk presented by the Blackmore Vale group of the Somerset & Dorset Family History Society (www.sdfhs.org) and Sturminster Newton Heritage Trust (www. sturminsternewton-museum. co.uk).

Jacqui Wragg’s talk, which

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was planned to take place recently but called off because of the hot weather, looks at Sturminster’s forgotten cattle shows from 1832 to the 1880s.

It is at the Bow Room at The Exchange on Wednesday, August 12, at 7.30pm.

Entry is £4; drinks will be available at the bar.

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PHOTO: George Jeans YOUNG members of 1st Mere Brownies bid a fond farewell to Snowy Owl – Christina – at their final meeting before the school summer holidays.

They gave her a potted rose and photo card to remind her of the time she had spent with the girls at the meeting on a hot summer’s day at Castle Hill park.

The youngsters enjoyed a picnic tea and ice lollies, sang favourite campfire songs, and lots of badges, certificates and awards were presented.

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Treasure trail STEP back in time with a trail around town and find out more about the shops of 1900.

Blandford Museum has launched a free summer holiday activity, Around Blandford in 20 Objects, exploring 20 locations around the town to discover what type of shops were there at the start of the century. Clue: they include a butcher, baker and candlestick maker!

Pick up a passport from the museum (or www. blandfordtownmuseum.org.uk/event/around-blandford-in-20objects) and collect stamps along the way. The museum features a display of photographs of Blandford from the same period. This will run until September 6.

Children’s library workshops CHILDREN can take part in a ‘Body Percussion’ workshop at Shaftesbury Library today (Friday, July 31).

The session embraces this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme, Read to the Beat.

Youngsters will be invited to clap their hands, stomp their feet and rub their palms and see what other sounds they can make – and create a routine of their own they can teach others.

The workshop, from 11amnoon, is suitable for children aged four to 11 (children under eight must be accompanied by an adult).

Next week there’s a Peter and the Wolf music and puppet activity.

The youngsters will join in with the folk tale reading of Peter and the Wolf using percussion instruments and then make their own puppets.

The activity, on Friday, August 7, from 11am-noon, is suitable for children aged four to 11.

For more details about any of these workshops, email shaftesburylibrary@ dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or phone 01747 852256. Children under eight must be accompanied by an adult.

Cream tea in aid of church coffers ST Mary’s Church in Charminster is inviting visitors to summer cream tea in aid of church funds.

The event is on Sunday, August 23, from 3pm-5pm, and entry is £6, children £2.

Repair Café is a roaring success THE Repair Café at Okeford Fitzpaine Village Hall is already proving its worth after just four months.

Volunteers have repaired dozens of items that may otherwise have ended up as landfill and provided free advice and practical help to visitors.

Everything from a cuckoo clock to a coffee maker has been fixed.

The sewing volunteers have been replacing zips, mending tears and altering clothing.

The IT volunteers can help with a wide range of computer and technology problems whether that is a computer that is running slowly, a printer that is playing up or difficulties with software updates.

Visitors can also learn more about AI and how it can help with everyday tasks.

A walk around… Hammoon Photo © Des Blenkinsopp / geograph.org.uk

Soak up the scenery as you walk with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade

HAMMOON is a small parish to the east of Sturminster Newton. It has few rights of way, so this exploration is comparatively short: less than four miles.

Start at the church, which has lots of interesting features. Then head south, crossing the road to join a bridleway which, having passed the houses, follows the edge of several fields for about half a mile. The terrain is very flat but to your left you’ll get a good view of Hambledon Hill in the distance.

When you get to the corner of a small wood, turn right, west, and follow the path, which leads you to join the trailway running along the former Somerset and Dorset Railway line.

Turn left and follow the line south east. The views aren’t tremendous as you’re mostly in a hedged cutting but there’s plenty of flora and wildlife to enjoy.

When you get to a gate at Bere Farm Nature Reserve you will

Volunteers give their time free of charge – new volunteers are always welcome – and the Repair Café is fully insured to carry out repairs.

Any voluntary donation for repairs goes towards the running costs of the village hall.

A spokesperson said: “The Repair Café is about much more than fixing broken items. It’s about reducing waste, saving money, sharing skills and bringing the community together.

“So, before you throw something away, why not bring it along? You may be surprised what can be given a second chance.”

Okeford Fitzpaine Repair Café is held on the last Saturday of every month, from 10.30am, at Okeford Fitzpaine Village Hall, alongside Mud Pie Cafe.

have strayed over a furlong into the next parish so turn around and retrace your steps, continuing across the road. You’ll see on the far side of the field on your right a line of regularly spaced trees following a stream. Where the line meets the Trailway at a small wood you’re at the parish boundary so can turn back again.

Just before the road there’s a gateway giving access to a path, which follows the hedge that separates you from the road for nearly half a mile – but then you have to join the road so take care. You’ll soon be back where you started.

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Coffee, cake and chat at care home

THE Nazareth Lodge care home in Sturminster Newton is holding a coffee, cake and companionship morning.

Family and friends – and volunteers – are welcome at the next event, held every other month, on Wednesday, August 19.

For more details, phone 01258 472511.

Music while you lunch

SUMMER lunchtime organ recitals are returning to Wimborne Minster next month.

They will be taking place on Mondays at 12.30pm with the first on August 3 featuring John Radford, organist and choirmaster for a group of churches around Cranborne.

It is the turn of Jonathan Melling, a former assistant organist at the Minster and then for 30 years organist and director of music at the church of All Hallows by the Tower in the City of London on August 10.

Sean Tucker, another former assistant organist at the Minster, will follow on August 17 with Martyn Williams’ recital on August 24.

Christopher Sparkhall gives the final recital on August Bank Holiday Monday, August 31.

Admission is free to all the recitals with a retiring collection in aid of Wimborne Minster Musical Heritage Trust.

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Award winners TWO sisters who own the Moments card shop in Gillingham High Street have been presented with a national award at The Grosvenor Hotel in Park Lane, London.

Tracy Vincent and her sister Lisa won the Best Greeting Card Retailer Newcomer category at the RETAS greeting card retail awards.

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School’s out: kids travel free by bus

AS the summer holidays get into full swing, under 16s get free local bus travel for the whole of August Families will be able to save on the cost of travel on all participating buses in England from August 1-31. Families are already able to benefit from free travel for under 5s across the main bus operators.

It’s part of this government’s Great British Summer Savings scheme, which includes slashing the VAT on children’s restaurant meals, children’s tickets for theatres and cinemas and all tickets for attractions like soft play, amusement parks, and museums.

Arts workshops FAMILIES and residents are being invited to create lanterns of river creatures, shining a light on the plight of our beautiful rivers and rare chalk streams.

The lanterns will be showcased during two processional events later in the year: a colourful summer procession in Cerne Abbas; and a lantern-lit evening parade in Powerstock.

You can create a piece of artwork to be used in the processions at a series of family-friendly lantern workshops.

Workshops in the Vale will be held at Cerne Abbas village hall (August 7), Maiden Newton village hall (August 12) and Sydling St Nicholas village hall (August 14) , during which participants can make either a ‘speckled trout’ or a ‘leaping salmon’ lantern.

These friendly, fun workshops are suitable for ages six to 100 (children must be accompanied by adults). Bring a packed lunch or picnic.

Further information can be found at www.emeraldant.com/ bubbles-and-squeaks.

EVERYONE is welcome at Wimborne Minster when the local Mothers’ Union celebrates the organisation’s 150th anniversary.

Family fun, games, crafts and refreshments will be on offer at the event on Saturday, August 22, between 10.30am-4pm, with a tea party at 2.30pm.

The Mothers’ Union was founded in 1876 by Mary Sumner at Old Alresford parish church in Hampshire.

The young vicar’s wife wanted women, regardless of class or status, to come together to support one another and strengthen family life.

Today, Mothers’ Union has about four million members in 84 countries and works to improve the lives of individuals, families and communities.

Its work is guided by three key pillars – ending violence, promoting peace and safety; ending injustice, advancing gender justice; and ending poverty, fostering self-reliance and resilience.

Its global programmes include literacy and savings groups, parenting and resilience training, and domestic abuse awareness campaigns.

The Mothers’ Union at Wimborne Minster can be traced back to 1884 thanks to the archives in the Minster’s Chained Library.

Locally it operates a holiday home at Rockley Park for families in need and loans schools virtual babies to enable students to discover the reality of having a baby.

It also provides Christmas presents for prisoners to give their children, supports the women’s refuge in Salisbury and makes baby blankets for Salisbury Maternity Unit and twiddle muffs for individuals living with dementia.

Mothers united Guilty as charged A NEW interactive experience brings Victorian justice to life at the Shire Hall in Dorchester this summer.

Young Jurors: A Victorian Courtroom Experience invites young people, aged 10-18 to take part in a realistic courtroom re-enactment in the very courtroom where Victorian trials once took place.

The two-hour experience begins with a guided tour of the historic cells, where participants will discover what life was like for prisoners awaiting trial.

After exploring the cells and enjoying a snack, young people will be able to volunteer for the different roles and have an opportunity to rehearse before the trials begin. They will then be invited to the courtroom to experience what 19th century trials were really like.

As evidence unfolds and defendants are questioned, participants will discover how justice was delivered in Victorian times before the jury

reaches its final verdict.

The experience combines local history and drama in a fun and engaging way, while encouraging young people to think critically and work together. It offers a memorable, screen-free activity during the school holidays and a rare opportunity to experience a historic courtroom in action.

Victorian costume is encouraged, but optional.

Places are limited and advance booking is highly recommended – tickets are £8 per young person, bookable in advance and including a snack.

Young ticket holders must be accompanied by a responsible adult for the duration of the event (max five children per adult). Adults will be charged normal museum admission entry (£10.50 and £9.00 over 65s).

To book or find out more email info@shirehalldorset.org, call 01305 261849 or pop into the museum.

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HOLWELL WI’s monthly meetings boast a range of interesting speakers. To tie in with Ascot Ladies’ Day, Sue Outhwaite from Snook’s Hats gave an talk on the history and traditions of hats and hat making. Hats were circulated for study and trying on

Fabulous flowers PHOTO: George Jeans SPEAKER David Boak gave an interesting talk on ‘Fabulous Flowers’ – focussing on British specimen varieties – at Mere Gardening Club’s meeting at the village’s The Grove building.

The meeting also saw group chair Les Mainwarind and a representative of Paterson Estates present cheques from the successful Mere Hidden

Gardens open gardens event, which raised £3,000, to good causes.

They included Bath and Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the Salisbury Hospice Charity and 1st Mere Brownies.

Angel Corner Tearooms and Paterson Estates received framed awards from the Royal Horticultural Society for their contributions towards the Hidden Gardens event.

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Metabolic Minute: Why metabolic health matters more than ever

by Megan Perrin (health coach)

METABOLIC health is the body’s ability to efficiently use and store energy while keeping blood sugar, blood pressure and other key systems in balance. It influences how you feel every day and plays an important role in reducing your risk of developing many long-term health conditions, making it one of the most valuable aspects of health to improve.

Poor metabolic health is increasingly common and is linked to fatigue, increased waist size, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and many other long-term health conditions.

The encouraging news is that even small lifestyle changes can begin to improve metabolic health within days, with many people noticing better energy, improved mood and healthier habits within a few weeks.

The foundations of good metabolic health are surprisingly simple: eating high-protein real food, moving to feel better, getting enough quality sleep,

managing stress and reducing ultraprocessed foods. Making gradual, consistent changes is often far more effective than following restrictive diets or quick-fix solutions.

One practical resource available to anyone is the Metabolic Health 28 Day Plan from healthshelf.org, created by UK GP Dr Campbell Murdoch.

Originally developed for NHS patients, the free programme explains the science behind metabolic health before guiding you through a structured 28-day journey. You can choose a Rapid Results Plan with 10 daily actions, or create a personalised plan tailored to your lifestyle and preferences.

The programme focuses on five key

foundations of health: nutrition, movement, sleep, environment and mindset.

Twenty-eight days is long enough to establish healthier routines while remaining achievable for most people. By taking one small step at a time, these positive changes can become lasting habits that support better health well beyond the first month.

Improving metabolic health isn’t about perfection – it’s about making realistic choices that fit your lifestyle.

Small, sustainable changes made consistently can have a meaningful impact on your energy, wellbeing and long-term health.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended for general educational purposes only and should not replace personalised medical advice. Before making any significant changes to your diet, exercise routine or lifestyle, or if you have an existing medical condition or take prescribed medication, please speak with your GP or other qualified healthcare professional.

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Green flag for green spaces THREE of Gillingham’s public green spaces can once again raise the prestigious Green Flag Award.

The public green spaces at The Stours, The Lodden and The Shreen in Gillingham have proudly secured a coveted Green Flag Award.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces.

This prestigious recognition celebrates the outstanding dedication, expertise and passion of the team who work tirelessly to keep these much-loved spaces looking their very best. Their commitment not only provides beautiful, welcoming places for residents and visitors to enjoy year-round, but also plays a vital role in supporting wildlife, enhancing biodiversity and helping nature thrive.

Mayor of Gillingham, Councillor Donna Toye, pictured above with members of the grounds team, congratulated everyone involved, saying: “This wonderful achievement builds on a decade of Green Flag success and is a testament to the hard work, dedication and passion of Gillingham Town Council’s Grounds Team,

alongside the invaluable support of the volunteers from the Gillingham Action for Nature Group. Their commitment has helped create and maintain beautiful, welcoming green spaces that our whole community can be proud of.

This is a fantastic achievement and a proud moment for our town.”

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Car crazy CAR lovers are set to enjoy the annual Historic Vehicle Rally and Car Show at Sherborne School Courts this August Bank Holiday weekend.

It will be the 50th year the Rotary Club of Sherborne Castles has organised the event, which this time will benefit The Friends of Yeatman.

The event is on Sunday, August 30. Up to 120 classic cars and motorbikes will follow a route around Dorset from 11am.They will be back in Sherborne by 1pm, where the event is open to members of the public from 2pm-4.30pm.

Tickets on the day are £6 adults and free for children. Entertainment, refreshments and a picnic area will be on offer.

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SALE NOW ON AT SHIRLEY ALLUM FASHIONS & LINGERIE ADVERTISING FEATURE

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Phone box puts Furzehill on the map!

by John Rynne

THE village of Furzehill, one mile north of Wimborne, has renovated its phone kiosk to become a mini information centre, a library and seed exchange.

The work was undertaken by volunteers with the financial sponsorship of Holt Parish Council, the pubs of the Old Inn, The Stocks, the Barley Mow and The Horns and the local Furzehill Post Office.

The newly renovated kiosk was opened by Cllr Sue Barnes who congratulated all those involved. The information board was designed by local artist Andrea Hook.

The old phone box, which had become a bit of an eyesore, has become a local landmark and is now a very definite thing of beauty!

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Beware of summer scams

Dog days

PHOTO: George Jeans MAN’S best friend was out in force at Castle Lodge Care Home, Mere, for a fun dog show.

The Woof Fest competition included categories for Loveliest Lady, Fabulous Fella, Golden Oldie, Cutest Pup, Best Rescue, Waggiest Tail, Best Trick Dog and Resident Favourite.

Family and friends of residents attended the event, on a fine summer’s day, supported by Dogwise Training School.

DORSET police have issued warnings over fraudsters taking advantage of hosepipe bans and the hot weather to scam unwitting residents.

People are especially being warned to look out for text messages, emails and phone calls claiming to be from water companies.

These communications may invite you to: • Check whether your area is affected by a hosepipe ban • Apply for a free watersaving device or kit • Update account or payment details • Claim a refund or discount on your water bill These messages can appear genuine, often using realistic branding and links to convincing websites. However,

the aim is to steal personal information, banking details or account credentials.

Protect yourself: • Contact your water supplier using details from their official website or a bill • Be cautious of unexpected messages containing links or requests for personal information • Never provide bank details unless you are certain who you are dealing with • Forward suspicious text messages to 7726 to help mobile networks identify and block scam messages.

If you suspect someone is attempting to scam you, or you have any questions, call Ask Damian, the new 24/7 fraud protect advice service on 01202 144688.

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Your problems solved Central Dorset Citizens Advice offers help with planning for a summer holiday Q: We’re booking a summer holiday to Spain. What can we do to protect ourselves and prepare for the unexpected?

A: There’s a lot you can do in advance to help your holiday go smoothly.

The first thing to do is check if your passport is in date.

Renewing can take several weeks so don’t leave this until the last minute.. This is especially important if you’re flying to Europe, because EU countries no longer accept passports that are more than 10 years old.

If your passport was issued pre-Brexit, the expiry date might be more than 10 years from the issue date but if it’s older than 10 years, you’ll need

to get it renewed for EU travel – even if it’s technically still in date.

It’s worth knowing what your rights are if your flight is delayed or cancelled.

If your flight is delayed long enough, your airline has to give you access to food and drink vouchers, phone calls and emails and accommodation if you’re delayed overnight. If your flight is cancelled, you

have a legal right to a full refund or replacement flight to help you get to your destination. You also have a right to compensation if your airline delays, loses or damages your checked-in luggage.

You might also get compensation for things like a day trip getting cancelled, or if you paid for a deluxe room but

only got a standard one, although this will depend on whether you booked a package holiday, made ‘linked travel arrangements’ or organised the holiday yourself as an independent traveller.

Finally, travel insurance will cover many of the things already mentioned and also things like a holiday cancellation and medical emergencies.

You should get insurance as soon as you book a holiday to make sure you’re covered in the event that something happens to affect your holiday plans before departure, such as injury or illness.

Check first to see if you’re covered through an existing insurance policy or through your bank account.

With luck, you won’t face any problems while on holiday, but if something does go wrong and you need advice on a consumer problem, call the Consumer Helpline on .0808 223 1133.

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Our loose Canon The parallels between football fervour and the rituals of religion have not gone unnoticed

by Canon Eric Woods I HAVE never had a great interest in soccer – my game at school was hockey, and then of course cricket in the summer – but having been born in Brighton I sometimes allowed friends to drag me off to the old Goldstone Ground to watch Brighton & Hove Albion play. So if I am asked which team I support – which still occasionally happens – it has to be Brighton – ‘The Seagulls’.

So I still keep at least half an eye on the soccer, and will admit to having watched both the World Cup Final and the Bronze match between England and France (and what a great match that was!).

But it has all reminded me that there is a very strong case to be made for soccer to have become our nation’s number one religion.

Think about it. Both religious observance and soccer enthusiasm produce an emotion that we are part of something bigger than ourselves – something which transforms lives – and can bring us together in ritualised behaviour. Christianity, for example, has rituals which involve ceremonies, robes and vestments, chants, music, and congregational engagement. So does football. There are the songs, the chants, the scarf and the strip, the fervour of the crowd in favour of their team.

There is nothing new about this. The ancient Olympics were played in honour of the god Zeus, and at Olympia – the site of the

ver Dmiosrceo…

blackmorevale.net games – were numerous religious sanctuaries, temples and sports facilities. The fervour of the crowds – both worshippers and fans – provided what scholars call ‘ritual’ – patterned, repetitive, and symbolic enactment of shared beliefs and values. In turn, these rituals can provide an escape from the dullness of everyday life. It is no accident that in many working-class communities the great event of the week used to be – and remains – the football match with all its attendant rituals. So, too, in many inner-city areas, the gorgeous rituals of Anglo-Catholic (‘High Church’) worship brought colour and drama into the otherwise grey lives of the urban poor. Sadly that happens much less now, but in many areas has been replaced by an evangelical or pentecostal fervour with bands and repetitive choruses and huge emotional hype which is not dissimilar to the enthusiasm of the soccer fans.

I criticise neither. The fact that I prefer more sedate Anglican worship especially when accompanied by good and dignified language – as epitomised by the Book of Common Prayer – simply tells you about my personal preferences. I have no desire after receiving Holy Communion to keep singing “Yummy, yummy, yummy, I’ve got Jesus in my tummy.”

But there are dangers. Many claim that supporting a football club has a lot in common with adopting a religious faith. Losing a cup final is comparable only to the emotions felt by the religious on the death of a pope or an ayatollah. These things can bring people together – or create a tribalism which produces, first, rivalry, and then hatred and violence. Whatever your passion, whether religious or sporting, always make sure it builds community rather than destroys it.

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Churches benefit from Trust grants DORSET Historic Churches Trust (DHCT) has given 10 of the county’s churches grants for essential repairs and improvements.

Some £53,500 was awarded at a recent trustee meeting, mainly to go towards roof and ceiling repairs, damp-proofing, bell frame repairs and leadwork repairs to windows.

Churches that will benefit from the latest grants announcement are: St Peter & St Paul, Blandford; St Martin, Cheselbourne; St Mary and St Bartholomew, Cranborne; St John, Fishpond; Holtwood Methodist Church; St Thomas a Becket, Lydlinch; St Andrew, Okeford Fitzpaine; Holy Trinity, Swyre; St Andrew and St Peter, Toller Porcorum; and St Nicholas, Winterborne Clenston.

Nina Shaw-Porter, churchwarden of St Martin’s, Cheselbourne, said: “DHCT has been incredibly generous over the many years I have been churchwarden and has recently pledged £10,000 to help with repairs to the collapsed ceiling in our beautiful 12th century church.

“This grant will make a massive difference to how quickly we can do the work and get the church back to full

capacity again.”

Nina added: “We look forward to supporting Ride + Stride again this year as, not only is it a fun day, it raises vital funds to help keep churches like St Martin’s in good repair.”

The upkeep of historic churches falls almost entirely on local congregations and volunteers, rather than the government or national church authorities.

DHCT chair his honour David Grant, said: “Thanks to the incredible support we have received through Ride + Stride, our Friends organisation, legacies and donations, we’ve been able to fund a wide range of projects across the county this year, supporting churches and the communities that care for them.

“These grants enable communities to take action now to protect these precious buildings at a particularly crucial time.

“Repairs are now 20% more expensive, as the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme – a VAT reclaim scheme – was closed by the UK Government earlier this year.

“Our historic churches are a vital part of

Nina Shaw-Porter, churchwarden at St Martin’s Church, Cheselbourne, one of 10 churches awarded a grant

by Dorset Historic Churches Trust to help with repairs

Dorset’s heritage, and it is important they are conserved for future generations.

To register or find out more about this year’s Ride + Stride, on Saturday, September 12, visit www.dhct.org.uk/m/ ride_and_stride.php.

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Youth Parliament member brings positivity to politics

by Tyler Parsons I’M 16 years old, from Blandford Forum and I am currently the Member of Youth Parliament for Dorset.

The reason I wanted to be involved in politics and campaigning is simple. I grew up in the care system and that experience has shaped who I am. It showed me how much a single person believing in you can change the direction of your life. It also made me realise that too many children and young people still don’t have the support they need.

I became a Member of Youth Parliament because I believe every young person deserves to be listened to, supported and given the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background.

Every child deserves to feel safe, valued and supported.

Being in care should never

mean having fewer opportunities or feeling that your future has already been decided. With the right support, encouragement and stability, children in care and care leavers can achieve incredible things.

However, for many young people leaving the care system can be one of the most difficult points in their lives. At 18, children in care are expected to become independent very quickly, often without the same family support network that many other young people have.

Without the right support, some can face serious challenges, including homelessness, substance misuse, involvement with the criminal justice system or becoming parents at a young age.

These challenges do not happen because of who these young people are. They happen when young people do not

THE sun shone at the Spetisbury Station Project's Railway Extravaganza.

The event was intended to bring together the main Somerset and Dorset railway organisations to remember the 60th anniversary of the line's closure on March 6, 1966, and the 70th anniversary of the closure of Spetisbury station on September 17, 1956.

The North Dorset Railway, from nearby Shillingstone, brought along its display and the Spetisbury Station Project provided historical information thanks to new information panels.

The North Dorset Trailway, which utilises much of the

Somerset & Dorset trackbed between Spetisbury and Sturminster Newton for sustainable travel, was also represented.

Visitors were entertained by the newly formed Blandford Ukulele Band.

A spokesperson for the event said: “Visitor numbers were lower than expected – probably because of the hot weather and the full closure of the main A350 at Charlton Marshall due to roadworks.

“However, we raised awareness of the volunteer work we are doing and also raised funds to enable us to make further improvements at the station.”

Raising visitor awareness at railway station

always receive the stability, guidance and opportunities they need during such an important stage of their lives.

That is why I believe care experienced young people must be at the centre of conversations about change. The people who understand the system best are often the people who have lived through it. Their voices matter, and they should be listened to when decisions are made about their futures.

My own journey has not always been easy. I have faced challenges, but I have learned from them, taken responsibility and used those experiences as motivation to make a positive difference for others.

I have had the opportunity to share my story nationally, including speaking live on Sky News about growing up in care and why improving support for children in care and care leavers

Tyler Parsons from Blandford Forum is the Member of Youth Parliament for Dorset

is so important.

I am now working on organising a roundtable event in Parliament with MPs, care leaver organisations and professionals to bring people together to discuss the challenges facing children in care and care leavers and how we can create real change.

I believe every young person deserves the opportunity to succeed. Where you start in life should never limit where you can go.

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

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National Trust / Sophie Bolesworth

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Step into summer with the NT GARDENS and historic properties across Dorset are looking tip-top and ready to welcome visitors…

Kingston Lacy

Stourhead

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/ stourhead Walks and talks tours: Stretch your legs on a guided walk around Stourhead’s wider estate and enjoy routes that highlight the beauty of changing seasons.

25 September, 11am-1pm. Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.

Wellbeing wanders: Meet new people and join a gentle health and wellbeing walk in beautiful surroundings. Enjoy the social atmosphere and make a connection with nature.

Tuesdays and Thursdays (until November), Times on website. Free event.

Booking required.

Drawn to trees: Step into the landscape garden and discover a new outdoor trail created in collaboration with artist Luke Adam Hawker, inspired by his evocative book The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope.

Until November, 9.30am-4.30pm. Price: £2 per trail booklet (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.

Tree zodiac exhibition: Inspired by an ancient Celtic zodiac rooted in the 13 lunar months, each associated with a different tree or plant, Luke Adam Hawker has created a series of 3 intricate etchings that explore personality traits drawn from the character and symbolism of each species.

Until November, 9.30am-4.30pm. Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.

Trust 10: Stourhead’s Trust10 10k trail run

is a challenging, multi-terrain run involving some public roads. Beginning and ending at Stourhead house, the trail takes in pasture, woodland and an Iron age hillfort with King Alfred’s Tower marking the mid-way point.

September 27, 9am-11am. Free event.

Booking not required.

Summer of play: Endless fun at the Stableyard and the Summer of Play Meadow. Scramble up the mighty straw castle, aim for gold at the archery range, or race through the meadow maze to find the hidden camp.

Until August 31, 10am-4pm. Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.

Forage and cook course: A crash course that covers everything from identification, to preparation and cooking of wild food from Stourhead’s beautiful wider estate.

September 20 and 27, 10am-4pm. £70pp (normal admissions apply). Booking required.

Kingston Lacy

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/ kingston-lacy Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trail: Calling Pokémon fans new and old! Get active outdoors on the Pokémon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution Trail. Team up as a family to search the woodlands for each Mega Evolution Pokémon, discover their powers and complete your own challenges.

Until September, 9.30am-5pm. Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.

Kingston Lacy social walks: Discover the ever changing Kingston Lacy woodlands and countryside and have the opportunity to meet new people on these gentle strolls, ranging from 3-4 miles (around 1.5 hours).

August 4 and September 15, 10am11.30am. Free event. Booking required.

Japanese garden tours: Discover how Japanese horticulture techniques extend beyond the traditional tea garden, and experience this beautiful English interpretation of a Japanese garden.

September 30, 11.30am-12.30pm and 2-3pm. Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.

Rani Lacy: revealing an Indian treasure: Explore the culture, craftsmanship and creativity surrounding one of the National Trust’s greatest treasures: the Visakhapatnam cabinet.

September 1 to October 23, 10.30am3pm. Free event (normal admissions apply).

Booking not required.

Kingston Lacy

Japanese tea garden experience: Enjoy an exclusive tour of the Japanese Tea Garden with one of Kingston Lacy’s gardeners, before sitting down to enjoy tasters of Japanese tea in this peaceful spot.

September 12, 11am-12noon and 1-2pm. £25pp (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.

Hardy’s Cottage

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/ hardys-cottage Hardy’s Cottage to Max Gate (return): A free guided walk from Thomas Hardy’s birthplace to Max Gate, the house Hardy designed, built and lived in until he died.

September 19, 10.15am-3pm. Free event.

Booking required.

Max Gate

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/ hardys-house-max-gate Walking in the paw prints of Wessex: Walk some of the pathways loved by Thomas Hardy and his pet dog. This walk was a favourite of Thomas Hardy, which he regularly did with his faithful companion, Wessex the dog. Join NT volunteers for a 2.5-mile stroll through the countryside near Hardy’s home, Max Gate, to the resting place of William Barnes, the Dorset poet.

Individuals and families welcome, dogs are optional but must be kept on a short lead!

September 29, 1.30pm-3.30pm. Free event. Booking required.

Clouds Hill

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/ clouds-hill TE Lawrence walk: Learn about TE Lawrence and visit important local landmarks which are connected to his life on a 4.5 mile walk around Moreton to Clouds Hill.

September 10, 10am-1.30pm. Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking required.

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End of an era A SHAFTESBURY childminder is retiring after 44 years caring for more than 111 babies and children.

Rainbow Childminding’s Janet Hardiman hangs up her apron with an Ofsted Outstanding rating and hundreds of happy children behind her.

Janet Hardiman, who ran Rainbow Childminding and earned the highest possible Ofsted Outstanding rating, has become a fixture of family life in Shaftesbury across four decades. She has cared for so many local children that she has gone on to look after the sons and daughters of the very children she minded in the 1980s and 1990s.

For generations of parents, Janet has been far more than a childminder. She has been a steady, loving presence in the earliest and most important years of childhood, guiding

hundreds of children towards a happy, confident start at school.

One of those children was Matthew Crockford, now a postman of Shaftesbury. “Janet looked after me in the 1990s and I was just so happy that she then looked after my kids too 20 years later.”

Vicki Lucas, of Shaftesbury, described the impact Janet has had across two generations of her own family. “She looked after my daughter Kate, and then her daughter Lucy from eight months old. For Janet, looking after children is everything. She is compassionate, loving, puts the children on the right road.

She is just everything to them.”

As she prepares to hang up her apron, and put away the glue, glitter and tricycles, Janet leaves behind a remarkable

Hardy’s life & work

legacy: hundreds of happy children, countless grateful families, and a reputation as one of Shaftesbury’s most cherished carers. The town wishes her a long, happy and very wellearned retirement.

by Gerry Purdue THE church at Milton-onStour is the venue for Reg Pengelly’s talk on Thomas Hardy – his novels, short stories, and his life in Dorset.

The talk will be held on Friday, August 21, at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

Entry is free but please donate, if you can, to help with urgent repairs to our church.

Reg will have available copies of his book about Hardy’s novels. They will be discounted at £10 (£15 on Amazon) so please bring some cash with you.

There will also be refreshments and a raffle.

Parking is available at the school alongside (SP8 5QD) – just follow the sign.

Fern Brook Lodge residents win inter-home World Cup tournament ADVERTISING FEATURE

R

esidents at Fern Brook Lodge care home in Gillingham led their team to victory during an inter-home football tournament.

Feeling inspired by the World Cup, homes across Dorset run by Care South, including Fern Brook Lodge, took turns visiting one another Fern Brook Lodge to see who would come out on top. Each game residents and team with their replica of the was led by the team from AFC Bournemouth’s World Cup trophy Community Sports Trust, which saw residents take part in a range of chair-based football activities, as well as throwing beanbags and rolling footballs onto targets.

Following plenty of hydration breaks and some VAR requests, there could only be one winner. The team at Fern Brook Lodge took home a replica World Cup trophy to display proudly in the home to celebrate their achievement.

Fern Brook Lodge provides residential, respite and dementia care.

A dedicated activities team organises a daily programme of events to bring residents together to socialise and build friendships.

Residents have a choice of private and communal lounges and dining rooms to relax indoors, as well as The Brook community space which hosts a range of events throughout the year. Care home residents also have access to a large garden area with wide, flat walkways and raised flower beds to make them accessible to everyone.

Fern Brook Lodge hosts its own Memory Café sessions every Thursday morning from 10am to 12pm for people living with dementia and their carers. It is supported by Age UK North, South and West Dorset and there is no need to book – just drop in on the day.

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01747834020 | care-south.co.uk Fern Brook Lane | Gillingham | SP8 4QD Proud of Care a not-for-profit Proud toto bebe partpart of Care South,South, a not-for-profit charity and leadcharity and provider residential, ing provider ofleading residential, dementiaof and nursing care,dementia as well as care at home services across theassouth and nursing care, as well careofatEngland. homeRegistered services Charity No. Correct at time of print. Charity No. across the1014697. south of*England.

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

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From waste dump to wildlife haven

A UNIQUE piece of Somerset’s landscape is preparing to open its gates to the public this August.

The result of 30 years hard work, this wildlife-rich, 100-acre open space once was an active landfill site.

Carymoor Environmental Trust (Dimmer Lane, Castle Cary BA7 7NR), is marking its 30th anniversary with an open day on Saturday, August 8, from 10am-3pm.

Because the reserve is a capped landfill site, it is normally closed to the general public unless by appointment.

The open day represents a rare opportunity for local families, conservationists and supporters to come and experience three decades of rewilding success.

In 1996, the founders of Carymoor Environmental Centre undertook the pioneering task of restoring a piece of Somerset industrial waste

ground. Thirty years later, the site has been transformed into a rich mosaic of meadows, wetlands and woodlands. It serves as a vital environmental sanctuary and outdoor education centre, welcoming over 100 schools and reaching more than 3,000 children every year.

The culmination of Carymoor's anniversary year celebrations, the open day offers a packed timetable of family friendly activities, guided tours and craft demonstrations.

Rupert Farthing, CEO of Carymoor Environmental Trust, said: “Thirty years ago, this site was a noisy, active landfill.

Today, it’s a living classroom where thousands of local children connect with nature every year. Because of our unique environment, we can’t keep our gates open daily, which makes this anniversary event incredibly special.

We want to invite our

Somerset neighbours to see what has been achieved right on their doorstep and join us in protecting this sanctuary for the next 30 years.”

Activities available during the open day include guided walks around the nature reserve, including rare access to Carymoor's famous underground waste tunnel.

Visitors will be able to try traditional pond dipping, metal detecting or weave their own

willow plate.

There will be adventure trails, wildlife tracking, a game of ‘poo dunnit’, orienteering and an observation bee hive.

Pre-booking is recommended at www.carymoor.org.uk/ whats-on.

Tickets are £5 for adults, £3 for children and £15 for a family of up to two adults and three children. Ticket price includes parking, a drink and cake for everyone.

Hospital friend’s Apprentice wins long service national award THE president of the Friends of Blandford Community Hospital, Mac McLaughlin, has retired after nearly three decades of service to the charity.

Mac, a quantity surveyor, brought the skills he had learned from his career to his role as a trustee for the Friends overseeing many projects at the hospital, Mac McLaughlin including the Betty Highwood ward and the Portman Suite, and the recent upgrade to the physiotherapy department.

Mac became president of the charity 10 years ago and helped raise its profile when its Community Transport Service won an award at the Community Hospitals National Conference.

Charity chair Steve Cole said: “For 28 years, he has poured his heart into this community. His contributions to both our charity and Blandford Hospital are immeasurable, and his presence will be deeply missed by staff, volunteers and patients alike."

The charity recognised Mac’s career and thanked him for his service at its annual volunteer luncheon.

The entire board, staff and the team at Blandford Hospital said they would like to extend their warmest wishes to Mac for a long, happy and well-deserved retirement.

AN apprentice from Shaftesbury-based printer Blackmore had a day at the House of Lords when he collected a national award.

Daniel Mydlowski was Highly Commended in the British Printing Industries Federation’s (BPIF’s) Kathy Woodward Award for Learning and received his award at the BPIF Members’ Day Print Reception.

The award supports individuals working in the print, packaging and graphic design industries to further their careers through learning and professional development.

Daniel’s apprenticeship in pre-press includes file handling, customer file manipulation, impositions, proofing and quality assurance.

He said: “I’m very passionate

about print and graphic design.

I’m currently working hard towards finishing my Level 3 Pre-Press Apprenticeship.”

Blackmore’s production director, Nigel Hunt, said: “Congratulations to Daniel. We are incredibly proud of this talented young man, who is already becoming a real asset to Blackmore. This is a fantastic achievement, and we look forward to seeing all that he accomplishes in the future.”

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

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Church concert in aid of food bank is a shining success

PHOTO: George Jeans THE United Reformed Church in Mere was full for Shreen Harmony’s summer concert performed in aid of Mere Food Bank.

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23

Could One Decision Today Help Save Your Family £100,000 Tomorrow?

By Chris Tennant Legacy Planning Consultant, Oakwood Wills

J

ohn and Margaret, a retired Dorset couple, believed they had everything in place. Their home was mortgage-free, their children were grown up, and they had Wills. They assumed their estate would simply pass to their family.

Then one question changed everything.

“What happens if one of our children gets divorced after we’re gone?”

They hadn’t considered that part of their hard-earned inheritance could potentially end up in the hands of a son-in-law or daughter-in-law following a relationship breakdown. They also wondered what might happen if one of their children experienced financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Could creditors have access to the inheritance they had worked so hard to build?

As they talked, more concerns surfaced. What if one of them needed long-term care? Could their home be affected?

What if illness or dementia meant they could no longer make important financial or healthcare decisions for themselves?

They soon realised that estate planning is about much more than having a Will.

After taking professional advice, John and Margaret explored a comprehensive estate planning solution that included professionally drafted Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and a Living Trust. Depending on individual circumstances, this type of planning can help protect family assets, reduce probate delays and provide additional protection where beneficiaries later face divorce, creditor claims or financial difficulties. It may also form part of wider planning where future care costs are a concern.

Today they enjoy the reassurance of knowing they have planned ahead while remaining in full control of their home and their future.

Book Your FREE Home Protection Review During your personal home visit we’ll help answer questions such as: • Could your home be vulnerable to future care costs?

• Will your current Wills achieve what you intend?

• Should you have Lasting Powers of Attorney?

• Could your family’s inheritance be affected by divorce or creditors?

• Are there simple steps you can take now to better protect your family and your estate?

There is no obligation—just clear, practical advice in plain English.

Book your FREE Home Protection Review We come to You - In the Comfort of Your Own Home Call Oakwood Wills today on 07832 331594 Email: info@oakwoodwills.co.uk www.oakwoodwills.co.uk Wills • Living Trusts • Lasting Powers of Attorney ADVERTISING FEATURE

24

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

News

blackmorevale.net

Open gardens for high summer PICK up inspiration from the beautiful gardens around the Vale, open in August as part of the National Garden Scheme – find the full list of open gardens at findagarden. ngs.org.uk.

Open every Sunday, August 1-16, (2pm-6pm). Admission £4.50, children free.

glorious churchyard, ha-ha, and an enchanting flower filled bog garden with stream and islands.

Open Sunday August 2 and Thursday August 6 Aug (2pm-5pm). Admission £10, children free.

Ardhurst Shute House Broomhill

Broomhill

Rampisham DT2 0PT A former farmyard transformed into a delightful, tranquil garden set in two acres.

Clipped box, island beds and borders packed with shrubs, roses, grasses and unusual perennials. A less formal area with large wildlife pond, meadow, shaded areas, bog garden, late summer border. Orchard and vegetable garden.

Open Thursday August 6 (2pm-5pm).

Admission £5, children free.

Ardhurst

Nash Lane, Marnhull DT10 1JZ This garden is organic and has been ten years in the making. A plantsman’s garden with deep perennial borders, large netted vegetable area and water harvesting, and all a work in progress.

It’s a riot of colour in August, with salvias, grasses and hot plants thriving.

Every plant is grown for pollination and year-round interest. Tall grasses and varied fruit trees.

There’s a greenhouse, and butternut squash scrambling through and up the hedges.

Open Saturday and Sunday 29 and 30 August (1pm-5.30pm). Admission £7, children free.

Manor Farm

Manor Farm

Stour Provost, Gillingham SP8 5SA The garden has been created on a site that surrounds the 15th-century farmhouse.

The planting consists of deep herbaceous borders, set against the old stone walls. Old existing fruit trees have been incorporated in the design. A natural swimming pond was added in 2024. Formal hedging and a huge amount of bulbs were added to the front area of the garden in 2021 and 2025.

Open Saturday and Sunday August 1 and 2 (1.30pm-5pm). Admission £7, children free.

The Old Rectory

Manor Farm

Hilltop

Hilltop

Woodville, Stour Provost SP8 5LY Summer at Hilltop is a gorgeous riot of colour and scent, the old, thatched cottage barely visible among the flowers. Unusual annuals and perennials grow alongside the traditional and familiar, boldly combining to make a spectacular display, which attracts an abundance of wildlife. Always something new – the unique, gothic garden loo is a great success.

The Old Rectory

Pulham, Dorchester DT2 7EA Four acres of formal and informal gardens surrounding an 18th-century rectory with splendid views.

Yew pyramid allées and hedges, box parterres, mature trees, a pleached hornbeam circle and 10 acres of woodland walks.

Circular herbaceous borders filled with late summer colour. Exuberantly planted terrace, with purple and white beds. Pond,

Manor Farm

Hampreston, Wimborne BH21 7LX. Traditional farmhouse garden designed and cared for by three generations of the Trehane family for over a 100 years. Noted for its herbaceous borders and rose beds within box and yew hedges. Mature shrubbery, water and bog garden. Excellent plants for sale at openings.

Open Sunday August 2, and Sunday September 6 (1pm-5pm). Admission £7, children free.

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

25

News

blackmorevale.net

From left: A model skeleton, Mr Alex Goubran - consultant spinal surgeon, Elena Uren - staff nurse in orthopaedics, and Dr Isam Bella - trauma and orthopaedics doctor

Hundreds seen at spinal care clinic

A SPINAL care service at Yeovil District Hospital - the first at the site for a generation - has welcomed more than 300 patients in its first year.

The spinal outpatient clinic was launched in May last year, the first time in a generation that patients have been able to access spinal care at Yeovil, run by the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

Consultant surgeon, Mr Alex Goubran, heads up the clinic, which runs each Wednesday in the hospital’s general outpatients department.

Each week, Mr Goubran combines a range of clinical

duties, from attending the hospital’s regular trauma and orthopaedic meeting, to conducting ward rounds for patients with spinal conditions, and running the outpatient clinic.

So far, Mr Goubran and the team have run almost 40 clinics, and seen more patients on ward rounds, as well as providing outpatient care.

And he said being able to run a spinal service across both acute hospitals in Somerset is a real game changer.

"Our spinal service is proving really popular with our patients from Yeovil and the

surrounding area," he said.

"Many people told us they were surprised and relieved at being able to access this care much closer to home.

"We always try to ensure that patients referred from the Yeovil area can have the majority of their appointments at their local hospital where possible, which has made a real difference to their experience.

"We’re covering more ground, improving how we review outpatients, while making care more accessible for local people."

Mr Goubran said the successful clinic may only be

the start, with ambitions to offer spinal surgery at Yeovil hospital in the future.

"While all spinal operations in Somerset currently take place at Musgrove Park Hospital, we’d ideally love to expand the service at Yeovil in the future – potentially in an operating suite or theatre, as well as facilities for spinal injections," he went on.

"We want to thank colleagues at Yeovil Hospital for being so welcoming to us, especially fellow consultant Mr Matt Hall, department manager Helen Murray and senior manager Cara O’Keefe.”

Raceway near Dorchester NOT closing - for a few years A DORSET race track famous for hosting the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Lando Norris has received a reprieve from closure amid plans for a new holiday resort.

The Clay Pigeon Raceway, behind the George Albert Hotel on the A37 near Dorchester, is set to be demolished as part of plans to create a 226-chalet resort.

Plans for the park were recently approved by Dorset Council, sparking fears over the immediate future of the track.

However, the raceway has now

confirmed karts will continue racing “for at least another two to three years” as the resort development begins.

A statement from raceway operators Lee Rennison, Barry Crook, Ian Rennison and the team, said: “Further to the granting of planning permission for the proposed holiday park and with discussions between the management and owners of Clay Pigeon Raceway, we are delighted to announce that we are still open for practice, hire karts, corporate events, sprints and all racing for at least another two to three years, and then

year-on-year as the development moves on.

“Understandably, we realise the emotions that losing the venue can bring but we’re still here for all our enjoyment with the sport we all love and we are looking forward to the next few seasons race meetings.

“Hopefully we will see you all soon – past, present customers and organisers – and the owners, staff and management would like to thank you all for your support and are looking forward to seeing you all again for the next few years.”

26

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026 BLACKMORE VALE

THE NEW

P3

MAGAZINE

Edition 153 Edition 90

U1

Z 10

Z 10

L1

Crossword

Arrow words Route

Open sore

Luke Skywalker’s mentor

French dry white wine

Ally

Embryo precursor

1

Spite

2

3

8 1

93

2

11 8

10

9

5

6

4

5

6

12

11

10

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Mire

Construct

16

13

14

17

15

18 16

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19

18 Woodwind instrument

Forgery

Cans

21

20

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24

Folk creature

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Wordsearch R H E C N O E M O P H A E S O S D E D C R R E N C E T E W A

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BOW CASEMENT COMPASS DEADLIGHT DREAM-HOLE FANLIGHT FENESTELLA FRENCH

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Landlocked African country

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17

19

20

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7

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25

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+18

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27

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Z 10

U1

Z 10

L1

THE NEW

P3

BLACKMORE VALE

S1

E1

MAGAZINE Edition 153 Edition 90

Cryptic crossword

Sudoku 3D puzzle

1

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Brain chain (hard version) 45

For the

RESULT

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+101

-1

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+150

For the solutions, solutions, turn turn to to page page 79

28

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

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

• Blandford Methodist Church: Sundays – services at 10.45am. Thursdays – coffee and chat 10am-noon. Fridays – lunch club for over-55s from noon. Phone Joyce Wild on 07817 505543 to book. The church offers help to those in need – call church steward John Cornish on 07799 516735.

• Bell Street United Church, Shaftesbury: Sundays – services at 10.30am. Second Sunday of the month, All Age Service.

• Blandford Evangelical Church: Sunday – 10am Family Service. Monday Fellowship – weekly, 2.30pm3.30pm, term times only.

Tuesday – Footprints, activities playtime for pre-school children, 10am-11.30am and 1.15pm-2.45pm, term times only. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – small groups meet at homes at 7.30pm. The church is in Albert Street. Phone 450689.

• 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.

• 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.

Rendezvous Community Cuppa – third Monday each month, 10.30am-12.30pm.

• 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

blackmorevale.net Sunday of the month, 9.15am Family Service.

• Lufton Church: Prayer Book services every Sunday at 6pm.

Sung Mass on the third Sunday.

See www.lufton.co.uk for details.

• Our Lady of Lourdes & Saint Cecilia, Blandford: Sunday, 9am Holy Mass; Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/ Friday, 9.10am Morning Prayers, 9.30am Holy Mass; Tuesday, 6.10pm Evening Prayers, 6.30pm Holy Mass; Saturday, 9.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament/ Confessions; 5.30pm Vigil Mass of Sunday.

• Our Lady’s, Marnhull: Sunday Mass, 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 Benefice: Sunday, August 2 – St Peter’s All Age Worship, 10am; St James Parish Communion, 9.30am; St John’s Enmore Green Holy Communion, 11.15am; Margaret Marsh Holy Communion, 11.15am; Motcombe BCP Communion, 6pm. Sunday, August 9 – St Peter’s Holy Communion, 9.30am; Motcombe Holy Communion, 9.30am; Enmore Green Morning Prayer, 11.15am; Melbury Abbas Pimms and Hymns, 6pm; St James Pilgrim Service, 6pm.

• 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: Sunday, 8am Holy Communion, 9.30am Parish Eucharist and 6pm Choral Evensong. 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.

• St Benedict’s, Gillingham: Sunday Mass, 11am.

• St Gregory’s, Marnhull: Sunday services 8am and 10am.

Other services, visit www. stgregorysmarnhull.org.uk • St George’s Church, Damerham: Cream teas by the river every Sunday in August, 2pm-4.30pm, Damerham Village Hall (SP6 3HD).

• St John’s Church, Enmore Green: Service every Sunday at 11.15am; parish communion 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.

• 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.

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

• St Mary’s Church, Stalbridge: All Sunday Services start at 9.30am. Rector, Canon Richard – phone 01963

363367; email canonrick@ icloud.com • St Nicholas, Durweston: Family Communion Service every first Sunday of the month 11am; Evening Service every third Sunday of the month 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.

• Stour Vale Benefice: Sunday, August 2, 9.15am Communion for Lammas, St Andrew’s, Todber; 10am Morning Worship, St Mary’s, West Stour; and 11am Communion for Lammas, Christ Church, East Stour. Sunday, August 9, 9.30am Parish Communion, St John the Baptist, Buckhorn Weston; 10.30am Morning Worship, St Michael & All Angels, Stour Provost; 11am Morning Worship, All Saints, Kington Magna; and 6.30pm Parish Communion, St Mary Magdalene, Fifehead Magdalen.

• Sturminster Christian Fellowship: Service every Sunday at 10.30am.

• Two Rivers Benefice: Sunday, August 9 – 9.30am Communion at St Mary’s Church, Blandford St Mary; 11am Family Service at St Mary’s Church, Tarrant Rushton; 11am Morning Worship at All Saints Church, Langton Long. Sunday, August 16 – 9.30am Communion at St John the Baptist Church, Spetisbury; 9.30am All Age worship at St Mary the Virgin Church, Charlton Marshall; 11am Communion at All Saints Church, Tarrant Keynston; 11am Morning Worship at All Saints Church, Langton Long.

• West Camel Independent Methodists: All Saints Church (BA22 7QB). Sunday, August 2, 4pm – United ‘Sunday @ Four’ with tea. Sundays August 9, 16 and 23, 6pm. Sunday, August 30, 6pm – United Service. Contact: Geoff.mead@ yahoo.com or phone 01935 850838.

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

blackmorevale.net

A jewel in Parliament’s crown ONE of the jewels of Parliament’s crown – and there are many – is the select committees. These were set up when Mrs Thatcher was prime minister. She believed in the importance of Parliamentary scrutiny in a functioning democracy and healthy democracy. Each government department has a select committee, the membership of which is comprised by a cross-section of MPs appointed to reflect the elected balance of the Commons.

While the members of the committee are elected from within their own party, the chairs are elected on a cross-party basis. I have been fortunate to be elected three times – twice to chair the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and in this Parliament as chair of the Public Administration & Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC).

Conservative MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare PACAC scrutinises a variety of things – the Cabinet Office, the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman, the Civil Service and we have recently added the delivery of recommendations of Public Inquiries.

Last month we held our first session with the chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, an issue which has caused so much pain

29

Politics

to too many people. It is a fascinating committee with which to be involved, and I am blessed with excellent crossparty colleagues who take a proper and dispassionate interest in the matters at hand.

Let me share with you two other issues with which I have been involved as a result of chairing the committee. First, we had the Mandelson scandal.

As I said in the Commons, why the former Prime Minister ever thought him a suitable appointment beggared belief.

You will know that some of the papers relating to Mandelson have been put in the public domain. Others have been seen only by Parliament’s Intelligence & Security Committee. Both sets of papers had to be heavily redacted.

Redactions – the literal blacking out of text – had to be done against strict criteria, that is it

could not be done merely because the text was embarrassing to someone.

It therefore fell to me to sit in the Cabinet Office in a sealed room without pen, paper or phone to read the documentation and affirm that the redactions policy had been followed correctly and that the terms of the Humble Address – which my party had tabled in the Commons – were being fulfilled.

I have also been the only MP to read the documents which the Met Police might rely upon in the case of a criminal prosecution. It has been an onerous and time-consuming process but a fascinating one. At times it felt quite voyeuristic – like reading a stolen private diary. That said, I was pleased to do it, at the request of the Speaker and on behalf of Parliament, which was the reason for me doing so.

Fahnbulleh, the MP for Peckham, a former economist and economic think tank director, could be our new Chancellor, but as I also predicted, was given Energy and Net Zero.

The new Chancellor is a very safe pair of hands, though, and with genuine non-partisan support from the Treasury, should do well. The same can be said for the entire cabinet – they cannot leave everything at the Prime Minister’s door – they must do their jobs as MPs, while as ministers, lead their departments from the front.

I know that feeling of putting in the triple shifts and not getting to taste the fruit of your labours at the end of it all, so respect and recognition to those ministers no longer in post, but you know what people say, ‘when one –

cabinet – door closes….etc, etc.’!

By-elections galore all over the UK on the horizon. I fancy Bev Craig’s chances for the Manchester mayoral win – she’s already put in the work required to run Manchester and has the experience – if anything, she is over-qualified!

Let’s not forget Clacton – oh dear. I really feel for the people of that town. Clacton has some of the worst hit areas following the austerity measures of the previous Conservative and Coalition governments, and since their new MP was elected in 2024 have had such little representation in the House of Commons in relation to what people are dealing with locally.

Lastly, excellent final PMQs and departure speech by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. All the best to you and your family – thank you.

No summer ‘hols’ for some this year!

IN this ever-moving world of UK politics, who even remembers where we all were at the start of the parliamentary summer recess last year? I do!

The average temperature for July 2025 was a chilly 24 degrees Celsius! We had heavy downpours during the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival weekend and there were flags everywhere that had nothing to do with football! What does politics and the weather have in store for us this summer?!

We are in the third summer recess of our Labour government and witnessing the birth of a new administration.

Andy Burnham MP is our new Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party. We have a new(ish) cabinet, that we now know required an immediate reshuffle due to ministers and MPs not accepting offers to (re)join the

Candice JohnsonCole, on behalf of Dorset Labour new cabinet.

As I expected, there was not a complete clear out – a reshuffle of existing cabinet members and no movement for our Home, Transport and Scottish Secretaries, among others. Notable new(ish) faces for me are Miatta Fahnbulleh, Kanishka Narayan, Anneleise Midgeley and Hamish Falconer.

I was secretly hoping Miatta

SOMETHING TO SAY? Then email newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Politics

blackmorevale.net

Country needs stability and ambition BY the time you read this, Andy Burnham will have been Prime Minister for a little over a week.

He becomes Britain’s seventh Prime Minister in the last 10 years. Whatever your political views, that level of change is not healthy for our country. Families, businesses and public services all benefit from stability, and after years of political upheaval, people want to see government focused on delivering real improvements.

Across North Dorset and South Somerset, I hear the same concerns time and again. People want to know they can get an NHS dentist when they need one. They want farmers to be properly supported. They want children with SEND to receive the help they deserve. They want reliable public transport, thriving high streets and local services they can depend on.

Those are the issues that matter far more than political personalities.

Lib Dem MP for Yeovil Adam Dance As Liberal Democrats, we will work constructively with the new Prime Minister where it benefits our communities, but we will also continue to challenge the Government where it falls short. The new Prime Minister has made a number of early announcements, including scrapping plans for a mandatory digital ID scheme. I welcome that decision. We opposed those plans from the beginning because they would have cost

taxpayers a huge amount of money while doing little to improve people’s everyday lives.

What people now want is action, not simply another set of promises.

One thing I will continue to champion is the south west itself.

Too often, our region is overlooked when decisions are made in Westminster. Yet we are home to world class aerospace companies, innovative manufacturers, outstanding farmers, thriving market towns and thousands of successful small businesses. We have enormous potential, but we need Government to recognise that potential and back it with investment.

That means investing in better transport links, supporting our farming communities, strengthening healthcare, improving digital connectivity and helping local businesses grow. It also means

ensuring our young people have the skills and opportunities to build successful careers here, rather than feeling they have to leave the area.

Since becoming your Member of Parliament, I’ve worked hard to make sure our communities have a stronger voice in Westminster. Whether campaigning for better NHS dentistry, standing up for our aerospace industry, supporting farmers or pushing for better SEND provision, my priority has always been representing the people who live here.

The country now needs stability, but it also needs ambition.

My promise remains the same as the day I was elected – to work hard every day for Yeovil and South Somerset, to champion the south west alongside my Liberal Democrat colleagues, and to make sure our region gets the investment, opportunities and attention it deserves.

Hospital. ‘Topping out’ means they have now completed the top floor of the new building, in this case the new helipad, and the next phase of the build can start. Amazingly they are slightly ahead of schedule, a tribute to all involved.

This week I visited Sherborne Men’s Shed at Sherborne Castle Gardens.

Men’s Shed started in Australia in the early 90s to help combat social isolation and loneliness among men. It is a great group and provides a welcome space to connect, socialise and engage in practical activities.

I also had the honour of attending the 20th anniversary ‘leavers celebration’ for Future Roots, a wonderful ‘alternative provision’ provider near Sherborne I have had the pleasure of visiting and supporting a number of times since I was elected.

Lyme Regis celebrated the 30th anniversary of its twinning with St George’s in Bermuda, and a delegation of dignitaries from Bermuda travelled over for a series of events around town.

The link between our two towns is foundational. Bermuda was first permanently settled in 1609

by Admiral Sir George Somers, who was the Mayor of Lyme Regis, and at one point the Member of Parliament for the town, so in many ways my predecessor. I was delighted to join locals and visitors in celebrating our shared history.

And the first dates of my summer tour are confirmed for Mosterton, Piddlehinton, Maiden Newton, Cerne Abbas and Long Burton. If you are a resident – or close by – and would like details, then please email me at Edward.morello. mp@parliament.uk for more details.

Rethink on coastguard allowances LAST week we got the great news that the Government was halting plans to cut the small reimbursement that Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) receive when responding to emergency calls. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s decision was frankly an insult to the hardworking volunteers who risk their lives for others.

Thanks to a lot of very vocal MPs and CROs the Government has decided to revisit the decision.

On the subject of the coast – last week I welcomed members of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency and Barry Gardiner MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Conservation, to Lyme Regis. We took a research boat out into the Lyme Bay Fisheries and Conservation Reserve and with the help of the scientist on board sent a camera mounted on

Lib Dem MP for West Dorset Edward Morello an underwater drone down to the seabed to observe the remarkable coral and sea life that has sprung back in the 10 years since the reserve was founded. Nature’s ability to rebound when protections are put in place is remarkable.

I also had the pleasure of attending the ‘topping out’ ceremony at the new emergency department at Dorset County

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

blackmorevale.net

Proud to be part of Pride events ALTHOUGH June officially marks Pride Month, there have been many Pride events to enjoy across Glastonbury and Somerton throughout July as well. Pride is a time to celebrate the progress that has been made for LGBTQ+ rights, recognise those who fought for them and reflect on the work that still lies ahead.

I have been proud to have been invited to a number of Pride gatherings across the constituency this year, joining communities in Wincanton, Martock and Glastonbury. Each event has showcased the warmth, kindness and inclusivity that make Somerset such a wonderful place to live.

Pride is not only about having fun. It is about visibility, community and solidarity. It is a chance for people to be themselves, to feel seen and supported, and to know that they belong, especially in our rural communities, where LGBTQ+ people can sometimes feel isolated or overlooked.

As the first openly lesbian

Lib Dem MP for Glastonbury & Somerton Sarah Dyke Liberal Democrat MP, I know how much visibility and representation matter. You cannot be what you cannot see.

Everyone deserves to see people like themselves represented in public life and to know that their voice matters.

Rights can never be taken for granted. We are seeing increasing challenges to LGBTQ+ rights around the world, alongside the loss of dedicated LGBTQ+ spaces here in the UK that have historically provided support, friendship

Conservative MP for South West Wiltshire Dr Andrew Murrison when we bumped into each other last week – but early signs are he won’t be breaking out of Labour’s anti-growth doom loop. Indeed, it looks like he’ll be doubling down.

Former Defence Secretary John Healey is a smart hire as Chancellor. It signals increased

Politics

and safety. Pride is a reminder that we must continue to stand up for equality.

Following the recent Supreme Court judgment, I have heard directly from constituents in the trans community who are frightened and unsettled by what it may mean for their daily lives. I want them to know that I see them and that they matter. I have also heard from women who care deeply about their safety and dignity in single-sex spaces, and I hear those concerns too. Compassion is not a zero-sum game. We can hold space for everyone, and I will continue to listen carefully and represent all my constituents with kindness and respect.

Liberal Democrats have long championed LGBTQ+ rights. In 2013 Royal Assent was given to the ‘Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013’ marking its passage into law and giving same-sex partners the right to marry. Its passage into legislation was pioneered by

Lynne Featherstone, then a Liberal Democrat Minister in the Coalition Government, despite facing significant opposition from Conservative MPs. Indeed, it is worth noting that at every stage of the legislative process a majority of Conservative MPs voted against it.

Some 13 years later, I am proud to stand alongside campaigners and communities across Somerset who continue to work towards a more inclusive society.

Rural communities are welcoming communities, and in Somerset we stand for acceptance and inclusion.

Everyone deserves to live openly, safely and proudly as themselves.

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

defence spending which would be particularly good news in our area, but beware. My prediction is that defence spend will be financed, not by pruning out of control benefits but by layering on tax, stifling growth and enterprise, perpetuating the doom loop, heralding a 1970s style IMF event. Remember that?

Indeed, with a smorgasbord of crowd-pleasing spending commitments already, it seems Manchesterism means replicating the debt Andy’s left behind in his home city. It also looks like plucking more tax feathers from an already over-plucked goose – you and me.

Burnham also says he wants to sort adult social care. Well good. Happily, most of us will not end up needing it but many

fear they will lose everything because of dementia or the frailty of old age. We almost cracked this in the Cameron years with a scheme involving a contributions ceiling.

Unfortunately, it never came to fruition, but the model was on the right lines. The new PM says he wants to broker a solution to social care on a cross-party basis. I’d welcome that but fear the sums involved could be huge. Maybe that’s whatw the rumoured death tax and 50p higher rate tax will go on.

At least Attorney General Lord Hermer and David Lammy are out. I hope that means the appalling Chagos surrender deal will be gone too.

The money saved could go to funding some of Andy’s schemes.

Heading back to the 1970s?

I EXPECT Keir Starmer found his backbenchers’ rapturous response at his last Prime Minister’s Questions as nauseating as it was preposterous. Are these the same MPs who stabbed him in the back? If he was so great, why did they throw him out?

So now we have Andy Burnham, crowned, not elected, the King of the North with his Manchesterism. Top priority is, apparently, ending rough sleeping. Great, but in Manchester it’s been going up for four years after nose-diving just like elsewhere during the pandemic under the last government.

I don’t have a particular problem with Andy Burnham – we were elected at the same time in 2021 and he greeted me by name and like an old friend

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Letters End of the line for Car Link AFTER running Shaftesbury Car Link for almost eight years as full-time volunteers, we have now come to the end of the line and, as previously reported in the New Blackmore Vale, are hanging up our hats.

Following conversations with our local town council, community hospital and Dorset Community Transport no solution has been found to fill the gap and continue the service.

This is sad news for the more elderly residents of Shaftesbury, and it is not a decision we have come to lightly, but following our own health issues know that it is time to put ourselves first.

We would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of support and numerous retirement and thank you cards.

But the biggest thanks go to the volunteer drivers who have themselves given up their time to help.

You will see us around having a quiet coffee in the High Street and towns of North Dorset, kicking back and watching the world go by.

So goodbye and good luck, and we wish you all best wishes for the future.

Martin and June Hull Shaftesbury Car Link

Saving our old church buildings

MANY will feel like Canon Woods – New Blackmore Vale, July 3 – that were our cathedrals and churches be allowed to crumble our country would be greatly impoverished.

They were built by our forebears to connect with the divine, God. Besides creating a special place, they have become a museum for our history, connecting us with those who came before us.

We live in an increasingly multicultural society, and it is unrealistic to expect the State to favour one religion over

blackmorevale.net another.

Therefore, money for upkeep and repair must come from the community with its churchgoers and non-churchgoers, believers and non-believers.

Somehow a way must be found to tap into the pockets of non-churchgoers and nonbelievers because the financial burden is too great for the dwindling congregations.

The author Simon Jenkins – 1,000 Best Churches – mentioned by Canon Woods, may be a nonbeliever but he passionately believes we must look after these buildings, not only for their history, but also because they are an answer to the need for calm and contemplation, perhaps more than ever now.

He admitted that some sent a shiver down his spine!

Like a lot of things in life, the more you know about it the more you can appreciate it.

Clergy, teachers and volunteers should endeavour to get the story of their church – the building and the things in it – to the community.

Fundraising bodies such as ‘The Friends’ can be set up to give support.

I have seen it happen with my church, St James, Shaftesbury.

Money can be raised with adhoc appeals, for example, for roof repairs.

Grants and gift aid will help.

It is not all gloom and doom.

The key is to get the community to appreciate and love their church, not only for worship, special occasions and events, but also a place for peace and harmony for all to enjoy, connecting with those from the past.

Alan P Carter Shaftesbury

Light railway’s demise is sad IT is with some sadness that we learn that the jolly Gartell Light Railway is to terminate.

Opportunities for traditional outdoor fun have all but disappeared.

Young folk no longer enjoy basic pleasures or pastimes and are now trapped in addiction to their happy boxes.

This leaves adults without an excuse to get out.

Those of us who are pre-war may remember with great regret the end of the Somerset & Dorset Railway.

What a joy it would be today if one could get on a nice train from Bath or Bristol, or join at any station south, to end up in Poole or Bournemouth.

Michael Tarrant Via email

Wealth taxes just don’t work

WHILE I hold no brief for billionaires, it would be instructive to look numerically at what Ken Huggins is saying in his New Blackmore Vale article of July 17.

He compares the number of millionaires in 1990 with 2024.

He says that their value in 1990 was £27 billion and by 2024 had reached £670 billion.

A small quibble, but this ignores inflation of 183.11% during that period. It also ignores that the UK population grew from 57.2 million in 1992 to an estimated 69.3 million by 2024.

Although he doesn’t say so, I think he is suggesting a wealth tax.

If all the billionaires were completely expropriated, this would release £966.81 per capita as a one-off in a year with no repetition in following years.

So, I can’t see that redistribution/expropriation would have any long-term benefit and could, of course, drive away people like Jim Radcliffe, James Dyson and David Beckham.

Wealth taxes have been tried in many countries and been abandoned simply because they don’t work, mainly because of capital flight, high administrative costs and low revenue yields.

Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland,

Iceland, Luxembourg, Sweden and France all scrapped their wealth taxes.

Interestingly, the highest ranked UK billionaire in the world is ranked at 120nd while the most reside in USA and thereafter in the People’s Republic of China, which says a lot about socialism!

Raymond Hayes Marnhull

Stressful day made better

I WOULD like to express my gratitude to the person who handed my dropped wallet to the amazing staff at Sherborne’s Abbey pharmacy on Friday, July 17.

We had taken a seat to wait and see the consultant but on getting up it must have ejected from my pocket.

After we had finished, the sudden cold realisation that an important item has vanished is not a great!

But a good person had handed it in. It made a stressful day better.

Edward Via email

Nuclear flaw!

We need to spend billions on warfare Ready to beat every foe We’ll get it by cutbacks in welfare Cash for the poorest must go. “ Those are the words of our leaders But didn’t they tell us before That the billions all spent upon Trident Would stop any possible war ?

Perhaps they’ve forgotten their promise That nukes will protect me and you Or perhaps, as I always suspected, That promise was just never true !

Martin Hobdell Swanage

Something to say?

Then email a letter to newsdesk@ blackmorevale.net

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

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33

Antiques & Collectibles

Advertiser’s announcement

ORIGINAL MOTORING & MOTOR RACING memorabilia wanted by established local dealer - Tel 07771 518629 WANTED Classic Cars & Motorbikes For private collection Call 07885 373113 or 01278 431244 Graham

WE BUY RECORDS, COLLECTIONS LARGE AND SMALL Call BILL 07967 816506 or 01747 811100 Email: bill@tunes.co.uk

A double portrait oil painting of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington is estimated at £200-£400

Napoleon, the Duke and more...

CLARKE’S Auctions in Gillingham is selling a fine selection of 18th and 19th century oil paintings in its next Antiques & Collectables sale.

Among them is a charming double portrait oil painting on board of Napoleon Bonaparte Continued on page 34

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place your ad today

email: adverts@blackmorevale.net

BUSBY

Auctioneers & Valuers Fine Art & Antiques Sale Thursday 17th September Accepting consignments now

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European Ceramics & Glass; Clocks & Instruments; and Antique Furniture & Objects Saturday 12th September 2026 For a full list of our specialist sales please see our website

1840 VR 1d black NA a superb unused example with full sheet margin at left.

SOLD FOR £9,200 For free verbal valuations please contact

Head Office & Salesrooms: Station Road, Semley, Shaftesbury SP7 9AN 01747 855122 www.semleyauctioneers.com Offices in Semley, Wiltshire; Wimborne, Dorset; and South Kensington, London

Contact info@busby.co.uk 01308 420 100

The Old Hemp Store North Mills Bridport DT6 3BE

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Antiques & Collectibles

Advertiser’s announcement

Acreman holding Napoleon and the Duke two-day sale ACREMAN St Auctioneers & Valuers, Sherborne, is holding a two-day auction at the end of this week.

The Antiques & Collectors auction, including Garden & Architectural, is on Thursday, July 30, at 10am, and Jewellery, Silver & Watches on Friday, July 31, also at 10am.

Ballerina Margot Fonteyn’s Viewing is on Wednesday, signed ballet shoe could sell for July 29, 10am-4pm. £300-£500 The catalogue and bidding is available online through anyone downsizing or who easyliveauction.com and needs to deal with a whole thesaleroom.com house.

Acreman is accepting Acreman Auctioneers & consignments for its upcoming Valuers is open Monday to sales and is happy to advise on Friday 9am-4pm. anything prospective sellers Anyone who has anything may be considering for auction. they would like to consign can It can take in everything from contact Gill Norman on 01935 single items to complete 508764 or 07908 333577 or by collections and can offer help email at auction@ with advice and valuations to acremanstreetantiques.co.uk

ACREMAN ST. AUCTIONEERS & VALUERS SHERBORNE

GENERAL ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES Thursday 30th July 10am

JEWELLERY, SILVER & WATCHES Friday 31st July 10am

Viewing

Wednesday 29th July 10am-4pm

Margot Fonteyn’s signed ballet shoe Est. £300 - £500

Continued from previous page

and Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, in full military uniform, in the original ornate gilt frame, estimated at £200-£400.

A rare 18th century sand painting, or marmotinto, depicting sheep in a rural landscape, attributed to German artist Benjamin Zobel (1762-1830), is another interesting oil painting on board.

The sale will also include Victorian half-length portrait paintings, charming portrait miniatures, military portraits, an original Spy watercolour caricature, landscape scenes and, at the other end of the scale, four framed pictures by celebrated New York street artist Matthew Courtney (1959-2025), internationally

blackmorevale.net known as ‘the newspaper man’.

The sale is on Friday and Saturday, August 7-8, with bidding from 10am, and lots can be viewed in the colour catalogue at the-saleroom.com and easyliveauction.com or in person in the room.

Other highlights include a fine Georgian yellow metal necklace with ornate links and barrel clasp estimated at £2,000-£3,000, a selection of 18th century wine glasses including air twist and engraved examples, a Royal Doulton flambe model of a rhinoceros by Charles Noke and a fine quality William & Mary walnut dining table inlaid with birds, thistles and flowers.

For enquiries about consignments into upcoming autumn sales, probate or insurance valuations, full or part house clearances, contact Richard Clarke or Karen Marshall on 01747 685592 at the salerooms, The Old Glove Factory, Buckingham Road, Gillingham SP8 4QF.

Clarke’s Auctions

Auctioneers & Valuers

Antiques && Collectibles Sale Antiques Collectables Friday 9th August Friday 7th&&Saturday Saturday 10th 8th August Viewing Wednesday 5th, Thursday 6th and Friday 7th from 9.00am to 4.30pm An 18th-19th century AngloIndian ivory inlaid vizagapatam desk Sold for £4,600

Catalogue available to view through thesaleroom.com & Easyliveauction.com We are still accepting items for our upcoming auctions

An original Fry & Sons 'Fry's Pure Concentrated Cocoa' enamel sign. Sold for £1,600.

For all enquiries please contact Gill Norman on 07908 333577 or 01935 508764 auction@acremanstreetantiques.co.uk

Units 1 & 2Factory, KingsettleBuckingham Business Park,Road The Old Glove Gillingham, SP8 4QF

Clarke’s Auctions offerFactory, free home visits and verbal valuations.

The Old Glove Buckingham Road Now accepting items for this and 4QF future sales Gillingham, SP8

01747 685592

enquiries@clarkesauctions.co.uk 01747 685592 01747 855109 enquiries@clarkesauctions.co.uk www.clarkesauctions.co.uk enquiries@clarkesauctions.co.uk

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

blackmorevale.net

Valuation days unearth gems DUKE’S Auctions is inviting members of the public to its free valuation days on Monday, August 3, and Monday, August 17, 9.30am-4.30pm, at the Duke’s Fine Art Saleroom.

Specialists will be available to provide complimentary valuations on jewellery, watches, silver and wines and spirits, offering expert advice and up-to-date market valuations regardless of an item’s age, provenance or value.

Prospective sellers may be curious about a family heirloom, considering a sale, or simply interested in learning more about a treasured possession, and the experienced team will be on hand to help.

Previous valuation days have led to some outstanding auction

Advertiser’s announcement

results.

Jewellery, diamonds, rubies, gold and silver from private estates have all attracted strong interest, with one recent highlight being a remarkable Victorian diamond and pearl double pendant/brooch – pictured – that made £712,500, including buyer’s premium.

Advance booking is strongly recommended, as appointments are expected to fill quickly.

To reserve a place, contact Duke’s Auctions on +44 (0)1305 265080 or email enquiries@dukes-auction.com These free valuation days offer an excellent opportunity for anyone looking for expert guidance or thinking of selling to discover the true value of treasured items.

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Antiques & Collectibles

Rare coin may sell for £3,000 A RARE George II double gold guinea coin is estimated to sell for £2,000-£3,000 at Charterhouse.

It is one of the lots in the Sherborne saleroom’s two-day specialist auction of coins, medals, stamps, toys and collector’s items on Thursday and Friday, August 20-21.

“The market for coins continues to remain strong and we have recently had some great results for coin collections,” said Richard Bromell, from Charterhouse.

“Having been involved with collecting coins for over 50 years, this is the first double guinea I have had the pleasure to see and am sure it will be the first time for many other

collectors.”

18th century guineas are scare but rarely do double guineas appear for sale.

With a double guinea being £2 2 shillings, this coin was a large chunk of change in 1740 when a loaf of bread was just a penny.

While it is not recorded how many double guineas were minted in 1740, it would have been very low due to its high worth.

Richard Bromell and the team at Charterhouse, The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne, are available for valuations of single items, collections and complete house contents on 01935 812277 or via rb@ charterhouse-auction.com

FINE JEWELLERY, WATCHES, ACCESSORIES, SILVER, WINES & SPIRITS

19th August

20th August

26th November

Specialist Valuation Days in Sherborne

Monday 3rd & 17th August

Model Trains, Cars, Dolls & Toys 3rd Jewellery, Watches, Gold & Silver 4th Coins, Medals, Militaria & Stamps 5th Wine, Port & Whisky (bottles or cases) 6th Chinese & Japanese Ceramics & Bronzes 7th

With Nicky Houston - Head of Jewellery Julian Smith - Head of Watches and Michael Roberts - Head of Silver

Dave Angel Collection Auction 19th August Classic Car Auction 19th November Classic Bike Auction 26th November

VA L U AT I O N D AY

The Dorchester Fine Art Salerooms, Copper Street, Brewery Square, Dorchester DT1 1GA

+44 (0)1305 265080 dukes-auctions.com

Further entries now being accepted

The Long Street Salerooms Sherborne DT9 3BS 01935 812277 • www.charterhouse-auction.com

36

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

blackmorevale.net

Opera event welcomes first-timers NEXT week’s Opera in Oborne aims to make opera accessible to all and attract first-time opera-goers.

Mozart’s The Magic Flute, performed at St Cuthbert’s Church, is the centrepiece, blending dazzling arias, whimsical characters and a timeless story of love and courage.

It is performed on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, August 5, 7 and 8, at 7.30pm.

Bach’s Coffee Cantata and Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder promises an afternoon of contrast.

The Coffee Cantata sparkles with charm and humour, while the Wesendonck Lieder offers

lush, intimate songs filled with passion and longing.

They will be performed at St Cuthbert’s on Saturday, August 8, at 3pm.

The informal Opera in the Park concert on Oborne Playing Field features four singers accompanied by pianist John Cuthbert.

Opera favourites and show

tunes will be performed on Sunday, August 9, at 3pm.

In A Night at the Silent Movies, the 1922 classic Nosferatu will be screened in St Cuthbert’s Church with the film brought to life with live piano accompaniment from John Cuthbert.

The screening is on Thursday, August 6, at 7.30pm.

LAUGHTER, magic and imaginative storytelling are promised in Peer Gynt, set to be

performed outdoors at two Dorset venues.

A cast of four from Miracle Theatre in Cornwall will give their take on Ibsen’s timeless story which follows the fortunes of young Peer, a charming yet lazy dreamer who misinterprets Shakespeare’s advice to ‘thine own self be true’ to mean ‘look after number one!’.

Peer embraces a life of self‑interest, wild ambition and questionable decisions, chasing

after riches and pleasure, living a life of moral failure and endless excuses.

Drawn into a series of surreal encounters and moral missteps, can Peer outrun the consequences of his actions, or will his choices finally catch up with him?

Audiences can expect a journey through a dreamlike

world of Norse mythology filled with colourful cranky characters, mischievous trolls and unexpected twists.

Peer Gynt is at Ibberton Village Hall field on Wednesday, August 5, and Higher Orchard in Sandford Orcas on Thursday, August 6. For tickets, visit www.artsreach. co.uk

Timeless tale at outdoor venues

ht ale V e GUITAR TEACHER 1st Lesson Free Friendly, patient, humorous tutor with plenty of guitars in garden studio in a pretty village.

Please mail andypalmer.guitar@gmail.com or call 01258 817063

PLEA S KE E CHEC EP KIN OU G W E B SR ITE

BARRY STEELE: THE ROY ORBISON STORY Sat 1st August 7.30pm Tickets £29.50

THE SEARCHERS AND HOLLIES EXPERIENCE Thurs 3rd Sept 7.30pm Tickets £22.50

THEATRE CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE 2nd - 27th August Box Office remains open for ticket sales SNAKE OIL & FRIENDS A NIGHT IN NASHVILLE Get ready for a heartwarming, feelgood Country Rock and Tex Mex show with Snake Oil Band and Friends.

Sat 5th Sep 7.30pm Tickets £17.50

CLASS OF ‘55

Step back in time and relive the golden age of rock and roll as The Class of ‘55 reunites for one unforgettable night celebrating the legendary sounds of Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis!

Fri 28th August 7.30pm Tickets £28.50

G4: PHANTOMS OF THE POPERA

Sun 6th Sep 7.30pm Tickets £69.50 meet and greet £35 standard

PLEA S KE E CHEC EP KIN SPACE COWBOY: OUR G W E B S TRIBUTE THE ULTIMATE ITE

PLEA S KE E CHEC EP KIN OU G W E B SR ITE

TO JAMIROQUAI

VOODOO ROOM: A NIGHT OF HENDRIX CLAPTON AND CREAM

LIPSTICK ON YOUR COLLAR THE 50’S & 60’S SHOW!

ELIO PACE LIVE

Sat 29th Aug 7.30pm Tickets £28.50

Thurs 10th Sep 7.30pm Tickets £28

Weds 2nd Sept 7.30pm Tickets £24.50

Fri 11th Sep 7.30pm Tickets £32.50

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

blackmorevale.net

Festival organiser hails ‘dream bill’ THE Jurassic Fields music festival is back next month just a year after being saved from extinction.

Immense Events and Bars, which has run the successful Poole Harbour Festival for a decade, took over the reins just in time to stage last year’s event.

This year, the line up is headed by multi-million selling, chart-topping pop-rockers Scouting For Girls.

Fans can expect a hit-packed set of classics including This Ain’t a Love Song, She’s So Lovely and Elvis Ain’t Dead as they hit the festival circuit this summer building towards a 20th anniversary weekend at Wembley early next year.

Further Main Stage highlights include noughties hitmakers Feeder, festival favourites Goldie Lookin’ Chain, multi-platinum sellers Space and UK garage pioneers Artful Dodger.

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Arts & Entertainment

The Jurassic Festival (right) – PHOTO: Charlie Raven – and Scouting for Girls

The line up also includes The South playing the hits of The Beautiful South, dancefloor dynamite from Dub Pistols, Freestylers and N-Trance, and the one-man blues box Funke and the Two Tone Baby.

The festival, just a stone’s throw from the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, is blessed with a great location at West Bay Fields.

Festival organiser Ben Dyas said: “When we stepped in last summer to save the festival, we took a risk, but artists, crews and fans alike showed their

support and this year’s line up is pretty much our dream bill.

“West Dorset has a really strong live music scene and we’re passionate about celebrating that at Jurassic Fields with lots of acts from our region on the support bill.”

These include local rock-pop hero Chris Payn & the Parade, award-winning folk artist Gaz Brookfield and his band, soulful D&B Bristol outfit Dr Meaker, Exeter rockers Stillyano and Dorset duo Shelby’s Elbows.

The Dance Tent hosts DJs including Happy Mondays/

Black Grape star Bez, rave originator Brandon Block and Radio 1 regular Dave Pearce.

Top UK tributes include Artificial Monkeys, Fleetwood Mad, Oasiss and The Fillers.

A full programme of free children’s entertainment features dinosaur shows, the Mad4Anmals shows, bubble shows and storyteller Mark Fraser with Jamie Jambo, Mr Merlin and Count Backwards The Jurassic Fields festival is at West Bay Fields, near Broomhill Farm, Bridport, from Friday to Sunday, August 14-16.

PHOTOGRAPHER Jim Johnson loves visiting churches in Dorset and beyond – and some of his pictures are set to go on show at Sherborne Abbey.

The black and white fine art photos show the interior architecture, art and furniture

in the buildings, and represent a personal take on what he found interesting.

So, high vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows take a back seat to subjects often overlooked or missed completely.

In that vein, Jim said: “I

encourage people to visit as many Dorset churches as they can. They might just find a knight with two left feet, Thomas Hardy’s heart, poetry

by TS Elliot, a medieval wall painting depicting a mermaid combing her hair – and more.”

Discovering Churches, Dorset & Beyond runs at the abbey from Monday, August 3, to Friday, August 28, and Jim hopes to be there most days.

A Jim Johnson photo taken inside Sherborne Abbey

MEMBERS of Wimborne Art Club are embracing this year’s Wimborne Town of Culture with two events next month.

The first, organised with Wimborne Community Garden, is a ‘Plein Air’ fun afternoon on Sunday, August 2, 2pm-5pm.

Visitors are invited to paint a

garden banner at the Community Garden in School Lane, Wimborne.

Materials will be provided and all abilities, adults and children, are welcome.

The group’s summer art exhibition is at Pamphill Village Hall from Friday to Sunday,

August 14-16, on Friday from 1pm-4pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm.

The exhibition showcases the artistic talents of its members and features crafts as well as paintings.

A varied selection of subject matter and styles will be on

offer.

Banners created from the community garden event will also be on display.

Entry and parking are free, and refreshments will be available.

To find more, visit www. wimborneartclub.org.uk

Photographer with eye for the unusual

Artists on board with town of culture

38

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

blackmorevale.net

Outdoor stage for Shakespeare’s magical tale BROWNSEA Open Air Theatre’s 2026 summer production of The Tempest will be staged in the grounds of Canford School.

Shakespeare’s magical tale of betrayal, power and redemption will be performed across two weeks in August against a spectacular outdoor backdrop.

Brian Woolton, director of Brownsea Open Air Theatre (BOAT), said: “The Tempest is a wonderful play to stage outdoors – it’s full of magic, mischief and imagination.

“The play is very dear to BOAT’s heart and it’s sure to make fantastic evenings of theatre.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming audiences back this summer and sharing the story with them.

“On a personal level, having acted and directed for BOAT many times before, I am delighted to have been asked to lead this year’s company again.”

BOAT has received extensive national and regional recognition over the years, including being named by The Guardian as one of the UK’s Top 10 Open Air Theatre Venues.

The charity has involved more than 1,700 volunteers, entertained thousands of visitors and raised £300,000-plus for

FORMER King’s Singer, choral director and composer Jeremy Jackman is returning to Dorset to lead the Laudemus choir, showcasing music for the service of Choral Evensong.

The group, which takes its name from Latin for ‘let us praise!’ and sings in venues across the county, has its roots in the Wimborne Arts Festival of 1991.

The choir has returned each year since then to bring cathedral-style Evensong to country churches across Dorset.

Operating as an annual

summer course, singers come from all over the UK and some from overseas.

The repertoire is wide ranging, with different music for each service on the tour.

This summer, Laudemus will visit churches in Broadstone (August 11), Lyme Regis (August 12), Trent (August 13), Blandford Forum (August 14) and the Minster in Wimborne

(August 15).

The choir is accompanied for the week by Dorset-born organist Sam Hanson, who has a busy freelance career as conductor, accompanist and composer in Dorset and London.

THE 13th Dorchester Literary Festival this autumn will bring together some of the UK’s most celebrated writers, broadcasters, historians, politicians and performers for a week of conversations, talks and events.

The festival will cover

subjects including history, memoir, politics, fiction, nature, health, fashion, adventure, poetry and wild swimming.

Headline guests announced so far include Alison Steadman, Jung Chang, Julian Fellowes, Victoria Hislop, Andrew Lownie, Jeremy Hunt, Sir

Anthony Seldon, Vassos Alexander, Simon Jenkins, Alexandra Shulman and Kathy Lette.

The festival runs from Saturday to Saturday, October 17-24 – for ticket information visit www.dorchesterliterary festival.com

The Tempest is being performed in the grounds of Canford School

local charities and good causes since it was founded.

BOAT was set up in 1964 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth and began performing on Brownsea Island in Poole

Harbour before moving to the mainland.

Tickets for The Tempest, which runs from August 3-15 are available via BOAT’s website, www.brownsea-theatre. co.uk/tickets

Choir tours county’s churches

Laudemus conductor Jeremy Jackman

Big names at literary event

ARTIST Dawn Thomson will be exhibiting at the Butterfly House at the Castle Gardens centre in Sherborne from Wednesday to Monday, August 5-10, 11am-5pm.

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

39

Events

blackmorevale.net FRIDAY 7th AUGUST, 6.30pm Organ Recital at Folke Church. Organist, Max Bailey, Music Director, Holy Trinity, Sloane Square. £12 with wine. 01963-23436 HYMNS AND PIMMS St Thomas’s Church Melbury Abbas SP7 0DB 6pm Sunday 9 August 2026 Join us to sing your favourite hymns!

Donations in aid of St Thomas’s SHAFTESBURY EMPORIUM SUNDAY 2nd August 10-4pm Friday 14th & Saturday 15th August 9-4.30pm Town Hall Shaftesbury Free Entry. Please bring cash!

Supporting DSAA & Weldmar Hospice Next events: 11th & 12th September.

Find Us Online

HILLSIDE PARISHES FETE Ibberton Village Hall DT11 0EL from 1.30 pm Bar/BBQ, 2.00 pm Fete, 2.30 pm Dog and Flower Show with Blandford Stour Valley Band FREE ENTRY Dorchester Vegan Market Festival 10am-4pm Sunday 9th August 2026 Maumbury Rings, Dorchester, DT1 1TY 50+ Traders... Not just for vegans! email : wdveganevents@gmail.com HANDMADE AT STOURHEAD, Stourton Memorial Hall, Stourhead BA12 6QE, Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August 10-5, Gillingham Handmade host their craft fair. There will be 17 stalls by local crafts people and artists.

Free Entry www.blackmorevale.net

LYN’s BINGO on August 3rd Marnhull Royal British Legion. Sodom Lane (DT10 1HR).

Eyes down 7pm.

ROLLS ROYCE FOR HIRE

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THE OLD STABLES FABRIC WAREHOUSE – RURAL BUSINESS CENTRE – LOWER STREET, WINTERBORNE WHITECHURCH, DT11 9AW

YARD SALE – SATURDAY 15TH AUGUST 9AM – 3PM GRAB A BUNDLE OF BARGAIN FABRICS, WALLPAPERS - £1 A ROLL, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, INCLUDING PICTURES,VARIOUS ITEMS TO CLEAR! E: warehouse@theoldstablesdorset.com T: 01258 880731 What3words: ///PICNIC.BULLION.LOAF

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Parking available. No dogs on field.

Proceeds to the Church and Pen Selwood Community Association Please check final updates on www.penselwood.ning.com

Advertising made simple 01963 400186 adverts@blackmorevale.net

Entry

West Woodlands Showground BA11 5ES Antiques, Collectables, Vintage, Retro, Artisans & Makers

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Sunday 30th August, 11 am to 4.30 pm Hatch House, Newtown, Tisbury SP3 6PA

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40

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Home & Garden

blackmorevale.net

A mania for tulips

by Sally Gregson AS the calendar runs on through this extraordinary year, most gardeners are beginning to wonder about the wisdom of battling the elements – the drought, the soaring temperatures and the total lack of any sign of rain. We can only hope, and believe, that this summer is, as the pundits say, exceptional. But ever optimistic, we gardeners plan ahead to perhaps a cooler, somewhat damper, more usual English season next year. And what better time to make plans for next spring’s flower display?

Ordering bulbs now, well in advance of the autumn rush, will, it is hoped, ensure a good selection of some of the more rare and sought-after forms of tulip, especially. The beautiful ‘broken’ colours of the specialised ‘florists’ forms that were bred in the 17th century are quite addictive.

Tulipa ‘Absalon’ – bred

around 1780 – is perhaps one of the least difficult to find, yet most attractive form. It has rich chocolate-maroon petals in a traditional shape, but each petal is marked with flashes of cream.

It is ‘broken’. Technically, this is a result of a virus that is carried from one broken tulip to the next on the propagator’s knife, but for years it was a mystery.

Tulipa ‘Heritage Columbine’ is another, somewhat younger form – a dusty, dark purple with pale ‘feathers’ lending a streaked effect. It is still just about available today.

Another, more modern collector’s form is ‘Spryng Rembrandt’ whose white flowers are streaked with raspberry-red flames. It would associate well with some of the older cultivars and the modern forms.

However, a few of each of these in terracotta pots could spark a fascination for tulips, or,

Tulip Spryng Rembrandt’s white flowers are streaked with raspberryred flames

should that be, a dangerous addiction? Such passions brought down the Dutch economy in the 17th century.

Tulipomania has been well documented. It is the stuff of legends.

But those bulbs do still exist.

These rare forms are carefully and jealously guarded by members of the Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society.

They hold a competition every

spring, and boast national and international support from several countries, notably a very active and successful Swedish contingent and many enthusiasts from the Netherlands.

Members, of course, continue to swap and sell their own ‘florists’ varieties’, which are grown on and shown every year.

But be warned! Remember what happened to those 17th century investors.

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41

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Home & Garden

blackmorevale.net PETER PORT UPHOLSTERY A Local Family Run Business based in Shaftesbury, Offering awide range of services including foam cut to size and Re-stuffing of feather cushions.

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Home & Garden

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SKIP HIRE

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Clive Smith Waste Transfer Note.qxp_Layout 1 01/10/2020 09:33 Page 1

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Smiths Triangle, Fifehead, St Quinton, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2AW (Also disposal site) www.clivesmithskips.co.uk Email: clivesmithskips@hotmail.co.uk

Tel: 01258 860 166 Mobile: 07974 822243 Waste Carriers Number: CBDU112820 Permit Number: EPR/JB3101KP VAT Reg Number: 634 6316 44

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IT IS DANGEROUS TO TRANSPORT AN OVERLOADED SKIP, THIS INCLUDES BOARDS TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE LOAD. THE DRIVER MAY REFUSE TO REMOVE AN OVERLOADED SKIP AND/OR AN EXTRA CHARGE WILL APPLY TO COVER COSTS.

• No Asbestos • Do not move skip • No Plasterboard/Gypsum • No Fires in Skip • No Sludge • NO Fridges/ Freezers • Tyres • Gas Bottles • Toxic Solvents • Paints and Liquids

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OUTDOORS TREES R US DORSET Hedges, Patios, Turf & Fencing call Peter 07976-667130

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Home & Garden

blackmorevale.net DRYSTONE WALLING AND LANDSCAPING www.yenstonewalling.co.uk 01963 371123 / 07751 278363

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Get in the Garden

The latest gardening news, hints and tips, with Mike Burks, MD of The Gardens Group

A COLLECTION of blue-flowered shrubs is on top form in August and September, which includes the Blue Spirea small growers correctly know as Caryopteris.

A huge range of varieties is available but I still enjoy ‘Heavenly Blue’.

Caryopteris tend to have silvery green scented foliage and prefer hot, dry sunny situations.

The flower comes on the growth made this year and so in the autumn tidy the shrub back and then prune harder in spring.

This will encourage lots of fresh growth and on the top of every new shoot a flower will appear later in the summer.

The hardy Hibiscus is known as the shrub last in leaf in spring and last in flower in the autumn.

This may not be strictly true, but it always looks bare when many other plants are in full leaf and then when others are giving up, the hibiscus performs in late summer and autumn.

My favourite is the variety ‘Blue Bird’.

There are a number of varieties of the hardy Plumbagos known as Ceratostigma – these plants look nothing at the start of the year but end up as a wonderful show of flowers later on.

These low-growers prefer a sheltered spot and will even lean up against a warm fence or wall.

I like the newer variety

Ceratostigma willmotianum ‘Forest Blue’ that has electric blue flowers.

If you are a fan of autumn colours, then the Oak Leafed Hydrangea – Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’ – is worth looking out for.

As the name suggests, it has large oak-shaped leaves which colour beautifully in the autumn in red and orange hues.

In the summer, the shrub will have large white hydrangea flowers and it will eventually reach a height of perhaps 6ft or more with a similar spread.

It prefers slightly more acidic conditions than most but as long as you are aware and keep them well fed with an ericaceous fertliser with plenty of humus-rich mulch around, they should do well in a sheltered spot in our local gardens.

If you need a bit of evergreen, then the Abelias provide this plus some great flowers, too.

A newer variety worth looking out for is ‘Abelia Kaleidoscope’ which has a golden variegated leaf with clusters of pink in bud opening to white flowers which arrive in midsummer and in the right spot continue well into the autumn.

The evergreen foliage also colours strongly in the autumn giving interest throughout the year and, as it is a small shrub, it’s useful in most gardens.

44

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Home & Garden

blackmorevale.net

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Home & Garden

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Local Services

blackmorevale.net

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Contact us on 07707 808769 or email derekstark36@outlook.com

COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF BUILDING: New Builds | Extensions | Renovations Brickwork | Stonework | Carpentry Barn & Loft Conversions | Landscaping

30+ YEARS EXPERIENCE 07588804253 | 07791432215 Elevatebuild@outlook.com

G ROSE PLASTERING. For all your Plastering needs Experienced and reliable Phone Gavin 07766-243762 L R MASONRY GENERAL BUILDER, Stone work, Brick work 07971-982565 llewie30roberts@gmail.com

B.LUCAS General builder

25+ Years Experience, City & Guilds Qualified

Extensions, Renovations, Alterations, New Build, Plastering, Floor and Wall Tiling, Brickwork, Blockwork, Stonework and Patios, Fencing and Decorating.

FREE estimates 07809 362919

•General building •Extensions/Renovations •Loft conversions •Oak frame buildings •Groundwork/Landscaping •All your property needs

Mobile: 07979 527379 | Email: alanlewisaml@aol.com

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

47

Local Services

blackmorevale.net

ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING & ELECTRICAL ALL IRONWORK. Handrails.Gates. Railings. Repairs.

Restoration. 01258 880301

Advertising made

simple

01963 400186 adverts@blackmorevale.net

T F PLANT

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 Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

ELECTRICIAN

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 Trusted family-run business, ring for enquiries

01747 826107

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

Limited Fully Insured, Free Survey Failed Double Glazed Units UPVC Windows and Doors Shower Screens, Balustrades T: 01747 631899 / 07708 180306 e: shaftesburyglass@gmail.com w: www.shaftesburyglass.co.uk

Providing reputable electrical services for over 30 years.

Prompt service at reasonable rates.

Shaftesbury Based.

8am - 8pm

Call Alan: 07442 026385 Email: alanaac1@aol.com

Book online: blackmorevale.net Email: adverts@blackmorevale.net

J&C Handyman Services

Bryan G Paulley Ltd Oil Tank Services Domestic & Commercial

REPLACEMENT TANKS INSTALLATIONS RE-SITING TEMPORARY TANKS EMERGENCY PUMP OUTS BUNDED /SINGLE SKIN METAL TANKS/FUEL STATIONS ABOVE GROUND OR BELOW MOLING SERVICE FOR BELOW GROUND UTILITIES COMMERCIAL BOILER REMOVAL

Plumbing Door hanging & skirting boards Painting & decorating Guttering and facia clearing Shed erecting & repairs and replacement Flat pack furniture Fencing Shelves & curtain rails Pointing etc...

No job too small. Please call with your requirements.

01963 364457 07368 516658 dorsethandyman26@gmail.com www.jchandymanservices.com

Concrete & Floor Screed Mixed On site Any Quantity Delivered Sand Gravel Stone Cement Blocks etc Supplied Loose or in Big Bags Good Quality Top Soil in Stock

CALL NOW FOR YOUR PERSONAL QUOTATION

Now available... Rockery Stone

24hr Emergency, Leaking Tanks or Oil Spills 07836 502683

01747 853687 or 01747 855630

Tel: 01963 363870

Competitive Rates www.hardimanconcrete.co.uk

48

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Local Services

blackmorevale.net

ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING & ELECTRICAL SW BUILDING & RENOVATIONS LTD. All aspects of building and plumbing catered for.

Tel: 07970 437786 e: swbuildandrenovation@gmail.com

TRADITIONAL BUILDING & RESTORATION Traditional builders specialising in older and listed properties

• External & internal lime works, pointing & rendering • Full restoration service • Bespoke extensions, disabled & granny annex conversions - from planning to completion • Cob work - new & repairs • Oak timber framining

Call Dave Welsh 07492181788 or 07838654468 www.repointdorset.co.uk tradbuildrest@gmail.com

BATHROOMS

CHIMNEYS

Bathroom & Kitchen Fitter

Smokin Nicely Chimney Sweeps NACS certificates issued Chimneys and Flues Extremely clean service Fully insured (£5m) CCTV

Independent and Experienced Fitter.

Work undertaken can also include any wall or floor tiling requirements.

01258 455251

Tel: smokin.nicely@hotmail.co.uk smokinnicely.co.uk

Fully insured.

For free Quotation, please contact: Tel: 07896 338902 Email: mattleach91@gmail.com

Place your classified advert today CLASSIFIED

Martin Simmonds Chimney Sweep Manual and Power Sweeping,

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

Stove Servicing and Maintenance,

NVQ Qualified. APICS Registered

07368 250305 / 01747 590799 Friendly, Reliable Service NVQ Qualified, APICS Registered longthorpeindustries@gmail.com Friendly, Reliable Service

01963 400186

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

Established in 1978

Chimney Sweep • Property Maintenance Fireplace & Stove Servicing  :01258 455947

:phoenixchimneys1@gmail.com

HUNGRY NOW? Your business could be here for as little as £45 per week...

*Based on our fortnightly rate for a 5x2 advert

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Local Services

blackmorevale.net

CHIMNEYS K.SANSOM CHIMNEY SWEEP Brush & vacuum. APICS registered 01963 370038

To place your

CLASSIFIED ADS

49

COMPUTERS / Wi-Fi & TECH

STEVE ADAMS CHIMNEY SWEEPING HETAS registered woodburner and flue installer. Birdguards and cowls 07932 655267 The New

Blackmore Vale

Magazine

Get connected. Stay connected.

WiFi • Email • FaceTime • WhatsApp Skype • Google • eBay • Amazon Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

R Laptop R Tablet R Smartphone R desktop PC

book online: adverts@blackmorevale.net

• 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.

CLEANING

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

Independent Family Run Business Covering The Blackmore Vale Area

Tel 01935 592461 Mob 07875 272401 www.shinystoves.com

Place your classified advert today CLASSIFIED

01963 400186

Call 01963 400186 to advertise in Local Services

COMPUTERS / Wi-Fi & TECH DEREK ETHERINGTON BSc(Hons).

PC/Mac, Repairs, Networks, Websites, Tuition. Free local callout. 07855-287150 01963-362403 www.dcenet.co.uk

Joseph Crocker Computers Custom built gaming & office PCs Desktop & laptop repair Help with mobile devices General computer and IT advice

NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL 01963 23669 07484 690824

josephcrockercomputers.co.uk

COMPUTER MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS Purchase advice, Virus Removal, New PC Setup/Installation, Internet Connection, Upgrades, Computer/Software Tuition Call Gregg on 01963 370713 Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

Call me now on 07805 783147 DECORATION, FLOORING & CARPENTRY 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

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

M & M Painting & Decorating.

30 years experience.

Fully insured, clean & tidy. References available. FREE no obligation quote.

Tel: 07921-783296 / 01305-849380

Contact Us to advertise

01963 400186

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Local Services

blackmorevale.net

DECORATION, FLOORING & CARPENTRY

LOCKSMITHS & GARAGE DOORS Somerset, Dorset & Wiltshire

Painting & Decorating COUNTRY CARPENTRY

Local Quality Painter & Decorator.

Bespoke Carpentry Quality Craftsmanship Door & Window Repairs

35 Years Experience

Built-to-measure alcove units, shelving, wardrobes, doors, flooring, storage solutions and more expertly crafted to suit your home.

FREE Estimates. No VAT

Dorset based.

Mob: 07825512627

Contact Nick 07887 358 570 Nick.elliott1@sky.com

‘Your home in safe and capable hands’

LOCKSMITHS & GARAGE DOORS

Italian Courses

24/7 Locksmiths & Garage Door Repairs

throughout the year

- Residential Lockouts - Garage door repair specialists - New garage doors & automation - Lock repair and replacements

Contact

CHRISTINE JEWELS

01935 425958

www.italianlanguageservices.co.uk

www.grp-garagedoors.co.uk

Tel 07969443979

Tel: 01258 880670

Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

Classes and private tuition

Repairs, Services, Upgrades, Automation & New Door Installations.

High quality doors at low prices from a family run business with excellent service!

Call Richard on

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

ITALIAN LANGUAGE LESSONS

Contact us for a free quote!

Dorset com Doors .com

07979 978 751 drew@dorsetdoors.com

Sectional Doors / Roller Doors / Up and Over Side Hinged / Personnel Doors Spares & Accessories Installation / Servicing Automation / 2 into 1 Conversions Insulated Garage Doors Call 01963 363782 or 01258 472830 www.dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk

PEST CONTROL

MUSIC

SPECTRUM PEST CONTROL

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

Technician. Member of the British Pest Control Association T: 01258 721462 M: 07379 405080

Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

Wasps, Rodents, and all other pests humanely dealt with.

All forms of bird and rodent proofing undertaken.

Find Us Online

www.blackmorevale.net

PLUMBING, HEATING & DRAINAGE

MJ HPPS LTD Plumbing and Heating Contractors

Classified

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

email: adverts@blackmorevale.net

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

advertising

place your ad today

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

51

Local Services

blackmorevale.net

PLUMBING, HEATING & DRAINAGE

D&T Plumbing and Heating Boiler Servicing, Repairs & Installs Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Mere & surrounding areas

Reliable, professional service for all your plumbing & heating needs.

GASTECHPLUMBING.COM

01747 854887 07525 755696

Septic Tanks, Treatment Plants & Soakaways Problems with your sewage system?

Need to replace your septic tank?

07783 994377

Speak to your local experts

HUNGRY NOW?

01747 823731 or 07970 484890

Established 1980

www.dorsettreatmentplants.co.uk

Your business could be here for as little as £45 per week...

ROOFING

*Based on our fortnightly rate for a 5x2 advert

Tom the Roofer All Roofing Services & Repairs

FOR ALL YOUR DRAINAGE NEEDS

• Blocked Drains • Drain Repair/Relining • CCTV Surveys for Drains • Drainage Investigation • Septic Tank Installation/Repair • Sewage Treatment Plant Installations/ Services 24 HOUR DRAIN CLEARANCE Office: 01747 859203 Mobile: 07453 319391 Email: Info@wefix-drains.co.uk

All Aspects Of Roofing Undertaken

Based in Wincanton Contact Chris

01747 854887 07525 755696

valesideroofing@hotmail.com Find us on

ABBEY DRAINAGE UNBLOCKING DRAINS

• Sinks • Toilets • Sewers •Downpipe • Installation of new drains • Manholes and gully’s • Repairs to existing drains • CCTV Surveys • HP Jetting • No dig Relining NO CALL OUT CHARGE

Call David: 01747 640188 07587238563

Advertising made

simple

01963 400186 | adverts@blackmorevale.net

• Felt Roofing Specialist • Tiling, Slating and UPVC • Velux Windows • No Job Too Small • Insurance Work • Leadwork Friendly Service Free Estimates Mobile 07973 248319 scott@scottmilesroofing.co.uk

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

PERSONAL SUPERVISION OF ALL ORDERS.

FREE D AN QUOTESATES ESTIM

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

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Local Services

blackmorevale.net

STORAGE

TILING

TrustScore 4.4

Household Storage Safe. Secure. Simple.

THE HANDYMAN

Inside/Outside work Electrics Plumbing Painting/Decorating Tiling

Email:

G& M T I L I NG WA L L & F L O O R T I L ER 35 years experience Member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen Fully insured FREE estimates | No VAT

Call Graham on

Charles.white40@aol.co.uk

07973 430681

Call: 07788 724616 or 01935 712046

Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

TREE SURGEON LOCAL TREE SURGEON Yeovil based reasonably priced.

For a no obligation quote call: 07985-160422 stctreeservices.co.uk

Book your free quote today.

Blandford 01258 447005

Dorchester 01305 231267

Shaftesbury 01747 440426

Sherborne 01935 316221

Warminster 01925 984459

Wincanton 01963 34065

WASTE & HOUSE CLEARANCE SKIP HIRE ALTERNATIVE We do all the Work!

Please call Paul on 01258 440838 or 07853 275379

Rob’s Clearance • •

www.armishaws.com Book online: blackmorevale.net

House, shed, and site clearance Rubbish removed

• Recycling carried out • Good/interesting items bought for cash • Friendly and reliable

01747 839751 or 07956 414896

TARMAC / SURFACING

HOUSE CLEARANCE Plus Sheds, Attics, Garages & Gardens Quality Items Offset Registered Waste Carrier

-MACHINE OR HAND LAY -OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE -LOCAL AUTHORITY APPROVED -PRIVATE & COMMERCIAL WORKS UNDERTAKEN -ALL ASPECTS OF SURFACING, ROADS, DRIVES, FOOTPATHS & DROP KERBS CONTACT US FOR A FREE QUOTE ON 01747 820234 OR EMAIL INFO@CGSURFACING.CO.UK C&G SURFACING LTD, THE DEPOT, LONGCROSS, ZEALS

Tel: 01258 440838 or 07853 275379 enquiries@back2market.com www.

.com

WINDOWS & DOORS BLACKMORE WINDOWS AND DOORS. Locally based company in Stalbridge with 25 years experience. All your window and door needs undertaken, from repairs to replacement. Contact Terry on 07514224712 or find me on Facebook and WhatsApp. FREE QUOTATIONS.

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Announcements

blackmorevale.net

PUBLIC NOTICES

DEATHS

Goods vehicle operator’s licence:

MAUREEN ROSSITER

Newlands Mogul Ltd trading as L Skinner Horizontal Directional Drilling of Newlands Farm, Milton on Stour, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 5PX is applying for a licence to use Newlands Farm, Milton on Stour, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 5PX as an operating centre for 2 goods vehicles and 0 trailers.

Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE, 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 at www.gov.uk/object-hgv operator-licence.

RETIREMENT WISHING JANET A WONDERFUL, WELL DESERVED RETIREMENT Since 1982, Janet has welcomed more than 111 babies and toddlers through her door, nurturing each one from their earliest days into happy, confident, school-ready children.

That is generations of local families who have trusted her with their little ones, and hundreds of children who have thrived under her care. Her dedication was recognised with an Ofsted Outstanding rating, the highest award a childminder can achieve, but the truest measure of her work is the warmth and affection of the families she has looked after.

Ask any of them and the same words come up again and again: patient, kind, and endlessly loving.

Find Us Online

53

www.blackmorevale.net

DEATHS LAWFORD Patricia Mary - ‘Patsy’ Passed away peacefully in Westminster Memorial Hospital on Saturday 4th July, aged 93 years, of Gillingham.

Much loved by her family and friends.

Funeral service at Salisbury Crematorium on Thursday, 6th August at 1.00pm. Family flowers only please.

Donations if desired, in memory of Patsy, for RNLI can be made online at peterjacksonfuneralservices.co.uk Alternatively, donations may be sent: C/o Peter Jackson Funeral Services, Harwood House, Newbury, Gillingham, SP8 4QJ. Tel: 01747 833757

Peacefully passed away on 7 July 2026, with her children by her side. Beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and sister. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew and loved her.

IRIS HULL Passed away on July 10th aged 94.

Dearly loved Wife of Michael and Mother to Caroline, Richard, Sheena and Quinton, Grandmother and Great Grandmother.

Funeral Service to be held at Salisbury Crematorium on August 14th at 11am. Donations if desired for RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind people)

John Arthur Adams It is with great sadness that we announce that John passed away on 3rd July 2026 at Yeovil Hospital, aged 94.

Much loved Husband, Father, Grandad, Great-Grandad and Friend.

Funeral service will be held at Salisbury Crematorium on Tuesday 4th August at 1pm.

Family flowers only please but donations if desired for the Salvation Army.

WENDY ELIZABETH EASTMOND On 13th July 2026 peacefully at home aged 66 years.

Of Shaftesbury. Funeral service to take place at St James Church, Shaftesbury on Tuesday 4th August at 11:00am No flowers please but donations if desired to Weldmar Hospicecare andBooBs – Breast Cancer Awareness, 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

KEITH DAVIES On 15th July 2026, Keith, of Shaftesbury, died peacefully in The Mellowes Care Home, Gillingham, aged 88 years. A much-loved husband to Chris, loving Dad, Grandpa and Great Grandpa. He was loved by all and will be sadly missed. Private cremation.

A service of Thanksgiving to take place at Bell Street United Church, Shaftesbury, on Monday 10th August at 2:00pm.

No flowers please but donations, if desired, to The Stars Appeal, Salisbury District Hospital. Donations 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

54

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Announcements

blackmorevale.net

DEATHS ROBERT DUNCAN ALLAN ‘Bob’ passed away peacefully on 12th July aged 94.

After a private family cremation there will be a service of Thanksgiving for his life in St. Peter’s Church, Pimperne on 5th August at 2.30 p.m. followed by tea at Bryanston School. Please wear something cheerful, and we would be grateful if you could let us know on RDAthanksgivingRSVP@gmail.com if you are coming.

STEPHEN FRICKER of Hethersett, Norfolk, and previously of Marnhull and Huntingford, Dorset, passed away peacefully at Norwich Hospital on 20th July 2026, aged 90. Beloved husband of late Jessie Fricker, father of Julie and Lorna, and proud grandfather of five. Funeral service takes place at St. Simon and St. Jude’s, Milton-on-Stour, on Tuesday, 11th August at 11:30 a.m. Family flowers only please, donations if desired for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Trust, c/o Peter Jackson Funeral Services, Harwood House, Newbury, Gillingham SP8 4QJ Tel:01747-833757

Susan Carole Hawkins Peacefully at home on 3rd July 2026, Sue aged 75 years.

Dearly loved Wife, Mum and Grandma. Funeral service at St. Mary’s Church, Templecombe on Friday 7th August at 11.30am. No formal attire required. Please celebrate Sue with a spot of colour. Sue’s family invite you to join them after the service to celebrate her life at their family home. If you are able to attend, please let Paul know. Family flowers only and please consider a donation in honour of Sue to one of the following charities Save the Elephants or St. Margarets Hospice care.

Donations can be made online at peterjacksonfuneralservices.co.uk.

STICKLAND Gordon William Peacefully on 9th July 2026 at Bramley House Care Home, age 97 years. Formerly of Triangle Farm, Stalbridge.

Beloved husband of the late Therese. Much loved Dad of Diana, Gary, Donald and the late Trevor and Stephen.

Funeral service at Yeovil Crematorium on Monday 24th August at 2pm. In memory of Gordon, please wear something colourful to the service. No flowers.

Donations if desired for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Trust can be made online at peterjacksonfuneralservices.co.uk or cheques payable to the charity may be sent to Peter Jackson Funeral Services, The Old Reading Room, Shaftesbury Road, Henstridge, BA8 0PP Tel 01963 362570

BRENDA JOAN BIRT BRENDA of Sturminster Newton passed away peacefully on 19th July aged 82 years. Much loved wife to David, Mother to Martin and Christopher, Nanna and great friend to so many.

Funeral Service at St. Mary’s Church, Sturminster Newton on Monday 17th August 12pm. Please wear a splash of colour for Brenda. Family flowers only please, but donations if desired for the Mothers’ Union and the Mission to Seafarers may be sent to Grassby & Close Funeral Service, 4 Innes Court, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1BB, Tel: 01258 471024 or made online by visiting www.grassbyclose-funeral.co.uk

WILKS William Edward - ‘Bill’ Peacefully on 21st July 2026 in Yeovil District Hospital, aged 92 years, of Bourton. Beloved husband of Gwendaline.

Much loved father, grandfather and great grandfather.

Dearly loved brother and friend.

Funeral service at St. George’s Church, Bourton on Friday, 7th August at 1.30pm. No flowers please.

Donations if desired, in memory of Bill for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Trust can be made online at peterjacksonfuneralservices.co.uk

BRONWEN KEIRLE

Advertising made simple 01963 400186 adverts@blackmorevale.net

On 22nd July 2026 peacefully in Millbrook House, care home, Child Oakford aged 95 years. Of Shaftesbury.

A much-loved Mum, Nanny, Great Nanny and Great Great Nanny who will be greatly missed but not forgotten. Funeral service to take place at St Peter’s Church, Shaftesbury on Friday 28th August at 11:00am.

Private Cremation. No flowers please but donations if desired to Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research 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

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Announcements

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

DEATHS H E L P I N G YO U E V E RY S T E P O F T H E WAY H E L P I N G YO U E V E RY S T E P O F T H E WAY

Jonathan Hugh Randall Hosford Jonny died aged 93 on the morning of July 23rd at Dorset County Hospital having lived long, well and close to the land. He will be greatly missed by all his family. The funeral will start with a procession from Knighton Dairy House, Durweston, DT11 0QA at 1.45pm on Wednesday August 19th 2026.

This will be followed by the service at St Nicholas Church, Durweston at 2.30pm. After the service there will be a celebration on The Meadows at Knighton Dairy House, Durweston. Donations to Guide Dogs for the Blind.

GOULD, AUSTEN Passed away at home on 10th July 2026, aged 72 years. Funeral service will be held on Thursday 13th August 2026 at 11am at Harbour Lodge, Harbour View Crematorium, BH16 6AN. If desired, donations can be made in memory of Austen to Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance and The National Trust via www.harbourview.co.uk.

Book online: blackmorevale.net

Your Local Local Your Funeral Professionals Professionals Funeral • Unattended funerals starting • Unattended from £995 funerals starting from £995 • Tailored and unique • Tailored unique Attendedand Funerals Attended Funerals • Prepaid funeral plans • Prepaid funeral plans also available also available • Local knowledge and expertise • Local expertise with aknowledge reputationand for quality with a reputation for quality that is second to none that is second to none • Reassurance that your • Reassurance your loved one willthat be looked loved one utmost will be looked after with care and after with utmost care and professionalism professionalism

BRACHER BROTHERS FUNERAL DIRECTORS BRACHER BROTHERS FUNERAL DIRECTORS Newbury, Gillingham Newell, Sherborne Newbury, Newell, SP8 4QL Gillingham DT9 4EZSherborne SP8 4QL 822494 DT9 4EZ 813479 Tel: 01747 Tel: 01935 Tel: 01747 822494 Tel: 01935 813479 Available 24 hours a day.

Available 24 hours a day.

Find us at: dignityfunerals.co.uk/local

Find us at: dignityfunerals.co.uk/local

Pricing is correct at time of print and is subject to change. Price stated is for an Unattended Funeral.

Pricing is correct at time of print and is subject to change. Price stated is for an Unattended Funeral.

To place an obituary or remembrance advertisement in

The New Blackmore Vale Magazine

Still a family run business, serving Dorset communities since 1861 Colin J. Close Funeral Service

please call us on

01963 400186 or www. blackmorevale.net

Peel Close, BLANDFORD FORUM Tel: (01258) 453133 www.close-funeral.co.uk

Grassby & Close Funeral Service Innes Ct, STURMINSTER NEWTON Tel: (01258) 471024 www.grassbyclose-funeral.co.uk

Grassby Funeral Service 27a High Street, SHAFTESBURY

Tel: (01747) 440815 www.grassbyshaftesbury-funeral.co.uk

• Service Chapels • Direct Funerals • Memorial Masons

55

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

Brister&Son

The New Blackmore Vale Magazine

Independent Family Funeral Directors

DEADLINES

When your family suffers the loss of a loved one, we are here to support, guide and reassure you every step of the way

Display ads must be booked by Wednesday the week prior to publication, with final copy submitted by the Friday.

Classified ads may be accepted after this, HOWEVER these will be subject to space.

Please call Teresa or Daniel for an appointment 100 Lenthay Road, Sherborne DT9 6AG Email: info@wsbrister.com 01935 812647

Proudly serving your local community

01747 860 361

Woodside Court, Woodside Dairy Yard, Sparkford BA22 7LH Email: info@wsbrister.com 01963 850165

Water Street, Mere, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 6DZ

Call us for immediate support, advice, or to find out more about our prepaid funeral plans.

We are here to help 24 hours a day. "

www.wsbrister.com

Independent Family Funeral Directors We've provided compassionate and dignified funeral services for over 100 years together.

Bespoke Cremations & Burials Sherborne:

Direct Cremation

01935 816817

Pre-Payment Scheme Available Wincanton:

01963 31310

www.ajwakely.com

www.lchillandsonfuneraldirectors.co.uk

@

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Recruitment

blackmorevale.net/jobs CHEERFUL PA/CARER to join team helping busy wheelchair user, flexible times, varied role, Tisbury area 07790-524241 ON-CALL WARDEN REQUIRED at Hays Park Retirement Apartments, Shaftesbury, for 1 Weekend a month and 2 nights a week with flexibility to cover sickness/holiday. For more information about the role and pay please contact: Carolyn on 01747 830349 or email us at: hays.park@googlemail.com

ROOFER AND GENERAL MAINTENANCE PERSON required, additionally looking for a labourer as well - full time basis, CIS registered, own tools, we supply van, Wincanton area 20 mile radius please call Allan 07885-723915

CLEANING HELP required for holiday business. South of Sherborne. 4 hours per week, maybe more-times to be discussed. Text/Call: 07762-168130 GARDENER REQUIRED Donhead St Mary SP7 4 hours every two weeks Mow, weed and general garden maintenance Contact pippa@donheadhall.co.uk. Tel: 07836-548844

The New

Blackmore Vale

Magazine

BLACKMORE VALE JOBS GROUP

NOW ON Facebook

Boarding and Day Prep and Pre-Prep School Part Time Minibus Driver

Deadline to place your advert is the Friday before publication.

GROUNDSMAN/ GARDENER to join a friendly and hardworking team. Enjoy landscaping, Horticulture, and outdoor maintenance, then join us in Mid Dorset.

Competitive salary. Email: headgardener25@gmail.com

57

Required for September

STALBRIDGE HALL Stalbridge Hall Management Committee are looking to fill Caretaking and Cleaning roles at the hall.

These are paid, part time roles with flexible working hours.

To register your interest, email your contact details and any relevant information to the email address below. stal.hall@outlook.com

Unit 5, Pulham Business Park, Pulham, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7DX www . pulhamsteels . co . uk

WE HAVE CURRENT VACANCIES FOR...

Warehouse Personnel - for order picking Lorry Loaders - Steel Preservation Line & Saw Operatives HGV Driver - for multidrop deliveries

Applicants MUST be highly safety concious, accurate and reliable, with the ability to work as a team.

TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ALL POSITIONS IF REQUIRED

We are looking for a driver to join our team for morning and afternoon school runs. Weekdays during term time only.

For further details, please visit the school website or contact: Rupert Burnell-Nugent, Sandroyd, Rushmore, Tollard Royal, Nr Salisbury, SP5 5QD Tel: 01725 516329 | bursar@sandroyd.com | www.sandroyd.org Sandroyd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This post involves contact with children and is classed as “regulated activity” by the UK government. As such, a number of mandated pre-employment checks (including an enhanced DBS check) will be undertaken to ensure that the successful candidate is suitable for work with children. Additionally, suitability for work with children will be assessed by taking up appropriate references and at interview. Finally, candidates should be aware that this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020

An award-winning prep school for ages 2-13, situated between Gillingham and Shaftesbury, Dorset

MINIBUS DRIVER

We are seeking a minibus driver to provide a safe, punctual, and reliable minibus transport service for pupils of the school, always ensuring their well-being during pick-up and drop-off journeys.

The role supports the smooth daily operation of the school by assisting with transportation needs and upholding high standards of care and professionalism.

The hours of work for this role are term time only (32 weeks per year), typically early mornings and late afternoons.

There may also be a need for occasional additional hours as required.

A kind, caring and cheerful nature is essential.

For full details of the role and application procedure, please visit our website at portregis.com/vacancies or scan the QR code below. Early applications encouraged.

Please apply by emailing your CV to: phil.cahill@pulhamsteels.co.uk neil.cahill@pulhamsteels.co.uk tony.bailey@pullhamsteels.co.uk Or call 01300 345110 for more details

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.

58

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Health & Wellbeing

Meditations in nature: Dawn in the Guadalevín valley

by Susanna Curtin I AM once again in Andalucía, staying in Ronda for my annual immersion in the art of flamenco guitar. This romantic place has settled deep into my soul and calls me back year after year.

Balanced upon a plateau encircled by the Serranía de Ronda mountains, it is famous for its iconic bridge, the Puente Nuevo, which straddles the 128-metre-deep El Tajo gorge high above the Guadalevín river.

On one side is La Ciudad, the ancient Moorish old town, and on the other is El Mercadillo, the 15th century ‘new’ town.

Both Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway loved Ronda for its dramatic setting and bullfighting culture. Welles’s ashes are interred on the estate of a famous matador, while Hemingway drew inspiration from the town’s turbulent history in For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Despite its dark history, I feel so at home here. Over the years, I have come to know all of its winding cobbled streets, polished smooth by generations

of passing feet, and the quiet courtyards and viewpoints where sheer cliffs drop away into the gorge below. There are Moorish palaces, impressive squares and hidden gardens, all surrounded by the mountains and wilderness that embrace the town from every direction, seamlessly blending nature and culture.

Although I come primarily for its music, I am equally drawn to its exceptional birdlife. From the cliffs it is possible to watch lesser and common kestrels, crag martins, pallid and alpine swifts, rock doves and peregrine falcons. For butterfly enthusiasts, blues, coppers and swallowtails drift among the garden flowers.

There are also lizards, snakes, moths and antlions that together add to the spirit of this unique place and my desire to explore the wilderness that surrounds the city.

The time-worn dirt trails that weave through the landscape around Ronda are known as caminos. For centuries, they have carried shepherds tending their flocks, muleteers transporting goods, traders

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blackmorevale.net journeying between villages, bandits and pilgrims making their way across the mountains.

These routes once linked Ronda with the surrounding white villages and isolated mountain farms. From the terrace of my clifftop hotel, I find myself drawn to these meandering paths. And so, this morning, I am out on an adventure before the intense heat takes hold of the day. Starting just before dawn, a fellow guitarist and I set out on a circular walk to explore the natural beauty of the Guadalevín valley. The choughs that have always frequented the El Tajo sadly seem to have moved on, yet we know there is a huge flock of them that fly over the valley just as the sun rises, and they are what we are particularly hoping to see.

Leaving the city behind us, we descend through a line of umbrella-shaped stone pines and tall, elegant cypress trees. With the steadily increasing light, pipistrelle bats make haste for their roost, and a chorus of birdsong surrounds us as we skip over the rocky terrain. Turning left and descending into the valley, we follow the path that takes us to the shores of the babbling river. As we take off our shoes and socks to wade through it, it is hard to imagine that this innocuous little stream is the same torrent of water that, in autumn and winter, has helped to carve El Tajo. Further along the route, we stop to admire umbellifer seed heads, yellow hawkweeds and the purple flowers of wild artichokes.

Beyond them, fields of sunflowers glow in the first rays of sunlight, creating a bright yellow haze. Here, large flocks

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of Spanish sparrows gather alongside the occasional stonechat. Around the next bend we meet a shepherd with his sheepdogs driving an enormous herd of goats from one field to the next. We both look on in awe at this timeless scene. In a world increasingly shaped by technology and rapid change, it is reassuring to know that age-old practices persist.

Eventually approaching the base of the cliffs, we hear the fast, scratchy notes of a Sardinian warbler. A small, restless songbird, it darts between dense shrubs and maquis. It has a long twitching tail, a striking white throat and a red eye-ring. Males have a glossy black head, whereas females and juveniles are a much duller greyish-brown. What a joy it is to see one, as we rarely get them in the UK. But then, on our ascent up the stone steps, we encounter our best find for the morning – a family of spotted flycatchers.

Like the ones back home, they are summer visitors from sub-Saharan Africa that have come to Andalucía to breed.

Known in Spanish as the papamoscas gris, this sleek bird is a strict insectivore loved for its graceful looping flights, darting from one exposed perch to collect insects mid-air and then returning to the same place. We watch with delight as they feed their two chicks.

As we return to civilisation, our thoughts turn to breakfast and the lessons awaiting us.

Although the flock of choughs eluded us, the family of spotted flycatchers and the views across El Tajo more than compensated. n Dr Susie Curtin (email curtin. susanna@gmail.com) DarPod PODIATRY AND CHIROPODY For home visits please ring: 07943-194611 ELDERLY COMPANION AVAILABLE. Whether to cook, clean, housekeep, shop, take on local road trips, or just for some company. With 13yrs experience in Care.

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Health & Wellbeing

blackmorevale.net

Planting herbs to help insects

59

by Fiona Chapman ONE of my greatest pleasures in life is walking through grass land which is humming with insects on a summer day. It is such a peaceful sound, rather like horses munching on hay, and to me, a very hopeful sound as we desperately need our insects to keep the great circle of life going.

Not to show my age, but

when I was a child, I could never leave a light on at night as the room would be inundated by the insects it attracted. Now, there is hardly anything.

I leave lots of my garden to go wild and have planted loads of herbs and wildflowers to try and attract insects and therefore birds and, I hope, other little people – mice, voles and even, if lucky, grass snakes.

I bought some plug plant herbs last year as well, which have come into their own now, and I think have contributed hugely to the insect life. I bought the herbs thinking I would

harvest them to make tea, which I have done, but not to a great extent. I cannot bear to cut them back when they waited all year to flower, and then when I see all the bees attracted to them, I feel I should leave them to it.

I was hoping to harvest lots of St John’s Wort or Hypericum perforatum this year. Loads of plants have been popping up randomly all over the garden, so I have jealously guarded them from my husband and his vinegar – that is the only weed killer allowed – only to find that although they are St John’s Wort, they are not Hypericum

perforatum but Hypericum tetrapterum.

That is a square-stemmed variety, and although it has medicinal properties, it is not as strong as the perforatum variety.

Luckily, I do have perforatum as well, but it is not as abundant, and I didn’t harvest very much, thinking I had a huge crop. It is called the sunshine herb, as it flowers in mid-summer and is a cheerful yellow, and I wanted to make a lovely tea with it for the drab winter months. n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist (email Pellyfiona@gmail.com)

by Kay Parkinson SUMMER arrives each year with a particular set of expectations attached. It should be golden, sociable, full. There should be trips and gatherings and long evenings doing something memorable. Beneath all of that, for many people, sits a quiet anxiety – am I doing it right?

We do not talk much about summer as a source of pressure, yet for many it genuinely is.

Social media intensifies it, offering an endless scroll of beaches, barbecues and beaming families that can make an ordinary Tuesday feel like a quiet failure. If the children are bored, if the budget will not stretch to a holiday, if you are working through July again or if you do not thrive in heat and noise, summer can feel less like a gift and more like something to get through.

Alongside this, a quieter layer often emerges. A sense that you should be enjoying this more.

That other people are doing it better. Shame has a way of taking something already difficult and turning it into something personal. There can also be a particular difficulty for those who struggle in winter and have been hoping summer might bring relief. When it arrives and the underlying difficulty is still there, the disappointment can feel sharp. The season changes,

the self does not quite that easily.

Part of this is biological. Our brains contain systems that regulate mood in response to light, temperature and routine.

When these shift, even in positive ways, the nervous system needs time to adjust. For some, seasonal transitions are genuinely unsettling. This is not simply a matter of mindset.

What can help is a gentle recalibration of expectations.

This is not about lowering them but making them your own rather than borrowed from someone else’s version of summer. What would a good summer look like for your life, your budget, your temperament, your family? A few simple shifts can make a meaningful difference. Keep your plans realistic and shaped around what you enjoy, rather than what you feel you should be doing. Protect your sleep where you can, as it plays a significant role in mood and resilience. Stay connected in small, manageable ways, rather than overwhelming yourself with too much social time.

If you have children at home through the holidays, the relentlessness of that has its own weight. It is reasonable to find parts of it hard. Loving your children and feeling stretched by constant proximity are not in contradiction. Naming that honestly, especially with other parents, often brings relief rather

than judgement.

If summer, like every season before it, passes and you are still finding life persistently difficult, low, exhausted or unable to enjoy things, it may be worth speaking to your GP or a counsellor. Sometimes what looks like a seasonal struggle needs more consistent support.

n Kay Parkinson is an MBACP (Accred) therapist and EMDR practitioner specialising in trauma, loss and shame, as well as pregnancy and birth experiences. She leads a Dorset-based practice offering one-to-one and couples support locally and online www. placetotalktherapies.co.uk

Pressure to have a perfect summer

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60

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Food & Drink

blackmorevale.net

Agatha cooks up a storm

01963 220 317 info@thequeensarms.com www.thequeensarms.com Find us in Corton Denham, just 4 miles from Sherborne

Sit out on our terrace, with views over Somerset and Dorset and try our light lunch menu.

Join us for a burger and a pint every Tuesday for £18.

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TALENTED young Dorset chef Agatha Magill has secured her place in the final of South West Junior Chef of the Year 2026 competition.

Agatha, 15, from Talbot Heath School, Bournemouth, beat five other Dorset-based students to seal her place in the final, impressing expert judges with her skill and creativity.

The award, one category in the South West Chef of the Year Competition, is open to 11 to 16-year-olds.

Entrants have to prepare a main course dish using mainly locally sourced ingredients.

Agatha, who cooked potato scaled flounder in a beurre blanc sauce with lemon drizzled samphire and a cold mint pea dip, now goes forward to the final at Exeter College in October.

Each of the finalists is

hea rt o f

Agatha Magill PHOTO: South West Chef of the Year

supported by one of the competition judges, who will help them to further develop their dishes for the final, while also helping them to build on their skills and confidence in the kitchen.

Agatha will be mentored by Alex Naik, head chef at Thirteen, Poole.

Alex, along with Jamie Jones, chef patron at Yalbury Cottage, Lower Bockhampton, and Alan Kelly, chef lecturer at Coastland College, were the competition judges for the Dorset group.

Dorset

A pub with warmth & atmosphere 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.

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

61

Motoring

blackmorevale.net

Hefty hike in airport drop-off charges SOME 16 of the UK’s 20 busiest airports have increased the charges drivers face for dropping off passengers, with the average cost increasing by a third since last summer, new RAC analysis has found.

In what is now a common annual ritual, the price of dropping off close to airport terminals – in so-called ‘kissand-fly’ zones – rose by an average of £1.70, to £7, compared to this time last year.

London Gatwick and London Stansted charge the highest fees – £10 for 10 minutes and 15 minutes respectively; followed

by Bristol and Edinburgh – £8.50 for 10 minutes, and Leeds, London City and Bournemouth – each £8 for 10, five and 30 minutes respectively.

Four airports have not increased their charges this year, namely Liverpool John Lennon – £6 for 10 minutes, East

Midlands – £5 for 15 minutes, Belfast City – £4 for 10 minutes, and Southampton – £7 for 20 minutes.

But with London City now charging for drop-offs for the first time, all the UK’s top 20 busiest airports now levy a fee – whereas before Covid in 2019, six airports including London Heathrow and Gatwick still offered free convenient drop-offs.

The decision by airports to charge drivers for dropping off – a task that can take just moments – is at odds with what’s normal at other major airports around the world. None of the top 10 airports in the EU charge for drop-offs, and neither do many

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other major international airports including Atlanta – the world’s busiest – Dubai, Shanghai and Istanbul.

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “It’s disappointing to see so many airports charging so much for what many regard as a simple act of kindness in dropping off family and friends.

“Having a captive audience should be no excuse for these ‘farewell fees’ – especially when they’re completely at odds with how major airports around the world operate. Of course, airports need to manage the limited space they have carefully, but if free, convenient drop-off zones work

at so many other international airports then why not here?

“The growing number of airports that operate barrierless ‘park now, pay later’ drop-off zones is also something drivers need to be extremely careful of.

Those that drop off but miss the signage, or forget to go online or phone the airport to pay soon afterwards, can face a parking charge notice as high as £100 – a fee that feels distinctly disproportionate to the contravention.

“We certainly recommend drivers explore the free shortterm parking options many airports offer but make themselves aware of just how long they’re permitted to park for. Those that plan on accompanying their passengers to the terminal and then coming back to their cars will almost certainly outstay the free period, which can end up being extremely costly.”

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62

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Motoring

blackmorevale.net

FJ Chalke and Haynes Motor Museum Drive New Partnership to Support Automotive Heritage and Education ADVERTISING FEATURE

F

J Chalke Business Centre and Haynes Motor Museum have launched a new partnership celebrating their shared commitment to motoring, engineering and community engagement.

As part of the partnership, FJ Chalke Business Centre has provided a Mitsubishi L200 to Haynes Motor Museum to support its programme of events, educational initiatives and outreach activities across the South West and beyond.

The vehicle was presented by Ross Fowler, Business Centre Manager at FJ Chalke Business Centre, to Haynes Motor Museum CEO Chris Scudds, marking the start of a collaboration focused on preserving automotive heritage and inspiring future generations.

Home to the UK’s largest collection of cars and motorcycles, Haynes Motor Museum welcomes more than 125,000 visitors each year while delivering a busy programme of exhibitions, motoring events and STEM education. The Mitsubishi L200 will help transport historic vehicles and support the Museum’s learning and outreach work.

The partnership brings together two organisations with strong automotive heritage. Haynes Motor Museum has spent more than 40 years inspiring enthusiasts and educating young people, while FJ Chalke has remained a family-owned business since its founding in 1929.

Ross Fowler, Business Centre Manager at FJ Chalke Business Centre, said:

“This partnership is about much more than supplying a vehicle. FJ Chalke and Haynes Motor Museum share a genuine passion for the automotive industry and a commitment to supporting our local communities.

We’re proud that the Ross Fowler, Business Centre Manager Mitsubishi L200 will help at FJ Chalke Business Centre, presents the Museum continue its the Mitsubishi L200 to Haynes Motor Museum CEO Chris Scudds, marking the work preserving motoring start of a new partnership supporting history and inspiring the automotive heritage, education and next generation through community engagement. education and outreach.”

The partnership also includes joint marketing activity and opportunities to engage audiences through the Museum’s established events and outreach programme.

Chris Scudds, CEO of Haynes Motor Museum, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with FJ Chalke. The Mitsubishi L200 will play a vital role in supporting our programme of events and educational activities. It will help us transport historic vehicles, expand our outreach work and bring the Museum’s collections and stories to wider audiences. We are proud to work alongside a family business that shares our values and passion for preserving automotive heritage.”

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2019 (19) Mitsubishi ASX 1.6 Juro 5dr. 115bhp, high seating, big boot, miles .........................................................................................................£12250 reverse camera, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, partial leather, heated 2017 (17) Vauxhall Astramiles 1.4 ................................................................£7950 SRi 5dr. 100bhp, petrol, 5 speed manual gearbox, seats, hill holder, 82,500 auto lights & wipers, parking sensors, cruise control, pre-collision assist, sign

2019 (19) Peugeot 2008 1.2 Signature 5dr. 82bhp, cambelt kit replaced, recognition, hill hold, Bluetooth, 63,600 miles ..............................................£6950 auto lights & wipers, cruise control, hill holder, sat nav via car play, mirror 2016 (66) Vauxhall Mokka 33,700 1.6CDTimiles SE 4x4 SUV 5dr. 136bhp, diesel, 6 speed screening, parking sensors, ...............................................£8250

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2005 (55) Subaru Legacy 2.0 R Estate 5dr. 162bhp, clearance bargain, MOT June steering wheel, auto lights & wipers, cruise control, parking sensors, hill hold, 27, old so not &perfect, cheap 4 wheel drive load miles lugger,....................................£7250 153,000 miles ............£1650 performance economy, upto 60mpg, 65,500

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63

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Motoring

blackmorevale.net

Drivers feel the heat

THE AA is warning drivers that hot, uncomfortable nights and dehydration can lead to tired commutes, lapses in concentration and shorter tempers on the road in the heatwaves the UK has been experiencing this summer.

It is urging commuters, work drivers and school-run motorists to take extra care if they have slept badly, feel irritable or are facing delays in heavy traffic in the heat.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “Hot weather, heavy traffic and tired drivers are not a good mix.

“If people have struggled to sleep in the heat, they may be less patient, less focused and

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more likely to make mistakes on the morning commute.

“DriveTech, the driver training arm of The AA, has highlighted how dehydration can seriously affect driver performance in a similar way to drink or drugs.

“In this heat, keeping water in the car is not just about comfort, it is about safety.

“Road rage can escalate quickly, especially when people are uncomfortable and rushing.

“Stay calm, avoid reacting to other drivers, keep a safe distance and remember that everyone else is dealing with the same heat.

“If you feel too tired to drive, delay your journey if you can.

“If you start to feel drowsy behind the wheel, stop somewhere safe and take a proper break.”

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Looking to sell your car? advertise it in The New Blackmore Vale! email:

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• Cars - Vans - 4x4 • MOT Failures • Runners / Non-Runners • Unfinished Projects • Minimum of £200 paid on Scrap Vehicles • Full DVLA paper work completed • Payment on collection

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64

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Pets

blackmorevale.net

How to get the most out of a vet visit

by Lynn Broom BVSc, GPCert(ExAP), AdvDipAAB, MRCVS A VET will use a patient’s history to determine the likely cause of your pet’s symptoms.

If this history is inaccurate or missing important information it can dramatically affect the accuracy of a possible diagnosis, treatment options or the choice of further investigations.

If your pet is unwell, try to be observant of anything that is different to normal that may be relevant. For instance, if your pet has stopped eating, knowing if they are passing normal faeces is essential to differentiate between gastrointestinal conditions and other causes such as pain.

While it is tempting to provide your pet’s history from when you got them 10 years ago, this can lead to important details being lost in the information overload.

Significant previous illnesses and diagnoses should be mentioned, as should episodes of similar symptoms to the current issue including response to treatment. For example, if a previous episode of vomiting

was diagnosed as pancreatitis this should be mentioned. Your clinician may interrupt you to try to ensure the history stays relevant – they are not intending to be rude but want to keep answers relevant to the current situation.

As a clinician it is frustrating – and common – to get two different answers to the same question when two owners are present. It is helpful to ensure that answers are correct to allow

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a more accurate diagnosis. For instance, if you believe your pet is eating normally but your partner has seen that Fred’s bowl has not been cleared fully for the last few days, then please ensure this is clarified.

A very common problem is when someone – a partner or neighbour – is sent in with the patient but does not know the answer to questions. If you are the primary carer but cannot attend the appointment, please either ensure the person attending is fully informed, you are available to speak to the vet on the phone during the consult or you write a comprehensive history of your concerns to be taken to the appointment.

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their history is not available.

Please also report if you have been able to dose your pet as advised or whether they will not take the medication or have, for instance, vomited it back up – and how long after it was given.

If your pet has not eaten please put this into context so that we can determine how relevant it is. For instance, if a labrador who usually hoovers up every single crumb that hits the floor is refusing treats this is highly relevant. If, however, your fussy Yorkie did not eat his breakfast, but this is common for him, then it may not be relevant to his current issue.

Please monitor your dog’s urination and defaecation. Are they going more often, has the volume or colour changed or are they going indoors when they normally wouldn’t? Checking what your dog is passing is important to monitor changes.

Reporting that they don’t have diarrhoea simply because you haven’t seen what they are passing can lead to misdiagnoses.

It is helpful to report what you have already tried and your pet’s response. For instance, have you already tried a bland diet or given paracetamol? It is also helpful to report recent changes such as your pet being in kennels, a change in food or a new family pet.

An accurate history can make the difference between an accurate likely diagnosis and expensive testing for irrelevant conditions that could have been ruled out by a more complete history.

KITTENS FREE to a good home. Tel: 01747-828736 MINIATURE WIREHAIRED DACHSHUND puppies, 3 boys ready mid August Tel 07790-430280

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Pets

blackmorevale.net

Balancing children and a new puppy: Creating a happy and safe home for everyone

by Raychel Curson BRINGING a new puppy into a home with children can be exciting, chaotic and a little overwhelming all at once.

Puppies are full of energy, curiosity and sharp little teeth, while children are often eager, enthusiastic and sometimes unsure of boundaries. Without clear structure, that combination can lead to stress for both.

The goal isn’t perfection – it’s creating a calm, predictable environment where both children and puppy can build a positive relationship safely.

Set clear expectations early BEFORE the puppy arrives, it helps to explain basic rules to children in simple terms: n No picking the puppy up without an adult n No disturbing the puppy when sleeping or eating n Gentle hands only – no hugging tightly or chasing n Always sit down when interacting with the puppy Children often want to engage constantly, but puppies also need plenty of rest – sometimes up to 18-20 hours a day.

Teach calm, structured interaction ENCOURAGE children to interact in calm, controlled ways: n Sitting on the floor while the puppy approaches

65

MID DORSET CATS PROTECTION Cats looking for new homes

The Mid Dorset branch of Cats Protection has a number of cats still needing veterinary care before being homed.

The group is also looking for people to foster cats and has other roles available in the branch.

To enquire about any of these roles or cats for rehoming, phone 07831 586114.

Raychel Curson

n Offering treats with flat hands – if appropriate n Gentle stroking on the puppy’s shoulders or chest n Short, supervised play sessions n This helps prevent overexcitement, which can lead to nipping or jumping.

Supervision is essential NEVER leave young children and puppies alone together. Even well-meaning interactions can become overwhelming or unsafe quickly. Supervision allows you to: n Redirect rough play early n Help children understand puppy body language n Prevent accidental reinforcement of unwanted behaviours Give the puppy safe space PUPPIES need downtime away from activity. A crate, pen or quiet area gives them somewhere to rest without interruption. Teach children that when the puppy is in their safe space, they are ‘off duty’ and should not be disturbed.

Balancing children and a new puppy is about structure, supervision and teaching gentle respect on both sides. With clear boundaries and consistent guidance, children learn empathy and responsibility, while your puppy learns confidence and trust. When managed well, it becomes a rewarding experience where both grow up learning how to understand and respect each other. n Raychel Curson BSc (Hons) MA CCAB APBC-CAB FABC ABTC-CAB is owner of Pet Peeves Animal Behaviour & Teaching (email raychel@ petpeevessomerset.co.uk).

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66

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Sport

blackmorevale.net

Ravens reach out to girls THE Ravens girls’ rugby team have found a new home at Castle Cary RFC and are inviting girls of all abilities to try out the sport.

They say interest in girls’ rugby has never been higher, owing to the success of England’s Red Roses and the growing profile of the women’s game.

Team manager Emma Sayer said: “Whether you’ve never picked up a rugby ball before or you’re an experienced player looking for a new club, everyone is welcome.

“Training takes place every

RUGBY Tuesday from 6.30pm at Castle Cary RFC in a fun, supportive and inclusive environment where players can develop their skills, make new friends and enjoy being part of a team.”

In the long-term, the club want to develop a girls’ pathway that will lead to the creation of a women’s team at Castle Cary RFC. That would give local players the opportunity to play rugby without leaving the area.

The Ravens are also seeking support from local businesses and organisations through

The youngsters have a new home at Castle Cary RFC

sponsorship as the girls’ section continues to grow.

Funding will help provide playing equipment, training resources, match kit and opportunities for player development, ensuring rugby

Raft race fun for youngsters IT was thrills and spills all round during the annual Salisbury & South Wilts District Scout Raft Races.

The event was held on the Nadder, with the permission of Salisbury Canoe Club, at a site off Newton Road.

Teams of Scouts competed in timed runs over the 100-metre course, which this year included two slalom gates, in two age groups – School years 6 and 7 and Years 8 and 9.

The fastest two teams in each age group then raced each other in the finals, with a final of a straight race down the river for the two finalists to decide the winner.

“The Scouts spent several weeks designing and building rafts and practising their paddling and teamwork,” a spokesperson said.

Salisbury A race to victory in the Year 6 and 7 final PHOTO: Mark Warner

remains accessible to girls of all backgrounds.

Anyone interested in joining the Ravens or businesses interested in becoming a sponsor can email ravensgirls rugby@outlook.com

“The rafts had to be built by the Scouts and had to include evidence of rope lashings to hold them together.”

A total of 17 teams from Bourne Valley, 23rd Salisbury, 4th Salisbury (Harnham), 1st Amesbury, 10th Salisbury and 3rd Salisbury (Sea Scouts) Scout Troops took to the starting line throughout the day.

The fastest times in the Year 6 & 7 category were 23rd Salisbury Team A with 1 minute 57 seconds and second were Bourne Valley with 1 minute 55

seconds.

The two teams contested the final in a head-to-head race with the 23rd taking an early lead and managing to stay afloat, cruised over the finishing line.

In the Year 8 & 9 category the qualifiers for the final were Bourne Valley Team 2 with 1 minute 51 seconds and 4th Salisbury (Harnham) Team A with 1 minute 50 seconds.

In the head-to-head race it was very tightly contested over the first section of the course but Bourne Valley gained the

middle of the river and pulled away over the length of the course, powering over the finish line.

The fastest time of the day down the course was 1 minutes 50 seconds by the 4th Salisbury (Harnham) A Year 8 and 9 team.

Mark Warner, PR and media team lead, said: “The raft races are always keenly contested and it’s great to see the Scouts having a fantastic time on the water and all of the different raft designs from each Scout Troop.

“Congratulations to this year’s worthy winners – Bourne Valley and the 23rd Salisbury.”

At the end of the racing, the event also included a Donkey Derby Fun Race with all competitors on the water.

“Many thanks go to Salisbury Canoe Club for hosting the races,” Mark added.

69, 2 Kevin George nett 69 ocb, 3 Richard Strong nett 69.

Seniors Monthly Nine-Hole Medal – July 14: 1 David Hallett nett 30, 2 Alan Armstrong nett 35, 3 Dave Shean nett 36.

Seniors Roll Up Stableford

– July 17: 1 Nick Young 24, 2 David Ivey 22, 3 John Wolstenholme 21.

Monthly Medal – July 18: 1 Jim Stephen nett 64, 2 Charlie King nett 71, 3 Terry Ings nett 76.

Ron Smith Trophy – July

21: 1 Colin Jacobs nett 61, 2 Pete Starkey nett 62 ocb, 3 Richard Strong nett 62.

Ron Smith 9 Hole Trophy – July 21: 1 Jon Reed nett 30 ocb, 2 Malcolm Faulkner nett 30, 3 Geoff Lye nett 33 ocb, 4 Alan White nett 33.

GOLF WINCANTON Golf Club results.

Jigger anniversary – July 11: 1 Charlie King 39, 2 David Amann 37, 3 Kevin Bieda 35.

Seniors Monthly Medal – July 14: 1 Andy Blandford nett

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Sport

blackmorevale.net

Ellie wins young achiever award TRAMPOLINIST Ellie Tompkins has won Wimborne Rotary Club’s young achiever award.

Ellie, 14, from West Parley, won the 2026 John Thornton Young Achiever of the Year award, funded by Wimborne Rotary, in partnership with the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation.

She won a bursary of £500 which she used to help her take part in the Nissen Cup in Switzerland, where she qualified for the final in the 15-16 female category.

Ellie was part of the GB Development Squad from 2022-24 and was selected last year for the England Junior

67

Ellie Tompkins in competition PHOT0: Vorx Digital

TRAMPOLINING Squad for 2025.

In July last year, she represented England at her first international competition, the Scalabis Cup in Portugal, where she qualified in fifth place resulting in her first international final, and finished sixth overall.

She then qualified to the English Championships in Coventry, from two qualifying events, and reached the final.

Ellie came away from the event winning her age group and becoming English Champion 13-14 Women 2025.

In October last year, she represented England at the Loule Cup, her second

International, where she made the top eight and qualified for her second international final in second place, with a personal best. In the final she came third, obtaining her first international medal for England.

Ellie also became South West Under 15s champion in the Southwest Closed Championship last December.

Wimborne Rotary president Brian Dryden said: “We are delighted to present this year’s award to Ellie, who by her achievements has demonstrated all the qualities we would wish to see in young people today.

“Ellie is to be congratulated on her achievements to date and we wish her well for her future success.”

Shaftesbury were in action against Laverstock and Ford

Rockies gear up for new season

by Avril Lancaster

SHAFTESBURY FC had an away win when they beat Laverstock & Ford 2-0 at The Dell in a pre-season friendly.

The Rockies’ goals against the Wessex League Premier Division play-off finalists came through Dawid Regula and Jack Hoey.

Manager Josh Staunton and assistant Steve Rutter saw it as

FOOTBALL

Houses do battle on sports day STUDENTS at The Blandford School finally got to enjoy their sports day after a heatwave had led to the event being postponed on the planned date.

Youngsters from the school’s houses – Lacy (Green),

Beaumont (Blue), Montfort (Yellow) and Lancaster (Red) – competed across a range of track and field events, Lancaster ending up as Sports Day Champions.

PHOTOS: Rob Young Images

an important night’s work before the team’s final friendlies against Pitching In Southern League Premier Division sides Wimborne Town and Chippenham Town, and the season’s opener against Bishops Cleeve next Saturday (August PHOTO: Behind 8).

The Fence Photography

GOT A STORY OR REPORT? Then email sports@blackmorevale.net

68

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Items for sale

blackmorevale.net LADIES MOUNTAIN BIKE, gwo, good tyres, £50.

Tel: 07770-778740

CLASSIFIED ADS VAST SELECTION OF CD’s. Covering last 40-50years. All eras, £2 each, 10 for £15. for more information.

Tel: 01747-812527 DURESTA BEAMINSTER 3-seater sofa, 2-seater sofa and armchair. Good condition £400 07794-064608.

FOR SALE. WELLIS, SOLID HOT TUB, owing to disability. Good condition, hardly used, offers. Tel: 01963-362962 /07939-427299

70 FRENCH CLAY TILES ‘Tuileries de le forest pdc’.

Any offers 01305-265726.

UNUSED OFF-CUT OF QUALITY CARPET. 7ft3”x8ft9” Light beige less than half price £85.

07768-435343 anytime.

SUN, GENTS PUSHBIKE, all gears, needs a bit of TLC, sensible offers; Tel: 07770-778740 (Collectors Piece) GoGo MOBILITY SCOOTER, excellent condition, no longer required. £300.

Tel: 01963-251283

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS TROPICAL THEME ALOHA COLLECTION rug by Nourison 160cmm x 226cm Good condition £30 07969-288043 SAMSUNG 26” TV, LE26A336J1DXXU plus remote. Fully working. £20 Ono. Call 01747 841101 ELECTRIC HOOK UP REELS, for Camping. £30 ono. Also camping bits and pieces. (Blandford) Tel: 01258-455407, 07486-682917

MODEL RAILWAY TRACK 00 gauge £20, Oak dining table £20. 07791 847767 KING SIZE DIVAN BASE, no mattress excellent condition,free to good home.

Tel: 07561-893789 FREEZER, UNDER COUNTER, VGC, £45.

Tel: 01258-452749 ALUMINIUM RETRO GARDEN BAR set, table+ 4 chairs, good condition for age.

Collect Stalbridge. £30 Tel. 07717 717803

OCTAGONAL TEAK GARDEN folding table 4ft dia.

4 folding garden chairs. Very robust. Free on collection.

Castle Cary 01963 359463

LIGHT OAK VENEER 6-shelf unit,W80cm, D33cm, H193cm.

Good condition. £30. Collect Stalbridge 01963 364001

COMMODE NEW NEVER USED, (chair model) + new box commode liners. Photos available. £50 , 07760-776792

TOWER BRAND MIXER, complete with bowl,Dough and mixer blades, whisk . unused gift .£40. Call 07789-676689

EXTENDING ELECTRIC HEDGE CUTTER, excellent condition, little used £50.

Tel: 07886-538350

CLEAN KING DOUBLE MATTRESS and Argos pine base (would need assembly help available) £30 01963 548243

ELECTRIC HEDGE TRIMMER, good condidtion, £15. Tel: 07833-641242 MICROWAVE - perfect working order - £15 tel 01747-822422 BARGAIN! TomTom CAR SATNAV, Go Basic. Only used once. £50. Tel: 01963-31930

INDOOR WALKER WITH BRAKES, adjustable height, easy to fold. Good condition. £40 tel: 01935 706338 TWO ADULT SIZE BIKES with panniers and a full set of golf clubs for £30. Good condition but dusty. Buyer collects. Tel: 07538 363661

FISHING GEAR. 2x7ft boat rods, 10ft pier rod, 13ft beach caster plus 2x river rods. 5x assorted reels and stocked tackle box. £50. (Sherborne) Tel: 07471-207357 5 STEP ALUMINIUM STEP ladder. £10. 01747-229148 110 FLIP-TOP BEER BOTTLES, 2 plastic buckets, 2x 2 gallon barrels with taps.

1x beer kit. £50.

Tel: 01963-204732 PONY HARNESS, unused, whipe-clean, flash-washable. £50. Tel: 01258-820526 ANTIQUE MAHOGONY SOFA TABLE. Excellent condition, £45. Tel: 07943844356 (Blandford Area) GARDENA ELECTRIC Telescopic Hedge Trimmer. £40. Tel: 01963-251357 FERGUSON STEREOGRAM model 3363 £50 01747-840835 RANSOMES VINTAGE 12” push mower. Needs TLC. Free to collector. Tel: 01747 840317

VAST SELECTION OF CD’s.

Covering last 40-50years. All eras, £2 each, 10 for £15. for more information.

Tel: 01747-812527 TITAN MOTORBIKE SHELTER. 4 years under cover, needs to be collected.

FREE. Tel: 01258-820670 PARTYLITE SYMMETRY 3-in-1 holder featuring 3pcs hand-blown glass. Tealight holder, reed difuser holder & large glass vase. Full instructions included £20 07812-182430 ADBLUE 2 x 10ltrs. Brand new, unopened. £10 07874 266213, Blandford.

SCRABBLE ORIGINAL BOARD GAME. Brand new, original shrinkwrap. £10, 07858 263179, Blandford OAK CORNER TV CABINET £25, 07588 053555 FULL SIZE ADULTS BICYCLE, Nice Condition, with FRONT SUSPENSION, and 18 GEARS. £35. Collect from Gillingham.

Tel: 01747-824240.

SERIOUSREADER BLACK floor lamp dimmable beam perfect £50 07899-691847

CAMPING GAZ BOTTLE, 907, Blue refillable. 2.75 kg. £25.00, 07973-686179 phone or text

CAMPING GAZ BOTTLE, 907, blue, part full, weight is approx 4.5kg so its about 40% full. £30.00 Tel. 07899 745211

2 USED CHICKEN HOUSES, very serviceable, 39”x39” on stilts. Will dismantle to transport.Free. 07905-499477

INDISET WASHING MACHINE, 1100/500 spin, GWO, £49. Tel: 07545-065503 (could possibly deliver)

VANITY SINK white 45x45x45cm. Central mixer tap, copper pipes included. £10.00 01747 838882.

WANTED CIGARETTE CARDS WANTED. Bought for cash.

Fair prices paid. Phone Kevin. 07907-888672 WANTED, MODEL RAILWAY ITEMS (OO or N Guage) Trains, Carriages, Rolling Stock, Skaledale Buildings, Complete Collections or Smaller Items bought, Dont let them gather dust. Call Andrew 07799-417711 OLD BOOKS BOUGHT. Will call by appointment entirely without obligation. Bristow & Garland 07392 602014

WANTED

AIR RIFLES & AIR PISTOLS FOR PRIVATE COLLECTION ANY MAKE OR MODEL, ANY CONDITION

Tel: 07970 742471

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Field & Stream

blackmorevale.net

After another exceptionally dry and hot summer, harvest has started early again this year

Enjoying the last knockings of summer...

by AJ Selby “This morning, the sun endures past dawn. I realise that it is August – the summer’s last stand.” – Sara Baume.

AUGUST. Harvest. It’s the time of year when the combines roll leaving rows of straw ready for baling and a clean stubble for pheasant and partridge, pigeons and crows to glean to their heart’s content. This year, with another exceptionally dry and hot summer, has seen harvest started early again, and as I write this, with 10 days of July remaining, the combines are already into the winter wheat.

Years ago, in a wet summer, it was not uncommon for the wheat harvest to start in the second half of August and often through September. I can remember very late harvests where it was so wet that the ears of wheat were sprouting green shoots while still on the stalk in the ground. That seems just a different time and place now as three of the last four

69

summers have been hot and dry and early.

I love watching the combines roll – just eating up the acres spewing out straw at the back.

Their work reminds oneself that we’re into the second half of the year and harvest time in its older, traditional sense means gathering and storing crops for the winter to feed man and beast. The three main cereals grown in this country are wheat, barley and oats. All three can be grown for livestock food but wheat is also grown for milling for bread, barley for brewing beer and oats for our winter staple of porridge.

I always loved harvesting oats back in the days when I drove a combine, their big swishy heads of fat grains dancing around the header of the combine and into the drum followed by their soft golden straw. Some stubble is ploughed in fairly quickly to be re-drilled in October or early November for another crop of winter wheat or winter barley, but sometimes

it’s left for a few months either to receive slurry or dung on mixed farms, or to leave fallow until early spring when it is prepared for spring barley or other crops such as oilseed rape and maize.

There is still plenty of food around for wildlife, although you would not think so looking at the tired hedgerows of plants limp from the midday heat, and trees that have almost given up their growing and are preparing for a colour change and shedding their leaves. But the stubble offers the spillage of grains and is easy picking for many species, including small finches and sparrows. Hares, which have had plentiful cover in long grass and corn, now look exposed after the harvest of grain and grass, but they’re lovely gentle creatures and I adore watching them lolloping along and stopping every now and again to look around. They don’t seem particularly bothered by human presence, and I’ve often got very close to them by moving very quietly.

In fact, it’s a good way to watch wildlife, either to stand still or just to move very slowly, quietly and unobtrusively. As we move through to the end of summer, most wildlife, be it beast or bird, has a relentless desire to feed, feed and feed.

They are aware that the seasons are changing and they need to stock up on their fat reserves to migrate or hibernate or hoard various foodstuffs for the winter. Already on my walks I can see the green haws of the hawthorn are waiting to plump up in September and October and there are baby sloes, rowanberries, elderberries and hazelnuts aplenty as well as green blackberries, ash keys and the immature, spiky shells of the sweet chestnut which will fill out by October.

The rivers are running low with the lack of rain, so it’s often a good place to watch for birds in particular as they will frequently visit for a drink during the day. Fish too may suffer from these low flows but walking round my regular routes I’m sure the ground was more parched and burnt this time of year last year than now, probably due to the very wet winter that we had six or seven months ago which increased soil moisture.

It has been an exceptional butterfly year this year and oh my goodness don’t we just need as many pollinators as possible to keep their populations up.

Any sunny walk will enable you to watch butterflies, and my garden has been home to many varieties including common blues, meadow browns, gatekeepers, peacocks, red admirals, commas, and my favourite – not a butterfly but a moth – the hummingbird hawkmoth, which just loves my verbena bonariensis flowers.

For those of us who love the sunshine, we must enjoy the last knockings of summer for soon it will be wet and cooler – and some may say hooray! But I for one will miss these warm mornings with breakfast outside, shorts and T-shirts all day, and yes it has been unbearably hot on occasions but I do like the warmth and everything that goes with summer, and as I get older I intend to enjoy every last one.

GOT A STORY? Then email newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

70

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Farming

blackmorevale.net

Hot summer takes its toll on farmers

by Ruth Kimber THE long dry hot weather is having an extreme effect on the farm. The crops are struggling, and as our cattle rely on grass, you only have to look at your lawn or the roadside verges to get the picture. We have been supplementing the cows’ feed for weeks, dipping into the winter rations, hoping that eventually the rain will come and an autumn flush will enable us to replace some of what has been used. The corn has practically all been harvested, weeks earlier than usual, but the quality and quantity has suffered, but at least no drying costs.

Milk production has been adversely affected, with deliveries to the dairies significantly reduced. The milk price has been dreadful, being at least 10p below cost of production. A little lift in the price is on the way, but for many it will be too late. Same old problem.

We have had our annual trip to France, where farms are in a similar state to us. The maize seemed to have suffered, and many fields were patchy and

The milk price has been dreadful, being at least 10p below cost of production, says Ruth Kimber

some complete failures. The corn – barley and wheat – harvest was finished and bales of straw were being cleared – this was at the end of June!

The wildfires in the UK and across Europe will add to the depletion of crops and raise emissions caused to the atmosphere. We all must be more careful – barbecues are a delight, but a high risk in the wrong place and in careless hands. Discarded cigarette ends, cans and bottles can cause fire as the sun plays on them.

Not to mention the effect on wildlife, and when the hot weather subsides the ongoing consequences remain for farms, gardens and wild places.

The ragwort plant is in full bloom and needs to be pulled and removed, before sending thousands of seeds out into neighbouring stock fields. It is a very successful plant and grows at a tremendous rate, but it’s easy to pull. The cinnabar moths caterpillars and other insects like it, but it’s lethal to cattle, horses and sheep, which will mostly avoid it while growing.

But if it’s made into hay or silage, that’s when it is really dangerous.

Our turkeys arrived as day olds and settled in well. The heat suited them and the need for the brooders in the day was shortened by a couple of weeks.

Our maize has held up well

Calving & Calf Rearing Courses

but is beginning to show signs of stress – we really do need some significant rain.

The farm shop and cafe have been busy throughout the hot period, the air conditioning unit keeping staff and customers comfortable – what a marvellous invention! We have made so many burgers and sausages, prepared joints for the barbecue and kept really busy in the shop and with internet sales.

Several of our staff went to the Wincanton Racecourse to take part in the Colour Run, raising more than £1,000 for three charities – Mind Somerset, Prostrate Cancer UK and Dementia UK – on a Sunday morning. Well done.

Contact Us to advertise

01963 400186

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West Stour, Shaftesbury Road, Dorset SP8 5SF ALL COURSES £105 +VAT Lunch Included SCAN TO BOOK YOUR PLACE

For more information or to book your place, please call the farm office on 01258 472314 or visit friarsmoorlivestockhealth.co.uk

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

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Making safety part of everyday farming

F

arm Safety Week is an important reminder to take stock of the everyday risks on farm and consider what practical steps can be taken to reduce them. While it’s easy to put safety to one side when it’s busy, taking time to review working practices could help prevent an accident.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Agriculture remains one of the UK’s most dangerous industries, with farming continuing to have one of the highest rates of workplace fatalities and serious injuries. Behind every statistic is a family, a business and a community dealing with the lasting consequences.

Many accidents occur during routine jobs involving livestock, machinery, vehicles or maintenance work. These are tasks carried out every day, often without a second thought, yet small changes to how they’re approached can make a significant difference to keeping people safe.

Cornish Mutual’s Health & Safety service is designed to give farmers practical, ongoing support tailored to their business. The service includes on-farm audits, risk assessments, action plans, assistance with policies and documentation, regular reviews and access to specialist advice when needed.

Farmer Rosie Collins has found the support invaluable: “The Health & Safety service is a great way to keep up to date and on top of everything. It’s a useful reminder when

you’re busy.”

Farm Safety Week is the perfect opportunity to review your farm’s approach to health and safety, but implementing safer working practices is vital year round. Small improvements made today can help protect the future of your farm and everyone who works on it.

To find out more about Cornish Mutual’s Health & Safety service, and to access our free farm health and safety guide, visit: https://www.cornishmutual.co.uk/what-we-do/healthand-safety.

Helping you make your farm safer Mob: 07966 244536 Hydraulic Hose Specialists and Stockists to the Agriculture, Forestry, Automotive and Transport Industry

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Cote Farm Works, Kilmington, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 6RF Email: hoses@ardiesels.co.uk

72

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Farming

blackmorevale.net

Sustainable parasite control

by Tom Cook, veterinary surgeon, Synergy Farm Health IT’S the time of year when a bottle of wormer is likely to be rattling around in the farm truck and used for treating youngstock. In my experience, readily available pour-on treatments are liberally applied, and occasionally the vet gets a dose during TB testing!

The avermectin class – including ivermectin – in particular is coming under scrutiny for the negative effects it may have on soil organisms after passing through the animals that have been treated.

Some resistance to these treatments has been reported in cattle gutworms – a threat that is already widespread in the

Vet Tom Cook of Synergy Farm Health

sheep industry.

Effective and sustainable parasite control comes from understanding the interaction of the parasite with the animals and environment. Parasites

Synergy Farm Health Vets Experienced quality vet and vet tech services from an independent practice

AXMINSTER • CREWKERNE • CULLOMPTON • DORCHESTER • GLASTONBURY HOLSWORTHY • HONITON • LANGPORT • LYMPSTONE • NEWTON ABBOT RAMPISHAM • SALISBURY • SOUTH MOLTON

www.SynergyFarmHealth.com Headquarters - 01935 83682 office@SynergyFarmHealth.com Lympstone - 01392 347240 office.lympstone@SynergyFarmHealth.com

Lungworm larvae under the microscope

have evolved to live in – or on – the host, for example, cow or sheep, without killing it. Have your parasite control strategies changed with changing farm management practices and climate?

Uncontrolled parasite burdens can cause production losses in growing and adult livestock. Below are some principles we can follow to get the most from our treatments. n Right product: Use a product that treats the targeted parasite.

Is a combination product really necessary or needed? Longacting treatments may delay the animal developing immunity against the worm. Don’t forget to consider withdrawal periods, too. n Right animal: Different classes of animals will have different risk of disease and levels of immunity. Do you know the treatment/grazing history of the animals? Are they homebred or bought in?

Adults generally have good immunity to gut worms and lungworm through prolonged low dose exposure at grazing.

Beware animals that have been bought in, either without ever being grazed or from farms with no lungworm, onto a farm with lungworm. Does the whole group need treating or will targeted individual treatments achieve what is needed? n Right time: When are we

dosing and for what reason?

Having a plan as a guideline for the grazing season can help to rationalise this. n Right dose: Read the product label, calibrate dosing equipment and weigh the animals to ensure the correct dose is given. n Right way: Make sure we are administering the product in the right way according to the data sheet.

As farm and pasture management vary, so can the parasite risk to livestock. For instance, if first season animals graze the same fields each year, there may be a build-up of parasites on this land. Reseeds or post-silage aftermath is lower risk. With an increase in housing under some systems, cattle may not get enough exposure to develop good immunity as youngsters. We have several tests we can perform to assess parasite burden as part of the herd or flock strategy. Don’t forget the lungworm vaccine ‘Huskvac’ for cattle, available in the spring. Lungworm can be unpredictable and cause severe disease in certain circumstances.

The Synergy vets and dispensary team are always happy to help. For more information, visit www. cattleparasites.org.uk for cattle and www.scops.org.uk for sheep.

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

73

Farming

blackmorevale.net Big Pete – 16ft tall and 12ft wide – crushes a car

CARAVAN REMOVAL SERVICE, old, unwanted caravans & boat removal, cars, trailers, vans, etc. Garden machinery, tractors, scrap metal. Yard, garden, garage removal clearances undertaken, dismantling and gas cutting service. Please call 01935-873169 or 07368-380477

Find Us Online

Monster trucks at the big show VISITORS to the Dorset County Show in Dorchester next month can enjoy some Monster Truck action.

The show’s headline main arena attraction will be Big Pete and The Grim Reaper monster trucks, which will be jumping, crushing and ripping cars apart.

Big Pete weighs 7.5 tonnes and stands 16ft tall by 12ft wide, while The Grim Reaper is lighter and more agile.

The monster trucks,

sponsored by Evans & Pearce, will be in action on both days of the show on Saturday and Sunday, September 5-6.

Away from the main ring action, the show will feature thousands of animals, including alpacas, pigs, goats, cattle, sheep and poultry, and much more.

The Wurzels will headline the music stage on the Saturday night of the show.

Tickets are priced £21 adults and £2 children until August 30.

GUINEA FOWL FOR SALE. 7-8 weeks old.

Various colours available.

07545-468700

R&W FENCING Agricultural paddock and stock.

01258-880892 07980-036250

CONCRETE GROOVING, Mobile Grain Crimping and dry rolling Service. Cowco Southern. Call Ted: 07970-965040

SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR SALE / HIRE Tel: 01258 472288 Mob: 07977 936109 New and second hand containers - blue/green - all with box locks

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01963 400186 | adverts@blackmorevale.net

Andrew Lee Vegetation Management Grass flail and scrub flail available for the management of scrub, brambles, grass etc.

Working on slopes of up to 50 degrees with operator.

Contact Mobile: 07850489782 Email: andrewlee01@btinternet.com

JDG Structural Steel Ltd Steel frame buildings for agricultural, industrial and equestrian enterprises Pre-cast concrete wallings panels supplied and erected Roller shutter doors supplied and fitted All steel frames are designed, fabricated & erected to conform to current CE markings

Tel: 01747 811711 Mob: 07860 570258 Email: johnguttridge@aol.com Email: Info@jdgstructuralsteel.co.uk. www.jdgstructuralsteel.co.uk

WeSSex MetalS SturMinSter neWton & Blandford area

Scrap Metal recycling

www.blackmorevale.net

WANTED Scrap Metal, Cars, Heavy and Light Iron Farm and Factory Clearance Weighbridge

TOP PRICES PAID Skips/HAIB lorry available for onsite collection

Tel 01258 860166 or 07974 822243

74

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Farming

blackmorevale.net

D O R S E T | D E V O N | S O M E R S E T | H A M P S H I R E | W I LT S H I R E | C O R N W A L L | L O N D O N

TOMORROW - Saturday 1stJune August at 10.30am Friday 20th STANDING DISPERSAL STRAW AUCTION UNRESERVED AUCTION Gomershay Farm, Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton ON-FARM AUCTION Summerleaze Farm, 17th Kilmington, Axminster, Thursday October at 11.00am EX13 7RA

Genuine DispersalWednesday of 2 Tractors,28th Telehandler, Parlour, Poly-Tunnel, June at24:24 6.30pm

Inc: Honda CB900 Super Sport (82)Workshop &DT9 Yamaha Diversion 900 Silverlake Farm, Sherborne, 6SN Grassland & F2 Livestock Equipment, Items, etc Bindon & Pinhay (99) Motor Bikes, Ride-On Lawn Mowers & Garden Machinery.

The Grain Store,ofHeathfield, Rousdon, Dorset Genuine Dispersal Combine, Self Propelled Sprayer, Merlo TF used 42.7 CS Turbo Farmer (2,690hrs), 2010 Case Puma 140 Air Vast2021 quantity of Tool Boxes, Jump Packs, 4 Tractors, 2Sealey JCB Telehandlers, Forklift, Pick-Up, 830ac ofProducts: Standing Straw (10,939hrs), International 674 with Loader, 24:24 Fullwood Afimilk Parlour, Lines, Compressors, Water Pumps, Welders, Grinders, Arable Generators, Machinery & Livestock Equipment • 461ac Wheat Cotswold Flush, Fullwood Auger Master Feeders, Ambic Teat Sprayer, 2000 etc.

Scaffold Tower, Minimix Cement Mixer, Pressure Washers, • 237ac Winter Barley Fullwood 12,500ltr Fabdec Bulk Tank, ND Jeanes 15t Bulk Bin, Rowlands 20t High 2017 Claas Lexion 650Belle Combine with Vario 770 Header, Shelbourne Reynolds Garden Rotavators, Racking, Tools, Nielsen Tool 2019 Box, Wheel Discharge Bin, Mollasses Stand, 2018 Anka Pro FootSprayer, Trimming Crush, 2010 • Garden 132ac Oats RSD20 Stripper Header,Tank 2011&Bateman RB17 (3,708hrs) Massey Marshall QM2 Silage Trailer, 2005 Joskin 11000ME Slurrylot Tanker, 2017 Keenan Changer, Wheel Balancer, plus a whole more!

Ferguson 7720S Dyna6 (2,320hrs) & 7718 Dyna6 (2,880hrs), 2016 New Holland

VA2-18 Feeder Wagon,Friday 2020 Aerworxx 10-30m Aerator, Lely Splendimo 280F 30th June at 122012 noon T7.210 (3,610hrs) & T7.200 (4,365hrs) Tractors, 531-70 (2,145hrs) & Mower, 2012Viewing: Pottinger Lion 301Durweston 3m Power Flail Topper, 2002 Friday 31st JulyHarrow, 12.00Browns –JCB 6.00pm 1997 527-58 Telehandlers, 2010 Isuzu Rodeo Pick-Up, Doosan Pro5 18 Forklift, Major 700 Road Brush, Ifor Williams TA510G Livestock Trailer, 2021 Merlo 8ft and Day of Sale 8.30 – 10.30am Travellers Rest Farm, Durweston, Blandford, Dorset McConnel 8.2mShear & 6.3m Cambridge Rollers, Twose & Watson Rollers, Bucket, Wylie Grab, 25ft Single Axle Bale Trailer, Single10’ LegTandem Mole Plough, 6,220 acresNZ of Standing Straw (No Viewing after 10.30am) KRM Sola Ares 2713 Drill, Vaderstad 6m Cultivator, Kuhn HRQuicke 4004 Hyd. Folding Teagle Tomahawk 4040 Bale Shredder, Mixit PTO Lagoon Stirrer, 210 Loader •Trailed 2,442ac Wheat Power Harrow, KV DXA Discs, KV LD85 5f Rev Plough,Shallow Kuhn VariBucket, Logic Contact 2004.7m Weed Wiper, 2009 Joskin 4300/209SDH Disc •McConnel 2,006acof3m Winter Barley Injector,153 Feed Large Quantity Electric Fencing Stakes, Reels & Fencers, Master 5fTrailer, Rev Plough, Shakerator, Kverneland TL Geospread Quantity Feed Troughs, Various FeedSpring Buckets, Mobile Milker,Topper, Hook onBomford Buckets, • 1,557ac Barley FertiliserofSpreader, McConnel Magnum Euro 280 Hyd Offset Wydale Teat Feeders, Parlour Parlour Fans, Calftel Group Various • 178ac Oats Hawk 6m Hedgecutter, KuhnMatting, FC313 TG Mower Conditioner, 2 x Hutches, Stewart 16-21L Field & Yard Gates, 32mm•Water ParlourRape Quantity of Astro Turf, Oil Seed Grain Trailers, Marshall BC2537ac BalePipe, Trailer, CattleSpares, Hurdles, Attachments (Q-Fit), Emergency Bulk Tank, Concrete Water Troughs, 60ft x 30ft Poly Tunnels.

Machine Spares, Workshop Items, Weights, etc.

VA2-18 Feeder Wagon, 2020 Aerworxx 10-30m Aerator, Lely Splendimo 280F

Further entries invited.

Further entries invited.

Friday 7th July at 12 noon Wynford Eagle On behalf Mr A Tayler (Retiring) The Grain Store, Manor Farm, Wynford Eagle, Dorchester, Dorset Saturday 8thof August at 9.30am 1298 acres Standing Straw • 599ac Wheat Rylands Farm, Holnest, Sherborne, DT9 5PS • 281ac Winter Barley Annual Collective •Charity Auction of 9 Classic & Vintage 119ac Spring Barley Tractors, Pick-Up, Shepherd’s Hut, Farm Machinery, Livestock • 229ac Oats & Garden & Bygones • 70ac Items Oil Seed Rape

Inc: Case 4230 c/w Loader, Case 784, Massey Ferguson 178, 35 catalogues available at symondsandsampson.co.uk Deluxe Full & 135, International 955, Kubota L245, Ferguson T20, IMT 539, Ford Ranger 2.5 XLT Wildtrack (06), 12ft Shepherd’s Hut, Swift Charisma 550 Caravan, Adlem 8t Silage Trailer, Ferguson 3t Tipping Trailer, Kuhn Disc Mower, Hard 1000Ltr Sprayer, David Brown 3f Plough, International 2f Plough, Saw Bench, Massey Feruson Parts, Tractor Wheel Changing Trolley, ERDE 142 Car Trailer, Gale Breaker, Water Troughs, Chicken Arc, Ride-On & Push Lawn Mowers, Garden Furniture & Miscellanea, Workshop Items, Toolboxes, Milk Churns, On behalf of Spicer Partners Online bidding available Cast Iron Wheels, Vintage Tools, Antique Brass Lamps & other Bygones, etc. Catalogue available on our website.

On behalf of John Swain Limited (Retiring) STANDING STRAW AUCTIONS Online bidding available

Contact Greg Ridout: 0193525th 382909 / 07817 517467 Wednesday June ON-FARM DISPERSAL AUCTION Pinhay and Bindon – The Grain Store, Heathfield, Rousdon Approx.

1,000ac of Standing Saturday 29th July Straw Buckham Down Farm, Beaminster DT8 3SH Friday 27th June

Pinhay and Bindon – The Grain Store, Heathfield, Rousdon

Dispersal saleApprox. of 4 Tractors, Machinery, 8,5000acFarm of Standing Straw Bygones and Miscellaneous

Thursday 13th August at 5.30pm

Including: 1995 Same Silver 80 4wd (6,800hrs), 1988 Same Explorer 70 4wd with Loader (4,700hrs),1973 Gasons Farm, Stalbridge Lane, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2JQ Ford 4000 (fully restored), 1976 International 454 2wd, Our Agents will be at Dispersal Station MarshallSale SM6including Drop SideLand SilageRover Trailer,Defender Markham 110 3t Tipping PortAgric 6’ Topper, Ransomes & TS90 WagonTrailer, 300 TDi (95), Spearhead 565 ExcelTS59 Hedge Trimmer, & TS91 Ploughs, Krone Equipment, AM242Z Mower Conditioner, Farm Machinery, Livestock Welders, Generator, Feeders, Bygones, onStationary Wednesday, 2Signs, October Power Tools & Engines, Workshop Items, etc. etc.

The Dairy Event

entriesfor welcome.

OnPlease behalf ofcall MrFurther Jin Harris (Auctioneers having Sold the Farm) tosuitable our stand refreshments

and to meet our rural and agricultural experts

Contactcontact Greg Ridout: 01935 382909/07817 517467 Please Greg Ridout 07817 517467 Contact Yeovil Office – 01935 382909

S ARESIDENTIAL L E S | L E T T I N G S || A U C T I O N S | P L A N N |I NCOMMERCIAL G | NEW HOMES AGRICULTURAL

RESIDENTIAL | AGRICULTURAL | COMMERCIAL symondsandsampson.co.uk symondsandsampson.co.uk

NFU urges farmers to put safety first THE NFU is urging British farmers and growers to prioritise good on-farm safety practices as new figures show a rise in agricultural deaths.

According to data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 29 people died while working in agriculture between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, an increase of six from the previous year.

NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said: “These latest figures from the HSE serve as a stark reminder that farm safety is something we must all take seriously. Behind each of these numbers is a person whose life and the lives of their loved ones have been changed forever.

“We know farming can be an intensely pressured job, particularly during harvest when farmers are working around the clock to get crops out of the ground to produce the country’s food. However, even during these extra busy periods it is so important to keep safety at the forefront of our minds.

“The NFU is working with others across the industry to make changes to help reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries happening on farm.

“Our Take 5, Stay Alive campaign asks farmers to take five minutes to assess potential risks, prevent accidents and protect your mental health, whether that be replacing worn machinery or reaching out to a neighbour.

“Health and safety practices are about far more than ticking a box, they are about keeping you, your employees and even family members out of harm’s way. Remember, nothing on farm is as valuable as you are.”

Data from the HSE also

NFU vice-president Robyn Munt is urging farmers to follow good on-farm safety practices

shows that the highest number of deaths in agriculture for 2025/26 occurred as a result of working with machinery, underling the importance of safe practices as harvest gets underway.

This includes routine maintenance of vehicles and machinery such as combines, ensuring employees are sufficiently trained to use farming equipment, avoiding shortcuts and assessing risks before undertaking a task and taking sufficient rest periods to stay alert.

Amid the ongoing hot weather, the NFU is also highlighting the increased risk of wildfires on farmland and combine fires.

Robyn said: “British farmers are adaptable to changing weather conditions, but the extremely high temperatures we have been seeing in recent weeks is not without its challenges and safety risks.

“We encourage farmers to combine at night as temperatures remain high to help keep them safe while bringing in the crop this harvest.”

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Property

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Property

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AUCTION I R E AT | C2:00PM O R N WA L L | LO N D O N D O R S E T | D E V O NPROPERTY | SOMER S E T | HWEDNESDAY A M P S H I R E26 | AUGUST W I LT S H2026 SHERBORNE

Poole

Guide £25,000

A former reservoir under a site measuring 0.27 acres, adjacent to Constitution Hill Viewpoint. Potential for alternative uses (STPP).

Freehold.

Wimborne | 01202 843190

Poole

Guide £35,000

A former water pumping building. GIA approx. 483 sqft. in 0.04 acres, situated in a prominent position providing excellent scope for other uses (STPP).

Freehold.

Wimborne | 01202 843190

Shaftesbury

Guide £35,000

A former Wessex Water reservoir site measuring 0.23 acres with a building, enjoying a rural location adjoining farmland. Freehold.

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

Sherborne

Lot A Guide £45,000 Lot B Guide £25,000

A well-located building plot with full planning permission for a detached three-bedroom home, close to local amenities. Freehold Sherborne | 01935 814488

Mappowder 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.

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

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

Longburton

Wedmore

Guide £9,000

A gently sloping and accessible 1.48 acre parcel of woodland with established hazel coppice and excellent amenity potential.

Freehold.

Sturminster Newton | 01258 472244

Yeovil

Guide £17,000

A block of mixed mature woodland extending to approximately 2.59 acres, comprising a variety of species, bordered by the River Yeo. Freehold.

Yeovil | 01935 423526

Guide £35,000

A single parcel of level pasture land extending to 8.41 acres, providing excellent habitat diversity and amenity appeal.

Freehold.

Yeovil | 01935 423526

Hampreston

Guide £60,000

Woodland consisting of a mix of mature native tree species located on the outskirts of Wimborne Minster, extending to 2.41 acres.

Freehold.

Wimborne | 01202 843190

Shroton Guide £435,000 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.

Caundle Marsh Guide £125,000 Guide £450,000 Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766Henstridge Approx. 2.12 acres of pastureland with a modern agricultural building, with services available on site, no overage or restrictive covenants, and excellent access to Sherborne. Freehold

0.86-acre freehold commercial yard with 3,645 sq ft of workshops, secure gated access and three-phase power on Henstridge Trading Estate.

Freehold

North Cheriton OIEO £400,000 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.

Wincanton £150,000 Weymouth Guide £150,000 Sherborne | 01935Guide 814488 A substantial mixed-use property (GIA 2,769sqft), comprising a large retail area, first floor storage, and a 4 bedroom maisonette, in a prominent location. Freehold. RV £9,600, CTB B. EPC Flat G, Comm C.

A stylish 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom top floor penthouse enjoying views over Weymouth beach. Leasehold, 65 years remaining. SC £1939 pa. GR £200pa.

CTB D. EPC C.

Sturminster Newton | 01258 472244

Sturminster Newton | 01258 472244

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

Poundbury | 01305251154

Upton Guide £220,000 Holt Guide £250,000 Nr Sturminster Newton Guide PriceA£1,100,000 A detached 2 bedroom period property detached Grade II Listed 2 bedroom providingaway scopedown for renovation and lane iscottage for renovation withwell scope for Tucked a no through this extended and very extension (STPP/consents), enjoying a extension (STPP and presented 4 bedroom country home with stableand yardremodelling & paddocks, in total large garden and a E.Freehold, convenient location. consents), in 0.50 acres. Freehold. CTB 4.11 acres. CTB Freehold. CTB B. EPC F. Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766D. EPC G. Wimborne | 01202 843190

Wimborne | 01202 843190

Lattiford Guide £550,000 Leigh OIEO £500,000 An attractive Grade II listed cottage offering over 2,500 sq ft of characterful accommodation, including4-bedroom 5 bedrooms,village 2 bathrooms reception rooms. Rich A tastefully improved house and with3 light and spacious in period features and excellent scope for property accommodation, setoffering in attractive gardens andmodernisation, backing ontothe farmland. enjoys an approx.

6 acre with a range of outbuildings, including two annexes No onward chain.

CTBplot F. Freehold. and stabling. Freehold. CTB G. EPC F for house and both annexes.

Sherborne | 01935 814488 Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

R E S I D E N T I A L | A G R I C U LT U R A L | C O M M E RC I A L

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Property

blackmorevale.net

D O R S E T | D E V O N | S O M E R S E T | H A M P S H I R E | W I LT S H I R E | C O R N W A L L | L O N D O N

Stour Row Guide £825,000 Mappowder Guide £595,000 A delightful Grade II listed farmhouse with scope to modernise with A fine gardens Grade II and listed former village House gardens, lovely wonderful viewsPost to the southwith andattractive west. Freehold. a substantial barn/workshop and lovely views to the village church and CTB G; EPC Exempt. Further land available by separate negotiation. surrounding countryside. CTB E. Freehold.

Sturminster Newton || 01258 473766 Sturminster Newton 01258 473766

Charlton Musgrove Guide £675,000 Marnhull Guide £525,000 An extensive bungalow with enchanting grounds, arboretum and A character stone house an excellentyet central stables, set south-facing in fine countryside aboveinWincanton with village easy road location with a large oak-framed double garage, workshop and southand pedestrian access to the town. Freehold. CTB F; EPC E. facing gardens. CTB E. Freehold.

Sturminster Newton|| 01258 01258473766 473766 Sturminster Newton

Child Okeford Guide £615,000 Shroton Guide £435,000 An historic village house, once two properties, and now offering This delightful 2-bedroom end-of-terrace cottage has been fully updated gracious living space with delightful private gardens to the but retains great charm. It is situated in the heart of this most rear. desirable Freehold.

CTB C; EPC Exempt. village. CTB D. Freehold.

Shroton Guide £450,000 North Cheriton OIEO £400,000 A delightful and bucolic Grade II listed cottage with replaced thatch An attractive, double-fronted 3-bedroom period property tucked away on and a good extension, set in fine and extensive gardens withviews a four car an idyllic country lane with character features throughout and over purpose built garage with workshop.

Freehold.

CTB D; EPC Exempt. the neighbouring countryside. CTB C. Freehold.

Sturminster Newton || 01258 473766 473766 Sturminster Newton

Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766 Sherborne | 01935 814488

Charlton Horethorne Guide £400,000 Nr Sturminster Newton Guide Price £1,100,000 A charming bungalow with bright three bedroom singleTucked awaystone-built down a no through lane is this extended and very well storey living and west-facing in astable sought after village location. presented 4 bedroom countrygarden home with yard & paddocks, in total Freehold.

EPC C. 4.11 acres.CTB CTBD; E.Freehold, Sturminster01935 Newton | 01258 473766 Sherborne 814488

Horsington Offers in excess of £250,000 per plot Leigh OIEO £500,000 Two 0.33 acre building plots on avillage quiethouse country lane with farA tastefully improved 4-bedroom with light andfine spacious reaching views. Each outline PP forand detached accommodation, set inwith attractive gardens backingfour ontobedroom farmland. houses andchain. double garages.

Potential for further land.

No onward CTB F. Freehold.

Sherborne | 01935 814488 Sturminster Newton | 01258 473766

R E S I D E N T I A L | A G R I C U LT U R A L | C O M M E RC I A L

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New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Property

The weird and wonderful world of property law...

AFTER a recent look at long-forgotten and quirky UK legislation, Armishaws Removals can reveal some of the strange property laws in force around the world.

telling the buyers.

According to a poll by Cinch Home Services, one in 10 Americans polled admitted to having ‘sold their home due to a paranormal experience’.

Singapore You could break the law simply by being naked. In Singapore you’re legally required to be covered up when within view of your neighbours or the public, even in your home.

Hong Kong and New York Despite being geographically separate, these two locations are joined by one curious law – it’s illegal to sell a home you believe to be haunted, without

Thailand It’s illegal to leave your home without wearing underwear.

Switzerland In a country where large numbers of the population live close together, flushing the toilet after 10pm is prohibited.

Turin, Italy Dog owners can be fined €500 if they don’t walk their dog at least

Your next chapter starts here Set within the beautiful Blackmore Vale, Durbeyfield Park in Marnhull offers a collection of thoughtfully designed homes where quality craftsmanship meets modern living.

3 and 4 bedroom energy efficient properties priced from £375,000, with special offers available on selected plots.

Located just 3 miles from Sturminster Newton and close to Shaftesbury and Gillingham.

Visit the show homes and sales office, 1 Marlott Crescent, Marnhull, Dorset, DT10 1GB. 01258 313137

cgfry.co.uk

blackmorevale.net three times a day.

Alabama, USA It is against the law to chain your alligator to a fire hydrant outside your home.

France If you’re lucky enough to own a property with a view of the Eiffel Tower, it’s illegal for anyone to build anything that permanently blocks that view.

Germany If you want to paint your house, you’re legally obliged to seek the approval of your neighbours.

Failure to do so can result in a court order to undo any changes.

Australia Planning laws make it illegal to own more than two houses on a single block of land.

Uganda Permission must be granted by the local authority to grow grass

on your property – this is to prevent invasive grass species harming the area’s ecosystem Aspen, USA Section 15.04.210 of the Municipal Code makes it illegal to throw pretty much anything at a property, including snowballs.

Turkey According to Turkey’s Act 2565, foreign buyers must apply to the government for permission to purchase property in the country.

Singapore The Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act makes it an offence to use someone else’s wireless broadband signal without permission.

Barbados In Barbados and other Caribbean countries, it’s illegal to wear camouflage clothing, even while at home.

New Blackmore Vale, July 31, 2026

Property

blackmorevale.net

Home in the heart of town HISTORIC charm and modern convenience are on offer in this Grade II listed mid-terrace house with walled garden in the heart of Dorchester.

The property in Durngate Street was previously an art gallery and potentially could be converted into two flats subject to planning permission and listed building consent.

The well-maintained accommodation is currently made up of spacious entrance hall, good-sized sitting room, snug, kitchen/dining area, large double bedroom with access to the garden, and shower room and separate WC downstairs.

TO LET STUNNING, RURAL, CEDAR LODGE RENTAL, nr Shaftesbury, sleeps 6, 2 bathrooms, no pets £1500 pcm plus bills. More details: mvwinery.co.uk/cedar-holiday-lodge-to-rent/ Call Clare 01747 854206 Upstairs are two double bedrooms, kitchen/dining room, bathroom and sitting room that opens up to a decked roof terrace.

The property is a short walk from the town centre and Dorset County Hospital with Dorchester South and West train stations nearby providing services to London Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads respectively.

The house is for sale at a guide price of £350,000 – for more details phone the Dorchester office of the agents, Symonds & Sampson on 01305 261008.

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SELF-CONTAINED ACCOMMODATION on quiet farm near Yeovil 01935 891548

The New Blackmore Vale Magazine DEADLINES

Display ads must be booked by Wednesday the week prior to publication, with final copy submitted by the Friday.

Classified ads may be accepted after this, HOWEVER these will be subject to space.

(from pages 28-29)

Edition 153

Sudoku 3D puzzle

Cryptic crossword

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S A D D L E I M P A I R C I E U R E Y E S S O M E T I M E S T T S I I I H O U R S C H N A P P S E R A R O A T B Y P R O D U C T I E P W S R C M E D I E V A L R O T A RESULT B A V T L U I N T E R V E N E C O S B I E C A E RESULT E N C O D E S H A R E D

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R H M A P O R T H O L E A G L E C E K D H E T M L O R C V N N O Z C A A I O E S L K E P D E M Z O R A B E I A M N I C F O P A D L G W L H D T C O E T H A N N N Z L C R A T C N N N E S I I A E N E N U U E E D E O S N W R E A A R L S M E E F D E E T R M R E U T E A W A H D C G F H E H S E S D T N T N R R H O H N E L A L O L C G D E N L T H E L C I D I D R B N C E A A S A N G C G I L T O A T E F M N L H M H C S R L W A W A H I N T Z T N I L E W R I

U Y A L O V U M S C A D E T U E A N O N P R O M G P B M O O O B O E B R U G F I T A N T I M A L I E L F K E N B I R D M E S S

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