The Purbeck Gazette - Issue 348

purbeckgazette.co.uk

The eagle has landed: First chick born in county in over 240 years

BRITAIN’S largest bird of prey, the white-tailed eagle, has successfully bred in Dorset for the first time in over 240 years.

The parent birds were released as part of a conservation project in 2020, settled in the county and paired in 2023.

The single male chick which has fledged this year from an undisclosed location was the pair’s first successful breeding attempt.

Remarkably, the male adult bird has only one leg after losing the other leg four years ago.

Two female chicks have also fledged from a nest in Sussex as part of a conservation project run by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England.

So far, 45 young white-tailed eagles collected from nests in Scotland, including eight birds this summer, have been released from the team’s base on the Isle of Wight.

Roy Dennis OBE, founder of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, said: “We are delighted to see another year of successful breeding and that two pairs have now reached this key stage.

“This is a long-term project, and it will take some years before the population is fully restored, but the progress made over the last year has been incredibly encouraging.

“We have some wellestablished pairs and two that are actively breeding.

“We hope to build on this

progress, and I’m really pleased that we have been able to release an additional eight birds this year to further boost the population.

“I always find it particularly rewarding to see so much support for these magnificent birds and the positive impact they are having on so many people’s relationship with the natural world.”

White-tailed eagles, which have a wingspan of up to 2.5 metres, typically reach breeding maturity at four or five years old.

The birds were once widespread across England but became extinct due to human persecution.

The conservation project began reintroducing the birds in England in 2019 and three pairs the project has released have formed and established territories in the south of the country.

Several of the younger birds are in potential breeding areas, typically close to freshwater wetlands or the coast, where they can catch fish, their preferred food.

It is hoped a population of six to 10 breeding pairs will become established within 60km of the release site on the Isle of Wight.

The six chicks born in the wild through the project are fitted with satellite tags to track their progress.

Steve Egerton-Read, whitetailed eagle project officer for Forestry England, said: “We have been patiently monitoring these nests for many months and

hoping they would be successful.

“It is always such an exciting time but also incredibly nerve wracking.

“This was especially the case for the pair of eagles in Dorset who were first-time parents.

“It was an incredible moment when we caught our first glimpse of that tiny fluffy chick in the nest, but equally, it is an anxious time as the parents get to grips with what they need to do.

“Ultimately, it has been so rewarding to see this pair of eagles, often spotted in and around Dorset, care for the chick

Wareham

Monday 8:00am - 6:30pm Tuesday 8:00am - 6:30pm

Wednesday 8:00am - 6:30pm Thursday 8:00am - 6:30pm Friday 8:00am - 6:30pm

Saturday 8:00am - 12:30pm

Feeding time: One of the adult whitetailed eagles feeds its chick

all the way through to it fledging the nest.

“Now it won’t be long until he is starting his own journey and hopefully one day, he will breed somewhere in southern England.

“Returning lost species like the white-tailed eagle is a key part of Forestry England’s approach to restoring biodiversity and helping nature to recover.

“We hope that in years to come these iconic birds will become a much more common sight, inspiring future generations and deepening their connection with nature.”

8:15am - 6:30pm Wednesday 8:15am - 6:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 1.00pm Friday

PHOTO: Forestry England

Home-Start helps record number of families

HOME-START Wessex has reported another record year, supporting hundreds of local families in crisis.

The charity has supported 526 families, helping 1,716 parents and children, surpassing last year’s record when it helped 500 families for the first time.

Home-Start Wessex extended its reach to support families in West Dorset, including Dorchester, Weymouth, Portland, Bridport and Lyme Regis, after Home-Start West Dorset closed due to a lack of funding in October 2023.

The charity now covers an area with a population of more than 650,000, including many pockets of high-level deprivation.

Over the last year, the charity has supported 980 children, many cared for by a single mum.

The charity has increased its support and services for homeless families, particularly in Bournemouth and Poole, and opened a new Twins and Multiple Births group at the Wimborne Family Hub.

Home-Start Wessex, with the support of key partners and funders, has opened new specialist family groups, including in Dorchester and Weymouth, and provided one-to-one support in the home for families across Dorchester, Bridport, Weymouth and surrounding villages.

The charity is now recruiting

and training more volunteers across the West and encouraging local people to join the team.

Dee Willis, who has volunteered for Home-Start Wessex for three years, said: “It’s great to know that you are helping and sharing to give your best support to parents so that they can be more confident in their skills of parenting.

“After all, our children are our future and deserve the best start we can give them.”

The charity says volunteer support makes a difference, with 97% of parents supported reporting improved selfmanagement and 95% improved children’s wellbeing.

Home Start Wessex has won the Community Support Award at all four of the Bournemouth, Weymouth, West Dorset and BCP Business Awards 2025.

Charity chief executive, Kathy Fryatt-Banks, said: “What an amazing year for Home-Start Wessex!

“It was one of our most ambitious yet, as we increased our staffing capacity and started to grow and embed our services across West Dorset.

“We are thrilled that we smashed our target and supported a record of 526 families in need.

“Time and energy have gone into ensuring we employ and invest in the right staff, who are dedicated to helping our organisation thrive and making sure local families and children

Home-Start Wessex assisted 500-plus families over the last year

receive the help they need, when they need it.

“We have invested in enhanced training and development, improved the skills of staff and volunteers, introduced more support for families on the ground and increased our links across the community.

“We have a truly passionate and committed team of staff, volunteers and trustees, none of whom we could do without, and together with our funders and partners, make our organisation the success it is.

“A massive thank you to everyone who supports us to keep making the difference that is so vital.”

Home-Start Wessex volunteers offer friendship, practical support and advice to families facing difficulties, including poor mental health, depression, disability, domestic abuse, bereavement, isolation

and multiple births. It covers the Purbecks, Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, the whole of the BCP Council area, including Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, across the borders of Hampshire and Wiltshire, going as far north as Cranborne and Fordingbridge and as far east as New Milton. The charity is actively recruiting kind, compassionate volunteers to offer emotional and practical support to parents with young children across Dorset.

Anyone who would like to spare a few hours a week helping local families through challenging times and make a difference in their community should contact heidi@ homestartwessex.org.uk. No experience is needed –just a big heart and a listening ear, as full training and ongoing support are provided.

Ploughing match date

THE chosen charity for this year’s Wareham & Purbeck 49th ploughing match is Julia’s House Children’s Hospice.

Committee secretary, Helen Selby, said the event will include vintage and modern tractors, tractor and trailer rides, charity raffle and catering van.

The event is at Compact

Farm, Worth Matravers BH19 3L – what3words location tactical.noisy. currently – on Sunday, September 14, from 9am, by permission of Mr & Mrs A White. Entry is free.

For more information, email helenselby@ outlook.com or phone 07910 642987.

Repair Cafe onwards and upwards

WEYMOUTH Repair Cafe is moving to a new larger venue in Southill, Weymouth, allowing it to repair more items brought in by the public.

The cafe will be at Southill Community Centre in Radipole Lane (DT3 9SS) opening every second Saturday of the month from September 13, from 10am-12.30pm.

Around 20 repairers cover electrical and electronic devices, sewing repairs, binoculars, clocks, jewellery, leatherwork, tool sharpening, glueing, mechanical repairs and sewing machines.

Over the years, Weymouth Repair Cafe has fixed almost 3,000 items.

Chair, Malcolm Smith, said: “The move to Southill allows us to continue to grow as an organisation, meaning an even greater number of items can be saved from consignment to the bin.”

The new venue has plenty of free parking in the shopping area car park next door and larger items can be left temporarily at a drop-off point outside the centre.

Visitors can have tea and cake at a friendly café area while waiting to have an item repaired.

Small donations for the

REAL ale fans will be able to sample lots of brews at Beerex at Wareham Town Hall this autumn.

More than 30 real ales, ciders and lagers – plus local gin – will be on offer at the event at Wareham Town Hall on Friday and Saturday, October 10-11, including a

work carried out goes to local charities, and pays for any spares used.

Sometimes items that are repairable, but cannot be fixed at the café, can be repaired at the owner’s home.

The Repair Cafe movement, whose slogan is ‘Don’t Bin It – Fix It’, began in the Netherlands in 2009 and has now spread worldwide.

The Weymouth Cafe has been a big part of that success in the UK.

Weymouth was named UK Community Group of the Year 2024 by networking site Nextdoor in March last year.

And the cafe was awarded gold in the Community Award category at the Weymouth Business Awards in July 2024.

The Repair Cafe is always looking for more volunteers, and while special skills are not needed to be part of the Repair Cafe family, repairers need some sort of specialisation.

Prospective volunteers should email repaircafeweymouth@gmail. co.uk or go along to an event.

The Repair Café can be found at www. repaircafeweymouth.org and on Facebook at www. facebook.com/RepairCafe Weymouth.

Friday lunchtime session.

Live music and food by 4&20 Blackbirds, supplied by B Curtis Butchers, will also be on offer.

The event supports local charities and good causes and tickets are available on Eventbrite and at Purbeck Property, Wareham.

AS summer draws to a close, we say goodbye to the madness that is the school holidays! However, as the weather dampens for autumn – we hope – wildlife is still buzzing. On the coast, skuas, shearwaters and terns can be seen gliding through the winds as they fly closer inshore. The terns may even be seen fishing in Durlston Bay. Beautiful flowers like sea aster and golden samphire bloom nicely while painted ladies and clouded yellows gently flutter to and fro. As temperatures drop, more birds migrate to warmer places, consuming numerous amounts of elderberries and insects to fuel their long journeys. As foliage gradually loses its green, there are still pops of colour that can be seen in the white petals of

the autumn ladies tresses and purples of the autumn gentians. This September in the Fine Foundation Gallery there is plenty to see including Kevin Ferrioli’s exhibition Landing Among the Stars, displaying his night-time photography of Dorset, running daily from September 6-18. Following this, from September 21-26, Voices of Durlston will showcase recorded interviews of sheddies, volunteers and visitors as they talk about what makes Durlston so special, combined with images of the fantastic landscapes we are so

fond of.

With autumn dawning new beginnings this September, we have loads of fresh new events ready to fill the quiet days. We have a park to pier guided walk with information on wildlife, geology and history, and a Pleasure Grounds guided walk taking you through the fascinating history of the Victorian Pleasure Grounds and its restoration. Both are perfect for admiring the emerging autumn season. As well as this, Kevin Ferrioli will be holding a talk – Friday, September 12 – on the Night Skies of Dorset, familiarising us on how to capture them, while on Saturday, September 13, we are hosting a stargazing evening where you could put Ferrioli’s nighttime photography tricks into

practice!

For those visitors who would like to learn a new skill, you’ll have the perfect opportunity to do so at our upcoming events with a Glass Engraving workshop on Sunday, September 14, and an Intro to Linocut workshop on Saturday, September 27. For more information on all events, or to book your space, make sure to visit www.durlston. co.uk/events.

Whatever your reason for visiting Durlston this autumn, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

For more information on events and more, visit our Durlston website, www. durlston.co.uk.

Visit the Seventhwave café website at www.seventhwave restaurant.co.uk.

Police appeal on town break-ins

POLICE are appealing for witnesses after three Swanage properties were reportedly broken into in the past month.

A Stihl hedge trimmer was reportedly stolen from a shed at a property in Moor Road between 10pm on Monday, August 18, and 6am the next day.

Entry was reportedly forced to a property in Rabling Road between 9pm on Sunday,

August 17, and 3.30pm on Tuesday, August 19.

A further property in Prospect Crescent was reportedly broken into between 5pm on Tuesday, August 19, and 5.30pm on Wednesday, August 20.

Officers are currently working to establish whether any items were stolen from these addresses.

Inspector Simon Perry, of

Dorset Police, said: “We are continuing to investigate this burglary series and we have increased patrols in the area in light of these reports.

“I am keen to hear from anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area at the time the incidents occurred.

“I am also keen to hear from motorists driving in the area at the time with dashcams fitted, as well as any local residents

with doorbell or home CCTV cameras, who may have captured any footage of relevance to my investigation.

“Further crime prevention advice can be found at https:// www.dorset.police.uk/cp/ crime-prevention/.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, using reference number 55250123291.

Co-op’s digital display plans rejected

PLANS to create a digital display at a Co-op store in Wareham have been refused because of concerns it would distract drivers.

The store in North Street applied to create a digital advertising display screen to promote in-store offers and campaigns.

Adverts would have run during the store’s opening hours, 7am to 10pm.

But Dorset Council rejected the plans as officers said the screen would result in ‘additional unnecessary advertisement clutter with a visual impact’ detrimental to the conservation area.

Wareham Town Council, which objected to the plans, said the display would be distracting to drivers.

“The sign is too bright, by the applicant’s own admission, and it is not being turned off at 10pm, being left on much later than stated,” its comment stated.

“The sign is extremely

distracting to drivers and being in a conservation area is not in keeping with the local area.”

Co-op said the display was designed to minimise its lighting impact with automatic brightness adjustment settings. It also said it complied fully with both national and local heritage policies.

New lifeboat named in volunteer’s honour

A NEW RNLI lifeboat in Swanage has officially been named in honour of a volunteer who passed away in a tragic accident.

The D class Inshore Lifeboat, D-884 Roy Norgrove, was named during a ceremony at Swanage Lifeboat Station on Saturday, March 23.

It was funded by a legacy from Doreen Norgrove to honour the voluntary work for the RNLI done by her late husband, Roy.

Roy had a long history of fundraising for the RNLI and was well known as the person who ran the jewellery appeal for the RNLI.

He was still in the role in 2007 when he passed away,

receiving an MBE in 1995 for services to the community and particularly the RNLI in Farnham, Surrey.

The ceremony was opened by Dave Corben, chair of the

enq@ulwellholidaypark.co.uk

Swanage Branch Management Group, with the lifeboat handed over on Mrs Norgrove’s behalf by Anthony Oliver MBE, former RNLI deputy head of fundraising and marketing.

Anthony, from Wimborne, retired from the RNLI at the end of 1996 after 31 years in various fundraising roles, knew both Roy and Doreen.

Rob Faricy, safety and independent assurance director, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI and handed it over to Rob Pullman, lifeboat operations manager at Swanage. Rev Tony Higgins conducted the service of dedication and the lifeboat was named by Darren Tomes, senior helm of the inshore lifeboat.

Ringwood Salvation Army Band provided music at the ceremony and the Kelp Shanty Band entertained those present after the ceremony.

The lifeboat is prepared for launch PHOTO : Ian Bell

Darren Tomes prepares to Christen the lifeboat with Rob Pullman at his side PHOTO: Christine Oliver

Brownsea an autumn treat for nature lovers

BROWNSEA Island is the perfect autumn retreat, as the summer crowds fade and the leaves begin to turn.

The National Trust treasure in the heart of Poole Harbour offers tranquillity, wildlife spectacles and views.

Autumn is one of the best times to spot Brownsea’s most iconic residents, the red squirrels.

More than 100 of them call the island home and visitors can see them gathering nuts for winter.

The squirrels’ tails take on a darker, almost black tone, as the year progresses.

Free guided red squirrel walks run twice daily throughout the autumn, giving visitors the chance to learn more about the creatures.

November squirrel walks, which run after the island closes to the public, finish with a cream tea in Brownsea Castle.

The island is a delight for birdwatchers as Poole Harbour is one of the best sites in England with more than 20,000 birds arriving over autumn to

of fungi, popping up in all shapes, sizes and colours. Species include common earth balls, shaggy ink caps and fly agaric.

Traffic-free Brownsea, with its 9km coastal path, offers some of the best autumn walks in Dorset.

Walkers can gaze across Poole Harbour to Sandbanks and the Purbeck Hills, with the chalky silhouettes of Old Harry Rocks just visible on the horizon.

Brownsea’s historic campsite is open until the end of September and provides a way to enjoy the island after the day trippers have gone home.

take advantage of the harbour’s sheltered conditions, warmer climate and abundance of food, with many of the birds heading to Brownsea lagoon.

The Lookout wildlife observatory and the hides around the edge of the lagoon on the Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve offer a great perch to watch all the comings and goings.

Birds like the sandwich and

common tern will be leaving for Africa and new arrivals, such as spoonbill, godwit and avocet, will gather in impressive numbers.

Brownsea’s fungi forays are another seasonal nature highlight, led by experts from the Dorset Fungus Group who explore the world of fungi and their symbiotic relationship with trees.

The island has many species

During October half-term, families can take part in Brownsea’s Mystical Woodland Quest Trail, in which nature and folklore intertwine.

Children and adults are invited to explore the stories of the oak, birch and yew trees, uncovering secrets of the forest through storytelling, nature exploration and activities.

Brownsea Island closes for the season on Monday, November 3.

For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/ dorset/brownsea-island.

Exploring Purbeck – Coombe Keynes

by retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade

THIS is a walk of almost seven miles around beautiful countryside with lots of ups and downs.

Start at the tiny triangular village green which has an oak planted in 1937 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI.

There’s also a sign to the Church of the Holy Rood – which is now redundant but worth a visit – so follow the lane to the church, which is usually open.

Nowadays it’s used as a

village hall and skittle alley.

After visiting the church, return to the green and turn left, going up the road to a junction with the B3071, where you turn left again and walk south for a mile up Newton Hill.

Eventually you meet the Purbeck Way which takes you left, east, along the parish boundary with East Lulworth.

Continue alongside the wood for about half a mile, then bear left, north east through a couple of fields, then left again, north west,

across fields and down a lane to the village road.

Turn right and head east up the hill to Kimbert’s End, round the bend and down the hill south eastwards.

After Kennel Farm you find the parish boundary marked by a wall on your right and soon you’ll be within East Lulworth parish.

Having passed Shaggs, turn left, east, along a bridleway which curves round to the north east, crosses several fields and meets the boundary of the Lulworth Ranges.

Turn left and follow the path north to re-enter the parish at Coombe Heath Nature Reserve, which is Access Land across which you can wander if you wish.

Make your way north west to the exit near Oak Tree Farm and follow the lane until you come to a cross ways with a finger post.

Turn left and follow the Purbeck Way south west until you meet the road at the bend at Kimbert’s End.

From here you can retrace your steps back down the road to where you started.

Brownsea Island is home to more than 100 red squirrels – their tails become almost black in autumn. Godwits (right) will be returning to the area PHOTOS: National Trust/Jess Dibden

Take a peek at ‘greener’ homes

MORE than 50 homes across Dorset, including in the Purbeck Gazette area, will be opening for the Dorset Greener Homes event this month.

The fifth annual event will see householders showcase to visitors the green and sustainable measures they have taken in their own homes.

That may include solar panels, battery storage and air and ground source heat pumps.

Others show low-cost solutions, using natural materials which can be recycled at the end of the building’s life, and wildlifefriendly gardens.

payback times on investment, helping them to make their own homes warmer and cut energy bills.

In previous years visitors have found answers to questions about the noise of heat pumps, insulating listed buildings and whether solar panels are worth installing and where reputable installers can be found.

Homeowners will give impartial advice to visitors, including about installation processes, costs and healthy

18 homes are opening across BCP, Swanage and Purbeck; 14 homes in the Dorchester and Weymouth area; nearly 20 in the Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Bridport area; and a growing number in the Gillingham and Shaftesbury area . Among them are listed buildings which have insulated the walls and roofs and overcome listing and planning

regulations to create warm homes fit for the future.

High-end projects include Athelhampton house, a Tudor manor which has achieved zero carbon status.

Dorset Greener Homes runs on the weekends of September 20-21 and September 27-28.

Most homes are open for one or two days and may require prior booking – booking details and opening times can be found at www.dorsetgreenerhomes. org.

The website also features mini-films of some of the homes.

Many homes are also open outside of the event dates all year round by appointment.

The event is one of Dorset Climate Action Network’s (DorsetCAN’s) main projects, as it aims to offer residents an opportunity to learn more about ‘greener’ energy solutions.

For more information about its work, visit www.dorsetcan. org.

Visitors can learn more about making their homes ‘greener’ and more sustainable in the Dorset Greener Homes event

Homes and business centre plans for former builder’s merchant

A FORMER builder’s merchant in Dorchester could be partly demolished and converted into 23 apartments and a small business centre, if plans are approved.

Applicant Sheriff Construction is trying to develop land at the former Gibbs and Dandy building at 4 Maumbury Road.

The plans would see 23 two- and three-bed apartments created on the site, with seven of the homes to be affordable. The existing heritage warehouses would see a change of use to a small business centre hub.

Dorset Council has rejected several schemes to redevelop the site, which has been vacant since 2020 and is dilapidated.

The plans said: “The land represents a wasted opportunity in such a sustainable location being so well serviced by public transport.”

Building A – a builder’s merchants – would be demolished under the plans and replaced with a mixed-use building made up of ground floor employment, three-and-ahalf storeys of residential dwellings and landscaped borders with trees.

Building B – a storage

building and car wash – would be replaced with two-and-a-half storeys of ‘attractive residential dwellings’ with a ground floor employment space.

Building C would be renovated into a new small business centre and start-up hub, which would be called The Yard, taking its name from the historic timber yard uses at the site.

Building D would be renovated into a children’s creche or nursery on the ground floor with flexible workspaces or community meeting room on the first floor.

New vehicle access is proposed to the north on the Great Western Road.

The plans said: “Insofar as benefits, with 23 units proposed, of which seven would be affordable, the proposed development would make a good contribution towards the district’s housing shortfall and provide these in a location that is conveniently close to local facilities, services and public transport links.”

To view and comment on the plans, visit the planning section of Dorset Council’s website and search reference P/ FUL/2025/00984.

Solar & Tidal Predictions - Sept '25

01-Jul 01:43 07:32 13:59 20:58 05:00 21:23

02-Jul 02:30 09:20 14:45 21:50 05:00 21:23

00:08 07:12 12:32 19:35 06:40 19:26 13-Sep 00:52 07:54 13:18 20:22 06:42 19:24 14-Sep 01:44 08:46 14:16 21:27 06:43 19:21

15-Sep 02:54 10:18 15:34 23:16 06:45 19:19

03-Jul 03:21 10:14 15:36 22:48 05:01 21:22 04-Jul 04:19 11:13 16:35 23:48 05:02 21:22 05-Jul 23:48 05:22 12:12 17:39 NP 05:03 21:21 06-Jul 00:47 06:25 13:07 18:43 05:03 21:21 07-Jul 01:41 07:21 14:00 19:38 05:04 21:20 08-Jul 02:30 08:10 14:50 20:26 05:05 21:20 09-Jul 03:16 08:53 15:37 21:07 05:06 21:19 10-Jul 04:00 09:31 16:21 21:46 FM 05:07 21:18 11-Jul 04:41 10:08 17:02 22:24 05:08 21:17 12-Jul 05:21 10:44 17:42 23:00 SP 05:09 21:17 13-Jul 06:00 11:20 18:20 23:38 05:10 21:16

06:38 11:58 18:59 05:11 21:15

16-Sep 04:27 11:59 17:20 23:59 NP 06:46 19:17 17-Sep 00:35 06:11 13:11 19:05 06:48 19:15

18-Sep 01:39 07:30 14:10 20:10 06:50 19:12 19-Sep 02:32 08:22 14:57 20:56 06:51 19:10 20-Sep 03:16 09:02 15:39 21:32 06:53 19:08

21-Sep 03:57 09:37

00:16 07:17 12:38 19:40 05:13 21:14 16-Jul 00:57 07:59 13:22 20:25 05:14 21:13 17-Jul 01:44 08:46 14:10 21:16 05:15 21:12 18-Jul 02:36 09:40 15:06 22:18 05:16 21:11 19-Jul 03:40 10:47 16:11 23:31 05:17 21:10

The existing site (left) with the proposed alterations (right) PHOTOS: Briffa Phillips Architects

removed and to re-point any defective cement works from ridge line and re-cement any broken gables, we always allow up to 15 broken or slipped tiles. What this offer ensures is an overall roof clean and minor repairs, all gutters and downpipes will be cleaned once the job is finished.This service is from as little as £295 and will 100% prevent you from having large roof repairs or roof replacment.

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Swanage

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Mondays 5.30pm & 7pm

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Kohima tribute to Dorsets who fought and died

MEMBERS of the Purbeck branch of the Devonshire and Dorset Regimental Association held a moving ceremony for all those who served at Kohima in Burma during the Second World War at Sandford war memorial.

Major J N Speakman MBE TD Retd welcomed everyone who attended, before a service and prayers.

Christopher Jary, a leading local military historian and Dorset Regiment history author, gave a compelling and moving account of the battle of the tennis courts at Inphal.

Many Dorsets fought and died in appalling conditions in the campaign, and he said they

would never be forgotten for their heroic actions.

Five standard bearers were present and the Burma Star standard was on parade for the occasion.

Major Dave Marshall Retd played the Last Post with Reveille, and branch member Ken Shipton laid the wreath.

The Kohima Epitaph was recited: “When you go home, tell them of us and say for your tomorrow we gave our today.”

An after-service reception was held at the Claypipe Inn, Holten Heath, hosted by the Purbeck branch, attended by

about 40 guests and members. For more information about the Purbeck branch of the Devonshire and Dorset Regimental Association, phone the secretary on 01202 669409.

Ready, steady – here comes folk festival!

MUSIC AND DANCE

The procession starts out along Ocean View at a previous event

MORDAUNT Roger

Sadly, passed away at home on 7th August after a long illness. Known to many from the Stone Carving Festivals at the Square and Compass. Funeral service will be on Tuesday 9th September at 2pm at the Valley Chapel, Haycombe Crematorium Bath BA2 2RQ

Family flowers only please but donations can be made for Asthma & Lung UK. All enquires to G F Hunt Funeral Directors, 41 Livingstone Road, Bath BA2 3PH

THOUSANDS of visitors are expected in Swanage for the annual folk festival this weekend.

The family friendly event, run entirely by unpaid local volunteers, is now 33 years old and typically attracts 4,0005,000 people.

Last year the festival raised £7,000 for groups including Swanage Scouts, Julia’s House, AllSort’d, Dementia Friendly Purbeck, Swanage Foodbank and Swanage Disabled Club.

The headline evening performers are Mike McGoldrick and Tim Edey, Bonfire Radicals, Kate Griffin and Matchume Zango, Narthen, The Haar, Harbottle & Jonas, FolkLaw, TRADarrr and Winter Wilson.

Free-to-enter afternoon

performances feature BierFass Oompah band, Badgerfox, The Savage Underdogs, Waterfolk Choir, Murphys Lore Trio, The Crows and The Rigmarollers.

The festival will also see 65 colourful dance groups spend Saturday and Sunday dancing in 10 locations along the seafront and in the town.

A procession will be held on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday afternoon members of the groups will dance in the sea to round the event off.

Children’s entertainers will be offering free fun for youngsters, and 10 workshops will give festival-goers the chance to learn or improve their music and dance skills, with subjects as varied as Bollywood, French folk styles and traditional English dance.

The festival also fills local pubs with another 24 music sessions, singing sessions and bands – all free to join in.

Swanage Folk Festival runs from Saturday to Sunday, September 5-7.

our delcious carvery with all your favourite trimmings, every Sunday, 12.00pm - 3.00pm.

News

M argaret Green Animal Rescue

Make 60 matter –and make it fun!

TO celebrate the 60th anniversary of Margaret Green Animal Rescue, we are inviting our incredible supporters, like you, to join us in marking this amazing milestone.

We’d love for you to take part by creating your very own ‘60-themed’ fundraising challenge!

It’s a great opportunity to get your friends, family or colleagues involved, have lots of fun and make a real difference to rescue animals in need.

Whether you fancy running 60 miles, completing a 60-minute silence, reading 60 books or baking 60 cupcakes, the possibilities are endless!

We’d really like you to come up with your own ideas,

which can be as big or small as you like, just as long as they are creative, enjoyable and achievable for you.

Ready to get started? Visit our website, www.mgar.org. uk/60-years, to grab your fundraising toolkit today.

Don’t forget to let us know what you’re planning by emailing comms@mgar.org. uk or tagging us @ mganimalrescue on socials – as we’d love to cheer you on.

Let’s celebrate 60 years of changing lives – together!

100-mile challenge for air ambulance

DORSET and Somerset Air Ambulance has launched its popular 100 Miles in October Challenge.

The challenge, now in its third year, invites participants of all ages and abilities to walk, run, swim, cycle or hop their way to 100 miles throughout the month of October, all while raising funds for the charity’s service.

Rosie Cornelius-Light, fundraising officer, said: “Last year, the event raised an incredible £31,223.76 and we’re hoping to take that success even further in 2025.

“With every mission costing about £3,500, every single pound raised makes such a difference, helping us to deliver critical care to those who need it most.

“We cannot wait to see supporters come together, push

Rum tot farewell raises £500 for hospice

MEMBERS of the Weymouth and Portland branch of the Fleet Air Arm Association have marked Black Tot Day – the historic date the Royal Navy issued its final daily rum ration, July 31, 1970.

The event at Weymouth Working Men’s Club – fondly known as Weymouth Workies – included a light-hearted ‘funeral’ for the tot, complete with a rum coffin, pallbearers and tongue-in-cheek tributes.

Members also enjoyed a lively naval-themed quiz with rounds covering Royal Navy history, ships, Royal Navy sport, and rum traditions.

The 60 guests were able to sample a fine oak-aged dark rum supplied by Black Ven Rum Distillers in Lyme Regis, led by head distiller, John

themselves and join the 100 miles community!”

Participants are encouraged to join the challenge’s Facebook group.

This dedicated online community offers the chance to track progress, share milestones and provide support.

It is free to sign up to the challenge, and once a participant’s fundraising page is activated, they will receive a complimentary ‘100 Miles in October’ T-shirt.

The charity encourages those who sign up to commit to actively fundraising – those who complete the challenge and meet their fundraising goals will earn a special finisher’s medal and be eligible for fundraising rewards along the way.

To sign up, visit https://givp. nl/register/MNp7SC2Q.

Tucker.

Mixers, non-alcoholic options and cheeses ensured there was something for everyone.

The event raised more than £500 for Weldmar Hospicecare, the branch’s charity for 2025.

The evening closed with thanks to all the volunteers who made it possible, including Dave Buckley, Bob Longden, Dave Bland and Tony Boyle.

For more information about the branch, visit www. royal-naval-association.co.uk/ fleet-air-arm-associationweymouth-branch.

Back in time to the Civil War

‘THE Betrayal’ will be dramatically re-enacted at Corfe Castle this weekend, portraying the events of 1646 when the castle was taken by Parliamentarian forces.

The English Civil War Society will be bringing this turbulent part of the castle’s history to life and visitors will be able to engage with the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the 17th century.

The event on Saturday and Sunday, September 6 and 7, begins at 10.45am on both days with military marching from West Street car park to the village square, where the troops will meet Lady Bankes – the formidable owner of Corfe Castle.

Lady Bankes calls for tenants to come into the castle and bring supplies.

Within the castle walls, visitors can explore aspects of 17th century life, including a tavern, soldiers sleeping or repairing armour, a stonemason trying to repair the castle, an authentic kitchen, a constable laying down local law and the social divide between the finely dressed officers and gentry, and the soldiers and tradesmen.

Lots of hands-on activities will be on offer for families including a dress-up booth and an invitation to join the ranks and take part in military drills.

Demonstrations of musket, pike and cannon fire take place from noon onwards on both days, and at 3pm visitors can watch a live re-enactment of the siege and betrayal of the castle.

Eoin McDowell, experience

and visitor programming manager, said: “This is one of my favourite events of the year.

“The castle is buzzing and the English Civil War Society really knows how to create immersive experiences to engage young people with this interesting time in history”

Stephen Burden, from the English Civil War Society, said:

“We so enjoy returning to Corfe Castle, our ‘home’ since 1996, taking families back in time to the colourful days of the 17th century.”

He added: “We’re looking forward to re-enacting the events of ‘The betrayal’, although I have to say it is far less scary to face Roundheads than it is the children’s drill!”

The English Civil War Society will be at Corfe Castle to re-enact events around ‘The Betrayal’ PHOTO: National Trust/John Bish

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Recycling centre deserves accolades

I WONDER if Peter Jenkins – Purbeck Gazette, August 4 –has ever visited the Swanage recycling centre – I guess not.

I very much doubt if the bureaucrats at Dorset Council have, either!

Actually, we have a site that deserves accolades for its efficiency, let alone a complete lack of queues!

Have you ever wondered where Swanage’s other ‘recycling centre’ is?

That, too, is a feat of modern engineering – no fuss, nothing unsightly and completely devoid of any odours.

(By the way, it is just past the entrance to the pier).

I unfortunately had to drive through Peter’s home town of Bath on Tuesday – late –morning.

Oh dear, dear, dear.

wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine – it would provide lots of job opportunities. As it has been there over 65 years without a problem, obtaining planning permission should not be an issue.

Chris Slade Via email

Beach huts: A design flaw?

IT’S always puzzled me that the new Swanage beach huts don’t have the usual double doors. So I wrote this...

A room with half a view! I’m in my Swanage beach hut Staring sadly at the floor

You see there’s not a window And there’s not a double door

My wife is sitting next to me And she can see the view But only through the single door That isn’t meant for two

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

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You assuredly know all about miles of queues, traffic lights, pollution and screaming sirens!

In the meantime, peace and serenity will soon descend upon our home town – just in time for the season of autumn mists and mellow fruitfulness.

David Willis Via email

Winfrith nuclear site’s future

If I lean across to look I bump into her head It feels less like a beach hut More like sitting in a shed!

Surely someone should have seen

This sad sightseeing flaw Next time I’m in Swanage Bay I think I’ll bring a saw!

Martin Hobdell Swanage

Email: info@oakwoodwills.co.uk

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

SURELY the best thing to do with the site of the former nuclear power station at Winfrith would be to build a new one there.

Not only would it produce secure ‘green’ energy when the

Email your letters to newsdesk@ purbeck gazette.co.uk

Battered puppy Poppy loving life in new home

POPPY, a puppy the RSPCA rescued after being found with broken legs and ribs following a series of attacks, is enjoying life in a new home with a member of staff who fell in love with her.

The chihuahua-cross, aged about eight months at the time, was rescued after a member of the public reported a dog with untreated injuries at an address in Dorset.

Rescuers found Poppy could not bear weight on her back leg, had a large lump on her front leg and found part of the top of an ear missing.

She was rushed for urgent veterinary treatment by the RSPCA where examinations and x-rays found further injuries.

As well as the untreated broken back leg, she had two fractures to her right front leg which had started to heal, and other historic injuries, including three fractured ribs as well as skin wounds, an amputated ear tip and a cut to her tongue which had healed.

The vet concluded the injuries were non-accidental and had been caused on different occasions.

RSPCA Inspector Patrick Bailey launched an investigation in August 2023.

He said: “It was so sad when I first saw Poppy – she was so happy and lovely – but because she had a fracture to her back left leg and two to her right front leg, to move and balance her weight she had to choose which fractured leg to walk on.

“She was using her front leg and she must have been in horrendous pain every time she moved before we got to her.

“There were then fears she may have to have her leg amputated, but as the fracture had already healed partly, it was decided to give her pain management to help see if she

could recover, and I am delighted she is now living a healthy and happy life.”

The RSPCA is highlighting Poppy’s story as part of its Summer Cruelty Campaign.

The animal charity saw a 33% increase in reports in the summer months last year –34,401 from June to August 2024 compared to 25,887 in 2023.

After having veterinary care it was decided Poppy needed special care in a foster home to help her recover and Patrick decided to look after her around his full-time job.

He cared for Poppy for six weeks, with the help of his partner, until she was ready to be transferred to an RSPCA centre to find her forever home.

Patrick said: “When I first took Poppy home, she was still recovering from her injuries and the leg fractures were healing,

Poppy a more permanent foster home, but she fell in love with her and adopted her.

“She is now loved and adored, and I couldn’t wish for a better home for her.”

Poppy now lives with Olivia Ball at her home in Milford-onSea where she enjoys daily walks to the beach and dips in the sea.

Olivia said: “Poppy came to me towards the end of the cage rest she needed, and the idea was to foster her and get her ready for a new home, but I couldn’t give her up, so I adopted her – we just bonded so much.

so she needed plenty of cage rest to recover at first, which was challenging for such a young dog.

“Even as she was healing from such serious injuries she was such a happy, friendly little puppy with a real zest for life and she won the hearts of everyone she met.

“We had to make sure she didn’t jump around like a puppy would normally do, as we needed her injuries to heal.

“We would even take her into the garden on a lead at first so she could toilet without being tempted to try and run around.

“After her initial recovery an animal care assistant at Ashley Heath Animal Home offered

Olivia, who has taken on Poppy full time, and Patrick, who looked after Poppy after she was rescued

“Poppy came to me at a time when I had a lot going on in my life with some health issues and I had also just lost my cat after 23 years, so I was still grieving from that.

“But she came at the right time in many ways as she brought something into my life which until then I didn’t know I was missing.

“She is great company and so loving and playful – a real ray of sunshine.

“She has been anxious at times and used to be sick from stress, for instance if someone knocked at the door with a parcel.

“But for the past year she hasn’t had any sick episodes in my care, so it looks like it is something she has got over, she just needed lots of reassurance.

“Now she loves nothing more than walking on the beach, with some of her dog friends, running into the sea and likes to say ‘hi’ to any new dogs she meets.

“Her injuries don’t hold her back and she has no lameness. She is just the perfect dog, and it breaks my heart to think what she went through as a pup.

“This is why I would urge people to support the RSPCA’s Summer Cruelty campaign to help us save more pets like Poppy who are suffering from horrendous cruelty.”

Chihuahua-cross Poppy had broken legs and ribs when she was rescued by the RSPCA but she is now a healthy happy dog

Sudoku 3D puzzle

Across

8 Writer twice interrupted by a song of praise (5)

9 Trouble in a Thai – or Caribbean resident (7)

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

Killer Sudoku Pro

10 French priest with a pair of learners offering panacea (4-3)

11 Animal longing to be in hot area (5)

12 English politician with hard article facing amount in stress (9)

14 Fine individual disregarding new rival (3)

15 Source of heat for all to see between poles (3)

16 Formulated plan I tote showing possibility (9)

Down

1 Apparent pain in hooligan (6)

2 Aquatic creature heading for pond in habitat (8)

3 Old coin kept by Indian native? (4)

4 Talk of cold or hot food (6)

5 Group rowing over three points for figure

6 Rank policy (4)

7 Crazy and empty son comes in (6)

13 List of characters? (8)

14 Just behaviour in reasonable drama? (4,4)

19 Preliminary proposition from line by novel (5)

Killer Sudoku Pro

21 Secret hint in card game largely by person (7)

15 Unaccompanied chap losing heart is grave

23 Understand wrongly note by woman with Arab (7)

24 Conservative charge for case (5)

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

17 Frustrate Henry before conflict in Isle of event (6)

18 More substantial drink cut by bartender lately (6)

20 Flat-topped hill in Middle East and South Africa (4)

22 Unpleasant sensation a temporary obstacle first off (4)

Sport

13 Power Gym fighters in the ring

THE Rumble in the Purbecks boxing tournament, organised by Purbeck Power Gym and held at Wilkswood, featured 20 fights, with boxers from the Power Gym taking part in 13 of them.

In the first fight, Jake Muir, 15, from Swanage, met Ed Martin, from Dorchester.

After a tough fight the judges disagreed about who had won, and Jake lost on a split decision.

Will Nawn, 15, from Swanage, was matched against a fighter from Wales and lost a hard, close fight on a split decision.

BOXING

Joe Navin, 22, from Swanage, fought Danny Greaves, from Weymouth. Joe proved too strong for his opponent and the referee stopped the fight in the second round.

Will Navin, 16, from Swanage, was matched against a tough opponent from Wales and was beaten on points in a hard fight.

Ryan Dwyer, 21, from Harman’s Cross, came up against the well-regarded Luke Freeman from Brighton.

Ryan’s fearsome punching power helped him win by a knockout in the first round.

Josh Tapper, 21, from Swanage, was matched against a boxer from Brighton and Josh won a hard, close fight on points on what was his 21st birthday.

Joe Heslop, who is in the Army serving at Lulworth and boxes for the Purbeck Power

Gym, lost a hard, close fight on points to Milo Lovell, from Dorchester.

Jakob Lee, 18, from Swanage, having his first fight, met Elliot Wrigley, from Wales. Jakob, who needs to work on his fitness, followed instructions from his coach and won a hard fight on points.

Jack Buchanan, 20, was matched with a boxer from Brighton and won in the second round when the referee stopped the fight.

Ashley Cannon, 21, from Wareham, was up against a tough-looking boxer from Southampton but knocked his opponent down in the second round and twice more in the third before the referee stopped the fight.

Kyle Smith, 21, from

Swanage, fought a hard battle with Kip Everleigh, from Team Weaver, which was declared a draw.

Mark Scouler, 20, from Bovington, found himself in a tough fight against Domonic Jones, from Wales.

Mark proved the tougher fighter and won on points.

In the final fight, Lloyd Crisp, 18, from Swanage, was matched over five rounds in a title fight at welterweight (68kg) against Brandon Owens, from Brighton.

Lloyd is skilful and very fit and has been working on his punching power.

He knocked his opponent down with a left hook in the first round, and twice more in the second, when the referee stopped the fight.

Seconds remain in promotion hunt

SWANAGE 2ndXI continued their quest for promotion with a trip to their Witchampton counterparts.

Swanage batted first and got off to a brilliant start with a 77-run opening partnership between John Lewis and Steve Ramsay at five runs an over – their third half-century stand of the summer.

When Lewis was unluckily run out for 46 after a freakish deflection, Ramsay was joined by another of the club’s top all-rounders, James Harding.

They batted beautifully, combining solid defence with ferocious drives and pull-shots, constructing a 70-run stand at seven runs an over.

Harding was finally dismissed, attempting his ninth boundary, for 53, his first league half-century for the club.

With an excellent platform from two big partnerships, Mike Nash instructed his middle order to play selfless cameo innings to support Ramsay, and Paul Norman, Gary Marsh, Geoff Willcocks and Chris Wood did just that.

CRICKET

Swanage’s ‘famous-5’ 2nd XI performers – James Harding, Alan Marks, Danny Norman, Steve Ramsay and Josh Van Staden

Swanage reached 212-5 off their 40 overs with Ramsay remaining undefeated on 88 after hitting 11 boundaries to all four corners of the ground.

In reply, Witchampton were soon under pressure due to exceptional seam/swing bowling by Alan Marks and Ramsay.

Ramsay took three wickets to help reduce the hosts to 21-4.

The introduction of two youngsters, Danny Norman and Josh Van Staden, maintained the

pressure.

They both bowled with maturity, claiming three wickets between them, to leave Witchampton reeling at 125-8.

After some big hitting by the lower order, Marks returned to claim the last two wickets, to finish with three, as the hosts were dismissed for 166.

This convincing victory gives Swanage 2ndXI a realistic chance of finishing in the top four and clinching promotion on the final weekend of the season.

The 1stXI played host to Marnhull in their latest Premier Division 2 clash.

Swanage batted first and got off to a flying start with a

HOCKEY

SWANAGE and Wareham Hockey Club are holding a club day on Saturday (September 6), from 10am-1.30pm.

Everyone is welcome whether they are a seasoned player or if they just want to give the sport a go.

The event is open to all ages and abilities, members and

half-century opening stand between Mike Salmon and Mark Stacey before they fell in quick succession for 44 and 21 respectively.

The visitor’s leg-spinner then bamboozled the middle order reducing Swanage to 92-7 aafter being 74-1 at one stage. The hosts never recovered from this precarious position and were finally shot out for just 131.

In response, despite Marnhull losing wickets at regular intervals, with Salmon taking three and Harry Long claiming a brace, the visitors reached their target to complete a five-wicket win.

The club day includes a Ladies 1st XI friendly against Poole from 10am-11am; junior session and skills practice, 11.15am-11.45am; men’s game, 11.45am-12.15pm; women’s game, 12.15pm-12.45pm, and mixed hockey, 12.45pm1.30pm.

4

Knoll Beach, Studland, on a recent overcast and humid day PHOTO: Robin Boultwood

Telling It Like It Is

Firestarters: Stupidity beyond belief

SUMMER’S almost over.

Hasn’t it been a great season for the sun worshippers and those of us with open-topped cars – but not so great for the gardeners and nature-lovers, who are despairing and standing amid our sad parched gardens and praying for rain.

Not so great, either, for the valiant band of firefighters who seem to be going from one ‘spontaneous’ heath fire to another. What is wrong with our kids who seem to delight in arson? I say ‘kids’ because somehow I don’t see bands of marauding pensioners setting deliberate fires, do you?

Their stupidity is beyond belief. The damage it’s caused, the number of firefighters and appliances needed to stop the fire spreading as much as possible, is astounding. A huge thank you to all involved in tackling these fires, putting yourselves at risk to extinguish the blazes and keep everyone safe.

The police say “a detailed investigation is underway to identify who is responsible. We are appealing to anyone who has seen or heard any suspicious activity in the area over recent months to please come forward.” But no-one will. Many of us believe the ‘Police’ is a spent force which uses its time targeting motorists and looking for hate crime among Facebook posts. Lions led by donkeys.

Valerie Hampshire, executive counsel for the fire brigade union in the south west, has said

by David Hollister

that “somebody somewhere will die unless fire services receive more government funding”. The Government said it gave Fire and Rescue services almost £3 billion in the last financial year to help tackle wildfires and will continue to ensure that services have the resources they need.

‘Gov speak’ for “we’ve lost control and there’s no money because we have spent it all on failed election promises.”

So, just like every other public service, there’s not enough funding. But the fire service – unlike the junior doctors, railway unions and teachers – won’t go on strike. They might voice their very valued complaints, but you’ll never see them standing by while your house burns down. The RNLI will never stand by and watch you drown. And the self-employed can’t afford to down tools. In my lifetime as a self-employed entrepreneur, I had one major principle – if I don’t work, we don’t eat. Simple as that. Never a day on strike. We ate. And we kept up a reasonable standard of living.

BUT this Government seems intent on destroying businesses which in some cases have been trading through several generations. Pouring money into lost causes. I won’t say ‘breaking promises’ – perhaps ‘failure’ would be kinder – but how much is it costing us ordinary working people to feed, power and provide for people arriving by boat? Hand on heart,

how many of you feel we have an obligation to every young and fit male who decides to seek asylum by climbing onto a rubber dinghy and pointing it at the UK. And how many of you, like me, feel uneasy at this army of unemployed men descending upon us daily.

There’s an answer. Try this. What’s the single passenger fare on a cross-Channel ferry from Calais to Dover? At the time of writing, it’s £104. ‘Smash the gangs’ by giving the migrants tickets for their journey on a ferry boat which won’t sink. Must be less than the alleged £5,000 a head paid to the gangsters. Reopen all the disused army camps across the UK to house the asylum seekers. Remove the need to fill in countless application forms in what is to them a foreign language. Get rid of the border force which appears to have lost control of who’s coming and going many years ago.

Find out what the migrants specialised in when living in their country of origin. Because among all the alleged criminals and rapists, I’m sure we’ll find skilled people, carpenters, welders, engineers, mechanics, waiters, chefs, doctors, dentists, teachers and the like. And then find out all the businesses crying out for staff because they can’t persuade people to take on lower end jobs because of the increases in National Insurance and tax imposed at the last Budget to fill the black hole caused by our government spending vast sums on stopping people who want to come to the UK and work. It’s a vicious circle, isn’t it?

Maybe even subsidise the employers who take on migrant labour and provide non-English speaking workers with free crash courses in English. And to the migrant workers, make it clear: you’re here and you’re welcome; these are our laws; one strike and you’re out.

It’s probably not as simple as the solution I have provided. But it’s giving these poor people a

chance to resettle and start a new life in a new country and maybe even send for their wives and dependants to join them. Got to be better than being cooped up in a hotel surrounded by baying protesters, most of whom are probably on benefits. If they were gainfully employed, they wouldn’t have the time to go out protesting, would they?

HUGE piece on Facebook about the closure of the toilets at Battle Gate. Except it was slightly incorrect. The council says: “Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your concerns. We’d like to clarify that there are currently no firm plans to close the Battle Gate toilets.

“As part of the recent engagement on the green sea front, one option suggested replacing the Battle Gate facilities with new toilets to include accessible toilets about 250 metres along the sea front. However, the proposals for this option are not final and will be carefully reviewed based on the feedback received.

“We understand some residents may have interpreted the survey as suggesting an immediate closure, or closure without replacement of facilities, however this is not the case. We hope this clarifies the situation.”

It’s good to see our council reacting to Facebook posts so promptly!

It is hoped it will listen to the ever-increasing number of negative comments on the viability and desirability of the sea front scheme and realise that the use of De Moulham Road in either direction is a total non-starter. This is a forthcoming hot potato!

I understand Dorset Council has signified its willingness to remove the hated parking meters along Shore Road but please bear in mind it will have to find another source of revenue somewhere…

I AM deeply saddened to share that Dame Annette Brooke –former MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole and former councillor for Broadstone –passed away on August 20.

Annette began her public service at Dorset County Council in 1986, later representing Broadstone at the Borough of Poole from its formation as a unitary council in 1997 until 2002. She won the parliamentary seat in 2001 and served until her retirement in 2015. Annette was the first female Liberal Democrat elected at a General Election in Dorset and remains the longest-serving female Liberal Democrat MP to date.

I entered politics to help get Annette elected in 2001, and it was she who encouraged me to stand in the 2015 election to continue her legacy. For the past 25 years, she has been my inspiration, mentor and friend.

While serving as a councillor, Annette was elected Mayor of Poole. During her mayoral year, she raised money to support the newly founded charity Julia’s House, established by fellow Dorset councillor Mike Wise. She later served as a patron of

An inspiration, mentor and friend Scarecrow

the charity, as well as of Forest Holme Hospice, demonstrating her deep commitment to the hospice movement.

During her time representing Broadstone, she worked tirelessly to protect Dorset’s heathlands. Thanks to her and her colleagues, areas such as Canford Heath and other cherished local sites were designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

An economist by training, Annette taught in Aylesbury and later in Bournemouth after moving to Dorset. She also lectured for the Open University before entering politics.

active in public life. She continued with her commitment to social justice through the Dorset Equality Group, founded Stepping Stones to support people with dementia and their carers, and supported Marie Curie Cancer Care through her annual garden party.

Annette and her family also hosted a Ukrainian refugee family following the Russian invasion in 2022 and acted as patron or trustee for several other local organisations.

As a former teacher, she was a passionate advocate for education – at one point serving as the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Education. Her commitment to global development and social justice led her to support initiatives that empowered women to start microbusinesses in developing countries.

Even after retiring from Parliament, Annette remained

I vividly remember Annette speaking at our Liberal Democrat conference about the importance of social housing. She served – as I do now – as a Vice President of the Local Government Association (LGA), a role that reflected her deep understanding of and dedication to local government and community service.

Annette also worked across party lines to improve the rights of people living in park homes, giving them a stronger voice and greater protections from rogue landlords and site owners.

But I knew her as a tireless

champion for social justice and equality, and as the most dedicated constituency MP the people of Mid Dorset and North Poole could have hoped for. She was deeply respected across Dorset, and her hard work did not go unnoticed.

Whenever I am out in my role as MP, people share stories of how Annette helped their families, responded to their letters with compassion and attended their events with genuine enthusiasm. Since her death, many people have contacted me to share their memories and to tell me how she helped them through her parliamentary role.

She was a constant presence in our community and she will be missed by us all.

Annette was a powerful force in the Liberal Democrats, inspiring many local people –especially women – to enter politics as councillors and parliamentary candidates. Her legacy will live on. We will miss her support and guidance, but most of all, we will miss her as a friend.

THE Ocean was the theme for this year’s scarecrow competition in Wool – and the winner was Sally Weld with her mermaid tangled in waste in the sea – below. Sally’s entry is pictured with some of the other category winners.

VIKKI SLADE

Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorset & North Poole

Vikki Slade

East Burton Village Hall events – September

by Patricia Hook

OUR monthly coffee and cake morning is on Friday, September 12, at the usual time of 10am-noon.

Yoga, kick-boxing, Mad Melodies, Fitness with Sarah and boardgames are all taking place as usual during September and the Gardening Club meeting is on Thursday, September 25, with a talk by

the entertaining and informative, Rosemary Legrand, who will be speaking about her trip to South Africa.

The hall can be hired for private/personal events or, if you wish to start a class – maybe tai-chi, karate, art, drama, dancing or book club and so on – get in touch on 01929 288020 or visit our

website, ebvh.org.uk.

The accommodation is flexible as the whole hall can be hired, or we can divide it in half – with a kitchen for each half – and a smaller meeting room is available.

For information about these events, hire rates, availability, booking and so on do not hesitate to make contact.

We are still looking for

anyone interested in amateur dramatics to join our friendly team of D’Urberville Players.

We meet every Tuesday – starting again on September 16 at 7.30pm in the D’Urberville Hall.

Our next production is on Thursday and Friday, December 4-5. We would love you to join us and swell our numbers.

Flower festival’s Dorset delights

Saturday 6th September 10.00am - 12 noon In the Parish Hall

The Hand in Hand Lodge of Oddfellows

is organising the following social activities and everyone is welcome to join in.

A Monday afternoon of tabletop games at PIP Café

Poundbury 2pm-5pm. £5.00 for members £7.00 for non-members. Refreshments included.

Come and play or learn to play: Scrabble; Rummikub; Bananagram; chess; backgammon; mah jong; canasta.

Dates include: 1st September, 13th October, 10th November, 8th December, 12th January 2026 and 9th February 2026

Pizza Night

Sunday 17th August 7pm £15.00. Bar available. Dewflock Farm, Winterbourne Monkton, Dorchester, DT2 8NP

The Blue Pool & Nature Reserve Visit

Wednesday 17th September £16.00. Visit to The Blue Pool and nature reserve near Wareham to include refreshments. Meet at The Blue Pool entrance at 10am.

Apple Picking

Apple picking at Lower Muckleford Farm, DT2 9SW. Saturday 4th/Sunday 5th October 10am start Ploughman’s lunch provided. This is a free event.

Please contact Rosemary Rogers rosemarywdt2@gmail.com or phone 07788436797 for more information and to book your place at the above events

WIMBORNE Minster’s flower festival, being held under the title ‘The Delights of Dorset’ later this month, will involve many of Dorset’s flower clubs and the Minster’s own flower arrangers.

The event will feature more than 60 tableaux and other arrangements, plus a 16ft dinosaur, Demelza, with her baby Dino; the Shrine of St Wite; Mary Anning; Isaac Gulliver; Corfe Castle; and an urban fox stealing sausages from a dustbin.

A grand parade of these characters and more will proceed from Park Lane, through Willow Walk and Crown Mead to the Minster on Saturday, September 20, at 10.30am, just before the start of Wimborne Food Festival.

The flower festival runs from Friday to Monday, September 26-29.

Christine Oliver, the festival’s designer, said: “The

festival could not be achieved without the many volunteers who have given so much time and skill in making the accessories out of papier mâché, providing cakes and serving teas, all to help in raising funds towards the cost of the flowers.

“We are grateful too to those firms and individuals who are kindly sponsoring various arrangements, including Wimborne BID.”

A preview evening will be held on Thursday, September 25, from 7pm-9pm and a limited number of tickets, priced £10, including light refreshments, are available from Anthony Oliver on 01202 888703.

Advance tickets for the festival, priced £7.50, are also available from Mr Oliver.

Groups and coach parties are welcome at the event.

For more information, contact the Minster’s publicity officer at witsend@familyoliver. org.uk or on 01202 888703.

An arrangement from the

2022 flower festival, and Demelza the dinosaur with her baby, Dino

Food & Drink

Masterchef’s Dr George set to cook up a storm

MASTERCHEF contestant and full-time doctor George Williams will be hosting a Dorset-inspired cookery demonstration at this month’s Wimborne Food Festival.

George will showcase three quick and easy late-summer recipes using ingredients from Wimborne’s shops, each cooked using a different kitchen essential – a sizzling creation from the frying pan, a flavourpacked oven-baked dish and a speedy, wholesome air fryer special.

The keen chef, who runs supper clubs and private dining events, said: “It’s been a joy to connect with so many wonderful independent food and drink retailers around Wimborne to create these Dorset dishes.”

George, known for his poise under pressure, will also share stories from the MasterChef

kitchen, including why medicine is less nerve-wracking than being a television contestant.

Audiences can expect culinary tips, real-life anecdotes and a taste of George’s signature humour.

Wimborne Food Festival will feature a host of free culinary talks, cooking demonstrations, food stalls and live music around the town.

The event, on Saturday, September 20, from 11am-4pm, is organised by Wimborne BID and Dacombes of Wimborne.

Venues include Willow Walk, near Waitrose, Wimborne Square, Minster Green and Church Street and East Street, which will be closed to traffic for cafe culture and pop-up events.

A free festival programme with full timetable is available

George Williams will serve up Dorset-inspired recipes at this year’s Wimborne Food Festival PHOTO: Wimborne BID

from local businesses and East Dorset Information Centre on the High Street.

More information can also be found at www.wimborne.info/ wimborne-food-festival.

A COMMUNITY apple pressing taking place in Purbeck later this month will allow people to swap their gardengrown apples for premium cider.

Purbeck Cider is holding its first community apple day, Dorset Apple Day, at its home at the Dorset Cider Farm, near Corfe Castle, on Saturday, September 20, from 10am-5pm.

Anyone whose garden is overflowing with apples is invited to trade in their apples for tokens which can be used to buy cider.

All apples collected will be used to make The People’s Choice Cider, a small batch bespoke cider made from the

fruit the community provides.

Apples will be weighed in and exchanged for tokens to be used in the cider shop or donated to charity.

Purbeck Cider said: “The

The apple pressing at Purbeck Cider is taking place later this month

PHOTOS: Purbeck Cider Company

fruit will become part of a new bespoke cider known as The People’s Choice, a blend of community fruit with our expert cider makers at hand to craft a fine cider which will be

available in the New Year.”

An apple expert will also be on hand to identify any mysterious unknown apples people may have growing in their gardens.

Visitors can see and try the full range of apples Purbeck Cider grows and watch the team at work in the field harvesting and at the press.

A spokesperson added: “As if that’s not enough, there will also be a host of other entertainment from traditional games to live music and a barbecue of hearty offerings to top it all off.”

For more information visit www.purbeckcidercompany.co. uk/dorset-cider-farm.

Health & Wellbeing

Joy without permission: Allowing joy to stay

by Kay Parkinson

HAVE you ever noticed how easy it is to replay criticism while we quickly brush off compliments? When someone thanks us, tells us we’ve done well or offers kindness, we often deflect instead of allowing those words to settle in. We might say, ‘it was nothing’, or ‘I just got lucky’, or ‘anyone could have done it’.

Why do we respond this way?

For many, this reaction stems from a lack of trust in joy, which we may have learned along the way. Perhaps praise was rare during our upbringing or came with expectations attached. Maybe we were taught that humility means we should never enjoy positive attention or that we didn’t truly deserve it in the first place. As a result, we

develop a reflex to push away good things before they have a chance to have a positive impact on us.

I remember a conversation with a friend who had achieved something remarkable at work. When her boss praised her, she responded, ‘it wasn’t a big deal’. Later, she admitted that she felt physically uncomfortable in that moment, her shoulders were tense and her stomach was tight, as if she had been caught doing something wrong. She had spent years earning approval through hard work, but when praise came without her needing to prove herself, she didn’t know how to accept it.

Embracing joy is not about inflating your ego – it’s about recognising that you, like everyone else, deserve moments

of joy, appreciation and connection without having to earn them. When we reject kindness, we not only deprive ourselves of its benefits but also deny the giver the fulfilment of seeing their care acknowledged.

The next time someone offers you something good, like a compliment, a favour or an unexpected act of generosity, take a moment before you dismiss it.

Pause, take a breath and let their words or actions really sink in.

You might even try saying, ‘thank you, that means a lot’.

Pay attention to how it feels in your body to simply receive.

If this feels difficult at first, remember that many of us are more comfortable giving than receiving. Consider how you feel when someone accepts your

help with genuine gratitude. It’s a gift to you as well. By allowing joy into your life, you are also giving others the chance to experience that joy. With time, this practice can soften old beliefs. It can remind you that you don’t earn your worthiness through constant striving – it is something you already possess, even if you have forgotten it. When joy arrives, resist the urge to open the door just enough to wave it away. Instead, let it in, offer it a seat and allow it to stay.

n Kay Parkinson is a therapist specialising in trauma, emotional neglect and the impact of shame on identity and self-worth. Kay’s work focuses on transforming shame through the lens of authentic honour. Visit: www.placetotalktherapies. co.uk.

Your Health Matters

Dorset HealthCare’s monthly round-up

PURBECK residents can learn about the latest developments in local health services when Dorset HealthCare has its Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM) later this month.

The NHS trust, which provides community-based services covering physical and mental health across Dorset, is hosting its AMM on Wednesday, September

24, at Weymouth College.

In line with the priorities of the recently-published NHS 10-Year Plan, the meeting will highlight work planned, and already underway in Purbeck, to shift care as far as possible into the community and nearer people’s homes – and how that will benefit patients.

Chief executive, Matthew Bryant, will also reflect on

developments at the Trust over the past year and look ahead to plans for 2026, and there will be a report from the organisation’s Council of Governors.

A patient story video will showcase the kind of support available through Trust services, while guests will have the chance to give their views in an electronic poll and ask questions about

Trust services and future plans.

Anyone can attend the free event, which takes place at Weymouth College in Cranford Avenue (DT4 7LQ) from 5-7pm, but places are limited.

Please register via www. dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/ about-us/governors/amm to book your place at the meeting.

Accepting praise can be difficult for some people

Meditations in nature: An unexpected encounter

by Susanna Curtin

IT is a warm, late afternoon on the Dorset heathlands at Arne. A light breeze is picking up and blowing in from the sea, and the quintessential blue summer sky has been whitewashed by a blanket of high cloud. I have come here with no particular agenda except to enjoy a nice walk with my binoculars, and to be half on the lookout for ospreys or perhaps the whitetailed eagles. But making my way to the hide that overlooks the Middlebere channel, I can see the incoming tide has brought the waders upstream – particularly the black-tailed godwits in their full summer plumage, curlews, oyster catchers and shelducks. A pair of little egrets are taking their pick from a panicking shoal of fish that are trying to jump their way out of trouble. The splashes and commotion attract the attention of a lone sandwich tern, who, with its pointed, slender wings, loops effortlessly into a dive to take advantage of the situation. Scanning over the water, I glimpse two common seals raising their shiny black heads out of the water before they dive and disappear from view. More is going on here than I expected. Eventually, leaving the hide behind me, I suddenly become aware that the scrubland is a hive of activity, with flocks of small birds flitting from bush to bush, tree to tree. Willow warblers, chiff-chaffs, blue and long-tailed tits, stonechats, dunnocks and swallows are on the wing, all feasting on a

plethora of tiny insects. Through the scrubland and up amid the heather, a single Dartford warbler is silhouetted against the white clouds. Most people have gone home for tea by now and it seems as though the wildlife is coming out of hiding, as the reserve takes on its usual peacefulness.

Finding myself by the conservation pond, I try to find the wasp and raft spiders that live here. To my delight I count three wasp spiders and a large, velvety, female, raft spider. I will tell you more about these in a later article, as what happens next is a rare occurrence. Still scanning the pond for more spidery activity, my eyes catch movement by the roots of some tall pond grass about a metre and a half away from where I am standing. I watch and wait, and wait a little longer, for I am sure something is there and about to emerge. A while later, and to my delight, a water vole suddenly appears in full view. I have never seen one before now despite years of looking. But here he is. My very own ‘Ratty’, the water vole from Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 story The Wind in the Willows. How I agonised as a child as ‘Ratty’ and his friends struggled to win back Toad Hall from the squatting stoats. Although they are victorious in the end, Ratty, poor thing, is still having a very difficult time.

Between 1970 and 2000, this charismatic aquatic vole suffered one of the most catastrophic declines of any species in the UK, disappearing

Health & Wellbeing

from 90% of the waterways where they once lived. Water pollution and loss of habitat are a major cause, but also the prevalence of American mink which were brought to the UK for fur farming in the 1920s. As the fur market was phased out, mink were deliberately released into the wild to join previous escapees. Mink now breed across most of the UK and are voracious predators, feeding not only on ground-nesting birds but water voles. They are excellent swimmers and can enter their water-line burrows to take their young. Despite much conservation effort, water voles remain on the red list and are still one of our most endangered species.

Water voles make their home along rivers, streams and around pools and lakes, often with secret underwater entrances to their burrows. They also like marshland, reedbeds and wet moorlands. Although they are only slightly larger than other voles, they can get big enough to be mistaken for a brown rat, especially when swimming. Having said that, looking at this one now, I think they are

unmistakable, with close set, beady black eyes, a blunt rounded nose, tiny tufty ears, chestnut brown fur, a short furry tail and delicate whiskers. Every now and then, this little chap looks up at me, and as I move to either get my binoculars or camera, he scurries along the run he has created amid water and roots, then hides for a second only to come back out to continue his dinner, for he has to eat about 80% of his body weight every day. All the time I am watching him, I can hear another one munching and scurrying on the bank beside me. There is obviously more than one. Eventually, however, he swims across to the bank to join his mate, climbs up a foot or so, and then peers out at me from under the vegetation. At which point, I decide to leave him to it lest I disturb him more. As I drive back home, I can’t help but smile. Nature always delivers some unexpected delights. I am so very pleased that, at last, I can now say that I have seen a water vole.

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

Water voles are predated by American mink and have been affected by water pollution and habitat loss

Health & Wellbeing

Feast on fruit ahead of autumn and winter

by Fiona Chapman

AS I write, we are into our fourth heatwave of the summer. For me this is bliss, but we do need rain badly. I am watching all my flowers and herbs struggle, and am being very encouraging to them, telling them there will be rain soon!

We too need to keep hydrated in this heat and drinking endless cups of water can get very boring. To keep hydrated, and to give up coffee, which seems to be almost impossible to do, I am resorting to juicing again, and I it does make me feel marvellous – full of life, vigour and energy.

I have been making the juices with watermelon, cucumber, apples, ginger and lemons.

The watermelon, as well as having a high water content, contains vitamin A – for eye

health – and C. It also has lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, which is good for the heart and has been linked to reducing cancer risk.

Cucumbers, again with a high water content, have been proved to reduce cholesterol and may help control blood sugar levels, as well as having Vitamin K, potassium and magnesium, all vital elements for our cells.

Apples, with lots of vitamin C, and antioxidants, help to preventing diabetes and contain pectin, which lowers cholesterol and is good for the heart.

Lemons have masses of vitamin C and other antioxidants, so are excellent for the immune system generally.

Ginger, which gives the whole juice a lovely kick, is a powerful circulatory stimulant

which can be felt almost immediately, pushing heat out to the periphery of the body.

Ginger is also antiinflammatory and full of antioxidants. It is well known for digestion and can help with nausea, if necessary.

It all makes for a delicious, hydrating juice, packed with goodness. It can be kept in the fridge for a while but is better drunk straight away. My body and brain think it is wonderful,

and it is an immediate energy boost.

I have a glut of apples, so juicing them is a great option. I am also trying to make apple cider vinegar from scratch, which is exciting.

It is time to feast on fruit and to build up our strength and immunity for the autumn and winter months to come.

n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist (email Pellyfiona@gmail.com).

Watermelon, cucumbers, apples, lemon and ginger can be used to make an energising juice

Birthstone jewellery tradition

by Amy Brenan, director of Heirlooms Jewellers, 21 South Street, Wareham

THE tradition of wearing birthstones dates back to ancient times, with roots in biblical and astrological beliefs.

However, birthstone jewellery as we know it today began to gain widespread popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly during the Georgian and Victorian eras.

Early on, people associated gemstones with protection, healing or good fortune, often choosing stones linked to zodiac signs.

But by the Victorian period, assigning specific gemstones to each month became a fashionable custom, especially among the middle and upper classes.

Jewellery of this time often featured sentimental symbolism, and birthstones played a meaningful role in this trend.

Rings, pendants and brooches were commonly decorated with stones representing each month – not just for their beauty, but for their personal and spiritual significance.

The official modern birthstone list was not standardised until 1912, when the American National Retail Jewelers Association – now Jewelers of America –formalised the current monthly associations.

Even so, many antique pieces made before this date still follow earlier or regional birthstone traditions, adding to their charm and historical interest as follows:

January: Garnet – Love and

Edwardian sapphire and diamond shamrock ring – birthstone for September

friendship

February: Amethyst – Peace and clarity

March: Aquamarine –Purifying the mind

April: Diamond – Love and purity

May: Emerald – Renewal and healing

June: Pearl – Purity and integrity

July: Ruby – Love and passion

August: Peridot – Light and protection

September: Sapphire –Wisdom and truth

October: Opal – Hope and clarity

November: Topaz (or Citrine) – Healing and good fortune (abundance and joy)

December: Tanzanite –Intuition and communication

Antique birthstone jewellery is especially prized today for its handcrafted quality, romantic appeal, and personal touch. Whether passed down through generations or discovered in an antique jewellers like Heirlooms, these pieces connect the wearer to a longstanding tradition.

‘Sisters’ portrait sold for £36,000

AUCTION houses act as bridges between past and present, bringing the marvels of yesterday into today’s world through expert curation and the skilled voices of auctioneers.

While historical treasures continue to captivate, the artistic excellence of the modern and contemporary art world equally deserves recognition.

Duke’s Auctioneer’s Art &

The Talbot Sisters, by Wilfrid Gabriel De Glehn, sold for £28,000 hammer

Design Post 1880 auction celebrates the creativity of artists such as David Hockney, Henri Matisse, Elisabeth Frink and others, who have shaped the visual language of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The most recent sale achieved outstanding results, including a full-length portrait of the Talbot Sisters by Wilfrid Gabriel de Glehn (1870-1951) which sold for £36,000, and a rare signed David Hockney print that realised £10,000, including buyer’s premium.

The next Art & Design Post 1880 auction is on Thursday, October 16, and consignments are now open.

To submit works for consideration, email enquiries@ dukes-auctions.com.

The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 4.

Home & Garden

by Sally Gregson

MEMORIES of tropical holidays may be fading, but those memories of great, exotic meals remain longer. These days it’s easy to recapture that taste of the Far East first sampled on a far-flung holiday. Our supermarkets do occasionally stock oriental vegetables, but if you really want to recapture that authentic taste try growing them yourself in a corner of the garden.

Now is a good time to sow seed of traditional Chinese and Thai vegetables. Seed of exotic vegetables sown in spring has a tendency to bolt due to low temperatures, transplant shock or simply lengthening days. Mostly they are very fast to germinate and grow on in the summer-warmed soil. A

A taste of the Far East, fresh from the garden Summer refresh for houseplants

by Sally Gregson

WE in the UK are lucky enough to be able to grow most of the world’s flora either out in the garden, under glass in the greenhouse or indoors on a cool windowsill. During a summer as hot as this it can be easy to forget the green plants that share our indoor lives with us. But houseplants need a holiday, too.

All those dusty pots languishing in the muggy bathroom or abandoned in the hall will benefit from a little attention and some warm gentle rain before autumn is upon us again. Many are from lush tropical jungle environments, well suited to the dark indoor light of our centrally heated houses in winter. But in summer they could be equally happy outside in a shady part of the garden.

Chinese cabbage can easily reach four times the size of a lettuce in the same time. And a late summer sowing of oriental brassicas will be producing

seedlings and young plants that ‘cut and come again’ throughout the autumn.

Try Chinese ‘mustard greens’ for spice and heat. The variety

‘Red Giant’ eventually produces large plants whose outer leaves become maroon-purple in colder weather. The younger foliage and inner leaves are not quite so hot. This pepperiness can vary from plant to plant, but if you soak the leaves for 30 minutes before cooking, they will have a milder flavour.

For a warm salad to serve with a traditional Thai or Chinese dish, blanch the young leaves for 30 seconds in boiling water first. Then grate onion and ginger over the salad, and dress it with sesame oils, lemon or lime juice, sea salt, ground black pepper and crushed garlic. Sprinkle a few fresh herbs over the salad and serve. Try Thai basil for an authentic taste. Or stir-fry the hot, peppery leaves sliced with onions and garlic and seasoned with soy sauce. Serve them beneath spicy duck breasts slow-baked until they are soft and succulent, for an authentic taste of China. The flavours will transport you back to your dream holiday.

Any plants that are infected with whitefly or red-spider-mite should be given a one-way ticket to the bin, offering the excuse for a visit to the garden centre for a healthy replacement. It would be as well to thoroughly clean the greenhouse glass too, while it is out of use. Eggs of insect pests are very long-lived.

The survivors can then spend their summer holiday somewhere cool and shady, protected from slugs and snails with a taste for the exotic with the usual remedies. Rain water is so much better than chalky tap-water.

But stay-at-home gardeners are counting their blessings in a good summer – long warm evenings, outdoor meals and quantities of small young vegetables and salads as fresh as

they are sweet. It’s a special pleasure to sit in a quiet flower garden as the sun starts to sink in the sky. The longer rays of light illuminate the mauve, blue and white colours making them shimmer. Bats come out of hiding, ducking and diving after the moths, and if you throw a

stick in the air they will move in closer to examine it. The tawny owls shriek eerily, if you are lucky enough to live in range, and the familiar garden you lovingly tend all day will assume a darkly different guise – a theatre for the creatures of a summer night.

Try Chinese ‘mustard greens’ for spice and heat in meals

Houseplants will benefit from some warm gentle rain before autumn

Home & Garden

Top picks for cut flowers

BRITISH Garden Centres has some suggestions for anyone looking to bring fresh, beautiful flowers into their home. Whether you want to start a dedicated cutting garden or just pick a few blooms throughout the summer, these blooms offer vibrant colours and long-lasting displays.

Hydrangeas

HYDRANGEAS are a timeless favourite for cut flower lovers. Their large, globe-like or cone flower heads bring volume and a lush, romantic look to any arrangement. Available in a range of colours from white and pink to blue and purple, hydrangeas are ideal for adding both colour and structure to any outdoor setting but can also be brought into the home. Plant hydrangeas with moist, fertile soil and partial shade for the ultimate cut flower.

Agapanthus

AGAPANTHUS makes a beautiful cut flower with its clusters of blue or white trumpet-shaped flowers atop tall, elegant stems. Loved for their height and architectural form, agapanthus add drama and height to cut arrangements. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, rewarding gardeners with striking displays through summer.

Delphiniums

DELPHINIUMS are loved for their tall, spired stems lined with densely packed flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink and white. Their classic ‘cottage garden’ charm and long stems make them excellent for bouquets needing height and flair. Delphiniums flourish in sunny, sheltered locations with enriched, well-drained soil, and may need support as they grow.

Alstroemerias

ALSO known as Peruvian Lily, alstroemerias offer colour and thrive when being used as cut

flowers in a vase. With distinctive speckled petals in shades of white, yellow, pink and purple, these blooms add texture and pops of colour to your cut flower arrangements. They’re easy to grow, preferring sun and well-draining soil, and bloom reliably from early summer into autumn.

Roses

NO bouquet is complete without classic roses, the quintessential English flower. Their cottage garden beauty, fragrance and colours make roses essential for any cut flower arrangement. Many modern rose varieties have been bred especially for cutting, featuring strong stems and excellent vase life so you can enjoy them indoors. Roses thrive in sunny spots with rich, well-drained soil. For best results, cut in the early morning and strip leaves below the waterline before arranging.

Verbena

FOR a lighter, airy touch in cut flower displays and bouquets, Verbena bonariensis is an inspired choice. Its slender stems topped with clusters of small, lilac-purple flowers add movement and structure to mixed arrangements. Verbena is easy to grow, especially in full sun with moist but well-drained soil, and it will bloom from summer well into autumn, as well as being a magnet for pollinators.

Growing tips

WHEN it comes to growing these plants for cut flowers, prepare beds with plenty of organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, before planting or potting up.

As the plants grow, feed them regularly and apply mulch to help conserve moisture and suppress weeds, especially during the height of summer. It is also recommended to support the taller flowers like

delphiniums with garden stakes to prevent the stems from toppling in strong winds or after heavy rain. This small step makes a big difference in keeping the blooms upright and in top condition for cutting.

Timing is important for picking blooms at their prime for a cut flower display. It is advised cutting stems early in

Stables/field

the morning, when the plants are well hydrated and the flowers at their freshest. Select stems just as buds are beginning to open for longer displays indoors. Before arranging them in a vase, strip any leaves that would fall below the water line, as it helps keep the water clear and prolongs the life of the flowers.

EX-DISPLAY SHEDS,

A gardener cuts hydrangeas for a bouquet

Home & Garden

Take a look behind the garden gate...

Summer is coming to an end but several gardens in the Purbeck Gazette area or nearby are opening for the National Garden Scheme charity this month

n NEW OPENINGS

n MUDDY PATCHES

West Street, Abbotsbury, Weymouth

DT3 4JT

A beautiful village garden with far-reaching views of Dorset’s rolling hills and the historic St Catherine’s Chapel. Stroll among native and tropical plants, explore the wildlife area or relax with lunch, cake or ice cream. Ideal for families, with friendly animals including rabbits, guinea pigs and tortoises, plus a magical ‘fairy garden’.

Dogs on short leads welcome Open: Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7 (10am-4pm)

Admission: £4, children £2 Light refreshments

n MORVAL

Ferry Road, Studland, Swanage BH19 3AQ

THREE-ACRE coastal garden recently renovated. Deep, informal mixed borders surround the front lawn, planted in a contemporary style with many unusual plants. The roof garden enjoys panoramic views over the elegant rear garden and Studland Bay. Borders are filled with distinctive shrubs and trees, leading to garden heath.

rhododendrons, cloud topiary and collections of goldfish and water lilies.

Open: Sunday, September 7 (noon-5pm)

Admission: £5

Refreshments: Tea, coffee and home-made cakes

n MANOR FARM, HAMPRESTON

Wimborne BH21 7LX

TRADITIONAL farmhouse garden nurtured by three generations of the Trehane family over more than 100 years. Known for herbaceous borders and rose beds framed by box and yew hedges. Mature shrubbery, water and bog garden. Excellent plants for sale at openings.

Open: Sunday, September 7 (1-5pm)

Admission: £5, children free Home-made teas

Dogs on short leads welcome Open: Sunday, September 7 (noon-5pm)

Admission: £8, children £4 Home-made teas

n RETURNING GARDENS

n BENNETTS WATER GARDENS

Putton Lane, Chickerell, Weymouth

DT3 4AF

AN eight-acre garden and visitor attraction, home to the National Plant Collection of water lilies. Features a Claude Monet-style Japanese bridge, tropical house, woodland walks and museum.

Open for NGS: Friday, September 5 (10am–4pm)

Admission: £10, children £4

Refreshments: Light refreshments available in Café Monet, including home-made lunches, cakes and cream teas

n 22 AVON AVENUE

Avon Castle, Ringwood BH24 2BH

A Japanese-themed water garden with granite sculptures, ponds, waterfalls, azaleas,

Also open by arrangement for groups of 15-35, March 8 to September 7

n HOLME FOR GARDENS

West Holme Farm, Wareham BH20 6AQ

LOCATED in the Isle of Purbeck, this award-winning, family-run garden features bold landscape design, colourful borders and abundant wildlife. Includes a well-stocked garden centre, gift shop and the light, airy Orchard Café.

Open for NGS: Tuesday, September 9 (9am–5pm)

Admission: £8, children free Refreshments: Light refreshments in The Orchard Café

Dogs on short leads welcome n PUGIN HALL

Rampisham, near Dorchester DT2 0PR GRADE I listed building designed in 1847 by Augustus Pugin, with four and a half acres of gardens. Includes a walled garden with topiary and soft planting, an orchard, and woodland walks along the River Frome.

Holme for Gardens at Wareham

Bennetts Water Gardens at Chickerell

Open: Sunday, September 14 (noon-5pm)

Admission: £6, children £3 Home-made teas

Dogs on short leads welcome Also open by arrangement May to September for groups of 10 or more

n

KNOLL GARDENS

Hampreston, Wimborne BH21 7ND

SEE Special Events below for full details.

Open for NGS: Friday, September 19 (10am-5pm)

Admission: £8.95, children

£6.95

Self-service refreshments available

n ATHELHAMPTON HOUSE GARDENS

Athelhampton, Dorchester DT2 7LG

AWARD-WINNING gardens surrounding a Tudor manor, dating from 1891. Features include the Great Court with 12 giant yew pyramids, terraced pavilions, dramatic vistas, ponds with fountains and the River Piddle.

Open for NGS: Monday, September 22 (10am-5pm)

Admission: £12.50 (garden only), children free

Refreshments: Coffee, lunches and afternoon tea available daily

Dogs on short leads welcome

n SPECIAL EVENTS (Pre-booking essential)

n KNOLL GARDENS

– Special Event & Standard Opening Hampreston, Wimborne BH21 7ND

A naturalistic garden showcasing ornamental grasses and flowering perennials, with specimen trees and prairie-style planting. Beneficial for both wildlife and environment. Special event

ON Tuesday, September 2, garden owner Neil Lucas will lead a guided tour exploring the garden’s seasonal highlights – from show-stopping individual plants to sweeping massed grasses. Neil will share insights from 30 years living and working at Knoll.

Open: Tuesday, September 2 (2pm-4.30pm)

Admission: £25, children

£12.50

Booking: Pre-book via ngs. org.uk

Refreshments: Tea, coffee and cake

Standard opening:

• Friday, September 19 (10am-5pm)

• Admission: £8.95, children

£6.95

• Self-service refreshments available

Entries may be subject to change – for the latest information, please visit ngs. org.uk

Tickets can be purchased on the day or in advance via the website and make perfect gifts for family and friends.

Flowers for a colourful autumn

TO be fair, autumn and winter bedding is never quite as spectacular as its summer cousin. However, the interest is subtler and varies depending on which stage of the year we are at.

For example, winter pansies give a spectacular display from September through to the depths of winter but then fade back before coming again in the early part of the spring. It is best to plant these when they are in flower and with dead-heading and a regular gentle feed of a high potash fertiliser, such as Tomorite, they will flourish in all but the toughest part of the winter. Some people prefer bedding violas with their smaller more detailed flowers. They tend to be more robust and keep their quality in bad weather.

Primulas and polyanthus are also good for flower. Again, these flower before the winter and should come back strongly in the spring, too. Primulas are better for hanging baskets, as the flowers are shorter, but the taller more spectacular polyanthus are really good for tubs.

Other flower interest can come from winter heathers, which will still be performing whatever the weather, forgetme-nots before and after winter, a new type of antirrhinum bred for two flowering periods and miniature bulbs that can be underplanted in a bedding or basket display.

We tend to use dwarf daffodils and narcissi such as Tête-à-Tête or Jumblie at anything from six to 10 inches as a centrepiece of baskets and tubs. Planted in a tight cluster with other plants on top, the bulbs will eventually force their way through and flower when everything else in the basket is struggling. These centrepiece bulbs can be backed up with clusters of mini bulbs such as

Home & Garden

dwarf Iris, Chionodoxa or even snowdrops on the edges or tubs or baskets. We once experimented with planting a basket all round with Tête-àTête as a complete ball! The result was quite entertaining with the flowers all finding their way round the basket to point upwards. It may not catch on but was great fun!

Many alpines are also useful to give foliage interest. Some of my favourites include lamiums such as White Nancy, which provides white variegated foliage cascading down the sides. Ajuga – Bugle –particularly the purple types. I like Chocolate Chip with its narrow foliage. Their final fanfare in the basket will be the blue bugle flowers in the spring. Other alpines do this too, including the Alyssum montanum, which has spectacular yellow flowers on silvery foliage and, of course, for out and out flowering, Aubretia and Arabis, with purple, blue or red flowers and white or pink flowers respectively. I tend to forget about these beauties and am pleasantly surprised every year as to how good they are!

Other useful plants for autumn and winter effect are the variegated Ivies available in small pots each containing five or more cuttings. These can be split and planted at the edge of the basket, again providing colour when all else is having a hard time. We have experimented creating whole hanging basket balls of ivies and these are really effective.

Looking after winter displays is fairly straightforward with far less input needed than the summer versions. If planting a basket or tub, don’t forget to check for water on a weekly basis in the winter but more frequently in the autumn and spring. Gentle but regular feeding with a high potash fertiliser will also help.

Mike Burks, managing director of The

Gardens Group

Motoring

Fears over number of unroadworthy vehicles

THE number of people receiving penalty points on their licences for driving unroadworthy vehicles has jumped by 52% over the course of just 12 months, new data analysed by the RAC’s mobile servicing and repairs division has found.

Following a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the RAC found that a total of 13,109 penalty point endorsements were given to drivers in 2024 for driving vehicles with defective brakes, tyres, steering or other problems.

This is a substantial increase of 4,495 endorsements compared to the 2023 number which was 8,614.

The offence attracts three penalty points which stay on drivers’ licences for four years.

The RAC believes the figures are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the total number of unroadworthy vehicles on the UK’s roads at any one time – as they only represent those who have been caught in the first place.

With vehicles failing nearly 10 million MOT tests a year, the actual number of those that are not mechanically sound but are still being driven is likely to be far higher.

Driving a vehicle with defective tyres was the biggest reason drivers received points last year, with 8,945 people being stopped and having their licences endorsed – up 44% on the 6,196 drivers in 2023.

But it was a rise in the number of people caught driving vehicles with defective brakes that saw the largest year-on-year

increase. A total of 1,190 drivers received penalty points for this in 2024, up from 181 a year earlier – a more than six-fold increase.

An additional 2,974 endorsements were handed to drivers for other problems related to the roadworthiness of their vehicles such as defective steering, increasing by a third (33%) from 2,237 in 2023.

RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader, Nick Mullender, said: “The steep increase in drivers receiving points on their licences for unroadworthy vehicles is a cause for alarm as it could indicate more drivers are running the gauntlet and driving unsafe vehicles – although it’s also possible more drivers are being caught by the police.

“Whether it’s brakes, tyres,

steering or something else, every mechanical component in a vehicle plays a critical role in ensuring it can be driven safely and confidently.

“By getting behind the wheel of vehicles that are defective, a minority of drivers are needlessly putting the lawabiding majority at serious risk.

“We should be thankful the police were able to detect those drivers included in our analysis.

“But for every person caught there will doubtless be more who are knowingly in charge of unroadworthy vehicles that could be involved in completely avoidable collisions in the future.

“In many cases, it’s likely that a driver has been pulled over for an entirely different reason, only for a police officer to then discover the vehicle they’re responsible for isn’t road legal.

“Every driver has a legal responsibility to ensure the vehicle they’re driving is roadworthy, even between regular services and MOTs.”

Months of roadworks near hospital

IMPROVEMENT works at two key Dorchester junctions will result in months of temporary traffic lights.

Both ends of Williams Avenue, near Dorset County Hospital, are to be made safer and more accessible for all users.

Work at the Bridport Road and Damers Road junctions will create wider footways and easier crossing points, upgraded traffic lights that are ‘more modern and responsive’, and shared footways and cycleways.

Temporary traffic lights will be in place during both phases of the works, which will be synchronised with the nearby signals and remotely monitored to keep traffic flowing ‘as smoothly as possible’, Dorset Council said.

Temporary lights will be in place at the Bridport Road/ Williams Avenue junction from September to the end of December.

This will allow the creation of a new pedestrian crossing, upgraded traffic lights, the removal of the left turn lane, a single exit lane from Williams Avenue, a widened footway/ cycleway on approach to Williams Avenue and a new crossing, as well as a new climbing cycle lane and road resurfacing.

The second phase of works will see temporary traffic lights in place at the Damers Road/ Williams Avenue junction from January 2026 to April.

This will see similar improvement works take place, with upgraded signals and crossings, a new junction created east of the junction, a widened footway on the south side of Damers Road, a singlelane exit from Williams Avenue, a widened footway/cycleway, an uphill cycle lane, a new cycle route to local schools and Poundbury and road resurfacing.

Three 30-minute bays on Damers Road will be removed to widen the south-side footway, but four bays will remain.

The work comes after Dorset Council said both Bridport Road and Damers Road can be hazardous for walking and cycling, with no crossings of Bridport Road at the Williams Avenue junction.

They also said narrow footways on Bridport Road, a key walking route between Poundbury, the hospital and the town centre, make life difficult for walkers, and Williams Avenue, the main vehicular access link to the hospital, has no dedicated provision for bikes.

The traffic lights are also reportedly unreliable and there is limited cycle provision on Damers Road and Bridport Road.

Central government will fund the replacement of the traffic signals.

Councillor Jon Andrews, cabinet member for place services, said: “The traffic signals at both junctions are reaching the end of their serviceable life.

“Rather than simply replacing outdated and unreliable equipment, we’re taking this opportunity to redesign the junctions to meet modern standards for safety, accessibility and efficiency.

“This is a particularly busy part of town, serving Dorset County Hospital, key commuter routes and three nearby schools.

“The current road layout is no longer fit for purpose and urgently needs updating to better support the volume of traffic it sees every day.”

The council is encouraging those not attending the hospital to avoid using Williams Avenue during the works.

Find out more about the plans at www.dorsetcouncil.gov. uk/williams-avenue

Nine easy tips for moving with pets

IF your furry or feathered friends are moving home with you, Armishaws Removals offers some handy advice to keep them calm and help them get settled.

1 Pack pet possessions last

FAMILIAR smells will help keep your pet calm, so their bedding, toys, bowls etc should be packed as late as possible before the move.

2 Consider transportation options CATS will need to be kept in a carrier for the journey, dogs should be in a dog cage or secured by a harness. If you’re travelling further afield, be sure to make regular stops for water and toilet breaks and allow them to stretch their legs.

3 Carry blankets and covers

FOR longer journeys, make sure your car is more comfortable. Blankets or

Seminars

invite to landlords

THIS month, Parliament resumes after the summer break, and one of the items at the top of the list is the Renters’ Rights Bill. The Bill has been five years in planning and returns to the House of Commons for consideration of amendments carried by the House of Lords before the recess.

It’s fair to assume that the Labour Government will be keen to secure royal assent

coverings can be used to make cages or tanks dark for animals likely to be upset by light and motion. Extra blankets can also make a softer layer for cats and dogs to lie on.

4 Have distraction techniques

FOR most animals, distraction principally boils down to food. So, make sure you’re armed with rewards, treats, travel water bowls, tinned or dried food for mealtimes – if your

journey is likely to still be happening at their usual feeding time – plus favourite toys.

5 Update your pet’s details

ONCE the move is complete, don’t forget to update your pet’s details. Pet passports and microchip IDs will need your new address. And register with a local vet as soon as possible.

6 Don’t clean or replace bedding

AVOID buying new or washing

existing bedding. Familiar smells, like their bed and toys, will reassure your pet that it’s in a safe space. You can soon wash or replace their old bedding once they’re settled.

7 Plan rest points for your route

FOR long journeys, map out rest points. Letting animals out at motorway service stations obviously has serious safety issues, as well as being loud and possibly a bit scary. Choose stopping points away from heavy or fast-moving traffic.

8 Create a safe, quiet space

WHEN you get to your new home, unpack your pet’s possessions first to get them settled. The most important thing is to find a safe space for your pet to explore or place cages, tanks away from noise, where they won’t get knocked. Make sure windows and possible escape routes are closed and pop in regularly so they know they haven’t been abandoned.

9 Check boundaries are secure

THE previous owners of your property may not have owned pets, so do a quick garden inspection and secure any holes or escape routes.

n Get more moving tips at www.Armishaws.com/blog.

in September, to secure the headlines before the party conference. For the industry, however, there will be no change in the law until the Bill is commenced – whenever that might be –and some changes within the Bill will be phased in at later stages.

The amendments to the Bill, backed by the House of Lords, included:

n Pet damage deposits. Landlords may request an additional three weeks’ rent as a pet damage deposit.

n The ban on re-letting unsold properties for 12 months is reduced to six months if a sale fails to

happen.

There may be further ‘pingpong’ in Westminster, but it is fair to say we will have a clearer picture by midSeptember, both in terms of the contents of the Bill and the timeframe for delivery. Therefore, if you haven’t already done so, please register for further updates and an invitation to seminars we are planning to hold in the autumn. Visit www. symondsand sampson.co.uk to sign up. Meanwhile, while the Bill has instilled fear into many landlords, it could present opportunities for others. Property is in short supply,

demand is high, so rent returns have escalated. Tenants are likely to stay in properties longer with the added security the Bill will bring, and therefore, perhaps, there is an opportunity for longerterm strategic Buy to Let landlords.

We hope to see you at the seminars, and look forward to discussing the future of your rental portfolio soon. For further details, please contact Rachael James, MARLA, partner and head of Lettings at Symonds & Sampson on 01258 474265 or our dedicated letting agents in your nearest office.

In the picture (from left) are Ellis Jones managing partner

Nigel Smith, partner Katy Sewell, partner and joint head of family Sean McNally, partner Nicola Hall and partner Tim Sharpley

Oh buoy! Lawyers on board at yacht club

LAWYERS in Swanage had the wind in their sails after renewing a partnership with Parkstone Yacht Club for the 13th successive year.

Partners from Ellis Jones Solicitors, with offices in High Street, Purbeck, sealed the sponsorship deal on a visit to the club in Pearce Avenue, Poole.

It includes the Ellis Jones name on a race marker buoy on the waters off the club in Poole Harbour.

Ellis Jones, with 190 staff including 25 partners, has an office in nearby Canford Cliffs, Poole, as well as seven more across Dorset, Hampshire and London.

Nigel Smith, Ellis Jones

managing partner, said: “Parkstone is a thriving yacht club which brings the joy of sailing to people of all generations.

“We’re proud to be part of the ‘crew’ that has helped make the club so popular and successful over the years.”

Parkstone Yacht Club, which dates to 1895, has more than

‘Career highlight’ for boss of Lighthouse

LIGHTHOUSE Poole chief executive Elspeth McBain has been made an Honorary Fellow of Arts University Bournemouth in what she describes as a ‘career highlight’.

The prestigious award was conferred at the university’s annual Graduation Day at Bournemouth Pavilion and sees Elspeth join a select group that includes film director Edgar Wright, actress Adjoa Andoh, costume designer Jenny Beavan, architect Lord Norman Foster and the late designer Dame Vivienne Westwood.

“Lighthouse and AUB both

are dedicated to supporting the creative industries and the young people who want to work in them, and I am truly honoured by this award and deeply grateful for the recognition of Lighthouse’s contribution to the cultural life of the region,” said Elspeth.

“On a personal level, it is, of course, a career highlight, but the whole team at Lighthouse is thrilled. Thank you.”

Elspeth joined Lighthouse, one of the UK’s largest regional arts centres, in 2009 and has led the team through a period of great change, that

3,000 members.

It has a modern clubhouse and yacht haven with berthing for more than 200 boats. Its members include Olympic gold medallists Ellie Aldridge, Hannah Mills and Stuart Bithell, and Vendée Globe round-the-world sailor, Pip Hare.

Roger Bennett, Parkstone Yacht Club commodore, said: “Our thanks go to Ellis Jones for its continued, and greatly valued, support.

“We are proud to count Ellis Jones among the close-knit team that make Parkstone Yacht Club the unique place it is.”

Ellis Jones is a longstanding supporter of clubs, sports teams and charities.

They include Wimborne Cricket Club, Brockenhurst FC, Swanage Cricket Club and West Hants Club.

Its sports law department provides a wide range of legal services for amateur, semiprofessional and professional sportsmen and women, teams, clubs, organisations and governing bodies.

has included a multi-million pound refurbishment and the challenges of the Covid lockdowns and subsequent recovery.

In that time, Lighthouse has become a place that champions the importance of giving people a start in the creative industries – from young people’s traineeships and work experience for students from partner schools, to the artists supported by Lighthouse as part of its Sanctuary artist development programme.

In offering the Honorary Fellowship to Elspeth, AUB’s Board of Governors cited her

Elspeth McBain has been made an Honorary Fellow of Arts University Bournemouth

“unique contribution to the field of artistic programming, developing Lighthouse into one of the leading creative institutions in the south of England and with strong links to AUB over the years.”

Portland Port gives canon to heritage project

A VICTORIAN cannon used as a bollard to moor ships at Portland Port has been given a new lease of life in the restoration of a historic site.

The mark III rifled, muzzle loading (RML) 64 pounder was built into the quayside during the construction of the inner harbour breakwater after being deemed obsolete by a visiting naval ship in the late 19th century.

It was used for berthing vessels for more than a century before it was extracted, restored and placed on display at High Angle Battery on the top of Portland following a major project to revamp the former gun emplacement.

Known locally as the ‘ghost tunnels’, the battery near the Verne was built in the 1890s to defend Portland Harbour but fell into disrepair and was placed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register in 2022.

Portland Port chief executive Bill Reeves said: “Congratulations to all of those who have made the restoration of High Angle Battery such a success.

“As a local business with a rich military heritage on our own site, we were very pleased to play our part with the supply of our cannon as a showpiece for the project.

“It is fitting that it has found a new home in such a setting after so many years of service at the port and the former naval base.”

Portland Port chief executive, Bill Reeves, and planning and consents manager, Frank Cox, attended a ceremony with councillors to hand the cannon over.

Sales manager, Josh Payne,

attended the official opening of the restored High Angle Battery site with dignitaries and project supporters.

The port loaned the 145-yearold cannon to the community through Dorset Council, which led the restoration project with Portland Town Council, Island Community Action, local organisations and volunteers.

Weighing 3,251 kg, or 3.20 tons, it was made by Woolwich Arsenal in 1880 and was the 832nd mark III gun to be made since production began in 1867. It was capable of firing shells to a maximum range of 3.66km, about 2.27 miles.

Burying decommissioned cannons into quaysides for use as mooring bollards was common practice in naval dockyards for many years.

Following improvements to the port’s grade-II listed inner breakwater, which brought the berth back into back into commercial use, Portland Port decided to replace the cannon bollard with a modern equivalent.

Once removed, it was restored by Mechanical Services Ltd before it was transported to High Angle Battery.

It is a smaller version of the types of guns installed at the battery, which were four times as big.

The Rediscovering High Angle Battery Project to revitalise the landmark was set up by Dorset Council with a grant of nearly £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and additional funding from Portland Town Council, Castletown D-Day Centre and the Fine Family Foundation.

structural repairs, vegetation clearance and litter removal.

The site, known as the ‘ghost tunnels’ for its network of

underground passages, is set to become a valuable community asset with a variety of events, activities tours and school visits.

It has included new interpretation panels, improved access, increased biodiversity,

Arts & Entertainment

Folk and family as the sun shines on festival

by Donna Garner

THE Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, in the sunshine in the gorgeous setting of Purbeck Valley Farm, between Corfe Castle and Harman’s Cross, was a wonderful experience.

Camping in the family field was idyllic, against the backdrop of the castle.

People travelled from near and far to enjoy the festival, which featured artists from around the world and an array of talented local musicians making their debut.

A highlight was Bournemouth performer Kitty Stewart, who started years ago on the festival’s open-mic, on the Fire Stage. Her musical journey has matched the festival’s.

It is hard to pick favourites, as all the artists were outstanding, offering a diverse range of sounds and vibes.

From acoustic roots, to contemporary folk, to music created in the 21st century, the breadth of styles was superb.

The Undercover Hippy’s energy was fantastic and Elephant Sessions brought modern indie folk at its best.

Many bands delivered vibrant and soulful melodies with fiery precision that got the audience up dancing and stomping their feet.

The Zawose Queens made their voices heard in The Big Barn on Saturday, their music bursting with passion of their East African roots.

Beyond the incredible music, Carl’s Comedy Club was bigger and better this year.

The award-winning standup acts had crowds roaring with laughter.

The craft area gave

everyone a chance to get their creative juices flowing, offering a range of workshops from printing and pottery to a friendly ‘knit and natter’.

There truly was something for all the family.

This year’s fancy dress competition themed around the letter ‘F’ attracted outstanding and funny, imaginative entries.

The festival really caters for young children, too, with a breastfeeding bus, excellent

changing facilities and sessions for mothers and babies – songs, signs, sensory toys and even bubble time for the little ones, plus meditation for mums.

Children of all ages are kept entertained by a wide range of fun activities and great spaces to make new friends.

Families can bond over new experiences together, including a lively ceilidh dance – and don’t worry if you come solo,

just grab a hand and join in!

The festival offers so much to enjoy on-site – storytelling, drama workshops and poetry writing – and even a Jurassic guided walk off-site.

And if you need to unwind, the healing area offers meditation, yoga, reflexology and massages.

For a different kind of recharge, there’s also an excellent selection of culinary delights at fair prices.

Purbeck Valley Folk Festival early bird tickets for next year are now on sale at https://www.purbeckvalley folkfestival.co.uk/shop/tickets/.

The Zawose Queens – Pendo and Leah Zawose – showcased the fluid polyrhythms and rapturous polyphonic singing of the Gogo (aka Wagogo) people at Purbeck Valley Folk Festival

PHOTO: Purbeck Valley Folk Festival other photos Donna Garner

Arts & Entertainment

Four Seasons revisited in A Season to Sing

WAREHAM Choral Society (WCS) will perform the Dorset premiere of a new work, A Season to Sing, at Lady St Mary Church, Wareham, this autumn.

The choral re-imagining of Vivaldi’s best-loved work, The Four Seasons, celebrates its 300th anniversary.

A Season to Sing has been co-commissioned, through The Royal School of Church Music, to be performed by 55 choirs from around the world in 2025.

WCS chair, Teresa Rekowska, said: “We are very proud to support this wonderful and unique project.

“It’s exciting to be one of the first choirs to perform this new work, combining familiar melodies with classic texts –and watch out for a few surprises!”

A Season to Sing has been crafted by composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange into a set of 14 tuneful, fun and atmospheric movements.

She has cleverly designed the work so it can be performed by a variety of different types of choirs and instrumental accompaniments, including the mixed voice choir and string quartet version planned by WCS.

Joanna sourced well known

poems, hymn texts and Bible passages for each movement on the subject of spring, summer, autumn and winter, which are then woven into Vivaldi’s well-loved melodies.

Distinctly modern twists included body percussion to evoke a storm and a whistling bird chorus.

The choir’s enthusiastic conductor is Hazel Ricketts, who has been musical director of WCS since 2018.

The choir will be accompanied by the Four Seasons String Quartet led by Katherine Jackson and the choir’s talented organist, Paul Ellis.

WCS is thankful for a grant from Dorset Community Foundation towards funding the concert, as well as continued sponsorship from The Kings Arms in Stoborough and the Love it Local Purbeck magazine.

The concert on Saturday, October 18, at 7pm will continue celebrating Vivaldi with the choir performing his joyous Gloria.

It will again be accompanied by the string quartet and organ, and will be joined by two young soloists, soprano Beatrice Maloney and alto Mariah Beswick.

Tickets for the A Season to Sing concert are available online at www.warehamchoral. uk, Joys outfitters shop in Wareham or email warehamchoral@gmail.com.

Ticket are £12.50 in advance or £15 on the door, accompanied under-18s free.

A spokesperson for the group said: “Wareham Choral Society has been Wareham’s choir since 1947.

“We are an aspirational, friendly, mixed ability fourpart choir working with both professional singers and musicians, and other local amateur choirs and instrumental groups.

“We enjoy the challenge of new music as well as performing well known choral repertoire, hosting Come & Sing days and fundraising events.

“We welcome anyone who loves to sing and has the ability to follow a music score.

“We rehearse in Lady St Mary Church in Wareham every Monday in term time from 7.15pm to 9.15pm.”

For more details, view the choir’s website, www. warehamchoral.uk.

Film classic gets a stage outing

TWO of theatre’s most popular stage hits of recent times are heading to Lighthouse Poole.

The touring production of The Shawshank Redemption makes its Lighthouse debut on Tuesday, January 27. And the much-loved Reduced Shakespeare Company return to Poole

with a new staging The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) from Tuesday to Saturday, April 21-25.

The Shawshank Redemption, based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella, was a landmark multi Oscar-nominated 1994 movie starring Tim Robbins and

Morgan Freeman.

The story, which examines desperation, injustice, friendship and hope behind the claustrophobic bars of a maximum-security prison, was adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave John, and directed by David Esbjornson.

The Complete Works of

William Shakespeare (abridged) was London’s longest-running comedy having clocked up nine years at the Criterion Theatre.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company promise an irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s comedies, histories and tragedies.

A Season to Sing composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange

Arts & Entertainment

The right Pace for Joel fans

SINGER-SONGWRITER

and pianist Elio Pace and his band are heading to Bournemouth with The Billy Joel Songbook.

They will perform more than 30 songs from Joel’s catalogue of 82 singles including The Longest Time, She’s Always a Woman, An Innocent Man, Uptown Girl, Tell Her About It, The River of Dreams, We Didn’t Start the Fire and Piano Man.

“I’d love for us to play every single but with so many songs in this great man’s back catalogue we’d need a fourhour show,” said Elio.

“It’s so exciting to be returning with The Billy Joel Songbook though and I promise we’ll get as many of everyone’s favourite songs on the set list as possible.”

Over the last three years, The Billy Joel Songbook has played more than 50 sold-out venues in the UK and Ireland alone.

And, earlier this year, a recording of the full show at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre on Billy Joel’s 75th birthday, was broadcast via BBC Sounds.

Elio added: “We all feel privileged every time we walk on a stage to perform the music of Billy Joel.

“His music is timeless, he is a genius composer and, in my opinion, the greatest singersongwriter of all-time.

“The fact that so many people want to see us perform this is incredibly humbling.

“We are all delighted we get to take this show on the road yet again, revisiting venues we

have previously sold out and also travelling to some new towns and cities where we look forward to seeing faces old and new.”

The late broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan was an Elio fan, describing him as ‘only sensational’.

Elio was musical director for BBC Radio 2’s Weekend Wogan in 2010, performing as the featured artist on all 35 shows broadcast that year.

Singer-songwriter, pianoplayer, producer and arranger, Elio has performed with stars

including Brian May, Huey Lewis, Glen Campbell, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Lulu, Mike Rutherford, Don McLean, Tom Chaplin, Debbie Reynolds and Martha Reeves.

In 2013 and 2014 he was invited to ‘fill Billy Joel’s shoes’, starring in five reunion concerts in the USA with Joel’s original 1971-72 touring band.

Elio then embarked on the debut tour of The Billy Joel Songbook, which comes to Bournemouth Pavilion on Thursday, September 18.

Cambridge choir brings 600 years of song

The Gentlemen of St John’s College, Cambridge

INTERNATIONALLY renowned vocal ensemble The Gentlemen of St John’s College, Cambridge, are coming to Dorchester.

Seven singers will perform a programme of music drawn from their repertoire, which spans 600 years, at St Peter’s Church.

The ensemble, formed from choral and organ scholars of the Choir of St John’s College, have enjoyed a busy schedule of concerts and recordings for over 40 years.

They are noted for their

versatility and range of repertoire, from the polyphony of the early renaissance through to close harmony arrangements of modern-day hits.

The Gentlemen of St John’s College performed at St Peter’s to a full house two years ago and are returning on Saturday, September 6, at 7pm.

Tickets are priced £18 and £14 and are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ whats-on/dorset/st-peterschurch.

Elio Pace will be performing many of Billy Joel’s hits

Arts & Entertainment

Traditional tunes and a merry dance

COLOURFUL ceilidh band

Tatterdemalion are set to return to the Corn Exchange in Dorchester with their Big Dorset Michaelmas Ceilidh.

The band, formed 10 years ago to provide music for New Hardy Players productions, bring traditional Dorset tunes from 200 years ago to life today.

Band leader, Alastair Braidwood, said: “It was a strange beginning. A group of people who didn’t really know each other very well brought together to play music, who then realised they were onto a good thing.

“We were asked to play some tunes for a bit of dancing at a party, and then someone else asked if we’d play for a

fundraiser, and it all took off from there.

“We’ve become friends over the years – indeed, the number of married couples in the band has lately doubled!”

Tim Laycock, recent English Folk Dance and Song Society gold badge winner, folk singer and musician, provided the first tunes and gathered the musicians together.

His wife, Angela, is the group’s primary caller and brings her extensive knowledge and warm manner to all their gigs.

Alastair said: “All of our tunes come from two manuscripts of folk tunes which were being used for dancing and enjoyment in Dorset in the 1820s and 1830s.

“We’ve updated them a little, with a beat and some fun harmonies, but the traditional tunes would still be recognisable to Thomas Hardy, whose family tunebook is one of our sources.”

Over the last few years, Tatterdemalion’s seasonal ceilidhs with Dorchester Arts have proved popular –especially since the introduction, at the behest of former Dorchester Mayor, Gareth Jones, of the Kiddies’ Keilidh, with specially designed folk dances for

youngsters.

Tatterdemalion will bring their favourite tunes for dancing to the Big Dorset Michaelmas Ceilidh at the Corn Exchange on Saturday, September 13.

No experience or partner is necessary – and the bar will be open the whole evening.

Tickets are available through Dorchester Arts’ website or box office priced £13 adults and £7 concessions – under-18s and low-wage –for the evening ceilidh, or £3 for the Kiddies’ Keilidh.

Flagship BBC shows in town

NOT one but two flagship BBC radio shows are heading for Lighthouse Poole this autumn.

Friday Night Is Music Night – the world’s longest running live orchestral music programme – will broadcast live from Lighthouse on Friday, September 19.

And Dead Ringers, the multi-award-winning topical satire show, is taking a live version on tour to mark its 25th anniversary, including a date at Lighthouse on Friday, October 3.

Katy Griffiths, head of programming at Lighthouse, said: “We’re pulling out all the stops to line up a brilliant autumn of live entertainment at Lighthouse, but we’re

particularly pleased to have secured dates with two giants of British broadcasting.

“Although they’re quite different, of course, both shows have a very loyal fanbase who will be thrilled to see them live.

“The BBC Concert Orchestra will be presenting a special programme for Friday Night Is

Dead Ringers is taking a live version on tour to mark its 25th anniversary, including a date at Lighthouse Poole

Music Night live from our Concert Hall, while Dead Ringers is a live, touring version of the classic radio show featuring all the main performers.”

Friday Night Is Music Night first aired in 1953, initially on the BBC Light Programme before transferring to BBC

Radio 2 and, last year, to BBC Radio 3.

For the Poole show, entitled Puttin’ on the Ritz, conductor Michael England will lead the BBC Concert Orchestra with four guest West End singers in a night of glamour, romance and rhythm celebrating the music of the roaring 1920s and fabulous 30s.

Dead Ringers is celebrating its silver jubilee as original cast members Jon Culshaw and Jan Ravens, with regulars Lewis MacLeod and Duncan Wisbey, roll back the years on a trip through a quarter century of classic sketches and impressions, driven by the topical humour that has become the series’ trademark.

Tatterdemalion are at the Corn Exchange in Dorchester

Arts & Entertainment

TALKING

ROYALTY

Former Royal Protection officer Ken Wharfe and author of numerous books about the Royal family, Ingrid Seward, are appearing at the Mowlem Theatre in Swanage

Princess Diana up close and personal

THE late Princess Diana will be remembered by a police officer who protected her and an author of books about the Royal family in an event at The Mowlem Theatre in Swanage.

Ken Wharfe was born in Canterbury, Kent, and joined the Metropolitan Police Service as a special cadet at the age of 17.

He attained the rank of Inspector before being selected to join Scotland Yard’s elite Royalty Protection Department.

The SAS trained officer was chosen to head up security for the Queen’s grandchildren, heir apparent Prince William and Prince Harry, who as children, affectionately called him ‘Uncle Ken’.

A year later, in 1987, he was appointed personal protection officer to the Princess of Wales.

Just months after Princes Diana’s death in Paris on August 31, 1997, Inspector Wharfe was honoured by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and made a Member of the Victorian Order, a personal gift of the sovereign for his service to her family.

Since his retirement from Scotland Yard, he has entertained audiences at venues throughout the UK and abroad, speaking at conferences and after-dinner locations.

Ingrid Seward has been editor of Majesty magazine since the late 1980s and subsequently editor-in-chief.

In 1988 she started writing royal books and her first, Diana, became a bestseller.

Ingrid has since written 15 books, the most recent being The Queen’s Speech and My Husband & I – the story of the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70-year marriage – and My Mother & I – the story of the relationship between the late Queen and her son, now King Charles III.

Ingrid has regularly on television in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and mainland Europe.

Diana Remembered – an Evening with Ken Wharfe and Ingrid Seward is at The Mowlem on Saturday, September 13, from 7.30pm10pm.

MAGIC star Sean Alexander, also known as The Confusionist, is bringing his latest show to The Mowlem in Swanage.

He performed Moments in Time at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to sell-out audiences.

Sean’s career spans 27 years and includes appearances on Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent.

He is at The Mowlem on Friday, September 19, at 7.30pm.

Spotlight Diary

Diary entries are £6 plus VAT per entry. The deadline for the September 15 issue is NOON on Thursday, September 5. Call us on 01963 400186 or email adverts@blackmorevale.net. Please call prior to attending events listed to ensure they are still on.

SEPTEMBER 2025

TUESDAY

WAREHAM CAMERA CLUB ‘25 PROGRAMME UNLESS ON ZOOM Visitors welcome - £3 Zoom link available from website - September 9th Welcome back - PAGB Recorded Lecture – Sheila Haycox AV’s 16th Speaker – Terry & Gill’s Travels - Raffle 23rd Zoom - Leigh Preston - Urban Hymns 30th Speaker – ‘Fear of Flying’ Landscapes anywhere in the world that does not involve flying.

10:00 WAREHAM CROQUET CLUB

Wareham Recreation Ground Tuesdays & Thursdays – 10 am start Come and meet members of our sociable club. You’ll be amazed how much you enjoy yourself Guidance given. Equipment provided. All you need are flat shoes and enthusiasm! Enquiries: 01929 550190

19:30 SWANAGE CHOIR THE BELVEDERE SINGERS warmly welcomes new singers to their Tuesday night rehearsals. We start again after our summer break on Tuesday 2nd September at 7.30pm in the Emmanuel Baptist Church, 160 Victoria Avenue, Swanage BH19 1AZ. You can try us out for free for two weeks, with no obligation to join. There are no auditions! The ability to read music is helpful but not essential. Further details from Linda McMorrow on 07943 442919, or check out our website www.belvederesingers.org.uk

SATURDAY

18.30 WHIST DRIVE at St Mary’s Church, Rectory Classroom, Swanage. Every Saturday. Tea and coffee provided. Very friendly group. Contact Richard: 01929 553516

Local Services

Call Pete on: 01929 421989 or 07900 992110

Email:

info@whizzbits.co.uk

www.whizzbits.co.uk