The Purbeck Gazette - Issue 372

BABY PUFFIN TAKES

Colony’s first baby puffin in 30 years

A RARE glimpse of a young puffin emerging from its nest has given conservationists fresh hope for the future of Dorset’s dwindling puffin population.

For the first time in 30 years, volunteers monitoring the puffin colony in Purbeck have a confirmed sighting of a puffin fledgling – known as a puffling – on the cliffs near the National Trust’s Dancing Ledge.

The puffling was peeping out from a deep crevice on the sheer cliff, where the last breeding colony of puffins on mainland England’s south coast is clinging to survival. The sighting followed over 15 weeks of monitoring by the volunteers as they watched the adult puffins courting, mating, carrying nesting material and, since late-May, repeatedly delivering fish to the nests hidden deep within the crevice.

The monitoring project is being led by Dr Richard Caldow, who holds a PhD in seabird ecology and has nearly 40 years’ experience researching and conserving coastal bird populations through roles with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Natural England. He is supported by volunteers from the Purbeck Natural History Forum.

Dr Caldow said: “With only three breeding pairs remaining, every chick matters. One puffling alone won’t save this colony, but one is a whole lot better news than none.

“We first observed fish being taken into the ledge on May 31, with the last fish delivery recorded on July 5. Based on this, we estimated the puffling to be 38 to 40 days old. Puffins typically fledge between 38 and 44 days after hatching, so it had reached the minimum age at which it could leave the nest.”

The puffling is expected to leave the ledge and its parents

under the cover of darkness and spend the next several years alone at sea. If it survives, it may return to Purbeck from around two years of age, although puffins do not usually breed until they are around four years old.

In April, six adult puffins were recorded at the colony. By early June, volunteers had observed puffins carrying fish

commercial boats run by Durlston Country Park, Birds of Poole Harbour and Pierhead Watersports.

Ben Cooke, rivers and coast project officer for the National Trust in Purbeck, said: “This is fantastic news for everyone who has been monitoring and supporting this colony. There have been anecdotal sightings in the past, but this puffling was witnessed and photographed by some of our most experienced volunteers.”

In March 2026, the National Trust renewed its efforts to understand why the puffin colony has been failing to produce chicks. Motion-sensor cameras, powered by solar panels, were installed by high ropes experts, positioned to take images of movement within the deep fissure – the puffins nest about two metres back from the entrance. The cameras will be recovered after the seabird breeding season, and volunteers will then review the thousands of images taken.

into at least two separate nesting locations on the cliff, indicating that more than one pair may have been attempting to raise chicks. However, only one pair was regularly delivering fish to a nest site visible from the monitoring point – the location where the puffling was later seen. While other puffins were also observed carrying fish to different parts of the ledge, these deliveries ceased after June 12, suggesting that any chicks in those nests did not survive to fledging.

Dr Caldow added: “Seeing the puffling was a great thrill, the first puffling that’s been recorded in Purbeck for a long time. It tells us that Purbeck puffins can still lay fertile eggs, hatch them and, at least in some years, find enough food to rear a chick and escape the attention of predators.”

The 13 volunteers took turns to observe the nesting ledge, contributing about 150 hours of their time. Additional puffin sightings were provided by

Ben added: “The images should hopefully reveal more of the nesting, feeding and fledging activity of the puffins. Understanding what is happening inside the nesting crevice is the missing piece of the puzzle. If we can identify the reasons why chicks and eggs are being lost, we can begin to explore what conservation measures might help.

“Puffins are such an iconic bird, we want to do everything in our power to help them survive in Purbeck. We are hugely grateful to Dr Richard Caldow for his tireless efforts in researching the puffins and what might be affecting them, and to his team of volunteers for the hours they spend monitoring them.”

Due to the inaccessible location of the puffin ledge, the best way to see these birds is from the sea. Guided boat trips are available in the summer through Durlston Country Park and Birds of Poole Harbour, although the puffins, guillemots and razorbills leave the cliffs by mid-July.

The puffling peeps out between the rocks at Dancing Ledge

PHOTO Martin Shaw

Expert Richard Caldow monitors the puffins PHOTO: Cathy Lewis

Full steam ahead at rally

VISITORS to the Roads to Rail steam rally held near Corfe Castle took a journey back in time to a bygone era.

The Swanage Railway event featured everything from traction and miniature engines, steam rollers and showman’s engines to fairground rides, trade stalls, food stalls, a real ale bar and live music.

In its sixth year, the rally –which also included activities and entertainment for children – was held over three days on a larger site close to Norden station and Purbeck Park.

A new attraction this year saw visitors enjoy a bracing three-mile, 15-minute steam train ride in a heritage brake van pulled by a Victorian locomotive.

The train departed from next to the Roads to Rail event field and travelled along a little used section of the Swanage Railway from Norden to Furzebrook and back.

Steam and diesel heritage trains also ran between Norden, Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross, Herston Halt and Swanage throughout the event.

Swanage Railway chief executive Abbie King said: “We’re incredibly proud of what was achieved over the three days of the Roads to Rail steam rally.

“It was fantastic to see so many visitors enjoying the event and to receive such positive feedback from exhibitors, traders and volunteers alike.

“This year’s Roads to Rail event was our biggest heritage transport steam rally yet, with a record number of engines and heritage vehicles taking part, and the new event field – next to Norden station and Dorset Council’s Purbeck Park –proved to be an excellent venue for bringing everything together.

“It was also exciting to introduce our new brake van rides for the first time, giving visitors the rare chance to travel along a section of railway that isn’t normally open to passenger services.”

Abbie added: “Our Roads to Rail event continues to demonstrate the continued enthusiasm for preserving railway and transport heritage

supported by volunteers, exhibitors and enthusiasts from across the country. Despite hot

weather, visitors enjoyed a high quality event.”

This year’s event sponsors were Northover Energy, Andrews Plant Hire and Haulage, and PTG Tours. For more information about the varied volunteering opportunities available at Swanage Railway, email volunteering officer Kelly Griffin at iwanttovolunteer@ swanagerailway.co.uk or visit swanagerailwaytrust.org/ volunteering

Island holiday fun for all the

BROWNSEA Island is running a busy Summer of Play programme to help parents and carers keep their youngsters entertained over the long school holidays.

The programme includes a fun-packed activity trail set against the backdrop of spectacular natural surroundings and open now until Saturday, September 5.

Minibeast Mondays give little explorers the chance to discover the fascinating world of bugs.

A Pokémon Craft Lab every Saturday in August includes colouring sheets and the chance

to make headbands and PokéCatchers. Then families can explore the island with a self-guided Pokémon GO experience.

Hapa Zome Nature Printing, in which children smash, press and print using the colours and textures found in nature, runs on Tuesdays in August.

problem-solving skills to the test through games and challenges designed to bring out their ‘inner squirrel’.

Brownsea’s red squirrels inspire the island’s new Squirrel Challenge on Thursdays throughout August. Children put their agility and

The Bee Circus Walkabout will bring Dr Albina and his ‘Buzztastic’ show – pictured – to the island on Saturdays, August 22 and 29, offering families a fun way to learn more about nature’s hardest-working insects.

Alongside these special events, the island has a natural

family

play area, wildlife watching and picnic spots with views across Poole Harbour.

Visitor operations and experience manager Dania Schmitz-Vaughan said: “Summer is all about spending time together, making memories and enjoying the great outdoors.

“Our Summer of Play programme gives families the chance to discover Brownsea Island in new and exciting ways. We can’t wait to welcome visitors for a summer full of fun, laughter and discovery.”

Activities and events are free and no booking is required, but normal admission fees apply.

The heritage brake van pulled by a Victorian locomotive

This year’s steam rally attracted a record number of engines and heritage vehicles PHOTOS: Andrew PM Wright

Historic churches get helping hand

DORSET Historic Churches

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

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

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

Nina Shaw-Porter,

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

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

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

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

Poole Military Tattoo 2026

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

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

Nina ShawPorter, churchwarden at St Martin’s Church, Cheselbourne, one of 10 churches awarded a grant by Dorset Historic Churches Trust to help with repairs PHOTO: Salisbury Diocesan Advisory Committee

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

“Our historic churches are a vital part of Dorset’s heritage, and it is important they are conserved for future generations.

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

Citizens Advice reaches out for runners

CITIZENS Advice East Dorset & Purbeck is inviting people to apply for a place in next year’s London Marathon.

Gareth Broom, from Poole, raised more than £2,500 in this year’s event, and the charity is now looking for its next fundraiser to take on the challenge.

Gareth said: “Running the London Marathon this year was an unforgettable experience, not just for the atmosphere and the challenge, but because I was doing it for a local charity that quietly changes lives every single day.

“Seeing the support from our community and knowing the difference those funds will make

meant the world to me.

“If anyone is looking for a challenge with real purpose behind it, I’d wholeheartedly encourage them to run and raise money for this incredible charity.”

Citizens Advice East Dorset & Purbeck is an independent charity and relies on donations, fundraising and grants to run the service. Funds raised will help support its Advice Bus and the charity’s wider work across the community

Over the past year, over 1,000 people visited the Advice Bus, and since it launched in 2023 more than 3,000 people have been supported. The bus provides confidential, face-to-

Swanage Tidal & Solar Predictions April '26

June '26

face help with issues such as debt, energy costs, benefits, housing and cost-of-living pressures, bringing friendly, experienced advisers directly to rural communities.

Paul Gosling, head of Business, Citizens Advice East Dorset & Purbeck, said: “We are extremely grateful to Gareth for running the London Marathon and raising funds for us. Demand for our service continues to grow and fundraising is becoming

increasingly important in helping us meet local need.

“If you would like to support a local charity while taking on the challenge of next year’s London Marathon, we would love to hear from you.”

To apply for a place for next year’s London Marathon, while raising funds for Citizens Advice East Dorset & Purbeck, visit www.edpcitizensadvice. org.uk/fundraising.

Applications must be submitted by August 31.

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Festival helps charity

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A MICRO Sea Shanty Festival at the Kings Arms in Wareham raised £192.29 for the Lexi May Trust, which supports children with terminal illness and life-limiting conditions in Dorset. Lexi’s mum, Carly Hopkins, is pictured with festival organiser Sue Wheatley.

Gareth Broom completed this year’s London Marathon while raising funds for Citizens Advice East Dorset & Purbeck

Thousands turn out for Royal visitors

KING CHARLES and Queen

Camilla were greeted by thousands of wellwishers when they visited Dorset.

Their Majesties were in Blandford to visit the newlyrefurbished Corn Exchange building, where they met a number of county charities and community organisations.

Later, on another hot July day, they got the chance to have a drink during a visit to the Hall & Woodhouse Badger Brewery, to mark the beginning of the company’s 250th anniversary.

Hall & Woodhouse was founded in 1777 by Charles Hall, a Dorset farmer who began brewing beer from his excess grain. Today, the company is owned and stewarded by seventh and eighth generation family members.

During the visit, The King and Queen met a number of company’s current chef and brewing apprentices, as well as the team behind the Teddy Rocks festival, a charitable event which Hall & Woodhouse has sponsored since 2019.

Anthony Woodhouse, chair and seventh generation custodian of Hall & Woodhouse, said: “It’s an immense privilege

The King and Queen visited Blandford

PHOTOS: Graham Pengelly

and it was an honour to introduce Their Majesties to some of our apprentices today.

“We are incredibly proud of our heritage and are committed to continuing the success of the company for the benefit of communities now and for generations to come.

“Our support for extraordinary charity initiatives, such as Teddy Rocks festival, remains a non-negotiable, and we’re more committed than ever to reducing our impact on the planet and inspiring positive change for our environment.”

to welcome The King and Queen to Blandford during such a remarkable moment for our business.

“We’re celebrating our first 250 years and have our sights firmly set on success for many more generations ahead.

“We’ve expanded our apprenticeship schemes in recent years, building and growing our team for the future

During the visit, head brewer Toby Heasman presented The King with a bottle of Coronation Ale, which the brewery first produced in 2023 to celebrate His Majesty’s coronation.

The King and Queen also unveiled a commemorative plaque that honours the organisation’s first 250 years. The plaque is displayed within Hall & Woodhouse’s Brewery Tap bar and cafe, situated in the Victorian maltings of the original brewery.

Agatha cooks up a storm

TALENTED young Dorset chef

Agatha Magill has secured her place in the final of South West Junior Chef of the Year 2026 competition.

Agatha, 15, from Talbot Heath School, Bournemouth, beat five other Dorset-based students to seal her place in the final, impressing expert judges with her skill and creativity.

The award, one category in the South West Chef of the Year Competition, is open to 11 to 16-year-olds. Entrants have to prepare a main course dish using mainly locally sourced ingredients.

Agatha, who cooked potato scaled flounder in a beurre blanc sauce with lemon drizzled samphire and a cold mint pea dip, now goes forward to the

October, where she will compete for the title of South West Junior Chef of the Year 2026.

Each of the finalists is supported by one of the competition judges, who will help them to further develop their dishes for the final, while also helping them to build on their skills and confidence in the kitchen.

Agatha will be mentored by Alex Naik, head chef at Thirteen, Poole.

Alex, along with Jamie Jones, chef patron at Yalbury Cottage, Lower Bockhampton, and Alan Kelly, chef lecturer at Coastland College, were the competition judges for the

Dorset group.

Michael Caines

MBE DL, who co-founded the South West Chef of the Year competition, praised the standard of cooking. He said: “Well done to all the young cooks who competed in the county finals and many congratulations to the winners in each county. It was, once again, a very close-run competition with some very impressive dishes created.

“We are very grateful to our

team of expert judges who supported and inspired the young chefs as they cooked, as well as judging them, ensuring that they gained the most out of the experience.”

Thanks to a partnership with Springboard FutureChef, those county finalists in school Years 9–11 will also be invited to cook at the FutureChef regional final in January 2027, bypassing the local rounds of the competition, to compete for a place in the FutureChef national final.

Agatha Magill with the South West Junior Chef of the Year judges (above) and in the kitchen

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BEAUTIFUL

SUMMER is here and haven’t we all been looking forward to it! We’re hoping that the beautiful weather stays so our visitors get to experience Durlston in all its August glory. With it being the start of the summer holidays, we’re ready to welcome everyone from families to holidaymakers and our country park regulars, for our packed schedule of events. The park is bustling with wildlife at the moment. Butterflies galore can be seen in the meadows and along the coast path, including Lulworth skippers, gatekeepers and small and large whites. But a trip to the buddleia outside the Castle

shop hosts great sightings of red admirals, peacock butterflies and occasional hummingbird hawk moths.

Whether you’re coming up for a coffee, an evening picnic or just for the views, Durlston has plenty in store for everyone to enjoy. If you want to enjoy some of the very best wildlife, scenery and coastal walking in Dorset, Durlston is perfect for a short, gentle stroll, or a day of hiking on the Southwest Coast Path.

In the Fine Foundation Gallery from Friday, August 7, local artist Cathy Veale will present her exhibition ‘Interaction of Light’, featuring

original paintings and limited edition prints in her unique, striking style. Running until Sunday, August 23, the exhibition is free to enter from 10.30am-4.30pm. Then from Wednesday, August 26, to Thursday, September 17, a collection of artists will come together to bring ‘Spirt of Fancy’, a showcase of diverse talents including illustrations, sculptures, ceramics and silks.

This August we also have a fantastic selection of events on offer including a drawing workshop, glass engraving, meet a moth events, wildlife guided walks and the return of our stargazing evenings. We

also have a good schedule of kids’ activities from bug hunts to dinosaurs, as well as daily activity trails including ‘Marvellous Meadows’ and ‘Monsters of the Jurassic Coast’. Make sure to have a look at the events on the Durlston website, www. durlston.co.uk/events

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

For more information on events and more visit our Durlston website at www. durlston.co.uk Visit the Seventhwave cafe website at seventhwaverestaurant.co.uk

Ticket to ride to nature reserve

THE shuttle bus service connecting Wareham train station and RSPB Arne Nature Reserve has been extended to run three days a week until the end of August.

The service will run on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

An improved service, made possible thanks to financial support from Dorset Council, will see buses run twice a week from Easter to the end of summer – and three times in that period during school holidays – and on Wednesday only over the rest of the year.

The bus serves the nature reserve, Purbeck Park/Norden – connecting with the Swanage Heritage Railway – and Norden Farm campsite, helping to reduce traffic, especially during the main summer season.

Purbeck Community Rail

Partnership, Dorset Council, RSPB Arne and Perenco UK support and fund the bus service, operated by Dorset Community Transport.

Purbeck Community Rail officer Steven Booth said “We are so pleased to be involved in this project working with our partners.

“It supports our aims and

objectives to promote sustainable integrated transport by linking the railway and bus to Purbeck’s most picturesque attractions.

“RSPB Arne remains one of the few places in the UK where all six of the UK’s native reptiles can be found situated on Poole Harbour and within the Dorset Natural Landscape area.

“In addition to the popular natural tourist attraction, the bus will call in a Purbeck Park/ Norden and Norden Park farm campsite.”

Dorset Community Transport manager Tim Christian said: “We’re delighted to offer the continuation of the shuttle bus through the summer period and beyond.

“This is a valuable service for those who can’t drive or don’t have access to a car to be able to come and visit RSPB Arne and Purbeck Park, connecting by rail.

“Whether visitors choose to leave their cars at home, or don’t have access to a vehicle, we hope our Purbeck Shuttle 200 service will enable more people to enjoy these major Purbeck attractions, experiencing wonderful wildlife and stunning views.”

Members of the Purbeck Shuttle 200 team

Your Health Matters Dorset HealthCare’s monthly round-up

Mr Kelloggs the pony brings joy to mental health patients

PATIENTS at Alderney Hospital in Poole recently enjoyed a special visit from Mr Kelloggs, a miniature horse, as part of an animal-assisted therapy session designed to support wellbeing and enhance patient experience.

Mental health inpatients on St Brelade’s and Herm wards at the Dorset HealthCare-run site, alongside patients attending the day hospital, welcomed Mr Kelloggs and had the opportunity to stroke, pet and cuddle him.

Animal-assisted therapy is increasingly recognised for its positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, helping to reduce anxiety, improve mood, encourage social engagement, and promote

feelings of calm and connection.

Ruth Konda, therapies lead and physiotherapist for dementia inpatients at Alderney Hospital, said: “The horse brought so much joy to our patients. Animal therapy can offer significant mental health benefits, including reduced anxiety, improved mood, increased social engagement and a sense of calm and connection.

A patient with Mr Kelloggs

“As well as the patients, staff had a brilliant time, and the positive impact was evident

throughout the visit.”

The visit from Linking Hearts Therapy Horses was warmly received by both patients and staff, creating a

Mark rises to new swim challenge

SEVERELY visually impaired Swanage endurance swimmer Mark Critchlow is set to embark on another challenge later this month.

Mark, 65, is planning to swim from Chapman’s Pool/ St Aldhelm’s Head to Swanage by the pier, a distance of about eight miles, which will involve contending

with the tides and currents around St Aldhelm’s Head, Anvil Point and Peverel Point.

Mark, who last year raised £3,200 with a swim from the ferry by Shell Bay/Sandbanks to Swanage pier for RNLI Swanage, is this year swimming in aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

Mark was registered severely visually impaired in 2011 and moved to Swanage in October 2024.

He has taken on swim challenges as part of a team and by himself including the English Channel (35km), a circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight and an endurance swim along the Jurassic coast.

positive atmosphere across the wards and day services.

For more information about Alderney Hospital, visit www. dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk

He started training for his latest swim in the winter and coped with the cold, and has been ramping up his training, doing a two-hour swim recently.

Mark would like to thank Marc Newman Swimming for providing the escort boat and Pierhead Watersports for the supporters’ boat, and GH Print Management.

Mark has a short window in which to do the swim – he is aiming for between August 14-20 – but the exact date and time depends on the weather and tides and will be announced closer to the day.

Staff at Alderney Hospital with Mr Kelloggs

Learning

lessons from major fire incident

LAND managers from across Dorset visited Newton Heath, near Swanage, and Holt Heath, near Wimborne, to learn more about the impact of field and heath fires.

The fire training day, run by the Dorset Heaths Partnership, focused on the sites, which were at the heart of a major incident last summer.

Andy Elliott, a wildfire tactical advisor at Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS), led the event.

Among the organisations taking part in the annual training

were DWFRS, BCP Council, Dorset Wildlife Trust, the National Trust, Forestry England, Dorset Dogs, the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust and Talbot Village Trust.

Paul Attwell, team manager at Dorset Heaths Partnership, said: “We hold fire training days every year for land managers within the partnership, and it was felt lessons learned from the 2025 major incident would have real worth.

“It was particularly valuable for land managers to understand what they can do to support firefighters when the worst does happen, from providing tractors and water bowsers to knowing the What3Words reference for site access points.

“We’re grateful to DWFRS for their ongoing support.”

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

By Chris Tennant Legacy Planning Consultant, Oakwood Wills

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

Then one question changed everything. “What happens if one of our children gets divorced after we’re gone?”

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

As they talked, more concerns surfaced. What if one of them needed long-term care? Could their home be affected? What if illness or dementia meant they could no longer make important financial or healthcare decisions for themselves?

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

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

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

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Wills • Living Trusts • Lasting Powers of Attorney

Land managers learnt how they could help in event of fire

East Burton and Wool events – August

by Patricia Hook

THE monthly coffee morning at East Burton Village Hall takes place on Friday, August 14, 10am-noon, and I hope to see you there. Please come and say hello and enjoy more lovely homemade goodies with a cup of tea or coffee. No charge, we just ask for a donation to hall funds. We also now offer a gluten-free option. Fitness sessions won’t be held at East Burton Village Hall in August – Sarah is taking a well- earned holiday – but the next writing class is on Thursday, August 20, 7pm-9.30pm. For details, see the EBVH noticeboard or email her at lucylastic@me. com or WhatsApp on 07773 251411.

On Friday, August 21, the Wool Community Cinema at the D’Urberville Centre will be showing Wuthering Heights – the 2026 version. Doors open at 6.30pm and film starts at 7pm. Bring along your own food and drink and enjoy.

On Saturday, August 22, Owermoigne Horticultural Society has its annual show, which promises to be another

exciting day with lots of wonderful floral displays, vegetables, baking and jams and so on to take a look at. Ploughman’s lunches will also be on offer – though these need to be pre-booked. For details, and if you would like to take part, email me at patricia.hook125@gmail.com and watch out for mentions of the show, and photographs from previous shows, on Facebook and Nextdoor, in particular. Posters will also appear around Wool and East Burton. You do not need to be an experienced exhibitor – the show is for fun, although RHS certificates are awarded and trophies are given to winners of the Flora, Edible Display and Best in Show. The Best in Show winner also gets a wonderful RHS medal and certificate.

The D’Urberville Players are taking a summer break during August but will start meeting again on Tuesday, September 1. Sadly, we had to cancel our last production due to unforeseen circumstances but have begun work on the next offering to be staged, so

do come along any Tuesday from 7.30pm. You can also visit our Facebook page as we need all kinds of people to help out, from greeting people coming to see the shows, backstage, props and so on, to actors, so lots to do. Come along and say hello and see if anything interests you. In particular, we desperately need someone with experience in theatre lighting – nothing too difficult – so please help us!

Something I haven’t mentioned before are all the marvellous quizzes which take place in local hostelries in the area. In particular, the Red Lion at Winfrith hosts one on Tuesdays, twice a month, the Ship Inn hosts on the first Tuesday of the month, and the Countryman Inn on a Sunday evening, once a month. Each venue offers a different prize for the winning team, and some offer a small prize for the losing team.

Wool Community Library is taking part in some interesting ventures at the moment, including the Summer Reading Programme for children, and Culture Quest, which aims to

encourage families to explore local arts, heritage and culture. A Culture Quest passport, obtained from Wool Library, is stamped when visiting participating venues resulting in a certificate. The Quest is open to children aged five-11 (plus adults/parents).

And finally, Wool WI are a vibrant group of ladies who enjoy talks, walking, gentle sports and outings of all kinds, including cinema and theatre trips, lunch and supper clubs. Not just about baking and jam anymore. If you would like to come and see what we get up to, we meet at the Kids of Wool Building, attached to the D’Urberville Centre at 7pm on the second Monday of each month. We would love to see you there to enjoy a talk, a natter, a cup of tea, a raffle and an update on upcoming events we organise.

Don’t forget, if you know of any activity in the area which needs to be advertised, let me know and I will include it here. I am all about supporting local people and events. My email is patricia.hook125@ gmail.com

Slade does the village rounds

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

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

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

“That’s why I’m looking forward to taking my Summer Village Tour back on the road

and spending dedicated time in each community, hearing directly from residents on the issues they care about.

“The best part of this job is speaking with people about the issues that affect their daily lives, whether that’s a local

Mid Dorset and North Poole

MP Vikki Slade will be making a second round of village visits at the end of the month

concern, or an idea for making the area even better.

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

The remaining dates are: August 24 – Wareham and Stoborough; August 25 –Sturminster Marshall and Shapwick; August 26 – Lytchett and Upton; August 27 –Bloxworth and Bere Regis; August 28 – Holt and Gaunts. Residents who would like to attend can register via the Summer Village Tour online registration form –https://forms. gle/wjAXwhBGnu47YCNHA – or by calling the constituency office on 01202 798718.

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

Summer Fair at Canford School - 15th and 16th August 2026

The Wessex Event Company are delighted to be holding our 9th Summer Fair in the beautiful house and grounds of Canford School on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16h August this year

Bring the whole family for a fabulous day out, there is something for everyone.

Over 120 stands selling a host of artisan foods, crafts, plants, wellness, home and garden accessories, both inside the magnificent school and outside in the beautiful grounds.

Chill out in our Street Food Area, enjoying mid morning snacks, lunches and afternoon treats, including Bratwurst, Thai, Greek, Indian, Hot Potatoes, Pizzas, Dorset Lamb, Churros, Crepes and Ice Cream washed down with coffee, tea, soft drinks or something stronger from the fairs Bar. While you sit and eat and relax you will be entertained by fabulous local artists.

Our children’s entertainments will include rides, games and face painting, climbing wall, caving tunnel, crafts, rugby tots. The very popular Circus Skills Workshop is on both days for children to participate

in and learn some of the magic of the circus, as well as the Magic Man and Tumble Tots for the very young Disney Princesses and Superheroes will also be joining in the fun..

Watch the Falconry displays and marvel in the grace and agility of these wonderful birds or prey

The cost of entry is just £5 for Adults, with children under 16, £1, making this one of the most affordable, family friendly, value for money days out you will find in the area this summer.

So come early, stay late and enjoy a wonderful day out in the most beautiful of settings.

We would like to thank our sponsors Save Energy and The Blackmore Vale for their support.

Over 100 stalls, Food, Drink,

Cooking? It’s child’s play!

THE Friendly Food Club charity is gearing up to teach healthy cooking to more than 1,000 children across the county during the summer break – and got off to a tasty start at Wareham Family Hub.

The Friendly Food Club provides simple, affordable and nutritious community cooking classes and is in its fourth year of supporting BCP Council and Dorset Council’s Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme, a governmentfunded initiative providing free holiday clubs, enriching activities and a hot lunch to children who would normally receive free school meals.

The HAF scheme run by Purbeck Youth and Community Foundation (PYCF) at Wareham Hub was the charity’s first session of the summer and saw children cook a delicious chicken and vegetable Greekstyle pitta, guided by Friendly Food Club tutors Caroline and George.

Albie, nine, said: “I have done cooking with the Friendly Food Club before and I really enjoyed it. Today I learned how to crush garlic with a knife, and I cut up lots of vegetables including courgettes and peppers. The pittas we made were lovely. I was going to take mine home, but I ate it all!”

Layla, also nine, said: “The last time I cooked with the Friendly Food Club we made bean burgers and they were really nice, so I knew today would be good. I like to cook and help my dad sometimes. I will be taking home the recipe card with me today so I can make these pittas again.”

Aiden, 12, plans to be a chef when he is older. He said: “I like making pasta dishes like lasagne for my family. My mum and dad both cook but I have taught myself. It’s been good today and what we cooked tasted really good.”

Sisters Phoebe and Amber, 12 and nine, enjoyed the tzatziki

they made with Greek yogurt, cucumber and fresh mint. I would give mine nine and half out of 10!,” said Amber.

Mia Murray, youth and community manager for PYCF, said: “We love hosting the Friendly Food Club. They make healthy cooking so interesting and fun. Many of the children learn how to use kitchen knives safely for the first time and try vegetables they might not have tried before. Everything is provided and the children make a lovely lunch, grow their confidence with cooking, and have a lot of fun doing it.”

Liz Guilmant-Cush, chief executive of the Friendly Food Club, said: “This summer is busier than ever for the Friendly Food Club as we will be cooking with over 1,000 children across dozens of HAF holiday clubs and events.

“The HAF programme is extremely valuable to the health and wellbeing of so many children and being involved is a wonderful chance for us as a charity to engage with children, let them explore their creativity and hopefully inspire them to enjoy healthy cooking throughout their lives.”

Catherine Stark, HAF Co-ordinator for BCP Council, said: “Many children in the BCP Council area have and continue to benefit from activities through the Friendly Food Club.

“We have seen children grow in confidence when handling and preparing food, and by using child-friendly equipment, children feel safe in this activity.

“The recipes are modern and easy for children and families to follow. They also use ingredients which can be easily obtainable, meaning that families can incorporate these

some community groups have been inspired by the Friendly Food Company’s cooking sessions and now provide their own family cooking sessions during school holiday periods.”

meals into their family meal planning.

“Some of our HAF clubs have further embedded cookery classes by purchasing similar mobile cooking equipment to that used by the Friendly Food Club. HAF activity plans have been devised with a heavy element of cooking and nutrition, which supports this fundamental aspect of the programme. We also know that

Jude Allen, HAF coordinator for Dorset Council, said: “The partnership with The Friendly Food Club has greatly benefited our community by providing access to nutritious food, cooking workshops and educational resources. Children have gained valuable cooking skills, learned about healthy eating and most importantly had fun.”

The Friendly Food Club is encouraging people to set up their own community cooking groups through its Get Dorset Cooking campaign. For more information visit www. thefriendlyfoodclub.org

Friendly Food Club tutor Caroline with Layla (left) and Daisy and their tasty lunches; and (left) Albie cooking his veg-packed pitta filling

Network of defibrillators helps save lives

AWELCOME theme runs through recent updates from our two lookout stations – gratitude. This month, that thanks goes to Swanage Rotary Club, whose support has funded a new defibrillator cabinet at the Peveril Point Lookout.

The cabinet was installed last week and is far more visible than the one it replaces, which had served the station well for the past decade. It also brings Peveril Point in line with the lookout at St Alban’s Head, where the cabinet was replaced last year. Both the cabinets and the defibrillators inside them have been provided through the outstanding work of the Swanage Community Defibrillator Partnership.

by Nick Reed

The partnership was founded in 2015 by local people with backgrounds in healthcare, emergency response and community service. Among them were Maggie Hardy, a registered nurse and former Swanage hospital manager; David Corben, a local estate agent, Rotarian and former RNLI crewman; Kyle Hickman, a former police officer; and Ian Brown, well known locally as station officer for the Coastguard Rescue Team. They were supported in the early stages by resuscitation officer Lisa Mattei, who joined as a technical adviser and helped bring practical lifesaving training into the programme. Its aim was simple, but vital – to buy, install and maintain community-accessible defibrillators in the places where they may be needed most. When someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest and a

member of the public calls 999, emergency help is dispatched, and the caller can be directed to the nearest cabinet, told how to open it and supported in using the defibrillator until professional help arrives. In a coastal community such as Swanage and the surrounding villages, that access matters. The town has a year-round population of about 10,000, but numbers rise sharply in summer as visitors arrive to enjoy the seafront, beaches and countryside. The partnership recognised early on that quick access to an automated external defibrillator, or AED, could make a crucial difference. What began as a plan to provide four devices has grown into a much wider town and village network. Today, the Purbeck area has more than 40 defibrillators available 24 hours a day through 999 and the Ambulance Service. The partnership’s careful work in assessing local need, selecting

suitable equipment and cabinets, and putting maintenance and governance arrangements in place has taken it far beyond its original target.

Since it began over 10 years ago, AEDs provided by the partnership have been used about 250 times. It is no exaggeration to say that people are alive today because of that work.

The group’s efforts have also expanded into the installation of Public Access Trauma Kits, known as PAcT kits, in Dorset. Introduced following the Manchester Arena bombing, these bleed control kits are designed to provide immediate help in life-threatening emergencies. They sit alongside public access defibrillators as part of a broader emergency response network. The first PAcT kit in Dorset was installed on Swanage seafront in 2024 through a partnership between Swanage Town Council, SCDP and ARK Medical Solutions.

Installing equipment is only part of the story. The partnership has developed governance documents, an education programme and a guardian system, with volunteers regularly checking defibrillators and helping to keep cabinets clean, accessible and ready for use — no small task in sandy coastal conditions.

Free awareness workshops have also become a key part of the project, giving residents the

confidence to know what to do in an emergency and how to use an AED. Almost 300 people have already taken part in volunteer-run sessions, with further workshops hoped for in the autumn.

The partnership’s achievements have been recognised beyond Swanage, including with an Ambulance Service Award. But its focus remains firmly rooted in the community – making sure residents, visitors, businesses and local groups know help is close by, and that more people feel ready to act when every second counts.

WHEN so many people support the work of the lookout stations, it is always good to be able to return the favour. On Sunday, August 9, tea and cakes will be on offer at the Peveril Point Lookout from 10.30am-4pm, weather permitting.

This time, the lookout will simply be providing the venue, with the event run by colleagues from Lyme Bay NCI to support their fundraising. If you are out for a walk or visiting town, please do pop along, enjoy a cuppa and a slice of cake, and help support our friends from Lyme Bay.

This is St Alban’s Head NCI and Swanage NCI listening on Channel 65 and grateful for the support of the local community. NCI out.

Spot the Watchkeeper gets resus training from the Swanage Community Defibrillator Partnership PHOTO: SCDP

The new automated external defibrillator cabinet at Swanage PHOTO: Swanage NCI

It’s time to fix NHS dentistry

ONE of the most common issues raised at my constituency surgeries and in correspondence from residents is the struggle to find an NHS dentist. In my 2025 Health Survey, access to dentistry was one of the top concerns for residents.

When I was a child, regular NHS dental check-ups were simply part of family life and children’s teeth were in better condition than their parents’. Today, that is no longer the reality. Only half of Dorset’s children have seen an NHS dentist in the last year, and tooth decay remains a leading cause of young children being admitted to hospital.

The reason is that there are fewer NHS dentists serving a growing population, while many are leaving the service because the NHS contract relies on private work, effectively subsidising NHS treatment. I recently met the British Dental Association to press for solutions, and it confirmed that 44 dentists have handed back

NHS contracts in Dorset since 2020. Yet no new NHS dental contracts have been awarded to replace them. Some parts of the county do not have a single NHS dental practice.

At the heart of the crisis is the way NHS dentistry is funded. Dental practices are independent businesses. They directly fund their premises, staff and business costs and are then paid by the NHS through a contract system based on Units of Dental Activity. The problem is that many treatments are funded at levels that simply do not reflect the true cost of providing care, particularly with increasing costs in areas like energy, imported supplies and staff.

big the system will completely crumble.

Liberal Democrats have long called for the failed dental contract to be replaced with one that rewards prevention and patient care rather than targets, alongside urgent action to rebuild access to NHS dentistry.

The Labour Government has recognised some of these problems that have worsened over the last decade and made limited improvements. But the promised consultation on contract reform keeps being delayed and I will be writing to the new Minister to urge them to deliver this before the end of 2026.

these emergency appointments go unfilled because people do not know to call. The result is that appointments go unused while residents struggle to access care, contributing to money allocated for dentistry going unspent.

Over the last two years, £17 million of Dorset’s dental budget has either been returned or reallocated to other services. I have repeatedly challenged this in Parliament because local people rightly expect money allocated to dentistry to be spent on dental services.

As a result, many dentists are reducing their NHS commitments or leaving altogether. Unless the contract is fundamentally reformed, the gaps in service will become so

Many people do not realise that urgent dental treatment can be accessed through NHS 111, with appointments available across Dorset for emergencies such as abscesses, infections and broken teeth. Too often,

That is why I have launched a petition and am pressing both the Government and NHS Dorset to ensure dental funding is spent on dental services and the contract is properly reformed. You can sign it at my website, www.vikkislade.uk, and help me put pressure on both the Government and NHS Dorset to fix NHS dentistry.

VIKKI SLADE Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorset & North Poole

Hospital building work presses ahead

WITH my full support, this Labour Government is investing £100 million at Dorset County Hospital to rebuild both the Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit.

And just last week, I was able to join the team at Dorset County Hospital to take a peek at progress on the construction site –including viewing the helipad on top of the brand new buildings. It was quite something to see the new hospital buildings coming together at pace – and the view from the new helipad was pretty impressive, too!

new facilities are being built on time and on budget. Once completed, we know that these new facilities will help to improve ambulance response times and help to further cut NHS waiting lists across the county as well.

Building works at Dorset County Hospital began almost two years ago and the new facilities are set to open in 2027. I’m so pleased that these

I’m also pleased that the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit will include dedicated paediatric and mental health facilities within the larger hospital buildings. And a new ambulance offload system will help to improve patient flow and emergency care.

The whole team at Dorset County Hospital have worked tirelessly to deliver these new facilities – they’re the very best

of our cherished NHS!

After years of underinvestment, it’s fantastic to see fresh funding for our local hospitals, which is certainly making a big difference at Dorset County Hospital. There is still a long road ahead to rebuild our NHS. But by combining record investment with genuine

reforms, we are fixing the foundations of our NHS and making it fit for the future.

Up in Westminster, I will continue to bang the drum for all our NHS hospitals – so that we receive the resources and funding we need.

LLOYD HATTON

Labour MP for South Dorset

Vikki Slade

Lloyd Hatton

Dorset County Hospital pictured before building work got under way

Seaweed is causing a bit of a stink

I’M writing this on the first day of Swanage Carnival. And you’re reading it just after the carnival is over.

Without wishing to decry the efforts of the carnival committee, I have to say it might have been more enjoyable without the all-pervading stink of seaweed coming from the beach between the Banjo Jetty and The Mowlem. This is the one week where Swanage shows off to its visitors and presents itself in all its glory as the ‘gem of the Dorset coast’ but instead it smelt so bad that had I been a visitor I would not have even stayed for the procession.

Swanage Council always took responsibility for clearing away the rotting seaweed each morning, so that the trippers and holidaymakers could enjoy our town, and I was so disappointed when it was clear that it was not going to do so this year. I understand the costs made seaweed clearance ‘uneconomical’, but looking at the amount of money it is proposing to spend on the seafront enhancement scheme, even £100,000 seems insignificant.

Sorry council, I normally back your decisions but in this case, you have let us down, especially the traders at that end of town who tell me their turnover has reduced and that they attribute this to the smell. Looking at the restaurants, the sauna, the coffee shop, the ice cream shops, the pedalo and deckchair business, I’m wondering how many of this year’s visitors will come back next year. To sit on a smelly and stony ‘beach’ wondering what the hell they are doing here.

by David Hollister

These businesses pay you substantial rents and royalties for use of the seafront, and I would have thought that keeping it clean should be something that should be included in the rentals. This is right on your doorstep, Swanage. You can’t blame Dorset for it.

Yes, it’s an ‘easterly’ and each morning the wind deposits huge amounts of stinky seaweed on the beach. But you managed to keep the beach clean for all the summers gone by, so what’s changed this year? In order to allow beachgoers plenty of sand to enjoy and to prevent it getting smelly during hot weather, seaweed that has been blown on shore by an easterly wind has in the past been removed by farmer Paul Loudoun who’s used it on his farm as fertiliser.

Now Paul has retired from the council contract and it’s proving hard to find someone who has the right credentials to provide the same service. Many local farmers don’t want to put seaweed on their fields due to a change in agricultural policy which leaves them better off being paid to restore the ‘natural biodiversity’ of their land, which the addition of seaweed would interfere with.

Seaweed is nutrient rich and high in calcium, sulphur and alginates, which is good to encourage growth, but, of course, seaweed is not naturally found on Purbeck fields and heathlands.

In Swanage, the seaweed mainly collects on the beach between The Mowlem and the Banjo Pier, so beachgoers can usually find a seaweed free

stretch if they head towards the northern end of the bay. But Swanage is a Blue Flag beach, which means it’s managed to the highest of environmental standards and the awarding body, the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE), is advising that seaweed is left on the beach unless it’s a nuisance and, if disposed of, that it’s done in an environmentally friendly way. What total claptrap. Maybe the FEE should come and visit us after an easterly?

The options to dispose of the naturally occurring seaweed are very limited and councils are being encouraged to think of other solutions. I would encourage Swanage Town Council to understand that holidaymakers won’t come back to a stinky beach, and that in turn will affect the tourist revenue, and that in turn will make your current rental income even more unjustifiable than it is now. Ball’s in your court. You need to bash it back. Very quickly.

If all else fails, then cut back on the cost of the proposed seafront scheme. And while you’re at it, there’s so much else that needs sorting out in Swanage – road markings, police absence, bin collections – so don’t let me stop you…

Look at the road markings.

Illegible in the dark or the wet. Look at the filthy signposts. Illegible most of the time. Look at the unkempt verges, lamely explained away by sweet little animal signs ‘I live here’. Well. I live here and I don’t like mess, overgrown verges or – for that matter – lame excuses.

‘Welcome to Purbeck’ where we can’t afford to maintain the roads or the signage. Come on, Dorset, tell the truth!

THE Race Is On, says another publication, to find £91,000 so that 20 metres of the Jurassic Coast can be dug away to reveal the remaining bits of a skeleton of ‘Sea Rex’ whose two-metre skull is already on display at the Etches museum at Kimmeridge. This really makes my blood boil. Hands up if you really feel that £91,000 is a reasonable price to pay to unearth even more old bones. While we have so much wrong in Dorset – road markings, police absence, bin collections and so on – plus people obliged to turn to a foodbank to feed their kids. Sorry. In my eyes it’s shameful and if I don’t say so then no-one else will. I don’t do history. I don’t do heritage. I do ‘Telling It Like It Is’ and if you’re offended, tough.

I’m just a dinosaur. They can have my bones for nothing!

Tune in and enjoy your local community radio station. Broadcast for the community, by the community.

Listen to David Hollister ‘Telling It Like It Is’ Monday-Thursday 5-6pm.

The Raven Aerobatic display team perform over Swanage Bay to large crowds at the start of the town’s carnival

PHOTO: Bob Bunyar

Sudoku 3D puzzle

Cryptic crossword

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

Across

1 Priest beginning to excite a church and speak from the pulpit (6)

5 Artistic place outside largely ruined (6)

8 Put back weapons in good order (4)

9 Acquire advantageous hold (8)

10 Opinion? There’s complaint about liberal one (6)

11 Elevated area I misjudged by lake (6)

12 Test hard for light aeroplane (4)

14 A garland for casual wear? Not certain (3)

15 Touched soft fabric (4)

Down

2 Wash lightly some cellar in secret (5)

3 Lose strength first off in pain (7)

4 Old US comedian quite taken if all goes well (9)

5 Gentleman is skier oddly (3)

6 Escort person that’s self-assertive, not quiet (5)

7 Put in place popular stand for market (7)

11 A nomadic eccentric around island compound (5,4)

13 Sketch published policy (7)

16 Blame over year becomes unpleasant (6)

18 Alternative rota arranged for speaker (6)

20 Is riot unfolding in the House of Commons of great note? (8)

22 Introduction by American prayer leader (4)

23 Leafy plant? There’s speed dispatching it (6)

24 Engine stops requiring centre for help (6)

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

15 Delicate paper put inside papers (7)

17 Prompt support, it’s said, for attractive female (5)

19 Old man of wisdom is native American

21 Fish ready at intervals (3)

(7)

(5)

Salmon’s 84 highlight for firsts

SWANAGE CC’s 1st XI have won four of their nine completed matches in Premier Two so far this season with four abandonments due to inclement weather.

The highlight of their batting was Mike Salmon’s 84 against Wimborne at Day’s Park. The other players to reach a halfcentury have been Coby Perry (two), Dan Salmon (two), Mike Salmon (again), Sam Wells (two) and Tom Wells (three). The other main contributors were Matt Beard, Harry Long, Ethan Stacey and Mark Stacey.

The highlights of their bowling were six-wicket hauls for Freddie Long, Coby Perry – the joint-leading wicket taker in the division – and Mike Salmon against Marnhull, Poole and Christchurch respectively. The other main contributors were Charlie Dyke, Ben Hodder, Harry Long and Steve Ramsay.

The 2nd XI have won five of their nine completed games in Division 3 and had four abandoned.

The highlight of their batting was the 175-run partnership between Sid Nash and Chris

Backhouse at Christchurch, where they both made a century – 122 not out and 102 not out respectively. Sam Marks also scored a century with other half-centuries by Ben Allatt (two), Backhouse (two), Jernimain (B), John Lewis, Mike Nash, Max Nicholson (two), Steve Ramsay and George Taylor. The other main contributors were Michael (B), James Harding and Harry Long.

The leading wicket-taker was Ramsay, who took a five-wicket haul at Christchurch. Able support has come from Jernimain and Michael (B), Andrew Hancock, James Harding, Josh (G), Sam Marks, Mike Nash and Sid Nash.

Although the 3rd XI have only won one of their nine completed matches, they have been playing against strong, far more-experienced 1st XI sides in Division 5 and have had three abandonments.

The highlights of their batting were the centuries by Josh (G) – his maiden one – and Paul Norman. David Alcock

(two), Josh (G), Tim Ives (two), John Lewis and Paul Norman have scored half-centuries. Paul Knight, Danny (N), Don Van Staden and Geoff Willcocks have made useful contributions.

The leading wicket-taker was Alan Marks ably supported by Bradley and Liam (B), George (E), Josh (G), Danny (N), Paul Knight, Alfred (R), Josh (V-S) and Lewis (W).

The Women and Girls Hard-Ball team have won one of their two games. The stand-out batters were Hannah Attride, Jo Roberts-Miller and Nala. The

stand-out bowlers were Eden, Faye, Nala, Pam and Sophie (C).

The WAG’s Soft-Ball side have also won one of their two matches. The main contributors with the bat were Amanda Braznell, Bev Lagden and Pam Sealey. Bev, Pam and Suki all made useful contributions with the ball.

The Under-11s/13s and 15s have all been in action with brilliant performances by everyone, especially, Frankie, Henry, Jaxon, Noah, Ruby and Saaqib.

Ellie wins young achiever award

TRAMPOLINIST Ellie

Tompkins has won Wimborne Rotary Club’s young achiever award.

Ellie, 14, from West Parley, won the 2026 John Thornton Young Achiever of the Year award, funded by Wimborne Rotary, in partnership with the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation.

She won a bursary of £500 which she used to help her take part in the Nissen Cup in Switzerland, where she qualified for the final in the 15-16 female category.

Ellie was part of the GB Development Squad from 2022-24 and was selected last year for the England Junior

TRAMPOLINING

Squad for 2025.

In July last year, she represented England at her first international competition, the Scalabis Cup in Portugal, where she qualified in fifth place resulting in her first international final, and finished sixth overall.

She then qualified to the English Championships in Coventry, from two qualifying events, and reached the final. Ellie came away from the event winning her age group and becoming English Champion 13-14 Women 2025.

In October last year, she

represented England at the Loule Cup, her second International, where she made the top eight and qualified for her second international final in second place, with a personal best. In the final she came third, obtaining her first international medal for England.

Ellie also became South West Under 15s champion in the Southwest Closed Championship last December.

Wimborne Rotary president Brian Dryden said: “We are delighted to present this year’s award to Ellie, who by her achievements has demonstrated all the qualities we would wish to see in young people today.

Ellie Tompkins in competition PHOT0: Vorx Digital

“Ellie is to be congratulated on her achievements to date and we wish her well for her future success.”

Swanage 1st XI in their 50-over match kit

Planting herbs to help insects

by Fiona Chapman

ONE of my greatest pleasures in life is walking through grass land humming with insects on a summer day. It is such a peaceful sound, rather like horses munching on hay, and to me, a very hopeful sound as we desperately need our insects to keep the great circle of life going.

Not to show my age, but when I was a child, I could never leave a light on at night as the room would be inundated by the insects it attracted. Now, there is hardly anything, and it is a depressing thought.

I leave lots of my garden to go wild – much to my husband’s horror – and have planted loads of herbs and wildflowers to try and attract insects and therefore birds and, I hope, other little

people – mice, voles and even, if lucky, grass snakes. I can sit and listen to the insects all busy about their lives. My wild patches are humming with life.

I bought some plug plant herbs last year as well, which have come into their own now, and I think have contributed hugely to the insect life. I bought the herbs thinking I would harvest them to make tea, which I have done, but not to a great extent. I cannot bear to cut them back when they waited all year to flower, and then when I see all the bees attracted to them, I feel I should leave them to it.

I was hoping to harvest lots of St John’s Wort or Hypericum perforatum this year. Loads of plants have been popping up randomly all over the garden, so

I have jealously guarded them from my husband and his vinegar – that is the only weed killer allowed – only to find that although they are St John’s Wort, they are not Hypericum perforatum but Hypericum tetrapterum.

That is a square-stemmed variety, and although it has medicinal properties, it is not as strong as the perforatum variety. How disappointing! Luckily, I do have perforatum as well, but

it is not as abundant, and I didn’t harvest very much, thinking I had a huge crop. It is called the sunshine herb, as it flowers in mid-summer and is a cheerful yellow, and I wanted to make a lovely tea with it for the drab winter months. Never mind, hopefully there is next year, and I will make sure I cultivate the right variety! n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist (email Pellyfiona@gmail.com)

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St John’s Wort – Hypericum perforatum

Health & Wellbeing

Meditations in nature: Dawn in the Guadalevín valley

by Susanna Curtin

I AM once again in Andalucía, staying in Ronda for my annual immersion in the art of flamenco guitar. This romantic place has settled deep into my soul and calls me back year after year. Balanced upon a plateau encircled by the Serranía de Ronda mountains, it is famous for its iconic bridge, the Puente Nuevo, which straddles the 128-metre-deep El Tajo gorge high above the Guadalevín river. On one side is La Ciudad, the ancient Moorish old town, and on the other is El Mercadillo, the 15th century ‘new’ town. Both Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway loved Ronda for its dramatic setting and bullfighting culture. Welles’s ashes are interred on the estate of a famous matador, while Hemingway drew inspiration from the town’s turbulent history in For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Despite its dark history, I feel so at home here. Over the years, I have come to know all of its winding cobbled streets, polished smooth by generations of passing feet, and the quiet courtyards and viewpoints where sheer cliffs drop away into the gorge below. There are Moorish palaces, impressive squares and hidden gardens, all surrounded by the mountains and wilderness that embrace the town from every direction, seamlessly blending nature and culture. Although I come primarily for its music, I am equally drawn to its exceptional birdlife. From the cliffs it is possible to watch lesser and common kestrels, crag martins, pallid and alpine swifts, rock doves and peregrine falcons.

For butterfly enthusiasts, blues, coppers and swallowtails drift among the garden flowers. There are also lizards, snakes, moths and antlions that together add to the spirit of this unique place and my desire to explore the wilderness that surrounds the city.

The time-worn dirt trails that weave through the landscape around Ronda are known as caminos. For centuries, they have carried shepherds tending their flocks, muleteers transporting goods, traders journeying between villages, bandits and pilgrims making their way across the mountains. These routes once linked Ronda with the surrounding white villages and isolated mountain farms. From the terrace of my clifftop hotel, I find myself drawn to these meandering paths. And so, this morning, I am out on an adventure before the intense heat takes hold of the day. Starting just before dawn, a fellow guitarist and I set out on a circular walk to explore the natural beauty of the Guadalevín valley. The choughs that have always frequented the El Tajo sadly seem to have moved on, yet we know there is a huge flock of them that fly over the valley just as the sun rises, and they are what we are particularly hoping to see.

Leaving the city behind us, we descend through a line of umbrella-shaped stone pines and tall, elegant cypress trees. With the steadily increasing light, pipistrelle bats make haste for their roost, and a chorus of birdsong surrounds us as we skip over the rocky terrain. Turning left and descending into the valley, we follow the path

that takes us to the shores of the babbling river. As we take off our shoes and socks to wade through it, it is hard to imagine that this innocuous little stream is the same torrent of water that, in autumn and winter, has helped to carve El Tajo. Further along the route, we stop to admire umbellifer seed heads, yellow hawkweeds and the purple flowers of wild artichokes. Beyond them, fields of sunflowers glow in the first rays of sunlight, creating a bright yellow haze. Here, large flocks of Spanish sparrows gather alongside the occasional stonechat. Around the next bend we meet a shepherd with his sheepdogs driving an enormous herd of goats from one field to the next. We both look on in awe at this timeless scene. In a world increasingly shaped by technology and rapid change, it is reassuring to know that age-old practices persist. Eventually approaching the base of the cliffs, we hear the fast, scratchy notes of a Sardinian warbler. A small, restless songbird, it darts between dense shrubs and maquis. It has a long twitching

tail, a striking white throat and a red eye-ring. Males have a glossy black head, whereas females and juveniles are a much duller greyish-brown. What a joy it is to see one, as we rarely get them in the UK. But then, on our ascent up the stone steps, we encounter our best find for the morning – a family of spotted flycatchers. Like the ones back home, they are summer visitors from sub-Saharan Africa that have come to Andalucía to breed. Known in Spanish as the papamoscas gris, this sleek bird is a strict insectivore loved for its graceful looping flights, darting from one exposed perch to collect insects mid-air and then returning to the same place. We watch with delight as they feed their two chicks. As we return to civilisation, our thoughts turn to breakfast and the lessons awaiting us. Although the flock of choughs eluded us, the family of spotted flycatchers and the views across El Tajo more than compensated. What a wonderful start to the day.

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

The spectacular El Tajo in Ronda

Health & Wellbeing

The pressure to have a perfect summer

by Kay Parkinson

SUMMER arrives each year with a particular set of expectations attached. It should be golden, sociable, full. There should be trips and gatherings and long evenings doing something memorable. Beneath all of that, for many people, sits a quiet anxiety – am I doing it right?

We do not talk much about summer as a source of pressure, yet for many it genuinely is. Social media intensifies it, offering an endless scroll of beaches, barbecues and beaming families that can make an ordinary Tuesday feel like a quiet failure. If the children are bored, if the budget will not stretch to a holiday, if you are

working through July again or if you do not thrive in heat and noise, summer can feel less like a gift and more like something to get through.

Alongside this, a quieter layer often emerges. A sense that you should be enjoying this more. That other people are doing it better. Shame has a way of taking something already difficult and turning it into something personal. There can also be a particular difficulty for those who struggle in winter and have been hoping summer might bring relief. When it arrives and the underlying difficulty is still there, the disappointment can feel sharp. The season changes, the self does not quite that easily.

Part of this is biological. Our brains contain systems that regulate mood in response to light, temperature and routine. When these shift, even in positive ways, the nervous system needs time to adjust. For some, seasonal transitions are genuinely unsettling. This is not simply a matter of mindset. What can help is a gentle recalibration of expectations. This is not about lowering them but making them your own rather than borrowed from someone else’s version of summer. What would a good summer look like for your life, your budget, your temperament, your family? A few simple shifts can make a meaningful difference. Keep your plans realistic and shaped around what you enjoy, rather than

what you feel you should be doing. Protect your sleep where you can, as it plays a significant role in mood and resilience. Stay connected in small, manageable ways, rather than overwhelming yourself with too much social time.

If you have children at home through the holidays, the relentlessness of that has its own weight. It is reasonable to find parts of it hard. Loving your children and feeling stretched by constant proximity are not in contradiction. Naming that honestly, especially with other parents, often brings relief rather than judgement.

If summer, like every season before it, passes and you are still finding life persistently difficult, low, exhausted or unable to enjoy things, it may be worth speaking to your GP or a counsellor. Sometimes what looks like a seasonal struggle needs more consistent support. Summer belongs to everyone, not just those who photograph it well. There is a quiet kind of honour in shaping it in a way that fits your life. Your version is enough.

n Kay Parkinson is an MBACP (Accred) therapist and EMDR practitioner specialising in trauma, loss and shame, as well as pregnancy and birth experiences. She leads a Dorset-based practice offering one-to-one and couples support locally and online www. placetotalktherapies.co.uk

Summer can be a source of pressure for some, intensified by the influence of social media

A mania for tulips

by Sally Gregson

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

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

are quite addictive.

Tulipa ‘Absalon’ – bred around 1780 – is perhaps one of the least difficult to find, yet most attractive form. It has rich chocolate-maroon petals in a traditional shape, but each petal is marked with flashes of cream. It is ‘broken’. Technically, this is a result of a virus that is carried from one broken tulip to the next on the propagator’s knife, but for years it was a mystery.

Tulipa ‘Heritage Columbine’

Keeping the garden going

by Sally Gregson

WHILE it is so very hot and the desiccating winds are relentless, we gardeners may be pulling out our collective hair! But there are a few things we can do to ameliorate the situation.

Importantly, water pots and containers plentifully in the evening, or first thing in the morning, before the weather heats up. Light sprinkling will only make the roots grow closer to the surface where they seem to find moisture and then dry out even more completely when it all evaporates.

Keep your compost heap watered. Dust-dry dead leaves are not compost. Then, if at all

possible, put a layer of that damp compost around the crown of each thirsty plant. If it is very stressed, it would be sensible to place an empty pot alongside each root system so that any water will go straight down to where it matters. It’s a trick employed by amateur tomato growers in hot climates. And make a note of plants that are suffering especially. Perhaps it’s worth considering moving them next winter to a different, cooler area for the summer. Or even replacing them altogether. And it is definitely worth ordering an autumn delivery of mushroom compost mixed with horse-

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

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

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

However, a few of each of these in terracotta pots could

manure to add water-retaining texture to tired, dust-dry soils.

For thin, sandy soils, perhaps it’s time to acknowledge the difficulty/folly of planting roses,

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

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

But those bulbs do still exist. These rare forms are carefully and jealously guarded by members of the Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society. They hold a competition every spring, and boast national and international support from several countries, notably a very active and successful Swedish contingent and many enthusiasts from the Netherlands.

Members, of course, continue to swap and sell their own ‘florists’ varieties’, which are grown on and shown every year. But be warned! Remember what happened to those 17th century investors.

having a lawn and trying to grow traditional herbaceous plants – and think in terms of self-seeding perennials and annuals. It is notable that they have done well in these hot conditions, as have natives of South Africa and northern Australia. It is true that if we are unfortunate enough to have a very frosty winter this year, many young South African and Australian plants might be lost. So, think in terms of planting youngsters in spring after the danger of frost is past. And then, later on, when the area is mature, think of taking cuttings, and seed next September to ensure their continuity. These conditions are extreme. But we gardeners can surely rise to a challenge and continue to produce the romantic English gardens for which we are so famous, full of colour, flowers and fruit.

Watering in cuttings

Planting for sun, shade and everything in-between

NOT sure what to plant where?

The team at British Garden Centres can help.

For the sun traps

SUNNY borders, south-facing patios and gravel gardens are some of the easiest spots to plant well, provided you choose things that genuinely like to bake. Lavender is the obvious classic, and for good reason, as it copes brilliantly with poor, dry soil and rewards you with scent and bees all summer long.

Salvias have become hugely popular in recent years, too, flowering for months on end and coming in everything from soft pastels to rich, velvety purples and reds. For height and movement, Verbena bonariensis is hard to beat, sending up tall, wiry stems topped with small purple flowerheads that seem to float above everything else in the border.

the depths of winter and into early spring when almost nothing else will. Astilbes bring soft, feathery plumes of colour to shadier, moisture-retentive soil, and heucheras are brilliant for foliage colour all year round, brightening even the gloomiest corner with their rich purples, ambers and limes.

For windy and exposed gardens

Roses, of course, remain a sun-loving staple for anyone wanting a more traditional look, while sedums are perfect for gardeners who want something almost entirely maintenancefree, holding their structure right through to autumn.

For the shady corners

A SHADY garden doesn’t have to mean a boring one. Hostas –pictured – are the go-to choice for many gardeners, and with good reason, as their bold, often enormous leaves in blues, greens and creamy variegation bring real presence to a border with very little work. Ferns are wonder-fully reliable in damp shade too, offering that lush, woodland feel that’s particularly effective under trees or against a north-facing wall. For colour when the rest of the garden has gone quiet, hellebores are unbeatable, flowering through

ANYONE gardening on the coast, or simply in a spot that catches every gust going, needs plants that can take a battering without giving up. Escallonia is a real workhorse here, form-ing a dense, glossy evergreen hedge that shrugs off salt-laden winds. Griselinia littoralis is another coastal favourite for the same reason, its shiny leaves standing up to weather that would shred more delicate foliage.

Hebes are wonderfully forgiving too, staying compact and flowering reliably even when battered by wind, and ornamental grasses come into their own in exposed sites, bending and rippling in the breeze rather than snapping. For something a little different, sea thrift brings pretty pink pompom flowers and copes brilliantly with the kind of thin, sandy soil often found in windswept gardens.

For the trickier spots

DRY shade, often found beneath hedges, established trees or overhanging eaves, is one of the hardest conditions to plant for, but epimediums, brunnera and geranium macrorrhizum all cope remarkably well once settled in. Boggy or waterlogged soil calls for plants that actively enjoy having wet feet, such as astilbe, ligularia and Japanese iris.

Down on

beach: Swanage on a very hot summer weekday PHOTO: Robin Boultwood

Night lights: Purbeck Gazette reader Denise Exon sent in this photo of Wareham Quay overlooking the River Frome

M argaret Green Animal Rescue

Searching for something fun to do this summer?

WHY not visit Margaret Green Animal Rescue’s Church Knowle centre in Dorset!

Situated on the beautiful Isle of Purbeck, near Wareham (BH20 5NQ), our centre is the perfect place for a day out –with light refreshments available to buy, picnic benches and plenty of free parking.

You can wander around, meet some of our rescue animals and see first-hand how your support helps us to transform their lives.

We are open to visitors six days a week – closed Wednesdays – from 11am3pm. Entry is free, although donations towards our animals are always appreciated.

RSPCA highlights attacks on wild birds

NEW statistics show the RSPCA has received its highest number of summer cruelty reports involving wild birds in five years – with lethal weapons such as catapults, slingshots and airguns being used in the attacks.

Latest figures from the animal welfare charity show that 359 incidents involving wild birds were reported during July and August 2025 – almost double the 179 reports received during the same period in 2024, and the highest summer total recorded in the past five years.

The data also shows that the RSPCA received almost half (40%) of all reports of cruelty towards wild birds during the summer months last year, with longer days and increased time spent outdoors all thought to be

This summer, we are also hosting tours, giving you the chance to learn more about our rescue animals and hear from the staff who care for them.

The tours will run every Saturday until August 29 from 11am-noon. Tickets are £5 per

person and limited, so must be booked online in advance.

Children can also enjoy our Animal Trail for £2, with a sweet treat available at the end.

For more details and to book tour tickets, visit www. mgar.org.uk/events

Margaret Green Animal Rescue is open to visitors six days a week

contributing factors.

And, the worrying trend looks set to continue as the charity has already received 474 reports involving cruelty to wild birds so far in 2026, more than half the number of total reports of this nature in 2025 (876).

The birds most commonly targeted last year include pigeons, corvids – such as crows, magpies and ravens –gulls, swans and ducks.

The RSPCA believes a range of factors may contribute to deliberate attacks on wildlife.

These can include deliberate misuse of catapults and air weapons, copycat behaviour, greater exposure to harmful online content and a lack of understanding about animal welfare.

The charity says most people would never deliberately harm an animal, but believes early intervention is important when concerning behaviour is identified.

The statistics are also unlikely to reveal the true scale of the problem, it says.

Valuation days unearth gems

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

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

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

Previous valuation days have led to some outstanding auction

results.

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

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

To reserve a place, contact Duke’s Auctions on +44 (0)1305 265080 or email enquiries@dukes-auction.com

These free valuation days offer an excellent opportunity for anyone looking for expert guidance or thinking of selling to discover the true value of treasured items.

Symbolism in Victorian jewellery

by

Victorian diamond and pearl double pendant/ brooch sold for £712,500 at Duke’s

Amy Brenan, director of Heirlooms Jewellers, 21 South Street, Wareham THE Victorians had a remarkable fascination with the natural world, and nowhere is this more beautifully reflected than in their jewellery.

During the 19th century, insects such as bees, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles and spiders became highly fashionable decorative motifs.

Not only were they incredibly delicate, they were also highly symbolic.

You might know that it was Queen Victoria’s enthusiasm for nature and the Romantic movement that encouraged jewellers to create increasingly lifelike designs.

She really was incredibly influential!

Advances in techniques such as goldsmithing and gemstone cutting allowed craftsmen to produce intricate insect brooches, pendants and hair ornaments, often set with sparkling old-cut diamonds, vibrant rubies, emeralds, sapphires and lustrous pearls.

Enamel work was also widely used to capture the iridescent colours found in nature.

Each insect held its own

significance as the Victorians were highly superstitious.

Butterflies symbolised transformation and hope, making them popular gifts to mark new beginnings.

Bees represented conscientiousness, loyalty and prosperity, while dragonflies were associated with change and adaptability.

One particularly fascinating trend was the use of jewel beetle wings.

Their naturally shimmering green-blue iridescence was incorporated into necklaces, earrings and brooches, creating dazzling effects that still excite collectors today.

The Edwardians followed the trend and the brooch you can see in the picture, which we currently have in the shop, is a glorious example – a 15ct yellow gold insect brooch with pave set wings featuring seed pearls and turquoise stones to the wing tips; the body is formed from two cabochon turquoise stones and ruby cabochon eyes.

Victorian & Edwardian insect jewellery remains highly sought after by collectors because it perfectly combines exceptional craftsmanship, symbolism and originality.

An Edwardian 15ct yellow gold insect brooch.

Time to enjoy the last knockings of summer

by AJ Selby

“This morning, the sun endures past dawn. I realise that it is August – the summer’s last stand.” – Sara Baume.

AUGUST. Harvest. It’s the time of year when the combines roll leaving rows of straw ready for baling and a clean stubble for pheasant and partridge, pigeons and crows to glean to their heart’s content. This year, with another exceptionally dry and hot summer, has seen harvest started early again, and as I write this, with 10 days of July remaining, the combines are already into the winter wheat.

Years ago, in a wet summer, it was not uncommon for the wheat harvest to start in the second half of August and often through September. I can remember very late harvests where it was so wet that the ears of wheat were sprouting green shoots while still on the stalk in the ground. That seems just a different time and place now as three of the last four summers have been hot and dry and early.

I love watching the combines

roll – just eating up the acres spewing out straw at the back. Their work reminds oneself that we’re into the second half of the year and harvest time in its older, traditional sense means gathering and storing crops for the winter to feed man and beast. The three main cereals grown in this country are wheat, barley and oats. All three can be grown for livestock food but wheat is also grown for milling for bread, barley for brewing beer and oats for our winter staple of porridge.

I always loved harvesting oats back in the days when I drove a combine, their big swishy heads of fat grains dancing around the header of the combine and into the drum followed by their soft golden straw. Some stubble is ploughed in fairly quickly to be re-drilled in October or early November for another crop of winter wheat or winter barley, but sometimes it’s left for a few months either to receive slurry or dung on mixed farms, or to leave fallow until early spring when it is prepared for spring barley or other crops such as oilseed rape

They are aware that the seasons are changing and they need to stock up on their fat reserves to migrate or hibernate or hoard various foodstuffs for the winter. Already on my walks I can see the green haws of the hawthorn are waiting to plump up in September and October and there are baby sloes, rowanberries, elderberries and hazelnuts aplenty as well as green blackberries, ash keys and the immature, spiky shells of the sweet chestnut which will fill out by October.

and maize.

There is still plenty of food around for wildlife, although you would not think so looking at the tired hedgerows of plants limp from the midday heat, and trees that have almost given up their growing and are preparing for a colour change and shedding their leaves. But the stubble offers the spillage of grains and is easy picking for many species, including small finches and sparrows. Hares, which have had plentiful cover in long grass and corn, now look exposed after the harvest of grain and grass, but they’re lovely gentle creatures and I adore watching them lolloping along and stopping every now and again to look around. They don’t seem particularly bothered by human presence, and I’ve often got very close to them by moving very quietly.

In fact, it’s a good way to watch wildlife, either to stand still or just to move very slowly, quietly and unobtrusively. As we move through to the end of summer, most wildlife, be it beast or bird, has a relentless desire to feed, feed and feed.

The rivers are running low with the lack of rain, so it’s often a good place to watch for birds in particular as they will frequently visit for a drink during the day. Fish too may suffer from these low flows but walking round my regular routes I’m sure the ground was more parched and burnt this time of year last year than now, probably due to the very wet winter that we had six or seven months ago which increased soil moisture.

It has been an exceptional butterfly year this year and oh my goodness don’t we just need as many pollinators as possible to keep their populations up. Any sunny walk will enable you to watch butterflies, and my garden has been home to many varieties including common blues, meadow browns, gatekeepers, peacocks, red admirals, commas, and my favourite – not a butterfly but a moth – the hummingbird hawkmoth, which just loves my verbena bonariensis flowers.

For those of us who love the sunshine, we must enjoy the last knockings of summer for soon it will be wet and cooler – and some may say hooray! But I for one will miss these warm mornings with breakfast outside, shorts and T-shirts all day, and yes it has been unbearably hot on occasions but I do like the warmth and everything that goes with summer, and as I get older I intend to enjoy every last one.

After another exceptionally dry and hot summer, harvest has started early again this year

Dorset Eco Park thinking bigger

PLANS to expand a Dorset Eco Park have been submitted to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council.

Eco Sustainable Solutions says that, if approved, its planning application for the Chapel Gate Eco Park at Parley, near Christchurch, will make the 15.8-hectare site more efficient and sustainable.

The updated proposals from the organic recycling and renewable energy company include:

n Introducing state-of-the-art, AI-led materials recovery technology (MRF) which will pre-sort material for the Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) on-site and allow an additional 25,000 tonnes of recyclable materials to be processed per year.

n Increasing the site’s capacity to recycle green waste and

wood waste by 5,000 tonnes each, helping to turn more local materials to products such as compost, soil improvers and biomass fuel which support the rural economy.

n Enabling the site to deal with more local residual waste by removing even more recoverable material, increasing capacity from 60,000 to 105,000 tonnes a year.

n Enabling an increase to local food waste recycling in line with local and national requirements.

n Supporting about 30 additional jobs at the site.

n A new office, welfare, visitor and education facility will be provided.

The facility would also generate enough energy to heat and power more than 14,000 homes each year, through

converting non-recyclable waste into electricity and heat for the national grid, while reducing reliance on landfill and avoiding the need to transport waste long distances for treatment elsewhere.

A public consultation and exhibition was held at Eco’s Chapel Lane site on May 1,2026.

Mike Eborne, Eco’s technical development director, said: “This is an exciting and

important development for Chapel Gate Eco Park.

“By building on existing infrastructure and investing in innovative technology, we can recycle more local material, recover valuable resources that might otherwise be lost and reduce the carbon impact of local waste.”

If BCP Council approves the planning application, construction of the new facility could begin in 2029.

Lawyer Lauren promoted to top role

ONE of the south’s leading independent law firms has a new managing partner at the helm.

‘Renowned lawyer’ Lauren Day is stepping up to lead Ellis Jones Solicitors after a series of promotions, replacing longstanding colleague Nigel Smith in the top role.

Solicitor Lauren, the firm’s head of Dispute Resolution, became one of its first female partners when she was promoted from associate solicitor in 2013 having qualified four years earlier.

An equity partner since 2017, she has worked across both the legal services side of Ellis Jones as well as championing its strategic business development and marketing.

Highly recommended for her professionalism and pragmatism

in year-by-year editions of industry guides The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK, Lauren has built her reputation

in her specialist areas – acting in contentious trust and probate claims and for property developers. Under her leadership, the firm now has one of the largest and most respected dispute resolution teams in the region.

At the same time, she has played a leading role in shaping and delivering the firm’s strategic development and establishing new service lines including the development of teams focused on charities and LGBT legal advice.

On her promotion to the top, Lauren said: “I feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to develop my career at Ellis Jones.

“As a firm we actively encourage people to progress, creating an environment where entrepreneurialism is

encouraged and support and mutual trust are ever present.

“As a result, I and many others have dedicated their careers to the firm, indeed many of my fellow partners trained here and have followed a similar journey to mine.

“As managing partner, I look forward to playing an even greater part in helping the firm and our clients succeed.

“The legal sector is currently experiencing a great deal of change and uncertainty, but I am confident that by staying true to our culture and values and bringing personality to our work we will continue to succeed.

“I pay tribute to Nigel for helping to steer us to our present size and status after many years. Everyone at Ellis Jones owes him an immense debt of gratitude.”

Lauren Day, new managing partner at Ellis Jones Solicitors

A visual representation of the Energy Recovery Facility at Chapel Gate Eco Park seen from Chapel Lane

All aboard at Portland port

STUDENTS swapped the classroom for the quayside on a voyage of discovery at Portland Port.

Groups from Coastland College and Wey Valley School in Weymouth were among the latest to visit, along with a work experience placement.

Travel and tourism students from the college had the opportunity to see behind the scenes of a successful cruise call when the AIDAluna visited.

The five-strong group were able to see the logistics involved, watch passengers disembark for excursions and shuttle buses and tour the bridge where they met the ship’s captain and crew.

In addition, a Level 3 travel and tourism BTEC Year 2 student spent an action-packed week at the port which included a double cruise call and a major International Women in Maritime Day event with Maritime UK South West.

Sarah Lawrence, subject lead for travel and tourism at Coastland College, said: “Work experience placements and visits give students valuable industry insight.

“We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of Portland Port for playing such a vital role in helping students to gain real-world experience, build confidence and prepare for the next step in their careers.

“Our latest work experience placement Natalia had a fabulous time trying out new skills and developing others, while our larger travel and tourism group immensely enjoyed their cruise call visit.”

Portland Port, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, regularly supports local schools and colleges.

This includes visits by Wey Valley School pupils on trips organised by the Sail Training Trust (STT) Portland in partnership with the Andrew Simpson Foundation as part of its maritime education programme.

During the latest visit, a seven-strong party of students met staff, toured facilities and found out more about the array of apprenticeships and careers in the maritime industry.

Their trip included a presentation in the board room and a tour that included the port’s marine office, its £26 million deepwater berths and a tug and a pilot boat.

Portland Port chief executive Bill Reeves said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the students and give them a flavour of the many varied and fulfilling careers on offer in maritime as well as a look behind the scenes at our port.

“The maritime sector, including ports, plays a major role in the UK’s economy, national security and success as an island nation.

“My thanks go to the students, Wey Valley School, Sail Training Trust Portland, the Andrew Simpson Foundation and Coastland College for visiting.”

The International Women in Maritime Day event with Maritime UK South West had the theme of ‘From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence’.

and secure maritime sector.

Speakers included Portland Port cruise and marketing manager Amy Sandford Smith and Maja Čizmić from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Portland Port employs 57 people in a variety of office and shoreside roles, including marine engineers, marine officers, apprentices, pilot boat

and tug crew, maintenance, security, port police, administration and accounting, commercial and business development, asset management and landside services.

Separate businesses based at the port employ people in such sectors areas as marine engineering, marine services, refuelling, cargo import and export, boat building, renewable energy, aquaculture and subsea communications. About 300 people are employed in total between Portland Port and tenant businesses.

According to Maritime UK, the maritime sector supports more than 1.1 million jobs in the UK and adds £116 billion to the economy.

It is responsible for facilitating 95% of UK global trade, worth more than £500bn a year. It makes a greater contribution to the UK economy than rail and air combined.

It was the launch of the Maritime UK South West Women in Maritime network and celebrated women’s role in achieving a sustainable, safe

Students and lecturers with captain and crew on the bridge of the AIDAluna at Portland Port PHOTO: Coastland College

Festival organiser hails ‘dream bill’

THE Jurassic Fields music festival is back this month just a year after being saved from extinction.

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

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

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

Further Main Stage highlights include noughties hitmakers Feeder, festival favourites Goldie Lookin’ Chain, multi-platinum sellers

Space and UK garage pioneers Artful Dodger.

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

Tone Baby.

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

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

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

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

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

The Dance Tent hosts DJs including Happy Mondays/ Black Grape star Bez, rave originator Brandon Block and Radio 1 regular Dave Pearce.

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

A full programme of free children’s entertainment features dinosaur shows, the Mad4Anmals shows, bubble shows and storyteller Mark Fraser with Jamie Jambo, Mr Merlin and Count Backwards

The Jurassic Fields festival is at West Bay Fields, near Broomhill Farm, Bridport, from Friday to Sunday, August 14-16.

Choir tours county’s churches

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

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

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

Operating as an annual summer course, singers come from all over the UK and some from overseas.

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

This summer, Laudemus will visit churches in Broadstone (August 11), Lyme Regis (August 12), Trent (August 13), Blandford Forum (August 14) and the Minster in Wimborne (August 15).

The choir is accompanied for

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

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

The Laudemus choir and conductor Jeremy Jackman (right)

Outdoor stage for Shakespeare’s magical tale

BROWNSEA Open Air Theatre’s 2026 summer production of The Tempest will be staged in the grounds of Canford School.

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

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

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

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

“On a personal level,

Family in midst of war, a family at peace

THE Museum of East Dorset in Wimborne is hosting Occupied/Unoccupied, a moving exhibition by Ukrainian photographer Iryna Sozansk.

Iryna photographed her family as they lived under occupation and survived

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

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

The charity has involved more than 1,700 volunteers, entertained thousands of visitors and raised £300,000plus for local charities and good causes since it was founded.

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

Tickets for The Tempest, which runs from August 3-15 are available via

evacuation in the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Iryna revisits those photographs alongside new images of her family’s life in Dorset.

In one photograph, her children shelter behind a mattress as glass shatters

during an attack – in another, the children play freely on the hills of Badbury Rings. Alongside the photographs are personal objects connected to Iryna’s journey and a short film offering a glimpse into the first days of the war.

Iryna said: “Photography

BOAT’s website, www. brownsea-theatre.co.uk/ tickets

became my way to hold on – to remember, to process and to rebuild.

“These images are about finding light again, even after everything changes.”

The exhibition runs until September 26 and entry is free with normal museum entry.

Work by Ukrainian photographer Iryna Sozansk is on show at the Museum of East Dorset in Wimborne

The Tempest is being performed in the grounds of Canford School

Arts & Entertainment

Summer evenings of entertainment at the castle...

CORFE Castle’s summer evening programme continues this month with three outdoor theatre performances in the Outer Bailey.

Illyria return to the castle with a production of Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi’s tale of a wooden puppet yearning for adventure, on Thursday, August 6.

Quantum Theatre follow with The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, a charming adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s best-loved stories suitable for all the family, on Thursday, August 13.

The season closes with Shakespeare’s As You Like It,

And music at lunchtime at the Minster

SUMMER lunchtime organ recitals are returning to Wimborne Minster this month. They will be taking place on Mondays at 12.30pm with the first on August 3 featuring John Radford, organist and choirmaster for a group of

also from Illyria, promising sparkling wit, romance and laughter under the stars on Thursday, August 20.

Purbeck Film Festival brings two evenings of outdoor cinema to the castle ruins over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Families are invited to settle in for Paddington 2, preceded by You Are Also Us, an award-winning short dance film shot across National Trust locations in Dorset on Friday, August 28.

Wicked: For Good screens the following evening, Saturday, August 29, bringing the dazzling musical sequel to life beneath the castle walls.

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

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

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

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

Artists on board with town of culture

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

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

Visitors are invited to paint a garden banner at the Community Garden in School Lane, Wimborne.

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

The group’s summer art exhibition is at Pamphill Village Hall from Friday to Sunday, August 14-16, on Friday from 1pm-4pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm.

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

A varied selection of subject matter and styles will be on offer.

Banners created from the

community garden event will also be on display.

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

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

Diary entries are £6 plus VAT per entry. The deadline for the August 17 issue is NOON on Thursday, August 6. Call on 01963 400186 or email adverts@blackmorevale.net. Please call prior to attending events listed to ensure they are still on.

AUGUST 2026

SATURDAY

10.00 WAREHAM CAMERA CLUB ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

Saturday 8th August - Town Hall, Wareham. 10am - 4pm - Free Entry. Refreshments Available.

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

SUNDAY

10.00 FREE ENTRY Dorchester Vegan Market Festival 10am-4pm Sunday 9th August 2026 Maumbury Rings, Dorchester, DT1 1TY 50+ Traders... Not just for vegans! email : wdveganevents@gmail.com

Scarecrow painting by Anne Gooch

Arts & Entertainment

Folk festival fun for all the family

SCOTTISH singersongwriter Eddi Reader, probably best known for the number one hit Perfect, with Fairground Attraction, is all set to headline this year’s Purbeck Folk Festival.

The event, which runs from Thursday to Sunday, August 20-23, is being held as usual at Purbeck Valley Farm, an idyllic setting off the A351 between Corfe Castle and Harman’s Cross.

Other big music names on the bill include Jiggy, Baskery, Santou Susso & the Gambian Superstars, Sam Kelly & the Lost Boys, and Martha Tilston.

The festival also features lots of activities for all the family including ceilidhs, workshops, sessions, comedy, crafts, healing area and fire shows.

There’s plenty for children of all ages to do, including climbing walls, archery, circus skills, crafts, games and street theatre.

This year also sees the return of Folk Orc and its popular Festival Band –

anyone can join in, regardless of age or experience, bring their own instrument or just turn up and borrow a mandolin, banjo or fiddle.

A spokesperson for the festival said: “It’s a brilliant opportunity to have a go, learn a few tunes and experience the joy of making music with other people.”

Older children and teenagers can enjoy The Hangout where junk modelling, art projects, board games, music jams and Dungeons & Dragons character creation and campaigns are on offer.

For more information and tickets, visit www. purbeckvalleyfolkfestival. co.uk/shop/tickets

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Eddi Reader will headline Purbeck Folk Festival

PHOTO: Kenny Mathieson

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