Issue 374
FREE EVERY FORTNIGHT
August 31, 2026
The Purbeck Gazette www.purbeckgazette.co.uk
FULL STORY: PAGE 3
A FEAST OF FOLK Wvv
Thousands set to flock to annual Swanage festival
MAKING THE GRADE Exams success for students at The Purbeck School Pages 8-9
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What’s inside this issue... Antiques & Collectibles
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Arts & Entertainment
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Business
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Durlston Country Park monthly events
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Health & Wellbeing
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Home & Garden
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Local Services
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Margaret Green Animal Rescue
n Swanage cousins who acted as models for an illustrator’s book over 70 years ago have been ‘reunited’ with the original artwork Page 4 n Rhythm and Roots (left) have been playing at Purbeck Folk Club – next up, this week, are Marine Club, and The Fieldcaps Page 27
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Politics 16 Puzzles 18-19 Puzzle solutions
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Sport 20-21 Spotlight Diary
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Telling It Like It Is
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Purbeck cider farm’s Apple Day
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East Burton and Wool events
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20 years of Ocotberfest
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Youngsters win mayor’s awards
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Hard pitches delay rugby season
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EDITORIAL Paul Jones Editor-in-chief We love hearing your news and views. Get in touch with us by emailing ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk Lloyd Armishaw Publisher ed@purbeckgazette.co.uk 01963 400186
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All roads lead to folk festival
THOUSANDS of visitors are expected to flock to Swanage next month for the town’s annual folk festival. A weekend of music, dance and family entertainment will be on offer at venues across the town and seafront – with much of the event free to enjoy. More than 65 dance sides and 650-plus dancers will perform around Swanage throughout Saturday and Sunday, alongside the colourful Saturday afternoon procession and the traditional Sunday afternoon dance in the sea. The Main Stage will offer five hours of free live music on both Saturday and Sunday, alongside a craft fair, food stalls, festival beer tent and free children’s entertainment. In addition, the festival fringe will fill venues around town with more free live music throughout the weekend.
Building on the success of last year’s Gnome Hunt, this year families can pick up a free children’s activity pack from the Information Tent, including an expanded Gnome Hunt. Every child returning a completed pack receives some chocolate, while completed Gnome Hunt entries go into a draw to win a £50 toy shop voucher. Festival chair Jon Baker said: “People sometimes assume you need a ticket to enjoy a festival, but not in Swanage. “You can spend the day watching the dancing, listening to live music, exploring the craft fair and keeping the children entertained without paying to get in. “We’ve also increased the size of the festival fringe, so there’s more free music around
the town. “Swanage becomes part of the festival for the weekend – whether you’re a committed folk fan or simply happen to be walking through town.” For those wanting more, the weekend also includes ticketed
evening concerts featuring favourites The Longest Johns, Merry Hell and Gerry Colvin Band. Following the 2025 festival, £10,000 was donated to local good causes. Swanage Folk Festival is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, run by unpaid volunteers and any surplus is returned to worthy causes. The festival, founded in 1992, runs from Friday to Sunday, September 11-13. Full programme and festival information can be found at swanagefolkfestival.com
INDIVIDUALS living with Parkinson’s may enjoy a programme of outdoor activities getting under way at the
Kingston Lacy country house, near Wimborne. Nordic walking, outdoor running and walking for all ages and abilities are being offered in the 12-week Stepping into Parkinson’s and Nature programme launched by the National Trust and Parkinson’s UK. Experienced instructors from the National Trust will deliver
the sessions with the emphasis on being active in nature in a fun and social way. Stepping into Parkinson’s – walking and running – is free of charge, while the Nordic walking programme is £4.75. Parkinson’s commonly affects balance, coordination, flexibility and muscle strength, and being active can help individuals live well with the
condition. The programme gets under way on Monday, September 7, from 2pm-3pm. Booking is essential for the activities – visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/ kingston-lacy/events For more information about the programme, phone 01202 883402 or email kingstonlacy@ nationaltrust.org.uk
Getting outdoors at country estate
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On the main stage at a previous Swanage Folk Festival PHOTO: Dorset Morri’arty
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Real-life Flower Fairies go back in time
TWO Swanage cousins who modelled for illustrator and author Cicely Mary Barker as children have been ‘reunited’ with the original artwork that featured them as youngsters over 70 years ago. Judith and Jessie contacted the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum in Bournemouth after hearing about its Flower Fairies: Enchantment by the Sea exhibition. Barker’s flower fairies featured ethereal children with butterfly or insect wings nestled among plants and flowers, each illustration paired with a descriptive poem or verse she wrote herself. The cousins saw the original painting of the Sweet Pea Fairies for the first time when they visited the museum, on display as part of the exhibition. As children, they modelled for Barker while she was
spending time in Swanage. Barker, best known for her much-loved Flower Fairy illustrations, regularly visited the south coast and stayed on several occasions with the cousins’ Aunt Lou in Swanage. Jessie was just a toddler at the time, while Judith was a few years older. Judith remembers spending time with Barker at Aunt Lou’s home and posing alongside her younger cousin for the Sweet Pea Fairies illustration. “I remember pretending to tie the bow on Jessie’s bonnet,” Judith recalled. Unlike many of Barker’s child models, who posed in her Croydon studio with costumes and props, Judith and Jessie were sketched in a family home in Swanage. Family memories and correspondence suggest that Barker became friends with Emma Louisa Davis – Aunt Lou – a renowned breeder of Buttermere Cairn Terriers. Barker stayed at Aunt Lou’s home in Queen’s Road in Swanage on several occasions and The Sweet Pea Fairies from Flower Fairies of the Garden PHOTO: The Estate of Cicely Mary Barker, 1944
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Jessie (left) and Judith alongside the original artwork for The Sweet Pea Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum PHOTO: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
remained in contact through officer at the Russell-Cotes Art letters and Christmas cards. Gallery & Museum, said: Although it is not known “Meeting Judith and Jessie was exactly how the two women one of those rare moments first met, Barker’s wellwhen history comes vividly to documented affection for dogs life. and Aunt Lou’s success as a “To hear their memories of breeder suggest a shared sitting for Cicely Mary Barker interest that may have sparked a and to see them reunited with lasting friendship. the original Sweet Pea Fairies Through this connection, artwork after so many years was Barker came to know other incredibly moving. members of the family, “Their story offers a including cousins Jessie fascinating glimpse into and Judith, who later the real children modelled for some of behind some of the her Flower Fairy nation’s most illustrations. beloved Flower Judith and Jessie Fairies and were given signed highlights Barker’s copies of Barker’s special connection Flower Fairy books as Cicely Mary Barker to the Dorset coast.” children, treasures they PHOTO: Frederick Flower Fairies: Warne & Co. Ltd, 2024 continue to cherish. Enchantment by the During the visit to Sea features the the museum, Sara Glenn, original Sweet Pea Fairies commercial curator at Penguin artwork alongside more than 30 Ventures, was also able to show other Flower Fairy paintings. Judith a watercolour sketch of The exhibition also includes herself from one of Barker’s Barker’s sketches, notebooks original sketchbooks in the and landscapes depicting archive of publisher Frederick Swanage, Corfe Castle and Warne & Co. Ltd. other locations along the south The discovery has inspired coast that inspired her work. the cousins to plan a future visit The exhibition is on display to London to explore more of at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery the collection. & Museum until Sunday, Helen Ivaldi, programmes October 4.
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Raising a glass to Apple Day... APPLES, cider and free family fun will be the order of the day at a Purbeck cider farm next month. Purbeck Cider will open its doors to the community for its second annual Apple Day on Saturday, September 12. The family-run cider farm will host a range of familyfriendly activities, including free cider tastings, live music and a barbecue from 10am-5pm. “See the team out harvesting and pressing the apples and learn about different varieties
from our local apple expert,” a spokesperson said. “Bring your apples and pears to be part of the People’s Choice Cider. If you have an apple or pear tree laden with fruit, bring down your surplus to exchange at the farm.” Fruit donated on the day will be part of the 2027 People’s Choice Cider and help to raise money for a good cause, chosen by a public vote on Apple Day.
Purbeck Cider is hosting a range of famliy-friendly activities
The 2026 people’s choice charity, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, will also be on hand to share more about the work it does and to receive this year’s proceeds. For every litre sold of the People’s Choice cider, £1 is donated. Purbeck Cider founder Joe
Hartle said: “Apple Day is about celebrating our local Dorset orchards, bringing people together and giving back to the community. “Whether you have a few apples to exchange or simply want to enjoy a great day out, everyone is welcome. It’s wonderful to see fruit from the local area become part of a cider that raises money for local charities.”
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Beach huts offer top value BEACH huts in Swanage are some of the best value in the UK, according to a new survey. Swanage Spa Beach Huts cost £26 a day, making them the second-cheapest summer beach hut day in the UK after Barry Island, digital bank Monzo found. Shore Upper Beach Huts were equal third in price at £30 a day. For staycation visitors,
Swanage Spa ranked third at £151 a week, with Shore Upper, at £190 a week, coming in 5th. Swanage also offered the cheapest winter daily hire in the UK at £7. Monzo surveyed more than 1,000 council run beach huts at 19 authorities around the country. It found that the average beach hut costs £56 a day or £223 a week during the summer.
FREE advice to help people manage their money is on offer at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester. Dorchester Baptist Church is holding a three-hour Christians Against Poverty (CAP) course on Saturday, September 19, from 9.30am-12.30pm. Participants will learn how to put a budget together, how to make money go further and how to be disciplined about
spending. Dorchester Poverty Action and Dorchester Foodbank are backing the course by offering a £20 Co-op voucher to participants who live in DT1/ DT2 postcodes. Dorchester Baptist Church is running the course using material created by Christians Against Poverty. To book a place, visit www. dorchesterbc.org.uk/cap
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East Burton and Wool events – September by Patricia Hook I HOPE everyone is well and, although rather too hot, has enjoyed the lovely summer and taken advantage of the dry weather. East Burton Village Hall remains busy, hosting the usual events such as Fitness with Sarah, a writing class, yoga, kick-boxing, Mad Melodies, board and card games afternoons and many others. Coffee and Cake is on Friday, September 11, between 10amnoon. As usual lots of ‘yummy’ homemade cakes to eat in and take away. Come along for a chit-chat with friendly people and a warm atmosphere. East Burton Gardening Club is on Thursday, September 24,
at 7.30pm, with a talk by photographer David Bailey on ‘Hares’. Should be really interesting, I think. Wool Community Cinema at the D’Urberville Centre is showing The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Friday, September 18, doors open at 6.30pm and the film starts at 7pm. Admission is £6 and can be paid by cash or card. Bring along your own food and drink and enjoy. Tea, coffee and Purbeck Ice Cream will also be available to purchase. The D’Urberville Players start meeting again on Tuesday, September 1, at 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 are still desperately seeking someone with experience in theatre lighting – nothing too difficult – so please help us! Wool Community Library will be closed from October 5-26 for extensive refurbishment and alterations, including the creation of a children’s area. Watch out for information around the village, about book borrowing arrangements. The trustees’ tea party this year will centre on Joanna Quinn, author of The Whalebone Theatre, in conversation about her book. The event is on Saturday, October 3, and is open to anyone for an entry fee of £5.
VILLAGERS in Piddletrenthide are set to run a race night with a difference to raise community spirit and money for the village church. The event, in the grounds of the Manor House, the venue for the successful village fete, will feature pantomime horses! Host James Boughey, who is
organising the race night with a team of volunteers, said: “We just want villagers to come together and socialise, mingle and get to know each other, like they did in the good old days.” Races will consist of four horses competing in four races over a set course, complete with pre-parade ring and running
commentary, with the winner of each race progressing to the final ‘Manor Classic’ race. Visitors will have the chance to buy a horse and use an on-site Cash Tote betting facility. The event will also include an Ascot-style hat competition and course-side vets and doctors, who will be ready to come to the
aid of any fallers – complete with emergency sirens! The event on Saturday, September 12, from 4pm, will also include a full bar, food stalls and on-site parking. Organiser Tracey Mitchell said: “This will be excellent fun and hopefully will become an annual event.”
significant impact on both physical and mental wellbeing. “While family and friends provide invaluable support, many people find it helpful to meet others who have experienced a loss, reducing feelings of isolation and gaining a better understanding of the emotions that accompany bereavement.” The course is suitable for adults who have experienced the death of a partner, family member or friend, whether the loss is recent or occurred some time ago and remains unresolved.
Over seven weekly sessions, participants explore topics including: understanding attachment, separation and loss; the emotional and physical effects of grief; anger, guilt and other common responses; coping with the reactions of family and friends; delayed or suppressed grief; adjusting to life after loss; and moving forward in a healthy way. The course is open to everyone, regardless of faith or background, and it is not expected that participants are church-goers. The final session offers an optional Christian perspective on questions of faith that often arise following bereavement, making the programme suitable for people of any faith or none.
Gil Schwenk added: “Grief can be one of life’s most difficult journeys, and many people feel they have to face it alone. “The Bereavement Journey provides a safe and compassionate place where people can talk openly, learn more about the grieving process and find support from others who truly understand. “We warmly welcome anyone who feels this course could help them.” The course begins on Sunday, October 18, from 2pm-4.30pm and more information can be found at www.smlm.co.uk/ the-bereavement-journey Anyone who would like to join the course should contact at wardens@smlm.co.uk or phone 01202 020462.
Free admission to Friends of Wool Library. 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 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
Hold your horses! Village’s panto race night
Course offers help with bereavement INDIVIDUALS struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one are being invited to take part in a seven-week course at Lytchett Matravers Youth Hall. ‘The Bereavement Journey’ has been developed to help people understand and process grief in a safe, supportive and confidential environment, through a combination of short films, guided discussion and practical insights. Gil Schwenk, who is coordinating the course for St Mary’s, Lytchett Matravers, said: “Grief affects everyone differently and can have a
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Top panel at ‘green’ forum EXPERTS on climate change and nature loss, and local politicians, will make up a BBC Question Time-style panel at the conclusion of this year’s Dorset COP, the annual ‘green’ forum. Dorset Council and BCP leaders Nick Ireland and Mille Earl will be joined by Dorset MPs Edward Morello (Lib Dem, West Dorset), Lloyd Hatton (Lab, South Dorset) and Simon Hoare (Cons, North Dorset) answering questions from members of a 200-strong audience at Kingston Maurward Coastland College, near Dorchester. The panel will also include independent climate experts General Richard Nugee, a leading contributor to the National Emergency Briefing last November in Westminster; Olympian Laura Baldwin, who sits on the World Olympians Association’s environment committee and is an
Kingston Maurward Coastland College and (inset) DCAN chair Giles Watts
international ambassador for sustainability in sport; and environmental activist Caroline Dennett. This year’s fourth COP – Dorset’s equivalent of the international COPs or ‘Conference of the Parties’ – is on Saturday, November 14, and is being organised by Dorset Climate Action Network (DCAN) with Coastland College. The day-long event, focussing on ‘How to make an impact for climate and nature’, is taking place at the same time as
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the latest UN Climate Change Conference (COP 31) in Turkey, from November 9-20. Dorset COP 26 will include workshops, talks, clinics, seminars and networking events during the day – details of which are still being finalised – as well as the Question Time afternoon highlight. For the first time this year, the Saturday event will be preceded by a special Youth COP on Friday – November 13 – aimed at students from local schools. DCAN chair Giles Watts said: “Since last year’s event, we’ve
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seen more climate records broken with severe flooding last winter and terrible wildfires across the UK and Europe in the longest sustained hot dry period since records began. “The case for reducing carbon emissions has never been stronger to tackle material threats to food supply, the economy and national security. Yet, despite some encouraging initiatives, we have seen little of the required urgency from our leaders. “We’re hoping this year’s Dorset COP… will help provide local groups with the skills and support they need to make a difference in their own communities.” Previous Dorset COPs have been held in Dorchester (2023), Bournemouth (2024) and Sturminster Newton (2025). For more information on Dorset COP 26 and to book tickets, visit www.dorsetcan.org
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Top marks for the Class of 2026
THE Class of 2026 at The Purbeck School, part of Wessex Multi-Academy Trust, celebrated after receiving their A-level results. More than 50% of grades awarded to the Year 13 students were at A* to B. Among those celebrating was Flo Whiting, who achieved two A*s and two As and has already begun an apprenticeship in stonemasonry at Salisbury Cathedral. Students are heading to universities across the country to study a wide range of subjects. Euan Dallimore will study Chemistry at the University of Bristol, while Owen Sullivan will study History and Politics at Cardiff University, and Charlie Johnson will study Biochemistry at Cardiff. Erin Reddell-Miller is heading to the University of Exeter to study International Relations, while Phoebe Whitbread will study Psychology at the University of Winchester and Martha Cox will take up a place at Bath Spa University to study Media Communications. Phoebe Moss will also head to Bath Spa University to study Criminology and Law, while
Phoebe Whitbread and Martha Cox with Mrs Watson
Flo Whiting with her mum and sister (left) and Erin Reddell-Miller with her mum Phoebe Moss, Holly Reeves and Lilly Kellaway Moore
Holly Reeves, who achieved an A* in Art, will continue her studies at University of the Arts London. Lilly Kellaway Moore will study Social Work at the University of Winchester. School headteacher Adam Darley said: “We are incredibly proud of our sixth form students. Not only have they achieved excellent academic results, they have also played their part in creating the unique and supportive community that characterises life in the Purbeck Sixth Form. “They have worked exceptionally hard over the past two years, and it is wonderful to see that dedication rewarded. I would also like to thank our staff and families for the encouragement and support they have given our students throughout their journey.
“Today is a day of celebration and we are excited to see our students take their next steps, whether that is university, an apprenticeship, employment or another pathway. We wish them every success for the future.” The school was also particularly pleased to celebrate the success of its first cohort of students completing the LAMDA Drama qualification.
Many students also achieved the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which the school offers alongside A-level studies, giving students the opportunity to develop independent research and academic skills. Mike Foley, chief executive of Wessex Multi-Academy Trust, said: “Congratulations to everyone receiving their results at The Purbeck School today. It’s a fantastic moment for the students and a reflection of the hard work they have put in throughout their time at the school. “I’d also like to thank the staff who have supported them along the way. We’re very proud of what the students have achieved and wish them every success as they move on to their next steps.”
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Owen Sullivan, Euan Dallimore and Charlie Johnson
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GCSE results up with school’s best
YEAR 11 students at The Purbeck School were delighted to receive their GCSE results. Some 12% of students achieved at least one grade 9 or equivalent, while 58% achieved at least one grade 7 or equivalent or above. Students are now preparing for their next steps, including sixth form, college and apprenticeships. Adam Darley, headteacher at The Purbeck School, said: “We are incredibly proud of our Year 11 students and everything they have achieved.”
He added: “They have posted some of the best results the school has ever had and we are immensely proud of them.” Among those celebrating were Leo Ibbotson, who achieved Grade 9s in Maths and Physics alongside Grade 8s in his other subjects, and Jay Hassett, who achieved two Grade 9s and a range of other top grades. Other students celebrating strong results included Alice Warren, Etienne Magny Hopley, Molly Adams, Immi Maidman and Sophie Anderson.
Immi and Sophie
Jay Hassett
Alice Warren
Etienne Magny Hopley
Leo Ibbotson
Molly Adams
The Family Didn’t Fall Out Until Mum Died By Chris Tennant, Legacy Planning Consultant, Oakwood Wills argaret had always been close to her three children. She owned her Dorset home outright, had savings and believed her affairs were straightforward. “They all get on. They’ll sort everything out.” Sadly, after Margaret died, things didn’t work out that way. One child wanted the house sold immediately, another wanted to keep it, while the third questioned how everything should be divided. Small disagreements grew and old family tensions resurfaced. Margaret had a Will, but it was years old. She had never considered whether a Living Trust could provide greater protection and control over her home during her lifetime and beyond. A properly structured Living Trust can form part of wider estate planning. Depending on individual circumstances, it can help simplify the administration of assets held within the trust after death, provide greater protection for beneficiaries facing divorce, bankruptcy or creditor claims, and help preserve family wealth for future generations. Margaret had also never considered future care costs. Had she reviewed her affairs earlier, while fit and healthy, she could have explored whether appropriate trust planning could help protect her home if care became necessary later. Care-fee planning must be undertaken correctly, as arrangements can be challenged where avoiding care charges was a significant reason for transferring assets, particularly when care needs were already foreseeable. Combined with an up-to-date Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney, a Living Trust can therefore form part of a much broader family protection plan. Margaret assumed her family would simply sort everything out. Planning early can help protect your home, preserve your family’s
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inheritance and provide greater certainty for those you leave behind Book Your FREE Home Protection Review If you’re over 55 and own your own home, why not arrange a FREE, noobligation Home Protection Review with Oakwood Wills? During your personal home visit we’ll help answer questions such as: • Could your home be vulnerable to future care costs? • Will your current Wills achieve what you intend? • Should you have Lasting Powers of Attorney? • Could your family’s inheritance be affected by divorce or creditors? • Are there simple steps you can take now to better protect your family and your estate? There is no obligation—just clear, practical advice in plain English.
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EVERY MISSION FUNDED BY YOU
Weymouth Octoberfest committee organisers raise a glass to the 2026 festival (from left) Kylie Stroud, James Bennett, Adrian Carey, Bruce Mead, Alex Bardswell and Rich Gabe PHOTO: Simon House
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ir Ambulance Week takes place from 7–13 September and celebrates the life-saving work of air ambulance charities across the UK. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance brings the hospital to the patient, delivering specialist critical care to people who are critically ill or injured when every second counts. As a charity, every mission we undertake is funded by people like you. Your generosity helps keep our crew ready to respond across Dorset and Somerset, 19 hours a day, every day of the year. One of the biggest ways our supporters make a difference is through our Flight for Life Lottery, which currently funds almost three days of our operations every week. For just £5 a month, you’ll be entered into weekly cash prize draws while helping to fund our life-saving service, helping to ensure our crew can continue providing specialist critical care whenever it’s needed. Every ticket played helps bring hope to patients and their families and ensures we can be there today, tomorrow and for years to come. Your support could help make the next life-saving mission possible. Join today at: www.dsairambulance.org.uk/lottery
20 years of Octoberfest REAL ale fans are in for a treat this autumn with the return of Weymouth Octoberfest – in its 20th year – to the Pavilion Ocean Room. This year’s event, organised by the West Dorset branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, sees a return to beers from the West Country for the landmark event as a nod to the first ever festival. Bar manager Rich Gabe said: “Since we first took over the running of the festival the beer and brewery market has drastically changed, and not
always for the better. “As there are so many breweries within the original West Country counties of 20 years ago, we have decided to concentrate on beers from Cornwall, Devon and Dorset this year, and Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire next year. “There will be breweries we have never had at Weymouth before alongside well respected favourites.” Some 50 cask conditioned ales and 12 traditionally produced ciders and perries will be on offer at the festival – which has seating for more than 300 customers – on Friday and Saturday, October 15-16.
EVERY MISSION FUNDED BY YOU Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance brings the hospital to the patient when every second counts. As a charity, every mission we are tasked to is funded by local people. Help keep our crew ready to respond by joining the Flight for Life Lottery. For just £5 a month, you’ll be helping to fund life-saving missions while having the chance to win fantastic cash prizes every week. In 2025/26 2025/26 net net income income from from the the lottery lottery raised raised £3.5 £3.5 million million towards towards the the funding funding of of our our life-saving life-saving service. service. Dorset Dorset In and Somerset Somerset Air Air Ambulance Ambulance is is aa registered registered charity charity in in England England and and Wales. Wales. Charity Charity Number: Number: 1078685. 1078685. Registered Registered and charitable company, company, limited limited by by guarantee, guarantee, in in England England and and Wales. Wales. Company Company Number: Number: 3893356 3893356 charitable
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Hardy event ‘a roaring success’
FANS of Thomas Hardy gathered in Dorchester recently for a biannual event to celebrate his work. The International Thomas Hardy Conference and Festival was hailed by organisers ‘a roaring success’ with the 2026 event the 27th conference of the Thomas Hardy Society since the literary organisation was formed in 1968. It featured keynote speakers such as Richard Franklin, Professor Mark Ford, Jackie Walker, Professor Roger Ebbatson and Dr Trish Ferguson. And talks were accompanied by an ‘eclectic range of walks and tours’, such as to Oxford, Wolfeton House, Lulworth and Sherborne. Entertainment included the New Hardy Players and their performance of The Trumpet Major at Poxwell Manor by permission of Sarah Gregson
and Kenneth Young. There were also performances by the Hardy Annuals and a moving concert, In Harmony with Hardy, by pianist and singer James Graham and curated by Dr Natalie Burton. Elsewhere, writing workshops were facilitated by the Bard of Caer Dur, Dorchester, Rebecca Danicic, and the Grand Bard, Peter Roe. Finn Horden delivered a workshop and Dorset History Centre principal archivist Claire Skinner led an informative session on the Hardy archives at the centre. The next major conference will be in 2028 to celebrate the centenary of Hardy’s death, featuring a range of events throughout the year, including a memorial service at Westminster Abbey with actor Anton Lesser. Mark Damon Chutter, chair and academic director of the
Attendees during a tour of Sherborne School. PHOTO: Frank Curtis
Thomas Hardy Society, said: “The international conference and festival was such a success with delegates from Japan, USA , China and India, and the feedback from our members and delegates was outstanding. “I am proud and privileged to have led the society since 2022 and I have been elected at the recent annual meeting to lead until 2030. My gratitude to our
secretary, Miranda Woodgate, for organising such a wonderful conference. “Come and join the society for walks, talks, tours, lectures, drama and musical performances, and for everything Hardy.” For more information on the Thomas Hardy Society – including how to join – visit hardysociety.org
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
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Margaret Green Animal Rescue New date announced!
MARGARET Green Animal out for all the family. Rescue is delighted to A range of fun dog show announce that the much-loved classes will be available for Tidal & Solar Country Fair &Swanage Dog Show yourPredictions four-legged friends to Month '26 including Most Fabulous is returning on Sunday, enter, October 4! Fella, Waggiest Tail and Best Following the recent Rescue, with entry costing just postponement due to the hot £3 a class. Complied by the National Coastwatch Institution, Swanage weather, we can’t wait to There’s plenty to see and do from tidal data provided by the Channel Coast Observatory welcome you back to our throughout the day, including a Church Knowle Rehoming & LW fantastic selection of stalls Date HW LW HW HW Tide/Moon Sunrise Sunset Visitor delicious Springstraders,05:35 45870 Centre near 05:57 Wareham 11:26 18:17 from 23:30 local 20:55 02-Aug 5NQ) for 06:34 12:00 05:37 20:53 (BH20 a great day 18:56 food and refreshments, plus 03-Aug 00:02 07:14 12:32 19:37 05:38 20:51 04-Aug 00:25 07:55 12:59 20:22 05:40 20:50 05-Aug 00:17 08:41 18:19 21:12 05:41 20:48 06-Aug 06:37 09:32 19:08 22:11 05:43 20:46 07-Aug 07:35 10:34 20:03 23:23 05:44 20:45 Neaps 08-Aug 08:43 11:50 20:58 00:42 05:46 20:43 09-Aug 09:47 13:12 18:56 01:00 05:47 20:41 10-Aug 01:53 07:38 14:20 19:45 05:49 20:39 11-Aug 02:50 08:25 15:13 20:35 05:50 20:38 12-Aug 03:38 09:10 16:00 21:22 New Moon 05:52 20:36 13-Aug 04:22 09:53 16:43 22:05 05:53 20:34 14-Aug 05:04 10:33 17:25 22:45 05:55 20:32 15-Aug 05:45 11:11 18:06 23:22 Springs 05:56 20:30 16-Aug 06:26 11:47 18:46 23:53 05:58 20:28 17-Aug 07:05 12:18 19:26 05:59 20:26 18-Aug 00:12 07:43 12:39 20:06 06:01 20:24 19-Aug 00:21 08:19 17:47 20:46 06:02 20:22 20-Aug 06:07 08:53 18:19 06:04 20:21 21-Aug 03:52 06:51 15:58 18:48 06:06 20:18 22-Aug 03:58 07:40 13:14 19:15 Neaps 06:07 20:16 23-Aug 01:51 08:24 14:07 19:42 2026 06:09 20:14 August/September 24-Aug 08:45 14:44 20:09 06:10 20:12 Complied by02:27 the National Coastwatch Institution, Swanage 25-Aug 02:58 08:57 15:15 20:33 06:12 20:10 from tidal data provided by the Channel Coast Observatory Complied by by the National National Coastwatch Institution, Swanage Swanage 26-AugComplied 03:26 09:11 15:42 20:58 Institution, 06:13 20:08 the Coastwatch 27-Augfrom 03:54 09:31 16:10 21:27 Institution, 06:15 20:06 Complied theprovided National Coastwatch Swanage tidal by data provided by the Channel Channel Coast Observatory Observatory from tidal data by the Coast 28-Aug 04:23 09:55 16:41 21:58 Full Moon 06:16 20:04 fromHW tidalby data provided by the Channel Coast Observatory Date Complied LW HW LW HW Institution, Tide/Moon Sunrise Sunset the National Coastwatch Swanage 29-Aug 04:56 10:24 17:15 22:31 06:18 20:02 01-Apr 03:40 09:02 15:58 21:23 06:45 19:40 DatefromHW HW LW provided HW LW HW Tide/Moon Sunrise Sunset tidal data by the Channel Coast Observatory 30-Aug 05:31 10:56 17:51 23:04 06:19 20:00 Date LW HW LW HW Tide/Moon Sunrise Sunset 02-Apr 04:18 09:38 16:36 21:58 Full Moon 06:43 19:41 05:02 21:11 01-Jun 04:43 10:03 16:57 22:02 Springs Springs 31-Aug 06:08 11:28 18:29 23:35 06:21 19:58 Date HW LW HW LW HW Tide/Moon Sunrise Sunset 05:02 19:43 21:11 01-Jun 04:43 10:03 16:57 22:02 Springs 03-Apr 04:55 10:13 17:11 22:29 Springs 06:41 05:01 21:12 02-Jun 05:18 10:37 17:32 22:33 06:22 19:55 01-Sep 06:47 11:57 19:10 23:57 05:01 19:44 21:12 02-Jun 05:18 10:37 17:32 22:33 04-Apr 05:30 10:44 17:45 22:58 06:39 Date HW LW HW LW HW Tide/Moon Sunrise Sunset 05:00 21:13 03-Jun 05:52 11:12 18:09 23:06 Compiled from CCO data for Swanage 06:24 19:53 02-Sep 07:28 12:15 19:54Pier - E&O 23:56excepted - not for navigation 05:00 21:13 03-Jun 05:52 11:12 18:09 23:06 05-Apr 06:04 11:11 18:17 23:23 06:36 19:46 01-Apr 03:40 09:02 15:58 21:23 06:45 19:40 05:00 21:14 04-Jun 06:29 11:50 18:50 23:39tides + SP = Spring Tides NM = New Moon + FM = Full Moon + NP = Neap 06:25 19:51 03-Sep 08:12 12:15 20:43 05:00 21:14 04-Jun 06:29 11:50 18:50 23:39 06-Apr 06:35 11:35 18:47 23:46 06:34 19:48 02-Apr 04:18 09:38 16:36 21:58 Full Moon 06:43 19:41 04:59 21:15 05-Jun 07:10 16:48 19:35 are local time 06:27 19:49 04-Sep 00:25 09:04 12:48All times 21:44 04:59 21:15 05-Jun 07:10 16:48 19:35 07-Apr 07:06 12:00 19:17 06:32 19:49 03-Apr 04:55 10:13 17:11 22:29 Springs 06:41 19:43 04:59 21:16 06-Jun 00:13 07:55 17:36 20:26 06:29 19:47 05-Sep 07:13 10:12 19:29 23:04 04:59 21:16 06-Jun 00:13 07:55 17:36 20:26 08-Apr 00:10 07:38 17:20 19:50 06:30 19:51 04-Apr 05:30 10:44 17:45 22:58 06:39 19:44 04:58 21:17 07-Jun 05:28 08:45 18:27 21:23 Neaps 06:30 19:45 06-Sep 08:25 11:45 20:28 00:35 04:58 21:17 07-Jun 05:28 08:45 18:27 21:23 09-Apr 00:33 08:14 18:05 20:31 06:28 19:52 05-Apr 06:04 11:11 18:17 23:23 06:36 19:46 04:58 21:18 08-Jun 06:25 09:41 19:20 22:27 06:32 19:42 07-Sep 09:31 13:12 18:53 01:00 04:58 21:18 08-Jun 06:25 09:41 19:20 22:27 10-Apr 05:58 09:00 19:00 06:26 19:54 06-Apr 06:35 11:35 18:47 23:46 06:34 19:48 04:57 21:19 09-Jun 02:51 10:43 20:14 23:36 Neaps 06:33 19:40 08-Sep 01:43 07:37 14:11 19:36 04:57 21:19 09-Jun 02:51 10:43 20:14 23:36 Neaps 11-Apr 01:42 06:41 13:20 20:03 Neaps 06:23 19:56 07-Apr 07:06 12:00 19:17 06:32 19:49 04:57 21:19 10-Jun 04:21 11:51 21:09 00:40 06:35 19:38 09-Sep 02:34 08:13 14:58 20:20 04:57 21:19 10-Jun 04:21 11:51 21:09 00:40 12-Apr 01:53 07:18 13:38 20:56 06:21 19:57 08-Apr 00:10 07:38 17:20 19:50 06:30 19:51 04:57 21:20 11-Jun 05:39 12:54 18:39 01:00 06:36 19:36 10-Sep 03:18 08:51 15:40 21:02 04:57 21:20 11-Jun 05:39 12:54 18:39 01:00 13-Apr 02:05 07:05 13:59 20:19 06:19 19:59 09-Apr 00:33 08:14 18:05 20:31 06:28 19:52 04:56 21:21 12-Jun 01:34 06:42 13:50 19:18 06:38 19:33 11-Sep 04:00 09:29 16:20 21:42 New Moon 04:56 21:21 12-Jun 01:34 06:42 13:50 19:18 14-Apr 02:24 07:26 14:29 20:06 06:17 20:00 10-Apr 05:58 09:00 19:00 06:26 19:54 04:56 21:21 13-Jun 02:24 07:36 14:41 20:01 06:39 19:31 12-Sep 04:40 10:06 17:00 22:19 Springs 04:56 21:21 13-Jun 02:24 07:36 14:41 20:01 15-Apr 02:52 08:01 15:03 20:31 06:15 20:02 11-Apr 01:42 06:41 13:20 20:03 Neaps 06:23 19:56 04:56 21:22 14-Jun 03:12 08:29 15:31 20:47 06:41 19:29 13-Sep 05:19 10:41 17:38 22:53 04:56 21:22 14-Jun 03:12 08:29 15:31 20:47 16-Apr 03:25 08:39 15:40 21:03 06:13 20:04 12-Apr 01:53 07:18 13:38 20:56 06:21 19:57 04:56 21:22 15-Jun 04:00 09:20 16:20 21:35 New Moon Moon 06:42 19:27 14-Sep 05:56 11:14 18:16 23:22 04:56 21:22 15-Jun 04:00 09:20 16:20 21:35 New 17-Apr 04:02 09:17 16:18 21:39 New Moon 06:11 20:05 13-Apr 02:05 07:05 13:59 20:19 06:19 19:59 04:56 21:23 16-Jun 04:47 10:12 17:09 22:24 Springs 06:44 19:24 15-Sep 06:32 11:41 18:52 23:44 04:56 21:23 16-Jun 04:47 10:12 17:09 22:24 Springs 18-Apr 04:40 09:56 16:58 22:15 06:09 20:07 14-Apr 02:24 07:26 14:29 20:06 06:17 20:00 04:56 21:23 17-Jun 05:36 11:03 17:58 23:12 06:45 19:22 16-Sep 07:06 12:02 19:27 04:56 21:23 17-Jun 05:36 11:03 17:58 23:12 19-Apr 05:21 10:34 17:39 22:50 Springs 06:07 20:09 15-Apr 02:52 08:01 15:03 20:31 06:15 20:02 04:56 21:24 18-Jun 06:24 11:54 18:48 23:59 06:47 19:20 17-Sep 00:01 07:38 12:23 20:00 04:56 21:24 18-Jun 06:24 11:54 18:48 23:59 20-Apr 06:03 11:13 18:22 23:22 06:05 20:10 16-Apr 03:25 08:39 15:40 21:03 06:13 20:04 04:56 21:24 19-Jun 07:14 12:46 19:40 06:48 19:18 18-Sep 05:34 08:06 12:52 20:32 04:56 21:24 19-Jun 07:14 12:46 19:40 21-Apr 06:48 11:50 19:08 23:46 06:03 20:12 17-Apr 04:02 09:17 16:18 21:39 New Moon 06:11 20:05 04:56 21:24 20-Jun 00:42 08:05 17:28 20:34 06:50 19:15 19-Sep 06:14 08:34 18:08 00:46 04:56 21:24 20-Jun 00:42 08:05 17:28 20:34 22-Apr 07:37 12:26 20:02 06:01 20:13 18-Apr 04:40 09:56 16:58 22:15 06:09 20:07 04:56 21:25 21-Jun 01:10 09:00 18:21 21:33 Neaps 06:51 19:13 20-Sep 07:01 13:16 18:43 01:00 04:56 21:25 21-Jun 01:10 09:00 18:21 21:33 23-Apr 00:07 08:36 18:00 21:12 05:59 20:15 19-Apr 05:21 10:34 17:39 22:50 Springs 06:07 20:09 04:56 21:25 22-Jun 06:28 09:59 19:18 22:41 06:53 19:11 21-Sep 01:31 07:52 13:55 19:18 04:56 21:25 22-Jun 06:28 09:59 19:18 22:41 24-Apr 05:56 09:53 19:14 22:43 05:57 20:17 20-Apr 06:03 11:13 18:22 23:22 06:05 20:10 04:57 21:25 23-Jun 07:33 11:05 20:19 23:53 06:54 19:09 22-Sep 02:03 08:30 14:24 19:44 04:57 21:25 23-Jun 07:33 11:05 20:19 23:53 25-Apr 07:16 11:17 20:29 Neaps 05:55 20:18 21-Apr 06:48 11:50 19:08 23:46 06:03 20:12 04:57 21:25 24-Jun 08:50 12:12 21:22 00:57 Neaps 06:56 19:06 23-Sep 02:30 08:39 14:48 20:03 04:57 21:25 24-Jun 08:50 12:12 21:22 00:57 Neaps 26-Apr 00:04 05:49 12:27 21:33 05:53 20:20 22-Apr 07:37 12:26 20:02 06:01 20:13 04:57 21:25 25-Jun 10:04 13:11 22:17 06:57 19:04 24-Sep 02:55 08:41 15:12 20:26 04:57 21:25 25-Jun 10:04 13:11 22:17 27-Apr 01:04 06:30 13:23 22:32 05:51 20:21 23-Apr 00:07 08:36 18:00 21:12 05:59 20:15 04:58 21:25 26-Jun 01:50 11:03 14:03 19:38 06:59 19:02 25-Sep 03:22 08:56 15:40 20:55 04:58 21:25 26-Jun 01:50 11:03 14:03 19:38 28-Apr 01:52 07:12 14:10 19:45 05:49 20:23 24-Apr 05:56 09:53 19:14 22:43 05:57 20:17 04:58 21:25 27-Jun 02:36 08:09 14:50 20:11 07:01 19:00 26-Sep 03:52 09:20 16:11 21:27 Full Moon 04:58 21:25 27-Jun 02:36 08:09 14:50 20:11 29-Apr 02:34 07:54 14:52 20:19 05:47 20:25 25-Apr 07:16 11:17 20:29 Neaps 05:55 20:18 04:59 21:25 28-Jun 03:18 08:49 15:32 20:44 07:02 18:57 27-Sep 04:26 09:50 16:46 22:01 04:59 21:25 28-Jun 03:18 08:49 15:32 20:44 30-Apr 03:14 08:33 15:31 20:53 05:45 20:26 26-Apr 00:04 05:49 12:27 21:33 05:53 20:20 04:59 21:25 29-Jun 03:56 09:26 16:10 21:18 Full Moon 07:04 18:55 28-Sep 05:02 10:22 17:23 22:35 04:59 21:25 29-Jun 03:56 09:26 16:10 21:18 Full Moon 27-Apr 01:04 06:30 13:23 22:32 05:51 20:21 05:00 21:25 30-Jun 04:31 10:01 16:47 21:53 07:05 18:53 29-Sep 05:40 10:55 18:03 23:08 Springs 05:00 21:25 30-Jun 04:31 10:01 16:47 21:53 28-Apr 01:52 07:12 14:10 19:45 05:49 20:23 07:07 18:51 30-Sep 06:20 11:24 18:44 23:37 Compiled from CCO data for Swanage 29-Apr 02:34 07:54 14:52Pier - E&O 20:19excepted - not for navigation 05:47 20:25 NM = New Moon FM =for Full Moon +Pier NP =- Neap tides + SP- not = Spring Tides 30-Apr 03:14 08:33 15:31 20:53excepted 05:45 20:26 Compiled from CCO+data Swanage E&O for navigation Compiled from CCO data forAllSwanage Pier - E&O excepted - not for navigation times local timetides + SP = Spring Tides NM = New Moon + FM = Full Moonare + NP = Neap Compiled CCO data Swanage E&O excepted for navigation NM = from New Moon + FMfor = Full Moon +Pier NP =- Neap tides + SP-=not Spring Tides All times are NP local Time tides + SP = Spring Tides NM = New Moon + FM = All Fulltimes Moon = Time Neap are+ local Compiled from CCO data forAllSwanage Pier E&O excepted not for navigation times are local time NM = New Moon + FM = Full Moon + NP = Neap tides + SP = Spring Tides
Swanage Tidal & Solar Predictions April '26 Predictions Swanage Tidal Tidal & Solar Solar Predictions Swanage & Swanage Tidal & Solar June '26 '26 Predictions June Swanage Tidal & Solar'26 Predictions September April '26
live entertainment, activities and demonstrations for everyone to enjoy. Don’t forget to try your luck in our raffle, with some fabulous prizes up for grabs! Gates open at 11am, with admission £6 per adult and
£2.50 for children under 12, with all proceeds helping to care for rescue animals in need. Come along, bring your family and make a day of it! For more information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit www.mgar.org.uk/events
Help us to keep them safe
www.margaretgreenanimalrescue.org.uk/donate Registered Charity Number: 1167990
Council has two vacant Youngsters Town seats for councillors. Anyone who has an interest win mayor’s in influencing local decisions and a passion for the area can awards email town clerk Kate Osborne PRIMARY school pupils in Lytchett Minster and Upton have received recognition for their efforts and achievements from the Mayor, Councillor Ray Griffin. The Mayor’s Award for Excellence went to Mollie Bowden of Upton Infant School, William Carver of Yarrells School, Molly Hesketh of Lytchett Minster School and Marley Keen of Upton Junior School. Each school nominated an outstanding pupil for academic, sporting, creative or practical excellence; outstanding progress; impact upon the school; or contribution to the wider community. Cllr Griffin visited all the schools in Lytchett Minster and Upton. Lytchett Minster and Upton
at clerk@lytchettminster andupton-tc.gov.uk for more information. The council is also inviting residents to register an interest in joining the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. To express an interest, email the town clerk on the address above, outlining why you would like to join and what you feel you could bring to the group. Council meetings are held on Tuesdays from 6.30pm at the council offices in Moorland Parade. Members of the public are entitled to attend and can speak at the start of each meeting. The next meetings are: amenities, September 8; full town council, September 15; environment/planning, September 23.
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
News
WHAT a summer here at Durlston Country Park! Some of the hottest temperatures at Durlston were unsurprisingly recorded in August, with 29.4 degrees on August 14, but our hottest day was June 25 when we recorded 31.3. However, this was just below our highest ever temperature of 31.9 on June 23, 2017. Our records only go back to 1988. What is different this year, from other hot summers, is the number of days of heat and the corresponding lack of rain – we experienced no measurable rain from June 30 until August 18 – however, there was a very short drizzle shower on August 4. So all very brown, dry and cracked up here! During the hot summer we have been inundated by
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hummingbird hawk-moths and clouded yellow butterflies, while a second brood of common and adonis blue are on the wing. Bird migration is now well underway with the summer arrivals now leaving to return to their wintering grounds, so look out for redstarts, spotted and pied flycatchers, and many species of warbler such as grasshopper, sedge, garden, reed and willow. Housemartins and swallows are to be seen in the air feeding. They twist, turn and dive, catching and devouring aerial insects while still flying! With the meadows to be cut and baled at the end of August, there is less ground cover for small mammals. Thus mice, voles and shrews can become easier prey for kestrels and
possibly even short-eared owls. To find out more about the wildlife at Durlston, why not look at the Daily Dairy blog on our website, www. durlston.co.uk Durlston Castle visitor centre is open daily 10am5pm, where you can enjoy finding out more about the park, its events and wildlife, enjoy the spectacular views from the terraces or join one of our guided walks. Our Fine Foundation Gallery is hosting Spirit of Fancy – a collective of artists and makers showcasing their different styles and media every day 10.30am-4.30pm from Wednesday, August 26, to Thursday, September 17. It is free to enter and definitely an exhibition not to miss. Following on from that, we are
Hard pitches delay Stamp and start to rugby season postcard fair date by Ron Butler RUGBY players at Swanage & Wareham RFC will be starting the new season later than originally scheduled due to the state of pitches after a long, hot summer. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has decided to start the season two weeks later than planned for safety reasons on Saturday, September 26, rather than September 12, at 3pm. The first match is against Corsham. The club also has a new chair, Steve Harney, a financial adviser, who has organised the Swans’ tours, and a new coaching team, with James ‘Jungle’ Warren the head coach. Warren will be supported by
Will Tabard, Oli Bryant and Ben Mallett, all of whom are RFU coaches. The players have started fitness training up and down the dunes with Warren at Studland beach, and skills coaching, including tackling practice, with the other coaches. Training will move to the clubhouse where gym facilities and more equipment are available. What had been planned as the first match of the season, against Combe Down, at home, has been moved to October 10, with the North Dorset fixture – away – switching to November 14. The second game is away against Salisbury on October 3.
by David Morris DID you know that over 30 years ago a long queue of people waited patiently in the library at Upton House for a commemorative envelope to be addressed – by typewriter – and posted to receive a special postmark? This is, as far as we can tell, the only commemorative postmark – pictured – ever produced for Upton. It celebrated Lord Llewellin of Upton House. Poole & Bournemouth Stamp & Postcard Club is holding its annual fair at St Dunstan’s Church Hall,
delighted to welcome back 15 Days in Clay, with their new clay exhibition, Edible Conversations, from Tuesday, September 22, to Thursday, October 8. Make sure to have a look at the other upcoming events and exhibitions on the Durlston website, www. durlston.co.uk/events 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. Whatever your reason for visiting Durlston, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. For more information on events and more, visit the Durlston website at www. durlston.co.uk Visit the Seventhwave cafe website at www.seventhwaverestaurant. co.uk
Upton, Poole BH16 5JA this Saturday (September 5) between 10am-4pm. Philately and deltiology – stamp collecting and postcard collecting – can easily complement other interests at little or no charge. Anyone interested in space travel or underwater exploration, archery to zoology, or anything else, is welcome to go along and see what they can find. Hidden in dealers’ stocks will be several of the Lord Llewellin covers which are free to visitors if they find one. Admission to the fair is free of charge.
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
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The Costcutter shop in Swanage was founded as HEM Tomes Groceries and Provision in 1908
Family store still delivering after 118 years
FAMILY run convenience store Costcutter Swanage, which has occupied the same High Street site for 118 years under different names, is moving with the times by launching a home delivery service. The Tomes family has run the shop through five generations, surviving two world wars, rationing and the Covid-19 pandemic. Now they are teaming up with the Snappy Shopper app to deliver groceries to customers in as little as 30 minutes. Over the years, the store has evolved from a small, singlestorey shop into one of Swanage’s best-known independent businesses. With no major supermarket within 20 miles, it has served as a lifeline for locals, particularly those without access to a car. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Tomes family expanded the premises, creating
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“Home delivery allows us to continue serving customers in the way they want to shop today while keeping the same personal service we’ve always been proud of.” The family’s life extends well beyond the shop. Keith has coached at Swanage and Wareham Rugby Club for over three decades, helping develop generations of local players. Chris was elected Mayor of Swanage earlier this year and Darren volunteers as a senior helm with Swanage RNLI. Costcutter Swanage has earned national recognition for its work, winning Community
Retailer of the Year at the National Convenience Awards 2024. Keith added: “It’s always been a true family business. We’re incredibly proud to have served Swanage for more than a century and we hope to continue doing so for many years to come.” Snappy Shopper chief executive Mike Callachan said: “For more than a century, Costcutter Swanage has been at the heart of its community. It’s exactly the kind of retailer Snappy Shopper was built to support. “We’re incredibly proud to help a business with an amazing heritage continue serving customers in new ways.” Costcutter Swanage now offers 30- to 60-minute delivery across Dorset including Swanage, Ulwell, Durlston and Langton Matravers. The Snappy Shopper app can be downloaded via the Apple Store or Google Play, or orders can be placed online at snappyshopper.co.uk
the family home above the shop and introducing a Post Office service and traditional butcher’s counter, both of which remain an important part of the business today. The shop now run by Keith Tomes was originally opened by his great-grandfather as HEM Tomes Groceries and Provision in 1908. Keith’s father, Harry, took over the business in 1956, when TrustScore 4.4 post-war rationing was still shaping everyday life in Britain, before passing it on to Keith and his sister Marie. The business remains a true Safe. Safe. Secure. Simple. family affair, operated by Keith, his sons Chris and Darren, sister Marie and niece Michelle. Keith said: “Retail has changed over the years, but one thing has never changed for us and that’s looking after our community. “That’s what our family has been doing since 1908.
Household Storage Househ
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Keith Tomes at work at the Costcutter store
Book your free quote today. your Dorchester Swanage 01305 231267
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16
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Politics
purbeckgazette.co.uk
How to support Purbeck’s farmers PURBECK’S farmers play a vital role in producing food, maintaining our countryside and supporting rural communities and yet the sector faces evergrowing challenges, with the current drought highlighting just how vulnerable food production can be. This summer, Dorset has officially been declared in drought as part of the wider Wessex region. Low rainfall, high temperatures and prolonged dry conditions have led to increasing pressure on agricultural businesses. Farmers across the county have reported crops ripening too quickly, reduced grass growth for livestock and rising concerns about water availability. For Purbeck farmers, the impact is immediate. Livestock producers are being forced to use winter forage reserves months earlier than planned, while arable farmers face uncertainty over both crop quality and quantity. These pressures come on top of rising costs and changing agricultural support arrangements post-Brexit. The
reality is that climate change is local produce whenever making extreme weather more possible. Purchasing food from frequent, and rural communities farm shops, local markets, must adapt to a future where independent retailers and Dorset droughts may become more producers helps keep money common. within the local economy and The drought also raises a strengthens the viability of much broader issue – food family farms. It also reduces security. Recent global events food miles and gives consumers have demonstrated the risks of greater connection to where relying heavily on imported their food comes from. In food. The United Kingdom challenging seasons such as currently imports a this one, supporting local significant proportion producers can make a of what it consumes, meaningful difference. leaving consumers Education also has exposed to an important role to international supply play. Many young chain disruptions, people have limited geopolitical tensions understanding of how and fluctuating prices. food is grown, reared and Ben Wilson processed before reaching Maintaining a strong domestic farming sector supermarket shelves. is therefore not simply about Schools should place greater supporting rural livelihoods – it emphasis on food education, is about national resilience. As helping children understand recognised by government and farming, nutrition, seasonality farming organisations alike, and the importance of British food security is a key component agriculture. Farm visits, of national security. gardening projects and lessons One of the most effective on food production can help ways residents can support local build respect for the farming agriculture is by choosing to buy industry while encouraging
healthier food choices. Alongside supporting local producers, consumers should look for recognised assurance schemes such as the Red Tractor standard. The Red Tractor logo indicates that food has been produced, transported and processed to rigorous standards covering food safety, traceability, animal welfare and environmental protection. By choosing assured British food, shoppers can have greater confidence in the quality and provenance of the products they buy. Purbeck’s farmers are resilient, but resilience alone is not enough. Addressing drought, strengthening food security, promoting food education and backing assured British produce will be crucial if we are to safeguard the future of farming in Dorset. Supporting Purbeck farmers today is an investment in both our countryside and our food supply for generations to come. BEN WILSON Lib Dem councillor for South East Purbeck Ward
AT the time of writing, the political theatrics in Clacton have finally drawn to a close. Nigel Farage has, unsurprisingly, emerged victorious from what was essentially a self‑inflicted personal drama, and the voters of Clacton have once again been pulled into his orbit of grandstanding. Yet the real talking point isn’t his predictable win but the fact that a man wearing a bin on his head has managed to dominate the national political conversation. Some commentators dismiss Count Binface as nothing more than a sideshow. But in truth, he has done more in recent months to expose just how unfit Farage is to govern our country. Count Binface’s presence, partly satire, partly protest, has become a
mirror held up to a political class that often seems more interested in performance than public service. Long may Count Binface descend from outer space to remind Westminster that the public is watching and laughing for a reason. Yet while the spectacle grabs headlines, the real crisis is economic. Our national debt now exceeds 100% of GDP, and the annual cost of servicing that debt has reached more than £110 billion. That is nearly double what we spend on defence. Yet the Labour government appears either unwilling or unable to grasp how financial markets work or how wealth is created in a modern economy. The Prime Minister continues to criss‑cross the country talking about the
Nigel Farage’s Clacton drama may have entertained us, and Andy Burnham will continue to ride his current wave of popularity as far as he can until he has to start making unpopular decisions which his hard-left MPs don’t like. However, it is the ordinary person who will have to pay for this in the end. Britain cannot afford leaders who treat economic growth as an afterthought or who fail to understand how markets, investment and productivity actually work. This is why the contrast with Kemi Badenoch matters. She is the one party leader articulating a credible plan to grow the economy rather than simply manage its decline. BYRON QUAYLE Chair, South Dorset Conservative Association
Kemi has a plan for growth cost of living but offers little in the way of a credible plan to get Britain generating wealth. This is where the contrast with Kemi Badenoch becomes striking. Badenoch has consistently set out a clear, grounded plan for economic growth. Her focus on boosting productivity, reforming regulation and backing British businesses is not just rhetoric but a workable plan for the country. It is a recognition that the state cannot keep expanding while expecting the private sector to carry the load. She has spoken openly about the need to rebuild confidence in the UK as a place to invest, to innovate and to employ. She is one of the few voices offering something resembling a roadmap rather than a soundbite.
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
purbeckgazette.co.uk Politics
‘For everyone who has two homes, someone else has none’
T
HE residents of Harman’s Cross appear to be up in arms about the proposed development up Tabbits Hill lane, which Is still at a very early stage. Worth Matravers Parish Council has published a document inviting all Harman’s Cross residents to have their say on the matter and I would urge all my readers to look it up on the council’s website and have their say. The responses will help the parish council understand the views of Harman’s Cross residents when considering any future planning application. There are just a few short questions to answer and the council needs to understand the overall level of support or objection to the proposed development. At the risk of becoming even more of a pariah in Harman’s Cross, I will step forward and say that I am fully in agreement with the development of homes for those not as fortunate as myself. Yes, I believe that the proposed location is probably not appropriate for the development, but no-one has come up with an alternative. Yes, I have concerns about the potential impact on the traffic, roads and access. Yes, I have concerns about the impact on local services and infrastructure, but it does not concern me that the development could affect the value of my property. I have been very lucky living where I do for such a long time. I built it as a home, not an investment, and I have enjoyed the best of Harman’s Cross. But a property is only worth what someone will pay for it. And it breaks my heart to say that I support the principle of providing affordable local
by David Hollister housing – I agree there Is a need for additional housing in Harman’s Cross. Whether the proposed location is suitable must be up to the planning committee. I’m not happy that the thing is going to be run by Aster homes, which already manages many of the affordable properties in Corfe Castle. Take the time to talk to the local people. Not many are happy with the way Aster runs things. But someone has to do it. I am more concerned that this is falling in the parish of Corfe Castle, even though the plot of land itself is clearly a part of Harman’s Cross. I hope, but I somehow doubt, that the revenue arising from these homes will accrue to Harman’s Cross and Worth Matravers Parish Council rather than Corfe Castle. We shall see, but I have said it before, and I will say it again, that for everyone who has two homes, someone else has none.
R
ECEIVED a message from my friends at Foleys. “Due to the alert that we have all just received we have taken the decision to remove charcoal and logs from sale for the time being. We are sorry if this causes any disruption and we hope that you will understand our reasoning for this. Many thanks for your continued support.” Do you know, it never crossed my mind that garages and stores were still stocking and selling these horrible things! I understand that some shops in Swanage haven’t sold disposable barbecues for several years due to the fire risk, but many major retailers in Dorset
17
Telling It Like It Is like Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons continued to sell them, even ignoring national guidelines to withdraw them from sale when there is a heightened wildfire risk. Disposable barbecues have now been temporarily banned from sale over fears they pose a ‘significant risk to the public’ as drought and heatwave conditions continue to grip the UK. They have been the cause of “a number of serious wildfires across the country over the summer months,” the government said. The public have been urged not to light open fires and to dispose of cigarettes carefully. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andy Burnham says the country is like ‘a tinderbox’, as 200 personnel have now been deployed to help emergency teams tackling wildfires around the country. Along the coastline and public spaces, Dorset Council and its partners are working together to help ensure all visitors are aware of the new law and the reasons for it. Anyone found to be breaking the new restrictions will be liable for a £100 fine and all banned items will be confiscated. Let’s see how this works out, shall we? Let’s see if the police can be spared from their normal duties and a few of them allocated to arresting arsonists – instead of motorists! Personally, I have never understood why anyone would want to trudge into a forest laden with crockery and utensils, light a barbecue and eat a part-burned or part-raw ‘sausage’ of dubious provenance, risking an upset tummy as well as mosquito bites and ants in your pants. And then
drag the detritus home with you. Or maybe just leave it to burn itself out or set fire to the undergrowth. Picnics are easy. ‘Sandwiches not sausages’ should be the message.
R
EGULAR readers will be aware of my strong opposition to vapes, which were introduced as an alternative to cigarette smoking. Now it seems that vaping has taken over from smoking and the Government is patting itself on the back. It cannot be right for anyone under 18 to be able to purchase vapes, and to pollute their little lungs with noxious substances. While the Government is celebrating a move away from cigarettes, it is studiously ignoring the health risks of vaping. There will come a time, not in my lifetime, when someone in government takes responsibility for this stupidity. But right now there are too many vested interests – the tobacco lobby was not going to go away, was it, and it is patting itself on the back by squeezing yet another tobacco product in through the back door. A close friend of mine lost her previously healthy husband about a year ago to vaping. She explained to me in horrible detail how she watched her husband die. There must be many other people in her situation in the UK, and I feel so sad that MPs do not have the guts to take the matter up and declare vapes a health risk. More and more vape shops are opening all across our nation. I would invite any members of parliament who already write for this publication to respond in our next edition, in defence of vaping.
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.
18
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
THE
PURBECK MAGAZINE
P3
Z 10
U1
1 Jazz variant
Thrash
Rises
S1
E1
ISSUE374 309 ISSUE
Crossword
Arrow words Modern Persian tongue
L1
Z 10
Tropical forest
Bistro
2
3
4
5
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Average
7
Slightly open
8
9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 Fuzz
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10
8
9
Oral
13 10
ADSL provider (inits)
Male teacher
Peruses
14
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Coniferous tree
Conflict
Wordsearch Asian Countries
AFGHANISTAN BAHRAIN BANGLADESH BHUTAN BRUNEI INDIA IRAN JORDAN
H N U U A O P S H P S E D U A
S L A N D H K A R E I E I L N
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D R I H R I A I T U J O I A B
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L L A T R L J D A B O R S Q P
G A A A A N H S O B A S N A H
MALDIVES NEPAL PHILIPPINES QATAR SAUDI ARABIA SOUTH KOREA SRI LANKA SYRIA
N N S M A A T O A I I D A T K
A K I R L U P D N L I A B A P
B A I T L I G S N P I J Y R S
18
15
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18
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23
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Black, noisy bird
13
21
24
Lower in quality
D L A I R T H R P G N I S G I
21
22
Apart
A S K E J A U I N U F N E N N
20
19
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Curve
R A A A B O N H R I M A A N D
17
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L A P E N E T B B N H A P N I
15
Space
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12
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P D A A S A D S L S Y R I A A
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Easy sudoku
Down Down Decline (3) 22 Decline (3) Extremely thorough 33 Extremely thorough(8) (8) 4 Scanty (6) 45 Scanty (6) Thai currency unit (4) 56 Thai unit (4)(9) Largecurrency musical group 67 Large musical (9) Keep; put asidegroup (5) In a deceitful way(5) (5) 78 Keep; put aside 11 Collected body of work 8 In a deceitful way (5) (9) 13 Fiesta (8) 11 Collected body of work (9) 16 Rainbow-forming glass (5) 13 (8) (3,3) 17 Fiesta Spa bath 16 glass (5) 18 Rainbow-forming Guides (5) 17 bath Australian (3,3) 21 Spa Flightless birds (4) 23 Guides Add, with 18 (5)‘up’ (3) 21 Flightless Australian birds (4) 23 Add, with ‘up’ (3)
4 3 7 2 9 7 1 3 6 2 5 9 4 9 3 7 6 9 5 5 4 7 8 3 7 4 5 1 4 8 9 2 Brain chain
34
RESULT
-23
+21
×1/2
-25%
×1/3
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
ISSUE374 309 ISSUE
Z 10
U 11
L1
Z 10
10
10
Sudoku 3D puzzle
E1
PURBECK MAGAZINE
Cryptic crossword 1
5
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19
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Killer Sudoku Pro
Down 2 Hard work in spring (3) 3 Leg with bit of exposure in dressing for wound – and fibrous tissue (8) 4 Box with seed not half thinly scattered (6) 5 The chord’s containing resounding sound (4) 6 Hero and star wandering around front of cool band (9) 14 Son in a confined space is tired (5) 7 Declare condition (5) 15 Make joyful Greek character with the French 8 Largely fat eagle’s first feather (5) on reflection (5) 11 Find fault with salesperson about goal 19 Place offering seaside entertainment, we hear, covering hotel (9) 1 for 1titled figure (4) 13 Fare’s cooked around large company in the 20 Bearing a wheeled support for a gun (8) open air (2,6) 22 After treatment, check costlier form of 16 Increased group getting troubled (5) convulsion (8,5) 17 Affectedly elegant foreign car carrying 24 Mixed media article about Germany, Australia papers (2-2-2) and Spain is cheap (1,4,1,5) 18 Top character closing play looking sickly (5) 21 Check part of a plant (4) 23 Valuable material in forest (3) Across
10+
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4
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23+
1÷
72×
0
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16+
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4
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6
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Brain chain (hard version) 105
RESULT
-50
+80%
÷3
+28
-5
For the solutions, turn to page 21
20
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Sport
purbeckgazette.co.uk
Women in ‘Super’ 8 final by Mike Nash SWANAGE’S women cricketers have reached the ‘Super’ 8 final thanks to an outstanding team effort in the semi-final. All the players – Angie, Eden, Faye, Hannah, Jemma, Jo, Nala, Sophie and Suku – contributed at some stage in a hard-earned win at Cerne Valley. They will face Marnhull in the final at Swanage on Sunday, September 6. Swanage’s 1st XI have won four of their 13 completed matches in Premier Two so far this season with four abandonments due to inclement weather – that seems a long time ago now! The highlight of their batting was Mike Salmon’s 84 against Wimborne at Days Park. The other players to reach a half-century have been Ben Allatt, Coby Perry (two), Dan Salmon (two), Mike Salmon (two), Sam Wells (two) and Tom Wells (three). The other main contributions have come from Matt Beard, Harry Long, Ethan Stacey and Mark Stacey. The highlights of their bowling were six-wicket hauls for Freddie Long, Coby Perry
CRICKET
– the joint-leading wicket taker in the Division – and Mike Salmon against Marnhull, Poole and Christchurch respectively. The other main contributors have been Charlie Dyke, Ben Hodder, Harry Long, Steve Ramsay and Pete Richards. The 2nd XI have won eight of their 13 completed games in Division 3 but unfortunately have also had four abandoned. Their batting highlight was the sensational 175-run partnership between Sid Nash and Chris Backhouse at Christchurch – where they made 122 not out and 102 not out respectively. Sam Marks has also made a century with 12 other halfcenturies by Ben Allatt (three), Backhouse (two), Jernimain (B), Josh (G), John Lewis (two), Harry Long, Mike Nash, Max Nicholson (two), Steve Ramsay and George Taylor. The other main contributions have come from Michael (B), James Harding and Paul Norman. The leading wicket-taker is Ramsay, who took a five-wicket haul at Christchurch. He has
Teamwork has paid for Swanage CC’s women
been ably supported by Jernimain and Michael (B), Josh (G), Andrew Hancock, James Harding, Harry Long, Sam Marks, Mike Nash and Sid Nash. Although, the 3rd XI have only won one of their 10 completed matches, they have been playing against strong, far more experienced 1st XI sides in Division 5 and have had three abandonments. The batting highlights have been centuries by Josh (G) – his
maiden one – and Paul Norman. Half-centuries have also come from David Alcock (two), Josh (G), Tim Ives (three), John Lewis, Gary Marsh and Paul Norman (three). Paul Knight, Danny (N), Don Van Staden and Geoff Willcocks have also made useful contributions. The leading wicket taker is 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).
Club on lookout for new talent
NEWCOMERS are welcome when Swanage & Wareham Hockey Club hold their Club Day at Purbeck Sports Centre on Saturday (September 5). The club have three ladies and two men’s teams and are actively recruiting players of all abilities and ages, whether they have played at county level or never picked up a hockey stick before. Everyone is welcome to go along between 10am-11.30am to find out more about hockey and the club, with sticks – and even goalkeeping kit – available to try out. A friendly match between the Men’s team and Romsey will
HOCKEY take place from 11.45am12.45pm, followed by social time in the sports centre. Training for adults – 13 and over – started on Wednesday, August 20, and begins at 7pm, with junior training – five-12 years – starting on Wednesday, September 16, at 6.30pm. Training offers an opportunity to take part in
All-comers are welcome at Swanage and Wareham Hockey Club’s Club Day
warm-up sessions before the season starts and possibly, within a short time, playing matches on a Saturday. For more information, visit
the club’s website at swanageandwarehamhc.org.uk or their Facebook page, or contact the club directly at secretary@swanageand warehamhc.org.uk
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Sport
purbeckgazette.co.uk
National award for football-mad Chris THE founder of Dorchesterbased Jurassic Chargers FC, Chris King, has been recognised for his contribution to disability football, winning New Volunteer of the Year at the England Football Grassroots Football Awards. Chris, who lives with cerebral palsy, was presented with his award by sports broadcaster and BBC Match of the Day presenter Mark Chapman. Chris was also invited pitch-side ahead of the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff and joined the guard of honour as the teams entered the pitch. He had played Powerchair football for eight years and
founded Jurassic Chargers securing sponsorship, grant funding and venues, and fundraising to give new players a chance to try the sport for the first time. Chris said: “Football gives me joy, and I’d always dreamed of starting my own team. When the funding we had in place disappeared, I knew I had the strength to keep going and find another way to make that dream happen. “Thankfully, we were able to secure the funding we needed, and seeing Jurassic Chargers FC become a reality was
Puzzle solutions Easy sudoko 4 7 2 6 8 9 5 3 1
5 1 8 2 3 4 9 7 6
3 9 6 7 5 1 2 8 4
6 2 5 1 7 8 4 9 3
7 4 3 9 2 5 1 6 8
1 8 9 4 6 3 7 2 5
2 5 7 8 4 6 3 1 9
8 3 1 5 9 2 6 4 7
9 6 4 3 1 7 8 5 2
Killer sudoku pro 16+
2
27×
3
6 6
1
4
7
5
8
3
70×
23+
9 10+
4 6
4
2
7
5
72×
8
0
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8
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9 1
9
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14+
6
21+
3 9
64×
2 1 7 4
20×
5
18+
5
9×
1
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48×
2
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1260×
1 7
5 6
1
4
9
2
8
7
3
3
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6
7
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3
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6 1
3 16+
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30×
4
1÷
6
378×
56×
40×
9
3 8
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5 17+
8
2 1
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9 1
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8
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2
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1
Brain chain 34
11
32
16
12
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Brain chain (hard) 105
55
99
33
61
56
21
Chris King, founder of Jurassic Chargers FC, won New Volunteer of the Year at the England Football Grassroots Football Awards
incredibly special. To now have that journey recognised with this award makes it even more meaningful.” The Grassroots Football Awards, which were presented by Howdens and celebrate the volunteers involved in the
sport, saw a record 12,200-plus nominations submitted across 12 categories. More than one million people support grassroots football each year, taking on roles ranging from putting up goalposts and making refreshments to coaching teams and supporting the safeguarding and welfare of players.
(from pages 18-19)
Edition 374
Sudoku 3D puzzle
Cryptic crossword
9 6 3 5 4 7 5 42 7 8 5 4 1 7 8 1 5 3 9 3 9 5 8 1 2 6 6 2 2 8 8 1 8 6 3 1 3 7 6 9 3 7 4 7 2 7 4 7 2 4 4 9 4 3 3 6 6 9 5 2 7 6 9 3 8 9 2 9 1 6 8 9 4 18 5 1 8 9 54 5 1 7 1 2 5 2 3 5 4 6 8 6 3 2 7 2 1 8 6 8 9 7 6 3 7 9 2 8 2 5 3 4 1 5 1 6 6 5 9 4 9 7 2 3 1 5 9 3 2 7 4 9 7 1 4 3 6 8 5 8 1 5 4 4 2 5 2 3 1 7 7 8 6 5 2 3 8 6 3 4 4 9 7 2 8 6 7 9 8 9 5 3 1 2 3 9 4 1 9 6 1 5 6 4 6 2 1 8 4 7 8 7 2 5 4 9 3 7 8 3 4 5 8 9 6 31 6 8 1 6 71 8 2 2 1 5 5 7 9 7 3 6 4 2 3 5 4 3 5 4 9 2 6 1 9 8 7
C H O L E S T E R O L S O I P C R P T O P O G R A P H I C A L A A R O H U T I R A M I S U D E E M E E E E A S E S P E N T E L A T E U R T L F R P P E E R C A R R I A G E S H S D E A E L E C T R I C S H O C K T N E D C R Y A D I M E A D O Z E N
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Health & Wellbeing
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Meditations in nature: Sunny faces in a parched landscape by Susanna Curtin I HAVE always loved daisies. Any colour or size, they have fascinated me since early childhood. I distinctly remember the pre-school me crying unless my Dad picked them all before he mowed the grass. That poor man! Now, all these years later, I find myself mowing around clumps of either my oxeye daisies or the common daisies that have conquered my lawns. Even this year, during the longest, hottest and driest summer I can ever recall, the daisies have survived. Walking out in this parched countryside today, with my footsteps crunching through the dry vegetation, you can imagine my joy when I unexpectedly come across a field of sunflowers. A single flower is a wonder in itself, but a whole field of them? Well, what a joyous sight for a daisy-lover. These sunny beings are native to North America and parts of northern Mexico. Indigenous Americans domesticated them as agricultural crops thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans, for they had many uses, namely as food, for oil, colour, medicine and materials. In addition, they held ceremonial symbolism. For some tribes they represented the health and generosity of the land – for others they represented the power of the
sun, endurance, hope and happiness. These magnificent plants also captivated the imagination of the Spanish explorers who brought them to Western Europe around the 1500s where they were initially planted in ornamental gardens in Madrid. Then, in the 1700s, Tsar Peter the Great encountered sunflowers in Holland and sent seeds back to Russia. Eventually, in the 1800s, the nutritional value of their seeds for oil was recognised, and the plant shifted from a botanical novelty into a major economic crop. I remember being fascinated, when, on my early travels from London to Athens on the Magic Bus, I passed through the vast sunflower fields of what was then Yugoslavia. I had never seen entire fields of sunflowers before, and perhaps because of that, I’ve always associated them with Europe. In fact, commercial cultivation didn’t really take off in Western Europe until the 1960s. Now, though, they seem to be becoming an increasingly common crop here in the UK, perhaps as our changing climate makes conditions more favourable for growing them. They love plenty of sunlight, at least six hours a day, and warm temperatures. Walking past them now, I can’t help myself. I want to
Sunflowers seem to be becoming an increasingly common crop in the UK, perhaps because of the changing climate
sneak in to take some photographs and have a closer look at their flower heads. On inspection, the centre of the flower is made up of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tiny individual flowers. These are the ‘fertile florets’ that produce the seeds, while the yellow petals around the edge are known as the ‘ray florets’, whose colour attracts bees and other pollinators. But at the heart of a sunflower, mathematics has quietly shaped the living form. The thousands of tiny florets are arranged in spirals, winding in opposite directions. Apparently, they often follow numbers from the Fibonacci sequence, with each new floret growing at an angle of about 137.5 degrees, allowing the flowers to fill the head with remarkable efficiency. Of course, it is not the sunflower that has calculated this pattern. Instead, it is a beautifully engineered structure created purely by nature. I also notice that the flowers are all facing the same way, but not towards the sun as I once believed they would. Like so many things in nature, it is more nuanced than that. When they are young, sunflowers
exhibit a behaviour called ‘heliotropism’. During the day, the developing flower head moves from the east to the west, following the sun. Then, at night, it returns towards the east, ready to greet the morning sun. As this happens, cells on the shaded side of the stem elongate, allowing the head to bend towards the light. But as the plant grows and the flower head becomes bigger and heavier, the stem thickens to support it, and the sunflower eventually stops tracking the sun. Instead, mature flowers generally face east, allowing them to absorb the warmth of the early morning sun and attract pollinators. Making my way out of this dusty field, I say goodbye to all the sunny faces looking at me and get back onto the track towards the dry, sun-bleached landscape. Like the sunflowers, I love the sunshine, but I also miss the verdancy of England’s green and pleasant landscape. And because it has been so hot, I know that when it finally comes, I will love the sound and the earthy scent of the long-awaited rain falling onto this parched ground. n Dr Susie Curtin (email curtin.susanna@gmail.com).
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
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The weight of getting back to normal by Kay Parkinson THE signs arrive quietly. School uniforms reappear in shop windows. Holiday out-of-office messages become less common. The roads seem a little busier. Diaries begin to refill. Long before autumn arrives, many of us have already begun preparing for the return of routine. There is a particular kind of weariness that arrives at this point in the year, not dramatic enough to call exhaustion, but hard to ignore once noticed. It shows up in small ways first. An email left unread a little longer than usual. A sigh before answering the phone. The sense that the ease of recent weeks is being packed
away with the summer things, folded into the cupboard for another year. We call this getting back to normal, as though normal were simply waiting for us, unchanged, ready to be picked back up exactly where we left it. It rarely feels that way. Normal, it turns out, has weight. Meetings resume. Routines tighten. The quieter pace of summer gives way to something more scheduled, more demanding, more watched. The space that appeared in the longer days begins to shrink again. It is easy to assume this feeling belongs only to
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Health & Wellbeing households with children, the school run returning, uniforms found, routines reset. The return of normal, though, touches far more of us than that. Anyone whose days opened out over summer feels some version of this shift – the retired person settled into a gentler rhythm, the person between jobs grown used to unhurried mornings, the carer whose responsibilities never paused but whose support quietly did. We talk about getting back to normal as though it were simply administrative. Diaries refill. Emails return. Life resumes. Less often do we admit that part of us was, briefly, relieved to have less asked of us. The return of demand carries its own quiet sense of loss. Perhaps the honest version is this. Normal was never neutral. It always had a cost. We had simply grown used to paying it. Summer, whatever shape it took for you, may have offered a glimpse of a
lighter load. Its ending does not mean you have failed to hold on to that lightness. It means life is asking more of you again, and you are noticing the difference. There is nothing wrong with feeling the weight of that return. It does not mean you are ungrateful for your life, or unable to cope with it. It simply means you have noticed something true – ease and demand are not the same, and moving between them asks more of us than we admit. Perhaps that is worth remembering before deciding you should be coping better. The problem may not be that you have changed at all. Life may simply be asking more of you again. n Kay Parkinson is a psychotherapist and founder of Place to Talk Therapies. Counselling is available in person across Bournemouth, Ferndown and Burbage, and online across the UK. The Return Reflection and other wellbeing resources are available at https://payhip.com/ PLACETOTALK/collection/all
Many benefits of the humble blackberry by Fiona Chapman MY dogs are getting extremely bored with me on our walks. They do not understand why I am going so slowly when usually I stride around at the rate of knots! Blackberries – they are utterly delicious this year and abundant – and incredibly early. Breakfast has been blackberries and Tupperware boxes have been filled and the contents frozen for the winter. I have also put some with just-ripe apples for future crumbles. I even took my reluctant husband blackberrying. It ended up with him being as bored as the dogs, holding all the Tupperware while I did the picking to fill the containers and then practising golf swings with his walking stick! The juicy fruit makes you feel so well. Full of Vitamin C
for the immune system, and Vitamin K and manganese, which, among other things, are very good for bone health. Something I think we all need when we get older. They also contain anthocyanins, extremely effective antioxidants. These and polyphenols, also in this amazing little berry, are excellent for inflammation in the body caused by oxidative damage to the cells from pollution, our lifestyle, diet, stress and so on. Blackberries are also full of fibre, both insoluble, which makes them good for digestion and keeping regular bowel movements, and soluble, which attaches itself to bile in the digestive tract and helps to remove LDL’s, the bad cholesterol from our bodies. All these actions also help with the cardiovascular system, helping to control blood
pressure. And because they are very low in sugars – although tasting them this year, they are extremely sweet – they help to stabilise blood sugar levels – which stops the cravings, then dips, you have if you satisfy the cravings!. Tests have also been carried out on their ability to help cognitive function and their ability to prevent some cancers. It is all out there, growing in abundance and free. The only disadvantage to blackberries is getting a bit stung and scratched
picking them, the odd thorn or two and very black fingers, which are difficult to clean. I think, however, the benefits far outweigh the cons – it is such a peaceful thing to do and good for the soul to be outside quietly appreciating what nature has to offer. I try to tell my dogs this, but they still look at me with exasperation as I stop every few minutes by another bush! n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist – email Pellyfiona@gmail.com
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Home & Garden
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Sunshine in the garden: The joy of flowering salvias by Sally Gregson THIS glorious summer has been generous with flowers, none more so than those of the flowering salvias. These beauties, which were once quite unusual, now seem to fill the borders of every open garden this summer. Some of the best for our hot, dry, sunny summer are the hybrids of Salvia greggii. This species is native to the southern states of north America – south west Texas and into Mexico. It has that happy Mexican disposition. The colours of the flowers are bright and clear, reflecting the sunshine. Each individual flower lasts a short time, but every one that fades is replaced the following morning. The effect is joyous. This species, like so many salvias, flowers over a long period, tolerates long spells of
dry, sunny weather, and attracts lots of bees and butterflies. In south west USA it would be pollinated by hummingbirds. But perhaps that is a little too optimistic for Great Britain. Many gardeners are already quite familiar with Salvia greggii Hot Lips. Many plants have grown up to one metre in all directions, quite unfazed by our winters. Their bi-coloured flowers seem sometimes in some years to become all-white, or all red, and then the following year they are bi-coloured again. And some of the newer hybrids are equally floriferous. Salvia Mirage Cherry Red makes the classic red and green combination very successfully and seems to be equally hardy. And S. Mirage White also seems to be hardy and tough with big, bright white flowers. It is a plant that has already
Salvia Mirage Cherry Red makes the classic red and green combination very successfully
become a great favourite for our hot summer gardens. They benefit from being trimmed and tidied in spring – they get a little straggly over the course of our usual wet winters. But provided the soil is well drained, and the situation in full sun, they ‘come back’ well after their spring ‘haircut’. However, most ‘wise’ gardeners take a few cuttings
during the growing season and over-winter them on a sunny windowsill or under glass. ‘Just in case’. The softwood cuttings root easily and the little plants respond to being potted in spring. Keep the youngsters out of the way of any late spring frosts and the garden will be full of clear, bright colour again throughout next summer.
Drought-tolerant plants for summer gardens by Sally Gregson THIS summer is proving to be especially difficult for many gardens and gardeners. Not only the lack of rain, but the intensity of the heat is exceptional. But it is always possible to grow those plants that are suited to such conditions. Plants that come from southern Europe in particular have proven their ability to grow and flourish in these scorching temperatures. Beth Chatto’s dictum ‘the right plant in the right place’ has, as always, proven correct. She would be smiling to see all her sun-lovers growing away so happily. While we are a long way from her stamping-ground in Colchester, the dry heartland of Essex, we can see from the nursery’s website how well her planting is doing. Beth Chatto researched the
Beth Chato’s new gravel garden was planted to cope with a dry, hot summer
plants she put In, especially when she turned her car park into a dry garden. Famously she chose drought-tolerant plants such as silver-leaved lavenders, santolina and catmints that grow in dry, poor soils in full sun in their native habitats. She mixed them with shrubby Cistus and x Halimiocistus, and Osteospurmum, interspersed
with grasses and bulbs that naturally thrive on poor, dry soils. Chatto started in the winter by digging in plenty of garden compost and grit to put the compacted soil of the old car park in good heart. The plants were put in and initially watered very well to ‘set them up’ for what she thought was to come.
However, little did she know that the first summer would see record temperatures and drought – sound familiar? But she stuck to her plan. If a plant died, she mourned its passing but did not re-plant that particular one. And by the end of the first year the new gravel garden was declared a success. She never watered that area again. She had proved that by selecting plants that are naturally suited to their environment, gardeners could avoid lots of excessive, and expensive, watering. It had suddenly become completely unnecessary. The Dry Gravel Garden is now a template for anyone who gardens in similar conditions. As are all the other specialist areas of her lovely garden that is so up-to-the minute.
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
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dislikes being moved once established. Calendula CALENDULA, or pot marigold, is one of the most forgiving self-seeders around, tolerating poor soil and thriving in full sun. Its cheerful blooms last for months, and fresh seedlings tend to appear the following spring with little effort. Poppies POPPIES bring a burst of vivid colour and drift unpredictably around a garden year to year, since they resent being transplanted once settled. Left undisturbed, they’ll pop up in delightfully unexpected places each summer. Cornflowers CORNFLOWERS offer that classic cottage-blue colour and self-seed readily in sunny borders. Like poppies, they’re best sown directly and left to find their own spot. Larkspur OFTEN mistaken for its cousin delphinium, larkspur brings tall spires of blue, pink and white to the back of a border, dropping seed that germinates the following spring readily. Feverfew FEVERFEW’S small, daisylike flowers are a magnet for pollinators and self-seed generously throughout a border and are reliable, lowmaintenance colour that fills gaps without any encouragement. Forget-Me-Nots FORGET-ME-NOTS carpet borders in soft blue each spring, often appearing in gaps gardeners did not know were there, and are particularly good at filling awkward spots beneath shrubs.
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GARDENERS do not need years of experience, a big budget or even much of a plan to grow a cottage garden that looks like it belongs on a postcard. The secret is a handful of hardworking flowers that quite literally plant themselves by scattering seed at the end of summer and popping back up, often somewhere new, the following year. The team at British Garden Centres has put together this guide on the best self-seeding plants for the garden. Foxgloves NOTHING says cottage garden quite like the foxglove, with its tall spires of bell-shaped blooms rising above the border. A single plant scatters thousands of seeds when its pods dry and crack open in late summer, drifting on the wind to fill new corners the following year. Aquilegia ALSO known as granny’s bonnets, aquilegias produce nodding, delicate flowers in spring and tend to settle happily into a favoured spot, returning faithfully year after year, making it a reliable choice for a selfseeder that stays roughly where it’s planted. Verbena Bonariensis THIS tall, airy variety produces clusters of purple flowers that seem to float above the border, flowering well into autumn. It self-seeds freely and weaves through other cottage garden staples, adding height without bulk, and pollinators love it. Nigella ALSO called love-in-a-mist for its feathery foliage, nigella produces striking seed pods that stay attractive long after the flowers fade. It’s best left to self-seed where it falls, since it develops a long taproot and
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Antiques & Collectibles
Clock could make £3,000 DUKE’S auction house presents antique and modern gifts of distinction in next month’s Interiors & Design auction. Step inside Duke’s everevolving emporium, where history, artistry and craftsmanship come together in the Interiors & Design sale on Thursday, September 3. Featuring a carefully curated selection of fine art, period furniture and decorative objects, the sale offers everything from classical paintings and intriguing miscellanea to exquisite porcelain, silver and contemporary design. Each lot has its own story, bringing timeless elegance and character to any interior. A highlight is an exceptional Atmos Royale
Clock – pictured – estimated to sell for £1,500–£3,000. Celebrated for its ingenious engineering and refined design, it is a striking example of enduring craftsmanship. Duke’s Interiors & Design sale is more than an auction, it is a celebration of exceptional objects and their enduring appeal. Whether you’re an experienced collector or searching for a unique statement piece, this sale offers the opportunity to acquire treasures that will be admired for generations, continuing their remarkable stories in new homes. The full catalogue is now online at Dukes-auctions.com to view and bid.
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Forgotten gems of antique jewellery by Amy Brenan, director of Heirlooms Jewellers, 21 South Street, Wareham DIAMONDS, rubies and sapphires may dominate today’s jewellery designs, but some gemstones have since slipped from fashion, making their appearance in older jewellery all the more fascinating. Chrysoberyl was particularly popular during the Georgian and Victorian periods. Usually golden yellow or green, it has a bright sparkle and was often set in rings, brooches and clusters, but is now rarely seen in contemporary jewellery. Another forgotten favourite is zircon. This natural gemstone shouldn’t be confused with synthetic cubic zirconia which is very popular today. Colourless zircon was once valued for its brilliance and used as an alternative to diamond, while blue, golden and reddish-brown examples brought colour to antique designs. Victorian jewellers also made use of banded agates, including sardonyx and moss agate. Sardonyx, with its contrasting layers, was ideal for carving cameos, seals and intaglios. Moss agate, whose inclusions resemble tiny landscapes or foliage, suited the Victorians’ fascination with nature and symbolism. An example of sardonyx is pictured. This distinguished signet ring
A sardonyx signet ring ready to be engraved
is for sale in the shop and is waiting for someone to engrave their crest on it to reveal the white and orange layers of the stone. Rock crystal was another fashionable choice. This variety of quartz was carved, faceted or placed over painted miniatures, hairwork and sentimental messages. It could be dramatic while remaining more affordable than precious stones. I often discover fabulous examples of paste when doing valuations, although technically it is glass rather than a gemstone. High quality Georgian and Victorian paste was skilfully cut, foiled and set, creating jewel-like pieces that were prized in their own right. These less familiar materials give antique jewellery its individuality, showcasing craftsmanship and imagination.
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Arts & Entertainment
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Take a walk through Pavilion’s past...
VISITORS will have the rare opportunity to step behind the curtain at one of Bournemouth’s most iconic landmarks when Bournemouth Pavilion welcomes guests for heritage tours as part of Dorset Architectural Heritage Week 2026. The heritage event, organised annually by East Dorset Heritage Trust (EDHT), celebrates the county’s history through a programme of free and low-cost events, tours and activities held each September. Guided by Bournemouth Pavilion’s volunteer archivists, tours will take place throughout the day on Monday, September 14; Thursday, September 17; and Friday, September 18; providing an insight into the Grade II listed venue’s history, architecture and cultural significance. Guests will explore the theatre, ballroom and backstage areas while discovering stories from the venue’s 97-year history. The tour also includes a close-up look at original stage machinery dating back to the
Visitors will explore the theatre, ballroom and backstage areas at Bournemouth landmark during Dorset Architectural Heritage Week
1930s, alongside expert commentary and anecdotes that bring the Pavilion’s past to life. Places are limited and advance booking is recommended. Further information and booking details are available at ticketsource.co.uk/dahw2026 Bournemouth Pavilion is owned by BCP Council and operated by BH Live, a registered charity and social enterprise. On behalf of BH Live, entertainments and events manager Nicola Coney, said: “Bournemouth Pavilion has stood at the heart of the town’s cultural life for almost a century. Generations of residents and visitors have created lasting memories here,
whether attending world-class performances, community events, celebrations or conferences. “As we approach the venue’s centenary, we are proud to once again partner with Dorset Architectural Heritage Week to showcase the building’s heritage and reveal some of the fascinating spaces and stories that many visitors never get to see. “These tours provide a unique opportunity to explore the Pavilion from a different perspective and discover why it remains such an important part of the region’s cultural identity.” Opened in March 1929 by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, Bournemouth
Pavilion remains one of the south coast’s premier entertainment venues. Home to a 1,500-seat theatre and full-sized ballroom, it has welcomed many celebrated performers throughout its history, including actor Robert Donat, entertainer Billy Cotton and iconic comedian and musician George Formby. Today, Bournemouth Pavilion continues to host a year-round programme featuring West End musicals, ballet, opera, comedy, live music, pantomime, community performances and dance events. The venue is also a popular destination for conferences, exhibitions, gala dinners, awards ceremonies and corporate events. As Bournemouth Pavilion approaches its centenary in 2029, its dedicated team of archive volunteers is inviting residents and visitors to search their attics, basements, cupboards and collections for items that could help piece together the theatre’s story. Every artefact adds to the story of a building that has entertained generations and continues to inspire pride in Bournemouth. By sharing your treasures, you can help ensure that Bournemouth Pavilion’s legacy is preserved for the next 100 years.
Folk journey around the world by Bod Harris PURBECK Folk Club enjoyed another great night of live music when two very different acts provided something for everyone. First up were Rhythm and Roots, who took the audience on a journey of traditional music from around the world – starting in renaissance Europe, through the Yiddish music of the klezmer tradition to South America. Richard – accordion and vocals – and Barry – with an amazing collection of percussion instruments – have played
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Rhythm and Roots
together on and off for the last 50 years and their synchronicity and pleasure in playing together is obvious. Richard’s introductions dazzled the audience with his polyglot knowledge! A superb lively set. They were followed by Mark
Waistell, finger-picking a guitar and displaying his songwriting talent with his mellow voice. Many of his songs reflected his love of his home county of Devon. A slower calmer set to send the audience home. The next gig is on Thursday, September 3, when the folk club welcomes back Marine Club with their line-up of guitar, double bass and trumpet, and The Fieldcaps, for their debut at the club. The Fieldcaps are a duo who sing beautiful harmonies, accompanied by guitar and
shruti box. Another night of contrasting acts, so again something for everyone. The club is open to everyone and meets at Langton Matravers Village Hall. Doors open at 7.30 for an 8pm start. Admission is £8 – cash only – on the door, or by tickets bought online at https:// buytickets.at/ purbeckfolkclub/2352294 Collette and Richard’s pop-up cafe will be selling tea, coffee and home-made cakes. Glasses are provided for those who wish to bring their own drinks.
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Arts & Entertainment
purbeckgazette.co.uk
Summer Pops in the park THOUSANDS of revellers enjoyed the music on offer at Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Pops concerts in Meyrick Park – along with glorious weather, picnics and fireworks finales. The two-night event, attended by almost 7,000 people, featured symphonic and movie classics and 1990s smash hits. Now That’s What I Call Symphonic Music! on Friday celebrated big name composers from Stravinsky and Johann Strauss to Mussorgsky and Vaughan Williams, as well as blockbuster movie soundtrack champions John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Howard Shore. The evening also marked the conclusion of Calleva assistant conductor Enyi Okpara’s two-year tenure with the BSO. On Saturday it was the turn
of the BSO Pops Orchestra and four guest singers under the baton of popular conductor Pete Harrison to perform Symphonic Smash Hits – the 9Os! which included tracks by the likes of Robbie Williams, The Spice Girls, Blur, Oasis and Wet Wet Wet. Anthony Brown, BSO’s head of marketing and digital, said: “Our wonderful musicians proved yet again just how brilliantly versatile they are over two fantastic evenings of unforgettable music as we once again turned Bournemouth’s Meyrick Park into a fully functioning venue to accommodate top quality musicians and thousands of revellers.” He added: “It was a real buzz to see people come to the events laden with picnic baskets full of food and drink, tables, chairs and rugs – which was no mean feat in this heat
Rocking and rolling back the years
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL theatre show That’ll Be The Day will be taking in Weymouth, Yeovil and Bournemouth as part of a 36-date nationwide tour when it returns next month with a new production.
The show, which has entertained audiences for decades, combines live music, comedy and nostalgia, and celebrates iconic hits from the 1950s through to the 1980s. The production is refreshed
Nearly 7,000 revellers attended the two-night event
– as they took time out the everyday to create lasting memories together.” The orchestra performs weekly at Lighthouse Poole from September 30 until spring – and many of its symphonic concerts are also available to watch live and on-demand as Digital Concerts. Highlights of Bournemouth
Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming 2026/27 season include the launch of a two-year Beethoven series, the arrival of Grammy-award winning Thomas Adès as celebrated composer and Gramophone award-winning pianist Boris Giltburg as artist-in-residence – plus, the arrival of new Calleva assistant conductor, Michal Oren.
That’ll Be The Day will be at Weymouth, Yeovil and Bournemouth
with new content each year and has built a loyal fanbase across the UK – and raised more than £1 million for charities including Childline, Make-AWish and Help for Heroes. That’ll Be The Day is at the
Pavilion Theatre, Weymouth, on Saturday, September 2; Westlands Theatre, Yeovil, on Thursday, September 3; and the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth, on Friday and Saturday, September 4-5.
Model railway event now over two days
POOLE Model Railway Exhibition this autumn is being extended to two days. The event is at Corfe Hills School, the venue it used for the first time last year. Poole and District Model Railway Society has already
booked layouts in a variety of sizes, eras, scales and gauges. The emphasis is on quality ‘finescale’ layouts, some of which have featured in the model railway press and collected trophies at major national and regional shows.
The event will also include demonstrations of modelling techniques and trade stands selling new and secondhand trains, accessories and tools, and society information stands. Poole Model Railway Exhibition is on Saturday and
Sunday, October 17-18, 10am-4.30pm. Entry is £8 adults, accompanied children under 16 free (cash or card taken on door). Wheelchair friendly, light refreshments, free car park.
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Spotlight Diary
Arts & Entertainment London vocal ensemble Siglo de Oro are coming to Dorchester
Rising stars on choral scene THE outstanding London vocal ensemble Siglo de Oro, and their conductor Patrick Allies, will give the first concert in the new season of performances at St Peter’s Church in Dorchester. Siglo de Oro are rising stars on the international choral scene with a recent Wigmore Hall residency, tours of the US and Canada, and concert and festival appearances throughout the UK and Europe. At their performance in Dorchester on Friday, September 4, at 7pm, they will present Stargazing, an ethereal programme of choral works from across the ages, including works by James MacMillan, Taverner and Monteverdi.
Tickets are £20 and available online at ticketsource.co.uk/st-peterschurch-dorchester Music at St Peter’s presents a busy schedule of choral services, recitals and concerts each year. Season highlights include a candlelit performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations by the Royal College of Music harpsichord scholar Markus Sandler in November, and a performance of Handel’s Messiah given by the Choir & Orchestra of Music at St Peter’s in December. Full details and the autumn music brochure are available from the Music at St Peter’s website, www.musicatstpeters dorchester.org
Play time is supper time BROADSTONE Players are set to stage their ever popular Plays ‘n’ Chips event, a tradition they have been upholding for over 30 years. Audiences sit at tables, watch three one-act plays and enjoy a hot supper and a raffle. This year’s plays are all comedies and showcase several actors new to Broadstone, as well as three directors making their debut with the Players. Plays ‘n’ Chips is at
Broadstone War Memorial Hall theatre on Fridays and Saturdays, September 4-5, and 11-12, and includes a hot supper in the price of £16. A matinee will be staged on Saturday, September 5, at 2.15pm, with a Dorset cream tea included in the £13 ticket price. A licensed bar will be on offer. Tickets are available from honsec@broadstoneplayers. co.uk or phone 01202 678449.
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Diary entries are £6 plus VAT per entry. The deadline for the September 14 issue is NOON on Thursday, September 3. Call us on 01963 400186 or email adverts@blackmorevale.net.
Please call prior to attending events listed to ensure they are still on.
SEPTEMBER 2026 TUESDAY 19.30
SWANAGE CHOIR THE BELVEDERE SINGERS is seeking new members. We rehearse most Tuesdays in term time from 7.30-9.30pm at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Swanage. Singers can try us out for free. A very warm welcome awaits. There are no auditions! Email thebelvederesingers@gmail.com for more information or call Linda on 07943 442919
WEDNESDAY 19.00
WAREHAM DISTRICT RESPONDS TO THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY meeting Wednesday 9th September at 7pm in Not Just Sundaes, South Street, Wareham, to plan a Wareham District People’s Assembly. Email info@sustainablewareham.org.
FRIDAY 14.00
BINGO AT CAREY HALL, Mistover Road, Wareham BH20 4BY, 14.00-15.40.
SATURDAY 18.30
WHIST DRIVE at St Mary’s Church, Rectory Classroom, Swanage. Every Saturday. Tea and coffee provided. Very friendly group. Contact Richard: 01929 553516
SUNDAY 13.00
AUTUMN QUIZ at Carey Hall, Mistover Road, Wareham BH20 4BY, 13.00-15.00. All welcome. £3 for quiz and hot drink. Bring a picnic.
HUNGRY NOW? Your business could be here for as little as £24 per week...
*Based on our fortnightly rate for a 5x2 advert
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The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
Wanted
Local Services
BOOKS HARDBACK, FOUNTAIN PENS, coins and stamps, costume jewellery. Cash paid. Tel Mr Jones 01202-733550.
Local Services DIGITAL AERIAL UPGRADES
Deadline to place your advert for 14th Sept edition is Friday 4th Sept - 10am
• SKY & FREESAT INSTALLATIONS
General Builder
EXTENSIONS, KITCHENS, BRICKWORK, PATIOS, FENCING, PLASTERING, DECORATING, ROOF REPAIRS & CHIMNEYS adspropertysvcs@gmail.com Andy Smith 07743 440 906
Ian Michie TREE CARE
Professional & skilled arborists
Tel: 01929 554281
• LCD/PLASMA SALES & REPAIRS
Mobile: 07837024558
www.ianmichietreecare.com
ROB PARRY
• WALL MOUNTING & INSTALLATION SERVICE
purbeckgazette.co.uk BUILDING & CARPENTRY
• HEATPUMPS/AIR CONDITIONING
Renovations, Loft Conversions and Extensions Kitchens and Wardrobes Windows and Doors
WAREHAM
All aspects of building and carpentry
01929 554692
A.D.S. PROPERTY SERVICES
Rob 07973400297
Robparrybuildingandcarpentry @gmail.com
Advertise with us
LOCKSMITH
Get a quote UPVC Multipoint & Wooden Door Lock Specialist. Locks & Safes, Repaired, Replaced, Opened or Serviced. Additionaltoday Security for Garages & Gates, Key Safes, Antique Locks & keys. Vehicle Opening, Remote Spare Keys, Restricted Key Systems. 07714 289408
07709 545701 (24/7) www.parrottlocks.co.uk
paul@parrottlocks.co.uk
Michael B. Alberry
DECORATOR DRAIN UNBLOCKING Property Decoration & Renovation
07796 640538 Camera Surveys All drains unblocked
Painting and Decorating Interior and Exterior Repairs to Walls / Plaster / Render/ Doors / Windows / Skirting Woodwork / Furniture Painting / Re Finishing - Fully Insured
Richard Andrews Decor 07736 283397 Milborne St Andrew richardandrewsdecor@gmail.com
Advertising made
simple
01963 400186 adverts@purbeckgazette.co.uk
SOOTY THE SWEEP Local Full Time Chimney Sweep for 40 years Nacs, Hetas, City & Guilds Qualified Be safe! Reliable Advice Given
Covering All of Dorset
01929 424882
Drain Repairs & Installations Local family business 24/7
All chimneys and flues swept Woodburner Servicing Cowls, bird nets, pots, etc. Grates, fire tools, Kiln dried LOGS, All aspects of Tree Surgery CCTV Surveys, Insured and certificates given.
NJA Specialist Tree Care
Hedgework 01929 666 226 OR 01305&70 55 60 undertaken
Fully insured and NPTC Qualified 01929 554700/427427 www.dorsetdrainunblocking.co.uk Free Quotations and advice www.sootythesweep.com
07703 210647 or 01929 481600
CORBIN FENCING CORBIN FENCING
Local Family Run Business A LocalAFamily Run Business Est. 1991 Est. 1991 types of of fencing AllAlltypes fencing supplied and erected supplied and erected
Garden Agricultural Security Garden Agricultural Security Panels Closeboard Picket Gates Panels Closeboard Picket and Gates Rail Post andStock Rail Post Fence Chain Link Stock Fence Chain Link Steel Railings Palisade Railings Steel Palisade All Areas Covered All Areas Covered www.corbin-fencing.co.uk www.corbin-fencing.co.uk Please call Jim orcall Claire on or Claire on Please Jim TEL: 01929 07774/207924 TEL: 552061/MOB: 01929 552061 MOB: 07774 207924
SWANAGE & DORSET
SCAFFOLDING & ROOFING
All aspects of Residential & Commercial Scaffolding Flat Roofing – All Roofing Repair Work - Re-Roofs Slate & Tile Foam Removal – Works Carried Out With Care Free Quotations & Emergency Call Outs Fully Insured
OUR PRICE WON’T BE BEATEN
07813 346993 01929 424553 01258 858214
The Purbeck Gazette, August 31, 2026
31
Local Services
purbeckgazette.co.uk
Call for a realistic quote 01929 421663 07768 660833 Re-pointing Roofing Wall tie replacement Cavity cleaning Tray & lintel replacements Facias & Guttering
Manufacturers of Purpose-made Hard & Softwood Joinery
01202 622441
CMS ELECTRICAL REPAIRS Oven & washing machine repairs
• Washing Machines • Electric Cookers • Dishwashers • Fridges • Tumble Dryers • Freezers - SPECIALISTS IN SOURCING NEW APPLIANCES -
Contact Colin Shailer: 01929 554809 • 07711 165062 colinshailer@gmail.com
info@elegantjoinery.co.uk www.elegantjoinery.co.uk
COUNTRYSIDE TREE SURGEONS
Professionals specialising in all aspects of Tree & Hedge Care by Fully Insured NPTC Certified Tree Surgeons. TREE SURGERY • HEDGE TRIMMING STUMP GRINDING • SITE CLEARANCE FELLING & FENCING
ESTABLISHED 25 YEARS Mobile: 07979 447777 Email: waynepippo@gmail.com
Plumbing and Heating Engineers
Boiler Installations, services and repairs General plumbing, Bathrooms and Landlord gas safety certificates Covering Swanage and the surrounding areas
07584 260838
TILES & BATHROOMS SUPPLY & INSTALLATION OF YOUR NEW DREAM BATHROOM Large modern showroom with inspirational displays
Bathroom Design & Planning
Tile supply & Installaaon
Mobility Bathrooms Bath Out - Shower in
Bespoke Shower Screens & Trays Professional In-House Fiing Team Karndean Supply & Installaaon Full Project Management
Unit 9, Justin Business Park, Sandford Lane, Wareham BH20 4DY
01929 551963
www.roomh2o.co.uk
• PC & Laptop hardware upgrade & repair • Windows & Apple Mac software issues fixed • Virus and Malware removal and prevention • Wi-Fi, Internet, Email, printer issues resolved Call Pete on: • Computer Cleanup & Health Check 01929 421989 • Data recovery & Backup or 07900 992110 Email: info@whizzbits.co.uk • Local with over 20 years experience www.whizzbits.co.uk
The latest hearing aids from ALL manufacturers! • 25 years of experience • £0 deposit available • Up to 3 years to pay Fully qualified wax removal available in all clinics.
Haven Hearing
Abbey Hearing
34 Haven Road Canford Cliffs BH13 7LP
1 Tudor Arcade Dorchester DT1 1BN
dorchester@abbeyhearing.co.uk 01305 602240
3 Cheapside House High Street Gillingham, SP8 4AA
gillingham@abbeyhearing.co.uk 01747 470500
reception@havenhearing.co.uk 01202 878969
Craf Craft
Di Diverse erse Abili Abilities ies
Cl Club
Switch off your phone and join an evening of crafts maybe even discover a new hobby. Our Craft Club evenings are beginner friendly, open to all, and the perfect excuse for a catch up. Indian Block Printing
Thurs 10th Sept @ The Treehouse
Dried Flower Garlands
Tues 29th Sept @ Brother’s Farm
Seaglass Art
Thurs 15th Oct @ The Treehouse
LUSH Bath Bombs
Tues 3rd Nov @ LUSH Green Hub
Book online: diverseabilities.org.uk/events