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FREE ADS FOR PRIVATE SELLERS
Need to clear out after Christmas? Send us your items for sale!
Classified ads from private sellers are FREE in the West Dorset Magazine (usually up to £100). For January and February we are extending this offer to ANYTHING (legal) you have for sale – cars, houses, sheep... You simply have to be a private seller. Up to 50 words. Simply email your ad with what you are selling and your number and location to classifieds@westdorsetmag.co.uk or give us a call on 01305 566336 #3.
FOR SALE FOR SALE
This shot of ninemonth-old Rottweiler Ruby on her daily stroll around Portland was submitted by reader Lucinda Helms, who wrote: “Please could Ruby go on your page 3? I think she is stunning but I’m very biased.”
Buy shares in pub
Villagers fighting to save their 400-year-old pub have launched a shares offer, to boost their fundraising. The Friends of the Elm Tree Inn in Langton Herring have raised nearly £300,000 of the £600,000 they need to reopen the pub, which closed in December 2023.
Now they hope to raise the rest by offering shares in the business, which was once a thriving country inn popular among both tourists and locals. A similar scheme enabled villagers to buy The Martyrs Inn in Tolpuddle last year. For a prospectus and application forms email friendsoftheelmtree@gmail.com or go to friendsoftheelmtree.org
You can also call Peter Hughes on 07747 778483 or request a postal application form from him at Lerret Cottage, Shop Lane, Langton Herring DT3 4HX.
Horses for seven courses
A beloved Dorchester café owner celebrated 20 years at a landmark building in the town, with a seven-course lunch for his biggest supporters. John Fiori laid on the Italian feast at The Horse With The Red Umbrella after a great year, in which he received the overall Dorchester and Poundbury business award, plus the Best Place to Work award and the My Favourite Business Award.
l Elite pedigree breeding & pet stock for sale.
l Help obtaining planning permission for a dwelling based on alpacas.
After 12 years of wrangling, vintage
By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk
A popular trading estate in Bridport, home to the town’s lively antique and vintage quarter, is to finally get the transformation it deserves after 12 years of planning wrangles.
St Michael’s has long been a bustling commercial area, full of traders offering an Aladdin’s cave of unusual items. But the hotchpotch of buildings from different eras, in differing states of disrepair, has been a frustration for its owners.
Now the area is to be subject to much-needed investment, with 92 homes – 48 houses and 35 apartments – plus new and refurbished commercial floor space, associated car parking and new vehicular and pedestrian accesses. Some commercial units will be demolished and others –including some historically important buildings – will be
refurbished.
A flood wall next to the tower will be repaired.
Senior conservation and design officer Kate Williams said: “The proposed redevelopment of St Michael’s Trading Estate has been long standing and it is positive to see the heritage assets being retained and utilised more sensitively.”
Part of the scheme, which comprises eight one-bed, 60 two-bed, 11 three-bed and 13 four-bed dwellings, including 14 ‘affordable’ one and two-
HOTCH POTCH: How St Michael’s Trading Estate in Bridport currently looks
bed flats. The affordable homes, which will all be in the main St Michael’s Lane building, make up just 15% of the total – far less than the recommended 35%. However planners accepted any more would not be viable. Planners concluded: “The less than substantial harm to designated and non-designated heritage assets would be outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal.”
And they said: “The reduced quantum of affordable housing has been rigorously assessed
and found to be acceptable due to viability.”
They also said: “Whilst the proposal would result in a net loss of employment floorspace, the new build and refurbished spaces represents a qualitative improvement and would meet the needs of small businesses resulting in a netgain in employment overall.”
The back story of the site has been of frustration. In June 2009 175 dwellings were refused and a slightly reduced plan for 173 homes was refused in August 2009.
In 2012 a version of the current plans was submitted, and they have been back and forth for 12 years, being deferred again in 2017 before finally being approved last month, to the relief of councillors and owners, Hayward & Co.
St Michael’s Trading Estate falls entirely within the Bridport Conservation Area,
quarter is set for major investment
and has a number of listed buildings.
The estate is next to the River Brit, and Historic England describes it as “a nationally significant area of historic textiles activity which underpins the raison d’etre of the town and plays an important part in defining the character and appearance of the town and its conservation area”.
Historic England adds: “While certain buildings, such as
Priory Mills and the Bridport Industries Works, are notable and architecturally distinctive landmarks, much of the surviving historic estate spans a considerable period of time, is simple and spare in its vernacular, and capable of being easily overlooked in the value of its contribution to the significance of the site as a whole. The total is therefore greater than the sum of its parts.”
Martin Ridley of Hayward &
ARTIST’S IMPRESSION:
How the redeveloped St Michael’s site could look, left, and above, the original vision for St Michael’s House
Co said: “We always say part of St Michael’s uniqueness is its diversity – not just being fortunate enough to have a ‘broad church’ of business types but also tenants of all ages with a wide variety of backgrounds and business models. It all adds to our uniqueness, along with our riverside/town centre location.”
St Michael’s Trading Estate started to take shape in the 19th century, part of the
cordage and rope industry the town is famed for.
The area was extensively developed as an area for net, twine and rope production in the late 19th century and first half of the 20th century.
Following the decline of the cordage and rope industry, the site evolved to support a range of commercial premises and workshops, becoming the St Michael’s Trading Estate in 1967.
Planners said: “There are a high number of vacancies and unlettable units. It is clear the estate is in dire need of investment and regeneration to breathe new life into the buildings and establish a flourishing ecosystem of employment uses once again.”
The affordable housing must be started before the first open market home is sold, and all the affordable homes have to be completed before half the rest of the homes are finished.
Whasson? (and
where’s it to?)
NO MATTER WHERE IT’S TO,
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8
Bridport Camera Club will be meeting at the town hall, DT6 3LF at 7pm for a talk by acclaimed wildlife photographer and author Richard Peters, entitled Back Garden Safari. Known his use of dramatic light, he shows how even the
most common wildlife found on your doorstep can produce unique images. Visitors welcome for £5 available from bridportcameraclub.co.uk
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9
Sherborne Historical Society will hear from Dr James Ross
JAN GIGS: Thurs 9th 7pm OPEN MIC NIGHT. Sat 11th 7pm FIRSTY FERRETS - Rob McIllroy’s birthday bash. Wed 15th
8pm JAZZ JAM. Sat 18th 7pm HAPPY SUNDAYS. Sat 25th 7pm ISLE 45. FEBRUARY GIGS: Sat 1st 7pm THE FEW. Sun 2nd
4pm LONGSTAY FROM SCOTLAND. Sat 8th 7pm tba. Sun 9th
4pm DAVE MANNING – CAMPERVAN PIANO MAN. Thurs 13th
7pm OPEN MIC WITH SI GENARO. MARCH GIGS: Sun 9th 4pm MARKY DAWSON. Thurs 13th 7pm OPEN MIC WITH SI GENARO. Sat 15th 7pm THE 44S. Sat 22nd 7pm ECHO THEORY.
on Henry VI and the Origins of the Wars of the Roses at 8pm at Digby Hall, Hound Street. How did Henry VI's priorities as king diverge from what was expected of medieval monarchs, leading to the collapse of political society and the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses? Visitors £5. For more information go to sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk
Sherborne & District Gardeners’ Association will meet at the Digby Hall, Hound Street at 2.30pm to hear from Castle Gardens on pests and disease control. Non-members
£3. Contact Richard Newcombe on 01935 389375.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 10
A free guided health walk will start from Higher Bockhampton (DT2 8QH) at 10am. The walks, every Friday, are approximately 60 mins and led by trained volunteer leaders. Just turn up outside Hardys Birthplace Visitors Centre.
The Oddfellows are holding a coffee and get together with bring and buy at Crossways Village Hall 10.30am to noon. This is open to all and whilst not
22 & 23 FEBRUARY 2025
A rare opportunity to peek behind the scenes of a working heritage railway.
Whasson? (and where’s
THE LIGHT SPIRITUALIST CHURCH, PRESTON, DT3 6BH
n Jan and Feb Sunday healing
5.30 service 6.30, all welcome,
n We embrace all faiths & genders, recognising the worth & divinity of each and every soul.
a fundraiser, it has, through donations raised a large sum of money to be divided between Julia’s House, Children’s Hospice and ‘Doc Bikes’ – a charity that sends paramedics out on motorbikes to attend road traffic accidents, particularly those involving bikes. The statistics Doc Bikes presented to us were truly shocking.
The White Lion Broadwindsor (DT8 3QD) is holding an open mic night from 8.30pm. All performers welcome. Food by Tikka Trak 5pm to 8pm. Email: entertainment@whitelionbroad windsor.co.uk
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Bovington Camp. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
A January sale shopping evening is being held at Church Farm in Purse Caundle, near Sherborne (DT9 5DY) from 6pm-9pm.
Meet makers and designers selling their products along with music, wine, cider and new year bargains. More info at laycockcider.co.uk
The Trading Post at Wyke Regis Horticultural Society, Rylands Lane, will be open on Saturdays 9.30am-12.30pm and Wednesdays 2pm-4pm from today. Seed potatoes should be in.
Bridport & District Model Railway Club is holding an exhibition at The Public Hall, Fleet Street, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3EF, from 10am4pm.
n Weekly Sunday Services
n Free Healing
n Free Parking: Level access to all areas of the hall.
n Development circles/talks
Admission £5, U16 £3, accompanied children free. Cash or card. Full disabled access, car park nearby and light refreshments all day. 20 layouts, demonstrations and trade stands. Contact Ken Banks on 07484 213267 or kenbanksrailway@gmail.com
Repair café: Bring your broken items for repair by volunteers in return for a donation from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Top Club, Louviers Road, Weymouth DT3 6AY.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
St Mary's Church, Dorchester DT1 2HL. Words and music to celebrate the New Year with the Serendipity Recorder Consort 4.30-5.30 pm preceded by tea at 4pm. Admission is free, but donations are invited in aid of the church roof.
The Oddfellows are holding their branch meeting at 7pm at the ‘Sleeping Bear’ (Formerly the Wessex Royale’ Hotel in High West Street, Dorchester
Plough Sunday is an occasion to celebrate rural life and an opportunity to thank God for all those who care for the land. This is being held at Puncknowle Manor Farm Grain Store, DT2 9BX at 3pm by kind permission of Sarah Wild. Go along to think about those who work on the land and produce food in this and other communities. Parking at the farm and plenty of refreshments.
MONDAY, JANUARY 13
David Taylor will be the speaker at the meeting of Dorchester Townswomen’s Guild in Dorchester Community Church, Liscombe Street,
n Soul Cafe/coffee mornings incl. grief/bereavement support group
n Special events
facebook.com/thelightspiritualistchurch
Mobile Phone: 07349 287547
Poundbury, DT1 3DF. Visitors are very welcome to attend (£3). His talk is ‘Ancient Tunnels in Dorchester’ and follows a short business meeting and cups of tea or coffee. Enquiries 01305 832857.
Sunshine for January in the south of France is the title of art lectures about beautiful Bonnard, Picasso's response to the south of France & Leger and lesser known artists Jacqueline Marval and Carlos Nadal, Mondays, 2pm, January 13, 20 and 27 at United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport Or Fridays, 2pm, online, January 17, 24 and 31. Fee: £39 for three lectures, or £13 for individual ‘drop in' lectures. To book email chris.pamsimpson@btinternet.c om
Do you write? Would you like to be a writer? Whatever you want to write why not come and learn with creative writing group Chesil Bank Writing Shed? New writers always welcome. 7pm-9pm, Portesham Village Hall. Find out more by calling Linda on 01305 871802 or visit lindaph.co.uk
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14
Blackmore Vale U3A is hosting Paul’s Grand Winter Quiz. Doors open for refreshments at 2.15pm at Henstridge Village Hall BA8 QD. blackmorevale.u3asite.uk
Southill Gardening Club starts its 2025 programme of meetings with a talk by Dr Dave Aplin entitled Dave Aplin’s Horticultural Exploits at 7.30pm in Southill Community Centre. Dr Aplin is an experienced leader in the fields of botany
and horticulture with over 35 years’ experience in nursery development, plant propagation, interpretation, and the development of curated plant collections. Non-members are welcome and refreshments will be available.
For more information ring Nigel Smith on 01305 788939.
A divine union soundbath is being held 9pm-10.30pm at Digby Memorial Hall, (Griffiths Room), Digby Rd, Sherborne DT9 3LN, £16.
Book on 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com Last minute booking queries or cancellations 07798 530515.
West Dorset Ramblers, 8 miles walk East from Salway Ash and Melplash. To book and for details please call 07952 517764.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16
The New Arts Group will be hosting a talk at Bridport Town Hall from 1.30pm for 2pm start. The Object Talk with speaker Marc Allum, with people bringing small antiques and curios for him to discuss.
Neil Lucas, the UKs leading ornamental grass specialist, will be giving a talk at the Bridport and District Gardening Club at its meeting at the Women’s Institute Hall in North Street Bridport at 7.30pm.
Neil is the director of Knoll Gardens and has been developing his naturalistic style for over 29 years.
In the talk he will explore the use of grasses in designed spaces from naturalistic style of meadows and prairies to rain
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Bridport Auction
Whasson?
(and where’s
gardens and alternative lawns offering environmentally conscious gardeners a mix of nature friendly informal design and easy maintenance. £2 for non-members. Info at bridportgardeningclub.co.uk
A quiz night is being held at The Fleet Club in Fleet Street, Beaminster, from 7.30pm in aid of the Prout Bridge Project. Teams of up to four people, £2.50 per person, tickets from Yarn Barton Information Centre, or Anita Smith on 07802 734976. The event is being hosted by the Beaminster Royal British Legion.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18
A White Tara Healing Retreat will be held 10.30am-4.30pm at Oborne Village Hall, DT9 4LA, with Anna Howard and Dean Carter. Known for her ability to bring swift healing, good health, and wisdom, White Tara is a key figure in Tibetan Buddhism. In this day retreat they will introduce you to her in detail,
then working with guided visualisation, meditation, and the therapeutic pure sounds of crystal and Tibetan bowls. £80/60 concs for the day. Book in advance via 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com Anna’s website is at white-tara.co.uk
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19
An open-mic poetry afternoon due to be held at The Occasional Bookshop, Durngate Street, Dorchester has been cancelled.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21
The White Lion Broadwindsor (DT8 3QD) is holding a folk session at 7.30pm.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22
The White Lion Broadwindsor (DT8 3QD) is holding a bingo night. Eyes down at 7.30pm. Cash prizes.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23
Sherborne Historical Society is holding a memorial lecture by Matthew Saunders – The
Almshouse in Britain: an architectural history at 8pm, Digby Hall, Hound Street. The story of housing the needy in buildings of beauty and presence over the last 1,000 years.
Members free, visitors £5. sherbornehistorical society.co.uk
West Dorset Ramblers, 5 miles walk around Bridport , west and north areas. To book and for details please call 07952 517764.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25
The White Lion Broadwindsor (DT8 3QD) is holding a Burns Night celebration. Call 01308
867070 to book.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 26
Netherbury Repair Café will be held 10am-12pm at Netherbury Village Hall. Bring your broken things (and any spare parts you know you need) – as long as you can carry it, we will take a look at it. Repairs and café with a full range of Clipper teas and cakes (including vegan). Contact: Lisa Willis lisagracewillis@gmail.com
A divine union soundbath will be held 2pm-4pm at Oborne Village Hall, DT9 4LA, costing £16. Book via 01935 389655 or
email ahiahel@live.com Last minute booking queries or cancellations 07798 530515.
MONDAY, JANUARY 27
Bridport: Abbotsbury Swannery – A Year through my Lens. An illustrated talk by Charlie Wheeler, manager of the Swannery and warden of the Chesil and Fleet Nature Reserve. Charlie has worked at the Swannery for 18 years and his talk documents the first territorial fights, courtship and egg laying, to cygnets hatching, the moult and the first faltering flights of the juveniles. United
Church Main Hall, East Street, Bridport at 2.30pm. Members £3, Visitors £5. National Trust Golden Cap Association. Contact: Mike Nicks 01308 45855.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28
West Dorset Ramblers, 5 miles walk from Weymouth to Ferrybridge, To book and for details please call 07947 881635 Bridport U3A talk at 2pm in Bridport United Church Hall, East Street, DT6 3LJ. Entitled Now I Belong to Me,
speaker Christine Wallach will describe her life after being born into a religious sect. Christine met her husband there and they had seven children together. After two of her sons broke the rules by visiting a cinema the whole family was thrown out. Her talk will describe life before and after the ejection, and how she built a new and successful life.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29
cerneabbasvillagehall.org.uk | 07508 039 280
The Oddfellows are holding a coffee and chat session at the King’s Arms, High East Street, Dorchester from 10am to noon. All are welcome and a hot beverage is provided with additional hot snacks and food available.
Ray Wills, the Gypsy Poet, will give a free talk and poetry reading at Poole Library from 2pm-3pm. All welcome.
The White Lion Broadwindsor (DT8 3QD) is hosting Broadwindsor Music Club. 8.30pm.
Email: ian@recordvault.co.uk
The new Live Laugh Love Ladies Club is meeting 7pm9pm at Crossroads, 1 Crown Square, Poundbury. For details, to book and membership information contact Sally 07703 171545 or email sallyannchilds slade@gmail.com
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31
Dorchester: Join awardwinning historian Tom Holland for a talk exploring Rome’s Colosseum and gladiatorial combat 6pm-7pm at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery. When the Colosseum was inaugurated in AD 80, it was not only the largest permanent arena in Rome, but the only one. Why had it taken the Romans so long to erect such a monument in the heart of their capital? What were the origins of gladiatorial combat, and why had they inhibited the construction of a stone arena in Rome for centuries? How did the inaugural games staged in the Colosseum offer to spectators a
vision of the heavens? And why, as viscera spilled out into the sands of the great amphitheatre, did the watching emperor pray that the dead of Pompeii and Herculaneum would be content with the offering of blood? This event is part of the public programme supporting the British Museum Partnership Exhibition with Colchester + Ipswich Museums: Gladiators of Britain (open January 25 to May 11 at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery).
Tom Holland is an awardwinning historian, translator and broadcaster. He is co-presenter of the world’s most popular history podcast, The Rest is History.
Email your events to newsdesk@westdorsetmag.co.uk
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Mike Denham (piano) Steve Graham (reeds) and Trevor Whiting (trumpet) form Elite Syncopation at Weymouth Bay Methodist Church at 7.30pm. Tickets £12 on door or £10 in advance from Pete 01305 812637.
Compton Valence Snowdrops are out! Enjoy a wander round, with lunches and teas at the village hall from today until Sunday, February 9, 11am3.30pm.
Walk/drive through the beautiful village and see the stunning white drifts of snowdrops.
To book contact Tessa Russell on 01308 482227 or 07818 037184, or email tessa@cvfarms.co.uk
Pre booked guests will take priority as the hall is small. In bad/icy weather it may not be open. Cash only.
West Dorset Ramblers, 8 mile circular walk on coast and country in Ringstead area. To
book and for details phone 07974 756107.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 6 mile walk from Tibbs Hollow, near Bradford Peverell. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340.
New members/visitors welcome.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Dorchester-Bayeux Society will show Populaire at Dorchester Corn Exchange at 7.30pm. The utterly charming story of a girl from a Normandy village who finds a route to stardom and freedom via typing competitions. Based in 1958 it is a stylish, fun French film to chase away the January Blues. (2012)
Films are open to all and have English subtitles. £6 cash on the door. Doors open 6.45pm. Bar available.
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• 14 15 FEBRUARY ENSEMBLE HESPERI
Magdalena Loth-Hill VIOLIN Mary-Jannet Leith RECORDERS
Florence Petit CELLO Thomas Allery HARPSICHORD
• 14 15 MARCH ALASDAIR BEATSON PIANO
• 11 12 APRIL MIKELEIZ-ZUCCHI DUO
David Zucchi SAXOPHONE
Iñigo Mikeleiz-Berrade ACCORDION
• 9 10 MAY TRIO ANIMA
Rosalind Ventris VIOLA — Anneke Hodnett HARP
Matthew Featherstone FLUTE
• 27 28 JUNE MATHIS ROCHAT VIOLA & ERDEM MISIRLIOĞLU PIANO
• 11 12 JULY COLIN SCOBIE VIOLIN & JÂMS COLEMAN PIANO
Dorchester and District Gardening Club will hold a talk by Bryan Madders on salvias and other summer flowering perennials. The club has a new venue – the United Church Hall, entrance from 49/51 Charles Street, Dorchester DT1 1EE. Doors open at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start, free entry for members, visitors £4 on the door. There is also a bring and buy stall and a draw, with tea/coffee and biscuits available afterwards. All welcome. Contact Jane, secretary 01305 268523 or dorchestergardening@gmail.com
The White Lion Broadwindsor (DT8 3QD) is holding a Pub Quiz hosted by Rick and Sara.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Sherborne Historical Society welcomes Prof Julian Jackson talking about Hero or Traitor: The Trial of Marshal Pétain at 8pm at Digby Hall, Hound Street. This talk examines the history of resistance and collaboration in Occupied France through the prism of the trial of Marshal Pétain in 1945. Members free, visitors £5. sherborne historicalsociety.co.uk
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8
A Mind Body Spirit Fayre at Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne DT9 3AA with psychic mediums, tarot, therapists, stalls a tombola plus free, medium demonstrations. Homemade cake served all day. Entry £1, children free.
£6.50, includes glass of wine, beer or soft drink. Book at parishofwykeregis.org.uk/events or call Jeff on 07710 096174.
The West Dorset Group of the Somerset & Dorset Family History Society is meeting at 2pm at Loders Village Hall, DT6 3SA for its annual business meeting and members’ own stories and research. Hear of the highlights of members’ research over the last year (or so), the triumphs and failures, the new websites you’ve discovered, new contacts you’ve made, in fact anything however brief, that you like to share. It doesn’t have to be long, in fact short is good! See sdfhs.org/events
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Beaminster. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Sherborne & District Gardeners’ Association will meet at the Digby Hall, Hound Street at 2.30pm to hear from Jonny Hartnell on orchids. Nonmembers £3. Contact Richard Newcombe on 01935 389375.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Repair café: Bring your broken items for repair by volunteers for a donation from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Top Club, Louviers Road, Weymouth DT3 6AY.
Film night: An Inconvenient Truth Wyke Regis Memorial Hall, 7pm. American documentary film. Eloquently and thoughtfully weaves the science of global warming with former US Vice President Al Gore’s personal history and lifelong commitment to reversing global climate change. Entry:
Poundbury Rotary Club is holding a quiz night in aid of the Nepal Water Project at the Brownsword Hall, with rounds inspired by TV game shows including The Chase, Tipping Point and Mastermind – doors open 7pm. £12 per person to include a buffet, bring your own booze. Book via Peter Noble at pjwnoble@gmail.com
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Symondsbury. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Coffee morning, All Saints church, Wyke Regis. 10am to noon. All welcome for coffee, tea, cakes, Fairtrade, books etc.
Someone has taken a seat, but who
By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk
A beautiful, bespoke piece of furniture has disappeared from Dorchester’s town centre – and people want to know why.
The 11 metres of lovely, windy-windy oak bench outside Waitrose in Tudor Arcade was installed in 2012 – the work of Simon Thomas Pirie, who is based at Rogers Hill Farm, near Briantspuddle.
Its unique snaking design allowed many people to have a rest while shopping and provided a social space too. It was made from locally grown oak from the Ilchester Estate.
Simon wrote: “Since fitting the bench in early May 2012 we have heard and witnessed all sorts of lovely feedback. “The seat is very well used
by people of all ages, at lunchtimes and on sunny days it is often completely full. One of the nicest stories we have heard is of a large extended family pretending to be on a bus with dad walking along the bench issuing tickets to the children. In 15 years of making furniture professionally it’s the story which has given me most pleasure.”
The bench was crafted using a combination of very hightech CNC manufacturing and the low-tech discipline of steam bending. The contrasting finishes of the natural oak chair elements next to the black scorched and scrubbed oak of the curving bench slats was unique.
But during the pandemic, the bench was removed. Perhaps
it was due to covid restrictions at the time – no one knows, including Dorchester town councillor and former town crier Alistair Chisholm, who has tried in vain to have the bench restored. He said: “As a community with an active chamber of commerce, BID and town council we could have looked after the bench –there was no need for them to take it away.
“When I got in touch they said someone had set fire to it and didn’t seem to much care.
“It would have to have been a heck of a fire to damage that bench beyond repair.
“It was a beautifully, imaginatively crafted bench. “It’s very sad – we can’t afford to lose things like that through carelessness. “What about insurance? Surely a 20 grand bench was
BRIDPORT DISCOUNT FURNITURE STORE
HAPPIER TIME: Shoppers enjoying the Tudor Arcade bench
knows where to?
insured? People who own things in town centres seem not to have real interest in them.
“That bench was very important – the older I get the more I miss it.”
Simon, who trained at Hooke Park College, near Beaminster, said: “It was removed during covid for perhaps obvious reasons and I was told that was temporary and it was going to be re-instated.
“It needed a refurbishment anyway as it had been poorly maintained and refinished by the maintenance contractors working on behalf of the owners.
“We were in conversation with the owners to do that work.
“As is often the case these retail areas in town centres are often owned by large
companies and I understand the ownership of Tudor Arcade changed.”
It seems the benches were put in ‘storage’ somewhere local, but they were vandalised – burned beyond repair.
Some people mourning the loss of the bench, unable to find answers, have concluded the ongoing maintenance cost may have put the new arcade owners off reinstating it.
Simon said: “It’s a shame such a lovely piece of work is no longer there.
“From my perspective it’s the piece of work that had the most public interaction and profile. Most of what we do is in private property and never gets seen!”
n The West Dorset Magazine has approached the arcade’s owners and managers for comment.
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Judge backs review of incinerator plan
Campaigners against the incinerator are celebrating after a High Court judge backed their calls for a statutory review.
The Stop Portland Waste Incinerator campaign group, which raised more than £30,000 in a very short time to launch the legal challenge, submitted three grounds for a review into whether a junior minister was right to overturn Dorset Council’s refusal of the enormous waste burning facility on the island.
One of those grounds was accepted –that the Government’s decision to grant planning permission does not satisfy Dorset Council’s spatial strategy and the ‘proximity principle’ from its Waste Plan, which designates specific sites for waste disposal nearer to major waste generating settlements in Dorset.
HEARING:
Laura Baldwin
Debbie Tulett, who is leading the campaign, said: “I am delighted to be able to say that our lawyers Leigh Day contacted me with the fantastic news that permission to apply for a Planning Statutory Review has been granted and the application for Planning Statutory Review is to be listed for hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice with a time estimate of one day.
“Although I know there were those that doubted it would get to the High Court, the fact that the judge agrees that Ground 1 of our claim is arguable with sufficient prospect of success, I feel this at least vindicates our decision to bring about this claim.”
She added: “Thank you everyone for your support, we couldn’t have got this far without it.”
The Government and Powerfuel now have 35 days to put in their detailed grounds of resistance. When they file their evidence, the Stop Portland Waste Incinerator campaign then has 21 days to serve their evidence in reply. The case could come to court in spring.
Campaigner Laura Baldwin said: “We are all very relieved that the case has been accepted for a hearing.”
Allotment fees rise
Rental fees for Weymouth allotments will increase to £60 a year in April. The town council will be writing to allotment holders to inform them of the changes and charges that apply.
NOT WANTED HERE: Protests on the seafront in Weymouth opposing the plan for the incinerator on Portland
Picture: VIV HORNE
By Karen Bate karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk
Farmer Tim Hey swapped his marine career in Tasmania for a life on the land near Cattistock.
Tim and his family produce rare, pedigree black alpacas from Amberley Farm in Higher Chilfrome. Their her is now 400-strong.
The wonder of alpacas and their commercial opportunities are not new to Tim, who majored in aquaculture, but began helping his parents’ alpaca business in Tasmania in 1994.
“After leaving university, I went to work for the Atlantic Salmon Company, but all the all the time our alpaca business on our family farm was growing and growing and I found myself just getting more and more involved,” said Tim.
“I was so in love with alpacas and the business that through some connections we had just outside of Melbourne, I was offered a job in England, to work with Alpacas of Wessex in North Dorset, which was the leading alpaca farm in the UK at the time.
“I realised that the business opportunities in the UK and Europe were going to be massive and so branched out with my wife, and with my parents’ help with the stock, started Inca Alpaca in 2006.”
Tim has become one of the finest alpaca breeders in Europe, with his stock highly sought after and sold across the country, Europe, the Middle East and India.
He has been courted by sheikhs, celebrities, farmers and animal lovers wanting to buy breeding stock or
FAMILY AFFAIR:
Tim Hey with his family and alpacas at Amberley Farm in Higher Chilfrome
Farmer’s on a winner with his furry alpaca friends
unique pets. And among his many accolades, Inca Alpaca won Supreme Champion at the Dorset County Show with a stunning black male and has taken top prizes for the black classes at the British Alpaca Society National Show for many years.
When I met Tim, I asked him why he is so passionate about these wideeyed, curious and gentle creatures, who give birth to a cria just once a year and are prized for their fleece.
“We are pioneers in something,” said Tim.
“Alpacas really are the last fibred animal in the word to
offer a commercial opportunity. Alpaca fibre is in high demand, the finest Italian suits are made from alpaca fibre.”
This isn’t big talk; research reveals that just 21 per cent of the potential global alpaca fibre market is being met and there are just three million alpacas in the world, with the UK leading the way in Europe.
Tim said: “This may sound a lot but when you consider there are 14 million sheep alone in England, it’s not much! If you go back 200 years, the Australians identified Merino sheep in Spain as having potential. “They were shipped to
Australia and now you have a multi-billion-dollar industry based on Merino wool. There is no reason why we can’t do that with alpaca.”
Tim is making it his life’s work to help meet the demand of fibre production by using the latest technology and selectively breeding for longer, denser and finer fibre, first-class confirmation, improved health and uniform colour.
An adult alpaca produces roughly 4kg of fleece, but at Inca, the best alpacas produce more than five and Tim is aiming for 10kg to meet the demand, which he hopes can
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be reached in 20 years. He said: “Armani, for example, will buy the fibre all day long, but they want consistent supply to fill their stores globally.”
Aside from the obvious growth potential in fibre production, alpacas make great pets, and Tim sells some of his stock for this reason and notably, the alpaca industry is stud stocked so breeders will make money from breeding until there is enough fibre to satisfy demand.
Tim said: “Alpacas are extremely sweet and gentle.
“They are inquisitive and easy to handle, and they don’t bite or challenge fences.
“They are very easy to look after, good with children and hardy in bad weather and here it is lovely in the summertime
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to have the crias running around. You can have as few as three wethers, (neutered males), on half an acre.
“Alpacas also qualify for agricultural planning, which is a really big thing. So, anyone who is serious about alpacas but can’t afford a house with land, we can support them to get permission to live on a plot of land. Alpacas are high-value and when they are giving birth you need to be there to make sure they are safe. There is a functional need to live on site and the financial test is very good because Alpacas are in demand in the UK and Europe.”
n For more details visit incaalpaca.co.uk or ring Tim on 07875 532827. Visits to the farm are by appointment-only. There is no obligation.
School and nursery hosts open morning
A prep school and nursery in the heart of Dorchester is opening its doors to prospective pupils and their families, to showcase its huge range of activities.
Sunninghill Prep and its nursery Little Robins cater for pupils aged six months to 13 years.
Head David Newberry said: “Anyone who joins Sunninghill very quickly becomes part of a family that is warm and inclusive. We are a community full of compassion, creativity, commitment and courage which you will see in abundance all around the school. Our staff are committed to these values and weave them through our very strong academic programme and all of our extra-curricular activities too.”
Extra-curricular activities going on each week include
COME AND HAVE A LOOK ROUND: Sunninghill Prep in Dorchester
sailing, kickboxing, bouldering, cookery, windsurfing, several choirs and orchestral groups, dance and musical theatre. Music is at the heart of Sunninghill, with over 85% of the children
Music and academic scholarships are being offered to children going into Year 6 in September 2025. The deadline for applications is
January 24, 2025 – email registrar@sunninghill.dorset. sch.uk for more information. Over the past year, the nursery has also enjoyed great expansion, with a two-three year old room opening last April, and the baby room which opened in October 2024.
David added: “Nursery children enjoy exceptional care for 51 weeks a year, and benefit from the extensive grounds of the prep school, and specialist teaching in PE, music and gardening.”
The school is inviting prospective parents to look around the nursery and the school, including its outdoor heated pool, low ropes course, and all-weather sports pitch, on its open morning on Friday, February 7. n Go to sunninghillprep. co.uk to book or call 01305 262306.
individual music lessons.
Purple patch for ex-cop David
Retired frontline police officer David Bolton won Bridport’s Grove Nurseries’ competition in our December WDM
David, 88, found out that Groves holds the national Victorian Dorset Violets collection, and will now be taking his keen gardener wife Avril to Ivy House Kitchen for lunch after winning a £50 voucher.
The couple live a stone’s throw from the garden centre, where he and his wife are both regular visitors.
“My wife is the main gardener and knows all her plants and we often visit the garden centre as it is just around the corner from our home in Mount Joy,” he said. “I enjoyed reading all about the history of Groves, when it was first started by the great grandfather Chares and there, I found the answer to the question. Winning this
competition is a bit of luck and a good start to the new year.”
Managing director Charlie Groves said: “We’re thrilled David has won the competition. As a longstanding customer of Groves, he’ll no doubt already have ideas for how his £50 Ivy
House Kitchen voucher is spent. January weather calls for a good warming bowl of soup, a hearty sandwich and an indulgent cup of tea and slice of cake, and the team at Ivy House Kitchen look forward to welcoming David soon.”
n grovesnurseries.co.uk
TOP PRIZE: The Ivy House Kitchen at Groves
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Abattoir’s expansion
By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk
Plans to double the operating hours and staff to process meat, potentially for McDonald’s and Burger King, on the outskirts of Bradpole have been met with a welter of complaints.
The abattoir in Mangerton Lane, formerly owned by Norman & Sons, closed over a year ago after more than 30 years in operation. The abattoir is on the single-track Mangerton Lane, just beyond a large housing estate and used to have 20 staff. The abattoir was operating 13hour shifts each day. But new owners Pickstock Telford Ltd want to extend and reopen the plant for 23 hours a day operation, with 40 workers. Nearby residents say the lane is too narrow to accommodate lorry-loads of cows arriving every day from all over the west country. Pickstock is owned by an American firm which supplies the two biggest burger chains,
they say, which won’t benefit the local economy. They fear roundthe-clock noise and smell.
However Pickstock says its proposals will cut the noise, smell and light pollution that would be caused by it operating the site as is – and it will operate the abattoir using its current planning permission if their plans are refused.
One resident, who can see the abattoir from her home, said: “At the moment more than 300 cars and trucks use the lane between 7.30am and 9am each day. There are two schools nearby, with buses going to and fro. “Often, removal lorries can’t get
SO CLOSE: Homes on Mangerton Lane at Bradpole on the way to the abattoir entrance, pictured right
down the lane so they have to send smaller vans down.
“Pickstock is proposing to have seven juggernauts visiting every day. This won’t benefit this area – Pickstock themselves say only 5% of the cattle will be from Dorset.
“We all found out about this quite late – nobody knew about it – but we quickly set up the Mangerton Lane Abattoir Action Group, put together flyers, printed them at home and did the leg work posting them through doors of the surrounding areas with we know will be affected by the plans. In the process we spoke to many residents, none of
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meet with protest
whom knew anything about it and all were appalled.
“Our local campaign resulted in 95 individual objections and five organisations, two in support. This would cause a lot of problems with traffic, yet Bridport Town Council voted in favour of it 7-1 and it is now going to Dorset Council, whose officers also seem to think it’s fine.
“I feel like we’re being bullied – it’s very unfair.”
In 1994, when considering the abattoir being sited on Mangerton Lane, planners said:
“'The planning authority is of the opinion that further extension on this site because of restrictions on available space for parking and increased possibilities of noise nuisance to neighbour’s properties, would not be appropriate.”
home to offices. It also wants to create a large car park. Pickstock says it needs an abattoir in this area to help cut down the time cows spend being transported for slaughter.
The application says: “The proposed extensions and alterations will provide additional facilities at the abattoir to support both staff and animal welfare.”
Whatever councillors decide, the abattoir will reopen.
Since then, many more homes have been built near the site. One objector on Dorset Council’s planning portal, Elizabeth Harrop, wrote: “The existing abattoir is poorly located due to it being so close to a residential area with only residential roads and a singletrack country lane to serve it.
“The vastly increased industrial-sized planned abattoir will negatively affect the community and local businesses in multiple and ongoing ways. Our residential streets and country lane will become a single-carriageway M5; with no hard shoulder, and our homes invaded (as has happened before) by noise, stench, and impeded access.
“A large-scale abattoir of this nature should only be accessed off a main road and much further away from housing – as should have been the case for the existing abattoir.”
Pickstock want to extend the site by 1,400sqm and convert a
The firm wrote: “Pickstock owns and is committed to operating at Mangerton Lane as soon as possible. The abattoir is not new. The proposed improvements would thoroughly modernise a facility constructed in the early 1990s, providing a new lairage, reorganised processing spaces inside the plant and improved staff welfare facilities.
“Dorset Council’s options are therefore: (i) Accept Pickstock’s plans to invest in improvement of the site; or (ii) Deny planning permission, leaving Pickstock to operate the unimproved abattoir.”
They added: “Objectors have failed to understand or acknowledge the status of the existing abattoir. Refusal of planning permission will not bring an end to the use of the facility, but an improved plant would be better in every way, enabling Pickstock to optimise installations for the control of noise, odour, drainage and lighting, in addition to the new lairage and staff facilities for improved animal and staff welfare.”
The plans have not yet been scheduled go to committee, but could be heard be held on January 23 or February 27.
n View (P/FUL/2024/04044) at planning.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
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£13k grants for community groups
Weymouth Town Council has handed seven grants worth nearly £13,000 to community and voluntary organisations. The Friendly Food Club were awarded £1,200 to support the delivery of cookery sessions for local residents. The sessions focus on introducing cooking skills and
how to prepare nutritious meals, whilst increasing confidence and sense of wellbeing.
of six weeks. Previously, the Patient Participation Group have held health talks to educate patients about specific medical conditions; with those having attended being invited to enrol on the new cookery course.
having a long-lasting impact on improving the wellbeing of older residents.
Happy Happy New Year New Year to all our to all our
Artwey CIC received £1,729.52 to support the running of the ‘Open for Art’ project, which will be part of the Dorset Towns of Culture 2025 activities. This project will enable people to visit local artists at shared exhibition spaces, or in their studios to view work, have discussions and make any required purchases.
The Bridges Patient Participation Group were awarded £871.50 to support patients to take part in funded cookery sessions over a course
Mosaic – Supporting Bereaved Children received £2,100 to provide seven onehour counselling sessions to six bereaved young people in Dorset. Each young person will receive a session tailored to their needs to enable them to express and talk about their emotions.
Re-engage Ltd were awarded £1,944 to fund the development of a new activity group for older residents of Weymouth, which will aim to address issues of loneliness and social isolation amongst those in the population. This new group will have the further objective of establishing a strong and connected community, whilst
Waterside Weymouth Community Forum received £2,957 towards creating a community pantry which will supplement a local foodbank. There will be a focus on fresh produce, with priorities including to establish a homework club to support food security of those in education. The grant will work to create a sense of community cohesion and support social inclusion.
Weymouth Foodbank received £1,940 to help provide an additional bag of Christmas food to all those who use the service.
n If you have an idea which would benefit Weymouth residents and you need which could do with financial support, go to weymouthtowncouncil. gov.uk/grants-available-forlocal-organisations
Jack is just the job at shop
A man with additional needs has become an invaluable member of staff after being helped into employment by a Dorset Council scheme.
The council’s supported employment service, Pluss, found Jack work at the Margaret Green charity shop in Weymouth.
And after managing to get
himself to work independently, and learning about welcoming customers, sorting and tagging donations, receiving donations and gift labelling, teamwork, steaming clothes, sorting sizes and prices, using the till and handling money, Jack’s confidence has soared.
n Hornby, Dinky, Triang, Spot-On, Corgi, Subbuteo, Britains, Lego, Timpo...
n Scalextric, Meccano, unmade Airfix kits
n Early Action Man & Star Wars
n Model railways
what an achievement – this young man has done such a lot in such a short period.”
Shop manager Sarah said: “Jack is inquisitive and dedicated and hard-working. “He is chatty and conscientious. In the few months that Jack has been with us here at the Margaret Green Animal Rescue Charity shop, we have seen his confidence grow.
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“He relishes taking on new
tasks with the utmost enthusiasm and we now consider him an invaluable member of the shop.”
Car park goes private
Trinity North car park in Dorchester – the smaller car park near the Co-op – has transferred its management to a private company, Park with Ease.
Parking machines have been replaced and the JustPark app will no longer work for Trinity North car park.
Trinity South car park, directly outside the Coop, will still be operated by the council.
Located in the heart of Dorchester, Sunninghill Prep o昀ers a nurturing and vibrant environment for children aged 6 months to 13 years.
We are now o昀ering music and academic scholarships for children moving into Year 6 in September 2025.
The deadline for applications is 24th January 2025, please emailregistrar@sunninghill.dorset.sch.ukfor more details.
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South Walks Road, Dorchester, DT1 1EB | sunninghillprep.co.uk
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NEW ROLE: Jack at the Margaret Green charity shop
Eco firm wins grant for schools comp
An eco company in Lyme Regis has won a grant to run a green energy competition across schools.
Environmental education company Little Green Change won the funding from The Naturesave Trust to the competition, which has a prize fund of £500, plus funding to create six lessons covering energy generation from solar, hydropower, wind and geothermal, and a lesson on careers in energy. The lesson resources will be free for all statefunded, secondary schools across the UK, and are targeted at Key Stages 3 to 5. They will include presentations, expert speaker talks, worksheets, and teacher guides.
Little Green Change already have a wide variety of lessons currently available covering biodiversity, waste and human health topics including plants for pollinators, British wildlife, trees, hedgerows, plant pests and diseases careers in biodiversity, waste minimisation, textiles including fast fashion, plastics, electronics, food waste, careers in waste, antibiotics, pesticides, organic certification, and PFAS ‘forever chemicals’.
Clare Matheson, founder and director of Little Green Change, said: “We work with a wide range of schools and know how important our free resources and activities are
to them, especially following years of real term school budget cuts. Having the ability to educate and inspire the youth of today, so they feel empowered to make positive environmental changes in their own lives and in their communities, not only benefits the environment but society as a whole.”
Little Green Change have won a number of
awards since their launch in September 2023, including a BBC Make a Difference Award 2024 (Green Award), a Jurassic Business Award 2024 (Green/Eco Business of the Year), a West Dorset Gold Business Award 2024, and a Judges’ Choice award at the UK StartUp Awards 2024 South-West. Go to littlegreenchange.com
30th anniversary
Weldmar Hospicecare raised an impressive £101,000 at its 30th anniversary dinner and auction.
A framed oil painting by British contemporary painter Hugo Grenville, a summer holiday in a French alpine chalet for ten, and golf lessons were among the lots going under the hammer to support the palliative care charity.
West Dorset Weldmar’s fundraising committee chair
Sue Dean said: “With hospices under so much financial pressure at present, we were delighted to have raised £101,000 at the Weldmar 30th anniversary dinner recently.
“This was only possible due to the great efforts of our fundraising committee, our generous hosts Dr and Mrs Guy, our sponsors, and the many wonderful people who
contributed to the auction on the night.
“As the only hospice serving the local area, it is imperative that we all play our part in safeguarding its future, as sadly many of us will call upon its services in the years to come.”
Martin Dyer, the manager of the Dorchester branch of Handelsbanken, who cosponsored the event, said:
“As a relationship bank rooted in the community, supporting local initiatives is a key part of our values and so we were delighted to have been one of the main sponsors of the dinner. We were overwhelmed by the staggering generosity of those that donated to this wonderful charity.
“We were very happy to be supporting such a worthwhile local charity on its 30th anniversary,” said
celebration raises £101k for Weldmar
Patrick Woodford of Symonds and Sampson, and we were very pleased to have been one of the main sponsors of the dinner and delighted by how much was raised.”
Weldmar chief operating
officer Matt Smith added:
“This year, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Weldmar’s Inpatient Unit opening its doors for the very first time.
“Since then, hospice care has evolved so that much more
care and support can be provided within the comfort of patients’ own homes, to both those experiencing life limiting illness and their loved ones.
“What hasn’t changed in that time is the incredible support
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH:
Staff nurses
Sarah and Annie from Weldmar's Inpatient Unit join Sue Dean from the West Dorset Weldmar Fundraising Committee, and sponsors Patrick Woodford from Symonds and Sampson, and Martin Dyer from Handelsbanken
that we’ve had from people such as Sue, and her dedicated committee of fundraisers in West Dorset, and we thank them for all the time and hard work that went into raising such a wonderful total.”
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Riding high! Designers’ £20k prize
A Crossways couple won £20,000 and a trip to Florida for designing a theme park ride beating 81 competitors from more than 30 countries. Richard and Amy Hale were flown to Florida to collect the award from Storyland Studios.
Richard, 55, has been in creative industries for years, since building Christmas grottos after leaving school and going on to design for the SeaLife Centre and the Tank Museum via his company Inspiring Heritage.
He nearly died from bowel cancer last year and was cared for by Amy, a nurse. So when they spotted the competition they decided to throw everything at it – Amy gave up her career to help Richard design Portal Riders. The experience combines a thrilling dark water ride with a seamless immersive and interactive digital experience,
taking riders to unique fantasy and adventure landscapes.
It utilises the latest VR tech, AI and huge LED screens to create other worlds which the riders travel through on a boat.
Richard said: “Although I’m in my mid-fifties there is a part of me that has never grown up.
“I describe myself as
unemployable due to my dyslexia, but I am incredibly creative. After leaving school my first job was to help build Christmas grottos.
“Since then I have done a variety of things including creating war-gaming terrain for Warhammer games, designing Sea Life Centres, model-making and painting murals.”
He added: “We were absolutely stunned when we won.
“I have pitched for much smaller things and haven’t had much luck – but in the US they really understood our vision.
“The judging panel was made up of industry heavyweights from around the world –including people from Disneyland.
“We were flown out to Orlando to receive the award and a cheque for $25,000 and got to meet some hugely influential people – none of whom had heard of Dorset.
“We are now to collaborate with Storyland Studios to develop the concept into a product for the location-based entertainment sector.
“Where the ride might end up being installed we have no idea but we are hoping it’s in the UK – it is terrifically exciting.”
thinking of
I have never before learned so much about myself and about where I want to go in the future. I couldn't imagine a better place for my development than at the Iron Mill. The tutors, staff and students are all fantastic. Thanks to all of them."
WHAT A RIDE: Richard and Amy Hale in Florida
£1k donation welcomed by arts college
Westfield Arts College received £1,000 for sensory green gym equipment for its younger pupils.
The ‘outstanding’ Weymouth school, one of the largest of its kind in the region, caters for 230 children and young adults aged four to 19 with moderate learning difficulties. The donation, from commercial property firm DJ Property, will allow for new opportunities for active play that support both physical and sensory development.
Headteacher Seán Kretz said: “This generous donation from DJ Property will make a real difference to our pupils. In challenging financial times, when budgets are stretched to cover only the essentials, it’s the generosity of supporters like DJ Property that allows us to provide the extra opportunities that make education truly special. Whether it’s sensory gym equipment, forest clubs, or horse riding, these experiences are invaluable for our children’s development and well-being. We are incredibly thankful for this support.” DJ Property is currently preparing a planning application for the development of Bincombe Park, a prominent 15-acre site near Westfield Arts College.
Garden visitors
boosting charities
Garden visitors in Dorset poured £132,000 into the coffers for charity last year, contributing to an overall £3.5m pot.
The National Gardens Scheme sees people open their gardens to visitors all over the country, and in Dorset some magnificent gardens were much enjoyed. This year the NGS has 15 new and 12 returning gardens on offer, which the West Dorset Magazine will feature in our Whasson events guide.
The funds from last year are being shared between major nursing and health beneficiaries including Macmillan, Marie Curie, Hospice UK & Parkinson’s. Donations are also being made to gardens and health beneficiaries, such as Support for Gardeners and Support for Community Gardens.
THANKS VERY MUCH: Mickey Jones of DJ Properties donates £1,000 to Westfield Ars College for sensory gym equipment
Anyone for tennis? New courts opened
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Two tennis courts in Borough Gardens, Dorchester have reopened after resurfacing thanks to a ‘generous’ donation from the Lawn Tennis Association. The Borough Gardens have four courts altogether, following the addition of two in 2018, and, as they are set in the award-winning gardens, they are a popular facility for tennis in the area. Mayor of Dorchester, Councillor Robin Potter, said: “With this upgrade and our affordable membership rates, we hope to encourage even more people to get involved in tennis, enjoy the outdoors,
and make the most of this fantastic community facility.
“The support from the Lawn Tennis Association has been invaluable in helping us achieve this, and we look forward to welcoming tennis players of all abilities to the courts.”
Annual memberships are available at £50 per year and for those living in DT1, membership is £35 per year. Pay and play is also available and booked via the ClubSpark system.
For more information or to sign up, please visit the Dorchester Town Council website or LTA ClubSpark clubspark.lta.org.uk
Chief exec heading south
The Chief Executive of Dorset Council Matt Prosser has announced that he will be leaving the council in spring for a new role as Chief Executive of Wellington City Council in New Zealand. Matt, pictured, has led Dorset Council for the six years since he was appointed
to the role in October 2018, ahead of the council’s formation in 2019. Matt previously led Dorset Councils Partnership (comprised of North Dorset District Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council).
LOVE ALL: The new courts in the Borough Gardens
£33.5m fibre optic cable project starts
Rural homes around the Dorchester, Sherborne and Beaminster areas wioll soon have access to lightning-fast internet.
Wessex Internet has begun laying fibreoptic cables as part of a £33.5million Project Gigabit government contract. The project began with engineers laying cables in Halstock.
The company said the programme will connect some 21,400 rural homes and businesses in the region to “lightning-fast, gigabitcapable” broadband.
The £33.5million contract is Wessex Internet’s largest government-funded Project Gigabit contract to date and will cover rural communities surrounding Dorchester, Sherborne, Beaminster and Swanage.
Wessex Internet chief executive Hector Gibson Fleming said: “Our fourth
Project Gigabit contract will benefit thousands of residents and businesses in rural Dorset and Somerset.
“This follows the start of construction for our South Wiltshire contract a few weeks ago and demonstrates the commitment and hard work of our teams to rapidly progress the delivery of these vital infrastructure projects.
“For too long, rural communities have had to
make do with outdated, unreliable internet connections, and this rollout of full fibre broadband represents a great leap in digital infrastructure that will support local residents and rural economies for years to come.”
Telecoms minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “Dorset and Somerset are the latest regions to see spades in the ground, laying fibre that will
LET’S GET GOING: Wessex Internet Network build starts in Dorset and South Somerset
deliver the fastest internet speeds on the market – thanks to our nationwide rollout of Project Gigabit.
“The upgrades will help put an end to buffering broadband in hard-to-reach rural communities and support our mission to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity. We are on track to keep plugging digital gaps and achieve nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030.”
Trips & Events
Academy’s latest boats launched in harbour
The latest wooden boats, hand-built by students at the world-renowned Boat Building Academy (BBA) in Lyme Regis, have been launched in the town’s historic harbour. Twelve students undertook the Boat Building Academy and Furniture School’s latest 40-week wooden boatbuilding course, spending the first 20 weeks learning skills such as joinery, lofting, traditional, modern and fibre reinforced plastic boatbuilding, and sail making.
In the last 20 weeks they have come together to build three boats, a 19’6″ strip planked, cold moulded 1954 launch (scamp), an 18’6″ glued clinker sailing boat and a 7’10” traditional
LET’S GO: One of the BBA boats off Lyme Regis
clinker dinghy. This required all their new skills and gruelling days often working long into the night, with the help of their classmates, and support of
the BBA’s expert tutors.
Enrolment is now open for the next 40week course starting in February. Bursaries are available.
Village people’s say on neighbourhood
A cluster of villages have taken a step closer to having greater influence over planning decisions in their area.
A final version of the Knightsford Neighbourhood Plan (the parishes of Tincleton, West Knighton, West Stafford and Woodsford)
WARDON HILL TRADING POST
More than 80 traders under one roof,
has been submitted to Dorset Council for examination. The plan has been drawn up in consultation with local people.
Neighbourhood plans were introduced in the Localism Act 2011 and aim to give residents more say in the future use of land and buildings in their area. For example the plan can say where new homes, shops or offices might be built or where important green spaces might be protected. If the neighbourhood plan is approved following examination, and supported by a local referendum, it will be used to make decisions on planning applications in consultation with the National Planning Policy Framework and the adopted Local Plan. People who live, work or run a business in the area have until the end of Monday, January 27 to raise any concerns. These
concerns will then be passed on to an independent examiner to consider. The plan is at consultation.dorsetcouncil.gov .uk/spatial-planning/ knightsford-neighbourhoodplan-consultation
A hard copy will also be available for public inspection at St Andrew’s Church in West Stafford between 9am-5pm, and the Dorset Council offices during usual opening hours. Comments can be submitted online by emailing NeighbourhoodPlanning@ dorsetcouncil.gov.uk, or by post to Spatial Planning, Dorset Council, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ. Anyone commenting on the plan should let the council know if they wish to be kept informed of the progress of the Knightsford Neighbourhood Plan.
Water Fest proves a splash hit
Weymouth Water Fest will be held annually, following the success of the inaugural event in September. The event, on Weymouth Beach, proved popular with residents looking to try out different water sports.
Weymouth Town Councillors agreed to host the event going forward.
Your chance to run a catering kiosk on the beach
Weymouth Town Council is urging potential new business tenants to get in touch about running its beach-side catering kiosks.
The council’s environment and services committee agreed in
December to put the running of the prom café and beach café units out to tender in 2025.
Committee chair Cllr Matt Bell said: “This will ensure we are using our assets to maintain the highest level of possible
income in order to continue maintaining the services we deliver whilst moving forward with the council’s refreshed corporate plan and aspirations for Weymouth. Where best value is not achieved via
tender this will be reviewed.“
The tender process is now live and the bids will be reviewed in February. Contracts will be awarded in late March ready for the new tenants to begin operating their stands in May.
WINNERS: The magical Christmas display at Castle Gardens in Sherborne
Garden centre team honoured for festive displays
Castle Gardens in Sherborne has won an annual festive competition organised by the Garden Centre Association. It’s the12th time the business has won the association’s Christmas competition in the garden centre category – and The Gardens Group, which owns the centre, took home a second and third place too.
Brimsmore Gardens in Yeovil came second while Poundbury Garden Centre
came in third in the local garden centre category.
Louise Burks, director of The Gardens Group, said: “This is another fantastic achievement for the whole team, who have pulled together to create something truly magical, all the while striving to be bigger, better and more eco-friendly than the year before.
“To win the top prize again is so
rewarding for us all, but to take second and third place in the local garden centre categories shows the hard work, dedication, consistency and vision at each of our garden centres. We’re always doing our utmost to enhance the experience, while helping our customers to reduce the environmental impact of their celebrations, so to have this recognised by our industry means a great deal to us.”
Buildings nominated for heritage status
A project for county residents to nominate locally important buildings, structures, and places for heritage status has reached its next stage.
Dorset Council is asking residents to check the heritage assets that have been suggested in their area to make sure they are “still relevant” and can stay on the list.
An authority spokesperson said: “Evidence of past communities and individuals who have left their mark on Dorset surround us. This is sometimes called the historic environment. It is made up of individual features, that each provide their own insight into past lives, including buildings, street patterns, field boundaries, cemeteries, street furniture, public parks, earthworks and artwork.”
These historic structures, monuments and spaces, known as heritage assets, will then be added to a publicly accessible local heritage list.
The council said that conserving those assets will then be a “material consideration” in future planning decisions.
Dorset Council’s spokesperson for planning and emergency planning, Cllr
Shane Bartlett, said: “I am pleased that this project has got to this point.
“It is very important that we help to promote and protect local heritage and forge stronger connections between people and their local areas.”
For more information go to dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning -buildings-land/public-landand-buildings/the-dorsetlocal-heritage-list
Planners give go-ahead for ten affordable homes
Dorset planning chiefs gave the go-ahead for ten new affordable homes to be built at Littlefield in Sherborne. The housing scheme, by Dorchester-
based Magna Housing, will feature landscaped areas and improved access at the site south of Ridgeway and opposite Noake Road.
The homes will be in two-storey terraces with a single maisonette. Each will have a private garden, dedicated and guest parking. Access will be off Littlefield.
Fog bow surprise for Christmas Day twitchers
On Christmas morning a rare Fog Bow was seen over Weymouth and Portland. This photo was taken from Black Barge Beach, where people were watching a Great Northern Diver bird diving for crabs.
RARE SIGHTS: A Fog Bow and a Great Northern Diver
Pictures: VIV HORNE and ANDY LUCKHURST
Optimism over Wessex ‘devolution’
Dorset Council leaders and their counterparts in Somerset and Wiltshire say they are are “optimistic” they can work with the government to develop a Heart of Wessex mayoral strategic authority. The comment came after the government published its Devolution White Paper, setting out how the government plans to end the nation’s two-tier council system and replace them with unitary systems.
In a joint statement, the leaders of Dorset, Somerset
and Wiltshire Councils, councillors Nick Ireland, Bill Revans and Richard Clewer, said: “We welcome the publication of the Devolution White Paper as a significant step forward in our journey towards achieving devolution for the Heart of Wessex region.
“This milestone reflects the government’s commitment to empowering local communities and enabling regions like ours to collaborate on our shared vision.”
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They added: “The establishment of the Heart of Wessex mayoral strategic authority represents a fantastic opportunity to have a champion for the Wessex region who will be able to deliver meaningful change for our residents and advocate for our interests in Westminster.
“This will also offer the likely opportunity for increased funding and investment to our council regions.
“We want to make the Heart of Wessex a thriving region whose unique interests are
heard and understood by central government.”
Critics of the scheme have said it will leave many people feeling more distanced from their local authorities. MidDorset and North Poole MP Vikki Slade recently told the House of Commons a Wessex mayor would feel like the Thomas Hardy character Jude the Obscure to many of the people they would represent.
n West Dorset Conservatives’ comment on devolution for Dorset: Letters, page 59.
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A curious kitten who climbed a huge Holm oak tree in Weymouth was rescued after being stuck for 24 hours.
Jodie Lumber and Elliott Sawyer tried everything to lure Otto, an eight-month-old ginger cat, from the 40-foot oak on Lorton Lane, but he was too scared to move.
In desperation the couple called the RSPCA and the fire service to no avail and then a team of tree specialists from Knighton Countryside Management stepped in. With specialist climbing gear, a cherry picker and a steady hand, tree surgeons
George Emery and Andy Carr brought Otto safely back to the ground much to the relief of Jody and Elliott and a small group of onlookers.
Jodie said: “Otto is like family and I was heartbroken watching him stuck up there.
“When the RSPCA and fire service couldn’t help, Knighton Countryside Management didn’t hesitate. “Their kindness and care meant the world to us. Otto is now reunited with Daisy our 15-year-old cat, who is much better behaved!”
Elliott added: “Otto is a real character, he has already
scaled the Christmas tree in the lounge and brought it to the ground. He took on a bit more than he could handle climbing this tree!”
George said: “It’s not every day you get called to save a cat, but we’re always happy to help the community. Seeing Otto safely back with his family was a special moment.”
D-Day plays can now be viewed free online
The Dorchester D-Day Theatre Trail performances can now all be viewed for free online.
The short plays were originally performed live across seven iconic locations in Dorchester in June 2024 as part of the town’s D-Day 80th anniversary activities.
The theatrical trail brings to life the remarkable stories of life in Dorchester during the lead-up to D-Day in 1944. The performances, written and enacted by talented local
volunteers, capture the daily lives, challenges, and camaraderie experienced by residents and American GIs in the town.
Each performance delves into a unique aspect of wartime Dorchester. The scripts are inspired by research carried out as part of the project by four history students from Bournemouth University. n Visit discoverdorchester. co.uk/experience-thedorchester-d-day-theatre-trail -online
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SAFE AT LAST: Otto is plucked to safety by George Emery
Pupils raise £5k for nature reserves
WILD ABOUT FUNDRAISING: Pupils hand over £5,000 to the trust
Pupils, staff, and families of Sherborne Prep School handed over £5,000 to Dorset Wildlife Trust for its Nature Reserves Fund appeal after the PTA, The Friends of Sherborne Prep, organised a lively dog show, two competitive quiz nights, two festive Christmas Fairs, and countless cake sales.
The trust’s fundraising manager Emma Davies and fundraising and development officer Camille Douch received the cheque.
Emma said: “The money they have raised will be used to protect and restore our nature reserves across Dorset, which are incredibly special places for species and for people. It’s been truly heartwarming to see a school community so engaged and enthusiastic about wildlife.”
Here’s where to go for kindness
Information on where to turn for carers support, climate emergency, community resources, emergency and crisis support and health and wellbeing in Dorset is in a new directory online.
The latest information from the public, private and the voluntary and community sectors is in a refreshed directory, launched by Dorset Council and Help and Kindness.
The directory contains tabs linking to advice and guidance on financial support and advice, food and eating well, support after leaving hospital and living at home. Find the directory at helpandkindness.co.uk/communitydirectory
Skate expectations
A unique piece of artwork is to be installed at The Marsh Skatepark in Weymouth. Local artist Simon Davis will create a design and has agreed to provide the materials at no cost to the town council.
SCREEN DREAM: Neil Highley at the RMT
Curtain rises on cinema at theatre
Cinema is returning to the Royal Manor Theatre on Portland, following the closure of Cineworld in Weymouth.
Neil Highley, who is running the film nights at the theatre, said: “We recently hosted our annual Rocky Horror Picture Show event at the theatre, and following the closure of Cineworld, we thought it right that the community has a space to see films without having to travel to Dorchester.
“Using Moviola, a community cinema provider, helps us to keep costs down, but that still means we can get new and interesting films to show at the theatre. Our massive 4K screen has served us well in the past for everything from Rocky Horror to Coco.”
Tickets are £5, with a bar and snacks available from the Lower Hall. Royalmanortheatre.co.uk
Landlords sought to ease housing shortage
Dorset Council is looking for more landlords, believing it could save them up to 15% in agent management fees.
The council is trying to reduce numbers of tenants in temporary accommodation and build enhanced links with landlords, by providing a free tenant matching service and support for tenants and landlords.
Its new Key4Me scheme will pay £1,000 per year for a one-
bedroom to £4,000 for a four+ bedroom property, with three payments during the year.
Officers will provide support for any tenancy issues, pet bonds, arrears bonds and rent in advance and/or deposit. There will be dedicated support for both tenants and landlords, free tenancy agreements and free inventories.
The tenancy is between the landlord and tenant, with
Dorset Council sourcing the tenant from people looking for homelessness assistance. However, the landlord remains in control of who they will accept.
The initiative is designed to get more people into secure accommodation with the council checking and confirm landlord compliance.
The rent either goes directly from tenant to landlord or from the Department of Work and Pensions to the landlord, with the landlord responsible for all compliance, repairs and maintenance, mirroring the private lets in the wider community.
Dorset Council can offer landlords deposit bonds covering up to 12 weeks’ rent and provide a £400 pet bond. Landlords can contact the council via dorset-self. achieveservice.com/service/ landlord-enquiry
Women can now join the Society of Dorset Men for the first time in its 120-year history.
Thomas Hardy, William Barnes and Sir Julian Fellowes have all been members of the gentleman’s club, which these days boasts a membership of more than 800.
To join the society, which costs £15 a year, you have to live or work in Dorset or just love Dorset.
The society was founded in London in 1904 by solicitor William Watkins and King Edward VII’s surgeon Sir Frederick Treves, famous for helping the Elephant Man Joseph Merrick.
The pair wanted to form a society to connect with other men from Dorset who worked in the city, and to help the many young men moving there from the county to seek work. They called it The Society of Dorset Men in London. The name was shortened when society activities started to be held in the county instead, in the 1930s.
It proved popular from the start, with 125 men signing up in a very short time, and there have been as many as 1,000 members.
Among its other famous past and current members are Simon WingfieldDigby, former Lord Mayor of London Sir Anthony Jolliffe and Lt Gen David Leakey of North Dorset, who was Black Rod for many years.
Writer and film producer Sir Julian Fellowes is current
Ladies now welcome to join Dorset Men after 125 years
president and vice president is Paul Atterbury, of Antiques Roadshow fame.
More famous faces have been speakers at the annual dinners, including Winston Churchill, Lord Trenchard, the Lord Chief Justice Lord
Goddard and Kate Adie. Even in the early days there was talk of allowing women in. A Mr Barrett told the first AGM he hoped that ladies would be admitted and would like them to be included as honorary members.
Fast forward to 2024, and Elizabeth Day, wife of one of the existing members Bob,
has been the first lady approved to join, following a vote on admitting women. They needed two-thirds majority vote for the change and just made it, with 28 votes for and 12 against.
n To enquire about joining the society, go to societyofdorsetmen.co.uk or contact a member.
Bus operator announces fare rise and new zones
First Bus has raised its fares to £2.40 for journeys up to three miles, and £3 for longer journeys. Children pay half price. Fare zones will be revised, meaning there will now be just two, easy to understand zones: Weymouth, and Network. The
Portland, Axminister and Weymouth Plus zones will be removed. By using Tap On, Tap Off, where you tap your payment card when getting on and off the bus, customers will be charged the best value fare based on their journey.
No matter how often you travel, customers will never pay more than the daily or weekly cap. For full details on all ticket prices, go to firstbus.co.uk/wessex-dorset-southsomerset/tickets/fares
HIGH SOCIETY: Lt Gen David Leaky as Black Rod, former Lord Mayor of London Anthony Jolliffe, first lady member Elizabeth Day and, right, current president Lord Fellowes
Coach firm’s £3k charities handout
A coach company has donated nearly £3,000 to two local charities after collecting contributions from customers. Crossways Travel gave £1,485 each to LINUS Dorset and Weymouth Street Pastors. Project Linus West Dorset is a voluntary organisation that donates handmade quilts to children in hospital who are
facing bereavement, relationship breakdown or other emotional trauma. Weymouth Street Pastors are volunteers from local churches who patrol the streets at night, helping those in need, from party goers to homeless people, offering support, first aid and safety advice.
Youngsters take a seat at theatre thanks to Friends
Young members of the audience at Weymouth Pavilion’s Pantomime Peter Pan had a much clearer view of the action on stage thanks to the purchase of 72 additional booster seats. The seats were funded by the charity Friends of Weymouth Pavilion Complex, at a cost of more than £1,100. Friend’s president Peter Rendall said: “We are really pleased to be able to support the Pavilion by paying for these seats, which will make all the difference to young children in the audience at Pavilion shows.”
Pavilion events manager Julie Storey, said: “We are delighted that the Friends purchased much needed additional booster seats for the theatre.
Peter added: “The Friends played a vital role in campaigning to save the Pavilion from closure back in 2013, and have since raised funds for several projects. We are a small committee of volunteers who would love to hear from anyone interested in joining us to support our fundraising efforts. If you would like to find out more, call me on 01305 782546.”
THANKS VERY MUCH: Street pastor Tony Fidler, left and Matt Crocker, Crossways Travel director
Widower Bob’s thanks to caring Angels
A grateful husband turned up at his late wife’s carers’ Christmas party so he could thank them in person for all they had done for her.
Bob Hall, from Bridport, was married to Carole for 55 years.
She died in August and for the past three years Angel Carers had been looking after Carole at home as her dementia progressed.
Four months after she died, Bob wanted to thank the team, who had provided care four times per day including personal care, medications, meals and short-break companionship – so Bob could have a well-deserved rest.
He turned up at the hotel where the carers were having their Christmas do, with a card he had painted himself and a box of chocolates. He said: “To all of the angels who were so kind, patient and
supportive, whilst tending my beautiful and wonderful wife Carole…. Thank you so much for your care.”
A member of Angel Carers staff said: “His impromptu visit was a delightful surprise, and he was immediately invited to join us for dinner –which he did with great relish and lots of funny stories.”
She added: “Towards the end, Carole’s needs increased so the team had to work in pairs at each visit and Bob got to meet a lot of ‘Angels’ – carers he now considers ‘family’. He told us he was overwhelmed with the compassion, warmth and kindness of the Angels he met.
“Despite the fact that we are no longer providing care, Bob is now part of the Angels family and often rings the office to have a chat if he’s feeling down or stops one of us in the street to have a chat.”
TRACIE WILLIAMS TRACIE WILLIAMS
SO GRATEFUL: Bob Hall says thanks to the Angel Carers team at their Christmas party for looking after his wife
Slimming World members in Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester groups have lost 2,927 stone (18.5 tonnes) –the equivalent of a double decker bus filled with passengers – last year.
Some 308 members have achieved their personal weight loss targets –including Anna Watson and Teresa Churchill, who have been so inspired by their personal weight loss journeys that they are launching their own Slimming World groups this month, in Dorchester and Chickerell.
Anna joined her local Slimming World group in Dorchester nine months ago and dropped from 12 stone 11lbs to 9 stone 11.5lbs.
She was so inspired by the experience she is opening her own group at Dorchester Cricket Pavilion.
She says: “Before joining Slimming World, I’d tried so many different ways to lose weight, but I’d get fed up with restricting what I ate and would always put the weight back on. I was the typical yo-yo dieter and expected to be struggling with my weight for the rest of my life.
“Then last year, I had a blood test showed I was low in vitamin D and my levels of cholesterol were high. I knew it was time to do something about my diet, as it was affecting my health.
“When I came to Slimming World, I never felt like I was on a diet. The eating plan encourages you to eat lots of tasty, filling foods and I was delighted to find this
NOW AND THEN: Anna Watson, left, and Teresa Churchill, right, are launching their own Slimming World groups this year
We look forward to seeing a lot less of you this year
included pasta, rice, and potatoes! You’re never hungry, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out. I am also vegetarian and coeliac but with the flexibility of food optimising, I can easily find foods that meet my needs.”
Anna’s Slimming World group will be held at Dorchester Cricket Club every Monday at 7pm. For more information call her on 07915 073060.
Theresa, who hit her target weight in just six months,
said: “I was sitting at work feeling very uncomfortable on January 3, 2024, after eating three doughnuts that day.
“I searched for Slimming World on my work computer and found a group session that was running that evening which I could attend on my way home from work. At 7pm I walked through the door and never looked back.”
“I found a new zest for food and began to enjoy cooking again with new methods. I
played a game where I would buy a random free food or low syn item and then look for a recipe from the app.”
Teresa’s group will run on Wednesdays, 5.30pm and 7pm at Willowbed Hall, Chickerell.
n To find out more about Slimming World groups in the area, visit slimmingworld.co.uk or call, text ot WhatsApp Lucy on 07884 316063 or Sam on 07814 619200.
Work under way to improve safety at junction
Work has begun to make the four -way Maumbury Cross junction in Dorchester safer for road users.
The improvements include signalcontrolled pedestrian crossing points, widening and levelling footways and upgrading the existing street equipment. Dorset Council has urged people to be
patient while the works are completed. The authority’s spokesperson for services, Cllr Jon Andrews, said: “The current junction layout, with its narrow footways, limited space to pass or wait to cross and only one controlled crossing point can make it a daunting experience, especially for anyone with limited
mobility or vision impairments.
“Full views of approaching vehicles can be difficult and the current layout means some people have to wait in the middle of the road to cross.”
He added: “The traffic management is there to ensure the safety of drivers, pedestrians and our highways crews.”
Chamber’s £500 for foodbank welcomed
Dorchester Chamber for Business has given £500 to Dorchester Foodbank.
The funds were raised with a raffle at the chamber’s annual festive President’s Breakfast, which this year featured Santa, festive singing and even crackers – all before 8am!
Foodbank trustee Dr John Burn received the cheque from chamber president Steve Bulley and VP Steph Addison.
On the day the donation was presented the foodbank had its busiest day of the month, with 28 families needing help. One mother was feeding her four children and herself on a tin of meatballs and a pensioner had been referred after a social worker found no food in their house on a routine visit.
n To join the chamber or learn more, go to dorchesterchamber.co.uk
Freelance copywriter ANDREW KNOWLES is based in Wyke Regis and has a keen interest in history. He is currently charting the histories of long-lived Dorset businesses.
Are you strong enough to survive?
West Dorset is humming with energy and excitement.
Across the region, small business owners are making and marketing their way into what they hope will be a profitable 2025.
Sadly, more than half will fail within a few years of setting out. Most firms don’t make it past the five-year mark. Over the last year I’ve profiled around a dozen Dorset firms that went way beyond the five-year milestone. Most made it to at least a century and all are still going strong.
How is it that some businesses survive for decades, while others aren’t around for very long? It’s a
question with no easy answer – but if you’re feeling even faintly entrepreneurial, it’s one you should consider. One path to survival is getting into the market when it’s new.
Sherrens the Printers and electrical retailer EB Marsh were both early adopters of
new technologies. Being one of the first helps a brand to stand out. But it’s not enough to ensure longevity, particularly when the internet totally reshaped the market. Those firms are still here because they’re committed to making their customers feel valued.
Giving the customer what they want is also a hallmark of businesses specialising in the basics. Oxfords Bakery and Balson’s the butcher have been serving up the essentials of life for generations. That they’ve done it to a consistently high standard is proven through outlasting their rivals.
Ensuring the business stays in the family can help to keep it going, as skills and work ethic pass from father to children, and grandchildren.
But some like to retire from their labour with a tangible financial reward – which comes from selling as a going concern.
Suttons Cafe and the Gresham Guest House, both in Weymouth, have had multiple owners. Each has brought their own approach to running the business, allowing it to become an attractive prospect to the next buyer.
When you go into a business, it’s wise to have an end-game
in mind. Do you plan to cash out, or leave an inheritance?
When there are no heirs, you can leave it to a whole town, as Sir Samuel Mico demonstrated with the George Inn
Another feature of businesses that survive is a capability to adapt. Duke’s Auctioneers began by selling sheep and land, but didn’t say no when invited to apply those skills to grand estates and fine art. Upton Grange was a farm, but as agricultural work dried up, the buildings became holiday homes.
The longevity of these historic businesses offers lessons to today’s enthusiastic entrepreneurs.
But there’s also wisdom to be had from owners of newer firms, particularly those who’ve got beyond their fifth anniversary.
For the next few issues I’ll be sharing insights from some of these newer businesses. What have their owners learned, and what do they wish they’d known when they began?
Perhaps you’ve got insights you’d like to share. If you set up a business and it’s been running for over five years, I’d love to hear from you.
n Email me: andrew@ andrewknowles.co.uk
GOING STRONG: Duke’s Auctioneers, The Gresham in the 1950s and Suttons cafe
IS YOUR BUSINESS PAYING TOO MUCH TAX?
By DUNCAN McKECHNIE of Action COACH
In last month’s article we focused on the importance of taking a step back, reflecting on the past year, and setting a clear vision for 2025. But reflection and planning are only the first steps. Now comes the real challenge: How do you turn that well-crafted roadmap into measurable results? For many SMEs, January starts with enthusiasm and ambition. Goals are set, intentions are strong, and the energy is palpable. However, by February or March, that initial spark can start to fade as day-to-day tasks take over. The key to avoiding this common pitfall lies in consistent action, accountability, and alignment. Break down the big goals A 12-month plan can feel
overwhelming if approached as one giant task. Instead, break it down into 90-day chunks. Quarterly goals create manageable milestones, making progress easier to track and celebrate. Each quarter should have clear, actionable steps with assigned responsibilities and deadlines.
Prioritise ruthlessly
Not every task on your roadmap will have the same impact. Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritise what’s urgent and important versus what’s just busy work. Focus your team’s energy on high-impact activities that drive your business forward. Build a culture of accountability Accountability isn’t about fingerpointing – it’s about clarity and follow-through. Regular checkins, whether weekly or monthly,
ensure everyone stays aligned with the bigger goals. Tools like project management software or simple team scorecards can keep everyone on the same page. Keep communication open Your team can’t align with your goals if they don’t understand them. Make your roadmap visible, discuss it regularly, and celebrate milestones publicly. People are far more likely to commit to a plan they feel part of. Adapt and adjust Even the best plans encounter unexpected challenges. Regular reviews (monthly or quarterly) allow you to adjust your course without losing momentum. Flexibility doesn’t mean abandoning the plan—it means being smart about how you execute it.
As we kick off 2025, remember
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From plan to action: turning your 2025 roadmap into tangible results
this: A goal without action is just a wish. Your roadmap is your guide, but your daily habits, focus, and consistency are what will determine your success. This brings to mind a powerful quote from Nelson Mandela, someone I had the honour of flying during my time in the South African Air Force: ‘Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision is merely passing time. But vision with action can change the world.’ His words serve as a reminder that while a clear vision is essential, it’s our daily actions that drive meaningful change. So, as you and your team step into 2025, ask yourselves: What’s one action we can take today to move closer to our quarterly goals? Start there and keep moving forward.
Town celebrates business success stories
Award winners at the Sherborne Business Awards were unanimous – the town’s traders help each other out and make it a great place to be in business.
Overall winners, and winners of the award for innovation, plus silver in the B2B award were Dorset Artisan Markets. Other winners were:
Community: Gold Sherborne Foodbank, silver Little Leigh Store, Communifit and The Abbey Pharmacy.
Family business: Gold, Glenholme Herbs, silver Girlings.
New business: Gold, The Country Crib, silver Beat and Track.
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Small business: Gold, RA Digital, silver The Slipped Stitch and Marfe Pilates. Best place to work: Gold, Bean Shot Coffee, silver The Blue Zebra.
Customer service: Gold, Castle Gardens, silver Robin James and Hunts Accountants.
Independent business: Gold, Trouvaille Gallery, silver Oliver’s Coffee House and Lemon.
Dorset Artisan Markets. Café/pub: Gold, The Queen’s Arms, silver Café Durbeville. Marketing West’s local business awards in Dorset have attracted more than 6,000 entries, and have reinvested over £140,000 back into Dorset’s local economies.
Entries are now open for Bridport Business Awards –but hurry, as entries close on Thursday, January 9, with the awards ceremony on Thursday, February 13 2025 at lunchtime. They are free to enter. Go to marketingwest.co.uk/bridportbusiness-awards
Pro: Place 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3×3 box. No digit may be repeated in any dashed-line cage, and each dashed-line cage must result in the given value when the stated operation is applied between all of the digits in that cage. For subtraction and division operations, start with the highest number in the cage and then subtract or divide by the other numbers in that cage.
Place 1 to 9 once each into every black-bordered 3×3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.
Can you solve these brain chains entirely in your head? Start with the bold value on the left of a chain, then follow the arrows and apply each operation in turn. Write the result in the box.
Jumbo 3D Sudoku
Vittles (food & drink)
Karen Broad lives in Burton Bradstock, with her husband and two mad dogs. She ran The Mousetrap in Dorchester, has lived in France and loves discovering new food producers.
The final visitors have departed, and it’s ‘stand down’ for my kitchen duties with a huge sigh of relief. I always have considered Christmas a bit of a marathon and to those not confident, please accept a huge ‘pat on the back’. You’ve done well. This year we had a beautiful rib of beef, a favourite of ours, and it made a change from the traditional. One of the perks of beef is the beef dripping, enjoyed with lashings of pepper on toast. High in calories, it’s something to be enjoyed occasionally but it has recently had something of a renaissance because, although it’s high in calories, it lacks trans fats, that nasty stuff that increases cholesterol. As a child, dripping was a food staple. Butter was considered a luxury and expensive. Chunks of fresh bread straight from the oven with lashings of dripping warms hungry tums or, as my grandmother would say, it ‘lined our stomachs for the day ahead’. I was a feral child, always out even in the most inclement weather. Playing was hard work! Dripping was simply using up the fat and meat juices of the Sunday roast. In France they slow cook beef and vegetables in a
For cheese: A jolly good filler
LEFTOVERS RECIPE: Savoury cheesecake
potbellied crock pot called a ‘marmite’ pronounced (marmit). Sounds familiar? The juices and fat produce a thick dark savoury syrup at the bottom, perfect for dunking bread.
We are a family of ‘cheese’ devotees, so this year my ‘food leftover’ is cheeses and I came across this lovely recipe to use up all those leftover cheeses and bits and it’s full of flavour and quite rich.
Mum’s Kitchen...
Chicken with Oranges and Grains
As a recipe for January, this ticks a lot of boxes: it is budget-friendly, healthy, tasty, and with its inclusion of ginger and chilli, is very warming Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 oranges, 1 cut into thin slices, 1 zested and juiced
Savoury cheesecake
Ingredients
2 x 280g packs full-fat soft cheese
375g of cheese, I used a mix of stilton, brie and a goat’s cheese
4 eggs
1 unwaxed lemon, zest of all, 2 tbsp juice
4 sprig/s sprigs thyme, picked, plus extra to serve Half packet of digestive biscuits + half a packet of cheddars
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
20g ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1kg skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
1 large head of broccoli, about 400g,
170g melted butter
Topping of your choice, pickles, roasted vegetables, walnuts and honey, whatever. Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Use a cake liner or grease thoroughly a spring form tin.
In a food processor blitz the biscuits and add the melted butter and press into the prepared tin and refrigerate. In a food processor whizz all the cheeses until smooth, then add in the eggs one at a time. Gently fold in the lemon zest and juice, lemon thyme and a little sea salt, then pour into the prepared cake tin.
Put on a baking tray, bake for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 160ºC, gas mark 3, and bake for another 15-25 minutes, or until just set, covering with foil if the top is becoming too dark. Cool completely in its tin (preferably overnight)
Scatter the top of the cheesecake with the topping of your choice.
I used baby pimentos and baby gherkins. I find the pickles cut through the richness of the cheese and compliments it.
broken into small florets, stalks chopped into small pieces
2 x 250g pouches of mixed grains (I used Aldi’s Worldwide Foods wholegrain rice and quinoa)
200ml chicken stock, made with ½ stock cube
Handful of coriander, chopped Method: Heat the oven to 220C/200 fan.
Lizzie Crow – AKA Lizzie Baking Bird – is a self taught baker and has recently moved into her own bakery. She also has a stall outside The Old Ship Inn in Upwey each Saturday. See her scrumptious eats at lizziebakingbird.co.uk or find lizzibakingbird on Instagram.
Don’t get in a flap, Jack
Mincemeat Flapjack
When you’ve half a jar of mincemeat that needs using up - try this. Think flapjack with spice and full of flavour.
225g rolled oats
140g light brown sugar
100g flour
Generous pinch of salt (optional)
140g butter
3 tbsps golden syrup
225g mince meat
Makes 6 slices
Put the oats, brown sugar, flour (and salt, if using) in a mixing bowl. Melt the butter and syrup together in a saucepan or microwave. Add it to the dry ingredients and mix well.
In a lined baking tray (10 x 15 cm) add half of the flapjack mix and spread out so that it covers the base. Spoon on the mincemeat and spread over the flapjack. Tip on the remaining mix over the mincemeat make sure that its totally covered.
Pop it in the oven 200C/ Gas 6 and cook for 25 - 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.
n Lizzie will be back at the Old Ship Inn, upwey on Saturday, January 18 where you can pick up her bakes. Check out her website
lizziebakingbird.co.uk or follow on insta Lizzibakingbird or call on 01305 816378.
Vittles (food & drink)
FINALISTS: Al Molo co-owners Giuseppe Vannucci and Tim Newton
Restaurant in line for tourism prize
A Dorchester eatery is in the running as a finalist in the restaurant of the year category in the Dorset Tourism Awards.
Al Molo in the county town is in line to win the gong after Al Molo in Weymouth won gold in the 2021 South West Tourism Awards.
Co-owner Tim Newton said: “We really are enormously proud and pleased to be a finalist in the Dorset Tourism Awards, which really is the icing on the cake after a visit from the AA inspector and then awarded an AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence.
“Giuseppe and I would really like to thank our team as we could not achieve what we do without them. Our family move to Dorchester is certainly proving to be an excellent choice as we love living in the town. It is quite different from Weymouth’s seafront, but we love meeting new customers and greeting our regulars who travel from Weymouth to see us –we really have the best of both towns.”
The Dorset Tourism Awards winners will be announced on February 6.
Combine the orange juice and zest with the lemon juice and zest, fish sauce, chilli and honey, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ginger and garlic in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs, season and toss to coat.
Tip the broccoli, mixed grains, stock and remaining tablespoon oil into a large roasting tin and stir
well. Arrange the orange slices and chicken thighs on top, skinside up, and spoon over half the marinade from the bowl.
Roast for 20 minutes, then spoon over the remaining marinade. Roast for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the thighs are golden, sticky and cooked through. Serve sprinkled with coriander.
FULL OF FLAVOUR: Mincemeat flapjacks
with Diana Holman
Vittles (food & drink)
is a professional baker who gave up her business to sail the oceans with her husband and dog. Home base is usually Portland Marina, but they are currently circumnavigating the UK. Follow their journey
Rich, moist cake keeps us all afloat
Happy New Year from the September Moon Crew to yours. We truly wish you a fabulous 2025, full of adventure and lots of tasty baking.
Sometimes, life gets in the way doesn’t it, or you get tired or just fed up. Here’s my favourite chocolate cake recipe that I’ve used for ever that is guaranteed to pull you out of the slump as it takes absolutely no effort to make. It is very rich but super soft. It will last about three days in a cake tin due to the added soured cream to keep it moist. Don’t worry if you don’t like coffee, you can’t taste it. So why add it you ask? Coffee enhances the chocolate flavour, making it even more chocolately! Once again, I’ve used cup measurements, as living on a boat, scales don’t work when your ‘house’ is always
moving. You can pick up a set of cup measurements from any large supermarket and they are usually less than £5 so definitely worth the investment.
Easy but very Rich Chocolate
Cake
Cake
2 cups of plain flour
1 ¾ cups of white sugar
1/3 cup of cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb of soda
½ tsp salt
170g butter
200g dark chocolate
2 tsp instant coffee
1 cup of hot water
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of soured cream
Chocolate Ganache
200ml pouring cream
200g dark chocolate, chopped Start by adding the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder,
bicarb and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix through.
To a saucepan, add the butter, chocolate, coffee and water and melt until smooth. Let cool for approx 20 minutes.
Add the eggs to the melted chocolate mix and stir in well. Add the vanilla and soured cream, stir well. Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and using an electric hand beater or a balloon whisk, beat for around two minutes until well incorporated and smooth. Pour the batter into a prepared 9” round tin and bake at 150deg C for approximately 90 minutes or until a skewer
comes out clean. Cool in tin for 30 minutes before turning out onto a cake plate.
Make ganache by heating the cream over medium heat until just before bubbling. Add the chopped chocolate and let sit for five minutes before stirring really well. Pour over cold cake and let set for an hour or so before slicing - if you can wait that long!
Take stock for your peace of mind this year
By John Clements,
Given a choice between a happy new year and peace of mind in the new year, I’m going for peace of mind every time. Happiness is frothy, flighty, fickle, here one minute, gone the next. Peace of mind a more solid, substantive, long-term thing. Aside from tedious bills, unexpected illness, loss, work/family-strife and whatever other maladies life has served you up recently, here’s a culinary-based, cheeky-short-cut, to achieving peace of mind in 2025.
Step 1. Make a stock. It was
the first thing I introduced when I started at the restaurant. Let’s go with a beef stock because it’s a long and slow affair, requiring an abundance of gentle, nurturetime. Having a stock slowly simmering away as the bubbling backdrop to your daily regime is how it works. There’s a reassuring and mystical sense of well-being that sneaks its way up the
nasal-passages, hits the temple-lobes and inspires all the dishes now possible.
Step 2. Put some music on. At the restaurant we cook to music. Pick a playlist you love.
Step 3. Explore recipes requiring a stock and then make them to attain your noble peace-prize. A trendy bone-broth; a cleansing bowl of velvety Vietnamese Pho; a deep, rich, beef ragu; a gentle, healing, chicken noodle soup;
a sublime Sunday roast granule-free gravy?
Most food that has any soul in it begins with a proper stock. Roast some bones, roughly chop skin-on onions, carrots, celery, garlic, add bay leaves, a few peppercorns, fresh herbs, water to cover. Bring to a boil and then knock it back to a simmer for two days, or as long as it takes. Peace out. Back to food reviews next month.
(Had enough or want some more? Check out The Food Life by John Clements on Substack).
Artwork by Suzanne M. Clements
chef at The Olive Tree, Bridport
Sherryn Sanderson
on Facebook and Instagram at September Moon Sailing.
Devolution will wreck our democracy
I am deeply concerned about the Liberal Democrat leader of Dorset Council’s welcome of the so-called devolution deal.
The “Heart of Wessex” it may be called, but it will begin us on a slippery slope of tearing the soul out of democracy in Dorset.
To many being run by a council based in Dorchester is bad enough, but I warn that it is much better than being run by an unknown mayor who could be based in Wiltshire or Somerset.
This so-called devolution is not powers being handed down to sovereign councils as it should be, but instead powers being handed from councils to another layer of local government in the form of a combined authority. This, I believe, on what I have seen in the past and from what is contained in the new government white paper on the
matter, will be the first step into a merger of these authorities into a mega-council that will have the struggling council of Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch thrown in too. The leader, who was previously sceptical of so-called devolution, has now thrown his lot in with it on the promise for potential new money for things like bus services.
What concerns me is that he is setting us to a future loss of sovereignty in return for a few quid for some double-deckers. What is genuinely needed in this country is a massive transfer of powers from central government to local councils along with the ability for them to fund themselves. Local government in this country worked well pre-1973 under the county/city and district/borough system, when councils built houses and public works programs, swept roads and ran
schools. Now councils have been stripped by successive governments of all stripes of their powers and now are a hollow shells that run underfunded services. Lots of responsibility, little money and no power. I am concerned that the Cllr Ireland – far from standing up for Dorset as he promised in the past – is going to sell us out without a fight to this Socialist government’s centralising bureaucratic plan to turn Britain into a federal state. Previous local government reorganisations show that bigger doesn’t mean better.
Littlemoor and Preston Councillor Louie O’Leary
n I have been puzzling lately. While driving around the west of Dorset I always seem to see a shoe or a boot in the road. Nearly every thoroughfare has its own range of abandoned
footwear. Who are these people, merrily shucking off their footwear and lobbing them out of their vehicles? Is it not dangerous to drive shoeless?
Sully Gordon, by email
While I appreciate there are many private schools in this area affected by the new VAT rules, private education is a luxury and should be taxed as such. If they change their business models to reflect this then they can claim much of that VAT back. They could even pass on these savings to the parents. To allow schools charging pupils thousands of pounds a year to trade as charities seems baffling to me: How can these children – who make up just 6% of the overall school population – be disadvantaged enough to need charity?
Doug Long, by email
Wisdom is often the greatest gift of all
What gift did Christmas bring us this year?
Perhaps we yearn more than ever for lasting gifts. To see light shattering the gloom, to hear stories of hope despite the odds in these dark and difficult days. To know more of generosity and love in the world? It feels like these are the gifts the world could do with this Christmas. Christmas Day may be behind us, but we are still in the season of Christmas and Epiphany.
So, I share a story of love and hope written more than 120 years ago by the by the American writer,Henry O. This beautiful story is entitled The Gift of the Magi in which the writer compares the gifts that the three wise men, or the
Magi, brought to the Baby Jesus, to the gifts his characters, Jim and Della give and receive one Christmas. Della and Jim are a young couple who are poor, but very much in love. Life is hard, but as Christmas approaches, they want above all to give a heartfelt gift to each other. Jim adores Della’s beautiful hair and knows how much it means to her, and longs to buy her lovely hair combs to wear in her glorious locks. Della knows Jim’s gold watch is his most treasured possession and wants to buy a gold fob chain for it, so he can wear it in his waistcoat. But neither has much money to spend. When Christmas Eve comes, Jim is so excited to give Della the sparkling hair combs
which will make her crowning glory lovelier than ever.
As he gives them to her, she starts to weep, and takes her hat off to reveal she has cut her hair short. Della presses her parcel into Jim’s hands, and he sees she has given him a beautiful fob chain, so he can wear his magnificent watch in this waistcoat pocket. He looks sad, and says he no longer has the watch.
It turns out Della sold her precious hair to buy a gift for Jim and Jim sold his watch to do the same for his wife. The young couple gave everything they had to give a gift of love to each other. The story ends with these words: The magi, as you know, were
wise men, wonderfully wise men, who brought gifts to the newborn Christ-child. They were the first to give Christmas gifts. Being wise, their gifts were doubtless wise ones. And here I have told you the story of two children who were not wise. Each sold the most valuable thing he owned in order to buy a gift for the other. But let me speak a last word to the wise of these days: Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are the most wise. Everywhere they are the wise ones. They are the magi.
Canon Deb Smith
Homes & Gardens
DRAIN BRAINS
By Jak Norwood of Valley Drains
It’s been a bit wet out there! Even in a regular winter of rain, storm water drains cause issues, and guttering, downpipes, gullies and Aco/slot drains get blocked with leaves, silt and debris which in turn can cause damp issues inside your property. With the enormous amount of rain we’ve had this has been
even more problematic. Underground rainwater soakaways can lose efficiency and you will find that storm drains start to back up and no longer soak away as they should. A new underground soakaway crate system will be required when they fail. Off mains drainage systems like septic tanks and sewage treatment plants can get overwhelmed due to cross connections from rainwater pipes which shouldn’t go into
any kind of treatment system that takes away your foul drainage.
When this happens, your treated final effluent has the potential to be non-compliant, which is classed as a pollution by the Environment Agency. Homeowners are responsible for making sure their off mains drainage asset is compliant with current regulations. n Call 07958 335973. email darren@valleydrains.co.uk valleydrains.co.uk
ALTO SAXOPHONE
Chateaux, ideal for student. Silver/black nickel plated. Little used and in as new condition, with original case. £185. Bridport 01308 425037. UKULELE, unused in box, Makala Soprano MK-S, satin finish mahogany. Includes spare strings and tuner. Cost £64.99, selling at £45. Bridport 01308 425037.
BOXED GAMES. Includes 50 games compendium (unused), Cluedo, Octagram, Dominos, Sylabex, Solitaire, and various card games etc. All in good condition. £15 the lot. Bridport 01308 425037.
GARAGE DOOR with integral frame in anthracite grey steel 2235mm wide x 2160mm high, £120. Tel 07747 410157 Portland.
SPACE SAVER WHEEL t.125/70r.16 96m t010, plus jack, new unused, £70. 17” extra wide BLACK SADDLE, good condition £50. Portland 07951 889803.
Homes & Gardens
Time to make plans and try something new
Mike Burks is the MD of The Gardens Group, with garden centres in Sherborne, Yeovil and Poundbury. Mike is a former chairman of the Garden Centre Association and is a passionate advocate of eco-friendly gardening practices. thegardensgroup.co.uk
Early January isn’t always the best time for gardening outdoors but it’s the perfect time for making plans. Firstly, make a list of all of the things you would like to achieve in the coming year. Have fun with this and be ambitious! There’s no need to put any financial or physical limits on it at this stage and that makes it even more enjoyable!
My list might include the following;
Dig less – no dig gardening is environmentally sound and could be a whole lot easier. The latter may not be true, but the former is and it’s something that large scale agriculture is doing too. Many farmers now don’t plough between crops but over-sow the next crop on top of the stubble or debris of the one before. The advantages are many fold and include a reduction in fuel costs associated with ploughing but
THE FENCING & GATE Co
Free survey & quotation 01935 330095 01305 330031
also a gain in terms of soil structure and, when we get torrential rain, less soil is lost to run off. No dig also means that carbon is left in the soil whereas cultivation releases carbon into the atmosphere contributing to climate change. The question is, though, how do you improve your soil without digging and the answer is to lay onto the surface of the soil materials, such as your own garden compost, well-rotted farm manure and/or soil improvers like Bloomin’ Amazing. Save water – rainwater is loads better for your plants than tap water and its cheaper too. And you might also be helping in reducing localised flooding if you can collect torrential rain rather than let it go straight down the drain or out into the road. I was speaking to a
developer recently who was telling me that they would be incorporating water storage tanks on new housing developments from now on which is very encouraging and long overdue. When visiting a wildlife gardener a couple of years ago, he showed me an extraordinary array of water butts and also a huge collection of two-litre milk bottles than he’d used to collect water during the winter. He hadn’t used tap water for several years and had a beautiful well-watered garden. You may not want the milk bottles but a water butt can look neat and tidy and is very useful. Leave a wild area – a small corner of your garden can be left to get a bit out of hand to provide a
WANTED
sanctuary for wildlife. They will love it and in return they will help you control pests in your garden and give you additional enjoyment as a result. Whereas it would be great to find hedgehogs and see that slow worms have moved in you will definitely start to get ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies as well as ground beetles in your abandoned area. Butterflies and moths will also appear, as well as more birds. Try something NEW – have a look at the displays of seeds and have a go at growing something you haven’t before. That might be a fruit or vegetable but equally it could be an ornamental like an annual flowering climber. If that isn’t good fun you can always blame me!
WANTED: OLD TOYS
Matchbox, Hornby, Railway Items, Airfix, Tamiya, Frog Model Kits. Fast, friendly service Call Paul 07824 154510
WANTED FOR CASH!
Vinyl records, old tools, medals, stamps, postcards, ceramics & glass. Any collectable item, anything considered, quirkier the better! Mike 07919 076427
STAMP & COIN COLLECTIONS WANTED
Discerning collector / investor seeks pre-war collections of stamps and coins. Individual items considered. Tel Rod on 01308 863790 or 07802261339
Culture
Why Portland will always be home
VIVIANE HORNE meets more of Portland’s people, Portlanders’ and Kimberlins’ stories of migration to the isle, inspired by B-Side’s community project for the next two years Who Do We Think We Are?’
Theresa Walker never dreamt for a moment she would end up living on Portland. She moved to London in her 20s for work then with husband Garry moved to Chesterfield after 18 years in the city. During covid they decided to move back to Dorset which was always the plan. Her parents live in Dorchester and Garry wanted to live near the sea.
Theresa also liked the idea of seeing the sea every day but not in a busy area, so they sought a property on the island.
Originally the couple had thought of having an allotment but when looking for somewhere to volunteer they discovered St George’s church needed help to maintain the church yard so they decided to focus their energy there. Theresa chose to care for the prisoner’s graves, she considers that her patch. She’s given up going to the gym and decided more walking and more gardening at St George’s are on the agenda: her green gym. She likes walking and belongs to two walking groups, Ramblers and
Poundbury Pathfinders. The only thing she doesn’t like about living on Portland is the difficulty getting on and off the isle sometimes.
Theresa and Elaine Shepherd dreamt up the first St George’s Church Christmas Tree Festival this year which was a great success with more than 400 people visiting over the weekend.
Terry Graham was born on a ‘cold and frosty morning’ at home in St. Martin’s Road, Underhill, Portland, very apt since I was interviewing him on Christmas Day in the Beehive on Portland. He now lives in Weston with his wife Jill.
Terry’s dad Ted was the officers’ mess chef at the
Verne when it was an army base and his mum, Kate Sainsbury, was the Colonel’s cook. Terry went to school on Portland – the old school house is now converted into flats.
From there he went to Weymouth Grammar School. Aged 18, fe did two years of military service as a radar engineer/instructor and was a sonar sngineer for the MoD, working at the research centre on the island until he retired.
Terry remembers going to the opening night of The Devenish Arms, now The Pulpit Inn at Portland Bill but being too young to drink. He hopes the islanders are successful in buying the pub as a community centre and thinks it would be a great asset to the island. His concern for the future of the island is shared by all, the housing planned, Portland as an island and needs different rules, it can’t be built all over. Terry used to enjoy walking and sea angling from the shore and says his claim to fame is as Foreman of the Jury for the Court Leet from 2005-2011.
Radical start to island theatre’s bumper year
Portland’s Royal Manor Theatre is promising another bumper year of entertainment with a strong starting line-up for 2025.
On January 11, the Bonfire Radicals will deliver a “danceable feast” of vibrant, prog-folk from 7.30pm.
On January 18, the Playmakers’ panto will be Rumpled Beauty, a modern tale of missing TV remotes with a dash of stage madness
delivered by the theatre’s playmaker children. There will be a performance of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe on February 6. Tickets are on sale now and further information can be found on Facebook. The theatre has also said it is teaming up with the Moviola group to host “cinematic experiences” during the year, with further details coming later.
PORTLAND PEOPLE: Theresa Walker and Terry Graham
The director and producer of a 2021 film probing whether Lawrence of Arabia’s death could have been murder is flying from the Netherlands to be special guest at a screening in Bridport.
Mark J T Griffin made the full-length feature film
Lawrence: After Arabia which starred Brian Cox, Hugh Fraser, Michael Maloney, Nicole Ansari and Tom Barber-Duffy in the title role. He says the film, made on a pitifully low budget, tells the story of Lawrence’s last few months after leaving the RAF and then 11 weeks later the fatal crash near Bovington, and the aftermath of his death.
Mark said: “It posits that Lawrence’s crash was no accident but an assassination.”
Mark says his investigation unearthed evidence of an assassination, but none for an accident.
He added: “The inquest was held two days after his death, seemed to have been a case of ‘premature adjudication’ by the coroner who ignored evidence (damage to the bike, Catchpole and Brough’s testimony, Lawrence’s road position, search for the car etc etc) and was held under the pressure that Lawrence’s funeral was in the afternoon.”
Lawrence film director in Q&A screening at Palace
The feature film was followed by a non-fiction book Who Killed Lawrence of Arabia which was published in 2022 and delves deeper into the crash.
Mark said: “The book approaches Lawrence’s death as a murder – who had the means, motive and opportunity to remove Lawrence.
“The book was supported by input and direction from the late Neil Falkner who was keen to push it forward. I see the book as a work in progress – the more I research
Get your dancing shoes on, you’re invited to the party
Enjoy an Irish house party like no other in Dorchester and Stur next month, as a captivating how returns to the UK on tour.
The Irish House Party will be in Sturminster Newton on Friday, February 21 and at Dorchester Arts on Saturday, February 22.
The show transports audiences to the heart of an impromptu Irish house party, offering a unique blend of traditional Irish music, dance, and comedy.
From the infectious energy and humour of the musicians to the lightning-fast footwork of the dancers, the show really captures the essence of Ireland’s musical heritage. It celebrates centuries-old traditions but with a contemporary twist. Tickets from sturexchange.co.uk or 01258 475137 and dorchesterarts.org.uk or 01305 266926
the more it adds to its evidence.”
The rare screening will be at the Electric Palance in Bridport on Saturday, January 18 at 7.30pm. The audience will be treated to an introduction by the director and a Q&A afterwards. Tickets are £9. To book go to electricpalace.org.uk/whatson or call 01308 424 901.
CONSPIRACY THEORY: Mark JT Griffin, right, and Lawrence of Arabia
Sport
Dorchester Town fan and regular contributor Stuart Voss talked to The West Dorset Magazine ahead of the Magpies’ New Year’s Day home win against Winchester City. He says there has been a ‘sea change’ in the team’s fortunes, as they continue their push for a play off place in the Southern League Premier Division.
Stuart, who writes content for The Same Old Few, speaks of an unfamiliar optimism and a real buzz among fellow supporters at the Avenue.
Stuart said: “There is such a fantastic atmosphere about the club at the moment and I can’t wait for the games.
“I am expecting us to win whereas for many seasons I’ve had a sense of dread going into some matches.
“There is such a buzz about the place and everything seems to have fallen into place on and off the pitch.
“We’ve seen attendances increase by a couple of hundred people and the club have been really clever in marketing Dorchester hats and scarves and you see them everywhere.
“It’s the best I can remember being a fan for a long time after so many years of flirting with relegation.”
The Magpies moved up to fourth in the table after Shaquille Gwenge’s goal was enough to secure another three points against Winchester, extending their current unbeaten run to 11 games.
Stuart said: “We thoroughly deserve to be where we are, it’s not a false position at all.
“Tommy (manager Tom Killick) has done a fantastic job to build on what Glenn Howes and James Wood had started.
“We have a good squad and are playing to a high level across the pitch. The club are well organised, and it’s a tough league with a lot of
Good times at the Avenue in Magpies’ play-off push
money floating about, but we are where we are on merit and I’m excited for the rest of the season.”
The team’s performances and results have shown a marked improvement in the past 12 months since Tom Killick arrived.
Stuart said: “I remember talking to the WDM about a year ago when we were in real trouble.
“We had just come off the back of an abject 4-2 defeat at home to Hungerford, and relegation looked a distinct possibility. I felt then that we should have been okay, but we’ve witnessed a real sea change since then.
“We have only lost six in the league since that game and it’s been a truly incredible transition.
“We’ve drawn a few that we might have won, but we’ve also salvaged some draws when we’ve been behind and sometimes down to 10 men.
“We were actually down to
nine at Totton and still managed to get a point. It shows a really good spirit in the team, although we’ve put ourselves in some of these games with these sending offs, a few of which have been rush of blood to the head.”
Stuart speaks of genuine quality across the pitch and highlights some early picks for his player of the season.
Stuart said: “We’ve got five or six players playing at a really high level.
“For me, Luke Pardoe would be top of my list as it stands.
“He’s been absolutely outstanding and played at a consistently high level. Olaf (Koszela) has had a very good season too, I think he has around 14 goals under his belt so far. Jordan and Corby in midfield have been really strong too – in my opinion, they’re the two best midfielders in the league and we don’t lose if they’re both in the team.
“Jack Dickson has been great too and I’ve not seen a better right back so far this season.
“Jack had a bit of a nightmare against Basingstoke, making a mistake and scoring an own goal, but the team still found a way to come back and win. I think that says a lot about the unity and togetherness in the squad.
“We’ve got a couple of tough games to come against Havant and Waterlooville and Merthyr Town, who have a healthy lead at the top. I see these games as a chance to prove ourselves and don’t fear them in the way that I would have a year ago.
“I’m really optimistic about what we can achieve this season and it’s a great time to be a Dorchester Town fan. I can’t think of too many times that it’s been as good as this.” n Dorchester entertain league leaders at Merthyr Town on Saturday, January 11. Please see the club’s websites for full fixture and ticket details.
LUKE HERE: Luke Pardoe celebrates his goal in the 3-2 win against Basingstoke Picture: PHIL STANDFIELD
Young anglers enjoy day at lake with impressive hauls
DDAS juniors gathered for one last match at an unseasonably mild and slightly wet Todber Manor. Hillview Lake showed considerable form by throwing up no less than four weights over the 200lb mark.
Three of the juniors were competing in their very first match and recorded some impressive debut match weights.
Alexander Adey, five, caught 43lbs, Freddie Campbell, nine, reeled in 69lbs, and George Ellis, six, weighed 91lbs!
All new personal best weights, well done to all.
Third place was a great end to the junior year for Josh Roe with 209lbs 12ozs. A resurgent Josiah Wells-Parkes came a close second with 261lbs 15ozs, but the winner on the day was Jack Copp, with 270lbs 6ozs to claim the Christmas Match trophy for the first time.
Juniors leader Graham Howard said: “Thank you to John Candy at Todber Manor fishery for kindly donating the
vouchers for the match. This rounds off an exceptional year for DDAS Juniors for 2024.
“Thank you to everyone who contributed in so many ways.
“There are too many to mention, but you know who you are. A Happy New Year from all at DDAS Juniors.
n For more information go to ddasjuniors.co.uk.
Email to juniors.sec@d-das.com Membership info, visit d-das.com
Impressive Daggers too sharp for rivals
Bridport 38 Puddletown 17
By SIMON BAREHAM
Bridport avenged their heavy defeat to Puddletown in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, running out comfortable winners in a competitive derby match in front of a good crowd. Starting positively, Bridport were quickly pressing Puddletown into a long defensive set, moving the ball effectively amongst the backs and seeking the opportunities to score.
This pressure was ruined by a loose kick that was gathered by the Puddletown 10, who saw a gap and raced 50m to score under the posts. 0-7 was not the start Bridport deserved or needed.
Bridport quickly assumed the initiative from the kick-off and were awarded a penalty kick that Cam Waite converted. 3-7. This was shortly followed up by Bridport turning over the ball in
the Puddletown half, moving it quickly to the outside backs, resulting in Bridport’s first try, scored in the corner by Jed Gravelle. Waite converted another tricky kick from the 5m line to take Bridport into the lead 10-7.
The following 20 minutes was all Bridport with every player contributing to an excellent period of rugby that enthralled the spectators. However, it took some clever play from Charlie Samways, who broke the Puddletown defence with a skilful chip through for Gravelle to gather and rush in to score. Another conversion from
FRONT FOOT:
Bridport's Luke Robertson peels away from the scrum to mount an attack
Waite took the score to a welldeserved 17-7.
Puddletown weren’t to be pushed over. Responding strongly, they were awarded a penalty which was converted. 17-10. However, Bridport responded well, Samways orchestrating the moves with his backs, and the forwards dominating the scrums and carrying strongly into the Puddletown half.
Against the run of play, Puddletown’s influential No.10 managed to gather a loose ball and break a few tackles to score his second converted try. Although, with just a few
minutes of play remaining, it was Bridport who corrected the balance of the game. Winger Corben Newman scored, with Waite converting his fourth kick, bringing to an end a thrilling first half at 24-17. Bridport started the second half brightly, identifying that their strengths were out wide, trying to maximise their speed and skill in these areas. Puddletown were defiant in their defence, with some excellent tackling and scramble defence, denying Bridport for the first 15 minutes. But in the end, it was Bridport who worked the ball wide, scoring their fourth try by Sam Roberts-Wray, yet again converted by Waite, taking the score to 31-17.
To finish an excellent afternoon, Man of the Match Waite shot through a gap on the fringe of a ruck, side stepping the full back and scoring the final converted try of the match. The winning score for Bridport 38-17.
WHAT A CATCH: From left, Alexander Adey, George Ellis, Freddie Campbell, Josiah Wells-Parkes, Josh Roe and Jack Copp
Down to earth
Has incinerator plan gone up in smoke?
It has been quite a year for people monitoring the incineration battle for Portland Port.
There have been hopes, promises, pledges, and finally, disappointment. We have seen the election of a Prime Minister who promised politics that would “tread more lightly” on the lives of people, and yet his government made a decision in September which, ignoring the wishes of Dorset Council and – in my opinion all common sense –has done quite the opposite. Further afield, Hackney residents must be feeling quite the same, having been informed by their council in December that Energy from Waste (EfW) was the “least
environmentally damaging” means of waste disposal, in contrast with findings that, in terms of carbon emissions in energy production, it is only marginally cleaner than coal.
Last week, however, the government announced ‘strict’ requirements for new waste incinerators. They referred to a stagnated recycling rate of around 40% nationally – 49% of waste heads to landfill or incinerators.
Now, the government says it will back projects only if they meet new, more stringent criteria.
To gain approval, new projects must prove they will reduce non-recyclable waste sent to landfill while pushing towards net-zero and heating
initiatives, and create a circular economy which minimises waste and conserves resources. It remains unclear what all this will mean for Powerfuel’s Portland proposal.
South Dorset MP Lloyd Hatton has ‘cautiously welcomed’ the changes – but he shares the fears of local opposition groups that the new measures do not go far enough in that they do not ban new incineration projects.
The director of Powerfuel has dismissed the impact of the move upon Portland, given that planning permission has already been granted – though that is under appeal in the High Court, while an environmental permit remains lacking.
manifesto as to “recognise the impact [of such plants] on local communities”, is contradicted by any analysis of the past 14 years – in the past five years alone, the number of plants in England shot from 38 to 52.
We could easily accuse this Conservative policy reversal of gaslighting – except that, every unit of electric produced by a waste incinerator creates 50% more carbon emissions than even gas! Their present stance as the party looking out for local people, protecting us from big business, didn’t wash then, and it doesn’t wash now.
Learning whether these new changes have real teeth in Portland’s case may require patience. But in Defra’s incineration capacity forecasting was the assumption that incinerators granted permission but lacking sufficient ‘feedstocks’ to fuel them would be unlikely to secure funding – a morsel of hope, perhaps, especially given our high recycling rate, but certainly lacking the punch of the bans seen in Scotland and Wales.
Such a ban was, of course, pledged in the Conservative 2024 manifesto, along with promises to even revoke permits of incinerators lacking significant construction progress: a promise for nearzero new incinerators. And yet, the facts of Tory rule speak for themselves. The move, vowed in their
As disappointed as so many of us are with Labour in the past six months, let us not entirely forget the very recent past. While we hope for common sense to prevail and these new requirements to scupper the Portland incinerator plan, there’s still a nagging feeling that common sense should have prevailed, before now. Dorset was ranked ninth best in the country for recycling in 2023.
In the knowledge that incinerators can and do harm recycling rates, Portland Port’s was a seemingly unviable proposal – and yet found itself approved.
Anyone concerning themselves with environmental politics will be beyond familiar with empty gestures, false promises, and meaningless targets. For them, the fears remain that this announcement will make no difference.
Ultimately, time will tell.
Rory
Baird
Former Member of Youth Parliament for Dorset
By KIM BERLIN
A (relative) newcomer to Portland
It was with a wry smile that I noted the name of a road in a new residential development on Portland when the signs went up a while ago: Kingbarrow Drive.
I’ve always wondered if it’s a peculiarly British thing to name places after things or features that we have quite deliberately destroyed.
There’s also a Kingbarrow nature reserve just behind the Verne Hill, the very summit of the Isle of Portland, and this is where the ‘king barrow’ once stood, a huge Bronze Age barrow that was wiped out by the Victorians in order to access the stone in that area. It was good of them though, without a hint of irony, to name the quarry Kingbarrow in honour of what they had destroyed. The Victorians were particularly tardy in their treatment of the island.
Huge civil engineering projects were conducted on Verne Hill to build the citadel and various military emplacements, during which a considerable amount of archaeological evidence of human occupation, from the Palaeolithic onwards, was found… and discarded.
Thomas Hardy, for his books, renamed Portland The Isle of Slingers because of the caches of rounded beach pebbles that were found high on the hill to be used as ammunition to deter invaders. Several boxes of finds were recorded as having been saved and were still known to be in a dingy disused corridor of the Verne Citadel about a hundred years ago, but these have since been lost. Mammoth bones were recorded as having been thrown into the sea. A stone circle known as The Frolic
Down to earth
were found nearby and a quantity of corroded iron objects that may have been funerary offerings, being placed on and around her body. Most poignant were the bones of a cockerel clasped to her chest, a rare and much valued possession in these times, quite possibly a beloved pet. She had been loved and treated with respect. Andrea said: “My ongoing research is really exciting as it highlights Portland’s early communities and their funerary practices, showing very careful treatment of their loved ones.”
Rock of ages Island’s stone history
TOUCHSTONE: The stone on the road to Portland Bill
disappeared altogether, although these may be the tall stones used in the long wall that now descends Easton Lane.
Archaeological vandalism notwithstanding, the record of destruction does illustrate one thing – that Portland was, and may still be, rich in archaeological artefacts.
The late Susann Palmer, who came to Portland as an archaeologist in the 1960s, doggedly pursued studies of the landscape and features within it, devoting her life to finding many previously undiscovered sites including the Mesolithic site near Culverwell, one of the few freshwater springs on the island.
This site has now been covered over again and returned to a field, but for many years it had a hut erected over it and the floor of this dwelling, from more than 7,500 years ago, was clear to see. Pieces of stone
had been carefully gathered up and laid as a sort of mosaic floor to give the people who inhabited it a solid and relatively comfortable structure as the basis of their home. These are the things that excite me – a tangible link to these families that were here so long ago, visible evidence of their endeavours, their intelligence and order, their care in making a comfortable home with the materials that were available to them. Our earliest evidence of social history. Another site uncovered a sophisticated Iron Age/Romano British settlement. I was privileged to be shown some of the artefacts from there by my friend Andrea FrankhamHughes Bsc of Bournemouth University’s Department of Archaeology. Perhaps most poignant were artefacts from the burial of a young lady, believed to be a high-status individual. Some glass beads
Much of Portland has been quarried, but there are still areas untouched. The Saxon field systems of lynchets and lawnsheds still exist in places. In my excursions around the island I pick out features, in particular standing stones in walls that are far bigger than anything else around, giving the appearance that the wall has been built to the stone, rather than the stone used in the wall, and I can’t help wondering, are these the remains of prehistoric monuments still lingering in the landscape, passed by, unrecognised?
There is one stone in particular that intrigues me. It stands alone, facing out to the east, towards the rising sun across the sea, at the side of the ancient track that is still the road to the Bill. It has that classic pinnacle shape and stands over six feet high at today’s soil levels, so goodness knows how much of it is underground. Almost subsumed now by brambles, I am drawn to it every time I pass by. It is close to the Mesolithic site and, just possibly, archaeological investigation will also stand this as a marker of Portland’s prehistoric past.
Down to earth
Energy of high days and holloways
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, in the hills above Beaminster, there was a sunken road known as a holloway. It was part of a much longer migratory route, every inch chosen for reasons of survival. These days part of that route is known as Footpath 79 and Bridleway 80 on the definitive map. Not very magical, but believe me the magic is still there – just. The holloway was carved out by the pounding of water, then reindeers’ hooves, then deer and finally humans took up the mantle, migrating away from the vestiges of the last ice age. The deer ate the plants and the humans ate the deer and plants – healing flora which only grows in the
ecosystem of trenches like holloways. Tellingly, the names of these plants reflect connection with deer, such as Hart’s tongue and Moschatel – a plant with the musky odour of a deer.
How many times I wonder did our ancestors get lost on route, when a blanket of snow stole all the way-marks
of the landscape? How many times did the holloway itself become a hidden white ravine into which the intrepid travellers fell? The only rescue services were shamans sending a spirit animal to lead the way from the safety of a nearby cave. And that’s what you can still feel there, the potent energy
of the shape-shifting Shaman. Each time we walk there the circuit energy is renewed. Between the two parties of the landowner and the council the land is supposed to be maintained but the holloway has been neglected. In Symondsbury, two holloways have really marked out the area as special. Shute’s Lane and Hell Lane are easily accessible from the Symondsbury Estate car park. If you want to explore them, just pop into the visitor centre on the estate and ask for a map. Or North of Buckham Down, where you can see in the photograph how the holloway at Beaminster could look with a bit of TLC. There is an application by Dorset Council and the landowner to ‘extinguish’ the obstructed holloway section. If successful, members of the public will be trespassing should they wish to use and enjoy this ancient sunken lane, which is their lawful and historic right. Break the circuit and the energies of aeons will drain away!
Sally Cooke lives in Tolpuddle with her husband, two grown-up sons and spotty rescue dog. She loves to photograph and write about the everyday wildlife she sees in her garden and on her daily dog walks. You can follow Sally on Instagram at Sparrows in a Puddle.
Beautiful January? Well,
If there was a popularity contest for the months of the year, January would not win. In fact, there’s a good chance it would come in 12th place. Taking down the cheery outdoor lights and popping the Christmas decorations back into the loft isn’t nearly as much fun as it was putting them up in early December. We’re back to work and back to school and the media tells us we have January blues and that the first month of the year seems to go on for much longer than its actual 31 days!
Well, I’m not buying into it and have been finding many reasons to feel optimistic that spring, although not with us for many weeks yet, is definitely on its way.
Gardens can feel drab and dull in January. It’s easy to fill a garden with colour in the spring and summer but it’s worth making the effort to include plants that flower at this time of year.
On mild January days bees will be out foraging and I’m glad that my viburnum, hebe,
winter jasmine and the fabulously named ‘stinking hellebores’ are providing food for them.
My spring bulbs are starting to make an appearance too. On a whim late in the autumn I bought over a hundred crocus bulbs at half price and I’m thrilled to see their little green shoots coming through the soil.
Our bungalow is covered in wooden cladding that has bowed and cracked to provide plenty of prime nesting spots that in summer will be full of activity as
house sparrows raise their young. But even in January, as the morning sun warms the cladding, there’s an air of excitement among the birds. They are in and out of the holes, squabbling over the best ones and will maybe do some half-hearted collection of nesting material. Much to the sparrows’ disdain, a starling is investigating one of the holes too. On sunny January mornings he tries out his distinctive gurgling song, full of clicks and whistles, from our pear tree.
My elderly arthritic dog is no longer up for long walks in the countryside, but adjusting to her slow pace I have even more time to stop, look and listen. There may be quite a bit of winter still to come but there is plenty of beauty in January and although the days are still short they are gradually lengthening. I’m reminded of a book I had as a child by Arnold Lobel in which Frog cheers up his friend Toad by telling him that spring is ‘just around the corner’.
bumblebee
Health & Wellbeing
BURTON BRADSTOCK
WALKING IN DORSET
with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade
This is an undulating walk of about five miles, along which you might find a couple of geocaches. Start at the bottom end of Beach Road at Hive Beach, pictured, and, after visiting the beach and National Trust facilities, take the footpath that leaves the car park and heads north west across fields to the village.
When you reach it, head north then east, passing or visiting the church and then take a path heading east across the Bride river.
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After a while you’ll meet the Bredy road, soon after joining which you’ll leave it to head north along a footpath along the edge of a field to meet another footpath that takes you west back to the village Keep going west until you join a bridleway that takes you north over the rather steep North Hill which has good views from the top.
The bridleway turns left, west, on the far side of the hill. After about a quarter of a mile join a
footpath that takes you south west then south up and over the hill again to meet the main road, the B3157, on a bend. Cross the road and follow the signed path south south west past a holiday camp. Turn right and head west, following the Bride to where it enters the sea at Burton Freshwater. After pottering on the beach, join the Coast Path, which takes you east along Burton Cliff for about a mile, being careful as there are frequent rock falls, and then you’ll be back at Hive Beach. It’s worth carrying on for a while and then explore the Access Land on your left, which contains Bind Barrow and interesting flowers and insects. When you’ve done enough make your way back to where you started.
Here’s what to expect at osteopath’s
What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a type of healthcare focused on diagnosing, treating and preventing medical conditions by using physical manipulation, stretching, and massaging to address muscle, joint and nerve problems.
Osteopaths follow the principle that the body’s structure and function are interconnected, and that promoting optimal alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal system can help improve overall health and support healing processes.
Osteopaths are trained to assess and treat a variety of conditions, not just musculoskeletal conditions (like back pain or joint issues), but broader issues affecting the body’s functioning.
How long does it take and what does an appointment entail? Appointments last
about 45 minutes. The osteopath will take the patient’s full case history, and will then assess how the body moves and may perform relevant clinical testing (eg. taking blood pressure, reflexes). By understanding all of the factors that are contributing to the
patient’s pain or discomfort, the osteopath will then be able to explain what they believe is the working diagnosis and what the best course of action should be. This will likely involve manual therapy where these techniques are often used:
1. Stretching – to improve flexibility and reduce tightness
2. Massage – to help improve circulation and reduce muscle tension
3. Manipulation – to realign bones, joints, tissues, often though gentle movements or pressure
4. Exercise, rehabilitation and advice – the osteopath will also suggest exercises to either stretch or strengthen areas that need addressing. What happens next?
The goal is always to get the patient to manage the problem themselves. This is done by creating a plan so they are
armed with appropriate exercises and advice to enable them to move forwards with confidence. Often, improvement of conditions take a multi-disciplinary approach. If the osteopath feels as though the patient needs assistance elsewhere, then a suitable referral pathway can be suggested. This could include support from nutritionists, pilates/yoga instructors, acupuncturists, counsellors or further medical testing/imaging.
At Move clinic we have four osteopathic practitioners who all share a passion for helping patients to get moving better with less pain or discomfort. Move clinic also offers sports and Swedish massage for patients who feel stiff and would like to reduce stress and tension. Go to moveclinic.co.uk or call 01305 591297.
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