The WDM’s sales director Laura’s dad Dave and his dog Beau are the perfect example of when dogs start looking like their owners... or could it be the other way around?
Dave, who lives in Weymouth, will be 76 this month and Beau the cockapoo is 12. Happy birthday, Dave!
New care plan
A countywide strategy for supporting people with multiple health and care needs has been set out for Dorset councillors. The Extra Care strategy is prioritising the development of four new extra care housing schemes in a bid to allow more people to remain independent in their homes. Dorset Council’s role as a registered provider will also be discussed when the paper is presented to the council’s cabinet on July 9.
n Weymouth Food & Family Festival will be held on July 27 and 28 at Lodmoor (DT4 7SX) 10am-5pm. Delicious food, fun activities, live music and entertainment for the whole family. Tickets £2-£8 from weymouthfoodand familyfestival.co.uk
Swimmers’ group in call for action on sewage release
Members of the recently formed West Bay Swimmers Action Group, which campaigns to improve water quality in our rivers and seas, assembled on East Beach to protest about sewage pollution in the sea. The action was part of the Great Big Green Week, organised by Friends of the Earth. Current legislation requires water companies to treat water ‘effectively’ and only permits overflows to discharge untreated sewage in ‘exceptional circumstances’. But the group says that’s not what is happening in practice.
A spokesman said: “In the UK in 2023 there were over 464,000 sewage overflows, equivalent to over 1,200 sewage releases every day.
“Swimmers at West Bay, and elsewhere, are badly impacted by these overflows as are many other water users. Sewage releases make it impossible to swim in the sea, and pose a risk to human health, as well as threatening marine life.
“As part of our campaign to improve water quality and raise awareness of the impact of sewage pollution in the sea, The West Bay
Swimmers Action Group are applying to DEFRA for bathing water quality status for East Beach. This would mean that the water quality would be tested regularly throughout the bathing season, currently defined as May to September.”
Another group member said: “Water quality in our
rivers and sewage pollution causes by the water companies has become a critical issue in the General Election.”
The group welcome new members, particularly swimmers and other water users, who would like to join their campaign.
Further info from westbay swimmersactiongroup.org
PROTEST: West Bay Swimmers Action Group
Developer thwarted
Councillors drew a line in the sand by rejecting a developer’s plea to reduce the number of affordable houses it has to build.
Betterment, who are developing Curtis Fields in Weymouth, Betterment Properties applied to reduce the number of affordable homes from 140 to 122, out of a total of 500. The company complained to the authority that it would not make enough money from the project if it is made to honour its original agreement of 30 per cent affordable housing on the site. Betterment’s argument was upheld by the independent district valuer after the company claimed to have incurred some £20million of unforeseen expenses relating to the development.
Councillors were told Betterment had refused to
even discuss a reduction in the number of affordable homes with council officers. After cross party discussion in a meeting, councillors voted unanimously to reject Betterment’s proposed cut of 18 affordable homes from the scheme.
Councillors were warned Betterment has the right to appeal against the decision and could potentially take the matter to court.
Dorset Council entered into a Section 106 agreement – a legal contract – with Betterment in 2016 for the firm to develop Curtis Fields. The agreement states a minimum of 30 per cent of the homes will be ‘affordable’ and Betterment must pay £4.5million in developer contributions towards local school provision, ecology and recreation.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
Dorchester and District Gardening Club will hear from chairman and academic director of the Thomas Hardy Society Mark Damon Chutter, who will explore the background to Sissinghurst and the context of when Vita Sackbulle-West lived
there – her relationships and her love of gardening.
Meet at St George’s Church Hall, High Street, Fordington, DT1 1LB. Doors open 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. Visitors £4 on the door (no need to book). There is also a bring and buy stall and a draw. Contact Jane,
GIGS IN JULY: Sat 6th 7.30pm JASON & THE ALCONAUTS. Sun 7th 4pm THE PICKWICKS. Thurs 11th 7pm, OPEN MIC. Sat 13th 7pm UNDECIDED DUO. Sun 14th 5pm BILLY BOY MISKIMMIN & MERCY LOUNGE. Weds 17th 8pm JAZZ JAM. Fri 19th 7.30pm DALE DOOK SOLO. Sat 20th TBC. Sun 21st TBC. Fri 26th 7.30pm PIRATE NIGHT: CAPTAIN’S BEARD. Sun 28th 5pm LEANNE & KYLE JACKSON. AUGUST
GIGS: Sat 3rd 7pm LIAM HOWARD. Sun 4th 5pm SURFIN’ BIRDS. Sat 10th 7pm STICKLEBACK JACK.
secretary on 01305 268523 or email dorchestergardening@ gmail.com
West Dorset Ramblers will walk 8 miles, Colmer’s Hill & Thorncombe – circular hilly walk with beautiful views. Start 10am from Symondsbury. To book and for further details contact Carol 07902 988549.
Open gardens at Horn Park in Tunnel Rd, Beaminster DT8 3HB 2.30pm-4.30pm. Large plantsman’s garden with magnificent views over Dorset countryside towards the sea. Many rare and mature plants
Bridport
herbaceous, rock and water gardens.
West Dorset Community Orchestra presents a summer concert at 7.30pm at St Swithun’s Church, North Allington, DT6 5DU. They will be playing a varied range of orchestral pieces to include Radetzky, Strauss, Vaughan Williams, Elgar. Admission is free with a retiring collection. Refreshments in the interval and a raffle.
One of the UK’s best wildlife photographers, David Bailey
No 1, St Michael’s Trading Estate, DT6 3RR Established and selling successfully for 25 years Michael Dark and his team of Linda, Maggie, Sallie, Mo, Sarah and Judy work hard on your behalf to identify, research and market your goods to get the best prices for you in our popular worldwide monthly live on-line auctions of collectables and antiques. Entries are now being accepted for our forthcoming auctions.
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01308 459400 or email for auction valuations
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from Winterborne Abbas, recently highly commended by the Mammal Society for a photograph of a hare, will present a talk at Leigh Village Hall, 7pm for a 7.30pm start. ticketsource.co.uk
THURSDAY, JULY 4
Collective ConTakt will perform in Prince Albert Gardens, Swanage at 7pm. Foley is a thrilling contemporary circus show for all ages by Collective ConTakt, a pan European circus collective with roots in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and the UK who specialise in blending high level acrobatics and live music. This performance is free, though donations to Artsreach are welcome.
FRIDAY, JULY 5
An antiques valuation evening will be held at All Saints’ church, Wyke Regis, 5pm7.30pm. Bring your antiques and collectibles and discuss
their history and value with an expert from Duke’s. £2.50 per item. All proceeds to All Saints Church funds. No booking required, rfreshments available.
Dorchester Tree Walk runs every Wednesday in July and August, 6pm to 7.30pm. £7.50 per adult, children free. Meet in front of The Colliton Club, Colliton Walk, Dorchester DT1 1XJ. A whistlestop tour of 20 trees in 90 minutes – learn how to identify them and the amazing ways in which they work. Walks will run whatever the weather. No need to book. Email treewalksindorset@ gmail.com or see the Facebook page Tree Walks in Dorset.
Make a traditional Dorset button or a tree of life / bouquet of flowers at Duir, Abbotsbury
Whasson? (and where’s it to?)
(DT3 4JJ), duirsoap.co.uk. £25, equipment and refreshments provided. 1pm-3pm
Parish of Our Lady Star of the Sea are holding their summer fete in the grounds of the Convent of Mercy, 74 Wyke Road, Weymouth noon to 4.30pm.
Delicious food – BBQ, Polish food, cream teas – available throughout the afternoon. There will be stalls selling cakes, crafts, plants, ‘pink’ things,
handmade cards and more. Bottle stall, tombola, face painting, activities, and races for children. Grand Draw, first prize £100.
A community café and car boot will be held at Crossways Youth and Community Centre 9am to noon – Pitches free, but book: bookings@crosswaysycc.org
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CARAVAN & MOTORHOME REPAIRS
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Visit Creams Dorchester Visit Creams Dorchester
SATURDAY, JULY 6 CT’D
West Stafford Fete will be held in the grounds of Talbothays Lodge 12pm-4pm.
Parking on site. Duo Milk & Two will entertain, there will be food and bar facilities, a dog show, face painting, local craft displays, stalls, games, teas and much more. Contact jacquie.walton@outlook.com to have a stall or offer services.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7-mile walk from Litton Cheney. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308
863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Stanchester Quire will sing seasonal songs from the South West in aid of church funds at 7pm at Poyntington Church DT9 4LF.
Tickets £10 including an interval drink from Robert Gould 01963 220 222
A village cafe will be held at LATCH, Litton Cheney DT2 9AU in aid of St Mary's Church 10am-12.30pm. Bacon butties etc, cakes & produce, local art and crafts, grand prize draw.
AFTERNOON TEA
A skittles night will be held at Frampton Village Hall, starting with children’s skittles 6pm7pm. BBQ, bar, raffle and adults individual and team skittles – or join a team on the night, everyone welcome!
The Friends of Weymouth Library (F.O.W.L.) talk from 10.30am to noon will be by Kevin Patience, unravelling the mystery of the model for the Rolls-Royce car mascot, the Silver Lady. It is an unusual, tragic and intriguing story. Tickets for the talk are available from the library 01305 762410
at £2 for members and £3 for non-members. Enquiries to 01305 832613. Refreshments available, everyone welcome.
The Quangle Wangle Choir will give a concert at The Weybay Methodist Church, Melcombe Avenue, Weymouth, DT4 7TH, 7.30pm to 9ish. £10, accompanied children free. See quanglewanglechoir.co.uk or contact Juliet Harwood on 01305 814940, 07747 373516, julietharwood@hotmail.com
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Enjoying a refreshing afternoon tea in the rare ‘Devon Belle’ Pullman observation car as you steam through the spectacular Purbeck countryside.
Your refreshing and tasty afternoon tea is served by our attentive and helpful attendants dressed in pristine Pullman uniforms.
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SATURDAY, JULY 6 CT’D
There’s bingo at Bridport Youth and Community Centre (DT6 3RL), eyes down 7pm.
SUNDAY, JULY 7
Frampton Village Fete, 1pm4.30pm. Taking place between the hall and Millennium Green, come along to enjoy stalls, games, BBQ, teas, bar, ice creams, duck races, raffles, dog show, classic cars, dancing from The Studio Dorset, and live music from Finlay Leslie. £1 entry for adults.
Join the parade for Sherborne’s first Pride event at midday in Paddock Gardens on Newlands in Sherborne, where the team will get you checked in. The parade will travel along Newlands, down onto Cheap Street and through the centre of town, onto Half Moon Street, followed by Digby Road through the artisan street market, and on to Pageant Gardens, where a fully loaded
programme of entertainment is on offer till the evening.
The Beaminster Branch of the Royal British Legion will be celebrating its 100th anniversary by taking part in a special service in St Mary’s Church, Beaminster at 9.30am. The service will be followed by a barbecue from 3pm until 6.30pm at the Memorial Playing Field pavilion and marquee. There will be music with three live bands, a bar and refreshments, a raffle and a cake stall. Tickets from the Yarn Barton Centre or The Greyhound Inn, £5 or £2.50 for children under 12 including a burger and a sausage in a roll.
Quilter Christina Walkley will be giving a talk and exhibition in Yetminster at 2.30pm.
£6 entry includes afternoon tea with Pimm’s. Tickets on the door or in advance from pccsec.yetminster@gmail.com
JAPANESE FOOD
LIVE MUSIC THIS MONTH AT
WYKE WORKIES
July 27th
* August 3rd ALIVE & KICKING * August 10th PERSUADERS * August 16th
ELVIS (BARRY PAUL) * August 17th ICARUS
ALL EUROS MATCHES TO BE SHOWN ON NEW LARGE-SCREEN TV
The Old Rectory, Litton Cheney (DT2 9AH) will open its gardens 11am-5pm. Steep paths lead to beguiling four acres of natural woodland with many springs, streams, two pools – one a natural swimming pool planted with native plants. Formal front garden, designed by Arne Maynard, with pleached crabtree border, topiary and soft planting inc tulips, peonies, roses and verbascums. Walled garden with informal planting, kitchen garden, orchard and 350 rose bushes for a cut flower business.
Georgy Broad will entertain at Greenhill Gardens Weymouth, 2pm-4pm.
Well known jazz and easy listening music for a lazy Sunday afternoon by the sea. Songs included will be by artists including Norah Jones, Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Van Morrison and Michael Bublé. greenhill-gardens.co.uk
It’s Swingtime in the Borough Gardens, Dorchester, from noon. Entertainment by Bridport Big Band, Moonlight Swing Band, Dr Jazz and Dorset for Singing Choir. Classic cars, refreshments, stalls and a grand raffle. All proceeds will go to the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust supporting Cancer Patients in Dorset. Everyone welcome. thefortuneswellcancertrust@ gmail.com
MONDAY, JULY 8
Steve Belasco, an offshore marine photographer, will be treating members of Dorchester Townswomen’s Guild to a talk entitled A Cruise along the Jurassic Coast in Dorchester Community Church, Liscombe Street, Poundbury, DT1 3DF at 2pm.
Steve has been sailing the waters of the Devon and Dorset coast for 25 years and has been a Dorset based photographer and production journalist for longer. Visitors £3. Enquiries 01305 832857.
TUESDAY, JULY 9
Southill Gardening Club meet at the Southill Community Centre at 7.30pm. Simon Constantine, founder of Careys Secret Garden near Wareham, will be talking to us about the ongoing project to transform a walled wild garden that has remained untouched for over 40 years into a beautiful and productive environment. Non-members welcome. Further info from Nigel Smith on 01305 788939.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10
West Dorset Ramblers will walk 9 miles approx. Parnham to North Poorton on the Jubilee Trail.
Circular walk with varied terrain. Start 10am Yarn Barton, Beaminster. To book and for further details contact Bridget 07952 517764.
Pauline’s Patchwork in Poundbury (DT1 3RZ) have Christmas in July on July 10 and 11, 10am to 4pm, where they will be showing their new Christmas fabrics and patterns. There will be tea and cake and the classroom will be filled with all the new Christmas fabrics and a bit of Halloween stuff. Pauline said: “We did this years ago and it was absolutely mental – people have been asking us to do it again. We will also be doing a demo of our new secret gadget. It’s no good leaving it till November!”
THURSDAY, JULY 11
Sherborne & District Gardeners’ Association meet at the Digby Hall, Hound Street at 7.30pm to hear from Ian Tribe on wild flower gardening. Admission £3 for nonmembers. Contact Richard Newcombe on 01935 389375.
held until Sunday, July 14 – a brand new celebration of outdoor live performance encompassing theatre, storytelling, music and dance located on the outskirts of Wimborne Minster.
Showcasing the very finest local and nationwide talent over one weekend, reconnect with nature and indulge in a hearty dose of live arts presented against the idyllic backdrop of rural Dorset. Tickets from fixr.co/event/ labyrinth-arts-festival-2024tickets-959611605
Cerne Abbas Music Festival’s first event is a baroque concert at 7pm at the church including performances of Bach, Telemann and Corelli Marieke Blankestijn leads a group of international chamber musicians in three varied programmes. For information and tickets go to cerneabbasmusicfestival.org.uk
SATURDAY, JULY 13
The Blow Your Own Trumpet Comedy Show will take place at The King's Arms, Dorchester DT1 1HF at 3pm. Six talented comedians from the south coast comedy circuit will provide the laughter. Tickets just £5 plus booking fee from eventbrite.co.uk as part of The Hardy Har! Dorchester comedy festival.
Lyme Morris will be holding their Day of Dance on Lyme Regis seafront with 28 different Morris sides – about 400 people. There will be a grand finale at 5pm followed by free entertainment from 6pm by different bands.
Cerne Abbas Music Festival’s second event is a concert including Mozart’s famous Sinfonia Concertante for Solo Violin, Viola and Strings at the
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SATURDAY, JULY 13 CT’D church at 7pm. For info and tickets go to cerneabbasmusicfestival.org.uk
There’s bingo at Crossways Youth & Community Centre at 6.30pm – eyes down at 7pm –50p a book of 10 games – no need to book!
A coffee morning will be held to raise funds for Dorchester Poverty Action from 10amnoon at United Church, South Street, Dorchester. There will be refreshments with home made cakes, stalls and a raffle.
Study Counselling and Psychotherapy with Iron Mill, your local College in Poole
Portland’s Islanders Community Centre is hosting a 50th anniversary extravaganza from 2pm, with live music into the evening, local sellers, food vans, activities for all ages, a disco, ice cream and more. The event will be signposted from Fortuneswell. Free entry.
SUNDAY, JULY 14
Dorset Knob Throwing is returning to Cattistock in conjunction with The Cattistock Countryside Show. It’s Total Knobbery – Knob Throwing, Knob Games. Knob Painting and Knob fun for all ages. To
Dorchester TRINITY Club EVENTS
ABBA TRIBUTE NIGHT
SATURDAY, OCTOBER
19
For information contact the club on 01305 262671 or visit our Facebook page and website
Visit our Open Day 5th June
find out more go to dorsetknobthrowing.com or visit the Facebook page. Or to learn more about The Cattistock Countryside Show go to cattistockshow.co.uk
Cerne Abbas Music Festival’s third and final event is a short entertaining concert of folk and dance inspired works from across the world at 5pm at Ashton Farm Barn, Martinstown, DT2 9HA For info and tickets go to cerneabbasmusicfestival.org.uk
Broomhill in Rampisham, DT2
0PT will open its gardens 2pm5pm. A former farmyard transformed into a delightful, tranquil garden set in two acres. Clipped box, island beds and borders planted with shrubs, roses, grasses, masses of unusual perennials and choice annuals to give vibrancy and colour into the autumn. Lawns and paths lead to a less formal area with large wildlife pond, meadow, shaded areas, bog garden, late summer border. Orchard and vegetable garden. Gravel entrance, the rest is grass, some gentle slopes. £5, children free. Home-made
teas including gluten-free cake. Visits also by arrangement until August 9 for groups of 8 to 45. There’s room for a coach.
St Peter’s Church Dorchester will hold a Choral Eucharist at 10.30am, music by Parry, Lassus and Gibbons. Free.
Tony Lowe will play in Greenhill Gardens Weymouth, 2pm-4pm. Popular cool swing singer/entertainer, singing Frank Sinatra and others of his generation. greenhillgardens.co.uk
TUESDAY, JULY 16
West Dorset Ramblers will
Summer Exhibition
July 13-August 4 at Sou'-Sou'-West Arts Gallery & Shop, Manor Yard Symondsbury Estate, Bridport DT6 6HG. Open 10.30am-4.30pm every day bridportart.com
walk 7 miles. Circular walk taking in Mangerton, Powerstock and Loders. Start 10am Higher St, Bradpole . To book and for details contact Heather 07798 732252.
ART@EYPE – 19-21 July – is an annual free-entry exhibition showcasing some of Dorset's finest artists and makers, this year featuring: David Brooke, Jo Burnell, Steve Cobbin, Sally Davies, Esther Jeanes, Babs
Kirby, Podi Lawrence, Elizabeth Sporne and Darren Wheeler. Stunning church venue overlooking the sea near Bridport (DT6 6AR), well signposted and with free parking. Fri/Sat 10-5, Sun 10-4. Refreshments available, dogfriendly. Facebook @ArtatEype, tel 07718 078453.
SATURDAY, JULY 20
Piddlehinton Church Fete will be held 1pm-4.30pm in the lovely English country garden of West Lodge, (DT2 7TD). An afternoon of entertainment for the whole family including children's races, coconut shy, skittles, 'welly whanging' and
pony rides. Back by popular demand is the Tug O War with Piddlehinton vs Piddletrenthide pulling for valley supremacy! The very popular dog show will have classes for everyone. Many well stocked stalls including bric-a-brac, plants, cakes, preserves and books. And a silent auction and raffle with wonderful prizes on offer. Hog roast, afternoon teas, ice creams and Pimm's stall. Entry £1.50, children free. All profits to charity.
or go to bridportantiques.co.uk/ vintage-market-bridport
A coffee morning will be held at All Saints’ Church, Wyke
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SATURDAY, JULY 20 CT’D Regis, 10am to midday. All welcome for coffee, tea, cakes, books, Fairtrade stall, music.
A mid-summer afternoon of fun for all the family will be held at All Saints Church, Wyke Regis 2pm-6pm, entrance free. Teddy bear zip wire (bring your soft toys and teddies and give them a thrill!), Weymouth Concert Brass, Church tower tours (book online at parishofwykeregis.org.uk), children’s nature drawing, church and churchyard tour, tombola and other stalls, BBQ, beer and refreshments.
There will be cream teas, a band, dancing, raffle, tombola and a produce stall 2.30pm4.30pm for the Patronal Festival in the garden at St Swithun’s Church, Allington, Bridport DT6 5DU. Enquiries 07741 457505.
‘Soul Full of Sunshine’, a summer choral concert at Cerne Abbas Church at 4pm. Dorchester community choir Cloud 9 Chorus will perform alongside Wessex Music Children's choirs Skylarks, Nightingales and Hummingbirds, with special guests Waterfolk. Directed by Kathie Prince. Retiring collection in aid of Mosaic: Supporting bereaved children.
Cold process soap making workshop 10am-2pm at Duir, Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ), duirsoap.co.uk £95 including lunch at Cherries restaurant.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7.5-mile walk from Athelhampton House. For info call 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
St Peter’s Church Dorchester hosts a lunchtime concert by
Graeme Thew performing on marimba and other percussion instruments, 12.30pm-1pm. Free.
Maiden Newton and Cattistock Football Club is hosting a free mini music festival. StagFest will be held from 1pm until 10pm at the club's Kennel Lane pitch in Cattistock. This year will see a mini inflatable park, face painting, food stalls, two licensed bars, football related games, archery, axethrowing and youth football.
Make a traditional Dorset button or a tree of life / bouquet of flowers at Duir, Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ), duirsoap.co.uk. £25, equipment and refreshments provided. 2.30pm-4pm
SUNDAY, JULY 21
Stoke Abbott Street Fair will be held 2-5pm. One of the region’s most popular events, the traditional
fair offers fun for all the family with enticing stalls, live entertainment, The Big Foolini magician, ferret-racing, a novelty dog show, cream teas and more. New for 2024, the Discover Farming team will have hands-on rural activities for all ages too. This year, proceeds will go to support the Prout Bridge Project as well as St Mary’s Church and the village hall. Free parking from the Beaminster end. Entry £2 per adult, U16 free.
Tom Brown’s pub Dorchester (47 High East Street; DT1 1HU) will hold a pub quiz 7pm-10.30pm, called the 'The Big Fat Dorchester Quiz' - a 'Local Quiz' for 'Local People', fundraising for camps international Borneo trip: gofund.me/facd4436
First Prize £50; second prize £25. Teams of up to 4, £5 per person. All questions based on Dorchester.
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MARTHA TILSTON - RORY MCLEOD - THE BOOKSHOP BAND
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The Decadettes will play in Greenhill Gardens Weymouth 2pm-4pm.
Weymouth's popular and fantastic Singing Foursome have been entertaining Weymouth for years. greenhillgardens.co.uk
An open day will be held at the Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre 11.30am3.30pm.
See the vintage 26ftwaterwheel and steam engines in operation, plus many other exhibits. Basic refreshments, picnic area and toilet. Free parking on adjacent Oborne Road DT9 3RX. Site mostly wheelchair accessible (except toilet and visitor centre). Entry by donation. sswc.co.uk
MONDAY, JULY 22
An exhibition of calligraphy by Blackmore Vale Scribes will be held in the Lady Chapel at Sherborne Abbey from today
until Sunday, August 4. Free entry.
TUESDAY, JULY 23
Karen Hunt will give a talk entitled Bridport 1919 –Conflict and Tensions in a Small Industrial Town in Dorset at the Bridport United Church Hall, East Street, DT6 3LJ. It starts at 2pm and lasts about an hour, followed by a Q & A then refreshments. Members free, visitors £3.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
West Dorset Ramblers will walk 10 miles. Golden Cap & Stonebarrow – circular walk in a figure of eight with lovely views. Start 10am Langdon Wood To book and for further details contact Heather 07587 098079.
THURSDAY, JULY 25
Farrs will open its garden at 3, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB.
l TRAILER SALES
l TRAILER PARTS & SPARES (next day delivery)
l TRAILER SERVICE & REPAIRS
We supply spares and parts for all makes and models of trailers
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Several distinctive walled gardens, rolling lawns, sculpture and giant topiary around one of Beaminster's historic town houses. John’s inspirational grass garden and Jennie's very contrasting garden with an oak fruit cage; a riot of colour. There will be a warm welcome from John at 2.30pm in the main rooms of the house, with a talk on his furniture design and recent commissions. Jennie will then give a guided walk around the gardens followed by a cream tea. Some gravel paths, alternative wheelchair route through orchard.
Open till 5pm, admission £40. Pre-booking essential, visit ngs.org.uk
Cream teas in the house or garden, weather dependent. Donation to Victoria & Albert Foundation.
Location: Southern edge of Beaminster. On B3163. Car parking in the Square or Yarn Barton Car Park, or side streets.
FRIDAY, JULY 26
There’s an art exhibition at The Old Salt House in West Bay from today until Sunday, July 28
An exhibition of the work of artist Gemma Scott, based on the coastline from Lyme Regis to West Bay.
A range of mixed media landscapes, showcasing work completed during the artist’s MA Fine Art at Falmouth University over the last two years.
The Gaggle of Geese in Buckland Newton, DT2 7BS is holding Gagglefest 2024 – its annual family-friendly music
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We re-use, recycle and sell all useable items
Quotes for clearance are offset against what I pay you for items – I could end up paying you!
Please visit our eBay shop for the best prices – ‘Wessex Trailers’ – click the link on our site, wessex-trailers.co.uk or email - sales@wessex-trailers.co.uk
SATURDAY, JULY 27 CT’D
festival today 10am-5pm and tomorrow, 2pm-5pm. Seven bands (headliners, The Entitled Sons), two stages, pizzas, BBQ, scrumpy bar, hog roast, kids zone and more! Tickets now available at early bird prices over the bar or via ticketsource.co.uk/gaggle
St Peter’s Church, Dorchester, will hold a choral evensong at 4.30pm with music by Parry, Howells. Reading and Balfour Gardiner. Free with a glass of wine to follow.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Martinstown. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/ visitors welcome.
Make a traditional Dorset button or a tree of life / bouquet of flowers at Duir, Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ), today or tomorrow 1pm-3pm duirsoap.co.uk. £25, equipment and refreshments provided.
During 2024 Abbotsbury and Portesham are celebrating their Millennium with a number of events.
A Through the ages Fayre will be held today from noon-5pm hosted by Portesham School –free entry. Refreshments, and main ring activities including Elizabethan dancers, tug o’ war, ukuleles,
welly wanging, Xtreme falconry. There will be demonstrations and activities including axe throwing, dry stone walling, face painting, lino printing, a model of Portesham village, a remote controlled truck, splat the rat, stocks, willow weaving and lots of stalls, including alpacas, clothes, jewellery and more. karenbartyhodg@gmail.com if you would like a stall or to help out on the day.
St Andrew’s Church in Preston is holding a flower festival entitled With this Ring, with beautiful flowers, bridal dresses and memories.
Refreshments in the Church Rooms. Proceeds to the restoration of the lychgate. Further information: weymouth.ridgeway.team. office@gmail.com
Bridport & District Model
Railway Club will hold an exhibition at The Sir John Colfox Academy (DT6 3DT) from 10am-4pm, with 40 layouts, demonstrations and trade stands.
Admission £7, U16 free. Card payment accepted Disabled access, free parking and light refreshments all day Bob Ahrens 01308-861754 or 07927-312341 or R_Ahrens@outlook.com
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Continued next page
SUNDAY, JULY 28
Dr Jazz will play at Greenhill Gardens Weymouth 2pm-4pm. Three retired GPs are joined by other musicians to give you an afternoon of easy listening from the golden age of jazz. greenhill-gardens.co.uk
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31
The Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society hosts a talk and display ‘Birds of Prey’ for RNLI Week at Uplyme
Village Hall DT7 3UY. All tickets £4 from Lyme Regis Lifeboat Shop or ring Brian Cursley 07831 533580. Proceeds to RNLI. Doors open at 7pm for refreshments, talk at 7.30pm. ulrhs.wordpress.com
Horticultural Society holds its Summer Flower and Produce Show from 25pm. This year’s show theme is herbs. Admission £1 for all adults; 16 and under free. Uplyme Village Hall and playing fields DT7 3UY. ulrhs.wordpress.com
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7.5 mile walk from Beaminster. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Loders Fete will be held 2pm-5pm, in the picturesque grounds of Loders Court, DT6 3RZ next to the church. Free car park. Traditional stalls, coconut shy, crockery smashing, dog show, classic
EVENTS
OutdoorMarket
SaturdayJune29th
OutdoorTheatre
PeterPan
vehicles, children’s entertainer Count Backwards, St Swithuns Band, tea tent, barbecue, bar. Fundraising for Loders Church and local community organisations. Entrance £2, U12s free.
Cold process soap making workshop 10am-2pm at Duir, Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ), duirsoap.co.uk £95pp inc lunch at Cherries.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 4
The Originals will play in Greenhill Gardens Weymouth, 2pm-4pm. With years of experience, this talented group will be playing memorable songs from the 60s- 80s. greenhill-gardens.co.uk
MONDAY, AUGUST 5
Soap felting workshop
Whasson?
2.30pm-3pm at Duir, Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ), duirsoap.co.uk £16pp
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8
Sherborne & District Gardeners’ Association will stage their 79th summer show at the Digby Hall, Hound Street. Staging from 2.20pm, judging 4pm-6pm. Open to public 6.30pm, presentation 7.30pm. Contact Richard Newcombe on 01935 389375.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 10
There’s prize bingo at Maiden Newton village hall, 2pm for a 2.30pm eyes down.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Kingston Maurward
For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/ visitors welcome.
The One World Festival will be held 11am-4pm in Dorchester’s Borough Gardens, featuring music and dance and food from all over the world. Free entry. See page 46 for more details.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 11
Darron Garnett will play in Greenhill Gardens Weymouth 2pm-4pm. The amazing ‘voice of cool swing’, he is a great entertainer and performer. This event celebrates the 200th anniversary of the RNLI. greenhillgardens.co.uk
EVENTS
Hamlet
FridayJuly19th
TheSecretGarden
SaturdayAugust3rd
SaturdayAugust3rd
STAND’s new hope of ‘a fresh start’
Opponents of the controversial plan to build 4,000 houses on farmland north of Dorchester are to ‘seek a fresh start’ with Dorset Council’s new Liberal Democrat planning chief, Councillor Shane Bartlett. Despite vocal opposition from the Conservative MP Chris Loder, Tories on the council have been less supportive, with the previous planning chief David Walsh appearing to support the Norchester scheme.
Jane Ashdown, chair of STAND (Save the Area North of Dorchester) said: “After five years of sterile conversation with the Conservative-controlled council, we are looking forward to a new relationship with the Lib Dems.”
Work will begin in November on a re-drafted
Draft Local Plan, which will provide a strategic blueprint for Dorset’s development over the next 20 years. Ms Ashdown says STAND wants to work with the new Lib Dem team at County Hall to find solutions to West Dorset’s housing shortage –which do not involve the
destruction of Dorchester’s famed landscape.
She said: “Despite the evidence of massive public concern about the Norchester development, the former Conservative administration was reluctant to engage with STAND or any of the other opponents of the plan.
“What we’re looking for now is a policy of constructive engagement.”
A consortium of landowners and developers led by builders Grainger and Charles Church have set out plans for houses, offices and a new link road around the north of Dorchester. The scheme is opposed by Dorchester Town Council and Stinsford and Charminster Parish Councils. General Election candidates Chris Loder (Conservative) and Ed Morello (Liberal
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SCHOOL MINIBUS DRIVERS
Democrat) have also spoken out against the scheme. Last month the consortium described protestors as “comfortably housed” and accused them of ignoring the housing needs of young families.
Ms Ashdown said: “Everyone deserves to be comfortably housed. This development will not meet the needs of local residents who deserve access to housing that is priced affordably in relation to their incomes, especially for keyworkers; and who deserve access to social rented housing that also meets the needs of more vulnerable families. But of course, if this development were to go ahead it will certainly bring comfortable profit margins for the landowners and housing developers.”
PLANNING: Shane Bartlett
Free at last: How a Bridport lawyer
By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk
A man who spent more than 17 years in prison for a brutal rape he did not commit is finally free and healing –slowly – thanks to a Bridport lawyer and the peace and tranquillity of his adopted Dorset home.
In what the Justice Secretary described as ‘an atrocious miscarriage of justice’ Andy Malkinson, now 58, was jailed aged 38, following a trial based on deeply flawed evidence, including the testimony of a known liar and heroin addict.
Some 13 years after he was jailed his friend Karin Schuitemaker wrote to APPEAL – a non-profit team of lawyers and investigators then headed up by Bridport lawyer Emily Bolton.
Emily and investigator James Burley uncovered evidence that proved Andy’s convictions were unsafe on multiple grounds.
They forced Greater Manchester Police to reveal undisclosed evidence about the credibility of two people who had claimed to have seen Andy on the night of the attack. And they commissioned DNA testing that showed another man’s
2023, 19 years after his arrest and two-and-a-half years after his release, judges overturned Andy’s wrongful conviction.
Last month, the BBC aired
The Wrong Man, a documentary that took years to make, about Andy’s fight for justice. The documentary shows him heading for the beach at West Bay to absorb the news his case is finally being sent back to the Court of Appeal.
APPEAL is a registered charity as well as a law practice, with a staff of
might expect,
includes lawyers and investigators,
‘Survivors’
Advocates,’ provide support to the people
that APPEAL represents and their loved ones. Andy’s is far from an isolated case.
“This could happen to anyone,” Emily said. “And there is little anyone can do if they find themselves in this situation – I used to say ‘the British Justice system is broken’ but after ten years of scrapping with it on behalf of people like Andy I have realised that the system is actually designed to work like this, to cover up its mistakes.
“Andy described his trial as like being in a parallel universe, where only he knew the truth and everyone else was in another universe where he was guilty.” Andy has yet to receive compensation – incredibly, he had first to fight a rule that meant his bed and board in prison would have been deducted from any settlement. And his quest for accountability has been delayed by the announcement of the General
Election which has stalled the publication of a report into the handling of Andy’s case by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
All these delays have meant Andy – unable to work due to mental ill health caused by his long incarceration – has been forced to rely on £363.74 a month Universal Credit and occasional visits to a local foodbank. Andy had spent the time between leaving school and his wrongful conviction travelling the world, eager to broaden his horizons and his knowledge. He made the most of the small opportunities offered in prison, taking an Open University degree while he tried and tried to be heard. Emily said: “Andy is very bright and could easily have had a career in something to do with physics or astronomy.”
After his trial, Andy tried desperately to clear his name. But in prison, with no
A FREE MAN: Andy Malkinson outside court with Emily Bolton and investigator James Burley
overturned a miscarriage of justice
resources, he could not make any headway.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) – the body that is supposed to look into wrongful convictions, turned him down twice. It refused to commission further DNA testing and didn’t even look at the police files, despite the revelation that male DNA that excluded Andy was found in a crime specific area on the victim’s clothing, which should have raised immediate alarm bells in his case.
earlier, were it not for his refusal to ‘confess’.
Greater Manchester Police have publicly apologised for their handling of Andy’s case, as have the CCRC. But
struggle to get funding. Legal Aid only covers less than 5% of our costs. So we rely on donations from the public and a small number of grants.
“In America where I used to work, defence investigation is built into the practice model. But here the system relies on the police to investigate on behalf of the defence as well as the prosecution.
Emily said: “If the CCRC had investigated, it would have seen that the police withheld crucial evidence of Andy’s innocence at his trial.”
Andy could have been eligible for parole ten years
all the apologies in the world won’t put the wrong right. Neither will it put food on Andy’s table or a roof over his head. Instead he’s had to fight for those things himself, with no resources apart from the committed team at APPEAL and, in particular, Emily.
The work of APPEAL attracts little grant funding. Emily said: “We really, really
lived with Emily’s family for a while, and her friendship and support has been crucial to his recovery.
Emily said: “There are many collateral consequences in wrongful convictions. When Andy came to live in Bridport he was living under a life licence. He couldn’t travel as he once did and it was very difficult for him to find accommodation. A really lovely local man offered him a flat, which became Andy’s first real home after prison. I remember Andy saying that just one one of the rooms in the flat was the size of two cells.”
Now the fight continues to win adequate compensation for nearly two decades lost. Given that the system has acknowledged its mistakes in his case very publicly, he hopes he will be successful. But the chances of success for others with less momentum behind them are vanishingly slim.
“It’s really a conflict of interest, the fox is guarding the hen house. So APPEAL’s work marking the system’s homework is vital.”
APPEAL not only investigates miscarriages of justice and puts them right, they also help victims and their families traumatised by wrongful convictions, both with their mental health and with practical concerns –Emily’s friends found Andy a flat in Bridport, and he also
Andy wrote in The Guardian: “In the past eight years, fewer than 7% of miscarriage of justice victims who have applied for the statutory compensation scheme since this requirement was brought in have been successful. In other words, more than 93% are denied compensation.”
He added: “When I stood on the steps of the court of appeal last July, I thought I was finally out of the legal maze. It turns out I was just standing at the entrance to the next one.”
n To read more about the work of APPEAL, and to donate, go to appeal.org.uk
n The Wrong Man: 17 Years Behind Bars is on iPlayer
LEGAL BATTLE: Emily Bolton and Andy with her cocker spaniel at her home near Colmers Hill. Inset below: Andy with his friend Karin
Pictures: PETE MILLSON
GLOBAL ART & ANTIQUES
St Michael’s Trading Estate, DT6 3RR (next door to Ocean Bathrooms)
RECENTLY ACQUIRED: A wonderful collection of works by REYNOLDS STONE, comprising two original watercolour paintings, numerous signed limited edition wood engravings and several books illustrated by Stone, some of which are limited and signed. Please make an appointment to come and see these treasures, and many others we have on show in the shop.You will be most welcome.
l If the shop appears shut, ring the bell as the owners live on the premises, and will open the shop during normal business hours if they are home and it is convenient, which it normally is.
A stitch in time by mum-in-law for bridal quilt
When Christina Walkley’s son announced his engagement one of his brothers was alarmed and demanded: “But is there time to make a quilt before the wedding?”
So Christina, a lifelong quilter, is hard at work hand-sewing a traditional bridal quilt for her new daughter-in-law, and planning to take it with her when she visits the bride’s family in China.
She has sewn over 50 quilts since she caught the passion from her grandmother as a teenager, and makes them, completely by hand to mark life milestones for her family and friends. The going to uni quilts. The wedding quilts, followed by the baby quilts.
These and many other intriguing stories will be included in a public talk and exhibition by Christina in Yetminster, on July 7 at 2.30pm.
The £6 ticket price includes afternoon tea with Pimm’s. Tickets on the door or in advance from pccsec.yetminster@gmail.com
Proceeds to St Andrew’s Church.
Solar watering
Castle Gardens in Sherborne is showcasing the first and only solar powered automatic watering system to be made in the UK. A WaterMate Smart Irrigation System has been installed for customers to see working and purchase. Wales-based Harvst, which designs sustainable growing systems, has come up with the product.
Group MD Mike Burks said: “This could resolve many issues gardeners face, such as not having the time to water. The micro irrigation drips, which feed the plants whether they are in a greenhouse, polytunnel, bed or pot, are impressive, as they are sensor controlled, meaning they will drip water based on the heat, humidity or moisture level of the soil.
“As we witness the effects of climate change every season, we are reminded how precious a resource water is.”
Festive fabrics, and it’s still only July
It will be Christmas in July for patchworkers, as Poundbury’s Pauline’s Patchwork throws open its doors for two days of festive fabrics.
Pauline Bolt started the business 39 years ago and was joined by her daughter Sarah Soward 30 years ago.
Pauline ran the shop from Weymouth’s Brewers Quay for 18 years before having to move out when it closed.
“We loved it there,” said Pauline, who lives in Milton Abbas.
“But we love it here even more!” said Sarah.
The shop offers thousands of fabrics and threads and some machines, and the classroom is host to classes nearly every day, alongside special events such as Christmas in July.
The event, on July 10 and
11 from 10am-4pm, will feature all the new Christmas fabrics and a bit of Halloween stuff.
Pauline said: “We did this years ago and it was absolutely mental – people have been asking us to do it again. We will also be doing a demo of our new secret gadget. It’s no good leaving it till November to start your Christmas quilt!”
There will be tea and cake – but no mince pies. Pauline. who lives in Milton Abbas was a pastry cook, doing hours to fit round her two children when she started patchworking as a hobby. Back when she started the shop in 1985 it was hard to find the right material to make traditional quilts.
Pauline said: “At that time
we couldn’t find the fabric – all that was around was polyester. There was no internet then so it was easier to go to the States to get it. So, we went to Houston, Texas, and made a big order of cotton fabrics.
“We did all the big shows including Alexandra Palace, the NEC etc.”
The patterns of the stitching on the quilts are kept a closely guarded secret, but anyone signing up for a class will be taught one or two.
Sarah said: “You can do a quilt in a day or you can do monthly classes. We have 80 women a week here for classes. We do get some blokes too!”
n Classes are listed at paulinespatchwork.co.uk but you need to book by phone, on 01305 261022.
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MATERIAL GIRLS: Sarah and Pauline at Pauline’s Patchwork
Hotel throws
open its doors
The newly built luxury boutique Hillbrook Hotel in Sherborne opened its spa with a celebration party.
Guests, many of whom were local residents, ate delicious buffet food and saw the new spa with a selection of relaxing Elemis beauty treatments including a nail bar. There was also a range of relaxing treatments to including hot stone massage and peaceful pregnancy massage.
WI celebrates 20 years of friendship
Colmer Women’s Institute have celebrated their 20th anniversary. They started their group 20 years ago in St Mary’s School with 14 members, and currently now boast 65.
Pictured are current and ex-presidents Margaret McLellan, Bonny Robinson, Sarah Nicks, Gill Stead, Sarah Fletcher (current president), Wendy Chala and Valerie Glerth.
More info from Sarah Fletcher 01308 420136. n WI members will be running a tea tent at Camp Bestival in July.
A Dorset WI spokesperson said the tent at Lulworth Cove will offer a family friendly environment, with food and drink prepared by WI members in their own homes and on site.
One member said: “Our shopping lists run to 136 loaves of bread, 950 bread rolls, 2,000 tea bags, 75kg of bacon, 100 pints of milk, and our bakers are busy producing scones, fruit cake, chocolate brownies, a Victoria sandwich cake, carrot cakes, muffins and biscuits. We plan to meet a wide range of dietary needs with a gluten free offer, lactose free, as well as
vegetarian and vegan options.
“We can make jam sandwiches with no butter and no crusts for the twoyear-old a bit overwhelmed by it all. Not forgetting the celebration cakes, hand decorated to order.”
If you want to know more about the WI in Dorset, visit dorsetwi.org or email federationsecretary@dorsetw i.org or call 01305 266366.
SLICE OF THE ACTION: Members enjoy their celebration cake Pic by Neil Barnes
Fabrics, haberdashery, Craft kits, Handmade products and gifts. Fabric range, advent calendar and stocking kits now in stock.
07914 387246 Hunnybunnies11@ outlook.com
HONOURED:
Fiona and Lynne King with The Crown Hotel team
Hotel picks up stars award
Former Georgian coaching inn The Crown Hotel in Weymouth has been awarded a three-star rating by the AA.
Following an unannounced inspection by the Automobile Association’s hotel and hospitality services team, the 200year-old hotel was rated for its ‘commitment to maintaining high standards of hospitality and service’. Hotel manager Jamal Hilal,
SCM GARAGE DOORS
who has worked at the hotel since 1983, said: “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. We strive to provide our guests with an exceptional experience, and this rating validates our efforts.”
The Crown Hotel has been part of the Kings Hotel Group since 1945. when the late Leslie King acquired it from Devenish
Brewery. The Kings Hotel Group remains a familyrun business, now led by Lynne King and her daughter Fiona King. They said: “We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved over the last 50 years. This threestar rating is a significant milestone for The Crown Hotel and a testament to our team’s dedication, especially in overcoming the challenges of covid.”
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Help put car care firm in the picture
By Karen Bate karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk
Mark Owen, the owner of Autocare in Weymouth, is desperately seeking an old photograph from the 1950s, of the garage with its oldfashioned fuel pumps on the forecourt, on Lynch Lane – where Autocare now stands.
Mark has been unable to unearth an old photograph of the garage and is now appealing to readers of The West Dorset Magazine to dig deep into their archives to see if anyone can find one.
And in return, Mark says he will offer the lucky finder a free vehicle service.
Mark said: “Autocare is now a bright red building on Lynch Lane, and you really can’t miss it as it stands out like a sore thumb!
“During the 1950s and 60s there was a garage which stood in the same spot as Autocare, and what I would love is to find an old photograph of it, with its old petrol pumps outside. I have asked so many people if they might have an old photograph but no one I have asked has one.
“It would be a wonderful thing to find a picture of the garage from all those years ago and it’s nice to be able bring back a garage, which was once a landmark on the road.
“If anyone can help find a picture, I will service their car for free!”
Mark wants the photograph to take pride of place in the new building he moved the independent tyre specialists and repair service, into six months ago, having
previously been sited around the back.
“I wanted something higher profile,” Mark laughed. “A little bit of eye candy! I have always worked cheap and cheerfully in back street premises, but I decided I wanted a change, to make a bigger impact.”
Mark is a trusted and wellregarded, highly skilled mechanic. Having worked for himself since he was 22 years old it is little surprise he has built up a loyal customer base, but after covid hit, it gave him time to take a slightly different turn.
“The covid era gave me time to think,” said Mark.
“And take a break, but I did eventually get bored, so after a few months of working again I decided to branch out into offering a fast, efficient tyre fitting service alongside car repairs and launched Autocare two years ago.
“I have built up a strong reputation over the years for being experienced and trustworthy and I do think once a customer has found a reliable garage, they tend
to stick with them. It is how you treat people, which is important, so customer service is a top priority for us.”
If you didn’t know where Autocare was before, you do now – it is the bright red building on Lynch Lane.
And if anyone can find a photograph, ring Mark on 01305 608209 and get yourself a free vehicle service!
Bridport & Lyme Regis RAFA Group received a fundraising certificate after raising more than £2,000 in 2023. Jon Tomlin of the South West Area of the Royal Air Forces Association presented the certificate to Mike (Knocker) White.
RAFA monthly meetings are held at The Lord Nelson Hotel, East Street, Bridport at 6pm every second Thursday. For further information contact Bill Davies on 01308 281200.
Nine care initiatives win high praise
Nine initiatives designed to support unpaid carers in Dorset have been recognised in this year’s Adult Social Services Carers Challenge – more than any other English county. Initiatives include Our Dorset Integrated Care System (ICS) leaflet, which identifies carers and offers them advice on accessing support. Officers have also standardised unpaid
carer coding on SystmOne, to identify unpaid carers to GPs. In addition, Carer Friendly Communities Dorset – Forward Carers, a not-for-profit social enterprise, have developed a Carer Friendly ID Car and Carer Friendly Businesses Discount Scheme and Carer Friendly Workplaces programme.
Go on safari
Families are invited to go on safari through the wildlands of Mapperton Estate in Dorset.
Managers of the estate near Beaminster are allowing more than 1,000 acres of marginal farmland and woodland to return to nature to promote “regenerative agriculture” across the rest of the estate.
In addition to popular rangerled safaris for families in the wildlands, a self-guided safari option allows visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the estate at a pace that suits them.
There’s a specially designed children’s trail for younger adventurers.
The self-guided safari trail spans approximately four miles and typically takes two to three hours to complete. For more information visit mappertonwildlands.com
Open Farm day pulls in the crowds
More than 1,200 people poured into three Dorset farms for Open Farm Sunday.
The Bowditch family, supported by the Marshwood Vale Farmers Cluster and the Melplash Agricultural Society’s Discover Farming Team, opened their gates for a range of activities, including tractor and trailer rides, cows being milked and their calves being fed, butter churning and grain grinding. Local organisations, including Dorset Landscape, Butterfly Conservation and rare sheep breed enthusiasts added to a memorable farming experience.
Farmer James Bowditch said: “The event was a true
community effort, with volunteers ranging from farmers and their children to the Buglers and the Discovery Farming crew who you’ll see again later in the year at the Melplash Show. Special thanks to all the local farming families
who helped us with the day: Buglers, Cases, Curtises, Fookes, Gregorys, Hardwills, Hollands, Hutchings, Streatfeilds and Stovers.” Marshwood Farmers Cluster is a group of 14 neighbouring farms in West
Dorset sharing knowledge and resources for environmental gain. Discover Farming is the educational arm of the Melplash Agricultural Society.
n discoverfarming.co.uk NICE TO MEET EWE: Families enjoy the Open Farm Sunday Picture:
ALAN McNAMEE
Isabella Martin of Weymouth won the under 12 Mobile Phone and Devices category in 2021 aged nine with this lovely picture of her cat Hattie.
The RSPCA is asking young photographers for their best animal photos for this year’s Young Photographer Awards. Entries are open till August 15 for this year’s contest, which will also see the charity marking its 200th anniversary. Winners in each category will be awarded trophies and a selection of prizes at a ceremony at the Tower of London in December, hosted by Chris Packham. Go to rspca.org.uk/ypa
Mirari provides cups that cheer
Mum and daughter duo Mary Bower and Sarah Ryan are celebrating opening their new lingerie shop – offering a fitting service, mastectomy bras and gorgeous colours.
Mirari Lingerie was originally started in 2003 in Dorchester’s Antelope Walk, and when its owner passed away in 2018 Mary had been working there for some time.
She asked Sarah, who was a beautician at the time, if she fancied buying it with her and they went all out to create the sort of shop they themselves would love.
Sarah said: “2018 was one of the toughest years for retail, then came the pandemic and we had all that drama. But then when we were allowed to reopen we were really busy.
“Other lingerie shops have closed, and M&S has gone, so we are rare in offering fitting.
“And both Dorchester and Poole hospitals refer people to us for mastectomy bras – they
have pockets both sides to accommodate a prosthesis.”
The pair have just opened their new shop in Weymouth Avenue, on the edge of Brewery Square, where they will be open 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday. Mary is now semi-retired, but still loves working in the shop. She said: “People can get quite emotional when we find them underwear which fits them
and they feel good in it.”
The shop stocks bras in sizes A-K, and bra balancers, to even out the bosoms of us less than symmetrical ladies. Their labels include Prima Donna, Marie Jo, Empreinte, Aubade, Chantelle and Fantasy Freya, and they also stock swimwear and nightwear, as well as special soak to wash your bras.
mirari-lingerie.co.uk
Welcome return for knob throwing
Fun, zany and quintessentially English –Dorset Knob Throwing is back on Sunday, July 14.
After a five-year hiatus, the Dorset Knob Throwing Festival aka KnobFest is coming back in conjunction with The Cattistock Countryside Show at Chilfrome just outside Cattistock.
For those not in the know, the festival involves participants throwing Dorset Knob biscuits competitively to win prizes. There are various other knob themed activities on the day such as knob painting, splat the knob, knob or no knob, putt the knob, a knob and spoon race, guess the weight of the big knob, knob darts
and a knob pyramid.
People can even have a at pinning the knob on the Cerne Abbas Giant.
Knob eating is absent from the line-up this year, as it was at the last KnobFest. There will be live music throughout the day to get knob-lobbing visitors jigging alongside the
Cattistock Country Show crowd.
Visitors can sample, taste and purchase a fine range of local food and drink, as well as keepsakes, memorabilia and other goodies.
An event spokesperson said: “The overriding aim is for visitors to have a
really good day out and enjoy the knob games and all that the countryside show has to offer.
“Proceeds go to support the village of Cattistock and surrounding rural areas. It is part of our rural community mission.”
Knob Throwing started in the early 2000s behind the pub in Cattistock near Dorchester. It grew and moved to the football pitch before being retitled The Dorset Knob Throwing and Frome Valley Food Festival.
To get there, head for Cattistock and follow the signs to The Countryside Show.
To find out more go to dorsetknobthrowing.com or visit the Facebook page.
A service to remember
A Service of Remembrance will be held at 2.30pm on Sunday, July 21 at Weymouth Crematorium. The ninth annual memorial service will be led by crematorium staff, and held in the Garden of Remembrance (weather permitting. If the weather is poor, it will take place in the chapel).
very welcome to come along and remember all those who have passed away.
The service is free to attend, and everyone is
The theme of the service is memories. This will be a time for reflection and meditation for the bereaved to remember their loved ones. People are invited to start gathering from 2.15pm, for a 2.30pm start. The service is expected to last around 45-60mins.
SILLY GAMES: Visitors can pin the knob on the Cerne Giant, among other zany activities
It’s all beer and skittles for Royal Naval Association
The Dorchester Royal Navy Association hosted its annual skittle tournament at the Trinity Club in Dorchester. Sponsored by Drumgrange Ltd, a Portland company with strong ties to the Armed Forces, the event brought together teams from Portland RNA, Dorchester RNA, Weymouth and Portland Fleet Air Arm Association, The
Rifles, Dorchester, and Drumgrange Ltd. One of the Portland RNA teams won, and also secured the ladies’ and men’s individual highest score categories. £333 was raised for the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI).
Tony Holmes, head of operations at Drumgrange, also presented £450 to Jim Armstrong, Chair of Dorchester RNA.
Award recognises net worth
Wessex Internet has been named best Rural Enterprise in the UK at the Countryside Alliance Awards, held at the House of Lords in London. The awards, now in their 17th year and commonly referred to as ‘the rural Oscars’, recognise businesses that go the extra mile within their communities and support the rural economy.
Wessex Internet was
nominated by its customers and then topped a public vote in the southwest region to be chosen as the overall national winner.
Organisers said: “The business has developed out of the absolute need to be part of the digital world. They have fought tooth and nail to be a provider that meets the needs of rural communities where the larger providers have failed.”
Olympian Eric makes an event of it
By Karen Bate karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk
The effervescent four-time Olympic eventing champion Eric Smiley will be galloping into Whitchurch Canonicorum village hall at 7pm on July 12 to give an insider’s view of the Olympic Games in aid of The Friends of St Candida. Eric, who lives in the village, is a famous face in the horse world, and a popular member of the Whitchurch Canonicorum community. He spent ten years in the Army serving in a cavalry regiment and training with equitation officer Ben Jones, who represented GB in the Tokyo Olympics and winning team gold medal at the Mexico Olympics.
At the age of 28 and with a ‘natural flair’ for equitation, Eric embarked on what has become a truly inspiring and remarkable career with horses,
becoming Irish Field Event Rider of the Year in 1982 and gaining his first team selection in 1985 for the European Championships at Burghley. Since then, Eric has represented Ireland at two European Championships, winning team bronze medal on each occasion. He has competed in three World Equestrian Games and four Olympic Teams competing at Barcelona and Atlanta and was Team Coach to the Belgian eventing team
for the London Olympics 2012 and the European Championships 2011. But these accolades just touch the surface of Eric’s impressive horsemanship, he is a British Eventing Master Coach, registered Fellow of the British Horse Society and a former FEI International Judge regularly on the Grand Jury including at Badminton & Burghley Horse Trials plus director of the International Eventing Forum (IEF). Eric was also chairman of
Eventing Ireland and director of the Golden Saddle Scheme for 18 years, identifying talented children in all equestrian disciplines.
Eric embraces village life and has found the time with the Paris Games in just two weeks, to give the talk.
Friends trustee Briony Blair said: “He is lovely man, warm hearted and generous with his knowledge and time.” This event is free with a collection in aid of FoSC. There will be a cash bar.
OLYMPIC TALK: Eventer Eric Smiley
Dive club celebrates a 50-year voyage
By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk
A group of scuba divers are celebrating 50 years of descending to the bottom of the sea, and hob-nobbing with some of the most beautiful (and fascinatingly ugly) creatures on earth.
Weymouth and Portland BSAC (British Sub-Aqua Club) was launched in 1974, to bring together divers from across the area for amazing dives, with the security of BSAC’s thorough training and safety regulations.
Enjoying their position, in one of the world’s best dive sites on the Jurassic Coast, the club soon went from strength to strength. A rigid inflatable boat was purchased, and they built their own boat shed at Chesil Beach.
Numerous club dives, trips to warmer waters and social evenings followed and today, the club still thrives, with many members regularly meeting up to dive or to socialise.
Jules Kohn joined in 1995 and is the club’s oldest active member. He said: “This year is my 29th year. I love it. The
that first experience. It wasn’t very deep – about six feet.
The instructor said put this funny thing in your mouth, and loaned me a mask.
“Gradually as we went down I thought, this is a nice feeling – a coming home feeling.
“So I signed up and did Novice 1 and 2 and worked up to dive leader. Since then I’ve done a lot.
“My daughter met a New Zealand boy in Dorchester and dived out there after emigrating.
“I’ve done lots of club dives –two stick in my memory.
“February 2012 the club took a trip to the Galapigos Islands. The same year in September we went to Scapa Flow – that was an amazing dive. In Galapigos all the creatures from the ocean come to you – 20-30m down, it’s phenomenal, with giant turtles, reef sharks, sealions… just
“I visit my brother in Tasmania, where they have kelp forests, with leafy
dragons. And I’ve seen lots of dolphins. Orcas in New Zealand. Lots of smaller stuff too. The Great Barrier Reef has fabulous corals.
“I’ve been to the Mediterranean, Malta, Gozo, Cornwall and Oban in Scotland. It’s a pretty active club March to late September.
“I’m probably the oldest member, as I only started in my 50s and I’m now 76. I have a medical every year through BSAC since I turned 60. I still love diving and have the same feeling of coming home. We always dive with a buddy or three –it’s part of the enjoyment of BSAC, enjoying the nature together.”
Robert Robertson, 16, from Maiden Newton, is the club’s youngest member.
He joined aged 13, having taken PADI courses with Old
WE’RE DOWN FOR A GOOD TIME: A night out, top, and above, a lobster, a dolphin and a conger eel snapped by Jules Kohn. Inset below: Robert Robertson, the club’s youngest member
to the bottom of the deep blue sea
He said: “It’s a really nice club. Members are friendly and welcoming. I have been diving since I was 11 and it was tough to find dives before joining BSAC because of my age. The reason BSAC is so successful is that it provides a community for everyone and anyone.”
Emily Reeves was 20 and 350 miles away from home working when she joined the club. She said: “These guys kind of became my family and social network and I will always be grateful for that, especially to Andy and Suzie and Rik and Charlotte – my Portland proper grown ups!”
n The club meets every Thursday at Weymouth
Club, with pool sessions on Tuesday evenings on Portland. They dive most Thursdays March-September and some weekends. To enquire about joining, go to wapsac.co.uk or email chairman.wpsac@gmail.com
the anti-aircraft gun of the wreck of the Susan B Anthony on a BSAC expedition to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019. Right, a club dive
Cerne Abbas Music Festival 2024
Join us for three extremely varied concerts for strings, flute and harpsichord. The concerts will be led by Dutch violinist Marieke Blankestijn, a leading international chamber musician and leader of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. She is joined by friends who are all principal players in major ensembles and orchestras.
July 12, 7pm in St Mary’s Church, Cerne Abbas
Works by Bach, Telemann and Corelli including Bach’s famous suite No. 2 featuring Flautist Michael Cox and the Concerto for Two Violins.
July 13, 7pm in St Mary’s Church, Cerne Abbas
Classical and Romantic masterpieces including works by Mozart , Rossini and Beethoven’s highly gifted pupil Johann Nepomuk Hummel.
July 14, 5pm in Ashton Farm Barn
Martinstown.DT29HA
A short and entertaining concert of music inspired by folk and dance music including Scandinavian and Scottish folk tunes, South American Nuevo Tango and Austrian Foxtrots.
Ashton Farm Barn is the perfect venue for this music.
For full programme information and tickets visit cerneabbasmusicfestival.org.uk
AWAY DAYS: Left, Paul Duffy and
Harbour Dive Centre in Weymouth and wanting to progress.
Angling
Part of the landscape for more than
By Karen Bate karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk
As sponsor of the Family Business of the Year category in the Bridport Business Awards 2024, the WDM was thrilled to present the award to West Dorset Leisure Holidays, which has been part of the local landscape for more than five decades.
Family-owned Highlands End Holiday Park in Eype, based in an enviable position high on the famed Jurassic cliff, was purchased by the family in 1971 and since then, has evolved and expanded to become a top tier tourism business.
Martin Cox, the son of a Bridport coal merchant, served the town as a retained firefighter for 31 years. He was called to a chimney fire at Highands End in the late 70s, which happened to belong to Vanessa Butcher, the daughter of park owners Ken and Pat. While the meeting was fleeting, romance blossomed, and the pair were married in 1982.
A couple of years later, Ken and Pat retired, leaving Highlands End and Golden Cap in Seatown in the safe and capable hands of Vanessa. Martin eventually gave up his sociable, local government position at Dorset Council to work for Vanessa’s family in the holiday parks full-time.
“The parks are all embracing,” said Martin. “I suddenly found a 24-hour job. Ken was keen for Vanessa to develop the business and over the last 40 years we have added, purchased, and expanded the parks from two to now six.
“From the moment I joined full-time, the holiday park business has consumed me and become my career.
“When I joined in 1984, I was member of staff number seven. We now have 100 team members.”
“In 1984 we developed Highlands End.
“We built a bar and restaurant in 1984 and added a swimming pool in 1988. In 1987 we extended Golden Cap by buying Alberlon the neighbouring park, and we
merged the two together.”
Martin said: “We always wanted the challenge of expanding and developing, and it was exciting. I did find my job lonely at first, I had been used to working in a large office complex with many people. I became then involved in the Trade Association, which is an organisation representing
interests of the parks industry in the UK. I found this outlet stimulating and it certainly relieved those little pangs of loneliness in those early days.”
With the support of Vanessa, Martin is well-known in the local and national tourism industry having held several prominent positions including national chairman of the
the
BACK IN TIME: A young James during the building of the pool in 1988 and, right, a delivery of a new home in 2000. Below: James and Robert during the construction and, right, checking out a fire engine
five decades, for tourists and locals
British Holiday & Home Parks Association and president of the European Federation of Camping Site Organisations and Holiday Park Associations.
Expansion continued, and in 1997 the family bought Graston and Larkfield, two parks in Burton Bradstock, and a few years later purchased Sandyholme Holiday Park, new Owermoigne in 2008.
Martin and Vanessa also bought the Post Office and Spar in Chideock in 2022.
Highlands End Holiday Park, with its panoramic views over coast and countryside, continues to be their base and their flagship park.
Vanessa and Martin’s sons James and Robert are now working in the business.
Martin said: “We have bought little pieces of land here and there over the years and
told me it was her 64th season at Highlands End.
“We even have people who live in West Dorset and holiday here.”
Martin said: “I walked up to Golden Cap a few years ago and met a couple sitting on the bench. I struck up a conversation and they told me how important their holiday was in their lives, and how each year they avidly wait 51 weeks to walk up the cliff and take in the view again. I asked them if the toilets were clean,” Martin laughed, “and they said yes!”
Robert does the farming. We currently have about 280 Suffolk ewes and lambs, eight rare breed Blue Texels along with nine alpacas, some of which have just had babies.
“James works in the office and is the group manager.”
Martin remains passionate about the holiday parks, and his appreciation of the countryside.
“What I enjoy about the parks are the people who come on holiday,” he said.
“Many of our visitors have been staying with us for years, and, of course, we have lots of people booking with us who are new to the park and Dorset. Many of our regularly families have been staying with us since they were little.
“I met a lovely chap recently who called me over and told me he was teaching his great granddaughter to swim in the swimming pool where her mother also learnt to swim.
“I really have many wonderful stories. One family member used to cycle here from Watford every year during the 1950s, while others celebrate their special events, a diamond anniversary, honeymoon, or family celebrations. A lady recently
“On some summer nights I walk along the cliff top and quietly think to myself that we have about 3,000 people sleeping under the stars at our holiday parks in West Dorset on just one night.”
West Dorset Leisure Holidays and Highlands End Holiday Park have been long-term sponsors of the Melplash Show, and they have in recent years put in place a very longterm agreement that enables show visitors to park on their land on the west side of the river.
This year Martin has been chosen as president of the Melplash Agricultural Society. He added: “I feel very honoured that the society has chosen me as their president for 2024. Visitors are attracted to this part of Dorset for the beautiful coastline and the stunning countryside which would not exist if we didn’t have our farmers caring for it. “Holidays parks were born out of agriculture.”
WDM editor Miranda Robertson went to stay at Highlands End for a couple of nights in June. She said: “The place is immaculate. It’s kept so clean and tidy it’s a joy to stay there.”
n wdlh.co.uk
WHAT A SPOT: The Highlands End Holiday Park in Eype
ON SITE: James with his toy tractor on site and, below, snow delays the building of the bar in 1984
Nan-tastic! Gran Deb’s delight at car seat prize
Cattistock grandma Debbie Beck is our excited winner of the Babygear competition having spotted the correct number of pram logos in our June edition of The West Dorset Magazine
Debbie has two grandchildren, Gene aged four and Louis aged two, and is awaiting the arrival of her first granddaughter in November.
Debbie had a choice of three ageappropriate prizes and has chosen
the car seat.
Debbie said: “That’s amazing thank you so much. We would love the car seat, which will help us ferry around our two grandsons. And now we know about the Babygear shop we will be going along to purchase new products for our grandchild due in November.”
Derwent and Tracey, the owners of Babygear, the specialist shop in Bridport, are delighted to be able to
give the car seat to Debbie. Derwent said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to reach out to our local customers with the fun competition, so a big thank you to West Dorset Magazine for organising and of course congratulations to Debbie our winner, who we are looking forward to presenting the prize to next week.”
n babygearprams.co.uk 01308 422552
£20m waterfront plan
Dorset Council is planning to spend £20m on regenerating Weymouth’s waterfront. The authority has purchased two parcels of brownfield land west of the marina at Westwey and Newstead Road, including the former gas works.
A spokesperson said: “Importantly, these two prime development sites comprising around three acres, bring together an enviable portfolio of three other key sites surrounding the harbour including North Quay, Weymouth Bowl and the Peninsula.”
The authority was awarded £19.5million of Levelling Up funding for the project, which has yet to be given planning permission.
The council’s corporate director for assets and regeneration Tim Hulme said: “Weymouth is already a fantastic place and is home to many attractive and unique features, but we recognise it does need investment to create a more diverse, thriving town. These prime development sites will help us to achieve that.”
The next step for these sites will be for the council to ensure they are secure ahead of any redevelopment plans being submitted.
TOP GEAR: Derwent and Tracey at Babygear and below, Debbie Beck
You chance to drive against The Stig
Pit your driving skills against The Stig at Sherborne Classic and Supercars Show. If you’ve ever wanted to meet TV’s ‘The Stig’, now is your opportunity on your doorstep – and you can even pit your driving skills against him on a racing simulator!
Sunday, July 21 sees the return of the Atkins Ferrie Wealth Management Classic and Supercars show at Sherborne Castle. As well as special guest Ben Collins, (ex-Top Gear Stig), there will be more than 1,500 cars on display, ranging from timeless veteran vehicles to the latest
supercars, and including over 40 models of the prestigious Rolls Royce marque.
Volunteers from Round Table, Lions and Rotary are some of the show’s committee members, and during its 19-year history the show has raised over £340,000 for local
charities. This year the proceeds will be split between 19 beneficiaries including The Yeovil Opportunity Group, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Mosaic. For further information please contact secretary@classicsupercars.co.uk
MOTOR SHOW: The Stig
Spiderman Mary’s skydive to raise
By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk
For 15 years now, 80-yearold Mary Bates has been striving to make a difference to Motor Neurone Disease sufferers after her son Spencer died of the condition, aged 49. The Bates family have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds, with Mary, from Lanehouse in Weymouth, gamely shimmying up tall ships, organising events and concerts.
A ‘Spennylympics’ not only raised a quarter of a million pounds, but earned Spencer’s brother Stuart an MBE.
But it was when she heard of the heartbreaking death of 11-year-old Oliver in Somerset that Mary decided she must do even more.
Now she is preparing to skydive 15,000 feet –dressed as Spiderman.
And she wants you all to join her – no, really.
Mary said: “They keep telling me I’ll be fine. You can’t see the ground from 15,000 foot and as I get closer I’ll close my eyes.
“Besides, I’ve had a good 80 years and if it’s the last thing I do, so be it. What a way to go with a nice young man tied to my back…
“I want lots of people to join me. I want the sky to
organised Spenstock I, and all the bands played for free. It was completely manic – we raised just under £12,000 in one night.”
be full of people dressed as Spiderman.”
Mary has been comforted by the feeling that Spencer has visited her over the years. But after Oliver’s death she felt distraught and helpless, shocked that this horrible disease could take someone so young.
Tears running down her face, Mary said: “Little Oliver died in April, five days after my 80th birthday and I thought: that’s
enough. I wanted to do something big.”
Spencer was diagnosed 15 years ago, aged 47. Mary said: “He had started slurring his words and wasn’t as coordinated.”
Spencer was well known for playing drums with bands Balance of Power and Blue Sin. Mary said: “He was so well loved.
“When he was diagnosed he wanted to tell everyone and make a difference. So we
Spenstock II, III, IV and V followed. At Spenstock II Spencer’s father had to tape the drumsticks to his hands as he couldn’t hold them. And by Spenstock III Spencer could no longer speak or eat.
Spencer died within two years of his diagnosis, following ten days at Weldmar Hospice. His sons were then aged just four and seven. The family were there with him when he passed away, and he was buried with his beloved drumsticks.
The fundraising didn’t stop – there was Spenstock IV and V, then an Ascotthemed race night. His
Reduced fees trial at selected coastal car parks
Prices at some seaside car parks are set to take a tumble for a trial looking into what effect lowering the cost has on numbers using the car parks, impact on the highway network, and the financial impact on Dorset Council’s budget.
Price rises at the Swannery car park in Weymouth, West Bay Road in West Bay, and Charmouth Road in
Lyme Regis have been heavily criticised.
At West Bay in particular, people used to be able to park all day for £2 and were shocked to find the price had risen to £15 in peak season.
The new Lib Dem council pledged to do something about this, and a trial reduction of charges to the winter rate in three Dorset Council car parks
is to run from July 1-October 31. The trial rates are still higher than they were, but the move has been welcomed. Drivers will pay 80p for up to 30 minutes and £1.50 for an hour. Two hours will be £2.30, three hours £3.30, four hours £5.30 and ten hours £9.
No other car parks are included in the trial.
AMAZING: Mary Bates dressed in her Spiderman outfit ahead of her skydive and, inset, beneath her disguise. Right: Her late son Spencer Bates
more cash for MND charity
niece Amy was just six when she decided to run a mini-fete after attending a fete at Upwey Church. In one week she got all her friends to bring toys and books and pressed Mary into action making cream teas –she raised nearly £400, and after four years of fetes she received a mayor’s award and a letter from Bear Grylls.
By far the biggest event was the Spennylympics though –brother Stuart hoped to raise £10,000 with a series of mock Olympic events – 102 events in 17 days.
“Stuart is a window cleaner,” Mary said. “And he put it on his website and the first lady who got in touch was Olympic weightlifter Emily Muskett, whose mum died of MND.
“After that it went viral, with Olympians all getting
involved and even a little pony called Bailey to do the equestrian events. He raised £250,000-plus and 50 countries were involved, including Japan, Australia, America and Canada.”
Stuart was awarded the MBE and was invited to the Queen’s funeral – one of a group of people selected by the Queen herself before she died. He took with him a little bag of ashes – Mary’s mum had died in lockdown and had no funeral.
Mary said: “He had to turn out his pockets on the gate and explained to security
he’d brought his gran along. “They put her through the scanner to check she wasn’t
Mary will skydive Dunkeswell Airfield on August 31. Anyone who would like to accompany her – or who would like to do their own at a choice of airfields – can
Mary would love to hear from anyone who would like to sponsor her, or who can give her raffle and tombola prizes. Email, or call 01305 830076 or 07979 494649. To donate, go to justgiving.co.uk and search for Spencer Bates.
Look after your feet
A charity is offering a free footcare service to elderly people in Dorchester and Weymouth.
Age UK North, South, and West Dorset said they are “delighted” to announce the launch of its new footcare service.
The initiative aims to provide essential toenail cutting services in and around South and West Dorset.
A charity spokesperson said: “Proper foot care significantly contributes to overall health and quality of life by maintaining mobility and comfort, and preventing potential health issues later in life.”
To book an appointment call the charity on 01305 269444.
One World comes to Borough Gardens
Dorchester’s Borough Gardens is set to burst into life with new organisers for a celebration of music, dance, food and culture. The One World Festival has previously been run in the gardens, but has lately been held in Bournemouth. Previous organisers have stepped away and the South West Dorset Multicultural Network, based in Dorchester, have stepped in.
On August 10, from 11am4pm the gardens will be host to a fabulous line-up of free activities, entertainment and a range of delicious food and drink from across the globe. The network’s chair Mona Elkotory is Egyptian, but has been in England for 42 years, having arrived in the
country aged 30 with four children in tow. She settled in Dorchester 31 years ago and became chairman of the South West Dorset Multicultural Network seven years ago. She and the committee have been working hard for months to lay on a great fun day for all, with more musicians from more
communities than ever before taking part –including Middle Eastern, African, Kurdish and Syrian. The network was formed after a racial attack in Dorchester on 2009, when restaurant worker Khalique Miah, from Bangladesh, was set upon and robbed. Mona said: “We plan to do this every year. It used to be run in Bournemouth but it stopped and we applied for the money. We used to have three main events, the Holocaust Memorial, Gypsy Month and Black
History Month, but the Gypsy Month event has been taken over by the Gypsies themselves, so we had the capacity to organise another event.”
Joining Mona in organising the festival is Byron Silver, who is half West Indian, and Vikki Williams. Vikki came over to England from Nigeria aged 12 with her brothers in 1973.
Mona said: “I am very, very proud of the team. They are all passionate about combating racism in the area.”
Vikki said: “And we are very proud of our leader. She’s put a lot of work in.” Volunteers are needed at the festival – to set up in the morning 9am-11am and clear up in the afternoon 4pm-6pm and to steward during the day. All volunteers will receive a £10 voucher for food.
n To volunteer or to find out more, email swdmcn@outlook.com
RSPCA calls on the rise
The RSPCA is urging Dorset residents to donate to keep up with animal emergencies after receiving 67 calls in one week for cruelty, mistreatment and neglect in Dorset alone. To mark the charity’s 200th anniversary, its million-strong movement for animals has been launched. Visit rspca.org.uk/200 for more details
OUR WORLD: One World’s Vikki Williams, Byron Silver and Mona Elkotory
Ready, set, go! for a wonderful Bridport Carnival
You’ll be sure of a big surprise as this year’s Bridport Carnival celebrations begin with a teddy bears’ picnic. Taking place at Mountfield
IF YOU LIKE FISH & CHIPS THEN YOU’LL LOVE LONGS
on Sunday, August 4, the picnic leads us into a jampacked schedule of events for this year’s festivities. Townsfolk are being invited to test their grey matter in a quiz at The Ropemakers pub in West Street on Tuesday, August 13. Then it’s eyes down for bingo at The Beehive social club on Wednesday 14. The pub games continue at the club with darts on Friday 16.
For the main event, the colourful carnival procession will make its way through the town centre on Saturday 17. In previous years, hundreds of townsfolk have lined the street to see a parade of colourful characters wend their way through the streets to much music and cheering.
Organiser Gill Crump said: “The procession will follow the usual route this year and the carnival
committee ensures all legalities are fulfilled so people can have fun during the carnival. There will be a steel band afterwards, the same as last year, it’s wonderful. Steel band music evokes the carnival to me.”
A torchlight procession will make its way through West Bay on Sunday 18.
A spokesperson for the carnival said: “On Sunday, at 6.30pm, people can start to arrive to ensure they get their torches – we sold out last year – for this increasingly popular spectacular.
“At 9pm at Bucky Doo Square the mayor’s torch is lit, then he lights those next to him, and so it follows on, cascading through the procession, looking magical.
“It’s practical as well, as it ensures that the torch will last all the way to West Bay.”
FLAMING FINALE: The torchlight procession
INTRODUCING OUR TOPTRACER DRIVING RANGE!
The Toptracer range is open to all and provides fun for all the family, seven days a week.
The Golf Range is open to the public with no dress code! Just turn up and enjoy.
We have six undercover and three outdoor mats, all with Toptracer Range Technology installed. Also on site is a putting green and chipping green open to all. Toptracer is the leading launch monitor and virtual golf technology for golf ranges. It can be a great training tool or a fun and competitive fun with the many games and modes you can play.
The Toptracer is free of charge to use, all you need to do is buy your baskets of balls.
The state-of-the-art range provides preci-
sion tracking and analysis of your shots, just like the pros!
Download the Toptracer app and sign in to be registered onto our daily, weekly, monthly and all-time leaderboards. Experience the thrill of the game like never before, in beautiful surroundings, whatever your skill level. EVERYONE WELCOME AND NO DRESS CODE!
With its mix of colourful floats, marching bands, and costumed carnival lovers, Bridport Carnival has delighted the crowds every year for decades on the third Saturday in August. Bridport Carnival celebrates community spirit and cultural diversity in the town and with its thriving arts scene, it is
little surprise the colourful cavalcade has been a highlight in the town’s social summer calendar since 1971, although the first event is believed to have been held in 1911.
The town’s creative talent has been evident in its lively processions - an inspired parade of floats weave their
way through the town in the afternoon and a separate breath-taking torchlight procession taking place the following evening. With its rich history and strong community involvement, Bridport Carnival continues to thrill locals and visitors alike and long may it continue.
Here we can look at the carnival through the ages in this wonderful set of photographs from the Bridport Carnival Committee. To look at more photos and provide years and names for the black and white photos, and to view more information about this year’s events, head to bridportcarnival.co.uk
GLOBAL PHENOMENON: Rotary around the world, 2002
Flushed with success: Bathroom firm
By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk
Identical twin brothers who grew up in Bridport and helped run a wellknown plumber’s merchant there are celebrating 20 years in their own bathroom showroom in Dorchester.
Paul and Patrick Ackerman, 58, started work at BJ White aged 16 and 17 respectively – and might still be there if their great uncle Jack hadn’t sold the business.
Now though, they are enjoying a brisk trade in beautiful bathrooms at Bathroom Inspirations on the Grove Trading Estate. Returning trade is so good they have decided to push the boat out for their 20th year and offer 20 per cent off everything to celebrate.
It’s a real family business, with Patrick’s daughter Dani, 34, as sales director and designer. The twins’ dad Keith also worked for them for a while, as a driver.
Does plumbing and bathrooms run in the blood then? “You could say that,” Dani said, smiling.
Paul started work at his great uncle Jack’s business BJ White aged 16, having flipped a coin with Patrick to decide which one of them would take the post.
He impressed Jack, and a year later Patrick also joined them.
“BJ White was a fantastic, well-run business,” said Paul.
Later, Paul was placed in
charge of the plumber’s merchant side and Patrick was the bathroom showroom manager. When Plumbase took over BJ White, after the shop had been open for 38 years, the pair were in their late 30s.
Having been in the trade since school, it was only natural their thoughts turned to starting their own business and, having identified that Dorchester
STYLISH: Some of the bathrooms on show at the Grove Trading Estate
hadn’t got a bathroom showroom, they set about making that happen. Leaving their parents Brenda and Keith in Bridport, where they still live, they went ‘over the hill’ to establish their business.
Bathroom Inspirations opened on the Grove Trading Estate in 2004 –at first up the top, nestled among some fairly industrial businesses in a
rented showroom. In 2013 the brothers bought a building from Sean Hearn Roofing, moved the business down the hill near to Mole Valley and set about making a showroom that would really show off their collection, which includes stunning items from Laufen, Bette, Lefroy Brooks, Coalbrook and more.
These days chrome and
TWIN TUBS: Paul and Patrick Ackerman today, and as toddlers
twins celebrating 20 years of business
porcelain are only a part of the offering. The rise of brass, nickel and other materials has widened the scope of bathrooms and elevated their importance from the smallest room to a place of rest and relaxation.
Tiles too, have taken a turn for the exotic. No longer confined to square and
Relaxed hours at museum
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery will be opening a little earlier on three dates for visitors with autism and other sensory conditions along with their siblings, parents and carers. Relaxed openings begin at 9am, then at 10am the museum will open to visitors as usual and return to regular operation.
Dates: Saturday, July 27, Saturday, August 31, and Saturday, November 2.
MAKING A SPLASH:
Bathroom Inspirations showroom in Dorchester
rectangular shapes and ceramic glaze, the Ackermans – who have now been joined by Patrick’s daughter Dani and Clare Bird – have made the most of their large showroom to display a terrific range of styles, from the rainforest to the classic Thomas Crapper sanitaryware.
The brothers have a team of subcontractors who attend their initial site visit and then install the bathrooms, if customers do not have their own installers lined up. Their reputation has earned them a firm following among their customers, who return again and again over the
years. “I love meeting customers,” said Paul. The business received a big spike in activity thanks to the pandemic.
Paul said: “A lot of businesses struggled but for us covid meant we were incredibly busy.”
Their attention to detail has even gained them a few celebrity fans.
Downton Abbey writer Sir Julian Fellowes opened their new shop after being impressed by their service.
Paul said: “We’re well known in the area, having spent 42 years in plumbing and bathrooms in West Dorset. People tend to stick with us.”
n The showroom is open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and 10am-2pm on Saturdays. See their 20% off promotion on their advertisement on page 45. To browse their store, head to DT1 1SS or go to bathroominspirations dorchester.com or call 01305 239787.
Hedge project proud of their privets
A project to survey and raise awareness around hedgerows is drawing to a close in Lyme Regis. Schools, community groups and residents took part in the scheme run by locally-based environmental education organisation Little Green Change and Dorset Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN).
The scheme was part of Dorset CAN’s Great Big Dorset Hedge project. The project, funded by Lyme Regis Town Council, saw community hedgerow surveying sessions in May, plus a new, tailored assembly created and delivered at St Michael’s Primary School, The Woodroffe School, and the First Lym Valley Cubs. Some 37 under-16s from
The Woodroffe School and the cubs took part in surveying sessions, learning how to assess what makes a healthy hedgerow, how to identify common hedgerow plant species, and the insects and animals that rely on this habitat.
Little Green Change’s founder and director Clare Matheson said: “It’s been
wonderful working with Dorset Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN) on this project. It’s also given opportunities for interested children, students and adults to gain new surveying skills, and to meet new people through volunteering.”
Julie Leah, a local gardener and one of the co-founders of Dorset CAN’s Great Big
Dorset hedge project said: “This initiative brings all of the benefits of the Great Big Dorset Hedge project to Lyme Regis and its community, and in particular its young people, engaging with them to understand the importance of hedgerows and potentially bring more hedgerows into the urban landscape.”
Hedgerows play an important role in both the countryside and in towns/cities, providing nesting habitats, food sources, and routes of safe travel for a variety of small mammals, birds and insects.
n Read more about this on Little Green Change’s website, littlegreenchange. com/hedgerows
LIVING ON THE HEDGE: Some of the people taking part in the hedgerows project in Lyme Rgis
Dementia café launched
A new dementia café has launched at Selwood House Care Home in Charlton Down.
The Forget Me Not Dementia Café was opened by Jim Marshall of the Alzheimer’s Society.
The café, on the first Wednesday of each month from 10am to 12pm, will provide
support for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.
Customer relations manager Kate Andrew said: “The ‘Forget Me Not Café’ is open to all, providing a friendly and supportive environment where visitors can enjoy refreshments and participate in activities tailored to their needs.”
We know that choosing an agency to let your property can be a big decision. At Dorset Hideaways our experienced local team is here to make sure the whole process of letting your holiday home is as simple as possible from day one. Why not get in touch today for a chat or request a free copy of our Property Letting Guide?
If it’s quirky, it’ll be in museum book
Bridport Museum plans to publish a book to celebrate the quirky, the amusing and the downright odd episodes in our local history. And to do so they have been running a Crowdfunder campaign that ends on July 10. So your opportunity to support this initiative will end soon.
Tegwyn Jones, a volunteer at the museum, has collected quirky stories for publication. Stories about people like an early Antarctic explorer, a ballooning MP, a DIY sailor, and events such as an exorcism of the A35, a 1755 Tsunami and, of course, the Hat Festival. Each is illustrated by a contemporary picture. He said: “It’s been a fascinating exercise. There are a huge number of great
stories in the museum archives, easily enough for a book. Bridport has a long history that just keeps on producing wonderful characters and quirky events. Ultimately, I had to cut the number of stories down to 80 to fit into a paperback”.
“Last year, the museum published a booklet on Bridport’s pubs that was so popular that we’ve had to print a new edition. It looks like a book on Quirky Bridport might be really interesting for locals and visitors alike - hopefully, we can sell enough copies
to make a modest surplus for the museum.”
Victoria Northwood, director of the museum, said “Like all museums, we are always looking at new ways to engage with local people and visitors about the heritage of the town and our area. This book, Quirky Bridport, is part of that effort and we hope to publish it in time for the Christmas market. I’d encourage anyone to act now to book their advance copy of the book before the Crowdfunder campaign ends.”
n You will be able to secure Quirky Bridport rewards, order the book, or donate to the fundraiser by following the Crowdfuder link crowdfunder. co.uk/p/quirky-bridportthe-book
Somerleigh Court Nursing Home.
Where every resident shapes the community.
www.somerleighcourt.co.uk
At Somerleigh Court Nursing Home, we pride ourselves on offering high standards of nursing care, in a ‘home from home’ environment. CQC regulated, with Platinum Status in the Gold Standards Framework and rated 9.7 by Care Home UK. We cater for long-term nursing (including dementiafriendly care), as well as convalescence, post-operative care, physio rehabilitation, holiday stays, and palliative care.
A vibrant and caring environment in the heart of Dorchester, there are 40 generously-sized rooms each with TV, telephone and Wi-Fi facilities.
If you are seeking dedicated care for a loved one, please call Sharon Hill on T. 01305 211 833 or E. reception@somerleighcourt.co.uk
QUIRKY COLLECTION: Tegwyn Jones at Bridport Museum
Read all about changes to library opening hours
Library opening hours in West Dorset have changed to maintain standard hours Monday to Saturday.
The council’s executive director for corporate services Aidan Dunn said: “Over the course of 18 months, through our #LetsTalkLibraries campaign, we consulted and collaborated with our customers, communities, employees and partners to
n The new library hours are: Dorchester Library
M, W, T, F: 10am to 5pm. Tuesday: 10am to 6pm. Saturday: 10am to 4pm Weymouth Library
M, T, W, F: 10am to 5pm. Thursday: 10am to 6pm. Saturday: 10am to 4pm Wyke Regis Library
M: Midday to 6pm. W: 2pm to 5pm. T, F, S: 10am to 1pm Beaminster Library
M: Midday to 6pm. T, W: 10am to 1pm. T: 2pm to 5pm. F: 10am to Midday (supported by volunteers). Satrday: 10am to 1pm Bridport Library
M, T: 10am to 5pm. W: 10am to 6pm. T, F: 10am to 5pm. Saturday: 10am to 4pm
develop a new Library Strategy, which was adopted and published in July 2023.
“The development of the strategy was community led and evidence based.
“Over the course of two phases of public consultation we built a clear picture of both what our current library users and our nonlibrary users wanted to see from us, now and in the future.”
Crossways Library
M: 2:30pm to 5pm (supported by volunteers). T: 10am to Midday (supported by volunteers) and 2pm to 5pm W: 10am to 1pm and 2:30pm to 5pm (supported by volunteers) T: 10am to 1pm. F: Midday to 6pm. Saturday: 10am to 1pm
Littlemoor Library
T, W, F: 10am to 5pm. T: Midday to 6pm. Saturday: 10am to 1pm
Lyme Regis Library
M, T: 10am to 1pm. W: 2pm to 5pm. F: Midday to 6pm. Saturday: 10am to 1pm
Portland Library
M, T, T: 10am to 5pm. F: Midday to 6pm Saturday: 10am to 1pm
Sherborne Library
M: 10am to 5pm. W: Midday to 6pm. T, F: 10am to 5pm. Saturday: 10am to 1pm.
Hair salon’s finalists at top national awards
S.H.E.D Eco Hair and Beauty in Symondsbury are celebrating being a finalist in three categories at the UK Hair and Beauty Awards 2024: Best Salon, Best Salon Décor and Best Hair Stylist of the Year for salon manager and art director Paula Davies.
Salon owner Faye Brown said: “Whilst we didn’t take home the top prizes, reaching the finals was a tremendous achievement.”
HAIR WE GO: Faye, Paula and Milly at HBA 2024
Countess project wins prestige award for house
An innovative research project at Mapperton House has won the Archives and Records Association (ARA) Volunteering Award 2024.
The Alberta Research Project aims to preserve the correspondence of Alberta Sturges Montagu, the 9th Countess of Sandwich.
The goal is to digitally preserve and
make accessible the extensive correspondence archive of Alberta, born in Chicago in 1877, and who died in England in 1951, illuminating the historical impact of Gilded Age American Heiresses on England’s historic houses and society.
An exhibition on the life of Alberta is running at Mapperton this summer,
featuring extracts from her letters, notes and journals, and using groundbreaking AI technology.
For those who cannot come to see the exhibition in person, if they make a donation they can then view the exhibition virtually with a 50-minute tour led by Julie Montagu at buymeacoffee.com/juliejmontagu
Screenwriter to be next history man
Award-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes looks set to become the next president of Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society after throwing his hat into the ring for election to the role.
Dorset Museum and Art Gallery announced that Downton Abbey creator Lord Fellowes of West Stafford will be presenting himself for election as president of the society this autumn.
Speaking ahead of his appointment, Lord Fellowes said: “I am both delighted and extremely honoured to be put forward for this role. The museum has grown and developed during my time here, so I have been able to witness its transformation into the marvellous place it is today.
“In fact, I have lived in the county for long enough to know that the combination of its natural evolution
from its Jurassic beginnings combined with its role in the history of our country makes it unique.
“The thought of being a custodian for its past, its present and its future, fills me with joy.”
Executive director Claire Dixon said: “Dorset Museum and Art Gallery has hugely appreciated the support of Lord Fellowes for many years.
“His commitment to Dorset and in particular, his clear interest and passion for the culture and heritage within our county, means he is well placed to serve as our president, and we are excited about his decision to stand.”
A museum spokesperson said: “The society is immensely grateful to Lady Susan Bradbury, who is standing down after ten
years, having overseen a programme of critically acclaimed exhibitions and the reopening of the newly transformed museum in 2021.
“Bringing decades of experience from the forefront of the British and International arts scene, Lord Fellowes is a longtime resident of Dorset and has been a supporter of and generous donor to the Museum and Art Gallery for many years.”
The spokesperson added: “Lord Fellowes will be president of an organisation with over 1,000 members whose core purpose is to collect, preserve, research and exhibit objects relating to the culture of Dorset.”
The society says its role is to make sure the public benefits from the ‘incredible archaeology, natural science and history, literature, music, fine arts and antiquities that the museum has to offer’.
Station on track for disabled access funding
Dorchester South station is in the running to receive government funding to improve access for disabled travellers.
The government recently listed the station among 50 to be selected for initial feasibility work to be part of
the Access for All scheme.
A South Western Railway spokesperson said a feasibility study will consider how accessibility could be improved at the station, usually through the installation of new lifts and, in some cases, bridges.
Should the study on Dorchester South be considered successful, around £50-60million in Access for All funding will be released. The station is among eight South Western Railway others to be considered for the funding.
PRESIDENT: Lord Fellowes is standing for election
Marking 60 years of outdoor learning
An activities centre is hosting an open day to celebrate 60 years of helping to improve young people’s lives.
Kayaking, rock climbing, coasteering and paddle boarding are among the activities Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre (WOEC) has offered to hundreds of thousands of youngsters over the last six decades.
The open day will run from 10am to 3pm on July 29. Anyone can attend and pay £5 to take part in a host of taster sessions including rock climbing, archery and indoor tunnelling.
William Lawrence, who began taking activities at the centre 50 years ago before becoming an instructor, said: “I feel very fortunate that my brother and I found the centre all those years ago. I started kayaking and found a great bunch of people who helped me improve and gave me the confidence to try other things.
“I often think how lucky I was, and how differently things might have worked out for me if I hadn’t had those opportunities.
“It doesn’t feel possible
that I started 50 years ago and am still getting out paddling with groups, I really hope they get as much out of it as I did.”
Amanda Davis, Dorset Council’s corporate director for education and learning, said:
“Congratulations to the Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre for reaching their 60th anniversary.
“It’s great to hear that children and young people are being given an opportunity to safely explore and appreciate our wonderful Dorset coastline.
“It’s so important that our children get to have these experiences, and I’m
grateful to all the fabulous staff for helping make Dorset a great place to be a child.”
A WOEC spokesperson added: “Beyond offering high-adrenaline activities, the Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre prides
itself on fostering a love of the beautiful coastline that the activities are taking place in.
“The staff at the education centre are passionate about teaching more than outdoor skills, but also soft skills such as emotional resilience, overcoming fear and boosting selfconfidence.
“Schools from across Dorset have benefitted from the centre, with many opting to take their students along for away days. As well as school trips, the centre also offers holiday clubs, parties and even short breaks for carers.”
For more information visit the centre’s website or their Facebook page.
GREAT FUN: WOEC is hosting an open day on July 29
A little more humility would really help
By CANON DEB SMITH
We are just coming through this heady season of election fever at a time when many voters say their trust in politicians has slumped to an all-time low.
While I commend those who put themselves forward to serve on councils and in parliament, I do think an inability to listen to others, to talk over them and to fail to show a little humility, makes political debates maddening.
Humility is so often interpreted as a lack of conviction or a sign of weakness. The word humility comes from the Latin humus, which isn’t a Middle Eastern dip, but rather dirt. The word human, appropriately enough, comes from the same root. Humans are humus; we’re a handful of dust. We are made from the dust of the earth –even those who are leaders.
Humility isn’t the same thing as having a poor self-image. It’s not about low self-esteem. It isn’t about letting yourself become a doormat. Humility knocks us off the pedestal we build for ourselves and helps us understand that the universe doesn’t revolve around us. That we live in a community of different needs and different ways of seeing the world. The humble person works for the common good, not just to earn praise. The humble person is willing to listen, to find common ground. Humility makes us consider that maybe the other guy has something valuable to say – even if they are different from me. To be humble means to hesitate before we insist on our rights, to swallow our pride and our complaints and our contrary opinions more often than we give vent to them.
There is surely a place for listening
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Monday to Saturday at 8.30am, Morning Prayer - The Sepulchre Chapel
Every Monday at 9am, Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel
Every Tuesday at 12noon, Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel
Every Wednesday at 10.30am, Holy Communion with Homily – The Lady Chapel
Every Thursday at 12noon, BCP Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel
Every Friday at 9am, Ecumenical Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel
The first Friday of the month at 9am, Requiem Holy Communion - The Sepulchre ChapelEvery Saturday at 9am, Holy Communion - The Sepulchre Chapel
to other points of view and finding ways of working together. So many whom our culture praises as strong and assertive are merely self-absorbed and proud. Being number one in God’s kingdom is about putting others first. It’s about serving those who can’t repay us as well as those who can – to put the needs of others, especially the weakest and least advantaged, above our own.
Once upon a time there was a squire who longed to be a knight. He wanted to serve his king and be the most honourable and noble knight who ever lived. At his knighting he was so overcome by dedication that he made a special oath. He vowed to bow his knees and lift his arms in homage to his king and him alone. This knight was given the task of guarding a city on the frontier of the kingdom. Every day he stood at attention by the gate of the city in full armour.
Years passed. One day as he was standing at attention guarding his post a peasant woman passed by with goods for the market. Her cart turned over, spilling potatoes and carrots and onions everywhere. The woman hurried to get them all back in her cart. But the knight wouldn’t help the poor woman. He just stood at attention lest he break his vow by bending his knees to help pick up the woman’s goods.
St James the Great, Longburton: 10am Village Communion
St Paul’s at the Gryphon: 10.30am Morning Worship
St Paul’s Church, Weymouth: 2.30pm Baptism Service
Sunday, July 14
St James the Great, Longburton: 10am Family Communion
St Paul’s at the Gryphon: 10.30am Holy Communion Cheap Street Church: 6.30pm Taize Service
St John the Baptist, Symondsbury: 9.30am Celtic Worship
St Mary Magdalene, North Poorton: 9.30am Holy Communion
St Saviour’s, Dottery: 10.30am Morning Worship
St Michael & All Angels, Askerswell: 11am Benefice Eucharist
Friday, July 19
Sherborne Abbey: 11am Remembering the Fallen Sunday, July 21
Time passed and one day a man with one leg was passing by and his crutch broke. “Good knight, sir, reach down and help me up.” But the knight would not stoop or lift a hand to help lest he break his vow. Finally, after many years the king came to visit. As the king approached the knight just stood there at attention. The king inspected him, but then he noticed that the knight was crying. You are one of the noblest knights I have ever seen. Why do you cry?
Your majesty, I took a vow that I would bow and lift my arms in homage to you, but I am unable to keep my vow. These years have done their work, and the joints of my armour are rusted. I cannot lift my arms or bend my knees. With the loving voice of a parent the King replied: “Perhaps if you had knelt to help all those who passed by, and lifted your arms to embrace all those who came to you, you would have been able to keep your vow to pay me homage today.” Public service, and our service as members of the community, can be seen and known more powerfully when we put it into action for the good of others, not just when it will win us admiration or an election, but every day and in the way we live our lives.
St James the Great, Longburton: 10am Family Communion
St Paul’s at the Gryphon: 10.30am Morning Worship Uploders Chapel: 10.30am Joint Worship
St Mary the Virgin, Powerstock: 11am Benefice Eucharist
St Paul’s Broadoak: 6.30pm Evening Prayer Sunday, July 28
St James the Great, Longburton: 10am Said Holy Communion
St Paul’s at the Gryphon: 10.30am Family Worship
St Saviour’s Dottery: 9.30am Holy Communion
St John the Baptist, Symondsbury: 11am Benefice Eucharist
St Mary Magdalene, North Poorton: 6.30pm Evensong
St Michael & All Angels, Askerswell: 6.30pm Evensong Sunday, August 7
St James the Great, Longburton: 10am Village Communion
St Paul’s at the Gryphon: 10.30am Family Worship
St Mary the Virgin, Powerstock: 9.30am Celtic Worship
St Mary Magdalene, Loders: 11am Benefice Eucharist
Sherborne
Down to earth
the Rock
A plot twist in asylum seekers’ story
A few weeks ago I approached my friend Laura Baldwin about my allotment. Readers may remember I wrote about it with much pride last year, but the necessity of an orthopaedic operation and recovery last autumn meant that I had been unable to keep it up together and it had become a weedy, overgrown mess. I needed help. I proposed that her community allotment group could share the space with me to grow food if they could help me clear it.
cleared the 65’ x 18’ plot, a task that would have taken me days, after which we returned to the community allotment and had lunch together. I have to tell you, it was a joyful experience. I resolved that having had such generous help from
And so it has continued. Yesterday we returned and another plot holder who, like me, had a plot that had disappeared under a forest of weeds, had it transformed by two Eritreans, a Kenyan and yours truly diving in and
Laura had a better idea. “I’ve been working with some of the asylum seekers from the barge,” she said. “How about I get some of them to help you clear it?” I was conflicted.
It would certainly help me, but was it ethical to ask people in their situation to engage in physical hard work to help me, a stranger, who would be the sole beneficiary of their labours?
“It’s absolutely fine,” she reassured me. “They love coming up here, it gets them off the barge, engaging with other people from the community and being in nature is really important for them.” A time and a date were fixed. I worked with four guys from Nicaragua and Colombia. In two hours we
them, that I needed to put something back and so I returned the following week to teach them how to use the sideshoots from tomato plants to make cuttings and increase their crop manyfold. We made biodegradable pots from the inside of toilet rolls, discussed the use of hormone rooting powder to help roots develop and how removing the side shoots helps the plant put more energy into producing fruit. My son Rory, who has just come back from teaching English in Peru, came along too. Being of similar age to many of the asylum seekers, they formed an immediate bond and he was able to converse in Spanish with one of them, whose English was very limited.
sorting the area out in three quarters of an hour. The look on his face was a picture, he was so grateful! Back on the community plot we planted beans, harvested potatoes, one guy made a bird feeding station and ate his first cherry from the cherry tree there, after which we sat down and had lunch together again under the shade of a sycamore tree.
I have made a point of not asking them their stories but I’m ready to listen if they want to talk. One man from an African country was working for an NGO that rescued girls at risk of female genital mutilation. He received death threats that were very real and had to flee his country. Another has a degree in chemical engineering. He enjoys the
simple days on the allotment and combines that with study and volunteering in a technical institute in Bournemouth on other days. He is able to teach chemistry, physics and maths. When he and my graduate son began sparking off each other, it was a conversation several pegs above my rather poor A-level attainments of 40 years ago! If we look around the world, there is a tradition of hospitality in every culture in which strangers are treated with courtesy, respect and generosity, and this country is no exception. I’m not a Home Office case worker, I’m not here to make judgments about which people have genuine claims for asylum and which don’t, but whilst the Bibby Stockholm barge is moored as a temporary home for refugees in Portland Port, I am proud that people in my community, like Laura, have extended the human hand of friendship and support for people in need and I’m grateful that I have now had the opportunity to engage with them and genuinely enjoy spending time with them. And I will not lose sight of the fact that they extended their help to me in the first instance, not the other way around.
KIM BERLIN – A newcomer to
GROWING SEEDS: Asylum seekers helping on my allotment
Down to earth
Bot or Not? We can’t shut the box now
PAGAN VIEWS with JO BELASCO BA Hons History of Architecture and Design
There I was, merrily sharing Summer Solstice images right, left and centre on social media. The internet was awash with luminous, mystical Pagan images and as I was unable to go out this seemed a great substitute. Until, that is, a friend pointed out that many of the pictures I was sharing were probably Artificial Intelligence in origin. I was gobsmacked.
I pride myself on using the internet for good and one example is to share named artists’ work to give them more exposure. Feeling more than a little hoodwinked I set out to
educate myself on the subject of AI.
The robot generators of Artificial Intelligence harvest from all the billions of images available on the internet. These pictures are then dropped into a virtual cauldron from which anyone can make new images with just a few words in a text box. The process is utterly soulless but nevertheless feels like a magical conjuring with oneself as the magician. Indirectly, I discovered WHY such a large percentage of Pagan celebration images
JOHN WRIGHT is a naturalist and forager who lives in rural West Dorset. He has written eight books, four of which were for River Cottage. He wrote the award-winning Forager’s Calendar and in 2021 his Spotter’s Guide to Countryside Mysteries was published.
I have a particular fondness for what are known as either Cramp Balls or King Alfred’s Cakes (not ‘King Alfred’s Balls’, as my daughter once suggested) as it is the first fungus that ever gained my attention. This was long, long ago, but I still remember how puzzled I was at this
seemed to be AI. By playing with a free AI generator, Stable Diffusion 2:1, I was able to see that realistic images present AI with more problems than the abstract.
Basically, with dreamy and surreal images you can get away with more! In the image where I punched in “hippy celebration in the sun” one poor reveller has an arm at the end of his leg and many other participants look more A&E than AI! However, when I punched in “abstract sun celebration” the bot could
manage a pretty good image.
Overwhelmed by information I asked a few local artists their opinions. Marion Taylor of Bridport known for her joyful obsession with painting Colmer’s Hill surprised me with her thoughts.
“As an artist I have been plagiarised by a real life ‘artist’ down to style, painting titles and website name imitation,” she said. Compared to this experience AI seemed a lesser evil.
Textile artistJan Cooper, born in Ferndown and a life-long devotee of West Dorset, took an opposing view and simply said: “Suddenly the world is full of fakery which we seem to embrace and fear.”
Thing is, I didn’t fear it because it sneaked up on me. We can’t stuff this invisible genie back in the bottle but we can press for transparency. How about just stating ‘Bot’ or ‘Not’ next to the image?
Ascus another question
four-centimetre diameter, mat-black, near-spherical object that had evidently glued itself to an ash tree. It felt very light and when broken in half it revealed concentric rings.
How did it get there, what was it for, what was it? All was revealed in my Observer’s Book of Common Fungi (five shillings, I recall).
It was the fruiting body of the fungus Daldinia concentrica, the fungus
itself growing inside dead ash trees. As a fruiting body, its purpose is to produce spores that might colonise another dead ash.
For many years I assumed that the rings were periodic growth rings, however, I have now discovered that they are structures for storing water for use in the manufacture of spores. These spores are grown inside thousands of long, narrow ‘flasks’ whose necks form exit pores on the surface.
SUMMER’S HERE: An image I generated from the AI machine of a not very realistic summer solstice
Down to earth
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.
Connecting with nature in the garden
My untidy garden is a great home for bugs We’ve been doing a good old declutter in the house recently. Both my sons, being home for the holidays, have been sorting out their rooms and getting themselves organised. The dusty GCSE revision guides on the shelf have been passed on to someone actually doing their GCSEs, the jacket from the exgirlfriend has been turned into welcome cash and two bags of donations (so far) have made it to the charity shop. Both being practical sorts they’ve been building and repurposing to try and increase storage and make their rooms work for them, order and tidiness reigns! But in our garden, you won’t find order and tidiness, in fact this year more than any other I have revelled in its messiness. I
don’t mean that I’ve left the garden to run wild, far from it, I spend hours each week nurturing my veg, fruit, patio pots and borders full of shrubs and colourful flowers. But the area of lawn left for nomow May has continued to be left unmown all summer, self-seeded poppies, snapdragons and love-in-themist bring pollinators into the veggie beds, and the log pile near the wildlife pond has almost disappeared under vegetation. Insects and other invertebrates have declined dramatically in recent years and with major causes put forward being climate change, polluted water and
farming pesticides, it’s easy to feel like it’s difficult to help much individually. However, another major reason is loss of habitat, and the modern fashion for spreading inside order and tidiness into our gardens hasn’t helped, how on earth are insects meant to live on plastic grass and flowers! A little bit of untidy gardening can be incredibly important for providing habitat for bugs and in doing so provide pollinators for our food crops, recyclers in our soil and food for our wild birds and animals.
Playing in the garden barefoot all through the summer holidays my boys were always finding interesting minibeasts. Dragonflies freshly emerged from the pond, grasshoppers in the long
grass, a camouflaged white crab spider on a white flower and sometimes the spectacularly iridescent swollen-thighed beetle, pictured. If they were still out playing as the sun went down, as they often were, then they were fascinated by the invasion of large and noisy cockchafers.
I believe connecting children with nature is vital for the planet and their own wellbeing and letting them play in our beautiful but slightly untidy gardens is a great way to let this happen. My sons haven’t gone on to study ecology or anything like that, but their connection with nature is still strong and both will be enjoying spending time in the garden this summer, most likely still barefoot!
on the amazing spores of King Alfred’s Cakes
From the inside surface of these flasks many tiny sausage-shaped structures called ‘asci’ are formed. Each contains eight spores. When mature, an ascus will grow up to the neck, fire its spores under hydrostatic pressure and then withdraw to let the next ascus have a go.
This extraordinary process will continue for about three weeks. If you find one while it is producing spores (your finger will come away
with a black smudge if you touch it) do take it home.
Place it on the largest sheet of white paper you can find and cover with an upside-down bowl. The spores will shoot from the surface, depositing a wide, black corona around your specimen. It is interesting that the spores are only fired at night as this is when the bark of trees is likely to be damp, thus ensuring adhesion. This odd behaviour is because
Daldinia species are believed to have evolved in very dry conditions. How many spores, you no doubt ask?
I (sort of) counted them a few years ago by transferring the spores from my sheet of paper into a onecentimetre diameter plastic phial. Knowing the size of the spores and the volume of my collection, and then doing the maths, I came up with seventeen billion.
Find your way to the new Labyrinth Arts Festival
This summer will see the launch of a new arts festival suitable for people of all ages in Dorset.
Running from Friday, July 12 to Sunday 14, the Labyrinth Arts Festival is set to offer a dynamic and varied programme showcasing local and national talent.
Taking place at a site on the outskirts of Wimborne Minster near Badbury
Rings, the festival’s inaugural year will host a cross-section of performances encompassing dance, storytelling, theatre, music and improv.
“At its heart, our festival is a true celebration of live performance,” said festival director Maryanna Clarke.
“We want revellers to come, relax and immerse themselves in fantastic
performances by professional artists that will stir the imagination and soothe your soul. This will be an opportunity for people to reconnect with nature as well as one another.”
n For tickets visit fixr.co/event/ labyrinth-arts-festival-2024-tickets959611605. Also, oldschoolplayers theatre.co.uk/labyrinthartsfestival
Just wild about wildlife photography
The world-famous exhibition from the Natural History Museum, returns to Dorset Museum & Art Gallery on July 19, showcasing the world’s best nature photography until November 3. Some 100 powerful photographs capture fascinating animal behaviour, spectacular species, and the breathtaking beauty of our world, many of the photographs reveal aspects of life in the wider natural world that many of us have never seen before.
Originally launched in 1965, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has grown to such an extent that a staggering 49,957 entries, from photographers working in
95 different countries, were submitted for this year’s event.
And from these, the most compelling 100 have been selected for this inspiring exhibition, complimented by a variety of soundscapes, videos and expert insights.
Executive director Claire Dixon said: “As the only Dorset venue to welcome this show, we can enable local audiences to enjoy world-class photography up close.
“Hosting over the summer period also means that those visiting the county
will be able to add this exhibition to their ‘must do’ list.
“We find this exhibition appeals to all our audiences, as children and young people are wowed by the incredible imagery and our more traditional audiences are engaged by the stories behind the photographs, as photographers reveal their extreme levels of commitment to capturing the perfect moment.”
Chair of the judging panel Kathy Moran said: “What most impressed the jury was the range of subjects, from absolute beauty, rarely seen behaviours and species to images that are stark reminders of what we are doing to the natural world.”
I predict a Love Riot with classic 18th century rom-com
Cornwall touring company Miracle Theatre is bringing an electrifying summer production to west Dorset. Love Riot is the vibrant reimagining of Hannah Cowley’s classic play, The Belle’s Stratagem, audiences are invited to step into a world of etiquette, scandal and matchmaking with a fresh new take on this 18th century rom-com.
Founded in 1979, Miracle Theatre is celebrating its 45th anniversary. Founder and artistic director Bill Scott said: “Miracle has come a long way since that first rainy performance in Pirran Round, but the company has stuck to its roots, being based in Redruth, by serving the farflung communities of the wider south west.”
Gather up your friends and family, bring your cushions and campingchairs for performances on:
n Thursday, August 1pm, 7pm. Ibberton Village Hall field 07771 561099.
n Friday, August 2pm, 7pm. Kimmeridge Bay. 07879 473693. n Saturday, August 3, 7pm. Halstock Village Hall field. 01935 891744.
KIDDING AROUND: Some of the finest wildlife photography is on show at Dorset Museum
Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts is rebranding itself as Chamber Music Weymouth ahead of an extended summer programme of music. The concert series, founded by Weymouthborn pianist Duncan Honeybourne, has proven such a success it is being expanded, with four extra Sunday afternoon concerts.
In addition to the two young artist showcase events taking place on July 9 and 16, Chamber Music Weymouth will present a special concert of sea shanties and music inspired by the sea with Lyme Bay Moonrakers and Duncan Honeybourne on July 14. The summer series of concerts will conclude on July 28 with a song recital given by baritone John Barker and pianist Helen Cawthorne.
Artistic director Duncan Honeybourne said: “We’ve always made a point of welcoming young musicians, and last year’s young piano trio thoroughly enjoyed their trip to the seaside, eating ice cream on the beach after playing Mendelssohn to a large, supportive and
EXPANDING
ENTERPRISE:
Chamber Music
Weymouth’s artistic director
Duncan Honeybourne
Chamber in relaunch with an expanding programme
enthusiastic audience. Everyone loved the event, and there were calls for a repeat, so this year we decided to expand the enterprise.”
Frances Wilson, herself a major voice in the piano world through her blog
The Cross-Eyed Pianist, joined Duncan in 2019 as concerts manager. Together the pair say they plan to put their stretch of the Jurassic Coast on the musical map. Frances said: “We have enjoyed record audiences since we
returned to our regular monthly concerts following the challenges of the covid lockdowns, and we look forward to capitalising on this enthusiasm for what we do here with an expanded programme of concerts and other related events as we approach our 25th anniversary in 2027.”
Thanks to a generous donation from the Weymouth Music Club, which closed in 2023 after presenting concerts in the town for almost 80 years,
Chamber Music
Weymouth will, in addition to the regular monthly lunchtime concert series, offer further opportunities to young musicians at the start of their professional careers. Future plans include a music festival, piano competition and masterclasses and piano courses.
n Full details of all events and a detailed history of the series can be found at weymouthchamber concerts.com
A century of Hardy celebrated at series of concerts
Cattistock Classical Concerts will be performing The Past & I: 100 Years of Thomas Hardy at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Cattistock on July 27. In this exciting, unique collaboration, with music and arrangements by Arthur Keegan, critically acclaimed singer Lotte Betts-Dean, the winnner of the 2024 Royal Philharmonic
Society Young Artist Award together with Norway/UK guitarist James Girling will take the audience on an inspiring journey of Thomas Hardy through songs of the 20th century. The project includes new arrangements of beloved songs by Britten and Finzi, alongside longforgotten songs, only recently
unearthed. This tour supports the forthcoming release of the album of this music, on July 19, 2024, recorded with Delphian Records. This collection of new compositions and arrangements reveal the profound influence of Thomas Hardy’s poetry on composers throughout the 20th century and to the present day.
Festival’s something for all types of folk
Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, running from August 15 to 18, is offering entertainment for people of all ages this summer. This year’s line-up includes TikTok shanty sensation The Longest Johns, African kora player Seckou Keita with his eight-piece Senegalese band, BBC 6Music favourite John Smith, and Gentleman Jack theme tune writers and singers O’Hooley and Tidow. Festival organisers say the event is loved by everyone because there’s “loads for kids to do, loads for parents and loads for the old folkies”.
In addition to four evenings and three full days of original folk, roots and world music across five stages, there will be music workshops, comedy performances, a craft area, a healing area and fire
shows.
Children’s activities will include storytelling, a climbing wall, archery, the Circus of Science where kids can watch and take part in experiments, theatre workshops, craft sessions, puppet shows, bubble displays and baby and toddler rhyming sessions. There will also be facepainting, a treasure hunt, bouncy castles, fancy dress, maypole dancing and Morris dance
workshops, family ceilidh, space-hopper obstacle course, welly wanging, and circus skills performances and workshops including juggling, diablo, devil’s sticks, unicycling, stilt walking, low level trapeze, an inflatable tumble mat.
All the children’s activities are included in the ticket price.
A festival spokesperson said: “The craft area is growing year on year too.
“This year it’s better than
ever with workshops available in crochet, wicker modelling, macrame, cyanotype printing, clay modelling/pottery, bunting printing, tie-dye, blacksmithing, traditional woodturning, pebble painting, origami, and loads more.”
They added: “One of the things that makes Purbeck Valley Folk Festival really unique is its beautiful setting. Bang in the middle of the Purbeck hills with views across Corfe Castle, the Swanage Steam railway running alongside the family camping field, and just down the road from the Jurassic Coast with beautiful landmarks such as Durdle Door; it’s absolutely idyllic.”
n For tickets, the full lineup and information visit purbeckvalley folkfestival.co.uk
Hardy Players’ moving tale of Martyrs’ plight
REVIEW
Six Men of Dorset – the Tolpuddle Play
Dorchester Corn Exchange
By Diana Holman
The revival by the New Hardy Players of the play
The Six Men of Dorset, performed in the Corn Exchange and the courtroom at the Shire Hall Museum was one of the most powerful, evocative and inspiring pieces of theatre that I have seen in a very long time – possibly ever.
The play, written by Miles Malleson and Harry
Brooks, was first performed in the Corn Exchange in 1934. It is based on the true story of the six farm workers of Tolpuddle who were convicted of trumped-up charges and transported to Australia for joining together to prevent the reduction of their meagre wages to starvation level. Act 1 built a picture of the six farm workers and their families and their lives. The use of movement and song by the ensemble The Women of Tolpuddle under the direction of Penny Levick added rich texture,
leading the audience through the scenes. Most of the ensemble members were from the singing group Bread and Roses. Costume, under the direction of Lou Pugh, reflected the difference between the thin, meagre clothes worn by the workers and James Frampton’s opulent attire. Act 2 moved from the Corn Exchange to the courtroom, where the trial was held, and this strong cast and musicians drew the audience powerfully into the high tension of the trial. Mention must be made of
the well characterised judge Baron Williams (Rachel Carter) and defence (Carole Redhouse), whose dialogue was written almost verbatim from the court transcript.
The play, staged to celebrate the 190th. anniversary of the trial, was a triumph. What pleasure it would have given Norrie Woodhall, that talented actress who was still performing in her late nineties, a member of the original Hardy Players, whose 100th birthday wish was to recreate the Hardy Players.
PARTY TIME: Purbeck Valley Folk Festival has something for everyone this August
Author’s Burning Love of all things Elvis
When a local author Lorraine Gibson, whose forthcoming book about the life and style of Elvis Presley is getting folk all shook up in the US as well as in the UK, was writing her book she never dreamed that she’d be invited as a VIP guest to an Elvis exhibition in London where she’d hold some of his belongings.
“After two years spent writing about Elvis and the stories behind his iconic outfits, to handle some of the very things I’d written about was mind-blowing,” said Lorraine, who stayed in Memphis for research and followed in Presley’s bluesuede footsteps.
“Touching the 1969 Las
Vegas concerts microphone and his TCB (Taking Care of Business) embossed sunglasses was amazing, but the highlight was holding the gold Hilton belt, presented for smashing all previous
Vegas attendance records; imagining how many times he’d slung it round his hips before ripping up the stage was exciting and moving all at once.
“My book is to be stocked in Sun Studio, where Elvis
recorded That’s All Right and The Peabody hotel where he attended his school prom.”
n Elvis: The King of Fashion – out August 30 pen-and-sword.co.uk/ Elvis-The-King-of-Fashion -Hardback/p/50883
n Direct From Graceland exhibition: elvislondon bridge.co.uk
Artists’ new work ready for exhibition
A rich mixture of fresh artwork will be showcased at the annual Art@Eype exhibition between July 19 and 21.
The works of nine artists and makers will be on display at Eype Centre for the Arts and has been organised by Bridport artists – painter David Brooke, photomontage/mixed-media artist Sally Davies and portrait painter Elizabeth Sporne.
Each year a fresh collection of fellow artists are invited to exhibit, and this year landscape painters Esther Jeanes, Steve and Podi Lawrence are three of the nine-strong group.
Jo Burnell will bring her painted pottery, Babs Kirby
her ceramic totems along with woodturner and sculptor Darren Wheeler. Admission is free, as is parking for exhibition visitors, and the exhibition is dog-friendly. Light
refreshments are available, with proceeds to charity.
n More details can be found on Facebook @ArtatEype and at eypechurcharts. co.uk Eype Centre for the Arts, St
Peter’s Church, Mount Lane, Eype, near Bridport DT6 6AR.
Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20, 10am5pm. Sunday, July 21 10am-4pm
THE WONDER OF YOU: Lorraine with Elvis’s gold belt and, right, his TCB sunglasses. Inset: Lorraine’s book
ON SHOW: The nine artists taking part in the exhibition at Eype and, right, one of David Brookes’s paintings
Culture
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?’
Talented islanders showing off skills
Last December, Dan Sands, a photographer from Portland, was awarded Amateur Photographer Magazine’s Amateur Photographer of the Year, 2023 for his image Bus Stop, taken just outside the Heights Hotel, in the category low light. There were over 12,500 entries from nearly 2,500 photographers all over the world.
Dan was totally bowled over but if you check out his Facebook page, it’s not hard to see why he won. Dan is a superb photographer, his photos of the aurora on May 10 at different locations all over the island are incredible, likewise his night skies at Portland Bill. His images range from stunningly beautiful to atmospheric and spooky, he experiments with light in the ‘ghost tunnels’ at High Angle Batteries in the dark.
family have an affinity with the coast and a surname to suit. They didn’t know much about the isle but soon fell in love with it and continue to learn and be inspired by
treasure trove for many types of photography, from extreme sports like rock climbing, to cycling, stalking wildlife from butterflies to owls. Then there’s the magnificent
line of greetings cards which can currently be found at Salty Towers, the Sugar Loaf Cafe and Cassie’s Colourful Creations. Get in touch with Dan if you would like to stock them. He also does weddings. Check out his work at danielsands photography.co.uk
I asked Dan who was the chap in his winning photo. “It’s me – where there’s a bloke in my photos, it’s usually me!”
the incredible world on their doorstep.
Dan and family moved to Portland in March 2021 from Wimborne looking for a change of scenery after being locked down in a suburb. Dan says the
Working as a technical director for a software house, Dan has found photography therapeutic and what he needs to wind down at the end of the day. He says Portland is a
historical sites, lighthouses, quarries, castles, gun batteries, hidden bunkers as well as the awesome sunsets, it all inspires him to get out and shoot and he feels spoilt by so many prospects. He has just produced a
Charlie Pascoe is a talented young artist from Easton who has lived on Portland all her life. Her mother Katy’s family go back hundreds of years on the isle and one of their ancestors is buried at the ruined St Andrew’s Church site known locally as the Pirate’s Graveyard above Church Ope Cove. Charlie’s great grandfather worked in the quarries and she feels lucky to live somewhere with such well documented family histories. She loved growing up on the isle. Her playgrounds were the old quarries and the beach. Now 20 years old, she appreciates the strong sense of community and says her artwork which is now her business, have been well supported
PICTURE THIS: Dan Sands with his photograph Bus Stop and, below, experimenting with light in the Ghost Tunnels on Portland
locally. Primarily a landscape artist, she says she is surrounded by beautiful scenery that inspires her and would never get bored with painting Portland vistas. Charlie suffers with a chronic and painful health condition called EhlersDanlos syndrome, and whilst she absolutely loves living on the island, she says accessibility for disabled people can be challenging. Resources, especially health, are very limited and access to education and employment are difficult for young people.
Charlie took part in the Guggleton Farm Arts ‘Art Fight’ in Stalbridge.
A diverse range on show at exhibition
Art lovers will be treated to a diverse range of creative works in the Sherborne Open Art Exhibition taking place from July 20 -28 at The Digby Hall in Hound Street.
by the opening of The Sherborne.
Fourteen artists were given 20 minutes to create a piece which the audience then voted for and Charlie won both her rounds to become overall winner. In June The Flamingo Room in Weymouth won the We Are Weymouth award for Best Window Design painted by Charlie.
Charlie is pictured with her octopus that won the first round of the Guggleton Art Fight, at the event.
Check out her Facebook page Charlie Pascoe Art, where you can buy her originals, cards and prints, and her instagram charlie_ pasc0e.arts
This unique event has been running since 1931, and now boasts a more modern and fresh approach focussing on people, inclusivity and the erosion of barriers to the enjoyment of art.
Open to all artists, professional and amateur, the exhibition showcases high quality submissions, and the judges form an independent panel, briefed to create a diverse and representative display. Last year 400 works were exhibited from 250 artists and footfall was a record 2,500 visitors.
Mark Pender said: “Sherborne has long been a centre for the prodigious artistic talent that exists throughout Dorset and indeed the wider SW area.
The Sherborne Open is part of that and enriches the town’s artistic life, now further enhanced
“It is hoped that the value of both of these will be appreciated as Sherborne bids to win the 2025 Dorset County of Culture award.”
The exhibition is again organised under the umbrella of Sherborne Arts. A band of muchappreciated volunteers consisting of artists, art lovers and supporters freely give their time and have fun doing so.
The main sponsor is Patson Hill Farm Sporting Club, who will be presenting a Sponsor’s Prize, along with Castle Gardens Garden Centre, Charterhouse Auctioneers, Old Barn Framing Gallery, Mogers Drewett and The Trouvaille Gallery joins to award the acrylic/mixed media prize.
n If you would like to be involved in any capacity, email: sherborneart exhibition@gmail.com
The Sherborne Open Art Exhibition is open between 10am and 5pm and on Sunday 10am until 1pm. Admission free.
SHOP WINDOW: Charlie Pascoe’s award-winning window design and, below, with her octopus painting
ON SHOW: Circling Around by Fen D’Lucie and, right, Deep Shade by Stephen Foster and The Archer by Nikola Watson
Shingle-minded author reprints book
Maiden Newton author
Judith Stinton has ordered a reprint of her fascinating book about Chesil Beach, after 600 sold out.
Chesil Beach: A Peopled Solitude is about the people behind the beach.
Judith said: “There are lots of books on Chesil Beach, but they are all about birds, beasts and flowers.”
Judith has had ten books published, but says it doesn’t get any easier. She said: “I got accepted by two publishers in lockdown, but the deals fell through so I decided to do it myself. This book came out in 2021. I’ve sold 600 and then decided to reprint it. I sold 250 in Bridport –Bridport is a wonderful place for selling books. “This took about five years to write. I walked the whole length of the beach apart from the Swannery, where you can’t – 16 miles from Burton Bradstock to Portland. The more I did the more I realised just how dangerous Lyme Bay is. There have been numerous shipwrecks and
the Great Gale, which swept away Fleet village and Chiswell.
“I came up with the idea when I was sitting in the garden at Moonfleet Manor with everybody having tea and cake. On the other side of the wall there was
Chesil Beach, with waves crashing and geese flying overhead. I thought the contrast was striking. I wanted to examine how the two sides of this world intertwined.”
Chesil Beach seems a lonely landscape, deserted
and unchanging. Yet there have always been people living here, concealed behind the shingle barrier. Poaching, smuggling and wrecking were common practices, but it has also sheltered undercover agents, experimental communities and hushhush weapon testing.
D-Day soldiers left for France from this coast, and the Spanish Armada battled in its waters.
The sea provides rich pickings, but can become an enemy, a devastatingly destructive force. The seabed is crowded with shipwrecks, and in 1824 the villages of Fleet and Chiswell were swept away overnight, in the worst disaster ever to hit Lyme Bay. Chesil Beach itself is vulnerable – to exploitation as well as weather.
n Chesil Beach; A Peopled Solitude is available from Abebooks and Amazon and locally from The Bookshop in Bridport, priced £13.95. Trade orders: sales @harlequinpress.net
Coves take a musical trip around the folk world
By Sheena Dearness
The Portland Coves were received well at both the Mission Hall, Sutton Poyntz and on the stage at Wessex Festival. Their eclectic range of worldwide music and instruments is worth hearing.
At the Mission Hall concert, Rick Potter introduced (and played) instruments such as the Erhu twostring fiddle from China, Taishigoto a stringed instrument from Japan plus the Hurdy Gurgy and a Shruti box – a
drone instrument from India. At the Wessex Festival, Portugeuse Ricardo Pereira wooed a large
audience with his unique whistleplaying; Ian Cox on different percussion instruments and Rick Potter on guitar. They covered music from Brittany, Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, Galacia, America and Japan. The Portland Coves began as a group playing instrumental folk music seven years ago and met in the Cove House Inn, Portland – hence their name.
A SHORE THING: Writer Judith Stinton with her Chesil Beach: A Peopled Solitude, which is being reprinted
ON A MISSION: The Portland Coves at the Mission Hall, Sutton Poyntz
By Nick Horton nickh@westdorsetmag.co.uk
Thirty years is a long, long time in anyone’s reckoning but 30 years in the utter insanity that is the music industry is, well, more than a lifetime. And as Ali McKinnell, vocalist and frontman of revered BritPop Nineties/Noughties space cadets Electrasy tells me when I ask where the last 30 years have gone: “I really have no idea.” It doesn’t seem five minutes ago that the band were packing out venues such as Finns (Or O’Flannigan’s as it was then) and the Town Cryer in Weymouth, The Quicksilver Mail in Yeovil but, 30 years, some five albums, several record deals and endless legal battles, countless tours and gigs and a whole lot of fun and heartache later, they’re back and they’re heading back to their roots with a series of gigs across the South West throughout July for their To The Other Side tour. Electrasy’s star was very much on the rise in the late 1990s with headline shows at Glastonbury Festival, performing in front of thousands at a Radio One Roadshow and a memorable performance of debut single Lost In Space on Chris Evans’ TFI Friday TV show, watched by some eight million teatime viewers. “I remember arriving at the studio early afternoon for that, clearly very nervous and Chris and Danny Baker taking us over to the pub.
COSMIC CASTAWAYS: Electrasy at London’s 100 Club last summer. Above, an early photo and below, on stage at Glastonbury Main picture: JESS UPTON
Electrasy’s 30-year trek to get To The Other Side
“You go on this arc from playing pubs to appearing on TV and I’m in the hotel thinking: “How the hell did I get here? There’s no schooling for this sort of thing,” Ali tells me from his studio in Sittingbourne, Kent.
The band these days is very much an international affair, with Ali living in Kent, guitarists Steve Atkins in Pembrokeshire and Nigel Nisbet in Los Angeles, bassist Alex Meadows in Bogota, Columbia, keyboard player Jim Hayden in New South Wales, Australia, and drummer Chris Page in sunny Weymouth. So how did this tour come about and how do you rehearse?
“It all kind of started following the publication
of Pete Trainor’s excellent book Calling All The Dreamers (which tells the remarkable story of the band’s rise and fall and rise and is still available on Amazon, folks!), and advances in technology meant we could share files of song ideas and demos online,” Ali says.
Two shows last year, in Cheltenham and the 100 Club in London, were well received so here they are on the verge of their first tour in two decades which starts in Solva, Wales on July 5 and includes dates at Finns in Weymouth on Thursday, July 18 and The Quicksilver in Yeovil on Friday, July 19.
“The tour is a homage to the grassroots venues that fuelled Electrasy’s rise in the 1990s, creating a full-
circle moment for the band and fans alike,” says Ali, who remembers the band’s first ever gig at Finn’s in 1994.
And guitarist Steve Atkins added: “Playing at Glastonbury and appearing on MTV and TFI Friday back in the 90s were pivotal moments for us.
“They epitomised the incredible journey we were on, and the energy from those times still fuels our music today. As we embark on this tour, we're not just reminiscing; we're reigniting that magic for ourselves and our fans.
“It’s about capturing that spirit and bringing it full circle.”
n For all tour and ticket details, go to electrasy.live
BRIDPORT MUSIC CENTRE: 01308 455660
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Primrose Lodge Weymouth is a cheerful residential home popular for its proximity to the seaside. We have a team of highly-trained, friendly and dedicated carers, delivering the highest standard of care and professional support, 24 hours a day.
Come and see for yourself what Primrose Lodge has to offer Call Lisa Summers on 01305 786568 or email lisa@primroselodge-weymouth. co.uk
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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.
What a history the humble pork pie has. Standing up there with the good and the great of English culinary delights, this tasty little gem has evolved in content but if our medieval forebears were to visit us today, the pork pie would be one delicacy they would recognise.
A pork pie can hold centrepiece at any buffet and is the perfect picnic stalwart. It is unpretentious but has evolved through the centuries, culminating in what we recognise today. In medieval times, the pie crust was designed to disguise the grey meat (as every part of the pig was used) and was discarded upon eating. Known as a ‘raised’ pie, the crusts were formed into towers and battlements, the more elaborate the better. In a 17th century recipe, the meat was layered with pork loin and apple, slightly sweetened with sugar, and filled with half a pint of white wine. Now that’s my kind of pork pie!
Pork pies can be
Let’s raise a glass to the humble pork pie
eaten hot or cold; in fact, the Yorkshire version of ‘pie and liquor’ is served hot with mushy peas and mint sauce.
A pork pie is the easiest of pies to make as it is made with a ‘hot water crust’ pastry. A good pastry normally depends on everything being chilled. Hot water crust pastry is easy to work and is very forgiving. I have adapted my own pork pie recipe for maximum taste’.
Pastry
280ml liquid – I use the stock from a ham hock and half a stock cube or use water
500gm plain flour
Salt, ground black pepper (be generous)
Filling
Ham hock on bone 5 slices Belly pork.
110g beef dripping or lard. You can use Trex or even duck fat.
Salt, nutmeg, mace, white and black pepper. I egg yolk Method
Previous day boil the ham hock for 5 hours, take the meat off the bone and cool overnight.
In a processor, blitz the belly pork along with the meat from the ham hock and season with salt, mace, nutmeg, white and black pepper.
Preheat oven to 160°C
Make the pastry – put the 280ml of jellified ham stock into a saucepan along with the dripping or lard. Don’t throw the rest of the ham stock away. Measure the flour and mix in a very generous amount of pepper, salt and mace. When liquid is melted together pour into the flour and mix until it forms a dough like texture. The pastry will cool quickly – Cut some off for the pie tops. If you are making a large pie, roll out and line a tin. I use muffin tins as they are deep and make lovely sized pies. Fill the pastry case with the meat filling and top with pastry tops. Brush with egg yolk and bake for 45-55 minutes. A large pie will take 90 minutes plus. The pastry should be golden brown and crisp. Leave to cool Brush the top of the pie with some left-over ham stock and with a kitchen syringe, inject some stock into the pies and chill.
Mum’s Kitchen... with Diana Holman
Easy Lemon Cheesecake
This is such a quick and easy recipe, and the results are really delicious.
Ingredients:
100g gingernut biscuits, whizzed to crumbs in a food processer, or crushed inside a plastic bag
50g butter, melted
2 x 250g tubs mascarpone
325 jar luxury lemon curd Juice of 1 small lemon
Method: Mix the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter and press into the base of a 20cm cake tin or quiche dish lined with non-stick baking paper.
Put the mascarpone, lemon curd and lemon juice into a bowl and
beat until smooth, but do not overbeat.
Spoon the mixture onto the biscuit base, spread evenly and level the top. Chill in the fridge for at least four hours, or
Vittles (food & drink)
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.
Get the hots for abundant apricots
Roast Apricot Tart
Make the most of bright apricots whilst abundant in the supermarkets. I love almonds but if you don’t have any you can make this and omit them altogether. A perfect dessert that can be made up and keep it in the fridge (up to 24 hours) until ready to cook and serve. It is delicious served warm with ice cream.
Serves 4-6
320g puff pastry
25g + 1 tbsp flaked almonds
8-9 ripe apricots (punnet) 1 egg
100ml double cream
25g demerara sugar plus 1 tsp
Take the puff pastry from the fridge around 10 minutes before you intend to use it - this will prevent it cracking on use.
Cut a large circle from the pastry. Scatter 25g of
slivered almonds over the work surface and using a rolling pin press the pastry on the almonds so the
pastry is studded with nuts. Line a baking tray with parchment. Place the pastry, plain side up, on
your tray. Slice the apricots in half and remove the stones. Arrange the fruit on top of the pastry.
Fold the pastry around the fruit enclosing them in the pastry. Crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Tip in the cream and the sugar and beat until combined.
Pour the custard mix over the fruit and sprinkle with a further teaspoon of sugar. If you fancy scatter over a tablespoon of sliced almonds.
Put it in the oven 200C/ Gas 6 for 20- 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Delicious.
n Lizzie is at the Bakery DT2 9EZ on Fridays 1012
At the Old Ship Inn in Upwey DT3 5QQ Saturdays 9.30 - 12
Check out where lizzie is next lizziebakingbird. co.uk insta Lizzibakingbird
Thai’s spicy sensations
FOOD REVIEW
King and Thai, Dorchester
By John Clements, chef at The Olive Tree, Bridport
In a hectic month what better food to review than Thai? It’s a cuisine which combines a multitude of ingredients, all at the last minute, to create a hot, sour, sweet and salty burst of freshness and heat into your frenetic day. Kaffir lime-leaves, fish sauce, red and green chillies, palm sugar, tamarind, sweet basil, coriander, coconut cream, shrimp-paste, soy, ginger, garlic and galangal. It’s food in the fast lane.
solutions
High-heat-octane-infused cuisine. Not for the fainthearted.
This fresh, spicy sorcery is created out of the very “lastminuteness” of everything. Thai food slaps you in the face, kicks you up the backside and launches you
back into a red-bull infused world.
Monday evening and while other restaurants take a breather, The King and Thai is in full sprint mode by 7pm. Fortunately, we booked. Countless last-minute hungry food-gamblers, who didn’t, were politely dismissed back into the hot, humid, steamy evening. The decor here is calming-pistachio-minimal. Exciting hand-drawn menu, family-run, authentic, unfussy, efficient, MSG free. Ice-cold Singha beers to kick-off, accompanied by a starter platter of lava-hot, crunchy spring rolls, luscious
chicken satay skewers, light, crispy prawn tempura, sweet and sour dipping sauces. Mains were prawns in a sticky, spicy chilli sauce and duck with tangy tamarind on wispy, crispy noodles. Firecracker explosions all over the tastebuds. A subtle wiping of the brow. Then the soothing, fluffy, fragrant, Jasmine rice. Vegetables sculpted into mini works of art. Cooling mango sorbet. Fried banana. Jasmine tea. Top-level food. Impeccable service. Wonderful company. What a night! My oh my. The King and Thai. Don’t forget to book before you try.
PRAWN STARS: The main course of prawns
Vittles (food & drink)
Sherryn Sanderson 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 on Facebook and Instagram at September Moon Sailing.
Singing the praises of a perfect hinnie
We have made it to sunny North Shields, Newcastle on Tyne.
After leaving Ramsgate, we anchored up in the beautiful Hamford Water National Nature Reserve, near Harwich. The peacefulness only broken by flocks of birds flying overhead announcing sunset and the splashing of seals popping their heads up to say hello.
Unfortunately, September Moon was too big and heavy for any further anchorages and marinas along the east coast, so we had to do a couple of nights sailing straight here. Not as easy as I was expecting as we had to dodge windfarms, gas fields, cargo ships, lobster pots and the notorious North Sea waves.
It’s fair to say, food was eaten cold and straight from the tin. Novacastrians have a unique dialect and a great baking history.
I’ve been experimenting with Stottie Cakes and Fadgies. But what on earth is a Singing
Hinnie? Luckily, the locals are a super friendly bunch and I’ve been able to find out the history behind these fruity little flat scones and extract a traditional recipe. Simply, ‘hinnie’ is a regional term of endearment and the singing part is the sound it makes when they are cooking in the hot pan. They are sweetened with dried fruit because in days of old, this was easier to come by than sugar.
When you make these, treat them with care, using only very quick and light mixing and don’t forget to rest them in
the fridge, otherwise, you’ll end up with a hard chewy biscuit rather than a buttery light and fluffy morsel of hinnieness! You should get around 16 Singing Hinnies from this recipe and they stay fresh stored in a tin for two days.
Singing Hinnies
200g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
50g cold butter cubed
50g cold lard cubed
75g sultanas, raisins or currants
25g sugar
50ml milk
Sift together flour, salt and
baking powder into a mixing bowl.
Mix butter and lard into flour with fingertips or pastry cutter until fine breadcrumb texture. Add sugar, sultanas and milk and combine to make a rough dough, wrap in clingfilm and rest in fridge for 15 minutes. Roll out dough to around 8mm and using a 5cm round fluted cutter, cut circles and place onto a floured tray. Cover and rest again for 10 minutes. Heat a griddle or heavy based frypan to medium low and add a tsp of lard before each batch. Cook your rounds for around eight minutes each side then toss in sugar.
Ilaria and Rob’s new cocktail offering is just belissimo!
By Diana Holman Winners of the of
the West
Dorset Business Gold Awards
2023 in the Pub and Casual
Dining section, the popular pizzeria, café and deli, Mercato Italiano at Dreadnought Trading Estate in Bridport opened its new cocktail bar, Mercato Nero, with a wonderful party for many guests including Bridport mayor, Anne Rickard who opened the event.
Councillor Dave Bolwell said that it was his pleasure to say a few words about the business
that began in 2014 as a market stall, wholesaling and importing directly from Italy. Together
Ilaria and Rob, pictured, have created a small piece of Italy in Bridport, added Dave, and he
congratulated them on their achievements and wished the new cocktail bar every success.
My husband Bob and I went along to sample its delights, and were warmly welcomed by the café’s owner Ilaria Padovani.
There was an amazing range of beautiful cocktails to choose from. I chose Rosa Dalquiri – a delicious mixture of Doorly’s 3YO rum, lime and sugar and
Rob opted for a non-alcoholic Virgin Bellini – an amazing blend of ginger beer and peach puree. No one tasting this would feel the slightest deprived of alcohol. It was gorgeous! We tasted for ourselves some of the authentic Italian ingredients imported by Mercato Italiano with the sumptuous spread of the buffet laid out for the guests. There was also a wide range of Italian grocery products for sale downstairs, and I resolved to return for a proper look at these another day.
HOME AND HOWAY: September Moon moored up in Royal Quays, North Shields and, left, a plate of singing hinnies
Pic by Adam Victor
Keeping your business clean and tidy
DRAIN BRAINS
By Jak Norwood of Valley Drains
When it comes to keeping your site looking top-notch, keeping it clean and tidy is the best place to start. And there’s nothing quite
like a thorough pressure washing to give it that brand-new look. Professional pressure washing can remove dirt, grime, and stains from just about any surface, leaving your site looking like it did the day it was built. So, let’s have a closer look at the many advantages of pressure
washing for your business and why we think this is a smart investment for any business owner.
Increases Property Value
One of the first benefits of professional pressure washing is that it can help increase your property’s value. Over time, dirt, grime, and other contaminants can build up on your property’s surfaces, making it look old and worn. Pressure washing gets rid of all that built-up dirt and grime, leaving your site looking fresh and new.
Prevents Damage
Another significant advantage of commercial pressure washing is that it can help prevent property damage. When dirt and grime are allowed to build up on surfaces like concrete, wood, or brick, it can eventually lead to decay which can even result in structural damage. By
employing a professional pressure washer, you’ll be removing these contaminants before they can cause any lasting damage, helping to extend the life of your property’s surfaces.
Saves Time and Effort
Trying to clean your property’s surfaces by hand can be a timeconsuming and labour-intensive process. Professional pressure washing, on the other hand, is quick and efficient. With the right equipment and expertise, a professional pressure washing company like Wastege can clean your property’s surfaces in a fraction of the time it would take to do it yourself.
This leaves you more time to focus on other important tasks, like running your business or enjoying time with your family. n Call 07958 335973 or email darren@ valleydrains.co.uk
WANTED: OLD TOYS. matchbox, Hornby, Railway Items, Airfix, Tamiya, Frog Model Kits. Fast, friendly service Call Paul 07824 154510
STAMPS & COINS WANTED by collector/investor. We are keen to purchase small or large collections at this time. Tel Rod 07802 261339 or 01308 863790
Welcome to our garden’s visitors
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
We are very lucky with our garden and the number of visitors that appear. In reality, they aren’t visitors, most of them think of the garden as their own and maybe think of us as being the outsiders. I’m talking about wildlife rather than humans although in normal times we get a few of those too! On the slithery front, there are plenty of slow worms around. We have areas of wild grass which they love and old walls which are perfect as hideaways. Grass snakes too are often seen or more often the young rather than adults. Both of these are pleasing because they will be helping control slugs and they seem to be doing that job well.
We get spiky visitors too and a family of hedgehogs wander through most nights. These visits
incur the indignation of our rescue dog Joey who sees their intrusion as the height of rudeness. He does a lot of woofing which alerts Myla our black Labradoodle but she only half-heartedly supports him!
Hedgey curls up for a bit and then charges off at the earliest opportunity.
Furry residents appear too and field mice are seen quite often and then the other day a sleepy mouse which we think is probably a wood mouse. It would be nice to think we had dormice too and there are gnawed pips from our Myrobalan cherry.
A fiercer visitor is a weasel, whose family has been around for a long while. We managed to video it popping its head out of a pile of rocks a few years ago but the last sighting was whilst I was catching
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up on some paperwork early one morning and heard a rustling. Feathered visitors are many and for a number of weeks I have been noting how early the dawn chorus starts. At the time of writing in early June it’s now got to before 4am. Robins have always been plentiful, and they like to use our kitchen as a feeding station as soon as the back door is opened! Sparrows have also set up home as well as a pair of goldfinches along with blackbirds, thrushes, wrens and dunnocks. The peace was disturbed by a sparrowhawk, who came through chasing a pigeon who was smart enough to head into the shrubbery just in time to live another day.
Alongside the river across from the garden centre are Kingfishers and we were watching a green woodpecker feeding its chicks in an alder tree last week. So, see this as an excuse to relax once in a while, sit very quietly and whilst you are enjoying your garden you will see others enjoying it too.
The Mayor and Lady Mayoress delivered the first woods at the Lyme Regis Bowls Club 66th Annual Open, with five days of intense competition culminating in Finals Day, bathed in beautiful June sunshine. Club president Susan Rowe opened the competition by inviting the Mayor Cllr David Ruffle and the Lady Mayoress Dolores Hollywood-Plant to commence proceedings, before the traditional sounding of the bell signalled the start of the Singles competition.
The club’s Steve Pomeroy was a double winner, as LRBC members competed against bowlers from across the south in the popular event on the bowls calendar.
A total of 43 entrants in the men’s singles were whittled down, leaving Steve in a head-to-head with son Paul in the final of the men’s singles, with Steve winning a see-saw contest 21-18 to scoop the Charles Mercer Trophy.
Steve paired up with Carl Stephens in the final of the Mixed Pairs in another allLRBC affair, with the duo overcoming Karen Hofen and Tim Munro by 25-16 to bag the Cullimore
Trophy. A total of 21 ladies competed for the Richards Cup, with Gill Hurst from Romsey BC in Hampshire edging out Sally Batt, from Avondale BC in Bristol. Honours in the mixed triples went to the Bridport BC team of Mike Craddock, Lyn Craddock and Chris Thorne, who secured two points on the final end to edge past LRBC trio Barry
Rattenbury, Nicky Driscoll and Barry Driscoll, to win the Howlett Cup.
President Susan Rowe is relinquishing her dual role as tournament secretary, along with assistant secretary Lesley Broom, after many years organising the open.
Susan said: “I have been involved for 16 years, Lesley Broom for 15 years.
“We have enjoyed our time
together and feel it’s time for a new team to take over.
“Initially it was feared that this would be the last tournament, then like buses, four people came forward to take over: Lyn and Kay Honey, Carl Stephens and Rom Hunt.
“They have some new ideas to hopefully encourage and increase participation.
“I wish them well.”
LET’S GO: Mayor David Ruffle is invited to bowl the first wood at the 66th Annual Open
WINNERS: The victorious triples team from Bridport BC pictured alongside the runners-up from the host club, mixed pairs winners Steve Pomeroy and Carl Stephens, picture with runners-up Karen Hofen and Tim Munro and, right, mens’ singles champion Steve Pomeroy, left, defeated son Paul, right, in a close final
Clubs join together for Grandmasters tourney
Yeovil and Sherborne Hockey Club have recently hosted their second Grandmasters Tournament with 13 teams and over 130 players aged 60+ taking part.
The club’s England Over 80s hockey star, Bill Greenwood, was the driving force behind the inaugural Hasbeens and Hopefuls competition last year, with 2024 seeing a
pleasing increase in popularity.
Separate ladies’ and men’s seven-aside tournaments were held with eight ladies and 5 men’s teams, which included Old Panthers from Belgium to give the competition an international flavour.
As in 2023, the emphasis was on playing hockey in a fun, friendly and competitive spirit, with over 150
players, officials and spectators enjoying a barbecue at the end of the event.
To reflect the growing popularity of hockey among veterans, the club runs a Masters Pay and Play session on Thursday evening that runs throughout the year.
n For more information, please visit yshc.co.uk
Club chief’s plea for new cricketers
The chairman of Cheselbourne Cricket Club is making an impassioned appeal for new players, and is worried that the club may be forced to draw stumps for the last time unless they can add to their numbers. Colin Searle is concerned that a lack of younger incoming cricketers will jeopardise the future of cricket in the village as the club’s “old dependables” hang up their boots.
Colin said: “Cheselbourne Cricket Club provides cricketing opportunities to all the local villages and beyond. Losing the club would be a sad loss to that community and once gone is unlikely ever to recover.
“Whilst we have a wide range of occasional players, this year has seen some of our old dependables hang up their boots and, if we cannot fill that gap, the future of the club is in
serious jeopardy.
“We would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in helping to sustain this excellent club.”
Cheselbourne’s ground, with its stunning background, draws admiration from visiting teams and is inarguably one of the prettiest in Dorset. Facilities have been improved with the installation of a new playing surface this season and the club has partnered
with the local first school to introduce AllStars cricket with the aim of fostering interest among budding players. The club was reformed in the 1980s, but Colin fears that it may disappear for good unless new players get involved.
Colin said: “Finding regular players has proved increasingly difficult. We have a fantastic core of players and volunteers and really don’t want Cheselbourne to become
just another forgotten village team. We would love to find a few enthusiastic players, perhaps some looking to go more village, to give something back after years at a bigger club, or to return to the game they love after time away.
“Anybody would be welcomed with open arms.”
n Please contact the club if you are interested at cheselbournecc@ gmail.com
STADDON DELIVERS: Recent recruit Dave Staddon in action against Swanage 2nds. The club hopes to enlist more players soon
Business
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.
Would you drink 80-yearold coffee?
Probably not. But if you were tempted to try some, you may be able to get a cup from Suttons Coffee Shop in Weymouth. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying Suttons’ coffee is past its sellby date. I know from first handexperience that they serve excellent coffee, and amazing homemade cakes.
Historic coffee shop is everyone’s cup of tea
And they’ve been doing it for nearly 150 years. You’ll find Suttons in St Alban Street, Weymouth. This is a narrow, largely Georgian thoroughfare that runs from the town centre to the seafront. It’s one of the more picturesque little streets in the town. Its oldfashioned charm is due in part to Suttons, whose shopfront has changed little since it opened in 1883.
The St Alban Street shop wasn’t the first Suttons in Weymouth. In the late 1870s William Sutton opened his first shop nearby in another narrow thoroughfare, Governor’s Lane. Here he worked and lived with his young family of at least seven
children. The oldest, Reginald, was 16 and helped in the business. Suttons wasn’t a coffee shop back then. It was a grocer’s, selling all kinds of foodstuff, but Sutton seems to have built a reputation for his homemade cakes. They feature prominently in his early newspaper adverts. Business must have gone well because in April 1883, just a few years after opening, he was pleased to announce that his business had relocated to ‘more Commodious Premises’ in St Alban Street.
The final line of his ad in the Weymouth Telegram announces: ‘Large Parties supplied with Excellent CAKE at Specially Cheap Rates.’
William was a Dorset lad, born in Sherborne. But was his entrepreneurial spirit, and his baking, infused with North American ideas? We don’t know anything about his travels, except that he lived in the booming city of St Paul, Minnesota, in the early 1870s. Three of his children were born there.
By the turn of the 20th century, it seems that William’s son, Francis, had taken over the business. William seems to have enjoyed a long retirement, living into his mid-80s. Suttons continued to sell groceries to the people of Melcombe Regis for decades, throughout the First and Second World Wars. The next big
change to the business seems to have come in the 1960s, when part of the shop was converted into a café.
After more than 90 years of running the business, the Sutton family sold out in around 1970.
They passed it to a Mr Wheatley. He then sold it to the Lloyds, who in turn sold it to Henry and Carol Mitchell about 1980.
Today Suttons is owned and run by their son, Matthew, and his wife Amanda. They’ve refurbished the premises, but deliberately kept what Amanda calls ‘the feel of old Weymouth’. Both their families have been in Weymouth for a long time, and they want to protect that sense of heritage and continuity. Suttons is the oldest family-run cafe in Weymouth. The families have changed over the years, but the cafe continues to provide the friendly service it’s always been known for. And the 80-year-old coffee?
That was discovered in the basement, during the last refurbishment. A taste of old Weymouth, perhaps?
THEN AND NOW: Suttons in St Alban Street, Weymouth, back in the day and, right, still going strong today
Flats plan for office block
A developer hopes to create Dorchester’s first open-market build-to-rent project at Vespasian House at the Top o’ Town.
RTI Estates Ltd wants to create 37 apartments for up to 144 people in a £11m project, as part of its ongoing regeneration of the historic Barrack Quarter area. If Dorset Council agrees the work can be done under permitted development rights there will be no need for planning permission, and Vespasian House will be converted into a mixture of one, two and three bed
apartments including penthouse apartments in what is currently the loft.
RTI, which owns the freehold of the office complex and surrounding
land, is aiming to provide high quality, flexible short and long-term secure rental accommodation.
NHS organisations based in the building may colocate with local partners. RTI has already completed
a £2.4m development of Barrack House in the northwest corner of the site with nine key worker apartments let to NHS workers and their families. It has also converted former quartermaster’s stores into five townhouses and two apartments for open market sale.
RTI has previously gained planning consent for a residential extension to Vespasian House and a mixed-used building with apartments and commercial space. These plans are unaffected by the plans for further accommodation.
Meeting up to network
Weymouth Town Council is inviting community groups to a fifth community networking event on Tuesday, July 9 at Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre. The theme is partnership working. There will be a presentation on partnership working and sharing resources. As well as this there will be a light lunch and a chance to network with the other community groups. The event will start at 10.15am and finish at 1pm. n Book by emailing charlotteemery@wey mouthtowncouncil.gov.uk
Here’s why we should discuss mediation
Lisa Pharaoh is a solicitor and registered mediator with the Civil Mediation Council. Contact her on 01305 819696 or at info@pharaohlaw.co.uk
Litigation often leads to prolonged and costly court battles. Pharaoh Law advocates for a different approach: mediation – a voluntary, confidential process where an impartial third party helps disputing parties reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. Here’s why you should consider it:
Civil Mediation
Civil disputes, from property conflicts to personal injury claims, benefit greatly from mediation. Unlike sometimes adversarial and time-consuming litigation, mediation fosters collaboration. Parties can express their viewpoints and work toward a resolution that satisfies all involved. Free from the rigid procedures of courtrooms, mediation allows for creative, flexible solutions. Additionally, it is significantly less expensive than going to trial.
Commercial Mediation
Disputes between businesses or within partnerships can disrupt operations and damage relationships. Mediation offers an efficient and private way to resolve these issues, helping companies maintain business relationships by finding common ground without the hostility that litigation often brings. It can address a wide range of commercial conflicts, from contract disputes to intellectual property issues. By opting for mediation, businesses can avoid negative publicity and financial burdens associated with court cases. Moreover, mediation can often be scheduled quickly, ensuring minimal disruption to business operations.
Employment Mediation
Workplace conflicts, whether they involve disputes over contracts, discrimination claims, or wrongful
termination, are particularly sensitive. Employment mediation provides a neutral space for employers and employees to discuss their grievances. This process helps preserve working relationships.
Why Choose Mediation?
Mediation is cost-effective, confidential, and quicker than traditional litigation. The process is less formal and more adaptable, giving parties greater control over the outcome. Because mediation is based on mutual agreement, the solutions crafted are more likely to be satisfactory and sustainable in the long term. Pharaoh Law is committed to providing expert mediation services that prioritise the interests of all parties involved.
Enjoy an unusually flat, smooth stroll
WEYMOUTH WALKING IN DORSET
with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade
This walk follows the Rodwell Trail, which used to be the railway line to Portland, so it’s very flat and has a asphalt surface with no potholes! It’s very popular not only with pedestrians but also cyclists, roller skaters and mobility scooter users. Start at the northern end, which is on the west side of the harbour just over the road from what I assume to be the former railway bridge. There are some metal statues and a noticeboard at the entrance. As you walk down the line sometimes you’ll be in a cutting, sometimes on an embankment but nearly all the time you’ll be passing through lovely
woodland which conceals all the nearby housing. At one stage there’s a geological site, not only with stone strata but also with a dripping well. Eventually you leave the woodland and have lovely views over Portland Harbour. Then you arrive at Small Mouth Bay, next to Ferry Bridge and it’s time to turn back. You might be tempted to return along the beach but
Could coaching help you live a healthier life?
Did you know that LiveWell, Dorset’s free health and wellbeing service, offers coaching?
LiveWell recognises that making a lifestyle change like quitting smoking, managing weight, moving more or drinking less, can be challenging.
A coach will encourage you to stay on track with useful tips and techniques.
Coach Susan said:
“Coaching is that extra little push a person needs to unlock their potential, to see beyond their limits. Coaches are like supportive friends –we never judge.”
An important first step in building a healthy lifestyle is knowing what you want to achieve. A coach will look at
where you are now, where you want to be and set a realistic goal. This will include looking at any barriers and working on ways to overcome them. Coaches understand the problems people face when trying to make a healthy change – the temptations, the pitfalls, the days when you have just had enough. Coaching support can be a real game-changer when the going gets tough. Coaching takes place 1:1 over the phone, six sessions that each last for around 20 minutes. Sessions are flexible to fit around busy lives. Register for support at my.livewelldorset.co.uk/ register or call 0800 840 1628.
I don’t recommend it as it’s rough and tumble although there are interesting rocks and shells (not sea shells!).
Go back the way you came until there’s a crossing with a cycle path, which you join. It takes you past the sailing club’s quay and then along a street to Sandsfoot Castle, which is worth pausing to examine. Then carry on along the South West Coast Path, which takes you down to the water’s edge past the breakwater and skirts Nothe Gardens.
Continue to the Nothe Fort then go down some steep steps to the Harbour. Turn left and follow the Harbour edge, until it goes round the bend and heads north. Follow the road and you’ll soon be back where you began.
Embrace your golden years: it’s never too late to get fit!
Are you over 65 and feeling like it’s too late to start exercising and looking after your health? Think again! Whether you’re 65 or 99 years young every day is a new opportunity to take control of your well-being and enjoy life to the fullest. Why keeping fit as we age is vital
As we age, maintaining fitness becomes crucial for several reasons. Reduced mobility and flexibility can make daily tasks challenging, leading to a loss of independence. Muscle weakness increases the risk of falls, which can be lifealtering. Poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle can exacerbate health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Imagine not being able to enjoy simple pleasures like
playing with your grandkids, gardening, going on all those holidays you have dreamt about now you have finally retired or even taking a leisurely stroll along the beach. Without regular exercise and proper nutrition, these activities become more difficult, and life can feel limited. But here’s the good news: it’s never too late to turn things around!
5 incredible tips to start today
1. Daily stretching rituals: Gentle stretches every morning can significantly enhance your flexibility and circulation, reducing stiffness and discomfort.
2. Short walks: Integrate movement throughout your day. Short walks can boost your mobility and support joint health.
3. Keep fit training: This is
an absolute must! Use weights for simple exercises such as sit-to-stands and bicep curls to combat muscle loss
4. Balanced diet: Prioritise a diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. This ensures you get essential nutrients your body needs.
5. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water and herbal teas to maintain overall health and vitality.
Why Health Hub classes are the best choice
At The Health Hub, we offer both in-person and online coaching tailored specifically for individuals over 65. Our classes are designed to meet your unique needs, focusing on improving mobility, strength, and overall fitness in a supportive and friendly environment.
Our expert coaches bring years of experience from working with the NHS and have successfully guided thousands of seniors to better health. Whether you join our group exercise sessions In Weymouth, Bridport, Dorchester or opt for personalised online coaching, you’ll receive the guidance, motivation, and support you need to thrive.
Don’t let age hold you back. Join The Health Hub today and rediscover the joy of a fit and active lifestyle. If you quote WESTDORSETMAG when contacting us you will receive a two-week FREE trial, not just 1 week. Your golden years can truly be your best years! Reach out to us at support@healthhubsw.co.uk and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you!
A group of nurses who run their own aesthetics clinic are opening a brand new business –and they are inviting people to celebrate the move with them at a celebratory official opening.
Kellie Cooke, Stephanie Weekes and Toni Wallace have all worked in nursing for years, and want to inspire confidence among their clientele at Aesthetics on the Square.
They are members of the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses, SaveFace and ACE and are one of very few clinics to have their own in-house prescriber.
Kellie has been a registered nurse since 2007. She worked in private hospitals and became interested in aesthetics while working closely with plastic surgeons. She started doing aesthetics in 2019, then opened a clinic in Poundbury this year. Now they have moved a short distance away, to One Challacombe Square, where Kellie’s husband has been hard at work for months creating a beautiful new clinic. Kellie said: “Our business strategy is to have fully qualified nurses as this is what we are passionate about. People should feel confident they are going into somewhere safe and regulated with qualified clinical staff”.
Stephanie is Kellie’s sister and has been a
n WDM editor Miranda Robertson tries some antiwrinkle injections.
I am a big fan of antiwrinkle injections (commonly known as Botox, though that’s just one of the brands on offer). Not the sort of antiwrinkle injections that render you unable to convey emotion, you
nurse for 12 years. Toni Wallace is a nurse prescriber who has been a nurse for 36 years. After qualifying in aesthetics in 2019 with Derma Medical she has undertaken further advanced training in facial contouring, lip enhancement and medical weight-loss.
The breadth of the trio’s experience and training means they offer a wide range of treatments, including anti-wrinkle treatments, fillers, skin-boosters, polynucleotides and bio-remodelling.
They also offer injectable treatments for some medical conditions such as excessive
sweating and migraines.
The nurses will be offering IPL for to treat a variety of skin-concerns including hair removal and have invested in a skin analyser, which highlights areas of sun damage, so they can come up with a package of treatments to bring your skin to life, such as chemical peels and microneedling, or a Wow facial. “Everything for a beautiful complexion,” said Kellie. This will be complimented by a range of medical-grade skincare which they are currently training in.
There are also Lumi-eyes treatments to restore that youthful look, PlasmaPen, plus neck lifts and treatments for almost any area of the body that wrinkles when you’d rather it didn’t!
On Saturday, July 13 11am ‘til 2pm and 4pm to 6pm they will be holding an opening party, with bubbles and canapes, discounts on treatments, complimentary skin-analysis and demonstrations. Aesthetics on the Square is open at 1 Challacombe Square DT1 3SX, 10am6pm Monday to Saturday. They will also be offering evening appointments. They are offering 10% off treatments if you mention this article until August 10 –quote AOSWDM when booking. aestheticsonthesquare.com
NOT TO BE FROWNED AT: Miranda before and after
understand. Just a teeny bit to stop me looking like a grumpy old bag.
I get really fed up of seeing my frown lines in the reversing mirror. It’s like
some mega-cross version of me I don’t recognise. But in the capable hands of Kellie the muscles that make me squint and frown like an old bat are gently disabled for a while. Two weeks after having it done the skin between my eyes has smoothed. I still look like me, but less crotchety. It’s a win!
TREATMENT TRIO: Toni Wallace, Stephanie Weekes and Kellie Cooke at their new clinic
BRIDPORT - Cookshop
11 East Street, BRIDPORT, Dorset, DT6 3JU
T: 01308 425871
BRIDPORT - Gift and Homeware Store 4 East Street, BRIDPORT, Dorset, DT6 3LF
BEAMINSTER - Gift and Homeware Store & Café 22 The Square, BEAMINSTER, Dorset, DT8 3AU
T: 01308 863189 - shop enquiries and cafe bookings
After Work Aperitivo
at Mercato Nero. All cocktails £7 5pm-7pm Wed-Sat
Unit 3b Dreadnought Trading Estate DT6 5BU. mercatoitaliano.uk
10% OFF A TALL SHIP SAILING EXPERIENCE OFF PORTLAND
With this voucher till August 15, 2024 moonfleetsailing.com 01929 289019
BUY THREE ADS, GET ONE FREE!
Reach 70,000 readers with a campaign in the West Dorset Magazine. Offer applies to new advertisers only, ends August 15, 2024. advertising@westdorsetmag.co.uk
10% OFF MINUTE TANNING SESSIONS at Tanning Cove Yeovil 4, Unit 14 Bartec, Yeovil BA20 2SU 01935 592375.
* Voucher valid July only
10% OFF at WARMWELL SADDLERY
Until August 15 with this voucher. The Granary, Warmwell, DT2 8HQ info@warmwellsaddlery.co.uk 01305 852270 | warmwellsaddlery.co.uk
£5 OFF ANY PURCHASE £30+ AT MEMORY LANE (vintage store)
3 Pope St, Brewery Sq, Dorchester DT1 1GW
Voucher valid till August 15, 2024 07917 763769 | memorylanedorch.co.uk
Free pair of Runbot water bottles with every water softener at Dorset Water Centre 01305 265548 dorsetwatercentre.co.uk
Voucher to be used by August 5, 2024 – first 5 new clients only. IS YOUR BUSINESS PAYING TOO MUCH TAX?
Buy one hot drink get another FREE at Shire Hall Café
High W St, Dorchester, DT1 1UY. July only. Voucher cannot be redeemed for cash, exchanged or refunded. shirehalldorset.org
Voucher valid until August 15 2024 12% discount on orders of £25 plus in July and August at Duir Soaps. Use at duirsoap.co.uk or in person, using code SUMMER12 . See Whasson for all our workshops. 4 Abbey Farm, Abbotsbury.
10% off pots with this voucher at The Potting Shed
Open Weds-Sun 10am-4pm at Middlemarsh DT9 5QN Voucher valid till August 15, 2024 ( 07940 803927 therapygarden.co.uk
