The West Dorset Magazine Edition 41, June 2024

Incorporating Weymouth, Portland.. and now a bit of North Dorset too! of

The West Dorset Magazine

Your multi-award-winning, deeply Dorsety slice of goodness: 25,000 copies distributed SWEET MEMORIES

Of soldiers camped across the west of Dorset.

D-Day 80 round-up: P35-39

Quality insurance, on your doorstep

WIN! ONE OF THREE GREAT BABY ITEMS!

Babygear of Bridport are offering a fabulous choice of prizes P41

NEW VOUCHERS

Fantastic money-saving deals for local shops and businesses on our back page

With regional experience, local knowledge and your best interests at heart, our team of insurance experts will create tailored cover that’s right for you and your business.

Talk to one of our experts today. Call 01872 277151

Miranda Robertson Editor miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Stuart Wickham

Sports editor stuart@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Karen Bate News Editor karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Laura McManus

Advertising sales director laura@westdorsetmag.co.uk

News, letters to the editor and general feedback: newsdesk@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Display advertising: advertising@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Classified advertising (text ads): classifieds@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Sport: sport@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Post: 15 Stanstead Rd, Maiden Newton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0BL

Nick Horton Chief Sub nickH@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Bob Holman

Advertising sales bob@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Dan Goater Reporter dan@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Lyndon Wall Cartoonist justsocaricatures.co.uk

Heather Haynes from Templecombe sent us this picture of Bean – and Bean is a bit of a hero hound.

Heather said: “Bean looks after my husband Philip – he wakes him up if he stops breathing at night when his breathing mask is not fitted properly. Bean was not shown how to do this, he just did from an early age.

“Bean is now six years old and a very important part of the family.”

IN BRIEF

The winners of the five family tickets to Melplash Show in our Spot the Sheep competition were: Ali Goff of Maiden Newton, Malachy Self, aged nine of Burton Bradstock, Joe Snell of Weymouth, CS Foster of Sherborne and Joanne Steele of Crewkerne.

n Despite seeing almost 1,000 hours’ worth of raw sewage discharge over the last year. Church Cliff Beach at Lyme Regis has been officially designated as a bathing site. The beach was among 27 new bathing sites to be designated by the government. Church Cliff Beach was ranked the 60th most polluted bathing area in England and Wales in 2023, and was affected by 98 separate sewage dumps, totalling 954 hours of release.

Concern over Foundry Lea ‘breach’

Developers of the controversial Foundry Lea estate in Bridport have breached conditions set down by the county council, campaigners claim.

A spokesperson for the Advearse pressure group said a member of Dorset Council’s planning office said the breach relates to the plans for a new roundabout on the A35 West Road Miles Cross junction.

An Advearse spokesman said:

“The developers Barratt and Vistry began work on the development earlier this year, however, National Highways are not happy with plans submitted by the developer for the construction of the new roundabout at the A35/West Road Miles Cross junction and are refusing to sign them off on the grounds of safety.

“This means that two important conditions of the planning decision notice have not been met and Dorset Council should not have

allowed any construction work to begin until they have.”

Planning conditions for the site state ‘no part of the development... shall commence unless a detailed scheme (for the Miles Cross junction) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority’.

The Advearse spokesman said: “This will not be possible until National Highways approve the scheme as they required that construction traffic and its routing form part of the Construction Management Plan. National Highways have rejected the roundabout plans several times and on the latest revision they have said while there have been improvements the plans remain, in their words, ‘insufficient in terms of managing construction traffic impacts’.”

The spokesman added that National Highways’ main concern appears to be a failure

to ‘identify and sufficiently manage risks associated with construction traffic movements’.

In support of Advearse, Bridport councillor Sarah Carney said: “We have been asking and asking Dorset Council and the developers for over two years now for details of how traffic will be managed during the roundabout’s construction and the chance to input to the plans for this dangerous junction.

“We’re greatly concerned about safety in terms of construction and other traffic turning right into West Road (B3162) and the impact on traffic on the A35, particularly during the summer months.”

Advearse claims the ongoing development is set to ‘generate a daily peak of 100 two-way HGV delivery movements’, adding that this would be almost three times the number of HGV movements quoted in the original outline planning

application, and that the Miles Cross Junction is a ‘noted accident blackspot’.

Advearse chair Barry Bates said: “We are very concerned. “We have repeatedly asked that the Miles Cross roundabout be constructed before any construction work began. I have seen nowhere in the country where it would not be done first. It is Dorset Council’s responsibility, in the public interest, to ensure enforcement of the decision notice conditions. But National Highways have stated, again, that there is still no suitable safety risk assessment to ensure the safety of the general public.

“We are calling on our new council to review how its officers are overseeing this massive development, and Advearse is reviewing how it can best represent the concerns of local residents, which are already mounting.”

Nicola so delighted with her shed prize

Thrilled Nicola Childs from Beaminster has won our John Bright Country Stores competition.

Nicola chose the store shed on offer in our competition after counting the wooden fences, hidden among 96 pages.

“I was absolutely shocked when I was told I had won,” she said. “This was the first competition I have entered in years, and the first competition I have won.

“Over the last few months, I along with my teenage children have been transforming the jungle, that was my garden, into a vegetable patch, because we all love watching things grow.

“My children find gardening fun and therapeutic.

“I looked at the garden back in April and thought that we desperately needed a tool shed, and then I saw this

competition, so I entered. I thought it would be lovely to win, but I didn’t ever dream that I would. I am so glad I entered.”

John Bright Country Store offers fencing, garden gates, garden buildings, dog kennels and poultry houses, farm supplies plus landscaping and decking for the home and garden, specialising in crafting handmade wooden gates, industrial and agricultural fencing solutions and bespoke pieces.

Since its launch in 1982, John Bright Country Store pledges ‘never to compromise’ on service and all work is carried out to the highest standards. Beth Bright said: “We are really pleased Nicola has won the store shed in the competition and we are looking forward to seeing it in the garden.”

johnbrigh琀encing.com

BAGS OF COMPOST £12.50

Fencing | Ironmongery | Country clothing | Garden furniture Gardening products| Garden buildings | Pet housing and supplies FRIENDLY, HELPFUL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF Salway Ash, Bridport, DT6 5HT.

Open Mon-Fri: 7.30am-5pm, Sat: 8am-4pm ( 01308 421545 * sales@johnbrigh琀encing.com

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

Say hello to ultrafast fibre

Let’s get your home connected. Visit wessexinternet.com today.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

Dorchester Tree Walk starts today at 6pm to 7.30pm, then runs every Wednesday in June, July and August. £7.50 per adult (children accompanied by an adult go 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. Town centre and riverside walk. Your walk leader is Julie – look out for the orange sunhat and high vis waistcoat!

your events to

weather. No need to book. treewalksindorset@gmail.com

GIGS IN JUNE: Sat 8th 8pm ISLE 45. Sun 9th 4pm ROB DAVIS. Thurs 13th 7pm, OPEN MIC: SI GENARO. Sat 15th 7.30pm RUNNING WYLDE. Sun 16th 4pm STEVE WILSON & THE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS. Mon 17th 7pm WEYMOUTH COLLEGE STUDENTS. Wed 19th 8.15pm JAZZ JAM. Sat 22nd 7pm ANDY GRANT BAND. Sun 23rd 5pm SKALATANS. Fri 28th 7.30pm FLUKE. Sun 30th 3pm NICK COLEMAN. JULY GIGS: Sat 6th 7.30pm JASON AND THE ALCO-NOUGHTS. Sun 7th 4pm THE PICKWICKS.

Dorchester and District Gardening Club host a speaker from the Gardens Group Gold Club on growing fruit and vegetables on the patio at St George’s Church Hall, High Street, Fordington, DT1 1LB, 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. Free for members, visitors £4 on the door. Bring and buy and a draw. Contact Jane on 01305 268523 dorchestergardening@ gmail.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

A community coffee morning will be held 9.30am-11am at St Swithun's Church Hall, Allington, Bridport, DT6 5DU. Friendly get together and chat, free coffee and refreshments.

Sherborne Beacon Lighting for D-Day 80. Pay tribute to the many thousands who sacrificed so much in helping to secure the freedom we all enjoy today. Hot chocolate and cake will be available from 8pm at the Sherborne Beacon site of the Terrace Playing Fields.

Bridport Auction

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.

l Full and part house clearance service l Valuations for probate & insurance

Telephone 01308 459400 or email for auction valuations

Opening Hours:- 9am-3pm every weekday Website: bridportauctionhouse.com Email: info@bridportauctionhouse.com

The Sherborne Town Band will be playing from 8.30pm and the beacon will be lit after the Mayor of Sherborne’s reading of The International Tribute at 9.15pm. In the morning the Royal British Legion will be manning a popup stall on the Conduit from 9am, with a display, including some D-Day commemoration pins and other merchandise. At 11am there will be a wreath laying at the War Memorial. Sherborne Abbey will be lit up red, white and blue for the evening.

D-Day

80: An Evening to Remember will be held at 6pm at All Saints Church, Wyke Regis. A celebration of the

largest naval, air and land operation in history, and pay tribute to the bravery of those who sailed from these shores, flew overhead or landed on the beaches of Normandy. D-Day documentary, live music, fish and chip supper (June 6 is also National Fish and Chip Day), church bells and beacon lighting at 9.15pm. Tickets £10 (including supper) from parishofwykeregis.org.uk/events or contact Jeff Thomas on 07710 096174.

Beaminster Museum is supporting Beaminster’s commemoration of the Normandy Landings with an exhibition at the Town Hall in the afternoon and evening. It

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

will include items relating to the American troops of the 16th Infantry of the 1st Division who were stationed in Beaminster. Beaminster Public Hall, Fleet Street, Beaminster DT8 3EF. More details on P36-37.

A screening of Bill Douglas's last film Comrades, at The White Room, The Chapel in the Garden, 49 East Street, Bridport, DT6 3JX 6pm. The beautiful portrait of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, will be screened as part of The Dorset Pavilion, exhibiting during Dorset Arts Weeks as a precursor to the Venice Biennale later this year.

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

Burton Bradstock is set to celebrate its 42nd Festival of Music and Art this summer with an initial spring concert. An evening of music for guitar and strings will be held at 7pm in the village hall.

Artistic director David Juritz (violin) with Craig Ogden (guitar) and Adrian Bradbury (cello) will play a programme including music by Bach, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Iannia Xenakis, Gabriel Fauré, Poldowski and Nicolò Paganini.

Tickets £14 from the Bridport

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

Visit Creams Dorchester Visit Creams Dorchester

FRIDAY, JUNE 7 CT’D

Tourist Information Centre 01308 424901 or at bridport andwestbay.co.uk/tickets

Preparations are well under way for the main festival, from August 10-18, with a nine-day art exhibition and six days of wonderful music performed by internationally acclaimed musicians.

More information at burtonbradstockfestival.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

There’s prize bingo at Maiden Newton village hall, 2pm for a 2.30pm eyes down.

Duir Crafts in Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ, 07557 532417, duirsoap.co.uk) is holding twohour Dorset button workshops today, June 15, June 30, July 6 and July 20. Make a traditional Dorset button or a tree of life/bouquet of flowers to take home. £25, all equipment and refreshments provided. Also at Duir, there’s a tatting course today, June 15, June 22, July 6 and July 21, covering lacemaking and patterns. £130 for three sessions covering all areas or £50 per single session. All

AFTERNOON TEA

a refreshing afternoon

equipment & refreshments provided. Follow-up Tat n Chat sessions are £18 per hour on a date to suit you.

St Nicholas Church in Broadwey is hosting a free concert and afternoon tea for the community to commemorate the D Day 80th anniversary 2.30pm-4.30pm. Family and friends are very welcome. Book a place on 07944 617553 or susanamalik@yahoo.com. The concert is suitable for all ages. Entertainment by our fab local band Music Craft. Donations to SSAFA Dorset.

Frampton Village Hall (DT2 9NG) is hosting Brew For The Crew from 10am-12pm – a coffee morning in aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

Organiser Val Ghose said: “This is a special thank you to them for whisking a lovely daughter to Southampton Hospital in a time-critical flight.”

The annual Summer Fete for Piddletrenthide and Plush will be held from 1pm-4.30pm in the beautiful gardens of the Manor House,

Enjoying

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.

Whasson?

Piddletrenthide

All the usual attractions –tombola, raffle, cakes, jams, plants, silent auction, welly wanging, china smashing and duck race on the River Piddle, plus a well stocked bar and barbecue, or teas and cakes and a tug of war between Heavers and Tuggers (Piddletrenthide v Piddlehinton, there will be a return Tug at Piddlehinton’s fete in July!

There will be a whole section, including children’s entertainer and bouncy castle on the North Lawn of the Manor. A dog show, children singing and live

Study Counselling and Psychotherapy with Iron Mill, your local College in Poole

music from a keyboard will all be on the south lawn. Plenty of parking very close to the Manor and entry at £1.50 for adults.

Have you ever wanted to write a song? This is your chance. Island Voices will be hosting a lyric writing workshop 11am3pm in the Peter Trim Hall, St George's Centre, Reforne, Portland DT5 2AN, (£5). Su Lewis, choir leader/song writer and Kathy Sharp, local author and lyricist will be leading the event., Places are limited so book on 07946 061860 or linkusup9@gmail.com

Weymouth’s family fun festival SummerFest will be held 10am-10pm at Redlands, with live music, craft stalls, food and drink, a fairground, inflatable world, donkey rides, dance shows, fireworks and more. All raising money for Weymouth Lifeboat. £2 minimum donation per adult. Children free.

Last year they raised £13,000.

West Dorset Vintage Tractor and Stationary Engine Club is holding its Vintage Rally at West Bay today and tomorrow 9am-5pm at

Melplash Show Ground, West Bay Road, Bridport, DT6 4EG, featuring tractors, stationary engines, vintage vehicles, steam engines, working displays, marquee exhibits, horticultural machinery and children’s entertainment. There will be outside and inside crafts, model displays, craft & market traders, local food & drinks, licensed bar and ring events. A vintage auction will be held at 10am on the Saturday.

Adults £10, OAP £8, 11-16 £2

Ct’d page 10

Baby Swans Hatching

SATURDAY, JUNE 8 CT’D

U11 free. wdvtsec.com (07918 961095 | 07555 097978).

One Voice Choir & Upwey Music jointly present Movies, Musicals & More! at 7pm at St Laurence Church, Upwey, Weymouth DT3 5QE. Come and celebrate a lively collection of tunes from Les Miserables and Chicago, as well as thought-provoking spiritual tunes. The choir will also share some rousing pop songs like You Raise Me Up, Fix You and Save the Last Dance for Me, and you can even channel your very own 007 with a Bond Medley!

Tickets are £10 per person (under 16s free) and available from: ticketsource.co.uk –search Upwey, from John Ellis 07779 772264, or cash on the door.

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 6.5 mile walk from Sydling St Nicholas. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

Two of the great historic houses in Abbotsbury, the Old Gatehouse and the Manor House, together with two commercial gardens and one historic tea-room, will all open their gardens to visitors from noon- 5pm. Admittance £5 per adult. Under 16s free.

As well as the extensive gardens, in their prime, visitors will be able to enjoy craft stalls, plant sales and tea and cake and Pimm’s tents.

Simultaneously, over 20 invited local prestigious artists will be positioned across the five gardens, painting ‘en plain

SOFT PLAY FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 OR UNDER 179 Bridport Rd, Poundbury DT1 3AH

Open Mon 9.30am-1pm, Weds-Fri 9.30am-3pm, SatSun 10am-1.30pm. Book at bookwhen.com/100giggles

air’ for the entertainment of the visitors.

At 4pm artists will down brushes and take their completed work to the Great Medieval (Tithe) Barn, known locally as The Abbey Barn. From 4.30pm until 7pm, there’s an evening reception in the barn.

Enjoy a glass of bubbly, a finger buffet and live music, whilst rubbing shoulders with the artists and judges and watching the final stages of the judging. £10 adults, £5 for 515. There will be a cash bar available.

Place a sealed bid for your favourite piece of art. Bids close at 6pm. From 7pm-9pm the neighbouring Cherries restaurant will be offering a summer supper to all those who wish to remain behind to enjoy the atmosphere and continue to discuss the art with fellow guests, artists and Judges. Cost £18 per person.

St Peter’s Church, Dorchester Service of Choral Eucharist with music by Philip Stopford, Tallis and Durufle at 10.30am. A free event with refreshments.

An armed forces veterans breakfast club will be held at Greyhound Hotel (Wetherspoons) East Street, Bridport, 9am-10.30am. Serving armed forces personnel, veterans, partners and relatives – all welcome. No subs or joining fees, just breakfast and banter.

Evensong at Sherborne Abbey will be devoted to D-Day 80.

Duir Crafts in Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ, 07557 532417, duirsoap.co.uk) is holding fourhour cold process soap making workshops today, June 9, June 16, June 22 and July 20, cost £95. Learn how to create your own custom scented and coloured soap,

with 1,400g soap to take home, lunch at Cherries Café, refreshments.

MONDAY, JUNE 10

Dr Francis Burroughes will entertain Dorchester Townswomen’s Guild with a talk entitled ‘Don’t put your daughter on the stage’. This will follow a short business meeting at 2pm in Dorchester Community Church, Liscombe Street, Poundbury, DT1 3DF. Visitors will be made very welcome (£3). Tea and coffee available. Enquiries 01305 832857.

TUESDAY, JUNE 11

Southill Gardening Club will be holding a diamond jubilee tea party, plant sale and seed swap at the Southill Community Centre at 7.30pm. Members and non-members are invited to celebrate 60 years of the club, with the opportunity to stock-up on plants and seeds for your garden. Further info from Nigel Smith on 01305 788939.

Goldies Ukelele Session at Goldies, High East St Dorchester on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month 7.30pm to 9.30pm. For more information email dorchukes@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12

Bridport Museum is holding a crowdfunder campaign launch for its next book Quirky Bridport 7.30pm at the Woodman, South Street. Professional storyteller Martin Maudsley is launching the campaign with readings from the book. It celebrates the quirky, the amusing and the downright odd episodes in the town's history.

THURSDAY, JUNE 13

Sherborne & District Gardeners’ Association meets at the Main Digby Hall, Hound Street at 7.30pm for a talk by

Caroline Pakenham on the cultivation and uses of unusual plants. Admission for nonmembers £3. For more information contact Richard Newcombe 01935 389375.

Bridport History Society will host a special event from 10am-4pm at the United Church Hall, East St: D-Day 80 Years On, The Road to DDay. Speakers are Christopher Jary on The Dorsets, Malta to D-Day, Jane Ferentzi-Sheppard on Nick Pitt and Friends US 16th Infantry in West Dorset, and Steve Clay on Seven months to D-Day: An American view of the Regiment in West Dorset. Members £1, visitors £5. Contact Jane on 01308 425710 or email: jferentzi@aol.com or go to bridporthistorysociety.org.uk

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

Family bingo evening to raise funds for Beaminster Youth Football at the town hall. Doors open 6.30pm, eyes down 7pm. All welcome.

Duir Crafts in Abbotsbury (DT3 4JJ, 07557 532417, duirsoap.co.uk) is holding soap felting workshops today, and June 18, cost £16. Felt a handmade unscented soap with merino wool to take home. Refreshments.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Abbotsbury Swannery. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.

A wilding weekend is being held at Hooke Manor, nr Beaminster today and tomorrow. See page 56 for details.

JAPANESE FOOD

Litton & Thorner's Community Hall (LATCH)

Litton Cheney DT2 9AU. Contact Wendy Firrell 01308 482532 or wtlitton@gmail.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 15 CT’D

Bridport Food Festival is being held at Asker Meadow today, with lots of food and drink and the chance to see chefs in action. bridportfoodfestival.com

Ciorstaidh Heyward Trevarthen, Dorset Finds Liaison Officer for the national Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), is back for another popular drop-in session at Beaminster Museum (DT8 3NB) and is happy to take a

look at any archaeological (not geological) item found within the county boundaries. If an item is of special interest Ciorstaidh may ask to borrow it for research. She’ll also be returning items from previous sessions, along with copies of the records and photographs made for the PAS. Pop in with your find 11am-3pm. Entry free, donations welcome. beaminstermuseum.co.uk

Go and see the recently

Art Exhibition at The Old Salt House in West Bay July 26-28

Lovely hall with outside space and wonderful views across the Bride Valley. Stage/meeting room, WiFi, excellent kitchen facilities, parking. Crockery, cutlery and glasses for hire. For further details see littoncheney.org.uk

EVENTS

For information contact the club on 01305 262671 or visit our Facebook page and website

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. gemmascottstudio.com Contact: gemmascott0921@gmail.com

revamped Radipole Park and Gardens at a fun day to mark the official opening 11am to 2pm. Entertainment includes Quangle Wangle Choir and the Weymouth Ukuleleans, who will also be doing a workshop on how to play the ukelele. There will be free sports coaching and taster sessions on the new courts.

Several stalls will be there including Hedgehog Friendly Portland and Dorset Wildlife Trust plus there will be free face painting for children. People will be able to look around the park and learn more about its history and explore a nature trail. Weymouth Town Council, working in partnership with the Friends of Radipole Park Gardens received just over £1 million to enhance the park and gardens from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The main construction work started last summer, and the park is now ready to welcome visitors. A new refreshment

kiosk with a seating area and toilet facilities have also been installed, and a renewed pathway has been added through the park providing a scenic route for leisurely walks.

People are encouraged to walk, cycle or park in the Swannery Car Park. Head to DT3 5EZ.

A coffee morning will be held at All Saints’ church, Wyke Regis, 10am to midday. All welcome for coffee, tea, cakes, books, Fairtrade stall, brass music. Tower Tours will be held at 9.30am and 10.30am. Climb the 100 steps and enjoy the panoramic views from the top of All Saints’ iconic church tower. Tickets £6.

Then in the evening the church hosts a film night: Show Boat at Wyke Regis Memorial Hall. 7pm (doors open 6.30pm). 1951 American musical by Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). Follows the lives and loves of a theatre troupe on a Mississippi

riverboat. Entrance £6, inc glass of wine, beer or soft drink. Tickets for tours and film at parishofwykeregis.org.uk/events or call Jeff Thomas on 07710 096174.

Cerne Abbas Open Gardens is celebrating 50 years today and tomorrow!

In 1974 Cerne Abbas opened a few of its private gardens to raise money for a good cause. Fifty years, and 48 openings, later we will open about 25 private gardens 2pm-6pm. Proceeds to an archaeological dig in Cerne and the restoration of the ancient church in Godmanstone. Entrance to all gardens £8, U16 free. A few gardens are accessible on wheelchairs and most gardens accept well behaved dogs on leads. There is a well-regarded plant stall and teas are provided by the local Youth Club, both at 1pm. Almost all gardens are within easy walking distance of the free car park.

cerneabbasopen gardens.org.uk

12.30pm-1pm, St Peter's Church, Dorchester. Free lunchtime concert given by soprano Verity Joy, performing songs by Vaughan Williams, Strauss and Mozart.

Bridport Heritage Forum hosts D-Day 80th Anniversary Event at the town hall 1.30pm4pm, with a talk and panel discussion: ‘Omaha Beach: What happened on 6th June 1944?’ by Steve Clay, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Past President US, 16th Infantry, association and regimental historian at 2pm. Tickets £5 from Bridport TIC. Contact Jane on 01308 425710 or email: jferentzi@aol.com bridporthistorysociety.org.uk

West Milton Open Gardens 15/16June, 2pm-6pm.

Continued next page

Whasson? (and where’s it to?

SATURDAY, JUNE 15 CT’D

Delicious teas, ice cream, cider and a produce and plant stall. £5 per adult, dogs on leads and free parking.

Open gardens Portesham 15/16 June 2-5pm entry £5 covers both days. Children free. Approx 20 gardens open. Teas in village hall. Parking available. Proceeds to Weldmar Hospice & St Peter’s Church. Dorset County Orchestra is holding a summer concert at St Mary's Church, Swanage, BH19 1HU, 7.30pm-10pm. One of the county’s best loved

Open 10am - 4pm Sunday - Thursday Book Tickets Now! www.mapperton.com April - September

Visit our website for details about our Summer events and Rewilding Safari’s

amateur orchestras returns to their annual summer seaside venue. Beethoven, Rossini, Borodin and Mendelssohn. Tickets £15 from ticketsource.co.uk/dorsetcounty-orchestra or £17 on the door. Under 18s free.

St Nicholas Church Broadwey concert by Courtlye Musick (a group of versatile musicians specialising in instrumental music and song from the renaissance and late medieval periods), as they weave a pattern of music and composers through the courts

of Europe and through the centuries. Donations to the Dorset Rural Music School and the church repair fund.

MONDAY, JUNE 17

Sherborne Abbey Choir: Choral Evensong with short recital including Byrd, Tallis, Parsons, Tippett, St Mary’s Church Beaminster. 5.30pm Free but booking essential. beaminsterfestival.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 18

Elaine Beckett: Poetry Reading Elaine explores intimate relationship between

poetry and music at 3pm at Tangerine Café, Beaminster £10. 01308 281110.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19

Lulu Allison: Creative Writing Workshop Enhance today 10am-12.45pm and tomorrow 2pm-4.45pm at Tangerine Café, Beaminster Expand creativity inspired by music with Women’s Prize listed author. £25 beaminsterfestival.com

TicketSource 0333 666 3366 The Importance of Being Earnest: Rain or Shine Theatre Company. A Handbag??

Email your events to newsdesk@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Thoroughly entertaining al fresco theatre in stunning gardens of The Manor House, Beaminster. 6pm. Picnics from 4.30pm Bring lowbacked chairs, rugs etc £16/£6 Family 2+2 £36 beaminsterfestival.com

TicketSource 0333 666 3366

An exhibition of paintings of the village art group will be held at Maiden Newton village hall 10am-4pm, free entry. Tombola and refreshments.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

Dorset CPRE has organised a free online conference with presentations by national and local experts in affordable housing, chaired by the crossbench peer and social housing leader Lord Richard Best, with an introduction by Dorset CPRE president and former chief correspondent of

BBC News, Kate Adie. Mike Allen from Dorset CPRE will address ‘What new homes are needed in Dorset, how many and who is paying?’ Dr Quintin Bradley, senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, will review the relationship between affordability and housing need and the mismatch between the standard method housing requirement targets and the backlog of unmet need. Info and joining instructions at dorset-cpre.org.uk.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Treorchy Male Choir One of the greatest choral ensembles will be raising the roof and singing all your favourites! 7pm £25/£20 St Mary’s Church Beaminster DT8 3BA beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

Bridport & West Dorset

Whasson?

Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Smitten Corner Winterbourne Steepleton Call 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. Visitors welcome.

St Peter’s Church, Dorchester, 4.30pm. Service of Choral Evensong with music by Ayleward, Biebl, Rachmaninov and Stanford. A free event with wine to follow.

Calling all nettle eaters! Dorset Nectar Cider, at Pineapple Ln, Waytown, Bridport DT6 5FT, is hosting the World Nettle Eating Contest from 3pm. A fun filled event for adventurous and resolute nettle eaters and spectators alike.

Live music by the Look Around Corners Band and the Skalatans. Authentic Mexican food by Tortillas Cantina and locally grown cider sausages from Oliver’s Kitchen.

One Voice Choir presents Movies, Musicals & More –Take 2 at 7pm at St Mary’s Church, Maiden Newton. Come and enjoy a lively collection of tunes from Les Miserables and Chicago, as well as thought-provoking spirituals. The choir will also present some rousing pop songs like You Raise Me Up, Fix You and Save the Last Dance for Me, and you can channel your own 007 with a Bond Medley! Tickets are £10 per person (under 16s free) and available from John Ellis 07779 772264 or cash on the door.

Lilly and Chris Evans are hosting a traditional garden fete, filled with fun games, laughter, and community spirit in their garden at the Manor, Martinstown DT2 9JN 2pm

Continued next page

We re-use, recycle and sell all useable items

l Jockey wheels/ prop stands l Body fittings

This is how care should be

As the Managing Director of our live-in care services, every decision I make is deeply personal.

I understand firsthand the challenges families face when caring for a loved one with dementia. Watching my own parents navigate this journey has been both heartbreaking and inspiring. Balancing their needs with my own family and career has been a constant juggle.

Sam Mayes

Managing Director (Live-in Care)

That's why I'm committed to ensuring that every individual under our care receives the same level of personalised attention and compassion that I would want for my parents. The care we provide here at Agincare is based on an understanding of how care should be

Whasson? (and where’s it to?

SATURDAY,

JUNE 22 CT’D

to 6pm to help Martinstown Circle Suppers raise funds for Dorchester Poverty Action. Try your luck at hook a duck, the coconut shy, splat the rat, tombola, or indulge in cream teas in the rose garden with live music from the Steepleton Players. There will be hot dogs, Pimm’s, a beer tent, artisan crafts and produce, and more! Entry £2, U16 free. Friendly dogs on leads.

Writer Sheena Dearness invites you to join her at a Write your Memoirs session 9am-1pm with a break for tea and cake at The Dorford Centre, Dorchester.

Help offered researching your family tree, too. Email sheenadearness51@gmail.com or ring 07875 842399.

A powerful new Australian documentary film, The Trust Fall: Julian Assange will be showing on June 22 at Bridport Electric Palace. The film explores the continued detainment and persecution of the most famous political prisoner of our times. The film is the most watched Australian documentary in cinemas so far in 2024. Assange exposed US war crimes and government corruption on his whistleblower WikiLeaks website. Charged under the antiquated 1917 United States Espionage Act with the threat of a 175-year prison sentence, Julian is currently awaiting a new appeal to begin in the UK High Court to avoid extradition to the United States.

The Trust Fall has won several awards including Best Emerging Director at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Best First-Time Director at the Cine Paris Film Festival and official selection at Warsaw Film Festival. Book at electricpalace.org.uk or on 01308 424 901

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

Briantspuddle and Affpuddle are holding their much looked forward to open gardens 10am-4pm, with 18 gardens across the two pretty villages. There will also be a classic car collection, a local artists’ exhibition, plant sales, a church flower festival, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea at Briantspuddle village hall and a bar. Free parking. £7, U10 free.

MONDAY, JUNE 24

Bridport Arts Centre is holding its AGM at 5.30pm in the Marlow Theatre of the arts centre.

Everyone is welcome to attend, but only charity members are entitled to vote on any motions.

TUESDAY, JUNE 25

Beaminster Festival: St Mary’s Church Beaminster (DT8 3BA) hosts Jeremiah Stephenson: organ including Buxtehude, Bach, Byrd, Gardner. 11.30am, £12

Then Illusionist Robert Hutton will be in conversation with John Dean, about the fascinating story of Colonel Dudley Clarke’s ingenious, Eccentric A Force in north Africa WW2 2.30pm £12. Mishka Rushdie Momen: piano Brilliant pianist plays Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert: Wanderer Fantasy, Schumann: Ghost Variations. 7.30pm £22/£19. All at beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366

Bridport U3A will hear a talk at the United Church hall, East Street, DT6 3LJ, at 2pm. Members free, visitors £3. Martin Maudsley on ‘Telling Tales – Life and Work as a Professional Storyteller.’ He uses stories to connect people with the natural world.

Safeguard your hard-earned assets from 40% inheritance tax, looming care fees & potential family disputes

Inheritance Tax Planning: Are you concerned about losing 40% of your already taxed, hard-earned wealth to the government? Our bespoke legal strategies, meticulously crafted using trusts and wills, ensure your assets stay where they belong – in your family’s hands. Fully compliant with UK law, we shield your estate from the grasp of inheritance taxes, giving you peace of mind and financial security. Care fees protection: With average care fees hitting £2,000 per week and typical stays ranging from three to seven years, these expenses can quickly deplete most estates. Our custom-tailored solutions offer a lifeline. While many believe protection is impossible, we’ve developed a tailored legal strategy, fully compliant with UK law, to safeguard your assets –including protection against

care fees.

Wills: Don't leave your loved ones squabbling over vague wills! Oakwood Wills specialises in drafting crystalclear documents that leave no room for ambiguity. No more family feuds. Just smooth, conflict-free asset distribution that honours your final wishes. Lasting power of attorney: Statistics don’t lie – the chances of incapacity rise with age. With our lasting powers of attorney services, you can appoint trusted individuals to make financial and healthcare decisions on your behalf. No more court approvals, no more uncertainty in times of crises –just peace of mind knowing your interests are in safe hands. For a complimentary consultation, reach out to Oakwood Wills. Call 07832 331594 or email info@oakwoodwills.co.uk

Continued next page

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26

Beaminster Festival: Emily Hennesey, storyteller and Sheema Mukherjee, sitar, ‘Holy Cow’. Indian stories of liberation, loss, love and life. Performance storytelling and live music bursting with humour, ritual and playful energy.11.30am £12.

Taking Flight – The Extraordinary Story of Life on the Wing Lev Parikian in conversation with Jon Woolcott, Story of flight across fourteen species and millions of years. 2.30pm, £12. Emily Hennessey: Storytelling Workshop – Explore how to tell a story without a script 2.30-5pm, £15 Tangerine Café. Callum Smart, violin, Ben Goldscheider, horn, Richard Uttley, piano. Horn trios Mozart, Faure and the beautiful and elegiac masterpiece for this combination by Brahms. 7.30pm £22/£19.

All (except storytelling) St Mary’s Church Beaminster DT8 3BA beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

The Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society hosts a talk ‘Gardening with Ornamental Grasses’ by Katherine Crouch, awardwinning designer and gardener. Uplyme Village Hall DT7 3UY. Members free, nonmembers £3. Doors open at 7pm for refreshments, talk starts 7.30pm. ulrhs.wordpress.com

Sherborne Science Café presents Prof David Read of Southampton University on How Chemistry Can Solve The Problems Of The World at 7.30pm at Digby Memorial Hall (DT9 3NL) £3 entry on the door, no membership required. Sherbornesciencecafe.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

Beaminster Festival: Mathilde

Milwidsky violin and Richard Uttley piano Classic FM Rising

Star Mathilde presents a programme of French passionate and romantic music, incl. Boulanger, Franck, Ysaÿe. 11.30am £12.

From SOE Hero to Dressing the Queen – Sir Hardy Amies

Lynda Rowland in conversation with Sarah Russell Hill. Soldier, businessman, fashionist and couturier. 2.30pm £12.

Tim Kliphuis Trio Pictures at an Exhibition is a new jazz inspired take on Mussorgsky’s classic suite of representations of paintings by Hartman. 7.30pm £22/£19.

All at St Mary’s Church Beaminster DT8 3BA beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

Beaminster Festival: Boneafide Trombone Quartet, Gorgeous mix of classical gems and stylish jazz, William Tell to Hoagy Carmichael. 11.30am £12.

A Sculpture that Sings Orlando Gough, composer and David Ward, artist bring together music art words and bells in this celebration of the role bells have in rural life. Includes book launch by Little Toller 2.30pm Free but must be booked. Matilda Lloyd trumpet and Richard Gowers organ and piano. Thrilling concert includes Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor through to Gershwin. 7.30pm £22/19. All at St Mary’s Church beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Beaminster Festival: The House of Broken Bricks Fiona Williams, Winner of Bridport Prize, First Novel, in conversation with Jo Willett. Novel about the experience of a mixed race family moving to a rural community.

2.30pm £12 St Mary’s Church

Whasson? (and

DT8 3BA.

The Liverpool Beatles: Enjoy all the songs of your misspent youth with the Fab Four –plenty of room for dancing, seats for watching and a lively bar. 8pm Bar opens 7pm. £18 Beaminster School Hall, DT8 3EP. beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Merriot. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. Vsitors welcome.

Flower Festival St Peter’s Church, Portesham until July 6. Entry free.

Tea in the Garden at the Old Rectory, Stock Gaylard DT10 2BG 2pm-5pm. £5. Stalls and raffle. Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.

Portesham Arts Club presents a MI Flamingo show & Paella evening, Portesham Village Hall doors and bar open 6pm. Tickets £18 incl supper. Call Jan 01305 250212 or ticketsource.co.uk then enter Portesham in find event box.

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Beaminster Festival: Gala Concert: Emma Johnson and Friends, Tales from Vienna Experience the magic of Vienna with classic pieces highlighted by fascinating insights into the history and art of Vienna. Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss I and II, Lehar. 7.30pm £25/£20 St Mary’s Church Beaminster DT8 3BA beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

Winterborne Kingston Village Hall (DT11 9AZ) will be the hub for the village Open Gardens 11am-6pm. Admission is £5 which covers entry to all gardens, funds going to Julia’s House and St

Nicholas Church. There’s a good variety of gardens for you to enjoy plus delicious refreshments in the hall and free parking. It’s a grand day out!

The hall’s regular activities include Pilates every Thursday 6.30pm, ‘Thirsty Thursdays’ Coffee, meet and chat group alternate Thursday mornings 10.30am-noon and South Dorset Modellers group on the first Friday of the month, 4pm. Second Tues 2pm Bere Regis Floral Group, first Weds 7.30pm WI.

The Friends of Lodmoor Country Park are holding a table top sale trail 10am-1pm. Based in Beaumont Avenue DT4 7RG area 40+ households are expected to take part, selling their goods from their driveways. Come and browse and pick up a bargain! 01305 750557 lodmoorfriends@hotmail.com or find us on Facebook.

Bembury Farm in Bembury Lane, Thornford, Sherborne DT9 6QF is opening its garden 2pm-6pm today and on Wednesday, July 3. Peaceful garden with lawns and large herbaceous borders informally planted with interesting perennials around unusual trees, shrubs and roses. Large collection of clematis, a pretty woodland walk, wildflower corner, lily pond, oak circle, yew hedges with peacock, clipped hornbeam round kitchen garden and plenty of seating.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3

Horn Park in Tunnel Rd, Beaminster DT8 3HB is opening its garden 2.30pm4.30pm. Large plantsman’s garden with magnificent views over Dorset countryside towards the sea. Many rare and mature plants and shrubs in terrraced,

Continued next page

Whasson? (and where’s it to?

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 CT’D

herbaceous, rock and water gardens.

Woodland garden and walks in bluebell woods. Good amount of spring interest with magnolia, rhododendron and bulbs which are followed by roses and herbaceous planting, wildflower meadow with 164 varieties including orchids.

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. Dorchester and District Gardening Club will hear from chairman and academic director of the Thomas Hardy Society Mark Damon Chutter on

EVENTS

OutdoorMarket

SaturdayJune29th

OutdoorTheatre

PeterPan

SaturdayJune22nd

Hamlet

FridayJuly19th

TheSecretGarden

Sissinghurst and the context of when Vita Sackbulle-West lived there. Venue: St George’s Church Hall, High Street, Fordington, Dorchester DT1 1LB, doors open at 7.15pm. Visitors £4 on the door. Bring and buy stall, draw. Contact Jane, secretary on 01305 268523 or dorchestergardening @gmail.com

One of the UK’s best wildlife photographers, David Bailey 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.

SATURDAY, JULY 6

West Stafford Fete will be held in the grounds of Talbothays Lodge from noon-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 on jacquie.walton@outlook.com to have a stall or offer services.

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.

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!

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 fand live music from Finlay Leslie. £1 entry for adults.

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

SaturdayAugust3rd

SaturdayAugust3rd

Whasson? (and where’s it to?

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.

The Beaminster Branch of the Royal British Legion will be celebrating its 100th by taking part in a special service in St Mary’s Church, Beaminster at 9.30am.

The service will be followed by a barbeque from 3pm until 6.30pm at the Memorial Playing Field pavilion and marquee (in case of inclement weather). There will be music with three live bands, a bar together with refreshments, a raffle and a cake stall. Tickets are on sale either at the Yarn Barton Centre, Beaminster or The Greyhound Inn, Beaminster and the cost is £5 per adult and £2.50 for children under 12 years of age

(this will include a burger and a sausage in a roll). Everyone is welcome to attend, but tickets for the barbeque are limited so please remember to purchase your tickets early.

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

n To list your event in Whasson? email newsdesk@westdorsetmag.co.u k or call 01305 566336. Commercial events will cost £20 for a listing, but charity and non-profit events are free.

Dorset Introductions provide a personal, caring and confidential service for people from 25 to 95 years of age. Choose your prospective partner from photo profiles in the comfort of your own home. One to one and

Bibby Stockholm review is dismissed

The High Court has dismissed a judicial review which argued that Dorset Council has the power to enforce planning rules over the Bibby Stockholm barge at Portland. Lawyers for Carralyn Parkes said their client is “disappointed that a loophole continues to exist” whereby the Home Office can “avoid” local authority oversight of its use of the barge as a home for asylum seekers. Mrs Parkes’ legal team said: “The judgment finds that neither the marine licensing regime nor the terrestrial planning regime applies to the barge, and the court was

JUDICIAL REVIEW:

The Bibby Stockholm moored at Portland Port

unwilling to interpret legislation to close this loophole and give effect to the purpose of planning law, which is to allow local communities to have a say over the development in their area. Our client is currently considering whether to appeal the judgment.”

The High Court ruling confirmed Dorset Council has the power to exercise planning authority over the onshore aspects of the Bibby Stockholm operation, including quayside security, embarkment, smoking and transportation areas. The council stated throughout the proceedings that it “continues to consider” whether it should exercise planning control over those onshore areas.

The lawyer’s spokesperson added: “Our client is deeply grateful for the solidarity and support of the many people who have supported the legal action, including many contributors to the crowdfunder, which made the case possible, and campaigners and local residents raising the concerns and perspectives of those onboard and directly affected.”

n A summary and full text of the judgment can be found at judiciary.uk/judgments/r-parkes-vdorset-council

Sensory garden plan for hospital

A sensory courtyard garden is being created at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) thanks to a £45,204 grant from the Greener Communities Fund. The disused courtyard opposite Special Care Dentistry will be transformed into a sensory courtyard garden for patients, staff and visitors.

The trust together with Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester Men’s Shed and Little Green Change, will create a planting plan for the garden area, which will also include new doors and the ground will be made level for disabled access.

Jo Howarth, director of nursing at Dorset County Hospital, said: “Whether you’re a patient, staff member or visiting a loved one, it’s important to be able to step away from the busy, and sometimes overwhelming, hospital environment and take a moment.”

The garden is due to open later in 2024.

A disagreement over a village clock chiming has turned into a bit of a dingdong – and now a petition has been launched to try to settle the matter.

The church clock in Broadwindsor stopped working and didn’t chime for months while a new part was sourced.

In April, it was fixed. But after it had chimed for two days and two nights on the hour every hour as it had done before, a new resident, who had moved in while the chimes weren’t working, complained about the disturbance at night and the team rector Canon David Baldwin stopped it, to the dismay of many. “There’s been quite a bit of uproar,” said one villager.

Now Ruth Yarde and Jean Frampton, who are both in their 80s, have launched a petition – upset about how it’s all been handled, and

Adult day ticket: £40

Child day ticket: £15

Adult weekend ticket: £105

Child weekend ticket: £35

Weekend family ticket (4 people): £260

Camping option available

A re a l d i n g - d o n g

with the rector’s stance. They are gathering signatures to send to the Bishop of Sherborne.

The petition is in the village shop and copies are being put in the White Lion community pub, the Wobbly Cottage Bakery and The Stableyard Restaurant at

Redlands Yard craft centre. There’s also a national petition to declare clock chimes exempt from noise abatement regulations –however that petition is on hold until the General Election now.

The parochial church council has now reached a

compromise to fit a silencer, so that the clock chimes only between the hours of 6am and 9pm, at a cost of around £800. Many members of the PCC feel although the aim of the church was to “make Jesus known,” it was not felt necessary to remind everybody of his presence throughout the night. But this, say some villagers, is still not good enough. They compare the complaint about the chimes to that of incomers moaning about the tractors on the roads, the smell of manure and the cockerels: “If you move here it’s up to you to fit in,” said one.

Another said: “This issue coincides with a lack of bellringers, tower captain and churchwarden, so the future of the church is all looking a bit precarious.”

The rector was approached for comment.

CHIMING ROW: Broadwindsor church clock

An Aladdin’s cave with a lot to boot

Matt Rashleigh is well known to Dorchester car booters, with boxes and boxes of useful items piled high at bargain prices.

But what the booters don’t know is that Matt has a degree in fine art and has been buying and selling antiques since he was 12. The boot sale bargains are just a fraction of what he does – but he loves the boot sale banter so much he goes every week, rain or shine.

And away from the boots, Matt has been quietly building his Country Clearance saleroom, on the Grove Trading Estate – an Aladdin’s cave of vintage and antique items, situated opposite the Weldmar outlet store. The business has scores of five-star

Google reviews.

Country Clearance only sends 15% to landfill, reusing and recycling and selling everything else. Wooden items they cannot sell or donate to charity go to Eco in Weymouth to be made into firewood or something else useable. Metal is taken to a scrap dealer for further use.

He said: “My family sold antiques in Lymington and

Lyndhurst for 37 years and aged 12 I used to help my grandad.”

When his dad died he moved in with his mum in Dorchester, where he met his wife Vicci, a teacher who also loves antiques and collectibles. They now have twins and a son. Four years ago Matt opened his Country Clearance store, where the stock is changed daily and now features

white goods as well as furniture, trinkets and the weird and wonderful. The shop is open 10am4pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and Matt is starting to include some of the car boot bargain boxes there too.

He said: “I price up four to six clearances a week and I pride myself on offering a fair price for people’s items – other people might just price the clearance but I value items and sometimes I end up paying them.

“Recently I offered £2,000 for a lot of 1970s Sindy items, for example.”

n Country Clearance: Unit 1, Pomeroy Buildings, Dorchester, DT1 1ST 07950 412153 office@countryclearance. co.uk

WHAT A LOT: Matt Rashleigh at County Clearance

Third festival set to raise money for good cause

A third Keith Fest is planned for July 12 and 13 at Henstridge Airfield, featuring a line-up of metal bands and solo artists.

The small, family-run festival is in memory of Keith Parvin, who took his own life in 2018.

His mum Yvette Bowler said: “He absolutely loved music festivals and

would say he wanted his own festival. Our wish was he was here in person to share the music and fun with us.

“He didn’t realise just how loved he was and still is. Keith was witty and funny – a much-loved son, brother, daddy and step-dad.”

The festival will raise money for Dorset-based The Brave and

Determined Charity, which funds access to early intervention lifesaving counselling for any one in England who is suffering from mental health challenges.

n Tickets from £4 for a child for one day to £35 for an adult including camping, at eventbrite via keithfest.co.uk

Let’s dance: Morris side’s appeal for new members

A newly formed Morris Dancing side aged 10 to 77 are calling for more dancers to join them. Cynewulf Morris specialise mainly in stick and hanky dances of Cotswold origins. The name is derived from King Cynewulf who was one of the first Kings of Wessex (757-786) and was known for his connections in the local area – particularly Uplyme.

The current membership is six musicians and ten dancers. Most members are experienced Morris musicians and dancers.

They undertake public performances in the Lyme Regis Dorset/Devon area including various school and youth organisations. No previous experience necessary. Call 01308 281200.

Civic leaders in bid to join culture club

Civic leaders in Weymouth and Portland are bidding for the borough to become next year’s County of Culture.

Town councillors from the island and the resort are calling for the public’s help to prepare their bid, and will host two workshops where residents, business owners and creatives can come together and share their ideas.

The next workshop will take place at at Portland Community Venue in Three Yards Close,

Fortuneswell from 2pm to 4pm on June 5.

In a joint statement, Weymouth Town Council’s clerk Jane Biscombe and Portland Town Council’s clerk Matt Ryan, pictured, said: “We did it.

“We got through to the next round of the County of Culture application process and together, Weymouth Town Council and Portland Town Council will now write the full bid.

“We have until June 24 to submit our final, exciting, partnership-based submission and for that reason, our partnership working is even more crucial to secure our success. And we need your help.

“Come along to our open, drop-in workshops and

share your experience and expertise. Help us expand on key areas of the bid with exciting ideas, hopes, dreams for the future, information, and evidence. With so much to showcase in Weymouth and Portland, there is no better time to bid to become County of Culture 2025.”

n For more information on the County of Culture, visit theartsdevelopment company.org.uk/whatshappening/county-ofculture

COME AND JOIN US: Cynewulf Morris is looking for new members

Making it really matter

Weldmar Hospicecare raised a staggering £316,846 in its Making Every Moment Matter crowdfunding campaign after an ‘overwhelming response’.

The 30-hour marathon smashed its £250,000 target and raised the highest total of any appeal since the launch of the charity. A number of generous donors and trusts contributed to a match fund, which allowed donations from members of

the public to be doubled throughout the campaign.

The Making Every Moment Matters campaign was launched by Weldmar Hospicecare in response to the news that the charity, which provides specialist end of life care and support in Dorset for adults with a life limiting illness and their loved ones, is expecting to spend an additional £1m on services more than they raise through traditional fundraising.

County show’s

£10k for hospital

Dorset County Show has donated £10,000 to the appeal for Dorset County Hospital’s new emergency department and critical care unit.

Show organisers said the hospital, which was originally built to deal with 22,000 attendees annually, now treats more than 50,000.

Show chair Nicki Ralph said: “This cause is close to my heart, but it could be close to anyone’s.

“Many individuals across Dorset will be affected by this life-saving service.

“We all hope we, or our loved ones will never need the Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit, but when we do, we are forever grateful.”

Simon Pearson, head of charity at Dorset County Hospital, said “We’d like to express our sincere thanks to James, Nicki, the rest of the Dorset County Show and everyone involved in helping to achieve such a fantastic result for the appeal.”

The Dorset County Show returns on September 7 and September 8.

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?

AMAZING EFFORT: Some of the staff at Weldmar

Free parking offer in town

Free parking will be on offer for four Weymouth events – the Lions Club Beach Motocross on October 20, Remembrance

HUNNY BUNNIES

Fabrics, haberdashery, Craft kits, Handmade products and gifts. Fabric range, advent calendar and stocking kits now in stock.

07914 387246 Hunnybunnies11@ outlook.com

REDLANDS YARD, BROADWINDSOR, DT8 3PX

Sunday service and parade, the Christmas lights switch on on November 30 and the Armed Forces event on June 23.

THE OCCASIONAL BOOKSHOP

THANKS VERY MUCH: MV Freedom receives £500 from the Wyke Smugglers pub and, below, spotting one of the dolphins in Portland Harbour

A grand week for donations

MV Freedom received nearly £1,000 and saw a dolphin in Portland Harbour – what a lovely week! A successful quiz at St Nicholas Church, Broadwey raised £488 and Wyke Smugglers raised £500 with a weekly meat draw.

MV Freedom needs to raise £20,000 each year to maintain its service to the disabled community and their carers and family. More information at mvfreedom.org

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.

TAROT CARD READINGS WITH KAROLINE Please phone for more details Mobile 07901 862588

CARE IN YOUR OWN HOME

At

A step in the right direction

More than 400 people took part in 45 walks over nine days for Dorchester Walking Festival. Local history was a key factor of many walks –these included following the route of Dorchester’s Roman Aquaduct, a grand tour of Dorchester’s

Victorian buildings, and a walk that visited the sites associated with Crime and Punishment, hearing stories of those unfortunate to find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Many participants took part in the Festival’s 50km Challenge raising over

£350 for the Dorchester County Hospital Emergency and Critical Care Appeal.

The Festival culminated in Beating the Bounds, organised by Matilda Manley, the town’s Tourism Development Officer.

It’s in the bag for slimmers’ £8k donation

Super slimmers across Dorchester, Weymouth & Portland have raised £8,250 for Cancer Research UK by donating 275 bags of clothes they slimmed out of to the charity’s shops.

The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw with Cancer Research UK is an annual event which takes place in Slimming World groups across the UK and sees members donating clothes, shoes, and accessories that no longer fit.

Slimming World groups are held across the Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland area every week.

For full group details and further information visit slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000.

OUT FOR A WALK: Taking part in the Dorchester Walking Festival

Aiming for the high bar, MP Drax is

By Karen Bate karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk

When South Dorset MP Richard Drax roared into his Winfrith office on his BMW motorbike, I was unsure what to expect from this soldier, journalist, landowner and politician.

For nine years Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-ErnleErle-Drax served the Coldstream Guards. He was promoted as captain in 1986 before retiring 18 months later. At the age of 31, Richard, who uses just the last of his fivebarrelled name, decided to follow his heart and follow in the footsteps of his hero –journalist, author and former ITN newscaster Sandy Gall.

“I remember my love of reading started when I was about 11 and read The Lord of the Rings,” said Richard. “I was distraught when Gandolph died initially in the first book, and I spent days trying to find him in all the other books.

“I met Sandy, who said: ‘You can’t do better than starting at a local paper. To gain all those valuable skills shorthand, court reporting all vital.’ This was the best advice, and I wrote to hundreds of newspapers across the country for an opening.

“After a series of knock-backs,

TAKING ACTION: Richard Drax with members of Island Community Action at Portland Bill

I marched into the office of a senior chap at the Financial Times.

“He said: ‘What can I do for you?’ I said, ‘I want your job and I want it tomorrow’. With that he told me to see the editor at the Yorkshire Evening Press who gave me a two-week trial during which time I had to

n Richard Drax was selected as a Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate in July 2006 and in 2010 unseated the then Work and Pensions Minister Jim Knight MP, (Lab) with a 7,443 margin.

He was re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority of 11,994, in 2017 with a 11,695 majority and again in 2019 with a 17,153 majority. His voting record has been interesting. He was one of just 37 Conservative MPs who abstained from the Rwanda Bill, and he was in a tiny minority who defied the whips and voted against all three now much-

maligned lockdowns.

cover every train coming in and out of York Station and find out how many were late and why.

“Dressed in about 18 layers of clothes, I spent days at York station. My friends would visit me and laughed that I had become a train spotter. At the end of the two weeks the editor

Richard said: “I'm glad I had the strength to stand up and vote against all three lockdowns. I was accused of being a murderer and all these things. The other side of the argument was not being heard and I could see the damage this was going to do to our country, which has unfolded.”

And his views on national conscription have raised a few eyebrows.

“In my constituency there are some problems with aspiration and there are some sadly who get trapped into maybe a way of life which can be a spiral down, unless they get out,” said Richard.

called me in and said: ‘Should I take you on?’ I said, you would be mad not to have me!”

Richard put all his time and energy into his journalist training, most notably reaching 100 words per minute in shorthand.

“The guy running the course was a real character. He said: ‘I guarantee one thing – you won’t get 100 words because you’re too old at 32, kids will pick it up very quickly so unless you’re very good at languages,’ which I’m not, ‘you’re going to struggle.’ Drax ‘worked his socks off’ and reached the 100-word pinnacle. He spent five years with the Yorkshire Evening Press before joining BBC South, then a short stint at The Daily Telegraph before landing a job on BBC Radio Solent. “My favourite job was the golden weddings, which I was always set out to do. I just loved hearing the stories from people who’ve been married for 50 years. I had been married for a very short time at that point and it intrigued me what keeps you together for 50 years. I would say in 99 per cent of the time couples said, ‘because we’re friends’. Being friends is what it all boils down to the in the end.”

“Which is why I suggested national conscription, I didn't necessarily mean just the armed forces.

“And you get sort of booed at by some of the others on the other side of the house because they think, ‘oh – it’s Richard Drax Guards Officer, he would think that’.

“Well, yes,I would, because I have seen it work. As a Guards Officer, training young men for two years, I’ve seen young men who in some cases would admit that they would otherwise be in jail. They are rudderless, family broken, that sort of thing. But put them in an institution with the training, the affection, the back-up, the food, the camaraderie, the discipline, and a sense of belonging, and it can switch the light on.

ready to fight a fifth General Election

During his time at BBC South, Richard was able, albeit tenuously, to embrace his spirit of adventure and love of travel. He joined Colonel BlashfordSnell on part of his first transoceanic passage on a reed boat Kota-Mama from the Andes to the Atlantic.

A second trip ensued after Col Blashford-Snell contacted Richard to help find Ronalda, a ten-year old Brazilian girl who lived on the banks of the Rio Madeira, to have treatment on a double hare lip and a cleft palette. Thousands of pounds had been raised for an ‘incredible surgeon’ to operate and help change Ronalda’s life. After an epic adventure in the jungle, Richard found Ronalda and became friends with the surgeon who was helping her, along with hundreds of children, all victims of the most unimaginable suffering and disfigurements.

Richard said: “The doc said: ‘Look, I do lots of other work, come to my clinic,’ I said: ‘What am I going to see?’ He said: ‘You’re going to see some pretty horrific sights, but you will be fine.’

“So, I went to his thing and a little boy had a horrible, disfigured face with a box over it. I thought I’m not quite sure I can take this, and at that

moment this little voice came out of this box: ‘Hello Richard,’ he said. Richard’s eyes welled: “It’s tough even now,” he explained. Richard was becoming increasingly frustrated at the direction the country was

“What they need is firm love. It takes so little to turn the light on and get these young people from people who frankly haven’t got much chance, to become people to be proud to serve with.

“I don’t like the state interfering generally in our private lives but there are some instances where the state I think can be beneficial, and this is one.”

While Richard may have been on an extraordinary career journey, there is one thread.

“My whole life has been with people, as a soldier and a journalist. I enjoy people which is why I love this job so much,” he said. “When you get constituents, many of whom have genuine concerns and problems, they come to us for help, and we

taking. That frustration did not go unnoticed.

Richard said: “A good friend told me I was becoming a bit of a Victor Meldrew and said: ‘Why don’t you do something about it?’ I’m a traditional Conservative. I love my

always try to do something to help. I mean my magnificent team, it’s not just me, it never is just me.”

Richard hopes the redevelopment of Weymouth harbour will bring in investment and boost the economic fortunes of the town.

“I fought like hell to get this money, £20m to repair the sea walls because until that is done, we cannot redevelop the harbour area.

“Business rates for small and medium businesses are inequitable. We have a pretty harbour and the marina, some parts are nice, but we have the old gas site, the magistrates’ court, the ghastly multi-storey car park. We don’t have places where people sit down and relax and just enjoy the

country, I love the institutions, I love our royal family, I love our armed forces, good education, family, law and order, the church, all these things, the institutions that keep us all afloat and I just began to see them under attack in ways hard to explain, not a conspiracy as such, but it’s just people chipping away at what I would call the gold standard, the bar.

“I was very dyslexic at school, although we didn’t know at the time. I couldn’t do my alphabet until I was 16 or something and I’m still terrified of figures now. I was very privileged to be taught privately, where there was this very high bar, and I was really glad it was there, although I never reached it. I see the bar being lowered to the common denominator rather than leaving it there for everyone to aspire to. None of us are going to reach the high bar at everything, we all have our faults and problems. I wasn’t at university, I was not academic, so I worked, I joined the army.

“In politics I see this incessant attack on that bar and that worries me it really worries me. I think a high bar gives us something to aim for and I don’t think the lower bar is a very good bar to aim at.”

sheer beauty of the place. This would bring people in and then the specialist shops, the retailers, the pubs and so forth would survive because people will want to come.”

This year will be the fifth General Election for Richard.

As for his chances of being voted in for a fifth term, Richard said: “I never think that I’m going to win – really, I don’t.

“I genuinely don't because I'm a servant, that’s all – a servant to those I serve, and if they don't want me anymore, they’ll kick me out. If they think, ‘actually Richard does his best for us, we will vote for him’ then I should be very proud and honoured to be voted in again, if indeed I am. But no, I do not take it for granted at all, and any MP who does is a fool.”

DUTY: Richard at Weymouth train station and, below, with Cllr Mike Bonfield in Swanage

College’s new University Centre opens

The new University Centre at Kingston Maurward has been opened by Countryfile presenter Adam Henson.

The college’s principal and chief executive Luke Rake said: “A proud day for me as leader of Kingston Maurward – over the last three years, we’ve built a new Higher Education Building, gained formal University Centre status from the DfE, and validated a

relationship with The Open University, the only land-based specialist college in the country to do so.”

Degree-level study can be achieved on a part-time basis and fit around work, enabling businesses to strengthen their workforce with minimal disruption to operations. There are two new courses in Dairy Herd Management and Rural Business Management, plus Higher

National Diplomas (HNDs) in Equestrian Management, Horticulture, Outdoor Adventure Management and Uniformed Public Services, an FdSc in Marine Ecology & Conservation, a Foundation Diploma in Animal Behaviour, Welfare & Conservation, and a Top Up BSc in Animal Welfare.

n kmc.ac.uk/college/degree_level_ courseshedy

Garden comp closes soon!

Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual garden and allotment competition is nearly closed for entries – so get yours in quick! There are classes for small, medium and large gardens as well as for allotments, which must be within a 12-mile radius of Melplash church and not employing a gardener for more than 8 hours a week. Entries close on Monday, June 10. Judges will visit gardens

entered on June 18 or 19. There is also a special award for Best Environmental and Wildlife Practice and an award for the most unusual garden theme or feature. Prizes are awarded at Melplash Show on August 22. Entry is free – go to melplashshow.co.uk where you can also enter online, or collect a form from the show office at 23, South Street, Bridport DT6 3NT 01308 423337.

READY FOR YOU: The new University Centre at Kingston Maurward College

WHAT A DAY: Pages from Terry Parker’s secret D-Day diary and the poster for the beacon lighting event in Dorchester

Inside soldier’s secret D-Day diary

By Karen Bate karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk

The poignant reflections of one soldier’s journey through the tumultuous events of D-Day in his diary are set to be unveiled at the Keep Military Museum in Dorchester, thanks to a generous donation by the family of Terry Parker.

This extraordinary diary offers a rare and emotive account of the experiences endured by soldiers in the lead-up to, during, and after the historic D-Day landings.

Soldiers were not meant to write down anything about D-Day for security reasons, therefore the small diary was concealed in Private Terry Parker’s chest pocket and hidden from view.

The contents offer a raw and rare insight into the harrowing experiences of the day.

Elliott Metcalfe, director at The Keep Military Museum, said: “We are delighted to add Terry

Parker’s diary to the museum collection. It’s an important piece of Dorset Regiment history, narrating one of their most famous battles from the private soldier’s perspective.

“The diary and Terry’s touching story is available for all to see at The Keep

Military Museum.”

Private Terry Parker kept a diary of his D-Day thoughts.

An excerpt from the diary will be read aloud at the DDay 80th anniversary beacon lighting commemorative event on June 6 at 8pm. And everyone is invited to attend the event to hear the reading, along with songs from local school children

and the beacon lighting itself at 9.15pm.

Themes from Private Terry Parker’s diary, along with other local memories and recollections of D-Day in Dorchester are being transformed into an immersive theatre trail on Saturday, June 8 in Dorchester from 1pm.

POIGNANT:

Above, his sons

A lifetime spent keeping the memory

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Eighty years ago, Beaminster’s Royal British Legion President Tony Greenham was just eight. But he vividly remembers the stillness after the soldiers left Beaminster on D-Day.

He then lived at Pattle (now Eggardon Close). He remembers soldiers being billeted all over the town –their HQ was at Parnham House.

He said: “I remember the sweets, gifts, gum and goodies. They took over the town. But then overnight they just disappeared.”

Now 88, he has spent years working hard for the Royal British Legion in the town – which has a flourishing roster of 57 members and hosts many events for everyone to enjoy.

On the 80th anniversary of D-Day Beaminster is to pay tribute with a service, a bagpiper, an exhibition in the Public Hall and lighting the town beacon. There are now few left who remember the GIs and their generosity towards local families. But in 2002 there were many more. Beaminster, led by Tony and his wife Margaret,

hosted 45 members of the 16th Infantry Regiment, including five soldiers who had been stationed there. They enjoyed several days of celebration, with a dance and re-enactors marched through the streets.

A brass plaque, sent to the town from America, was unveiled on the Town Hall, which had been used as a mess in the war.

Margaret said: “An ad was put in the Dorset Echo and in the national press inviting members of the 16th to get in touch if they wanted to be involved. Tony went up to London to pick up the big chief and brought him down here, then he went back to America, returning with all these people from the regiment.”

Margaret grew up in

Piddletrenthide, where there was also a large encampment. Her father ran the garage there. The pair met after Margaret was sent to Beaminster Grammar as a boarder. They love history, and have ten grandfather clocks that were all made in Beaminster – every hour sounds like the opening to a Pink Floyd song Time Both have been honoured

Omaha Beach: What really happened there...

A military historian from the US will be exploring exactly what happened at Omaha Beach on D-Day during a talk and panel discussion.

Bridport Heritage Forum is hosting the D-Day 80 anniversary event at Bridport Town Hall on

Saturday, June 15 from 1.30pm to 4pm. At 2pm Steve Clay, of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the past president of the US 16th Infantry Association and regimental historian, will deliver the talk and lead the discussion. At 4.30pm there will be an

informal meeting at the 16th Infantry memorial at Mountfield. Tickets are £5 and are on sale at Bridport Tourist Information Centre.

More info on 01308 425710, email jferentzi@aol.com or visit bridporthistorysociety.org.uk

WARTIME MEMORIES: Beaminster girls Kay and Cora Gunning with American soldiers outside The Greyhound and, below, D-Day soldiers enjoy a meal in Bridport

of the D-Day sacrifices alive

for services to the town, with Margaret being handed Honorary Townsperson of Beaminster and Tony being awarded the BEM – mainly for raising £90,000 in 43 concerts of the Fairey Band, which started in 1979, but they have also got involved in numerous organisations and events over the years.

“Getting the Fairey Band to play here was a bit like getting Manchester City to play in Beaminster,” said Tony.

“The concerts were absolutely packed.” So naturally, they spearheaded the 2002 celebrations, finding places for all the visitors to stay. Margaret said: “One lady

phoned from Milton Keynes, wanting to bring her dad. It turns out he piloted the very boat one of the five original soldiers had sailed on – chance in a million.”

The returning soldiers –Henry ‘Hank’ Orton, Joe Argenzio, Ray Lambert, Bill Ryan and Don Wilson

COMING BACK:The five returning US soldiers with Tony and Margaret on Weymouth seafront

– brought their wives, children and even grandchildren to see the place they had been stationed. Only one of their wives is alive now, aged 93, and she writes to the Greenhams every Christmas. They have now stepped back from organising the

annual concerts that raised so much for a number of charities. But they take part in the regular events laid on by the RBL, including breakfasts for the community on the first Saturday of the month at The Greyhound, and a monthly ‘meet and natter’ event. It will be Beaminster RBL’s 100th anniversary on July 4, and they are holding a barbecue to celebrate. Before that though, there’s Beaminster Remembers on June 6, with events most of the day. From 3pm to 6pm Beaminster Museum presents an exhibition on D-Day in the public hall, then from 6.30pm to 7pm the bells of St Mary’s will be rung. At 7.15pm a procession will leave the church, led by a bagpiper, the RBL and other organisations of the town before the Town Beacon is lit at the War Memorial in the square. This will be followed by a service of commemoration. All are welcome to join in, and if you would like to be involved in Beaminster RBL membership is £18 a year.

n beaminster. memsecretary@rbl. community Telephone: 07837 930651

FITTING TRIBUTE: Tony with the plaque sent to Beaminster. The plaque is on the town hall. Right: Margaret and Tony at Buckingham Palace and, below, Tony and Margaret Greenham with volunteers in 2002

Residents throughout Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester will pause to honour the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces as the nation marks D-Day 80 this month.

The three towns’ councils are joining forces with Weymouth Museum, Castletown D-Day Centre, Nothe Fort and other partners to host a packed programme of events up to June 22.

There will be musical performances, boat tours, exhibitions, immersive theatre performances and beacon lightings plus talks to bring history to life.

n For details on the Nothe Fort exhibition, visit nothefort.org.uk

For more details on Dorchester Town Council’s events, visit dorchester-tc.gov.uk

Visit weymouth towncouncil.gov.uk to view the timetables for Weymouth and Portland.

n The award-winning Castletown D-Day Centre is to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 – with the chance of free or discounted admission on the day.

A convoy of authentic Second World War vehicles will be arriving at the centre at 12.30pm for an hour before the convoy departs for the 2pm service at Portland Cenotaph. The vehicles will then be on display at the top of the island (near Portland Heights Hotel) until 3.30pm. Cream teas from the Adventure Café will be served in the period tearoom which offers fantastic views across Portland Bay.

NEVER FORGET: Thousands of troops leave for Weymouth Harbour for the beaches of Normandy in June 1944

Series of events to mark D-Day’s 80th anniversary

Visitors can learn about Portland’s historic link to the largest amphibious invasion in history, only a stone’s throw away from where thousands of allied troops left for the Nazioccupied beaches of France. They can handle authentic uniforms, weapons and equipment and even climb aboard the museum’s Sherman tank.

The D-Day Centre also includes a full-size replica Spitfire, a Bofors 40mm gun, interactive audiovisual displays, and a D-Day bunker.

Weymouth and Portland residents will receive halfprice admission (see

By DAVID COZENS Retired journalist and former editor of the Bridport News

The American GI gave an almost apologetic tap on the council house door.

“I thought your little boy and girl might like these, ma’am,” he said, hardly looking up as he pressed two small tins of peaches into her hands.

Then, almost before Emma Drake could say thank you, he started to trudge back towards the centre of Lyme Regis. Kindness from the American soldiers stationed in the resort in the build up to D-Day was common, and the kids in particular were grateful, for most had never before seen or tasted some of the treats the GIs brought – or been thrilled by the exploits of the heroes in their colourful American comics.

Facebook page for details). Free admission will be given to anyone who dresses up in the wartime theme or brings a period vehicle for the display. There are still a handful of spaces to join the Castletown D-Day Centre’s dedicated band of volunteers as it marks its biggest year yet. Hours are flexible, with lunch and period uniforms provided. Anyone interested is asked to email d.day.centre. portland@gmail.com For the latest news from the Castletown D-Day Centre, follow @castletownddaycentre on Facebook or head to ddaycentre.com

Emma sensed there was something different about the GI. He was one of the older soldiers and, though he seemed to wear his uniform with pride, he was shy and humble. Not like the other GIs, who played baseball in the narrow streets of Lyme, smashed windows and ran away, milked grazing cows into combat helmets and packed the tiny local cinema three times a day.

“You are very lucky children,” Emma told Jenny, seven, and nine-year-old David. “When you see him in town, you must thank him.”

The youngsters looked for a week before there was another gentle knock on their door. He came bearing more tinned fruit and sweets – tremendous goodies.

“Hi again ma’am,” he said. “I was wondering if I could ask a favour?

!It would be an honour if you would allow me to take your youngsters for a walk on Sunday and perhaps buy them a cake or a drink.”

Emma would not normally have entrusted her children to a stranger. But she felt the GI was sincere. He was short and

slightly overweight with a kindly, round face and deep brown, sad eyes.

“Yes you may,” she said, “but promise me you will not spoil them too much.”

For the next eight weeks, he took the children to the Harbour Café, bought them a glass of lemonade and a bun and took them home.

He always politely declined to come in for a cuppa and would change the subject when David asked for his name and about his American home and his job, secretly hoping he had once been a cowboy.

“Just call me Greedy Guts, because I help in the cookhouse,” he would reply.

“He often spends lots of time looking out to sea,” a frustrated David told his mother.

“He wipes his eyes a lot. I think stuff gets into them and makes them water.”

One Sunday, the solider showed up with an abundance of extra food.

“You are good children,” he said.

poured tea.

It was a June night but it was chilly for the men, many of whom hailed from the warm southern states, and they were grateful for the hot drinks.

Emma looked for Greedy Guts as the columns of men edged slowly away for their date with destiny but saw no sign.

There was an almost eerie silence by midday. The resort, home in tents and requisitioned buildings for American soldiers for many months, was already

cork boats in the rock pools on the resort’s back beach which, littered with tarred rowing boats, frayed ropes, mouldy tangled nets and cuttlefish, had its own very special aroma.

Two months later, a letter arrived, addressed to: “Mrs. Drake, council house near the parish church, Limes Regus, England.”

In memory of ‘Greedy Guts’ and his GI pals

“Take this parcel home, and don’t forget to look after your mom because she works hard to look after you while your pa is away. One day, when I am back home in the States, perhaps we will write to each other.”

Emma was delighted with the parcel and went along in the early hours of the morning to brew tea for the soldiers lined up and ready to be trucked to Weymouth for the surge across the channel for the D-Day assault.

Hundreds of GIs, with heavy equipment, dangling canteens and frightened faces, were queuing in the lane behind Emma’s home as local women

in mourning for the brave young men who had slipped away in the night.

There would be no more “Got any candy, Andy?” or “Got any gum, chum?” requests from the kids, who instead enjoyed playing in the tents left and finding abandoned tins of food, badges, sheath knives and the odd musical instrument. And it was easier to get into the cinema.

David and Jenny returned to spending their Sunday afternoons making and sailing

“You will be surprised to hear from me,” it said, “but I am the mother of John Chine, and I want to thank you for all that you did for him. You will probably have known him as Greedy Guts, a self-given name because he was a baker by trade, and that’s what he was called in fun by his children because he liked to sample all of his cakes. He considered it a term of endearment, and oh how he loved them, a boy and a girl. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them, especially as his wife died giving birth to the younger, Meredith, aged six.

“He used to spend hours with them.

“When he was not working, he took them everywhere, and he had high hopes for their future because they both had good brains and a desire to learn.

“But then the Good Lord snatched them from him when they were hit by a runaway truck on the way to school. My John was, naturally, devastated and he went into deep shock –even refusing to accept that it had happened.

“We believe he was still in shock when he left with the regiment for your country, and some of his letters home spoke of his children as if they were still alive.

“Just after he came to your town, however, we started to notice a change.

“He wrote of the hardships and heartaches of small town families who heard daily of the death of loved ones in the war, of nice kids called David and Jenny and of how he took them for walks and enjoyed their company.

“I believe they helped John to come to terms with his own loss and that the healing process had begun.

“John didn’t make it when he landed on Omaha Beach with the 16th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division who led the assault after being billeted and prepared in your town.

“We were told he was among the first to fall, but we were comforted by the sincere belief that he felt that he did have a future and was fighting for it.”

Emma read the letter, signed Roberta Chine and sent from El Campo, Texas, to the children, who cried for their friend.

Emma attended the first remembrance service in the parish church after the war, where she thought of Greedy Guts, and all the GIs had done for the town, including a children’s Christmas party with jelly and custard, and a swing concert for the adults.

She remembered the terror on the faces of the GIs on D-Day, leaving Lyme Regis in the early hours.

One young soldier had never before tasted tea. “

This is my first cup, or cuppa as you call it, he had told her. She couldn’t help fearing it may well have been his last.

READY FOR ACTION: American troops from A Company of the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, in which ‘Greedy Guts’ served, training in woods at Lyme Regis

Lib Dem candidate looking to carry

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

South Dorset Lib Dem candidate Matt Bell is FIZZING with energy. The Dorset Council elections have given his party huge hope for the General Election and rather than being caught on the hop by Rishi’s little surprise they know they’ve put in the work already to put a sizeable bite in the trouser leg of the sitting MP.

Matt, 37, is a full-time geography teacher at Wey Valley. He has two children aged two and five and his wife also works at Wey Valley in the office. Two years ago if you’d said to him about running to be MP he would have laughed and said he was far too busy. “I didn’t know I wanted to stand for MP then,” he said. “But now I really, really want to do it. I’m ready.”

The sporty dad was cajoled into standing for Weymouth Town Council after impressing the council leader with a strongly-worded letter on plans to rip up the cycle lane on Dorchester Road in 2022 (the cycle lane was saved and there are now plans to improve it). Elected on to the town council in December 2022, he then got a taste for making things happen and getting people to work together and he went for Dorset Council this year, winning the Radipole seat by some margin. He cannot wait to get stuck in, with parking charges,

affordable housing and a second pharmacy for Portland on his immediate hit list.

But first, there’s the small matter of throwing his hat in the ring to be the South Dorset MP. Weeks of campaigning lie ahead. Luckily, he’s discovered he does well on little sleep.

Matt moved to Weymouth aged 12 and attended All Saints School – he later worked there as a teaching assistant. His first teaching post was at Royal Manor. In his work as a teacher he has seen first-hand the effects of hardship among students and their families, and the lack of opportunities to keep them here after they finish their schooling.

they want just aren’t available here. We have to get year-round, stable employment and sort out training options to make sure young, tax-paying people want to stay here. “We can’t just keep going in the way we are. The demographic needs to change.

“I understand what it’s like to struggle to bring up a family in this area with rising prices. I know what it’s like to live in your overdraft. In my professional experience “I’ve seen the hardship local families face – there are areas with huge deprivation here, which I think other candidates can’t appreciate in the way I can.”

If elected, Matt “would keep on listening to the locals”. He said: “I’ve shown that I’m quite good at getting organisations to meet, I’m quite good at not getting bored and keeping the fight going.”

The discovery that he loved persuading organisations and people to get together to resolve issues has astonished Matt – but he fully intends to

use this newly found enthusiasm for good, at town and county level, and nationally, if he wins on July 4.

He said: “I live right by Radipole Lake in Roman Road, where the flooding has made it impossible to use the park and is even potentially threatening the SSSI designation.

“There’s £1.2m being spent on the park and yet no one can use it. Older residents have pointed to the places where the drains were and they are blocked up with silt.

“The RSPB were concerned the lake could lose its SSSI status. I spoke to the Friends of Radipole Park and Gardens and to Wessex Water, the Environment Agency and Natural England and the RSPB and now Wessex Water is due to clear the 15 drains in August. It’s about getting the right people to talk to each other.

“We have a petition still running to get the flooding addressed at Radipole Lake, at change.org /dredgeradipolelake.” Among the first things the

WE DID IT: Dorset Liberal Democrats celebrate their success in the Dorset Council elections in May. Inset below: Lib Dem’s South Dorset candidate Matt Bell

on success after local elections win

Lib Dems pledged when they took control of Dorset Council was a review on parking charges, and Matt is confident changes will happen. He said: “They are looking at it in a serious way and we are going to push it through.

“We are all about listening to people and not just deciding from the top, which is how it has felt.

“We are trying our hardest to be the party that listens and acts.”

Another fight Matt has taken on is for a second pharmacy for Portland’s 14,000 residents.

He said: “I have been talking to the NHS about possibly using room at the old Portland Hospital. There’s another petition for this, change.org/

fight4pharmaciesportland

“It’s really hard to make a pharmacy affordable and sustainable. We have got to bring back community pharmacies.”

The third priority he has is housing: “A lot of the housing sits with Dorset Council. We’re going to use brownfield council

WIN!

land initially, for properly affordable homes.

“We’ve got to do something for people in the public sector – I could only afford to buy a house because my parents died ten years ago.”

Alongside all this will be Matt’s General Election campaign, which has taken an interesting turn since the Dorset Council triumph for the Lib Dems.

A poll taking account of potential tactical voting was ‘unpublished’ after the Lib Dems won 42 of the 82 seats.

“In South Dorset we won five times the number of seats,” said Matt.

“It was interesting that the MRP polls, which gauge the possibilities of tactical voting, had Labour to win

South Dorset but after the local elections they ‘unpublished’ that.

“I definitely think South Dorset is totally up for grabs.

“We smashed it in the local elections. We have been campaigning very hard, we are very hopeful and we genuinely believe we have got a groundswell of support.

“Time and time again on the doorsteps we heard a lot of diehard Conservative voters willing to shift their vote to us for the first time.

“We knocked on 25,000 doors and spoke to 8,700 people during the local elections.

“I delivered 1,800 leaflets myself in the last couple of days. We’ve got a brilliant team.”

one of THREE great prizes

Choose between:

l A bedside crib with slide-down side

l Multi-mode highchair

l Latest R129 regulation car seat (age 3-12)

To win one of these great prizes simply tell us where the Babygear store is located and how many times the Babygear logo appears in the magazine. Email the page numbers, plus your name, address and number to classifieds@westdorsetmag.co.uk or post to The West Dorset Magazine, 15 Stanstead Rd, Maiden Newton, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0BL by June 30 for your chance to win. No cash alternative.

BELL OF THE BALL: Matt playing for Weymouth

Designa Voucher

All change in roles at Dorset Council

Dorset Council has seen a shake-up of its key roles after the Lib Dems took control of the authority during the latest elections. Councillors voted on the appointments.

Cllr Nick Ireland is now council leader, with Cllr Richard Biggs as his deputy. The council chair is now Cllr Stella Jones, and the vice chair is Cllr Les Fry. Cllr Ireland will also be portfolio holder for governance, performance, communications, environment, climate change and safeguarding. Deputy leader Cllr Biggs will be portfolio holder for property and assets, economic growth and levelling up.

Cllr Simon Clifford will be portfolio holder for finance and capital strategy while Cllr

Ryan Holloway will be portfolio holder for corporate development, transformation, digital and change.

Cllr Nick Ireland said: “The new intake of elected members to Dorset Council has added to the strength and depth of skills already present and I’m pleased that the new Cabinet reflects this.

“The Liberal Democrats campaigned on a commitment to genuine cross-party working and that process has started tonight in the appointments that we have made. We will look to make decision making as local and democratic as possible; listening more to local residents and creating a genuine partnership with town and parish councils.”

A college security officer raised more than £1,100 for the lifeboat charity on a Jurassic Coast walk.

Neil Carter, who works at Weymouth College, trekked 33 miles along the county coastline from Lyme Regis lifeboat station to Weymouth. He completed the challenge in celebration of the RNLI’s 200th anniversary of the RNLI in just under his target time of 12 hours.

He was greeted at the finish line with cheers from his supporters and a glass of Champagne.

Neil, who lives in Bridport and has a family history of relatives working at sea, said: “The walk began at precisely 6.30am outside Lyme Regis lifeboat station following the coastal path to West Bay which included a brutal climb of

Neil’s epic trek for lifeboat

Golden Cap. I reached West Bay at 10.15am, where I was met by my son Mark and my partner

Annaliese brought me topup fluid supplies. Mark walked with me to Hive Beach, where I then

Help keep the coast clear

Litter Free Dorset and Dorset Coast Forum have launched a survey to discover how and where you spend your beach days. They want to know all about your top beach spots, favourite water activities, and thoughts on litter and water cleanliness. Sophie Carpenter from

Litter Free Dorset said: “There is a growing demand for more real-time water quality monitoring. By taking part in this survey, you are helping shape the future of water quality monitoring across the Dorset coastline.”

n See dorsetcoast haveyoursay.co.uk

continued along the beach to Abbotsbury arriving at 1pm.

“This is where I met Dan and Lyndsey Eccleston, who walked the remaining 17 miles with me. We arrived at Weymouth RNLI

shop at 6.28pm, where we were met by a small crowd and an applause – very overwhelming.”

n You can still support Neil with a donation for the RNLI at justgiving.com/ page/jurassicwalk2024

HE’S DONE IT: Neil is greeted at the finish line by volunteers at Weymouth lifeboat station

Betrayed after so much good work,

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

When Green councillor Kelvin Clayton lost his seat on Dorset Council last month, by just 25 votes, it felt a bit of a betrayal.

The hard-working councillor has spent five years helping people at county and nine years at town level and he seems to have lost his county council seat as a result of people conflating local elections with the General Election, encouraged by some rather misleading leaflets.

Life has noticeably slowed down since for the 68year-old, who used to spend two or three days a week on his role as a Dorset Council representative. “I am just coming to terms with it,” he said.

“Most people were fooled by the Lib Dem leaflets that equated the Dorset Council election with the national election. They convinced people that to get rid of the Tories they had to vote Lib Dem, even though in Bridport there were no Tories to beat.

“It’s incredibly frustrating.”

MY TOWN: Kelvin Clayton moved to Bridport in 2012. ‘I’ve never felt more part of of the community,’ he says

Kelvin grew up in Kent. He joined the fire service aged 18 and stayed with them for 17 years, before becoming a careers adviser. His family weren’t political. “It was a gradual process. I remember Tony Benn speaking in Ramsgate and I started campaigning for New Labour. I was twice a member of the Labour Party, and twice I fell out with them.

“I was living in Leek, a lovely little market town in Staffordshire. I remember saying I had concerns about the way it was going. I left shortly after.

“Then after the 2010 General Election, when the Tories got back in I was online and I came across the Green Party manifesto. I read it and my initial response was wow, this is more socialist than anything. It was only after that that environmental issues really dawned on me.”

Kelvin took an undergrad course in English literature and continued his studies part-time alongside his paid job, undertaking a postgrad, then a PHD in social philosophy, endowing him with the title of Dr.

He moved to Bridport in

2012. “I love this town. I came here by chance after someone suggested it and I just fell in love with Bridport. I’ve never felt more part of the community. I met my wife here too, five years ago.”

After moving to Bridport he continued as a careers adviser before retiring. “I saw the careers service decline,” he said. “It was a great integrated service under New Labour. Then it all fell apart. Part of my training was to challenge their ideas and get them thinking about all the options available. I used to help people prepare for interviews.”

Once retired, he joined the town council and became chairman of the Bridport Youth and Community Centre, which he helped save from closure following Dorset Council’s withdrawal of funding. He was also instrumental in the Transition Town group. Kelvin will miss being able to help people with local issues: “My work on Dorset Council was mostly case work, where people would write to me and I would have access to

but Green man Kelvin’s still standing

the officers to help them.

“But I have plans for this extra time. It sounds precocious, but I am hoping to put my PHD into shape for publishing.”

Kelvin, who is a father of three, retained his seat on Bridport Town Council: “I would have been really gutted to have lost my place on the town council. I think though our powers are limited we’ve made a contribution.”

And he will still stand for MP, as he has twice before – though if he won there would be no one more surprised than Kelvin himself:

“I don’t anticipate

winning,” he said, grinning.

“I don’t have the resources to run a massive campaign.

“But I do enjoy the public debates, the hustings. One of the complaints I’ve got is people are just asked to give their opinion. But get them involved and their opinion changes.

“Unfortunately you get members of the right wing assigning issues to the woke agenda. It’s the thing I hate most about politics at the moment, the woke agenda. If you put labels on things it stops you having to think about those

“The way we do politics is not the way to solve issues – the adversarial system, where everything

Labour suggests is rejected by the Tories and vice versa. I want to find ways to encourage people to engage, to have a chat.

“There has been a lot of pressure in previous years for me to stand down in favour of the Lib Dems.

“We could do that, but then the Lib Dems ain’t going to form a government. It’s most likely to be a Labour government or at most the Lib Dems would form a coalition.

“Are we supposed to not stand to let them take the seat in the next General Election? What happens at the next General Election?

“Are we supposed to stay away again to let them keep the seat? People from smaller parties have lost

support by doing that.

“The bottom line is we need proportional representation (PR), so people can vote for the party closest to their own personal beliefs. Labour ain’t going to do that, despite their national conference approving the idea of PR last year. The Lib Dems forced a referendum on PR when they were in coalition, but there was no information for people to make an informed choice.

“There’s a lot of Green support in Bridport. But people believe they have to vote tactically when it comes to the election.”

n To contact Kelvin, email kelvin.clayton @dorset.greenparty.org.uk

P 50 years of experience

P No obligation CAD design service

P Local established family business

P Exclusive products

P Installing throughout Dorset and the South

P Award winning showroom

We are a local family run business offering you the best possible prices with the assurance of superior quality generous year-round discounts

Mill House, The Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester, DTI 1 SS 01305 259996

bathroominspira琀onsdorchester.com

Buses to take trunk road to Nellie trail

Bus operator First Wessex has joined forces with Weldmar Hospicecare as Transport Partner for the Stampede by the Sea art trail, featuring wonderfully decorated elephants. Their Jurassic Coaster will take passengers along the trail to encourage bus usage as a sustainable travel option to the trail.

The trail will take place in spring 2025, across Bridport, West Bay, and Lyme Regis and will feature 30 elephants, each designed and painted by talented artists.

Hoards arrive

The nationally important Stalbridge Hoard and Charlton Marshall Hoard have arrived at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery after the funding target of £32,300 was reached. The Stalbridge Hoard dates from the Middle Bronze Age and is made up of a palstave axe head, an uncommon bangle with incised decoration, and a rapier sword. The rapier sword is particularly interesting as it has a hilt shaped to mimic a wooden handle and appears to have been deliberately broken in three pieces. The Charlton Marshall Hoard dates from the Late Iron Age and consists of 40 gold staters which are incredibly unusual as they were made by a Gaulish tribe called the Baiocasses and were imported from France.

Concern over new homes

Fears have been raised that a huge housing development in Piddletrenthide will happen after a multimillion-pound purchase of the 827-acre Lyscombe Farm by Dorset Wildlife Trust and Natural England.

The acquisition of the 827 acres of chalk downland and farmland was the most expensive land purchase in the history of Dorset Wildlife Trust and made possible from Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme and National Nature Reserves

funding, alongside donations from trust supporters.

A government statement reads: “Thousands of new homes for development are to be enabled in Dorset thanks to the government backed Nutrient Mitigation Scheme.

“The scheme will enable around 3,700 new homes to be built in the catchment over the next few years whilst protecting water quality. By securing nutrient mitigation at Lyscombe, the scheme will enable new homes to be built in

the catchment whilst protecting numerous rare birds such as avocets, spoonbills and black-tailed godwits from additional pollution that affects their precious habitat within Poole Harbour.”

Brian Bleese, chief executive at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “The acquisition of Lyscombe is an excellent example of a blended finance initiative, bringing together statutory, charitable and private funding to deliver benefits for nature, people and sustainable development.”

Charity groups’ £225 donation helps MV Freedom

Portland’s Broken Column Group and the Masons handed over £225 to MV Freedom, the Weymouth Charity that takes people with disability or mobility issues on excursions out to sea along the Jurassic Coast.

MV Freedom volunteers are always happy to speak to groups about their activities and the benefits it brings to the disabled, their family and carers. Call Peter Marlow on 07503 877442. All trips must be booked on 07974 266867.

Rishi has a butchers at our sausages

The oldest family business in Britain, RJ Balson & Son Butchers in Bridport, visited Downing Street with a selection of their finest sausages.

Richard Balson was invited to visit the Farm to Fork Summit 2024, where he cooked up a feast of bangers and bacon for PM Rishi Sunak’s guests.

Richard said: “We cooked 220 of our finest pork and Tudor Rose sausages for the Prime Minister’s 100 guests – Lords, MPs and producers from across the farming and food sectors. “We were highly honoured to represent Dorset and the farming community.”

Upsydown winners

The winners of the draw for copies of our cartoonist Lyndon Wall’s book of Dorset cartoons, Upsydown, were Janice Pryke of Corscombe, Chris Maidment of Sherborne and Yvonne Norman of Bridport.

If you missed out, you can buy copies from Waterstones in Bridport, Winstone’s in Sherborne and Amazon.

MAKING ENDS MEAT: A tractor and an RJ Balson van outside No 10 and, below, Rishi Sunak meets Richard Balson

New childcare options at outdoor educaton centre

Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre is now Ofsted registered, allowing it to accept tax-free childcare for eligible children.

This means more opportunities for children and young people to access the wide range of adventurous, physically enriching educational activities offered by the service, making it more affordable and accessible for many

families, including holiday activities and afterschool clubs.

There’s now a Little Explorers naturebased adventure club for seven to 11-year-olds.

Older children can also enjoy rock climbing, sea kayaking and dinghy sailing.

To make an enquiry email woec@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Tax-free childcare is a government scheme that provides eligible families with a 20% top-up on childcare costs, up to £500 every three months per child up to the age of 12, or £1,000 for a young person with a disability under the age of 17.

n To find out more on tax-free childcare visit: dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/-/tax-freechildcare-information-for-parents

New vision of Mary Anning in book

Local fossil expert Wolfgang Grulke has created a new Mary Anning book in collaboration with Dorset school children, using AI to conjure up a vision of how she might have looked. There is just one painting of Anning, and Wolfgang, who is an expert on the Jurassic Coast, wanted to rectify this, with a fascinating new take on her life.

Wolfgang boasts one of the world’s finest fossil collections, which he keeps at home in Oborne, acquired from a descendant of Mary Anning. The book, published with Lyme Regis Museum, is

titled She Sold Seashells … and Dragons, as a nod to the nursery rhyme she inspired. It is 200 years since Mary Anning’s famous plesiosaur discovery.

A spokesperson for Wolfgang said: “She’s such a popular figure on the school curriculum, and this book shows her in a remarkable new light – using AI and with the collaboration of Dorset school children and the Lyme Regis Museum in Mary’s home town, Wolfgang has created new images of Mary showing her as she may have appeared in her younger years, when she discovered

many of her most famous finds.

“Can you believe there is only one image of her from her lifetime, a painting created in her later years?! This new book aims to connect modern children with this incredible historical figure on a new level – they can relate to her and see themselves in her.”

Wolfgang said: “As well as working with the Lyme Regis Museum to get the facts right, we engaged children from Sherborne Prep, and other schools in the area, in the creation of the AI imagery for the book. The students were so excited to be able to

connect with Mary in this way – to see her not as an ‘old-fashioned’ woman painted in a traditional style, but as a contemporary; young and vibrant and someone they might meet on the street! And, that fossil collecting was something that they could do too.

She Sold Seashells … and Dragons. The Curious Mary Anning. Re-imagined is published by At One Communications, £12 hardback, ISBN: 9781916039452. Out now. Find out more: maryanningreimagined.atone. org

Number of female boat builders increased at academy

The Boat Building Academy and Furniture School (BBA) in Lyme Regis has seen female enrolments rise from 0 to 25 per cent on some courses.

The BBA, on Monmouth Beach, teaches

both modern and traditional boat-building methods.

Will Reed, director and co-chair of trustees, made it a priority to increase opportunities for women students.

He said: “Gender does not dictate what people are capable of doing, or not doing – it should be irrelevant. We are determined to make the BBA a welcome place for all.”

SOMETHING ABOUT MARY: Anning as re-imagined by Wolfgang and Dorset schoolchildren alongside the one painting of Mary

DEM BONES: Wolfgang with his collection, kept in a converted barn in Oborne Pic: TERESA MARTIN

Sea shanties raise £400

Masons in Beaminster raised £400 for the National Coastwatch Institution for Lyme Bay and the Beaminster Community Bus service, at an evening of sea shanties by The Bridport Broadsiders. Wanda Blake of the NCI and councillors Chris Turner and Alan Dawkins of the community bus service received their cheques from lodge chairman David Craddock.

Charity smashes a record at 8th show

Dorset Blind Association broke its fundraising record during its eighth annual motor show at Lulworth Castle in May. The charity raised a record £29,828.44 after welcoming more than 6,000 members of the public through the gates. The event featured a stunning array of cars, from vintage classics to modern supercars, and included more than 60 stallholders offering a variety of products.

Attendees enjoyed live performances from the Rock Choir, Lisa Locarno, the Bournemouth Carnival Band, also known as The Spiderman Band, and The Land Girls. Children’s entertainment, provided by Jamie Jigsaw, included shows, circus workshops, and stilt-walking. For more information about the Dorset Blind Association and how you can support their work, visit dorsetblind.org.uk

Long and short term care for the elderly

HIRING LOVELY CARERS FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME: Come and join our friendly team l Full / part-time hours, nights and days l Free uniform, PPE and DBS check

Contact Lisa to have a chat on 01305 786568 or email lisa@primroselodge-weymouth.co.uk Primrose Lodge – Dorchester Road, Weymouth primroselodge-weymouth.co.uk

Long and short term care for the elderly

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

This could be the last time: Chesil

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

It’s the end of an era this month, as Tim and Hilary Warren host ‘probably’ the last three-day Chesil Rocks festival at their Langton Herring home.

Far from being just a rock festival, this year will feature a stand-up comedy night, an opera and classical night and a fabulous line-up of local musical acts from 80s rock to ukuleles, to rap, and everything in between. Alongside them will be two acts coming from further afield – the superb London Gay Men’s Chorus and Royal Sounds, an epic reggae band recently invited to provide the soundtrack to the British Library’s advert for their exhibition on 500 years of black music.

The event was launched in 2012, after the couple were urged to build on their legendary party-throwing abilities and go all out and arrange a public event.

They decided to raise money for the Samaritans, as Tim’s career in the police force had involved him attending a number of suicides.

Tim, who retired from the force at the rank of Chief Inspector, said: “I remember them all. I remember the families, especially – and if I am thinking about them, what about the people left behind?”

that every branch has to raise their own funds to pay the bills – telephone, IT, everything. They do street collections and organise cream teas and that all takes a lot of time.

“They need to raise £40,000 a year in Dorset and last year’s festival raised nearly half of that.”

Rocks. We also wanted to give Sarah, one of our four daughters, a stage as she was starting to show promise as a singersongwriter. These days she has to come back from LA to perform – luckily she has a DJ set in London at the end of June.

Tim and Hilary have raised

£108,000 over ten festivals – £18,000 last year.

Tim said: “In 2011 I became friendly with the director of Dorset Samaritans, who lived in the village and I learned

Hilary said: “Tim and I have always been party animals – any excuse and we’d put up a marquee.

“Someone said, you could charge for this and that gave us the idea for Chesil

“We really enjoy providing platforms for local musicians. Most of our bands are local.”

Toymaster, which has shops in Weymouth and Dorchester, is a great supporter of the event,

FESTIVAL FUN: Tim and Hilary Warren are hosting Chesil Rocks at their Langton Herring home from June 20-22

Rocks ready for a big finale, maybe

The festival has two stages and a huge range of music and comedy. Below: The London Gay Men’s Chorus will be making a popular return this year

giving tombola prizes.

Riskstop in Dorchester is the main sponsor. Scores of local people also volunteer to help.

Tim said: “Most people know someone affected by suicide. It’s assumed that even if you can talk someone through, at some point they will succeed in ending their life, but that’s not the case. More often if you can get someone though that critical phase they should be all right. “You can save people with that phone call.”

Hilary is a dentist, though she would really have liked to have chosen art as a career and she spends much of her free time painting. Art plays a big role in the festival too, with people invited to paint a canvas for the auction – just email if you would like to take part, and they will send you a canvas. A silent auction of all the artworks raised £1,000 last year.

Although there’s a huge amount going on, Chesil Rocks is small enough to

remark on how lovely they are. We even grow sweet peas to put outside the loos! Sweet peas for sweet pees…

“Portesham lends us their bunting, which transforms the place. The Samaritans sell cream teas and there’s a soft play area and a quiz for the kids.

“This is probably our last festival – it’s such a lot of work. But we do have a lot of help, too. MN Walker and 3SC Scaffolding put up the stages and the road signs for free. And we have about 50 volunteers –Riskstop provides quite a few.”

There will be various food offerings, with a vegan stand and a pizza stand too.

Dorset Wood Fired Pizza is providing free pizza in the interval on the Thursday comedy night and there will be a glass of prosecco on arrival to the opera and classical night on the Friday, where there will also be a magician. There’s an exhibition of promises and gifts, for which they need donations –whether that’s a hamper or a ride in a classic car… anything that will raise more money for such a great

feel cosy, with two stages and an amazing ‘green room’ under the trees for the artists.

Hilary said: “An amazing group of ladies look after the toilets. People always

To book tickets, or offer anything for the raffles, tombolas, art auction or the auction of promises and gifts, go to chesilrocks.com or email chesilrocks@gmail.com or find the festival on Facebook.

FIELD OF DREAMS:

Caring for your bundles of

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

A specialist baby shop in Bridport has been keeping our babies and children safe for 42 years.

New and expectant parents, grandparents and families from as far afield as Cornwall, Wiltshire, Southampton and London have been making a special trip to Babygear on the Dreadnought Estate for everything they need.

In 2016, Derwent and Tracey Walsh took ownership of Babygear, aiming to continue its tradition of providing great advice, exceptional customer service and a wide range of equipment for those first few years such as travel systems, pushchairs, car seats, cribs, cots and bedding, baby clothing and gifts.

Derwent said: “We are a bricks and mortar store, with a 42-year history. We are trusted

PRAMTASTIC: Derwent and Tracey Walsh at Babygear

because we give our customers a truly bespoke, personal service, offering demonstrations and giving people the time and space to try things out. It is vital that any piece of baby equipment works for the parent or carer. We stock a wide selection of the most trusted brands and offer a selection of best solutions to meet our customer’s needs.”

“People really can’t do better

for baby equipment than to shop instore. Many people are tempted by the bright lights of online deals, but what people don’t realise is most of the time, we offer a better deal.

“Very often good deals online are not as good as they seem, for example, car seats may be being sold cheaply as they are being phased out as new tougher regulations come in.

“If things go wrong with a piece of baby equipment

purchased online, the buyer will need to spend time getting back in touch with the store online, packing it back up, waiting in for it to be collected and then waiting in for its return. The process can take weeks. If a piece of equipment goes wrong and it is bought from us, in many cases I fix the problem instore and immediately. In most cases of course, things don’t go wrong, our brands are some of the most trusted.

“If people buy online, they cannot test out the product and photos can be very misleading, particularly for budget prams. At Babygear we run through all the features of a pram and encourage customers to then try it for themselves. It is crucial to get it right and for people to be happy with their purchase.”

n babygearprams.co.uk n 01308 422552

Event to help people in need

Dorchester Poverty Action, which has been helping people in DT1 and DT2 for over 30 years, is holding a coffee morning to raise funds after a spike in need. DPA helps people at points of crisis by providing emergency grants of up to £250 via a professional’s referral. During the cost of living crisis the charity saw a 47% increase in grants given out.

A spokesman said: “In the last financial year referrals have returned to a more normal level, but still many

people, especially those on Universal Credit, are finding it very difficult. Over the last few months grants have been given for a washing machine, cooker, nursery equipment, school uniform, basic furniture including a bed, and emergency repairs on a car to get to work.”

The coffee morning will be held on Saturday, July 13 from 10am-noon at United Church, South Street, Dorchester. There will be refreshments with home made cakes, stalls and a raffle.

Prestige awards for beach

Weymouth Beach has won both the Blue Flag and Seaside Award again.

Environmental charity

Keep Britain Tidy sets high standards for the awards, which recognise clean, safe beaches which meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.

This year 61 sites, including an inland water, were awarded both the Blue Flag and Seaside Award, while 13 sites, including a marina, received the Blue Flag only and 76 beaches received the Seaside Award only.

Annual Veast for county society

The Society of Dorset Men held their annual dinner, the Annual Veast, at the George Albert Hotel, on the A37.

The dinner has been held for the past 118 years, firstly in London where the society started and from the 1960s in Dorset.

President Lord Fellowes and his wife Emma joined nearly a hundred members and their guests, including Dorset’s Lord

n Britain’s longest suspended rope bridge has been unveiled at The Blue Pool, Wareham.

The owners of the Blue Pool Nature Reserve and Tearooms at Purbeck said they are proud to announce the 50m bridge’s opening as a way of offering a “thrilling experience for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike”.

Winterborne Kingston Village Hall (DT11 9AZ)

A clean, bright hall, in the centre of Dorset, available to hire by the hour, session or day. Convenient location, capacity 50-70 depending on format, kitchen, toilets, tables and chairs, portable stage, wi-fi, parking. The hall has regular clubs and societies and is also used for parties, training courses and village events. Booking and enquiries to Karen Ben Amor on 07939 090697

Lieutenant Angus Campbell.

After dinner they paid homage to blue vinny cheese – a poem was read by Dorchester’s new town crier Anthony Harrison.

A raffle raised £185 for foodbanks and the Hambro Challenge Cup, was awarded to Rob Bonnett for his outstanding performance at Came Down golf course at Dorchester.

College plan for community arts

Weymouth College is embarking on an exciting venture to create a sustainable, community gallery at its Cranford Avenue campus.

The gallery will be built using recycled and reclaimed materials by community volunteers.

The venue will be used to showcase the work of the college’s talented art students, local artists, as well as hosting a programme of touring professional exhibitions.

The college is hoping to raise £15,000 for the project, with an online fundraising campaign now live and an official launch event set to tie in with the students’ end of year art show in June.

It is hoped the gallery build will then start over the summer holiday.

A £50 donation will see your name etched on to one of the tiles on the gallery (200 available), £500 will see you named as an official sponsor of the gallery, and named in promotional material, and £1,000 will see you named as an official sponsor, and a student award in your name at the final student show for the next five years.

Donations of any size are welcome at justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/weymouthcollege

n For more information or to get involved, email marketing@weymouth. ac.uk

ANNUAL EVENT: Society of Dorset Men’s Annual Veast with WDM cartoonist Lyndon Wall, left, and Lord Fellowes, front

Home-Start’s £900 is pride of Lions Club

Home-Start Wessex was delighted to receive £900 from Weymouth & Portland Lions Club.

Home-Start West Dorset was forced to close last year due to a lack of funding. Home-Start Wessex immediately stepped in to extend its reach to cover West Dorset. The donation will enable Home-Start Wessex to fully expand its work into Weymouth and Portland by training volunteers to support families.

Sally Smith, Home-Start Wessex grants partnership manager, said: “For the last 28 years, we have provided family support to local vulnerable and

disadvantaged families with at least one child under five. We are working hard to keep up with demand, so that is why this £900 grant from Weymouth & Portland Lions Club is so important for us and will help us fully expand our services into this area of Dorset.” Club president Ryan Hope said: “One of the main principles of every Lions club worldwide is to help children in need. I feel this grant will achieve that aim. So, where there is a child in need, there is a Lion.” For further information about becoming a volunteer, go to homestartwessex.org.uk

Jon takes chain of office

Cllr Jon Orrell has been elected Mayor of Weymouth, with Cllr Caroline Nickinson elected Deputy Mayor.

Outgoing Mayor Cllr Kate Wheller and outgoing Deputy Mayor Cllr Alex Fuhrmann were both thanked for all their hard work over the previous year. Cllr Kate Wheller raised around £550 during her year as Mayor which will be split between the British Heart Foundation, the Friends of MV Freedom, and the Evergreen Suite at Westhaven Hospital. Cllr David Harris was reelected leader.

THANKS VERY MUCH: Lions Club president Ryan Hope hands over the cheque for £900 HOME HELP

Need some help with

Give me a call to

Have your say on info hub for women’s health

A virtual hub for women’s health information is being created by NHS Dorset – and they want to hear from Dorset women.

The hub will provide all information, education, awareness, self-help, and service provision concerning

women’s health for the women of Dorset. Views and experiences of women and girls in Dorset are being sought until June 12.

Although women in the UK live longer on average than men, the evidence shows they spend a greater

proportion of their lives in ill health or disability. NHS Dorset are working closely with Dorset Women Community Interest Company (CIC) and other partners.

Complete the survey by clicking the link at nhsdorset.nhs.uk/news

Signs are good at college Deaf Awareness Week

Visitors were given an insight into the life of a deaf person at Weymouth College when students marked Deaf Awareness Week with a demonstration lounge, lip-reading challenge and valuable information from health professionals. And visitors were captivated by a unique performance by students in

song and sign. Deaf Awareness Week is a time to celebrate diversity, promote understanding, and build a more inclusive world for all.

A spokesperson said: “Here at Weymouth College, we’re very proud of our popular part-time courses in British Sign Language (BSL) taught by fully-qualified

staff, designed to teach learners to communicate on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language for all abilities at Level 1 and 2 qualifications.

“Our thanks to all involved in organising such an engaging, memorable event and to those who came along and took part.”

It’s going to be a very wild weekend

Learn how to wild your garden at a new Wilding Weekend event coming to Hooke, near Beaminster on June 15 and 16, 10.30am4.30pm.

There will be expert talks, tours, stalls and the chance to see moths at Hooke Farm, Hooke, DT8 3NZ, hosted by sustainability pioneer Julian Hailes MBE.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust will be there, along with Dorset Wildlife Trust and the

Dorset Mammal Group, which promotes hedgehog conservation among other things. You can buy Bee Happy plants and seeds, enjoy delicious lunches at Mello View and have cakes and ice creams along with your Clipper Tea.

On the Sunday there will be a giant puppet show.

Speakers will include Benedict Macdonald, author of Rebirding and Cornerstones, talking about his nature restoration business – Restore.

Kate Rawles, author of The Life Cycle, will talk of her experiences cycling the length of South America on a bamboo bicycle and Trewin Restorick of Sizzle will be talking about their Enrich the Earth campaign to replace peat with sustainable alternatives.

Sam Rose of West Dorset Wilding will be talking about the new landowner and farmer-led charity taking action to restore ecosystems and increase

nature in West Dorset, through rewilding and regenerative agriculture and Julie Leah of The Great Big Dorset Hedge will be talking about the importance of hedgerows for wildlife and why we need to look for alternatives to garden bonfires.

Stallholders will also include Bridport Bookshop and The Great Big Dorset Hedge.

n Tickets are £8 for adults, £4 for children.

COMMUNICATING TOGETHER: Using sign language at Weymouth College Deaf Awareness Week

Bus route just the ticket for villages

A new trial bus route connecting the villages of Martinstown and Winterbourne Steepleton has started.

First Wessex’s X51 bus service will be diverted on a trial basis until September, following successful campaign efforts by residents, the Dorchester Transport Action Group (DTAG), and MP Chris Loder.

Stewart Palmer, chair of DTAG, said: “The X51 trial diversion is the result of local agitation and tremendous community involvement. We all want this to be a commercial success for First Wessex, and it depends entirely on residents and visitors using the service. There has never been a better time to use the bus, with the £2 bus

fare which will run until December 2024. The service will help connect communities for work, employment, and leisure activities.”

Mr Loder said: “After 10 years without a proper bus service, I’m pleased to

have helped restore the X51 route through the villages of Martinstown and Winterbourne Steepleton. I would especially like to thank First Wessex, Stewart Palmer, chair of DTAG and Les Scarth, who has

campaigned tirelessly for a bus route through the villages.

“I would strongly encourage residents to use this trial service, as passenger numbers will be used to assess the route’s long-term viability.”

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

ALL ABOARD: Dorchester Transport Action Group chairman Stewart Palmer, Les Scarth and, left, with the X51, MP Chris Loder

Student gets growing so he can get going

A Weymouth student is aiming to sell a thousand pot plants to help fund a once-in-a-lifetime school trip to Borneo next year. Daniel Bushell, 15, is taking part in a four-week Camps International expedition with Budmouth Academy.

He is among 20 students undertaking a five-day trek exploring Borneo’s jungle ecosystem and tropical wilderness, helping to protect the country’s environment and learning about orangutan conservation.

They’ll live in a rural village and work alongside local people to support community development. To help cover some of the £5,000 cost of the trip, Daniel is planting out a

thousand pots with perennial seeds.

He hopes to sell the plants, including cornflowers, lupins and sedums, from June onwards.

To get him off to a good

start, recycling company Eco Sustainable Solutions, which has sites in Parley, Piddlehinton and Weymouth, donated two 1m3 bulk bags of multipurpose compost, each

weighing around half a tonne.

Daniel described the donation as “very generous” while his dad, Paul, who is helping with the fundraising campaign, said: “We’re just completely overwhelmed.” He added: “The compost would have cost a lot so to receive such a large donation free of charge is just amazing. We’re incredibly grateful to Eco.” Daniel, of Wyke Road, is also planning other moneyraising ventures including selling off old Lego pieces. The Camp Borneo expedition is in July 2025.

n Anyone interested in purchasing the pot plants can email plants@liritek.co.uk

POTTED: Daniel Bushell with his dad Paul and Eco’s Bryony Hammond Picture: ANDY DIPROSE

Being creative is a sign of God’s love

By Canon Deb Smith

When I lived in the north there was a project to build a huge new arts centre in the dockland development that was taking off in the area. The plans were lavish and incredibly exciting. It was going to be a state-of-the-art, modern glass and steel structure housing a theatre, an opera house, an arts museum, galleries and lots more.

But it was to be sited across the road from some of the most deprived areas of the city, and some people protested that money was being poured into this project rather than into something more useful.

Services

Sherborne Abbey Weekday Services

Twenty-five years on and the Lowry Centre is one of the most successful Millennium projects in the country, it has made a huge impact on those living around it, and its lavishness and extravagance is appreciated and celebrated in the city – it even makes a profit. It is a space open to everyone.

This week the actor Timothy Spall received a Bafta award for best actor at an awards evening held in the theatre in the Lowry Centre. He called on political parties jostling for votes in the current election campaign to value the arts and how they build up communities and change lives.

The impulse to celebrate life

Monday to Saturday at 8.30am, Morning PrayerThe 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 CommunionThe 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

Sunday, June 9

Sherborne Abbey 8am BCP Holy Communion

9.30am Parish Eucharist

6pm Choral Evensong D-Day 80th Anniversary

St Martin of Tours, Lillington 9.30am BCP Holy Communion

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

Burton Bradstock 11am Holy Communion

by art and music and extravagant gestures of devotion is part of our likeness to the God who set the stars in their courses at the foundation of the world. That the Lowry Centre has flourished in an inner-city area which was once so grey, says something about the reckless beauty which gives life, and which finds its source in God.

Something of this God-like extravagance is to be found in the way people dare to dream up so many ways to make a difference in our communities. In these days of mounting fear about the cost ofliving crisis, the plight of planet, and appalling conflicts across the world,

Litton Cheney 9.30am Morning Worship

Swyre 11am Morning Worship

Puncknowle 9.30am Holy Communion

Shipton Gorge 9.30am Morning Worship celebrating

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Littlebredy 11am Holy Communion

Abbotsbury 9am Holy Communion BCP

Portesham 10am Family Praise

Langton Herring 11am Parish Communion

Sunday, June 16

Sherborne Abbey 8am BCP Holy Communion

9.30am Parish Eucharist 6pm Choral Evensong

St Martin of Tours, Lillington 9.30am Morning Service

St James the Great, Longburton 10am Family Communion

St Mary Magdalene, Castleton 11.15am Mattins

St Mary Magdalene, Loders 9.30am Celtic Worship

St Mary the Virgin, Powerstock 11am Benefice

Eucharist

St Paul’s, Broadoak 6.30pm Holy Communion

Burton Bradstock 9.30am Café Church

Litton Cheney 6pm Evensong

Swyre 11am Holy Communion

Long Bredy 9.30am Morning Worship

Portesham 11am Parish Communion

Langton Herring 10am Family Praise

Thursday, June 20

Sherborne Abbey 3.30pm Friends of Sherborne

Abbey Afternoon Tea and Evensong

5.30pm Choral Evensong, Abbey Girls Choir

Friday, June 21

Sherborne Abbey 11am Remembering the Fallen

Sunday, June 23

Sherborne Abbey 8am BCP Holy Communion

where do we turn?

Don’t we need more than ever to value that extravagance in offering hope, and a helping hand to one another? Those who volunteer in food banks, in opening their homes to refugees, who offer their time in all kinds of projects to make life better for others, those who are good neighbours, and who by their creativity open life for us all and bring us together. There are countless ways people of faith, and of no faith, who show extravagant goodness which build us all up –and we need them now more than ever.

9.30am Parish Eucharist 6pm Choral Evensong

St Martin of Tours, Lillington 9.30am Morning Service

St Paul’s at the Gryphon 10.30am Morning Worship

St Mary Magdalene, Castleton 11.15am Mattins

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

Burton Bradstock 8am Holy Communion

Litton Cheney 9.30am Morning Worship Puncknowle 11am Café Church

Shipton Gorge 11am Holy Communion

Littlebredy 11am Morning Worship

Abbotsbury 10am Parish Communion

Portesham 9am BCP Holy Communion

Sunday, June 30

Sherborne Abbey 8am BCP Holy Communion

9.30am Parish Eucharist 6pm Choral Evensong

St Martin of Tours, Lillington 9.30am Morning Service

St Paul’s at the Gryphon 10.30am Morning Worship

St Mary Magdalene, Castleton 11.15am Holy Communion

St James the Great, Longburton 6pm Hymns and Pimms

St Saviour’s, Dottery 11am Benefice Eucharist

Sunday, July 7

St Mary the Virgin, Powerstock 9.30am Morning Prayer

St Mary Magdalene, Loders 11am Benefice Eucharist

LOCAL VIEWS:

Rough Seas off Portland and, right, Late Afternoon on the Hardy Way

CONTRAST:

View from Eype Cliffs and, right, South Goa at Dusk by Richard Corbett

Artist’s landscapes exhibition a definite Goa

Inspired by the dramatically different landscapes of West Dorset and South Goa, artist Richard Corbett will be exhibiting his work later this year.

Time by the Sea is taking place from July 26 to August 5 at Eype Centre,

following a previous exhibition there last August.

Richard said: “This year I will be exhibiting paintings that have been inspired by the coastal landscape of West Dorset and also South Goa. “The contrast in colour, light and

form between the two coasts has given me a chance to experiment with a new palette. This year I am raising money for The Living Tree, a registered charity based in Bridport which offers friendship, creative activities and holistic therapies.”

Author’s fest talk a thing of Wonder

When author Iain Dryden gives a talk at Lyme’s Fossil Festival in early June, he will say the title of his new book, The Wonder Coast, encapsulates the effect The Jurassic Coast has on those who visit this dazzling area.

The book took Iain a year to create and he says the arduous task of capturing the area’s complexity did him ‘the world of good’. In January last year, Iain could hardly recall nor comprehend a paragraph he had just written and his artwork failed to capture what he saw. After suffering brain-seizures and much worse due to a

FOSSIL FESTIVAL TALK:

Author Iain Dryden

series of severe internal hospital-acquired infections, grateful to still be alive, he instinctively felt a challenge would lift him from his muddy little puddle.

Having already written several books, one

endorsed by MIND and another which inspired posters placed in London hospital staff-rooms during covid, the coastline rippling between Poole Harbour and the mouth of the Exe River became his next project.

Iain enjoyed sketching the topography and settlements, and back home he wrote about this landscape, whose timespan reveals much of life as we know it. Twelve months on, this lightly written publication filled with greyscale images he maintains is proof that, ‘generally, we can lift our attention above our

afflictions’.

Iain said: “The Wonder Coast’s aim is to relish this enchanted seascape in its entirety. The abundance of world-class natural features have their backstories; history, both recent and very distant illuminate cosy wee nooks along the way. “The Wonder Coast shows us that even our simplest acts are important, that our tiniest choices can help to redress the balance between humanity’s activities and the world’s multiple ecosystems.”

n Iain will talk about The Wonder Coast at The Fossil Festival in Lyme Regis on Sunday, June 9.

One of the first military wives choir to be formed after the Gareth Malone TV series will be appearing in Lyme Regis as part of the D-Day 80 commemorations.

Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion are organising a concert by the Lympstone Military Wives Choir at the Woodmead Halls on Saturday, June 8. The concert will conclude a weekend of events being co-ordinated by Lyme Regis Town Council to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 1944.

The Lympstone choir was formed in 2011, one of the first to come together after the TV series.

The Military Wives

New

Military Wives on song to mark D-Day anniversary

Choirs is a community of more than 2,000 women in 72 choirs across the UK and internationally. They were formed to celebrate a love of singing and a communal understanding that comes from members’ shared experiences of the Armed Forces.

They welcome all women whose lives are currently affected by their military connection, resulting lifechanging friendships that lead to new and uplifting experiences through singing.

Singing in a choir has

been proven to increase wellbeing and improve mental and physical health. With no auditions and no pressure to perform, the Military Wives Choirs give their members the opportunity to spend time with women who truly understand the challenges associated with military life.

Lyme RBL president Philip Evans said: “The concert will provide a fitting climax to a weekend of events that will honour the 11 men of Lyme who made the

supreme sacrifice.”

The concert will be held at the Woodmead Halls and tickets, costing £8, are on sale at the Lyme Regis Town Council offices.

Other D-Day 80 events include an exhibition in the Jubilee Pavilion on the seafront, organised by Lyme Regis Museum, the laying of wreaths at the War Memorial, a parade along the Marine Parade before the lighting of a beacon, a free showing of The Longest Day at the Marine Theatre and an afternoon tea.

arts festival to feature something for all ages

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.

Festival director Maryanna Clarke said: “It doesn’t matter what your artistic tastes are, there will be something on offer to whet everyone’s appetites.

“And no doubt some surprises in the mix too.”

For tickets visit fixr.co/event/labyrinth-artsfestival-2024-tickets-95961 1605

n For more information visit oldschoolplayerstheatre.co. uk/labyrinthartsfestival

ON SONG: The Lympstone Military Wives Choir will be performing in Lyme Regis as part of the D-Day 80 commemorations

Culture

Discover the captivating world of an

By Karen Bate karen@westdorsetmag.co.uk

A new exhibition at Mapperton House is giving visitors a glimpse into the captivating world of Alberta Sturges Montagu, the 9th Countess of Sandwich, and an American heiress from the renowned era known as The Gilded Age, until August 29.

Curated by Mapperton’s American Viscountess, Julie Montagu, the American Heiress collection includes more than 10,000 previously unseen letters exchanged between Alberta (Sturges) Montagu and her family, as well as the peerage at large.

Dating from 1888 to 1951, these letters constitute the largest unpublished private collection of correspondence from the period. They offer a remarkable glimpse into the life of a ‘dollar bride’ during the Gilded Age, shedding light on both triumphs and struggles. Alberta Sturges Montagu was a woman ahead of her time, deeply devoted to the Indian Hindu monk

Swami Vivekananda, which shaped her unconventional spiritual views and her dedication to faith and service to others. This devotion was evident during the turmoil of the world wars when the Earl of Sandwich family seat at

Hinchingbrooke House became a refuge for those in need.

The exhibition explores Alberta’s formative years in America, her upbringing in Chicago and New York, and the significance of her inheritance. Visitors will

Club’s swimming with Delilah

Weymouth Drama Club enjoyed a sell-out run of Godfrey’s Last Stand, even with an extra date in Langton Herring.

The club will return at the end of June to The Bay Theatre at Weymouth College with the comedy The Sweet Delilah Swim Club, which tells the story of five women who

were coached together as part of a swim team and who continued to meet every year, for a weekend away for 30 years.

Tickets from weymouthdramaclub. com

The club is always looking for new members and has an active junior clubs too.

unravel the captivating courtship between Alberta and George Montagu, the future 9th Earl of Sandwich, leading to their marriage in 1905 in London.

The narrative will culminate with her relocation to Hinchingbrooke House, the original family seat, in 1916 as the new Countess, following the death of the 8th Earl of Sandwich. The exhibition takes innovation to the next level by introducing Alberta AI.

Viscountess

Hinchingbrooke Julie

ON STAGE: Weymouth Drama Club presents The Sweet Delilah Swim Club

THE GILDED AGE: Alberta Sturges Montagu on her wedding day, July 25 1905, Alberta four years earlier and, far right, in 1901. Below: Julie Montagu, Viscountess Hinchingbrooke, the curator of the exhibition at Mapperton House

American Heiress

Montagu said: “With the aid of cutting-edge AI technology, we’ve resurrected Alberta’s voice, allowing her to answer visitors’ burning questions about her remarkable journey.

“Ever wondered how she felt transitioning from America to England?

to the chilling account of the Titanic’s sinking, and beyond!

“Or what her thoughts were on marrying into the aristocracy?

“We can dive deep into her experiences, from navigating the tumultuous waters of two world wars

“As curator of this exhibition and as an American who also married into the Sandwich family, I’m immensely proud to present Alberta Sturges Montagu’s captivating journey through the Gilded Age. Her story, brought to life through her extensive personal correspondence, offers a unique window into a bygone era of glamour, resilience, and profound humanity.”

Wide range of artworks on display at Yard show

Sladers Yard is hosting recent paintings and drawings by Vanessa Gardiner until July 12, with a talk by the artist on June 21.

The works are featured alongside Yo Thom studio pottery and Petter Southall furniture, and in the café there’s a group show of artists from Dorset including Alex Lowery, Frances Hatch, Julian Bailey, Caroline Sharp and more.

Vanessa’s new paintings of Boscastle, Tintagel and Godrevy, subjects she has loved all her life and has painted often and brilliantly, are reinvigorated in this

exhibition by the addition of Orkney. Daring dazzling paintings reveal the new energy this dramatic new location has brought to Vanessa’s work.

Yo Thom’s work draws on both Japanese and British pottery traditions and practices. She uses stoneware which is thrown, slabbed, coiled and pinched into delightful simple forms.

Petter Southall’s recent work celebrates the trees whose exceptional wood he is using in simple beautiful forms that only a mastercraftsman could create.

n Tickets for the talk are £12 and doors open 6pm.

LIZZIE BALL

Photo: LezliRose

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?

Two of the isle’s great characters

Stuart Morris is one of the island’s treasures. He is the author of Portland in the Discover Dorset series and published a further five books with them on Portland, two on Weymouth and one on the Royal Navy in Dorset. His book Portland: An Illustrated History has become a go to reference book for island lovers.

Born and bred on the isle, Stuart’s father’s family can be traced back to the 1600s, while his mother’s parents were from Bridport and Weymouth. In 1966 Stuart and his wife bought part of a ploughed field on Weston Road and built their house. Stuart, a civil engineer, was working for local authorities on highways at the time and designed the house himself. A couple of years later the family moved to West Sussex for work but homesickness and a job coming up with Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Council saw them returning home for good. In 1964 it was necessary to build sea defences at Chesil Cove. The land was sliding into the sea and storms were likely to cause erosion. Chiswell was taking a continuous battering with flooding during heavy storms so something had to be done.

Stuart designed the curved section of the sea wall at the cove and his office was a shed on the site for a year while he was overseeing the construction. He says he is still sometimes consulted by current engineers. His love of photography

developed into film making and he has his own YouTube channel. Amongst numerous fascinating short films on the history of Weymouth and Portland, he has made a documentary on coastal protection and he wrote the script for a two part documentary on the island in 1998, based on his Illustrated history book, featuring Dorset presenter Kevan Sheehan. Stuart is still making films so check out his channel. He is pictured with one of his own treasures, a Bakers of Portland lamp post that he saved from being scrapped!

Lyn Kirkland is an encaustic wax artist, rare today but very common in ancient Greek and Roman painting. Lyn is one of only a handful of people in the UK who teaches the technique using a medium of beeswax and tree resin from Indonesia. She can

be found in St George’s Studios, Reforne and has students travel from all over the UK and even abroad, for her one-toone, day-long workshops. Her move to Portland in 1998 was romantic. She went on a blind date, meeting a Scotsman, Hamish, who was working for the MoD and lived in Southwell. They first met halfway in Stockbridge, Lyn, originally from the Midlands, drove from Basingstoke where she worked for IBM. Her second date was on Portland – she thought she was driving to France it

was such a long way. But that, she says, was that. She fell in love with the island and the man. Twenty-six years and two sons later she has only moved across the road as they outgrew their tiny Portland stone cottage. Hamish makes the frames for her work, which is fascinating to watch as she layers and melts the wax. She says she does things on a daily basis that she hasn’t done before, it’s a very experimental process which makes it forever exciting. She can ‘embed’ photos in the wax, creating a beautifully ethereal effect and creating a lasting memory in a work of art. No, it does not melt in sunlight. She loves that Portland can be old fashioned in some ways and appreciates the community feeling, that people will knock and say ‘you’ve left your lights on/car door open’ etc. She loves history and Portland is teeming with it, the History Centre is next door to her studio with archives that people come to use when tracing family history, stopping to chat with her and sharing their research stories. She loves the light and says it’s like being on a Greek island. n See lynkirklandart. artweb.com

ISLAND LIFE: Stuart Morris and Lyn Kirkland

Beaminster will soon be buzzing with a fortnight of music and entertainment with the 27th Beaminster Festival.

What could be more quintessentially English than a picnic on a sunny summer’s evening in the fabulous grounds of The Manor House, Beaminster, watching Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest? on June 19, 6pm, picnics from 4.30pm. The Rain or Shine Theatre Company promise ‘splendid costumes, multiple role-playing, a whiff of Monty Python and crystal-clear diction’. There is plenty of other entertainment to be had: Martin Smith aka the Oom Pah Man returns with the Beamfest Comedy Singalong, which includes supper. Come with friends or on your own – you will be sure of a warm welcome on June 24 at 7pm in the Public Hall, Beaminster.

Storytelling is very popular, and bringing a touch of the exotic, Emily Hennessey and Sheema Mukherje on sitar conjure

There’s a real buzz going on with 27th arts festival

up tales of celestial celebrities, daredevil demons and gods behaving badly. This is a coffee concert on June 26, at 11.30am.

The pair will be entertaining the children of St Mary’s Academy in their delightful Storyden throughout the next day. More fun for local schools will come with concerts by Bone-afide, a trombone quartet, courtesy of the festival and the Cavatina Trust. It’s vital for children

to see young, enthusiastic players of orchestral instruments and be amazed at the virtuosity. Bone-afide also give a public performance of pop classics and jazz on June 28 at 11.30am.

The festival is renowned for its top quality classical concerts. Star names this year are Guy Johnson, international cellist on June 23; Mishka Rushdie Momen ‘one of the most thoughtful and gentle British pianists’ on June

25, Ben Goldscheider, French horn, BBC Young Musician finalist 2016 on June 26; and Matilda Lloyd, top trumpet player, on June 28, not to mention Emma Johnson on June 30.

All these evening concerts start at 7.30pm and unless otherwise stated, the venue is St Mary’s Church, Beaminster.

n beaminsterfestival.com or TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

Boabab keeping up the beat for half a century

REVIEW

Orchestra Baobab Poole Lighthouse

By Tom Dale

Last November, Orchestra Baobab unveiled 50 Ans (50 Years), the first track from the Senegalese outfit’s forthcoming album that marks a halfcentury of their trademark fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms, pop hooks and native griot storyteller tradition. And in May the group, formed during

the late sixties in a Dakar nightclub, brought their unique sound to Poole Lighthouse, playing a blend of classics and modern releases. Striding on stage with a vigorous, ‘Bonsoir!’ the group kept the energy high throughout, while seemingly never breaking a sweat. Featuring original members as well as newer recruits, the well-polished eight-piece’s performance was record tight and from the moment the band took to the stage, they captivated the audience with their presence.

Each member of Orchestra Baobab displayed exceptional skill on their respective instruments, from intricate guitar and saxophone melodies to the pulsing rhythm section, each musician had their moment to shine. What really stood out, though, was the group’s chemistry and interplay on stage, and their ability to connect with the audience, inviting us to dance and sing along.

Despite being a seated theatre, the group had almost the entire audience on their feet by the end of the show.

OOMPAH: Beaminster Festival is to enjoy a comedy singalong

Special guests at festival to delight classical followers

The Cerne Abbas Music Festival is once again presenting Chamber Concerts by leading musicians from the UK and beyond.

The festival has been a highlight of Dorset’s Classical music calendar for 32 years and is continuing to evolve with the Gaudier Ensemble being joined by friends and colleagues with a similar passion for Chamber music. There will be several weekends of music each year in Cerne Abbas

and other local venues.

From July 12-14 Dutch violinist Marieke

Blankestijn, leader of the Rotterdam Philharmonic and guest leader with the English Chamber Orchestra and many other European ensembles, has devised three programmes reflecting her many and varied passions. Marieke has played and directed on numerous recordings, including acclaimed versions of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Bach’s Concerto for Two violins

CERNE DATE: Violinist Marieke Blankestijn

with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. The first concert on Friday, July 12 at 7pm in Cerne Abbas church will feature pieces by Arcangelo Corelli, JeanBaptiste Barrière, JS Bach and Telemann.

On Saturday, July 13 at 7pm in Cerne Abbas church there are classical and romantic works by

Dohnanyi, Rossini and Mozart and Hummel. Marieke moved to Martinstown some years ago and has chosen her beautiful barn at Ashton Farm as the perfect venue for the final programme.

On Sunday, July 14 at 5pm in Ashton Barn in Martinstown (DT2 9HA) there’s an uninterrupted hour of Scandinavian and Scottish folk tunes, South American Nuevo Tango and Austrian Foxtrots.

A further date for your diaries is Cerne Abbas Church from October 2527, a three-day festival entitled Around Mozart. Tickets are £20-£25 from Ticketsource.

n For more information go to cerneabbasmusic festival.org.uk

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

It’s a summer bonanza for arts fans

Enjoy artistic performances in the open air this summer as Dorchester Arts announces an impressive seasonal showcase. In the company of characters as diverse as Sherlock Holmes and Captain Hook, there will be laughter, drama and tears during eight outdoors shows at venues including Maumbury Rings and Athelhampton House. Beginning at the Rings, Calf2Cow will deliver their Sherlock and Watson tale A Murder in the Garden at 7pm on June 7. This brand-new adaption is an outrageous comedy jampacked with slapstick and pumped full of live music and rock ‘n roll.

Celebrating all of Sherlock’s wonder, mixed with a fresh take on a brand-new tale, organisers say this will certainly be a comical night out that will leave you smiling.

The HandleBards present a Comedy of Errors at the Rings from 7pm on June 26. Pedalling from venue to

A new book and a new nom de plume for author Alison

A Sherborne author has published her fourth book – a 21st century swashbuckling romance set in northern France, Switzerland, Qatar and London and Broughton, a fictional town not dissimilar to Sherborne, during 2022.

Alison Slack, 48, is a selfemployed author and companion to her disabled ex-partner. She has written three children’s books under the name of Gigga Black: The Scritch, The Barnacles and Skylark and the Dragon.

Her fourth book Eternal Fire is written under the pseudonym Katie Whitlock, and features two lovers who rescue the female protagonist Emmie’s kidnapped brother from under a lake in Switzerland. They are instructed by an ex-cabinet minister to steal some Picassos to pay for UK debt. The couple end up in Qatar with the Crown Prince of Dubai during the 2022 football World Cup and a heist ensues to claim back a world-renowned pink diamond.

venue with their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, the HandleBards are a four-strong troupe of actors who will host a velocipede-powered production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. Hamlet will be performed by the all-male The Lord Chamberlain’s Men at Athelhampton House at 7pm on July 19.

The Rain or Shine Theatre Company invites you to join the upper crust as they present the Importance of Being Earnest at Maumbury Rings at 7pm on July 25.

Cabaret artistes Charlie Bicknell and Louise Innes present a theatrical, darkly humourous operatic show –

Alison said: “This book is written loosely based on reality with about 95% fiction but also inspired by life experience. This is my first adult novel and it’s been an absolute joy writing it.”

n Eternal Fire is £7.99 at WH Smith, Waterstones

with an element of the unexpected – during their Summer Sunday show at Whitcombe Manor from noon on July 28. Dorchester based Sisata presents Peter Pan on August 1 at 6pm at Maumbury Rings. Illyria presents Dr Dolittle on August 9 at 6pm at the Rings in a fun and family friendly, musical show. Rounding out the eclectic programme of entertainment, The Pantaloons present the Merry Wives of Windsor at the Rings at 6.30pm on September 6 – an “innovative and interactive” spin on this classic comedy. n See dorchesterarts.org.uk

and Noble, plus Dorset bookshop Winstones and Austin Macauley Publishers. The Kindle edition is £3.50.

AS YOU BIKE IT: Shakespeare with The Handlebards

FOURTH BOOK: Alison Slack and, right, Eternal Fire

Quality kitchens and bathrooms, with extra WOW

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

“Designed to Work. Designed to Wow.” This is the raison d’etre of Russell Sandrey, director of Designa of Weymouth and Poundbury.

“Our designs do both.”

There is something almost magical about creating a new kitchen or bathroom, study or living space, an alchemy of function and vision.

Russell said: “With a strong understanding of design which

achieves both form and function, we can deliver outstanding and intelligent designs to suit any budget.

Whether you are looking for contemporary or traditional, innovative or practical, we can realise your dream.”

And the beauty of Designa, is that it takes customers through the whole journey, from a vision to installation, with a strong focus on aftercare.

“Our pride is reflected in everything we do, from your initial design consultation,

PROPERTIES

WANTED

throughout the installation process, to our aftercare support. When embarking on your home improvements, make sure you get at least three quotes, and always make sure one of them is from us.”

Since Russell opened his studio doors in Weymouth 2008, with a workforce of just two, Designa has fast become a reputable, family business spanning three generations, with a growing team of talented individuals.

“The showroom celebrates the very best of British manufacturing, and showcases inspirational design of kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

“Whatever the weather, the coffee is always on and we’d be delighted to see you,” said Russell.

Designa has indeed become a flagship in the sea of innovation, design and installation.

And Russell and his team have opened a new second showroom in Pouncy Hall, Poundbury.

n Weymouth: Unit 1 Avon Court, Avon Close, Granby Ind. Estate DT4 9UX 01305 767711 n Poundbury: Unit A Pouncy Hall, Liscombe Street DT1 3DF 01305 520848 info@wowdesigna.co.uk www.wowdesigna.co.uk @wowdesigna

Getting rid of weeds can be a bind

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

The most accurate definition of a weed is ‘any plant in the wrong place’. So this may not necessarily mean couch grass, ground elder or bindweed – although I’d better talk about those later.

How about these for two weeds that are growing well at Castle Gardens, our garden centre in the walled kitchen gardens of Sherborne Castle:

The first is an unusual variety of horse chestnut with a wonderful Latin name Aesculus x neglecta ‘Erythroblastos’ commonly known as the Sunrise Horse Chestnut or Caroline Horse Chestnut. This by definition has to be a weed as it is in the wrong place in our garden.

It was ordered by a customer in 1989 and we sourced it from Hilliers Nurseries. It had a price tag of £75, which was an awful lot for any plant in those days. It arrived as a stick about 6ft in height with two grafted buds at the top. We contacted the customer, but they never returned and the tree, which was field grown and bare rooted, was heeled into a spare bit of ground in one section of the walled garden behind our house. This over time became our garden and the tree is still there!

It is beautiful with shrimp-coloured young foliage and now some yellowish flowers in the spring. It grows in early spring spurts as all horse chestnuts and has put on about three inches’ growth each year. This makes it a mighty 12 feet tall with a spread of about six feet and it is a real delight. A few years ago, someone featured the variety in the Telegraph gardening section who clearly had never seen the tree as they described it as attaining some 75 feet in height! I think not, in my experience. Some sources say 25 to 35 feet but it will take another 100 years for that to happen. Anyway, we love the tree, and also how it got there!

Another weed (by definition) that we have is the Robinia pseudoacacia that is, as I write, in wonderful white pea flowers over the wall in the shrub area at Castle Gardens. This again is in the wrong place in the garden centre and was also purchased for

someone who decided against it. This came from R V Roger of Pickering in Yorkshire and was a fine specimen in 1990 when it arrived and was heeled in. It hasn’t moved since and is a great quirky shape. The white flowers when they arrive are superb and have a great scent too. It is the green leafed form from which Robinia Frisia is derived. R. Frisia has golden leaves and is a lovely tree too but usually grown for its foliage. Some weeds are so prolific that it is illegal to encourage them to grow. This includes Japanese Knotweed, introduced by the Victorians as an ornamental plant. It is in fact beautiful, especially in the autumn and the winter with the frost and dew adorning the skeleton of the plant. The problem is it is so vigorous and invasive it even will force its way through concrete. Control has been difficult and is best carried out in the autumn with systemic herbicide as the plant starts to die back for the winter. However recently a biological control has been found in the form of an insect (a psyllid called Aphalara itadori) that has a great appetite for the weed. It is hoped that this will control the plant without chemicals saving councils in particular millions of pounds every year. One of the toughest weeds is horsetail, which dates back to prehistoric times and so could be described as a survivor! Chemicals can control it but as it is resistant to herbicides it has to be bruised before application. This is tricky. I was speaking in North Perrott a few years ago and some great gardeners in the audience told me about using Calendula – the old fashioned marigold, to get rid of horsetail. Planted in amongst a patch of Horsetail in their own garden calendula had eradicated the whole patch in a year. I tried it myself for a customer suffering with the problem in Child Okeford who also managed to eradicate the outbreak caused by a delivery of topsoil from a rogue builder. In a similar vein according to an old gardening volume I read, couch grass can

be controlled by sowing turnip seed. Hormones exuded from the turnip kill off the couch grass roots apparently. Finally, as promised, how to deal with bindweed. Firstly with kindness! Say pleasant things as you put a wigwam of canes in an area where there is a bad infestation. Then when the Bindweed has grown up the canes and perhaps even flowered, very carefully cover the plants below to protect them and spray the Bindweed with pelargonic acid. The herbicide will be taken back into the roots and two or three weeks later results should be seen.

I have also seen reported that calendula will also nobble bindweed too but I haven’t as yet had success with that method myself.

SOPHIE ROSE

Made to measure soft furnishings

Curtains, Roman blinds, roller blinds, cushions, lampshades & upholstery 01308 861064 sophierosesoftfurnishings.com

Doors, safes, vehicles & keys ( 07709 545701

paul@parrottlocks.co.uk | parrottlocks.co.uk

Homes & Gardens x

Clean it: It’s cheaper to maintain than renew

DRAIN BRAINS

By Jak Norwood of Valley Drains

Buildings that are constructed from materials such as brick, glass, wood, waterproof membranes and

cladding require regular cleaning to prevent any decay of substrates. Many people don’t realise that the major cause of building deterioration is from carbon emissions. If they are not cleaned regularly then the aesthetic

appearance and appeal of the building facade can be affected.

Even natural elements like rain, snow and wind can continuously affect the building exterior. Wind staining is often visible around the walls and corners of high buildings whilst rainwater stains can be seen wherever there is heavy flow underneath the roof and windows. To deal with this type of wear and tear, it is important to hire professional cleaning services to maintain the substance and look of your building.

and sometimes expensive deterioration repairs – it’s cheaper to maintain than renew.

If all these areas are cleaned regularly then it can help protect the building in the long run and avoid further

Valley Drains offer a full package of external cleaning of gutters, soffits and fascias deep cleaning. Cold high-pressure washing and hot water and steam low-pressure washing for all of the areas that require a more delicate touch. A full package of drainage services also come under the companies umbrella including drain cleaning and unblocking, repairs, CCTV and drain tracing. Inset is a photo of a gull we came across while cleaning gutters! We do come across some sights... n Call 07958 335973 or email darren@ valleydrains.co.uk

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 WANTED

BUYS ALL TYPES OF TOOLS Call 01935 428975

Nervetype (5)

Expanding (7)

Speediest (7)

Killer Sudoku

Pro: Place 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3×3 box. No digit may be repeated in any dashed-line cage, and each dashed-line cage must result in the given value when the stated operation is applied between all of the digits in that cage. For subtraction and division operations, start with the highest number in the cage and then subtract or divide by the other numbers in that cage.

2 Shabby (3-5)

3 Cavitycontainingliquidsecretion ( 4 Anycountrysurroundedbywater ( 5 Abridge (8) 6 ‘Immediately!’onahospitalward ( 7 Power (6)

13 Tainted (8)

14 Admittoagroupviaaritual (8)

15 Showsscorn (6)

17 Illuminates (6)

18 Smalllaugh (6)

20 Hogwash (4)

22 ‘Mybad!’(4)

Across

1 AreaIcastlooselyaroundIndiaasbelonging totheEast? (7)

5 Repulsivebowtiedukediscarded (4)

10 Peevishfellowleftruglargelyinamess (7)

11 IndividualinbordersofHungarygetstermof endearment (5)

12 Firstpersonperforminginchargeofan ancientorder? (5)

13 Numberwithattempttodetainalegal official (6)

15 FormerreligiousbooksIstarttocheckbeing outlandish (6)

17 Passbymiddleofriotsinturbulentreign (6)

19 Intechworkofaracialnature (6)

20 HorrifyaScandinavianafterrevolution (5)

23 Unspokenagreementacitysealed (5)

24 RankEnglishchurchwith50amidlong period (7)

25 Steeringapparatusinborderaroundlake (4)

26 Composeagainnoteonlegaldocumentclose tocase (7)

Down

2 HarsholdEnglishnovelist,we’retold (5)

3 Afinefiancéeplayingwithtotisloving (12)

4 Man,say,Idefamewithnosignof hesitation (6)

6 CompanynotewellSAportwith liveliness (3,4)

7 Indecisivefigure,secondpersonsnubbed twice (2-2)

8 Policemanonleavecookedrice (7)

9 Properhatgothturnedoutwithtime disappearingforrecorderofanevent? (12)

14 Refuserangeofproductsafterlastpartof year (7)

16 Workonalinereceivingalotofcredit regardingvision? (7)

18 Southernrevolutionarywriterrevealsplan (6)

21 GuideunusualnumberoverFrench department (5)

22 Headingoff,getridofteasingdesire (4)

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

Can you solve these brain chains entirely in your head? Start with the bold value on the left of a chain, then follow the arrows and apply each operation in turn. Write the result in the box.

Jack trumps Jack with record-breaking haul

WHAT A CATCH: Jack Copp with his record-breaking haul

Jack Copp smashed the DDAS junior match record during a points match held at Todber Manor. Jack’s record-breaking 260lbs 13ozs haul on Homeground Lake smashed Jack Cryer’s previous best mark of 200lbs 7oz.

Warm sunshine greeted the participants for a special match that was split into two halves. The first half was feeder only, and the second using only float fishing techniques. Jack, who was trailing behind

early leader Austin ScottKennedy in the first phase, came back to blitz the rest of the field in the second phase with some eye-opening pole fishing skills. Austin had to settle for the runner up spot with 189lbs 10ozs, with third place going to displaced record-holder Jack Cryer, with 160lbs 2ozs.

n For more information about DDAS Juniors go to ddasjuniors.co.uk or contact juniors.sec@d-das.com

PRIZE: Albany Smith with a prize-winning silver eel in the West Bay Angling’s latest junior match

Golf day nets £8k for air ambulance

Former professional footballer and media celebrity Neil Razor Ruddock was among the players at the Bridport and West Dorset Golf Club, as Bridport Round Table’s first charity golf day raised over £8,000 in support of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Ruddock was on top form, sharing choice tales from his playing days and signing sporting memorabilia for sale at the auction.

The event featured 18 teams competing across 18 holes and other in-game competitions, before retiring to the club house for the auction, followed by dinner, drinks and entertainment.

The teams in attendance

dug deep to buy some unique lots, which included signed shirts from Ruddock’s former Premier League clubs.

Main organiser Daniel Cree was very pleased with how the day went. He said: “We have wanted for some

CLOCKTOWER RECORDS:

PROUD SPONSORS OF LOCAL SPORT

time now to get another event in the calendar alongside the Beer Festival, the Boxing Day Swim, and the fireworks. With access to such a great course in Bridport, golf seemed an obvious choice and also an opportunity to

do a more corporate style of event to that which we usually put in.

“Given the support we have seen historically from local businesses at our charity events, we expected to make something, but to make over £8,000 on the first time is brilliant, and we are extremely happy to give all of that to support the exceptional work done by Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

“We are already planning for next year, so watch this space.”

Bridport Round Table are currently looking for new members; anyone who is interested is invited to contact bridportround table@gmail.com for more information.

GREAT EFFORT: Bridport Round Table's golf day raised over £8,000 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance

Club enjoys trophy presentation night

Bridport RFC held its annual award dinner at a packed-out clubhouse on Saturday, May 4, with former England international and British Lion, Mark Regan MBE, appearing as guest speaker. The popular event was a sell out, with attendees enjoying a three-course meal, followed by speeches and awards for the adult section of the club.

Among the senior players group, main awards went to Jake Brook (Most Improved), Harrison Wilkins (Young Player), Nathan Herbert (Coaches’ Player) and Hugh Vivian

(Players’ Player). There were also awards presented to Guy Livingston, for his tireless work to support the

club, as well as to Joanna Leins, who has been the physio with the senior team for six years and will be

stepping down at the end of the season.

Touch for all ages and ability will begin on Wednesday, June 5, with weekly sessions at 6.30pm running for six weeks until the seniors begin pre-season training. New players are always welcome. Bridport RFC club are running a number of events over the summer, with details across the club’s social media channels.

Ammonite’s impressive debut at world championships

A new wooden gig, partlybuilt at the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis, has made its debut at the World Pilot Gig Championships.

Ammonite, crewed by men from Lyme Regis Gig Club, finished top of Group C in the annual event, which welcomed 441 crews to the Isles of Scilly during the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

Craft from across the South West of England and Europe race 1.6 nautical miles from St Agnes to St Mary’s to determine their seedings for subsequent

heats. Groups of 12 crews then competed for their final position by racing in two heats from Nut Rock back to St Mary’s (1.1 nautical miles).

Rob Hounslow of Lyme men’s team was

commissioned to build Ammonite by his club.

Rob said: “The weather was fairly good over the weekend. However, as it progressed, the wind picked up along with the swell. It was a bit of a baptism of fire for Ammonite with lots of difficult races back-toback, but she held up well, as did her crews.

“Our Women’s Super-Vets

(over 50s category), Men’s Vets (over 40s category) and Women’s A crew, all secured excellent results in the gig over the weekend.”

Ammonite continues Lyme Regis Gig Club’s tradition of all its wooden racing boats being built in the Dorset town. The three existing boats, Rebel, Black Ven and Tempest, were all built by local boat builder and Rob’s fellow BBA graduate Gail McGarva.

Ammonite’s next race will be at Ilfracombe Gig Rowing Regatta on Saturday, June 15.

BIG NIGHT OUT: The annual awards dinner at Bridport RFC

GOOD GIG: Ammonite and, right, Rob Hounslow with the gig during the build

FOOD REVIEW

Shave Cross Inn, Bridport

By

John Clements, chef at The Olive Tree, Bridport

It’s not every day you find yourself booking a table at a 14th-century former monastic barbershop and holy-watering hole. Late spring. Deep in the Dorset countryside down twisting, winding, narrow lanes. A very hairy pilgrim route indeed, with a few close shaves to boot, on a quest to find a decent Sunday roast. We’re following in the sacred footsteps of Dorset’s very own

patron saint, the mysterious Breton-Princess-healer, St Wite.

The Shave Cross Inn is under new stewardship. Don’t normally make a habit of early visitations as this is only their first week offering food. But, the team here aren’t novices. They’ve got prior. Plus the inn is a bucolic, Benedictine, thatched, free-house. Pub garden to die for replete with wishing-well and pond. Bursting with history. Flagstone heavy. Can’t think of a better foundation upon which to build a foodie-

following. I have to confess, for my penance, on Sundays I’m normally working, so today is a rare blessing. Looks like the weekly menu is ultra-trad pub-fare. Fish and chips, burger, rump steak, pie, gammon, bangers and mash, mac and cheese. Sunday roast menu today is sirloin of beef, turkey, gammon and nut roast. Also, they’re floating a Farmers Grill. It’s a serious feast of meats sourced from top-class butcher, Framptons. Late spring and no paschal

lamb on any of the inn’s menus. Hmmm.

Oh well, I chose pink sirloin of beef and my Yankee sidekick had the turkey, thanksgiving style. Condiments for the roast were sorted before the food arrived. Professional touch. Honeyed parsnips and carrots were stand-out divine.

Miraculously, prayers were answered and the sun shone, so we partook al-fresco. Heavenly. This place has seen well over 600 years of service, thanks to the life of St. Wite. It’s very early days for the new incumbents. Wish them well.

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.

All aboard for a maritime recipe book

It’s only taken us two years to get here, but we finally did it! We threw off our lines and started our circumnavigation of the UK in our traditional 1970 wooden sailboat called September Moon. Expecting to take around four to five months, we will be returning to our home in Portland toward the end of the year.

To keep me busy on passage, I’m putting together a recipe book of sorts – a tale of our sailing trip along with some interesting recipes of sweet regional treats from the

Portland Dough Cake

Ingredients

Dough:

300g strong white bread flour

½ tsp salt

10g lard

1tsp dried yeast

1tsp sugar

150mls hand warm water

Filling:

50g brown sugar

225g currants *see note below

110g lard

1 tsp mixed spice

1tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Method

places we sail by. As I write this to you, I am sitting in the late afternoon

sun. We are moored up in Gosport waiting for a favourable weather

Start by making the dough. Dissolve the sugar in the water and then stir in the yeast. Let this activate until it’s frothy, around 10 minutes. Sieve the flour and salt together in a large bowl and rub in the lard. Add yeast mixture

and work until it is a firm dough. Knead on a floured board until smooth and elastic, then place in a clean bowl covered with a tea towel and pop in a warm place until doubled in size.

Remove from the bowl and punch it down to remove the puff. Stretch the dough into a large square and sprinkle with the sugar, spices, fruit and lard. Fold in half and press

window to push us around to Seaford. It’s not a bad life really. I baked a Victoria sponge cake this morning for visitors and that went over really well. I wanted to reference Hampshire, and it is believed that this famous cake has its origins at Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s holiday residence on the Isle of White.

This month, I thought I’d share with you my recipe for a traditional Portland Dough Cake. I baked and shared this with friends the day before we set sail.

down, fold again to make a small square and then lightly knead to distribute all this loveliness throughout the dough. Make a ball with the dough and place this into a prepared 18cm round cake tin. Let rise again until doubled and then bake in a 150C preheated oven for 80-90 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it sounds hollow when you tap the top. Remove from oven and brush over honey to give your cake a beautiful sweet and shiny glaze. This is lovely served fresh on the day of baking with maybe a dollop of cream or toasted with a slathering of butter the day after.

n Currants are the traditional fruit added to this cake, but you can add what you like.

I actually couldn’t find where I stored my currants so used a mix of golden raisins and cranberries instead. It was delicious!

SUCH ELEGANCE: Sherryn Sanderson’s September Moon

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.

There have been a few glimmers of summer and promises of warmer days to come next week.

We hope to leave behind hot comfort food, replacing it with an inclination for light salads along with the plethora of fruit and vegetables we have at this time of year.

Recent headlines blasted across the media declared ‘Food prices returning to normal prices!’ What’s normal?

Who are they kidding and who exactly comes up with these statistics?

Am I the only one that thinks that this is just political rhetoric prior to the fun and games on July 4?

Inflation may be falling but food prices are still rising and, as someone who home bakes, prices of flour, sugar, oil etc have risen to an all-time high.

High manufacturing costs increases costs to foods containing sugar such as chocolate, sweets, and fizzy drinks.

Home baking keeps the high costs down

Global supply constraints and poor harvests in North Africa and Europe have driven prices up with no evidence of prices coming down anytime soon.

A rather gloomy outlook but do not be put off from baking; it’s still cheaper and much better for you. No additives, just pure ingredients. I try to turn hum-drum recipes into extra special dishes and the recipe below is one of the easiest, cheapest and a real showstopper.

Chocolate Baileys Espresso steamed pudding with chocolate sauce

175g/6ozs butter (stork margarine)

175g/6ozs soft brown sugar

3 eggs

175g/6ozs SR Flour

Cacao powder

Glass of Baileys or Baileys

Espresso Créme liqueur. You can substitute this with brandy or Rum.

125ml Double Cream

150g Bar Chocolate, chopped.

1tbsp sugar

Baileys

Generously grease the

inside and lid of a 1.2 litre/2-pint lidded pudding basin. These are really cheap to buy if you haven’t already got one and is a great cupboard stalwart. Using a whisk, beat the butter, sugar, and eggs together until light and fluffy. Sieve the cacao power with the flour and mix into the egg mixture until a dropping mix. Mix in the Baileys or your choice of flavouring to the mix.

Pour into the pudding basin and snap on the lid. Do not over fill.

Place the basin into a pan of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for 1 ¾ hours. The pudding is done when you insert a skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean then it’s ready.

To make the sauce – Heat the cream gently in a saucepan and add the sugar, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Take off heat and add the chocolate and liqueur - Voila, you have a luxuriously rich sauce.

Mum’s Kitchen... with Diana Holman

Pineapple Fruit Cake

The addition of pineapple to this cake makes it beautifully moist, with a delicious flavour.

Ingredients:

340g mixed fruit with peel

114 g butter

228g sugar

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

375g tinned pineapple rings (

drained weight) and given a quick whizz in a food processor to crush them

227g self raising flour

2 large eggs, beaten

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan.

Iine a 23cm round cake tin with non stick baking paper or a liner. Put mixed fruit, butter, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda and crushed

pineapple into a saucepan and boil for three minutes. The bicarbonate of soda will cause the mixture to fizz a bit. Cool slightly, then stir in flour, then slowly add in the beaten eggs

Pour mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for around 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin before turning out.

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.

Traditional favourite popular with all ages

Scotch eggs are popular with all ages. Serve with salad and mayonnaise for a delicious lunch.

To make breadcrumbs, I use the old crusts from a loaf which I grate or blitz in the food processor.

5 eggs (4 hardboiled; 1 beaten)

250g sausage meat

50g flour

100g breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme salt and pepper to taste Sunflower oil, for frying

Makes Four

Put a pan of water on the hob and bring it to the boil. Lower four eggs into the pan and simmer for nine minutes.

Take the eggs from the water, crack the shells gently and leave to cool in cold water (it makes the eggs much easier to peel). Peel the eggs and lightly dust with some of the flour.

Take a quarter of the sausage meat and press it flat in the palm of your hand. Take one of the hardboiled eggs and place it at the centre of the sausage meat, folding it round to encase the egg. Repeat until each egg is completely covered. If you fancy a change, mix 50g of

watercress in with the sausage meat. Put the breadcrumbs on a tray and mix with the dried thyme, salt and pepper. Crack the raw egg into a bowl and beat until smooth. In another bowl, put the remaining flour. Taking each scotch egg in turn, dust with the flour,

then dip in the beaten egg so that it’s fully covered, then coat all over with breadcrumbs.

To cook your eggs, heat about 5cm oil in a saucepan until it is very hot. Test it by adding a small piece of bread – the fat is hot enough when the bread starts to brown after a few seconds. You want to cook the eggs for four minutes on one side and then gently turn them over and cook for a further four minutes.

Take the eggs out of the pan and allow to drain on kitchen paper. If you aren’t going to eat them immediately, leave them to cool before storing them in the fridge. Serve with your favourite mayonnaise.

n Lizzie is open at the bakery on Fridays 10 - 12 and operates a box scheme for bread and bakes - have a look at her website. lizziebakingbird.co.uk Instagram: lizzibakingbird

POPULAR SNACK: Scotch eggs are ideal with salad

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.

In June 1944, Doris was an ‘ops’ girl, working from a secret location just outside Weymouth. As the Allied invasion forces gathered along the Dorset coast, her job was to help keep them safe from enemy air attacks. Doris was part of a surveillance operation that monitored the movements of long-range enemy aircraft. The main operations centre for her unit was hidden away in the cow house of a rundown farm near Osmington. Nearby, the most senior meteorologist in the American forces was keeping an eye on the D-Day invasion fleet gathering at Portland. Today, 80 years later, that same cow house is now home to holidaymakers. This month I’m telling the story not of a business, but of farm buildings where different types of business have been done. The farm is at Upton, near Ringstead. We know Doris was there in 1944, because she came back 50 years later. In June 1994 she was one of the first guests in the newly created holiday cottages at what is now Upton Grange. It was her first visit to England since leaving in 1946, and she had fond memories of the area.

The story of Upton Farm goes back several centuries. The earliest records show people living and working there in 1285, when it was

THEN:

Upton Farm at Ringstead before conversion

D-Day history of cow house that’s a holiday cottage

AND NOW: How the Upton Grange complex looks today

known as Upringstede. By the 1400s it had become Upton.

As families grew, so did the number of homes and the size of the farm. By the 1600s, Upton was home to several households. A prosperous sheep and dairy farm, it was probably supplying meat and milk to local villages, and perhaps the markets in Weymouth and

Dorchester.

During the 1700s Upton Farm became involved in the illicit business of smuggling. It was ideally placed to store contraband landed on nearby beaches. In 1720 smugglers were caught in the act of depositing casks in woodland near the farm, and in the buildings. They were soon released. Many smugglers were also part

of the farming community, not serious criminals.

As smuggling declined, the farm prospered, but only for a little while. By the early 20th century it was falling into disrepair. Perhaps it would have been entirely demolished if the RAF hadn’t moved in during 1941. They operated the early radar stations in the area. Upton Farm was now in the defence business.

Two years later Doris arrived, to serve her nation working in the operations room. She witnessed the build-up to D-Day, which brought thousands of American soldiers and sailors to the area. One of them became a friend and one evening, at the Smuggler’s Inn, Osmington, he proposed. That’s why she left Britain after the war, not returning until her holiday at Upton in 1994. Today the farm buildings at Upton Grange are selfcatering holiday cottages. Doris wouldn’t recognise the cow house, but neither would the farmers and smugglers who once used it. And it’s still something of a secret location, hidden away in the hillside above Ringstead Bay.

n Next month I’ll profile another historic Dorset business. If you know one, I’d be thrilled to hear about it. Email andrew@andrewknowles. co.uk

Café owner John delighted with awards haul

A popular café owner was visibly emotional as he picked up three awards after a tough few years.

John Fiori has run Dorchester’s landmark Horse with the Red Umbrella café on High West Street for 20 years. The popular eaterie suffered during covid and been further battered with energy bills tripling, but the big-hearted John is battling through, and making sure everyone is happy, from his staff to his many loyal customers. His fortitude and popularity were rewarded at the fourth annual Dorchester and Poundbury Business Awards, hosted by Marketing West – as he

won the Best Place to Work award and the My Favourite Business Award before being announced the overall winner. He was visibly moved as he accepted the awards, and more so on returning to the nearby café after the awards at the Corn Exchange, to be greeted with hugs from all his staff. He said: “Wow!!!

Absolutely flabbergasted. We’ve only gone and won three awards. We have been voted The Outstanding Business of the Year in Dorchester. “Thank you to all our customers who have supported us over the last 20 years. Thank you to all my staff for being there. “Most of all without my Frankie this wouldn’t have

happened. Love you all.”

Scores of customers rushed to congratulate him following the awards, which recognised stellar businesses in the area.

n Winners included: Independent Business: Goldcrest Jewellers

Café/Pub/Dining: Al Molo

Family Business: Al Molo

New Business: Nikki’s Little Play Café

Customer Service: The Florist of Poundbury

Retail: The Potting Shed garden shop

Young Entrepreneur: Ewan

Board of Purple Mortgages

B2B Business: Clipper

Contracting

Small Business: Casterbridge Chiropractic

We’re here to make wishes come true

Lisa Pharaoh is a solicitor and registered mediator with the Civil Mediation Council. Contact her on 01305 819696 or at info@pharaohlaw.co.uk

An expression of wishes is a vital document that guides how your assets and personal belongings should be handled upon your death. Unlike a will, which is legally binding, an expression of wishes provides nonbinding guidance to executors and trustees. It helps to ensure that your preferences are clearly understood and respected. This guidance can be especially valuable when dealing with discretionary trusts or pension benefits, where trustees have some flexibility in decision-making. Pharaoh Law offers expert assistance in drafting both wills and expression of wishes.

Creating an expression of wishes is straightforward but requires careful consideration to ensure it accurately reflects your desires. This document typically includes details about who

should receive specific assets, your preferences for the care of any dependents, and instructions for personal items that may have sentimental value. By clearly articulating your wishes, you help to reduce potential conflicts among beneficiaries and provide peace of mind that your intentions will be honoured as closely as possible.

Expert Guidance

Our specialist solicitors ensure that your expression of wishes is comprehensive and clear. We take the time to understand your specific circumstances and preferences. Peace of Mind

By formalising your wishes with our help, you can rest assured that your preferences are documented accurately. This can alleviate stress for both you and your loved ones.

Conflict Reduction

A well-crafted expression of wishes can help prevent disputes among beneficiaries. By clearly outlining your preferences, you minimise the risk of misunderstandings or conflicts.

Flexibility and Clarity

We ensure that your expression of wishes is flexible enough to accommodate changing circumstances but also clear enough to provide precise guidance to trustees and executors.

An expression of wishes is a crucial document for anyone with specific preferences about the distribution of their assets and the care of their dependents.

WELL PLAYED: John Fiori and the Red Umbrella team

Down to earth

Praise be to Codd for glassy discoveries

BEACHCOMBING with

JO BELASCO

BA Hons History of Architecture and Design

Hiram Codd, the Victorian English engineer and inventor, created an ingenious device which solved a pressing problem – a Codd bottle. It prevented fizzy drinks from going flat. More precisely, it utilised the fizz in the drink to force a marble in the neck of the bottle which blocked the fizz from getting out. These bottles of pop were often sold at the seaside, such as Lyme Regis, which was a famous spa town at that time.

To access the little marble in the neck of the bottle people would smash the glass and just leave the

I’VE FOUND MY MARBLES: One of Codd’s inventions, top. Above, green lips and blue shoulders, and a clear neck

shards on the sand. Now those same splinters of glass are being collected by a strange sub culture of humans called Seaglassers! They are the same pieces of glass and yet transformed by time, tide and storm into ‘frosted’ or ‘cooked’ sea

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 awardwinning Forager’s Calendar and in 2021 his Spotter’s Guide to Countryside Mysteries was published.

The pastoral history of West Dorset and its early adoption of enclosure (when large fields were parcelled-up into small fields) has ensured that hedges are common here and many of them ancient.

Some enclose a field of less than an acre – notably around the Toller Porcorum and Powerstock area. Yes,

glass. Collecting sea glass or making and selling art from sea glass is a growing business. And the Codd bottle marbles that the children forgot after a quick game on the sand have also have become very prized. In fact, the whole anatomy

of a bottle is auctioned off on dozens of Facebook groups including Tidelines and Beach Bounty or Seaglass and Stuff. The pecking order is not just based on how well frosted a piece is – colour is another very important factor. A whole Codd bottle which is well frosted and cobalt blue in colour can even fetch £1,000 in the right auction – not that I have ever found a whole Codd bottle of any colour. What I do find is more of a sea glass version of Frankenstein’s monster. An itinerary of bottle body parts: moss green ‘kick ups’ or mermaid’s nipples, Cobalt blue ‘heels’, black (also called Pirate glass) ‘necks’ , lavender ‘lips’, sea foam ‘shoulders’ and Kelly green ‘mouths’ can all be found in differing states of decay or renewal on our West Dorset shorelines. Happy beachcombing – as far as addictions go, this is a good one.

A wide variety of wildlife

some hedges have been lost, and the inevitable mechanisation of hedge ‘laying’ has done little to improve hedges for wildlife. However, hedges were introduced for stock control, protection of crops from four-footed wildlife, shelter, and demarcation of boundaries, requirements that are now irrelevant or fulfilled in other ways – barbed wire coming quickly to mind. Hedges, then, have lost their purpose

but very many survive in good condition both in their visual appeal and their ability to harbour other organisms.

The age of a hedgerow is an excellent guide to how many species are likely to be found within it, because it can take centuries for some species to establish.

Hedges consist of the trees and other woody plants that form their backbone, plus the plants that drape over them or grow at their base.

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.

Majestic foxglove attracting visitors

One of the very first flowers I learned the name of as a small child was the foxglove. I remember being quite in awe of the spectacular purple blooms stretching up on a tall stem way above my head and as for its name, it seemed to come straight from one of my fairytale books. A grownup must have told us something about them being poisonous and not to touch them as my sister and I grew up convinced that if we touched the spots on the petals we’d instantly get measles! The foxglove quickly became one of my favourite flowers and very much still is today. June is the peak month for foxgloves, both in my garden and growing wild in great numbers at the edge of our Dorset woodlands. I think one of the best sights and sounds is that of a bumblebee buzzing in and out of the individual flowers on a sunny day. The purple colour and the contrasting spots that we

didn’t dare touch both help to attract bees in to pollinate them. The shape of the flowers even provide convenient landing pads for the bees before they wriggle up inside. I love hearing the sound of their buzzing inside the flower, the vibrations helping to dislodge the pollen, before watching their furry bottoms reversing out! Foxgloves provide plenty of pollinator-attracting nectar

too, but insects need a long tongue if they’re going to get at it. The garden bumblebee has the longest tongue of all our native bumblebees, unfurling to 2 cm long, as long as its body, so not surprisingly it’s a common visitor to my foxgloves. The name foxglove dates back to at least Anglo-Saxon times, ‘glove’ is from the shape of the flowers but folklorists are divided over

the connection to foxes. Maybe they just grew near foxes’ dens or, much more imaginatively, perhaps sympathetic fairies gave them to foxes to muffle their approach to their prey. Fairy fingers, cow-flop, rabbit flowers and ladies’ thimbles are among more than thirty different pseudonyms for foxgloves, more than for any other wildflower. My sister and I of course, know now that you can’t get measles from touching the spots on a foxglove, but I’ve since learned that chemicals in the plant can have a strong and dangerous effect on the heart. Careful extraction of the chemical digoxin has provided modern medicine with an important drug for the treatment of heart disease but another old country name, dead man’s bells, was no doubt a warning to leave the plant for the bumblebees.

more than happy living on the edge of a hedge

Lichens, mosses and liverworts will appear, as will wood-rotting and other fungi. The various plants will host very many invertebrates, some of them to be seen as galls.

I once visited botanist Dr Rob Wolton to view an old 70-metre hedge he had spent two years studying. He had discovered that it housed 2,200 species of plant, animal, fungus etc. Some had not been identified when I spoke to him, so the number would be higher. I

also suspect that there were more fungi (micro-fungi, at least), and he did not seem interested in nematode worms. Let’s call it 2,500.

Crucial to Dr Wolton’s hedge was the rich countryside around it.

Hedgerows are edge habitats –double edge habitats, in fact.

‘Hedges are all edges’, as I once wrote. Edge habitats are often rich in species because of the interactions that become possible. In a hedge their will be interaction between

organisms that, say, breed in the hedge and feed in the adjoining pasture.

A hedge with only arable land adjoining it is, in effect, a linear island in a desert. For many years I watched yellowhammers busily flitting around the hedges near my village. Long gone now, due, not to changes in, or loss of, the hedges, but to changes in management of the land around them.

POLLEN DAY: A bee visits a foxglove for some nectar

Pic: SALLY COOKE

Down to earth

KIM BERLIN – A newcomer to the Rock

Verging on the ridiculous, or sublime?

It’s a policy decision that has divided families, communities and, indeed, the country. Column inches have been written about it in every major news organ, campaigning groups on both sides have tried to grab control of the issue on social media platforms and the disinformation merchants have spread their own peculiar slant on it, backed with AI generated images of something that never existed. No, I’m not talking about Brexit. I’m talking about the decision of many councils not to mow verges at this time of year – No Mow May!

I’m not going to sit on the fence. I’m a fan, hugely so. The benefit to local wildlife is huge, wherever you live, whatever the

Oggy’s Footcare

Looking after your feet at home

Janet Ogden DipFH MCFHP MAFHP

A quali昀ed foot health practitioner who will visit you at home to look after your footcare needs.

• Routine cut & 昀le

• Verruca freezing

• Fungal nails

• Thick nails

• Callus

• Corns

• Ingrown nails

• Diabetic footcare

www.oggysfootcare.co.uk

Call: 07824 486356

Email: oggysfootcare@gmail.com

situation of the verges. I first witnessed it years ago in Dorchester when visiting a friend. At first, I thought that the council had maybe run out of money to do it, but it looked fabulous, the slender gilt stems of the drying grasses swaying, susurrus in the breeze, an effect you’d be paying a garden designer handsomely to recreate. It has created a maelstrom of debate, both supporters and detractors passionately arguing their case. I can see instances where it wouldn’t be wise, impeding a necessary access or creating a road traffic hazard by obscuring vision, but these can be sensibly sorted out individually. Overall, I think the benefits massively outweigh the arguments against, that seem only to consist of complaints that it doesn’t look tidy, or you can’t use it as a shortcut with a pushchair. Unmown verges provide: n Feeding

Book at: oggys-footcare.selectandbook.com

stations for pollinators, aiding biodiversity

n Allows wildflowers to seed and spread

n Tackles pollution

n Locks away atmospheric carbon below ground

n Reduces urban heat

was almost nothing there before except for the odd daisy and dandelion. They are still there, but more profuse, I’m glad to say. But they have been joined by many others.

extremes

A report published by the University of Exeter estimated that the landmass of roadside verges in the United Kingdom amounted to about 1.2% of the total area, an area that is in fact about the size of Dorset. That is a significant amount of land which, if kept mowed and sterile, does almost nothing for our environment, but if allowed to grow and be recolonised by our wildflowers alongside the grasses, can provide significant wildlife corridors as well as increasing plant life biodiversity.

Last year about this time I observed two common blue butterflies mating on a long grass stalk in the verge outside my house. I would not have seen that there before No Mow May. Today I went to identify which wildflowers have moved in, because there

Like a forest, grasslands can be said to have a canopy, an understorey and a field layer, different levels of diverse plants that each sustain an ecological niche.

Today Beaked Hawk’s-beard and Sow Thistles are pushing it up there for the canopy layer whilst Common Mallow waits in the wings to take over later on. Wild Clary throws out elegant spires of royal purple whilst Yarrow is just beginning to get going with its dome shaped clusters of white flowers as a counterpoint to the rich purples and searing yellows. Close to the soil, Black and Spotted Medicks, Dove’s Foot Cranesbill and Field Madder twist through the taller stems, finding their place in the sunlight to advertise for a pollinator to visit. In just a few years of No Mow the list of wildflowers in this one verge alone has gone from perhaps just two species to too many to mention in the space of this article. And long may they continue to flourish and reproduce.

n Sources: Plantlife.org.uk, Guardian.co.uk

New scanner suite opens at community hospital

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) has opened a new CT scanner suite in Weymouth Community Hospital.

CT (computerised tomography) scans are used to diagnose conditions or check how well treatment is working. The new suite is part of a national drive to offer tests closer to home and help shorten waiting lists.

NHS England’s Community Diagnostics Centre (CDC) programme and the Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) programme is creating

additional facilities across the country for checks, scans and tests. The TLHC programme helps to diagnose and treat lung and breathing problems in

Improve listening skills & train to be a counsellor

Face to face counselling training recognised by the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) is being offered in Dorchester. Redlands Counselling & Training was launched in 2008 to help people learn to listen.

Founder Paul René said:

“We believe if everyone learnt to listen effectively, the world would be a better place. So often we can rehearse in our mind how we are going to reply while the other person is talking, and so miss what the other person is saying.

“Awareness of this, combined with learned listening skills, enhances our ability to help others and can improve all our relationships – at home and at work.” New classes are opening, with free online taster

classes and new Learn to Listen one day workshops in Dorchester and Salisbury. If people decide they’d like to progress from the workshop, the cost can be offset against the cost of the next course. Potential counsellors start with the Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills course. At Level 4 (Diploma level) placements in Redlands’ Community Counselling Service are available, to get the practical hours needed to qualify.

Once qualified, a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshops and courses, both online and in person, are available.

n All courses are now open for enrolment at redlands counselling.co.uk, email training@redlandscounselli ng.co.uk or call 01202 859354.

people aged 55-74 before they become serious.

The project to install the CT scanner was carried out by DCH in collaboration with Dorset

NEW SCANNER:

Senior radiographer Greg Loizou, Karen Bew, programme head for Dorset’s Community Diagnostics Centres, deputy radiology manager Simon Jones, senior technician Sophie McCaffery and DCH chief operating officer Anita Thomas beside the new CT Scanner at Weymouth Community Hospital

HealthCare, which runs Weymouth Hospital, and University Hospitals Dorset, the lead Trust for Dorset’s CDC programme.

Health & Wellbeing

Glorious trails, but watch out for the ticks

PILSDON

WALKING IN DORSET

with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade

Use the roadside car park just below Pilsdon Pen and from it climb the Pen, using the path opposite. The Pen used to be considered the highest point in Dorset as it has the highest trig point, but Lewesdon Hill, a few miles to the east is even higher but doesn’t have a trig point as it’s wooded so surveyors can’t use it for trigonometry.

I suggest you make sure all your clothing is tucked in before you explore the Pen as on several occasions I’ve found a tick attached to me after visiting the site. One in eight of Dorset’s ticks carry Lyme disease, which you don’t want. It’s

access land, so you can explore it as you wish, enjoying the views in all directions.

Make your way to the north side of the earthwork and join the Jubilee Trail, which leads you along the western side then south west to join the road next to Pilsdon Hill Farm. After a short way west along the road

the trail turns left, south west, at Templeman’s Ash and follows the trail downhill across fields for about three quarters of a mile to meet a road.

Turn right and follow the road south to a junction where you keep to the left briefly to explore the tiny village and its church before returning to the road to retrace your steps northward. Having passed a steam, join the Monarch’s Way on your left, which takes you uphill northwards across fields to Pilsdon Barn which the path skirts.

Look out for the white unicorn. When you meet the road turn left and head north westwards and soon you’ll be back at your car. You’ll have walked about three-and-a-half miles.

Are you suffering from the emotional pain of a broken heart?

Unresolved grief maybe at the root of any fear associated with thoughts or feelings about a past or present relationship

Unresolved Grief is about unmet hopes dreams and expectations that we had for the relationship

TESTIMONIAL QUOTE

I had some very difficult issues to deal with. My biggest issues have been caused by losing our very precious daughter, who was full of life. Since having my sessions with you I am feeling much lighter. Strange to explain really, but it is like a feeling like some dark clouds have been lifted. Recovery from grief is

“Fear is the most useless of all emotions. All fear does is root you to the spot so there is no moving forward!”

Quote - John James (Founder of The Grief Recovery Method)

Dulcie James

BRIDPORT - Cookshop

11 East Street, BRIDPORT, Dorset, DT6 3JU

T: 01308 425871

BRIDPORT - Gift and Homeware Store

4 East Street, BRIDPORT, Dorset, DT6 3LF

T: 01308 459854

SHERBORNE - Cookshop

29b Cheap Street, SHERBORNE, Dorset, DT9 3PU

T: 01935 817161

BEAMINSTER - Gift and Homeware Store & Café

22 The Square, BEAMINSTER, Dorset, DT8 3AU

T: 01308 863189 - shop enquiries and cafe bookings

Working together to give the customer the very best service

Working together to give the customer the very best service

10% OFF with this voucher at Mercato Italiano, Bridport

Unit3b Dreadnought Trading Estate DT6 5BU. Voucher can be used on Wednesday and Thursday, until July 15, 5pm-9pm at the pizzeria. mercatoitaliano.uk

10% OFF with this voucher at Smith & Smith, 8 West St Bridport Ts & Cs: This voucher can be used until July 15 in store smithandsmithonline.co.uk

12% discount on orders of £25

plus in June at Duir Soaps. Redeemable via duirsoap.co.uk or in person, using code SUMMER12 . See Whasson for all our workshops. 4 Abbey Farm, Abbotsbury.

10% OFF at WARMWELL

SADDLERY

Until July 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 July 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 valid until July 15 2024

DADS GET 50% OFF ENTRY ON FATHER’S DAY –

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2024

Book at monkeyworld.org

Voucher to be used by July 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. June only. Voucher cannot be redeemed for cash, exchanged or refunded. shirehalldorset.org

10% OFF with this voucher at Mirari Lingerie, Antelope Walk, Dorchester Ts & Cs: Minimum £100 spend. Voucher valid until July 10. mirari-lingerie.co.uk

10% OFF MINUTE TANNING SESSIONS at Tanning Cove Yeovil

4, Unit 14 Bartec, Yeovil BA20 2SU 01935 592375. * Voucher valid June only

10% off pots with this voucher at The Potting Shed

Open Weds-Sun 10am-4pm at Middlemarsh DT9 5QN

Voucher valid till July 15, 2024 ( 07940 803927 therapygarden.co.uk