The West Dorset Magazine Edition 21, Friday, November 18, 2022

Bridport filmmaker Lawrence Moore captured this shot at Seatown... but is all as it seems? Clue: It’s not sand.

Hooray! Play equipment unveiled after £85k fundraiser

Families gathered in the centre of Broadwindsor for the unveiling of the village green, which has been transformed in an £85,000 project. Villagers loved the exciting new play equipment in Bernards’ Place, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, Dorset Council’s Capital Leverage Fund, Sport England’s Places and Spaces Fund, the FMR Trust, which is administered by Broadwindsor Group Parish Council, and a successful Crowdfunder appeal.

Andrew Hookings, interim chairman of the Comrades Hall Management Committee, said: “It was lovely seeing so many children enjoying themselves and having fun.

“It was a real celebration, with people of all ages involved in cutting the ribbon. The village green is a place for everyone, of all ages, to enjoy.”

Bridport Round Table has also

pledged support for the project and will be buying a piece of outdoor gym equipment for the green.

Mr Hookings added: “There has been so much support for this amazing project in such a short time, from children donating their pocket money to residents of sheltered housing giving some of their pension money to our Crowdfunder appeal.

“We also have a fantastic, oakframed shelter on the green, which was put together by a team of volunteers led by local resident Malcolm Heaver.”

Mixed fortunes for climate measures

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Dorset Council says it is making progress towards net zero – with a £10million budget to switch to electric vehicles, LED street lighting and measures to make its buildings more eco-friendly. However the news comes as it emerged its councillors refused permission for a large solar farm near Maiden Newton, despite the plan broadly having the backing of the parish council and the local community.

A spokesman for Enviromena described the decision as ‘unexpected’.

She said: “We worked really hard with the community.” It remains to be seen whether this reluctance to approve solar farms in beauty spots will affect another solar farm planned on farmland between Buckland Ripers and Friar Waddon, just outside Chickerell, with a separate battery storage site near Weymouth Football Club. Statera Energy is planning a 1,300-acre solar farm and 57acre battery storage called

Chickerell Solar and Storage, anticipated to cost £200-£300 million.

Statera has outlined its plans on a new website, chickerellsolarandstorage.co.uk and invited nearby residents to a series of information events. The firm is expected to put in a formal bid for permission next year, with the project completed by 2027.

However the refusal of Enviromena’s application just outside Maiden Newton shows permission is likely to be hard won.

Councillors decided the impact of the 40-acre site on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) at Cruxton Farm would be just too great, despite the site promising to generate enough electricity for nearly 5,000

homes.

Enviromena said it would appeal the decision.

The firm’s European development director Mark Harding said: “We are bitterly disappointed with the decision. “We’ve worked very hard over the past 17 months while the project has been in the planning process to address all concerns.

“As a result, we shaped a scheme that has the full backing of the local parish council and kept visual impact to a minimum.

“At the meeting we sided with members of the committee who supported the scheme and highlighted the fact that the significant benefits of the project outweighed any perceived harmful visual impact from selected

viewpoints. We fully believe that our submission met all of the criteria for development in the AONB.

“We will now proceed with an appeal to ensure an outcome which not only recognises the need to satisfy local conditions but supports the urgent national agenda of delivering sustainable, renewable energy.”

The CPRE joined planning officers and Natural England in condemning the scheme, saying it would have a ‘significant impact’ on the AONB.

They also felt it would spoil The Macmillan Way – a 290mile footpath that links Boston, Lincolnshire to Abbotsbury. Plans to grow a hedge to obscure the solar farm from walkers were described as making walkers feel as if they were in a ‘tunnel’.

Public events for the Statera scheme will be held at Willowbed Hall, Chickerell on Tuesday, November 22 6pm8pm and Portesham Village Hall on Wednesday, November 23 between 1pm7.30pm.

GREEN: One of Enviromena’s solar farms near Winchester

New device set to save lives

Villagers in Pulham celebrated the installation of a defibrillator at a coffee morning at the Halsey Arms. The device has been installed at the pub after a fundraising campaign, helped along by Wessex Morris and grants from Pulham Church Fete and the British Heart Foundation.

Halsey Arms landlords Johnny and Elsie Adams allowed the device to be fitted to a prominent outside wall of the pub and they are providing an electric power supply. They also hosted fundraising events.

Wessex Morris practise in the village hall, retiring to the Halsey Arms afterwards, and were instrumental in reviving the project after covid got in the way.

The entire village pulled together, running various

events, to raise the funding. In addition many of the local businesses made very generous donations to reach the target so quickly. Mark Pritchard, a member of the Pulham Defibrillator Committee, said: “It is a massive achievement for a small community to complete this project in such a short timescale, exceeding our wildest dreams of when we thought it would be possible to have the device ready for

use. It shows the resilience of the village bouncing back from covid which had kept us apart.

“It’s a great example of what a small village can do collectively.”

At the launch several people volunteered to be ‘runners’ to bring the device to potential patients whilst CPR is being carried out thus ensuring the best potential outcome.

A training course also gained many applicants.

Ofsted praise

A new form of Ofsted inspection trialled in Dorset has found it is a time of ‘great positive change’ for the county’s special educational needs (SEND) provision.

Dorset Council says Ofsted’s newly implemented pilot for inspections found the ‘voices of children and young people, parents and families were heard’ by service providers. Ofsted said: “The commitment to change is evident on the ground, with a great shared passion across provisions and staff groups to make sure things are better for our children and young people with SEND. This is evidenced in practitioners looking to improve pathways and make changes that will benefit our families.”

Ofsted said the county ‘supported the ambition of inclusion’ and local staff ‘understood their area’s strengths’.

GREAT EFFORT: Villagers with their new defibrillator

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

Thursday, Nov 17

Expert local naturalist Professor Tom Brereton is giving an illustrated talk on the subject of the breeding birds of the Bridport area at 7.30pm at the Salthouse in West Bay.

In 2021, one of the biggest and most comprehensive surveys ever undertaken of the birds of a British urban area was completed for Bridport and West Bay. The results were remarkable but concerning too, highlighting the need for concerted conservation efforts. The survey was led by renowned local naturalist Professor Tom Brereton. Special guest Gavin Haig, a local bird expert will also discuss his unique nocturnal bird recording surveys as part of the presentation. This is the first public talk of the survey’s findings and is thus an essential event for those interested in wildlife and our precious local environment. Tickets £5 are available online or from Bridport TIC or the West Bay Discovery Centre.

Talk – Antarctica, The Falklands and South Georgia: Birding in the footsteps of Shackleton. Bridport WI Hall, North Street at 2.30pm. £5/£4 members includes tea and biscuit, in support of Bridport Millennium Green.

Film society’s event is really Happening

Dorchester Film Society’s autumn season continues with the challenging French film, Happening, to be screened at the Corn Exchange on Monday, November 21 at 7.30pm.

The film is a powerful adaptation of Annie Ernaux’s novel based on her own experience in the 1960s when abortion was still illegal in France.

Director Audrey Diwan won the Golden Lion for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival for its unflinching and sometimes graphic

There will also be a raffle.

A karaoke night is held at Number 10 cafe bar, Bridport, every Thursday from 9.30pm-12.30am.

The WOW Show will be staged at Weymouth Pavilion from 7pm. WOW continues its 40th anniversary year with a celebration of musicals featuring a selection from many of the acclaimed shows the group has performed over the years. There is something for everyone in a programme featuring numbers from: 9 to 5, Cabaret, Chicago, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Fiddler on the Roof, Footloose, Guys

depiction of a young girl’s dilemma…” often a tough watch, compassionate but brutally honest”.

Membership of the society is still available for the spring season, which

and Dolls, Hamilton, Mary Poppins, Newsies, The Pajama Game, We Will Rock You, West Side Story and more.

The show is professionally directed and choreographed by Martine Burt, who has directed many of WOW’s celebrated productions, including Grease, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the award-winning WOW Shows. Martine has also received the NODA South West award for Outstanding Choreography.

These young performers will blow you away with the talent, energy and passion they display. Don’t miss out, book now for a truly memorable show!

opens on Wednesday, January 11. For further details of the full programme and how to join online, please go to dorchesterfilmsociety.org. uk.

weymouthpavilion.com

Groves Garden Centre in Bridport is holding a Christmas Market from 4pm-8pm.

Head on over to DT6 4BA.

Bridport & District Gardening Club will hold its monthly meeting at 7.30pm in the WI Hall North Street Bridport. Paul Atterbury returns to give a talk –Don't be afraid of the

Digger

The Antiques Road Show expert lived in Bridport for some time and his talk is the story of his garden at Eype. The meeting is open to nonmembers for £2 and further information can be found at

The West Dorset Magazine, November 18, 2022 7 Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

bridportgardeningclub.co.uk

The next meeting of the Arts Society West Dorset is at 2pm for 2.30pm at Bridport Town Hall.

Nigel Bates will talk about Saddler’s Wells – The Theatrical Mothership. More info: taswestdorset.org.uk Visitors Welcome £7.50

They have been touring England for 10 years, taking high quality opera outside the big cities. Expect a musical feast featuring a variety of well-loved arias, duets and ensembles followed by some musical theatre classics.

White Tara Healing Retreat Day

Saturday, November 26, 10am-4pm, £60

and

Singing Bowl Soundbath

Sherborne Library host A Talk on Wildlife Gardening from 2.30pm – 3.30pm. Join Mitch from Dorset Wildlife Trust to find out how we can help nature thrive in our gardens. Booking is advised – visit Eventbrite online or call 01935 812683.

Broadwindsor Community Film Club is showing Top Gun: Maverick at Comrades Hall at 7.30pm. After 30 years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it. 12 rating.

Doors open from 7pm, tea/coffee, selection of bar drinks available to purchase before screening starts Film club members free –guests £4. Refreshments available.

Tickets can be booked by emailing Emma Myers –broadwindsorem@gmail.com or call Margaret Wing –01308 867252.

The next Artsreach event in St Andrew’s Church, Yetminster on at 7.30pm will be a Gala Concert by Opera Holloway.

Tickets are available now at £12 for adults and £5 for under 18s, plus a family ticket for £30. Buy at artsreach.co.uk/event/operaholloway-gala , email ycp873@gmail.com or ring 01935 873546.

Friday, Nov 18 Saturday, Nov 19

The Moviola season at Milborne Port Village Hall (Springfield Road, Milborne Port, DT9 5RE) continues with Downton Abbey – A New Era (certificate PG). Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm.

The much-anticipated cinematic return of the global phenomenon reunites the beloved cast as they go on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess' newly inherited villa.

Meanwhile, strapped for cash and faced with a leaking roof, Lady Mary decides to allow a film crew to use the Abbey as the setting for their latest picture.

Tickets will be available for sale from November 1, exclusively from Wayne Pullen, Family Butcher of High Street, Milborne Port.

Ticket prices have been maintained (£5 per person in advance, and £6 on the door). A limited wine and beer bar will be available. Card payments welcome.

A bric-a-brac sale will be held at Beaminster Museum

from 10am-noon. Items for sale can be left at the museum on Friday mornings 10am-noon, or phone for collection- 863912. They would love anything decorative, useful or smallish; no clothes, furniture or electricals please.

Go

along

pies,

Get your Christmas presents early, homemade and unique

Christmas

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

Hedge champs receive awards from star

70 years of Comrades Hall in Broadwindsor will be celebrated from 10.30am10.30pm.

Coffee morning, memorabilia display, evening barn dance with Crooked Furrow.

Beaminster Singers will be performing Gloria! At St Mary’s Church at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15, under 18s free from the Church Office or Yarn Barton. Beaminstersingers.org

A Christmas Fair will be held at the Town Hall in Beaminster for Beaminster Preschool from 10am-1pm. Small businesses will be showcasing their incredible crafts, and there will be lots of competitions and games. There will also be a hot chocolate station and a raffle.

Highland’s End Maker’s Market will be held in Martin's Bar & Restaurant from 9.30am-3pm. There will be stalls from a range of small local businesses selling crafts, jewellery, treats and much more. Perfect if you want to get a head start on your Christmas shopping. There will also be breakfast baps, a hog roast, Costa Coffee, hot chocolate and a festive bar. Admission is free for children and £1 for adults, 100% of which goes to Julia's House Children's Hospice. Last year, along with pitch fees from stallholders and a donation from Martin’s Bar, the event raised an incredible £2,000.

A Dorset Christmas 2022 will be held at The Tank

The Melplash Agricultural Society’s Hedgelaying and Ploughing section chairman Tim Frampton has won first place in the National Hedgelaying Championship, cutting Dorset-Style.

The Society’s Hedgelaying Chairman Russell Woodham was second in the same class, which was sponsored by the society.

The 43rd National Hedgelaying Championship took place at Clacks Farm, Benson, Oxon by kind permission of Crowmarsh Battle Farms. Over hundred competitors travelled from all over the country and overseas to compete across 13 Regional styles. The winners were presented with their prizes by journalist and TV presenter John Craven. Tim said: “There are plenty of opportunities through the Melplash Agricultural Society for anyone interested in learning the skills of

Museum in Bovington from 10am-4pm on Saturday, November 19 and Sunday, November 20

The fair is in collaboration with Dorset Team (a group of local makers and sellers) and the Tank Museum. A Christmassy day out for all ages.

Watch live entertainment, buy unique Christmas gifts from local makers and sellers and get in the Christmas spirit with the food market and festive food from onsite cafe and restaurant. Annual passes

hedgelaying. We are fortunate to have a number of experts who are only too happy to pass on these traditional skills to others. Just come along to one of our free training sessions and you too could be competing and winning in the Nationals!” Dorset-Style hedges are

and memberships are valid for this event. Tickets available in advance or on the door.

Bridport Vegan & Eco Living Arts & Craft Market will be held in Barrack Street from 9.30am2pm.

Friendly, local eco-minded market with baked sweet and savoury bakes, kombucha, oyster mushrooms, arts & crafts, fruit and veg and more.

Free entry, all welcome. Frampton’s Christmas craft

normally laid on top of a bank. They are kept low to the bank, tightly woven and bonds (thin sticks) are used to secure it internally and externally. The finished hedge is a half barrel shape about 2′ 6″3′ high.

The National Hedgelaying Society is the only charity dedicated to maintaining the traditional skills of hedgelaying and encouraging the sympathetic management of hedgerows for wildlife and landscape hedgelaying.org.uk

fair will be held from 10.30am-3pm at the village hall (DT2 9NF). Entry £1.

Fundraising friends have an autumn fayre at the Trinity Club in Trinity Street, Dorchester from 9.30am12.30pm. Free entry. Cakes, tombola, preserves, cards, Body Shop, pyrography, wreaths, wedding items, books, crafts and more. Proceeds for People First Dorset. The first 20 children under 11 accompanied by an adult

Tim Frampton, above, and Russell Woodman, below, receive their awards from John Craven Pics by TIM RUSS

will get a free goody bag.

A Thomas Hardy landscape walk will be held at Hardy's Birthplace and Thorncombe Woods from 10.30am on Saturday, November 19, Sunday, November 20 and on November 26 and 27. Explore the landscape of Thomas Hardy's imagination in this guided walk through Thorncombe Wood. This walk is led by a knowledgeable volunteer and lasts about an hour and includes poetry readings along the way linked to the natural surroundings of the woods and healthland. Follow Hardy's footsteps in his Wessex landscape including Rushy Pond, the Roman Road and Rainbarrows.

Meet at the Visitor Centre. Wear sturdy footwear. Waterproof clothing advised in wet weather. Some uneven and steep terrain. To take part on this walk you must also have booked a visit to Hardy's Cottage. Tickets can be booked at nationaltrust.org.uk/hardyscottage or on 0344 249 1895.

The No. 1 Ladies Accordion Orchestra will give a concert at 7.30pm at Bridport United Church, East Street, DT6 3LJ. Tickets at £12 or £10 will be available on the door from 7pm, or through brownpapertickets.com/ event/5578

The Ivy Club will be holding an autumn sale at Maiden Newton Village Hall at 2pm. Nearly new bric-a-brac, tombola, raffle. Homemade cakes and produce, lucky squares. Admission 50p.

A Christmas fete is being held at St James’ Church in Longburton (DT9 5PG) from 10am-12.30pm in aid of the Lily Foundation. Books, bric-a-brac, craft stalls, Christmas gifts. Free entry. Ring Sheila 01963 210486 for information.

Dorset Chamber Orchestra will be holding a rousing evening of live classical music at St Mary’s Church in Edward Road (DT1 2HL) at 7.30pm. Including Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture, Dvorak Serenade for Strings, Tchaikovsky Symphony No 5. Conductor Walter Brewster

Tickets £16, (18yrs and under £1) from dorsetchamberorchestra.org

A family table top sale and swap will be held from 10.30am-12.30pm at Wyke Regis Community centre, Ryemead Lane, Weymouth. Having a clear out before Christmas?

Bring your good quality clothes, toys and books to sell or donate to the swap table. Free entry, refreshments available. £1 to book a space on a selling table.

Email jayneynewton@ hotmail.co.uk

Dorchester TRINITY

Thatched, Grade II-listed 16th century freehouse at the heart of the historic village of Yetminster. Acclaimed Sunday roasts.

Classics fun run. Classic car and motorcycle-friendly.

Large, floodlit asphalt surfaced rear car park with CCTV. Car wash facilities.

A Christmas fair will be held at Maiden Newton Village Hall from 1pm-5pm. Proceeds to Mytime Young Carers.

Bridport’s Ropemakers will be holding a Charity Dog Show from 3pm.

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

It’s for fun, not Crufts! The categories are: Waggiest tail, Awesome eyes, Best paw shaker, The dog who looks most like its owner. And from the winner of these classes, Ropemakers Top Dog 2022. Sign in from 2.30pm on the day and the competition begins at 3.30pm, £5 per dog for as many classes as you like. All proceeds will go to The Living Tree.

A mug making workshop will be held at Tom Brown’s, in High East Street, Dorchester 3.30pm-5pm. Join Pots N Pints’ Anna for an intimate evening of pottery loveliness, taking things nice and slow, with step-by-step tutorials of how to make your own stoneware mugs.

You’ll have enough clay to make a collection of two or three objects, which will then be glazed. There will be an opportunity to paint them At a later session (TBC). Email Anna.potsnpints@gmail.com The first drink is free. Very limited spaces. Suitable for ages 14+.

A Christmas Craft Fair will be held at Charminster Community Hall from 10.30am-3.30pm, featuring local handmade crafts and gifts.

Relate Dorset and South Wiltshire are holding a Christmas Craft Fair from 2pm to 4pm at their centre in Poundbury (DT1 3WA).

Entry is free and it is indoors so no need to worry about the weather!

There will be a range of local crafts people selling their products as well as a tombola and cake and drinks

Lights switch-on is next week

Dorchester’s Brewery Square will kick off Christmas with its annual lights switch on event on Saturday, November 26 The free-to-attend spectacle is the tenth in Brewery Square’s history. An array of live entertainment performances will be on offer, alongside late-night shopping and stalls for mulled wine and seasonal snacks.

Assistant centre manager Jade Oddy said: “Our Christmas events bring a special buzz and adds a touch of magic to Brewery Square every year, creating memorable moments for visitors, businesses, residents, and our team. We

available. Money raised from stall hire, tombola and refreshments will be used by Relate to help fund those who cannot otherwise afford to access their services.

Useful or Beautiful will be held at The Corn Exchange, Dorchester, from 2pm-5pm, to raise funds for Dorchester Arts.

Come to find new treasures, at all prices, both preloved and new to take home. It will be an afternoon of tea, music, and fascinating browsing for bargains as you start to think about Christmas gifts or spot a treasure to make your home even more beautiful!

Donations of items they can sell can be dropped off every weekday at the new Stage Door entrance of the Corn Exchange, 10am-4pm (not electrical items, large furniture, clothes, or

are excited to bring shoppers both returning favourites and a few surprises throughout the seasonal schedule.”

Brewery Square’s festive celebrations will also see the return of its popular Skating In The Square and various free festive events including a Christmas trail throughout December.

jewellery). Call 01305 266926.

A Singing Bowl Soundbath will be held from 2pm-4pm at Bell St United Church, Shaftesbury, (SP7 8AL), priced £15.

Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning take you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Spaces limited so please book firmly in advance. 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

Serendipity Recorder Consort supported by Martinstown Recorder Consort will perform at St Martin's Church at 3.30pm.

Familiar Faces Children’s Parties will also bring a host of characters to the Square for guests to meet between 11am and 1pm on Friday, December 23. Kids can meet their favourite characters including the Snow Queen, with free gifts handed out to get everyone into the festive spirit.

In addition, a Christmas market will run at the Square on Saturday, December 10, from 11am-3pm. offering a wide range of gifts from toys and jewellery to personalised goods.

Tickets for Skating In The Square can be purchased in advance from skatinginthesquare.co.uk

The performance will be followed by tea and cake. Admission free, but donations requested in aid of the Opportunity Group Dorchester and the church.

A Christmas Fayre will be held at Crossways Youth and Community Centre, Old Farm Way, Crossways, DT2 8TU between 10am and 3pm.

Handmade Crafts, raffle and tombola, Christmas gifts, refreshments and cakes plus numerous stalls with much, much more!

Don’t forget to visit Santa with your wish list!!

Monday, Nov 21

Menopause - Relief through Kinesiology and Bowen Therapy will be held at Aquae Sulis Therapy Centre in Damers Road, Dorchester, from 4pm-5pm.

Join professional kinesiologist and Bowen therapist Martina Weidner as she shares her own healing experience of navigating menopause and Autoimmune illness with Kinesiology and Bowen therapy.

Presented with warmth and humour. Find out how these therapies can help you get back to an active and productive lifestyle and which one is best for you. Book a free taster with Martina!

Limited places available! Booking essential! eventbrite.co.uk

See Health and Wellbeing, page 62.

Club will hold their Annual Variety Show at Weymouth Pavilion at 7pm.

The acts this year include: The Decadettes, Let’s Dance, WOW, Alistair Dean, Replay, Ann & Norman and Tony Lowe. Tickets are £5 from the Pavilion box office.

There will be a Lions collection after the show and all monies raised will be used by the Lions Club for the benefit of the local community and Lionssupported charities and appeals worldwide.

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

Foodbank & Lyme Regis Pantomime Society.

A Needle Felted Father Christmas Workshop will be held at Rosefinch Sherborne from noon-2pm. Learn to needle felt a Father Christmas in a small group. Suitable for beginners. All materials and equipment provided together with handout and drink for just £20.

To book call in to Rosefinch, Sherborne, visit rosefinchsherborne.co.uk/ workshops or message Crafting by Steph.

up comedy with headliner Roger Monkhouse. Tying the night together will be resident compére Andrew White (“Not to be missed” –Daily Record) who will welcome a full line-up of hilarious comics. Tickets £10 from the pub or via ticketsource.co.uk/gaggle Contact the pub if you would like to book a preshow meal 01300 345249.

Saturday, Nov 26

Sherborne Historical Society welcomes Dr Elena Woodacre talking on Early Modern Queens on Screen: victors, victims, villains, virgins and viragoes at 8pm in Digby Hall, Hound Street.

Members free, visitors £5 sherbornehistoricalsociety.co. uk

Bridport U3A meets at 2pm at Bridport United Church Hall to hear a talk on Charles Dickens & Ghosts in London by Bob Ayers. Bob Ayers was a City of London Police Officer for over 30 years and is well placed to highlight London locations which have a relevance to the works of Charles Dickens. The talk will last for about an hour and there will then be an opportunity to ask questions. Refreshments will follow. Free to members, £2 for non-members. bridportu3a.org.uk

Weymouth & Portland Lions

There’s a free Vintage Tea Party for older people at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis from 2pm-4pm. Free tea and cake. Relax and enjoy listening to the fabulous singer, Kate Mullins, performing songs of yesteryear. Singing along will be very much encouraged! No need to get tickets - Just turn up. Please spread the word to any older people that you know in the area. marinetheatre.com/ connectivity-through-music

Giggle @ The Gaggle comedy night will be held at The Gaggle of Geese Pub in Buckland Newton from 8pm. Enjoy an evening of stand-

Radipole Lake Christmas Fair will be held from 2pm6pm at Radipole Lake Discovery Centre, Radipole Park Dr, Weymouth DT4 7TZ. Delicious foods and drinks to keep you warm, local stall

There’s bingo with cash prizes every Thursday at Woodmead Halls, Lyme Regis from 8pm.

Doors open 7.30pm, eyes down 8pm. £1 per book. Great cash prizes to be won. Bar open. All proceeds go towards local community groups including Over 70s Lunch Fund, Lyme Regis Christmas Lights, St. Michael's CE VA Primary School, Lyme Regis Football Club, Lyme Regis

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

holders, interactive games and activities, Christmas crafting and sustainable Christmas trees on sale.

Free entry, no need to book, just turn up on the day!

Bridport Local Food Group’s AGM will be held in the Town Hall at 6.30pm. Refreshments provided.

The committee of volunteers who organise the annual Bridport Food Festival, invite individuals and businesses who recognise the importance of our local food and drink industry to attend the AGM, and to become actively involved in the planning of next year’s festival.

The festival is run entirely by volunteers and is dedicated to supporting and celebrating our local food and drink businesses to benefit the town’s local economy. Every year they look for new and innovative ways to engage with all ages of the community while keeping our local food and drink industry at the forefront.

They have a number of vacancies on the steering committee. Roles include secretary/administrator, management and booking of trade stands, management of logistics, marketing and sponsorship.

Monthly meetings take place throughout the year and last about two hours.

If you would like to attend the AGM please contact the chairman Kathy Dare on 07866 423581 or email Kathy.dare@kayenne.co.uk

There’s a Nature Rambles Talk by Alan Bowley, 2.30pm, Bridport WI Hall, North Street. In support of Bridport Millennium Green, £5, Friends of BMG £4. Raffle. Details Sandra Brown 01308

See poppy display at fort

A gorgeous installation of poppies for Remembrance is now up at Weymouth’s Nothe Fort. Visitors can view the installation until Monday, November 21

423078.

Illuminate presented by OT Event Technicians will be at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens from 4.30pm7.15pm.

Friday, Nov 25

An outdoor winter enchanted lights display within the gardens. Colourful lights transform and illuminate the subtropical 18th century gardens and create a wonderful winter’s trail. abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk

From Darkness to Light: The Advent Procession, will be held at Salisbury Cathedral today and tomorrow from 7pm-8.30pm and Sunday, November 27 from 5pm6.30pm.

All are welcome to join us for this extraordinary service as we journey through darkness into light and embrace the hope of Advent. The Cathedral will be transformed by over 1,300 candles as we move from total darkness into light in movement and colour, shimmering robes, haunting music and Advent scripture. No booking is required, seats will be on a first-come firstserved basis.

For further details please see bit.ly/3zv3eTY

A Christmas Market will be held at Haselbury Mill, Haselbury Plucknett, Crewkerne TA18 7NY from noon until 4.30pm. Pick up some wonderful gifts, get into the Christmas spirit and help raise money for St Margaret’s Hospice Care at the beautiful Tithe Barn.

Saturday, Nov 26

A Choral Evensong for Advent will be held at 4.30pm in St Peter’s Church, Dorchester. The music includes: Manz ‘E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come’, Dyson ‘Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D’, Seal ‘Preces & Responses’ and Gibbons ‘This is the record of John’. Glass of wine after the service.

A Christmas Lantern Workshop, Competition & Parade will be held at Lyme Regis Baptist Church Hall at 2.30pm. Take part in the workshop or make a lantern at home, then parade down Broad Street at 5pm as part of the procession before this year's fantastic

Christmas lights are switched on.

This a free event with all materials provided and is great fun for kids and all the family.

Prizes will be awarded for the best lanterns in each age category with judging taking place at 4.30pm in the Baptist Church.

Lanterns made at home are welcome to enter the competition and parade, just come along to the Baptist Church for 4.30pm. Age categories: 0-4, 5-7, 811, 12+ and adults.

Chideock WI Christmas Fayre will be held from noon until 3pm at the village hall. Free entry. There’ll be cakes, light lunches, produce and crafts in aid of village charities, local artisans and a raffle.

The Loyal Hand in Hand Lodge of Oddfellows is holding a Christmas bingo night at Crossways Village Hall – eyes down 7.30pm. Seasonal prizes, refreshments, raffle. Contact Mary Brewer: 01305 853125 or marybrewer44@icloud.com.

St Mary's School Association will hold a Silent Disco at Charminster Community Hall at 7.30pm, doors open 7pm. Cash only bar. Pizza van on site. trybooking.com/uk/ events/landing/33351

Portesham Arts Club presents an evening with internationally acclaimed classical guitarist Ian Watt at St Peter’s Church at 7.30pm, tickets £15. Call Andrea Wallis on 01305 871035. Dorchester Repair Cafe will

be at the Colliton Club from 10am-noon. Bring your broken things and the amazing volunteers will do their best to repair them! Electricals, appliances, textiles & clothing, clocks, bikes…and more.

There’s a White Tara Healing Retreat Day from 10am4pm at Oborne Village Hall, OBORNE, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA, cost £60. Join us for a day of exploration of the aspect of the Divine Feminine known as White Tara, Mother of the Buddhas, whose domain especially is healing and long life, through guided visualisation, meditation, working with her mantra, and Pure Sound crystal and Tibetan bowls. 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

A Sunday Swap Shop will be held at 3pm at Tom Browns Pub in High East Street, Dorchester.

Have nothing to wear? Want a new wardrobe ready for christmas? Pop down to their first Sunday swap shop!

Clear out your old clothes and swap them for new ones, better for your pocket and better for our planet.

If you would like to reserve a table, message the pub on Facebook. Clothes can be exchanged for cash if you have nothing to swap.

A Singing Bowl Soundbath will be held 2pm-4pm at Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA, cost £15.

Whasson? (and where’s it to?)

Everyone is most welcome.

The Naughty Fox (Toucan Theatre) will be performed at The Corn Exchange, Dorchester on Monday, November 28 and Tuesday, November 29 at various times.

A Christmas Fair will be held from 1pm-3.30pm at Loders Village Hall, organised by the Loders School PTFA.

Strawberry Jam’s Picklebottom the Elf show, mulled drinks, a range of Christmas gift stalls, kids’ Christmas crafts, raffle and homemade crafts. Also lucky dip, face painting and more!

A Producers' Fest will be held at Washingpool Farm, just outside Bridport, from 10am.

Postponed from September, Washingpool Farm Shop’s big foodie event is back for the first time in three years. Many local food producers in attendance to give out tasters, chat about their products and sell. There will be some great special offers on the day, as well as refreshments.

Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning take you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Please book firmly in advance as spaces limited. 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

An Advent concert will be given by The Occasional Singers at 3pm at St Mary’s Church, Edward Road, Dorchester DT1 2HL.

St Mary’s Church in Dorchester will once again be filled with the glorious sounds of choral music, as the Occasional Singers perform a programme of Advent songs. Taking us from 1600 through to the present day, the songs and carols will range from contemplative to joyful. Admission is free. There will be a retiring collection in aid of Weldmar Hospice at Home.

Snuggle up in a magical den with comfy creatures – Honk, Splash and TaWit TaWoo – as they teach The Naughty Fox a very important lesson: it’s better to share. Feel your way through the immersive, multisensory journey of friendship and play for little ones and their grown-ups. Fully accessible and relaxed. Experience a world of puppetry, music, light projection and bubbly energy as our two storytellers bring household objects to life. dorchesterarts.org.uk

UK Islands, Wildlife and Volunteering – an illustrated talk, will be held from 2.30pm-5pm at United Church Main Hall, East Street, Bridport, hosted by National Trust Golden Cap Association. Colin Butcher, his wife and a small group of friends have been volunteering on small islands around the UK for over 20 years. Many of the islands are uninhabited and they have been checking on the wildlife and natural history which sustain these islands. Cost £5. goldencapnt.org.uk

astonishing, enigmatic, five star rated magic show will leave you aching from laughter and dizzy in disbelief. Directed by the late Paul Daniels, the enigmatic magic show comes to the stage for the first time – you’ll be transported to jaw-dropping world of light-hearted hilarity, wonderment, and mystery. dorchesterarts.savoysystems. co.uk

A Bereavement Peer Support Group will be held from 10am at Stour Connect in Sturminster Newton. The group, which meets on the last Wednesday of the month, is a chance to form friendships, and chatter over a nice hot drink and cake.

Bridport Broadsides sea shanty group will perform at Bridport Town Hall at 7.30pm, in support of Bridport Millennium Green.

Tickets £8/£7 members includes a glass of wine. Raffle. Details Sandra Brown, 01308 423078.

A Bingo Night will be held at Milborne Port Sports and Social Club.

Cash prizes, Raffle and Snowball. Books for sale from 7.30pm, eyes down 8pm.

The Greatest Magician is a dazzling new magic show presented by James Phelanthe magician most famous for jamming the BBC switchboards after he correctly predicted the lottery. This

A beginners’ Tai Chi class is starting in Bridport at 10.45am. Contact David on 01308 867278 or email david@hallofenergy.co.uk

Education post

Dorset Council has appointed a new corporate director for education and learning.

Amanda Davis’s new job, which starts in the new year, includes school admissions, out of school services, special educational needs (SEN) and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) assessments as well as specialist teaching and advisory services.

Lights raffle

A fundraising raffle supporting the Lyme Regis Christmas lights display in Broad Street has been launched. First prize is £300, second prize is £200 and third prize is £100 with many other prizes. Tickets at christmaslights.co.uk/raffle

Advice on your energy bills

The Dorchester & Sherborne offices of Central Dorset Citizens Advice have updated its advice for people facing winter challenges and are offering a few reminders and tips as the bills roll in. n Energy Support Scheme: in addition to the Energy Price Guarantee that caps the maximum unit price of household electricity for the next six months, most households will also get £400 off energy bills in six monthly instalments, £66 in October and November, and £67 from December to March. This energy discount should automatically be received if you pay by direct debit, standard credit

or payment card. Those with a prepayment meter will get the discount from vouchers, which are valid for 90 days, or as an automatic credit at the usual top-up point. The supplier will people know how they will issue it. For those with a smart prepayment meter, the credit should be automatically added to the meter. If you are struggling to pay energy bills, speak to the energy supplier who has a responsibility to help customers find a solution. n Budgeting: to help stay on top of bills, Citizens Advice has an online budgeting tool that can help with this: citizensadvice.org.uk/debtand-money/budgeting/bud

5% off everything on production of

geting/work-out-yourbudget/

n Benefits: to check if you’re eligible for any benefits or support with your energy and living costs. there’s a benefits calculator and advice on how to reduce living costs at citizensadvice.org.uk n

Money Saving

Expert: with Christmas ahead, there are 45 money saving tips at moneysavingexpert.com/ shopping/christmassavings

n For help and advice telephone the freephone Dorset Adviceline number on 0800 144 88 48 between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, or check local opening times at centraldorsetca.org.uk

All change as boundary review set

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

The Boundary Commission has issued new proposals for the division of constituencies in Dorset, which would see several West Dorset communities move into the North Dorset constituency.

Under plans unveiled online, Cerne Abbas, Puddletown, Tolpuddle, the Piddle Valley and Cheselbourne would be shifted into North Dorset constituency, as the commission seeks to increase the number of constituencies in the south west from 55 to 58 and even up the numbers of voters in each.

Sydling St Nicholas, Buckland Newton and Minterne Magna would also move north. Chickerell would move into South Dorset.

The move is proposed because West Dorset MP Chris Loder currently has a lot more than the average number of constituents. However the communities that may be moved are not happy about the proposal –hundreds of objections have been submitted.

Neil Herbert from Piddletrenthide said: “This current proposal would effectively sever our close ties with Dorchester, which is an intrinsic and

DRAWING THE LINE: The possible new boundaries and, below, MPs Chris Loder and, right, Simon Hoare

Dorchester is not only the county town of Dorset, it is also the major centre of the West Dorset constituency and this draft proposal to distance us from it is totally unacceptable.

“Also, the residents of the Piddle Valley have little or no ties with North Dorset –Sturminster Newton, Blandford Forum, Gillingham and Shaftesbury are relatively alien to us and are situated a long way from the Piddle Valley.”

Neil suggests, as have many others, that if voter numbers are to be reduced the more logical transfer to North Dorset would be Sherborne, which shares more services with North Dorset.

He added: “Current voter numbers in West Dorset, which currently total 81,091 would be reduced to some 70,000 by this alternative proposal.”

Heather Pook said: “Sydling St Nicholas

has always been a valuable integral member of our Chalkstream Parishes, we share a magazine and support each other’s events.

“We share a vicar (under the umbrella of Charminster Parish) together with Stratton, Bradford Peverell and Frampton – called the ‘Chalkstream’ Churches.

“To remove it from its heart in West Dorset would be ridiculous.”

She added: “Taking in Purse Caundle or Holwell would seem a more logical area to straighten up boundaries if population numbers are a deciding factor.

“Just looking at the map there are many villages remaining in West Dorset to the north of the proposed appropriation.

“I do hope this unnecessary change will be reconsidered.”

Other changes to boundaries are likely to affect us here in

West Dorset, too. Yeovil would become one constituency, bordered by Glastonbury & Somerton, Taunton, and Honiton & Sidmouth constituencies.

North Dorset MP Simon Hoare would gain a sizeable chunk of West Dorset, but lose territory south of Blandford as it moves into Mid Dorset & North Poole. He said: “It has always been recognised as commonsense that parliamentary constituencies are roughly the same population size.

“A boundary review is long overdue.

“While I am of course sad to be losing part of my

to reshape county

constituency to Mid Dorset & North Poole I look forward to serving, if I am re-elected, those villages coming into the North Dorset seat. I commend the Boundary Commission for its work.”

West Dorset MP Chris Loder said: “I made very clear the representations of constituents that got in touch about this, but the independent Boundary Commission has not acted upon what local people have to say and I think that is very disappointing.

“I think the commission got the number of people wrong in the report.

“They said something like 250, but I think you’ll find it is almost double if you look at the list of replies.

“When the Dorset Council wards were set, there was no condition that constituency boundaries would be aligned to them.”

Eileen Reynolds from Tolpuddle said: “I’m quite happy living in West Dorset, and don’t wish to change to North Dorset.

Tolpuddle isn’t in the north of the county anyway, and I don’t agree with boundaries being changed just to increase a political party’s voting results.

“As this affects so many people, the decision should be made by the people. We need to be able to vote on this.”

Rosy Turnbull said: I’m guessing this would potentially affect our secondary school catchment and the hospital we receive treatment in, amongst other major factors.

“If so, I for one am hugely

against this as we have chosen to live here with what West Dorset has to offer us.”

Ian Tucker from Sydling St Nicholas said: “As far as I’m concerned, we’re still part of West Dorset. I also know Chris Loder so would be happier having him as my MP.”

Jo Cropp, also from Sydling, said: “All our services are in Dorchester and geographically we are West Dorset. There is no way we feel part of North Dorset!”

The costs of implementing the boundary changes are unknown at this stage, but are likely to be in the many millions. The review itself will cost more than £2.5m.

Emma Irwin from the Boundary Commission said: “The Boundary Commission for England has a budget of £2.5 million, excluding staffing costs, to undertake a review of parliamentary constituency boundaries –which is significantly cheaper than the previous review due to efficiency savings. The Commission has been required by Parliament to recommend a new map of constituencies in England in order to rebalance the number of electors represented by each MP, but is not responsible for the costs of implementing those changes after the recommendations have been submitted to Parliament.”

n Comments on the proposals are invited at bcereviews.org.uk before December 5.

We do like to be behind the seaside,

By Karen Bate and Dan Goater newsdesk@westdorsetmag.co.uk

For both good and ill, Weymouth’s connection to the sea has always been critical to its place in history. The Black Death famously entered the country through the town’s port in the 1300s while, centuries later, Allied forces would set out from that same port to liberate mainland Europe from the Nazis on D-Day.

The seaside resort was also famously ‘Mad’ King George III’s favourite place in the world.

Following doctor’s orders, the monarch who suffered porphyria found solace bathing in the sea from 1789. By the early 1800s, just a stone’s throw from that now famous seafront, housing began to crop up for those in the town that were not quite so well off as the King. These buildings in Gloucester Street named for its proximity to the King’s seaside residence of Gloucester Lodge as well as Great George Street, Park Street and Westham Road are still home to traders to this day. Join us as we take a stroll around the area and meet them.

Maritime specialist John Ritchie is well-known nationally and has owned Books Afloat at 66, Park Street for almost 40 years, with people travelling for miles many from overseas for his rich, maritime treasures, books and antiques.

“Weymouth is particularly

characterful,” said John.

“In Park Street, access is easy with a car park at the end of the road, the railway station is just a short stroll away and I am not far from the seafront. “And like me, many traders have been here a long time.

“For six years before Books Afloat I was selling marine electronics and before then, I was 12 years in the Merchant Navy, where I gained a wealth of experience which I

enjoyed very much. “There are only four other shops like mine in the UK and I specialise in nautical antiques. I believe I have the biggest collection of ships’ bells in the country – all with names on.”

Chris Watson of CS Locksmiths is based just a few doors down, at 58, Park Street and Chris like John, has a nautical background, serving in the Royal Navy until 2003. Chris began working as a locksmith soon after and

took over Rodgers Locksmiths in 2007.

“I’m also fully qualified in CCTV and access control,” he said. “I moved to Weymouth in 1997.

“Being from a mining and steel town in Yorkshire originally, I love living by the sea. I get a lot of satisfaction opening doors for people who are locked out. Each door is a different challenge.”

The Hive Café is a busy little eaterie based in a property dating back to the

FIRST RESORT: Weymouth seafront in the 1920s and, below, St Mary Street in 1900

Pictures: WEYMOUTH MUSEUM

1800s set in a peaceful part of Park Street. Simon and Rachel Gregory have owned it since 2014, and, along with their granddaughter, create delicious food for loyal customers and visitors, many of whom make a beeline for the secluded, quiet courtyard on warmer days. The café is dog-friendly too!

The pair have renovated the Beekeepers Lodge, which used to belong to a stonemason, stone wright

in days gone by. The lodge is now a vegetarian holiday let, full of character and boasting plenty of Victorian charm.”

and two

The Doghouse Micropub

“Park Street is a wonderful place,” said Rachel. “We all know each other and look out for each other. It’s a really nice place to be.” The Hive Café will be closing for winter from

AT YOUR SERVICE: John Ritchie at Books Afloat, Chris Watson of CS Locksmiths and, below, Simon and Rachel Gregory at The Hive Café

Coastal community work together

mid-December but will be opening once again to the delight of their customers in March.

According to the academic resource British History Online, the buildings of Gloucester Street are ‘more simply designed and cheaply constructed than the monumental terraces facing the bay’. And while these buildings are undeniably less grand than the former residence of a King, they seem to serve just fine for art graduate Annika and master of ink Felipe, who opened Snakes Nest Tattoo at number 21 just last year. Felipe, has been professionally tattooing since 2008, working in Rio de Janeiro before moving to the UK in 2018.

“The studio is our little nest, warm and cosy,” said Annika. “Snakes, in Japanese tattoo, are symbols of protection, guarding your health and fortune.”

It is clear this area of Weymouth boasts a tightknit community.

Annika added: “Lea and Ama next door are very nice, they’re great neighbours to have. The whole street is great. The location between beach, harbour, Radipole, and the train station couldn’t be better. It’s good to have our own space where we can concentrate on what we love to do. We are very happy to offer a different experience with our studio, a very high level of skill, and a true passion for the art form and the

culture of tattoo.”

Potter and artist Lea Phillips and sculptor Ama Menec opened The Happy Crab Gallery at 20A Gloucester Street in the spring. This lovely light and bright space is the studio where all the pots are hand made on the premises offering visitors a birds-eye view of the many pottery demonstrations. Lea spent most of her

working life making pottery near Totnes in Devon for 20 years. This was a large collective workshop, partly funded by sub-letting space to other artists. After the last lockdown many of the artists could no longer commit to paying for space and so Lea and Ama moved to this stunning studio.

Lea said: “It was always

my dream to live and work in Weymouth and finding this shop was the perfect opportunity. The moment I walked in I knew this was where I wanted to work.

“After 20 years at a rural business centre it is great to be in a town and contribute to the creativity of this vibrant community.

“I love the beach, the harbour and the friendly neighbourhood with so

MAKING A MARK: Annika and Felipe at Snake’s Nest Tattoo

FEAT OF CLAY: Lea Phillips at the Happy Crab Gallery

CHEERS: The Doghouse Micro pub and, right, Fleetline Taxis

many interesting independent businesses.” So, why the Happy Crab? Lea and Ama were born in July, under the Cancer sun sign, The Crab. The pair love beaches and swimming, hence the workshop just a twominute walk from the sea, which makes them very happy crabs!

Records show a number of remarkable, yet everyday people have lived in Great George Street over the years.

According to the 1881 national census, plumber and glazier Richard Crumblehome lived in a home named Eatonstead with his family and was recorded as ‘a man qualified to serve on juries’.

He founded R Crumblehome and Son, a name that should be recognisable to many in the town as a business that ran for 109 years, only closing in 1998. Also linked to the street is William Clark Hunt, born in 1870, who went on to serve as chief gunner on HMS Invincible and was killed in the Battle of Jutland in 1915. We’re sure both of these men would have enjoyed a pint or two at the newly opened Doghouse Micro Pub in the street.

With a hunger to move to Weymouth and a thirst for real ale and cider, Nat and Dave had their ‘lightbulb moment’ over a couple of beers in a micropub in their hometown of

Northampton. They decided to open the first and only micro pub in Weymouth.

While Nat secured a job with a legal firm, Dave took the plunge and opened The Doghouse Micro Pub on 2, Great George Street in 2018. Dave said: “We specialise in real ale, real cider and a number of continental bottled beers. Most ales are sourced from independent breweries in the southwest. We have a variety of traditional pub snacks including pork pies and pickled eggs and with no music or fruit machines we are an ideal place for chatting and drinking.”

Fleetline Taxis has been part of Weymouth’s scenery since 1968, and Sarah and Andy pride themselves on giving customers ‘the best service’ from this family businesses, which has grown from strength to strength over four decades.

“We will always strive to provide a first class service to both our current and future customers and to build upon the loyalty we have commanded over four decades,” said Andy.

Based at 25, Westham Road, Fleetline is conveniently located only a few hundred yards from the shops, beach and harbour.

n To showcase your business in The West Dorset Magazine, please email Tracey@ westdorsetmag.co.uk

My grand finale: Musician staging

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

A well-known teacher, musician and composer is holding the biggest event of his life in hopes of finally hearing his works performed by a professional group of musicians before his illness stops him in his tracks.

Rick Birley, 68, who lives in Dorchester, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 15 years ago. The disease hasn’t stopped him pursuing his dreams in the arts – he has been composing, writing poetry and creating artworks, amassing a huge portfolio of works in the arts. But his recent compositions have all been brought to life through computer software and Rick wanted the chance to hear his creations brought to life by real people –expert musicians who can tease out the story and emotion behind the dots on a page.

He said: “The older I am, the more debilitating my Parkinson’s becomes, the more unfair it seems to be that I am denied the chance to be heard.

“I sense that I am getting close to a time when I will not possess the power, the energy or the mental capacity to promote my works. So with my brother’s encouragement and backing I have initiated Project22, aimed at performing and recording as much of my music as possible in the time I have left.”

Rick has been involved in many amateur and semiprofessional performances in his time. Despite his illness, his huge energy shines through – a million things are whirring in his brain as we chat.

“I have put on a play every term for 29 years,” he said.

“That’s a lot of plays.”

Rick has taught at many

schools but is perhaps best known in this area for his role teaching music at Weymouth College, where he composed the score for many plays.

His students there were the same age as he was when his love of music was sparked, part-way into studying French, RE and biology, by hearing Ravel. He switched courses, then faced an uphill battle to develop musical technique from a standing start. Four decades later he has seen many of his compositions performed by local groups. The Imperial College Symphony Orchestra has performed his works in Dorchester and London. He has also worked with the Edinburgh

Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Chapel Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, a BSO String Quartet, the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, and many soloists.

He steered away from his family’s involvement in private education after years of feeling depressed at private school.

He has since doggedly stuck to the public sector, as private schools jarred with his politics as well as sparking bad memories. For decades he has sought to bring music making at any level to everyone. But for his Concert of music for Advent he wanted to push the boat out and let people hear his compositions in the finest way he could muster.

His brother Daavid helped to fund the concert, which will be performed by the 16 members of the newlyformed Birley Singers and the 20-strong Birley Players, groups of young professional musicians living mostly in London. Other funds came from Rick’s pension.

He said: “There’s no point in having unspent savings at the end of life, and I am tormented by the thought of never hearing any of my quite extensive compositional output performed by professional musicians.”

The concert will be directed by Richard Gowers, a hugely talented musician who became a prize-winning Associate of the Royal College of Organists when just 16 and a year later became a prizewinning Fellow.

AMBITION: Musician and composer Rick Birley and, below, a self-portrait

special concert of own compositions

Rick said: “There is a world of difference between amateur and professional music making, so although I am enormously grateful to have had local groups –choirs, orchestras, ensembles, students et al bravely taking on my technically demanding scores – I would dearly love to hear, in particular, my orchestral works performed by a top professional orchestra. “It’s not as if I haven’t knocked on many doors over the years! But the very idea that humble individuals like me dare approach professional outfits like the BSO, LSO, BBCSO, Hallé (to name but a few) is laughable.”

A Concert of music for Advent is set to be performed in St Saviour’s Church, Pimlico, on Saturday, December 3 at 7.30pm and Rick is hoping to fill the place. Tickets are £20. This concert is of choral and instrumental music,

some of it designed especially for Advent, but with an alternative viewpoint of Mary’s predicament.

Rick said: “I have deliberately imagined Mary as a lively teenager whose accidental pregnancy outside of marriage could

have had very difficult social consequences. “Yet, by claiming – and exclaiming – the miraculous immaculate conception, and the certainty that she would bear not just an ordinary baby, but a saviour, no less than the Son of God.”

The two vocal soloists are Louise Davies (soprano) & Brian Parsons (tenor), and Julie Trevett is a guest saxophonist.

n Tickets can be bought at the door, or email Rick: rick.birley@live.co.uk or Jon at jonathan.dorchester@ gmail.com to reserve. Visit rickbirley.com to hear more of his work.

MAKE A DATE: A poster for Rick’s concert, to be held at St Saviour’s in Pimlico, London

Residents in Dorset who are current and former smokers are being invited to a new screening service to identify and treat lung conditions much earlier –improving the outcomes for patients.

The Targeted Lung Health Check is part of a national initiative aimed at diagnosing and treating lung and breathing problems before they become serious.

People aged 55 to 74, who are registered with a Dorset GP and are a current or former smoker, will be invited to have a Lung Health Check.

Starting in Portland this month, the programme will be rolled out across Dorset over the next two to three years.

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) is the lead provider for the programme, working with health partners throughout the county.

Dr Jenny Graves, DCH Respiratory Consultant, said: “Lung health checks are a really important check-up of the overall health of your lungs and can spot any early signs of lung problems, often before you notice anything is wrong.

“This means that, if lung cancer, or another problem with your breathing or lungs is

Lung initiative is a breath of fresh air for ex-smokers

found at an early stage, treatment could be simpler and more successful.

“You will be invited to attend a Lung Health Check appointment even if you feel fit and healthy and currently have no lung problems, or if you currently have a lung condition.

“Everyone who is eligible for one of these checks will receive an appointment for a telephone conversation to explain what is involved and will then be booked into a face-to-face appointment for the lung

health check. At this a nurse will ask you some questions about your breathing and overall lung health. They will also ask you about your lifestyle, family and medical history, and your height and weight will be taken along with spirometry (a breathing test) and carbon monoxide levels.

“The nurse may also talk to you about having a low dose CT scan of your lungs. If you are invited to a lung scan, you will be asked to travel to the appointment which will be provided from either

University Hospitals

Dorset (Poole) or Dorset County Hospital.

“If you have a scan, you will be contacted with the results of it and any follow up advice either via a telephone call and/or letter and your GP will also be made aware.”

The Dorset Lung Health Check service will be run by specially trained nurses from DCH. For patients who live in the west of the county, appointments will take place at Weymouth Community Hospital or at South Walks House in Dorchester.

Vital symptoms you should tell your GP

For those who aren’t eligible for a Lung Health Check, tell your GP about any of the following symptoms that are unusual to you, such as: n a persistent cough or change in your normal cough (Please note, if you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus - a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or a loss or change to your sense of

about

smell or taste - visit the NHS website for advice or call 111 if you cannot get help online. It is important you stay at home.) n coughing up blood n being short of breath n unexplained tiredness or weight loss n an ache or pain when breathing or coughing n appetite loss

CHECK YOU OUT: The team at Dorset County Hospital’s Lung Health Check

Publish and be damned: How Richard

Dorchester Prison housed more petty crooks than celebrity criminals, so it was a surprise to find that Richard Carlile, sent down by the Court of King’s Bench, had a three-page entry in the Dictionary of National Biography (DNB).

It was a short reference to him by Henry Bankes of Kingston Lacy, the MP for the now defunct political constituency of Corfe Castle from 1780 to 1826, that first caught my eye. His journals, now in the Dorset History Centre, provide a detailed account of his almost 50 years of service in the House of Commons.

The trail led on to the prison admission records on the internet and so to the DNB’s account of Carlile’s life as a radical speaker and journalist whose fearless attacks on the monarchy, church and government led to long spells in prison. This, of course, brought him popularity as a working-class hero and unpopularity with the ruling classes in equal measure.

In his 1819 journal, Bankes wrote of a scandalous publication of Thomas Paine’s Age of Reason and another ‘equally infamous work’ by Carlile.

Conducting his own defence, Carlile professed “an entire disbelief in all

religion”. The Chief Justice interrupted him frequently in the course of his blasphemous argument, which by all accounts ‘disgusted’ the jury.

Carlile was condemned to pay a fine of £1,000 and to be imprisoned in Dorchester Prison for two years.

This was an enormous sum for the time and the court added a further £500 fine and an extra year’s imprisonment for a second offence.

Unable to pay the fines, he was not released until late

in 1825. The prison records make it easy to visualise this firebrand who polarised public opinion 200 years ago; he was 5’5” tall, “thick-set”, with dark hair and a pale complexion.

He was “pitted in the face with the smallpox” and he clearly revelled in reading out extracts from the ‘forbidden’ publication

The Age of Reason, claiming that it was only by hearing what Thomas Paine had actually written that the jury could judge whether it was

blasphemous or not. This enabled him to exploit another loophole in the so-called “gagging acts” of 1817 because court proceedings could be reported verbatim.

Published as single ‘broadsheets’ at 2d each, thus avoiding the 4d Stamp Duty that the government had imposed on newspapers in 1819, some 10,000 copies were sold.

Unsurprisingly, the government was determined to punish Carlile. He had already outwitted the authorities in August 1819 by being the first to publish an eyewitness account of the Peterloo Massacre in the provocatively named The Republican, so now he would pay the price.

But, he wasn’t silenced; his wife Jane continued selling from their Fleet Street shop until she was also sent to Dorchester Prison for “publishing wicked, mischievous libels”, a charge she ‘admitted’ on February 3, 1821.

Somehow, the two of them managed to meet for conjugal visits, despite official segregation in the prison system, and Jane later gave birth to a daughter while still locked up.

This, of course, helped boost what was then an early form of ‘crowdfunding’

for the payment of their fines nearly 50

Centuries before the era of online citizen journalism, Wikileaks and corporate whistleblowing, there were still firebrand journalists taking personal and professional risks to expose wrongdoing and hold the powerful to account. One such remarkable reporter was Richard Carlile, who in 1819 was jailed in Dorchester following 'fearless' attacks against the crown, the church and the state. Here, contributing writer ROGER LANE take us through his investigation of Richard Carlile's life and work

RADICAL SPEAKER AND JOURNALIST: Richard Carlile

Carlile paid the price for press freedom

groups raised £1,400 to secure their release.

Richard Carlile reached the peak of his popularity in the febrile atmosphere of post-Napoleonic War depression and escalating repression.

By keeping him in prison until November 18, 1825, and imprisoning a further 150 men and women for circulating The Republican, the Tory government of the day effectively weathered the storm.

Carlile certainly had less of a role when the agitation for parliamentary reform reached its height in the early 1830s.

He did set up an important lecture hall in London, the Rotunda, but he soon scandalised many Godfearing followers by proposing a national network of atheist chapels, not to mention preaching the merits of birth control.

He then made things worse for himself by cheating on his loyal wife with a younger woman, Eliza Sharples, who gave birth to a son in April 1833. He then tried to hush this up while on a lecture tour designed to rebuild his reputation, before brazening it out by claiming Eliza and he had contracted a ‘moral marriage’.

The DNB comments that ‘the publicity was most damaging and further eroded his support in working class and reformist circles’.

Despite this, though, Richard Carlile may be the most famous, or infamous,

prisoner to serve his full term in our Dorchester Prison.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: Two of Carlile’s publications; Jail Jottings and A Scourge

The Tolpuddle Martyrs were only detained there briefly before their transportation in 1834. The DNB records his ‘significant contribution to the cause of free speech and a free press’ although he did not live long

enough to witness the abolition of the ‘taxes on knowledge’ as the infamous Stamp Duties came to be known. So, this firebrand journalist, an accidental Dorset Man, deserves his reputation for his ‘selfless championing of the oppressed’ that is some tribute.

By contrast, Henry Bankes, a Dorset man by birth, writes in his journal of 1819 ‘that dangerous thing, a little knowledge, tends to mislead young minds and render them presumptuous’. This comment, and many more in the same vein, seem very much like ‘selfish championing of the oppressors’ by a typical aristocrat of that time. But, the majority of the Whig opposition, as well as the Tory government, had good reason to fear revolution.

In 1816, extremists attacked the Tower of London to incite revolution by imitating the Parisians’ assaults on the Bastille in 1789.

Then, in February 1820, the assassination of the Duc de Berri in Paris triggered an even more dangerous plot in London. A group of fanatics plotted to wipe out the entire Cabinet while they were at dinner. The chief perpetrator, Arthur Thistlewood, may be less well known than Guy Fawkes, but his Cato Street Conspiracy presented a similar threat. It certainly appeared to justify both the continued detention of writers like Richard Carlile and the retention of repressive laws.

Context is everything; perhaps it’s better not to condemn Henry Bankes, who gave great service to county and country, for opinions that seem so unacceptable in the 21st century.

THE WRITE THING: Richard Carlile’s writing desk

ON THE SPOT: Carlile published the first account of the Peterloo Massacre in August 1819

Black and white snapshots from a

By Dan Goater dan@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Fascinating snapshots of Dorset from the early 1900s including Winston Churchill at the funeral of Lawrence of Arabia have been published as a collection for the first time.

Compiled by West Dorset photographer Carlos Guarita, Where the Dipping is Ripping features the black and white photography of Joseph Robert Potts, taken in Dorset between 1911 and the 1930s.

The collection, many of which were originally published as postcards, also features shots of the Dorsetshire regiment in India during the First World War.

Explaining how his fascination with Potts’ work began, Carlos said: “My first encounter with his photos was at the Wednesday indoor market in Dorchester.

“There was an elderly couple who had a stall selling antique photographic postcards. Casually thumbing through the section labelled ‘Dorset’, I came upon two pictures which caught my attention, both inscribed ‘Litton Cheney, Club Fete 1921’ and with the same signature ‘Potts’ was written nearby in a distinctive lettering.

“The first photograph, a well-composed vertical shot showed a group of men with weather-beaten faces and wearing what was probably their Sunday

towards the camera down a narrow country lane.

“The men were followed

by a smaller group of women and children. As they paraded past, some sported poles with metallic shiny tops and one was carrying what looked like a flag.

“The other card, a horizontal frame, showed a grouping of similar men and a brass band outside a large manor house.

“The image clearly showed a banner like those

often carried by trades unions. I decided to buy these two cards. The details were too small for my eyes to read, but at home with a magnifying glass I was able to make out, emblazoned on the banner, the words ‘Litton Cheney Friendly Society’. “This led me to do more research where I discovered that this was one of a number of local

HISTORIC: Winston Churchill at the funeral of TE Lawrence at Moreton in 1935. Right: Abbotsbury Castle wrecked by fire on February 7, 1913, and, below, the Dorset regiment at Dagshai in India

colourful era in our local history

self-help welfare organisations, where poor people contributed to collectively support one another in times of need.

“It was democratically run and was typical of many such societies all over the country. So Potts’ pictures offered me a portal to a historical phenomenon of which I had been unaware.”

Delving deeper into Potts’

photography, Carlos came across fascinating shots of Lawrence of Arabia’s funeral in Moreton in May 1935.

One of the shots showed Winston Churchill walking behind the funeral cortege to the burial site.

Other shots in the book show men clearing up mud caused by flooding in Diment Square, Bridport in 1913 as well as the town’s

carnival. Also pictured in the book is the aftermath of the fire that ripped through Abbotsbury Castle in 1913 and a fire at a cottage in Yondover, Loders in 1921.

Slightly further afield, Potts’ photography includes shots of the Dorset regiment on manoeuvres in Dagshai, India during the First World War.

Carlos added: “It’s a fascinating insight into the county’s past and I’m very happy to be able to preserve that little bit of our history and help pass it on to others.”

n Where the Dipping is Ripping sells for £15 + P&P and is available from Just Press or can be ordered through any local bookshop.

HAPPY DAYS: Bridport carnival and, right, Litton Cheney fete, both from 1921. Below: Southover at Burton Bradstock and, right, the promenade at West Bay

Writer’s chapter and verse on the process of writing

Author David Solomons visited six schools to celebrate entries of Chesil Reading Project’s creative writing competition.

The National Literacy Trust and Dorset Council teamed up earlier this year to support the literacy development of Chesil pupils moving from Year 6 to Year 7.

The project used the My Brother is a Superhero books with the author who met 800 Year 7 students, to nurture a love of reading and writing that will last a lifetime.

David also launched a

special edition Dorset Library Card for students taking part to encourage their continued literary engagement after the event. David said: “One of the joys of being a children’s author is being able to get involved in inspiring local literacy activity like the Chesil Reading Project which uses the power of reading to support children in their secondary school transition. It’s been an absolute honour to see my books used within the project – the students’ work has been so impressive! –and I can’t wait to meet

them all and celebrate their achievements.”

Mike Leyland, programme manager at the National Literacy Trust, said: “We are so pleased to have David Solomons play such

a central role in the Chesil Reading Project. Inspiring children and engaging them in books is therefore vital as we seek to support them through what can be a very challenging transition.”

Garolla garage doors are expertly made to measure in our own UK factories, they’re strong and solidly built. The electric Garolla door rolls up vertically, taking up only 8 inches inside your garage, maximising valuable space. Our expert local installers will fit your new door and they’ll take away the old one too, so there’s no mess.

Give us a call today and we’ll come and measure up FREE of charge.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: David Solomons visits Budmouth in Chickerell

National award for DCH knee team

Dorset County Hospital’s (DCH) Orthotics Department has won a national award for its work to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis during the pandemic.

The team won the Safe Restoration of Elective Care Services Award at this year’s HSJ Patient Safety Awards in recognition of their hard-work and dedication to patients’ experiences and positive outcomes.

At the start of the pandemic, many elective knee surgeries had to be cancelled and waiting times for patients were over a year.

Under the NICE guidelines, the use of a knee brace to support

patients was an approved treatment – but not routinely used.

The team set up a clinic with around 50 patients to offer them the choice to try a knee brace to see if it helped improve their quality of life while they were waiting.

Participants completed a

questionnaire at the start of the trial and then again after six weeks and six months of using the brace. Participants said their quality of life and symptoms improved, as it had helped ease pain and allowed them to remain active. Some patients were able to reduce their use of

painkillers, and in one case there was no longer a need for surgery at that time. Orthotist Matthew Wood said: “We are incredibly proud of the big impact that a small profession like ours can have and to be recognised on a national scale is just brilliant.

“Knee osteoarthritis can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. In the late stages of arthritis other problems can also occur; we can become less mobile, gain weight, and experience a significant mental burden. By using the brace, patients were able to keep active and continue working while they waited for surgery –which had a big impact on their quality of life.”

HONOURED: The Dorset County Hospital orthotics team at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards

Be part of the communi-tea at Age UK events

Age UK is reminding people about its new communi-tea events in which seniors can enjoy a hot drink and a chat.

The event, sponsored by Dorset Tea, takes place once a month at different venues throughout West Dorset and

the Purbeck area. Entry is £3 per person and people can enjoy activities, games and talks from guest speakers.

Age UK also runs a weekly Dorchester Coffee Club at the YMCA in Sawmills Lane every Thursday

from 10.30am until noon for an informal chat and a brew. Exercise classes are also being run by Age UK in Dorchester and Weymouth. For more information contact Age UK on 01305 269444 or email wellbeingservice@ageuknswd.org.uk

Your chance to land share of council funding

Sports, arts and heritage projects in West Dorset are invited to bid for their share of a community and culture project fund.

Groups that support disadvantaged people living in the Dorset Council area are also able to apply. If granted, the Dorset Council fund could provide up to 80 per cent of a project’s total costs up to a maximum of £5,000.

Community organisations

with a focus on the cost-ofliving challenge for vulnerable people and those most in need in the Dorset council area are encouraged to apply. Applications are encouraged from arts, museums, heritage, physical activity and play groups in this funding round.

Cultural organisations that wish to apply for a cost-ofliving grant may do so once during this application round.

Have a say on democracy

Voters throughout Dorset are being urged to have their say on a potential shake-up of local level democracy.

Dorset Council is conducting a community governance review designed to find out how people in certain areas want to be represented politically.

named and other electoral arrangements.

Fabrics, haberdashery, Craft kits, Handmade products and gifts.

Christmas fabric range, advent calendar and stocking kits now in stock. 07914 387246

The review is being conducted at parish and town council level in several areas, including the parishes forming Weymouth Town Council, Chickerell Town Council, Vale of Allen Parish Council and Winterborne Farringdon Parish Council.

The review could potentially lead to the creation, merging, abolition or altering of electoral parishes and their boundaries, could dictate how the parishes are

Dorset Council has recently launched a consultation allowing people living in the affected areas, plus other interested parties, the chance to give their feedback until December 28. The survey can be completed on the council’s website, by calling 01305 221000 or by picking up a paper copy at a library in Chickerell, Wyke Regis, Littlemoor or Weymouth Town Centre in George Street.

The biggest council forming part of the review is Weymouth, for which there are two proposed options.

Option 1 – The proposal follows Dorset Council Ward boundaries creating 13 town wards with 24 councillors. Option

1 includes taking parts of Chickerell and Bincombe into Weymouth. In Bincombe, a large development of 500 homes has recently been granted planning permission. Dorset Council welcomes views on the names of the proposed wards.

Option 2 Proposal following Dorset Council ward boundaries creating 13 town wards with 24 councillors. Option 2 does not include taking part of Chickerell into Weymouth but does include taking part of Bincombe into Weymouth. This is largely supported by the parishes forming Winterbourne Farringdon Parish Council. Dorset Council welcomes views on the names of the proposed wards.

HUNNY BUNNIES

DIGGING IN: Community projects could benefit

Detectorist Keith the jewel in the ground

A metal detectorist from Dorchester has been helping reunite people with their lost jewellery. When he’s not unearthing ancient coins and artefacts in Dorset’s fields, Keith Brown has been stepping up to help people desperate to find their lost jewellery.

Retired prison officer Keith recently helped a woman named Jenny from Cattistock find her Victorian wedding band that she lost while gardening and helped a man who lost his wedding ring at Ringstead Bay.

Keith said: “I had an email from a woman in Cattistock saying she had lost this heirloom gold and diamond encrusted Victorian era ring while she was gardening.

“I was happy to take a look and duly turned up with my metal detecting equipment. As I was setting up my metal detector Jenny went indoors and, within minutes, I had already found an out of circulation decimal £1 coin, a small copper alloy harness ring and a copper nail, and then I found what I was looking for - the ring.

“When Jenny came back out into the garden, I opened one hand with the junk in it and she looked and sighed, then I opened my other hand with her beautiful gold and diamond ring in it. She was jumping up and

down with excitement and hugged me. It was so heart-warming to see her and her husband’s reaction as she placed the ring back on her finger.”

Keith also recently helped an elderly gentleman find his wedding band after he lost it at Ringstead Bay,

adding: “This man has been married for over 40 years, so he was overjoyed to get his ring back.

“It’s a really good feeling when somebody has been devastated by a loss to give them their lost jewellery back.”

Keith has been an avid metal detectorist for the last six years, saying he took up the hobby as a way of keeping active and

doing something fun in his spare time.

Documenting his finds on his YouTube channel Hopeus Maximus, Keith has unearthed various ancient artefacts in Dorset’s fields including golden Iron Age coins, Roman denarius and an ornate golden ram’s head brooch.

Many of Keith’s finds are on display at the county museum in Dorchester.

LOOKING FOR GOLD: Detectorist Keith Brown and, top right, Jenny with her wedding ring. Below: Gold Iron Age coins from 50-80BC, a gold ram’s head brooch, and ornate 17th century buckle and, inset, Commodus silver denarius 187 AD Pictures: KEITH BROWN

A world record attempt for the largest gathering of elves will be held in Weymouth on Saturday, November 26.

The town’s BID team We Are Weymouth is calling for as many people as possible to find their ‘elf spirit’ and join in the fun.

A BID spokesperson said: “That will be the start of the Christmas season and the light illuminations in Weymouth Town Centre. “This year, the celebration begins at 10am with a screening of Arthur Christmas in Cineworld and an elf trail throughout the town.

“The elf world record attempt is back – we are hoping that over 2,000 ‘elves’ will gather and be counted in New Bond Street to beat the current record of 1,762.

“To help get everyone into the elf spirit there are elf workshops taking place across the town from bauble decorating to elf hat making and much more. Local businesses will be dressing up as elves, helping to turn Weymouth into an elf extravaganza for the day.”

As well as the elf shenanigans, local bands and performers will be on stage in New Bond Street throughout the day, culminating in the official light switch-on and animated Christmas light show on The Range at 5.15pm. This will be followed by late night shopping, entertainment until 8pm and an ‘elf night’ at The Closet nightclub.

Changing gears, December 2 to 4 will be a steampunk

Christmas events good for your elf at town festivities

are encouraged to come together to support the charity and have a glimpse into the world of steampunk for themselves.

On Saturday, December 3 the Nothe Fort plays host to a steampunk bazaar, from 10am to 4pm, featuring an array of stalls selling the most unique Christmas gifts you will find this year. Visitors can enjoy mulled wine, a performance by the Wessex Brass Band and more.

Later that evening, steampunkers, pirates, Celts and people from all walks of life will gather for the Dolmen Yuletide Ball at Weymouth’s Centenary Club. The weekend will round off with a steampunkers’ stroll along the seafront on Sunday, December 4.

The nativity trail returns at various venues throughout the town on Saturday, December 10. People are invited to follow the Christmas story, finishing in Hope Square with carols, mulled wine and mince pies, a performance by the Salvation Army Band and an animated light show.

themed Christmas weekend. Cosplayers from across the country will descend on the town dressed to the nines in fantasy themed gear with no shortage of monocles, top hats and Victoriana themed, steam-driven augmentations. Steampunk is an aesthetic themed around an alternate history in which the British Empire flourished and moved into an era of industrial revolution much earlier,

leading to steam driven tanks and flying machines, bodily augmentations and even space exploration in the 1800s.

On Friday, December 2, The Royal Hotel will host a steampunk gala where students from Weymouth College have been working on costumes to exhibit. This event is ticketed and all proceeds will go to Weldmar Hospice. Locals and visitors

On Sunday, December 11 there is a farmers’ and makers’ market in New Bond Street. And on December 17 and 18, Santa will be coming to town to gather letters and lists from good children before taking them back to the North Pole.

Rounding out the town’s preChristmas season in style, on Sunday, December 18 there will be the annual pudding run and chase the elf event on Weymouth Beach.

Law firm appealing for book donations for youngsters

West Dorset law firm Kitson & Trotman have launched a community book drive. The firm wants to tackle issues raised in a report entitled ‘Book ownership, literacy

engagement and mental welling’, by the National Literacy Trust, which says one in four disadvantaged children across the UK has fewer than ten books at home,

and one in eight has none. Kitson & Trotman wants to provide books to local schools and organisations helping disadvantaged children, teenagers and young adults.

They are asking people for new or good quality second-hand books, with donation points at its offices at Beaminster, off Hogshill Street, and Bridport’s Chancery Lane until Dec 9.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS: Elves in New Bond Street and, below, the steampunk parade

Free parking for shoppers

Shoppers can park for free in most council car parks on four dates in November and December.

The Dorchester BID is hoping many people will take advantage of the offer, which covers Acland Road, Durngate Street, Fairfield, Old Market, Top o’ Town, Trinity Street and Wollaston Field car parks, but excludes on-street parking. Parking will be free on

Saturdays November 19 and 26 and December 3 and on Thursday, December 15. n West Dorset MP Chris Loder has hailed the restoration of the West of England train line services between Exeter to Waterloo following a long campaign to improve the service on the line from Sherborne, Yeovil Junction, Crewkerne and Axminster to London and Exeter.

MP discusses new Chickerell surgery

West Dorset MP Chris Loder is helping to progress plans to build a new GP surgery in Chickerell.

He met the practice manager of the Lanehouse and Wyke Regis surgeries to discuss how to make further progress, overcome obstacles associated with recruiting potential practice partners and wider GP recruitment in West Dorset as a whole.

He also met Chickerell’s two Dorset Councillors to discuss the next steps for the project. Plans for a new surgery were first raised in 2009, but have been severely delayed

following the decision by the Clinical Commissioning Group in 2014 not to pursue plans at the original site opposite the village hall owing to a lack of space. Wyke and Lanehouse Surgery are currently providing a day’s worth of clinical care to Chickerell patients.

Mr Loder said; “I am working hard to make progress on this, and am also urging Dorset Council to use its powers to raise the necessary funds through Section 106 funding for what proposes to be a vital and valuable asset for Chickerell.”

Chris Loder with councillors John Worth and Jean Dunseith

Process for slowing traffic is now speeded up

West Dorset communities can now apply for speed limits on local roads to be cut to 20mph following a policy change by Dorset Council.

West Dorset MP Chris Loder welcomed the news, adding: “I am very pleased to see Dorset Council has adopted this policy, which has the potential to greatly improve the safety of road users and pedestrians as well as the daily lives of residents living in communities affected by these issues.

“I would encourage all parish councils along the B3157 who have been

affected by road safety issues to engage with Dorset Council on this and make the most of the opportunity this new policy provides.”

Mr Loder held a road safety

summit in May this year to discuss the B3157 Coast Road alongside representatives of Dorset Police, Dorset Council, parish councils and local

residents.

The MP also recently met pupils and staff at Burton Bradstock Primary school, who are also running a road safety campaign.

Land searches now back to guidelines

Delays in Dorset Council land charge searches facing buyers in the county a year ago are now over, with searches back within the ten-day government guidelines.

Last year the average amount of time to return these searches had risen to 62 days, caused by the huge surge in the housing market coupled with staff vacancies.

Local land charges searches are made when buying a property. Search requests are generally made by purchasers, through their solicitors or search agents.

Over the last 12 months staff vacancies have been filled and the Planning Convergence and Transformation project has moved all planning work onto one system.

Now the team are all on the same system, and some

tasks have been automated. The next step in the project will transform the service to modernise and create an interactive customer-facing system that makes it easier for residents and councillors to understand more about planning and feel involved in the development of their local area.

Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Corporate Development and Transformation, said: “This is an incredible achievement when over the last three years we’ve received almost double the number of land charge searches that we normally manage, and number of requests continue to be high.”

The turnaround time for planning validations has also decreased with most being returned within five days.

SAFETY FIRST: Chris Loder with local councillors and residents during his B3157 road safety summit

Constabulary taking on new recruits

Dorset Police have taken on an extra 113 student officers as part of a national recruitment drive.

In 2019 the government announced the Uplift programme with the aim of recruiting an extra 20,000 officers nationally.

To meet the programme’s aim, Dorset Police were tasked with recruiting an extra 166 officers by the end of March 2023.

The force has so far recruited 113 new officers by the end of September, including student officer Syrie Hall, who joined earlier this year and is part way through initial classroom training on the detective degree holder entry programme.

She said: “I joined policing because I wanted to make a

difference to people’s lives.

“Ever since I was a teenager I wanted to be a police officer, but I chose a different career path and went on to have children.

“Training is really

interesting and varied and I am learning something new every day. I already feel part of a team within my cohort of student officers, but also within the wider Dorset Police family.”

A Dorset Police spokesperson said the recruitment of 113 new officers is ‘on top of existing planned recruitment’ adding that further ‘intakes’ are planned over the next five months.

According to Dorset Police the Uplift programme has seen an increase in the number of women in policing, which has now reached more than 50,000

for the first time since records began.

In Dorset women now make up 37.5 per cent of police officers in the county.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset David Sidwick said: “One priority of my police and crime plan is to make policing more visible and connected and so I am delighted to see that Dorset has recruited over 100 new student police officers.

“I know just how much residents want to see the police out and about in their towns, in their villages, in their communities, and the Uplift programme has already helped and will continue to help achieve that goal.”

INITIAL TRAINING: Syrie Hall at Dorset Police

When founder Benjamin Grassby moved to Dorchester in 1861 and established Grassby & Sons memorial masons he could not have imagined the business would have been thriving six generations later – and still being run by family members.

Benjamin, a renowned stone carver, was responsible for a lot of masonry work during the 19th century in many Dorset churches during the Gothic revival as well as buildings such as the Corn Exchange, Dorset County Museum and Eldridge Pope Brewery.

The family stonemasonry business continued down through the generations until Clinton Grassby and his brother Tony opened Grassby Funeral Service in Princes Street, Dorchester in 1970.

And how the business has developed since then. Peter Grassby and his brother David have been overseeing the funeral business for the last 40 years together with David’s son Nick, who joined in 2017 after a law career. Peter, Nick and Andrew Fooks now care for local families at their time of need at their Dorchester branch and Peter’s son William is emulating his uncle Andrew Grassby and of course his great-greatgreat grandfather Benjamin in carrying on with the family’s stone carving skills at Grimstone albeit with the help of 21st century technology.

During the last 52 years the funeral business has expanded, with the family acquiring a number of other local funeral directors. These include Rose Funeral Service and Grassby & Stockting serving Weymouth & Portland and

Sixth generation now at the helm of family funeral firm

the family are proud to work with Sam Wilding, Melody Hopkins and Paul Buddin in these branches, who look after families in south Dorset with dedication and a strong identity with the area. North Dorset families are served by Colin J Close Funeral Service in Blandford and Grassby & Close in Sturminster Newton. The family have even crossed the border into Devon, acquiring Potburys Funeral Service of Sidmouth in the early 1990s and Hansfords of Seaton and Beer, together with

Norton Memorial Masons of Axminster.

Although all these branches primarily care for the funeral needs of their clients, they are all supported by the original stonemasonry side of the business set up 160 years ago by Benjamin Grassby. In recent years there have been interesting developments in the nature of funerals with a more personal style of service which celebrates a person’s life or indeed with families also able to have a less traditional funeral.

An eco-friendly trend has

also been evident in the funeral industry with the rise of green burial practices, biodegradable coffins and a growing sensitivity towards issues regarding waste, renewal and sustainability. The company has recently bought two hybrid hearses and a hybrid limousine. They hope Benjamin would be proud.

Director Nick Grassby said: “We are extremely proud to have served our local communities throughout the last 160 years, and we hope to continue to do so for many years to come.”

CHANGING TIMES: Grassby’s stonemasonry depot in Maumbury Road in 1900 and below, the new fleet comprises hybrid vehicles

It’s an open and shut case

The winners of the Dorchester Supersleuth competition have been announced.

Hundreds of children, family and friends took part in the Agatha Christiethemed event over the summer as part of the Dorchester BID and Shire Hall Museum’ popular project to answer 120 questions about the ‘queen of the supersleuthers’.

First place winners won vouchers of £80, Second place, £50 and third winning £25 to spend in their chosen shops.

WINNERS

Under 11: 1; Isabella Matthews. 2; Alfie Ward. 3; Reuben Dodds 11-16s: 1; Poppy Collins. 2; Harriet Stephens. 3; Monty Bratcher-Howard Poppy said: “My sister and I always do the summer and Christmas supersleuth trails. We really enjoy doing them and all the people in the shops that take part are really friendly. Some of the questions can be quite challenging but its fun to research the answers.”

Harriet said: “I love the challenge of finding all the stickers and discovering different shops.”

Monty said: “I have been doing this for 10 years now, I enjoy it even more now as I can plan my own route, to get the most stickers in one trip. This year was particularly enjoyable, as some of the questions posed quite a bit of a challenge.”

Isabella said: “I really enjoyed the super sleuth competition, it was really fun to do in the summer holidays, I liked the stickers that had symbols on and you had to work out what book it was from the list, I’m so happy I won.”

Reuben said: “I liked going

Citizens Advice’s AGM

Citizens Advice Central Dorset (CACD) is holding its annual general meeting on Thursday, November 24 at 5pm at RiskSTOP, Mey House in Poundbury, DT1 3QI.

The guest speaker will be Sarah Howard, Interim Head of Primary & Community Care, NHS Dorset, who will give an overview of the Integrated Care System.

There will also be news about the work of CACD –

how vital support is being given to people affected by the cost of living and more on our projects and plans for the future.

People are welcome to attend in person from 4.30pm, when tea and coffee will be available. There is also an option to join remotely, via Zoom contact Caroline Buxton at caroline.buxton@centralca .org.uk

For more information go to centraldorsetca.org.uk

into the shops and asking the lady for the sticker.”

Reuben’s mum added: “I think it is a great activity. We have been doing it for a number of years and one of my daughters, who is 13 now, said it was a core memory of hers, hunting for the stickers and trying to solve the answer.”

Time to care

People in Dorset are urged to consider supporting young people leaving care when they are 18.

Dorset Council and Hall & Woodhouse are working together to create career opportunities for young adults leaving care. To find out more email cs-servicesupport@ dorsetcouncil.gov.uk n Efforts to help more young people with disabilities to find work in Dorset have taken a major step forward with the launch of a dedicated oneyear programme.

Dorset Careers Hub has convened a range of businesses, education providers, local authorities and other partners on the Removing Barriers initiative. Further details at dorsetcareershub.co.uk

THIS CASE IS CLOSED: Supersleuths with their certificates

Dear Mr Loder (Constituency Matters, edition 20), I agree with your comments in your column (Edition 20). However your figure of 60% with regard to food selfsufficiency also applies to UK energy supplies. Constructing solar or wind generation facilities on non-arable farmland must also be strongly encouraged and not delayed

Antiques

by selfish and short-sighted attitudes. Far better that farmers receive rent from such commercial installations than subsidies from the taxpayer.

T Hay

I am not known to write letters to publications, but your front cover has inspired me!

It is smashing. I remember fondly watching The Two Ronnies on the BBC back in

the 70s and the Fork Handles sketch was one of their funniest sketches. Your front cover brought back the memories of the night it was shown, I was sitting with my three children and husband, who has now sadly passed away. We were rolling about with laughter with tears rolling down our cheeks. Thank you so much. Since you launched your

magazine, I have become an avid reader. It is quite literally the magazine I read, and I can’t believe it is free. How do you do it?

In these days of doom and gloom, I love picking up my copy and your cartoon front covers brighten my day. May I personally wish you all the very brightest of futures. Sheila Taylor, Dorchester

100cm wide. £25. Corfe Mullen. 07789901948 Table round pine size 47” good quality £35 01305 267824

Solar hot water switching device. Easily installed and provides free hot water by detecting when your solar panels are generating an excess and switching on your boiler. SOlic 200 brand new in box. £220, can deliver. 07460 205033

Britannia rules with top quality food

REVIEW

By Diana Holman

We were warmly welcomed by staff members on our arrival at the Britannia Inn restaurant. The décor was elegant and restful. The menu was extensive with such a tempting selection that making a choice was difficult! Finally I decided upon wild mushroom fricassee to start, and my husband chose mackerel with green apple sauce. Both were absolutely delicious. A favourite recommended by the restaurant was crab and sweetcorn bon-bons. For main course I chose

Gressingham duck leg confit with blackberry sauce, and my husband chose boeuf bourguignon. Again, it was difficult to choose from many lovely selections including the restaurant’s seasonal favourites of chicken ballotine with wild mushrooms and truffled celeriac mash, or panfried cod with mariniere sauce, rope-grown Scottish mussels, clams, samphire, leeks and new potatoes. The vegetarian choices were excellent and plentiful too. I particularly liked the sound of grilled cauliflower steak with parsley and walnut pesto served with sweet potato fries. It was time to choose from the dessert menu. I knew immediately that my husband

would not be able to resist the restaurant’s own recommendation of chocolate delice with its crisp feulletine base dark chocolate ganache, cacao tuile, glazed hazelnuts and pistachios, dark chocolate sauce and honeycomb ice cream. My choice was a pistachio soufflé of incredible

lightness and flavour, served with rich chocolate ice cream. Our booking was early – 6pm, but already the restaurant was filling up with enthusiastic diners of all ages. I noticed that, even though the restaurant was getting very busy, the same individual warm welcome was extended to each group of diners on arrival.

We had a wonderful evening with amazing food and prompt service from friendly staff. For the high quality of the food, prices were not extortionate. I would not hesitate to choose the Britannia for a special celebration or a family meal where a wide range of tastes would be catered for.

Vittles (food & drink)

November – the last month of autumn before we accept the onset of those wistful winter days. At this time of year, it is an instinct to hoard, to seek comfort foods, which fulfil cravings for energy and nourishment. We are talking ‘Food Fuel’ here. Not one of us have been unaffected by rising costs, and at 14.7% inflation, everyone’s weekly budget has been affected. The thing is not to be anxious; we’ve been here before and survived we just need to be ‘canny’ and have a week’s food plan.

Yes, it sounds a little tedious to think of making lists before you go shopping and meal planning can be daunting but believe me it will make a huge difference if you do. Look for seasonal foods which will be cheaper, use lentils and beans to bulk out meals, both are full of nutrients, protein, iron, and zinc. But our Food Fuel doesn’t have to be boring –try making this Liver Parfait, similar to a liver pâté but as smooth as silk,

Winter is coming: Tuck in

very tasty and cheap to make.

225gms lamb’s liver or chicken livers (remove any tough sinews)

Four rashers of bacon 25g butter

Chopped onion and garlic (optional)

One apple, chopped Optional dash of brandy or Calvados (whatever you have)

200ml cream Salt and pepper Butter 40gs Peppercorns or bay leaves Cook the bacon for 2-3

minutes then add the onions and garlic until soft, add the sliced liver and cook gently for 5 mins. Add the tomato puree, apples and brandy and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Transfer to a blender and leave to cool. Add cream and blitz until smooth, taste and season generously. Press the mixture through a metal sieve, this will take out all the grainy bits and leave a smooth pâté. Place into ramekins or a small dish – melt 40g of butter

and pour over the top. Decorate with peppercorns – pink are the most flavoursome – or use some bay leaves. Allow to chill before serving. This can be a sandwich filler or an impressive starter. Sieving the mixture gives it that ‘edge.’ If you like texture, chop some bacon or mushrooms after you have sieved. The pâté will keep for a week in the fridge. Served with hot buttered toast or a baguette, gherkins, and olives. A nice glass of red wine and winter can do its worst!

Macaroni Cheese

This version of an old favourite is a bit more trouble, but elevates a simple economical dish into a classy vegetarian main course for three to four people

My best tip is to weigh out all your ingredients, separate the eggs and grate the cheeses before you start.

Ingredients:

175g macaroni

75g mascarpone

50g Gruyere, grated

50g parmesan, grated

25g butter

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

25g cornflour or plain flour

300 ml milk

A good grating of nutmeg

2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 large egg whites

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Butter an ovenproof baking dish of around 20cm x 15 cm, 5cm deep.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over a

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.

FOOD FUEL FOR WINTER: Liver Parfait Mum’s Kitchen... with Diana Holman

Wishing you a very jelly Christmas

Why not make your gifts this year and bring some festive spirit to family and friends?

Nothing says Christmas quite like sloe gin. Hunt out the blackberries nestled at the bottom of your freezer (you can buy frozen berries in supermarkets) and get making. Just make sure you tuck these goodies out of temptation’s way so there are still some to part with come Christmas.

Blackberry & Sloe Gin Jelly

This is a deep dark fruity jelly that is full of flavour and a kick of gin. You should get around 3-4 jars from this recipe. Pop a couple of saucers in the fridge for testing that the jelly is set.

– about 20 minutes. Once completely melted, turn the heat up and bring to a rolling boil. Leave to cook for 20-30 mins.

Put a teaspoon of jelly on a saucer and leave it for 30 seconds. Push your finger through the jelly – the surface should wrinkle once ready. If it is not quite set, then boil for a further 3 minutes and repeat the process. As soon as it’s ready, plop the sloe gin in the pan and stir well. Take off the heat and pour the jelly mixture into warm sterilised jars.

900g blackberries 1 lemon, juiced Approx 450g sugar 3 tablespoons sloe gin

With the blackberries in a large pan add 300ml water and the

lemon juice. Bring to the boil then reduce the temperature and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the blackberries are soft. Give the berries a quick mash to break them upthis really is about getting as much juice from the berries as possible. Hang a jelly bag over a jug and carefully pour the contents of the pan into the gentle heat, add the onions and let them soften without browning for 5 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and stir it in to make a smooth paste,

bag. Leave overnight until the juices have all run through. Measure the juice and weigh out 450g sugar for each 600ml liquid. Put the juice and sugar in a clean pan and let it warm through gently – don’t heat this too fast as the sugar will end up thick and you’ll end up with streaky jelly. Allow the sugar to dissolve

then gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring vigorously. Change to a balloon whisk and whisk until you have a smooth sauce. Add salt and pepper and nutmeg and leave the sauce to cook gently for 5 minutes then turn off the heat. Whisk in the mascarpone and egg yolks, followed by the gruyere and half the parmesan. Meanwhile bring a large pan containing about 2.5 litres of water

This jelly can be eaten straight away (once cold) it is fantastic served with baked brie straight out of the oven or cold on a turkey sandwich. To make your present extra special you could add a note with suggestions on how to use the jelly.

n Lizzie trades from The Old Ship Inn in Upwey or checkout her website or Facebook to see where she is over the festive period. lizziebakingbird.co.uk

to the boil. Add the macaroni, and simmer for 4-6 minutes. Drain into a colander, put back into the saucepan and add the cheese sauce, stirring well to evenly coat the pasta.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold them in. Pour the pasta mixture into the dish, smooth the top and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.

Cook for around 15 minutes until the top is puffy and lightly browned.

Lizzie Crow AKA Lizzie Baking Bird is a self taught baker, who 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.

NICE AND SLOE: Blackberry and Sloe Gin Jelly

Down to earth

BEACHCOMBING

with JO BELASCO BA Hons History of Architecture and Design

I took my mum to Seatown to get some ocean air. We retreated to The Anchor Inn when the heavens opened. Leaving mum with a cuppa I scrutinised the clues seeping out of the walls in the form of framed certificates, photos and paintings. Beachcombing pointers such as East India Company cash tokens from Victorian wrecks. They looked like they were made of metal (made a mental note to self to invest in a metal detector). On another wall I noted tales of smugglers and humpback whales.

The rain faded away and so play resumed. I confess we did not find any whittled whalebone, ancient trading coins or smuggler’s booty. It was better than that: Glistening at our feet was a piece of pyrite-encrusted ammonite! Spurred on by our find I went on to unearth three beautifully frosted pieces of sea glass, driftwood crying out to be turned into a name sign and a stiff piece of dried seaweed. I thought I recognised the seaweed as egg wrack. The shapes of the twisted weed were very decorative and I wondered how easy it would be to turn the little air bubbles

SHORE FINDS:

Eggwrack seaweed and hematite (for weight) bead necklace, partially pyritised ammonite and seaglass, driftwood at Seatown and, top right, turning the air bubble egg wrack into a seaweed bead piercing it with a needle.

Right: Dried eggwrack seaweed

Hatching jewellery out of eggs found on the shoreline

into beads. As I still don’t know my bladder wrack from my egg wrack it seemed prudent to wear it rather than eat it!

At home, first I pierced it –the air pockets were surprisingly nice to make jewellery with. Of course I am thinking in terms of a Fabergé egg rather than poached.

The weed was already dry

when I found it but wasn’t crumbly at all but more like leather. I started with a very slim needle then graduated to a thicker needle. Looking at different types of needles online I would guess the initial type was a ‘sharps’ needle and then the thicker version was a ‘crewel’ – I confess I am no seamstress. I just cut the ‘eggs’ away

from the stems, trimmed the surrounds then pierced them and threaded them on to wire where they will remain until I find the right type of permanent thread. The staff at The Anchor Inn had been so welcoming we went back for lunch. I was very curious to see whether any type of seaweed was on the menu. Not yet, maybe next time...

SEA VIEWS: View from The Anchor pub showing The Seaside sauna haus

A real spike in number of hibernating hedgehogs

Sally Cooke lives in Tolpuddle with her husband, two grown up sons and her spotty rescue dog. You can follow Sally on Instagram at Sparrows in a Puddle

I bumped into a neighbour recently just as she was taking her two ancient tortoises to the vets for their pre-hibernation check-up. As I peered into the cardboard box to see them it reminded me of watching Blue Peter in the 1970s, enthralled as the presenters boxed up Freda the tortoise for her long winter sleep. I’ve never had a pet tortoise but the wild grass snakes and slow worms that I’ve been lucky enough to see in my garden during the summer will probably have already found somewhere deep under the fallen leaves

or rotting logs to spend the winter. Although we tend to loosely use the word ‘hibernation’, the shutting down of bodily functions undertaken by reptiles and amphibians is called ‘brumation’.

The mild weather we’ve had so far this November has meant that there are still many insects about, but they too will soon be looking for safe places to overwinter. I’m careful to avoid the temptation to ‘tidy up’ my garden too much as the messy bits of dying vegetation, hollow stems, dry seedheads and piles of leaves are vital places for our summer pollinators to hide away.

One of Dorset’s true hibernators, and one that I’ve been thrilled to have visiting my garden all summer, is the hedgehog. About this time of year, especially if the temperatures start to drop, they will be looking for

somewhere dark and cold such as a log or leaf pile, or under a garden shed or in a hedgehog house, to hibernate. I am very much hoping that this is what my hedgehog is doing as the saucer of cat biscuits I’ve been putting out each evening, to supplement its natural diet of worms and beetles, has not been touched for a week or so.

Hedgehogs may be hibernating now until early spring, so it’s really important to check any bonfire piles carefully before lighting (ideally move the entire heap) and to try and leave log and leaf piles alone. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society website has masses of information on our endangered hedgehogs as well as advice on how to become a Hedgehog Champion and work with your neighbours to create a Hedgehog Street.

Attack of the green jelly blobs in our garden paths

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.

One thing that most people know is that bacteria are so small that you need a serious microscope to see them at all and an electron microscope to see them clearly. E coli, for example, averages at 1.5 microns long and half a micron in diameter, meaning that you could arrange 700 end to end in one millimetre. While there a rare few bacteria that are just about visible to the naked eye, there could easily be some in your garden that you might trip

over, or at least, slip up on. It is Nostoc commune (=gathered snot) and takes the form of blobs of green/brown jelly nestling in the gravel of a million paths throughout the Kingdom, usually in the wet of autumn.

They are greeted with a mixture of puzzlement and disgust by their reluctant custodians, but I think them worthy of examination.

The individual ‘blobs’ are not, of course, gigantic, individual bacterial cells, but colonies of billions of bacteria. While they are, indeed, bacteria, they are cyanobacteria, otherwise known as ‘blue-green algae’. ‘Algae’, I must point out, is an informal term for many slimy organisms, regardless of whether or not they are closely related on the tree of life). So, N.

commune, is a colonial species of cyanobacterium. The individual cyanobacterial cells that constitute each blob are almost spherical and, under a microscope, they are seen as innumerable, short, intertwining strings of beads.

The overall jelly texture is down the polysaccharides that connect and protect these strings.

Cyanobacteria are outstandingly self-sufficient, being able to both photosynthesise and fix nitrogen, the latter talent encapsulated in ‘heterocysts’ that occur at intervals along the strings. They can grow on bare rock and contain pigments that protect from ultra-violet radiation. Effectively, it is a colonising species of bare ground, hence its fondness for gravel

paths. Nostoc species are also found as one of the symbionts of certain lichens. Most lichen are fungi mixed with algae (completely unrelated to Nostoc), the algal component doing the photosynthesising. However, a few use Nostoc species to perform this function, and, rather than being mixed-in with the lichen’s fungal structure, form their usual blobs which are ‘plumbed-in’. People always ask me if something is edible and, in this case, and despite the fact that some people eat it, I am going with a firm ‘no’. Some cyanobacteria are very dangerous and who wants to eat a green jelly blob anyway?

Down to earth

PAGAN VIEWS by JO BELASCO

‘The Girl with the Chariot Medallion’ that is what the Celtic female was dubbed when she was discovered in her burial finery.

She doesn’t sound so cool as say, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.

However, Stieg Larsson could definitely make a great story from her short life around Langton Herring when the Romans were invading in the first century AD.

Her grave was discovered in 2010. The grave goods indicated that she was a woman of great importance.

I say woman as her age at death has been calculated at 19 to 25, not really a girl especially in Celtic times. So let’s call her a woman and call the medallion what it really was – a coin which had been ‘drilled’ to make a pendant.

And not a Celtic coin with a horse on, of which there were many. But a Roman coin.

Many chieftains were buried with their horses and chariots so they could make that journey to the underworld or their next life.

I think our Celtic woman died with ‘her boots on’ from battle wounds (that is also consistent with the Wikipedia information).

Her chariot was probably irreparably damaged and her horses dead.

Horses were the modern equivalent of cars to the

Money talks from beyond the grave as chariot girl rides out

Romans and to to some extent the Celts although the reverence the Celts had to horses was more a religion.

To have a single chariot was like having a Ford Focus – to have a chariot drawn by four horses was a Porsche and a battle advantage.

Sadly, she had no horses or chariot to take her to the next world – or did she?

The more I researched

about the coin the more I heard ‘the girl’ laughing down the centuries.

It was a Roman coin minted to commemorate or bring luck to Quintus Antonius Balbus in a battle. The coin shows the Roman goddess Victory driving a chariot with four horses.

The Romans lost and Balbus died – you can see how the Celts would find this amusing. A silver coin minted with all the pomp

and propaganda that entails and then after all that – failure. So to then drill a hole in that coin and commandeer the chariot to parade her to the next life is really sticking two fingers up at the Romans.

If I got to choose Stieg Larsson’s title for a book about her I would call it The Woman who commandeered the Roman Chariot.

CURRENCY: The actual Roman coin, a Denarius Serratus, found in the grave of The Girl with the Horse Medallion

Stunning sights out in Andromeda

Kevin Quinn is a Dark Sky Custodian for the Cranborne Chase Dark Sky Reserve who lives in Piddletrenthide. Read his blog at theastroguy.wordpress.com

It occurred to me that my recent articles have been somewhat broad in nature, so I felt that it was time to explore some specific, must-see highlights that one can observe at this time of year.

Although Mercury and Venus are too close to the sun at the moment, the remaining planets are still visible, though Saturn will dip lower in the southwest over the coming months.

Uranus reached opposition on November 9, Mars on December 8 (Jupiter and Neptune oppositions have passed). Whilst Jupiter and Saturn rightly steal the show on an observing session, there’s something special about seeing the ice giants with one’s own eyes. Although relatively large, they’re a long way off in the vastness of the outer solar system. At a recent talk I gave to a Cub Scout group, I gave an indication of the sizes and distances involved with the analogy that if the earth was the size of a cherry tomato, Uranus would be an apple about 3.5km away, and Neptune a lime about 5km away. Mindblowing!

Naked eye/ binocular must-see objects have to include the

Pleiades and Hyades, clusters of several hundred stars in Taurus that are just stunning in a pair of 10x50s. Then there’s Melotte 20, a cluster of around 100 stars centred around the bright star Mirfak in Perseus. Also in Perseus is the famous, and doubly stunning, Double Cluster (NGC

869 & 884). One of my favourite clusters is NGC 2264 the Christmas Tree Cluster, a large and bright grouping of around 80 stars spanning about 20 light years and lying around 2600 light years away in Monoceros (to the left of the universally recognisable constellation of Orion). No must-see list would be

complete without mention of the Andromeda galaxy. Although very high up at this time of the year, it’s definitely worth a look, and just knowing where it is/how to find it bestows a great sense of achievement that never really goes away.

Telescope owners should definitely take a look at galaxy NGC 891 in Andromeda. Not an easy find without a go-to setup, this super sharp edge-on spiral, surrounded by stars and with a dark dust lane down the middle, is a stunner. As is NGC 2841 (the Tiger’s Eye galaxy) in Ursa Major. Around 46 million light years distant, and around 50% larger than our Milky Way. My ambition for the dark winter nights is to spend some time sketching these galaxies, along with the two-for-one Messiers 81 & 82 galaxies (also in Ursa Major). These, of course, are just a few personal favourites. Looking further ahead, it’s hoped that there will be a bright naked eye comet gracing the morning skies. Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is looking like it might rival the recent Comet Neowise. Fingers crossed.

Culture Echoes of the past with the vintage

An extraordinary collection of rare and vintage equipment has been sourced to establish a fabulous recording studio just outside Dorchester –and it’s all fully accessible. Grace and Nick Capaldi started to establish Echo Town studios just before lockdown. While covid presented many challenges they battled through, fired up with passion for vintage sound.

Nick, who has a legion of fans for his music including BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, and his wife and manager Grace, who is a wheelchair user, knew just what they were looking for in their studio equipment – vintage sound, with an ambience to match.

And it had to be accessible – Grace found many studios they used hard to access.

Their super cool studio has proved a hit with many well-known musicians, including Mick Rogers (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band), Ben Waters, Albert Lee (who has performed and recorded there), Paul Beavis, Ian Jennings, author Damien Lewis who recorded an audiobook, BJ Cole, who worked with Elton John, Joan Armatrading, Bjork, and Liam Gallagher, Robbie McIntosh and Billy Bragg. The Rolling Stones’ producer Chris Kimsey has also been in to engineer. The décor is a hat-tip to the achingly cool style of studios of yesteryear. But

it is the array of vintage analogue equipment that will make any musician excited.

There’s an Otari 24 track tape machine that was last used by Tom Jones with producer Ethan Johns, a Fender Bassman rig that belonged to Mani from the Stone Roses, a Hohner Clavinet D6 played by Stevie Wonder, and a very rare Baldwin electric harpsichord that used to live in London’s Olympic studios.

Grace said: “We wanted to

run a business together and we had already started the record label and it made sense to then build a studio to go alongside it as we had the space and motivation.

“Nick’s a musician so it’s a musician’s dream and it has passion. We also visited a few studios and found them quite inaccessible, so we are on a mission to be as accessible as possible.

“Music is inclusive and we want the creating of it to be as well. Also, being

built from a musician’s perspective, it has pretty much all you would want or need, including very rare and vintage gear e.g microphones from the 60s and amps previously owned by Mani from the Stone Roses. It is going brilliantly so far; we have been busy with bookings and gigs which has been very exciting.”

The couple spent over a year sourcing the best equipment, most of it vintage and some of it extremely rare.

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME: Echo Town Studios and, below, Grace and Nick Capaldi

sound of coolness

Have a good clear-out to help town arts group

Dorchester Arts is running a fundraising event called Useful Or Beautiful and encouraging people to have a good clear out before the festive season gets into full swing.

The fundraising sale will take place on Sunday, November 20 at Dorchester Corn Exchange.

Fundraising manager Jacky Thorne said: “Over the next few weeks, we are asking local people to donate either beautiful things that they no longer want, or useful things they no longer need so that they can find a

new home. For example, we welcome pottery and china, artworks and pictures, books, cushions and throws, ornaments, and house plants.”

Donations are accepted every weekday from now until the event and can be brought to the new Stage Door entrance of the Corn Exchange, where our offices are now located, during office hours, Monday – Friday 10am –4pm.

If you have any queries, please call the office on 01305 266926.

The first purchase they made was a 32 channel Solid State Logic 6000E console which was previously owned by the BBC in the 1980s.

And they have a microphone collection to rival any of the world’s best studios, plus a huge collection of vintage keyboards, pianos, guitars and amps.

Three vintage tape machines are on hand for those who want to really get back to the analogue magic, including a four-

track Studer J37 (the same model that The Beatles recorded many classic albums on). They also have a very spacious lounge complete with kitchen area, seating and games including a snooker table.

The couple have just started to offer popstar parties for children aged six-16, too.

n echotownstudio.com

The Willows, Bridport Road, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9DS 01305 542018

CultureA trust which helps talented young musicians in the south west with their education is hosting a fundraising concert in Beaminster on Saturday, December 3.

Martin Schellenberg spent decades in music, teaching, performing, adjudicating and conducting.

He had retired to Somerset and became director of music and organist at St Mary’s Church, Beaminster, and accompanist to the South Somerset choral society. He was also director of the Cantamus Choir in Bridport and during the pandemic recorded music for online services.

He died aged 62, while playing the organ at choir practice at the church in Beaminster. His life and work was honoured at a funeral service attended by over 200 people.

The Martin Schellenberg Music Trust was formed in his memory, paying tribute to his ‘natural affinity’ with young people and his enthusiasm for teaching. The trust has established a strong link with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, as Martin studied there and had a huge amount of respect and admiration for their

Fundraising concert set to boost Martin’s music fund

work. The trust focuses on students studying organ, piano and voice in Birmingham, Worcestershire and the South West, stepping in to help when they would struggle to fund their studies. The hour-long concert in Beaminster’s St Mary’s Church, entitled An Advent Fanfare, will feature Malcolm Archer

on the organ, Winston Leese on trumpet and festive readings by Jan Wyld. It will last about an hour and start at 4pm. There will be a raffle of Christmas cake, wine and chocolates. Tickets are £10 to include mulled wine.

Buy yours at Yarn Barton Community Centre, Beaminster and The

Church Office: 8 Hogshill Street, Beaminster. Phone 01935 509510 or email schellenberg musictrust@gmail.com or via the-martinschellenberg-music-trust. sumupstore.com/products

To learn more about the trust go to tmsmusictrust. co.uk or find The Martin Schellenberg Music Trust on Facebook.

Folkie Alex gives his album a Supernatural remix

Acclaimed folk artist Alex Roberts is breathing new life into his album Love & Supernatural with a remix and remaster plus new bonus tracks.

The 17-track recording reimagines the LP for a new decade as part of a ‘cutting-edge’ reproduction that

includes five new live tracks. Dorset-born Alex took inspiration for one of the tracks on the album after spending time at The Stour Inn in Blandford, his preferred watering hole in his mid-20s after finishing university in Chichester.

Now in his 40s, Alex has moved back to Dorset after spending time in India and mastering the guitar, lap steel, harmonica, bouzouki and piano. You can listen to Alex’s music on YouTube and Bandcamp and at alexrobertsmusic.com

IN MEMORY: Music teacher Martin Schellenberg

Telling the human stories behind the migrant headlines

A Beaminster author has published her first nonfiction book – a fascinating collection of the stories of refugees, aimed at humanising migrants.

English teacher Alexandra Blanchard, 27, became interested in the stories of migrants after working with Syrian refugees in Dorchester.

She says she loved that the people of Dorchester were so welcoming to the refugees, bringing them furniture, clothes and food and taking them to English lessons and appointments. But the attitudes expressed online and via the media clashed with this kindness, and Alexandra wanted to investigate refugees’ real life stories to put a face to the ‘faceless’ migrant keyboard warriors like so much to attack.

Alexandra teamed up with Al Jazeera journalist Alex Howlett, 26, to write Wander Women: Tales of Transgression in a Bordered World, which will be out from December 8, priced £20 order at hurstpublishers.com

It tells stories of women and trans people from all over the world – their experiences with migration, borders and movement. Within the book are the

experiences of Dorsetbased refugees from Syria as well as Afghanistan. What surprised Alexandra was the commonality between what appeared on the surface to be very different people from very different cultures and situations.

She said: “Despite seeming to have very different lives and cultures and religions there were so many similarities.”

DOWNSTREAM DORSET, River Tales and Local History by Mary van Coller

282 pages full of snippets, facts, place names and colour photographs

Available for £19.95 +p&p online at www.downstreamdorset.co.uk www.countrybooks.biz

The book concludes with a simple list of all the things people can do to make a difference to people, from making friends with refugees to making sure events are accessible for disabled people. “Really simple things anyone can do,” said Alexandra, “but things that can make a huge difference to people.”

Wander Women takes the reader from the streets of London to the ruins of Syria, from Calais to Russia to Western Sahara, speaking to women of all ages –pioneering activists and artists, matriarchs and mothers, politicians and humanitarians.

The book shines light on the boundaries and constraints – both physical

and invisible, political and social – that mould the lives of cis women, trans people and gender-nonconforming individuals.

Reviews include: ‘A searing examination of human mobility at the margins, in this age of criminalisation and violence against those who move in search of safety and opportunity.’ —

Nanjala Nyabola, author of Travelling While Black and Strange and Difficult Times

‘Urgent and affecting, Wander Women brings forth extraordinary stories of courage and resistance.’ —

Aanchal Malhotra, author of Remnants of Partition: 21 Objects from a Continent Divided

Supporting the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance service Published by Spiral Publishing Ltd & Country Books

The Perfect Gift for all Lovers of Dorset

STORIES: Alexandra Blanchard and, below, Alex Howlett. Inset: Wander Women

Church

A sincere, silent prayer can say so much

By Canon Deb Smith, Team Rector of Bridport

Late one evening a poor farmer on his way back from the market found himself without his prayer book.

The wheel of his cart had come off right in the middle of the road and it distressed him that this day would pass without him having said his prayers. So, this is the prayer he made: “I have done something very foolish, Lord. I came away from home this morning without my prayer book and my memory is such that I cannot recite a single prayer without it. So, this is what I’m going to do: I shall recite the alphabet five times very slowly, and you, to whom all prayers are known, can put the letters together to form the

Services

Monday to Saturday at 8.30am, Morning Prayer - The Sepulchre Chapel

Every Monday at 9am, Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel Every Tuesday at 12noon, Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel

Every Wednesday at 10.30am, Holy Communion with Homily – The Lady Chapel Every Thursday at 12noon, BCP Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel

Every Friday at 9am, Ecumenical Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel

The first Friday of the month at 9am, Requiem Holy CommunionThe Sepulchre ChapelEvery Saturday at 9am, Holy Communion - The Sepulchre Chapel

Sherborne Abbey: 8am Holy Communion

prayers I can’t remember.”

And the Lord said to his angels, “Of all the prayers I have heard today, this one was undoubtedly the best because it came from a heart that was simple and sincere.”

This is a wonderful story retold by the priest Anthony De Mello.

It brings a smile but is also a reminder that our prayers are not about how well we express ourselves, not about having the magic words, or many words for that matter. Prayer that is heartfelt might well be completely silent, or the words uttered in prayer may be stumbling and incoherent.

But the sincere heart that forms even the most halting prayer will speak directly to heart of God.

I don’t know just how many people come into the

9.30am Eucharist, 6pm Evensong

Martin of Tours, Lillington: 10am Morning Service

James the Great, Longburton: 10am Family Communion St Paul’s at The Gryphon: 10.30am Holy Communion

St Mary Magdalene, Castleton: 11.15am Mattins

Burton Bradstock: 9.30am Family Service

Swyre: 11am Morning Worship Puncknowle: 11am All Age Communion

Litton Cheney: 9.30am Holy Communion

Long Bredy: 9.30am Morning Worship

Weekly telephone service prepared by members of the Bride Valley team available on 01308 293062

Corscombe: 10am Morning Worship

West Chelborough: 9.30am Holy Communion

Evershot: 10am Holy Communion

Frome St Quintin: 11am Holy Communion

Melbury Bubb: 11.15am Morning

churches in our parish every day, but many slip into our beautiful buildings each day to be still, to pray, to find a few moments of peace or to light a candle. Some people leave a comment in a visitors’ book, certainly often when I am in a church in the parish in the week, I’ve often had a conversation with someone who has been drawn to come inside. They are places of refuge where we are surrounded with the stones of walls soaked with the prayers of generations.

So, it is important that the doors are open, that we do all we can make all know that they are welcome, that these churches are God’s house for everyone. During the period of mourning for Queen Elizabeth, all our churches saw even more people than

Prayer

Maiden Newton: 9.30am Holy Communion Chilfrome: 11am Morning Prayer

Sunday, November 27

First Advent Sunday

Sherborne Abbey: 8am Holy Communion, 9.30am Eucharist, 5pm Advent Carol Service Martin of Tours, Lillington: 10am Morning Service

St James the Great, Longburton: 10am Quiet Communion St Paul’s at the Gryphon: 10.30am Morning Worship

St Mary Magdalene: 11.15am Mattins

Burton Bradstock: 11am Holy Communion

Shipton Gorge: 11am Holy Communion Swyre and Puncknowle: 9.30am Joint Breakfast Church Litton Cheney: 4pm Darkness to Light

Darkness to Light Service: St Mary’s, Litton Cheney, 27th November at 4pm

usual coming in to sign books of condolence and to reflect and pray.

At St Mary’s, Bridport, the votive candle stand was moved to a central point and the number of people making use of the candles as a way of making a wordless prayer, to remember a loved-one, to respond to God in some way mushroomed.

The votive stand remains in that place. It can be seen by those passing by, the light a sign of welcome, a sign of hope even on a dark day. And a way of making a prayer without many words. Give it a try next time you are passing!

By Advent Sunday, it’s dark by the end of the afternoon, so see the church path lit up with jam jars decorated by Thorners’s schoolchildren and the church with many candles welcoming everyone to St Mary’s Litton Cheney.

Join us in a beautiful and thoughtprovoking service of readings, music and carols that help us to begin the Advent journey, as we prepare for Jesus’s birth at Christmas.

Littlebredy: 11am Holy Communion

Halstock: 9.30am Breakfast Church

Melbury Osmond: 9.30am Holy Communion

Cattistock: 10am Holy Communion

St Swithuns: Advent is from November 28. During this time one service will be held for the whole parish at St Mary’s Church in South Street at 10am.

Every Thursday, from December 1, there will be a Sung Eucharist and lighting of the Advent Wreath at 10am in St Swithun’s Church followed by coffee and biscuits.

Sherborne Abbey Weekday Services

It’s such

By LISA LEWIS Lisa is an interior designer based in Sherborne Lisalewis.co.uk

I’m not sure about you but the process of getting our homes ready for the festive season is one of anticipation and excitement.

It often takes us back to our childhoods or to special family occasions. In many cases we take down overflowing boxes from the loft and place our favourite decorations in familiar spots around the house.

For a while now, I have bought very little to add to

exciting time of the year

could attend a wreath making workshop:

Date: Saturday, December 3.

my already plentiful stock of decorations. The ones we display all evoke memories or have sentimental value and that is, for me, the most important feature of this part of the year. Any

additions can come in the form of every day kitchen items, berries and greenery from the hedgerow (though don’t take them all as they are winter food for our birds and animals). If you want any help you

Time: 11am-1pm Location: The Purple Turtle, Dorchester Booking Required: Advised Price: £45 Book at indorset.com/events/ winter-wreath-makingworkshop

Likewise, planning what gifts to give loved ones is generally a pleasurable, though sometimes challenging experience.

n CONTINUED ON P54

FESTIVE: Christmas shopping in Sherborne

Take the pressure off yourself and enjoy it

You may have found something during the year that is perfect for that special person; I’m certainly not that organised but some are. And there are more and more events such as the Sherborne Festive Shopping Day which takes place this year on December 4: sherbornechamber. co.uk/events/ sherbornefestive-shopping-day Here you are encouraged to get into the Christmas spirit and support local retailers, whilst there will be festive stalls too.

Gifted in Bridport is an exhibition showcasing contemporary craft and design from the South West: bridport-

arts.com/gifted where you can support local artists and come away with unique gifts. This year we have warned our families that we are paring back gifts. For the most part we are all very fortunate in this

part of the world to have a roof over our heads and really most of what we need.

A gift should be just that. The planning of the festive food is also a big deal with food magazines and TV cookery programmes telling us what to cook and how to cook it. Maybe I’m getting long in the tooth but in our family we now focus on producing favourite recipes that we know people like. This way there is very little waste and we are all happy. To help spread the cost I will be making what I can in advance and freezing it.

I will also be focusing on looking up recipes to use up what little is not eaten so nothing goes to waste. I think the covid Christmas of 2020 and even last year was a bit of a reset for us all in terms of what is really important. This year most of us will definitely feel the squeeze of higher prices in all aspects of our lives and these will of course filter into our festive budgets. My advice is to take the pressure off yourself and remember it is about being together, spending time with each other because at the end of the day that is what makes memories, not the present that is opened. Less really is more.

Security Industry Since 1990

n CONT FROM P53

DELIGHTFUL DECORATIONS: Lisa Lewis and the art of festive decorations

Constituency issues

with

Remembrance a chance to reflect for all of us

Remembrance Sunday is a poignant moment in our annual calendar from which emanates a sense of reflection, sorrow, pride and hope all in one. These moments allow us to detach ourselves momentarily from everyday life, and stand with those with whom we may otherwise disagree, in the unified act of remembering those who gave the most invaluable gift of all: their life in the hope of their fellow citizens and future generations leading a more free and peaceful life.

This year I was at the Dorchester memorial on Sunday morning. The first time an MP has attended our County Town memorial for more than 40 years I am told,

Politics

and I was at Beaminster on Sunday afternoon where we heard testimony from four veterans of the Falklands War to mark the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.

I wanted to share with you though that I was disgusted to learn that there have been some local people who have been trawling social media and targeting young cadets with hateful and malicious messages. This is appalling. If you or your children have been a victim of this, would you please get in touch with me at hello@chrisloder.co.uk

n This year, especially with the war in Ukraine, I have been thinking of the

many troops deployed in places like Estonia over this period, some of whom I met recently when I was abroad. Many of these brave men and women will be remembering their own friends lost in previous recent conflicts.

n The Royal British Legion do a very important job raising money to help those who gave so much for our country and educating us about the sacrifices made. It was an honour to support those selling poppies in Sherborne high street last Saturday. It was also great to see so many of my colleagues in Parliament recognise that, especially with the Prime Minister joining volunteers selling

Poppies for the Royal British Legion in Westminster Tube station in rush hour only a few days ago.

n Last week was a busy one for me in the House of Commons. During Prime Minister’s Questions last Wednesday, I asked the Prime Minister to help address the actions of supermarket fuel chains like Morrisons charging a premium in their stores in places like Bridport, significantly higher than their other stores outside of West Dorset. The Prime Minister confirmed that he had instigated a review by the Competition and Markets Authority into the fuel market to help address my concerns. A great step in the right direction.

Lovely views, but we seem to have been forgotten

“You cannot eat the view,” is what one Dorset resident told me the other day as we discussed the cost of living crisis.

Rural issues are being sidelined in Parliament and in public policy.

Farmers are taken for granted by the Conservatives, the botched introduction of the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) and poor trade deals (especially with Australia) more than illustrate this.

Transport is a major issue for low-income rural households who face real isolation. Trains, buses and access to rail stations are

By ANDY CANNING West Dorset LibDems

all serious issues.

Ambulance delays, bedblocking and an overstretched NHS are particularly bad in the countryside.

Then there’s the inability to attract staff because there is nowhere local and affordable to live. Not to mention the difficulty of getting a decent broadband connection in rural areas to allow businesses to succeed.

Levelling up has not a lot of meaning for the northern towns that it was aimed at, and it has virtually none at

all for West Dorset. If we want our rural communities on a level playing field with our towns we need to address the causes of the problems that have led to dysfunction in many sectors of the economy and society.

Our young people are leaving in search of work at the same time that local employers from all sectors are struggling to fill vacancies. Our hospitals are full to capacity, with ambulances queuing outside the front, while beds are taken up by people who could be cared for at home. We have pensioners and young people desperate to get out

into the towns to spend their money, but they have no cars and no alternative way to get there.

If rural Britain is going to thrive, this has to change. It should start with the industry that is already the success story of rural Britain: farming. However, the Conservatives have taken our farmers for granted by bargaining away their level trading field for one pitched firmly in favour of their Australian competitors. The reality is that the Conservatives have taken the votes of rural Britain for granted for so long they have just stopped listening to its needs.

West Dorset MP Chris Loder

Sewage discharges into sea are totally unacceptable

It appears that yet again sewage has overflowed into the sea in West Dorset. According to Surfers Against Sewage, who monitor our beaches for these discharges, sewage appeared in the sea water at Eype, Charmouth and Seatown following the recent stormy weather. Ironically, a few days later, in their magazine that appeared through my letter box, Wessex Water’s Sewage Planning Manager claimed that they are “proud of our sustained industry-leading performance for customers, our communities and the environment”.

Now I have no problem with the service Wessex Water supply to their customers. Far from it. We recently had need to call them out for a blocked drain

By KELVIN CLAYTON West Dorset Green Party

we share with our neighbours. The service they supplied was excellent. However, I really struggle to find the sewage discharges acceptable. Wessex Water justify these discharges as the necessary release of storm water to prevent our homes being flooded. This may well be the case, but is this the only response to large amounts of storm water? As our climate changes in response to increased amounts of carbon in the atmosphere such storms will only get more frequent and more severe. Does this mean that we will have to just accept the damage done to both sea life

and human health by progressively increased numbers of discharges? From my perspective, the main issue here is the delivery of essential public services by ‘for profit’ private companies. Starting during the Thatcher era there has been a growing economic orthodoxy that the dominant motivating factor behind all services should be the pursuit of economic growth, and that problems faced by our public services are best tackled by ‘market forces’. Under this economic model factors such as the discharge of sewage are classed as ‘externalities’, and are ignored by the company’s economic planning. Wessex Water is owned by the Malaysian YTL Corporation and turned

in a profit of £552.3 million in 2020.

One solution, of course, would be to make water companies incur a cost for discharging sewage – to tax them for any pollution they cause. What I would like see, though, is a move to a completely different economic model, one that measures success by the degree to which the essential things we need in order to live (like warm, safe homes with a secure water and power supply) are delivered. Money and wealth are simply means to achieving these ends. Rather than set our economic focus on the means, as essential as they are, why not focus instead on the ends? Some people term such an economic model a ‘wellbeing economy’.

We’ve had enough of the political hokey cokey

Three changes of Prime Minister, countless sackings, reappointments and resignations have left us all with absolutely no idea what government policy is today or will be in the future. This ridiculous position was shamelessly demonstrated by our local MP in the last edition of this magazine who stated that he had supported Liz Truss, but, despite radically different ideas, he was now fully behind the latest occupant at Number 10. The victims of all this chaos are ordinary people who are desperately trying to balance their household budgets whilst inflation rages and incomes stagnate.

By CLAUDIA SORIN West Dorset Labour Party

It seems incomprehensible that on energy policy alone, we have gone from enormous energy hike projections to government protection for two years, and now back to who knows what in April.

Meanwhile, 9,000 people died in England and Wales last year because their homes were too cold. A damning indictment of the sixth richest nation.

The same in-and-out policy decisions can be seen in the way pensioners have been treated. Despite a manifesto commitment to maintain the Triple Lock, it was suspended last year

and is again subject to considerable debate. It now looks like it will be in place for this year but who knows after that?

The impact of all this toing and froing on people’s mental health is considerable. It is made worse by misleading statements which are designed to divide whole sections of our community.

Let us be very clear, the picture of well-off pensioners living the life of Riley whilst the rest pay for their halcyon days is hogwash.

The latest report from the Centre for Ageing Better highlighted a sharp increase in pensioner poverty. It shows that the UK state pension is now

one of the worst in Europe and has led to one in five pensioners living in poverty.

Labour is committed to the Triple Lock because it is the fairest way of protecting basic incomes for the elderly. As with other types of earnings, those who have the highest incomes will contribute through the tax system. Most of us do not cope well with uncertainty and have had enough of hokey cokey politics.

The role of government must be to create the conditions in which we can all plan and have greater financial control over our lives. On this, the Conservatives have spectacularly failed.

Department (6)

Carvedimage (6)

Capableof (2,2)

Constructsoncemore (8)

Gofromoneplacetoanother (6)

Paradise (6)

Lowestvocalrange (4)

Alargeamount (3)

Robsinapublicplace (4)

Flowedout (6)

Cleaned (6)

Someonewhowaffles (8)

Muslimruler (4)

Stayattached (6)

Endured(6)

Develops (7)

Notconnected (9)

Underwaterboat (3)

Mexicanfriend (5)

Reversing (7)

Artificial (9)

Confident (7)

Smallpeople (7)

Freefromknots (5)

Castout (5)

Theshelteredside (3)

Crossword

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.

Killer Sudoku Pro:

Place 1 to 9 once each into every row, col umn 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 di vide by the other numbers in that cage.

Mostemotionallyintensesidegettoplay (7)

Extinguishreversalofobjections (4)

Onemightdealwithasolefruitpie (7)

Estimateuniversityingoodtime (5)

Recallahintaboutoriginofthisbread (5)

Changespossibledescriptionfornoon? (6)

Purposewhencamping? (6)

Fictionalchasecommonlyfollowedwith regret (6)

Rehearsalinunexcitingseries (3,3)

Leadinggroupinatroubledstate (5)

Supportdegreeforfemaleclassicist (5) 23 Oscarwithspotingroundgetschoices (7) 24 Straightforwardpartofcourse,a symposium (4)

25 Memberofstrictsectpenningchapterin fundamentalmatter (7)

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.

Health & Wellbeing

Walking West Dorset

WEST STAFFORD

Park near the church, which is usually open and worth visiting. Unusually it has an arched ceiling, which is good for acoustics. It has a gallery for the choir and organ. Next to the church is the former village Reading Room. Walk west from the church along a road that becomes a bridleway when the houses run out. On a bend you’ll see the South Winterbourne, a tributary of the Frome.

The bridleway takes you under a railway bridge then crosses the bypass to enter a series of fields, following the hedge south west for half a mile until it reaches the parish boundary with Whitcombe where you join another bridleway heading uphill, south east, along the Whitcombe side of the boundary for a quarter of a mile.

In the boundary bank and

hedge are some old ash trees, which have been traditional boundary markers since Saxon times. Then the route changes to the West Stafford side of the boundary for another quarter of a mile, passing a tumulus on the boundary at the hill top.

Soon you come to a junction with a byway where you turn left and head north eastwards to Stafford Farm, which has

an old cob walled barn. The route continues as a road down to a junction at Sixpenny Gate. Turn left and follow the road northwards, downhill, through woodland, Parsonage Plantation. It takes you down to the bypass again, which you cross with care to join a path that takes you over the railway bridge then through a housing estate to meet the village street

close to the Wise Man pub and the old school, which is now the Village Hall. Turn left and walk down the road back to your car. You’ll have walked about three miles.

Agency offers friendships and dating

An agency helping to match people for friendships and dating – with the emphasis on the personal touch – is increasing its events in West Dorset.

Just Introductions Group has been operating in Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire for 12 years, during which time they have made hundreds of matches – both friendships and romantic.

The firm takes the time to meet everyone who wants to join, not only finding out what makes them tick to be able to match them, but vetting them in person, too.

They hold eight or nine events in Dorset a month, and it is hoped to hold two or three of these in West Dorset, where they know social isolation to be an issue, particularly among people aged 50-plus.

Unlike the constituency area, Just Introductions’ West Dorset area also includes Weymouth, Portland, Sturminster Newton and Blandford Forum.

Emma Wood, area manager for the firm, is inviting people to join the West Dorset group and make suggestions for activities and events, which can include afternoon teas, walks, pottery and painting, or

anything members wish to try. They offer three levels of membership – bronze, silver and gold, starting at £350 for a year’s bronze membership. Gold membership is £500 for five years. Members are able to pay in instalments.

Emma said: “I find out what hobbies and interests they have and take their photo and make a profile for them.

“Then they get to look at our

with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade

EYES DOWN: The reading room at West Stafford

Pansies for joy, happiness and power

Andy Cole is a reiki healer based in Middlemarsh. He specialises in planting for healing.

With the passing of Remembrance Day, we all appreciate the sacrifice of those who have given us the opportunity of the freedoms we have today. These freedoms have made us the tolerant and liberal country we have become. We have embraced the addition of new cultures and still continue to do so, but at what cost? The NHS is being crippled under the strain. The care we used to receive with face-to-face contact with others is being eroded, the advent of the computer and online this and online that, has all but destroyed customer care, people are becoming more and more isolated with less and less human contact. Mental health is suffering as a result and the overall wellbeing of people is

requiring more and more attention, the economic pressure we are all now under is just adding to the stress and strain of everyday living. More people are looking for alternative therapies for treatment, but are they really alternative, or are they the original treatments which used natural remedies?

These treatments have been around far longer than today’s modern medicine and history denotes that most villages had a healer of some sort.

These healers were labeled as witches. (And we know what happened to the witches) These remedies were then used by the monks, and this was seen as being the correct source of treatments. Although without this intervention, medicine would not have moved forward to where it is today. All monastery’s had a physic garden with herbs and plants to create the treatments required and still do so today. This is why our gardens,

in west of Dorset

directory and pick who they want to meet up with, whether they are in Dorset, Hampshire or Wiltshire – they get open access.

“They are not restricted, and there’s no limit to the number of meet ups they can have.”

Members can enjoy one to ones and group social events. To find out more, call Emma on 07593 542952, email emma@ justintroductionsgroup.co.uk or go to Justintroductionsgroup.co.uk

parks and outdoor spaces are so valuable to us, the healing we receive and the emotional uplift we receive from the plants is making all the difference to our lives even if we don’t know it.

The poppy has come to symbolise remembrance since the world wars. The

on we have started to put the winter bedding in the borders and hanging baskets, primula, pansies, and viola are the main stay at this time of year. The primrose gives the appearance of being a very simple plant but the connection to the earth’s energies help provide you with a deeper understanding of your inner thoughts. It is a cleansing plant and brings relief from everyday pressures.

mind is a very complex thing and we still do not fully understand the inner working of it. Ideas and inspiration come from the mind when in a relaxed state, just wondering and moving from one thought to another until you get that inspiration. The poppy energies are very much like its petals, soft and fluctuating with a random rhythm. With the autumn marching

Blue pansies symbolise calmness, serenity, and peace. Whereas purple pansies represent wealth and power and the ability to deal with the different challenges that being wealthy and powerful present.

White pansies are pure and innocent.

Yellow pansies are all about joy and happiness. Well, the sun is out for a while, I am off to do a bit of gardening and soak up the lovely healing energies to prepare me for whatever comes next.

Health & Wellbeing

Menopause is a major life milestone for women.

It is often associated with being a time of inner reflection and evaluation, and it marks a new phase of life.

The official diagnosis of menopause comes after 12 months has passed without a menstrual period, which usually occurs at around the average age of 51. For a small number of women, it can occur earlier than that, sometimes in their early 40s, or even younger.

Declining levels of oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone mark the physiological changes that occur in the body.

The ovaries stop producing oestrogen, but some oestrogen is still produced by the adrenal glands.

Common menopausal symptoms include hot flushes, mood changes (irritability, low mood, anxiety), night sweats and sleep disturbances, poor memory, weight gain (especially around the belly), vaginal dryness, low libido, and vaginal atrophy.

So how does our gut health affect our menopause?

One thing we know is that as we age, we need to pay

Gut feeling is key to the menopause

greater attention to our nutrition and self-care. Addressing gut health and other health issues during perimenopause can go a long way to preparing our bodies for a smoother menopause.

Women who have been prone to hormone issues during their menstruating years may be more likely to have more symptoms during menopause. Getting your gut health and hormones into balance as early as possible is a key strategy. Some women go through a lot of emotional and physical distress during the menopause, while others sail through it.

Helen Ross, pictured, a BANT registered Nutritional Therapist, will be giving a talk about the link between menopause and gut health at the Aquae Sulis Therapy Centre, Suite 1, 5 Damers Road,

One way this imbalance can occur is after a course of antibiotics, when the good bacteria have been wiped out and the ‘opportunistic’ pathogens have overtaken the microbiota or microbiome (the trillions of bacteria that reside within the gut).

Chronic stress, hormone changes, toxins, and other medications are all implicated in the onset of dysbiosis.

Stress does seem to play a big role in the severity of symptoms. Nutritional and lifestyle modifications, as well as ensuring optimal gut health can certainly make the transition a smoother ride.

Paying attention to our gut health is one of the cornerstones of overall health, especially as around 70% of our immune system lies within the gut, and many of our hormones are made in the gut.

Dysbiosis is a term used to describe an imbalance of gut bacteria, which is a common cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Dorchester, on Monday, December 5 at 6pm.

She uses a functional medicine approach and will be discussing the various functional testing options available that can help us get to the root cause of health issues.

For women who have gone through the menopause, declining levels of oestrogen and progesterone, may also affect IBS symptoms. This is because declining hormone levels have a detrimental impact on our good gut bacteria.

Oestrogen protects the gut barrier and maintains the microbial diversity (eg healthy gut microbiome), therefore low oestrogen sets us up for a poor gut lining and potentially dysbiosis.

Furthermore, oestrogen has anti-inflammatory effects in the gut, so when it declines, proinflammatory compounds can compromise the gut wall (or the gut lining) and promote an inflammatory cascade, which is also implicated in the onset of osteoporosis.

She works alongside her clients to help them achieve optimal health outcomes, with a focus on making simple diet and lifestyle changes. The talk is free although bookings are essential as places are limited. Bookings can be made here via eventbrite.co.uk (click on December 5).

All-rounder lensman calling the shots

Dorchester Town’s official photographer Phil Standfield has been talking to STUART WICKHAM of the West Dorset Magazine about his lifelong affection for his hometown club, and the enjoyment of taking pictures for the Magpies, and at a host of other local sport events.

Phil Standfield, who celebrated his 61st birthday last week, has been the Magpies’ lensman for the past eight years, and is looking forward to capturing the action for many more.

Phil talks firstly of his love for his club, a relationship which began when he was a child in the 1960s.

“I started watching the Magpies when I was about six or seven and I’ve followed them ever since.

“There have been some interruptions as you always get through life. I took a break from football in the eighties, and I started going to watch Bournemouth for a bit too, to go and see some league football, but I returned to supporting the Magpies when there was some crowd trouble at a match there. There is a lot to be said for non-league football away from all that nonsense.

“I’ve always loved taking photographs, and I started getting into sports photography when my son was a teenager and playing for Zeals, up near Mere. I had separated from his mum, and went to watch him play football as we didn’t get the chance to spend much time together. I’d always

loved taking photographs, and, after a while of watching the matches at Zeals, I asked the manager if I could bring my camera along and snap the action. I did that for a few

photography has always been a passion, although not a profession, and Phil volunteers his time to taking pictures of sporting events without financial reward. He has worked for Lings Printers in Dorchester for 19 years. Before that, he spent over 25 years at Eldridge Pope before the closure of the brewery led to redundancy. Phil was asked if he would become the Magpies’ official photographer around eight years ago. He said: “One of the directors asked if I would take some pictures now and again, but, of course, it quickly became much more than that and I was photographing most games, home and away. I travel quite a lot to the

away games, many of which are a fair distance.

“As a fan, it doesn’t really take away the enjoyment of the games, I’m just viewing it in a different way really, through a small viewfinder. I’m following the ball, but the crowd usually let me know if I’m missing something off the ball, and I can refocus my attention.

“It’s always hit and miss whether I can get the perfect shot, and I often miss the goals, or a player might get in the way at just the wrong time. People love seeing the celebration pictures because it shows the emotion, and they’re a little easier to capture sometimes.”

Phil uses a Canon 1DX Mark 2 with 300 and 500 lenses. He prefers not to tweak his work using Photoshop, apart from straightening, clipping and adjusting the brightness. He explains: “I’m actually colourblind so won’t ever get involved with changing the colours, that could be a nightmare. I am careful to make sure the photographs are properly straightened and will tweak the brightness, but that’s about it. Midweek games under floodlights can be difficult as the tungsten lights mess with the colours somewhat, but I’m a bit of a purist who likes the picture to represent that moment in

HOWZAT? Perfect timing... Phil regularly photographs Dorchester and Puddletown cricket matches

My sporting life: Photographer Phil

time as much as possible.” Phil does not limit his talent to football and is enthusiastic about other sports. He regularly snaps Dorchester Cricket Club in action at weekends and Puddletown Cricket in midweek when there isn’t a clash with football. Phil has worked with Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester rugby, and also spent time snapping the Raptors American Football Team. Amongst other sports, he has also photographed the cycling action at Moreton village and was disappointed not to have

the chance to photograph the world’s elite cyclists following the cancellation of the Dorset leg of the Tour of Britain.

Phil talks of the challenges that each sport brings. “With the cycling, it happens so fast, so you have to get yourself in a

prime position and be ready. For the Tour, I was going to take up a position at the top of the golf course, away from the

SURF’S UP: Capturing kitesurfing in Portland Harbour

keen to carry on catching the action

crowds, but of course, we didn’t get the chance anyway. With cricket, you know roughly where the bowler is going to be in his delivery stride, so I tend to focus on the umpire and wait for the bowler. Capturing the batters isn’t always easy, they can charge down the track or back away to the leg side and catch you out. Each sport brings its own challenges and tests your skills in different ways.” With no plans to hang up his camera bag, Phil is looking forward to the remainder of the Southern Premier League season, as

the Magpies look to build on their positive start. He said: “It is as good as it has been for a while, and is great for fans to be start looking up the table. I get to see a lot of what Glenn (Howes) and his management team do, and they are certainly very professional and carry the

same, consistent message in how they want the team to play. It’s been a good start and it’s nice to see some positivity at The Avenue. “We’ve had so many seasons of under-performance, and the suspension of the league programme during covid really got us off the hook when we were 12

points adrift. This season, it would be great to finish in 10th or above.”

Regardless of what’s in store for the rest of the campaign, Phil will be on hand to document the Magpies’ progress.

n Check out Phil’s portfolio of work on Flickr.

Jed at the double as Blues cruise to win

Bridport 19 Puddletown 0

By STUART BRIGGS

The Blues got back to winning ways with a comfortable victory against a determined Puddletown XV.

Jed Gravelle scored two well-crafted first half tries, which ultimately proved decisive in a hard-fought game at the Brewery Ground.

In wet and windy conditions, the Blues made a positive start and, despite playing into a stiff breeze in the first half, they took the lead courtesy of Gravelle’s first try, following a well-worked move. Wes Lewis placed an excellent grubber kick into touch on the 22 metre

line, Bridport gained lineout turnover and the forwards drove the ball on. A quick release by Charlie Samways allowed Nathan Herbert to give an excellent pass to Gravelle, who scored in the corner, but was unable to convert from a testing angle. The Blues now had their tails up and were forcing errors from their opponents, culminating in a penalty in midfield.

Opting for the scrum, the good ball was taken on by Daragh Mcoughlin, who released Gravelle for a run down the wing and followed up for the offload, for an excellent score, Gravelle this time converting to establish a 12-0 lead. Bridport continued to play fluently, enjoying good spells of possession and passages of play, however could not break down a determined

Puddletown defence. This theme continued in the second period as the Blues enjoyed near total territorial advantage with the wind now at their backs, but they frequently found themselves up against some dogged Puddletown tackling as they tried to make the game secure and search for bonus points. They finally broke through following a series of driving mauls by the Blues’ forwards, culminating in Samways diving through a gap to score, with Gravelle again on target with the conversion. The Blues searched desperately for a fourth try to secure the bonus point try but the Puddletown defence held firm.

TOUCHDOWN: Action from the Raptors and, right, Moreton Race Series Round 4

IN CHARGE: The Blues were dominant in the scrum against their West Dorset rivals Pictures: STUART BRIGGS

Sport Keeper Thomas on the spot to earn

HENDON 0 DORCHESTER TOWN 0

By STUART WICKHAM

Magpies’ debutant goalkeeper Lloyd Thomas saved a second-half penalty to help his new teammates earn their third consecutive clean sheet and stretch their unbeaten run to six matches, as they continued their recent good form on the road.

Thomas has moved to the Avenue on a short-term contract, to replace departing loanee Ryan Hall who was recalled by his host club Aldershot, and the new stopper produced a diving save to his right to deny Joe White from 12 yards just short of the hour mark.

Both teams had other opportunities to win the match, and such is their ambition these days, that Magpies’ fans may be disappointed not to register a win given their opponents lowly standing in the league.

Town weathered an early spell of Hendon pressure, with Thomas producing a couple of good early saves, before Callum Douglas and Olaf Koszela were off target with opportunities at the other end, and Charlie Gunson’s dipping long-range shot a little too high.

The Magpies continued to look the team more likely to break the deadlock in the second half and carved out the better openings, although had Thomas to thank when Jordan Ngalo

WHAT A SAVE: Lloyd Thomas keeps Joe White’s spot kick out and, right, Callum Gregory competes for the ball against Met Police

Pictures: PHIL STANDFIELD

was adjudged to have fouled in the box.

The point sees Dorchester fall to sixth place, but remain in close contention with the teams directly above. The Magpies’ next face two more away trips, as they visit Plymouth Parkway on Tuesday, November 22, and Winchester on Saturday, November 26.

DORCHESTER TOWN 1 MET POLICE 0

Striker Olaf Koszela produced a moment of

magic as the Magpies’ continued their march up the Southern Premier League table at the expense of high-flying Met Police.

The on-loan frontman’s sweet effort from the corner of the box on 36 minutes was enough for Dorchester to secure the three points in horrible conditions, and leap-frog their opponents into fifth place.

The win was the Magpies’ third in a row, and has left fans feeling increasingly positive about their

prospects for the season, with the Met Police consistently among the League’s top teams and one who have been triumphant in the last five head-to-heads against Glenn Howes’ team.

The match was a competitive end-to-end affair, played in wet and windy conditions at the Avenue, and both teams had chances during a lively opening period.

Koszela had a couple of early sights of goal for the hosts, only to be snuffed out by the visitors’

point for Magpies

defence, before forcing Met Police’s goalkeeper, Liam Beach, into a smart save.

Bradbury sent a header wide from a good position, while the away side had a couple of decent openings but were unable to find a decisive finish.

Koszela struck a fierce drive from the angle which narrowly missed Beach’s far post, however the ‘keeper could do nothing to prevent the Magpies taking the lead

shortly afterwards.

Drifting in from the left flank, Koszela checked onto his favoured right foot, and curled a delightful finish into the far top corner, to send the majority of the bumper 604 crowd into delirium. The Magpies continued to press after the break, with the visitors carrying a consistent threat on the break, with Ryan Hall produced a couple of excellent saves to retain the home side’s advantage.

Club tournament serves up thriller for end of season

Dorchester Tennis and Squash Club enjoyed a bumper entry to its end-of-season annual tennis championships, with a total of 63 entrants taking part. A total of 25 ladies and 38 men competed across ten events, with local solicitors Pengillys once again lending their support by sponsoring the championships. Ellery Ford scooped the Men’s Singles title, beating fellow firsttime finalist Ethan Robinson in straight sets. Ford’s tactics, to mix up the pace and not allow Robinson to play his normal game, worked to frustrate his opponent, as he won 6-1 6-1.

In the Women’s Singles, firsttime finalist Milly Sidaway overcame 21-time champion Sarah Skidmore 6-3 6-4. The pair traded big forehands, each trying to expose their opponent’s weaker backhand side, and Sidaway won the first set quite convincingly, and although the experienced Skidmore took an early lead in the second, Sidaway clawed back an early deficit to claim her first singles title in straight sets.

In the Men’s Doubles, defending champions, Robinson and Ed Keegan, were up against last

year’s finalist Hal Cazalet, playing with a new partner Connor Townsend. The first set was close, with some exciting rallies from the baseline, but once again Keegan and Robinson proved too strong and retained their trophy with a 6-4 6-1 win.

The Women’s Doubles final was the last match on court and played out in heavy rain as the weather turned. Defending champion, Sally Dinham-Scott, teamed up with Skidmore to take on Rebecca Hambleton and Jess Kennedy. Dinham-Scott and Skidmore showed their doubles experience and raced away with the first set, and despite an improved showing from Hambleton and Kennedy in the second set, Dinham-Scott and Skidmore took the title with a convincing 6-0 6-2 victory.

The Mixed Doubles final, a repeat of last year’s final, was one of the best matches of the day, with defending champions Skidmore and Robinson winning a close encounter against Sidaway and Ford.

Sidaway and Ford raced into a lead, winning the first set 6-0,

ON TARGET: Match-winner Olaf Kosvela lets fly against Met Police in his side's 1-0 win

HERE TO SERVE: Men’s Doubles Champions Ethan Robinson and Ed Keegan

Picture: ROS CLARK

Sport

CONTINUED FROM P67 but the title holders managed to turn things around in the second, winning it 6-3 to take the match into a tie-break to decide the winners. Skidmore and Robinson never looked like losing the tie break and won it 10-6, to land the title for the third consecutive year, with Skidmore, now having won the event 26 times with 10 different partners.

With two titles apiece, Skidmore and Robinson were jointly awarded the coveted Rod Skidmore Cup, named in memory of Sarah’s husband, former chairman of the club and a Royal Navy pilot, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in 2002. Al Clark, chair of the DTSC General Management Committee, said: ”We’ve had a wonderful tournament and it’s great to see the courts full of our best players and the club full of spectators enjoying our renowned hospitality.

“It’s also very encouraging to see so many juniors who’ve come

through the DTSC Tennis Coaching programme competing for Senior trophies. DTSC are very grateful for Pengillys very generous support. It’s great to have a local firm sponsoring us and promoting local sport in our community. Competitors and spectators were treated to a delicious lunch organised by Ros Clark and ably assisted on the day by Jill Maple and Helen Austin, with cakes and scones baked by Sarah Skidmore and Jill Maple.

The club is always keen to hear from potential new members, please see the club website for details: dtsc.org.uk or contact them on 01305 268103.

Full Results:

Men's Singles - Ellery Ford beat Ethan Robinson 6-1 6-1

Women's Singles - Milly Sidaway beat Sarah Skidmore 6-3 6-4

Men's Doubles - Ethan Robinson & Ed Keegan beat Connor Townsend & Hal Cazalet 6-4 6-1

Women's Doubles - Sally DinhamScott & Sarah Skidmore beat Rebecca Hambleton & Jess Kennedy 6-0 6-2

Mixed Doubles - Sarah Skidmore & Ethan Robinson beat Millie Sidaway & Ellery Ford 0-6 6-3 10-6

Plate Competitions: Men's Singles Plate - Joe Slowther beat Dugald Lockhart 6-3 6-2

Women's Singles Plate - Jess Kennedy beat Sophie Perry 6-1 6-0

Men's Doubles Plate - Pete Notley & Tim Toogood beat Daniel Smith & Henry Theobald 6-1 0-6 10-8

Women's Doubles Plate - Julie Nash & Lorraine Slowther w/o Trisha Holden & Jane Jones

Mixed Doubles Plate - Lorraine & Joe Slowther beat Lynn Ramsell & Alister Millar 6-2 6-2

CHAMPS: From left, Mixed Doubles Champions Ethan Robinson and Sarah Skidmore, Women’s Doubles Champions Sally Dinham-Scott and Sarah Skidmore, Men’s Singles Champion Ellery Ford and Women’s Singles Champion, Milly Sidaway Pictures: ROS CLARK

Something stupid, like I love ewes...

could reach the orchard first.

The ewes, on the other hand, took the stupidity to new levels.

Mud-phobic Tria Stebbing lives on the outskirts of Sherborne. She keeps sheep, is working on her first book, and works in a village school.

It has been a busy few days with the flock. The rain has made the simplest of jobs literally like wading through mud. The ram lambs needed moving up a bit as they had demolished their paddock and were left with random clumps of stinging nettles.

One of the boys had decided already that the grass is always greener on the other side and had somehow got through the electric fence, so the first job was to get him back. Sheep are notorious for being stupid and this fella was no exception.

He hung about on the other side of the fence clearly wanting to be with the others, but bolting when he got too close, clearly fearing a shock. We have no idea how he got over or under or through, but he was not having any of going back near it.

I switched the fencer off and coaxed him as close as I could …nearly there, and Woah! .. back he goes, at least half a dozen times. I ended up picking him up

and frogmarching him back over. My back twinged and gave out as he trotted off.

Pride and back wounded, I set about shaking the bucket to tempt them into the orchard. Despite no grass and a nibble of cake it was a “no,” we would rather just sit here and look hungry. I gave up and went home.

The next day two of us went. I had explained to Him Outdoors that I had tried and that they just were not interested. We took the fence down, working around the boys who watched us with fascination.

On shaking a bucket of cake, a mini stampede started with all the rams in competition the see who

Across the road and in a much larger paddock, we decided that the grass was again getting a bit sparse so we should open the next field.

They have grazed here plenty of times and it has a lot of hedges to shelter from the weather, so ideal.

It was a simple job, and all we needed to do was open a gate, hook it back and watch them walk in. The gate was propped open, and the new longer more luscious grass was there for them.

We watched and waited and kept our distance, hoping for a special moment where they all run after each other, skipping, and kicking their little legs in the air, the reality was, that the whole lot stood and looked at the gate, turned around and walked in the opposite direction.

I checked on my drive-by today. Five have made it to the new paddock, the rest have stayed on the old grass.

This was shortly after receiving a text from the concerned owner of the orchard letting me know that one of the ram lambs had just got his head stuck in the stock fence and had been mercifully freed.

I am starting to think that cows would be easier.

WHO, ME?: One of our stupid but lovable flock

Agriculture

Quality and quantity so important

By CHARLOTTE DEBBAUT Veterinary surgeon Synergy Farm Health

Recent industry campaigns have successfully educated farmers on the importance of good quality colostrum in sufficient quantities, as soon as possible after a birth. Farms often have good protocols in place and spend a lot of time and effort collecting, freezing, defrosting and feeding this ‘liquid gold’ to their lambs and calves. A common

pitfall however is a lapse in hygiene in the collection and feeding equipment, resulting in bacterial

contamination of the colostrum.

This is not good news. Firstly, we don’t want

CARE:

young animals to ingest disease-causing bacteria. Secondly, when lots of bacteria are present in

Farmers must have each other’s backs

Rachel Hayball is a mum of six from Beaminster. She is a herdsperson, has a small flock of sheep and sells lamb.

I am a little wound up this week as I have seen social media posts full of misinformation about farming, not by an animal rights activist, but by a local relatively new (compared to most farms) farming business. Which to be frank, just isn’t on!

There are many different ways to farm, there are many different size farms, there are farms run by a families whose grandparents and great grandparents have farmed the land for years before them, there are farms run by first generation farmers, farms run by organisations and there are

farms run by corporates. Every farm is different, however all farms have to abide by the same laws and standards, and this now includes environmental standards which include controls on slurry spreading, chemical use, care for wildlife, trees, hedges and so much more. All farmers are doing more and more to care for their farm, its soil, wildlife and the general environment.

Some do more than others admittedly, but how a farm is managed is affected by location, soil type and weather. Some farmers plough, some direct drill. Some lay hedges. Some are organic, some are not. Some feed their animals some grains as well as forage. Some just feed their cows on grass and cut forage. There is not one fixed approach and there is no right or wrong.

I was involved in an interesting discussion recently

about farms that only feed their cows on grass or home grown silage and hay versus farms that buy in some feed and feed their cows on grains as well as grass and forage which forms the majority of their diet.

I have worked on lots of different farms who farm in many different ways and believe that if a farm is able to feed all of their animals on grass and cut forage all year round with no negative impact on the animals health then that is fantastic!

However that involves the need for lots of land to be able to give the cows enough grazing to do so without poaching or compacting the land. The farm also needs enough land to make all the forage needed. Land is expensive and many farmers just don't have enough. Farming in this way also means that the animals do not get to weight as quickly as

animals who are supplemented with some cereal. They also produce less milk. The farm can demand a higher price for that produce, but whilst we are living in a cost of living crisis, can we really expect people to pay more for their food and buy premium produce?

Should the farm business above then tell people that the family run farm down the road is bad because they feed their cows on some grains as well as forage under the guidance of their nutritionist is that farm really destroying the environment?

Can we just acknowledge that we are all making progress in how we farm and are all doing better for wildlife and the environment, whilst trying to produce high-quality produce which people can hopefully still afford to consume during these difficult times? Let’s work together and support each other.

TAKE

Young animals can be particularly at risk of infections

during germ-free colostrum collection

colostrum, the gut will be less able to absorb the antibodies. Remember antibody absorption is the whole point of colostrum feeding. Imagine a bucket of good colostrum with lots of antibodies, but the antibodies bind to the bacteria in the bucket before they get a chance to reach the bloodstream… what a waste!

A study on 56 UK dairy farms showed that more than a third of colostrum samples had an excessively high bacterial

count (TBC and Coliform count). This indicates contamination, due to dirty teats with inadequate/poor teat preparation (pre-dip and dry wipe needed.) or due to dirty milking and/or feeding equipment. The study showed easy hygiene measures can have a substantial impact: hot water washing is more

effective at reducing bacterial counts than cold water; using a disinfectant hypochlorite or peracetic acid is also more effective than parlour wash. Rule of thumb: a hot wash with a detergent after each use, followed by disinfection, is the way to go. To know how robust your

colostrum hygiene protocol is, ask your vet about taking a sample and sending it to the lab for a total bacterial and coliform count.

At Synergy we run a multitude of training courses, open to all, throughout the year, to help build skills on farm, large and small. All our 2023 dates are already listed on our website, many fill quickly, so early booking is recommended. We can even offer gift vouchers.