On my weekly radio show I try to focus primarily on new and underground artists, bringing them to a wider audience and dispelling the myth that “there’s no good music anymore”. As a result, it has been a point of some consternation to me that 2024 has been conspicuously lacking in high quality debut albums. In fact, two of my recent Album Of The Month submissions have featured artists with careers spanning well in excess of 20 years. I was therefore delighted to hear the debut L.P. from Canadian singer-songwriter Wyatt C. Louis. The album’s title, Chandler, is taken from the C. in the artists name, and reflects the deeply personal nature of this record, produced close to home in Calgary. But what immediately catches the attention is the sure-footedness of both the writing and the arrangements on display here. While on its surface this is a Canadian take on Americana-Folk, a la Dallas Green (City & Colour) and Spencer Burton (Grey Kingdom), Wyatt never shies away from adding the kinds of flourishes and unexpected musical touchpoints necessary to set their music apart from their contemporaries. The album opens in a wash of acoustic guitar accompanied by piano and wind instruments before settling into Wild, where beautiful but subtle violin and pedal steel flourishes ebb and flow as Louis implores “Take me as I am, take me”. The standout track and centrepiece of the album, In Emerald, is where the self-confidence and aplomb of this album really reaches its peak. The mastery of melody and lyrics on show as Louis sings “Rainy day, headed to a guitar shop … didn’t have the money anyway” is a perfect set-up for the tail of the song, where country vies with soul in a vocal style simultaneously fresh and comfortingly familiar in its delivery. This is a superb, accomplished debut from an artist to watch.
Matthew Ambrose presents Under The Radar on Tuesday evening at 7pm on Abbey104. Broadcasting on 104.7FM and online at abbey104.com.
Step back in time with our ‘Then and Now’ feature, where vintage postcards from the Barry Cuff Collection meet modern-day reality. Explore the past and present on the same page, and see the evolution of familiar local places. ‘Now’ images by Courtenay Hitchcock
Duntish Court, sitting just a mile from Buckland Newton village church, was a large Palladian-style country residence designed c. 1760 by Sir William Chambers for Fitzwalter Foy. Supposedly it had been on the short-list when the Royal Family were looking for an estate for the Prince of Wales in 1862, being overlooked for Sandringham instead. Following the death of the head of the family, John Holford, in a road accident in 1940 – shortly after his escape from France via Dunkirk – the estate had been underused. It was used during WWII as training headquarters for the Auxiliary Units in Dorset, and the house was demolished in 1965. The 18th century landscape and pleasure ground survives, including a lake, cascade and a grotto. The original ha-ha survives, as does a garden house, and significant late 18th and 19th century tree planting remains.
Ken Jeanes (left) presents the West Country Honey Farm Award to Lionel Horner (right)
Castle Cary beekeeper Lionel Horner has been awarded this year’s West Country Honey Farm Award, which is presented annually to a beekeeper who has made an outstanding contribution to beekeeping in Somerset. The award was announced at the annual meeting of the Somerset Beekeepers Association. Speaking (SBKA) at the presentation, Ken Jeanes, chairman of the South East Somerset branch of the British Beekeepers Association, said: ‘Lionel has inspired many newbies to start their bee-keeping journey and has always been there to help and offer advice.’ Originally from Devon, Lionel has been keeping bees for nearly 50 years and has been running beginners courses in Somerset since 2014. He was the driving force in establishing a bee keeping club at Ansford School in Castle Cary and is constantly in demand as a speaker. He appeared on television as a mentor for Sarah Beeny in Sarah Beeny’s New Life in the Country – he was seen in the television series collecting a swarm to introduce into her hive. He plays an active role in swarm collection locally, and he always uses the time spent with the person who has called him, teaching them about bees and their habitats. For many years he has had a major role in organising the SBKA stand at the Bath and West Show and is, said Mr Jeanes, ‘an excellent ambassador for the association with his incredible depth of knowledge and understanding of bees, and his quiet engaging manner.’
Apiary on the solar farm Lionel’s most recent contribution to the area’s bee-keeping community has been the formation of the divisional apiary at Hook Valley Solar Park on the outskirts of Wincanton. He led the team who worked with energy firms and contractors ‘to turn a muddy disused corner of the site into the thriving apiary today, with 12 colonies and a storage shed with enough room for people to meet inside.’ Ken Jeanes continued: ‘Thanks to Lionel’s unstinting support, hard work and encouragement, the apiary now provides the perfect opportunity for all members, at all levels of experience, to learn and experiment with different methods of beekeeping, types of hives, queen rearing, etc.’ Dr Bob Jones, a much-loved former Wincanton GP and one of the south east Somerset group’s longest standing members, says: ‘I have known Lionel since he first came to this area, and I have always found him unfailingly helpful, especially with those new to beekeeping – patient and always ready to give freely of his time whenever there is a cry for help from anyone in our beekeeping fraternity.’
Peter Morgan of Cranborne’s Book and Bucket Cheese Company has just announced the launch of a new cheese, Stowaway – you might say it was literally launched, as the new product has been created specifically for the Queen Anne cruise ship, the latest addition to the Cunard fleet.
Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Co
Stowaway is the first of two new cheeses, both the results of a collaboration between Peter and Cunard’s development chefs – a second bespoke cheese will join the ship later in the year. Stowaway is a sheep’s milk cheese, made using a special blend of cultures to create a unique flavour profile fit for this state-of-the-art ship. It was important to have a connection with Cunard’s long history at sea, so Peter has combined this modern blend of cultures with a traditional cheddar-making process. It is finished with the remarkable Blackthorn salt, made by the ancient tower method which is unique to Ayrshire. Finally, the cheese is aged in the Book and Bucket cheese cellars. The Dorset provenance gives the cheese a terroir that only Cranborne Chase can provide, producing a natural rind that changes through the seasons. The combination of new cultures, natural rind and traditional cheesemaking methods fits perfectly with Queen Anne, who made her inaugural voyage in May, with her naming ceremony scheduled in Liverpool in early June. Stowaway was on board for that maiden voyage, along with two others from the Book and Bucket range, Cranborne Blue and Smoked Blyton.
Peter Morgan founded the Book and Bucket Cheese Company five years ago. When he began making cheese, he sought the advice of people who had more than 120 years experience in the industry between them. Each said the starting point was to “buy some books and read as much as possible. After that it is just bucket science – keep playing until you make something you like!” And so, in January 2019, with a bucket full of recipes, many ideas and the help of friends, Peter launched The Book and Bucket Cheese Company. He has developed an extensive knowledge of each type of milk, how to perfectly age a cheese, how the right salt can enhance and change a flavour profile, an understanding of the distinctive notes of traditional Cheddar and how to create modern flavours from the cultures. Peter Morgan is justifiably proud of the Cunard collaboration. He says: ‘Everyone involved in developing this cheese has fallen in love with it.’
What happens to an ordinary happy family when one member dies suddenly? How do they – how does anyone – deal with the grief, but carry on with life, particularly if there are children who need care and attention? This is the poignant and powerful theme of Sue Ashby’s new play, Sweet Sorrow, which will be staged by SNADS – Sturminster Newton Dramatic Society – at the Exchange on Friday and Saturday 21st and 22nd June. The play, a bittersweet contemporary drama of love, loss and hope, follows the paths of Gemma, her husband Jo, daughter Sky and son Josh. It explores with humour and insight what happens to a happy, loving family, when cancer – in remission for four years – reemerges, and the household is tragically reduced from four members to three. The impact of an untimely death on a young family is a challenging subject to dramatise. But can we afford to ignore it when unspent grief is a recognised cause of poor mental health? This production follows a recent Sue Ryder Foundation study that found that 86 per cent of bereaved people feel alone in their grief, while 81 per cent of people reported that they didn’t know what to say or do when someone close to them was grieving. Sue says: ‘Pair the two together and it’s obvious we have a societal issue on our hands.’ The play, set in Sturminster Newton, is the most recent work by Dorset-based playwright Sue Ashby (Coronation Street, Families, BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Theatre), directed by Nicole Forbes, who trained at East 15, and whose credits include Vera Drake (Mike Leigh), Vanity Fair (Focus Features), and work for BBC Radio 4. With her late partner, Tony Benge, Sue has written plays for various local groups and organisations, including community plays for Bourton and Sturminster Newton. SNADS recently attended the NODA South West Awards Ceremony to collect the District Achievement Award for its production of Rabbit. Described as ‘a theatre company that does not shy away from challenging subjects’, Sweet Sorrow is another SNADS production that deals with important and difficult events. Book tickets at stur-exchange.co.uk
In a powerful open letter, Jo Thomson, the head of Clayesmore School, has challenged Sir Keir Starmer’s new tax policy for independent schools, likening its potential impact on rural communities such as North Dorset to the devastating pit closures of the 1980s.
Labour aims to generate £1.7 billion by imposing VAT on private schools if it wins the election. The party has committed to using these funds to recruit 6,500 new state school teachers, implement a national “oracy” programme, and ensuring all state schools in England have access to mental health counselling.
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer revealed additional plans to establish 3,300 new nurseries, also funded by the proposed VAT on private schools. While the party’s manifesto, published on Thursday, offered limited details on the VAT plans, it emphasised the intent to “invest in our state schools.”
A Labour Party spokesman told the Telegraph: “Labour will invest in delivering a brilliant state education for children in every state school by recruiting over 6,500 new teachers, funded by ending tax breaks for private schools.”
In her letter, Jo Thomson outlines the deeper issues behind the seemingly popular Labour policy. She explains that it’s far too simplistic to think of independent schools merely as places of education for the children of wealthy families.
‘Clayesmore educates 530 pupils in a small rural community,’ she says. ‘Some are military children, 162 receive support with their learning. Like most independent schools in the UK, we do not educate the Jacob Rees Moggs or the Boris Johnsons of this world. 95 pupils receive bursaries and a further 159 receive scholarships. We are also privileged to have 12 Ukrainian pupils in our midst; all fully funded by Clayesmore’s tight budget. None of these families could ordinarily afford private school fees.
‘The local primary school Head and the local secondary Head are both on my board of governors. We work closely together to the benefit of all our pupils and neither could absorb additional students in their schools should this tax be imposed on Clayesmore parents.’
She goes on to explain the social impact Clayesmore, like every other rural independent school, has on its immediate community, with residents enjoying facilities and entertainment at the school, and the school in turn supporting a complex network of local businesses, illustrating that – like most private schools – Clayesmore is both a major employer and client to the local business community.
‘I grew up in a small town in the Midlands that has never recovered from the closure of the mines in the 1980s. I have witnessed first hand the demise of communities when their beating heart has been removed … There is a large network of key people who enable us to function and who in turn depend on us for their livelihoods. Domestic staff, gardeners, caterers, plumbers, maintenance and administrative staff, amongst many others. Wherever possible, we buy our meat, dairy and veg from local farmers and work with many local businesses and suppliers to provide maintenance support, equipment and services to the school: these are all local people we know personally, and who value our contracts as much as we value them.’
Jo Thomson ‘wholeheartedly agrees’ with Labour’s determination to level up opportunities for every child and says she ‘would be delighted to work alongside you to discuss more ways in which schools like ours could support you in that goal.’
She finishes with an urgent call for Keir Starmer to understand that this policy – while potentially vote-winning on the surface – will have a far-reaching ripple effect that will disproportionately affect small rural communities like North Dorset’s:
‘I ask you not to underestimate the wider impact on small, often rural towns, full of hardworking people that depend upon the employment and other opportunities created by independent schools. Many independent schools, like those mines once were, are the lifeblood of small communities. Policies which undermine their existence will have a devastating impact on the lives of many; and not just the children who attend them.’
See the full letter below:
Dear Mr Starmer,
I am the Head of Clayesmore School in Dorset and I know we share a belief in the power of education to change lives. Someone once said that it takes a village to raise a child and it is that village that I want to talk to you about today. I want to draw your attention to the damage to communities that the addition of VAT on school fees will inflict; an important issue that I feel has not yet been fully understood or acknowledged.
Clayesmore educates 530 pupils in a small rural community in the village of Iwerne Minster. Some are military children and 162 receive some support with their learning. Like most independent schools in the UK, we do not educate the Jacob Rees Moggs or the Boris Johnsons of this world. 95 pupils receive bursaries and a further 159 receive scholarships. We are privileged to have 12 Ukrainian pupils in our midst; all fully funded within our very tight operating budget. None of these families could ordinarily afford private school fees. All our pupils are down to earth, respectful, humble young people who are being educated to recognise the value of their education and to understand that they have a duty in the future to give back. Having not been educated privately myself, believe me when I say that it has always been my mission to ensure that the pupils in our school are not arrogant, selfish or entitled.
The school is central to the village community which has a high proportion of retirees; many of whom love attending our music concerts, art exhibitions and seasonal celebrations and our pupils enjoy their daily interactions. The locals enjoy visiting our cafe and in return our staff and pupils make good use of the village shop. It’s a complex, mutually supportive and happy ecosystem of which, I think, you would approve.
I grew up in a small town in the Midlands that has never recovered from the closure of the mines in the 1980s. I have witnessed first hand the demise of communities when their beating heart has been removed. Too often we think of schools merely as places full of teachers and children, perhaps forgetting about the network of key people who enable us to function and who in turn depend on us for their livelihoods. Domestic staff, gardeners, caterers, plumbers, maintenance and administrative staff, amongst many others, pull together to ensure that the students have a safe and supportive environment in which to learn.
At Clayesmore, wherever possible, we buy our meat, dairy and veg from local farmers and work with many local businesses and suppliers who provide maintenance support, equipment and services to the school: these are all local people we know personally, and who value our contracts as much as we value them. In 2016, we invested in a biomass boiler to meet our goals of sustainability and energy efficiency and to demonstrate to our youngsters that we are doing our bit to protect the world they are going to inherit: the wood chips come from a farm down the road.
Being a school that cherishes service, community and hard work, I am proud of the way in which we play a part in enabling these small businesses to thrive. I cannot imagine where those hundreds of people are going to find jobs should some of the UK’s independent schools have to merge or close. The local maintained primary school Head and the local secondary Head are both on my board of governors. We work closely together to the benefit of all our pupils and neither could absorb additional students in their schools should this tax be imposed on Clayesmore parents.
In 2016, Brexit promised £350m per week to be diverted into the NHS. The reality has never matched the rhetoric. I fear that the VAT on private school fees policy, whilst similarly attractive to voters, is unlikely to bring in the hoped for £1.6bn for state schools but the consequences of the policy will be far-reaching and irreversible.
Sir Keir, I wholeheartedly agree with your aspiration to level up opportunities for every child and I know the difference a great education can make in transforming young lives. Indeed, that is what gets me out of bed each day. I would be delighted to work alongside you to discuss more ways in which schools like ours could support you in that goal. But in pursuing this admirable ambition, I ask you not to underestimate the wider impact on small, often rural towns, full of hardworking people that depend upon the employment and other opportunities created by independent schools. Many independent schools, like those mines once were, are the lifeblood of small communities. Policies which undermine their existence will have a devastating impact on the lives of many; and not just the children who attend them.
This month Barry Cuff has chosen a couple of postcards of Hinton Martell. Lying four miles north of Wimborne, it is curiously the only Dorset village with a Mediterranean-style fountain at its centre, which was inaugurated by Anne Sidney of Poole – who was crowned Miss World 1964.
Sent in 1910 to Mrs Moberly, in Upper Norwood, in the Crystal Palace area of London: ‘I thought you would like to know I am here. I found my friend 2 months ago. It is so pretty here, better than card. I should like a line from you. I hope you are all well, much love Beca Hinton Martell nr Wimborne Dorset’
n the image, the grocer’s horses have paused for a lunch snack at Hinton Martell Post Office and Shop – the 1855 Kelly’s Directory for Ringwood lists a ‘Kingsbury, John Biles & Sons, grocers, cheese factors, tallow chandlers & provision merchants, High Street’. By the 1911 directory they have become ‘Kingsbury & Co. wholesale grocers’, and have moved address to Friday’s Cross.
The card was sent in 1916 to Miss D Batchelor, to a four storey London townhouse in the Camberwell area: ‘Dear Dolly. What do you think of the other side – I think the house is lovely. I will write a letter after Aunt Mag is gone. We have had nice weather so far, a bit showery today. P & M & children are going to Bth tmorrow. Have written to ask Amy to meet them at Parkstone [sta]tion to go down with them. I hope [it] will be a nice day – I hope Willie is all right & not much trouble. Lots of love from all to all. From Auntie (we had Mrs Dynott & went for a drive yesterday afternoon.)
Savour an array of local delicacies from more than 20 cheesemakers, family fun and live music at the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival
Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival drone shot – image Graham Pengelly
Are you a turophile (that’s a lover of cheese, in case you’re wondering)? Then you might want to pop 14th and 15th September in your diary, and set the satnav for the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival. Always a much-anticipated event in the local foodie calendar, this year the festival boasts more than 20 cheese makers, alongside a wide variety of other local West Country food and drinks traders. From cheddar to blue cheese, olives to pasties and cakes to chocolates, there is surely something to tempt every taste bud at the festival. And let’s not forget the locally-produced gin and vodka that is also on offer.
image Graham Pengelly
Sit back and enjoy The two food marquees buzz with activity from the moment the Cheese Festival opens its gate, as visitors sample the delicious offerings from the various vendors. Crafters also showcase their talents at the festival, and you’ll be able to browse a range of handmade goods such as candles, leatherwork, art and jewellery. Visitors can watch demonstrations by the Dorset Lacemakers and the woodworking skills of the Coppice Group, as well as support the local charities and organisations that are present at the event. One of the major highlights of the festival is the Real Ale & Cider Tent, where visitors can sample a variety of locally-brewed beverages. Everyone’s favourite is to sit on a straw bale and enjoy a pint while listening to some live music – or, if you prefer, there is of course plenty of tea, coffee and a variety of other drinks available while you sit and soak up the atmosphere. For the younger visitors – and the young at heart – there is plenty of entertainment, including a FREE Punch & Judy show. When you’re finished working your way through the samples in the food tents, there will naturally be plenty of outside food choices, be it a cheese toasty or an ice cream! The combination of delicious food, live music, and a buzzing, vibrant atmosphere make the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival a must-visit event for foodies and families alike. For tickets, more information and updates, visit cheesefestival.co.uk and follow the festival on Facebook or Instagram. Come and join us for a day of delicious food and live music at the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival – we can’t wait to see you!
The Cheese Festival will take place on 14th and 15th September from 10am to 5pm at the Recreation Ground, Ricketts Lane, Sturminster Newton. Early Bird tickets are available at a discount until midnight on 31 July – https://bvmag.co.uk/sturcheesetickets Weekend tickets are also available and must be purchased in advance from the festival website.
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