Poole Lighthouse hosts the final date of Lost Songs of Scilly, a new project that explores the stories and songs of the Isles of Scilly. The national tour ends in Poole on 20th June, giving a Dorset audience the opportunity to hear the new music and songs created by Piers Lewin and John Patrick Elliott to celebrate these very special islands off the south west coast.
Poet, musician, wood-turner and cook Piers Lewis has lived on the tiny Scilly island of St Agnes for 25 years. Following the disappointing realisation that his island home (unusually for a Celtic outpost) has no surviving indigenous music, he has made it his personal mission to compose and perform music that reaches the very heart of the place. Early in this quest, he began collaborating with composer and producer John Patrick Elliott, a regular visitor to the islands. The concert and album evoke that Celtic heritage, the isolation of the islands, their traditions, their dramatic coastlines and weather and their history, entangled with but separate from the mainland.
There are foot-stomping reels, songs that sound as if they have always been sung and ambient immersive instrumentals. It is music infused with an unshakeable sense of place – evocative island soundscapes, field recordings woven through songs of the sea, celebrating the resilience of a creative, independent island community and transporting audiences to this truly beautiful place.
Much of the music is created and recorded outside in the landscape – the ambience of wind and wave reflecting Scilly’s unspoilt soundscape. Many of the dance tunes draw inspiration from the powerful traditional Celtic music of neighbouring Cornwall, while the songs distill the rich stories and complex traditions of a remarkable, resilient maritime community.
lostsongsofscilly.com
The Lost Songs of Scilly
An open air summer of theatrical fun
From Shakespeare to new scripts, Gay Pirrie-Weir takes us through the 15 companies bringing Dorset its summer feast of drama under the stars
Fifteen alfresco theatre companies will be touring our region in the coming months, and their actors as much as their eager audiences will be keeping their fingers tightly crossed that the rain finally stays away and everyone can look forward to balmy evenings in the open air.
It’s a bumper crop for 2024, and as always there’s a selection of plays from Shakespearean favourites to original creations, from comedy to dark mystery, musicals to children’s shows. Venues range from the grounds of stately homes to atmospheric seaside settings.
Audiences are usually asked to bring low-backed chairs, and to arrive in time to set up their picnics and sit back to enjoy the performances. Best position rage is, lamentably, a growing practice, so be sure to put on a smile and remember there are other people wanting to see the stage!
There is also some competition to bring the best picnic – not quite at the Glyndebourne silver candelabra and Krug level, but you might get a few snide giggles at a bag of stuff snatched from the petrol station en route to the venue. What a piece of work is man, as the Prince of Denmark might have said. And you can hear him saying it when the Lord Chamberlain’s Men come to a venue near you. Other Shakespearean plays are prominent, predictably that open air Midsummer Night’s Dream favourite, chosen by Chapterhouse and Troubadour Stageworks. You can also see Dukes Theatre in As You Like It, The Festival Players in The Tempest, Handlebards and Three Inch Fools in A Comedy of Errors and Illyria in Romeo and Juliet.
Editor Laura and I have been discussing how people decide on going to open air plays – is it because you choose your favourite company and go to whatever play they produce, or because you always go to the nearest venue to your home? Do you choose the plays you know and like, or those that you have never seen before? Or do you wait until the last minute to see what the weather forecasters have to say?
This year there are four new companies, and several well established summer tourers. The choice is yours …
Calf2Cow Theatre touring Sherlock and Watson: A Murder in the Garden comes to Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 7th June, Winterborne Stickland on 16th June and Arundells in Salisbury Cathedral Close on 27th June.
The multi-production Chapterhouse, touring Beauty and the Beast at Stourhead on 23rd August, Little Women at Stourhead on 30th August and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Sherborne School for Girls on 25th August.
Newcomers Dukes Theatre touring As You Like It to Kingston Lacy on 26th June and Kingston Maurward, Dorchester on 23rd August
Long-established Festival Players touring The Tempest, at Shaftesbury Abbey Garden on 22nd June and Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens on 24th June.
The Handlebards, the troupe that travels between venues on bicycles, towing their props behind them, have chosen A Comedy of Errors, and you can see it at the Larmer Tree Gardens on 23rd June, Castle Court School at Corfe Mullen on 25th June and Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 26th June.
Another long-established and always multi-production company, Illyria, will be staging The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle at Castle Gardens in Sherborne on 21st June, Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 9th August and Kingston Lacy near Wimborne on 29th August. Their second show, Romeo and Juliet, is at Castle Gardens on 4th July (just in time for the election!) and at Corfe Castle on 15th August. The Illyria production of The Gondoliers is at Castle Gardens on 16th July and their final show of the year, The Hound of the Baskervilles, is at Castle Gardens on 6th August and Corfe Castle on 8th August
Newcomers Immersion Theatre have chosen Peter Pan, and you can see it at Athelhampton House on 22nd June or Arundells in Salisbury Cathedral Close on 11th August.
The all-male company The Lord Chamberlain’s Men celebrate their 20th anniversary with a production of Hamlet, coming to the lawns of Rack Close at Salisbury Cathedral on 7th and 8th June, Kingston Lacy on 12th and 25th July, Athelhampton House on 19th July and Breamore House on 24th August.
It’s a welcome return for Cornwall-based Miracle Theatre, who took a break last year and return with an original show, Love Riot, coming to Ibberton on 1st August, and at Kimmeridge Bay the following day. Both these stops are promoted by Artsreach.
New company Plandits Theatre will perform The Secret Garden in the grounds of Athelhampton House on 3rd August.
Quantum Theatre has two shows – Great Expectations coming to the Rifles Museum in Salisbury on 19th and 20th June, and The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck at Corfe Castle on 1st August and the Rifles Museum on 30th August.
The best named company for an English summer, Rain or Shine, has Oscar Wilde’s enduring comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, coming to the Roman Villa at Rockbourne on 6th June, Bishop Wordsworth School in Salisbury on 28th June, Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 25th July and Upper Leigh Farm in East Knoyle on 26th July.
My own favourites, The Rude Mechanicals, bring their commedia dell’arte style to an original story, The Dressing Book. See them at Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens on 8th June, Bradford Abbas on 27th June, The White Horse at Stourpaine on 28th June, Tarrant Monkton on 18th July or Child Okeford on 20th July.
The multi-instrumentalist actors of Three Inch Fools will tour The Comedy of Errors, coming to Higher Orchard in Sandford Orcas on 16th August and a new show, The Secret Diary of Henry VIII at Corfe Castle on 22nd August.
The locally based Troubadour Stageworks have chosen A Midsummer Night’s Dream and their tour includes Kingsettle Stud at Cholderton on 29th June and Hatch House near Tisbury on 20th July.
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The Rise of the EOT
Dorset Chamber CEO Ian Girling encourages local enterprises to shine at the 2024 Dorset Business Awards, and it as a platform for success
Over the last couple of years, I have become aware of an increasing number of businesses that have become EOT’s – Employee Ownership Trusts. While there are still a relatively low number of businesses that have embraced this model, it’s definitely becoming more popular.
An EOT is a trust that enables the company to be owned by its employees. It’s an attractive proposition for many business owners who are perhaps looking to sell their business as part of their exit strategy, but are reluctant to see their current business swallowed up by a larger firm, effectively ending it. Understandably, business owners often have concerns about what may happen to their clients, employees and brand when their business is sold. An EOT can provide a managed exit strategy for the business owners and, in creating ownership by the employees, enables the company to continue trading.
An EOT can deliver huge benefits to the business in many ways. Most notably, it can result in increased engagement from employees: as part owners they help create a strong culture of shared responsibility. It can also help attract and retain good quality staff – it’s an appealing addition to your job benefits.
It’s also attractive from a customer perspective. The customers you have built up relationships with over many years will be glad to remain as customers and not transferred to a new business that may have a different approach in terms of their business culture and customer care.
Business owners also enjoy the security of knowing that the business they have worked so hard in for many years will continue after their exit.
However, as with all things there are pros and cons – becoming an EOT is not the right option for every business or every industry, and it’s an area that must be considered very carefully.
The transition can be expensive, and it is absolutely vital any business considering this takes professional advice before making such a commitment.
South Molton Stallions dominate the Doddler’s Wessex Ridgeway Relay again
If you happened to be out walking on Sunday 19th May you may have noticed lots of runners about in the sunshine: if so, you probbaly stumbled across a section of the Wessex Ridgeway Relay Race, organised by the Dorset Doddlers running club.
Starting in Tollard Royal, 14 teams took part in the 100km race, with the teams aiming to be first to cross the line in Uplyme. The route closely follows the ancient Wessex Ridgeway trail, and the teams knew they would be running through some of the county’s most stunning scenery (with a hill or two along the way).
Over the past few years, South Molton Stallions have made the race their own – they have won the title every year since 2017. This year proved no different, with the team of four crossing the line in 8h 35m. In a very close second, just 11 minutes behind them were the Wimborne AC Wacers with a time of 8h 46m, hotly pursued by third place in the men’s teams, Egdon Heath Harriors in 8h 50m.
There were three lady’s teams competing, and the ladies title went to Disoriented Divas, crossing the line in 11h 34m. Second place went to the Blue Tits (13h 23m), and third were Gillingham Trotters Dolls.
The three Dorset Doddlers team also compete for the club’s own Chris Cussen Challenge Shield, in memory of the long-time Ridgeway Race director and Dorset Doddler. The first Doddlers team to cross the line, adding their name to the shield, were the Growlers.
The Doddlers would like to thank Hall & Woodhouse and Tesco for their generous and continued sponsorship of the race.
Full results and further information on the Wessex Ridgeway Relay Race wessexridgeway.co.uk
Sponsored by Wessex Internet
In jolly good company
Tracie Beardsley catches up with Dorset charity founder Sarah Rampton, who is taking an innovative approach to community wellbeing
Sarah Rampton describes herself as ‘like a terrier’ in her determination. Her tenacity stood her in good stead when she was made redundant from the Alzheimer’s Society. The society stopped running face-top-face groups in Dorset. I could see just how many people were going to miss out on vital support across the county, especially in the rural areas,’ she said.
So she set up her own charity, In Jolly Good Company, from her home at Wimborne St Giles, and now supports more than 200 people across groups in Wimborne St Giles, Wimborne, Blandford, Shaftesbury, West Moors and, through Step Outside, a gardening group at Kingston Lacy. She has 30 volunteers and her staff include a bookkeeper who’s a talented piano player and singer, a former nurse turned professional gardener and a dementia specialist. They all help run Jolly Days. The patron is Wimborne St Giles’ most famous resident, Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury.
Sarah’s background includes work in the arts as a performer with local theatre group Word And Action, before she entered the charity sector. Her mix of creative skills and care knowledge combine to create an effective recipe to alleviate loneliness and build stronger communities.
A lifeline to the lonely
A typical Jolly Day might include music, dancing, singing, poetry, craft activities, a home-cooked lunch and even yoga – the free sessions are tailored to suit those attending, and voluntary donations from guests help to keep the jolly show on the road.
‘In Wimborne our guests are a literary bunch, so we do creative writing,’ Sarah says. ‘One of our guests is a playwright now living with dementia. He can’t remember seeing the play he wrote, but it was very successful. Using local actors, we recreated it for him. It was so emotional.
‘A Jolly Good Day feels a bit like a party happening several times a week. Guests range in age from 50 to their late 90s. We welcome anyone who, for whatever reason, may be isolated. That might be folk living with dementia or it might be those recently widowed. There are no conditions.
‘Here in Wimborne St Giles, if it weren’t for Jolly Days there would be nothing for people to go to during the week. There’s about 400 people living in the surrounding area, and our Days are a lifeline to many of the lonely in the community.’
The Step Outside allotment gardening group started at Kingston Lacy in 2016, and is a collaborative project involving Wimborne Dementia Friendly Community, National Trust, Dorset Council and In Jolly Good Company. Guests don’t need any experience of gardening to join in. Some like to sit and chat, others harvest vegetables and pick flowers. As well as gardening, there might be art, crafts, live music, storytelling and gentle yoga … and always tea and posh biscuits.
A new sense of purpose
In Jolly Good Company is now recognised by the NHS as a valuable support, because of the way it entwines wellbeing activities into its sessions. To Sarah’s delight, Dorset Community Foundation recently presented her with £15,000 from the NHS Health and Well Being Trust fund.
‘It is all about early intervention. Our activities help people stay better, and stay longer in their own homes. Some people may not leave their chair when they do our yoga sessions, but it still makes a huge difference to them physically and mentally. People go home feeling calmer.’
Sarah oozes positivity and passion. The numerous thank you cards she receives reveal the difference her charity makes. ‘A daughter of one of our guests thanked me for giving her mum’s life a sense of purpose again. It’s such a privilege to give people something to look forward to, to help give the best quality of life in the years when they may not expect to be meeting new friends, starting new hobbies or enjoying new experiences.
‘I came to our Wimborne St Giles session yesterday. They didn’t need me, the whole team was here – I could have gone home, but I stayed because I was having such a ‘jolly good time’! I never want to be in the position where I’m only at my desk organising things. I go to the groups at least once a month. That’s what feeds me – seeing people, who might otherwise be stuck at home in really difficult situations, have a good time. That’s my motivation.’
And her terrier attitude continues. Sarah hopes to start another group in West Dorset. ‘I want to grow the charity – but the quality of what we offer is far more important than size.’
As Sarah gets ready to cycle through the village to check on a Jolly Day guest who hasn’t attended for a while, I wonder if she ever gets time off to take care of herself?
‘I do make sure I take time out for me, or it can be overwhelming. I feel very responsible for all of my Jolly people.’
REGISTERED QUALIFIED NURSE | Milton Abbey School
We have an exciting opportunity to join Milton Abbey as a School Nurse at our Health Centre providing high quality nursing care 24/7 for our pupils.
The role is diverse and rewarding and applicants should be confident to work autonomously and be keen to support and influence the lives of the young people in their care.
The working hours required for this role will be 37.5 hours per week (some flexibility for the right candidate) and these hours will primarily fall during term time. Shifts will be a combination of day and night shifts with weekend work being fairly distributed amongst the team.
If you are interested in joining our Nursing Staff who are RN or RSCN qualified, you should have a minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience.
Further details may be obtained from our website www.miltonabbey.co.uk, from the Senior Nurse Manager or HR [email protected]. Applications must be submitted on the School’s application form. The closing date for applications is noon on Tuesday 25th June 2024.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.
Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Milton Abbey School is committed to safe guarding and promoting the welfare of children. Theappointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service.
www.miltonabbey.co.uk Registered Charity No 306318
The power of win-win partnerships
In a modern business environment, partnerships between businesses can enhance reach, brand recognition, and community presence.
Thorngrove Garden Centre, the retail arm of Employ My Ability who provide unique opportunities for young people with special educational needs, approached Abbey 104, Sherborne’s community radio station, to sponsor BV Magazine’s new radio show. It’s a partnership that has significant benefits for local businesses working together.
For Abbey 104, repurposing The BV podcast provided an opportunity to expand content offerings and engage a broader audience, but funding was crucial. Thorngrove, already The BV’s Out Of Doors partner, were looking to explore local radio as a marketing avenue.
By sponsoring the podcast, Thorngrove gains exposure to Abbey 104’s listeners, many of whom are likely gardening enthusiasts, connecting with potential customers. In return, Abbey 104 receives the financial support needed to produce high-quality content.
For The BV, the partnership ensures a wider audience reach, enhancing the magazine’s brand and community influence. The podcast serves as a platform to discuss relevant topics, share local news, and promote businesses.
Local business partnerships create a ripple effect, strengthening the local economy and fostering community. When businesses support each other, they boost their success and contribute to the market’s vibrancy.
The partnership shows the benefits of local business collaborations. By leveraging each other’s strengths and working towards common goals, businesses achieve greater success and make a positive community impact.
Save the bruisewort?
If you didn’t mow in May, you will have a few jobs to be getting on with now – but think twice before you hit the weedkiller, says Pete Harcom
If you followed the No-Mow-May idea last month, the weeds in the lawn and borders will now be needing your attention!
Daisies in a lawn can look very attractive – they are also a great plant for pollinators and the flowers are full of pollen and nectar. The common daisy, (Bellis perennis) is also known as Bruisewort, used for centuries to treat bruises and relieve the discomfort of rheumatism and aching joints. Other weeds, such as dandelions, you may wish to remove by hand, rather than using a spray herbicide. There are various weed-pulling tools on the market that can make that task much easier – and there are lots of reviews on the internet and YouTube that can help you decide which one!
How’s your H2O?
June is a good time to evaluate water use, and the need for water in the garden. Rather than using mains water (possibly a limited resource nowadays), try to save and use rainwater where possible. This has the added benefit of reducing your water bill!
Water butts are a must, and can be easily attached to downpipes on houses, outbuildings, sheds – or any sizeable surface area with a slope!
Coming in all shapes and sizes, there are many options to choose from. Be sure to secure water butts with lids to deter mosquitos in the summer.
Spot watering at the base of plants is much more efficient than spraying large areas. During the summer, water early or late in the day to prevent the water evaporating in the daytime heat – but be mindful that slugs and snails will also thank you for the evening moisture!
Lawn grass is well-suited to weathering droughts, so don’t worry too much about watering the lawn in extended dry periods.
Mulching plays a key role in retaining moisture in the soil and providing nutrients. Mulch will also introduce organic matter to the soil, enhancing its structure and therefore its capacity to hold water.
June jobs
Other things to do this month include planting out summer bedding, and potting up hanging baskets. Trim back trailing or spreading plants (eg aubretia), as this will encourage fresh growth.
Also, pinch out the tips of fuchsias to encourage bushy growth and more flowers.
Take softwood cuttings of many shrubs, including lavender, rosemary, fuchsia, philadelphus and forsythia. Collect healthy shoots from the tips of plants and make 5-10cm long cuttings – slice through the stem below a pair of leaves and remove the lower set of leaves. Push the cut stem into a small pot filled with gritty cutting compost, cover with a plastic bag and place in a shady spot until rooted.
sponsored by Thorngrove garden centre
