Dorset bursts into colour with a trio of spring art events

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11 May 2025

This May, Dorset throws open the doors to its creative heart with three major open art exhibitions, offering a rare opportunity to explore local studios, meet artists, and immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspire their work.

Cathy Veale’s White Cliffs can be seen in the Dorset Artists Guild summer exhibition

The season begins with the inaugural exhibition from the newly formed Dorset Artists Guild, who will showcase their Spring/Summer Exhibition at Church House in Wimborne from 6th to 15th May.
Bringing together the work of ten highly regarded Dorset-based artists, the exhibition features everything from evocative landscapes to abstract mixed media, wildlife portraiture and ceramics. Highlights include seascapes by Cathy Veale, dynamic wildlife by Cliff Towler, and moody, atmospheric works from Ian Hargreaves.

With free entry and art available to purchase, it’s a perfect stop for art lovers in the heart of Dorset.
Later in the month, the Open For Art Trail returns from 17th May to 1st June, spanning Weymouth, Portland, Dorchester and Poundbury. With more than 60 artists showing work across 27 venues – from home studios to galleries and community spaces – visitors can enjoy painting, sculpture, printmaking, textiles, glass, ceramics and more. Organised by Artwey CIC, the trail runs biennially and is designed to be as welcoming and accessible as possible, with a printed guide suggesting trail routes, public transport links and refreshment stops. Look out for the group exhibition ‘Poundbury Unwrapped’ at Jubilee Hall for a snapshot of the wider trail.

Laura Rich’s contemporary landscape paintings are featured in the Wylye Valley Art Trail

Running alongside Open For Art is the ever-popular Wylye Valley Art Trail, celebrating its 21st year. From 17th to 26th May, more than 70 venues open their doors across Wiltshire, Somerset and West Dorset, featuring more than 300 painters, printmakers, sculptors, potters, jewellers, textile and wood artists. One of the largest and most diverse open studio events in the South West, the trail invites visitors to experience art in its natural setting – whether that’s a converted barn, a garden studio or a historic village hall. Many venues offer refreshments and demonstrations, making it a relaxed, engaging day out.

May in Dorset
All three events are free to attend and welcome visitors of all ages. Whether you’re a casual browser, a serious collector, or simply looking for a creative family day out, May in Dorset offers a unique chance to step behind the scenes of the region’s thriving art scene and take home a piece of it.

Find out more:
wvat.co.uk
artwey.com/openforartdorset
dorsetartistsguild.co.uk

The wrong place

By

Editorial team

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10 May 2025

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As solar farms creep across our farmland, CPRE’s Rupert Hardy asks why rooftop panels are still overlooked in the rush to meet clean energy targets

The view south over the prospective solar farm to Duncliffe Wood.
Image: Rupert Hardy

In December, Ed Miliband published his Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, aiming to switch the UK to 95 per cent clean energy by the end of the decade. The government has rightly prioritised wind power to meet the majority of our renewable needs, with solar playing a lesser role given its lower efficiency. However, much of Miliband’s plan relies on heroically optimistic assumptions, already labelled unachievable by energy consultants such as Cornwall Insight. Few believe the Action Plan will lower energy prices any time soon.
A rethink on banning new oil and gas licences in the North Sea might help ease reliance on expensive, insecure imports during the transition. Meanwhile, the mountain of Grid upgrades needed looks insuperable – and will be costly. Many ask why Britain, in the current economy, has set some of the most ambitious clean energy targets in Europe.
The countryside will bear the brunt of this drive. More greenfield solar farms are being rushed through, alongside new pylons.
Dorset already has one of the highest numbers of approved solar farms in England, despite the industrial scars they leave on landscapes vital to tourism. We may avoid the mega-solar farms and new pylons now threatening East Anglia, and the proposed offshore Portwind development can thankfully connect relatively easily to the Chickerell substation.
But more large-scale solar farms are still planned – particularly in North Dorset.

Pending planning battles
Last year, a 64-acre solar farm was proposed south of Motcombe, set to impact local residents. More concerning, however, was a plan to build a giant, highly visible solar farm across 400 acres of good arable land in the historic Yeo Valley between Bradford Abbas and Thornford.
This year, a 156-acre solar farm is being proposed north of iconic Duncliffe Wood, straddling the A30 west of Shaftesbury. The site, on some of Dorset’s best and most versatile land, would be highly visible given the contours, and sits adjacent to the ancient woodland which is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest. With around 25,000 annual visitors to Duncliffe Wood, many of whom are there specifcally for its rural tranquility, one hopes there will be strong and vocal opposition.
There are important heritage assets nearby too, and the cumulative impact of multiple solar sites must not be ignored. Small, well-screened solar farms on low-quality land have a place. Vast industrial-scale developments do not.
Two major solar farm proposals near Horton Tower, in east Dorset, will be considered at planning hearings in early May. Both would be sited on good arable land and risk harm to protected landscapes, heritage sites, and community amenity. Dorset Council faces considerable pressure to approve them – the outcome will be telling.

Solar farm at sunrise in the English countryside. Image: Shutterstock

Token actions
The CPRE has long argued that rooftop solar, not greenfield development, offers the real solution. In Dorset, more than 90 per cent of roofs still lack panels. University College London research shows rooftop solar alone could meet much of the UK’s solar target, with a 117GW potential compared to the government’s 45 to 47GW target by 2030.
Public support for rooftop installation is strong, particularly across car parks, warehouses, schools and public buildings. Rooftop solar would also reduce strain on the Grid by generating energy closer to where it is consumed.
Yet government action remains tokenistic.
Great British Energy’s £180m pledge to fit panels to just 400 public buildings barely scratches the surface. CPRE continues to champion the Sunshine Bill, which would mandate solar panels on all new homes, but progress has been slow.
Locally, initiatives like Sustainable Swanage’s community energy projects show what can be achieved, but these are hampered by pitifully small subsidies.
Dorset Council could have strengthened energy standards in new developments – as Cornwall has done – but progress has been tied up in the delayed Local Plan.

Protect what matters
There is only one conclusion: solar farms must be better located, focusing on less sensitive sites. Rooftop solar must be prioritised. Dorset’s beautiful countryside needs protecting.

More fun for less as Wimborne’s Family Fest returns

By

Editorial team

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10 May 2025

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Family Fest is back – and this year promises more fun, longer hours and lower ticket prices. Returning to The Meadows just over Julian’s Bridge, the award-winning Wimborne festival runs from Friday 30th May to Sunday 1st June, with live music and entertainment continuing until 9pm on Friday and Saturday for the first time.
In a bid to keep the event affordable, ticket prices have been reduced: standard children’s entry is now £5 and adults £8. Founder Rob Batson said: ‘With the current economic climate, we’ve cut costs to ensure even more families can join us. All activities – except inflatables and fairground rides – are included in the ticket price, so there are no hidden extras.’
Headline acts include Rudimentalists, the UK’s top Rudimental tribute band (Friday), and 80s/90s party favourites Yazadi (Saturday). There’s a new Bournemouth One lounge with street food and a bar, hosted by Bournemouth’s newest radio station. There’s thrilling BMX bike shows and traditional fun with Punch & Judy and magic shows, plus festival shopping with food, gifts and artisan products from across Dorset on offer with a special focus on supporting the county’s small business traders.
The festival continues to support The Cherry Tree Nursery, which offers rehabilitation through horticulture: it has so far donated £4,000 to the nursery in Bournemouth. Sited on 12 acres of working farmland, Family Fest offers on-site camping as well as shuttle bus services from Wimborne Square and also
from Blandford.
Run voluntarily by Rob Batson and a small team, with 15 volunteers across the weekend, the festival expects more than 3,000 visitors. Supported by Wimborne BID, it’s a celebration of community, creativity and good old-fashioned family fun.

Find out more at ffdorset.co.uk

Wimborne’s Forget-Me-Not Factory: 8,500 flowers, one extraordinary community effort

By

Laura

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9 May 2025

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More than 8,500 hand-knitted and crocheted forget-me-not flowers have been created by the people of Dorset as part of a community campaign led by the Museum of East Dorset. The woollen blooms – in cheerful blues and yellows – are the centrepiece of the museum’s upcoming display for Dementia Action Week (19th–25th May), created in support of those living with dementia and their families.

The initiative, based on the Alzheimer’s Society’s symbolic Forget-Me-Not flower, invited people of all ages to take part. Free patterns and wool were offered by the museum, and the response has been remarkable – with handmade flowers arriving from as far afield as Glasgow and Lancashire. Many came with notes, dedicating the work to loved ones, often with personal connections to Wimborne.

Now, thanks to the sheer volume of flowers that have arrived, the museum is in need of help to turn this incredible outpouring of creativity into a finished display. On Monday 12th May, from 1.30pm to 4pm, the Garden Room at the museum will become a ‘Forget-Me-Not Factory’ – complete with glue guns, sewing kits, tea and plenty of good company.
No crafting experience is required – just a willingness to lend a hand and be part of something meaningful.

Just a few of the 8,500 forget me nots which have been sent to the Museum of East Dorset

Volunteer Sally Palmer has played a key role in the campaign. A regular face at the museum for 13 years, Sally has helped with everything from serving in the tearoom to running Craft and Chat sessions and dressing as a Victorian kitchen maid for visiting schools. She also volunteers with the museum’s Reminiscence outreach project, which supports people living with dementia through memory-based sessions in care homes and day centres.

Sally said: “I just asked everyone who came into the tearoom if they knitted: if they said yes, I handed them a leaflet! My friends alone made about 500 flowers.”

Volunteer Sally Palmer with just a few of the 8,500 forget-me-nots, and Freddy the Teddy in the Museum of East Dorset’s garden

She’s also created ‘Freddy the Teddy’ – a knitted toy available from the museum gift shop for £9.95, alongside forget-me-not pins. Proceeds support the museum’s dementia-friendly work.

Museum Director Francesca Hollow said: “We’re thrilled by the generosity and enthusiasm of our community. The Forget-Me-Not display is a beautiful testament to the power of collective action in raising awareness for dementia.”

Volunteers are invited to help assemble the display, share stories and enjoy a cuppa while supporting a vital cause. The event is part of the museum’s broader commitment to dementia-friendly activities, and is supported by Dementia UK and the Wimborne Minster BID.

Cheers to 11 years – The Exchange’s Real Ale & Cider Festival is back

By

Editorial team

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9 May 2025

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Sturminster Newton’s much-loved Real Ale & Cider Festival returns for its 11th year from 31st May to 2nd June – and organisers at The Exchange promise that 2025 is shaping up to be their biggest and best yet.

festival is a celebration of great beer and brilliant music. With free entry all weekend, it’s one of the town’s liveliest events – and a vital fundraiser for The Exchange, a registered charity that receives no external funding.
Festivalgoers can look forward to an outstanding selection of real ales, ciders and perries from breweries including Sixpenny, Hop Back, Cerne Abbas, Hattie Brown’s, Wriggle Valley and Dynamite, with more still to be announced. New for 2025 is a dedicated gin bar – perfect for those seeking a different kind of tipple.
There’s also a full weekend of live music, starting with The Leggomen on Friday night. Saturday’s headliners are the ever-popular Wonky Donkeys, with support from Theya, and Sunday features performances from Pete Robson and Murphy’s Lore Trio. Festival food will be provided by Gia’s wood-fired pizza, serving fresh, hot food on Saturday and Sunday.

Sponsor a barrel!
As well as being a fantastic community event, the festival plays a vital role in supporting The Exchange. To help keep the venue thriving, local businesses and individuals are invited to support the event through sponsorship:
Barrel sponsorship – £80 (branding, beer guide mention and website listing)
Cider box sponsorship – £60 (branding and online/printed recognition)
Gin bar sponsorship – bespoke packages available
Sturminster Newton Economic Development Coordinator, Jacqui Wragg, says: ‘This festival brings the whole community together. It’s a wonderful weekend of music, food and drink – and it’s a vital part of keeping The Exchange running. We’d love to see even more local businesses get involved this year.’
Raise a glass to a great weekend – and to keeping The Exchange at the heart of Sturminster Newton.

To sponsor or find out more, call 01258 475137.

It’s all about growth

By

Editorial team

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8 May 2025

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From follicle measurements to inspecting a placenta, BTEC students got stuck into the science and reality of foaling season at TGS this month

Glanvilles Stud is amid foaling season
All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

At last, the weather’s warming up, the grass is growing – and so is this year’s foal crop. But while we focus on nurturing the racehorses of the future, the Thoroughbred industry must also turn its attention to the next generation of human talent. Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley operation has its two-year Flying Start scholarship, encouraging young people to study all aspects of the racing and breeding industry, offering placements with studs, auction houses, trainers and racecourses in Europe, the USA and Australia. The British Horseracing Authority also has its graduate programme, similar to Darley but UK-based. And here at TGS we had a slightly more modest, but equally important, visit by four BTEC Equine Management students from Leweston School.

A 9.30am arrival fitted well with the morning’s scanning, and while stud vet Paul Legerton was setting up, Doug quizzed our young visitors as to what their reasons were for doing an equine course. The prize for best answer? “To make a change from farming!”
It was then into the front paddock for a brief introduction to correction of conformational faults in young foals. We then moved to the stocks to view the vet scanning the mares. Questions came thick and fast, starting with ‘Why do you put your arm in the mare’s rectum?’…. (terminology was quickly corrected from ‘bum’ when their teacher suggested that they think back to their anatomy lessons!).

Leweston eqine students at the Glanvilles Stud – All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

Paul explained that the uterus and ovaries lie just below the colon, and so this is the only way, due to sheer volume of an adult mare, to get the ultrasound probe close enough to obtain an image.
Luckily one mare was coming into season, so the students could see both the characteristic spoked wheel pattern of the uterine oedema (thickening of the womb lining) and a ripening follicle. Paul explained how he measures this diameter and that most mares ovulate when the follicle has grown to around 4cm. The next question was, “Why are you getting them pregnant again so soon?”
Doug explained that with a gestation of around 11 months you need to cover again as soon as possible to have the foals born early the following year – as we said last month, the goal is to have a foal born as soon as possible after 1st January.
Doug naturally took full advantage of having some free labour, and gave the students valuable experience by asking them to lead mares to and from the stocks.

Doug giving the students a brief introduction to the correction of conformational faults in young foals – All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

Equine labour
Then on to the cute bit: the students were introduced to a Golden Horn colt, born just after midnight that same morning. Once the aahs had died down, Doug was bombarded with questions about the foaling process. Conveniently he had a video of a foaling taken earlier in the season, so his descriptive powers weren’t overly taxed!

In the stocks, students watched stud vet Paul Legerton scan the mares while he explained what they were seeing and what he was doing – All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

Next, they asked how you know when a mare is going to foal. Doug explained that there is a large range in a “normal” gestation between 320 and 370 days. Therefore, we rely on physical signs in the mare.
First of all, the udder swells, called ‘bagging up’ and the students were able to see an example of this on one of the mares currently waiting to foal. He explained that this is the point when a mare is moved to one of the 11 camera-monitored boxes, allowing the team to keep a close eye on her during our round-the-clock foaling vigils at this time of year.

The next stage is ‘waxing’, when a waxy discharge begins to build up on the mare’s teats.
The final stage is watching for the restless behaviour which is typical of a mare about to foal: we watch her pacing her stable on the cameras.

The morning wrapped up with Doug showing the students how to inspect a placenta, using the one from that morning’s foaling. A Thoroughbred foal’s placenta is roughly 5kg in weight and it is important to be sure that the placenta is complete and that none has been retained in the mare, which may cause infection if left untreated.
The student’s course manager said the students had had a brilliant visit, and that they had told her all about the visit in great detail on their return to school. Let’s hope that their thirst for knowledge continues to grow – and that they all get A*s in their equine reproduction modules at the end of the year!

That’s not a lion, it’s a Lexus

By

Editorial team

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8 May 2025

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Ah, the sweet sound of spring in North Dorset: birdsong, lambs bleating, engines revving … and my horse doing the fancy sideways samba because someone’s decided to pass us at 40mph while checking their phone.
Here’s the thing: riding on the road isn’t some whimsical nod to countryside nostalgia – it’s often a frustrating necessity. Have you seen the state of our bridleway network? It’s like someone spilled a bag of spaghetti on a map and called it a plan. Disjointed, patchy, and often impassable. My idea of a relaxing hack does not, in fact, include having my horse figure out how to get all four of his legs over a new stile in the middle of what was once a bridleway. We’re all forced to hit the tarmac at some point.
So yes, we share the road – but what we don’t share is your steel cage of protection.
It’s really not tricky, though we’ve all met drivers who can’t seem to figure out what to do. When a driver slowly creeps up behind us for what feels like a mile, it’s not calming. It’s weird.
My horse thinks you’re either a lion or a lunatic – and neither is particularly welcome mid-hack.
And don’t even think about beeping. I’m not waving at you to say hi – I’m asking you not to send my horse into orbit. That cheery honk might as well be an air raid siren as far as he’s concerned.
Also, while we’re at it (I’m on a roll now – this column is very cathartic): revving your engine to show off your car’s horsepower? Cute. My actual horse remains unimpressed. He’s too busy trying not to die of fright while you overtake within licking distance.
It’s not rocket science: pass wide (a car’s width if possible) and slow (as if you’re near a primary school – because you are, metaphorically).
Oh, and maybe give a wave back when I thank you. It’s not just good manners, it’s a nod to the fact we’re all trying to survive the same stretch of rural tarmac.
I imagine cyclists feel much the same. They too are soft targets in a world of high hedges, deep pot holes, blind corners and impatient drivers. Next time you pass one of us, remember: we’re not ‘traffic’ – we’re people. And some of us are sitting on half a ton of nervous energy with a mind of its own and a strong dislike of surprises. Plus hooves.
So next time you see a rider–or anyone soft-shelled and road-bound – resist the urge to test your reflexes or your engine. Just pass wide, pass slow, and carry on. Because trust me: your patience is far more impressive than your exhaust note.

The Grumbler – the open opinion column in The BV. It’s a space for anyone to share their thoughts freely. While the editor will need to know the identity of contributors, all pieces will be published anonymously. With just a few basic guidelines to ensure legality, safety and respect, this is an open forum for honest and unfiltered views. Got something you need to get off your chest? Send it to editor@bvmagazine.co.uk. The Grumbler column is here for you: go on, say it. We dare you.

£200,000 Youth Grant open for Dorset Organisations

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Editorial team

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8 May 2025

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Voluntary and community organisations across Dorset can now apply for a share of Dorset Council’s £200,000 Youth Grant, supporting projects that deliver activities for young people.
Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are available for projects that contribute to one or more of the following outcomes: providing positive activities (especially for vulnerable young people) and improving wellbeing across the Dorset Council area. Applications are open until 28th May, with successful bids to be announced on 23rd July.
Cllr Clare Sutton, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: ‘We’re excited to see new ideas that promote young people’s wellbeing, inclusion and empowerment. Young people will also help assess applications – their voice is key to the decision-making process.’
Last year’s recipients included STEPS Club for Young People, whose grant supported a youth music project, and Relationships Wessex, who offered affordable early intervention counselling.

Full criteria and application details are available at: dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/dorset-council-youth-fund-grant-criteria

Turning 100, farming fury and a fond farewell

By

Laura

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8 May 2025

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This episode will stay with you – from a century of stories told with grace by Jim Freer, to George Hosford’s blistering takedown of government farming policy. It’s full of insight, history … and a fair bit of fury.

Also: it’s the final episode with co-host Terry Bennett. You’ll be missed, Terry.

Jim Freer at 100: Halifax Bombers and the Art of Staying Nice

🎂 “Be nice to each other. That’s good advice too.”

Born in 1925, Jim Freer reflects on a century of life – from engineering and war service to marriage, museum volunteering and village fetes.
🎖️ “We took off 34 times – and thankfully landed 34 times.”

From post-war production to RAF mail flights in India, Jim’s story is a calm, thoughtful tour through a remarkable life.

Farming and Fury: George Hosford on the Collapse of Trust

💥 “I can’t process the scale of this incompetence – it takes my breath away.”

Dorset farmer George Hosford delivers a scathing and sharply informed assessment of Defra’s abrupt shutdown of SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive) payments:

🌱 “This isn’t just about money. It’s about trust, soil health, food supply and the future of farming.”

George breaks down what sustainable and regenerative farming really mean, why government schemes mattered, and how political short-termism risks undoing decades of progress.

These interviews are based on stories from April’s BV, available here. Dorset people, Dorset landscapes, and the big stories behind our rural headlines – all in one beautiful, free magazine.

🎧 The BV Podcast – twice a month, always worth your ears. Named Best Regional Publication in the UK (ACE Awards) and Regional News Site of the Year (Press Gazette).