How Dorset charities were given a helping hand when they needed it the most

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14 December 2021

The Battens Charitable Trust has helped hundreds of Dorset based charities for more than 35 years, stepping up donations during the recent pandemic when it was needed most, as Gail Livingstone reports.

*The first Countrymen UK Group was formed here in Dorset at Rylands Farm, just outside Sherborne*

Getting together with loved ones is what Christmas is all about – yet for many people it can be a very lonely experience, especially in rural communities. At Ryland’s farm outside Sherborne the Dorset Club of Countrymen UK gives valuable support to men who find themselves isolated because of deteriorating physical or mental health or changing social circumstances. It is just one of many local charities that the Battens Charitable Trust (BCT) has donated to since its inception in 1985.

From donations to a Trust
Battens Solicitors, a 300 year old firm has three offices based in Dorset at Sherborne, Dorchester and Wareham. The company had a history of supporting local communities in Dorset and Somerset through charitable giving, the firm’s partners donating to local good causes from their own income until the trust was eventually established in the mid- eighties.
Since then it is estimated that the BCT has donated more than half a million pounds to local charities through personal bequests and legacies from Batten’s clients as well as the general public. Consultant Solicitor Ray Edwards who helped found the BCT believes the trust has played its part in helping countless smaller charities across Dorset; “It is a privilege to be able to support local communities in this way, especially smaller charities that are often overlooked. We have donated to schools, sports clubs, arts foundations as well as the Dorset Wildlife Trust to name but a few.” During the pandemic the BCT donated £25,000 to local foodbanks and volunteer NHS organisations and hospitals in the South West who were facing unprecedented demand for their services.

Playing an essential part
The pandemic also made it difficult for many charities to fundraise so support from the BCT was vital at this crucial time as the Director of the Dorset Club of UK Countrymen Julie Plumley explains; “The Coronavirus pandemic was a particularity challenging time for a charity like ours, which supports older men in rural Dorset. Most are extremely vulnerable to the virus, so we had to find new ways to help them and their carers during the lockdowns. This included making changes to our venue to make it safe, offering support in people’s homes and delivering food parcels where they were needed. The role that local funders like the Battens Charitable Trust play in this is absolutely essential. Without their support we simply wouldn’t be able to do what we do.”

If you would like to make a donation to the Battens Charitable Trust then please contact Louisa Dustan by emailing [email protected] or by visiting the firm’s website www.battens.co.uk The Dorset Club of UK Countrymen can be contacted by visiting www.countrymenuk.org.uk

The voice of the allotment | December 2021

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Editorial team

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14 December 2021

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A November plot – Barry Cuff shares the result of careful planning with a continuing harvest from his winter allotment.

*Not just for summer, the butterflies have been active on thr Sturminster Newton allotment’s ivy throughout November’s warmer days. Image: Barry Cuff*

After the deluge on the last day of October, the first three weeks of November were quite dry allowing us to work on the plot. In fact the many sunny warm days meant the flowers on the ivy in the hedge were alive with Hover Flies, Bees, Peacock and Red Admiral Butterflies. Some weeds also continued to flower including Gallant Soldier, Red Deadnettle and Fumitory.

A continuing harvest

An allotment can be very productive as long as the soil is fed, and a little planning is used in the crops sown. Here at the end of November, we are currently still collecting the following fresh produce:

Early Nantes Carrots – dug as required
Musselburgh Leeks – dug as required
Blue/Red Moon Autumn Radish – pulled for salads
Various Oriental Leaves – cut for salads
Monarch Celeriac – one plant lifted every other week
Greensleeves Celery – dug as required and now covered with fleece to protect from frost
Palace Parsnip – two or three roots per week
Brendan Brussels Sprouts – picked once a week

• Cendis Cauliflower – the first curd weighed 2.5kg and lasted well over one week used in various meals

• Ironman Calabrese – all plants are producing good side shoots

• Witloof Chicory – lifted mid month, topped and tailed, and then stored in moist compost in the dark to produce tasty chicons over the winter months

• Santonio and Crokini Tomatoes – five plants of these two varieties were harvested of green fruits which are now in the greenhouse to ripen.

In additon to the fresh harvest, in store we have potatoes, onions, garlic, winter and butternut squash. While in the freezer there’s sweetcorn, French beans, broad beans, runner beans and peas.

A load of manure

The site’s delivery of well rotted horse manure arrived on the 8th – over the next two days we wheeled away our own 35 wheelbarrow loads, some being spread straight away.

A seed hoard

Our seed order from Kings Seeds arrived on the same day as the manure. As our Allotment Association is a member of the South West Counties Allotment Association, we receive a very generous 50% discount on our order of 35 packets. Most of our seeds are obtained from Kings, with just a few varieties from Fothergills and Thompson & Morgan. This amounts to about 50 packets for sowing in 2022.

At moment we have a small number of people on the Sturminster Newton Allotments waiting list. Now is the time to add your name.

by Barry Cuff

How we embrace Christmas

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Editorial team

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14 December 2021

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Cyclamen, Wreath Making workshops, gifts for loved ones, and of course, the trees… yes, we’re embracing it all.

There’s no denying it any longer. It’s time to embrace it. We are officially full of festive cheer and are ready for Christmas!
It’s a funny time of year at Thorngrove; you might think with such cold weather, things slow down when it comes to plants…this couldn’t be further from the truth!

Not only are we putting out the seasonal plants such as poinsettias and princettias, and we have Christmas trees to make room for!
Hyacinths planted a little while ago will be making themselves known, and we continue to make sure they’re as good as they can be. Not to mention the gifts and lifestyle shop gets a bit of a seasonal makeover as we bring in a whole range of unique and exciting products!

Winter baskets and troughs have also taken up a huge amount of the glasshouse team’s time as customers look to bring vibrancy and splendour to their homes and gardens this December. It’s always a sight to behold when many of them

The work you don’t see

The shop windows, and various benches around the garden centre may feel very beautiful and seasonal, but behind the scenes there’s an immense amount of cleaning after last season
to make sure no pests make the plants their new homes, and we’re always looking ahead. Making orders for plugs of next years herbaceous and bedding plants, planning in for new products, making use of cuttings, and considering options for events to stay connected with the community.

The most wonderful time of the year

There’s no question that it can be hard work, for everyone – from the plant nursery, glasshouses, café, shop, tutors, students, and everyone else behind the scenes at EmployMyAbility and Thorngrove – but the hard work can be less noticeable this time of year as everyone knows that a much deserved break and end of year celebration is just around the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we’d love for you to make Thorngrove a stop on your rounds this December. Have a fantastic Christmas and New Year everyone, and as we previously mentioned, even if you’re not celebrating this time of year, we send our end of year well-wishes to you and look forward to seeing you in 2022!

Thorngrove Garden Centre

Garden jobs for December 2021

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Editorial team

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14 December 2021

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Here are this month’s jobs from Sherborne gardener Pete Harcom – perfect for a mild crisp December winter’s day.

Winter digging can continue This is weather permitting – only when soil is not too wet or frozen. To feed the soil and improve the structure, use garden compost, well rotted manure and leaf mould.
Heathers are now in bloom There are good selections available in the garden centres
One idea for colour in the home at Christmas In early December cut shoots from your winter flowering shrubs – in the warmth of the home or greenhouse they will open up and flower in time for Christmas.
In the greenhouse Ensure all is clean and clear of rubbish and waste – this will reduce the number of any overwintering pests. But do leave spiders alone; they’re useful predators, let them have the corners.
Sow seeds of Alpine plants These can be very easy to grow in a cool greenhouse. Some alpine seeds need exposure to low temperatures before germination, and an average UK winter should provide the right environment.
Cut rust-affected hollyhocks Take them right down to the ground, and dispose of the stems, don’t add them to your compst.
Fungal spores and many pest-pupae over- winter in the soil at the base of plants, ready for action once spring arrives and growth begins again. Remove (and compost) old mulches in all areas of the garden, and lightly dig around the base of plants to expose pests to predators (birds love grubs!) and winter weather.
Avoid disturbing large piles of leaves now. Leaf piles are amazing for wildlife, providing shelter and a great nesting spot for hibernating animals, such as hedgehogs, small mammals, frogs and countless insects. Birds will also peck through leaf piles looking for worms and grubs.
Hang fat-balls and bird feeders Hang them all around the garden; birds who are coming in to feed will also enjoy feasting on your troublesome overwintering aphids and other pests.

Scrub pots and seed trays Do this before stacking away, to get rid of any lingering pests and diseases.
Last chance to protect plants with fleece It’s a simple way to help those in exposed spots in the garden
Now is a good time to clean up those gardening tools! Bring them into the shed – clean, sharpen, and oil them, and then you are ready for Spring!

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year. Pete

by Pete Harcom – Head Gardener at Sherton Abbas Gardening

DE RUYTER, Madeline Ethel

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Laura

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13 December 2021

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Madeline Ethel de Ruyter Of Barnaby Mill, Gillingham (previously Wincanton & Streatham London.

Passed away peacefully on 4th December 2021 aged 90 years.

A much loved Mum, Grandma and Great Grandma.

Funeral service to be held at Yeovil Crematorium on Friday 7th January 2022 at 2 pm. Family flowers only please.

To make an online donation in memory of Madeline please visit her Tribute site at: www.funeralcare.co.uk/tributes-and-donations or, send a cheque made payable to ‘Dorset Air Ambulance’ to Cooperative Funeralcare, 2 High Street, Gillingham SP8 4QT

Rushmore Estate to the Ox Drove 11 miles | Dorset Walks

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Editorial team

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13 December 2021

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Big views and easy to find paths with lots to see and enjoy.

Although long-ish, this is an undemanding route through a folded landscape, using easy-to-follow paths which beg you to slow down and saunter around, enjoying the often- surprising views, the parkland and the forest tracks.

The routes we feature have always been created and walked recently by ourselves, so you know you can trust them – we aim for unpopulated routes with as little road and as many views as possible! You can always see the route and follow it yourself via the free Outdoor Active app – see all our routes here (you’ll need to create a free account to see them)

To follow this route using the Outdooractive App, please find the route here.

From Chase Woods you wind your way up to the Ox Drove with its views (detour to eat lunch enjoying the view from South Down above Alvediston – highly recommend!). Then winding back down to the Rushmore Estate via a spine between folded valleys, enjoying the finish of the wide, sweeping curves of Tinkley Down and Tinkley Bottom. How can you resist a walk that ends in a Tinkley Bottom?

Walking The Shire Rack through Chase woods.

The view of Winkelbury Hill from the Ox Drove never fails to impress (and surprise anyone who’s walked on it – you cannot see the dramatic folds when you’re on the hill.

Very inappropriately named ‘Dank Wood Corner’. It’s not dank, it’s quite lovely.

The fascinating abandoned walled garden next to Rushmore Golf Course.

Walking into Tinkley Bottom. Come on now.

Common festive risks for pets

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Editorial team

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13 December 2021

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Christmas is usually full of joy; meeting friends and family, delicious food and plenty of gifting. However, for our pets this wonderful time of year can be filled with many unexpected dangers.

The Damory team have rounded up the biggest issues they see each year over the festive period – forewarned is forearmed!

Common Dog Dangers over the Festive period:

Chocolate: Theobromine is a stimulant in chocolate that makes it very poisonous to
dogs. Try to avoid putting chocolate decorations within reach of your pet, on the tree or underneath.
Christmas puddings and mince pies: The grapes, sultanas and currants in these Christmas treats are
toxic to dogs. Ingestion can cause kidney failure so keep 5. these foods out of reach and ensure all leftovers are disposed of.
Cheese: Always abundant at Christmas, cheese can always pose issues to our dogs as eating too much can lead to inflammation of the pancreas, called pancreatitis. Ensure your food is kept away from any sniffing noses.
Cooked bones: Once they are cooked these can splinter which can pierce their digestive tract or cause an obstruction. Ensure Christmas meat is kept in a secure location and any leftovers disposed of in secure food waste bins.
Articial sweeteners: A common sweetener called Xylitol can lead to potentially fatal hypoglycaemia and acute liver failure. This is often found in many sweet treats at Christmas so ensure these are kept away from your pets at all costs.
Glass baubles: These, if dropped, tend to smash into shards and can cause injury to paws, as well as sometimes being eaten. If swallowed this can obviously cause irritation, perforation and blockages. One way to avoid is to opt for shatter-proof baubles or decorations made of pet-friendly materials.
Salt dough ornaments: Due to the salt component ingestion can cause potentially fatal salt toxicosis with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and seizures. Make sure these are hung high up out of reach or avoid their use if you have a curious pet.
Batteries: Due to the increase in gifts, ingestion of batteries is more common at Christmas. This can cause chemical burns and heavy metal poisoning. Keep batteries away from pets and avoid leaving small toys around.
Fairy lights: Some dogs will try and eat anything! Fairy Lights may cause electric shock if chewed. Use an extension cord that shuts off if damaged and secure wires out of reach if possible.
Silica gel: often found in packaging to keep products dry. They are non-toxic but if ingested can expand and cause blockages in the gut. Make sure any packets are disposed of.

Common Cat Dangers over the Festive period:

Tinsel: Cats love to play with tinsel, but this can cause life threatening blockages in their stomach or intestines. To reduce the risk ensure you always supervise your pet, or you can use pet friendly alternatives.
Fairy lights: Cats like to chew and therefore are at risk of electric shock. Use an extension cord that shuts off automatically when the wire is damaged and secure wires out of reach.
Candles: Candles attract curious noses and often fall over when they are brushed against. This can result in burns to tails and paws. Keep candles well out of reach of cats, and ensure they are safely extinguished when you are not in the room.
Snow globes: Snow globes contain antifreeze (ethylene glycol), as little as one tablespoon can be fatal to cats. Avoid purchasing these to remove this fatal hazard.
Poinsettia, mistletoe and ivy: These are all mildly toxic and can cause vomiting, drooling, diarrhoea and can cause other symptoms. Keep these well out of reach.
Silica gel: Commonly found in packaging, they are typically non-toxic but these can cause blockages in the intestines. Ensure when opening packages and gifts that you dispose of these carefully.
Mouldy food: Mouldy cat & human food, particularly dairy products, bread & nuts contain lots of toxins that can make your cat seriously ill. Do not forget to check your cat’s food & bowls for mould, especially if your cat grazes or you use puzzle/slow feeders. To avoid this risk, ensure your food recycling is secure and cat food should always be fresh and in-date, ensuring cat bowls and feeders are cleaned regularly.
Cooked bones: Bones can pose the same risks as with dogs potentially requiring emergency surgery. Ensure Christmas meat is kept in a secure location and any leftovers disposed of in secure food waste bins.

9. Chocolate: Like dogs, chocolate is severely poisonous to cats. Never hang chocolate decorations on the Christmas tree and remove chocolate presents from under the tree.

10. Christmas trees: Pine needles can cause an upset stomach, cuts to paws and mouth and in severe cases can perforate the intestines. To avoid this vacuum daily, and ensure your tree is secure. It is also worth considering keeping cats out of rooms with Christmas trees.

Damory Veterinary clinic

The pagan history of the Christmas wreath

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Editorial team

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13 December 2021

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One of our favourite signs of Christmas dates back thousands of years, says Charlotte Tombs.

I am worse than a toddler at this time of year. Every time I return from a walk with the dogs my pockets are bulging with the myriad of autumnal treasures that I have found and foraged. There really is so much to be picked
up – you just have to open your eyes and take the time to really look around you to see the beauty that is out there: brightly coloured leaves; broken twigs with the most amazing lichen growing on them; pine and fir cones; dried grasses and teasels; catkins; berries; willow whips and so much more.
These autumn gifts are what makes a Christmas Wreath so special, combined with seed heads and dried flowers that I grow in the summer with wreath- making in mind.

Eternal life

A Christmas wreath with its circular shape and evergreen foliage is said to be a representation of eternal life, and of faith, as Christians in Europe would often place a candle on a wreath during Advent to symbolise the light that Jesus brought into the world. Wreaths are also used at funerals, again as a representation of the circle of eternal life.

Your own wreath

Lots of flower farmers will hold wreath workshops for you to learn to make your own. Do check out

www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk to find your nearest, or enquire about one of mine www.northcombeflowers.co.uk

Pagan tradition

The word wreath comes from the old English word ‘writha’ whose literal meaning is ‘that which is round’.

Wreaths are also connected with the pagan holiday of Yule, marking the winter solstice which was celebrated by ancient Germanic and Scandinavian people. This 12 day festival which was also called Mid Winter was held to honour the returning of the sun and the seasonal cycle, which alone is good enough for me.

Disclaimer: all wild plants are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is illegal to dig up or remove a plant including algae, lichens and fungi from the land on which it is growing without permission from the landowner or occupier. For more information please see www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

Charlotte Tombs, an experienced Dorset flower farmer at Northcombe Flowers in Sturminster Marshall,

How to save hedgehogs

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Editorial team

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12 December 2021

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Not all hedgehogs need rescuing, no matter how vulnerable they look. Here’s how to spot those that need help – and how to give it.

Image by reader Judi Low of the ‘Hedgehog Highway’ which she installed in her garden fence to encourage hedgehog traffic. She says “almost straight away hedgehogs started to come in to the garden, and I now have a resident hibernating in an also newly-installed hedgehog house!”

This year has been incredibly busy at our Hedgehog Rescue; we have now had over 780 hedgehogs admitted since
2018. This month we have really struggled to cope with the number of young and orphaned or abandoned urchins. It is really hard to have to turn so many away from our door, especially as there are very few other places close by to take them. It is heart breaking.

What can you do to help these poor baby hedgehogs? Firstly, keep feeding them in your garden to help them put on weight. Even if they do not come for a few nights, please keep putting the food in the same position in your garden at around the same time and they will know where and when the food will arrive. The hungriest ones will always be the first to arrive. They eat more than you think and a hungry hedgehog can eat up to 200 grams of food a night.

Safe feeding tips

Place the food in a dish, not on the ground. A dish will keep the food cleaner than if put on the earth. Wet cat food in jelly freezes more quickly than dry cat food but either will help a hungry hoglet.
Leave fresh water out in several places in your garden. Do not feed a hedgehog by the light of a torch. They will get used to seeing the torch light and associate it with food delivery. When they see a car’s lights they will run towards it expecting food only to find something much bigger and less forgiving.

When to rescue

If you find a small hedgehog out during the day, at this time of the year they will be in need of help. Pick the hedgehog up wearing gloves and put it in a high sided box with some heat. A hot water bottle or warm water in a plastic bottle will need to be replaced regularly to keep the hog warm. Put an old towel or jumper into the box to help it stay warm and snug. Give it some water in a shallow saucer or bowl.
Let it have a good drink before offering some cat food in jelly. Our maximum capacity for hedgehogs is 38, as we only have space and time to care for that many. Anything over puts pressure and stress on me and the lovely volunteers who all kindly give their time and energy free to help the hedgehogs. However, a healthy hedgehog out at night feeding in your garden will probably do very well. If you continue support feeding all winter, it will survive; it is the lack of available food that causes most issues. Some folk are encouraging people to pick these night visitors up and take them to a rescue. If they are healthy and well, they are more likely to die in a rescue of the stress caused by being picked up and put into a box, driven to a rescue and caged. A healthy hog does not need to be inside in the warm but outside in the wild so it can look after itself.

Which animals to rescue

A healthy hog is out at night; an ill hedgehog can be seen out of its nest during the day, and these are the ones the spaces in a rescue should be saved for. If you do pick a hedgehog up at night because you consider
it is too small to hibernate, and put it in a box with the intention of caring for it yourself, please do so with the support of your local rescue. They will talk you through the care needed and give you help and assistance.

Jeanette at Hedgehog Rescue of Hazelbury Bryan 01258 818266

If you’d like to support Jeanette’s work and our North Dorset hedgehogs, please consider purchasing something from the rescue’s Amazon wishlist here