The return of the builder with pride

11 June 2025

With new deals signed with the United States and India and the timetabled review of our Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, trade deals have been much in the news recently. We very rarely give any thought to how we trade: we just have an expectation that what we want will somehow be available either in store or online. President Trump’s spate of tariff madness has, if nothing else, shown the importance of trade policy to all of our lives and livelihoods. The disruption to supply chains occasioned by COVID and then Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea have played their part in highlighting the fragility of our supply chains, and how dependent we have become upon them. Free trade is always to be championed, providing, as it does, open access to customers and markets – lifting people out of poverty and improving the lot of our fellow man. ‘Free trade’ does not mean ‘laissez faire trade’. Any relationship needs to be buttressed by checks and balances – whether that is quota or regulatory alignment on issues such as animal welfare or use of slave labour. Free trade is not free trade when the playing field is uneven.

Where are our housebuilders
Development – and developers – have got themselves a bad name. Communities are suspicious as to motive and outcome. Many feel disenfranchised within a process that is detailed, legal and technical. The large volume housebuilders have dominated the market in recent years, and not always to the good. Design and layout of schemes lacks any local vernacular character. Too many estates look as if they could be in ‘anytown’. Providing a roof over a person’s head is of course important per se, but it can do, and should be, so much more. Developments should shape place, add amenity, create community and assist social mobility. They can and should be places of quality and beauty.
I have become even more convinced about the need for the volume builders to improve as I am now dealing with three developments across North Dorset where the developer simply has not done what they said they would do, causing anxiety and irritation to those who have spent considerable sums to purchase their homes. One of the problems in delivering this has been the near absence of the small to medium sized housebuilder – the companies that delivered small schemes amounting to probably no more than 60 units a year. They employed local people. They forged a mutually beneficial relationship with councils. They understood what the local market needed. Moreover, they understood local design, history and materials. They delivered developments that often melded into the existing landscape rather than standing out like a sore thumb. They took pride in their work because they lived within the areas in which they were building. They wanted to leave a legacy.
The biggest source of their demise was the great Crash of 2008, when banking nearly fell over and the appetite to lend to the small scale, often highly leveraged developer went the way of the dinosaurs.
Well! Good news appears to be on the way. A recent government announcement has recognised the importance of this sector as a pivotal way of delivering new homes at pace. Because they are smaller developments, they can be fitted into infill or small sites, rather than requiring field after field, thereby making them far more agile in meeting the needs of Neighbourhood Plans. Big policy changes are proposed in order to make securing planning permission easier and more streamlined.
I am confident that, if we get this initiative right, we could see a renaissance in local housebuilding across the UK. I believe that this will be welcomed in many, if not all, rural communities, where the need for organic but smaller scale development is evident. With additional competition, it may also force the volume housebuilders to sharpen their pencils when it comes to design, layout and materials etc.
Is a golden age of sensitive, quality residential development within touching distance?
I certainly hope so.

What she said next shocked no one

Editorial team

11 June 2025

When did we stop letting things be surprises? These days, it feels like every “big announcement” is ruined before it even happens – not by leaks or whistle-blowers, but by the news itself. I saw a headline the other day: “What to expect in the King’s Speech.” Well, if you’re telling me what’s in it before it’s been given, it’s hardly a surprise, is it?

This isn’t just a one-off. It’s everywhere. The Budget used to be kept under wraps – now we get a full breakdown on Tuesday, days before the Chancellor opens his briefcase. Even Glastonbury can’t resist. Remember when the “surprise act” really was a surprise? Now it’s all over Twitter a fortnight early, discussed on podcasts and debated on breakfast telly. By the time they hit the stage, the only ones who didn’t know were the sheep in the next field and the bloke selling falafel who’s been off-grid since March.
It’s like the news has turned into a never-ending trailer for the actual event – except we’re told everything in advance, and then still expected to act surprised when it finally happens.
And it’s exhausting. I don’t know about you, but I remember when Mum and Dad would stay up for the Nine O’Clock News. One half-hour, proper grown-up news, then off to bed. Job done.
Now it’s non-stop rolling updates, special editions, “breaking” stories that aren’t actually breaking. You can’t move for headlines, and most of them are just noise. It’s no wonder people are switching off. We’re so overloaded nothing sticks.
It’s all just background hum.
And don’t get me startedon the clickbait used by most media outlets – all those daft headlines like “You won’t believe what happened next” (I can’t be bothered to find out, but I probably would) or “What she did next left everyone shocked.” It probably didn’t, it’s usually something incredibly boring. But the barrage is constant, and it’s shaped a whole generation. Our teens, the labelled Gen Z, have grown up with this stuff. No wonder they’re so deeply cynical. They’ve been fed a diet of nonsense and overhyped fluff since they could tap a screen. But they’re not ignoring the news – far from it. In my broad experience they’re more informed and aware than previous generations were at their age. They’re just weary of being manipulated by it.
It’s not just irritating – it’s a problem. If everything is treated like big news, then nothing really is.
When something genuinely important does happen, half of us are too burnt out to care.
So here’s a mad idea: let surprises be surprises. Give us the news when it’s actually news, not days ahead with a constant runing commentary. Maybe then we’ll start paying attention again.

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.

Endurance … and other life lessons

Editorial team

10 June 2025

From jelly babies to chestnut chaos – Tamsin Doar discovers endurance riding with The Sass Queen and Sam Mowatt of The Piddle Ride

With the days growing longer and the weather warming up, many of us horse fanatics are looking forward to filling our time with equestrian escapades. My fiery welsh cob, aptly nicknamed The Sass Queen, is always up for a challenge. She loves tackling everything head on – including the world, her dinner, my pleas to ‘just slow down a bit’ – so we’re always looking for something new and exciting to try. Having previously crewed for riders at The Golden Horseshoe (the UK’s oldest competitive endurance ride), we thought we might try our hand (and hoof) at endurance riding. And who better to ask for top tips than Sam Mowatt, organiser of the Piddle National Ride.
Sam has been involved in endurance for more than 20 years: ‘I really love the sense of community and camaraderie. Going to events feels like coming home.’
This is something that really struck me when I crewed, too – just how friendly and welcoming everyone was, taking me under their wing whenever I looked a bit clueless.
As an endurance novice I only knew I had to be at certain points around the ride to help those I was supporting (sloshing horses with water and lobbing jelly babies at riders brought me a big thumbs up).

The Piddle Ride 2024
Image: Wessex Endurance

Endurance riding is a unique equestrian sport that tests the stamina, training, and partnership between horse and rider over long distances. Unlike traditional show disciplines, endurance riding focuses on navigating varied terrain – perhaps forest tracks, open moorland or coastal paths – within a set time frame, all while prioritising the horse’s welfare. At Graded (affiliated) rides there are pre- and post- ride vet inspections. Pre-ride, your steed gets a once-over, has their heart rate taken (it needs to be 64bpm or under), and then trots up to prove they’re moving freely. There’s also a quick hoof MOT just before you present to the vet – courtesy of the on-site farrier – checking that the feet and whatever’s on them are up to scratch for the distance ahead. Shoes, boots or bare feet – it’s all allowed, as long as the horse is comfortable and the kit’s up to the job.
I can only be grateful that they don’t evaluate the runners – there’s no way I’d trot up sound! Riders then have 30 minutes to start their ride, and throughout the route there are specific points where your crew – often a helpful friend or long-suffering partner – can meet you to help keep both horse and rider hydrated and fuelled. Longer routes include another mid-way vet check.
When you pass the finishing line you have 30 minutes to cool off and present for the final vetting. Grades are awarded based on speed and final heart rate: fit horses who complete at good speeds and have low heart rates at the final vetting will be rewarded with higher grades. Competitions are typically divided into three categories:
Pleasure Rides (PRs): Non-competitive rides, usually up to 34km. They offer a relaxed opportunity to enjoy time with your horse and friends. When held alongside Graded or Competitive Endurance Rides, horses are trotted up before and after the ride. Horses must be at least four years old, and the completion speed should be between 8 to 12km/h.
Graded Endurance Rides (GERs): These rides range from 20 to 160km and require the horse to pass a veterinary check before and after the ride. Longer distances are split into loops, with additional vet checks between loops. Horses are graded based on their speed and heart rate, with awards given accordingly.
Competitive Endurance Rides (CERs): These are for advanced horse and rider combinations, covering distances of 80km or more. All competitors start together, and the first horse to cross the finish line, having passed all vet checks, is the winner. Minimum speed is 10km/h, with no maximum speed.
While pure and part-bred Arabs dominate the longer distances of endurance, any fit and healthy horse can compete easily up to 65km and beyond.

Spare keys
‘There’s something for everyone in endurance,’ says Sam. ‘You can set your own personal goals at each level, and the beauty of it is there’s no rigid ladder you have to climb like in other affiliated disciplines. You can stay at whatever level suits you, for as long as you like.’
She also stresses how crucial a good crew is: ‘Without one, you’re basically riding solo. And my top tip is that most of us use big laundry detergent bottles for sloshing – they’re ideal.’
If The Sass Queen and I hope to dip our toe into the endurance waters we’re going to have to put some extra washes on: who knew it could take so long to go through one bottle?!
And Sam’s final nugget of advice? ‘Always bring a spare set of car keys. It’s shockingly easy (and common) to lock yours in the car – trust me …’

And Sam’s final nugget of advice? ‘Always bring a spare set of car keys. It’s shockingly easy (and common) to lock yours in the car – trust me …’

I’ve also learnt over the years to leave whatever you require for your post-competition routine in your trailer. A friend once finished her ride, hot, tired and with the clock ticking to get her horse cooled and vetted – only to discover her crew (along with the car, and all her kit) were still down the local pub, basking in the sunshine over a well-earned pint. Glorious weather for spectators: less so when you’re trying to sponge down a steaming horse with nothing but your sleeve…
The Piddle National Ride will be held this year on 28th and 29th June. ‘Like all events it can feel a monumental effort to organise,’ says Sam. ‘It just wouldn’t be possible without the kind help of volunteers, which is actually a great way to get involved with endurance even if you’re not riding. Whether it’s manning road-crossings to vet writing, it takes a small army for each ride. All volunteers are supplied with refreshments, though!’
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m easily sold if I’m provided with food! ‘We also try to curate relationships with local landowners,’ she says. ‘And with permission, we team up with the Trail Riders Fellowship to check parts of the routes beforehand.’

So if riding something with a penchant for polos isn’t your thing, and you prefer to stick to two wheels, there really is something for everyone! ‘It’s not just about the ride days,’ says Sam. ‘We also get stuck into path-clearing when hedgerows and foliage start taking over. It helps keep the bridleways clear – not just for us, but for the whole local equestrian community. Where we can, we really try to give something back to the area. That local connection matters. Competitors come from near and far, and that footfall genuinely supports local businesses. Thanks to our sponsors – Equine Products UK, Jackson-Stops Estate Agents and CJ Equine Services – we’re able to cover event costs and still make a donation to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. It’s a real community effort.’
Thankfully, The Sass Queen has never launched me skyward with quite enough drama to warrant an airlift. But joking aside, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is a vital service – and let’s be honest, equestrians probably account for more than our fair share of callouts. It’s a cause close to the saddle for many of us.
The Piddle Ride sounds like something that is right up our street, so if you happen to come across a chestnut blur rampaging around the countryside, refusing to yield to any of her rider’s requests, you’ll know that The Sass Queen is in full-training mode. I can only say watch this space – maybe we’ll even be able to provide a post-ride write up on our next adventure.

Details of the Piddle Ride can be found on EnduranceGB.co.uk The deadline to sign up is midnight 23rd June.

Dorset Council needs to get out more

Editorial team

10 June 2025

It started with an email from Dorset Council. I read the details while sipping my coffee, and I felt my spelling eye focussing on two words that had been misspelt. Irritating at the best of times, but I was saddened to see two of our North Dorset towns spelt Shaftsbury and Sherbourne. And by the council of all people – those who produce our road signs and policies. It’s not difficult! If a satnav can spell the towns in North Dorset correctly, why can’t their own council?

Then, while perusing social media, I chanced across a post from Visit Dorset promoting ‘all the events in May’. If you weren’t already aware of what’s happening in the Blackmore Vale when you read it, you would be forgiven for thinking that North Dorset is an events desert – and incredibly boring. The only thing mentioned (deservedly so) was Sherborne Country Fair (and at least Visit Dorset got the spelling correct …)
But where was the Three Okefords Rally? Where was the cheese racing in Shaftesbury and the Byzant Ceremony?
It was such a missed opportunity to promote the county in an equitable manner. The towns in the north have lots of rural and independent businesses that would benefit from the kind of trade seen in coastal resorts.
Sighing, I moved on … only to read about the new bus routes in Dorset. Touted as ‘connecting the local towns’ there is a massive focus on coastal areas and Dorchester. Yes, there is a bus connecting Gillingham and Sturminster Newton, but Blandford appears to be missing entirely. Why haven’t we got more ambitious plans connecting the north with the centre? Anyone looking at some of these policy decisions would think that Dorset’s most northerly point was Cerne Abbas!

Welcome to the Jurassic Coast!
We are all accustomed to seeing the ‘Welcome to the Jurassic Coast’ signs as we enter the county north of Shaftesbury … and for some people that’s the only part of Dorset that matters. However, there is so much more to this county: some people need to get out more and share the love. Town councils give money to Visit Dorset each year in order to promote their areas and bring in business. But go to the ‘Visit Shaftesbury and Gillingham’ page of Visit Dorset, and find … things to do in Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton. The only thing for visitors to do in Gillingham is a cycle ride?
While none of us want to experience the likes of Canford Bottom on a weekend in July, so many of North Dorset’s rural villages would benefit from extra visitors enjoying the local walking (and subsequent food and drink stops), visiting vineyards, stocking up on goodies from farm shops and exploring niche museums.
Many of our local attractions are run by volunteers and exist on a shoestring budget. A few more visitors would make a big difference to Shillingstone Station, the Blandford Fashion Museum, Gold Hill Museum, the Dark Skies of Cranborne Chase … and more.
If you read Visit Dorset’s list of things to do on a bank holiday, though, everything appears focused on Durdle Door and Weymouth.
What we really need is a sign off the A303 that says ‘Welcome to the Blackmore Vale’ instead of directing everyone straight through to the coast. If people think there’s something worth stopping for, maybe they’ll actually … stop?

A new way?
With North Dorset’s villages now firmly in Dorset Council’s sights as part of its Local Plan for housing, it really would be a good opportunity for some people from the council to get out and about, familiarise themselves with the road signs, the names and spelling of the towns, and actually experience the dearth of infrastructure. In that way, not only would they view this unspoilt corner of Dorset and see what a magnificent part of the world we live in, but a drive on our country roads in winter might convince them that more infrastructure is actually needed to support all those new houses.
I met a councillor from the coastal regions recently who was extremely keen to leave North Dorset in daylight – he was terrified of ending up in a pothole or (worse still) experiencing driving with the lack of street lights. I so enjoyed keeping him talking as the light faded …
We also need local jobs to support all these new builds, and tourism would be a simple way of creating rural employment. North Dorset has a huge foodie scene, with an enviable focus on provenance. Dorset’s not just about upmarket Jurassic Coast restaurants. We have amazing cheese producers, fantastic pubs, and some of the best butchers and growers around. All of that needs a fairer share of focus when it comes to tourism development if North Dorset is to truly thrive – especially in the current climate.
So, Dorset Council, take a detour from the Jurassic Coast and come inland. The Blackmore Vale may not have cliffs and seagulls, but it’s still part of Dorset. And unless Dorset Council starts planning for its specific rural needs, it risks leaving half of Dorset behind.

The Dorset Insider is a no-holds-barred column pulling back the curtain on local affairs with sharp insight, unfiltered honesty and the occasional raised eyebrow. Written by a seasoned parish councillor who prefers to remain anonymous (for obvious reasons), it cuts through the noise to expose the frustrations of grassroots politics, and say what others won’t. Rest assured, their identity is known – and trusted – by the editorial team. Expect opinion, candour and a healthy dose of exasperation …

A summer of events and new faces in Sturminster Newton

Editorial team

10 June 2025

There’s a buzz in town this June – and plenty of news around both Stur’s thriving independent shops and also upcoming events.
Firstly, congratulations to local couple Tim and Claire Downer who have just opened Smiley Myley, the luxury dog accessories boutique in the former Agnes & Vera premises. A familiar face in 1855, they’re the first trader to ‘graduate’ from the Emporium to a bricks and mortar high street shop. Their move then creates space for new local producers to join the 1855 community – and the latest arrivals are an impressive bunch:

Spoons of Dorset Butter: Small-batch, hand-churned flavoured butter range
South Paddocks: Pork pies, scotch eggs and scratchings from their own herd just three miles away
Pressed on the Hill: Dried flowers, presses and botanical art
Shanty Spirit: Rum and vodka from Poole, infused with seaweed and botanicals
Saddle Stop: Flavoured gins
Earth-Light: Foraged botanical candles
Del’s Creative H-art: Animal-themed artwork
Hannah Shelbourne Designs: Hand-painted lampshades and cards
Mima Natural Colour: Naturally dyed textiles
Karen Bush Pottery: Handthrown ceramics from her Wimborne studio

You can meet many of them during 1855’s monthly Meet the Traders & Tastings morning – always held on the first Saturday of the month.

Events in June
Sturminster Newton’s cultural calendar is also looking lively. SturLitFest (6th to 14th June) is packed with events for all ages – and believe it or not, it’s not just about books.
The North Dorset Photo Exhibition (21st June to 4th July) opens at The Exchange, displaying the top-voted images from the biggest towns across the region.

As part of their Railway 200 campaign, the Blackmore Vale Line Community Rail Partnership are giving away free postcards in local shops throughout June – each one showcasing stops along the old Somerset & Dorset Railway line.
Looking ahead, on the 5th to 13th July, local artists will once again be exhibiting around town for Sturminster Newton Arts Week.
The Car and Bike Enthusiasts Meet returns to the Rec on the first Saturday morning of every month, 9am to 12pm, the same day as Liz’s Craft Fair in the Emporium Atrium – with free parking all day, courtesy of SturAction.
And finally – a gentle plea. These fantastic community events don’t run themselves. If you would like to get involved, email Jacqui at SturBiz18@gmail.com – your skills (and friendship) will be very welcome.

Nature recovery by 2030? Fat chance

Editorial team

9 June 2025

Chaotic policy and chronic underfunding – Dorset NFU’s Tim Gelfs calls time on the empty rhetoric behind the Government’s green aims

There are two phrases that spring to mind over the government’s ambition of 30 per cent nature recovery by 2030 – fat chance and no chance!
Despite Dorset Council’s early efforts, it seems that with every new move on rural policy, the government hammers yet another nail into the coffin of nature recovery. And now even housing policy seems set to sideline nature in pursuit of yet another unachievable target. It’s very easy for governments to come out with big headline statements, sounding great on the day … but generally there seems to be no plan or idea of how to get there.
So what’s going wrong with the UK’s nature? The natural world has been in steady decline for many decades – responsible for it are some agricultural practices, industry, loss of habitat by development and river pollution (mainly from our archaic and underfunded water industry). Sadly, the government’s ambition – admirable though it is – has been completely undermined by bad policy and lack of funding. When the policy was announced, the NFU estimated it would need a budget of more than £4 billion to succeed. Yet we remain stuck at £2.4 billion – unchanged for nearly a decade and actually shrinking in real terms year after year.

An optimistic start
We now have the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) which has taken over from the European Basic Payment Scheme – as Michael Gove said, ‘Public Money for Public Good!’
*sidenote, that statement really gets my goat! It has always been ‘public money for public good’. When the Common Agricultural Policy was launched, it was all about providing enough food. Then it moved on to providing affordable (cheap) food. Now it’s moving to providing food while looking after the environment and nature … so exactly which bit of any of that isn’t good for the public?
Anyway. Within ELMS we now have the Sustainable Farming Incentive – SFI. This was supposed to take over from all the environmental schemes that had gone before, changing management policy on farming to make food production more sustainable, better for the soils and the wider environment and therefore, for the UK’s nature.
Nobody expected it to work first time out, but with industry input there was a decent scheme that we could mould over the coming years for the benefit of all. Although farmer’s were initially fearful the new government would take us in a different direction, we were assured that they weren’t going to reinvent the wheel. How wrong could we be?
On the face of it, in the Budget we kept the commitment of £5 billion over the next two years (the government says it is more, but the extra is a clawback from the year before).
The biggest problem was the drastic overhaul of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), which saw payments slashed and the scheme set to end abruptly this year. Unsurprisingly, this triggered a surge in applications to the new SFI, as farmers scrambled to replace lost income. I attended a meeting on the SFI in early February, and it was already clear that the sums didn’t add up – there simply wasn’t enough money in the pot to support all the agreements.
So the scheme’s closure came as no surprise. What was shocking was the way it was handled. Barely a minute’s notice, though the Government must have known for weeks (months?), that this was coming. And then they had the audacity to call it a success.
Should they have come to the industry sooner, rather than put their proverbial head in the sand? Damn right they should have!
They seem to have forgotten that they are there to serve. They have let the industry down and lost the trust of so many. Farmers who are coming out of old schemes or have new schemes planned for this autumn now have no idea which way to go.
Do they turn all the good they have done over the last ten, sometimes 20 years back into intensive food production, at the expense of all we have been trying to achieve?
It’s been nothing short of a disaster – for farmers, for nature and for the environment. I know many farmers who are rightly proud of what they’ve achieved. The last thing they want is to see all that progress unravel. A wildflower field margin in full bloom, alive with bees and butterflies, should be something we build on – not retreat from. The treasury look set to slash our budget in the spending review this month … you have to ask where the confidence or direction is coming from? It’s time for the Government to wake up and grasp the nettle – either admit they are falling short and manage accordingly, or else get the cheque book out, consult with industry and COMMIT!

Finance Director for large rural estate | Fowler Fortescue

Editorial team

9 June 2025

Location: Dorset / Wiltshire, with flexibility.
Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience, circa £60k – £70k
Contract: Full-time, permanent.
Accommodation: Potentially available if required.

Our client, a Rural Estate enterprise is seeking a highly experienced and commercially astute Finance Director to lead and modernise all financial operations. The Finance Director will be a dynamic and results driven leader with a proven track record of promoting business growth and stability through strong financial management.

The Rural Estate enterprise encompasses two estates of a combined approx. 9,000 acres with wide range of ventures, including arable and livestock farming, commercial and residential property, forestry, sporting interests, and a public house.

Reporting directly to the Trustees and Beneficiaries and working alongside the Estate Manager, the Finance Director will take ownership of the financial management and reporting across both estates. Initiate and control the process of streamlining and developing financial practices and administrative functions across the estates to promote business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Lead on financial strategy, planning, and reporting for both estates
Produce accurate monthly management accounts, budgets, forecasts and financial analysis to agreed timescales
Accurate cashflow forecasting for the multiple estate entities to ensure the robustness of long-term forecasts
Monitor and challenge performance of the estates against budgets and forecasts
Oversee statutory accounts, audit preparation, and compliance
Advise on financial implications of commercial decisions and estate diversification
Management of banking relationships, inc. Estate lending restructuring
Support investment planning and risk management strategies
Drive the integration and streamlining of administrative and finance systems across two estates, identifying opportunities for improvement
Continuously monitor and analyse financial performance across all enterprises to challenge viability
Liaise with trustees, beneficiaries, and professional advisers at agreed timescales to advise on financial and commercial activity and issues
Provide consistent and clear leadership for finance staff and support the wider estate teams

Key Requirements

Professional accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
Must have strong experience of Xero accounting systems
Ability to formulate robust financial plans and manage their performance
Experience of fund management and inter-estate loan management
Experience in rural estate finance, landed estates, or multi-enterprise businesses
Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to understand diverse business operations
Exceptional communication skills and ability to confidently and accurately report at trustee/board level
Experience with estate management software an advantage
Strategic thinker with a hands-on, solutions-focused approach
A collaborative and discreet working style

What We Offer

The opportunity to shape the financial future of a prestigious and diverse rural estate
A high level of autonomy and direct engagement with trustees and beneficiaries
A varied and challenging role within a values-led, heritage-rich organisation

To Apply:
Please send a CV and covering letter to enquiries@fowlerfortescue.co.uk or apply via the Fowler Fortescue Indeed page – – https://uk.indeed.com/cmp/Fowler-Fortescue-1 by 27^th June 2025. For further information, please contact via email, in confidence, in the first instance.

A song for the stones of Mere

Editorial team

9 June 2025

From weathervanes to war letters and worn stone steps, Richard Nye’s Windelstán gives Mere’s ancient church tower its own haunting voice

View of Mere with St Michael’s Tower after renovation in 2024

Composing music isn’t straightforward for me. It’s more of a compulsion,’ says Richard Nye, Sturminster Newton resident and Mere’s Composer in Residence. ‘And this project was quite a challenge – I was very aware I needed to get it absolutely right.’
In 2023, a £247,843 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant – along with local donations and other support – enabled the Friends of St Michael’s Church in Mere to restore St Michael the Archangels iconic tower (one of the highest towers in Wiltshire, besides Salisbury Cathedral) and launch ‘The Tower Stories’ project. Designed to bring the tower’s rich history to life, the year-long community initiative explored the stories of the stonemasons, gilders, bell ringers, and townspeople who shaped its past.
At its creative heart were two residencies: Jane Borodale as Writer in Residence, and Richard Nye, whose evocative new composition, Windelstán (Old English for a tower with a winding staircase) captures the spirit of the town in music.

Dorset composer Richard Nye is Composer in Residence at Mere

‘I was intrigued – you don’t often get a brief like this,’ Richard says. ‘The committee were fairly open as to what they wanted, but they knew they were after something lasting: “an anthem for Mere”. That became my focus.
‘The first time I went up Castle Hill, once the site of the castle, the sun was shining and the view over Mere and the countryside beyond was just incredible. In that moment, something clicked – I connected with the whole process for the first time. I could see the church tower, and the loose folk tune I’d been toying with since the interview started to take shape. I imagined travelling musicians playing in that very spot, with music, storytelling and entertainment filling the air. It just felt right.’

Listen to a song for the stones here

The tower’s bell mechanism works like a giant music box, with pegs on a wheel directing the beel chimes

As Richard worked on the music, the project itself grew. Mere’s Medieval Festival of Fun, planned for the weekend of 21st June to celebrate the tower restoration, was to be the first performance, and being in the open air it needed more than just piano or a small group of instruments: ‘That was the point where I felt I could really go to town on it – and suddenly it seemed to come together.
‘I wanted the tower to have a personality – an ancient and knowing presence. It’s entirely possible that parts of the church have stood for almost a thousand years, watching the town grow and change. That sense of timelessness became the heart of the piece – the tower as a silent witness to generations passing below.’

The tower’s spiral staircase has been covered in wooden steps – which Richard ran up at 115bpm

Finding the sound
Richard decided to use the tower’s own ‘voice’ – sounds recorded within it – as an instrument to create the music: ‘I didn’t want them to be obvious, apart from the church bells, which I incorporated of course. Kit, the church warden, stopped the clock for me to do that – I’m quite proud I actually made time stand still in Mere! I absolutely adored that day of recording the bells.
‘But I was looking more for the unexpected. For example, I recorded the steps of the spiral stone stair: they’ve got wood over them because they’re worn now, and each one makes an interesting sound. I recorded myself going up at 115 beats per minute – I wanted to get a rhythm, and because each step’s sound is different, I couldn’t just step on one, and keep looping it. So I ran, all the way to the bell ringing room, holding on to a visual metronome and my handheld recorder for grim death. I do not recommend it: and I don’t ever wish to do it again. My poor kneecaps!

In 1911 the bells were rung in their original frame for the last time – the new frame was not anchored to the tower wall, due to concern the eight bells would bring the tower down

‘I recorded keys in doors – in Windelstán, you can hear the unlocking of the church tower with its huge original key. Another great sound is the door of the bell ringing room closing – I lowered the pitch so it drones, like the low hum of a bagpipe. It’s brilliant, not at all what you’d expect.
‘Using a bit of cardboard, I played various cogs on the ancient clock mechanism. I wanted to get something from each room, and also, importantly, something from the very top of the tower. The issue is I’m quite frightened of heights, and also slightly claustrophobic, and I was on my own… I’d forgotten that a spiral staircase narrows as it goes up, so when I finally got to the top I was feeling so anxious I just wasn’t going to open the door! But then I remembered the damaged weathervanes stored above the north entrance. They’d been removed after damage to the church pinnacles (possibly by lightening), and preserved.Safely indoors, I ran my fingers across the cut-out initials of previous churchwardens – it made an amazing sound. At the start of the piece, through headphones, you can hear that sound moving from one ear to the other – that’s me, running my finger along the weathervanes. The weathervanes became my sound from the top of the tower.’

The parish magazine archive has been bound and is stored in the church above the weathervanes – the ones Richard ‘played’

Lyrics from the past
While looking for the voices he wanted to hear within the lyrics, Richard spoke to locals about their memories of the tower and spent time in the archives: ‘I spent a morning going through hundreds of images in Mere Museum’s photo archive. And the parish magazines – they’re an incredible record. My dad’s a clergyman, and his letters were always quite personal – I wondered if Mere’s vicars were the same, and they really were. I was drawn into the letters from 1910 and 1911, when the bells were taken out and recast. One vicar apparently thanked everyone during a service, but in the next issue, he offered a fulsome thanks to one particular lady – I imagine he’d forgotten to mention her and could just see her collaring him after the service!
‘The First World War letters… I got completely pulled into them. I just sat there reading and reading. It was a very peculiar feeling. That’s what led to the soloist’s line in Windelstán: I imagined someone far from home, on a battlefield, remembering the tower, singing back to the stones. That melody comes back to them.’
Ultimately, Richard hopes Mere residents will enjoy the echoes of their home, and that those who don’t know Mere might be intrigued enough to visit: ‘Go up Castle Hill, go into the church, hear the bells. The tower tours are open – people can see what I saw, hear what I recorded. Like most people, I’d only ever driven through the town before. But that newness actually helped – it gave me fresh eyes. The place had such a profound impact. When I got back from the interview – regardless of whether I’d got the job – I started just putting little notes onto manuscript paper that came to my head just from being there. Some of those were in the final piece.’
You can listen to Windelstán sung, with all choral parts sung by Richard, on the previous page. The first live performance, complete with full choir, will be on 21st June at Mere’s Medieval Festival of Fun – a free event in the town where Richard will lead Mere School, Shreen Harmony and The Tower Stories People’s Choir. If you’d like to join in, rehearsals are open to all – no experience needed, just attend on June 2nd, 4th, 17th or 18th at 7pm in St Michael’s.
For more details of the project, plus details of events, please see thetowerstories.co.uk

Labour pains for rural communities

Editorial team

9 June 2025

A sudden Yeovil maternity shutdown sparked concern for rural mothers and highlights deeper NHS staffing, planning and leadership failures

‘…work-related stress, reportedly caused by a lack of support, a toxic work culture and bullying from management.
Adam Dance, MP

On 19th May, Yeovil Hospital temporarily closed its inpatient maternity services, including its special care baby unit. The hospital is mainly used by South Somerset residents, but a quarter of their patients come from North Dorset. With the closure of a critical service, what happens now for the affected rural communities?

What happened at Yeovil?
In January 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected the acute paediatric service (the care of children and young people) and issued a Section 29 safety warning notice, calling for significant improvements. In addition, the hospital currently has high levels of sickness among senior paediatricians (the doctors specialising in children’s care) at Yeovil, which has caused big gaps in the medical rota.
Senior paediatricians from Musgrove Park Hospital are supporting the service at Yeovil, to ensure that paediatric inpatient and outpatient services remain open for those who need them. However, the special care baby unit (SCBU) could not be supported in the same way, and had to be temporarily closed on safety grounds.
The consequences of this action directly impacted the Yeovil Hospital inpatient maternity service because they now cannot care for any newborns who require care in a special care baby unit, or safely provide care during labour and birth at the Yeovil Maternity Unit.

Adam Dance, MP for Yeovil, secured a Commons Debate on 3rd June and outlined some of the challenges faced by staff on the Yeovil site: ‘“’The hospital trust’s leadership team says that high levels of sickness among senior hospital staff caused gaps in the rota, but I have been informed that those staff are off sick because of work-related stress, reportedly caused by a lack of support, a toxic work culture and bullying from management. That is not good enough. Clinicians have been working desperately hard to provide quality care and have been trying to work alongside management to improve the service, but they have found management unsupportive. It seems that the real issue is about management and about supporting and retaining staff.’
(you can watch the debate on ParliamentLive, or read the full transcript of the debate on Hansard)

Adam Dance MP for Yeovil & South Somerset

Are there alternatives for expectant mums?
Although outpatient services remain in Yeovil, for those women planning to give birth and needing inpatient services, the options are Dorchester, Taunton, Bath or Salisbury. Naturally, the short notice has created anxiety with families and the wider community.
The number of births at Yeovil Hospital’s maternity unit is between 1,100 and 1,200 per year. The average occupancy rate of SCBU at Yeovil is 31%, with the average occupancy rate for the neonatal unit at Taunton at 60%. Those 1,200 births will now have to be absorbed elsewhere. Dorchester sees a similar number, averaging around 100 a month. A spokesperson said: ‘Dorset County Hospital is working closely with healthcare partners in Somerset to ensure that all women and birthing people can have the best experience of using our services. We are working to ensure we have the capacity to support all current and new service users’ needs. It is not anticipated that there will be any impact on current service users who are under the care of the maternity and neonatal team at Dorset County Hospital.’

Performance
The CQC inspected Yeovil Hospital in 2023, and published a report in May 2024, in which maternity services at Yeovil were described as ‘inadequate’. Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton was also listed as inadequate. Although Somerset NHS Foundation Trust stated these ratings were unrelated to the 2025 Section 29 notice, there have been concerns about staffing and safety for some time. Dorset County Hospital also received a grading of ‘Requires Improvement’ when they were inspected.
A spokesperson said: ‘Following the CQC inspection of maternity services in June 2023, Dorset County Hospital took immediate action to address the issues raised. Specialist advisors worked alongside our maternity team with a detailed improvement plan to take action on all the areas identified to ensure our service users get the high quality and safe services they rightly expect. While reporting some concerns following the inspection at the time, inspectors also praised staff for their levels of care, being focused on the needs of women receiving care, and for engaging well with women and people using the service. They found that women felt well cared for. A follow-up inspection report will be published in due course.’

One important measure in newborn care is the ATAIN score, which tracks how well full-term babies (born at or after 37 weeks) are kept out of SCBUs. The ATAIN programme works to reduce avoidable harm that might lead to these admissions, helping improve outcomes for babies, mothers and families – with lower scores showing better results. Dorset County Hospital has significantly improved its ATAIN score: ‘During 2024/25, our admission rate for term babies into the neonatal service was less than the national standard (no more than 5%). We are proud of this achievement – our priority is to ensure babies remain with their parents for their care, regardless of where that happens.’
Both the special care baby units at Taunton and Yeovil have similar ATAIN scores at 4.5%, and below the national average, which reflects positively on quality care from clinicians.

Why Wincanton matters
When services are moved, journey times are measured to assess the impact. Some people benefit, while others are inevitably left in a rural desert of services. When the travel times from Wincanton to Taunton, Bath and Dorchester are mapped, a car journey takes a minimum of 50 minutes – on a good day. That’s a long time if you are in labour. There’s a similar situation with Henstridge and Castle Cary. A journey that once took 25 to 30 minutes to Yeovil is now significantly longer. Public transport is virtually non-existent … and babies don’t wait for rural bus timetables.
The area around Wincanton and Castle Cary is overflowing with planning applications – meaning more people moving to the area, and an increased demand on critical services. Surely this should mean that core services should be available to meet housing need?

Adam Dance is worried: ‘I’m deeply concerned that local families have lost access to maternity care close to home, and that the decision was made with very little notice or consultation. The short timeframe caused real distress for expectant parents and staff alike, and I believe it could have been handled far more transparently.
‘The issues highlighted by the CQC were serious and needed to be addressed, but the Trust had several months between the inspection and the announcement to properly engage with staff, stakeholders and the public. That didn’t happen. We should expect better planning and communication when it comes to something as critical as maternity care. More broadly, years of under-investment in workforce planning and training across the NHS have left services stretched to breaking point. This closure is a symptom of a wider system in crisis, and I’ll keep working to make sure our area is not left behind in finding a sustainable solution.’

However, the situation at Yeovil is a creeping crisis in critical public services across the South West and nationally. Why are some departments just one consultant’s retirement away from collapse, and often teeter on the edge if specialist staff are sick?
The wider issue here is a profound lack of recruitment and retention, and, critically, succession planning. Staff also deserve working conditions that do not see them lurch from crisis to crisis on a daily basis. The entire situation points to a need for positive working cultures and for meaningful investment in infrastructure. Somerset and North Dorset deserve better – at the very least, some strategic planning so that people can access the very best healthcare when they are at their most vulnerable.
Information about the maternity services in Yeovil can be found on the Trust website here.

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