Dorset Council needs to get out more

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 [email protected] – 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 [email protected] 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.

June in the garden

Editorial team

8 June 2025

Pete Harcom looks at how to save water, keep pollinators happy and tackle weeds, without reaching for the sprinkler or scalping your lawn

If you followed the No-Mow-May last month, the weeds in the lawn and the borders will now need attention!
Remove weeds as soon as you spot them, and make sure to dig out the roots. Don’t be too brutal though – daisies can look very attractive in a lawn, and they are a great plant for attracting pollinators as the flowers are full of pollen and nectar.
Maybe think about just mowing a pathway through the lawn and leaving other areas to grow long? This will provide food for pollinators and shelter for other wildlife.
The warm weather and the lack of rain we have had are a rmeinder that we need to evaluate how we’re conserving water. Here are just a few tips for saving water in the garden:

Collect rainwater in butts, barrels, old sinks and baths and use it to water plants and top up ponds (making sure that wildlife can get out of any container used to collect water if there’s a chance they can fall in). There are water butts that can be connected to your roof downpipes via a diverter – these are a great way to collect rainwater. Ensure the water butt has a close fitting lid to deter mosquitoes!
Water your garden early in the morning or in the evening: this is when evaporation is at its lowest and the plants will benefit most. But be mindful that slugs and snails will also thank you for the evening moisture!
Mulch or add bark to your flower beds and veg patches – this really helps to reduce evaporation. Mulching plays a key role in both retaining moisture in the soil and providing nutrients, and will also introduce organic matter to the soil, enhancing its structure and its capacity to hold water.
Let your lawn go brown, it helps it to build up resistance – it will spring back to green after it rains! In hotter weather, let the lawn grow a little longer, as it helps keep the moisture in the soil.
Try not to use a sprinkler – it can use up to 1,000 litres an hour. Spot watering at the base of plants is much more efficient than spraying large areas: fit a trigger nozzle to your hosepipe to halve water use and direct the water to where you need it.

Cerne Abbas set to bloom again for its 49th Open Gardens weekend

Editorial team

8 June 2025

View along pergola with bird bath and wooden bench. Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’ and roses. Crazy paving path. Hanging lanterns

Cerne Abbas is well known for its giant, its Abbey site … and for being one of the prettiest villages in Dorset. Since 1974, its annual Open Gardens event has invited the public into a number of its private gardens to raise money for local charities: Now in its 49th year, the 2025 event will raise funds for both The Dorset Wildlife Trust and Cerne Valley Cricket Club.
On the 14th & 15th June this year, some 25 private gardens – ranging from compact courtyards to sweeping plots – will be open around the village, with many owners on hand to chat and answer questions. Most gardens are dog-friendly (on leads), and several offer wheelchair access. All are within easy reach of a free car park (DT2 7JF), opening from 1pm.
Refreshments – including the much-loved home-made cakes – will be served in the vicarage garden, while a popular plant stall in the village square opens at 1pm. Local pubs and the village shop also provide food and drink options.
Recently featured on Channel 5’s Dorset: Country & Coast, this is a perfect summer outing for plant-lovers and garden inspiration seekers alike. Gardens are open 2pm to 6pm each day, and entry is by map, available on the day from the car park or village square: £8 for one day or £10 for both (children under 16 go free).
Full details of the event at: cerneabbasopengardens.org.uk

From holy row to holy wow

Editorial team

8 June 2025

From conflict to coffee and conversation – the Dorset church that made peace, lost its pews, gained a loo … and found its future

The new pew-less St Andrews in Okeford Fitzpaine
Image: Derek Day

Five years ago, Okeford Fitzpaine hit the headlines and the international press descended on North Dorset, fascinated by stories of angry villagers up in arms over pews being removed from their local church. The dispute fractured relationships in the village and was deeply upsetting for many people. However, today,
St Andrew’s in Okeford Fitzpaine is celebrating a new community space, including a modern servery and an accessible loo.

Angry villagers mounted the Save Our Pews campaign from Okeford Fitzpaine in 2020

Why churches need to change
In the last ten years, more than 3,500 churches have closed in England according to the National Churches Trust.
More than 900 places of worship are on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register. Church congregations are falling and the historic nature of church buildings means their maintenance is both complex and highly expensive.
For an older population, and people with complex health needs, simply getting in and out of narrow pews can also be a challenge. There are also people with medical conditions who want to come to church but are concerned at the lack of loos. Finally, most rural areas rely on clergy who cover several parishes so they do not necessarily live in the parish. There is often nowhere for them to make a coffee or use a toilet – working conditions that would not be acceptable for a basic factory, for example. With rising maintenance costs, churches also need flexibility to remain financially viable.
There was significant scepticism over removing the church pews, creating wide and vocal conflict within the Okeford Fitzpaine community, particularly over the perceived communication about the change. However, once the TV cameras left, the community was gradually able to focus on achieving the desired improvements, including gaining grants and hiring the expert contractors required to progress and complete the work. The project threw up some nasty surprises along the way, including a rotten floor which could have collapsed at any moment. Work also revealed dangerous electrical wiring that needed to be replaced before it caused a fire – again adding significantly to the overall cost.

Keith Loveless, left, the architect and Graham Colls, who worked on the project

Parishioner Dilys Gartside was instrumental in managing the project from the start: ‘If anyone had told me this would take ten years, I would have turned around and run in the other direction. At the time, Reverend Lydia Cook was sent to the parish with the remit to lead on this project and to prevent the church from closing. She faced a lot of opposition. We had financial difficulties … but to do nothing wasn’t an option.
‘It took us three and a half years to get a faculty. That’s the Church of England planning permission equivalent, except that it’s nowhere near as easy as getting planning permission for your local council. During the pandemic we were ordered to stop, as all the churches closed, and then later that year we finally started on the nave. We supported work by selling some of the pews, many of which are still in the village, and we focused on areas which would make the church viable – the servery and loo.’

A place of peace
On 9th May 2025, when parishioners gathered in St Andrew’s Church to experience the new space created by the re-ordering and removal of pews there were gasps of delight. As people sipped a drink and chatted, one thing became instantly clear: whereas visitors previously used the pews and stood in aisles, today the new flexible area meant that conversation was easier, and people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility were not confined to the back of the church, and were instead able to integrate with everyone else. Curious guests peeked in at the new loo – some wondering exactly how soundproof it was!
Keith Loveless, a ‘non-resident looking in’, was the architect who designed the new space. When he arrived in the village, there was still significant conflict, but he refused to get involved, focusing solely on the design and project. His main challenge was the time it took for plans to be agreed by the various committees in the Diocese.
‘It threw up a lot of issues. I got involved in the history of the church and did a pew report, one on the state of the floor, and a font report. Today, seeing it in use … this is just great. It’s all about people. That’s what means a lot to me. We don’t do these things for the sake of doing it. This building is a vehicle for the people of the parish, and on that journey of change the design should help them use the building more.’
The work is not finished yet. There are plans to reposition the font in the baptistery area.
Lessons around inclusive communication that came from the unwanted and intense media scrutiny were clearly taken to heart in the village, What was once a subscription-only, church-led magazine has been transformed into a true community publication, now funded by the parish council and delivered free to every household in Okeford Fitzpaine.
The Rev Andrew Gubbins, who joined etc Okeford benefice in 2023, led three cheers for the project team: ‘We are thankful for the teamwork, which has come together and overcome some pretty stormy moments along the way! We have rebuilt a place of peace and hospitality and service for the village. The best example we have this year was when the village surprised the church and came forward suggesting a Christmas fundraiser, asking if they could use our church. Churches think they spend their time rolling the ball uphill to get things done, and actually, I think we learned a lesson there.
‘It shows the imagination, the creativity, the energy – it was a remarkable evening.
‘Transformation is possible – and the softly, softly approach works.’

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