It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year … but it can also be the most wasteful. As the festive season approaches, it’s worth thinking about how you can make Christmas a bit more sustainable this year. Whether you’re looking for eco-friendly ways to Deck the Halls or find greener ways to do your Christmas wrapping, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s wilder communities officer, Emma Barfoot, has a few tips on getting into the spirit of things to have a Wonderful Christmastime, without (quite literally) costing the earth.
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Start the conversation As household budgets for many remain under pressure, there are things we can all do to be kinder to the planet, reduce the gift-giving pressure and help our pockets at the same time. Sometimes all it takes is a chat with those around us. It might be about choosing a theme such as buying local, giving homemade or pre-loved presents, agreeing an affordable budget or buying gifts that help good causes. With a bit of planning and a few conversations, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised to find that those around you are happy (if not relieved!) to jump on board. Handmade cards and gifts can also be a wonderful way to give to those you care about – but be sure to go glitter-free. Not only does glitter contain harmful microplastics, it also means that cards decorated with it can’t be recycled.
Save on postage and reduce your footprint Why not send e-cards this year? E-cards are an easy way to reduce your environmental impact, and great for sending last-minute festive greetings. They’re also more cost effective, often free to send. Did you know that Dorset Wildlife Trust provides a selection of e-cards, and you can choose to donate the cost of stamps and cards to help protect Dorset’s wildlife? Take a look!
Share your favourite book The beautiful thing about books is that, unless they’re new releases, most can be sourced second-hand, with lots of websites dedicated to pre-owned books. You can put a lot of thought into gifting a book and it’s such a meaningful gesture to pass on one of your favourites – your own copy, with or without a handwritten note. Then of course there are e-books, audiobooks and tokens which could all be given as a variety on the bookish theme.
Digital wildlife adoptions If you’re looking for a gift that gives something back, why not support the work of a charity close to your heart, or a cause that means something to the person you’re buying for? Dorset Wildlife Trust digital wildlife adoptions, which now include a new hedgehog pack, are a great gift idea for nature and wildlife-lovers of all ages, and 100% of your donation goes towards protecting Dorset’s wildlife and wild places.
Cut down on waste Food waste reaches new levels over Christmas and New Year, and adds tonnes of food that we should have eaten to landfill each year. A part of the planning that’s often forgotten is storing and using up leftovers. In the weeks up to Christmas try to use what meals you have in your freezer in case you need to freeze anything over the festive period. Try not to buy too much, and buy loose rather than packaged wherever possible.
Wildlife writer Jane Adams explores the fascinating history and potentially fragile future of Dorset’s ancient yew trees
European yew, Taxus baccata, is evergreen with flat needles as leaves, dark green above and green-grey below. Unlike most conifers, a yew doesn’t grow cones. Instead, each seed is enclosed in a red, fleshy, berry-like structure known as an aril, which is open at the tip
Yews are a common sight in Dorset, but how many of us truly appreciate them? I admit I often haven’t. So, when a friend told me about an ancient yew growing just a few miles from my home, I felt a strong urge to pay it a visit. The oldest yew in the UK is thought to be the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire. Estimates put its age at a mind-boggling 2,000 to 9,000 years old. Although the tree I’m visiting is not as old, it is still likely to pre-date the 800-year-old church next door. As I pick my way through the churchyard towards the yew, its sheer size takes my breath away. In a parish magazine from 1897, the rector of the time recorded it as being 24 feet around the trunk. The following March, after heavy snow, one side of the trunk collapsed. I run my hands across its warm, red bark, and the healing that has taken place in the intervening years is obvious. Yews have a remarkable ability to send up new shoots and roots: if the trunk dies or is damaged, a new one emerges inside, bringing the entire tree back to life – they can literally regenerate. No wonder the yew tree came to symbolise immortality. I wish they were immortal. But like any tree they are still susceptible to disease and damage, be it environmental or through human stupidity. In fact, it’s a miracle so many remain. One area of Dorset particularly rich in yews is the eastern area of Cranborne Chase. Here there is a whole grove of mighty yews, and some of the oldest individual yew trees in Dorset. From late Saxon times, this was an area that came under the protection of large ecclesiastical estates. Then, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, their guardianship fell to wealthy landowners –something that continues today. Though these ancient giants may be on private land, the yews in our local churchyards are still accessible – and touchable. But what protection do they have? Please ask your local parish or town council if your local yew has a Tree Protection Order. We protect buildings … we should be protecting our ancient natural heritage as well.
The yew beside St Bartholemew Church in the village of Shapwick
Did yew know?
Yews are evergreen with needle-like leaves, and they are dioecious, meaning they have male and female trees
Blackbirds, thrushes and dormice eat yew seeds, enclosed in the berry-like red ‘arils’, but the seeds are poisonous to livestock and humans.
During mediaeval times, thousands of yew trees were felled here and in Europe to supply the English army’s 5,000 to 7,000 archers with longbows.
In the last 60 years, scientists have discovered a compound in yew bark which is now used in chemotherapy drugs to target lung and breast cancer. However, this remarkable discovery sadly led to the decimation of all American yew woods and many in Asia.
Almost 85 per cent of our veteran (over 500 years old) and ancient (over 800 years old) yews in the UK are growing in churchyards. Of the 406 churches in Dorset, 197 have large yew trees growing nearby. These trees are scientifically, culturally and nationally important … and mostly unprotected.
Romans believed yews grew in hell, while in Spain people placed yew branches on windows for lightning protection. Julius Caesar observed that Druids considered the yew tree a sacred symbol of immortality and the Celts believed yew twigs held healing powers and preserved the dead.
To learn more about Dorset’s yews – and yews in general – go to ancient-yew.org
This month Barry Cuff has chosen two postcards with a suitably wintery feel – Sherbornians skating on the frozen lake in 1907, and the frozen Stour in 1963.
Sent in February 1907 to a Mr P Hodges in Highcliffe – which was still within Hampshire, of course. Winter 1907 was marked by extreme weather conditions in Britain, including heavy snow and frozen canals.
‘Dear P. Thanks for card. Hope you will like this one, it is the lake the week it was frozen over. We had some good skating, hundreds of people up there. Tell Arthur I will send him a card later, this is the only one I have by me now. Hope you are all keeping well, kind regards, H’
This postcard was sent in October, 1963 to a Mrs J Clark in Christchurch. The early snow must have caused consternation among Dorset residents, with the deadly freeze of the previous 1962-63 winter still fresh in their memories – a blizzard in December 1962 started a frozen spell which lasted until March, with many rural communities cut off by snow drifts.
‘Don’t expect us this week – Don has a cold. Hope you are well. Driving not too bad!! So hope for best next Friday. Colder today but hope we don’t have it like this on the front later. Love Betty & Don’
Deepest Books, renowned for celebrating the rich heritage of Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset, is nearing its ambitious goal of raising £111,000 for local charities through the sale of the Deepest Books series. Each volume delves into the unique stories, traditions and landscapes of one of the three counties, offering readers an intimate glimpse into their cultural fabric.
This Christmas, authors Fanny Charles and Gay Pirrie-Weir invite readers to help achieve the fundraising target by purchasing a copy – do some good while at the same time bagging a bargain book which makes a perfect present for your parents, family, friends or colleagues. Deepest Dorset is long sold out*, but there are still copies of Deepest Wiltshire, published in 2019, and Deepest Somerset (2021) available. All the proceeds of the book sales go to the beneficiary charities: Deepest Wiltshire raises funds for Swindon and Wiltshire Community Foundation, Wiltshire Air Ambulance, SSAFA and Salisbury Hospice Charity. Deepest Somerset proceeds go to Farming Community Network (Somerset), Somerset Community Foundation and Children’s Hospice South West (Somerset). If you are wondering about the Dorset charities, Dorset Community Foundation, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Weldmar Hospicecare Trust and RNLI Lyme Regis Station have already received £40,000 from the sales of Deepest Dorset.
Special BV offer!
Exclusively to The BV readers, Deepest Books are offering Deepest Wiltshire and Deepest Somerset at a special price of £20 each – a £5 discount – until 24th December 2024. The copies can be signed by the writers (the BV’s own Fanny Charles and Gay Pirrie-Weir) and dedicated to a named recipient, if you wish. P&P to UK addresses is £5 for single books, and some hand deliveries in Dorset may be made. Order direct from Deepest Books: Call 01963 32525, or email [email protected]
*if you have a spare copy, we’ve noticed you might be able to sell it for more than the original price on eBay!
You can easily make this pavlova dairy-free by substituting the cream for a non-dairy alternative, and it is naturally gluten free. I recommend Conker Cold Brew liqueur, but you could just as easily use Kahlua or Baileys
All images: Heather Brown
Ingredients
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar
1tbsp cornflour
1tbsp apple cider vinegar
1tbsp instant coffee
150ml double cream
1 shot coffee liqueur
50g icing sugar
Extra coffee liqueur and icing sugar for the drizzle
Heather Brown is a special officer for the Guild of Food Writers, and has worked in the food industry for 20 years. She is a food writer and photographer, offering one-to-one help to local businesses for content and websites.
Method
Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and pre-heat the oven to 140º fan (gas 2).
With a stand mixer (or a hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Gradually add in the caster sugar, one spoonful at a time. Allow each spoonful to mix well into the egg whites before adding another.
Once all the sugar has been incorporated, carefully add the cornflour, vinegar and instant coffee. Keep whisking until all the coffee has dissolved. Your mixture should be very thick and fluffy.
Spoon this mixture onto the baking tray into a rough circle shape and create a mounded ridge round the edge. Bake in the oven for one hour – once the cooking time is over, do NOT open the oven door, but turn off the oven and leave the meringue to cool for a few hours or overnight.
Once the meringue has cooled, whip the cream, coffee liqueur and icing sugar together until thick. Spoon carefully over the meringue.
Finish by mixing together a little liqueur (or espresso) with some icing sugar to make a sweet drizzle and drizzle over the pavlova.
From a para’s crushed dream to para jiu-jitsu glory, Paul Skivington becomes the UK’s first World Para Jiu-jitsu Champion
Paul Skivington, a veteran of 9 Parachute Squadron, faced a life-altering challenge when a motorbike accident in 2001, when he was just 23, resulted in the loss of his left leg above the knee, ending his Army career. Undeterred, Paul rekindled his competitive spirit through sports, initially embracing golf and later dedicating six years to coaching boxing in his hometown of Sturminster Newton. However, his accident had left him with metal plates in his arm, creating a weakness where the metal joined the bone. During a routine sparring session, his arm snapped, potentially once again ending his competitive aspirations. Determined to remain active and engaged, Paul sought a combat sport with less physical impact that he could also share with his children. This search led him to Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) in Yeovil, where he immediately fell in love with the discipline. Beginning in 2018, Paul competed against able-bodied opponents, acknowledging the inherent challenges: “Guard – being stuck inside someone’s legs – are a major part of the sport, and when you’ve only got one leg, it’s a bit too easy for your opponent to get out of them and score!” At that time, the UK lacked Para jiu-jitsu competitions. Paul’s perseverance paid off in 2022 when he entered his first Para jiu-jitsu competition, the REORG Open, securing a gold medal. He repeated his success in 2023 and he set his sights on the Para jiu-jitsu World Championships, the premier global competition held annually in Abu Dhabi. Competing in the 2023 world championships as a newly qualified purple belt, Paul earned silver and bronze medals. In 2024, he achieved a double gold in both gi (wearing the traditional jiu-jitsu uniform) and no-gi categories at a UK Para jiu-jitsu competition.
Better than a coach ‘Earlier this year, I knew my jiu-jitsu game had really improved,’ Paul says. ‘I’ve been a purple belt for 18 months now, with a lot more experience and skill, so I wanted to give the world title another go.’ He travelled to Abu Dhabi on 4th November, joining approximately 100 athletes from around the world, all with various disabilities. ‘Classification in para jiu-jitsu is based on mobility first – I was in the amputee group, obviously – but then it’s quite fluid. Clearly there’s rarely a perfect match, so experienced black belts will assess the participants and place them according to age, weight and belt on the day of competition.’ Paul’s had two fights in Abu Dhabi, both resulting in submission victories, earning him the title of World Para jiu-jitsu Champion – the first UK athlete in his classification to do so. “Coaching boxing was fantastic, but jiu-jitsu has literally changed my life. I’m actually doing it,” Paul says. ‘Though the sport is almost 100 per cent sparring, there’s no heavy contact, there are no blows or strikes: we tap. So instead of needing recovery time as I would from a full contact sport, I can train four or five times a week.’ As he advanced through the belts, Paul recognised the diminishing returns of competing against able-bodied opponents of similar levels, though he he is determined to compete able-bodied at some stage.
The recent budget has ignited rural anger and exposed a deep gap in the government’s understanding, says Andrew Livingston
Tim Gelfs travelled to Westminster with other Dorset NFU members: ‘We saw and spoke to all the Dorset MPs’. Image: Tim Gelfs
Jeremy Clarkson called it the ‘end for farmers’, NFU President Tom Bradshaw claimed it was a ‘stab in the back’ – and many in the agricultural community have claimed that chancellor Rachel Reeves is to farming what Margaret Thatcher was to the coal mining industry. For more than a month now, the agricultural sector has pleaded for the Labour Government to reverse its plans to cut farmers’ protections from paying inheritance tax in April 2026, as set out in the Autumn Budget. ‘At best it’s naivety, and at worst it’s vindictive,’ NFU Dorset deputy chairman Tim Gelfs told The BV. ‘The government took no consultation. They promised the NFU last year they weren’t going to touch it, and that was a promise from DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).’ As it stands at the moment, Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) are two forms of protection against Inheritance Tax, allowing for agricultural land and businesses to pass to direct descendents after the farm owners pass away. This ends in 2026, when farmers will begin to pay a 20 per cent tax rate for any property valued at more than £1 million (half the usual rate). Reeves and the Government state that the tax will help to fund essential servicesand will stop tax evasion. Under the current system, wealthy individuals are buying up land to pass to their offspring so that they don’t have large amounts of cash to be taxed at 40 per cent. The government’s figures suggest that 73 per cent of farms won’t be affected. This figure is being challenged by the NFU and the wider farming community. Tim explains: ‘Their 73 per cent includes those who own a pony paddock or a single fields – it isn’t a true representation of commercial farms. We’ve got figures from DEFRA that show that 66 per cent of farms are going to be affected.’ ‘Tom Bradshaw, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Tenant Farmers Association all met Steve Reed, the DEFRA Secretary of State, to talk about these figures on the Monday after the Budget. Steve Read said that they would go back and have a look at the figures, and there was a possible hint from DEFRA that there might be some movement,’ says Tim Gelfs. ‘But he obviously got his knuckles rapped as he’s back on the same rhetoric as the government, on the figures of 73 per cent. It makes you wonder what the government are up to.’
One per cent returns You might ask why farmers shouldn’t pay inheritance tax when everyone else has too. The simple answer is that the tax would come as a debt: farmers are asset-rich and cash-poor. Farms struggle to break even and rely heavily on subsidies from the government. These subsidies are given to farmers to compensate them for the low prices the supermarkets pay for their produce. ‘Our big problem is that our return on capital investment is near to nothing,’ says Tim. ‘‘Unlike farmers, other businesses affected by the removal of Business Property Relief aren’t raising concerns, and there is a key reason for that – their return on capital is much higher. Most businesses see a return of 12 to 20 per cent, sometimes even more, while farming typically struggles to achieve just one or two per cent at best. That’s the crux of the issue – when you’re operating on such slim margins, facing a 20 per cent inheritance tax after the first £1 million becomes financially unsustainable. ‘What the government has done is stall the rural economy. Let’s say the DEFRA figures are correct – we’ll lose a lot of farming families. The kids will just say “screw this, we are getting out” and sell up. A lot of kids work on the family farm for not very much money on the promise that “one day, son, all this overdraft is going to be yours”.’
Pedalling for the future. Image: Rawston Farm
Pedalling for the future A few weeks ago, Tim Gelfs made the journey to London with thousands of other farmers. Two events took place simultaneously in the capital on 19th of November. More than 1,800 NFU members met with their MPs to share their first-hand tales of how these changes were going to affect them, while 10,000 more farmers held a rally in Westminster. Tim told The BV that Edward Morello, the Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset, listened to his constituents’ concerns for almost an hour. ‘We saw and spoke to all the Dorset MPs – even the Labour ones, which was good.’ Over at Parliament Square, there were many more Dorset residents trying to get their voices heard. From Tarrant Rawston near Blandford, three generations of the Tory family attended the rally. Caroline Tory told The BV of her experience of the friendly, good-natured day: ‘We went up by a 50-seater coach. Lots of neighbours were on there, and many brought their children. My son Mark came with his wife Amy and their two little girls who are four and two.’ Mark is chairman of the Blandford NFU, and he enrolled the two girls in the Pedalling for the Future of Farming. Caroline explained: ‘The big tractor firms had donated ride on toy machinery, and the children pedalled around Parliament Square, signifying the impact of the budget on the future of farming and the countryside. There was a real sense of solidarity among the farmers. People were appearing from all directions, coming through the London streets to the meeting point. There was a real feeling of camaraderie. ‘It’s never just a job for farmers. When you are brought up with it, it’s your way of life. You want to look after the countryside and ensure it’s there for future generations. We’re food producers. We want to feed our country, and to be more sustainable. That’s the most important thing – not to need to rely on imported food.’ Caroline’s description of the mood on the day was echoed by many London residents, who only had good things to say about their rural visitors. The Metropolitan police thanked the protesters for making the day go so smoothly. The visiting farmers also donated more than six tonnes of fresh food to the city’s food banks. They delivered fresh milk, eggs, vegetables, meat and potatoes alongside a vast array of breakfast cereals and canned goods … enough food to create more than 15,000 meals. But despite everyone’s efforts, the rally and the lobbying have come to no avail. The government has stated that it will not budge on its plans, and Rachel Reeves and the Treasury have refused to meet the NFU to hear their concerns. Tim Gelfs warns that if the government keeps giving farmers the cold shoulder, things could get uglier than a solidarity march: ‘The NFU will keep lobbying, … it would be unwise for the NFU to come out and say, “Right, everyone grab your pitchforks we are off to London”. ‘We need the NFU to keep the pressure up, but there’s talk that we need a more proactive approach too, in order to get the government to the negotiating table. I suspect farmers will begin thinking about blockading the ports, the way the French farmers have done. ‘The APR is the hammer blow. We’ve been struggling on for more than 30 years now, and this is just the final straw. It’s actually affecting a farmer’s land. It’s not just their income. It’s going to affect their whole business, their home. ‘There are a lot of angry farmers out there.’
Buying local and seasonal is good for you and your family – and it doesn’t have to break the bank. It’s also good for the businesses you support, for your community – and for the whole area. When you buy artisan, hand-made or welfare-friendly products and crafts, you are choosing original gifts for the people you love and you serve food and drink that is better for the planet, better for the local economy* – and tastes much better than the mass-produced alternatives. It can also save you money. In the big stores and supermarkets, you often have to buy the quantities they decide – packaged and shrink-wrapped – so if, for example, you only want two apples, you will have to buy six or more. BOGOFs can be tempting – but all too often, particularly with fresh produce, much of it spoils before you actually get to eat it. It can be very hard to buy a single chicken breast or steak, and dried fruit, nuts and spices for your Christmas cake or pudding often come in bigger bags than you need, leaving you with items you may not use until next year! These dried goods – seeds, nuts, pulses, dried fruit – can often be bought loose in farm or whole-food shops, so you weigh and buy way you actually need. Here’s a guide to some of the many makers and producers, farm shops and businesses who can supply all your food and drink requirements for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, seasonal parties and New Year’s Eve celebrations … and a few ideas to go under the tree as well!
Turkey and geese The Chilcott family produce free-range bronze turkeys at their farm at Owermoigne (see this month’s A Country Living) chilcott-turkeys.co.uk
Kimbers Farm Shop near Wincanton Racecourse is well-known for its turkeys, raised on the family farm, as well as highly rated beef, hampers and a host of farm shop favourites (they have some very funny greetings cards, too). kimbersfarmshop.co.uk
The Dunning family produce free-range geese for Christmas at Goose Slade Farm (yes, really!) at East Coker near Yeovil. They have been farming sustainably at Goose Slade for more than a century, producing cattle, pigs, sheep and free range chickens and ducks, and selling their products in their well-stocked farm shop. christmasgoose.co.uk
The national Online Butcher of the Year, Dorset Meat Company, offers build-your-own meat boxes and hampers.
Meat and game There are still some traditional butchers in our area, including Stuart Pearce at Blandford, Rawston Farm Butchery and Farm Shop at Tarrant Rawston, Else’s in Stalbridge, Parsons Butchers at Sherborne, the Thoroughly Wild Meat Company at Castle Cary, Keatings, dating back to 1906 at Wimborne, and Andrew Barclay at Wincanton. A bit further afield, RJ Balson and Son at Bridport, at nearly 510 years old, is said to be the oldest butchers in the country. Blackmore Vale Butchery, a family business established in 2006 on the A30 near Henstridge, supplies a wide range of meat and game to local shops, offering only 100% grass-fed and high welfare meat sourced only from small-scale, local farmers they know and trust. bmv-butchery.co.uk The Online Butcher of the Year, Dorset Meat Company, also in Henstridge, offers a wide range of meats from turkey to goat, as well as locally-sourced deli items, and build-your-own meat boxes and hampers. thedorsetmeatcompany.co.uk
Pamphill Dairy near Wimborne, a 150-year old family farm on the Kingston Lacy Estate, sells locally produced meat, alongside dairy, their own ice-cream and a wide range of farm shop produce. pamphilldairy.co.uk Farm Girl Sausages, run by Sophie Baker, based at Holt near Wimborne, is a farm-to-fork meat business selling sausages, burgers and other handmade products. farmgirlsausages.com The Story Pig at Sandford Orcas produce outdoor-bred, free-range Tamworth pigs, a traditional rare British breed; they have a small farm shop and a cafe where much of the food served comes from their kitchen garden. thestorypig.co.uk Dorset Game Larder, run by Chris Tory, based on a family farm near Badbury Rings, sells locally sourced wild game including pheasant, partridge, pigeon and venison. thedorsetgamelarder.co.uk Gutchpool Farm between Motcombe and Mere sells Pasture for Life certified 100% grass-fed lamb and hogget, as well as sheepskins, apple juice and more. gutchpool.com
White Lake’s Burrow Mump is a sheep’s milk hard cheese, with a ssweet nutty flavour, and it’s washed in Somerset Cider Brandy
Cold meat/charcuterie The Real Cure is a family-owned artisan business producing award-winning cured meat products, including wild venison chorizo and salami, coppa and Dorset bresaola on the family farm near Shaftesbury. therealcure.co.uk Capreolus, a multi-award-winning business founded by David and Karen Richards at Rampisham in West Dorset, now retailed through Sherborne-based Hunts Food Group, produces a wide range of traditional artisan charcuterie.
Cheese and other dairy Two of the world’s greatest cheeses, Montgomery and Keen’s traditional farmhouse Cheddar are produced locally, at (respectively) North Cadbury montgomerycheese.co.uk, and Moorhayes Farm near Wincanton, keenscheddar.co.uk. Another important historic cheese is Dorset Blue Vinny, rescued from extinction by Mike Davies at Woodbridge Farm, near Stalbridge, where his daughter Emily also produces Dorset Blue soups and a selection of chutneys. dorsetblue.com. The Book & Bucket at Cranborne is a newer name, making some exciting cheeses, thebookandbucketcheesecompany.co.uk. James’ Cheese at Child Okeford makes several fine cheeses including the rind-washed Francis. jamesscheese.club White Lake at Bagborough, near the Bath and West show ground, produces multi-award-winning cow’s, goats and sheep’s milk cheeses – a recent addition is the Great Taste Award-starred Burrow Mump (pictured), named after a famous Somerset Levels landmark, a sheep’s milk hard cheese, with a sweet, nutty flavour, which is washed in Somerset Cider Brandy. whitelake.co.uk Two delicious ice cream and gelato makers are Purbeck Ice Cream, long established on a dairy farm overlooking Corfe Castle, producing a wide range of flavours, made with local fresh milk and cream. purbeckicecream.co.uk; and Baboo Gelato, founded and made by Annie Hanbury, at Bridport. baboogelato.com Other dairy producers include the Dorset Dairy Co, based near Stalbridge, thedorsetdairyco.com, and Woodlands Dairy near Blandford, who produce outstanding sheep’s milk yogurt. woodlandsdairy.co.uk
The Oxfords have been baking bread at Alweston since 1911: they have a number of shops, including at Sturminster Newton and Sherborne
Vegetables We have some exceptional local greengrocers, including Sprout and Flower at Mere and Wincanton Fruit and Veg in Coles Yard, plus two outstanding farm shops – Steeptonbill at Milton Abbas and Gold Hill Organic at Child Okeford.
Bread, cakes and mince pies There is plenty of good bread, including the area’s longest-established traditional bakery, Oxfords, baking bread at Alweston since 1911, with a number of shops, including at Sturminster Newton and Sherborne, and the Italian-style Lovington Bakery at Wincanton, which is famous for its sourdoughs, ciabattas – and luxury doughnuts!. One of Dorset’s most popular and creative bakers is Lizzie Crow, aka Lizzie Baking Bird, who sells her original and traditional tarts (the Dorset crab tarts are truly memorable), pastries, sausage rolls, cakes, brownies and other sweet and savoury products at Dorset farmer’s markets, Dorset Food and Drink events and from her bakery near Martinstown. Lizzie’s Christmas specialities – the perfect present with her distinctive style – include mince pies with Grand Marnier. Once eaten, never forgotten … and annually craved! The Bayside Bakery at Weymouth specialises in brownies – former intensive care nurse Katy Howell changed careers to become a baker and realised that brownies were the best-sellers. She also offers a fun DIY version – make-your-own brownie in a jar! 2024.baysidebakery.co.uk Coeliacs and those who need gluten-free bakes are well-served locally, with Honeybuns’ ever-creative Emma Goss-Custard producing a wide range of bars and cakes at Holwell, honeybuns.co.uk. And for those who don’t have the time or can’t make pastry, Dorset Butter Pastry, produced at Crossways, is the answer! dorsetpastry.com
Treats and preserves One of the country’s finest chocolatiers, Claire Burnet and her husband Andy run Chococo, a now-legendary chocolate business based near Wareham, with a shop and cafe in Swanage (and Winchester, Exeter and Horsham). Founded in 2002, Chococo is renowned not only for the quality of the chocolate used but for Claire’s innovative ideas and creativity in both flavourings and packaging. Christmas specialities this year include a novelty Advent shapes tube, a 12 Days of Christmas hamper, an oat milk Chocolate Penguin and Cascade of Festive Chocolate Selection Boxes.
More than 30 years ago, Giles and Annie Henschel came back from an amazing motorcycle ride around the Mediterranean with a lot of stories – and a passion for the food of the region, particularly the olives and olive oil. The rest is history – Olives Et Al became and remains a leading force in encouraging a taste for olive oil and Mediterranean food generally. Still at Sturminster Newton, still independent and still at the top of their game, the Olives Et Al range now includes many exceptional oils, olives, preserves, sauces and more. olivesetal.co.uk Based in Weymouth, Mel Gunn and her son Lewis of Relenka Sweet Treats produce a range of artisan fudge, biscotti, cakes, chocolate and other confectionery – all ideal stocking fillers! Tracey Collins makes her preserves, under the name Ajar Of, at her Jammery in Hazelbury Bryan – jams, marmalades, chutneys, etc, delicious all year round, and exceptionally desirable Christmas presents. Look out for her gift packs too.
Karl and Chrissie Regler have been making their ever-expanding range of From Dorset With Love preserves, chutneys and sauces since 2010, winning county, Taste of the West and Great Taste Awards. Their Dorsetshire sauce is a worthy competitor for the traditional Worcestershire sauce, with its famously secret recipe! fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk
Pomme Blush, an apple aperitif, is made at Shipton Gorge
Seasonings You can even season your turkey and trimmings with first class local products – Dorset Sea Salt, with a range of additional natural flavours, is widely available, while George Norbert-Munns markets Stony Groves Kampot pepper, a distinctive and irresistible spice which he discovered when living in Cambodia. stoneygroves.co.uk
So now you have the main event, the Boxing Day cold cuts and cheese board, the preserves and handmade bakes for presents – you just need …
… Something to drink Local wines include the award-winning Langham Wine Estate, producing outstanding whites and sparkling wines. Or try a bottle of Little Waddon Vineyards award-winning Col Fondo – the perfect accompaniment to the Christmas feast! Dorset-based spirits include Wilfred Shon’s Shroton Fair Gin, Fordington Gin, Conker Gin, John and Sandy Tucker’s ‘real British rum’ made with molasses at Black Ven Distillery at Lyme Regis, Weymouth-based The Saddle Stop gin, and Helen Benedict’s Pomme Blush apple aperitif, made at Shipton Gorge. For a lively and healthy non-alcoholic choice, try one of Emma Davies’ range of Curious Kombuchas, produced in the Marshwood Vale. The former brewer started making her healthy, unpasteurised, fermented drinks because of her own health problems. Her authentically made range includes cucumber, lime and mint, pineapple and ginger, raspberry and turmeric, and a Christmas special, elderberry. curiouskombucha.co.uk
*Buying from local producers and locally owned retailers makes sense on every level – it supports local businesses and employment, it adds to social cohesion and helps to build a sense of community … and it is a measurable boost to the local economy. The money you spend stays locally. Research over recent years has repeatedly revealed that when we shop locally, for every £1 spent with a small or medium-sized business, around 63p remains in the local economy. This compares with around 40p with large chains and supermarkets. Other research shows that £10 spent with a local independent shop can mean up to an additional £50 going back into the local economy.
A Dorset consultant on his DocBike leads the fight against motorcycle accidents across the UK – with action, data, education and innovation
Dr Ian Mew (DocBike) responds to 999 call
Struck by the alarming number of motorbike fatalities on Dorset’s roads, Dr Ian Mew knew that action was needed. Rather than responding to accidents, he realised it would be better to prevent them entirely – and began a mission that has saved countless lives across the county and beyond. As a consultant in intensive care and anaesthetics at Dorset County Hospital, Dr Mew, who is a member of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance crew (need to add that) and founder of DocBike, has become a leading figure in road safety and life-saving innovation not just in Dorset but across the UK.
How DocBike began ‘As director of major trauma at Dorset County Hospital, I saw patients dying before they even reached hospital.’ Ian says. ‘Joining the air ambulance, I thought I could change that – but motorcyclists still often didn’t survive. The forces involved when a motorcyclist crashes are often simply too great to be survivable. To truly save lives, I realised we needed to prevent these accidents altogether. That’s where DocBike began. ‘When the air ambulance lands in a field, everyone is always really pleased to see us, and they come to say hello. Talking to motorcyclists has always been tricky – they traditionally haven’t wanted to speak to the police, and they’re not that interested in talking about road safety issues. But many are enthusiastic fundraisers for the air ambulance, and I realised that was a way we could get to talk to them.’
Dr Ian Mew is a consultant in intensive care and anaesthetics at Dorset County Hospital, a member of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance crew, and founder of DocBike
Prevention is better All of the volunteer DocBike riders are serving emergency doctors, paramedics or practitioners who look after critically ill and injured patients as part of their day job, and all have completed an emergency service provided motorcycle response course. Even bigger than the roadside critical care team is the work DocBike does with its Biker Down programme, teaching motorcyclists how to provide first aid at crash scenes and offering practical advice on avoiding accidents altogether. ‘Data shows that while motorcyclists aren’t always at fault, understanding the risks can reduce their chances of an accident, by up to 80 per cent,’ says Ian. ‘For example, if you are riding a motorcycle on a straight road with junctions on either side, you clearly have right of way. But motorcyclists appear like a dart to someone in a car waiting to pull out – that’s not well understood by a lot of bikers, who naturally assume the car waiting has seen them. So the biker carries on, never considering that they might not have been seen. ‘In Dorset we have been working really hard with motorcyclists to help them understand that although they have the right of way, and people would give way to them if they saw them, other road users may actually not have seen them due to their low profile, and so will just pull out. To avoid an accident, bikers have to be prepared to stop – even though, legally, they have the right of way. ‘We’re careful not to pit road users against each other. We believe in sharing the road. It’s about helping motorcyclists understand it is not necessarily the fault of the car driver, it’s how our brains are built. We’re designed to look out for woolly mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers, not people hurtling towards us on a narrow, fast bit of metal. ‘Because the team attends these crashes and sees what happens, we can work with the road safety partnerships to obtain the actual data and examples of why people crash. That means we can give tips, and ultimately we have reduced bike accidents by 80 percent. We can’t say categorically that it’s DocBike that has caused the reduction in motorcycle fatalities in Dorset, but they have reduced by 50 per cent in the last two years – and that figure has not been seen in other areas where we are not operating.’
Life at the sharp end DocBike started in Dorset in 2015, and achieved charitable status in 2018. There are now branches in Devon, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Sussex and Cheshire. Ian first came to came to DCH as a medical student. He returned to finish his training London, met his wife, and they both returned to Dorset as junior doctors. ‘I spent two years in surgery,’ he explains. ‘Then I did some intensive care and really enjoyed it. It’s amazing that the skillset of intensive care can now be taken into people’s houses and to the roadside with the helicopter. It has made a massive difference to patient care. ‘Emergency care is demanding. After being a consultant for 15 years I sometimes wonder why I am still involved at the sharp end. It can be relentless. But being able to make a difference to people who are otherwise going to die … it’s very humbling. ‘However, it is also demanding. You work through the night, miss Christmasses and holidays and it takes a toll on family life. But it needs to be done, and doing it well at the appropriate time makes a massive difference. The air ambulance takes the hospital’s critical care one step further – being able to go directly to the patient and deal with them, anaesthetise them, give them blood, and then get them direct to a major centre with heart, brain and trauma surgery, saves the patient hours in getting treatment – and maybe their life. ‘I’m really lucky with the support DocBike gets from the ambulance service and the hospital. We all work for the benefit of the population, and it’s sometimes frustrating when the system gets in the way and when funding isn’t there. But we rally around and help each other. That’s lovely … It is a family.’ In 2022, Ian won a special ‘Big Thank You’ award from The One Show, and the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers highlighted the fact that Ian runs DocBike entirely in his spare time. ‘It’s hard – you can easily do another 40 hours a week on top of your NHS job. The problem is the NHS survives because people already donate a lot of time to it. For DocBike, finding volunteers has been a huge challenge.’
Reducing the Risk When Ian started DocBike, he began with the data: he found that the motorcyclists most at risk of dying on Dorset’s roads were men aged between 40 and 60. ‘When we did our original research in 2016, we combined our own hospital data with police collision investigations. The 40 to 60-year-old men were riding at high speed in rural areas, where, if you got it wrong, it would often result in a fatality. ‘Because we have targeted that over the last eight years, the demographics have actually changed. Now, here in Dorset, that group is less likely to be involved in a crash. So now we’re targeting the younger generation to try and almost “vaccinate” them from an earlier age. We’re also working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, who write the tests, because the information we learn from road collisions can help to reduce crashes if we can include that in the motorcycle test in the future. It might be something we can engineer out if you are only allowed to ride a motorcycle if you are aware of the things that put you most at risk. ‘DocBike has sponsored a PhD student at Bournemouth University to look into the causes of motorcycle incidents and what can be done to avoid them. The country roads in Dorset are a delight for people to ride. To get the most out of a motorcycle you like everything to be twisty and turny – that’s the fun bit. But there are also hazards. If you have a crash in a town you tend to be driving at a lower speed so the forces involved are not so great. If you are on a national speed limit road then that tends to be more hazardous if you crash.’
Looking to the future Space is at a premium on a DocBike motorcycle, so equipment has to be chosen wisely. It also has to be compact, vibration resistant and waterproof. This equipment, small enough to fit on a motorcycle yet robust enough to withstand significant vibrations, is expensive. It currently costs £62,000 to get a DocBike motorcycle on the road, with all the training and kit. ‘Realistically our biggest challenge right now is sustainability. We are entirely volunteer-led and with seven branches across the country, all with their groups of volunteers, being able to deliver full support from people who already work long hours at the ‘day job’ is a challenge. We need staffing to provide that and to have staff you need funding. ‘I now have a deputy national director, also a volunteer, and someone else to run Dorset, so that frees me up to look at things nationally. And I finally get a bit more time to see my wife, which is really important! ‘It is very easy to get home at 7pm, eat and then spend the rest of the evening in the office. Then you go to bed, get up and do the whole thing all over again. Hopefully my life will be made easier by this support. ‘We are also getting a paid staff member. Not only will this help the volunteers operate more effectively, but it will help us have better reach with the motorcyclists we want to engage with. By having this extra support we should bring in more funds, which pays staff and that’s the start of a self-sustaining charity. We’ll then have the capacity to push the successes in Dorset to other parts of the country. ‘We tend to target biker events, as that’s when you can interact with the whole community. Being part of the ambulance service is so useful – this year, because our injury prevention strategy is working so well, DocBike has been sent out to other incidents that haven’t involved motorcycles but where help is needed. If we’re the nearest resource we are still ultimately an ambulance resource. So it’s been good that in Dorset the number of motorcycle accidents have been reduced – we‘re then available to help save the lives of other people. ‘If we can’t fix people after the accident, we need to get to them before they have their crash and see if we can prevent them having an accident. It works so much better – it not only saves lives, it saves demand on the ambulance and hospital services, prevents costly and inconvenient road closures and benefits everyone.’ To donate to DocBike: docbike.org/dorset Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance: dsairambulance.org.uk
