Mayhem, mystery, murder – and a magical cat

By

-

15 September 2023

Wiltshire Creative’s autumn season has something for all tastes – from comedy to A Christmas Carol, puppetry to pantomime

Wooster (Luke Barton) and Jeeves (Patrick Warner) in rehearsal for Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense. Photograph by Ash Mills

Wiltshire Creative’s autumn programme – at its two venues, Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury Arts Centre – is packed with stand-up comedy, children’s entertainment, drama and one of the best-loved of all pantomimes. The season curtain-raiser is a free community event at the Playhouse on Saturday 2nd September, from 10am to 1pm, with activities for children, insight into programming for the autumn, a look at the work Wiltshire Creative does as a charity and opportunities to win tickets for this year’s pantomime, Dick Whittington.

Perfect Nonsense
This autumn marks a welcome return to in-house productions at the theatre, with curtain up on 1st September for a hilarious romp with PG Wodehouse’s greatest characters, the air-head Bertie Jeeves and his indispensable valet, Jeeves. Running to 23rd September, Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense has a deliciously farcical premise: Bertie Wooster comes up with a super wheeze to put on a play at a country house weekend at Totleigh Towers.
The action revolves around Bertie’s efforts to play matchmaker between his newt-fancying friend Gussie Fink-Nottle and the girl of his dreams, Madeline Bassett, with predictable opposition and disruption from Bertie’s formidable Aunt Dahlia and the appalling Sir Watkyn Bassett.
There is a cast of three – Luke Barton plays Wooster, with Patrick Warner as Jeeves and Alistair Cope as Aunt Dahlia’s butler Seppings, playing around 12 characters between them. The trio have been enjoying the rehearsal period enormously – ‘It is SO funny,’ says Patrick.

Girl on the Train
The delightful Wodehouse comedy is followed by the thriller, The Girl on the Train, based on the best-selling novel by Paula Hawkins (and subsequent film), which runs from 19th October through to 11th November.
The Girl on the Train is the story of an ordinary young woman – every day on her way to work, Rachel watches a seemingly perfect couple from the train window, dreaming of her perfect love story. Suddenly she finds herself embroiled in a dark, twisted drama, when the woman she has been watching goes missing mysteriously. Was Rachel responsible? Where did the blood come from? If only Rachel could remember the missing pieces in her memory, if only she hadn’t had too much to drink…

Panto time
The season culminates with Dick Whittington (and his magical cat), from 25th November to 7th January 2024, directed by artistic director Gareth Machin and written by Plested, Brown and Wilsher, the trio responsible for last year’s successful Cinderella.
Other autumn events at the two venues include comedy with Phil Wang, Fiona Allen. Chris McCausland, Geoff Norcott and Living Spit’s A Christmas Carol. For music fans there are perfromances from Swinging At The Cotton Club, The Unravelling Wilburys, Tom Robinson and Mad Dog McRea.

wiltshirecreative.co.uk

Free school uniform exchange, and your shopping pays for free parking!

By

Editorial team

-

14 September 2023

0

Pauline Batstone shares her monthly round up of what’s happening among the town’s collection of community enterprises and events

The FREE school uniform exchange inside the old Barclays Bank

Its Back To School season – and the small people have typically grown, a lot, even in a few weeks.
Recycling is good for the planet and your purse – come to our School Uniform Hub in the old Barclays Bank. Opening hours are on the window or pop in and ask at The Emporium.
You can get next term’s uniform for FREE – in exchange, we aks that you think of others in turn and please do bring last term’s outgrown but good condition items with you – and don’t forget scouts or cubs uniforms too.
While you’re there, have a quick look round. We have an amazing mix of useful or upcyclable furniture and large household items in the old Barclays Bank – all at excellent value.

The Boutique has just come to the end of its summer sale – if you didn’t manage to get a summer bargain come and see the new range of excellent items we have in stock ready for the colder weather.
Meanwhile The Emporium continues to provide a fun shopping experience – all those things you never knew you needed (or, in fact, knew you needed but never thought you’d find) – plus help yourself to the freebies in the Community Fridge and help us reduce food waste while you’re at it.
The wonderful 1855 is changing all the time thanks to our wonderful traders – if you’ve not been in for a wander for a few weeks, treat yourself to a mosey round. It’s the perfect spot for picking up a small gift, something to spoil yourself with or simply start to get ahead for … you know what.
All three of the community shops are always ready to receive donations – and they are always ready to welcome new volunteers into the team. Do you have even a couple of hours to spare occasionally? It’s fun, it’s sociable, it gets you out of the house and your whole community will benefit.

Large item furniture perfectly good for a new home, or even for upcycling projects

Free parking on the first Saturday
There is always free parking – all day, both car parks – on the first Saturday of every month thanks to SturAction. By random chance cough it also happens to be the same day that the 200 or so car and bike enthusiasts have a friendly morning meet in the Rec …

The Cheese Festival
9th and 10th September
We are aware that there are some who don’t realise there is a whole town attached to it! Do come up and see for yourself – the whole town will be open as usual on the Saturday and Candys, 1855, Harts of Stur, Poets Corner Café, Oxfords Bakery and both pubs will be open on the Sunday.

Inside 1855 in Sturminster Newton, the town’s artisan bank with more than 70 traders

The C word
When the Cheese Festival ends we swiftly turn our faces towards Christmas (sorry) – those Christmas Angels are beginning to flock, ready to fly out in December. But before that the lights will have been switched on by Father Christmas on 25th November. We’re excited that this year Father Christmas will be in 1855 to meet the children who want to see him on each Saturday until Christmas Eve. Keep an eye open to find out what is happening when. From late night shopping on 24th November right through to the traditional Classic Car Run on New Years Day, it’s a whole month of Christmas fun in Stur!

Nutrition myths you don’t need to worry about (much …)

By

Editorial team

-

14 September 2023

0

Expert Karen Geary investigates the complex facts – it’s not as simple as bad carbs and sad sweeteners

This month I thought I’d look at some of my current favourite nutrition ‘myths’. However, things are never straightforward – each one has a plot twist!

Carbs make you fat
Carbohydrates are now the villain in the same way as fat was in the 1970s. They are actually necessary for high-intensity efforts, proven to improve performance for exercise lasting longer than 45 minutes. Complex carbs are also a great source of fuel for a healthy microbiome, and a healthy gut affects our overall health.
BUT … if you have type 2 diabetes or certain chronic conditions, there is a case to keep carbs low.
For weight loss, it really isn’t necessary to follow a low-carb diet, but if you are both overweight and have type 2 diabetes, then you are likely to benefit. Low-carb diets also reduce hunger – over a few days, your blood sugar begins to regulate more naturally.
Carbs do not necessarily give you type 2 diabetes; just be sure you aren’t eating a calorie surplus or consuming a diet that is very high in carbs (especially the ones high in sugar).

Probiotics are a complete waste of money
It is true that probiotics do not take up permanent residence in your stomach. They are a bit like hair conditioner – once you stop taking them, your gut composition finds its own way, depending on the food you eat.
BUT … they are incredibly complex and powerful supplements. Adding probiotics can actually worsen gut issues. You need to identify the root cause of your gut symptoms and understand what strains are needed rather than taking them indiscriminately – that actually is a waste of money!
Used correctly, they can be extremely beneficial for certain conditions and during recovery from illness.

Aspartame gives you cancer
This one is topical, with wide media coverage following a recent study in which the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) designated the low-calorie sweetener as ‘possibly carcinogenic’.
What they actually concluded is that, from the evidence they reviewed, ‘aspartame warrants further investigation’.
The quality of some of the studies appears questionable – such as the Ramazzini Institute’s mouse studies and certain human nutritional epidemiology studies. In 2019, a meta-analysis of several studies concluded that there is no solid evidence base to suggest that aspartame poses a risk of cancer.
So, for now, the alarm seems unwarranted – there is no solid evidence base currently suggesting that aspartame poses a risk of cancer.
Indeed, diet products have been helpful to millions in achieving metabolic health and weight loss.
BUT … the plot twist here is that aspartame (and other types of sweeteners) do alter the composition of a healthy gut microbiome, so if you do use them, try not to overdo it. The dose makes the poison.

It’s not calories, but nutrients
This is one of my favourites – there are some who believe that nutrients take priority over calories for overall health. Equally, there are some who assume that it’s only calories that are important for overall health and optimal weight.
The reality is that BOTH are true.
You can certainly overeat high-quality nutrients and become or stay overweight.
However, consuming a high-quality diet (‘real’ food) makes you less likely to feel hungry and therefore more likely to stay within your own energy requirements.
What’s missing from this equation? Consistency. Consistency is the foundation of any beneficial dietary approach.

Breaking silence: the power of sharing your feelings

By

Editorial team

-

13 September 2023

0

After a personal depressive episode, Dorset Mind volunteer Annabel Goddard emphasises the importance of discussing feelings and worries.

A few years ago, after a string of bad events, I found myself at an all-time low point, battling to keep myself going.
I’d experienced low moods before, but I was told this was now within the realm of a depressive episode. It was a struggle to get out of bed every day, let alone go to work. I found myself focusing simply on survival and not taking any enjoyment in my life.
I felt as though I was permanently in transition – I didn’t once look around and appreciate the present because I was constantly thinking the future would be better.
After a while, I started confiding in my friends and family about my fears and uncertainty around the future. At first, I was scared of being a burden, but after letting my family know I was struggling, it began to get easier to share my struggles with them which in turn alleviated a lot of my worries and stress.

In your own time
Talking about your feelings and worries isn’t easy – but it is so important not to bottle your emotions up, as they need to find an outlet. Allowing your feelings to weigh on you will only drag you down further.
Go at your own pace – it might be that you mention you’ve been struggling a bit lately and allow the person you’re confiding in to ask questions.
Try not to feel like you’re weighing other people down – they would much rather help you than leave you to struggle, even if you’re not showing symptoms of depression or anxiety. No one is expected to ‘therapise’ you – all you need is to be listened to, and from there you can decide what steps to take to get better. If there isn’t anyone you feel you can talk to, visit your GP.

Time to talk
Opening up to someone can be hard. However, letting others know what is going on with your mental wellbeing is important, in case you begin to feel worse and need more support than just talking can offer.
Having a support system of friends and family is helpful, but not everyone has access to this. That’s why it’s also important to check in with your coworkers and other people you might see regularly, especially if they don’t seem like themselves.
If you give out kindness, it will come back to you. Often, we don’t know what is going on in someone’s personal life, so if you or someone you know is struggling, it is important to stay connected and tuned in. Talking about your feelings is the first step to finding support – we urge you to share this message and #GetDorsetTalking.

Support for you:
Visit dorsetmind.uk for local mental health support and ways to keep mentally healthy
Call Samaritans on 116 123 for free 24/7 emotional support
Call Dorset’s mental health helpline Connection for support on NHS 111

Life outside the stud

By

Editorial team

-

12 September 2023

0

Bramble snacking and trail running – Lucy Procter is using the stud’s quieter summer season to find some balance out of the saddle

Woolstone One’s Bathyrhon colt foal, Onion, and friend. All images: Lucy Procter

In a welcome change from my usual monthly stud life, trail running, strength and conditioning sessions in the gym and blackberry picking have been my summer highlights.
All three Procter offspring have now left home – our youngest has gone to Australia to work on a large stud in the Hunter Valley – so I am trying to re-balance my life and spend time each day away from horses!
This is relatively easy in July and August as these months consist largely of maintenance on the stud, so time is more flexible. Summer is about keeping the mares, foals and youngstock healthy and growing well. Our main tasks are on the maintenace side – cutting hedges and mowing tracks, and carefully managing the grazing through poo-picking, harrowing, topping and regularly moving horses onto fresh pasture.
Alongside the routine work, we have brought two young racehorses – Inspector Maigret and Rinjani Bay – back into ridden work after their early summer break. They have completed three months of pre-training in preparation to move to their licensed trainers. Much of their exercise has been up on the downs just south of the stud, utilising the steep hills to help build muscle.
For the past couple of weeks, both horses and riders have been enjoying munching blackberries from the hedgerows each day before loading back onto the lorry and heading home!

Inspector Maigret enjoying the view, during pre-training on the downs.

We have also been prepping two 2-year-olds for a sale in early September. This involves six weeks of regular exercise on the horse walker and lunging to help build up their fitness and improve their muscle tone as well as daily grooming. We shod them in front to help stop them getting foot sore, which might result in their not showing themselves to their best advantage on the sales ground.
As they are unbroken young horses, the main feature that the buyers are looking for is a big, striding, athletic walk. A horse’s walk is four-time – meaning all four feet land on the ground individually. The gallop is also a four-time pace, so it is considered that if a horse walks impressively, it should also have a good gallop and therefore be more likely to make a successful racehorse than would a horse with a poor walk.

Universal Cooley’s Castlefield Kingston sport horse (non-thoroughbred) colt foal, enjoying a sticky snack during in hand rehabilitation for very slack lower hind legs – full story with an extraordinarily successful outcome, next month.

Equine Dyspepsia
One of the youngsters I started under saddle in June was a 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly who had been a nutter as a 2-year-old when we first tried to work with her. Eventually we had just turned her out again to mature!
A year later, and the same filly happily co-operated with her initial lunging and long-reining and after a few weeks, she accepted me on her back. We progressed to hacking up the road in company and lightly cantering, but she was becoming increasingly difficult about the initial mounting. Suspecting stomach ulcers, we are treating her with equine omeprazole and giving her a few weeks break before starting again. Working with horses rarely follows a defined plan and you just have to treat each one individually.

Lucy (in blue) trail running on Dartmoor

On the run
Earlier in the year I joined SPFit, a running club based in Sherborne. In May I was inspired to run The Camelot Challenge, a local half marathon. To help improve my fitness, SPFit’s owner and personal trainer, Simon Partridge, created a specially tailored strength and conditioning gym programme for me to complement my training runs – I get away from the stud, and still I’m all about the conditioning programmes! Contrary to my many previous attempts to train – which have always resulted in my giving up after just a few weeks – with the support of Simon in the gym, and Kate, the club’s running coach, I am still running and training! On top of which I have made some lovely new friends within the gym and the club.
Recently, we organised a day out – four of us met Simon and Kate on Dartmoor and spent a hugely fun day practicing running on moorland terrain.
We plan to return in October to run the 12 miles from Belstone to Postbridge.

It must have been a rough night – the youngsters were still snoozing at breakfast time! From left Sambac, Dissy (Dissavril’s yearling filly) and Onion. Both these two foals are now happily weaned and enjoying life without mum, with some older youngsters for company.

Although we’re a mixed bag of fitness levels, we all start and finish together (those who are fitter are happy to just run a little further).
Getting involved in activities outside of the stud has helped reinvigorate me this summer and reminded me that there is a bigger world beyond our modest stud acreage and racing itself.
I highly recommend getting out there and trying something new – it’s so good to get away from your usual day-to-day routine.
If you’re interested in joining us, get in touch and join us in the running club or on Dartmoor. Everyone is welcome!

Blackberries are a favourite snack for Inspector Maigret (whose stable name is Monkey!)

Stalbridge Drowning Under New Housing

By

Editorial team

-

12 September 2023

0

The small historic Dorset town with fewer than 3,000 residents faces 550 new homes – CPRE have deep concerns around insufficient infrastructure

Development land for up to 130 homes recently sold in Stalbridge
All images:
Jane Westbrook

The small historic town of Stalbridge is now suffering from massive overdevelopment – seemingly much more than any other North Dorset town. There have been applications for 550 new dwellings in the last seven years – in a town with a population of under 3,000.
The most recent is a 160-home estate applied for by Gladman. There is the usual promise “to work with the local community, for the benefit of everyone”, but the development appears more for the benefit of the landowner and their agents.
There are certainly no visible benefits to Stalbridge itself in saturating this small town with yet more housing. There is a housing need – throughout Dorset there are currently 4,500 households in need of a home. But Dorset’s housing enablement officer states that only 35 of these have a connection to Stalbridge and it would be “better to deliver any further affordable homes in areas where there is greater demand and better infrastructure”.
The flood risk engineer’s report can be summarised as seeing “an element of flood risk which will be hard to dispel”.
Climate change experts report that the south west will be prone to heavier rainfall and a likelihood of more flooding so, following common sense, housing should not be built where any flood risk exists.
Education services confirm a new school “must be delivered” within the development, but S106 monies allocated will not be sufficient to pay for this school, so who will fund the rest, when nationwide our schools are seriously underfunded?

Traffic queuing down the A357 through the town

What Bus Service?
The transport report for the new application suggests a good bus service through Stalbridge – but this is not the case.
Dorset Council (DC) policy states that new houses should be built where there is sustainable public transport, as well as employment opportunities and amenities in order to avoid car usage. In this development, S106 money (developer contributions) is allocated to build one bus shelter, a flag pole and real time information – who will then be paying for the extra buses required to make this a viable mode of travel?
Without adequate bus services, new homes will mean a high number of car journeys, not just damaging for the environment but causing congestion through the constricted town centre.

As an ancient town, Stalbridge has a narrow main street which is also the busy A357 route from the A303/Wincanton through to Sturminster Newton and on to Blandford and other southern destinations. Do we see any provision for safety crossings, new footpaths, and traffic signals for the single lane area?
DC Highways on 17 May posted a deferral on any comment. At time of writing there is still no comment. This may be a good indication that they realize the implications of a further loading of car journeys to an already crumbling road system.
The proposed houses all have very small gardens – yet we see no plans for land to be set aside for allotments, even though c£306 per dwelling has been allocated for this.

Housing estate currently under construction in Stalbridge

Lack of Facilities
It is reported that Stalbridge has a wide choice of shops and facilities, but locals are very aware this is not the case. Families will undoubtedly drive to shop at the many discount supermarkets available in Wincanton and other larger towns. The one existing supermarket has limited parking to accommodate a great increase in households, and the relatively few shops are mostly on the High Street, where parking is extremely restricted. Heavy goods and farm vehicles pass frequently along the A357, and any cars parked on the High Street cause rapid traffic disruption. Add this to the single traffic lane in the centre of town and Highways need a genius plan to avoid total gridlock.
Dorset Council promise to build the “right homes in the right places”, to protect our natural environment and aim for a zero carbon future. Building a further 160 houses in a small town that does not need them, does not have the infrastructure to support them nor a wide range of employment opportunities, within a conservation area, on a tract of land that is prone to flooding, delivering a known increase of many hundreds of polluting car journeys onto an already constricted road system – why would Dorset Council even consider allowing this?

New housing estate under construction in Stalbridge

Time to say no
Unfortunately, due to lack of housing delivery over many years, it would seem that there is now a thin line of defense against any new housing proposals. Wherever land can be acquired by strategic land agents from an interested landowner, that is where the houses will be built – rather than where they are needed. With the financial resources to go to appeal on every contested planning application, land agents and developers have seen that Dorset Council is in fear of the legal costs incurred in fighting the appeals. It should be noted that most people who actually live in Stalbridge, including Ward Councillor Graham Carr Jones, are vehemently against
this latest development.
Dorset CPRE works to protect and enhance the countryside, and we cannot be supportive of this application. We want to see new houses built for those who urgently need them – but families need to live in a place where they can find jobs, schools, doctors and dentists, a wide choice of shops and some leisure facilities – and public transport to gain access to all of these. Stalbridge is a small town with Saxon origins, and it simply does not have these facilities. It is not the right place to build more houses – enough is enough.

Jane Westbrook
North Dorset CPRE

Exam Assistant | Milton Abbey School

By

Editorial team

-

12 September 2023

0

Variable Hours
£11 p/h

Milton Abbey School seeks a flexible and competent Exam Assistant to work within our Examinations Team. This will be zero hours, term time only, varied role within our award-winning Academic Department. Working days will be Monday to Friday to fit with the termly examinations schedule.

The successful candidate must hold a reasonable IT level and the ability to organise paperwork for this important role.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team, and training will be available to enhance skills. Staff also benefit from free parking, free daily lunch, and the opportunity to work on our historic and beautiful school site.

Further details may be obtained from our website or from HR on 01258 882182 or email [email protected]. Applications must be submitted on the school’s application form.

The closing date for applications is Friday 13th October 2023.

Milton Abbey School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The appointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Additionally, please be aware that Milton Abbey School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. To avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination a person who will not on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.

Please note that our school is a no smoking site.
www.miltonabbey.co.uk
Registered Charity No 306318

Letters, Roger G and Dorset Island Discs with Helen Ottaway

By

Laura

-

12 September 2023

0

In the first of September 23’s episodes of the BV podcast we have the letters and politics, the obituary of our writer, columnist and friend Roger Guttridge, and Jenny interviewed composer Helen Ottaway to discover her Dorset Island Discs.

Letters (from and to) the editor
In politics, Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, discusses the fact that the declining use of cash particularly affects the elderly and rural dwellers. Ken Huggins of the Greens agrees that he, too, hates wind turbines. But that that’s not the point! And Mike Chapman of the Lib Dems has been at two big rural shows recently – and despite a very different audience at each, there were some strong common themes being discussed.
In this month’s Dorset Island Discs, Jenny spent sime time chatting to composer Helen Ottaway. From folk to installation art, you can hear Helen talking about her multi-dimensional journey in music as she chooses the discs she can’t live without as an island castaway
We have the obituary of our writer, columnist and dear freind Roger Guttridge, who passed away this month. Most BV readers will know him well from his terrific local history columns, and possibly remmeber him as a local journalist – but did you know he was also a Team GB reporter who covered three Olympics, and was press officer for the Great Britain Swim Team?

Dairy farm businesses under threat, according to NFU survey

By

Editorial team

-

11 September 2023

0

There’s growing uncertainty among the UK’s dairy farmers and little confidence to face the challenges, says county advisor Gemma Harvey

Britain’s dairy farmers are being forced to think seriously about their future, a new NFU survey shows, thanks to increasing concerns over insufficient returns, volatile markets and the scale of on-farm investment.
A survey of the intentions of nearly 600 dairy farmers reveals that 9% of producers believe they are likely to stop producing milk by 2025 – up from 7% last year. A further 23% said they were ‘unsure’ if their business would continue producing milk beyond 2025 – just two more years.
Of the dairy farmers who responded, 87% said they are concerned about the impact of government regulation, with feed prices (84%), energy prices (83%) and cash flow and profitability (80%) other key factors that would curtail milk supplies.
Meanwhile, 91% of dairy farmers said the main factor preventing them increasing milk production was the scale of investment needed for things such as suitable slurry storage to ensure their farms comply with current regulations. This supports the NFU call for DEFRA’s Slurry Infrastructure Grant to be extended to cover more areas and to reduce the minimum spend threshold needed to access the funding.
NFU dairy board chairman Michael Oakes says: ‘It’s clear that significant inflationary pressures, combined with below-cost-of-production prices are continuing to threaten the resilience of British dairy farming businesses. We are now facing a crisis of confidence among Britain’s dairy farmers.
‘The results of this survey show that, now more than ever, we need resilient and collaborative dairy supply chains. It’s vital that we invest and reverse this trend of boom or bust. The new industry-wide regulation on contracts – expected to be introduced later this year – must support fairer, more transparent and accountable supply chains. But regulation isn’t a silver bullet.
‘With increasing global demand for British dairy produce, we know that the long-term future is bright for our sector.
To ensure we maximise this potential, it’s imperative that the government continues to work with us to ensure we have the right environmental, regulatory and trade framework in place to support the production of high quality, nutritious and sustainable food.’