Navigating politics with humility – MP Simon Hoare reflects on the election aftermath, his duty to North Dorset and promises constructive opposition
Well! Quite a lot has happened since the last edition of this fantastic magazine. As the June and July editions were during the election campaign the editor, in her infinite wisdom, pulled the usual political columns. Thankfully, normal service has now resumed. My first and very pleasant duty is to thank the electors of North Dorset for re-electing me to continue my public service on their behalf. It was always going to be a difficult and challenging election – and so it proved. Perhaps more so than I had anticipated when I look across our depleted benches in the Commons. I must confess, and I know I am not alone, that I have felt survivor’s guilt – it was doubtless the same at Rorke’s Drift or in the Crimea following the Charge of the Light Brigade. It is a side to the craft of politics that is not necessarily talked about. Politics is a human business and very much a family team effort. So are lots of jobs, I know, but sometimes the personal side of politics is not recognised. To win is an emotional experience; to lose even more so. I saw some fallen colleagues, visibly controlling their emotions as they emptied their offices after years, sometimes decades, of serving their communities. While our politics is brutal (think Gladiator but with Order Papers) it is also civilised here in the UK. We smile and shake hands with the victor and the vanquished (everyone did in North Dorset save one, who may remain nameless) and then we promptly get on with the job. We should be proud that election results in this country are not met with Trumpian revolt or States of Emergency being declared. A removal van turns up and shortly afterwards the new tenant arrives. The timeless monarch provides the constitutional link between old and new.
Not wearing the badge During the last Parliament, I saw several ‘oh he/she must be embarrassed to put “Conservative” on their Twitter or Facebook pages’. I never have used the label on my own social media, but it is not out of embarrassment. Let me explain why. When I am a candidate I put on party colours – a blue rosette. I stand as a Conservative and badge myself accordingly. Having been elected, however, I serve as the Member of Parliament. I am, of course, a Conservative. I take (and sometimes abide by) the Conservative Whip in the House of Commons. But – and it is a big but – as the MP I serve all of North Dorset, whether they voted for me, for someone else, or did not vote at all. If they have a problem then they need to come and see me as their MP, not as ‘a Conservative’. I am here to serve all of the communities that make up North Dorset and will always be as inclusive and welcoming as possible to one and all.
Badger and berate as usual We are fortunate to live in a fantastic country. Not one without problems and challenges – we all know that. Stuff needs doing here at home, and the whole world seems less safe and sure than we would like it to be. I want to wish the new Government well. They serve us all and we have to hope that good fortune shines on them – when it does, we all benefit. I have been asked a number of times how I would conduct myself in opposition: let me try to answer that question. I will speak up and stand up for North Dorset, as I always have, without fear or favour. I shall badger and berate on behalf of my constituents (indeed, I have declined a shadow ministerial role to allow me to do so). I shall oppose the Government where I truly believe they are getting it wrong BUT I won’t oppose for opposition’s sake. I will endeavour, as I believe my party will, to be constructive – there are a lot of issues which will benefit from cross-party working. I am pledged to play my part in that approach. And I know that is what you will want me to do.
It’s the official Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show magazine 2024!
What to find inside:
The timetables are here! Check what’s happening and make notes of what you want to see, and when
Headlining in the Harts of Stur Main Ring are Racing Camels – the sweet giants who never get the hump. Pick a camel, cheer it on … and discover how charming and intelligent these “ships of the desert” really are
Equestrian legend William Fox-Pitt comes to G&S!On Thursday you can enjoy a truly world class demonstration of dressage, thanks to one of the most successful British event riders of all time
Spotted in action: Dalmatians at the G&S! Visitors will have the chance to see the first ever Carriage Dog Display at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show this year.
What not to miss! The show team have put their heads together to pick out some of their personal show highlights
Wednesday night is party night! On Wednesday 14th, visitors can stay on after gates close at 6pm to enjoy live music, and of course there’ll be bars and food too!
Meet Rodmead Prague Ever wondered what it takes to breed a champion? We speak to the owner of last year’s ‘Best in Show’ to find out!
Happy 30th birthday Turnpike Showground! We take a look back at the history of the G&S, and just how we came to live on the ‘wettest, roughest land in North Dorset’!
Get to know the G&S show organiser Cat Harris Last year, Cat Harris became the first female show secretary in the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Agricultural Society’s history.
Ringwood & Fordingbridge Lions Club have helped eight extraordinary local young people secure a place at a Lions International Youth Camp abroad this summer. Six are pictured, collecting specially-printed lions tee shirts to wear on their travels. Printed on the back of each shirt is their name and where they are travelling to:
Isabella – Mexico
Emma – Switzerland
Katie – Japan
Oceane – Austria
Francesca – Italy
Isabelle – Hong Kong, China and Macau
Gabriella – Netherlands
Rosalyn – Finland
Every trip is unique, and each young person will spend up to two weeks living with a host family (or, in the case of Katie, three weeks in rural Japan) and then a further week to 10 days at an international youth camp. Every year more than 100 International Youth Camps are arranged by Lions International, spanning 40 different countries. Every Lions Camp is different, but each offers participants a life-changing experience. Those taking part usually only need to raise enough funds for flights and spending money, with Lions Clubs meeting other expenses. If you are between 16 and 22 years and wish to apply for an International Lions Youth Camp abroad in the summer of 2025, please contact Ringwood & Fordingbridge Lions Club at randflions.org.uk or call us on 0345 833 5819
The art of dry stone walling: master craftsman Tom Trouton talks to Tracie Beardsley about finding a stone’s timeless connection to the landscape
All images: Tom Trouton
Tom Trouton tells me his head is “full”. And how! It’s impossible not to be captivated by his passion for his craft, his knowledge of geology and his deep love of the landscape. We meet at his house in Castle Cary – a lockdown project to keep both his head and skilful hands occupied. He’s transformed a modest 1960s bungalow into a stunning dry stone clad home within a walled garden now jam-packed with tropical plants. It’s soon clear that the melodic noise of a hammer ringing on stone – a ‘tchock, tchock’ sound that Tom mimics perfectly – has been the soundtrack to his life since childhood. ‘I grew up on Exmoor, always outdoors playing,’ he says. ‘When I was about ten, I decided to build a den. I borrowed my father’s pickaxe and hammer to cut through some stone to make a pathway. But what to do with all the stone? I stacked it up … and that was my first dry stone wall. It was tiny, but as a kid I thought I’d built Hadrian’s Wall!’ He still owns the hammer he used that day. Family photo albums show him as a little boy holding stones – Tom would spend hours watching the “old boys” on Exmoor patiently building walls with no mortar. ‘I’d spend my summer holidays patching up holes and learning the techniques from these real old characters.’
right: Master stone craftsman Tom Trouton
He met Heather, his wife of 28n years, on a blind date. He moved to south Somerset where he was a postie in the morning and in the afternoons he gardened and walled. He also worked in a local quarry where he met another great mentor. ‘The quarry owner, Brian Trevis, was an amazing man. He taught me so much about the local stone. Geologically, there’s lots of different stone in this area; Shaftesbury Green, Cary Stone, Ham, Blue Lias … local to North Dorset is my favourite, Forest Marble.’
A wildflower meadow thriving within the microclimate of a walled garden
In 2005, Tom set up his own landscaping business. One of his first jobs was in Jersey, at a mansion formerly belonging to the island’s chief minister. He was tasked with creating hundreds of metres of walls … and building an amphitheatre. The massive undertaking involved three quarters of a million tonnes of soil and rock that had to be sorted. It was here his stepson Liam was trained by Tom, learning his craft on one of the ‘hardest stones to work with’. ‘He’s an absolute natural,’ says Tom proudly. Liam is now a partner in the business, and Tom’s son Joseph, also a talented waller, works with him too. And business is booming. ‘I had 19 people working for me at one stage earlier this year. I didn’t enjoy that. I feel a responsibility to my team – at heart I’m not a businessman, I’m a craftsman.’ Being his own severest critic, perfectionist Tom trains everyone who works with him. ‘A lot of people think they can wall, but they can’t. It’s a fluid process. You’ve got to be guided by the stone. I visualise exactly what I‘m looking for, then read the stones I’ve got and see how they can come together.’
Up the apples and pears …
Stone apples It was a quote for just one wall that led Tom to his most prestigious client – The Newt in Somerset. He’s now been working for the private country estate and exclusive hotel for nine years. ‘A branch had fallen off an oak tree and The Newt’s owner, Koos Bekker, asked me to incorporate it into a dry stone wall. Spectacular! After that, I was asked to create stone sheep using iron-shot Sherborne stone, making their black heads with Mendip stone. Some people will look at them and see sheep. Some will just see rocks!’ And what gift to give a multi-millionaire client? ‘I‘d been working at The Newt for four years and thought the project was coming to end. I’d always fancied having a go at stone sculpture, and the theme of The Newt is apples. I used a template of an actual apple from my own garden, and I created a stone apple. My nephew Alex had the idea to make it look like someone had taken a bite out of it. Koos loved it!’
Tom Trouton resting on one of his stone sheep, made with honey-coloured Sherborne stone, with black heads of Mendip stone
Tom may not (yet) have got his wished-for commission to build another stone apple for Apple HQ in California, but that first one led to many more – along with acorns, cherries, pears, trees and waves. ‘A Cockney lady asked me to create apples and pears for her enormous landscaped garden staircase as a nod to the Cockney rhyming slang!’ He’s also immensely proud of his own Stonehenge-style creation. In conjunction with the Arts Development Council, Tom helped build the Black Down Stone Circle near Hardy’s Monument. Five “totems” built from local Forest Marble stone are perfectly aligned, one with true north and the other four with the midwinter and midsummer solstice sunrises and sunsets. In clear conditions, the Sun’s full disc shines through an opening in one of the totems, lighting up a central rock of Portland stone. ‘It was a real challenge, but so incredible when I witnessed it working perfectly.’ Tom is proud to give what he calls ‘comfort to the landscape’: ‘I aim to create walls that complement the land they are to reside in. I turn up at a job and there’s just a pile of stones. That is traditional dry stone walling. You use what is lying around – part of the environment – and you rearrange it to form a boundary that blends with the existing backdrop. ‘It’s always an incredible honour to rebuild a wall which you know someone worked on hundreds of years ago. Hands from the past touched the stones the exact same way you are.’ With such a busy head, Tom admits he finds it hard switching off from work. ‘I love what I do. I’ll never retire.’ When he relaxes he goes wild swimming – but he doesn’t take a dip in a river. He swims in an old quarry, surrounded by more inspiration to fill his head.
Summer solstice at the Blackdown Solar Circle. Tom Trouton built five totems from local Forest Marble, all perfectly aligned: one true north and the other four with the sunrises and sunsets of the two solstices
You can see Tom in action at The Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th August,where he’ll be creating a memorial stone sheep wall to celebrate the Show’s 30th anniversary at Turnpike Showground.
If you’re going to the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show this month, don’t forget to stop by the church tent. A reliable fixture at every show, it’s a refreshment marquee run by the Church of England in Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Stour Vale. The theme for this year is ‘The church is the place for life events’ – try out the photoboard to see how you would look as the bride and groom. It will show the happy couple in one of the 18 local churches – and you can have a look at the map to see the nearest church to you. All profits are shared among selected rural community charities. Once again, the church tent are keeping their prices the same – £2 for filter coffee or a mug of tea and £2 for a slice of homemade cake. They’re brewing up from 8.30am to 6pm each day and their tent offers a warm welcome – and the chance to have a sit down!
‘My father began the Berlin Airlift.* It was actually his idea.’ As interview openers go, it’s unexpected. But I have been sitting in photographer Charlie Waite’s studio – his mill house is just outside Gillingham – for less than ten minutes, and I am already feeling it’s going to be a lovely afternoon. Charlie greeted me in the lane outside his house with a broad smile and a broader hug – we had never met before, but the warmth from this gently-spoken man made us instant friends. I settled back into the depths of the sofa, surrounded by the detritus of a lifetime of photography: walls hidden by stacks of frames below a gallery of hung photographs, half-packed boxes of books, large work-desks stacked with prints, chairs overflowing with files and paperwork. The studio overlooks the millpond below the house, and a wall of French doors let light flood in. As we talk, I am constantly distracted by the squirrels cheerfully swaggering about on the deck outside, and the endless flurry of wings as birds stop by at the numerous feeders.
Charlie Waite
‘My parents were in Berlin at the end of 1948,’ Charlie continues. ‘My mother left Berlin to have me in London. Meanwhile, my father was putting the finishing touches to the airlift – which he hardly ever talked about. It was this massive achievement … had it not happened, there could have been a third world war. And my father never discussed it. If we asked him what he did, he’d say “Oh, just after the war, something called the airlift. ‘Anyway. I’ll go and feed the geese …” and that would be that.’ Charlie’s photography is instantly recognisable. His style is perhaps a natural result of his theatrical roots, every image a scene patiently crafted, a set design where light and shadow are carefully composed to balance and expose. There is an essence of deep stillness which pours from every frame, as Charlie finds the quiet beauty in even the stormiest of scenes. As one of the world’s leading landscape photographers, Charlie’s career has included solo exhibitions at top venues in the UK, the USA and Japan and countless awards. He is sought-after as a speaker, frequently invited to share his insights on landscape photography all over the world. ‘That’s all very well now, but I was really bad at school … HATED school. I was mercilessly bullied by other boys and I was useless at sports. I could not understand them – even less today. I’m sorry world, but football and rugby leave me completely bewildered. I was beaten by the headmaster for playing football, actually – he was Scots: “You’ll no play with a round ball in my school. It’s rrrrrrrugby, and only rrrugby!”. ‘I left school at 16 and went to a tutor in Devon, an amazing guy called Eric Siepmann, whose wife Mary [Wesley] went on to write The Camomile Lawn and became a huge success. It was the late 60s, and Eric also beat me – once for fraternising with a local girl in Ashburton, on the banks of the Dart. That was the punishment – pull your pants down, you got beaten. It was pretty tough. Awful, actually.’
Africa not RADA ‘Anyway, I absolutely hated school. I made no friends. I was thrown into swimming pools and ditches and had a really horrible time. I think it’s because I was so, sort of, useless at everything. ‘I tried to get O levels, but I didn’t manage it, so I never did A Levels, and I never went to university. I feel, even to this day, rather un-informed about life and things. ‘So I was living in the New Forest with my parents, and I went to the Salisbury Playhouse … within two years I was working there. I got £12 a week as an assistant stage manager with some acting parts. And absolutely loving it. ‘I had immense parts of one line: “your carriage is waiting” – how do I stress it? Your carriage is waiting? Your carriage is waiting? Big roles! ‘In later years I met my wife at Salisbury while we were in pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk. She was a dancer, and she thought I was gay … ‘But slowly I did get larger parts, and I had been there three years when I applied to the Donovan Maule Theatre in Nairobi, Kenya. The head of the Salisbury Playhouse, an amazing man called Reggie Salberg, said I was okay to go, and so I went to Africa! I’d had no formal training – I had been accepted at RADA, but I’d only been 17 and you had to be 18 to start. ‘We had excellent directors, and the Donovan Maule Theatre was marvellous. That year in Nairobi was terrific. When I came home I was a member of Equity, and I worked for another ten years in the theatre. I wasn’t particularly great, but I did enjoy it. ‘I became fascinated by the lighting director. They are the unsung heroes of theatre but no-one can ever name one. Costume, set design, actors, director … everything else but the lighting. ‘But they manipulate the light – and with it they manipulate the story. They can ensure the audience looks at a particular place, sees a particular story. They can inject pathos or humour … it’s fascinating. ‘In 1970, Jess, by then my wife, landed a monumental television role in The Onedin Line – she was in every one of the 92 episodes. She was brilliant. ‘It was a perfect role for her of course … the character was short, mildly irritable, and always apologising afterwards! ‘I finally decided that acting was too spasmodic and unpredictable, and I decided I’d get a studio and start photographing actors. I already knew some really good actors’ agents, and a good few actors, and I just asked if I could photograph them for their portraits for Spotlight, the big casting directory. And I did, and I did. And I did. And I did. And I did … and I did it for 12 years. It was phenomenal. Only actors. Zillions of them. Even though I’d been one for ten years, I swiftly learned so much about actors. They generally have very low self worth. I was aware myself of the vulnerability of acting. How many people do you know who “hate having their picture taken?” Actors are the same. Everyone feels exposed when the camera is raised up. ‘Usually I would chat for an hour and then spend maybe half that on the actual photography. I needed to see the actor’s confidence, not their arrogance – their personality, but not their ego. Actors often hate being well known – they’re just doing a job like anyone else – but then happen to become well known. ‘Every supermarket we went into in the 70s and early 80s there was excited whispering … the worst one was someone coming up to Jess and saying “I think you’re amazing in Poldark!”
I’m a landscape photographer ‘By this time I had a studio in Battersea, but was feeling restless. At a party I met a man called Colin Webb, who happened to be selling his house – I went to see whether we’d like to buy it. We didn’t. It was a bit awkward, it was a perfectly fine house, but not for us. We got to the door to say goodbye, and then four words changed my life. For some reason, he said “what’d you do?” I’d always liked landscape. I used to go and watch Jess filming in Devon, get bored and wander off to explore the countryside with my camera. I had wanted to try and do it more. And I remember swallowing and saying, oh-so-confidently, “I’m a landscape photographer.” “Are you?” he said. “I’m the director of the illustrated books department at Weidenfeld and Nicolson, the publishers. I’d love to see your portfolio!” And the rest is history. I went to see him. I met a giant talent called Adam Nicolson, who grew up at Sissinghurst – which was created by his grandparents, Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson. Colin, whose house we didn’t buy, said: “We’d like to do a book called the National Trust Book of Long Walks. Adam is going to write it. Would you like to do the photographs?” And I said yes, yes. Yes! It took about a year, and I had the most wonderful time. Adam gave me the manuscript, walking in Cornwall or wherever it was. And I then went to the place and did the walk. Actually that’s not true, I did most of it by car – but only because I had all the equipment! We came back, we met up with Colin Webb, and he looked at the results – my babies, my babies, they really were! – in their two and a quarter inch square transparencies. And he just said “Lovely. What would you like to do next?” ‘Adam promptly joked: “long walks in Russia and France?” and Colin said “long walks in France? Super … contract tomorrow.” ‘It’s unbelievable now. Since then I’ve done 30-odd books. And I’m still obsessed with landscape photography and the natural world. I go on and on about it. It’s never just a shot. It’s a huge production. I’m happy in my obsession though.
LPOTY In 2007 I thought it would be great if we found a way to celebrate our amazing landscapes, and I approached the AA, the book publishing arm, to suggest the idea of Landscape Photographer of the Year (LPOTY). Thankfully they immediately said, “great idea!” I then spoke to the National Theatre, who I knew as I’d had exhibitions there, and said: “I wonder if I could have the little theatre as the gallery for exhibiting LPOTY?” So for five years we had the exhibition at the National Theatre, which meant a guaranteed audience of a thousand people a night: because they all needed the loo in the interval and saw the exhibition on the way! ‘Then we partnered with Network Rail – and now LPOTY’s exhibited on railway platforms. Paddington, London Bridge, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh … something like seven million people a month going through Waterloo alone? It’s just phenomenal. ‘But like every event or award, sponsorship is hard to find – I’m not absolutely sure we’ll make it to year 17. And contrary to popular belief, I don’t earn anything from it! It doesn’t earn enough to pay me, and I wanted the winner to have the £10,000. It’s really hard work, for no money. I haven’t been a good businessman, maybe? I haven’t, I’m not a businessman. I’m just a fairly simple guy who absolutely loves being outside and wants to encourage people to photograph the landscape.’
And so to the 19 random questions …
What’s your relationship with Dorset? It’s next door to Hampshire where I was brought up, so I popped into it from time to time! In the 70s I was working in France when Jess heard about a mill for sale in Dorset. The solicitor told Jess she couldn’t go and see it on her own, or make an offer. She had to have her husband there. I just said “You must go and see it. You make the decision.” So she did – the solicitor was rather unhappy about it! She made the offer, and it was accepted. Actually, it turned out no one else wanted it because they suspected it flooded! So we left London when our daughter was eight, and moved here to Dorset. It’s a neverending relationship. I’ll look along a lane less than two miles from here, and think “I’ve never been up there! Oh my word. Look at that beautiful shape in the land. Look at that line of bushes. How could that have been here all this time?” It’s an extraordinary county, I’m still discovering it. Dorset never ends. I relish it all the time. And you can be so brilliantly alone in Dorset. There’s so many silent places. I usually set off in the rain – after the rain, the light is incredible for about three to four minutes. That moment the rain has passed, it’s impossible to believe the quality of the light. There’s a tiny window of clarity … and then it’s gone.
What was the last song you sang out loud in your car Probably Climb Ev’ry Mountain, from the Sound of Music. I think I’m still in love with Julie Andrews. I love singing Climb Ev’ry Mountain. Oh, and I Can’t Help Falling In Love. I just heard it the other day in Shaftesbury High Street. Beautiful.
The last film you watched? I promise you, it was The Sound Of Music! It was! I went with my son in law, who’s a filmmaker. And we absolutely loved it. I can’t bear films which have any violence, and there’s so many movies with death and violence and cruelty. I just want happy stuff. And The Sound of Music is utterly beautiful.
It’s Friday night, you have the house to yourself, no work is allowed. What will you do? There’s something about creative endeavours, they carry a degree of insecurity. I look at certain pictures and I think “Does that cloud look a bit mannered? I waited for it, but …” I get a bit uncertain. So what I love doing is coming in the studio and looking at photographs that I took 30 or 40 years ago – if I can find them because my cataloguing is absurd. Sometimes I just search “little tree with cloud on top”. Somewhere I’ve written what it was, I usually find them, but I do get into a bit of a state. Anyway, I love looking back and re-evaluating them. Sometimes I see something in a photograph that I didn’t consider was worthy at the time. And I think “that was alright”. It gives me immense pleasure, especially those I haven’t seen for a long time.
The best biscuit for dunking. A Ginger Nut, no question.
What’s a sound or smell that makes you happy? A curlew. Just gorgeous. It really does make me happy. To be honest, any animal that makes a sound, I’m gawking at them all the time.
What little luxury would you buy with £10? I think I’d buy as many packets of ginger biscuits as I could.
What would you like to be remembered for? As somebody who’s encouraged a sense of amazement about the natural world. If I could do that, if I could be somebody who’s encouraged you to look through a camera and notice. And really spend time engaging with the natural world. Don’t just take a snap. Everyone should be a photographer, because it makes you notice. But it’s not easy. The image has got to convey a massive emotional hit to the viewer. It’s got to be an emotional reaction, it can’t just be “Oh, that’s pretty” It’s got to absolutely slam you.
What’s your comfort meal? PIZZA! Spinach pizza, always spinach pizza. Or maybe my breakfast… with blackcurrants. I read up a lot about them, and they are the most amazing fruit. I usually have a really big pot of blackcurrants – the Udder Farm Shop does them frozen! I get about a carrier bag full. Blackcurrants rock. So breakfast, blackcurrants and yogurt. Lovely.
What’s your secret superpower? Complete wonder at nature. Not necessarily to photograph – I told you, I’m obsessed. I rescue worms. I’m in a total state of amazement at the existence of the natural world.
What was the last gift you gave or received? I gave the girls (Charlie’s twin granddaughters) a basic little canoe to be able to go on the river, to know what it feels like to float in a little boat. They love it.
What’s your favourite quote? I love Gandhi’s ‘the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals.’ I think that’s the best.
Your most annoying trait? Untidiness. It’s desperate. I know it’s kind of amusing, but if I could, I’d find a therapist who would help me be tidy. I cannot understand how I can be doing something with one bit of paper, writing a list or something – a list! If I can achieve that, that’s amazing – and then suddenly something else comes into my head and I completely forget what I’ve just been doing and go and do the second thing. Then I forget the second thing because a third has popped into my head … I’m surrounded by half-finished things. That’s why my studio is such a tip. I love it when I’ve had a tidy up though. I feel heroic. I want to tell everybody!
What shop can you not pass without going in? A brocante or a bric-à-brac shop. I’m not very good with modern things, really. Actually, there’s a lovely old shop in Shaftesbury High Street which has become a sort of antique shop. Not high end antiques, a bric-à-brac place. Crazy items. Wonderland.
Tell us about one of the best evenings you’ve ever had The evening the grandchildren were born. Even now I get tearful. And I’m completely besotted, absolutely bonkers about them.
What in life is frankly a mystery to you? Why we aren’t more aware of how we have to save our planet. I did a thing for the Art Society a while ago, and they asked me what my favourite landscape was. I chose a picture of the planet Earth from space. It is the most extraordinary image. And I always says: “That’s all we’ve got, it’s just us. We must protect it.” It’s the biggest mystery, why we aren’t hell-bent on trying to ensure that we preserve our wonderful planet Earth.
Chip shop chips or home baked cake? A really lovely vegan homemade cake (but please put in brackets I LOVE CHIPS. Because I really do.)
Cats or dogs I grew up with cats. I think they’re amazing creatures, what they have to put up with. But I have dogs, and I’ve always had rescue dogs. I think dogs can teach us a lot. And the more we learn about dogs the better. And you usually know you’re going to get along with somebody who likes dogs.
You have the power to pass one law uncontested – what would you do? There are more women photographing than ever – but they often go out with fear in their hearts. And far fewer of them do sunsets or sunrises, especially in towns and cities. I’d make a law which states when a woman is murdered, the perpetrator should go to prison for their entire lives. More than 1,000 women a year are killed in the UK. It’s unbelievable that women are just walking in the park, or decide to take the shortcut home, and … Because I was bullied, I know that there’s an aggressive side to men. I wish our laws were much stronger when it comes to violence against women.
*In 1948, Air Commodore Reginald Waite was Head of Disbandment at the headquarters of the Allied Control Commission. He suggested that the Berlin Blockade could be broken by an airlift. Subsequently, the British and Americans started a joint operation to circumvent the Russian blockade.
Mosaic, a Dorset charity founded in 2007 to support bereaved children, has launched a major fundraising appeal to continue supporting children struggling with the death of someone close to them. The charity provides qualified counsellors who help children and young people understand and manage their grief and anxiety. However, the increasing demand for Mosaic’s services has outstripped its ability to provide free access to counsellors. The charity urgently needs to raise £100,000 this year to maintain its support services amid rising costs and dwindling funds. Jo Revill, Mosaic’s CEO, says, ‘This is the crunch point for us now. We’ve seen a 47 per cent increase in the number of children and young people being referred to us for help this year. We want to continue to exist for Dorset’s children. The services we offer can transform a child’s life, and their life chances, but we cannot be sure of meeting that need if we can’t raise the money.’ Teachers from primary and secondary schools across Dorset refer children to Mosaic for counselling support and advice. Last year, the charity provided counselling to 412 children and young people – this number is likely to be substantially higher in 2024, with extra help also going into school in peer support. Nearly half of the referrals involve children or young people who have lost a parent. It costs £350 to provide comprehensive counselling for one child or young person, including family support, over several months. Karen Parnell, Chair of Trustees, says, ‘I’m incredibly grateful for the support our family received from Mosaic when my husband died. It had a profound impact on my children during a very difficult time. The specialised counselling and peer support provided my daughters with a safe space to express their feelings, share their experiences and connect with others who understood their loss.’ She added: ‘We hope that our communities can really get behind us in this challenging financial period to help us raise funds so that all the children and young people who need our help can receive it. There is so much more for us to do as a charity and we’re lucky to have very dedicated individuals – staff, volunteers, trustees and counsellors – who make all the difference.’
Child okeford will once again be opening its doors this August for the annual Art Trail, showcasing 21 talented artists and craftspeople across four venues, exhibiting in their own homes, studios and community spaces. All the venues are located within walking distance of the village centre, and visitors can view and purchase a varied collection of arts and crafts. Exhibiting in the Community Centre is Martin Brierley – a painter who works in oils on board, inspired by land, sea and sky. Also ceramicist Gaynor Waring – she works in various clays and uses smoke-firing methods to create beautiful objects rooted in the landscape – and Karina Gill, a notable Dorset silverware and jewellery designer. Local plein air oil painter Rob Adams will be at Clock Cottage with artist Sue Fawthrop. Diane Ablitt will be exhibiting at the Old School House. She is an artist who likes to strip an image of unnecessary detail, keeping a strong design and creating flat poster-like pieces. She will be joined by Kathy Clarke who uses Reduction Lino Printing: cutting away the Lino after each colour is added to the reverse impression of the design. There will be a group of 13 artists in the Village Hall, where local charity SERO (raising money for Julia’s House Children’s Hospice) will be offering refreshments, homemade cakes and sandwiches throughout the four days. Their member Julie Little creates affordable paintings in various media with all profits going to SERO. Also in the hall will be Sue Bates – a talented watercolour artist who uses no pencil before she paints, Rachel Chenery who will be showing her stoneware pottery and Diane Mary Alice will return with her paintings inspired by the Dorset countryside and her upcycled children’s chairs. With such a wide variety of artists, from painters to jewellers, photographers to potters and much more, there is something to interest everyone. The trail provides an opportunity to meet local artists in person in their creative worlds and discover new and surprising aspects of their work.
Friday 23rd to Monday 26th August 11am to 4pm daily Follow Child Okeford Art Trail on social media to see more artist profiles and more information about the trail
The Martin family at Deverel Farm hosted a farm walk in July – conversation centred on crop rotation, control of fixed costs and diversification
Dorset FCN have been busy this summer, with plenty of activities to bring our local farming community together. Alongside our regular Walk & Talk events around the county (see dates for the upcoming ones in the poster below), we have held two wonderful farm walks. The first at the Crutchley’s family farm at Nettlecombe near Bridport. We met on the most idyllic evening to explore the farm nestled under Eggardon Hill. We looked at the dairy, and a lively discussion centred around stewardship schemes and the diversification of redundant farm buildings.
Our second walk was courtesy of the Martin Family, at Milborne St Andrew. The farm is all arable, and we discussed machinery needs and how to keep fixed costs down. The farm is close to a Wessex Water borehole, and the family works closely with the water board. With much of Dorset acting as a catchment for phosphates and nitrates, hearing first hand how farmers can help was very useful. And a quick note for non-farmers when they’re out and about – as harvest gains momentum, please be patient with the increased farm traffic on the roads. We hope for a fine month for both the farmers and holidaymakers alike. Farming is testing at the moment and myself and our volunteers are always here to listen and help when required. – Bec Hill
FCN is here for you. The confidential, national helpline is open every day of the year from 7am to 11pm and volunteers provide free, confidential support to anyone who seeks help: Call 03000 111 999
