Our regular column in which you discover the faces and stories behind the pub sign. This month we’ve been chatting to Rhiannon & Greg who run The Antelope Inn at Hazelbury
How did you end up at The Antelope?
Greg and I found ourselves running The Antelope while on a travelling sabbatical that was grounded due to Covid. After a year into our travels (although originally from here, we were living in South Africa) we came to the UK to spend Christmas with my mother and our daughter Hannah up North, just before the pandemic hit.
During the pandemic we decided to help our friend Alasdair Warren (whose family have lived in Dorset for over 200 years) with renovations of his collection of beautiful pubs here in Dorset. Loving The Antelope, we decided it would be a fun challenge to run it! Hannah (and her cat Pax) joined us in the adventure of pub life and as a family we have been warmly welcomed into the village. Alasdair’s pubs (including The Elm Tree in Langton Herring, Pymore Inn in Bridport and World End in Almer) have all been beautifully restored to their former selves, with close attention to detail while maintaining the period of the building.
What’s your favourite local place to visit on an afternoon off?
We take our breaks from the pub with lovely walks (Bulbarrow is a favourite) , catch ups with friends in the village, coffee and cake at the King Stag Coffee House and the occasional lunch at The Gaggle of Geese or The Elms. On rare days off we llike to visit neighbouring towns – especially Sherborne and Shaftesbury – and learn as much about Dorset as we can.
Tell us about your pandemic
Lock down here at The Antelope was very productive! We were decorating, maintaining and we reupholstered in our Skittle alley. We did manage to have a socially distanced Christmas market in our skittle alley, which we hope to do again this year with less restrictions.
Since opening back up this year, we have seen many people, both local and holiday makers and many furry friends, return to our beautiful garden and pub.
What’s been your biggest challenge since taking over?
For us it’s been encouraging locals back to the pub who have not visited for many years due to the fact that it was primarily a wet pub with little or no option of food. We have been encouraged by the return of families and locals who are enjoying our tapas menu, great burgers and weekly added specials.
What part of the pub is your absolute favourite?
The Antelope was built in the 1700s, originally as a combined dairy farm, brewery and Ale house. Thankfully the Ale House part stayed! It is full of character. The Snug is a special space which we all love… but I have to be honest, the bathrooms are gorgeous and most people comment on them! The garden is also one of our favourite places in the pub.
Which dish is your most popular?
Our change to a tapas menu this year has been successful and we are seeing people return for their favourites, especially our sticky chicken wings and boerewors, a traditional South African sausage. Our burgers with homemade relish and locally sourced meat are also very popular and our homemade deserts and scones are not to be missed!
So what’s next – do you have big plans on the horizon?
Beginning of this month we started afternoon music in the garden and have artists lined up for 24th of July and 8th of August as well as an Open Mic evening on the 7th of July. We are also waiting for the sun, so we can get back outside and bring back our barbeque (braai) evenings!
We have all been told how wonderful the pedestrianisation of Shaftesbury High Street is and how people are now flocking there to shop. We have seen pictures of the crowded street full of people. But how about on a normal day? The lack of parking due to the closure is now effecting the town. I have witnessed tourists trying to park in the Bell St car park and driving off when there are no spaces. I have been asked by tourists where they can park as they have tried all the car parks they can find in the town. The town council stress how much safer people feel in the High Street with it being pedestrianised. The trouble is that the High Street is only partially pedestrianised. Busses, delivery vehicles and even private cars are driving through the high street in both directions. Far faster than the 5mph allowed. It is only a matter of time before someone is going to be lulled into a false sense of security and knocked down and killed. I believe this has already happened in Salisbury. I am aware of a petition that was submitted to STC which contained 40 signatures from businesses against pedestrianisation. According to STC 80% of businesses are for it. Are there really 200 businesses in the High Street?
I know of a business based in Semley who used to regularly come up to collect lunch from the Salt Cellar. But due to the pedestrianisation not any more. Helen from the Baguette bar has also lost business from the industrial estates. I’m not particularly against or for the pedestrianisation, for me it’s just an inconvenience for my clients and staff. I have had an office opposite the Town Hall for the last 21 years so I have got a bit of experience on how the High Street works. However what I am concerned about is the way STC are conducting their surveys and their ‘findings’ Pedestrianisation is not something to be taken lightly. Full and proper consultation needs to be completed by an independent body. The residents of Bell Street and even Gold Hill and St James need to be consulted, as they are all being effected by increased traffic flows and parking problems.
Reports commissioned by STC over the last 20 years have all said Shaftesbury is short of parking spaces. Pedestrianisation removes 200 one hour parking slots per day. Leaving Shaftesbury up to 500 parking slots per day short. And that’s according to one of the reports commissioned by STC!
Pedestrianisation may be a popularist policy. But without further consideration of the potentially dire consequences it should not happen. Adrian Thompson Shaftesbury
There are many views about the pedestrianisation of Shaftesbury High Street but there is a clear majority of some 87% in favour of it which includes disabled people. Councillors have listened to comments and have reduced the pedestrian period allowing car access for longer. If disabled people need access to banks or shops after 4pm when the shop or bank might close then that shop or bank has a duty to open to provide the disabled customers with the service.
At the end of the day the decision is not with the Town Council nor do we have a decision about the final details as these matters lie with Dorset Council.
I suggested the council lease and operate a golf buggy to transport people from the disabled parking, like the airport buggies, however covid regulations made it impractical. It is an option though you can imagine the cost over a year!
Some people expect to drive and park outside the shop door, which the proposal would allow for 25% of the working day, which you cannot do at West Quay or other shopping centres Cllr Philip Proctor Shaftesbury
I’m really enjoying the quality of the photos in your magazine – do you have any plans for a print version one day? F Greeves, Marnhull
I’m afraid not Fiona – we deeply believe in the environmental benefits of a digital publication, plus at over 100 pages with a strong focus on high resolution beautiful imagery, each magazine would cost over £10. Currently, in order to make print viable we would have to sacrifice content and quality – neither of which we wish to do!
I wonder if readers have noticed that the minute England won the match against Germany the sun came out and has stayed shining. Do you think this is just a coincidence or are they linked? You appear to have good writers on your mag – what about an investigation? VB, Shaftesbury
I’ve taken advice from an expert on the England team, who is also an expert on lounging about doing nothing in the sunshine while moaning, and my 18 year old son assures me that it’s definitely linked. He says ‘it’s the hand of God blessing the righteous.’ – Ed
I’m fairly new to this area and I am very happily surprised at the confidence Dorset people have: reacting to the lockdowns by starting new businesses, extending their business and being incredibly community-minded. I’m pretty sure we’ll be a more harmonious and prosperous society post-Covid. It’ll take a while but we’ll get there. One of your funnier columnists wrote a piece about it in a previous issue, quoting the economic views of ‘Professor’ Noddy Holder, the singer of Slade. It was amusing but also accurate, in my view.Government has got used to spending big – when tax revenues return (all forecasts predict it will be sooner, not later) I hope and believe that they will continue to think big. W Smith, Shaftesbury
I was amazed to read about the retired RAF pilot who served in the Falklands. What an incredibly brave and skilled man – and what heroes we have quietly living in our midst. Sally B, Sturminster Newton
Sally, they’re not living all that ‘quietly’ as you will read if you glance at our follow-up article on a ‘Famous flier ‘annoys’ BV Magazine journalist’ here… Ed
I live in Okeford Fitzpaine, not far from the old dairy site and the houses that were featured in the last ‘Then & Now’ column. How fascinating it was, still within living memory for some. I felt rather sad the next day, walking down the street and remembering those who were once there. Lucy P, Okeford Fitzpaine
To get a birthday card from the Queen (my father in Law is 100, an absolute miracle – as you’ll read below) you’ve got to download a form from the Anniversaries Office at Buckingham Palace and send it back by post.
Kae posted the completed form on a Tuesday. By mid afternoon Wednesday she got an email from the Palace (not personally from Her Maj, I note, which suggests a woeful slackening off from official duties from the monarch) saying the old guy will get a card from Queenie.
‘That’s the first I’ve ever delivered,’ said the postie on The Day, gazing with reverence at the stately blue envelope bearing the Queen’s coat of arms (with rather stern warnings on the back should anyone dare to impede the envelope reaching its lawful recipient ‘on the day it must arrive’).
We’d arranged for the mayor to come round. That was funny. Her office said ‘the Mayor’s car will arrive at exactly 1.30pm…’. And at exactly 1.30pm a worker’s van drew up next to FiL’s drive. I went out and asked the driver if the Mayor was in the vehicle. ‘Not the last time I looked,’ he said, warily watching me.
And then a chauffeur-driven Ford Focus (north Bournemouth clearly facing a challenging budget) drew up and out stepped Her Worship in full regalia.
I’d sent her a resumé of FiL’s life, she’d obviously read it and this delightful woman talked to him with great humour for half an hour. Bearing in mind she had a tough council session shortly afterwards this was exceedingly generous of her.
‘That was kind of you,’ I said as I escorted her to her ‘limousine’. ‘God, I loved it. What an amazing man,’ she replied, ‘it’s the best part of my job.’
The irony of the FiL reaching a century is that when he was 23 he was an engineer (acting sergeant, all the responsibility without the pay) with the 8th Army, fighting in Italy. His job was to crawl into German held territory to assess which bridges could take the weight of a 33 ton Sherman tank. It was a bloody affair as ‘Jerry’ festooned such locations with booby traps, mines, shelling and snipers.
He and his troop expected to be killed or wounded every hour of every day. They all had written farewell letters to be sent to their mums and dads when (not if) they were killed. He lost a lot of good mates.
At one stage he was up against a particularly vicious German troop, with a reputation for shooting injured or captured allied soldiers, but off he went, did his job and when he returned to report, his colonel said, ‘I didn’t expect to see you again, Sergeant.’
I’m guessing this officer did not enjoy a sparkling post-war career as a motivational speaker.
But, the FiL is still around 77 years later. When we left he said, ‘we’ll do it again next year.’
When you get stung!
We’ve been waiting for what seems a year for summer and as I write this it has arrived. Hoo-bleeding-sun-ray.
Slight prob, though: bees and wasps.
I’ve always been fine about bees. Very useful, attractive personalities.
But I’m allergic to them. I found this out when gardening two years ago and was stung three times. Began to feel a bit odd but ignored it for about 10-15 minutes. Then I phoned 111.
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Two ambulances and a medic car screeched to a halt outside our cottage. The lovely lady on 111 had told me to crawl to the front door ‘do NOT stand up’ and unlock it and kept me talking while my throat swelled so I could no longer breathe and I went into a coma.
Next thing, I had been filled with fast-acting substances and was hooked to a oxygen tank and blue-lighted to Dorch hospital.
I came to as we were approaching Dorch and the paramedics told me I was ‘probably a minute away from death, maybe less.’
I owe my life to these fantastic people. By the time I was wheeled from the ambulance to ICU they were making me laugh so much with their tales that I was again finding it hard to breathe.
The docs told me that if I get stung again, don’t hang about, use the EpiPen (CORRECT) and dial 999.
Apparently, one gets more allergic to bees and wasps as you get older, so if you are stung and feel odd, get on to emergency services immediately without thinking you’re wasting their time, as I did. I delayed phoning and nearly paid the price. I was diplomatically bollocked by the Doc for not phoning earlier.
Hard to fight back when you’re weezing on a stretcher in ICU.
Talking of wasps…
In the village shop where I used to live there was a hand written card in the window saying, ‘Wasps Nest Destroyed. £20. Senior Citizens £15!
Perhaps a mistake?
And on the subject of misreading, there’s a vegan Thai restaurant in Dorch called B8 Café off Trinity Street.
You pronounce the name bait (B Eight) which is London street slang for something attractive and unusual.
And ‘bait’ is a good name as the food looks absolutely fantastic – see their Facebook Page.
Their website says it is still open for take-aways but the restaurant is remaining closed’ then they add, ‘we apologise for the incontinence.’
My wife says they’ve done it on purpose so they get talked about. Seems to have worked.
More good food
My local, The Antelope in Hazelbury Bryan, has introduced a mouth-watering inexpensive tapas menu. We popped in on a Saturday not intending to eat as we had a meal planned for the evening. Rhiannon showed us the menu. And we ate. Despite getting second degree burns from the stuffed jalapeno peppers it was terrific.
Antelope Hazelbury Bryan – July’s Meet your Local in the B;ackmore Vale
My wife ordered fries with hers. Rhiannon’s hub came out to see if we enjoyed it. ‘The fries were amazing,’ Kae said. ‘They’re triple-cooked,’ Gregg said proudly.
I just couldn’t resist it. ‘If you’d done them properly first time round, you’d only have to cook them once,’ I said. I just can’t not say these things.
Gregg fixed me with ‘the look.’ He had a mask on, but I’m sure he was smiling. Sort of sure.
What is a ‘Gentleman?’
‘What’s the definition of a gentleman,’ I was asked by Pete, who runs The Old Chapel stores in Buckland Newton.
Without waiting for an answer, he gleefully supplied the answer, ‘it’s a man who can play the bagpipes, but doesn’t.’ Then Pete chuckled at his own wit.
I did know that but thought ‘let Pete have his fun.’ It’s a kindness, really.
Dolly’s best quote
I teach guitar and had a new lovely new little student, a girl aged 10 who wanted to play the Taylor Swift song, Shake it Off. It struck me that these are the same opening chords as Jolene, by the great Dolly Parton.
The little girl’s mum and gran were in my Studio too, so I told them Dolly’s best quote. ‘It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.’
I was so gratified by their laughter.
She did mind really!
A few years ago I started a chess club which met every Tuesday evening in Mappowder village hall.
If you don’t know this building, think of the Taj Mahal, Got the beauty of that place firmly pictured in your mind? Good.
Now, think of the dilapidated shed round the back where they keep the buckets and mops. Mapps village hall is a bit like that shed.
But, it’s a very friendly club (it’s referred to as ‘The Charming Chess Club’ check-out the FaceBook page), and that’s what I aimed for, not one of those serious chess clubs which uses clocks and where chatter is frowned upon and people dread ‘the league table’.
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I insist on only two rules. Allow your opponent as much time as she/he likes to think of a move; and once you’ve touched a piece for a move, you’re committed – you can’t go back (a good rule as it helps concentration).
We welcome everyone, beginners, those who haven’t played since school, any age, gender and we have a good turnout (ruined by Covid, obv) including a lovely woman, Lisa, and her partner, Rick, who come down from Gillingham (Lisa insists on calling the knights ‘horseys,’ which tickles me, Rick gives me a weary and pained look). Lisa chatters away through the game and she can be relied upon to make one crucial mistake every game she plays, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. This is generally followed by unlady-like oaths and a lot of amusement from the other players and we all have a cup of tea and a biscuit (which I used to make, and became quite good at – I’d flavour them with vanilla and orange).
Lisa lost every match (usually two or three each chess night) for a year but continued as cheerfully enthusiastic and we all loved her for it.
Then she played a game which was very exciting. She hadn’t made a mistake and was two moves away from checkmate. By this time all the players were gathered round this game holding their breath and praying for her.
And she won – the entire assembled cheered, clapped and hugged her.
And Lisa burst into tears.
Meat is murder
One evening at chess, showing little interest in the game, a player and I were talking about Hitler (no, me neither).
And of the murderous dictator, Ash said, ‘I went right off him when I heard he was vegetarian.’
I laughed so much that I buggered up my next move and lost the game (he’d have beaten me anyway). Lisa, who was with us, chattering away, was delighted.
The famous German sense of irony
I spent a week in the rather beautiful German city of Hanover, early in my journalist career. I was provided with a very nice interpreter (which was hilarious as everyone I interviewed spoke betterer English than me).
One evening, over dinner, we were discussing popular German names and, out of the blue, Gabrielle came out with, ‘The name Adolf is not very popular.’
Almost spraying her with riesling, I gazed at her in astonishment trying to find any sign of irony but she was just stating a fact.
‘I wonder why that is,’ I said (with heavy theatricallity), and she just shook her head as if it was an unfathomable mystery.
What a little tanker!
Many years ago when I had a birthday coming up, Kae asked what I’d like to do and I said, ‘Look inside a tank with an expert’ (mid-life crisis).
She phoned Bovington Tank Museum, explained what she wanted and the receptionist got through to a middle-manager who listened and put Kae through to the boss.
The message had got confused.
‘Mrs Palmer,’ said the boss, ‘I understand you’d like us to arrange a birthday treat.’
‘Yes please,’ Kae said.
‘How old is the little lad?’
’Forty three,’ Kae replied.
She had to pull the phone away from her ear as laughter exploded out of the earpiece.
And the message still had not come through when we turned up at the agreed time. An ex-tanker in overalls was at the desk to greet us, ‘Mr and Mrs Palmer,’ he said, looking around and spreading his hands downwards as if to say, ‘and where is the little scamp?’
Kae and I looked around too, wondering what he meant until it dawned.
‘It’s me,’ I said, at which he manfully hid his amusement.
But at the end of the tour, he still gave me an Airfix tank kit he’d carefully wrapped as a gift. So kind. We bought him lunch at the museum’s canteen, he told me about his army career, and we had a wonderful time.
When we left I thanked him for the tank kit and said (without looking him in the eye), ‘I’ll give it to my nephew.’
Took me ages to assemble that tank.
An awkward conversation?
The last issue of your digital BV magazine carried a fascinating story of the RAF’s top scoring fighter pilot from the Falklands war.
The pilot, David Morgan, met up with one of the Argentine pilots, Hector Sanchez, and they became close friends. Hector and his wife stayed with David and family, and David introduced them to scrumpy. It was a great success .
This happened a lot after WWII when RAF and German fighters met to reminisce. I wonder how the first few conversations went and I’d guess a bit like this – a mixture of English desire to avoid any unpleasantness versus German directness:
RAF pilot: …err, you know the err.. war, you know, the war started by Hitl….err that bloke with the ‘tache, the war that you err flew your very nice plane in.
German pilot: It was a very nice plane, ya.
RAF: Well, you remember that day when you were err…
German: Shot down?
RAF: err…yes.
German: By you.
RAF: Errm, was it me? (Pretends to search memory). It was wasn’t it? I’d err forgotten.
German: I remember it very clearly. The afternoon of June 8th, 1940. Yes. I do remember that afternoon.
RAF: Good lord, what a memory you have, ha ha ha! I’d forget my own head if it wasn’t on my shoulders.
German: And after you shot me down, you shot down my colleague, Hans.
RAF: Did I? Oh, yes, I do remember something like that errm, well, sorry about all that. Nothing personal. Fancy a pint?
German: Donner und blitzen, I thought you’d never ask.
Planes at Compton Abbas airfield
David now flies his little plane from Compton Abbas airfield, which has an excellent and well-priced restaurant with great views (and so it should, it’s the highest private airfield in England).
Last time I visited I did suggest to the lovely server that maybe on the restaurant menu they should have more fitting food for an airfield, such as Barbequed Wings.
If she did find that funny she hid it well.
I tried again, ‘Bomb Bay Duck?’
Still didn’t quite get the laugh it deserved. Or any laugh.
I played my trump card, ‘Steak & Aileron Pie?’
Shaking her head, she gave me a pitying look.
Kae said to her, ‘you’ve heard it all before, haven’t you?’
Ready to share your local produce with the county?! If you are a Dorset-based farmer, grower, fisherman, or food or drink producer, this year’s Love Local Trust Local Food & Drink Awards are now open for entries!
What is Love Local Trust Local?
Love Local Trust Local was founded by fifth generation farming family, the Cossins’ in Tarrant Valley. Founder Barbara Cossins is passionate that farmers are represented. The label plans to educate the consumers on how to trust food labelling, where to look, what it all really means and why shopping local matters.
Created by farmers and producers, for farmers and producers, what sets these awards apart is that they are designed purely to celebrate the work that goes into our local food production!
Photo: Barbara & Team at the launch of this years Love Local Trust Local Food & Drink Awards 2021
The Awards
The second year of the Love Local Trust Local Food & Drinks Awards features 12 categories, with a total of 18 awards for the taking! From categories such as bakery, meat, fish and suchlike, through to conservation and sustainability, and innovation and diversification there is ample chance to get recognised.
Entrants must operate from their Dorset base, sourcing any ingredients from within a 30-mile radius. The team at Love Local want to find out what sets you apart, and why your practice truly stands out from the crowd. This is a chance for Dorset food and drink producers to really shout about what you do, why you do it and how you do it!
Get Involved
The Love Local Trust Local Awards are supported by sponsors who not only champion the awards and comprise the judging panel. This is one of the most unique ways to get involved with the local food and drink producing community, tasting some of the best food and drink Dorset has to offer. Get in touch to get involved!
To support the Love Local Trust Local Food and Drink Awards 2021, you can follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, for all the latest news and updates. You can also pop on over to the Rawston Farm Butchery & Shop to purchase your tea towel or car sticker to show your support for the cause.
To enter this year’s awards, click here. The team at Love Local look forward to learning more about the best of Dorset food and drink for 2021!
Chickens are quite easy to keep and make good first time pets.They need to be let out of their house in the morning and shut in in the evening. They need constant access to fresh water and will need feeding with a specific complete chicken food.
They can also have treats such as vegetables but must not be fed kitchen scraps. You will need to completely clean out your chicken house at least once a week.
Chickens spend most of their day scratching around looking for things to eat, so be prepared for the area where they are kept to get muddy in wet weather.
What do I need to keep chickens at home?
• A secure hen house with a nest box and perches.
• A secure garden or run.
Can you give Glenda her Forever Home?
Hello, my name is Glenda and I am between 1-2 years old. If you are interested in providing me with my Forever Home and can provide all the things I need listed above, please call 01929 480474 and have a chat with the humans caring for me. I have 19 other ex-caged friends also looking for a fresh start.
You can find me and my friends in Dorset. Please use the contact details below to find out more: Tel: 01929 480474 Email: [email protected]
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!…yes, people usually say that at Christmas, but for us at Thorngrove, it really does ring true as we move deep in to Summer! We see the culmination of results from earlier planting, and there’s no getting around it, this time of year is the most diverse when it comes to choices for your garden in terms of flowers and their colour. The Roses are of course taking centre stage right now, but the variety on display with the bedding plants, in the glasshouses, and the shrubs.
Thorngrove
We often see a huge surge in demand from customers as they take advantage of the good weather, and especially given the new found appreciation for our gardens over the last year, now more than ever we have people coming to Thorngrove wanting advice on how they can make their garden space, baskets or planters the best they can possibly be. Our staff have also been working hard to fulfil orders from our larger customers, providing 100s of planters, baskets, and barrels for spaces in the local and wider communities. All meticulously put together by hand with the quality and expertise you can expect from our staff.
“Even though this can one of our busiest times of the year, I really enjoy it because there’s so much pride to be taken in seeing the plants leave the glasshouses and go out into the courtyard. Especially after the late arrival of the warmer weather. We had extra work to do to make sure we didn’t lose many plants to the extended period of cold weather we have in may” says Glasshouse assistant Diane Francis.
Chris Francis Thorngroves Glasshouse Manager
The hot weather did finally arrive which means the plant watering has increased on site. A huge undertaking when you consider the size of Throngrove. Don’t forget to water your own plants as they’ll be using water more. Every day if there’s been no rain, early in the morning or early evening are the most efficient times for this.
So as we say, it IS the most wonderful time of the year at Thrognrove, it’s all hands on deck. Stop by and see the results of out work for yourself, enjoy lunch at The Secret Garden Café, and say hello to staff who would love to hear about your Summer garden.
Thorngrove Garden Centre, Common Mead Lane, Gillingham, Dorset. SP8 4RE – 01747 822242
We have recently celebrated #ThankATeacherDay. This gives us all the opportunity to reflect upon those teachers who made the difference to our lives while we were at school and who helped direct us along our chosen paths.
It also allows me, both as your Member of Parliament but also as a parent to thank again the teachers and support staff in schools across North Dorset and local colleges who have so magnificently risen to the occasion and delivered learning and inspiration to our young people during the most challenging of circumstances of Covid. Many of us feared we might ‘lose a generation’ in educational terms. Any such fears can be put to rest.
Thinking back to my teachers I consider myself spoilt for choice. Mrs Lord and Mrs Watkins who fostered my love of history. Miss Fitzgerald, a fiery Socialist from Port Talbot who taught RE and with whom I debated our respective politics. Sister Cecily a nun so sweet and benign she made Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music seem positively wicked. But perhaps it was Mrs Driscoll my diminutive Mrs Pepperpot infant schoolteacher who identified me as being a ‘butterfly brain’. I would flit from one thing to another, to one end of the classroom to the next, poking my nose in, finding out what was going on, asking questions.
She told my parents that she was worried that I would never settle long enough to anything to see it through, and that I must ditch my scattergun approach for a more Exocet mindset.
I mention this because last week my eldest daughter Imogen asked me what the most important issue was to me in politics? It’s not as easy question as might first appear. I gave some consideration to my answer and replied that it was whatever was important to the person who contacted me at the time.
Now I realise that might sound an airy-fairy answer. There are of course things which are of intense importance and interest to me, but a MP is not an elected single issue pressure group but a representative of, and facilitator for, the views, needs and aspirations of all who are fortunate enough to call North Dorset home.
Let me give you an example; over recent weeks I have organised meetings with Ministers and constituents to discuss the export of fishing bait and the production of charcoal, met with our local NFU to discuss a wide range of farming issues, chaired a panel discussion on neurological services post Covid, visited the wonderful The Real Cure to hear about their recent expansion and future plans, volunteered at the Sturminster Vaccination Centre, visited Wyke School in Gillingham, taken part in a Climate Change discussion with residents of Alderholt, visited Blandford Town Council’s food waste reduction initiative, spoken to 30 constituents at Advice Surgeries, and hold a number of meetings regarding a proposed solar farm development. All this while trying to help the people of Northern Ireland by dint of my Chairmanship of the NI Select Committee.
Perhaps having a butterfly brain (I never did become a single issue Exocet) paid off – each of these varied issues were THE important issue to the people or organisations raising them with me, seeking my views or needing my help. Therefore, they had to be important to me. What I do know is that I can only do my job because of the abilities my teachers identified and fostered in me and encouraged me in.
Teachers find seeds and create plants of variety, beauty and utility. I give thanks for my teachers, my children’s’ teachers and all of those sculpting the futures of our next generation.
Good eating is about following the 80/20 rule. It is just not possible to eat right all of the time, but it is entirely possible to eat extremely well most of the time. Here is some food for thought.
Things to steer clear of or consider more closely
‘Fat free’ or ‘gluten free’
The problem with anything that is ‘free from’ normally means that the product needs to be padded out with stabilisers, emulsifiers, preservatives, additives and sugars to be palatable and look ok. Maybe one day I’ll write a whole article about processed foods but the short version is that they play havoc with your natural gut flora, and often contain synthetic additives that may have endocrine disrupting and carcinogenic effects. Emulsifiers may be partially responsible for digestive issues, eg constipation, bloating and diarrhoea. Preservatives have been linked with allergic reactions, headaches and migraines and hyperactivity in children to name a few. Choose products with the fewest amount of ingredients on the box.
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Rice cakes
Popular when watching calories, rice cakes are very high on the glycemic index with a GI of over 70; – a measure of how quickly a food raises blood sugar, so your blood sugars rocket and then drop rapidly. They actually make you feel hungry more of the time, so can have the effect of encouraging you to eat more. An alternative are oatcakes. They raise blood sugar more slowly, keeping you feeling fuller for longer – even better if you add some high protein peanut butter.
Juices
Despite what you may see on Instagram, nutritionists don’t drink their fruit, they eat it. Some of the ‘healthiest’ shop bought or freshly made juices contain more sugar than a can of soda. Eating fruit provides the added benefit of fibre – much needed for the gut and slowing the rate at which sugar gets absorbed into your bloodstream. Vegetable juice is a better choice, ideally home made. A commercial ‘veg’ juice can contain high amounts of fruit sugar. Try cucumber, celery, lemon and ginger, but again remember the fibre, so a blended ‘smoothie’ may be even better. Eat your food, don’t drink it.
Agave syrup
This used to be a fashionable low carb sweet option, low on the glycemic index and ‘natural’. Unfortunately it is high in fructose, too much leading to insulin resistance, weight gain and even fatty liver. I can’t really recommend any alternatives, but at a push, stevia is the lesser of the sweetener evils. As for the agave, stick to the tequilla version only!
Some milk alternatives
That trendy barista oat milk you like? Take a good look at the label. Stabilisers, acidity regulators and seed oils are there to make it foam but in return can give you IBS symptoms. Some brands also add sugars to sweeten the milk. If you need to ditch the dairy, try Plenish, Rude Health or Rebel Mylk, all of which contain the very minimum of ingredients.
“Heart Healthy” Spreads
In our fridge, we have butter and we have ‘olive oil’ spread (less than 20% olive oil). Guess which one the nutritionist eats? Take a good look at the ingredients listed. Bean and seed oils are extracted by industrial processes at very high temperatures using solvents to extract the oil, which is then deodorised (because it smells awful), then bleached, then chemicals added to give it colour. Those “heart healthy” spreads then have chemical treatment added to make the oil hard but spreadable. Industrial seed oils raise our omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratios, characteristic of a western diet and linked to many chronic inflammatory diseases. If you are concerned about cholesterol, 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day helps raise healthy HDL and lower LDL. Dip your bread in it Mediterranean style……
And some things I do recommend from time to time…….
Dark chocolate
I frequently ask my clients to eat 85%+ dark chocolate on ‘prescription’ instead of their favourite candy bar. Dark chocolate is high in polyphenols, magnesium and iron amongst others. Heart healthy, the high flavanol content is great for brain health. 2 squares a day is my recommendation.
Minced beef (grass fed only)
Always a great freezer standby, the nutritional profile of grass fed (not organic), beef is very different to grain fed beef. A good source of heme iron, once a week is sufficient. Make your own burgers rather than the shop bought ones (which have additives) or an old fashioned chilli con carne. Support your local grass fed beef farm who will have traditional agricultural regenerative practices. It’s not the cow, it’s the how.
Ice cream
Full fat milk, cream and egg yolks are all healthy choices in moderation and therefore a good dessert option. The sugar is unfortunate but once in a while it’s fine! I’m a big fan of a weekly treat as you are more likely to stick to good eating the rest of the time. Again, avoid products with extensive additives and unpronounceable names on the carton. Dorset’s Purbeck Ice Cream or Baboo Gelato (the sorbet) are both superb and are additive free.
Beer
Whilst beer is high in calories and a good way to gain weight, it is a fermented product that we humans have been consuming for many years. Fermented foods are good for gut health – just don’t drink the entire six pack to yourself! Even people who are sensitive to grains can often tolerate the occasional beer. Cheers!
In the digital BV this month (if you’re in a hurry you can read the July issue of the digital Blackmore Vale by clicking here https://bit.ly/BVJulyFS )
We’re thrilled to announce we have woo-ed global bestselling author Tracy Chevalier to be our Random 19 guest!Yes, yes, she who wrote Girl With The Pearl Earring. Didn’t know she lived in north Dorset? You may have passed her in the supermarket!
Tracie has been looking into what can be done about the poor behaviour of a small group in Gillingham’s skate park
Andy spoke to award-winning local folk duo @Ninebarrow
Rachael’s looked at the story behind the overgrown verges on our roads this year, and also discovered exactly what a ‘Social Prescriber’ does (with thanks to Liz at Gillingham Medical Practice).
Tracie’s been talking to Jack & Jake about working in Dorset’s HIghest Office in the first of our new series ‘A Country Living’.
Plus all the usual columns: Andrew from Westleaze Farm is sharing his insider thoughts on the new Clarksons Farm show on Amazon Prime. Vet’s Voice with @Damory Veterinary Clinic, Wildlife from Brigit Strawbridge and @Dorset Wildlife Trust, Local History with Roger Guttridge, and 100th birthday cards & scary bee allergies both feature in Andy Palmer’s Tales from the Vale.
This issue *may* involve kittens. Just saying.
Front cover this month is that magnificent hovering barn owl by Tom Belcher at Dorset Rural Photography.
Don’t forget: we’re NEVER PRINTED. The only way to read us is right here online:
