1855 – new space welcomes new traders as it constantly evolves

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8 June 2023

1855 not just a retail experience – it’s also hosting three SturLitFest events this month. On the 5th June Felice Hardy with her book about her grandparents escape from the Nazis. Two days later on the 7th June Liz Copas and Nick Poole present their work on The Lost Orchards of Dorset, accompanied by cider from Orchard 101. And the following day (8th June) Libby Page will be talking about her book The Vintage Shop of Second Chances before a fashion show of pre-loved items from The Boutique. The stage is set ready!

A chance for a browse
The Boutique is a great shop for anyone who enjoys good quality clothes and accessories – at knock down prices, naturally – and it’s always worth keeping a regular eye on.
And for the gentlement there is, of course, Dapper Chaps over at The Emporium with a similarly ever-changing range of mens clothing for all occasions.
The Emporium itself is crammed full of books, music, collectables, and especially homewares and children’s toys. Perfect for those who like to make their money go a little further, or who simply prefer to recycle.
The Emporium also houses Stur’s Community Fridge; free food! We thrive on “waste not want not”. The Furniture Store just up the road is great to fill a gap or for a new upcycling project.
We welcome anyone who would like to volunteer to help; we are a lively, friendly group, and there’s never any pressure. Just give as little or as much time as you feel able.

Inside 1855 the stage is set for Libby Page, her Vintage Shop of Second Chances and the pre-loved fashion show!

What’s on this month?
June opens with a burst of activities on the very first weekend – the Car and Bike Enthusiasts are back on The Rec on Saturday 3rd June, 9am to 12 noon – it’s afree event, and enjoys a wide and eclectic vehicle mix in attendance!
The Rotary Club are holding their annual Garden Sale in the Railway Gardens the same morning, and the first of ten weekly Car Boot Sales for charity is taking place on The Rec on Sunday morning.
The fourth Sturminster Newton Literary Festival is taking place from 5th to 10th June and there are brochures throughout the town plus tickets on sale in 1855.

Dapper Chaps, inside The Emporium, is bound to have something for the discerning gentleman.

Sturbiz Chamber
The monthly SturBiz Business Breakfast will be held in The Coffee Bar at The Exchange 8 to 9am – 9.00 on Tuesday 6th June. It is open to anyone who wants to network with others working in the town, whether that’s voluntary or businesses. The aim is to share information about what is happening in the town and to support each other.
Coffee/tea and snacks are available at the Bar or contact Jacqui ([email protected]) ASAP if you want to order a Bacon Buttie!

The Boutique celebrated the coronation with regal purple rather than red, white and blue

What’s On in Stur at a glance

3rd to 5th June
The first weekend in June sees:

The Exchange Beer and Ale Festival • The Garden Sale (Railway Gardens)
The Car and Bike Enthusiasts Meet is back in The Rec (at the end of Ricketts Lane)
Free parking in town on Saturday 3rd June!
3rd to 10th June
Sturminster Newton Literary Festival
The first week in June is the centre of the third annual SturLitFest, with a range of events around the town including fascinating talks by authors, guided literary walks, writers workshops, a book fair, and a chance to learn more about the town’s remarkable stained glass windows. See the website sturlitfest.com for full event and booking details, or pick up a brochure locally – tickets are bookable online or on the door for most events, subject to availability
Sundays
Charity-run car boot sale on the Rec each Sunday through the summer.

Glorious floppy-dock

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Editorial team

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8 June 2023

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The spires of purple foxglove growing far above our heads in wild corners of Dorset shout ‘June is here!’, says wildlife writer Jane Adams

Wild foxgloves are found scattered across much of Dorset’s hedgerows and woodland

June without foxgloves would be unthinkable. With their purple-pink spikes nodding in the breeze, they are a harbinger of warm summer days to come. No matter what madness is happening in the world, you can always rely on the foxglove spires to appear.
But for all their beauty and reliability, they hide a darker, more sinister side – every part of a foxglove is poisonous.

Kill the living
But poisons can have their uses. As early as the 13th century, European scholars documented the use of dried foxglove leaves as a treatment for heart conditions. The medical benefits were inconsistent, however and as an ancient saying warns, the foxglove has the power to ‘raise the dead or kill the living.’
With such a potent reputation, it’s no wonder foxgloves feature so prominently in British folklore. Villagers are encouraged to hang dried flowers over their doors to ward off evil spirits. Witches reputedly use foxgloves in their flying potions, and foxes slip the bell-shaped blooms over their toes in order to creep up on unsuspecting prey.
It wasn’t until the late 17th century that botanist and physician William Withering isolated the foxglove’s active ingredient. He called his discovery digitalis (after the foxglove’s scientific name, Digitalis purpurea) and soon its medical use became widespread. Even now, a molecule found in digitalis is synthetically produced to treat heart problems.

Look out for bees squeezing their hairy bodies into the flowers in search of nectar – covering themselves in pollen as they do so.

Dead man’s bells
Although their biennial blooms are most commonly purple in the wild, pink or white are not unusual, and each spear of bells can contain hundreds of thousands of seeds.
Among the pollinators attracted to the plant are long-tongued bumblebees. Look out for them, squeezing their hairy bodies into the flowers in search of nectar – buzzing like mad inside the tubes and usually covering themselves in pollen as they do so.
Over the years, the foxglove has picked up its fair share of colloquial names, from dead man’s bells and floppy-dock to goblin gloves and beardtongue. But though I searched high and low, I couldn’t trace a local Dorset name. Maybe you know it? If you do, please let me know.
Even though foxgloves are a common sight this time of year in gardens, woodland edges, meadows and on road verges, do beware. You just might glimpse a gloved fox out of the corner of your eye, silently stalking you…

State of the art emergency and critical care facilities coming to Dorset

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Editorial team

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8 June 2023

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A major government grant will enable the construction of a building at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) to house a new critical care unit and emergency department (ED). The announcement was made by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of its New Hospital Programme, which is expected to be backed by national investment of more than £20 billion.
DCH provides both emergency and planned care to approximately 300,000 people across the west and north of the county. Ever-greater demand is putting increasing pressure on the ED, which was designed to treat half the current patient number. Demand is expected to rise further due to increasing population and ever more complex needs of older people – the new building is essential to make sure that the increasing needs can be met. Anyone visiting an ED recently will most likely have experienced first-hand some of the challenges caused by the increasing demands on the service. However, our local hospital’s emergency department is ranked among the top ten in England – speaking volumes about the quality of care, despite being a busy place.

A total overhaul
From 2025, the total capacity of the new ED will increase from 64 to 72 beds, while the new Critical Care Unit will have space for 24 beds (an increase of 13). Initial work is under way, ahead of the main construction, and approval has already been given to demolish the West Annex at the site.
The ED layout will be reconfigured and updated, with new dedicated areas for both major and minor injuries, paediatrics and a bespoke mental health facility. The integration of mental health with a dedicated unit inside emergency care is important. A recent report from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine identified that, although a relatively small number of people with mental health issues present to EDs, they are some of the most vulnerable in our communities, and twice as likely to have a significantly longer stay in the department.
There will also be an ambulance offload and rapid assessment area. A helipad will be located on the roof, and a new entrance for the public will be located on Damers Road. Air ambulances are increasingly important in rural areas and enable people to be treated significantly faster. Last year, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance was called 2,424 times to emergencies, with almost half of these due to trauma incidents and a quarter down to cardiac events. Their busiest month is June.

Great for Dorset
Matthew Bryant, chief executive of Dorset County Hospital, says: ‘We are delighted that the government has announced its continuing commitment to the Dorset County Hospital scheme as part of the New Hospital Programme. This development is very important for Dorset and will deliver a state of the art Emergency Department and an expanded Critical Care Unit in Dorchester for patients most in need of life-saving care. It’s an exciting time for the team at Dorset County Hospital. This expansion will improve care for patients and help us attract and retain staff who want to provide high quality specialist healthcare in modern facilities.’
Commenting on the announcement, West Dorset MP Chris Loder says: ‘This is a significant milestone in the history of Dorset County Hospital, and it will have wide-reaching, long-lasting benefits for patients and staff. I am pleased that the government have recognised the value and strategic importance of our county town’s hospital, and that the improvements are needed.’
While the construction project takes place, the Emergency Department is still open to the public in Dorchester. People in North Dorset also have choices when accessing advice for minor health problems such as using a pharmacist, visiting a minor injuries unit, or calling 111.

Wessex Internet are growing fast, and they need the best people to join them… Could this be you?

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Editorial team

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8 June 2023

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A local independent business Wessex Internet believe in building a great place to work, where everyone’s contribution is valued and everybody has the chance to raise their ideas and make a difference everyday.

Every one of the team is responsible for the continued success of Wessex Internet, each individual has something valuable to offer, and together they are constantly looking for better ways to serve more people.

From everyone at their HQ near Blandford, to the teams out in the fields, they are a dedicated bunch. Everyone is committed to the mission of connecting the countryside. The enthusiasm is quite infectious!

Creating exciting and rewarding career opportunities right here in the North Dorset countryside Wessex Internet is a young, fast-growing business that is proud of our team of homegrown specialists. Whether you want to step up to lead a team, or expand your skills in a new area, they will help you reach your potential.

Wessex Internet are growing fast, and they need the best people to join them… Could this be you?

Check out their current vacancies below and email the recruitment team on [email protected]

https://www.wessexinternet.com/careers/current-vacancies/

Encourage the wild in your garden

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Editorial team

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7 June 2023

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It doesn’t matter what space you have – even a simple window box can be used thoughtfully to increase wildlife, says Dorset Wildlife Trust

Catmint (nepeta) will flower through the summer, attracting lots of bees and butterflies.

With summer on its way and flowers blooming across the Blackmore Vale, you might be spending more time out in your garden. Whether you are a keen horticulturist or take a more hands-off approach, your garden or green space can act as a mini nature reserve.
A few simple steps can make a patch of any size an inviting home for wildlife, from the vital pollinators we rely on for food production to beautiful birds nesting in our trees and hedgerows. Whether you’re tending a garden, balcony, or window box, here are some ways to make it a welcoming space for wildlife.
Planting for pollinators.Lavender, heather, borage – these plants are all magnets for bees, butterflies and the host of other insects that keep the ecosystem moving with their pollinating powers. This works whether it’s across a small meadow or a window-box, so you can help no matter what space you have. Autumn and spring are the best times to scatter wildflower seeds, but in the meantime, you can buy plants such as lavender and catmint, which will flower throughout summer and attract lots of bees and butterflies.
Not using pesticides.
Insects are vital for so many natural processes and are best left to thrive. Natural control methods can help keep your crops healthy. Attract hedgehogs, birds and toads to your garden with shelter, water and native plants and they may reward you by keeping populations of unwelcome visitors at bay. Companion planting is another great way to let natural processes help keep your plants healthy. Popular combinations include alliums, such as onions and leeks, growing alongside carrots to deter carrot fly, and growing calendula flowers with beans to draw away aphids.
Adding a pond.
A pond provides a fantastic habitat for a range of species, such as frogs and dragonflies, that you might not otherwise find in the garden. If possible, include a shallow edge with rocks and plants to provide a safe, sheltered place to drink and bathe for small wildlife species and insects. Purchase a mix of floating and submerged native plants for optimum wildlife-friendliness inside the pond.

There’s no denying that space for wildlife habitats has been in decline for some time. As our population grows, so must our towns and demand for land for agriculture and industry. This inevitably leads to wild space being taken up for human use. Gardening with wildlife in mind is one way we can create all-important ‘corridors’ to help wildlife recover and thrive.

Find out more about wildlife gardening and how you can support nature’s recovery at dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Clandestine guest list sparks concerns over government’s Farm to Fork summit

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Editorial team

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7 June 2023

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Why wasn’t Guild MD John Farrand invited to No 10’s summit?

The Gillingham-based Guild of Fine Food has for 28 years been campaigning for and supporting the independent food sector, food shops, producers and farmers

If you were to believe the current media avalanche, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the answer to everything. It will run the country – perhaps the world – while being able to explain why people watch Mrs Brown’s Boys.
Society is naturally concerned that this is in fact the beginning of a dystopia, where there will be no jobs for humans (only R2D2s will be gainfully employed), no essays will be written by a student with a pulse, our healthcare will be neglected (robots won’t need it, bar the odd drop of oil) and our food chain won’t function because the automatons will just need an electric charge now and then.
But hasn’t this chaos already started? I’m no doubt over-simplifying it, but if AI is so bloody clever shouldn’t we be asking it the bigger questions? How humans can negotiate world peace. Cure cancer. Ensure the world’s growing population eats affordable, nutritious food and drink. Solve obesity, reverse climate change, promote local economies to solve macro-economic issues, globally …
Get on with that Botty Chat.

Who got the call?
Our government has recently addressed an element of the above with its much-publicised Farm to Fork summit. A thinktank encompassing all those concerned with growing and selling produce in this country.
Or not.
Yet again, those in power are only concerned with those in power. The agenda and guest list of that meeting was a closely guarded secret. I greatly respect the work of Minette Batters and the NFU, but they simply cannot represent all growers. Neither Sustain, the Soil Association nor the Food Farming and Countryside Commission were among the call up – among many others. The erstwhile DEFRA food tsar Henry Dimbleby wasn’t even consulted, even after his considerable (and government-funded) work on the National Food Strategy.
We’re all guessing which retailers did grace No.10 for the summit, as it’s a little clandestine. Rest assured the big four or five supermarkets would have been supping Rishi’s morning coffee.
No invite for the Guild of Fine Food – which represents delis, farm shops and grocers – nor for the Association of Convenience Stores. As a back-of-an-envelope guess, that’s 150,000 independent retailers in the UK who sell food and drink whose opinion has been ignored.
We must achieve robust and genuine industry-wide food security.
Perhaps it’s simply another question for AI? It might, in fact, solve it in years to come. Personally I’d rather pull out the robot’s plug and simply be more inclusive.

Meet your local –Oliver’s Coffee House

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Editorial team

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6 June 2023

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An Art Deco coffee shop has been a Sherborne staple for more than 35 years – owner Jane Woods tells Rachael Rowe that it’s all about local

Oliver’s Coffee House All images: Rachael Rowe

When you wander into Oliver’s, it feels like stepping back in time. The elaborate and original Art Deco tiling is a throwback to the 1920s, when the building housed a pork butcher and general provisions store. Today the fittings blend with the warmth of a busy cafe at the top of Sherborne’s Cheap Street, adding a sense of quirkiness to the pervading aroma of good coffee beans. There’s a hum of background chatter as people enjoy a coffee and cake. Owner Jane Wood explains how Oliver’s got its name.
‘Mr John Oliver owned the building in 1986 and he started the cafe, calling it Oliver’s. My landlord bought the building from him. And now it’s me!’
The building has a long sociable communal table in the main cafe area, with more private tables and alcoves and also tables in the garden for sunny days. The alcove areas used to hold the shop shelving; it’s remarkable to see how the old traditional fittings blend so well with a busy modern coffee house.

What brought you here?
I just saw it for sale in 2011. I’ve worked in hospitality for a long time; I’ve worked at Summer Lodge and at the Manor Hotel in Yeovil and I’ve done bar work. When this came up I was working in a cocktail bar in Yeovil. To be honest, I’d had enough of night-time working. When you get the other side of 30, you’ve had enough of dealing with drunks.
Tell us about the team?
We have about 20 people on staff – full timers, weekenders, and some regular students who are about to return from university for the summer.

What flies out of the cafe?
The apricot flapjacks (obviously I volunteered to do a taste test. Delicious. No wonder they’re in demand). Our quiches are also popular. We make everything here on the premises, and constantly review items that don’t sell well, replacing them with something that does.’

Tell us about your suppliers?
We try to use a lot of local suppliers! Our eggs are from Silverton Farm, our dairy produce is from Longman’s near Yeovil, and the alcohol is from Vineyards here in Sherborne. We get our fruit and vegetables from the lovely greengrocer on Cheap Street, our meat is from the butcher next door (Parsons) and also Loders in Yeovil. All our bread is from Oxfords, we use Longman’s cheese and we serve Reads coffee.

Original 1920s butchers shop tiles still form the backdrop to Oliver’s counter area.

What are you most proud of?
I guess the simple fact that we have maintained a popular high street business. And that we employ local people and support local suppliers.

And your biggest challenge?
The energy bills and inflation. I’ve had to go from part time to full time to keep things going. COVID was a challenge for everyone, but as an established business we came out better than we thought – it must have been a lot harder for new businesses or those already struggling. We focused on what we could do, rather than what we couldn’t. I offered Easter cakes, Mothers Day teas – which people loved – and the like. We had to furlough everyone, and I just worked.
But right now it’s the cost of energy that is challenging – we were a £1,000 per month, and we went up to £3,000 a month. That’s a lot of coffee and cake…

What do you recommend?
Our cherry and marzipan cake! It’s delicious; quite an old recipe, it’s really different – and hardly anyone else does it.
And we sell loads of our Guinness pudding!

Afternoon tea, occasion cakes and event catering – all in a day’s work for Jane at Oliver’s

So what’s next?
We are now doing quite a lot of outside catering, which works well. We’ve catered for functions with the local council, the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital, and we’ll be at Sherborne Castle Country Fair. Another area of our outside catering is providing a vintage afternoon tea for an occasion such as a wedding.
We’re also getting increasing requests for occasion cakes like birthdays, anniversaries, engagements etc.
Once a month we host Sherboard Games night, too – there’s no entry fee, everyone’s welcome. Board games are provided or people can bring their favourites.

Oliver’s is open
9 til 5 Mon to Fri,
Sat 9.30 to 5, Sun 10 to 4.
Oliver’s Coffee House
19 Cheap St, Sherborne. Oliverscoffeehouse.co.uk

Where can you go on a £2 bus fare?

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Editorial team

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6 June 2023

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What does the bus price cap mean for people in Dorset – and just how far can you actually go? Rachael Rowe reports

A bus on the roads near Dorchester (shutterstock)

When 18 people recently got on the bus in Okeford Fitzpaine, the driver realised something was up. Usually, the Y4 bus runs half empty, but on a cold spring day it was remarkably full of chatter. It was clear that the driver had never actually experienced a full bus with standing room only! Green transport stalwart and local resident Dilys Gartside had organised a trip to see The Mousetrap when it came to Yeovil on its recent national tour. Not only had she acquired the group’s theatre tickets and found somewhere good for lunch – just as importantly she had alerted those of us too young to have a bus pass that the fare cap meant the journey currently costs just £2 each way.
Instead of concentrating on the road and grumbling about the price of fuel and stress of parking, I could chat to my village neighbours and watch the world go by.

What is the bus cap?
The £2 bus cap was introduced by the Department of Transport on 1st January 2023 and was initially planned to run for eight weeks. Participating bus companies offer a single fare, capped at £2. The scheme’s success has just seen it extended a second time, and it is now running until 31st October – perfect for a summer of day trips. The Department of Transport review in May found that urban residents used the scheme more than those in rural areas. Of course, this could well be due to the much-reduced service in the countryside, particularly at weekends. It also found journeys made by bus increased as a result of the cap, which helps keep the struggling bus services operational.

The open top buses which run around Poole are included in the price cap.

Is it a green choice?
With the bus cap in place, a journey on public transport can work out significantly cheaper than driving a car, and for those of us watching every penny, this can really make a difference. However, there’s a significant benefit to the environment as well. Research by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) shows that buses are one of the least polluting forms of transport, providing they have passengers. A single-person car journey emits four times more carbon dioxide than a bus taking the same journey. And of course, per capita carbon emissions decrease the more passengers there are travelling on the bus.
BEIS also shows that in 2019-20 – the latest available data – carbon emissions decreased by an average of 18 per cent in each local authority. In Dorset, emissions decreased by 20 to 25 per cent. Although lockdowns will clearly have impacted transport data, previously emissions had fallen by just two per cent annually.
However, with global warming increasing, more needs to be done to reduce carbon emissions. Transport is a significant contributor, producing 24 per cent of the UK’s total emissions, even in lockdown-affected 2020. To that end, schemes like the bus fare cap are essential to encourage more use of public transport. In Germany, for example, it is now possible to buy a travel pass allowing unlimited train and bus travel across the entire country for one month for €49. You can’t get one return train ticket from Gillingham to London for that!

A trip to Bournemouth will take roughly two hours each way

Where can £2 take you?
Editor Laura’s son recently discovered a new independence with a £2 price tag. Struggling to get a driving test, he’s been reliant on Dadcabs, with ticket prices discouraging him in the past from opting for a bus.
‘I went to Yeovil for the day to see a friend, couldn’t get a lift so had to resort to the bus – and discovered the £2 charge. Admittedly I did miss my bus home, and ended up getting the wrong one towards Wincanton so Dad could collect me half way in Henstridge. But then I had a hospital appointment in Blandford, so I took myself and went to my fave barber while I was there. Once I realised about the £2 cap, the door was opened and now I’m making regular plans. Working to a rural bus schedule isn’t brilliantly convenient, but you can definitely make it work with a bit of a plan.’
If you live in the Blackmore Vale, you can get to several interesting places for £2 each way (and for free if you have a bus pass!).
A day at the beach
(Blandford Forum to Bournemouth)
Imagine – no car parking nightmares or negotiating the roundabout at Canford Bottom. Take the X8 from Blandford to Poole. From Poole Bus Station take the M2 to Bournemouth town square. From there, it’s a short walk to the beach. Alternatively, the Breezer buses are included in the £2 cap so you can travel the scenic route from Poole to Swanage or Weymouth – even Lyme Regis.
Pub Crawl to Sherborne
We’re not recommending you get drunk and disorderly on a bus, obviously. But a bonus of public transport is the ability to enjoy a pint or two without worrying about drinking and driving. On the Y4 route from Blandford to Yeovil, you’ll find several good pubs that are perfect for lunch out or a quiet drink. Try the Saxon Inn in Child Okeford, the Crown Inn at Marnhull, or the Tippling Philosopher in Milborne Port. And to work off all those calories, include a short circular walk around these beautiful villages as part of your day out
New Forest Circular
With connecting buses from Salisbury (X3) and Poole (X6) you can spend a day travelling around the New Forest on one of three tour buses which will take you past spectacular views on a circular route – and of course you can stop off where you like and simply get the next bus. Stops include Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Exbury Gardens and more.
Contrary to popular perception, there’s a lot of choice when it comes to choosing a bus route in Dorset – and it’s good to remember they’re an option not just for a necessary shop or trip to the dentist but for Grand Days Out too.
To help with the planning, a simple Google search for ‘bus XX (starting town) to XX (destination)’ provides journey times and bus stop details.
We all want to protect our rural transport, and it is essential we use it or we risk losing it.

PART-TIME VACANCYIN DAIRY FARMING ENVIRONMENT | NMR

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Editorial team

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5 June 2023

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(BEAMINSTER and/or DORCHESTER AREA)

OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITHIN FARMING ENVIRONMENT

National Milk Records plc is looking for an enthusiastic person to become a part-time, self-employed Milk Sampler, visiting 5 dairy farms in the Beaminster area and 3 dairy farms in the Dorchester area. The work involves taking individual cow milk samples.

Hours will vary but the work will take up approximately 3-10 early mornings and afternoons per month and applicants must have their own transport. Perfect work if you enjoy the outdoor life.

Approx. earnings: £300/month and £150/month respectively Please contact: [email protected] for more details. Closing date: 26/6/2023