We’re fortunate to have some amazing contributors to The BV. Carl Bovis often allows us the use of his amazing photography, and I’m always proud that writers Gay Pirrie-Weir and Fanny Charles are part of the BV team.
Deepest Somerset £25 The perfect Christmas gift for past and present residents of Somerset – and for all those who love the county. Deepest Somerset celebrates the food and history, the wildlife and the landscape, the iconic places, and the fascinating people who live and work in the county. The beautifully illustrated hardback, with an introduction by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales), is a gorgeous addition to any bookshelf. And all proceeds go to three Somerset charities. Fanny Charles spent a day with one of the world’s great cheese-makers, George Keen, at Wincanton, to learn how his family has been making traditional, clothbound, unpasteurised Cheddar for more than 100 years. Gay Pirrie-Weir talked to Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis about his lifelong Methodism. Julian Temperley talks about his historic victory over the EU to be allowed to use the word brandy for his distilled Somerset Cider. Their first book, Deepest Dorset, is now sold out, but Deepest Wiltshire is still available. Both books make wonderful gifts for anyone with a connection to the counties, and are available from independent stockists, or direct from the Deepest Books website: deepestbooks.co.uk
100 More Birds by Carl Bovis £19 This is the follow-up to Carl’s wonderful 100 Birds. It features another 100 of his best, or most interesting, bird photos, coupled with fascinating information from Carl about how, when and where he got the shots, some information about the birds, plus personal stories and experiences relating to the birds. The book is a simple format across 200 pages; one side of each is a full page bird photo with its own page of personal reflection from Carl opposite. Buy direct from Carl’s website carlbovis.com and don’t forget to have a browse of his site for other gifts while you’re there. His jigsaws and calendars always sell out at Christmas. His pack of blank greeting cards, in packs of ten, are perfect notecards to keep in your drawer.
My first visit to a racecourse – on a windblown and wet November day in Wincanton – wasn’t at all what I expected, says Laura Hitchcock
Never mind the weather – everyone wears a hat and ignores the rain. All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
A trip to the races always looked like it might be fun. But … to be honest, it isn’t really for the likes of me, is it? My dad was a milkman and we lived in a big Essex town – horses were as much a part of my home life as art, ballet and opera. Not. And yet I grew up horse-mad, absorbing everything I could from books – Ruby Ferguson’s Jill series? The Pullein-Thompson sisters’ entire back catalogue? Misty of Chincoteague (though I still have no clue where that actually is) – I had them all). I paid attention, I studied riding theory just in case. I finally got on a horse for real in my 20s – turns out that you can learn a surprising amount from books, but a real horse definitely helps. Children’s books about gymkhanas and showjumping abounded, of course, but horseracing? Not at all. If you’re not introduced to it or grow up with it, then it’s frankly a closed, mysterious and mildly intimidating world, even to a grown up. So when we were invited to Wincanton Racecourse for Badger Beers Chase Day, of course I was keen but swiftly went looking for help – we’re incredibly lucky to have a pair of the UK’s top Thoroughbred breeders, Lucy and Doug Procter, writing for us.
Frodon to victory in the 61st Badger Beer Handicap Chase
The biggest question The first worry, obviously, was what do you wear to go racing? Well, apparently, on your average weekday race meet, it’s pretty much anything goes ‘You’ll see a lot of tweed,’ said Doug ‘but mostly because it’s what most farmers wear most days! Go with anything practical for the weather – a racecourse is an exposed place in November’. But we were attending on one of the biggest racedays in Wincanton’s racing calendar, which is slightly more dressy. Lucy offered some helpful hints on the ladieswear front: ‘Go for long boots with dark trousers or a skirt and woolly tights. I always opt for a thick polo neck sweater (or three!), and then add a scarf. There’s nothing more miserable than being inappropriately dressed for the weather, so a weatherproof coat is a must: most people will be in a tweed or plain coloured long wool coat, or a Barbour-type/beige waterproof overcoat. And if you’ve got a cap or some kind of hat it’s much easier than juggling an umbrella when it’s raining.’
Frodon in the winner’s enclosure
First impressions Feeling confident from our pro what-to-wear tips, we headed to the main gates on race day. It was busy and as we watched the queue we were fascinated by who was there. Because it actually seemed to be everyone. Tweed-clad country types hunkered against the rain in their battered wax jackets and flat caps. Sharply-suited men, clearly there for a ‘lads day out’ queued noisily behind retired couples happily chatting. We saw wellies and trainers lined up alongside Dolce et Gabbana and Dubarry boots. Doug was right – there really isn’t a type of person who goes racing. It was rapidly obvious that everyone goes. We’d clearly been missing something.
The packed stand at Wincanton on Badger Beer Chase Day
Working out the system Once inside the gate, we bought a racecard (£3.50, and DO get one, even if you’re not planning on betting; the whole day makes sense once you have one), and soon worked out the system for what to see. Obviously the day revolves around the races, but we quickly understood that it actually starts in the parade ring (sometimes called the paddock). Head there first and see the horses circling as they wait for the jockeys. I was surprised at just how close we were able to stand, and swiftly became aware that racehorses are… stunning. Powerful, elegant and very very different from the horses grazing in a field on your Sunday walk. Now’s the point you want to look at your racecard and decide who you’re rooting for. The card’s a bit overwhelming at first – if you’re a statistician you’ll feel right at home – but there’s a key to what all the numbers mean, from the weights the horses are carrying to the names of the owner, trainer and jockey, how far they’ve travelled and a rough guide to current form. But if you’re a racing ‘pro’ like me, you’ll obviously eye up the horses as they walk past and … pick the prettiest one. Once the jockeys arrive and mount up, the tide of the crowd flows back towards the track. Usually the viewing areas are separated according to your ticket entry (the closer to the finishing post, the more expensive the entry price), but Badger Beers Chase Day was a Single Enclosure Day, meaning anyone could stand anywhere. The stand was packed as most people chose to shelter from the weather, but, working on Doug’s advice, we headed for a gap at the side of the track, ignoring the shivering-sideways rain. I’ve obviously watched the odd horserace on the television – who hasn’t had a bet on the Grand National? – but the experience of standing right there on the track was very new and entirely unexpected.
Contactless is taken by some of the course bookies
Suddenly feeling it The crowd, the weather – suddenly horseracing was tangible, something very physical. And then the horses pounded past on the first circuit – mere feet away from where we stood. The noise from the stand began to build, the weather was forgotten, and we found ourselves cheering with the crowd as the pace picked up for the second circuit, eyes glued to the big screen until they rounded for the final straight and came into view. We could actually feel the horses approaching. It’s a cliché to talk about the thunder of hooves, but what other word is there? The noise was visceral, sandwiched as we were between the horses galloping past and the wall of sound from the crowd hollering them home. As they passed the finishing post I was beaming – and keen to head straight back to the parade ring and do it all again. This time I tried an actual bet – again, don’t be afraid. The bookies make it easy, and the solid advice was ‘if you’re not sure, just go for the favourite. They’re tipped to win because they’re judged to be the best horse on the course, so it’s never a bad idea’. Nearly all the course bookies had banners declaring their minimum bet as £1 or £2, so don’t be ashamed to put on even a tiny amount, it really doesn’t matter (and some are contactless if you, like us, forgot to bring some cash. Just look for the sign on their board). We actually spent more on coffee than we did on betting, but it was a lot of fun choosing a horse, cheering them on and then going to collect our winnings (which we promptly bet on the next race, of course).
Watching on the screen doesn’t compare to standing within feet of the horses as they hurtle past
We were part of the crowd jumping and cheering local horse Frodon to victory in the 61st Badger Beer Handicap Chase. We picked a couple of winners, we grabbed a (really good) burger from a stand, a warming coffee from another, avoided the busy bars and forgot to worry about the weather. We bumped into some old friends and saw many others doing the same. It turns out that horseracing isn’t about having a slightly seedy day of gambling, nor is it just for the poshest of hat-wearers politely chatting over a whisky. It’s just a really fun, relaxed, sociable day – and the attitude to us as blatantly-obvious absolute race virgins, was friendly and welcoming. There’s always someone who knows the answer to a question – just ask the nearest person who looks like they might know what they’re doing. On top of which you get to be up close to some of the most beautiful animals on earth. So – the big question. Would we go for another day at the races? The answer to that is that we’re already marking the calendar, and booking up friends to come with us next time …
Castle Hill Closure I’m writing on behalf of the Trustees of Cedars Castle Hill to confirm that we’ve reluctantly concluded we have to close Castle Hill House (CHH) and combine our residential and nursing activities under a single roof at our other care home, the Cedars. This move is a pre-emptive response to the financial, staff and funding-related challenges that are threatening to overwhelm the care sector. Essentially we will offer the 11 current residents of CHH a transfer to a ground floor room at the Cedars where they will be surrounded by those they know well and cared for by staff familiar to them. All this is to be smoothly achieved by Christmas. In the meantime CHH will be ‘mothballed’ (but continue to provide office facilities and accommodation for staff) while we search for a longer term solution for the building. We recognise that closing CHH may well cause some uncertainty and personal upset. Naturally, we’re sorry about this – but we’re a small charity, facing significant challenges, and feel we have to take action before we’re overwhelmed by events. However, we firmly believe that this move will strengthen our position – to the benefit of residents, staff, families and the local community. Mike Hall For and on behalf of Trustees of Cedars Castle Hill
On Sonnaz and Roger I was delighted to read the article about Sonnaz, the upholsterer, in your latest edition (The BV, Nov 22). I attended an upholstery course with Sonnaz in Wimborne four or five years ago, where she gave me the very best advice on recovering two wing chairs, which have been greatly admired, she is a lovely person. Then I turned over a few pages where I read the article by Roger Guttridge about the workhouse in Shaftesbury. We recently went on a Great Rail Journey holiday to Italy and a gentleman, who was on the tour with us, overheard us saying we came from near Shaftesbury. We couldn’t believe it when he told us his parents were the last people to run the workhouse in Shaftesbury and he had gone to school in Motcombe! We didn’t even know there had been a workhouse in Shaftesbury let alone where it was, and that a workhouse was still in operation until relatively recent times. Thank you for a good read. Sandy Milne by email
I do love your ‘Random 19’ column – it’s always fun and never fails to teach me something I didn’t know about the interviewee. I have always been a fan of BBC’s The Repair Shop, but I had no idea that Sonnaz was from Dorset! You rather skimmed over it in your introduction, but the fact that she moved to Dorset as a presumably very young person with no connection here beyond her work, and then took on a position as the only female apprentice at Sunseeker – what strength of character that shows. I attended the opening of 1855 in Sturminster Newton this week, just to meet her in person (the shop was excellent too, and I’ll definitely be back!) – and she was just as lovely as she has appeared in your column. Thank you Janet Moone Wimborne
Further to Roger Guttridge’s excellent article on the family emigrating from Sturminster Newton to Australia (some of our members had never see the house they lived in while in Dorset) on 16th January 2023 it will be 230 years since the arrival of Thomas and Jane Rose and their four children as the first family of free settlers. Our Society is holding a series of events culminating in a re-enactment of their arrival aboard the Bellona, taking place aboard a Tall Ship coming into Sydney Cove on the morning of the 16th January. Thomas and Jane Rose Family Society Australia
Help for the Foodbank I am the secretary of Kilmington and Stourton WI and we recently held our Christmas celebration meeting where we had a buffet for members, carols and readings. This year we asked our members to bring an item or two to donate to the Gillingham Foodbank and they more than responded! (see image above) We were delighted to deliver all the food to the Foodbank and the money we raised for our raffle ticket sales on the night – £110 – will also be going to them. We always make a charitable donation at Christmas as a WI but this year with the cost of living crisis ever more apparent, our members were delighted to be able to help such a worthy cause. Here are the committee members, all volunteers, who organised the evening in a photo with all the donations from our members. Bernie Isted Secretary, Kilmington and Stourton WI
Wincanton U18s need you! Could you be a sponsor for our Under 18s football team for the 2023/24 season? We desperately need donations towards – and sponsors for – Home/Away kit, training kit and tracksuits, training and match balls and equipment, registration and insurance costs. For more information, please contact Sean Corney on 07763 708125 or email me on [email protected]
Calling all non-Dorset readers: we want you to email us! We know that we have readers in more than 100 different countries – we’re fascinated, and would love to know where you are, and why you read The BV every month! Did you used to live here? Do you have relatives here still? Are you just a fan of Dorset? Please email [email protected] and we’ll share some of the stories!
Christmas gift buying needn’t be stressful! As always there are a wonderful range of book ideas that make perfect presents – I’ve rounded up some of my top suggestions below, and naturally they’re all available from your favourite local independent bookseller (that’s me, by the way). Have a good Christmas! Wayne PS – Just click the book covers to buy. And you can see all my previous Book Corner recommendations on the BV website here!
The Countryman by Johnny Scott £17 From the toad to the bumblebee, the cuckoo to the pheasant, the life cycle of the dragonfly, the attractions of the nightjar and the dove, the development of sheep breeds and the value of the cottager’s pig – these are just some of the characters of the natural world as described by Johnny Scott.
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama £25 The former First Lady shares her practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today’s highly uncertain world.
The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer £17 – signed copies available. The much-loved comic proves adept at noir-ish fiction in a debut whose surrealist humour sets it apart.
And Bob’s other half Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves) …
Birds by Jim Moir £15 Jim loves birds. His popularity as a painter has soared. The simplicity and sincerity of his bird paintings have given them cult status. Now, for the first time, one hundred of these beautiful paintings are gathered together in this exquisite book.
Slow Cooker Favourites £5.99, stocking filler For those of us with busy lifestyles and little time to spare, slow cookers are a priceless helping hand in the kitchen – with as little as ten minutes spent preparing a dish at the beginning of the day, you can enjoy delicious food a few hours later without slaving away at a hot stove.
A Ukrainian Christmas £17 ‘History, stories, recipes and beautiful illustrations’ – Olia Hercules ’Christmas brings the indestructibility of hope in times of the greatest hopelessness. As long as we celebrate this holiday, we can neither be defeated nor destroyed. This is the message that Ukraine is trying to convey to the world. A donation of the sale of each book is made to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
The Lost Orchards : Rediscovering the forgotten apple varieties of Dorset £18 About two-thirds of Britain’s small, traditional orchards have been lost since 1960. This is a loss in ecological diversity, in community knowledge and the intricacy of local distinctiveness. In 2007 the pomologist Liz Copas and cidermaker Nick Poole began a quest to find and identify old varieties of cider apple trees around Dorset.
The Book of Dog Poems by Ana Sampson £13 The relationship between us humans and our dogs has inspired some of the world’s greatest poets. Sometimes funny, sometimes moving, the poems in this beautifully illustrated anthology are a true celebration of the faithful, affectionate, delightful dog. The perfect gift for dog lovers.
Book of Cat Poems by Ana Sampson £13 This beautifully illustrated anthology of cat poetry is a celebration of the world’s most loved pet by the world’s best loved poets. The purrfect gift for cat lovers (sorry).
Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat by Ursula Moray Williams £10 Gobbolino has sparky whiskers and magic tricks, but he wants to be a simple kitchen cat. Reissued for its 75th anniversary with illustrations by the award-winning Catherine Rayner, this classic tale has been loved by generations of children.
The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher £8 In this timeless picture book adventure. Christmasaurus wants more than anything to be able to fly, and help pull Santa’s sleigh across the sky on Christmas Eve. But flying turns out to be much harder than he thought, even with Santa’s help! One special Christmas, however, he falls down a chimney and meets a dinosaur-obsessed little boy who teaches him the magic of believing …
After three years, panto season is back with no restrictions. The FTR’s Gay Pirrie-Weir has rounded up your pantomime options this year
It’s pantomime and Christmas show time again, with a full house for the first time since the pandemic, and some changes to the traditional timings. Several productions are starting earlier than usual – Panto was a Christmas Eve thing once! As always, some theatres rely on big stars of television and stage to bring in their audiences, while others have learned that regulars are what brings families back year after year. The stories, of course, are the old favourites, with their happy endings, heroes and villains, comic baddies, a fat man in a frock (aka The Dame) and lots of chances for the audience to join in, hiss, boo and shout It’s Behind You until they’re hoarse.
Cinderella Often reckoned to be the most popular story of all, Cinderella’s reputation is borne out this year with three productions. See it at Bristol
Hippodrome with Craig Revel Horwood, from 2nd to 31st December. It’s at Poole Lighthouse from 8th to 31st December, and is ‘traditional pantomime fun, with plenty of songs, laughter and more magic and sparkle than you can shake a wand at’. Starring sitcom star Tyger Drew-Honey, making his panto debut as Prince Charming and Lighthouse favourite Chris Jarvis. Salisbury Playhouse started early on 26th November and are running to 8th January: ‘This year’s Cinderella is packed with songs to sing along to, plenty of adventure, sparkle and laughs (for youngsters and their grown ups!) with this rags to riches tale. It’s a festive treat for all the family – do not miss out.’
Aladdin The one about the lazy son of Widow Twankey who falls in love with a princess, but is duped by his wicked uncle into going into a dark cave full of treasure, where he meets a genie who can answer all his dreams. Aladdin is on stage at Bath Theatre Royal from 8th December to the 8th January, with favourite performers Jon Monie and Nick Wilton joined by Tom Lister. Aladdin is also at Wimborne Tivoli from 16th December to 1st January.
Beauty, Dick and The Nutcracker Beauty and the Beast has been chosen by Bournemouth Pavilion – starring Emma Barton, it runs from 3rd December to 2nd January. At Yeovil Octagon, old favourites Thom Ford, Gordon Cooper and Jack Glanville are back to tell the story of Dick Whittington, the boy who left the west country to go to London to find his fortune. Of course, he falls in love with the boss’s daughter, but then has to rely on his super-hero cat to help him rid the city of a plague of rats, before heading off on board ship to an island full of treasures (and foreign rats too). It’s on from 9th December to 1st January. Further afield you can see Jason Donovan leading the cast in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Southampton’s Mayflower from 10th to 31st December, or something different at Bristol Old Vic, where the show is The Nutcracker, from 24th November to 7th January. It stars Tristan Sturrock and musician Gwyneth Herbert, and is ‘a bold and wild theatrical re-telling of The Nutcracker, full of magic, adventure and show-stopping music numbers’.
Book now Tickets for all the Christmas productions are selling fast, so it really is necessary to book early if you don’t want to disappoint the family. Not only is the annual pantomime the ‘banker’ for theatres going through difficult times, but it is the perfect way to introduce young audiences to the joy of live performance, especially as it’s the one time they are positively encouraged to join in and make noise. Oh yes it is!
A swift look at the baking aisle in your local supermarket will tell you that the UK egg industry is in crisis. Andrew Livingston reports
Tim Gelfs’ white eggs, as featured in Eggism (The BV, May 21 Image: Heather Brown
‘A bugger’s muddle’ was the only way that West Dorset egg producer Tim Gelfs would describe the state of the egg industry at the moment. Walk down the baking aisle of your local supermarket and it is either bare of eggs, limiting the purchasing of eggs or (worse) stocked with European imports. As with most farming at the moment, costs to produce eggs have soared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For months, egg producers have pleaded with supermarkets to increase the price they pay so that farmers can break even. Tim, who has 16,000 birds, is thankful he isn’t affected. He cut ties with supermarkets more than a year ago to sell to North Dorset egg packers Foots Eggs, who deliver to smaller independent shops and restaurants locally. Nevertheless, the Beaminster-based egg producer has been speaking passionately to news organisations to ensure his fellow farmers have a voice: ‘The supermarkets haven’t increased the price [they pay farmers] – they use the excuse that with the cost of living crisis the consumers wouldn’t be able to afford it. But they have put up the [price of] eggs. They just haven’t passed the increase on to the producers.’
Nobody came Thanks to the supermarkets actions (or lack of), the situation really is a “bugger’s muddle”. In April, the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) called a crisis meeting with the supermarkets, to be held at the Pig and Poultry Fair in May. Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Marks & Spencers, Waitrose, ASDA, Aldi and Lidl were all invited. Not one attended. Warnings duly ignored, the supermarkets now have no eggs and are continuing to anger farmers by blaming the shortage on the Avian Influenza outbreak. ‘They’re using that as an excuse,’ says Tim. ‘The consumers are very frustrated. The supermarkets are using it as a smokescreen against the real reason, which is that they simply haven’t paid for the eggs. ‘What we are seeing now is only the tip of the iceberg. We’ve lost nearly five million pullet placings where people haven’t invested in a new flock over the past ten months. We won’t really feel the effects until next year.’
Edwina and the eggs The national flock has decreased by 13 per cent. Sheds that previously housed thousands of birds now sit empty, waiting for the price of eggs to rise to a point where farmers can make a profit. In the last two weeks, the cost of eggs has risen in supermarkets by more than 20 per cent – and it will continue to rise as the number of eggs decreases. ‘Already, Sainsburys have been importing Italian eggs,’ says Tim ‘I reckon by Christmas they will all be importing eggs, which is quite frustrating as they are all committed to Lion Coded British eggs. So they have thrown their commitment out the window.’ European eggs do not have the same vigorous salmonella testing as the UK industry, meaning that vulnerable people (children, pregnant women and the elderly) shouldn’t eat these eggs runny. Farmers are now worried about the irreparable damage that is being done to consumers’ confidence in something as simple as an egg. In the 1980s the industry experienced a similar situation when Edwina Currie, the then Health Minister, said that there was a Salmonella epidemic in British eggs. She later had to resign from her position due to the damage she caused to the industry with her false statement. ‘It’s taken us 30 years since Edwina Currie and the Salmonella threat in the 80s to get the eggs-per-capita back to where it was.’ says Tim. ‘Where is it going to be at the end of this crisis? People will switch from eggs and go and buy something else and we will struggle to get them back.’ The National Farmers Union has called for the government to intervene and ensure that farmers’ livelihoods are secured, but the new DEFRA Minister Mark Spencer has said that the Government will not step in.
More teeth required However, West Dorset MP Chris Loder has been in direct communication with his constituent Tim and has taken the matter to Westminster. He gave an impassioned speech at the Westminster Hall Debate Support for British Farming: ‘The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) – the regulator for supermarkets, farmers and price controls – needs to be given more teeth and to have greater control so that our farmers are not suppressed. Most of my local farmers in West Dorset tell me they don’t want to receive government subsidies. ‘But they have to. And why do they have to? More often than not, they are forced into that position because the GCA is not doing its job and is allowing supermarkets to dominate the field … In my opinion the Government is ultimately subsidising supermarket profits. That has to stop.’ Tim Gelfs is calling for new legislation to give farmers the confidence to invest in producing food. He says: ‘I think the government needs to be serious about food security and introduce some legislation to take some of the power away from the supermarkets and give it back to the farmers. ‘That’s not just eggs, that’s all products, else we’ll be back at this point again when we have another crisis. And I think the crises are going to be more often because of climate change and civil unrest around the world. ‘When there’s fights in aisles over eggs like there were over toilet roll, then the government will step in. At the moment it’s all lip service because although we’ve got a shortage of eggs, it’s more of an inconvenience than a disaster. But it’s only going to get worse.’ At the Westminster Debate, Chris Loder concurred with his constituent’s view on the outlook for the British egg industry: ‘I am afraid this is the beginning of a ticking time bomb. If ever there was a time that this House had to urge the Government to give the Groceries Code Adjudicator the teeth it needs to sort this mess out, it is now. ‘If we think there is difficulty in the market today, I can assure this Chamber that in less than 12 months’ time we will not be in a situation where we have a reduction in eggs available for sale to consumers—we will be lucky if we have any eggs on the shelves at all.’
Following on from our amazing ‘first ever day at the races’ in November (read all about it here – essential reading for newbies like me!), we had a chat with the nice people at Wincanton Racecourse, and persuaded them to offer one BV reader the chance to experience the next big race day for themselves.
If you’re looking for something fun to do on Boxing Day this year, then read on to enter to win TWO premier tickets for the Boxing Day races!
It’s the most popular fixture of the year at Wincanton Racecourse, and we have two premier tickets to give away, worth £30 each. They allow racegoers exactly the same experience we had: access to all the public areas of the racecourse, be part of the action as horses enter the parade ring, and they also include a variety of prime viewing spots from the main grandstand right up to the winning post.
Obviously to enter you need to be able to attend Wincanton Racecourse on Boxing Day this year – the prize is not transferrable. To be in with a chance to win, just answer the questions in the widget box below. There are more chances to win by completing the other entry options if you so wish – they’re entirely up to you! The closing date for this competition is 16th December 2022 and only entries received on or before that date can be included. The prize will go to the first randomly chosen entry, who will be notified on the 16th – tickets can be either digital or collected on the gate. Good luck!
If you’re looking for a beautiful quiet circular walk near Blandford Dorset, try this stroll in a quiet spot above the Winterborne valley, surprisingly untroubled by the busy A354 through the Winterbornes and the A350 through Spetisbury.
This was honestly a surprising of a route – literally plotted in under 10 minutes for a spontaneous last-minute afternoon walk. But what a brilliant find – we’ll absolutely return to do this one again and again. Despite being so close to two main roads, the walk was peaceful and unhurried, with some far-reaching beautiful North Dorset views views on all sides. You circumnavigate Gorcombe Farm activity centre – I’m going to guess on a busy activity weekend the noise from quad bikes could be irritatingly close by, but we were entirely undisturbed for the whole gentle 4.5 mile stroll on a Sunday afternoon.
Soane need enthusiastic, hard working team members to join an established upholstery workshop in Castle Cary and our own frame making workshop in Shaftesbury in 2023. A relevant qualification and/or work experience would be an advantage but is not a requirement.
You will receive training and mentorship from highly skilled craftsmen who are making fine hand made upholstered furniture using high quality and sustainable materials.
You will receive good rates of pay and benefits, including a nine-day working fortnight.
For more information, scan the QR code in the advert below or to book in for our January 2023 open days, please send your CV with a covering letter to [email protected].
The closing date for applications is 6th January 2023.
