Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th September
Weekend only offers:
Unbeatable, on the day offers that are only available in-store during our open weekend.
New coffee shop is now open. serving hot and cold food, drinks and snacks
Weekend open hours: Sat 11th 8am – 4.30pm – Sun 12th 10am – 4pm
01258 472420
What’s on at the Exchange Sturminster Newton Septemeber/October 2021
Box Office: 01258 475137
Book online: www.stur-exchange.co.uk
Save the Date: 10th – 18th September
Unmissable factory sale at Neal’s Yard Remedies ec-factory in Peacemarsh
Up to 75% off
Messy Mice Toddler Group
Run by Okeford Fitzpaine CE Primary School & Sunbeams Daycare.
St Mary’s Church Okeford Fitzpaine.
Thursdays in term time – starting Thurs 16th September
9.30am – 11am
FREE of charge and refreshments will be provided.
Open days – No need to book. Please do come and see what our lovely village school can offer your child!
Dates:
Saturday 18th September 10am – 12pm
Tuesday 21st September 10am – 11.30am
Thursday 23rd September 10am – 11.30am
Dorset Museum
Chair of the Board and Trustees
Voluntary Roles
Dorset Museum is owned and managed by the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. This Charity was one of Dorset’s first conservation organisations, established to collect, preserve, research and exhibit objects relating to the archaeology, natural history, art, literature, and culture of Dorset.
Led by the Executive Director, Commercial Director and Director of Collections and Public Engagement, a full complement of paid staff and a team of over 150 volunteers support the Charitable Objects of the Society.
The Society has recently completed a multi-million-pound redevelopment of Dorset Museum. The Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset project has transformed the Museum into a cultural destination at the heart of Dorset’s community. As a result, Dorset Museum has become a leading, contemporary cultural and heritage centre which includes new galleries, a learning centre, collections storage, a library and visitor facilities.
The Society is looking to recruit an individual to join its Board of Trustees as its new Chair, succeeding the existing Chair, who is standing down after serving a full permissible term of six years.
The Society is seeking someone with Board level experience ideally with Chair or Deputy Chair experience. The Board is also looking to appoint someone who can demonstrate the very highest levels of good governance. The Chair will need to lead on the development of a new strategic plan. The Chair will exhibit high standards of organisational and financial management. The Chair will lead the Board in making informed, ambitious and strategic decisions and will need to establish a constructive and supportive but challenging working relationship with the Executive Director.
The role of Chair is not remunerated. The likely overall time commitment for the role is 26 days a year.
The Charity also seeks to appoint two new Trustees to join the Board. The Board of Trustees has ultimate responsibility for the running of the DNHAS and the Dorset Museum. The Board deals with all major policy decisions, strategic and constitutional matters and is responsible for the approval of the annual budget and accounts and business plan, ensuring the solvency of the DNHAS and the safety of its assets. The overall governance of the organisation lies with the Board. As a Trustee you will provide knowledge, support and guidance to the leadership team to ensure excellent governance.
As a Trustee you will:
Whilst a wide range of attributes are useful to the Board the Charity is particularly looking for potential Trustees who have a background in one or more of financial/ accountancy, fundraising, Museum skills and/or sustainability.
Trustees should expect to commit at least eight days a year to the Museum. Involvement on special projects and committees increase the commitment.
Interested applicants should Click here for an Application Pack or contact Anna Butler on 01305 262735 or by e-mailing: [email protected]
Any applicant should make clear whether they wish to be considered for the role of Chair or ordinary Trustee.
Closing date for applications: 12noon on Thursday 30th September 2021
Interview date: Early October 2021
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.
25th September 2021
Meet the head and the head of prep – Tour our wonderful grounds and facilities
Register by clicking here
Emails: [email protected]
Friendship Month Events
Tuesday 14th September 2.30pm
The Gugg, Station Road, stalbridge DT10 2RQ
Enjoy a teo or coffe with some lovely cake and chat with local members of the oldest friendly society in the UK.
Give us a go!
Call Judy Penfold on 01963 363119
email [email protected]
This month we’ve been chatting to Geoff and Emma Dunne who run the Swan Inn, Sturminster Newton.
How did you end up at The Swan Inn?
Emma and I originally applied to take on the Upton Inn at Upton Cheyney in the Cotswolds, but coincidentally that is where our predecessors have moved to and it was already a done deal; which in turn made The Swan Inn available. So here we are!
What’s your favourite local place to visit on an afternoon off?
Our favourite has got to be the delightful Bank House Brasserie here in Stur, and then maybe walk off all those calories up at Bullbarrow Hill or Okeford Hill with our Westie called Monty. We are so spoilt for choice with walks here, from just walking out of the pub and along the river bank to Fiddleford Mill, Hambledon Hill or Emma’s all-time favourite (and Monty’s) Piddles wood.
Tell us about your pandemic?
Well – what an introduction to the world of publicans! We took over on July 1st; took three weeks to get ourselves
together and we re- opened the pub on July 27th 2020. In August the Eat Out to Help Out’ campaign really got our restaurant off to a flying start – we had diners from all over Dorset enjoying our fine dining a la carte menu. Restrictions were quickly imposed – table service only, masks and social distancing all put a lot of people off and
it went very quiet very quickly until the second lockdown in November. Then of course the third one in late December so Christmas Parties didn’t happen, and likewise New Year.
The whole winter season impact of COVID19 hurt pubs and restaurants in particular, and we were no exception.
Government grants and the Furlough scheme helped but we still had considerable costs and cashflow was a major concern.
We were lucky though – unlike many we had considerable support from Hall & Woodhouse, the family-owned Dorset brewer, but even so it was a long and hard enforced closure.
What’s been your biggest challenge since taking over? What are you proud of?
Our biggest challenge (after Covid of course) has been recruitment. Covid and (allegedly) Brexit have wreaked havoc on the hospitality sector and nowhere more so than with kitchen staff. It is proving very very difficult to recruit quality Chefs and support staff – where are you all?!
I think there are two things I’m deeply proud of; one is the work Emma carried out in our now- amazing garden, and second is quite simply surviving the lockdowns and still being here at the end (we hope this is the end…).
What part of the pub is your absolute favourite?
Obviously I love the whole building – it has such a rich history and you can feel that wherever you are. But… for me
this has to be out in the garden. Even though it’s late summer now (did we have summer? I might have blinked and missed it…) and most of the flowers and shrubs have had their better days, it’s still brims with some very pretty flowers, and there’s nowhere better in my view to sit and enjoy a glass of wine in a quiet moment.
Which dish is your most popular?
Without a doubt our Sunday roasts. It is the most booked up meal time of the week and hugely popular, a very substantial meal and enjoyed universally both for price and quality.
So what’s next – do you have big plans on the horizon?
We did have big plans for our restaurant but these have been shelved whilst we consolidate following the financial hit of the various lockdowns and trading restrictions. Right now it’s really a matter of building our business; the food, the beers and our very well appointed accommodation, recruiting another chef and aking our food offer to 7 days and perhaps expanding the menu. Quiz night has returned and is now every Monday night (we were amazed at how many Quizzlers there in and around Stur!). We have Jason and the Alco-Noughts performing live on Saturday 18th at 8:00pm. We’ve four teams planned for the local Dart league (recommencing in October) as well as our own Darts Knockout Competition due to take place in September.
Finally, we hope, an amazing Christmas and New Year to make up for last year’s washout!
© Bluebean Publishing Ltd
