Roth Bar & Grill in Bruton Somerset is a vibrant restaurant renowned for its wood fired cooking serving seasonal and honest food – much of the produce used in the kitchen is from the surrounding farm.
we have an exciting opportunity for a Chef de Partie to join us and be part of our welcoming team and award-winning restaurant.
Salary £25K + Benefits + Tips
What’s in it for you?
Competitive pay + Great TIPs + Healthcare Cash Plan + Life Assurance + 30 Days Holidays + Employee Assistance Programme + Local Discounts & Incentives + Pension Plan + Training & Development Opportunities + 02 Phone Discount
The role
Responsible for a section of the Kitchen ensuring the preparation and delivery of high-quality food to the restaurant, outside catering and events catering. This requires working closely with the Head Chef and Sous Chefs.
To see the full job description and to apply click the following link –
Summer is finally with us and whether you’re braving the yoyo-ing of government foreign travel policy or enjoying a staycation, we have some wonderful handpicked summer reads to pass the time – and all of them are £2 off! Here are my personal top picks for a perfect hammock read this summer. Wayne
Jean Swinney is a feature writer on a local paper, disappointed in love and – on the brink of forty living a limited existence with her truculent mother. When a young Swiss woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, it is down to Jean to discover whether she is a miracle or a fraud. But the more Jean investigates, the more her life becomes strangely intertwined with that of the Tilburys: Gretchen is now a friend, and her quirky and charming daughter Margaret a sort of surrogate child. And Jean doesn’t mean to fall in love with Gretchen’s husband, but Howard surprises her with his dry wit, his intelligence and his kindness, and she falls hard.
Set in 1634, a boat leaves the East Indies with a detective duo on board. Although one is locked up and facing execution, their skills are very much needed when the voyage is beset by a terrible forewarning. ‘Wildly inventive, Turton’s tale defies definition as either historical fiction or crime novel, but provides all the pleasures of both genres and more’
In the twilight of the Gold Rush, two siblings cross a landscape with a gun in their hands. Ba dies in the night, Ma is already gone. Lucy and Sam, twelve and eleven, are suddenly alone and on the run. With their father’s body on their backs, they roam an unforgiving landscape dotted with giant buffalo bones and tiger paw prints, searching for a place to give him a proper burial… A sweeping adventure tale, an unforgettable sibling story and a remarkable novel about a family bound and divided by its memories.
In this riveting real-life thriller, Philippe Sands offers a unique account of the daily life of senior Nazi SS Brigadefuhrer Otto Freiherr von Wachter and his wife, Charlotte. Drawing on a remarkable archive of family letters and diaries, he unveils a fascinating insight into life before and during the war, as a fugitive on the run in the Alps and then in Rome, and into the Cold War.
‘Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not- very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of . . . but read on!’ – Margaret Atwood The Greek myths are among the world’s most important cultural building blocks and they have been retold many times, but rarely do they focus on the remarkable women at the heart of these ancient stories.
It’s been a busy month – here’s how June worked out for us on the allotment (all our vegetables are grown from seed in plug trays, modules and small pots):
May 30th – Plant out 48 Swift sweetcorn in a block. Plant out a block of lettuce.
June 1st – Plant against canes about 40 Moonlight runner beans. These are a white flowered variety which are less attractive to Sparrows. Weeding and watering. Sow into plug trays Cardinal broccoli. Now harvesting lettuce as required.
June 2nd – Plant out about 30 Safari dwarf French beans. Weeding and watering. Put straw under strawberries and then covered with a net to protect from Blackbirds.
June 4th – Plant out 10 Vert Petit de Paris gherkins. Dug first new potatoes (Foremost).
June 6th – Patched fourth line of Hurst Green Shaft peas with seedlings from plug tray. These were to replace those damaged by the Weevil before they emerged.
June 9th – Sow Witloof chicory, coriander, carrot and beetroot. Pick first sweet peas.
June 11th – Plant out 3 courgettes and 8 Winter squashes including 2 Crown Prince. Plant out 4 cucumbers against wire to give them support as they climb. Harvested Garlic (planted in November).Quite a poor yield this year.
June 13th – Picked first strawberries. A few were slug damaged. Planted a line of Cendis cauliflower. This is the variety that produced some very large curds last year, the largest weighed in at 3.7 Kg. Planted part line of Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli.
June 14th – Gave potatoes 20 litres of water per line.
June 15th – Sow lettuce in a module (repeated each month for a succession of plants). Sow in plugs Medallion Spring cauliflower and Traviata savoy cabbage.June 18th – Some welcome rain. Weeding in the rain.
June 19th – Patched beetroot and carrot rows. Picked first broad beans.
June 20th – Plant out Cheesy and Violetta di Sicillia cauliflower. Plant out a block of Greensleeves celery. Dug more first early potatoes.
June 21st – RAIN!
June 22nd – Plant out Ironman calabrese and Natalino Romanesco.
Hayley Foy is a 36 year old female farrier from West Dorset. Having completed a four and half year apprenticeship with well known Abbotsbury farrier Ian Marchant, Hayley qualified in 2006 and now has her own business.
Hayley at work with her daughter
Farriers specialise in what happens from the knee down on a horse, learning the bones of the foot, how the hoof grows and how to trim and shape hooves.
Then of course the different types of shoes, and how to correctly shoe different horses with particular jobs – a racehorse will have very different shoe needs to a working heavy horse.
A Farrier will also learn about remedial shoeing: “I like the remedial side of it all” says Hayley “working with out of balance horses, solving problems, sometimes even making lame horses sound.”
“I shoe all different types of horses from Shires to Shetlands, lots of show jumpers, eventers, hunters and happy hackers. Whatever the horse, it is always so important to make sure they are moving as straight as possible. This is done through foot balance, and supporting the whole leg not just the hoof.
I feel very passionate about this, and really enjoy working with local vets to sort out hoof problems.
Over the years Hayley has built up a great client list purely through word of mouth – she hasn’t ever had to advertise, and has no website or social media.
Being a female in a man’s world has always just made Hayley very determined – showing that whatever sex you are you can do it. Being successful in a job that you love has it’s problems though
“I love shoeing horses so much it took me a very long time to work out how I could still be a farrier and have a baby!”
In November 2020 Hayley had her first child, managing to shoe very sensible calm horses nearly to the end of her pregnancy thanks to some help from a great farrier friend who would go out shoeing with her.
“Now I’m a mum and a farrier, I just needed to get very organised with how to fit it all in.
But it is so great to be able to be shoeing with my baby sleeping in the van, happily watching in the yard or going on a walk. I’ll be flexible until she is ready to go to nursery for a few hours and I can get back to shoeing a few more horses in a day!”
Farrier or Blacksmith?
Historically, the jobs of farrier and blacksmith were practically synonymous. A farrier’s work in pre-Industrial Revolution Europe would have included shoeing horses, as well as the fabrication and repair of tools and so on. Modern-day farriers specialise in horseshoeing, focusing their time and effort on the care of the horse’s hoof. For this reason, farriers and blacksmiths are considered to be in separate, though related, trades.
The National Trust Stourhead require the following staff for immediate start.
Cook – 30 hours per week – £18,075pa
Food & beverages Team Leader – 37.5 hours per week – £9.75ph
Both these positions are permanent roles which offer realistic salary progression based on annual reviews.
The National Trusts policay means you won’t be required to work nights, split shifts and will be off on Christmas Day as the property is fully closed to the public.
To find out more about either of these roles and to apply, please send your CV to the hiring manager –
The creative journey of the artist can be full of perils: self-doubt, fear, inner criticism, procrastination, avoidance and even resignation. But this journey is always one of interest – such is the route Rob Adams has taken. His father was a photographer, author, film maker and broadcaster and his mother a keen amateur painter; and from a youthful aptitude for art and mathematics (which was leading to architecture) through to a peaceful retirement in Dorset, his journey is fascinating. Fate intercepted when a serious motorcycle accident put Rob in hospital for a year and necessitated another year in rehabilitation. Having to spend hours on his back provided the opportunity to draw…. and draw. On recovery, there was a Foundation course, a study of Sculpture at Portsmouth and a degree in Fine art. As Rob says, “I am, I suppose a little unusual in the painting world in that I have had several careers in the art and design industry before becoming a full-time dauber.”
Rob Adams in his Child Okeford Studio – Edwina Baines
Initially working as an illustrator, Rob penned a children’s book, published in 1995, featuring a character called Abysmal Gloom, a small blue monster who always moans and complains about everything. One review said:
“This would have been a great book to read when I was a kid: basically, one in which you learn that it’s okay to be gloomy because it is what you are supposed to be in the world. There are those of us who have delighted over time in our own misery, and this book is the best example of why we exist that I have read.”
However, the gloom dispersed when Rob was given the opportunity to design sets for film and television. He made stage sets for the theatre and models for some very large productions such as the first Batman movie and a thirty-foot-high polystyrene version of Rodin’s The Kiss for a pop video. There were vast murals for the VE day celebrations, the Queen’s Jubilee and the re-design of the O2 following its use for the Millennium. He was involved with the Tussauds group for many years, designing Theme Parks and roller coasters for their many attractions, including Alton Towers. There were projects with famous photographers of the time including David Bailey and Terence Donovan, plus videos with Duran Duran and Sting. During all this time Rob continued to paint landscape and architectural watercolours and was also one of the finalists for Artist of the Year 2013 run by the Artists and Illustrators magazine.
Studland Bay – Rob Adams
The Wapping Group (or the ‘Wappers’ as they are known), are a group of twenty five dedicated and capable painters, whose aim is fellowship and the enthusiastic recording and interpretation of London and the Thames. On initial application to be a candidate, Rob was turned down as his work was perceived to be too ‘slick’! However, he persevered and gained full entry in 2014 when he was, amongst others, instrumental in ensuring the inclusion of the first women into the group.
At the age of fifty-three Rob took the bold decision to give up full time work. It was “one big experiment” but has now paid off. In a move that surprised not only himself but all his friends, he moved to Dorset and has been painting the wonderful local landscapes ever since: “I am minded to pursue a humble course of painting what moves or merely interests me in the most capable way I can manage, with no expectation of others either liking or being moved by my efforts. … I have come to think what I wish to show is ordinary things around me in moments of extraordinary beauty. This often means getting up very early!”
“I have no set way of working, sometimes I will draw a picture out carefully, other times I dive straight in with the paint. I frequently finish work ‘en plein air’ but don’t hold back from adjusting or amending once back in the studio if I feel it necessary. I often use photographs as reference in studio paintings, but am careful not to allow the photographic image to dominate proceedings. My great passion is drawing and I am a regular attender at a local life-drawing group. For me drawing is the bones upon which the flesh of the rest of the painting is hung. … My professional life has left me comfortable when working with many different media, from pen drawing to watercolour.”
Peeping through the ‘postbox – Rob Adams
When I visited Rob’s delightful village studio during Dorset Art Weeks there was a wonderful range of work on display from atmospheric landscapes reflecting both the changing light and the seasons to street scenes that conveyed a real sense of time and place. There was a quirky and self-deprecating self-portrait showing him peeking through the ‘letterbox’ shape of the frame, to light infused seascapes such as Studland Bay. Rob explained: “The only problem with painting this was that the tide came in so quickly I had to retreat! When painting ‘en plein air’ you often have less than an hour to get the picture mostly done. Here I had to finish the foreground from a phone snap.”
Looking West to Corfe – Rob Adams
Looking West to Corfe Castle portrays the sensitive use of colour and composition to create atmosphere and harmony. “When painting a scene like this on the spot I first of all try to get the mood of the day established as I want to paint that particular moment. This is why I mostly paint from life rather than photos. The challenge here was that the sunlight was constantly changing as the clouds rolled by.”
You can find an extensive selection of Rob’s work on:
An elderly lady walking slowly across the Town Meadow pauses as Liz Rose stops to chat with her. Kindness and positivity radiate from Liz who is Gillingham’s first social prescriber and has been in the post since October. There’s a brief conversation before Liz joins me. The lady walks on with a smile beneath her mask, Liz’s words clearly making a difference to her day.
Social prescribing is a relatively new concept to the NHS but one that is increasingly important as the country recovers from the lockdown and Covid-19 pandemic. Around 30 per cent of GP appointments are made for non-medical reasons and frequently turn out to be for other issues such as financial problems or loneliness. A social prescriber like Liz connects people to others and to support services. They are based with GP surgeries but work in the community and in partnership with support groups. Instead of a medical prescription, you could find yourself introduced to the coffee companions or the forthcoming Gill Sheds. Liz is a trained mental health nurse and has lived in Gillingham all her life. “I saw the job advertised and went for it. I like people, I’m nosey, and I love Gillingham- it’s a great community.”
Liz Rose by Rachael Rowe
Liz outlined some of the cases she had dealt with that day which gave a good insight into her role. A lady recently discharged from hospital after a road accident was unable to walk her dog. By making a phone call, Liz was able to find a volunteer willing to take the job on which gave peace of mind to the dog owner. She also helped support another resident who was experiencing severe mental health problems. Liz was also honoured when she was recently invited to the home of some local Syrian refugees that had been helped to settle into the town. She also helped bring people together with knitted squares on the Town Meadow and the biggest knitted blanket in Dorset. As Liz said: “The job is as big as you want it to be.”
One of Liz’s main roles is to connect people who may be feeling isolated in the community. On Tuesdays the Coffee Companions meet up. There is always someone there to say hello and make people feel welcome. The Green Gang work with people of all abilities to plant tree, clear paths, and renovate signs. Gill Sheds is coming to Gillingham soon and there is a singing group in the area. Liz is part of the team working on Dementia Friendly Gillingham, another community project.
Liz also works with Gillingham Community Kindness- a team of 86 volunteers. “They help with anything from befriending to doing the shopping for someone, and they even moved furniture for a local lady coming home from hospital.” During the first lockdown, Gillingham Town Council got a leaflet to each resident outlining where they could get help and the volunteers were on hand to offer support.
Asked about challenges, Liz identified a few. Not surprisingly, time was an issue, and having to be in two places at once on occasions. It can be difficult as a lone worker- she is looking for a “partner in crime.” A second post to work alongside Liz is currently advertised just in case anyone is inspired by the work she has been doing.
I asked Liz how people in Gillingham can help support the service. “They can like our Facebook page and also spread the word about Gillingham Community Kindness. If they know someone who may need a little support in the community, please reach out to us so we can get in touch. There is always a need for volunteers and people are welcome to join the team.”
Social prescribing in the NHS is here to stay and it seems that the small things and a dose of kindness make a big difference to people.
If you would like to get in touch with Liz at the Vale Partnership you can contact her on [email protected] at Gillingham Medical Practice.
July is my birthday month so it seems fitting to post one of my favourite recipes!
This Key Lime Pie recipe sits somewhere between baked cheesecake and soufflé and is delicious both warm from the oven or cold as a more of a tray bake. With only 5 ingredients it is also pretty simple to make, just make sure to whip the egg whites fully and carefully fold them into the rest of the mix.
Image Heather Brown
You can also add different biscuits to make the base a bit different… ginger nuts, oreos or chocolate digestives maybe.
This sweet bake/pudding goes wonderfully with a glass of something cold and bubbly… perhaps some award winning Langham Estate Sparkling wine, or the new Badger Beer ‘Fropical Ferret’ beer (their new limited edition beer brewed to bring out mango and passionfruit flavours!), or maybe some Elderflower and Gooseberry Gin Liqueur by Smith and Weston. If you wanted something more unusual, you could try Liberty Field’s Dessert Cider which is sort of a fruity, rich indulgent drink, full of the flavour of their locally grown apples. There are so many beautiful, locally made drinks producers in Dorset – we are spoilt for choice!
Ingredients:
▪ 4 limes (juice and zest)
▪ 4 eggs
▪ 1 tin condensed milk
▪ a packet of digestive biscuits
▪ 4 oz butter Method: Preheat the oven to 170 degrees/160 fan/gas 5. Grease and line a 9′′ x 13′′ tin. Crush the biscuits by placing the biscuits in a double layer of sandwich bags and bash with something heavy like a book or rolling pin until you have a bag of biscuit crumbs. Melt the butter and stir in the biscuits crumbs well. Squash the mixture into the base of the tin and press down firmly to make sure it forms a good base. Set the base aside. Separate the eggs into 2 bowls. Add to the yolks to the condensed milk, lime zest and lime juice and mix well together. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Carefully fold the whites into the yolk, condensed milk and lime mixture until combined. The mixture will be airy and light but quite runny. Carefully pour this mixture over the biscuit base and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the edges have cracked slightly and the top starts to brown all over. Tip – when you open the oven door, do so gently, otherwise it might sink too quickly. Remove from the oven. The bake will start to sink almost immediately (just like a soufflé would) but this is normal. The key lime pie can be served straight from the oven or can be left to cool and cut into pieces like a traybake.
Image Heather Brown
I usually like to drizzle with a little melted white chocolate and serve with fresh raspberries and cream. (NB. if you would like to cut into clean squares, then fridge the bake before cutting and clean the knife between each cut).
If they don’t get eaten that same day, then store the bake in the fridge. Makes 12 large pieces.
Note – you can halve the mixture and bake in a round pie/flan dish, just check the bake in the oven after 20 minutes. I always tend to make this larger batch because they always get eaten so quickly!
I’m Nick Zambellas, from Leigh originally and currently living between London and Dorset.
Myself and four friends, led by my Australian friend Nick Honey, will be rowing non-stop between Ibiza and Barcelona around 27 July (depending on the weather window) in a race against an Irish team.
Image by Nick Zambellas
The race itself will take around three and a half days – if conditions are good – with two teammates rowing continuously in shifts throughout that time.
The row is a major test of physical and mental endurance. The risk of injury and weather play as great a part as outright strength. We will sleep in two small cabins fore and aft and cook dehydrated food on a gas stove tucked by the aft cabin.
The rowboat herself, Danielle, is a self-righting, ocean-going rowboat with navigational equipment and solar panels. She was built to row the Atlantic by Justin Adkin of Beer. Although the boat is pretty high tech itself, sadly the toilet facilities are just a bucket…
It’s been a difficult few months preparing for the race. Not only have we had to build up strength while gyms were shut, we’ve also had to complete a number of sea safety and navigational courses.
I’m planning to keep team morale up by singing sea shanties, and bringing a large amount of biltong and chocolate. I’ve been designated as chief of navigation by my teammates, so fingers crossed I get us into Barcelona safely!
We’re rowing to raise money for Noman Campaign, a charity which campaigns for awareness of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a largely under researched virus which is a causal agent in 5% of all cancers.
We’re aiming to raise £5,000 each – we’ve paid all admin, course and travel costs ourselves so any money donated will go straight to Noman Campaign.
From left to right is Guy Wilson Tom Steindler, Nick Zambellas, Nick Honey (the skipper) and George Millar.
NOMAN is more than a race, it’s a call to action. HPV is the causal agent of 5% of cancers. Cancers which can be prevented by vaccinating both boys and girls against this devastating virus. NOMAN challenges participants to row the Mediterranean in order to spread the message about HPV, and to support the charity’s education and advocacy programmes to ensure that both boys and girls are protected against HPV.
“In 2013 the Barcelona-Ibiza: Row to End HPV was NOMAN’s inaugural rowing challenge and an outstanding success, raising over $1 million and attaining press on an international scale. This was the beginning of the NOMAN Mediterranean races which have continued to grow and expand, now consisting of 2 separate legs: Barcelona to Ibiza and Ibiza to Barcelona – with 12 crews taking on these races in the most recent edition. Throughout the years, our rowers have faced the blistering sun, combated fierce winds and rising sea swells, and beaten fatigue and sea sickness. All in the name of preventing 5% of cancer.”
