Yes, Castle Cary Choir really is that old – and they’re celebrating in style. The choir’s anniversary celebrations begin with a home-ground concert at All Saints Church, Castle Cary, where they’ll be joined by the Wincanton Silver Band on Saturday 12th April at 7.30pm. The concert is in aid of the church, with tickets priced at £10, available from Bailey Hill Bookshop, the Market House Information Centre in Castle Cary, or online via Ticket Source on the All Saints website castlecaryallsaints.org.uk
Saturday 31st May at Sherborne Abbey, where the choir will be joined by three professional musician friends: Tom Toomey (guitar), Marta Fontanals-Simmonds (soprano) and Adelaide Brown (flute). Proceeds will support the new Maple Ward Breast Cancer Unit at Yeovil District Hospital, with tickets (£10) available from the Abbey Parish Office and Bailey Hill Bookshop. A retiring collection will be split between the Abbey and Maple Ward. As ever, the choir’s programme spans genres – from musical theatre and original compositions by Musical Director Martin Emslie, to traditional choral works, sacred music and specially arranged spirituals. Castle Cary Choir is a four-part community choir and a registered charity. They are always pleased to welcome new members in all voice parts – no choral experience or sight-reading ability required. Rehearsals are on Mondays at the Methodist Church, North Street, Castle Cary, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. castlecarychoir.org
This recipe is my version of a Shakshuka recipe. Traditionally this is a simple dish of spicy tomatoes with onions and peppers, with some eggs baked into the top. I have taken the liberty of embellishing it with a number of delicious extras, making it into a wonderful, lazy brunch dish, perfect for a long, sunny Bank Holiday weekend … Heather
Heat the oven to 180º fan/gas 6, and line a tray with baking parchment.
Cut the potatoes into small bite-size pieces and cut the tomatoes in half. Place on the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until beginning to brown.
While the potatoes and tomatoes are roasting, chop the onion, pepper, mushroom, bacon and chorizo into small pieces.
In a large frying pan on a medium/high heat, drizzle a little more oil and add all the chopped ingredients. Fry until everything has softened well and the bacon begins to get crispy. Remove from the heat until the potatoes and tomatoes are ready.
Once the potatoes and tomatoes have roasted, take them out of the oven and add them to the frying pan. Return the mixture to the heat and stir. Drizzle in the balsamic vinegar and honey and stir, then add the passata and stir well.
Once everything is bubbling, reduce the heat and make dips in the top of the mixture with the back of a large spoon. Crack the eggs into the dips in the tomato mixture. Put the lid on the frying pan and leave the eggs to cook – they will take about 3-4 minutes.
Serve with warm, crusty bread, avocados and fresh coffee.
This long-term sounding government is turning out to be just as short-term-thinking as its predecessor, and it’s got people on an irritated edge. Combined with broader world events, there’s a general jangling of nerves. From the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, through renewed fighting in Gaza, to the ongoing European conflict in Ukraine, global events are causing anxiety and concern. Closer to home, the Spring Statement has needlessly left us feeling uneasy about the financial future and pondering on the Government’s mixed messages. The changes to welfare are a particular area of the government’s contradictory decisions. I say “yes, absolutely” to the dignity of work and purpose and that as many people as possible should be able to secure the benefits of employment and make their contribution. Nevertheless, the eligibility changes jar with earlier decisions to raise employers’ national insurance contributions that are slowing up hiring and drying up the very job opportunities those previously receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) or incapacity benefit are meant to find. I was speaking to people on their doorsteps last weekend in Gillingham and heard specific examples of the impact cuts to PIPs will make. An ex-nurse was keen to work, but her experience indicated employers unwilling to adjust their expectations, even amid skills shortages. While the increase in the National Living Wage is welcome, especially the higher percentage rise for younger workers, taken together with the increased National Insurance contributions the effect is to apply the handbrake to hiring. There are other ways than employers’ national insurance contributions to finding the revenue for public services. Liberal Democrats suggest increasing taxes on the social media and tech giants, but digital services taxes seem set to go down, not up, to be more Trump-friendly and tariff-avoiding. Elsewhere – and highly relevant to our rural area – the sudden scrapping of the Sustainable Farming Initiative added another layer of uncertainty for farmers. Once again, the government said one thing and did another. Pre-election, Labour was the ‘friend of agriculture’ and stressed the sector’s importance for health and food security. Sadly, the debacle of inheritance tax on family farms and now this additional blow to incomes and more sustainable agriculture gives completely the opposite impression. Overall, I have the sense of pent-up energy in the economic engine: wanting to get on and grow, but the tyres are spinning because of incoherent and self-defeating policy. In these nervous times, the Liberal Democrats in North Dorset stand for stability, compassion, and a commitment to fairness. We believe in a strong economy that works for everyone, a social safety net that protects the most vulnerable, and a government that acts with integrity and intelligence. Gary Jackson North Dorset Liberal Democrats
On a crisp, sunny morning, Shaftesbury’s RotaKids, supported by Shaftesbury Rotary, took to the water for their very first sponsored swim – held at Coombe House. Cheered on by parents and headteachers from both schools, the young swimmers powered through an impressive 350 laps of the 25-metre pool. In total, 25 children took part, raising more than £450 for local charities nominated by the RotaKids. Special mention goes to Abbey Primary School pupil Alex Biro, who raised an outstanding £140 single-handedly. Shaftesbury is fortunate to have two thriving RotaKid Clubs – one at Shaftesbury Primary and the other at Abbey Primary. Open to children aged seven to 12, RotaKids are elected by their peers to make a difference in their communities, while building confidence and leadership skills. The clubs are sponsored by Shaftesbury Rotary and the two often work together on joint events. The Rotary team extend their thanks to Darren Harte and the Coombe House staff – especially lifeguard Adam – for generously giving up their Sunday morning to oversee the event, and to first aider Howard for being on hand throughout. Thanks also went to Brave and Determined (BAD) for providing refreshments from their coffee trailer, raising funds and awareness for their own cause in the process. Coming Rotary dates for the diary include the Family Fun Run in Shaftesbury on 6th April, and the North Dorset Cycle Ride on 18th May.
Grants totalling £149,000 have been awarded to 39 small charities and voluntary groups across Dorset, thanks to the Dorset Community Foundation’s Neighbourhood Fund. The fund supports grassroots projects tackling challenges such as poverty, disability and isolation. With grants of up to £5,000 available, this round of funding will have a wide-reaching impact across the county. At Dorset Lavender Farm Project in Sturminster Newton, £4,800 will fund new pathways between gardens and buildings – improving access for disabled volunteers. ‘That sense of being part of a team, of peaceful, purposeful work – it’s invaluable,’ said project leader Jo O’Connell. Artsreach will use its funding to establish four new daytime hubs in rural areas, aimed at over-65s and those living with dementia. Planned locations include Blandford or Sturminster Newton, Martinstown or Drimpton, Swanage, and Sixpenny Handley or Canford. ‘We want to create regular events that are joyful, inclusive, and a lifeline to those feeling isolated,’ said Development Officer Kerry Bartlett. A £2,500 grant to Bridport Foodbank will help replenish stock after a drop in donations. ‘We’ll be able to buy fresh food and toiletries – the essentials that are harder to come by,’ said treasurer Lisa Pinch. ‘This support will make a real difference.’ Dorchester Men’s Shed has been awarded £3,000 to improve workshop safety, following an air quality inspection last summer. ‘We’re modernising our equipment and installing better dust extraction to create a healthier, safer space,’ explained secretary Andrew Rennison. Bournemouth’s Helpful Hounds Assistance Dogs received £5,000 to continue its work in schools. The group’s specially trained dogs work with pupils experiencing anxiety, autism and other challenges. ‘The dogs create a calming presence, helping pupils – and the staff supporting them – thrive,’ said CEO Peter Rufus. Dorset Community Foundation Chief Executive Grant Robson said: ‘All of the groups who have received funding have annual costs of less than £250,000 – many are under £50,000 – so while these grants are relatively small, the funding means they can continue with vital projects that add real value to peoples’ lives and impact them in an incredibly positive way.’
A beacon and lamps of peace will be lit in Sturminster Newton to ‘shine a light’ on the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe. On Saturday 3rd May there will be a 1940s dance at The Exchange: dance to the Big Band soundsof the Moonlight Swing Band to truly bring the 40s party to life. Tickets £15 – dress for the 1940s, there’s a prize for the best costume. On VE Day, Thursday 8th May, there will be a civic service at St Mary’s Church at 8pm. The community will join together in the Railway Gardens from 8.30pm onwards to commemorate 80 years since VE Day and the end of World War Two. An act of remembrance at 9.20pm will be followed by a 1,000 beacons being lit across the country at 9.30pm in a shared moment of celebration, marking the end of many years of darkness. Red Lamps of Peace will also be lit to remember the many animals who served – a tradition started on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. There will be plenty of free tea and coffee – please bring your own mug. For full details please see the posters around town.
Four men have been convicted of illegally hunting a fox with hounds following a detailed investigation by Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Team.
The incident took place on Monday 4th December 2023 near Buckhorn Weston, a village within The BV’s North Dorset heartland, during an event held by the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt. It was reported that hounds pursued and killed a fox during the meet.
Pack of hounds (for illustrative purposes only). Image: Shutterstock
Footage and evidence submitted by members of the public who had been monitoring the hunt were central to the police investigation. Dorset Police confirmed that expert review was undertaken to help establish that an offence under the Hunting Act 2004 had taken place.
Four Somerset men – Conall McGrath, 23, and George Pierce, 33, both of Charlton Horethorne, as well as Andrew Osborne, 60, and Freddie Osborne, 34, of Templecombe – were subsequently tried at Poole Magistrates’ Court. All four were found guilty of breaching section one of the Hunting Act 2004.
McGrath and Pierce were ordered to pay £1,140 each in fines and costs. The Osbornes were each fined £930.
Detective Constable Steve Allen of the Rural Crime Team commented: “Dorset Police is committed to investigating any alleged breach of the Hunting Act 2004 and ensuring anyone breaching the legislation is held to account. This case saw us work with experts and the CPS to compile evidence and build a compelling case.”
The law prohibiting the hunting of wild mammals with dogs came into force in 2005 under the Hunting Act 2004. While certain exemptions apply, police noted that this incident did not fall within those exceptions.
As our readers may recall, The BV reported on this case in depth earlier this year (Dorset’s Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt suspended, The BVFeb 24), as part of our continuing coverage of rural affairs and the complex debates around countryside law, land use and tradition. Speaking at the time, North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs told The BV: ‘We had really hoped that the presence of the drone would have stopped the hunt killing the fox. Unfortunately, it seemed they were making so much noise and were so engrossed in chasing the fox that they didn’t notice it until it was too late. It’s a sickening insight into what goes on and very upsetting for us all that we couldn’t save this fox.’
Hunts are lawfully allowed to go out on what are known as trail hunts. This is the practice of using a pack of hounds to follow a scent of animal urine, typically fox, that is laid in advance – the trail. If hounds accidentally deviate from the trail that has been laid for them and start following the scent of a live quarry, it is the responsibility of the huntsman and hunt staff to stop the hounds immediately.
No one from the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt was available for comment at the time. However, a spokesperson for the Countryside Alliance told The BV:‘There have been just a handful of hunts prosecuted since the Hunting Act came into force almost 19 years ago. It is estimated that around 12,000 days of lawful hunting activities take place across the country each season … demonstrating that the majority of hunting days are conducted within the law.’
Dorset Police are encouraging members of the public to report any further concerns relating to illegal hunting activities.
Rachel Hosford (Cook) of Durweston. Passed away at Forest Holme Hospice, Poole, after a short illness, aged 82. Much loved wife of Jonny, and greatly missed by Martha and Ben, and grandchildren Hector, Eliana, William and Thomas
Widespread dissatisfaction with the state of British politics has doubtlessly contributed to the relative success of Reform. Instead of addressing that situation however, both Labour and the Tories have tried to win back voters by adopting policies that lean towards Reform ideology. Their biggest mistake has been to row back on policies aimed at addressing global warming, thereby failing with government’s most important duty, which is surely to protect the lives and wellbeing of citizens. Kemi Badenoch has declared that achieving Net Zero by 2050 is impossible without a significant drop in our living standards and bankrupting us. Yet the CEO of the Confederation of Business Industry has stated that last year the Net Zero economy grew by 10 per cent and added £83bn to our national income. What we cannot afford is to sideline action on global warming. The consequences of carrying on with fossil fuel business-as-usual would be devastating. We are already seeing increasingly severe weather patterns develop, with prolonged periods of flooding and drought for example, impacting the ability of farmers to produce our food. Longer term consequences include disasters like rising sea levels as ice caps melt. Arctic air temperatures are rising faster than the global average, and so the massive Greenland icesheet, for example, is particularly vulnerable to global warming. It is kilometres thick, covers 80 per cent of the island … and has been steadily melting for the past 27 years as global temperatures rise. It contains enough water to eventually raise global sea levels by seven metres. In the UK that would wipe out whole farming areas, including Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Talk about a drop in living standards … While our contribution to climate change is much smaller than that of, say, China, we are responsible for a share of China’s emissions because so many of the things we buy are manufactured there. China has identified the clean energy opportunities and installed more renewable energy generation last year than the rest of the world combined – eight times more than America and five times more than Europe. Renewable energy creates jobs, cleans polluted air, and lowers energy bills. That’s what we have to gain – and can’t afford to lose. Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party
