The Museum of East Dorset’s reminiscence project engages the elderly, rekindling past experiences through tangible artefacts
Trustee/Volunteer Sue Cook, with volunteers Brian Holloway and Mary Knowles and some of the objects
An innovative outreach project by The Museum of East Dorset is tapping into the power of memories for elderly people – particularly those with dementia. The museum’s skilled, award-winning volunteers of the Reminiscence Team go into day centres, care homes, and senior clubs across East Dorset, offering their reminiscence sessions. With a treasure trove of artefacts from the Museum of East Dorset, each session is a journey through time. Museum Trustee Sue Cook explains: ‘We can theme the sessions accordingly to suit the people we’re meeting. Toys and Games, Wartime, Holidays by the Sea, Childhood and It’s a Man’s World are just some of the themes we can build around with all the items we’re so lucky to have access to.’ The museum’s array of historical objects are not being used simply for a dose of feelgood nostalgia; the sessions are used as a therapeutic tool that promotes emotional wellbeing, as well as building social interaction.
That takes me back! ‘Our carefully curated collection of objects will transport participants back in time, triggering memories and sparking conversations,’ says Museum Director Chezzie Hollow. ‘From the strong scent of carbolic soap to the feel of a vintage toy, each item has been selected to evoke a sense of nostalgia and encourage reminiscing.’ That tactile experience of holding a familiar food box or sniffing a familiar scent can unlock stories and emotions from the past – especially in dementia sufferers, who find far-off memories easier to access. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Billy May, manager at Ferndown Plus day centre, says, ‘The visual memorabilia brought along for everyone to touch, feel and smell brought up lots of memories and conversations, and the team made the people we support feel valued and respected.’ The 45-minute sessions are free of charge, though donations are encouraged to help continue the museum’s charitable work.
To learn more or to arrange a session that could make a profound difference in someone’s life, please contact Mary Knowles at [email protected].
The Repair Cafe from 10am to 12.30pm once a month at Cheap Street Church Hall, Sherborne. It is run by a team of volunteers, and visitors bring their broken items from home. Small, damaged objects, mechanical devices, jewellery repairs, clothing or children’s toys that need some TLC.
Building bridges in Gillingham: sixth formers engage in community service, enhancing life skills and enriching the town with their spirited volunteerism
Gillingham School Sixth Form have been working hard to build links with the local community, in a project led by assistant head of sixth form, El Little. Over the course of the school year, all students will undertake a half term of volunteering. The purpose of the work is to help develop skills of confidence, communication and community awareness among the students, while also having a positive impact on local residents and beyond. It is part of the wider Personal Development programme within Gillingham Sixth Form, which includes a focus on building leadership skills and providing enrichment opportunities for students.
Old and young Last term students took on a number of different activities – one of the most successful was visiting residents at Fern Brook Lodge Care Home and The Malthouse Care Home, spending time chatting with the residents. Two of the students are members of TLW Dance Company in Shaftesbury, and they put their skills to good use putting on musical and dance performances at Fern Brook Lodge. The Malthouse residents were treated to home baked cakes! The students involved have found it a very rewarding experience getting to know the residents. One of the 6th formers, Poppy Marshall, says, ‘It was so interesting finding out about the lives of the residents before they came to the care home. I found it really uplifting and it always really brightened my day’. Care home staff reported that the residents really looked forward to the visits and loved the singing and dancing. Because the residents were not able to attend the school’s Christmas Carol Concert, on the last day of the school term members of the school orchestra, led by head of music Liam Carey, visited Fern Brook Lodge to put on a Christmas music performance.
Visibly helping Another group oversaw the organisation of the Rotary Club Shoebox Appeal within school, with individuals and tutor groups putting together shoe boxes to be sent to children in eastern European countries for Christmas. This involved promoting the appeal within the school, raising funds for donations, and organising the delivery and collection of boxes to be sent off. Further charity events have taken place in school, led by students, to raise funds for local organisations. There have also been students regularly litter picking on a Wednesday afternoon in Gillingham town centre – providing an opportunity not only to tidy the streets, but also to interact with local members of the community. The school has been support through the project by Dextra Group, who supplied the school with hi-vis jackets and lanyards with the school logo and slogan ‘Gillingham School Serving the Community’. This has allowed the public to see the positive work the students are undertaken. Over the coming months, the Sixth Form are planning to extend the community project further and to link with other local organisations to deepen the relationship between the school and town.
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Robbie Baird unveils North Dorset Beekeepers’ ambitious plan for an accessible apiary, highlighting their fundraising efforts
Artists impression of the new apiary
The North Dorset Beekeepers site in Shillingstone is remote – accessed by crossing a field and two wobbly stiles – and once you’re there, there’s no electricity, running water, or any other facilities you might expect. We do have a hut to store equipment in, and a corner of a field to keep the beehives (the apiary) … but that’s about it. Not that we’re complaining – it’s better than nothing – but it does mean we can’t be as inclusive as we’d like. Hosting anyone but the fully able-bodied simply isn’t an option. Yet. Spreading the word about the importance of the honey bee, and training enthusiasts to become good beekeepers, has always been core to the Association’s activities. To do all of that, we really needed a teaching facility … Dorset Council provided a glimmer of hope in 2023. Part of a field was on offer and, as we’re a registered charity, it would be for a peppercorn rent. Planning permission for a building was sought – and approved – and we were on! All we need now is £200,000 …
Working on it We have more than 150 members and many of them have stepped up to the fundraising challenge. Of course, we sell our honey and other bee-related products at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival and at Dikes supermarket in Stalbridge. Donations have come in too – particularly from those repairing their roof, only to find they have a colony of honey bees living in it! Our members can help with that if the access route is safe, and we’ll save the bees! We’ll attend a swarm, too, if you have one in your garden. We even filled the Portman Hall in Shillingstone for an absolutely brilliant Bees a-Swarmen evening of Dorset stories and music, performed by the renowned Tim Laycock and Colin Thompson. Last summer we offered a series of Bees & Beekeeping experience days for the first time. They’re a fun afternoon, learning about the life of a honey bee and getting up close and personal with them as you open up a hive to see what goes on inside. Back at the hall, there are loads of other things to explore (check out how hairy a bee is under the microscope!) and there’s tea, coffee and cake. There’s always tea, coffee and cake when beekeepers are involved! These were a huge success, and we’re already booking 2024 dates.
Why the bee? Most folk understand the need to protect the natural world, and that increasing biodiversity is a good thing. But nothing’s sustainable without the insects making sure the next generation of our native flowers, shrubs and fruit trees are pollinated. Those same insects are also a major food source for our native birds. Protecting insects and their habitat and fighting invasive species are important messages. Our experience is that, once introduced to the honey bee and its amazing life, and having watched the bees at work in the hive, non-beekeepers realise just how precious our insects are.
Can you help? We’d love to be able to welcome all comers, young and old, able-bodied and the not-so-able-bodied, to a new Honey Bee Centre and to continue spreading the word … and yes, creating a buzz of excitement about these tiny, valuable creatures. That’s what keeps us going as we work to find the £200,000 we need. If you’d like to help us on the journey, you’ll find out more on our website and if you’d like to become a patron of the new centre or a business sponsor, just leave us a message and we’ll be in touch.
This is the perfect comfort food for January – it’s so simple to make, really good for you and deliciously thick and moreish for those cold January days. The amount this recipe makes depends on the size of your butternut squash, but will feed at least three hungry people.
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
Some good quality olive oil
1 small onion
1 generously heaped tbs of butter
1 tbs maple syrup
300ml to 500ml of vegetable stock
Some crushed chilli flakes
A bit of cream or natural yoghurt to finish
Heather Brown is a special officer for the Guild of Food Writers, and has worked in the food industry for 20 years. She is a food writer and photographer, offering one-to-one help to local businesses for content and websites.
Method
Heat your oven to gas 5/160º fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Cut the butternut squash in half from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds.
Drizzle the inside of the squash liberally with olive oil and place it flat face down on the baking tray.
Roast in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes (depending on how large the squash is), until the inside is soft.The skin will crinkle slightly and start to brown.
Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle – at least ten minutes.
While the squash is cooling, chop the onion.
Add the butter to a small frying pan over a medium heat, and when melted add the onion. Drizzle in the maple syrup and cook gently together until the onion has softened and the buttery mixture starts to brown. Remove from the heat.
Take the butternut squash halves and scoop the lovely soft insides into a bowl (throw the tough skins away). Add the softened onions in their sweet buttery mixture into the squash.
Blend using a stick blender until it is a smooth, glorious, thick and tasty mixture.
Loosen the mixture with the stock – just add until you have reached the consistency of soup you like (I used about 300ml of stock but I like a lovely thick soup and my butternut squash was quite small).
This soup will keep quite happily in the fridge for a couple of days. Just reheat in a small saucepan and finish with a drizzle of cream or natural yoghurt and some crushed chilli flakes.
Spring 2024 is set to bloom with the inaugural Dorset Spring Show, promising a vibrant celebration of spring flowers, food, farming, and more. Scheduled for Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April 2024, it’s a brand new event from the team behind the Dorset County Show. The Dorset Spring Show is a celebration of the arrival of warmer days after the chill of winter. Jason Bowerman, Chairman of the Show, says the event may be new, but it has old bones; ‘The roots of this event trace back to the Society’s annual Spring Horticulture and Homecraft Competitions Show. In 2024, we are taking this to a whole new level with the introduction of the Dorset Spring Show, set against the stunning backdrop of Kingston Maurward.’ Visitors can expect a range of experiences, from savoring local delicacies and discovering the art of food production to enjoying live demonstrations and engaging talks by local speakers. Entertainment will be plentiful, with local acts, hands-on rural skills workshops, and of course there’ll be lots of shopping opportunities. The highlight for many will undoubtedly be the chance to meet newborn lambs – a true sign of spring. A special focus of the Show will be the farm-to-fork journey, illustrating the agriculture sector’s vital role in feeding the nation. It will feature a variety of speakers and rural crafters, showcasing the essence of Dorset. James Cox, the Show Organiser, shares his enthusiasm: ‘Speakers Corner, Floral Demonstrations, Agri Education Hub, Crafters Corner … there is so much happening in this new event, and you can be a part of it. For more than 170 years, the Dorset County Show has bid summer farewell in style. In 2024, we are also starting summer with a blooming bang through the Dorset Spring Show. We will have so much to announce over the coming months.’ Tickets are available now, with an Early Bird offer for adults at just £8, and free entry for children.
This month Barry Cuff has chosen a couple of postcards of the village in which he grew up.
This is the school that grandfather, father and I attended. The sender, Mary Jones, was the infant teacher and wife of Thomas Jones, headmaster. Note the separate playgrounds in their time – bottom for the boys and top for the girls!). It was sent on 23rd December 1904 to the postmistress, Miss F Collis, at Iwerne Minster: ‘My dear Fan, A line to wish you a very jolly Christmas. I thought you would like a view of our house & school. It was taken from the church tower. Much love from Mary Jones’
A William Snook sent this card on 4th November 1904 to a relative, Miss E Snook, in Longfleet. The Snook family ran the Post Office, Telegraph Office, the bakery and Temperance Hotel in the village – and, as can be seen from the message, they produced postcards too! The thatched cottages were pulled down in the late 1970s. ‘Do you remember this spot – we are doing this at one penny each. I will send Jon another soon. Kind love to all’
He’s ‘cried’ on Glastonbury’s pyramid stage … Robbie Wiliams is a fan … Tracie Beardsley talks to Chris Brown, the voice of Wimborne
Chris Brown, Wimborne Minster’s town crier All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
When moving to a new area, advice tends to be “join a sports or social club” to make friends. Not for Chris Brown, a newcomer who soon made himself the most recognised person in town by becoming town crier the same year he moved to Wimborne Minster. That was in 1998 – Now, 25 years later, Chris still opens businesses and attends civic engagements with flourish and flair. He’s been crowned The Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers Champion and is the current Dorset County Champion Crier – a title he has held five times. He’s appeared on postcards and even the back of buses promoting Wimborne Town.
Chris Brown, Wimborne Minster’s town crier
Also hailed the ‘Rock and Roll Town Crier’ because of his love of music and DJ-ing (as DJ Dapper Dan), he hosts the Town Centre Stage at Boomtown Festival in Winchester, sitting on a throne to introduce acts, and he has even appeared on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. ‘That was definitely the craziest thing I’ve done,’ says Chris. ‘In town, I’m lucky if there’s 50 people listening to me. There were about 70,000 that day – I’d been adopted as mascot for Texan indie-pop band The Polyphonic Spree. I’ve opened loads of their tours around the UK, but Glastonbury was definitely my biggest gig!’
Chris’s costume is based on a 17th century Serjant, whose job it was to raise the local militia, to keep order in the town
He even impressed singing star Robbie Williams, who was captivated by his booming voice and flamboyant costume. ‘He told me he loved what I do as he shook me by the hand!’ recalls Chris. Being Town Crier is voluntary and Chris gives it his all, writing amusing poems or personalising messages, whether it’s opening a telephone box converted into a library in Sturminster Marshall or surprising an elderly couple celebrating their 70th anniversary. The former social worker says: ‘It’s about engaging with people, making announcements, attention-grabbing.’ However, this can lead to the occasional faux pas. ‘A few years before the Queen died, I was showing Prince Edward around the Physic Garden in Wimborne. I announced the garden was dedicated to the memory of his mother. He looked at me in alarm. “She was alright this morning,” he said. “Is there something I should know?” ‘
Chris is proud of his first ever eBay purchase – a First World War trench gas attack warning bell
Chris has spent time researching the origins of town criers. ‘They were the newsreaders of their time, communicating information and collecting taxes. Greek runners would run from town to town telling the news. Romans had town criers. I visited a remote village in Africa and they had someone to tell the news. We exist all over the world in slightly different forms.’ As well as herding people, the town crier was paid to be keeper of cattle pens. He would impound strays and be paid a penny for each turn of the key that released them. In Wimborne, the crier also used to collect market pitch fees, deal with disputes, check quality and the price of goods. Beer adulterated by molasses? Veg too cheap? Even today all criers have royal protection and it’s illegal to lay hands on them or hinder their work.
The search for hose Such bygone concepts of policing captivated Chris, who is keen on 17th century history. ‘I’ve been re-enacting civil wars longer than they actually took to fight! I investigated the role of the Town Mayor’s Serjant, whose job it was to raise the local militia, to keep order in the town – he was the forerunner of the modern police force.’ Chris took the idea of ‘men with muskets’ to Wimborne Town Council and, thanks to him, the famous Wimborne Militia now celebrates 25 years, with Chris as its Serjant figurehead. They recreate historical events such as the 1685 Monmouth Rebellion, and Chris’ resplendent red and gold uniform with jaunty tricorn hat reflects these military roots. It was designed by two Arts University Bournemouth students studying Costume for Stage and Screen. ‘My only problem in this day and age is finding woollen hose,’ laughs Chris ‘but I’ve got a costumier in Blandford on the case for me.’ His most important accessory is his bell. ‘It was my first ever purchase on eBay. By accident I forgot the decimal point and offered $5,000! Luckily, the American buyer checked the amount with me, and I got it for £50. It’s a British first world war trench gas attack warning bell – it had found its way back to the USA as a GI’s stolen souvenir!’ Chris’s greatest plaudit is being made honorary freeman of the town. ‘I can now drive my sheep through the town free of charge! To celebrate, I walked one sheep through the town – Wimborne Model Town!’ Chris is now 67, but do town criers ever retire? ‘Until I disgrace myself or fall over, no! I had polio when I was a baby which left me with deformed feet – hence my need to use crutches or a mobility scooter at times. The doctors told my mother I would never walk but she was a determined lady. ‘I love this role, though it takes me two hours popping to the shops. I know so many people.’
image Courtenay Hitchcock BV Magazine January 2024
Quick fire questions:
Top dinner party guests? Sven Berlin – an amazing artist and sculptor who lived in Wimborne Frank Zappa. Tony Benn – my dad worked with him and weirdly, both died on the same morning within minutes of each other. Glenda Jackson. My mum – it would be nice to see her again. She died in 1983.
Book by your bedside? ‘I am Lazarus’ by Sven Berlin. I met him a couple of times and bought his artwork in auctions. He’s painted beautiful pictures of Wimborne.
Sherborne’s housing dilemma: Ted Howells examines the proposed West Sherborne development and its implications for the town’s future
The red blocks show the proposed development land
In recent months, there’s been a lot of debate about the issue of housing in Sherborne. During the last decade, the affordability, demographics and supply of housing in the town has evolved. Since 2010, property prices have increased by 46 per cent, with an average price tag today of more than £360,000. In this same period, the town’s population has risen to over 10,300 people, and in 2021 the proportion of socially rented households had increased, while home ownership through mortgages or shared ownership had decreased. These societal shifts raise a fundamental question about Sherborne’s housing situation: but what’s the solution?
West Sherborne For Sherborne Town Council, the proposed West Sherborne development provides the answer. In April 2021, the town council agreed a collective response to the Dorset Local Plan consultation and ‘supported’ the West Sherborne development. It was widely expected that the Local Plan – which outlines the need for 30,000 new homes in Dorset by 2038 – would be adopted by late 2023, but it has since been delayed until 2026. The concept of West Sherborne was devised by Sherborne Castles Estate, which encompasses some 15,000 acres of land, in-hand and tenanted farms, and a range of agricultural, residential and commercial properties. It includes Sherborne Castle, the 1,200 acre ancestral home of the Wingfield Digby family, which has owned the property and gardens for over 400 years. It also includes the land to the north-west and western edges of Sherborne, earmarked for the proposed Sherborne West development. Working with Chesters Harcourt, NEW Masterplanning, and Andrew Cameron & Associates, the Estate has put forward a vision for the creation ‘of a new masterplanned neighbourhood in the west of Sherborne’ on this land. It’s envisaged that the development would extend from Marston Road, across the A30 and down to Lenthay Road. So what exactly is being proposed?
Looking north east across the planned development site towards Bradford Road
According to the town council’s response, any development – such as West Sherborne – should entail ‘new housing units comprising a mixture of small and larger homes rather than 1,200 homes of equal sizes’. It is proposed that the construction of 1,200 homes would be delivered in instalments, similar to the process of the Barton Farm development. The town council’s members also expressed their desire for 500 affordable homes to be introduced, which they claim ‘would mean the overall introduction of at least 1,500 homes’. Any such development would need to be delivered in co-ordination with Dorset Council to ensure ‘adequate local provision’.
Looking east from Lenthay Common
Location The western side of Sherborne is an area which the town council acknowledges is situated away from the town centre and which lacks adequate infrastructure, as ‘the services are to the middle and to the East’. In addition, the location of the proposed development – especially extending south from Bradford Road to Lenthay Common – is known for its ‘high-water table and likelihood of flooding’.
Infrastructure To accommodate such a proposal on this scale would need adequate infrastructure. It would require additional educational facilities, as the state-run Gryphon school and Sherborne Abbey Primary School ‘are nearing capacity and may need to be expanded’. It would also require the sufficient provision of healthcare and retail facilities to accommodate the increase in homes, along with a drainage system and good broadband.
Looking south from the A30, in the middle of the outlined development site, towards Lenthay Common
Transportation In their response, town council members conceded that such a development would be ‘creating stress on the already busy [road] junctions within the town.’; this is particularly so when it is estimated that 1,200 homes would result in around 2,400 extra cars. To this extent, council members ‘support the proposals for the ‘civilising’ of the A30, with the potential to bring it down to a single carriageway as it approaches Sherborne to slow it down and reduce the potential for speeding.’ Members also endorsed proposals to electrify the local train network and consider new bus routes. Sherborne Town Council has stated their support for ‘holistic development that ensures the future economic, social and environmental health of our community’.
