Wimborne’s Forget-Me-Not Factory: 8,500 flowers, one extraordinary community effort

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9 May 2025

More than 8,500 hand-knitted and crocheted forget-me-not flowers have been created by the people of Dorset as part of a community campaign led by the Museum of East Dorset. The woollen blooms – in cheerful blues and yellows – are the centrepiece of the museum’s upcoming display for Dementia Action Week (19th–25th May), created in support of those living with dementia and their families.

The initiative, based on the Alzheimer’s Society’s symbolic Forget-Me-Not flower, invited people of all ages to take part. Free patterns and wool were offered by the museum, and the response has been remarkable – with handmade flowers arriving from as far afield as Glasgow and Lancashire. Many came with notes, dedicating the work to loved ones, often with personal connections to Wimborne.

Now, thanks to the sheer volume of flowers that have arrived, the museum is in need of help to turn this incredible outpouring of creativity into a finished display. On Monday 12th May, from 1.30pm to 4pm, the Garden Room at the museum will become a ‘Forget-Me-Not Factory’ – complete with glue guns, sewing kits, tea and plenty of good company.
No crafting experience is required – just a willingness to lend a hand and be part of something meaningful.

Just a few of the 8,500 forget me nots which have been sent to the Museum of East Dorset

Volunteer Sally Palmer has played a key role in the campaign. A regular face at the museum for 13 years, Sally has helped with everything from serving in the tearoom to running Craft and Chat sessions and dressing as a Victorian kitchen maid for visiting schools. She also volunteers with the museum’s Reminiscence outreach project, which supports people living with dementia through memory-based sessions in care homes and day centres.

Sally said: “I just asked everyone who came into the tearoom if they knitted: if they said yes, I handed them a leaflet! My friends alone made about 500 flowers.”

Volunteer Sally Palmer with just a few of the 8,500 forget-me-nots, and Freddy the Teddy in the Museum of East Dorset’s garden

She’s also created ‘Freddy the Teddy’ – a knitted toy available from the museum gift shop for £9.95, alongside forget-me-not pins. Proceeds support the museum’s dementia-friendly work.

Museum Director Francesca Hollow said: “We’re thrilled by the generosity and enthusiasm of our community. The Forget-Me-Not display is a beautiful testament to the power of collective action in raising awareness for dementia.”

Volunteers are invited to help assemble the display, share stories and enjoy a cuppa while supporting a vital cause. The event is part of the museum’s broader commitment to dementia-friendly activities, and is supported by Dementia UK and the Wimborne Minster BID.

Cheers to 11 years – The Exchange’s Real Ale & Cider Festival is back

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Editorial team

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9 May 2025

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Sturminster Newton’s much-loved Real Ale & Cider Festival returns for its 11th year from 31st May to 2nd June – and organisers at The Exchange promise that 2025 is shaping up to be their biggest and best yet.

festival is a celebration of great beer and brilliant music. With free entry all weekend, it’s one of the town’s liveliest events – and a vital fundraiser for The Exchange, a registered charity that receives no external funding.
Festivalgoers can look forward to an outstanding selection of real ales, ciders and perries from breweries including Sixpenny, Hop Back, Cerne Abbas, Hattie Brown’s, Wriggle Valley and Dynamite, with more still to be announced. New for 2025 is a dedicated gin bar – perfect for those seeking a different kind of tipple.
There’s also a full weekend of live music, starting with The Leggomen on Friday night. Saturday’s headliners are the ever-popular Wonky Donkeys, with support from Theya, and Sunday features performances from Pete Robson and Murphy’s Lore Trio. Festival food will be provided by Gia’s wood-fired pizza, serving fresh, hot food on Saturday and Sunday.

Sponsor a barrel!
As well as being a fantastic community event, the festival plays a vital role in supporting The Exchange. To help keep the venue thriving, local businesses and individuals are invited to support the event through sponsorship:
Barrel sponsorship – £80 (branding, beer guide mention and website listing)
Cider box sponsorship – £60 (branding and online/printed recognition)
Gin bar sponsorship – bespoke packages available
Sturminster Newton Economic Development Coordinator, Jacqui Wragg, says: ‘This festival brings the whole community together. It’s a wonderful weekend of music, food and drink – and it’s a vital part of keeping The Exchange running. We’d love to see even more local businesses get involved this year.’
Raise a glass to a great weekend – and to keeping The Exchange at the heart of Sturminster Newton.

To sponsor or find out more, call 01258 475137.

It’s all about growth

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Editorial team

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8 May 2025

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From follicle measurements to inspecting a placenta, BTEC students got stuck into the science and reality of foaling season at TGS this month

Glanvilles Stud is amid foaling season
All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

At last, the weather’s warming up, the grass is growing – and so is this year’s foal crop. But while we focus on nurturing the racehorses of the future, the Thoroughbred industry must also turn its attention to the next generation of human talent. Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley operation has its two-year Flying Start scholarship, encouraging young people to study all aspects of the racing and breeding industry, offering placements with studs, auction houses, trainers and racecourses in Europe, the USA and Australia. The British Horseracing Authority also has its graduate programme, similar to Darley but UK-based. And here at TGS we had a slightly more modest, but equally important, visit by four BTEC Equine Management students from Leweston School.

A 9.30am arrival fitted well with the morning’s scanning, and while stud vet Paul Legerton was setting up, Doug quizzed our young visitors as to what their reasons were for doing an equine course. The prize for best answer? “To make a change from farming!”
It was then into the front paddock for a brief introduction to correction of conformational faults in young foals. We then moved to the stocks to view the vet scanning the mares. Questions came thick and fast, starting with ‘Why do you put your arm in the mare’s rectum?’…. (terminology was quickly corrected from ‘bum’ when their teacher suggested that they think back to their anatomy lessons!).

Leweston eqine students at the Glanvilles Stud – All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

Paul explained that the uterus and ovaries lie just below the colon, and so this is the only way, due to sheer volume of an adult mare, to get the ultrasound probe close enough to obtain an image.
Luckily one mare was coming into season, so the students could see both the characteristic spoked wheel pattern of the uterine oedema (thickening of the womb lining) and a ripening follicle. Paul explained how he measures this diameter and that most mares ovulate when the follicle has grown to around 4cm. The next question was, “Why are you getting them pregnant again so soon?”
Doug explained that with a gestation of around 11 months you need to cover again as soon as possible to have the foals born early the following year – as we said last month, the goal is to have a foal born as soon as possible after 1st January.
Doug naturally took full advantage of having some free labour, and gave the students valuable experience by asking them to lead mares to and from the stocks.

Doug giving the students a brief introduction to the correction of conformational faults in young foals – All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

Equine labour
Then on to the cute bit: the students were introduced to a Golden Horn colt, born just after midnight that same morning. Once the aahs had died down, Doug was bombarded with questions about the foaling process. Conveniently he had a video of a foaling taken earlier in the season, so his descriptive powers weren’t overly taxed!

In the stocks, students watched stud vet Paul Legerton scan the mares while he explained what they were seeing and what he was doing – All images © Courtenay Hitchcock The BV

Next, they asked how you know when a mare is going to foal. Doug explained that there is a large range in a “normal” gestation between 320 and 370 days. Therefore, we rely on physical signs in the mare.
First of all, the udder swells, called ‘bagging up’ and the students were able to see an example of this on one of the mares currently waiting to foal. He explained that this is the point when a mare is moved to one of the 11 camera-monitored boxes, allowing the team to keep a close eye on her during our round-the-clock foaling vigils at this time of year.

The next stage is ‘waxing’, when a waxy discharge begins to build up on the mare’s teats.
The final stage is watching for the restless behaviour which is typical of a mare about to foal: we watch her pacing her stable on the cameras.

The morning wrapped up with Doug showing the students how to inspect a placenta, using the one from that morning’s foaling. A Thoroughbred foal’s placenta is roughly 5kg in weight and it is important to be sure that the placenta is complete and that none has been retained in the mare, which may cause infection if left untreated.
The student’s course manager said the students had had a brilliant visit, and that they had told her all about the visit in great detail on their return to school. Let’s hope that their thirst for knowledge continues to grow – and that they all get A*s in their equine reproduction modules at the end of the year!

That’s not a lion, it’s a Lexus

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Editorial team

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8 May 2025

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Ah, the sweet sound of spring in North Dorset: birdsong, lambs bleating, engines revving … and my horse doing the fancy sideways samba because someone’s decided to pass us at 40mph while checking their phone.
Here’s the thing: riding on the road isn’t some whimsical nod to countryside nostalgia – it’s often a frustrating necessity. Have you seen the state of our bridleway network? It’s like someone spilled a bag of spaghetti on a map and called it a plan. Disjointed, patchy, and often impassable. My idea of a relaxing hack does not, in fact, include having my horse figure out how to get all four of his legs over a new stile in the middle of what was once a bridleway. We’re all forced to hit the tarmac at some point.
So yes, we share the road – but what we don’t share is your steel cage of protection.
It’s really not tricky, though we’ve all met drivers who can’t seem to figure out what to do. When a driver slowly creeps up behind us for what feels like a mile, it’s not calming. It’s weird.
My horse thinks you’re either a lion or a lunatic – and neither is particularly welcome mid-hack.
And don’t even think about beeping. I’m not waving at you to say hi – I’m asking you not to send my horse into orbit. That cheery honk might as well be an air raid siren as far as he’s concerned.
Also, while we’re at it (I’m on a roll now – this column is very cathartic): revving your engine to show off your car’s horsepower? Cute. My actual horse remains unimpressed. He’s too busy trying not to die of fright while you overtake within licking distance.
It’s not rocket science: pass wide (a car’s width if possible) and slow (as if you’re near a primary school – because you are, metaphorically).
Oh, and maybe give a wave back when I thank you. It’s not just good manners, it’s a nod to the fact we’re all trying to survive the same stretch of rural tarmac.
I imagine cyclists feel much the same. They too are soft targets in a world of high hedges, deep pot holes, blind corners and impatient drivers. Next time you pass one of us, remember: we’re not ‘traffic’ – we’re people. And some of us are sitting on half a ton of nervous energy with a mind of its own and a strong dislike of surprises. Plus hooves.
So next time you see a rider–or anyone soft-shelled and road-bound – resist the urge to test your reflexes or your engine. Just pass wide, pass slow, and carry on. Because trust me: your patience is far more impressive than your exhaust note.

The Grumbler – the open opinion column in The BV. It’s a space for anyone to share their thoughts freely. While the editor will need to know the identity of contributors, all pieces will be published anonymously. With just a few basic guidelines to ensure legality, safety and respect, this is an open forum for honest and unfiltered views. Got something you need to get off your chest? Send it to editor@bvmagazine.co.uk. The Grumbler column is here for you: go on, say it. We dare you.

£200,000 Youth Grant open for Dorset Organisations

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Editorial team

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8 May 2025

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Voluntary and community organisations across Dorset can now apply for a share of Dorset Council’s £200,000 Youth Grant, supporting projects that deliver activities for young people.
Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are available for projects that contribute to one or more of the following outcomes: providing positive activities (especially for vulnerable young people) and improving wellbeing across the Dorset Council area. Applications are open until 28th May, with successful bids to be announced on 23rd July.
Cllr Clare Sutton, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: ‘We’re excited to see new ideas that promote young people’s wellbeing, inclusion and empowerment. Young people will also help assess applications – their voice is key to the decision-making process.’
Last year’s recipients included STEPS Club for Young People, whose grant supported a youth music project, and Relationships Wessex, who offered affordable early intervention counselling.

Full criteria and application details are available at: dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/dorset-council-youth-fund-grant-criteria

Turning 100, farming fury and a fond farewell

By

Laura

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8 May 2025

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This episode will stay with you – from a century of stories told with grace by Jim Freer, to George Hosford’s blistering takedown of government farming policy. It’s full of insight, history … and a fair bit of fury.

Also: it’s the final episode with co-host Terry Bennett. You’ll be missed, Terry.

Jim Freer at 100: Halifax Bombers and the Art of Staying Nice

🎂 “Be nice to each other. That’s good advice too.”

Born in 1925, Jim Freer reflects on a century of life – from engineering and war service to marriage, museum volunteering and village fetes.
🎖️ “We took off 34 times – and thankfully landed 34 times.”

From post-war production to RAF mail flights in India, Jim’s story is a calm, thoughtful tour through a remarkable life.

Farming and Fury: George Hosford on the Collapse of Trust

💥 “I can’t process the scale of this incompetence – it takes my breath away.”

Dorset farmer George Hosford delivers a scathing and sharply informed assessment of Defra’s abrupt shutdown of SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive) payments:

🌱 “This isn’t just about money. It’s about trust, soil health, food supply and the future of farming.”

George breaks down what sustainable and regenerative farming really mean, why government schemes mattered, and how political short-termism risks undoing decades of progress.

These interviews are based on stories from April’s BV, available here. Dorset people, Dorset landscapes, and the big stories behind our rural headlines – all in one beautiful, free magazine.

🎧 The BV Podcast – twice a month, always worth your ears. Named Best Regional Publication in the UK (ACE Awards) and Regional News Site of the Year (Press Gazette).

Inspired Learning Group acquires Clayesmore School

By

Laura

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7 May 2025

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Clayesmore School, a well-respected independent school in North Dorset, has announced it will be joining the Inspired Learning Group (ILG) from 1st September 2025.

With a proud 129-year history, Clayesmore is known for its outstanding pastoral care, innovative LEX personal development programme, and consistently strong academic results across GCSE, BTEC and A Levels. The school’s 62-acre Iwerne Minster campus, home to six boarding houses, provides a rich setting for both day and boarding pupils from Prep through to Sixth Form.

The new partnership with ILG – a leading provider of independent education in the UK – promises to enhance and support Clayesmore’s continued success while preserving the unique character that makes it so beloved by its community.

The decision follows an extensive selection process by the school’s governors. Chair of Governors, Rosie Stiven, said: ‘We are thrilled to be joining the ILG family of schools whose shared ethos of outstanding teaching and learning as well as a focus on kindness and community is so closely aligned with our own.’

Head Jo Thomson said: ‘Visitors to Clayesmore are always struck by the warm, inclusive and unpretentious atmosphere. Inspired Learning Group shares our ethos and vision and I am excited about the possibilities that come with being part of a strong and forward-looking group of schools and educators.’

Amit Mehta, CEO of ILG, said: ‘The acquisition of Clayesmore School is a landmark moment for Inspired Learning Group. This prestigious institution aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering exceptional education while fostering innovation and growth. We see tremendous potential in Clayesmore’s future and are
committed to investing in its continued success.’

ILG, which operates a group of independent schools across the UK, says it is committed to preserving the unique character and traditions of each institution it partners with. Clayesmore is the latest to join its portfolio, a move which aims to support the school’s long-term stability and continued development.

Tick-box planning won’t build a future

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Editorial team

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7 May 2025

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The email from the developer was intimidating, to say the least.
When it popped into my inbox, I thought there might be an opportunity to have a discussion about the possible new (huge) development in my own small parish. However, the applicants were emboldened, having just been to a forum for developers organised by Dorset Council.
So emboldened that they sent me the Powerpoint presentation to peruse, saying they would be back with their plans and bulldozers.
It wasn’t an if but a when.

It’s about what’s missing
Naturally, I was curious to see what Dorset Council had been discussing with developers, especially now there is a virtual doubling of the housing targets in the county. At first, when I read the presentations, there was nothing I didn’t know already … the targets, the need for affordable housing, sustainable developments and so on. There’s also a council design review team which will look at the plans with developers – and naturally there is absolutely no mention of parish or town council involvement in that discussion.
While there was a lot of information about biodiversity, the active transport links section made me smile. I already have questionnaires from developers asking what type of trees I’d like planting on the new development in my village. I’m not interested in whether I’ll have Himalayan birch or maple trees decorating footpaths. I am far more concerned about the local primary schools that are already over-subscribed for September with no visible strategy to sort out placements for new children. Then there’s the main road into the village where the tarmac has buckled as it hasn’t been maintained for more than 25 years: now it’s a trip hazard for older people as well as a nasty surprise for boy racers. The pavements – where they exist – cannot be used by wheelchair users or prams.
And that’s when it hit me. I was looking through this presentation, hunting for what were effectively snippets of gossip I wasn’t aware of – but actually, the headline news wasn’t there at all. Despite being fundamental – critical – both infrastructure and population trends were entirely ignored.

A golden opportunity
If I ruled the world of planning and had most of Dorset’s developers in one room, I wouldn’t just talk about housing targets and planning processes. What an opportunity to speak to the people who build homes about the type of housing we really need – and the infrastructure necessary to make it happen.
With the volume of housing demanded, Dorset needs to ensure we get the right kind of quality development for the current and future population. However … in Dorset Council’s presentation there was nothing about the population trends in the county, or the infrastructure needed to support an increase in people. We really need to integrate these elements into planning to get the right type of housing.
If you have ever argued with developers about the need for bungalows, you’ll have an inkling of what’s on my mind.
Take one example: Dorset has a much higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over than the national average (Dorset is officially the oldest area of the UK, with 4.27 per cent of the population aged over 85 – a staggering 85 per cent more than the UK average across local authorities). In the next five to ten years, more than half the population of Dorset will be over 60. With the adult social care budget already eclipsing all other aspects of the council funding, right now there’s a golden opportunity to commission adaptable housing, smart use of technology and artificial intelligence that helps keep older people and those with disabilities safe and independent in their own homes.
Instead, we are destined for an endless monotony of cheap two-up-two-down terraced monstrosities or luxury homes that no one local can afford.
The council seems to pander to developers, when what we should be doing is setting out what we need (and not just hedgehog and lizard houses).

Meaningful joined-up planning
Why couldn’t that meeting be a demand from the council to get some of this infrastructure in place before building begins? Improvements are desperately needed to the A357, and to narrow roads in the towns. Just look at how long it can take to cross Sturminster Newton Bridge or go through Blandford town centre on a Saturday. We need innovative solutions to manage the amount of traffic, and we also need improvements in the public transport network. Many key workers – the ones who need social and affordable housing – work shifts. If you live in a rural village in North Dorset, where new housing is rapidly expanding, there is no public transport at weekends or evenings. If you can’t afford a car, you can’t get to work. Naturally, the council wants greener ways of travelling … but not in North Dorset it seems.
There is a huge disparity between what developers ‘think’ we need as infrastructure, and what the local population actually needs.
I’m so very tired of hearing about promises for attenuation ponds and allotments.
What I want to see is a primary health care service that is properly funded and staffed, so it can do what it is meant to do: keep people healthy instead of surviving on crisis management. When people with mental health problems are shipped into social housing in rural villages there is often no local support network for them.
And with so much more housing, why are there still so few opportunities for business development units and local job creation? This should surely be increasing?
Above all, I’d like to see meaningful integration between planning, developers, public health, and transport, so we get support services and infrastructure that we really need in North Dorset – something far beyond the council’s tick-box targets for housing.

The Dorset Insider is a no-holds-barred column pulling back the curtain on local affairs with sharp insight, unfiltered honesty and the occasional raised eyebrow. Written by a seasoned parish councillor who prefers to remain anonymous (for obvious reasons), it cuts through the noise to expose the frustrations of grassroots politics, and say what others won’t. Rest assured, their identity is known – and trusted – by the editorial team. Expect opinion, candour and a healthy dose of exasperation …

From Mere to Lviv: two men, one pick up truck and 1,300 miles

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Editorial team

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7 May 2025

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Two old friends with deep local ties and long-standing military service are once again stepping up to help those in need. Michael Tulloch from Mere and Jeremy Moger from Hazelbury Bryan – who first met at Naval College before both joined the Army – are heading to Ukraine this spring in support of the charity Pickups 4 Peace.
Mike says: ‘Jeremy and I had heard a couple of talks given by people who have taken part in the Pickups for Peace (P4P) programme, and with a connection to a Ukrainian refugee, we were inspired to do something to try to to help.’
The small charity was established in 2023 with the aim of providing equipment and humanitarian support to Ukraine in the form of much needed 4×4 pickup trucks loaded with medical and other essential supplies. As of February 2025, P4P has delivered 525 vehicles fully loaded with vital equipment.
The second-hand pickup trucks packed with essential supplies are delivered directly to the Ukrainian Army. Once handed over, the vehicles are used to transport vital equipment to the front line and to carry wounded soldiers back for medical treatment.
Michael and Jeremy have been working hard to raise funds to buy a Ford Ranger and ensure it is fully loaded with urgently-needed supplies, including generators, medical kits, spare tyres, engine oil, tools and ratchet straps.
The five-day, 1,300-mile journey to Ukraine will take them from Dorset through France nd Germany – with a pause to visit Colditz Castle, the Second World War prisoner of war camp which they’ll be driving right past – before continuing through Poland to their final destination in Lviv.
They friends have been well supported by local businesses, saying much of what they are taking has been kindly donated by local firms including Martin Richards Agricultural Engineers, C J Cox Ltd, Kings Stag Garage, Harts of Stur, R F Stratton & Co, Crockers Ltd, Hillbrush of Mere, Jeans Electrical, TJS Services Centre Ltd and Gillingham Tyre Services. Michael and Jeremy are also hugely grateful for the individual, personal donations that have helped make the purchase possible – and are hoping that with continued support they may be able to fund and deliver a second vehicle later this year.

To donate, visit the OPs for Peace JustGiving page