A Summer of Events at Hinton Workspace

6 July 2025

Hinton Workspace, the rural coworking hub set in a converted carpenter’s workshop in Hinton St Mary, has announced a series of events this summer aimed at supporting local businesses, freelancers and working parents.

On 10th July, Alice from World Secrets will visit to share the story of her distinctive footwear business and host a pop-up shop featuring her range of bold bags and shoes. The talk offers an opportunity to hear first-hand how she developed her brand and navigated the challenges of growing an independent label. Later that day, Hinton will also welcome members of the North Dorset Chambers of Commerce for a networking session designed to bring local businesses together in an informal setting.
From 28th July, the workspace will launch You Work, They Play, a scheme to help working parents over the school holidays. While parents use the shared facilities, children aged eight and over can join creative workshops led by Mrs J in a dedicated space across the courtyard. Sessions will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays through August, with a special combined rate available.

On 30th July, the Tithe Barn will be turned into a pop-up cinema for a screening of Big Star, telling the story of Nick Skelton’s famous showjumper. The evening is open to the wider community and will be a chance to come together in a relaxed setting.
Hinton Workspace continues to offer flexible coworking and meeting space throughout the year, with a focus on collaboration and rural enterprise.
For more information about any of the events, or to book a place, visit hintonworkspace.co.uk.

Dinah’s Hollow inquiry cut short after objections are withdrawn

Editorial team

6 July 2025

A public inquiry into compulsory purchase orders on land at Dinah’s Hollow, on the C13 Shaftesbury-Blandford road, was cut short on Tuesday, after the statutory objectors (the landowners) withdrew their objections.

Dept. of Transport inspector Malcolm Rivett was expecting to hear objections to the Dorset Council CPOs, and the inquiry was scheduled for two days at The Exchange at Sturminster Newton, but in the event it was all over on Tuesday morning.
The purpose of the CPOs is to acquire the necessary land and rights required for the Dinah’s Hollow Improvement Scheme to stabilise the slopes of the hollow.
Dorset Council wants to improve safety on this part of the C13, following surveys and concern about the stability of the steep slopes. This concern follows a tragic fatal accident near Beaminster in July 2012, when a car and its occupants were buried in a landslip. The inspector heard that there could be a possible charge of corporate manslaughter if a similar accident happened at Dinah’s Hollow.
It is worth noting that, despite these concerns, Dinah’s Hollow remains open, with vehicular passage controlled by traffic lights, until the lengthy CPO and planning process is completed.

June diary | The Voice of the Allotment

Editorial team

5 July 2025

Barry Cuff takes a look back at what happened on his Sturminster Newton plot last month

Water – Halfway through the year and we are seriously short of soil moisture. The last three months have seen low rainfall in our area. We rely on the well on our allotments, which thankfully has not run dry nor is it likely to, even if this very dry spell continues into July.
Pumping to supply the seven raised 330-gallon containers and troughs has been carried out 14 times this month – most plotholders use the water wisely, taking care not to waste the precious commodity. However no amount of watering can replace a decent fall of rain.

Potatoes – They always need a lot of water, so during the month each 18 foot row has been given 30 litres on two separate occasions. At the beginning of the month we used the last of our 2024 crop of Caledonian Rose which made good chips and roasts. We started digging the new crop (Maris bard and Jazzy) mid-month. The Jazzy gave excellent yields per plant, and as a new spud were as good as any Jersey Royal.

Brassicas – Immediately after planting out they have to be protected from pigeons by a net cloche. We now have the following: one row of Red Drumhead cabbage, which have outgrown their cloche and are not being attacked by the birds at present. The Brenden Brussels sprouts (planted on the 1st) are doing well.
Cheesy and Cendis cauliflower were planted on the 14th and Ironman Calabrese on the 29th.

Direct sowings – beetroot and carrots, at regular intervals.

Plug trays – We have sown Aureo cauliflower, Vertus Savoy cabbage, Claret purple sprouting broccoli and Navona romanesco, all for planting out in July.

Harvest – Broad beans completed on the 15th, and the plants put on the compost heap. Garlic on the 27th (excellent yields of two varieties). Picked our first courgettes on the 26th, and the first greenhouse tomatoes on the 29th.

Salads – We love our salads! Beetroot was pulled as required. We always have lettuce as we make successive sowings between March and September. Spring onions and radish as required. Jazzy is always a good salad potato.

In the greenhouse – All the tomatoes are doing well. A few of the sweet peppers have sun scorch but are usable. We are now shielding the fruit with newspapers on the sunniest days: greenhouse temperatures rose to over 45º on the hottest days in June.

Fruit – It’s been an exceptional year for our strawberries which finished cropping on the 25th. We’ve also had good yields of blackcurrants, whitecurrants and gooseberries: Val has made around 30lb of jam. We picked our first autumn raspberries on the 20th June!

Peas – These are short due to lack of rain. Hope to pick the first week in July.

Other veg – Cucurbits, sweetcorn celeriac, French and runner beans all need some decent rain, despite being watered every day.

Weeding – We are using the hoe and hand weeding. Our worst weeds are gallant soldiers, bindweed, fat hen, sowthistle and many-seeded goosefoot.

Biodiversity – A few of our ‘special’ weeds are now in flower and attracting the bees – moth mullein, opium poppy and weasel snout. We spotted a wasp beetle on the broad beans and a young adder was found on an adjacent plot. There seem to be fewer butterflies than usual.

July in the garden

Editorial team

5 July 2025

Slugs, tired blooms and thirsty borders? Keep your garden in shape this summer with Pete Harcom’s no-nonsense seasonal checklist

While we can relax and enjoy the garden now, there are always just a few jobs to keep things ‘ship shape and Bristol fashion’.
With mild and wet evenings, slugs and snails can be a problem for some flowers, particularly Dahlias (and yes, I’m speaking from experience!). Try to avoid slug pellets (even organic ones) as they have been shown to have negative effects on wildlife in the garden. It’s better to encourage natural predators, such as birds, frogs, toads, hedgehogs, slowworms and ground beetles, as these all eat slugs and snails.
I find beer traps are very good – just fill a small glass jar with 1/3 beer, and leave it sitting out near any plant/s you want to protect. A few days later, the jar will be filled with dead slugs: just toss them into your compost heap. Or you can try a night-time torchlight assault, and just search and pick the blighters off your plants. Proprietary slug and snail traps are also available from most garden suppliers.
There are many plants that are simply less palatable to slugs and snails. Here are a few which, in my experience, slugs tend to leave alone: Agapanthus, Alchemilla mollis (lady’s mantle), Anemone, Antirrhinum (snapdragon), Aquilegia, Aster, Astilbe, Astrantia, Bergenia, Digitalis (foxglove), Euphorbia, Geranium species, Geum, Pelargonium, Potentilla, Pulmonaria, Saxifraga and Sisyrinchium. There are lots of others – a quick internet search is your friend if you’re planning a slug-resistant garden!

Other jobs to keep on top of:
Keep deadheading flower borders regularly as this prolongs flowering. It also keeps borders free from unsightly dying petals (especially under rose bushes, where they can lead to black spot). Deadheading also helps prevent plants from wasting energy creating unwanted seed heads.
Remember to feed hanging baskets and potted plants with liquid feed to encourage new growth – it will also help to revive any tired displays.
Tender perennials such as Fuchsias are best propagated from cuttings, and July is a great time for Fuchsia cuttings, as young plants root more easily. Dianthus can also be increased this way, by taking cuttings from the tender new growth – try to avoid flowering shoots.
Continue to tie in and train new growth on all climbing plants.
Always water the soil around the base of plants, rather than the foliage.
Ensure bird baths and water features are topped up during hot weather.

Poetry, drums and magic at the Larmer Tree

Editorial team

5 July 2025

Reviving General Pitt Rivers’ dream, the Larmer Tree Project is giving hundreds of local children free days of discovery, art and poetry

A quiet corner of Cranborne Chase is transforming children’s learning – one verse, one beat and one flag at a time.
If you had wandered into the Larmer Tree Gardens on a Tuesday this summer term, you’d have found something a little more unexpected than the usual wedding party.
Small groups of primary school children would have been scattered across the lawns and groves, some reading poetry, some painting colourful flags, others beating out rhythms on drums.
This is the Larmer Tree Project, a new charity with an ambitious mission: to open up these historic gardens free of charge to local state schools, offering children a day that might spark something lasting.
General Augustus Pitt-Rivers created the Larmer Tree Pleasure Grounds in 1880, shortly after inheriting the Rushmore Estate. They were designed as a sanctuary ’to enlighten, educate and inspire’ his estate workers and guests. He took great pride in creating a unique space which they could share. He was the first in the UK to open his privately-owned gardens to the general public, and by 1899, the Larmer Tree Pleasure Grounds were welcoming more than 44,000 visitors a year. LLocal Olympian William Fox-Pitt is the latest in the family line of custodians. He and his wife Alice are passionate about continuing the General’s work in maintaining the magic of the Larmer Tree for future generations to enjoy.

The White Rabbit leads a group poetry recital

‘When you walk into the gardens, you’re just immediately inspired,’ says Alice. ‘It has that wow factor – the trees, the calm, the sheer novelty of the place. We wanted to go back to the General’s original vision of “access, education and fun” for the grounds.’
‘It’s like a storybook setting before you even add anything,’ says Claire Gill, the founder of Storysock live-literature events for children, who leads the Larmer Tree Project. ‘We wanted to create an experience that helps children find their own voices, step out of their comfort zones and see learning differently.’

A different school day
Each school visit begins with an adventure. Children are greeted by the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit, in costume – who lead them on a tour of the gardens, where 38 poems are hidden among the trees. From William Shakespeare to Benjamin Zephaniah, the verses set the tone: this isn’t school as usual.
The day is divided into three workshops: in Spoken Word the children learn to project poems across the lawns, discovering how to speak with clarity and confidence. In the Art workshop, the children paint Tibetan prayer flags inspired by what they’ve seen – everything from peacocks to tree leaves. In Drumming and Rhythm, they’re encouraged to find a way to respond physically to the space. After lunch they gather in a big group for poetry readings and some more creative, meditative activities.

Learning to project volume without needing to shout

Breaking through
Alice and Claire agree that the results have been humbling. ‘We had a child who usually wears headphones because he can’t cope with noise,’ Alice says. ‘He took them off and joined the drumming workshop, completely comfortable. His teachers were watching with tears in their eyes.’ Another child who refuses to read in class was running from poem to poem, reading them out loud to his teachers. ‘They didn’t even know he could read,’ says Alice. ‘Because he was on the move and not confined, it just unlocked something.’

A growing vision
For Claire, the day isn’t simply about art or literacy. It’s about showing children that poetry, performance and creativity can belong to them. ‘We want to sow a little seed,’ she says. ‘If it gives them the tiniest bit of confidence to look outside what they normally do, that’s a start.
‘And it’s not just a single school trip. They are taking a poem back to school with them to learn as a group, and then they’re making headdresses for a pageant on the 15th July.
Every child who has attended this year will come back, and the prayer flags they’ve all decorated will be hung up like bunting throughout the gardens. They’ll all recite their poems on the day, and join in a mass drumming extravaganza at the end. They’ll be part of an extraordinary kind of production – so yes, it’s a wonderful school outing that hopefully unleashes creativity, but it also gives them a chance to perform in front of 500 other children, too.’

The children enjoy a group drumming workshop

More than a pilot
Although this is its first year, both women can see the huge potential of the project. ‘This is just the beginning,’ Alice says. ‘The gardens have been used commercially for decades, but this is something entirely new – a return to the gardens’ roots as a place for everyone.’
Claire agrees. ‘It feels like the possibilities are endless. We’re already thinking about how to keep going through the autumn – maybe a winter solstice event – and bringing in more schools. We’d love to find a way to make this year-round.’
This first year, the project was funded by two local philanthropic private donors, but the project has just got charitable status and the team is working hard to secure support to sustain it. Transport has been the biggest challenge – buses are expensive, and most schools simply couldn’t have joined without help. ‘That’s where the collaboration has been so brilliant,’ says Claire. ‘Sandroyd and Port Regis, two local independent schools, have lent us their minibuses on Tuesdays. It’s made the whole programme possible. And other schools like Bryanston, Clayesmore and Sherborne have now stepped in with offers of help. That spirit of sharing resources so more children can have this experience has been really special.
‘We all know state schools don’t have budgets for this kind of thing, but that shouldn’t mean that children miss out.’

‘As I got on your land it got magical seeing all the flowers and the beauty of the place and it’s buildings.
One of my favourite parts was the poems. Just finding the poems felt fun, I loved when we readed each others poem.
Another of my favourite partst was when we played drums, when we got to the place we saw a peacock percing but with people scramming about nobody saw it. When we got to play it was like a parade full of drums and shakers playing.
The buildings felt anceint, the stage like a old, old stage.
I had a wondersul trip and I swear other people did too.
One of the best trips from Jack’

A trail of nine stiles …

Editorial team

5 July 2025

From Marnhull stone to Enid Blyton, Stourton Caundle’s stile trail celebrates community spirit, rural creativity and our local footpaths

The first stile, in Marnhull stone, was made by self-taught stonemason Dean Harris – the stile had been blocked for some time. The new route allows easy access from the centre of the village into the
surrounding landscape

When a broken stile was repaired in Stourton Caundle, it provided local resident Catherine Speakman with a blank canvas: ‘A neighbour of mine re-did one of the old stiles which was in a bad state,’ she says.
‘It was really well done and immediately I thought it would be fun for me and my two girls to go round and paint the local stiles and jazz them up. But then I had the idea that other people might want to take part, so I asked the question on social media and Simon Gudgeon from Sculpture By The Lakes was really interested. That made me think “hang on, this could be quite good …”. Although he was ultimately unable to get involved, his interest gave me the confidence to approach other businesses, and it grew from there.
‘I wanted to make it varied: not only with the type of materials used but also the people involved. So we have stone, metal, wood and also natural plants. The stiles have been designed, made or sponsored by schools, charities, businesses and artists. I wanted to make it really varied in order to attract different people.’
The trail features nine unique stiles and is a brilliant example of a successful community project, as well as providing creative inspiration for other villages who might also be looking for ways to maintain their footpaths.

The Stile Trail was the brainchild of villager Catherine Speakman

The trail
The stiles along the two-mile route have all been repaired and decorated to be unique, and they have QR codes so that walkers can learn more about the businesses or groups behind them. The first one was made in Marnhull stone by Dean Harris Creations, and the structure was built by JST Building Services. Another was designed by Alweston-based Dorset Forge and Fabrication, using their trademark recycled metalwork to create the stile – look for a delightful woodpecker, butterflies and a snail.
A stile leading off Cat Lane was designed by All Saints Primary School in Bishops Caundle, and invites walkers to take a pebble to reflect on their journey. Either side of a bridge, the pair of Village Stiles embody collaborative local creativity – look out for wind chimes and playful chalks encouraging creative art. Countrymen UK created a wood stile which acts like a portal into the countryside. The ninth stile is not yet complete. It will have a theme reflecting the village’s connection with Enid Blyton. The beautiful, tranquil route opens up some of the most spectacular views of the Blackmore Vale.
Trooper Inn landlords Debbie and John are delighted that the route starts and finishes at the pub: ‘It’s opening up people’s eyes to what North Dorset has to offer,’ says Debbie. ‘We come from Poole, and everyone knows about the Dorset beaches, but in the north of the county, it feels as though we are literally Dorset’s hidden secret.’
Walkers’ differing abilities have also been considered, as Catherine says: ‘You can easily split it up. There’s a shorter, mile-long option that takes you up into the fields and back on the road, or you can head further to loop around the lakes and into the older part of the village.
The all-accessible route uses a bridleway that is hard surfaced, so anyone can get up there – this one doesn’t use the stiles, obviously, but you can see the two on the route.’

Dorset Forge and Fabrication’s stile uses recycled metalwork to create artistic sculpture. Look for the woodpecker, the butterflies and the snail

A tricky ask
Catherine planned the routes to suit as many walkers as possible, but the most challenging part of the project was asking people to give their time, expertise, materials …
‘There was absolutely no budget for this – everyone has done everything themselves. I felt bad asking for that, it is crucial times for everybody. Things are tight. I didn’t want to take advantage of people. This was an opportunity for everyone to do something they loved and in whatever way they wanted … They could judge how much time they wanted to put into it.
All of them are individually brilliant.’

Do it ourselves
Steve Harris of BBC Radio Solent opened the trail: ‘Catherine is amazing at blowing Dorset’s trumpet. I think the project is terrific. I’m excited about walking it myself and have brought all the family with me. But just the idea that you can fall in love with and care for your local community and follow that through with the force of will that Catherine has … I think most of the time it’s very easy to look at some of the things where we live that are crumbling or need a bit of love and think “oh, that’s up to the parish or the local council.” But actually, to turn around and say, “you know what, we can do this ourselves” is amazing. And the fact that all these people have turned out today and are supporting the local pub too … long may it continue and be replicated.’
Catherine is understandably proud of what she, and the community, have achieved. ‘I’m proud of what it has become. It is more than I expected and all the creators have been unbelievable.
The village has been so welcoming to the project and together we have made something unique. I’m hoping it can be replicated nationwide.
‘We are not going to get more footpaths, so we need to look after the ones we’ve got.’

To find out more about the stile trail and see the routes, read Catherine’s blog Tess of the Vale here.

A hand up, not a handout

Editorial team

5 July 2025

It’s not the scroungers: Courtenay Hitchock talks to Carole Jones about the families, carers and key workers all turning to the Vale Family Hub

Volunteer gang at Dorset’s vale family hub

When the Vale Family Hub opened in March this year, we described it as providing ‘help, hope and great coffee.’ That still rings true, but step through the door today and you’ll find a place where lives, not just shopping baskets, are quietly rebuilt.
At a glance, it looks like a social supermarket – shelves of fresh food, volunteers stacking donations, a welcoming café. But spend a little time listening, and you’ll hear countless stories that defy the stereotypes of who needs help in modern Britain.
‘People assume everyone here is living on benefits,’ says Carole Jones, the Dorset councillor who leads the team. ‘But actually, most of the people who come in are working – they are carers, shop staff, nursery workers, delivery drivers … ‘It’s just that wages are low, rent is high and all the bills have gone up. We’ve had an Emergency Services worker whose wife had a baby, and their household income just dropped. Suddenly they were paying £1,200 a month in rent and couldn’t make ends meet. And this is happening everywhere.’

Dorset councillor Carole Jones is leading the Vale Family Hub team of staff and 50 volunteers

Helping people rebuild
The Hub started life as The Vale Pantry, providing affordable groceries for a £7 contribution, and the Pantry still runs today. ‘Last year we spent around £160,000 on food. For every £7 contribution someone makes, the actual cost is usually between £23 and £30.
‘But it means people feel they are paying something, choosing their own food, and keeping some dignity. That matters.’
Since the expansion into the Hub, food is only one part of what’s on offer. Around 400 to 500 families are supported over the year. Some come regularly, others just when disaster strikes – a car breaking down, a job lost, or an unexpected bill.
And some arrive with no idea where to begin …
Carole tells the story of one 86-year-old man, recently widowed, who had never cooked a meal in his life. ‘His daughter brought him in. Now he comes every week for a cooking lesson. And he’s made new friends just by sitting and having a chat. That’s what this place is about – it’s never just about the groceries.’
Many are grappling with trauma. One young mother escaped an abusive relationship in Manchester. She fled south with her children, traumatised and alone. ‘She didn’t know anybody. She didn’t know how to start again. At first, she just came for food. Then the team learned she loved running, and introduced her to the Dorset Doddlers, the local running club. It was the beginning of her transformation.
‘She started volunteering in the café. She was gaining confidence again. Then, literally out of the blue, one of our local business owners came in looking for someone to train and give a job to – someone who just needed a chance. She started work last Monday and she’s flying. That’s the kind of thing people never hear about.’

The Welcome Cafe is open six days a week, 9am to 6pm
(Saturday 8.30am to 3.45pm)

A place to grow up
Children and teenagers find their way to the Hub too. Some haven’t been to school in months.
‘We’ve got a Year 9 girl who hasn’t been to school since February,’ Carole says. ‘We’ve spent weeks just talking and supporting her and she’s agreed to try a fresh start at a new school in September. That’s huge.’
Another boy, Jamie, simply wouldn’t leave the house. The only compromise he accepted was that if he was allowed to come to the Hub, he would also attend school. ‘It’s about tiny steps. We can’t fix everything overnight. But we can start somewhere.’
The team is planning to launch a youth club and also a men’s support group. The need is clear: ‘Last year we lost three men to suicide – all of them local dads. ‘One of them left four young children. His partner is now one of our volunteers … people don’t realise how common this is.’
But many of the volunteers and staff know exactly how it feels to be in crisis. Kim, now the Hub’s manager, first came during the pandemic. ‘She was in a dreadful state’. Then she disappeared. They later learned she’d been in a coma for three months after major surgery. When Kim returned, she came in just to sit and chat. Gradually, she began volunteering. ‘She was like a magnet – people just opened up to her.’ Today, she works full time at The Hub, and is often the first person someone in distress speaks to. Another volunteer, Lizzie, came hoping for help after her family lost everything in a house fire. And then, just before Christmas, her husband died suddenly of an undiagnosed heart condition. ‘They were just getting back on their feet. She has come through so much. And now she’s here helping other people.’
Then there’s Bradley, a young man with learning difficulties who helps out. ‘One day we sent him out to the container to get more baked beans. Half an hour later he phoned – he was lost in the container! It all adds to the fun – he just wanted to help.’

There is a regular Wednesday Toddler Group, but soft play is open all week

Beyond the Stereotypes
Carole is clear: poverty isn’t always obvious. ‘People think you can tell by looking at someone how much money they have. And you just can’t. We’ve had people in here who look well off – and they’re living on cereal because they can’t afford a proper meal.’
Sometimes, the issues are hidden. Financial coercion is a regular theme. ‘We’ve supported women who don’t have access to the bank account. They’re doing everything they can to feed the children, and he’s controlling the money. That is domestic abuse, and it’s more common than people realise.’
Others arrive simply overwhelmed by cost of living pressures. ‘We worked through a budget with one family who thought they were in crisis. It turned out they had £600 disposable income, but they didn’t know. It’s nice when it’s as simple as helping people get organised.’

The busy Saturday breakfast club is a popular chance for a weekly social outing for many people.

At the Hub, every new person goes through a careful needs assessment. Volunteers look at income and outgoings, find out what’s behind the struggle, and help people with individual needs. Some discover they’re entitled to help they never knew about. Others find practical advice, or just a safe space to breathe. Traditional food banks still have their place – but Carole believes their model is no longer enough. That broader role has been recognised nationally. A June report from Feeding Britain found that while Affordable Food Clubs make a measurable difference to household budgets, it’s their holistic approach – bringing people together and linking them to wider support – that helps build lasting resilience in the face of the cost of living crisis. ‘A food parcel once a week is a sticking plaster. If someone calls in crisis on Friday morning, and the boxes were packed on Wednesday, what happens then? Here, we see people face to face. We understand what’s happening. We can help them work towards something better.’
Sometimes, that means simply being there. Carole tells the story of the family whose dad was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour: ‘Mum had to stop work. Their whole life turned upside down. No six-week food parcel can cover that. They needed help for as long as it took.’

volunteers at Sturminster Newton’s Vale Family Hub

Not what we’re for
Running such a complex operation isn’t cheap. The Hub raises around £350,000 a year – through grants, donations, the café (every cup of coffee, every meal purchased from the Café helps fund the Hub, it’s a hugely important revenue stream which brings in around £1,000 a week) and partnerships.
‘It’s exhausting. I spend hours every day looking for new funding. But I wouldn’t do anything else. And the community support is incredible. We have around 50 volunteers now, and I don’t know what we’d do without them. When you see someone like Lizzie, who has been through so much and still wants to give back – how could you not keep going?’
What clearly unites everyone – volunteers, staff and visitors alike – is the belief that everyone deserves dignity and hope.
‘If people want to change, want to help themselves, we’ll go all out for them. If they just want cheap food, that’s not what we’re here for. But if they want a way back, we’ll stand by them every step of the way.’
valefamilyhub.co.uk
Butts Pond Trading Estate, Sturminster Newton
07968 348481
admin@valefamilyhub.co.uk

From Rev-Off thrills to Race Sim skills

Editorial team

5 July 2025

Classic & Supercar Sunday is fast approaching! On Sunday 24th August, the stunning grounds of Canford School in Wimborne are the new home for one of the South West’s most exciting automotive festivals, an unforgettable celebration of design, power and sound.

‘Classic & Supercar’ … the name says it all. From the rarest vintage icons to cutting-edge hypercars, the line-up is beautifully curated to offer something for every kind of car lover – and then spread across sweeping lawns with riverside views.

New for 2025:
The Sunken Lawn Showcase, where a dramatic natural amphitheatre is reimagined as an exclusive stage for the world’s most exceptional vehicles. Expect rarity, beauty and serious presence, including headline icons like the Ferrari F40.

Also new this year is the DAIZUN Racing Simulator Challenge, where you can go head-to-head with rising British F4 talent Reza Seewooruthun. It’s free to enter – pitch yourself against the region’s fastest and chase a podium spot on the leaderboard.

And if you’ve never seen a Rev-Off before, you’re in for a thrill. These live sound battles between supercars are loud, raucous and pure theatre – and there are two happening on the day.
For younger visitors, the free Mini Rovers off-road course is a standout experience: electric Land Rovers, proper obstacles and the chance to earn their first driving licence.
With live music, DJs, gourmet food trucks, artisan coffee and craft beer, this is more than a car show – it’s a full-day festival for all ages: ‘Come for the thunder. Stay for the spectacle.’
Buy tickets now at apertaevents.com

Letters to the Editor July 2025

Editorial team

4 July 2025

s it just me, or has time developed an alarming habit of folding itself in half when you’re not looking?
All week, every conversation seems to start the same way: ‘How is it July already?’ followed by a sort of dazed blinking and a check of the calendar to make sure we haven’t skipped a month.
I swear it was March about ten minutes ago. The hedges were barely greening up, I was still hunting for my winter gloves, and now here we are – school holidays nearly upon us, the garden trying to become a jungle, and the entire county heading off to shows and fêtes and barbecues.
Maybe it’s the long daylight that does it. Everything feels compressed and stretched at the same time – days that last forever, weeks that vanish without trace. The to-do list never seems to get shorter, but somehow we’ve already had the longest day and you’re wondering where you were when the first half of the year disappeared.
If you’re feeling the same slight panic that you haven’t made enough plans, or achieved quite enough, or generally kept up – please know you’re not alone. I think sometimes, just lifting your head and smiling at the sunshine counts as a win.
So here’s to July, however it managed to sneak up on us. May it be full of small, ordinary pleasures, and at least the occasional day that doesn’t vanish while you’re trying to remember where you put the corn cob forks.

Laura x

PS – Don’t miss the swish new puzzles page. Last month’s tech meltdown triggered a flurry of ‘where’s the crossword/jigsaw?’ emails in my inbox. But we’ve taken the chance for a refresh, and I’m not going to lie – I demanded high fives all round when it actually worked.

On The Last Cut for Local Meat
(The BV, June 25)
Thank you for your thorough and clear-eyed article on the crisis facing small abattoirs. As someone who has spent a lifetime farming, it was heartening to see this issue given the attention it deserves.
People are very quick to talk about “local food,” “rare breeds,” and “sustainability,” but too often they forget that none of those things are possible without a functioning network of local abattoirs. When you close them, you don’t just lose a building – you undermine the whole principle of traceable, low-mileage food production.
It was especially good to hear Lillie Smith’s perspective. Most of us running smaller herds cannot send animals hundreds of miles without huge costs, stress to the livestock and the loss of everything that makes local meat different.
The government must wake up to this before it’s too late. Once these places shut, they don’t reopen.
Sarah M. Dorset farmer

On Inconclusive is not a diagnosis
(The BV June 25)
While I always enjoy George Hosford’s columns, I must take issue with some of his views on TB testing. I understand the frustration around inconclusive results and the upheaval they cause, but the suggestion that the test itself is “utterly useless” isn’t fair. The SICCT test isn’t perfect, but it remains the most reliable screening tool we have at scale.
Removing animals on the basis of any reaction, as George proposes some farms do, risks culling huge numbers unnecessarily – something neither the science nor most farmers would support.
I also think blaming DEFRA for not “properly dealing with the problem” glosses over the real complexity of managing disease in wildlife and livestock. No country has eradicated TB easily, and the idea that there’s a simple, tougher approach that will fix it overnight doesn’t reflect reality.
By all means, we need better tests and more support, but I think George underestimates how far the system has already come.
AL, by email

People who haven’t been through this can’t really understand how demoralising it is. You put years into breeding and caring for your herd, only to be told you’ve got “inconclusive reactors” and you’re closed down again. Even if the next test is clear, the damage is done – to your business, your reputation and your peace of mind.
It’s hard to see a way out when the system feels so blunt and unworkable. George is right: it’s not just the cows that are infected – it’s the whole process that’s sick.
Name and address supplied

On June’s anonymous Grumbler: What she said next shockled no one.
Your line – “When something genuinely important happens, you won’t miss it” – was exactly right. All the shouting headlines are there to distract us so the real decisions can slip past unnoticed. Thank you for saying it plainly.
Thelma N, on Facebook

month. The endless drama and fake urgency are exhausting – with the side benefit of you missing the important stuff. Also, please let’s bring back quiet, intelligent debate where both sides listen and are open to exchanging ideas.
Anne R, Shaftesbury

Absolutely spot on about Gen Z – my teens are so much better-informed than I ever was. They don’t watch 24hr news – they just expect it to be there when and if they feel like dipping in. But they won’t fall for the scams their grandparents never even suspect, and they find their news from numerous sources, rarely the TV. They even fact-check regularly. Don’t dismiss them just because they’re on TikTok.

Your Grumbler is a bout … grumbling. Honestly – the point of 24 hours news isn’t to watch it constantly and see the same stuff on repeat. the pint is that you get on with your life, and dip in when it suits you. It’s the equivalent of watching Netflix on demand rather than being bound by an old TV schedule. Yes please, I say.
Adam F, Dorchester

Bravo Mr Gelfs
Bravo to Tim Gelfs for such a refreshingly blunt first NFU column. About time someone stood up and said what we’re all muttering in the yard – the whole ELMS/SFI/IHT debacle has been a shambles. Keep it coming, Tim. We need more straight talk and a lot less waffle.
Nick W, nr. Blandford

I was glad to see Tim Gelfs’ column in the magazine, saying what farmers have been thinking for years.
We’ve been pushed to change how we farm, spend thousands trying to do the right thing, and then watched the government yank the funding away with no warning. It’s no wonder people have lost faith.
Tim’s right – this isn’t clever policy, it’s chaos. You can’t build trust or long-term improvements if you keep moving the goalposts.
Good on him for speaking plainly. I hope he keeps going – we need more voices like his.
RD, Shaftesbury

On Holy Row to holy wow
I was only thinking about pew-gate a few months agao and wondering if it had ever been resolved – thank you for the update and putting my ind at ease! the church does look lovely and is clearly a more useable, flexible space without the Victorian pews.
I’m sure it’s still a sore subject with some villagers, but I do feel the most important thing is for churches to stay relevant community buildings, not echoing empoty museums. Well done Okeford Fitzpaine for finding a way though and getting it done!
Kathy L, Wimborne

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