Voice of theBooks | December 2020

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17 December 2020

Fanny Charles has given you a round up of two local Christmas shows which are still happening – and perfect family fun.

Oh yes, you will! So, it’s not panto as we know it, but both Salisbury Playhouse and Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre are serving up Christmas shows which are a total delight. Salisbury’s Little Robin Redbreast is very much aimed at a young (probably seven and under) audience, while Yeovil’s Nurse Nellie Saves Panto has a much wider age range, and hits the spot with everyone from tinies to grannies.

Little Robin Redbreast for younger children is at the Salisbury Playhouse | image by Helen Maybanks

Little Robin Redbreast, by Wiltshire Creative and Salisbury Playhouse artistic director Gareth Machin and composer Glyn Kerslake, is a reworking of a successful Christmas show in the theatre’s Salberg Studio a few years ago. It is a simple story of little Robin (Ryan Heenan) who can’t wait to be old enough to fly. The tale is told with just four performers, mother (Bernadette Bangura), father (Dan Smith) and Robin’s bossy, tap-dancing sister (Philippa Hogg), all playing multiple parts, with a connecting thread of an Advent calendar – as each day’s window opens, the action moves on.
It is colourful, touching, charming and has just enough adventure to keep even the youngest children absorbed, without frightening a nervous toddler, perhaps having a first ever visit to the theatre.

The Playhouse team do a great job maintaining the Covid-19 restrictions, with timed entries, alternative rows of seats removed, refreshments served at little tables at your seats, and the whole show takes barely an hour. It is time very happily spent.

Yeovil’s Octagon panto is always one of the best in the West Country, and three of its regular leading performers – Gordon Cooper, Jack Glanville and Thom Ford – have been working together for several years. This is a great bonus for the Nurse Nellie Saves Panto show and for the audience, who are familiar with Gordon’s hilarious Dames, Jack’s brilliant (and sometimes wince-inducing) jokes and Thom’s increasingly villainous but always dashing baddies. He also does a mean Queen routine.

This year the hero is the heroine, Jill (Evelyn Hoskins) who is determined that the wicked Prof von Badapple (Ford) will not steal the essence of pantomime. With her mother, Nurse Nellie (Cooper) and brother Billy (Glanville), and the magical assistance of southern belle Fairy Moonshot (Kathryn Nash), she must brave the terrors of the evil genius’s underground labour and giant robot.

At just over an hour, Nurse Nellie Saves Panto is packed with jokes, great comedy routines, music, magic and mayhem, and runs to 3rd January. The Octagon is a big theatre, and with seating spaced and in alternate rows, it feels very safe.

Fanny Charles

A Vet’s Voice | Life as a new graduate

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16 December 2020

If you’ve visited Damory Vets within the last few months you may have seen two new faces amongst the small animal vets. We (Annabelle and Alice) started working at Damory in July and August respectively and since then we’ve been settling into life as new graduate veterinary surgeons. Quite unintentionally, we seem to have made it a little difficult to tell us apart. If you were to request “the new young female vet with brown hair and whose name begins with “A”” you still wouldn’t have narrowed down the selection – our consults tops do have our names on them but presently they’re mostly obscured by the many layers of PPE associated with these unusual times.

Annabelle and Alice new graduate veterinary surgeons

Prior to graduating, we have studied for five or six years at university, covering all areas and species from bees right through to bulls. We undertake 38 weeks of work experience, usually arranged during our holiday periods, in areas of both animal husbandry and within veterinary practices. During this time, we’ve learnt how to tip sheep, milk cows, take blood samples, place intravenous catheters and much more. Although some of these skills we are unlikely to use again within the realm of small animal practice, all these experiences shape each vet’s perspective of animal care.

Even after completing all this training, there are many contrasts between the vet school and the “real world”, and so many aspects of veterinary life that can only truly be learned on the job. The cases we work through in lectures are now in front of our eyes, the results we interpret are now attached to real animals and the discussions we plan now involve real people. At university, we’re generally taught the active ingredient (or generic name) of medications – we then emerge into the real world only to discover that each drug had multiple different trade names of various strengths and presentations. Flea and worming products in particular seem to be an ever-shifting myriad of combinations, formulations and names.

Our final year and beginning of our working careers have, like everything else this year, been slightly different to what we had imagined. Examinations held online, virtual graduation ceremonies, and starting our first consults in the carpark was certainly not how we’d pictured this year going! While the weather in the summer was for the most part dry and warm, following the loss of our practice gazebo in a particularly violent storm we’re sure everyone is glad to be back in the warm during the darker colder months.

Vet school prepares you for day one, but it depends on your first job to build you up for the coming years. We’ve been lucky enough to join the small animal team at Damory, who have all been incredibly supportive and are always willing to provide encouragement, advice, or another perspective on any challenging cases. The transition from veterinary student to newly qualified vet can be a daunting and overwhelming time, but it has also proved incredibly rewarding.

We’d like to take a moment to thank everyone – owners, colleagues and animals – for welcoming us into this busy community. Your help and understanding have made the transition into veterinary practice so much easier, and we will strive to continue our life-long learning to help both you and all of your pets.

By: Damory Vets

Lacey’s Letter to put a star on Blandford Hotel’s tree.

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15 December 2020

5yr old Lacey and her Mum live in Bryanston, and drive through Blandford every day; and every day Lacey noticed something was wrong. Crown Hotel Blandford has a beautiful Christmas tree – but she couldn’t understand why there was no star on top.

Lacey crown hotel star Blandford — Lacey impatiently waits outside the Crown Hotel’s Alpine Bar as the fire crew ready themselves to get the star on the tree.

So at her Granny’s suggestion, she sat down and wrote a letter to Mr Woodhouse, asking him why he had no star on the top of his tree? She felt the tree was sad without a star, and if one could be put up it would make everyone smile. She even offered to help out on the ladder if Mr Woodhouse wanted?

Lacey's letter crown hotel star, blandford — Lacey’s letter

“It took me all night, it was HARD WORK” Lacey admitted “But writing is nicer to get than typing”.

Here is the letter Lacey wrote:

Dear Mr Woodhouse

I love the Christmas tree at the Crown, it makes me smile because I love Christmas. I wonder if you can please put a star on the tree? I think that the tree must be sad not to have a star.

My teacher said that a star is guiding people to Jesus and that is what Christmas is all about.

I can help you climb a ladder and even put it up top if you like?

I hope Santa brings you a nice present – I hope he puts me on the nice list if I help people because I would like harry Potter Lego, but I might not have been good enough yet.

Anyway, please can we put a star on the Crown tree to make everyone smile and to cheer people up? I really want to make people happy at Christmas.

Please let me know what you think and if we can put a star on.

Wishing you and your family a merry Christmas,

Love from Lacey Mae C, age five-and-a-half.

Lacey with the fire crew putting up the star — Lacey and her Mum with the Blandford fire crew, ready with the new star for the Crown Hotel Christmas tree

She drew a beautifully decorated tree on her letter, using all of her colouring pens, and her mum Jennifer, an NHS Social Prescriber, helped her pop it into the postbox.

She was very excited when Mr Woodhouse promptly wrote back, agreeing that the tree was only half-dressed without a star, and promising to fix it straight away.

Lacey and mum watching Christmas star Blandford — Lacey and her Mum watch as the fire crew scale the tree to get the star right at the top.

“He drew me a tree too – though mine was a bit better. I don’t think he has many colouring pens on his desk” Lacey confided.

Lacey switching on Christmas lights Blandford — Dave, the Landlord of the Crown Hotel, assists Lacey in turning on the Christmas tree lights.

And tonight, with the help of DWFireRescue Blandford crew (it’s a VERY tall tree!), Lacey watched as a star was placed at the top of the Crown Hotel’s Christmas tree.She was then invited to turn on the lights by David Norton, landlord of the Crown, and see the tree shining with its star for the first time.

Lacey's star in Blandford at Crown Hotel — Lacey front and centre of the fire crew and the Hall & Woodhouse team who made it happen – Dave Norton the Landlord of the Crown Hotel is far right, and Anthony Woodhouse far left. And of course the Crown Hotel’s beautifully star-lit tree!

BLACKMORE VALE FOOTBALL LEAGUE results

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15 December 2020

Stay up to date the with BVFL via their Facebook page here.

The Abbas gained back to back wins with a 10-3 victory over Bruton despite going behind before taking control of the match. Scorers for the Abbas were Justin Bingham [3], Conor Bryant [2], Chris Paull, Ollie Hilborne, Alec Knott, Tom Colley & Will Rumsey while Bruton’s goals came via Josh Terry, Lewis Blake & a David Clackson penalty.

TG bounced back from the County Cup exit last weekend with an impressive 7-3 victory over the Comets. Scorers for TG were Josh Farrant [3], Aron Wallis [2], Ben Hooper & Scott Bees while Comet’s goals came via Alfie Collings & Sam Smith.

Barbarians will be extremely disappointed after letting a 8-1 advantage dissipate over the last 25 minutes allowing Rovers to grab a dramatic 8-8 draw. Rover’s scorers were George Coleman [4], Kev Griffin, Billy Bright, Jay Danoris & Josh Guppy.

The league leaders Wincanton United continued they dominant performances with a 14-1 victory over the Hornets. The Hornet’s consolation came through Luke Burridge.

RESULTS, Sunday,

Kellaway BS Division 1: AFC Blandford United P TGR P, Bruton United Colts 3 Bradford Abbas 10, Donhead Barbarians 8 Sturminster Rovers 8, Team Gryphon 7 South Cheriton Comets 2, Hazelbury Hornets 1 Wincanton United 14.

FIXTURES, Sunday,

Kellaway BS Division 1: Bruton United Colts v Team Gryphon, Donhead Barbarians v AFC Blandford United, Hazelbury Hornets v South Cheriton Comets, TGR v Sturminster Rovers, Wincanton United v Bradford Abbas.

Sturminster & Hinton AA – Christmas Hamper Match results

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14 December 2020

Sturminster & Hinton AA had their Christmas Hamper match at Revels fishery yesterday.

15 anglers braved the strong wind and non-stop horizontal rain and, in spite of the conditions, enjoyed the occasion and the bacon butties and mince pies provided by Jason.

It took over 20lbs of carp to win the match.
Paul Wyatt, pegged on the Main Lake, used a method feeder with double maggot on the hook to catch 27lbs 12ozs of carp to win a nice hamper and a useful ‘gift token’ to spend in the tackle shop.
The top weight of silvers came from Andrew Chatterley who had 4lbs 11ozs of small roach and perch from the Main Lake to take home a similar prize to Paul.
Jamie Bumby had a nice bag of small carp from Main Lake weighing in at 14lbs 1ozs for overall second in the match and Dennis Corry had 13lbs 8ozs, again from Main Lake, to finish in third place.

Many thanks go to Jason for use of the lakes and for his Christmas hospitality. Here’s wishing a Merry Christmas to all S&HAA members (and to BV workers!) and good fishing in 2021.

Regards & thanks,

David Rigby

Wessex Acoustic special Christmas show

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14 December 2020

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After almost 20 years of bringing top level music to Dorset, Wessex Acoustic are glad to be hosting a very special Christmas show after this rather lengthy lock down with no live music.

Are you missing live music? Wishing there was a concert you could enjoy as part of the Christmas festivities? Your wish is granted!

Normally based in Blandford, Wessex Acoustic Folk Club has arranged for the use of St Peter’s Church, in the High St., Shaftesbury (at the top of Gold Hill) this December.

There will be a seasonal concert with top international stars Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman at 8pm on Friday 11th December.

The celebrated virtuoso partnership of “the doyenne of Irish harpers” (Scotland on Sunday) and “one of the UK’s most staggering and influential acoustic guitarists” (fROOTS), has graced venues large and small in twenty-two countries on five continents.

Chris and Máire’s performances are a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, coupled with striking new compositions and Chris’s “delightfully subversive” wit.

“Dazzling virtuosity… delightful” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH;

“In a class of their own”

THE GUARDIAN;

“Takes one of the most effete instruments in traditional music and breathes a fire into its belly”

* * * * THE IRISH TIMES;

The new ‘Christmas Lights’ Album

is “A delightful, satisfyingly

original, often refreshingly unpredictable take on festive favourites. Gorgeous and uplifting” THE LIVING TRADITION This is your chance to see this fabulous duo in concert in the perfect setting of a beautiful church.

Support from Shaftesbury’s Anne-Louise Richards.

Due to the Covid safety measures in place for this concert, seat numbers are limited and have to be be reserved in advance. Tickets are £15 each, from the club box office on 01202 732239 or 01747 850212.

Shaftesbury Arts Centre what’s on

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13 December 2020

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Our next event in the theatre is our first National Theatre production War Horse followed by Fleabag the week after.

Our next ballet is the perennial Christmas favourite Bolshoi Ballet’s The Nutcracker. Tickets available from www.shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk

Rudolph’s Yule Ride

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12 December 2020