February’s issue of The BV brings the global headlines close to home, as Dorset reels from the news that local humanitarian volunteer Edward Scott was seriously injured in a Russian drone attack in Ukraine. His resilience has inspired thousands – his story is one you won’t forget.
Elsewhere, we explore the reality of rural bank closures and their impact on older residents, investigate North Dorset’s worsening floods (you’ll not be wading in your wellies in the flooded fields after you’ve seen the map), and the mystery Dorset Insider tackles the biggest problem for any parish councillor: Poo-dunnit?
Equestrian Jess Rimmer starts questioning her life choices over some dressage tests, and in local history we have a treasure trove of vintage wedding photos, plus an archive of 50s and 60s Blackmore Vale Motorcycle Club photos emerges.
A retired farmer has requested to be this month’s Grumbler as he wades into the government’s latest ‘green’ land grab, and we’ve pages of community news, puzzles and politics.
Karen Geary is feeding us all back to health after the winter’s cold season hits, and Heather has the FLUFFIEST pancake recipe for shrove Tuesday.
With more than 100 pages of community news, equestrian, farming, art, local history, wildlife, gardening, and more… why are you still here? Dive in!
The Blackmore Vale, nestled in the heart of Dorset, is a region known for its rolling green landscapes, charming villages, and a deep connection to nature. The mild climate and fertile soil make it an ideal place for cultivating a variety of flowers, many of which have been growing here for centuries. Whether you’re an experienced gardener, just starting out, or even looking for inspiration to brighten someone’s day—perhaps by deciding to send flowers to Australia as a thoughtful gift—choosing the right plants for this region will ensure a flourishing and vibrant garden.
Understanding the Blackmore Vale’s Climate
The temperate maritime climate of Blackmore Vale provides mild winters and warm summers, with steady rainfall throughout the year. This creates excellent conditions for growing native and traditional flower varieties. However, with the region’s clay-heavy soil, proper drainage is key to avoiding waterlogging, especially in wet months. Selecting hardy, well-adapted flowers will make gardening easier and more rewarding.
Best Local Flowers to Grow in the Blackmore Vale
1. Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) – These striking, tall flowers thrive in woodlands and cottage gardens. Preferring partial shade and well-drained soil, foxgloves attract bees and butterflies, contributing to the local ecosystem.
2. Primroses (Primula vulgaris) – A springtime favorite, primroses flourish in damp, shaded areas. They are perfect for garden borders and bring an early burst of color after winter.
3. Cowslips (Primula veris) – Often found in meadows, cowslips are excellent for wildflower gardens. They do well in sunny spots with well-drained, slightly alkaline soil.
4. Meadow Cranesbill (Geranium pratense) – A hardy perennial with violet-blue flowers, meadow cranesbill requires minimal care and thrives in both sun and partial shade.
5. Oxeye Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) – These cheerful wildflowers are a common sight in Blackmore Vale’s fields and meadows. They prefer poor, well-drained soil and need little attention once established.
Planting and Care Tips
● Soil Preparation: Improve heavy clay soil by adding compost and grit to enhance drainage. Most native flowers prefer well-drained, nutrient-rich soil.
● Watering Wisely: While natural rainfall often provides enough moisture, young seedlings and newly transplanted flowers may need additional watering during dry spells.
● Mulching for Protection: Applying mulch around plants helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and enrich the soil. Organic mulch like bark chips or leaf mold works best.
● Encouraging Pollinators: Native flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. A diverse mix of plants ensures a healthy, pollinator-friendly garden.
Seasonal Gardening Tips
● Spring: Start seedlings indoors before transplanting them outdoors. Keep soil moist to support early growth.
● Summer: Deadhead foxgloves and geraniums to extend their blooming period. Deep watering is necessary during dry spells.
● Autumn: Divide perennials like meadow cranesbill to promote stronger growth for the next season. Collect seeds from wildflowers for future planting.
● Winter: Protect tender plants from frost by applying mulch or fleece. Prune back dead foliage to encourage healthy regrowth in spring.
Bringing the Beauty of the Blackmore Vale to Your Garden
Gardening in Blackmore Vale is more than just a hobby—it’s a way to connect with the region’s rich landscape and biodiversity. Whether you’re cultivating a wildflower meadow, a cottage-style garden, or a simple backyard retreat, these native flowers will thrive with the right care.
And while tending to your own garden can be incredibly rewarding, sometimes sharing the beauty of flowers with others is just as meaningful. Let the natural beauty of Blackmore Vale inspire you to grow, give, and celebrate flowers in every way possible.
As an experienced IFA Client Services Administrator with a minimum 3-5 years’ experience, you will be integral to enhancing client relationships within our financial services team. You will know the difference between a platform provider and a life company, a SIPP from an investment bond.
This role requires strong communication (verbal and written) skills in support of our Financial Planning Consultants. You will have a professional telephone manner, superb client service skills and know how to access information easily and speedily from providers. You will be working in a dynamic environment with exposure to all aspects of financial planning and wealth management.
Benefits:
Competitive salary reflecting level of experience
Death in Service, Contributory Pension, employer-sponsored private medical insurance and 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
Assistance with improving your industry qualifications and continuing CPD
All the tea and coffee you can drink, the occasional foodie Friday or tasty Tuesday and a dynamic vibrant workplace!
The Job:
37.5 hours per working week
Office based role in Shaftesbury with free parking
The company’s ethos is one of sustainability and responsible investing; acting with the utmost degree of integrity and professionalism at all times.
Wessex Investment Management is a “Living Wage Employer” a member of The Organisation for Responsible Businesses and a signatory to the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Investing.
If you want to know more contact Lisa Bailey via email l.bailey@wessexim.co.uk or on 01747 859411
WESSEX INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
The Wincombe Centre, Wincombe Business Park, Shaftesbury, SP7 9QJ
NORDCAT (North Dorset Community Accessible Transport), the Sturminster Newton-based charity that has provided transport services to elderly and isolated residents for over two decades, has announced it will cease operations on 14th February due to financial difficulties.
The charity, which has struggled to secure alternative funding following the loss of key education transport contracts, has confirmed that staff will be made redundant and the office will close. Passengers have been notified of the decision.
NORDCAT in Sturminster Newton
Chairman Cllr Pauline Batstone said: “We bitterly regret the abrupt withdrawal of this service, which has been a social lifeline to so many over the years. People have become friends with our staff and other passengers.”
While the closure will leave a gap in community transport provision, some support remains available through the Community Connections charity, which runs a Community Cars Scheme for lunch clubs, meal deliveries, and medical appointments.
Previous Transport Challenges
NORDCAT’s financial struggles follow the revocation of most of its vehicle permits in 2022, after an inquiry by the Traffic Commissioner found serious concerns over vehicle maintenance. The commissioner’s report highlighted a high MOT failure rate and inadequate maintenance systems, appearing to lead to the loss of key contracts, including one with Kingston Maurward College.
At the time, Commissioner Kevin Rooney stated that inspections showed “not one compliant record in the entire bundle” and that vehicle safety checks had been inconsistent. Following the inquiry, NORDCAT was unable to continue operating its education transport service, which had previously subsidised its wider community transport provision.
A NORDCAT spokesperson told The BV: ‘To clarify, the Kingston Maurward College contract was awarded to a logistics company through an open tendering process, well before any complaints were raised with the Traffic Commissioner. That company then had to source buses to fulfil the contract.
‘NORDCAT completely refuted the Traffic Commissioner’s judgement, and all our buses passed an independent inspection following the Commissioner’s report. The permits not renewed at the end of the academic year were those for the larger buses that were no longer needed after the Kingston Maurward contract ended, and those vehicles were disposed of. Our smaller vehicles continued to operate under Community Transport Association permits.
‘The education contract had provided a stable income that helped subsidise our wider community transport service. Once that ended, our reserves steadily depleted until we reached the point where closure became unavoidable.’
With no sustainable funding model in place, and amid the rising costs of operating such services, the charity has been unable to continue. Any remaining assets will, where possible, be used to support the work of Community Connections.
For those in need of alternative transport options, the Community Cars Scheme can be contacted on 01258 473154.
With no sustainable funding model in place, and amid the rising costs of operating such services, the charity has been unable to continue. Any remaining assets will, where possible, be used to support the work of Community Connections.
For those in need of alternative transport options, the Community Cars Scheme can be contacted on 01258 473154.
In the first BV Podcast of 2025, Terry and Jenny get straight on with tackling some of rural Dorset’s biggest issues. We start, as always, with Laura’s Letter From The Editor, in which she provides a small voice of reassurance amid the frantic New-Year-New-You clarion calls.
Then, as usual for Episode 1 of the month, Dorset’s political voices weigh in:
Simon Hoare, MP for North Dorset, critiques Labour’s early missteps, discusses the potential impact of devolution on Dorset, and fiercely rebukes the Reform Party’s stance on farming.
Ken Huggins of the Green Party champions imagination as a tool for change, urging Dorset residents to focus on solutions over anxieties.
Gary Jackson of the Lib Dems laments the delayed social care reforms, calling for better planning and investment in Dorset’s future.
“While we may disagree on policy, we all share one essential thing—the land we live on. Let’s imagine and create the future we truly want.” – Ken Huggins
The Housing Debate: Who Decides Dorset’s Future?
The latest Dorset Insider column from our anonymous Parish Councillor explores the bureaucracy and broken systems behind local planning decisions, with concerns swiftly rising about local knowledge being overlooked.
“If Dorset’s strategic councils are formed at a regional level, will local voices still be heard? Or will decision-making become detached from those it affects most?” – The Dorset Insider
Dairy Farmers vs. TB Testing: A System Under Fire
Dorset dairy farmer James Cossins shares the recent harrowing experience of TB testing when 47 seemingly healthy cows were slaughtered due to test inaccuracies. With no visible TB lesions found, James calls for urgent investment in better diagnostics and a viable vaccine.
“Sorting 47 animals onto lorries for slaughter was one of the saddest days I’ve had in my long lifetime of farming. Seeing our stock bull of eight years destroyed for nothing was gut-wrenching. The system is broken … We’re testing and culling healthy cattle while waiting on a vaccine that’s always ‘five years away.’ It’s a waste of animals, time and taxpayer money.” – James Cossins
And we finish with your Letters:
BV readers weigh in on Dorset’s crumbling roads, the council’s neglect of Dorset’s food and drink sector, and the underwhelming Christmas lights in Sturminster Newton.
Dorset’s food and drink producers should be a crown jewel, not a dusty trinket the council forgot it owns.” – BM, retired farmer and cheese lover
These interviews were based on articles found in January’s BV, which can be read here … grab a coffee and jump in to the Dorset-ness. News, opinion, people, wildlife, art, farming, what’s on, horses … and frankly stunning photography.
Did we mention it’s FREE?
The BV is Dorset’s go-to magazine – named ‘Best Regional Publication in the UK’ (ACE Awards) and ‘Regional News Site of the Year’ (Press Gazette) in 2024. Brimming with Dorset’s people and places, it’s too good to miss!
This is a simple twist on a classic fish pie, replacing pastry or mashed potato with a cheesy scone or dumpling type topping which bakes beautifully to give a soft middle and crunchy top. I’ve used smoked salmon here, but you can replace that with any type of fish or even prawns. Serve with a jacket potato for a wonderful, warming winter dinner. Heather x
Images: Heather Brown
Ingredients (serves six)
For the sauce:
3 heaped tbsp butter
2 large leeks, chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
Small glass of white wine
400ml milk
5 fillets of your fish of choice, cut into chunks.
For the topping:
280g/10oz self raising flour
110g/4oz cream cheese
1tsp caster sugar
50ml milk (approx.)
30g/1oz cheddar (or parmesan) cheese 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. Images: Heather Brown
Method
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the chopped leeks and cook until the leeks have begun to soften. Pour in the white wine and cook for two to three minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and mix well. Slowly add the milk, stirring, until everything has combined and then bring to the boil, still stirring continuously. Once boiled, remove from the heat and set to one side.
In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar and cream cheese. Mix to combine (using your hands here is easiest). Then add the milk, a little at a time, until the crumbs combine to form a soft, sticky dough.
In an oven proof dish (approx. 25cm/10inch square or similar), add the fish chunks and pour over the sauce. Stir together and spread evenly across the dish. Using your hands, break the dough into pieces and place them gently on top of the sauce. Spread them out – its ok if there are gaps, but you want the dough to stay on top of the sauce.
Grate the cheddar cheese on top, then place into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
How Dorset Wildlife Trust is restoring ponds, protecting species and tackling biodiversity loss with the help of the Species Survival Fund
Dorset wetland. Image: Steve Oliver
Dorset Wildlife Trust received government funding last year to revitalise over 500 hectares of habitats – including woodlands and ponds – across 18 sites in Dorset. The funding, part of the Species Survival Fund, aims to halt and reverse the decline in species abundance by preserving vital habitats and creating nature-rich landscapes. The UK’s rain-soaked landscapes provide ideal conditions for wetlands – dynamic ecosystems where water meets dry land. These habitats support a rich diversity of species, including dragonflies, damselflies, wading birds such as curlew and snipe, carnivorous plants, and fluttering butterflies. Historically, wetlands covered a substantial part of the UK landscape. Before Roman times, as much as 25 per cent of the British Isles may have been wetlands. However, modern development, agriculture, and drainage have drastically reduced their extent, leaving them to cover just three per cent of the UK today. Wetlands are vital ecosystems, yet many in Dorset and across the UK are in decline or poor condition. Dorset Wildlife Trust is working to expand and revitalise wetlands across several of its nature reserves with government support.
Great crested newt in Dorset. Image: John Bridges
Understanding wetlands Wetlands are dynamic ecosystems, varying in size and shape, and defined by the presence of water – still or flowing – for extended periods. They may contain freshwater, brackish, acidic, or saltwater and act as vital transitional zones between land and water. Their distinctive soils and vegetation are specially adapted to saturated conditions. Healthy wetlands provide critical benefits, including carbon storage, flood mitigation and rich plant life that offers shelter, nurseries and breeding grounds for wildlife. As environmental challenges intensify, restoring and protecting wetlands is vital for biodiversity and human wellbeing. Through the Species Survival Fund project, Dorset Wildlife Trust is working to restore and create new wetlands across nine of its nature reserves, including Brownsea Island, Lyscombe, Peascombe, and Nunnery Mead. This network will help wildlife move across the landscape, meeting their needs during different life stages and seasons. One example is Brooklands Farm, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s headquarters, where a well-established pond is home to great crested newts, a protected species. Maintaining such habitats is essential, as ponds can quickly become overgrown with vegetation. To ensure light reaches the water’s surface and encourages aquatic plant growth, willows around the pond edge are carefully pruned. This work is timed for late autumn and winter to minimise disturbance, ensuring it takes place after the breeding season and once juvenile newts have migrated to land. The clearance has reduced the number of dominating species around the pond edge, allowing a variety of other, less aggressive, plant species to flourish, including marginals such as native water-forget-me-nots which are already present but need a helping hand to become more established. These provide a great place for species like the great crested newt to lay their eggs, and when in flower add a splash of colour to pond edges. This intervention is needed because, before humans changed our landscapes by parcelling up land with boundaries, wild ponds would have a diverse mix of wildlife coming to their edges to drink, feed, bathe and hunt. The larger mammals visiting would trample and graze the vegetation, maintaining the open areas of the pond edge. Wetland restoration and creation, then, combined with traditional habitat management techniques, are crucial for preserving biodiversity, improving water quality, and mitigating climate change in Dorset. Success relies on collaborative efforts between government bodies, conservation organisations and local communities.
Restoration of Dorset wetland in progress. Image: Brian Bleese
The Species Survival Fund initiative is funded by the Government’s Species Survival Fund, developed by Defra and its Arm’s-Length Bodies. It is delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.