In jolly good company

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11 June 2024

Tracie Beardsley catches up with Dorset charity founder Sarah Rampton, who is taking an innovative approach to community wellbeing

Sarah Rampton describes herself as ‘like a terrier’ in her determination. Her tenacity stood her in good stead when she was made redundant from the Alzheimer’s Society. The society stopped running face-top-face groups in Dorset. I could see just how many people were going to miss out on vital support across the county, especially in the rural areas,’ she said.
So she set up her own charity, In Jolly Good Company, from her home at Wimborne St Giles, and now supports more than 200 people across groups in Wimborne St Giles, Wimborne, Blandford, Shaftesbury, West Moors and, through Step Outside, a gardening group at Kingston Lacy. She has 30 volunteers and her staff include a bookkeeper who’s a talented piano player and singer, a former nurse turned professional gardener and a dementia specialist. They all help run Jolly Days. The patron is Wimborne St Giles’ most famous resident, Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury.
Sarah’s background includes work in the arts as a performer with local theatre group Word And Action, before she entered the charity sector. Her mix of creative skills and care knowledge combine to create an effective recipe to alleviate loneliness and build stronger communities.

A lifeline to the lonely
A typical Jolly Day might include music, dancing, singing, poetry, craft activities, a home-cooked lunch and even yoga – the free sessions are tailored to suit those attending, and voluntary donations from guests help to keep the jolly show on the road.
‘In Wimborne our guests are a literary bunch, so we do creative writing,’ Sarah says. ‘One of our guests is a playwright now living with dementia. He can’t remember seeing the play he wrote, but it was very successful. Using local actors, we recreated it for him. It was so emotional.
‘A Jolly Good Day feels a bit like a party happening several times a week. Guests range in age from 50 to their late 90s. We welcome anyone who, for whatever reason, may be isolated. That might be folk living with dementia or it might be those recently widowed. There are no conditions.
‘Here in Wimborne St Giles, if it weren’t for Jolly Days there would be nothing for people to go to during the week. There’s about 400 people living in the surrounding area, and our Days are a lifeline to many of the lonely in the community.’
The Step Outside allotment gardening group started at Kingston Lacy in 2016, and is a collaborative project involving Wimborne Dementia Friendly Community, National Trust, Dorset Council and In Jolly Good Company. Guests don’t need any experience of gardening to join in. Some like to sit and chat, others harvest vegetables and pick flowers. As well as gardening, there might be art, crafts, live music, storytelling and gentle yoga … and always tea and posh biscuits.

As well as gardening, there might be art, crafts, live music, storytelling, gentle yoga … and always tea and posh biscuits.

A new sense of purpose
In Jolly Good Company is now recognised by the NHS as a valuable support, because of the way it entwines wellbeing activities into its sessions. To Sarah’s delight, Dorset Community Foundation recently presented her with £15,000 from the NHS Health and Well Being Trust fund.
‘It is all about early intervention. Our activities help people stay better, and stay longer in their own homes. Some people may not leave their chair when they do our yoga sessions, but it still makes a huge difference to them physically and mentally. People go home feeling calmer.’
Sarah oozes positivity and passion. The numerous thank you cards she receives reveal the difference her charity makes. ‘A daughter of one of our guests thanked me for giving her mum’s life a sense of purpose again. It’s such a privilege to give people something to look forward to, to help give the best quality of life in the years when they may not expect to be meeting new friends, starting new hobbies or enjoying new experiences.
‘I came to our Wimborne St Giles session yesterday. They didn’t need me, the whole team was here – I could have gone home, but I stayed because I was having such a ‘jolly good time’! I never want to be in the position where I’m only at my desk organising things. I go to the groups at least once a month. That’s what feeds me – seeing people, who might otherwise be stuck at home in really difficult situations, have a good time. That’s my motivation.’
And her terrier attitude continues. Sarah hopes to start another group in West Dorset. ‘I want to grow the charity – but the quality of what we offer is far more important than size.’
As Sarah gets ready to cycle through the village to check on a Jolly Day guest who hasn’t attended for a while, I wonder if she ever gets time off to take care of herself?
‘I do make sure I take time out for me, or it can be overwhelming. I feel very responsible for all of my Jolly people.’

https://www.injollygoodcompany.com

REGISTERED QUALIFIED NURSE | Milton Abbey School

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Editorial team

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11 June 2024

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We have an exciting opportunity to join Milton Abbey as a School Nurse at our Health Centre providing high quality nursing care 24/7 for our pupils.

The role is diverse and rewarding and applicants should be confident to work autonomously and be keen to support and influence the lives of the young people in their care.

The working hours required for this role will be 37.5 hours per week (some flexibility for the right candidate) and these hours will primarily fall during term time. Shifts will be a combination of day and night shifts with weekend work being fairly distributed amongst the team.

If you are interested in joining our Nursing Staff who are RN or RSCN qualified, you should have a minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience.

Further details may be obtained from our website www.miltonabbey.co.uk, from the Senior Nurse Manager or HR [email protected]. Applications must be submitted on the School’s application form. The closing date for applications is noon on Tuesday 25th June 2024.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.
Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Milton Abbey School is committed to safe guarding and promoting the welfare of children. Theappointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service.

www.miltonabbey.co.uk Registered Charity No 306318

The power of win-win partnerships

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Editorial team

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10 June 2024

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In a modern business environment, partnerships between businesses can enhance reach, brand recognition, and community presence.
Thorngrove Garden Centre, the retail arm of Employ My Ability who provide unique opportunities for young people with special educational needs, approached Abbey 104, Sherborne’s community radio station, to sponsor BV Magazine’s new radio show. It’s a partnership that has significant benefits for local businesses working together.
For Abbey 104, repurposing The BV podcast provided an opportunity to expand content offerings and engage a broader audience, but funding was crucial. Thorngrove, already The BV’s Out Of Doors partner, were looking to explore local radio as a marketing avenue.
By sponsoring the podcast, Thorngrove gains exposure to Abbey 104’s listeners, many of whom are likely gardening enthusiasts, connecting with potential customers. In return, Abbey 104 receives the financial support needed to produce high-quality content.
For The BV, the partnership ensures a wider audience reach, enhancing the magazine’s brand and community influence. The podcast serves as a platform to discuss relevant topics, share local news, and promote businesses.
Local business partnerships create a ripple effect, strengthening the local economy and fostering community. When businesses support each other, they boost their success and contribute to the market’s vibrancy.
The partnership shows the benefits of local business collaborations. By leveraging each other’s strengths and working towards common goals, businesses achieve greater success and make a positive community impact.

Save the bruisewort?

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Editorial team

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10 June 2024

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If you didn’t mow in May, you will have a few jobs to be getting on with now – but think twice before you hit the weedkiller, says Pete Harcom

Daisies are great for pollinators – the flowers are full of pollen and nectar. The common daisy, (Bellis perennis) is also known as bruisewort, used for centuries to help heal bruises

If you followed the No-Mow-May idea last month, the weeds in the lawn and borders will now be needing your attention!
Daisies in a lawn can look very attractive – they are also a great plant for pollinators and the flowers are full of pollen and nectar. The common daisy, (Bellis perennis) is also known as Bruisewort, used for centuries to treat bruises and relieve the discomfort of rheumatism and aching joints. Other weeds, such as dandelions, you may wish to remove by hand, rather than using a spray herbicide. There are various weed-pulling tools on the market that can make that task much easier – and there are lots of reviews on the internet and YouTube that can help you decide which one!

How’s your H2O?
June is a good time to evaluate water use, and the need for water in the garden. Rather than using mains water (possibly a limited resource nowadays), try to save and use rainwater where possible. This has the added benefit of reducing your water bill!
Water butts are a must, and can be easily attached to downpipes on houses, outbuildings, sheds – or any sizeable surface area with a slope!
Coming in all shapes and sizes, there are many options to choose from. Be sure to secure water butts with lids to deter mosquitos in the summer.
Spot watering at the base of plants is much more efficient than spraying large areas. During the summer, water early or late in the day to prevent the water evaporating in the daytime heat – but be mindful that slugs and snails will also thank you for the evening moisture!
Lawn grass is well-suited to weathering droughts, so don’t worry too much about watering the lawn in extended dry periods.
Mulching plays a key role in retaining moisture in the soil and providing nutrients. Mulch will also introduce organic matter to the soil, enhancing its structure and therefore its capacity to hold water.

Create an endless supply of free shrubs by potting up softwaood cuttings this month

June jobs
Other things to do this month include planting out summer bedding, and potting up hanging baskets. Trim back trailing or spreading plants (eg aubretia), as this will encourage fresh growth.
Also, pinch out the tips of fuchsias to encourage bushy growth and more flowers.
Take softwood cuttings of many shrubs, including lavender, rosemary, fuchsia, philadelphus and forsythia. Collect healthy shoots from the tips of plants and make 5-10cm long cuttings – slice through the stem below a pair of leaves and remove the lower set of leaves. Push the cut stem into a small pot filled with gritty cutting compost, cover with a plastic bag and place in a shady spot until rooted.

Why is wildife so stupid?

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Editorial team

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10 June 2024

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After a roadside rescue of a bunch of toddler ducks, wildlife writer Jane Adams suggests that maybe it’s not the wildlife that’s the issue …

The phone rings. It’s a friend, Mike, but I can hardly hear him: ‘Ducklings … A31 … down by the Coventry Arms… what do I do?” he asks.
I can hear traffic thundering past and I swiftly tell him I’m coming. I grab a cat carrier – the only thing I can think of that might be useful for holding ducklings.
Positioned between the River Stour and the A31, The Coventry Arms pub is on one of our busiest A-roads leading to the West Country. Mother duck must have nested in the fields opposite the pub, and when her brood hatched and she needed to get to the river – the road was in the way. As she quacked from the field edge, desperately trying to keep her family close, her 13 scared, fluffy toddlers must have bolted for the road.
Luckily, that was the moment Mike spotted them. He pulled over in his car, and rounded them up. When I arrive, the ducklings are in a laundry basket (borrowed from a nearby house). Ten minutes later, mum flies off and never returns.

The rescued ducklings, waiting for a new home that doesn’t include an A road

‘Why is wildlife so stupid?’ a friend says, when I tell her about the mallard and her brood. ‘Why did she nest on the opposite side of a busy road?’
Her question makes me think about other wildlife I’ve rescued in the past … the baby hedgehog – or hoglet – found wandering alone in the daylight; the jackdaw chick that got stuck behind our gas fire after falling down the chimney; the adult barn owl killed by a car while hunting for voles, leaving behind three orphaned chicks.
Were these animals stupid? Or was there something else at play? Were their struggles perhaps caused not by stupidity, but by excessive traffic, loss of natural habitats and the relentlessly expanding urban development?
I know what I think.
But how we address these problems, and ensure we protect the wildlife we do still have left, though – that’s a harder question to answer.
I ended up taking the ducklings to a wildlife rescue centre in Hampshire, 20 miles away, as all the local centres were full. They fed and watered them, and popped them into an incubator. They’re safe for the time being, but it’s an ongoing problem. Local rescue centres are overflowing with young goslings, ducks and swans, as well as every conceivable species of garden bird, hedgehogs, foxes and badger cubs. It’s a problem, I’m told, that is only getting worse.

What to do if you find wildlife in need of help

Check the Help Wildlife website
Search online for ‘Wildlife Rescue Centre Dorset’ (Please note, Dorset Wildlife Trust does not rehabilitate or rescue wild animals. It is a conservation organisation).
Go to your local village or town Facebook group and ask if residents know of a local wildlife rescue or rehabilitator. Stick their number on the fridge for future use and put it in your contacts on your mobile.
Phone your local vets. If all else fails, they should have the number for a local wildlife centre but are unlikely to take injured wildlife themselves (although you can ask).

Grief and gratitude

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Editorial team

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10 June 2024

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As the eventing community reels from the death of one of their own, Jess Rimmer reflects on the special solidarity found in the sport

Jess Rimmer (left) on Sir Henry Hall and
Jo Rimmer on Mattie (The Real McKay)All images: Courtenay Hitchcock

As I am sure many of you will know, a dark shadow fell over the entire eventing community this month following the tragic loss of Georgie Campbell at Bicton International Horse Trials. A ripple of grief has spread across the equestrian world – but we will continue to put one foot in front of the other with a smile on our faces for Georgie, for her family and for each other.

Losing one of our own creates difficult emotions. Eventing folk are a family, regardless of role – I’m not sure if it’s the long, hard winters, the constant set-backs we all experience, or the sheer commitment and dedication we put into our sport, but there’s such a sense of unity. We fight each other’s corners, celebrate the successes of our fellow competitors and come together to pick up the pieces whenever things fall apart.
The strength of that community was very much felt when we arrived at Little Downham Horse Trials on Friday. Although sharing our usual greetings with a smile, the whole atmosphere was different. A feeling of solidarity spread across the event that day, and an abundance of purple and white ribbons – sported by both riders and volunteers – demonstrated not only our respect, but also served as a stark reminder of how we are all in this together. We will wear our purple ribbons and move forwards with a smile, remembering Georgie.

Little Downham was an event from which Team Rimmer was glad to move on.
Both Mattie and Henry did great dressage tests, but the miserable weather and consequent mud meant they did not show jump to the best of their ability. It was by no means a disaster, but I decided not to run them cross country. Not only were the conditions less than ideal, but mum and I were both still very shaken from Georgie’s accident, and having sat my finals earlier in the week I was, to be honest, feeling totally wiped out.
So we withdrew and drove home. We didn’t compete, but both horses and people came home safe and sound: as always, it’s our main priority.

Looking ahead
On a more positive note, the younger horses have been on super form recently. Max and Jimmy picked up rosettes at both Barbury and Pontispool – they are learning and improving all the time. It is so rewarding working with the younger ones and being involved right at the start of their journeys – especially when it’s with horses as lovely as these two!
We are now looking forward to our June competitions. Nunney International, one of our most local events, near Frome, will be a highlight.
I’m really enjoying being able to finaly focus fully on training the horses without juggling my uni exams. We have some exciting plans for the rest of the 2024 event season, and beyond!

Do you, could you, would you write a script?

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Editorial team

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10 June 2024

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The Script’s The Thing was the title of the first Dorset Festival of Scriptwriting, held in Dorchester in October 2023. A second festival is planned for 2025, but smaller events are planned for 2024.
The Exchange is hoping to stage a taster event later this year to increase awareness of opportunities for writers based locally who write scripts for performance. The event would be open to anyone at whatever level of experience – even those just curious about the writing process for their favourite stage play, TV or film script.
It would showcase some script in-hand performances, and hope to inspire and motivate writers at all levels to consider submitting for the Festival in 2025.
If you write scripts – or would like to do so – or if you are simply curious about the process, please do get in touch with Robert Cowley to express your interest. You can reach him through The Exchange, by email [email protected] or 01258 475137. If we have enough interest we will make something happen!

Bigger, better, faster, LOUDER!

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Editorial team

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10 June 2024

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It can only be… the return of the Clayesmore Classic & Supercar Sunday!

This relative newcomer to the Dorset summer event calendar is already a firm favourite and not one to be missed. Now in its third year, this summer’s show will include 450 of the finest, classiest, fastest and brightest cars ever made. It is a brilliant day out for all the family; wall to wall cars that will blow your mind… plus so much more.

Back by popular demand, there will again be TWO Rev Offs – last year’s did not disappoint. Set against the backdrop of Clayesmore house, it’s an amazing spectacle when the competing cars line up for the showdown of noise and muscle!
There is plenty for the children to see and do too, including the FREE electric Land Rovers on a brilliant assault course, all courtesy of Harwoods, the headline sponsor.
An exciting new addition for 2024 is the 80th Anniversary D-Day celebration feature: the display will include an interesting array of military vehicles, along with the 1940’s sounds of the Land Girls Singers! Keep your eyes and ears peeled for a fantastic spitfire flyover too!

As always, we’ll be rocking out to live music, and as you’d expect there’ll be no shortage of delicious food, with gourmet burgers, wood-fired pizza, gelato and crepes.
clayesmore.com
Sunday 18 August
10am to 4:30pm
Clayesmore School
A350 Iwerne Minster
DT11 8LL

Wimborne Minster through time

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Editorial team

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10 June 2024

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A final tribute: Roger Guttridge’s last literary journey as his words and Barry Cuff’s images take us on a stroll through the town’s past

My latest read is a somewhat bittersweet one – it’s the final book written by the late Roger Guttridge, completed in partnership with his friend Barry Cuff. Although Roger sadly didn’t live to see its publication, he and Barry finished it last year. Now, Wimborne Minster Through Time is available for all to enjoy.
And enjoy it I have. Wimborne is not my home town, nor do I have any strong connection to it – yet I couldn’t resist reading the entire thing, despite only intending to dip in for a chapter or two.
As you’d expect, the book is filled with historical images from the last century – and it’s not all corsets and horse-drawn carriages (though there’s plenty of those, of course). Roger and Barry have carefully drawn the timeline of Wimborne’s changes over the 20th century, sometimes coming as far as the 1970s, before the the most modern ‘now’ shots are provided to compare them with.
Wimborne gets a swift potted history: it first appears in 718 as Winburnan and in 871 as Winburnan Mynster – literally ‘the monastery by the River Win’ (the old name for the Allen).

And in 871, King Alfred the Great attended the funeral of his brother King Ethelred (not the Unready one) following his death in battle near Cranborne.
Then the book moves on to individual streets in the town, and every page of Barry’s fascinating images is littered with Roger’s trademark little gossippy stories and snippets of the everyday lives of the people and places in them. The 17th-century poet Matthew Prior, a Wimborne native, allegedly nodded off while reading the first edition of Sir Walter Raleigh’s History of the World in the chained library in Wimborne Minster, allowing candle wax to drip on to at least 100 pages.In 1930s pictures of West tBorough we see the three storey buildings which had belonged to the wealthy Fryer family, bankers and merchant suppliers to the Newfoundland cod trade. Apparently, their bank made high-interest, short-term loans to smugglers!
East Street is shown following the great fire of 21st July 1900, which started in Hawker’s drapery shop when an assistant was asked to light a newly-installed gas burner in the window. Standing on a chair to reach the mantle and striking a match, she accidentally knocked it over, setting light to material in the window. The girl panicked, leaping back into the shop, and set the whole place ablaze.
I could go on – but you’ll just have to go and buy the book. Whether you know and love Wimborne, or are simply fascinated by Dorset’s social history, it’s a great read – and makes a perfect gift.

Wimborne Minster Through Time by Amberley Publishing