This meal is the one my eldest son requests when he comes home from Uni – thankfully it is ridiculously easy to make! It’s a slow cooker fave (if you don’t have one, a normal oven works too) and it is so full of flavour. I’ve also included my own homemade coleslaw recipe – and if you really want to play in the kitchen, then make your own brioche rolls too, using my foolproof recipe that featured in September 21’s BV here.
Ingredients serves 6 to 10
Pork:
1.8kg to 2.5kg pork shoulder joint
½ cup dark soy sauce
½ cup honey
½ cup sesame oil
Coleslaw:
½ green cabbage
3 large carrots
½ cup mayonnaise
½ Greek style yoghurt
1tsp soy sauce
1tsp honey
Method
Into a slow cooker add the wet ingredients and mix together.
Remove the pork shoulder from any wrapping or string. Pop into the slow cooker and turn it around in the sauce until covered.*
Cook on low for eight hours. I usually start ‘skin side up’ and then turn the joint every couple of hours so that it all gets soaked in the tasty liquid.
The meat is done when its falls apart with a fork.
To make the coleslaw, finely shred the cabbage into a large bowl. Peel and grate the carrot into the cabbage and mix together.
Stir in all the wet ingredients until everything is coated well. You can also season with black pepper if you wish.
Serve the pulled pork in brioche rolls with some shredded iceberg lettuce for some extra crunch. We have also served this with Bao Buns or toasted bagels (see last month’s recipe to make your own here!), the latter liberally laden with butter of course.
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.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, then you can make this in the oven. Just place the meat and the sauces into a large oven proof dish and cook in a low oven (gas 2 – 140º fan) for 6-8 hours, still checking and turning the joint periodically.
Boasting vibrant displays of chalk downland flowers and butterflies, an abundance of birds and mammals and stunning views over the Blackmore Vale, it is easy to see why Fontmell Down attracts nature lovers all year round.
One of the most celebrated birds in literature, poetry and music, the rather nondescript skylark (Alauda arvensis) Image: Vaughn Matthews
And quite often, these visitors are joined by their beloved four-legged friends. Walking your dog is a great form of exercise and can help achieve that important dose of nature therapy that we so often neglect. However, a dog’s naturally inquisitive nature can be extremely harmful to wildlife, particularly our ground-nesting birds.
Skylarks build their small, grassy, cup-shaped nests on the ground Image: Seb Haggett
Many ground-nesting birds, such as nightjar and woodlark, are associated with heathland habitat. However, one particular species takes advantage of the patchwork of grassland and scrub at Fontmell Down: the skylark. One of the most celebrated birds in literature, poetry and music, the skylark (Alauda arvensis) is a small, streaky brown bird with a crest and long tail. Although its appearance can be described as rather nondescript, the same cannot be said for its unmistakable song-flight. Male skylarks will rise almost vertically from the ground, effortlessly hovering at a great height while singing. These long and complicated song-flights can last for up to an hour, and the birds can reach 300 metres before descending. In contrast with their impressive aerial displays, skylarks build their small, grassy, cup-shaped nests on the ground. Around three to four eggs are laid, and parents can have up to four broods in a breeding season (between April and August).
Fontmell Down in summer Image: Jack Clarke
Building their nests on the ground means that they are at risk of disturbance from trampling feet and excited dogs. When the parents are scared off their nests, the precious eggs and chicks become vulnerable to predators. And it’s not just skylark nests that can become compromised by walkers and their dogs on Fontmell Down. Meadow pipits, stonechats, corn bunting and yellowhammers all nest on, or close to, the ground. The law states you must keep your dog on a lead no longer than two metres between 1st March and 31st July when on any open access land, in order to protect ground-nesting birds. But Dorset Wildlife Trust urges all visitors to keep their dogs on a short lead and stick to the pathways on the nature reserves all year round to protect wildlife and livestock.
Visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk to plan your own trip to Fontmell Down and find information on our other nature reserves
At its annual Community Chest Awards in January, local family brewer Hall & Woodhouse (H&W) announced the successful recipients of grants totalling more than £27,000. The funding is part of a wider £55,000 being donated to other counties where H&W operates, which is the highest sum since the Community Chest initiative began in 2002 – here in Dorset more than 20 grants were mad. Organisations providing support to people with disabilities and groups offering guidance, training, and career advice all received a share of the funds that H&W set aside for the initiative. Mark Woodhouse, family director of H&W, said: ‘We never cease to be amazed by the tremendous good that organisations can do for their communities and are honoured to help continue their hard work. It’s all about providing access to funding for small, local, volunteer-led and trustworthy organisations that make a real difference. ‘It’s always a privilege to meet the people behind the organisations making such a positive change. Already, I very much look forward to launching the Community Chest again in the spring.” One recipient, Weymouth Foodbank, operates from four locations across Weymouth, providing local people with essential groceries and hygienic equipment. In 2023, it fed more than 14,000 people, a 56% increase from 2022. The funding provided by Hall & Woodhouse, totalling £2,700, will cover the purchase of milk, cheese, and eggs for a whole month. Dorset-based charity Countrymen UK helps individuals experiencing isolation due to physical or mental deterioration. The charity provides activities and workshops based around creativity and movement, while encouraging members to build strong support relationships. H&W provided £1,000 to help fund running costs and activities.
Our life-saving charity, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA), provides relief from sickness and injury for the people of Dorset and Somerset, by the provision of an air ambulance service, with an air and road delivered critical care capability.
DSAA is a well-loved and respected charity, which relies on the generosity of the public to raise our operational costs of over £10 million per year. The charity is extremely well supported by over 100 volunteers spread across Dorset and Somerset, who contribute unpaid time to help us deliver our fundraising activities. Our belief is that patients’ lives depend on us being there and the whole team is focused on making that happen.
Job Description
We are now seeking to appoint a Supporter Engagement Officer to assist our volunteers and maintain excellent links with communities within the Somerset area. A large proportion of the charity’s fundraising activities are undertaken by groups, businesses and individuals who hold events in aid of the charity and your role is to provide support alongside our friendly fundraising team.
Highly motivated, flexible and enthusiastic, you will have an understanding of supporter engagement and enjoy the challenge of building relationships within the community. This role will suit someone who is passionate about people and has the ability to engage with a wide range of audiences confidently and to be a key community champion in Somerset.
Main Duties & Responsibilities:
Be an ambassador for DSAA within the Somerset community, helping to raise awareness and maximising income generating opportunities.
Provide exceptionally high-quality care to ensure that our volunteers and supporters feel valued and appreciated.
Uphold and be able to articulate an excellent level of knowledge about all aspects of the charity, including our clinical and operational activities.
Manage a team of volunteers across Somerset, including recruiting, training, providing equipment and supporting them in their various roles.
Work closely with the wider fundraising team, helping to develop and deliver fundraising initiatives.
Oversee the servicing and management of collection boxes across Somerset, liaising with the fundraising officers and finance team.
Present talks about the charity and be a confident and engaging public speaker.
Liaise, manage and represent the charity at events, presentations and donation collections.
Provide on call support for our events volunteers, including out of office hours.
Keep accurate records of all events, supporters, communications and fundraising activities on our CRM system.
Person Specification
An understanding of community fundraising would be advantageous, along with experience of working with volunteers.
Strong communication skills including the ability to speak publicly via presentations to businesses and groups.
A history of forming strong long-lasting relationships.
A willingness to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends.
Full clean UK Driving license.
Education and qualifications:
Essential: GCSEs Grade C or above or equivalent in Maths and English
Previous experience:
Essential: Minimum of 2 years’ experience of working in a people focussed engagement role
Desirable: Experience of working with volunteers or a charity
The successful candidate will receive:
Competitive salary: up to £30,000 (depending on experience)
37.5 hours per week/worked flexibly
28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
Generous pension scheme (8% Charity Contribution) and benefits package
Home-based role based in Somerset with travel expenses paid
If you have the right skills, experience and knowledge, and would like to join our passionate and friendly team, we would love to hear from you!
If you would like to ask for more information or have an informal chat, please contact Fundraising Manager, Emma Jones by calling: 01823 669604.
Recruitment Process
Closing Date: Friday 5th April 2024
Interviews to take place:22nd to 25th April 2024
How to Apply
To apply: Please email your CV and a covering letter to: [email protected] or post to: Julie Plowden, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Landacre House, Chelston Business Park, Castle Road, Wellington, TA21 9JQ.
Passing the torch: as Tom Bradshaw steps into the pivotal role, he faces the daunting task of upholding farming’s future. Andrew Livingston reports
I cannot describe how much I love the NFU Conference. Slightly sad, I know. There just isn’t a year that goes by without something juicy to talk about. Who doesn’t love a politician being made to sweat by a collection of irate British farmers? Birmingham’s NEC is fast becoming the Ally Pally of the farming world. This year was the first time since Gordon Brown’s tenure that an incumbent Prime Minister came to give a speech. Rishi Sunak’s appearance was appreciated by the NFU members – but don’t believe for a second that he has some deep love of doing what is right for the farmers. Rishi came for one thing and one thing only – votes. Gordon tried the same tactic of winning the rural vote back in 2008, but in the 2010 General Election Labour lost power for the first time since Tony Blair won the 1997 General Election. A sign of things to come?
A stormy decade Despite my love for a bit of political schmoozing, the most interesting thing to discuss is that it was Minette Batters’ final NFU Conference as the organisation’s president, before being replaced by her deputy, Tom Bradshaw. Minette runs her tenanted family farm in Wiltshire – a 100-cow suckler herd, sheep, arable land and now British flowers. For a decade, she has either been NFU deputy president or president, a position she has held since 2018. I wouldn’t say that she ran the ship during the most tumultuous of times – I would argue the Foot and Mouth crisis of 2001 was possibly a worse time to be president. Nevertheless, the 57-year-old has shepherded British agriculture through huge changes over the last decade. In 2019, Minette Batters was the face of the NFU’s commitment to be Net Zero (carbon neutral) by 2040. The ambition of being carbon neutral a decade before the British government’s national pledge was a big step, but in an NFU report, Minette explained why: ‘Agriculture is uniquely placed to be part of the solution, as an emissions source and a sink. But we must and can do more.’ With the current financial climate, both nationally and in agriculture, there will be huge pressure on the new president either to renege on these environmental commitments or to emphasise that farmers must not falter from the Net Zero objectives. Unfortunately, being green isn’t the most financially beneficial way to run a farm. If it were, farmers would have done it for years. In 2020, the UK officially left the European Union, which had been financially supporting farmers and keeping agricultural businesses afloat. Since then, Minette has battled hard for UK farmers not to be undercut by cheap imports from new trade deals, while also fighting for farm subsidies to be continued responsibly by our own government. During all of this , there has been the little matter of a global pandemic, the worst ever Avian Influenza outbreak on our shores, about 50 different Prime Ministers and a war in Ukraine that has sent the costs to farming through the roof, making the whole industry unsustainable. It’s not hyperbole to state that Minette was the most powerful woman in British farming. She was the first woman to be NFU president and she has been front and centre of the NFU throughout her time, fighting for farmers on every issue, no matter how big or small. Over to you, Tom Bradshaw. You’ve got a big pair of wellies to fill.
A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues.
Q: ‘I have just received my new council tax bill and it’s gone up again. I’m working full time and claiming universal credit to top up my rent, but I’m a single parent now and, with everything else increasing, I am not sure I am going to be able to pay it each month. What can I do?’
A: First, you need to check if you can get a council tax discount. If you are the only adult in your property, you will be entitled to a 25 per cent discount. Moreover, some adults aren’t included for council tax purposes – this includes some students and young people, some people who are temporarily away from home, some people with severe disabilities and some carers. If you are on a low income, you might also be eligible for Council Tax Support. This is a means-tested benefit, so your income and savings have to be below a certain level to get help. Dorset Council will compare your finances (income and capital) with how much the government says that you and your family need to live on. Dorset Council is going to implement a new Council Tax Reduction scheme from 1 April 2024. This scheme aims to make it easier for residents to manage, and should work better with the Universal Credit system by taking away the need for constant changes. It also increases the current maximum amount that can be claimed from 90 per cent up to 100 per cent for those who are eligible. However, the reductions will be restricted to a council tax band E level – any applicants who live in a band F, G or H property will have their entitlement calculated at a band E level. If you think you might be eligible for a discount or for support, you can either do an online benefit check, for example entitledto.co.uk or ask your local Citizens Advice to help you find out.
The Sturminster Newton Literary Festival 2024 D-Day Project is looking for contributions from local people whose family members took part in the military invasion of Normandy 80 years ago. From these personal stories, the LitFest team will create an exhibition of family testimonies and images to go on show in The Exchange Gallery in Sturminster Newton from 6th June. On 9th June the exhibition will be formally launched alongside author events commemorating the invasion. If you would like to contribute to the exhibition, please send up to 500 words describing your forbear’s experiences in June 1944. You can send it to [email protected] or deliver a hand-written account to the Town Council Offices in Sturminster Newton, marked FAO Cllr Pauline Batstone – D-Day 80th Anniversary Project. Deadline for submissions is Friday 29th March 2024. Sturminster Newton Literary Festival is from 8th-16th June in 2024 and the full programme will be announced in March.
As the due dates passed, everyone at The Glanvilles Stud was on tenterhooks for the delivery of the first foal, says Lucy Procter
This Showcasing filly, unable to keep her eyes open, is just 12 hours old. All images: Courtenay Hitchocck
January saw us sitting up through the night, watching the cameras for the imminent arrival of our first foals. However, the mares had other ideas. Calculated due dates came and went and although the early mares were bagging up, they remained relaxed, quietly munching hay all night. On 2nd February, the first foal – a feisty Walzertakt colt – finally made his appearance. There was no rushing the other mares though – it was almost two weeks before we welcomed another colt. This one was sired by the exciting new stallion Stradivarius and, according to The National Stud where he stands, this was his first-born colt.
Doug and Lucy’s youngest has just returned from six months working in Australia and, in his honour, the foal’s stable names this season are all based on Oz place names. This Planteur colt, kicking up his heels, is known as Darwin at home.
The legendary Stradivarius had an exceptional middle-distance flat-race record, winning predominantly over 1m6f to 2m4f. But the Flat racing industry values speed over distances of five furlongs to one mile, and the National Hunt breeding industry values size. Stradivarius was a mere 15.3 hands and, coupled with his middle to staying-distance race record, he would not have been an obvious stallion choice for breeders. Stallions these days usually retire to the breeding shed at two or three years old, as soon as they have proved themselves by winning a big race or two. ‘The Strad’, as he was affectionately known by racing fans, was unusual in that he was kept in training and raced for seven seasons, winning three Gold Cups and four Goodwood Cups.
This Stradivarius colt, stable name Gawler, really does enjoy being outside very much, thank you … you can probably tell …
Retiring Stradivarius to stud in 2023, his owner/breeder knew that he still had an uphill battle to prove himself in the covering shed so, in an attempt to attract the best mares, he offered generous incentives to the breeders of Stradivarius’ first winning foals: £250,000 to the breeder of any Group 1 winner in Britain, Ireland or France, with £100,000 to the breeders of any Group 2 and Group 3 scorers. Not to be outdone, the third foal arrived just two days later – a long-legged Planteur colt, half brother to the Cheltenham Festival-entered, TGS-bred Triple Trade, who is in training with Joe Tizzard in Milborne Port. Since his first win this season in November, we have enjoyed watching Triple Trade (better known as Trevor at home) race three times, including winning a good handicap chase at Ascot just before Christmas.
Gawler, the Stradivarius colt, being shown by mum how to stretch his legs in a far more controlled mannerSydney, our Walzertakt colt, showing off his paces next to mum.
Foster needed A few days later, we were swiftly brought back down to earth with the sad loss of a mare, shortly after she produced a huge Golden Horn colt, due to foaling complications. For the first 36 hours we fed the ever-hungry-for-milk colt from a bottle – every 45 minutes or so, day and night – while we searched for a suitable foster mare. Happily, by the start of the second night, we had successfully introduced our orphan to a mare who had had a late foal in 2023 and who had been very recently weaned, so she was still producing milk. Although the no-longer-an-orphan colt is now happily feeding from his new mother, he still optimistically greets any person who goes into his stable with a ‘so where’s my bottle then?’ nudge!
The fluffy, no-longer-an-orphan colt, with his huge grey spectacles and grey nose.
To add to his fluffy cuteness, the colt (opposite) has huge grey spectacles and a grey nose. With flecks of grey throughout his coat, it is clear that he will gradually, over the coming months, turn from bay to grey like his mother. This is the first time in four years that we’ve gone into March without our hopes pinned on Honeysuckle’s chances at Cheltenham. However, with plenty more mares to foal, and those that have already foaled needing to be taken to visit this year’s chosen stallion, there will be many more sleepless nights to come through March.
Amber Harrison and Karen Brazier outside Folde on Gold Hill
FOLDE, the independent Shaftesbury bookshop which specialises in nature writing, is a regional and country finalist in The British Book Awards 2024. The shop on Gold Hill has been recognised in the Independent Bookshop of the Year category. Affectionately known within the industry as the Nibbies, The British Book Awards are described as “a celebration of books and all who make them… affirming, connecting and energising the world of reading by showcasing the authors and illustrators who have stirred our hearts and imaginations, and the industry behind the scenes who have brought them to readers.” In the largest cohort in the awards’ history, there are 77 independent bookshops listed across nine different regions and countries, including ten in South-West England. FOLDE is one of just two bookshops in Dorset, alongside Westbourne Bookshop in Bournemouth, to be named as a Regional and Country finalist. ‘We are over the moon to have made it through to the finals for our region,’ said FOLDE co-founder, Amber Harrison. ‘The awards are an opportunity to highlight and celebrate our firm belief that indie bookshops are a real asset to the high street.’ Karen Brazier, who co-founded the shop with Amber, says: ‘We owe much of our success to our local community, who were cheer leading for us even before we opened and continue to do so to this day.’ Tom Tivnan, managing editor of The Bookseller and chairman of Independent Bookshop of the Year, says: ‘Indies have come out of the pandemic and into cost-of-living and business rates crises, yet still through innovation and creativity thrive as never before. They are lynch pins for our high street, bringing communities together. If there is a through-line it is that their collective knowledge and passion shine through and prove once again how much better shop floor expertise is than an algorithm.’ The regional and country winners will be announced on 12th March, and will then be put forward for consideration for the national Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, which will be announced in May.
