MUSIC & READINGS FOR CHRISTMAS
Sherborne School Chamber Choir
Monday 5 December 6.00pm Sherborne School Chapel
FREE ADMISSION ALL WELCOME
Music by:
JS Bach
Praetorius
Judith Weir
John Rutter
Kenneth Leighton
Director: James Henderson
Organ: Peter Bray
The Gillingham & Shaftesbury Agricultural Society is hiring for a Show Secretary & Events’ Organiser.
The role is to Manage all aspects of The Society especially the smooth organisation and running of its Events, The Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show and Spring Countryside Show. This is alongside the management of the Event Venue, Turnpike Showground in Motcombe. The individual must be innovative, enthusiastic, and approachable. This position consists of Logistics Management, Admin, Sales, Event Management, Coordination, Marketing including digital.
For the full job description and to apply e-mail [email protected] or ring 01747 823955.
Applications close 16th December 2022 with the aim to interview immediately in the New Year.
On the 5th of November this year, Roy Godwin, Assistant Head Gardener at Sculpture by the Lakes started what can only be described as a mammoth and extremely challenging task of walking 100Km of the Sahara Desert in just 5 days!
In doing so he is raising money and awareness for ‘Friends of PICU’, a charity dedicated to caring for sick and terminally ill children at Southampton Hospital Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Roy is gratefully receiving donations through a designated ‘Justgiving’ page, and assistance of corporate sponsors Sculpture by the Lakes, Cahill Motor Services, Henryettas Hooks, and Lyons Gate Gardening Services.
With the additional support of local gym Anytime Fitness in Dorchester, Roy has trained hard for this event and is determined to raise as much money as he possibly can for this worthy cause. So far with amazing support coming from the wider community, Roy has managed to raise a fantastic £4,250!
Roy told us “Friends of PICU and all the staff of Southampton Hospital work incredibly hard 24 hours a day to help sick and terminally ill children. I am so proud of this hospital and the local community which care for our children, and it is my privilege to help in some way. When the life of a child is saved, you haven’t saved one life, but also the lives of parents, family members, friends and loved ones.”
Roy is amazed by the support he has received and extremely grateful to everyone who has sponsored him so far, but of course every penny counts and Roy is hopeful he can raise even more! So now Roy is reaching out to the whole community to help him raise as much as he can. If you would like to read more about Roy’s charity challenge, back story and motivation for this event, or if you would like to kindly sponsor, please visit Roy’s charity link at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/roy-godwin
Wildlife writer Jane Adams goes in search of mysterious hares in Dorset churches which may have originated in Buddhist China
As I stared up at the ceiling inside St. Hubert’s church, Corfe Mullen, three hares stared back at me. Each hare shared ears with its neighbour and though the optical puzzle was fascinating itself, what did it mean? Placed alongside the Christian iconography, it felt weirdly out of place.
‘Aren’t they just big bunnies?’ a friend asked when I told her about the hares. While it’s true that they share some physical similarities, these elusive mammals are very different from rabbits. With long, black-tipped ears, a golden brown coat and those powerful hind legs, they’re nearly double the size, and about as similar to a rabbit as a Chihuahua is to a Cocker spaniel.
Hares are solitary creatures, particularly outside breeding season, feeding on fresh plant shoots at night and hiding in a dip in the ground (a form) during the day. However, if discovered, they can run at up to 45mph, quick enough to outrun any native predator.
Historically, we’ve had a confusing relationship with hares. Pagan and Christian beliefs linked them not only to madness, famine and witchcraft but also fertility, good luck and longevity. A pagan springtime ritual celebration of hares may even have morphed into the Easter Bunny tradition.
But nowadays they aren’t as common as they once were. Most modern farms don’t include the mosaic of crops, hedgerows, woodland and grazing that hares need to thrive. Along with an increase in pesticides, modern farm machinery and a lack of legal protections, their numbers have decreased by 80 per cent over the last 100 years.
Hares breed from February through to September, producing three to four litters each year. The three hares motif may be linked to their fertility.
In the Middle Ages, it was thought that hares could reproduce without a mate – effectively virgin births. So the three hares could symbolise the Virgin Mary – or the Holy Trinity.
This mysterious icon isn’t restricted to one Dorset church. There are 17 churches in Devon with examples of a three-hare boss, with others found in Somerset and Cornwall.
However, the earliest example of the motif is found in a Buddhist cave painting in China, dating from 581 to 618 CE. It is likely that it found its way to southern Britain via the Silk Road – a busy trading route in medieval times.
So although autumn and winter are an excellent time to spot hares in the wild, this month try looking inside as well. Check the ceiling of your nearest medieval church and, if you find the mysterious three hares, I’d love to hear from you!
To learn more about brown hares, see the Hare Preservation Trust. Find out more about the Three Hares Project here.
Contact Jane Adams via her website janevadams.com
Sadly, hare coursing continues to be an issue, especially in north east Dorset – see the report from The BV, Aug 21. Hares cannot match the stamina of hunting hounds who will continue the chase until the hare is exhausted. Even if the hare escapes it is widely understood that its welfare is seriously compromised due to the trauma
Giles Keating, the owner of Athelhampton House, one of England’s finest Tudor manors, has overseen a major plan of maintenance on the much-loved building
Following a spell as a research fellow at London Business School, Giles Keating was chief economist at a major international bank for 30 years. ‘The political events of this last month would have been my meat and drink, it would certainly have been a pretty busy few weeks!’ he says.
He spent his time at the bank studying the economy and finance not just of the UK, but of the major and emerging economies across the globe. He first visited China before the Tiananmen Square massacre, and went back frequently, watching it grow from a primitive economy to a global power. He toured the world, visiting Asia, the Americas and the Middle East: ‘I spent my time examining, talking to people, telling them what I thought I knew, and discovering what they actually knew!’
When he retired from banking he cast around for new ventures: ‘when you retire, you can’t just lie down’.
Giles became increasingly interested in the modern finance revolution, bringing tech into the finance arena: first via a robo-advisor startup (a type of automated financial advisor that provides algorithm-driven wealth management services with little-to-no human intervention), and then in digital currency. But with more time on his hands, Giles needed a new project.
A Tudor shopping list
‘I have always had a yen to get closer to the spirit and architecture of the Tudor era. I also have four children (and have just welcomed my first grandchild), and I wanted a house which could accommodate big family get-togethers. On top of which I wanted a new business – not one to just sit on, but one I could be involved in, making it live and work. Old houses need looking after – they need to be alive.
‘But it’s a niche property search; Tudor houses are in rather limited supply. The selection of those that may also be run as businesses is even tinier. And there seems to be no checkbox on Zoopla for “minstrel’s gallery”, which is a glaring omission … It took many years, but finally I found Athelhampton, and from the very first visit I knew it was the right one.
‘The house was in perfectly liveable condition when I moved in, but as the bigger projects got underway it became less so. Guests weren’t keen when flushing the toilet meant filling a bucket of water from the river!
‘After two years the heavy-duty works are complete. Most were simply maintenance, sorting the roof etc. There was also the work on revealing the original Tudor kitchen, of course (as featured in The BV, July 22). So now it’s about using the house and encouraging people to use it too. We’ve opened more of the rooms to the public, created interpretative panels to show the timeline of the ownership, and we really want to use the space.
‘We’ve had a fabulous half-term with the Tudors in residence, re-enacting the house as it would have been originally. This summer we hosted the stars of the Royal Ballet with musicians from the Royal Opera House for a fabulous weekend of dance; sadly diary clashes mean they can’t return next year, but are already booked for 2024.
And of course we have the Dorset Food & Drink Christmas Fair coming in December – upwards of 2,000 people come through the doors.
We’re also utilising the long gallery for local artists – we currently have an Elizabeth Sporne ‘Modern Icons’ exhibition until the end of November.
Giles has written a book based on characters from Athelhampton’s past – as he researched for a new guidebook as a lockdown hobby, the extraordinary history of the house and its occupants seemed ready-made for a story. He based it around Anne of Athelhampton, featuring historical characters and events. A second book is due out in the spring.
A life in music
And so to Giles’ eight music choices, in no particular order, along with how and why they stuck in his life:
Come Ye Sons of Art (Ode for Queen Mary’s Birthday),
Henry Purcell
I just adore Purcell’s music, and especially this Ode, which is such a happy celebration and raises the heart every time! “Sound the Trumpets!” And as an added bonus, it has a link to Athelhampton, since Queen Mary’s Aunt (Lady Francis Keightley, nee Hyde, sister of James II’s first wife Anne Hyde), lived at Athelhampton around the time this was composed.
August,
Taylor Swift
A change of gear after Purcell! The date gives a clue to why this is here: this track is from Folklore, one of two albums that Swift released in an incredible burst of creativity during lockdown. I played this a lot when driving down the almost-empty roads to Athelhampton, where I was helping supervise a major construction project, which made the house well-nigh uninhabitable (hence the driving). The album is simply one amazing hit after another, and I think August especially hits the spot in bringing out the sheer emotional intensity of a summer love affair.
Atom Heart Mother Suite,
Pink Floyd
This had been out for a while when I went to uni, but it was a favourite of those years and listening again recently, I think it has stood the test of time. It’s incredibly original, spanning rock and classical, a kind of rock sonata that uses any and every available musical medium including choirs and motorbikes.
Sonata No 1 in G Minor, JS Bach – 1953, Jascha Heifetz
These unaccompanied solo violin works by Bach are quite stunning, and of course require a superb musician to play them.
Greensleeves
I’ve always loved folk music, perhaps because it somehow spans the Celtic (Irish) side of my ancestry and the English (Kentish) side, or perhaps just because it’s wonderful to listen to! Greensleeves was first published in 1580, at the heart of Athelhampton’s Tudor era (though some people say it was composed some decades earlier, by Henry VIII). Like most people, I really only know the first few verses and the chorus, but there are a total of 17 verses, and I’d like to take a vocal version of that to the Island so I can take time to get to know them all.
Rose Tint my World,
(The Rocky Horror Show, 1973, Original London Cast)
A key soundtrack to my school years, there was even a production based on it in the school hall (don’t ask me how they got away with that!). It’s a brilliant and fun show with fantastic dancing music, but it is deadly serious below the surface. Not just in bringing gender etc. issues to the fore decades before current debates, but also in its mantra for all aspects of life: “Don’t dream it, be it!”
Dr Who theme music, Ron Grainer, original 1960s version realised by Delia Derbyshire
There was a handful of iconic TV shows when I was a kid (and I was only allowed to watch a few hours of TV a week) and while picking my Dorset Island Discs, I found myself wrenched between the Avengers (Diana Rigg version, of course!), Thunderbirds, and The Prisoner. In the end, Dr Who won out because I think its amazing, original electronic sounds will repay playing over and over again on the Island. And of course, The Seeds of Doom series was filmed at Athelhampton.
(spoiler alert: at the end, the RAF has to bomb the house to destruction because the giant rogue plant has taken it over. Perhaps that’s the real truth behind the destruction of Tyneham Manor?? I think we should be told!)
Alejandro
Lady Gaga
There were so many contenders for my final choice, ranging from Verdi’s La Donna e Mobile through to Bowie’s Lazarus. Gaga won out for the sheer energy and craziness, including those amazing costumes – and especially headgear – from the video that the music evokes! I’ll need that kind of energy to keep me going on the Island.
Architecture and LEGO
My book choice would be A Pattern Language: Towns, Building, Construction, by C Alexander, S Ishikawa, M Silverstein and associates, 1977.
This is simply one of the great books. Ostensibly about Architecture and town planning, it’s really about life in every sense; how people live and interact with one another, grow up and grow old. Also, though published before the Internet, it has hyperlinks throughout, encouraging one to leap from one section to another, so you don’t read it straight through like a normal book, you always take a different route, as with web pages. That makes every read different – perfect for my Island stay!
For my luxury I’d like a great big LEGO set, please. The more retro style, I think the current branding is “Classic”. Then I can make anything out of it, rather than be limited to one specific theme. But, please, lots of different colours and shapes – then for spooky Hallowe’en, I can use the browns and blacks, and for jollier days some bright reds and blues!
Click here to listen to Giles entire playlist on YouTube
Last month, Blandford Food Bank celebrated ten years of supporting the community – and it is more needed than ever. Rachael Rowe reports
Alongside.
Together.
Courageous.
Faithworks chief executive Alistair Doxat-Purser used these, three powerful words to describe the community involved with establishing Blandford Food Bank as organisers and volunteers gathered to celebrate ten years of supporting people.
‘We started by simply giving food. But now there is a whole range of support when people come to get that food. I say alongside because although we are a food bank, you make it a place where people who come in downhearted can leave with their heads held up; where we are able to tell someone “It’s OK.”
‘And together, because so many people are taking time to collect, pack, welcome, make tea and give support. And you’re courageous because when life seems down we should not lie down and accept defeat.’
Used by thousands
Blandford Forum’s food bank started out in 2012 on an industrial estate on the edge of the town with a team of nine people. They started simply with food. For six years, the Methodist Church hosted the food bank, as the service needed to be close to the town centre. Today it is based at the United Reform Church on Whitecliff Mill Street. Manager Gail Del Pinto was one of the first volunteers and is still with the food bank. ‘Before the pandemic, we saw 900 people a year. In 2020, through the lockdowns, we had 4,300 people coming here. And this year, we have 2,000. The need is increasing. We have over 70 care organisations referring people to the food bank.
We also have a debt advisor, because so many people need help out of that downward cycle.’
The church building is a bit of a rabbit warren, with rooms leading to more space. There’s a welcome area where people can get a cup of tea and talk to a volunteer. And then there are rooms stacked with crates of tinned food, shopping trolleys piled high, and an open space. But there’s also a profound warmth, welcoming people to its heart.
The regular debt advisory team can change people’s lives by giving them help and advice to get free of owing money. That input can be critical. There are always people to listen, and there are many different reasons people need help from a food bank. For example, Victim Support works alongside the food bank team to help people affected by domestic violence.
Thanking the volunteers
The High Sheriff of Dorset, Sibyl King, thanked the volunteers: ‘The way you do this work with such compassion and dignity for the people is overwhelming. We all look after our own families, but you chose to look after other people as you would your own family.’
Colin and Chris Stevens, the Mayor and Mayoress of Blandford, were also at the celebration to thank the community for the work they had done and continue to do: ’The whole of Blandford has got behind this,’ said the Mayor. Chairperson of Blandford Foodbank, Brook Maccallum, said: ‘We launched in October 2012, and since then it’s been incredible. I find it humbling to think about what has been achieved in the town. The teams are incredible.’
Manager Gail Del Pinto described the work, giving powerful insights from a client’s story and how they see people in what is a terrible crisis for them. She gave an example where a lady had been supported through a challenging time with food and financial advice. ‘It takes a single dialogue to unlock that key.’
Liz Evans, Amanda Perroni, Penny Ross, Gyda Warren, Phyllis Williams and Wilma Bromilow were given long service awards at the event.
Looking forwards
They might be celebrating the last ten years, but the food bank is not standing still. There are plans for 2023 to create a shop at the rear of the church, making the best use of space. Nourish Community Shop will sell high-quality food at low prices. So, for example, a customer can get ten items for a nominal sum (£3.50 was quoted at the event). People will be able to get support and advice from a range of organisations within the central room in the building. The team is also advertising for a paid debt advisor to meet demand.
What the Blandford Food Bank has done is nothing short of remarkable. It’s also a reminder that any one of us could need it support one day.
More information on the Blandford Food Bank is here.
All the good things happening at the Exchange in Sturminster Newton in December 2022
Experienced housekeeper required asap for large house in Stour Provost.
£12ph – 15 hours per week (3 days)
Please call or Whatsapp Kristy for more details on: 07492 503505
Ex-commercial hens are being given a happy retirement by local volunteer Haidy – do you have room for some girls? Rachael Rowe reports
Haidy Mansfield has quite a job on her hands. She volunteers for the national charity Fresh Start for Hens (FSFH) and each year she helps rehome hundreds of ex-commercial chickens from her collection point near Sturminster Newton. Haidy is one of around 100 volunteers at the charity. ‘I am part of the farm teams going in to collect hens that would be going for slaughter. The charity works hard to build relationships with producers, asking them to consider giving their hens a chance at retirement.’
It started with self-sufficiency
Haidy and her partner originally decided to rehome some hens to have their own steady supply of eggs, to be more self-sufficient. The hens happened to come from intensive commercial cages, and the chickens did not look good (see video below). Fleur had been trampled at the bottom of a crate and Belle wasn’t expected to survive the night, Haidy said. But both made a dramatic transformation in Haidy’s care, and were the start of her journey to creating Belle & Fleur from her Sturminster Newton home, raising awareness and working to rescue intensively farmed chickens. There will be some who are puzzled by a ‘retired’ hen; all laying hens are slaughtered at the age of 72 weeks, just as their production ability decreases.
The carcasses are worth very little and are usually sold for dog food, or cheap processed meat products. FSFH works closely with British farmers to buy the hens from the caged, barn and free range systems just before their slaughter date. They are then rehomed with volunteers to live out their lives in comfort.
Is there a reason a lot of these hens don’t end up in our supermarkets?
‘Laying hens do end up in the human food chain,’ said Haidy ‘usually as cheap reclaimed meat or baby food and also as pet food. But the hens from the intensive commercial systems are rarely in decent condition. Consumers often have misguided perceptions of happy hens in fields and open barns. That simply is not the case for the majority of commercial egg-laying hens. As a result of tight margins and the low driven pricing, feed quality is often reduced over the laying cycle so by the end all the nutrition goes into producing eggs, and not into muscle (meat) or feathers.’
So how many hens are there to potentially rehome?
‘FSFH rehome about 70,000 hens, 3,000 ducks and 1,000 cockerels each year. In 2019 the industry estimate was 42 million laying hens in the UK; chickens being rehomed through charities is a drop in the ocean.’
FSFH only rehomes to people wanting hens as pets or companion animals. The lucky ones find new homes in gardens, allotments, and even residential care homes. While the hens obviously appreciate their new-found freedom, living it up in style, the rewards for their new owners come in the form of entertainment as well as the companionship you might expect from a more typical cat or dog pet. You may even get some eggs. The charity will not rehome to people using the hens for commercial purposes, or those selling them on.
A hen’s needs
If you are tempted to rehome a few hens, you’ll need some space and they do like company. ‘We advise a minimum of three hens are rehomed together.’ said Haidy ‘For three birds I would say a minimum of 3mx2m for a run, with a height of 2m. That way you can have levels and some cover overhead. Also, access to some free range time as often as possible.’
Haidy currently has ten rehomed hens herself, and is clearly an advocate for the rehoming movement. ‘It is an amazing experience. These rescue hens have taught me so much and have led me on this journey to raise awareness of the truth of the intensive egg industry. I am now vegan and proud that this transition has been inspired by learning the truth of what it means to be a laying hen in an intensive commercial system.’
The charity has Animal and Plant Health Agency approval for rehoming chickens and has reduced numbers in the light of current biosecurity restrictions.
If you are tempted to welcoming some ladies into your lives, Haidy’s next rehoming date is 26th November. Feel free to contact her with any questions or register your interest on the Fresh Start for Hens website:
freshstartforhens.co.uk
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