The Dorchester Agricultural Society has announced the return of the Dorset Tractor Run for 2022 on Father’s Day, Sunday 19th June.
The tractor run first took place in 2019, with 99 tractors taking part in the 18-mile route and raising money for First Point Dorset. Nicki Ralph, Chair of Dorchester Agricultural Society said, “the 2019 tractor run was such a success, we are thrilled to announce its return. It’s a marvellous way for the public to admire the long history of our local agricultural community and view vintage tractors as well as modern machinery.” This year’s nominated charities are the Farming Community Network and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. This year’s tractor run will start and finish at Daggers Gate Grain Store in West Lulworth. Event organisers are expecting more than 100 participants for the event, and spectators are welcome to join at the meeting point at 10am to watch the tractors begin their journey along the Jurassic Coast. Refreshments will be available for spectators to enjoy and a location for lunch will be advised on the day.
Those interested in participating this year can register online here . Tickets are available at £15 per tractor, per driver.
Expanding law firm Blanchards Bailey is celebrating the arrival of a new client in the shape of the historic Stock Gaylard Estate in the heart of Dorset’s Blackmore Vale.The award-winning firm’s Legal 500 ranked agricultural and estates department has won the opportunity to undertake the estate’s legal work.
Stock Gaylard Estate
Stock Gaylard Estate is a small traditional country estate nestled in a mixture of oak woodland and green pastures around four miles from Sturminster Newton and eight miles from Sherborne. The estate is approximately 1,800 acres with around 300 acres of predominantly oak woodland, 80 acres of common land and an enclosed 80-acre deer park with a small lake. Over the last couple of hundred years the estate has been used for country sports in an unspoilt environment that also encompasses modern dairy farming and a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Run by the Langmead family, the estate is the latest farming operation to have moved its legal matters to Blandford-based Blanchards Bailey, headed by Managing Partner Paul Dunlop. He said: “We are humbled and excited to assist such a wonderful family estate, steeped in so much history – the village is mentioned as existing in 1086 and the house is a Grade II* Listed Georgian building – but very much moving with the times today. “It is a very exciting era for the Langmead family as they diversify the estate, boosting cashflow to assist in keeping the property exactly how it should be and preserving it for future generations.” Stock Gaylard Estate Property and Event Manager Jack Langmead said: “We are very much looking forward to having a working relationship with Paul and the team at Blanchards Bailey. “The firm’s expertise in rural matters, their personal approach and local understanding is exactly what we need to help us maintain and diversify the farm and land of which we are custodians. “With a growing portfolio of ideas and possible ventures in the pipeline for us, Blanchards Bailey is the perfect fit to keep us sailing in the right direction.”
For all legal enquiries contact Blanchards Bailey on 01258 459361 or visit blanchardsbailey.co.uk
Edwina visited many of the 250 venues of Dorset Art Weeks and shares personal highlights of her tour around the artistic side of the county
Heather Macgregor in front of Misty Stour (left) and Summer River Image: Edwina Baines
What better time of year could there have been for exploring the Dorset countryside while seeking out the abundant artistic talent? With 250-plus venues and more than 500 artists taking part in Dorset Art Weeks (DAW), there were some stand-out artists among the studios, galleries and exhibitions.
Heather MacGregor I started my exploration in the hills above Durweston, in the stables at Traveller’s Rest Farm (home of BV farming columnist George Hosford) where Heather MacGregor was exhibiting her oil paintings with David Norton and Judy Baker. Heather says: “I paint what I see and how I feel about it. The work aims to give more than an initial visual impact. Principally I make studies in the field which I work up into paintings in the studio. When I am painting, I am conscious of walking on a tightrope. The challenge is in creating an engaging sense of place without slipping into the obvious or the obscure.” She responds with a glorious exuberance to her subject matter. She is pictured above with two of her works: Misty Stour and Summer River.
A school exhibition Down the hill into Durweston and to the new Bryanston Knighton House where, alongside that of their tutors, pupils’ work across all the age ranges was on display. One could not help but be impressed by their accomplishments and the variety of media to which they had been introduced. See image below – one little visitor found much to absorb her!
Absorbed in the Bryanston Knighton House Gallery Image: Edwina Baines
Georgina Wood In the centre of Blandford, Georgina Wood’s charming house was full of her sensitive paintings, prints and mixed media images. The classic India ink shapes and muted colour palette of various vessels was reminiscent of the work of Italian artist Giorgio Morandi, whose paintings were noted for their tonal subtlety in depicting apparently simple subjects. A few streets away was Rachel Baynes’s pretty, productive garden and exhibition All Kinds of Inks. A wide range of differing methods and media were on display, from collagraph prints to Japanese woodcuts, linocuts and inks. Rachel explained that a collagraph print is made by glueing different materials to cardboard and creating a kind of collage. During the inking process the ink will rub off the surfaces that are smooth or higher and stay on surfaces that hold more ink, for example at the edges and at lower points, thus creating the image. The results were striking.
Georgina Wood with her collection of vessels in classic India ink shapes and muted colour palette. Image: Edwina Baines
Mark Harris A drive through the Clenston Valley then led me to Mark Harris’s Gallery in The Old Engine Shed in the beautiful village of Briantspuddle, which is worth visiting as an artwork in its own right. In 1914, the small settlement was sold to Sir Ernest Debenham, grandson of the founder of Debenham’s department store, who expanded the village to house those working on his self- sufficient farm. Many houses are built from hand-made concrete blocks in the Arts and Crafts style. The listed Bladen Valley is an example of a model estate and well worth a visit, especially the First World War memorial Madonna and Child, whch was sculpted by Eric Gill. Interestingly, the original purpose of the Old Engine Shed was to house Ernest Debenham’s vehicles! Mark showed me an old photograph of the cars lined up outside the building, now converted into housing, bed and breakfast accommodation and a studio. The walls of the latter are lined with his striking canvases. Mark gains his inspiration from the surrounding countryside and coastline. Initial marks are made in pastel and charcoal before blocks of acrylic paint are layered, then further pastels and Indian inks are added. Mark started his career as a pastry chef, although he found time to paint throughout that time; it was his sister who actually went to art school! Now a full- time professional artist, during lockdown Mark was unable to purchase large canvases (“I’m obsessed with trees and I love big rolling fields”) which resulted in wonderful triptychs which work extremely well, even in small spaces.
Mark Harris in his studio, with ‘Gully Lane’ (left) and ‘Glorious Dorset’ (triptych) right Image: Edwina Baines
Digital tools In his studio, I was curious about a seemingly incongruous painting of a giraffe – it transpired it was part of a design commissioned for a range of labels for a very expensive single malt whisky! Indeed, the image has to reflect not only the taste, but also the flavour and aroma of the whisky, and Mark uses the Brushes app on his iPad to transfer and modify the digital image. He occasionally uses the app when he gets stuck on an image; he finds that by copying and digitising an image, he can experiment by flipping or using different colours. He can therefore make several versions of the same picture. “However, you have to be careful you don’t get overly distracted!”
To Dorchester Another day took me to Poundbury, Dorchester and a wealth of venues and talent. Top of my list was the Casterbridge Art Society’s broad- ranging exhibition It’s Up to Us, showcasing the concept of sustainability. Paintings, sculpture, photography, calligraphy, woodwork, textiles and work from pupils at Damers First School were on display. The exhibition in Queen Mother Square was held in the newly refurbished Jubilee Hall, which incorporates structural elements of The Royal Jubilee Hall from Weymouth. The historic cast iron columns and brackets were recovered and incorporated in the new building alongside the old stone hearth found in a Portland quarry. I ended up close to home in the converted cowsheds at Gold Hill Organic Farm, in the studios of Rachel Sargent and Emsie Sharp. Rachel’s evocative paintings and prints are full of light, shadows and the elements which chart her walks along local footpaths and the coastline. She is pictured below with the Victorian etching press (her popular workshops will be running again in the autumn). Emsie makes unique and colourful handblown glass, and I will be writing more about her exciting techniques next month.
Rachel Sargent with her Victorian Etching press Image: Edwina Baines
The first episode of June’s BV podcast is out now – just click the play button to listen. We’re excited that it includes the full interview with Tom Robinson (we could only put highlights in the magazine, and he was SO interesting as he chatted about touring at 70, the brilliance of the modern music industry, twenty years of introducing new artists on the BBC… and his accidental career as a campaigner) – ahead of his show at Sturminster Newton’s The Exchange. if you’ve not had a chance to click through the June issue yet, then why not just listen to the first episode?
In this first of June’s episodes:
The Letter from the Editor, Laura Hitchcock
Walks and card games in Durweston are helping one family settle in Adrian and Marie Fisher in Durweston have welcomed three generations of one Ukrainian family. Adrian shares how they are settling into life in Dorset
North Dorset offers a welcome A local committee has been quietly working to help settle refugees – one family at a time – from all parts of the globe, reports Rachael Rowe
Local teenager’s event attracts 120 supercars worth £120,000 to £1.2m! A student from Clayesmore School has surprised and captivated supercar owners with his creative meet-ups. Rachael Rowe reports
Tom Robinson – 72, and still got it Tom Robinson, songwriter and broadcaster, will be at The Exchange later this month, performiing his full set on his way to Glastonbury. The Podcast includes the full interview as Laura Hitchcock spoke to him about his 50-year career as a musician, as a broadcaster and as an activist.
Internationally bestselling author Natasha Solomons takes on the Random 19 questions Natasha Solomons is the author of five novels, including Mr Rosenblum’s List (set in Dorset) and The Novel in the Viola, which was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club. Her latest book, I, Mona Lisa, is just out in paperback
A greener goodbye In a remote barn in Dorset, with pigeons and podcasts for company, Sophia Campbell is quietly revolutionising funerals with her reusable coffins and environmentally-friendly farewells, Tracie Beardsley reports
Alan Waistell is Director of Leisure, working on behalf of Gillingham Community Leisure Trust (GCLT). This month he spoke to Courtenay Hitchcock about what’s happening with their new Space Inflaters venue
The old Legends Nightclub looks very different inside now, as the Trust waits for the inflatables to arrive from China
If you prefer to listen, you can hear the full interview hear:
Or you can read below the interview that featured in the June issue of the BV:
How did the project start? “About 12 months ago – it was born out of Gillingham’s Riversmeet Leisure Centre. Like the rest of the leisure industry, we suffered during covid and we had to seriously re-think our direction. We knew that inflatable fun is always popular, and worked out the old Legends Nightclub building was standing empty. We spoke to Dextra, the property owners, about developing it; we wanted something new and different for children and adults in Gillingham.”
How have things progressed? “It’s like any crazy idea – it grows with a life of its own! We started last July, and the Trust talked through what was affordable, and what was needed from stakeholders. Work actually started in September 2021, and today we’re 90 per cent complete inside (see image above). The only concern is the inflatable units are coming from China – no one makes them in this country. In an ideal world we’ll open on Sat 23rd July – but we’re just waiting for those inflatables. Right now we’re teetering on a ‘when will it arrive’ tightrope!”
Where did the funding come from? “The building, the inflatables and the new areas were all financed by stakeholders; big business individuals within the Gillingham area. GCLT have taken responsibility for the day-to-day management.
What will the venue offer? “Well obviously there’s a HUGE inflatable unit! Plus an interactive wall, and lots of other areas to play with. There’ll be a 2.5 metre ‘death drop’ where you fall into a black hole (that will be closely managed by staff, obviously!), and an under three’s and disabled interactive play area. We’ve also got a café bar – fresh pizzas, jacket potatoes, and themed food for adults and kids.”
Do you know your planned opening hours yet? “9.30-7pm Mon-Fri, and weekends 9am-5pm. The plan is for it NOT to become a private party venue. It’s a community resource, and we need it open all hours, so that all families can come at any time. We really want it to be inclusive for all family types as much as possible.”
Do you know entry prices yet? “We’ll have peak and off peak rates: everything’s still being finalised, but currently off-peak will be Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, and Peak will be 4-7pm weekdays, and weekends 9am-5pm. At the moment, the entry (including supervising adults) will be £5 per person. Entry for the under three’s play area only will be £3.50 for a 90 minute slot.”
How will it help the community? “It’s not a profit-making private business. It’s the same community business model as Riversmeet. Our accounts, any surplus we make, will be going straight back to the Gillingham community, to the local people. It will of course be entirely transparent. We can help local user groups, and assist in preserving Riversmeet going forwards.”
Will there be inclusive access? “Absolutely – the entire business plan revolves around inclusion. We’re trying to look at every single user group that may wish to come. There’ll be a carer’s package, one for childminders, disabled and low-income family sessions will be discounted during the week … We’re trying to cater for as many as we can.”
And the five year plan? “In an ideal world we’ll be wildly successful, and then open other activities for adults and children in the Gillingham area. Our whole purpose is to help the local community. The town will clearly be growing considerably in the next few years, and we should be looking at all our leisure facilities, ensuring we’re self-sufficient and not a burden on the tax payer (not that Riversmeet gets assistance!). It’s about how we run the whole leisure side of Gillingham to serve the needs of the local people.”
Love Local, Trust Local Awards founder Barabara Cossins shares her own bashful relationship with entering for awards – and explains why everyone should do it
Barabara’s Kitchen winner of the Jams, Chutneys & Honey Category – Love Local Trust Local Awards
Back in November 2013 I needed to embrace social media. I met Becky Walsh, a marketing consultant who had just moved into the village, and she badgered me to promote the pub and butchery online, to tell everyone about the great story of our local food and drinks. One of the things she kept on (and on …) about was entering awards. She made me enter competition after competition, and although I was reluctant I knew we had to do it. Previously I hadn’t wanted to put myself out there but if you want people to support you, then they have to know who you are, how good your business is and what it is you are doing that makes you different. These days I know only too well that the business needs a face – both for the owner and the full team behind them. After trading for 30 years we have probably won more than 20 awards and have another 20 runners up plaques. Every single one of those has made us feel proud of the effort we put in to get there. Awards justify our hard work and give the business and the team behind it, the recognition they deserve.
Turning the tables Now we’re the ones running the Love Local Trust Local (LLTL) Awards for local businesses here in Dorset,and it’s our turn to say “Well done, you are fabulous!” and for those businesses in turn to go out and make the most of this recognition. There are 15 categories to choose from in 2022 so if you’re a business that is growing, producing, rearing, brewing, crafting or cooking here in Dorset, and you source your ingredients within 30 miles of your home base then you should be entering. There are a few changes & tweaks from last year, all strongly supported by the Love Local Trust Local sponsorship team, and we are very pleased to have the brand new categories of Farm Shops and Hospitality on the categories list.
Enter now Awards are open now and FREE to enter. Remember, if you don’t tell other people about the amazing things you’re doing they won’t know. Put yourself out there! You can enter one product in each category, or multiple products into a single category, it’s totally up to you. Here’s what one of our fabulous Winners of the LLTL had to say about her award: “Being a micro producer, winning this award was a great achievement and has given me greater presence in the marketplace.” Barbara, Founder, Barbara’s Kitchen, 2020 LLTL Winner The LLTL awards are fast becoming the food & farming family to be part of. They recognise the hard work and dedication of the people behind the food on our plates as they work hard to put Dorset producers on the map. The Love Local Trust Local movement was created by farmers in 2018 in order to both recognise and celebrate the hard work of other farmers and also local producers & fishermen. The annual awards are a great way to help do just that. Love Local Trust Local is also tackling corruption in the food labelling industry, and helping to protect Britain’s world-leading food production standards.
As the pig crisis is ignored, the poultry crisis deepens and the supermarkets refuse to budge – Andrew Livingston fears a difficult future for farming
You don’t have to be a fortune teller, clairvoyant or medium to know that things aren’t looking good for the future of farmers. The signs have been pretty obvious over the last year that certain sectors in agriculture are on a downward spiral. Late last year (BV, Nov 21) I wrote of the serious issues in the pig industry that had led to farmers protesting about the lack of action from the government. Farms went out of business. It was a dire situation. Yet to this day, pigs are still sitting on farms waiting to be killed and butchered – the NFU stated in March that 40,000 pigs had to be culled and ‘thrown away’ because of a lack of butchers to process them. The additional seasonal workers sent over did little to save the situation. The meat processing industry says there is a shortage of about 10,000 butchers. The diverse nature of farming means that agricultural managers and farmers in other sectors can sit back and say, “Not my problem.” But it’s the wrong attitude. Sticking your head in the expensive grain isn’t helping.
A lesson in history Farmers can look to history for guidance – and surprisingly to Nazi Germany (stay with me on this). A famous poem from German Pastor Martin Niemöller explains why silence is as bad as being complicit:
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
40p a dozen As with the socialists, the crisis in the pig industry continues (without headlines), but it is the egg industry’s head that currently rests on the chopping block. Supermarkets are adamant that they will not pay more for the eggs on the shelves as they believe their consumers won’t either. The industry met at the annual Pig & Poultry Fair in Stoneleigh last month and the British Free Range Egg Producers Association invited representatives from eight of the major retailers for a crisis summit. Not only did none of the retailers attend, only Tescos and Morrisons even bothered to reply and engage in conversation. Free range farmers are asking for 40 pence a dozen extra – just to be able to survive. Supermarkets argue that shoppers won’t want to pay 40p extra for their eggs, while market research from the egg industry disputes this. But retailers will soon have to pay more than 40 pence extra. Farms ordering new pullets since the war in Ukraine are already downscaling, and some are simply not bothering to place birds at all due to the costs.
The shopper will pay As fewer birds are placed now, fewer eggs will be in the market in the future. Bird flu last winter wiped out hundreds of thousands of hens in the UK, meaning that egg numbers are already low. Eventually, the number of eggs in production will be so low that supermarkets could be embroiled in bidding wars for anything to sell on their shelves – and will naturally pass the additional cost to the consumers. I can’t see the future, but as an employee in poultry, I can see the worrying signs of what’s to come for the egg industry. Once we have all packed it in … you have to ask yourself who is next?
Some foraging is an easy win, says expert Carl Mintern, but remember not to ignore the weeds when you look for the strawberries and honey
As well as tasting delicious, honeysuckle is hugely valuable to wildlife, supporting several rare UK species. Butterflies such as the white admiral (which is in decline), rely specifically on honeysuckle, and it is also prized by bumblebees. Pollinating moths are attracted to the sweet scent of honeysuckle at night, when it is strongest; and birds, including thrushes, warblers and bullfinches, eat the berries when they ripen in late summer and autumn. Dormice rely on honeysuckle for both shelter and food – they use honeysuckle bark to build nests and eat the sweet, nectar-rich flowers.
June has arrived, with its long warm evenings and the most hours of daylight (is it too ambitious to say sunshine?) that we will see all year. If you have been waiting for an opportunity to do some evening hedgerow harvesting, then wait no longer.
Eat the weed! Let’s start by talking about ground elder (aegopodium podagraria ) which gets its name because its leaves resemble those of the elder tree (sambucus nigra). The tender leaves have been used in antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages as a spring vegetable, similar to spinach. It has many names which can tell us something of its traditional medicinal uses against rheumatism and gout (gout weed, goutwort) in the form of a poultice. Around the end of the first century, monks started to include it in their herb gardens so its presence around ecclesiastical buildings gave rise to other names – bishopweed and bishopwort. First introduced to the UK as a pot-herb by the Romans, it was cultivated as a valuable food plant. It soon spread, and the modern day gardener now spends fruitless hours attempting to get rid of it, considering it an invasive weed. With a similar flavour to parsley, you can eat the young leaves and shoots (before the leaves have unfolded) raw, or add to salads. Alternatively, you can cook young shoots the same way as you might spinach, by boiling, steaming or frying in butter. They can also be added to many dishes as you would parsley. Widespread and shade-loving, look for this plant under hedgerows, in woodlands – and in gardens! Look for oval, serrated leaves growing in threes, close to the ground on a stalk which is grooved.
Ground elder is a member of the carrot/parsley family (Umbelliferae), which also includes poisonous species such as hemlock, fool’s parsley, Satan’s parsley, giant hogweed, etc. In the UK, there is a very easy distinguishing test. Ground elder is the only one with a stem that is triangular in cross section.
Sweet honeysuckle Next I want to talk about honeysuckle (lonicera periclymenum). This beautifully scented plant can be found in woods and hedgerows throughout the summer. Just look along the tops of hedgerows while travelling through country lanes and you’ll often see the distinctive honeysuckle flowers. And it is these delicious blooms the forager seeks! These fragrant wildflowers can be used to infuse a sweet, honey flavour into a variety of drinks and foods. Only a few flowers are required to inject the taste of sunshine into water to make a refreshing drink, but they can also be used to enhance ice creams, jams and jellies. Or, like me, just eat them fresh in salads and as garnishes on any meal. Remember it’s the flowers we are looking to collect – the berries of some varieties can be quite toxic.
It takes dedicated picking to collect many tiny wild strawberries, but it is definitely worth the effort. They have an extremely intense, sweet flavour with a hint of vanilla, and the fruit is best eaten fresh on its own, perhaps served with Greek yoghurt, cream or ice cream. Preserve into jams, jellies and syrups or use in muesli and granola mixes.
Tiny wild strawberries Finally I wanted to mention wild strawberries (fragaria vesca) which can be found in woodlands and on shady ancient banks under hedgerows towards the end of spring and carry on throughout the summer. They are much smaller than the cultivated ones we see in the shops, but that makes the discovery of the miniature fruit all the more rewarding as they are often hiding in plain sight, using only their diminutive size and unassuming habit as cover. They frequently grow in small patches, and sprout tall-stemmed, small white flowers before they fruit with tiny, dense berries which burst with an intense flavour – they make up in taste what they lack in size. The fruits tend to start ripening from June onwards. So all that begs the question – what are you waiting for?
by Carl Mintern – See details and availability of Carl’s local foraging courses on his website SelfSufficientHub.com
Last month in the BV the North Dorset MP offered to answer an open postbag – and here he has answered all the letters that were sent.
Q. The UK government signed an international agreement in the Northern Ireland protocol. Are you happy that it would then break it – what would that say about the trustworthiness of the Johnson government? Christie Burton, Monkton Deverill
A. You may be aware that I chair the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee so I know this policy area pretty well. The UK’s reputation for upholding the Rule of Law is really important. I have made this clear in the Commons and directly to Ministers. We cannot and should not act unilaterally but through the dispute mechanisms of the Agreements. To do otherwise would send a devasting message to the rest of the world and would undermine our Rule of Law message to Putin.
Q. Why has Mr Hoare not publicly stated his confidence, or lack of, in the PM, and has he sent a letter to the 1922 committee? Chris (via Twitter) Blandford St Mary
A. I think my views are pretty well known on these matters. I expect more and better from the Government.
Q. I would like to ask Simon about the NHS dental services in this part of Dorset. When I moved to Dorset I waited a year on an NHS Dentist waiting list to get an appointment. My dentist is now retiring and I have to go back onto the list. With only three of 99 NHS dentists in Dorset taking patients, this is not going to happen soon. We now have a dental crisis in Dorset – this is nothing to do with Covid. ALL dentists say that the money they receive from the NHS makes it impossible to provide dental services in a financially viable way. The NHS has got to pay dentists sensible money – they have to be paid more and this has to happen now. In the meantime perhaps Simon can tell me what I am going to do? Alyson Parkes, Verwood
A. NHS dentistry is in national crisis I am afraid and I hear many such stories as Alyson’s in my inbox. Put simply we do not have enough trained dentists in the UK, so this puts pressure on the system both public and private. The Government is aware of the situation and trying to encourage more people to become dentists. It’s not so much about the money per se but rather a shortage of trained people.
Only three out of 99 dental practices in Dorset are accepting new adult NHS patients, a health watchdog reports. Healthwatch Dorset said its research, undertaken between September and November 2021, also found that only 12 were accepting new child NHS patients.
Q. With second-homing becoming such a major issue affecting not only house prices but also the social backbone of our village communities, can Mr Hoare share what steps can, should and will be taken to ensure more truly affordable housing in the countless new developments planned for Dorset – and also that this housing is kept for people who live and work locally? Our adult children are leaving, not by choice, but because there is simply nowhere for them to feasibly live. Angela Park, Blandford Forum
A. Angela raises an important point. Housebuilders want to build and deliver their product to market. There is a real issue of viability evaluation on development proposals, which I am discussing with the Housing Minister. Changes in viability can affect the per cent of affordable housing that is delivered. The housing list already has a local connection element to the assessment criteria, but this can always be strengthened. The key ambition, I would suggest, is to keep our villages and towns vital and viable.
Q. What is Mr Hoare going to do about illegal fox hunting, with the local hunts (Portman and Blackmore & Sparkford Vale) [potentially] endangering the public on footpaths, roads and railway lines? Lucas North, Buckhorn Weston
A. It is imperative that local hunts stay clearly within the law. It is imperative that we all stay within the law. As I always say when this issue is raised with me, if there are concerns or evidence of lawbreaking, inform the Police, record the evidence if you can and submit it.
Q. A fascinating addendum to Tales from the Vale in the May issue of the BV was a link to a House of Commons debate from March 1942, in which Major Lloyd George states: “we can call upon our people for any sacrifice, provided they have the knowledge that it is equitable”. It is a shame then that a fact which the Liberal Party understood 80 years ago is still not grasped by our current Conservative party. How does Mr Hoare justify the seeming culture of ‘one rule for them’ rife in Westminster, exemplified by Partygate? How does he explain this to those who missed their loved ones’ last days during Covid, and who were denied the comfort of a simple hug upon their death bed from similarly- grieving family, only to now see images of our political leaders thoroughly enjoying themselves at parties? Annabel Cores, Gillingham
A. Let me start by saying that my family and I, like countless others, took the Covid rules seriously. We stayed home. We saved lives. We protected the NHS. I called for Dominic Cummings to be sacked following his Durham ‘eye test’. I was ignored and the rest, as they say, is history. I cannot and will not defend the indefensible. Politics has been damaged by this shameful episode, compounding the feeling of ‘do as I say not as I do’. It is appalling. I am furious. There is no justification and I won’t use weasel words to mitigate that which cannot be mitigated against.
Q. Why does the Tory elite seem so set against home working? Proposals to expand flexible working were removed from last week’s Queen’s speech. Boris Johnson has decided that those who work from home are aimlessly drifting back and forth to the fridge. Rees-Mogg decided the best way to bully civil servants back into the office was to leave passive aggressive notes on their desks. It’s clear that flexible working is here to stay (the ONS predicts that 57 per cent of workers will work at least partly from home by this autumn, while two-thirds already work flexibly in some way), and those who resist are refusing to acknowledge the benefits and bound to be left behind. Just last month in the BV a local recruitment firm acknowledged flexible working was a must on an employer’s benefits list if they wished to recruit the best candidates. In a rural area like ours, the ability to work from home opens up opportunities previously unseen, and can drive real change in our local communities – what sucks the life from our area is young people moving away for better jobs. But would more choose to stay if remote working for at least part of the week let them tap into big-city opportunities without having to up sticks? More home working means less commuting (with its enormous knock-on environmental benefits), putting money back into hard-pressed pockets; it breathes life back into struggling local high streets too, drawing new people in. Brian Holmes, Shaftesbury
A. I agree with Brian. My party professes to believe in individual choice and discretion. If a boss and employee can come to a good working solution allowing flexible working, then let them get on with it. We have not rolled out broadband across the UK just to allow superfast gaming! It is also good for the environment, saving miles of car journeys, as well as being good for family life and the work/life balance. It also means we can employ good people who don’t live in the area but are happy to visit once a week or whatever. Home working is a dividend of the IT revolution. Let’s exploit it.
Jacob Rees-Mogg hit the headlines when he left this note for civil servants who weren’t at their desks
Q. It seems that the Conservatives have abandoned their pledge to reform the planning system, and I wonder if Mr Hoare can explain how they propose to improve the chance for young people to buy their own home? The last major house- building programme took place many decades ago and we just don’t have enough homes for everyone. I voted Conservative because they promised to rectify this. S Richards, Fifehead Neville
A. Another planning Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech. Let’s see where that takes us. I agree with the question that, if we are to have sustainable communities allowing inter-generational living, then we must have a wide range of home ‘products’ of wvarying types, price points and purchasing schemes to get our young on the housing ladder.
Q. How do we regain trust in our government when their lack of proximity to the truth undermines trust in all MPs and by doing so undermines democracy? Without truth there’s no trust and without trust, democracy flounders. Simon Hoare is a decent MP tainted by dishonourable colleagues. As a supplement, I would be interested to know which of the seven Nolan Principles Mr Hoare believes (and is able to confirm) Johnson adheres to: • selflessness • integrity • objectivity • accountability • openness • honesty • leadership Wendy Darvitt Chalke Valley
A. It is for any Government to earn trust, secure it and retain it. It is not automatic from the people, nor should it be. No party has a right to be in government. It is a sacred trust vested by the people and it can be taken away. I think the key task at hand is to veer away from easy populism and deal with grown-up politics in a grown-up way. The Nolan Principles are pivotal to our public life and tinkering with the Ministerial Code is inept politics. All I can say is that in the 19 years that I have been elected to office – 12 as a parish, district and county councillor and seven as an MP – I have tried to maintain the highest levels of public service and uphold the Nolan Principles. I think they are important as they are, in essence, the heart of our UK political system.
