A tale of two changes at the Old Rectory | Then and Now

By

-

21 October 2021

Happily tucked away from the passing A357 traffic is this magnificent example of Georgian architecture – the Old Rectory in Holebrooke Lane, Lydlinch. The grade II listed building dates from 1775 although an attached cottage is thought to be 15th or 16th century.

***A concert party at Lydlinch Rectory circa 1905, from the Barry Cuff collection***

The picture shows a well- attended summer concert in the early 1900s, when the Rectory was the home of the Rev Samuel and Mrs Maud Hooper. Present owner Jonathan Elwes was not aware of the Hoopers’ concert parties until he saw this picture from the Barry Cuff collection, published in David Burnett’s book Lost Dorset: The Villages & Countryside. But he was aware of the tower and glass-roofed verandah on the building and is glad they are no longer there. Mr Elwes explains that when Queen Victoria did anything, everyone copied it, so the inclusion of belvedere towers on Osborne House on the Isle of Wight spawned a rash of similar towers across the country.
‘The Georgian characteristics were ruined by what I think are monstrosities,’ he says. Both the Old Rectory’s tower and verandah disappeared decades before Mr Elwes and his wife arrived in 1996. ‘I like the simplicity of the house’s Georgian lines,’ he says. ‘The windows are a great feature of the house. They give tremendous light.’

***A similar view of the Old Rectory today***

In Lydlinch’s historic church across the road is a memorial to the Rev and Mrs Hooper’s youngest son, Leonard, who served in the Dorsetshire Regiment and was killed on the Somme 12 days before his 22nd birthday in 1916.

By: Roger Guttridge

National Diversity Award for Dr Anjana Khatwa

By

Editorial team

-

20 October 2021

0

Wessex Museums is thrilled to announce that its Engagement Lead, Dr Anjana Khatwa, was a winner in the prestigious National Diversity Awards 2020.

At an award ceremony at Liverpool Cathedral on Friday17 September, Dr Khatwa was presented with the award for Positive Role Model in Race, Faith and Religion.
The awards celebrate the achievements of grass-root communities, including charities, role models and local heroes. It’s an opportunity to showcase their outstanding devotion to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion.
Dr Khatwa is Vice Chair of the Dorset Race Equality Council, and has an international reputation as an expert on Earth Science and World Heritage education. She has published numerous papers on glacial geology, developed award winning teaching resources and won the Royal Geographical Society Geographical Award for Excellence in educating the public about the Jurassic Coast. Dr Khatwa appeared on BBC Four’s ‘Beach Live’, as the show’s resident geologist expert, engaging audiences with her insight and knowledge about geology and fossils.

Wessex Museums

Wessex Museums is the partnership of Dorset, Poole, Salisbury and Wiltshire Museums. Kristina Broughton, Wessex Museums Partnership Manager, said: “We are hugely proud of Anjana’s achievement, in recognition of her contribution to underserved communities and to the heritage sector. We offer our warmest congratulations, it is so very well deserved.”
Dr Khatwa is one of the leading voices in the cultural and natural heritage sector, advocating and championing for change for underserved audiences. She has fought personal and professional adversity in her life to become
a strong voice and leader in the sector.

Motcombe couple launch a new festival that won’t cost the earth

By

Editorial team

-

20 October 2021

0

A pioneering young couple have started plans for a revolutionary new festival ‘Artemis’, set to take place July 2022. Unlike most British festivals, Artemis will not centre around music, but Natural History, Conservation and Sustainability.

Spurred on by the 2021 IPCC report, Ben Hussey and Natalie Bourchier have approached every element of the Artemis festival with a serious level of climate consciousness:

“We are designing the festival to minimise its environmental impact. The sale of all single- use plastic will be banned, all stallholders and sponsors will be selected based on their ‘green’ credentials and we will Carbon offset ticket sales in order to help to reduce the impact of emissions.”

Ambitious plans

The festival plans include engaging live talks, demonstrations and workshops by experts on a range of subjects; from conservation projects in South America to sustainable packaging solutions developed in Central London.
In additon there will be a kids zone filled with activities and workshops as well as entertainment provided in
the form of live music, art and dance. There will also be a space to explore state-of-the-art green technology such as kinetic pavements and ‘living’ buildings.

Natalie is a keen wildlife photographer and sustainable farming advocate. With a degree in Zoology and a YouTube series exploring the wildlife in North Dorset, Ben has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the environment.

The couple are currently looking for businesses and individuals who would be interested in supporting the event, either through sponsorship, as a stall- holder or even as an enthusiastic steward. If this sounds like you, please contact them via the Artemis Festival website.

Artemis Festival will take place near Shaftesbury, on the 23rd & 24th July 2022. Information about the event can be found by visiting www.artemisfestival.co.uk

Free festival to showcase Dorset’s bright digital future

By

Editorial team

-

20 October 2021

0

How will learning change for our children in the digital age? How is tourism reinventing itself? How could technology help improve wellbeing and independence? What does the future of agriculture look like and how can it support climate change?

Dorset may be a county steeped in tradition, picture postcard villages and old world charm. But it is also a leading proponent of cutting edge technology. The ground-breaking 5G RuralDorset project, backed by Dorset Council, has just scooped three national awards and Dorset Council were the 2020 winners of the national winner of the Digital Skills Award – given for the work going on across the county to help everyone in Dorset make the most of the digital tools available to them and make sure Dorset becomes a truly digital place.

The new innovation centre – called Defence BattleLab – being built at Dorset Innovation Park, the site of the former Winfrith nuclear facility, has a £3.1 investment from the Ministry of Defence and £2.6m from Dorset Council and Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The BattleLab will allow defence personnel to work with academic institutions and private sector companies on new military technologies.

The Return of FutureFest

Dorset Council’s Festival of the Future is back – a five-day festival staged at locations across Dorset next week to showcase the county’s exciting digital future. In 2020 the first Festival of the Future was by necessity a Zoom- only online event. Thanks to its 2020 success, tis year the festival is back, this time in a hybrid format. Dorset Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Peter Wharf, said: “Our festival will be a fully-fledged hybrid experience where we will be live with a local audience and available online for people to view as a live broadcast.

It promises to be a lot of fun, very exciting and enlightening as we look into what our future holds – and best of all it is completely free to attend.”

Held from 4th to 8th October, #FutureFest21 will highlight the • innovation and technology that
is set to transform the county as a place to live, work, visit, learn and do business in.

What is happening

Each day of the festival has a different theme, and the guest speakers are all leaders in their fields:

Monday

The business world takes centre stage live from the Dorset Innovation Park in Winfrith. See how the defence industry created the unique BattleLab to trial new innovations and hear how digital can underpin Dorset’s future economy.

Tuesday

Live from Shaftesbury and future of education. The festival goes back to school to ask what will the classroom of the future look like?

Wednesday

Is Tourism Day – industry and digital leaders will discuss how innovation can enhance and revolutionise the industry and the visitor experience.

Thursday

Is all about rural affairs and the environment. Live from a farm near Blandford, experts will demonstrate the latest innovations in farming; technical ways of monitoring production and how a new breed of robots can zap weeds and improve yields. In the afternoon session, the festival will explore the climate and ecological emergency in Dorset;
considering aquaculture, the natural environment and how Low Carbon Dorset is helping organisations reduce their energy carbon footprint.

Friday

Is on the very important subject of innovation in health and social care, and will be shared from Moors Valley Country Park.

The morning session will look at how technology can help people live independently and how the pandemic changed services. The final afternoon will see the festival end on a high talking about digital leadership and promoting wellbeing. Dorset Council’s chief executive, Matt Prosser, said: “We hope as many people as possible with an interest in business, tourism, education, rural affairs and health and social care come and join us for our Festival of the Future 21 – either in person or online.”

For more details and to book free tickets go to www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/festival-of-the-future-2021

From couch potato to exercise hero – how to begin your new life

By

Editorial team

-

19 October 2021

0

Starting down the exercise route can be daunting and intimidating – particularly if you feel you are too unfit to even start, and are unsure how to take those first steps.

It is reassuring to know that even the most fit among us had to start from somewhere. Sometimes it’s good to know the easy steps you can take to help get you started.

Firstly, it is important not to overwhelm yourself. Start off slowly by adding just a bit more movement into your life. Time is a luxury that some of us just don’t have, and it can be a struggle to find the time for exercise. Try thinking about where you can incorporate more movement into your usual daily routine. For example, if you work in an office that has an lift, think about taking the stairs instead.

Fundamental Movements

Desk jobs unfortunately mean that we spend long periods of time sitting down, encouraging a sedentary lifestyle. Try setting a computer reminder to make you get up from your desk more regularly – just standing and walking around are massively beneficial. Not only is it helpful to move more, but it’s also important not to lose the ability to perform everyday tasks. Squats and lunges are a couple of fundamental exercises that carry through
into our everyday movement patterns. Getting up and down from sitting, climbing stairs and even bending down to pick things up from the floor all involve squatting and lunging. So why not add in a few more? Try going up and down your stairs while brushing your teeth, or do a few squats while waiting for the kettle to boil.

Walk it off

Walking more is a great next step to getting more exercise with the added benefit of fresh air. This doesn’t mean you have to go out for mammoth hikes – start small, just going out for a few minutes for a short walk every day, and gradually build from there. Walking is a great starting point and will build an excellent foundation for other forms of exercise. Why not replace short car trips to the local shops with a stroll into town instead? Not only do you get your steps in but you get the added challenge of carrying your shopping back. The key is to move more, but it is all about finding what fits into your daily routine.

Always happy to answer your questions – send them to me on [email protected]

by: Mel Mitchell

Gin there, done that

By

Editorial team

-

19 October 2021

0

Gin is having a moment, with several craft producers here in the Blackmore Vale producing award-winning gins. But is the ‘gin thing’ all hype – or are there deeper reasons for wanting to produce the spirit?

Hannah Wilkins from Vineyards in Sherborne explained why she and her partner and co-owner Sadie created their own gin: “When I was young, my parents had a restaurant and you could smell when someone had a gin and tonic. When a mainstream producer cut the juniper content of their gin, I wanted to do something. Our ‘G’ Sherborne Gin contains double the amount of juniper as well as the 12 botanicals. It’s a proper gin.” Immediately, I’ve twigged why my mother took to serving an incredibly strong knockout G&T in recent years – she was clearly trying to recreate that distinctive smell but ended up with alcohol and not juniper – that was her excuse anyway.

Known for making Sherborne smell of gin a couple of years ago, Hannah and Sadie also collaborate with local businesses to create their range of gins and liqueurs. The baked-apple sipping gin for example, is a partnership between Vineyards and Dorset-based Liberty Fields, and they also work together with the distilling process. Batches of 60 -100 bottles are produced at a time. ‘G’ also won a Great Taste Award in its first year of production.

Dorset-grown botanicals

Local provenance is a feature of Cerne Abbas based Viper Gin. Founder, Carl Hankey, was about to clear some long grass to grow his botanicals when he spotted a viper snake – and named the product in its honour. Carl produces gin from a copper still in small batches and grows many of his own botanicals including Szechuan pepper. The Viper Venom gin contains Dorset Naga chillis and the Viper Cherry Gin is made with local cherries for example. His award-winning Viper London Dry Gin contains 10 botanicals and the company plans to create more varieties of artisan gins.

*The Tack Room Distillery is based at Milton on Stour in an Equestrian yard*

Downton Gin just over the Wiltshire border has one of the most inspiring bottle designs I have seen – but like most people I’m more interested in the contents (for research purposes naturally). Appropriately, Explorer’s Gin is a nod to the past with inspiration taken from the Golden Age of Exploration and Sir Walter Raleigh; the gin is distilled in a shed that once belonged to Sir Walter himself. Western red cedar provides the principal undertone to Downton’s first gin. There is juniper too and Szechuan pepper among the botanicals, but it’s definitely got something. What’s really innovative is that you can buy recyclable refill packs from wine merchants and local shops.

James May’s gin

Downton Gin has also been helping James May create his first gin – using parsnip of all things. The gin is called Asian Parsnip Gin, and yes includes parsnips, but also lemon peel, lime, and several flavors of Asian influence along with the necessary juniper. It’s definitely both an unusual and an acquired taste.

Two other gins have recently started production in the Blackmore Vale. Marnhull- based Mounter’s Gin uses 13 botanicals with former British Airways pilot Chris Sharp developing a floral taste to his product. Mounters 13 is already being recognised with a Guild of Fine Foods Great Taste Award. The Tack Room Distillery is based at Milton on Stour in an Equestrian yard and has recently started producing a small batch London gin with 14 botanicals. With its citrus taste, this is another local gin to watch – and has 100% recyclable packaging.

Discovering gins in the Blackmore Vale has been a joy, but it also reflects a lot about the culture of working in this region. Local provenance, sustainability, protecting the environment and collaboration all shine through. And for those planning to stock up on drinks for the festive season – you can shop local and definitely still get a ‘proper’ gin.

By: Rachael Rowe

Meet Your Local Shop (you’re eating all the pies)

By

Editorial team

-

19 October 2021

0

Discover the faces and stories inside the village shop. This month we’ve been chatting to David Fawthrop who runs the Chettle Village store.

How did you end up at the shop?

I started at Chettle Village Store about six months ago with a background in retail management and business development. I have run a successful farm shop and Café near Bath, and I spent three years doing business development for a charity retail operation. Following a rocky 2020 (being made redundant twice in the space of three months), I needed a new challenge.

When I saw an advert for a ‘small village shop with big ambitions’ looking for a business development manager with a background in independent retail, I couldn’t believe my luck. Such a perfect role for me, and so close to home! Following a great conversation with the owner Alice Favre about her visions for the shop and the wider community, we found that we had a lot of shared concerns around the environment and the negative impact of intensive farming and supermarkets muscling out independent shops. I was offered the role, and so far it’s proven to be everything I hoped for.

How big is your team?

There are seven of us, a mix of Chettle residents and some from the neighbouring towns and villages. There’s always a friendly face in the shop to welcome you – a village shop isn’t just a place to buy your groceries and other essentials. We’re a cornerstone of the community, and a good chunk of the team’s day is spent catching up with locals and regulars and maintaining those invaluable relationships that make Chettle such a great community to be a part of.

Is there a ‘shop pet’?

Technically no… but the shop backs on to the neighbour’s garden, and we see a lot of their cat, several chickens, and two ducks called Crumpet and Mable who like hanging out in my office.

Their lovely rascal of a dog called Moo quite often takes the opportunity to make a bolt for freedom through the shop forcing the staff to give chase, much to the entertainment of customers enjoying a pie and a coffee outside!

What’s flying off the shelves?

It’s the Pies! Pies Pies Pies!
We sell a range of cooked pies and pasties that are renowned throughout the local area, and we get new customers on a daily basis telling us that they have heard by word of mouth how good our pies are. We’ve had
to start offering them frozen to cook at home too! But people come for the pies and stay for the other local products we sell; including the wide selection of vegan, gluten free, dairy free and environmentally conscious foods we offer.

Tell us about your local suppliers?

We’re really proud of our relationship with local suppliers and are always keen to hear from local businesses, especially ones that share our values for locally sourced, organic, and sustainably produced goods. We get organic, ethically sourced meat from Angel Cottage near Okeford Fitzpaine, organic bread from Long Crichel, cider from the Cranborne Chase, and fruit and veg grown naturally and unsprayed from Wimborne St. Giles. Overall, we have about a dozen suppliers based with 10 miles, and another 20 based within 30 miles.

What’s been your biggest challenge since taking over? What are you proud of?

Making sure we don’t become victims of our own success! This summer was the busiest in the shop’s history; bolstered by the campsite in the village and the thousands of tourists who would usually be off to Spain or Greece for their holidays. Keeping our tiny shop well stocked, keeping the staffing levels up and maintaining customer service whilst being more than twice as busy as usual has been challenging. I’ve been doing my fair share of 60 hour weeks!

What part of the shop is your absolute favourite?

It’s a cliché, but my favourite thing about the shop is the people. I get a tremendous sense of satisfaction from happy customers, and seeing staff go the extra mile.

What are you most proud of?

It’s the extra little things that we do for the community; yes we are running a shop, but we are also happy to take parcel deliveries for people in the village, stock cards and postcards designed by artists who shop with us,
sell tickets for local events, sell produce grown in the village to raise money for community projects such as tree planning, or order in special requests to save villagers having to make a trip to a bigger town. We support local businesses and are at the heart of everything that makes Chettle so unique and special.

What’s happening now?

A big focus for us is minimising wastage. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 10 years, you’ll know coffee cups are a big offender! We recently started working with the Eco Coffee Company, a local coffee supplier, and now have fully bio-degradable takeaway coffee cups. We’ll shortly have a new coffee machine which collects the coffee grounds to turn in to fuel briquettes, used to roast the next batch of coffee. Lastly, we’ll be offering big discounts to customers who bring their own cups – keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for details.

What’s next?

Huge plans! We’re bursting at the seams, and whilst the current shop is full of character, lack of space is holding us back. The plan is to move a few yards down the road to the old dairy farm. This is a big project, and will allow us to open a café as well. But moving the shop is just a small part of a much bigger vision for Chettle. We’re planning to overhaul food production in the village, producing much more of our own food using organic, sustainable, and agroecological farming techniques. The vision is to build a sustainable community, and the shop and café will be the public face of this vision for decades to come.

The Chettle Village Store is easily found by following the signs from the A354 between Blandford and Salisbury. The shop is in the heart of the village with ample roadside parking just opposite the playpark. If you’re condiering a pie, we recommend phoning to pre-order on 01258 830223

Opening hours are 8:30-18:00 Monday to Saturday, 10:00-14:00 on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

By: Laura Hitchcock

Family Support Administrator | Mosaic

By

Editorial team

-

18 October 2021

0

Family Support Administrator

Hours 20 hours

Salary £9880 (£18525 fte)

Base: Milborne St Andrew, Blandford, DT11

Would you like to join an enthusiastic, friendly team, working for a children’s charity in Dorset? The successful candidate will be part of the referral team and be responsible for processing referrals, recording evaluation and monitoring forms and liaising with schools, local authorities, parents and counsellors.

Requirements:

Minimum 1yr administration experience

Excellent communication, telephone and networking skills

Excellent organisational skills and time management

Ability to work as part of a team

Excellent knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook)

Closing date: Friday 12^th November 2021

Further details and application form available from:

01258 837071, [email protected] www.mosaicfamilysupport.org

Registered Charity: 1158138

To have a Trust or just to trust, that is the question…

By

Editorial team

-

17 October 2021

0

Making a Will can be a daunting process, but for many – especially those with blended families – it is an opportunity to provide peace of mind.

Forming a new relationship can provide a dilemma for those considering their legacy. How do you provide for your current partner and your children from a previous relationship? Wills are automatically revoked by marriage. Without a valid Will in force, the rules of intestacy dictate that your current spouse or civil partner (CP) take your personal possessions and the first £270,000 of your assets. Half the balance passes to your spouse/CP and the other half to your children in equal shares. If you are not married, there is no automatic provision for your partner.

What you can do

Doing nothing is not the best solution. Do you both make Wills leaving all your assets to each other initially and then to your respective children in specified shares? This is the simple option, but will there be a breakdown
in relationships? Do you trust

one another to continue to provide for your children? Will your partner make a new Will and disinherit your children? Will your partner re-marry which will revoke their Will anyway? Stepchildren do not benefit under intestacy. Will your partner have mental capacity to make a new Will? Having a Life Interest Trust in your Will enables you to give your partner a right to enjoy an interest in your estate. This could be an interest in all your assets which pass via your Will, or just some of them, such as your home. The Trust can come to an end when your partner dies or if they remarry, or in other stated circumstances. When the Trust ends, your Will says what happens to the assets held in trust. These can simply pass to your children, of course, but the precise arrangements can be fine-tuned to suit your individual circumstances.

We have the experience to advise and to consider inheritance tax implications, as these scenarios can be complex. Everyone’s situation is different, and though it’s not always an easy conversation to have it is so important to plan ahead.

For more information, please contact Lucy Horsington, Solicitor [email protected] or 01935 811136