Laughter is definitely the best medicine, and with humorous news often in short supply these days, the Daily Mail lightened the mood for us on 30th August when it ignored the serious issues elsewhere in the world and instead splashed across its front page OUTRAGE AS STARMER REMOVES MAGGIE’S PORTRAIT. Hilarious. Much more of that and Private Eye will find it has serious competition when it comes to front page jokes. Using humour rather more productively, a number of popular comedians have put their talents towards helping scientists get across the message about the increasingly urgent need for us to wake up and take action about climate change and the environment. Have a look on climatesciencebreakthrough.com. Warning – contains strong language! I imagine most people were pleased to see the law used to crack down quickly on the recent violent anti-immigrant demonstrations that were sparked partly by lies spread on anti-social media. Police officers were injured, shops looted and attempts made to set fire to places where asylum seekers were temporarily housed. In welcome contrast, peaceful demonstrators outnumbered the rioters and demonstrated the better side of human nature. The courts responded swiftly to the violent protests. One individual, who posted online encouragement for rioters to set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers, was sentenced to three years imprisonment. That does rather contrast with an earlier case of an environmental campaigner who took part in an online meeting to plan a peaceful protest aimed at temporarily stopping road traffic. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment. It’s hard to see the balance or the fairness there. Finally, the Olympics entertained and inspired us all, but it did have some greenwashing contradictions. While British cyclists won a clutch of medals, British Cycling (BC) accepted a sponsorship deal with Shell, claiming that it would ‘accelerate’ BC’s journey to net zero. Meanwhile, Shell is accelerating its own journey – by planning to invest £46bn in fossil fuels in the next six years. The International Olympic Committee also agreed a sponsorship deal with Toyota, a car manufacturer notably slow to develop electric vehicles. Among the Olympians who publicly condemned the deal was Dorset’s own star sailor Laura Baldwin. Well done Laura. Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party
James Cossins reflects on navigating a challenging harvest, balancing the crop quality against the costs of drying grain during the erratic summer weather
The 2024 Rawston Farm harvest team in action
As I write this (1st September) our cereal harvest is finally complete. We started in mid-July, and it has been a rather stop-start harvest operation due to the on-and-off showery weather since. Only on one or two occasions have we had heavy rain, but light showers do slow up the harvest. We try not to have to dry the grains too much, due to the cost of the drying process and the use of fossil fuels. So we have to balance out the cost of potentially leaving the crop to deteriorate and lose quality in the field or to get the combine out and dry the crop. Generally, with a reasonable combine capacity on the farm, we tend to wait a little and harvest the crop dry. In some cases, if bad weather is forecast, we will cut the crop and take a small amount of moisture out. Experience has taught me that if you wait for all your crops to be dry enough, the weather will catch up with you and lead to the loss of yield and quality. Luckily we do have drying facilities to take moisture out of the grains. The harvest results have been a pleasant surprise after the wet autumn and winter and the wet spring meaning a late sowing of our spring crops. The spring barley, even though it was sown a month late, gave us an above average yield for the farm and it has also made the grade for malting – therefore gaining a premium over feed barley. The wheat yields have also generally been good, with the later-sown crops performing better than the earlier ones. This may be partly due to less fungal disease pressure in the later crops.
Rawston Farm harvesting, 1970s style
Tuberculosis at Rawston At the beginning of July we had the dreaded TB test. After nearly four days injecting and reading results we ended up with just the one reactor cow – the same result as the last test two months ago. The animal was close to calving, so with the agreement of AHPA we decided to let the cow calve, and then send her to off the abattoir. The final test results came back negative … SO frustrating as it means we needlessly lost the cow, and we are still unable to sell animals on the open market. There has been a lot of publicity recently, following the BBC documentary featuring a certain rock star claiming that wildlife are not a cause of the spread of TB, and that we should look into the current testing regime. I agree that we do need a more accurate testing programme put in place so that we are not needlessly culling cattle. For a long time we have been told a cattle vaccine is ‘only a few years away’ but we still don’t know when it will happen. There are trials being carried out vaccinating the wildlife to see if there will be a reduction in the prevalence of the disease in the wildlife. Recent results indicate that the current strategies for controlling badger populations have resulted in a 56 per cent decrease in the number of cattle affected by tuberculosis. This suggests to me that the measures implemented – encompassing wildlife management, regular cattle testing, and enhanced farm biosecurity – are effectively reducing the spread of the disease. Let’s hope our next test at the end of the month ends up clear. As we move into the autumn our thoughts are already focusing on planting next year’s crops: our oilseeds, forage and cover crops are already sown. Here’s hoping for a rather more average weather pattern than the last 12 months.
We have an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Chef to join our team of talented and experienced staff. Clayesmore prides itself in providing a comprehensive, in-house fresh food service to its pupils and staff.
The ideal candidate will be experienced and confident in high volume catering and be flexible, and able to work as part of a team.
This is a great opportunity to work in catering with primarily daytime shifts. Benefits include a non-contributory pension scheme, Death in Service benefits, a free meal each day and free membership of the Clayesmore Sports Facilities.
Please feel free to ring the HR department on 01747 813213 if you would like to discuss this role.
Clayesmore is committed to the safeguarding and promotion of children’s and young people’s welfare and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.
This month Jess talks to head groom Stacey Blunn to find out just how she keeps Team Rimmer on track – and on time
Jess Rimmer (left), Stacey Blunn and Jo Rimmer take a well-earned break at ‘Cafe Fontmell’ All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
This month has seen Team Rimmer competing at Bicton, Hartpury and Wellington. Jimmy has stepped up to Novice in great style and Max has produced some competitive results, finishing third at Wellington. Elsa jumped a superb double clear at Wellington in the OI (Open Intermediate), and Mattie and Henry learned lots in the exciting Hartpury atmosphere. But rather than getting stuck into basic event reports, I thought we could look at life as an event groom – and who better to speak to than our very own 5* groom and long-standing head girl, Stacey Blunn? She joined Fontmell Parva in 2006, and is now part of the family here, playing a pivotal role not only in the daily care and exercise of the horses, but also in grooming at competitions up to the highest 5* level with me, mum Jo and Boy Joe (Eventer Joe Roome, who shares the yard with Team Rimmer). There is nobody more reliable, trustworthy or conscientious and, although she won’t admit it, she is an absolute font of knowledge, respected and admired by so many. Stacey’s job as head groom involves her working closely with Jo and Joe to manage the daily running of the yard. She organises vets and farriers, orders the feed, hay and straw deliveries as well as managing the care of the horses – clipping, trimming, plaiting, medical care … she basically does it all. We’re fairly sure she’s a secret superhuman and she pretty much runs the ship around here. The role of a groom is primarily focused on the daily care and well-being of the horses, but their work is far from limited to this. While Stacey, as head groom, oversees the overall yard management, the grooms are the very backbone of the team, the support crew that ensures every detail is attended to and that the yard runs smoothly. Grooms are SO important to us – sadly it’s a job often viewed as bottom of the pecking order, when it really shouldn’t be!
Just a gratuitous we-love-Henry shot for your pleasure …
A horse schedule So, join us as we have a cup of coffee and a chat in our famous Café Fontmell (OK, it’s the side of the yard with the plastic patio chairs). To set the scene: it’s Sunday lunchtime, and we’ve just put the kettle on before starting the afternoon yard shift. As we take a break, Stacey lets me in on her origin story – where did the love of horses begin? ‘I started riding up north with my grandparents during the holidays,’ she says. ‘I rode a horrible pony who bucked for the duration of the ride – my mum kept promising I could dismount the next time he bucked, but then she never let me! I slowly fell in love with horses through my local riding school and produced my first pony, Snoopy, from a four-year-old. I visited Fontmell Parva when I was 17, through a friend who was doing work experience – I loved it, phoned Jo for a job, and the rest is history!’ (We pause here for a brief interruption from Hannah, who is offering us doughnuts, which we naturally accept most happily.)
Stacey with Jo and Newt after their double clear in the 5* at Luhmülen in 2019
While every day is different, Stacey is keen to point out the need for organisation in such a busy yard. ‘We always try to keep to the same routine,’ she says. ‘It’s really important for the horses. Obviously there are occasional longer days and earlier starts which add some nice variety, but the horses thrive on a steady, consistent routine and we work hard to stick to the same system. They have breakfast at 6.30am, and are then exercised throughout the morning. They’re always put to bed late afternoon, in time to receive their supper at 5pm.’ Being a groom is every horsey child’s dream job – and though it’s a lot of hard work, Stacey acknowledges that even after almost two decades it has its special moments that make it all worth while. ‘For me, the best part is simply playing a part in the journey of both the riders and the horses,’ she says. ‘It doesn’t matter if that’s to compete at the higher levels or just to achieve a personal goal. That’s not to say it’s not without its challenges, though. It’s commonly known that horsey people aren’t the easiest! I’ve had to learn to deal with all types of clients – actually only half my job is about managing the horses! ‘The weather is another major challenge. British winters are tough, and the rain can feel pretty relentless. It’s not something we can control, though, so it’s just a case of sucking it up – and finding some really good waterproofs!’ Despite the long winter slogs, there have been plenty of career highlights too. ‘For me personally, finishing second (twice!) in the Riding Club Open Championships and producing my horse, Reney, up to Intermediate was a real achievement. From a grooming perspective, Pau 5* in 2018 (Jo and Newt’s first 5) was pretty special, along with their double clear result in the 5 at Luhmülen in 2019. Joe and Auriella flew round the 3*L at Blair that same year – Auriella has been a tricky mare who is very special to me, and it was incredibly rewarding to see her perform so well.’
Stacey Blunn visited the Fontmell Parva yard as a teenager 18 years ago – she immediately asked Jo for a job, and has been part of the team ever since
Not-so-secret life hacks At this point I asked Stacey for her top groom hack, but she was a little affronted: ‘I would have said Fairy Liquid, but you stole my secret tip for last month’s column!’ Joe Roome, who has been listening in over his own doughnut, chips in here: ‘Stacey’s time management is unbelievable. She is always early, which is a huge life hack in itself. There is always so much going on in our days – punctuality is vital to make sure everything runs smoothly, which always happens when Stacey’s in charge!’ As her career has grown, Stacey tells me her role models have changed too. ‘When I was riding, it was Pippa (Funnell), William (Fox-Pitt), Ian Stark and Toddy (Australian eventer Mark Todd). But as soon as I focussed on grooming, Jackie Potts became a huge inspiration.’
Henry thoroughly enjoying his prep team, while making sure he’s showing his good side for the photos
Jackie is widely renowned to be the authority on the profession of Eventing grooming, and is the long-time groom of William Fox-Pitt at his yard near Sturminster Newton. Inevitably in a life built around horses, there are countless times when it’s all gone horribly wrong. ‘There are so many stories!’ says Stacey. ‘I vividly remember being dragged through the flood by a young horse – we deliberately took him down there as it’s hugely beneficial for them to see water from a young age. He put his back up (as if he was going to buck me off!), so I dismounted … and he ran off through the flood. Now anyone who knows me knows I won’t let go of a horse – I was practically water skiing!’
Quarter marks are purely to look smart and impress the dressage judges! Every groom has their own favourite method and pattern – Stacey likes to use Quarter Mark spray and a circular metal curry comb for best results
Stacey has some solid advice for anyone thinking of following her footsteps. ‘Be prepared to work hard. The days are long, and 80 per cent of it is just hard graft. But for me it’s totally worth it for that 20 per cent of good!’ Speaking of hard work, the doughnuts are done and we’d better start the afternoon yard before the horses start demanding their dinners …
Local wildlife photographer Ian Nelson sent this wonderful set of barn owl images to us, despite knowing they couldn’t be entered into the reader’s photography pages this month. We have just one rule for the monthly photography pages – the images included must have been taken in the preceding month (the images featured in this September issue will all have been taken in August). However, Ian took these images earlier in the summer and then deliberately withheld sharing them for a couple of months. ‘I didn’t submit them because the barn is possibly identifiable,’ he says. ‘Sadly not everyone understands how to observe wildlife responsibly, and I didn’t want the owls to be disturbed by an influx of visitors. Four chicks were being raised, and I didn’t want to risk them being stressed to the point that they abandoned the young.’ All four chicks have now fledged, and although they break the rules for the reader’s photography section, we couldn’t resist sharing such stunning images of one of the nation’s most beloved birds for everyone to enjoy.
Images by Ian Nelson
Images by Ian Nelson
Images by Ian Nelson
Images by Ian Nelson
Did you know …
The barn owl is not only the world’s most widely distributed species of owl, but is also one of the most widespread of all birds – it is found on every continent except Antarctica
Though they reside throughout the tropics, they avoid areas with cold winters. Scotland has the most northern breeding barn owls in the Northern Hemisphere
In eastern England barn owls are far more likely to nest in trees than in barns.
Barn owls don’t hoot! The male has a long, harsh scream that lasts about two seconds
The chicks make their first flights when they are around 50 days old, but they won’t be independent of their parents for another month
British barn owls have distinctive white breasts, but in central and eastern Europe they are a shade of dark yellow-orange
Barn Owls do not build a nest: they lay their eggs directly onto the previous years’ nest debris, a compacted layer of old owl pellets!
The BV has an exclusive interview with renowned equestrian painter Charles Church, and Jenny sits down with council leader Nick Ireland to discuss biodiversity, the council’s plans, and its controversial use of glyphosate.
As ever for the first episode of the month, we start with Laura’s ‘letter from the editor’. Then the politicans weigh in – Terry and Jenny read the latest columns from Ken Huggins (Green Party), Gary Jackson (Lib Dem), and MP Edward Morello of West Dorset.
From washing dishes to Royal commissions: in the BV’s equestrian section this month, Sally Cooper interviewed North Dorset resident Charles Church. She asks him about his journey to becoming one of the world’s leading equestrian painters, and he takes on the Random 19 questions.(see the interview and photographs of Charles Church in his studio on the BV website) (Interview by kind permission of Gee Fox at Zizzy Studios)
As Dorset Council tackles biodiversity loss, the BV has looked at its recent declaration of a Nature Emergency. Jenny sat down with Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland to understand exactly what this means, and how effective it can be, tackling Nick on the council’s continued use of glyphosate.
September’s BV can be read here … grab a coffee and jump in to the Dorset-ness. News, opinion, people, wildlife, art, farming, what’s on, horses … and frankly stunning photography. Did we mention it’s FREE?
Why wouldn’t you want a flick through?
(*don’t forget, we’re proud to be purely digital. The only way to read us is right here online!) Frankly, it’s so jam-packed with Dorset goodness, it’d be rude not to.
The BV is the rural monthly digital magazine from Dorset, this year awarded ‘Best Regional Publication in the UK’ (Newspaper & Magazine Awards)
This month Barry Cuff has chosen a pair of postcards sent from Milborne St Andrew – quite by chance he has two cards sent by the same person, to the same person – G Everett to his or her sister in Lyndhurst:
Mrs Macey’s address is at Cyclist’s Rest, High Street Lyndhurst – the 1890s are often referred to as the golden age of bicycles, and the first Tour de France was held in 1903, just a year before this postcard was sent. Perhaps cycling holidays in the New Forest were already a thing? It would appear that the sender, Mrs Macey’s sibling, is featured on the postcard – but we have no clues as to which figure it is, or even if they are man or woman …
‘Dear Sister. A line wishing you Many Happy Returns of the day. If you have a magnifying glass you will be able to find me. Will send J one next week.
A year later, and Mrs E Macey’s address is no longer Cyclist’s Rest, but she’s still on Lyndhurst High Street. Barry notes that Milborne Fair was held on the 30th November each year, but the card was not posted until 1st December. A quick search doesn’t show any Everetts in the 1901 or 1911 census records for Milborne St Andrew:
‘Dear Sister just a line to let you know that Milborne Fair is on. Jack arrived at 11.15pm Tuesday, all well. Hoping you are all well, write later on. Love to all G. Everett & Maria
William Morris famously said: ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’ These words of the textile designer, poet, artist, writer and social activist have been an inspiration to generations of designers, makers, artists, writers and thinkers – the perfect definition of good design. One of this area’s leading makers is among those who instinctively draw on Morris’s legacy. The Wiltshire potter Jennie Gilbert, whose studio is in converted farm buildings at Manor Farm, Fifield Bavant, in the Chalke valley, says: ‘The driving force behind everything I do is food. ‘I ask myself, what do I need at home? What would make life easier? I want things that food looks good on.’ And she wants people to share her passion: ‘I love the fact that you hold the bowl with your food. I love things that work and feel good in your hands,’ she says. Her products include pasta bowls, platters and plates of various sizes, mugs, jugs, cups and covered jars – all of them demanding to be used and enjoyed. Ask anyone who has a Jennie Gilbert dinner plate or pasta bowl, whether in the lovely blue chequerboard pattern or the striking tweed design. Food served on this pottery just looks inviting and delicious. The chequerboard pattern resonates with the familiar chequered stone and flint construction of many old south Wiltshire buildings, although it is Jennie’s own design and not influenced by the local vernacular.
The joy of making pots Pottery is a very physical business – many potters have a strong physical presence, a dynamism and creative energy that is immediately appealing. Some potters even resemble their pots … or perhaps, their pots resemble them. The great John Leach was bearded and rather round, and his tactile, round and often brown pottery seemed an organic extension of him. Jennie Gilbert has a very physical energy: tall, rangy and frequently laughing, she makes pottery that makes you smile. This year marks the tenth anniversary of her move to St Martin’s Workshops at Fifield Bavant, just a few yards from the tiny 13th century St Martin’s Church. In the light and airy pottery, Jennie makes her functional range and some decorative pieces.
She runs workshops and has occasional open weekends, but the pottery is not generally open to visitors. It doesn’t stop the opportunist caller – during the interview for this article two people arrived to ask if Jennie could mend a broken dinner plate. She explained, firmly but politely, that a potter can’t just stick somebody else’s plate or bowl back together – there would be different clays, different colours, different techniques (SuperGlue, or even a specialist china restorer, might be a better answer, she suggested).
Finding Fifield Jennie’s introduction to pottery was not planned. In the 1980s, she was studying for an International Baccalaureate at the Hammersmith West London College, where pottery was part of the curriculum. It immediately caught her interest: ‘I used to hang out in the pottery department – I loved it,’ she recalls. ‘I knew this is what I want to do!’ She went on to do a foundation art course at Swindon College and then took a studio pottery HND at Swansea. The main effect of this course, which emphasised industrial techniques, was perhaps not quite what was intended: ‘It taught me what I didn’t want to do,’ she says. A short apprenticeship in the Loire region of France was more to her taste – she studied with English potter Christine Pedley in La Borne, known as ’the village of potters’ and home to the Centre for Contemporary Ceramics. ‘It is an amazing place,’ she says. ‘I learned a lot about pottery and about production and running a pottery.’ Back in England she worked with another potter for a few years and in 1993 she set up her first pottery at Pankhurst Farm, Chobham. She shared the workshop with a friend and joined the Surrey Guild of Craftsmen. ‘It was joyous, working for myself and doing shows.’ A few years later she moved to Project Workshops in old farm buildings at Quarley near Grateley (off the A303) where she ran her pottery for 13 years. Then in 2014 she found the building at Fifield Bavant: ‘It was April Fool’s Day,’ she remembers – but this was a far from foolish move! She has space for all her materials and equipment, and shelves and cupboards to display the various ranges. Based in a peaceful valley with skylarks singing in the clear skies of the Cranborne Chase Natural Landscape (a noted dark skies area), the studio has beautiful light – and the off-the-beaten-track location means she can generally work in peace.
Shows and courses Jennie likes to sell direct to customers, so you won’t find her work in craft galleries or gift shops. ‘I don’t have an online shop – my work varies and pieces within the same range can be slightly different,’ she says. ‘I take my work around the country so that people can choose the piece they want.’ During the summer she has a stand at several Potfest shows, as far afield as Scone Palace in Perthshire, Scotland, and including the first Potfest in North Dorset – held recently at Turnpike Showground, home of the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show. The event, Potfest South West, is part of a nationwide calendar of weekend shows aimed at ceramic enthusiasts, collectors and anyone interested in pottery and ceramics. The new Shaftesbury event attracted a lot of visitors and will hopefully be repeated next year. Local fans can meet Jennie and see and buy her pottery at her open weekend in December (visit her website for the dates). But how about trying your hand at pottery with a skilled maker? Jennie holds two-day courses at St Martin’s Workshops and also runs courses at her sister’s property in south west France. She runs the Fifield Bavant classes with her friend, potter Emily Myers, and they cover the basics of throwing, pinch pots, coiling and slabbing. The two tutors take a maximum of six students, tailoring the lessons to beginners, improvers or students who need more focused attention.
The French courses are held at Le Mas Sarat in the Lot region, with two tutors, three wheels and up to six students – two-day beginners’ classes and four-day programmes for improvers. Jennie’s sister provides the accommodation … and the food. Food is fundamental to her pottery. As Jennie says: ‘It’s all about food – preparing, serving and the rituals of eating.’
Get ready for a night of top-tier comedy on Saturday, 21st September, as The Gugg in Stalbridge hosts an unforgettable line-up of professional comedians, all in aid of two fantastic causes – The Gugg (CIC) and The Vale Pantry. The evening promises non-stop laughter, featuring four comedians from the national comedy circuit: Geoff Whiting, Alan Francis, Leslie Gold and Trev Tokabi, and the night will be compered by Patrick Carmody. Between them, these comedic talents have supported big names like Michael McIntyre, Harry Hill, and Lee Mack, making this a must-see event for comedy lovers. Taking place at The Gugg on Station Road, doors open at 7:30pm with the show starting at 8pm. Tickets are just £15 and can be purchased in advance direct from The Gugg (01963 363456), The Vale Pantry in Sturminster Newton, or online here. Tickets will also be available on the door, so don’t miss out! Freshly made pizzas and cakes will be available for purchase, and it’s a bring-your-own drinks event – perfect for a relaxed, fun-filled evening. Please note, this show contains adult material and is not suitable for anyone under 18. Come with friends, or come alone – everyone is welcome at this friendly venue. Support two great causes and enjoy a night of laughter you won’t forget!
