A North Dorset dairy manufacturer is planning to create more than 32 high-skilled jobs as part of a £2m expansion.
Family-owned BV Dairy says the approval of £750,000 in funding from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) has secured plans to create the major new facility at its Shaftesbury site.
Construction is expected to start in January 2021.
It continues the major investment of the past four years including a new chill store, a kefir bottling facility and an automated process department.
Vaughan Heard, Finance and HR Director, said: “We are delighted to secure the grant funding from RDPE.
“It will support us in our aim to provide increased long-term opportunity for local employees and security for farmers and rural workers in North Dorset.
“We are extremely proud of the wonderful dairy industry heritage and legacy in North Dorset, and to play our part in bringing these quality products to a national and international audience.
“The additional capacity created by the new facility, together with the improvements in technology, allows us to court major new customers – which in turn creates more opportunity for our dairy farm suppliers.
“I would like to thank the RDPE for its generous grant funding.
“I also wish to extend my sincere thanks to Simon Hoare (North Dorset MP), our many Dorset suppliers and Ian Girling, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce, for their collective support and assistance in helping BV Dairy to secure the necessary funding.”
Vaughan Heard
BV Dairy was founded in 1958 by father-and-son team Jack and Christopher Highnam.
They began by making clotted cream on a kitchen top at the family’s Old Rectory Farm in Kington Magna near Gillingham.
The dairy is now in the hands of the third generation of the family, Jim Highnam.
BV Dairy employs 130 people and had an annual turnover of £36.7m in the 12 months to March 31, 2019, its latest published accounts.
BV Dairy
Milk is sourced from Red Tractor accredited farms within a 25 mile radius of the company’s Wincombe Lane site.
Its specialist dairy products are supplied to the manufacturing, catering and food service industries.
They include soft cheeses, crème fraiche, buttermilk, cream (single, double and whipping), Dorset clotted cream, fromage frais, yogurts including Greek style, soured cream, ricotta and mascarpone.
How many new houses are being built for the military on Salisbury Plain? What’s the traditional cheese made into a cake in Devizes?
Find out in Deepest Wiltshire, the book that gives and gives. Deepest Books are sold to raise funds for charity – in the case of Deepest Wiltshire it is the county’s community foundation, the air ambulance and a military charity; So far over £20,000 to the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation’s Covid Emergency fund from the sale of the book. Deepest Wiltshire is the ideal gift, full of fascinating stories, quirky characters and pieces from local celebrities (including actor Nigel Havers, actor and comedian Jon Monie, Lord Lieutenant Sarah- Rose Troughton, footballer Don Rogers, Olympian David Hemery and the irrepressible former High Sheriff Nicky Alberry. There are features about the history and landscape, the people who live and work in the county, about the food, the military and the church (from tiny medieval buildings to one of the world’s greatest cathedrals). Brimming with entertaining and unexpected snippets – and all the money you spend goes to the charities. To find out more and to order, visit www.deepestbooks.co.uk
Bridget Strawbridges beautiful book ” Dancing with Bees‘ is now out in paperback, but there are a few signed hardback copies left! Unlike the paperbacks they have beautiful colour papers by John Walters
Carl Bovis’ evocative and humourous photography has won him a large and loyal following on social media with almost 55,000 fans on Twitter. And justifiably so – his work is not only technically excellent, but also fun, characterful and keenly observed, making it a joy for all who are allowed to share in the results of his passion. His book ‘100 Birds’ is a delight for any bird lover; featuring 100 of his best, or most interesting, bird photos, coupled with Carl’s comments on how, when and where he got the shots, some information about the birds, plus personal stories and experiences. It’s a joyous book, and his love of the natural world shines from every page.
Many of us now know what a Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney is and how it authorises a trusted person to deal with your money and assets if you become unable to.
But we can be mistaken in thinking that a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney is not so important because next of kin know what is best for us and can make decisions and give instructions to health care providers if necessary.
The reality is: not necessarily so.
The Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney affords you peace of mind that the persons you trust are able to make decisions on your behalf relating to all your health and care needs in the eventuality that you are no longer able to make these decisions for yourself.
If you put in place a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney, your appointed Attorneys will be able to make decisions on your behalf. This covers everything from washing, dressing, eating, medical care, care homes and even Life Sustaining Treatment.
The Life Sustaining Treatment point is one that most clients find very important when providing instructions for a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney. This sensitive subject is covered separately in the document due to the weight of its importance.
You can choose whether you wish to grant your Attorneys authority to be able to give or refuse Life Sustaining Treatment on your behalf. If you have strong views on this that you would not want to be kept alive artificially, you would be advised to complete a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney and appoint Attorneys that are aware of your wishes.
In the absence of appointed Attorneys with authority to make these decisions on your behalf, the decision will ultimately be with the Doctors. The Doctors and other medical professionals must, of course, act ‘in your best interests’ at all times and may deem keeping you alive artificially as so, even if this is contrary to the wishes that may be known to your family.
The only way to ensure your family or loved ones have the overall say on this difficult decision, is to put in place a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney.
In certain extreme circumstances, if you find yourself unable to make your own decisions and there is no Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney in place, your family may have to apply to the Court of Protection in order to be granted the right to be able to make decisions in relation your health or proposed treatments. This is an expensive, upsetting and long drawn out process.
Having a Lasting Power of Attorney in place is much like taking out an insurance policy, one hopes it will not ever be needed, but if your family or loved ones do need to call on it; they really do prove invaluable.
Last week Blandford Town Council voted narrowly against a major new housing development of 600 dwellings sited north of the bypass, with up to 200 of them proposed in Pimperne parish. This was an historic upset as all expectations were for approval prior to the meeting. As Cllr. Carter, a Town Councillor and one of the key architects of the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan put it “the Plan is inextricably linked to this development”. However this is a deeply flawed application being actively promoted by Dorset Council and elements within Blandford, with scant regard for the consequences and the people of the area, especially Pimperne. After hearing speeches from Dorset CPRE, Pimperne Parish Council (PC) and the Blandford Allotment Society, councillors saw sense and voted 8-7 against on grounds of adverse environmental impact and concerns over access and highway safety. This follows objections by Pimperne and Stourpaine PCs, Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and North Dorset CPRE, with more likely to follow.
Supposedly North Dorset suffers from a housing supply shortage. This is the main reason for wanting to build this huge development along with the need for a new primary school in Blandford, which is expected be built from Section 106 proceeds paid by the developer, Wyatt Homes. It is bizarre logic to build more houses just to get a new school.
Rolling downland which would be desecrated by the housing development – Image by CPRE
Key Concerns
First a recent independent report, Dorset’s Housing Needs, commissioned by Dorset CPRE, demolished the government’s Standard Housing Method for assessing local housing need. The government used 2014 household projections rather than later ones which suggest lower housing needs. Local Plan Housing Targets for the Dorset Council (DC) area are currently 24% lower than the government’s housing need target of 1,827 homes using 2014 household projections. There is clearly no need for new houses in Blandford itself as there is 11.5 years housing land supply at the current build rate, thanks to many new approved developments around the town, which is over twice the government housing target of 5 years. If only DC would stand up for Dorset rather than give in to demands from Westminster.
Secondly the scale of this development means it is a strategic one, and should only progress as part of the Dorset-wide Local Plan formulation which is three years away at the earliest. The potential allocation of the site was considered through the Blandford Plus Neighbourhood Plan (NP), but the legality of the plan has been challenged and Dorset Council is currently seeking legal advice. The inclusion of an area of land within Pimperne parish, which would accommodate up to 200 houses, is not justified as it is contrary to the made Pimperne NP, which was voted on and offers protection, with the parish housing target only 39 dwellings for the period 2015-2031. The NP requires that any development should not reduce the gap between Blandford and Pimperne, which this proposal does.
Fourthly the development is not sustainable, with the bypass having to be crossed to access the town, whose centre is not within walking distance. This will encourage the use of cars, as will the location of the school for parents living in Blandford, while residents of the new development will probably also convey their children by car as a major road separates it from the housing.
Lamperd’s Field Allotments on north side of Salisbury Rd. Features Martin Prior who is not happy about the development. Image By CPRE
There are very limited employment opportunities in Blandford, so most seeking employment would head for Poole, thus more cars are likely to be used by new residents, causing more congestion.
There has been little attempt to address climate change, a key concern of Dorset Council. It beggars belief that a council that declares a climate emergency could then permit a development such as this.
Fifthly noise from the bypass will impact seriously on properties close by. It is ironic that most of the so-called affordable homes will be located close to the bypass. Noise mitigation measures suggested here are frankly pathetic e.g. closing windows at night in noise-sensitive rooms.
Another key issue is Highways. The A350, a strategic arterial route will suffer major congestion with a new roundabout and three new pedestrian crossings. Building new pedestrian bridges, to supplement the existing one, makes much more sense but is not cheap. The creation of another pedestrian crossing on the A354 on the Salisbury Road and another by the Bellway development will exacerbate the situation. The bypass will cease to function effectively and impact severely on the whole area.
The allotments are going to be moved onto arable land. It will take many years of soil creation to produce fruit and vegetables on thin chalky land used for cereals. There are 140 affected allotment holders.
The greatest irony of this development is that the new school is only envisaged for phase 2), with no guarantee it will go ahead, while 167 houses are being built as part of phase 1) and will be occupied by families who will put even more pressure on existing overcrowded schools within Blandford before the new school is built. Medical services are already under major strain as well.
Please see below a list of Christmas services fro the winterborne Valley and Milton Abbas Benefice for 2020.
Outside each of our churches there will be a display telling a part of the Christmas story. Follow the trail in the following order to experience the whole story – 1. Milton Abbas 2. Whitechurch 3. Clenston 4. Houghtion 5. Stickland 6. Turnworth.
Booking is essential as capacity is reduced due to Covid restrictions. See the poster below for contactc to reserve a place.
Go up Bulbarrow Hill and at the top, just off Cuckoo Lane, apart from a really beautiful view, you’ll see disused buildings, aerials and, across the lane, old Nissan huts.
All looks a bit dull, but this is a site of considerable national importance. It was a Gee Station, used during the war to allow RAF greater accuracy in its night-time bombing raids across Germany and occupied Europe.
Until the invasion of North Africa, Bomber Command was the only way of bringing the fight to the Germans on land, so ‘hitting the Hun’ was of political as well as military importance.
The only problem was it was more a case of ‘Missing the Hun’ as bombing was highly inaccurate in the war’s early stages. Only 10% of bombs dropped came within miles of the target.
GEE is a British radio navigation system, devised by the gloriously named Robert Dippy, and developed at the Telecommunications Research Centre at Swanage, Dorset.
The Germans also used similar technology. The British were aware of this and, it is believed by some, our boffins ‘bent’ their radio direction beams so that German bombers on one occasion unwittingly bombed neutral Dublin instead of their target in west England. An act for which the Nazis apologized (we can presume without really meaning it, perhaps the Nazi Ambassador had his fingers crossed when he said, ‘sorry, and all that’), and post-war Germany paid compensation for the atrocity.
Back to Bullbarrow. It is so-named because it is the site of an Iron Age fort, whose inhabitants buried each other (not at the same time, obviously) in barrows, or burial mounds, and is also referred to in popular music.
Few people will not be keenly aware that the British band, Half Man Half Biscuit, refers to Bulbarrow Hill in their song, ‘Third Track Main Camera Four Minutes’. Well worth a YouTube.
This terrific song, I need hardly tell you, comes from their 2000 album, Trouble Over Bridgewater, in which, again, as most of you will know, the narrator bemoans the increasing popularity of trendy holiday destinations, such as Cuba and Iceland, saying, ‘I’d much rather go down to Dorset, with its wonderful Bulbarrow Hill’. I’m surprised Dorset Tourism hasn’t cottoned on to these wise words.
Less amusing is the fact that on 13th February 1969, a Gloster Meteor jet fighter crashed on Bulbarrow Hill (Grid ref 805068) killing both pilots, R Woolley and Flight Lieutenant RV Patchett. The cause of the crash has never been established. But two local men, John Tory and Donovan Browning received bravery awards for risking their lives trying to save the pilots.
Some people of a certain age will remember the rather lovable TV pundit and countryman, Jack Hargreaves, who, briar pipe firmly clenched between nicotine-stained gnashers, achieved a degree of fame with his Out Of Town programmes. Jack’s ashes were spread in 1994 on Bulbarrow Hill above his home, Raven Cottage in Belchalwell.
https://youtu.be/kmTt9VwTmXA
This village’s unusual name, I am more or less reliably informed, doesn’t stem from the residents’ widely-documented love of pickled onions, but refers to a ‘cold well on a hillside’. More romantic, I suppose, but I’m rather keen on the pickled onion thing which, incidentally, I just made-up.
The two-acre site where the personnel manning the Gee Station lived is reported to have been acquired for £30,000 by a Richard Hayward in 1991, after he rented the site since 1970, where he ran a woodyard making fences and pit props.
Mr Hayward is reported to have said that shortly after buying the land’s freehold, he was offered £500,000 for it. And that, now with planning permission for a residence, it is worth closer to £1m.
And if you drive past you can see a substantial and very attractive house almost at the end of its building. It may already be finished, but I can hardly claim that checking up on its progress is ‘essential travel,’ as I write this during lock-down.
Before I sign off, I’ll mention that during the war, my father, when a young lad, was, with his mates, regularly bussed from Plymouth to Dartmoor where the young scamps rigged up apparatus on dark nights so that German bombers mistook the moor for the Naval Docks at Devonport.
‘So your aim was to attract the bombs,’ I asked my dad. He said the lads, volunteers all, found it very exciting. Their protection consisted of helmets made from compressed cardboard, and they dug trenches they’d jump into when the bombs arrived, ‘Oh, well that’s all right, then,’ I said.
Similarly, my mum, a nine year old London girl during the Blitz, even now tells of how exciting she found it in the shelter in their garden while high explosive rained all around. ‘We had cocoa, could read all night,’ she says, wistfully. Mind you, this is a lady who said she found VE Day, ‘rather dull’.
And I have in my possession an old black and white photo of VE Day celebrations and I can clearly see my mum, then a very pretty 14 year old, looking rather left out.
Everywhere there is gloom about the future. Christmas is cancelled and so on. It will not be possible to have our usual packed carol service this year but we will. still celebrate the best we can.
Join us for an outdoor Christmas Tree Trail from Thursday 17th December to Sunday 20th Decemeber. See the poster below for full details.
The Fox Inn is owned and run by brothers Robert & Will Wallis. It was the first pub – and original home – of the Woodhouse family, whose brewery ‘Hall & Woodhouse’, now in Blandford, was formerly in Ansty.
How did you end up at the Fox?
We (The Wallis family) have been farming in Ansty for 21 years at Brewery Farm. Over the years we have diversified into the tourism market with 3 luxury lodges and a campsite. When The Fox Inn became for sale as a freehouse back in 2018 myself and my brother Will took the chance to acquire the historic inn – the link to the Woodhouses is where Brewery Farm got its name!
After negotiations, we took on the pub on 3rd June 2019 and opened the doors at the end of June after three intense weeks of refurbishment! We took the chance on the pub having never been involved in hospitality before for a number of reasons. The first was simply as an outlet for our homegrown organic meat. Two; to ensure our holiday guests have a great place to go to. Three; to make a proper hub for the village. We are proud to say we have achieved some of our goals (many more to go!) with a lively locals bar and thriving seasonal trade with quality food & drink.
What’s your favourite local place to visit on an afternoon off?
On a rare afternoon off when I am not pouring pints or chasing cattle, nothing beats a walk to our neighbouring pub The Hambro Arms at Milton Abbas with Pepper (the dog)! We are lucky to be surrounded by such an abundance of fantastic walks. You are spoilt for choice with many circular routes that find their way back to The Fox, including the famous Dorset Gap & Rawlsbury Camp on Bulbarrow Hill. Should you fancy a longer walk the pub can provide a cracking picnic. During Lockdown 2.0 we have also made our own walking routes book for charity donations.
Tell us about your 2020…
During Lockdown 1.0 we offered weekly takeaways one day a week with a changing theme weekly: to include pizzas from our proper pizza over, burgers, fish and chips etc. Most weeks we were doing over 100 meals! It was great to be able to see all our locals and give them (especially those working and with young families stuck at home) some respite from having to cook each night.
Over the summer we were overwhelmingly busy and we adjusted our business to work with the restrictions including a bespoke handmade bar outside, huge outdoor menus to minimise contact and enough seating for 150 outside socially distanced. We also served all day everyday from 12-9pm to help spread the volume of customers across the day which worked brilliantly in keeping a steady and safe flow of people. Throughout the summer we also sold bespoke ‘Fox’ pint glasses to raise money for our local school at Cheselbourne.
And what’s been your biggest challenge?
Finding staff who want to come and work out here (or indeed are able to) as we are quite rural! Made even trickier by the constant change in needing staff from being shut without announcement to suddenly open and being run off our feet, to being shut again! Although we are incredibly lucky with the staff we do have who have been brilliant throughout what has been an extraordinary year.
What are you most proud of?
No one particular thing, but of everything we have achieved in such a short space of time, especially with Covid chucked in the mix! In a year like 2020 it can be hard to remember the positives. But before we took on the pub it was beginning to lose its reputation. With the support of our staff, locals, and friends, we believe the pub has turned a corner. We have an exciting and changing choice of beer and drinks, a seasonal and quality menu, a great team, fresh décor and regular events including tasting nights, live music, quizzes and fundraisers. We are now attracting people from far and wide including walkers due to the fabulous surrounding countryside and even horse riders who can make use of our hitching post while they enjoy lunch or a drink!
What part of the pub is your absolute favourite?
Our recently refurbed Private Dining room ‘The Den’! We completed it during Lockdown. With a table for 10, comfy seating and log burner and cosy colours it is perfect for private parties, shoot groups, business meetings and more. On a winters evening there is nothing better than settling in with a proper pint in.
Which dish is your most popular?
We always have lots of seasonal specials and often host theme nights including, pie & wine, gin & tapas and so on but our top seller is always ‘The Fox Burger’. It’s no surprise: made from our own organic cattle on our farm just 50 meters away, with Somerset bacon & Dorset cheese!
What’s next?
We’re not going to let Tier 2 get us down! We’ve been open again since the 2nd, but please brush up on the new rules before coming: one household inside, and up to six people outside – so grab a coat, hat & five friends and we’ll see you soon. Current opening times are: Thursday from 3pm through to Monday 11pm – takeaways also available! And we have lots of exciting plans for coming festivities. Watch this space!
Visit the website here give us a call 01258 880328
Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with all the pub news
STARS Dorset is a pan-Dorset charity that offers one to one support, free of charge, for anyone of any age or gender, who lives works or studies in Dorset and has experienced any form of sexual violence such as rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse or domestic abuse at any time in their life. STARS Dorset provides several different types of support including an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service, a one to one Counselling service, a Children and Young People’s Service and a Support Line.
Last year the charity supported more than 1800 people in the county. This year it has continued to support anyone who has needed it, during the first lockdown it increased the hours of its Support Line and continued to offer support through its counselling service and Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service both online and by the phone. From the 1st April this year until the 30th September the charity has supported 1033 adults and 272 children and young people across Dorset.
This year the charity has also launched two new projects, one is a 20-week counselling project specifically for anyone who has suffered from domestic abuse and the second project is to support children and young people across Dorset who have witnessed and experienced domestic abuse.
As with many charities this year the number of people that need support has increased yet the ability to fundraise in the community has decreased as has the amount of businesses who are able to offer donations and take part in challenge events which help raise vital funds for the charity’s work. STARS Dorset are therefore asking anyone who is able to donate or knows a business who might like to, to get in touch. Text Donations can be done via your phone, text ‘STARSDORSET” to 70085 to donate £3, or through their social media @starsdorset or via their website. The charity will also be organising a sponsored Firewalk next year and a chance to Sky Dive for them. If you would like to take part in either of these challenge events please either email info@starsdorset.org or call their office on 01202 308840. More information about the charity and the work they do can be found on their website www.starsdorset.org.
Anyone who has been affected by sexual violence and would like confidential advice and support in Dorset can call the STARS Support Line on 01202 308855 or visit www.starsdorset.org
