Meet your local: Halstock Village Shop

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18 February 2022

This month we feature Halstock Village Shop. As you step towards the shop door, there’s an overwhelming sense of community spirit. I’m not sure why that is – and then I met the team, says Rachael Rowe.

*When Halstock village shop first opened in 1991, the idea of community-run shops relying on volunteers was at that time visionary.*

Tony Woodroffe is the Director of the community shop, Bardy Griffiths is the Chair of the Community Shop Committee, and Barry Dennis is the shop manager. Halstock is also one of the best-stocked village shops I have seen (like a Tardis). There’s a constant trail of people stocking up on local goods. I talk to Tony and Bardy in the large community room at the back of the shop.

*Tony Woodroffe (left) is the Director of the community shop, Bardy Griffiths is the Chair of the Community Shop Committee*

What’s the story of the shop?

We’ve been going since 1991 and we were one of the very first community shops. When the previous owners retired in 1990, a group of people in the village got together to see what they could do to keep a shop. Funds were raised, and the (recently deceased) Betty Harris drove to Yeovil with £200 to buy stocks to get things going.
We got funding and support from the Plunkett Foundation. Two of our funders, Derek Smith and Richard Fry, were instrumental in getting the shop up and running and they advised other community shops around the country.

As the business grew, we raised funds to purchase land, enabling us to get the current building and community room in 2013. Two flats above the shop bring in rent. We would have struggled without that community room in the pandemic because of all the deliveries. The shop is run under the Halstock Village Trust, and profits are ploughed straight back into the village. I’ll never forget the first day. We took £200, and I didn’t have a card machine!
And then we found Barry, our manager. I don’t know what we’d do without him. He is marvellous.

How big is the team?

We have 20 volunteers and three paid staff, including a manager and the assistant manager.

Is there a shop pet?

“Pets? Pets? No pets are allowed in this shop. We don’t have any mice either!”

What’s flying off the shelves at the moment?

Barry smiles. “It’s strange for this time of year, but cakes and biscuits are still popular. People are still after their post-Christmas treats! We have always done well with dairy, and our cheeses are popular.”

Tell us about your local suppliers.

We have pretty much everything here. It starts with someone asking Barry if we can get something, and it ends up being supplied. First, there’s bread from Mortimers and Liberty Farm Milk. Then, we get sausages from Sam’s Pigs in Halstock.

What has been your biggest challenge?

To begin with, setting up the post office. The Plunkett Foundation helped us a lot. But we had to make daily phone calls to the post office to get the service, and then I had to have an interview to see if I was a suitable person. And then someone had to be designated as the responsible person… We were fortunate because a local resident who worked in the Yeovil post office could step in for a month, so we didn’t lose the service altogether.

What is your absolute favourite part of the shop?

Well, I don’t know. I do all my shopping here? What’s so amazing is the number of things you can get without having to go to a supermarket. If someone wants something, they just talk to Barry. The window displays are popular and a real talking point. They are organised by volunteers. Note: A striking Birdwatch display was in the window when I visited – image below.

What are you most proud of?

The profits! By that I mean they all go back into Halstock Village Trust, so it is directly ploughed into the whole village. It sends a signal as to how successful this shop is to people. We don’t have a pub in Halstock, so the village shop is the community hub. This is where you can learn people’s news or if someone’s struggling or lonely. Not in a gossipy way but proactively, to support one another. We even have visitors stocking up on local food they can’t buy in their area.

So what’s next?

Extending the shop is our aspiration. We want to build an extension to stock even more things for the local community. But that’s a 5-10 year project.

by Rachael Rowe

‘We marvelled at her natural maternal instinct’

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Editorial team

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18 February 2022

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A complicated foaling left the newborn orphaned, but with medicines and good husbandry we found a foster mare, says Lucy Procter.

The orphaned foal was bottle fed coloustrum every hour until a foster mare could be found
image – Lucy Procter

January is a significant month in stud life – with the turn of the year all the horses get a year older, the previous year’s foals head off to the sales and we eagerly prepare for the early foals.
Tuesday 25th January was D-Day for our 2021 foals. We took 10 foals and an in-foal broodmare to the GoffsUK January sale in Doncaster. The process started on the Saturday, when Doug and I each drove a lorry load to the sales ground and we repeated the trip with a second load on Sunday. Doug then stayed on to run our draft at the sales and I came home to watch expectant mares.

With the vet in attendance, the mare’s sweat was wiped over the foal to help the foal smell like the dam and improve the chance of her accepting the foal. The foal was brought into the stable, into a feeding position alongside the mare, encouraging the foal to find the mare’s teats. image – Lucy Procter

On the Tuesday, we sold seven of the ten foals and the broodmare, but overall it was a disappointing sale with prices down on previous years and an overall clearance rate of 64% – at least we beat that – so we wish the new owners the best of luck with their purchases and move on to the arrival of this year’s foals.

In anticipation of sitting up watching the stable cameras overnight, it was straight to bed once home on Sunday afternoon, only to be woken up at 10pm by one of our sons who had been watching the cameras, to say that one of the mares had started to foal. Unfortunately, the foaling was not straightforward and, although we got the foal out alive and well, an internal rupture during foaling meant that sadly the mare didn’t make it.

We were able to take a quantity of the mare’s first milk, called colostrum, to feed to the foal, and supplemented this from our store of frozen colostrum collected last year.

It is very important to get 2-4 litres of good quality colostrum into a foal in the first few hours after birth. The colostrum contains important immunoglobulin proteins from the mare which help provide the foal with maternal immunity during the first 6-12 weeks, until the foal’s own immune system is functioning.

After a complicated delivery, this foal’s mother sadly didn’t make it. However she’s now thriving thanks to round the clock care and swift action of the Glanville’s team in tracking down a foster mare who has adopted her image – Courtenay Hitchcock

An orphan foal

We made up powdered foal milk to feed the foal every hour using a lamb bottle, and started the hunt for a foster mare. Eventually we were offered a mare that was due to be weaned from her own foal, so was still producing milk, and the owners were confident that the mare was a good mother.

*If the foal wanders too far away, there is a low whickering from the mare and the foal quickly moves back to her new mum*. Image by Courtenay Hitchcock

Once the mare had settled in a large stable at the stud, our vet attended and injected the mare with Prostaglandin (PG), commonly used in foal fostering to help induce maternal behaviour and increase the chance of the mare accepting the foal. A side effect of PG is to induce sweating and we wiped the mare’s sweat over the foal to help the foal smell like the dam and improve the chance of her accepting the foal. The vet also gave her Oxytocin to let her milk down.

We then brought the foal into the stable and into a feeding position alongside the mare, encouraging the foal to find the mare’s teats. The mare quickly accepted the foal suckling and gradually we moved away and within 11⁄2 hrs of starting the process, we had left the mare alone with the foal, just keeping watch on the cameras. As the mare wasn’t producing quite enough milk, we started her on Domperidone – a drug that helps build up milk production – and we increased the quality and quantity of her feed.

While her milk increases, we are still supplementing the foal with a few bottle feeds, but the foal much prefers drinking from mum and her bottle feeds are reducing.
A week later and the mare and foal are happy together. If the foal wanders too far away, there is a low whickering from the mare and the foal quickly responds and moves back to her new mum. It is a pleasure to watch them together and marvel at the natural maternal instinct.

by Lucy Procter – Glanvilles Stud

Two books for a February evening

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Editorial team

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17 February 2022

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“At the time of writing Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and as an alternative to chocolate or flowers I’m recommending Natasha Lunn interviewing some of our must enduring authors for their thoughts on love and relationships. Or if you were simply in the mood for a satisfying read then the excellent Francis Spufford is a great choice for a winter’s night” – Wayne

Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn £9.99

“This book might just change your life.”
Sunday Times

After years of feeling that love was always out of reach, journalist Natasha Lunn set out to understand it. She turned to authors and experts to learn about their experiences, asking: How do we find love? How do we sustain it? And how do we survive when we lose it? In Conversations on Love she began to find the answers: Philippa Perry on falling in love slowly, Dolly Alderton on vulnerability, Stephen Grosz on accepting change, Diana Evans on parenthood, Emily Nagoski on the science of sex, Alain de Botton on the psychology of being alone, Esther Perel on unrealistic expectations and many more…

“I underlined passages on almost every page of this wide-
ranging, tender-hearted book”
Evening Standard

Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford £8.99

Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021.
November 1944. A German rocket strikes London, and five young lives are atomised in an instant. That rocket never lands. A single second in time is altered, and five young lives go on – to experience all the unimaginable changes of the twentieth century. Because maybe there are always other futures. Other chances.
From the best-selling, prize-winning author of Golden Hill, Light Perpetual is a story of the everyday, the miraculous and the everlasting. Ingenious and profound, full of warmth and beauty, it is a sweeping and intimate celebration of the gift of life.
“My god he can write. One of the best opening chapters and
closing chapters you’ll ever read.” Richard Osman

In 2022 Winstone’s celebrates 10 years as Sherborne’s Independent Bookseller.
Winstone’s has won the ‘British Book Awards South West Bookseller of the Year’ four times and was winner of the ‘Independent Bookseller of the Year’ national award in 2016. Owner Wayne Winstone was previously one of the three judges for the Costa Prize for Fiction. This year Wayne was selected as one of the top 100 people in the Book Trade’s Most Influential Figures listing.

The most dreamy brownies (and they’re gluten free)

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Editorial team

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17 February 2022

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I love this recipe – its simple to make, oh-so-dreamy and rich, and it’s gluten free
too. I first experimented using gluten free flour to accommodate a dietary requirement but I never went back to plain flour; for some reason it just really works in this recipe! (NB. if you are making this for a
coeliac, then do make sure that your chocolate is gluten free too, as not all are).
These recipes make the perfect puddings too – I often serve with fresh raspberries and cream.
If you wanted something a little ‘extra’ then you can bake half a Creme Egg into the top (see image left): just cut the eggs in half and add them to the top after the first 30 minutes baking time and return the tray to the oven).
If you are looking for a pancake recipe for Pancake Day on Tuesday 1st March then check out my recipe from the February 2021 BV magazine here…
Heather x

Ingredients

100g butter
150g caster sugar
100g soft brown sugar
50g golden syrup
4 eggs
70g gluten free plain flour (standard plain flour works too)
75g dark chocolate (broken into pieces) – ensure it is gluten free if necessary

*Dreamy GF brownies image: Heather Brown*

Method

Pre heat the oven to 170o fan/gas 5. •
Line an 8” (20cm) square cake pan with baking parchment.
In a saucepan, heat together the butter, caster sugar, soft brown sugar and golden syrup on a medium heat. Make sure to keep stirring so the mixture doesn’t catch and burn.
When the butter has melted and all the ingredients have combined, pour in the chocolate pieces and stir the mixture as they melt.
When the chocolate has completely melted, take the saucepan off the heat.
Add in all 4 eggs and stir them into the mixture until completely combined.
Then tip in the flour and mix slowly until well combined.
Pour the chocolatey batter into the tin and pop into the oven.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check your brownies and turn the pan 180º so it bakes evenly (most ovens don’t bake evenly so its worth doing this step despite the momentary lowering of the oven temperature).
Bake for another 10 minutes. The top should now have cracks right across the middle (not just around the edge) and not ‘jiggle’ in the centre when the pan is gently wobbled. If it is still quite jiggly or it isn’t cracked across the middle, then bake for a further 5 minutes.
Leave to cool in the pan on a wire rack. To cut the brownies cleanly, leave to cool then pop the whole pan into the fridge for a couple of hours. They will then cut with a sharp knife.

*Embrace your sweet tooth with these indulgent Creme Egg brownie variations image: Heather Brown*

Heather Brown is on the committee of the Guild of Food Writers; a home economist with a passion for Dorset’s brilliant foodie scene. Heather runs Dorset Foodie Feed, championing Dorset’s food and drink businesses, as well as working with her food industry clients.

The beautiful social aspects of driving (no cars required!)

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Editorial team

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17 February 2022

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There is a whole new social world to be enjoyed with carriage riding – and you don’t need to own a horse, says Clare Turner.

*The Turner family on a pony carriage and Jon Turner running.*

Where was the original boot or dashboard? What was the original rally car? The answers lie in carriages and the sport of carriage driving.

Please pardon the pun, but there are many routes in to driving. Often people start by ‘breaking in’ an outgrown riding pony (with expert help – available via British Driving Society or British Carriage Driving)
Those that don’t have access to a horse or pony of their own may enjoy helping at local events, becoming grooms or ‘backsteppers’ to a local driver – social media is always a good place to make contact with local driving groups to find drivers needing an extra pair of hands. It’s also possible to book carriages and drivers for all sorts of occasions – a driving lesson, a picnic drive for a birthday, a prom night, weddings and funerals. One of the local companies for this is Highsteppers at Pallington.

*Portman Pony Club Members on their ponies*

Make new friends

The social aspect means that there are always two people on the carriage, more if you have
a bigger carriage – so there’s always conversation to be had and people to meet as you drive.

Inclusive sport

Carriage driving is a diverse and accessible sport, catering for all ages, and to both able bodied and disabled the benefits of time spent with animals and out in the fresh air speak for themselves and carriages provide access for everyone equally.
There is also the historical aspect of driving. Many vehicles and the harnesses that you may find in the show ring at county shows are antiques, fully functional and beautifully presented for the event. ‘Mr Private Driving’ is a marvellous source of education, particularly for those interested in showing, and he is endlessly entertaining for armchair supporters of the sport.

Join the community

It is absolutely the best way to travel, you can’t beat bowling along with a friend and a lovely horse or pony trotting along in front and maybe a carriage dog at your wheel!

In short the driving community are a group of like-minded people who enjoy the sport and want to have fun with their animals.

There are all sorts of carriage driving activities from rallies, sports driving, scurry driving, showing, fun days, carriage dogs, fancy dress, long reining – most involve picnics and all include friendly faces – maybe something to consider for 2022.

by Clare Turner, Skylands Coaching & Training Centre

Are you overwhelmed by debt?

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Editorial team

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17 February 2022

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Dorothy Brown, an experienced insolvency practitioner, shares the most common signs which may be causing you distress in your business.

1 – Cash Flow

The first sign things are going wrong is a constant lack of cash. The old adage that cash is king exists for a reason. All businesses suffer periodic dips where cash is tight. But if cash flow is continually a problem, the business is in trouble. If a business is continually spending more than it earns, unless it is deliberate and well-funded (as with some tech businesses at launch) it will lead to problems.

2 – Defaulting on bills

Everyone misses a payment or forgets a bill, but if the frequency with which it occurs increases, it suggests a business can’t pay its way. This is a sign it is underfunded, isn’t chasing debts hard enough or is heading to liquidation. Defaults on HMRC or on other formal arrangements can be particularly damaging. It can also be bad for your reputation and that of your business.

3 – Extended debtor or creditor days

Another sign of possible trouble is a rise in either debtor or creditor days. If your business has to delay payments to creditors, this can force some suppliers to cut off the supply of vital components or ingredients. Likewise, if you are unable to effectively chase payment it may cause future cash flow problems. Either way, sudden changes in these numbers should be investigated to see whether they are signs of something more serious.

4 – Falling margins

Ask any experienced entrepreneur and they will tell you that for long-term survival what matters are profits, not sales. As the old saying goes, turnover is vanity, profit is sanity. Falling margins suggest that costs are too high, and prices or income is too low. This is not a sustainable position.

5 – Unhappiness

It may sound simple, but businesses in distress are rarely happy. Owners and managers, who can sense something is wrong (but may not be sure what) get stressed and pass it on. They start cutting at random to make savings or deploy sudden switches in strategy to try and revive things. Lots of senior people may leave in a short time. These are all signs that the business might be heading down the decline curve and that action is needed urgently to pull things back.

What to do?

The main thing is to talk to someone. There are many organisations you can contact to help out, which does include your bank and HMRC.

You can also talk to an Insolvency Practitioner, such as myself.

You can contact me on [email protected] or 01202 237337.

Local law firm raised thousands for Weldmar Hospicecare during Make A Will month

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Editorial team

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16 February 2022

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For the third consecutive year, Blanchards Bailey participated in drafting Wills in return for a donation to Dorchester’s Weldmar Hospicecare.

Throughout October 2021, the private client department at Blanchards Bailey LLP undertook the drafting of thirty Wills in aid of Weldmar Hospicecare based in Dorchester. Clients referred via the scheme met with members of Blanchards Bailey’s thirty two strong, specialist private client team, to complete their Wills and In lieu of paying a fee to their solicitors, clients donated £120 or £180 to Weldmar Hospicecare and some left a legacy in their Will to Weldmar.

Following a recent update from Weldmar it has been confirmed that, once realised, the work carried out by Blanchards Bailey will result in donations of between £3,600 – £5,400 to Weldmar.

Support for Dorset adults with a life limiting illness
Sarah Balchin, Weldmar Hospicecare’s Legacy, In Memory and Trust Fundraiser said; “We cannot thank Blanchards Bailey LLP enough for all their proactive support. Our Make A Will Month has seen a very successful third year, especially at this difficult time with the continuing Covid-19 pandemic. Thank you also to everyone who booked an appointment and made a donation to Weldmar.
All the donations received, and the gifts left for us in Wills, will allow us to continue caring for adults in Dorset who have a life limiting illness, and supporting their loved ones too, with all of our services provided for free.” Jerome Dodge, Head of the Private Client Department at BBLLP added; “Blanchards Bailey are keen supporters of local charity endeavours. Although we tend to focus on fundraising for a specific nominated charity each year, when we are approached by a charity and are able to help, we are always happy to do our bit. We were delighted to be involved in Weldmar’s Make a Will Month once again.”.

Throughout the three years of the Weldmar Hospicecare Make a Will Month, the scheme has raised over £30,000 of donations for the charity which provides free vital end of life care for people living in Dorset who need specialist support.

To find out how to participate in Make A Will Month in October this year, see here.

If you would like to speak with our private client department about creating a new Will or updating a current Will, please contact Jerome Dodge, Head of Blanchards Bailey’s Private Client department, on 01258 459 361.

Yard Staff Required | Glanvilles Stud

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Editorial team

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16 February 2022

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PART-TIME or FULL-TIME MEMBER of OUR TEAM SOUGHT

Join us to be part of the unfolding racing story of all our young racehorses: helping shape their futures from birth and following their progress on the track.

Part-time or full-time days available for a Stud Hand – to join existing, dedicated team, immediate start and initially to the end of May. Part-time days Friday and Saturday or full-time days Tuesday to Saturday (would consider 3 or 4 days part-time also but must include Friday and Saturday).

‘Normal’ working hours and great conditions, a genuine 8am-5pm working day for yard work, with a half hour coffee break, a one-hour lunch break and paid holiday. Full-time staff work a five day week with one weekend day off every week.

The job involves working with well-mannered (mostly ) broodmares and foals on the ground – leading in and out, mucking out, feeding, prepping for sales and assisting with stud maintenance.

We are a mares’ only stud with high standards, breeding top quality, champion racehorses and our existing team enjoy following the careers of the foals and youngstock they have helped raise.

Some previous experience with horses required – main criteria though is you are physically fit and willing to fit in with, and become part of our enthusiastic, happy team. We are easy to get to, in Glanvilles Wootton, five miles south of Sherborne – we’re even on the Dorchester/Sherborne bus route if that helps.

Please email [email protected] or call Doug Procter on 07974 314262 to discuss.

Find out more about us by reading the BV Magazine October to February online issues theblackmorevale.co.uk.

Surprises on a meander round the old market cross in Sturminster

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Editorial team

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16 February 2022

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The centre of Stur is an often-overlooked and undervalued asset in the oldest part of town, says Pauline Batstone.

The Boutique is part of the Market Cross shopping area, and it’s a great place for browsing. In Beads with a Twist there’s always a new find, defintely the place for jewellery to go with your new outfit. There are few people who can walk past Daisy Delbridge’s

without turning to breathe in the beauty of the florist shop – why not step in and treat yourself? On the opposite corner, a potter around Agnes and Vera’s is a must – they are always a go-to if you’re hunting for an unusual gift.

–*Agnes & Vera (far right) is a great place for gift buying. Next door is Joshua’s coffee shop, the blue building is Is Shin takeaway, and the thatched building is the White Hart Alehouse* – Image Courtenay Hitchcock

If you have a little longer, when was the last time you stopped by the museum? It’s a fascinating place, filled with stories and the history of the places you walk past every day.

On for some clothes shopping in Gallery One, and of course no book lover can resist stepping into the hidden bookshop round the corner. Don’t be deceived by the tiny window of Stour Bookshop, it’s a positive Tardis. It’s always best to finish up with a coffee – try Joshua’s or Sweet Pea (or something stronger in The White Hart Alehouse…)
For gentlemen there is also the opportunity for a spruce up at Oli Barbers or ladies step round to the car park side for a relaxing pamper at Enzos.

*Sweet Pea is a perfect stop for refreshments, and the next building along is the tardis of Stour Books.* Image Courtenay Hitchcock

The huge success of the two community charity shops means we can stage many exciting events this year, says Pauline Batstone. Some of the money raised from the sale of your pre- loved goods in The Emporium and The Boutique goes towards organising events for residents to enjoy and to bring new shoppers into town.

*Far left is the black shop front of Beads with a Twist. In the middle is the Boutique, and then on the right is the always lovely florist’s shop Daisy Delbridge.* Image Courtenay Hitchcock

This is what that diary of events is beginning to look like – and we will publish updates as events are confirmed.

Each first Saturday in the month
(providing the weather’s not forecast to be awful!) the car enthusiasts bring their pride and joy to admire and swap stories in the Station Road Car Park. Anyone can come along – we have cars and bikes from modern to vintage. It’s very informal, no attendance fee, parking is free and we’re a friendly welcoming bunch!

The public liability insurance is paid for by The Community Benefit Society.

On 1st March we plan to hold our first Pancake Day event; ‘Races in The Rec’ at 2p.m. – pancakes supplied, but bring your own frying pans!

Mothering Sunday is 27th March is a good reason to buy flowers, chocolates and gifts

Easter events:

Good Friday, 15th April, a service will be held at the Cross in the Market Place, possibly followed by Hot Cross Buns Easter Saturday, 16th April, The Mill will be milling Easter Sunday, 12 noon onwards. An Easter Egg Hunt around the town Easter Monday, 12 noon, an Easter Bonnet Parade from the Church Hall to the Railway Gardens.

7th May A Wedding Fair held around the businesses in the Town, more details to follow.

2nd to 5th June

The Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend – details are still being discussed by The Town Council and the Community Benefit Society so more details to follow, but;
• Thursday 2nd – Beacon

Lighting Railway Gardens • Friday to Sunday – The Exchange Real Ale and Cider

Festival
• Saturday 4th June – Car Enthusiasts Meet in Station Road Car Park
• Craft Market at The Exchange • Anonymous Travelling Market in Station Road and the

Market Place
• Garden Fair in The Railway Gardens
• Sunday 5th June – 12.00 to

3.00 p.m. The Big Lunch and Fancy Dress Parade in The Railway Gardens.

13th to 19th June

Sturminster Newton Literary Festival – includes various events including a Victorian Fete in
the Railway Gardens on the afternoon of Saturday 18th.

July 1st to 3rd – the Boogie Woogie Festival hope to be back

20th to 29th August – SturBuzz; it’s all about bees and sustainability and fun – with a fancy dress parade on Sunday 29th (your best bee costume)

And then of course it’s the Cheese Fair on the 10th and 11th of September, there may be something about the Queen’s Green Canopy in October, and then we are back to Christmas again… I’m feeling tired already!

Plans for old bank to be new business space supporting local producers and sellers

Tim Robins is leading on an idea to see if the former NatWest building can be reinvented as a shopping destination – bringing more people into the town to our shops and cafes. The proposal is to offer customer-facing, exhibition-style space, six days a week, for people just setting out in business, selling good quality items from the Blackmore Vale. Hopefully this will provide useful space and support to new businesses, and also create a changing, ever-more-interesting shopping experience for both residents and visitors to the town (if you are interested in more details on this, please contact [email protected])