Passed peacefully , at home, on the 7th August 2022.
Much loved wife, mother and grandmother
Space Inflaters has lift off!
Gillingham’s largest charity has opened Space Inflaters, Dorset’s new inflatable play centre in the old Legends Building.
All images Courtenay Hitchcock
The not-for-profit team behind Riversmeet already run the town’s lesiure facilities, so when Alan Waistell proposed a new inflatable play as a much-needed facility that could re-use an empty building itseemed like a perfect project.
The next step was actually getting the building …
‘We can’t thank Dextra enough’ said Alan ‘As one of the major stakeholders, the Dextra team came and had a look at what was the empty Legends club – he’d never been inside. He looked around and said “you want this?!” It was in a sorry state inside, having been a nightclub for a long time and then empty for a few years. He said “Dextra will support you, you’ve got it – but you do the work!”
The team knuckled down, filling a total of 19 skips before the new flooring could be applied.
‘I’ve been a project manager for 30 years, and this is by far the toughest I’ve ever worked on’ said Alan. ‘The sheer amount of manual work involved in getting the building ready. The cost of materials and labour steadily increased by circa 50 per cent over the 16 months. We managed to only go 10 per cent over budget, though. The only thing that didn’t change price was the £80,000 inflatable itself. Just waiting for it to arrive from China was stressful, with no idea of where the ship was, or if the inlfatable was even on it.’
Not just for kids
On 23rd July, Space Inflaters finally opened its doors. Unusually for a soft play, the fun isn’t limited to those under 12.
A group of ladies from the Super Seniors Sessions at Riversmeet were the first to try out the enormous new inflatable – and they had a blast as they rediscovered their youth. Parents are encouraged to play with their kids; soft play no longer means sitting on uncomfortable chairs drinking very bad coffee for hours while the kids have the fun: ‘Actually our coffee’s amazing – locally roasted, properly brewed. I insisted on it!’ said Alan.
The only rule currently is that no unaccompanied adults are allowed – you really must bring a child with you!
Open now
Space Inflaters is now open seven days a week, 9.30am to 6.30pm. Sessions are 90 minutes long (extendable during quiet periods), and can be booked via the website (walk ins are welcome, but numbers are limited so at busy times you may have to wait). Pricing starts at £5 per child off peak (£3.50 for under threes, who have their own play area), and £1 per adult.
The cafe serves freshly prepared pizzas, butcher’s burgers and sausages, jacket potatoes and sandwiches all using locally-sourced produce where possible.
Giving back
Alan had a final comment urging people to come ‘Space Inflaters provides a brilliant activity for the whole family, of course, but also by using it you are supporting a genuine local community charity – we purely work to meet the needs of the local area, and to ensure that excellent leisure facilities remain available to all.’
Mark Hix, the English restaurateur and chef, takes on the Random 19
Renowned chef and restaurateur Mark Hix permanently relocated to Dorset at the start of the pandemic, coming home after spending his adult life in London – though weekends were always for his Charmouth home. He had his first head chef position at the age of 22, and has worked at both The Ivy and Le Caprice (becoming Caprice’s Chef Director in 1999). In 2008 Mark opened his first restaurant, the Hix Oyster and Chop House near Smithfield market.
He was awarded an MBE in 2017, and, along with numerous TV appearances, he writes weekly recipe pages for the Daily Telegraph and has his own show on Lyme Bay Radio.
The Hix story
In 2020, during the first stages of the pandemic, the Hix Restaurants (by then operating across four sites in London – HIX Oyster and Chop House in Farringdon, HIX Soho & Mark’s Bar, Tramshed in Shoreditch, and Hixter Bankside, as well as two sites in Lyme Regis, HIX Oyster and Fish House and HIX Townhouse) went into administration. Mark publicly noted that “this was a Board decision, and I have to point out, done without my support.”
Mark retreated to his house in Dorset “to survive lockdown and tend to the garden”.
Two months later, Mark – a self-confessed eBay addict – started the search for a food truck.
“It’s moveable, I could serve what I wanted and the overheads would be minimal”. A black already-converted American Chevrolet ambulance popped up – and he won the bidding. “My silly low offer was accepted within 24 hours”.
He collected it in south London and the thinking time on the four-hour drive home was the start of a new beginning.
The Hix Truck
Arising from his love of fishing, Mark wanted to support the local fishermen while all the restaurants, shops and hotels were closed.
He applied for a licence to buy and sell fish, got a pitch at Felicity’s Farm Shop in Morcombelake and started selling marine reserve fish and shellfish.
“I called it Hix Oyster and Fish Truck, as close as I could to the fish restaurant I had lost. The first week trading on the truck I took my ex-head chef from the Fish House, telling him “There are no wages, we’ll just split the profits,”. At the end of the week we each went home with 140 quid in our pockets. It’s what I used to earn when I was 19, but it was better than nothing.”
In July 2020, Mark rescued his Oyster and Fish House from the administrators, and was hired as the director of food and drink and art curator for 1 Lombard Street’s reopening in London.
“Maybe I needed the opportunity to return to basics: smoking salmon in my back garden, supporting honest local fishermen and feeding takeaway sliders to the local community from my truck.”
In December 2020 Mark purchased The Fox Inn at Corscombe, but just 18 months later, in the very week I interviewed him, Mark announced the closure of the pub: “I don’t need to tell anyone how hard it has been for the industry since Covid hit, and the challenges simply continue with rising costs and a difficulty to recruit like I have never known in my whole career.
“And so, with a heavy heart, it is time to permanently close the doors of The Fox Inn.”
1. What’s your relationship with the Blackmore Vale (the North Dorset area, not us!)?
I’m a West Dorset boy, born and bred in West Bay. I pass through the north of the county all the time, obviously, but home is here in Charmouth
2. What was the last film you watched?
To be honest I’m not a big film person. Recently I’ve got into Breaking Bad (yes, I know, I’m so late I’m probably the last person to watch it!), and now I’m on to Better Call Saul. I like to watch some before I fall asleep (and usually have to rewind to pick up again the following day).
3. Favourite crisps flavour?
Cheese & onion! Though I do have a serious fondness for Frazzles. And Squares. The salt and vinegar ones that make your lips pucker up.
4. And the best biscuit for dunking?
A Hobnob! With or without chocolate, I’m easy. I found some mini ones recently, which are also really good.
5. What was the last song you sang out loud in your car?
I never sing in the car!
6. Your favourite quote? Movie, book or inspirational? We won’t judge, but would like to know why.
“Work hard, play hard”
I’m not sure who said it, but it’s how I live.
(a little online research shows the phrase seems to have originated in 1827 and can be attributed to Canadian educator William Newnham from his essay ‘The principles of physical, intellectual, moral, and religious education, Volume Two’.
Newnham wrote that: “Whatever is done, it should be habitually done with earnestness; in every pursuit, exertion should be employed; work hard and play hard.”)
7. It’s Friday night – you have the house to yourself, and no work is allowed. What are you going to do?
I’m not actually one for staying in. So if the weather’s good I’d be off out fishing. If I’m at home then I would probably catch up on some gardening – it’s all a bit neglected out there at the moment.
8. What is your comfort meal?
A bowl of pasta. I usually have venison from a friend once a month or so, and I make the trimmings into a ragu. I freeze it in portions, and then it defrosts in the time it takes the pasta to cook. Easy.
9. What are your top three most-visited, favourite websites (excluding social media and BBC News!)?
Ebay – for random stuff I don’t need.
Amazon – for random stuff I probably don’t need.
Facebook Marketplace – brilliant for even more random stuff … It’s a bit of a pattern, isn’t it?
10. What shop can you never pass by?
Poundland!
(in an interview filled with thoughtful pauses and considered responses, this was an unexpectedly swift, unhesitating and definitive answer! – Ed)
11. What would you like to tell 15-year-old you?
“Work hard, don’t flit, and do some work experience in what you choose”
Sticking to one thing would have made life easier. I was working from the age of 11 – not uncommon then but not something you see nowadays, really, and there’s no replacement for a decent work ethic being instilled.
12. What’s your secret superpower?
Fishing! I caught a sea bass this morning. It’s my way of relaxing, I love it.
13. Cats or dogs?
Neither. I have had cats, but to be honest I just don’t really… care that much? We don’t fit.
14. What’s your most annoying trait?
I’m super tidy. Potentially obsessively so. Everything has a place and it must be in it. The sink must be empty. But I don’t personally think that it’s annoying at all!
15. If you had to be shipwrecked on a desert island, but all your human needs – such as food and water – were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?
A fishing rod and my Cobb Grill. (not a super-expensive chef kit, the grill is currently just £99 at GoOutdoors! – Ed)
16. Chip shop chips or home-baked cake?
Home-baked cake – you can never rely on chip shop chips. Actually – and I know it’s a slight stretch of the question – my top choice would be my chilli cheese cornbread. Delicious, and also makes a brilliant gift. Can I cheat with that as my cake?
17. What was the last gift you gave someone?
I bought a piano for my daughter Isla. She’s a keen pianist, so I get a beautiful piece of furniture, and she has a piano whenever she comes to stay.
18. What would you like to be remembered for?
What I’ve achieved in hospitality – but also my failures. You learn so much from failing.
19. Your perfect breakfast?
Corned beef hash.
Or maybe brik (pronounced ‘breek’), a Tunisian dish of eggs in fried filo pastry.
I’m happy with either, served with a large pot of coffee, thanks!
The official Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show Magazine
Read the first ever official Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show magazine – created exclusively by the BV team!
What’s inside:
- What the judges are judging – ever wondered what makes a prize-winning egg? Or a champion rabbit? So did we, so we asked the judges.
- Matt Cradock, local sheep farmer and chairman of the G&S Show’s sheep section, discusses the sheep of things to come as the brand new Wool Village spins into action for 2022.
- G&S Show organiser James Cox takes on the Random 19 questions, revealing a love of dunking Rich Tea biscuits, listening to country music … and quite the coffee habit.
- Giles Simpson is our Dorset island castaway. Farmer, agronomist, chairman of the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, and a big fan of Magnums; Giles shares the soundtrack of his life.
- Plus… an insider’s look at showing cattle, driving a steam engine and organising the equestrian events at the show. All along with a handy show timetable, the map of the showground, and a peek into the diary of a local farmer.
What’s in a name? A rose, rosé etc.
This month, Sadie Wilkins of Vineyards in Sherborne is keen to debunk the myth that all great rosé is born in Provence
Shakespeare’s Juliet once claimed, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,”. But can we ever truly shake off longstanding reputations made through the power of language?
When it comes to wine, the importance of language use has always interested me – partly because in another life I taught English for 12 years, but also because it’s pure linguistic joy. Not only does your sensory language get a workout while describing the sensation on your palate, but then there’s the job of conveying this experience to another – and, of course, it’s all very subjective, isn’t it? Not to mention dealing with the wine classification systems and words associated with different countries and regions. So, it’s fair to say there’s a reason all English teachers turn to wine!
Anyhow, I digress …
Judging a wine by its label
Making a judgement based on a name is commonplace in the world of wine. Let’s take an obvious example like Champagne; one mere mention and an ice-bucketload of connotations pour out regarding its quality, provenance and price. We expect prestige, heritage and a certain level of complexity in the glass. As Champagne has what we call an AOC (Apellation d’Origine Controlée) – essentially a set of regulations by which you must abide – both the name and wine style are protected and cannot be used for ‘any old sparkling.’
Same goes for any of the Burgundy houses in France – or in fact any appellation across the globe. So why does that matter? Surely that’s a positive? Well, it is to an extent, particularly in terms of managing expectations of what lies within the bottle. However, it really is a double-edged sword and there’s one label that made me particularly want to write this piece – Provence.
Veneto not Provence
The flipside of reputations attached to certain labels is that they becomes a sticking point for some folk. We have to fight the cause of some rosés vigorously, just because they don’t come from Provence. Don’t get me wrong, I love a nice glass of Provence and we have some delicious bottles on our shelves. But there really are many wines standing in the shadows of the name. We enjoy showcasing amazing rosés from the Bekaa Valley or the Veneto – some are quite similar style, but we give customers the choice of playing safe in the realms of Provence or giving it a twist. You never know, you might just find a new addition to the wine rack or fridge for the summer from an unexpected source.
Drinking Pink
Thursday 11th August, 7pm to 8:30pm
An evening of wine tasting dedicated to the pink stuff – Hannah and Sadie will be romancing you with rosé, busting myths, showcasing different grapes, countries and winemaking techniques and raising an indie glass to a style of wine which is still living life under a heavy Provençal stereotype.
Join us – it’s the perfect time of year for a rosé tasting and the six wines we have lined up are simply glorious! As always, no prior knowledge is needed – simply come along, drink great wine and leave knowing something new.
£15 – Book Here
Dorset gains extra time for Local Plan
Dorset CPRE and Dorset Deserves Better Alliance ask for more consultation as council delays Local Plan, says Rupert Hardy, chair of North Dorset CPRE
extra time to prepare its new Local Plan; the government has agreed the Council’s request to extend the deadline to 2026. Dorset CPRE and Dorset Deserves Better now call on the Council to use this time to consult and work openly with communities on a Local Plan that responds to Dorset people’s concerns, priorities and needs.
DC’s statement to Cabinet on 26 July indicates that they will take more time to consider the new Local Plan for Dorset, as it will set the pattern of housing and other development for the next 15 years. Dorset CPRE and Dorset Deserves Better welcome the delay and the Council’s aim to secure protection for Dorset from speculative development in the meantime. The removal of the ‘duty to cooperate’ with neighbouring authorities also means it does not now need to make up for a shortfall of homes from the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area.
A loud mandate
The Council’s statement summarises the key messages it received from the unprecedented 9,000 responses to consultation on the first draft Local Plan. Local people said loud and clear they want a Local Plan which delivers:
- the right development in the right places, and of the right quality.
- Lower housing numbers based on recent data, not the out-dated assumptions currently being used.
- More truly affordable homes, social homes and affordable rental properties for Dorset’s working families and young people.
- Protection for Dorset’s unique natural environment and Greenbelt.
- Action on the Climate and Ecological Emergencies.
- Necessary infrastructure including public transport, health and education services, and utilities.
Dorset CPRE shares these concerns and priorities. The list sets a mandate for Dorset Council to develop a genuinely local approach to the Local Plan for Dorset, including the key issues of housing numbers, locations and affordability.
Genuine sustainable needs
We look forward to DC discussing with our communities what housing numbers and locations they now have in mind. The Council’s reference to ‘more focus on new or significantly expanded settlements to help deliver the longer-term growth needs of Dorset’ will ring alarm bells for somes, particularly given concern regarding the 3,750 homes proposal for north Dorchester.
DC referred earlier this year to 22,000 houses as opposed to the earlier DC target of up to 39,000. This independent lower estimate of Dorset’s genuine and sustainable needs was supported by Dorset CPRE, Dorset Deserves Better and many others. Since then, population projections have fallen further.
DC now say that Dorset can be a pilot for a new national approach to Local Plans, including ‘national development management policies’ and ‘streamlined processes’. It will be vital that national systems do not contradict local communities’ needs and priorities.
Peter Bowyer, Chair of the Trustees of Dorset CPRE, says ‘We call on the Council to listen to our communities and stand up for the priorities and concerns that local people clearly expressed in consultation on the first draft Local Plan. We look forward to joining in a positive and constructive discussion with the council about the Local Plan that Dorset wants and needs’.
Giles Watts of the Dorset Deserves Better Campaign says ‘We welcome Dorset Council’s announcement which supports many of the issues we have been asking for. We applaud the council’s decision to listen to the concerns of local people and change direction in a way which we believe will be very positive for the future of Dorset.
Nevertheless, we still have some concerns over the lack of emphasis on brownfield developments first and the impact of new greenfield developments.
We believe that rewriting the Local Plan is a huge opportunity for the Council to progress a radically different and exciting vision of the future based on renewable energy, green jobs, care for the natural environment and, ultimately, supporting the needs of Dorset people.’.
Women fighting, and chef Mark Hix and his Poundland habit | It’s the BV Podcast
If you’ve not had a chance to flick through the August issue yet, then why not click play below whilst you’re getting on, and enjoy a 30 minutes catch up?
Lead story this week is the visit to Dorset of the two Tory leadership contenders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak – Fanny Charles was on the spot to ask their thoughts on pertinent rural issues such as farming and housing.
In the month we saw the Lionesses lift the European trophy, Rachael Rowe has spoken to three North Dorset women who have become national champions in their traditionally-male sports.
Mark Hix, chef and restaurateur, braves the random 19 questions and reveals a love of a good bargain (eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Poundland are his top shopping choices!).
Meet your local: Cerne Abbas Stores
This month Rachael Rowe met Jen Daly and Ken Peet, London expats who are the proud owners of the thriving Cerne Abbas Stores
‘We arrived with the Beast from the East in 2018, and on day one, we had no milk or newspapers.’
For Jen Daly and Ken Peet, arrival in Cerne Abbas was a challenge. But what inspired them to come to one of Dorset’s most beautiful villages?
Jen said: “We were both working in London and looking for a change. We looked at various businesses, not just village shops – and this one kept coming up. We loved the village and fell in love with the shop. When we arrived in all the snow, people kept telling us ‘Dorset doesn’t get snow’!
‘Cerne Abbas is such a great village. People really support local businesses. There aren’t many villages with three pubs, shops and a GP practice.
‘We have concentrated on getting as much fresh local produce as possible in the shop. So we have fresh fish and fresh meat, and most are locally sourced. We have also adapted to the village. The pandemic was awful, but we still do home deliveries to people who cannot get to the shop.’
The shop is also a tourist information hub and has a Post Office. There’s an excellent range of maps for walkers and no end of tempting treats for a picnic. And many products have the famous Cerne Abbas Giant logo, reflecting the local attraction and appealing to visitors.
‘We arrived with the Beast from the East in 2018, and on day one, we had no milk or newspapers.’
For Jen Daly and Ken Peet, arrival in Cerne Abbas was a challenge. But what inspired them to come to one of Dorset’s most beautiful villages?
Jen said: “We were both working in London and looking for a change. We looked at various businesses, not just village shops – and this one kept coming up. We loved the village and fell in love with the shop. When we arrived in all the snow, people kept telling us ‘Dorset doesn’t get snow’!
‘Cerne Abbas is such a great village. People really support local businesses. There aren’t many villages with three pubs, shops and a GP practice.
‘We have concentrated on getting as much fresh local produce as possible in the shop. So we have fresh fish and fresh meat, and most are locally sourced. We have also adapted to the village. The pandemic was awful, but we still do home deliveries to people who cannot get to the shop.’
The shop is also a tourist information hub and has a Post Office. There’s an excellent range of maps for walkers and no end of tempting treats for a picnic. And many products have the famous Cerne Abbas Giant logo, reflecting the local attraction and appealing to visitors.
All images: Rachael Rowe
Meet the team
‘It’s Ken and me! My Mum retired about ten years ago and helps behind the counter, and we also have three girls who work in the shop.’
What’s flying off the shelves?
‘We have lovely smoked salmon from Severn and Wye. Cerne Abbas beer is really popular – the brewery is a mile up the road. And our cheeses. We have a large local and continental selection. We also have a huge baked range, including sausage rolls and Cornish pasties.’
Who are your local suppliers?
‘Well, we have more than 70 suppliers in this shop. We have Dorset Brie and Dorset Blue Vinny. There aren’t that many places where you can make up a complete cheeseboard (blue, hard, smoked, soft, goats, sheep) sourcing within a 20-mile radius. We also have Viper Gin made in the village and Conker is another Dorset brand. There are also jams and chutneys From Dorset With Love. Our milk comes from a mile up the road and is distributed in reusable bottles from the vending machine.’
Your biggest challenge?
‘Once we had learned how to actually run a shop – the pandemic! We were early to shut the doors here, and set up a table in the doorway. It was exhausting. Everyone’s shopping changed, people did not buy routinely, making ordering harder. We tried not to have too much stock, and luckily, being independent, we were not reliant on one place. Also, we never ran out of loo roll!
My sister-in-law was here helping out and she clocked up five miles a day, walking from the stall to the back of the shop to get bread and milk for people!’
What are you most proud of?
‘I think I’m most proud of how we’ve become part of the community. My mum is very popular and knows everyone! She’s always chatting with people.’
What’s next for the Stores?
‘We’d like to keep expanding our local food ranges and the high-end quality products at a fair price. We’re also planning to develop our online hamper service.’
Cerne Abbas Stores
9 Long Street, DT2 7JF
www.facebook.com/CerneAbbasStores/
Monday to Saturday
8am to 6pm
Sundays 8am to 1pm
Sophie’s sausages are the sizzle
‘Don’t sell the sausage. Sell the sizzle.’ Sophie Baker is managing to do both brilliantly with her award-winning sausage business, reports Tracie Beardsley
All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
Sophie Baker is a regular face at farmers’ markets and rural shows across the region.
And she stands out.
Not only because her home-made, award-winning sausages are delicious, but also because, at just 26, she’s one of the youngest local producers on the scene – and one of very few females in the meat industry.
The Advertising Standards Authority would agree ‘Farm Girl Sausages’ lives up to its name. Sophie is most certainly a girl and she runs her business from a smallholding in Holt, near Wimborne. On 15 acres, Sophie raises 150 chickens from day-old chicks to slaughter. Her lamb is from Quarry Farm in Shaftesbury and pork is sourced in her own village. She’s just started selling whole roasted chickens and has a brilliant line in tasty burgers and BBQ food.
All her products are gluten-free and contain only natural ingredients. She also offers delicious plant-based and vegan options and the recipes are all her own. Herbs for her gorgeous sage and pepper sausages are grown in her own polytunnel, as are the tomatoes and basil for other great flavours. Apples for pork sausages are picked in her garden and she’s just started keeping bees for her new honey-flavoured products.
Entrepreneurial genes
Leaving school at 16, Sophie (a keen horsewoman) worked at breaking-in horses and at a local meat factory. She explains: ‘I had lots of ideas on how products could move forward from traditional to more trendy. I knew there was a growing market for gluten-free and rusk-free products, that people also wanted different flavour combinations and vegan options. When the factory closed, I thought why not start up my own sausage-making business?’
It’s no surprise that Sophie has entrepreneurial drive and vision. Her whole family are self-employed in businesses as diverse as selling boats, running a caravan park and maintaining farm machinery. Sophie says: ‘I’ve always admired people like my mum, dad and brother who run their own small businesses. It’s been part of my growing up and I’ve seen first-hand how much hard work it is.’
Her boyfriend, also self-employed, supports Sophie fully in the long hours she’s working. Summer is a key time, with food festivals and country shows every weekend, as well as her regular weekly stalls at Shaftesbury and Salisbury Farmers’ Markets. It’s a seven-day working week.
“I make around 300 sausages for a market. For festivals, it’s more like a thousand. I’m up at dawn tending chickens, then making sausages and products from mid-morning onwards. Radio is my soulmate at the moment.’’
Chemical free
Clearly passionate about her food provenance and her environmental footprint, Sophie is working towards the coveted organic certification from the Soil Association. ‘I’ve got through the mountain of paperwork,’ she explains, ‘and I’m now in what’s called a conversion period with the land. I’m so excited. I know a lot of customers want organic products. My customers are my free market research. I offer samples on my stall and get immediate feedback.’
She adds: ‘I’m inspired by the producers I meet at farmers’ markets – I have free business mentoring every week! Kensons Farm in Wiltshire has been organic since 2001 and I really admire their ethos. They encouraged me to get onto social media to promote my products and this has really helped grow my business.’
Sophie now produces videos and recipes for social media and customers can order products online and pick up directly from the farm.
‘I love showing customers the chickens and my set-up here so they can see exactly where their food is coming from.’
Sausage-making workshops at her farm may be on the cards in the future. That’s really selling the sizzle!
Shop for Sophie’s produce online at FarmGirlSausages.com
You can see Sophie – and sample her wares – at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show on 17 August.
Look out for her bright yellow tent!
Quick Fire Questions with Sophie:
A-list dinner party guest?
Emily Pankhurst – what an incredibly brave woman!
Books on your bedside?
Cookery books – they help me with new seasonings and ideas. My favourite chef is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. His recipes are simple, fresh and with lots of ingredients from the garden.
Favourite sausage?
In this hot weather, it has to be sweet chilli and lime – I like the combination of sharp and zesty flavours. Chicken and Marmite is another favourite – marmite works so well in sausages.
