The tiny Clouds Hill Cottage near Bovington is in the care of the National Trust and preserved as a memorial to T.E. Lawrence. It has been essentially ‘frozen in time’ in the mid-1930s. Just like the BBC series A House Through Time, in this talk for the Dorset Archives Trust Martin Gething – a volunteer guide at Clouds Hill Cottage – will build up a picture of the families who all called Clouds Hill home over a period of more than a century. The story of the cottage draws extensively on the archives at the Dorset History Centre, in particular the Estate Papers of the Framptons of Moreton together with other historical sources. Come 14th December at 6.45pm for a 7pm start and enjoy some nibbles and a glass of wine or a soft drink, tickets £12.
Q: ‘I like shopping online and I’m always on the lookout for a bargain, especially with Christmas coming up, but I’m worried about scammers. How can I avoid getting caught out? ’
A: While scams can be tricky to recognise, there are steps you can take to stop yourself falling foul to an unscrupulous scammer. Remember, if it seems too good to be true then it probably is. If you’re buying from a site you haven’t used before, do some research before hitting buy: firstly find the company’s return and refund policies so you know your rights if something goes wrong. You should also look up the company’s address (normally found in the website’s ‘contact us’ section) which should include a street name, not just a PO box. Also take some time to see what other people have said about the company. Look at different review websites – don’t just rely on reviews the company has put on its own website. Scammers will often ask you to pay in unusual ways, or put you under pressure to buy, so do be wary of people contacting you out of the blue offering an item for a quick sale or with a special deal. If you do fall victim to a scam, don’t feel ashamed. Scammers are clever and they regularly adapt their methods, making them harder to spot. And do report it, as this alerts authorities to scammers’ techniques and prevents others from being taken advantage of. You can report a scam to Citizens Advice or to Action Fraud. If you’ve transferred money in the last 24 hours, contact the police via the non-emergency number 101 – but if you feel unsafe use 999. You should also contact your bank to let them know you’ve transferred money.
Sturminster Newton Freemasons (Blackmore Vale Lodge No. 3625) have raised £1,372 for local charity Ducks and Drakes Cancer Trust. The Master donated funds raised at his 2022 Christmas function to the charity, which he believes is such a worthy cause. The Provincial Charity Steward was made aware of the charity and asked for a donation from the Dorset Masonic Care who donated a further £1,000. The Masonic Care Foundation then used their matched funding scheme to add a further £1,000, making a grand total of £3,372 for the charity. Ducks and Drakes Cancer Trust is based in Dorset, and was founded by Andrew Drake and his family following Andrew’s bowel cancer diagnosis at the age of 24. The Trust works to create awareness of bowel cancer in young people aged 18 to 30 in Dorset and across the UK. It supports bowel cancer patients and their families through the provision of specialist equipment and financial aid, and fund specialist nurses in Dorset County Hospital, specifically in the Colorectal Department. They also provide financial support for equipment and the new cancer unit at the hospital.
Working for World Wide Sires is so much more than just a job – we provide industry leading genetics and services to ensure continued success for our customers. We supply profitable genetics and superior customer service, with a strong commitment to supporting our farmers in genetic success.
The quality of World Wide Sires’ product is complimented by world-class service, with a team of professionals that is dedicated to improving breeding programs with a range of services, including Cow Manager, the World-Wide Mating Service (WMS) and a state-of-the-art Global Training Centre.
At the heart of all that WWS has to offer the UK, there is a hard-working team of people that are driven and dedicated to their work. We are dedicated to offering a high-quality product with proven results.
FARMER OWNED. FARMER FOCUSED. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
Most of us stock up a little too much at Christmas – and if there’s one thing I hate it’s waste. So keep these recipes handy, and in those hazy post-Christmas days when the fridge is still groaning and you need to use up the odds and ends but can’t be bothered to actually cook, I’ll suddenly be your new best friend. Heather x
PS – you can see all of my previous BV Christmas baking and side dish recipes here, including my foolproof Christmas Cake recipe (which reliably gives that delicious deep Christmassy flavour whether you make it two months or just two days before Christmas). There are also make-ahead Christmas Day side dishes, my homemade mincemeat, the easiest sausage rolls to impress and the super-Christmassy star-topped jammy biscuits.
This is a perfect Boxing Day treat. The sandwich takes some of the key components of the Christmas dinner and adds a little bit of extra Christmas decadence – brie! I’ve given rough guidelines on the amount of ingredients here, but be led by what you have left over, what flavours you love most … and just measure with your heart!
Ingredients
Thick cut granary bread
2tbsp butter
Slices of turkey
2tbsp cranberry sauce
Stuffing
Slow cooked red cabbage*
Brie
Heather Brown is a special officer for the Guild of Food Writers, and has worked in the food industry for 20 years. She is a food writer and photographer, offering one-to-one help to local businesses for content and websites.
Method
I have used a toasted sandwich maker/press but you can also make this sandwich in a frying pan.
Butter your bread evenly on both sides of the bread.
Layer the sandwich: turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, brie, red cabbage and then the bread. Trust me on the order – this combination ensures that the ingredients will not move around between layers
Place in the sandwich press, or on a hot dry frying pan. Cook until the outside is lovely and crispy and the brie has melted in the middle. If using a pan, cook on one side until the bottom has started to become crispy and then gently turn over. Press down with a spatula to make sure the heat reaches the centre.
Use a long, sharp knife to cut in half.
Play with your fillings according to what you have – I also enjoy a simpler version with just turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing. This sandwich always works really well with some coleslaw on the side!
This is a wonderfully quick and easy way to use up some of the inevitable left-over turkey. For an easy life I use ready made and rolled puff pastry – also, although I have used ham stock, you can use chicken or vegetable stock too. The biggest issue with this delicious pie is whether there will actually be any pigs in blankets left over after Christmas Day!
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 tbs butter
1 large leek, sliced thinly
350g left-over turkey
12 pigs in blankets
3 level tbs plain flour
Black pepper
500ml stock
Packet of ready-rolled puff pastry
Egg for egg washing
Method
Preheat the oven to gas 5/180º fan.
In a large frying pan, melt the butter with a little oil (to stop the butter from burning). Add the leek to the melted butter and cook on a medium heat until the leeks begin to soften.
Add in the turkey by roughly breaking/shredding it into the pan.
Cut the pigs in blankets into pieces and add them to the mixture too. Make sure the meats are heated through thoroughly.
Sprinkle the flour over the pan and season with black pepper. Then give the mixture a really good stir so that the flour coats the mixture really well and begins to cook.
Pour in the stock and gently stir until it has all mixed together thoroughly. Bring this all back to a boil, and keep gently stirring as the mixture thickens. If you have some odd left-over pot ends of cream you can also add some at this point if you wish.
Once the mixture has thickened, take the pan off the heat and pour the mixture into an ovenproof pie dish.
Take the pastry out of the packet and lay it over the top of the pie dish. Brush the pastry with some of the beaten egg, and stab some small holes to give the steam somewhere to go.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
Of all the festive meat left-overs, the one I always end up with is ham. This recipe makes the ham the star of the dish and if you’ve chosen a honey roast ham or one cooked in cola, then that sweetness will work really nicely here. Risottos are a little demanding to cook because they need constant stirring for 20 minutes, but the creamy savoury deliciousness makes a lovely cosy left-overs supper.
Ingredients (serves 4)
75-100g of arborio/risotto rice per person.
250g of ham (or however much you have left!)
3 tbs butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large glass of white wine
Black pepper
1litre hot stock (I used ham stock, but vegetable is fine)
100g parmesan cheese
A couple of rashers of streaky bacon or some bacon lardons.
Method
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
Add the onion and soften gently. Add the ham pieces and mix, then add the rice and stir thoroughly, letting the rice soak up any butter.
Pour in the white wine and season with black pepper, mixing well. It should sizzle loudly in the pan as the white wine soaks into the rice.
Once the white wine has been absorbed, begin adding the stock, a ladle or cup at a time. Each time you add stock, give the mixture a really vigorous stir, and then keep stirring gently as it cooks, so that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom. Keep on adding stock until the rice is cooked (it takes about 20 minutes). If you run out of stock, use boiling water.
To test if the rice is cooked, taste some and see if the texture is soft all the way through.
Once the rice is cooked, grate in the parmesan and stir until the mixture becomes creamy.
Remove from the heat, dot an extra teaspoon of butter on the top and leave to stand for 10 minutes. While you wait, cook the streaky bacon or lardons in a small frying pan until they are crispy, breaking any bacon rashers into pieces.
After 10 minutes, give the risotto a really good stir. You will notice that anything stuck to the bottom of the pan will have loosened and the mixture will come together nicely, ready to serve. Sprinkle the bacon pieces over the bowls to finish.
A Dorset-based charity has initiated an inventive Christmas campaign, aiming to gather £10,000 this season to aid bereaved children throughout Dorset. The local law firm, Blanchards Bailey, is collaborating with the charity Mosaic – which assists bereaved children – in this pioneering partnership. They have worked alongside Fathom, a local branding agency, to create a festive campaign video. This production features children, festive jumpers, and a magnificently orchestrated light display captured by a drone.
Ben Jones, a partner at Blanchards Bailey, commented, “We’ve produced this festive film to highlight the remarkable efforts of Mosaic, to promote awareness of their services, and to encourage contributions to Mosaic’s Christmas appeal. Instead of sending Christmas cards and gifts to our clients and contacts this year, we’re opting to make a special donation to the Mosaic Christmas Appeal.”
Mosaic’s seasonal fundraising activities are crucial for providing a year-round therapy programme for children and young adults dealing with bereavement or the impending loss of a loved one. Mosaic also conducts fundraising events to further support their services.
Jo Revill, the CEO of Mosaic, stated, “This Christmas, we urge you to click, donate, support, and share to make a positive impact on a bereaved child’s life. Any contribution you make, whether it’s the equivalent of your Christmas card expenses, one less box of chocolates, the cost of a hot chocolate, or anything else you can spare, will be immensely helpful.”
Mosaic has a long history of supporting bereaved families and also offers opportunities for children and young people to engage in new activities, such as rock climbing and sailing, while forming connections with others in similar circumstances.
Last year, the charity assisted over 400 children and young people who had experienced bereavement. Mosaic also provides bereavement training in schools across Dorset and organises various other activities to support their mission.
To donate to the Mosaic Christmas Campaign please visit:
Lights, camera, action: Gillingham students unleash their creative potential and debut their new-found skills at a community showcase
Over the last eight weeks Gillingham School students have been taking part in a Media Makers Club through the Gillingham Youth Collective. Young people have worked hard in an after school club, developing media skills ranging from multi-camera shoots through to interviewing and live vision mixing. It culminated in the Big Show, where they showcasing their achievements at a real community event. Parents enjoyed the show alongside Gillingham mayor Barry Von Clements, Dorset councillors Byron Quayle and Val Pothecary, Jules Bond from Gillingham Community Church and Karen Johnson who was representing the Social Prescribing Team and Gillingham Youth Club. The young people have been able to benefit from working alongside Rendezvous’ resident film-maker Marianne King, project leader Lou Donovan and tech specialist Julian Bishop. They have had access to professional equipment and undertaken a range of projects, including green screening, mobile journalism, graphics and post-production techniques. They were supported by the head of Media Studies at Gillingham School, Dan Jones and former Top Gear presenter Nicky Fox. Mel Marshall, assistant head teacher at Gillingham School, said, ‘the collaboration with the Gillingham Youth Collective has been an amazing opportunity. It has allowed our students to access professional training in media making, building both their skills and confidence.’ All the students involved have really enjoyed the experience, which is now in its second year. One said ‘I liked being able to use and do things that we wouldn’t normally, like vision mixing and using lots of proper equipment.’ Another enjoyed the team building element, saying they enjoyed ‘hanging around and working with the other members of the project, and getting to be myself.’ Parents have seen their children’s confidence grow throughout the project, with one saying ‘Media Makers has really inspired my son. So much so that he has applied for a TV Film Level 3 course at Wiltshire College.’
The whole project The Gillingham Youth Collective is a young people’s partnership project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. Led by Rendezvous and working with Gillingham Youth Club they believe that by working collaboratively they can achieve more for young people (11-19 year-olds) in the North Dorset area. Rendezvous said ‘We are very proud of the commitment and enthusiasm the Media Makers have brought to the project, and we’re grateful for the support of all the team at Gillingham School. We know that both hard and soft skills are to be gained through the teamwork involved in film production, but it’s always great to see young people grow and gain confidence while having fun. We’re looking forward to running the next group but in the meantime we’re thrilled that some of our filmmakers will be going off into the community to produce a promotional film for a youth group running in Gillingham.’ The Gillingham Youth Collective project involves a Media Makers film project run by the Rendezvous a Young Leadership programme run by Gillingham Youth Club and a range of activities run collaboratively and decided upon by young people themselves. The project will run until 2026 and will involve activities and events for 11 to 19 year-olds.
From great bustard tours to dry stone walling – Rachael Rowe presents The BV’s guide to local gifts for the person who has everything.
We all have that one person for whom gift buying is increasingly tricky. Maybe they’re hard to please – or perhaps they’re just someone who really doesn’t need or want anything. Christmas gift buying can be challenging. There’s also a growing trend to not buy more things, but instead to enjoy experiences – you might give the promise of something to look forward to in 2024. Although there are well-known national gift voucher schemes, The BV team prefers to support our local businesses, and we’ve found several ways to give family or friends an experience to remember, and one that also highlights the best of the Blackmore Vale and the surrounding area.
Meet a great bustard on Salisbury Plain
Meet the bustards
Great Bustards were a common feature on Salisbury Plain and the wider English countryside – that is, until the Victorians shot them to near extinction. Thanks to the endeavours and diligence of the Great Bustard Group, there are now around 100 of these huge, magnificent birds in Wiltshire. They are thought to be the heaviest flying birds on earth. The conservation group offers tours where visitors can learn about great bustards and view the birds from hides on Salisbury Plain. You’ll also help fund their valuable conservation work. A two-hour tour is £25 • greatbustard.org
Garden visits galore
The Newt, between Castle Cary and Wincanton in Somerset, is based at the former Hadspen House estate. Here the South African entrepreneur Koos Bekker has created new gardens, a deer park, restaurants, shops and food and drink businesses.
Enjoy endless access to The Newt’s gardens
There is an annual membership at The Newt which not only gives unlimited access to the Somerset attraction, but also some of the country’s most famous gardens including The Eden Project, Kew, Great Dixter, Wakehurst, Blenheim, Chatsworth, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and even Bekker’s South African estate, Babylonstoren. £85 per person • thenewtinsomerset.com
Tour and taste local wine
Dorset is full of award-winning vineyards with wonderful wines. Visiting a vineyard and learning about how the wine is produced is a great way to discover more about the local food industry.
Try the guided tour at Langham Wine – their English sparkling wine has beaten top Champagne brands in international competitions (see our review of the Langham Wine vineyard picnic experience here). The two-hour experience costing £25 per person and includes a tutored tasting of three of their wines. • langhamwine.co.uk
If you’re looking for a baking masterclass there’s nothing quite like the original bakehouse at Oxford’s Bakery in Alweston, with its century-old ovens still in daily use. Participants are taught baking skills by the one and only Steve Oxford, and will learn to create a range of fabulous baked goods, from lardy cakes to bread rolls (a huge amount of goodies are produced in the lesson to take home and devour as well!). Choose from sourdough, traditional baking or lamination. £99 per person. • oxfordsbakery.co.uk
Drive a steam train
For any railway enthusiast who ever dreamed of being a train driver, Swanage Railway has a range of exciting experiences that make excellent gifts. There’s the chance to drive a steam train (under supervision, thankfully …) along an 11-mile stretch of railway, learning how the engine works. And for those who just want a day out there are fish and chip journeys or a simple steam ride through the Purbeck countryside. Gift vouchers are available from the Swanage Railway website. Steam train driving experiences are £295 – and they sell out very fast. • swanagerailway.co.uk
The Real Cure offers charcuterie workshops
Create your own Dorset charcuterie
Buffets and cold meats are popular all year round, but The Real Cure offers charcuterie workshops where participants get to make their very own chorizo or homemade bacon. Participants will learn about cold smoking, different types of curing, preparing a gammon and making chorizo on a one-day course. It’s an excellent way of preparing for Christmas 2024 while learning something new. £180 per person therealcure.co.uk
Walk with alpacas
Walk with alpacas
Animal lovers will adore a walk in North Dorset with an alpaca. The 90-minute experience with Alpaca Adventure includes meeting the delightful creatures and learning how to handle an alpaca, followed by a leisurely walk around the fields near Shaftesbury. Gift vouchers start from £20 for an adult walking experience. • alpacaadventure.co.uk
Learn the art of dry stone walling
If you know someone who loves a DIY project or who has a bit of garden landscaping to do, a weekend dry stone walling course makes an unusual but practical gift. Dorset Dry Stone Walling Association is running beginner courses in 2024, where participants learn all the basics. It’s a wonderful way for someone to be able to say, ‘I did that’. £120 for a weekend course. • dorsetdswa.org.uk
A Dorset cream tea
What could be nicer than a full Dorset cream tea landing on your doorstep? The Dorset Hand-Made Food Company sends beautifully packaged cream teas, including festive variations, all over the country, and you can select a delivery date 30 days in advance. Prices start from £33 for a cream tea for two people. • thedorsethandmadefoodcompany.co.uk
Last week, the inaugural Gillingham Business Awards captivated considerable attention, attracting a substantial number of entries and nominations from a diverse array of local enterprises. A multitude of business figures congregated with the Mayor, Cllr Barry von Clemens, at The Old Brewery Cafe and Kitchen in Gillingham Dorset for the award ceremony held last Thursday, to join in the celebration.
Nigel Reeve of Marketing West Events, the event organiser, commented, “The Gillingham awards are a continuation of the local business awards we currently host across Dorset, from Dorchester in the west to Bournemouth in the east. These awards are fundamentally about endorsing and honouring the businesses that form the cornerstone of our local economies and significantly contribute to job creation and entrepreneurial spirit within the business community.”
The jubilant winners included Abbey Starr from Farnfields, who was acclaimed as the Rising Star of the Year, an accolade sponsored by the prominent local firm, the Dextra Group. Taylor & Co Lettings clinched the Independent Business of the Year, supported by Hub Accountants. The Customer Service award went to Station Road Garage 1912 Ltd with sponsorship from ActionCOACH. Other victors comprised Dorset Tech, Natura Care Solutions, Franks Maintenance Group, Tops Day Nursery, the BV Magazine, and The Old Brewery Café & Kitchen.
A relatively new establishment in Gillingham, Brides of Dorset experienced an extraordinarily special day themselves. Emerging triumphantly, with three awards, including New Business of the Year and Overall Business of the Year 2023.
All the winners of the Gillingham Business awards Abbey Starr from Farnfields Rising sxtar of the Year 2023Small Business of the Year Dorset TechNew Business of the year Brides of DorsetIndependent business of the year Taylor & CoIndependent business of the year runner up – Brides of DorsetWinner of the Green Eco Awards – Tops Day NurseryExcellence in Customer Service – Station Road GarageFamily Business of the year – Franks Maintenance GroupPub and Casual Dining Award – The Old Brewery Cafe and KitchenBest Place to work – Natura Care SolutionsOutstanding Digital innovation Award – The BV MagazineOverall Business of the Year – Brides of Dorset
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT 
