Sherborne Times March 2016

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk

MARCH 2016 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

exclusive reader offer

Oxley Sports Centre

SON OF A BAKER'S SON

with Steve Oxfordplus

Artisan Easter Eggs with Elly Vvaller The March Hare with Sally Welbourn and Richard Bramble

Seasonal Recipes with Lisa Osman, Sasha Matkevich and Brett Sutton

Spring Pruning with Mike BurksSherry with David Copp

Daylight lingers a little longer and the birds sing that little bit louder. Our woodlands and gardens offer a conciliatory hint of colour, Spring’s advance guard of whites and yellows

negotiating terms, with their old foe Winter.And so to March…We welcome artist and conservationist Richard

Bramble, acclaimed wine writer David Copp and many new, interesting voices. We are also pleased to welcome back old friends Mike Burks of the Gardens Group and Brett Sutton, Head Chef and owner of The White Post. We hear from Kate Reynolds, Head of Leweston School, about how Mindfulness - the practice of presence, awareness and acceptance - is being researched, reinterpreted and repackaged for the education system. Does this ancient, humble skill have a place in the modern classroom? Our main feature this month takes us to Alweston, where we meet 4th generation baker Steve Oxford and hear his wonderful story of a family baking bread for over 105 years.

Glen Cheyne, [email protected]

@sherbornetimes

WELCOME

CONTRIBUTORS

Alan & Sue DodgeBailey Ridge

@YourBaileyRidgebaileyridge.co.uk

Alison NurtonButterfly Bright

@AliNurtsbutterflybright.com

Amber Whitmarsh BSc(Hons) BVSc MRCVS

The Kingston Veterinary Group@TheKingstonVets kingstonvets.co.uk

Andrew FortFort Financial Planning

ffp.org.uk

Anita Light and Paul GammageEweMove Sherborne

@ewemoveyeovilewemove.com

Brett SuttonThe White Post@TheWhitePost

thewhitepost.com

Canon Eric WoodsSherborne Abbey@SherborneAbbey

Charlie & NIkki AllhusenSabins Deli & Olive’s Kitchen

@OlivesKitch olives-kitchen.co.uk

David Copp

Elly VvallerDear to Me, Fine Stationery

@DearToMeStudiodeartome.co.uk

Fiona ReaySherborne Prep School

@Sherborneprepsherborneprep.org

George Haywood

Giles Dick ReadReads Coffee Roasters

@reads_coffeereadscoffee.co.uk

Gillian M ConstableDWT Sherborne Group

@DorsetWildlifedorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Amanada Hunt56 London Road Clinic

@56londonroad 56londonroad.co.uk

Jill Cook Counsellor @JillCookPCT jillcook.co.uk

Jimmy FlynnMilborne Port Computers

@MPortComputerscomputing-mp.co.uk

Justin JohnsonWaitrose Sherborne

@waitrosewaitrose.com

Kate ReynoldsLeweston School@LewestonSchool leweston.co.uk

Julian Halsby MA (Cantab) FRSAjulianhalsby.com

Lisa OsmanAll Hallows Farmhouse School

for Cooks & Makers@cooksandmakers

allhallowsfarmhouse.co.uk

Mark Newton Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS

Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership@swanhousevet

newtonclarkepartnership.co.uk

Marco Cavallaro MRSS DipBSSThe Sherborne Rooms

@thebarbersherbsmarcocavallaro.co.uk

Mike BurksThe Gardens Group@TheGardensGroup

thegardeneronline.co.uk

Mike Riley and Peter HenshawRiley’s Cycles@rileyscycles

rileyscycles.co.uk@DCNSherborne

dcn.org.uk

Natasha WilliamsOxley Sports Centre

@OxleySports oxleysc.com

Richard Bramble@richardbramble

richardbramble.com

Richard Bromell ASFAVCharterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers

@CharterhouseAVcharterhouse-auction.com

Sasha MatkevichThe Green Restaurant

@greensherbornegreenrestaurant.co.uk

Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom

Glencairn House Clinicglencairnhouse.co.uk

doctortwrobinson.com

Sally WellbournDorset Wildlife Trust

@DorsetWildlifedorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Sherborne Chamber of Trade and Commerce

@SherborneCOT sherbornechamber.co.uk

Steve OxfordOxfords Bakery@oxfordsbakery

oxfordsbakery.co.uk

Wayne WinstoneWinstone's Books

@winstonebookswinstonebooks.co.uk

Sherborne Times is printed on Edixion Offset, an FSC® and EU Ecolabel certified paper. It goes without saying that once throughly well read, this magazine is easily recycled and we actively encourage you to do so.

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither Sherborne Times nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. Sherborne Times does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior permission from Sherborne Times.

Additional photography contributor's own and www.shutterstock.com

Editorial and Creative Direction

Glen Cheyne

DesignAndy Gerrard

PhotographyKatharine Davies

Print

Distribution TeamChristine Knott

Claire PilleyGeoff WoodMaggie Belly

Richard & Heather Betton-FosterRoger & Mary Napper

Sarah CopleySarah Morgan

Contact 01935 81480307957 496193

@[email protected]

sherbornetimes.co.uk

4 | Sherborne Times | March 2016

406 What’s On Your monthly events guide for Sherborne and its villages

10 Unearthed Perdi Digby

12 Shopping GuideElly Vvaller takes us on an artisan Easter Egg Hunt

14 Exclusive Reader Offer Oxley Sports Centre

16 The Hare with Sally Welbourn from Dorset Wildlife Trust

18 Speaking of Hareswith artist, designer and conservationist Richard Bramble

21 On the VergeDWT Sherborne Group round-up with Gillian M. Constable

23 Encouraging Boys (and girls) to ReadHelpful tips from Fiona Reay, Assistant Head and Head of English at Sherborne Prep

27 Mindfulness, Mental Health and ChocolateMindfulness in schools with Head of Leweston School, Kate Reynolds

30 Crochet Easter BunnyAlison Nurton’s monthly pattern

33 The When, Why, Who and How of PruningThe welcome return of Mike Burks

36 Designing your GardenPart Three of Alan Dodge’s guide to garden design

38 Plates of Chips and First Impressionswith Richard Bromell of Charterhouse Auctioneers

39 Let Sleeping Cats Lie?Pet care with Mark Newton-Clarke

42 Sweet ItchAmber Whitmarsh of The Kingston Veterinary Group offers help on how to manage this allergic skin condition in ponies and horses

_________________________44 Oxford’s BakeryThe story of Alweston’s baking family_________________________

52 Plain BrewA lively coffee break with Giles Dick-Read

54 Spring GreensSeasonal delights with Lisa Osman

56 Seasonal Recipes Delicious spring recipes from The Green’s Sasha Matkevich and The White Post’s Brett Sutton

60 A Little Drop of SomethingA new monthly column from local wine writer David Copp

62 Cycle SherborneElectric bikes with Peter Henshaw and Mike Riley

64 Body & MindTeamwork, Shiatsu, Group Exercise, Embracing Change, Acupuncture and Allergies

74 Understanding the Chain Property advice with Anita Light and Paul Gammage

76 A Short and Curly Tale

78 End of Year Tax PlanningFinancial advice with Andrew Fort

82 The Wonder of WirelessIT support with Jimmy Flynn

84 A Call to Actionfrom Sherborne Chamber of Trade and Commerce

88 Literary Reviewwith Wayne Winstone - When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

89 Crossword

90 Making Moral DecisionsCanon Eric Woods

MARCH 2016

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5

WHAT'S ON

Arts & Culture_________________________Thursday 3rd 7:30pmMorgan & West - Parlour Tricks Jaw-dropping, brain-bursting, gasp-eliciting feats of magic. Nether Compton Village Hall. 01935 413220. £8, £6 u18s, £25 familywww.artsreach.co.uk_________________________Friday 4th 7:30pmMoscow Drug Club Influenced by the swing music of the 30s and 40s, and the Parisian songwriters of the 50s. Buckland Newton Village Hall. 01300 345455. £9, £7 u18s, £28 family_________________________Wednesday 9th 7:30pmSherborne Flicks: Spectre James Bond action. Memorial Hall, Digby Rd, Sherborne. £6 from Sherborne TIC_________________________

Don’t Miss_________________________ Thursday 10th 3pmRadio 4 - Ramblings with Clare Baldingfeaturing Trent Young’s Primary School Walking Club, (Repeated Saturday 12th 6am)

Saturday 12th 7:30pmHandel: Israel in EgyptSherborne Chamber Choir and Sherborne Baroque Players. Conductor Paul Ellis. Sherborne Abbey. Tickets £5-£20 from Sherborne Tourist Information Centre, 01935 815341

www.sherbornechamberchoir.org.uk _________________________Saturday 12th 7:30pmSherborne Young Musician of the Year The Music School at Sherborne School. Douzelage event. Tickets £10 (including glass of wine), from Sherborne TIC, Winstone’s Books and 01963 251255_________________________Sunday 13th 3pmWessex Strings conducted by Arturo Serna With soloist Andres Yauri and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Cheap Street Church, Sherborne. Douzelage event. £10 (including afternoon tea), free admission for children and students. Tickets on the door or from Sherborne TIC._________________________Monday 14th Making the Modern Garden - Monet to Matisse Artslink is running a coach to this acclaimed Royal Academy exhibition. Tickets £65/55 Friends (£51/41 coach only for Friends of Royal Academy) Coach leaves Sherborne at 08.30am. 01935 815899_________________________Monday 14th 2:30pmAn Afternoon with Bob Goldthorne Demonstrating his watercolour techniques and graphite images. Bradford Abbas Village Hall. £5 including afternoon tea. 07718 192298_________________________Friday 18th 7:30pm

Michael Partington Classical Guitar Music by Albeniz & more. Cheap Street Church. Tickets £15 from Wayne’s Butchers & Post Office in Milborne Port, Winstone’s Book Shops and Sherborne TIC. 01963 250907_________________________Tuesday 29th 7pmThe Hermitage Ensemble Russian Orthodox Male Voice Choir Choral Music and Russian folk songs by St Peterburg’s finest vocal ensemble. St Andrew’s Church, Yetminster. £10. [email protected] 01935 872921_________________________

Talks & Lectures_________________________Wednesday 2nd 2pm & 8pmNADFAS The Life and Works of Thomas Chippendale Lecture by Janusz DM Karczewski-Slowikowsk BEd MSc. Digby Hall, Hound Street. 01935 872136/816504www.sherborne-dfas.org.uk _________________________Saturday 5th 2:30pmBlackmore Vale and Yeovil National Trust Association AGM and Talk by Alan Power, Head Gardener at Stourhead, “Stourhead, the Next Fifty Years”. Digby Hall Hound Street. 01935 425383_________________________Tuesday 8th 2:30pmSpring Lawn Care Free gardening talk. Castle Gardens,


MARCH 2016

New Rd, Sherborne. 01935 814633 _________________________Wednesday 16th 2:30pmSherborne W.I. ‘A Talk and Demonstration about Chocolate’ presented by Deanna de Burgh. New members and visitors always welcome at a cost of £3, to include refreshments. Catholic Church Hall, Westbury._________________________Thursday 17th 8pmHistory in Our Town’s Schools Lecture by six local students. Digby Hall, Hound St. 01963 370899www.sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk _________________________Tuesday 22nd 7:30pmScience Café Lecture ‘Graphene’ by Dr Sharon Strawbridge Senior Lunch Club, Digby Rd. [email protected] _________________________Thursday 31st 8pmThe Earls of Pembroke and the Ladies Who Made a Difference! Lecture by Ros Liddington. Digby Hall, Hound St. 01963 370899www.sherbornehistoricalsociety.co.uk_________________________

Family_________________________Friday 25thEaster Egg Hunt The Toy Barn, Blackmarsh Farm, Sherborne. www.toy-barn.co.uk_________________________

Workshops_________________________Butterfly Bright81 Cheap Street. 01935 817303www.butterflybright.co.ukTuesday 1st Crochet Stripy Cushion Cover. Wednesday 2nd Appliqué Workshop. Saturday 5th Freehand Machine Embroidery. Wednesday 9th Crochet for Beginners. Tuesday 15th Patchwork Table Runner_________________________The Slipped Stitch1 Cheap Street. 01935 508249www.theslippedstitch.co.ukSaturday 5th 10am-1pm Needle Felted Hens. Wednesday 9th 7-9pm Improvers’ Knitting - Colour Work. Thursday 10th and 24th 7-9pm Crafty Get Together. Saturday 19th 10am-2pm Wire Work Bracelet Workshop. Wednesday 23rd 6-8pm Needle Felted Hare or Cat Brooches. Easter Holidays Children’s Workshop_________________________

Fairs & Markets_________________________Pannier Market Every Thursday and Saturday on the Parade_________________________Country Market Thursday mornings, 9:15am-11:15am, Church Hall, Digby Road_________________________Saturday Antiques & Flea Market Every 4th Saturday, 9am-4pm (exc. April and December), Church Hall,

Digby Road_________________________Saturday 12th 10am-4pmSherborne Spring Charity Plant Fair Admission is free with donations going to the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Digby Hall, Hound Street. wwww.plantfairs.com or call 01460 242620._________________________Saturday 19th 9:30am-4pmBook Fair Memorial Hall, Digby Rd. 01803 613356_________________________Saturday 26th 10am-4pmPBFA Bookfair Memorial Hall, Digby Rd. £1 entry. 01935 850210 www.pbfa.org _________________________Saturday 26th 8:30am-3:30pmVintage Market Raleigh Hall, Digby Rd. 25+ sellers of quality vintage. 07809 387594_________________________Saturday 26th 8:30am(trade) 9:30am(public) - 4pmChasty Cottage Antiques Fair Digby Hall, Hound St. Up to 35 stands, food and refreshments available. Entrance £1_________________________

Sport & Leisure_________________________Every Thursday 7:30pm-8:30pmOver 30’s Touch Rugby Sherborne School floodlit AstroTurf, Horsecastles Lane. £2 per session. First three sessions free. For more details go to: www.sherbornetouch.org.uk


or call Jimmy on 07887 800803_______________________________________Sunday 6th Rotary Great Western 10k Run and 2k Fun Run Leweston School. Entries via www.rotarygreatwestern.co.uk or www.yeoviltownrrc.com 07770 998480_______________________________________Sunday 13th Sherborne Sports Centre 10k Run www.sherbornesport.co.uk/10k_______________________________________Thursday 17th 7pm Sherborne Bowling Club Cheese and Wine Evening. An opportunity for new and existing members to meet. Clubhouse, Culverhayes Car Park. 01935 389714 _______________________________________Friday 18th 7:30pmMonthly “Swing Your Partners” Folk Dance Club. Church House, Bathwell lane, Milborne Port. £5 on the door. Contact Colin Everest 01963 251533_______________________________________Monday 28th 11amEaster Monday Special Sherborne Town Walk. From the Abbey Porch, Sherborne Abbey. Join Blue Badge Guide Cindy for a gentle stroll around this historic town. Lasts approx. 1.5hours. £5pp. 01935 815341_______________________________________

Sherborne RFC _______________________________________Saturday 5th 3pm Sherborne v Midsomer Norton_______________________________________Saturday 19th 3pm Devizes v Sherborne _______________________________________

Sherborne Town FC_______________________________________Tuesday 1st

Gillingham Town FC v Sherborne Town FC_______________________________________Saturday 5thMelksham Town FC v Sherborne Town FC_______________________________________Wednesday 9thSherborne Town FC v Hallen FC_______________________________________Tuesday 15thSherborne Town FC v Bradford Town FC_______________________________________Saturday 19thBitton AFC v Sherborne Town FC_______________________________________Friday 25thSherborne Town FC v Gillingham Town FC_______________________________________Monday 28th Willand Rovers FC v Sherborne Town FC_______________________________________

WHAT'S ON

For more information please call 01935 818270or go to our website www.oxleysc.comBradford Road, Sherborne DT9 3DA

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Portrait, lifestyle, PR and editorial commissions

KATHARINE DAVIESPHOTOGRAPHY

PERDI DIGBY Aged 13, Leweston School

Talented Dorset showjumper, Perdi Digby, had a tremendous season last year with her top JA 148cm pony Kayleigh’s Star which she only started riding a year ago.

In 2015 she competed all over the country including the Scottish, Welsh and English Home Pony International competitions. She was second in the British Showjumping Silver League tables for 2015 and ended the year being selected for the Welsh Team at the English Home Pony International where they jumped 1.25m in the first round. The team finished equal silver medalists with the Irish!

Perdi trains hard – riding before school in the winter months and attending training during at least one lunchtime break a week. This year Perdi hopes to step up a level which will involve jumping a very technical course over 1.30m! Her main ambition for 2016 is to qualify Kayleigh’s Star for the Pony Show Jumper of the Year at Horse of the Year Show.

As well as showjumping, Perdi is a keen eventer and somehow manages to fit in competing and training on her Intermediate Eventer and another promising young pony. This year she hopes to be selected for the Under 18 Regional championships at CCI*J level and the Under 18 British Eventing 100 Regional Championships.

Watch this space…

UNEARTHEDUnearthed is a regular feature recognising and championing emerging young talent - be it creative, academic, sporting, entrepreneurial or otherwise. Send your stories to [email protected]


BUSINESSINSURANCETHAT’S ON YOURDOORSTEP

Having a local office means we are accessible, whetheryou need to make changes to your policy or make a claim.

Call 01935 813 285for a quote or pop in NFU Mutual Branch,Roberts Court,Digby Road,Sherborne,DorsetDT9 3LB

Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited.

Sherborne_BusAd_170x230_0216_Layout 1 01/02/2016 13:49 Page 1

CHOC-A-BLOCKWho would have thought the South West was home to so many highly skilled artisan chocolate makers?

Elly Vvaller, fashion and interiors stylist, and creative director at boutique stationery brand Dear to Me, had the arduous task of seeking out the most exciting locally produced Easter treats...

Swirl Chocolate Egg £18.00James Chocolates, Evercreech

www.jameschocolates.co.uk

Artisan Chocolate Egg £29.95The Chocolate Society, Higher Holton

www.chocolate.co.uk

Chocolate Quails Eggs £6.95James Chocolates, Evercreech

www.jameschocolates.co.uk


Box of 12 Hand-painted Chocolates £13.50Chocolate Arthouse, Alwestonwww.chocolatearthouse.co.uk

Box of Chocolate Bunnies £10.00Solkiki, Thornfordwww.solkiki.co.uk


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sjp.co.uk/products. The title ‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing term used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

Tel: 01747 855554 Web: www.peterhardingwm.co.uk Address: 40 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JG

Sherborne address: 9 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PY

PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENTPrincipal Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management

Established in 1993

The sight of a Brown Hare, poised for action at any moment, is a wonderful thing, and for many is something they’d like to tick

off their wildlife bucket list.In the South West, a quarter of the estimated

800,000 population of hares can be found. Here in Dorset we are blessed with a few hotspots for hare watching, including Chesil Beach, Cranborne Chase and the Cerne Valley.

If you are lucky enough to see one, the chances are it won’t stay around for long. With the ability to run up to speeds of 45mph these sprightly and athletic animals are well-equipped for survival in harsh habitats, which is often in the open, exposed to the elements. In addition to being the UK’s fastest land mammal, they also have near-360 degree vision.

One thing hares are well known for is their ‘boxing’ abilities during the breeding season. This display of aggression, which is usually females denying persistent partners, can be observed in spring and summer. The frenzied display is the reason they’ve earned their reputation ‘mad as a March hare’.

Passed down through centuries through story-telling, hares have also featured in mythologies

around the world. In Britain, hares are prevalent in folk tales, with women shape-shifting into hare, leading men and hunting dogs astray!

However, hare numbers are sadly dwindling, with a 75% decline in their populations since the Second World War. There are many complex reasons for this decline, including intensification of agriculture and changes in the patterns of land use. Their ideal habitat is grassland and arable areas, and rather than burrowing like rabbits, they create shallow forms in the grass, and use woods, hedges or fields, where they rest during the day. However when disturbed they can be seen bounding across fields, using their powerful hind legs to propel them forwards, often in a zigzag pattern!

Whilst hares can be seen all year round, as they don’t hibernate, it is often easier to see them in the early morning and late evening this time of year, due to lack of foliage in the landscape. Whilst in times gone by it was considered ‘bad luck’ for a hare to cross your path, seeing a hare is a rare and wonderful sight, just make sure you’re quick with your camera if you want to capture the moment!

www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Wild Dorset

THE HARESally Welbourn, Dorset Wildlife Trust

Common Name: Brown HareLatin Name: Lepus europaeusHow to identify: Golden brown colour, with a pale belly and a white tail. Larger than the rabbit, it has long legs and long ears with black tips.

Where to see: Mostly along the South Coast, hotspots in Dorset include Chesil Beach, Cranborne Chase and the Cerne Valley.Conservation status: Classified as a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

FACT FILE:


Photo: John Palmer


Wild Dorset

SPEAKING OF HARES…Richard Bramble, artist, designer and conservationist

Hares have long held a fascination for me and I occasionally see them in the fields below where I live at Silverlake, deep in

the Dorset countryside that surrounds Sherborne. There are three types of hare in the UK: the brown hare, the mountain hare and the Irish hare. The brown hare is the most common, seen locally on arable farmland and open grassland – I’ve certainly caught glimpses of them on walks through Sherborne Park on the Sherborne Castle Estate. Although they are quite elusive, especially when crops are high, a fleeting encounter with them does make the heart beat a little faster. Full of character, hares are a joy to paint and they always bring a smile to the face. However, reaching speeds of up to 45mph it can also be a challenge to capture their movement.

I have enjoyed sketching and painting them for as long as I can remember. They are creatures with a magical, mythical reputation none more so than on the Island of Tiree in The Inner Hebrides if you ever have the chance to visit. This is unlike North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, where I live for part of

the year, where hares were once plentiful.It is estimated that a quarter of all hares in the

UK - around 800,000 – live in Dorset and the south west, so you have a good chance of seeing one on an early morning or late evening walk. March and April are the very best months to spot our native brown hare, so next time you are out look for tell tale signs of tufts of fur caught in brambles and barbed wire, or droppings on the ground. Keep a good watch out and you may be lucky enough to see the golden brown fur, white belly and black-tipped long ears of this wonderful creature. And of course, don’t forget your sketch book!

Richard lives in Sherborne and The Hebrides as well as travelling the world for new countryside, wildlife and marine life subjects to paint. His work is highly collectible, reproduced on iconic design ceramics and textiles. To find out more visit www.richardbramble.com or call by his studio and warehouse at The Old Dairy House, Silverlake, just off the Bradford Abbas Road


DORSETWILDLIFETRUST


The Joinery Works, AlwestonSherborne, Dorset DT9 5HSTel: 01963 23219Fax: 01963 23053Email: [email protected]

www.fcuffandsons.co.uk

DESIGNERS AND MAKERS OF BEAUTIFUL FINE BESPOKE JOINERY SINCE 1897

Wild Dorset

The Snowdrops and Primroses are now in sufficient quantities to be making their presence obvious on the verges. Verges

should be treasured as they provide very important refuges for all forms of flora and fauna; in fact they are miniature nature reserves. DWT’s Roadside Verges Project covers over 100 sections of verges, marked by blue posts, managed for their wildlife interest. The management involves cutting the verge at specified times of year for the benefit of the flora. Their existence also provides corridors for the movement of so many creatures.

The Sherborne DWT group’s March meeting, 16th Digby Memorial Hall 7.30, is ‘Butterflies in Dorset – an Update’. Nigel Spring, our speaker, is chairman of Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation and works continuously to develop and manage BC’s reserves and others in Dorset for butterflies and moths and as a consequence all wildlife. He has vast knowledge of natural history in our county.

Butterfly recording continues throughout the

year. In January, Butterfly Conservation Dorset Branch received records of 13 butterfly sightings in the county and surprisingly 8 of these were for Painted Lady. This is an immigrant species which overwinters primarily in Morocco. Recent research has shown that in autumn large gatherings make a southwards passage. It can only be assumed that either some were blown back to UK by strong southerly winds or the mild weather encouraged them to remain in the county.

My reading of ‘Seeing Butterflies’ brought to my attention a strange fact about Miriam Rothschild. She was an amazing naturalist specialising in fleas, butterflies, moths etc. and the concept of wild flower meadows. When she was researching poisons in caterpillars and moths she obtained a near lethal dose of cyanide from eating Burnet moths. The main food plant of the caterpillars of the Six-Spot Burnet is Birdsfoot Trefoil which contains traces of hydrocyanic acid. The poison is concentrated in the caterpillars and carried through to the adult moths.

ON THE VERGEGillian M. Constable, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Sherborne Group Committee


It is widely accepted that parental involvement plays a significant role in the process of learning to read. However, some parents

experience concern over their child’s apparent lack of interest and, more often than not, these worries relate to boys. A study from 2012 carried out by The Boys’ Reading Commission, found that 13% of boys, as opposed to 7% of girls, stated that they did not enjoy reading.

Concerns range from their child making regular excuses, to expressing a distinct dislike of reading and doing everything in their power to avoid it!

At Sherborne Prep, we value reading above all else. Structured, individual or group reading periods are regularly timetabled. Boys and girls visit our well-stocked school library frequently and learn to read for pleasure. Pupils of all abilities are encouraged to develop their identity as a reader with the nurturing guidance of our experienced school librarian, skilled learning support team and supportive teaching staff. Many of our boys and girls currently have the opportunity to read to older volunteer mentors who visit The Prep regularly from Sherborne School. Our children are able to benefit from a range of individual and collaborative reading activities, involving traditional and contemporary literature, which appeals to both boys and girls.

How are parents able to support school

initiatives and encourage more reading at home for the more reluctant readers? Although it might be difficult, parents should patiently continue to create positive opportunities and try to avoid generating conflict. The trigger moment might come later for some than for others, as readiness for reading is dependent on a range of factors. It is highly probable that, at any moment, your child will pick up the key book that will trigger their love of literature forever. I hope the tactics below might help!

Make it pay: Reward all reading activity in a meaningful way. Consider giving your child regular pocket money, to be spent on their choice of reading from the local bookshop. Encourage your child to create their own book collection.

Set the pace: Don’t be tempted to rush them on to books that are too difficult. As adults, our tastes vary and we sometimes prefer to select light reading matter. Children are no different.

Creature comfort: Don’t expect your child to be able to battle with the distractions of the television or the Xbox. Provide a comfortable and quiet setting where they can settle down with their book, whilst being aware that they might have their own idea of a suitable setting.

Golden opportunity: Long car trips are an excellent chance to read but if your child suffers from travel sickness, why not select an audio book? >

ENCOURAGING BOYS (AND GIRLS) TO READ

Fiona Reay, Assistant Head and Head of English at Sheborne Prep

Top tips to engage reluctant readers


Little and often: Good habits are obviously the aim but this does not mean that you need to commit to reading with your son at 6pm every night without fail. Pick your moments carefully and optimise them. Don’t be tempted to force your child to read for a protracted length of time. If they are tired and struggling, stop.

Regularity: Boys often read in stints with a rest in between and this is perfectly normal behaviour from 4 to 94 years of age! You will probably find that your child will give their attention to another project for a while, then return to reading.

Freedom: Let your child choose their own reading matter and resist the temptation to criticise. “Asterix” and “Horrible Histories” provide an opportunity to share jokes. With helpful visuals, non-fiction can be particularly engaging for boys, with the added opportunity to extend their subject-specific vocabulary. Inspiring biographies, short stories, sport and science are often particularly popular. A range of magazines are available and a birthday subscription to The Week Junior or Focus can be continuously rewarding.

Chain reaction: You might be tempted to dismiss a popular series as formulaic, but your child will enjoy the security of being able to predict what will follow. How many of you grew up on the comfortable structures of Enid Blyton? Many boys enjoy a challenge and a sense of competition and they will often set themselves the task of completing an entire set of books. Often boys compare their reading with each other and compare preferences for particular books in the series. Parallel online games relating to a book series are also often available to spark their interest.

Relevance: If possible, encourage your child to select literature that they will connect with personally in some way. Whilst being aware of the limits of gender stereotyping, allow your child to follow their own interest, whether it is animals or space travel.

Repetition: There is no harm in re-reading favourites. Many of you will do the same!

Take turns: If your child is keen to read but finding it difficult to follow the plot, take it in turns to read paragraphs to keep the story flowing.

A book at bedtime: There is a great deal to be gained from reading to your child, even when they are perfectly capable themselves. Remember that

the aim is to engender a love of literature. Male models: Make sure your son regularly

observes the men in his life read. Try to encourage them to discuss their reading.

Audience: Try to vary the audience and enlist relations, visitors, even younger children and don’t overlook the family pet! Reading out loud is an important skill and the foundation of confident public speaking later in life.

Living libraries: Modern libraries have been transformed, so why not take your child along to check yours out? Look out for author visits, themed events and reader sessions. Why not encourage your child to enter a summer holiday reading competition?

The art of disguise: How many of you add unpopular disguised vegetables to family recipes? Transfer your camouflaging skills to reading. Many games conveniently conceal the requirement to read, such as Top Trump cards. Consider putting a few joke books in your child’s stocking at Christmas time. If your son is a mechanical Mr Fixit, why not give him the instructions to read? Leaving a torch on the bedside table and making a ‘No Reading After Lights Out’ rule, is a sneaky ploy that is highly likely to produce the opposite behaviour!

Classics: We all have a concept of what is meant by ‘classic’ literature and there is a feeling that children that are fed on a healthy diet of Great Works will perform better in English. Without doubt, a great deal can be learned from brilliant writers who have stood the test of time, but try not to make this your only focus. If you are keen for your budding reader to experience the delight of a Dickens novel but they are finding it too complex, why not consider an abridged version or even a graphic novel?

Paper versus technology: If an app or electronic reading gadget would aid your child’s interest in reading and learning, why not consider it? Used alongside traditional books, there are many advantages to these devices.

So, in short, don’t despair! Patience and perseverance will pay dividends and at some point in the future, perhaps when you least expect it, your child’s interest in reading will take off.

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Last year the Wellcome Trust launched a £6.3 million research

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“You’ll be needing this,” my brother smiled wryly as he passed me my Christmas gift back in December 2014. As soon as I saw the distinct green colour of the text, I recognised a book I had seen moving around my brother’s house on various visits; a sure sign that it was being read and studied: “Mindfulness – the life changing bestseller” with an alluring strapline of “a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world”.

I had just been appointed as the new Head of Leweston School and in my mind my life was quite frantic enough already with a full time teaching job, four energetic boys and an even more energetic dog to look after. That said, with a nine month run in I could at least have “Mindfulness – a practical guide” done, dusted and mastered by the end of the Christmas holidays.

I wasn’t so sure about the bar of chocolate that also fell out of the Christmas wrapping paper, especially the note attached that read “Only one square needed.” Who in their right mind, however mindful, only eats one square of chocolate?

Mindfulness, an almost unheard word a few years ago, is now very much in vogue. When once Wellington College was looked on as a little quirky to be introducing ‘Happiness’ lessons in 2006, it is now a common expectation that Schools offer some form of wellbeing to their students with the Government opening the debate two years ago that Mindfulness should be taught in all schools. Last year the Wellcome Trust launched a £6.3 million research programme to understand whether Mindfulness can build young people’s resilience and help to prevent mental illness developing, critical at a time when, according to a recent survey by Girlguiding UK, almost half of

British girls have required help with mental health.So why might Mindfulness not be needed in a

Catholic or indeed any school? The argument goes that there is already space in schools with a religious foundation for reflection and moments of peace be that in weekly acts of service or on retreats; that regular ‘time out’, as provided by Mindfulness, is already well embedded in schools such as Leweston. A recent two day conference I was lucky enough to attend with other heads of Catholic Independent Schools did, indeed, leave me refreshed and reinvigorated both in my faith but also in my inner peace. This reflects the comments I hear from girls after our so-called ‘Days with a Difference’ – how much they have benefited from time out of School to reflect, pray and focus on themselves and each other within an overarching theme of faith.

It is early days yet but I am moving to the conclusion that Mindfulness within a faith school offers the best of both worlds. Different approaches to mental health work for different students at different times and I believe that as teachers, and many of us as parents, we can help our children’s wellbeing by offering them as wide a range of support as possible. And that includes the 5 km ‘River Run’ I was initiated into on Friday with 30 of the girls who managed the muddy fields and flooded ‘river’ footpath into Longburton with much more elegance than me.

As for my Christmas read, I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t quite finished it 15 months later but I have tried lots of its ideas. I fell at the first fence however, the one square of chocolate indeed proving an impossibility.

www.leweston.co.uk

MINDFULNESS, MENTAL HEALTH AND CHOCOLATE

Kate Reynolds, Head, Leweston School


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www.leweston.co.uk

Try your hand at tag rugby, football, basketball, netball, cricket, volleyball,tennis, scootering and tag games. Explore Leweston’s grounds with

outdoor activities including orienteering, bike riding, survival skills andshelter building. Craft and cookery activities also on offer.

Come along to one of our workshops(see our website for details)

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Tel: 01935 5082491 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3PT

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Make time for you

CUTE CROCHET EASTER BUNNY

Alison Nurton, Butterfly Bright

Easter is early this year so we have come up with a quick and easy pattern this month. You will soon

be hooked on making these fluffy friends!

Materials:RICO cotton in Aran (we used a pretty pastel pink).A 4mm crochet hook, mini white pompoms for the tails.A darning needle to sew in the ends.

Method:Chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to make a ring.Chain 3.Round 1: Make 15 trebles into ring. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the initial chain 3. Chain 3.Round 2: Make 4 trebles into the top of the next 4 trebles from round 1Chain 9 and join with a slip stitch to next treble to make first ear.Chain 8 and slip stitch to same treble to make second ear.Fasten off.

Sew on a mini white pom pom for the tail and voila, the Easter Bunny has arrived!

You could make these in a variety of pastel colours and add them to your Easter branch, stick them on handmade Easter cards or tie them around your napkins as decorations for Easter Day! Why not share your makes with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ButterflyBright.

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this article


On a nice day with the sun (however pale) on your back and the wind in your hair, there is a great temptation at this time

of year to head into the garden with a pair of secateurs, loppers and perhaps even a saw to carry out some pruning.

Now it’s not necessarily about whether anything needs pruning or not, it’s often that you want to get something positive done, and after all pruning can be great fun.

It is important though to know why we are doing it as some plants really benefit from being pruned now but it can be bad news for others.

In a training session once we came up with

nearly 30 reasons for pruning but with shrubs there are a basic few; to increase flowering or fruiting, control shape, size and disease and rejuvenate growth. You see, no mention of it being good fun!

If shrubs are in good order, then most pruning will be designed to promote flowering. In order to know when a particular plant is best pruned we need to know when it flowers so that we can work out what sort of growth the plant flowers on. Plants that flower late in the year mostly flower on the growth they have made that year, so the more prolific the growth, the more flowers. Early pruning of shrubs, such as the large flowered

Gardening

THE WHEN, WHY, WHO AND HOW OF PRUNING

Mike Burks, The Gardens Group


Buddleia, Blue Spirea or Caryopteris and late flowering Spirea will promote growth resulting in lots of flowers. These therefore may well be in need of pruning now and most can be hard pruned, which will promote fresh growth.

Shrubs that flower in the early summer or in the spring are flowering on growth that was formed in the previous year and also wood that is two to four years old. This includes shrubs, such as Weigela, Deutzia, Forsythia, Philadelphus and Ribes the flowering currant. With this group wait until flowering has finished and then select around a quarter of the oldest stems on an established plant and prune these right down to the base. This will encourage new growth that will start to flower the following year. In this method the shrub is completely renewed every four years, so should result in lots of flowers.

Some plants are not grown for flowers but for their foliage or stem colour. A number of these can be pruned in the early spring. An example would

be the Spireas with fantastic early spring foliage of gold or bronze. Wait until the shoots start to show and then prune them really hard. The plant will respond with a huge flush of fresh growth with really powerful colours. This group of Spireas also flowers later on in the year yielding more blooms.

Others in this group include the Dogwoods, such as Cornus alba varieties which tend to have really good stem colour. Again wait until the new shoots start to come and then either prune all of the stems back to within about nine inches of the ground or select a third of the total number of stems for the cull. New growth will be vigorous and will be most impressive in terms of colour next winter.

Other specific examples of plants that need pruning about now include the Wisteria, this beautiful climber needs pruning in two stages once it is established. The first is in July when the new wispy growth needs taking back to about two or three buds of where it started that spring – usually around four to six inches. The plant will shoot again and the second round of pruning can take place in February where a similar procedure will take those stems back to a couple of buds of where you pruned in July. This reduces the vigour of the plant, promotes flowering and allows the flowers to remain clear of the leaves as they come out in the spring.

Roses too need to be tackled in the early spring with Hybrid T and Floribundas being pruned hard back to promote new growth. In gardening books of old we were told to prune back to an outward facing bud. Nowadays trimming with a hedge-trimmer has been found to give similar results.

Once pruning has taken place be kind to your shrubs and a small handful of Vitax Q4 or Conifer and Shrub fertilizer will show them that you mean no harm and have their best interests at heart. Try a few soothing words too if you like but be careful that the neighbours aren’t watching!

So there is pruning fun to be had but make sure it’s with the right plants.

Mike is Managing Director of The Gardens Group - Castle Gardens Sherborne, Brimsmore Gardens Yeovil and Poundbury Gardens Dorchester.

www.thegardeneronline.co.uk


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DESIGNING YOUR GARDEN PART THREE - DETAIL AND COST

Alan Dodge, Bailey Ridge

Now things are getting exciting! By marking out your new layout on the ground using the good old Geoff Hamilton hosepipe

method, lines of sand or an aerosol site marker spray you can get from any builders merchants, you will be able to start to visualise your new garden, walk around it and imagine how it will look! What will help, and the next stage in nailing down what your garden will be built with, is to research the “hard” landscaping material. The list is endless, bricks, natural stone or concrete paving, timber, stainless steel, even re-cycled glass.

The choice will be dictated partly by the style of your new garden but also by what exists close by, usually focusing on the house and what it is built with. The entrance hall for most gardens is the terrace, so paving would be one of my first considerations. Now there is a huge selection of paving out there ranging from hand finished York stone costing over £120 per square metre to basic coloured concrete products at less than £15 per square metre. So quantify the design so that you know how many square metres you need and visit your local builder’s merchants, specialist landscape centre or quarry if there is one!

When I first met my wife I would take her out to lunch and more often than not call into a quarry to view different stone or paving, I certainly knew how to sweep a girl off her feet! There has been a revolution in the paving world over the last 10 years with the importation of natural stone paving from all over the world, predominately China and India. Mostly, these products are good quality, stand up to our environment and nowadays are sourced ethically.

Unbelievably, they can cost less than good quality reproduction concrete paving produced in this country, “that is globalisation”, I am told. So, your choice is wide and varied but I would say choose a surface which is safe and non-slip, has a

relationship with the material used in the house, (or a complete contrast!) and above all, something you are happy with.

One tip is to spend a little on decent sized samples of your favourite 3 and set them down where they will be used. The human mind will struggle to bring back home the colour and texture of different slabs seen at the merchants, and given our British climate; it is as well to view the paving in wet as well as dry conditions.

The same process is needed for walls, pergolas, fences, summerhouses, ponds, and even garden furniture. There are usually many local outlets for these products, but for more exclusive or individual items you may have to go further afield, and have deeper pockets!

With my Landscape Contractors “hard hat” on, I have estimated hundreds of garden layouts, and, in some cases, where budget has not been considered, I have unfortunately been the messenger who gets shot! So, for anyone contemplating landscaping their garden I would suggest these guidelines to budget based on a reputable contractor carrying out the works:

• Paving: £150 - £175 per sq.m, an 8m x 5m terrace could cost £7000.

• Fencing: £60 - £70 per m run.• Brick and Stone Walling: £225 - £250 per sq.m.• Preparation and Laying Turf: £8 - £12 per sq. m.

All subject to many factors not least the choice of materials as illustrated in the wide range of cost of paving in paragraph 2.

Perhaps therefore, a budget is as important as the design? What use is a stunning design if it will cost 4 times the budget?

Next month: Construction and Landscapingwww.baileyridge.co.uk

Gardening


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Our Visofold doors open effortlessly, gliding on stainless steel rollers allowing unrestricted thoroughfares and the maximum use of space and light.

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Manufactured from our factory in Sherborne all of our aluminium products are available in whatever colour you wish.

For more information visit our website or come down to the showroom.

I spend most of my working day out and about advising clients on the values of their antiques and collectables. On these days, I

can be seen driving around the West Country in ever decreasing circles. I also travel into Wales, the Midlands and London areas too – we are the Martini Auctioneers – Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere (hopefully most readers of this very fine magazine know what I am saying!!).

As an auctioneer, people have certain expectations from me. This can be from driving around in an estate car to wearing a shirt and a tie - when was the last time you saw an auctioneer working in a tee shirt, denim jeans and flip flops? But one thing I have learnt in my 30 years of working for auctioneers, is to never judge a book by its cover.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure in advising clients living in some pretty amazing houses. When I worked in Yorkshire, we sold part of the contents from Wentworth Woodhouse, the largest private residence in Europe and certainly the largest house I have sold items from. However, when we clear properties, we do just that – empty the attics, the garages, the barns and the sheds. I remember one old Somerset house where we removed over 12 tons of rubbish, certainly the most rubbish we have ever had to clear!

So I have talked about the largest house and the house containing the most rubbish, but I know the question you are asking - what type of house produced the most valuable discovery? Well, it will probably comes as no great surprise to learn it was not a 300 room country house, but a two bedroom semi-detached cottage with a tiny garden

next to a busy road. It was in this stone cottage where the client was looking to move nearer to her family and needed to have a sort out of items which she no longer required, and it was a chipped plate hung on a wire frame made from an old coat hanger which caught my eye.

Three months of research later, I held an auction just for this chipped plate. Bidders travelled from far and wide just for this auction of one lot. There was a bank of telephone bidders lined up, all wanting to buy it, with the plate finally selling for a total of £565,000, and this is why we never judge a book by its cover, or a client by their house!

The magnificent 16th century Italian maiolica charger, discovered hanging on the wall of a Somerset semi-detached cottage and sold by Charterhouse for £565,000.

PLATES OF CHIPS AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers


Unit 1a > South Western Business Pk > Sherborne > Dorset > DT9 3PS

billbutterswindows.co.uk 01935 816 168

Our Visofold doors open effortlessly, gliding on stainless steel rollers allowing unrestricted thoroughfares and the maximum use of space and light.

The signature smooth contours and curved clean lines create an attractive aesthetic that will compliment any home, whatever your taste or style.

Manufactured from our factory in Sherborne all of our aluminium products are available in whatever colour you wish.

For more information visit our website or come down to the showroom.

Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS,

Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership

LET SLEEPING CATS LIE?

Much has happened on the world stage in the last month, very little affecting us directly in this corner of Dorset

but we are all touched by global events. Our technology and affluence means the nations of the First World have the moral duty and responsibility to investigate the new diseases emerging in the Third World and formulate effective treatments or vaccines. The WHO needs our support! What’s that got to do with veterinary medicine? Well, many of the new threats have animal reservoirs and we need to understand the dynamics of the diseases in their natural hosts to have any chance of controlling spread of infection in different populations. This is the science of epidemiology and is the force behind our thinking on tuberculosis in badgers, a problem much closer to home. Such a pity politics has undermined the truth, unpopular with some but history will record the failure of the badger cull with little sympathy.

Now let’s turn to a subject I feel very strongly about; it could mean the difference between life and death for any of us, our children or our pets. It’s about education and it’s not rocket science. All the hours spent at school and university and yet even professionals can get this wrong. But it’s basic. A sick puppy/kitten/foal/calf/child can look so peaceful just at the time when the problem is really serious; appearances can be so deceiving when the patient is in the coma of terminal decline. Yet to the untrained eye all appears reassuring. However, at this stage the body’s defence mechanisms have failed and organ systems are starting to go down. Temperature regulation, blood pressure and respiration are in free-fall, a one-way downward

spiral unless intensive care is provided. Ironically, the patient in this dangerous state may appear calm and peaceful. The unpleasant symptoms we associate with illness (fever, aches and pains, nausea, general malaise) will disappear as the body succumbs with a declining level of awareness and consciousness.

Ironically, the fever generated by a viral (or much more worrying, bacterial) infection represents the body’s inflammatory protective response that subsides as the patient recovers. It also declines if the infection has won the battle so it’s obviously important to make the distinction. A good clue is the fever/illness ratio. A high body temperature combined with feeling rotten is acceptable. If recovery goes according to plan, temperature will go back to normal and the feeling of well-being returns along with appetite and activity. But if the patient feels or acts worse with a lowering temperature which keeps going down to a sub-normal level, alarm bells should be ringing! A low temperature is much more worrying than a fever! The acid test? Give the slumbering patient a good poke! If no response, poke again but harder. This is absolutely crucial as failure to react to a stimulus that would normally cause a response means the situation is very serious. Call the emergency line, immediately! Happily, these situations are uncommon in the well-fed and sheltered pet (and human) population although the very young and old are always at greater risk.

If you think your pet is in decline, in pain or distress then call for help as early as possible. The smaller and younger the patient, the less the time available to intervene if there is a serious problem. Genuine life-threatening emergencies are thankfully quite rare but perhaps it’s just this that means they can be overlooked. More common are the painful or distressing conditions such as conjunctivitis, intensely itchy skin, ear infections or persistent vomiting that all need attention with some urgency. Don’t hesitate to call for advice but fingers crossed we don’t hear from you!

Please send Mark your ideas for topics or questions you would like to be discussed. Email your requests to [email protected], visit newtonclarkevet.com or leave a message at reception - 01935 816228. He’s open to all suggestions but they have to be animal orientated!


Sweet Itch in horses and ponies is an allergic skin condition commonly affecting British and European native pony breeds and heavy

horses. It is caused by a hypersensitivity to a protein found in midge saliva. The bites of the Culicoides midge produces skin irritation causing the horse to bite, scratch and rub affected areas. Sweet Itch generally affects the mane, back and tail but in severe cases can affect the whole body. Horses are often very itchy and sensitive to touch with areas of broken hair, hair loss and thickened crusty and weeping skin. Sweet Itch caused by midges typically appears in spring and settles down to virtually disappear in the winter months.

There is no known cure for this condition and management is key to halting the itch/ scratch cycle. Here we explore the options.

• Avoid the midges – midges like to fly in still, mild weather conditions so avoiding turnout at dusk and dawn is essential. Turnout on a windy hilltop is ideal; try to avoid paddocks near manure heaps, rotting vegetation, standing water or those that have many trees, as this is where midges like to breed. Some owners install fans in their horse’s stable as midges cannot fly against a strong air current which can stop them from landing and biting.

• Reduce midge bites – rugging the horse early in the season with a fly rug that covers everything from muzzle to tail will help. There are plenty on the market to choose from and having a spare is worthwhile. Feedback from owners suggest the Boett rug is very useful and, although a big initial outlay, it can be extremely effective in

SWEET ITCH - HAIR TODAY GONE TOMORROWAmber Whitmarsh BSc(Hons) BVSc MRCVS,

The Kingston Veterinary Group


keeping the midges away. • Barrier creams such as petroleum jelly (Equi-

Salve – also contains citronella) can be applied to areas which are not covered by the rug e.g. sheath/udder. These make it more difficult for the midge to bite.

• Repel the midges – pour on insecticides (e.g. Switch, Coopers and Deosect) are useful in killing midges but should not be applied to broken skin. Fly repellents are useful if applied frequently but cannot be solely relied upon.

• Reduce hypersensitivity – steroids can be used topically directly onto the skin or orally in the form of tablets to combat the irritation. Veterinary surgeons are very careful about their use as in some cases can result in laminitis. Therefore steroids are not seen

as a sole treatment for Sweet Itch, rather an adjuvant to management.

• Cavalesse® is an in feed supplement designed to be started before the midge season which contains nicotinamide that balances the horse’s immune response to midge bites. Although there is no clinical research available, anecdotal evidence from owners of horses suffering from Sweet Itch suggests the supplement can help.

• Prevent scratching – discourage scratching on fences and gates with the use of electric fencing to help reduce skin trauma.

If you suspect your horse or pony may be suffering from Sweet Itch then please contact your vet.

www.kingstonvets.co.uk


Alweston - resting in a fold of the Blackmore hills and described on Wikipedia as simply ‘A village in Dorset,

England.’ It is also however home to a charming brick and flint farmhouse which has seen the baking of bread for over 105 years by four generations of the same family – the Oxfords.

Entering the Bakery is like stepping back in time - white washed stone walls, a red tiled floor and trays loaded with Chelsea buns, flapjacks, brownies and, of course, Oxford’s famous golden crusted loaves. I’m welcomed by Steve, the fourth generation of Oxford’s to run the bakery and Elias, his three-year-old son, who judging from his apron and dough laden fingers is eagerly in line to become the fifth. >

OXFORD’S BAKERY

Words Beth HarrisPhotography Katharine Davies


Steve starts by showing me the bakery itself which in all its simplicity, is a warm and inviting space. I’ve been lucky enough to visit many times before, but it never fails to impress on me a sense of history. As I stand in the main bakery admiring the original wooden dough bins, bread tins and trays of freshly baked biscuits, Steve tells me; “This bakery has been family owned, loved and run for over one hundred years. Since 1911, an Oxford has stood on those four red tiles there and baked bread”. That’s quite a thing to imagine, standing here taking it all in, the stonework thick with the echoes of shuffle footed bakers past, pulling bread from the oven. Oxford’s bakery then is not only a

story of traditional bread making but also one of heritage, local craft and family.

So, where did it all begin? The first generation of Oxford’s to bake was Frank, who bought the bakery in 1911, for £170.00. He baked through the first world war, delivering bread by horse and cart to Sherborne and its local villages. He then handed down the business to his son; Ron. Ron learnt his trade as a pastry chef in the army during WW2, his recipe book taking pride of place in the bakery even now. Ron encouraged his son, Roger to join the bakery in 1961 when he was just 15. It’s fair to say that Roger was hugely influential in shaping Oxford's into the successful business it is


today. Roger was a firm believer in continuing their traditional method of breaking bread; “No more than four ingredients. Ever.”

It must be something of a curiosity for Steve bearing witness to the trend in artisan bread making and organic food when his father Roger had instilled this philosophy so many years previously. Keen to make his own mark on the business, Roger opened their first shop - ‘Oxford's’ at 42 Cheap Street in 1969. He was one of the first bakers on the high street and on opening day, people queued down the street for freshly baked loaves. Roger has been a huge inspiration to Steve, who joined the bakery in 2002, albeit somewhat >

The stonework is thick with the echoes of bakers past


reluctantly at first! He tells me though how he “learnt the business and then fell in love with it”.

Steve joined at the beginning of a Dorset food revolution. Motivated by provenance and social conscience, customers wanted locally produced, traceable food. Steve embraced this, bringing Oxford’s bread to the new wave of farmers markets emerging across the county. Sourdough, Muesli Bread and Blue Vinney stuffed loaves became quintessential Oxford's products as much as their white cobs, wholemeal split tins and cottage loaves. There have, of course, been challenges to overcome. The growing dominance of supermarkets has taken its toll on many small businesses but Oxford's has fought back and survived. When I ask Steve how,


he simply replies “We are a bakery in 2016 still making products by hand, producing quality bread using simple ingredients. No two loaves are ever the same. We hold true to our traditional values and refuse to compromise on quality”.

Steve’s love for both baking and the business itself is clearly evident as my tour continues. Although the days of delivering bread by cart have long gone; many of the old tools still remain. Steve points out the Dumbrill single rotary arm mixer, installed in 1940 and still in use today. Steve’s pride and joy however, is the imposing 1920’s cast iron oven, used today as it was 76 years ago to bake all of Oxford’s products. It fills the best part of one wall in the centre of the bakery and radiates heat

throughout the building. “The oven is the heart of the bakery. It beats

every night from 6pm until 6am”. Steve describes the oven as a living, breathing thing. He smiles as he talks about the sometimes unpredictable nature of such a venerable piece of equipment. To bake successfully in the oven, Steve has to be able to work with its changing temperature, adjusting what he bakes accordingly. First in are the granary loaves followed by the stoneground wholemeal then white tins. The oven dictates the schedule. As Steve points out “there is no dial that I can use to turn it down”. In a typical week the oven will bake over 1,000 loaves and ‘morning’ good such as rolls, Chelsea buns, Belgian buns and Dorset lardy cakes.

The Alweston bakery has always played a central role not only in the business but also within the family itself. It has been home to numerous birthday parties, celebrations and feasts. Today, it swells with the laughter and running feet of Elias and his two cousins, here to help bake hot cross buns. Steve mixes the dough by hand, gently dusting the table-top with flour. The bakery has used Stoate & Sons flour, from Cann Mill in Shaftesbury, for over 100 years. The children are eager to help weigh and mould the buns, and ten minutes later, there is a tray full ready to go into the oven. The bakery fills with a sublime homely smell and forty-five minutes later out comes a tray of beautiful, glistening buns, full of currant and spice. And then, in much less time that they took to prepare, they are enthusiastically devoured by all!

I can see that the bakery is not only the heart of this successful business but it is also the soul of the Oxford family itself; all of the family working together to sustain it. Steven’s wife, Gemma, works in their deli in Canford Cliffs (the empty shop was spotted by both of them en-route to their wedding reception). His brother and sister help at farmer’s markets and even Roger still lends a hand every now and again. So, what of the future? Well, Steve has started to bake with Elias on Sunday afternoons and it is an incredibly special thing to witness - father and son mixing and kneading dough together, standing on those same four red tiles where 3 generations of father and son have stood before them.

www.oxfordsbakery.co.uk


SHERBORNE’S BARBER SINCE 1992Three highly skilled, professional barbers with over 80 years collective experience

Monday 8am - 5pmTuesday - Friday 8am - 6pm

Saturday 8am - 3pmBooking recommended

01935 8155016a Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX

/jps_barber_shop

For those who know the difference

Cut £15Back & Sides £14Crew Cut £13Shampoo & Cut £29

Beard Trim £5 Shave £45Colour from £24Under 11’s £13

Concessions for over 65’s Mon - Wed

BARBERSHOP

The Dining Room is a beautiful restaurant situated in the stunning surroundings of the 8th Century Sherborne Abbey and 15th Century almshouse. We cook sensational traditional British food with

a respectful nod to the past and an eager fork in the fresh ideas of contemporary dining.

MON DAY to SAT U R DAY 12pm to 2pm • 6.30pm to 9.30pmSU N DAY 12pm to 3pm • 6.30pm to 8.30pm

Westbury, Sherborne DT9 3EH01935 815154

[email protected]

PLAIN BREWGiles Dick Read,

Reads Coffee Roasters

Much of my life seems to be spent on the A303. Delivery trips to London, customers along the way and collections from Tilbury Docks. Brown coffee up, green coffee down, a familiar routine.

Food & Drink

By any standards the 303 is pretty remarkable, unfairly maligned by many, who, presumably associate it with summer

jams at Stonehenge without knowing the short-cuts. There’s more to miss than there is to complain about however - Mere Down with its magnificent bowl, world class views into low, early morning sunshine as you crest the turn at Farmer Giles’s infamous speed camera…chugging hippies, some real, some just for the week, en route to Glasto after a long night's Solstice at the ‘Henge’, which in itself, seemingly changes size with the weather, sometimes huge and close, sometimes distant and rather small. Thruxton for fellow petrol heads, and

who doesn’t enjoy a peek at the eclectic mix of planes as you whizz past Popham. But there’s one particular jewel in the 303’s crown that has become a favourite stopping point for me on those rare occasions when time permits. The Plain.

I can only apologise to any reader who may have had miserable military experiences here. In feeble comparison, I myself suffered somewhat extraordinary consequences after returning a thunderflash short on a damp night exercise with school CCF. The size of the Isle of Wight, yet flashed past on the 303 without a moment's notice or perhaps overlooked in the doom of a Sunday afternoon jam. When the red flags are

A lethal backdrop offsets the simplicity of my outdoor brew


COFFEEBREAK

The Bakery Café1 The Green, Sherborne, DT9 3HY

01935 813264 The-Bakery-Cafe @BakerycafeS

Old School GalleryBoyle’s Old School, High Street, Yetminster, DT9 6LF

01935 872761www.yetminstergallery.co.uk

The Pear Tree4 Half Moon Street, Sherborne, DT9 3LN

01935 812828 @peartreedeli

www.peartreedeli.co.uk

Sabins Deli5 Hound Street, Sherborne, DT9 3HY

01935 816037 @SabinsDeli

www.sabins.co.uk

Zest Cafe1 Abbey Road, Sherborne, DT9 3LE

01935 389192www.fourleafcloverclub.org.uk

Kafe Fontana82 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ

01935 812180 kafefontana @kafefontana

www.kafefontana.co.uk

Oliver’s Coffee House19 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PU

01935 815005 Olivers-Coffee-House @OliversSherbs

www.oliverscoffeehouse.co.uk

down, this extraordinarily accessible place is a great big-skied wilderness, right under our noses, protected by all the years of military gunnery and exercise, screaming out for further exploration - a playground for cyclists, off-roaders, riders, walkers, botanists and twitchers alike. With the weekday flags up, the omnipresent gunnery, distant growl of prowling APC’s, chatter of helicopters, and deep roar of an occasional C130 echo around the plain. A great mechanical Serengeti…there’s always something going on.

Take a morning when there was a little time planned in, a place, well recce’d, for a travelling brew after an early start, an alternative to Countess Services. Red flags up, so just the perimeter roads open. Easy. First, legs stretched in bracing air, today’s backdrop, heavy artillery a mile or so off. Regular blasts. Loud, percussive bangs as the shells are sent on their way, then later, after a full twenty or more seconds of silence interrupted only by the sound of birds, yet too early for Sebastian Foulks’ skylarks, thudding booms reflect back from far across the Plain as the rounds find their target… a great metallic lob, perfectly executed.

So, a lethal backdrop offsets the simplicity of my outdoor brew. Armed with my trusty Aeropress, with its cult following amongst Shoreditch’s bearded coffee connoisseurs, this giant syringe designed to squeeze the brewed coffee through a fine paper filter, brain child of Aerobie who once gave us the Frisbee, makes one of the best of all brews. Simple kit, a flask of hot water, small gas stove, camp kitchen quickly ready. Pressure is what I need and it’s what the Aeropress is all about, so it’s a 16 gram charge of espresso fine ground Kenya Thriku appropriately enough, 220ml water off the boil, a short brew, how about twenty seconds? Easily timed. ’BANG….Boom…Ready…’ Down goes the plunger, with due thanks to the Royal Artillery! A strong extraction, superbly smooth, a clean cup full of fruity African flavours. A neat dry puck of used coffee, ejected with minimum fuss and fiddle, leaves the barrel clean and ready for the next round!

Robustly refreshed, it’s time to leave this special place. Back to the grey snaking trail, a work-day beckoning…until next time.

www.readscoffee.co.uk


SPRING GREENSLisa Osman, All Hallows Farmhouse,

School for Cooks & Makers

Food & Drink

My hardworking friend Emma grows the most delicious vegetables within the Walled Gardens of St Giles House.

Her produce is available at local markets and she also offers a box scheme to locals. Each week we look forward to hearing her familiar knock at the door and to be greeted by Emma’s wonderful smile hidden behind a beautifully arranged selection of squeaky ‘just picked’ greens and muddy carrots. However, as we leave the depths of winter and the days start to lengthen, the time when we should be looking forward to early spring, my heart sinks as we approach the ‘hungry gap’. Otherwise known as the few sad weeks when, even in this productive garden, pickings are scarce until the new growth bursts into life.

Our taste buds yearn for iron-rich leafy, green vegetables to steam, puree and stir fry. To seek comfort, we carefully search spray free, woody glades and bridleways foraging for the hardy greens that are determined to lead the way into the new season.

Ramsons or Wild Garlic Make a vibrant green pesto, or chop the leaves to add to a salad. Later in the season use the leaves to wrap around a canon of lamb before roasting or use in a stuffing for chicken.

NettlesWear gloves to select the tips of the plant. Wash well and use instead of spinach for a risotto, combine with lardoons of crispy bacon and homemade chicken stock to make a tasty soup or pair with goats cheese in a Greek style filo pie.

Caution - do not eat too many nettles at one time as they may have a laxative effect!

Remember to always seek the land owner’s permission before you harvest wild food for your kitchen table and please always make sure that you are totally confident that you have correctly identified your foraged plants.

Photo: Kirsten Harvey


OTHER SEASONAL TREATS

Purple Sprouting Broccoli – brush with olive oil and roast until tender. Serve with a béarnaise sauce and crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Wild Garlic Pesto • Handful of wild garlic leaves and a

bunch of parsley - washed thoroughly• Equal weight of pine nuts to herbs • Grated parmesan to weigh combined

weight of pine nuts and herbs • Good olive oil to loosen paste and

some more to seal and store• Freshly ground black pepper and

a little sea salt to taste

1. Wash the herbs and remove any hard stalks or damaged leaves.

2. Roughly chop and then combine with toasted pine nuts in a pestle and mortar or food processor.

3. Add grated parmesan and continue to blend to desired consistency with olive oil.

4. Season to taste and place in an air tight container. Store for up to a week in the fridge covered with a layer of olive oil to seal.

Visit www.allhallowsfarmhouse.co.uk for more seasonal recipe ideas

Sea Kale – a vegetable that tastes similar to asparagus and one of a handful of our true native plants. Due to its popularity in Victorian times when Sea Kale grew wild on shingle beaches, the plant was forced in a similar manner to rhubarb. During those times it was harvested in great volume and became almost extinct. Sea Kale is still a protected plant so cannot be foraged but you can try growing at home from seed. Alternatively buy plants online so you can cook this rare delicacy for yourself.


This recipe is for my grandmother’s wonderfully healthy spring soup, full of vitamins and minerals. Despite Babushka’s efforts to teach me how to pick nettles with my bare hands, I never quite mastered it, however thanks to gardening gloves, nowadays I pick nettles pain free.

Ingredients15ml extra virgin olive oil2 large diced onions1 clove of garlic finely chopped100g wild garlic stalks chopped400g potatoes peeled and diced150g wild garlic leaves washed150g young nettle leaves3 ltrs vegetable stock3 eggs boiled for 8 minutesSea salt and black pepper to taste

Method1. In a large pan gently sweat the onions, garlic clove

and stalks in the olive oil for at least 10 minutes until the onion is very soft and golden colour

2. Add vegetable stock and bring to the boil, reduce heat to simmering point and cook until there is 2/3 of liquid left in the pan.

3. Add the diced potatoes and carry on cooking for at least 14 minutes or until the potato has just cooked

4. Meanwhile in a large saucepan blanche the wild garlic and nettles in boiling salted water, refreshing them immediately in iced water. That will make nettles lose their sting and will keep the beautiful colour of the wild garlic for longer.

5. Now squeeze out all of the water from the leaves and then chop them reasonably finely with a large chopping knife.

6. Add leaves to the soup, season with sea salt and black pepper.

7. Put the lid on the pot and take off the heat.8. Rest for 10 minutes and serve decorated with

grated boiled egg, or crème fraîche if you prefer. Priyatnova appetita as they say in Russia!

www.greenrestaurant.co.uk

Food & Drink

WILD GARLIC AND NETTLE SOUP

Sasha Matkevich, Head Chef and Owner,

The Green


From our table to yours

Free local delivery on orders over £15*

Available from Sabins Deli, Sherborne, Trenchermans, Compton Park, Sherborne, The Village Stores, Charlton Horethorne and Bishops Caundle Community StoresOrder by phone on 01935 816037 or email [email protected] our product range online at www.olives-kitchen.co.uk*Free delivery available within all DT9 postcodes

Delicious, frozen ready meals, made in Sherborne using only the very best local ingredients

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that we will be closing Sabins Deli in June this year. As most of you are aware the property has been bought by developers who have informed us that they are not willing to renew our lease and instead plan to

redevelop the site. It was our specific intention to renew our lease and continue to build on our success over the last 2 ½ years. Unfortunately, our request was rejected and the decision is now out of our hands. We would like to thank each and every one of our wonderful customers for your great support and kindness to our family over the last couple of years.

On a positive note, our Olive’s Kitchen frozen meal business will be in no way affected by the closure of the deli and continues to grow. You will still be able to purchase our meals via our home delivery service and through our stockists.

Please visit www.olives-kitchen.co.uk for more information.

LOCAL BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENT

Charlie & Nikki Allhusen, Sabins Deli and Olive’s Kitchen


WILD NETTLE GNOCCHI

Brett Sutton, Head Chef and Owner, The White Post, Rimpton

Ingredients750g of peeled and quartered floury potato (we would use Maris Pipers or King Edwards)200g of nettle tops (do use gloves and scissors to remove these and wash well)200g of plain flour and an extra 50g for rolling and dusting1 whole free range eggSalt and pepper

Method1. Bring the potatoes to the boil in plenty of

salted water and cook until soft, once cooked drain well and return to the pan, gently heat and mash well letting any water evaporate. Place to one side

2. Cook the nettles for 5 minutes, then refresh in cold water, drain and then squeeze out all the water, place the nettles in a blender with the egg and puree well. When making gnocchi you can make this in a mixer or by hand. Even now at The White Post when I generally treble this recipe up in size, I still make it by hand. There’s something very satisfying about feeling the mix come together between your fingers.

3. So, place the dry mashed potato on to a lightly floured work top, add the flour and mix well, then add the nettle and egg mix, add a pinch of salt and pepper and again mix well until you have a soft pliable dough.

4. Now the fun bit and quite often something I make with George and Harry my 2 boys. Divide the dough in half and roll into long sausages, then with a knife cut 1-2inch gnocchi/cylinders. Now you can either leave in this shape or push the lengths of the fork prongs into it, allowing more pesto or sauce to stick to it in the final part of your dish.

5. To cook the gnocchi, simply boil in salted water for 3-4 minutes. They will float to the

surface once they are cooked. You can eat them straight away or refresh in cold water, drain well and save until needed.

These work perfectly with Lisa’s very seasonal wild garlic pesto overleaf. It’s the prefect time of year for both._______________________________________

Food & Drink

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH SEA KALE

Sea kale is a delicious ingredient and I have found it in various places on the Dorset coast - Burton Bradstock, Chesil beach to name a couple. A tasting combination of broccoli, asparagus and land kale it’s a flavoursome thing.

Ingredients12 scallops, cleaned and roe removed50g butter200g sea kale, washed1 lemonSalt and pepper Rapeseed oil

A delicious simple starter that serves 4 people.

Method1. Blanch the sea kale for 2-3 minutes, drain and

refresh in cold water, drain again, pat dry and place to one side.

2. In a flat pan, heat well and drizzle with a little rapeseed oil, add the scallops and cook for 90 seconds each side. Once removed from the pan season well. Place the pan back onto a medium heat, add the kale with the butter, season well and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Divide the kale onto 4 plates, place 3 scallops on each and drizzle with the buttery lemon juice. Very simple, but the best things quite often are!

Brett is an arbitrator for the ‘Great Taste Awards’, and a judge at both ‘The World Cheese Awards’ and ‘Taste of the West’ awards.

www.thewhitepost.com


Sherry is one of the world’s oldest and greatest wines, a descendant of the celebrated Greek sweet wines that the Phoenicians brought to

Cadiz when they settled there around 1000 BC. When Sir Francis Drake ‘singed the beard of

the King of Spain’ by setting fire to his Armada fleet in Cadiz 1597 he took as ‘prize’ 3000 butts of sherry stacked on the quayside and brought them back to England.

Sherry became even more popular in England and stayed that way for 400 years largely thanks to its leading spokesman, Sir John Falstaff who boldly proclaimed: ‘If I had a thousand sons, the first

humane principle I would teach them is to forswear thin potations and addict themselves to sherris sack.’

For nearly 400 years Britain remained the leading importer of sherry but in the 1980s we began to prefer dry white wines from elsewhere.

If you enjoy fine wine it is perhaps time to take a fresh look at Sherry. I would like to draw your attention to what I consider to be some of the best value-for-money fine wines on sale in the UK: superb twelve year old Sherries for £8-9 in 50cl bottles. In particular I recommend 12 year old Amontillado and 12 year old Oloroso produced by Emilio Lustau for Sainsburys Taste the Difference

It is with immense pleasure that I introduce our new regular wine column from esteemed local writer David Copp. David entered the wine trade in 1956 and studied in Bordeaux, Burgundy,

Champagne, Rhine and Mosel, Jerez and Oporto. A member of the Circle of Wine Writers he has visited every one of the worlds major wine regions and has judged at international wine competitions. He has written four books on wine. Hungary: Its Fine Wines and Winemakers was shortlisted for the Louis Roederer International Wine Book of the Year. He is also elected

to the official brotherhood of Tokaj Renaissance.This month we learn about the origins of Sherry and are privileged to have David share his recommendations.

Food & Drink

A LITTLE DROP OF SOMETHING

David Copp


range and the Williams and Humbert 12 year old Oloroso available at Waitrose.

These wines, made with enormous skill and care, are wonderfully balanced and have the kind of elegance and finesse that is often missing in younger wines.

You may wish to offer them as an aperitif or with tapas but I suggest you try them with warm, thick home-made soup. A half copita at lunch time will add warmth to any bleak winter’s day. The lighter Amontillado is vibrant and revitalising, a complex, classic wine made smooth and satisfying. The dry mahogany-brown Olorosos are wonderfully rich

and concentrated and would be a joy with smoked duck or Manchego cheese and walnuts. These are sipping wines and a little goes a long way.

SHERBORNE WINE INTEREST GROUPJulian Halsby

The aptly named Sherborne Wine Interest Group or ‘SWIG’ for short is a friendly wine appreciation club that was established

in 2001 and is still going strong. The aim of the club is to enjoy wine without the pressure or expectation of being an expert.

We meet three or four times a year for a meal and a tutored wine tasting in local venues. A three course meal is catered for us and while enjoying the food a wine expert talks us through a selection of wines, usually about 8, which accompany the food. The evening might start with a glass of champagne and continue with four whites and four reds. The speakers are often wine merchants or wine journalists who really know their wines. In recent years speakers have included John Avery from Bristol on Pinot Noir, Steven Spurrier from ‘Decanter’ on various aspects of Bordeaux, Tom King from Great Western Wines on Australian wines and “minerality” in wine, Simon Hore from Trenchermans on the wines of South West France, local expert David Copp on Hungarian wines, and Meirion Williams from Yapp Brothers on “Undiscovered France”. We have also had speakers from Majestic Wine and Waitrose and Reg Wilkins of local firm Quantock Wines who organised an entertaining ‘Call my Bluff ’.

Upcoming events include a talk in November by Rosemary George MV, writer and expert on Languedoc wines. In early July SWIG has organised a wine tasting tour of the Languedoc to be based in the historic town of Pezenas which is at the centre of exciting new developments in oenology. We will meet wine makers, talk with oenologists and visit some fascinating wine domains.

Membership of SWIG is a one-off £10 for life and the club is currently recruiting new members. If you are interested in knowing more or joining please contact Janet Taylor, Secretary, Lower Farmhouse, Oborne, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA Telephone: 01935 812119 or Julian Halsby on 01935 812177


Do you remember the Six Million Dollar Man, that cheesy TV series of the 1970s? The premise was that an American test

pilot, seriously injured in some dramatic crash, was rebuilt by surgeons as the ‘bionic man’ with mechanical arms and legs which endowed him with superhuman strength. He could run at 50mph, lift Chevrolets clear off the ground and for all I know leap tall buildings with a single bound. Aged 12, I lapped it up, little knowing that 40 years later we would all have the chance of acquiring bionic legs, with an electric bike.

All right, I’m exaggerating, but electric bikes really do double the power of your legs, and the first time you ride one, it does feel as if they’ve been magically supercharged. It’s a simple idea – an electric motor, either mounted in the wheel or down in the bottom bracket, adds to your own pedalling oomph, kicking in automatically when

you start pedalling. Some electrics have a separate throttle, enabling you to ride on electric power alone without pedalling, but not on new bikes any more – the idea is that this is basically a bicycle, not a moped, so you do need to be pedalling, and getting some exercise, to make progress.

Electric bikes have been around for a couple of decades, but only in the last few years have sales taken off. Pioneer e-bikes were crude, heavy things with massive lead-acid batteries, but the latest generation have light, compact lithium-ion batteries, while the bikes are light and easy to handle. There’s more choice, with electric mountain bikes and road bikes as well as the practical commuter machine you would expect. And if you are of patriotic bent, you can even buy a UK-assembled e-bike these days.

The big plus of pedelecs (as in ‘pedal/electric’) is that legally, these are bicycles, so there’s no need

CYCLE SHERBORNEPeter Henshaw, Dorset Cyclists Network

Mike Riley, Riley’s Cycles


for insurance, MOT, licence or any of the other legal paraphernalia that comes with a petrol engine. That’s so long as the electric motor has less than 250 watts and assists up to a maximum of 15.5mph. Of course, downhill you can freewheel as fast as you like, just like a normal pedal cycle. What it won’t do is recharge the battery on the way down – the technology isn’t quite that clever yet.

On an electric bike, you put less effort in, so you should arrive at work, church or Olivers without being all sweaty. If you do feel like getting a bit more exercise, you can turn the assistance level down or turn it off altogether, and treat the pedelec like a normal bike. Hit a hill or headwind, and turn it back on.

Electric bikes do cost more than their non-powered cousins, and expect to pay £800 upwards for a decent one, £1800 up for European-made bike, and look for a two-year guarantee. The good news is that they are very cheap to run – the same

as a conventional bike, plus battery charging at around 10p per charge at domestic rates. As for the range, don’t take manufacurers’ claims as gospel, but even the smallest batteries should manage 20-25 miles, with the bigger ones on more expensive bikes good for at least 50 miles.

Riley's sells Volt and Wallerang electric bikes. I tried the Wallerang recently, a very sophisticated machine with hub gears, hydraulic disc brakes and electronic pushbutton gearchanging. It zoomed around Sherborne and wafted me up Castle Lane (the steepest hill in town?), all on supercharged legs. At £2399, it’s not cheap, but the price reflects the high tech, and the fact that the Wallerang is made in Sweden. For trips around town, and even way beyond, I reckon it makes a lot more sense than a Volvo.

www.dcn.org.ukwww.rileyscycles.co.uk


Body & Mind

TEAM TALKJustin Johnson, Department Manager

Retail, Waitrose Sherborne

A group Sherborne brach partners and I have set ourselves various challenges throughout 2016. Each one has its own sentiment and

personal story behind it, spurring us on to achieve our goals collectively.

In this my milestone 40th year, and after four years of failed attempts, fellow partner, Sam Potter and I have secured a place in the 2016 London Marathon. We will be running in support of the PSP Association (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy). Sadly, my stepfather passed away from this horrible illness in August 2015 after a long eight years of suffering. It seemed fitting for me to run for them to raise funds and awareness of their work. The challenge for me at least is not only in raising the minimum amount of £1,500 for PSP, but also the terrifying prospect of a gruelling 26 mile route and the four months of training required in the build up. Similarly the temptation not to stop at every landmark and take a selfie!

Along with Sam, Shaun Ryder (both Section Managers in Waitrose Sherborne) and I will be taking part in ‘Tough Mudder’ the following weekend in May…it’s all or nothing! This challenge is a half marathon, muddy obstacle course with a focus on teamwork and camaraderie. Sam and Shaun both completed Tough Mudder last year and this will be my first attempt. Clearly I will be dependent on the younger members of the team to get me through! The thrill of the challenge and being awarded the famous orange headband is enough to spur us all on.

July will see Alan Sykes (food service partner) heading up a team of 4 partners attempting to walk 100km across the South Downs in 30 hours. This is in aid of Oxfam and, like the previous events, the team ethic will be paramount to ensure they succeed. They won’t be sleeping for the duration of the challenge and will only stop for food and water breaks. With it being in July,

hopefully the weather will be decent for them and a good amount of money raised for a great cause.

These various challenges see our team ethic truly tested outside of the work environment and far from our comfort zones. As a group we will be helping each other achieve some amazing personal goals.

www.waitrose.comwww.justgiving/Justin-Johnson.com_______________________________________

SPRINGTIME SHIATSUMarco Cavallaro, Shiatsu Practitioner (MRSS DipBSS), The Sherborne Rooms

In the UK the cold and darkness of winter urge us to slow down. Winter is Yin in nature; it is inactive, cold, and damp and therefore a

more sedentary winter time can leave us feeling physically stiff, frustrated and prone to migraines, IBS and depression. This spring prepare yourself for returning to a more relaxed, active and happy lifestyle with Shiatsu.

During the winter months it can be difficult to wake in the mornings and a struggle to make it in to work. The overwhelming desire is to curl up on the sofa watching winter TV dramas while indulging in high fat foods. Now, with the evenings becoming lighter and the spring bulbs starting to bloom we begin to feel like facing the world again but the lethargy of the winter months may be hard to shift.

Officially, spring begins in the West on the 21st of March on the Spring Equinox. In contrast the Chinese feel it begins at Chinese New Year (Monday 8th February 2016), when the light is returning and the early signs of new growth begin. In both systems, the basic energy is the same; a feeling of new beginnings and a fresh start. Surprisingly often we do not feel the anticipated happiness expected at this time of year. Often, people feel frustrated, anxious and depressed as the energy builds in a body slowly waking from the hibernation of winter.

Shiatsu treats the liver and gall bladder meridians >


face & body treatment atmargaret balfour beauty centre Combining the proven technology ofUltrasound and Light therapy

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GENESISGENESIS at Margaret Balfour_Margaret Balfour Sherborne Times Full Page 2/16/2016 10:27 AM Page 2

at this time of year to support the Wood element in regaining balance in the body. These are strongly linked to muscle function and tendon elasticity and when they are depleted stiffness and muscle aches occur. A Shiatsu treatment at this time will leave you feeling physically balanced and revitalised, ready to spring forward into the new season with rejuvenated muscle function and a positive frame of mind.

Enjoy the coming season of new life and energy; remember that all our time on this Earth is special and unique so make steps to ensure that living in the now is a truly wonderful experience.

www.marcocavallaro.co.uk_______________________________________

AM I FIT ENOUGH FOR GROUP EXERCISE?

Natasha Williams, Oxley Sports Centre

All of us approach fitness and getting fit in different ways. Some of jump straight in and go for it, happy to try anything new;

The more cautious amongst us would want to know more before taking the plunge.

It’s something I hear regularly. “I’m not fit enough to go to classes, I won’t keep up.” This really is not true. Whilst it is called ‘Group’ exercise, your journey is an individual one. As in all areas of life, it is important to take things at your own pace. If you have been inactive for a while or have never taken on any specific exercise programme, to begin with you should think of taking small steps to build up. Trying to leap in may mean pushing too hard which can lead to injuries.

Everyone starts at square one. Even the instructor stood at the front was the new person once upon a time. When they walked in the room on that first day I’m sure that they felt and thought all of the same things that you may be right now. Many may have never seen themselves

one day becoming the class teacher! (I know this is certainly true for me!) Taking that first step can take you places that you never thought possible.

It has been found that 90% of exercisers would rather work out in a group and that 60% of people rate group exercise as the number one service that they look for when choosing a gym. Those people that work out with others are more likely to stick with it, In fact, more than 25% more likely. Finding a class that you love will keep you coming back and also attending more often.

Whilst not every class is suited to everyone’s tastes, there usually is something for everyone. And not always in the way that seems most obvious. Indoor cycling is generally perceived as being for the fittest amongst us. It is indeed true that it can work you really hard and burn up to 1000 calories per session but it is just as good for building fitness, as its low impact so can balance out other high impact exercise (such as running) or help with those who have joint problems. It doesn’t have complicated rhythms or choreography so it’s easy to follow.

Those of us looking to try and tone our core and shape our waists may look straight to Abs based workouts however, a BodyCombat class leads to significantly greater core activation delivering the equivalent of 1700 crunches, all without even lying down. This is due to the rotational work that the body does in reactive core training through kicks, knees and jabs. Allowing the core to do move as it’s supposed to.

Those over 50 may think especially that certain classes may be beyond their capabilities however a class such as BodyPump is the ideal workout for the over 50’s. As we age our bodies begin to lose muscle mass and bone density. This results in the weakness and fragility that are associated with getting older. By undertaking resistance training we can slow or even reverse these inevitable aspects of ageing. BodyPump uses light weights and high repetitions to provide tone and not bulk. This form of training helps to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, aids with improving sleep and also lessens the symptoms of arthritis.

Finally, dance classes such as Zumba can

Body & Mind


help with improving memory. This is because it needs coordination and then execution of unique movements meaning that concentration is required. This challenging type of active concentration-based activity can increase the amount of cells in the brain’s hippocampus. Preventing deterioration in this area of the brain has the potential to slow the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

So, my top tips for getting started are: to show up early – make sure you can introduce yourself to the instructor, let them know that you’re new and anything they may need to know (such as medical conditions) that way they can look out for you. Go with an open mind – the moves and environment may be completely alien to you but it’s going to get more familiar and easier as you go along. Work at your own pace – if you do more than what you’re comfortable with on your first go and can’t walk the next day that’s not going to encourage you to go back! And finally, try it more than once – with classes such as Indoor Cycling there are many instructors, you may not like the style of one but another may strike a chord and keep you coming back. The full class timetable can be downloaded at www.oxleysc.com _______________________________________

EMBRACING CHANGE

Jill Cook, Counsellor

At this time of year I often find myself thinking about change. It may be something major for me like career ideas

or something smaller like moving the furniture! Change is something we all encounter and have to learn to manage. Depending on the type of change, we may manage it well or struggle. For some of us change is seen as a challenge, an exciting opportunity and for others it brings fears of the unknown, with a whole variety of thoughts and emotions in between.

At this time parents and pupils will be awaiting the news about primary or secondary school places.

This can be a time of huge change for some, filled with mixed feelings of excitement and uncertainty as to exactly what the future might hold. University interviews will be over and there is the wait for an offer of a place. The build up to SATs, GCSE and A level examinations, preparation of portfolios or dissertations all reinforce the fact that change will happen. How we manage this is important - expressing fears and concerns to someone you trust can be useful rather than denying the discomfort and allowing the fear to build up.

The educational system holds examples of changes where we can feel that change is pushed upon us, like the transition from primary to secondary school. How do we as adults manage this and support our children to do so too? When we know a change is coming we can choose to ignore it and ‘deal with it later’ or explore the possibilities around it so that when it does happen we are as prepared as we can be. In this way we can, perhaps, enable our children to embrace change with some excitement and less fear. Changes like the move to college or university are a change of choice. It’s a change which we have actively chosen but it still may include a level of uncertainty. It is often this uncertainty that can feel scary. The preparation for interviews will now be over and offers may have been received. This doesn’t necessarily remove all the uncertainty as for many it will be the first time away from home and a more independent way of living.

For parents and carers it can be helpful to take time to listen to and discuss any fears your child or young person may have concerning their move. As an adult, facing this move with your child can be a challenge. It can be useful to acknowledge your own fears so that you don’t pass them on. Similarly, if as an adult you are very excited by the opportunities the change offers, there can be a possibility that our own excitement may stop us from really hearing our young person’s concerns. Take time to listen to what is being said, what is not being said and notice changes in behaviour as they may be signals that there are concerns.

It set me thinking again about how I react to change in my life and how I respond to it. >


In these constantly changing times an acceptance of small changes can make it easier to manage larger ones when they come.

In the challenging world of business where the ‘goal posts’ seem to be constantly moving, keeping afloat can be very hard. By examining our way of responding to this we have a better chance of achieving our desired outcome. Being aware of what is going on around us and assessing how it might impact on our world can help us prepare for change. By acknowledging the possibility of change we can be prepared when it comes. Rather than be scared (sometimes easier said than done), embrace change, learn from it and perhaps even see it as an opportunity for adventure!

www.jillcook.co.uk_______________________________________

AN INTRODUCTION TO ACUPUNCTURE

Amanda Hunt, Acupuncturist, 56 London Road Clinic

How does acupuncture work?Acupuncture is a practice based on Chinese Medicine principles that have been researched and refined for over 2,000 years. Fine needles are inserted into the body on points which are linked on channels or meridians along which energy flows. Stressful lives, illnesses and unhealthy lifestyle choices can upset our natural flow of energy so that it becomes blocked or deficient, resulting in a variety of physical and emotional symptoms. Research has shown that acupuncture works by stimulating the body’s healing response, calming the central nervous system and regulating hormones and, because acupuncture is an holistic therapy designed for the individual, it has the added benefit of improving general wellbeing and enhancing energy levels.

How can acupuncture help me?The World Health Organisation (WHO)

lists 28 conditions that acupuncture has been proved to treat effectively, which include allergic rhinitis, depression, painful periods, morning sickness, headaches, knee pain, lower back pain, sciatica, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, tennis elbow and adverse reactions to radiotherapy/chemotherapy.

Most patients come for help with specific symptoms and conditions, although many people find acupuncture helpful as a preventative measure, helping them to increase their general sense of health and well-being.

What does acupuncture feel like?Many people associate needles with the needles they have experienced at the doctor’s surgery. Acupuncture needles are completely different – they have a thin gauge and a sharp point for painless insertion.

Most patients say that the needles don’t hurt but they report sensations such as a dull ache, a pleasant feeling of release, or a feeling of a muscle tugging and then relaxing. These feelings can be strong but should not be unpleasant.

What can I expect if I book an appointment?The first appointment usually lasts for an hour and a half. Your acupuncturist will take a medical history from you as well as asking you about things such as sleep, digestion, diet and lifestyle which will help formulate a treatment plan uniquely designed for you. If necessary, you will be examined for areas of tenderness and pain and receive a preliminary treatment.

Subsequent appointments usually last for an hour. The numbers of treatments necessary and the speed of improvement depend upon the condition and the individual. Your acupuncturist will discuss this with you as you progress.

Amanda trained for 4 years at the renowned College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading, gaining a Bsc (Hons) degree and a Licentiate of Acupuncture (LicAc). Amanda’s training included conventional biomedical sciences and Five Element and Traditional

Body & Mind


Chinese acupuncture. Amanda is also a member of the British Acupuncture Council.

www.56londonroad.co.uk_______________________________________

HOUSEHOLD ALLERGIES – HOW

TO TEST AND TREATDr Tim Robinson, MB BS MSc

MRCGP DRCOG MFHom, GP & complementary practitioner

Allergic reactions to various unrecognized trigger factors present within our houses result in a number of common and

troublesome medical conditions. Once the allergic cause has been identified these problems can be dealt with by practical measures, as well as with conventional and homeopathic treatments.

The commonest factors in the home that precipitate allergy are house dust mite and moulds. These allergy precipitants are present all year round unlike pollens that are seasonal, causing hayfever.

Allergic reaction to these factors may result in a number of respiratory conditions. Allergic rhinitis presents as sneezing, nasal congestion, snoring, runny nose with clear discharge. This can lead to recurrent sinusitis, persistent post nasal catarrh and throat clearing. Asthma can be triggered and control made difficult in the presence of these allergic factors. Eczema can also be caused and worsened by house dust mite and moulds.

The house dust mite is a tiny creature present in all households to varying degrees. They thrive at temperatures of 25-28C and 75% humidity which exist in our homes due to central heating, double glazing and poor ventilation. These little mites feed on skin flakes that are shed by us all. Their droppings, circulating freely in the air, are responsible for the allergic symptoms and conditions. They occur throughout the house but especially in the bedroom. Their numbers can be

reduced by regular vacuuming with a modern air-filtration system machine. Don’t use an older machine as these circulate the droppings and worsen the situation. Cover the mattress with a micro-porous fabric that allows through water vapour but not the mites. Use synthetic duvet and blankets that are washed regularly at 55C - any less won’t kill the mites. Ideally carpets should be replaced by wooden flooring in the houses of those who have particularly troublesome asthma or eczema.

Mould grows in our houses for a number of reasons. Old houses tend to have damp areas as they don’t have wall-cavity insulation or a damp course. Newly built houses are usually double glazed, draft proofed and have less air circulation. Reduced ventilation increases humidity levels. Mould thrives in all these situations.

Management of any of these conditions can be improved if an allergic factor is identified. The easiest and most reliable method is skin prick testing; this is scientifically validated and supported by research, unlike others such as hair analysis, kinesiology, Vega testing and internet sourced finger prick blood tests. If the test is negative, you can be comforted that your conditions such as asthma, catarrh and eczema are not due to allergy. If the skin prick test is positive, you can eliminate the identified trigger factor – house dust mite or mould - as outlined above, in order to reduce their effect on those allergic medical conditions.

Besides these practical measures of mite elimination and mould clearance, the allergic symptoms can be controlled by conventional and homeopathic treatments. Conventional treatment is with anti-histamines and nasal steroids. Homeopathic treatment is with the use of the trigger factor in homeopathic form ie house dust mite or mould that is responsible for the symptoms. There are respected studies that support the validity of these medicines, thus disproving the belief that their effectiveness is due to a placebo response. There are also homeopathic medicines for the troublesome allergic symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, catarrh and nasal congestion.

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6446 Sherbourne Times 'Small or Tall' Advert ART.indd 1 11/02/2016 16:07

Are you confident that your home sale or purchase is not going to fall through? The figures are higher than you might think!

Property

A survey by Quick Move in July 2015 cited the fall-through rate at 36%. That’s right, more than 1 in 3 transactions did

not complete in the period reported, the second quarter of 2015. Whilst these figures were a sharp increase on the reported 22% in quarter 1 of 2015 the first half of the year average fallout rate was still higher than you might expect at 28%.

It’s widely quoted that moving home is one of the 3 most stressful experiences in our lives. Being aware of the potential issues and taking proactive steps to manage the sales progression process will significantly reduce this fall through rate and hopefully reduce those stress levels. The reality is, buying and selling property can be a long drawn out affair. It can be confusing and understanding the trade jargon and the conveyancing process is a job in itself.

The most common reason, accounting for 22% of sales falling through, is the buyer changing their mind. The reasons for this are varied and clearly if someone just simply decides the house is not for them or their personal circumstances change then there’s not a lot that can be done to change that.

However, by addressing the points below we should be able to eradicate many of the reasons around funding, not understanding the chain, unrealistic timing expectations and getting cold feet through not being confident in the process or completely informed.

Qualification of the buyer’s funds: Make sure your agent checks the buyer’s finances. In the sample data 16% of sales fell through due to the buyer not being able to secure the finances. If purchasing with a mortgage, this should be visibility of a recent Mortgage In Principle supplemented by visibility of the deposit. It is sensible to make sure there is a surplus to cover further disbursements.

If your buyer says they are a cash buyer make sure they really mean cash as opposed to being dependant upon the sale of a property. Again your agent should verify the cash funds/assets.

Understand the chain: From the sample data 5.8% of sales fell through due to the chain breaking. Knowing where you are in the chain and understanding the respective positions of your fellow buyers and sellers will help to manage expectations. It may be possible that the chain could be broken, for example, someone may be willing to move into rented property to protect their sale. It’s important to seek guidance from your agent and be realistic with timescales around exchange and completion dates.

Buyers and sellers – be proactive: The whole process can be sped up if both buyer and seller get on the front foot straight away. From the sample data 13% of sales fell through due to a slow sales process. Both parties should instruct their respective solicitors and return paperwork as soon as possible. The buyer should make sure they apply for their mortgage immediately and pay for their solicitor to instruct the searches. Work with your solicitor to respond to any enquiries in a timely fashion.

Regular sales progression updates: One of the most frustrating and understandable complaints from buyers and sellers is the lack of regular updates. Make sure you schedule regular updates with your agent. A good agent will be proactive and update you once a week after making calls to solicitors and other agents thereby being able to keep you fully informed and giving you confidence in the process and its outcome.

Anita and Paul are branch directors of EweMove Sherborne www.ewemove.com/sherborne

UNDERSTANDING THE CHAIN

Anita Light and Paul Gammage, EweMove Sherborne


Hi we’re Anita and PaulBranch Directors of EweMove SherborneYour Local Property Expert

Get Your FREE Online Valuation EstimateVisit: EweMove.com/SherborneOr Call: 01935 350 350

Paul Slator Estate agency for the 21st century!I have experience of buying & selling properties & how stressful it often is. On this occasion however, I have been lucky in discovering ‘EweMove’ who take the stress out of it by providing a brilliant service. I feel like they are working solely for me. Paul & Anita at EweMove in Sherborne are constantly in contact with us keeping us up to date with everything. They are professional in what they do, yet put me at ease so I feel confident to ask them anything that I am unsure about. From initially contacting them online I feel we have had their constant attention. Whereas other more traditional agents are either unavailable or slow to respond. The photos, description & overall presentation of our house sale have been superb. I feel that this has been a significant factor in securing us a buyer within hours of being marketed. I can’t recommend Paul & Anita at EweMove highly enough.

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I could write about many farmers, but Bobby Sowden is the most extreme. For my part, I knew him well through the market where

some folk treated him as the village idiot. He was far from this and showed me great kindness and encouragement. Bobby was a true eccentric and the story that follows is not exaggerated.

Bobby’s address was The Farm which quaintly summed up his holding. He lived with his sister in spartan conditions in the middle of a beautiful Somerset village. His near-derelict house was juxtaposed between manicured lawns and roses-around-the-door cottages.

Although Bobby had been approached numerous times to sell for development, he and his pigs remained – and that was the sticking point with the village. The smell of pigs can be strong, especially if the wind is in the wrong direction, but at The Farm it wasn’t the pigs, but the pig dung! Kept on straw in stone barns around the yard, they were mucked out regularly. But the dung heap in winter got larger until the clay-based fields were dry enough to withstand a tractor tyre or, more accurately, until Bobby could be bothered to stir

up the village by filling his dung cart and driving down the street to his land.

Bobby was not a simpleton - he was well read and articulate, although to look at him you wouldn’t think he had a penny to his name. Always the same jacket and trousers and what I once took to be a flowery tie until I realised that it was covered in last night’s supper, with a shirt to match.

Bobby was not malicious, but if the people in the village annoyed him he would become forgetful. He would forget that it was anti-social to spread dung on Sundays or he would accidently leave his gate open so that a few pigs would wander into a neighbour’s garden, and that is when the solicitor’s letters started. Eventually an injunction was served and the pigs had to go.

Bobby saw me in the market and told me his tale of woe. I had heard all about it soon after he ignored the first legal letters, or probably even before that, as he was a major talking point in the market. Our local feed merchant once told me that the Council insisted on Bobby installing a bathroom before they would pay a grant to mend

The tales of George Haywood, Auctioneer

A SHORT AND CURLY TALEGeorge Haywood is an agricultural auctioneer from

Dorset. He’s sold land, farm machinery, buildings and, most particularly, livestock with a combination of showmanship and sensitivity that has kept him at the top of his game for many years. And he’s met a few characters along the way…


the roof. A bathroom was duly fitted and, when the feed merchant arrived with his bags of pig nuts, Bobby first insisted on showing off his ‘modern’ sanitation by flushing and reflushing the lavatory. After the prolonged demonstration, he wanted the sacks of feed emptied into the bath! More convenient than the shed, apparently.

I agreed to act for him and stand as a character witness in Court to oppose the injunction, but we were onto a loser as soon as we saw the Magistrate – a real Townie who looked down at Bobby with disdain. There was now no alternative, the pigs were going. We agreed to auction them on the farm and drew up a catalogue of the herd – which ones were in pig? How close to farrowing? How many piglets in the litter? Getting the information was impossible. Bobby was too emotional to talk about the sale and, as he was not on the phone, it meant numerous trips to the farm.

When I say he was not on the phone, this was not strictly true. A public phone box was immediately outside Bobby’s kitchen window. The system was to ring the number of the phone box and Bobby or his sister would hopefully hear the bell and they would come out of the house around the gate into the street and pick up the receiver. Needless to say, you had to let the phone ring for a long time and invariably a passer-by would answer and then they would hunt for one of them. It may sound quaint, but it was incredibly frustrating.

In the end, the catalogue was done and sale day arrived. Usually a great effort is made to tidy up when a sale is held, but the farm was presented in its working clothes, every pitchfork out of place and of course the inevitable dung heap!

The crowd of people attending on the day was enormous. Many appeared out of curiosity as Bobby’s legend was well known, but most people arrived to buy. For all Bobby’s unorthodox appearance, his pigs were extremely healthy and whenever he sold them at market they flourished when taken to their new home, having already picked up an immunity to every modern disease.

As the clock struck 11, I turned to my client and asked him if he was ready. He went over to his tractor, put some axle grease on his hands, ran them through his grey hair and with resignation wandered, head bowed to the sale ring. We rang the bell and called the buyers.

We had a system of gates which we moved from each loose box so that a race was formed to get the pigs into the ring. They were turned around and then exited through a gate into a spare building. Moving pigs is not the easiest task and boards had to be used which meant there were inevitably delays as each lot come snorting and squealing into the ring.

Halfway through the sale, however, there was an unbearably long wait. A sow was missing. I was beginning to lose the buyers’ attention. I barked at the drovers, asking them to find the missing pig, Lucy. “Can’t find her anywhere, George,” came the reply. I told them to send the next sow into the ring and get someone to look for her, and I went on selling.

The afternoon wore on and every few lots I would ask the whereabouts of the missing pig. The drovers were empty handed. I sold the last lot and asked the few buyers who still remained if they would be kind enough to stay and help us search, and about 20 of us started to look in all the farm buildings.

Bobby’s sister then came out of the house. “What’s goin’ orn? Thick sale finished, then?” she asked. “Well almost Miss Sowden,“ I said, “but we can’t find Lucy. We’ve looked everywhere but she’s just vanished.” Miss Sowden chuckled. “Lucy b’aint vanished, Mr Haywood. She been ’ere all daze she had, but it ain’t no good lookin’ in them sheds.” She chuckled again. “She be stretched out in ’ere, in front of thick fire in front room, snorin’ her ’ead orf !”

We wandered in and sure enough there she was as content as a baby, oblivious to everything. “With all yer hollerin’ out there, I reckon this be the quietest place for ’er.” We had to agree and I looked at Bobby, his bright eyes glistening with what could have been tears. I suggested selling her where she was. Bobby looked on like a proud parent. “Seems shame to move ’er Mr Haywood, when she be so peaceful.” I nodded and we quietly assembled the buyers in the front room and I whispered the bidding, selling her in the end for the top price of the day.

“Reckon I’ll pick ’er up in the morning,” said the buyer, “if she’s woken up by then.” Bobby smiled, tickled Lucy’s head and then went into the bathroom to get her some food.


END OF TAX YEAR PLANNINGAndrew Fort B.A. (Econ.) CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS

Certified and Chartered Financial Planner

The end of the 2015/16 tax year is fast approaching and it’s your last chance to take full advantage of your tax free allowances

and exemptions. The list below will help you take advantage of some of these and remember they must be used on or before the 5th April 2016.

ISA AllowanceThe annual ISA allowance increased to £15,240 per person (£30,480 for a couple!). There is no difference in limits between a stocks and shares ISA and cash ISA so you can save the entire £15,240 in a cash ISA or invest it in a stocks and shares ISA. Alternatively you can have a mixture of the two providing you don’t exceed the £15,240 limit.

The benefit of ISAs is that you don’t pay income tax on the interest and they are not subject to capital gains tax.

Junior ISAsJust like ordinary ISAs, there are Junior Individual Savings Accounts known as JISA’s. They can be opened for children under 18 who don’t have a Child Trust Fund account. The child can take control of the JISAs from the age of 16, but cannot withdraw from them until they are 18. This year’s annual tax free JISA allowance is £4,080.

Pension AllowanceIn the 2015/16 tax year you are able to place up to £40,000 into a pension, (subject to net relevant earnings). Any past years Pension Contribution Allowance which had not been used up can be carried forward, but only for the last 3 tax years. Using your pension allowance can significantly reduce the earnings you get taxed on, possibly bringing your earnings for tax purposes down into another tax bracket. With the increased flexibility on taking benefits introduced in April 2015, pension contributions are now even more appealing.

Income TaxFor those individuals whose earnings are in and around the tax band thresholds, some last minute

planning may be tax efficient. Up until 5th April you can earn up to £42,385 without going into the 40% tax band (Personal tax free allowance of £10,600 + £31,785). If your income exceeds £42,385 then additional pension contributions may be worth considering as higher rate tax relief may be available.

Capital Gains TaxThe annual CGT exemption is £11,100 for 2015/16 tax year. If you have unrealised gains, you may decide to dispose of some before the end of the tax year to use up your annual exemption. Married couples are taxed individually on capital gains, so transferring an asset from one spouse to another before realising a gain can be tax efficient. As far as possible it is important to use the annual exemption each tax year because, if unused, it cannot be carried forward.

Annual Inheritance Tax Exemption and Small GiftsThe first £3,000 given away each tax year is not subject to Inheritance Tax if you die. Amounts greater than £3,000 can later become subject to inheritance tax, if you die within 7 years. If you don’t use the exemption this year, you can carry it forward for one tax year and use it then. As such, if you want to use 2014/15’s unused Annual Inheritance Tax Exemption, you must do so before 5th April 2016.

There is also the Small Gifts Allowance, which means you can give up to £250 to any individual each year without being subject to IHT. For example, you could gift £250 to your grandchildren and great grandchildren and it would be immediately outside your estate for inheritance tax. We would suggest keeping accurate records of any gifts made.

No decision should be taken based on the content of this article. Always take full individual advice first.

At Fort Financial Planning, we have The Tax Reductions StrategyTM which is an important part of our Comprehensive Financial Planning service. A pound of tax saved is, after all, an extra pound in your pocket. ffp.org.uk


The Old VicarageLeigh, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6HL

01935 [email protected]

We are delighted to announce that following our recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission we have been awarded a rating of Outstanding. This means we are in the top 1% of care homes in England.

Set in its own secluded, beautifully landscaped gardens, woodland and meadow, and with stunning views overlooking the Dorset countryside, it’s hard to resist the charms of the Old Vicarage. As soon as you step through the front door of this charming country house, you’ll discover an oasis of comfort, warmth, calm and relaxation.

Our highly trained staff ensure that everything - from the mouth-watering food and drink and the stylishly cosy bedrooms to the wide range of activities - will make the Old Vicarage truly a home from home. We have been recognised by the Cinnamon Trust as being one of the best pet friendly care homes in the country.

To arrange a visit please call on 01935 873033 or email [email protected]

The Old VicarageCQC overall rating

28 January 2016

Residential Care HomeSturminster Newton, Dorset

Awarded the highest accolade of “Beacon” status for “End of Life Care” First Care Home in the South West to achieve the “Silver” Food for Life Catering Mark

Respite and day care services are available.For further information or to request a brochure please ring

01258 472511 or email: [email protected]

One of only 50 homes in the UK rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission

Spring is in the air and the bulbs are pushing through to lift our spirits.

Nazareth Lodge... a real home.

We stock the largest range of mobility

products and furniture in the area

Tel 01935 389391www.sherbornemobility.co.uk

Visit our showroomUnit 5, South Western Business Park,

Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PS(Access via the station car park)

Keepingyou mobilein style

For further information, or for a 2016 brochure call the office now!

HolidaysPoldark’s Cornish Land

23 rd - 27 th MayExperience Cornwall’s beauty and discover the setting of the recent

television series ‘Poldark’. Price includes Luxury Coach Transport and

Accommodation.From £195

01935 42317 7 | www.taylorscoachtravel.co.uk

Days OutBradford on Avon & Canal Ride

Saturday 16th April, £25 (Club £23.50)

Cream Tea in the CotswoldsSaturday 23rd April £24. 50 (Club £22.00)

Orchid ParadiseSunday 1st May, £24 (Club £22)

Mamma Mia! At the Bristol HippodromeSaturday 17th May, £55 2016 Day Trips & Excursions

brochure available now


Residential Care HomeSturminster Newton, Dorset

Awarded the highest accolade of “Beacon” status for “End of Life Care” First Care Home in the South West to achieve the “Silver” Food for Life Catering Mark

Respite and day care services are available.For further information or to request a brochure please ring

01258 472511 or email: [email protected]

One of only 50 homes in the UK rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission

Spring is in the air and the bulbs are pushing through to lift our spirits.

Nazareth Lodge... a real home.

Wireless is simply wonderful, when it works! I remember back in about 2005 when the first wireless routers came

on the market we spent hours trying to configure it and make it work. Today you just press a button and it’s all done … well nearly. We have laptops, tablets, printers, mobile phones and other such stuff all on Wi-Fi along with TV boxes galore, heating systems, music systems and electric curtains … where will it end?

However if you live in a big stone house with thick stone walls or a relatively new build with foil-backed insulation then you’ll know that your Wi-Fi signal doesn’t go very far. I’m often asked to provide a more powerful router, but that is not possible for two reasons. Firstly the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 limits the power output of all devices and secondly, even if you could link-up a more powerful transmitter, your devices would have to be equally powerful to be able to transmit back again when sending stuff back to the internet.

So how do you overcome this conundrum? You can try the simplest and cheapest method which is to re-position your router closer to the centre of your area; I regularly visit houses where the router is at the furthest end of the house simply because that is where the main PC is connected with a cable. Move the router and make the PC wireless for less than £20! I’m sorry, no you can’t have a second router plugged in somewhere else. However you can have a wireless repeater. These are relatively inexpensive at about £30 and you have to position them within good reach of the existing wireless signal and that signal is simple repeated.

There is sometimes some loss of speed and you can’t daisy-chain them to extend further.

Next, and most popular, are the “Powerline” adapters. These are two or more devices that plug-in to your mains electricity and talk to each other over those wires. Assuming that your house is all on the same distribution board (fuse box in old language!), then you can easily have Wi-Fi at the other end of the house and in the middle as well. A bit more expensive starting at about £65 for a simple kit, but you still don’t need any unsightly wiring and you just plug them in.

For bigger buildings, offices and outhouses there is really only one option, cable. The theory is simple enough, a cat5e network cable run from A to B with one end plugged into the router and the other has a wireless access point into which you can connect multiple other devices. This method is guaranteed to work as the extension of your Wi-Fi is not based on how thick a wall is. I’ve tried external aerials, bi-pole aerials and directional plate aerials, but none of them seem to work reliably in a domestic environment, and what you all want is reliability!

So there you have it! If you live in a modest 3-bed semi or smaller abode then the Wi-Fi provided by your ISP router should be just fine. However the bigger or more extended your needs are then one of the above options is for you. As always, if you get stuck, you know where to come!

Next month: Internet Browsing and Searching

www.computing-mp.co.uk


Established over 45 yearsRenovations, Extensions and Alterations ~ Patios, Boundary Walls and Fencing

Purpose made Joinery ~ Internal and External Decorations ~ Bathrooms and KitchensWall and floor Tiling ~ Repairs and Maintenance ~ Roofing and Fibreglass Systems

BRYAN C. COOPER LTDA Traditional Family Run Building Company

96 Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3DTEmail: [email protected]: bryancooperbuilders.co.uk Tel: 01935 814946

FRANKS

LTD

M A I N T E N A N C E G R O U P

Serving all your interior & exterior maintenance needs

01747 826656 [email protected] www.franksgroup.co.uk

• Heating & Plumbing• Refurbishments• Carpentry• Kitchen Fitting• Bathroom Fitting

• Wall/Floor Tiling• Plastering• Hard Landscaping• Painting & Decorating• Mobile Scaffold Tower Hire

Building repair & maintenance | Home refurbishments | Facilities management services

24seven

CALL OUT


Hello to all, from the Sherborne Chamber of Trade & Commerce. In last month’s edition Colin talked about ‘getting the job

done’. Here is an example of the Chamber at work.In an economy where increased responsibility

is being placed upon the local community, one of the Chamber’s tasks is to explore the opportunities available.

Business leaders in Sherborne are seeking help to investigate further the idea of a scheme that will bring in thousands of pounds to promote the town. Sherborne Chamber of Trade and Commerce is in the early stages of considering a Business Improvement District (BID).

A BID is a business-led and business-funded body formed to improve a defined commercial area.

It would have control of a budget, raised through an additional levy on businesses in the area, which would directly be used to improve conditions for commerce in the area.

The money could be spent on anything from marketing campaigns, promotional activities, events or even extra security, as long as it’s not a service currently provided by a local authority.

At last month’s Chamber meeting, members decided to investigate whether there was someone in the community willing to assist in taking the project forward.

Nick Hunt, managing director of Hunts Accountants who has been leading the project on behalf of the Chamber, said: “To move this project forward in terms of investigating the feasibility requires a lot of ground work. Unfortunately, all existing Chamber executive

members have full time, demanding jobs, and taking this on would be a big ask”.

However, before we shelve the project, we want to appeal to anyone in the community who may be able to help. Someone who is perhaps recently retired or semi-retired, who has experience of local government, grant applications or the like and may be interested in helping. Above all, they need to be passionate about Sherborne and improving the town’s prospects.

Nick Hunt and Steve Lee, the manager of Waitrose, recently visited those behind the successful Wimborne BID. It was established in August 2011 after the majority of 300 local businesses showed their support for it in a poll. The funds have been used to market and promote Wimborne to encourage more visitors and residents to increase local spend in shops, restaurants, bars, attractions, hotels and other businesses. It has also improved maps, signs, information and interpretive panels explaining the history, heritage and environment of the town to ensure visitors see all Wimborne has to offer. The town’s major festivals have been enhanced, including the Christmas lights and entertainment for children, the Wimborne Food Festival, Folk Festival, Christmas Parade and Wimborne Arts Week.

Who can help Sherborne emulate this success and lead us to becoming a thriving Business Improvement District?

To express your interest please contact the Chamber via our website www.sherbornechamber.org.uk

You can learn more about the BID scheme by visiting www.gov.uk/guidance/business-improvement-districts

A CALL TO ACTION


Central Heating Installations, Servicing and Maintenance

•Gas Appliances Installed,

Repaired and Serviced including LPG

•Landlord Safety Certificates

01935 [email protected]

www.smithgasengineers.co.uk

CONTACT PATRICK O’LOUGHLIN Office: 01935 815613 Mob: 07590 121599

Email: [email protected] 57 Granville Way, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 4AT

BOILER SERVICING, REPAIRS & INSTALLATIONFULL HEATING INSTALLATION

UNVENTED HOT WATERLANDLORD CERTIFICATES

GAS, OIL & LPGDOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL


♦ New Build♦ Renovations♦ Gas boiler servicing♦ Bathroom installations♦ Free quotes ~ competitive prices

Wills Plumbing and Heating LtdLocal & Reliable PlumberGas safe registered, fully insured

Email: [email protected] Malcolm 07885 420609

EMDR - a supportive, effective therapy.Eye Movement, Reprocessing and Desensitisation

Therapy & Addiction Services

Tel: 01747 825288Mobile: 07966 002927www.fullstoptherapy.co.uk

• Trauma• Anxiety• Low self-esteem• Phobias• Depression

24 hour emergency calloutGeneral plumbing and heating

Evening and weekendsFriendly and professional service

No job too small

Tel: 01935 584 034 | Mob: 07718 476 [email protected]

www.oakleighplumbing.co.uk

Yeovil

Sherborne &

surrounding

areas

Home Selection Service and Budget flooring available

Carpets ~ Naturals ~ Vinyls ~ Contract FlooringProud Member of BNI ~ Yeovil

[email protected] www.inspiration4floors.co.uk

Tel: 01935 426185 Mobile: 07855 743796

Keeping your family and business safeContact us on

[email protected] or 07974 155624 for a free quote

www.pcelectricals-dorset.co.uk

A treasure trove of beautiful designer fabrics, yarn and haberdashery

Providers of craft workshops including sewing, patchwork, embroidery, knitting and crochetOpen 10-4pm Mon, Thurs, Fri. Closed for

workshops on Tues, Weds and some Saturdays

81 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3BA01935 817303 www.butterflybright.com

DESIGNER

Specialist in outfits for the Mothers of the Bride and Groom

Find us in Half Moon Street, Sherborne, opposite the Abbey.

01935 812 [email protected]

Polite, Reliable and Trustworthy

• DOMESTIC • COMMERCIAL • AGRICULTURAL

Testing, Fuse boards, Re-wires or just an extra light or socket. NICEIC Registered

Tel: 01935 389984 • Mob: 07402 881415 www.turnbullselectricalsolutions.co.uk

Turnbulls Electrical Solutions


Find us at Forward Garage onthe A30 between Sherborne & Yeovil

CROSSROADS PET SUPPLIES LTDAll Pet AccessoriesRetail & Wholesale

01935 411859

FENCING & GATES

Supplied and erected by the

SHERBORNE & DISTRICT FENCING Co.

Free Estimates No VAT

01935 330095

07792 391368NO VAT

[email protected]

DAVE THURGOODPainting and Decorating

interior and exterior

KNOTT ROOFINGSlating, Tiling, Leadwork New Roofs and Re-Roofs GRP Fibreglass Flat Roofs

General Roof Repairs

Contact Ian Roofing Specialist

Mobile: 07985 435847 Tel: 01935 812895 Email: [email protected]

Wayne TimminsPainter and Decorator

For a free quote calltel: 01935 872007mobile: 07715 867145

• Dulux Approved• Interior and Exterior• All Jobs Considered

01963 250788

Small Business Support New PCs & Laptops Repairs & Upgrades Virus Removal

Networks & Cabling Wireless Networks Broadband Setup Disaster Recovery

Covering South Somerset & North Dorset

The Weighbridge • High Street • Milborne Port • DT9 5DGwww.mpfix.co.uk

PORT AND AIRPORT CAR SERVICEANY DISTANCE, ON TIME, IN COMFORTMercedes E Class

Greg Cook01935 81433407594 [email protected]

KINGSTON HOUSE, LONG STREET, SHERBORNEDT9 3DB (Ample parking) Tel: 01935 813288

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8.30am - 6.00pmSaturday 8.30am - 11.30am

Surgery Times: Monday - Friday 9am - 10.30am,4.30pm - 6.00pm, Saturday 9am - 10.30am

www.kingstonvets.co.ukWoodlands Equine Clinic 01963 210604Shavehill Equine Clinic 01747 822799

SHERBORNE SURGERY


At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was

diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated.

When Dr. Paul Kalanithi sent his best friend an email in May 2013 revealing that he had terminal cancer, he wrote: “The good news is that I’ve already outlived two Brontës, Keats and Stephen Crane. The bad news is that I haven’t written anything.” It was a jokey way of dealing with the unthinkable but also an indication of Dr. Kalanithi’s tremendous ambition. He had led a fascinating life and was not about to leave it unchronicled.

Part of this book’s tremendous impact comes from the obvious fact that its author was such a brilliant writer. And part comes from the way he conveys what happened to him — passionately working and striving, waiting to live and then learning to die — so well. None of it is maudlin, self pitying or exaggerated. As he wrote to a friend: “It’s just tragic enough and just imaginable enough.”

He wrote his own book with great determination but also great difficulty, to the point of wearing silver-lined gloves to use the trackpad when his fingertips began to crack during chemotherapy. (In the epilogue and afterword, by his wife, Lucy Kalanithi, also

a doctor, she says that the manuscript had to be completed posthumously.) But the difficulty doesn’t show: Dr. Kalanithi knows how to make a paragraph compelling.

“A remarkable book... Kalanithi writes very well, in a plain and matter-of-fact way, without a trace of self-pity, and you are immediately gripped and carried along... He was clearly a deeply thoughtful and compassionate man, and his death is a great loss to medicine, but at least he has left this remarkable book behind.” - Dr. Henry Marsh

Wayne is proprietor of Winstone's Books,Winner of South-West IndependentBookseller of the Year 2014 and 20138 Cheap Street, Sherbornewinstonebooks.co.uk

LITERARY REVIEWWayne Winstone, Winstone's Books

When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi (Bodley Head) £12.99

Exclusive Sherborne Times reader price of £11.99 at Winstone’s Books. Please bring a copy of this review to claim your discount.


ACROSS1. Unify (8)5. Among (4)8. Go over again (5)9. Incorrectly (7)10. Italian rice dish (7)12. Changed (7)14. Shock greatly (7)16. ___ Davenport:

US tennis player (7)18. Large knife (7)19. Makes a garment

from wool (5)20. Kate ___ : British singer (4)21. Versions of a book (8)

DOWN1. Vehicle pulled by a horse (4)2. Distinctive mode

of pronunciation (6)3. Adventurers (9)4. One who lacks courage (6)6. Strong (6)7. Routine and ordinary (3-2-3)11. Increase rapidly (9)12. Church of England

member (8)13. Annoys (6)14. Composite of different

species (6)15. Blue plant dye (6)17. Sues (anag) (4)

FEBRUARY SOLUTIONS

SUDOKUFill the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 section contain all numbers between 1 and 9

PROUDLY ROASTED IN SHERBORNE READSCOFFEE.CO.UK


MAKING MORAL DECISIONSCanon Eric Woods, Vicar of Sherborne

I am writing in early February, in a brief break from preparing two lectures I am soon to deliver in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The

Faculty of Theology at Riga University has honoured me by inviting me to be a Guest Lecturer – in English, I’m glad to say! One subject they particularly requested that I tackle is ‘The Anglican Ethical Tradition’.

Well, I have just finished that one, and it comes to 6,712 words. Here I have about 500, but I am going to attempt to distil what I shall be saying. All the native-born Latvian students will know that their country has only been free of Russian occupation since 1991. For nearly half a century the Soviets (and for four years before that, the Germans) tried to control not only what Latvians did, but what they said, and wrote – and thought. Now they are free. But those belonging to the main Churches in Latvia – especially the Catholic and the Orthodox – are still in a tradition where moral and theological teaching is handed-down ‘from above’. And the ‘Thought Police’ are still the Thought Police whether they wear a uniform or a cassock.

This is not the Anglican way. As long ago as 1887 the great J B Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham, wrote:

Of all the manifold blessings which God has showered on our English Church, none is surely greater than the providence which has shielded her from premature and authoritative statements which soon or late must be repudiated or explained away…. The Church of England is nowhere directly or indirectly committed to the position that the sun goes round the

earth; or that the days of creation are days of twenty-four hours each; or that the scriptural genealogies must always be accepted as strict and continuous records of the descent from father to son; or that the sacred books were written in every case by those whose name they bear; or that there is nowhere allegory, which men have commonly mistaken for history.

Some Christians, who like their thinking done for them, see this as a serious weakness in Anglicanism. But we simply don’t want to impose moral or theological certainties ‘from above’. We want everyone to wrestle with questions of faith and morals within their own context. Our

resources are scripture, the Creeds, prayer and the teaching that has come down to us, all illumined by the light of reason and conscience. If that means that I come to different conclusions on a moral issue – any moral issue – from you, then so be it. Let us discuss our differences graciously and, if we

must, agree to differ.Today, one of the biggest enemies of democracy,

of peace – and of the Church – is fundamentalism, religious or political. In a time of rapid social change, static or hierarchical concepts of authority simply will not do. Instead, we need to begin where people are, not where we would like them to be. And that means being prepared to go into the chaos and confusion of modern life to try to find ways of making the ethic of Jesus Christ come alive for people of every race, gender, colour and creed. And in that task I believe the Anglican ethical tradition has an important contribution to make.

Let us discuss our differences graciously and, if we must, agree to differ


Crafting quality timber buildings and gates since 1912

Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7LHTel: (01963) 440414 | Email: [email protected] | @sparkfordtimber

www.sparkford.com

3 The Green, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3HY01935 813821 @greensherborne

www.greenrestaurant.co.uk

Menu du Jour Offer 3 courses for £20 or 2 with a glass of wine*

Fabulous Superb Second to noneTrip Advisor February 2016

*Available evenings Tuesday - Thursday and lunchtimes Tuesday - Saturday

Enjoy an apéritif and

zakuski

Sherborne Times March 2016

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Transcript of Sherborne Times March 2016