The BV: from the heart of the Blackmore Vale

The beautiful bookshop and the RotaKids

From neighbours to award-winning booksellers: FOLDE’s founders Amber Harrison and Karen Brazier talk to Terry about their 'pandemic-induced mid-life crisis'. FOLDE, in Shaftesbury, has won the British Book Awards Independent Bookshop of the Year competition for the South West, organised by The Bookseller magazine and judged by a prestigious panel of industry specialists, authors and journalists. It’s a remarkable achievement for a business started during the pandemic by two women who had never sold books. They're justifiably proud and deeply happy with their 'small but mighty, and slightly fighty' bookshop. 
 
From bingo halls to community calls – Shaftesbury’s Rotakids are a new generation of community champions, leading the charge in innovative community charity work.Peter Sale is president of Shaftesbury Rotary Club, and he chats to Jenny about the work of the group, and the benefits not just to the local community but to the kids themselves. 
 
 
 
 
The barriers are gone – for £1.3m ... Dorset residents had almost forgotten what Sturminster bridge looked like – but finally the bank stabilisation work is complete.
 
April's BV is OUT NOW ... grab a coffee and jump in to the Dorset-ness. News, opinion, people, wildlife, art, farming, what's on, SO many horses ... and frankly stunning photography. Did I mention it's FREE?
Why *wouldn't* you want a flick through?
(*don't forget, we're proud to be purely digital. The only way to read us is right here online!)
You can click here https://bvmag.co.uk/Apr24  to dive straight in. Frankly, it's so jam-packed with Dorset goodness, it'd be rude not to.
The BV is the 'glossy' rural monthly digital magazine from Dorset, shortlisted in the 2024 Newspaper & Magazine Awards for 'Best Regional Publication in the UK'.
 

A dog kills a lamb – should the farmer display it to walkers?

In the first of the April BV podcasts, we of course start with all the letters – including editor Laura's exciting news. Then, in his monthly round up, Chris Loder MP takes a look at how rural Dorset will gain from the latest NHS dentistry reforms, and the latest record funding of £408,022 for Adult Social Care reforms in the county.
For the Green Party, Ken Huggins takes a sideways look at the blurred lines between party funding and policy making, offering an alternative to those disillusioned by their usual voting. Gary Jackson of North Dorset Labour says when you look at the water companies, it's double the sewage, and triple the stink. And Gerald Davies of the LibDems looks at how Dorset Council’s housing policies are failing local people.
In the May issue, Andrew Livingston reported on one Sturminster Newton farmer’s dramatic response to a lamb’s death by dog attack. It fuelled a viral online debate – and a call for prosecution
Lastly, Jennie chats to Jules Bradburn – circuit judge, event organiser and whose market empire expands to Dorchester this month as it becomes the latest Dorset town to benefit from a new 200-stall monthly artisan market.
April's BV is OUT NOW ... grab a coffee and jump in to this month's Dorset-ness. News, opinion, people, wildlife, art, farming, what's on, SO many horses ... and frankly stunning photography. Did I mention it's FREE? Why *wouldn't* you want a flick through?
(*don't forget, we're proud to be purely digital. The only way to read us is right here online!)
You can click here https://bvmag.co.uk/Apr24  to dive straight in. Frankly, it's so jam-packed with Dorset goodness, it'd be rude not to.
The BV is the 'glossy' monthly digital magazine from Dorset, shortlisted in the 2024 Newspaper & Magazine Awards for 'Best Regional Publication in the UK'.

Endurance, Triumph, and Taste: to Africa with Parkinson's, Dorset girls dominating the boxing ring, and the fine food that's not posh

Retired Colonel Guy Deacon was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2011. In 2019 he embarked on an epic solo journey from his home near Sherborne to the southern tip of Africa. In a revealing and personal interview, Terry talks to Guy about his journey:'There's nobody handing out spare parts for a VW camper between Morocco and Namibia, so that was a bit of a problem...'Guy's book Running on Empty, with all profits to the Parkinsons Charity, is available on pre-order, and publishes on 11th April
Jenny talks to Shaun Weeks, who runs Sturminster Newton Amateur Boxing Club – in February the club's female boxers brought home gold, silver and ‘Best Fight’ from the world’s largest female boxing tournament, The Golden Girl Championship in Borås, Sweden. Sturminster Newton ABC was also selected as Best Club. 'It was totally unexpected. I got quite emotional about it. There were 400 contestants and maybe 60 or 70 clubs there from all over Europe. And we won the Best Club Award! I’m so proud of the whole team. Absolutely phenomenal!’
How a small business in North Dorset took over the food world. As the 2024 Great Taste judging starts, Terry talks to John Farrand of the Guild of Fine Food, who run the Great Taste Awards. The little black and gold badge is a familiar sight and a reassuring signal of good food, but the Guild – based in Gillingham in Dorset – does far more than the most popular and globally-recognised food award.'People think the task of a judge is rather a romantic one - it is actually a huge job of logistics. We have specially-written software and spreadsheets. Over the 90 judging days, we're bringing people into a room to blind taste a thousand products a week. That's a heck of an organisational task.'It's not about posh food. We're often judging pork pies. Well-made, good tasting food can be inexpensive – if you shop well you can buy better food which is more satisfying than cheap processed food.'
The March issue of the BV is out now, you can read it here: Inside this issue are good people, good dogs, good motorbikes, good books (and good booky people) ... and a foal with the zoomies (he may or may not be good, it's under review). Frankly, it's so jam-packed with Dorset goodness, it'd be rude not to. 
The BV is the 'glossy' monthly digital magazine from Dorset, shortlisted in 2024 for 'Best Regional Publication in the UK'.
 
 

Beyond fetch; Lucy Nolan's training dog owners to give them a job

One in three of us yearns to throw in the day job and set up on our own. In this month's Letter from the Editor, Laura mulls over the realities of running your own business – who on earth would actually do it, and why do they love it? The reader's letters are rather dominated by the reaction to the suspension of the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt story the BV ran last month.
In politics, Simon Hoare MP’s varied March musings include championing British farming, lambing season, community advocacy and Government collaboration. Ken Huggins writes for the Green Party, and is calling for us all to protest, protest and again protest. Gary Jackson, the North Dorset Lib Dems candidate, is calling on the government to act with prudence, and urges it to do no more harm. And in his final column for the BV, Pat Osborne of North Dorset Labour is keen to point out that the county's much-vaunted new second home tax is a pointless cash cow policy.
Lucy Nolan, Dorset’s only Accredited Pet Gundog Instructor (APGI), chats to Jenny about her work and the dogs she helps. It's not about training gundogs for work - there's a huge rise in working dogs being kept as pets, and as Lucy points out 'With working breeds you must give them a job, otherwise they go self-employed!'• Lucy runs Adhara Dog Training – https://www.adharadogtraining.co.uk/

Sam Peters on rugby's dangerous evolution and Rob Nolan's stellar photography

Sam Peters, former rugby correspondent at the Mail On Sunday and The Sunday Times and author of Concussed, talks to Terry about the gathering debate around concussion in the sport: 'There was a seismic shift moving from the amateur rugby game in the mid-90s to the pro game in the mid 2000s. The game is completely different to how it looked 30 years ago, and evidence says clearly that the game has never been more dangerous at professional level.'Sam's book Concussed: Sport's Uncomfortable Truth has been shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. You can find it on Amazon here and the audiobook version is on Audible here
Richard Miles, the dark skies adviser to Dorset's CPRE, looks at how the Blackmore Vale got its name, and the modern effects of light pollution on it's previously dark – or black – nature.
Terry reads The BV's article on Richard Wakeley, the young Sherborne father who also happens to be a fourth-generation funeral director. After leaving school, Richard worked for the charity Mercy in Action, in the charity’s homes for vulnerable children in the Philippines. ‘That experience was life-changing for me,’ he says. ‘I grew up so much in three years.’ Coming home meant a new direction was required, and a walk on the beach with his dad led him to join the family business: 'It wasn’t like TV’s Succession! Dad wanted it to be a natural progression. This is more of a vocation than a job. You’ve got to want to do it.’
In a fascinating conversation, the BV's night sky columnist Rob Nolan talks to Jenny about astrophotography, which he switched to during COVID when his landscape photography was curtailed by lockdowns. As well as telling us what to look for in the sky each month, Rob also shares one of his stunning images, which are enjoyed by BV readers. He talks about those amazing images of the far corners of our universe, and how he sets about capturing them.If you'd like to see Rob's astrophotography (and we strongly suggest you do), you can find it on the website here https://bvmag.co.uk/DarkSkiesDorset

Letters, cold swims and Polecats

Experience the unique camaraderie of cold water swimming in one of England's highest (and coldest!) towns, and unravel the mystery of polecats with wildlife expert Jane Adams.
Editor Laura reflects on the little pieces of ourselves we unknowingly leave with other people, from helpful motivation quotes to the embarassing little stories we would actually prefer to die away!
In politics, Simon Hoare MP unwraps the intricate issues of security. Ken Huggins of North Dorset Greens is hunting for some honesty in our politicians, and Gary Jackson of the North Dorset LibDems is calling for more help for the nation's league of 'unseen, unsung' carers.
As one of the highest towns in England, standing at 750 feet above sea level, Shaftesbury is known as one of the coldest places in North Dorset. Join Terry as he braves the chill with Harriet Green at Shaftesbury Lido, uncovering the exhilarating world of ice miles and the invigorating spirit of open-air pools.
Polecats have quietly been making a secretive but fragrant return – Jenny learns all about the elusive bandits from wildlife writer Jane Adams. Are the little predatory 'foulmart's dangerous? And how do we tell the difference between them and stoats?

Claire Allen’s Epic Walk and Robert Cowley - the Cambridge graduate plumber

Claire Allen’s Epic Walk: 'I’m surprised I’m still here!’ Terry briefly interrupts Claire's year-long journey walking Britain’s entire coastline to find out how she started, where she is - and how it's going
MP Chris Loder confronts the Post Office’s leadership, offering unwavering commitment to the Horizon scandal victims
He graduated from Cambridge and, to his father’s consternation, went straight into the family plumbing business. Robert Cowley, MBE – magistrate, volunteer and plumber – talks to editor Laura as he selects his Dorset Island Discs
 

Letters, and the case for (and against) Bonham Forest

In the first of 2024's BV podcast we have all the January letters and politics, and Jenny talks to Fanny Charles about the rights and wrongs of the planned creation of the new Bonham Forest near Stourhead.
Editor Laura Hitchock is looking for reasons to be cheerful during the longest month of the year
The Reader's Letters this month include some wonderful memories of Iwerne Minster, triggered by last month's vintage postcard which happened to show the very house the writer had grown up in, back when the village had a whole range of shops and enjoyed hourly double-decker buses (You can see the original postcard, from the Barry Cuff Collection, including the message on the back, on the website here).
Simon Hoare MP is sharing a little spring optimism and his hopes for what the new year might bring
Ken Huggins of the North Dorset Green Party shares a recent personal experience to look at the need to invest in the NHS
Gary Jackson of the North Dorset LibDems is looking forward with optimism , and has hopes that a General Election will bring a fair change
North Dorset Labour's Pat Osborne talks about the need for Britain to become energy-independent
And Jenny sits down with Fanny Charles to look at the pros and cons of the new Bonham Forest plan at Stourhead, which is causing major ripples in the local community.
You can read the full January 24 issue of the BV magazine here – jam-packed with incredible Dorset folks doing magnificent things. There's also farming, wildlife, a huge Dorset food & drink section... and if you like glorious photography you'll be a fan. Did we mention it's FREE?

Pepper, panto and pursuing human quarry

From Phnom Penh to Poundbury: in a fascinating interview, New Zealander George Norbert-Munns tells Terry how he came to bring the delicate gourmet flair of Kampot pepper to the UK’s foodie scene, taking a 'risk' on one small shipment – which he sold in his very first weekend!
Gay Pirrie-Weir has been reviewing pantomime for longer than she cares to remember; she's seen more than 500 productions, she thinks. She chats to Jenny about the history, the tradition, the very best dames – and her first love.
Hunting humans for fun – having become disillusioned with fox hunting, Lifelong hunt kennelman Jeremy Whaley started the South Downs Bloodhounds in 2004: ‘The point is, the hunting of most wild animals with hounds is illegal. It doesn’t matter if it was bad law - it is what it is, it is not going to change and, if we want hound sports to survive, we need to not only move on and hunt within the law, but do so in a way that seeks to impress and educate the average, tolerant, man, woman or any other of the myriad genders that currently exist on the Clapham omnibus.'Terry reads his interview with The BV – we strongly suggest you click through to the website article to see the wonderful photography of the hunt and hounds by Sharon T Photography here: https://bvmag.co.uk/huntinghumans 
The North Dorset MP gets an upgrade to the front benches – Simon Hoare is the new Minister for Local Government: officially the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Terry reads his exclusive interview with the BV, in which he told editor Laura Hitchcock just what happens when you unexpectedly get that phone call.
You can read the full December 23 issue of the BV magazine here – jam-packed with incredible Dorset folks doing magnificent things. There's also farming, equestrian, wildlife, food & drink... and if you like glorious photography you'll be a fan. Did we mention it's FREE?

Gwyneth Wentink’s Dorset Island Discs, and Jane Adams talks lichen

We start the month, as always, with the Letters to the Editor, before listening to a Brecon Cathedral bellringer at Hazelbury Bryan Primary School. Jane Adams chats to Jenny about the fascinating (no, really!) world of lichen, and lastly we hear from International harpist Gwyneth Wentink.
In her letter this month, editor Laura is looking back to a specific shopping list she once saw on Twitter which has stayed in her head ever since. Following the letters to the editor, we move on to this episode's features:
Hazelbury Bryan Primary School’s call to ‘make a noise’ against bullying was answered by a cathedral bellringer’s visit last month
Jane Adams delves into the peculiar world of lichen, revealing a vibrant, year-round splash of colour in the UK’s landscapes, even on the darkest days. She and Jenny take a fascinating walk through the secret world hiding in plain sight, used for centuries for firelighting, perfumes, clothes dye … and growing on slow-moving sloths.
She chose the harp over the recorder when she was five – and she talks about her life with her giant instrument as she chooses the discs she can’t live without. Gwyneth Wentink, internationally acclaimed harpist, selects her Dorset Island Discs