The BV: from the heart of Dorset

Putting on a LitFest and travelling 11,000 miles from Blandford... to Bridport

It's a mixed package for the first of the October podcasts. After the usual start with the letters, we delve straight into the politics columns. Then Jenny has a fascinating conversation with Dorchester Literary Festival's co-organiser Janet Gleeson, and Terry talks to Pauline Batstone who's currently in Bridport ... the one 11,000 miles away in Tasmania!
 
As usual we start the month with the letter from the editor, in which Laura looks for the goodness of humans - and shares an only-Laura tale of four cheese – as well as all the BV’s reader’s letters.
In politics this month, newly-elected MP for Somerton and Frome, whose consituency encompasses the western end of the Blackmroe Vale, sets out her plan of activity for the coming months. Ken Huggins from the Green party looks at Dorsets first COP - and the inspirLabour's Pat Osborne ing positivity surrounding the event.
Labour's Pat osborne is raising an eyebrow at the rising NHS waiting list - and looking at the far-reraching consequences of them. West Dorset MP Chris Loder has launched a campaign to make the stretch of A30 between Sherborne and Yeovil (a stretch he calls an 'unofficial racetrack') safer.
Jenny sat down with Dorchester LitFest owner Janet Gleeson to look at some of the highlights of this year's much-anticipated festival, with a round up of authors from Victoria Hilsop returning for a third visit to first-timer Lemn Sissay, one of Janet's personal favourite poets. Together they discuss the appeal of non-fiction authors at literary festivals, how unpredictable the success of any talk can be ... and also to hear about the nuts and bolts of running such a large, popular literary event.
Lastly, Terry chatted to Cllr Pauline Batstone who is currently 11,000 miles away - just outside Bridport, near Weymouth. I'll leave her to explain how...

Weed whacking and the death of dairy farms.

In the second of September's podcasts – still in the new longer format which has proved popular – Jennie talks to Jane Adams about how we welcome (or don't!) bindweed, dandelion and ivy. And don't miss Terry's brilliant interview with Alex Stevens of the NFU, shedding a lot of light on the modern dairy farming business.
Resident wildlife columnist Jane Adams would like to see the term 'weeds' thrown out - if we use 'wildflowers' instead, perhaps we'll stop fanatically removing them from our gardens and leave some for our wildlife to enjoy. 
Driving community connections: how Paul Futcher’s fish and chip van The Pilgrim Fryer has become a weekly staple in some North Dorset villages
From desperation to media sensation - how one Tweet saved Dorset artist Anna Hamilton. Her quiet social media plea turned into an overnight sensation, shifting her from financial despair to overwhelming success
The mysterious journey of Alan Turing’s documents, from Sherborne to America – and back. An astonishing tale of undercover archivists, FBI involvement and the triumphant return to Britain of the stolen Turing documents
Swimming with blue sharks reveals their stunning beauty, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Julie Hatcher tells Jenny – but lack of regulation makes them deeply vulnerable
Dairy farm businesses are under threat, according to a recent NFU survey. In a fascinating interview with Alex Stevens of the NFU, Terry uncovers the reasons behind the growing uncertainty among the UK’s dairy farmers

Letters, Roger G and Dorset Island Discs with Helen Ottaway

In the first of September 23's episodes of the BV podcast:
 
Letters (from and to) the editor
In politics, Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, discusses the fact that the declining use of cash particularly affects the elderly and rural dwellers. Ken Huggins of the Greens agrees that he, too, hates wind turbines. But that that's not the point! And Mike Chapman of the Lib Dems has been at two big rural shows recently – and despite a very different audience at each, there were some strong common themes being discussed.
In this month's Dorset Island Discs, Jenny spent sime time chatting to composer Hellen Ottaway. From folk to installation art, you can hear Helen talking about her multi-dimensional journey in music as she chooses the discs she can’t live without as an island castaway
We have the obituary of our writer, columnist and dear freind Roger Guttridge, who passed away this month. Most BV readers will know him well from his terrific local history columns, and possibly remmeber him as a local journalist – but did you know he was also a Team GB reporter who covered three Olympics, and was press officer for the Great Britain Swim Team?

A stoat is stoatally different, a farming crossroads and the tale of Gold Hill

In the second of August's podcasts – still in the new longer format which has proved popular – Jennie talks to both Jane Adams and owner of Little Waddon Vineyard Simon Priestman
'A weasel is weasily identifiable, whereas a stoat is stoatally different'. Jennie talks to widlife expert Jane Adamas about the stoat – its mesmerising effect, how to spot it and why Dorset may be a perfect home for the mysterious little creature
Former Royal Navy officer Chris Taylor has lived a career in the skies The acclaimed civil certification test pilot explains the unique skill set required for the job
Is farming at a crossroads? Andrew Livingston looks at the unfair struggle between agriculture and supermarkets
After 40 years in the TV industry, Simon and Karen Priestman bought a boutique vineyard on the Dorset coast – and promptly created an award-winning wine
Crumbs! It’s 50 years  since that Hovis ad. Exactly half a century after an iconic Hovis commercial hit our TV screens, Roger Guttridge takes a stroll through the story of Dorset’s most famous street

Letters, kites and monsters in the pits.

As usual we start the month with the letter from the edfitor, as well as all the BV's reader's letters.
The red kite is a popular conservation success story, and Jenny talks to Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Adam Woolcott about his love of the birds of prey, who – despite their rising population numbers – are still at risk from poisoning.
Simon Hoare MP asks whether every town needs a town centre - he thinks it does.
MIke Chapman of the LibDems says it's time for a change – and time for the grown ups.
Labour's Pat Osborne condemns the governments recent decision to grant new oil and gas licences.  
Ken Huggins of the Greens talks about the good, the bad ... and the downright ugly.
In part two of Jenny's fascinating conversation with the Co-Director of the Bournemouth University Duropolis Dig, Paul Cheatham, you can hear about the 'monsters' found in the pits – and paul also discusses the compelte lack of human remains from the Iron Age settlements.
 

Jane Goodall’s Random 19, package holiday complaints and a guided tour of Duropolis

Admittedly a chimpanzee-studying lady in Africa may not have been everyone's childhood hero, but for editor Laura – an animal-obsessed girl growing up in a big Essex town – the life of her dreams was being lived by Jane Goodall, the renowned ethologist and inspiring conservationist. Even at 89 Dr Jane Goodall remains a powerhouse of action, and her answers to this month's Random 19 questions are everything you could hope for – from Lord of the Rings to an evocative stream of memories of a life lived in the wild (there's also a controversial opinion on biscuit dunking).
Rachel Rogers provides some specific advice around what to do when a package holiday goes wrong! Talking to Terry, she provides an interesting look at the work of Dorset's Citizen's Advice – no longer the CAB, the organisation does a lot more than is widely understood.
In an engrossing interview, Paul Cheatham, the geophysical survey director responsible for the archaelogical digs at Dorset's 'Duropolis', effectively gives us a personal guided tour of the site that was discovered in 2007, and what the team have found in the subsequent 12 years of digs as they explore the hillside. He admits that everywhere the team survey they find a new settlement to explore – whether Iron Age, Bronze Age or Roman, from the Mesolithic to the late Roman era, the Dorset hillsides are covered in remnants of early communities. During the medieval period people moved into the valleys and finally left the high grounds, but  counter to perceived wisdom, Paul explains that early man did not in fact choose hilltops for defence purposes – and he also talks Jenny through Iron Age fridges.

On a free-spirited artist, marine pollution and politics

You can never say the BV provides a predictable array of subjects! In the politics columns this month, Simon Hoare MP agrees that climate change is all around us – but he is confident that it is being acted on by the government. He also takes time to discuss vaping – our next public health crisis?In a mock exam for politicans, Mike Chapman of the North Dorset LibDems has a long list of questions he'd like to see someone in the government provide serious, grown up answers to.In a seemingly endless line of rage-inducing news items, Ken Huggins from the North Dorset Green Party has found a brighter story to cheer about. And Pat Osborne from North Dorset Labour is similarly positive about a local cricket club. In the light of national news around racism and classism in the sport, he's proud to share the hard work that has gone into making grassroots local clubs thoroughly inclusive.
Jenny talks to Julie Hatcher, Dorset Wildlife Trust's Marine Protection Officer, on their new campaign Save Our Wild Seas,  raising both awareness and funds for practical steps to reduce the pollution on our beaches. Julie discusses the importance of our seagrass nurseries in Dorset in particular.
Artist Philip Sutton RA is now 95 and lives – and still paints – near Bridport. Author and journalist Fanny Charles talks to Jenny about the renowned colourist who has never followed fashion, but has led a fascinating life.
 
 

Reader’s letters, Polluted waters and Holtby & Co

Editor's Letter from Laura in which she muses on her optimism for the future, plus all the reader's letters from June
Farmers can be prosecuted for damaging short stretches of river, but when will water companies be held accountable for their actions? Jenny talks to Dorset farmer and journalist Andrew Livingston.
George Holtby of Holtby & Co in Sherborne previously worked as a porter at Christie's in South Kensington – the busiest saleroom in the world – where he absorbed knowledge 'by osmosis'. He ended up in Sherborne by accident, and has now set up for himself in the Old Yarn Mills. Terry hears about how and where he buys, and George's plans for the future ('I want to buy better!').
The BV podcast goes beyond the pages of the magazine, providing you with exclusive insights, behind-the-scenes stories, and in-depth conversations with our guests. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to take a look at the July issue of the BV here or visit our website to explore the articles and stories featured. 

A seaside bus route, worried farmers and good snacking

Thanks to a nudge from a local villager, Rachael Rowe tried a trip under the new £2 bus fare cap. Terry finds out that she hasn't been on a bus since moving to Dorset, and has now discovered a new method of adventure! Environmentally and economically, opting for the bus is a great idea - and Rachael points out that there are a lot of routes included in the scheme, not just to enable a weekly shop but also for days out to the coast and the New Forest too!
On a visit to Oliver's Coffee Shop in Sherborne, Terry chats to owner Jane Wood in this month's Meet Your Local – discovering the century of history still visible in the cafe's decor, as well as finding out more about Jane herself as she lets us behind the counter to hear about the current challenges and what's happening in the popular coffee shop on Cheap Street. The UK’s first post-Brexit trade deals begin amid agricultural industry concerns and severe labour shortages. Jenny talked to farming columnist Andrew Livingston about the real effect on our supermarket shelves. He suggests that it's not even so much about supporting British farmers as much as it is an issue around animal welfare. UK farmers are held to high standards, but the latest trade deals allow for a concerning flexibility in welfare of animals raised in other countries.Nutritional therapist Karen Geary is a regular BV columnist, and she spoke to Terry about how her time living in California lead her into a later-life career switch. She admits her patients are often turning to her as a last resort, when they're frustrated with the lask of solutions elsehwere, as she finds solutions to health issues. This month she's looking at snacking – and what night be a good strategy for a balanced diet and losing weight.
 
The BV podcast goes beyond the pages of the magazine, providing you with exclusive insights, behind-the-scenes stories, and in-depth conversations with our guests. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to take a look at the June issue of the BV here or visit our website to explore the articles and stories featured. 

Rescuing 40,000 animals, TV’s Salvage Hunter in Sherborne, and a lack of listening in the food industry

Jenny's interview with Kevan Hodges of the Ferne Animal Sanctuary looks back at the last 80 years, from the shocking (to modern minds) need for a sanctuary in wartime Britain (an estimated 3/4 million pets were euthanised at the start of the war), to reflecting on the fact that Ferne has saved around 40,000 animals.They have up to 200 dogs a year surrendered to them, and the same for cats – the vast majority of whom they need to rehome – but the livestock they take in finds its forever home at Ferne. The Sanctuary receives around 10,000 visitors a year, and they're keen for more! (You can find them at ferneanimalsanctuary.org - we're especially keen to find a home for lovely Amber the lurcher!)
Terry visited the Old Tarn Mills in Sherborne to talk to Karyn Speed of Molecula Antiques, who appears on TV's Salvage Hunters. She invited Terry into the surprise interior of Molecula, where the old industrial factory unit is laid out with a stunning display of their modern 20th century design, Molecula's speciality and passion: "the attitude used to be that 'antiques were more than 100 years old'. And we used to go to antique fairs with 1950s, 1960s furniture – the looks we used to get from some of the dealers! They were like 'this is NOT an antique, I grew up with ths stuff!'. But we were ahead of our time, it's never been more popular!"She talks Terry through some of the items on display, and talks about her time on Salvage Hunters.See Molecula's website molecula.co.ukJenny talks to John Farrand about the work of the Guild of Fine Food, including their Great Taste Awards – many will recognise the iconic black and gold logos. The guild also runs the world cheese awards, and works with the nations small food and drink businesses. The organisation has become a powerful voice, representing the smaller producers and retailers at government level, is present on a DEFRA steering group... though John points out they're not always listened to. He talks to Jenny specifically about the government's recent Farm to Fork summit – and the lack of representation through the fact that 'those in power only consult with those in power'. He points out that the nimbleness and sharp, innovative thinking is present within the multitude of smaller businesses across the country. See more about the guild on their website gff.co.uk