Beneath the Vale

Published on behalf of Upper Marshwood Vale

Parish Council Stoke Abbott’s new wood BTV met up with Parish Council chairman Matthew Bowditch to be shown Little Giants a little-known gem overlooking Stoke Abbott. Stoke villagers set about fundraising eneath the Vale has never their share of the £40,000 needed for seen a new wood before; the project. Two large individual Bne w trees yes, but an donations were matched by many entire brand spanking new wood more local gifts and grants to complete is something else. Certainly no the funding for the land and planting, longer a field with a crop of Although all the trees were planted as saplings, yet not quite a normal whips in 1999, the wood is not a wood, nature is already taking cultivated forest of closely spaced trees control. So it is easy to imagine how without underlying vegetation. There is the wood will appear as the decades a considerable variety of species, some perform their transforming magic. planted in groups, others mixed. So far Once an open field just like much the the race to the top is to the firs, some of the surrounding countyside, Little now so broad-trunked that their Giant was offered for sale, but the biodegradable tube has been shattered. hilltop location had a particular attraction for dog walking villagers and nearby residents. Woodland Trust were persuaded to step in under their ‘Woods on your Doorstep’ scheme and with help from the Millennium Commission, they acquired the 4.3ha site. 1 Similarly hazels with many low Within the woods, planting is shooting branches have eliminated remarkably close so the weakest are their early support. But after 12 years falling behind while deer eat the lower almost every tree has outgrown and bark and squirrels eat bark round the split their tubes that will eventually higher branches. Matthew points these fall away and be collected up as out. unsightly. “Deer could have seriously damage the From the outset maintenance work saplings when they were smaller but at on the wood has been kept to a the present size these will survive. minimum; wide grassy meandering But where squirrels have chewed the spaces or rides were left unplanted to bark at the top, upward growth will be allow access around and to the top of inhibited and other branches will grow the hill where a clump of teenage sideways instead, flattening the shape beeches congregate. When these are of the tree.” grown, they will form a crown to All woods differ and this is unlike Little Giant being seen for miles other Dorset woods. It is clear that around and appreciated by the great wildlife has been just as attracted to grand children of today’s Stoke and Little Giants as to any other so it is Netherbury residents. These spaces hardly surprising that human visitors and the even verdant grass do not will find it something special. feel natural - yet, and ragwort Panoramic views are rare in woods flourishes in one area despite cutting. so at the top of the hill is another This causes concern as spray surprise. The clearings provide an treatment may well be needed to open view towards Stoke as it nestles control the further spread of this into the other hills problem plant. At present Long Barrow lane Also less popular, horses are not leading past the wood is somewhat encouraged on the ‘rides’ for fear of overgrown and there is not a damaging the soft ground. designated parking area, a Woodland Trust restriction. Don’t let this put you off - outside the gate, yet off the lane, there is room for two cars if they are friendly and access for cars up the lane is expected to improve soon. So for a very special walk in a mud- free, strangely attractive young wood, head to ST 465003 and hang a left.

2 Contents Page 1, 2 Stoke’s new wood 14 News in brief 3 Council News 15 Buzzard’s View 4, 5 Broadband: good news 16 Councillors’ Comments, 6, 7 Quality Council 17 Useful contacts 8, 9 War of the Weeds 18 Emergency numbers 10,11 John McClellan 19 District & County Councils, 12 Updates: Bettiscombe Working Parties & Editorial Hall & septic tanks Board Useful Contacts 13 Editorial 20 Parish councillors

Council News In these days of cutbacks and job losses, money may be hard to find but here are some sources of government or council cash. To find out more use Google.

Business grants With over £1.5m raised, the latest A new fund that will provide grants funding round aims to distribute up to to businesses in the west of the £400,000 in grants of up to £50,000 region has been launched by Vince to UK projects. Cable, the Secretary of State of Business, Innovation and Skills... Want to help your community get online? Transforming Local Infrastructure If your group helps the community Fund access the internet and improves The Office for the Civil Society and people’s ICT skills, you could be Big Lottery Fund launched the eligible to apply for a year’s free Transforming Local Infrastructure broadband by applying for a BT Fund. A new £30-million Big Community Award. Society fund to help modernise organisations that supply critical £10million to kick start Big Society support to front-line charities, public services voluntary groups and social A £10million fund is being made enterprises. available to charities and social enterprises to help them develop the The Prince's Countryside Fund skills and infrastructure to win more has re-opened for applications from capital investment and public service projects that benefit Britain's rural contracts. communities.

3 Working Party Reports: Broadband Who will pay for Superfast Broadband? he performance, probable broadband up to superfast speeds. shape and possible timing of Indeed more distant homes and farms T superfast broadband that get their present poor signals from improvements for rural West Dorset the exchange, going to the cabinet will has become much clearer in the last usually more than halve the length of month at meetings with national, cable. So they too will get a great county and district officials attended improvement in speed, just how much by representatives of Upper depends on the distance from the Marshwood Vale’s broadband cabinet. working party. Two particular targets emerged: 100mbps to 50% users in the UK and 30mbps to everyone by 2020. These are phenomenal figures by West Dorset standards and will , if achieved, be good enough for almost all of us. A mix of three techniques are promised: 1) Fibre to the premises - FTTP - a high-speed fibre-optic line from the exchange to the home, office, factory or farm. The best and most costly but not so relevant for rural areas. 2) Fibre to the cabinet - FTTC - a high-speed fibre-optic line from the exchange to a village roadside cabinet that works at a similar speed as an upgraded exchange. At your Now the good news. Installing them, local cabinet the present copper connecting the fibre from the exchange cables to the home, office, factory or and rewiring the cable to your house farm will usually be reconnected. will be paid for by the national Copper cables lose the superfast authority Broadband UK and council broadband signal - the longer the funds! So just sit tight, do nothing, cable, the greater the don’t pay any more and you should loss. But in a village, end up with improved or much the distances hence improved broadband in the next 3 these losses, are low years. enough to allow to allow 4 Two more ‘ifs’ though. If you are service to take advantage of the still a long way from the box and improved technology. need the superfast performance, it This could involve specialist will be possible to either install services such as tele-health, your own fibre optic line from the subscriber services such as high- cabinet to your home (e.g. a farmer speed TV programme downloads, or digging his own trench) or to have more commercial services for this line installed at your cost. In businesses. some cases parish councils may Instead of this big jump in well decide to cover this cost for a speed, a few will only get a more community benefit such as to a modest improvement, probably to the remote hamlet. sort of standard at present enjoyed by a But what if some residents are lucky few. It will depend on where you simply too remote? live and where the engineers place the 3) Use radio. This may be a cabinet. satellite link similar to those at Others - busy offices, home-based present used or it may use the media workers, hard-pressed farmers, wavelengths and may need a greater improvement and channels vacated will want to acquire fibre optic links by analogue TV via the cabinet. Just a few will use the after digitisation. radio waves a bit like a vast wifi Like a big wifi, although radio will network. never be the fastest system, such In the future, further expansion of links feature a tiny transmitter on a superfast services is on the cards so high point, hilltop or church tower speeds should continue to grow. A new working to a compact home receiver modem or router may well be issued to provide substantial improvements by your service provider so they can even to sites where broadband sell the speed and you will buy more cannot reach. Obviously this data. Fewer and fewer will fail to get a approach has to be more expensive good standard of broadband although than FTTC, but it there remain circumstances that will can cover limit improvements or delay difficult terrain implementation especially where As the shape of superfast broadband properly planned. Here too local in Dorset becomes more certain, local councils may well decide to support activists and users are now working their own less fortunate residents. with County and District officials in the For most users extra costs for users last stages of funding - proving the are expected although your internet need and convincing bored and over- provider should give you a faster hyped customers that superfast router and may sell you a better broadband is a real step forward.

5 Our parish of Upper Marshwood Vale is just one step away from having a Quality Council. Sounds good, but what is a Quality Council? Our Parish Clerk, John Vanderwolfe explains

Association of Local Councils and the Society of Local Council Clerks. In order to achieve Quality Status, parish and town councils must demonstrate that they have reached the standard required by passing several tests. These include electoral mandate, qualification of the clerk, running of council meetings, communication and community engagement, the The Quality Parish and Town publishing of an Annual Report, Council scheme was launched in correct financial control, adhering 2003 following the Government’s to the Code of Conduct, promoting Rural White Paper, 2000. The aim local democracy and citizenship, of the scheme is to provide terms and conditions in place for all benchmark minimum standards for staff and on going training both for parish and town councils. The officers and elected members. Department for the Environment, At present there are 702 Quality Food and Rural Affairs town and parish councils in commissioned the University of England. As far as the Westcountry Wales to review the scheme in goes Devon is in the lead with 32 2006 and their research helped the Quality councils, followed by National Stakeholders to agree Cornwall (20), Wiltshire (13), amendments that would help Somerset (10); leaving Dorset at the councils achieve ever-higher levels bottom of the list with (7). of professionalism and help to Upper Marshwood Vale Parish cement their position as Council will be one of only a community leaders. handful of councils in West Dorset The National Stakeholders are the to hopefully soon achieve this Commission for Rural Communities, distinction. the Department for Communities and The council is hoping to make its Local Government, the Department application for accreditation in for the Environment, Food and early 2012. RuralAffairs, the Local Government Association, the National

6 So what does that mean for residents of these Quality Councils - and what is that last step? Beneath the Vale’s editor looks at what’s happened elsewhere.

‘Quality Council’ is the status your But most councils seemed to find a council seeks to attain as our clerk financial boost as a result of their has explained. It does not mean new status. A Stafford clerk recalls: councillors will make better “We have received two grants that decisions, give wiser leadership or were only for Quality Councils and even that as individuals we will be we would not have got these better people. To expect that would otherwise. We added value to our be too much. precept with grants, projects and But it does mean that if/when interest, and we are proud of UMV gets this status then we will be bringing in more money to the area seen as a serious council by other than the precept.” organisations, a council that can be Quality Council status is really all relied upon, a council that does its about confidence – confidence for job. other authorities dealing with So what does this really mean to UMVPC, confidence that grants given residents - after all there don’t seem to the parish council or working to be many ‘I’ve got a Quality parties will be spent wisely, and self- Council’ tee shirts! Other Dorset confidence in our influence in the councils have got there already – wider world on matters important to Cerne Valley’s Chairman writes: us all. “..our excellent working Most of all it should be confidence relationship with district and county in our council looking after our Vale council members and officers results and all within. in early resolution of many issues of And that last step? local concern, and this has brought It is for our team to produce the 4th a number of environmental issue of Beneath the Vale – so we’ll improvements.” just have to wait till March! And from a Sussex parish And when that happens we will council: “The project has be the second small parish in resulted in a better level of West Dorset to get that Quality service for our residents with Council stamp! prompter and better attention to our problems.” Q

QUALITY PARISH COUNCIL 7

War of the Weeds -- Coming to a field near you! First printed in Char Valley’s ‘Char Chat’, Carolyn Peck now warns the rest of us.

Giant Hogweed, Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed were introduced into the UK many years ago as ornamental garden plants. They don’t look especially scary, do they? But they are on the Environment Agency’s hit list and you should not let their beauty deceive you. Like Houdini, resisting all efforts to contain them, they have escaped from the garden and are now making themselves at home in the Gi ant Hogweed countryside … with disastrous The hogweed is armed and effects. They are muscling out our dangerous, its sap causing severe native wild flowers. blistering to the skin, and it can grow to a height of five meters. As for knotweed … well … it’s big, beefy and virtually indestructible. You get the picture? But like all bullies, they have their weaknesses and a variety of controls are available to help eradicate them. The Environment Agency offers detailed information about identification, control and disposal, as dealing with these plants at the right time in their growing cycle and removal of the Himalayan Balsam arisings as directed is crucial. Ragwort falls into a rather different The balsam’s colonisation of river- category. It is a very common wild banks renders them vulnerable to flower but highly poisonous to cattle, erosion over winter when the plant horses, pigs and chickens; even dead dies back. or dying plants are attractive to livestock.

8 So follow the experts’ advice. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 states that it is an offence to "plant or otherwise cause to grow in the wild" any plant listed in Schedule nine, Part II of the Act. This lists over 30 plants including Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed. It's down to landowners to control these plants, but they don't have to remove them. However, causing the plants to spread by removing or Ragwort disposing of them incorrectly would be illegal and the police are If silaged, it will contaminate the responsible for investigating any whole clamp. Older sheep and offences. goats allowed to graze infected grassland over winter and early spring are helpful in controlling it. If you should wish to deal with it manually, pulling not cutting is advised. If you should spot any of these plants on verges or in public places you can contact the Council or the Environment Agency. If sighted on private land you can alert the landowner. Other organisations such as The National Trust and local wildlife trusts also organize Japanese Knotweed working parties to clear infested areas. If you know of an area near you For more information, contact the that is especially badly affected, Environment Agency on 03708 506 perhaps you might consider 506 or Dorset District Council on organizing one yourself? But before 01305 221 000 or log on to either going into battle it is very important Dorset for You or the Agency’s to understand that if you do the website at http://www.environment- wrong thing you might make the agency.gov.uk and search for situation worse or even face invasive weeds and knotweed or prosecution. hogweed.

9 Be afraid! Be very afraid!

. Although an excellent policeman, John’s family always came first. Frank John McClellan Griffiths, his long-time number Two 2.9.1939 – 14.11.2012 recalls: “After a hard day at work, it was common for police officers to relax over a I put the papers in a battered box at the drink before going home. Sometimes this top of the drive. In front of me was a "drink" lasted far too long, but not for large caravan, the door opened to reveal John. He always came to relax, but never two knees accompanying a white haired, stayed very long. He always wanted to get white moustached smiling man-in-shorts. home to his wife and family.” Retrieving the Independent and giving it to him, this was the first time I meet John McClellan.

He told me he was a retired policeman who had acquired the site and was about to rebuild it whilst living in the caravan, then parked where the garage now stands. Meetings like this became a regular highlight of the paper round and we chatted more and more until we had to meet socially and became friends.

Even though he was a policeman.

He started on the beat in West London but when he was ‘over-Joyed’ they sensibly set up home in family-friendly Rather than accepting promotion to Claygate, Surrey. Here it was Joy that Detective Chief Superintendent, John joined in with the young mums chose early retirement from the Met in community life, as John’s Metropolitan order to train detectives and to join another career developed. ex-colleague as consultants to the Post As a detective, John dealt with crimes Office, in both cases to apply his own great and small including national level proven high standards of conduct. These murder enquiries. These included a lead to his complete retirement from duty particularly swift clear up where a young and the start of his life in the Vale. woman, victim of a particularly nasty rape With in-laws living in Lyme Regis, if Joy was interviewed by John and a colleague and John’s retirement ideas were obvious, before repairing to local hostelry to help their approach was not. First came the her relax. When served she recognised the caravan, then the old Hunts Holm came chef and immediately identified him as down to be slowly replaced by the present her assailant. He was promptly arrested, house as good friends with building skills charged and, eventually, confessed. helped out.

10 It all came together, the caravan was It was John whose vision for a whole new towed away and John was now a DorMet medium of communication within and (Ex Metropolitan Police now living in around our parish has found its first reality Dorset). in Beneath the Vale.

So John’s impact on the Vale was Mind you it was Joy that put in the hard considerable – not Upper Marshwood work around such local events as Vale, not Char Valley, not even Whitchurch’s Farmers Breakfast and it was Symondesbury but the whole Vale; Joy Joy that is at the heart of so many and John lived so close to all three Bettiscombe events, as usual helping with parishes and were broadminded in their other ladies of the Parishes. involvement. He was a key player in the Whitchurch Village Hall developments, And it was Joy who, only last week quiz- he was a parish councillor for Pilsdon, he mastered the recent ploughman’s supper was a leading light of Bridport Rotary, he since John was by then too ill to control the and Joy even sang with ‘The Gangs All more unruly elements in the audience, but Here’, an entertainment group. Joy set aside her worries and saw off all question-doubters to ensure all the others His local achievements were considerable. had a good evening.

It was John who was a key part of the It was John that saw in Jemma, his team behind Whitchurch Village Hall and springer spaniel, the deep affection and all the improvements that have made this loyalty both he and eventually Joy would hall so comfortable and attractive. come to find. Funding this involved many people and organisations and went far beyond the Perhaps it was John’s rigorous police usual grants. As usual John and the team background that caused him to make a total got the money and the hall its rejection of what others saw as petty transformation. flouting of rules and codes. Those that both knew and understood, could only It was John who was a rock around admire his unswerving strength of purpose. which the ideas and wishes for Upper Marshwood Vale’s Parish Plan ebbed and Good friends did not see a golden couple flowed, eventually to coalesce into the who had everything going for them. Both actual Plan to which so many contributed; in John’s professional life and in their the Parish Plan that continues to inform personal life, bad luck did not pass them the important changes in and around our by, tragedy was no stranger, not that one Vale, just as he had foreseen. would know this.

Without him you would not be reading Again, John saw to that. this. For it was John who nailed your editor’s He was a true friend to so many, his loss feet to the floor when the idea of a parish will be both widely and deeply felt. magazine or newsletter was mooted, thus None more so than to his family. preventing my escape.

11 Update Your Septic Tank - Result!! orried Marshwood Framework Directive and then residents can relax, at dumped it on EA to operate it. So this least for the time being was not a law passed by our W representatives, but a directive from thanks to our MP’s swift and witty letter to top Environment Agency an unknown and uncaring Eurocrat. officials. Oliver Letwin poked fun at No wonder both the UK ministries the pointless and impossible rules involved tried to hide it until it was they had imposed, and along with too late to do anything - but that’s other like-minded MPs, forced a re- DEFRA for you. think in two stages. Firstly the end of And we are still waiting a reply to our the year deadline was postponed questions from EA’s press folk in while Agency officials looked once Bristol. So we can’t tell their side of the more at the silly rules they had so story this time. warmly welcomed. Annoyingly for us What is true is that when BTV first this occurred as the postman were contacted Environment Agency to ask delivering the last BTV. why there was no publicity for a So far so good, but no cancellation. change that affected everyone in rural Then they announced that: areas, their website barely mentioned “Environment Agency are now the matter. Within a day or two the undertaking a joint review with subject had a page to itself. Then Government on the requirement to within a week there was an instant link register small domestic sewage from the home page. Asking the wrong discharges in England, details of questions at the right time can have which will be announced in the next that effect. few weeks.” That was 3 months ago. Ironically the very Gallic way of So it would seem that this stupidity simply ignoring silly ideas from the EU might be quietly buried without even has not happened in France! Not only an announcement of its death. But it have the French Government enforced is not dead yet. You can register your the regulation, but the fee charged is outflow on http://www.environment- allegedly a big fat !250. Perhaps the agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/1323 French Government decided to 91.aspx but you don’t have to do so. proceed so they could take the money And it might well be a complete and run while blaming the EU. waste of time to do so. So please don’t tell Environment Mind you this wasn’t really an EA Agency or DEFRA or they’ll rethink the problem. No it was our old and oft- idea reintroduce the scheme - and start despised friends at DEFRA who charging us all. obligingly made obligatory Brussels’ whims in a European Union Water 12 Editorial

t seemed like a good idea at Marshwood, with only a small the time – a phrase that so group of young families within mostly I often foretells a disaster. elderly community, has no real heart One can admire the administrative as it meanders for miles along the convenience of the officials’ high ridge that makes up the western thinking all those years ago. edge of the Vale. We’ll knock out the towns and big Rural Bettiscombe centred on its villages and lump together the rest. church but divided between an That’s Marshwood, Bettiscombe, oh! ancient and historic manor and an and Pilsdon. They’re all in the elderly manor, nestles comfortably in Marshwood Vale so we’ll call it a sheltered valley. Upper Marshwood Vale - - hang on Most Pilsdon residents still live and its a bit big even though its still not work at the manor but in a very enough people. Look Stoke’s not different way than prevailed when it actually in Beaminster so if we add was the seat of powerful men, so them to the rest its about the right leaving not much more than a hamlet number of residents now. Pity its so and farms. Other hamlets and large – well they’ve all got cars now communities, principally around so they can drive, can’t they. Shave Cross, lie within these Job done! parochial boundaries so add to the So perhaps this was how the strip Marshwood mash. ridge-village and one-time estates of Hardly the rich tapestry of urban a pair of old manors joined an towns and cities throughout the UK, ancient village in the next valley as we are nevertheless a good mix of it was being suburbanised to folk, families, fortunes and of course, become Upper Marshwood Vale. farms. Different people, different A whole but by no means an jobs, different backgrounds, different entity. outlook; perhaps it was a good idea As the survey returns for the Parish after all. Plan came in, it was immediately So what started as administrative clear that Stoke Abbott was rather idleness, became a useful set of different to the rest of the Vale. church parishes, ran as four groups of Cottages and houses in ancient councillors in one council, is now stone abound in a pretty village slowly coalescing into a real place to proud of millennia roots are homes be proud of. The differences are no to both retired folk and families longer to be a cause of friction but earning a living in nearby towns. celebration of diversity.

Ali Cameron Editor, Beneath the Vale Call me on 01297 678546 13 or e-mail [email protected]

News in brief Bettiscombe hall better

Over the last couple of years Bettiscombe village hall has received a series of improvements starting with a new kitchen area. Work on repairs has been balanced by improvements such as replacement of inner and outer main front doors to make the hall more draughtproof and the creation of improved access storage areas for the Here the photo shows Bettiscombe hall’s tables. Village Hall vice-chairman John Much of this work has been paid Brown, (left) & committee stalwart for from the village halls own Joy McClellan receiving the cheque fundraising efforts such as the from Bridport Round Table’s vice- Friday evening events along with a chairman Hugh Matthews outside gift from Bridport Round Table. those new doors.

Magna, and their men, come up smelling of roses Magna’s workmen completed the removed for access to the plant site but installation of the new sewage in doing so revealed to all Marshalsea treatment plant behind Marshalsea residents the outstanding views that exactly on time. Marshwood village eastsiders enjoy. One young mum who lives in For Magna and residents - a result! Marshalseas was complementary: “They were really good and co- operated with us fully - normal service was maintained throughout.” Not only that but the lads attended to a number of minor improvements to the access. But the greatest difference of all was the hedge at the end of the road was

14 Buzzard’s View Get onto our address list For the last issue we expanded our please contact the editorial phone address list so all homes in the 4 line or inbox with the correct name, parishes received a copy - or so we address or spelling. And if you hoped. want a regular electronic copy, We added in those 20% of perhaps to e-mail to others residents who also got a copy e- interested in UMV and what’s mailed to them since many preferred happening here, please send us to have a proper newsletter to hand your e-mail address or the name around and read when convenient. and e-mail address of the recipient. But what if we got it wrong – or Or download issues from the Parish missed someone out? Council website: If we have your details wrong, uppermarshwoodcouncil.org

Dates for your Diary If you have an event to publicise, To all newshounds, chairpersons, please let us know as early as secretaries, organisers, business folk, possible and remember it could be advertisers & contributors. This more than three months before your newsletter is published quarterly so event’s details can reach residents we need to hear from you by the letterboxes. middle of February, May, August or Get that extra bit of publicity for November for publishing at the end your local events– remember our of those months. In fact, contacting deadlines - and let us know us well before then would allow us who, what, where and when. to reserve a slot in the next issue.

Advertising Manager The team will be able to raise the Yes, we need an Ad Manager to sell production standard of the space, organise the ads and encourage newsletter if we can earn sensible local commerce to support Beneath the fees from commercial organisations Vale after all this is your local that wish to promote their services newsletter. or access a local market. The only So if you can help us to help the problem is that we need someone community, join the BTV team. who better understands advertising and marketing better than the Call the editor without delay. present team. [email protected]

15 Councillors’ Comments - bigger than Twitter Veteran newshound Rene Gerryts Wendy is probably the most media- continued the Bridport News’ habit of savvy resident of Marshwood as a ignoring Marshwood as she moved result of her £500,000 fund-raising the story of our activities for Dorchester pub, The Bottle, Hospital’s cancer patients. into Char Valley Without her side of the when she story, friends immediately composed the pointed out that with her then month-old many media appearances story. she was unlikely to have The article made such a silly mistake. seemed to quote Before this, rumours of Marshwood parish Rene’s interest in the councillor Wendy Nightingale but story soon reached the BTV team was hardly news to readers of BTV. who had long known of the Somehow Wendy found that she had developments including financial been moved to Char Valley while the support for repairs as Mark van de council meeting she quoted also Weyer reports earlier, but she did not appeared to be credited to Char follow up the story as Wendy Valley by Rene even though minutes suggested by asking us but printed of both parish councils appear on the the gaffes complete with an image of internet for all to see. Along with the Wendy apparently standing in the fact-free headline, other crucial pub car park - airbrushed in courtesy omissions and misquotes in the story of Photoshop. did cause problems for two locals, But this is not the only time but fortunately not for Wendy. Bridport-centric News has eliminated Purely coincidently, BTV had been at Marshwood. Listing candidates for the Char Valley parish council meeting the District Council elections in May, of when the Bottle was not mentioned. Marshwood disappeared along with BTV was also at the Upper Marshwood candidates Michael Robinson and Vale PC meeting where the Bottle was Howard Thomas. discussed as Wendy had told Rene. Does this mean that Bridport News By the time Bridports best hit the is withdrawing coverage (and streets of of that town and lanes of circulation) from all parts of Cclr West Dorset, Wendy and husband Robinson’s patch? Peter had left the country – not out of Or is Char Valley seeking a embarrassment, but on a well-deserved takeover?? Check with Beneath the Mediterranean cruise. Vale, not the Bridport News!

16 Always wanted to be a Forest Ranger? Dorset has an active Volunteer Ranger service that would like to expand its activities to public footpaths and rights of way in our parish.

Would you be interested in volunteering with the Ranger Service? Work outside in our beautiful countryside? Learn a new skill or apply existing talents to maintain our ancient rights of way. Any age, any skill set - all are welcome.

Contact your Councillor, or get in touch with Peter Nightingale on 01297 678165 or, preferably, by email: [email protected]

Useful numbers Public Transport: Bus services: Axe Valley & West Dorset Ring and Ride 01404 46520 Mike Halford MiniCoaches 01308 421106 Sewards Coaches 01404 881343 Stagecoach South West 01823 672247 Western Area Transport Action Group Secretary: [email protected] 01308 897892

Health and Welfare: Dorchester Hospital Governor Wendy Nightingale 01297 678165 [email protected]

Wayfinders, Partnership for Older People’s Project (POPP) Rose Bird 07971 338398 [email protected] Carol Pearce 07971 338622 [email protected]

Rural Housing Officer Rob Asprey 01305 252447 [email protected]

Environment: Flytipping, Graffiti & Abandoned Cars (WDDC) 01305 251010

Dorset AONB www.dorsetaonb.org.uk 01305 228239

17 Others Dorset County Council Switchboard 01305 221000 [email protected]

Trading Standards Consumer Advice 08454 040506

BREG - Bridport Renewable Energy Group www.breg.org.uk

Highways Office 01305 221020 www.dorsetforyou.com/385168

Highways Agency 01203 358300 www.highways.gov

Emergency numbers Childline Abuse, bullying, worries 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk

Electricity Western Power Distribution 0800 365 900 www.westernpower.co.uk

Floodline Environment Agency 0845 988 1188 www.environment-agency.gov.uk

NHS Direct We're here 24 hours a day 0845 4647 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

RSPCA Cruelty line 0300 1234 999 www.rspca.org.uk

Local Hospitals Axminster 01297 630400 Bridport Community 01308 422371 Crewkerne 01460 72491 Dorset County 01305 251150

Samaritans Talk To Someone 08457 909090 www.samaritans.org

Women's Refuge West Dorset 01305 262444 www.womensaid.org

18 Your District Councillors Marshwood Vale Mike Robinson 01308 868979 [email protected]

Broadwindsor Jacqui Sewell 01308 867145 [email protected]

Your County Councillors Marshwood Vale Geoffrey Brierley 01297 560660 [email protected]

Beaminster Rebecca Knox 01308 863365 [email protected]

Working parties: chairman/co-ordinator Affordable Housing Cclr. Mike Robinson 01308 868979 [email protected]

First Responders Annemieke Blondeel 01308 868543 [email protected]

Broadband Charles Somers 01297 678178 [email protected]

Oaks Action Caroline Conran 01308 868010 [email protected]

Energy, long-term projects Ali Cameron 01297 678546 [email protected]

Beneath the Vale: Editorial Board Matthew Bowditch [email protected] 01308 862758

Peter Nightingale [email protected] 01297 678165

Annie Wyatt [email protected] 01297 678165

Newsletter Editor Ali Cameron 01297 678546 [email protected] [email protected]

19 Your Parish Council

Chairman Clerk Matthew Bowditch 01308 862758 John Vanderwolfe 01297 34444 Stokewater Farm, Stoke Abbott Newenham, 5 Halletts Way, Axminster, DT8 3JL EX13 5NB [email protected] [email protected] Stoke Abbott

Councillors Councillors Fred Bailey, 01308 868015 Christopher Rabbetts 01308 867474 Meadowrise, Bettiscombe DT6 6HP Gerrards Farm, Pilsdon DT6 5PA [email protected] [email protected] Marshwood Pilsdon

David Borradaile 01308 868424 Michael Rowe 01308 868726 Lewesdon House, Stoke Abbott Waterhouse Farm, Bettiscombe [email protected] DT6 5NT Stoke Abbott [email protected] Bettiscombe Roland Bugler 01308 867 796 Vale End, Lower House Farm, Trevor Richards 01308 868848 Bettiscombe DT6 5NT Deer Park Farm, Marshwood Vale, [email protected] DT6 5PZ, Bettiscombe [email protected] Marshwood Ali Cameron 01297 678546 Blue Haze, Marshwood, DT6 5QB Roy Warburton 01308 868358 [email protected] Shave Cross Inn, Shave Cross, DT6 6HW Marshwood [email protected] Marshwood Wendy Nightingale 01297 678165 Hillside Cottage, Marshwood DT6 5QF Robert Wyatt 01308 868249 [email protected] Blackney Farm, Blackney, DT6 5PB Marshwood [email protected] Stoke Abbott

website: uppermarshwoodcouncil.org

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