The Villager

Edition 284 October 2020 Usually at this time we would be planning for the Villager Coffee Morning but with the Covid regulations we are not able to hold the event this year - so very disappointing! This is the only fund raising event we hold to keep production running and we would be very grateful if any readers would like to make a donation - email [email protected] for donation points. Thank you for your support. Lots of groups and classes are now back in the Hall so we have included the timetable of regular events - but please be aware these could change if the Covid guidelines are altered. Please ensure all articles are sent to the Villager inbox not any other email address as they can so easily be missed.

Villager Production Schedule

Copy Date Distribution first full week

18th March, May, July, April, June, August, October, September & November December

Motcombe Villager Magazine No 284 October 2020 Page 1 of 20

A TRIBUTE TO ALLISTAIR LEASK FORMER CHAIRMAN OF MOTCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL

It was with great sadness that members of the Parish Council heard of the death of their former Chairman Allistair Leask on 5 August following a tragic accident.

Allistair served on the Parish Council for over eleven years as both a Councillor and Chairman. He was a larger-than-life character with a commanding presence, he used both humour and firmness to keep council meetings under control and working to time.

Born in Herefordshire he was however a proud Orcadian, returning to Orkney as often as he could with his wife Anita. After a successful career in the Metropolitan Police, they bought Nods Fold in 1993 and he and Anita enjoyed many years bringing the old house back to life to make it a warm and characterful home.

The Parish Council and the residents of Motcombe benefited from Allistair’s strong approach to dealing with local issues, never hesitating to make personal contact with those who had concerns or a disagreement with the Parish Council.

During his tenure he worked closely with Parish Clerk, Nicky Phillips whose understanding of the rules that apply to a Parish Council were invaluable. He acknowledged himself that without Nicky’s advice he would probably have made decisions that were not always quite as they should be!

The Councillors were encouraged to manage their own areas of responsibility and to obtain the support from North Dorset District

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Council (now Dorset Council) to further facilities and benefits for Motcombe residents.

Of particular note was the acquisition of The Meadows and its development into the site it is today, a haven for wild flowers, butterflies and bird life, and providing a walking and leisure amenity. He was instrumental in protecting the future of The Meadows, formerly known as the 18 Acres by registering them under The Fields in Trust – Queen Elizabeth 11.

The long-awaited road resurfacing and improvements to The Hollow happened under his Chairmanship thanks to the Councillors who together worked as part of a successful and well led team. He retired from the Parish Council in 2019.

Allistair was a young seventy eight when he died, he had a zest for living. He had many plans for holidays with Anita and was still having work done on his beloved Nods Fold home. His passing leaves a huge gap in many lives but his legacy of energetic leadership in both his professional and private life lives on, he will be much missed. Liam Stacey MPC Chair.

Memorial Seat

Motcombe Parish Council is proposing to site a memorial seat in The Meadows in memory of former MPC Chair Allistair Leask.

If anyone would like to make a donation in Allistair's memory, please contact the Motcombe Parish Clerk Mrs. Nicola Phillips Chiddesden, The Street Motcombe SP7 9PF Tel 01747 850515 Email [email protected] Motcombe Villager Magazine No 284 October 2020 Page 3 of 20

How the weeks rush by. I am sure we all continue to feel lucky that we live in this less populated area during these times. We have our gardens and can walk in the fresh air and enjoy nature all around the village as well as having all those chats while socially distancing. Some people have taken advantage of cheaper meals to kick start the local economy so have got to know some different places to return to in the future.

The Hall is slowly reopening to various activities with all the protocols in place. A great deal of work has taken place at the hall during this period of otherwise inactivity and it has been wonderful that the funds were there to allow the work to happen.

The shop has been open throughout - thank you to all concerned!

Moviola has just had its first film show since lockdown - great!

Barney has organised the Friday news - wonderful as easy to find on the motcombevillage.co.uk website and lots of local news and information for everyone.

It has seemed very strange that we have been unable to have our Gardening Club meetings but we keep in touch with emails and are trying to organise an October meeting - we were all set for a plant swap/sale but the new restrictions make things very difficult to do this safely.

So we will continue to wait and see what might be possible as everyone is missing the social contact. BUT we have our gardens and some have their allotments and it has been great to grow on all those plant swaps we did earlier in the year. The spinach and

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kale have grown well - thank you Gill; the cherry tomatoes have been wonderful - I have been picking them for many weeks - thank you David. So with our soft fruit there has been plenty to eat and the raspberries are still going strong and the apples are coming into their own. Our runner beans were blown over but a few are still determined to have their day in the sun - well the sun!

After all the rain we have had it is unbelievable how dry the garden gets when the sun decides to join in - with the baking heat I was tempted to fill the paddling pool & cool down but, as I have found out in other years, all the wildlife choose to join me and a butterfly being attracted to my sunburnt nose is one thing but an adder swimming round my ankles is amazing but also terrifying!

I gave out our fuchsia plants in March that we were to pot up for our MGC Summer Show - but the show was not allowed to happen - the plants didn’t mind and they have been, and still are, beautiful.

At the beginning of August we had our Rainbow Container weekend - and a huge thank you to all who entered. It was fun and we are thinking of something else similar - perhaps a spring flower container. Please let me know if you think you would enjoy joining in - it would be for all the village.

This last week it has been great to hear the children at the school as they run round - it makes life feel a little more normal. So I do hope you have managed to do all those things you had wanted to do in the house and garden with all this extra time at home - not quite the same as those trips abroad but really rather gratifying! Take care,

Bev West 01747 858981 [email protected]

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 St Mary’s Church 

At the moment, with all the uncertainty over COVID-19 restrictions, we cannot plan ahead too far. At our Evening Communion on 1st November we will commemorate All Souls’ – particularly remembering those who have died this year. Invitations to this service will be sent out in early October, though numbers are limited due to social distancing, there will also be room for others who wish to come along and remember a loved one. As numbers are limited in the church we are hoping that we will be able to mark Remembrance Day with a service at the War Memorial, much as we have in years past. Current regulations do not limit numbers for outside worship gatherings as long as social distancing can be maintained – though this may change!

SERVICES FOR OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER: 4th October 6.00pm Evening Communion 11th October 9.30pm Parish Communion 18th October 6.00pm Evening Worship 25th October 9.30am Parish Communion 1st November 6.00pm Evening Communion for All Souls’ 8th November 10.00am Parish Communion followed by Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial (TBC) 15th November 6.00pm Evening Worship 22nd November 9.30am Parish Communion 29th November 10.00am Team Communion at St James, Shaftesbury

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CHRISTOPHER HOOPER Christopher has been a Licensed Lay Minister for 28 years and, aged 93, has not unreasonably decided that it is time to hang up his cassock. We can’t begin to thank him for all he has given us at St Mary’s.

We had a special farewell service for Christopher with singing(!!) by a small group on 13th September where Christopher was presented with a gift in thanksgiving for all he has given to St Mary’s over the years.

Christopher had spent a lot of his adult life as headmaster at a prep school and, on retirement, came to live in Motcombe. He almost immediately started training to be an LLM with Tryphena Orchard and was licensed in Salisbury Cathedral in 1992. Since then he has served under several clergy in St Mary’s, Motcombe – Tom Taylor, Mark Zammit, Eve Pegler, Jude Moreton and now Pam Rink. He has taken services at Margaret Marsh, Compton Abbas and Melbury, plus funerals throughout the team and monthly communion services at Homefarris. He said Morning Prayer at St Mary’s most days of the week and up until 2017 he did the Cycle Ride for the Historic Churches Trust visiting over 20 churches.

Christopher has quietly and effectively been the greatest support to all his clergy, totally dependable and utterly loyal to them as well as his congregation, always adding something special to our services. He is always interested in other people and provides love and support for anyone in need. In short, he is a Christian through and through and much loved by us all. He would be the first to say that he couldn’t have achieved all this without the loving support of Audrey, his wife.

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Remembering Evelyn Felstead

Sometimes in life we meet someone who makes a huge impact on us in a very short time. Evelyn was one of those people. Arriving in Motcombe in June 2018 to live in Motcombe Grange she walked to join us in worship every Sunday morning. Always smiling and always interested and concerned about whoever she was talking to, seldom sharing the recent traumas in her own life. As her memory got worse, we got used to reminding her what she was supposed to be doing, returning a forgotten handbag, cardigan or walking stick. Though amazingly, she could still use her mobile phone.

She loved coming to the Lunch Club and even more to join the Bible Study group after it. Her immense knowledge of the Bible never left her, and she was a huge asset to the group and able leader when the leader was away. We were enthralled by her recounting of youth work years ago including visits to help the Romanian Orphanage crisis travelling overland with a van load of supplies.

We missed her when she went to live in the Mellowes. A few of us, including our minister, visited her and always left feeling encouraged.

Now we know she is Home with the Lord she loved and served, and we will see her again one day.

Happy Memories from all of us at Motcombe Methodist Church.

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Motcombe Methodist Church

We are open for Morning Worship every Sunday at 10.30am. Please come along and join us. We have put all measures in place to ensure we are COVID compliant. Places of worship are, at present, exempt from the Rule of Six guidelines but we do ask you keep social distance and also wear a mask.

As many of you will be aware we support the annual Macmillan Biggest Coffee Morning fundraising campaign. However, this year things will be a bit different. We will be hosting a Macmillan “Bake Away” on Friday 11th October between 10am -12noon. It is our aim to raise as much money as possible for this worthy cause as we have been unable to run our normal weekly charity Coffee Mornings at present due to COVID.

So many charities are suffering from massively reduced donations meaning that vital research is being cut and services are being lost. Why not come along on the morning to the church and grab a takeaway drink (please bring own mug!) and a slice of cake or order a Morning Coffee Pack or Afternoon Tea Pack ahead of time and either collect it on the day or we can arrange to have it delivered to you at home?

Please call Margaret Wooldridge on 01747 851904 to place an order.

THIS IS A COVID COMPLIANT EVENT.

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We would publicly like to say how proud we have been of all of our pupils during the Corona Virus pandemic. Our school site closed in March and we joined forces with other local schools at Shaftesbury Primary school’s site to provide childcare for Key Workers’ children and vulnerable families throughout lockdown. During this time, the rest of the children were home-schooled. In June, we reopened our Motcombe site to our Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils and in July, we welcomed back the rest of our year groups on a part-time basis. Since the start of September, all of our pupils have now returned full-time.

From March to June, our teachers provided a wide range of daily learning activities on our school website for each class as well as Youtube videos to provide further explanations and messages to the students. Families kept in regular telephone and email contact with teachers throughout the entire experience. We were overwhelmed by the amazing examples of work, photographs and lovely messages that children and parents sent to staff. Our students coped with the unexpected change in their learning experience with maturity and positivity, which has left us all beaming with pride.

Upon return to school, the children have had to adapt quickly to many changes, such as staggered drop-off and collection times, staggered play and lunch-times, a one-way system around the school, more regular hand-sanitizing and hand-washing, remaining in class ‘bubbles’ and not mixing with any other classes, designated zones for each ‘bubble’ around the school and many more measures put in place to reduce the risk of infection. Motcombe pupils have returned to school with a positive attitude, displaying kindness and enthusiasm.

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We look forward to enjoying another school year with our fantastic community, knowing that our students will rise to any challenge they may face in this ever-changing world!

We hope that everyone in Motcombe and the surrounding area has stayed as safe and as well as can be during these strange times. Best wishes to everyone from all of us at Motcombe Primary School.

Village Hall Update

Motcombe has really shown itself at its best in its support for the Hall during lockdown. Several people have made very generous donations and others have waived ticket refunds for cancelled Live Event Cinema performances. This has helped us get through the crisis to date which unfortunately has coincided with a period of heavy expenditure, particularly new drains, new paving stones and having to replace the Clock Hall doors.

We are very grateful to all of you who have shown your support either financially or by giving your time to help with various projects. The Hall is now tentatively reopening with rules to minimise the spread of Covid 19 and to ensure social distancing. We are pleased to see that many of our regular meeting groups and exercise classes are coming back. Moviola and Live Event Cinema have also restarted, albeit in a limited way. Full details of all of these are on our websitewww.motcombehall.com

A.Belchambers

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We have a defibrillator, available for anyone to use, located in a cabinet on the wall outside Motcombe Community Shop. If someone is unconscious, unresponsive, not breathing or not breathing normally, they’re in cardiac arrest. The most important thing is to call 999, the call taker will tell you how to carry out CPR. Start CPR to keep the blood flowing to the brain and around the body. After a cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces someone's chance of survival by 10 per cent. If you're on your own, don't interrupt the CPR to get the defibrillator. Call someone from the list below to get it for you. Switch on the defibrillator and it will then provide you with verbal instructions for use. The defibrillator cannot be used incorrectly as it will only deliver a shock to the patient if it detects it is necessary. DEFIBRILLATOR CONTACT NUMBERS

Richard Bromley 07810 065089 Graham Dunlop 01747 228581 07932 443260 Holly Galley 07771 902073 Jeni Green 07830 294949 Molly Irwin 01747 850645 07815 171949 Andrew Marshall 07786 174634 Lynda Maynard 01747 855070 Janet Odell 01747 850697 07989 679361 Sue Aldridge Power 01747 229566 07515 026415 Jenny Rose 07484 231311 Paul Russell 01747 853613 Lee Upshall 01747 858643 07778 277892

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Natalie Kay Children and Families Worker for Bell Street UC Shaftesbury and Motcombe Methodist Church

Tel : 0773 9473059 Email: [email protected] As a Church Children and Family worker I am being sent lots of information to pass on to wonderful families who are finding themselves in an unprecedented situation. Keeping children happily occupied and yourself sane will take a bit of working at but there are so many organisations gearing up to offer ideas and support to adults, young people and children. I am here to offer a listening ear if you need it and to sign-post to other sources of support. Please feel free to be in touch on the contact details above.

LITTLE SUNBEAMS @ MOTCOMBE TODDLER GROUP

Natalie and all the team at Motcombe Methodist

Church send greetings to our members. We cannot wait to see you all as soon as it is possible to open. Stay safe!

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Despite hand sanitisers, masks and self distancing we pulled it off last night and I think we all enjoyed being together again in the village hall to watch “Emma” which was a bit over the top but made us all laugh and spirits were lifted. Thanks so much Liz Pocock

All being well we very much look forward to welcoming you to our Autumn films. We will be taking all necessary precautions, planning on having 30 attendees to an evening performance at 7.30 p.m. If it’s a popular film, we shall then sell tickets for a matinee at 4.30 p.m. on the same day. Tickets must be bought in advance and no tickets will be sold on the door. We probably won’t be selling refreshments but you’re welcome to bring your own. We will keep you informed of any changes.

Wednesday, October 21st PARASITE(15) Comedy, Drama, Thriller In Bong Joon-Ho’s flawless tragicomedy, a poor yet united family bluff their way into the lives of a wealthy Seoul household. Director: Bong Joon Ho Writer: Bong Joon Ho Stars: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo

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Wednesday, November 18th HARRIET (12A) Action, Biography, Drama The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. Director: Kasi Lemmons Writers: Gregory Allen Howard, Kasi Lemmons Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monàe, Leslie Odom Jr.

Wednesday, December 2nd NORTH BY NORTH WEST (PG) Adventure, Mystery, Thriller One of Hitchcock’s best films. A New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies. Director: Alfred Hitchcock Writer: Ernest Lehman Stars: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason Institute, also concerts and Whist drives. There were four sports clubs, Football, Cricket, Tennis and Hockey using the recreation ground and the hall for changing and refreshments.

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The Sesquicentenary of the laying of the foundation stone of the Methodist Chapel.

On 1st June 1870 the foundation stone of the present Motcombe Methodist chapel was laid. It was built to replace the first chapel which had been erected in 1775 and was said to have been the first in a Dorset village and had now become inadequate for the ever growing number of methodists in Motcombe. It was pulled down and part of the site was used for the new chapel.

The Primitive Methodists had had their own chapel since 1828. The ceremony took place in the afternoon and was on a Wednesday. There were three ministers present, one of whom was a Primitive Methodist. Mrs George Ridgley, a Gillingham Methodist laid the first stone. After the service the company were entertained to tea by Uriah Benjafield at Shorts Green Farm where he farmed. This farm had been completely rebuilt in 1866, the large farmhouse contrasting with the previous much smaller thatched one and farm buildings.

The Benjafields were staunch Wesleyan Methodists. Uriah’s brother Frederick farmed at Frog Lane farm. His gravestone can be seen in the front of the Motcombe chapel. Uriah is also buried in this small graveyard.

A greater event was to take place in April of the following year, when the new chapel, built with a lecture room and a balcony which was able to accommodate 250 people in total, was opened.

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The Royal Oak In the same year the chapel’s neighbour, the former Royal Oak public house, was rebuilt and the new building was completed by September 1870, when the landlord was granted a full licence. He had been landlord of the first Royal Oak which had only been a beer house and in sharp contrast to the grand building which had 6 bedrooms and 4 attic bedrooms. Attached was a small holding and Landlords were described in the directories as Inn Keepers and Farmers. Also there were 30 acres of land including a large orchard. It belonged to the Motcombe Estate. It is no longer a public house and is now a private residence. L. Clark

We will be opening again on 2nd October providing Government guidelines allow. Youth Work is considered an essential service and is not subject to the “Rule of 6”, Dorset Youth Association have issued plenty of help to ensure we can keep everyone safe and we really hope to see as many of our members as possible. We would also like to welcome any young people between the ages of 9 & 17 to come and join in the fun.

To comply with the Covid rules we need to ask that each session be booked in advance - please email [email protected].

We meet every Friday between 6.30pm and 8.30 pm Motcombe Villager Magazine No 284 October 2020 Page 17 of 20

MONDAY  Ballet (Hall) 9.30 -10.30am (Paris Notley)  Yoga (Pavilion) 5.50 – 7.20 pm (Kirsty Elliot)  Pregnancy Yoga (Clock Hall) 6.15 -7.15pm (Anna Lubliner)  Pilates 6.30 – 7.30pm (Olly Finbow)  Motcombe Running Club meet 7pm (Frank Armstrong)  Stitchers (Pavilion) 7.30 -10 pm Fortnightly (Lynda Maynard)  Hatha Yoga (Clock Hall) 7.30 – 8.30pm (Anna Lubliner)  Merry Muddlers (country dancing) fortnightly from 8 to 9.30pm

TUESDAY  Pilates (Clock Hall) 9.15 – 10.15am (Carla Barber)  Motcombe Ramblers last Tuesday of every month at 9.30am  Ballet (Hall) 9.30 – 11.45am (Paris Notley)  Stitchtopia (Clock Hall) 10.30 am – 12.30 fortnightly (Lynda Maynard)

WEDNESDAY  Pilates (Clock Hall) 9.15 am – 12.45 pm (Liz Ellis)  Yoga (Clock Hall) 6.45 – 8.45pm (Kym Mitchell)

THURSDAY  Pilates (Pavilion) 9.15-11.30 am (Olly Finbow)  Ballet (Hall) 9.30-11.45am (Paris Notley)  Taichi/Chigong for beginners(Clock Hall) 9.30 – 10.30am (Teruko Chagrin)  Yoga (Clock Hall)11 - 12am (Kirsty Elliot)

FRIDAY  Ballet 9.30-10.30 am (Paris Notley)  Yoga (Clock Hall) 10 – 11 am (Anna Lubliner)  Motcombe Youth Club 6.30 to 8.30pm [email protected]

SATURDAY  Hatha Yoga (Clock Hall) 9-10am (Anna Lubliner)  Jazzercise 9:30-10:30 am (Abi Gibson)

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21st October Moviola – Parasite 7.30pm

18th November Moviola - Harriet 7.30pm

2nd December Moviola – North by North West 7.30pm

Motcombe Memorial Hall Could all organisers of regular events email the contact details they would like entered in this section of the magazine to [email protected]

Bridge club - Alan Bayfield 853337 Yoga - [email protected] Dance Fit - [email protected] Tel: 07807041194 Youth Club - [email protected]

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Oct 5th & 19th Recycling Nov 2nd, 16th & 30th Black bin (green lid) +Green Box + Food Bin

Oct 12th & 26th Rubbish Nov 9th & 23rd Old blue bin or new grey bin + food bin

Oct 6th & 20th Garden Waste Nov 3rd & 17th Brown lidded bin - subscription only

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