SUMMER 2008 FREE One Fell Swoop Charmouth Challenge 2008 by Colin Pring picture courtesy Whatgoat Once again, July is here and the highlight of the month has to be the Annual Charmouth Challenge, Fun Run and Fete all organised in aid of Charmouth School Funds. The Challenge is the most southerly fell race in the UK and includes a lung bursting ascent of 190metre- high Golden Cap which is the highest point on the South Coast and rewards competitors with breathtaking views of the Jurassic Coastline. In 2007 the Challenge was praised by local resident Gordon Hathway in The Fellrunner magazine - the gritty northern fell runners bible in an article describing fell-type running possibilities in the softy south - The jewel has to be the Charmouth to Golden Cap Challenge, which is a registered fell race graded BM, held in July every year and even blessed with a village fete at the venue in true Lakeland style. The race is organised in accordance with the requirements of the Fell Runners Association and it forms part of the Running Clubs League Annual Calendar of events, attracting runners from all over the UK, with many returning year after year. However, few could hope to match the current record holder Alec Woods whose astonishing winning time in 2000 was 48.44 minutes for the 7.7 mile course continued on centre pages From The Editor Summer afternoon -- summer afternoon.....the two I'm sure you will all join me in wishing Sisters Annmarie most beautiful words in the English language, said and Isabel good luck and bon voyage when they move Edith Wharton in 1934. As I sit here gazing out to sea, to Cumbria at the end of July to take up new posts. the seagulls wheeling about, the garden a profusion See their farewell letter on page 4. Charmouth in of flowers and lush greenness, I am in total agreement. general, and the St Andrew's congregation in particular, Dorset is at its loveliest in June and Charmouth is no are so blessed to have had two such wise and gentle exception. The hanging baskets everywhere look so souls as vicars and spiritual counselors for the past pretty - hopefully many of them have been entered seven years. They will be greatly missed. into the competition sponsored by Charmouth Fayre. Last year's event raised over £2500, all of which goes Steve Pile, Charmouth's sub-postmaster, has written back into the community to support local youth groups, a very thought- provoking article on page 3 about the help with the upkeep of the two halls and to fund the reality of post office closures. We can possibly all help Christmas lunch for the elderly, amongst other causes. to mitigate this by writing to Oliver Letwin, as Steve This year's Fayre is on August 3rd. suggests at the close of his piece. The Parish Council has been doing its bit towards the Finally a little plug for our sponsors, who this issue beautification of Charmouth, prior to the judging for are also supporting the Fun Run. This magazine the Dorset Best Kept Village Competition (which comes to you courtesy of the support of all the hopefully occurred before the outbreak of hideous advertisers. Without them, Shoreline would have a graffitti around the village and now Ive just heard that very large printer's bill to pay indeed. So give them a padlocked boat was stolen from the foreshore on your support. Use the shops, use the pubs and Friday 20 June, whats going on??). Jane Bremner restaurants. Use the other services advertised here. and I had a lovely time planting the 5 flowerbeds by They all help to keep this village alive. the Foreshore loos - the anchor should be in position soon. Have a great summer ! Jane Morrow Editor: Dont forget our deadline for the Autumn issue Jane Morrow Assistant Editor: of Shoreline is Friday 5 September and Sarah Cooke Friday 29 August for Diary Dates. Advertising: Colin Pring Issue 2 - Summer 2008 Diary: Polly Wild Whats Inside? Many thanks to our Shoreline is published contributors: From The Editor............................... 2 4 times a year - Nick Bale Dr Martin Beckers The Post Office................................ 3 Spring, Summer, Maisie Bellsworthy Parish Council.................................. 3 Autumn and Winter. Pauline Berridge Pam Berry Parish Church................................... 4 © Shoreline Charmouth Debbie Bond Looking after our Environment......... 5 Tel: 01297 560329 Peter Bonner Email: Hilary Cleden Local Crafts...................................... 6 Sarah Cooke [email protected] Lesley Dunlop A Helping Hand............................... 7 Post: Jyoti Fernandes Heritage Coast Centre....................... 8/9 The Moorings, Mandy Harvey Higher Sea Lane, Steffi haynes Charmouth Challenge & Fun Run... 10/11 Chris Horton Charmouth, Dorset. Trev Jarvis Literary Corner................................. 12 DT6 6BD Kath Kingsley Peter Noel Local Heroes....................................13 Steve Pile Wildlife around Charmouth................14 Shoreline is printed by Peter Press Colin Pring Health & Wellbeing......................... 15 Steves Print & Design, Myra Sealy School News....................................15 Seaton 01297 22602 Kate Stapleton To advertise in Shoreline Sr Annmarie Stuart Organisations.................................. 16/17 Pam Swanston please contact Chris Vincent We Remember.................................18 Colin on 01297 561471 Meirel Whaites Village Diary....................................19 Local Contacts..................................20 Page 2 Post Office - The Reality In the last few weeks there The purple pension card life span of another 2-3 years, have been rumours, partial and Post Office Ltd have had to bid for the pension facts and unofficial business beyond 2010/2011. They are not the only disclosures, leading to the bidder, but they must win. This is the message for us promotion of untruths, all to convey. which, if believed or adhered to, adversely affect the If the Post office does not win, then all of the closures, Post Office network locally. present and future, will have been for nothing. There The truth is simply that the general public only listen will be no consolidation, and the Post office will be at to what they want to hear, and often act on elements risk. You may have seen me on BBC 'Spotlight' sending that they haven't heard. this very message. I have been told, in the last few weeks, that we now If you want to help, write to your local M.P, Oliver only open in the afternoon. Letwin, at the house of commons, making him aware Another of my colleagues locally, has tried in vain to of the need for the Post Office to win the bid for dissuade a customer from travelling into Bridport to Pension Card Account version 2. tax her car because she was adamant that she now Steve Pile. Sub-Postmaster, Charmouth Post Office. had to do that, because she fully believed that the facilities have been removed from Charmouth. That is completely false. Parish Council News If you want to know the truth, why not go and ask your local Sub-Postmaster! The work of the Parish Council has continued since There is a specific timetable in Dorset worked out by the last edition Fingers crossed, most of the double the government and implemented by Post Office Ltd yellow lines should be re-instated down the street to 'sweep' the area by a team of officers who will before the school summer holidays, although there approach the sub-postmasters and tell them of any is one area where discussions are still ongoing. At changes,if any, to their status. This could be closure the playing field some of the hedging between the or receipt of more customers from a compulsory two areas has been removed and two sides of the closure nearby. Sub-postmasters are sworn to secrecy tennis court fencing to enable the football pitch to be at this stage. On the 15th July public consultations moved down. Our funding application for the multi and decision making will commence and the first play court has gone in, and we are hoping to know possible closure could happen on the 21st October. the outcome soon. More spans of the boundary fencing In the event of a closure, Post Office Ltd., following have been repaired and refurbished and wooden discussions and agreement with the Federation of fencing will soon be erected on two more sides of the Sub-postmasters, are to pay a sum to the Sub- bowling green. postmaster, to compensate for loss of business. In As well as attending Council meetings, most of the effect the Post Office have agreed to 'buy back' the councillors also represent the parish on other Post Office business. Remember, the Sub-postmaster organisations Jane Bremner and Mike Whatmore is not directly employed and can expect no redundancy are trustees of the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre package or pension top-up. and Mike Hendrick and Mallory Hayter represent us A majority of Sub-postmasters would prefer to take on the Almshouse Charities. Hilary Cleden is Vice the closure package, rather than see themselves Chair of the school governors and Jeff Prosser is a thrown into financial difficulties. The Moral issues of trustee for the Community Hall; Jane Bremner attends Action Groups who want to keep the Post Offices meetings of the Twinning Association and Mike open put the sub-postmasters in an awkward situation Whatmore as Tree Officer does his best to ensure of wanting to help their community at the financial that trees are only felled when absolutely necessary sacrifice of themselves. Action groups please note, and also that replacement specimens are planted and be aware of this fact. whenever possible. In addition Keith Lander is our Public Transport Representative and Mark Osborne It is reasoned that the closure plan would leave about our Highways Officer. Our District Councillor, David 11,500 Post Offices nationwide, this is a figure which Newson, fights our corner with WDDC and our County both Post Office and the National Federation of Sub- Councillor, Colonel Geoff Brierley, is a regular attendee postmasters are agreed upon maintaining.