NEWS FROM KINGSTON

Firstly, I want to offer a huge thank you to all of those who contributed in any way to the Purbeck Christmas Tree Festival, especially to all those who sponsored and decorated the trees, also to the kind people who gave their time to prepare the Church and serve the refreshments, from right across the Benefice and beyond.

Also we had some beautiful music contributions which added to the special atmosphere ranging from visiting hand bell ringers, as well as various singing groups and soloists. This included the Local Vocals, St George’s School Choir, Roni Merison, Roderick Rayley, Felicity Smith, the May Day Singers, Isle of Purbeck Arts Club Choir and Canzonetta, who gave a lovely festive concert amid the trees, truly a memorable experience.

However, I now want to thank all those who visited and were so generous with their donations; we were thrilled to find that the event, even after expenses, raised nearly £2000 pounds, enabling us to pass on £1000 to Julia’s House and perhaps start to look at replacing some of the ageing chairs in the Church. Martin Edwards, Chief Executive of the local children’s hospice, gave a very moving talk about the difficulties that families face and how the work of Julia’s House supports families and very sick children. So thank you all for your support of this very worthy cause.

Our thanks also go to The Scott Arms for hosting the Christmas Party and also all who helped with the Christingle Service this year.

Now that Christmas is behind us it is time to be looking ahead and mindful of any changes we need to make ourselves, in our own lives. Each new year brings fresh challenges (or should we say opportunities) as things never stay quite the same. One thing that won’t be the same for those in Kingston is the big gap that will be left in the village community when dear George and Rosemary Pitman leave.

They have both been such stalwarts in Kingston and always so available to people. Often, we don’t miss something or someone until they are no longer about. Please don’t let this be the case with George and Rosemary. Let’s really appreciate them now, but at the same time realise that we will be needing willing people to replace their vital role in Kingston.

I don’t live in Kingston, but I know I will miss all the ‘help’ that is given on a regular basis. Please begin to think of how, as an individual, you may be able to help fill this gap. (for example who will do their Dubber deliveries, when they go?)

New year – new beginnings– new desires – new me – (new diet?) How many expectations do we impose on ourselves at this time? Often we try too hard for it to be realistic. So as we move into 2013, perhaps it is a time to reflect on and appreciate all our blessings first and then begin to ‘ treasure up these things and ponder them in our heart’ ( just as Mary did after having baby Jesus).

Having done that, we could then seek God’s will for our lives in 2013…. Just a simple quiet prayer like.. ….Thank you heavenly Father, for all the special things in my life (for example, family, friends, home, ) now Lord, what do you want me to try in 2013? Then don’t be afraid to see what He has in mind. He will see us through, for sure.

 Best wishes for a very happy, healthy and satisfying New Year.

Judy Forgan

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NEWS FROM HARMANS CROSS

HARMANS CROSS VILLAGE CLUB

The trip to Salisbury saw a full coach. Fortunately, the weather was kind to us and a good day’s shopping was had by all.

Our AGM is on 24 January at 2pm. Please come along and hear what is planned for the year. Renew your membership and help celebrate the Club’s 12th birthday with a piece of cake and tea and biscuits as usual. All welcome. Our guest speaker is David Haysom and he will give a talk entitled Swanage History Goes to Sea.

Note for the diary -  there is a talk on 28 February called ‘Recycle for Dorset’ by Neil Randall. He is from Dorset Waste Partnership. He will talk about the changes in services being rolled out throughout the county and many other issues. This affects all of us so do put this in your diary.

On behalf of the Committee I wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year.

Marie Evans

HARMANS CROSS MOVIE NIGHTS

Our twenty-sixth movie, a Hammer ghost story for Christmas, The Woman in Black, attracted just 30 people in December – our lowest attendance to date on a frosty foggy night.

Movie Nights continue on Tuesday, 8 January with the enjoyable action/adventure crime/comedy Tower Heist (cert 12A). Brett Ratner’s ‘comedy caper’ stars Ben Stiller as the manager of a luxury Central Park condominium who has recommended all his staff to sink their pensions into a fraudulent investment scheme run by a Wall Street titan (Alan Alda). Everyone has lost their money except for Alda, who has a vast sum stashed away somewhere in his luxury apartment. So Stiller selects a posse of employees to break in to find the cash. He calls on the help of a well-known thief (Eddie Murphy) who had just got out of jail.

The Telegraph critic said ‘there is the sting of genuine public pain in this storyline, which invests the initial drama with more depth than that of most heist films... Alda is superb’, while the Daily Mirror thought ‘Stiller and Murphy make a great action-comedy pair’. The Sun reckoned it was ‘Stiller at the top of his game...scales new heights of comedy...very, very funny’.

Movie Nights are held at the village hall on the second Tuesday every month; tickets are just £4 each and are only available at the door on the night. This month the hall and licensed bar will open at 7pm, with the film starting at 7.30pm (with a 15 minute interval) and finishing at around 9.20pm. Come early to avoid disappointment.

We continue on 12 February with The Imposter - more details next month – and follow that with Hope Springs on 12 March.  

Nigel Edmonds

HARMANS CROSS RESIDENTS CLUB

A Happy New Year to all our members. As usual our licensed bar is open every Friday from 7.30pm to 10.30pm.

Just a couple of dates for your new 2013 diaries and calendars: we have a pub-style quiz on Good Friday, 29 March - more details next month. Also, as a one-off, the Residents Club will be closed on Friday, 5 July to accommodate the return of blues band Paint it Blue as one of the hall’s Music Nights Live events. As in 2012, I’m sure that many members will want to attend this concert. Unfortunately, due to the band’s heavy commitments and other advance bookings for the hall, it was not possible to find a mutually convenient Saturday evening, so the Residents Club offered to give up one of its Friday nights. We will, of course, be running a bar at this event.

Nigel Edmonds

COFFEE MORNINGS AND TABLE TOP SALES

We had a record numbers of tables at the Village Hall for November’s coffee morning/table top sale. This was followed by even more at December’s Christmas Bazaar, so much so that we had to stop taking bookings in advance of the day and expanded the ‘sales area’ to fill the hall itself. We even had to move the coffees, teas and cakes from the kitchen to the servery with the bistro tables and chairs being set up in the meeting room.

We would like to build on this success over the coming months and draw your attention to the first three Saturday morning dates in 2013: 12 January, 9 February and 9 March - they all run from 9.30am to mid-day. Please book your table by ringing David on 07769 826994: for just £5 per table it is an ideal way to sell your crafts, local produce, unwanted items, gifts, cakes, preserves, jewellery, artwork, cards, etc.

It’s a great opportunity for people to come along and meet friends and fellow villagers for a chat over a cup of tea or coffee and a piece of cake – and to pick up a bargain!

Nigel Edmonds, Village Hall Management Committee

TABLE TENNIS FOR ALL AT HXVH

Come and join the new early evening Table Tennis group at Harmans Cross Village Hall on Wednesday evenings from 6.30 – 8pm. No experience necessary as coaching for all abilities is provided in a friendly atmosphere. Children are especially welcome. Just come along or contact Joe Gadstone for further information.

Martin Howell

MUSIC NIGHTS LIVE AT HARMANS CROSS

Thank you to everyone that turned out on such a stormy night in November to see the Mary Jane Band at HXVH. We were very pleased with the support we received, the event was a sell out (95). This superb band treated the audience to a very accomplished and energetic performance. Our apologies to the people we had to turn away for this popular evening. As with all our events, unfortunately, have a limited number of tickets available.

We have already started planning some exceptional evenings for 2013 and aim to keep the musical standards equally high. Our next event showcases the many talents of The Grindelwald Express Band on Saturday, 2 February, they are all very professional musicians with a wealth of experience. The band plays a wide variety of musical styles - Blues / Soul / Country / Rock ‘n Roll / 60’s. Doors open 7.30pm – Band on stage 8pm. Full details and reviews on our website at www.harmanscrosshall.co.uk. Tickets at £8 on sale from The SPAR – Harmans Cross / Swanage Tourist Information / John Dainton. Future dates for your diary:

Saturday, 25 May – The phenomenal ‘Gypsy Fire’ thrilling audiences all over the country. Friday 5 July – A summer concert evening with ‘Paint it Blue’ back by popular demand after their outstanding performance in early 2012. This time with the full five piece band including Ed Fish, an outstanding harmonica player!

John Dainton

 

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NEWS FROM WORTH MATRAVERS

HARMANS CROSS QUIZ CHALLENGE

On a Saturday evening at the beginning of December seven teams from Worth met to take on yet another challenge from Harmans Cross who had got together eight teams. We met in their splendid Village Hall for a Pub style Quiz; they had clearly given up trying to win at Call My Bluff. We had already retired the HX CMB cup, but nevertheless decided to give them a chance to win it … for the first time.

If truth be told, we are still waiting for a trophy cabinet to be built in our village hall to display our silverware (comprising entirely of said cup) and Heather had made it quite clear to me that she wanted rid of ‘that xxxxxx dust trap’.

We did try to give HX a chance … honestly, but at the end of the evening, when the inevitable result was announced, David Hollister said: “We wouldn’t be so ungracious as to allow our guests to lose,” or something like that, so the outcome is that ‘We won the cup’ again, and also the top team – John and Karen Babbage’s ‘Worth-less’. Probably best not to mention that they are ex- Worthites. Joking aside, it was an excellent evening and HX were, as always, wonderful hosts and just to show that they can take it on the chin they have challenged us to another Quiz six months from now.

Jack Ross

CAROLS ON THE GREEN

On a cold, crisp Wednesday evening, we met on the Village Green and standing around Jerry Burden’s brazier we sang all the old favourites, selected by those assembled with accompaniment provided once again by Nigel Dragon of the Salvation Army on his euphonium and this year also by Tim Arnold on his accordion.

Afterwards in the Village Hall we enjoyed mulled wine with mince pies and suchlike organised by Liz and Tim Hoad and finished off the evening with a few more carols. £82.70 was donated to the Salvation Army which will go to support their food bank, a very worthwhile undertaking, particularly at Christmas and during these difficult times.

WORTH MATRAVERS PARISH COUNCIL

Representing Harmans Cross and Worth Matravers

December Meeting

Cllr Burden was in the Chair, Cllrs Meates, Vosper, Bugler, Sandham, Hobson District/County Cllr Lovell were in attendance. Cllr Field had given his apologies for absence. There were six members of the public present.

Public Discussion

Concerns were raised by residents about the affordable housing meeting being held on the 11 December in Worth Village Hall by Raglan Housing Association. They stated why they considered the need for further affordable housing in Worth was not demonstrated and how the proposed site raised very serious environmental concerns.

An alternative proposal for community use of the land at Abbascombe was suggested using the Localism Act 2011. Under this Act local people are given the right to buy and take over the running of assets, including areas of land, which are of use to the local community. The PC was asked to nominate the Abbascombe site as one asset which could if made available further the community’s cultural, recreational or sporting interests.

Clerk’s Report

The WM Pond would be cleared out and cleaned in 2013. Cllr Bugler stated that he had cleared out the DCC grass cuttings blocking the grips on the Kingston to Worth road. The Clerk confirmed he had inspected the surface and grips on the roads to Worth after the recent heavy rain and these soakaways were now working.

The withdrawal of the wind turbine application at Weston farm was noted. Cllrs requested from PDC that information on withdrawn applications that they had considered were notified to the PC.

Cllr Burden had attended the official opening of the new defibrillator service at the Coastwatch station at St Aldhelm’s Head in WM. Cllrs agreed to consider the location of a further facility at the telephone box on the Green in WM.

Begbie Field Community Orchard

The Clerk confirmed that HX property location sign had been ordered and the Begbie Orchard Tree invoice was paid.

Other Correspondence

Correspondence from Suttle Quarries regarding proposals to extend the timescales for extraction at Swanworth Quarry beyond 2017 was noted.

Further complaints were received about the current recycling contractor with paper blowing off the vehicle and the litter regularly left behind the collecting vehicle having to be collected up in Worth Village by the local complainant.

The Clerk reported back from the six monthly meeting with the PDC Chief Executive and Parish and Town Clerks in Purbeck. He informed the PC of the proposals to end certain council tax reliefs including the 10% second home discount.

It was noted that further evening courses to enable working Cllrs to attend were to be held by PDC and accordingly it was agreed that WMPC would sign up to this scheme.

Highway Matters

The Chairman stated that he had attended the WM site meeting with DCC highways as previously arranged only there were no people on site. Cllr Lovell agreed that a misunderstanding on times had occurred and he would reschedule a further meeting for the Chairman and DCC Highways officers

The PC noted that concerns had been expressed by the Clerk to PDC, as the local Planning Authority, about the spread of roadside advertising especially on roundabouts in Purbeck by DCC Highways. Many of these were no longer discrete roundabout sponsorship signs but varying and distracting different advertisements with the small letters and many different sponsors causing potential highway safety problems for drivers.

Planning & Tree Work Applications

• PA 6/2012/0699 Downs Quarry Extraction period extension -Amendment to condition to extend period of extraction No comment
• TWA/2012/0174 – Honeysuckle Cottage. Tree works. No Comment.
• PA 6/2012/0721. Replacement of part of single storey flat roof extension with pitched roof single storey extension. Post Office Cottage, Worth Matravers. No objection
• PA 6/2012/0722. Listed Building Consent Internal alterations. Partial demolition of flat roofed single storey extension and replacement with pitched roof extension. Post Office Cottage, Worth Matravers No Objection
• PA 6/2012/0710. Full Planning Permission. Demolish existing dwelling & erect 2 detached dwellings South Instow (Rose Cottage), Harmans Cross, The PC noted it had previously objected to a similar proposal for 2 dwellings on this site and that application had been refused both by PDC as Planning Authority and by an Independent Inspector at the subsequent Planning Appeal. It was agreed to support the many representations the PC had received from local residents. The PC objected to this proposal as overdevelopment out of character with the area and overlooking of an adjacent property.
• PA 6/2012/0750. Full Planning Permission. Construct five permanent caravan/motor home pitches and associated trackway. Haycrafts Lane (Hedgerows - land to the rear of), HX, A similar application had been recently considered and not objected to by the PC and there were no further comments
• PA 6/2012/0762. Application for: - Full Planning Permission Worth Matravers Parish Council. Erect detached storage building for use in association with Harmans Cross Village Hall Haycrafts Lane, Harmans Cross. Noted.
• PA6/2012/0765. Application for: - Full Planning Permission to erect detached garage Kingston Lane (Summerlands), Worth Matravers, The PC commented on the size and height of the proposal in relation to a residential use and the potential difficulty of access to and manoeuvring within the site. Cllr Hobson had declared an interest and was absent for this item.

Other Matters

All residents and landowners are asked to ensure all ditches culverts and drains on their land and property are cleaned out to avoid creating flooding issues in current adverse weather conditions.

Cllrs requested that the continuing and longstanding depositing of builders materials on the highway outside 2 Abbascombe be brought to the attention of DCC Highways.

The continuing burning in open bonfires of hedge trimming material at Worth Farm Cottage had caused clouds of smoke nuisance in adjacent houses and premises and contact was to be made with PDC Environmental Health to address this problem.

Cllrs noted the comments made in the earlier public discussion period on affordable housing and commented that it was regrettable that unlike previous considerations for new units there could be no agreed position on the scale of current WM housing need.

Information was given that there was employment in the parish for quarry workers. They may have strong local connections and qualify for any future WM affordable housing provision. As PDC Housing Spokesman Cllr Lovell agreed he would obtain further information on the status of the Raglan Homes proposals and any PDC officer agreements with RHA.

The next meeting will be held at Worth Matravers Village Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 8 January 2013.

Roger Khanna, Parish Clerk

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GENERAL NEWS

ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL UPDATE

As you may have seen, demolition of buildings is under way in preparation for the start of building expected in mid-January.

There has been a change of plan. The intention now is also to move our office and other facilities off the site immediately so that building can be demolished, enabling the contractors to build the entire new building in one phase rather than the two originally intended.

The office and staff facilities will, by mid January, be sited at the Old Malthouse Hall adjacent to Malthouse Lane. From then, there will be no access to the School from the High Street; to both the School and the Pre-School, access will be via the Malthouse Lane entrance.

We are enormously grateful to Neil Brooks and his team at Old Malthouse and the Cothill Trust for making this possible and, indeed, for all the help and support that they continue to give us.

For the start of the Autumn Term 2013, we will have the greater part of the new buildings completed and the whole development is expected to be complete by the end of November 2013.

Anita Brown, Headteacher

Mike Greenleaves, Chairman of Governors

WHERE AM I IN PURBECK?

NEWS FROM NOWHERE

I went to the open evening at Harrow House, where the proposed free school will spend its first term, while the buildings on the middle school site are ready to receive them. This game of musical chairs became necessary because at the last moment the agreement to occupy the old Grammar school site fell through and they found they had a Headmaster and staff and pupils but no classrooms. It must have been a nightmare, but the facilities on the top floor of Harrow house are more than adequate and there is obviously a lot of determination to make it all work.

My visit took me back to when I used to go round choosing possible schools for my own children. I always feel slightly out of synch on these occasions. On my first such visit, I was still in pupil mode and would not have been surprised if the teacher I was interviewing at the desk opposite had told me to sit up properly and take my hands out of my pockets. At Harrow house I slipped back into believing I was one of the new parents and afterwards we would all go out to the pub and start boasting about our kids and our jobs and the house we had just moved into. While I was there I also poked my nose into the Harrow House dome. It was like a scene from a science movie. Despite being full of children attempting to play tennis, I half expected to see Dr No sitting in a chair stroking a white cat. Some years ago it blew down in a gale, but during my visit it seemed more likely gracefully to rise from its moorings and return to Mars.

I am however still sufficiently a child of my time to feel apprehensive about how the new free schools will actually work. The word ‘free’ indicates a certain independence both in finances and on what is included in the curriculum. It implies the school will be given money without strings from the educational department. This means I would have thought less cash for those schools which remain, for setting up a new school can’t be cheap. However perhaps there is additional money from private financiers. If so what are their motives? Might they belong to the George Bush School of science or religion and will future Swanage children worry about toppling off the earth, if they sail further than the Isle of Wight? Educational Departments are backward looking and cautious to a fault, but they are less likely to be full of quirky ideas. Also the financiers might be too driven by the profit motive. We all know from the setting up of new hospitals how the Private Finance Initiative money they took so gratefully in year one became a ludicrously expensive drain twenty years down the line.

It revives the old argument between private enterprise and nationalisation. Politicians have a bad track record when it comes to running things. They are far too distracted by the need to be re-elected. The mines, the telephones and even the railways were not better under Government control and do you remember the Ground Nut scheme all those years ago? On the other hand, private enterprise which runs things more efficiently can have its decisions skewed by the desire for personal profit. Of course both sides are greedy, but politicians are primarily greedy for power and prestige whereas the privateers mainly go for the money. It seems a sensible compromise therefore to allow politicians to call the shots on overall matters of policy, but give managers the freedom to manage, provide they keep within the limits of the rules laid down. I suppose this is what they are trying to do with the new free school system. It didn’t work for the banks, but then the banks didn’t keep to the rules…

I put my worries about the forthcoming changes to Paul Angel. He has devoted a large chunk of his life recently to setting up the Swanage School. He points out that the educational Trust running the school is a democratic institution with members elected by local people. It is therefore unlikely to become commandeered by either the loony left or the loony right. He says the Government wants to change the role of educational departments so they become service providers without much of a say on curriculum matters. This will transfer power to the local community and give local residents a greater influence on how their children are educated and brought up.

I admit I was very impressed by my visit to Harrow House and went away almost convinced, but I still wonder what changes might occur when the Paul Angels of this world have moved on and possibly a less dedicated band of people take over.

Tony Viney

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FROM THE EDITOR

The Old Year

by John Clare

The Old Year’s gone away

    To nothingness and night:

We cannot find him all the day

    Nor hear him in the night:

He left no footstep, mark or place

    In either shade or sun:

The last year he’d a neighbour’s face,

    In this he’s known by none.

All nothing everywhere:

    Mists we on mornings see

Have more of substance when they’re here

    And more of form than he.

He was a friend by every fire,

    In every cot and hall--

A guest to every heart’s desire,

    And now he’s nought at all.

Old papers thrown away,

    Old garments cast aside,

The talk of yesterday,

    Are things identified;

But time once torn away

    No voices can recall:

The eve of New Year’s Day

    Left the Old Year lost to all.

Sorry,  it’s a great poem but it’s a bit of a downer... Nevertheless, Happy New Year to you all!  Angela

ed@thedubber.co.uk

LETTER FROM THE RECTORY

January 2013

Dear Friends

Epiphany is the time when we think about the arrival of the Wise Men with the Holy family. In our celebrations we tend to lump the whole of the Christmas story into one, as though everyone arrived to welcome Jesus into the world at the same time, on the same night. In reality we do not have an exact record of when the travellers from the east got to their destination, but if King Herod ordered all the children under the age of two to be killed then it is reasonable to assume that they may have arrived at any time within that period.

But why are these travellers from the east so important for us? It is because they are symbolically our representatives in the narrative. Yes, Jesus was born a Jew, but his purpose was not just confined to the salvation of the Jewish nation, but to all of humanity, represented by these travellers.

As with all things that have great value, the journey of the wise men was costly to them. Their journey was long and hard, they must have primarily been travelling at night in order to see the star. This is symbolic of our spiritual journey from the dark towards the light of the star, the light of faith. It was a journey full of uncertainty. They didn’t know where they were going to or what they would find, but something compelled them to persevere through the challenges. Something made them believe the prize at the end was worth the hardship and cost of the journey.

Striving for the ultimate goal is becoming quite unpopular in our society. We tend to want immediate gratification with a minimum of effort and, once attained, we are ready to move on to the next prize that grabs our imagination. The story of these wise men illustrates for us the huge value that a personal encounter with the Christ child can bring to our lives. I have no doubt that for these travellers life had been changed forever. The impact of their encounter with that baby must have been immense, and the journey itself was surely costly, not just in the funding of the trip but in the physical and emotional demands too. They were expecting to meet with privilege and pomp at their journey’s end, that was why they initially went to Herod’s palace. What they actually found was humble simplicity in a manger. The only riches that were evident were those they had brought with them, and yet my guess is that they left the stable much wealthier than when they arrived.

The nominal king, Herod, saw the arrival of these eastern visitors as a threat. Their encounter with him brought danger to them and to many others. Their encounter with the King of Kings, Jesus, was totally opposite. In the presence of a baby they felt moved to kneel and pay him homage. They gave the riches they had, but received far more.

The definition of the word epiphany as a feeling is an experience of sudden and striking realisation. It can apply in any situation in which an enlightening realisation allows a problem or situation to be understood from a new and deeper perspective. My guess is that those three travellers experienced a true epiphany of feeling after their encounter with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They had come from the east with the dawn and had encountered Jesus the ‘Light of the World’, the revelation of God’s love dawning in a dark world. Sadly, we do not hear of these travellers again, but I’m sure they left that encounter changed people, just as surely as I believe that anyone who chooses today to pay homage to the King of Kings will be embraced by his unconditional life changing love.

I wish you ever happiness and joy for this coming year.

Gaynor Burrett

Priest-in-charge

Kingston, Langton Matravers & Worth Matravers

I’ve walked past these countless times but it wasn’t until William Knight mentioned them the other day,  that I realise that they were there. Where are they?

Chris Meadows

WINTER TALKS

The Dorset Wildlife Trust winter programme of illustrated talks at LMVH resumes on Monday, 14 January starting at 2.30pm and will continue at fortnightly intervals until 11 March. The first presentation will be given by Tony Bates, who is the DWT President and a very experienced photographer and naturalist. He will be giving us an audio-visual show ‘Depicting our Landscape both at Home and Away’ and it is sure to be well worth seeing. All are welcome.

Colin Nunn

ROCK ON

Langton Pre-school raised over £600 raised in November at the Rat Pack Trio’s gig at Swanage Conservative Club. RP3 played a fantastic set and everyone was ‘a reeling and a rocking’.

Many thanks to the shopkeepers of Swanage who provided some terrific presents for the raffle; Swanage businesses are having a hard time because of the prolonged ferry and road closures and so, if you have any last minute Christmas bits and bobs, please try and get them down in Swanage.

Late News

The Pre-school also managed to raise £300 from the School Fayre and the Putlake Market and a collection at the Ratties Ukestra gig on Saturday evening. The Ratties Ukestra will be performing again from 2.30pm on Sunday, 23 December in The Ship, Langton. Pop down with your children they’ll love being part of the Kazoo orchestra!

Vanessa Millman

U3A DOUBLE BILL

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) lookout at St Albans Head has acquired a defibrillator, a device that can save the life of someone suffering a heart attack. So that it can be used by members of the public, it is attached to the outside wall of the building, which stands on the southernmost point of the Isle of Purbeck, near Worth Matravers. The equipment gives spoken instructions that can easily be followed by a layman.

The cost has been met by a generous donation from Anne Quarrie in memory of her husband, Chris, who was a popular Station Manager of St Albans Head, NCI and who died of a heart attack in 2011. Worth Matravers Parish Council has made a donation to the cost of the box that protects the defibrillator.

A spokesman for St Albans Head NCI said: “As well as helping safeguard those at sea, we also have a responsibility to help anyone in trouble on the Coast Path. The defibrillator will enable us to do this more effectively.”

John Newth

COMMUNITY ENERGY EVENT

There is a community energy event on Thursday, 28 February from 6.30-8.30pm in Langton Matravers Village Hall.

The children from St George’s Primary School will be opening the evening with a presentation about how the school achieved its Eco Schools Green Flag Award. Listen out for tips about how to save energy.

Pete West, Dorset County Council renewable energy development officer, will demonstrate how to set up and use electricity display monitors. Electricity monitors will available which can be shared between people in Langton. Pete will also give a short presentation on saving energy at home, followed by an open discussion.

There will be an information table provided by the environment group PEAT – Purbeck Environment Action Team. (Transition Purbeck). Refreshments will be available.

More details to follow in the February copy of The Dubber.

Collette Drayson

WHERE AM I ANSWER

They are on the archways outside the cafe Earthlights across the road from Swanage Library. I’m just not good at looking up, we miss so much keeping our heads down - in more ways than one.

Chris Meadows

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NEWS FROM LANGTON MATRAVERS

LM HISTORY & PRESERVATION SOCIETY

On Thursday 17 January members of the Langton Matravers Preservation Society will meet in the village hall at 7.30 pm when Reg Saville will give an illustrated talk entitled ‘A Short History of Kingston’. All welcome: Members £2.50, Non members £3.50.

Rosemary Stevens

LM CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

We would like to thank everyone who braved the wind and the rain to support this year’s bazaar. Despite the dreadful weather conditions we managed to raise £649.09 for the Hall funds. Thank you so much for your support and for the many generous donations of cakes.

Valerie Collins

LANGTON INSPIRATION

There’s nothing quite like a brisk walk along Studland beach or an energetic climb down to Dancing Ledge to get the creative juices flowing. That’s why author Eleanor Stoneham has been coming down each winter to the Isle of Purbeck for many years to find the peace and inspiration she needs for researching and writing her books.

Langton House, the Holiday Property Bond home in Langton Matravers, provides her with all the mod cons she could possibly need. But she says that nothing compares with the wild Jurassic coastline in stormy winter weather as an antidote to that dreaded writer’s block.

Her first book, Healing This Wounded Earth, was about how we can bring more compassion into our world. Her latest book is Why Religions Work: God’s Place in the World Today. One reviewer says: “Her discussion of religion and science is compelling. Perhaps these two worlds do not need to be on opposing sides, after all!” It is intended to challenge the spiritual but not religious and the atheist. It will help the religious and their clergy relate church tradition to the wider world of science, spirituality and interfaith issues. If you would like to meet Eleanor, perhaps challenge her on some of her more unconventional Christian views, you may catch her at St George’s where she is a regular worshipper during her visits.

NEWS FROM THE PRIDDLE

The art of persuasion…Langton Matravers Allotment Association would welcome more local residents of the parish as allotment holders. Would you consider taking up a plot, small or large, or even consider sharing one with friend/s? The benefits are numerous, not least in economic terms given the increasing price of fruit and vegetables, which from next year will rise even further given the changing weather patterns. It would be refreshing to see more young families out on site growing their own produce and the children learning about how things grow and sampling the delights of picking their own. And of course more of us oldies! A recent TV programme interviewed a 92 year-old allotmenteer!

Side benefits include keeping you in trim - given the exercise required and relaxation- as you sit and view the wonderful vistas from the site. If you are new to village life then it is a good way to meet people and make new friends. If you choose to join in, then we have an active allotment association that organises regular social events both on and off site.

No worries if you are new to allotment gardening as we have members with loads of experience that are more than willing to help out. Email: langtonmatravers@dorsetparishes.gov.uk or LMAA Committee members: Sue Spilling  or Daryle Pearson

Sue Spilling

LANGTON VILLAGE TIDY UP

Very many thanks to those who joined the working parties to litter pick, sweep and prune various parts of the village on three mornings in November and December.

There are a few locations yet to be given the cleaning treatment but 10 very full bags of rubbish were removed from the hedgerows, paths and roads around the village, far fewer than was gathered in March when we did this for the first time. The rubbish was the usual yucky collection of dog poo bags slung into hedgerows or tucked in stones at stiles, bits of tennis ball, chocolate bar wrappers, plastic bags, fast food packaging, with the occasional balloon and remains of a sky lantern (the latter two particularly dangerous to sea life, wild life and farm animals). We hope everyone notices the improvements.

On a sad note, during the tidy up, we found a newly dead young terrier (black and tan Jack Russell or Yorkshire terrier cross Chihuahua) without a collar or microchip in a fence near the Worth road. If anyone knows who the dog might have belonged to and would like more details please contact me on 421753.

Our thanks go to the National Trust and to Purbeck District Council for supporting the litter pick through equipment loan and the provision of insurance cover for the volunteers.

Thank you too to those who take a plastic bag with them whenever they go out for a walk and pick up litter as they go – it all makes a huge difference.

We would particularly like to thank the children of St George’s who gave us their opinion on litter and advised us about where they noticed litter and overgrown patches. In response, we litter-picked drinks cans in St George’s field, we are continuing to work on the removal of ivy on the walls at Putlake where this restricts the width of the already narrow path and early in the New Year, before spring growth starts, we will cut down nettles around narrow paths and stiles.

We will be doing a litter pick again in March (details to follow in The Dubber) If you can spare three hours, do come along.

It is not particularly grubby, you get a good walk, meet other people in the village and get the satisfaction of making a difference to the village. If you’d like to know more about why it’s particularly important to remove litter in rural locations, do visit www.litterheroes.co.uk and www.lovewhereyoulive.org.

Mary Sparks & Bridget Mayes

LANGTON ARTHOUSE CINEMA

There’s clearly a demand for arthouse films judging by the high attendance at Langton Arthouse Cinema’s first screening, with people coming all the way from Poole. The next film, About Elly is a psychological drama from the Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, the maker of A Separation which won an Oscar for best foreign language film this year.

The film unfolds with a group of friends from Tehran going on a seaside holiday together with their young children. When they arrive there is some confusion about where they are supposed to be staying, so they move into a beachfront villa that happens to be vacant. One of the mothers, Sepideh, has invited along someone of whom they know next to nothing: Elly, a pretty teacher from her daughter’s nursery school. Sepideh is hoping to set Elly up with Ahmad, the single friend in their party, who has recently divorced from his German wife. The trip starts promisingly but the following morning, panic breaks out when a paddling child is almost swept out to sea. Afterwards, Elly is nowhere to be seen. The aftermath of the bizarre disappearance exposes the fault lines in the group’s relationship, as secrets and lies come to the surface.

The film is in Persian and German with English subtitles and will be shown at Langton Matravers’ Village Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday, 7 February. Doors will open at 7pm and tickets will be available on the door at £5. Details at www.LangtonArthouseCinema.co.uk.

Chris Kwantes

LANGTON MATRAVERS PARISH COUNCIL

December Meeting

Present: Cllr M. Turner (Vice-Chairman) in the Chair, and Cllrs J.Bradford, H.Tizard, C.Drayson, M.Kirby, P.Loudoun, W.Knight. There were 12 members of the public present.

National Trust Report

The Trust had helped with the Langton Litter Pick. Jon Kershaw thanked villagers for supporting the Community Woodland day at the Burngate Centre, stressing the evident importance of the woodland for locals as a place of quiet enjoyment. On the day, people were asked: 1) What do you remember about the wood? 2) How would you like to get involved? 3) What do you value about the wood? If you would like to feed back on these questions, please email Jon at jonathan.kershaw@nationaltrust.org.uk The Trust has been working closely with both District and County Engineers to alleviate flooding problems above Durnford Drove, and will continue to liaise with them to find the best solutions.

Footpaths Report

Ian Vaughan-Arbuckle, PC Rights of Way Liaison officer, gave the meeting an update of plans for the bid for funding to provide drainage and surfacing on the Priest’s Way. At a recent meeting with local representatives and Natural England, two suitable paths were formally identified for upgrading to bridleway status, a necessary aspect of the bid. A list of key stakeholders has been drawn up for consultation and the local team will now be seeking the formal support of all those involved. To contact Ian Vaughan-Arbuckle on any footpath matter, please email: ian@ianva.co.uk or call him on 426956.

Planning

• 6/2012/0766 Application for :- Full Planning Permission Minor Development. HPB Ltd Convert existing first floor games area to a holiday apartment. Convert and extend existing outbuilding to create new games area. Convert shelter to create a workshop and cycle store. Durnford Drove (Langton House), Langton Matravers. No Objection.
• 6/2012/0746 Application for :- Full Planning Permission Other Development The National Trust Erect timber shed. Durnford Drove (2 Spyway Farm Cottages), Langton Matravers. No Objection.
• 6/2012/0751 Application for :- Full Planning Permission Minor Development. Mr B Young. Erection of five detached buildings for use as goat shelters - retrospective. Valley Road (Nursery Bridge Farm), Langton Matravers, The Council decided to leave the decision to PDC.

Flooding in the Hyde

Several residents of the Hyde attended the meeting to express their concerns about a recent flooding incident which had been a serious threat to some houses in that road. Representatives from PDC and DCC Flood Risk Management had both attended, as had Wessex Water; see NT report above.

Traffic Management

Plans for widening the footways at Steppes Hill and Putlake are now both in hand. The Council discussed a plan for small stretches of double yellow lines in the High Street, in order to create ‘passing bays’ between parked vehicles to alleviate congestion between the Post Office and the school. These will be sent on to Dorset County Council’s Traffic department for their consideration. If you would like to see a copy of the plans, please call in at the Parish Office.

Public Toilets Committee

As from October 2013, the Council will take over the responsibility for cleaning, maintenance and all costs of running the Public Toilets at Putlake from Purbeck District Council. A committee was formed to consider how this will be done, including creating a new cleaning contract which can be put out to tender before next October.

Next Meeting

The next Parish Council meeting is at 7pm on Thursday, 10 January, 2013. Agenda items and Minutes are on the noticeboards and the website at least five days before meetings, and there is a 15-minute Public Discussion period at the start of each meeting when you can make your views known.

Contact Details

To contact the Clerk, please write to: The Parish Office, 1A High Street, Langton Matravers, email at langtonmatravers@dorsetparishes.gov.uk, phone 425100 or call in at the Parish Office at Putlake which is usually open Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings.

Mary Sparks, Parish Clerk

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You are very welcome to join us in January for our first U3A meeting point of the new year. The meetings are very enjoyable as you can see from the photo above. The January Meeting will be a double bill of presentations by Howard and Sylvia Oliver – ‘A Tale of Peter Rabbit, Moths and Mushrooms’.

Howard Oliver will start the morning with a talk about the life and work of Beatrix Potter with most emphasis on her scientifically important studies of fungi and insects, but including her art and animal stories, of course. During the following refreshment break, there will be an opportunity to view an extensive display of related pictures and books. Sylvia Oliver will then conclude the presentations with a show of her and Howard’s photographs of moths, fungi and other insects.

Howard and Sylvia both studied physics at Oxford University and worked on various research projects in hydrology and meteorology. Now retired, and returned to Swanage where they were married in 1969, they are pursuing a variety of other interests as well. For Howard these include art history and photography; for Sylvia natural history, music and wildlife gardening. As well as giving talks on topics related to weather and volunteering at Durlston Country Park, they are both involved with Purbeck School supporting A-level students. The meeting is on Thursday, 24 January at 10am in Harmans Cross Village Hall.

Juliet Greves

CREATIVE WRITING

If your New year’s resolution is to learn to express yourself in writing then this new WEA Creative Writing Course in Langton is the course for you!

The WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) is a national adult education provider and charity,  that has been providing learning opportunities in the local community across Dorset for many years supported by a network of volunteers. It is regulated by Ofsted and funded by the Skills Funding Agency. It offers a variety of courses that are open to anyone over the age of nineteen - contrary to our name you do not have to be in employment nor affiliated to a political party or union.

One of our tutors, Polly, who lives locally in Swanage is interested in running a Creative Writing course in Langton Matravers so we have booked the Village Hall to start the course on Wednesday, 23 January at 7.30–9.30pm for six weeks. On this course, you will focus on ideas, plot, structure, characterisation and dialogue and you will extract some theories from some of the great short story writers. The course will cost £44; although, if you receive a means tested benefit such as council tax benefit, housing benefit or pension guarantee credit,  it will be free.

You can enrol by going on-line at www.wea-sw.org.uk or phoning our Learner Enquiry Line on 0845 458 2758. Please enrol by 16 January as we need 12 people to be able to run the course.

Gill Keniston-Goble, WEA

PLANTLIFE

Wild plant charity Plantlife (www.plantlife.org.uk), are hoping to reach out to many wild plant enthusiasts and nature lovers by inviting them to become wild plant ‘pioneers’ and subscribe to a free quarterly e-learning bulletin to learn more about our native wild plants via the ‘Wild About Plants’ project website - www.wildaboutplants.org.uk.

The Wild About Plants project aims to help people reconnect with the outdoors and their local greenspaces. Working with schools, families and communities from all walks of life and with fantastic free downloadable resources, the team hope to engage people with the nature on their doorstep.

In recent years subscribers have been asked to record the plant life in their local area and recount what they used to see/pick and forage for. Wild About Plants is funded by Natural England through Access to Nature, as part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme. It is a partnership project involving partner organisations throughout the country.

Katie Cameron

NEW DEFIBRILLATOR

HAVE YOUR SAY

Dear Dubber

A couple of weeks ago my son in law called me to recount a long telephone conversation he had just had with a guy in India. He had a problem with his internet connection, which he couldn’t solve so he phoned the Help Line. For a quarter of an hour they wrestled with the problem and eventually it was solved. Steve was elated and said to the guy in India: “You’re a genius!” To which he replied: “Oh, no, no, no Mr Taylor – YOU are the genius. It was your genius that helped my genius to solve the problem!” Steve said there was this really warm feeling that flowed down the intercontinental line between them.

Chris Meadows

Dear Dubber

In 1995 I wrote and published a book on the airfield at Sawbridgeworth, near Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, that was occupied by 2 (AC) Squadron RAF who were there from 1940 to 1944. In 1943 ten aircraft were sent to Thruxton (Hants) to carry out an armed reconnaisance over northern France code-named ‘Asphalt’, the weather being bad until 26 May, when they took off but encountered fog over the English Channel. The leader rightly brought the formation home but three aircraft flew into the hilltop near St Albans Head.

From the 2 (AC) Squadron records I have the aircraft and pilot information, but not the crash location. Some while ago I got from (the late) Rodney Legg the location as being the north side of Smedmore Hill.

I am more local now, and wish to close the whole episode. Are any locals still alive that might know the exact crash location(s)?, or can anyone point me to whatever records still exist locally? (I have found that the WW2 Civil Defence records listing crashed aircraft/bombs, etc at the Dorset History Centre are missing for the whole of 1943). If you have any info please email me.  

Paul Doyle

Dear Dubber

Epitaph:

Here dies Mount Pleasant Lane

No longer pleasant

No longer a lane

Now buried under black tarmac

So sad

So bad

So sudden

So suburban.

The cars preside

Residents divide

The sparrows lose their dust bath

The walkers their familiar path

Out with the old and in with the new

All to satisfy the demands of a few.

Sarah and Gavin Bibra

Dear Dubber

The suggestion that Raglan Housing might develop more houses in Worth has managed to cause a stir in the village. I have recently received an unsigned and quite inflammatory letter encouraging me and others to oppose any effort by Raglan to increase the social housing stock of the village. This letter seems to me to be resistance to anything ‘in my back yard’ of the worst sort, For the record let it be noted that I as a more than 20 year resident of Worth fully support any further development of housing in the village that is for people who want to live here rather than more occasionally occupied holiday or retirement homes.

It merits remembering that there are very few indigenous villagers in Worth. The mechanisation of farming and quarrying means that Worth’s days as a vibrant rural community are long gone. We incomers have sustained Worth and the few community resources that we have – the village hall, pub and a church whose congregation is ever shrinking.

That we are affluent and aspirational has meant that a relative few of us can afford to live here all the time – whilst those with more cash than us buy holiday homes that are empty most of the year.

I applaud the efforts of Raglan to develop housing that normal individuals and families can afford and hope that an infusion of new blood into our community will drag us all into the 21st century and do something to level our community of haves.

Peter Handy

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