Vintage Vehicle Rally and Family Fun Day

By Suzanne Smith

Tony and myself began this event after my Dad (Barry Smith) lost his fight with cancer in 2010. I inherited his vintage Tractors so decided to use them to raise money for charity, so we set up this event which  by kind permission of The Udder Farm Shop in East Stour has been held in the their grounds each year ever since.

This year it is being held on Saturday 27th July and will run from 10am until late; we have vintage and classic vehicles, stationary engines, motorbikes, stalls, raffle, bouncy castle, face painting, tractor road run & trailer rides and lots more.  We continue into late evening with live music from Mustang Sally and Big Brass SKA, entry by donation and all proceeds will go to Salisbury Hospice Charity as this is where my Dad died. We are also appealing for stall holders to join us on the day as well as exhibits, all enquires to Suzanne Smith & Tony Fowler,  on

01747 838925,  or email fowlerfunbox@btinternet.com

We are truly grateful for our sponsorship from local businesses and from our friends who attend our North Dorset Tractor Road Runs throughout the year to help raise the money to put on this event which means every penny donated on the day will go to Salisbury Hospice.

I would never have thought about fostering if a friend hadn’t suggested it. Although I have lots of nieces and nephews, I’ve never had children of my own so I didn’t think they would take me seriously as a possible foster parent. But they did. The first children I looked after were straight forward and just needed a quiet, safe place for a while. Just until their families got organised.

Gradually the agency began to send me children who were a more challenging, and I seemed to do a good job because they all seemed happy. Then they sent me Steven.

Steven was six and the social worker said he could be “difficult”. I soon realised what an understatement that was.

He demolished the rockery I had built the previous summer in a single morning. The wild life pond became a target for pots and garden tools. At least I knew where I could find my trowel.

I tried to show him what it was like, to grow things and enjoy them. He pulled up the petunias and trampled the lettuce.

That year was horrendous. I worried I might fail him and have to send him back, back into care. What would become of him then? Crime, drugs, who knows? I gritted my teeth and hung on.

It was the strawberries that began the change. Instead of destroying them he ate them. Not one passed my lips that summer. But I saw him smile for the first time. A red mouthed, full of strawberry smile. I laughed out loud, my first laugh since Steven arrived.

‘Wait until you taste the raspberries,’ I said. He tasted them. He liked them. I didn’t get a single one all autumn.

Steven began following me around the garden. He started asking questions. He began to learn the seasons, the way of sowing and harvesting. He slowly learnt to wait and to share.

He started to understand what the garden needed, how to care for it, how to grow his own plants. I watched him delight in their abundance.

I was utterly unprepared for the reappearance of his birth mother, demanding to have him back. He’d been with me for seven years. The longest “short term placement” I ever had. I thought he would stay forever. I loved him, as if I were his mother.

Steven looked at me, wise beyond his years. ‘You’ve taught me so much, now I have to go home and make my own garden. But I will come back.’

I was bereft, lost. Until the day he kept his word and returned.

‘I’ve come for some cuttings,’ he said.

‘Who’s that with you?’ I said.

‘This is Peter, my brother, he’s seven.’ We watched as Peter began to kick over the chrysanthemums.

Then Steven said, ‘I think he needs to learn about gardening, will you teach him?’

Nuremberg’s Voice of Doom

The autobiography of the chief interpreter at history’s greatest trials

Wolfe Frank edited by Paul Hooley

This photograph was taken following a talk given to members of the Rosemary Goddard Centre in Mere about the book ‘Nuremberg’s Voice of Doom’ which is a posthumous autobiography of Wolfe Frank, the Chief Interpreter at the International War Crimes trials of Nazi war criminals, as compiled, edited and expanded by local author Paul Hooley.

Frank played an important role in ‘history’s greatest trials’ and the reason the RG Centre was such an appropriate place to give this talk is that Wolfe Frank retired to Mere, where he completed his memoirs, and he lived next door to the Centre in Lynch Close – now Eileen Burfitt’s residence (Frank would have visited the Centre himself ).

That morning the postman brought Rachel a card. She knew who it was from, of course. The envelope had a US stamp and the only person she knew in the States was her son. She missed him, but Tim had met, and fallen in love with, an American while at university. They were both computer experts and had gone to live in San Jose where the well-paid jobs were. She didn’t expect to see him anytime soon either, they were working hard to save enough to buy a house.

Rachel opened the card. It was lovely and contained a proper, handwritten letter from Tim. She stood the card on the coffee table and saved the letter to read later. It was a fine, spring day so she spent the morning and much of the afternoon in the garden. She was exhausted when she finally put her feet up with Tim’s letter and a cup of tea.

Rachel woke to the sound of her husband’s voice.

‘I’ve got this for you,’ he said.

Rachel had fallen asleep on the couch. She stirred when he spoke and stroked her cheek.

‘Hello Johnny, I didn’t hear you come in, when did you get home?’ she said.

‘Just now, it was quiet at work, so I sloped off early.’

‘I must have fallen asleep,’ said Rachel, with a sidelong look.

She’s feeling guilty for sleeping in the afternoon thought Johnny. He picked up the cold cup of tea from the coffee table. It was full.

‘I bet you’re thirsty as well. Would you like a fresh cup?’

‘Please,’ said Rachel as she levered herself into a sitting position. ‘What’s this?’ she said, picking up the small packet that Johnny had left behind on the table.

‘It’s just a little something for you,’ called Johnny from the kitchen.

‘I wonder what it is?’ said Rachel, but Johnny couldn’t hear her over the noise of the kettle coming to the boil.

It was rectangular, grey and plain. Rachel shook the packet and held it to her ear. There was no sound. She thought it might be jewellery but hoped not. Lovely as he was, Johnny had never understood Rachels taste in clothes, or jewellery, despite their thirty years together.

She put it down next to Tim’s card. It was joined by a fresh cup of tea and Johnny sat next to her.

‘I’ve got a card and a letter from Tim,’ said Rachel, ‘and now a present from you, what’s going on, it’s not my birthday.’

‘Why don’t you open it and find out?’ said Johnny.

Rachel opened the packet carefully. Inside was a bulging envelope. Rachel looked quizzically at her husband. ‘What is this?’ she said.

Johnny laughed. ‘Have a look, I’m sure you’ll like it.’

Rachel opened the envelope and found five hundred US Dollars. ‘Why are you giving me foreign money?’

‘I thought you might need some cash when we fly over to see Tim next week. It is Mother’s Day and you should see your only son at least once a year.’

Gillingham Scout Group want to thank all their supporters who voted for us in the Aviva Community Fund Competition. We managed to secure enough votes from supporters in our community to be entered into the finals, where a judging panel awarded us over £4800 to buy tables and chairs for the new community hall we are currently building in Milton on Stour.

Our vision is for this new building to be a valuable asset for the whole community when the build is complete in March 2019, but to help us realise this dream we need funds to equip the building. Our success in the Aviva competition is a fantastic boost to our fundraising efforts.

Another great help bringing us closer to having a functional community facility was our recent successful grant application to the People’s Postcode Trust, a grant-giving charity funded by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. We were lucky enough to be awarded £10,000 which will fully equip the kitchen.

Community building progress to date

We have been granted planning permission for a new community building and building work started in August 2018. Local contractors including Burfitt and Garrett, Rose Engineering and Lampard Electrics have been contracted for a completion date of March 2019. We hope to move in in summer 2019.

Most of the funding is in place as we have been successful in securing a LEADER grant from the EU for £140,000, but to complete, and ready the building for occupation we now have to raise the remaining funds to finish off the interior.

Beauty by Jas is now open in Gillingham. Owner Jasmine Boult has a passion for beauty and prides herself on the service she offers. She had always planned to open her own salon, a chance opportunity before Christmas brought the plan forward! Jasmine said “I’ve loved choosing the décor and fixtures for the salon. I’m really pleased with how my ideas have come to life and I’m sure my customers will love it too.”

Treatments available include waxing, tinting, lash extensions, lash perming, spray tanning, manicures (including gel and acrylic), pedicures, massage and microblading.

Jasmine said “Microblading is a semi-permanent make-up technique used to create perfect eyebrows. It’s great for people that have sparse or thinning brows as it allows me to create long lasting natural looking brows. I’m very excited to be able to offer this treatment.”

The salon is located in Station Road, Gillingham next to the Barber Shop. The salon will be open Monday to Saturday. To ensure customers can fit in their treatments around working days Beauty by Jas will have evening appointments available.

To find out more about the treatments on offer please give the salon a call on 07964 685041 or contact on Facebook or Instagram

11895 Chaffers Editorial January

Every new year can bring new ideas and maybe a desire to do something more productive or differently.  If you have been thinking about investing in property or becoming a landlord, or maybe you are a landlord and you would like to manage your property or even your portfolio differently, it could be a good time to look at the options.  Maybe you are looking to move yourself and you are unsure as to whether you should sell your existing home or rent it out?  Selling up can mean no going back, renting your property out gives you time to consider your options and almost certainly make some income in the process.  Investing in bricks and mortar has long been a sound way to ensure some financial return.

With the current pressures on the economy and the ongoing uncertainties ahead, it continues to be difficult to predict how best to manage finances and plan for the future and securing a mortgage continues to be a challenge for many.  This in turn has led to more and more people seeking to rent their homes rather than buy.  The demand for rental property at present is consistently higher than the supply of homes available.  Landlords offering quality properties for rental at the right price, will have no trouble finding tenants and using a local, professional agent to help you source your tenant should make the process a pleasant one.

Hamlet Residential Lettings team has developed an enviable reputation for providing a first-class service to both landlords and tenants. We pride ourselves on being specialists in our industry and are confident we can let your property quickly and efficiently. We have been building our business in our Wincanton office since 2010 and now have an additional office in Gillingham to make visiting us even easier for the wider area.  We are a small but hugely experienced team of ‘locally grown’ people, who know and love the area, and between us, we have over 40 years’ experience in the industry making us authentic specialists in what we do. This can prove invaluable in really knowing the market, the area, the pitfalls and the positives. Our team continues to expand to ensure we can continue to help the growing number of landlords we work with.  You would be very welcome to join us!  We are always happy to meet new people, discuss the possibilities and help you decide how to move forward.  Let this new year be a positive move for you and your property.

Slimming World is celebrating their 50th Birthday in 2019 with lots of amazing offers and benefits to your health and well being. If you believe you can achieve, you can achieve your dream!

Gillingham am, Gillingham pm, Shaftesbury Tuesday and Friday groups, Tisbury and Wincanton groups. 

Total weight loss for the year 2018 – 2031 stone

Members that have achieved their Personal Achievement Target in 2018 – 206 members

Members that have achieved their Club 10 (having loss 10% of their starting weight) in 2018 – 305 members

These figures are up until the end of November 2018.

“Support is really the most important thing. It all starts with feeling that you’re not alone. As consultants we couldn’t have lost our weight without the weekly help, encouragement and understanding of our own Consultant and group. As consultants we have lost weight ourselves, so we know the challenges people can face, which is why, along with the group, we will be there to support every one of our members all the way to their chosen target weight. Setting targets, sharing recipes and other ideas, and working together as a group to overcome challenges and celebrate success is so important to a successful journey. That’s why, at our Slimming World groups, there’ll be tons of support, encouragement and fun.

You can contact us to find out more information:

Connie 07928 904417

Charlie 07827 323646

Charlene 07857 392682

www.slimmingworld.co.uk