This Christmas issue of The BV is bursting at the seams with amazing people, fabulous Dorset producers and makers, and frankly, an absurd amount of festive inspiration.
If we ignore for a second the 17-year-old World Champion, the doctor responsible for reducing motorbike death stats and the fizzing excitement of welcoming Tizzard’s Racing to the equestrian section … inside, you’ll find features on 95 local businesses and 26 charities – not advertisements, but proper stories written by our brilliant (and yes, paid!) journalists. It’s a huge feat, powered by a team who are part detective, part cheerleader, and wholly devoted to shouting about the people who make Dorset extraordinary. Championing local businesses comes at a cost to us, but being a community-led publication has been our mission from day one. This year, we hope to inspire you to buy a little Dorset from some of them. From a Dorset-grown Christmas tree from Trinity Street Trees to a free-range turkey from Chilcotts, you’ll find endless inspiration for local shopping and gift ideas. There’s no shortage of Dorset treats either – books, gifts and, of course, SO MUCH mouth-watering local food. By shopping locally this season, you’re not just finding unique, meaningful gifts – you’re supporting the very heart of our community.
One thing that IS missing this month is our hike (sorry) – C has finally had his knee operation (huzzah!), so we’ve been housebound for a bit. We promise to bring you a new (short) walk in January! Speaking of which, a quick reminder: as always, we’ll be taking Christmas off, so the January issue will be one week later than usual.
Lastly, if you haven’t already, make sure to order a copy of The BV Readers’ Photography Calendar. It’s a stunning collection of cover photos, it’ll make you smile all year and every single penny goes to The Vale Pantry—a Christmas gift that feels as good to give as
it is to receive.
From Courtenay, myself and the entire BV team, we wish you a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Thank you for being part of this amazing community –
we can’t wait to see you in 2025!
Laura x
On The Grumbler
(Can we fix housing while not ruining the countryside? The BV, Nov 24)
The hand-wringing over empty homes is all very well, but let’s not pretend it’s a silver bullet. Have you ever tried convincing a private owner to sell up? Good luck with that.
I’m also tired of hearing Londoners tell us how to “fix” rural life. Your suggestion to build more affordable housing in urban areas is great. Meanwhile, here in Dorset, we’re left picking up the pieces of Westminster’s neglect.
Instead of “rethinking” housing development, why not rethink who’s making these decisions? Let Dorset’s local parish councils and villagers decide what’s best for their land – not the planners with no skin in the game.
Tom Jenkins, Wimborne
Your anonymous Grumbler on the housing crisis struck a chord. It’s madness to build on greenbelt land while 700,000 homes sit empty. Dorset’s identity is rooted in its landscapes and tight-knit communities – bulldozing these for profit-driven estates is shortsighted.
The emphasis on empty homes is spot on. Why can’t the government help councils bring these properties back to life? Schemes should be implemented nationwide, before one further field is paved over.
I wholeheartedly agree with the Grumbler’s call for limited, sympathetic rural development based on local needs. Dorset doesn’t need sprawling estates; it needs modest, affordable homes for locals who actually want to live and work here. Let’s not lose our countryside to ill-thought-out urban sprawl.
Margaret E, Sherborne
Perhaps Dorset should install one of those signs on the A303 that you see in car parks: “Full – try again later.” Seriously, we need fewer estates and more common sense.
Susan Parker, Shaftesbury
On the Dorset Insider
https://www.theblackmorevale.co.uk/2024/11/03/just-how-meaningful-was-that-big-conversation/
(Just how meaningful was the Big Conversation? The BV, Nov 24)
Your new Dorset Insider column is a breath of fresh air. It’s high time someone addressed the uncomfortable truths behind Dorset’s glossy image. The lack of planning for adult social care is deeply troubling. As a full-time carer, I see daily how inadequate support affects families. How can Dorset Council ignore its largest budget burden? Unpaid carers like me feel invisible – stretched thin, with no respite and little acknowledgment of our role in propping up the system.
While the focus on affordable housing is welcome, the reality doesn’t match the rhetoric. Developers continue to prioritise luxury homes over the modest, practical dwellings Dorset’s residents actually need.
I look forward to more no-nonsense insights from this column – but I hope Dorset Council is reading it too.
Helen Forrester, Dorchester
The Dorset Insider pulled no punches – good for them! If they’re serious about tackling local issues, perhaps they could explain how Dorset plans to keep its countryside intact when every available field is up for grabs for “luxury” homes no one local can afford.
And don’t get me started on the “super council” idea. Does Dorset really need to yoke itself to Wiltshire and Somerset? The last thing we need is their debt dragging us down like a millstone. Instead of merging, perhaps we could ask them for a loan to patch up our roads.
Finally, cows aren’t the problem – they’re the solution. Let’s protect Dorset’s food producers before we pave over the farms and import tasteless veg from who-knows-where.
Mike, Blandford
Thank you for publishing such an honest take on the draft Dorset Plan. I was thrilled to see a call for more integration of workspaces into housing developments. This is exactly what Dorset needs to revitalise rural communities.
As a small business owner, I’d love to see our local council encourage entrepreneurs. Too many young people leave Dorset for lack of opportunities. Pair affordable homes with shared workspaces, and we could reverse this trend while cutting down on commuting. Dorset has so much potential, but we need smarter planning and bolder decisions. Let’s hope this columnist continues to push for those.
Name and address supplied
On Assisted Dying
How absolutely typical that given the opportunity to vote for something the vast majority of constituents actually want, Simon Hoare voted NO to
Assisted Dying.
The arguments against have been done to death and we have the experience of countries where this humane act is already law. There is no evidence of the elderly being despatched to an early grave and the safeguards of our Bill are, if anything, too restrictive. Above all, those who prefer to let nature take its course are free to do so, but those who wish a more dignified death at a time of their choosing, can now be spared future agonies.
Our MP has chosen to indulge his personal preference against the wishes of the electorate.
Penelope Simpson, Shaftesbury
Pavement Parking
Friday 22 November marked four years since the previous government’s consultation on pavement parking in England closed. Cars parked on, and sometimes hogging the whole pavement, will be a familiar sight to many.
Pavement parking is dangerous, especially for families with young children, people with sight loss and disabled people. A recent poll found that 87 per cent of parents have had to walk in the road because of a vehicle blocking the pavement.
Living Streets has been campaigning on this issue for over 50 years and it’s high time we saw an end to the problem. Pavement parking has been banned (with exemptions) in London since the 1970s. Scotland adopted a similar approach to London which came into force earlier this year. The Welsh Government has indicated they will take action on pavement parking – but England is way behind.
We hope your readers will join Living Streets and supporters like me, in urging the new Government to deal with the troubling legacy of pavement parking once and for all. Everyone will be the better for it.
Sandra, Shaftesbury
On Jackdaws
(A firework of cinders, The BV, Nov 24)
Jane Adams’ piece captures the soul of the Dorset dawn with such vivid grace that I could almost hear the jackdaws’ wings and feel the mist on my skin. Her words remind us that these fleeting moments – a dance of birds, a sunlit hedge, a quiet road – are the true riches of life.
Thank you for giving space to this kind of writing, which invites us to look up from our daily rush and rediscover the magic in the everyday. I’ll keep an eye on the wires next time I’m out early – and my heart ready to race.
Peter Wakefield, Sherborne
Want to reply? Read something you feel needs commenting on? Our postbag is open! Please send emails to letters@BVmagazine.co.uk.
When writing, please include your full name and address; we will not print this, but do require it.
