Rampisham radio transmission station has played a big part in West Dorset life for 70 years. It’s currently broadcasting into Libya. But it may close before Christmas with the loss of more than 20 jobs. Why? And what might happen to the site in future?
Posts from the “West Dorset News & Views” Category
“Much that I’d been warned about in relation to the way in which West Dorset District Council conducts its affairs appears to be true. There is precious little “democracy” as evidenced by the fact that there’s virtually no debate on major issues.” So argues independent councillor Alistair Chisholm, who was elected in May 2011.
BILL BARTLETT, a great Dorsetman, passed away in late July 2011.
I was privileged to shoot an interview with him at Eype on the Dorset coast about his involvement with the Symondsbury Mummers – how the tradition was revived in 1950 and particularly about the film of the Mummers made by the late Peter Kennedy in 1952.
But low cloud got in the way! Well, fingers crossed for sunshine on SATURDAY August 20th this year, because the Reds are due to fly past at 3.50pm precisely to close the day of traditional fun and games.
And not only that, but they have offered a very special, once-in-a-lifetime prize for the Grand Draw.
Not a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates or even a cuddly toy.
They are giving ‘A DAY FOR 2 with THE REDS’!
Mike Saunders, the chair of the Fun Day Committee, and formerly with the RAF, says: ‘Last year the Reds couldn’t fly because of the weather.
‘This prize is an amazing offer.
‘The lucky winners will travel to the Reds’ base in Lincolnshire. They will meet the pilots and their engineers, watch a display from the control tower, and have their photo taken with the pilots and one of their iconic planes. Then they will be involved in the debriefing session before having a light lunch with the pilots.
‘It doesn’t come any better!
‘The village is amazed to have such a prize in their Grand Draw, the proceeds from which will help the committee provide funding to develop and refurbish the Village Hall and support other village ventures.
‘At a time when money is tight and village communities are under pressure The Red Arrows are helping us help ourselves. We cannot thank them enough.’
The Fun Day is for everyone. Parking and entry is free. Gates open at 11.30am and events run non-stop from 12noon to 4.00pm.
During the afternoon the Recreation Field will be full of activities for all ages, including a Fair, Stalls, Football, Tug-of-War, Skittles, Archery, Races and Steam Train, with refreshments, bar, BBQ and live music from well-known local band, ‘The Sidekicks’, who will also be playing throughout the evening at the Summer Dance which begins at 8.00pm.
For full details of the programme, go to www.drimptonfunday.org.uk
But here’s the essentials:
DRIMPTON FUN DAY
Saturday 20th August from 12noon till 4.00pm
At Drimpton Village Recreation Field
With the world famous RAF RED ARROWS fly past at 3.50pm!
Traditional fun and games for all ages,
Steam Train, Football, Tug-Of-War, Skittles, Races and Archery
Fair, Stalls and Refreshments
Live Music and Bar
GRAND DRAW: First Prize – ‘A Day For 2 with the RED ARROWS’
FREE parking and entry – Gates open at 11.30am
SUMMER DANCE
Saturday 20th August from 8.00pm to 12midnight
At Drimpton Village Hall
With Live Music from The Sidekicks
Disco and Bar
Tickets: £6
A stag beetle on a log, photographed by Nigel Brooks. Britain's largest beetle likes to live in dead wood.
UNUSUALLY high numbers of stag beetles are being seen in Dorset this year.
Dorset Wildlife Trust says the county’s unusually hot Spring seems to have brought these fantastic creatures out nearly a month earlier than normal.
Steve Halliwell, project co-ordinator for the Trust’s Wildlife On Your Doorstep Project, said: “Early this June, as I was relaxing in the garden one warm evening, I saw at least a dozen male stag beetles fly over, a phenomenon I have never witnessed before.”
Stag beetles are globally threatened. In Britain they’re protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
To see just one is a treat.
The male can grow up to 7.5 cms long – it’s Britain’s largest beetle – while the female rarely gets past 4.5 cms. However, the male is harmless, while the female can have a nasty bite.
Stag beetle numbers have been dropping since the 1940s, because of the destruction of their favoured dead wood habitats.
Dorset Wildlife Trust wants people to be less tidy in their gardens, and leave out old logs as possible places for stag beetles to live.
The Trust’s ‘Wildlife On Your Doorstep’ project offers a free information pack including gardening tips, wildlife identification charts and recording sheets.
For more information see www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/woyd or contact Steve Halliwell at shalliwell@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or ring Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01202 692033. The code is for the conurbation because Bournemouth is one of the UK’s hotspots for stag beetles.
“Legend has it that the villages of Puddletown and Briantspuddle, which used to contain the word ‘piddle’, changed their village titles to avoid embarrassing Queen Victoria whilst she was visiting.” So says the newly-published Little Book of Dorset. Is it true?
Julian Fellowes takes on role once held by Thomas Hardy. “I feel now truly that I am indeed a Dorset man.”