Posts tagged “Sherborne”
15/02/2010 No comments

Sherborne: Pictures from Hearts from Haiti

FIRST planned as a simple West Dorset coffee morning, Hearts for Haiti ended up as a five-and-a-half hour extravaganza that raised about £4,000 for shelters for eathquake victims.

“Amazing, freezing, and very funny” was the concise and considered verdict on the day given by Jane Read, of Pinks Organics of Hermitage, who organised the event with Charlotte Dick Read, of Reads Coffee, which is based between Sherborne and Thornford.

Cash raised will go to Oxfam ands Shelter Box. “If anybody wants to add to the total, please let me know!” Jane continued.

If you missed it, here is a taste of what you missed. And if you went along, well, let’s hope these pictures serve as a nice reminder of an inspiring day.

A display of Mabbetti confectionery:

An overview of the event, with Sherborne Town Band playing:

A selection of cakes themed for St Valentine’s Day:

Organisers Jane Read and Charlotte Dick Read:

Juggling by Mr Bojangles from Bridport:

And visitors also had the chance to learn origami:
13/02/2010 No comments

Sherborne: On now! More than 1000 people expected at Hearts for Haiti

Charlotte Dick Read

WHAT STARTED as a fund-raising coffee morning has turned into a unique community event bringing businesses and locals of all ages together, as the town of Sherborne shows its support for Haiti.

Charlotte Dick Read from Reads Coffee Roasters and Jane Read from Pinks Organics (no relation) decided they wanted to do something different to raise as much money as possible in way that would be fun for everyone.

“We both have young children who are desperate to help and we know we can put together a really special day” said Jane Read. “And with support from both Reads Coffee Roasters and Pinks Organics, Hearts For Haiti evolved.”

She added: “We have tried very hard to make it as much about the children as the adults.”

Sherborne District Scouts, Guides, Brownies and Rainbows are playing an active part in the day, running a Toy Exchange and Valentine Gift Stall alongside local food producers selling and offering ‘tastings’.

You can decorate a Leakers Gingerbread, enter the best Valentine Cake Competition and the fabulous raffle or just listen to Sherborne Town Band. And while you do that your children can learn some Circus Skills from Head For Heights. And don’t forget to buy a cake!

Cheap Street, Sherborne’s High Street, will be playing its part too, running collections and sporting posters. From Town Mill Bakery to Sainsbury’s everyone’s getting involved.

“It’s very exciting to think that so much will be going on and we hope that everyone who comes to Sherborne today has as much fun as we intend to,” said Charlotte Dick Read.

Hearts For Haiti runs from 10am to 3.30pm and is being held in the Powell Theatre, Abbey Street, Sherborne.

Pinks Organic are on Twitter on this link. Whether Jane Read will have time to tweet, we’ll have to see!
06/01/2010 2 Comments

Afternoon Dorset snow update and forecast

A snowy field near Bridport Wednesday, January 6

Afternoon snow update

AFTER significant snowfall late in the morning and early this afternoon, with further flurries still expected, Dorset County Council’s gritting fleet is continuing to salt and plough priority routes.

Much of the snow will begin to clear from the north by 5pm, when only patchy snow will be likely. This evening drivers are being urged to watch out for ice, which will be widespread as the weather stays dry but with freezing road temperatures.

Sunny spells are expected tomorrow morning but it will remain icy. Drivers are advised by the authorities to take extra care if travelling as even treated roads could still have some slippery patches.

The council’s gritters will continue to salt/grit and plough if necessary until snow has stopped around 5pm this afternoon. From 6pm they will start treating priority routes again with a salt/grit mix as a precaution against the freezing overnight temperatures and to give more traction on the roads.

Gritting teams have been instructed to treat secondary roads from midnight tonight. A decision will be made at around 7am tomorrow morning about whether any further action is required. 

Morning news

MUCH of Dorset escaped the snow showers forecast for last night but Dorset County Council gritting crews were in action to keep roads clear of snow where it fell in the north and other parts of the county.

Around 7.5cm of snow fell around Shaftesbury and Gillingham, where roads were ploughed by the county council’s gritters. The treated roads are now passable with care. There was also snow on the A30 Sherborne dual carriageway, which has since cleared.

The county council stood down its snow control centre last night when it became clear from updated forecasts that the snow would not fall on Dorset in such large quantities as expected.

Up to 3cm of snow fell in the Purbeck area and around Lyme Regis and Bridport this morning, as well as on higher ground around the county. Dorchester and Weymouth are clear, as is the Cerne Abbas area.

There is a covering of snow on the A356 at Toller Down and some visible at Organford near Wareham. Cameras show the roads to be clearing as traffic moves over them. No disruption to traffic is expected on the treated network in the early part of this morning.

Last night, Dorset’s gritters salted its priority routes network at 8pm and subsequently carried out a local snow clearance operation in the Purbecks, where one main route became hazardous due to the snow freezing. Crews are currently on standby and ready to go out if required.

The latest forecast is that the band of snow surrounding Dorset will slowly, over a period of three to four hours move southwards across the county. We can expect 1-2cm over the county with increased accumulations of 3-4cm on high ground, especially in the north of the county around Gillingham.

Through the afternoon, the snow clouds will clear away and the danger overnight will be freezing surfaces making untreated roads especially hazardous if they are snow-covered. It is expected that the main roads will be cleared before the afternoon rush hour.

Pretend mountain climbing in a snowy holloway

Council officers remain on standby in case more snow arrives than forecast. Some schools and other services across Dorset have been closed due to ice and snow. Information about how all council services are being affected by the weather is being regularly updated at http://www.dorsetforyou.com/winter

These pages include interactive maps showing any closed roads, schools, libraries, day care centres and school bus services not running as well as information on disruption to waste services, adult learning courses, leisure centres and much more. There are also essential tips for safer winter driving and regular updates about road conditions and gritting action, as well as answers to frequently asked questions about gritting. 

Loders School closed: Not enough heating oil

Schools closed in West Dorset include:

  • Beaminster School
  • Broadwindsor Primary School
  • Charmouth Primary School
  • Gryphon School, Sherborne
  • Loders Primary School
  • Marshwood Primary School
  • Mountjoy School, Bridport
  • Parrett & Axe Primary School, Mosterton
  • Sherborne Learning Centre
  • St Mary’s Primary School, Beaminster
  • St Mary’s Primary School, Bradford Abbas
  • Sticklands Primary School, Evershot
  • St Mary’s Primary School, Thorncombe
  • Thornford Primary School
  • Woodroffe School, Lyme Regis
23/12/2009 1 Comment

“Great coffee can be a work of art”: A Dorset coffee roaster reveals his secrets

 

Unfolded waves of hessian shows beans like cowrie shells

A PILE of hessian sacks filled with raw coffee beans are stacked up on a wooden crate in the corner, while a traditional roasting machine churns its first load of coffee of the day, and the bitter-sweet aroma of freshly-roasted coffee fills the air. 

I almost expect a rugged explorer to come climbing out of a plantation, with a glowing jar of nature’s brightest protruding from his backpack.

Giles Dick-Read. The Read family name can be traced back generations through Reads Flour Millers, of Norwich

Giles Dick-Read. The Read family name can be traced back generations through Reads Flour Millers, of Norwich

Instead I find myself looking on as coffee connoisseur and founder of Reads Coffee, Giles Dick-Read, moves deftly around a converted milking parlour close to his rural home.    

Giles and his wife Charlotte operate their roast-to-order business from their home at Limekiln Farm, just outside of Sherborne. So how did a quintessentially English couple bring a taste of the exotic to the Dorset countryside, and why?

Having set up shop in Oxfordshire eight years ago, the couple, who hail from Buckinghamshire, moved down to Dorset nearly five years ago to be nearer their families.

Charlotte and Giles pause for a chat. A typical working day lasts for ten hours, roasting, bagging, installing machines in cafes, making deliveries... At weekends, they visit farmers' markets or events within a 40-mile radius of Sherborne

Charlotte and Giles pause for a chat. A typical working day lasts for ten hours, roasting, bagging, installing machines in cafes, making deliveries... At weekends, they visit farmers' markets or events within a 40-mile radius of Sherborne

Giles said: “What we like about Dorset the most is that there are lots of ‘foodie’ people here – so many are extremely enthusiastic about eating and drinking great produce.”

During a trip around America and Canada in the early 1990s, just as Starbucks was exploding across the USA, and on his return to the UK Giles found himself frustrated: he could not find a decent coffee anywhere.  

A discussion with the doctor about the side effects of caffeine convinced him that good quality Arabica coffee offered a healthier choice, as opposed to the cheaper Robusta coffees, which often have a far higher caffeine content.

So, as his quest for the perfect coffee began, he worked for various coffee operators, including Whittards, before joining Pret A Manger as its coffee man, where he stayed for several years developing the company’s coffee trade.

“I have done a lot of work with cafes, training baristas and educating operators about the mechanics of coffee making – choosing the right coffee, getting the best from their machines, and perfecting how coffee should be prepared.

Records are kept of every coffee roasted

Records are kept of every coffee roasted

“Great coffee can be a work of art – it is really very simple, but to do it well takes a lot of practice and experience. The skill lies in how it is prepared.  People often say that Italy has the best coffee. The reality is that the Italians really just know how to serve it properly.”

"Great coffee can be a work of art..."

"Great coffee can be a work of art..."

So this is what their business offers: Read more