The BV magazine

The BV magazine *2024's REGIONAL PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR
& NEWS SITE OF THE YEAR*
Dorset's free 'glossy' monthly magazine
Your Dorset. Your Stories. Your Dorset.

(unapologetically *exclusively* digital) The BV is the 'glossy' award-winning digital monthly magazine from Dorset’s Blackmore Vale - a high quality indie publication, The BV is a strongly visual magazine which readers will spend half an hour and a weekend coffee with. Your Stories ( and unapologetically *exclusively* digital)

*REGIONAL PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR* 2024 - Newspaper & Magazine Awards

*REGIONAL NEWS SITE OF THE YEAR* 2024 - Press Gazette's Future of Media Awards

The BV combines quality local news reporting – on the bigger issues suited to a 110+ page monthly – alongside unstinting championing of local businesses and communities, with the best writers to inform and entertain through their knowledge of the area and its communities.

Mid-century modern Blandford – This month Barry Cuff has chosen two postcards with scenes no doubt familiar to older loc...
15/11/2024

Mid-century modern Blandford – This month Barry Cuff has chosen two postcards with scenes no doubt familiar to older locals – Blandford Forum a little more than 60 years ago

Card no 1:
Sent in December 1961 to Mr & Mrs Daniel (who appear to be Eve’s parents) in Barton on Sea, this lovely shot of the busy Blandford Market Place is not only instantly recognisable to locals in 2024, but no doubt is the Blandford of plenty of local childhoods. Eve is clearly a teacher in Blandford – if any readers remember having a Miss Daniel as a teacher in the 1960s, do let us know!
‘Many thanks for Mum’s letter and for ‘Which?’ I’m nearing the end of reports & am again almost on top of marking, often fighting – & winning! – some battles. Yet another gale blowing – amazingly variable weather during last week, including snow. Blisses(?) have moved to another house in Chichester. Much love, Eve’

Card no 2:
The Salisbury Street area remains familiar, with Durden’s still occupying Durden’s Corner. Henry Durden, born in 1807, established Blandford’s first museum. A Durden is recorded as a grocer in a 1791 trade directory, indicating the family’s early presence in the town. Henry’s museum, located within his shop, gained a strong reputation, showcasing ancient urns, more than 2,000 years old, all unearthed within an eight-mile radius of Blandford. The collection also included prehistoric artefacts from Hod Hill and nearby barrows, as well as flint arrowheads, bracelets and coins. The British Library preserves the ‘Catalogue of the Museum of Local Antiquities collected by Mr Durden of Blandford’ (compiled by George Payne in 1892). Durden frequently acquired items found by locals, often during ploughing or while walking on the local hill forts and barrows.
Postcard sent on 22 October, 1954 to a Mrs Simpson in Surrey:
‘My dear Cis. Just a PC to hope you are all well. I am getting on alright but leg not quite healed yet & have not been allowed to get out of bed yet. Shall be glad when I do, 4 months is a long time to be in bed. Best love to you all. Yours Mary xx Hope to see you soon’

POSTCARDS FROM A DORSET COLLECTION by Barry Cuff

*This article first featured in the November issue of The BV magazine - never printed, it's only available right here online. Subscribe (it's free!) here https://bvmag.co.uk/subscribe and receive it direct to your inbox every month*

Dorset family looking for in-home childcare for 18 month old - near Iwerne Minster.Family based in a beautiful farm sett...
15/11/2024

Dorset family looking for in-home childcare for 18 month old - near Iwerne Minster.

Family based in a beautiful farm setting in the Iwerne valley is looking for in-home childcare for 18 month old, on Wednesday’s and Saturdays. An interest in dogs and/or horses would be very beneficial.

This is a fixed term position untill May 2025 but potential to extend.

Please call or Whatsapp: 07760 230124

Hubbub Over HUB: Mampitts Green decision fuels new row.It’s been a long road for Shaftesbury, and though £880k in counci...
15/11/2024

Hubbub Over HUB: Mampitts Green decision fuels new row.
It’s been a long road for Shaftesbury, and though £880k in council funding has been awarded, some residents aren’t celebrating yet.

When the chance to create a new community centre arose in Shaftesbury, few could have predicted the lengthy negotiations that would follow before the project could finally get under way. Finally, in October, Dorset Council voted in favour of the Shaftesbury Town Council proposal for new community facilities at Mampitts Green. While it looks as though a solution has now been reached, the issues around Mampitts Green have certainly not disappeared.

In a nutshell
Section 106 funding is allocated to communities from building developers to provide infrastructure for new developments – it is often a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a significant change for small communities.

When the previous Shaftesbury Town Council found itself with a significant sum of money to allocate to a community centre, a councillor was designated to led the project. However, there were strong differences in opinion and the people of Shaftesbury ended up in the unexpected position of having two proposals for what the town should do with the land on Mampitts Lane.
One was submitted by the Mampitts Lane Community Interest Organisation (MLCIO), led by local councillor Peter Yeo. The other was from Shaftesbury Town Council, led by Councillor Piers Brown.
In March, Dorset Council approved the planning permission application (P/FUL/2023/05314) for the MLCIO’s proposal.

However, during its cabinet meeting on Tuesday 15th October, Dorset Council resolved to award Section 106 (S106) funding to Shaftesbury Town Council (STC) for its proposed development of the Mampitts Community HUB.
At the meeting, Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland introduced it as “possibly the most controversial item on the agenda this evening.” A unanimous vote saw £880,000 of S106 monies awarded to Shaftesbury Town Council.

Community champions
One of the critical aspects of the town council’s proposal was the community leadership and co-operative design.
Piers Brown explains: ‘The town council recruited six volunteer community champions. They sat on advisory committees and we developed the proposal together. What they said was crucial. For example, they didn’t like their part of town referred to as “other”. They also wanted to see the community facilities used by the whole of Shaftesbury, not just The Maltings estate.
‘The entire town was consulted. Every household received a questionnaire, and we had 450 returned, which was fantastic. We also did some pop-up consultation events in Mampitts Green. And there were some key messages from the public. They wanted a social space, and they wanted an area where they could get back to nature. They also wanted us to get on with the project!

Interestingly, what they weren’t so keen on was a play park, preferring an imaginary play area. So we listened to the feedback on the needs of people who actually live there – they differed from the perceived requirements when The Maltings development was first planned.’
Peter Yeo’s MLCIO project also involved the community, and included a petition with 720 signatories from the town.

‘I live at Mampitt’s Lane. We had a brilliant plan which included an area for the air ambulance to land. Dorset Council made us present our case to the town council in 2021, and tried to get us to work together. It didn’t work. Instead, the town council launched a rival bid! They turned up at Mampitts Lane with a gazebo … it was farcical.’
Peter says he is not alone, and is adamant that local residents don’t support the council’s plans for a community centre: ‘It’s an absolute farce,’ he says. ‘We got planning permission for our design, and Dorset Council gave them extra time to catch up. We also had detailed costings.
‘Now our village green is being built over and we’ll have uncontrollable parking.’

Learning and next steps
The Mampitts Green experience is a serious and lasting challenge for Shaftesbury. Peter is considering the options, which include complaining to the Planning Ombudsman and a possible judicial review. ‘The town’s next steps are to do a public tender and then to get on with the work,’ says Piers Brown. ‘We’ll be working with Pavilion in the Park from Poundbury, part of the Talk About Trust which works with young people. They also have further connections with other services that would benefit the town.
‘It’s always easier to take people with you and disappointing when people don’t want to work together. Compromise is key. No one has got 100 per cent of what they want from this project – but I hope everyone will be happy with what we do. Our starting point was what people want.
‘I hope that in five to ten years time these challenges will be a distant memory, and people will see it as a fantastic facility for Shaftesbury. When it opens – hopefully in the spring of 2026 – it will bring benefits for the entire town.’

Shaftesbury Town Council
Cllr Piers Brown

*This article first featured in the November issue of The BV magazine - never printed, it's only available right here online. Subscribe (it's free!) here https://bvmag.co.uk/subscribe and receive it direct to your inbox every month*

In a quiet corner of Dorset, Eric Jager, 68, embarked on his most challenging run ever – a self-organised 72-kilometre j...
13/11/2024

In a quiet corner of Dorset, Eric Jager, 68, embarked on his most challenging run ever – a self-organised 72-kilometre journey, passing 25 churches in what he calls the “Steeples Chase.” On 19 October 2024, before dawn, Jager began his one-day ultra-marathon, aiming to complete the challenge within 12 hours and raise funds for Christian Aid. The run, which began with a prayer at his front door, was set to finish at St Paul’s Church in Sherborne, by sunset.

‘The most important thing is not that I finished the 72 kilometres,’ Eric shared post-run, ‘but that so many wonderful people joined and supported the journey.’ Supporters included members of his running club, Sherborne’s SPFit, and his long-term friends, the Trailtrotters. Eric divided the run into six segments, each featuring a rotating cast of friends and family to see him through the most gruelling parts, running or cycling alongside, offering encouragement.

‘The number of people who came out with me were more than I’d expected,’ he says. ‘And many of them stayed with me longer than they’d planned. I feel very humbled by all 35 of them.’
Eric’s journey was far from straightforward: ‘We managed a very steep, slippery and muddy hill,’ he says. ‘All the fields were sodden, and a totally flooded area with a river current meant we had to wade knee-deep.

‘We finally finished 30 minutes behind schedule, but comfortably within the 12 hours cut-off time.’
Eric had scheduled five-minute whistle stops at five of the churches, but proved not nearly enough for a change of support crews, to re-fuel and also to care for his neuropathy-affected feet with five changes of socks and two changes of shoes. The constant support helped him not only with logistics but with morale. ‘As much by the fact that I could hear that they at least were having a good time when I was in front!’ he said.

At his final stop and home church of St Paul’s, Eric’s friends and family cheered and clapped his final steps, a fitting end to his long-distance running career. Eric particularly thanked his wife for her unending support, promising, ‘I want to learn the new skill of going out together for short and meandering walks, in those beautiful places in Dorset. You’ve been rather deprived of those.’
For all the difficulties en route Eric never considered quitting:
‘I would not have wanted to stop just because the going is a little tough. That’s not an option to the people Christian Aid support, whose lives are a constant and relentless battle to survive.’
Eric’s Steeples Chase has so far raised £4,640.75 – more than twice his initial target, and his donation page is open until the end of November here - https://fundraise.christianaid.org.uk/fundraiser-2024/erics-steeple-chase

The churches visited on the 72km route were: Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne Cheap Street, Sherborne Castleton, Oborne, Poyntington, Corton Denham, Sandford Orcas, Trent, Nether Compton, Overcompton, Bradford Abbas, Thornford, Lillington, Beer Hackett, Yetminster, Ryme Intrinseca, Chetnole, Leigh, Hermitage, Glanvilles Wootton, Holwell, Bishops Caundle, Longburton, Folke and finally his home church of Sherborne St Paul’s.

Christian Aid
SPFit
Sherborne Town Council

The community section in the BV magazine is sponsored by Wessex Internet

*This article first featured in the November issue of The BV magazine - never printed, it's only available right here online. Subscribe (it's free!) here https://bvmag.co.uk/subscribe and receive it direct to your inbox every month*

Drive away the stress of selling your vehicle:[ad] Meet Garrett Dorset, the local family business that realised there wa...
13/11/2024

Drive away the stress of selling your vehicle:
[ad] Meet Garrett Dorset, the local family business that realised there was a need for a personal, hassle-free approach to car selling

Today there are so many places to sell your car: from Facebook Marketplace or Autotrader to an array of giant online car companies. Navigating those platforms, however, is time-consuming and sometimes extremely stressful, resulting in an inbox flooded with messages, not to mention time-wasters and aggressive hagglers.

A Poole-based, family-run business is proving that the human touch – combined with more than 30 years of experience in the motor industry – is the best road to success when selling a car, van campervan or motorhome.

Garrett Dorset in Poole will of course help anyone sell a car: but they have built an outstanding reputation helping those in the most sensitive situations. Perhaps those of us who may have lost a loved one and need to dispose of their vehicle, or those who can no longer drive through illness.
Founder Andy Garrett explains: ‘The idea grew organically after a friend asked me to value a car for someone recently bereaved. The widower was so grateful for the personal and hassle-free service we provided, and we realised there were probably many other people in a similarly sensitive situation who we could help.’

The bespoke service takes all the stress out of selling a vehicle. Andy, or a female member of his team if preferred, will visit you at your home or workplace. Over a chat, a complete appraisal of your vehicle will be carried out followed by a free, no-obligation valuation.

Andy explains: ‘At this point you might choose to go ahead with the sale, which we can conclude there and then.
‘Alternatively, you might like to spend some time considering our offer. Either way, there’s absolutely no obligation or pressure to sell.

‘If you choose to sell your vehicle to us, we promise a fair and accurate valuation, a quick and easy sale, fast immediate payment … and above all a friendly and efficient service.’

Handling the paperwork
The service includes all handling of DVLA paperwork as well as any administration needed to settle outstanding car finance on the vehicle. ‘In times of bereavement or ill-health, taking the burden of all this paperwork away is a huge relief,’ explains Andy Garrett. ‘It can all be done by us from the comfort and security of your own home. And there are no fees or administration costs when you sell to us, unlike some of our competitors. We will pay the full valuation for your car with no deductions. The money is instantly transferred at the time of sale, too, so there’s no added anxiety of waiting for the funds to go through.’

Find out more at https://www.garrettdorset.co.uk/

Read the reviews at https://www.garrettdorset.co.uk/what-our-clients-say

Garrett Dorset

Dorset’s keeper of the past: Rob Gray was a history-loving boy, a former precious painting courier and now is Wimborne’s...
12/11/2024

Dorset’s keeper of the past: Rob Gray was a history-loving boy, a former precious painting courier and now is Wimborne’s museum curator cataloguing 40,000 pieces of Dorset’s past.

Rob Gray is squirrelled away in what he affectionately calls his ‘shed’. This is the engine room of one of Dorset’s smallest and most idyllic museums – Wimborne’s Museum of East Dorset (MED).
Shelving runs down the length of the room, neatly stacked with boxes containing a fascinating journey through time. A stunning Victorian dolls’ house sits alongside a magnificent magic lantern, the 19th century’s image projector. Rows of Roman pottery stand to attention. A firefighter’s battered leather helmet, dating back to Wimborne Fire Station circa 1880, is carefully wrapped. You can’t help but wonder about the head that wore it …

Rob’s been the collections and experience manager at this award-winning museum for just over a year. One of his many jobs is painstakingly cataloguing every single archived item – that’s around 40,000 pieces. He describes it as a labour of love – and possible only with the help of an army of dedicated volunteers.
Rob is also responsible for the 11 museum galleries housed in the beautiful 16th century building. When we speak, he just launching a new exhibition. The current, hugely popular, Rebellion and Revolt, which has been vividly detailing the impact of the English Civil War on East Dorset civilians, will be replaced by ‘I Grew Up 90s’. This marked contrast is an homage to the era of the Spice Girls, Lara Croft, Nokia phones and Tamagotchis. Yes … the 1990s is now consigned to museum-worthy history!

‘I curate two special exhibitions a year and am always working a year ahead, pitching ideas to the museum director and trustees,’ says Rob. ‘We’re a charity and a community museum, and budgets are tight, so I call in favours from other museums. I can be a charmer when I’m asking to borrow!
‘My exhibitions are known for being historically accurate, fun … and maybe a bit quirky.’
All research, writing, interpretation panels, even painting the walls and changing the lightbulbs, is down to Rob. His passion for history is infectious, and you definitely want him on your pub quiz team.

‘As a kid I adored reading. I devoured books from my local library, which had a brilliant historical section. I remember winning a writing project at primary school. I chose the English Civil War. I’d never won anything before – I was really chuffed.’
During school holidays, Rob and his dad – hugely influential in his life – would explore castles and historic houses together in the north of England and Scotland. ‘Other kids wanted to go to games arcades. I wanted museums and castles.’

This history obsession led to studying medieval and modern history at Southampton University. ‘The syllabus covered the Crusades to Hi**er. I had a truly inspirational lecturer, Professor Edgar Feuchtwanger OBE. As a German Jew who grew up on the same street as Hi**er in Munich, Edgar really could bring history alive – he’d actually lived it.’

Come 1997, the boy who wandered around stately homes got the chance to live in one! Rob was appointed house steward at Dorset’s famous Kingston Lacy. Responsible for organising the cleaning, maintenance, mothballing and repairs of this acclaimed historic home, he was also a live-in security guard: ‘I lived above the shop – but what a shop! When the public left, you had the house and grounds to yourself. That was special.’

Promoted to house and collections manager, Rob had the dream opportunity of combining his love of history with his passion for travel.

‘Artwork is loaned to galleries and museums around the world. Kingston Lacy’s incredible collection of works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Tintoretto – to name but a few – were in high demand. Acting as a courier, I would accompany these hugely valuable pieces. As you can imagine, all the conditions must be right for travel. It was my responsibility to get the artwork there in one piece and then oversee its installation.
‘That’s a tad stressful. Picture the scene: Italian crane driver, smoking a fag while dangling a multi-million-pound painting from a winch high above a gallery in Rome’s Palazzo di Venezia. I had to cover my eyes!

‘Most people never use their history degree, but I’ve been lucky enough to make a living with mine. Here I am, doing what I love, in this gorgeous museum and aiming to get others hooked too. History never stands still.’

https://museumofeastdorset.co.uk/
I Grew Up 90s opens on 16th November and runs until 29th March 2025

Rob’s special quick fire questions:

Among the thousands of Museum of East Dorset exhibits, what’s your …

• Oldest?
Some of the prehistoric tools on display in the Landscape Gallery are thousands of years old.

• Weirdest?
The mummified cat found in the building that is now the Santander Bank in Wimborne High Street. It was used to ward off evil spirits.

• Coolest?
German Luftwaffe chocolate. It was ‘rescued’ (pinched!) from a German bomber that crashed at Sturminster Marshall during the second world war.

• Rarest?
The Iron Age skeleton of a man (400 – 200 BC) in the Life and Death Gallery. His spine reveals that he died of TB, one of the earliest prehistoric cases of TB recorded in Britain.

• Most under-appreciated?
The current exhibition in the Voices Gallery, showcasing the talent of local artist Nic Rawling and The Paper Cinema (on loan).

• Favourite?
Vinegar Valentine cards in the Stationers Gallery. A selection of satirical Victorian Valentine cards – some are downright rude! – they were used to firmly rebuff unwanted amorous attention.

Museum of East Dorset
Tracie Beardsley

*This article first featured in the November issue of The BV magazine - never printed, it's only available right here online. Subscribe (it's free!) here https://bvmag.co.uk/subscribe and receive it direct to your inbox every month*

Can we fix housing without ruining our countryside?Welcome to The Grumbler, the new open opinion column in The BV. It’s ...
11/11/2024

Can we fix housing without ruining our countryside?
Welcome to The Grumbler, the new open opinion column in The BV. It’s a space for anyone to share their thoughts freely. While the editor will need to know the identity of contributors, all pieces will be published anonymously. With just a few basic guidelines to ensure legality, safety and respect, this is an open forum for honest and unfiltered views.

Got something you need to get off your chest? Send it to [email protected]. The Grumbler column is here for you – go on, say it. We dare you.

-------------------------------------

A recent article on the BBC website ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g518le0r5o ) highlights an ironic and rage-inducing issue: England is in the midst of a housing crisis, yet nearly 700,000 homes sit empty, with more than 261,000 of them classed as “long-term empty.” But policymakers continue to push for new builds on green belt land and in rural communities. This is not just short-sighted, it’s destructive to both the countryside and the communities forced to bear the brunt of these poor planning decisions. We need to rethink how and where we build, or risk losing our green spaces AND our local communities forever.

Stop building where there’s no infrastructure
The push to build new homes on green belt land and in rural areas is often justified by the perceived need to meet housing demand. However, building in these areas often results in poor planning decisions. Large housing estates constructed on rural land not only erode valuable countryside but also disrupt local communities that aren’t equipped to handle a sudden influx of new residents.

The new estates we have all seen appearing across our county in recent years frequently lack basic services like healthcare facilities, adequate public transport and educational resources, which leads to overburdened infrastructure and a diminished quality of life.

Villages and small towns were not designed to accommodate massive housing projects. They often rely on minimal healthcare services, limited school places and small-scale community resources that work well for the existing population but would buckle under the weight of a large, new influx of residents. The essence of rural life – close-knit communities, open spaces and agricultural land – is undermined by these large-scale developments.

This leads not only to environmental degradation but also to a loss of local character, transforming these once-vibrant communities into a soulless housing sprawl.
Take the recent debacle between Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) Council. BCP is struggling to meet its own housing targets, and rather than looking inward to redevelop available brownfield sites or increase housing density, it tried to offload its obligations onto Dorset.
Understandably, Dorset councillors and local MP Simon H***e were outraged, calling it a “land grab” that threatens to turn Dorset into a dumping ground for poor urban planning. Why should rural areas with limited resources bear the brunt of problems caused by urban councils failing to think creatively or sustainably?

Build where people can live and work
We’re building new homes in areas with little or no economic opportunity, and it just doesn’t make sense. Executive homes are being plonked down in the middle of nowhere while cities – where jobs and infrastructure already exist – are neglected. This needs to change. Rather than building luxury estates in areas that lack the means to sustain them, we should be prioritising affordable and social housing in urban centres. There, people can actually live near their jobs, have access to healthcare, and send their children to properly funded schools.

The empty homes scandal
The most frustrating aspect of all this is the sheer number of empty homes across the country. If local councils were better equipped and funded to bring these homes back into use, it would be a game-changer. Why aren’t we prioritising this? Local authorities like Rushcliffe, near Nottingham, have made progress using tools such as the Empty Homes Premium and enforcement orders, but few councils have the money to pursue this strategy. Central government support, similar to a scheme used in Wales, could significantly bolster local efforts. By providing funds for enforcement, repair and re-purposing of long-term empty properties, the government could both relieve pressure on green belt and provide more affordable housing options.

Preserve farmland and the countryside
Building on agricultural land is particularly problematic. The UK’s agricultural sector is essential not only for food security but also for the preservation of rural traditions and the environment. Converting farmland into housing estates reduces the country’s capacity to produce food locally, making it more dependent on imports and less resilient in times of crisis.
It’s an unsustainable approach and one that threatens both the countryside’s aesthetic and its economic base.
Farmland should be prioritised for farming. New housing, if genuinely necessary in rural areas, should be constructed in a manner that respects the local character and meets the actual needs of the community. A village might need a few homes a year, not a massive estate that doubles its population in one go.

Rethinking development for a better future
If we’re serious about addressing the housing crisis, then we need to be more thoughtful in our approach. Here are a few things I believe will make a real difference:
Reform probate and empty homes policies: Central government needs to reform probate law to prevent homes from remaining empty indefinitely. A stronger national strategy, combined with increased funding for local councils, can bring thousands of empty homes back into use.
Prioritise affordable housing in urban areas: Focus new housing projects in cities and larger towns where infrastructure already exists. Prioritise the construction of social and affordable housing to help those struggling with rising rents and unaffordable homes.
Protect green belt and farmland: Government policy should actively discourage large developments on green belt and agricultural land. Instead, limited and sympathetic developments should be allowed in rural areas based on real community needs, not on developer interests.
Empower local councils: Local councils must be given more control over planning, with a mandate to consult residents thoroughly. New developments should integrate with existing communities rather than overwhelm them.

Let’s get it right
We know we face a housing crisis, but blindly pursuing new builds on green belt land or in inappropriate rural areas isn’t the solution. The focus should shift toward revitalising empty homes, prioritising social and affordable housing and respecting the character of rural communities.
If we get this right, we can address the housing crisis, while still preserving the countryside and revitalising our communities.

The Grumbler

*This article first featured in the November issue of The BV magazine - never printed, it's only available right here online. Subscribe (it's free!) here https://bvmag.co.uk/subscribe and receive it direct to your inbox every month*

The reason we wear a poppy;On November 7th, 1920, in strictest secrecy, four unidentified British bodies were exhumed fr...
11/11/2024

The reason we wear a poppy;
On November 7th, 1920, in strictest secrecy, four unidentified British bodies were exhumed from temporary battlefield cemeteries at Ypres, Arras, the Aisne and the Somme.

None of the soldiers who did the digging were told why.
The bodies were taken by field ambulance to GHQ at St-Pol-Sur-Ter Noise. Once there, the bodies were draped with the union flag.
Sentries were posted and Brigadier-General Wyatt and a Colonel Gell selected one body at random. The other three were reburied.

A French Honour Guard was selected and stood by the coffin of the chosen soldier overnight.
On the morning of the 8th November, a specially designed coffin made of oak from the grounds of Hampton Court arrived and the Unknown Warrior was placed inside.

On top was placed a crusaders sword and a shield on which was inscribed:
"A British Warrior who fell in the GREAT WAR 1914-1918 for King and Country".
On the 9th of November, the Unknown Warrior was taken by horse-drawn carriage through Guards of Honour and the sound of tolling bells and bugle calls to the quayside.

There, he was saluted by Marechal Foch and loaded onto HMS Verdun bound for Dover. The coffin stood on the deck covered in wreaths, surrounded by the French Honour Guard.
Upon arrival at Dover, the Unknown Warrior was met with a nineteen gun salute - something that was normally only reserved for Field Marshals.
A special train had been arranged and he was then conveyed to Victoria Station, London.

He remained there overnight, and, on the morning of the 11th of November, he was finally taken to Westminster Abbey.
The idea of the unknown warrior was thought of by a Padre called David Railton who had served on the front line during the Great War the union flag he had used as an altar cloth whilst at the front, was the one that had been draped over the coffin.

It was his intention that all of the relatives of the 517,773 combatants whose bodies had not been identified could believe that the Unknown Warrior could very well be their lost husband, father, brother or son...

THIS is the reason we wear poppies.
We do not glorify war.
We remember - with humility - the great and the ultimate sacrifices that were made, not just in this war, but in every war and conflict where our service personnel have fought - to ensure the liberty and freedoms that we now take for granted.

Every year, on the 11th of November, we remember.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.

#

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It's PANCAKE DAYYYYY! When I was doing pancakes for a full house of six, we were always predicatble and evenly split on toppings choice: Two for Golden Syrup Two for Maple Syrup Two for Bananas with squirty cream (the ONLY time I buy it!) and maple syrup Which toppings win in your house? Do you switch it up every year? Or do you only ever offer lemon and sugar, like when I was a kid (*confession ... I was also very fond of KETCHUP on them ... 😑) Our oldest (a plain maple syrup boy) has now moved to the US, but I'm still pancaking for five tonight 😂 (If you're not brilliant at making your own, try Heather's step-by-step guide here https://bvmag.co.uk/Pancakes . And remember the first one is always a bad one!)

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