Thanks to Millie
I would like to say thank you to Millie Clark for her expert help and advice and her great help on teaching me on computers. I have learnt how to send e-mails and send pictures of my grandson to people that I know. She has been very patient with me especially when i have gone wrong, many thanks.
Linda Morris
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Teaching New Dogs Old Tricks
I am a 13 year old mentor for the Village Hall computers and I have found that as I am trying to teach the people that have come to the session that myself and my dad do, I have learnt a few things along the way.
I have learnt that you have to be patient with people that may not be as able as you on computers, and go slow, not zoom through things as us teenagers do. These lessons will stay with me for forever and I hope that the other mentors learn something. Its more like the learners becoming the life-skill teachers.
So, a big thank you to everyone who has attended the lessons as I am sure all the mentors have learnt something from you!
Millie Clark, 13, mentor |
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Praise for the Village PC ...computer not bobby!
After being at the village hall computer sessions, several times, I fully recommend others to attend. I have learnt a lot and the mentors seem knowledgeable. The things I have been shown so far are the Internet and Word.
Dennis Legg |
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In support of the flower troughs...
I saw the note in the newsletter requesting opinions on the village flower troughs. We think they are beautiful and would very much like to see them continue.
Regards
Irene Troup
Four Acres, Martinstown |
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Lets have more 'bops'
I am sure I will not be alone in saying a big "thank you"to Andrew Grassby for his organization of 'Bop'till you drop at the Village Hop' (Saturday 3rd May). What a great night was had by all. The band Steel and Stone were excellent. Let's hope this will not be a 'one off' event and that we can look forward to more 'Bops'. Well done Andrew. I hope all your hard work has raised many hundred's of pounds for your chosen charities Prostate Research and Village Hall Funds.
Bernice Banks. |
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Post Office Closure?
Are you concerned that the local village store and the post office in particular are under possible threat from closure in the latest round of closures being planned? The assessment of Post Offices in the Dorset area starts on 14th April and we should know by the beginning of June if the local service has been ear marked for closure. What can we do to influence the decision is the process involved. The Parish Council have said they will take a lead but would like to know the thoughts of others. We will register with a national campaign body called Communities Against Post Office Closure (CAPOC) as a start and I would ask you all if you wish to keep the Post office to look at their web site www.postofficeclosures.org.uk
Any ideas to help in the campaign to stop the closure of this facilty needed by the elderly in particular would be welcome. The nearest post office in Dorchester is over 3 miles away and not on the 31 bus route.
If we want to keep village facilities we need to make sure they are used by the people who live in the valley. The Post Office is one example but could there not be a threat to the Shop and the Pub. If they were to go the hue and cry would be loud and the village poorer as a place in which to live.
USE THEM or LOOSE THEM!
Patrick J Jeffery |
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More on that Village Shop debate...
I was interested to read the article about the village shop from JH.
I don't entirely disagree with them in their opinion. However, when you are outside the goldfish bowl things often look different.
The shop could do with updating but the cost of a refit would probably be in excess of £50,000. That's what a similar local business paid recently to have the work done. I can't imagine the tills taking enough to fund that. Opening late and 7 days? Sounds good but the minimum wage and employment regs would probably negate any benefits to the owner.
Wouldn't it be lovely to have loads of fresh local produce on the shelves? Well yes it would, but who is going to buy it? Are there going to be queues out of the door?
If there were before, then the shop wouldn't be in the situation it is now.
The sad reality is that most people use their village shop to pick up essentials and then go to the big supermarkets for their main shopping. Of course, there will be some people who use it for more, such as those with no transport, but they will always be the minority. The biggest problem is that the big chains will always undercut small concerns and often sell the items cheaper than the latter can even buy them in at.
We all look to squeeze the most out of the money we earn and we don't treat village shops as charities. However, we often forget how useful they are until 10am on a Sunday morning when we don't have that bag of frozen veg or the milk runs out.
Perhaps the solution is, in the first instance, to start supporting the business more. If everyone spent £10 a week buying a few groceries, magazines etc, then that would be a good start I should think. It might also be an opportunity to make suggestions about what we would like to see stocked.
Finally, we shouldn't forget the Farm coffee shop just up the road. Another worthy concern that needs support and which already stocks local produce. However, I have yet to see any queues out of their doors there either! (They are a great place for business meetings by the way).
Neil Legg |
On the Menu... Quality, all the way
Just returned from a Saturday evening visit with John to The Brewer’s Arms, I feel moved to try my hand as a restaurant critic and share with website visitors a taste of the excellent meal we both enjoyed there.
Sipping the first mouthfuls of the house white and house red, I opted for the ‘Cider glazed pork with stuffed bale’ from the specials board, while John chose the ‘Livked apper and Mash’ from the printed menu. A little wait (and more sips) followed; a good sign as clearly our supper was being freshly prepared.
My pork was juicy and flavoursome, but it was the stuffed apple and vegetables that were particularly excellent. Spinach from the pub veg plot (footwork – no footprint), leeks, carrots and new potatoes, all tasting of real home cooked food. John was equally happy with his liver and mash (not a hint of the bits that turned us all off liver at school), also served with leeks and carrots. No fancy sauces, dressings or distractions (except black pepper brought on request); just good wholesome food that tasted as it should.
For pudding we both chose the freshly made gooseberry crumble. Again the gooseberries were home-grown and beautifully sharp against the sweetness of the crumble and ice-cream or custard. Coffee and Early Grey Tea completed an excellent meal all for around thirty pounds with no bus or taxi fare, just a wet walk home, but by then we were not bothered.
Thank you to Jackie and John for a great meal and good company.
Alison Crawford |
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New Arrivals in Martinstown
Jess at Stevens Farm had 8 new bundles on 2nd May. Her first litter.
Mike Bennett
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Stile or (padlocked) Gate...
Although I appreciate fully that the stile on the footpath which runs along the top of the village is perfectly legal on a footpath, for those of us who are perhaps not as nimble as we used to be it would be a tremendous help if the padlock on the gate could be removed making the complete circuit round the village a feasible walk.
Jean Berry |
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Signs of transition in Martinstown
A 'Have YOUR say' Special - CLICK |
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Does anyone know the TRUE origins of 'Monkey Jump'?
If you think you do or if you fancy having a stab at what they might be, let us know and well put your ideas here.
Ed.
I have had one suggestion given to me, so far, which I think has a ring of truth about it - how does this sound?
"Monkey Jump is actually situated at the sharp bend before you get to the bend by McDonalds and is connected to the pathway leading to Winterborne Monkton. In order to get there, however, you would need to 'jump over' Maiden Castle and so the origin of Monkey Jump is actually 'MONKTON JUMP'."
Here's another interesting suggestion:
"As I understand it, the name of Monkeys Jump is so named because an elderly lady (somebody associated to the Williams family, living Little Bredy at the time) was travelling from Little Bredy to Dorchester, in a pony and trap, with her pet monkey. The monkey jumped out of the cart on the corner ,which is now called Monkeys Jump. Or to those who are too young, to know any better, McDonalds Roundabout, but that is not actually on the sharp corner which is called (or should be) Monkeys Jump!"
Dennis Legg
Any more suggestions? |
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