Meet Nick Serpell – Professional Genealogist

Nick Serpell is resident in Drimpton. For more than ten years Nick worked as the BBC’s Obituary Editor, spending his time delving into the lives of some of the most famous people on the planet, and telling their stories.

Have you ever wondered about your ancestors? Let Nick take you back to meet them… here is what he can do for you:

“You may just want a straightforward family tree of your direct ancestry. On the other hand, you may have a query about one particular family member. Did great grandfather Smith actually run off with the maidservant?
Perhaps you have started your own research and hit one of the famous ‘brick walls’ and cannot find a way to break it down. Don’t worry, that can happen to all of us. Or maybe you have an old letter or document that mentions a distant relative and you want to find out more about them.
Has one of your ancestors just disappeared? I once researched someone who abandoned his wife and family and seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. Ten years later he popped up 200 miles away having changed his name and acquired another wife while still married to the first one!
Or, maybe you’d like a narrative history of your family, based on the facts I discover. I have written widely for the BBC website so have plenty of experience to enable me to write an engaging history of your family and its times.
Whatever your query, I can probably help.”

Nick charges a flat rate of £25/hour for all his services be it analysis and report writing or travelling time if he needs to visit archives or record offices. He also charges for any parking fees or rail fares at cost.  Nick also offers the facility to photograph headstones for those who cannot make the journey to the burial place.

Available to give talks to organisations, large or small, about any aspect of family history, including giving people an idea as to how they can start researching their own ancestors, get in touch with Nick for more information.

His full terms & conditions are HERE.

Contact Nick: 07811 433134 or 01308 868892
email: contact@nickserpell.com
Website: https://www.nickserpell.com/

Only a genealogist thinks a step
backwards is progress

 

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Village,#Community,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#DorsetLife,#Rural,#Dorset,#NickSerpell,#ProfessionalGenealogist,#Ancestors,#Professional,#BBC,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

 

Dorset Falconry Park Features On Countryfile

Last Sunday, 12th June, BBC’s Countryfile featured an excellent interview with Martin Ballam of Xtreme Falconry at Dorset Falconry Park which they visited at the end of last month.

You can watch the episode HERE (or on Catch up or BBC iPlayer) – 9 mins & 50 secs in.

Martin discusses the plight and controversy regarding the White Tailed Sea Eagle – something which he has offered to educate West Dorset MP Chris Loder on more than one occasion since his comments in February 2022 (read more HERE).

The photograph is of Brianna, their White Tailed Sea Eagle.

Xtreme Falconry, DorsetDorset Falconry Park is at Lewell Mill Lane, Lewell, Dorchester, DT2 8AN.  For more information, you can visit their website HERE or email your enquiry to: enquiries@xtremefalconry.co.uk.
You can also contact them by telephone: 01305 250710.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#Village,#Community,#Inspire,#Falconry,#DorsetFalconryPark,#XtremeFalconry,#BirdsOfPrey,#ProjectLugger,#FlyMyPretty,#WhiteTailedEagle,#ChrisLoderMP,#BBC,#Countryfile,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Help Our International Community

The winning slogan to define Broadwindsor was “Where Community Matters”.   We are extending this to our International community to help those directly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. To protect people caught up in this crisis, in Ukraine and its bordering countries.

Villagers Jacqui Sewell and Wendy Shields are asking you to take your items down (see below what’s requested) to the Comrades Hall either on Tuesday, 8th or Friday, 11th – in the morning from 10am – 12noon.  They will then transport them to Tom Littledyke‘s cellar at the Shave Cross Inn where they are being sorted and ready to load up for transport to the Ukraine.

PRIORITY ITEMS:
Please note – NO Clothes except those listed below as a military camp is on their next trip:

  • Thick army camo clothing
  • Boots
  • Armour
  • Helmets
  • A thermal imager
  • No weapons!!
  • Medical equipment – out of date is still welcome!
  • Medical kits – out of date is still welcome!
  • Medicines – out of date is still welcome!
  • Generators
  • Radios
  • Torches
  • Batteries

OTHER ITEMS:

  • Neo natal supplies
  • Milk powder
  • Baby food
  • Baby clothes, smaller the better.
  • Soft, cuddly toys
  • Sanitary products
  • Toiletries: Toothbrushes & Toothpaste, Lip balm
  • Creams: Hand cream, Sudocrem, Germolene
  • Blankets
  • Thick socks
  • Sleeping bags

Tom Littledyke, landlord of the Shave Cross Inn made the headlines last week with his inspiring trip to help those caught up in the crisis. There is a meeting on Wednesday, 9th at 8pm at the Shave Cross Inn which will also be streamed live on Facebook. As well as discussing what’s happened and what their plan is, Tom is organising a convoy of vehicles to travel to the Ukraine on Monday, 14th March departing at midday from the pub., planning to be back home by Saturday, 19th March.  At the time of publishing, it is estimated ten vehicles will be involved. More are expected by Monday 14th

Tom welcomes more help but cautions people to talk to their loved ones and to remember that you will be entering a war zone. Anyone wishing to take part must be over 25 years old for minibus insurance purposes.

With the money donated, which includes a vast donation from an anonymous doner from Lyme Regis, they intend to purchase 2 x ambulance vehicles and 2 x 4×4 vehicles.  A large part of the group’s project is to ferry refugees from the train stations to the border.

The Ukranian chalk Flag background is a poster design by Setsiri Silapasuwanchai and can be purchased HERE.

Monetary donations can be made through the Red Cross – Click HERE
or to The Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal

#Broadwindsor,#Drimpton,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Village,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#2022,#Ukraine,#Aid,#SendSupplies,#RedCross,#TomLittledyke,#SetsiriSilapasuwanchai,#BBC,#ComradesHall,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe,

Gladis’s Law Campaign Success

Success for Cameron Farquharson and his team!

Hello@Gladis-law.com

Fundraising continues…

Cameron is offering a weekend at his farm for £400 per couple to include a dinner cooked by Cameron, a three rosette chef, at Redlands Coppice and a day with his Highland cows at Eggardon Hill, before returning to Redlands Coppice to meet the nine newest cows to the farm and the man who gifted them, Stan Sadler.

To arrange your visit to the farm or for more details, please email: hello@redlandcoppice.co.uk

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#WestDorset,#DorsetLife,#Farmers,#BWGPC,#Livestock,#Sheep,#Cows,HighlandCoo,#Gladis,#BBC,#ChrisLoderMP,#PCSO6386,#TakeTheLead,#LivestockWorrying,#NSA,#LivestockAttacks,#RespectProtectEnjoy,#KeepYourDogOnALead,#Success,#GladisLaw,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Euro 2021 & Five-A-Side Football On Thursdays

David Leader’s 5-a-side free football for an hour on Thursday evenings is proving very popular…. could that be because the English football team have their first Euro match this Sunday v. Croatia? Perhaps…. all the Euro fixtures are listed below 🙂

No need to book, just show up at the MUGA next to Broadwindsor school at 6.30pm on Thursdays.
No boots please
, trainers are adequate.

Any queries, please contact David on: 01308 868275 or 07867 608652

England Euro 2021 Fixtures
(on TV):

The info below tells you what channel the England football matches are on with the complete listings of England’s football fixtures on TV including their UEFA Euro 2020 games on BBC and ITV and their FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers and friendly matches on ITV.

  • Sunday 13th June 2021 – England v Croatia
    (UEFA EURO 2020 Group D)
    14:00 BBC One / BBC iPlayer.
  • Friday 18th June 2021 – England v Scotland
    (UEFA EURO 2020 Group D)
    20:00 ITV / ITV Hub.
  • Tuesday 22nd June 2021 –  Czech Republic v England
    (UEFA EURO 2020 Group D)
    20:00 ITV / ITV2 / ITV Hub
  • Thursday 2nd September 2021 –  Hungary v England
    (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier)
    19:45 ITV / ITV Hub
  • Sunday 5th September 2021 – England v Andorra
    (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier )
    17:00 ITV / ITV Hub
  • Wednesday 8th September 2021Poland v England
    (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier)
    19:45 ITV / ITV Hub
  • Saturday 9th October 2021Andorra v England
    (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier)
    19:45 ITV / ITV Hub
  • Tuesday 12th October 2021 –  England v Hungary
    (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier)
    19:45 ITV / ITV Hub
  • Friday 12th November 2021 – England v Albania
    (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier)
    19:45 ITV / ITV Hub
  • Monday 15th November 2021San Marino v England
    (FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifier)
    19:45 ITV / ITV Hub

Good Luck England!

#Broadwindsor,#Drimpton,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#Village,#MUGA,#FiveASide,#Football,#England,#Goal,#Euro2021,#Championship,#Fixtures,#UEFA,#Over16,#KeepFit,#OnTheHead,,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Gladis’s Law

Cameron Farquharson is gathering a wealth of support for Gladis’s Law, Protecting livestock, informing dog owners: a campaign for a change in law to make it mandatory to keep dogs on a lead when walking near livestock. “We want to educate dog owners about the importance of using a lead.

Yesterday Cameron received the 2021 Sheep worrying by dogs survey from The National Sheep Association.  He shared the following on social media:

I am currently sat reading through it and the causes of the livestock incidents jumped out at me. People could select multiple answers.
  • 70% selected that the cause was not putting their dog(s)on a lead.
  • 66% believed that their dog(s) won’t attack livestock or won’t do damage if they do.
  • 49% Was down to a lack of regard or concern on the issue.
  • 39% had assumed their dog(s) would respond to commands off the lead.
  • 47% was down to allowing dog(s) to roam unaccompanied or escaped from gardens or kennels.
  • 5% Worrying on purpose/linked to poaching.
The NSA then asked farmers what was the outcome of them asking people to put their dogs on lead. Again people could select multiple answers.
  • 51% reported receiving Verbal abuse.
  • 48% were ignored by the dog owner.
  • 21% received Intimidation by the dog owner.
  • 16% Other (no understanding, land ownership).
  • 15% Polite refusal to use a lead.
  • 8% Retribution (vandalism).
  • 3% received physical abuse.

I will post more once I’ve read and understood. But I think we can all agree that the statistics from this survey are shocking. We need to change things for the better.”

Gladis’s Law, Protecting livestock, informing dog owners.

To keep up to date on the Gladis’s Law Facebook page – Click HERE.
#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#WestDorset,#DorsetLife,#Farmers,#BWGPC,#Livestock,#Sheep,#Cows,HighlandCoo,#Gladis,#BBC,#ChrisLoderMP,#PCSO6386,#TakeTheLead,#LivestockWorrying,#NSA,#LivestockAttacks,#RespectProtectEnjoy,#KeepYourDogOnALead,#GladissLaw,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Farmers! Please Submit Your Evidence

Cameron Farquharson’s cow Gladis made the national news last week, sadly for tragic reasons.  Her death has highlighted the need for farmers to have more say in taking care of their livestock in dealing with dogs off their leads.

When Cameron announced the very sad news on Facebook the following day, he begged, as all our local farmers repeatedly do to “please please please adhere to the notice on the gate and KEEP YOUR DOGS ON A LEAD!” He added ” We cannot afford in financial terms and for mine and my children’s mental well-being to continuously deal with these distressing losses.”  His post was shared over 10,000 times and made the BBC news.

Cameron and his family, who run Redlands Coppice, are now working with a group of farmers, farming related businesses and an MP to bring about a change in the law to give livestock more protection which they are calling Gladis’s Law They are trying to make contact with as many local farmers, smallholders holders and general livestock owners who have experienced dog attacks or worrying on their livestock in order to collate as much evidence of the problem as possible. Gladis’s Law would make it an offence for dogs to be off lead on farm land or land with animals grazing.

Sign up to be kept up to date of their progress on Gladis’s Law HERE.

Please message/submit your evidence through Facebook to: Cameron Farquharson HERE or Rachel Hayball HERE at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

Cameron’s family were “overwhelmed by the kindness shown” to them, as a family…. “so many we are not able to respond personally to each individual person as we would like. We have made this short video to introduce you to our hairy coos and say a personal thank you.

 

Gladis died on 27th May on Eggardon Hill when dogs (reportedly Labradors) chased her to death killing both her and her full term unborn calf. R.I.P. Gladis x

Dorset Police Rural Crime Team also released a two and a half minute video on Facebook on Saturday about putting dogs on a lead which you can view HERE.

If you are a farmer needing livestock worrying signage, please send their team an email: ruralcrimeteam@dorset.pnn.police.uk with the best name and address to send to and the quantity that’s required. Maximum of 4 signs per address.

Cameron has now launched a special Facebook page HERE to gather support.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#WestDorset,#DorsetLife,#Farmers,#BWGPC,#Livestock,#Sheep,#Cows,HighlandCoo,#Gladis,#BBC,#ChrisLoderMP,#PCSO6386,#TakeTheLead,#LivestockWorrying,#LivestockAttacks,#RespectProtectEnjoy,#KeepYourDogOnALead,#GladissLaw,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Dorset Boom! Updated

Just after 3pm today, a very loud ‘sonic boom’ was both and heard and felt by households in the county.

Social media sites are full of people enquiring and speculating what this noise was.  Broadwindsor, Mosterton, South Perrot, Eggardon, Salway Ash, Crewkerne, Yeovil, Chard, Exeter, Weymouth & Portland.

**Updated Sunday, 21st 14.50hrs**

The BBC confirmed the report that it was a meteorite.  Read their full report HERE.

**Updated @ 18.30hrs**

ITV are reporting it as a meteorite which was also spotted in Jersey – see their report HERE.

Earlier . . . It has made BBC News – but no answer yet.

In 2014 – “A controlled explosion was carried out by the Royal Navy EOD this afternoon on the beach between Lyme Regis and Charmouth after a member of the public reported finding a suspicious looking item on the beach. The item was found to be a phosphorus flare.”

In December 2018 – a similar incident occured which took a couple of days to resolve.  It turned out to be, a US Royal Air Force public affairs spokesman at Lakenheath confirmed, an oversea exercise with F-15E Strike Eagles aircrafts, which were travelling at supersonic speed!

Typhoon aircraft were sighted earlier in the week.
A sonic boom occurs when an object – usually a jet – travels faster than the speed of sound and breaks the sound barrier.

Could it be an earthquake?

The cause will be here once officially confirmed.

 

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#SonicBoom,#NotThunder,#MilitaryTesting,#Oops,#ITV,#BBC,#Meteorite,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Who’s Buying The First Round?

Monday May 17th?

Following the Government’s announcement of their 3 Step plan out of LockdownThe White Lion in Broadwindsor MAY be allowed to open its door on Monday, 17th May 2021 after being closed since forever it seems!

Landlords Spike & Vikki commented: We can’t post any days or times yet, we want to wait ’til nearer the time to see what the situation is. It will be good to bring the pub back to life as it should be.”

We are so used to seeing Spike, Vikki, Molly & Tabitha looking like this.
We do look forward to seeing their smiles when we walk in through their door again – smiling too!

To book at the White Lion:

Telephone: 01308 867070
Email:
info@whitelionbroadwindsor.co.uk;
Message through Facebook: HERE.

We all have our fingers crossed.

The BBC reports that the closure statistics highlight how the duration of economic support, as well as the vaccination timetable, could be crucial in determining how long doors stay closed.

The furlough wage support scheme is due to finish at the end of April 2021 – whilst business rates holidays for hospitality and leisure firms are due to end early in the same month in each of the UK nations.

The end of March will also see the application period close for Government-backed loans of up to £50,000 to smaller businesses under the “bounce back” scheme.

There are grants available for Businesses in retail, hospitality and leisure more of which will be published at a later date.  Click HERE for more information from the BBC.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#Village,#Lockdown,#2021,#TheWhiteLion,#SupportYourLocal,#WeMissYou,#PubsReopen,#OutOfLockdown,#PalmersBrewery,#BBC,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe