Alfred - News From Shaftesbury, Shaftesbury (2025)

18/10/2025

The weather won't be great on Sunday. So, sadly, Alfred Day in Enmore Green is cancelled.

18/10/2025

On Alfred, you’ll hear everything that’s happening in Shaftesbury, the Vale and Chase — on the hour, every hour, on 107.3 FM. Events you’d otherwise never know about. Our listings sometimes run to several pages, and right now, we’re pulling together all the Halloween and Bonfire Night events.

There’s a Halloween Karaoke Spooktacular with Belle Street and Rebecca Chambers at the Shaftesbury Social Club on Friday the 31st at 9.30.

There’ll be fireworks at the Donhead Sports Club in Charlton on Saturday the 1st of November. The display starts at 7,30,
The Compton Abbas Fireworks Night has already sold out. Shaftesbury Primary School’s fireworks will be on Thursday the 6th of November, with gates opening at 6. Spuds and Sparklers takes place at the Coppleridge Inn in Motcombe on Friday the 7th of November, with the display at 8. The Benett Arms in Semley hosts fireworks on the same evening, starting at 6.

We’re also aware that some people have recognised adverse reactions to fireworks. Someone’s sent us a link to a 'quiet display' in Kent, and we wondered if anything similar is happening locally. If you know of a quiet or low-noise firework display in our area, please let us know. You can email us at [email protected].

18/10/2025

If you’re a fan of live folk music, this weekend you can experience the powerful storytelling and distinctive fingerstyle guitar of Irish singer-songwriter Richie Ros, performing at Ashmore Village Hall as part of his first UK tour.

LISTEN: https://soundcloud.com/thisisalfred/riche-ros-gig-for-sat

Richie has built a following across Germany and the Low Countries, but his journey began in a Limerick orphanage where, aged 11, he persuaded a visiting teacher to give him his first guitar. ‘That teacher made a huge, huge impact on me,’ Richie said. Music quickly became his refuge. ‘It was escapism. I’d sit for hours making up melodies and putting words to them.’

Richie taught himself to play in the intricate fingerstyle of Chet Atkins and Tommy Emmanuel and draws lyrical inspiration from artists such as James Taylor and Don McLean. His songs are often deeply personal, exploring loss, healing, and hope.

‘Where you’ve come from in life shouldn’t ever dictate your future,’ Richie explained. ‘I wrote Fairytales about not letting your past define you. I trained as a physiotherapist at Keele University but never worked a day in that field – I followed my dream to be a full-time musician.’

He describes moments on tour that reaffirm his purpose, such as when a woman in the Netherlands told him his song In Your Garden helped her cope with her partner’s recent death. ‘That’s the power of music,’ Richie said. ‘It’s healing. When people connect like that, it keeps me going.’

Richie performs at Ashmore Village Hall on Saturday at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at ashmorevillagehall.co.uk.

Richie Ros

17/10/2025

Listen to Shaftesbury's local news for 17th October from ThisisAlfred.com

Shaftesbury What’s Ons
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Unpaid Shaftesbury Jhoots Pharmacy Staff Describe Months Without Pay
Blake Horwood and Lana Gulston have gone unpaid since July but still clock in as they pursue justice through ACAS and a tribunal.
LISTEN: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thealfreddaily/171025.mp3 =04:08

Dorset PCC Backs Tougher Action As Drug Driving Arrests Surge
David Sidwick calls for tougher laws and enforcement after Dorset’s drug-driving arrests almost doubled in two years.
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Why You Saw A Gritter On Sherborne Causeway In Mild Weather
Gritters seen in warm October weather were carrying out calibration runs before the winter season begins.
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Shaftesbury Abbey received Bronze in the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year category at the Dorset Tourism Awards.
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Semley Resident Issues Appeal After Garage Break-In
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Zigzag Hill Climb Confirmed To Return Next Year With Bigger Field
Organiser Elliot Collier confirms the 3.8km Zigzag Hill cycling event will return in 2026 with plans to expand entries.
LISTEN: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thealfreddaily/171025.mp3 =21:52

Motcombe’s festive charity run returns on the 7th of December, raising funds for the village school.
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Hope’s Gardening Team Back On The Road After Van Theft Setback
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Visitors from Bridgnorth in Shropshire praised Shaftesbury’s tidy streets and welcoming atmosphere during their stay.
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Dorset Council Audit On Hold Pending Police Investigation
The council’s audit remains unfinished while Dorset Police investigate matters linked to past compliance spending.
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How Historic Charities Shaped Shaftesbury’s Schools And Streets
An 1808 history traces local benefactors whose legacies still shape Shaftesbury’s schools, almshouses and street names.
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Abbey Primary invites stallholders for its Christmas Fair on the 28th of November, with a £10 fee plus raffle donation.
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Local writer Nicolette Gunn reads her eerie poem “Number 25” to launch Shaftesbury’s Halloween season.
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Apprentices Considered As Nursery Recruits For Local Team
Flying Start Nursery is recruiting and may train an apprentice with the right enthusiasm and potential.
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17/10/2025

Two Shaftesbury pharmacy workers have not been paid since July and say they’ve been forced to rely on food banks to survive.

LISTEN TO OUR FULL INTERVIEW: https://soundcloud.com/thisisalfred/unpaid-shaftesbury-pharmacy-workers-forced-to-use-food-banks

Lana Galston and Blake Horwood are dispensers at Jhoots Pharmacy beside the Abbeyview Medical Centre. The business has been without a qualified pharmacist for months, so prescriptions can’t be issued. And with no dispensing, Jhoots has not been paid by the NHS. Across the UK, Jhoots branches have faced similar problems, with MPs including North Dorset's Simon H***e criticising the company in Parliament.

The pair last received pay on the 18th of July. ‘We only got half of that payslip,’ Blake explained. ‘We’re waiting on half a pay plus two months.’
They say HMRC records wrongly show full payments to the workers for July and August. ‘HMRC have got the payslips and think we’ve been paid in full,’ Lana said. She's unsure whether the company has paid their contributions.

The pair have contacted ACAS and now plan to go to an employment tribunal. ‘Unless they go bust in the meantime, we’re going to court to get our money,’ said Lana. They can't afford to take legal action as they're penniless.

Jhoots has faced mounting financial and staffing problems. Staff across the country have left, but Blake and Lana say they’ve stayed out of duty and because they don't want to be sacked. The company's owner has allegedly refused to make the pair redundant.‘There’s a clocking-in system,’ Lana said. ‘They notice if you’re not there, and HR still expect you to call in sick even though we’re not being paid.’

The pair now visit occasionally to check stock, including controlled drugs. ‘We want to make sure everything’s still in order,’ said Lana. But their worried about safety after two recent robberies.

Both are now looking for new jobs. ‘We’ve been to a few interviews,’ Lana said. ‘But it’s difficult. It’s not easy in Shaftesbury.’ Lana and Blake don't drive,

The unpaid months have left them struggling. ‘I’ve had to borrow money for my rent,’ Lana said. ‘We’ve even used food banks.’
‘We’ve gone without,’ Blake added. He had hoped there would be some legal protection for workers. ‘Hopefully in the future there’ll be some change in the law, somewhere for people like us to fall back on.’

Alfred contacted Jhoots Pharmacy for comment. The company last replied to an email in May last year.

17/10/2025

Alfred 107.3 FM Events: Friday 🎸
Live music for your Friday night – Peter Buxton performs rock tracks with a West Coast feel and some familiar artists, but not the usual Friday night set, at the Black Cactus Café from 7.30

🎤 From 7, singer-songwriter and loop pedal artist Marco Di Gaetano performs at Breezy Ridge Vineyard.

❓ Test your knowledge at the Shaftesbury Twinning Association quiz evening at the Royal British Legion Hall on Coppice Street, starting at 7.

🎬 The Film Society at the Arts Centre shows Black Dog, a Chinese film with subtitles. It tells the story of Lang, released from prison, returning to north-west China where he’s told to clear stray dogs and bonds with one. Screening starts at 7.30.

Saturday 🛍
Day two of the Shaftesbury Emporium Sale at the Town Hall – fundraising for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Weldmar Hospicecare, with food, clothes, toys, and gifts inside and outside. 10 till 4.

📚 There’s a jumble and book sale at Shaftesbury Town Silver Band Hall, Barton Hill, from 10 till 2, with puzzles, toys, kids’ clothes, and many new items.

⚽ No home fixture for Shaftesbury FC – they’re away at Bishop’s Cleeve near Cheltenham, kick-off 3 o’clock.

🍻 Shaftesbury Chamber of Commerce celebrates its 70th anniversary with a ticket-only pub crawl from 2, visiting The Mitre, The King’s Arms and The Grosvenor. So if you see people doing the conga wearing traffic cones along the High Street, now you’ll know why.

🎵 Irish singer-songwriter Richie Ros, inspired by Van Morrison and James Taylor, performs at Ashmore Village Hall from 7.
🎤 ‘The delicate fingerstyle playing of James Taylor and the lyric writing of Don McLean used to fascinate me, the inspiration that I got when I was very young.’

🍷 The planned wine-tasting evening at East Stour Village Hall for the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show Society Student Support Fund has been cancelled.

🎶 North Dorset’s male voice choir, The Mill Singers, perform in Motcombe on Saturday night, raising money for John Blashford-Snell’s Motcombe-based Scientific Exploration Society. Tickets from the Village Shop. The concert starts at 7.30.
🎼

❓ The TLW Dance Foundation hold a charity quiz at the Trinity Centre, Bimport, from 7.30. It raises funds to help youngsters attend classes they may not otherwise afford. Teams up to six, tickets £12 each or £60 per table. Snacks available. Book on the TLW Dance website.

Sunday 🍎
At the Donkeyfield Community Orchard from 2, it’s Apple Day. Enjoy freshly pressed apple juice and live music from Tattie Bogle, John and Margaret Cleuett
includes the Arthur Simmonds Longest Peel competition.

🎵 Also at 2.30, there’s a concert for Christian Aid at the Methodist Church in Bell Street, Shaftesbury, led by David Grierson and the Phoenix Café Orchestra. They’ll perform light classics, golden-age cinema numbers and hits from the 70s onwards. Entrance is free, with donations welcomed for Christian Aid’s work. Refreshments will be served afterwards.

17/10/2025

Thank you to Helen Walters, who sent us pictures of the Halloween decorations opposite The Meadows at Summer Oaks in Motcombe. It has been delighting Villages. The skeleton moves every day, apparently. Are you doing something special for Halloween? Let us know. Send us a picture at Alfred. PICS BY Sandra Titherley-Orchard

17/10/2025

Today on Alfred, we meet the two Jhoots pharmacy workers from Shaftesbury who have not been paid since mid-July. So why are they still going into work after promise after promise of payment has not been honoured? Lana and Blake share their story — and if you’re looking for staff, these are arguably some of the most honourable and trustworthy people you could possibly recruit. Listen after nine today on Alfred - 107.3 FM.

17/10/2025

Shaftesbury’s latest ephemeral installation of site-specific, performance-based public art, “The Roadworks,” emerges unannounced in the liminal spaces between tarmac and verge, inviting the viewer to reconsider the aesthetics of disruption. A choreography of fluorescent tabards and hydraulic grace unfolds before the eyes, as artisan craftspeople – genuine manual artisans – manipulate the very fabric of our civic pathways. The interplay of chromatic light is particularly affecting: amber, red, and green, the sacred triptych of movement and stasis, pulse rhythmically against the misted backdrop of the Nadder Valley, as if the entire countryside has been transformed into a living Rothko, humming with diesel and transcendence. The soundscape, too, is immersive, with pneumatic drills punctuating the stillness and reversing lorries creating a symphonic counterpoint. This provocative work asks: What is progress, and what does it cost to move forward?

🚧 Alfred Roadworks and Closures – Friday 17th October 🚧

🛣️ The lane through the of the Chalke Valley is closed today. Hope that doesn't cheese you off.🚜 A small section between Berwick and Alvediston, closest to Alvediston, is shut for Wiltshire Council works between 9am and 4pm.

🚧 East of Shaftesbury, A30 roadworks continue in the middle of Ludwell between the Post Office and the bridge over the Nadder. They’ll carry on until around 3pm this afternoon when the job should be finished.

🚦 A30 West of Shaftesbury- New temporary traffic lights will be in place this afternoon on Fern Hill, between the Sherborne Causeway and the King’s Arms pub, heading towards East Stour. Two-way signals will control traffic for urgent work by Scottish and Southern Power.

🌙 Further on, beyond the East Stour crossroads and dropping down into West Stour, roadworks continue with a lower speed of 30mph with overnight closures during the week In (not the weekend) from 8pm until 14th November.

📡 Openreach are working on Stainers Mead in Motcombe today.

🔥 The gas utility company are on Ash Close in Shaftesbury, but this shouldn’t cause major disruption.

💧 Water works continue on the B3091 St James to Kit Hill Road, repairing a mains leak at the junction with Coles Lane.

17/10/2025

A small Chamber of Commerce grant has given a Shaftesbury designer the confidence to grow his business and win recognition across the South West.

Daniel Sherlock launched DS Design as a part-time venture, working from home while juggling another job at the Grosvenor. He received a £250 grant from the Chamber Pot scheme last autumn, and says that small sum helped transform his approach.

LISTEN TO DANIEL: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thealfreddaily/161025.mp3 =25:04

‘We needed help at the time,’ said Daniel. ‘It’s those annoying things like leaflets, flyers, business cards — it all adds up. Every time I do a Vistaprint order, it ends up being a couple of hundred quid. To other people it’s just a leaflet, but it really helped.’

Daniel’s work covers branding, website design and printed marketing materials. ‘I do welcome guides and content planners for websites,’ he said. ‘A lot of people find websites confusing, so I put together workbooks to make it easier. Some clients really appreciate that hands-on approach.’

He admits confidence was a hurdle when he first started. ‘It was about pushing myself,’ he said. ‘Applying for the Chamber money was part of that. Luckily, I got it, invested it in advertising, and it’s paid off. I’m now cutting my Grosvenor hours down to two days a week to focus on design full-time.’

Since launching, Daniel has built websites for several local clients. His first commission came from Joni De Winter and Susan Grant of Belle Street, who needed a website for their live music and personal confidence development business. ‘That led to more,’ said Daniel. ‘Then Trinity Centre, La Fleur de Lys, and a few local artists and potters. I’m now working with the Shaftesbury Fringe, and I’ve taken on social media management too.’

An unexpected recognition followed when Daniel was contacted by the Prestige Awards. ‘I had a random email asking for information about what I do,’ he said. ‘They asked questions about my clients and business overview, then called to say I’d won. It’s for Creative Design Studio of the Year for the South West.’

He says the process was free and completely independent. ‘I didn’t pay anything,’ he said. ‘They offered magazine features and certificates if I wanted them, but I didn’t have to. I’ve been invited to their event in Southampton early next year to meet other winners.’

Daniel hopes the award will help him take his business to the next stage. ‘It’s recognition for small, independent companies like mine,’ he said. ‘It’s about showing people what’s possible locally. I’m thinking about promoting more and being a bit more vocal — I wish I’d had that confidence earlier.’

Looking back, Daniel credits that initial Chamber support with setting him on his way. ‘It gave me a boost,’ he said. ‘That £250 made me believe this could be something serious. Now I’d love to make it my full-time career.’

16/10/2025

A new time capsule has been sealed at Shaftesbury Abbey to mark a century since the site was designated an ancient monument in 1924. The casket contains memories, records and mementoes gathered by volunteers to preserve what life has been like around the Abbey over the past hundred years.

LISTEN: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thealfreddaily/161025.mp3 =13:13

Abbey trustee Stuart Edwards has led the project, supported by volunteers, trustees and staff. After a short dedication led by Abbey chaplain Reverend Mary Ridgewell, the capsule was placed behind the altar in the Abbey grounds.

‘We’ll need to seal it up and the idea is that we’ll put it behind the altar, which people will know from the Abbey gardens,’ said Stuart. ‘It will be mortared into the back and the idea is that it’s opened in another fifty years’ time, so in 2074.’

The container includes a document summarising fifty key moments in the Abbey’s recent history, along with a toughened, waterproof memory stick containing digital material and interviews recorded by Alfred. It’s officially registered with the International Time Capsule Society in Princeton to make sure it’s not forgotten.

Stuart said collecting the material was both fascinating and challenging. ‘We’ve been scurrying around trying to collect as many moments and memories as we can,’ he said. ‘It’s been tough at times but also really enjoyable. We’ve got fifty moments in paper and digital form and there’s a huge variety — from touching personal memories to significant developments at the Abbey.’

One story stood out for him. ‘A family met the Abbey gardener years ago and were given seeds from our apple trees,’ he explained. ‘They took them home, grew the trees, and came back years later to tell us. That was a really important family memory for them.’

The capsule also includes recollections of the 1930s excavations, the creation of the museum and altar, and memories of people who shaped the site’s story. One name appears again and again — Bert Richards. ‘He laid out the gardens, built the shrine and lodge, and was here from the 1930s as a teenager,’ said Stuart. ‘He’s all over the records.’

The ceremony included a small crowd of trustees, volunteers and children who Stuart described as “the future custodians.” Among them were Martha Dixon and Mila Oliinychenko , chosen because they’ll outlive most of the group and can remind Abbey volunteers to open the capsule in fifty years’ time. Martha even drew a detailed sketch of King Alfred to include.

Her mother, Annabel, joked that saving the date might be a challenge: ‘She doesn’t remember where she’s left her shoes.’ But the girls took their duty seriously, signing their names and adding small gifts - including dried rosemary from Annabel’s garden.

Reverend Mary blessed the capsule with water from the spring that flows beneath the Abbey. ‘We’re remembering those people of vision a hundred years ago who worked so hard so we could have this space,’ she said. ‘It’s for the next generation.’

The event ended with a shared hope that in 2074, new generations will gather at the Abbey to reflect on this moment in Shaftesbury’s history.

16/10/2025

Shaftesbury’s Boots staff have been praised in Parliament for taking on the workload left by Jhoots, the pharmacy that has been unable to issue prescriptions for weeks.

LISTEN TO OUR REPORT:
https://youtu.be/tgcq2F40Q7Q

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock told MPs: ‘I pay tribute to the employees in Boots.’ He said this was ‘because Jhoots is not providing the service that’s required.’

The Abbeyview Medical Centre has already voiced frustration at the extra pressure placed on its staff as patients struggle to rearrange prescriptions. NHS Dorset has suggested that residents ‘shop around’, but the advice has done little to ease the situation.

Jhoots holds one of Shaftesbury’s two pharmacy contracts but has not had a pharmacist on duty for several weeks. Legally, that means the business cannot dispense medicines, and because licences are allocated per area, a new pharmacy cannot simply take over the role.

As Simon H***e explained, the rules never anticipated this kind of commercial failure. ‘This is a clear breach of contract, but I’m told by our Integrated Care Board (ICB, part of the NHS) it doesn’t fall within contract law,’ he told Parliament. The minister agreed, saying that while regulation is strict for premises and staff, it is weak for pharmacy owners. ‘That is a gap that has been identified. I’ve commissioned my officials to work on that at pace and I’ll keep him updated.’

After the debate, Simon told Alfred that the government must act faster. ‘Sometimes these things need a kick up the arse,’ he said. ‘There has to be some speedy action to try and get Jhoots out of the landscape as it were.’

Simon warned there is anxiety about legal risks if the government intervenes. Even so, he argued it is ‘a risk worth running’ given what he called ‘a clear and signal failure’ to meet legitimate expectations on local prescription services. He also asked what additional support could be offered to Boots as it continues to pick up the slack this winter, including advice for patients and administering vaccines.

For now, Boots remains the only functioning pharmacy in the town.

Alfred - News From Shaftesbury

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