FROM THE EDITOR
I can hardly believe that March has flown by already and it's time for the April edition of The Dubber to hit
the doormat.
I'd like to thank everyone for the positive feedback I've received about the style and the content of the last issue. There is still room for improvement and I hope I've managed to sort out a few March gremlins in this April issue.
The Large Print Dubber has been a great success with those people with sight problems who have borrowed a copy from the St George's Church. (Please be aware that there are several copies just inside the Church door which can be taken home, read and returned to the Church at a later date.) Roger Free is still trying to gauge the need for Large Print Dubbers so please drop him a line and let him know your views on the subject (see letters' page for contact details).
I am still looking for a Deputy Editor who might like to produce an issue or two when I am away on holiday. So, if you are interested and confident with desk top publishing, I would be pleased to hear from you. If you are interested but don't have DTP skills, I am certainly willing to give lessons so I would still be pleased to hear from you! Angela Bell

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LETTER FROM THE RECTORY

Click here for more pancake day pics

Dear Friends

'Alleluia. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed,
Alleluia.' The greeting wherever Christians meet all around the world on Easter day and in the following weeks when we hear together the Easter story.
And today, just as at the first Easter, others will say: 'How ridiculous, to believe the impossible! How insufferably arrogant, to think you are right, and everybody else is wrong!' Looking at the faults and failings of some of the Christians they know some say 'how hypocritical'... and they are right.
Christians are ordinary, fallible human beings, believing extra ordinary things. We do believe that we have found the right way, the only way we can truly be fully alive and we know, only too well, how often we fail... that's why, whenever we pray, we ask for forgiveness.
So how can we say those words and say them with joy. Not because we are the world's greatest thinkers but because we have taken a step of faith chosen to put all our (Easter) eggs in one basket and say 'I believe'. Not because we have incontrovertible proof, but because we feel captivated by a person, the man we meet as we read the gospel stories and what an extraordinary person he was, and is.
He was such a dynamic and explosive mixture. Deeply religious, a law abiding Jew of his time who prayed day and night, alone and with others, in temple and synagogue, uncompromising. In challenging hypocrisy in both his opponents and his followers alike, the greatest exponent of tough love ever, as he tested, even teased, both the respectable people and the outcasts he met, offering all friendship, requiring from them all, radical change. A man of the greatest tenderness, with healing words and hands, hands which blessed children, stilled winds and waves, washed feet and broke bread. Teaching us that God's love is not just for one group one race one gender one class of people but for everyone in the wide, wide world and calling us all to love God as our father and to show his love care for all his children and his world especially those who are in need.
That's why, when Christians hear the resurrection stories, we say 'Alleluia'. I rarely use this space for what is more like a sermon, or 'apology' in the true sense of the word, meaning 'defence' of faith, as this magazine is for the whole community. But, for us, Easter is the most precious time of year. Even if you do not share this faith, I hope that surrounded by the signs of spring and sunshine and new life, as the landscape is transformed, you too are touched by such joy, such a sense of being fully alive, that you too can say... 'Alleluia'.
Best wishes

Judith Malins
Priest in charge
Kingston, Langton Matravers, & Worth Matravers

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SERVICES IN APRIL 2009

SUNDAY 5TH APRIL
8.00am Holy Communion - Langton
9.30am Hosanna! - Langton
10.30am Benefice Communion - Langton
5.00pm Informal Service - Worth
6.30pm Evensong - Langton

MAUNDY THURSDAY 9TH APRIL
7.30pm Holy Communion - Langton

GOOD FRIDAY 10TH APRIL
10-11.30am Children's morning - Langton Church and Village Hall
12.00am Service at Gallows Gore
2-3.00pm An hour at the Cross - Langton

EASTER DAY - SUNDAY 12TH APRIL
8.00am Holy Communion - Worth
9.45am Holy Communion - Langton
11.15am Holy Communion - Kingston
6.30pm Evensong & Said Communion - Langton

SUNDAY 19TH APRIL
8.00am Holy Communion - Langton
9.45am Family Service for St George's Day - Langton
11.00am Holy Communion - Worth
11.15am Morning Service - Kingston
6.30pm Evensong - Langton

SUNDAY 26TH APRIL
8.00am Holy Communion - Worth
9.45am Holy Communion - Langton
11.15am Family Service - Kingston
6.00pm Evening Service - Harmans Cross Village Hall

PRE-SCHOOL SERVICE for pre-school children and parents or carers at 11.00am on Wednesday 1ST April at St George's Church.
CHANGES IN SERVICE TIMES
There is predominantly the same pattern of services each month but there are often changes for festivals so please check the weekly notice sheets within the church or in the church porch.

OTHER DENOMINATIONS
The parishes are members of ACTS (The Association of Churches Together) and a list of services of other denominations locally can be found in the porch of
St George's Church, Langton

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GENERAL NEWS

ST GEORGE'S SCHOOL
In March, school governors and staff met with Richard Drax, Conservative candidate and Jim Knight, Labour MP, to share with them what makes St George's school so special, and to express our commitment to the school continuing as a village school. We are waiting to hear the outcome of the Purbeck review, and we look forward to admitting a full new intake of pupils in September.
Meanwhile, the school continues to flourish. St George's has now achieved the bronze award as a 'super cool eco school'. The School Council has worked with a number of helpers to draw up a code. The action plan is promoting waste recycling, composting, and the 'walking bus' each morning. Judith

ST GEORGE'S PTA
Thankyou to everyone who supported our Christmas Fair in December, we managed to raise over £600 which was wonderful. An enjoyable time was had by all, with a visit to Santa being the highlight of the afternoon for many children. We were a bit apprehensive as it was our first Christmas Fair for over five years, but we were really pleased that it went so well and so many people came along to join in the festive spirit.
We are busy planning our fundraising events for the Summer Term, we are holding our annual Summer Fete on Friday, 5 June in the School grounds from 6-8pm. There will be a Bar, BBQ, Stalls, Local Traders, Games, Bouncy Castle etc, a great evening of fun for all the family!
We are also trying a new event, a Nearly New Clothes Sale (adults' and children's), which will be held in the School Hall on Wednesday, 29 April from 7.30-9pm Come along and bag a bargain; all clothes will be in 'as new' condition with no jumble to be seen - a great way to update your summer wardrobe without too much cost. If anyone has any good quality, nearly new clothes that they would like to donate please contact Nicky Glassock or Katie Coling . Also if you have any clothes rails that we may borrow for the event please contact one of the above.

WANTED: OLD MOBILE PHONES

St George's First School would be very grateful to receive any old/unused mobile phones that you may have cluttering up your cupboard drawers at home. It doesn't matter what condition they are in, we don't need the chargers and they don't even need to work.
We send them off to an organisation called Foneclub, which repairs approximately 70% of the mobile phones they receive and then sell them in developing countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. The remaining 30% are recycled with individual parts being re-used. Foneclub will pay us £2.50 for every phone we send them, last year we raised over £120. If you are able to help, please take your unwanted mobile phones to either Langton Post Office or drop them into the School Office. Many thanks for your support.

EASTER SERVICE

Finally, we would like to invite you to the School Easter Service on Friday, 3 April at 9.15am in St George's Church.The PTA will be serving tea, coffee and Hot Cross buns at the back of the Church after the service. Hope to see you at one, or even all, of our events. Happy Easter! St George's PTA

TIME OUT
Have you ever wished you could take time out, or go on a retreat but couldn't get away? From 7-13 June, in our villages, we are running a Week of Accompanied Prayer - an opportunity for you, with a prayer companion, to explore further what prayer means to you. To find out more, pick up one of the leaflets available in the churches, or come, to one of the 'taster evenings', at St George's Church, Langton, on 29 April at 7.30pm or in the afternoon of 6 May at Steeple Church, Corfe. Judith

PROTECTING STUDLAND'S SEAHORSES
The Studland Seagrass Study Group has been set up to look into the health and extent of the seagrass meadows at Studland Bay. The group consists of a number of wildlife organisations and local stakeholders such as Royal Yachting Association, Poole Yachting Association, Studland Parish Council and Studland Residents' Beach Association. The group was set up following new legal protection for seahorses and their place of shelter (or habitat) in April 2008. Studland is the only known place to have breeding populations of both spiny and short-snouted seahorses, our two native species. Concerns have been raised about the level of boating activity at Studland Bay in summer when 300 boats can be seen anchored or moored in a single day. The group aims to look into whether the level of boating activity is causing a decline in the seagrass meadows.
Seagrass is a marine flowering plant, not a seaweed, and as such its root system stabilises the soft sediments and traps drifting sand, helping protect the coast from erosion. Anchors and chains damage the seagrass by digging it up by the roots. This leaves bare areas in the underwater meadow, sand is eroded from beneath adjacent plants and these are then washed up on the beach.
This spring, a voluntary no-anchor zone will be created in the corner of South Beach, Studland along with a comprehensive awareness campaign to engage all users of south beach, whether shore or boat-based, in the project. The no-anchor zone will be monitored and compared with a similar un-marked zone where anchoring will continue. This will tell us how quickly the anchor-scars recover and compare the health and density of seagrass between the two study zones.
As well as the voluntary no-anchor zone, a number of 'seagrass-friendly' moorings will be trialed. Moorings with dragging chains leave bare craters in the seagrass meadow, but a number of moorings have been designed not to impact the seabed. The Crown Estate, who owns the seabed and seagrass meadows, is funding the 3 year project.
Studland is a unique place for all kinds of marine wildlife as well as seahorses. Please give this project your support and help find the right balance between protecting this special wildlife site and continuing to enjoy our coastline.
Emma Rance, Marine Warden

MUSIC TO RAISE THE SPIRITS
Purbeck Chamber Choir will present a musical flight through the ages at Kingston Church on Saturday, 18 April at 7.30pm. The music ranges from Tudor Queen Mary's Chapel Royal by Shepherd to later compositions by Purcell, Brahms, Vaughan Williams, Harris, Britten and Whitacre (a contemporary American classical composer).
The director of the Concert, Tim Crosley, lives and works in London and conducts a choir and orchestra who perform regularly at the Barbican. As a boy he went to school in Purbeck during which time he formed a lifelong attachment to the area.
This concert had to be postponed due to severe weather in February. Tickets are £5 on the door or contact Annie Campbell .

WHERE AM I IN PURBECK?
Where on earth am I this month? And just what is this cairn marking? Last month, those of you who live in Langton would probably have guessed that the group staring into the ground were in fact some happy allotment holders imagining all those potatoes and beans that were going to come out of this precious bit of ground behind the school playing field. We wish them every success. Chris Meadows

OPEN DAYS AT THE COASTWATCH LOOKOUT
St Alban's Head Watch Station, near Worth Matravers will be holding four open days over Easter from 10-13 April inclusive. You are invited to visit the Lookout on the coast path, close to Chapman's Pool where you can meet the watchkeepers and have refreshments. The Station is open between 10am & 5pm each day. Your safety is our concern.

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 11-18 MAY
Just a reminder that Christian Aid week is around the corner. If you have not donated before, make 2009 the year to start. Even the smallest donation is gratefully received. If you are a UK tax payer please sign the Gift aid declaration as the government then donates an extra 25p for every £1 you donate.
We will have the coffee morning in St George's Church on 10 May (10.30-12) with plant stall, bric-a-brac, cakes, a raffle and fair-trade tea and coffee. Do join us and if you have any items to donate please contact me. If you would like to help, I would love some help with the bric-a-brac. Becca Charron

FOSSIL SHOW AT THE SQUARE
The Square and Compass at Worth Matravers will be hosting a two day event on the 6 & 7 April dedicated
to fossils, illustrating the wonderfully diverse specimens to be found on this special section of the Jurassic Coast. In a marquee adjacent to the pub there will be a comprehensive display of fossils with several extremely rare and interesting new finds from 2008/9. Charlie Newman, Steve Etches, David Sole and Paul Ensom will all be there to talk to you about their collections, help you to identify your fossil finds and answer your questions. Small guided tours of the pub museum will be taking place and there will also be stalls and some fossils for sale.
This event is aimed at all ages in the spectrum - children are especially welcome and we are giving a prize for the best dinosaur picture! Bring your art work along, with your name and address on the back. We'll display all of the pictures in the marquee and the winner will be announced at 3pm on 7 April. The Fossil Marquee will be open from 12-6pm and hot and cold beverages will be available plus home made pies and pasties for lunch. Sunshine has been requested. Cath & Charlie

SINGERS 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
For 20 years, the Belvedere Singers have been delighting audiences with their wide range of musical offerings, raising a considerable amount of money for various charities, most of them local including our own Swanage Hospital.
This year, to celebrate their 20th Anniversary, the Choir is holding a special concert at 7.30pm on 2 May at St Mary's Church, Swanage which will include a newly commissioned work, 'Walking to the Sea', by Richard Nye.
Our soloist will be soprano Emma Fidler and the programme will also include a selection from Mamma Mia and the Grand March from Aida. The chosen charities for this performance are Water Aid and Mercy Ships UK.
Tickets (£7) are available from Corbens, Choir members and at the door.

LATEST NEWS FROM BURNGATE
Firstly, a quick reminder to let you all know that the official opening day of the Burngate Stone Centre on Saturday, 4 April is creeping closer and closer.
The day begins at 1.30pm for the general public and there will be lots of things to see with demonstrations and have-a-go opportunities, a talk on life in the underground quarrying industry, and a guided walk around some of the old quarries and tracks, so do come along and enjoy the fun!
In the meantime, if you'd like to drop by and have a look around the Centre then by all means do so; I'm generally here during normal working hours and very happy to show you around. We have already got a full schedule of courses lined up for the coming months with places still available.
Still to come in March, we have a short carving taster course from local carver Jonathan Sells and moving forward into April and beyond we have more introductory courses from Jonathan, Val Quinn, Mark Blanchard, Angelika Seik, and Anna Bowen, all of which are listed on our website: www.burngatestonecentre.co.uk.
On top of all that, the banker space in our open fronted units is available to use and is such a beautiful place to stand and work that it's an absolute pleasure to be here. From April the banker space will be charged at a modest rate.
So what are you waiting for, slip on some old clothes and get up here and start creating your own masterpieces! I look forward to seeing you up here. David Callaghan

LANGTON PRE-SCHOOL
Spring has sprung up at pre-school, the bulbs we planted last autumn are starting to appear and we have cleared up the outside space in anticipation of the arrival of lots of nice new outdoor equipment - picnic tables, a new sand and water table and six shiny new trikes and ride-ons for the children to enjoy. This is all possible because of the funds we raised at the Table Top sale and Putlake Christmas Fair where we had a cake stall, so thankyou to everyone who supported us by coming along or contributing cakes, goods or their time, it is all hugely appreciated and the children, staff and committee are all really very grateful.
We must also say a big thanks to Dan from local firm Harbour View Plumbing, who very kindly fitted a new outside tap for us during half term. Thankyou very much Dan, for your generous and kind donation, it will make a big difference to the children and their outside play experience this coming summer.
The committee are currently working on plans for the children's summer outing, and possibly a fundraising sports fun day - full details will follow soon, but in the meantime, thankyou to everyone for your continued support, and if anyone is interested in getting more involved, or has any ideas please give us a call. Cassie Feltham

MAGIC DRAGONS MOTHER & TODDLER GROUP
Does anyone have a couple of hours a week to spare? Our village toddler group is currently looking for a new leader to run the session, 1.30 - 3pm on Thursdays during term time.
I've loved running this friendly little group for the last two years, but due to family commitments I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to continue. If you can help, or would like any further information please call Cassie.

NATIONAL TRUST PURBECK ESTATE
With lighter days and some sunshine finally appearing it's a genuine delight to be out and about on the estate and I hope you are enjoying the spring weather too. If you are out and about on Studland beach then you'll need to know that there are now pay and display meters in South and Middle Beach car parks. Charges will apply from now until November however it remains free to park for National Trust members so make sure you have your car park sticker and membership card with you.
This month, I thought I'd take the time to tell you about an area of our work which some of you may be unaware of. As you probably know, we see hundreds of schools and thousands of children from across the country each year, helping them to understand more about the Castle, our conservation work on the estate and the management of the beach. But did you know that we also work closely with several local schools?
Through the National Trust's Guardianship Scheme we work with three local schools, St Mary's First School, Swanage Middle School and most recently The Purbeck School. The aim of the Guardianship programme is designed to engage children with their local National Trust property by providing them with educational sessions, linked to the National curriculum based around conservation, the environment and environmental issues.
Our Guardianship programme is run by Chrissy Hancock, our Community Learning Officer for Studland. Each school has adopted a plot of heath land and Chrissy's programme of hands on activities and taught sessions allows them to see how this habitat needs to be managed. The Guardianship with St Mary's has been running for six years, whilst Swanage Middle has seen how their plot has developed for three years.
Our newest Guardianship is with The Purbeck School. In the autumn of this year the entire Year 9s from the school will be coming over to the Corfe Castle end of the estate to work with area Warden, Phil Stuckey, on the heath. As with all the Guardianship projects, this opportunity to give the students and a real practical insight into how the landscape they live in needs to be actively managed and cared for.
As another part of the Guardianship seven Year 9 pupils from The Purbeck School came out to Corfe Castle in February to help us write a new wildlife trail. The aim of the trail is to better connect Castle View and the car park to the Castle by explaining the wildlife people will see along the footpath between the two sites. The group of students worked with staff and volunteers for the day to identify the wildlife seen and to generate ideas for the trail. They have taken their initial thoughts and the project brief back to school and are working on the ideas before presenting a first draft to staff and designers in April. Their ideas and enthusiasm were fantastic and we look forward to seeing what they come up with. The trail should be in place by the summer so watch the space for details of the grand opening. Mandy Jarvis, CLV Manager

WHAT IS SO WRONG WITH VEAL ANYWAY?
Did you know that the dairy cow has to produce a calf in order to produce milk? She does this every year, and 50% of the calves are male dairy bull calves. Do you know what happens to them?
The modern dairy cow is tall, angular and skinny. She was a hard-working woman, designed to produce milk. Tonnes of the stuff! She has no time to get fat munching buttercups in the summer pasture; she is genetically programmed to produce milk. Her daughters head off into dairy herds across the country also to produce milk, the calves with beef bulls as the father become 50% of the beef that is sold in the UK, but the fate of the dairy bulls……. now that is sad. Some, but very few are raised to produce beef, others are sold to the continent to be raised into veal, the rest are killed either on farm or at the slaughterhouse at seven days old. Well, not quite all of the rest, some are raised for veal in this country. These calves become rosé veal.
Veal is no longer produced in crates. This practice has been banned for many years. Veal is not produced in darkened barns. This practice has been banned for even longer. But these views still form part of the myth of the urban view of veal production. They have no basis in fact, in modern British farming.
The rosé veal calf is raised in a similar way to all hand reared calves. Normally, in a barn on a straw bed, fed on hay and silage and cattle cake, the only difference is that the veal calf is fed milk as well. This produces a rate of growth that enables the dairy bull calf to be sold as veal. He has now lived for six months, rather than six days. Organic rosé veal, as produced by Christopher Lees, a Purbeck Products producer, is reared as a foster calf by a recently calved beef cow. It is raised as a twin of the cow's own calf, and lives with his foster mother until slaughter.
The organic rosé veal calf lives and exemplary life in terms of life experience. A longer life, in fact, than a lamb, a pig or a chicken. Six months, rather than six days. What is so wrong about that?
Part of what is so important about Purbeck products, is the ethos of production that the animals in the care of the farmer should have the best possible life ever. So, whenever you buy food produced under this banner you can be sure of this. Why not make a date this Easter to come and buy some of the best food that is produced in the Purbecks at the Farmers Market in Langton Matravers on 11 & 25 April from 10am till 2pm? See you there! Christopher Lees
(Check out the delicious recipe for Osso Bucho later on- ed)

PURBECK ENVIRONMENT ACTION TEAM
PEAT have been busy discussing ways to take Transition Purbeck forward; the Transition model looks at alternative ways of providing energy and reducing fuel consumption. We hope that Farm for the Future (Rebecca Hosking) was watched by many. If you missed this programme, it can be found on the BBC website. The transition town concept fits perfectly with Rebecca's story - working with the land to find low energy solutions to feed and sustain the community.

PEAT OUT & ABOUT
Many local people have met for informal 'Green Drinks' and PEAT meetings at various pubs around Purbeck… So far The Kings Arms (Langton), The Half Way Inn, The Black Swan, The Crows Nest, The Square and Compass and The Granary. The next Green Drinks will be 22 April at 7.30 at the Greyhound, Corfe Castle and 20 May at 7.30 at The Kings Arms in Stoborough.
A Purbeck Cookbook is planned for May. Purbeck Producers, community groups, post offices, pubs and schools are being contacted for recipes that use locally grown/sourced ingredients.
If anyone would like to contribute to the Purbeck Cookbook, please send recipes (drawings, photos) to Collette Drayson

BENEFICE COACH TRIP
The Benefice Coach Trip to Sherborne & the Abbey on Tuesday, 19 May will leave St George's between 1.30pm and 2pm. Cost will be between £7 and £8 per person depending on numbers. A tour of the Abbey, an optional cream tea, cost £3.50, (provided by the Mothers Union) and Choral Evensong are included. If you would like to go on this outing please contact Anne Meadows as soon as possible.

MICROSCOPE MEETING
The Spring Meeting will be held in Langton Village Hall on Saturday, 18 April. Visitors are, as usual, very welcome. There is no charge - just come in and look at all the different types of displays and chat to anyone present if you wish. Open from 10am-3pm (there will be a slight exodus to the King's Arms for about an hour from 12.15pm). Enquiries to Derek Stevens.

PDC'S FIVE-YEAR VISION
Purbeck District Council has launched its new Corporate Strategy for 2009-2014. From housing to improving the local economy, the Corporate Strategy explores the current and future issues the district faces and sets out six priorities to address issues that matter most to local people.
Leader of Purbeck District Council, Councillor Gary Suttle, said: "Our vision for Purbeck is 'thriving communities in balance with the natural environment'. Through consultation, we have identified many changes that local people want to see over the next five years, such as more affordable houses for local people, community safety and local prosperity."
The new Corporate Strategy 2009-2014 is available on Purbeck District Council's website at www.purbeck.gov.uk under Your Council /Council Policy and Plans. Alternatively, call the Performance Unit at Purbeck District Council on 557325 or email them at performanceunit@purbeck.gov.uk to request a copy. Claire Lodge

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NEWS FROM
LANGTON MATRAVERS

EASTER FLOWERS
Baskets will be left In the Church porch on the Sunday before Easter (5 April) for as many kind people as possible to take away, fill, and return on Easter Saturday morning, 11 April, to be in place for Easter morning.
Any donations towards Easter Lilies in memory of loved ones, or other memorial flowers throughout the year, would be much appreciated.

LANGTON CHURCH FÊTE
The Church Fête is an important date in St George's year as money raised helps with the maintenance and upkeep of this important building.
We are lucky to have many events in our village, but please put 11 July (12-4pm) in your diary and join us for some fun. Stalls, children's games, Swanage Town Band, St George's School Maypole Dancers, cream teas, beer tent, ploughman's lunches, Pimms and much more.
If you are spring cleaning, moving house or clearing out the garage, please remember to put items that may be of use for our Fête to one side. Stall holders may be contacted directly or contact Becca Charron or Di Cook for advice.

Jewellery/gifts Judy Barnes
Books Chris Meadows
China & Glass Lyn Browne
White Elephant Joanne Drew
Toys & Children's books Tracy Stone
Cakes Mary Bell
Jams & Preserves Barbara Turner

Extra helpers are always welcome - even one hour is helpful if you can't do any longer.

HAVE YOU BEEN KNAPPING?
I refer, of course, to the track that runs up from Valley Road in Coombe to Windmill Knap. There's a photo on the left of the gate at the entry to the track - opposite Three Acre Lane. On behalf of the Parish Council, I submitted a final claim to DCC for this lane as a public right of way on 12 March. We have a good case - with two statutory declarations, several usage forms and good historical evidence of its existence. But can you help us with further evidence from your own experience? Anything you can remember would be very useful to strengthen our case. Please contact John Bellucci, the Parish Clerk or myself if you can help. Ian Mackenzie

LANGTON MUSEUM
The Museum opens on 1 April and will be open normally from 10am to midday and 2pm-4pm but closed on Sundays. The Special Exhibition this year is of dress of men, women and boys between 1920 and 1970. Do come and have a look and also tell any visitors about the Museum.

LOCAL HISTORY & PRESERVATION SOCIETY
The Society holds its AGM on Thursday, 23 April at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. All members/prospective members are invited to attend. Rosemary Stevens

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NEWS FROM
WORTH MATRAVERS

ST NICHOLAS CHURCH
The Hearing Loop and Sound System for the Church were launched at the Communion Service on Sunday, 15 March. It took two years but those present thought that the improved clarity was positive.
Rob Clarke, ex church warden, the church PCC and, particularly, Revd Judith are to be thanked; the speed with which Ray Harris of Langton and DAT, the equipment supplier, carried out the installation and commissioning is also to be congratulated. We pray that the system will be reliable and a benefit for the congregation for years to come.
Churchyard clearing is planned by Tim Hoad for Saturday, 18 April, 9.30-12 noon. The principal object is to remove compost so please bring your wheelbarrow. Please turn up to help Tim. (Contact 439380).
An accessory for a camera was found in the church after the 11am service on Sunday, 15 March. Please contact either Marian Holloway or Vernon Young for further information. Vernon Young

COFFEE ON THE GREEN
Our annual event is just a couple of months away, on 25 May, the Spring Bank Holiday, so start looking out all those things you keep meaning to get rid of and let us have them for the bric-a-brac stall, and your old books and toys. And now that spring has come, the next time you're in the garden thinning out those overcrowding plants why not pot them or bag them for the plant stall. And it's not too early to start baking and preserving, we can always do with more contributions for the ever-popular cakes and produce stall. Details of where to take your contributions will be in next months Dubber. And if you'd like to be involved in the event - on a stall or a part of a working party please call Jack Ross. With this wonderful early spring weather we are keeping our fingers crossed that this year our event will be back on the Green.

WORTH AFTERNOON CLUB
The March meeting began with PCSO Rebecca introducing herself to us and giving a brief outline of her duties in the rural villages. Rebecca or one of her colleagues will pop in regularly to our meetings.
Doug Addison enthralled us once again with his wonderful slideshow of his sailing trip, this time to the Northern Baltic in the Summer of 2007. His watercolour sketches of the interesting places he visited punctuated the photographic images beautifully. We look forward to his return with the story of the next part of the voyage of the yacht 'Galatea'. Donations were made to Doug's favourite charity, The Red Shoes, which helps severely disabled children in Dorset.
The April meeting takes place a week earlier than usual, on Wednesday, 1 April when Kate Greenaway will give a talk entitled 'Enjoy being a woman (with men in mind!)' Rachel Seaton

WORTH VILLAGE HALL AGM
The AGM will be held on Wednesday, 15 April at 7.30pm. Please spare an hour or so to have your say about the Village Hall and how it might contribute even more to village life. We have had some very successful events in this last year but we are always looking for new ideas. Permanent residents and second homeowners are all welcome. Come along and let us have your thoughts or just for coffee and a chat with others from the village. Put 15 April in your diary and we hope to see you in the Village Hall for coffee from 7pm. Jack Ross

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING
Worth Matravers APCM is being held straight after Church on Sunday, 19 April in Worth Matravers Village Hall at 12 noon. All who receive the Dubber/or by word of mouth and are on the Electoral Roll would be most welcome to attend the meeting. The meeting will be followed by a bring & share luncheon or preceded by a bring & share luncheon (tba). Pauline L Rolph, Secretary PCC

WORTH MATRAVERS PARISH COUNCIL
Representing the Villages of Worth Matravers & Harmans Cross
I was away on holiday for the March meeting, my first absence in nearly seven years on the Parish Council. The Vice Chairman, Jerry Burden chaired the meeting. Jonathan Kershaw from the National Trust attended the meeting and spoke of the work the Trust are undertaking in the Parish. Work started on 23 February on undergrounding the electricity cables to the west of the village. The rebuilding of the dry stone wall at West Burton Field has progressed well and should be finished by the deadline of 31 March, to enable us to receive grant funding for most of the costs. The owner of Pat's Plot WM, has now confirmed that the permissive footpath will not be withdrawn from the site, as many school children use the path to get to the school bus.
The new Electoral Roll was found to contain many mistakes, particularly with postcodes. The corrections have been sent to PDC who will amend accordingly. It was agreed the trees in the Withy Bed WM, should be reduced in height and the diseased trees removed. The planting of new trees to replace those removed, will help retain the appearance of the Withy Bed. The Clerk is to apply for the necessary permission.

PLANNING APPLICATIONS THIS MONTH

The Parish Council had no objection to the following:
Silver Mist, Valley Road, HX. Second storey rear extension over garage to form two habitable rooms.
TPO. Happy Cottage, WM. Fell 1 diseased apple tree.

GRAFFITI
On 16 March, my phone never stopped ringing with the news media wanting interviews about the graffiti that had been daubed on the new development of houses at the old craft centre site. We condemn the actions that were taken and contrary to what was printed in the national papers, we do not believe that any villagers were involved. Concerns have been raised about the WM Conservation Area Review and the impact the boundary change would have on the residents of WM. Ben Webb, the Design and Conservation Officer, PDC will be attending the next Parish Council meeting to answer any questions. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 7 April at HC Village Hall, starting at 7pm with the Annual Parish Meeting to be followed by the monthly Parish Council meeting at 7.30pm. Joyce Meates, Chairman

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NEWS FROM
KINGSTON

KINGSTON NEWS
We thought that we had finished with snow in the last issue, but no, there was an unexpected fall later in the month of nine inches. We were lucky that there was no wind otherwise there would have been some nasty drifts. There was an unusual sight of a tractor with a snowplough on the back, coming down West Street. It cleared the road, but piled the snow up against the cars, so that it was difficult to get out without a spade. There was another snowperson built and even the builders were not sure of its gender. As these objects are manmade I suppose they have no gender. At the west end of the church an igloo appeared -for the snowperson?
You have to be careful when lighting your fire at this time of the year. Two residents in South Street came home from holiday and immediately lit a fire to warm the house up and found that their chimney was on fire and the Fire Brigade had to be called. While they were away the birds, probably jackdaws, had built a nest in the chimney and it had caught light. Talking of bird, the ravens have started visiting us again, but do not show any signs of staying. They fly about and perch on the church tower and keep the other birds away. I think they just come up here from the Castle to do their courting.
Our three ladies, Winnie Hobbins, Audrey Duffy and Mary Gibbs have all returned from hospital and are recuperating. Sadly Audrey's eyesight is not so good, but she is well looked after by her sister in Swanage and her sons. We wish them all good recoveries.
There was mention in a respectable broadsheet that there was to be a Great Dorset Dinner on Saturday, 7 March. This was to raise money for Julia's House and Naomi House, children's hospices. These dinners were to take place in houses all over Dorset. Unfortunately, the article did not mention our own dear Purbeck Ice Cream among those who gave their local products free. The article interested me for two reasons. There was to be a dinner at Encombe House and the male dress code was rather unusual. Black tie was essential but, at some dinners, jeans or nudity were fine or even to dress as the Cerne Abbas Giant as long as you had a black tie - the mind boggles. Well, good luck to them all and we hope they raised a lot of money for a very good cause.

PARACHUTING TEDDY BEARS
We do hope that as many people as possible will be able to be at the Teddy Bear Parachuting Competition. They will be jumping from the church tower at 4.30pm on the first Wednesday in April.
Sue Ireland would grateful for any flowers for the Church for Easter Sunday. Could you leave them in the porch 10-10.30am on Easter Saturday. If you would like to buy a lily in remembrance of a loved one to be included in the flower arrangements for Church at Easter, please ring Marian Holloway by 31 March. She has to order well in advance to be sure of purchasing the required number.

MONEY RAISING
The PCC has decided, in an effort to keep the church open all the time, to install gates in the church to protect the organ. By doing this we shall fulfil the requirements of the insurance company and at long last people will be able to visit the church without having to go to a key holder. Certain articles in the church will also have to be made secure. Of course this will cost money but it was felt very important that it should be done. The money raising efforts of the church will go towards this project this year. It has been mentioned that we might consider a Kingston Calendar. It is only an idea at the moment, but it would be helpful if, at this juncture, anyone who might have some photographs of Kingston could give their names to Judith, Terry Hardy, Peter Buckle or George Pitman. No promises, but we are just exploring the possibilities. George Pitman

WALK TO SWYRE HEAD
On Saturday 28 February the Swanage Walking Group walked to Swyre Head from Corfe. At 203 metres high, Swyre Head is the highest point in the Isle of Purbeck. We could not see Cherbourg but we had some excellent views. We could see the Isle of Wight up to Blackgang Chine, Poole Harbour, Weymouth and Portland Bill.
On the way back we saw a kestrel hovering over the path by Encombe House. There was a memorial seat for the crew of two aircraft who had died in World War 2. One was a Swordfish that had crashed in 1938; the other was a Liberator that had crashed in 1945. Comparing the two aircraft shows how quickly aviation had developed during the war. The Swordfish was a single engine biplane with an open cockpit whereas the Liberator was a four engine American bomber. Robin Brasher

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NEWS FROM
HARMAN'S CROSS

OLDE TYME MUSIC HALL
Residents and guests are cordially invited to join in the fun of an Olde Tyme Music Hall at 7.30pm on the evening of 25 April at Ye Olde Village Hall.
This colourful event will exhibit an extravaganza of music, dance and drama, with a perfect paraphernalia of performers, ably and attractively attired and assembled by Eileen, and introduced with inimitably indiscriminate indulgence by Roger. Participants in this Victorian Extravaganza are invited to come in appropriate dress - if they so wish - to complement the actors in Jack's Return Home!
Tickets include a finger buffet supper and free glass of wine or juice. Should you require further libation, please bring your own. Tickets may be limited so purchase them soon at £7.50 from Eileen Franklin , Jenny Porter, Roger Free, or the Spar Shop, Harmans Cross. All proceeds from the evening will be donated to the New Village Hall Fund. Alan Stephenson

HCVH 50/50 AUCTION
Local Residents, Village Club and Committee Members delivered close to 100 lots for the 50/50 Auction on 7 March at the Village Hall; sales from which were £817. This sum plus bar takings of nearly £80 brought the grand total to £897! Even after deductions of £263 for the vendors (a number of people donated their 50%), the net total was £634.
The top lot - a French Table - went under the hammer for the bargain price of £250. Hard working organisers, Rob and Theresa Steel, praised the efforts of their team which included the auctioneer Keith Fisher and helpers Ron Wright and Alan Stephenson, catalogue maestro Shaun Williams, Administrative Manager Carole Ayling and bar people Liz and Martin Howell. "As a first event of its kind in the village," said Rob. "We were unsure of the potential outcome but, considering the work rate of the team on the day, we were very happy for all concerned." Alan Stephenson

NEW HALL UPDATE
Our architect has submitted the detailed plans and drawings to Purbeck District Council to obtain building regulation approval. The tender documents will shortly be sent out to the selected builders and, when these are returned later in April, we will have the first indication of the likely cost of our new hall.
We have received a further £15,000 grant, this time from the Garfield Weston Foundation. We also have several other funding applications in the pipeline but, even if these are all successful, we will still have a potential £50,000 funding shortfall unless the returned tenders are much less than the estimated build cost.
We will obviously provide further information about the options available as soon as possible; in the meantime, if you are able to help the project financially please contact Alan Stephenson or Martin Howell.

SUCCESSFUL BOOK SALE
Bargain-hunters queued outside HCVH before the Grand Book Sale opened on 14 March. The power of The Dubber and the local press, combined with poster advertising, brought in a surprisingly large number of people. In all, about 550 books were snapped up for just 20p each, and the organisers were well satisfied with the £115 raised. The bar also had a good morning to boosting takings by selling teas & coffees, soft drinks, beer & wine.
As the old book store is to be demolished to make way for our new village hall, the remaining books are being donated to other local charities: Swanage Pier, Swanage Railway and Swanage Guides.
Please save any books you may wish to donate to us until August, as we will need them for our August Bank Holiday Book Stall at Field Day - more details in The Dubber nearer the time. Jo & Nigel Edmonds

NEW VILLAGE HALL FACILITIES
Readers will have seen the two newsletters which were distributed to homes in Harmans Cross with March's Dubber. These detailed the facilities residents would like to see in the field next to the new Village Hall and in the Hall itself, and followed the consultations carried out by Dorset Community Action (DCA), in conjunction with the Residents' Club, at separate events in October (organised with Worth Matravers Parish Council) and November with young people and adults in the community.
At the Village Hall Management Committee Meeting in March we heard from Gwyneth Brooks of DCA that we have been awarded a grant of up to £50,000 for equipment in the field. Estimates and plans are now being drawn up to replace the existing children's playground equipment and will shortly be put before the Management Committee. They will then be presented to children and others in the community for their consideration, probably at a future Saturday coffee morning, which will be well publicised in The Dubber before the event. Although some of the work in the field will have to await the completion of the new Village Hall in mid 2010, it is hoped to install much of the equipment before then.
Nigel Edmonds, Village Hall Management Committee

HARMANS CROSS RESIDENTS' CLUB
Our first anniversary Club Night was held on 27 February when 40 members attended a very successful event and enjoyed a free glass of mulled wine or soft drink, crisps and peanuts. We celebrated the grant which the Residents' Club received during the year to buy the bistro tables and chairs for the village hall as well as the grant money the Club has been promised for equipment in the adjacent field.
Some members gave us birthday cards and next morning we received the following letter from two members: "Congratulations on such a well-attended anniversary club evening, and on your achievements - social and financial - over the past year. You truly have transformed the chance to 'get together' in the community."
We have just paid over a further £100 from our profits to the new village hall fund, taking our contribution to £600 since August 2008 - with more to follow. At the time of writing, 63 members have renewed their subscriptions for 2009/10. If you would like to join them, please contact Nigel or Jo Edmonds.
Here are the dates for the next few Club Nights at the village hall - all are Fridays from 7.30pm to 10.30pm: 10, 17 & 24 April and 22 & 29 May. Nigel Edmonds, Chairman

RESIDENTS' CLUB GOOD FRIDAY QUIZ NIGHT
The Club bar will be open as usual from 7.30-10.30pm on Good Friday, and from 8.30-9.30pm we are holding a free-to-enter Members and Guests Pub Quiz. There is no need to pre-book, and teams of up to 4 people can be put together on the night. A prize of £5 and a bottle of wine will be awarded to the winners. Nigel Edmonds

THE VILLAGE CLUB
At our last meeting, the Hands-On Pewter Class was much enjoyed by all who took part. Many thanks to Pauline Mckay for her skill and patience and for her promise of possibly another session in HCVH. (Details tbc).
The Mamma Mia evening dinner on 4 April at 7pm (for 7.30) in HCVH will consist of a three course meal, including some Greek dishes. Wine & soft drinks will be available to purchase on the night. Tickets (£8.50) from Eileen.
Our monthly meeting, on 23 April in the hall, is a talk and demonstration on Health & Fitness with Helen Basson. Tea & biscuits as usual. Members free, visitors £2. All welcome.
Advance notice of a Summer coach trip on 21 May. This year we are going to the lovely village of Laycock in Wiltshire which is a National Trust location. The village is home to the Fox Talbot museum of Photography and has been used in BBC productions, the most well known being Pride and Prejudice. (Doubt if Colin Firth will be visible though!) We meet at Harmans Cross bus shelter. Tickets are £9 for members and £11 for non-members. Available from Jenny. Jane Rogers

MODEL RAILWAY GROUP

Click here for more pics
Eight people came to our Railway Modelling Workshop and 26 people came to our meeting on 6 March. John Grisley ran his 1/43rd scale railway. Terry Jenkins ran his Severn Valley Railway layout, Colin and Rita Caddy ran their narrow gauge layout. This was a 4' x 2' Talybryan layout built by the late Brian Burgess who used to be a Dorset Police Sergeant. There were two sales stands, one for locomotives and one for model cars. New items included a Mk3 Ford Cortina and an Austin FX3 Taxi in dark blue over black. Roger Bray ran his Ankleton layout and I ran a new 4'6" x 2'6" test track with two loops and six sidings. Robin Brasher

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HAVE YOUR SAY

DEAR DUBBER
As a resident of one of our lovely Purbeck villages (Harmans Cross) I am upset to have to moan about other, inconsiderate, residents. Why though, on a beautiful sunny day, perfect drying weather for washing, do insensitive people feel the need for lighting a bonfire in the middle of the day? Bonfires ought to be lit at dusk when the sun has gone to bed and people will have had a chance to take their washing in. I do not feel I should have to create a health risk by drying my washing around the house simply because of uncaring bonfire lighters. Why do so few, spoil things for so many? Next time you wish to light a bonfire on a bright sunny day please be understanding neighbours, consider others and wait till dusk.
IRRITATED HOUSEWIFE, HARMANS CROSS

DEAR DUBBER
Housing in Worth has made the national news again with the former craft centre hitting the headlines. The Worth and Harman's Cross Parish Plan expressed the overwhelming desire of the community to see more jobs and more affordable housing in the Parish. It begs the question as to why we have lost jobs at the Craft Centre and still have no community housing at Football Field in Worth. Your Community Trust has been working very hard for three and a half years to get the five affordable houses built. However, 'the system' has made it much easier for developers to strip assets from our village than for the Trust to create new community assets.
For example, the development at the craft centre is on brownfield land and the new house crosses the village development boundary. The developer had minimal conditions placed on the development. In contrast the Trust had to undertake a costly contaminated land survey and wait fifteen months for the Council to agree a Section 106 legal agreement.
And what about finance? We found that the major banks will not finance community affordable housing developments - nor will they give mortgages to community shared ownership schemes. Despite the low risk involved, such schemes are 'unusual' and so they can not be funded. If only they had taken that same cautious approach with their mainstream mortgages and loans to developers. But we have found that the Charity Bank and the Ecology Building Society are two ethical organisations that have been very supportive, as has Synergy Housing.
And grants? In addition to the magnificent contributions from our local community, Purbeck District Council and the Tudor trust have also been very generous in making very significant donations. We now need a Government housing grant to fill the final gap. The Government do have a system to give affordable housing grants to housing associations and to private developers. But they do not have a system to give such grants to community groups. So in early October 2008 we agreed to act as a national pilot that would 'set up a new system and give us a grant by the end of November 2008'. We spent a week filling in all their forms and sending requested information. But it was February 2009 before the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) even looked at our pre-qualification questionnaire. The HCA has now told us that we do not fit their criteria for shared ownership housing grants - so we have to submit a new business model based on rented houses. This requires more expensive consultant input to undertake whole life cost studies of the houses. There is some slow progress but still no sign of an actual grant offer - still some months away, we fear. Our board continue to work hard to make this happen and we are learning how to jump over ever bigger hurdles!
BOB KENYON, WORTH COMMUNITY PROPERTY TRUST

POP IDOL'S VISIT TO HCVH
I'm attempting to produce a little illustrated booklet of Harmans Cross Village Hall, before it is demolished next year.
Any recollections you may have of any event in the Hall or on the Field will be welcome, whether even further back than the days of that pop singer Frankie Vaughan (who visited in 1961) or as recent as last year. Recent or old photos will be copied, with your permission, and returned promptly.
I've had some wonderful recollections already, but I need more - brief or lengthy - hand-written, typed, emailed or spoken (if it suits you, I can pop round with a little tape recorder). All the proceeds from the sale of the booklet will help meet the cost of our new hall, so please, do get in touch with me. Roger Free 481389 or email (address below)
All Letters can be submitted by post to Terry Whicker (contact details on page 3), by hand to Langton Church or Post Office or emailed to Roger Free

THE PURBECK PRODUCE RECIPE
ED'S OSSO BUCHO
4 Purbeck veal ossi buchi (veal shin)
2 tbsp olive oil
plain flour, for dusting
salt and pepper
30g butter
1 small onion, chopped very finely
½ celery stick, chopped finely
150ml dry white wine
290ml hot stock
For the gremolata:
1 lemon, zest only, grated
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

In a sauté pan large enough to fit all the ossi buchi in one layer, heat the oil & brown the ossi buchi on both sides after lightly dusting them with flour. Remove them from the pan and reserve. Add butter to the pan & add the chopped vegetables with a pinch of salt. Cook them gently without burning for a few minutes. When vegetables are soft, return the meat to the pan and add the wine. Cook gently until the moisture is almost completely dried out. Add the hot stock, turn the heat down and cover with a tight lid. Cook gently for 1½ hours or until the meat is coming off the bone, turning them regularly (lift them gently so that they stay in one piece and the marrow is not lost). When cooked, place the ossi buchi on to the serving dish and keep them warm.
Mix all the gremolata ingredients together and sprinkle onto the ossi buchi before serving. (Serves 4)
If you have a Purbeck Produce recipe that you'd like to share, please send it to ed@thedubber.co.uk

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WHAT'S ON
EVERY MONTH

Langton Toddler Group Thurs 1.30-3pm (term-time only) St George's
Pre-School
Folk Dancing Tues 7.30-9.45pm LMVH
HX Art Group Tues 2pm HXVH
LANGTON SCOUTS & GUIDES (Term time only)
Scouts
M. Haysom Mon 7-9pm LSH
Cubs
Phil Stuckey Tues 6.30-8pm LSH
Beavers
Barbara Bray Tues 5-6pm LSH
Rainbows
Val Burden Weds 4.30-5.30pm LSH
Guides
Val Burden Weds 6.45-8.45pm LSH
Brownies
Sue Bonfield Thurs 6-7.30pm LSH

APRIL 2009
1 12.30pm Lent Lunch LMVH
1 2.30pm Worth Afternoon Club WMVH
1 4.30pm Teddy Bear Parachuting Kingston Ch
3 7.30pm Model Railway Group HCVH
4 1.30pm Burngate Fun day Burngate SC
4 7pm Mamma Mia
Evening Dinner (£8.50) HCVH
6 & 7 All day Fossil Show Square & Compass
7 7pm Worth Annual Parish Meeting WMVH
7 7.30pm Worth Parish Council Meeting WMVH
10 1.30pm Marine Egg Hunt (£2) Kimmeridge
10-13 10am-
5pm Visit the Lookout St Alban's Head Watchstation
10 7.30pm
8.30pm HC Residents' Club
Pub Quiz HCVH
11 10-2pm Purbeck Produce Putlake Farm
14 2pm Great Kimmeridge Eggcase Hunt (£2) Slipway,
Kimmeridge
15 7.30pm Worth Village Hall AGM WMVH
15 7pm Railway Modelling Workshop HCVH
17 7.30pm HC Residents' Club HCVH
18 9.30-12 Churchyard Clearing St Nicholas Ch
18 7.30pm Purbeck Chamber Choir (£5) Kingston Church
18 10-3pm Microscope Meeting LMVH
19 12 noon Worth Matravers
APCM WMVH
22 7.30pm Green Drinks with PEAT Greyhound, Corfe
23 7.30pm LM Local History & Preservation Soc AGM LMVH
23 2pm HC Village Club HCVH
24 7.30pm HC Residents' Club HCVH
24 7.30pm Clayesmore Concert Kingston Ch
25 10-2pm Purbeck Produce Putlake Farm
25 2-5pm Rockpool Ramble
(Booking essential) Slipway,
Kimmeridge
25 10am-12.30pm NSPCC Sale Catholic Ch Hall, Swanage
26 1pm Great Dorset Beach Clean Worbarrow Bay
29 7.30-
9pm Nearly New Clothes Sale St George's School Hall

MAY
2 7.30pm Belvedere Singers (£7) St Mary's Ch

NEWS FROM NOWHERE
When people ask me for the latest news about Worth I am usually pushed to remember anything much that has happened. However it was not a problem this month for something happened last week which was so unusual and unexpected that it got the village into the national newspapers and on television. I refer to the slogans against second homes which were daubed on the new houses built opposite the pub.
I went to see what they said but every trace of them gone It was slightly unsettling and one felt that Worth had moved a shade nearer slogan infested Belfast during the troubles. Memories of the old joke "Come home to a good fire - buy a cottage in Wales" sprang to mind. Not so long ago similar signs were painted on a new development in Swanage and I suppose we must expect more of the same, for second homes are a hot potato which no one in Local or National Government is prepared to grasp. The reason is that while the votes it might gain are few, there are many to be lost. The homeless have never been very good at voting whereas the propertied classes know exactly how to unsettle a marginal MP by threatening to withhold their support.
It is a great pity it has come to this for second home owners contribute so much to the community both in trade and social involvement. In fact their only downside in my opinion is that they are not here full time. A village which has half its houses empty most of the time, struggles to remain viable for eventually it has no shop, no post office, no school and precious few children. Also, if the property entry fee to a village is enormous, one inevitably ends up with a community populated mainly by the very rich and the middle aged who are then transformed as time moves on and health breaks down, into the no longer very rich and the very old.
I fear I now belong to this second group and I pricked up my ears when I heard of a gadget designed to make life easier for the senior citizen, which was a high speed Stenna Stair lift guaranteed to get you upstairs so fast that you arrived before you had forgotten why you wanted to go there.
Anyhow, I hope local people won't take the second home battle into their own hands for then things could get very nasty indeed. Possibly the recession will help, because firms may no long be able to afford having their workers commute to expensive city office blocks every morning and will opt instead to have them at home in front of computer screens in their electronically super equipped country cottages. Then, we might see the return of full time young adult residents and their children and even the plumbers and gardeners they need as well; then, there would no longer be a need for anyone to paint messages on stones.
Anyhow, slogans in my view are not what they were. Political punch lines like WORKERS UNITE went out with the ending of the second world war, but they were quickly replaced by the yearnings of love sick teenagers, who expressed their feelings by painting the name of their beloved on any bit of available concrete. JAMES DEAN was all over the place - often across some bridge in huge letters - a little wobbly due to the artist having been held upside down by their ankles while they were painting it.
Then a little later on the graffiti became more biblical with quotations from the 'Book of Revelations' or Blake something like THE HORSES OF THE ACCROPALYPSE ARE GREATER THAN THE TIGERS OF WRATH... slogans which required considerably more paint but somehow only seemed deeply significant to someone whose brain had been destroyed by a lifetime of drugs.
Some of the signs of course had a more specific purpose. The road outside my office in London was a straight run ending more or less in a brick wall where the road veered sharply to the left. Form time to time one would hear the roar of a car accelerating followed by a sickening crash as some boy racer failed to negotiate the bend. Someone painted SPEED KILL in huge letters on the wall as a warning. It was very public spirited of them, but I always thought that the absence of the final S showed that they had not managed to jump out of the way in time. Tony Viney