Rationing to Rock ‘n’ Roll

On Saturday morning the rain finally gave it a rest and so I had the opportunity to officially open the exhibition by joining our Town Crier outside in Bucky Doo square. As always John quickly drew a large crowd with a combination of his (very) bell ringing and loud voice and the humorous content of his proclamation soon had the crowd smiling. Then it was off to the Town Hall for the exhibition. What an overnight transformation! The volunteers had worked so hard in just a few hours to assemble all of the exhibits to truly bring back memories of the 50s for many of us and give a taste of what life was like then to those who were too young to remember. It truly was a decade for changes and new ideas in many spheres of life, all set against the backdrop of continued rationing. I had the pleasure of, once again, eating tapioca pudding (frog spawn) but drew the line at semolina and blancmange. There were many examples of day to day life, children’s toys, clothing and memorabilia that seemed to stimulate many conversations and reflections of living and growing up in the 50’s. Examples of an electric iron and vacuum cleaner reminded me that the society and expectations have certainly changed. Those changes are apparent today when we consider that we would not want to be without our refrigerators/freezers/cordless this and that, dishwashers, televisions, cars, computers, gaming stations, (Alexa?) and I almost forgot-mobile “phones”. I am sure there are many more things that could be added to this list?

I hope the photographs tell the story better than I can. Please note that the exhibition is free and on until the 20^th of August, 10.00 am to 4 pm in the Town Hall, you really should try and treat yourselves by visiting this while you still can!

 

 

West Bay Day

On Sunday once again the weather smiled on West Bay and all of the hard work put in to the event by volunteers and the generous sponsorship by many local businesses made this the wonderful fun event that we have become used to. The Bay soon became rather full of smiling locals and tourists enjoying the fun and games, stalls, classic cars, food and drink and it was truly a day to remember. The event is a very important fund raiser for local charities and I was pleasantly surprised to find that parking for the day was free but any money received through the machines or the parking App by way of donations would go
straight to the event. A welcome gesture from Dorset council.

I spent a few hours strolling around in the sunshine with Bridget before playing a very small part in the proceedings at 2pm. After scaling the steps to get on to the stage I simply welcomed everyone to the event and introduced the first act, Nina Garcia. What a wonderful talent she is with her musical and singing ability.

The afternoon continued with various acts entertaining the crowd and finally at 10pm we were treated to a fantastic firework display to end the day.

Well done to West Bay Day organisers and volunteers who worked so hard to put on such a wonderful day and thanks to all those who attended and donated, we hope you all enjoyed the day.

Lyme Regis Civic Day

On Monday, Bridget and I represented Bridport at the Lyme Regis Civic day hosted by Mayor and Mayoress David and Erica Sarson. Once again the sun shone, rather surprising for August! Their Town Crier ( Alan Vian) started the day with a fascinating history tour of the Cob and Lyme in general as we walked to the end of the Cob and back.

The town is known for its picturesque harbour, sandy beaches and fossil-filled cliffs. The ancient town has a rich and varied history that dates back to the Roman period and has been a popular tourist destination since the 16th century. It was also the site of a major battle in the English Civil War in 1644, and was later a popular seaside resort for the Victorians. During the 20th century, Lyme Regis became famous for its fossil hunting, like other seaside destinations on the Jurassic coast, and remains a popular destination for fossil hunters from around the world.

We then walked the length of the esplanade and were treated to some interesting history and facts about the historic and Victorian buildings fronting the beach. It was surprising to hear that some of them were “Bath Houses” and originally had underground bathing facilities fed by the sea.

Lunch was in Lyme Regis Bowls club and we then walked back to the Jubilee Pavilion      where we were treated to a display of Ballet from the very talented young ladies of the Lyme Regis Ballet School.

This was followed by a visit to the RNLI station to hear about their boat and rescues carried out over the years and how they worked together with other stations and rescue services. Very brave volunteers!

Just as we were leaving the alarms went off and it seemed as though we were about to see a launch in response to an emergency – thankfully it was a false alarm but an exciting few minutes.

The day finished with a visit to the Boatbuilding Academy and it was an extremely interesting visit, I often wondered what went on inside and finally found out about the history and what it has to offer, the information below is from their website:

The Boat Building Academy was founded in 1997 by naval commander Tim Gedge. He was a great sailor who realized there was a gap in the marine industry, which was lacking boating skills as well as, boat builders to fill all positions.

An old RAF lookout post, located in Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, is the home for a team of tutors and staff with the common passion for teaching the craft of building and making. The Academy has become a leading boat building school in the UK and the world, offering a range of course for those interested in learning the art of boat building and woodworking.

In 2009, the BBA developed a furniture making course program with the same philosophy as the boat building education, intensive and practical development of competencies. Today, the Boat Building Academy & Furniture School continues to train women and men from all walks of life with the common passion for building and making.

We really enjoyed the day and were treated to great hospitality. Thanks to all of those who helped to make the day so enjoyable.

And finally a picture of Lyme Regis in the sun.

Mayoress Report

I enjoyed another afternoon at the Memory Cafe, St Swithins Church Hall, last week.

It is a pleasure to take part in the activities with tea and biscuits and a final sing-a-long with Jim who leads on the ukulele.

Alzheimer’s UK, who facilitate the sessions are always looking for volunteers to help set up, make drinks etc – 2 hrs per session twice a month.

Contact Jim Marshall, Dementia Adviser: 07719074485 or email jim.marshall@alzheimers.org.uk

It is a fun and welcoming environment and a lifeline for carers.

I met a member of the START (Support, Transition and Recovery Team) there. She was supporting one of the clients to enable him to access and enjoy the activities and games including a very lively game involving beetles (not real ones).

This service operates alongside community mental health teams. It offers person centred, focussed and time limited intervention including social inclusion and support to access community activities.

To access support, contact 07824104646 or email: dhc.start@nhs.net

START run open groups, see the photographs below for further details.

Upcoming Engagements

Friday 11 August 09.00 : Morrisons- Walk to the top of Mount Everest Challenge (First 15 mins slot on the Treadmill!)

Sunday 13 August: Crown the Carnival Princess at the Teddy Bear’s picnic (Mountfield) 12.00
Sunday afternoon: trying the 5 pubs challenge. 11.30 onwards from the Loders Arms

Wednesday: Seatown RNLI BBQ and fundraiser 16.00

Saturday 19 August : Bridport Carnival

Sunday 20 August: The Torchlight Parade