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What to do this summer

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

There is so much to do over the summer holidays in this area. Look, visit and enjoy.

Poole Town and Country Show at Upton Country Park. Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 August 10am-5pm. Suffolk Punch horse demonstrations, birds of prey, medieval re-enactment village including fighting knights, the Sheep Show, working and agility dogs, as well as rural demonstrations. Arts, craft and gift marquees. Companion Dog Show on Sunday. Admission: £5, concessions £4, Children age 5-16 £2, Family Ticket: £12 (2 adults and 2 children)

Upton Country House Craft Fair – August Bank Holiday, 29 and 30 August. Entrance to house £1. Free parking.

2-8 August - Bournemouth Carnival week with a procession on 8 August

Wimborne Market – come rain or shine, the largest covered market in the area offers a wealth of fresh produce, flowers, stalls, antiques and bric-a-brac. There is a small charge for parking, but no entry fee, so turn up and browse. Refreshments available.

Walford Mill - Until 5 September Summer Exhibition, Gardener’s Delight. A beautiful collection of botanical studies by David Crompton runs alongside the exhibition. Free event.

Wednesday nights - Flowers by Candlelight in Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens throughout August. Tapers will be available from dusk. Get there early to avoid the queues. Performances in the Bandstand during the Candle light evenings will include:
4 August – Poole Borough Band (as part of Bournemouth Carnival week)
11 August – Poole Borough Band
25 August – Gugge2000

Heavy Horse Farm Park – a unique mix of education and fun for all the family. Daily shows and heavy horse demonstrations. Free wagon rides and tractor trailer rides. Try driving a real tractor. Pony rides, fun straw barn, go-kart area. Craft activities. During the last week in August, the park is holding a midsummer country evening with a live band and BBQ. Tickets on sale now.

Dorset Arts and Crafts at Bovington Middle School – claimed to be the biggest and best craft show in Dorset. 6-10 August. Free parking. With a special section: Passion for beading.

14 and 15 August - Christchurch Carnival Procession leaves Stanpit at approximately 3.30pm arriving at the Quay at around 4.30pm. Grand Firework Display on Saturday night at 9.30pm

Trehanes Nursery – pick-your-own blueberries at this Hampreston attraction near Stapehill, which was recently featured on the “The One Show.” A healthy morning or afternoon between the blueberry bushes will be rewarded with punnets of plump fruit.

Friday night firework displays from Bournemouth Pier at 10pm throughout August

New Forest Safaris – treasure the memory. Come face-to-face with red deer on these inspiring New Forest Safaris, which set off regularly from Burley (behind the Queen’s Head). Travel through ancient woodland to a tranquil lake. Keep very quiet and you should be rewarded with a visit from curious deer. If you are lucky, they may even feed from your hand. Also camping, barbecues and corporate events.

Thursday nights - Fireworks on the beach. Takes place on Shore Road Beach, Sandbanks, Poole. Entertainment and BBQ. Throughout August from 7pm, fireworks at 10pm

Lulworth Castle – a great day out for all the family especially with the Knights of Lulworth Castle appearing in August. This jousting spectacular runs until 30th and will thrill you with realistic battles, foot combats, medieval games and equestrian expertise.

19-22 August – Bournemouth Air Festival said to be the biggest event of its kind in the UK. It takes place between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers. This year’s line-up includes the Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial flight, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Royal Navy Blackcats Helicopter displays

Forest FM breaking through

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

You will have read about Forest FM’s Breakthrough artists in Viewpoint over the last couple of years; you may even have gone to some of the gigs at the New Legion and no doubt listened to the bands and soloists playing on the radio.

Viewpoint caught up with the Forest FM presenters, Alan Dorey and Tony Warren, who consider the applications and organise the Breakthrough events.

Avid Forest FM listeners will know that Tony Warren hosts ‘Wired’ on Monday nights and Alan’s show, ‘Musical Box’ is every Thursday night.

Their idea to promote and support local musicians and artists with the Breakthrough award has taken off.

Alan said, “We have a Myspace site and invite bands and artists to apply.” Every month a new act is chosen from those who submit an application form along with music samples.”

Since the project began, a Breakthrough artist has been selected almost every month. This has given musicians the chance to get known. The Breakthrough award includes airspace everyday for a month on Forest FM, a concert at Verwood’s New Legion, a live session, press and publicity.

Although Alan is modest about the influence Forest FM has had on the Breakthrough artists, there are a number who have made quite a name for themselves since receiving the accolade.

Lou Brown is one. She was featured in January last year. Alan says, “She has played at several fesitvals and appeared at local venues. She is currently working with guitar legend Clive Gregson who is producing her next album.”

Andy Grant is another. He is an roots/blues guitarist from Weymouth. He gigs regularly in the area and is now playing festivals and some larger venues.

A Breakthrough rock band, Black Bart, from Ringwood are highly thought of and involved in working on videos and supporting movie production, as well as playing extensively across the region.

The youngest artist to become a Breakthrough artist was Charlie Hole, who at sixteen was chosen as a support act. “He is really good,” says Alan, “And was chosen as a lead act this year. We are looking for quality as well as local people.”

Breakthrough considers applications from bands and artists in an area radiating out from Verwood to Bournemouth and Poole, Salisbury and Southampton and sometimes Tony and Alan invite people to apply. “Some musicians don’t recognise when they are good,” explains Alan. “We are looking for those who write their own material. We don’t mind the occasional cover, but our aim is to find the next generation of people creating music.”

The latest Breakthrough artists are a Bournemouth folk rock band called ‘Gnostics.’ They will be playing at the New Legion on 12 December.

The New Legion is currently under threat of closure, but a management committee has been set up to become responsible for running the venue. Alan Dorey happens to be the deputy chairman of that committee and he is hopeful of a cheery outcome for the New Year.

A beautiful bird for Christmas

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

For many people, the most stressful part of Christmas is the preparation and cooking of the perfect Christmas roast. Use Loseley’s Naturally Softer Butter and follow this recipe and you should be able to achieve just that. With nothing added and nothing taken away, Loseley’s Naturally Softer Butter has all the taste and creaminess of traditional slab butter, but with the convenience of being spreadable straight from the fridge.

Serves 14

Ingredients

Onion base for gravy
1/2 cup (1 stick) Loseley Naturally Softer Butter
4 large onions,
thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey

Turkey
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) Loseley Naturally Softer Butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 turkey (21 to 22 pound), neck, heart, and gizzard reserved
1 large onion, quartered
4 1/2 cups (about) low-salt chicken broth
2 large fresh
rosemary sprigs
2 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons
all purpose flour

For gravy base
Melt Loseley butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until deep brown. Mix in rosemary and thyme, and then flour. Stir for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and honey and simmer until thickened. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For turkey
Mix Loseley butter and herbs in small bowl. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Place on rack in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Starting at neck end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen the skin. Spread 1/4 cup of herb butter over the breast meat under skin. Rub remaining butter over outside of the turkey. Place turkey parts and onion quarters in the pan around turkey. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. If you are stuffing the turkey, spoon the stuffing loosely into main cavity and neck cavity. Tuck the wing tips under and tie the legs together loosely to hold its shape. Roast the turkey uncovered for 1 hour. Then cover the turkey breast and tops of drumsticks with foil and roast for another hour. Add 1 cup of broth, herb sprigs, and bay leaf to the drippings in the pan. Baste with 3/4 cup broth and pan juices every 30 minutes for about 2 hours 30 minutes for unstuffed, and 3 hours for stuffed. Test the turkey to ensure it is cooked properly. Transfer it to a platter and let it stand for 30 minutes.

Strain the pan juices into an ‘8-cup’ measuring cup and spoon the fat off the top. Heat the gravy base over a medium heat and then whisk in flour and then pan juices. Boil until gravy is reduced to 7 cups, stirring occasionally for about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

Serve the turkey with the gravy and your choice of vegetables.