The Dorset Life Podcast

It’s a perfect half hour’s listening to start the new year – we catch up with the latest political thoughts before Roger shares the tale of the 18th century death that may not have have happened. We explore the winter woodland landscape with Dorset Wildlife Trust, and Jane Adams has some fascinating insight into our winter bees. Lastly, in yet another podcast exclusive, Terry has a chat with the a...

It's a perfect half hour's listening this week - we start with TV presenter Alice Plunkett answering the Random 19 questions. Then, in a podcast exclusive, Jenny has interviewed Sherborne's Mike Burks on his Dorset Island Discs choices. Lastly Tracie met up with the two 'retired' craftesmen who have established an entirely new career, and MP Simon Hoare discusses Levelling Up here in the south: An...

It's the first episode of the month, so it's of course the front section this week – starting as always with Letter from the Editor, then the lead feature stories, plus this month's reader's letters: In her end-of-the-year round up, Laura thanks the team - and you A swift look at the baking aisle in your local supermarket will tell you that the UK egg industry is in crisis. Andrew Livingston repor...

Rewilding Wild Woodbury – Dorset Wildlife Trust’s project records more than 1,100 species in its first year Wildlife writer Jane Adams goes in search of mysterious hares in Dorset churches which may have originated in Buddhist China Hedgerows have inexplicably been left out of the climate change action plan, says Rupert Hardy, chairman of North Dorset CPRE A recent case of animal neglect on a Dors...

Kicking off with the Letters to the Editor, we've then had some fascinating conversations with some well-known local personalities, including Sonnaz from the Repair Shop (who answers our 19 random questions), and Athelhampton's owner Giles Keating sharing his Dorset Island Discs: Letters to the Editor – listen to what others think (our postbag is always open – send emails to  letters@bvmagazine.co...

As the first episode of the month, it's of course the front section this week – starting as always with Letter from the Editor, then the lead feature stories and this week we've added the current political thoughts (because the way things are, if we wait another week on those they'll be irrelevant!): In her letter from the editor, Laura (like us all) is considering the ever-more-worrying cost of l...

Dorset Archives Trust has begun fundraising to enable it to unlock the internationally significant, UNESCO-listed archive of author Thomas Hardy. At present the collection consists of more than 150 boxes of material including diaries, photographs, letters, books, architectural plans and poetry, and is only available to those searching the archive in person, and they hope to digitise the complete c...

In the second of October's episodes, we have A Country Living (thatching!), Meet your Local (CHEESE!), the politics section – which is still interesting, though it feels a little dated now. It's been a wild couple of weeks! – and local history with Roger Guttridge: Mike Howe’s ‘office’ this week is a stunning 16th century cottage in the heart of the beautiful village of Abbotsbury. Far from drawin...

As the first episode of the month, it's the front section this week – Ed's letter, the lead feature stories and the Random 19: In her letter from the editor, Laura is wondering where all the grown ups went (and she apologises for galloping through slightly – this was her fifth attempt at getting through the paragraph about Pog without needing to stop and gulp a little) NHS Dorset is investing in t...

In this episode, we have the equestrian, wildlife and farming sections, plus the Letters to the Editor: Laura Wilson watched a therapist treat her horse – and gave up accounting to train as a McTimoney animal chiropractor As weaning begins for this year’s foals, the stud begins to focus on sales, says Lucy Procter of The Glanvilles Stud The August ground was so hard that Team Bartlett headed north...

In the second of the September BV Podcast: 'The NHS has lost its way’ – Patricia Miller, CEO for Dorset’s Integrated Care Board, oversees complex health services and health improvement programmes. Her thoughts on Dorset's poverty and its inextricable link to the population's health are eye-opening as she shares her fascinating life's story through her Dorset Island Discs In politics this month, li...

Just a few days after the September issue of the BV magazine published, the nation mourned the death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In recognition of this, Jenny Devitt leads this podcast with a statement from all of us at the BV, and with the words of Angus Campbell, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Dorset:  “Our loss is incalculable.” In the first of The BV podcast's September epsiodes,  Bo...

In this week's episode we dip into the wildlife and farming sections, along with a fascinating article from the health section on why you're never too old to keep on moving - and a personal trainer isn't such a stupid idea even if you're in your 70s or 80s: The latest Winterborne Kingston dig reveals the lifestyle and habits of our Dorset forebears more than 2,000 years ago, says Roger Guttridge W...

In this week's episode: Laura Beddow is a Dorset councillor, a parrot rescuer, and dreams of an itinerant life playing her viola around a campfire with a cider in her hand. She shares the tracks of her years in Dorset Island Discs. ‘Don’t sell the sausage. Sell the sizzle.’ Sophie Baker is managing to do both –  brilliantly – with her award-winning sausage business, reports Tracie Beardsley in thi...

Lead story this week is the visit to Dorset of the two Tory leadership contenders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak - Fanny Charles was on the spot to ask their thoughts on pertinent rural issues such as farming and housing. In the month we saw the Lionesses lift the European trophy, Rachael Rowe has spoken to three North Dorset women who have become national champions in their traditionally-male sports....

BV July '22, Part 3. In the third and final July episode we have the Equestrian, wildlife and farming sections: Is the Connemara simply the best pony? Local breeder Kate Walters explains their appeal and introduces a couple of Connemara superstars Last month one curious foal stole our hearts with her naughty leap inside a small pen after a ruptured bladder operation – Lucy from Glanvilles Stud sha...

BV July '22, Part 2. In this second of July's episodes: Maggie Ollerenshaw, the acclaimed British actress, takes on the Random 19 questions Maggie Ollerenshaw, a proud Mancunian now resident in Stalbridge, is perhaps most famous for playing comedic Northerners, particularly in the sitcoms Last of the Summer Wine and Open All Hours  “The best guitarist that I have ever seen live” - Dorset Island Di...

BV July '22, Part 1. In this first of July's episodes: The Letter from the Editor, Laura Hitchcock Second mosaic at Hinton St Mary leads to a history re-write Archaeologists have discovered a second mosaic at the site of Hinton St Mary’s iconic Roman mosaic pavement – almost six decades after the original discovery – and it is challenging everything we thought we knew. New reserve is a tribute to...

BV June '22, Part 3. In the third and final of June's episodes: In Farming, hares don’t seem to become an issue, reflects Dorset NFU county chairman George Hosford, but beavers (and, surprisingly, Jeremy Clarkson) pose far tougher questions – and there don’t seem to be any easy answers. And as the pig crisis is ignored, the poultry crisis deepens and the supermarkets refuse to budge, Andrew Living...

BV June '22, Part 2. In the second of June's episodes: “I consider 1984 to be the greatest year of music” Luke Rake, Kingston Maurward College's Principal and CEO, also chairs the Dorset Local Nature Partnership. This month he was our castaway for Dorset Island Discs - and revealed a darker, LOUDER side. By day, he’s a mild-mannered college principal. By night, he‘s a rock-playing guitar man with...

BV June '22, Part 1. In this first of June's episodes: The Letter from the Editor, Laura Hitchcock Walks and card games in Durweston are helping one family settle in Adrian and Marie Fisher in Durweston have welcomed three generations of one Ukrainian family. Adrian shares how they are settling into life in Dorset North Dorset offers a welcome A local committee has been quietly working to help set...

In Farming this month, Dorset NFU County Chair George Hosford discusses dealing with beetle, unseasonal weather and confusing, costly messages from the EA. Rising costs due to the Ukraine war combined with dry weather spell challenges for farmers, says James Cossins, while Andrew Livingston discusses big businesses buying productive farmland to promote their ‘green’ credentials may impact rural co...

In May episode two: Buying two horses unseen was a risk, but the results are absolutely wonderful, and the season has started well, says Toots Bartlett, National three day event rider. In Tales from the Vale, Andy Palmer shares tales of rationing and his mum's war The fascinating history of compassion, bravery and the largest pitched battle in Dorset during the Civil War is told by Rupert Hardy, c...

BV May, Part 1. You asked, and we listened - this month we've broken the magazine into week-sized chunks for you so that it's not such a mammoth two hour listen. In this first of May's episodes: The Letter from the Editor How ‘A Dorset Kitchen’ is so very much more than a recipe book A wonderful new country life focusing on home-grown produce and beautiful food could have been shattered by the dea...

April issue out now! Grab a coffee and settle in for your favourite half hour of the month...  https://bit.ly/TheBV Top stories this month: - chair of Shillingstone Parish Council, Rachel McNamara, saw the events unfolding in Ukraine and like all of us yearned to help. So she packed a bag and headed to Krakow, where she's been providing much-needed help at a refugee station. - A unique heritage pr...