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DIGITAL EDITION
FOR LYME REGIS, UPLYME & CHARMOUTH ● FORTNIGHTLY ● APRIL 3 2020 ● www.lyme-online.co.uk
LOCAL MUSICIANS IN PIANO DA Y RECORD PAGE 14
Red Arrows will not appear in Lyme this year THE Red Arrows will not be appearing in Lyme Regis this summer. Notification from RAF events that an application for their crack aerobatic team to appear in Lyme in July has been met with disappointment. The Red Arrows, in ever-increasing demand especially after last summer’s tour of duty in the United States, gave breathtaking displays over Lyme Bay for more than 40 years. Philip Evans MBE, who applied for the another display this year, said the news was especially disappointing as it was likely to be a very difficult summer for local traders. He added that he will apply again next year but felt it was unlikely the Arrows would return to Lyme in the near future. REPORT, PAGE 3
Happy 100th birthdays!
Football season called to an end amid virus
TWO local residents have celebrated their 100th birthdays while in isolation. Lindley Baker from Yawl and Edna Imhoff, a resident of Bymead Nursing Home in Charmouth, both marked their 100th birthdays last week but full celebrations have been put on hold due to the coronavirus epidemic. See page 12 for full stories
Focussing on positives
MAYOR WRITES LETTER TO RESIDENTS AMID PANDEMIC "PERHAPS one thing the virus has shown us is what really matters, what the important things are."
That is one of the messages the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, is sending to the town's residents as the coron-
avirus pandemic takes hold. Cllr Larcombe has written a personal letter to Lyme Regis residents about how the virus is being dealt with nationally and locally, thanking local volunteers who are helping others during the crisis, and sending out a message of hope. The mayor has spoken of these
“unprecedented” times, acknowledging the scale of the national initiative in response to the outbreak. He said: "We are all paying regard to the announced advice, guidance and instruction of government, and while no one knows the ultimate reach and extent of the virus, it is of a virulent nature and will impact
communities, both in the cases contracted and the effect current measures place on everyday life." Cllr Larcombe has spoken about the challenges of providing support and services locally due to self-isolation and social distancing but
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
THERE will be no more local football this season as the FA have ruled an end to the 20192020 season. The Football Association will be working with County FAs in the coming days to determine how they will bring their various leagues to a conclusion. REPORT, PAGE 18
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Busy in the bay
www.lyme-online.co.uk edit@lyme-online.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LymeOnlineUK Twitter: twitter.com/LymeOnlineUK Instagram: instagram.com/lymeonline Editor: Francesca Evans francesca@lyme-online.co.uk 07810 221 420 Contributors: Philip Evans philip@lyme-online.co.uk Richard Austin edit@lyme-online.co.uk Regular Columnists: Sophia Moseley, Marine Theatre Mark Vandeweyer, Citizens Advice Peter Lacey, Tales of Lyme’s Past Production: Jackie Evans jackie@lyme-online.co.uk
LymeOnline is a proud member of WHILE many residents have been walking the length of the seafront for their daily dose of exercise during ‘lockdown’, there has been plenty of activity out in Lyme Bay to keep them entertained. Several large vessels have passed Lyme Regis over the past week, with this huge rig capturing the most attention. The arrival of the barge Karaveg, carrying a rig named Magisus, resulted in some concerns that drilling would be carried out in Lyme Bay. But it was actually just sheltering from the strong winds for a few days before continuing its journey to Flushing, towed by tug Sparfell. The HMS Prince of Wales was also spotted in the bay last week. Photo by Richard Austin
LymeOnline and the Environment
LymeOnline recognises climate change and environmental concerns as one of the most important current issues faced by our local community and across the globe. We are committed to continued, fair and accurate reporting of environmental news and events, as well as taking action to reduce our own impact on the environment. Print and paper is used by news media publishers to produce their print titles. Newsprint is uncoated paper, made out of mechanical pulp or waste paper, which is used to produce newspapers. Newspapers are not responsible for rainforest depletion; the hardwoods from tropical rainforests are simply not suitable for newsprint production. Newsprint is an environmentally sound, renewable resource which comes from managed softwood coniferous forests, mainly in North America and Europe. For every tree cut down, two or three more are planted. Between 2005 and 2015 European forests grew by 44,160 sqkm. The newspaper industry has a voluntary agreement with the government on the recycled content of UK newspapers, which is supported by our printers Newsquest, which is committed to purchasing newsprint responsibly to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve resources In 1991, the UK publishers set a target of achieving 40 per cent recycled content in newspapers by the year 2000. The industry met this target four years ahead of schedule. In 2018, the recycled paper content of UK newspapers was 69.2 per cent.
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Red Arrows will not appear this summer THE Red Arrows will not be appearing in Lyme Regis this summer.
Notification from RAF events that an application for their crack aerobatic team to appear in Lyme in July has been met with disappointment. The Red Arrows, in ever-increasing demand especially after last summer’s tour of duty in the United States, gave breath-taking displays over Lyme Bay for more than 40 years, first visiting the town as part of the Regatta & Carnival programme the early 1970s. They then appeared as part of Lifeboat Week free of charge until 2015 when weather permitted. In 2016, however, a charge was introduced by the Ministry of Defence and the organisers of Lifeboat Week said they could not justify charitable funds having to shell out several thousands of pounds. Former mayor and local journalist Philip Evans MBE, who first brought the Arrows to
Lyme when he was secretary of the Regatta & Carnival Committee, launched an appeal to raise the funds by the formation of a Red Arrows 100 Club, with support from local businesses, to secure the 2016 visit. The Arrows visited the town again in 2017 but applications for further displays in 2018, 2019 and now 2020 were rejected. Mr Evans commented: “It’s disappointing that we won’t see the Red Arrows over Lyme again this year, especially as it is likely to be a very difficult summer for our traders. “We have told that this does not mean we won’t get them again, but I think it is very unlikely that we will. But we will keep applying. “The demand for the Red Arrows has never been stronger and it’s only to be expected that other resorts get the chance to see them. “We were lucky to have got them for so long.”
Fire crews tackle blaze in Axminster FIRE crews from Lyme Regis and Charmouth were among those to respond to a major house fire at Weycroft, near Axminster, this week. Firefighters from across the area were called to the blaze on Tuesday afternoon after multiple reports of smoke and flames at the house were received at 5.50pm. Crews from Axminster, Charmouth and Chard were the first at the scene, along with an aerial ladder platform from Yeovil. The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: “Upon arrival of the first crew they confirmed the roof of the building was well alight and requested the attendance of another two crews from Chard and Lyme Regis in order to help fight the blaze.” At 7.30pm, the service added: “Crews are still in attendance extinguishing hotspots.” There were no reports of any casualties.
Stay up to date with all the latest news on the LymeOnline website www.lyme-online.co.uk
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK 4 Friday, April 3 2020
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VIEWS OF LYME REGIS TO KEEP YOUR SPIRITS HIGH!
SUNRISE over Lyme Regis harbour at high tide, by Philip Evans
‘SIGNS of Sunrise’, by David Ruffle
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS OF LYME!
WINSTON and Flynn enjoying their walk at Harcombe, by Sian Harper
A FAINT silhouette of the HMS Prince of Wales on the horizon beyond the Cobb, by Tony Still
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SUNSET over Lyme Regis, taken from Charmouth by Mike Broughton
Friday, April 3 2020 5
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Help save local journalism!
An open letter to government from the Independent Community News Network As you can imagine these are very worrying times for our members. As an organisation, we are now extremely concerned. This is a time when our members are crucial in ensuring public information reaches communities across the UK to inform and advise about public health. We fear that, unless we can secure some emergency funding to support small news publishers at this time, communities across the UK will lose their independent press at a time when they need it most. It is critical for public health that these publications continue to give essential, verified and useful information to the communities they serve. Many of our members are the only news publishers in their areas, some covering entire counties and cities. If these publishers are forced to close, the UK will be left with many more news black holes which we will struggle to fill again. We have stats that prove, even in areas with lots of local press, some of our members have the most engaged audiences. On March 20, in a submission to government, the News Media Association (NMA) said that the crisis posed a grave threat to some publishers because of sharp declines in advertising and some would not survive beyond the next few months without swift intervention. The NMA outlined a series of financial and operational interventions which are “essential to ensure news publishers continue to operate,” including: Committing to divert government media spend to newspapers (online and print, national and local) to ensure key public information messages are communicated to readers through an immediate and sustained advertising campaign; We must ensure the independent publishers don’t get left out of any deals made between the government and organisations under the umbrella of the NMA. The Independent Community News Network (ICNN) currently has 108 members, and most will be out of business in the coming weeks due to Covid-19. They are the only ones in our sector who are formally recognised by the BBC and Welsh Government as quality and reputable news publishers, due to our strict entry criteria and the ongoing high editorial standards of our members. The majority of these news publishers rely on local businesses advertising. That advertising has almost disappeared overnight as businesses are forced to stop trading. Most advertisers have already cancelled, the rest will soon follow.
According to our figures, if ICNN was considered a co-operative media organisation, we would be the fourth largest news organisation in the UK. In addition – we are over a third bigger than the fifth (Archant) and sixth (Tindle), combined. We cannot stress enough how a little funding will go a very long way with our members. The amount is very small – we are basically talking about covering individual salaries in some cases, to keep an entire publication going. None of the money will go to shareholders or to cover large overheads. In light of the devastating cuts announced by Newsquest yesterday, it is even more important that the Government includes ICNN members in its plans when considering both Government Advertising spend and when deciding eligibility criteria for funding assistance. Whilst we recognise that efforts are being made to support small publishers across the board, we believe very strongly that ICNN members need to be considered when it comes to receiving a package of support. Most of our members fall info the sole trader category, of which there is no government support as yet. Very few fall into the small business category, which means they qualify for financial support. Our priorities are: ● Getting access to any funding or support we can for ICNN members, to ensure they can continue running their publications during this critical time. ● Getting access to any Government/Public Health/NHS advertising campaigns, alongside the NMA. ● Ensuring ICNN members are included in the list of recognised journalists allowed out to carry on reporting in the event of a full lockdown. One of our members has already been prohibited from reporting by a police officer, it is critical that we now get ICNN members on an approved list of key workers so they can continue with their vital work. Forgetting the hundreds of news black holes and total loss of plurality of voice this would create if small publishers are forced to close, it is essential for Public Health during this crisis they remain afloat to serve the communities who need them now more than ever. Business hibernation is not possible due to the nature of what these news organisations do. Now, more than ever, they need to be growing their output to help connect communities. Emma Meese Director of the Independent Community News Network (ICNN)
THE COVID-19 epidemic is having a severe effect on independent local press across the country, including LymeOnline. LymeOnline is a community not-for-profit project which relies on advertising revenue, sponsorship and donations from our readers. The latest restrictions imposed by the government requiring local shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes to close has resulted in us losing more than 90 per cent of our revenue. Our sponsorship has also been significantly cut and, as a result, we have been forced to suspend the publication of our fortnightly printed newspaper temporarily. We will, however, continue to produce the paper in this digital format and update our website everyday with the latest news. Philip Evans MBE, manager director of Lyme Regis Media Ltd, which publishes LymeOnline, said: “It is our intention to revive the print edition as soon as the crisis is over and our revenue streams return. “A number of readers already support us with a regular donation and you can now do so securely online via PayPal by clicking the Donate button on the homepage of the website. “It has also been necessary to cease publication of our quarterly magazine Lyme Life for the same reasons as above. We hope that the next Lyme Life will appear in early summer. “We would like to thank our team of deliverers, especially the volunteers, for distributing our paper door-to-door over the past two years. We hope you will continue to do so when we return. “We appreciate this will be a great disap-
pointment, especially to the elderly and infirm who are confined to their house and who rely on LymeOnline for keeping them informed of local happenings and events. “Thank you for your fantastic support and we hope you all stay safe during the current crisis.” For full details on how you can support LymeOnline during this difficult period, visit the webpage lyme-online.co.uk/support-us LymeOnline is a proud member of the Independent Community News Network (ICNN) – a representative body committed to supporting new sustainable forms of digital and print hyperlocal journalism. The ICNN is working on a national campaign to lobby government and third-party organisations to provide urgent financial assistance to its members. The campaign includes the below open letter from ICNN director Emma Meese (see right). Our commitment to you is stronger than ever. As key workers in your community, we need to continue providing essential, verified and trusted information to help you make sense of what is going on, but we need urgent intervention by the government. #savelocaljournalism
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6 Friday, April 3 2020
LYME MATTERS with Philip Evans Essential reading for all those with Lyme at heart
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philip@lyme-online.co.uk
My lockdown daily diary A crisis like we never faced before Day 6 (Sunday, March 22)
BEING a baby boomer with a number of health issues, I’ve accepted the advice of the government - reluctantly - to isolate for 12 weeks. We have shut down our office for the time being and are working from home. As a result my contribution to putting together the last issue of LymeOnline was minimal, but I knew Francesca, my daughter who edits the paper, would not be fazed by this. I’ve been around local newspapers for a very long time but I firmly believe the issue Francesca produced last week (March 20), with its comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus crisis, was a brilliant example of responsible community journalism. It would seem I am not the only one who believes this to be the case. I have seen and received dozens of tributes to LymeOnline’s coverage of how this crisis is hurting Lyme Regis. The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, wasted no time in ringing me to pass on his congratulations to Francesca after reading the paper. He also called her personally. There is no doubt that Lyme is now being hit particularly hard by this fast spreading disease, particularly those in the hospitality industry who have been shut down by the government. There could well be long-term casualties; some may never recover from a prolonged period of closure even with financial help from Westminster. Since last Monday’s bombshell announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the severity of the crisis and the previously unheard measures to be introduced to slow down the pandemic, we have lost a significant amount sponsorship and 90 per cent of our advertising revenue. That’s why we are just producing a digital edition on our website. But we will return. Being in my early 70s and with a few health issues, I’m currently self-isolating, now into my
I’M into my third week of self-isolation and after an early morning walk, my permitted exercise of the day, I’m writing an Isolation Diary which you can find in the blogs section of our website. Here’s a few of the entries... second week, so my input into LymeOnline will be minimal for a few weeks but I know Francesca will cope. Up until fairly recent I was reasonably fit after walking more than 200,000 steps in November in a bid to improve my diabetes, coupled with a strict carb-free diet. In doing so I raised £600 for the Movember charity, lost a stone in weight and reduced my sugars to a level where I am close to remission and, hopefully, will shortly be medication free. All this was interrupted by having my gallbladder removed in the New Year which has taken me a couple of months to recover from. I was just about to start my daily walk again when the coronavirus erupted and I have been confined to barracks since. But Boris says it’s okay to go for a walk so long as I keep at arms length from all those who are out and about. So I did a couple of strolls early in the morning last week and this week I’m back to a brisk 5,000-step walk before Lyme wakes up, which is helping me from going stir-crazy being confined to home-working for the rest of the day.
Day 7 (Monday, March 23)
IT’S a glorious crisp and sunny spring morning in Lyme, a gentle breeze but still an angry looking sea. As I walk onto the seafront I think how lucky we are to be able to take in such glorious views whilst exercising and wonder whether this too will be taken from us soon if Boris Johnson imposes a complete lockdown on movement later this week. With such glorious weather, it
was always on the cards that the Government instruction to avoid social contact would be abused over the weekend, but seeing dozens of bikers descend on West Dorset was totally unacceptable and it was obvious from Boris’ body language in his Sunday press conference that stiffer restrictions are on the way. Some disturbing stories also circulating the town about shoppers being abusive to those working in our food stores and other shops because they can’t get what they want. In difficult times, a little kindness goes a long way. Walking back through the old town I felt a sense of real sadness reading all the notices on the various shop and café windows saying they are now closed. They’ve put so much into making their shops attractive but their livelihoods have been snatched away in a manner we could never have imagined. The fear is that some may never reopen. There’s much concern in the West Country about the number of visitors decamping to their favourite get-away resorts and there was certainly much evidence of this is happening in Lyme by the number of empty alcohol bottles placed outside the holiday cottages for collection. What is it that they don’t understand about being told to stay at home? The forecast says the sun will be shining tomorrow – but with the news of Dorset’s first death, the weather will be the last thing on our minds.
Day 8 (Tuesday, March 24)
7.10 am. That’s my government-permitted exercise for today done and dusted. Along with millions of others, I did not sleep too well last night after Boris Johnson’s cataclysmic announcement ordering us all to stay in but allowing one exercise routine a day. Like millions of other, I laid awake most of the night wondering if my business would survive. So I ventured out just after 6am and caught the remnants of a wonderful sunrise over Golden Cap. There was an interesting piece in the Daily Mail
by columnist Dominic Lawson about whether we should be describing the current crisis as “a war”. Without questioning the seriousness of the situation, what we are going through is not exactly on a par with the blitz or the terrible slaughter of millions. I do get it, however, that from the government’s point of view they are very much on a war-footing with daily COBRA meetings, similar to the war cabinet, which were held several times during the early stages of World War Two, chaired by Winston Churchill. We all know that Churchill is Boris Johnson’s hero and there was a certain Churchillian flavour to Boris’ broadcast to the nation last evening. Boris will certainly think this is “his war” for he will not face a more testing challenge in his prime ministerial career, no matter how howling that lasts. If he gets it hopelessly wrong, it may well see his life-long ambition to be PM crash and die. There will be many wishing this to happen but I must admit I think he’s doing a decent enough job and I’m particularly impressed with the Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock. Just imagine living with the pressure that these people are dealing with 24/7. One of the positives to come out of these terrible days is the manner in which Lyme has come together in a bid to keep everyone safe, especially the elderly and lonely. I had no doubt this would happen and I would hope we can find some way of paying tribute to those who fall into this category when the sun shines again. And we should not forget those working on the front line in the NHS and essential services, risking their lives doing so. With most of the shops now closed, one distressing factor of this worrying time will hopefully disappear - the abuse that some shop workers have experienced from a few selfish morons. When things return to normal, I hope this can be eradicated for all time.
Lyme says thanks to the NHS heroes Day 9 (Wednesday, March 25)
THE question more and more people are asking me is whether anyone in the Lyme Regis area is, or has been, suffering from coronavirus. The truthful answer is that we really don’t know. I’m aware of a limited number in Lyme who have had a virus and have recovered. But we are not aware of anyone who has been hospitalised. The number of recorded confirmed cases in the whole of Dorset, including Bournemouth is 29, with one death at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester. The authorities will not release and details of admissions or deaths, other that the statistics, and are certainly not taking any calls from the press. However, should anyone from our patch lose their life, God forbid, I’m sure we will be the first to know. The Press has an important but difficult job in reporting on this epidemic. In war-time a great many restrictions were placed on newspapers by the government as to what could be released into the public domain but these are very different days. Back in the 1940s, there was a far more reverential relationship between politicians and the Fourth estate. Today that relationship is nowhere
near as cozy and it has got to the stage where some leading politicians flatly refuse to be interviewed by the big beasts of TV journalism in case they drop a clanger. However, when lives are at stake, it is essential that those who make such life-changing decisions are forensically examined by those whose job it is to inform the public and held to account for their actions.
Day 11 (Friday, March 27)
WELL done Lyme Regis. The townsfolk have turned out in force to pay tribute to the heroes of the NHS and other public sector workers who are placing their own lives on the line fighting coronavirus. Last evening at 8pm, all over the town, dozens of people managed to drag themselves out of the their armchairs and away from the TV, opened their front doors and clapped for several minutes to show our appreciation of the tremendous effort our health professionals are putting in. Not everyone tore themselves away from ‘Emmerdale’ in Anning Road, but a good few of us did and around the corner in King’s Way, it sounded like they were having a street party. Good on them. It was the same story all over the town and
those who live at the top of the hill could hear clapping drifting up from the valley.
Day 15 (Tuesday, March 31)
WHEN all this is over – and it will be over – I wonder what we will remember most about these distressing days? Will it be the kindness of a neighbour? Will it be the bravery of frontline NHS services risking their lives on a daily basis? Will it be that sickening feeling in your stomach when you hear of yobs coughing in a policeman’s face? Will it be the tearful plea of a health worker asking for more and better personal protection equipment?Will it be the politicians struggling to explain why testing for coronavirus was so far behind the rest of the world? Will it be the fear of visitors bringing their infections into this beautiful part of the world? Everyone will have their own memories of how they coped and survived the most deadly disease to hit this generation. For me, I will remember all of the above – but one seemingly trite event, compared to those listed, will also stay long in my memory for a very important factor which will become clear as you read on. Last evening, along with dozens of others from all over the country, my wife Jackie, daughter
Francesca and I took part in a virtual quiz. Now, I’m not much of a quiz fiend. I’m okay on Manchester United circa 1965-1974 questions and current affairs, but music, films etc, forget it. On the other hand, Jackie is brilliant at them. Francesca sits somewhere in between. The quiz was devised and presented live on Facebook by Neville Causley, well-known local taxi driver but formerly landlord at the Hunters Lodge pub and restaurant where his weekly quizzes were hugely popular. It was a classic example of how social media can be a force for good, bringing people together in times of adversity. It was huge fun and got more enjoyable as the evening progressed with the Gordon’s Gin bottle taking a beating in Chez Causley and Neville’s wife Sarah adding greatly to the fun with her off screen comments. Lyme Bay Radio ought to snap them up for a regular show. They would make compulsive listening. Now all this might seem trivial at a time of such monumental upheaval in our lives. We all appreciate that in adversity the British indefatigability and sense of humour comes to the fore. This was a good example of this. For a couple of hours the dreaded coronavirus was not mentioned and it brought friends and family together.
Friday, April 3 2020 7
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‘Virus shows us what really matters’ Community support group CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE praised the local support groups. He said: "The relatively large number of local volunteer support groups are a valued part of the way our town is responding to the effects of the virus and the disruption it’s causing." The mayor is looking ahead to the future and trying to find the positive in this situation, hoping the crisis helps us realise what the important things in life are. "While everything is about the present, there will be a time when things do return to more like normality, albeit with some residual conseTHE present situation we find ourselves in and the impact on daily living is unprecedented in recent times; while there have been previous situations that have required significant government action and public collective support, nothing in post-war years has been quite on the scale of the national initiative being taken in response to the current coronavirus outbreak. We hear daily national announcements of the impact of the virus and the measures being taken to combat this global outbreak. We are all paying regard to the announced advice, guidance and instruction of government, and while no one knows the ultimate reach and extent of the virus, it is of a virulent nature and will impact communities, both in the cases contracted and the effect current measures place on everyday life. Government are making extra resources available to the NHS as fast as can be brought to it, and have injected huge sums into the economy to help businesses, the employed and the self-employed while restrictions to movement, save for essential purposes, are in place. At local authority level, the nature of the virus places a difficult converse on the way in which support is provided, - normal contingencies surround the coming together for collective response to a crisis; the present situation requires isolation and distancing which naturally makes getting the support to where it’s needed more challenging.
quences of the actions now being taken that will have to be worked through," he said. "However, as we often find with temporary situations of scale, sometimes things don’t return entirely as before and perhaps one thing the virus has shown us is what really matters, what the important things are, and perhaps some of the things we thought were important but actually matter less are given less prominence. "Maybe that’s the positive we can take from this." See the mayor’s full letter to residents below
However, the South West of England currently has the lowest regional number of cases in the country, which may be something to do with its relatively rural nature, and within this Lyme is a small town where everyone knows each other and has always been a town of proportionately high community engagement. The relatively large number of local volunteer support groups are a valued part of the way our town is responding to the effects of the virus and the disruption it’s causing. I’ve expressed my thanks in the past year to all of Lyme’s support groups for the good work they do and, on this occasion, may I add my thanks to those who are providing support to this particular need. While everything is about the present, there will be a time when things do return to more like normality, albeit with some residual consequences of the actions now being taken that will have to be worked through. However, as we often find with temporary situations of scale, sometimes things don’t return entirely as before and perhaps one thing the virus has shown us is what really matters, what the important things are, and perhaps some of the things we thought were important but actually matter less are given less prominence. Maybe that’s the positive we can take from this. Thank you and all the very best - and keep well. Brian Larcombe Mayor of Lyme Regis
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WE WILL BEAT CANCER SOONER
reaches every street in Lyme
INSPIRED to do what they could to help others during the coronavirus pandemic, Grace Herbert and Victoria Cottle posted on Facebook to see whether anyone else wanted to volunteer to help those who had to self-isolate. They were delighted by the response and, very quickly, the Lyme Regis Community Support Group attracted more than 100 volunteers, with Fran Williams and Cheryl Reynolds stepping up to help co-ordinate the extraordinary wave of generosity. In a matter of days every street in Lyme Regis had a named co-ordinator who delivered leaflets with their name and phone number, saying if you need help to get in touch. This support system is already doing what it was set up to do, with an average of 30 Lyme residents a day asking for help with shopping, prescriptions or just to have a friendly and supportive chat on the phone. Grace said: "I reached out just to see if anyone needed any help. We had such a massive community and love and I couldn't be more proud to be from Lyme Regis." Victoria added: "I've been so happy to see Cheryl and Fran make the community response what it is. Grace had an idea to bring the community together over the coming weeks and offer support, I started the group to enable this and Cheryl and Fran have been at the forefront of running the operations and communicating with everyone. “Grace is still working in a care home full time and I have a young family so we are both super grateful that this has grown into what it has become and the level of support the community is offering one another." The Lyme Regis Community Support Facebook page is an online platform for people to come together. It is updated regularly, sharing government, NHS and Dorset Council advice and with carefully researched vital information about shops, services and grocery delivery options, collated and updated by Ali Mcloughlin, owner of Dottie Kitchen and The Pop Up Kitchen. Huge generosity is being shown by individuals
and local businesses as everyone quickly adjusts to the rapidly changing and challenging circumstances during the 'lock-down'. The group leaders are working closely with the Primary Care Trust, councils and other neighbouring community voluntary groups, especially Uplyme, to make sure that people in need are supported and resources are shared. They are also working with Sue Davies and Sue Jones who manage the LymeForward foodbank at The Hub (see below). Residents have been calling their designated Community Support Group volunteers to express their gratitude and say how happy they were about the kindness of their community. One grateful person wrote: "My medication has just been delivered. Many, many thanks.” Cheryl Reynolds expressed her delight about the community response, commenting: “The community support group is working well thanks to the co-ordinators and volunteers - they have done more than anyone could ask. I thank you all. “This makes me so proud and it is such a pleasure to work with you. I would also like to add my grateful thanks to the mayor and staff of the Lyme Regis Town Council." The community support leaders would like to ask that everyone please keeps helping to raise public awareness and make sure nobody feels alone. There are national schemes coming into place now which should help us fill any gaps in support. Help and Care offers a free, confidential phone line for anyone who is feeling unsure of where to go for help or information. They also offer telephone Wellness Checks for people who are vulnerable or isolated. Call the SPoA (Single Point Of Access) Team on 0303 3030153. Answerphone messages will be answered within 24 hours. Or you can complete the simple web form at www.helpandcare.org.uk/services/self-management/
Foodbank in more need than ever THE effects of the coronavirus epidemic on the local community means Lyme Regis Foodbank is under more pressure than ever to help those most in need. As residents’ income is hit and essential items become harder to source, volunteers from LymeForward’s foodbank have been working around the clock to ensure those struggling have enough to eat. The foodbank team supports members of the community who cannot afford food or are experiencing problems in accessing benefits. The team works with a number of referral agencies to help people in crisis access food vouchers and the right services to sort out affordability issues. Trained volunteers offer a warm welcome, guidance and help along with a food bag to tide people over while they seek further support. You can help by donating much-needed essentials to the foodbank by dropping them off at Coop in Lyme Regis or Uplyme Stores. Items that are particularly needed this week include tomato pasta sauce, UHT full milk and UHT semi-skimmed milk, packets of biscuits, cream crackers, squash, tins of corned beef, ham and Spam, tinned tuna, packets of microwave rice, tinned meat meals to heat, tinned soup, soap/liquid soap, toilet paper and sweets for Easter. Sue Davies, director of LymeForward, said: "Times are getting tough for people particularly with the instability brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. “Foodbank donations are very much needed and can be left at the Co-op in Lyme Regis, Uplyme Stores and Morgans in Charmouth. If businesses are able to donate items, please contact the foodbank team to arrange collection or take to The Hub on Wednesdays from 10am to 12noon.
“Financial donations are always gratefully received. All it takes is a helping hand from our community to support people and families to make a difference to their daily lives" Volunteers will be handing out food parcels at The Hub on Wednesday mornings from 10am to 12noon. Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, they will be issuing standard bags that have been pre-prepared. They are also adopting protective measures which may cause a slight delay and ask that those collecting food packages are patient while they endeavour to provide as normal a service as possible. A spokesperson for the foodbank said: “Following the government’s new announcement we will remain open for the foreseeable future and have put in place all the necessary protective measures to enable you to collect your food safely and quickly.” Packages are available for those in short-term food crisis who must be referred to the foodbank by one of the official referreral agencies, which includes medical centres. However, in the case of the Citizens Advice Bureau, which is now closed, referrals can be received by phone via 03442 452191. There is also a back-up system in place for people who don’t meet the foodbank criteria - contact Cheryl Reynolds on 01297 443814 or 07796 074 849, email cherylreynolds1947@gmail or Lyme Regis Town Council on 01297 445175 or email assistant@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk if you or anyone you know is in need. If you have any of the symptoms of the virus and are unable to collect your parcel, email manager@lymeforward.com or call 01297 445021. For more details on the foodbank and how to be referred, visit www.lymeforward.com/foodbank or call the above number.
For live updates on the latest coronavirus news, figures, advice and how it is affecting the local area, visit www.lyme-online.co.uk/coronavirus-updates
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Events and services affected by COVID-19 DORSET now has more than 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19. As of April 1, figures from Public Health England reported that there were 120 confirmed cases across Dorset. Sixty-two of these were in the Dorset Council area and 58 in Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole. It has been reported that seven patients have now died in hospitals across the county. Also as of April 1, there were 508 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the South West, including Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Official figures for each individual town are not being released, so it is not known if there are confirmed cases in Lyme Regis. However, the effects of the virus are still being felt in the local area. After the Prime Minister announced tighter social distancing measures on Monday, March 23, almost all shops in Lyme Regis closed doors, except those considered to be offering essential services. Most pubs, restaurants and cafés are also closed, although some continue to offer takeaway and delivery services. Events cancelled Attractions and amenities have also shut doors temporarily, and more cancellations of local events continue to be announced. Major events to be postponed or cancelled include Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, Jazz Jurassica, the VE Day anniversary celebrations and the RNLI’s Blessing of the Boats. The Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters Group said they still hope to go ahead with Lifeboat Week as planned at the end of July, but a decision will be made on this soon. Town bus suspended The Lyme Regis town bus service will be suspended as of Monday (April 6) due to a decline in passenger numbers. A spokesperson for Go South Coast, which runs the town council-subsidised service, said: “We’re having to react as best we can to the current crisis and we have had to review the viabil-
ity of all of our services. “Unfortunately, we must temporarily suspend route 71 from Monday, April 6. “The decision to suspend route 71 is a small part of a much greater effort to curtail our activities to a sustainable level and ensure the survival of the company. “Please be assured that we are confident that we will be in a position to resume the service when circumstances improve.” Car parking Car parks operated by Lyme Regis Town Council and Dorset Council were closed last weekend to deter people from visiting the area. Beach car parks remain closed but charges in other Dorset Council-operated car parks across the county have been suspended to assist residents and key workers. Lyme Regis Town Council is also allowing key workers to park for free in Woodmead car park in a bid to support the delivery of essential local services. The town council has written to businesses providing key services during the coronavirus emergency to offer free parking to employees who travel into Lyme Regis to work. They can park for free at Woodmead car park in Hill Road, which has been closed to the general public but is open to permit holders and now key workers. The town clerk John Wright said: “We hope this will help support local businesses and employees to deliver front-line services during these unprecedented times and will go some way to demonstrate the council’s appreciation for their exceptional efforts.” On-street parking restrictions and charges still apply. Road resurfacing Essential road resurfacing works across Dorset will restart this month, having been initially put on hold when social distancing measures were announced. Following the government’s guidance for construction activity – that it should continue where it fits with both the current Public Health England requirements and in accordance with
DORSET Police has asked residents to be considerate of their neighbours during this period of ‘lockdown’. A statement from the police said: “We should all be able to feel safe and to enjoy living in our own home and many of us are now spending extended periods indoors, or for those fortunate to have them, within the perimeter of our gardens, so we are asking that neighbours are considerate of those around them. “Whilst we do not want to curb the enjoyment of simple pleasures like listening to music or practising hobbies, we do ask that you make sure that you are not accidentally disturbing your neighbours, as something that may seem harmless or trivial to you might be unpleasant or distressing to others.” Police have suggested several things residents can do to ensure everyone is safe and happy: If you have a dog, please don’t allow it to bark or whine for long periods of time. If you are listening to music, can you do so using earphones? Please consider the type of music you are playing, it does not necessarily have to be loud – a low-level but persistent noise, such as a music bass or constant beat can be particularly distressing as sounds can distort over distance. When playing music or practising a hobby that produces a noise try to restrict the times so that you are not doing so for over 30 minutes at a time and definitely not between the hours of 11pm and 7 am. If you are following the above guidelines and a neighbour still complains to you about noise,
try to keep things calm. Listen to what they have to say and try to come to a compromise. If you feel that your quality of life is badly affected by other people in your community please contact Victim Support. The fire service has also asked the public not to carry out prescribed or controlled burns and bonfires unless absolutely necessary, to avoid the risk of wildfires. After what was a long wet winter we have now seen an upturn in the weather and there has been very little rain over the last few weeks, so gardens, open spaces and heathland is drying up rapidly. At this time of year it is usual to see an increase in wildfires. Many people will now be spending more time tidying up their gardens, but with the closure of council tips and the suspension of garden waste collection services, there may be a temptation to have bonfire instead. Bonfires can very quickly get out of control and Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has seen an increase in calls as a result. Not only that, bonfires can cause a nuisance to neighbours, especially for those who are at present unable to go outside of the perimeters of their property, so the only opportunity they have for fresh air is within the confines of their garden. The fire service has asked the public to consider their neighbours and whether it is really necessary to have a bonfire. You can find more advice on the website www.dwfire.org.uk/safety/safety-outdoors/controlled-burning/
Be a good neighbour
industry safety guidance – Dorset Council will be restarting a programme of surfacing works from Wednesday, April 15. This is to help keep life-saving medicine, equipment, supplies and key workers travelling safely across the county. Public footpaths Dorset’s 3,000 miles of public rights of way have remained open during the epidemic to offer residents somewhere to carry out their one form of daily exercise, while still social distancing. Maintained by Dorset Council and landowners, these paths should not be blocked or obstructed and cannot legally be closed to the public. However, those using the paths are asked to be mindful of restrictions - keep to the rights of way, ensure gates are closed, dogs are kept under close control and on leads where required and you clear up after your dog, taking your dog’s waste home with you to place into your household dustbin. Travel for exercise is not deemed essential travel and you should use paths that you can access from your home. Bin collections As Dorset Council’s waste services begin to feel the pressure from coronavirus, employee absence and the need to introduce new safety measures to protect the workforce, it is asking residents to help by changing the way they deal with their bins, litter and recycling. Lower priority services such as bin deliveries and garden waste collections have now either been suspended or are on the verge of being halted. Therefore, due to these reduced staffing levels, the council is now implementing the next stage of its plan to keep essential collections going. ● Dorset Council will no longer return to empty any missed bins until your next regular collec-
tion day. If your bins are missed, please bring them back in. Store your waste safely and put it out on your next appropriate collection day. ● The council will pick up extra black bin rubbish only if your previous rubbish collection was missed. It will continue to pick up food waste weekly. You can also put out extra recycling provided it is separated correctly. ● Do not try to report missed collections to the council. Visit the council’s service disruption pages online to check if you are in an affected area. ● Remember to crush and flatten items (not glass) before throwing away, as this will help create space in your bins and our collection vehicles. ● Please continue to observe public health guidance on handling your waste. If you have symptoms of coronavirus, please double bag your waste and store for 72 hours before placing in your bin or blue sack. You should also wash your hands both before putting your bins out and after taking them back in. ● The council recommends rinsing dirty rubbish and recycling items before placing in bins to reduce unpleasant odours. As the council has had to redeploy employees to higher-priority services, its street-cleansing, household recycling centres and recycling banks in car parks have also been suspended. Therefore, the council asks the following: ● If you go out to exercise, take your litter home with you, especially dog waste. Street and dog bins are not being emptied on a regular basis. Never place household waste in a street litter bin. ● Do not travel to a household recycling centre or any recycling bank in a car park as these are all now closed and are no longer being serviced. Any items left at these sites will not be cleared away and will be considered as fly-tipping.
newsfromwestminster
A monthly column by West Dorset MP Chris Loder
ON a sunny weekend a couple of weeks ago, a shocking number of visitors flocked to Lyme Regis, ignoring government guidelines to stay at home. I was watching the news and a good number of people sent me pictures from Lyme Regis and West Bay. I issued an appeal that afternoon. I went on BBC South Today to urge people to stay at home, as I did on radio the next Monday. The following day, I spoke in the House of Commons about it too and I was pleased that the government listened and shortly after the Prime Minister addressed the nation with tighter rules. There in one further thing that I need to request – especially of second-home owners in Lyme and Charmouth. It is not acceptable, nor in line with government guidance, to travel back and forth between primary and secondary residences during this period of lockdown. It increases the risk to you and the community, especially if your primary residence is in London and ultimately places additional strain on our NHS frontline. I know it feels like we are stuck at home, but it really is the case that home is where we are safest and I cannot emphasise this enough. The Coronavirus Bill came to the House of
Commons on Monday last week which is clearly necessary for the period ahead, albeit uncomfortable. All my surgeries are now by telephone from home until further notice. The concept of ‘working from home’ is often perceived as a more relaxing approach to work, but I don’t think so! We have never worked so hard as a team; repatriating dozens who have been stranded abroad, twice weekly calls with Dorset Hospitals, Dorset Police and Dorset Council - making sure our doctors, nurses and support staff are getting what they need. We have also been helping local businesses and workers to access government support, while assisting with vital services for some of the most vulnerable in our communities who have reached out to us. However, emerging from all of this is the most amazing community spirit and support for one another. Lyme Regis Community Support Group, the NHS Volunteer Responders and our dedicated independent shops delivering food. All are making such a positive contribution. Whether you are able to help by volunteering, or you are at home and in need of help, then please visit my website for all the information you need www.chrisloder.co.uk
Visit www.chrisloder.co.uk for links to my social media channels and news, or email hello@chrisloder.co.uk if you are interested in a face-to-face meeting at one of my surgeries
10 Friday, April 3 2020
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RICHARD AUSTIN’S PHOTO FILE
A SEQUENCE of a kingfisher trying to swallow a small flat fish near Bridge Street in Lyme. Right, a kingfisher on the River Lym
A MALLARD duck keeps her ducklings close on the Lym and, below, chases off a murderous drake at Mill Green
MORE dippers, pictured above with mouthful of may flies for their chicks
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RICHARD AUSTIN’S PHOTO FILE I CAN’T see any reason why the River Lym is not tidal, the truth is the rise and fall of the river in Lyme Regis is down to how much rain we have. Nevertheless the amount of river wildlife has never been so good. Even the late Johnny Morris and Hammy Hamster of the 1960s BBC show ‘Tales of the River Bank’ would have been impressed. From the river mouth to Uplyme in East Devon and beyond, the river now boasts otters, water voles, kingfishers, dippers, grey wagtails and wild mallard ducks all above water, whilst trout, eels, minnows (small fish) and caddisfly larvae swim beneath, perfect for the classic dipper to feed upon. And unfortunately the river sees the odd visit from the dreaded mink, who will eat anything that moves including birds eggs and bird chicks. Mink seem to be light on the ground at the moment so thinking positively it’s all there to see and you do not necessarily need a great deal of patience to view whats on the
river. About 10 years ago I was about to see my first kingfisher on the Lym. Word was out that the bird had been seen on the leat off Coombe Street so I was gutted when I found the bird laying dead on the river bed. It was most probably killed in a territorial scrap with another kingfisher; I have seen them fighting, they certainly go for it. Kingfishers are now regular visitors to the River Lym along with the dipper, chestnut and black with white a brest and always swimming under the water for small fish and caddisfly larvae, then standing on protruding river rocks dipping up and down (hence the name). Grey wagtails can be seen plucking mayflies from over the river and are regular nest builders As far as anyone knows, otters have been seen on and off for the past 10 years, in fact I’ve twice seen a female otter and three times the male all on different occasions.
DIPPERS are now regular visitors to the River Lym
Lights, camera, action... A GREY wagtail turing over leaves
Lyme Sights & Sounds A new multi-media channel bringing your local news alive! Videos of all major local events ● Topical podcasts on the latest news ● Colourful photo galleries ●
Now live on the LymeOnline website OTTERS, with one pictured here on the River Dart, have also been spotted in the Lym
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Happy 100th birthdays Lin and Edna! LIFE-LONG golfer and former respected Lyme Regis businessman, Lindley Baker, was looking forward to celebrating his 100th birthday with a family party. But Mr Baker, who lives in Yawl, near Uplyme, had to be satisfied with sharing a toast with his wife of 61 years, Daphne, because of the coronavirus restrictions on social gatherings. He was, however, delighted to have received a card from the Queen. The Bakers now intend to celebrate the occasion with a family party in the summer when, hopefully, the epidemic will be under control and the restrictions relaxed. The couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary last year.
Mr Baker was born and educated in Lyme and, with younger brother Ron, ran Bakers Hairdressers in Broad Street for many years. During the Second World War he served in the RAF as an aircraft engineer and was stationed in India. A life-member of Lyme Regis Golf Club, he started playing with his brother as teenagers in 1937. He holds the record of being Britain’s longest golf club member and still plays a few holes with his wife when possible. He has played thousands of rounds of golf and got his handicap down to eight, sinking two holes-in-one. He was captain of the Lyme club in 1985 and enjoys legendary status at the Lyme course.
BYMEAD Nursing Home in Charmouth also celebrated the 100th birthday of its third oldest resident, Edna Imhoff, last week. Although the care home is on total lockdown and has been for many weeks, staff and residents still held a party and tried to make Edna’s day as special as possible. Her many family members were able to join the party via conference video call. The lounge was decorated in pink, white and gold, including a balloon arch, while Edna looked radiant in her burgundy birthday outfit with a golden tiara. Residents enjoyed prosecco a beautifully handmade cake followed by a afternoon tea
party. Edna has always loved to dance, especially ballroom and Latin. and used to dance three times a week. Although the home had to cancel the outside entertainer and visit from the deputy mayor, music was enjoyed during the afternoon. Edna received her birthday card from the Queen and a signed photograph with personal message from professional ballroom dancer Anton Du Beke who is her favourite ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ star. Bymead House will hold a proper celebration with Edna's family and friends once the restrictions of COVID-19 has been lifted.
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ASK THE MAYOR: Your questions answered ● How will the council operate with all office staff working from home? All office staff have been set up for remote working and can link up with each other. While some activities have changed and the level of some areas of council activity is naturally lower than normal, other work remains to be done and is being done as would be if in the office. The public can still access LRTC staff on 01297 445175 or by the normal email address.
With all meetings of Lyme Regis Town Council being suspended due to coronavirus, the Mayor, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, has agreed to answer questions that we will put to him on your behalf and we will then publish his responses in all issues of LymeOnline during the crisis. Send in your questions for our next issue by emailing edit@lyme-online.co.uk with the subject ‘Ask The Mayor’
● How can the council justify increasing the precept (the amount the council gets from the council tax) by 10.3% per cent when they are giving away £80,000 a year in grants? Lyme council’s precept has been frozen for eight years; the 10.3% increase represents an average total charge per household of just £12 per year, one of the lowest in the county. The grants awarded to local groups and organisations by the council have been reduced from £130,000 to £80,000 but still remains the largest of any comparable town in Dorset and more than some much bigger towns. However, although the present climate puts added pressure on every pound, we couldn’t reduce it to a greater degree without a significant impact on the recipients who have become use to receiving very large sums over many years, - and while we’ve had to reduce it by £50,000 per year we have committed to pay the sums already awarded for the current five-year life of the council.
pired; we have given an extension to see it through the summer season (albeit it’s currently closed because of the virus lockdown). Our council offices are not fit for purpose and the need to bring them up to standard is long overdue, and that includes public ground floor access - all of which we’re planning to do after Dorset told us previously that they were minded to close the TIC. If Dorset were to want to keep a form of TIC I think the Jubilee Pavilion is a good potential location for it but that’s for Dorset to decide and discuss it with LRTC as the owner of the building.
● How does the council justify giving a £40,000 grant to St Michael’s Church tower fund when an application for financial assistance for the Roman Catholic Church was rejected? The grant to St Michael’s was given for three principal reasons: 1) it is far and away Lyme’s oldest building and Lyme’s only grade 1 listed building; 2) While the church itself had raised the largest proportion of the money necessary, without the council’s ‘top up’ support the essential work could not have been undertaken; and 3) the council felt it was too significant a building to have its structure remain at risk for future generations. It had nothing to do with any particular religious denomination. ● Exactly how much is the resurfacing of the flat roof above the Amusement Arcade and SWIM on Marine Parade costing, and will the coronavirus and run into the summer months and impact on our summer events? The cost of the roof is estimated at £600,000 when all work elements are completed. The work was put out to full and open tendering in order to invite the best terms. This council inherited a maintenance legacy of the 1960s; the roof surface was over 20 years past its original warranty date and was leaking. We had no choice but to resurface this huge area. To what degree the work runs into summer months depends on the extent of the current lockdown and any other restrictive measures the government brings in. Event organisers have been cancelling or postponing their spring and summer events in light of the same restrictive measures. ● Where does the town council stand on the pending closure of the Tourist Information Centre? Are there any plans for the council to operate a reduced service from the Jubilee Pavilion? Dorset Council is the owner and employer of the TIC. Dorset’s lease on the floor space the TIC uses within the LRTC premises has ex-
● Will the loss of parking revenue caused by the coronavirus lockdown have any effect on the council’s ability to proceed with their big project, i.e. the resurfacing of the Marine Parade shelters and the office refurbishment? There will be an affect on the council’s income largely through the fall in car park receipts. However, the flat roof resurfacing is essential, given its state, and the funds to do that are coming out of the council reserve, which is sizable and was planned to be called upon before the virus situation, given the size of the inherited undertaking. It’s the same for the office refurbishment which is necessary and can be progressed through the planning stage; the extent of the work can be scaled around the financial means the set aside reserve provides after the shelter roof has been completed. Both are a property legacy we have to remedy. All other work projects will be reviewed in light of the financial impact of the virus. ● Assuming that the coronavirus crisis will be over by June/July, local traders will be anxious to maximise the summer months so is there any chance the council can bring back the Sidmouth Road park and ride scheme? The principal point of commissioning the Hydrock survey was to provide traffic and parking data in order to inform the Sidmouth Road park and ride planning application, at East Devon District Council’s request. The data showed very clearly that the numbers didn’t justify the Sidmouth Road park and ride and that the Charmouth Road park and ride should continue to be the principal location for a park and ride, and consequently for which consent to increase its capacity to 400 cars has been obtained. It is also why we have successfully pressed for signage at points along the A35 directing traffic to the Charmouth Road park and ride via the Fernhill roundabout, and avoiding some of the volume we experience coming through Broad Street and Church Street making for the Charmouth Road park and ride. ● The council has declared that they consider climate change to be an emergency. Is the council just paying lip service to this and what can they do to become carbon neutral by 2030, as is the intention, and what initiatives have already been put into practice?
Dorset and government initiatives and environmental regulatory requirements. We’ve already bought our first electric vehicle and the plans for the office refurbishment are in prep.
We will look to do a number of things within our means, including moving to electric vehicles; installing electric charge points in our car parks; providing a free town bus service to all residents as an ‘out of car’ incentive; reviewing the use of our buildings, heating facilities and improved levels of insolation (subject to planning consent); moving to a paperless office (the amount of paperwork presently generated is huge); and adopt best practice and advocated measures from
● Why are the car parks on The Cobb closed to residents? Would it not have been more useful if residents permits had been extended and parking allowed for residents only? This would have allowed local people to park and walk along the front to the supermarkets to get groceries and exercise at the same time. Our car parks are in locations that requires them to be closed to be consistent with current government advice, and is also consistent with Dorset’s car park closures. It’s also aimed at avoiding any signal that in the present lockdown they appear to be open particularly to day trippers and visitors, which we’ve seen descend on Lyme despite government instruction not to travel to other destinations unless for essential work. I’d suggest there’s plenty of places to walk and exercise close to homes in Lyme without having to drive to Monmouth Beach or Woodmead car parks, both of which are a long way from the town’s food outlets which can still be accessed by parking in the very quiet Broad Street and its spaces available for the essential, quick, food shop visit. The other car parks in Lyme are Dorset Council’s.
NEWS FROM CITIZENS ADVICE THE local offices of Citizens Advice have put into place special measures so that people can continue to get help during the coronavirus crisis. In response to the government’s advice of avoiding unnecessary contact, Bridport and District Citizens Advice is now providing a service by telephone or email and has ceased to offer face to face appointments. This means that the regular weekly sessions in Lyme Regis held at the medical centre in Uplyme Road on Mondays and at St Michael’s Business Centre on Wednesdays are not currently taking place. People wishing to contact Bridport and District Citizens Advice can email advice@bridport-cab.org.uk or telephone Dorset Advice Line on 03444 111 444. Clients can also get information via the national website www.citizensadvice.org.uk. A webchat service is available on some topics on this website. Universal Credit claimants can get help with making an initial claim by webchat via the relevant information pages on the national site at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universalcredit/claiming/helptoclaim/ or by telephone on 0800 144 8444. Rovarn Wickremasinghe, chief officer of Bridport and District Citizens Advice, said: “We have been most anxious to ensure that help remains available to everyone during this health emergency and have arranged for many of our advisers to work from home. “I am most grateful to the tremendous commitment and dedication being shown by our volunteers in supporting what we are doing at this very difficult time.” At a national level Citizens Advice has been very active in recent weeks trying to ensure that the emergency measures introduced by the government properly protect vulnerable and low-income families from being pushed into poverty. It had warned that unless this was done the public health response to the crisis could be undermined because some people would not be able to afford to follow the recommendations on self-isolation. Citizens Advice has highlighted that there are
around seven million people in the UK without savings to fall back on and concerned too about the self-employed and those in low-paid jobs who do not qualify for statutory sick pay. It has also said that many people will face higher energy bills and increases in other essential costs as a consequence of having to self-isolate or stay at home to look after dependents. Following the decision by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, to introduce extra support to people, jobs and businesses, Gillian Guy, the chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “The government’s unprecedented action to protect workers is extremely welcome. The measures announced will protect millions of low-income families worried about making ends meet during this crisis. “In the coming weeks, it is vital that the government continues to make sure everyone is able to access the income that they need, including self-employed people and those receiving benefits. “We look forward to working with the government to get these details right and ensure everyone can quickly get the support they need.” Citizens Advice has also welcomed the government’s decision that as a result of the coronavirus crisis it will not allow any eviction proceedings from either social or rented accommodation to start for at least three months. Locally, Citizens Advice has raised concerns that there are many people living in this area who are dependent on the holiday trade to earn a living. The number of visitors during the Easter period is now certain to be well down on normal and if, as seems likely, these problems extend throughout the summer it will have serious consequences for both individuals and small businesses. The national website for Citizens Advice is being regularly updated to reflect all the latest government advice.
timeoutinLyme
14 Friday, April 3 2020
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ART | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS
Local musicians contribute to Piano Day record
L
OCAL musicians Andrew Ward and Patrick Ytting have contributed to the world’s largest piece of collaborative systems music as part of the international event Piano Day.
Piano day falls on the 88th day of the year - this year on Saturday, March 28 - as a full-size piano keyboard has 88 keys. The event was conceived by Nils Frahm, an internationallyrenowned neo-classical musician, with the aim of creating a platform for piano-related projects to promote the development of musical dimensions and to continue sharing the centuries-old joy of playing piano. Events are usually held across the globe but many were cancelled or postponed this year owing to COVID-19 restrictions. However, 381 musicians from all over the world have still contributed to a record-breaking piece of collaborative music, including Andrew Ward, from Lyme Regis, and Patrick Ytting, from Rousdon. This was co-ordinated by composer Christian Henson, co-founder of Spitfire Audio, under the auspices of Piano Book, itself an online collaborative community of pianists and other musicians from around the world. Due to the restrictions in place to stop the spread of coronavirus, Andrew and Patrick were unable to get together as much as hoped to create a professional video entry, but they still manage to submit an entry for the amalgamated work, which was released on Piano Day, setting the world record for the most online contributors to a single piece of systems music. You can now listen to the collaborative piece at www.youtube.com/watch?v=enFB33SOo6k
Andrew has also been working on his own music in recent months and, at the age of 56, has released his debut EP online. It has already received some radio airplay and interest from Mary Anne Hobbs of BBC Radio 6 Music and various record labels. Commenting on his musical career, Andrew said: “I've always loved music. My first memories are of listening to the hits of the day in the late 1960s with my mother, who would either have the radio on or be playing some singles. “After a year or two at primary school I started to learn to read music and play an instrument for myself - the descant recorder. I was pretty good at this and performed well in quite a large competition of schools from across north Nottinghamshire. I then tried acoustic guitar lessons for a year but didn't really take to it so moved on to the piano, aged nine. “I was soon doing my grades and continued with lessons through two changes of school. In secondary school, I was a keen member of the choir and at 16 stopped piano lessons in order to move to the church organ instead. I had lessons throughout sixth form at school and reached a reasonable standard on the ‘king of instruments’. “Playing music - although not listening to it took a back seat during university but shortly before finishing my degree I bought my first electronic keyboard. Starting my first job near St Paul's Cathedral, I would visit churches in the city during my lunch hours and play the organ. A couple of years later I got myself an interview for a job at the legendary Trident recording studios in London but ended up turning it down because the pay being offered was so low! “I then bought my first synthesiser and started writing and recording my own music for the first
LYME Regis musician Andrew Ward has been playing piano since the age of nine
time. I collaborated with a friend for a while before joining my first proper band which was due to play a large festival in Germany a fortnight later. I spent a frantic couple of weeks learning all the songs only for the promoter to pull the plug on the eve of our departure. “With this band, Red Letter Day, I got my first experience of recording in a West End studio and causing a stir on the streets while out doing a pro-photoshoot. I amassed a huge collection of cassette tapes with bits of my music on but gradually got less and less involved whilst career, then marriage and children took over. “Fast forward to 2009 and I started to use a computer in my music-making for the first time. We had moved to Cornwall during the previous year and the house had a basement recording studio, which had previously been owned by a member of The Cure. Robert Smith and his bandmates had been an incongruous sight in our tiny village on the edge of Bodmin Moor. “I was determined to learn a new way of writing and recording my own music and, although
it was a steep learning curve, I could hardly devote enough hours to it. This continued when we moved to Uplyme at the start of 2013. It was while living on Lime Kiln Lane that I was able to buy back a synthesiser that I had sold to Paul Godfrey, of the band Morcheeba, in 1999 - I'd always regretted letting it go and was delighted that he let me have it back again. “In the summer of 2017 we moved to Woodberry Copse in Lyme itself and I was able to set up my new recording space as Woodberry Studio where I have been busy writing and recording ever since. This time last year my 1911 C.Bechstein upright piano was sampled by Patrick Ytting after we met thanks to comments on a YouTube video. It has gone on to become the most downloaded instrument from www.pianobook.co.uk, being No.1 in the download charts throughout and winning me a prize in their New Year’s Honours List.” Andrew has released his first EP on Bandcamp and you can listen to it online at arpquadra.bandcamp.com/releases
This month at the Marine Catch up with Lyme’s Little Theatre by the Sea
THERE are some dates that stick in my mind; for instance, December 31 1999, I had a New Year's Eve party. But it wasn’t the Millennium Bug that concerned me, I was four months pregnant so couldn’t join everyone else in being completely paralytic. 2020 will be added to my list of memorable years; not being pregnant means I can at least join everyone else as we try to improve the bleak outlook in having more than my occasional “just a small one please|. But I’m not here to be downhearted, I am my mother’s daughter and looking out of my ‘working from home’ bedroom window, I count myself extremely fortunate to have a garden to enjoy and, of course, the beach within easy walking distance. So other than the pandemic, what has been happening at the Marine? We had some more sooner-or-later-to-be happy couples visiting our little theatre by the sea as a suitable venue for their wedding celebration. It took effort on both sides to remember not to shake hands but as I drew them into the heart of the Marine, the echoes of shows passed, excited audiences and bewitching performers started to weave its magic spell and they were soon talking animatedly about decorating the auditorium and how to make the most of the spectacular view from the alcoves and now our refurbished dressing room has a 360° vista since we reinstalled the fourth window that has been covered over for decades, I reckon we are a pretty unique when it comes to unusual wedding venues. Talking of the unusual, have you noticed how disconcerting it can be when you meet someone out of context? For instance, I have only ever met Jeremy Hayes, he of the brilliant folk
festival, either in the theatre foyer or chatting in the office. So when I met him in the Uplyme Village Store where I go to hoover my car after I’ve taxied filthy teenage rugby players to and from matches, it threw me a little. It’s a bit like seeing your school teacher in the supermarket, you just don’t expect them
to have a life outside. There was a visit from another great musical festival organiser, Julie Sheppard of Jazz Jurassica. She told me about her horrendous journey home from Spain when they flew back in terrible weather at midnight the previous Sunday with the rain lashing down. But having spent the past two months in sunny Spain, she wasn’t going to complain. If you saw Julie’s Facebook posts, you’d see why! We had another handshaking dilemma when comedian Mark Thomas arrived for his performance. Our recently joined duty manager, Karen, proffered her elbow for the latest in social etiquette, the elbow bump. I personally can’t see this being a thing for long, a cheery hello, nod and a wink will meet most needs… well OK, maybe not the wink. But by the latter part of March everyone was starting to work from home, so in the same way the conventional handshake has been consigned to the backburner, so too has working in the office with your colleagues. When this horror story is over and it’s finally safe to go out, I’m hopeful with all those cancelled socials, there will be a flurry of invitations… not being pregnant, I’ll be partying like it’s 99 tonight!
Sophia Moseley
Theatre manager
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LymeOnline Sport
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football
Once a Seasider always a Seasider How I fell in love with football - by former Lyme Regis FC captain Stuart Broom Part one of a three-part series
I
was a result of the baby boom that followed the end of World War II.
Born in March 1948, I grew up in the difficult years that followed the most devastating event Britain had ever encountered until, of course, coronavirus which has taken over all of our lives for the foreseeable future and possibly forever. Rationing was still in place in my early years and I clearly remember going with my mother to collect the coupons from the old Borough Council offices in Broad Street and exchanging them for the most delicious orange juice I have ever tasted. Not that I remember it much, but life was a struggle for all the community in Lyme Regis in the immediate post-war years, but looking back I think it laid the foundations for my love not only for the town, but for football and especially Lyme Regis FC. Born in Roughfield (now the lower part of Queen’s Walk), we briefly moved to Kingsway where I struck up a friendship with Philip Evans (yes, this newspaper’s managing director) who lived virtually next door. Our friendship continued when both fami-
LYME Regis Junior School’s West Dorset six-a- side winners: back row (from the left) - Stuart Broom, Andrew Rowe, Michael Case. Front row - Raymond Turner, Philip Evans (captain), Malcolm Kennaugh
STUART BROOM, a bustling centre forward, played his first game for Lyme Reserves in 1963 and was a permanent first teamer until hanging up his boots in 1979, having captained the side for 12 years. He scored more than 200 goals in 600 games for the Seasiders and won one Perry Street League cap. lies moved to the newly- built Anning Road in the early 1950s. Both mad on sport, you could always find us in the Anning Road playing fields from morning until dusk under the street lights when our parents finally called time. Often it would be gone nine o’clock and we were still out there trying to beat our heading keep-it-up record which I think eventually topped 300. In the summer, our dads would cut a strip on the field with the lawnmower so we had our own cricket wicket.
Fantastic experience
Friends included the likes of Les Freshwater from Kingsway who was a very quick but not always accurate fast bowler; Andrew Rowe, a useful goalkeeper who owned the only real leather football; and Richard (Dick) Hodder, who despite having poor balance made the most remarkable catches when playing cricket. We had no X-Boxes or mobile phones to distract us in those days, but who needed it when we were so besotted with sport? In fact sport, and particularly football, was the overriding factor throughout our school lives. At St Michael’s Junior School we both played for the school team. Philip (Pip) was quite small (see photo left) but a very tricky winger or inside forward (midfielder to you younger readers) whilst I was the opposite. I played centre half probably because I was big (most likely because I drank too much orange juice as a baby), and it took the opposition longer to run around me! My eldest brother Robert who was seven years older than me, had already established himself as a regular in Lyme’s first team which in the late 1950s and early 1960s was one of the top teams in the Perry Street Premier League. As such they were regularly involved in various cup finals, many of which were played at Zembard Lane, home of then Western League side Chard Town. What a fantastic experience that was for us
LYME Regis 1st team pictured in 1963 - back row (from the left) - Chris Govier, Roger Long, Fred Hodder, David Cozens, Robert Broome, Derek Hallett. Front row (from the left) - Stuart Broom, Arthur Smith, Pat Rice, Ron Ghost, Richard Branwhite youngsters. In those days the team comprised of all local players; brothers, uncles, dads and neighbours, we knew them all and their families. The excitement of travelling usually by bus, watching the game under floodlights; something unique to most of us and roaring Lyme on was exhilarating.
Sport came first at school
Robert by then had started an apprenticeship at Westlands and had made a football rattle from steel which was much louder than the traditional wooden one – what a racket it made! Pip and I both passed our 11-plus - don’t ask how? - but at Lyme Regis Grammar School sport still came first over academia. Back in the 1960s England international matches were played on a Wednesday afternoon and shown live on BBC with a 3pm kickoff. We couldn’t bear to miss a minute if
possible so used to sneak out of school ten minutes early so we could catch the whole of the second half. Haring down the path we met the headmaster Thornton Pearn coming the other way. “Where are you two going in such a hurry?” he asked. “Doctors”, said one of us, “Dentist appointment”, said the other, as we raced past him. He was not amused. Life couldn’t have been better for me at the time as my love for football and the Seasiders became even stronger.
■ In our next edition: My first game for the Seasiders’ senior team
Uplyme lose overseas player THE COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in Uplyme & Lyme Regis Cricket Club’s overseas player not being able to travel before the season starts. Club chairman Steve Batey announced on Facebook that Jacob Bevacqua (pictured) would have to postpone his arrival until the 2021 season. “We wish him all the best and look forward to welcoming him next year,” said the chairman.
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LymeOnline Sport
18 Friday, April 3 2020
April 3 2020
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NOW IN THE DEVON & EXETER PREMIER LEAGUE
Davey Fort
Clubhouse closed until further notice
No more football this season! PHILIP EVANS
philip@lyme-online.co.uk
THERE will be no more local football this season as the FA have ruled an end to the 2019-2020 season.
The Football Association will be working with County FAs in the coming days to determine how they will bring their various leagues to a conclusion. Local teams were facing a backlog of fixtures after weeks of wet weather leading to many postponements across the divisions before the coronavirus crisis led to a suspension of the leagues. This is the statement issued by the FA this week: “We have been working collaboratively with the National League System (NLS), the women’s football pyramid and the wider grassroots game since the outbreak of COVID-19 on how to conclude the 2019-20 season in the most appropriate way possible. “These are challenging circumstances for English football and all decisions taken are in the best interests of the game and in consultation across key stakeholders. Our primary concern will always be for the safety and welfare of clubs, players, staff, officials, volunteers and supporters during this unprecedented time. “Today’s steps take into account the financial impact during this uncertain period, whilst considering the fairest method on how the sporting outcomes for the season will be decided with the integrity of the leagues in mind. “We can now confirm that we have decided that all grassroots football is concluded for the 2019-20 season. This will allow the game to move forward and to commence planning for next season. Our County Football Associations (CFAs) will be supporting grassroots leagues over the coming days to determine how they should close out their current competitions.” Lyme Regis FC’s two main teams compete in the Devon & Exeter League, which has yet to make a statement on this week’s news. Lyme’s third X1, the Rovers, play in the Perry Street League, as do Uplyme and Charmouth. Lyme Regis 1st team was lying in fifth place, where they finished last season, in the Premier Division and Lyme Reserves were in sixth place in Division Three. Charmouth and Uplyme are sitting at the foot of Perry Street Division One and were probably heading for relegation. Lyme Rovers were in third place in Perry Street Division Two with a very good chance of promotion. The Rovers had also won a place in the
THIS club lineup was taken at the beginning of this season and will go down in the annual of Lyme Regis Football Club as the season that was never completed Photo by Francesca Evans semi-final of the Tommy Tabberer Cup, a competition they would love to win because it was given in memory of one of the Lyme club’s most talented players, who was tragically killed in a road accident in the early 1960s. Howard Larcombe, chairman of Lyme Regis Football Club, issued the following statement: “I know I speak on behalf of the whole club when I say we are disappointed, but not overly surprised, that the Football Association has brought an end to the current season for grassroots football clubs. “Our overall health and well being is far too important to take lightly in the face of the deva’stating Covid-19 virus. ‘We were real contenders’ “From a football angle, things were shaping up nicely. The first team, currently lying fifth in the Premier Division, were still in with a shout of a best ever finish in their sixth season in the Macron Devon & Exeter League. “After a difficult opening third of the season, the Reserves were improving nicely, having collected 10 points from their last four matches to ease up to sixth spot in Division Three. “Over in the Perry Street & District League the Rovers were having a great time and were looking like real contenders to clinch back-to-back promotions and a place up in Division One perched third in the table with games in-hand on the top two. “Our third string had also reached the semi-final of our own Tommy Tabberer
Cup – a competition the club has only won once in it’s 58-year history. “Off the field ,the club is in good shape. The lack of game days will certainly have an impact on the club’s finances. Having recently
installed a 63-capacity grandstand, which is just awaiting the laying of an access path before being officially completed, we look forward to this being filled with Seasiders supporters once again before too long. ”
Forever a Seasider! NO-ONE was more disappointed that a halt has been called to the football season than Lyme Regis manager Gerard Hitchcock who had announced he was standing down at the end of the season. This is Gerard’s last farewell message to his players: “So that's me done then fellas, thank you all for the effort that you put in for this season and the time I've been in charge as first team manager. “Thank you Julien Simier for this year’s training. Thank you Tim Edwards, Kev Turner and Mark Bevis for helping me; your input and experience have been invaluable “Thanks also to Dom Rowe
Shane Featherstone, Rob Larcombe and Niall Davies. Cheers for making life easy, as I know the phone calls on a Friday/Saturday are difficult ones to get that ruin your team selection. “To all those supporters that come along to watch and every player that sees you on the side, I'm grateful as it's a tremendous thing in local football to have people who support home and travel away. “The real heroes are every single player that has ever stepped foot on a football pitch under my leadership. I sometimes let my emotions get the better of me, but it's only because I hate losing and I also hate being on the side and not on that pitch. I kick and head every ball and make every tackle in my head. It’s a long time when you don't play anymore, let me tell you. “I have had the pleasure to represent my home town club and win ta few trophies on a regular basis. There is no better feeling in football than that at any level. “Lastly, from me, make the most of being at this club; there is no other like it once it gets in to your soul you’re forever a Seasider!”
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