9 November 2020 - Lock down, spirits up
Hello everyone,
Well, here we are again. All locked down and nowhere to go. My personal view of this takes me back to the days when as youngsters we used to receive regular doses of cod liver oil. Like lockdown that was not very nice but considered essential for our wellbeing. The upside of such government initiatives were the 1/3rd of a pint bottles of milk that they used to provide in school. One for every pupil, but you had three when you got to be a prefect and controlled the distribution of them. And an oldie like me can remember when whooping cough was a notifiable disease requiring a spell in an isolation hospital. Then there was polio, much feared back in the fifties and later on there was even an outbreak of smallpox in South Wales. So infections are nothing new, and we came through that lot so we can come through this one.
Hope you’ve had your flu jab. Mine was extremely painful and meant I needed much care and attention from Jane. That’s what I told her, anyway
Nick sent me an email asking if I’d seen an item in the Echo on 6 November which asked "Guess where this old picture was taken". I hadn’t seen the picture so I googled it. Nick seemed to think it was obvious, but I’ll leave you to work it out. Thanks for that Nick. If you would like to share anything via a Newsbite, let me know.
Keep your spirits up and stay safe.
Chris
6 November 2020 - Cook your own or have a take away
Hello everyone,
Chris, better known as Balfey the Baker, has let me know that there is table stacked with cooking, baking, wine and food books outside his house. They are all free and could help refine and expand your skills leading to fun during lockdown. So get along there and take your pick. I won’t see you there as adding to my kitchen skills might mean that I am actually expected to do something in that department!
Also Karen at the Springhead says that their legendary carvery will be available as a take away on Sundays during the lockdown with a delivery service for Sutton Poyntz and Preston residents. Also an “off licence” is in operation open daily 4-6pm for the collection of beer. Guineas, Carling, Proper Job, local Chesil ale, Abbot ale and Stowford are all available at only £11 for 4 pints which makes a visit well worthwhile. Find full information on Facebook or their website and you can email them on
Stay safe and smiling
Chris
4 November 2020 - Stracey's charity donation, with your help; Content needed
Dear all,
Mo has forwarded an update from Glen and Simon on their very successful charity food event at Stracey’s Fish & Chips on Monday night. You will remember that rather than let their stock go to waste after lockdown, they organised a grand cook-up with all the meals provided in exchange for a donation to charity. They raised £266 in donations for the food, and after covering the counter staff wages they have rounded up the amount to £300. The last thing to be decided was which charity to support. Following the example of Captain Sir Tom Moore and others, at this time of year they felt it right and proper to give the money to the British Legion Poppy Appeal. In their update Glen and Simon say “thank you” to everyone and they hope to be able to see you all soon. An enormous vote of thanks is also due to them for their wonderful initiative and for supporting such a deserving cause. Well done indeed.
With lockdown now less than three hours away I hope to send out Newsbites to brighten up (hopefully!) the forthcoming days. If you have anything I could use, any ideas for subjects, anecdotes about Sutton Poyntz residents past and present (anonymity preserved if requested), tales of historical events going back centuries or as recent as last week or anything of interest then please send them to me at
Stay safe and keep smiling
Chris
2 November 2020 - Stracey's charity donation
Dear all,
Mo has just rung to say that Stracey’s Fish & Chips have contacted her re. Thursday’s lockdown. They will not be able to serve any of their delicious food after that date, which means a lot of stock would go to waste. Rather than let this happen they have decided to have a grand cook-up tonight, this Monday evening, between 5.30 and 7 pm and all the meals will be available to everyone for a donation which they will donate to charity. They’ve not decided which one yet, but full marks to them for this marvellous gesture at a very sad time.
Stay safe and keep smiling
Best regards
Chris
27 October 2020 - SP Defibrillator
Dear all,
The Sutton Poyntz defibrillator was installed back in June 2017. Alan Hale, our current local First Responder for the SW Ambulance Service, checks it on a monthly basis and will let us know when anything needs doing to keep it functional. Many thanks to Alan for doing that for us. However he has suggested to Jez that the signage is poor and that a reminder about its presence and location would be useful. Alan will provide some updated signs, and here is the reminder! The Village Defibrillator is located in the rear car park of the Springhead Pub. As you go up the ramp past the Pizza Hut it’s on the back of the shed on your left, facing the doors into the Pavilion/Blue Duck bar. It is registered on the ambulance service computer despatch system so anyone calling 999 for a cardiac arrest in Sutton Poyntz will be informed of its location. It is extremely easy to use and provides full voice instructions. Believe me, if I can use one, anybody can. Let’s hope it is never needed, but it is comforting to know that it is close at hand.
Stay safe and keep smiling
Chris
23 October 2020 - Cycling without Age
Dear everyone,
A recent email sent my thoughts back to when we took such enjoyable events as the Friday coffee mornings in the Mission Hall very much for granted. Keith Johnson contacted me to mention the Cycling without Age charity, which he had previewed at a Friday coffee morning back when things were normal. I can’t say exactly when that was, not because of my failing memory but because this was one of the very few occasions that I couldn’t attend. I can remember not being there but not when it took place! The charity started in Denmark – where they know a thing or two about cycling - with the purpose of enabling people with reduced mobility to engage with their community and environment through the pleasure of taking a bike ride. It is now well established in Weymouth, where a purpose-built trishaw takes up to two passengers on a bike ride, piloted by a cyclist who steers a slow enjoyable ride around Weymouth, along the Esplanade or up the Rodwell trail. And worry not about the pilot, for the trike is electrically assisted. If you have trouble getting about, or know someone who does, Keith says you can text, phone or email the Charity on 07555 416 399 or at
Best regards and stay safe
Chris
30 September 2020 - Car damage, Road closure
Hi everyone,
The response to the Newsbite about cars being damaged was a little disturbing, with more reports of the same thing happening elsewhere. Apparently along Puddledock Lane a wing mirror was ripped off a car and a works van was broken into twice. Then in Old Bincombe Lane two cars were entered and another scratched overnight. Do keep an eye out for anything suspicious, and let me know of any more occurrences. If they persist then police involvement may have to be sought, though what they can do is debateable.
Some advance notice of a one day closure of Plaisters Lane on 26 October from 0930 to 1530. This will be between Hampton Lodge and Wyndings, a distance of approximately 120 metres, not that it really matters how far it is if you can’t drive over it! The purpose of the closure is to allow BT to renew a decayed telegraph pole. They are usually pretty speedy with this sort of work, so barring problems it should be over quickly but probably better to take an alternative route on that day. Thanks to Tony Ferrari for this information.
Best regards
Chris
23 September 2020 - Correction to Car Damage, Pond clean up
Hi all,
Firstly apologies to Peter Riley.
As Peter Jones and others emailed me to say, the pond detritus was actually taken by wheelbarrow to Peter Riley’s garden, for which thanks again.
Then apologies to those of you who received the Newsbite twice. Some unkind souls have said once is more than enough, never mind twice.
Regards
Chris