Laura Hitchcock

Dorchester

Editor at The BV Magazine

Blogger at LittleStuff

Featured in: Favicon

littlestuff.co.uk Favicon

theblackmorevale.co.uk

Articles

Abbey104 Album of the Month: Confessions of Mr. Nowhere by Palace Winter

1 day ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

Palace Winter, the electro-indie, Australian/Danish duo of Carl Coleman and Caspar Hesselager, have bubbled under the radar since they released their excellent (but largely ignored) debut LP Waiting for the World to Turn almost ten years ago. But they’re still yet to break through in a scene crammed full of synth-heavy, mid-tempo guitar pop. While that is unlikely to change with the release of their fourth LP Confessions of Mr. Nowhere, there’s still plenty here to love.
Blandford & Sturminster Ladies crown season with Vase victory

2 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

In an edge-of-the-seat final that went to the wire, Blandford & Sturminster Ladies faced Southampton University Ladies 3s in the Hampshire Senior Ladies Vase. Nerves were evident on both sides, culminating in a tense, evenly-matched first half. Blandford earned four short corners, each denied by a commanding performance from Southampton’s keeper. The opposition responded with two of their own, both confidently saved by Zena Parry. But the momentum shifted in the second half.
Stunt spectaculars to headline at Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show

2 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

Two days of epic action await visitors to the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show this summer, as the main ring welcomes two new acts blending medieval and modern horsepower. Appearing in Dorset for the first time, The Knights of Albion will bring an unforgettable live-action jousting tournament to Turnpike Showground on 13th and 14th August.
Crops in, cows out - just add water

3 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

With rainfall low and food security a priority, Dorset farmers push back on proposals to reduce farmland in favour of trees and stewardshipIt has been a busy couple of months at Rawston Farm with all the spring barley and beans now drilled, with only the forage maize still to be sown (this should be completed by the time you read this!). All this is very different to last year, where crops had to be sown far later due to the wet weather.
Royal Bath & West has a packed May half-term line-up

3 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

The Royal Bath & West Show returns from 29th to 31st May 2025, promising three days of countryside celebration, family fun, and live entertainment at the iconic Shepton Mallet showground. This year’s main ring entertainment features the thrilling Paul Hannam Quad Bike Stunt Show, delivering high-speed stunts and precision riding.
New book captures Stalbridge’s historic sale a century on

4 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

In September 1918, just two months before the end of the First World War, Lord Stalbridge placed his entire estate under the hammer. Homes, farms, cottages, businesses and fields across Stalbridge and Stalbridge Weston were sold off in individual lots. For the first time, many local residents had the chance to own their homes – though for others it meant losing the properties rented by their families for generations.
In the stable, not the spotlight

4 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

Jackie Potts on the quiet graft, deep knowledge and sheer love of horses that built one of Britain’s most respected grooming careersNot many people can say they’ve spent more than three decades at the very top of their game. Fewer still would say it wasn’t even the plan. But Jackie Potts never needed a grand ambition – just a pony, a yard and the simple joy of being around horses. ‘I was ten,’ she says.
Big bad wolf proof

4 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

Tracie Beardsley meets sustainable builder Phil Christopher, championing a straw home revolution and defying the big bad wolfIt would have been a very different ending to the classic fairy story of the three little pigs building their houses of straw, sticks and bricks if Phil Christopher had lent a hand.
Dorset bursts into colour with a trio of spring art events

5 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

This May, Dorset throws open the doors to its creative heart with three major open art exhibitions, offering a rare opportunity to explore local studios, meet artists, and immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspire their work. The season begins with the inaugural exhibition from the newly formed Dorset Artists Guild, who will showcase their Spring/Summer Exhibition at Church House in Wimborne from 6th to 15th May.
The wrong place

6 days ago | theblackmorevale.co.uk | Laura Hitchcock

As solar farms creep across our farmland, CPRE’s Rupert Hardy asks why rooftop panels are still overlooked in the rush to meet clean energy targetsIn December, Ed Miliband published his Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, aiming to switch the UK to 95 per cent clean energy by the end of the decade. The government has rightly prioritised wind power to meet the majority of our renewable needs, with solar playing a lesser role given its lower efficiency.