This time on Alfred, the podcast for Shaftesbury, The Vale and Chase areas of North Dorset and West Wiltshire:

Alfred visits a new Shaftesbury business, The Botanical Candle Company. Amalia Pothecary has combined a High Street retail space for her beautiful candles with an international online sales operation. Alfred spoke to the young entrepreneur and learned why she is a role model for young people in Shaftesbury who have a business idea but don’t know how to make their dream a reality. (00:22)

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This time on Alfred, the podcast for Shaftesbury, The Vale and Chase areas of North Dorset and West Wiltshire:

Alfred hears about plans to celebrate 70 years of the NHS in Shaftesbury and 30 years of the Westminster Memorial Hospital League of Friends. Matron Helen Lawes wants your pictures and stories and she’s got some interesting tales to share before a big community event! (00:32)

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This time on Alfred, the podcast for Shaftesbury, The Vale and Chase areas of North Dorset and West Wiltshire:

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This time on Alfred, the podcast for Shaftesbury, The Vale and Chase areas of North Dorset and West Wiltshire:

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This time on Alfred, the podcast for Shaftesbury, The Vale and Chase areas of North Dorset and West Wiltshire:

• Shaftesbury will celebrate our High Street’s special qualities this summer. The town’s Chamber Of Commerce is launching a new hashtag and window stickers promoting #IndyShaftesbury. Chamber Chairman David Perry reveals how many Shaftesbury traders are independent and explains why this is so important for our town’s economy. Independent traders helps attract tourists, too! (Begins at 00.23)
• Shaftesbury’s town centre signs have been spring cleaned for summer.  Find out why the Town Council’s team has been doing this work. Councillor Tim Cook has an appeal, too. Can you help find the important sign that has been taken? (Begins at 3.59)
• Do you have the skills to lead one of Shaftesbury’s most loved institutions? Gold Hill Museum is looking to recruit a new Chairman. Elaine Barratt knows all about the role. She is acting Chairman but she can’t take the role on. She explains why. So what kind of person is the museum looking for? Elaine explains and she says candidates don’t need to know anything about history. (Begins at 6.50)
• Do you know where to find Shaftesbury’s oldest feature? It could be older than the churches and even Christianity. And it’s still alive! Keri Jones joins Sue Clifford, Angela King and Robin Walter on the Shaftesbury Tree Group Walk. The route and accompanying guide will help you see the town from a different perspective, as Keri discovers. (Begins at 10.40)
• Around a hundred people filled Shaftesbury Town Hall on Monday to debate North Dorset Council’s sale of the Cattle Market site to a supermarket. We spoke with one of North Dorset’s chief officers, Martin Harrison. He refuted accusations that NDDC acted deceitfully during the process. Hear our report and interviews from this long and sometimes heated public meeting. (Begins at 19.02)
• A reminder about Civic Day on Thursday 21st June. (Begins at 30.02)

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This time on Alfred, the podcast for Shaftesbury, The Vale and Chase areas of North Dorset and West Wiltshire:

Keri Jones walks along the White Hart link between Motcombe and Shaftesbury. The latest section of this circular path around North Dorset was launched on Spring Bank Holiday. The walkers were greeted by the Chairman of Motcombe Parish Council and enjoyed a cream tea at the end of the route with the Chairman of Shaftesbury Town Council. You’ll hear how the group hopes this walk will boost our local economy. And you can hear about some of the special places on this 4-mile route, including the Woodland Trust’s Kingsettle Woods.  (Begins at 00.25)

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In this episode:

• A traditional medieval procession is re-started. Keri Jones goes on the Byzant Procession to offer thanks for water.
• Dorset Arts Week is underway. Two Shaftesbury artists say it makes a difference to their business. We have tips on how to get the most from open artist studio visits.
• 3D radar technology is used to try and uncover the secrets of Shaftesbury’s Saxon settlement. We go on location with the archaeologists working with Shaftesbury Abbey.
• Shaftesbury has a new tourism USP. We meet the woman who suggested the slogan that the town’s tourism groups say they love!