Having a last read through this issue and listening to Seth Dellow’s audio interview with Jane Ashdown, the encouraging impression I am left with—as ever—is the level of diversity and resolve in and around our little patch of the South West. From Caroline Julia Moore’s extraordinary story of how art has helped to express her vision, as well as support her though debilitating mental health issues, to the resilience and dignity expressed by the late Paddy Ashdown’s wife, there is so much to inspire and so much to give us hope. Tentative efforts to open shops after a bleak winter have seen businesses begin to trade again, while those such as the subjects in Tim Booth’s upcoming exhibition ‘Circus’ can see the possibility of performing for the first time in many months. Tim’s photographs capture more than a moment frozen as the shutter clicks—there is determination, perseverance and dedication in his subjects, which in many ways mirrors the efforts made by so many people throughout this area in the last year. Not least those that have given their time in volunteering roles across so many supportive initiatives in the community. That same dogged persistence helped turn a conversation at a long lost Bridport pub into a thriving local rugby club. Bridport team captain, Andrew Livingston, has given us a history of how the club began, and after watching premiership and international rugby played with no audience over the last few months, many of us look forward to a resumption of team sports—a vital element in the health, both physical and mental, of the wider community. Local sports, community groups and meetings will play an important role in offering a path toward recovery to the many who have struggled with the effects of both the pandemic and lockdowns. Margery Hookings writes about recently made recordings of elderly people talking about their experiences, one of whom mentions the need to participate in regular activities such as lunch clubs. We all hope for the gradual resumption of events, courses, exhibitions and classes over the coming months and look forward to that section of this magazine growing, as again we rebuild communication and normal interaction over the community.
