Local News

AFC Bournemouth return to Dorset care homes to give residents some cheer

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: Lighthouse Poole aims to be ‘ creating the right environment for change’

Lighthouse is ‘a very welcoming, professional place’ where staff ‘feel very supported by each other, almost like a family.’ That’s according to creative change maker consultant Nastasha Player who has recently submitted her draft final report after conducting an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) review to help Lighthouse reflect on its diversity and equality as an organisation and learn how it can become more inclusive. “I was invited in by the organisation to consider its approach to diversity, specifically ethnic diversity,” she explains. “What I found was based around very open conversations with external stakeholders as well as staff and the Board about the understanding and perception of diversity.” The review was triggered in response to Let’s Create, Arts Council England’s ten-year strategy to make sure everyone can access culture. Artistic programmes should reflect the national profile of ‘protected characteristics’ under the Equality Act that cover age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity. Lighthouse is already committed to addressing its lack of ethnic diversity with training and positive recruitment and is seeking to embed the findings of the EDI review in future strategy.

“What I’m interested in is creating the right environment for change to land most effectively,” says Natasha.

“It’s not just Lighthouse, many organisations within the arts and cultural sector are looking at how they approach diversity. Issues around inclusion have been brought to the fore and discussions are happening around diversity in performances and programming, in engaging with audiences, and in the staffing of organisations. That Lighthouse is beginning to put structures in place at Board level to tackle this is very encouraging.”

As part of Care South’s partnership with AFC Bournemouth Community Trust, residents at many of the Group’s care homes were delighted to welcome the team back recently, with everyone keen to put their footballing skills to the test after all their Zoom practice sessions during lockdown. The team made their way around the homes, making sure everyone got involved, using specially designed seated football games to bring out the competitive streak in residents. The team then treated the residents to some expert demonstrations, talking everyone through the intense training and exercise regimes that the Cherries players must go through to reach the very highest level. After working up an appetite, everyone sat and swapped footballing stories over a cup of tea. The residents loved reminiscing about their sporting heroes from days gone by and their own exploits on the field and in the stands. The coaches really enjoyed hearing about the history of the game they love, and the residents were equally interested to learn how the game has changed since they last put their boots on. Care South’s CEO, Simon Bird, commented: “It’s great to welcome the team from AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust back to our homes.

“The residents absolutely love interacting with the coaches and getting involved in the activities – many residents are lifelong Cherries fans so they are always delighted when the team visits. The football sessions that AFC Bournemouth run are an important part of our activities at the home, helping to keep our residents engaged with the local community.”

Rt Hon Secretary of State Robert Jenrick MP visits Boscombe to hear of ambitious regeneration plans

Future regeneration plans for Boscombe took centre stage in a visit recently by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick MP. Mr Jenrick went on a walking tour of the area accompanied by BCP Council Leader Councillor Drew Mellor and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Regeneration Councillor Philip Broadhead. They were accompanied by Chief Executive Graham Farrant, local MP Tobias Ellwood and AFC Bournemouth Chairman Jeff Mostyn who spearheaded the successful multi-agency My Towns Fund Board bid for £22 million announced earlier this year. During the visit he was shown key sites such as the Royal Arcade and precinct, informed about how the ambitious plans for the area will be delivered and discussed the council’s bigger ambitions for the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole area as a whole.

Government and Local Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “I was delighted to be in Bournemouth to hear first-hand their impressive and innovative plans to spend its £21.7m Towns Fund investment to regenerate the local area. “The government funding will help breathe new life into Boscombe with a five-year cultural programme and transformation of the landmark Royal Arcade into a new workspace. It will help boost skills and opportunities locally while making the area a more attractive place to live and visit, delivering long lasting change to the region. This is part of our commitment to level up all areas of the country.” Council Leader Drew Mellor said: “We were delighted that Mr Jenrick took time out of his busy schedule to come down and learn all about our ambition for the BCP area, understand our vision and see the opportunities that we are working hard to deliver for Boscombe. He was very interested in what we had to say and complimentary about the plans we are turbo charging across BCP. As part of our Big Plan commitments, we want the whole BCP city region to be world class – one of the best coastal places in which to live, work, invest and play.” Under the ambitious plans the Sovereign Shopping Centre would be replaced by a contemporary mixed-use neighbourhood of streets and high-quality commercial units and homes. There will be a brand new purpose-built public square where a dedicated programme of festivals and events would bring people together. Unique heritage assets such as the Royal Arcade would be brought back into use by combining contemporary new workspace, skills and learning as well as arts and culture in this historic yet under used building. In addition, around 560 new homes, 6,700sqm of retail and leisure floor space and 4,800 sqm of commercial, community and health floor space have been earmarked as part of the long-term plans which aim to strengthen the local economy of Boscombe and revitalise the area.

Left to right: Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, Cllr Drew Mellor, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP

Credit: Kelly Reynolds

Morebus has created a versatile new app to improve public travel that features favouriting journeys, bus tracking software and instant online ticket purchases

Bus travel has always been a big part of life across BCP, there is always a bus travelling across the area taking passengers from one place to another. This is routine for many in their everyday lives and they know well the struggles of dealing with a lost ticket, route confusion and even just missing the bus entirely, resulting in many complaining about the inconvenience or completely switching to car journeys making the roads more congested. Morebus has created a new app with hopes of solving these issues and convincing the public to use their services and reduce the need for car travel. The app is said to have a feature allowing commuters to save their journeys and favourite their routes to reduce confusion and planning time for each trip, they can also track their desired buses to keep aware of how long until they will arrive. One of the improved features is the ability to buy tickets instantly through the app itself, removing the need to visit the Morebus website first and wait for the ticket to load on their system before it can be used via the app. This will reduce waiting time for commuters in a rush and possibly make it more convenient for the public to take the bus instead of cars and reduce the amount of traffic on the roads.

Summer Drink-Drive crackdown begins

“If you are drinking, don’t drive and if you are driving, don’t drink.” That’s the message from Dorset Police as lockdown restrictions are lifted and more people are expected to be heading out to pubs and clubs. The Force is urging people to take responsibility for their actions and not to risk lives by getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol.

As part of the six week-long campaign officers will be carrying out breath tests with those they suspect of drink driving, with offenders facing a minimum 12-month driving ban, an unlimited fine and a criminal record.

Dorset Police will be carrying out intelligence-led checks, which target road users who pose a risk on the roads with officers urging members of the public to get in touch to report anyone they suspect of driving under the influence. Inspector Craig Tatton, of the Dorset Road Policing Team, said: “Despite long-term reductions, drink driving still contributes to over 200 deaths on our roads nationally each year and around 6,000 collisions where drivers were over the limit. “During 2019 Dorset Police prosecuted 763 drivers for drink drive-related offences and a further 643 in 2020, despite lockdown restrictions and the closure of licenced premises for extended periods. “There is no typical drink driver in Dorset – in the last three years the oldest person arrested for drink driving was 83 years old and the youngest was 16 years old. “Alcohol impairs many of the functions necessary for safe driving; reaction times and spatial awareness are affected significantly and this is often still the case the morning after, depending on how much alcohol a person has consumed the night before and when they stopped drinking. “It’s not just the driver who’s at risk, you could kill or seriously injure another person. Drink driving destroys people’s lives and those of their families. Avoid this happening by planning ahead; leave your vehicle at home, travel by taxi or public transport, or agree a non-drinking designated driver to get people home safely.”

Local libraries team up with WWF for Summer Reading Challenge

Wild World Heroes launched across BCP libraries on Saturday 10 July and runs throughout the summer. It’s fun, free and easy for children to take part by signing up at your local BCP Library Take a trip to Wilderville, where the Wild World Heroes are learning how to make their town a cleaner, greener place for all the people and wildlife that live there. As you read books for the Challenge, you’ll get to go exploring all over Wilderville, from the woods to the farm and even the beach!

With your help, the heroes will transform Wilderville into an even cooler place to be, and will discover lots of brilliant books along the way! Meet the Heroes

Journey through the woods with Willow and Hazel Travel along the river with David and Webster Get creative with gamer Faiza and Mouse Get down to the beach to meet Callum and Shelby Make some noise with activist Carys and Doug Take a trip to the farm with Marcus and Charlie Taking Part in the Challenge Reading books for the Challenge

You can choose any books you like to count towards your Summer Reading Challenge. Fact, fiction, poetry, graphic novels, joke books – the choice is yours! eBooks and audiobooks count too, so you can read wherever and however you like! Children can collect nature themed stickers and incentives as they read six chosen books across the summer holidays. Complete the challenge and you will receive a certificate and medal.

Find out more: https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk

You can take part in the Challenge by signing up for free at your local library. Your library will give you a special Collector Poster map of Wilderville and help you find books to read. As you read books for your Challenge, return to the library to receive stickers to add to your map – some of them even have smells! Collect all the stickers to complete the Challenge and transform Wilderville. You’ll get a special Wild World Heroes certificate too!

New initiative to help rough sleepers through contactless giving points

To date over £10,000 has been raised by kind donations to a new fund called ‘Change for Good’. Local people across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole have given because they want to help individuals who have been sleeping rough to make a positive move off the street and access the support they need. ‘Change for Good’ is run by the Homelessness Partnership for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole made up of local charities, businesses and public sector organisations. Donations can currently be made via the Just Giving page but the partnership are raising the profile of the scheme and making it even simpler for local people to be able to make a donation whilst out and about in town.

The Old Granary crowned best pub in Dorset

The Old Granary in Wareham has been named the ‘Best Pub & Bar in Dorset’ by The National Pub & Bar Awards. The pub is part of the Hall & Woodhouse family and won the award for its diverse and creative approach to hospitality. Additionally, the pub has been praised for the way the team navigated the past 18 months in light of the pandemic and for the stringent safety measures that have been in place to keep guests safe. Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, which organises the awards, said: “I’ve never been prouder of this industry. The entries for this year’s awards demonstrated the undeniable value that communities place on their beloved pubs and bars. To be able to acknowledge the hard work and diligence of venues across the UK is an absolute privilege. These outstanding venues deserve this recognition now more than ever.” Chris Chapman, Head of Managed Operations at Hall & Woodhouse, said: “The Old Granary is loved by locals and tourists alike. With its iconic location on Wareham Quay with views over the Purbeck Hills, this beautiful pub is a very special place to relax with friends and family. I am so proud of the team for achieving this accolade after such a difficult year.” Work is underway to set up ‘giving points’ across Bournemouth and Poole town centres where local people can simply tap a payment card at a designated donation point to be able to make a set donation of £3 to help local people off the streets and prevent rough sleeping. The whole 100% donation is guaranteed to help homeless people locally. Contact points are already being installed at town centre locations across Bournemouth and Poole thanks to help from local firms such as Premium Event Productions (PEP). CEO of PEP, Richard Marshall said “I’m passionate about empowering people who have fallen on hard times, to be able to pick themselves back up and start to feel positive about life again. It is why PEP got involved - we’ve been using our knowhow and contacts to make contact-less giving a reality and really start delivering change to these people’s lives” More than 400 people over the last year, who were rough sleeping or precariously housed have been helped into emergency accommodation by the council and its partners through the ‘Everyone In’ initiative. The partnership has also supported 118 people make positive moves from temporary emergency housing into more secure longer-term housing. The funding raised by ‘Change for Good’ goes straight to local charities who work directly with people who are escaping homelessness, complementing the statutory support by the council. Alistair Doxat-Purser, chair of the Partnership Forum, said: “As COVID-19 restrictions ease and the high streets open up, the partnership is raising the profile of ‘Change for Good’ to give members of the public an alternative way of helping those who are seeking to escape homelessness. Contactless Giving points can be found at the following locations as part of the pilot scheme:

Central Library

YMCA, Westover Road

Hope & More, 171 Seabourne Road, Southbourne

HSBC Bournemouth

More points being rolled out over the coming months. Businesses or organisations interested in hosting a contactless giving point can make contact by emailing: bournemouth@ Streetsupport.net Residents and visitors can donate to ‘Change for Good’ here: www.justgiving.com/campaign/changeforgoodBournemouth

New legislation makes it illegal to keep dangerous weapons at home

New legislation that came into effect on 14 July means that from Wednesday 14 July 2021, all weapons banned in public by the Criminal Justice Act 1988, including zombie knives, shuriken or death stars and knuckledusters, will now also be banned in private, meaning people can no longer even keep them at home. Other sections of the act that have come into effect include an updated definition of flick knives to reflect changes in weapon designs, and the banning of private possession of flick knives and gravity knives. The new legislation also affects specific firearms, such as rapid-fire rifles. Anyone unlawfully possessing a firearm covered by the ban will face up to 10 years in prison and those possessing one of the other weapons can be sentenced to up to six months imprisonment or a fine, or both. In 2020 the number of knife crimes reported to Dorset Police increased by 10.3 per cent from 262 in 2019 to 289 with a quarter of victims aged under 25. The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and an unlimited fine. Prison sentences are normally handed out if someone is convicted of carrying a knife more than once. Chief Superintendent Mark Callaghan, Dorset Police’s strategic lead for violent crime, said: “The harm caused to families and communities through the tragic loss of life relating to knife crime is devastating and that is why knife crime remains a top priority for Dorset Police. We are committed to reducing knife crime offences in the county. These new measures will go some way to taking weapons off the streets and make it more difficult for people to get hold of knives and other dangerous items in the first place. “Early intervention is key to making our communities safer and we work closely with our partner agencies to ensure that messages about the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife reaches children in schools and colleges. “We want to provide support and advice to those who know a knife carrier and for parents, carers and bystanders to be able to spot the signs and speak out if they know someone is carrying a knife. We would encourage anyone with concerns to contact Dorset Police so we can take action and if appropriate put safeguarding measures in place to protect anyone who may be vulnerable.

“As part of the #KnivesRuinLives campaign we want to share the message that ‘You matter, lives can change’.” Councillor May Haines, BCP Council Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, said: “In light of the rising cases of knife crime across the BCP area, I welcome and support the legislation that is due to come into effect. I echo our police colleagues view that education and early intervention are key to helping keep our communities safe. Losing a loved one is heart-breaking but losing them to a violent crime makes it even harder to bear. Greater knowledge of how knife crime can negatively impact and take away lives, will prevent even more lives being lost.” Incoming Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: “These weapons have no place on our streets or in our schools and colleges and so I welcome this new legislation. “We need to get the message out, particularly among young people, that there is no reason for anyone to carry a knife in Dorset and that there are serious consequences for those that do.” If you believe someone is in immediate possession of a knife or offensive weapon the police are encouraging you to dial 999. If you would like to report your concerns about a knife carrier or need some advice, you can email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or visit dorset.police.uk and report it online. Unwanted knives can be disposed of at local recycling centres or safely packaged in your household waste.

Refurbished Kings Park Athletics Centre reopens for summer of sport

It’s not only the Olympics that have got local athletes and runners buzzing with excitement this summer. Kings Park Athletics Centre has recently reopened after seening £452,000 worth of improvements by BCP Council. The Centre, which reopened to the general public on Monday 26 July, has seen a number of improvements including a brand new running track with additional works to the ground under the track, new pathways providing better accessibility for all users, enhancements to the long jump area and modern LED lighting which help with the council’s commitment to make its operations carbon neutral by 2030. Councillor Mohan Iyengar, Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Culture and Leisure, BCP Council commented:

“I’m delighted these enhancements are now complete and Kings Park Athletics Centre can open up once again. This facility is an important community asset with thousands of schoolchildren using this venue every year, as well as being the home of the Bournemouth Athletics Club, so I’m looking forward to welcoming them all back to use this enhanced facility. “We’re want to helping people lead active and healthy lifestyles, and the reopening of this facility reinforces this commitment.”