Viewpoint April 2024

Glorious mud!

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s Muddy Dog Dash was a sell-out success. Over 400 people and 200 dogs took part at Upton Country Park on 17 March and raised an incredible £15,000 which will support patients and families facing a life-limiting illness across East Dorset and Purbeck. For Muddy Dog Dash images turn to pages 12 and 21

Charity of the Year

Dear Readers!

I went into a total panic. Headless chicken doesn’t even come near to it.

I had visited family who were staying in Swanage and managed to leave my mobile on the kitchen table.

It was only when I got back to Wimborne to check for any messages that I realised my error. My handbag has seven zips – yes I know that in itself is ridiculous – but after rummaging around, it became clear the phone wasn’t there.

I don’t use my landline as it has been playing up for some time, so for a good five minutes, I couldn’t think what to do. I even wondered if the red telephone boxes in the centre of Wimborne worked!

Panic causes tunnel vision, however after five minutes, logical thought returned and I realised that I could message the family from my computer using social media. Arrangements were made for me to collect the device, which also contains my very necessary diary.

If the internet had been down it would have been a different story.

So very many of us are guilty of not backing up the information we have on our mobile phones. I have had an address book for decades, but the telephone numbers are mostly landlines, and probably out of date. No diary clutters my office desk.

We are all so reliant on the digital world, and in many cases the only way to achieve anything these days is to do it online.

Our magazines have an excellent online presence – www. dorsetview.co.uk - and we upload stories regularly. However, we know how much our readers appreciate our magazines and love to see articles in print. And long may that continue.

Marilyn Barber

Protesters storm planning committee meeting

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

Such is the level of opposition to an outline planning application for a 60-bed care home and a new church/ community hall for Plymouth Brethren in West Moors, that around 30 local people not only filled the public gallery at the Dorset Council planning committee meeting in the Quarter Jack Hall at Wimborne’s Allendale Centre on Wednesday 13 March, they also protested outside vociferously.

Around 60 people banged on the glass and held up signs saying ‘no’ to the application on land off Blackfield Lane.

The debate over the area, which was formerly Blackfield Farm strawberry farm has been going on for some years and in 1989 permission was granted for housing at Blackfield Lane.

An outline application for a care home, church hall and industrial unit on the site was refused in June

2021 on the grounds of highways safety and the impact on onsite ecology.

The council received 553 letters of objection to the proposal citing multiple objections such as the site not being suitable for commercial uses as it is a residential area; another care home not needed locally and that the community hall would not be available for public use. Objections were also received from West Moors Town Council who said in a letter to Dorset Council: “The increased use of the existing junction of The Avenue with Station Road by traffic movements associated with the proposed development would, by virtue of the limited visibility to the north for vehicles using the junction, be likely to prejudice the free flow of traffic and conditions of general safety and is considered to have an unacceptable

impact on highway safety, when consideration is given to paragraph 109 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2019.”

The council went on to ask for new traffic data to be submitted for an accurate assessment to be carried out.

A spokesman for the protesters said: “We have paid £20,000 for a professional consultation, which pointed out that there could be potential ecological harm to the site if development went ahead.”

Asked what development local people might find acceptable on the site he said: “I think the residents would reluctantly accept housing in the same style as what is

already here at Blackfield Lane. However, the site is the last 100m of a 400m buffer preventing damage to the Holt & West Moors Heath, a SSSI Int protected RAMSAR site. So, the 100m buffer zone is doing what it is supposed to do. The site now being a site of county level ecological importance, it should remain as managed heathland.

“The most difficult problem for Dorset Council is that the junction is a highway safety issue.”

The application had been recommended for approval, with conditions, however, the committee voted to delay the decision until they had made a site visit.

Protestors outside the hall

James McVey kicks off solo tour in Bournemouth

Founder member of The Vamps, James McVey, has chosen Bournemouth to kickstart his first solo tour of the UK and Europe.

He will be appearing at The Old Fire Station, Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth on 1 May.

James grew up in the local area and attended Corfe Hills School before going on to form The Vamps.

The band has achieved worldwide success, releasing five albums including two UK No 1s. They were the first artists to headline at London’s O2 Arena for five consecutive years.

In 2023, McVey announced he would be embarking on a solo career, releasing his debut EP ‘Manabi’, which showcases the 30-year-old’s talents as a mature songwriter as well as an accomplished vocalist and musician.

James said: “I’m really excited to be coming home to start my first solo tour. The Old Fire Station is special to me as I saw a few bands

there when I was growing up and getting into music. It’s got a really great vibe.”

Fans of The Vamps needn’t be worried as the band are still together and more will be heard from them later in the year.

Tickets to see James McVey are available at www.seetickets.com

James McVey

CAP helps tackle debt

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) offers free, face-to-face debt advice and budgeting help. Contact Pam Ansell, the East Dorset CAP Centre manager on 07458 395740 if you would like to find out more about what is on offer in East Dorset.

The free Turn2us benefits calculator on CAP’s website at capuk.org/calculator is helping thousands of people to see if they are missing out on any vital income.

If you find yourself in debt that’s unmanageable, the moneyhelper.org.uk website offers free support and you can find out what free services CAP is running in your local area at capuk.org/help.

Building up a savings buffer of around three to six months of your monthly income can bring peace of mind. Even if you think you know how to budget and save, it’s always great to learn new skills. You can access free budgeting resources and find out more at capuk.org/budgeting.

ID required for local elections

Residents need to be registered to vote and show an approved form of photo ID when they go to the polling stations on 2 May to elect their councillors. The Police and Crime Commissioner elections also take place on the same day.

Following the Elections Act 2022, photographic identification is a mandatory requirement for everyone voting at polling stations.

Boomerang bags just keep returning

Wimborne War on Waste’s Bag & Bunting Team have recently celebrated making 1,000 ‘boomerang bags’ – so-called because they’re designed to be used and re-used multiple times.

The project started when Wimborne Food Bank put out a request for plastic bags to enable them to deliver goods to their clients. Following a discussion with Wimborne War on Waste, it was agreed to try using boomerang bags instead, and the Bag & Bunting Team signed up to the boomerang programme (https:// boomerangbags.org/) and got their own logo.

The bags are made from recycled fabric from curtains donated by the local community, with the linings being used for the logos stitched on the bags. The idea is that you take a bag when you need it and then return it.

The Bag & Bunting Team has now given the Food Bank over 500 bags, and provided nearly 100 bags to Wimborne Community Food Supply as well as some to the Community Fridge, both based at the Allendale Centre.

The team would like to thank Wimborne Minster Town Council for their support.

If any local shop or organisation would like to receive some boomerang bags, email the Bag & Bunting Team on Wimbornewaronwaste@gmail.com

Mayor visits repair cafe

In February the Blanford Repair Cafe was honoured by a visit from the Mayor of Blandford, Councillor Hugo Mieville who arrived early and stayed until closing time.

He said: “It was an absolute pleasure on Saturday to attend the monthly Repair Cafe session at the Scout Hut, and to see what they do. I was given a guided tour of the café by organiser Carole de Saram, and I was very impressed to see the wide range of services ranging from seamstress skills to electronic wizardry available to those needing all manner of repairs to household items.”

The repair cafe regularly donates to Nourish (Blandford Food Bank) which is one of the Mayor’s chosen charities for this year.

During the afternoon a cheque was presented to Paul Williams of The Big Yellow Bus, based just outside Blandford at Shillingstone.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to share their skills or to help in the kitchen please make contact through the Blandford Repair Cafe Facebook page.

Mayoral visit to Blandford Repair Café

Great Big Dorset Hedge funding welcomed

“Hedgerows are the single most important wildlife corridors in the countryside. They join up habitats and make the English landscape immediately recognisable,” said Neil Matthews, chair of Dorset CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England).

The Dorset branch of the CPRE has provided funding of £6,000 to Dorset Climate Action Network (CAN) for Dorset’s hedges, which are a crucial part of the ecosystem and biodiversity.

Dorset CAN is a charity instigating measures to address the climate and ecological crisis. It has welcomed the funding for the Great Big Dorset Hedge (GBDH) project.

So far more than 2,000 volunteer hours have been dedicated to hedgerow surveys, provided by over 150 volunteers. Specialist support is provided by Alex Stephen and Vicki Gallagher.

“We would not be able to grow without Alex and Vicki in place and, right now, that is all due to the generous support we obtain from Dorset CPRE,” said John Calder the voluntary project manager.

The funding will ensure the project continues to grow. John hopes to increase from 20km of hedgerow surveys per month, to closer to 50km a month.

Neil Matthews and Dorset CPRE president, Kate Adie joined John Calder and Linda Williams of Dorset CPRE in Chilfrome recently to see the GBDH survey process.

John said: “I was heartened to hear the empathy that Kate expressed towards the farming community.”

Readers who wish to join the GBDH volunteers and make a difference can sign up here: www. dorsetcan.org/hedge/volunteer

Lewis-Manning

Places – Camera – Action! Volunteers at the Ancient Technology Centre (ATC), Cranborne heard these words many times recently when they took part as extras after the centre was transformed into the fictional village of Healmead for the filming of the ‘The Guard’. The historical fantasy film will be shown on YouTube sometime next year. The whole site was used and even the sheep took part.

Hospice Care has appointed a new corporate partnerships manager, Fiona Harwood, whilst the former role holder Nicki Cluley moves into an exciting new development partner position.

Chilfrome hedge survey with Kate Adie

Litter Pickers and McDonald’s join forces in the New Forest

McDonald’s volunteers have teamed up with the local community group Litter Pickers of the New Forest to help clean up the local area. They took part in a combined litter picking event organised by local McDonald’s franchisee Tony Bennett and his team.

A total of 10 members of staff from the restaurants, which are owned and operated by Tony Bennett, collected an impressive 20 bags of rubbish. The staff started at the McDonald’s Picket Post restaurant in Ringwood and cleaned up the road towards Burley Village.

Litter Pickers of The New Forest was set up in 2020 and hosts monthly litter pick events across Dorset and Hampshire, with members also litter picking on a daily basis.

Inspired by the community group’s work, Tony and his team unveiled a new banner at the Picket Post restaurant to encourage customers to dispose of their rubbish responsibly.

Liz Downs, secretary and press officer of the Litter Pickers of the New Forest said: “We’ve been cleaning up our local area since 2020 and are delighted to begin our new partnership with McDonald’s. We welcome the opportunity to team up and spread the word that litter is bad for both the environment and for the wildlife which calls the New Forest home. We look forward to continuing our work with McDonald’s to ensure this lovely part of the world stays clean for the people who live, work and visit here.”

New campaign from Litter Free Dorset

If you’re hitting the high street, bring your own bag; if you are grabbing a takeaway, bring your own container and if you plan to have chips on the beach, bring your own cutlery.

That is the message from Litter Free Dorset which has launched the Bring Your Own (BYO) Campaign, urging people to bring their own packaging to cut waste. Food and drink packaging accounts for over 20 per cent of litter in towns and on beaches.

Many businesses across Dorset are displaying the BYO window stickers and campaign posters so look out for them. Ask your local businesses to take part in the campaign if they are not doing so already.

Businesses are invited to join Litter Free Dorset’s Sustainable Business Network and take advantage of free resources and network events. See www.litterfreedorset.co.uk.

Tall ship coming to Poole Quay this summer

Poole Business Improvement District (BID) has announced the historic tall ship ‘Galeon Andalucia’ will be docking at Poole Quay for a six-day exhibition from 30 July until 5 August.

Funded by the BID, the event promises to bring a wave of maritime history to the area.

‘Galeon Andalucia’ is an accurate replica of 17th-century Spanish galleons, which played pivotal roles in global trade and cultural exchange for over three centuries.

Supported by Poole Harbour Commissioners, the exhibition will provide a rare opportunity for visitors to explore the intricate details and storied past of ‘Galeon Andalucia’.

Built by the Nao Victoria Foundation at the Punta Umbria shipyard in Spain, the tall ship has traversed over 70,000 nautical miles, participating in numerous cultural projects and engaging thousands of visitors at ports spanning four continents. For further updates about the ‘Galeon Andalucia’ exhibition, please visit www.Discoverpoole.com or www.facebook.com/PooleBID/

Charity of the Year

Continued from Page 1

Glorious mud! Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s sell-out Muddy Dog Dash raises £15,000

You can watch a video at https://youtu.be/llmqpdtfNpw

Participants and their fourlegged friends took on the exceptionally muddy 2.5km or 5km obstacle course at Upton Country Park. The event to raise funds for the charity was opened by Ted the celebrity pooch from BBC’s Mortimer & Whitehouse’s ‘Gone Fishing’ programme.

Volunteers, staff and sponsors were thanked by Lewis-Manning’s Tom Goodinge who said: “Without their help and support the event wouldn’t have been the huge success that it was.”

Megan Hamlyn, marketing manager at Barratt Homes said: “We are thrilled to have supported Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s Muddy Dog Dash for yet another year.”

Turn to page 21 to see how sponsor Care South got on.

£1.3m scheme to restore New Forest habitats and increase wildlife

The New Forest National Park Authority and five partners are celebrating an award from the Species Survival Fund to help halt species decline and restore habitats in the New Forest.

The funding will see organisations and landowners working together to enhance 250 hectares of land for nature across 25 sites – the equivalent of 350 football pitches.

Improving habitats and re-establishing links between them will help charismatic species such as pine marten, great crested newt, pollinating insects and reptiles such as adder and smooth snake thrive and create the conditions for a host of other species to flourish.

A total of 14 jobs will be created or retained, five interns will develop green skills with the aim of going on to work in the environment sector and 50 new volunteers will be recruited.

The Fund, a partnership between Defra and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has allocated £1.04 million to the scheme which, with additional funding from the partners, represents a total investment into the New Forest of £1.3 million.

Hengistbury Head National Coastwatch Station is one of the busiest

By Jecs Davies

Watchkeepers Peter, John and Colin are dedicated volunteers who help keep people safe when using the waters and coast around Hengistbury Head.

Part of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), a charity run entirely by volunteers, the watchkeepers are based at the National Coastwatch Station on Hengistbury Head clifftop and keep watch using sophisticated equipment.

Manager Peter Holway explained that Hengistbury Head is one of the busiest stations in the NCI charity’s network of 60 coastal stations in terms of incident recording. It is also the centre with the highest number of female watchkeepers, who make up 26% of the Hengistbury Head team.

His role, alongside other volunteers, is to ‘provide eyes and ears along the coast’, monitoring radio channels and providing a ‘listening watch’ in poor visibility.

The NCI has 2,700 volunteers around the country all maintaining a daily visual and radio watch of the coast looking for potential danger.

The Hengistbury base bridges a ‘crucial gap’ between the existing stations at The Needles on the western tip of the Isle of Wight and Swanage to the west.

Peter said: “We are on the lookout not only for waterbased danger, but also danger on land… our most recent incident was actually helping a dog that was stuck on the cliff!”

Hengistbury Head attracts over a million visitors every year.

The team said that some of the most common incidents at sea involve paddle boarders or windsurfers and they emphasised the importance of being aware of the weather and the tide before you set sail or participate in water-based activities.

This year, the NCI celebrates its 30th anniversary of helping to save lives around the coast.

To mark this, the station at Hengistbury Head was paid a special visit by Royal Patron of the charity, HRH The Princess Royal.

Peter Holoway said: “It was great having The Princess Royal visit our station in February. She spoke to me

like I was a friend and made me feel very relaxed.”

Last year, the station managed 60 incidents. They do this by liaising with the HM Coastguard, RNLI and the police, and alerting the appropriate helpline if they spot something dangerous.

The National Coastwatch is funded entirely by donations. For more information, please visit https://nci.org.uk/ stations/hengistbury-head

John on watch

Peter Holway and trainee Colin

L-R John, Colin and Peter

Fashion a la Viking

By Sheila Chapman

At the recent Blandford Evening WI monthly meeting the Ladies were given a glimpse of the fashions of the past highlighting the many hours of labour required to produce the simplest of garments and basic items of dress.

The speaker was Jennifer Heath who is a tutor at the Ancient Technology Centre at Cranborne and accompanied by her husband Dwayne, a member of the Poole Viking Re-enactment Group.

She showed a comprehensive display of the plants used to dye the most commonly used fabrics of wool and linen, the tools, spindles and utensils used to make the fabric and the simple tablets used to weave the decorated braids beautifying the garments. She explained the status of her dress and how the glass beads were used as ready cash for barter.

Dwayne displayed and explained his items of clothing and weaponry including the very heavy chain mail shirt, the short domestic blade, the hand axe, sword and finally the muchfeared Viking battle axe.

Both Jennifer and Dwayne make items for fellow re-enactors.

Fire and rescue service to change fire alarm attendance

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has been receiving a number of false alarms and has changed its service.

From 1 April, alarms sounding at low-risk commercial premises will only receive an emergency response if there is a 999 call or other confirmation that a fire is suspected.

False alarms can cause unnecessary risks to the public and responding firefighters, cause disruption to the business, and may delay a response to a genuine emergency.

However, automatic fire alarm activations at domestic and residential buildings, at any premises where people sleep and identified higher-risk properties will still be attended by a fire crew.

Protection (improvement) manager Emma Turner said: “During 2022/23, the Service attended 1,946 automatic fire alarms in commercial premises that didn’t need an emergency response. Fire safety legislation puts the responsibility onto the premises to investigate the cause of these alarms, whether there is a fire or not. There is also responsibility to ensure that alarm systems are maintained.

“We need business owners and managers to understand the importance of keeping their alarm systems in good working order and having the right processes in place to keep their staff and premises safe.”

More information on the changes, including a useful downloadable leaflet and an explanatory video, can be found at www.dwfire.org.uk/automatic-fire-alarms

Verwood Rotary looks ahead

By Louisa Hiscock

Our members are looking forward to two club evenings coming up with speakers joining us after dinner. We were delighted to welcome Mark Hardaker as a new member last month at our Charter Evening and he also recently spoke to us about the Fordingbridge Astronomers. This is a group of amateur astronomers based around Fordingbridge, Verwood and Ringwood who meet regularly to share their enjoyment of astronomy across the local night skies.

We have recently enjoyed some ‘scatter nights’ with club members visiting other local Rotary clubs and Fordingbridge club members also joined us for an evening. It is always great to all get together to share ideas and reminds us that our club is part of a much bigger organisation.

Rotary International celebrated its 119th birthday in February, having been founded by Paul Harris in 1905 and now has over 1.4 million members worldwide. This means it can provide support worldwide, bring people together and make a difference in communities.

We are looking forward to being involved in the national Rotary KidsOut Day in June. This is a fun day out funded for children who are disadvantaged or with special educational or medical needs. This is usually to a nearby zoo, theme park or the seaside. Over 30,000 children participate across the country with 10,000 Rotarians supporting on the day.

If you would like to find out more about any of the above or joining our club, contact us on enquiries@verwoodrotary.org.uk or check out our website or Facebook.

Sunshine lights up factory’s power source

We all welcome sunshine, but it has also enabled a company on the Ebblake Industrial Estate in Verwood to source half its power.

bigHead, which helps designers and engineers to fasten composite materials across a wide range of industries, has had solar panels installed on its roof, with work carried out by renewable energy company Good Energy.

Managing director Matt Stevens said: “I’m really worried about the climate crisis. We can’t ignore it, so we wanted to do something which would reduce our environmental impact.

“Solar energy is one of the cleanest and simplest solutions The installation process was straightforward, and we started seeing the benefits almost immediately.

“It’s good for business and it’s good for the planet - I can’t think of a reason not to do it.”

Good Energy, which has been supplying renewable electricity for almost 25 years and supports more than 180,000 homes and businesses that generate their own power, has produced a short film on the project.

Chief executive Nigel Pocklington said: “The film is the latest in a series to promote how everyone can play their part in transitioning to a more sustainable future.”

The solar panels on the roof of the bigHead factory in Verwood

What a fab Spring Show

The Verwood and District Horticultural Society opened their 77th annual Spring

Show with benches filled with over 350 entries from 76 entrants

John Manston took the VDHS cup for best exhibit in daffodils, with Norman Castro winning the cup for most points in flowers and plants as well as the best exhibit in the same categories for an impressive orchid.

The flower arranging trophy was split four ways this year with Anne Bartlett, Diane Northam, Doreen Norton and Ann Gordon sharing the prize.

Anne Bartlett also won best exhibit in flower arranging with an eye-catching interpretation of the ‘Wedding Time’ brief, split over two levels.

Norman Castro took the cup for men-only flower arranging.

In the handicraft classes

Sue Coleman took the best exhibit prize for her threadedbead Yeoman of the Guard.

The homecraft category was won by Anita Rigler.

Visitors admired the number of children’s entries with Carter Hayes, 7, taking the best exhibit prize for his watermelon dinosaur head. Hillside Pre-Schoolers provided a display of over 30 violas in individually decorated pots.

The show also saw the judging of the Verwood Through The Lens photography competition, with winner Darren Price capturing a Jay fighting a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Second prize was awarded to Colin Lamond for a sunrise landscape over

Holt Heath, with third prize going to Tony Harris for a photo capturing the old Station Hotel, the Albion Inn with wildflowers in the Historical Interest category. Prizes for this competition were donated by Verwood Town Council.

To join VDHS contact Ollie on 07508 577114 or visit verwoodhorticulturalsociety. co.uk for more information.

Darren Price’s winning photo

Care home teams compete in Muddy Dog Dash

Care South’s staff members got thoroughly muddy competing in a Muddy Dog Dash in aid of Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, whilst the residents enjoyed staying warm and clean cheering them on from the sidelines.

More than 20 residents from St Ives Country House Care and Dorset House watched the participants and dogs facing a host of fun obstacles at Upton Country Park.

Over 400 people took part in this year’s Muddy Dog Dash alongside more than 200 dogs.

Chris Golding, head of Marketing and PR at Care South, said: “The team, myself and my family thoroughly enjoyed being participating in the race – but most rewarding of all was seeing how much fun the residents had cheering us on and laughing at how muddy we were.”

Tom Goodinge, director of Fundraising at Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, said: “We are so pleased to receive such fantastic support from Care South who help us to support more people with life-limiting illnesses during their time of need.”

Counselling service receives more funding

YMCA Bournemouth has been awarded a three-year grant totalling £24,000 from Benefact Trust. It will facilitate the continued expansion of the YMCA’s counselling service, which can be accessed at Bournemouth, Winton and Southbourne, as well as remotely.

YMCA Bournemouth will be able to increase the number of marginalised individuals with mental health concerns they can support, focusing on those who cannot access support elsewhere.

Mark Inkpen, chief operation officer at YMCA Bournemouth said: “This funding will allow us to provide counselling to the most vulnerable people using our services free of charge and significantly subsidised for those with mental health concerns in our local communities. The grant supports core costs, enabling us to improve access to health and wellbeing services to improve quality of life and wellbeing.”

Anyone wanting to access the service can self-refer. To find out more, visit: https://www. ymcabournemouth.org. uk/about/full-circlecounselling/

Stars Appeal virtual reality kit transports children into magical worlds

Children in hospital can be transported into space and even go on safari with a new virtual reality headset funded by the Stars Appeal, Salisbury Hospital’s Charity.

The specialist virtual reality (VR) therapy kit, which cost £6,000, is helping children in Sarum Children’s Ward in Salisbury Hospital to feel calmer and make their time in hospital more fun.

The headset has an array of virtual reality experiences that create lifelike three-dimensional worlds for children to explore including expeditions into space, animal and dinosaur safaris and relaxing trips to the beach, as well as games.

Seven-year-old Khloe Mann from Durrington was able to get up close to her favourite

animals during an African safari thanks to the specialist VR kit when she was in the children’s ward at the end of last year.

Khloe said: “The VR headset was really good. There were lots of different kinds of animals to see. It was really exciting. My favourite animals were the lions.”

Her dad Ryan added: “It’s nice to break up their time and it definitely makes children’s stays in hospital easier.”

The specialist therapy equipment is also a great distraction for children when they are being treated and having procedures like blood tests.

Natasha Long, Sarum Ward’s play specialist said: “The virtual reality therapy kit has made such a massive difference to children on Sarum Ward. It is a brilliant distraction for the children

especially when they are being treated and having procedures like blood tests which, in some instances, we would have struggled to get without the therapy headset. It has a calming effect and immerses the children into a different world. Thank you to Stars Appeal supporters for giving us the opportunity to make the children’s time in hospital less scary and more fun and enjoyable.”

This is just one of the ways Stars Appeal

supporters’ generous donations and fundraising are making a difference to children in the hospital.

The charity also provides enhancements to the ward including flat and pulldown beds so parents can stay by their child, a dedicated play assistant and multi-sensory toys.

Find out more about Stars Appeal projects at https:// starsappeal.org/our-work/ sarum-childrens-ward/

Arya Smith with VR therapy kit © Simon Ward

Second lengthiest waiting times in England

A new study by Claims.co.uk has found that NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board has seen the second lengthiest waiting times for GP appointments in England. It found that 9.57% of appointments in Dorset had a waiting time of over 22 days. There are 80 practices in the county.

Lottery funding for food club

Dorset’s food and education charity, The Friendly Food Club has been awarded a three-year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.

The Club provides fun, friendly and free cooking programmes for disadvantaged and marginalised adults and children, including cookery skills, healthy eating and therapeutic cooking sessions, and community meals for older people and those with additional needs.

The workshops and sessions enable participants to feel more self-reliant, improve self-confidence, build social connections, and can improve mental health.

You can find out more at: https://www.thefriendlyfoodclub.org/

Charity donations

The Louis Ross Foundation, which was set up in August 2016 in memory of the Canford School pupil who died in a skiing accident, and which helps young people facing difficulties, donated a total of £21,998 last year. Recipients included Langside School £7,742; Montacute School £3,511; Strongbones £3,511 and Faithworks Safesleep £3,000. Over the past seven years the charity has made donations totalling £155,700.

Thousands more lung cancer patients to get innovative blood test as part of NHS pilot

A blood test which could help thousands of people receive earlier, more targeted, lung cancer treatments is being trialled by the NHS.

The circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) test – which will be offered to 10,000 patients by next March – can identify genetic variants in a tumour through a simple blood sample.

Patients that receive CT scan results showing suspected lung cancer will have a small blood sample sent to a genomic laboratory for ctDNA testing, with results returned in around 14 days.

Cancerous tumours often release pieces of DNA into the bloodstream (known as circulating tumour DNA) and these can be sampled using a ctDNA blood test to identify key genetic drivers of tumours.

Currently, tissue biopsies

are used to confirm a diagnosis of lung cancer and samples can then be sent for genomic testing – but this new test could provide patients with these results faster, meaning they could start targeted treatment sooner.

The move from NHS England follows a smaller initial pilot which saw more than 2,000 patients referred for the service from 80 trusts across England.

The pilot is now set to be rolled out to provide the test for up to a further 10,000 patients with suspected nonsmall cell lung cancer by next March – and could involve most trusts across the country.

Lung cancer is one of the

most common cancers, and around 34,000 people are diagnosed with it every year in England. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common lung cancer, accounting for around 80 to 85% of cases.

Kat Robinson, a 33-year old from Dorset, was diagnosed with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer in September 2023. Thanks to the ctDNA pilot at Poole Hospital which Kat took part in, clinicians confirmed that her cancer was being driven by two genetic mutations known as ALK fusion and TP53. This enabled them to provide brigatinib, a precision treatment that is highly effective against cancer with changes in the ALK gene.

Kat said: “When I first heard my diagnosis, I spent a lot of time trying to understand if I did it to myself. Having the ctDNA test results back gave me a sense of relief that there was no one to blame, I couldn’t be angry about it.

“The tablets help me keep my cancer in check, they are allowing me to carry on with my day-to-day life. I can do things with my family – I can be a mum to my daughter.”

Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said: “This new

blood test that we have been piloting has the potential to help many more cancer patients access targeted treatments more rapidly on the NHS, to make personalised treatments available sooner, and ensure that people with cancer have the best possible chance of survival.

“The NHS has shown it can lead the way on innovation in cancer diagnosis and treatment, and this pilot is another example of our commitment to getting patients cutting-edge treatments and therapies to improve outcomes, giving people facing lung cancer more precious time with loved ones.”

The NHS England pilot is being managed through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service.

Health Minister, Andrew Stephenson said: “Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers so it’s vital that we can detect it as soon as possible and start targeted treatment.

“The results of this trial so far have shown that we could speed up diagnosis, getting people started on treatments targeted to their specific cancer type sooner. Survival rates are already improving across almost all types of cancer, with cancer being diagnosed at an earlier stage, more often.”

Pupils from Ringwood Junior School are in training for the TCS Mini London Marathon

On Saturday 20 April, 65 pupils from Ringwood Juniors will be raising money for their school by running – or walking or wheeling – in the worldfamous London Marathon. They have been selected to join up to 10,000 children from schools across the UK taking part in the TCS Mini London Marathon in the heart of the capital.

A total of 50 Ringwood

pupils will compete in a one-mile race, and 15 will take part in a 2.6km race.

As well as aiming to cross the iconic finish line to receive their TCS Mini London Marathon medal, the children are raising funds for Ringwood Junior School’s Big Build Project. Every child taking part is on a mission to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship to put towards the building of a

new multi-purpose pastoral facility in the school grounds.

As part of a whole school event, other RJS pupils will also be lacing up their trainers and running their own 2.7km race at Ringwood and Ellingham Rugby Club on Tuesday 16 April.

You can support the children’s fundraising at https:// donate.giveasyoulive. com/campaign/rjs-minilondon-marathon

Litter problem to be tackled in Ringwood

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

Residents and visitors to the New Forest are to be encouraged to take their litter home with them, with Ringwood being chosen for a two-year pilot project.

Ringwood Town Council’s planning, town and environment committee has supported in principle the introduction of The Litter Bag Dispenser project. Initially dispensers are to be introduced at Bickerley Common, Carvers Recreation Ground and Poulner Play Park.

In a presentation to the committee by James Healy,

New Forest District Council Litter Project co-ordinator

Stewart Phillips and Neil Passmore from the Street Scene team, it was pointed out that it has been an increasing challenge for NFDC to maintain the public bins across the Forest where demand, capacity and practicality has been stretched. This has led NFDC to explore other methods of litter reduction. Research and experience indicate that more bins are not the answer, with the height of the summer tourist season requiring some

bins to be emptied twice per day. This, alongside the litter, which is dropped or discarded, is unsustainable with limited resources.

The litter bag dispensers will be branded with the Look Out For Our Forest campaign material. They will be independently sponsored by private and social interest organisations from around the town to cover their running and installation costs. Sponsors will receive advertising space on the front of the dispenser for their sponsorship.

Economy Hire supports local community

Offering a huge range of quality vehicle hire, as well as storage solutions, Economy Hire’s staff are on hand to provide a friendly and efficient service – as well a free coffee or two!

Call in to the site at Endeavour Business Park in Ringwood, or visit the online booking service at economyhire.co.uk

In 2024 and towards 2025, Economy Hire is committed to supporting the local community and events in and around the local area.

Most recently the company has been out supporting Ringwood and District Roundtable, local schools and the local football teams with their need for hire vehicles, and Ringwood Town Council

with its local events such as Ringwood Carnival and Fireworks night. Sponsorship of the boys Ringwood Town Under 9s Rangers and Robins football team has also seen Economy Hire play a part in youth sports and the company has now added the girls Under 11s team to the sponsorship package - go Ringwood Panthers!

Remembering Ringwood

rail station: the Ringwood Society has been granted permission by New Forest District Council for the installation of a bench, a replica Ringwood Railway station sign and an interpretation board as well as the restoration of a picket fence and a lamp at 18, Hightown Road, Ringwood. Ringwood Railway Station closed on 4 May 1964.

Greening Ringwood: Phase 2 of Greening Ringwood is to be held in Gateway Square on 20 April, showcasing the five projects and how householders can get involved. Greening Ringwood is a group of volunteers carrying out a number of activities to improve the environment of the community.

Forest grants: Forest Forge Theatre Company and New Forest Disability Information Services are amongst 29 organisations across the New Forest which are to receive funding from the district council. The community grant awards, totalling £130,000 in revenue grants and £96,040 in capital grants, have been allocated along with community transport grants totalling £51,100.

Empty homes: New Forest District Council has brought back into use five empty homes since May 2021. If you know of an empty property within the district, report it to the Private Sector Housing Team by emailing privatesectorhousing@nfdc. gov.uk or call 02380 285151.

Grant funding: Businesses in the New Forest Rural Fund area can apply for grants from £5,000 to £40,000 to cover 50 per cent of the costs of a project. For details see: https:// newforest.gov.uk/ BusinessGrantsAndLoans

Scout group needs help: St Leonards and St Ives Scouts are looking for volunteers to help at the group or sit on the committee/trustee board. Help is also needed to put up the new Scout and Guide sign at the hut.

Ringwood Juniors in training for London Marathon

The cups that cheer but not inebriate

By Julian Hewitt | Fordingbridge Museum

Drinking coffee and tea is an important part of many people’s lives today. The coffee and tea break has become part of the routine at home and at work. I can testify that meeting for a chat in a coffee shop is a wonderful way of socialising and relaxing.

Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia and introduced to Europe in the 16th century. At first it was a novelty that was treated with suspicion, but it soon became popular. In the 17th century the coffee house culture, that is so familiar to us today, began. According to Samuel Pepy’s diary, The Grand Café in Oxford, founded in 1650, was the first coffee house in England. Coffee houses were places where merchants and professional men could gather to talk about business, philosophy, politics and general gossip.

In the 1680s they became known as ‘Penny Universities’ because a cup of coffee was a penny and knowledge could be gained by the customers. Some businesses were even founded in coffee houses. An example of this is Lloyds of London which started in a coffee shop owned by Edward Lloyd.

Most coffee houses did not welcome females and in 1674 some women signed a ‘Woman’s Petition Against Coffee’. This argued that the coffee house encouraged men to waste their time in discussing trivia and that coffee made men, “as unfruitful as the sandy deserts, from where that unhappy berry is said to be brought.” There was also a feeling that coffee shops, where men “gossiped like women,” made men less masculine. This contributed to

the increased use of tea.

Tea was first brought to England in the 1650s from China. Catherine of Braganza, who married Charles 11 in 1662, brought a chest of tea with her as part of her dowery and this helped to popularise it.

The East India Company imported the tea into the country, but it was subjected to high taxes. This made it the drink of the wealthy who would keep their tea in locked tea caddies to prevent the servants stealing it. It also encouraged smuggling.

In 1747 a large group of heavily armed members of the Hawkshurst Gang of smugglers passed through Fordingbridge on their way to liberate their contraband tea.

This tea had been confiscated by excise men and was stored in the Customs House in Poole. On the way back the tea was distributed to the gang in the yard of the George Pub in Fordingbridge by their leader John Diamond.

He was later arrested and a witness from Fordingbridge, Daniel Chater, was called to give evidence against him. Chater and a customs official were intercepted by the gang on their way to give evidence and brutally murdered.

In the 1780s the tea tax was reduced and this, along with the development of fast tea clipper sailing ships to bring tea quickly and easily from China, brought tea to the masses.

The domestic organisation of tea drinking in 18th century was one of the few occasions when women took charge in a world where they usually deferred to men. Tea and coffee were originally drunk black but soon milk and sugar were added to soften the bitter taste.

In Jane Austin’s world, tea was served in delicate porcelain cups that originally had no handles. This led to the habit of pouring the milk in first so that the hot tea would not crack the cup and fingers were not burnt. The words of the poet, William Cowper, sum up the pleasure in tea and coffee drinking:

Now stir the fire and close the shutters fast, Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round,

And while the bubbling and loud-hissing urn Throws up a steamy column, and the cups,

That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each,

So let us welcome peaceful evening in.

CCTV for Fordingbridge

A new CCTV camera has been installed in Fordingbridge High Street. New Forest District Council selected the town for a trial of the new 4G camera technology as it didn’t have any CCTV cameras. In the future it is planned to expand the CCTV network across areas of Hampshire without cameras.

A leaflet of its time shows the Hawkshurst Gang breaking into the Customs House in Poole

Tolpuddle project delves back in time

Participants of Tolpuddle Family Lives, which is taking place from April to October, will be encouraged to imagine the past as experienced by the Dorset rural working-class – those who laboured in the cottages and on the land who were, in the 19th century, among the poorest working people in the country.

The project is being funded by Historic England’s national initiative, ‘Everyday Heritage: Celebrating Working-Class Histories’. Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust (TOCT) will uncover largely overlooked parts of the Tolpuddle story, with a particular focus on women and children. It will collect evidence from a wide variety of sources

and explore creative ways of bringing the past to life.

Activities will include celebrating the skills and cultures of rural labourers through craft workshops, concerts and related events. Participants will be offered opportunities to influence the direction and the delivery of the project.

Although Tolpuddle will be a primary focus, the project is expected to engage with the histories of other villages and sites of rural labour in Dorset.

Project director and chair of TOTC, Professor Philip Martin, said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting and important national programme run by Historic England which shines a light into those parts of

our national heritage too often overlooked, under-valued, and unappreciated. We look forward to welcoming anyone who is interested in participating, and no prior experience or expertise is required.”

For more information visit:https:// tolpuddleoldchapeltrust.org/ Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust was founded in 2014 to save the Martyrs’ legacy by renovating the Chapel built in 1818 by the men who later became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Funded by grants and donations the renovated building opened in September 2023. It is now used as a local amenity for cultural and craft events, and as a venue for visitors.

Calling garden owners in Blandford

Blandford Environmental Trust is inviting garden owners in the town to take part in Blandford Hidden Gardens on 9 June.

Last year 22 gardens were open; 381 tickets were sold and collectively raised £2,802 (before expenses) for 14 different charities. There is no inspection, standard, size or style requirement, although environmentally friendly garden planting is welcome and encouraged. The gardens are usually open to the public between 11am and 5pm on the day and will be listed on the ticket which when purchased allows entry to them all. Since the event was first held in 2008, it has raised over £27,000 for charitable causes. To enter your garden or find out more, email blandfordhiddengardens @gmail.com

Tolpuddle Old Chapel as it is today

Giant otter gives birth to quadruplets at New Forest Wildlife Park

The birth of four endangered giant otter cubs was recently celebrated by the New Forest Wildlife Park in Hampshire. Sadly, two have since died.

The New Forest Wildlife Park celebrated the rare and momentous occasion of the birth of four giant otter cubs on 25 December 2023.

The surprise litter marked

the second successful birth for the otter couple Simuni and Ibera, who last year welcomed Karanambu to their family. Simuni is the oldest giant otter to have sired young in Europe at 13.5 years old. The arrival of the quadruplets on Christmas Day has been celebrated as a significant achievement

in the conservation of the endangered species.

The cubs, Guapo (the only male), Laguna, Acari, and Runa were named to celebrate the giant otters’ cultural and ecological significance.

Jason Palmer, curator of Collections at the wildlife park and its sister site, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, highlights the significance of these births, “With only 124 giant otters reported in zoos globally, 76 in Europe, and just 21 in the UK, New Forest Wildlife Park is home to seven, accounting for nearly half of the UK’s giant otter population. This achievement underscores the extensive expertise and dedication of the Heap family and the exceptional care and experience of our keeper team.

“However, it is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge the cycle of life and nature’s inherent challenges, as we report the passing of two cubs, Laguna and Runa.

“Their loss is a reminder of the delicate balance in the conservation of these magnificent creatures and the high cub mortality rate among giant otters. It underscores the critical importance of our conservation efforts and the continuous need for research and understanding to safeguard the future of this extraordinary species. Our commitment to the protection and study of giant otters remains unwavering, as we honour the lives of Laguna and Runa and the ongoing

journey of their siblings.”

The New Forest Wildlife Park is a proud affiliate of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for the conservation of giant otters. It actively supports global conservation strategies and collaborates with scientists and conservationists through the IUCN Otter Specialist Group to protect otters in their natural habitats.

The New Forest Wildlife Park invites the public and wildlife enthusiasts to join in supporting their ongoing conservation initiatives. These efforts not only contribute to the survival of the giant otter but also embody a collective endeavour to preserve the biodiversity of our planet for future generations to marvel at and enjoy.

Native to the Amazon’s lush forests and meandering rivers, giant otters stand as the largest among the 13 otter species, reaching lengths of up to an impressive six feet. Known for their playful nature and expert fishing skills, these magnificent creatures primarily feast on fish, including the fearsome piranha. Unfortunately, habitat loss and hunting for their luxurious fur have led to a significant decline in their population, classifying them as an endangered species.

For more information about the wildlife park visit www. newforestwildlifepark.co.uk

Mel dresses up The Mill

Visitors to Wimborne’s Walford Mill are able to admire three handmade dresses that are on display at the entrance.

The meticulous work is that of the charity venue’s administrator of eight years, Melanie Pownall, who has never displayed her skilful creativity in public before.

Mel, whose love of horses as a youngster led to equine influenced drawings and sewing, later made clothes for her own children and produces free motion machine embroidered items for friends and work colleagues.

She said: “Lockdown gave me the time and space to develop my style from which the first summer dress evolved.” Each of the garments has taken more than a year to make and a winter model to complete the quartet is now in progress.

Despite suggestions of her taking studio space and running machine embroidery classes, Mel says her sewing and creative work is a fun hobby and fits around family and work activities.

The dresses can be seen along with the work of other makers and artists at Walford Mill, which is open to the public without charge from Wednesday to Sunday. Walford Mill Education Trust is keen to give developing new talent the opportunity to take space at the centre. Contact: info@ walfordmillcrafts.co.uk or 01202 841400 for more information.

Lesley Waters back by popular demand!

The dates for this year’s Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival are Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June.

The free-to-enter family event will have over 90 handpicked food and drink traders, and 60 craft stalls curated by the Little Craft Shack.

Back by popular demand is Dorset celebrity chef Lesley Waters, working alongside award-winning Jetty proprietor Alex Aitken.

There will be plenty to see, taste and buy. You can choose from gifts, home décor, jewellery, artwork and artisan foods.

Also expect to find the Local Legends Food Theatre, awardwinning authors including Sue Quinn, local cookery schools, local chefs, ‘Grow your Own’ activity tent for the children, Kids Kitchen, music including Sarah Bolter and her band Not Just Sax, and Swing Unlimited Big Band with Pat Peiro.

This year there will be a chance to book into a special lunch at the Cliffhanger Restaurant with Lesley Waters.

MoreBus has increased its Sunday timetable from Bournemouth and Lymington, so leave the car at home.

Check out Facebook, Instagram posts and website www.highcliffefoodandartsfestival.co.uk

Mel with the spring, autumn and summer dresses

GOING IN FOR THE GRILL

by Louis Pulford

I was offered the opportunity to do a takeaway review of the Mem-Et (Forest Kebab) shop in West Moors and of course I couldn’t say “no” to a bit of free food delivered to my door and in return to indulge myself and write a few words about it.

I spoke to Mem-Et on the phone and discussed what I’d like to eat the day before. I was trying to be modest and not ask for too much but he happily offered me the Mem-Et Feast which is a complete tray of doner kebab meat, chicken shish, lamb shish, kofte, chicken wings a separate salad and two sauces with

three pitta breads. Mem-Et also added a selection of sides and extras to boot. All I can say is luckily my partner was available to help me through this mountain of food.

Firstly, I’d like to kickstart by saying all the packaging where possible is made from paper including the trays. This is a refreshing step from all the years of polystyrene food containers I’ve had from various takeaways over the years. So a massive thumbs up there. Now let’s get into the food: the sides and extras included Mozzarella Melters,

Onion Rings, Jalapeño Cream Cheese, Roasted Veg and Garlic Bread. All classics for nibbling and snacking, especially the mozzarella melters for me, which were crunchy and gooey: two sensations that worked perfectly together. Also the garlic bread, a torpedo style roll coated in thick stringy cheese with a crunchy base – you can see where I am headed with that too – a perfect combination.

We moved onto the MemEt Feast, opening up the tray to a summit-sized serving of meat, which notably didn’t look greasy. The best part about this feast is you can open up your pitta and serve yourself, loading in the right ratio of meat of your choosing to salad and sauce, making it more than manageable to hold in your hands.

The presentation of the food in this manner leaves you open to nibbling at bits as you devour your meal, picking at chips and chicken wings whilst consuming a modest size kebab. It didn’t feel like over indulgence and my partner mentioned towards the end that the food didn’t taste greasy, and I felt the same. The preparation and grilled food didn’t feel heavy and tasted delicious, which for a takeaway, is top notch in my book. The food was simply banging.

So, reflecting on this feast of champions, supplied

in paper packaging where possible: we had grilled food, with tasty classics presented in a fashion we could eat at our own pace and pick at all evening whilst watching a movie. I can say there was very little left from the MemEt Feast and the following day I didn’t feel heavy or lethargic like I do sometimes after a filling takeaway meal.

So a big thank you to Mem-Et for giving me the opportunity to experience the mighty Mem-Et Feast. It’s a must if you are with friends and feasting at a poker night or simply with family and planning a takeaway in front of a good movie. This meal will simply fulfil your needs and leave you feeling pretty fresh.

I recommend it as a great takeaway experience. Give Mem-Et in West Moors a ring to place your order for delivery locally (check for the cost), or pop into the premises and take it away.

Teddy bears unite for grand day out

The Wareham Bears are excited to be welcoming STARS trauma teddies to Wimborne Model Town at an extra special Bears Weekend on 25 and 26 May.

Five of the STARS Dorset trauma teddies: Wiggles, Serenity, Ziggy, Courage and Kit have been named by readers of Viewpoint, Dorset View and the Mudeford Magazine series as these cute bears are on loan to Dorset View for the rest of 2024 to help out at events and in the office. Their aim is to raise the profile of STARS Dorset, a charity that supports those recovering from sexual trauma. The Trauma Teddies are really looking forward to being at the Bears Weekend.

Spokesbear Serenity said: “We can’t wait to meet everyone and we know children and adults will bring their own bears too. Did you know a group of bears is called a sleuth? Well, there are going to be a whole lot of sleuths around on 25 and 26 May! See you there.”

The little Wareham Bears have only lived a short time at the Model Town but have settled in well after a life of travel. They are accustomed to comfort, having started out life in Harrods. Mary Hildesley bought, dressed and made homes for them and wrote their stories, which the Model Town will be retelling at Bears Weekend. They lived in Wareham and even went on tour, visiting places like Wookey Hole and Wilton House. Tired of their travels, they settled at The Blue Pool in Wareham until the pandemic in 2020 when they found a new home at the Model Town. They live happily in Mary’s handmade dioramas.

There will be a programme of special events during Bears Weekend, and more details can be found at www.wimbornemodeltown.com.

Tickets for Wimborne Model Town last for a year, so you can return as often as you wish.

Trauma Teddies: L-R back Wiggles, Kit, Serenity, and at the front Ziggy and Courage.

Wareham Bears

Wareham Bears

Events

Details were correct at the time of going to print. Send information about your events to newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

17 April 1pm

Alan Poulton presents Around the World 2 at Bournemouth Library. To book call 01202 126750 or email: heritage library@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

17 April 7.30pm

History of the Verwood pottery industry at the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre. Tickets from the Heritage Centre. Free to Friends of the VHHC but a ticket must be obtained.

19 April 8pm, doors open 7.30pm

Tom Brown’s Ukulele Gang, with Sam Brown play at the Evershot Village Hall. Tickets available via Eventbrite and on the door.

20 April 7.30pm

Grange Choral Society present

The Creation at Christchurch Priory. Tickets from www. christchurchpriory.org/servicesand-events Tel 01202 143870 or on the door.

20 April 10.30am–3pm

Wilding on Wimborne Minster Green.

20 April 11am-12.30pm

Wimborne War on Waste litter pick starting from the Minster Green.

20 April 12pm-2pm

Wimborne Repair Café at the Methodist Church.

20 April

Vintage Afternoon Tea in aid of the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation. Tickets from the Barrington Centre on https:// barringtoncentre.co.uk/events

20 April 7pm

Fordingbridge Choral Society Spring Concert at St Mary’s Church, Fordingbridge. Tickets at the door with under 18s free or from Fordingbridge Bookshop or ticketsource.co.uk/ fordingbridgechoral .

21 April 2.30pm

Wilding Wimborne presents ‘Discovering History Thru Tree Walk’ starting from St Michael’s School, Colehill.

22 April 10am-2pm

Bournemouth Stitchers (for Embroidery and Textile Arts) meet at the MS Centre in West Parley. Contact astitch4u@outlook.com for further information.

24 April 7.30pm

Ringwood Antiques Club meets at the Greyfriars Hall.

24-27 April 7.30pm with Saturday matinee 2.30pm

Ferndown Drama presents The Ghost Train at the Barrington Theatre. Tickets from www. ticketsource.co.uk/ferndowndrama

25 April–6 May 9.30am-4pm

Poole Leisure Painters Spring Exhibition, The Gallery Upstairs , Upton Country Park, Poole BH17 7BJ

25 April 7pm for 7.30pm

Planet Wimborne Earth Day Green Quiz at Colehill Sports and Social Club, 108 Wimborne Road. To book, contact Jeff Hart on jeffhart414@gmail.com or on 01202 884201.

26 April 10am-2pm

Expectant and new parent event at the Ecohub at the Dolphin Centre, Poole. Free entry, goody bags and talks. Raising funds for local charity Spring Support.

26 April 7pm-9pm

Southbourne Forum meets at Immanuel Church Hall, 120 Southbourne Road. The group can be contacted at: southbourneforum2022@gmail.com

26 April 7.30pm

Wimborne-Valognes Twinning Association evening of French Dance at St Catherine’s Church Hall Wimborne. Watch or join in. See Programme page at wvta.org.uk

27 April 10am-3pm

Artisan Makers Market at Wimborne Community Centre, King Street Car Park, Wimborne BH21 1EA.

27 April 10am

Verwood litter pick at Verwood Recreation Ground. Equipment provided . Email cllr.gibson@ hotmail.co.uk for info.

27 April 11am

Table top sale Damerham Village Hall SP6 3 HN. Sellers from 10am £10 per table, book at info@ damerhamh.org

28 April 10.30am-4pm

Open Day West Moors Memorial Bowls Club. Station Road, BH22 0HZ

29 April 7.30pm

Fordingbridge Garden Club meets at Avonway Community Centre, 36 Shaftesbury Street.

30 April 7.30pm

West Parley Gardening Club meets at the MS Centre, West Parley. For further details contact Rod Darch 01202 896711.

1 May 7pm

A reading of ‘Lest We Forget’ by Glenwood Carlyon hosted by Margaret and Tony Williams in Verwood. To join, contact 01202 976532.

2 May 7.30pm

Verwood and District Horticultural Society meets at Verwood Memorial Hall. Details on www. verwoodhorticulturalsociety.co.uk or call Ollie on 01202 827622.

4 May 2pm-4pm

Ferndown Arthritis and Friendship Club meets at Ferndown Plus Day Centre. Entertainment and afternoon tea. Door-to-door service. Call for more info O3303 112793.

4 May 10am-3pm

Poole Leisure Painters meet at Lighthouse Poole. Contact secretary 01202 693526.

6 May

South of England Town Crier competition in Wimborne Square.

7 May 2.30pm-4pm

Bits & Bytes Computer Club meets in Ferndown library. See https:// www.neilbarton.co.uk/bnbclub.html.

8 May 6.30pm-9pm

Bournemouth Big Band, Swing and Jazz Club meet downstairs in Kinson Community Centre. Full details on www. bournemouthjazzclub.org

8 May 7.45pm

East Dorset Antiquarian Society meets at St Catherine’s Church Hall, Wimborne.

8 May 7.30pm-9.30pm

RSPB New Forest local group, ‘Nature Writing as Activism’, Lyndhurst Community Centre. Tel 01425 652864. https://group.rspb. org.uk/newforest/

11 May 10am-1pm

RSPB New Forest local group field trip to Pig Bush, near Beaulieu Road railway station (SU 362 050), meet in Pig Bush New Forest car park. Non-members £5, members free. Tel 01425 652864 https:// group.rspb.org.uk/newforest/

11 May 7.30pm

Vivamente Voices concert at Wimborne Minster church. Tickets from www.vivamentevoices.co.uk/ events-1/cest-la-vie-musicale

12 May 7.30pm

Ferndown French Circle meets at the Centre, Barnes Road, Ferndown BH22 8XH. Enquiries on 07552 074135.

Railway pub quiz raises £500 Jaminaround in Cranborne

“After starting a quiz in November, we knew we wanted to make it a charity event that supports local causes,” said manager, Levi Craddock, of The Railway in Hightown Road, Ringwood.

“With the help of our amazing quizmaster, Mike, along with the unwavering support from our locals, we have managed to raise £500 for the Ringwood food bank.

A music event taking place at Cranborne’s Earthouse building at The Ancient Technology Centre will feature musicians, bands,

“This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the community, not only for our quiz but also from those who come to our meat draw weekly and pop in on a regular basis for a pint and a chat. Without these regulars our pub wouldn’t be the thriving local that it is today.

“We couldn’t be prouder to be able to give back to our local community. “

The Railway quiz is usually on

Cricket club wants to expand women’s section

Mudeford CC is looking forward to the new season and expanding the women’s section.

During the winter the men’s teams played and the first teams have reached the final of the Indoor Trophy.

After being denied promotion constantly over the last few years due to the outfield, the freshly re-laid surface has sparked a revival in players looking to join the men’s teams.

The junior teams, u9, u11 and u11 girls, are welcomed back after having

to play games away from the ground, which supports upwards of 60 under 11s.

The women’s section will be promoted and expanded when more players join. If you have never played before and are looking for a new challenge or looking for a way to get back into the game, then get in touch now. Training sessions are held all year. Contact the club via social media or email mudefordccsec@outlook.com.

The club has existed for almost 190 years.

storytellers, choirs and more.

The event taking place on 25 and 26 May will celebrate the festivals 20th anniversary.

Acts include Jane Blake,

the last Thursday of the month.

“We hope to see more people joining us to support local causes as the weather improves,” added Levi.

Miryam Solomon, Electric Jalaba, Alostmen, Clare Murphy, Luzmira Zerpa and Sam Amidon (USA). For more details visit www.jaminaround.com

Dance yourself happy

- Advertiser’s announcement -

Dance is a well-known mood booster and wellbeing activity and Pavilion Dance South West offer classes to get you moving, smiling and healthy for the season ahead.

Whether you’re looking for salsa, Latin, Afro, ballroom, rap, musicals, Bollywood, burlesque, belly dance, lyrical jazz, contemporary, ballet, mature movers, Parkinson’s dance, a spot of Charleston

in vintage jazz or West Coast swing there’s a style waiting for you. And the classes take place in sunny studios by the sea.

Weekly classes run from 15 April to 19 July. Standard onehour classes are £7. Discounts available with 6- and 12-week ticket bundles. Located in central Bournemouth in the Lower Gardens behind the Pavilion Theatre. Visit www. pdsw.org.uk for more details.

Much crying in Dorchester

Town criers from across Dorset gathered to mark the retirement of Dorchester’s town crier and current mayor, Alistair Chisholm.

Wimborne Minster town crier Chris Brown was amongst those who met in Brewery Square, Dorchester. He said: “Alistair is held in high regard by his compatriots and is without doubt the most successful town crier in competitions around the country and further afield as well as being a supportive and inspiring friend to all.”

The town criers had to deliver a cry under the title ‘Alistair Chisholm’. The cries were judged by Serjant of

Musket and deputy town crier of Wimborne Minster Mel Gudger who also judged the best dressed award.

Alistair was presented with a set of Thomas Hardye films and a specially commissioned staff, inlaid with badges, representing the Ancient & Honourable Guild of Town Criers, Dorchester Town Crest and the Dorset Flag.

The best cry was delivered by Liz Rawlings of Blandford Forum and the best dressed prize was awarded to Jacqui Hall of Wareham.

The event was organised by Andrew Fleming, Swanage town crier.

Dorset town criers by Hannah Fleming-Hill

‘The Vixen’ heads to The Barn

From ITV’s ‘The Chase’, Jenny Ryan ‘The Vixen’ is bringing her new tour to The Barn, in Ringwood on Friday 4 October.

Known as ‘the Vixen’, Jenny has been a part of the programme since 2015 and also appears on spin-off ‘Beat the Chasers’.

But she’s not just a whizz at quizzes - she loves music too. Jenny has revealed that she will be touring the UK later this year with her cabaret show ‘Out of the Box’, which first debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last August.

On her Social Media channels, Jenny said: “Big news! After smashing the Edinburgh Fringe, Out of the Box is off on a UK tour this autumn. Come along for an evening of cabaret charting the long dizzying road into telly stardom.”

She added that there would be “tunes, tales, trivia and a sprinkling of showbiz secrets.”

Sam Coombes, manager at The Barn said he was excited that Jenny had chosen to bring her new tour to The Barn adding: “Although still in its infancy, The Barn is attracting some wonderful acts which are proving really popular with our local community, and this is exactly what we hoped to achieve. There are a limited number of meet and greet tickets available for Jenny Ryan too – be quick to secure yours.”

Watch out for pothole perils

If there is one motoring topic that has been on people’s lips over the recent months, it’s potholes.

Sadly not only do cash-strapped councils face an estimated £14 billion repair backlog, motorists are at risk of expensive and dangerous damage to their vehicles

GEM Motoring Assist, which was founded in 1932, is warning drivers to be on the look-out for dangerous potholes on their journeys.

The latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance report suggests 18 per cent of local roads (37,000 miles) are judged to be in poor condition and risk becoming undriveable within the next five years. A further 100,000 miles of local roads would need to be rebuilt in the next 15 years.

GEM road safety adviser James Luckhurst said: “We want to help drivers stay safe on their road journeys, as well as reducing the risk of causing expensive damage to their cars.

“Potholes have a significant financial impact on motorists, who most of the time must bear the cost of repairs to paintwork, suspension and tyres – even though they have already paid for local road maintenance through their council tax.

“There is no consistent national policy among councils as to whether or not they will compensate drivers for damage caused by potholes. Those drivers who can’t afford to pay for their repairs risk making journeys in vehicles that are potentially unsafe.”

GEM has some advice.

1. Always be aware of dangerous potholes on your regular journeys. If necessary, find an alternative route.

2. Remember to keep your distance from the car in front. Motorists will often brake or swerve suddenly if they have spotted a pothole too late, so ensure you are far enough away to slow down safely.

3. Make sure you stick to the speed limit, and slow down on smaller roads and residential streets where potholes may be prevalent. Hitting a pothole at speed will cause much more damage to your vehicle.

4. Never swerve to avoid a pothole; always slow down or stop completely if necessary, checking that there are no cars close behind you. Drive over the pothole slowly or steer round it if it’s safe to do so.

How can your home help the planet?

By Marilyn Barber

Everybody knows that we must move away from the use of fossil fuels –but what are they?

Fossil fuels are materials containing hydrocarbon formed naturally in the Earth’s crust from dead plants and animals that are extracted and burned. The main fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas.

Instead of burning fossil fuels, we can get power from five major renewable energy sources: solar energy from the sun, geothermal energy from heat inside the earth, wind energy, biomass from plants and hydropower from flowing water.

Solar panels

The welcome news is that during this cost-of-living crisis, solar panels will cut your electricity bills. Not only that, but they will reduce your carbon footprint and you can receive payments for the extra energy you generate.

Solar panels capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity that you can use in your home.

The Energy Saving Trust, which was founded as a government-sponsored initiative in 1992, explains that a solar PV panel consists of many cells made from layers of semi-conducting material, most commonly silicon. When light shines on this material, a flow of electricity is created.

The cells do not require direct sunlight to work and can even work on cloudy days, but the stronger the sunshine, the more electricity is generated.

An unshaded, south-facing roof is ideal for maximum

electrical output. East or west-facing roofs could still be considered, but north-facing roofs are not recommended. A system facing east or west will yield around 15-20 per cent less energy than one facing directly south.

Solar PV panels are considered ‘permitted developments’ and often will not require planning permission. However, there are exceptions so it is best to check with your local planning office for guidance. The amount you pay for your solar PV system will be influenced by the size of the array and will be affected by any difficulty with access to your roof.

Costs are also affected by whether you choose panels or tiles and whether you opt for building-integrated panels or choose panels that sit on top of your roof.

Heat pumps

For a more sustainable heating system, switch to a heat pump. Heat pumps are powered by electricity and are more efficient than gas boilers. There are ground source and air source heat pumps.

Ground source pumps transfer heat from the ground outside your home to heat your radiators or underfloor heating. Air source pumps transfer heat from the outside air to water, which heats your rooms via radiators or underfloor heating. Both can heat water stored in a hot water cylinder for your hot taps, showers and baths. Heat pumps can provide significant savings over traditional

heating systems, due to their low running costs. A ground source heat pump can reduce energy bills by up to 53 per cent compared to a new gas boiler.

Increase your insulation

Over half the energy consumed in the home is used for heating, so making sure the walls, roof, and floors in your home are insulated, will cut back on heat wasted.

For a quick fix, insulate any exposed hot water pipes, along with your hot water cylinder if you have one. Insulating the building itself will make a bigger difference, making your home warmer in winter, and lowering your energy bills.

Insulating your walls is a good place to start as around a third of the heat lost from

uninsulated homes escapes through the walls. Homes with a cavity wall are the easiest to insulate, while older homes will require solid wall insulation.

Loft insulation should be 270mm thick. Check yours is in good condition and top it up if necessary.

Maximising Renewable Energy: A Unified Approach

- Advertisement feature -

Linden Stone Operations Manager @ Dorset Energy Solutions

In today’s world, where environmental consciousness is on the rise, the integration of renewable energy technologies is becoming increasingly crucial.

Imagine a scenario where air source heat pumps, solar panels, and battery storage systems seamlessly collaborate to unlock significant savings while minimising ecological footprint. This vision is not a distant dream, but a tangible reality made possible by the synergy between renewable energy solutions.

One of the key driving forces behind this integration is the emergence of new overnight electricity tariffs. By synchronising the operation of air source heat pumps, solar panels, and battery storage, households can capitalise on these tariffs, potentially reducing energy costs by up to two-thirds. This isn’t just about embracing sustainability; it’s about making smart financial decisions too.

One of the key manufacturers making this concept a reality is Viessman. With a focus on quality, reliability, and local support, customers can rest assured that their investment in renewable energy solutions is well-protected.

With warranties and support based in the UK, the peace of mind provided by reliable service adds another layer of appeal to these next-generation heat pumps and solar panels. At Dorset Energy Solutions our mission has always been to provide the necessary knowledge to ensure that customers can make an informed decision as to what is going to best suit their circumstances. If you have a project in mind, we are always happy to help with advice and support.

As we navigate towards a future defined by sustainability, the integration of renewable energy technologies emerges as a beacon of hope. It’s not just about individual components; it’s about the seamless collaboration of technologies to create a more efficient and eco-friendly energy ecosystem. So, if you’re looking to reduce your environmental impact while saving on energy costs, consider the power of integration.

New home improvements business plugs a hole in the market

- Advertiser’s announcement -

With builders for smaller projects getting harder to find as many seem so preoccupied either with their own builds, or attending to the large estates that have cropped up like a rash in this area, it is refreshing to find a new company able to help with a wide range of home improvements.

After more than 20 years in the building trade, qualified Level 3 carpenter Robert Stevens has struck out on his own.

Father of two, Robert has lived in the Ferndown area all his life. Over his working career, which has been with one company since he left school, he has acquired many more skills than carpentry, hence him offering a range of services from home renovations and alterations to plastering, bricklaying, fitting bathrooms, kitchens, doors, windows and flooring. He will even turn his hand to outdoor jobs as well.

If you live in the local area and you’re looking for a home improvement

specialist with over 20 years’ experience in the trade, give Robert at RS Home Improvements a call on 07809 425305 or email rsferndown@gmail.com.

Emerging carpenter from Mudeford reaches semi-final of Screwfix Trade Apprentice

Alfie

Bournemouth

Poole College, has secured a place in the semi-final of Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2024.

Screwfix Trade Apprentice received more than 1,800 applications and entries have now been whittled down to just 33.

This year’s national final will be held in May where one winner will receive a careerboosting trade bundle worth £10,000.

Alfie said: “I’m really proud to have made it to the semi-finals and I’m excited to showcase my story so far, I hope it’s enough to secure my place in the final and be crowned Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2024.”

Lockyer, studying carpentry at

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CORRESPONDENCE

To express your opinion or ideas about the community send your letters to letters@dorsetview.co.uk

Planning for local car parks

Concern has been expressed over the wisdom of reducing the availability of car parking spaces by local governments, especially for those who rely upon attracting visitors and where any public transport facilities are irrelevant/unhelpful.

In addition to the Southbourne issues, it is understood that the wooded car parking area/wildlife haven (neglected over many years) at Beach Road is being threatened by reduction, without approval of any change of use. The wisdom of any such ‘fire sale’ to another car-park operator (whilst publicly unexpected increases in recurring financial allowances [to councillors] might have been delayed) appears to be questionable.

The imminent six-week consultation on the draft local plan for the BCP Council area, will no doubt cover issues associated with the above, namely:

• plans for car-parking

• transport facilities

• future uses of any redundant car parks need for more ‘second homes’ in previous car park areas

• need for ‘the right dwellings in the right places’

In serving the public, all councils should comply with public policies. The most important public policy is considered to be compliance with the seven Nolan Principles (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership). In such circumstances it cannot be acceptable for any council to sell assets that may be needed/should be protected/could be sold at a substantially enhanced price level if a change of use was duly authorised.

The need for common sense (reflected in the Nolan Principles) is obviously more important in a year when a) central government is being refreshed and b) when a proposed draft Local Plan (intended to influence planning in the BCP area for more than a decade) is about to be issued for due consultations.

It is trusted that your readers will make their views known about the significant aspects of the proposed BCP Council draft Local Plan, including those about local car parking. Our views will be expressed. All stated views are subject to review by an Independent Planning Inspector, probably appointed by a refreshed government.

Gerald Rigler Chairman Poole & Purbeck Group of Dorset CPRE

Discover Wimborne takes place in the town during April.

This month-long festival features over 100 special events, talks, live music gigs, workshops and exhibitions, many of them absolutely free.

Wimborne BID manager Tammy Sleet said: “Discover Wimborne is a great way for newcomers to the town to find out and enjoy fresh experiences. We also know the range of events appeal to many people who have lived here for years who enjoy the chance to discover more of what is on their doorstep.”

The Discover Wimborne programme is available to pick up free from businesses and the tourist information centre at Museum of East Dorset.

Blandford museums open

Blandford Fashion Museum has reopened with two new displays - ‘Our Sporting Heritage’ and ‘The Textile collection of Elisabeth Frink’ - in addition to their exhibition, in conjunction with Salisbury Museum, showcasing the work of students to Arts University Bournemouth.

The Museum in The Plocks in Blandford is now open to visitors every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and is offering a programme of spring lectures.

Details can be found on the website at wwwblandfordfashionmuseum.co.uk

Poole lifeboat stalwart signs RNLI 200th anniversary scroll

Poole lifeboat’s longest serving operational volunteer, Jonathan Clark, has signed the RNLI 200th anniversary scroll on behalf of Poole Lifeboat Station.

The scroll is being taken to RNLI communities throughout the country to be signed at each location on its route. After being welcomed at Poole Lifeboat Station – the oldest RNLI station in Dorset – it was signed by Jonathan on 23 March.

“To know that I am signing on behalf of the station is a great honour and I sign for those that went before, for those here now and for those that will follow, like my daughter, who is third generation lifeboat

crew,” said Jonathan who recently received his 40-year RNLI long-service medal from the Mayor of Poole, Cllr Jo Clements at a special RNLI 200th reception.

“Over the past 40 plus years of service, I have seen a lot of change,” said Jonathan, “in the equipment we use; with boat design; technology and training and so on. What hasn’t changed is the commitment and dedication of volunteers, the support of families, employers and the public who donate the money.

“Our desire to help others has not changed. To be able to bring someone’s loved one safely back is something very

humbling. When we launch, we go with humility, to help people who are strangers to us, that reach out and have called for help, in sometimes very harrowing conditions.

“I have launched and taken part in over a thousand plus shouts and have saved many lives, and sometimes, we can only do all that we physically can and sometimes it’s hard, but we go and I will continue to go when someone needs help, because I can.” To read more about Jonathan’s long service with the RNLI, his lifelong work around Poole Harbour, and the 200th anniversary scroll visit www. dorsetview.co.uk