Dorset View | June 2026

MONKEY

Dear Readers!

How lovely the warmer, sunnier weather has been. My family and I have been out to the beach and playing in parks most weekends.

In late April, my brother-in-law came to visit. He emigrated to Australia 18 months ago, so it has been great to see him again. We all went away for a few days to Crealy, a theme park and holiday resort in Devon, and had a lovely time soaking up the sun, spotting rabbits around the campsite and visiting Exeter, where my wife and I met 16 years ago.

These past few months have been busy with rehearsals, as I was cast in ‘Shrek the Musical’ with Wimborne Musical Theatre Society. We’ll be performing at the end of June; do come and see it, there are some phenomenally talented people in the cast, and it is genuinely very funny. The company has put their heart and soul into this production. Read the preview on page 36 for more information.

Speaking of talent, in May I was invited to watch ‘Montague Jack’, an amateur film produced by Wimborne Minster Cine and Video Club about a Wimborne resident suspected of being Jack the Ripper. It was very well made, especially the editing, and I had no idea about Wimborne’s darker history. What a delight.

Make sure to check out our Summer in Wimborne special on pages 20-23 for more fun ideas for your diary.

Luke Graham

Editor

The Editor reserves the right to amend or shorten contributions in order to fit in with the editorial policy and style of the magazine

Dorset View is independently published and

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The Quarterjacks of Wimborne marching band parade through the town for the Civic Thanksgiving Service © Dorset View

Ferndown school fights to save Lollipop lady

Ferndown Middle School is in danger of losing its Lollipop lady Sarah Middleton, whose role will finish at the end of the summer term.

Headteacher Grant Hopkins, who is leading the fight for her retention, said: “Sarah does an incredible job and everyone was aghast when we learned that she would not be with us from September.

“I have stood on the road with her in the morning and watched her at work, and also seen the dangers.

“There is a great deal of traffic and despite there being two zebra crossings, some cars just will not stop.

“We see more 4x4 vehicles and this means drivers are less likely to be able to see children right in front of them.

Wimborne’s ‘green lung’ saved from development… for now

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

Residents packed into the Allendale Centre in Wimborne on Wednesday 22 April to illustrate their

concerns about an application by Nightingale Land for the development of 49 properties on 5.5 hectares of land off Birchdale Road, Colehill.

As regular readers of this magazine will know, local people have repeatedly expressed their opposition to a development on this green lung between Wimborne and Colehill.

An application in June last year for a 55-property development was refused for several reasons.

One of the speakers at the discussion — which lasted for more than three hours — was Jill Whitfield, who said: “This proposal would force all construction and heavy goods traffic through a narrow

“Cars sometimes backup over the crossing and it requires someone like Sarah to enable safe crossing.

Middleton, 53, who has been the school lollipop lady for 18 months, said: “I receive a lot of abuse from drivers,

some of whom just don’t want to stop — the zebra crossings don’t stop them.

“It really can get very dangerous, and when you have small children on scooters you can easily see how an accident could happen.”

residential cul-de-sac, directly beside a newly registered Village Green. This Green is legally protected under the Commons Act 2006, intended as a safe space for recreation. Yet this plan would place frequent HGV movements, estimated by the applicant to be 275 per day, right alongside the Green — bringing noise, danger and constant risk to an area meant for peace.

“Existing conditions already present challenges. Pavement parking already occurs due to the narrow width, but with frequent HGV traffic, cars would be forced onto pavements to let large vehicles pass, removing safe pedestrian space and forcing people into the road. At the same time, these constraints create a real risk that HGVs and parked vehicles could block each other altogether, delaying or preventing emergency service access. This is a serious and unacceptable safety risk.”

Another speaker, Dr Lesley Haskins from the Erica Trust, cited wildlife issues, namely biodiversity loss, SANG provision and ecological network impact.

She said: “The included loss of a large swathe of internationally protected native bluebells seems to be overlooked. This priority grassland is the base of a vital food chain, providing, amongst other things, insects for the bats — you cannot mitigate for a protected species whose vital food supply is so diminished. Various proposed onsite compensations are either insignificant or highly questionable, notably trying to force already useful bracken into acid grassland.”

Council officers had recommended refusal of the application on a number of grounds, including that the proposal would be inappropriate development in the green belt. It would also erode the separate physical identity of the individual settlements of Colehill and Wimborne. Special circumstances to justify granting permission did not therefore exist.

The eight members of the planning committee who were present voted unanimously to refuse the application.

Local people held a celebration on Bickerley Green after planners turned down an application for 49 properties on the adjacent site

Grant Hopkins with Sarah Middleton

New councils elected for Broadstone, Bournemouth and Poole

Residents elected a total of 50 councillors for three new town councils in May.

The results announced on Friday 8 May revealed Reform UK was the big winner.

Reform won 12 out of 21 seats on Bournemouth Town Council. The Green Party won three seats, and Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats won two each. Turnout for the area was 34.13 per cent.

Reform also gained control

of Poole Town Council by winning 15 seats, while the Lib Dems won the other six seats. Turnout was 37.35 per cent.

Lastly, the Lib Dems won six seats on Broadstone Town Council and independent councillors won the remaining two seats. Turnout was 49.77 per cent.

A full list of the results, including the names of elected councillors, can be found on the BCP Council website: bcpcouncil.gov.uk/elections.

Wimborne Minster Town Council held its annual Civic Thanksgiving Service on Sunday 10 May. Pictured are some of the civic dignitaries who attended, including Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole (right) © Dorset View.

Kitten Scanner helps young patients

Having an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan can be scary for a child, and so University Hospitals Dorset NHS charity have introduced a Kitten Scanner to the Children’s Unit in Poole Hospital.

Scans are crucial for diagnosis, treatment planning and assessments, but for children, they can feel frightening. The machines are noisy, enclosed and require stillness for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, which means some children may need to undergo general anaesthesia and sedation.

University Hospitals Dorset appointed a play specialist in 2016 to reduce the use of general anaesthetics for MRI scans. The initiative was highly successful, with 71 per cent of children scanned without sedation.

The Kitten Scanner, funded

through support from the Mazars Charitable Trust, is now there to assist the play team in helping children understand the medical procedure and feel less anxious about them.

When they use the Kitten Scanner, a child can select one of a variety of foam animal ‘patients’ to be scanned. The machine detects which character the child has chosen, and a short animation plays on an accompanying screen about the chosen animal’s journey to being scanned and their ‘charts’.

‘Pocket Rocket’ Nurse Carmel retires

A nurse who has worked for the NHS for 30 years and for 13 years at Forest Holme Hospice has retired. Known affectionately by colleagues as the ‘Pocket Rocket’, Carmel has been a constant source of strength, warmth and reassurance to patients and families during some of life’s most difficult moments. Her retirement has prompted an outpouring of messages from the local community, with hundreds taking to social media to share their memories and gratitude.

A spokesperson for Forest Holme Hospice said: “Carmel represents everything that hospice care stands for. She has given so much of herself to others over the years, and the difference she has made is immeasurable. It has been a privilege to have her as part of our team, and she leaves behind a legacy that will continue to shape the care we provide. As she begins this next chapter, the hospice extends its thanks and warmest wishes for a happy retirement.”

Nurse Carmel with colleagues from Forest Holme Hospice

Photo by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity

Busiest year ever

This year’s Bournemouth Writing Festival — which ran from 24-26 April — had its busiest year ever attracting almost 2,000 people.

The event included more than 100 free and ticketed workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, poetry events, and children’s activities.

A total of 57 per cent of attendees were joining for the first time and 55 per cent travelled from outside the BH postcode area.

Festival Director Dominic Wong said: “It’s a privilege to welcome so many writers — from complete beginners to those already published — in an encouraging and supportive environment, while hosting over 1,000 visitors from outside Bournemouth.”

Sacha Hughes from Poole said: “What a joy, honour, and privilege it was to launch my debut novel,

‘Love, Grief & More Sex Than Pinot’, at the festival.

“Last year I went to Bournemouth Writing Festival with a very messy manuscript and absolutely no idea how to move forward from there. I threw myself into the workshops and loved every single one. Now just 12 months later, I’ve launched my book.”

Bournemouth Writing Festival will be hosting the Bournemouth Writing Sanctuary in June and the Romance Writing Festival in October. For details, visit bournemouthwritingfestival. co.uk.

Law Spot by Harold G Walker Solicitors

Child Focused Courts

By Colin Mitchell, Solicitor, Partner, Head of Family

The Dorset area has been a part of the pilot of the ‘Pathfinder’ scheme since February 2022

Since then, we at HGW have become well versed with the scheme and are pleased to see that from Tuesday 17 March 2026 this scheme has been rolled out to Family Courts nationally.

This model is based on a child focused approach and is specifically designed to focus on safety, reducing conflict and reduce the length of court cases with an investigative, multi-agency approach encouraging early safeguarding.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy said: “Court backlogs are not just numbers on a page. When it comes to the family courts, they represent victims waiting, families in limbo and children and domestic abuse victims left to linger in harm’s way.

“That is why the national rollout of the Child Focused Courts matters

so much. It will protect, support and hear the voices of children, helping family courts make safe and fair decisions without delay.

“It also shows that, through innovative reforms, we can make our courts work better, tackle delays and bring down the backlog so more victims and families get the swift justice they deserve.”

More information on this change can be found on the government website: gov.uk.

If you would like to understand how the Child Focused Courts model may affect your circumstances, our experienced family law team, serving Wimborne, Broadstone, Christchurch, Verwood and Ferndown, is here to help.

Speak to our Dorset family law team today for free, clear and confidential advice.

Lawspot is for information only and does not constitute legal advice

Dorset welcomes Tobacco and Vapes Act

Dorset Council has joined the directors of Public Health across the South West of England in welcoming the Royal Assent of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.

The new Act — which introduces a generational ban on the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, new powers to create further smoke-free places, a UK-wide ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, and a licensing scheme for retailers of tobacco and nicotine products — received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. The generational age-of-sale provisions are expected to come into force from 1 January 2027.

Cllr Gill Taylor, portfolio holder for Housing, Communities and Prevention at Dorset Council, said: “This law marks a turning point. It protects future generations from the harms of smoking and gives people who smoke today a clear moment to quit, with free help available locally. That can mean longer, healthier lives for thousands of people across our communities.”

While the generational ban will protect future generations, public health leaders are urging the more than 520,000 adults across the South West who currently smoke to use this moment as a prompt to stop for good.

Therapeutic classrooms transform learning

Therapeutic classrooms in a Parley First School have radically improved attendance, engagement and behaviour, its headteacher has said.

John Bagwell introduced the concept in January to two Year 3 classrooms and a ‘break-out space’.

It is based on work by childhood trauma specialist and founder of the ‘Therapeutic Classrooms’, Shahana Knight.

The plastic tables and chairs have been replaced by solid wooden desks of varying shapes and comfortable leather seats.

Sofas, heavy blankets and greenery have also been included in a bid to ‘bring the home into school’.

Bagwell said: “The therapeutic approach to learning meets the needs of all children but additional benefit is to those children with more complex needs.

“We have been working towards this for two years — there has been an initial

investment but the tables and chairs will last for generations.

“On the walls are photos of the children and staff to give a sense of belonging and to see them as individuals.

“I have been working with Shahana Knight and she designed the classrooms and break-out space.

“Since Christmas attendance and engagement have improved and behavioural incidents have dropped significantly with no incidents to report.

“The change of environment has significantly improved the children’s engagement and focus. Each morning the children do mindfulness exercises and during the day they eat fresh fruit and are encouraged to keep hydrated.

“The old plastic chairs that most people will remember sitting on when they were at school we hope to send to Africa through an education charity.”

Parley First School is part of the Southern Education Trust.

John Bagwell with a class of pupils, break-out space shown in the background on the right

Saving Upton Heath

By Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole

Since moving to Dorset 27 years ago, I have been inspired by our precious heathlands. When my children were babies, we would walk them there, lulling them to sleep in their pram; during lockdown, we spent our daily exercise exploring as a family; and now I am often found there, walking my dog, Todd, podcast in ear.

I spoke about them in my maiden speech as MP, campaigned to ban BBQs to prevent fires, and they feature prominently in my constituency work.

So, when I became aware that part of Upton Heath had been put up for sale by its private owner, I was keen to use parliamentary levers to help protect it. The area concerned, covering around 110 acres, has historic planning permission from the 1950s for mineral extraction. If you know the site, you will recognise the former pits and lakes now enjoyed by

young people on bikes and by wildlife enthusiasts drawn by its 16 resident dragonfly species.

The owner had previously sought compensation and attempted to secure access via the Roman Road and Trailway — efforts I worked with local authorities and Dorset Wildlife Trust to resist. The site was then put up for sale, with the expectation that someone else would attempt extraction on this highly protected land.

In response, I launched a petition — now presented to Parliament — to demonstrate public support and press for stronger protections, and we explored the option of registering the land as an Asset of Community Value to delay any sale and create time for the community to secure it.

I also secured a Prime Minister’s Question and used it to highlight the wider issues this case exposes. Despite Upton Heath being designated as a

Site of Special Scientific Interest and forming part of the Poole Harbour Special Protection Area, and despite being home to all six native reptile species, historic planning permissions for extraction remain legally active.

I asked the Prime Minister to consider changes to planning law so that when land receives international environmental designation, outdated development or extraction consents no longer continue by default. This is needed not just for Upton Heath but for other critical sites across the country.

Fortunately, Dorset Wildlife Trust successfully purchased the land in April after raising over £100,000 from the community in just two weeks, with further significant contributions from private donors, Dorset Council and BCP Council. But outstanding costs remain. I have written to the Department for

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the Species Recovery Programme, which could help finance efforts to restore Upton Heath and benefit the local wildlife.

Dorset is one of the few places where lowland heaths survive at scale. That is why they are so heavily protected, and why rare ground-nesting birds, insects and reptiles depend on them. These heathlands define much of Mid Dorset and North Poole — not as scenery, but as part of our living landscape, our heritage and our wellbeing.

Protecting Upton Heath matters to us all, but doing so also sends a clear message that communities expect the planning system to protect the natural environment. I will continue to use every lever available to stand up for the places that make Dorset so special.

Bring on the summer

By Plants Direct

As we move into June and summer days become warmer and longer, now is the time to plant out all your summer tender bedding, patio and basket plants.

There are masses of plants available in every colour, and upright, trailing or tall flowers for cutting.

Plant out your pots, containers and baskets with fresh compost and feed. Keep them well watered. Stake and tie all your plants as they start to grow to get the best show of flowers, especially tall perennials and sweet peas.

Vegetable gardens, tunnels and greenhouses will now be flourishing with tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and many more exotic fruits and vegetables.

Keep sowing vegetable seeds outdoors in the vegetable patch for fresh crops of salad leaves. Root vegetables, carrots, radishes and potatoes can still be planted for autumn harvesting in pots,

containers or open ground. To prevent garden pests and diseases on your prized plants, use insecticides and fungicides; there are plenty of organic options available to keep your roses, fruit bushes and vegetable plants clean and healthy.

Slugs and snails can be controlled with pellets or by placing sharp gravel around and on top of your pots and containers. Protect fruit with fine mesh and netting from hungry birds.

Keep your water butts topped up and irrigate with water in the evenings to reduce evaporation and help water penetrate down to your plant roots. Feed with soluble fertiliser for stronger plants.

Lawns can be mown regularly. Raise the cut height if the weather becomes dry and hot.

Once your tasks are complete, you can enjoy warm days and evenings basking in your garden kingdom.

Volunteer cat guardians required in mid-Dorset

Dorset’s homeless cats will soon need new guardians as three core volunteers with over 70 years of experience between them step down.

The trio of volunteers Kate Bevan, Deb Wheeler and Nicki Salmond, who are Cats Protection Mid-Dorset’s branch team leader, treasurer and cat welfare team leader respectively, will all step down at the end of the summer. New volunteers will be needed to fill their roles otherwise the future of the branch, which has rehomed and helped needy cats since 1994, will be uncertain.

Kate says: “If we can find the right people to take on these core roles, we have great existing volunteers in the other roles who are happy to continue and the branch could go from strength to strength.”

The branch currently homes over 80-90 cats a year across the DT10, DT11, SP7, SP8 and BH21 postcodes.

To find out more about volunteering for Cats Protection Mid-Dorset visit www.cats. org.uk/volunteering or contact branch development manager Nicola Parry on 01825 741297 or email nicola.parry@cats.org.uk.

Kittens in Nicki’s foster room © Cats Protection

Local Rotary celebrates 50th anniversary

A local club dedicated to making a difference to the community has reached a major milestone.

On Wednesday 8 April, over 100 people attended a dinner in the Great Hall at Canford School to celebrate 50 years of Rotary in Ferndown.

For 50 years, Ferndown

and Parley Rotary has helped bring the community together, with members raising money for local and international causes by organising fun, local events like Fete on the Field and the Christmas Fayre Market in Ferndown.

At the anniversary party, Rotarians and friends from the

local area and as far afield as Dublin joined Ferndown and Parley Rotarians to celebrate the occasion and honour the club’s founding members.

Keith Adams, president of Ferndown and Parley Rotary, said that the club was determined to organise an event which would be a fitting tribute to the 32 founder members.

The importance of the occasion was such that the most senior figure in Rotary Great Britain and Ireland, Heather Stuart, travelled from Scotland to deliver congratulations.

Guests included Sheila Smith, the widow of the founding president John Smith, and Bill Field, a founder member. Field, who is still a very active member of Ferndown and Parley Rotary, was presented with a special memento to mark his 50 years as a Rotarian.

The evening highlighted

how Rotary has given 50 years of service to the local community, in addition to donations aiding those suffering disasters internationally.

To find out more about Rotary and how to join the Ferndown and Parley club, visit ferndownandparleyrotary.org.

Fraud alert for Ferndown

Dorset Police have issued a warning to residents of Ferndown following a report of courier fraud.

Courier fraud is a scam where criminals posing as bank officials or the police trick victims into handing over money or belongings to a courier.

A resident in Ferndown was defrauded after receiving a text message claiming to be from their bank, Lloyds, warning of suspicious account activity.

The victim was then contacted by a fraudster posing as a bank representative and convinced they were assisting with an urgent investigation. The victim was coerced into handing over their bank cards and mobile phone to a courier.

The police have issued this advice to help others avoid becoming a victim. First,

remember that your bank or the police will never ask you to share your bank cards and will never send a courier to collect your belongings.

Fraudsters can make calls and texts appear genuine — do not trust contact out of the blue. If you receive a suspicious call or message, stop the communication and verify if it is genuine. Call your bank directly using the number on the back of your card. Do not share PINs, passwords, or one-time codes with anyone.

Fraudsters use pressure tactics to create urgency and stop you thinking clearly. Talk to friends or family if something doesn’t feel right. If you believe you’ve been targeted or fallen victim to fraud, report it immediately to your bank and contact Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Chair of Rotary Great Britain and Ireland, Heather Stuart (centre left), attended the event, during which founding member Bill Field (centre right) received a memento for his 50 years of membership

The power of partnerships

By David Sidwick | Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner

Strong partnerships which deliver real results are an underrated and underappreciated part of policing. To successfully tackle serious offences, we need effective partnerships with local and regional partners to deliver successful results and ensure victims are cared for. The value of these relationships is why I’d like to highlight a vital partnership delivering terrific results in Dorset.

The South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) plays a significant role in tackling serious and organised crime across multiple areas, including Dorset. Its work forms part of a strong, successful collaboration focused on intelligence-led policing at a regional level. The ROCU supports and enhances Dorset Police operations, providing specialist capabilities, focusing on high-harm and complex cases. Their key areas of focus include drug supply and county lines networks, child sexual abuse and exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking, organised immigration crime, cyber crime, fraud and money laundering, as well as crime and corruption in our prisons.

In Dorset, high-profile cases involving SWROCU are linked to Operation Scorpion, and indeed, serious and organised drug crime. Through Operation Scorpion, Dorset Police works closely with neighbouring forces across the South West — Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Avon and Somerset and Wiltshire — alongside SWROCU and British Transport Police to disrupt county lines, smash the drug gangs and safeguard vulnerable people.

Recently, Dorset Police and SWROCU carried out 18 warrants, arrested 47 people, safeguarded 17 people, and seized 2.47g of heroin, £30,000 worth of cocaine and weapons including knives and a crossbow. These results show the power of this partnership. It’s not just through Operation Scorpion either that this joint work has yielded results. In April, a man and woman from

Wimborne were sentenced for drugs and money laundering offences following an investigation by SWROCU. Officers seized 1.5kg of cocaine, 400 grams of heroin, 500 grams of ketamine, 2kg of cannabis, approximately £20,000 in cash and a knuckleduster from the couple’s home, thanks to support from Dorset Police. Both received custodial sentences, meaning the community is free from the harm they were causing.

Another SWROCU investigation led to the jailing of a crime group who ran a drugs lab in Bournemouth. The five men, three from Bournemouth, were part of an organised crime group who supplied cocaine to areas across the UK including London, West Sussex, Cumbria, Avon and Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire. This case took tireless work from all involved, and I thank them for their relentless pursuit of this group.

The reality is that serious and organised crime does not respect county boundaries. It is sophisticated, mobile and often hidden, which is why this partnership approach is so important. SWROCU brings advanced capabilities, enhanced intelligence and coordinated action that allows Dorset Police to respond at scale and with precision. It is through this model that we can deliver impactful, multi-agency operations, bring dangerous offenders to justice and disrupt criminal networks operating both within and beyond Dorset.

This is what effective policing looks like: a strong local presence from Dorset Police, backed by regional strength. By continuing to invest in and support this partnership, we are ensuring that Dorset remains a hostile environment for organised crime, taking away the drugs, ill-gotten gains and ultimately the liberty of those who seek to harm us, and creating a safer place for everyone who lives, works and visits here.

Charity of the Year

The view inside: Julia’s House Children’s Hospice

By Luke Graham | Photos © Dorset View

The Corfe Mullen-based hospice has recently completed a major refurbishment

In April, local charity Julia’s House completed a seven-month-long refurbishment project at its children’s hospice based in Corfe Mullen. To mark the occasion, the charity held an open day and invited people, including myself, to come on a tour of the newly improved facilities.

Julia’s House provides care for children with life-limiting, life-threatening and terminal conditions, as well as support to their families. It is named after Julia Perks, a dedicated paediatric nurse whose dream was to develop a support network for families struggling to care for a lifelimited child without any help or respite.

Sadly, Julia died from cancer in 1997 before her dream became a reality. Her friend Mike Wise founded the charity in 2003 in her memory.

The Corfe Mullen hospice opened in 2006, providing care and play sessions to children, as well as home care and overnight stays for children, to give families a respite break. The hospice also provides end-of-life care.

In September last year, the charity began a major upgrade project, including an extension, to provide more space and additional facilities to meet the growing need for its specialist care.

The upgrades include a new play activity room, full of arts, crafts, technology and a sensory room.

The first major addition is a new, larger bathroom upstairs, complete with high-tech bathing facilities. The brandnew bathtub is self-cleaning, plays music via Bluetooth and has coloured lights and a range of jets and vibration options to provide a relaxing experience for children. The button-controlled sink and toilet are accessible and adjustable, offering children more independence. An upgraded hoist system enables access between rooms for those with impaired mobility.

The other major renovation is the new Mermaid Suite. While it can be used for a range of purposes, it is also where the hospice provides end-of-

life care. It has been designed to offer comfort and privacy to families at this most difficult moment in their journey.

Julia’s House is currently supporting around 150 children and their families. The hospice’s care goes beyond simply looking after children: nurses support families with forms and paperwork to access funding for essentials and quality-of-life improvements, and a sibling service provides free trips and fun experiences for the brothers and sisters of the children being cared for by the charity.

A Julia’s House representative said it costs the charity over £10 million each year to provide its services, but less than eight per cent of its funding comes from the UK government, the rest comes from the community via fundraising, donations and gifts in wills.

Seeing the inside of the hospice and hearing about its work was truly quite moving. The charity is providing an invaluable service to the children of Dorset and Wiltshire.

Help us raise £1,500 for Julia’s House

Did you know that Julia’s House operates two children’s hospices, one in Corfe Mullen and the other in Wiltshire? The distance between the two is around 60 miles.

Julia’s House is the charity of the year for Pulford Publicity (the publisher of this magazine). To raise funds for this vital service, a team of six from Pulford Publicity plan to ‘connect the hospices’ and walk 10 miles each in one day on Friday 21 August. But we need your help to hit our fundraising target of £1,500. Donate to the Connecting the Hospices Hike by visiting justgiving.com/page/ connecting-the-hospices-hike.

The brand-new, high-tech bathtub

The entrance to the hospice

One of the sculptures from last year’s mermaid tail trail

The hospice’s garden area The

Bee Home Trail launched in Wimborne Minster

A Bee Home Trail is the latest in the monthly town trails being produced for Wimborne Town of Culture 2026

Created by Wilding Wimborne it was announced by town crier Chris Brown and launched by Cllr Chris Ryan at the recent Spring on the Green event on the Minster Green.

The trail takes people on a walking tour of 15 bee homes around the town. Locations include schools, business premises, churches and town attractions. The homes are hexagonal wooden boxes filled with hollow stems in which the bees lay their eggs.

The bees using these

homes are solitary bees: highly efficient pollinators accounting for over 90 per cent of the UK’s 270 bee species. They live alone, don’t produce honey and are non-aggressive.

Approximately one out of every three mouthfuls of our food depends on pollinators such as bees.

Bee Home Trail postcards and leaflets are available in Allendale House and the Museum of East Dorset. To download the bee trail map go to https://tinyurl.com/PWtrails.

L-r: Cllr Chris Ryan, Linda Bunting, Wilding Wimborne chairperson, and town crier Chris Brown

What a week!

By Jane Benson

What a week Wimborne Community Garden had at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair at Beaulieu. It started in the early hours of Tuesday morning when we set about putting together our Beautiful Border Show Garden; on Wednesday, Vicky and Chris Lawrence, who had designed the garden, started planting it up with care; finally on Thursday the garden was complete. We hoped all was in place… as the judges approached. They asked what the garden was about and we proudly explained that it had been designed to represent Wimborne’s Community Garden where the gates are open to everyone and the burden of work is shared. At this point we were sent away while they deliberated. We had to wait several hours until finally at 7pm they

announced the results. The judges felt it had been a very high standard this year and so had unusually awarded three gardens the platinum status… and to our absolute delight Wimborne Community Garden was one of them.

The next three days went by in a blur as several of us from the garden, spoke to literally thousands of visitors (estimated 24,000) all about the show garden and the wonderful opportunities having a Community Garden provides. We were also lucky to be visited by Adam Frost, Frances Tophill and Sue Kent — how lucky we were.

We felt extremely proud of what we had achieved as, guided so magnificently by Vicky and Chris, well over 40 different people in the community had contributed

PULFORD PUBLICITY sponsors WIMBORNE COMMUNITY GARDEN

to the show garden in some way or another. It did indeed truly represent our garden’s ethos. Another wonderful achievement was that Glenda Stansbury, one of our volunteers, entered an amazing garden totally independently,

designed, created and funded by herself which took such a lot of effort, skill, determination and creativity, all of which got her an extremely well-deserved silver award. Are there no limits to the talents to be found at Wimborne Community Garden?

Back row: L-R Chris and Vicky Lawrence, Frances Tophill and Jane Benson

What to do in Wimborne

By Luke Graham

is

The highlight for many will be the Folk Festival on 12-14 June (see the full preview on page 23).

That same weekend is Party in the Paddock, a three-day music and camping festival. Each day

is a different theme, with Ibiza anthems and dance music on Friday 12, a day of tribute acts on Saturday 13, and country music on Sunday 14. Get your tickets from Square Records on Wimborne High Street or partyinthepaddock.com.

If you need a good stretch, head to the green by Waitrose for the Dorset Charity Yogathon. From 10am to 6pm, attendees can take part in a wide range of classes including yoga, Tai Chi, tribal tapping and chanting. The event has been running since 2013, raising thousands of pounds for charity. This year it is supporting Julia’s House and Margaret Green Animal Rescue.

The Museum of East Dorset

will have a brand new family trail ready for the summer holidays from 11 July until 5 September. To coincide with the release of the new ‘Despicable Me’ film, ‘Minions & Monsters’, the trail will feature lots of mischievous challenges for visitors both young and old. How many cheeky yellow minions will you be able to spot hiding among the museum’s exhibits?

The High Street Safari trail is due to return from 25 July to 3 September. Visit the shops around Wimborne Minster and scan special QR codes with your phone to experience an augmented reality adventure, complete with colourful digital characters. A fun way to spend

Visit Wimborne Model Town

an afternoon exploring the town.  Look out for the annual duck race in late August. Now in its 26th year, the race sees hundreds of yellow rubber ducks float down the River Allen, with prizes up for grabs for the sponsors of the top-placed ducks.

The race is a fundraiser for Wimborne in Bloom, with proceeds going towards the upkeep of the flowers and planters around the town.

It’s a fun afternoon full of frantic feathered action and a stroll along the river. The results are announced in the Rising Sun on East Street, which is a lovely spot for a drink or some food. And if you’ve ever wanted

to step back in time, pay a visit to Wimborne Model Town, which depicts a 1/10th scale version of the area as it looked in the 1950s. The Model Town is only open late March to the start of November, so the summer months are the perfect time for a visit.  Wimborne attracts lots of cultural talent. Keep an eye on the listings for the Tivoli and Allendale Centre to see what bands, musicians and comedians are coming to perform in the town. And make sure to get your ticket for ‘Shrek the Musical’ by Wimborne Musical Theatre Society (read the preview on page 36).  Closing out the (late)

summer season is the Wimborne Food Festival on Saturday 19 September. From 11am to 4pm, the town will be full of delicious events, including food tastings, chef demonstrations, market stalls selling fresh, local produce, and plenty of live music.  What are you most looking forward to this summer? Write to luke@dorsetview. co.uk to let us know.

Make your own pizza at Wimborne Food Festival © Wimborne BID

Wimborne Duck Race attracts all sorts © Dorset View

Summer in Wimborne

Free community event

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Wimborne u3a is holding a free community event on Saturday 20 June, showcasing the wide range of learning and leisure opportunities available to retired and semi-retired people.

The event runs from 10am to midday at the Allendale Community Centre and will be officially opened by the mayor of Wimborne Minster.

Visitors can explore over 60 groups and courses, covering languages, walking and dance to IT, sport, arts, history and more. Group leaders will be on hand to answer questions

and help people find activities that match their interests.

Wimborne u3a Chair Ashley Rowlands said: “There’s so much on offer locally. The open morning is the perfect chance to explore it all in one place.”

One Wimborne u3a member commented: “I’m 74 and there aren’t many places where you can play table tennis for so little cost. I went along after a hip replacement to build up my strength and it’s done me proud.”

To learn more, visit wimborneu3a.org.uk.

Preview

Simon Wheeler, chair of Wimborne Minster Folk Festival, is on the podcast

Ahead of Wimborne’s upcoming Folk Festival in June, Your Voice | Dorset Podcast invited Simon Wheeler, chair of the organising committee, to reveal more about this exciting event.

Simon only recently became chair. How is he finding the job?

“It’s a bigger job than I thought it would be, because we’ve had to rebuild the team. A few people moved on.

“We could always do with help. I’d welcome anybody who wants to volunteer.”

Simon described the festival as a landmark event for the town, which attracts lots of people from outside the town and across the

South West to listen to music and watch Morris dancers.

“There’s nothing like music in my mind. Music is very close to my heart,” Simon added.

“People come from abroad and we’ve had acts from abroad. We’re open to all.

“What we’re trying to do this year is to get back to the roots of the Folk Festival.”

Simon revealed lots of details about the kinds of music and dance groups taking part in the festival at sites across the town.

New to the Folk Festival this year is a talent show. On Sunday, residents will step onto the Willow Walk Stage to take part in Wimborne’s Got Talent. Simon said: “One of the things that makes Wimborne Minster Folk Festival special is the chance to discover unexpected talent in every corner of the town. Wimborne’s Got Talent is about opening up that opportunity, celebrating creativity, and making sure the festival continues to belong to everyone who wants to be part of it.”

Listen to the full interview on dorsetview.co.uk/ podcast or youtube.com/@ dorset_view. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more interviews and videos.

Wimborne u3a aims to combat social isolation

A weekend of colour and music

Wimborne Minster Folk Festival is sure to delight visitors and residents this month as the town is transformed into a hub of sound and colour

Bands, singers, songwriters and musicians will perform on stages and busking stops across the town from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 June. As well as a full programme of concerts, there will be a Saturday evening ceilidh at the Allendale.

As well as music, there will be plenty of dance troupes showing off their moves. Morris dancers from across the South West will visit Wimborne Minster to perform the traditional English art form. In addition to Morris dancers, look out for Irish dancers, step teams, belly dancers and clog dancers performing for the crowds.

A highlight of the festival will be the Saturday afternoon procession, where bands, Morris troupes and local groups parade through the streets of the town.

Plus, there will be plenty of food and drink on offer across the town, including several local breweries selling craft beer and ale. Pay a visit to Willow Walk, where there will be plenty of activities geared towards children and families.

Wimborne Minster Folk Festival has been providing entertainment since the 1980s. Make sure to add it to your diary.

Highlights from last year’s Folk Festival © Dorset View

PRIMATE PROTECTION

Based near Wool in Dorset

Monkey World was set up in 1987 by Jim Cronin to provide abused Spanish beach chimps with a permanent, stable home. Today, the centre is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of apes from around the world that have been used and abused in labs, as exotic pets, as props for photographers, or as circus animals.

Monkey World also works with governments from all over the world to try and stop the illegal smuggling of apes out of Africa and Asia. At the park, visitors can see primates of more than 20 different species, including the largest group of chimpanzees outside of Africa, orang-utans, gibbons and 14 species of monkey.

But Monkey World’s vital mission to rescue primates from the black market pet trade depends on public support.

The best way you can help today is by adopting a primate at Monkey World. In fact, 100 per cent of all adoption funds go straight

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to the Ape Rescue Trust, making a real difference for these primates by providing food, veterinary care, safe housing and enriching enclosures.

When you adopt, your or your chosen recipient unlock several exclusive benefits, including free admission to Monkey World for 12 months, three magazines per year all about the rescue centre’s residents, a photo of your chosen primate and a personalised adoption certificate, discounted personal guided tours, either at the park or via Zoom, and access to exclusive adoptive parents’ events.

To learn more about adoption or to plan a visit to Monkey World, go to the website: monkeyworld.org.

Pulford Publicity is pleased to enable this free publicity for Monkey World through the kind support of the sponsors on these pages.

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Monkey World has kindly offered Dorset View readers the chance to win a children’s adoption package. The package includes an entrance pass to the park for one year, a photograph of your chosen primate, a personalised adoption certificate, three issues of the ‘Ape Rescue Chronicle’, plus the opportunity to take part in exclusive events.

The child adoption pack is the perfect prize for the little monkey in your own life.

To enter the prize draw, you’ll need to visit the Monkey World website and find the answer to the following question:

In what year did Amy the orang-utan give birth to Gordon?

You can find the answer by visiting monkeyworld.org/ourprimates and learning about Gordon’s orang-utans. How to enter

Enter online at dorsetview.co.uk. Closing date is 3 July 2026. The first correct answer drawn will be the winner. Employees of Pulford Publicity Ltd are not permitted to enter. There is no cash alternative. The editor’s decision is final. Personal details will be stored securely and will only be processed to determine the winner of the competition and allocate the prize. The winner will be announced in the magazine.

Charity of the Year

Bruce is always on the move

“Bruce surprised everyone from the very start,” shares his mum, Megan. “He breathed on his own for a week after he was born, then suddenly things changed and we were rushed to Southampton Hospital. Doctors found a large mass in his chest and after being flown by helicopter to Great Ormond Street Hospital, he was diagnosed with a benign teratoma (a rare tumour)

wrapped around a major vein leading to his heart.

“At just two weeks old, Bruce had open chest surgery to remove the tumour — signing the consent form is a feeling I’ll never forget. The operation saved his life, but it left Bruce with serious breathing complications — he now has a tracheostomy (a small opening in his neck into his windpipe) and he’s completely dependent

on a ventilator.

“We first heard about Julia’s House when Bruce was a couple of months old. We’ll be honest: the word ‘hospice’ scared us. We thought it only meant end of life, and that it wasn’t for families like ours. But after chats with the team, we understood what Julia’s House really is: practical, specialist support for seriously ill children and their families and a place where people don’t need a long explanation. They just ‘get it’.

“Julia’s House started visiting in April 2025, and because Bruce’s needs are so complex, the team needed specialist training. At first, Bruce found new faces tough (familiarity really matters for him) so we stayed close while he got used to the nurses. Now he’s the complete opposite: he smiles, waves, and blows kisses

when they leave. His respite sessions are full of painting, stories, songs and messy play.

“That support doesn’t just help Bruce. It helps all of us. It gives us time as a couple to grab a coffee, go for a swim, or simply sit together without counting battery life. And it matters for siblings too — our daughter Layla gets one-to-one time and fun activities where she can just be herself, not ‘the child in the background’.

“Bruce is now 23 months old and doing brilliantly. He’s bright, cheeky, and always on the move. We still live life on high alert, and the future may include more surgery, but we feel less alone. Julia’s House has become like extended family, and those few hours of respite make a bigger difference than we can ever properly explain.”

Bruce with a Julia’s House nurse © Phil Abraham

Walk for Wards this July

Would you love to support a sponsored walk in the beautiful surroundings of Wilton House and help raise funds for your chosen ward or department at Salisbury District Hospital?

If so, then the Stars Appeal’s flagship fundraising event is for you. It will take place on Sunday 5 July. Registration is free and includes lunch and admission to the Wilton House gardens and adventure playground.

One mum supporting the

sponsored walk to thank the “angels” on the Neonatal Unit at Salisbury District Hospital who cared for her baby, is Chantelle Perry from Wiltshire.

Chantelle, 32, and her family are taking part in Walk for Wards after her son Ryder was born two months early in October 2025. He spent four weeks on the Neonatal Unit. During this time, Chantelle and her partner Richard Hall were able to stay with him in the Stars Appeal parents’ accommodation.

Chantelle said: “To begin with it was very scary and we were very much in the unknown, however, the staff on the Neonatal Unit soon made us feel supported and cared for. People who donate to the Stars Appeal ensured that Ryder’s dad and I could stay in a bedroom next to the ward and could be with our son 24/7.

“We could take it in turns to sleep whilst the other was with Ryder. This gave us time to recoup, refresh and relax knowing one of us was with him. Having Richard there to support me made a huge difference to me mentally, physically and emotionally.”

The Stars Appeal parents’ accommodation on the Neonatal Unit provides four en suite family rooms, six ‘mother and baby’ rooms, plus a playroom, kitchen and quiet room. It is one of the only Neonatal Units in the country where every mum can stay with their baby.

Chantelle, who lives about a 45-minute drive from the hospital, added: “If we hadn’t been able to stay with Ryder, it would have been so much harder to process everything that was going on. Every mum wants to be with her baby, especially when they are poorly.”

The Stars Appeal also provide the latest equipment including state-of-the-art incubators and phototherapy lamps to treat babies with jaundice, as well as soothing live music.

Chantelle said: “We cannot

wait to do Walk for Wards. We are doing it to give something back to the Neonatal Unit. The staff are truly angels that walk this earth. The hours and love they put in to care for Ryder and our family was outstanding. We couldn’t have got through it all without the Neonatal Unit and the Stars Appeal who supported us every step of the way.”

You can sign up to Walk for Wards on the Stars Appeal website www.starsappeal. org/event/walk-for-wards/ Participants can walk 3k, 5k, 10k or 15k for their chosen ward or department at Salisbury Hospital. Registration is free and entry includes lunch and admission to the Wilton House gardens and adventure playground.

The Stars Appeal is the charity for Salisbury District Hospital. Every day, work funded by the charity helps hundreds of patients at Salisbury District Hospital and supports the NHS staff who care for them. The Stars Appeal aims to raise £2million each year to fund projects which offer direct, practical support to patients, their families, and the hospital’s staff.

Chantelle and Ryder in the Neonatal Unit

Brackenwood Garden Party fundraiser

For 10 years, Fay and Mike Clifford have been holding an annual garden party to raise money for cancer treatment at Poole Hospital.

Another party is planned on Sunday 19 July. Cream teas, a lake, fernery, classic British bikes, tombola, crafts and plant stall can all be enjoyed in a garden setting along with entertainment by Christchurch and District Concert Band.

Over £2,000 was raised at last year’s event which went

towards the maintenance of the new garden behind Sandbanks ward at Poole Hospital.

Pop the date in your diary. Sunday 19 July from 1pm at “Brackenwood,” God’s Blessing Green, Holt, BH21 7DD (next to Stewarts Garden Centre at Broomhill). Easy parking, wheelchair friendly and dogs welcome on a lead. Funds raised will go to Dorset Cancer Care and Dorset MS Centre. For more details, call Fay on 01202 885685.

Save the date for summer fete

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By Macmillan Caring Locally

Our Summer Fete is returning on Saturday 27 June from 12noon to 3pm — and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever!

We’re delighted to say that we have been given permission to host this year’s fete on the

grounds of Twynham Primary School, giving us a much larger space to fill with fun, games, stalls, and entertainment. Mark your calendars and keep the date free — it’s going to be a fantastic community day out.

Air Ambulance marks 10 years of blood transfusions

For the past 10 years, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) has delivered pre-hospital emergency blood transfusions which has given 473 patients the chance of survival.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the service, DSAA brought together key partners, the clinicians who helped pioneer the initiative and team members involved in its delivery and development to reflect on its impact over the past decade.

Among those in attendance was Louise Biggs and her family, who

shared her experience of needing a pre-hospital blood transfusion immediately prior to giving birth in January.

Dr Phil Hyde, DSAA’s medical director, said: “To have this life-saving resource available to us is a gift from society. It gives our clinicians the ability and confidence to sustain patients with catastrophic bleeding long enough to get them to hospital for the ongoing emergency treatment they need. Before we carried blood components, many of us remember holding the hands of patients who sadly died on the way to hospital.”

Louis P meets Smokey Mose

Smokey Mose’s food trailer is a popular sight across the South West. We caught up with the chef (real name David) and social media star to find out more about his love of spuds

Tell us about yourself?

I returned to the UK in 2021 after more than 20 years living overseas. I no longer wanted to continue in the corporate world.

Food has always been a passion of mine, particularly street food, so starting a food trailer felt like a natural next step. I wanted a base ingredient that would allow room for creativity, something versatile enough to build on with bold and varied flavours. The humble jacket potato proved to be the perfect canvas, offering endless possibilities for inventive toppings.

It’s a dish I genuinely love: simple, comforting, and universally appealing. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a really good jacket potato? What is your favourite spud on your menu?

My go-to spud has to be the Kickin’ Chicken, though I’ll admit I like to add a splash of hot sauce to give it an extra kick. It’s the perfect balance of flavours: slightly sweet, smoky barbecue chicken paired with creamy melted cheese, lifted by the herby tang of ranch dressing. Then there’s the rich, smoky heat from the sauce, rounded off with the fresh bite of spring onions and jalapeños.

How can readers experience your spuds?

Readers can find me in Bournemouth Square on Sundays and at Christchurch High Street market on Mondays. I also pop up at a range of events throughout the year, including the Bryanston School Summer Fair in Blandford, the Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival, and the Mudeford Arts Festival.

The best way to keep track of where I’ll be next is through my social media channels: TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Dorset View is running a competition with Smokey Mose, offering readers a chance to win £50 worth of food. For details, head to tiktok.com/ @smokeymose.

REVIEW Monkey Brewhouse

By Luke Graham

To coincide with our Monkey World special on pages 24–25, Lymington-based brewery Monkey Brewhouse kindly offered Dorset View four of their canned beers to sample.

To help with this review, I asked Ben Hayes, an amateur brewer and major beer enthusiast visiting from Australia, to taste test these brews.

Session IPA, 4.2 per cent

This refreshingly light IPA is cloudy in appearance with a nice hazy colour. It has a crisp citrus taste, dominated by lime zest, making it perfect for a warm summer's day. A nice alternative to the more hop-forward American IPA, this beer with its light but solid pale ale taste mimics the new world beers from Australia and New Zealand. You could easily drink a few pints of this through the day.

Lager, 4.5 per cent

This easy-drinking lager has a crisp taste with a light mouth feel. It tastes similar to Spanish lager varieties, making it a refreshing and sessionable little brew.

Session IPA, 4.2 per cent

This beer tastes more like a classic American IPA, with a strong malt backbone that cuts through the initial citrus flavour with notes of peach to let the hops shine. Sea Wall’s darker orange hue pairs with a creamy mouth feel and a heavy citrus hop taste. This is an evening drink that would be enjoyable paired with a pub-favourite meal or as a few session beers with mates.

Pale, 4.6 per cent

Packed full of tropical fruits such as mango, guava and passionfruit, this beer offers sweetness to balance the bitterness of the hops. This balancing act creates a pleasantly tart aftertaste with a smooth mouth feel. It’s a delight to pour into a glass as well, with a deep orange hue and slightly opaque appearance. Thanks to Will at Monkey Brewhouse for letting us try these delicious drinks. You can order these beers and more from monkeybrewhouse. co.uk or visit the brewpub and restaurant at 167 Southampton Road, Lymington, SO41 9HA.

Palooza

Forest

Sea Wall

Buckland Howler

Read the full interview on the Dorset View website

Smokey Mose cooks specialty jacket potatoes

© Louis P Creative

The Cluckin' Curry

The Kickin’ Chicken

Nature’s Footprints

Time ticks for red squirrels

Report by Janine Pulford

In the UK there are two types of squirrel.

The dainty red squirrel with distinctive tufts on its ears is the native species.

More familiar is the larger grey squirrel with rounded ears, a silvery grey coat with brown highlights on the face and paws, and a pale underside. It is classified as an invasive non-native species having been introduced into the country in the 1800s from America.

Unfortunately, it has contributed to the decline of red squirrels, which are now only found in small pockets of the country and, according to The Wildlife Trusts, time is running out to save them. They say that red squirrels and grey squirrels must be kept apart as the two species cannot live together long term.

When grey squirrels move into an area, they become the dominant species because they compete more successfully for food and habitat and the red squirrel is pushed out. Grey squirrels also carry parapoxvirus that doesn’t seem to affect their health, but it is deadly when passed to red squirrels. Where are red squirrels found?

Red squirrels have a better chance of survival in areas where there are no grey squirrels. They are found in Scotland, on the Isle of Wight, Brownsea Island, Formby coast, Anglesey and the Lake District.

Population

It’s estimated that there are approximately 140,000 red squirrels in the UK compared to around 2.5 million grey squirrels. An overestimation of the red population (287,000) was made in 2018 in Natural England’s Joint Publication JP025, due to lack of survey data and unreliability of the methods used (rsst.org. uk). Today, it is said that red squirrels will be extinct in England in approximately 10 years and the rest of the UK will follow.

Brownsea Island

Though it’s rare to see a red squirrel, we are fortunate in Dorset to have a small stronghold on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. You are likely to see a red squirrel on the island because although shy, they are greedy and will venture out boldly onto bird feeders. They have bushy tails and sit up in a characteristic manner with their tails curled over their backs whilst

they eat pinecones, acorns, nuts and seeds.

At the last annual count on Brownsea Island around 200 squirrels were found thriving.

Habitat

Squirrels live in trees building their nests or ‘dreys’ out of twigs and leaves in the fork of a branch in the woodland canopy. Their sharp claws make it easy for them to run up and down trees. Grey squirrels are widespread and often seen in parks, towns, gardens and high tailing it across roads on overhead wires like animated tightrope walkers. Being exceptionally agile, they will raid bird feeders.

Life expectancy and breeding

Grey squirrels live for two to five years, red squirrels live for about six years.

Amorous male squirrels chase females up and down tree trunks and leap across branches. Females give birth to three or four young and can have two litters a year. The pups leave the nest when they are about 10-11 weeks old.

Do squirrels hibernate?

Neither species hibernate, but they may sleep for longer periods when it’s cold. They can be seen burying nuts and acorns in the autumn for the lean winter months.

Can you eat squirrels?

Red squirrels are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to intentionally kill, injure or capture one, or damage its nest.

Grey squirrels can cause problems for foresters and gamekeepers and have limited legal protection. Numbers can be controlled by shooting and trapping. Some people eat them. I will never forget a family member once purchased a grey squirrel from a butcher and cooked it. He confirmed my suspicions when he informed me that it tasted disgusting — so don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.

Sources: wildlifetrusts.org dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk rsst.org.uk basc.org.uk

Red squirrel on Brownsea Island © CatchBox Grey squirrel © Danny Howe Photography

Items from the Hardy Collection

Explore the Thomas Hardy Collection

People who would like to know more about Thomas Hardy, who lived in Wimborne Minster from 1881 to 1883, can now access manuscripts for his novels, notebooks and over 5,000 letters online via the Dorset History Centre website: dorsetcouncil.gov. uk/dorset-history-centre.

An appointment can also be made to view the documents at the Dorset History Centre in Bridport Road, Dorchester.

A total of 11 notebooks filled with Hardy’s handwriting have been digitised and are free to view online, along with draft manuscripts of ‘Under the Greenwood Tree’, ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ and ‘The Woodlanders’.

The archive comprises more than 100 boxes and is held on deposit at the history centre for Dorset Museum and Art Gallery.

Cllr Ryan Hope, Dorset Council’s Cabinet member for Customer, Culture and Community Engagement, said: “This remarkable collection shows how deeply Dorset shaped Hardy’s imagination, and we know it will inspire new generations of readers and researchers to engage with some of the county’s most significant cultural heritage.”

Contact the Dorset History Centre to make an appointment. Email archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk, call 01305 250550, or visit dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dorset-history-centre.

Get closer to nature

-Advertisement feature-

Looking for an unforgettable experience? Then why not pay a visit to Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre this summer.

Based near Ringwood, the centre offers the chance to get up close to birds of prey, with daily flying displays. Or look through the reptile house to learn more about these stunning creatures.

As well as seeing these amazing animals, there is a play area for children and a gift shop full of souvenirs. Don’t forget to visit the Chilkat Café for food and drinks, or bring your own picnic to enjoy while watching these magnificent birds in flight.

Your visit will also support the centre’s conservation work, including the rescue, rehabilitation and release of wild and injured birds of prey, and a breeding programme to support some of the most endangered species on the planet. To learn more or plan your next day trip, visit libertyscentre.com.

Andy Knill

What is your name and what do you do?

I am Andy Knill. My art business is called AndyKnillArt and my shop in Swanage is AndyKnillArt Studio. I draw my own art in fineliner, alcohol-based and acrylic markers. I also host a drawing activity called ‘Art for Fun’.

How do you define yourself as an artist?

As an artist, I draw. I came to art as a distraction and support for my mental health but had spent 30 years drawing diagrams to explain ideas in Geography lessons. I draw because I enjoy it and I try to share that joy with others.

What do you think the local community, councils and government could do more of to support the art community?

I would like to see more use of street art, murals, art for creative health and access to art activities at a low price point for all who express an interest, from children to adults.

Why should people buy your art?

I hope that people would buy my art because they like what they see and my interpretation of local views and activities. I offer an ‘Introduction to Art’ range for £10 or less, so that I can make art — both original and reproductions — accessible to all.

W andyknillart.com

E andy@andyknillart.com

I andy.knill

Events

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

6 June 10am–12noon Colehill Methodist Church coffee morning.

6 June 10am–1pm

Oakdale Library Gardens, Wimborne Road, Poole, BH15 3EF. Open under National Gardens Scheme (NGS).

6 June 12.30pm–6pm West Moors Farmfest, BH22 ONF. Free entry but tickets required. Book via eventbrite.co.uk/e/westmoors-farmfest-2026-tickets.

6 June 2pm–4pm

Ferndown Arthritis and Friendship Club meets at Ferndown Plus Day Centre. Call 03303112793 for details.

6 June 7pm

Verwood Choral Concert at St Michael’s Church, Verwood, raising funds for local charity.

6 June 7.30pm for 8pm Film show at Fordingbridge Town Hall. Episodes from ‘The Chosen’.  Free refreshments. Free tickets from fordingbridgechurches. eventbrite.com, or The Branch, 1 High Street, Fordingbridge, or AVCM Charity Shop, 52 High Street, Fordingbridge.

7 June 12noon–5pm

22 Avon Avenue, Avon Castle, Ringwood. Open under NGS.

7 June 1pm–5pm

Whitemoor Farm at Holt, BH21 7DA. Open under NGS.

8 June 2.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society meets at the Memorial Hall, with talk on ‘The Principles of Garden Design’ and Members Rose Show. Contact Jo Breen on 07960650611 or email wmhorticultural. society@gmail.com.

8 June 7pm for 7.30pm

Ferndown & West Moors Philatelic and Postcard Club meets at The Hamworthy Club, Magna Road, BH21 3AP. Call Paul Barry on 07932 581791 or email paulrichardbarry@ hotmail.co.uk for details.

9 June 7.30pm

Verwood and District Horticultural Society meets at Verwood Memorial Hall. Details on verwoodhorticulturalsociety.co.uk or call Ollie on 07508 577114.

10 June 6.30pm–9pm

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

10 June 7pm

Fireside Theatre will read ‘Relatively Speaking’ in Verwood. To book, contact Jenny and Mike Brown on 01202 825178.

10 June 7.15pm for 7.30pm

Canford and Merley Women’s Institute hosts guest speaker David Beardsley for a talk on ‘The Formidable Ladies of Kingston Lacy’ at Merley Community Centre. For details, contact Hazel on 07780705702.

10 June 7.30pm

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

12–14 June

Upton House Food and Music Festival. Book via uptonhousefoodandmusic festival.com.

12–14 June

Wimborne Minster Folk Festival: wmff.co.uk.

13 June

Corfe Mullen Carnival: corfemullencarnival.com.

13 June 10am–4pm Fordingbridge Choral Society singing workshop at the Victoria Rooms, Bridge Street, Fordingbridge. Book via ticketsource.co.uk/ fordingbridgechoral.

13–14 June

Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival, Highcliffe Recreation Ground and Lymington Road: highcliffefoodandartsfestival.com.

14 June 10am–4pm

39 Pergin Crescent, Poole, BH17 7AL. Open under NGS.

15 June 2.15pm

Arts Society Wimborne and Blandford meets at the Allendale Centre for a talk on Sir Stamford Raffles by Denise Hayward.

17 June 10am–4pm

The Treehouse, Merritown Lane, Hurn, Christchurch, BH23 6DT. Open under NGS.

18 June 7pm–8.30pm

Bourne 2 Sing male voice choir perform at Access Dorset, The Bridge at Chaseside in Littledown. For tickets, email enquiries@accessdorset.org.uk.

20 June

Harry Paye Pirate Day on Poole Quay.

20 June 11am–5pm Ferndown Fete on the Field, King George’s Recreation Ground. Free entry.

25–27 June 7.30pm Saturday matinee 2.30pm Wimborne Musical Theatre Company perform ‘Shrek the Musical’ at the Tivoli. Book via tivoliwimborne.co.uk.

27 June 10.30am–7pm

28 June 11am–5pm Shake and Stir Vintage Music Festival, Fishermman’s Walk, Southbourne. Free entry.

Theatre troupe recruiting for new show

Wimborne Community Theatre (WCT) is seeking creative locals to take part in their next show.

‘Home’ is a new, inclusive, site-specific community theatre production that will be staged on part of the Kingston Lacy estate from 21–27 September. Devised by members of WCT alongside professional theatre practitioners, ‘Home’ will combine research into people’s own stories of home life and what they like (or don’t like) about Wimborne Minster with local history, both real and imagined.

The theatre company is looking for emerging professional theatre artists (either performers or backstage crew) to take part, as well as amateur actors seeking something new or different, and local makers and stitchers — in short, anyone wanting to feel part of a friendly but challenging community ensemble.

‘Home’ is being directed by Merley-based creative professional Rohan Gotobed, artistic director of writing company Dorsetborn.

Joining WCT costs £40 per year for adults, £25 for concessions. Other concessions are available for people on low incomes. For more information, contact Tony Horitz, artistic director of WCT. Email info@wimbornecommunitytheatre.co.uk.

PREVIEW Shrek the Musical Wimborne Musical Theatre

Society, Tivoli Theatre

The giant green ogre from DreamWorks’ classic 2001 film will be live on stage this June at the Tivoli Theatre, when Wimborne Musical Theatre Society stages its next major musical production.

‘Shrek the Musical’ tells the story of a grumpy but loveable ogre’s hilarious adventure to rescue the feisty Princess Fiona and reclaim his swamp. Along the way, he’s joined by the fast-talking Donkey, faces off with the villainous Lord Farquaad, and discovers that true love and friendship really does come in all shapes and sizes.

Director Duncan Trew, said: “We are delighted to be bringing this iconic and uplifting story to life in Wimborne and it’s fantastic to be working alongside such a gifted cast and crew. This extends to our two junior cast teams — local young performers who are truly shining in their roles and are sure to steal the spotlight. Rehearsals have been an absolute joy, and we cannot wait for audiences to share in the fun.”

The show will be performed from 25–27 June with evening performances Thursday to Saturday, plus a matinee performance on the Saturday.

Book through the box office on 01202 885566 or online at tivoliwimborne.co.uk.

WCT’s performance of ‘Secrets of the Stour’ © Chris McCormack

Poetry performance at harmony conference

A local poet is to perform at an upcoming Bournemouth University conference

John Kay, who was dubbed Radio Solent’s ‘unofficial Poet Laureate’ during lockdown, will appear at the ‘Creating Health and Harmony Conference’ in the Lees Lecture Theatre on Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus on Wednesday 10 June.

The conference was established in 2022 by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, Michael Dooley, to encourage people to live in harmony with nature.

Below is a poem by John Kay, commissioned by the conference in 2024.

In Dorset You’re Sorted

From its coastal resorts to its rural retreats, from its quays to its ports and its quaint cobbled streets, you can savour the flavour of Dorset’s fine food and its well-crafted ales all traditionally brewed.

Have a pie on the pier or a whelk on the wharf, rubbing shoulders with shrimpers and crabbers, a Dorset cream tea by the castle in Corfe, or a giant Dorset Knob in Cerne Abbas. Wherever you go in this county, You’ll find tradition meets bold innovation, as artisans strive to keep Dorset alive on the lips of the next generation.

A Dough Cake in Portland, a lamb shank in Wool, a fish and chip supper in Poole, in Lyme Regis there’s fossils and cockles and mussels, and oysters that make diners drool.

You’ll find all of the time-honoured favourites, plus the ones free from soya and gluten, the local producers contrive to seduce us from Swanage to Sturminster Newton.

Raise a toast to the Tolpuddle Martyrs, with one of our locally brewed nectars, a Paddler, a Grockle, a pint of fresh Piddle, all passed by the brewery directors.

Yes, the county’s an absolute miracle, with its wine, its cuisine and its beer, Thomas Hardy would surely wax lyrical, if he knew what was happening down here. So hats off to the chefs and the farmers, In a county where quality has flourished, May they serve us with pride, keep us well satisfied, fortified, well supplied and well-nourished.

To reserve a space at the free conference, visit the website: creatingharmony.uk.

Show gardens success at Spring Fair

Thousands of visitors turned up to visit the Spring Fair at Beaulieu in the New Forest over the Bank Holiday weekend of 1-3 May.

There was no shortage of inspiration and ideas for every shape, size and type of garden. Stallholders sold all sorts from carnivorous plants, flowers, gardenalia, water features and even a tiny house. There was plenty of ‘grow your own’ inspiration with the Make a Metre Matter Border by BBC Newsround presenter De-Graft Mensah and Lucy Chamberlain, and edible displays by the National Vegetable Society. Show gardens were in abundance and won high praise from BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost.

A gold award went to Hampshire-based garden designer Vicky Lincoln and Rob Woodhouse from Solent Garden Services for their Showcase Garden, Nature’s Spa.

Winner Vicky Lincoln (pictured top of page) said: “We’re delighted to win this award and have really enjoyed the process of creating a garden that visitors love. We’re so grateful for the opportunity and the support we’ve had.”

The Spring Fair’s headline sponsor Hillier brought the wow factor winning gold for its beautiful border.

Horticulture and landscaping students from Merrist Wood College, Guildford scooped Best College Garden and a gold for their garden, Heritage Rewoven.

The Spring Fair’s Beautiful Borders competition gave first-time designers, charities and community groups the opportunity to try their hand at designing a smaller-scale show garden.

Platinum went to A Shared Fairytale by Jane Benson of Wimborne Community Garden, whose designers were Christopher and Victoria Lawrence (pictured right) from Plantplanners.

In the Floral Display award categories, Millais Nursery from Farnham won Best Designed Display, and Hampshire Carnivorous Plants from Southampton won Best Quality of Plants. Jurassic Plants from Denbighshire won Best Display of Rare/Unusual Plants, and Best Overall Display went to Beech Tree Farm Plants from North Yorkshire.

Congratulating all entrants on their awards, Adam Frost said: “I’ve got nothing but respect for anyone that invests their time, vision and hard graft into bringing a show garden to life at a big public event like this. I’ve done it myself and I know the heart and soul that goes into it. It’s an absolute pleasure to meet the wonderful folk that created these gardens, and I know they will inspire so many Spring Fair visitors with their fantastic ideas.”

BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost, left, with the Showcase Garden gold award winners Rob Woodhouse and Vicky Lincoln

Flower display © CatchBox 2026 Singer Soraya Ray © CatchBox 2026

Spring Fair sponsor Hillier won a gold for its border display honouring the horticulturist Sir Harold Hillier © CatchBox 2026

Wimborne Community Garden’s display won a platinum award. Pictured are the garden’s designers, Christopher and Victoria Lawrence © CatchBox 2026

Carnivorous plants © CatchBox 2026

CORRESPONDENCE

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

The power of parking fines, Dorset View April

The whole tenor of the approach by BCP Council is, to my mind, completely wrong. We have a lot of people keen to visit our coast and enjoy our facilities, and spend money in local cafes, restaurants and entertainment. So, what do we do? We punish them with huge parking fines and make them feel most unwelcome. No wonder they go elsewhere. Surely the solution is to establish a Park and Ride facility, as many other places have done. Somewhere off the spur road seems logical. If we want our area to survive and prosper, we need to be as welcoming as possible to those who wish to visit. Then they wouldn’t need, in desperation, to park in unacceptable places.

John Heath, Ferndown Via email

Petrol prices

With oil prices hitting their highest level in years, drivers will be feeling the pinch in their wallets

Here are some tips to try and cut costs.

Declutter your car

Are you carrying excess weight in your car? Getting rid of unnecessary items and junk from the boot will help reduce your fuel consumption. Use loyalty schemes and cashback cards

Combine loyalty schemes like Tesco Clubcard with a bank card that offers cashback on payments to shave a little more off the price. Turn off the air-con (unless you need it)

Air-conditioning might feel essential in these summer months but consider turning it off unless you really need it. When driving at lower speeds, it may be more efficient to roll the windows down and let the breeze cool you off.

Find the cheapest forecourt Apps and websites like Petrol Prices and Fuel Finder can help you find the cheapest fuel near you.

Choosing the right garden tools Tidying — your ticket to wellbeing

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

Using the right tools for the right job ensures efficiency, safety, and high-quality results, minimising wasted time and preventing injuries.

Never is this truer than when it comes to gardening, as the diverse and unusable items littering my garden shed would verify.

So what are the essential tools for your garden?

Firstly, the most basic are a hand trowel, secateurs (my very favourite item), a spade and a fork.

A rake, a hoe, a watering can and a hose are also crucial for maintenance, whilst a wheelbarrow helps with moving materials.

If you have shrubs or trees that need pruning, loppers are vital, particularly extendable ones with ratchet mechanisms.

To remove weeds from pathways and patios, a weed puller tool with steel claws and an injector mechanism can ensure that you don’t strain your back.

Gardening gloves are also important, although I do know of some people who like to feel the soil in their hands.

And you need more than one kind.

Snug fitting lightweight cotton gloves with nitrile-coated fingertips are best for weeding and potting whilst leather gauntlets with long cuffs are necessary for pruning roses and brambles.

For some reason I always wear through the fingertips of the lefthand glove, although I am right-handed. I need to find someone who destroys the right hands, so we can put our spare gloves together!

To protect your knees, a multi-function garden kneeler not only lets you garden from multiple positions, it also has pockets for drinks and tools.

We had ‘No Mow May’ and we are being encouraged to even extend that into June, but eventually you will need a mower, and here the choice is between electric, cordless and petrol machines.

Corded mowers suit most garden sizes as you can mow for as long as you like without worrying about topping up the fuel or recharging the battery.

If you don’t have access to an outdoor power source or have a larger garden where an extension cable simply is not practical, then a cordless lawnmower could be perfect for you.

Petrol lawnmowers are best suited to tackle larger gardens, overgrown grass and more difficult mowing conditions. Happy gardening.

By Natalie Warde

When we think about wellbeing, we often look outside the home — towards exercise, supplements, journalling or better sleep habits. All are valuable practices, yet one powerful influence is frequently overlooked: the space we live in.

When you walk through your front door, how do you feel? Calm and settled, or tense and overwhelmed? For many people, home doesn’t feel as supportive as it could, and the reason is often hiding in plain sight. Cluttered surfaces, items without a place, and the constant effort of searching for things can quietly drain both energy and attention.

The impact of clutter shouldn’t be underestimated. When our surroundings are visually busy or disorganised, our brains remain on high alert, processing information even when we’re not consciously aware. This increases cognitive load, making it harder to focus, relax and switch off. Put simply, your environment is either supporting you — or quietly exhausting you.

Decluttering can feel deceptively simple or deeply overwhelming. But home is the backdrop to your life: it shapes how you begin and end each day and plays a significant role in your mood and overall wellbeing. Sorting through your belongings doesn’t just create physical space; it builds intentional decisionmaking, helps you set boundaries, and encourages a more purposeful way of living.

As a KonMari consultant, I favour Marie Kondo’s “spark joy” method, which focuses on keeping things that genuinely support and uplift you. This isn’t about minimalism; I love a cosy home filled with throws, cushions and sentimental pieces. But through the years of house moves, job changes and child raising, this method has been a constant anchor. An organised home helped maintain calm during periods of significant change.

Unlike endlessly tidying the same areas, the KonMari method offers a more lasting reset by organising by category rather than room. This allows your home to reflect your current life, not a past version of yourself. With simple, thoughtful systems in place, maintaining order becomes easier and clutter less likely to return.

Creating a calmer home doesn’t require everyone you live with to change at once. Start with your own belongings and lead by example. Small, visible improvements often create a ripple effect. For children, clear systems and simple routines make tidying more intuitive and part of everyday life.

It’s not about control; it’s about influence. Whether you choose a full reset or begin with just one drawer or surface, small steps still matter. As your space becomes calmer, you may notice improved focus, better sleep and greater ease in daily life.

Perhaps your wellbeing is closer than you think — right where you live. What does your home say to you, and how could it better support the life you want to live?

Natalie Warde is a professional declutterer, organiser and KonMari consultant. She is the founder of Tidy Happy People, helping create calm, supportive homes that promote wellbeing.

A pile of clutter like this can drain your energy and attention © Tidy Happy People

specialist services

Pulford Publicity Ltd (“the Publisher”) reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertisement without notice or explanation.

Whilst the Publisher will endeavour to represent the best interests of the client in undertaking client’s instructions, it is fully understood that it is the agreed responsibility of the client to supply Dorset View accurate copy details of the advertisement(s) to be placed and any alterations to the copy must be received prior to copy date.

Guarantee of insertion cannot be given and the Publisher shall not be liable for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement or by the total or partial failure, however caused, of publication or distribution of Dorset View. In no case shall the total liability of the Publisher for any misprint, error or omission exceed the price charged by the Publisher for that advertisement. The Publisher shall not be liable for any damage or loss save as stated and, in particular, the Publisher shall have no liability to the Advertiser in any circumstances for any claim for damages to, loss of, or costs in respect of any anticipated profits, revenues, business opportunities or for any other indirect or consequential loss. Claims for any

Get arty in Highcliffe

A celebration of food, music and art takes places this month at the Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival.

The free, two-day festival on 13–14 June takes over Highcliffe Recreation Ground and Lymington Road, with a market selling arts and crafts made by local artisans and food vendors offering cuisine from around the world.

There will be live music, bars and cooking demonstrations. For little ones, there is a Kids’ Kitchen and a circus skills workshop. Other activities include potting your own vegetable to grow at home or making a bird feeder for the garden.

Throughout the weekend, talented chefs will share their knowledge in the Mary’s Kitchen demo tent. For the full details, visit highcliffefoodandartsfestival. co.uk.

Free to enter Ferndown Fete on the Field

A family-friendly summer event, free for all to enter in Ferndown, is Fete on the Field. Held every year in the beautiful surroundings of King George V Playing Field, the organisers Ferndown and Parley Rotary Club confirm the event will open from 10am until 5pm on Saturday 20 June. Browse 100 stalls at this fern-tastic day out and support your local businesses and charities.

John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) is adding to their stand this year by hosting a book signing by local author Janine Pulford. She will be there with her latest release ‘Paws in the Flood’ and will be donating part of the proceeds on the day to the charity. Not only that, but her husband Nick is also donating a number of home-grown tomato, chilli pepper and courgette plants for JTYAF to sell to raise even more funds. Elsewhere at the fete, you

can see displays by Urban Cycles, O’Leary Dancers, Waggy Tails’ dog shows, and falconry displays. Listen out for Verwood Concert Brass and upcoming local star Charlotte Geary. Miriam’s face painting, Krazy Kev and Coles fun fair will keep the children entertained, and for the motoring buffs a vintage

and classic car display won’t disappoint. Catering outlets will ensure a variety of food and drink to keep you going.

Forest FM will be broadcasting live and the Rotary’s raffle for a wheelbarrow of wine will be tempting. Someone’s got to win it; buy a ticket and it could be you!

Wimborne in Bloom open gardens

A total of 20 gardens will be open in and around the town of Wimborne Minster on Sunday 28 June from 11am to 5pm. Visitors pay £10 in cash at the first garden visited for this Wimborne in Bloom Open Gardens Day.

There will be maps in all the major car parks on the day of the event showing the location of the gardens.

The gardens open include: 109 Merley Ways; 11c Oakley Hill; ‘Trumpeters’, 25 West Street; 6 and 41 Julian’s Road; 2 and 6 Victoria Place; ‘Serles

House’, 47 Victoria Road; 4 Redcotts Road; Wimborne Community Garden, School Lane; 10 Elizabeth Road; 47 Blind Lane; 17, 24 and 31 West Borough; 6 Rowlands Hill; 34 Park Lane; ‘Pencoed’, Furzehill; 6 Smugglers Lane and 1 Olivers Road.

Firefighters descended on

on Monday 11 May following the outbreak of a fire at Rosemary restaurant on West Borough. According to reports, smoke was seen billowing from the building. Eight firefighters donned breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire which had spread to the building’s roof

Last year’s JTYAF stall featured a game of hook a duck

Wimborne Minster

© Anthony Oliver.

10 things tenants should know about the Renters' Rights Act

1. No-fault evictions are over

Your landlord cannot evict you without a legal reason. No landlord can serve a Section 21 no-fault notice, even if your tenancy agreement says they can. Seek advice if you receive anything claiming to be a Section 21 notice served after 1 May 2026.

2. Your tenancy now rolls on indefinitely

Private assured tenancies have automatically converted to rolling periodic tenancies. If you had a fixed term, that end date no longer applies. Your tenancy continues until you choose to leave, or your landlord establishes a valid legal reason to end it.

3. If your landlord wants you out, they need a proper legal reason Landlords must now use Section 8 and rely on specific grounds for possession. These include rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, the landlord wishing to sell, or a family member needing to move in. At court, they must prove the ground applies. You have the right to respond and challenge the claim.

4. You cannot be evicted for the first 12 months on certain grounds

If your landlord wants to sell the property or move a family member in, they cannot begin that process until you have been in the tenancy for at least 12 months.

5. Rent can only go up once a year, and you can challenge it

Your landlord must use a formal written process to raise the rent, giving you at least two months' notice using a document called Form 4A. Any increase must be no higher than the open market rent. If you believe a proposed increase is above that, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. Informal rent increase letters and old rent review

clauses in tenancy agreements cannot be used after 1 May 2026.

6. Landlords cannot demand more than one month's rent upfront Asking for multiple months' rent in advance as a condition of securing a tenancy is no longer permitted.

7. Refusing to rent to you because of benefits or children is now unlawful

If you have been refused a tenancy on either of those grounds, you may have a legal remedy.

8. You have the right to request a pet

You can formally ask your landlord to keep a pet. They cannot unreasonably refuse. If they do refuse, they must do so in writing and give a reason. You can challenge an unreasonable refusal in court. A landlord can require you to take out pet insurance as a condition of approval, but a blanket no-pets policy no longer stands.

9. A new Ombudsman will handle complaints without going to court

A Private Landlord Ombudsman is being established to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords quickly and independently, without requiring court proceedings. All private landlords will be required to join. This gives you a direct route to raise complaints about your landlord's conduct and seek resolution.

10. Leaving the tenancy is straightforward, but notice rules apply

You can end a rolling tenancy at any time by giving your landlord at least two months' written notice. That notice must be given so that the tenancy ends on a rent due date, or the day before. You can agree a shorter notice period with your landlord in writing, provided all tenants named on the agreement consent.