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October 2026 Volume 24, Issue 3

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Volume 24 • Issue 3 • October 2026

Dear Readers!

I suspect Dorset has had enough of making “big news” recently. First with the New Forest fires, and, more recently, Christchurch’s river water quality problem. Whatever the challenges they have created and the effects ahead, seeing those in power made more visible in the public eye helps us understand their accountability (or lack of it), and increases pressure to get things done. Hopefully, some good will come from the collective aftermath as the “stakeholders,” from politicians to business operators and pressure groups, chime in. Leading the way should be commitments to faster response times and more joined-up solutions, all put in place for the next time something similar happens. Ramping up for the fun seasons For most of us, looking at local stories popping up in our routine, autumn is a time to get planning for the fun seasons. There are extensive Bonfire Night, Halloween and Christmas events (with a sombre pause in Remembrance Sunday) being organised at all local levels, and late-seasons festivals to enjoy. Whether you want to get fully involved or turn up on the day, there are plenty of good causes to support and cheer on. We’d love to see your plans and news, as well as get out there to support as many as possible.

Geoff Spick

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 Ben Pulford managing director ben@dorsetview.co.uk Louis Pulford creative director louis@pulfordpublicity.co.uk Nick Pulford company secretary accounts@pulfordpublicity.co.uk

NEWS DESK 01202 233441 Geoff Spick editor geoff@dorsetview.co.uk Marilyn Barber news editor newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk Janine Pulford editor-at-large janine@dorsetview.co.uk

ADVERTISING 01202 816140 Mark Beechey senior account manager DD 01202 941465 mark@dorsetview.co.uk Sam Dear account manager DD 01202 941470 sam@dorsetview.co.uk Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

DESIGN Dexter Elliott graphic designer designstudio@pulfordpublicity.co.uk

LOGISTICS Mike Talbot

Picture of the month The 26th Wimborne in Bloom August Bank Holiday weekend Duck Race raised over £1,500 towards ‘In Bloom’ funds.

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Email: news@dorsetview.co.uk Web: www.dorsetview.co.uk Pulford Publicity, Dana House, Spinneys Lane, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9BZ /dorsetview.news @Dorset_View @dorset_view @dorset.view /dorsetview

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Dorset View is independently published and distributed free to homes and businesses in selected areas of Dorset and Hampshire. Views or opinions expressed in Dorset View are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement deemed to be unsuitable for publication. Information about a service does not imply recommendation. All purchases made through this publication are done so entirely at your own risk. The copyright on all written material, logos and advertising artwork produced by our studio remains with Dorset View and should not be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. The company’s privacy policy can be read at www.dorsetview.co uk

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Meeting expresses concerns over Christchurch Harbour water quality Following complaints about water quality, due to rising e-coli bacteria levels and reported illnesses, plus threats to biodiversity in Christchurch Harbour, BCP Council organised an Action for Christchurch Harbour and Waterways’ meeting at the Regent Centre. Attended in early September by more than 500 people, with many more unable to fit in the hall, the council re-stated its plans to produce a Christchurch Harbour protection policy. Cabinet members also said the council will actively support community efforts to make Christchurch Harbour a designated bathing area for activities beyond swimming, which would require the Environment Agency to monitor water quality between May and September each year. Proceedings were opened by Cllr Mike Cox, deputy leader of BCP Council and a ward councillor for Christchurch Town, and chaired by Cllr Vanessa Ricketts, ward councillor for Commons. That was followed by presentations

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from the panel, consisting of: Martin Stewart, Christchurch Harbour and Marine Society (CHAMS); Richard Stride, Mudeford and District Fishermen’s Association; Cllr Andy Hadley, BCP Council’s Portfolio Holder for the environment; Jim Flory, Environment Agency; Matt Wheeldon, Wessex Water; James Cossins, Tarrant Rawston Farm; Zoe Randle, Dorset River Catchment Partnerships and Nick

Squirrell, Natural England. CHAMS took meter reading across August that showed huge spikes in bacteria levels. Aidan Dunn, chief executive of BCP Council, said: “Whilst the council has limited power itself over water quality, this event has shown that we can bring people and organisations together and convey the importance our residents place on the quality of their local environment.”

The panel

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Steam gala features Triumph ‘Tornado’ miracle engine Against the odds, the technical triumph that is ‘Tornado’ appeared in a whirlwind of excitement when the iconic locomotive, completed just 18 years ago after being built from scratch by dedicated volunteers, starred in the Swanage Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala. The gala featured five engines dating from 1893 to 2008 running along the entire nine miles of the heritage line and beyond to near Wareham. Also at the event, children’s railway author Christopher Awdry signed copies of his new book – ‘The Canadian Wonderland Tour 1980’ diary of George and Wilbert Awdry. Based at the Darlington locomotive works between 1994 and 2008 – and bringing new steam to the national railway network the 4-6-2 Pacific wheel arrangement London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn class A1 Pacific No 60163 was the first main line steam locomotive to be built in the United Kingdom since the 9F ‘Evening Star’ at the Swindon Works of British Railways during 1960. ‘Tornado’ is named after the fast fighter jets of the Royal Air Force and is a tribute to the brave aircrews who flew in the Gulf War of 1990 and 1991 when the ambitious project to build a new Peppercorn class A1 steam locomotive was launched by an intrepid band of dedicated enthusiasts and volunteers.

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Law Spot by Harold G Walker Solicitors

Maddy Prior How Long Does Conveyancing celebrates 55 years Take in the UK? with Steeleye Span - Advertisement feature -

By Lucy Bowater-Sivell | Residential Conveyancing Executive It is very difficult to provide a definitive answer to this question as it really depends on the circumstances. As a general rule, Leasehold transactions typically take longer than freehold transactions as there is the additional pack of information provided by the freeholder or managing agent and a review of the lease documents required, which can be lengthy. The involvement of a mortgage lender can also increase the transaction time as your conveyancer will need to ensure the lender’s requirements are complied with, in accordance with the UK Finance Handbook. The longer the chain, the longer the transaction is likely to take. Transactions linked together can slow progress if one party is delayed. The chain cannot proceed until all parties are ready – unless someone is prepared to ‘break the chain’. Search results can sometimes take weeks to be returned therefore this is

another factor to consider. The local search result can take longer to be returned, depending on the local authority. Lastly, there may be defects in the legal documentation which need to be resolved. Some of the process is reliant on the timescales of third parties but there are a few things you can do to speed it up! Be prepared – your Solicitor will request information from you in relation to ID, funding etc. Making sure you have that to hand to supply promptly will assist. Choose wisely – there is a broad choice in the legal market for conveyancing services. Ensure you choose your representation carefully. At HGW we offer clear, professional advice in a way that is straightforward and easy to understand and we will do all we can to progress your transaction and make the process as smooth and stress free as possible.

Law Spot is for information only and does not constitute legal advice

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By Marilyn Barber newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk Steeleye Span roll on in unstoppable form with a new album, Conflict and an upcoming show on 4 November at the Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne. To find out more I caught up with legendary lead singer Maddy Prior. Maddy won me over before I even started the interview, as I discovered that Steeleye Span has recorded one of my all-time favourite songs ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’. Popularised in contemporary culture by John Tams’ recording of the song for the 1990s British television series Sharpe, Steeleye Span released the single earlier this year and it is on their latest album Conflict which is their first full studio album in over five years. Maddy is celebrating an incredible 55 years as lead singer for the band which had two top 20 hits – Gaudete reached number 14 in the UK Singles Chart in 1972 and All Around My Hat number five in 1975. I commented that it was fairly unusual for a folk band to get into the charts. “Folk music is quite close to popular music – and it doesn’t go away,” she said.

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In 1996, the band collaborated with rock band Status Quo to record ‘All Around My Hat’. Maddy clearly still has a passion for performing and an enduring love for storytelling through song. “I look after my vocal chords by keeping hydrated. As you get older the voice stiffens. I have a different voice now, but I like it,” she said. Maddy’s long career started as a duo with Tim Hart as they toured folk clubs. “Then others joined us and we took our name from the song Horkstow Grange which tells the story of a fight between a miser’s man named John Bowlin’ and a worker named Steeleye

Span,” Maddy said. Despite years of touring, Maddy says being on stage still gives her a thrill. “I used to be terrified,” she said, “But it’s gone down a level to anxious. When you are on the stage with the band, it’s just the best feeling in the world – and who wouldn’t want to do it? And you get applause at the end – how good is that?” Steeleye Span has received an enthusiastic welcome at the Tivoli many times in the past. “We love the Tivoli,” Maddy said. Steeleye Span is led by Maddy Prior with Andrew Sinclair, Roger Carey, Liam Genockey, Julian Littman and new member classical violinist Athena Octavia.

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BU students volunteer at Purbeck Mining Museum There is still a sentiment among many that university is all lectures and hard study. Bucking that trend, two Bournemouth University students volunteered to work at the Purbeck Mining Museum over the summer. Kris (22) Blaszczec and Juremi Pinnick (21), both Tourism Management students, joined the team of volunteers to gain practical experience at the popular local venue and apply many of the skills developed on their course. “It has been a wonderful experience,” says Kris Blaszczec. “What a huge privilege to be part of such a motivated team. Juremi and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time at the museum. No two days are the same and we’ve

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been helping to greet visitors and maintain the museum’s displays and facilities. We’ve also conducted a market research exercise and developed new initiatives for all generations of visitors. “It was great for us to receive such a warm welcome and to be so actively involved in day-to-day operations at a venue that continues to go from strength to strength. Such reallife experience and insight into the management of a museum run entirely by volunteers has provided an excellent launch pad for our future careers in visitor attraction management.” According to Paola Hobson, the Purbeck Mining Museum’s Volunteer Group Administrator, the enthusiasm and drive of Kris and Juremi have inspired fellow

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volunteers and visitors alike. “They have both made a huge contribution in helping us to highlight the significance of clay mining in the evolution and ecology of the Purbecks. They really have made a difference at so many levels and we’re delighted they have valued and enjoyed their time with us. Future visitors will also benefit from their efforts this summer — not least with a number of new visitor engagement ideas and a special leaflet to promote the new trails that have been constructed in the 20-acre

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woodland around the museum.” It couldn’t be easier to become a volunteer at the Purbeck Mining Museum, adds Kris. “I saw the opportunity on the museum’s website, completed the volunteering form, confirmed the placement with my tutors at the university — and here I am! It’s a fantastic team to join — not just for more mature adults but also the younger generation and students studying everything from engineering, geology and natural history to tourism and industrial history.”

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Benefits of local investment and devolution By Tom Hayes, Labour MP for Bournemouth East

How we travel matters. Andy Burnham gets this, which is why he’s scrapping the rule that disabled people can’t get the bus before 9.30am, and capping bus fares at £2. I welcome his move to halve rail fares for 16–18-year-old students and our fare freeze on the railways. Pokesdown Station will begin to be fully step-free soon, backed by £3 million of Government funding. I grew up caring for disabled parents and I believe everyone deserves equal access to public transport. It was an honour to share people’s hopes with the Treasury to secure funding. BCP Council cut its promised funding, jeopardising the project. This matters: if devolution is going to work for the peculiar geography of BCP, Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire, we need good transport links, major partners working together, and a clear vision. I strongly believe in devolution, as does the Government. However, the Government will struggle to invest in Wessex without a clear vision for what devolution can deliver. Other places have clearer, more compelling visions. Councils should bring major employers and MPs into the discussion about Wessex’s future, so that we can develop a vision and I can make the case to Andy Burnham. Indeed, it’s these employers who are making the most significant investments. Improvements are planned at Pokesdown Station as part of AFC Bournemouth’s stadium expansion. The club’s £100m

investment goes alongside the NHS investing £500m in the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, JP Morgan investing £350m, Bournemouth Airport’s £50m investment, Bournemouth and Poole College’s nearly £50m investment, and Wessex Water’s tens of millions of pounds’ investment. Bournemouth is getting better, all the time. These investments join £80m of Labour government investment in Boscombe West, Hamworthy West and Turlin Moor, West Howe, and Littlemoor and Broadwey, all to put control over public spending in the hands of the community.

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Interview: rock festival promoter Jodie Bowie By Geoff Spick Among the local news, Dorset View is here to celebrate success. Therefore, it was both a highly positive and grounding experience to meet Jodie Bowie, the founder, organiser and promoter of the south coast’s Nozfest. The independent day-long festival rocked Southampton’s The 1865 venue back in August, headlined by Bournemouth’s South of Salem and featuring local legend Chris Payn, and Jodie has bigger plans for 2027. Dorset View chatted about being a one-woman band, how the events business works and what her plans are. Read on if you’re tempted to launch your own event, however small! How did you start in the world of rock gigs and events? I kind of fell into kind of organising gigs when I was about 18. Maybe even younger than that. I was going go to university to study music journalism. So, I volunteered at a memorial centre in New Milton and after doing a couple of tribute nights, and seeing

how they work, I got asked if I had any ideas. And I thought, 'Oh, you know, bring some young local bands in to play. That’d be a great way to start.’ And it kind of went from there. How easy/hard/terrifying was it to set up Nozfest? I kind of branched out into Southampton to work with bigger bands and venues, and I thought, why not have a go at doing a one-day festival? So yeah, it was scary and it was difficult, but also, I think it was at a time when everyone was a lot more into helping out and giving you a leg up and things like that. So, it was kind of easy. But you don’t realise how much there is to do and what goes into it. And in terms of the business detail, how complicated is it to organise? There’s a lot of stuff that you don’t think about. There’s a lot of finances, budgeting, and then there’s usually things happening on the day or the week before and you’re like, “oh God, I didn’t plan for that!” And then that’s where like the difficulty comes from. But you learn on the job. What’s been the highest moment and lows? Having put the effort into book a big headline band, and then I’m watching them perform at my event is such

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a high. And on the flip side, there’s times when bands start being dramatic... you’re asking them to do something, and they think that they’re above you. So, talk down at you, which is a bit mean. Also, it can be a bit soul destroying when you’ve sent 10 emails to that same person, and you don’t get an answer. But after you get to a certain level and people know your name, you do get responses quicker. Are you surprised by the age range who turn up to rock shows and gigs I wasn't. But then I've seen recently we've got quite a few children come in. which is really lovely to see, like, people bringing their kids along, and they're enjoying it, and they're also singing along. If somebody decided they want to hold their own festival, how hard or easy is it? I think if you get the right sponsorship, you could probably do it a lot easier than perhaps mine, because Nozfest is completely selffunded, so it's my money. But they are expensive. You're typically looking at 10 grand upwards. If you want big, good acts, obviously. In terms of time. I've done seven Nozfests, so I'm going into my eighth. The first year, it took me about the whole

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year to organise. Now it kind of plans itself, and it gets easier to work in around my day job. And what are your plans for the future? Nozfest is my sole focus and I want to kind of try and potentially book bigger bands for it. But, I want to push myself a little bit, not too far, because I think it's in a place that people like it. I don't want to change it too much, but I would like to work with some bigger bands. And then I'm trying to perhaps maybe do some smaller shows in Bournemouth. just because it's good to have a bit of variety and I've been away from kind of doing anything else for quite a few years. I'm also writing a book, about my 15 years in the music industry. So, I'm hopefully looking at a book launch show for that. And what bands would recommend to people? We are very lucky that we've got talent and people like Chris Payn in the area, but I’m looking at bands from outside Dorset, bands like Massive Wagons, James Kennedy & the Underdogs from Wales. And along the south coast, The Rattlebacks from Brighton and Kris Barras from Torquay.

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Keeping Dorset Safe: Visible Policing, Strong Partnerships and Listening to Communities By David Sidwick, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset Over the summer, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) has continued its work to support safer communities across Dorset through visible policing, partnership working and ongoing engagement with residents. One of the key priorities in recent months has been supporting Dorset Police’s Good Safe Summer campaign. As thousands of people headed to Dorset’s towns, beaches and attractions during the busiest period of the year, additional efforts have been focused on keeping residents and visitors safe. A major part of this work is the use of hotspot patrols, which are targeted deployments of uniformed officers in areas identified through crime data and intelligence as experiencing higher levels of anti-social behaviour and violence. Evidence shows that these patrols can reduce offending, provide reassurance to the public and ensure officers are visible in the places where they are needed most. Dorset Police has continued to use this intelligence-led approach across the county, including in busy tourist locations such as Bournemouth and Weymouth. The OPCC has also maintained a strong focus on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). In August I joined

officers in Weymouth to observe Project Vigilant, a proactive operation designed to identify and disrupt predatory behaviour before offences take place. The operation combines plain clothed and uniformed officers, while specialist drugs dogs funded by the OPCC help detect substances linked to spiking and other offences. The visit reinforced the importance of prevention, victim support and partnership working in making Dorset safer for women and girls. Alongside operational activity, the OPCC continues to commission and support specialist services for victims. These include sexual violence support services, independent advisers and initiatives delivered through trusted partners. Work also continues through the county’s VAWG Improvement Panel, bringing organisations together to strengthen prevention, improve responses and ensure victims receive the support they need. Engagement remains at the heart of everything the OPCC does. Throughout the summer, I have attended a variety of community events with my team including meetings and public engagement events across Dorset. Some of these events included Dorset

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County Show, Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show, Littledown Family Fun Day, Bournefree, Highcliffe Food Festival and Bournemouth Crown Court Open Day. This provides residents with the chance to raise concerns, ask questions and share their views about policing and community safety. These conversations are vital in helping shape local priorities and ensuring the public’s voice is heard in decision-making. This is why I launched a public survey to give Dorset residents the opportunity to have their say on the future of policing, following the Government’s announcement of major policing reforms and a review of police force structures across England and Wales. Whilst engaging with the public at these events, my office gave residents the opportunity to complete the survey and get their voices heard. The results of the survey will be added to my website in the near future. As we move into the autumn, that commitment continues. By working closely with Dorset Police, partners and local communities, the OPCC will keep focusing on preventing crime, supporting victims and ensuring Dorset remains one of the safest counties in the country to live, work and visit.

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Photo exhibition reveals life between Ukraine and Dorset By Louis Pulford

The work of Ukrainian photographer was on show at the Museum of East Dorset over the summer. Iryna Sozanska’s exhibition ‘Occupied/Unoccupied’ captured the fragile line between survival and renewal. In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Rozanski photographed her family as they lived under occupation and survived evacuation. These images — once simple family snapshots — became symbols of endurance, carried through Russian checkpoints as her family fled their home. Now, living in Ferndown, Iryna revisited those photographs alongside new images of her family’s life in Dorset. In one photograph, her children shelter behind a mattress as glass shatters during an attack; in another, those same children play freely on the hills of Badbury Rings. Alongside the photographs were personal objects connected to Sozanska’s journey and a short film offering a glimpse into the first days of the war. Sozanska said: “Photography became my way to hold on — to remember, to process, and to rebuild. These images are about finding light again, even after everything changes.” Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your background and where you are from? I’m originally from Hostomel, near Kyiv in Ukraine. I am 39, I have 2 children age 12 and 8. I studied sociology at university, but I never really worked in that field. Most of my professional background was in sales, marketing and social media, and in the last year before the full-scale invasion I worked in media Pogliad in Ukraine. Now I live in Ferndown with my children. I work as a teaching assistant at Ferndown Upper School and continue developing my photography. I never imagined that photographs I took during the worst period of our lives would one day be exhibited in British museums.

We didn’t know what to do. My daughter was eight, and she even had her online school lesson that morning because nobody really understood yet how serious everything was. We started checking the internet. There was terrible traffic everywhere and huge queues at petrol stations, so we decided to stay at home and see what happened. Just to feel that we were doing something, we started putting tape across the windows to reduce the amount of broken glass if there was an explosion nearby. Can you share one key moment or memory from your experience during the invasion / evacuation? One of the memories that has stayed with me is bread. During the occupation we still had some food, but we had no idea how long we would have to stay or how long we could keep it. At some point we had no gas or electricity, so food from the fridge and freezer had to be cooked quickly or thrown away. We couldn’t just go to the shop and buy bread. Then we realised that we were using the last flour we had, and nobody knew when, or even if, we would eat bread again. I remember my former mother-in-law making bread from that last flour, and I photographed it. Normally you would never think of photographing a loaf of bread. But in that moment, it meant something completely different. For a more extensive interview with Iryna, visit the Dorset View website

Can you describe the feeling when you were first made aware of the invasion? We woke up to the sound of explosions. We checked our phones and one of our friends told us that it had started. It was very scary, but at the same time we could hardly believe it was real. I think we all thought it might end within a few hours because the idea of invading another country like this in the 21st century just seemed ridiculous.

Letter V is not a Victory

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Knitted poppy call for Remembrance Appeal People who enjoy knitting and crocheting are being invited to help to contribute to Wimborne’s Poppy Appeal

Museum volunteer Sally Palmer with some of the knitted poppies and Remembrance Teddies.

The Museum of East Dorset is not only appealing for donations of red and black wool, they’re inviting people to create the poppies. Knitting patterns will be available from the museum and supporters can also find patterns through the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal website. Francesca Hollow, director of the museum, said: “We’d love the community to get behind us on this. If people have any spare red or black wool they can donate, we would be very grateful. Every ball of wool will help us create a meaningful display for Remembrance.” Dave Keig, Poppy Appeal organiser for Wimborne and surrounding villages, said: “Remembrance is our primary collecting time and this initiative from the museum will further help raise public awareness for the appeal. I encourage and thank in advance anyone who can help the Museum in this community knitting task.” Anyone able to donate wool can bring it to the Museum of East Dorset.

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Bournemouth Airport ranked among UK’s best Bournemouth Airport is ranked among the best airports in the UK in the annual passenger survey by consumer champion Which? The airport, which marks its 85th birthday this year, achieved a customer score of 76%, placing it sixth in the national table and ahead of many of the UK’s larger airports. The Which? survey asked more than 6,000 passengers about 8,383 airport visits made during the previous 12 months, rating their experience across areas including customer service, check-in and security queues, passport control, baggage reclaim, seating, food and drink and cleanliness. (We bet no one asked about parking! Editor) Bournemouth scored five stars – the maximum possible – for both check-in and security queues, as well as four stars for customer service, baggage reclaim and cleanliness. Cathy Hicks, Customer Service Director at Bournemouth Airport, said: “To be ranked among the best airports in the UK for the second-year running is a fantastic result and a great endorsement from passengers. “We’ve seen significant growth at Bournemouth and have invested heavily in our facilities to accommodate that, but throughout that growth we have remained focused on making the passenger experience as straightforward and welcoming as possible. The latest recognition comes after Bournemouth Airport welcomed a record 1,395,783 passengers in the year to March 2026, an increase of 26% on the previous year.

Bournemouth mentoring charity steps on the international stage A small Bournemouth-based charity has gained global recognition. SAMEE (Support and Mentoring Enabling Entrepreneurship) has been shortlisted for the prestigious Zero Project Awards 2027. The awards recognise innovative solutions advancing the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This year, 159 solutions from 59 countries across six continents have been shortlisted, following a record 615 nominations from 94 countries. Founded in Bournemouth in 2015, SAMEE works with young people and adults with complex needs, learning difficulties, long-term health conditions and neurodivergence. The charity is nationally and internationally recognised for creating the UK’s first two-year Supported Self-Employment Internship programme. Founder and CEO Samantha Everard said: “The Zero Project gives organisations like ours the opportunity to share what we do on an international platform, learn from peers around the world and help create a future where there are zero barriers. For a small charity from Bournemouth to be recognised in this way again is incredibly special.” The new facility, based at The Coach House in Deans Park Road, sits close to the first SAMEE House, which opened last year. The finalists will be announced later this year.

SAMEE Founder and CEO Samantha Everard

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Have your say on the future of Home-to-School travel support Getting to school or college can look very different for every child and young person. While some make a short journey on foot, by bike or bus, others may need to travel further or require additional support to access education. To find out students’ needs, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is inviting children and young people, parents, carers, schools, colleges and

anyone interested in the wider community to help shape the future of travel support across the area. A public consultation has launched on proposed updates to the council’s Home to School Travel Support policies, which include proposals to promote travel skills, greater independence and prepare children for adulthood where appropriate.

Proposals also include clearer information about eligibility, travel support options and decisionmaking, Independent Travel Training for some children and young people, greater use of Personal Travel Budgets for Post-16 learners where appropriate. Views are also being sought on the potential impact of any future increase in Post-16 travel contributions.

For many families, there may be little or no change to current travel arrangements. Support will continue to reflect individual needs and circumstances, and feedback will help inform future recommendations. The consultation is live and runs to Wednesday 7 October 2026, it can be accessed at haveyoursay.bcpcouncil. gov.uk/schooltravel

Education closer to home for SEND pupils Instead of children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEND) across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch having to travel long distances they will in future be able to get support closer to home. BCP Council is working with local mainstream schools to expand Specialist Inclusion Bases. New Specialist Inclusion Bases are opening at Muscliff Primary School,

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Bethany CE Junior School, Somerford Primary School and Pokesdown Primary School. Existing specialist provision at Queen’s Park Infant Academy, Old Town Infant School, St Clement’s and St John’s CE Infant School will become Specialist Inclusion Bases. In addition, Manorside Primary School is expanding its specialist provision by 10 places. Specialist Inclusion Bases are not separate special schools. They are specialist

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provisions located within mainstream schools, enabling children to access tailored support while taking part in school life alongside their peers where appropriate. Cllr Richard Burton, portfolio holder for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, said: “This is about giving children every opportunity to succeed and helping families feel confident that their child can learn, grow and flourish in their local community.”

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health and care / caring about people is an act of maturity.

Oz Clarke’s singing cyclists ar-pe(dal)-ggio into Wimborne for charity As part of a September 4-day bike challenge to fundraise for children’s and dementia choirs, Oz Clarke led a 15-strong choir on cycles to busk and play concerts across the Jurassic coast, visiting Lyme Regis and Wimborne Minster. Guest community and school choirs helped along the route, busking in pubs and cafés along with care home visits and school workshops. Oz Clarke is a former choral singer as well as TV’s wine expert. The group of singing cyclists from music charity Armonico Consort took on the four-day Charity Bike Challenge (8-11 September) from Exeter to Wimborne to raise funds to establish children’s choirs and dementia choirs in the region. Along the route, they played public concerts in Lyme Regis and Wimborne Minster, where Oz and Armonico’s professional singers and instrumentalists were joined by special guest choirs, singing extracts

from Handel’s great oratorio Messiah and famous Zadok the Priest. Celebrating Armonico Consort’s 25th anniversary in September, the team donated their time and talent to help raise vital funds to establish children’s choirs and dementia choirs across the region, bringing the transformative power of music to people of all ages.

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Armonico has been doing this for many years – including in the Poole and Bournemouth area – and is now building new relationships in Devon and Dorset to expand its signature school Choir Creation programme and Memory Singers projects in the area. Check the https://www.armonico.org.uk/ bike2026 website for more information

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health and care / caring about people is an act of maturity.

Did you discover your health stats during Know Your Numbers week? Recently research shows that around 8 in 10 people in their 40s and 50s put others’ health before their own, according to a South West health survey. Ignoring their own health, the so-called “sandwich generation” balance work, family life and caring responsibilities, ahead of their own health. The campaign notes that many fail to check their blood pressure.

Across all respondents: • 82% do not currently know their blood pressure • 30% have not had their blood pressure checked within the last year • 15% have not had it checked for more than two years or have never had it checked • 28% say they are more likely to drink alcohol when they are feeling stressed or under pressure

Work was identified as the biggest source of pressure, followed by getting back into routines, household bills and children returning to school. The findings were released alongside September’s Know Your Numbers week and ahead of an “Every Heart” campaign to encourage everyone in the South West to look after their cardiovascular health.

High blood pressure usually has no symptoms but significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Improving lifestyle and taking gentle exercise can reduce blood pressure and the risks of medical issues.

The key blood pressure reducing actions include: Have a healthy, balanced diet; exercise regularly – aim to do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week; lose weight if you’re overweight Avoid: Salty food or adding salt to your meals; drinking more than 14 alcohol units a week on a regular basis; caffeine, such as coffee, tea and cola; and do not smoke

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DORSET VIEW October 2026

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health and care / caring about people is an act of maturity.

Orchid House Wellness Event reminder - Advertisement feature -

Organised by Ferndown’s Orchid House Surgery, a free Wellness Event for all ages takes place in October. Visitors can expect, activities and exercise for all levels, including chair yoga and seated Tai Chi. Over 20 groups will be participating, including Arthritis Care, Dementia Support, the Friendship Group for Widows, Guide Dogs, plus Wiggles and

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Giggles for younger visitors. There’s also the opportunity to meet the team, surgery staff, volunteers, and local support organisations in an informal setting. Date & Time: 10 October, 10am–2pm Location: The Day Centre, Library Road, Ferndown Refreshments: The Barrington Café will be open from 9am for Saturday morning drinks and snacks.

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YMCA Bournemouth launches £25,000 well-and-housed appeal YMCA Bournemouth has launched a new £25,000 fundraising appeal to provide specialist mental health support for people living in its supported accommodation The new “Staying Well, Staying Housed” campaign, brings directly to people rebuilding their lives after homelessness The Staying Well, Staying Housed campaign will fund a specialist mental health nurse from HealthBus Trust to work within YMCA Bournemouth’s accommodation for 48 scheduled days across 12 months. The aim is simple: to make sure that people who have experienced homelessness can access the right mental health support, in the right place, before difficulties develop into a crisis.

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The mental health nurse will provide one-toone therapeutic support, suicide and self-harm risk assessments, safety planning and early intervention to help connect people with wider health, recovery and community services. Support will be flexible, including planned sessions, open-door conversations, welfare checks and outreach, rather than relying solely on fixed appointments. You can donate on JustGiving: https://www.justgiving. com/campaign/staying-wellstaying-housed

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health and care / caring about people is an act of maturity.

Charity of the Year

A sleepover to remember By Julia’s House

Ellie and Carmela both have complex health conditions and need specialist nursing care, so sleepovers are not as simple as packing pyjamas and snacks. But when Carmela came to stay with Ellie for a few days, the Julia’s House team were able to lend a helping hand to the two great friends. Nurse Elaine explains: “We heard that Ellie’s mum and dad, Beth and Norberto, really wanted to go to a Julia’s House parents’ event but weren’t able to as they were looking after both girls. So, we thought we could step in and help with a joint respite session.” Two Julia’s House nurses who knew each of the girls well went to Ellie’s home, giving Ellie and Carmela the right specialist care and support while Beth and Norberto enjoyed a rare evening out together. They spent time with other parents who

understand what their life is like and had a chance to recharge, with the peace of mind the girls were in safe hands. “Being able to have a night out just for them was really special,” says Elaine. “Ellie and Carmela have a lovely friendship, so it was great that we could help facilitate that, outside of the hospice.” The girls made the most of every minute. Elaine remembers how they adapted games so each could join in, noticing one another’s abilities and finding ways to play together. “The best memory of the evening was just all the laughter,” she says. “We had such a lovely time.” Ellie shared: “I don’t really get the chance to have many sleepovers, but when Carmela comes over we both make up for that. We laughed so much we scared the pets - but they’ve recovered now.”

Ellie with mum, Beth

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Ellie at the hospice with Julia’s House nurse, Elaine

Beth added: “Norberto and I also struggle to get out because we can’t expect a regular sitter to cope with Ellie’s complex needs. What Julia’s House did was basically enable us all to get a break. The girls deserve time away from us just as much as we do from them. It’s great for their sense of independence.

Thank you, Julia’s House!” Help us to always be there to support special friendships like Ellie and Carmela’s. We rely on the generosity of our local community to provide our specialist care in Dorset. Please support us if you can: juliashouse. org/donation Thank you.

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40 years of Phoenix Musical Theatre

Protecting Dorset from wildfire risks By Vikki Slade, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole This summer has been one of the most challenging in recent memory for our firefighters. It was confirmed as the hottest summer on record in the UK, while across Europe communities faced devastating wildfires, extreme temperatures and tragic loss of life. Closer to home, Dorset felt the impact too. The seriousness of the situation was underlined by the first nationwide use of the Emergency Alert system to warn of wildfire risk. Previously, the system had only been used in more limited circumstances. The decision to send an alert across England and Wales reflected a genuine concern that fire services were coming under significant pressure. At the time, large areas of the New Forest were burning, with crews from Dorset helping our neighbours in Hampshire. Specialist equipment and firefighters were deployed elsewhere in the country. With incidents occurring across multiple regions, and some firefighters injured tackling blazes, capacity was stretched. When I met firefighters in Wimborne recently, they told me that following the alert, the number of outdoor fires and 999 calls fell almost immediately. It showed that when people understand the risks, prevention really does work. Just before the alert was issued, the Government introduced a temporary ban on disposable BBQs. This is something I had been campaigning for since the serious heathland fires Dorset experienced in 2025. I presented a petition to Parliament last year and subsequently encouraged local retailers to remove these products from their shelves. With our internationally important heathlands, extensive coastline and busy visitor destinations, Dorset is

particularly vulnerable during periods of hot, dry weather. At the same time, fire services are facing these growing risks with fewer resources. Over the last 15 years, around 12,000 firefighter posts have been lost nationally, as climate-related emergencies such as wildfires and flooding have become more frequent. Modern firefighters also respond to road traffic collisions, water rescues, building incidents and many other emergencies. As the daughter of a firefighter and a former member of the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, I have long campaigned for increased funding and better equipment. I recently met the Fire Minister alongside parliamentary colleagues, and I hope expected changes to the funding formula will better reflect today’s challenges. The Government has also announced a Wildfire Summit, and I have been contributing ideas on how we build greater resilience. That includes examining whether aerial firefighting capability, such as planes or helicopters, could play a greater role, looking at how we modernise fire services while keeping smaller stations viable, and considering how the military, local authorities and communities can support emergency response during major incidents But prevention remains our most effective tool. Our fire services should not have to choose between emergency response and education programmes that stop fires happening in the first place. As our climate changes, investing in resilience will become increasingly important. In the meantime, we can all do our bit by checking smoke alarms, avoiding disposable BBQs and sky lanterns, and taking extra care when enjoying Dorset’s wonderful countryside.

Phoenix Musical Theatre is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Since forming in 1986, the group has regularly performed at The Barrington Arts Centre in Ferndown. Back in March, the theatre celebrated with a concert put together by Director Marie Coltman and Jordan Small, Marie – the daughter of Margaret & John Coltman, founder members of the company, and Jordan is the grandson. The first production was The King and I, and some of the original members are still with the company today. Over the years, the Phoenix has put on countless shows including, concerts, pantomimes and full musical productions. This year’s charity is the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation. John was a member of Phoenix in the 1990s where he played Prince Chulalongkorn in The King and I. The next production is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by the famous Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, running from 8-10 October at The Barrington Arts Centre. Tickets are available from ticketsource.co.uk/ phoenix or at the Barrington’s box office. As an inclusive organisation, Phoenix does its best to accommodate all who wish to participate. It tries to make all areas of the company inclusive and offer a quiet room for members that need a space to relax if they get over stimulated. The company also aims to make as many of the shows that it performs inclusive as well. For Joseph, the Saturday matinee performance will be a ‘signed performance’ for those hard of hearing. The troupe is also always open to new members joining and can be contacted via email at phoenixmusicaltheatre@yahoo.com in the first instance to obtain more information.

Get ready for the biggest meteor showers this autumn Autumn sees some potentially spectacular events on and above the horizon. Both the Draconid shower (8-9 October) which benefits from a weak new moon and the Orionids (21-22 October) with up to 20 meteors per hour during a good display in the early morning should make for good viewing. We also have the Geminids in December. But beyond the instant gratification of a good fireball, there’s also Saturn in opposition to look forward to on 4 October. You will need to have a good telescope or access to an astronomy club to see the mighty gas giants disk, but any effort and cold weather will be well worth it. Supermoon fans will also enjoy 24 November’s Beaver moon with the moon hanging low in the sky in the early evening. Astronomers and scientists are targeting the moon late in the year with the launch of the new FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover.

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education / the future relies on what we learn today.

How safe is AI to use for education By Geoff Spick

If you believe the tabloid press, students of all ages are giving up on studying and letting AI do all the work. In reality, artificial intelligence is often anything but intelligent, and most students know they will be caught cheating. That said, using AI for research is a valuable tool for many students, saving hours on what used to be dense and boring library or reading time. At college and university levels, AI creates more time for students to develop their understanding of issues and problems, even if their depth of knowledge may suffer. The issues around AI The key issues around AI are accuracy, with AIs like Gemini and Copilot often giving out wrong (or impossible) dates, fake quotes and statistics or other

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hallucinations. Then there are the ethical issues around plagiarism and fairness. And, at a functional, level the risk of AI using copyrighted or privileged information (more of a business risk than a student one, but it could apply more as greater knowledge is shared). Another issue for parents, teachers and pupils is that AI systems are a moving set of features, changing and, theoretically, improving all the time. What was true a few years ago (AI is a terrible homework buddy), is certainly not true now. AI can provide smart and nuanced answers, and help students in their understanding around a problem. Give the technology another generation or two, and AI will probably be able to create answers that look like they were inspired and

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written by an individual student. Making it harder for AI checkers to function. How to teach students to use AI Every education institute should have a published set of guidelines for staff, pupils and parents. This should highlight appropriate and acceptable uses of AI, and when it is not allowed, and what any ramifications might be.

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Practical sessions should reinforce this through training and examples, while access to AI can be appropriately limited on school or college devices, and network rules can stop personal devices accessing AI services through the WiFi. However, that does nothing to stop pupils accessing AI over mobile networks and their own home devices. At this point, pupils need to be clear on the risks of AI, and

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education

Colour Works secures funding to help youth self-belief

taught to check the results for validity and areas where they can add their own value. Finally, there’s the use of AI for creativity beyond words, creating art, videos, music and other works. What a student might do for personal use or experimentation can have an impact on their studies and exams, so careful guidance is needed. For reference, the artwork for this piece was created by an AI.

The Colour Works Foundation (TCWF) has been awarded £20,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund to deliver its Building SelfBelief programme for socially disadvantaged young people across Dorset. The funding will support a two-year programme designed to help young people overcome barriers to confidence, improve emotional resilience, strengthen relationships and develop the skills needed to thrive in education, employment and community life. The Colour Works Foundation works with young people who face significant challenges, including those who are care-experienced, young carers or those not in education, employment or training (NEET), or at risk of becoming NEET. The programme will be delivered through workshops

and one-to-one coaching sessions across Dorset and BCP, working alongside schools, colleges, youth organisations, charities and care-related services. Using an accessible colour profiling model, participants will gain a better understanding of their strengths, communication styles and relationship patterns, helping them build confidence and develop a more positive view of their future. The project runs from September 2026 to August 2028.

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foodie news / if music be the love of food, play on...

Your safe guide to eating and enjoying seafood Eating seafood can be a bit of a challenge, and so Rockwater, which has a restaurant on Branksome Beach, has come up with a simple guide to the unwritten rules of eating oysters, crab, mussels and lobster. Fresh oysters are best kept simple. A squeeze of lemon or a little shallot dressing is plenty, but the flavour should still come from the oyster itself. And while slurping is perfectly acceptable, there is no need to swallow it immediately. A quick chew lets you really taste it. Crab is not really a knife-andfork food. Whether it is served whole (with the added challenge of using the seafood cracker and pick, and not making a mess of yourself), dressed or

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packed into a sandwich – and don’t we all love a crab sandwich - part of the experience is getting stuck in. The brown meat brings richness, while the white meat brings sweetness and, ideally, neither should be overwhelmed by heavy sauces. A steaming bowl of mussels in the middle of the table is one of the easiest ways to eat seafood by the coast. Use an empty shell like a pair of pincers to pick the next mussel from its shell, keep plenty of bread or frites nearby for the broth and accept that neatness is not the objective. When lobster is good, the best accompaniments are usually the simplest. Melted butter, lemon and perhaps a few chips are enough. The claws are often worth the extra effort too, with some of the sweetest meat hidden inside. And take your time to enjoy sea food – it is not meant to be rushed. Ultimately, the best way to eat seafood in Dorset is to keep it simple.

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Seafood & Sounds makes for a Poole piscatorial delight By Geoff Spick Poole Quay rocked and rolled over the weekend with pubs and stalls dishing out moreish feasts of the seas. From Falkland Square to the far end of Poole Quay, bands played, choirs sang and solo artists strummed away, providing sights and entertainment that appealed across the generations over the weekend. After the opening parade, the quay’s pubs and many seafood stalls did a brisk trade as visitors thronged in the pleasant weather to enjoy the atmosphere. From the sea shanties of Captain Crusty & the Pickled Herrings to Relight my Choir’s dance remix of Enya’s classic Sail Away, there were plenty of musical

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surprises, covers and original songs to make hearts sing. On Saturday, many traders were selling out of oysters, cockles and fish (cooked or to take home), as visitors could choose to race from band to band around the old town. Or, they grabbed seating outside the pubs to relax and watch the performers pass by. There were even markets stalls afloat, as traders took over some of the local tourist ships to extend the available space. With marching bands, pirates and mermaids, there was always something going on, and the local shops that are normally quieter in the postholiday period said they were doing good business.

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foodie news

Deep-fried food banned under new school rules

Discover healthy honey across Dorset’s beekeeper shows

If you remember Jamie Oliver battling Turkey Twizzlers around 20 years ago, the drive for healthier school meals has been rumbling on ever since. Now, new rules, also backed by Jamie and a new generation of politicians and health campaigners, mean more fruit and vegetables on the menu from 2027, with less healthy items reduced to once-a-week treats. The updated meal standards have been tested with schools, caterers and sample menus to make sure schools across the country will be able to provide exciting, healthy and nutritious meals that kids enjoy - from sweet chilli stir fry, to lasagne, to chicken or vegetable curries. Developed alongside nutritionists and public health experts, the new school food standards are backed by campaigners, charities and nutritional experts, including Chef Jamie Oliver and Dame Emma Thompson. Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, said: “No child should spend the school day hungry, and no family should have to struggle to put food on the table. This is what change looks like: healthier food, fuller stomachs and a fairer start for every child.”

Honey seems like a boom industry in Dorset this month, with pubs, rustic fayres and other outlets pushing all sorts of amazing flavours. And with many proven health benefits as a soothing source of antioxidants, and antibacterial qualities, it is a favourite natural remedy. To taste the best of the best, there are two shows taking place this autumn. First up, the East Dorset Beekeeping Association is holding its free Annual Honey Show in early October. With free honey tasting, beeswax creations, tea and cake. Running on 3 October from 1pm to 4pm at the Wimborne Community Centre, visitors can enjoy the finest honey and learn more about production and benefits. Then, there’s The Bournemouth & Dorset South Beekeepers’ Annual Bee Keeper Show on Saturday 14 November. Encouraging visitors to take an interest in bees, taking place at St Catherine’s Hill Community Hall, Christchurch. Entry is free and there will be lots to see, do, eat and buy with some new exciting classes added to this year’s show. Beekeeping has become

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ever-more popular in the UK, with lots of publicity around the decrease in numbers of bees.

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| 31

around & about

Review Killjoy

Bournemouth Little Theatre, Winton By Geoff Spick | reviewed 8 September. “I can explain everything!” is, by some theatrical law, the second greatest line to end any production on, after “Hang on a minute, lads. I’ve got a great idea.” As such, it gets overused in film and theatre, but in the case of Killjoy, we can let that slide. Killjoy is a rare stage performance, based on the farce thriller penned by Douglas McFerran, actor, scriptwriter and consultant on Sliding Doors, Johnny English among others. A single-room affair, Killjoy unceremoniously deposits Max Bentley (Topher Lynn), sobbing into his own scenery, as an actor hitting the skids with career and financial status unravelling before him. Directed by Barry Gray, it isn’t long before Max’s wife Hermione (Kim Gelliot), steals the show, with everyone in the theatre wishing they could carry her level of screeching mania into our own domestic arguments, as she scours the set for a joint to calm things down. Bringing spikiness and glamour to proceedings, Joy played by Linda Salata and Rosie (Lauren Killham) are scheming with and twisting Max, powered by his

ego and arrogance, to their own ends. Their power drives Killjoy forward with pace, clever one-liners and enough physicality to burst out of the small stage. Will Max survive his lurid desires and financial peril as Rosie looks to cut him from flagging TV cop show Killjoy? Or will his wife’s ebbing rage, or the randomly European workmen out the back send him over the edge? Killjoy really could go in any direction, and the audience is very much dragged along giddily for the ride, as a storm rages outside. Come the second half, and the plot accelerates at a hectic pace with the arrival of the police. Who will suspicion fall upon, and how will the suspects explain away the glaring holes in their alibis and suspicious knowledge of vintage car mechanics? Tightly written, directed and acted, there is barely a gap to pause for breath across Killjoy’s compact exploits. In those few gaps, there’s time to spot a little of Basil and Sybil Fawlty in the Bentley’s relationship and physical performance, a very good thing. That’s before Max leaps to further

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DORSET VIEW October 2026

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heights of mania, with his mental-juggling and contract negotiations in the face of the law, aka Detective Inspector Vivian, smoothly delivered by Andy Gill as perhaps the only likeable character on set. Among all this, the trio of leading ladies swan elegantly in-and-out, dropping acid-laced truth bombs and dangerclose incitement on poor Max, as he is dragged from climax to climax, leaving us on our own mental conclusions after that inevitable line, “I can explain everything.” I have my own views, and you can spend plenty of time hatching yours, if you manage to catch this gripping performance.

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

7, 14, 21, 28 October 2pm-5pm

Edmondsham House, Wimborne BH21 5RE open in aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

8, 15, 22, 29 October 1.45pm

The Dorset Cricket Society meets at Hurn Bridge Sports Club Christchurch BH23 6DY.

9 October 11.30am-1pm

The Dorset B12 Deficiency Support Group meets at The Angel Inn, 188 Ringwood Road, Ferndown Wimborne, BH22 9AP. Contact Patricia: dorsetb12deficiency@gmail.com.

10 October 10 am–2pm

Free Community Wellness event. The Day Centre in Library Road, Ferndown. The Barrington Café is open from 9am.

11 October 7.30pm

A new musical work by Karen Wimhurst ‘RiverMind’ at the Allendale Centre. Part of Wimborne Green Festival organised by Planet Wimborne.

12 October 2.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society meets at the Memorial Hall for an illustrated talk on ‘Natures Garden’ by David Boag. Contact Jo Breen on 07960 650611 or email wmhorticultural.society@gmail.com

around & about 12 October 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 programme details.

13 October 7.30pm Verwood and District Horticultural Society meets at Verwood Memorial Hall. Details on verwoodhorticulturalsociety.co.uk or call Ollie on 07508 577114.

14 October 7.30pm-9.30pm East Dorset Antiquarian Society meets at St Catherine’s Church Hall, Lewens Lane, Wimborne.

14 October 6.30pm–9pm Bournemouth & District Jazz Appreciation Society meet in Rm 1 downstairs at Kinson Community Centre. Access direct from car park. Full details on the website: bournemouthjazzclub.org.

14 October 7.30pm Canford and Merley WI meets at Merley Community Centre, Harrier Drive. For details, call Hazel on 07780 705702.

15 October 6pm-8pm Diverse Abilities presents Create 3D artworks out of sea glass with Sunny Bunny Crafts at The Treehouse, Merritown Lane, Christchurch, BH23 6DT. diverseabilities.org.uk/events

15-17 October 7.30pm with Saturday matinee

20 October 7.30pm

Wimborne Drama Productions to stage Kind Hearts and Coronets at the Tivoli Theatre.

Wimborne Civic Society meets at Allendale House for a talk on Tiles and Terracotta in and around Wimborne.

16 October 7pm

20 October 10am

Spanish Wine Night at Witchampton Village Hall. Tickets from the shop or contact 07817 411435, bryony. butcher@gmail.com

16 October 7.30pm

Moordown & Winton Townswomen’s Guild meets at Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, BH9 1TW. Contact: 07977734563

21 October 7.30pm

Iago Banet, virtuoso Spanish guitarist at Dorchester Arts.

16 October 10am for 10.30am start Wimborne u3a talk by Martin Stewart ‘8 Generations, One Passion’ at Wimborne Methodist Church, King Street. Entry is £2 for Wimborne u3a members and £4 for non-members.

16 October – 1 November Purbeck Film Festival. https:// purbeckfilm.com/

Merley Townswomen’s Guild meets at the Community Hall, Harrier Drive, Merley.

24 October 11am Wimborne Craft Fair at The Allendale Community Centre, Wimborne, BH21 1AS,

24 October – 1 November 10am-4pm Broadstone Art Society Art Fair at The Youth Centre, Moor Road, Broadstone. Free entry.

24 October 10am

17 October 7.30pm Wimborne Community Theatre Ceilidh at Holt Village Hall, BH21 7DJ. Tickets contact 07713 059862 or vivmillera@yahoo.co.uk

West Moors Horticultural Society coffee morning at the Memorial Hall. Contact Jo Breen on 07960 650611 or email wmhorticultural. society@gmail.com

17 October 10am

27 October 7.30pm

Friends of Wimborne Cemetery meet at the chapel. More details 07434 256392.

19 October 2.15pm The Arts Society Wimborne and Blandford meets at the Allendale Centre, for a talk on Monet and the Impressionists.

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West Parley Gardening Club meets at MS Centre, Church Lane, BH22 8TS for a talk on Highcliffe Castle garden by the sea by Phil Broomfield.

30-31 October Halloween Ghost Train at Swanage Railway. www.swanagerailway.co.uk

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around & about

The exhibition bringing colour to excluded lives - Advertisement feature -

Jason Wilsher-Mills has been smashing barriers to the arts since the 90s. The acclaimed disabled artist opens the door to his vibrant world at Poole Museum with Life in Full Colour. A wheelchair user since 11, Jason’s disability hasn’t confined his imagination. His kaleidoscopic, often humorous paintings and sculptures celebrate his working-class heritage and disability, bursting with colour, energy and personality. Jason’s work challenges assumptions about who is represented in the arts. And almost a year since re-opening following a complete transformation, accessibility’s a big priority for Poole Museum. They’re keen to create opportunities for everyone. Poole Museum Foundation charity helps keep the museum inclusive, supporting people often excluded from cultural spaces. It works with organisations to reach marginalised communities.

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DORSET VIEW October 2026

One initiative, in partnership with MY TIME X Young Carers, supports young carers whose responsibilities can make days out difficult. Donations provide respite through creative writing and art sessions. As Poole Museum prepares for its first fundraising campaign, support makes exhibitions and initiatives like this possible, ensuring everyone feels the museum’s a space for them. Catch Life in Full Colour at Poole Museum before it closes this December. Brighten your autumn and support the work of Poole Museum Foundation charity

Jason Wilsher-Mills, digital artist

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Summer Sounds a hit at Christchurch Bandstand Hundreds of residents and visitors attended Christchurch Town Council’s Summer Sounds on the Bandstand series this year, with five free concerts bringing live music, community groups and performers to Christchurch Quay throughout the summer. Acts included vocalist Angie A who brought jazz, swing, soul and reggae influences, and singer-songwriter John Burke with contemporary and classic favourites. The Milton Musical Society showcased musical theatre hits while The Choir Engine, blended contemporary choral arrangements, sea shanties and audience favourites. The 2026 programme built on the success of Proms on the Bandstand, introduced in 2025. The original five-week programme of free live music generated positive public feedback, including requests for it to continue and expand in future years. In response, the Council repeated the series in 2026 and a new name Summer Sounds on the Bandstand, was chosen to better reflect the wider range of musical genres featured. Weather played its part throughout the season, beginning with a thunderstorm that forced the postponement of the opening concert by Swing Unlimited Community Big Band on 3 June. Over the following weeks, audiences experienced everything from rainy evenings to summer heatwave conditions, yet attendance remained strong.

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around & about

L-R Alan Colclough with Vince Sherry, theatre manager

Round the Horne staged in Wimborne By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk The Allendale Community Centre in Wimborne is launching a new theatre company, and its first production in September gave audiences plenty of laughs. The Allendale Theatre Company recreated the BBC Radio Show Round the Horne, with a talented cast portraying Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, High Paddick, Betty Marsden and Douglas Smith, supported by a live band. Director Alan Colclough, taking on the persona of Kenneth Williams, said “We were doing as it would have been done in the 1960s. The show is near the knuckle and not politically correct. Very tongue in cheek.” Look out for more productions soon.

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around & about

Tudor history comes to life - Advertisement feature -

This October half term, Athelhampton House & Gardens bring Tudor history to life with a fun and educational living history experience for all the family. Meet the Martyn family and discover how people lived, worked, cooked and entertained more than 500 years ago. Throughout the house and gardens, costumed characters will demonstrate everyday Tudor life, with activities, crafts and household tasks taking place indoors and out. Children can ask questions, get involved and learn through seeing history in action. Tudor Week offers families an engaging way to explore Athelhampton’s past together while discovering what daily life was really like in Tudor England.

Who’s top of the sunflower league Last issue’s story about supertall Sunflowers triggered a raft of responses as those and other beanstalk-esque plants took advantage of the summer sun to dazzle in gardens and allotments around the county. New contenders to the throne have been flooding into our inbox. This issue, we have Oakley (age 3) and his giant sunflowers in Ferndown, and Sybil Coombes of Colehill, 89 who is very proud of her sunflower which has grown to an astonishing height (twice as high as her!)

that is in full sun and has rich, well-draining soil below. Seeds should be planted directly in the ground, one inch down and one-to-three feet apart. The soil should be

Add support through bamboo canes as needed to keep the plant vertical, with stronger supports as needed if there are high winds. Good luck with planning your 2027 record-breaking sunflowers, giant beanstalks and other plants, fruit and veg.

Planning ahead for 2027’s giants If you want to feature in next year’s Dorset View, sunflowers and megapumpkins are clearly the way to go! To grow a top sunflower, experts recommend: Picking a growing spot

kept moist during sprouting, with deep watering to feed the roots as it grows. When true leaves are showing, the plant can be boosted through the addition of fertiliser or compost.

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Exotic plant discussion We do want to know if you are growing anything exotic, from fruit to plants, that is doing better than in previous years. Is the climate helping, or are you becoming a better grower? Similarly, have you noticed any alien invaders among your herbs and flowers that might becoming a problem?

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Competition Chance to win tickets to see the Mediaeval Baebes The internationally acclaimed Mediaeval Baebes are celebrating 30 years of timeless song with a unique performance at Christchurch Priory on Wednesday, 2 December, as part of their special 30th Anniversary Tour. Embrace the magic, breathe in the atmosphere and join the Mediaeval Baebes, as they start the evening with a torchlit parade accompanied by a fanfare of medieval instruments and drums. Exulting in the true spirit of Christmas, this enchanting evening of music, theatre and dance will feature tracks from their new album ‘The Spinning Wheel,’ alongside much loved seasonal favourites. Showcasing a richly woven collection of twelve songs inspired by the months of the year, The Spinning Wheel journeys through the seasons. From frost-bright winter laments to the heat-hazed longing of high summer. Over the past 30 years, the Mediaeval Baebes have released 12 studio albums and won an Ivor Novello Award for their performance on the BBC serialisation The Virgin Queen. To win a pair of tickets to the show, answer the following question:

How many studio albums have the Mediaeval Baebes released? Terms and conditions

Enter online at dorsetview.co.uk. The closing date is Friday 30 October 2026. The first correct entry drawn will be the winner. Employees of Pulford Publicity Ltd are not permitted to enter. The editor’s decision is final. Personal details will be stored securely and will only be processed to determine the winner and allocate their tickets. The winner will be announced in the magazine.

Blithe Spirit haunting Barrington Theatre in October A play and movie that has entertained generations, Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit centres on novelist Charles Condomine, who invites an eccentric medium, Madame Arcati, to his home to conduct a séance. The latest take on the classic plays at Ferndown’s Barrington Theatre, directed by Peter Gutteridge. The show runs from 14-17 October, at 7.30pm with a matinee on the Saturday. Back to the plot, the evening and séance take an unexpected turn when the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, is accidentally summoned. Mischievous, glamorous, and determined to reclaim her husband, Elvira quickly disrupts Charles’s comfortable life with his second wife, Ruth, who, to make matters worse, cannot see or hear her ghostly rival. As tensions rise, what begins as a light-hearted experiment spiral into a battle between the living and the dead, filled with misunderstandings, biting humour, and increasingly outrageous consequences.

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in the home / home is where the heart is.

Preparing your home for autumn floods and winter cold By Geoff Spick

Extreme weather this summer will likely trigger a rebound in wet, unsettled periods for the rest of 2026 The Met Office expects the extra-strong El Niño effect currently forming in the Pacific to deliver wetter and warmer UK weather in the coming months. Protecting your home from extreme weather is both an investment and a chance to consider family safety, evacuation options and emergency equipment. Floods and drainage At the simplest level, this can be inspecting your grounds and property for where water pools during regular rains. Invest in solutions to divert water away from the home should more serious weather arrive. Similarly, check gutters and drains for blockages, and treat the removal of leaves, mud, moss and other blights as a regular maintenance task for your family or a local service. If your drainage system or the local drains are regularly flooding, then have non-return values installed to prevent dirty water or sewage from entering the property. Consult an electrician on moving any plug sockets located where flooding could occur.

Keeping warm this winter It almost goes without saying that you should have your boiler regularly serviced. Your engineer can also check that pipes at risk of freezing are lagged, radiators are bled, and safety alarms like carbon monoxide, leak or flood detectors are tested. Additionally, you can add extra layers of insulation film to windows, draft excluders to doors and use thermal curtains as low-cost methods to keep the heat in. Portable heaters are also useful if you have power, with gas-powered heaters an option if you are resigned to losing power regularly. You can also put deflector shelves on top of radiators to direct the heat into the room, rather than up the walls. These are especially useful for radiators next to open stairs or other gaps. And in busy rooms, move furniture, obstructions and clutter away from radiators. Keep your family safe Extended power outages and the impact of extreme weather are thankfully pretty rare across Dorset. But the chances of a major event are growing, and most homes are unprepared.

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As the autumn evenings draw in, what better way to relax than with your custom-built lounge unit, housing a cosy fire and the perfect place for your TV combined with plenty of storage solutions. Returning from those refreshing walks, pop your boots into your custom built understairs cupboards with spaces for bags, hats and coats – no more tripping over wet boots or slipping on pools of water under that all-weather wear! And at the end of the day, relax in a bedroom that’s custom built for you with a variety of storage solutions created for all your needs. With lots of colours and designs to choose from, treat yourself to your perfect storage solutions in any room to personalise and improve your home.

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in the home

Light up your home for positive results this winter The basics include ensuring an accessible supply of torches and batteries, phone charging banks, or candles. Fire extinguishers, water pumps, inflatable or plastic flood barriers will help defend the home from whatever nature throws your way. A go-bag of clothes for each family member, supplies of portable foods and spare warm clothes can help speed a rapid exit in an evacuation if necessary. For longer periods at home, potentially without power, a gas camping cooker with fuel, a supply of tinned and dry foods, medicines and water purification tablets plus other survival gear should be kept somewhere dry. Finally, if you have pets, then having an emergency cage to keep them somewhere safe is essential, or a portable transporter to grab-and-go if you need to leave the property, along with a supply of food, any vet medicines and distractions should help reduce their anxiety.

As darkness falls, many homeowners find their low-power ceiling bulbs don’t really do the job. The move to multiple lamps around rooms for specific uses, such as reading, ambient or mood lights, and safety are increasingly popular. Adjustable lamps are very useful as the stand or hinge can provide lighting exactly where you need it. From floor standing models to desk lamps, designer or functional models can add ambience and the perfect lighting to meet your needs. Pull-down ceiling lights are also becoming popular, extending their range to provide soft or direct lighting as required. Avoid SAD this season For people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, specialist light therapy lamps are ideal for close quarters use to help the body adjust to dark early nights. It is recommended that these are used when waking up to help you prepare for your day. Some models mix visible light with broad-range near-infrared wavelengths to offer more natural light, closer to the sun’s effects, with extra benefit. Whatever the light, check that it provides sufficient output for the tasks you’ll do around it, from reading to hobbies or cooking. Look to see if you the lamp can work with more powerful bulbs if you need a boost, or look for multi-light solutions that can be turned on-and-off independently to provide the perfect level of lighting. As with any electrical product, check that it is Kitemarked, and if there is any flickering, take it back for a replacement, as either the bulb or connection is likely to fail.

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in the home / home is where the heart is.

Cranberries and rust are the top décor colours for Winter

Indigo Navy Large Wallfiller (wallfillers.co.uk)

If this winter is going to be a long and hard one as the scientists predict, we can at least be bright and cheery in our homes Design and interior specialists are going with rich reds like cranberry and terracotta or similar rusty hues to add some depth

and cheer. That could be through a new kitchen look, a living room makeover, or just through some new throws and cushions to reinvigorate your furniture.

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Home improvement by artwork For those who want to track the latest modernist trends, midnight blue is also popular (as discussed last issue), but should be used sparingly with artworks or accessories to add striking accents around a room. Artworks can be picked up locally or on online markets like Etsy, with over-sized wallfillers and 3D art becoming rapidly more popular than flat paintings. Adding mood and spotlighting to accentuate them further is also a popular way to bring focus and style to rooms. While a mixed-material approach will add texture to any room or area, creating depth and warmth, depending on your choices. For staircase, invisible edge smart light art is moving this feature beyond tacky light strips or spot lighters, while the use of glass railing systems can help maximise the available light and add a further modern feature to a home. Finally, if you’re easily bored, glass display screens that can show any art or visual experience you like can help as those seasonally-shifting moods hop around.

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in the home

Know your home improvement cancellation rights Dorset Council, keen for consumers to know their rights, has passed on the latest information from Trading Standards. If you arrange for a business to do some work for you then you may be legally entitled to a 14-day cooling-off period which must be given to you in writing. This includes services such as gardening, roofing, home improvements, and many more. You have this legal right to cancel and get a full refund if you agreed for this work away from the trader’s premises, so for example you agreed for the work to be carried out when you were in your home, or garden, or on the street. You don’t automatically get a cooling-off period if you have something specially made, for example made to measure curtains or windows, or if you invite the business into your home for urgent repairs, such as immediately mending a burst pipe. Your cooling-off period begins the day after you agree to have the work done. The business must give you details of how to cancel in writing. If they don’t provide these then your cooling-off period is extended by 14 days from the date you do receive them in writing. The trader may provide you with the written cancellation notice and then ask you to agree to them starting the work before the 14-day cancellation period is up. If you decide to sign to agree this then you’ll have to pay a part of the agreed price if you later wanted to cancel. The amount you pay will depend on how much work was already completed. If the business began the work during the 14-day cooling-off

period without your signed approval, you then have the right to cancel and get a full refund of all costs. If this has affected you then you can speak with an advisor, access suggested letter templates, and report to Trading Standards by visiting the Citizens Advice consumer helpline at citizensadvice.org. uk/consumer or phoning 0808 2231133.

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motoring / keeping you on the road.

New 76 plates set to drive car sales The first 76 car number license plates should be visible on the roads now, with car manufacturers and dealers hoping for big sales. The new plate comes at a time as hybrid, battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) sales continue to soar. Those sales are up on average up 30% according to industry data, driven by recent Chinese brands including Jaecoo, Omoda

and others bringing new low-cost models to forecourts. Brand news models include the Geely EX2 (pictured, another new Chinese brand), starting from £21,000. The all-electric hatchback compact offers two battery options. An entry-level 35kWh battery is paired with an 80bhp electric motor for around a 155-mile range. While the larger 47kWh battery with a 113bhp e-motor provides a max 214-mile range. For those still looking for petrol power, Kia’s new facelifted Sportage SUV arrives in showrooms this autumn. A 1.6-litre T-GDi pure petrol entry-level model sits among the hybrids and EVs, providing a budget-friendly manual option.

The new Geely EX2

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specialist services / who to contact for the service you need. GARDENING

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New book tells the story of Verwood’s John Sainty professional football odyssey John Sainty, was a former professional footballer, coach and manager, and a resident of Verwood for over 20 years. Playing for Bournemouth (20 goals in 118 appearances in the early 70s), coaching across the leagues and chief scout at Southampton, the book ‘Last Man Standing - from Saint to Saints and Beyond’ is testament to a rich and varied career. Sainty died in 2023 and the story was completed by his wife Lindsay and former AFC Bournemouth club secretary Neil Vacher. It includes contributions from many of John’s former teammates and colleagues. Telling the story of a youth at Tottenham Hotspur before he moved on to Reading, Bournemouth and finally Aldershot, it is a tale that football fans rarely get to read.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ACCEPTANCE OF ALL PAID FOR ADVERTISEMENTS 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 error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement must be made within 10 days of publication to the Administration Department. Advertisers are requested to check their advertisements after the first insertion. The Publisher will not be responsible for any errors on subsequent insertions, which have not been advised to them. Cancellation of an advertisement must be advised in writing 21 days prior to copy date. Unless agreed otherwise in writing by the Publisher the terms of payment for credit accounts are 10 days from date of invoice. Any discount, which the Publisher may have agreed with the advertiser will be forfeited in the event of failure by the advertiser to meet these credit terms. All rates quoted are subject to VAT at the current rate in force at the time the advertisement appears. Copyright of advertisements produced wholly by the Publisher belongs to the Publisher. Advertisers may not reproduce such advertisments without the Publisher’s written consent. Full details of copy dates are obtainable direct from Dorset View and/or its representatives. The placing of an order for an advertisment shall amount to acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.

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CORRESPONDENCE

To express your opinion or idea about the community send your letters to letters@dorsetview.co.uk Save the Haven Hotel A stand-alone plan to demolish the historic Haven Hotel, Sandbanks, is coming under heavy criticism during a public consultation. Dozens of objections are reportedly being lodged by residents of the area after nine years of battling by the Sandbanks Community Group to prevent three blocks of flats totalling 119 being given the go-ahead. Two months ago, the previous scheme was invalidated by BCP after a failure to pay a fee to add amendments for flood protection including concrete tetrapods. Now the new plan has superseded the flats scheme by developers stating an application for a new hotel will be submitted later. As some people have pointed out, however, it could mean the site remains empty for years while decisions are made about the replacement development. Five years of protests from 6,000 objectors and an online petition of 1,200 following a campaign by the Sandbanks Community Group led to the rejection of the flats scheme in 2022. Its intended sea defence was said to be higher than the Great Wall of China and members of the BCP Western Planning Committee voted against it. Soon afterwards it was announced an amended scheme would be submitted and the following May plans were formally sent to BCP Council. However, the Sandbanks Community Group produced their own scheme of an alternative hotel which they insist is vital for the area. They raised £30,000 in a Crowdfunding exercise to pay for architects’ fees and supplied detailed plans to support their concept. Later the Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum staged a successful referendum which limited beachside development in the enclave. Consultations continue, and residents hope the plan will be rejected after the completion of the discussions next month. Yours, Nick Brown

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Tax those exploiting the countryside I see across social media that almost every aspect of our county life is being blogged, photographed, captured by drone-camera or artistically recreated. Pretty much every waking minute of sea eagles, kingfishers, beauty spots and our better buildings’ days are captured. Since there are already tourist taxes and increasing parking charges around beauty spots, what are the chances of taxing the income of those who exploit our environment for their own gain (assuming they make any money from it) to support the county and the organisations that protect or upkeep these subjects? Mr P Horton Enlightenment over street lighting Now the days are getting shorter and the town’s street lights are coming on earlier, I’ve noticed that some of them are not working, or are flickering in an annoying, possibly unsafe, manner. I can see typically one or two per street around my home, and many have been faulty since the spring when I last noticed them when out and about. Can I ask if these are replaced on a regular basis, or do you think the council lacks the funds to change them. I’ve also noticed some traffic light lamps are out, or are a non-typical colour, more blue than green. Who do I ask about them? Paul D, Boscombe Editor’s response: We’ll enquire with the appropriate council department to find out what action they plan to take.

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