Ferndown Matters Winter 2017

Issue 33

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Winter 2017

SHOEBOX APPEAL

PROFESSOR ROBERT WINSTON

Visit our website www.ferndown.gov.uk or like us on Facebook - Ferndown Town Council

Ferndown Town Council agrees to move forward with exciting new proposals for key community facilities in Ferndown At a monumental Council meeting held on 5th December, Ferndown Town Council considered proposals for two exciting projects for the town and its community.

T

he Council agreed, in principle, to move forward with a major redevelopment at King George V Recreation Ground of the pavilion, playground and associated facilities, including a MUGA (Multi- Use Games Arena), which will see this key community asset redesigned to meet modern day standards and expectations. Cllr Mike Parkes, the Mayor of Ferndown, said “The King George V pavilion and playing fields are a valuable community resource but it is essential they are invested in to ensure the facilities are of a contemporary standard and meet the diverse needs and expectations of Ferndown’s residents. The Council, as Sole Trustee of the charity, has a duty to future-proof the charity for the next generation of users.”

At the same meeting, the Council considered its key objective to invest in the town’s youth provision and agreed to submit a formal expression of interest to Dorset County Council for the running

of youth services from the Riffs youth centre. Cllr Parkes added, “This is a fantastic facility for the young people in Ferndown which is sadly not being utilised following its closure last summer. The current youth provision in the town is inadequate and an injustice to the young people of Ferndown.

Opening the doors of Riffs again to Ferndown’s young people will fill some of these gaps in provision. It will be a key priority that this dedicated youth resource will provide services and activities that are fit for purpose and engaging. The Council is optimistic that its expression of interest will be successful.”

Cllr Parkes concluded, “This is an exciting time for Ferndown. To meet the diverse needs of the town’s growing community, we have to be ambitious and creative. If these key projects proceed, they will be a focal point for community pride, common heritage and values which the whole town can enjoy for many years to come.”

Further details on these projects will be announced in due course and Ferndown residents will be invited to put forward their comments on any future plans.

s of going to print a consultation on the future of youth centre provision in Ferndown and the redevelopment of King George V Recreation Ground will have occurred on Monday 23rd January 2017. Two proposals will have been discussed on the major redevelopment of the pavilion, playground and associated facilities, including a MUGA (Multi- Use Games Arena); and submission of formal expression of interest to Dorset County Council for the running of youth services from the Riffs youth centre.

A

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

3

LOCAL CHARITY OFFERS TO GIVE YOUR FINANCES A NEW YEAR MAKEOVER Trained staff of the Bus Stop Club, Ferndown are ready to help you gain control of your money matters with free sessions.

T

he Turbary Resource Centre will be running the popular CAP Money Course which teaches a simple cash-based system that helps people know how to build a household budget in a matter of weeks.

Susan Sutherland, Project Manager says: “Many of us will have used credit cards or dipped into the overdraft to pay for the Christmas festivities.

Our message is: please don’t struggle on – make a resolution to do it differently next year! Now really is the best time to put things in order and we can help to get your head in gear and take the practical steps to sort things out for good. When you know what you have in your account and you know where it’s going and can plan for any big expenses like car repairs, you’ll have a much more peaceful 2017.”

UK charity Christians Against Poverty now sees more than 10,000 people gain money management skills each year. One person who went on the course said: “I heard about the CAP Money Course from a friend. I wanted to pay off my credit card and stay out of my overdraft. It changed my life! I never thought it could be so easy, but the CAP Money system is so simple.”

Susan says: “Around three quarters of the people who turn to Christians Against Poverty for debt help across the UK say they had problem debt, partly because they didn’t have any tuition in budgeting and money management.”

The CAP budgeting sessions take place in Turbary Resource Centre, Corbin Avenue, Ferndown BH22 8AE. The course runs for 3 Tuesday evenings – 21 Feb, 28 Feb and 7 March 2017 7-9pm.

The CAP Money Course is the biggest provider of adult face-to-face money tuition in the UK. The free help is for everyone regardless of age, gender, faith or background. Susan explains “We would rather people have the skills to avoid serious debt problems and the best thing about the CAP Money system is that it’s flexible, so as your income or outgoings change, it can help you stay on top. However, if you do have serious debt problems, or know someone who has, we also run the East Dorset CAP Centre for residents of East Dorset and Ringwood.

For more information call/text Susan on 07866 692528 or email ssutherland@hotmail.co.uk.

The freephone number to call for our East Dorset Debt Advice Service is 0800 328 0006 4

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

HELPING HEATHLAND

SURVIVE

We all know that our heathlands have been under huge threat from development. Thankfully, times have changed, and today they are protected from being built on. But they CAN nevertheless still be lost – not overnight of course, but gradually, by changes we do not notice from day to day, or even from year to year, but which over a period of decade ousts the heathland and its special wildlife.

In the not too distant past we made use of the heathland, taking gorse, trees, turf, peat and gravel from it and grazing cattle and ponies. This left the heath varied in age and type, with much bare ground, low in nutrients and, above all, fairly open in nature. Special plants and animals thrived there – mining bees, silver-studded blue butterflies, sand lizards, nightjars and Dartford warblers, to name but a few.

But today we no longer make use of the heath in these ways. The result is that it becomes rather uniform, bare ground closes over, gorse gets leggy, and birch and pine trees spread, until after a surprisingly short time the heathland and its special landscape and wildlife has gone, just as if it had been built on.

So today conservation management aims to replicate the effect of at least some of the past uses to which heathland was put. We deliberately mow areas making young heather patches so favoured by silver-studded blue butterflies, we dig small areas of bare sand for mining bees to burrow in and for the sand lizards to lay their eggs in, we

cut the gorse to make it bushy for Dartford warblers to nest in, and we cut birch and pine to keep the heath still generally open – whilst of course still keeping some trees.

When sites have been left to their own devises for some time, they need quite a strong initial input to ‘put the clock back’ – and this can seem a bit alarming. But once the initial work is done, the restored heathland can settle down again and then be managed on an ongoing smaller scale cyclical basis. But be it the initial task, or the ongoing management, please be assured that the aim is to perpetuate the special landscape and wildlife for all to enjoy. Your understanding is much appreciated.

When sites have been left to their own devises for some time, they need quite a strong initial input to ‘put the clock back’

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

7

Professor Robert Winston visits Ferndown Upper School

S

tudents were given the opportunity to pose questions about Science, Biology and Ethics during a visit on Monday, 5th December. Three hundred students, staff and parents gathered to watch the renowned scientist deliver a forty minute inspirational speech focussed around science, education and how we learn.

Ethics and Biology students were then given the opportunity to ask questions they had written about current topics during their lessons. The topics ranged from ‘autism and its place in society’ to ‘designer babies – is it a possibility?’

The twenty five students then had the opportunity to voice their opinions on current topics that were in the news.

One sixth former said ‘This was an amazing opportunity to meet a scientist that is current;

8

he has inspired me to follow science and work really hard for my exams next year.’ The trip was organised by the Biology Department as part of the STEM initiative at the school.

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

9

10

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

“No Put Down” Week – Led by Ferndown Upper School

F

erndown Upper School led a collaborative “No Put Down” week working with local feeder schools including: Parley First School, Ferndown First School, Verwood First School, Emmanuel Middle School, Ferndown Middle School, West Moors Middle School. The event has been run at Ferndown Upper for several years but as news of its success has spread across the local community, other local schools have wanted to get involved and be part of it. So this year leaders from all the schools worked together under the guidance of Sarah Bird (Assistant Head at Ferndown Upper) who said “We want to celebrate the positive aspects of the Ferndown School community and encourage the students and staff to achieve their best. It is designed to help raise self-esteem, create a happy positive anti-bullying ethos of valuing each other in the school and in the community. When we ran the event last year, all the schools and students said they felt happier in school, achieved more highly and it was a very powerful.”

Emmanuel Middle School students enjoying some refreshments after working with 6th form students (Michaela Sibsey and Mara Tomei) at Ferndown Upper School.

During the week staff and students will be giving each other positive compliments, on slips and ‘No Put Down Posters’ will be displayed throughout the schools. There will be rewards for positive contributions and special assemblies. We will also be focusing on the social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects of learning and our community. It is a week when we celebrate all the positive aspects of our school. Children from the first and Middle schools will also visit the Upper school to work with the older students and vice versa.

Sarah commented “We all know that sinking feeling when someone has mocked us or ‘made a joke’ and we either hit back with an equally witty put down or try and avoid being in that position again. It is also a positive assertive strategy to counteract bullying. We find students really like it. We ask the whole school not to put themselves down or anyone else for the whole week and try to praise someone each day. We hope this will spill over to home life and the weeks which follow.” One of the Y10 students said “Mentally after being in a positive, no put-down environment for a few days you constantly think in a positive way and putting someone down doesn’t come across your mind. By thinking and acting positively you can take more away from lessons and so can your fellow classmates. So effectively, positive people learn more”.

This lovely positive week will continue to be run every year.

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

11

War Heroes of Ferndown in Two World Wars – Beyond Bravery

I

nspiration for this wonderfully written book by Ian Dale, treasurer of Royal British Legion Ferndown, came about after exploring the idea to provide a legacy for the centennial of the start of WW1.

Ian was compiling his own family history and the idea of delving deeper into Ferndown’s history became compelling. The ‘book’ project was given the go ahead and Ian spent 8 months researching and unearthed masses of data from the Forces War Records website and Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, as well as local sources.

There are stats in the book covering all those who died serving during the wars and we have 75 names on the memorials. Part of the research

highlighted a local family where there were 10 brothers, one of which was Percy Dacombe who made it back to Dunkirk after the hostilities had finished in 1919, but sadly died from Spanish Flu two days later. Ian would also like to add that there were survivors who did come back to re-make their lives. Ian’s grandfather George William Fitch who was born in 1890 and lived to be 93 was one of those. He was a regular soldier in 1918 serving in the British Expeditionary Force and he received the Pip, Squeak & Wilfred medals.

If you would like to find out more about the soldiers of Ferndown who fought and died in the World Wars you can purchase the book from behind the bar at the Royal British Legion in Ferndown. Open most of the time and certainly at lunch time and during the evenings. If collecting the book from the Legion Club cost is £5 and to have it posted costs £8 to cover postage and packing.

For more information please email dalewarheroes@ btinternet.com.

This is has been done as a nonprofit project as all the proceeds go to the Royal British Legion Dorset Welfare Fund.

Ian Dale and his book 12

We would like to thank and acknowledge the following organisations who helped us achieve this goal:- Ferndown Town Council who paid to have two books produced for proof reading by members of the committee. The cost of the initial production came via grants from East Dorset Council and Ferndown Town Council, and Sainsburys in Ferndown covered half the costs with the RBL covering the reminder.

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

n

Ferndown Civic Christmas Carol Service

T

he Ferndown Civic Christmas Carol Service took place at St. Mary’s church in late December attended by the the Ferndown Mayor Mike Parkes, Deputy Mayor Cathy Lugg, several councillors as well as MP Christopher Chope and his wife. The service was introduced by Rev. Sarah Pix and Rev. Patches Chabala with Mayor Mike Parkes thanking everyone who had come to the carol service.

Several people from various parts of the community contributed with prayers and readings - Terry Holbert from the Ferndown Community association, Ashley Hughes from the Junior Air Cadets and Deputy Mayor Cathy Lugg. The Studio One choir lead the congregation with one of the carols ‘Once in Royal David’s city’. The winners of the Christmas Card competition were given their certificates and a treat to take home by the Mayor Mike Parkes.

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

15

Ferndown Christmas Lights Switch On

T

he Ferndown Christmas lights brightened up the main streets of Ferndown on Saturday the 24th November to the cheers of people lined up and down Victoria Road. Just as 5:00pm approached the Town crier Mike Andrews introduced the Mayor of Ferndown - Mike Parkes who officially pressed the switch and welcomed everyone who had come to the ‘Christmas lights switch on’.

The event was a great success with excellent weather and lots of organisations associated with Ferndown running various types of stands.

The ‘pulled pork’ burgers were scrumptious and the cooked chestnuts were tasty. There were lots of opportunities to wish each other a Merry Christmas as we entered the festive period.

16

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

18

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

Christmas Card Design Competition 2016 A huge thank you to everyone who entered the Mayor’s Christmas card design competition last year.

C

llr Mike Parkes had a very difficult choice to make deciding a winner, but he was very pleased to announce that seven-year-old Harry Miller’s design had won the competition! Congratulations Harry!

Harry’s design featured on the Mayor’s 2016 Civic Christmas card.

Cllr Mike Parkes said “I would like to thank everyone that submitted a design to the competition. Every participant should be incredibly proud of their designs. It was a nearimpossible decision to choose a winner but I felt Harry’s design captures the magical spirit of Christmas!”

Congratulations are also extended to the two runners up who are Connor Steele, aged 7, and Rebecca Mills, aged 15.

Winner Harry Miller’s design

At Ferndown Town Council we are keen to hear your comments - Please feel free to contact us Visit our website www.ferndown.gov.uk or like us on Facebook - Ferndown Town Council Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

19

Ferndown Has Two New Junior National Champions

SILVER

BRONZE

Ella Scurfield & Riley Bradshaw

Danielle Teed & Lucas NormanHardiman

GOLD What a great result for Ferndown Jitsu Club who attended the Jitsu National Championships in the last quarter of 2016 at the National Sports Centre in Birmingham.

20

(New Junior National Champions)

Harry Wyatt & Leo Scurfield

SPECIAL AWARD Lewis Grant JITSU INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD Sensei Jordan Lea FERNDOWN AMBASSASOR OF THE YEAR Clare Grant FERNDOWN SPIRIT OF JITSU AWARD Lewis Grant

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

21

22

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

Homeless

Shoebox

Appeal

Cllrs Steve Lugg and Sharon Worsfold from the Pedals Centre, Ferndown put their heads together, and asked work colleagues, friends and families to support the Appeal. In the few weeks that it ran in Ferndown, more than seventy boxes and bags (bags for life ideal) were donated, and Kyle Osborne took the collection down to Bournemouth. Major contributors included the Ferndown Jitsu Club based at the Heatherlands Centre, and Rachel Taylor, local East Dorset resident and council employee. Each gift contained toiletries, confectionary, gloves, socks, and similar. A card was placed with each gift.

Kath Osborne from the homeless hostel said, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Help the Homeless ran a Christmas Shoebox Appeal this winter ensuring that local homeless people received a gift on Christmas Day. This has made a real difference at a bleak time of year for many.”

Steve said, “There is so much more good in the World than bad, and we need to celebrate it. This Appeal proved the concept locally with friends and next year we will go public and double it! Ferndown and East Dorset people are amazing. Donations of dried and tinned food were given along with some warm clothes for all year round and some cash”. Steve was able to pass on items to Kath and Kyle, and local volunteer Wendy who is our local coordinator, and an inspiration. Thank you Rachel, Jitsu Club and Pedals especially.”

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

23

e h t d e t s o h n w o d n r e F 2016 DORSET POPPY LAUNCH

24

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

F

erndown hosted the Dorset 2016 Poppy Launch with Grant Parrot from the Ferndown Royal British Legion welcoming people at this significant occasion. Taking place outside the Barrington Centre on Saturday 29th October, it was attended by people from all walks of life with several local dignitaries, veterans, air cadets, the Bournemouth youth band, RBL Dorset Riders, local businesses and local people. It featured a parade lead by the Bournemouth Youth Marching band followed by children dressed in poppy outfits. Cllr Mike Parkes, the Mayor of Ferndown spoke saying how Ferndown was honoured and proud to be hosting the launch of the Dorset Poppy Appeal. It was a great opportunity for the community of Ferndown and surrounding area to come together and remember.

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

25

Remembrance Sunday Ferndown Remembrance Sunday took place at St. Mary’s church on Sunday November 13th at 3:00pm. During the service people were able to lay wreaths and pay their respects to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives in service during World War I, World War II and more recently Afghanistan.Â

26

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

27

Meetings of the Town Council Meeting dates may be subject to change – IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND ANY MEETING, PLEASE CHECK THE DATE AND TIME on the agenda displayed on Council noticeboards or by telephoning the Council Office on 01202 892249

2017 FEB

Mon

6th

7:00pm

Planning Committee

Barrington Centre

Thu

16th

7:00pm

Planning Committee

Barrington Centre

Mon

27th

7:00pm

Environment Committee

Barrington Centre

MAR

Mon

6th

7:00pm

Policy & Resources Committee

Barrington Centre

Thu

9th

7:00pm

Planning Committee

KGV Pavilion

Mon

27th

7:00pm

Town Council

Barrington Centre

Thu

30th

7:00pm

Planning Committee

Barrington Centre

APR

Mon

3rd

7:00pm

Environment Committee

Barrington Centre

Mon

10th

7:00pm

Policy & Resources Committee

Barrington Centre

Tue

18th

7:00pm

Personnel Committee

Barrington Centre

MAY

Mon

8th

7:00pm

KGV Management

KGV Pavillion

Thu

11th

7:00pm

Planning Committee

Barrington Centre

Tue

16th

7:00pm

Annual Town Council

Barrington Centre

Wed

17th

7:00pm

Annual Town Council

Barrington Centre

Meetings, other than those of the Personnel Committee, are normally open to the public.

Ferndown Matters is published by mags4dorset.co.uk on behalf of the Ferndown Town Council Editorial:

Vanessa Ricketts, Town Clerk, Ferndown Town Council, The Barrington Centre, Penny’s Walk, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9TH 01202 892249 email: townclerk@ferndown.gov.uk

Advertising:

mags4dorset, 1st Floor, King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9EN 07760 283146 email: advertise@mags4dorset.co.uk

Production:

mags4dorset, 1st Floor, King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9EN 01202 870270 email: design@mags4dorset.co.uk

mags4dorset, 1st Floor, King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9EN 01202 870270 www.mags4doret.co.uk Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council

29

Your Town Council Town Clerk - Mrs Vanessa Ricketts The Barrington Centre, Penny’s Walk, Ferndown, BH22 9TH Tel: 01202 892249 Email: enquiries@ferndown.gov.uk

Your Ferndown Town Councillors Links Ward: Cllr. Ms P M Cooper Cllr. Mrs J Robinson Cllr. L L R Wilson Central Ward: Cllr. M R Parkes Cllr. J A Muggleton 1 Vacancy Central North Ward: Cllr. S M Lugg

12 Corbin Avenue, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 8AZ 18 Medway Road, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 8UX 163 Leeson Drive, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 9TL

Tel: 01202 896676 Tel: 07513 578177 Tel: 07793 440765

36 Dorset Avenue, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 8HW Tel: 01202 861858 3 Moorhaven, Princes Road, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 9JG Tel: 01202 872975

c/o Ferndown Town Council, The Barrington Centre, Penny’s Walk, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 9TH

Cllr. S K Byrne

72 Heathfield Road, West Moors, Dorset, BH22 0BG

Tel: 01202 872066 Tel: 07468 566212

Hampreston & Longham Ward: Cllr. L Ovens 357 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9AE Tel: 01202 896701 Cllr. P Lucas 14 Landford Gardens, Throop, BOURNEMOUTH, Dorset BH8 0PH Tel: 01202 533765 Cllr. P H Graham 36 Portland Road, BOURNEMOUTH, Dorset BH9 1NQ Tel: 07939 501674 Stapehill Ward: Cllr. N J Wellstead Ameysford Ward: Cllr. J L Baxter Cllr. Mrs C A Lugg

36 Wimborne Road West, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 2DP

Tel: 01202 880705

Greenacres, Angel Lane, Longham, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 9DZ Tel: 01202 897884

c/o Ferndown Town Council, The Barrington Centre, Penny’s Walk, FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 9TH

Tel: 01202 872066

79 Dorset Avenue FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 8HL 288 Ringwood Road FERNDOWN, Dorset BH22 9AS

Tel: 01202 876293 Tel: 01202 875926

1 Vacancy Links South Ward: Cllr. T Cordery Cllr. Mrs J Read

We are keen to hear your comments Please feel free to contact us - we are listening!

Visit our website www.ferndown.gov.uk Ferndown Town Council does not accept responsibilty for the content of advertisements, promises made, or the quality or reliability of the services offered in the advetisements in this publication. All purchases made through this publication are done so entirely at your own risk. Information about a service does not imply recommendation.

30

Ferndown Matters - The Magazine of Ferndown Town Council