Viewpoint March 2018

Established Over 35 Years Mid Mar 2018

Your Independent Local Magazine

VIEWPOINT

Volume 42, Issue 5

VERWOOD RINGWOOD FORDINGBRIDGE WEST MOORS WIMBORNE FERNDOWN ASHLEY HEATH ST IVES, ALDERHOLT

Super councils on Dorset horizon Following the announcement on 26 February by Rt Hon Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, that his final decision is to approve local government reorganisation in Dorset, seven Dorset MPs have issued a combined statement. See page 5

Bat roosts destroyed: men sentenced in nationally important case. See page 14

take one it’s

ISSN 2397-7183 (print) ISSN 2397-7191 (online)

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• HAPPY EAST ER FROM MAGS 4DORSET • GIN AND PR OSECCO • HANK’S BRUS H WITH AN OVER DOSE COMPETITIONS : • £100 MAGS4D ORSET EASTER PRIZE • TASTY COFF EE FROM STEW ARTS

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

VIEWPOINT Volume 42 • Issue 5 • March 2018

Hello readers

editorial

MAGS4DORSET

It is soon to be all-change at mags4dorset.

After seven exceedingly happy years working from King George V Pavilion, overlooking the beautifully kept playing field and watching all manner of birds land on the grass, and occasionally the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, our time here is almost over.

By the end of March, we shall be moving, not just because the works to improve the pavilion will have started and the council needs the office space back, but also because we have been negotiating for nearly two years to purchase our own office in Ferndown.

At the time of writing we had exchanged contracts and completion date was 6 March.

It will be the next stage in our company development and as you can imagine, is a very exciting time, particularly as it reflects a steady period of growth and our commitment to reinvesting in the business to help it continue in the same vein.

This wouldn’t be possible without the passion of our staff, the support of our customers and the loyalty of our readers. Now seems an appropriate time for Ben, Louis, Nick and myself to say a very big thank you to you all.

We would also like to thank our landlords Ferndown Town Council for their forbearance during our state of flux over the last 20 months, while our property negotiations were in hand.

We will reveal our new address next month.

Wishing you a happy Easter,

Janine Pulford

Ben Pulford managing director design@mags4dorset.co.uk Nick Pulford company secretary accounts@mags4dorset.co.uk

NEWS DESK 01202 872813 Janine Pulford editor editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk

DESIGN 01202 233441

Louis Pulford creative director

louispulford@brightboxdesigns.co.uk

Adam Trimby graphic designer designstudio@mags4dorset.co.uk

ADVERTISING 01202 816140 Mark Beechey account manager DD: 01202 941465 mark@mags4dorset.co.uk

Russell Harness account manager DD: 01202 941466 russell@mags4dorset.co.uk Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

Editor

LOGISTICS

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

Picture of the month

Carol Waterkeyn contributing editor

Ian Lory Alexandra O’Neill

Floored in Ferndown© Tom Scrase See page 40 for full story

How to contact us Enquiries: 01202 870270 Advertising: 01202 816140 Brightbox Designs: 01202 233441

Email: mags@mags4dorset.co.uk Web: www.mags4dorset.co.uk Twitter: @mags4dorset Facebook: mags4dorset.news

1st Floor, King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9EN

next copy closing date:

29 MARCH 2018

Viewpoint is independently published and distributed free to homes and businesses in selected areas of Dorset and Hampshire. It is also available by subscription at £35 per year. Views or opinions expressed in Viewpoint 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 Viewpoint and should not be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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3

LAW SPOT

by Hugh Storry Deans,

Litigation Solicitor at Harold G Walker Solicitors

Q.

If I win my dispute case, will I get my legal costs paid?

A. Many people believe that if they take legal proceedings which are successful, they will be entitled to recover all their costs of bringing the legal proceedings. Except for (rare) cases where the Court orders the costs to be paid on an indemnity basis, it is no longer a wise assumption to make as the introduction of concepts such as proportionality and reasonableness now bear heavily on the actual sum likely to be recovered, where the recovery of costs has been ordered or follows automatically in some cases.

Where legal proceedings are issued, cases are categorised by value into Tracks. There is a Small Claims Track for relatively straightforward matters with a monetary value up to £10,000; the Fast Track for claims up to £25,000; and the Multi-Track for higher value or more complicated disputes. Each track has its own rules restricting the amount of costs recoverable, which will either be fixed by a tariff or assessed by the Court if no agreement can be reached. Some people may be encouraged to take the DIY route and to avoid the cost of employing a lawyer but again, limited costs may be recoverable.

In circumstances where a claim is settled by agreement prior to the issue of legal proceedings and both parties have incurred substantial legal costs, the general rule is that costs are not recoverable unless it is made a term of settlement. In such cases where there is a dispute over the amount of costs, the question then arises as to the extent to which further sums of money are expended in arguing over the level of costs payable after a case has been concluded. You may be flushed with the success of your claim but then find you have a secondary dispute as to your entitlement to costs and the amount to be paid.

Harold G Walker Solicitors are experienced in dealing with such matters and can provide invaluable advice. Contact their team on 01202 881454 or email enquiries@ hgwalker.co.uk.

This column is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

West Moors Home Watch on the brink An appeal has gone out from West Moors Home Watch that unless new volunteers come forward, the group will be dissolved at the June AGM. The last committee meeting before the AGM will be on Saturday, 7 April at 2.30pm in the small conference room at West Moors Memorial Hall. This is an open meeting, so if you think you could help this worthwhile group, then please turn up or contact David or Sylvia Barrett on 01202 892902 or Roy or Maggie Owen on 01202 895626.

Fake police target elderly for cash Dorset Police is alerting elderly and vulnerable people of a scam in which fraudsters pose as police officers by telephone in an attempt to steal money.

In a recent spate of these scams, an ‘officer’ has called to make the victim aware of a fraudulent use of their bank card. The fake officer has asked for further information about the victim’s bank account and has threatened the victim with arrest if they express reluctance.

Inspector Neil Wright, of the Priority and Volume Crime Team, is urging everyone to hang up on any suspicious call. “We won’t ever ask for personal information over the phone and neither will your bank. Some victims have been pressurised with the threat of arrest if they don’t give the caller the information they’re being asked for and that’s certainly not something a police officer would say.

“I’d also urge family, carers and friends of elderly and vulnerable people to make them aware of this scam and make sure they know to hang up the call.”

To report a crime in progress call 999. For all nonurgent enquiries, call 101 or use the Do It Online service at Dorset.police.uk/do-it-online.

Continued from front page

Super Councils on the horizon In a combined statement the seven Dorset MPs said, “Given the pressures on public spending, the only affordable way to meet the needs of the elderly, the young and the working population is to reduce unnecessary overheads and to streamline service delivery.

“In particular, we need completely new ways of working if we are to fill the funding gap in education for pupils with special needs and to provide the proper adult social services that are crucial both for our frail elderly population and for our local NHS. “These proposals will make such innovation and efficiency possible by replacing our current nine councils with just two new single tier councils – a massive reduction in bureaucracy.”

They said there had been huge levels of

Kylie comes to Bournemouth

support from the public, but that they recognised that some people in Christchurch will be less than happy with the decision.

On hearing the Secretary of State’s decision, Cllr Trish Jamieson, deputy leader of Christchurch Borough Council, said the council was disappointed. “This decision comes despite Christchurch Borough Council putting forward an alternative to the Future Dorset submission and 84% of Christchurch residents who voted in the local poll not supporting the proposal for Christchurch to become part of a unitary council with Bournemouth and Poole councils.”

She said the council would consider its position at an extraordinary full council meeting “and the opinion of the legal professional as to whether there is any arguable error in law.

“We are committed members of the joint committee and our priority now is to focus on getting the best for the Christchurch residents who elected us to represent them,” she said.

Cllr Spencer Flower, leader of East Dorset District Council said, “This decision shows that he [the Secretary of State] recognises the clear and far reaching benefits that reorganisation will bring to Dorset.”

And the leader of Purbeck District Council, Cllr Gary Suttle, added, “We are pleased that a final decision has now been issued by the Secretary of State and acknowledge the challenge this represents to members of Purbeck District Council and all Dorset councils to ensure that the new unitary authority is fully operational from April 2019.”

Kylie Minogue has announced a UK and Ireland tour taking in the Bournemouth International Centre.

Local fans will be delighted to know that Kylie will be performing live at the BIC on Saturday 22 September. The Golden Tour will bring her extraordinary creativity as a live performer back to the stage. Kylie, who always raises the bar with her live performances, promises a brand new extravaganza for this production which will be centred around her new album Golden. Her amazing back-catalogue will also be embraced.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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5

Drone on! charity of the year

Lord Nelson pub raises £20k A Poole pub has raised over £20,000 for charity, in memory of a much-loved local, Donna Turner.

S

taff and patrons of The Lord Nelson on Poole Quay have raised in excess of £20,000 since they started supporting Forest Holme Hospice back in 2015.

Hannah O’Hare, fundraising manager at Forest Holme Hospice Charity said, “We are so grateful to Anna and the team at The Lord Nelson for choosing to support us in Donna’s memory. The team have raised enough money to fund 1,000 hours of specialist nursing care at the hospice.”

Another event in the pub’s fundraising calendar was the ‘2018 Anniversary of Rock’. Due to be held on 24 February, 10 local bands were due to entertain large crowds, with all ticket proceeds and money raised from a raffle going to the hospice.

Landlady Anna Doyle, said, “We hold various charity events throughout the year, but this one is

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

very special us. We are committed to raising funds in memory of our much loved, and now departed friend Donna, who spent her last moments in Forest Holme.”

Forest Holme Hospice Charity helps to enhance the lives of adults from across Poole, Wimborne and the Isle of Purbeck who are facing a life-limiting or terminal illness.

The charity financially supports the specialist palliative care teams within Forest Holme Hospice, part of Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to be there for the patients and their families whenever, and wherever, they are needed.

Forest Holme Hospice, 5 Seldown Rd, Poole, BH15 1TS Tel: 01202 448118 Facebook: Forestholme Twitter @ForestHolme www.forestholmehospice.org.uk

Dorset Police has entered into a partnership with Ferndown and Uddens Business Improvement District (BID), which will help to build community safety on the industrial estates and in the wider area.

The partnership will see the BID fund an electric vehicle for use by the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) to provide additional high visibility patrols within the community.

Space within the Ferndown Industrial Estate has also been provided as a remote working base for the NPT, as well as a contribution to support the force’s drone team. The base will be used to train police officers in using new drone technology and equipment, while also providing additional aerial patrols of the area to ensure it continues to be a safe place for businesses to operate.

EDDC agrees council tax

E

ast Dorset District Council’s portion of the council tax for a Band D household for 2018/19 will be increased by around 12p a week (£6.34 for the year).

This means a Band D household will pay £218.66 for the district council’s portion of the annual council tax bill. The remaining amount is made up of charges for Dorset County Council (£1,406.34); the Dorset Police & Crime Panel (£206.58); Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority (£72.70), plus any town or parish charge (which vary according to location).

Leader of East Dorset District Council, Cllr Spencer Flower, said, “This council has responded well

to the financial challenges it has faced. Service delivery has been maintained and we can be proud that a balanced budget has been set each year. For some years we have adopted a policy of modest increases in council tax year on year. As we await the final decision of the Secretary of State, if the budget we have set for 2018/19 proves to be our final budget for East Dorset District Council, I believe we can move forward inspired by the change ahead of us and knowing we have done, and continue to do, the best for the residents of East Dorset.”

The total annual charge for a Band D household in East Dorset will be £1,904.28, plus any town or parish charge.

Popular Highcliffe Castle zig-zag path will be rebuilt Closed in March 2017 due to safety concerns, the Highcliffe Castle zig-zag path could be reopened by Easter 2019 after members of Christchurch Borough Council reviewed their original decision not to rebuild it.

The path requires a significant rebuild to make it safe for use again. Following the recommendation of the

Highcliffe Zig-Zag Path Task and Finish Group that additional funds be agreed for the reconstruction of the path, councillors have now voted unanimously in favour.

Having originally voted not to proceed, members reviewed the decision and commissioned consulting engineers, AECOM, to refine their design and specification of the work.

The full council decision means that additional funding of £239,500 will be set aside to allow the path to be rebuilt. The total budget allocated is

now £884,500 rather than the original estimate of £1,250,000. This amount includes significant contingencies given the nature of the work involved at the cliff. The Coastal Communities Fund is contributing £279,125 to the project through the Dorset Coastal Connections portfolio.

Cllr Vicki Hallam, chair of the Task and Finish Group, Christchurch Borough Council, said, “I am pleased that members have unanimously given the go ahead for the rebuild of the zig-zag path. We

will now look to tender the work as soon as possible to test that the estimates are robust. Whilst we are keen to see the path reopened as soon as possible it would not be practical to carry out the work over the busy summer months, so work

is planned to commence in the autumn of this year with completion before Easter 2019.

“Members would like to thanks residents, officers and AECOM for working together to help us retain this popular path.”

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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7

Column supplied by Wessex Pensions

Happy E asFRtOMer

Financial well-being in the workplace I have made a few presentations this year to employers and their staff in respect of workplace pensions, to summarise both why the new legislation started in 2012, and why there are increases in contributions in April 2018 and April 2019.

Concerns were raised and discussed about such things as how does the pension actually work? What is my retirement going to look like? And, shall I pay more into my pension or pay more off my mortgage? Another common question was – what happens if I cannot afford the increase in contributions?

This led me to consider the concept of financial education, and whilst initiatives have been launched by the government to promote financial education in schools, I have not seen much of this being delivered. In fact, research produced by the All Party Parliamentary Group in 2016 on financial education, found that 60 per cent of state schools in England still aren’t covering the subject. So where do we go from here?

Personally, I feel that, with every company in the UK having to operate a workplace pension, financial education may be something that the employer can offer; something that might become an HR function, adding to the current buzz word

Daniel Parkin

of ‘well-being’ in the workplace.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, CIPD, produced a report last year on financial well-being to show that ‘integral to any successful wellbeing programme is an understanding of the importance of how financial concerns can affect employee mental and physical health’. The report showed one in four workers reporting money worries had affected their ability to do their jobs, one in ten found it hard to concentrate/ make decisions and one in five had lost sleep worrying about money; all of which impacted productivity.

This seems to give food for thought that if employers could give consideration to implementing financial education in the workplace, which may help to improve their staff’s financial well-being, then this could have a positive impact on bottom line profit.

For more information about pensions, telephone Daniel Parkin on 07801 432182. 17 Headlands Business Park, Salisbury Road, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 3PB

- advertising feature -

Funeral planning with Golden Charter Planning for future events is something we often think about and discuss daily and whilst funerals are one of life’s more difficult subjects, it is becoming increasingly more common for people to discuss their future wishes. A funeral plan allows people to talk about all the different options there are and then make educated decisions on a type of service that they would feel represents them, giving comfort to their loved ones that these often difficult decisions have already been made.

It also allows a person to financially secure the funeral directors services at today’s price and also include contributions towards the likely third-party costs. All money is safeguarded in a Trust for the future, giving peace of mind that at a difficult and emotional time for loved ones, the difficult decisions and finances surrounding a funeral are taken care of. Being a true independent family business allows Nicholas O’Hara to personalise all aspects of this service so that each person’s unique and individual requirements are catered for and the costs related to these are matched also.

Nicholas O’Hara has been working with Golden Charter for over 25 years. Golden Charter has become the UK’s largest funeral plan provider, despite only working with independent funeral directors. Nicholas O’Hara believes this is because of Golden Charter’s excellent awareness of funeral plans and as a result of their constant support of good causes.

Through funeral planning, this family business, alongside Golden Charter, will be supporting the RBL Poppy Appeal all year round, as well as making their own continued donations to local charity LEAF. For each funeral plan purchased before 1 April, as well as a donation being made to these two charities, the purchaser will receive a £100 discount off the present funeral plan cost.

For more information please contact Nicholas O’Hara at any of their funeral homes or on 01202 882134.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

Katie’s nominated for Tourism Superstar Award Moors Valley Country Park and Forest’s communications ranger, Katie Davies, has been nominated for the 2018 Tourism Superstar award.

The annual Tourism Superstar competition recognises the dedication and passion of those working in the tourism industry. It is awarded to an individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure visitors to England have an unforgettable experience.

Run by VisitEngland in conjunction with the Daily Mirror, the campaign champions careers in tourism and promotes quality, customer service and excellence within England’s tourism industry.

Katie says she is passionate about all things Moors Valley and is committed to developing and promoting the park’s strong environmental credentials, raising awareness and educating people of all ages and abilities and improving access and inclusivity throughout the park.

Katie said, “Being nominated for this award means so much to me. To be shortlisted to one of only ten national finalists is an absolute honour and I am so grateful to anyone who has voted for me. I’ve been truly blown away by the support I have received from Moors Valley visitors and especially the Moors Valley parkrun community.

“I’m thrilled to represent Moors Valley in our 30th anniversary year. I work with a fantastic team of rangers who are all equally deserving of this award. In 14 years of working at Moors Valley, I have witnessed a constant supply of dedication, enthusiasm and hard work from a team of what we like to call ‘Moors Valley people’.”

You can show your support for Katie by voting online for this national award. Voting closes on 20 March with the winner announced on 24 March so there’s not much time. Go to www.mirror.co.uk/travel/uk-ireland/meetfinalists-2018-tourism-superstar-11992093 to cast your vote.

TO ADVERTISE IN VIEWPOINT

Call 01202 816140

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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9

Gin

and

Prosecco

An event showcasing gin and Prosecco was held at the Allendale Centre, Wimborne in February. As you can see from Tom Scrase’s photographs, the event was much enjoyed and a huge success.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

LETTERS to the

EDITOR

Correspondence should be sent to the editor at the address on page 3, or email editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk

More new houses should be affordable Here in East Dorset there are still too many unaffordable 4- and 5-bedroom houses being built when what is needed is a great many 1- and 2-bedroom houses for young families to buy and upsize as and when needed. Also affordable, for the many older people trying to downsize to cut maintenance costs. Also there are too many buildings being left to rot that could be used for homes.

Marilyn Warburton Verwood

Quizzes for WaterAid Church House Hall, Wimborne, buzzes with anticipation as people unpack their goodies and soon the hall resembles an untidy indoor picnic for 70 people. But before long silence falls.

Everyone wants to hear the questions that produce intense whispered consultations, some agonised frowns and frequent laughter.

Every February for 10 years Peter Impett has teased and tested quizzers with his unique, devised questions. And all in one cause: to raise funds for WaterAid. He has succeeded – his quizzes have generated £5,414 for the charity. He and the WaterAid Dorset Support Group have collaborated for 10 years and are delighted with this outcome. However, Peter is standing down and unless a new quizmaster steps forward, and a new organiser too, 9 February 2018 will have seen the last quiz.

That would be a pity. It has established its own traditions of informal tone but serious quizzing (eg answers marked by judges, not by rival teams). Church House Hall has proved a convivial venue, just the right size to feel friendly and set above street-level for a sense of privacy. We hope that someone will pick up this baton. If so, please visit www.wateraid-dorsetsupport.org.uk to get in touch.

Peter Cadogan Water Aid Group Organiser

Who ate my 91-year-old mother’s money?

One, one ate; one, one ate: that’s who!

Did you realise that the 118 118 service charges a whopping £8.98 to find you a telephone number? And that’s if they can do it within a minute. The charge, according to the US-owned directory enquiries provider, is totted up as follows: £4.49 per call plus £4.49 per minute, (minimum 60 second charge applies) including VAT. This is the service charge. In addition you will be charged an access charge per minute by the company that bills you for calls.

After that, you will continue to accumulate charges at £4.49 per minute, billed by the second.

My dear mother, whose BT Basics bill comes in at around £25 a quarter, got the shock of her life when her last bill dropped through the letterbox.

It was over £175 and included the staggering amount of £125.80, made up of just 10 calls to 118 118.

I hasten to add, it wasn’t Mum who made these calls. It

was the person staying with her to help out with her care needs.

Unfortunately, Mum does not have the Internet, so her carer was unable to check the call charges online before using the service.

After blowing my top at BT, I was referred to the 118 118 helpline because the service is provided by a private company.

I called 0800 3891 118 and spoke to Lennie who admitted that customers using the118 118 premium service are not advised of the charges because the information is readily accessible online. However, after hearing of my mother’s plight, it was noted that not everyone has the Internet. In Mum’s instance, a one-off refund of £100 was made as a goodwill gesture. She awaits their cheque.

It occurred to me that there are bound to be other people without Broadband who may be unwittingly using this premium service.

Whilst I was in conversation with Lennie, she told me that there is a cheaper directory enquiries service that costs a flat fee of £1, plus your telephone company’s network access charge. She said this is 118 811.

She explained that it is a one number service, with no onward connection.

Here is a breakdown of the 10 calls: Duration (min and secs)

Call charge

2.44 1.09 2.24 1.32 1.04 1.56 2.31 1.36 1.36 1.19

£16.838 £ 9.729 £15.341 £11.450 £ 9.355 £13.246 £15.865 £11.749 £11.749 £10.477

Name and address supplied

BT also provides a directory enquiries service, which they say is free, but be aware that you have to register for this service so there may be a fee to pay upon registration. Check out the details before you commit.

Editor - advertising feature -

New models to help mobility Batricar Mobility Centre’s showrooms in Wimborne and New Milton are expanding their range of prescription powered and manual wheelchairs.

Prescription basically means that the powerchair or wheelchair is specifically built for you, rather than being an ‘out of the box’ standard product. Prescription chairs are sometimes known as rehab or complex rehab chairs, and Batricar’s staff are trained to measure you for your wheelchair to ensure you get the perfect-fitting seat every time. It also means that you have a vast choice of options; including different armrests, headrests, footplates, leg-rests, cushions and wheels.

Batricar are main stockists for Pride Mobility, Quantum Powerchairs, Hudson Lift Chairs and Quickie manual and powerchairs. They have just taken delivery of six brand new Quickie models of wheelchair, which are new for 2018, as well as the all-new Quantum 4-Front, front-wheel drive powerchair. In addition to these new models, sales of the Quantum iLevel powerchair go from strength to strength. This chair has proven revolutionary since its launch in 2015, by allowing powerchair users to travel at up to 4mph whilst elevated 10” in the air or at ‘eye level’. Even more exciting is that Batricar have just received the latest version of the iLevel which now goes up to 12” of seat lift. You can visit the showrooms to see the new 12” iLevel powerchair.

There is also a brand new range of Hudson rise recliner armchairs in the Wimborne showroom, and these new armchairs are now available in a choice of three different sizes, with three different backs and a wide choice of coloured fabrics, including leather and faux leather.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

Rain, wind and snow!

By Julian Hewitt, Fordingbridge Musem In recent years we seem to have had our fair share of extreme weather events, causing treacherous road conditions and damage to trees and buildings. They are, however, usually forecast in advance and so damage and inconvenience is limited. Some readers may remember the snow in February 1947, or more recently the hurricane in October 1987, which BBC weatherman Michael Fish failed to predict.

Fordingbridge is no stranger to such events.

In July 1760, Lloyd’s Evening Post and British Chronicle reported: On Wednesday last so violent a storm of rain, attended with thunder and lightning, fell near Fordingbridge and Ringwood, in Hampshire, that the water of the brooks running from the New Forest into the river Avon, was, in less than an hours time, raised to the height of ten or twelve feet perpendicular.

This amount of rain falling in so short a time seemed to have caused a flash flood for the London Evening Post reported: Great quantities of hay and thread, which was whitening in the meadows near Fordingbridge, were swept away by the inundation, as were also great numbers of hogs, together with their sties. At Gorely eighteen hogs were carried off at once, but saved by the diligence of a neighbouring farmer.

Fordingbridge was wellknown for the manufacture of canvas and linen, which would be laid out in fields near the river to be bleached by the sun.

A field between Church Street and the river was called Great Whitening Yard.

In February 1770, Lloyd’s Evening Post reported: Last Wednesday morning between nine and ten, the parish of Fordingbridge, in Hants, was much damaged by a tornado, which entirely stripped the lead off the north side of the roof of the middle aisle, from the tower even to the west door; the gust of wind was so furious that the sheets of lead weighing in the whole upwards of two ton, were many of them rent like paper, and all carried away with great velocity entirely over the said roof, and falling on the opposite side, carried with it several yards of the parapet wall, many large stones of which were thrown over into the south side of the Church-yard. To prevent any farther desolation the workmen immediately ascended the church, but being unable to withstand the violence of the hurricane, were obliged to retire.

Being at the confluence of a large river and several smaller streams, meant that over the years Fordingbridge has been especially susceptible to flooding. In January 1809, the

Churchwarden’s Minute Book recorded that the weather being very severe this week temporal assistance was given to the poor.

In many cases the relief was given because of water in the house. Flooding was not the only source of suffering. Before the days of central heating, extreme cold could cause much hardship for the inhabitants, especially the poor.

In 1868, it was such a hard winter that the river at Fordingbridge froze over, and the ice was so thick that an ox was roasted in the middle of it.

With our modern day central heating, house

insurance, accurate weather-forecasting and flood-prevention measures, we might spare a thought for the people in the past who lived without all these advantages.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 13

Men sentenced after destroying bat roosts

T

he destruction of bat roosts in Ferndown has resulted in the sentencing of two men. An application under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was also made and this is only the second time this has been done for a bat crime in the UK. Property developer Christopher Wilson of Avante Ltd and David Stokes, director of South Coast Demolition, have both been sentenced after they destroyed roosts in Ferndown known to contain pipistrelle and long-eared bats.

Developer Christopher Wilson, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on 16 February, after admitting two offences of damaging or destroying a breeding site or resting place of a European protected species of animal. He was ordered to pay £2,500 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and was fined £1,750 as well as being ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £170.

The case featured only the second ever Proceeds of Crime Act application relating to bats in the United

Kingdom.

David Stokes had admitted the same offences and was sentenced at Poole Magistrates’ Court on 13 December 2017, when he was fined £1,600, ordered to pay £400 in costs and a victim surcharge of £120.

The property was the former Ickle Angels Nursery in Carroll Avenue, Ferndown, which consisted of two buildings that were known to contain roosts for pipistrelle and long-eared bats. Wilson purchased the site in 2016.

When he submitted a planning application, he included a Biodiversity Management Plan that had an expired date on it. He should have commissioned a new plan but failed to do so. The original plan also advised that, due to the presence of bats, a licence from Natural England would be required before starting works on the site.

Wilson never instructed an ecologist to carry out a survey and did not apply to Natural England for a licence.

In the spring of 2016, Wilson contracted Stokes to start work on demolishing

the buildings.

A local councillor contacted police to raise concerns that the demolition work that had been carried out on the site may have caused damage to the bat roosts.

A Dorset Police wildlife crime officer attended, along with the ecologist who had carried out the original plan. It appeared that the bats were still present and, following consultation with Natural England and the Bat Conservation Trust, an email was sent to Wilson on 20 October 2016 giving him a formal warning of the requirement to apply to Natural England for a licence. However, on 10 November 2016 Wilson sent an email to South Coast Demolition, after the advice from police, asking when the company could begin the demolition.

Police sent another warning email on 17 November 2016 but demolition had already begun. Upon receipt of the second email, Wilson contacted South Coast Demolition asking them to stop demolition immediately due to the risk of

prosecution, but work had already progressed since the site visits and the roosts had been destroyed.

The district judge at the sentencing of Stokes acknowledged he was acting under the direction of Wilson.

At Wilson’s sentencing the judge said that there was no excuse for the situation that arose and the defendant could have easily obtained advice from the Bat Conservation Trust.

Police Constable Claire Dinsdale, of Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Team, said, “What makes this case nationally important is that we applied for a Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 application, which is only the second time this has been done for bat crime in the UK. A POCA arises after a defendant is shown to financially benefit from a crime. The order is to reclaim an amount.

“If any developers, demolition firms, roofers or public have any concerns or

questions please do contact the Bat Conservation Trust Helpline on 0345 1300 228.

They will assist.

“We would rather work with developers to prevent matters. I would like to thank the ecologists who give up their time to assist police in such cases and the Bat Conservation Trust.”

Pete Charleston, Conservation Wildlife Crime Officer for the Bat Conservation Trust, said, “The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) always regrets the need for prosecutions of this nature.

“These convictions send a clear message to those who might be tempted to cut corners. If you think that costs can be saved by not following due process then think again, you will be held to account with any profit being confiscated.

“BCT are very grateful to both the police and the Crown Prosecution Service for a highly professional and effective investigation.”

Woman scammed out of £10,000 by bogus police officers Police are urging people to warn friends and relatives after a Lymington woman lost £10,000 to fraudsters posing as police officers.

The woman, in her 70s was contacted continuously by phone between 11 and 16 January by a man pretending to be a detective sergeant from the Metropolitan Police Service.

The so-called ‘officer’ called the woman’s home phone and said that he was investigating counterfeit money and that he suspected the money in her bank to be fake.

He asked her to help him with his investigation by going to the bank for him and withdrawing more than £10,000 cash over a four-day period.

She had also been advised by the ‘officer’ not to tell anyone in the bank about the investigation.

The bogus police officer then arranged for another person, claiming to be a courier, to collect the woman’s money, her bank cards and PIN numbers from her home address. A man turned up and told the woman the money would be examined by the police.

The woman never met the man claiming to be a ‘detective’ but she

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did meet the ‘courier’ and police have issued the following description: black, possibly Kenyan, in his 30s, 5’9” tall with brown eyes, short brown hair, full brown beard and driving a 3-door black hatchback-type vehicle that looked between six to eight years old.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting 44180023297.

Police officers or bank officials would never ask you for money. If someone does call you in this way, hang up. If possible, use another phone line to report this to the police by calling 101.

The police offer the following advice: • never give out personal or bank details to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly • never tell anyone your PIN number • if you have given out information which could compromise your bank security in any way, call your bank to cancel your cards as soon as possible • never hand over your card, money or valuables to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere.

Safety events a roaring success New Junior Safety Inspector events at SafeWise centres in Bournemouth and Weymouth are set to become regular fixtures after tours during half term sold out.

It was the first time the interactive safety centres, which usually welcome schools and other groups from across the region, opened their doors to run events for the general public during school holidays.

Aimed at children aged 5-11, there was a treasure hunt with certificates and prizes. Similar events will now be run during the Easter holidays.

Chief executive Rob Hattersley said, “Families joined practical hands-on activities to identify and experience real life hazards in the purpose built

centres, including escaping a house fire and dialing 999, and controlling the brakes on a highspeed train.

Sharon Whiston who visited said, “I cannot recommend this enough! Took my six and three year olds and we all learnt a lot!

Will definitely be visiting again.”

Rob thanked the Crumbs Project, Dorset Police, the Fire Service and RNLI for their support.

He added, “Of course, we couldn’t run our skills for life tours without our army of enthusiastic volunteers. I would like thank them so much for all they do to change lives.

“Anyone interested in joining us to help make a difference can email volunteer@safewise.org or phone 01202 591330 to find out more.

ringwood NEWS

Events around Easter An art exhibition by Danny Byrne will be at the Meeting House, Ringwood from 2 March to 14 April.

The local artist and former cartoonist for the Mirror group will be showing his fabulous artwork. He is renowned for his landscapes, portraits, caricatures and cartoons. Byrne’s work has been displayed at The Royal Academy London, Royal Academy West of England and by numerous other prestigious art societies. He also helped judge the mags4dorset school’s art competition in 2016.

Whilst on the art trail, you can call into

Greyfriars, where there is an exhibition by another local artist Michael Blake until 29 March. The centre is open from 9am-5pm and serves coffee in the mornings. Blake specialises in seascapes, landscapes, pet portraits and wildlife.

Back at the Meeting House you can see La Nova Singers on 24 March at 7.30pm and for the jazz fans, there are regular gigs on the second and last Thursday of every month.

Ringwood Library offers a free, fun, interactive storytime for children on 29 March from 3.45pm4.15pm. Parents must stay with their children.

There is no need to book. On 31 March, also at the library is Bright Brick Builders, a free children’s brick building drop-in from 10am12 noon. again, parents and carers must stay with their children.

In the heather by Danny Byrne

Local support for the visually impaired World Glaucoma Week (11-17 March), is an annual global initiative that aims to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye tests to prevent sight loss

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

from glaucoma.

It is supported by many organisations including the Royal National Institute for Blind People.

On a local level it provides the perfect opportunity to consider how sight loss from glaucoma, and other eye conditions, affects people living within our own community.

Any degree of visual impairment can make getting out and about difficult, particularly for older members of society, and can lead to social isolation.

Ringwood and Fordingbridge Club for the Blind has been supporting people locally for many years and is keen to reach those who may be unaware of the club and what it has to offer.

Meetings are on the second and fourth Thursday afternoon of each

month at Greyfriars Activity Centre in Ringwood.

They not only provide an excellent opportunity for a social occasion, but can also offer practical help and advice. Transport within the local area can be arranged.

If you know someone who suffers from any degree of visual impairment who could benefit from joining the club, please get in touch.

Contact Kate on 01425 476568 or Russell on 01425 476618 or you can email rwfbclubforblind@hotmail. co.uk, visit rfcb.co.uk or find the club on Facebook.

ringwood NEWS

It’s

d n u o R l l A s Cheer for

RINGWOOD BREWERY!

40 years ago this month, Ringwood Brewery brewed its first batch of beer. Little did the founder, Peter Austin, know that the smell of hops and malt would still be permeating the air around the town four decades later.

Only 100 yards from the site where the brewery first began, a staggering 220 million pints have been brewed in Ringwood and the notoriety of the brand has won followers from all over the world.

The key principles to the brewery’s success have been to maintain quality and consistency of the beer, to be the beer of choice in the local area and, to make sure that their dedicated and loyal customers know how important they are.

So, a year of celebrations begins for one of the front-runners of the 1970’s micro-

brewing revolution, starting with the launch of their anniversary ale, ‘Seventy Eight’ at the end of March. Seventy Eight was first brewed in 2008 for the brewery’s 30th anniversary and proved so popular that it seemed like the natural tipple of choice for the 40th celebrations. An easy-drinking beer with a refreshing taste, Seventy Eight is a light amber ale which is very recognisable as a member of the Ringwood brand family.

A year of festivities is on the cards for Ringwood and where else would you rather celebrate than in a brewery?!

For more information about the 40th anniversary events and how to join in, please visit www.ringwoodbrewery.co.uk

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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ringwood NEWS

Wow, wow, wow Ringwood!

Belle played by Gina Elward and The Beast played by Nathan Gwynne

Over 130 talented Ringwood School students – from the cast and backstage crew through to the orchestra – staged Disney’s Beauty and the Beast six times between 6 and 10 February.

Playing to full houses, the powerful combinations of singing, acting and dancing stunned audiences who gave multiple standing ovations in each show.

A whole school collaboration, the art department produced the props, and the enchanted objects were made out of Plastazote foam. Food technology made delicious themed canapés, including Mrs Pott’s ginger biscuits.

Ringwood School Sixth Form students Gina Elward and Abbie Hudson shared the role of Belle, and the Beast was played by Sixth Form student Nathan Gwynne. Other lead roles included Gaston played by Fraser Dart; Mrs Potts (Phoebe Gibson and Beth Driscoll); Lumiere (Jacob Skipper); Cogsworth (Craig Newton) and Maurice played by Nathan Searle.

At the end there were many flattering comments from the audience including: “Wow, wow, wow Ringwood! You had us upstanding again after yet another marvellous production. What a team and what a show. Thank you so much.”

The production was supported by the Ringwood School Arts Foundation (RSAF), which works to promote a lifelong love and experience of the performing arts.

VOLUNTEERS

WANTED

Be as bold as brass Even if you have never played a brass instrument before, you are invited to join a new training band in Ringwood.

Set up by Ringwood & Burley Band’s director of music, Lloyd Rayner, this interactive community endeavour begins on 2 March and will run each Friday between 7 and 8pm in the Ebenezer Hall at Greyfriars.

Ringwood & Burley Band has instruments and tuition available.

Those who play as well as non players are welcome. The aim is to present a special concert later in the summer incorporating the main Ringwood & Burley Band and the newly formed training band with special guests from the Royal Artillery Band. For information call 01425 472799 or 07886 767479 or email ringwoodandburleyband@ mail.com.

Ringwood Town Council is looking for local volunteers to join its team of staff and volunteers to help out for a few hours and assist visitors to Ringwood. No experience is necessary but an interest in Ringwood and a friendly, helpful attitude is essential. For more information call Christine Smith on 01425 484725, or email town.council@ringwood.gov.uk.

-advertising feature-

New at the helm at the Red Shoot Nestled in the heart of the stunning New Forest National Park, the Red Shoot is the perfect retreat after a long walk in the location’s beautiful scenery.

New manager, Paul Williams, says, “You can be sure of a warm, country pub welcome from our friendly staff. We serve delicious, fresh, home-cooked food with a selection of pub classics such as Wadworth beer-battered fish and chips to a delicious Hunter’s board with cheddar, honey roast ham, chutney, piccalilli and rustic bread.

Sandwiches and small plates are available too.

“We can get extremely busy at peak times so please contact us to book a table to avoid disappointment.”

Recently the Red Shoot has gained accreditation from the Coeliac Society, and offers a full gluten-free menu.

Wadworth’s cask ales have earned the Red Shoot the Cask Marque. Paul adds, “We are very proud to serve a perfect pint every time.”

There is also a very special microbrewery on site. “It’s where we make the magic happen!” says

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Paul. “Come in and quaff a pint of Tom’s Tipple, Muddy Boot or New Forest Gold. In fact, if you would like to try all three – just ask for a free sample! Please visit our website and see our ‘Beers’ page for more details.

“We are so obsessed with beer that we hold three ale and cider festivals a year, with live music all weekend.”

Dates of upcoming festivals are listed on the Red Shoot’s ‘Events’ page.

Dogs are welcome, and are well looked after with fresh water and treats on the bar.

Children are also very welcome in all areas of the pub and outside patios.

With Paul’s wealth of experience in running food-led pubs, there is no doubt that this will reflect on the continued reputation for excellent food, great beer and a warm friendly welcome.

Paul and his team look forward to welcoming you to the Red Shoot.

ringwood NEWS © Joules clothing

Celebrate Easter in Ringwood Looking for ideas to celebrate Easter in Ringwood? Then join all the stores and staff from The Furlong shopping centre on Friday 30 March (Good Friday) for a host of Easter-themed family fun from 11am–3pm in their open-air courtyard.

Marvel at the amazing Count Backwards as he wows you with his comedy magic show and egg-citing tricks.

Get creative at their Easter craft workshop with the team from The Creation Station. Paint your own flowerpots, make your own bunny masks and help decorate eggs for your family.

Get cosy in Waterstones at one of their captivating Peter Rabbit storytelling sessions.

The Centre supervisor, Lara Faramus, will also be organising a free Easter egg hunt with clues hidden across many of the stores.

The lovely volunteers from Ringwood Waldorf School will also be on hand selling delicious homemade cakes and gifts, helping to raise money for their school.

All the activities put on by The Furlong are absolutely free and are funded by the generosity of their stores.

For full event details visit thefurlong.co.uk

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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ringwood NEWS -advertising feature-

What a difference a day makes Transform your conservatory in less than a day with insulated roof panels

Do you have a conservatory that is unusable during the winter months because it’s too cold or too noisy during bad weather?

In 2010 the planning laws were relaxed and in the majority of cases, you can now fit a solid roof to your conservatory without planning permission. This means better insulation, keeping the room warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and a room that you can use all year round.

Green Space Ltd is a family run company that specialise in transforming conservatories. Their roof panels are lightweight and offer eight times better insulation than a polycarbonate roof.

With U-values of 0.29, they will keep your conservatory at a comfortable temperature all year round. What’s more, the panels are manufactured to measure off site, so installation generally takes less than a day, and Green Space Ltd always aim to ensure that your roof conversion is as non-disruptive as possible.

GreenSpace UK Ltd are very proud to have received over 1000 reviews on Checkatrade and have an average review score of 9.88/10.

Checkatrade runs strict background checks on tradespeople before they can become members. The background checks and public feedback ensure that only reliable and trusted tradespeople get work through Checkatrade.

To read more about Green Space UK Ltd on Checkatrade, go to: www.checkatrade.com/GreenSpace/ To find out how to transform your conservatory in less than a day with confidence, visit www.greenspaceconservatories.co.uk

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

All aboard to Normandy An historian, a linguist, a geographer and 25 bubbly students got onto a coach...

This was the beginning of another Moyles Courts school visit to Normandy, which combined a wide range of cross-curricular activities.

They travelled from Portsmouth to Caen via Brittany Ferries one Tuesday, and stayed in a village on the Normandy coast, close to the famous Juno Beach. On Wednesday, they drove through a snowstorm to visit the stunning Mont St Michel. They walked through cobbled streets with overhanging shops and houses jutting out at haphazard angles above their heads, and climbed the steep steps up onto the ramparts to reach the Abbey and take in the awesome views.

The afternoon was spent visiting the D-Day landings site of Arromanches, where parts of the floating harbour can still be seen, and rounded off the day with a visit to a French supermarket.

On Thursday, they explored the beautiful Medieval cathedral of Bayeux before viewing the world-famous tapestry, and then drove to Caen where they made crêpes and bread at a French cookery school. Délicieux!

The students studying French at IGCSE level were able to use their language skills while exploring the sites and ordering drinks and food.

At the end of each day, all the pupils completed a journal.

The accommodation was comfortable, the food excellent and staff received positive feedback about the courtesy and excellent manners of Moyles Court pupils throughout the trip.

Moyles Court students at Mont St Michel

education NEWS -advertising feature-

Ferndown Upper’s 2017 combined results best in Dorset Recent government league tables have confirmed that Ferndown Upper School’s 4th best GCSE progress score for Dorset (3rd best in comparison to Hampshire), 3rd best A Level result for a state school and 2nd best Vocational A Level result (behind the BTEC School of the Year) has meant that Ferndown Upper School has the highest combined results in Dorset this year, which is an outstanding achievement.* Other highlights are that Ferndown students also achieved the best post-16 Level 2 provision results in Dorset.

For GCSE; Ferndown Upper School’s students’ maths results were the second best in the county, as was the case for the students’ Arts GCSEs. For A Level; Biology, Sociology, Mathematics and Photography all topped the table for A Level results with Art, French, Ethics and Social Care all coming second.

In fact, Alps, an independent performance evaluator, placed the achievement of Ferndown’s A Level students in the top 3% of the country.

Headteacher Philip Jones commented, “As the headteacher of such a high-achieving school, I am very proud of the efforts of all our students and staff. It is their hard work and effort that have made these results possible.”

For more information about the school, visit www.fernup.dorset.sch.uk or call 01202 871243. *GCSE and Vocational A Level positions (Applied General) of all schools in Dorset and A Level result of all state schools.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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health & FITNESS

New day care service for young people aged 18-25

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

D

orset’s disability charity, Diverse Abilities, is launching a new day care service for young people and adults aged 18 - 25 who have profound and multiple learning disabilities with complex medical needs.

The purpose of the new service, named Shapes Transition, is to support young people through the transition to an adult, while also supporting their families.

Those who opt for the service will be supported at Lily’s Place, the charity’s respite home, on weekdays during term time between 9.30am – 3.30pm and will have access to specialist activities and therapies, plus opportunities for trips out into the community.

Launching after Easter, the service will be supporting a number of young people that previously have received respite at Lily’s Place during weekends and overnight, so for them the stability of visiting the respite home is ideal

and important for their development to an adult.

Harrison, age 19, has been supported by the charity since he was 10 and will be accessing Shapes Transition a few days a week. His mum Maddie said, “I looked into adult services for Harrison, but I couldn’t find anywhere suitable for his needs. I was delighted to hear about the new transition service as it means Harrison will have stability as he develops to an adult. Lily’s Place has great facilities for him and

all the staff know him well and his health needs.”

Shapes Transition is managed under Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulations and a CQC registered manager.

Support will also be offered to families for their child to be transitioned over to the Diverse Abilities Adult Services as, and when, they are ready.

You can find out more by contacting Claire Stacey on 01202 718238 or by emailing shapes@ diverseabilities.org.uk

health & FITNESS Escape arthritis pain Ferndown Leisure Centre will be running ESCAPE pain, a proven NHS programme for arthritis that helps people understand their condition.

It’s a rehabilitation programme for people who have suffered with chronic hip and/or knee pain for more than six months, are inactive and aged over 45. It integrates educational self-management and coping strategies with an exercise regimen individualised for each participant.

It is a six-week programme, twice a week, starting Monday 9 April.

Contact joannesinclair@ pfpleisure.org or call 01202 877468 for more information.

Recognising quality care The Endoscopy Team at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital has been awarded Joint Advisory Group (JAG) Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Accreditation for the second year running, demonstrating that the department in Bournemouth meets a stringent set of standards relating to high quality patient care.

The service sees around 15,000 patients each year and consistently receives positive feedback in the Friends and Family Test – on average, 99% of patients would recommend the service.

- advertising feature -

3 months for the price of 2 During March, Ferndown Leisure Centre is offering new joiners three months for the price of two on premium and swim-only memberships.

Premium membership includes: • • • • • • •

Places Locker – the app for quick online booking, to track your moves, join challenges, download programmes and more 14 days advanced booking Your Journey – three free one-to-one sessions with a member of the fitness team Unlimited gym use and classes Unlimited pool use for Just Swim, Fitness and Fun sessions Free use of SWIMTAG – wearable technology to track your swim performance and stroke Receive news and promotional offers.

Swim-only membership includes : • • • • •

Places Locker – the app for quick online booking, to track your moves, join challenges, download programmes and more 14 days advanced booking Unlimited pool use for Just Swim, Fitness and Fun sessions Free use of SWIMTAG – wearable technology to track your swim performance and stroke Receive news and promotional offers.

For more information contact Deana at Ferndown Leisure Centre on 01202 877468 or email deanadudman@pfpleisure.org or visit www.ferndownleisurecentre.co.uk

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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on

i tit

e mp

Would you like the chance to WIN

£100

to spend in one of the shops advertising on this double-page feature? If so, read on...

Co

Easter Bunny on the run…

O

nce upon a time there was a little rabbit called Bobby. He was a very greedy bunny who loved to eat carrots. Bobby loved them so much he wanted to eat them for breakfast, dinner and tea.

One spring night, around Easter, when he and all his brothers and sisters had gone to sleep, he woke up with his tummy rumbling.

Poor Bobby was so hungry he couldn’t even doze. After a while, he decided to sneak out to the farmer’s field and get himself a juicy carrot.

Off he ran without telling Mummy or Daddy Rabbit.

His little heart went pit-a-pat because he had never been out in the dark on his own before.

Luckily he knew the way to the field and dashed along the hedgerow until he reached the gate.

Through the rusty bars he wriggled and into the field. He couldn’t wait to nibble a sweet, tender carrot top before digging down and pulling up a

carrot to take home. But Bobby was about to get the shock of his life. There were no carrots.

Every last one had vanished and just as he realised he would have to go hungry, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps.

Oh no! Thought Bobby. The farmer was after him and he had a gun.

Poor Bobby ran so fast he didn’t see exactly where he was going and suddenly he felt a hard thump on head. He’d run straight into the farmer’s legs.

“What have we here?” boomed the farmer, bending to pick up Bobby, who had nearly knocked himself out. Bobby was sure the farmer would kill him.

Instead the farmer said, “My, my. I do believe it’s the Easter Bunny. I had better let you go, otherwise the children won’t get their Easter eggs.” And very gently, he put Bobby on the ground and let him go.

Bobby couldn’t believe his luck and dashed back to his burrow only to come face to face with a very cross Mummy Bunny.

“Where have you been?” she questioned.

By Janine Pulford “I was starving,” he said. “I went out to find some carrots. I’m sorry.”

She wagged her ears at him. “Hmm. The farmer could have killed you.”

“I know, Mummy. But he let me go. He said he thought I was the Easter Bunny. What does that mean?”

At that moment, Daddy Bunny came into the burrow carrying a heavy basket of chocolate eggs. He slumped down and looked at Mummy Bunny. “I think it’s time I told Bobby about his new job,” he said, “I’m getting too old to be delivering all these Easter eggs and I saw Farmer Jones giving Bobby the Easter Bunny treatment. So, young Bobby, from next year, the job is yours.”

“Does it mean I get to eat carrots?” asked Bobby, by which time all his brothers and sisters had woken up and everyone laughed.

mags4dorset is offering you the chance to win £100 to spend at one of the advertisers on these two pages. All you have to do is answer the following question and state at which establishment you would like to spend your prize:

How did Bobby Bunny nearly knock himself out?

Enter online at www.mags4dorset.co.uk or send your answer to Bobby Bunny, mags4dorset, 1st Floor, King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset. BH21 9EN. Closing date is 29 March 2018. The voucher for £100 must be spent at one of the advertisers on these two pages. You must state where you want to spend the voucher. The voucher will be valid for 30 days from the issue date. The first correct answer drawn will be the winner. Employees of Pulford Publicity Ltd are not permitted to enter. The editor’s decision is final.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 25

pets & WILDLIFE The turning of the seasons…

As winter turns into spring, new life, colours and sounds are emerging.

The first signs of spring are the delicate and iconic snowdrops and daffodils – the first brave enough to bloom. Carpets of bluebells follow in April and May. The skies will not only be brighter, but they will also be noisier, as birds prepare for breeding and start their ‘dawn chorus’.

Butterflies are the next sign of spring. Moths can also be seen early on in the year, and are often mistaken for butterflies.

With the arrival of longer and warmer days, do not presume that wildlife still doesn’t need a helping hand, and keep putting out food and water for the birds, to help them through the colder days. Other tasks for the garden include putting up bird boxes and creating ‘wild’ areas with logs and twigs, and building a compost heap, for wildlife to make a home in your garden.

Get out and about and explore Dorset’s best wild spaces. Plan your visit at www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves.

Upside-down jellyfish bloom after 10 years For the first time in 10 years, a bloom of upside-down jellyfish has been discovered at Weymouth SEA LIFE after curators found them at the bottom of the park’s garden eel tank.

Cassiopea, more commonly known as upside-down jellyfish are rare, so the discovery was a huge surprise.

Displays supervisor Kico Iraola, who found the jellyfish, explains, “We previously kept upside-down jellyfish in the same tank many years ago, so we believe that some polyps, similar to a sea anemone, must have been dormant buried in the tank’s rocks for all these years.”

Something triggered the polyps to breed and produce 65 tiny jellyfish.

The process can go on for days, so it was thought there could be more to follow. The newborns swim around the tank until they find a suitable spot to settle upside-down (hence their name) to capture the sunlight and grow.

Case history from Cedar Vets The case of paracetamol toxicity in ‘Hank’ a 10-month-old, male Doberman.

Hank presented to Cedar Vets, Ringwood, 30 minutes after having eaten a box of his owner’s paracetamol tablets. The naughty boy had taken them off the kitchen counter at home.

Hank was quiet and not his usual boisterous self but his physical examination was otherwise normal. Due to the massive dose ingested and the small possibility that some tablets might still be in his stomach, an injection was given to make him sick. Despite only having eaten the paracetamol recently, no tablets were seen in the vomit – being human medication they had already very rapidly dissolved and got into his bloodstream.

Paracetamol is sometimes prescribed to dogs for pain relief (NB it is NEVER prescribed to cats as it is VERY TOXIC to them at any dose) but Hank had eaten over 50 times the normal dose.

Treatment for paracetamol overdose is much the same as in humans and the human antidote is used in dogs. Hank was admitted to the hospital and started on a fluid drip containing the antidote. A blood test confirmed that Hank’s liver and other organs were continuing to function okay despite the toxic levels of paracetamol. Hank stayed overnight in the hospital and his condition improved. He was okay to go home 36 hours later, but came in regularly over the next week for further bloods tests to check his organs were still all right.

Hank is happily back to good health due to rapid treatment; however, the outcome could have sadly been much worse. Please take real care not to allow your pets to access any human medications as it can have serious life-threatening Hank consequences.

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4DORSET March 2018

verwood NEWS

Council Matters

Community grants for Three Legged Cross 3LX Community Fund has grants available to help fund projects or events to benefit local people.

Application forms are available from Mrs J Reed on 01202 829689 or from Verwood Town Council offices. The grants are thanks to a fund set up by Homeland Solar Farm.

By Cllr Simon Gibson

After months of waiting, the Secretary of State has finally confirmed his decision regarding Local Government Reorganisation in Dorset.

The ‘minded to’ decision announced in January has now been confirmed and allows councillors to proceed with more certainty into the two new unitary councils for Dorset.

I have written about this matter several times over the past few years.

It is, without question, the single biggest decision affecting local government in Dorset and how vital services are delivered.

Regular readers will know that Dorset County Council faces significant budget pressures, as do district councils in the medium term. The choice to move to two councils instead of the current nine will provide

substantial savings and allow money raised through council tax to be spent on what it should be spent on – public services.

Whilst I am pleased that the decision has finally been confirmed, I do note the time that it has taken to get to this point. Work has been going on to ensure that we are as ready as possible, but I believe this would have been much easier if a decision had been made more quickly.

It is now crucial that all councils and councillors engage with the process to make the new authorities as good as they possibly can be.

I have spoken previously about the opportunities that are available from the creation of bigger councils. I believe that this is especially true for housing. The scale of

Cllr Simon Gibson

the new unitary council will allow much more ambition to create the homes that we need, and I will press for this matter to be at the front and centre as we create our new council.

We have been given a great opportunity to create a fresh and innovative approach to delivering services. This new council does save money but, for it to be worth the change, it needs to be about more than just money. By nature, I am an optimist and now it is time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

- advertising feature -

Hop into The Hollow Verwood’s independent family-run café and bistro is changing. Running for the last five years as Plane Cuisine, it was taken over by new owner Laura at the beginning of November and has been re-named The Hollow, to reflect its new, cosy woodland-themed interior.

This has remained a popular venue, serving great coffee and freshly prepared food that is simple and tasty but with added choices on the menu and some subtle changes.

Breakfasts are bigger than before, but at the same price, so a full English is £8.25 and a small one, £5.35, depending on your appetite, and are available all day. There are weekly specials for lunch alongside a regular menu.

If you like a little tipple with your lunch, the premises are licensed, so you can enjoy a glass of wine or bottle of beer with your meal.

On the sweet stakes, there’s a selection of tempting milkshakes and sundaes, and the cakes and pastries are homemade by Laura and Helen on the premises, including some quirky flavoured delicious scones. And, for anyone who is coeliac or gluten sensitive, there is a special menu. With a partner who is coeliac, Laura fully understands the requirements for gluten-free food.

The normal set afternoon tea is a specialty at £14.95 per person, with dainty sandwiches, scones, cakes and tea or coffee. If you can’t quite manage all that, then make your own choice of cake or scone to go with your tea.

All ingredients used at the café/bistro are sourced locally where possible, so meat comes from AW Andrews butchers round the corner, and free-range eggs from the local farm.

For those in a hurry, there is a takeaway menu for a speedy lunch as well as children’s picnic boxes, including a drink for £4.50.

The café is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5pm, and till 4pm on Saturdays. It makes a great place to catch up with family and friends with a welcoming atmosphere, or why not pop in for a coffee, read the paper or make use of the free wifi?

Keep an eye on the Facebook page, The Hollow Cusine, and website, www.thehollowcafe.co.uk, for special offers and quiz nights.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 27

verwood NEWS

Verwood Afternoon Townswomen’s Guild The February guild meeting was a very special one with a magnificent sum being presented to Neal Williams of Macmillan Caring Locally.

This has been the guild’s chosen charity for the past year and the money was raised through many events, including a highly successful Murder Mystery play performed by the ‘Entertainers’ group last summer. Macmillan Caring Locally is an independent local charity established in 1974 to build the current Macmillan Unit at Christchurch Hospital and the money raised will go towards huge improvements in the facilities it can offer to its patients and families.

Speaker Ron Taylor made everyone envious with his talk and slides on ‘South To The Sun’, following his journey through Spain, Portugal and Madeira.

For information about the Guild, ring 01202 827339.

Age Concern Verwood – volunteers needed Volunteers are needed to strengthen the existing team at Age Concern Verwood, a local independent charity run entirely by volunteers caring for the elderly in the community.

At the Day Centre at the Band Hall, Moorlands Road, on Mondays and Wednesdays they provide a venue for the elderly residents of Verwood and the surrounding area and the chance to meet socially.

The type of help that Age Concern needs is for escorts on the minibus, which takes just over one hour per trip around Verwood and for helpers at the Band Hall for a few hours whenever possible.

Please note that the voluntary work is very much of a social nature, such as serving tea and coffee or just chatting, and does not involve any lifting of people or other heavy manual work.

If you think that you can spare an enjoyable and rewarding few hours a week on occasional Mondays and Wednesdays when it suits you and, you would like to make a big difference to people’s quality of life and make new friends, please contact Mark Talbot on 01202 821786 or Gordon Simpkin on 01202 813805. Alternatively email talbot_tz@yahoo.co.uk

LAG FUNDING EVENTS

Do you need funding for projects in the Northern Dorset Local Action Group (LAG) area? These are the categories: support to increase farm productivity; support for micro and small businesses, and farm diversification; support for rural tourism; provision of rural services; support for cultural and heritage activity; support for increasing forestry productivity.

If your project is based in the Northern Dorset LAG area, which includes East Dorset and Christchurch, why not attend a one-to-one surgery to discuss your project ideas and expressions of interest in preparation? Click the map at https://dorsetleader.org.uk/about/ to check the area covered.

Booking is essential and the events take place on 15 March at the Verwood Hub. Other dates and locations are available.

Contact Ellie to book on 01305 225525 or email: e.makin@dorsetcc.gov.uk.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

verwood NEWS Crane Valley seniors end on a high

Highest ever support for events and competitions

Seniors at Crane Valley Golf Club ended the golf club’s 25th year on a high. Outgoing captain, Roger Bonfield, said, “The year saw the greatest ever support for a very full range of competitions and events staged against the backdrop of a still on-going and exciting programme of course improvements and refinements.”

On donning the incoming captain’s blazer for the year ahead, Eddie Gray, promised no let-up in the continuing development of the seniors’ section. He also announced that as a fellow club member had recently been diagnosed with the disease, it seemed fitting that the charity for his year would be the Motor Neurone Society, with an emphasis on support for sufferers in and around East Dorset.

Impact Theatre’s ‘Visitors’ to descend on Verwood venue Award-winning play Visitors

by Barney Norris is on tour with Impact Theatre this spring.

Visitors made its debut in London’s West End in 2014 and Norris garnered much praise for a work that depicts the challenges of

marriage in old age with a level of sensitivity and understanding unexpected from a playwright in his twenties.

Set in rural Salisbury, it is a warm and gentle play dealing with the difficulties of ageing in the family and the agonising speed with which time passes.

Director Patricia Richardson says, “We’re always on the lookout for exceptional plays at Impact, and we were drawn to Visitors because

it contains those magic ingredients of relationships, love and humour, wrapped up in authenticity. We’re working very hard to ensure our production is both entertaining and relatable, so audiences can look forward to a wonderful evening’s entertainment.”

Impact Theatre will be at the Hub, Verwood on Saturday 17 March.

Tickets, costing £12 (£11 concessions), are on sale now at the Hub on 01202 828740.

Verwood Choral Society is 30 Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year are Verwood Choral Society. It is particularly remarkable that the founder of the society, Mrs Ann Mayo, is still the musical director. Ann plans the programmes of music for each concert and conducts the choir at rehearsals every week with the same humour and enthusiasm she has displayed over the past 30 years.

The Choral Society holds two concerts every year, each one raising money for mainly local charities. Since the choir was formed, approximately £20,000 has been raised.

The 30th anniversary concert will be held on 9 June at Verwood Methodist Church, with a special programme.

Currently rehearsals are underway and feature some of the songs sung at concerts from the last 30 years.

The choir has around 40 members. Two of them have been singing in the choir since it was first formed in 1988.

New members are warmly welcomed, though.

The choir meets every Monday at St Michael and All Angels parish church in Verwood at 7.30pm. If you would like more information please contact the chair, Sue at: Sumlon@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 01202 829212.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

verwood NEWS

Verwood helps Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre The #ITSNOTOK Sexual Abuse and Sex Awareness week ran from 5-11 February and received great support, especially in and around Verwood.

The bell-ringers of Wimborne St Giles church, Dawn Moses and her team at the Curtain Cabin in Verwood, as well as Verwood Mayor

Cllr Lindsey Dedden and the town council all got together and gave their support to the campaign.

Representatives from Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre (DRCSC) joined them.

DRCSC is a pan-Dorset charity at present based in Poole near the town centre, but their vision is to eventually develop hubs throughout the county.

The charity began 24 years ago as East Dorset Rape Crisis Helpline run by women volunteers for women and girls who had been raped or sexually abused. In the 1990s the

organisation became Dorset Rape Crisis Line.

In 2011, Ministry of Justice funding enabled it to develop into a centre offering emotional and practical services across the county for women, men, children and young people. These include the helpline, faceto-face counselling and emotional support, and practical support and advocacy. Now called Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre, the grant covers most of the running costs but as the number of

referrals are increasing, they now need more financial support.

DRCSC is affiliated to The Survivor’s Trust (TST), an umbrella organisation supporting those who work with sexual violence throughout the UK. TST and DRCSC are completely independent of government control and the criminal justice system.

DRCSC’s helpline number is 01202 308855, or to make a donation call 01202 308840 or visit the website at www.dorsetrapecrisis.org/

Catch up with the action in town Verwood Local Action Group held their meeting on 12 February when 13 members were present.

There was no police presence as the PCSO was not on duty and currently there is only one PCSO, and, as the sergeant covers a greater area than Verwood it makes visits difficult on some occasions.

The progress of works on Springfield Road has been slow, with drainage issues and other services.

The final surface is hopefully due to be laid in 3-4 weeks from the date of the meeting.

The Blackhill bus stop work has been completed.

Ebblake bridge signage, cones and decking left

from the bridge brickwork rebuild at Christmas need to be removed.

Confirmation had been received that car parking in Verwood is to remain free for the time being.

It was reported that East Dorset District councillors had accepted the minister’s ‘mind to consider’ stance over the unitary authority reorganisation and enabling work is in hand in preparation.

New Verwood Hub audio cinema equipment is planned for installation in March, with an opening event on Friday 20 April.

Regarding the Linden Homes development off Ringwood Road, members

asked for an update as trees on the main road had been removed. There was a discussion regarding the road junction and when work might commence.

One point raised was that the pavement opposite is extremely narrow as the hedging to the cemetery has overgrown the path.

Easter Funday at the Hub Children can join in the Easter fun at Verwood Hub on Thursday 12 April from 1-4pm. Activities will kick off with an Easter egg hunt around the building led by the Hub’s Easter bunny. This will be followed by themed arts and crafts, bouncy castles and a mini disco.

All children participating in the hunt will receive a small chocolate Easter egg. There will also be a prize for the best Easter outfit, so get creative. The team at the Hub are also excited to be joined by Crazy Creatures and all their creepy crawlies.

The cost will be £5.50 per child. To book contact the Hub on 01202 828740.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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foodie NEWS ragus and a Cait’s Sea Bream with Aspa Mussel & Saffron Broth

Ingredients: • • • •

Fillet of sea bream (1 per person) Asparagus spears (5 per person) Potato (1 medium per person) Mussels (10 per person)

Method: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Dice the potato and cook gently for approximately 7 minutes, depending on the size.

Blanch the asparagus spears in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, plunge straight in to ice water to stop cooking.

Pre-heat the grill to maximum.

Rub both sides of the bream with a little rapeseed oil and season with salt and milled black pepper. Place on a baking tray skin side up and place under the grill for about 4 minutes.

Heat a ridged griddle and lay the asparagus on, turning after 1 minute.

• • • •

Saffron (6-8 fronds is plenty) Fresh coriander Rapeseed oil Salt and pepper

6.

Heat a medium-sized pan and add the mussels, steam with the lid on for 2 minutes, add the saffron and season with a small amount of salt and freshly ground pepper. The mussels only need a little salt as they emit salty water when they open.

Place the mussels and potatoes on a deep plate or bowl – you might not need all the mussel broth – carefully place the asparagus spears on top and finally the bream fillet.

Decorate with coriander leaves.

7.

8.

Seafood Secrets FROM

Cait Salanson

A creative culinary expert, Cait Salanson is the founder of award-winning caterers The Little Kitchen Company and owner of The Little Kitchen Bistro in Headbourne Worthy, Winchester. She’s built a reputation for catering excellence through freshly prepared handmade dishes, made using seasonal ingredients drawn from local suppliers. Here she divulges her delicious seafood secrets for baked Sea Bream with Asparagus and a Mussel & Saffron Broth, a perfect dish for Good Friday (30 March).

“Spring is a wonderful time of year to enjoy heart-warming and sensational seafood flavours. Straightforward and easy to prepare, my dish combines local ingredients with freshly caught seafood and a little international spice.

It’s perfect for those who are new to the kitchen or passionate home cooks,’’ says Cait.

A beautiful broth

“For their wonderful flavour and ready availability, I chose mussels as the base ingredient for creating a simply lovely seafood broth. The peak season for fresh mussels

runs from October to March, however, you can buy fresh mussels in their shells all yearround from the chiller cabinet at your local shop. Relatively inexpensive, when buying your mussels, I suggest selecting those with tightly closed shells.

Avoid any that are already open or broken.’’

Sensational saffron

“To enhance the flavours of the broth and spice up the entire dish, I use a small quantity of saffron. Saffron commands a high price, but it is worth every penny for its seductively pungent and distinctive floral aroma. I recommend selecting saffron with deep red fronds and orange tips. This indicates that it is of the very best quality.’’

Brilliant bream

“Sea bream is an ideal centrepiece for this dish.

Baked in four minutes with rapeseed oil and a little salt and pepper, you can enjoy its succulent and choice flesh.

You can buy your sea bream either whole or as fillets. For the freshest fish and the fullest of flavours, I recommend visiting your local fishmonger.

They’ll even prepare, de-scale and fillet your fish for you.’’

Gorgeous greens

“Spring is the prime season for one of the most popular of superfoods, asparagus.

This vegetable tastes great and boasts tons of additional health benefits.

It’s full of anti-oxidants while its anti-inflammatory properties can help with stiff joints and arthritis.

I always purchase my asparagus from local suppliers; situated in the South West, we are truly spoilt for choice. A vibrant ingredient to accompany your seafood dish, avoid overcooking your asparagus by plunging it straight into ice water after boiling.’’

“Now you know the secrets to selecting and preparing the very best ingredients, try recreating this dish at home. Best enjoyed when entertaining family or friends, I guarantee they’ll find this seasonal seafood dish irresistible.’’

To find out more about the Little Kitchen Company, visit: www. thelittlekitchencompany.com

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

foodie NEWS COM P ETITIO

N

Four tasty coffee prizes from Stewarts After introducing the Shutelake range of speciality coffee just under two years ago at the three Stewarts Garden Centres, demand has increased to a point where take-away packs have now been introduced.

Ivan Harris started Poole-based Shutelake Coffee with his family following seven years’ experience in the coffee industry, and now supplies a variety of catering outlets across the UK. Linda Sessions, catering manager at Stewarts, said that whilst it’s obvious that there is a huge demand for wellmade coffees in the UK, the introduction of the blends,

Linda Sessions with Ivan Harris

including decaffeinated, has boosted sales within the Garden Centre cafés.

“Ivan has packaged the popular Olney Blend as a retail product after requests from customers to be able to make it in their own homes. We urge customers to recycle the used coffee to help grow their plants as it’s full of nitrogen, which is great for plants, but not liked by slugs and cats,” said Linda. “The coffee is also enjoyed by our gardening guests annually at our hospitality centre within the New Forest Show.”

Shutelake also provides the barista training for Stewarts’ 80 catering staff and quality checks on

the coffee machines.

Stewarts are also withdrawing takeaway cardboard cups as part of their contribution to recycling initiatives. mags4dorset in conjunction with Stewarts has four prizes of 5 packs of the popular Olney Blend of coffee to give away, plus a free cup of coffee on collection! It’s a definite pick-me-up prize.

For your chance to win, answer the following question: What is the name of the company that provides the Olney Blend to Stewarts Garden Centre cafés?

Enter at www.mags4dorset.co.uk or send a postcard to Coffee Competition, mags4dorset, First Floor King George V Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9EN. Closing date is 29 March 2018. The first four correct answers will be the winners and will have to collect their prize in person at one of the Stewarts centres. Employees of Pulford Publicity and Stewarts are not permitted to enter. The editor’s decision is final. There is no cash alternative.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 33

Bed month prize worth £6,400

Best beach in the UK

B

ournemouth has not only been named as having the best UK beach in the annual TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards but is 5th in Europe and 14th in the world, ranking above beaches in locations world famous for their miles of golden sands and crystal clear waters, including the Seychelles, Australia, Turkey and Sicily.

With stunning views of the Isle of Wight and the Purbecks, Bournemouth’s seven-mile stretch of sandy beach offers something for everyone. The bay also boasts its own micro-climate, giving it some of the warmest sea temperatures in the UK. According to Chris Saunders, head of operations in Tourism Services, this accolade is the result of many factors coming together, not least the commitment of the indefatigable Seafront Team.

“The beaches are raked and cleaned daily to the highest standard, experienced rangers are present year-round to ensure the safety and comfort of visitors, including the operation of the LV= KidZone and the

regular land trains, while RNLI lifeguards are stationed at regular intervals along the beach,” says Chris. “Furthermore, Bournemouth Seafront is benefitting from a series of far-reaching improvements, including the upgrading and landscaping of Pier Approach and a slick, modernised Tourist Information Centre.”

And the beach appeal isn’t restricted to the summer. Bournemouth welcomes over 6 million visitors every year and showcases the extraordinary beaches to their maximum potential with the likes of the Air, and Arts by the Sea festivals.

So if you weren’t quite sure about Bournemouth’s beachy status, you know it now. Portfolio holder for Tourism, Leisure and Arts in Bournemouth, Cllr Pat Oakley, said, “This accolade couldn’t have come at a better time – we’re now working jointly with our colleagues in neighbouring Poole and combined we are able to offer a total of 10 miles of sandy beaches.” Along the 10-mile stretch are eight Blue Flag beaches and Europe’s largest natural harbour.

Exceptional contribution to policing recognised Dorset Police recognised police officers, staff and volunteers for their exceptional contribution to policing at an award ceremony held at Queen Elizabeth’s School, in Wimborne, on 20 February.

Detective Sergeant Paul Chessell received the Dirk Aldous Detective of the Year Award for his work protecting vulnerable people.

The Criminal Justice Award was presented to Carrie Pycroft from the Dorset Live Link Team.

DS Kevin Connolly; Tony Smith; and Constable Antony Megson all received

Chief Constable Debbie Simpson presents award to Constable Antony Megson from Bournemouth

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Various other police officers and staff also received awards. The Public Confidence Award was received by the Communications and Engagement Department.

Head of the department, Nick Cloke, said, “Fortunately the vast majority of people in Dorset will never be a victim of crime, so their confidence is largely based on their perceptions of policing and how we engage with them. A recent Office of National Statistics publication showed that this approach is working, with 87 per cent of people in Dorset now having high confidence in policing – this is the highest percentage in the country.

“Of course, not everyone will think positively about policing all the time, so we have also improved the way the public can give us feedback and how we respond to them.”

He added that he was particularly proud that his team helps keep people safe, through crime prevention campaigns and warnings of crime trends. “…our witness appeals and social media activity has directly led to crimes being solved and vulnerable missing people being found,” he said.

Volunteers were also acknowledged for their dedication to policing. Three members of the Victims’ Bureau in Boscombe received the Volunteer Team of Year Award, and Corfe Mullen Home Watch was awarded the Watch Group of the Year Award for their support to local police and commitment to the residents of Corfe Mullen.

March is National Bed Month and not only is David Phipp House Furnisher of Ferndown offering discounts up to 50% off some leading brands of beds and bedroom furniture, but has teamed up with Vispring to raise money for Julia’s House, the Dorset & Wiltshire children’s hospices. By donating £5 via David Phipp’s JustGiving page, you could win a Vispring 5’ Kensington Divan Set worth £6,400. Your £5 donation entitles you to one entry into the draw; the more you donate the more chances you have to win!

The winner will be randomly selected at 9am on Saturday 31 March 2018. Enter at https://www.justgiving. com/fundraising/david-phipp.

Please note this is not a mags4dorset competition.

Vispring is holding a craftsman day at David Phipp House Furnisher on 15 March to demonstrate the exceptional craftsmanship that goes into making every Vispring bed.

Short-snouted seahorse could be at risk

Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) has objected to the plans to drill an exploratory well for oil six kilometres out to sea in Poole Bay. In a letter written to the Environmental Management Team at the Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the wildlife charity highlights three main concerns: pollution from a ‘blow out’ (such as happened on a much bigger scale in the Gulf of Mexico); drill cuttings dumped on the seabed, and vibration known to damage sea life.

DWT recommends that the effort, time, money and research necessary would be better used to seek alternatives in renewable energy, but at the very least to avoid drilling in this sensitive area.

The exploration zone sits within the boundary of the proposed Solent and Dorset Coast Special Protection Area, and DWT believes oil exploration should not occur within such a Marine Protected Area. There is concern for the short-snouted seahorses, that have been recorded in Poole Bay. DWT is also worried about the timing of the drilling, which is proposed to start during the spawning season of many commercially important fish and long-lived species, including cod, lemon sole, black bream, sand eels and common cuttlefish, potentially causing disturbances to their reproduction cycle. The area is important for commercial fishing and aquaculture (shellfish farms), which would be decimated if there was any pollution.

DWT’s marine conservation officer, Emma Rance said, “Our main area of focus is the impact the drilling will have on marine wildlife and habitats in Poole Bay, many of which will be vulnerable to harm from vibration and noise, and chemicals being released as a result of the exploratory drilling.”

Of particular concern, is the release of drill cuttings into the sea, which DWT sees as being unacceptable and unnecessary.

For more information visit: www.dorsetwildifetrust.org. uk/poolebay_drilling_response.

Short-snouted seahorse © Paul Naylor

Pioneering firefighter transforms US animal rescue New Forest firefighter Jim Green spent a year in America training US authorities whilst being involved in some of the worst weather conditions in California.

O

rganising an internation conference; supporting the veterinary response to a major disaster; rescuing horses and evacuating llamas during an unprecedented wildfire – any one of these may make a normal person balk, but this was just a normal day in the office for animal expert Jim Green.

The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service watch manager from the New Forest has just returned from 12 months in America where he has been training US authorities.

Funded by the University of California he has also commissioned research, helped establish multi-agency collaboration among rescue services, put together plans to improve working practices and proposed changes in state law.

Jim worked as Operational Lead for Incidents Involving Animals Project at the University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine. He created an animal rescue response team within the UC Davis Fire Department and delivered training.

“Firefighters need to understand the risks that distressed animals can pose to their safety and that of the public.”

One of the wettest winters on record

“A large part of my job was teaching the basics of animal handling and psychology and nurturing an understanding of animal issues,” said Jim. “California pet ownership is similar to the UK, so there is a 50 per cent chance that first responders will encounter animals at any incident they attend. Firefighters need to understand the risks that distressed animals can pose to their safety and that of the public.

“They also have to factor in the way people behave when animals are in distress – animal rescue has a huge bearing on the safety of humans.”

Among his proudest achievements was arranging an international conference for 100 delegates from the US and beyond. Animal experts came from as far afield as Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the UK. Jim also devised and led a rescue scenario for 14 Urban Search and Rescue teams taking part in a multi-agency resilience challenge Meeting a Budweiser Clydesdale

called Urban Shield.

The 44-year-old father of two worked closely with the UC Davis Fire Department and spent time with Station 2 Sacramento, one of the busiest in California attracting 6,600 calls on average each year.

During his trip, Jim hosted a visit from firefighter Nikki Bridges, and crew manager James Malcom from Lyndhurst.

Jim added, “On a personal level the year abroad has given me experience of being involved in planning for, and participating in, major incidents of a scale you rarely get in the UK and an insight into the US approach to community resilience and integration of volunteers into emergency response.

“I particularly valued working with the team at UC Davis Fire Dept and Vet school. We ran training for their student veterinary emergency response team throughout the year and I really enjoyed mentoring the next generation of veterinarians who will be supporting firefighters in the future.

“Another highlight was meeting the Budweiser Clydesdales who often called in at the university.”

During the year in California, Jim experienced one of the wettest winters on record. It led to fears of a breach of the Oroville Dam when 200,000 people were evacuated while Jim’s team had to make preparations for the impact on displaced animals in the event of a flood.

And one of the hottest summers

He said the effects of the fires were devastating and animals were injured and displaced. “Huge animal evacuation shelters were set up with more than 600 horses in one alone,” said Jim. “Sadly the fires came through so quickly that many owners did not have time to move their animals as they fled for their lives.”

First responders, veterinarians and volunteer rescue groups worked for days to provide assistance to human and animal victims.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority chairman councillor Chris Carter said, “Hampshire has a proud tradition of attracting the highest standard of firefighters and supporting them to become pioneering experts in their field.

“Jim’s sterling work in California is a reflection of Hampshire’s international pedigree and stellar reputation.

“The work of Jim and his team has fundamentally changed the way animal rescue is carried out and viewed.”

In his career, Jim has responded to about 500 large animal rescues and lists attending a beached whale near Hayling Island, and retrieving a 12ft Burmese python from a car parked at Southampton Common, as among his strangest adventures.

He also experienced one of the hottest summers which led to some of the most devastating wildfires in the state’s history scorching more than 1.3 million acres and, subsequently, deadly mudslides.

Jim and the university’s Veterinary Emergency Response Team were involved in dealing with animal rescues and issues after people had been evacuated from northern California’s wine region.

A friend’s house where Jim had stayed was burned to the ground along with 130 in that road. He was deployed to the nearby city of Santa Rosa where Training about 2,000 homes were lost in one demonstration night.

Jim with Alameda Sheriffs posse at Urban Shield

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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around & ABOUT

what’s on

near you 14 March 7.30pm

Muscliff Garden Club. A practical demonstration on dressing a hanging basket and container with Brian Madders at Muscliff Community Centre, Shillingstone Drive, Bournemouth.

15 March 2pm

U3A Ringwood, talk by Steve Roberts on ‘150 years of the London Underground’ at Greyfriars Community Centre, Ringwood. More info from www.ringwoodu3a.org. uk. Visitors welcome.

15 March

Helena Mace album launch at the Barrington Theatre, Ferndown with special guests Tom Leary, Matt Black, Si Genaro and Matt Griffiths.

Tickets from the box office on 01202 894858.

17 March 10.30am-12pm ‘Preparing for Spring’ practical mini-masterclass on grasses with Neil Lucas at Knoll Gardens. £15. Book online at www.knollgardens.co.uk/ events or in person at the nursery.

17 March 9am-1pm

Dorset Farmers’ Market at The Square, Wimborne

18 March 2.30pm

Plantswoman Derry Watkins will speak at the Dorset Cottage Garden Society meeting at Frampton Village Hall.

Plants for sale and tea and cake served. Entry £5. Doors open 1.45pm. New members welcome with twice-yearly talks plus garden visits. More information from j.daultrey@ btinternet.com

19 March 2pm

St Alban’s Garden Club with talk on container gardening by Brian Madders at St Alban’s Church lounge, Charminster Road, Bournemouth.

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

Details were correct at the time of going to print but readers are advised to check before attending events

20 March 7.30pm

30 March – 15 April

Bournemouth Electronic Organ Society presents concert of popular music by Byron Jones at Queen Elizabeth’s School, Wimborne. Visitors welcome. £5 payable at door. Details: 01202 895254.

Easter Egg Hunt at Kingston Lacy, £2.50 plus normal admission price. Follow bunny’s clues and become a detective to find the eggs. More info: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ kingston-lacy

23 March 7.30pm

2-5 April various times

Bourne2Sing Male Voice Choir performing at the Hub, Brock Way, Verwood in aid of Verwood Day Centre. Tickets £7 available from Day Centre or 01202 828345

21-24 March

The Full Monty at the Regent Centre, Christchurch. With a raucous mix of razor-sharp humour and toe-tapping pizzaz, this upbeat musical comedy is a must see! 01202 499199

24 March 1.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society Spring Show at West Moors Memorial Hall.

24 March 1.30pm

Join local writer Hattie Miles for a walk and talk around Bournemouth for ‘Bournemouth: Crime and the Underworld’ followed by tea, cake and entry to the Russell Cotes Museum. Tickets £16.50, book on 01202 451820 or online at http://russellcotes.com

27 March 7.30pm

West Parley Garden Club with illustrated talk on the Flora and Fauna of Hengistbury Head by ranger Melissa Hoiwell, at Parley Memorial Hall, Christchurch Road, West Parley.

28 March 7.30pm

‘Verwood in Tune’ concert with Matthew Bason on keyboard, piano and accordion at Verwood Hub. Tickets £8 from the Hub on 01202 828740.

New animation film Early Man (PG) by director Nick Park and Aardman, creators of Wallace and Gromit, at the Regent Centre, Christchurch.

Tickets from £6 adults, £5.50 concs, child £5. Book on 01202 499199 or on website www. regentcentre.co.uk

4 April 12 noon

Ferndown Probus Club lunch and talk ‘Sweet & Sour – the story of sugar’ at Dudsbury Golf Club. New members welcome. Contact the secretary on 01202 875757.

9 April 7.30pm

Wimborne Horticultural Society meeting with talk on watercress with slides. Main Hall, Allendale Centre, Wimborne. Members £1, visitors £3.

9 April 2.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society Illustrated talk ‘Nature in Close Up’ by Maurice Pugh at West Moors Memorial Hall.

13 April

Theatre production Gingerbread Man by Stuff and Nonsense with puppetry, live action, music and humour in this well-loved classic tale. At Lighthouse, Poole.

Tickets £10 adults, £8 children, 01202 280000.

14 April 10-12 noon

Grandma’s Attic Sale at Crowe Hill WI Hall (next to Owl Raptor and Reptile Centre), Crow Lane, Ringwood BH24 3EA. Free entry, refreshments available. Details: Claire Skelley 01425 470310.

14 April 10am-4pm

Static scale model show at Parkstone Grammar School, Poole, BH17 7EP with aviation, military, transport, marine and sci-fi models, demonstrations, trade stands, refreshments, free car parking. Admission adults £3.50, children £1. Details: https://poolevikingsblog. wordpress.com.

14 April 2-4pm

Wimborne Horticultural Society Spring Show at the Allendale Centre, Wimborne

16 April 2pm

St Alban’s Garden Club – an illustrated talk about Brownsea Island by Nick Tutton from Dorset Wildlife Trust, at St Alban’s Church Lounge, Charminster Road, Bournemouth.

17 April 7.30pm

Bournemouth Electronic Organ Society presents a concert of popular music by Chiho Sunamoto at Queen Elizabeth’s School, Wimborne. Visitors welcome. £5 payable at door.

Info: 01202 895254.

19 April 2pm

U3A Ringwood talk by Christine Shaw: ‘The Road to Mandalay, Burma’ at Greyfriars Community Centre, Ringwood. More info: www.ringwoodu3a.org. uk. Visitors welcome.

21 April

Coastliners Sea Shanty & Sea Folk Festival, Poole Quay, suitable for the whole family, with music, workshops and more.

22 April 10am-4pm

Beaulieu Boatjumble at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Tickets £9.80, £5 for 1316 year olds, under 12s go free.

See www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/ boatjumble for details to book.

24 April 11-4pm Paws in the park day at Moors Valley with fun games, dog activity areas and stalls. No booking, just turn up at the picnic area by the lake.

24 April 7.30pm A talk on ‘Herbs! More than Just Stuffing Balls’ by Neil Lovesey, proprietor of Picket Lane Nursery, at West Parley Garden Club, Parley Memorial Hall, Christchurch Road, West Parley.

25 April 7.30pm ‘Verwood In Tune’ concert with Pete Shaw on Korg keyboard at The Hub, Verwood. Tickets £8 from the Hub on 01202 828740

27 April 4-6pm Simon Hoare MP is holding an advice surgery in Alderholt. To make an appointment, please e-mail: simon.hoare.mp@ parliament.uk, telephone 01258 452585 or contact Simon at his constituency address: The Stables, Whitecliff Gardens, Blandford Forum, DT11 7BU.

28 April 2pm Music in the Garden with Dorset-based ensemble Gerauschhersteller at Knoll Gardens. Normal admission charge will be donated to the Knoll Gardens Foundation.

28 April Dorset Theatre-Goers’ Club visit to see The Kite Runner at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton. More details from Lynda Maidment on 01305 269892 or visit www. dorsettheatregoersclub.org.uk

2 May 12 noon Ferndown Probus Club lunch and talk ‘Streets of Venice’ at Dudsbury Golf Club. New members welcome. Contact the secretary on 01202 875757

around & ABOUT

See Dippy

D

orset County Museum in Dorchester opened its doors in February to the biggest and most popular exhibit in its 172-year history.

Just prior to the opening, Lorraine Cornish, head of conservation at the Natural History Museum; Jon Murden, director of Dorset County Museum and Sam Rose, CEO, Jurassic Coast Trust were among those in attendance as Philippa Charles, director of the Garfield Weston Foundation passed 11-yearold Harry Swift, the very last piece of this gigantic jigsaw and thereby completing its reconstruction live on BBC Breakfast TV. Harry who attends Fair Oak Junior School in Eastleigh was drawn at random from hundreds of entries to help assist the reconstruction of Dippy

following the move from the Natural History Museum in London, where the dinosaur has entertained crowds for the past 113 years.

For dinosaur fans across the South West, the long wait to visit the 26m long, 4.3m wide and 4.17m high Diplodocus cast is over.

Tickets to visit Dippy are free but are allocated on a firstcome first-served basis with many days completely booked up. Go to: dorsetcountymuseum.org/ dippyontour to reserve your preallocated time slot. He will be in Dorchester until 8 May. Meanwhile, The Jurassic Coast Trust has planned more than 40 family activities including arts and crafts, open-air events and adventures along the famous 95-mile stretch of coastline from Swanage to Exmouth,

that was once home to roaming dinosaurs just like Dippy.

For the full list visit jurassiccoast.org/dippy/

-advertising feature-

Created by you and your friends At Created By You in Fordingbridge there is a 12seat paint your own pottery studio, and a good variety of bisque ware for you to paint.

Trudi and Kirsty will then glaze and fire your item for collection.

You can make party bookings for all occasions.

The business also stocks a lovely range of quality fabrics for quilting and other crafts, including Liberty, Lewis and Irene, and Tilda.

For more information, call 01425 501806.

Made in Ringwood?

Ringwood Musical & Dramatic Society will be staging the hit musical ‘Made in Dagenham’ after Easter.

Based on a true story, ‘Made in Dagenham’ follows the fortunes of feisty women machinists at the Ford Dagenham plant who went on strike in the 1960s in pursuit of equal pay. It’s a wonderfully uplifting – and frequently hilarious – story of triumph over adversity.

As well as women of strong-character, you’ll find chauvinistic husbands, company bosses and union men, a fiery Barbara Castle and a comedy Harold Wilson with their ministerial aides, a sleazy nightclub comedian and dozens of other caricatures from the 1960s – the show has more oomph than a GT Cortina.

Be warned, though: these are factory workers from Essex – their language is often bluer than their Ford company overalls, so the show is not for young children or the easily offended.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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around & ABOUT Win Green, within the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Don’t miss The Illegal Eagles

Cranborne Chase AONB scoops tourism award The South West’s 20 protected landscapes, including the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), have been awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism accolade at the South West Tourism Excellence Awards.

The award was presented at a gala evening, held in Torquay in February.

The South West’s protected landscapes consists of 13 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, two national parks, the South West coast paths, the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site and the UNESCO Global Geopark and Biosphere Reserve. None of these charge an entry fee, yet they remain one of the primary reasons why visitors choose the region as a destination, contributing significantly to the visitor economy.

The award recognises the volunteers and key staff who manage the assets of some of the region’s most beautiful countryside, under the constant pressures of having to retain funding in order to give visitors the best possible experience.

Linda Nunn, director of the Cranborne Chase AONB, said, “We are delighted to be recognised along with the other jewels in the crown of tourism in the South West. We know that the many gems within our own AONB are a magnet for tourists, but this award principally shows that collectively the value of protected landscapes really is appreciated.”

To find out more about some of the places to visit within certain areas of the Cranborne Chase AONB, see www.discovernadder.org.uk/ and www.discoverchalkevalley.org.uk/

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

The Illegal Eagles, the world’s official number one Eagles tribute, return to Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts this month.

This phenomenal group of musicians have been touring for over two decades. Their longevity and continued international acclaim are due in no small part to their extraordinary

mastery of the Eagles’ distinctive sound.

Featuring Hotel California, Take it to the Limit, Life in the Fast Lane, Take It Easy, Lyin’ Eyes, Desperado and plenty more, the band is appearing on 28 March.

Tickets £25. For tickets and information call 01202 280000.

Come and Sing event Vivamente Voices will be holding its fourth annual singing event. ‘Come and Sing!’ is an all-day event with something for everyone, regardless of whether you have any singing experience. The day starts with a fun vocal warm up followed by a choice of workshops, including barbershop and light opera. The festival of singing day concludes with an evening concert showcasing the different singing styles. Confirmed guests are Sing People Sing, The Southern Union Chorus and soloist Chris Head.

The event takes place Saturday 21 April at St John’s Church, Wimborne. Tickets are £25 for the workshops and £5 for the concert (£7 on the door). You don’t need to attend the day event to enjoy the concert.

Vivamente Voices supports a different choir each year with proceeds from this year’s event being donated to the mental health charity SWOP (Sheltered Work Opportunities Project).

Information and booking is on the website at: www.vivamentevoices. org.uk, or by contacting Sheila Dursley at vivamentevoices@gmail.com or on 01202 881324.

around & ABOUT Women take up the reins of Dorset Agricultural Society

Nicola Ralph, vice-chair, and Rebecca Hill, chair of Dorset Agricultural Society

Dorset Agricultural Society has elected a female chair for the first time in its 178-year history.

Rebecca Hill has taken over the role as chair of the society for 2018 and 2019, while Nicola Ralph has become the first female vice-chair. This is the first time that the senior roles at the society have been taken by women to create an all-female top team.

The society was formed in 1840 and is responsible for organising some of Dorset’s most recognisable agricultural events; including Dorset County Show, which attracts 60,000 people across the two-day event, taking place from 1-2 September 2018.

Rebecca Hill has been involved with the Dorset County Show throughout her life, including becoming a trustee of the management board, and follows in her father John’s footsteps, as a former chair and then ground chairman of the society.

Nicola Ralph joins as vice-chair, having been involved with the show for more than 40 years, including serving as homecraft chair, after being brought up as part of a farming family near Dorchester. Outside of the society, Nicola works as a head teacher at two primary schools in Dorset.

Throughout the remainder of the year, Dorset Agricultural Society runs the Spring Show, which takes place on Sunday 25 March, as well as a flock competition, sheep dog trials and a ploughing match. For more information visit Dorsetcountyshow.co.uk

See Jane Austen at Home You can discover Jane Austen at Home, at the Regent Centre, Christchurch on 12 April when Dr Lucy Worsley will be giving her insight into the woman behind some of the nation’s favourite tales.

Lucy Worsley is passionate about making history engaging to the widest possible audience and was described as ‘The undisputed Queen of TV history’ by The Guardian.

Her new biography of Jane Austen will be published in May next year and takes a fresh look at Jane Austen’s life from the perspective of her bi-centenary. It considers what home meant to Jane, and tells her story through the rooms, spaces, possessions and places that mattered to her. Dispelling the myth of the cynical, lonely spinster, Lucy instead offers us a witty and passionate woman of her time, who refused to settle for anything less than Mr Darcy.

Lucy is chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces.

She is a popular writer, broadcaster and speaker.

Tickets are £26, with concessions at £24 and are available at the Regent Centre’s box office on 01202 499199.

Lucy Worsley

Photo by Sophia Spring, © Hodder & Stoughton 2016

SFHT Dragon Boat Charity Challenge 2018 The Stable Family Home Trust based at Bisterne, near Ringwood, is taking part in the Poole Park Dragon Boat Charity Challenge on Saturday 5 May. The Trust needs lots of teams to sign up and raise funds for the people with a learning disability that they support, to enable them to learn new skills that give them the opportunity to lead more independent lifestyles and perhaps find employment, too.

This is a fun event and a great team building opportunity. No experience is necessary and all equipment, instruction and safety training is provided on the day. Just get your team together – 16 paddlers and 1 drummer for each boat – and go to the Stable Family Home Trust’s website to register your team and set up your fundraising page at http://sfht.org.uk/ dragon.

For more information about this event please contact Tracey Hickford on 01425 485081 or email traceyhickford@sfht.org.uk.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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Rose Wilde and Roisin (in white) with referee Brooking Roffee

Celebrating World Book Day

Fightstar Pro Wrestling at the Barrington Pictures and words by Tom Scrase

‘The original’ Jay Knox

How do you fill the Barrington Theatre with a ring? With the Fightstar Pro Wrestling ring of course.

Drawing quite a crowd on 25 February, this championship tournament set the stage for an evening of action. There was great audience involvement and youngsters chanting, which created a real atmosphere.

Some got into the spirit of the show by wearing wrestling masks.

Following the semi final, ‘The Original’ Jay Knox became the first ever Fightstar Pro Wrestling Champion after beating Kronos.

Other matches saw Rose Wile get disqualified in her debut match against Roisin; the debut of the colourful Leapfrog and Red Eagle, and Ricardo Borg and Freakshow in a handicap match.

Fightstar Pro Wrestling returns to the Barrington of Friday 4 May, when champion Jay Knox will be seen in a last man standing match against the Portuguese sensation Red Eagle. There will be more ladies action and a tag team match.

Murder, mystery and more The Fordingbridge Twinning Association held its 22nd annual mystery evening in February with great success.

The next event is the AGM on 26 April. On 21 June the Sandy Boules competition will take place followed by the annual visit to Vimoutiers in October. For further details about these twinning events, or to join the association, call Derek Ayling on 01425 650770, or email hippotrain@ btinternet.com.

Wig powder, matches and wine!

Man attacked after confronting vandals

A

man in Pennington was attacked after he confronted a group of youths who were vandalising his front fence.

The 64-year-old approached the youths sometime between 9.20 and 9.50pm on 23 February in Wainsford Close. They turned on the victim and got him to the ground before kicking and

punching him repeatedly and throwing a bike at him.

He retreated into his house and called the police. As he was doing so, the youths smashed a window to his house using a garden ornament and vandalised his cars.

Detective Constable Emma Cooke said, “The victim was viciously attacked along with his property and we want to

find those responsible as soon as possible. I’d urge anyone with information about the crime or who witnessed it to call the Western Investigation Team on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Two boys aged 16, and one aged 17 were arrested.

All three have been released but remain under investigation.

The Kast off Kinks at The Barrington Centre Review and photographs by Tom Scrase “Not to be missed” I was told, so my expectations were high.

The Kast off Kinks feature three former members of the legendary band: Mick Avory (drummer with the Kinks), John Dalton (bass/vocals) and Ian Gibbons (keyboards/vocals), with Dave Clarke.

The show was nothing short of superb and included all the great classics: Waterloo Sunset, Dedicated Follower of Fashion, Sunny Afternoon, Lola, and You

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

As part of our World Book Day celebrations, Moyles Court were 1 March 2018 delighted to welcome Kate Scott, a talented writer whose poetry has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Her works include her latest book Giant, The Catapult Kids stories and a range of tales, which can also be found within the Oxford Reading Tree collection. Kate delivered a range of engaging drama and writing interactive workshops to children in all year groups, from Reception to Year 6.

Junior School leader Mr Jamal Babur, said, “These fun activities were enjoyed by all and helped teach our pupils about the importance of literacy, including reading and writing, as well as how fun these areas can be for everyone.

“The children were also delighted to receive their signed copies of her latest book, Giant and I am sure they will all enjoy reading this big-hearted and funny story.”

Really Got Me as well as the odd punk and country and western tune.

The musicians shone, none more so than Mick Avory whose drum solo was unforgettable.

Anyone wanting a great night out, this is truly an act not to be missed. Playing to a full house at the Barrington, it was also great to see the audience up and dancing, and signing the band off with a standing ovation.

Guest speaker Phoebe Merrick will give a talk at the March meeting of the Ringwood Group of the Hampshire Genealogical Society with the unusual title of ‘Wig powder, Matches and Wine, the Excise at work in the 1700s’. It will take place at the Greyfriars Community Centre in Ringwood on Wednesday 21 March at 7.30pm. All welcome. For further information contact Paul Pinhorne on 07982 257510 or email ringwood@hgs-online.org.uk

Guinness World Record attempt The Dorset Destroyers Wheelchair Rugby Club will be attempting a 24-hour+ marathon event at Rossmore Leisure Centre in Poole. It is thought to be the first British attempt. The club is aiming to get into the Guinness Book of Records by beating the current record held in Poland.

4com is sponsoring the event and Rossmore Leisure Centre has donated its hall hire for free. Any money raised will go towards the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund, Cakes 4 Casualties and the Destroyers. Starting at 1pm on Saturday 17 March, it will run until at least 2.30pm on Sunday 18 March. Supporters welcome.

Valentine’s love for local charity with pendant prize The Dorset Children’s Foundation received more than love from the community on Valentine’s Day. Forum Jewellers in Broadstone invited visitors to the store to write a message to their loved one on a heart and tie it outside the shop for all to see, whilst making a donation to the charity. The winner, Michelle Dashwood, wrote a love message for her husband Bob and was the lucky heart drawn at random. She won a diamond pendant worth £750.

Meanwhile, the amount raised for the

charity was £358.71.

Patsy Hallmey from The Dorset Children’s Foundation said, “We are extremely grateful both to Forum Jewellers and the generous community in Broadstone.”

The Dorset Children’s Foundation helps to improve the lives of local sick and disabled children.

motoring NEWS

Vehicle recalls and faults

Investment rolls out new fleet for spring

In December 2017 there were 10 vehicle, part or accessory recalls listed by the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) relating to different makes and models of vehicles.

If you find a serious safety defect that affects your vehicle, one of its parts or an accessory, you should report it to the manufacturer immediately. A serious safety defect is something about the way the vehicle is designed or made that’s likely to cause injury or death, or that happens suddenly and without warning.

If you’re not happy with how the manufacturer is dealing with your report, tell the DVSA. You can report a serious safety defect at www.gov.uk/vehicle-recallsand-faults/report-a-serious-safety-defect.

If your vehicle is recalled for a safety reason, you should be sent a letter by the manufacturer telling you why it’s being recalled, what you need to do and who you should contact. You won’t usually have to pay for any repairs or parts under a safety recall.

If the manufacturer doesn’t have your contact details, you can check if a vehicle model, part or accessory has been recalled at: https://www.gov.uk/ check-vehicle-recall.

Problems aren’t classed as a serious safety defect if: • they can be found during routine maintenance and servicing • you’re warned about them by warning lights, noticeable changes in handling and unusual noises • they’re caused by you misusing the vehicle, eg overloading your vehicle causing a tyre failure.

Abacus, the Ferndown and Andover vehicle hire specialist, has announced a £850,000 investment to their motorhome hire fleet with 19 new vehicles being added to the rental fleet for 2018.

This is to replace existing models that have now reached over two years old. Now in its 12th year that the company has been renting motorhomes, they have experienced an increase in sales exceeding 10%.

Jon Clayton, manager of the Abacus motorhome division, said, ”The new motorhome fleet arriving in March will include 2-6 berth vehicles from two major manufactures, Bailey and Adria, and take the fleet size to 50.

Forward booking has already started for events including Goodwood Festival of Speed, F1, and other festivals, proving that demand will continue in 2018. This is also aided by poor exchange rates encouraging staycation-based holidays. Prices have also been frozen from last year adding to the growth in business.

Some motorhomes are available for dog owners to hire.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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specialist SERVICES AERIAL & SATELLITE INSTALLERS

AERIAL & SATELLITE INSTALLERS

BLINDS & CURTAINS

BUILDING SERVICES

DISABILITY PRODUCTS

DECORATING

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

AIRPORT TRANSFERS

CARPENTRY

CARAVAN ACCESSORIES

DECORATING

DRAIN SERVICES

specialist SERVICES FENCING

FENCING

FENCING

GARDENING SERVICES

LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING

LOCKSMITH

MOTORHOME ACCESSORIES

FLOORING

MAINTENANCE

LOGS

TREE SURGERY

TREE SURGERY

TREE SURGERY

WINDOW REPAIRS

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

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| 45

Dorset Police Drone Courses Dorset Police is offering ‘safer drone’ courses to help members of the public make sensible and legal choices when flying their drone.

Upcoming course dates are: • Saturday 7 April – Bournemouth, 9am-12pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm • Saturday 16 June – Poole, 9am-12pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm • Sunday 15 July – Ferndown, 9am-12pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm The topics covered include the law, pilot responsibilities, privacy, and the drone code and are led by police drone operators. The course costs £20 for a 3-hour workshop, including refreshments and a certificate. Minimum age of attendees is 12 (under 16s need to be accompanied by an adult but only the child pays).

For more information and to sign up, email: saferdrones@dorset.pnn.police.uk.

East Dorset and Ringwood National Health Service Retirement Fellowship The NHSRF aims to support its members through social, leisure, educational and welfare activities.

A member can be anyone who has retired from working for the NHS, retired from working for a related or private health service organisation, from a caring profession, or are working or have worked on a voluntary basis within the NHS. They offer friendship and fellowship, monthly meetings with a visiting speaker or

incorporating members’ days, regular outings to places of interest and organised walks, lunches out and opportunities for members to socialise.

Speakers and topics already arranged for 2018 include Valerie Young (Bletchley Park), Trevor Fulton (Impressions of Russia), Kathy McNally (Mata Hari), James Webb (Priests House Museum), Rosemary Legrand (South Island of New Zealand)

and Ruth Alinek (Victims Support), with a visit to the Supreme Court and Banqueting House in London being planned.

The group meets at 10am on the second Tuesday of each month at St Leonards Village Hall, Braeside Road, BH24 2PH. For a friendly chat and further information, contact the membership secretary, Deirdre, on 01425 472940 or email the secretary, Jenny, at: joh2lou@talktalk.net.

FREEADS

If you wish to advertise in this section, complete the

Proceed with caution when buying privately.

MAGS4DORSET cannot accept any liablity for transactions carried out as a result of responding to these freeads.

Pavilion, Peter Grant Way, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9EN.

York cross trainer, good condition £70. Charlton Marshall, nr Blandford. 01258 480403 Haynes manual for Ford KA petrol (03-08), vgc £9.50 (+P&P £3.40 if delivery required).

Fordingbridge. 07867 813213 Horseriding body protector to fit small adult. £20. Ferndown. 01202 895726 Singer industrial sewing machine (head only) ideal for shop window display £35. West Moors.

01202 895398 Trailer 6’ x 4’ with wooden DIY top £150. Ashley Heath. 01425 477749 40-litre caravan aquaroll, £40. Alderholt. 01425 650220 Triple phone with answerphone as new £40.

Fordingbridge area. 01725 512383 Printer inks Epson Cheetah 2 black, 2 cyan, 2 magenta, 2 yellow. £35. Verwood. 01202 827212 BSA folding bicycle, 1970s-80s, 3-speed, rack, stand. Works okay, needs a little tlc. £45 ono.

Wimborne. 01202 891492 Brand new Pyramid caravan awning 925-950 £200. Corfe Mullen. 07907 333972 Rollator Drive Migo. £25. Verwood. 01202 822690 Brand new kingsize duvet. £40. Verwood. 01202 826153 20 books, all easy-read novels by various writers £8. Ladies’ slippers size 3, good condition, nearly new £3. West Moors. 01202 890097 Dimplex Living Fire 1/2Kw, in very good order £20. Ashley Heath. 01425 471868 Belling induction hob, only 4 months old, genuine reason for sale. £90 ono. West Moors.

01202 890418

Ladies’ golf clubs, woods and irons, stand, bag and rain-cover, great for beginner, £75. West Moors. 01202 895682 Five-bar wooden gate with hinge brackets, catches and eyebolts, vgc 11ft 3in x 4ft high. £50.

St Leonards. 01202 896688

form and send to mags4dorset, 1st Floor, King George V Free insertions limited to two items per person. Trade adverts must be paid for £30 per item plus VAT, max 25 words.

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Fish tank with pump and light 330cm x 130cm x 110cm high. Purchaser must collect. Only £10.

Ferndown. 07818 411248

....................................................................................................

Screen for slide/film presentation 48” x 48” on tripod stand, £5. New Milton. 01425 623588

Item for Sale (short description max 25 words):....................

Theraposture automatic adjustable bed with massage unit. Any inspection welcomed. £50.

Ashley Heath. 01425 472930

....................................................................................................

Single adjustable bed, with combination mattress, drawer and 3ft headboard. £300.

Bournemouth. 01202 294085 Heavy duty ladders, linked aluminium, 2 x 12ft approx. £30. Ashley Heath. 01425 489560 Denby Arabesque dinner set, 6 coffee cups and saucers, 2pt teapot. Will sell separate items.

Offers. Christchurch. 01202 478277 Office chair, height adjustable and desk vgc. £5 each. Ferndown. 01202 855457

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Roberts clock/radio, dual alarm, CD, snooze button and instruction book. Good condition £32.50. Wimborne. 01202 886611

I confirm I am not a tradesperson | I am a tradesperson and enclose a

Blankets, Merino wool and others, double, in cream, pink and blue. £7 each, as new. Kilner jars, 30 original and dual purpose, sized 3lb, 2lb, 1lb, some rubber seals available, £50.

Broadstone. 01202 699574

Signature …...................................................

Chicago golf bag and clubs, hardly used. £50.

Bamboo roll-up blind in original packaging 160x90cm, trim to size £5, rotary garden clothes dryer £5. Ferndown 01202 873411

cheque for £36 PER ITEM including VAT

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Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements

March 2018

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VIEWPOINT March 2018

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