Salisbury & Avon Gazette - Issue 36

Queen addresses King’s diagnosis at a charity concert in the Cathedral

THE Queen was in Salisbury last night (February 8) in her first public appearance since King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.

Queen Camilla spoke at a charity concert featuring pianist Rupert Egerton-Smith, The Band of The Grenadier Guards and The Band and Bugles of The Rifles.

And she addressed Monday’s news of the King’s cancer diagnosis.

“He is very touched by all of the letters and messages the public have been sending from everywhere,” she said.

During her visit, the Queen also met representatives from charities including Wiltshire Air Ambulance, which she is a patron of, and the Colonel’s Fund Grenadier Guards.

A number of Wiltshire charities celebrated their work at a musical evening attended by Her Majesty The Queen at Salisbury Cathedral on Thursday, February 8.

Attended by over 1,200 people, the event will help to support the work of The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust, Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Community First’s youth arm, Youth Action Wiltshire, along with the military charities, The Colonel’s Fund and The Rifles Benevolent Trust. In total, the event raised over £105,000.

All of the charities share a close association with Her Majesty The Queen, who enjoyed the performance from the front row at the historic Salisbury Cathedral.

Emily Tulloch, one of the concert’s lead organisers, said: “It was a stunning evening and I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has helped to make this night become a reality.

“Thank you to all the partners who supported the event, staff and volunteers from the charities, the performers, Salisbury Cathedral staff and everyone who bought a ticket to

attend the concert.”

The funds raised will directly benefit the charitable organisations, who provide long-standing services in the community.

The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust was established in 1998 to work in partnership with Wiltshire Police to provide a home security service. The mission of the charity is to help elderly or vulnerable people who have been victims of, or are at risk of, house crime, hate crime, domestic abuse or fire.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance provides Helicopter Emergency Medical Services across Wiltshire, Bath and surrounding areas. The charity has been saving lives since 1990, operating up to 19 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Youth Action Wiltshire is the national award-winning ‘youth arm’ of Wiltshire-based charity Community First. The service offers support for young carers, young people facing challenges in their lives, young victims of crime and young people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET).

Community First also offers programmes and services which support people, places and communities, including community development, grants and employability programmes.

Following the charity concert, The Queen attended a private concert, compered by Paul Martin, host of BBC’s Flog It!.

From top: Grenadier Guards bandmaster Robert Smith, The Queen, pianist Rupert EgertonSmith, bandmaster Alexandra Nixon; The Queen arrives at the Cathedral, with Wiltshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Sarah Troughton in attendance; The Queen meets Ben Abbott, Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s critical care paramedic, watched by medical director Maria Smith; The Band and Bugles of The Rifles perform at a packed Salisbury Cathedral Credit Finnbarr Webster

Mayor expelled from Conservatives for alleged anti-Semitic messages

THE Mayor of Salisbury has been expelled from the Conservative party over “offensive and inappropriate” remarks.

Councillor Atiqul Hoque (Con, St Edmund’s), who has been city mayor since May, is understood to have made comments on WhatsApp and social media reported as being anti-Semitic.

Cllr Hoque’s reported expulsion comes as the Labour party nationally is engulfed in an anti-Semitism row of its own, after two candidates in upcoming by-elections were suspended from the party over comments allegedly made at a meeting.

The story broke when The Salisbury Conservative Association reported that it had received a formal complaint about “offensive and inappropriate comments” by

Salisbury mayor Atiqul Hoque on social media and WhatsApp.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Hoque said: “There is no truth whatsoever in the allegations.”

“I will be fighting to clear my name,” he added.

Talking to the BBC, a spokesman for The Salisbury

Cathedral pancake races prove a big draw on Shrove Tuesday

DOZENS turned out for a flipping great time at Salisbury Cathedral’s pancake races.

The cathedral cloisters were the track for the Shrove Tuesday event, with councillors, residents and more joining the contests.

Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Aitqul Hoque, was on hand to start the races, with city MP John Glen (Con, Salisbury) part of the finishing-line team.

“Delighted to attend the annual pancake event organised by Salisbury Foodbank with the support of St Thomas’s Church to raise money and awareness for thousands with food insecurity,” the mayor said.

Conservative Association said that the party was “committed to upholding the values of tolerance, diversity, and respect”.

And that they had “initiated a thorough investigation, in accordance with our robust complaints process”.

“Following a careful

examination of the evidence, it has been determined that councillor Hoque’s comments are in clear breach of the standards expected from individuals holding public office.

“We take such matters seriously and prioritise the maintenance of high ethical standards and values within our party,” he added.

“The complaints process allows individuals the opportunity to present their perspective and “allows for a fair and impartial assessment of the situation”, he said.

Mr Hoque immediately addressed the allegations. He said he had “nothing to hide”, stating he was innocent of all allegations of anti-Semitism.

It is understood that Mr Hoque intends to continue in his role as mayor, as an independent councillor.

Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Atiqul Hoque, pictured at the recent pancake races held at Salisbury Cathedral Credit: Spencer Mulholland

Wiltshire Council announced as finalists for three national awards

WILTSHIRE Council has been announced as finalists for three categories in the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Awards 2024.

The council has been shortlisted for campaign of the year, the housing category and medium team of the year in the awards which exist to identify, showcase and celebrate the finest examples of innovation and quality delivered by councils.

The council’s approach to increasing affordable housing in Wiltshire has been shortlisted in the housing category. The council has set up its own housing company, Stone Circle, to prioritise the provision of homes to the most vulnerable.

The Coroner Support Service has been shortlisted for Medium Team of the Year. The collection of the deceased from within the community is a statutory requirement for local authorities.

In Wiltshire and Swindon, this service is normally undertaken by funeral directors on a contract basis. The council found an innovative solution to

bring this service in-house and provide high levels of service and value for taxpayers, and employed 11 experienced funeral director staff.

The new service started on July 1 2023, with five full-time staff and six casual hours staff providing sensitive and discreet care to collect bodies in all kinds of circumstances. Working closely with hospitals, the team designed new workflow processes, with supporting record management, to ensure that there was a clear and robust audit trail provided through every element of the process.

A mortuary, managed by the team, was installed at a council site and purpose-adapted private ambulances with a range of patient transfer equipment were sourced at short notice.

The council’s Recycling: Let’s Sort It campaign to reduce incorrect items being sent to household recycling centres has been shortlisted for campaign of the year.

In the first quarter of 2022/23 around 18% of the recycling materials sent to the processing

facility were rejected as contamination, costing around £690,000 per year.

The campaign was launched in February 2023, and by March there had already been a significant decrease in incorrect items from 18% to 10.3%, representing a cost equivalent saving of around £383,000. By October, the rate of incorrect items being sent to household recycling centres had decreased even further to 8.5%.

Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “We know Wiltshire Council leads the way in providing innovative and high-quality services to our communities and being shortlisted for three prestigious national awards is recognition of the progress so far.

“There’s never been a more challenging time in local government but these awards provide a platform to showcase the important work being undertaken across the services we deliver, and to inspire and be inspired by the innovative approaches taken by other local authorities.

“Being shortlisted in these highly competitive categories demonstrates the breadth of talent and dedication across the council to deliver our Business Plan which sets out a clear long-term vision for Wiltshire and has enabled us to maintain a strong financial position and high quality of service, especially at a time when many local authorities are facing challenges to do this.”

The award winners will be announced on June 12 2024.

Pint-sized pony delivers gallons of joy to care home

RESIDENTS and staff at Milford House Care Home in Salisbury fell in love with Mr Kelloggs the therapy horse when he paid them a visit recently.

Mr Kelloggs, who is nine-years-old and stands at just 29 inches high, is described as the sweetest, gentlest character who has been visiting and bringing smiles and joy wherever he goes since he was six-months-old.

With his handlers from Linking Hearts Therapy Horses and looking spruce with a beautifully brushed mane, plait and wearing his little boots, Mr Kelloggs visited Milford

House’s residents, whether in the communal areas or in their own rooms.

Gemma Hicks, general manager at Milford House, said: “What a special afternoon this was. Mr Kelloggs was a delight and the residents responded to his relaxed and gentle demeanour; they couldn’t get enough of him.

“It was wonderful to see the way that he was able to bring a smile to faces and lift the spirits of everyone he visited, and being so small, he was able to interact with everyone and tour

the home with ease.

“Animals are always hugely popular visitors to Milford House and give a real boost to overall well-being and Mr Kelloggs and his support team were just superb.

“Residents and staff haven’t stopped talking about the afternoon and we are already trying to see when he can come again.”

As one resident commented: “What a treat that was, Mr Kelloggs was just so sweet and looked so adorable in his booties.

“I loved his gorgeous long mane. I hope he comes again very soon.”

Top: Mr Kelloggs with one of the residents, and below: with staff members

Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council

Village publican to trek 300km for children’s charity

A WYLYE Valley publican is planning to hike from coast to coast to raise money for a children’s charity.

David, who along with his family run the Bell Inn at Wylye and the Carriers Arms in Stockton is embarking on the 310km walk to raise funds for The Wylye Valley Disabled Children’s Charity (WVDCC) – a charity which hosts retreats for disabled children and their caregivers in the Wylye countryside.

“They are a fantastic charity who are close to our hearts,” said David.

“My wife, Karen, spent the last decade of her professional career teaching in a SEN school and has first-hand knowledge of the amazing work charities such as the WVDCC do and the massive impact they have on the well-being of the children and families they help.”

David will be embarking on the coast to cost path hike with Jet, a black rescue lurcher who has become a bit of a fan favourite at the pub.

“Our locals are always making a big fuss out of him with treats and toys – this is his chance to give back to the community.”

The charity walk is scheduled to coincide with a

temporary closure of the Carriers while the owners give the bar and its guest rooms a bit of a face lift.

“These old buildings are glorious, but they do require some TLC.”

But the timing is not quite perfect: “The Bell has been nominated for Wiltshire pub of the year and the awards ceremony happens to clash with the hike.

“So while the rest of the family are suited and booted and enjoying a wonderful evening in Devizes, I will more than likely be dining on a tin of baked beans in my waterproofs,” David said with a wry smile.

“We have hosted a carolling evening in aid of the VWDCC every year at the Carriers but wanted to do a little extra this year.

“I’m not sure how many miles are left in these knees so best to make each one count.”

People who want to support David’s endeavour and the fantastic charity he is raising money for can donate in person at either the Bell or the Carriers or online at the link below.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ davids-hike-for-the-wvdisabled-childrens-charity

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When you establish a living trust, you typically designate yourself as the trustee, thus maintaining control over the assets and allowing you to continue using and managing them as you did before. Should you move home the trust stays in place and protects your new residence. The effectiveness of a living trust in achieving your specific goals will depend on your individual circumstances. Oakwood Wills offer a free consultation in the privacy of our own home.

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The Bell Inn, Wylye

Man charged with 50 driving offences during Project Zero

A MAN was arrested and charged with drink-driving as more than 50 offences were detected by police during a Valentine’s Day operation.

Officers from Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit were in Amesbury on the morning of February 14 as part of Project Zero.

Project Zero sees officers targeting drivers committing any of the fatal five offences, in a bid to reduce the number of casualties on our roads. They are; driving at excess speed, drink/drug driving, using a phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, or driving in a careless or dangerous manner.

And in Amesbury, a toal of 53 offences were detected, including a driver who was stopped for using a mobile phone whist driving a Volkswagen Crafter in Countess Road.

The man, in his 40s, then failed a roadside drug wipe test and was arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

Another driver – a man in his 60s – was arrested and charged with drink driving after his vehicle was stopped in Lords Croft. He is due in Salisbury Magistrates Court on March 12.

A/Insp Will Ayres said: “It’s always disappointing to see this type of offending on our roads - it is this type of behaviour which is most likely to contribute to a serious or fatal collision.

“The team will continue to patrol the roads of Wiltshire targeting those most likely to cause harm on the roads.”

Children in hospital set for new adventures thanks to VR headset

CHILDREN in hospital can be transported into space and even go on safari with a new virtual reality headset.

State-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) therapy equipment, costing £6,000, has been funded by the Stars Appeal, Salisbury Hospital’s Charity.

It is now helping young people on the Sarum Children’s Ward at Salisbury Hospital to feel calmer and make their time in hospital more fun.

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

Seven-year-old Khloe Mann, from Durrington, was able to get up close to her favourite animals during an African safari thanks to the specialist VR kit when she was on the children’s ward at the end of last year.

“The VR headset was really good. There were lots of different kinds of animals to see,” she said.

“It was really exciting; my favourite animals were the lions. It made me feel calm and relaxed.”

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

Arya Smith, nine, from Wilton, tried out the games on the VR headset when she was in hospital and said the games were “cool”. It’s fun playing the games,” she added.

Her mum, Lorna, said: “It’s great to have something like this, which can be taken to their bedside.

“It gives them something to keep their minds busy while they are in hospital. Thank you very much to all the Stars Appeal supporters for making Arya’s stay more pleasant.”

The specialist therapy

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

Sarum Ward play specialist, Natasha Long, said: “The virtual reality therapy kit has made such a massive difference to children on Sarum Ward.

“It is a brilliant distraction for the children especially when they are being treated and having procedures like blood tests which, in some instances, we would have struggled to get without the therapy headset.

“It has a calming effect and immerses the children into a different world. Thank you to Stars Appeal supporters for giving us the opportunity to make the children’s time in hospital less scary and more fun and enjoyable.”

Find out more about projects supporting Sarum Children’s Ward at https://starsappeal.org/ our-work/sarum-childrens-ward

Khloe Mann (left) with VR headset, and play assistant, Natasha Long

Credit: Spencer Mulholland

salisburyandavon.co.uk

300 Years of Stourhead: Celebrating Women’s Legacies

In 2024 Stourhead is celebrating 300 years since it became a home. Opening on 8 March (International Women’s Day), Stourhead House is showcasing the lives of the women who lived here and the female makers and creators who helped turn this grand Country House into a home.

A pioneering widow, a voracious reader, a doting grandmother - Stourhead House has been home to some incredible women over the last 300 years. Whether wives, mothers or grandmothers in the Hoare banking family, each Lady of the house brought their own ideas of how home should

look and feel.

But those who lived at Stourhead aren’t the only women who made it what it is today. Amongst the paintings by notable male artists are those by pioneering women who followed their passions and made a name for themselves at a time when just being female was enough to set the odds against you; this includes artist Angelica Kauffman who the Royal Academy of Arts are also celebrating this spring. Visit Stourhead this spring to discover the influence women have had at Stourhead.

©National Trust Images/ Betsy Ogilvie

©National Trust Images / James Dobson

Man charged after sharing sex video without other person’s knowledge

A 26-YEAR-OLD man filmed himself having sex with a woman without her consent and sent it to his friends.

George William Rogers, of Perham Down, appeared at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on January 26 charged with sending by public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene or menacing message or matter.

On October 22, 2022, Rogers took a video of himself having consensual sex with the victim, a woman in her 20s, without her knowledge.

He then shared this on a social media platform with friends.

Rogers was subsequently reported to police and arrested.

Local crime investigator Dawson said: “This is a disgraceful act which is a complete breach of the trust of the victim, who had no idea the video was being taken.

“Rogers then compounded the breach by sending it to his friends without the victim’s consent, leaving the victim feeling completely violated.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the victim for her bravery in reporting it to us and her bravery throughout the investigation.

“I hope by publicising this case that people who recognise similar behaviours in their own lives realise the wrongdoings of their actions and the devastating consequences this can have on victims.”

Rogers was bailed ahead of sentencing on March 4.

Soldier jailed for Tidworth crash that killed engaged teenage passengers

A SOLDIER has been jailed over a crash in Wiltshire that killed his passengers – engaged teenagers Jack Paolucci and Courtney Jennings.

On October 29, 2021, Private Bradley Clough, of Burnley Road, Lancashire, was driving seven passengers in his fiveseater car in Perham Down Road, near Tidworth Barracks, when he skidded off the road, colliding with trees.

Tragically, Jack, 19, and 18-year-old Courtney – who were also pursuing army careers – were pronounced dead at the scene, while two other passengers suffered serious injuries.

Police said investigation of the crash showed the car was overloaded and one of the tyres was underinflated.

On Thursday, February 8, at Winchester Crown Court, following a week-long trial in December, 25-year-old Clough was jailed for three years for two counts of causing death by careless driving.

After the sentencing, in a joint statement, the families of Courtney and Jack said: “It is still impossible to comprehend, understand or see a way forward without the light Courtney and Jack brought to our lives.

“Such a tragic night that has affected the lives of numerous families. Some of the heartbreak would have been eased by truth and remorse from Bradley for an action that cost us so much. But unfortunately, that was not to be.

“However, we are thankful that after two years and three

months we have some justice and Bradley Clough gets the reflection time in prison it’s so clear he needs.”

They added: “As the two families of Courtney and Jack, we remain bound by the love they shared for each other and provide each other the strength needed to manage each day as one family.

“For our children, we will be forever proud and grateful that you chose us to be your parents.

“We would like to ask parents to educate their children on the dangers of being in an over laden car without a seatbelt.

“It is important too, when your child starts to drive, that they understand the responsibility the privilege of driving comes with

and the essential requirement for maintaining their vehicle properly.

“If Courtney and Jack can help one other family not to suffer like we have, our loss won’t have been in vain.”

Investigating officer Rachel Catling, of the Serious Collision Investigating Team, said:

“Clough’s actions were incredibly reckless and irresponsible, leading to two young people tragically losing their lives.

“Jack and Courtney, who were engaged, had their whole lives and promising careers in the army ahead of them.

“I would like to pay tribute to them and their parents who have behaved with dignity and respect throughout this lengthy process despite the significant amount of pain that they must be experiencing.

“Clough should have been well aware of how dangerous his car was to drive. Not only that, he lied during interview, claiming to be blinded by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.

“CCTV footage showed there was no other vehicle nearby at the time of the collision.

“I am pleased he has been jailed for his actions and I hope the families of Jack and Courtney can get some sort of sense of closure and begin to rebuild their lives.”

Clough was also disqualified from driving for three-and-ahalf years and will be required to sit an extended driving test before being allowed to drive again.

Jack Paolucci and Courtney Jennings were passengers in the car when Paolucci crashed

Girl Guides use author’s novel as inspiration in fight against fast fashion

OVER 10,000 Girl Guides in the South West of England have teamed up with a new YA (young adult) novel, The Swish, to take on the might of fast fashion.

Published by Cardiff-based publisher Candy Jar Books, The Swish is a feel-good teen novel about a ‘charity shop Cinderella’. It’s the story of hard-up heroine, Kat, who transforms her old clothes to become the Belle of the Christmas ball!

Author, Salisbury-based Tash Bell, is a former TV writer/ presenter turned family features writer. “Kids bloom when they are being creative. I was inspired to write The Swish after seeing the joy my teenage daughters got from thrifting and sewing.

“Young people today can often feel anxious about the state of the world. Upcycling their clothes empowers them to help the planet and forge their own identity.

“In my opinion, fast fashion doesn’t just wreck the planet, it hurts young people. It puts them under pressure to look a certain way, making them feel bad if they can’t afford to keep up.

“The message of The Swish is to inspire readers to get creative, and forge their own identity.”

Inspired by the book’s reassuring message, Girlguiding South West has launched ‘The Swish Fashion Upcycling Badge’ – an annual challenge full of fun, feel-good fashion.

Over the spring term, Girlguiding units will participate in creative challenges that educate them about sustainable fashion.

It is hoped the initiative will encourage them to start thrifting, upcycling and making

their own clothes.

Tash is really excited about the partnership: “In these difficult times, I wanted to create something to help young people feel good about themselves. I’m so pleased that the ‘Swish’ badge does this as well – by the bucket loads.

“It’s heartening that Kat’s story will inspire so many young girls. I’m particularly thrilled that the badge puts the spotlight on sustainability, and that Girl Guides will receive their very own badge, inspired by the book.”

The Swish has been endorsed by Dawn French, who said of the book: “The Swish is properly interesting. A teen novel about creativity, confidence and upcycling clothes. About time.”

Sarah-Jane Brining, communications and engagement manager at Girlguiding South West England, said: “Girlguiding South West England is absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Tash and The Swish to get our members thrifting, upcycling and taking an interest in sustainability.

“The response to the Swish Fashion Upcycling challenge has been outstanding, with almost 10,000 potential young members and volunteers expected to take part.

“The resource challenge pack includes activities linking to reworking, restyling and regifting, as well as getting the girls to explore their unique style and research the impact of fast fashion on the planet.”

Tash feels that the promise all Guides make – to be kind and helpful – resonates with Kat’s journey in The Swish: “I wanted the book to be a ‘gang caper’. Throughout the story, Kat gathers together a motley crew of supporters who help her succeed.

“When, at the last hour, it looks like her hopes are dashed, it’s her friends and family who give her the confidence to turn things around.”

Sales of the book support Swish fashion upcycling workshops for youth charities, young carers, schools and libraries. The Swish is being distributed by the Books Council of Wales and is available from all good bookshops.

Wiltshire police office sacked over misogynistic behaviour

A WILTSHIRE Police Inspector has been sacked over “disgusting” misogynistic behaviour.

Andy Moreton, who was last posted to the Roads Policing Unit, faced a Gross Misconduct Hearing on February 12 regarding a series of allegations between April 2020 and September 2022. He was suspended from his post in early 2023.

The three-day hearing, chaired by an independent, Legally Qualified Chair, considered nine allegations involving 11 female colleagues.

All nine allegations were

upheld and Mr Moreton was dismissed from the organisation without notice.

Chief Constable Catherine Roper said: “The actions and attitude of Andy Moreton were, frankly, disgusting and have no place inside or outside of policing. His actions are indicative of a pattern of behaviour which is wholly misogynistic – using overtly sexualised language to both demean and intimidate the women he worked alongside.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of the women who came forward and gave their accounts to our

Professional Standards Department. One of the principles of the new College of Policing Code of Ethics is courage and these women have demonstrated this core value faultlessly – we cannot underestimate the courage it takes to be an upstander.

“We are determined to have a culture which is positive,

inclusive and respectful and where everyone feels they can call out inappropriate behaviour, be listened to, believed and that action will be taken.

“In order for the public to ever have trust and confidence in our service, we must continue to take robust action against those within our organisation whose actions seek to undermine our policing purpose.”

In addition to being dismissed from the organisation, Mr Moreton will be placed on the College of Policing Barred Advisory List, meaning he will not be able to pursue a career in policing in the future.

Vibrant Wiltshire vacant unit grants, still time to apply

WILTSHIRE Council has extended the deadline for businesses to apply for its Vibrant Wiltshire vacant units grants programme to Monday, April 15.

The grants, which are part of the Wiltshire Towns Programme, opened in January 2024 and will offer grants worth up to £10,000 to small or micro businesses, including new start-ups, that wish to lease or rent a previously empty commercial property in a town centre location.

The programme is available for businesses that open premises in eligible town centre areas throughout the county. The types of businesses that qualify for the programme may provide services or offer creative, cultural and community uses.

Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “We know the impact that empty shops have on our high streets so we’ve extended the deadline as we want to give as many businesses as possible the chance to apply for the programme.

“The Vibrant Wiltshire grants programme will improve our market towns as it will fill empty shops and commercial units, attracting more visitors to our high streets throughout Wiltshire.

“The programme will contribute to the expansion of

existing shopping and service options by supporting local businesses into town centre locations.

“We’re committed to creating and supporting vibrant town centres in our business plan, and that’s why we’ve allocated £500,000 to the Vibrant Wiltshire grants to support our high streets.”

The grants range from £1,000 to a maximum of £10,000. The types of businesses eligible may be those providing services, and/ or creative, cultural and community uses into town centres, including in the Gazette area: Amesbury; Downton; Ludgershall; Mere; Salisbury; Tidworth; Tisbury; and Wilton.

Businesses must bring empty commercial units back into use on a permanent or temporary basis within eligible areas.

Applications can be made by business owners or directors of registered independent businesses, charities or social enterprises, or sole traders or self-employed individuals, including Town and Parish Councils who are bringing a new business to a town centre or relocating a current business within a town centre. A signed lease for the premises is required. https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ news/new-vibrant-wiltshiregrants-will-help-to-fill-emptytown-centre-shops

Cloud Nine Health

Wilton town meeting to be held at Community Centre

THE annual town meeting in Wilton will take place at a different venue this year.

Arranged and hosted by Wilton Town Council, the meeting on March 11 will take place at the Community Centre on West Street, starting from 7pm.

The idea behind the meeting is to showcase the groups and organisations that operate in Wilton and to create an enjoyable community event. The meeting will be chaired by the mayor of Wilton.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available.

Town clerk, Clare Churchill, said: “It is hoped that as many local community groups as possible will be able to attend and we are inviting each group the opportunity to make a short presentation or report on their recent, current and /or future activities.

“Each report is limited to three minutes, although should you need slightly longer that may be possible, but needs to be arranged as soon as possible.

“We would also like to offer local groups the opportunity to have a table displaying items of interest or to encourage membership.”

Interested parties should contact Mrs Churchill by Thursday, February 29, if they wish to make a presentation or report. And also if they wish to have a table to help advertise the group. To ensure that all the information is included in the minutes, the report should be emailed in MS Word format by Tuesday March 12.

The meeting will be open to the general public. For more details of the meeting, please contact: clerk@ wiltontowncouncil.gov.uk

Salisbury City Council’s youth bursaries grants scheme opens for 2024

AFTER a successful trial last year in which five local organisations successfully delivered youth bursary funding to young people across the city, the scheme has been approved for another year.

In 2023, Salisbury Area Young Musicians, Salisbury Rugby Club, Motiv8, Salisbury FC, and Wiltshire Creative received grants of between £540 and £750, enabling 63 young people to take part in music tuition, performance and art activities, sports and physical activity.

Each grant enabled at least two terms of access to activity, and a

whole year in most cases.

A young person who was in receipt of a one-year bursary said: “I would not have been able to come here at all without support. It’s been great and will help me with my college application too. I have made new friends and now I am off to college, I know I will stay in touch with them.”

Sam Charleston, chair of the Events, Markets and Grants subcommittee who approved the grant programme, said: “Salisbury City Council knows that there are a huge range of organisations, clubs associations

and charities across the city providing fantastic opportunities for our young people, it costs money to run those activities and while providers try to keep costs low, any cost can be a barrier to some young people.

“This grant scheme is a small part of widening access to opportunities for young people and we are delighted to be able to offer it again this year.”

Any local organisation offering paid for activity for young people, from dance to coding, from football to pottery and who meets the eligibility criteria can apply for a grant of up to £750 to provide subsidised and free places.

The deadline for applications is Monday, March 18, 2024

The City Council welcomes applications from a range of providers and if any organisation has questions about this grant scheme, they can contact the community development manager via grants@ salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk

Full details of the grants, eligibility criteria and how to apply, can be found online.

https://salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk/

Bemerton man given suspended prison sentence for smacking cleaner’s bottom

BEMERTON Heath man Philip Arthur has been handed a suspended prison sentence for sexual assault – after smacking a woman on the bottom while she cleaned.

The 67-year-old, of Westwood Road, was sentenced at Salisbury Magistrates Court on January 29 after pleading guilty in December last year.

It followed two incidents in Pewsey between November 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, when Arthur has asked for a

massage from his victim and ran his hands on her thighs without her consent.

In the second incident Arthur smacked her on the bottom when she was cleaning. Arthur was also sentenced to 60 days of rehabilitation activity and ordered to pay £154 victim surcharge.

Local Crime Investigator O’Harney, of Wiltshire Police, said: “This incident was reported to us through a third party. It was a frightening assault that took place in the victims home by

someone she trusted.

“Violence Against Women and Girls is a top priority for Wiltshire Police and we hope the result sends a strong message to perpetrators.

“I hope that the victim in this case feels a sense of justice for what they went through.

“I also hope that this encourages more victims of all crime to come forward. We are listening and we will investigate.”

People can report crimes on 101.

Credit: Spencer Mulholland

Club hears stories of Salisbury’s rugby legends and Spitfire makers

PROBUS Club of Sarum members were given examples of Salisbury’s claims to fame at a recent meeting.

Club member Alan Frener, a longstanding coach of Salisbury Rugby Club, recalled how he and his team of youngsters welcomed Richard Hill, a member of the 2003 World Cup winning team, to their Salisbury clubhouse.

‘Hilly’ hails from Salisbury, attending Bishop Wordsworth school, and is still a frequent visitor to the club.

The second claim to fame was revealed in the, until recently, untold story of the secret Spitfire factories in the city and its surroundings.

The club welcomed Norman Parker, author of “Secret Spitfires Memorial” as its guest at the meeting. Norman told members

that the original home of Spitfire development and manufacture was Southampton.

However, after the first devastating air attacks in September 1940 it was decided to disperse Spitfire production.

Salisbury became the biggest of

several places of secret, dispersed production. Factory number one was next to Salisbury Rugby Ground. It is now marked out by the Spitfire Memorial just next to Castle Road.

There were factory sites all over town hidden in innocuous

buildings. Each factory worked autonomously. In total, about 2,500 Spitfires were produced by Salisbury factories.

Alan’s presentation included a wealth of video interviews of those who had played a part in this highly secretive operation – husband and wife would not know for years that each worked in different branches of this secret operation.

Probus Club of Sarum meets every second Friday of the month at Sarum College in The Close, Salisbury.

Each fourth Friday is reserved for a group lunch or other outing. The club’s members are retirees who value intellectual stimulation as well as a sociable atmosphere.

Guests and new members are welcome. T: 01722 392 043

The Army Flying Museum

Immerse yourself in the fascinating story of British Army flying by visiting a local hidden gem. The Army Flying Museum sits adjacent to the Army Air Corps Airfield at Middle Wallop, just 20 minutes from Salisbury, and offers access and affordability to visitors; pay for admission once, and you will receive free entry to the Museum for a whole year.

Two large hangars house the impressive journey of British soldiers in the air from the pioneering days of balloons and kites to the Glider Pilot Regiment landing at Arnhem, right through to modern helicopter operations. Often likened to the Tardis, visitors are frequently met with surprise at the volume of artefacts, medals and over thirty fixed wing and rotary aircraft. Imaginative displays with a clever use of interactives and video provide for fascinating insight into the history of British Army flying.

The ‘Explore the Apache’ interactive display offers visitors the chance to find out everything about this iconic aircraft through films, images, and audio recordings. A special touchscreen allows them to ‘ask’ three soldiers questions about their training and first-hand experiences of flying and working on the Apache. For front row seats of these aircraft in action, look no further than the Museum’s Apache Café. Overlooking the active airfield, and open daily, this is an excellent spot to enjoy a bite to eat or drink, whilst admiring all manner of aircraft. Whether it be an Apache thundering overhead or the Historic Army Aircraft Flight waving at the café and children in the play park below, this is where the action is! Good food, friendly staff, and a great view make this a popular haunt.

The Museum offers a packed event programme and free creative activities for children are also staged at all the school holidays and the Museum has a regular event programme of lectures, concerts and family friendly events.

The Army Flying Museum is open daily from 9am to 4pm.The Museum is easily accessible from the M3 and A303 on the A343 between Salisbury and Andover. The Apache Café is also open daily from 9.00am to 3.30pm. Museum entry is not required to access the café.

The Secret Spitfire memorial on Castle Road

Credit: Richard Avery/Creative Commons

Judge rejects Stonehenge tunnel challenge over ‘unarguable’ claims

THE latest court challenge to oppose the building of the Stonehenge Tunnel has failed because its claims are mostly ‘unarguable’. Since the ruling, National Highways has said it is ready to start work, including archaeological excavations in 2025.

Campaign group Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) has challenged construction of the tunnel on a number of occasions.

The latest High Court challenge was the second of its kind and was filed in December. During that hearing, David Wolfe KC, acting on behalf of SSWHS, claimed that the government had used inaccurate traffic analysis, and ‘fundamentally flawed’ information regarding alternative plans that ‘failed to acknowledge the heritage harm’.

However, in a ruling on Monday, February 20, Mr Justice Holgate largely dismissed their claim, finding most parts of their case were ‘unarguable’.

SSWHS had previously claimed the approved scheme would ‘destroy’ around seven hectares of the world heritage site, and mark ‘the first step’ towards Stonehenge being de-listed by UNESCO.

However, Mr Justice Holgate ruled that government ministers had “rightly focused on the relevant policies”, and that the

evidence included in the challenge provided “no basis for undermining that conclusion”.

Notable archaeologists, including Mike Pitts, who has excavated within the stone circle and the surrounding landscape, have previously pointed out that any alternative routes would also involve destruction, perhaps more than the tunnel itself.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said the charity was pleased the court had upheld the Secretary of State’s decision.

“We firmly believe that putting much of the busy, noisy and intrusive A303 road into a tunnel past Stonehenge is right for the World Heritage Site,” he said.

Part of the tunnel project involves restoring the landscape around Stonehenge to a more natural environment that would allow more pedestrian exploration.

“This is a once-in-ageneration opportunity to restore this internationallyimportant landscape, which has been of great importance to people for over 5,000 years.”

However, historian Tom Holland, president of the Stonehenge Alliance, said: “This is a devastating loss, not just for everyone who has campaigned against the government’s pig-headed plans for the Stonehenge landscape, but for Britain, for the world, and for subsequent generations.”

John Adams, chair of the Stonehenge Alliance and a director of SSWHS, added: “In the face of government indifference to the harm this road will cause the World Heritage Site, we had no choice but to bring this legal action.

“While this judgement is a huge blow and exposes the site to National Highway’s state sponsored vandalism, we will continue the fight.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper (Con, Forest of Dean) approved the plans – which would see a tunnel created and eight miles of the A303 redesigned – in July last year.

Then, in September, cultural body UNESCO was reported to have warned that Stonehenge’s status as a World Heritage Site could be under threat, repeating a previous threat it had made in 2021. At the time, it stated that if the plans were not altered or changed the site would be put on its ‘in danger list’ the following year. As of 2024, the site is not on UNESCO’s ‘world heritage in danger’ list.

On its WHS listing, UNESCO states: “The A303 continues to have a negative impact on the setting of Stonehenge, the integrity of the property and visitor access to some parts of the wider landscape. A long-term solution remains to be found.”

The decision was welcomed by National Highways. Project director, David Bullock, said: “We’re very pleased that the High Court has made the ruling, and it represents a huge step forward to advance. The scheme is a lot further forward than it’s ever been before.

“We’re planning and are ready to go, and we’ll judge what happens next with any appeal and address that in due course.

“We’ve taken the opportunity to be as ready as we can. We have our contractors all lined up, and we’ve got about a year’s worth of what we call enabling works to do, which includes some very detailed archaeological works.

“What we should be is in a position to start the main construction work early in 2025.”

Above: Detail showing the distance between the tunnel, the current A303 and Stonehenge Left: An artist’s impression of a tunnel entrance Below: A map of the proposed tunnel route Credit: National Highways

Spoilt for choice at Shirley Allum Fashions & Lingerie

The lingerie department at Shirley Allum Fashions and Lingerie is one of the largest in the Southwest. With over 2500 bras in stock from cup AA to K and band sizes 30 to 48, you will be spoilt for choice. Our bra fitting service is second to none and as 7 out of 10 women wear the wrong size bra chatting with any one of our trained and qualified bra fitters is essential. You won’t see them reaching for a tape measure though, instead the girls fit the bra to your body, after all we are all wonderfully different and time and consideration should be given when you are buying a bra, our team will guide you with care and patience with a good sense of humour. Our range of brands include Fantasie, Wacoal, Triumph, Charnos, rosa Faia, Royce and many more.

The advice and care our staff give is never more important than when you are recovering from breast surgery. At Shirley Allum Fashion and Lingerie, know that you have a safe haven where you will be looked after and advised with discretion and care when you feel at your lowest. We genuinely feel that having breast surgery is traumatic enough, without the

trouble, fear and sometimes embarrassment of finding a bra when you are at your most vulnerable. We pride ourselves in stocking the ‘Anita’ range of mastectomy bras for pre-surgery and post-surgery needs.

The masters of this craft, ‘Anita’ know how a woman wants to feel, comfortable yet feminine. The staff will guide you and advise the best fit for your individual needs.

Those ladies who have been through surgery do not pay VAT on their purchase of any mastectomy bra (please ask for details).

Along side the fabulous range of bras, Shirley prides herself in having an excellent collection of night wear from great brands such as Cyberjammies, Cotton Real, Damella, Slenderella and Mey. We also stock shape wear, petticoats and vests to suit all age ranges and tastes, don’t miss out on the offer of 3+1 packs of knickers from Sloggi and the new Anita Pocket Pants.

Shop for Mother’s Day from the beautiful new ranges arriving daily across the store. Join our V.I.P Rewards Scheme and collect points as you shop, ask our wonderful team for more details.

Salisbury underpass floods after pump fails

A PUMP tasked with dealing with flooding in a Salisbury underpass failed in recent heavy rain.

Pedestrians found they were unable to use the walkway under the Castle Road Roundabout over the weekend, as the south west was battered by storms. The underpass completely flooded, with water reaching the entrance to the passageway, making it completely inaccessible.

A National Highways spokesperson said a pump in the underpass struggled to cope with the amount of water, as well as getting clogged by litter and debris.

“We are aware of the flooding issue at Castle Road Roundabout underpass and continue to assess the situation as a matter of urgency,” they said..

“We will continue to work with Wiltshire Council to improve the effectiveness of the pump, and specialist engineers will also be dispatched once we are made aware of the issue.

“To enhance our response to flooding, we are looking to improve monitoring in the area, but in the meantime, we would encourage people to contact us or the council immediately if they detect any problems.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

Silver Salisbury wants to hear stories of childhood

AT the end of January, after all the Christmas and New Year activities were over, Silver Salisbury held an afternoon coffee and cake afternoon at the Quaker Meeting House to raise morale and to get people ready to face February, often referred to as the lowest month of the year.

Some 40 people, many living alone, some accompanied by family carers, enjoyed an afternoon meeting with old friends and getting to know new people.

They were entertained by popular pianist Sarah Collins who played some of their favourite music. Attendees were treated to limitless tea, coffee

and a wide selection of homebaked cakes, which were much appreciated.

Silver Salisbury puts on similar events during the year and is currently compiling its Spring Newsletter.

Silver Salisbury’s Spring Newsletter promotes events and activities that are opening for the spring, haven’t previously been featured in its Autumn Programme or just need an extra bit of promotion.

Copies are shared with local older people and feature items on the website and Facebook pages. It’s all about helping people get out and about and try new things as the weather starts

to warm up and the days become longer.

Intergenerational Reminiscence Project

The group is now inviting people who are interested in sharing stories about their 30s, 40s or 50s childhood with a group of primary school children to join our intergenerational reminiscence group.

This will take place March/ April: please contact Irene on silver.salisbury@outlook.com for further information.

Silver Salisbury’s main activity is to deliver a threeweek programme of activities and events in celebration of International Older People’s Day, on October 1 each year.

It is full of things that older people are involved in, contribute to and enjoy. There are activities to support people in maintaining their independence and opportunities for those who would like to be getting out and about more but do not know where to start.

Silver Salisbury is a chance to try different things, join new groups and make new friends. www.silversalisbury.co.uk

Vandalism spree affects shops in Ringwood

CARS were damaged and shop windows smashed during a string of incidents in Ringwood.

Police are investigating after a number of acts of vandalism and criminal damage in the town overnight between Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 February.

Between 10pm on Saturday and 5am on Sunday, it’s reported that two doors and two large windows were smashed at Morrisons Daily, Hightown Road. Then, at approximately 12.40am on Sunday morning, two cars had their windows smashed on Whitehart Fields.

And some time between 11pm on Saturday and 9am on

Sunday, a windscreen had been smashed on another vehicle in Parsonage Barn Lane.

In the same road, it’s reported that a convex safety mirror was smashed between midnight and 1am on Sunday morning.

Police are keen to trace a person described as white, aged around 17, 5ft 11ins to 6ft tall, of slim build. They were wearing a jacket with a highvisibility horizontal line across the chest, and a hooded top with a white stripe.

New Forest Inspector, Darren Ord, said: “We believe these incidents to be linked and are doing everything we can to find

those responsible.

“Officers will continue to provide high-visibility patrols in the area, so please speak with them if you have anything you want to discuss, or any concerns or issues you wish to raise.

“Additionally, if you also experienced any damage to your property last weekend, and haven’t yet reported this to us, please do so at the earliest opportunity.

“If you witnessed any of the incidents, or have any footage which may assist us in our investigation, please call 101 and quote incident number 44240050823.”

The plan isn’t working, Prime Minister

IF this plan’s working – I wouldn’t like to see one that isn’t... On January 4, 2023, Rushi Sunak claimed his government: “Will halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut (NHS) waiting lists, and stop the boats…” and “we will either have achieved them or not…”

In last week’s by-elections, the government suffered resounding defeats in former safe Conservative seats. In Kingswood, Labour turned over an 11,000 majority to win by 2,501 votes and in Wellingborough turned over an 18,000 majority to win with a majority of 6,436 votes.

“I ask you to judge us on the effort we put in and the results we achieve,” said the PM last year. Last week’s elections combined with equally significant turnovers of around 25,000 in Mid-Bedfordshire and 20,000 in Tamworth leaves little room for doubt about the judgement of the electorate.

In the Commons, Sunak repeatedly boasts his ‘plan’ is working, but it clearly isn’t. Current figures show we are now in recession. So much for growing the economy. Hospital waiting lists are now even longer. Debt is not falling, it is increasing.

As for halving inflation, the Bank of England Policy Report published in November 2022, shortly after Liz Truss was removed from office, stated, “From mid-2023 inflation is expected to fall sharply conditional on the elevated path of market interest rates and as energy prices drop out of the annual comparison. It then declines to some way below the 2% target in years two and three.

“This reflects a negative contribution from energy process, as well as the emergence of an increasing degree of economic slack and steadily rising unemployment rate…”

The current rate of inflation which has levelled at around 4% can, therefore, hardly be claimed as a government success under Rishi Sunak.

The boats clearly have not stopped. In January this year, 1,223 illegal immigrants crossed the channel, compared to 1,180 in January 2023. After huge government investment, the Rwanda Bill has still not gone through Commons and there is no evidence to support the view it will, if it does, act as a deterrent to illegal immigration anyway.

There is also still the matter of a backlog of over 90,000 unprocessed asylum applications outstanding from July 2022.

Rishi Sunak insists, almost daily, that his plan is working. If he considers the current chaos to be an example of a plan that is working, the mind boggles at how it would look if it was not.

With so many things in decline under the current Conservative government it will be a massive challenge for a Labour government to make the huge improvements required to ‘get back to square one’ before making further progress.

However, despite Rishi Sunak’s unsubstantiated view, Labour does have a plan. Unfortunately, those plans are constantly undermined by the decline in the economy, as Sunak continues to delay the election.

Council tax rise approved as part of budget

RESIDENTS are looking at a rise of 4.99% in Wiltshire Council’s share of council tax from April.

The authority’s budget for 2024/25 was formally approved at a meeting of Full Council on February 20.

Proposals voted through are forecasting a small underspend of around £634,000 for the 2023/24 financial year as the council looks to combat rising inflation and spiralling social care costs. For 2024/25, an additional £36m has been added into the council’s service budgets.

Overall, the council’s budget for 2024/25 stands at around £490m, with more than half of that spent on adult and children’s social care services.

The most significant spending in 2024/25 will be on:

• Adult services - £179.4m

• Families and children - £70.8m

• Environment - £49.6m

• Highways and transport - £43m

• Education and skills - £38.9m

Cllr Richard Clewer (Con, Downton & Ebble Valley), council leader, said: “In contrast to some other local authorities that

are unfortunately facing some difficult challenges, our finances are strong.

“This is down to two main factors –firstly we take a long-term approach, identifying where we know demand will grow and investing to mitigate that increase in need or demand.

“Secondly, we focus on prevention, and invest in those areas that we know will benefit residents and save money in the long-term. Prevention underpins everything we do – to use an old adage - ‘a stitch in time saves nine’.”

“We’re not immune to some of the challenges other councils are facing, but to ensure we are in the strongest position to continue to tackle the fluctuating rate of inflation and to deal with higher costs we have made the necessary decision to increase the council element of council tax by 4.99%,” he added.

Despite the challenging financial climate nationally, the council will still be investing in key services and programmes, he said.

An extra £10m has been allocated over the next two years to spend on filling potholes and a road resurfacing programme.

The budget also puts in an additional £1m investment into extra gully cleaning work and reactive pothole filling.

Elsewhere, £1m has once again been allocated for the Wiltshire Towns Programme.

The capital programme outlines the authority’s commitment to invest over the next seven years, with a budget of around £285m.

Some of the capital spend in 2024/25 will be on:

• Building and refurbishing council houses – £45m

• Structural maintenance and bridges£21m

• A350 Chippenham and Melksham bypass ongoing work - £18m

• Trowbridge and Salisbury Future High Streets - £11m

• Highways investment plan – £7m

• Property carbon reduction programme inc. solar canopies – £5m

• Investment in leisure centres – £3m

• Trowbridge Leisure Centre – £800,000 (with more than £20m allocated in subsequent financial years)

Cllr John Wells Labour Chair of Environment and Climate Committee (Salisbury City Council)

Council pledges multi-million pound investment in Wiltshire schools

WILTSHIRE Council has agreed to invest £8m over the next four years to maintain its school buildings.

The funding is in addition to the government money provided by the Department for Education and underlines the council’s commitment to ensuring that schools are safe and inspirational places for learning.

At a recent cabinet meeting, council leaders agreed the additional investment for all maintained schools to ensure they provide bright learning environments for Wiltshire children and young people.

The council receives annual capital funding allocations from the Department for Education (DfE) for new places and school capital maintenance which relates to urgent and essential structural works such as roofs, walling, windows, drainage etc in addition to plant electrical and mechanical works (heating/ lighting etc).

All other day-to-day maintenance works and lowlevel cost works are the schools’ responsibility funded from their delegated or devolved funds.

Since 2020/21 the council has been funding an additional £1m per year of funding to

supplement the DfE grant for school maintenance. A bid to increase this to £3m per year from 2024/25 was agreed. This will help stem the decline of the school building stock and enable some of the historical backlog of works to be addressed.

In addition, since February 2020 the council has committed to £100k a year over 10 years to support the admission of pupils with disabilities to schools.

This funds ramps, handrails, accessible toilets and similar works to mainstream schools to support inclusion. Wiltshire Council is also committed to replacing poor condition mobiles and ‘prattens’ as part of

its Business Plan. Council capital funding to replace these old blocks was secured last year.

Cllr Laura Mayes, cabinet member for Education and Skills said: “We want our pupils to learn in bright classrooms and exciting learning environments where they can thrive and enjoy their school years.

“We have just committed to an additional £8m over four years so we can ensure our school buildings are well maintained and serve our pupils well. This agreed investment underlines our commitment to achieving this.”

The council secures wherever possible, S106

developer contributions and seeks Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) planning obligations for essential school infrastructure in areas of new housing development.

Three projects to provide additional school places have been completed during 2023/24 at The Clarendon Academy, Bishops Cannings Church of England Primary School, and Forest and Sandridge Church of England Primary School.

Two other projects are currently under construction at Porton St Nicholas Primary School and St Peter’s Primary CE Primary Academy in Salisbury.

The significant expansion of Kingdown School and Abbeyfield School are awaiting planning consent and feasibility work is commencing on the expansion of Sarum Academy.

In February 2023, 33 planned maintenance projects were approved by the cabinet and these are now largely complete.

A contingency is also held to address emergency reactive works required during the year to keep schools safe and open.

All together, more than 50 projects costing over £5k each have also been completed since April 1 2023.

Childcare minister visits Tops to discuss apprenticeships and funding

MINISTER for Children and Families, David Johnston visited Tops Day Nurseries on February 8 to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and to discuss the roll-out of the new expanded childcare funding for parents.

The nursery chain, which has a childcare setting at Salisbury District Hospital, Tops Salisbury, welcomed the minister to discuss all things ‘apprenticeships’ with staff at Tops, along with trainers and apprentices, trained by Aspire

Training Team, as part of their focus on National Apprenticeship Week.

The visit also focused on new government funding, available starting from April 2024, which is expanding the existing funding available to parents to help with childcare costs.

By September 2025, most working families with children under the age of 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support and David was keen to hear, from Harriet Pacey, a director for Tops Day Nurseries and Aspire

Training Team, how the planned roll out of this funding was being implemented by providers like Tops Day Nurseries.

Harriet and David discussed the impact the funding would have on the size of the workforce and that a recruitment and retention strategy that recognises the importance of the early years sector and attract people to join and stay is crucial.

Speaking after the visit, Cheryl Hadland, founder and chair of Tops Day Nurseries said: “Making childcare more

affordable for parents, paying early years staff more and focusing on a workforce strategy can only be good for everyone, even short-term, more parents, and grandparents could return to work thus paying more tax/ receiving fewer benefits and taking pressure off employers with vacancies.

“Apprenticeships play a vital role in this equation, offering individuals valuable opportunities to gain skills and qualifications while contributing meaningfully to childcare.”

Construction projects are underway at a number of schools, including St Peter’s Academy in Salisbury (above)

Credit: Google

Wellington pupils visited by children’s book and historical fiction authors

VIRGINIA McLean, author of children’s book ‘Journey to the Beginning of the World’ visited Wellington Eagles Primary Academy recently.

PRIMARY SCHOOL

set in beautiful countryside

Virginia and her co-writer Rhian Sellier used the book’s storyline to create games and curious questions with pupils.

We have strong links with Church. We have the benefit of classrooms, a library, large outside beautiful open surroundings. surroundings will inspire your their dreams.

Headteacher Sarah JohnsonMotyl chose the book because the main character, Sophie, is a curious and enquiring child, who journeys through the book learning all the different theories behind her big, philosophical question, “how was the world made?”.

Virginia and Rhian ended the day with children from Year 5 and 6, giving them the chance to compete against one another to win a book for the biggest philosophical question in their class.

A select few of the pupil’s questions will also be featured on the author’s website, The Learn2Think Foundation.

Sarah Johnson-Motyl said: “It was a privilege to welcome Virginia and Rhian into our school, her book is a favourite among many of our pupils and links in with our motto ‘the school for the curious child’.

“Virginia’s visit was important, as it gets pupils thinking about what types of questions there are, and why it’s important to ask them.”

Following Virginai and Rhian’s visit, Wellington Academy was visited by award-winning author Paul Dowswell to talk to Year 9 students and run creative writing workshops.

Paul writes award-winning historical fiction for young

The Governing Body at Longford Primary School is pleased with the school’s recent amalgamation with Pickwick Academy Trust and their drive for school improvement.

Longford Primary School joined Pickwick Academy Trust in December, alongside Alderbury and West Grinstead Primary School, both becoming part of the trust’s southern hub schools. The group also includes Greentrees Primary School, Winterslow Primary School and Pitton Primary School. In February, four North Dorset schools joined The Pickwick Academy Trust, which operates 15 schools in total.

adults. His novels are sold throughout the Englishspeaking world and have been published in an additional 10 languages. He is also a prolific writer of non-fiction for

children with over 70 titles to his name.

With January 27 marking Holocaust Memorial Day, Wellington Academy felt it fitting to welcome Paul, with some of his well-known books based around Nazi Germany and the Second World War..

Carol Moorhouse, librarian at the Wellington Academy, said of Paul’s visit:, “These workshops are invaluable, and give the students an incredible opportunity to work alongside a published author, to gain inspiration for their own creative writing.”

Paul gave the students some very helpful feedback on their stories and about how to develop their writing moving forward. One student was chosen by the author from each workshop to win a book for their story.

“ The decision to join Pickwick Academy Trust was momentous for Longford. We are a small village school on the outskirts of Salisbury and it’s great to be part of a wider school community. The Trust provides both challenge and support. We are relishing the opportunity to grow and learn alongside children and staff across the Trust community.”

Visits to the Longford Primary are most welcome. Please contact Mrs Sarah Bartucca – telephone 01722 327292 or via email- admin@longford.wilts.sch.uk.

Virginia McLean used her book’s storyline to create games and ask curious questions of the children, along with illustrator Rhian Sellier

The Headteacher, Mrs Louise Knipe, is also delighted with the move to Pickwick.

Leaden Hall School was in a good place before its lease renewal was refused

AS a former parent of girls that attended Leaden Hall school I feel duty bound to correct some comments made regarding the condition of the Leaden Hall site when the Dean of Salisbury refused to renew the lease for the school.

As a grade 1 listed building there were obviously many challenges to maintaining this site but a portion of school fees were always set aside to keep the site in good condition.

Indeed, a large bank loan had just been obtained by Leaden Hall just prior to the lease application being refused, which was used to build the beautiful purpose-built classrooms that are now going to be torn down in this proposal.

The loan money was also used to build a wonderful main hall facility with bleachers where the girls performed plays and productions, and a conservatory maintained as a lunch hall.

The school itself was treasured, and the history of the building respected.

It was a very special place to be educated in a unique setting, in unique classrooms in the Cathedral Close. It had been a school for over 100 years and was the most warm and welcoming place, run by an incredible head and team of talented teachers.

The grounds were beautifully landscaped down to the river with gardening vegetable plots and chickens.

There were plans to improve the tennis court/pool area and the caretaker, who spent many nights on site, worked tirelessly to keep the building in good repair, with his wife in charge of the catering for the girls.

This special community was all destroyed in an instant when

the cathedral and the Dean of Salisbury at the time refused to renew the lease. This came as a complete shock to everyone. It destroyed a thriving place of learning, a unique and special place to be educated.

My youngest daughter had a music scholarship and bursary, and the governors would do all they could to support less well-off families with fees reduced or even fully covered in certain circumstances.

My daughter is now a successful musician and this is in no small part down to the amazing teachers and opportunities offered to her by Leaden Hall in her primary years.

Many hearts were broken when the cathedral ‘took back’ the site and due to the bank loan/investments made at the Leaden Hall site, the school was subsequently bankrupted as a direct result and could not relocate. The head had accommodation in the Close with her job and was subsequently made homeless.

I have some lovely photos of the site taken at the time it was ‘taken back’ eight years ago and the building was in good condition. The cathedral wanted all the pupils to move to The Cathedral School, which at the time was performing poorly in numbers compared to Leaden Hall, and many teachers lost their jobs or the ones offered positions at Cathedral School soon left.

The ‘cathedral’ has been responsible for allowing this site to rot and go to rack and ruin over the last eight years and I hope they are content with the beautiful school and community they destroyed for their now proposed administration office.

AMANDA ROBINSON Salisbury

Political bias? What chance an independent, here in Salisbury?

THERE are laws governing who and what can be said and printed in the run up to and during a general election.

We all know the current MP’s view on the conflict in Gaza; he wanted to fly the Israeli flag in the market square to show support. In fact, we all know all the other parties’ views on this and a number of other issues.

But let’s not stop there, at the party line; thanks to the Salisbury Journal and other free publications, we know the personal views of ‘this councillor and that’, often in their own words, and we hear from proposed parliamentary candidates on a range of issues.

Despite the local newspapers being fully aware of my intention to stand (in this

Fed up of speeding in Porton?

Are you fed up with the speed of vehicles through Porton village? Do you have at least an hour a month to help your community?

If so, why not sign up to be part of the Porton Community Speedwatch Team. We are looking for volunteers to join our dedicated team and also a team coordinator.

As the coordinator you will be responsible for setting up and scheduling sessions, liaising with team members and entering data on the Police system. If you are interested, email the Police Community Speedwatch Team on commsw@wiltshire.police.uk.

CHRISTINE TAYLOR Porton

election year), not once have I been invited to give my opinion on this, or on any other issues affecting Salisbury, or the wider world.

I do not mind being the underdog or the David to the Goliath of their party machine, but I get a little disheartened when every time I open a local newspaper there is another hopeful grinning back at me, given the time and space to explain their views while I… well, I am left to write this letter.

At least you now know how I feel about this issue.

KING ARTHUR PENDRAGON

k.pendragon@yahoo.co.uk

Proposed Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Salisbury

Reinstate NHS earwax removal services

Around 2.3 million people a year in the UK require their ear wax to be removed by a professional. Build up can cause painful and distressing symptoms – hearing loss, tinnitus, debilitating earache – yet RNID’s report highlights the reality that too many people are unable to access this essential service on the NHS.

This means thousands of people like me face avoidable hearing loss, tinnitus and earache because they can’t get ear wax removed on the NHS.

People who need ear wax removal must be able to access this service on the NHS, regardless of where they live.

HELENE PARKER Corsham

salisburyandavon.co.uk

Win over title rivals sees Amesbury move four points clear at the top

AMESBURY Town continue to lead the Wiltshire Senior League after three recent wins, including a top of the table clash with Kintbury Rangers.

It was a tense first half with limited chances. Kintbury were initially awarded a penalty only for the referee to change his decision to a free kick after consulting both his linesmen. This was comfortably saved by Mike Horne in the Amesbury goal.

Kintbury had the better of the half’s chances but Amesbury’s defence held firm as the teams went into the break at 0-0.

The second half was a complete contrast to the first with non-stop action. Amesbury went in front on 50 minutes. An initial corner was half cleared and when the ball was recycled into the box, Amesbury captain Jack Vallis was on hand to finish from just a yard out, after visiting keeper Charlie McCready failed to deal with a ball lofted into the box.

Kintbury went close to levelling on 55 minutes; Vallis heading off his own line.

Up to the hour mark, Amesbury’s leading scorer Josh Moore had not really featured. However, the first real piece of quality in the game saw him fire his side 2-0 ahead. He smashed home a wonder strike, on the turn, from the edge of the box

after being fed by Tyler Brockway, who was making his 200th appearance.

Kintbury got themselves back in the game with 20 minutes to go – a pinpoint cross from the left wing from

Leading scorer, Josh Moore, added two more goals to his season’s tally in the win against Kintbury

Below: Amesbury go close

Mahoney found the head of Armstrong, whose well-directed downward header beat Horne to make it 2-1. Game on.

Even though Kintbury had a player sin-binned for dissent, they were now on top and continued to push forward.

They were back on level terms when the ball was played into Kai Stubbs with his back to goal, who turned and shot into the bottom far corner of the net from the edge of the six-yard

box.

Unfortunately for his side, his celebration in the face of Jack Vallis saw him pick up a second yellow card and a dismissal. Kintbury were now down to nine men and Amesbury were to punish them for their lack of discipline, going back in front within two minutes with Matt Scott’s tidy finish at the far post after the visitors failed to clear a Ben Morris corner.

It remained 3-2 until the 90th minute when Moore received the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box and shot home for his second and Amesbury’s fourth leading to wild celebrations from the home players and fans who knew their side had avenged the 2-1 defeat they had suffered at the hands of Kintbury in early September.

The result saw Amesbury move four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.

Amesbury are next home on Saturday, March 2 to Larkhall Athletic Development and then have two matches against Melksham Town Reserves, on Tuesday, March 12 in the Wiltshire Senior Cup semi final at 7:45pm followed by a league game on Saturday, March 16 at 3pm.

Come along and support your local team.

Walking rugby offers everyone a route back into sport

IF you’re a rugby fan, still competitive but prefer your sporting endeavours at a more genteel pace, then Amesbury Rugby Club could be just the (egg-shaped) ticket.

A good way to get active while developing new friendships and community spirit, Amesbury is welcoming new players and club members to come and ‘give it a go’.

The England Rugby website

describes the sport as, “Walking Rugby is one of England Rugby’s non-contact formats of the game. There is no tackling involved, instead a touch on the armpit or below is used.

“Played on a half pitch, participants must be walking at all times.”

In April, Amesbury is launching a ‘Pitch Up and Try’ Walking Rugby event, where new players can try the game

while meeting similarly sport-minded folks. They’re even offering a ‘free bacon butty for all participants…’

Team manager Katrina Peters said: “Amesbury Rugby Club offers opportunities for all ages, from 6 to 76, to participate in the sport and become part of a supportive and caring community.

“We have teams from the Minis to the Walkers, male and

female. People come that have no experience of Rugby (like me) or who have played before.”

Walking Rugby Pitch Up & Try takes place April 6, from 10am to 12pm, at Centenary Park, Amesbury, SP4 7WQ.

For more details, contact Ros 07980 675815, or head to the Amesbury Rugby Club website: www.amesburyrugbyclub.com/ walking-rugby

Homes & Garden

On The Move: 11 weird and wonderful house facts from ghosts to tiny homes

FROM selling haunted houses, to where in Europe has the biggest homes, Armishaws removals have delved into some truly bizarre house facts.

Who ya gonna call?

Haunted houses have been recorded since at least 1 AD. The politician/writer/lawyer

Pliny The Younger wrote of spectral visits at his home from an old man with a long white beard.

No really… call!

In some US states it is illegal to sell a home you suspect is haunted without letting the buyer know. Failure to do so can result in the transaction being reversed.

And our American cousins take their ghosts seriously, in a poll by Cinch Home Services, 1-in-10 Americans admitted to having ‘sold their home due to a paranormal experience’.

Taxman

Taxation, it’s as old as houses. Land/property taxes have been traced back as far as 5,000 B.C. in ancient Egypt.

A bit brit-culiar

Houses in the UK are different to our continental cousins in many ways. Most UK power sockets have on/off switches, worldwide, most power sockets

have no switch. Our windows open outwards.

Across much of Europe, windows open inwards, this means shutters can remain closed for security, while air can circulate. It’s also easier to clean inward-opening windows.

How do UK homes measure up?

Average European home sizes based on total floor area. *

Home vs forest

UK housing covers nearly as much land as forests.

Land use/coverage*

Agriculture, fishing & hunting 52%

Forestry 7.1%

Residential 5.1%

Commercial & community services 4.1%

Heavy industry 3.5%

Mostly unused 26.4%

Buildings cover an estimated 2.4% of UK land.

Planted

Spain

UK

Germany

France

Italy

Ireland

Poland

Romania

Not only can house plants help reduce humidity, plants like bromeliads can remove over 80% of impurities from the air.

Tree-mendous

A study by Lancaster University found mature trees in gardens by busy roads can reduce air pollution by up to 50% and

deaden road noise by 6-10 decibels.

Trees have also been found to reduce stress, increase positivity and help speed recovery from illness.

Ultimate D.I.Y.

Between 1908 to 1940, the famous Sears mail-order catalogue in the US, sold around 75,000 kit-built homes.

The homes would arrive in pieces and the owners would construct their own house.

Minnie house

Measuring just 182cm wide (5ft 9in), 304cm deep and 312cm (10ft 2in) high, the UK’s smallest house, which is still standing, was built in Conwy, Wales in the 16th century.

The little house’s last occupant was 6ft 3in fisherman Robert Jones.

Minnier house

But that’s huge compared to Warsaw’s Keret House. The world’s thinnest house, it varies between 92-152cm but still manages to pack in a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and dining area.

* Source; National House Building Council NHBCfoundation.org

For more home info and moving tips, head to www.Armishaws. com/blog

Invisible hands and blossom trails at Mompesson House

The Invisible Hands of Mompesson House

Every Friday to Tuesday, from 22 March, 11am – 4pm.

This year, Mompesson House will be taking a closer look at the people who run it “behind the scenes”.

During the spring, there’ll be a focus on artisans. You can find out how the plasterwork is made – and how it stays up; how ornamental twists are put

into glasses and how fashions for floral decorations changed throughout the years.

Price: Free (normal admission applies).

Festival of Blossom Fridays to Tuesdays from 22 March to 4 June.

Celebrate the Festival of Blossom this spring. Pick up a free map of the blossom trees of the Cathedral Close, with a

10-point sensory trail designed for those with SEND and dementia (who can book in for free with quiet early opening times, via the website). You can add a handmade blossom flower to the community Blossom Bunting on the outer gates of the house. Workshops and activities will be provided free with normal admission throughout the Festival of Blossom period..

Price: Free with normal admission. Booking applies to free early entry only, 0344 249 1895 or via the website.

Volunteer recruitment day

On February 20, from 10am to 1pm,

If you are interested in volunteering, simply drop in throughout the day. Price: Free. www.nationaltrust.org,uk/ mompesson-house

Credit: Peter Herrmann/Unsplash

What did the Romans ever give us?

By Morag Walker

AS March approaches, there is a feeling of excitement as we head out into the garden to kick start the fruit and veg growing season.

Although warmer days are getting more frequent, the weather in early March can be fickle and we can still witness inclement conditions. But nevertheless, when weather permits, it is a joy to go out to plant, sow, and generally get up close and personal again with our precious gardens and allotments.

An early starter is the chilli plant. Most chillies are easy to grow, but they need a long growing season to ensure the fruits ripen properly. Start them off now in a heated propagator in a greenhouse or raise them on a sunny windowsill. Some varieties can be grown outside in a good summer in the south.

Whether you love the hit of a super-hot chilli or prefer a milder flavour, there are types of chilli for every taste.

The heat in chillies is caused by the alkaloid capsaicin, which is measured in Scoville Heat Units. Most chilli peppers have around 6,000 units, but hot varieties such as ‘Habanero’ have as many as 200,000 units.

Chilli seeds will take about 10-14 days to emerge. When large enough to handle, prick them out into small individual pots two weeks later. They will be ready to move outside in late May in pots or to the veg patch.

At this time of year, weeds

Chillies need a long growing season; Peacock butterflies are one of the first to appear and rely on nettles for food; a patch of nettles in the garden is good for wildlife and soil

Credits: Peter Thompson

are now making an unwelcome appearance in our beds. However, not all weeds in the garden or allotment are equal and, surprisingly, some can be beneficial.

The common stinging nettle, for example, has multiple uses for both us and wildlife. In spring, the young leaves make excellent soup. It can also be eaten as a vegetable, and like spinach, nettles can provide an important source of iron.

Gardeners can also make a nettle compost which makes a

My biggest weed problem is the extremely invasive ground elder plant (Aegopodium podagraria) also known as bishop’s weed, or gout wort.

Originally thought to have been introduced by the Romans to supply their soldiers with fresh greens, it also has a history as a medicinal herb to treat gout and arthritis.

I recently came across a plant called Tagetes minuta, or Mexican marigold, which could be my saviour. Its common name is ‘stinking roger’ because of the smell given off by its leaves.

It is a half-hardy annual that can grow up to two metres tall and is a native of South America.

good feed for plants. This can be achieved by filling a bucket with leaves and then topping this up with water. Leave it for a few weeks before straining it and diluting it with water before feeding it to your plants.

Nettles also provide an important food for caterpillars of peacock, red admiral, and small tortoiseshell butterflies, which feed on the plants. It is worthwhile leaving a patch of nettles for both your kitchen and wildlife.

Although annual weeds can be easily removed, some perennial weeds can strike terror into the heart of gardeners, especially if you come across ground elder and bindweed.

It works by exuding chemicals from its roots which repel weeds such as couch grass, bindweed, and ground elder.

This is a biological phenomenon called allelopathy, which means that an organism can produce one or more chemicals which influence the growth and ultimately the survival of other organisms.

Another fascinating element of the Tagetes family is that it can also be used as a companion plant for tomatoes to repel aphids.

It will be fascinating to know whether this plant will reduce the considerable impact of ground elder on my plot.

I will report my findings later in the year.

Happy gardening.

World-class customer service at award-winning carpet and bed store

CARPET Barn and the Bed Store has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.

Carpet Barn and the Bed Store has been operating for over 45 years, a testament to their enduring service. They are an independent, family-run business, renowned for their knowledge and expertise in the carpet, flooring and bedding industries.

The company has five outlets in Christchurch, Poole, Ferndown, Eastleigh and Salisbury, giving it a major presence in the south of England.

In each of the stores, customers can find carpets, rugs, flooring, beds, mattresses and furniture accompanied by their award-winning customer service. Their prices, range of products and fitting and measuring services stand out in the market.

It’s a significant achievement for Carpet Barn and the Bed Store to be presented with the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. This recognition is limited to businesses that have achieved Gold standard for three consecutive years,

requiring a minimum 50 reviews with a Feefo service rating of between 4.5 and 4.9 in each calendar year.

Darren Ironside, director at Carpet Barn and the Bed Store said of the achievement: “We’re thrilled to receive a Platinum Trusted Service Award from Feefo. Keeping our customers happy is our priority. So, the fact that this award is based on feedback from real customers gives us confidence we are providing an exceptional level of service.

“The award reflects how hard our staff work to listen to our

Spa supplier wins industry magazine Best Buy award

CATALINA Spas™, a leading name in the wet leisure industry, has been honoured with the Best Buy 2024 Award by WhatSpa? Holiday Park Magazine.

Founded in 1997 and based in Gomeldon, Salisbury, this family-owned business has been at the forefront of supplying spas and swimspas for holiday homes and lets across the UK. Their award-winning CS-3

Holiday Park Hot Tub stands out as a purpose-made HSG282 compliant spa, tailor-made for the leisure market.

Its dimensions of 1600 x 2030 x 810mm make it an ideal choice for holiday parks, vacation homes, and other leisure facilities.

Beyond holiday park spas, Catalina Spas™ also offers a wide range of other goods.

customers and keep them happy, especially in a climate where purse strings are tight. As we enter 2024, we’ll continue to listen to our customers and deliver what our customers want.

“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for sharing their feedback.”

Tony Wheble, CEO at Feefo, said: “With customers continuing to build resilience in a time of economic uncertainty, we’re delighted to showcase our clients who are continuing to go above and beyond for each and

every customer.

“The Trusted Service Awards have always been about recognising companies that go way beyond the norm in customer service and in turn receive great feedback from delighted customers.

“A particular congratulations to Carpet Barn and the Bed Store for winning a Platinum Trusted Service Award by providing great customer service consistently over a number of years.

“I look forward to seeing them continue to achieve next year and beyond.”

Cleaning services contractor sought by City Council

SALISBURY City Council is seeking to appoint a contractor to carry out cleaning and sanitation services within its facilities.

The service contract will commence on July 1, 2024 and conclude on March 31, 2027, and is worth between £50,000 and £25,000.

Any businesses interested in tendering for the contract should visit the council’s website for more information and to view the accompanying documents, or email any questions to mread@ salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is March 27, 2024.

A thousand small businesses in the South West backed by Start Up Loan

MORE than a thousand small business owners in the South West have taken advantage of the government-backed Start Up Loan Scheme since its launch in 2012, according to the latest figures.

The loans are available to young business founders aged 18-24 and nationally have resulted in £1billion being spread across 15,000 loans. Since 2012, small business owners in the South West have received loans worth over £7.5m.

The scheme provides invaluable support to young entrepreneurs who are looking to set up a small business – a group which often struggles to get business finance from other sources – and offers an effective pathway into employment, with almost a third of recipients aged 18-24 leaving unemployment thanks to this scheme.

Of all the loans distributed to entrepreneurs under 25, 39% have also gone to female business owners and 24% to business owners from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The most popular industries for which loans have been taken to launch a business (nationally) include retail (£8.5m), hospitality (£5.8m) and arts and entertainment (£2.5m).

The Start Up Loans programme provides personal loans for business purposes of up to £25,000 at a 6% fixed

interest rate per annum and offers free dedicated mentoring and support to each business.

The funding for the Start Up Loans programme is provided by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). A development bank wholly government-owned by DBT, the British Business Bank plc is not authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The British Business Bank and its subsidiary entities are not banking institutions and do not operate as such.

Access to finance is a key part of the refreshed Help to Grow Campaign, a one-stop shop for SMEs to find the information they need to start, scale up and grow their own business. The new site brings

together the support on offer from the government into one place, making it quicker and more convenient to find the resources business leaders and budding entrepreneurs need to succeed.

Starting a business for the first time, particularly for younger entrepreneurs can be a daunting process, which is why the government has created a step-by-step guide on how to set up and grow a business in the UK as part of the Help to Grow website.

Small business minister

Kevin Hollinrake, said: “Every large firm started off as a small business and today’s aspiring young entrepreneurs could be the next success story. I urge them to explore how a Start Up Loan could launch their ambitions today.

“Through the British Business Bank, and the Help to Grow campaign, we’ve backed the next generation of business leaders with over £100 million in government backed finance and we’re not stopping there.”

The government has also recently launched the Prompt Payment and Cash Flow Review (2023), which is designed to tackle another issue that can have very real and lasting negative impacts on small businesses, late payments.

The review will look at how to prosecute large firms who persistently and knowingly fail to adhere to the Payment Practice Reporting Regulations.

Richard Bearman, managing director, Small Business Lending, British Business Bank said: “It’s amazing to see people in their late teens and early twenties with such ‘can-do’ attitudes and motivation to achieve success in working life.

“Our £100 million funding milestone is a significant landmark and testament to the hard work of Start Up Loans, ensuring anyone with a good business idea like Cory’s, no matter their age, has the access to the funding needed to bring it to life.

“The impact of this on communities across the UK has been huge and we’re determined to keep backing aspirational young people with money and mentoring.”

Antony Batty hosts Ladies’ Lunch at the Captain’s Club Hotel & Spa

ELAINE Wilkins, director at the Bournemouth office of Antony Batty and Alison Gates, director of the company’s Salisbury office, hosted a ladies’ lunch at the Captain’s Club Hotel & Spa on Tuesday, February 6.

The directors welcomed a group of lady accountants from

the area, who enjoyed a lunch, including cheese souffle and Moules Marinières, along with plenty of relaxed networking.

Elaine Wilkins said: “It is so nice to take time out after a busy January and enjoy each other’s company in a beautiful setting over a lovely lunch. Some useful new connections

and relationships were formed. It was also a great way to say thank you for their support.”

Credit: bruce mars/Unsplash

Amesbury chiropractor clinic receives national award for excellence

ACORN Health, an Amesburybased chiropractic clinic, has recently been awarded the highly regarded Patient Partnership Quality Mark (PPQM) from the Royal College of Chiropractors.

This marks the fourth consecutive occasion that Acorn Health has been acknowledged for its commitment to exceptional patient care.

The PPQM is an award presented to clinics that excel in various aspects, including accessibility, cleanliness, safety, patient communication, record keeping and patient education.

The decision to award the Quality Marks is made following a lengthy assessment process by a panel of patients and public who form the Royal College of Chiropractor’s Lay Partnership Group.

Philippa Oakley, principal chiropractor and owner of Acorn Health expressed her excitement following the award: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by the Royal

College of Chiropractors for the fourth time.

“To have held these awards every year since the clinic was

established back in 2014 is not only a huge achievement for our small business, but also demonstrates our dedication to our patients year after year.

“We pride ourselves on providing rapid-access to hands on care and our patients consistently see incredible results from the care we offer.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure we deliver excellence on all aspects of patient care and this award recognises that commitment.”

Based at Unit 3 Stonehenge Walk in Amesbury, Acorn Health offers specialist handson care for people of all ages and can help with a wide range of conditions including back pain, neck pain, sciatica and migraines.

The clinic’s success over hte past few year has meant Philippa has turned her attention to expansion, with a second branch now due to open in central Wilton sometime in the spring.

acornhealth.org.uk

Salisbury Samaritans appoint new branch co-directors

SALISBURY Samaritans have appointed Hester Houlihan and Jen Annetts as the new codirectors of the Salisbury Samaritans branch.

The appointments form part of a three-year cycle where a new director or co-directors are appointed.

Jen became a Samaritans volunteer in 2022 and has recent experience in the training process for new volunteers, while Hester has been a Samaritans volunteer since 2009 and has experience with both the Central London and Bournemouth branches.

Hester and Jen understand how important it is to work with local communities in the area. Some people will experience loneliness and Samaritans have

strong links in the county with the military. In a joint statement, they said: “One of our aims will be how we can get closer to and engage more with the local communities, including in April where we are hoping to have events to mark the London Marathon, which Samaritans is the official charity partner.”

Salisbury Samaritans is also reminding the public that small talk can save lives and we are better at it than we think; as part of the charity’s latest Small Talk Saves Lives campaign.

Newly-released research from the suicide prevention charity reveals as a nation, 49% of us have avoided engaging with someone we don’t know due to the fear of having to make small talk – with over 1 in

5 of us (22%) worried we would say the wrong thing.

Furthermore, although 94% of people say they don’t have a go-to question to start small talk, Samaritans found across Great Britain 80% of us state we have used small talk in our personal lives over the past month, and over half of us (52%) often or always use small talk in our professional lives too.

Delivered in partnership with Network Rail, British Transport Police, and the wider rail industry, Small Talk Saves Lives empowers the public to trust their instincts and gives them the confidence to start a conversation if they think someone needs help – small talk is no small thing, it saves lives.

The campaign reassures the

public a little small talk like ‘do you know where I can grab a cuppa?’ can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts and remind them support is available.

Although people might worry that you’ll say the wrong thing, the charity says saying something is better than saying nothing.

Jen and Hester said: “This campaign empowers people to trust their instincts and have the confidence to act, because it could save a life”.

“There’s no evidence you will make the situation worse and you don’t need training for this. It’s about being there for that person, listening, and showing you care which can make all the difference.”

The Acorn Health team, with Philippa Oakley (centre), proudly holding the award

Arts & Entertainment

Arts Society Salisbury revels in the sounds and stories of The Beatles

THE Arts Society Salisbury’s February 13 meeting opened to the sound of The Beatles.

Lecturer Jamie Hayes said most of us would be familiar with their story but, nevertheless, he included snippets probably new to many.

Four humble Liverpool lads conquered the pop world and their legacy remains here, there and everywhere.

The lecture was full of musical and interview clips: One favourite being a comment made by John Lennon to a concert audience that the people in the cheaper seats should clap their hands, whilst those in the more expensive ones should rattle their jewellery.

In 1957, John Lennon was playing in a skiffle band, The Quarrymen. He was on a carnival float, with his guitar and Paul McCartney, then aged 15, had gone to watch. Later that evening, Paul borrowed a guitar and played 20 Flight Rock, which impressed John.

When they bumped into each other two weeks’ later, he invited him to join the band. George Harrison was only 14 when they all met. In 1960, the band changed its name to The Beatles.

In 1960, a local agent was looking for Liverpool bands to go to Hamburg and they played the club scene there for two years. On their return to Liverpool, the

locals thought they were German because of their black leather gear and haircuts.

Brian Epstein had a record shop in the basement of his parents’ shop and a regular customer was Raymond Jones. Raymond suggested Brian go to hear the band at the Cavern Club; Brian loved their sound and said that he wanted to be their agent. It was he who told them to wear smart suits for the London audience and 18 months later, they were known worldwide.

Brian Epstein’s story is to be made into a film, ‘The Midas Man’. By chance in 1962, Brian was in the London HMV shop and was recommended to

contact George Martin who subsequently collaborated on almost all of their recordings.

Richard Starkey, Ringo, joined the band after Hamburg. As a child, he had peritonitis and was in a coma for three weeks, he then had TB and spent two to three years in hospital and missed much of his education. His local nickname was ‘Lazarus’.

The band saved 17 shillings and 6d to make their own 10” disk of Buddy Holly’s ‘That’ll be the day’ and Paul’s ‘In Spite of all the Danger’. Only one copy was made which is now owned by Paul.

White Album, the band was becoming fragmented; their last album was Abbey Road in 1970.

On June 15, 1963 the band played in Salisbury at the new City Hall. That was the year everything took off for them.

Another local connection is that their 1965 film, Help, was in part filmed on Salisbury Plain. They stayed at the Antrobus Arms, Amesbury: nobody knew them, and there were no members of the public or police on location.

It is difficult to believe that their recording career lasted only eight years, between 1962-70. Some pop groups are not just of their time; some are for all time.

The band was hugely successful in the USA and appeared on the Ed Sullivan show three times. He had seen all the fans waiting for them at Liverpool Airport and wanted them to appear on his show.

Of course, with no social media then, it was a perfect way for The Beatles to have exposure in the USA. In 1965, the top five records in the US charts were by The Beatles. Unfortunately, the fans became so loud during concerts that, after 1965, the band decided that they would no longer make live shows.

By the time they issued The

The next lecture will be on March 12 when Paul Atterbury of The Antiques Roadshow will discuss William Morris and the Arts & Craft Movement.

Thanks to Morris and his followers, the Arts and Crafts Movement also influenced garden design and attitudes towards the countryside.

All lectures are at St Francis Church, Beatrice Road, Salisbury and start at 1.50pm www.theartssocietysalisbury. org.uk; facebook: The Arts Society Salisbury; T: 01722 331216.

The Beatles performing on the Ed Sullivan Show in the US

Credit: Bernard Gotfryd collection at the Library of Congress

Young Gallery exhibition showcases talented Salisbury school artists

By Katrina ffiske

THE Annual Salisbury Schools Art Exhibition at The Young Gallery, above Salisbury Library, runs until Saturday March 16.

The exhibition showcases artwork by students from a number of local schools, including: Leehurst Swan; The Burgate School; South Wilts Grammar School; Bishop Wordsworth’s School; Warminster Senior School; Moyles Court; Salisbury 6th Form College; Salisbury Cathedral School; and Sarum Academy.

Dr Emily Dunbar, art curator at The Young Gallery said: “The annual Salisbury Schools exhibition is a highlight of the gallery’s exhibition programme.

“It showcases the creativity of local young people and is a fantastic opportunity to see vibrant and imaginative artworks.”

South Wilts Grammar School

Year 9 students explored the theme of identity. The students explored a range of artists’ work and techniques, creating their own pen and ink, monoprints, paintings and textile designs or images exploring their own identity.

Leehurst Swan School studied the work of Ali Golzad and James Lake and created their own sculptural portraits of their heroes using recycled cardboard, hot glue and pens.

Burgate School explored many political, social and environmental issues.

It is well worth dropping into the gallery, above Salisbury library. I highly recommend a visit, there are photographs, montages, sculptures, watercolours, oils, you can’t help but leave with inspiration in your step.

The exhibition is supported by the Salisbury Rotary Club, free to visit and located in Gallery 1 above the Salisbury Library. It runs until March 16.

A wall is covered with thought provoking artworks: “Choose Kindness”, “Autism matters”, “Save our Seas”.

Clockwise from top left: Leehurst Swan, Cardboard Heroes Two; South Wilts Grammar School explored issues of identity; Burgate School explored many political, social and environmental issues; a Tote Bag Design; Cardboard Heroes One

Across

1 Assigning to categories (11)

9 Avoid talking about (4,1,4,4)

10 Water routes (8)

12 Expanse (4)

14 Hard, solid rock (5)

15 Poisonous (5)

19 Relocate (4)

20 Anniversary of being born (8)

22 Definitive (13)

24 In the way petitioned (2,9)

Everything’s Bleak

ASHEN CLOUDY

COLOURLESS DEBATABLE

DIM

DOUBTFUL

DREARY DULL

GLOOMY LEADEN OVERCAST PALE PALLID UNCERTAIN UNINTERESTING WAN

Brain chain

2 Grassy land (3)

3 Converting a picture to digital form (8)

4 Principles (6)

5 Cry out (4)

6 ‘Forget about it’ (5,4)

7 Official order (5)

8 Fear greatly (5)

11 Triggers (9)

13 Represents (8)

16 Sully (5)

17 Social environment (6)

18 Extremely energetic (5)

ISSUE 36

ISSUE 35

Jumbo sudoku

Cryptic crossword

Place 1 to 9 once into every black-bordered 3x3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.

Across

1 A river seen by fellow in US city producing fodder plant (7)

5 Noted musical duo with amateur (4)

10 Disclosed arrogance externally (7)

Killer sudoku

1

5

10

12

19

20

Across

Down

1 A river seen by fellow in US city producing fodder plant (7)

5 Noted musical duo with amateur (4)

2 Release Eastern European, it’s said, with energy (3,2)

10 Disclosed arrogance externally (7)

11 French marshal holding Western line in recent times (5)

11 French marshal holding Western line in recent times (5)

3 Satiric actor in play of an elevated pedigree? (12)

4 Sea fit possibly for celebration? (6)

12 Eastern European fitting right into jacket (5)

12 Eastern European fitting right into jacket (5)

13 Lift note about hospital the previous day (6)

6 Old British chancellor exceedingly clipped nonetheless (7)

15 Troublesome person is ignored in shade (6)

13 Lift note about hospital the previous day (6)

15 Troublesome person is ignored in shade (6)

17 Rise represented by artist in mountain range (6)

19 Rub out sixth letter on mug (6)

20 Element in flotilla was hardly floating (5)

7 Premier area for ancient civilization (4)

17 Rise represented by artist in mountain range (6)

8 Old clan mobilized in very old site of eruptions? (7)

19 Rub out sixth letter on mug (6)

20 Element in flotilla was hardly floating (5)

9 Note photo put up in a race as a foretaste

23 I wander heading back for New Zealander (5)

24 Work in Italy feasible? That’s a view (7)

23 I wander heading back for New Zealander (5)

24 Work in Italy feasible? That’s a view (7)

25 Room that regularly has list of duties (4)

26 Intoxicated director to manage Barbie’s partner (7)

Killer Sudoku Place numbers 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3x3 box. No didgit may be repeated in any dash-lined cage, and all the digits in any cage must add up to the value shown in that cage.

14 A companion in underground area gets powered vehicle (7)

25 Room that regularly has list of duties (4)

16 Insult a fellow with revolutionary group (7)

26

18 Writer with work on Miro provides diary

21 Wait for a tender piece of entrecote (5)

22 Chieftain enters mosque miraculously (4)

2 Release Eastern European, it’s said, with energy (3,2)

3 Satiric actor in play of an elevated pedigree? (12)

4 Sea fit possibly for celebration? (6)

6 Old British chancellor exceedingly clipped nonetheless (7)

7 Premier area for ancient civilization (4)

8 Old clan mobilized in very old site of eruptions? (7)

9 Note photo put up in a race as a foretaste (12)

14 A companion in underground area gets powered vehicle (7)

16 Insult a fellow with revolutionary group (7)

18 Writer with work on Miro provides diary (6)

21 Wait for a tender piece of entrecote (5)

22 Chieftain enters mosque miraculously (4)

For the solutions,

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Precept increase will mean we will invest more in improving the police service you receive

As your Police and Crime Commissioner, it is my job to ensure Wiltshire Police have the necessary resources to fight and prevent crime, improve visibility and improve the service you receive – answering 101 and 999 when you call, responding when you need help, protecting vulnerable people and Making Wiltshire Safer.

It has been clear from residents’ feedback – heard by both myself and the Chief Constable throughout our varying public engagements throughout year – that you are still not seeing improvements in police service delivery as quickly as you would like and that clear picture forms the backdrop to my budget planning this year.

This week, so I could engage with as many residents and stakeholders as possible, before I report to the Police and Crime Panel on the budget, I opened my Policing, Priorities and £££s survey. As I set the budget for policing, and

“I want to know what you think about Wiltshire Police, the service being delivered and where the focus on policing needs to be...

Philip Wilkinson, Wiltshire PCC

commissioned services, for Wiltshire and Swindon for the financial year 2024-25, I want to know what you think and urging you to Use Your Voice. You will have seen my Use Your Voice survey for the last few years. Last year, one criticism was the lack of space for your voice to be heard on several aspects of policing. I have listened and broadened my survey as a result.

Our communities, and the residents within – both young and old - know first-hand what makes them feel safe, which crimes are most important to them and which

priorities they want their police service to focus upon, outside of the national policing issues and policing issues like serious violence and counter terrorism.

I want to know what you think about Wiltshire Police, the service being delivered and where the focus on policing needs to be now, and in the future.

I want to know what services commissioned by my office we should be focusing on and, perhaps most importantly, I want to know where you think our budget should be spent.

Whatever your opinion, I would encourage you to fill out the survey. It is only by using your voice that we can truly understand the views of local people.

www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk

Giants of broadcast journalism coming to Salisbury

RENOWNED journalists, Alastair Stewart and Katie Adie, are heading to Salisbury to share their experiences at the frontline of news broadcasting at two events presented by Arundells.

Widely respected for their decades of captivating audiences with their reporting on pivotal moments, the pair will share their experiences and insights at two separate events.

Legendary broadcaster and political commentator Alastair Stewart will join Michael McManus for an evening of insightful conversation on Monday April 8 at the Medieval Hall in the Cathedral Close.

Expect Alastair to regale his audience with captivating anecdotes and personal encounters that illuminate the inner workings of British politics, using wit and wisdom will shed light on important moments and key figures from across his illustrious career.

A pioneering British journalist renowned for her war reporting and captivating storytelling, Katie Adie’s career spanned over five decades.

It has taken her to some of the world’s most volatile regions. She continues to educate and inform listeners as anchor of BBC Radio 4’s iconic ‘From our Own Correspondent’ – which is unusual among Radio 4 programmes in having a growing audience.

Kate will be appearing at the Guildhall in the Market Square on Monday, May 13.

Luke Fletcher, events and marketing manager at Arundells, said: “These events offer a rare opportunity to experience the combined brilliance of two legends of journalism. arundells.org/events

Plain Arts and Salisbury Group of Artists collaborate for first joint exhibition

PLAIN Arts and Salisbury Group of Artists are holding their first collaborative exhibition, entitled ‘New Beginnings’ from Wednesday, March 6 until Saturday 30, at

Gallery Four, Salisbury Library.

More than 130 original pieces will showcase the latest work by members of both groups in a wide variety of media: paintings; pastels;

textiles; glass; ceramics; photography; and sculpture.

There will be a ‘large picture’ exhibition in the main gallery (four) and a ‘small picture’ exhibition in the adjoining Community Lounge.

The exhibition will be open during all library opening hours between March 6-30. Admission is free.

The two groups represent over 350 local artists and makers from Salisbury and the surrounding areas. A number of artists who belong to both groups recently came up with the idea of a first collaborative exhibition for spring this year, representing a ‘New Beginning’ for future possible collaborative ventures.

Teacher and pupil reunited in concert

A FORMER Salisbury school student will reunite with a teacher she first learned to play recorder with as a six-year-old to perform at a concert in St Martin’s Church in the city.

Cecily Moorsom (pictured) started learning the recorder with Miranda Dodd aged six. Later, she sang in the Cathedral Girls Choir and went on to study at Oxford University and the Guildhall School of Music and

Drama.

On March 3, Cecily will play solo recorder alongside Miranda in the concert which is being performed by Salisbury

Baroque. The pair will be performing Bach’s wonderful Fourth Brandenburg Concerto at St Martin’s Church. The concert, directed by Julia Bishop, a regular with the orchestra, will cover the development of the concerto in the baroque period, featuring Corelli and Vivaldi, as well as Bach. More information can be found on the website: salisburybaroque.org.uk

Salisbury Musical Society to perform Verdi Requiem at Cathedral in March

FOLLOWING Salisbury Musical Society’s sell out performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor in November, the society returns to Salisbury Cathedral in March to perform Verdi Requiem accompanied by Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra and conducted by David Halls.

Soloists will be Rachel Nicholls (soprano), Jess Dandy

(alto), Paul Nilon (tenor) and James Platt (bass).

The work commands huge orchestral forces and a large brass section and is likely to sound incredible in the resounding cathedral acoustic.

The choir has grown considerably in the last year. 130 voices will give the requiem the extra power it deserves.

SMS welcomes new singers, especially in the tenor and bass sections. Singers can try the choir for a term as a rehearsing member. Young singers aged 18-29 may be eligible for a bursary. Details on the website. Tickets £10-£40 (students with ID & children £5 in the side aisles).

salisburymusicalsociety.org.uk

Church

Holy Week and Easter at Salisbury Cathedral: Key events and services

THE Holy Week and Easter period is one of the busiest and most important periods in the Church year, with over 30 services and events taking place over the seven days from Palm Sunday on March 24 to Easter Day, March 31.

The liturgy follows the age-old story of Christ as he makes his journey to the Cross and ultimately to his Resurrection. The Cathedral is ‘dressed’ in accordance with the narrative and mood of the story for the day. For the Church, the narrative of the dying and rising of Jesus represents ‘new creation’ and hope.

Throughout Holy Week, the Cathedral offers many opportunities for prayerful reflection as we follow Christ’s journey to the Cross.

On Monday, March 25 at 7.30pm, lay vicars will sing the ancient service of Compline (from the Latin completorium, meaning completion).

This short service ends the day using plainsong texts that would have been chanted in the cathedral in medieval times, as well as Tallis’ Lamentations of Jeremiah.

This will be interspersed with brief addresses from the clergy concluding the series of Lent Addresses examining Christian perspectives on General Election issues.

One of the most evocative services during Holy Week is Sarum Tenebrae: A Service of Shadows at 7.30pm on Tuesday, March 26. Throughout this processional service candles are gradually extinguished until a single light remains, representing Christ, which is extinguished as a ‘thunderclap’ sounds and the cathedral is plunged into darkness.

Sarum Tenebrae draws upon the Sarum Rite, a form of worship dating back to the time when Salisbury Cathedral stood at Old Sarum. The service

features music by Tallis, Howells and many others.

Salisbury Cathedral’s Canon Precentor, Anna Macham, said: “We look forward to welcoming people to our Eastertide services ranging from the intense and sombre worship during Holy Week to the celebratory services on Easter Day.

“The sacred music played and sung during this time is some of the most beautiful and moving music ever written, in particular the Seven Last Words from the Cross by James MacMillan, which is to be performed in concert during Holy week.”

MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross will be sung during the Choral

Foundation Concert on Wednesday, March 27 at 7.30pm. Commissioned by BBC Television in 1993 and screened in seven nightly episodes during Holy Week the following year, the text of Seven Last Words is taken from the first four books of the New Testament, known as the Gospels (Matthew Mark, Luke and John).

The extracts form a sequential presentation of the last seven sentences uttered by Christ before he died.

Other highlights include the Eucharist of the Chrism on Maundy Thursday (Thursday, March 28) when hundreds of priests and lay ministers from across the diocese gather to

renew their commitment to ministry and receive the Holy Oils.

During this very special service The Right Revd Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury, blesses the three holy oils used in worship – the oil for the anointing of the sick and dying, the oil for baptism, and the oil of chrism, which is used for confirmation and at the ordination of priests –and they are carried from the cathedral out into parishes across Wiltshire and Dorset for use in the coming year.

The West Front Easter garden

Once again, the Easter story is to be narrated outside as well as inside the Cathedral, with a specially designed Easter Garden (created by award-winning garden designer Andy McIndoe) installed by the visitors entrance from Saturday, March 16.

The display includes three crosses hanging high above a symbolic tomb made of Chilmark stone (the stone used in the building of the cathedral), which sits in a ‘garden’ of Mediterranean plants – rosemary, laurel, olive and santolina –reminiscent of the landscape and story of Jesus. The tomb and crosses were specially made in the cathedral’s Works Yard.

The Revd Dr Kenneth Padley, Canon Treasurer, who has oversight of the Easter Garden, said: “Since medieval times, Christians have created temporary gardens to tell the story of Eastertide. The sealed tomb symbolises Jesus’ burial on Good Friday and on Easter Day the stone door is opened, representing the Christian belief that Jesus came back to life, three days after he was buried.

“Traditionally the garden remains in place until Pentecost, when we - as Christians – recall how God’s Holy Spirit was given to the disciples bidding them to continue God’s mission on earth.”

Above left: Flower arrangers prepare Easter Flowers

Above right: Eucharist with the Blessing of the Easter Garden

Credit: Finnbarr Webster

Preparing the oils for the Eucharist of the Chrism

Credit: Zach Culpin

In brief

A TRACTOR and hedge strimmers were stolen after a Salisbury sports club was broken into.

The theft happened at the Laverstock and Ford Sports Club at around 3am on Friday, February 9, police said.

“Offenders have broken the padlock at the premises in Church Road and made off with a green Parkway 2250 Plus Tractor, as well as hedge strimmers,” a spokesperson added.

“We are keen to hear from anyone who saw or heard any suspicious activity at the site around this time – as well as anyone who may have CCTV, dash cam or doorbell footage from the area which could assist our investigation.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 and quote crime reference number 54240016106, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Car door rescue for crash driver

FIREFIGHTERS cut the door off a car to free the driver after a crash on the A303 on the morning of February 14.

The crash, involving a car and a van, happened on the A303 between the A350 junction and Willoughby Hedge at just after 7am.

“Two fire crews from Shaftesbury and one from Salisbury attended, and the car’s door was cut off to assist the removal of the driver, who had been medically trapped,” a Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said.

“They were handed into the care of the ambulance service.”

Books and buckets help raise £60,000 for Stars Appeal

BOOKS and buckets helped raise more than £60,000 for the Salisbury Hospital Stars Appeal last year.

Volunteers in the Stars Appeal Bookshop and through bucket collections at the hospital raised a total of £62,653.53 during 2023.

They were joined by staff from the Pembroke Cancer Unit and Dr Anna Barton, who is also one of charity’s hospital ambassadors, for a special presentation to celebrate the achievement.

Last year, the bookshop, which is in the Main Entrance of the Hospital, raised £43,035.04 – up from £36,481.30 in 2022. Bucket collectors at the hospital raised a further £19,618.49.

Helena Sinclair, of the Stars

Appeal, said: “We are hugely grateful to our fantastic volunteers for their continued support and commitment. They not only make a fantastic contribution to our fundraising but are also a friendly face to support patients and visitors who may be going through a tough time.

“We want to say a big thank you to our volunteers and to everyone who supports us through the bookshop and bucket collections for their generosity. The money raised will help us to do even more for patients, their families, and staff across Salisbury District Hospital.”

In 2023, the Stars Appeal funded projects across Salisbury Hospital totalling £1.5 million, including an additional

echocardiogram for the Cardiac Investigation Unit, a 3D ultrasound machine for the Gynaecology Department, virtual reality headset for the Children’s Unit, and the latest baby heart monitors, as well as ongoing projects like Stars Appeal Wi-Fi and wellbeing support for patients with cancer.

The charity is aiming to raise £1m to continue its ongoing work and fund a variety of state-of-the-art equipment including videoscopes for head and neck cancer patients, a mechanical chest compression machine, and specialist cots for newborn babies on the labour and postnatal wards.

To find out more about the charity’s projects visit www. starsappeal.org.

Stars Appeal Bookshop and bucket collection volunteers with staff from the Pembroke Cancer Unit and Dr Anna Barton Credit Spencer Mulholland.

Bursaries could help young people with dreams of going to university

GRANTS of up to £1,600 a year to help young people from low-income families go to university are available from Wiltshire Community Foundation.

The community foundation’s University Bursary programme awards £1,600 for each year of university to students under the age of 25 to help bridge the gap between the maximum student loan available and what their families can afford to help support them.

The grants can be used for general living expenses, course costs, travel or for books and equipment. They are open to people aged between 17 and 24 who have lived in Wiltshire for at least two years. Applicants or their parent/carer must be in receipt of two means-tested benefits or two elements of Universal Credit.

They must be eligible for funding through Student Finance England and planning to study – or are already studying – for a first undergraduate degree at a UK university or institution.

The programme has been running since 2008 and has so far awarded more than £2 million in grants. Last year, 67 students were awarded a total of more than £350,000 in grants.

Previous recipients of the grants have said they allowed them to focus on their studies and not worry about paying bills. Photography graduate Charly Richards said her education bursary allowed her to make the most of her time at Coventry University.

She said: “Not having to work during my course allowed me time to study extra courses outside university as I prepared to go into the job market. I studied for a Google certificate in marketing and app

development and coding and looking back, I think that did help me secure my job. Without the grant I wouldn’t have had time for that.

“I wouldn’t have achieved as much as I did and I wouldn’t have as much time to apply for graduate jobs. When you are working during your course you just don’t have time to rest and knowing I had the grant gave me the extra time to think about what’s coming next.”

Wiltshire Community Foundation grants manager

Nicola Hillier said the grants can make a huge difference with the cost of living crisis making it harder than ever for young people to afford university.

“Why should someone with talent and drive be denied the chance to fulfil their promise just because of the financial barrier?” she said.

“Our grants can provide some certainty and peace of mind at what can be a very stressful, daunting time. They allow students to budget and make the most of what should be a life-changing experience.”

She and the foundation’s grants team keep in touch with students throughout their course. “It’s a real privilege to meet young people at the start of their university journey and watch them blossom and move into the careers they otherwise might have been denied,” she said.

“We have seen some amazing success stories of young people achieving great things in science, music, teaching, finance and any other areas so we know these grants make a world of difference.”

More details on eligibility and how to apply before the closing date of April 5 can be found at wiltshirecf.org.uk/ grants-and-support/individuals.

Fordingbridge trial for 4G camera technology

FORDINGBRIDGE will be covered by new CCTV camera technology as part of a trial being run by New Forest District Council (NFDC).

The trial forms part of the council’s commitment to maintaining low crime levels in rural communities.

Working in partnership with Fordingbridge Town Council, the camera has been installed in Fordingbridge high street.

The camera will initially be

operational for a period of four weeks to allow the technology to be tested.

The 4G cameras produce high-definition images in colour and have integrated infra-red to enhance images at night-time and in low light conditions.

During the trial period, the council will test the functionality of the cameras and quality of the footage, as well as engaging with local businesses and residents to gain feedback.

Cllr Dan Poole, portfolio holder for Community, Safety and Wellbeing at NFDC, said:

“The trial of new CCTV camera technology in Fordingbridge marks a significant step forward in our efforts to continue maintaining a secure environment for our community, fostering a sense of confidence and wellbeing for all our residents.

“I’m delighted with how the trial is going so far.

“I would like to thank

Fordingbridge Town Council for their support with this vital project.”

NFDC selected Fordingbridge for the trial because it didn’t have any CCTV cameras.

The £300,000 investment into the expansion of the district’s CCTV network includes additional funding from the Home Office Safer Streets Fund with a focus on rural communities.

Photography graduate Charly Richards said her education bursary allowed her to make the most of her time at Coventry University

EV plans need ‘recharge’, say Lords

PLANS to rid UK roads of petrol and diesel vehicles need a “rapid recharge”, according to a new report form the House of Lords.

The Lords’ Environment and Climate Change Committee published its ‘EV strategy: rapid recharge needed’ report, which said although progress had been made, it was not happening fast enough to meet legally-binding emissions targets.

Although the Government has committed to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035, the committee said more is needed to reach the target.

In December 2023, the Government updated the Zero Emission Vehicles mandate, requiring all manufacturers who operate in the UK that they need to sell an increasing proportion of EVs each year.

The report also acknowledged there had been some progress in the rollout of the UK’s charging infrastructure and the recent publication of strategies to enhance UK

innovation and manufacturing.

However, the rapid recharge needed to start immediately, with several issues that need to be addressed by both the Government and wider industry leaders.

However, progress is not happening fast enough, and major barriers remain.

The Government’s report stated that there are six main issues facing the EV sector:

EVs make up about only 3% of all cars currently on UK roads EVs are still more expensive than their petrol and diesel counterparts

Sudoko

Jumbo sudoku

The availability of public charge points across the UK is highly variable

Drivers’ anxiety over EV charge reliability and affordability

Lack of clear communication and leadership from the Government

The scale of misinformation and lack of tackling this from Government and industry

The EV Strategy report stated that a “go-to source of comprehensive, clear, and balanced information” is urgently required.

Furthermore, the report summarised that the Government “must now seize the opportunity it has given itself” and publish a roadmap through 2035.

Chair of the inquiry, Baroness Parminter, said: “Surface transport is the UK’s highest emitting sector for CO2, with passenger cars responsible for over half those emissions. The evidence we received shows the Government must do more – and quickly – to get people to adopt EVs. If it fails to heed our recommendations the UK won’t reap the significant benefits of better air quality and will lag in the slow lane for tackling climate change.”

Cryptic crossword

Watches that track activity and blood pressure available from county libraries

WATCHES that track activity and blood pressure monitors are still available to borrow from Wiltshire libraries.

People aged 16 and over are being encouraged to use the devices to stay healthy and active using the watches, which are on offer from Salisbury and Trowbridge, as well as the north and south mobile libraries.

Activity tracker watches enable people to track their steps, heart rate, sleep quality and more.

Moving more and sitting less is proven to improve sleep quality, mental health and many other aspects of life.

Regular physical activity can also help prevent long-term conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease

Food & Drink

and some cancers, and help to reduce limitations and falls later in life.

Also available on loan from Salisbury and Trowbridge libraries and the mobile libraries are blood pressure monitors, which people can use to take their blood pressure at home and see how any changes in lifestyle are having an impact.

If blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on heart and blood vessels.

If left untreated, it can lead to a number of health problems including heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease and forms of dementia. It is one of the most important contributors for cardiovascular disease.

You can reduce blood pressure

through:

● Regular physical activity

● Maintaining a healthy weight

● Eating a healthy balanced diet

● Stop smoking

● Measure blood pressure at home

● Stress management.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, cabinet member for public health, leisure and libraries, said: “Activity tracker watches are a great way to monitor your progress and get inspired about exercise.

“If you haven’t tried one before, pop down to your local library and borrow one for free.

“We launched this scheme in November 2023 and I borrowed an activity tracker watch at the time.

“I’ve found it very beneficial to be able to keep track of my progress and it has also been great motivation to get out and exercise.

“These watches are there for everyone – from beginners to those who regularly exercise so I’d recommend anyone interested borrows one to try it out, as there’s nothing to lose.”

People must be 16+ to borrow an activity tracker watch or 18+ to borrow a blood pressure monitor for six weeks.

n To sign up for free, visit a Wiltshire Council library or log on to https://www.wiltshire.gov. uk/libraries-join-the-library.

Doggie treats on offer at village pub

A PUB near Salisbury is trialling a dog-friendly menu - according

The Top Gear star recently tweeted a picture of a menu from The Royal Oak, in Swallowcliffe, listing some canine-friendly dishes for customers’ best friends.

Meals available include dog chews, a roast dinner and fish and

“We’re trialling a dog menu at (The Royal Oak),” the motoring presenter said on social media.

“It’s quality stuff, says a collie. Try the roast.

“Kids’ menu also available.”

In 2020, May bought a half stake in the village pub, which was restored afer closure in 2007. The grade II-listed building dates from the early 18th century.

Men’s health programme launched by Council and Wildlife Trust

A NEW programme that hopes to boost the well-being of men aged between 20 and 59, has launched.

Wiltshire Council is working with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to promote the free scheme, aiming to improve well-being through nature-based and physical activity, where men can develop strong social networks.

Sessions will be shaped throughout the programme based on the interests of those attending, with activities on offer including hiking, woodwork and bush craft skills, which will be run alongside well-being techniques including stress management and mindfulness.

Starting from February 19, the first programme will run over 12 weeks in Salisbury, with more well-being programmes being arranged for later in the year in Trowbridge and Chippenham.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, cabinet member for public health, said: “This partnership with Wiltshire

Wildlife Trust is very important, the programme will provide men with the knowledge and practical tools they need to improve their mental well-being.

“Participants will be able to engage in activities that they enjoy while developing new skills and learning about the benefits of being outdoors.

“Having access to well-being techniques and advice will contribute to positive behaviour

change, benefiting those who are currently struggling.”

Damian Haasjes, director of education and well-being at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, added: “Wiltshire Wildlife Trust are excited to be working in partnership with Wiltshire Council’s Public Health Team to support men’s mental health across the county.

“We regularly see the positive impact that connecting

with nature has on people’s mental health and well-being.

The new outdoor men’s well-being programme will build on our existing work and offer a great opportunity for early support and intervention with men who are struggling with their mental health.”

https://www.wiltshirewildlife.org/ mens-well-being; email wellbeing@wiltshirewildlife.org; or call 07702 802961.

Water company inspections quadruple following government crackdown

THE GOVERNMENT announced that water company inspections will more than quadruple as it seeks to crack down on poor performing companies

In recent months, robust steps have been made under the Plan for Water with all 15,000 storm overflows now monitored and the cap on civil penalties for pollution removed.

Defra also recently announced that water bosses will be banned from receiving bonuses if a company has committed serious criminal breaches.

The Environment Agency (EA) has already ramped up inspections on water company assets, with over 930 completed this financial year.

Water company inspections carried out by the EA will rise to 4,000 a year by the end of March 2025, and then to 10,000 from April 2026. This will include an increase in unannounced inspections – strengthening oversight of water companies and reducing the reliance on water company selfmonitoring, which was established in 2009.

Increased inspections and enforcement will be backed by around £55m each year. This will be fully funded through increased grant-in-aid from Defra to the Environment Agency and additional funding from water quality permit charges levied on water companies, subject to a public consultation which closes next month.

Environment secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “We are clear that we need to get much tougher with unannounced inspections to bring an end to the routine lawbreaking we have seen from water companies, which is what this announcement will deliver.

“We are going further to quadruple the Environment Agency’s regulatory capacity – allowing them to carry out 4,000 water company inspections by the end of the next

Increased inspections are designed to stop rivers, such as the important ecoenvironments of the region’s chalk streams from becoming exposed to pollutants

Credit: WWT

financial year.”

Environment Agency chair, Alan Lovell, said: “Last year we set out measures to transform the way we regulate the water industry to uncover non-compliance and drive better performance. [This] announcement builds on that.

“Campaign groups and the public want to see the Environment Agency better resourced to do what it does best, regulate for a better environment. Proposals to get extra boots on the ground to increase inspection visits will help further strengthen our regulation of the industry.”

With 100% of storm overflows now monitored, data-driven analytics will also help the Environment Agency map discharges against rainfall more effectively so they can quickly direct new specialist officers to any sites at risk, identify any non-compliance and take action.

The EA is already conducting the largest ever criminal investigation into potential widespread non-compliance by water and sewerage companies at thousands of sewage treatment works.

Since 2015, the EA has concluded 59 prosecutions against water and sewerage companies securing fines of over £150m. This announcement builds on the recent government initiatives, including:

● 100% of storm overflows in England are now monitored – providing a complete picture of when and where sewage spills happen

● Removing the cap on civil penalties for water companies and broadening their scope so swifter action can be taken against those who pollute our waterways

● Increased protections for coastal and estuarine waters by expanding the Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan, prioritising bathing waters, sites of special scientific interest and shellfish waters

● Requiring the largest infrastructure programme in water company history –£60bn over 25 years – to revamp ageing assets and to reduce the number of sewage spills by hundreds of thousands every year

● Providing £10m in support for farmers to store more water on their land through the Water Management Grants to support food production and improve water security.

●Speeding up the process of building key water supply infrastructure, including more reservoirs and water transfer schemes.

All major developments must deliver a benefit to nature

ALL major housing developments will now be required to deliver at least a 10% benefit for nature, with England becoming the first country in the world to make Biodiversity Net Gain a legal requirement.

Biodiversity Net Gain, introduced through the Environment Act, aims to

deliver the government’s commitment to halt species decline by 2030.

It means developers in England are now legally required to deliver at least a 10% increase in biodiversity when major building projects are undertaken.

Many housing developers are already successfully operating

Biodiversity Net Gain and recognising the benefits for people and nature. But it is now mandatory.

To help Local Planning Authorities integrate Biodiversity Net Gain at a local level, £10.6 million of funding is being committed to help local authorities recruit and expand ecologist teams, investing in

green jobs and increasing capacity to create new wildliferich habitats alongside developments.

Environment minister, Rebecca Pow, said: “Biodiversity Net Gain will help us deliver the beautiful homes the country needs, support wildlife and create great places for people to live.”

Farming

Government underlines commitment to British farmers at NFU conference

THE PRIME Minister attended the NFU conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, February 20, where he announced a range of measures designed to support British farmers.

With the Environment Secretary also delivering a speech, the government underlined its commitment to supporting profitable farming businesses, improving food security and protecting the agriculture sector for generations to come.

Measures announced included the largest ever grant offer for farmers in the coming financial year, expected to total £427 million.

This includes doubling investment in productivity schemes and bolstering others, such as the Improving Farming Productivity grant, which provides support for farmers to invest in automation and robotics, as well as solar installations to build on-farm energy security.

The Prime Minister also announced:

● A new annual UK-wide Food Security Index to capture and present the data needed to monitor levels of food security

● The Farm to Fork Summit will be held annually

● That a £15 million fund to help tackle food waste by enabling farmers to redistribute surplus food that cannot be used commercially at the farm gate.

The announcement was made ahead of new regulations that are due to be presented to parliament that are designed to

SALISBURY CHAMBER CHORUS CONCERT, 7.30 p.m. 23rd March 2024, St Mary & St Nicholas Church, Wilton SP2 0DL

process for farmers to apply for the SFI and CS Mid-Tier; and around 50 new actions that farmers can get paid for.

In addition, the government has announced that it will double the Management Payment for SFI, so that those with existing agreements will receive up to an extra £1,000 this spring and it will be extended to Countryside Stewardship mid-tier for the first year of agreements starting by March 2025.

“This means that the 11,000 farmers that have applied for SFI will receive that top up this spring.

ensure fair and transparent contracts for dairy farmers.

These will include:

● Clearer pricing terms for farmers

● Changes to contracts can’t be imposed on farmers without their agreement

● Providing more straightforward ways for farmers to raise concerns about their contracts.

A review is also set to launch to improve fairness in the poultry supply chain.

Environment secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “For generations, farmers have worked day in, day out to put food on our tables and are custodians of our beautiful British countryside.

“This is why we committed £2.4 billion to support British farming and have invested into the sector to boost agricultural productivity and resilience, increase food security and deliver for the environment, delivering on our plan.

“This includes the largest ever package of competitions and grants to foster technology and innovation, bolstered by our increasingly popular farming schemes that support all types and size of farm businesses to produce food sustainably.”

The government also confirmed that farmers are set to benefit from the improved Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) from July this year, following the announcement by Mr Barclay in January.

The improved offer includes a 10% increase in the average value of agreements in SFI and Countryside Stewardship (CS); a streamlined single application

Farming minister, Mark Spencer, said: “Maintaining food security and boosting sustainable food production is vital as we see the impacts of more extreme weather and global events, and today’s announcements provide further support for farmers to deliver this while also protecting the environment.

“Almost half of farmers across the country are already signed up to our farming schemes and we continue to work closely with farmers to tweak and improve our offer so as many farmers as possible are encouraged to get involved.”

Further measures announced include making up to £500,000 available to deliver projects that support mental health in the farming sector; and expanding permitted development rights to help farm businesses diversify and run profitable businesses, such as farm shops and sports venues.

Funding will also be provided to Internal Drainage Boards that protect agricultural land and rural communities from flooding, helping areas recover from recent flooding events and modernising infrastructure to lower costs for farmers and increase their resilience to climate change.

The government announced a range of new measures at the NFU conference designed to improve resilience within the farming sector Right: Environment secretary, Steve Barclay.

Rural communities turning away from Tories according to latest poll

POLL reveals Tories fighting to keep their rural heartlands: Labour pulls ahead in crucial battle for the countryside vote

A poll of more than 1,000 people in rural constituencies has revealed that the Conservative Party is struggling to hold on to their traditional rural heartlands.

With the next General Election a matter of months away, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and Survation organised poll revealed a stark 25-point collapse across England’s 100 most rural constituencies.

With the party suffering a number of by-election losses in recent months, this poll, focussing as it does on traditional Tory strongholds will offer little relief. The poll also revealed:

The share of the Labour vote has climbed to 37% (up 17 points on the 2019 general election result), with the Conservatives falling to 34% (down 25 points)

More respondents believe Labour understands and respects rural communities and the rural way of life than the Conservatives (28% versus 25%)

The Conservatives currently hold 96 of the 100 most rural seats, but face losing more than half to Labour and the Lib Dems, including those of Jacob Rees-Mogg, Jeremy Hunt and Thérèse Coffey.

The poll suggests the Conservatives may win just 43 of the 100 most rural seats, with Labour taking 51.

But with England’s rural population standing at 10 million, the poll also revealed a large chunk of the electorate is still up for grabs – when asked which of the political parties is most trusted to stimulate economic growth, the largest group of respondents said “don’t know” (35%).

The last CLA and Survation poll to focus on rural England, in April 2023, showed Labour making gains but falling short of overtaking the Conservatives, but this latest poll shows the Tories’ vote has plummeted by a further 7%, with most of this vote going to the Reform party.

CLA president Victoria Vyvyan said: “People living in the countryside are ambitious – they want to start businesses, create jobs and grow the economy but for decades, governments of all colours have treated the countryside as a museum, failing to generate the conditions necessary for growth.

“This poll makes it clear that rural voters up and down the country feel politically homeless and disconnected from central government – but their votes are still up for grabs.

“Whichever party produces a robust and ambitious plan for growth in the rural economy will undoubtedly secure support.

“For the good of our rural communities and the nation as a whole, now is the time for the main parties to make it clear that they will back the countryside.”

The CLA has published a blueprint setting out how parties can help unlock the full potential of the rural economy.

The six documents, or missions, cover topics such as profitable and sustainable farming, affordable housing, rural crime and delivering economic growth in rural areas.

Among these ‘missions’ is a call from the CLA for an increased agricultural budget of at least £4 billion a year to invest in a world-class agriculture policy and help farmers deliver meaningful

improvements to the environment.

Farmers, including the next generation, need to have confidence that the government will back their ambitions for food production and nature for the long-term, in the face of rising costs and inflationary pressures.

Yet the poll found only 28% of respondents believe it is very or somewhat likely that the next generation of those living in the countryside will have a better life than their parents.

Victoria added: “The move towards delivering public good through agricultural policy is welcome. However, farmers can’t fight climate change or biodiversity decline on a shoestring budget decimated by inflation.”

According to the poll, the Tories are in danger of losing their traditional heartlands; inset: CLA president Victoria Vyvyan Credit: Andy Newton/Unsplash