Farm lights net £10k for air ambulance

A woman who suffered major head injuries after being thrown from a ponydrawn carriage and dragged underneath it has helped raise more than £10,000 for the county’s air ambulance.

Anne Roots and her son Julian Hubbuck raised £10,467 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance at the 2022 Nutley Farm Christmas Lights and Reindeer Experience. Anne said it was her way of repaying the emergency service for airlifting her to hospital following her carriage crash in 2015. Speaking about the incident, Anne said: “I had harnessed one of our ponies to go for a carriage drive with a friend. As I prepared to dismount, the pony bolted and overturned the carriage, throwing my friend clear and trapping me underneath in a heap of muck. As the pony panicked, I found myself being dragged underneath the carriage, before both the pony and carriage galloped over the top of me. It was terrifying and my life flashed before my eyes. One moment I was having a nice time and the next I was being airlifted to hospital with major injuries to my head and across my middle from the carriage. The work of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance was exceptional and without them, I might not have survived to tell the tale.

“We continue to support them as a way of saying thank you and try to raise as much as possible.

“We thank all our customers for attending our Christmas Lights and Reindeer Experience and helping us raise a significant amount once again. I feel proud of the team at Nutley Farm, who are all helping to make a difference for patients, like me, who one day might need such an important service.”

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance chief executive Charles Hackett said: “Anne and Julian’s Christmas gift to the people of Dorset and Somerset is such an amazing thing to do.

“While giving pleasure to the many families that enjoy the lights, they have raised money that far exceeds the cost of Anne’s individual care by Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.”

Last year was the third Nutley Farm Christmas fundraiser, bringing the total raised for the air ambulance over the years to £26,013.

New rules at tips for disposing of upholstered furniture

New rules are being introduced about the disposal of upholstered furniture at household recycling centres across Dorset.

Environment Agency regulations mean that all upholstered domestic seating – such as sofas, armchairs, futons and bean bags – will be separated from other waste types at Dorset’s recycling centres. The change has been made because furniture with cushions and fabrics are often treated with fire-retardant chemicals known as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). These chemicals have not been used since 2019 but can remain intact in the environment for a long time if not dealt with properly and need to be incinerated safely.

A Dorset Council spokesperson said upholstered furniture can still be dropped off at any of the county’s ten recycling centres free of charge.