We must support our nurses in fight for fair pay

I think I speak for many of us when I say I feel angry and saddened at the government’s treatment of nurses working in our NHS. Although most of the health unions voted to accept the offer of a lump sum and 5%, the Royal College of Nursing, the largest part of the NHS workforce, rejected it and remain in dispute with the government and are going to hold another ballot on whether to continue strikes in the coming months.

Local Labour Party members went to show their support for the nurses on the picket lines on May 1 outside Dorset County Hospital and judging by the many drivers beeping their horns as they went past, the public is still very much

By CLAUDIA SORIN West Dorset Labour Party

on their side in their fight for a fair pay deal.

Speaking to one of the RCN reps, Lucy Walton, it was clear that the government’s pay offer is in fact a pay cut in real terms as it is much lower than inflation and comes on the back of years of real terms pay cuts. The nurses on the picket line chanted: “Claps don’t pay the bills!” highlighting the hypocrisy of a government that clapped for the NHS during the covid pandemic but now refuses to recognise the real worth of these brave, overworked nurses. Lucy told me that she knows of colleagues having to use foodbanks and that young nurses just starting out on their careers with debts of £50k are really struggling with housing and the cost of living.

There is real concern about the future of our NHS, where 137,000 vacant posts mean it is less safe for patients and levels of stress for nurses are high. Lucy regularly does 16 hours of unpaid work a month and said that is normal for most nurses trying to fill the gaps due to chronic staffing shortages. It’s with great reluctance that nurses have taken strike action and it is unprecedented in their history. Clearly, they can’t continue working under such conditions and being so undervalued; we must support them in the fight for a better pay deal and to save our NHS.

Freelance copywriter ANDREW KNOWLES is based in Wyke Regis. He’s been freelance for nearly 15 years, including work with Dorset Growth Hub, helping to support and train hundreds of small business owners.

Networking doesn’t have to be scary

She opened the door just a little, to peek into the room.

It was busy with several dozen smartly dressed women and men, chatting noisily in small groups. She closed the door and walked away.

From across the room I’d seen her furtive glance. I watched through the clear glass of the door as she went down the steps to the street. I guessed what had happened and immediately followed her. I’d never seen her before, but from her outfit, I knew she’d planned on attending the networking meeting for local business people. I assumed it was her first time and that on seeing the crowded room, her nerve had failed. Who finds it easy to walk into a room of strangers? Particularly when it’s to do networking - when you don’t really know what that is.

I caught up with her crossing Weymouth’s Town Bridge, along the road from the venue.

“Hi. I noticed you looking in on the meeting back there. I’m one of the organisers. Can I help?”

I can’t remember her words, but she confirmed my suspicions. The crowd had been too much for her.

We went back in together. She had just gone freelance. I introduced her to a group of other business owners I knew. I got her a coffee. Very soon she looked comfortable in conversation.

She became a regular at these networking events and her business grew to take on several employees.

This experience taught me that networking is genuinely scary. Someone recently told me he was physically sick with

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Leave anxiety at his first networking event. On the other side, many small business owners credit networking for bringing them new customers, new ideas and even new friends. Business networking explained Don’t confuse networking with selling. It’s an easy mistake.

The woman in my story thought she had to turn every conversation into a selling opportunity - that was part of her reluctance to come in.

Networking isn’t selling. It’s simply talking to likeminded people, getting to know them. Some networking groups are very structured and some do focus on sales. But many don’t. They’re informal gatherings where conversations can, in time, open doors to opportunities.

If you’re unfamiliar with networking, my top tips are: n Arrive early, before the start time. Being one of the first makes it easier to get into conversations with others. n Ask questions that go beyond “so what do you do?” and “how’s it going?” Find a topical angle, or ask how someone got into doing what they do. n Don’t expect to sell. No one likes being sold to. Be prepared to say a little about what you do, but make it interesting. People remember stories more than they do facts. n Keep going back. Good networkers invest time in developing relationships. You can’t do that if you only turn up occasionally.

If you’re new in business, or new to the area, networking has lots to offer. Don’t just peer in the door and run away.

Why choose print advertising?

Does print advertising still work, in this day and age? Surely, a quick post on Facebook will be cheaper and get to the right people? Well… Figures show advertising in the right publication is a good investment for many businesses.

More than double the numbers of people trust what they read in local publications than trust what they read on social media. And they are much more likely to absorb your message in print – our readers are more engaged than those scrolling through countless posts. They will remember you, through our advertising and features. The West Dorset Magazine offers the best penetration in this area, with an estimated 70,000 readers from Portland to Lyme Regis, up to Sherborne. Give us a call, on 01305 566336 or email advertising@ westdorsetmag.co.uk