33 Open for Business - Business news and views in your area

OPEN for Business

MONEY MATTERS Year End Tax Planning

The current tax year will end of 5 April 2020, so now is the time to ensure that you have made best use of tax allowances and exemptions. Most allowances cannot be carried forward to the next tax year (although a new allowance will often become available), so they will be lost if they are not used. If you have investments which you can sell at a profit, you can realise capital gains of up to the current annual exemption of £12,000 without paying tax. Alternatively, if you have loss-making investments you could sell the holdings to crystallise those losses which can then be carried forward and offset against gains in future years. The ISA limit for the current tax year is £20,000 per person. Holding investments in an ISA means that income and capital gains are not subject to tax, so it is advantageous to make these investments as soon as possible after the start of the tax year to maximise the tax savings. You can also contribute up to the full amount of your net relevant earnings into a personal pension, subject to an Annual Allowance of £40,000. Higher earners may have this annual limit restricted so that a lower amount qualifies for tax relief. Investments in a pension are not subject to income tax or capital gains tax, and there can also be inheritance tax benefits. And finally, the new tax year provides an opportunity to make a tax return resolution. If you are one of the five million taxpayers who leave filing their tax return until January each year, trying to complete this earlier gives many benefits; any refund is paid to you sooner, you have plenty of time to budget for a tax liability and, perhaps most importantly, you avoid the stress of the last minute rush to avoid a late filing penalty.

This is only general advice and should not be relied upon; for specific advice tailored to your personal circumstances please contact: Lee Keeling at Andrews and Palmer, The Square, Gillingham, SP8 4AR Tel: 01747 823147 andpal.co.uk Lee@andpal.co.uk

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS Jackson Stops open new estate agents office in Sherborne, Dorset. Mill on the Brue recently won Bronze for Active and Sporting and Gold for Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism at the South West Tourism Awards Congratulations to Dorset Cowshed who came runners up in the Baby Friendly Boltholes top ten rated properties of 2019. Local store FlyJesse now stock the amazing Kit and Kin in their shop in Sherborne. Renasci Design is a fab new store in Overton, Hampshire offering a bespoke collection of hand painted furniture and home decor. Go check them out!

The team at “Teal’s” have broken ground on the site of the A303's first electric car-charging, singleuse plastic free, celebration of Somerset goodness. Comprising kitchen, food market, kid’s area and lifestyle store and conveniently located at the North/South Cadbury junction on the A303, this exciting new venture promises to gather the very best of Somerset and the wider west country under one roof. Opening in late Summer 2020, Teal’s will connect local communities to local producers, and be a vibrant new canvas on which to share the region with those passing through. Founders Nick and Ash Sinfield “We’re hugely excited to be bringing this new store to North Cadbury, it gives us a great platform on which to celebrate the abundance of brilliant local producers and makers, offer nearby towns and villages an alternative to supermarkets and in doing so make a meaningful contribution to the rural economy." Coming Soon

Like many mumpreneurs, the beginnings of Cotton Fox Prints started to form whilst on maternity leave. After having her second son, Ros Moreton returned to work on a part-time basis but started to use her design degree (obtained some 10 years previously) on her days off, whilst her baby napped. Ros says: “I can’t believe I made it work. I screen printed all the fabric at home and would have to get a print run done in a one to two-hour window, never sure when my son would wake up.” Now full-time, Somerset kids brand Cotton Fox Prints continues to create colourful cushions, toy storage baskets and fun wall decorations from fabric Ros has designed herself. Also, in order to keep up with demand, Ros moved to get her designs digitally printed, which allows her to sketch more complex illustrations and her supplier uses eco-friendly print on premium cotton. “Moving to digital print has been fantastic for me. It means I can explore so many more colour and pattern options and offer customers a bespoke and personalised service.” comments Ros. Based in Taunton, Ros is currently working on her baby safe toys in time for Easter. With a lot of interest already it seems bunnies might be her new bestseller. To find out more about custom orders visit cottonfoxprints.co.uk Fantastic Cotton Fox

New Moves for Rural View

Rural View was established by Charlie Graham in 2007 as a niche estate agency specialising in the sale and letting of country property. From its early roots it quickly established a reputation as an approachable local firm offering first class customer service, and with the addition of Mark Matthews in 2012, supplying further experience and integrity. Advances in technology have created a level playing field and over the years Rural View has been able to compete head on with the bigger players, selling and letting some of the most attractive property in the locality. 2020 has now seen further exciting changes for the business, the first being the addition of Charlie Stone to the team. Charlie is extremely well known for advising on and selling country houses in the area and he brings with him a broad range of experience gained over the last twenty years working as a Director for one of the largest property companies. He will be using these skills to build on what Rural View is already known for, but also to take them forward into new markets. Secondly, Rural View are relocating their office to the charming village of Tisbury with its vibrant high street, railway station and eclectic mix of both period and modern housing. In line with the move, the brand has also been given a fresh modern look. Charlie Stone said “ We are really excited to be moving into The Loft in Tisbury, not only will it give us an excellent location in which to showcase our clients properties and engage with buyers and sellers alike, but it will also significantly increase the profile of the brand. Rural View has always had a loyal following and we look forward to expanding our offering and pushing into new areas”. From their offices in Tisbury, Rural View will offer sales, lettings and management throughout Wiltshire, North Dorset, South Somerset and West Hampshire. If you are looking for sales or lettings advice in 2020 or you are a prospective buyer or tenant do get in touch as they would be delighted to help you. ruralview.co.uk Pictured above are co-directors Charlie Graham, Charlie Stone and Mark Matthews

Local Mum, Lexy Browning is celebrating five whole years of bringing crafty sparkly joy to parties in Dorset. The owner of Made By Me Craft Parties hosted an exclusive craft party to say thank you to all her customers, friends and supporters. The party was a wonderful way to mark the big anniversary, and attendees included several local competition winners along with Lexy’s chief party testers, her children. Made By Me Craft Parties was set up by Lexy to run around her two young children and offers fun, magical, beautiful and personalised craft parties for children, teens and adults for any event or occasion. The parties are unique and tailored to customers’ requirements, so if someone wants a dinosaur party or a unicorn-themed hot air balloon making party, then Lexy makes it happen! Commenting on the anniversary, Lexy said: “It’s been a fantastic five years and I’d like to thank everyone for supporting me and helping to spread the craft party magic across Dorset. It’s great to have found a business that works around my two children, who inspire me daily with their creative party ideas. I am now looking forward to what the next five years will bring and launching lots more new party ideas over the coming months.” madebymeparties.co.uk Happy 5th Birthday Photography: Samantha Prewett Photography.

‘Stroud Spirit’ Advertisement Feature

Stroud School in Romsey has achieved ‘Excellent’ – the highest possible grading – in its latest Focused Compliance and Educational Quality Inspection report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The top grading was achieved in both academic achievement and personal development, and was recognised as such from Nursery to Year 8. The ISI is the Ofsted equivalent for independent schools, approved by the Department for Education. Stroud is an exciting preparatory school where boys and girls aged 3 to 13 years old thrive in its unique family environment. This was highlighted clearly in the report where it commented that Stroud pupils “have a strong moral compass: their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils are very confident and reflective learners due to the embedding of the ‘Stroud Spirit’ across all areas of school life.” Stroud is keen to expose its pupils to as many different opportunities as possible. From language and culture days, to fantastic extra-curricular activities, all opportunities offered increase the children’s enjoyment and engagement. The school’s values: ‘Honesty, Respect, and Happiness’, underpins all activities at Stroud and the school sees these values reflected in its pupils’ behaviour every day. As a result, Stroud fosters a culture in which Stroud School Achieves Highest Grade Obtainable in ISI Inspection.

its children have a genuine desire to achieve success and act as excellent ambassadors. Mr Worrall, Headmaster, commented: “Our pupils continue to impress and humble me. It is clear from the report that our sense of community, our core values of Honesty, Respect and Happiness, and the enabling of pupils’ academic and pastoral development are all operating at exceptionally high levels. It is a great platform upon which we can continue to build.”

The next Open Day is Saturday 14 March, 10am-1pm. For more information or to arrange a visit, call 01794 513231 or email registrar@stroud-kes.org.uk or stroud-kes.org.uk

SIMALI STONE LTD STONE FLOORING SPECIALISTS

MARBLE ■ LIMESTONE ■ SLATE ■ TERRACOTTA ■ TRAVERTINE ■ BASALT GRANITE WORKTOPS ■ SINKS ■ FIREPLACES ■ DESIGN ■ SUPPLY ■ INSTALL WWW.STONEFLOORINGONLINE.CO.UK 01747 852557 40 D-F WINCOMBE BUSINESS PARK, SHAFTESBURY, DORSET, SP7 9QJ

TOP Marks

Village, primary, pre prep, private or state we want to know your school news, email: info@countrychild.co.uk

Opportunities for Life

Much is spoken today about the resilience of our youth. The pressures of imagery, social media, securing the highest grades, can all bring their own anxieties. At Sherborne Prep we talk a lot about the building of character, resilience and emotional wellbeing, and we believe a breadth of experience is crucial in developing strength of character. We currently run over 130 different extra-curricular activities each week, plus endless opportunities in music, performance on stage, sport and art with our dedicated Art Room always open and indeed, full. The capacity to know oneself and to know others develops from experience with people and learning from success and failures. During their journey with us, our pupils will inevitably experience successes, pressures, failures and a great sense of camaraderie, all helping to build a rounded citizen, altruistic in nature and, in line with our School motto - ‘Non nobis solum’ - Not for ourselves alone. Children must be encouraged to try things, take risks, find their niche, realise they are not very good at certain things but potentially very good at others. They also need to celebrate other peoples’ success; a difficult skill for us all. I believe that offering a broad curriculum A word from Nick Folland Headmaster, Sherborne Prep School

is surely the key to this breadth of learning and should be at the forefront of our schooling. Our Saturday morning activity programme is voluntary for all our day pupils and yet 90% of the children attend every week to enjoy the fun and vast array of clubs on offer. From horse riding, to junk modelling, to photography and cooking, these are all fantastic learning opportunities for the children, not just in the skills they are building, but also in their awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses. Our week is a busy but enjoyable one, packed full of experience and learning as a preparation for the future. Our pupils move on to their senior schools with the core skills for learning and a set of experiences that ensure that they are well rounded individuals, with a strong understanding of their responsibilities in the wider world."

Six boys from All Hallows have been nominated for the Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears Developing Players Pathway. This is the first rung on the ladder of the professional rugby pathway and their nomination by Head of Games, Mr Emsley represents their excellent attitude, hard work and willingness to learn. "Rugby is a major sport here at All Hallows and as a school we emphasize the long-term benefits of good movement patterns, mental well-being and a rounded, positive approach to being healthy and fit alongside performing the best you can. We look forward to watching the boys' progress in rugby as they move onto their chosen senior schools in September" Players Pathway Pick

Ofsted praised the empathy, care and patience of the staff and in turn noted the respect, listening and good behaviour reciprocated by the children. The staff were commended for being excellent role models to the children and the pre-school environment was celebrated for being calm and happy, fun and varied. The forestry element to the pre-school and shared use of the primary school field next door provides great space for the children to learn outdoors and explore new skills. Chair Georgie Reid commented, “We are thrilled to have maintained the outstanding rating from Ofsted and we really do thank Lisa and her team of staff for all their hard work and dedication to the children!” Outstanding Ofsted

TURNPIKE Kennels And Cattery

* Safe & happy environment for your pets. * Doggy daycare available. * Four secure grass exercise areas for dogs. * All vaccinations, including kennel cough must be in-date. * Special dietary needs catered for on request. * Viewing always encouraged. * Prices inclusive of pet’s bed, bedding, food, heating, insurance and VAT. TEL 01747 854768 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 8.30AM - 11AM / 3PM - 6PM