Dorset View January 2023

This year brings great excitement to our family-run business as it reaches its 20th anniversary.

It’s a huge milestone and we will be celebrating throughout 2023.

I won’t pretend it’s been an easy 20 years because publishing is a tough industry. We often feel we could have made a better living out of doing something else, but publishing community magazines is what we know. It’s in our veins and we love the challenge.

Even so, we couldn’t possibly have reached this incredible 20-year landmark without our loyal team, loyal advertisers and loyal readers. So thank you all very much.

Without you, we couldn’t have survived the great recession of 2008/09 and a Covid pandemic, plus still been here to battle the current cost of living crisis like everyone else is having to do.

A New Year brings optimism and hope and to reflect this you will find a New Year article (P22-26) and a great deal more, including important community news, events and competitions, but how about this for a fact? David Phipp, Poole Joinery, Select PVC-U, Carpet Barn, Briggs Products, Contakt Carpets, Lynwood Vets, Ringwood Fabrics, The Regent Centre, Christchurch Hearing Aid Centre and Dorset Soils & Aggregates were in our very first publication in 2003 and still advertise with us today.

Keep warm and safe in 2023 and if you need help don't be afraid to ask for it. Our charity of the year is Dorset Mind and they will explain how they can help those in crisis.

DESIGN

Five defrauded of £72,000 in 14 days

In a period of 14 days in November 2022, Dorset Police had received 11 reports of courier fraud, with five victims being defrauded of a total of £72,000.

Officers from Weymouth CID are investigating this latest crime series with the support of the force’s Economic Crime Unit and fraud triage team.

Detective superintendent Stewart Dipple, of County LPA Investigations and Performance, said: “The current scam is that offenders contact a potential victim pretending to be police officers or a member of bank staff. They either state that they have a suspect in custody, who has been using your bank details or that your bank account has been compromised, with bank staff being involved and corrupt.”

He explained that the scammers “quite often know which bank you are with and will know at least your surname. They will keep you on the phone – sometimes for hours – and very often request

you to leave the phone line live and off the hook. Or they will bombard you with telephone calls over a number of hours.

“They will then ask you to assist with their investigation and will request you to go to the bank and withdraw several thousands of pounds,”

DS Dipple added that the scammers “promise that you will get the funds back after they have made checks.”

He also explained that the scammers “will ask you to keep this to yourselves as, if you tell anyone, it will jeopardise the investigation. If you have a mobile phone, they will ask you to keep the line open when you travel to the bank and when in the bank so they can listen to your conversation. They will tell you to tell lies to the bank when they ask you questions about your withdrawal. If you

don’t have transport they will call a taxi for you, but this will be at your expense.”

DS Dipple said “on your return home they will ask you to read out some serial numbers on the notes and they will tell you that the notes are counterfeit.”

The scammers will then do one of two things: ask you to wrap up the notes and sometimes place them into a box and they will give you an address to send the package to; or tell you to go to the post office and send it special delivery.

“On your return from the post office they will ask you for the tracking number so they can track the package,” said DS Dipple. “Or they will send a courier/person to your home address, who will be part of the scammers’ team. They will give you a password that

the courier will tell you when picking up the package.”

To help Dorset Police counter this crime, remember three important points:

• The police or the bank will never ask you to assist in this way with any investigation.

• The police or the bank will never ask you to remove money or transfer your money from your account.

• The police or the bank will never attend your address to pick up bank cards or cash.

If you think you have been the victim of a courier fraud, report it to Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk/ contact, by calling 101 (or 999 if you are in immediate danger or risk of harm) or report directly to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police. uk or on 0300 123 2040.

The publishers of Dorset View, Viewpoint magazines and a many other publications is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Editor, director and co-founder of Pulford Publicity, Janine Pulford, said, ”It seems impossible that it was 20 years ago that I was made redundant and took the plunge to invest what little money I had in setting up a publishing company in Ferndown with a business partner.”

Janine had no idea what a huge challenge she had set herself so it was a great relief when her eldest son Ben joined the firm after he left school. He trained as a graphic designer, but took an interest in business management. After some years and having achieved business qualifications he was promoted to managing director.

His brother Louis also studied graphic design and joined the company when he was a teenager. He is now a director and heads the design bureau.

“All three of us have done everything from making the tea to delivering magazines, meeting dignitaries and negotiating at highlevel meetings,” said Janine. “We have grown with the company and know it inside out.”

To add more family into the mix, Janine’s husband Nick became company secretary after he retired as a manager in 2012.

Working tirelessly to produce community magazines with accurate news and interesting items the Pulfords have gained respect for their professionalism and personal approach.

“We’ve survived two recessions and are now battling spiralling costs. This hasn’t worn us down, it’s given us the fighting spirit to carry on,” said Janine. “Here’s to the next 20 years which will be carried forward by Ben and Louis after I retire.

“We’d be nothing without our team and our clients, as well as our readers, so here’s a big thank you to you all. Happy New Year!”

Charity of the Year

Here is the first one.

Introducing Dorset Mind

Did you know that 1 in 4 people will live with a diagnosable mental health condition in their lifetime?

This, combined with the cost of living crisis and the war in Europe, makes it even more important for mental wellbeing to be a priority for everyone today.

How Dorset Mind evolved

Established in 1946, Dorset Mind was known as the ‘Bournemouth Association for Mental Health’ (BAMH).

Doris Odlum, a forward-thinking psychiatrist, founded the association for professionals to discuss mental health.

In 1971, BAMH opened their first service and in the 2000s, BAMH became part of the Mind Federation and known as Dorset Mind.

The charity remains independent, which has enabled us to grow and support the needs of people in Dorset. Our vision is to create a community where living and talking about mental health becomes acceptable for everyone. What we do and how we do it: We connect minds by bringing together people to make change in their communities.

We change minds by challenging the stigma around mental health. We want to ‘Get Dorset Talking’ so that people can access appropriate support at their time of need.

We support minds by delivering life-changing 1-2-1 and group support for adults and young people that includes: active monitoring, befriending, counselling, education, support groups, wellbeing check-ins and training.

We also offer volunteer opportunities countywide, with many roles available across the charity. This can often be a stepping-stone to paid work.

How can you support us?

Fundraising for Dorset Mind enables mental health support for local people in Dorset. Every donation helps protect the future of our charity, as we work hard to meet a rapidly increasing demand for high-quality services in challenging times. Find out more about our support, volunteer for us, or make a donation by visiting: dorsetmind.uk. If you’re in a crisis, call 999 or The Samaritans on 116 123. Alternately, call NHS Dorset’s Connection helpline on 0800 652 0190.

For the duration of 2023 Dorset Mind will be this magazine’s charity of the year. With so much talk of mental health issues following the pandemic, and the sad loss of friends due to inner struggles, Dorset View’s owners, Pulford Publicity, wanted to ensure anyone needing help knows about the valuable support available from Dorset Mind. The charity will be supplying a column every month.

Snowdrop weekend at the Church of St George

For a spectacular show of snowdrops in February visit St George’s in Damerham. Snowdrop Weekend is on 11 and 12 February when, as well as a stunning display of snowdrops in the churchyard, the church is open for tea and coffee plus other stalls. Toilet facilities are available.

St George’s has a fascinating history and is thought to date back to early Norman times. It has been added to and restored over the centuries.

The carving immediately

above the main door of the church shows St George slaying a Saracen at the battle of Antioch, 1098. Although this figure has been assigned to the reign of Richard the Lionheart, it may have been earlier.

In 1992 a War Memorial Chapel was created in the north aisle and commemorative kneelers were made by Royal British Legion and church members.

The Church of St George is a listed building and was first listed on 13 February 1987 when the snowdrops were out.

law spot by Harold G Walker Solicitors

Who looks after our children if we pass away?

By Katherine Grantham-Balchin – Private Client Executive

Most people choose to make a will to deal with what happens to their assets if they pass away but this document is also important in dealing with the care of minor children or those family members who may be vulnerable.

Through a will, it is possible to make an appointment of guardians to take care of any children under the age of 18. In most cases, an appointment of guardianship usually takes effect on the death of all parents holding parental responsibility. If there is no appointment of guardianship, then the courts will have to decide who will look after the children.

There are many factors to consider when choosing an appropriate guardian. Their age: will the guardian be

able to care for the children until they are 18? Where they live: will the children or guardian need to relocate? Whether they have children of their own: will they be able to accommodate further children? Ultimately, the right choice will be the one in the best interests of the children.

It is important to discuss the appointment with your chosen guardian to ensure that they will be willing to act in the event of your death. It is also a good idea to consider making a reserve appointment, just in case your first choice is, for any reason, unable to act at the time of your death.

If you want to decide who looks after minor children if you die, then you should make a will and appoint guardians.

Law Spot is for information only and does not constitute legal advice.

Have your say on Christchurch coastal erosion

People who care about the beautiful coast from Hengistbury Head Long Groyne to Hurst Spit, encompassing Christchurch Harbour, are invited to have their say on a proposed short list of flood and erosion risk measures.

A management strategy is being produced jointly by BCP and New Forest District Councils working with the Environment Agency. As well as informing how coastal communities may be protected, it will also consider the effects of predicted climate change, including sea level rise and the increasing frequency of storms.

This fourth phase of

engagement includes an online survey, which can be completed until Sunday 15 January 2023.

It is anticipated the final strategy will be adopted in early 2024. It will enable BCP Council and New Forest District Council to bid for government funding for coast protection schemes. Although there is no guarantee of 100 per cent funding, it will also help identify the level of partnership funding that may be required to deliver schemes.

The online survey can be accesed via https://haveyoursay. bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ christchurchstrategyphase4

Businesses across the UK encouraged to invest in Dorset

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has produced five investment prospectuses. They have been produced by the LEP’s Invest in Dorset team, a group of economic development professionals to help businesses identify opportunities for growth and expansion in Dorset.

They highlight more than 50 case studies of transformational business successes from the county including companies such as Lush and Sunseeker who compete on the global stage.

Each guide covers a specific sector key to the Dorset economy: advanced engineering and manufacturing; agritech; financial services; marine; and digital and creative.

The team offers a support package that includes location and labour market advice, assistance on securing funding, introductions to training and recruitment partners, mentoring, networking and help with relocating staff.

Case studies featured in the guides include Mudeford-based Pixi, manufacturer of electric boats; Outpost VFX (high end visual effects for the global film industry) headquartered in Bournemouth; Jurassic Sea Farms, a seaweed harvester with initial

seedling cultivation in Portland Port.

Invest in Dorset hopes to tempt inward investors through the region’s focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and the apprenticeship and career opportunities supported by the commercialisation of academic research.

The guides highlight that nearly half of the 350,000-strong workforce across Dorset and BCP are in managerial or professional roles.

Every year, there are more than 4,200 graduates leaving Bournemouth University and Arts University Bournemouth, with 22,000 degree students living in the county altogether.

On the digital and creative side, Invest in Dorset say more than half of all the graduates working in the UK’s film, visual effects and video games industries were educated in Dorset.

The sector supports more than 12,000 jobs and makes an annual economic contribution of more than half a billion pounds.

On the marine side, the guide writers say Dorset has a quarter of the South West’s marine manufacturing jobs, offering investors substantial scope for research and development opportunities

together with a ready supply chain.

A key marine investment already under way is the £26 million berth development in Portland Harbour, which is expected to attract companies working in activities such as marine autonomous systems.

In the financial services sector, leading brands such as LV, JP Morgan and BNY Mellon are among 1,600 firms together employing more than 14,000 people in Dorset and contributing £1.7 billion to the economy. The sector has seen a 20 per cent growth in Dorset in the past 10 years.

All the guides are downloadable from www.dorsetlep.co.uk. For more information on Invest in Dorset, visit https://www.dorsetlep. co.uk/invest-in-dorset.

Are you eligible for financial assistance?

With the cost of living spiralling, Dorset Council says that even if you think you are not entitled to any assistance or have previously applied, you should still check if you haven’t done so recently.

The council’s Welfare Benefits Team has helped residents.

An older council resident, who did not qualify for Pension Credit due to his assets, was entitled to the highest rate of Disability Living Allowance where once he had a lower amount. The re-banding of this benefit unlocked £92 a week in income, which then allowed him to claim Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support totalling £220 a week. The entitlements also led to a free TV licence, reduced tariff utility bills, assistance with glasses, dental treatment and hospital transport. He also got access to technological devices in his

home to notify others if he fell.

In another example, a resident with a learning disability, who was assisted with a benefit check when her circumstances changed, was owed thousands of pounds due to previous unanswered claims from the Department of Work and Pensions.

The children of families with changing circumstances may be able to benefit from free school meals if they qualify for certain benefits. In addition, school holiday activities may become available and some after school activities become free. Qualifying criteria can be obtained from https:// www.dorsetcouncil.gov. uk/w/free-school-meals

More information is available from https://www. dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/ cost-of-living-help

To apply for government benefits visit: https://www. gov.uk/browse/benefits

Phil Tufnell has guests in a spin in Sandbanks

Cricket legend Phil Tufnell recounted favourite memories and hilarious anecdotes at the Dorset’s Sporting Club’s autumn lunch 2022 at Rick Stein’s restaurant in Sandbanks organised by England rugby legend David Duckham.

The charismatic spin bowler was guest speaker at the lunch sponsored by Ellis Jones Solicitors and supported by Julius Baer International Limited.

Nigel Smith, managing partner at Ellis Jones, said: “Phil was incredibly generous with his time, sharing his thoughts on some of the great players he faced during his career as well as insights into the modern game and his life as a TV personality.”

Mr Tufnell – nicknamed ‘the cat’ – played 42 test match and 20 one-day internationals for England.

He represented Middlesex County Cricket Club from 1986 to 2002, and took a total of 1,057 first class wickets in the English game. Since his retirement he has carved out a successful television career, which has included him being a team captain on BBC’s ‘Question of Sport’. He won the ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here’ in 2003 and took part in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ in 2009.

Alan Hooks head of Private Clients at Julius Baer bowling at Phil

Competitions

PAIR OF TICKETS TO COPPÉLIA AT BOURNEMOUTH PAVILION

The Varna International Ballet and Orchestra is coming to the UK for the first time in their 75-year history with classical performances of Coppélia, Swan Lake and Giselle at Bournemouth Pavilion from 13 to 15 March. Renowned for its award-winning soloists and magnificent corps de ballet, the company has been delighting audiences for decades at home in Bulgaria and abroad.

Dorset View has teamed up with promoter Raymond Gubbay to offer a pair of tickets to see Coppélia on Monday 13 March at 7.30pm. Every toy has a story, especially in this charming comedy of errors, a witty combination of antics and abracadabra, set in a doll maker’s workshop. This light-hearted tale of mistaken identity and confused lovers is perfect for firsttime ballet goers, families and everyone in between.

Dorset View has teamed up with the promoter to offer you the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to Coppélia. For this exciting chance to go to the ballet answer the following question:

Which country does the Varna International Ballet and Orchestra come from?

FAMILY TICKET TO MARWELL ZOO

Get closer to nature on a family day out at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire. With plenty of outdoor space and a whole host of animals and activities, Marwell Zoo is a great family day out. There are hundreds of animals including giraffes, tigers, leopards, meerkats and penguins within the 140-acre park and five adventure play areas, cafés and a gift shop. Marwell Zoo’s advice is that you’ll need four hours if it’s your first visit. The zoo is easy to find. It is just eight miles from Winchester and the postcode is S021 1JH.

Dorset View has teamed up with Marewell Zoo to offer four tickets (2 Adults, 2 Children aged 3-16) for a family day out. For your chance to win this fabulous prize, answer the following question:

How far away from Winchester is Marwell Zoo?

How to enter

You can enter both competitions online at www.dorsetview.co.uk or send your answer(s) to the address on page three of this magazine. Closing date for both competitions is 23 January 2023. The first correct answer drawn in each competition will be the winner. Employees of Pulford Publicity Ltd, Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, Raymond Gubbay or Marwell Zoo are not permitted to enter. There is no cash alternative. The editor’s decision is final. Personal details will be stored securely and will only be processed to determine the winners. Winners will be announced in the magazine and their name and phone number will be passed to the venue or the promoters for the purposes of allocating the tickets.

Tickets for Giselle, Coppélia and Swan Lake are on sale at www.bhlivetickets.co.uk/ events/varna-internationalballet-23

For Marwell Zoo visit www.marwell.org.uk

Competition winner

The winner of the competition in November’s Dorset View to win a family ticket to see Aladdin at the Tivoli in Wimborne was Mrs Dot Tuck from St Ives. The correct answer was the Widow Twankey.

Hospital upgrade thanks to Friends funding

Thanks to £255,000 of charitable funding from the Friends of Victoria Hospital, the Dorset HealthCarerun site in Wimborne will be refurbishing two x-ray rooms.

Work will begin on Tuesday, 3 January, and it will involve adjustments to radiology services at Victoria Hospital for around 13 weeks.

A temporary facility will continue to provide x-rays on site, though there may be a few exceptions.

Where appropriate, some patients may be booked in at Poole Hospital, or offered the option of appointments at Swanage Hospital. Ultrasound services will continue from Victoria Hospital during this time.

Brad Rootes, Dorset HealthCare’s East Dorset

and Purbeck locality manager, said: “I’d like to say a big thank-you to the Friends for this generous charitable donation. These improvements will make a huge difference to the radiology department and the facilities it can offer.”

The project is due to be completed by 31 March.

Volunteers retire with combined service of more than 40 years

Two long-serving volunteers have retired from Citizens Advice in East Dorset & Purbeck having notched up a combined service of over 40 years.

Research and campaigns coordinator Rosemary Lunt has been volunteering and working with Citizens Advice for over 20 years.

Diann March has been involved with Citizens Advice in different ways for nearly 40 years and now feels “it’s time to hand over the fundraising reins to someone else.”

Chief officer of Citizens Advice in East Dorset & Purbeck, Helen Goldsack, said: “We are very sorry to see two of our long serving volunteers leave. Their commitment and dedication has been very much appreciated by all of our staff, volunteers and trustees. We would like to wish them both all the very best for the future.”

For more information about volunteering with Citizens Advice in East Dorset & Purbeck, visit www. edpcitizensadvice.org.uk/volunteer.

For general advice and support call the Dorset Adviceline freephone 0800 144 8848 (Textphone: 0800 144 8884), 10am-4pm weekdays or visit www. edpcitizensadvice.org.uk

Campaign continues to stop building on last remaining urban farm in Poole

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

People in the Talbot Heath area are stepping up their campaign to save the last remaining urban farm in Poole, Highmoor Farm, following a formal application by Talbot Village Trust and Nuffield Health to develop the land south of the Wallisdown Road.

It is a hybrid application.

There is a full application for a new 11,606 square metre Nuffield Health Hospital plus an outline application for the provision of 13,394 square metre of employment, healthcare and university-related floor space, including ancillary uses and a Growing Hub.

In addition there is an application for a change of use of 12 hectares of grazing land to create a Heathland Support Area for the lifetime of the Innovation Quarter.

Nick Dobbs, co-administrator for Preserve Talbot Heath Facebook Group – which has 1,700 members - said: “It doesn’t matter how hard the applicants try and dress this in their 91 documents submitted to BCP Council Planning, the cold sobering reality is that Talbot Village Trust and Nuffield Health’s hybrid planning applications are proposing to concrete over and sanitise for human recreation purposes the equivalent of 44 football pitches of farmland brimming with established wildlife.

“The applications require the eviction of the tenant farmer and his much loved Highland cattle, resulting in one of BCP Council’s flagship SSSI nature reserves – Talbot Heath being completely encircled by development and the very real potential of net losses in biodiversity with no real accountability. The applicants believe they can redesign nature at the sweep of their architect’s pen and have deliberately ignored the significance of how the established habitats of Highmoor Farm and Talbot Heath are interdependent and the reason why wildlife is thriving.

“The wider public and indeed many local councillors are much more attuned these days in wanting to protect their local natural heritage.”

Nick Ashley Cooper, chairman of Talbot Village Trust, which owns the land, said: “The Innovation Quarter is a once in a generation opportunity to create a positive transformational impact for BCP and the region.

“The aim is to support the two

universities and provide improved prospects for young people and families to live, work and contribute to the BCP area. The proposals, developed in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, are aligned with BCP Council and Dorset LEP’s economic strategy.

“Crucially, we are committed to do this whilst enabling people to live well, enhancing the environment, achieving biodiversity net gain, and ensuring that the Talbot Heath is fully protected for future generations.”

It is hoped that the Innovation Quarter will help to generate high-quality jobs.

Talbot Village Trust said that there is no intention of building on Talbot Heath, now or in the future. It added that it is a custodian of the protected Talbot Heath, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and home to diverse and rare wildlife.

Part of the planning application seeks permission to use half of the site – 30 acres– to deliver a Heathland Support Area (HSA), which aims to protect the heath by providing an alternative space for informal recreation.

Nick Ashley Cooper added: “We have incorporated the HSA within our comprehensive application to showcase a cohesive approach and enable the Council to consider the HSA in conjunction with the wider development proposals.

“We have given careful attention to the landscape design to limit access to the HSA from the Innovation Quarter

and undertaken public consultation to inform the management plan. Under the guidance of the Management Liaison Group, we are dedicated to supporting biodiversity on the site.”

Nuffield Health says it has been looking for eight years to find a suitable site in Bournemouth to build a new hospital, to replace its existing and outdated facility.

David McNair, hospital director at Nuffield Health Bournemouth, said: “Our hospital plays a critical role in healthcare in Dorset. We continue to work more closely than ever with the local NHS trust as it recovers from the pandemic and increased capacity is a necessity to achieve that locally.

“As well as supporting already stretched healthcare services, a new hospital will allow for existing and successful research programmes to be developed, resulting in more efficient and user-friendly procedures for patients across the globe. I am proud of the work our team are achieving locally and would be delighted to see this grow within a new hospital.”

Ahead of the submission of the planning application, a wide scale and comprehensive public engagement exercise was undertaken in July and September.

A petition to save Highmoor Farm has been started by local resident Kerry Batcock and it is available on https://chng.it/DnJtL65b

A field at Highmoor Farm where the building of a private hospital and innovation quarter is proposed. Photo by ©Liam Barron.

Oly Rush visits Colehill schools

The environmental campaigner, who has swum non-stop around Grand Cayman visited Hayeswood and Colehill first schools.

Children at the two Wimborne Academy Trust schools in Colehill met the man who has been labelled ‘the human fish’.

The world record-breaking swimmer and anti-plastic campaigner spoke about his crusade to rid beaches of plastics and explained what the children can do to make a better environment.

The youngsters were already on board with his message thanks to the work done in the schools, but enjoyed the talk and fired lots of questions at Oly.

Kim Hodder, Eco lead at Hayeswood, said: “The children were fully engaged and really enjoyed the talk.

“Oly has done so much to raise awareness and he certainly inspired them to help improve the environment.

“We are taking the children on a beach litter pick so they will be able to do what Oly spends his life doing.”

Oly said: “The children have great awareness about

pollution and it’s great to know we have a generation coming through which understands the problems we face – and is determined to do something about it.

“It’s also great to know that schools are not only teaching about pollution but are taking the children outside the classroom to help clean it up.”

Last year Oly became the first person ever to swim nonstop around Grand Cayman in the Caribbean. It took him 37 hours. He also broke the world record for swimming around the Isle of Wight.

Pictured is Kim Hodder, Hayeswood School’s Eco lead, Oly Rush and Sarah Wise from Wimborne War on Waste, with members of the school’s Eco Club and a shark made from washed-up plastic.

Blooming marvellous

The Grand Charities Fair at the Allendale Centre on 12 November, opened by the mayor Cllr Carol Butter, supported by town crier Chris Brown, raised over £3,000 for various charitable causes. WIB also had a successful table with three hampers as prizes at the fair. More than 600 people attended and WIB chairman Mr Nunn expressed thanks to the public for their support and the Allendale Centre for their help. Entry was free but the public generously donated over £170 on the door. Next year’s Charities Fair will be on Saturday 11 November.

Then, just prior to the switching on of Wimborne’s Christmas lights in the Square on 26 November, the mayor announced Wimborne in Bloom was the winner of the town council Volunteer of the Year Award. The prize was £100 and the honour of helping the mayor switch on the lights.

The following day Wimborne in Bloom celebrated the 30th anniversary of its formation. On 27 November 1992 the then mayor, Anthony Oliver, organised an open meeting in the Heritage Centre, the result

of which was the founding of Wimborne in Bloom. Since then many awards have been won including the overall winner of the Small Town category with gold in Britain in Bloom in 2012.

Anthony and his wife Christine hosted a lunch for the committee to celebrate the anniversary. Susie Gatrell made a cake to mark the occasion and the town crier Chris Brown gave a ‘special cry’.

The first WIB event for 2023 will be annual Wine and Wisdom Fun Quiz Evening on Friday 3 March in the Allendale Centre when teams of six will pit their wits against each other to try and win the coveted Eco-Composting Shield. Why not join them?

For more details go to www. wimborneinbloom.org.uk

Members of Merley Evening Townswomen’s Guild have planted a tree to commemorate the late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. Pictured is the committee along with the chairman, Sally Funnell, for the Dorset TG Federation

Anthony Oliver, Chris Brown and Richard Nunn with 30th anniversary cake ©Christine Oliver

Wimborne in Bloom (WIB) had several reasons to celebrate before the end of 2022.

Woodland Trust invites organisations to plant trees

The Woodland Trust is urging schools and community groups to get their free tree-pack applications in quickly with just a few days left until the spring delivery closes.

Applications for spring, for delivery in March 2023, are open until 11 January 2023.

Woodland Trust senior project lead Vicki Baddeley said: “Planting trees has so many benefits, from combating the effects of climate change, helping support wildlife, to greening up local spaces and boosting wellbeing.

“The desire to plant trees is growing all the time and I fully expect demand to reflect that in the coming weeks, so I would advise any interested groups to apply sooner rather than later.

“The application process to secure your saplings is straightforward, just visit https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/ plant-trees/schools-and-communities/ to get started.”

Awards for Bournemouth Coastal BID

A Boscombe innovation has helped Bournemouth Coastal BID to scoop two awards including the coveted ‘Place Management’ title at the British BID Awards.

The huge projector in Boscombe was the initiative that impressed the judges and saw off 19 other BIDs which made it through to the short-list.

It was the country’s first permanent 3D projection mapping system on a UK high street and burst into life earlier this year.

Moving images are sent from the top of the Sovereign Centre to the building opposite, a surface area of almost 200 metres square. The facility is used to promote events and also give exposure to local artists and schools. It was supported by the Bournemouth Towns Fund and has become a fixture in the centre of Boscombe.

The second award it has recently picked up was a ‘silver’ award in the Industry Support category at the DMB Tourism Awards 2022 for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

New routes from Bournemouth Airport with Ryanair

Ryanair has announced its biggest ever Bournemouth schedule with 18 routes including three new routes to Carcassonne, Edinburgh and Venice.

Summer 2023 will also see increased frequencies on four routes – Alicante, Faro, Girona and Palma.

Steve Gill, managing director of Bournemouth Airport, said: “This is fantastic news for our passengers and offers even more choice from their local airport. We’re on course to have recovered 95% of our pre-pandemic traffic by the end of this year having served 800,000 passengers and Ryanair has been a huge part of that.

“With new routes to Carcassonne, Edinburgh and

Venice, 30% more weekly flights next summer and 18 routes in total, this is a huge vote of confidence by Ryanair in Bournemouth Airport.”

Ryanair’s unrivalled growth (+30% vs S‘22) is underpinned

by the addition of a 2nd based aircraft, representing a $200m investment for the southern region and supporting over 550 local jobs, including 60 direct jobs, says Eddie Wilson, Ryanair DAC CEO.

Don’t throw away your old specs

The Lions organisation has developed a recycling scheme to reuse old spectacles and ship them to Third World countries where eye care is often unavailable and lens manufacture non-existent. The scheme involves collection, sorting, checking for scratches and cracks, washing and grading and finally distribution.

Locally, unwanted glasses can be deposited in bins at some high street opticians, or doctors surgeries. There are about 20 bin locations in Wimborne and Ferndown. A full list can be found at wimborneandferndownlions. org.uk.

Lions accept prescription and reading glasses, sunglasses and plastic or metal frames. Children’s glasses are especially needed.

Steve Gill and Eddie Wilson

SPOTLIGHT on CHARITIES

Diverse Abilities is on the hunt for volunteers

Dorset’s disability charity, Diverse Abilities, is looking for volunteers for the coming year to help with ongoing projects and a series of its own events and community events throughout the year. Events on the calendar include:

· Diverse Abilities own events:

- Country Challenge - Rugby Lunch - Gala Ball

- Christmas Carol Service - The charity’s annual Christmas tree collection service

· Community events including Grooves on the Green, Wimborne Folk Festival and Camp Bestival, as well as street collections throughout the year, with further events to be confirmed.

Laura Stanley, fundraising officer at Diverse Abilities, commented: “We’ve got an exciting calendar of events this year where we need the help of our local community in order to take on a variety of tasks including bucket collections, running stalls, and handing out flyers, as well as raising awareness of Diverse Abilities. You’ll have a great time, as well as helping to raise money to support children and adults with disabilities in the local area”

As well as events, Diverse Abilities are also on the lookout for volunteers on more a regular basis, for roles such as a Transport Assistant at the Beehive to support students getting to and from the centre, and gardening or decorating roles across the charities’ services.

Volunteers are crucial to the work charities like Diverse Abilities carry out, and donating free time is just as valuable as giving money. The opportunities give volunteers a chance to learn new skills, meet new people, enhance CVs, gain experience, discover new interests and improve mental wellbeing.

Visit diverseabilities.org.uk/volunteer for more information about the roles available. Contact Laura on volunteer@ diverseabilities.org.uk if you would like to get involved.

Celebrating 40 years of service

A Care South employee is celebrating 40 years of service with the care home provider.

Tracy Jeff started her career at Care South when she was aged just 17 in a Youth Training Scheme. She has worked in a number of roles including as a care assistant and an activities lead, taking residents on trips out. She now works at Talbot View, heading up laundry.

Tracy said: “Doing the

laundry for residents is a very personal service for them. I enjoy visiting each resident to get their washing and delivering it back just how they like it. Community is so important – and often when you work in a care home, you know many of the people and their families as they use the service. It is lovely building a relationship with residents in our care, and you end up feeling like a relation to them.”

Tracy Jeff

Forest Holme Hospice has taken delivery of a piece of equipment that will make life better for people suffering from lymphoedema.

The Poole hospice has received a grant of nearly £14,000 from the Morrisons Foundation to help secure specialist therapy equipment for cancer patients with lymphoedema. It is believed to be the first equipment of its kind in Dorset.

Made by Thor Laser to administer a treatment known as photobiomodulation, it applies light to tissues to reduce inflammation and improve healing,

While Forest Holme’s lymphoedema service already has a photobiomodulation device, the latest version is shaped like a lollipop, making it much more versatile, which means that it can be used not just in the mouth but on other parts of the body such as under arms, around ears and breasts.

Lymphoedema is a long-term condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues. It can affect any part of the body, but usually develops in the arms or legs.

It develops when the lymphatic system does

not work properly. The lymphatic system is a network of channels and glands throughout the body that helps fight infection and remove excess fluid.

The treatment is safe, with each session lasting about 20 minutes, and Forest Holme has begun using it on its lymphoedema patients with a particular focus on those who have had head and neck cancer, especially as it can help post-surgery lymphoedema and reduce the effects of radiotherapy damage.

Belinda Knott, senior lymphoedema nurse specialist, based at Forest Holme, said: “This equipment will make a huge difference to the lives of cancer patients in Dorset as it will help reduce some of the side-effects following cancer treatment. From a patient’s perspective, it would make an incredibly difficult time far more comfortable and pleasant.”

Young people in Dorset with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are to be given a helping hand to find work.

Dorset Careers Hub has convened a range of businesses, education providers, local authority organisations and other partners on a one-year programme entitled Removing Barriers.

Its aim is to raise the number of locally-based employers who are confident about taking on and supporting young people aged 16 to 19 with SEND.

Around 150 employers registered in the Dorset and BCP council areas are already in the government’s Disability Confident scheme but only three are in the top ‘Leader’ tier and seen as making a truly positive difference to diversity and inclusivity.

Removing Barriers is designed to increase the number of Disability Confident ‘Leaders’ to at least 10, creating job opportunities for around 20 young people

with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Business leaders urged to employ SEND youngsters Grant for hospice service

The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC), the national body for careers education, has awarded government funding to Dorset Careers Hub to lead and deliver Removing Barriers.

The hub, jointly funded by Dorset LEP and CEC, has appointed Andrew Holland of consultancy sendme2work. com as project manager.

Andrew said: “Employers should know there are grants available from the Department for Work and Pensions that can help when you take on and retain people with disabilities and special education needs.

“Help includes financial support from the Access to Work scheme to help with travel-to-work arrangements.”

For more information and to register as an employer on Removing Barriers, email Andrew Holland at andrew@ sendme2work.com. Further details about Dorset Careers Hub can be found at www. dorsetcareershub.co.uk

Expansion of BCP Council’s family hubs

hub being unique, and co-produced with those living and working in the local community.

Children’s centres, which previously supported children from pre-birth up to fiveyears-old, will become family hubs offering support from pre-birth up to 25-years-old. They will also support young people with special educational needs and disabilities, and their parents and carers.

A wide range of key partners including health, education, early years, police and voluntary sector, will help deliver the family hub service, with each

Families will also be able to access services online 24/7.

Family hub buildings will be located throughout the council area, as well as local venues that families are familiar with, such as schools and other community buildings.

Staff will be able to help families with a range of information and advice and support either face to face, by email or telephone at times to fit in with busy family lives.

Family hubs in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch are to be transformed.

What are the signs that you need to see a chiropractor?

By Wimborne Wellness Centre

Well, chiropractic has a reputable role in a person’s overall wellbeing, posture, health and of course, prevention of pain. It is often seen as a vital part of a person’s lifestyle, and we do far more than just ‘clicking joints’ – read on more to see what we help with and maybe how we can help you.

Pain management:

This is the obvious one, but chiropractic is very effective at treating:

• Low back pain

• Neck pain

• Headaches

• Migraine

• Joint pain

• Tennis elbow

• Sciatica

We use a variety of treatments and techniques to help with your condition, and we do this following an extensive consultation and examination.

Posture:

Posture is one of the biggest reasons a person would come to see us. Our head weighs about the weight of a bowling ball and every inch forward makes the effective weight of the head 10x heavier. This can cause headaches and neck pain, affect our self-esteem, and body image, and have a knock-on effect with movements which can affect other areas of the spine. Chiropractic helps with the mobility of the spinal joints and prescribes exercises to strengthen the midback and help with better posture.

Prevention of pain: Once you finish a course of care with us for your pain management and strengthening and rehabilitation, your body is in a much better space to prevent pain returning in the future, as not only are your joints moving better and muscles are released, but

you’ve done exercises to prevent the pain returning. We also recommend maintenance appointments to keep you feeling good.

Better performance at work and sports:

Once you’re out of pain, what’s next? A lot of the time people seek care because it is stopping them from doing what they love. Once pain is gone, we want to help you perform optimally. This could be things such as being able to work more efficiently, or being able to improve your time on a five-kilometre run. The goals are endless.

So, whether you’re in pain, looking to improve your posture, prevent pain returning or improving at work or sports, then enquire to see if we can support you. It’s never too late to start and we can’t wait to help. See our advertisement below for details.

Chiropractic is a well-established

profession, and you may hear your

friend

or

family member casually drop into

conversation that they’re ‘off to see the chiropractor’, but unless they’re

obviously crippled by pain,

why would they go to see one, right?

It’s time to make a RESOLUTION

By Janine Pulford

Have you heard of New Year’s Resolution Week?

It runs from 1-7 January every year, which is logical, but the fact that it appears to have been observed annually for seven days starting on 1 January since 2005 (that’s 18 years ago) might come as a surprise.

New Year’s resolutions go back 4,000 years and began with the ancient Babylonians who made promises to their gods to pay their debts and return borrowed objects. These were considered to be the first resolutions. If they kept their word, they believed their gods would reward them in the coming year. If not – well – the consequences were

probably not worth thinking about.

The Romans too made resolutions. They worshipped a two-faced god named Janus and made promises of good conduct for the coming year. They also named the month of January after this god.

When it came to early Christians, New Year’s Day became a time to reflect on past mistakes and make promises to do better. Nowadays, we keep to the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions but in a secular manner.

Naturally it is easier to break these modern resolutions compared to breaking those made to the gods who could, if displeased, ruin your harvest.

It is said about 35% of people keep their resolutions, 49% keep some, and 16% fail. Sometimes those who don’t achieve their goal feel disappointed in themselves, especially if they’ve broadcast their resolution on social media and then can’t stick to it.

The moral of the story is don’t make

promises that you can’t fulfil. It’s better to aim for a resolution you can achieve than something too ambitious. Our advertisers can help you out, so explore your options and see what is achievable before you make your resolution.

The most common New Year’s resolutions are based on self-improvement and living healthier.

Here are some tips to help you keep your New Year’s resolution

Don’t set your goal too high.

Take control of your inner thoughts and break the cycle of letting critics beat you down.

Do the best you can each day and if something goes wrong, remember the lyrics ‘pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again’.

Don’t give up. Take one day at a time.

don’t obsess over the occasional slip. It can take several weeks before a new activity becomes a habit and many months before it becomes part of your lifestyle.

people can support you or find a buddy to share the same resolution. You can motivate each other.

Practise positive thinking. Track your progress so you can keep a record of your accomplishments

proverb that says, ‘fall seven times, stand up eight.’ Failure doesn’t define you, it’s the fact that you stood up again that makes you who you are.

contradict your resolution, for example if you’re on a fitness programme reward yourself by going out for a walk by the sea with a friend, or buy a new piece of clothing to wear at your fitness class.

plan. Don’t make a rash resolution as that could be harder to stick too.

It’s time to make a RESOLUTION

There is a popular slogan in January ‘New Year, New You’ and this is such a great excuse to indulge yourself with a new hair style or clothes and reinvent yourself for 2023. But with money being tighter than usual this year due the spiralling cost of living you could make a resolution to

quit a bad habit like cigarettes, alcohol or compulsive buying of lottery tickets and put the money you save aside for your new you. Quitting bad habits is ambitious though and will be a mountain to climb, so seek help and support with those resolutions, think positive and aim to succeed. Cont p25 -->

Don’t be daunted: get fit with Ferndown Fitness

- advertisement feature -

If you find the thought of going to a gym rather daunting but want to improve your fitness and lose weight in 2023 then Ferndown Fitness in Pennys Walk is the place for you. Friendly, helpful staff will guide you every step of the way. No posers or show-offs, just people who want to lose weight and improve their fitness

in a relaxed environment. Ferndown Fitness have an amazing deal this January; you can get up to £50 off an annual membership plus two free consultations with their dietary advisor.

So why not pop in or call 01202 855321 to book your free guest visit.

Free trial sessions at Razzamataz this January

- advertisement feature -

Does your child love to dance? Sing? Have a passion for the arts? Want to make some friends? Or just want to grow in confidence?

Razzamataz Theatre Schools is now open in Bournemouth and is holding FREE trial sessions all throughout January for young people aged 4-18.

When founder and director of Razzamataz, Denise HuttonGosney, appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2006, Duncan Bannatyne was quick to spot the huge potential of the parttime theatre school and offered the full investment. There are now over 40 schools up and down the country and Amber Jones, principal of Razzamataz in Bournemouth, is delighted to be delivering Razzamataz’s unique blend of performing arts to local children.

“I am super excited to finally be open and running classes in Bournemouth,”

said Amber, “and can’t wait to continue delivering first class training to young people in a fun, safe and stimulating environment where they can learn about the whole spectrum of performing arts.”

Classes are held at St Michael’s C of E Primary School, Somerville Road, Bournemouth on Saturdays during term time.

To book a FREE taster session at Razzamataz Bournemouth, or to find out more, please contact Principal Amber on 07821 856704 or email bournemouth@ razzamataz.co.uk.

During this time of change and lifestyle improvement you may want to take the ‘New Year, New You’ slogan to its max. As well as assessing your personal lifestyle, you could reappraise your job.

The Covid pandemic caused a great deal of upheaval in employment with many people losing their jobs and a large proportion being forced into new careers. Maybe you were one of them. You could have been fortunate to adapt to a different job, but if not, you are sure to be looking about for something that will match your specific skillset.

With around a million job vacancies to choose from in the UK, there is probably something available in every sector you can think of. However, if you’re not in a position to make a move to a different part of the country, you will be restricted by the regional market.

Local companies advertising in this feature would love to hear from you, including Pulford Publicity, the publishers of this magazine, who are searching for new recruits (see page 27).

According to the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Dorset Labour Market & Skills Insight, Quarter 3 2022 (dorsetlep. co.uk) there has been a sustained slow down of labour demand seen for the first time in almost two years in the county. This was seen in the three consecutive months to September.

Even so, the overall vacancies in the last quarter reached around 25,000 so there should be no shortage of jobs to apply for.

Continued on page 26...

Join the LiveWell Small Change Challenge

New Year’s Resolutions!

How many times have you plunged into a massive lifestyle change––gone cold turkey (no pun intended) to try and quit smoking, stopped drinking for Dry January or started a diet but ended up dropping out, disappointed with yourself when you’ve failed to meet the tough goals you set?

Trying to be healthier is important––but so is succeeding.

Lifestyle change doesn’t have to be huge and overwhelming. Sometimes the smallest changes add up to the biggest impact. So take it easy this January, ease your way into a healthier you with some simple and achievable bite-sized wellbeing boosts––welcome to Small Change.

Instead of getting too caught up on an end goal, or a drastic change,

try some smaller actions to help get you to where you want to be. And if you don’t have a big goal, you can still make some small, positive changes to improve your health and wellbeing.

Scan the QR code in the advert to get your Small Change calendar, stick it on the fridge and join LiveWell Dorset for 31 days of mini actions to boost your health and wellbeing. Why not encourage family and friends to take part too.

LiveWell Dorset offers free support, advice and 1-2-1 coaching for adults living in Dorset who are looking to make a lifestyle change like maintaining a healthy weight, moving more, quitting smoking or reducing drinking.

Call 0800 840 1628 or visit livewelldorset.co.uk.

It’s time to make a RESOLUTION

The employers topping the charts in terms of the number of vacancies advertised were from a variety of sectors including healthcare (NHS and care firms), local government (BCP and Dorset Councils), finance (JP Morgan), tourism and hospitality (Bourne Leisure, Haven, Whitbread, Hall & Woodhouse and National Trust), education (BU and BPC), manufacturing (Holt Engineering, Ultra, RNLI) and retail (TESCO, ASDA etc).

With around 7,850 vacancies advertised in the first nine months of 2022 in hospitality, food and tourism, far in excess of the same period in preceding years there are reports that UK hospitality businesses are increasingly turning to older workers to plug staffing shortages. Approximately 19% of hospitality businesses said the proportion of over-50s in their organisations had increased in the past year – reflecting shifting demographics.

The jobs in highest demand within the top three occupation groups in Dorset were:

• Professional: nurses, programmers, and teachers.

• Associate professionals: HR, engineering, and IT support.

• Elementary: kitchen and catering staff, cleaners, storage workers.

With this information at your fingertips should you should be able to find a vacancy that appeals. If so, be ready to prepare a CV.

A CV needs to inform a prospective employer of your qualifications and experience. There is plenty of help available online to assist you writing a CV, but here are a few important points:

• Research the job you are applying for, visit the company’s website, read the job description and tailor your CV to fit

• Use a clear font in black such as Times New Roman

• Put your name and address at the top with your phone number and email address.

• If you have a networking profile include the link

• Don’t include your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality.

• Use clear and concise headings for each section and bullet point if appropriate

• Say why you feel you are the right person for the position and match your words to keywords in the job description. Use active words to highlight your strengths such as: managed, created, built, organised.

• Include your work history and put previous jobs in chronological order with your most recent or current employment at the top and work backwards to your earliest employment.

• Education history: include your qualifications, schools and universities where you studied and dates you attended.

• Don’t write more than two sides of A4 unless it’s an academic CV.

• Add your hobbies, interests and achievements especially if they show you have relevant skills for the job.

• Double-check your spelling and grammar.

• Save a copy and remember to attach the CV to your email application.

When you send your CV don’t be too downhearted if you don’t get an interview. Keep applying elsewhere. Perseverance is key and the New Year is your chance to make a resolution to persevere.

UK’s best new house is in Dorset

A contemporary new family home in rural Dorset has been named RIBA House of the Year 2022.

The Red House by David Kohn Architects won the prestigious award given by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to the UK’s best new architect-designed house.

Taking inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement, the house has oversized eaves, patterned red brickwork, and contrasting bold green details. Biodiversity has been woven in, with the slate roof discretely providing a home for the local bat population. Further nesting sites have also been incorporated into the brickwork and eaves to encourage wildlife.

Architect, David Kohn, said: “The Red House winning the RIBA House of the Year Award is a validation of the ambition and unerring support of our clients and the dedication of the whole project team. Furthermore, the jury have chosen to support architecture that is intimate, playful, colourful, and engages both with its context and history. I could not be more delighted.”

Owners of The Red House said they never expected to win the award and were “beyond thrilled that the quality of design was recognised.”

The winner was revealed in the final episode of the Grand Designs House of the Year series on 7 December on Channel 4.

Poole Food Bank users increase

The number of people using food banks in Poole rose by 77 per cent from January to October 2022.

As a result, the team at the Dolphin Centre in Poole volunteered 27 hours at Faithworks’ food bank storage unit in Kingland Crescent at the end of last year. The team will continue volunteering throughout 2023.

Volunteering involves sorting donations and stacking shelves in order for produce to be transported to St Clement’s Church Hall and other satellites for distribution amongst the community.

John Grinnell, centre manager at the Dolphin Centre, said: “Our team is dedicated to making a difference in the local community, and just one way we can give back is by volunteering both time and food to these vital food bank services.

“With the cost-of-living crisis hitting everyone hard, we’re urging retailers and the public to come together to support those struggling in any way they can, and if time is all you have, time is all Faithworks needs.”

Currently Poole Food Bank+ is requesting items such as UHT milk, shampoo and deodorant, fruit squash and tinned potatoes.

Donation points can be found inside the Dolphin Centre and at most main local supermarkets. Volunteers are also needed. If you can help please call 01202 672694.

The Red House by David Kohn Architects © Channel 4 and Will Pryce

Events roundup

Christmas seems a long way in the past, but there were so many events held after December’s Dorset View went to print, it seemed fitting to dedicate a page to them. Here is a roundup with some favourite photographs for you to enjoy.

26 November

Christchurch (groups top left/centre) saw festive cheer with a spectacular Yuletide Festival including the Holly King, Ivy Queen and many others parading through the town. The procession included Highcliffe Charity Players, Mad4Dance and Funky Little Choir who joined with the mayor to perform the ‘spell’ to turn on the lights.

Christmas in Ferndown (3 on right) saw entertainment and a Christmas market in Pennys Walk, a giant hamper draw, mulled wine and mince pies raising funds for Ferndown Community Support/Community larder. Lights switch on was by the Mayor of Ferndown, Cllr Lawrence Wilson.

Kinson (bottom right) enjoyed a traditional Christmas Fair at Pelhams Park Community Centre with Christmas shopping, entertainment, wreath making and a free Santa’s grotto. A carol service in the evening was led by St Andrew’s Church and supported by the Wessex Chorus.

Wimborne (top right, bottom left) Lights Switch On drew the crowds with entertainment in the Square including choirs, the Quaterjacks Marching Band and dancing from Footlight Performance Academy. Mayor Cllr Carol Butter switched on the lights after which Wimborne Militia fired their muskets to ward off evil spirits.

4 December

Broadstone (3 on left) was buzzing with more people than ever. The 51st parade included numerous children’s groups, the Dorset Youth Marching Band, Top Hats Motorcycle Club and a steam engine. After the parade Santa collected food for the Corfe Mullen food bank.

10 December

Wimborne Save the Children Christmas Parade - see page 34 for photos and report.

© Oak Photography

© Oak Photography

Puppy farmers facing jail

Two illegal puppy sellers from Three Legged Cross could face jail.

William Derrick Perriton and Rebecca Heath have been told by a judge that if they don’t pay over £150,000 by the end of February 2023, they risk spending up to 18 months in prison.

The pair appeared in court in January 2022 following several years of investigation by Dorset Council officers regarding animal welfare offences and unlicensed breeding at an illegal puppy farm.

They pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, failing to take steps to ensure the needs of animals were met and carrying out a dog breeding and selling business for 14 months without a licence.

In October 2023, Mr Perriton and Ms Heath were

each sentenced to 200 hours of community service – the maximum possible following a guilty plea without imposing a custodial sentence. However, the confiscation order and court costs faced by the pair were only confirmed by a judge at Bournemouth Crown Court on 25 November.

Mr Perriton was ordered to pay £115,000 or risk 18 months in prison. Ms Heath was ordered to pay £34,840 or risk nine months in prison. Both will also need to pay £4,500 each in prosecution costs, with a victim surcharge of £85 each.

Dorset Council is set to receive 37 per cent of the confiscation order funds, which amounts to £55,440. This will go into the Community and Public Protection

Is it time to tackle a growing problem?

By Lynwood Vets - advertisement feature -

Oh no, not another article preaching about overweight pets! Unfortunately, over half of pet cats and dogs in the UK are overweight, leading to a significant impact on their quality of life, a greater reliance on medication, and a shorter lifespan of up to two-and-a-half years.

In a recent study 78% of vets said they had seen an increase in pet obesity since Covid. To tackle this growing crisis Lynwood vets are supporting a campaign launched by the PDSA and Royal Canin to fight the fat in our pets.

As we know from ourselves, weight loss seems like such a simple idea but it is not easy – for ourselves or our pets. It is natural to feel embarrassed or guilty about having an overweight pet and try to avoid confronting the issue. However, there are enormous benefits

to achieving weight loss for the health of your pet as well as reducing the risk of many obesity related illnesses, saving on expensive medical costs.

Studies have also shown that weight loss is best achieved with the help of a supportive programme from your vets. We can offer lifestyle, behavioural and dietary advice as well as tackling any health issues that are related to the condition. We love to see how much our support can do to make any attempt at weight loss a great success, making for happier, livelier pets!

budget to be spent for the benefit of the community on general prevention and enforcement measures. The rest is split between central government and the HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council portfolio holder for Customer and Community Services, said: “Anyone who truly loves dogs – or animals generally – needs to understand that using an unlicensed breeder to purchase a pet is effectively supporting an illegal business, often without any consideration of the welfare

and environmental needs of the animals being sold.

“There is lots of information available on the Dorset Council and RSPCA websites that we’d ask people to read carefully if they’re considering buying a dog. If we work together to grow understanding of what to look for, we can help prevent further instances of animal suffering.”

Dorset Council has updated its website facilities to allow users to check if breeders are licensed, to report unlicensed breeders, and tips on knowing what to look for and check when buying a puppy.

Vegan superfood blondies

If you’re toying with idea of taking part in Veganuary at the start of 2023, but wonder how you can still have your (vegan) cake and eat it, why not try this delicious recipe courtesy of Naturya. Soft and gooey, made with just a few ingredients and deliciously nutty, these superfood vegan blondies could well become your favourite dessert in January and beyond.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Serves: 12 slices

Ingredients

• 225g vegan butter 150-175g Naturya coconut sugar 125g Naturya cashew and hazelnut spread 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 280g plain gluten free flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp cornflour

• 1 tsp salt

• 200g chopped macadamia nuts

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 2. In a large bowl, mix together the vegan butter and the coconut sugar. 3. Fold in the cashew and hazelnut spread and the vanilla extract. 4. Mix together the remaining dry ingredients, then fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, along with the chopped macadamia. 5. Evenly spread into a tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 20 minutes. 6. Once evenly baked, allow to rest for 30 minutes before removing from the tray and portioning. 7. Drizzle with more Naturya cashew and hazelnut spread once cooled.

Healthy Heart Tip: Salt Awareness

It is estimated that in the UK we consume around 8.4g of salt a day, which is 40% more than the recommended 6g a day. Too much salt in your diet can increase the risk of water retention, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Here are some tips from Heart Research UK to help you reduce your salt intake. Reduce salt gradually – your taste buds will adapt over time if you reduce salt in your food gradually. Experiment with different flavours to replace added salt, such as herbs, spices, lemons, or limes. Check food labels – food labels use a traffic light system so you can see if a product contains a low (green), medium (amber), or high (red) amount of salt. Check labels before you buy. Salt is made up of sodium chloride and sometimes the label will list ‘sodium’ but not ‘salt’. You can work out how much salt is in a product by multiplying every 1g of sodium by 2.5. Make a swap – swap high salt foods with foods lower in salt. Try snacking on fruit and vegetables, plain rice cakes, unsalted nuts and seeds or lower salt alternatives to your usual snacks.

To help keep your heart healthy, try out some Healthy Heart recipes from: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-ukrecipes-2/

Food festival with autumn flavours

Residents and staff in local Care South care homes took part in their own Autumn Food Festival at the end of last year. They enjoyed various activities, including creating an autumnal fruit pie as part of a Care South wide competition. Talbot View in Bournemouth came in first place with Care South’s sister homes, Dorset

House also in Bournemouth, and Kenwith Castle (in Bideford) coming in second and third place. Each winner received a food hamper, courtesy of Harvest Foods, one of Care South’s major food suppliers.

Talbot View’s fruit pie took first place in the competition with Dorset House’s autumnal dish coming in second place.

Residents at Talbot View

Events

Details were correct at the time of going to print. Send information about your events to newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

Until 2 January

Light trail in Poole and Christmas Tree Wonderland throughout Bournemouth.

1 January

Christmas Woodland Adventure trail at Upton Country Park. No booking required. Details https:// uptoncountrypark.com/events/

1

January 10am-12.30pm

Poole New Year’s Day Bath Race and Classic Cars on the Quay.

5 January 12noon

Probus Club of Wimborne meets at Broadstone Golf Club for lunch with speakers Brian and Jacqueline Sutton on ‘A Kiss – the story of Dylan Thomas’. More info John Kent on 01202 693279.

7 January 3pm

Wimborne Town FC at home to Westbury United.

8 January

Broadstone Pantomime Productions presents Freezing with performances on 13, 14, 15 ,20 and 21 January at 7.30pm with Sundays at 2.30pm. Tickets from Hillier Wilson Estate Agents, 01202 693388 or www.ticketsource. co.uk/broadstone-productions

9 January 7-10pm

The Wessex Friends meet at The Cobham Flight Refuelling Sports & Social Club at Merley with a talk/display entitled ‘Pirates – The Origins and Truths’ by Richard Huntley. Details email derekabaker@hotmail.co.uk

9 January 2.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society meet at the Memorial Hall for illustrated talk ‘You your Garden and Climate change’ by Pauline Weeks. Details Sue Hamlett on 01202 871536.

10 January 10am-4pm

Introduction to Photography –Enjoy your Camera at Museum of East Dorset. https:// museumofeastdorset.co.uk/ project/introduction-tophotography-enjoy-your-camera/

11 January 7.30pm

East Dorset Antiquarian Society meet at St Catherine’s Church, Wimborne for a talk by Julian Richards on ‘The Last Wild Britain’. www.dorset-archaeology.org.uk

11 January

6.30-9pm

Bournemouth Big Band, Swing and Jazz Club meets downstairs in Kinson Community Centre. £3 inc refreshments. Details from www.bournemouthjazzclub.org

12 January 10.30am

Hattie Miles will give a talk entitled ‘Licence to Thrill’ detailing Bournemouth and Dorset links to James Bond to Bournemouth Caledonian Society at The Scottish Hall, 80 Shelbourne Road, Bournemouth BH8 8QZ. More details: Maisie Muir 01202 989514 E:maisie.muir@tiscali.co.uk

13, 14, 20 & 21 January

Family pantomime Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, The Mowlem Theatre, Swanage. Tickets from wwwthemowlem.com

14 January 11 until noon

Labour Women’s group at Greyfriars Community Centre, Ringwood. For further info contact womens-officer@nfwlabour.org.uk

14 January 2.15pm

The Dorset Branch of the World Ship Society meets at the Centre, Ferndown, BH22 8XH for a talk on ‘Favourite ferry trips from the Golden Era in Scandinavia 19851999’. Email: info@shipsdorset. org or see www.shipsdorst.org

16 January 7.30pm

Colehill Floral Arrangement Club. Colehill Village Hall, Cannon Hill Road. Meetings every 3rd Monday. Visitors welcome £5. Contact 01202 610902.

16 January 10.15am

Wimborne WI meets in St Catherine’s Church Hall to discuss Resolutions and explaining to new members what they are. For further information call Jill Haywood 01202 888194.

17 January 8pm

Charlie North Lewis, general manager of the Tivoli will take about the history of the theatre to Wimborne Civic Society at the Allendale Centre.

18 January 7am-9am

East Dorset Business Network at Dudsbury Golf Club, Hotel & Spa.

20 January 7.30pm

Original Music Awards

Dorset at Allendale Centre, Wimborne. Tickets from www. ticketsource.co.uk/booking/ select/RdiEJKhzXNnT

21 January 10am-4pm

Stencilled Printed Cow Parsley Cushion Cover Workshop at the Museum of East Dorset. https://museumofeastdorset. co.uk/project/stencilledprinted-cow-parsleycushion-cover-workshop/

24 January 7.30pm

West Parley Gardening Club meets at West Parley Memorial Hall with a talk by Stuart Pocock on ‘Roses’. Contact Rod Darch 01202 896711, rod@rdconsulting.co.uk

27 January 2-4pm

Stepping Out tea dance at Broadstone War Memorial Hall to include those with memory loss and dementia. To book phone Lesley Shand on 01202658833.

27-29 January

RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. Take an hour to count the birds in your garden on one of these days. To take part visit www. rspb.org.uk/birdwatch or text BIRD to 70030 for your free guide and bird watching tips.

Tivoli general manager looks towards a bright 2023

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

The Tivoli in Wimborne has braved the storm of Covid and is now getting back to prepandemic attendance levels.

Reflecting on 2022, general manager Charlie North Lewis said that Wishborne Ash, Tallon and the Counterfeit Stones had full houses at the end of the year, with many people travelling miles to enjoy these top performances.

“It’s not uncommon for people to come from London to see our shows,” he said.

However, he admitted that the theatre was still experiencing a slight Covid impact with Netflix and Amazon Prime taking a share of the films market.

As far as booking acts is concerned, Charlie said he always remembers the words of the late comedian Freddie Starr.

“He said that the number one rule is you don’t book what you like but what will put bums on seats,” Charlie said. “And I always go by that.”

Artists visiting the Tivoli always end their shows by thanking Charlie and the staff and praising the theatre.

“We always taken care of our artist; that’s why they come back again and again,” he said.

“In fact more acts approach us that we have space for.”

Charlie says things have changed since he took over as general manager is 2002.

“Wimborne had the image of being prim and proper, but that’s not so now. It’s interesting that we get full houses for Pam Ayres as well as Al Murray and Jim Davidson.”

And ballet fans will be delighted to hear that Charlie

hopes the Ukrainian Ballet will be performing Beauty and the Beast at the theatre in 2023.

“Everything we put on is a gamble, but I am so pleased that Wimborne is bucking the trend of reduced audiences. We achieve things that other theatres don’t.”

With 2023 marking Charlie’s 21st year as general manager, does he have a prediction for entertainment over the next five years?

“When I came here, there was still nostalgia for Big Band music and 50s and 60s shows, but now it is moving towards the 1970s.

“The same is true for comedy and we need to stage comedians that appeal to younger people.”

Charlie is very appreciative of the volunteers and although they lost some

post Covid, they have now attracted a lot of new ones.

“They are very loyal and it’s like a little community,” he said.

And who is Charlie hoping will return to the Tivoli this year?

“Ronnie Wood went down a storm with the Ben Waters Band, so it would be good to see him return,” he said.

Spectacular Save the Children parade in memory of founder

Report and photos by Marilyn

Barber

Tractors, tractors and more tractors, several steam engines, bands and floats from numerous organisations took part in Save the Children Christmas parade which saw crowds lining the streets of Wimborne. This is one of the high spots of the town’s calendar and clearly everyone was in a festive mood and appreciative of the huge efforts the participants had gone to in creating their outfits.

This year’s event was extra special as it was in memory of the founder of the event, Margery Ryan who died earlier this year. The organisers pledged to do Margery proud and to make the 2022 parade one to remember – judging by the crowds’ appreciation they had succeeded.

Cinderella, Lighthouse Poole

Review 9 December | By Marilyn Barber

Thanks to director and writer Chris Jarvis – who also plays Buttons – Cinderella at Lighthouse was something a little bit different.

Set in the Hardup Hall Hotel on Ye Old Poole Quay, things got off to a good start when Lauren Azania burst onto the stage as the Fairy Godmother who had just the voice to belt out numbers.

It wouldn’t be panto in Poole without Chris Jarvis, with a presence that engages adults and children alike, impishly drawing the audience into the magic of this genre.

Charlotte Wood captured beautifully the essence of Cinderella, the put upon character who charms her prince and TV’s Outnumbered, Tyger Drew-Honey was as handsome as you would expect from Prince Charming.

There was plenty of magic, beautiful costumes and Cinders even got to fly before riding to the ball in a carriage drawn by ponies Storm and Buddy.

As with all pantos there was a bit of rudeness to appeal to the children, and some innuendo for parents, and of course there had to be a reference to Matt Hancock.

It was a triumph for Lighthouse. To read the full review visit www.dorsetview.co.uk

At the Wimborne WI Christmas meeting Bonny Sartin of the Yetties gave an amusing and factual talk about Dorset Smugglers. He also sang several songs finishing with the ‘The last fly of summer’ which ends with ‘then in the New Year I make some mince pies’. A Christmas raffle was held with funds raised going to the Salvation Army Christmas appeal. A collection was also passed on to The Wimborne Food bank.

Bonny is pictured with two members, Linda and Denise.

Swing Unlimited Big Band is appearing at Wimborne Rotary’s ‘Jazz at the Allendale’ Community Centre, on Monday 13 February. Admission is free with tickets available at the doors, which open at 7pm. There will be a retiring collection in aid of Youth Music Wessex and Rotary charities.

PLUMBIING ROOFING

TREE SURGERY

Letter of the month

Dear Dorset View, We write to you as patrons of your local hospice charity, Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, and wish to offer a huge thank you to everyone who has supported this wonderful charity over the past year. Whether you’ve donated to the shops, attended a fabulous fundraising event, donated to an appeal, or volunteered your precious time to help your community – you are amazing. You may not know how much of a difference you’re making to people in your local area… it could be a friend, family member, neighbour or work colleague who needs our help. Thank you for helping us to ensure we can help those in need. 2022 has been a huge year for Lewis-Manning, as they have been celebrating 30 years of extraordinary hospice care. And what a year it’s been. The charity has launched its breathlessness service, day hospice and complementary therapy sessions in the Purbecks, helping more people closer to their homes. This has been so well received, with one patient in Swanage saying “Thank you so much to LewisManning for providing this lovely service. Lewis-Manning is like part of my family.” There’s also been fantastic fundraising events, from Christmas wreath making workshops to Candles on the Lake and Lewis-Manning’s ‘Simply Fabulous’ 30th ball. Two new charity shops have been opened in Swanage and Winton offering our wonderful community a super sustainable shopping haven – where you can bag and bargain and browse quirky bric-a-brac and lovely preloved household items and ladies and gents fashion. You might even spot one of my shirt’s - I’m always donating my clothes to the Westbourne shop. So, thank you again from both of us and well done to all the Lewis-Manning Hospice Care staff for their dedication, kindness and determination to ensure that local people in east Dorset and Purbeck get the care their need and deserve.

Harry & Sandra Redknapp Lewis-Manning Hospice Care Patrons

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ACCEPTANCE OF ALL PAID FOR ADVERTISEMENTS

Pulford Publicity Ltd (“the Publisher”) reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertisement without notice or explanation.

Whilst the Publisher will endeavour to represent the best interests of the client in undertaking client’s instructions, it is fully understood that it is the agreed responsibility of the client to supply Dorset View accurate copy details of the advertisement(s) to be placed and any alterations to the copy must be received prior to copy date.

Guarantee of insertion cannot be given and the Publisher shall not be liable for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement or by the total or partial failure, however caused, of publication or distribution of Dorset View. In no case shall the total liability of the Publisher for any misprint, error or omission exceed the price charged by the Publisher for that advertisement. The Publisher shall not be liable for any damage or loss save as stated and, in particular, the Publisher shall have no liability to the Advertiser in any circumstances for any claim for damages to, loss of, or costs in respect of any anticipated profits, revenues, business opportunities or for any other indirect or consequential loss.

Claims for any error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement must be made within 10 days of publication to

the Administration Department.

Advertisers are requested to check their advertisements after the first insertion. The Publisher will not be responsible for any errors on subsequent insertions, which have not been advised to them.

Cancellation of an advertisement must be advised in writing 21 days prior to copy date.

Unless agreed otherwise in writing by the Publisher the terms of payment for credit accounts are 10 days from date of invoice. Any discount, which the Publisher may have agreed with the advertiser will be forfeited in the event of failure by the advertiser to meet these credit terms. All rates quoted are subject to VAT at the current rate in force at the time the advertisement appears.

Copyright of advertisements produced wholly by the Publisher belongs to the Publisher. Advertisers may not reproduce such advertisments without the Publisher’s written consent.

Full details of copy dates are obtainable direct from Dorset View and/or its representatives. The placing of an order for an advertisment shall amount to acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.

To express your opinion or ideas about the community send your letters to letters@ dorsetview.co.uk

Home improvements for 2023 without breaking the bank

By Marilyn Barber

With the worrying rise in the cost of living, it could be so easy to put home improvements on hold, but this could be false economy leading to even bigger bills in the future.

So don’t put off those vital works – just look at the project in a different way – which could in the end prove to be ecologically sound.

For instance you could find new uses for tiles or bricks that have been accumulating in your garden.

You can shop around for fixtures and fittings, as bargains are always out there and you could get a better deal if you use local suppliers.

And always get at least three quotes for any work you’re outsourcing to trades.

Life can be a little flat after Christmas, so January is certainly the time to think about what you can do to improve your home, with the living room being the least inexpensive room in the house to remodel.

Decorating the walls is a good place

to start, and you don’t have to paint them all; you could just buy a small pot and paint one wall or alcove for a pop of colour. And how about updating that brown furniture by painting it white to give it a more contemporary look?

If you’ve had the same pictures in position for years, why not shop around to get replacements.

If you are looking to extend your property rather than to trade up, insurance brokers Lycett has a word of warning.

A spokesman said: “It is a common misconception that a contractor’s liability insurance would be sufficient if anything went wrong, but this is not always the case.

“It is essential that buildings insurance is reviewed, and updated where required, to ensure cover is in place for such works. Homeowners need to consider who is covering the property during the works, who is arranging cover on the works themselves and any associated liabilities.

“They should also have adequate

cover for potential problems that may arise if neighbours are impacted.”

The advice to those planning home improvements is to purchase a Contract Works insurance policy.

Realise your dream home with Partners in Design

Partners in Design were approached by clients who had purchased an old building which they wanted to transform into a modern family home.

The property was originally two 19th century cottages that had been knocked together. Deep walls divided up the ground floor, creating a series of dark spaces. There was a small original staircase on the far end of the building and the overall flow of the house did not lend itself to modern living.

Using 3D CAD programmes, Partners in Design remodelled the ground floor opening up three original small spaces to create a large open plan living space, garden area and library. They raised the ceiling in the hall and added VELUX windows to bring in natural light. The old staircase was removed and they designed a beautiful central staircase in oak and glass, with a backdrop of large aluminium windows and large feature light to deliver the wow factor.

Partners in Design also created a cosy snug with log burner and a stunning feature wall.

Upstairs the master bedroom was transformed adding a dressing area and ensuite.

All the rooms were updated

with colour, lighting, furniture and window dressings to ensure a light, bright finish throughout.

Once Partners in Design agreed all the designs and costs with their clients, they project managed their in-house team of trades and craftsmen to deliver everything from the steelwork to the bespoke cabinetry and soft furnishing; all within agreed budgets and time frames.

They promised their clients their home would be ready for Christmas and it was.

The clients Mr and Mrs Humphrey from West Dorset were thrilled with the results and said: “The focus on design quality has been excellent - all along you have kept our aspirations high with brilliant advice about colours, materials, furnishings and finishes. Thanks in no small measure to you and the team, we now have a home that is a joy to live in.”

To see more of Partners in Design’s clients’ testimonials visit www.partners-in-design.co.uk

Call them today to realise your dream home on 01305 457727.

Bathroom experience

By

At the end of 2019 we decided to improve our home. The downstairs lavatory and separate bathroom, built in 1958, were out-dated and we wanted to combine them into one large shower room.

My husband likes to do the DIY at home, but this involved demolishing a wall and we decided to pay for a bathroom designer. However, the prices quoted were more than expected and because the plans had to go on hold due to Covid it gave us plenty of time to reassess our options.

Fast forward to September 2022. We ordered a shower unit, lavatory and sink from a supplier and employed a plumber thinking we would make a big saving.

However, nothing in an old property is straightforward and our project was no exception.

Day 1 Thursday 8 September

The plumber and his mate arrived at 8am. The water supply was cut off and work commenced in earnest. By the end of the day, the Queen had died. The demise of our bathroom

had also occurred and I’m in no way comparing this to the death of our Queen, who was a wonderful figurehead.

Our ancient maroon sink and lavatory lay on the front lawn along with the old shower tray. The doors to the bathroom and lavatory had been removed, as had the tiles on the walls. Pipework was capped and everything seemed to be going well until after the pair left and we noticed a small leak in the bathroom.

Day 2 Friday 9 September

The plumbers traced the leak to an old iron pipe, which they advised needed to be cut off, capped and replaced with a new pipe. This seemed sensible as the pipework was so old. However when it was capped off we no longer had hot water in the kitchen. There was no quick fix so we were without hot water downstairs for the weekend.

On the plus side, the wall between the lavatory and bathroom had been demolished, a lintel was in place, and our new space was taking shape.

How it all began

Helena Howton

Lavatory removed

Bathroom experience

Day 3 Monday 12 September

Pipework was fitted around the bathroom and sealed into the walls and a new stopcock was put in place. Progress was good, but the day was over and there was no time to attend to the hot water pipe.

Day 4 Wednesday 14 September

The lavatory door was blocked off ready for the plasterers, who were coming the following week. This was great news, but it put pressure on the plumbers to prepare the room for them. It took the best part of the day but when they’d finished it was time for the hot water to be reconnected. This involved fitting a new pipe to bypass the old one that had been laid underneath our tiled kitchen floor. The new pipe was installed with a much more sensible route. Further excitement was that our shower tray, lavatory and sink unit had arrived.

Day 5 Wednesday 21 September

The remains of the supporting wall were boxed in and the bathroom was ready for the plasterer.

Day 6 Thursday 22 September

Two plasterers arrived and they worked nonstop until the bathroom looked much nearer to completion. We used a dehumidifier to help dry the plaster so my husband could paint the walls with a white breathable sealant (not sure how that works) before the plumbers returned to fit the wall panels and shower tray.

Day 7 Tuesday 27 September

A major problem reared its head. When the floor came up a gas pipe was discovered and it was too high for the new shower tray to be fitted. It was going to have to be rerouted outside, which was a blow. On the plus side, the soil pipe was ready for the new lavatory to be fitted.

Day 8 Thursday 29 September

Work started on removing the existing gas pipe and rerouting it. The shower tray was fitted and the floor levelled. We were told it would need levelling again in the morning.

Day 9 Friday 30 September

The re-levelled floor had to be left to dry, so no further work could progress.

Dividing wall removed

Bathroom experience

Day 10 Monday 3 October

The first couple of wall panels were put in place and looked fabulous but there was a bit of bad news. The shower we’d chosen couldn’t be fitted on them, not only that, there were not enough panels to finish the job because the supplier had underestimated the materials.

We had to order another panel, which we hadn’t budgeted for plus we had to reassess our lovely shower unit. We would have taken it back but there was a considerable return/restocking fee, which we’d never heard of before and again we hadn’t budgeted for it.

To summarise: the flooring could not be fitted until the shower was installed. The lavatory and wash hand basin could not be fitted until the flooring was in. We scratched our heads.

Day 11 Wednesday 5 October

My husband spent ages researching how to fit our shower unit on to our wall panel and eventually came up with a solution, which the plumber agreed was a reasonable option. The flooring was laid and the lavatory installed but not connected.

Day 12 Thursday 6 October

The basin arrived. Once in place it looked splendid.

We were delighted with the way the smallest room was looking. The big event was the lavatory being plumbed in and it looked and acted the part, which was a relief in more ways than one. It did make a loud noise when flushed, but that’s the sort of thing that you can’t find out about until you have made your purchase and had it installed and then it’s too late to do anything about it. However, it’s a rimless lavatory and much easier to clean. It’s also comfort height and this is important for older people who are not so mobile.

Basin and lavatory in situ

Day 13 Tuesday 11 October

When the shower pump was unboxed, the internal parts were missing. My husband got straight on to the manufacturer who argued this could not happen as each pump was weighed before it went out. The plumber had a word with him and as a result, my husband was told to return the pump to the local supplier. Meanwhile the plumbers fitted the heated towel rail and we were very pleased with the look. It didn’t work, but we were assured it would come on later.

Day 14 Monday 17 October

A delivery was expected so the shower could be finished, but this didn’t happen. This was unfortunate as the plumbers were going on holiday for a fortnight. Then one of them caught Covid so two weeks turned into three. We did have a working heated towel rail though, it had come on just as promised.

Day 15 Tuesday 8 November

The glass panel of the shower was fitted, as was the shower but the showerhead wouldn’t turn on. After contacting the manufacturer the plumber discovered that although he had connected the pipework logically, this was incorrect. He had no option but to rectify the problem by ordering a new valve at his expense. He said he would return to fit it as soon as it arrived.

At the same time we discovered the supplier had sent gold fittings for the shower door instead of black. The black ones were out of stock and expected delivery was not until December. So we now had a shower that wasn’t working properly and didn’t have a door.

Bathroom experience

Day 16 Friday 11 November

The new valve was fitted and the shower worked. It was a joy to behold. There was no door, but the shower is so large, it wasn’t vital. My husband agreed to fit the door himself when the black hinges arrived in December as he was confident he could do the job.

As I write, we are still waiting for the hinges, but we can use the shower and compared to our last one, it is luxury.

The foibles of a 65-year-old property coupled with a few mistakes took us over budget. The final expenditure made the pre-Covid all-in quote seem like good value, but then there had been material price rises in between, which also increased the final figure. The job would have been completed more quickly if a bathroom designer had dealt with it, whereas ours had been spread over two months (luckily we have a shower and lavatory upstairs). Whichever way you choose to improve your home, you may hit unexpected problems, so it’s a good idea to keep some money in reserve.

Our next project will be the kitchen. I’ll let you know how it goes. Meanwhile, I must nip off and luxuriate in our new walk-in shower. It’s a blissful improvement to our home and only took us 40 years to achieve because I remember when we moved into our house saying, “The first thing we have to get rid of is that awful maroon toilet.”

The shower room is really taking shape