Viewpoint January 2024

Mid January 2024 Volume 48, Issue 3

Mum praises new baby heart monitors

A first-time mum has praised the “fantastic” new baby monitoring equipment at Salisbury Hospital funded by the Stars Appeal. Full story on page 4.

Inside this issue: Exclusive interview with Dorset Chamber’s CEO Exclusive on The Fortune College Local Unsung Hero scoops award

Michaela Cone with her baby Rory

local knowledge | local reporters | local news

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VIEWPOINT Volume 48 • Issue 3 • January 2024

Picture of the month

VIEWPOINT

Dear readers

Ben Pulford managing director ben@dorsetview.co.uk

He purrs, miaows and turns over to have his tummy tickled but he doesn’t need a litter tray or thinks it’s his right to steal your favourite armchair.

The very realistic cat is just one of the many items that can bring huge comfort for people suffering from dementia and I found myself wanting to stroke it when I met the organiser of Dementia Friendly Gillingham as part of the judging for the Hall and Woodhouse Community Chest Awards.

Many local organisations owe their survival to volunteers, some of whom put in a full working week whilst so very many others give up a good proportion of their time including evenings and weekends.

Take Wimborne for example. Volunteers enable tourists to enjoy attractions such as Wimborne Model Town, The Museum of East Dorset, The Tivoli and Wimborne Minster Church. And this is apart from volunteer run clubs, societies and charity shops.

And the same is true in towns and villages across our region.

I even had a go at volunteering myself at the beginning of 2021 when the Covid vaccination centre opened at St Leonard’s Hospital. I discovered that I wasn’t an accomplished car park attendant, but I did meet some other wonderful volunteers and we formed a friendship group and now have lunches out and enjoy quizzes and walks.

And that is just one of the rewards of volunteering – meeting new like-minded friends.

Winter, particularly January and February can be rather gloomy for some people so why not put a spring in your step by volunteering.

And if you need any guidance, contact Volunteer Centre Dorset on 01305 269214.

Marilyn Barber

Louis Pulford creative director DD 01202 233441 louispulford@brightboxdesigns.co.uk

Nick Pulford company secretary accounts@pulfordpublicity.co.uk

NEWS DESK 01202 870270

Janine Pulford editor janine@dorsetview.co.uk Marilyn Barber news editor newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk Jecs Davies journalist & social media creator jecs@dorsetview.co.uk

ADVERTISING 01202 816140

Mark Beechey account manager DD 01202 941465 mark@dorsetview.co.uk Simon Thornton account manager DD 01202 941470 simon@dorsetview.co.uk Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

DESIGN TEAM Dexter Elliott graphic designer designstudio@pulfordpublicity.co.uk

News editor

The Editor reserves the right to amend or shorten contributions in order to fit in with the editorial policy and style of the magazine

LOGISTICS Mike Talbot

Very realistic cat see Marilyn Barber’s column

How to contact us

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Email: news@dorsetview.co.uk Web: www.dorsetview.co.uk Pulford Publicity, Dana House, Spinneys Lane, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9BZ /dorsetview.news @Dorset_View @dorset_view @dorset.view /dorsetview

Copy date 26 January 2024

VIEWPOINT is independently published and distributed free to homes and businesses in selected areas of Dorset and Hampshire. Views or opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement deemed to be unsuitable for publication. Information about a service does not imply recommendation. All purchases made through this publication are done so entirely at your own risk. The copyright on all written material, logos and advertising artwork produced by our studio remains with VIEWPOINT and should not be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. The company’s privacy policy can be read at www.dorsetview.co.uk

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Mum praises new baby heart monitors The Stars Appeal, Salisbury Hospital’s Charity, has funded eight state-of-theart cardiotocography (CTG) machines for the Labour Ward and Day Assessment Unit, and new mum Michaela Cone from Amesbury has praised the monitoring equipment.

The new machines cost £80,000 and monitor the hearts of babies before and during labour, helping midwives and doctors monitor the health of the baby, as well as monitoring the mum’s contractions.

Michaela Cone was monitored using a Stars Appeal CTG during the birth of her son Rory in November.

She said: “Having the latest monitors to see how your baby is doing and hearing their heartbeat while you’re waiting for your labour to progress was really reassuring. The machine was fantastic and helped put my mind at ease. I want to

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say a big thank you to Stars Appeal supporters for making this equipment possible.”

Several of the new monitors have wireless sensors so expectant mums have more freedom to walk around.

CTGs are used particularly for pregnant mums with higher risk factors and enable midwives to detect any problems.

Fetal Surveillance lead midwife Tori Harper said: “It is one of the best tools we’ve got to help us to understand in a snapshot how the baby is doing. Having these new CTGs is enhancing the care for babies and mums by significantly improving the quality of our monitoring.”

Over the last three years, the Stars Appeal has funded over £300,000 worth of projects supporting the 2,200 babies born at the hospital every year and their families.

The Stars Appeal is currently fundraising for 20 specialist

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cots for newborn babies on the Labour and Postnatal wards, which cost £1,900 each. Anyone donating the full amount or more will have the opportunity to add their name, or that of a loved one, to their very own cot.

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To find out more about the equipment and projects the Stars Appeal are currently fundraising for visit www. starsappeal.org/whatwere-fundraising-for

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Rural housing crisis in Dorset The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is concerned about the lack of affordable housing in Dorset. The charity has produced a report: ‘Unravelling a crisis: the state of rural affordable housing in England’.

The report reveals that families are being driven out of the countryside by record house prices relative to wages, and a shortage of genuinely affordable homes, made worse by an increase in second homes and short-term lets.

Rupert Hardy, chairman of North Dorset CPRE said: “Housing problems are a key factor in domestic violence and the abuse of vulnerable adults, which have increased in Dorset and BCP, as the recent rise in safeguarding concerns data shows. Dorset CPRE welcomes recent calls (for example by the chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty), for new planning and housing policies which do more to meet local housing needs of families and of young and older people, and key workers such as carers. Investment is also needed to improve the low energy efficiency of much local housing by retrofitting insulation and solar panels.”

DIY waste changes in Hampshire Residents using Hampshire Council Household Waste Recycling Centres can dispose of some DIY waste without charge. Up to two 50-litre rubble bags, or one bulky item will be accepted for free, at a maximum frequency of four visits over four weeks. Anything more will be chargeable to cover specialist disposal costs.

Residents must also be able to lift, carry and empty their DIY waste and have an appointment to visit their HWRC. They will be asked to confirm if they are depositing household DIY waste when making their online booking.

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Ian Girling

Dorset Chamber CEO talks to Marilyn Barber newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk To be the Chief Executive Officer of a company over the past four years has been tough for all business leaders, none more so than the head of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which boasts 650 members and reaches nearly 18,000 social media users and 10,000 people though its monthly business magazine which is produced by Pulford Publicity.

“It’s been extremely challenging for businesses with unforeseen global challenges and we will continue to do our absolute best for our business community. We’ve done well and weathered the storm,” said Ian Girling, who celebrated the 10th anniversary of being in charge of the Chamber at the recent

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annual meeting.

“Our highlight of 2023 was the Dorset Business Festival, a four-day celebration that included a networking launch, a major conference and expo and the return of the Dorset Business Awards.

“With a footfall of over 800 businesses, this was the largest and most ambitious project ever undertaken by Dorset Chamber.”

The festival will return in October and will be over a two-week period.

Highlights of 2023 included the re-launching of The Dorset Apprenticeship Awards, the delivery of the first stage of the Dorset Local Skills Improvement Programme, the launch of a Future Leaders Forum and a continued focus on health and wellbeing initiatives as well as its vision of ‘Enabling Better Lives through Business’.

2024 is a very special year for the Chamber as it will be celebrating its 75th year.

“It was started by a group of engineers – engineering is in our blood,” Ian said. “Chambers can be traditional, but they also need to be relevant.”

He added there had been a lot of changes to the business world in the last 10 years, including the introduction of technology such as artificial intelligence, and the Chamber had adapted and evolved.

Ian said he was really proud that the Chamber had raised awareness of the menopause and the importance of women in the workplace.

The pandemic was a particularly difficult time for Ian.“I was in my office on my own for 12 months during which time I produced around 50 videos which I put on LinkedIn and which received thousands of views. I was worried that businesses would collapse, but my team worked well.”

He said there was a gap of 577 days during which time no face-to-face meetings were held.

Dorset Chamber was named as one of the top five chambers of commerce in the UK during 2023. @Dorset_View

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New Forest King Oak remains a landmark after its death Declared dead in 2023, a historic oak tree has been saved from being felled to the ground and will remain in the New Forest as a cultural landmark.

Also known as the Moyles Court Oak, the tree is thought to be more than 600 years old, pre-dating Oliver Cromwell, Henry VIII and William Shakespeare. It had been showing signs of decline for at least a century. The tree failed to come into leaf and was declared dead in 2023.

The New Forest National Park Authority’s tree team provided arboricultural advice to the landowner to keep the remaining structure of the King Oak, which has been a prominent feature by the road at Moyles Court near Ringwood for several centuries.

“Being in such a busy public space, the tree needed further pruning to safely retain what we see today. While keeping the deadwood in place is favourable, we had to

consider any potential damage or injury caused by falling branches,” said James Palmer, tree officer at the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA).

“The tree had been pruned several times over the years as the crown continued to die back, with each set of works removing a large quantity of deadwood and dead branch tips, known as ‘stag heading’.

“We worked with the owner of the tree, a local private estate, encouraging them to retain the ancient oak, and provided management advice for other options rather than to just fell the tree to ground level as was initially proposed.”

Ancient trees, with their gnarls, holes and cracks, are an important part of a forest’s ecosystem, providing vital habitats for birds, bats, insects and lichens. They’re also culturally important, adding to the character of an area.

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Work to retain the New Forest monolith was carried out in December 2023 using specialist equipment and a crane. The stem and branches were pruned back by local tree contractor Treemenders, with cuts purposefully made to emulate storm damage (called veteranisation). This more natural finish is better for wildlife including fungi, mosses, ferns and other specialist plants and animals that require these niche habitats to survive.

The New Forest has one of the highest concentrations of ancient trees in western Europe.

“We are now working with different Forest partners and the local community to help retain the nearby Queen Oak on the opposite side of the road to the King Oak. She’s older than the King and without intervention is at risk of collapse due to internal decay,” added James.

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102-year-old’s birthday treat Can you imagine wanting to visit an ice-skating arena when you are in your hundreds? Well that’s exactly what Eileen Pickering did when she was 102.

The people who made the magic happen for Eileen, a resident at Alexandra House in Poole, were the staff at Care South. They arranged the birthday treat at BH Live Cool Coast Ice Rink.

Eileen’s journey back to the ice rekindled fond memories from her childhood in London when her parents used to take her to watch ice hockey matches. Post-game she was allowed to glide freely on the ice. Her love for ice-skating grew, and her parents gifted her a pair of white leather skates.

The family relocated to West Moors in the 1950s, where the absence of an ice rink left Eileen unable to continue her passion, but her admiration for the art of ice-skating endured.

For her 102nd birthday, she received a DVD of Torvil and Dean’s performances from staff at Alexandra House, who also stepped in and organised the special ice rink experience. Eileen was surrounded by loved ones and well-wishers to create new memories.

“I never thought I would get the chance to be on the ice again,” said Eileen. “It feels like a dream come true, and I’m incredibly thankful to Nicola and the team at Alexandra House for making this happen.”

Steve Turner, BH Live’s Associate Director of Venues said: “Eileen is such an inspiration and

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really shows that skating can be fun for all ages and abilities. Thanks so much to the Care South team for choosing our venue to mark such a special occasion, we wish them and Eileen the very best.”

Nicola Bleach, activities lead at Alexandra House, added: “Eileen’s joy was infectious, and it highlighted the power of fulfilling dreams, no matter the age. We are committed to creating moments that truly matter, and seeing Eileen rediscover the magic of her passion demonstrates the essence of enriching lives through thoughtful and personalised care.”

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Libraries to host Reading Friends groups Two local libraries are giving people the chance to not only discuss books but to make new friends.

Reading Friends groups are starting at Ferndown Library on Monday 15 January 10.30-11am and at Wimborne Library on Monday 5 February also from 10.30-11.30am.

The innovative befriending programme by The Reading Agency, developed with funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, tackles loneliness and isolation through the power of reading.

Reading Friends connects people by starting conversations through reading, giving opportunities to meet others, share stories, make new friends and have fun. It creates social connections building on interests and hobbies of the people involved to get people talking. Contact the libraries for further information.

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Snowdrop weekend Damerham Looking for a sensational display of snowdrops?

Visit St George’s Church, Damerham on 10 and 11 February which is this year’s Snowdrop Weekend. There will be a bric-abrac and book sale in the church along with cakes and coffee to raise funds. Often you can buy snowdrops, freshly dug and donated from local gardens.

If you wish to donate items to be sold at this popular event as well as cakes and produce such as preserves, or volunteer to help, get in touch with catherine.godber50@gmail.com.

Give views on Forest plan Residents in the New Forest District Council area have until 26 January to have their say on the authority’s draft corporate plan. The four-year plan is the overarching document that sets the vision, values, priorities, and commitments of the district authority, from 2024. Log onto https://www.newforest.gov.uk/ CorporatePlanConsultation

Ringwood development Halo Developments (UJK) Ltd has applied to New Forest District Council for permission to part demolish and part refurbish with construction of the rear and roof extension to existing building to create commercial floorspace and 20 residential dwellings at 2, Market Place, Ringwood.

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Welcome the Dragon

The Year of the Dragon, specifically the Wood Dragon, will be welcomed on Saturday 10 February being Chinese New Year’s Day. It will last until 28 January 2025.

China will celebrate this auspicious, energetic and powerful year from 9-15 February as a public holiday although celebrations will continue until the lantern festival on 24 February. Taiwan will enjoy a seven-day holiday from 8 February to 14 February. Hong Kong and Macau will have an eight-day holiday from 10 February to 17 February. Holidays in other Southeast Asian countries are one to three days.

The date of Chinese New Year changes each year, but always falls between 21 January and 20 February. The date is decided by the Chinese Lunar Calendar, based on the cycles of the moon and sun. It is generally 21-51 days behind the Gregorian calendar. Chinese New Year falls on a new moon day, usually the second after the winter solstice.

The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

Sometimes online is not the best line Now that Christmas is over we can all start thinking about our summer holidays. Recently my wife decided to book some flights as a surprise for me.

She decided to do this online instead of through a travel agent. Unfortunately, at the end of the day there was a bigger surprise for her rather than me.

We were sitting in our lounge when her phone pinged to say your flight is leaving in 24 hours.

Sadly a minor error when typing had resulted in the flights being brought forward by six months!

I had wondered why they were so cheap. We could have rushed to the airport but with no dog sitting available Charlie was not letting us go anywhere.

Today in many aspects of life we can and are often encouraged to do things ourselves which in the past we never would. These range from banking, to booking holidays to various legal steps you can now take yourself. In some respects

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this is good, while sometimes doing it yourself can lead to increased costs and delay if what you have undertaken has not been professionally checked and scrutinised especially in the legal arena.

We at Meesons and Spurlings Solicitors are here to help. We can give you cost effective legal advice and guide you through all the legal processes and advise you as to what is going to happen so that nasty surprises and unnecessary costs can be avoided.

Please contact us for further information.

Charlie

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Dorset Council grants available for ‘Levelling up’ Businesses, community groups and organisations in Dorset are invited to apply for funding as part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda.

Grants of between £1,000 and £15,000 are available for community groups and organisations, and awards from £2,000 to £20,000 for businesses. Round 1 closes on Wednesday 31 January. For further details on the scheme, visit the Shared Prosperity Fund pages on the Dorset Council website.

Tony Brown, managing director of Ferndown-based Y-not-Finance, has become the new president of Dorset Chamber, succeeding Caron Khan. Vice president is Gareth Sherwood. Tony is pictured fourth from right with chief executive Ian Girling, fifth left, and some members of the Dorset Chamber board at the organisation’s 2023 annual meeting

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Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero of the South At the end of last year, local man Terry Dennis received the accolade of Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero award for the South.

The coach and founder of Dorset Demons Wheelchair Basketball Club had been told that BBC South was visiting the Poole-based club to film the players in action, and he

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was unaware that sports editor Lewis Coombes was going to spring the award on him.

On receiving the award Terry said: “I wasn’t expecting that at all. I am immensely proud.”

He told Dorset View: “There’s simply not enough chances for disabled adults to access sport in Dorset.

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It’s been a lot of hard work over the years trying to improve that and provide more opportunities. It’s lovely to be recognised for giving back to my community.”

Disabled when he was a teenager, Terry has worked tirelessly to create opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport in the county.

In the 1990s he helped ensure there were three wheelchair basketball teams in Dorset. He carried out fundraising, played and became a coach. He then took on wheelchair fencing and was part of the GB team reaching 15th in the world and 2nd in GB in his disability class and gaining bronze in the European championships.

Terry volunteered his time as a coach to introduce fencing to local children and the local university.

He also secured funding to set up Wessex Accessible Cycling Club, bringing in paracycles for disabled people to use at Moors Valley Country Park. He again became a coach and took people out on rides to work with them and build their confidence. The club is still going strong today.

Terry’s wife, Charlie, said: “Even though he’s been battling some nasty health issues over the last few years that hasn’t stopped him. After finding out there were no more wheelchair basketball teams in the area Terry set up a team called Dorset Demons. He set

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this up after the pandemic to give physically disabled adults who had been shielding the chance to get back out into the community, socialise again and do some physical activity.

He’s managed to set up the club, become chairman, head coach and gain over £20,000 in funding to ensure team members have safe and good sports chairs to compete in.

He’s now set himself a new fundraising goal to gain even more equipment for the club.”

Charlie added with a smile, “You can’t say no to Terry.”

Dorset Demons has grown so much that the team is entering competitive leagues including the British Wheelchair Basketball Inspire league, so things are looking extremely positive for Dorset Demons.

Charlie added: “Members have told us that it’s not just improved their physical health and their confidence but it’s also helped their mental health too. None of this would be possible without Terry’s nonstop dedication to disability sport in Dorset.”

Terry is due to attend the live Sports Personality of the Year awards in Manchester on 19 December where the 15 regional winners will find out who will win the National Unsung Hero award.

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Charity of the Year Get set for Lewis-Manning’s pawsome Muddy Dog Dash in Upton Country Park!

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s hugely popular ‘Muddy Dog Dash’ which promises to be a brilliantly fun… and muddy event will take place on Sunday 17 March.

The ‘Muddy Dog Dash’, sponsored by Barratt Homes, takes place at Upton Country Park, Poole. Runners, walkers, families and friends, with or without a dog can choose between a 2.5km and 5km muddy obstacle course. Spectators are more than welcome and can enjoy the pawsome event village while they wait for their muddy friends to return.

Hannah Garrett, event fundraiser at Lewis-Manning Hospice Care said, “You can choose to run, jog or walk, that’s up to you.

Whatever your ability it will be a fantastically muddy experience.

There will be various fun obstacles including ramps, tyre runs, wiggle poles and much, much more. There will be goodie bags sponsored by Nurturing by Nature, rosettes and certificates.

Megan Hamlyn, marketing manager at Barratt Homes said: “We are thrilled to be supporting Lewis-Manning Hospice Care again for their hugely popular ‘Muddy Dog Dash’, it’s certainly an event not to be missed. Barratt Homes are always keen to support their local communities and causes like Lewis-Manning who provide vital care and support to patients and their families across East Dorset and Purbeck.”

Hannah concluded, “What are you waiting for? On your barks, get set… GO!”

About Lewis-Manning Hospice Care Lewis-Manning Hospice Care is a charity providing extraordinary care to patients and their loved ones facing a life-limiting illness across East Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Purbeck and West Hampshire.

They offer a range of free hospice care services aimed at helping people to live well through their illness, closer to home and at home. lewis-manning.org.uk

Sign up today: lewis-manning.org.uk/muddy-dog-dash/

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Frying pans at the ready!

Funeral directors have hailed the refurbishment of the Poole Crematorium chapel as a success, with families full of praise for it.

The Crematorium on Gravel Hill has had a makeover to bring it into the 21st century.

It now has comfortable seating for more than 100 mourners, new décor, a covered area outside for those waiting for services, and modern audio-visual capability. Families can livestream a service and create their own visual tributes.

Malcolm Green from James Smith Funeral Directors in Swanage – part of the Douch Family Funeral Directors group – said feedback had been excellent adding: “The refurbishment has made a huge difference,” and “everything has been designed to ensure all areas are wheelchair accessible.”

“At the front there is a covered area and at the rear is a flower court under cover where families can mingle after a service,” said Malcolm Green. “Staff are incredibly helpful and feedback from families has been excellent. One lady recently said to me that it was the best facility she had ever been to.

“We are hoping that cremators will be installed soon and that would make it perfect.

“At present the deceased are transferred after the service, with dignity and in a suitable vehicle, to Bournemouth Crematorium for the cremation.”

Viewpoint and Dorset View magazines will once again provide a prize to the winner of the Wimborne Minster Pancake Race on Shrove Tuesday.

The venue is outside the main north porch entrance to the Minster and the first race will start at 11am. Anyone can enter. Enrolment is from 10.30am and don’t forget to bring a frying pan and ready cooked pancake.

Competitors will be required to run round the Minster tossing their pancakes at the four corners of the church.

In addition to the prize from Viewpoint, the over-18 winner will receive the John Loader Memorial Cup, presented by Martyn and Kathy Curtler.

There will also be races for the under 18s, pre-schools and toddlers and those using wheelchairs. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category.

Entry forms will be available in the Minster and Parish Office by the end of January or just turn up on the day. Shrove Winning line Pancake Race 2014 Tuesday is 13 February.

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Malcolm Green from James Smith Funeral Directors in Swanage praises Poole Crematorium

Poole crematorium’s upgrade praised

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Column by Fordingbridge Museum is sponsored by Adrian Dowding

Hearts of Oak and shipbuilding

By Julian Hewitt, Fordingbridge Museum reliable, so large areas of “Hearts of Oak” the the forest were planted with marching song of acorns and enclosed with the Royal Navy fences to keep out deer and Words by David Garrick 1759 commoners’ animals. Once “Hearts of oak are our ships, the trees had grown enough jolly tars are our men, to be safe from animals the We always are ready: fences were removed, and steady boys, steady, new areas were enclosed.

We’ll fight and we’ll conquer Trees were selected by again and again.” people skilled in identifying In 1079, William I designated branches and trunks that an area in Hampshire as the would be ideal for shipbuilding.

Nova Foresta or New Forest.

These would be felled in winter The term forest in those using double handed saws days meant a land set aside for and hauled out of the woods hunting animals such as deer by horses. Curved ‘knees’ and wild boar. It consisted of were used to support the some tree cover but also would decks and ‘futtocks’ used have had open areas of heath for the frame of the ship. and lawn. Today the landscape Much of the wood would looks much the same and be destined for Buckler’s although there are now conifer Hard on the river Beaulieu. plantations there are still many Here skilled craftsmen were ancient oaks and broad-leafed employed to build the ships. trees. Many of these older Shipwrights were highly trees owe their existence specialised workers earning to the need for timber to three shillings and six pence build wooden warships. a day in the 1740s and five A 64-gun ship would shillings a day in the 1800s as require the wood from 2,000 well as other benefits. Their mature oak trees. Acts of apprenticeship would be seven 1698 and 1808 encouraged years and they would have the planting of new oaks and shaped and fitted the timber elm trees and made it illegal for the keel, frame, stern and to pollard enclosed trees or stem posts using tools such as use them for charcoal burning. an adze and auger. Carpenters Natural regeneration was not and sawyers also earnt a good

Buckler's Hard

wage. Sawyers worked in pairs cutting seasoned timbers into lengths and thicknesses suitable for constructing the ship. They would place the timbers over a saw pit or, less commonly, a raised platform.

The top sawyer marked the cutting lines and stood on top of the wood to guide the saw.

The bottom sawyer would be in the pit getting showered in sawdust. The wood was held in place by metal fastenings called ‘dogs’. The top sawyer was more skilled and was paid more. This is claimed by some to be the origin of the modern terms, “top dog” for a leader or senior person and “underdog”.

The ship’s carpenter would work on the more intricate woodwork and finer carvings.

Near Fritham, the South Bently Inclosure, (as the enclosures in the New Forest are called), was planted with acorns in 1700 and is the oldest plantation in the Forest and the oldest planted oak wood in the country. Some of

the trees have a girth of four metres. Some of the oaks were replaced by conifers in the 1960s. Although planted to provide wood for ships, by the time many of these inclosures were mature enough wooden ships were not being built.

Buckler’s Hard has an excellent museum that details the history of the settlement.

Shipbuilding started there in the 1740s and there are very informative displays on the harvesting of the wood, the building of the ships and the workforce.

Royal Navy warships were built there until 1814 when production moved to smaller cutters and merchant ships.

Many of the ships for Nelson’s navy in the Napoleonic wars were built there and played an important part in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In 1861 the first ironclad ship, HMS Warrior, was built in the dockyard at Portsmouth.

This sounded the death knell for warships built of wood.

Fordingbridge Greener Living recently received a cheque for £4,396.18 from Fordingbridge Coop’s ‘supporting the local community’ project when customers vote for their most deserving local cause.

Louise Tonkin of Fordingbridge Greener Living said: “We are so excited and grateful that the community chose us as their most deserving cause. This money will allow us to do so much to improve the town.” The picture shows Sue Rogers, the Co-op community champion; Louise Tonkin and Wendy Reid of Fordingbridge Greener Living and Philip Watson, Co-op store manager.

The funds will be used to develop the Fordingbridge Repair café, the Community Garden and various other on-going projects including the community composter, the food fridge and recycling shed. For further details, contact Louise Tonkin and/or Alison Ayling on 01425 650770 or by email, on FordingbridgeGreenerLiving@Gmail.com

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verwood news

Verwood Rotary Golf tournament handout evening

By Louisa Hiscock The club was delighted to host its annual ‘handout evening’ at The Hub in Verwood at the end of November. This was to give out donations to many of the charities, local organisations and groups nominated for funds from the Rotary Rustic Fayre back in August. The evening was hosted by Rotarian Vern Harris, chair of the Rustic Fayre, and club president Andy Maw. It was wonderful to bring together so many community groups to celebrate not only the success of the Rustic Fayre but also all the amazing work so many do in our community - much of it voluntary and supporting a wide range of needs and age groups. All who received a donation spoke about what they did and how the donation would support their work. Club members enjoyed hosting this evening and felt it made all the hard work before and on the day of the Rustic Fayre very worthwhile. It was also an opportunity to thank all those who support us in so many ways on the day.

Club members also joined in the fun at Verwood’s Christmas Extravaganza on a very cold evening in early December. We were pleased to help Santa to set up his grotto and meet as many children as he could during the event.

It was lovely to see how excited all the children were to meet Santa and be able to tell him what was on their Christmas lists.

Some club members also took the opportunity to share with Santa what they Rusty Vern wanted for Christmas too!

Crane Valley Golf Club in Verwood is to host the 2024 Dorset County Championship, which will be held over three days from Friday 24 May. The County Championship is the pinnacle of the Dorset amateur golf calendar, with the best players in the county pitting their skills to win the coveted 100-year-old trophy.

Man charged in connection with stabbing A man has been charged in connection with a reported stabbing in Verwood.

Officers attended an incident at around 3.10pm on Thursday 7 December 2023 in which the victim – a man in his 50s – presented himself to Verwood Surgery in Station Road with injuries. The man subsequently attended hospital for treatment to injuries that were not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.

It is reported that the incident occurred a short time before at an address in the town.

A 57-year-old local man was arrested and following enquiries by officers, has been charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. He appeared at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 9 December 2023 and is next due to appear at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday 11 January 2024.

Infill home Dorset Council has received an application to sever a plot at 5, Firs Glen Road, Verwood and to erect a three-bedroom property.

Concert raises funds The Fayrewood Singers of Verwood performed their concert ‘Christmas Is Coming’ raising £750 for Macmillan Caring Locally.

The choir would like to thank the audience for their generosity.

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education / the future relies on what we learn today.

Plenty of stars at Royal award for Ancient Hayeswood First School Technology Centre

Before Christmas, parents enjoyed a traditional nativity play at Hayeswood First School in Wimborne.

Reception and Year 1 put on two performances telling the story of the birth of Christ.

Executive Headteacher Sharon Staddon said: “We had a wonderful nativity with the two year groups doing a great job.

“It was very well received and parents really enjoyed it - as did the children.

“We were keen to tell the story in a traditional way; it’s hard to improve on a story that has captivated people for nearly 2,000 years.

“We also sang Christmas carols at a separate event and the whole school took part.”

The school is part of the Initio Learning Trust whose chief executive Liz West said: “Hayeswood celebrated Christmas in a marvellous way – it embodied all the best things about this time of year.”

Volunteers at the Ancient Technology Centre at Cranborne have been recognised with an award presented by HRH Princess Royal at a ceremony in St James’s Palace London.

The Princess Royal Training awards are supported by the City and Guilds association and showcase the investment in training made by organisations and the considerable outcomes that can be achieved.

Volunteers were praised for their dedication to keeping traditional skills alive through a training programme that passes their knowledge on to other volunteers so the buildings can be maintained.

The Ancient Technology Centre at Cranborne Chase is home to several historic recreated buildings from the Stone Age through to the Anglo Saxons and is used primarily to teach school children about history.

Colin Alborough, vice chairman of the Ancient Technology Centre Volunteers Association and a volunteer himself, said: “We are the smallest group of people ever to receive such a prestigious award.

“We are so proud of our long-standing volunteers and the work they have done to train our new volunteers.

“It is so essential that we keep up this continuous programme of training which sees these traditional skills being passed on to others.

They are our heritage and it is so important that the knowledge is passed on.

“When people come to visit, particularly schools, they always comment that it really helps to bring history to life by seeing the way that people used to live from Stone Age through to Anglo Saxons.”

A variety of skills, including thatching, working with lime plaster and woodworking, have been shared. The centre also has specialist volunteers, such as blacksmiths, who have a skill that they use in their profession but who donate their time to the Centre.

The site is owned by Dorset Council but is supported by a team of volunteers who give their time to build and maintain the structures so that children and the wider public can learn about pre-history and the dark ages.

Andrew Stevens, senior tutor of the centre, said: “Our staff work closely with the volunteers to transfer the skills of our archaeologists to the volunteers who then upskill their volunteer colleagues to ensure the site is sustainable. This incredible achievement has made us all very proud.”

Cllr Byron Quayle, Dorset Council portfolio holder for children, education skills and early help congratulated the team.

The award will be on display during one of the three open weekends held by the centre (30 and 31 March, 27 and 28 July, 21 and 22 September). www.ancienttechnologycentre.com

Colin Alborough receiving the award from HRH Princess Royal

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health and care

New mental health facilities for Dorset Dorset HealthCare has been allocated more than £70 million to improve inpatient mental health facilities at sites in Bournemouth and Poole, as part of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme.

Lord Markham, Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, joined staff from Dorset HealthCare and peer specialists from Dorset Mental Health Forum to formally get development work underway.

Alumhurst Road turf-cutting with Lord Markham on the left

The first project will see the construction of a new, eight-bed psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) for children and young people at Alumhurst Road, Bournemouth.

The second project, at St Ann’s Hospital in Poole, will also see the creation of a replacement adult PICU, alongside additional adult mental health inpatient beds, improved accommodation (ensuring all patients have their own rooms) and a new ‘place of safety’ suite for patients detained under the Mental Health Act. Both schemes were granted planning permission by BCP Council in 2023.

Full construction will start early this year, with enhanced patient care in place for 2026.

Wimborne’s Victoria Hospital has taken heart from the arrival of a new £95,000 ‘echo’ machine. It will perform echocardiograms, an ultrasound test that checks the structure and function of the heart. It will enable speedy diagnoses of a wide range of cardiac conditions at the Dorset HealthCare-run hospital. The echo machine was paid for by funding from the Victoria Hospital League of Friends and Anne Salter, the Friends’ chairperson, said: “This latest technology allows for quicker and more accurate assessments. It also means that local people can be seen sooner and closer to home.” Pictured are Rachel Brown, cardiac physiologist and Maxine Guillen, lead cardiac physiologist.

Selwood House Care Home raises £300 Selwood House Care Home in Charlton Down embraced the opportunity to give back to the community by raising £300 for the Dorset County Hospital Charity at its Christmas Fayre.

Providing luxury residential, dementia, and respite care

services. Selwood House Care Home also holds a monthly community coffee morning on the first Wednesday of the month from 10am – 12pm. For more information contact ben. marsden@countrycourtcare. com or call 07399 062 712.

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health and care / caring about people is an act of maturity

If you are in any doubt about your health you must consult your GP. Viewpoint is not responsible or liable for damages, which may occur as a result of your use or misuse of the information available on this page.

Help your ambulance service this winter SWASFT is urging communities across the region to use its services responsibly this winter.

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is expecting sustained demand across its 999 services - a position that is reflected across other health and care organisations locally, regionally, and nationally.

The Trust’s leaders are asking communities to help by following the below steps:

• Only call 999 when someone is seriously injured or ill and their life may be at risk.

For example, if someone is unconscious, not breathing or is bleeding heavily.

• If you’re waiting for an ambulance, please don’t call 999 back — unless the patient’s condition has deteriorated or you no longer need an ambulance — to ask when one will arrive, these details can’t be provided, as ambulances are sent to patients with the most lifethreatening conditions first.

ensure this, we need to have crews available for patients with the most life-threatening conditions. Please only call 999 if someone is seriously injured or ill, for anything else, please contact NHS 111.

“I would like to thank our people and NHS colleagues who will be working throughout the winter to help keep us all safe and well. Should you need their support, please be kind to them, they are working hard under huge daily pressures.”

Dr Paul Johnson, chief medical officer with NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “Our website staywelldorset.nhs. uk contains information for people so they can make an informed choice if they need medical help.”

For non-life-threatening emergencies, people can access appropriate care by visiting NHS 111 online, contacting their GP or getting advice from a pharmacy.

• For non-life-threatening emergencies, people can access appropriate care by visiting NHS 111 online, contacting their GP or getting advice from a pharmacy.

Wayne Darch, deputy director of Operations at SWASFT said: “We want to be there for everyone that needs us in a medical emergency, to

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West Parley cruise ship entertainer saves man’s life

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

A local cruise ship entertainer who saved the life of a man 15 minutes before going on stage is urging people to learn how to do CPR. Pete Matthews, who lives in West Parley, was on the Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas when the incident happened on 12 December.

Pete, a juggler, who has since received accolades from so many people said modestly: “I don’t want this to be all about me. I was just in the right place at the right time.”

He explained the course of events which took place between his two shows.

“My wife Claire was on board as I was both working and celebrating my 50th birthday, and she had just watched the 7pm show but said she wouldn’t go to the 9pm one. So I left my cabin to get her a drink and was 20 yards from the room when I saw a man slumped against the wall, His face was purple and grey and his family were shouting ‘Dad, Dad, don’t die.”

Hearing the commotion, Claire rang 911.

Pete, who had learned CPR some 20 years ago went into action.

“I was a little nervous as I know that in America you can be sued if something goes wrong, but I went ahead just the same.

“I pulled him off the wall, got

him to lie on his back and did chest compressions. After 20 he let out a groan and so then I did mouth to mouth.”

He was continuing with compressions when a firefighter called Justin arrived on the scene.

“He told me I was doing a good job and so I continued until eight medics arrived.”

Needless to say Pete was relieved when a doctor said ‘we’ve got it from here’.

Not surprisingly, he was shaking, but after tidying himself up he went on stage at 9pm to do the second show.

“Actually I am always nervous before a show,” said Pete, who performed on his first cruise ship on 15 January 1995.

“I didn’t know at that time if he was going to live or die, but I just went into show mode and at the end I got a standing ovation.”

The 58-year-old man, whose name was Joe Kutza, was taken to the ship’s hospital and subsequently an officer said to Pete: “Congratulations, you have saved a man’s life.”

Pete admitted that he burst into tears, and he has done so a

couple of times since then.

Later he and Justin went to see Joe in the ship’s hospital.

“He was wearing an oxygen mask and said to me: ‘Man I love you. You are my guardian angel’.”

Subsequently the chief medical officer said: “If Pete Matthews hadn’t done what he did, Joe would not be here today.”

The ship had been off the coast of the Bahamas and Joe was subsequently taken off the ship at Freeport.

Joe, who lives in Pennsylvania, had a stent and a pacemaker fitted.

Subsequently, Pete has spoken to a firefighter who told him that he had performed CPR on nine occasions, and the patients didn’t make it as too much time had elapsed.

Pete was at home for Christmas and the New Year, and was due to join the Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, the world’s biggest ship on its maiden voyage in the middle of January.

It will be reassuring for the passengers to know that this man of many talents is on board!

Pete Matthews

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VIEWPOINT January 2024

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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY

This Year,

LiveWell Start your journey to a healthier you livewelldorset.co.uk Make this your year, the year of a healthier you.

Better health is in your hands – only you can make the changes that will change your life: losing weight, quitting smoking, becoming more active or drinking less alcohol.

But did you know LiveWell Dorset can help?

Make the most of this amazing free service available to every Dorset adult. Registering takes a couple of minutes and is

the first step to becoming the healthiest version of you.

Having support to stay on track with your resolutions can make all the difference. As weight loss client Fern found.

She said: “I began my coaching sessions in the New Year.

Coming off the first call with my coach, Susan, I felt impassioned and motivated. I did not want to be a January statistic, one

of those people who lost lots of weight in the New Year but then piled it back on, but the way Susan approached it, it seemed sustainable.”

Coaching is one of the most popular choices and involves six sessions with a behaviour change specialist to help you ditch old habits and form healthy new ones.

Alongside coaching there

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are kick-start weight loss programmes: free vouchers for local slimming groups or an app, stop smoking quit kits: nicotine replacement, and vape kits.

Once you sign up with LiveWell, an advisor will be in touch to talk to you about what you want to achieve and create an action plan to get you started. See below for more details.

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New Year, New You | UNITY / real people, real news, local advertising.

BUSINESS | COMMUNITY

Is a New Year activity on the cards?

Mind & New Year’s resolution is to go on a diet Body Fitness Aortraditional join a gym or fitness class. Both are great ideas.

By Jecs Davies

By James Gulliver

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“We have always harboured a deep desire to help others achieve optimum health. Our journey has afforded us the privilege of turning our knowledge and experience into assistance for individuals and their families. Throughout our career in this field, we’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with a diverse range of incredible individuals.

“At Mind & Body Fitness we wholeheartedly believe in a holistic approach to mental and physical wellness. Human emotions are complex and changeable, and our specialty lies in building an emotional and practical ‘toolbox’ to help manage an array of emotions and physical ailments. Our passion is to enable our clients to build emotional resilience around their trauma.

“Drawing from a wealth of knowledge derived from a combination of lived experience and academic work, we understand how trauma affects the mind and body. Book a FREE call with Mind & Body Fitness today and embark on the journey to emotional well-being!”

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VIEWPOINT January 2024

Another way to start the year is with a new activity. You could take up golf, pottery, drawing, acting, music lessons, dancing, theatre, anything you set your mind to. With outdoor activities, you can start practising now ready for the warmer weather.

Having a hobby will decrease the amount of time you spend on your phone or watching TV. Studies have shown that excessive screen time can be linked to vision impairment, headaches and mental

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health problems. Often it takes a planned activity to break the cycle of coming home from work and scrolling through your phone until it is time for bed.

Trying something new can be daunting.

A lot of people feel more confident going into a new environment with a familiar face. Ask a friend or a colleague if they are interested in starting a new hobby with you.

If not, take the plunge and you could meet some great people along the way.

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BUSINESS |New COMMUNITY UNITY Year, New |You

Meet Dr Sean Holroyd – Fitness initial consultation is free club with a “I’m Dr Sean Holroyd, a Harley Street trained difference Aesthetician and General Practitioner in Dorset.

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Are you finding your balance, flexibility and fitness are not what they used to be but are unsure what to do about it? You should check out Ferndown Fitness in Pennys Walk, Ferndown. It’s a club with a difference that offers personalised exercise programmes and as much help and guidance as you need from approachable, knowledgeable staff. They now also offer a great selection of classes including Yoga, Balance Classes, Flex & Stretch Classes as well as Aerobic classes to help with fitness. They can really help you get moving and get back into exercise at your own pace, so why not pop in or call 01202 855321 to have a chat or book a free guest visit.

“I have over 10 years’ experience working within medicine. I have worked in multiple different fields but found that I was always interested in the practical procedures. Since undergoing GP training, I developed a keen interest in dermatology.

It was then I realised my passion for aesthetics which perfectly merges skin health and practical skills.

“I specialise in anti-wrinkle treatments and dermal fillers to achieve natural enhancement of facial features.

“Every treatment is tailored to you as the individual with a free, detailed consultation and consent process prior to any procedure, as well as a comprehensive aftercare service.

“I have a holistic consultation style and adopt

a ‘less is more’ approach to aesthetic medicine.

“Please visit www. drseanholroydaesthetics. com for more information as well as how to book a free consultation.”

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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY / real people, real news, local advertising.

New Year, New You

Fitness choices

for 2024

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

If you’ve put ‘getting fitter’ at the top of your list of New Year’s resolutions – and groaned whilst you did so – you are not alone.

And if last year you faltered by the end of January, maybe you didn’t manage to find the activity that suited your lifestyle.

So, let’s look at the myriad of options, leaving aside everyday activities such as taking a walk – not always fun in adverse weather conditions.

Aerobics Aerobic exercises are activities using the large muscle groups in the body, raising the heart rate and making breathing harder. Classes have been popular since the Jane Fonda era of the 1980s, but aerobics also includes jogging and running.

Zumba Zumba, which involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance, was founded by Colombian dancer and choreographer Beto Pérez in 2001. The classes move between high- and low-intensity dance moves designed to get your heart rate up and boost cardio endurance. As you get older, bone density and joint support starts to wane, which means high-impact exercises like running may not be doable.

Zumba is an excellent low-impact workout.

It protects your joints and muscles while raising your heart rate and improving your balance, posture, and coordination.

Step classes At a step class you step up, around and down from a platform in different patterns to boost your heart rate and breathing.

It helps to manage blood pressure and diabetes, and is good for people with osteoporosis, as it is a low impact exercise which improves bone strength.

Personal training If you haven’t exercised for a while or if you have specific needs, it might be good to book in with a personal trainer. This is someone who will create a one-on-one fitness programme for you, motivating and guiding you to achieve your goal.

A personal trainer can also help you to return to fitness after an injury.

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Pilates This is a form of strength training, but it doesn’t look like some of the other strength training exercises you might be familiar with. Pilates focuses more on improving muscle tone than building muscles, but the result is similar. It can enable greater stability and endurance, improve flexibility and increase muscle strength and tone, particularly of your abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and buttocks (the ‘core muscles’ of your body).

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BUSINESS |New COMMUNITY UNITY Year, New |You

New Year,

New Career

By Rebecca Smith

At one time, having one lifelong career was ‘the norm.’ However, in today’s rapidly evolving job market, career change has become much more commonplace.

The idea of embarking on a new professional path can be daunting, leading many to shy away from such changes. But, as the saying goes, sometimes you must “feel the fear and do it anyway.” This is not a suggestion that you should quit on the spot with no job to go to. Some of the points below may help you address some common concerns and how to move forward into an exciting new career path.

Embrace the unknown One of the main challenges when contemplating a career change is the fear of the unknown. Leaving behind the familiarity and taking a leap

of faith into a different field can make you feel anxious and uncertain. However, this fear should not be a deterrent but rather a motivator. It is essential to remember that change often brings growth and new opportunities.

Transferable skills Transferable skills are the secret weapon when making a career transition. While the specific technical skills may differ between jobs, there are core competencies such as communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and leadership skills which are highly valued across a multitude of industries.

Recognising and leveraging these transferable skills can provide a solid foundation for success in a new professional field.

Fear of judgement One obstacle to face is the fear of judgement from others.

People may worry about how their peers, family, or society at large will perceive them for making such a significant change. What if it does not go smoothly? It is crucial to remember that failure is a part of growth, and it is better to try and learn than to never try at all. True success lies in having the courage to pursue one’s dreams, regardless of others’ opinions.

Networking To overcome these fears, seeking guidance and support can be invaluable. Networking with professionals who have made successful career transitions, perhaps into or from the industries that you are looking at or currently

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working in, joining industryrelated groups (social media is full of these) or seeking advice from career coaches can offer valuable insights and encouragement.

Unlock new possibilities In conclusion, embracing career change is a sign of adaptability and growth in today’s dynamic job landscape. By recognising that you have valuable transferable skills and conquering the fear of judgement, it is possible to unlock new possibilities and find new satisfaction in pursuing a passion. Although it is rarely easy, it is always worth it and it is never too late to redefine your career path and create a brighter future.

Embrace the fear, face the challenges, and embark on a journey of self-discovery and professional fulfilment.

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Opposition to development Blandford Town Council, Blandford St Mary Parish Council (BSMPC) and North Dorset CPRE are opposing plans for a proposal by Hallam Land Management for planning permission for 135 homes in Blandford St Mary. It is a revision of an earlier application to build 150 homes which was attracting considerable criticism from Dorset Council’s planning team.

A spokesperson representing the North Dorset CPRE and Blandford St Mary Parish Council said: “The proposed scheme offers little or no benefit to Blandford St Mary but rather

swamps the ‘hamlet’ of Lower Blandford St Mary and its listed church and houses. Moreover, the ancient way of Ward’s Drove will lose its definition. North Dorset is in the fortunate position that it now has a housing land supply in excess of five years so decisions should follow the development plan, whereas before there was a tilted balance engaging a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The housing target for Blandford Forum and St Mary in the North Dorset Local Plan is at least 1,200 homes, and the September 2023 Housing Land

Supply report showed that 1,225 homes will be delivered by 2031. There is no need for more housing, particularly since the recent approval of a further 490 homes in north Blandford and Pimperne, and certainly not for this speculative development on a site unallocated by both the North Dorset Local Plan and the Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan.”

Cllr Malcolm Albery, chairman of BSMPC, said: “Blandford St Mary Parish and its environment is being destroyed by unnecessary development. The only beneficiaries of this scheme being the landowner and Hallam Group.”

Representatives from Co.MaD (Colehill Music and Drama) Pam Mizon and KD Johnson, handed over a cheque to Sharon Keenan of the Wimborne Food Bank.

The cheque was for £850, proceeds from Co.MaD’s 2023 pantomime of ‘Mother Goose’. Photobombing the occasion is Priscilla the goose who featured in the production. Co.MaD’s next panto, ‘Pinocchio’, will take place on 16 February at 7.30pm, on 17 February at 2.30pm and 7.30pm and on 18 February at 2.30pm at Colehill Village Hall, Tickets available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/comad

NEWS IN BRIEF

Verwood Afternoon TG David Bradley gave a talk on Medical Detection Dogs to the last meeting of Verwood Afternoon TG. The next event is a February coffee morning at Verwood URC, For Guild info ring Judi on 01202 053264.

Speeding in the New Forest A total of 90 drivers were stopped for speeding on roads in the New Forest during 2023 and there were spot checks on 196 vehicles carrying waste.

Garden birds are counting on you!

RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch is the largest garden wildlife survey in the world and provides a snapshot of how garden birds are faring in the UK. In 2023, over half a million people across the UK took part, counting more than nine million birds.

This year’s Big Garden Birdwatch takes place on 26, 27 and 28 January 2024. People across the UK are asked to spend an hour watching and counting the birds in their garden, balcony or local park, then send their results to the RSPB. Only count the birds that land, not those flying over.

Tell the RSPB the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time – not the total you see in the hour.

Registration for Big Garden Birdwatch 2024 is open now.

To receive your FREE Big Garden Birdwatch guide, text BIRD to 82727 or visit www.

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rspb.org.uk/birdwatch The parallel event RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch takes place during the first half of spring term, 8 January–19 February 2024. For more than 20 years, the Birdwatch has helped to connect children and their teachers with nature in their school grounds. Further information can be found at www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch

At the birdfeeder © Nigel Blake rspb-images.com

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ringwood news

Winter Protest at Wanderland increase in car parking charges success

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk People in Ringwood are angered by the increase in car parking charges, which took effect from 1 January.

Ringwood Mayor Cllr Gareth DeBoos has been contacted by more than 100 people alarmed at the increase and a small business owner in the town has started a petition against the price rise commenting that customers have said they would not be buying a parking clock this year.

In a letter to district councillor Steve Rippon-Swaine, Cllr Deboos said that the £80 increase is equivalent to a day’s pay for a shop worker.

He wrote: “I fear that an early consequence of the increase will be people parking on places like the Bickerley or road parking on streets like Parsonage Barn Lane and Southampton Road, which will likely inhibit traffic flow. Longer term, it could become difficult to attract shop staff to Ringwood and I understand that some businesses already have an issue filling vacancies for these positions.”

He added he felt there should be a discount for people that can prove they work locally.

At the recent Ringwood Town Council meeting, Cllr James Swyer pointed out that there had been a 66 per cent decline in frequency of bus services in the New Forest since 2010. He said that if people were unable to access public transport, it should be affordable to travel by car and park.

The increase in car parking charges was agreed by New Forest District Council last October.

Town and village car park charges will remain at £1 for the first hour. Other tariffs will rise by £1.

Coastal car parks will also have new tariffs. Short stay annual clocks will increase from £30 a year to £40 a year, long stay from £140 to £220 a year, and long stay quarterly clocks from £40 to £65.

Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability said: “These charges are reviewed each year and have not in many cases increased for five years. Keeping the £1 charge for the first hour in our town and village car parks means that people making short visits to local shops and businesses won’t pay any increase. And our parking clocks remain excellent value for money, with a resident using a short stay parking clock once a week to visit their local town or village paying less than £1 a time.”

Stilt walking fairies, giant unicycle toy soldiers and tinsel-clad acrobats joined Father Christmas at the switching on of Ringwood’s Christmas lights. It was all part of the town council’s Winter Wanderland which saw a series of festivethemed activities in the run up to Christmas. Images by Trevor Pogson.

Lions fundraiser Members of Ringwood and Fordingbridge Lions Club raised £942.33 in a collection before Christmas. These funds will be used to support Teenage Cancer Trust, Lions Brain Tumour Research, and other Lions charities.

Crime reduction in Ringwood At a recent meeting of Ringwood Town Council, Inspector Ord presented the quarterly report from Ringwood Neighbourhood Policing Team. Comparing four months to the end of September to the same period in 2022 there has been a 34 per cent reduction in crime and an increase of five per cent in the outcome rate.

Shoplifting had been raised as a priority and the police are looking to work with some of the larger local retailers to tackle this.

Inspector Ord said it was important that all crimes and suspicious incidents should be reported.

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“There’s a lot of legs” at the Fortune College near the New Forest

By Jecs Davies

Fortune College is unique. It’s the only horse-focused learning centre of its kind in the UK using horses to teach young adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Walking through Fortune College in Avon Tyrell near Bransgore feels more like visiting a sanctuary than a college. There are students working in wellies, chatting and caring for the horses as though they are family.

The College is part of the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy, it is a place for people aged 16-25 with Special Educational Needs. It is funded through local authority Education, Health and Care plans.

Su Hodgkiss, a member of staff, explained that most of the 36 pupils are residential. “They tend to start at Fortune at either 16 or 19, when they have finished their GCSEs or A-Levels.”

Fortune College is unique in many ways. It offers three years of Further Education Through Horsemastership (FETH) which helps students with riding and horse care, independent living skills and literacy and numeracy.

One of the most interesting aspects of the centre and the FETH course is the use of behavioural transfers as a form of teaching. The staff relate caring for the 17 horses to students’ own wellbeing.

For example, they are taught that it is important to wash their hair like they would wash a horse’s hair. This also helps the pupils to adapt socially.

“Horses have boundaries which

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Sophie and Trigger

show pupils that they should have boundaries both face-to-face and on the Internet,” said Mrs Hodgkiss. “And there’s a lot of legs. They can help with literacy and numeracy sessions. For instance, we might ask one of the students to count the legs of the horses.”

Sophie is a third-year student at Fortune College. She spoke about everything she has learned since starting and how she

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has grown in confidence: “When I first came, I was very withdrawn, but the staff are really nice and they taught me that a silly question is not a stupid question.”

She also spoke about her weekly schedule. Fortune operates seven days a week, five of these in the college, one day out in the community to do shopping and learn how to budget, and one day for rest or other planned activities.

A normal college day starts at 7.15am, but the students don’t mind.

Sophie said: “It’s so worth getting up early to see the sunrise.”

Another area of the curriculum at Fortune College is doing exercises on horseback and rhythmic work which is walking in time with the horses and completing verbal tasks.

“Many students are more articulate when they’re on a horse,” said Su. Fortune also has a mechanical horse called Trigger, named after the emotional triggers that horse riding can have. It is good for pupils just beginning to ride or even for more experienced horse riders to practise in bad weather.

There are four yards which students progress through during their time at college, Sophie said: “Different yard, different horses, different students.”

It is Sophie’s final year at Fortune, “I will be very sad to leave,” she said, but she has found a work placement at a new stable in London and is excited to start there.

The Fortune College is indeed unique and brings out the best in students who have a strong love of horses.

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Purl-fectly knitted wedding dress liked by over 1,000 people A vintage-style wedding dress knitted by an 80-year-old in three weeks took a knitting group by storm on social media.

The story of the 80-year-old greatgrandmother from Whitsbury near Fordingbridge was sent to Dorset View and Viewpoint by Avon Valley Community Matters (AVCM).

Once posted on the Dorset View website and shared to social media, the story received terrific feedback on the magazine’s Facebook page with nearly 50 likes and comments ranging from “absolutely stunning”, “a true masterpiece” to “unbelievable,” but once it was shared in the ‘Knitting Patterns Only’ group, the likes there shot to over 1,000 in 24 hours.

Shirley Ellicott, the 80-year-old mother of five, grandmother to 11 grandchildren and great-grandmother to 10, who knitted the intricate wedding dress using pure cotton and knitting needles was completely overwhelmed with the response.

“It’s amazing what two needles can do,” Shirley said. “I’ve sewn a wedding dress before but have always wanted to knit one. I wanted to do it properly, so I found a pattern and off I went. I just get a bee in

my bonnet sometimes and just go for it.”

Self-taught Shirley, mastered the art of embroidery, sewing, knitting and crochet, and has previously created prom dresses, christening gowns, shawls and many more bespoke items over the years, but this is her first knitted wedding dress.

The result is this stunning, size 12-14, 1930s’ vintage-style cotton gown with a wide train at the base and pearl-effect button detail.

The dress is available to view and try on at AVCM’s charity shop on the high street.

Those with a genuine interest in the dress can contact AVCM on 01425 653258, or email avcommunitymatters@gmail.com for more details. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of the dress will go towards AVCM’s community outreach projects.

With a wealth of expertise, Shirley holds regular knit and natter sessions at Avon Valley Community Matters’ (AVCM) charity shop on Fordingbridge High Street at 10am on Fridays.

She is planning to create another wedding dress, so if you are looking for something bespoke, why not drop into her knit and natter to find out more.

Shirley Ellicott with her hand-knitted wedding dress © Laura Cowdery

New LAMDA performing arts hub for Ringwood - Advertisement feature -

An exciting performing arts programme has been launched in Ringwood. Former Principal of Big Little Theatre School, Michelle Guy, is delighted to be providing this new training hub – based at the Trinity Centre – in her hometown.

Compass Arts Education is about unlocking unique potential. It’s a place for young performers to explore, feel inspired and succeed as they develop their acting and communication techniques and styles.

Students work towards individual goals within small group settings. Juniors, Intermediates and Seniors navigate their own path to fruition, within the framework of a range of London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) subjects. Group sessions focus on acting, performing Shakespeare, speaking in public, and verse and prose. Other programmes such as solo musical theatre, diploma and audition preparation are taught in one-to-one sessions.

LAMDA is a leading UK theatre school and an internationally recognised examining board (Ofqual regulated). Valuable UCAS points are gained at Grade 6 and above.

Michelle is a highly respected director and teacher of performing arts and is on the LAMDA board of examiners.

She looks forward to welcoming any young performer who has a desire to develop their skills in an energised and friendly environment. Please contact the Compass Arts office to book a free trial. See Michelle Guy adjacent advertisement.

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Let the merriment commence!

An active Christmas season began for Blandford Evening WI with their annual tombola stall at the Indoor Market, followed the next day by a place at the Yuletide Festival. Two days later, the ladies sat down to Christmas lunch at Ashley Wood Golf Club. Two days after that was a visit to Bath Christmas Market. A very busy week was rounded off by the monthly meeting in the Woodhouse Garden Pavilion and Christmas Party. Planned lessons in Greek dancing had to be cancelled due to Yannis the instructor being unwell. The hankies and the plates will be saved for another time – watch this space! Blandford Evening WI extend seasons greetings to everyone they know and wish one and all in and around Blandford a very Happy New Year.

Food projects celebrated Food related challenges in Dorset were discussed at an event held at The Old Power House in Blandford Forum.

Dorset Council and Help and Kindness jointly hosted Feeding Dorset 2, celebrating the outstanding food projects that have made a significant impact on communities across Dorset. It brought together a wide range of initiatives, from community gardens and food banks to educational programmes and sustainable horticulture projects. The event showcased the efforts undertaken by individuals, groups, and organisations to support people in need to access affordable and emergency food, and to build Dorset’s local food resilience.

Jon Sloper, CEO of #HelpAndKindness said: “#HelpAndKindness were proud and pleased to host this amazing gathering of people who share a passion to provide affordable, emergency, and locally sourced food to our communities. A central theme of the event, which was clear to see and hear in the discussions, was the strength that comes from working together to tackle issues. We’d love to hear from others who would like to link into the Feeding Dorset network and join in the discussions and action around food across Dorset.”

Restaurant in Blandford to become apartments

By Nicci Brown Planning permission has been awarded on appeal for the conversion of part of the former JR’s and Prezzo restaurant at 43-43a East Street Blandford to residential.

Dorset Council refused the application by Steve Thorne in June 2022, but Mr Thorne, who originally submitted the proposal in July 2021, appealed against the decision.

Inspector for the Planning Inspectorate JP Sargent judged that the main issue was whether the loss of retail floorspace would harm the vitality and viability of the Primary Shopping Frontage.

He said the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan (Modified Plan) defined the appeal site, vacant since the start of the Covid pandemic, as within the Primary Shopping Area in Blandford town centre, and as such was subject to Neighbourhood Plan Policy B7 which resists the loss of established ground floor retail floorspace or an active frontage as a result of change of use.

But retail floorspace did not include restaurant uses or similar. The policy, in relation to areas outside the Primary Shopping Area, drew a distinction between ‘shops and retail outlets’ and ‘food and drink’.

“As such, Neighbourhood Plan Policy B7 does not seek to resist the loss of a restaurant use in a Primary Shopping Area.”

He also found nothing in the policy advocating the protection of hospitality floorspace in the town centre, despite the Town Council expressing concern about its loss, and that changing much of the former restaurant to living accommodation would not conflict with

either Local Plan Policy 12 or Policy B7 in the Neighbourhood Plan.

The front part of the building at ground floor level would be a commercial unit of some 74 sq m and an active frontage would remain. While there was a large shop next door selling clothing, fashion and household goods, and a relatively sizeable shop opposite occupied by a charity, otherwise, the units along East Street did not appear to be particularly large.

“Taking all this together, I have no basis to find that the proposal would undermine the vitality and viability of the Primary Shopping Frontage or Area.”

He also concluded that although the property, built in the mid 18th century, and the outbuildings to the rear are listed Grade II, the external and internal alterations proposed were primarily to the modern element, and would not cause harm to the significance of either of the listed buildings.

The conversion to provide residential apartments and reconfigure retail space (Class E), together with external alterations including extension over outbuilding at first floor level, new doors, windows, rooflights and internal remodelling, was allowed subject to conditions.

The inspector also awarded costs against Dorset Council saying he considered it clear that the policies, as written, do not restrict the change of use of a restaurant in the Primary Shopping Frontage or Area, and that the Council acted unreasonably resulting in the applicant incurring unnecessary expenses in pursuing the appeal.

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foodie news

Jecs’ ‘famous’ seafood risotto Method: Into a large frying pan put some olive oil and the chopped onion. Keep the onion on medium heat until it begins to soften and add garlic. While this fries, combine 400ml of boiling water with two stock cubes in a measuring jug and stir.

Add your rice to the pan and pour over a generous amount of the stock. Continue to pour in stock and stir the rice until it begins to soften, staying on medium heat. Once softened, but still al dente, mix in your tomato puree and then the mascarpone.

Keep putting in stock and stirring until the rice is nearly fully soft, this should be between 30-40 minutes from the start. Take a handful of mussels out of their shells and add into the pan with the crab (leave a few mussels in their shells for decoration).

Stay on the heat for another five minutes and plate up with a couple of mussels in their shells on top and a sprinkle of parsley. This also marries well with crusty bread.

Ingredients (serves 2): • 200g risotto rice

• 1 crab, ready to eat

• 1tbsp olive oil

• 4 vegetable stock cubes

• ½ onion, very finely chopped

• 100g tomato puree

• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed

• 30g mascarpone

• 1 bag of pre-cooked mussels

• Pinch of chopped parsley

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around & about / what’s happening in your area.

Orchid show extends its reach Bournemouth Orchid Society is launching an expanded orchid show on 24 February at The Hamworthy Club, Canford Magna, Bournemouth BH21 3AP. The spring show will provide interest for all members of the family, regardless of their interest in orchids, or indeed their age. It will be the ideal place to buy personalised gifts, jewellery, artwork and pottery.

The show will provide a friendly place for orchid experts and novices to socialise and ‘cross pollinate’ their knowledge and ideas.

Visit the mini laboratory in the Learning

Zone to find out how cunning some of these plants are. There is also a repotting service (from £2), free advice and potting demonstrations. Also being expanded are the parent/child, craft and quiz activities.

Entry Fee £4 (U18s free with paying adults) – opening times 12 to 4.30pm.

First 100 entrants will get 25% discount.

For more details contact Chris Broomfield: chrisbroomfield@ ntlworld.com 07712 479056 or visit www.bournemouthorchidsociety. org.uk or Facebook page.

Cinderella

Made to Measure Productions, Tivoli Theatre Review by Marilyn Barber

I’ll let you into a little secret – I’ve seen so many Cinderella pantos over the years that I didn’t think I wanted to go to another one.

But what a treat I would have missed.

As I absolutely loved it, and believe it or not, I didn’t want it to finish.

The company pulled out all the stops for a show that entertained and amused all ages and the comments on social media bore this out.

Wimborne’s favourite dame Courtney

Jackson cut a dash as the elegant but saucy Fairy Godmother, with Uke Attwood and Brandon Nicholson as the Ugly Sisters in gravity defying headdresses and impossibly ornate dresses.

We had some splendid singing from Lucis-Jade Barker as the beautiful Cinderella.

And what can you say about Buttons?

Lee Redwood is a performer of exceptional talent, and perfectly suited for the role of ‘the children’s friend’ getting the youngsters on side from the word go. Lee also

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devised and staged this excellent production Taking the role of Prince Charming was the dashing CJ Carroll teaming well with a rather camp Dandini played by Chaz Murray.

With such a well known panto, it must be hard to pull something different out of the bag, but Made to Measure certainly did, with stunning special effects including a flying horse and carriage.

Not surprisingly Cinderella broke all box office records, and in December people started booking for this year’s panto Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

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Events

27 January 11am

5 February 10.30-11.30am

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

27 January, doors open 7pm for 7.30pm

8 February 3-5pm

19 January 10.30am

Wimborne u3a talk at Wimborne Methodist Church by Vivienne Arkell entitled Survival Challenge. £4 for non-members.

20 January 7.30-9.30pm

Grange Choral Society Concert at Chrstchurch Priory. Tickets from https://www.christchurchpriory. org/boxoffice/26419.

20 January 10.15am

West Moors Horticultural Society coffee morning in the Memorial Hall. Contact Sue Hamlett on 01202 871536

20–27 January

Verwood Pantomime Society presents Dick Whittington at the Verwood Hub. Tickets from box office or call 01202 828740.

20 January 7pm

Christchurch u3a quiz at Homelands, Kings Avenue, Christchurch Tickets £2 plus £1 raffle. Bring drinks and nibbles.

24 Jan 10am-1pm

RSPB New Forest Local Group field trip to Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch (SZ 172 925). Meet at the free car park. Field trip cost for nonmembers £5, members free. Tel 01425 652864 https://group.rspb. org.uk/newforest/

around & about Table top sale at Damerham Village Hall, SP6 3HN. Bookings to info@ damerham.org

Quiz night at West Moors Memorial Hall. Tickets from Brewer and Brewer, West Moors.

27 January 2-6pm

Bournemouth Male Voice Choir free open singing afternoon at St Andrew’s URC in Richmond Hill, Bournemouth. Tickets https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/copy-offree-open-singing-afternoontickets-767518286857

30 January 7.30pm

West Parley Gardening Club meets at the MS Centre, West Parley.

Visitors welcome £3. Contact Rod Darch 01202 896711. Email rod@ rdconsulting.co

Reading Friends group meets at Wimborne Library. Contact the library for more info.

Arthritis Care Ferndown meets at Ferndown Day Centre. Guests pay £5 for entertainment, afternoon tea and outings. Visit Facebook group or call 0330 311 2793.

14 February 7.30 - 9.30pm

8-10 and 15-18 February 12-4pm

Snowdrop days in aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance at 10, Ryan Close, Ferndown, BH22 9TP.

10-11 February 12noon-4pm

14 February 7.30-9.30pm

Snowdrop weekend at St George’s Church, Damerham SP6 3HU. Homemade refreshments plus stalls.

10 Feb 10am - 1pm

Verwood and District Horticultural Society meets at Verwood Memorial Hall. Details on www. verwoodhorticulturalsociety.co.uk or call Ollie on 01202 827622.

5 February 7.30pm

11 February 9.30am-5pm

Wimborne Gardening Club meets in the Allendale Community Centre for a talk by Mike Read on Wildlife of a Working Forest.

ABBA singalong at Talbot Heath School. Reserve your place on admin@risingvoices.org.uk.

3 February 7.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society AGM and Illustrated talk in the Memorial Hall. Contact Sue Hamlett on 01202 871536.

Artsreach presents poet Luke Wright at Blandford British Legion.

Tickets from www.artsreach.co.uk

Wimborne Minster Pancake Race.

All competitors should report to the north porch by 10.30am to enrol, complete with frying pan and ready cooked pancake. Winner receives a prize from Viewpoint Magazine RSPB New Forest Local Group, Wildlife in the Galapagos - Sailing and Exploring in Darwin’s Footsteps, Lyndhurst Community Centre SO43 7NY. Non-members £5, members £3. Tel 01425 652864 https://group.rspb.org.uk/ newforest/

RSPB New Forest Local Group field trip to Pennington/ Oxey Marshes (SZ 327 941). Meet at the bottom of Maiden Lane, Lymington. Nonmembers £5, members free. Tel 01425 652864 https://group.rspb. org.uk/newforest/

1 February 7.30pm

13 February 11am

12 February 2.15pm

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East Dorset Antiquarian Society meets at St Catherine’s Church Hall, Wimborne.

14 February 6.30-9pm

Bournemouth Big Band, Swing and Jazz Club meet downstairs in Kinson Community Centre. Full details on www. bournemouthjazzclub.org

15 February 7.30pm

2024 Banff Mountain Film Festival at Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne.

15 February 7pm

Lecture on ‘Elisabeth Frink at Woolland’ by Annette Ratuszniak at Dorset Museum.

Book on museum website

16-18 February

Co.Mad present Pinocchio at Colehill Village Hall. Tickets from www.ticketsource.co.uk/comad

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around & about / what’s happening in your area.

Swing Unlimited Big Band will be playing at Wimborne’s Allendale Centre on Monday 19 February at 7.30pm.

Organised by Wimborne Rotary Club admission is free with tickets available at the doors, which open at 7pm. As usual there will be a retiring collection in aid of Dorset Rural Music School and Youth Music Wessex.

The Salts visit Blandford Report and photo by Nicci Brown

Vocalize at the Hub

Vocalize Choir is a pop, rock, soul and Motown choir based in Verwood that was formed in 2018.

With 40 regular members from Verwood and the surrounding areas, the choir is very much one big family.

It combines flawless vocal harmonies with slick choreography to create a vibrant and energetic performance for every show.

The next Vocalize show will be on Saturday 10 February at 7.30pm at the Verwood Hub. It promises to be a really great night out with incredible local talent, fun, laughs and more.

Tickets are available to purchase from The Verwood Hub, Emmanuel & Potterne Park website or by calling 01202 828740.

Find the choir at www.vocalize-choir.co.uk and follow on the Facebook page: ‘Vocalize – Pop, Rock, Soul and Motown Choir’.

Blandford was one of four venues for concerts by The Salts on a whistlestop tour celebrating the Trafalgar Way, which traces the route taken

by Lt Lapenotiere of HMS Pickle carrying news of the victory at Trafalgar and death of Lord Nelson in 1805.

He travelled from Falmouth to London, changing horses at 21 coaching houses along the route, one of which was the Greyhound in Blandford.

The Salts, who specialise in sea shanties and nautical folk songs, played at Falmouth, Exeter, Blandford and London,

but also visited the sites of plaques along the route and planned their tour in support of the sailing charity for the disabled, HMS Victory.

The concert in Blandford Corn Exchange was also a fundraiser for the charities of Mayor Hugo Mieville – the Blandford Food Bank and town museum.

The band members also took time out from their preparations to visit the site of the plaque in Greyhound Yard commemorating the Trafalgar Way, and are pictured there with Councillor Mieville.

Psychic Sally coming to Ringwood Billed as the nation’s favourite psychic, Sally is back on tour and coming to The Barn in Ringwood on Friday 30 August 2024.

Psychic Sally has been wowing theatre audiences young and old around the world for over 12 years. Her show will have you on the edge of your seat, as she continues to bring mediumship into the 21st century. Whether you know her from her hit TV series, through watching her on Celebrity Big Brother or reading one of her best-selling books, there is nothing quite like seeing Sally live on stage.

Sally explains: “My tour has become a way of life for me, as I’m getting older my abilities as a medium

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are stronger than ever, so to be able to pass messages on to the audiences around the country is a huge privilege, as well as a pleasure. I call every message validated a ‘wonder moment’. So take your seats, relax, be open minded and ready to come forward if you think the message is for you.”

Book your tickets now at www.thebarnringwood. co.uk. The show is investigational and for the purpose of entertainment.

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specialist services

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| 37

motoring / keeping you on the road.

Most common reasons for winter MOT failures A new study reveals the most common reasons cars fail their winter MOT – with lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment named the biggest problem area.

Insurance broker, One Sure Insurance, analysed data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to determine the 10 most common reasons for MOT failure among class 4 vehicles (cars, vans, motorhomes and other small commercial vehicles) in the OctoberDecember quarter.

Ranking first: faults in lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, which comprised over a quarter of total defects found at 26.1%. Of the total MOT tests, 11.9% were identified as having at least one failure in this category.

Second: faulty or broken suspension systems, which encompassed almost a fifth (19.2%) of defects.

Failures with suspension were encountered in almost 1 in 10 tests.

Third: brake failures accounted for 15.9% of defects and were observed in 6.9% of tests.

Fourth: tyre failures made up 12.3% of defects and were present in 6.4% of tests.

Fifth: visibility, which includes anything blocking the windscreen or the driver’s eyeline. These made up 7.9% of total defects and were identified in 4.7% of tests.

Sixth: damage to the vehicle’s body, chassis and structure, which includes the

frame, interior and bumpers.

These failures accounted for 6.6% of defects and were in 3.7% of tests.

Seventh: noise, emissions and leaks comprised 5.7% of total defects and occurred in 3.3% of tests.

Eighth: steering, with issues with the steering wheel and steering system components making up 3.1% of defects and presenting in 1.9% of tests.

Ninth: faults with seat belts and supplementary restraints, such as airbags. These comprised 3.1% of defects and were found in 1.1% of tests.

Tenth: identification of the vehicle, such as licence plates and vehicle ID numbers.

These were responsible for 0.7% of defects and were

detected in 0.4% of tests.

On the other end of the spectrum, faults with speedometers and speed limiters were uncommon, with failures in the category comprising 0.01% of total defects. Similarly, they were observed in just 0.1% of tests.

Issues with seatbelt installation were equally rare, consisting of 0.01% of defects and presenting in 0.01% of tests. Failures with road wheels were also relatively uncommon, constituting 0.7% of defects and appearing in 0.4% of tests.

This information was provided by insurance broker One Sure Insurance: www.onesureinsurance.co.uk

Book identifies best car designs The Dacia Manifesto has been judged The Concept Car Design of the Year in the 10th anniversary edition of the Car Design Review.

Published by Car Design News, the 208-page book – appropriately called Car Design Review X to celebrate 10 years of the title – also boasts exclusive interviews with the 16-strong judging

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panel, which this year includes the heads of design at Audi, Ford, Lamborghini, Lucid and Mercedes, among many others.

The Production Car Design of the Year was won by the Polestar 4, applauded for its innovative thinking and beautiful execution.

Meanwhile, this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Ed Welburn. Welburn was the first global head of design for General Motors. In a career spanning more than 50 years, his design hits include the Oldsmobile Aerotech high-speed prototype, Chevrolet Camaro Mk5 and the US President’s Cadillac,

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nicknamed “The Beast”. His life story and career is celebrated in a special in-depth feature within Car Design Review X. As a 10-year anniversary special, the judges also voted for their Concept and Production Car Designs of the decade. The Porsche Mission E won Concept Car Design of the Decade – the car that led to the groundbreaking Taycan EV – while honours for the Production Car Design of the Decade were shared between the BMW i3 and Range Rover Mk5.

Car Design Review X is published and available on www.cardesignnews. com/publications/ car-design-review

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motoring

Don’t be a victim of keyless car crime Although car crime has reduced by more than five-fold since the early 1990s – sadly it still happens, particularly if your car is keyless.

The AA says that theft is now mainly restricted to organised criminal gangs and cars are frequently stolen to order, to fund other criminal activity, and often shipped overseas.

The number of prestige, high-value vehicles getting stolen is going up in regions where criminal gangs are using sophisticated electronic devices to override the car’s security via the On Board Diagnostic (OBD) port – a standard socket fitted to all cars for garages to plug in their fault-finding equipment.

‘Keyless’ systems may also be vulnerable to a method of vehicle theft called ‘signal relaying’. You could be anywhere but it only takes two thieves and a bit of tech to fool your car into thinking you’re still standing next to it with the key in your pocket. One, close to the car, captures the low-power signal from your car and relays it to a device carried by another, close to you. The signal from the key to unlock the car and start the engine is relayed back.

‘Jamming’ is also a growing problem – thieves target specific vehicles using a transmitter to block the signal from your key when you point it at your car to lock it. You think it’s locked but it’s not.

However, the AA has advice: • Always double check your car is actually locked.

• Use a locked garage if you’ve got one and, elsewhere, choose welllit areas and places covered by CCTV. • Get a Thatcham-approved electronic immobiliser fitted – unlike your car’s standard security features, this won’t be vulnerable to attack through the OBD socket.

• If your car has a ‘keyless’ system, make sure you keep the keys far enough away from the car when you’re at home. If they’re within communication range your car will effectively be unlocked and open. Keeping the key in a metal-shielded, RFID blocking pouch will stop this and will also prevent theft by signal relaying when you’re away from home.

• Consider fitting a tracking system to help with recovery in the event that your car’s stolen.

• Keep an eye on local news and neighbourhood watch for information about specific vehicle models that might be being targeted by thieves in your area.

• Check your car insurance with your provider and ask them for advice – they might ask you to fit additional security measures before giving cover.

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21st Anniversary Celebrations!

Name the bear, win a prize Pulford Publicity is celebrating its 21st anniversary in business and five STARS Dorset trauma teddies have arrived to make it a memorable year Established 21 years ago in Ferndown, the family-run company publishes its own community magazines ‘Dorset View’ and ‘Viewpoint’, ‘The Mudeford Magazine,’ ‘BH Six & Seven’ and ‘The Bulletin’. As well as these, Pulford Publicity undertakes commissioned work including the ‘Dorset Business Focus,’ ‘Living Well Magazine’, council publications and event programmes. More news is published online at www.dorsetview.co.uk. The company also makes use of various social media channels, the most recent being TikTok. The family and staff at Pulford Publicity not only work hard to keep the news flowing but love to have a good time and these adorable STARS Dorset trauma teddies are going to kick off the 21st year with some fun as well as with a serious message.

STARS Dorset is a charity supporting people recovering from

sexual trauma. The Trauma Teddies are used to bring comfort and help soothe children who have been referred to the charity. If you would like to knit a trauma teddy ring STARS Dorset for a pattern on 01202 308840 or email info@starsdorset.org.

The four Pulford Publicity bears pictured are nameless and this is where you can help. Can you name a bear? Look at each one and decide what would suit it best. Say which one you are naming. Each name decided upon will win their entrant a ticket to visit Wimborne Model Town (no cash alternative). Only one prize is permitted per person. If more than one person submits the name chosen, there will be a draw to select the final winning entry. The competition closes on Monday 12 February 2024. Enter at www.dorsetview. co.uk. (There will be a further competition for a fifth bear in other Pulford Publicity magazines).

C.

A.

B. D.

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in the home

Select PVC-U serving the local community for over 30 years

By Adrian Trimby, Director We are a local company based on the Ferndown Industrial Estate and feel privileged that we have served the local community for over 30 years priding ourselves in being able to offer expertise and trade skills to the highest standard, whilst offering great value for money. We believe it is important to guarantee this to our customers, to ensure they can trust us with their home improvement needs. We do not operate any pressure selling techniques and therefore have found over the years that most of our business is now sourced from recommendations or previous customer list.

Our customers are offered the opportunity to view our products in our showroom situated on the Ferndown Industrial Estate. We believe this assists our customers hugely with viewing our high-quality products in person to help make the important decisions for the works they require.

We pride ourselves on our commitment to our customers by offering honest and professional advice in choosing the right product at the start and through to completion of the works no

matter how big or small, always giving respect to our customers and their properties. Therefore, creating a stressfree experience for our customers.

Fensa certification and a CPA insurance-backed guarantee are offered in addition to our own comprehensive guarantee to give extra peace of mind.

We only offer PVC-U, composite and aluminium products of the highest quality with an installation service to match, using our own qualified installers.

The services we provide at Select are PVC-U windows, doors, fascia and soffits, cladding, guttering, conservatories, aluminium windows and doors and composite front doors.

Should you wish to receive any product information or advice please feel free to contact us.

114 Cobham Road, Ferndown Ind. Estate, Ferndown, Dorset, BH21 7PQ. TEL: 01202 877 977 EMAIL: sales@selectpvcu.com www.selectpvcu.com

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in the home / home is where the heart is .

Wall Mural Trends for 2024: Think Jungle, Marble & Beige

Creators of custom-made wallpaper murals, Wallsauce has rolled out its predictions of the wall mural trends for 2024. From jungle vibes to fakin’ it with marble, there will be a mural for every home this new year.

Wallsauce has a wide range of trending wallpapers ideal for sprucing up any room. Whether decorating your bathroom or your hallways, its stunning collections are ideal to complement a vast range of interior styles.

The jungle trend quietly appeared on the scene a couple of years ago, and it rapidly came into our homes during lockdown.

We surrounded ourselves with as much nature as possible whilst confined to our homes to keep ourselves connected to the outdoors.

Over this time, Wallsauce has seen customers adorn their walls in vibrant jungle designs, but over the coming year, the company predicts customers will tone down the colour and opt for a more natural colour palette.

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VIEWPOINT January 2024

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If you’re here for an easy (yet glamorous) life, then you’ll be pleased to know that Wallsauce predicts customers will be fakin’ it in 2024!

Marble is a timeless look – and an expensive one… Luckily, Wallsauce has the murals to help you achieve this. From traditional marble designs to colourful, fluid designs, there’s a plethora of designs for you to choose from.

After a few grey years, beige made its way into 2023.

Wallsauce predicts the neutral colour palette shall remain for some. Mural choices for this palette are predicted to include beautiful florals along with concrete effects.

Beige is a great base colour, so opting to add splashes of colour at a later date won’t cost you a new scheme.

Head to Wallsauce’s trend report for more ideas on what to expect in 2024.

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VIEWPOINT January 2024

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NEWS IN BRIEF

New name for AONBs: all designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in England and Wales are becoming National Landscapes, which in Dorset includes both the Dorset National Landscape and the Cranborne Chase National Landscape.

East Dorset Heritage Trust’s spring programme is now available from Allendale House. In addition to a variety of talks, there are courses and guided walks in the New Year. The programme is also available on www.edht.org.uk FlowerFest 24 will be run in areas of Wimborne town and Beaucroft College field over 15-16 June. The event will highlight the benefit of working with flowers and fauna, and the general wellbeing received by being involved with nature. FlowerFest 24 will be supporting Wimborne Community Garden and Beaucroft College. To find out more about how to get involved contact Glenda on 07799 641999.

Beware fake job adverts: fraudsters are using social media pretending to be a representative from a movie chain. They claim that they are looking for people to watch new release movies at home and write reviews in exchange for payment. However, the scammers ask for your personal information under the guise of a registration process which they then use for identity theft or to sell to other scammers. They may also persuade you to make payments to unlock your earnings which you will never get.

Fake Lloyds Pharmacy emails: A phishing email campaign has been targeting people with fake Lloyds Pharmacy emails. The emails falsely claim that by signing up for LloydsDirect you can easily manage prescriptions and get free delivery. These emails contain links designed to steal personal/financial information or install malware. The fraudsters have made the emails appear more genuine by including LloydsDirect/NHS logos and Trustpilot reviews.

Affordable homes application: New Forest District Council has received an application to erect two affordable homes on land at 32, New Road, Ringwood.

New homes: New Forest District Council has received an application to build four homes at 23, Green Lane, Fordingbridge.

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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 Viewpoint 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 Viewpoint. 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.

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CORRESPONDENCE To express your opinion or ideas about the community send your letters to letters@dorsetview.co.uk Volunteer in the New Year Have you made your new year resolutions yet? Need one more?

Why don’t you sign up as an RNID volunteer?

RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are looking for volunteers. Last year, our volunteers gave more than 9,000 hours to support people in their communities with practical information and essential hearing aid care. Volunteering for RNID could involve providing information to local organisations and groups, helping people get the most out of their hearing aids, or giving a friendly welcome at one of our support sessions.

Many of our volunteers have hearing loss themselves or in their family, and volunteering with us is a great way to meet and help people in your community.

For more information, visit rnid.org.uk/join or contact 0808 808 0123.

Jackie White Director at RNID

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VIEWPOINT January 2024

Duty of councils to help I wholeheartedly agree with Carole Shepherd (Viewpoint Dec 23) that Furzehill, Wimborne Police Station and other empty public buildings should be converted into flats for people on the waiting list and not given to developers for general sale.

If these buildings are currently used for storage, and not actually manned, it would be quite easy to transfer stuff to storage facilities which would free up the buildings, especially as councils are saying they have no money to build council houses/affordable housing.

Here is a way councils can help the homeless.

I think it is the duty of councils to help people to obtain reasonably priced accommodation.

I believe the government is changing the planning laws so let us hope this makes developers/builders only be granted planning permission if they agree to and provide a large proportion of affordable/rentable flats and small houses, say 50%. If they renege they should face a massive fine or be blacklisted for planning in the future.

Lesley Eve (Mrs) Verwood

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Thank you for your generosity I write to you as Patron of your local hospice charity, Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, and wish to offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has supported this wonderful charity during 2023. Whether you’ve donated to Lewis-Manning’s local charity shops, attended a fabulous fundraising event, donated a monetary gift, or volunteered your precious time to help your community, I am most sincerely grateful for your kind help. Thank you for allowing us to ensure that Lewis-Manning Hospice Care is here, for those with life limiting and end of life illness in need, in Dorset.

2023 has been an exciting year with the charity’s amazing nurses and healthcare professionals now supporting over 800 patients and their families at home, in local hubs and clinics across the county. There have been a number of excellent fundraising events including The Muddy Dog Dash, An Audience with the fantastic Kate Adie CBE DL, the annual Candles events; on the lake in Poole, on the beach in Swanage and on the green in Wimborne and of course the spectacular Lewis-Manning Nightingale Ball at Canford School.

New hospice charity shops have been opened in Poole and Ringwood offering super sustainable shopping turning your unwanted clothes into local

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hospice care and providing helpful house clearance services in your community, allowing us to ensure that we are all recycling our preloved items in the best possible way.

So, thank you once again and well done to all of the LewisManning Hospice Care staff for their dedication, kindness and determination to ensure that local people in east Dorset and Purbeck get the care they need and deserve.

Angus Campbell HM Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset and Lewis-Manning Hospice Care Patron

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