Viewpoint October 2022

Dear

Do you have a mean streak? I confess that I do, but it is far from consistent.

And I’m guessing that, with the exponential rise in prices from baked beans to fuel, it might come in useful.

I think nothing of spending money on numerous cappuccinos – which admittedly helps cafes and pubs to survive – but I will go to great lengths to avoid buying stationery items.

For instance, I cannot remember ever buying pens – no, I don’t steal them as I have been lucky enough to receive numerous promotional ones over the years.

And I do hoard stationery items which I will probably never use such as pencils, paper clips, bulldog clips and highlighters.

I pride myself that I am doing my bit for the environment by recycling envelopes and packaging, but don’t hesitate in buying an additional – probably not needed – article of clothing.

I am parsimonious when it comes to getting the very last drop from my make up. I cut up tubes and up-end pots but am not so careful when it comes to buying food such as my favourite brand of real Greek yogurt. I won’t choose a lower priced substitute.

Undoubtedly over the next few months – and maybe for the foreseeable future – we are all going to be examining our budgets, so we’d like to hear from readers about their favourite tips for cutting costs.

However, we must all be mindful that local businesses require assistance in order to survive. So take a look at the advertisers in this magazine – they need your support to help them through these difficult times.

Marilyn Barber

VIEWPOINT

Ben Pulford managing director ben@dorsetview.co.uk

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

Karen Wyatt-Epapara deputy editor karen@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

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DESIGN TEAM

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LOGISTICS

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date

Barn owl chicks in north Dorset © Dorset Council’s Natural Environment team

Sylvain Distin plays football at Pamphill

Pupils at Pamphill First School welcomed a former Premier League footballer to their school recently.

Sylvain Distin cut a ribbon and then enjoyed half an hour in torrential rain playing football with the children, declaring the new games area as a ‘wonderful facility’.

Sylvain, who is French, spent 15 years playing in the Premier League with Newcastle, Manchester City, Everton, Portsmouth and finally at Bournemouth where he still lives.

Pamphill’s headteacher Mike Wheeler said: “We are so grateful to DMW Architects who not only designed the MUGA but also enabled us to further develop the pre-school’s new home.

“After joining the school last year, I watched as children struggled with the unnecessary added challenge of playing sport on a slope.

“Now we have a level platform with a top quality

surface on which the children can play football, basketball, and hockey among other things.

“We were also extremely grateful to Sylvain who opened it in front of the parents and then got soaked to the skin playing with the children. He was a true gentleman throughout.”

Sylvain said: “It was a pleasure to open the new wonderful facility and play football with the children.”

Support for 20mph limits

Ringwood’s planning, town and environment committee has responded to a consultation by Hampshire County Council on the implementation of 20mph limits in certain areas.

It would like to see the introduction of 20mph limits in all roads surrounding local schools; all roads, which are not through routes that are routinely used as cycling and walking routes to schools; and all roads in residential areas with restricted pavements.

Speeding is one of the most regular concerns raised with councillors by local residents, and has led to the establishment of a Ringwood SpeedWatch campaign, which was set up in September 2021 by volunteers working with the Ringwood Neighbourhood Police Team.

News in brief

Controversial Wimborne sites

Dorset Council says it is preparing to market the former Pippins site in Wimborne and is currently in negotiations with a potential buyer for the site of the former East Dorset District Council offices at Furzehill.

New LEP director Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership has appointed Vinita Nawathe as its new executive director.

Vinita spent seven years as managing director of South West Observatory; a data, research and intelligence hub for the South West of England, of which Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole were key Local Intelligence Network partners.

L-R, Sean Daly DMW Architects, Sylvain Distin and Pamphill headteacher Mike Wheeler

Upcoming A31 closures

From 6am on Monday 24 October, A31 westbound traffic at Ringwood will be restricted to two lanes of the westbound carriageway so that kerb, drainage and barriers can be installed in the central reservation. For the works to take place, the A31 will be closed from 8pm until 6am, with a signed diversion route marked.

Upcoming closures include:

• A full westbound closure overnight on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 October between M27 Junction 1 at Cadnam and the A338 Ashley Heath Roundabout overnight

• A full A31 eastbound closure between the A338 Ashley Heath Roundabout and M27 Junction 1 at Cadnam on Sunday 23 October

• Monday 24 to Friday 28 October – Ringwood Flyover east and westbound closure (traffic will be diverted off and on again at the Ringwood junction)

While the Ringwood westbound entry slip will be used overnight as part of the off and on again diversion, it will be closed again until completion of the works to meet safety requirements.

There will also be a number of overnight closures of the A31 at the completion of the scheme in November, with dates to be advertised once confirmed.

Memorial bench for Michael

A bench is to be installed in Ringwood in memory of the late Michael Lingam-Willgoss, who died in March this year.

Michael had been involved in many organisations in the town including the pedal car race and was a former president of Ringwood Carnival Club and the Rotary Club.

The town’s planning, town and environment committee has agreed to the installation of the bench, which will be paid for by the Rotary Club and the Carnival committee, but the site will be agreed at a future committee meeting.

Celebrating 50 years OF EXCELLENCE

David Phipp was established in 1972 as a family business with its first shop at Parley Cross.

Since then, the company has continued to grow and is proud to reach 50 years of maintaining traditional values of very high customer service along with an enviable reputation for exceptional quality and choice of furniture across all the departments.

The David Phipp autumn anniversary sale has savings of up to 50 per cent off, with additional special offers from leading brands throughout the showrooms.

David Phipp would like to thank all of its customers for their support over the successful 50 years of trading and welcome you to their 50th anniversary celebrations.

The third shop at Longham

David Phipp’s staff

David Phipp’s first shop at Parley Cross

Ensure you have the right guide

By Edward Holmes, Meesons & Spurlings Solicitors - Advertisement feature -

I have recently returned from a walking holiday, which led me to reflect that we all need to be guided at different times during our life.

Here at Meesons and Spurlings we have specialists in all main legal fields. We have expanded our private client team and have three solicitors

– Tamasine Whitbread, Ruth Lucas and Theresa Mills; one legal executive, Fiona Clarke; one paralegal, Liam Strickland; and support staff ready and available to assist, in particular with dealing with LPAs, tax issues and the Office of the Public Guardian.

We are specialists in dealing with all the needs of the elderly and our friendly team is available to see you either in our offices or at your home, whichever is appropriate

and suits your needs. We are further due to expand both our conveyancing and litigation teams, with details to follow.

We can guide you through all your legal issues as indeed my dog guided me up and down the peaks. He always ensured that at the end of day we could always quench his and our thirst. For information, see www. meesonsspurlingssolicitors. co.uk

Accolades flow for Ringwood Carnival

Report by Janine Pulford, pictures by CatchBox and Mike Richards

Ringwood Carnival processions started with a big bang as the Maroon went off followed by a minute of applause for the late Queen.

After several years absence due to the pandemic, the renewed energy for the carnival was tangible. The sheer number of colourful floats and walkers in the afternoon and evening processions provided a spectacle for the crowds to behold and accolades flowed.

The Big Noise Community Samba Band posted on the carnival page: “It was a wonderful event from start to finish.” The band congratulated the organisers, participants and “fantastic crowds.” Sue Lambert had a “wonderful day” and Martin Green said: “What a fantastic team, absolutely brilliant carnival.” Andy Steeds rated it “the best carnival ever!”

The entire carnival committee said: “Well done Ringwood! Thank you for making Carnival 2022 amazing.” Best in Show was among many awards: gold went to Tuk Gun; silver to The 1st Poulner Pirate Ship The Queen Pearl, and bronze to Poulner Players’ Wind In The Willows.

Stories to tell

By Julian Hewitt, Fordingbridge Museum

In my experience, often, people who you may pass in the street without a second glance have interesting stories to tell about their lives.

I came across two examples of this recently. One was a lady who regularly met the late Queen because of her husband’s job and another was a gentleman who had been taught by the author William Golding and had been friends with his son. Others may have more local memories about activities now consigned to the history books.

One such example is Margaret Bailey. She was a teacher who lived most of her life in Sandleheath and her relatives played a leading part in the brickmaking industry in the village.

Margaret’s relatives had been potters and workers in clay since the 18th century, centred on the rich deposit of London Clay that runs

from Sandleheath through Verwood to Wimborne. Apart from her own memories of being brought up on one of the five brickworks operating in Sandleheath, her father, Robert Read, had the remarkable foresight to leave copious notes and tape recordings detailing the day-to-day running of the brickworks. Armed with this information and her own research, she was able to write a book titled ‘My Ancestors were Moulders of Clay’, that gives an anecdotal and factual insight into what was once a major local industry.

The book gives many details that would otherwise be lost. Bricks were, in the early days, transported round the area by horse and cart. Later, traction engines were used to pull three wagons each containing 3,000 bricks. These could go further afield. Many of the housing estates in rapidly

expanding Bournemouth were built using these bricks. Later still, in the 1920s, lorries, subject to a 12mph speed limit and powered by petrol costing one shilling and seven pence a gallon, were used to transport the bricks. The coming of the railways made a huge difference both by importing coal to replace the wood that originally fired the kilns but also to deliver bricks to a much wider area.

Sandleheath bricks were sent to Bournemouth, Salisbury, Weymouth and London as well as to the Isle of Wight and Guernsey. Clay for the day’s work would be ‘pecked’ down from the pile of excavated material and then ‘tempered’ or kneaded by the bare feet of workers. After 1908, a horse was used for this process and when electricity arrived in the village in 1938, an electric ‘Pug Mill’ was installed to temper the clay.

Margaret goes into fascinating detail about the production process and how it developed with the introduction of new technology. She also gives interesting details about the lives of the workers, who earned roughly twice as much as agricultural workers in the early days but were also on piece work, meaning that they

only took short breaks. Before 1914, three quarters of the workforce were laid off in the winter months and had to find other work. Some workers suffered from respiratory illnesses caused by the pungent sulphur fumes from the kilns. These fumes killed off the trees in the immediate area and caused concerns amongst local people about pollution. She tells us that the average brickmaker could produce 100 bricks an hour and how the range of different coloured bricks came about.

If readers have any interesting memories to relate, I would encourage them to write them down. They will find this a therapeutic activity that will entertain and inform future generations and often provide vital information for researchers.

Fordingbridge Museum would be grateful to receive copies of such memories and would store them carefully in their collection. Margaret Bailey’s fascinating book is available from the museum in return for a donation to museum funds.

Column by Fordingbridge Museum is sponsored by Adrian Dowding

Mule in Fordingbridge Museum brick display

Verwood Rotary Club round up New headteacher for Hillside First

By Louisa Hiscock

I am delighted to share that the Rustic Fayre on August bank holiday raised just over £12,000. We now have the enjoyable task of dividing this up to support charities, organisations and activities across our local community. In fact, if you have a local club or charity you would like to nominate for a possible donation, please contact us at secretary@ verwoodrotary.org.uk.

Looking back on this event, it was great to see all the planning come together for a fantastic afternoon out for all the family. The Verwood Carnival Queen and Princesses arrived in the Pretty Chitty Bang Bang car to open the fayre with Clive Grove (club president). In the arena, there were demonstrations with birds of prey, morris dancers and

Tae Kwon-do, followed by the ever-popular terrier racing, mini horses and dog agility. There were stalls to browse, musical entertainment, a choice of food and drink venues, a classic vehicle display, a pet show and children’s entertainers. A highlight for many was the Avro Lancaster flypast midafternoon followed by our well supported duck race. We even had a guest appearance by a very well-behaved Dalek.

The club would like to give a big thank you to all our sponsors and volunteers – we really could not organise such a big community event without their support every year.

We are now already looking forward to next year’s fayre –put the date in your diary for August Bank Holiday Monday and we will see you there.

Choral Society welcomes new members

Verwood Choral Society is preparing for a Christmas Concert with some new music and some old favourites and it would love to see some new members, especially basses. If you have ever thought you would like to give singing a try, why not head along to a session? The society is a mixed choir of men and women and there are no

auditions, you just need a love of music and singing.

They meet every Monday at St Michaels’ Parish Church, Verwood, 7.30-9pm.

For further information, contact Sue Longstaff on 01202 829212 or e-mail sumlon@hotmail.com.

Or turn up any Monday evening and you will be given a warm welcome.

Dave Graves, who was formerly the deputy headteacher at Parley First School, has become the new headteacher of Hillside First School in Verwood.

Dave says he plans to use the spacious grounds at the school to provide more outside learning – including a Forest School – and to create new sporting opportunities.

He said: “Above all we want the children to be happy, in

a nurturing and supportive school environment. We want them to believe in themselves, know that we believe in them too and to have big dreams; with hard work and a good plan anything is possible.

“We want to foster entrepreneurialism, teamwork and collaboration and to give them confidence to present to their class in a way that will help prepare them for the future.”

Dave Graves

New education trust proposed

Ringwood School could soon be joining a new multiacademy trust which would include The Burgate School in Fordingbridge, The Arnewood and Eaglewood schools in New Milton and Priestlands School in Lymington.

The Department for Education wants academies to work in groups of at least 10 schools by 2030.

A spokesperson for the group, said: “The creation of a new trust is something that has been under discussion for a while.

“All the schools agree it is a natural development and will formalise our already close working relationships.

“Larger trusts allow the sharing of good practice, expertise, experience and other assets in a closer and more cost-effective way.

“Being close geographically, the schools enjoy similar benefits but also share similar challenges.

“Plans are at an early stage, but already there is a shared vision that puts the education of students within their communities at the heart of the proposal.

“We will continue to communicate with parents and other stakeholders as the plans progress and a timetable is created.”

Ringwood School is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form with around 1,550 pupils.

The Burgate School and Sixth Form educates those aged between 11 and 18 and has around 1,100 pupils and students.

The Arnewood School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form with over 1,000 pupils, and neighbouring Eaglewood School is an alternative provision school for children who find it difficult to cope in mainstream education.

Priestlands School is a coeducational secondary school and has around 1,250 pupils.

Flowery tributes to The Queen

Residents at Dorset care homes recently came together to celebrate the National Day of Arts in Care Homes organised annually by The National Activity Providers Association (NAPA).

Research shows that access to the arts makes care home residents happier and healthier, so residents at Care South’s Dorset care homes created a ‘Field of Flowers’ in line with this year’s theme.

At Alexandra House in Parkstone, a ‘Field of Flowers’ tribute to the late Queen

Elizabeth ll was made. Residents made, coloured in flowers and wrote personal farewells or reminiscences of The Queen. One resident, Betty, wrote: ‘I have always admired you and tried to emulate you’ and resident, Wendy added: ‘The one and only Queen, you kept your word of service to your people.’ The finished piece had doves and butterflies amongst the flowers.

Dorset House in Hamworthy worked closely with Muddy Boots, their local nursery to write quotes and words of respect on the petals of the flowers.

Elizabeth House in Poole made a tribute to The Queen by creating a portrait of her filled in with various flowers, while sharing their most fond memories of her.

At Wickmeads in Tuckton, residents made flowers from handprints coloured in petals. The local community also got involved with children from Twynham Church and Kings Castle nursery also providing artwork.

Dorset SEN provision extended

Children with SEND will be accommodated in hubs in mainstream schools as well as in existing special schools.

An additional 228 places are to be made available for children in Dorset with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) following the approval of the second phase of Dorset Council’s multi-million pound investment plan.

Approved by a recent cabinet meeting, the plan prioritises the programme of projects at existing special schools and the setting up of inclusion hubs at mainstream schools.

The hubs will deliver more than 100 places over the next five years.

Cllr Andrew Parry, portfolio holder for Children, Education and Early Help, said: “We have developed these ambitious plans to create more specialist provision

and we want all our children and young people to have the best possible chance to learn in a setting that is suited to their needs.

“Currently some children and young people with SEND must travel a great distance for educational provision, sometimes far from home. This is because there’s not enough specialist provision available in Dorset.

“We aim to build on the capabilities of our mainstream schools to support more children and young people with SEND, which will ensure more children can receive their education locally.”

Residents at Elizabeth House and their tribute to The Queen

Mental health support campaign launched

Concerned about the mental health of those who live in rural areas of the county, Dorset’s Suicide Prevention Group has launched a new campaign.

Almost a quarter of Dorset’s population lives in rural areas and for those who are struggling, or facing mental health difficulties, that can sometimes feel isolating. Research indicates that suicide rates nationally are higher in rural communities.

Simply talking to someone about what you’re going through can make a huge difference. And however difficult it might seem, there is always someone to turn to.

Trevor Cligg, a local farmer who has faced mental health difficulties, said: “A lot of people out there are struggling. Some withdraw and others, like myself, hide in plain sight. But talking about it is the biggest thing you can do to help – to

whomever, be it your family, your friends, counsellors, doctors. Just talk about it.”

If you don’t feel comfortable talking to friends or family, you can speak to your GP or contact any of these free support services, which are on-hand to help 24/7:

• Dorset’s NHS mental health helpline Connection – call 0800 652 0190

• Samaritans – call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org and someone will get back to you within 24 hours

• Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 for confidential support via text message

Find out more about the Within Reach campaign, as well as support and wellbeing activities in some of Dorset’s rural communities, at www. lightonmh.uk/withinreach

Adult social care workshops

Residents in Ferndown and Verwood can attend drop-in sessions to discuss the future of adult social care in Dorset.

The council area has more than the national average of over 65s and over 85s and around 40 per cent of the council’s budget, £137million, is spent providing information, care and support to older people and residents with physical and learning disabilities.

Councillors and senior

leaders want residents to contribute their thoughts on how the services could look over the next five to 10 years, with four strategies put forward.

Residents who use services and their families, those employed in care services, and members of the public with an interest, are encouraged to read the strategies and join the conversation.

The events comprise workshops with interactive discussions and drop in sessions for those preferring a shorter, informal conversation about their needs and aspirations and the council’s proposals. Wimborne’s event was on 19 September. The upcoming ones in Ferndown and Verwood are: Friday 21 October, 1.30-4.30pm, Verwood Hub; and Wednesday 26 October 1.30-5pm, The Barrington Centre, Pennys Walk, Ferndown.

Dr Tony Benson, chairman of The Witchampton and Crichel club presented a cheque for £277.81 to Rae Cotton and Carol Head, fundraisers from Friends of Victoria Hospital, Wimborne. The money was raised through various club events throughout the year.

STOPTOBER IS HERE

– have you got your free quit kit?

It’s Stoptober and smokers across the country are being invited to join the UK’s biggest mass quit attempt and give up smoking for good.

Seize the moment, make your move. Be part of this national campaign – but with local support from LiveWell Dorset. If you’re an adult living in the county, did you know you can access a free quit pack and 1-2-1 coaching support?

You’ve probably heard your doctor, partner, friends and even your cigarette packet telling you to quit smoking. This life-changing decision really is in your hands, but you don’t have to go it alone –LiveWell Dorset will be there for

you every step of the way.

You’ll be saving your health: smoking doubles your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. It damages your lungs and lowers your immune system meaning it’s harder to fight off respiratory infections.

And you’ll be saving money: the average smoker can save a whopping £1,800 a year by quitting. A 20-a-day smoker can save up to £4,000 a year.

Registering with LiveWell Dorset is easy and takes just a couple of minutes. You can call 0800 840 1628, visit livewelldorset.co.uk or simply scan the QR code on the LiveWell Dorset advert.

Perfumery & Co opens at The Furlong

To celebrate the launch of a deliciously aromatic new boutique fragrance and cosmetic store in Ringwood, owners David and Anthony from the independently owned Perfumery & Co treated Furlong customers to complimentary fizz, facials and fabulous fragrances galore. The stunning new store replaces the previous dry cleaners at The Furlong shopping centre (next door to COOK).

Founded in August 2020, David and Anthony opened their first store on Lymington High Street in Hampshire and they always dreamed about opening another store in Ringwood. They are an independent owner-operated business who love looking after their customers; whether it’s choosing their perfect fragrance, discovering their optimum skincare or marrying up their make-up matches.

They sell desirable and often hard to get hold

of brands such as Hermes, Givenchy, Mark Jacobs, Jean Paul Gautier, Issey Miyake, Perfums de Marly, L’Atelier Parfum, Guerlian, Molton Brown, Chloe, L’Occitane En Provence, Grown Alchemist, Neom and Elemis plus new brands joining soon.

Lucky customers at the opening event enjoyed goodie bags, discounts and pampering, whilst they got to delight their senses with samples from a unique range of fragrances and beauty products.

So far the new store has enjoyed a great welcome from customers and local business owners.

Competition WIN£60 to dine out on Viewpoint!

The review of Ringwood’s Amarone Italian Restaurant in the September issue was so popular that Viewpoint has decided to run a competition to give one lucky reader the chance to win a £60 voucher towards the cost of a delicious meal at the restaurant.

Dine in Amarone’s cosy and relaxing atmosphere and choose from traditional Italian fare including pizza, pasta, salad, meat and seafood dishes, followed by decadent desserts. Amarone is open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday 12noon until 2pm, and daily for dinner between 5.30pm and 10.30pm. Takeaway is also available. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is answer the question below.

Q. What cuisine is served at Amarone?

Rules of entry:

Enter online at www.dorsetview.co.uk or send your answer to the address on page three of this magazine. The £60 voucher will be valid for three months from the issue date and must be redeemed towards the cost of food only. No change will be given. Closing date is 7 November 2022. The first correct answer drawn will be the winner. Employees of Pulford Publicity Ltd or Amarone Italian Restaurant are not permitted to enter. There is no cash alternative. The editor’s decision is final. Personal details will be stored securely and will only be processed to determine the winner of the competition. The winner will be announced in the magazine and their name and phone number will be passed to the venue to facilitate the giving of the prize.

Time to book your Christmas parties

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

Going into the autumn and winter we’re all concerned about finances, but after two years when Covid restricted our activities, surely 2022 is the time to take the opportunity to get together with people you may not have seen very much of in 2020 and 2021?

And with many people either hybrid working or WFH (working from home) getting together once a year is so important.

Christmas is the time to show staff that they are still included and to help them to renew friendships and working relationships with a Christmas party.

You could choose a theme, someone to manage the event and of course send out invitations well in advance.

Over the past couple

of years, families have had limited time to get together in a convivial way, so why not make 2022 the year you create happy memories?

Of course you can have a party in someone’s home –but it’s not much fun for the hosts. And not many of us have the space to accommodate larger groups, whereas pubs, restaurants and hotels have the knowledge and skills to provide you with a really good party.

Also, think of the advantages of enjoying Christmas lunch in a hotel, pub or restaurant – no scouring supermarkets for goods, no peeling sprouts, and no fretting over the Smart meter as your oven cooks the turkey – just time to enjoy this very special social occasion.

Events

The details of the events below are accurate at the time of going to press. Always check before travelling. Send in details of your events to: newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

14-31 October 10am-4pm

Poole and East Dorset Art Society at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park. Free entry.

15-22 October

Planet Wimborne Green Festival. Full details and booking information at planetwimborne. org/wimborne-green-festival

19 October 7am-9am

East Dorset Business Network at Dudsbury Golf Club.

20-22 October

Wimborne Drama Productions stage Love From a Stranger at the Tivoli. Tickets from the box office. Tel 01202 885566 or online at www.TivoliWimborne.co.uk

21 October 1.30pm-4.30pm

Adult social care workshop Verwood Hub Brock Way, Verwood BH31 7QE.

21 October 7.30pm

22 October 2.30pm

‘Plaisir D’amour’ concert in aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance at St Martin’s Church, West Moors. Tickets from Brewer and Brewer in Station Road, or reserve on-line at www.urc-eastdorset.org.uk

22 October 2.30pm-4pm

Halloween Family Craft Workshop at Dorset Scrapstore, 14 Alder Hills, Poole.

22 October 10am-3pm

CLaRC Artisan Makers Market at the centre in King Street car park, Wimborne BH21 1EA. Free entry.

22 October 3pm

Wimborne Town Football Club at home to Paulton Rovers.

22-30 October 10am-4pm

Broadstone Art Society exhibition at the youth centre in Moor Road. Open until 8pm on Friday 28 October and closes noon on 30 October.

25 October 7.30pm

Rosemary Legrand presents

‘The Spectacular Flora and Fauna of South Africa’ to West Parley Gardening Club at West Parley Memorial Hall. Visitors welcome £3. Contact Rod Darch 01202 896711.

26 October 1.30pm-5pm

Adult social care workshop

The Barrington Centre, Pennys Walk, Ferndown BH22 9TH.

28 October 2pm-4pm

Stepping Out Community Tea Dance for those with memory loss and dementia at Broadstone War Memorial Hall in Tudor Road. To book call Lesley Shand on 01202 658833.

29 October 7.30pm

Fordingbridge Twinning Association’s Musical Soiree with Blue Tides including supper at Fordingbridge Town Hall. Contact Derek or Alison Ayling on 01425 650770 or email hippotrain@btinternet.com

29 October 7.30pm

Wimborne Town Football Club at home to Slimbridge.

29 October 9.30am-12.30pm

Traidcraft event at Verwood United Reformed Church.

30 October 4pm

Broadstone Music Series concert to recognise the 150th anniversary of Vaughan Williams at Broadstone Methodist Church BH18 8DP. Tea and cake included. Advance online booking recommended at www. broadstonemusicseries.info.

1 November 7.30pm

Cranborne Local History Society meets at The Cecil Memorial Hall, Water Street, BH21 5QB.

2 November 2pm

Ferndown Probus meets at Dudsbury Golf Club. Contact Alan Stevens 01202 876826, or email: alan_stevens@talk21.com

2 November

The Fireside Theatre, Verwood meets at 123 Ringwood Road, Verwood. Contact 01202 825178 to book.

5 November 10am

West Moors Town Council litter pick starting at the council office at 4, Park Way. Contact office on 01202 861044 or email: office@ westmoors-tc.gov.uk before event. Equipment provided.

7 November 7pm-10pm

The Wessex Friends meet at The Cobham Flight Refuelling Sports & Social Club at Merley, Wimborne. Kevin Patience talk on ‘Rolls Royce – Silver Lady’. For details email derekabaker@ hotmail.co.uk

7 November 10.15am

Wimborne Minster WI meets at St Catherine’s Church Hall, Lewen’s Lane, for a talk by Steve Roberts on ‘Dad’s Army’. For further information call Jill Haywood 01202 888194.

Celebrate International

Gibbon Day at Monkey World

- Advertisement featureMeet the world’s best acrobats at Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset this half-term – the gibbons.

Children visiting the park can celebrate International Gibbon Day with Monkey World by taking part in fun trails and quizzes whilst learning about the important work the rescue centre does to protect primates worldwide. Plus, there will be arts, crafts and Halloween activities in the Kid’s Centre.

As well as seeing the king of the swingers, Monkey World is home to over 260 primates, including over 50 chimpanzees, and Europe’s official crèche for orphaned orangutan infants. Many of the park’s residents have been neglected, kept in unnatural conditions, or experienced unbelievable cruelty. At

Monkey World, they can now all enjoy the company of their own kind in a safe and natural environment.

Combining fun with conservation and animal education, self-guided audio tours explain all about man’s closest living relative. Visitors can see the stars of TV’s ‘Monkey Life’, then ‘monkey around’ in the south’s largest Great Ape play area for children with its huge variety of swings, slides, and climbing frames.

PLUS Kids go free on 31 October when in full Halloween fancy dress! Visit www.monkeyworld.org for full details and to book in.

Kitchen island ideas that make a style statement

From extra worktop space in a small kitchen to a sprawling piece of furniture complete with seating in an openplan area, most homes could benefit from an island. A focal point of the modern kitchen visually and practically, this freestanding unit can be used to prepare meals, dine together and even for home working. And because an island is accessible from all four sides, it offers great storage potential too.

George Forsyth, from Drew Forsyth & Co, sets out his top tips for making this sought-after piece of furniture work, in spaces large and small.

Ask yourself, what will you use a kitchen island for? A space for cooking? A spot for breakfast with the family? More formal dining? Answering these questions first will help to decide what your island should include, like storage, appliances, sink and maybe even a wine cooler.

Choose the size. If your kitchen is compact or has a galley layout with cabinets on both sides, consider a narrow or freestanding option like a chef’s table or butcher’s block. The larger the kitchen, the more scope for

what the island can include, like bar stools for wining and dining. Try not to make the island too wide though, so it’s always possible to reach the middle.

Do you need an island or a breakfast bar? A little less formal than an island, a breakfast bar or peninsula adds extra worktop space. Useable on three sides, this is a good option for smaller kitchens. It’s important to make sure there’s enough room to move around an island, to open cupboards or appliance doors. If not, then a peninsula could be the ideal solution.

Consider some colour options. As a freestanding unit, an island can be the perfect opportunity to add contrast to your décor, perhaps by choosing a deeper shade than elsewhere in the room or even opting for a different colour completely to really go bold. With bespoke and painted furniture, the choice is almost endless.

Speak to a professional designer. They can help solve a lot of problems that come with kitchen renovation, and by using their creative expertise and insider knowledge, redesigning your kitchen becomes a much simpler task.

Autumn inspired décor for your home

By Karen Wyatt-Epapara

Autumn is the season of Halloween, Bonfire Night, nights drawing in and getting cosy in the home.

The evocative rich browns, deep oranges and reds of autumn are ideal for bringing a bit of the outside in when the weather may not inspire you to actually leave the house. There’s no need for a complete overhaul though – small and simple touches can make all the difference when it comes to creating an autumnal feel in your home.

You may like to go all out for Halloween with traditional ghoulish decorations, but as soon as 31 October has passed, they quickly become dated. In contrast, autumn-themed touches won’t look out of place throughout the season, and can stay in place until you decide it’s time to get the Christmas decorations out.

Autumn decorations are becoming more popular, and are easy enough to source, but the season also lends itself to crafting – and the results can be surprisingly effective.

Autumn wreaths

Door wreaths have been used for centuries and an autumn wreath is said to celebrate abundance and the harvest. If you plan to make your own, make the most of the colours of the season, using natural materials such as fallen leaves, berries, small squash and

dried flowers. Now is a good time to put your wreath up, and the cooler temperatures will mean your materials will hold their colour.

Natural decorations

Bringing natural elements in from outside will give your home an autumnal feel with little effort involved. Choose a bowl that complements the seasonal colours – either gold, or coloured glass, and fill with items that inspire you. Think pinecones, mini pumpkins, hawberries or rosehips and dried flowers.

Lighting

Once the evenings draw in, and you’re ready to relax, low level lighting will complete the mood. Lamps with warm-coloured bulbs and rusticcoloured shades will complement the look. Or you can use candles which, at this time of year, often come scented with indulgent fragrances such as apple, cinnamon or nutmeg.

Soft furnishings

Chances are, you will be spending more time on the sofa as we head into the colder weather, so you’ll want to be comfortable. Make sure you have plenty of cushions, and you can’t go wrong if you have a stack of chunky, warm blankets to cuddle up under either.

£7.3 million boost for rough sleeping initiative

BCP Council has been awarded £7.3 million over a three-year period from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) to provide accommodation for rough sleepers.

The authority’s Rough Sleeping Initiative aims to help people move off the streets and out of danger permanently.

Whilst the number of those rough sleeping in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has been declining over the past three years, with a decrease from 72 in 2019 to 29 in 2021, the funding will support strategic and multidisciplinary planning with a continued focus on prevention.

This follows previous increasing amounts of funding from DLUHC over the last four years.

Cllr Hazel Allen, lead member for Homelessness,

said: “Our mission is to work with partners and make sure that everyone in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has a safe place to live. We thank our community partners for their continued dedication and tireless efforts towards our shared goal of ending homelessness.

“With the current cost of living crisis and added financial pressures, we are increasingly focussing on prevention strategies. This funding is crucial and will allow us to continue this essential work, which offers a lifeline to people who are rough sleeping and those at risk of losing their homes.”

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WM Youth Club – join in the fun

West Moors Youth Club, located in Fryers Field, Bond Avenue, is open to all young people. Open 6.30pm until 8.30pm on Thursdays for Year 6, Tuesdays for Year 7 and Fridays for Year 8+, young people can enjoy the sports hall, pool table, games, organised activities, and hot and cold snacks from the tuck shop. Our youth workers – Paul, Louise and Lizzie – supervise the evenings assisted by volunteers, many of whom are in the school senior years. We will remain open during half term holidays. As a charity we do have to make a charge. Admission is £3 for non-members, and £2 for members. Membership is £10 for the year. Forms are available on Facebook, https:// www.facebook.com/westmoorsyouthclub, by email or at the club.

What a glorious summer! Thanks to a generous grant from Dorset Council and funds raised at Carols on the Petwyn, we were able to provide our young people with subsidised trips to Go Ape and paddleboarding and a good time was had by all. Check out our Facebook page to see the proof. To raise funds, the youth club held an open-air cinema event, thanks to the generosity of Jason and his family and Halena and her family. Attendance could have been better but much needed funds were raised. We would like to hold a similar event next year, let us know what you think. Comments on our Facebook page please.

Rosie Brown

Treasurer, West Moors Youth Club

Pulford

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Friendship in Verwood

I am the current chairman of the Verwood Friendship Club and thought your readers might be interested in our club. Our friendly social club has been in existence for more than 30 years and primarily caters for the more elderly residents of Verwood and surrounding villages to give them quality time to meet up and socialise in the company of people with similar interests. Meetings are now held at the Verwood Memorial Hall on the second Thursday of each month, 2.15-4.15pm and generally take the form of either an interesting talk or musical entertainment followed by tea and biscuits/cakes which are served by a group of friendly volunteers. During the summer months, a number of half-day coach outings to various places of interest are arranged. We also arrange a New Year lunch in January.

On 18 August, we hired the Branksome Dene Community Room overlooking Poole Bay and arranged for fish and chips to be delivered to us. The weather was especially kind and allowed many of our members to either sit outside taking in stunning views or even go down to the water’s edge. The outing was a huge success and very much enjoyed by everyone. The cost of the outing was almost exclusively sponsored by a generous donation from the Verwood

Solar Farm Fund Group, which administers a portion of their profits to be given as grants to successful applicants. Their support was very much appreciated.

In September, we had an outing to Stewarts Garden Centre in Christchurch. The tea provided by Stewarts had to be seen to be believed.

This was our last outing of the year but we continue meeting monthly and already we have a draft programme of events and outings for 2023. If you would like to find out more, search for Verwood Friendship Club on Facebook or call 01202 827457.

Richard Ralph Chairman, Verwood Friendship Club

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Jurassic 24

In August, Roy Beal from Clean Jurassic Coast set out on a personal challenge to paddle the Jurassic Coast in under 24 hours to raise money for Clean Jurassic Coast and the Jurassic Coast Trust.

Roy completed the challenge by kayak, travelling 82 miles in 22 hours, 12 minutes and 45 seconds. He started at Old Harry Rocks on 16 August, and finished at Orcombe Point, Exmouth the following day, travelling solo along the route.

Roy spoke to Louis Pulford about the challenge.

So Roy, what inspired you to paddle the coast in 24 hours?

My friend Derry ran it last year in 23.5 hours. I was curious to see if it could be done in a kayak, especially because of the tidal planning involved.

What was your training regime leading up to the challenge?

Kayaking – as much kayaking as possible. I have also been doing safety support for 24-hour swimming events, which helped a lot.

How do you prepare yourself mentally to undertake such a challenge?

I am fortunate in that I have a never-give-up mentality. Once I set myself a task I always do my best to see it through. In my head, I visualise parts of the challenge and what I may have to do in different circumstances. What planning did you have to do before setting off?

It’s mainly the tides. From the start at Old Harry to Portland Bill, there are fast tides and challenging conditions around some of the headlands. I also planned my food and hydration stops along the way.

What was the most challenging aspect of this fundraiser?

Dealing with hallucinations after 20 hours. I was heading towards Sidmouth and I witnessed it moving about a mile to the west! What did you enjoy most on this journey?

Hmm, either arriving at Portland Bill at 19.15 – the exact time I planned to arrive, or finishing at Exmouth to be greeted by my partner Chloë. Both were good moments. Also – getting through the night shift in one piece was nice too.

Lastly, what do you love about the Jurassic Coast?

Everything! The geodiversity for a start. There is nowhere else on Earth where you can see the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretacious era in one area. It’s unique, it’s beautiful and it’s my playground. Roy has nearly reached his £999 fundraising target. If you would like to donate to support him and help keep the Jurassic Coast clear of plastic visit www. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ jurassic-24. So far this year, CJC has removed over three tonnes of plastic from the coastline.

Roy finishing the challengeRoy at Durdle Door

Verwood man tackles climate change one song at a time

Retired chauffeur Jon Biggs has been writing songs for charity for more than 40 years. With his most recent effort, entitled Song for the World, John hopes to raise money to help combat issues related to global warming.

The inspiration for the song came from a news story of a woman in Africa who was struggling to find water for her family. John said: “She decided to walk to the next village some 12 miles away in blistering heat with her children only to find the river there had also dried up and she sat on the banks and wept. This really upset me so I decided to write a song. So Song for the World was born.”

John invited children from Emmanuel Middle School to take part in the project. He said: “I thought about how changes in the planet will affect our children and grandchildren and their future. So I contacted Emmanuel School to see if they could provide a choir

to sing the chorus lines.

“Happily they did and a 30-strong children’s choir of nine- to 12-year-olds were great. Not only were they eager but very knowledgeable and aware of the issues and gave their all to the project. A soloist aged nine sings the song out beautifully.”

John wrote to Sir David Attenborough about the project and received an encouraging, hand-written reply.

Song for the World has had airplay on Hope Radio and Forest FM. It can also be downloaded on YouTube, Spotify or Deezer.

John Biggs

More EV charging points

Additional public electric car charging points are to be installed in 23 locations in Dorset.

This expansion to the existing charging network will see a combination of fast (22kW), rapid (50kW) and ultrafast (150kW) charging units installed across Dorset; the latter allowing users to charge 100 miles in just 10 minutes.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and

Environment, said: “In rural counties like Dorset, car ownership is amongst the highest in the country.

“By increasing the provision of electric vehicle charging points, we hope to provide the essential infrastructure needed to encourage more car owners in Dorset to choose electric vehicles over petrol and diesel equivalents.

“Travel is one of the biggest contributors to our county’s carbon footprint, so, as part of our response to the climate and ecological emergency, it’s vital we make the changes needed to help tackle this.”

The new charging points, which are being installed by Joju Charging, include the following locations: Leigh Road car park, Wimborne; High Street, Cranborne and Pennys Lodge car park, Ferndown. To view the locations of all Dorset’s charge points, visit www.zap-map.com.

Advice to vehicle owners to prevent theft

Officers investigating a series of vehicle thefts across Dorset are appealing for information and issuing crime prevention advice.

Dorset Police is investigating a series of more than 20 thefts since June 2022 that are believed to be linked.

Detective Inspector Dave Horn, of Dorset County CID, said: “These offences are occurring right across the county and vehicles that appear to be targeted are higher value sports utility vehicles or fourwheel drive vehicles.

“I would urge motorists to take a moment to consider the security in place for your vehicle. Where possible keep your vehicle parked in a garage or well-lit space and ensure the keys are kept somewhere safe and away from doorways or letter boxes.

“Owners of higher value vehicles may also wish to

consider further security measures such as keeping their keys in signal-blocking pouches as well as wheel clamps and tracking devices.

“I would also urge anyone who witnesses any suspicious activity in and around high value cars, or anybody paying particular interest in parked vehicles, to please report it to us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police. uk/contact or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55220134740. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk. org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.