Viewpoint December 2018

Established Over 35 Years Mid Dec 2018

Your Independent Local Magazine

VIEWPOINT

Volume 43, Issue 2

VERWOOD RINGWOOD FORDINGBRIDGE WEST MOORS WIMBORNE FERNDOWN ASHLEY HEATH ST IVES, ALDERHOLT

Merry Christmas From Rotary pay out brings smiles The Rotary Club of Verwood paid out £10,000 to many deserving causes on 27 November. The money was raised at this year’s Rustic Fayre and one happy lad, Chester Marshall, who has cerebral palsy, is now enjoying his specially adapted trike, purchased from the Rotary pay out. It cost around £1,000. Chester is pictured with his mother Sam at the cheque presentation evening, which saw many charities and organisations receive donations.

take one it’s

ISSN 2397-7183 (print) ISSN 2397-7191 (online)

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INSIDE THIS IS

SUE • EDDIE HOWE LIGHTS UP WIMBORNE • COMPETITIO N £60 DINING OU T VOUCHER • CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS • £800: SHOC KING COST OF CAR BULB RE PAIR

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

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VIEWPOINT Volume 43 • Issue 2 • December 2018 MAGS4DORSET Hello Readers This magazine is a really busy one. It not only includes Remembrance events from November, but also upcoming Christmas events and a few recent lights switch-ons thrown in for good measure. We are sure you will enjoy the photographs and we must thank Tom Scrase for allowing us to use his images on a regular basis. The ones of Eddie Howe are very special.

You will find our popular dining out competition for £60, so that you can have a feast early in the New Year. There are plenty of restaurants to pick from, so turn to pages 26 and 27 to find out more.

Also in 2019, we will be welcoming our new Charity of the Year, the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF), which is based in Ferndown. Their first column will appear in our January issue We are pleased to announce that MAGS4DORSET along with Ferndown Pharmacy and Colten Care’s Fernhill Care Home have been awarded Plastic Free Champion status by Surfers Against Sewage. These are the first three businesses in Ferndown to achieve the awards and we would love to see more businesses follow in the New Year.

So if reducing single use plastic is not yet on your list of things to do, how about making it a resolution after the Christmas festivities, which I sincerely hope you will enjoy.

Have a brilliant Christmas.

Janine Pulford

Ben Pulford managing director design@mags4dorset.co.uk Nick Pulford company secretary accounts@mags4dorset.co.uk

NEWS DESK 01202 941469 Janine Pulford editor editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk Liam Parker assistant editor mags@mags4dorset.co.uk

DESIGN 01202 233441

Louis Pulford creative director

louispulford@brightboxdesigns.co.uk

ADVERTISING 01202 816140 Mark Beechey account manager DD: 01202 941465 mark@mags4dorset.co.uk

Russell Harness account manager DD: 01202 941466 russell@mags4dorset.co.uk Simon Thornton account manager DD: 01202 941470 simon@mags4dorset.co.uk Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

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

Picture of the month

LOGISTICS

Ian Lory Alexandra O’Neill

Hedgehog experience: Ella (9) at Ferndown Lights Switch On

How to contact us Enquiries: 01202 870270 Advertising: 01202 816140 Brightbox Designs: 01202 233441 Email: mags@mags4dorset.co.uk Web: www.mags4dorset.co.uk Twitter: @mags4dorset Facebook: mags4dorset.news Dana House, Spinneys Lane, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9BZ Follow VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/viewpointmagazinedorset

next copy closing date:

21 DECEMBER 2018

Viewpoint is independently published and distributed free to homes and businesses in selected areas of Dorset and Hampshire. It is also available by subscription at £40 per year. 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.

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Arsonist jailed A man has been jailed for six years and four months after he deliberately set fire to a house in West Moors.

P

hillip Evans, 55 of Ringwood Road, Three Legged Cross, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on 14 November. He had pleaded guilty to arson with intent/ reckless as to whether life was endangered and was handed his jail sentence along with a 21-month prison term to run concurrently for breach of a restraining order. The judge also ruled that due to the danger he poses to the public, Evans would have to serve an extended licence period of three years once released.

On 9 January, he broke into a house belonging to a woman he knew on The Avenue and started a fire in a ground floor extension.

No one was inside. The fire service extinguished the blaze, which destroyed the entire house and caused

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damage to an adjoining property.

A large crowbar was found in the property and Evans’ van was parked on the driveway, which contained two five-litre plastic petrol cans and another crowbar. Each can contained a fluid believed to have been used as an accelerant.

Evans was subject to an order banning him from attending the address at the time of the fire.

A neighbour reported hearing a bang just before 1pm. Smoke was coming from the top of the house and he saw a van parked outside. He called the fire service and then saw Evans in the first floor bedroom window and called at him to get out. Evans climbed out of the window. A passer-by bravely rescued Evans by escorting him

VIEWPOINT December 2018

Evans

away from the fire.

A second man, who is a friend of the victim, was driving nearby. He risked his own safety to approach the house and look for the victim to check she was not inside before being called back.

Officers arrived and arrested Evans. He was initially taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and later transferred to custody to be interviewed. He told officers he had no intention to harm the victim and checked no one was inside before he started the fire.

Detective Constable Tom Alsford, of Bournemouth CID, said: “Phillip Evans’ actions that day were extremely dangerous and reckless.

Not only did he cause

The House in The Avenue

irreparable damage to the victim’s home and belongings, he also risked the lives of nearby residents and other people who bravely got close to the fire to rescue him and check no one else was inside.

“I would like to pay tribute to those individuals

who displayed exceptional bravery that day and to the fire service for responding so quickly and preventing the fire from spreading even further.

“I hope the sentence of the court will bring some sense of closure to the victim after what has been a very traumatic ordeal.”

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Ringwood Centenary Lantern unveiled

The Rt Hon Desmond Swayne together with the Ringwood Mayor, Cllr Tony Ring, councillors and the Royal British Legion joined together for the unveiling ceremony of the Ringwood Centenary Lantern on 3 November.

Commissioned after an appeal, which generated ÂŁ5,000, the lantern is based on a kneeling soldier holding a WW1 trench lamp and will be seen whichever way people approach the Gateway building. It was forged in stainless steel by award-winning blacksmith Ian Parmenter to eliminate the need for on going maintenance In 1914 WW1 started - 100 years later in 2014 a lantern (a spare from those used in Ringwood High Street at Christmas) was placed on the outside of the Gateway building.

In the four years to end of the war in 1918, 111 Ringwood service personnel had been killed in active service - 52 died in WW2.

Now, 100 years later this unique lantern will recognise their sacrifice. It will be lit on each day that a serving member of the armed forces made, or makes, the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country and the Ringwood community.

Ian Parmenter looks up at his creation

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Creative 10th Writing COMPETITION MAGS4DORSET’S

Forget MAD go Westival instead

Shortlist announced “The 10th MAGS4DORSET short story competition attracted 50 extremely high quality entries from all over the country,” said editor of Viewpoint, Janine Pulford, who founded the competition.

Della Galton

The theme was inspired by the words ‘plastic nightmare’ and “The shortlist was extremely difficult to choose,” said Janine. “I would like to encourage those who didn’t make it through to think about entering their stories elsewhere, as the standard was exceptional.”

Novelist Della Galton, a prolific and well-published author will make the final decision. Her books and short stories have entertained people around the globe for many years and she has an empathy with the natural world, which makes her an ideal judge for the subject matter. Della also writes under the pseudonym Della Parker with her popular ‘The Reading Group’ series, and teaches creative writing.

Janine added, “To celebrate our 10th creative writing awards, we had said we would donate £100 to Surfers Against Sewage if entries hit the 100 mark, but as this didn’t happen, MAGS4DORSET has decided to donate £50 to the charity instead. This represents £1 a story and I know from the passion of the writing by those who have entered that they will approve of this donation.”

The titles of the shortlisted stories are:

A Drop In The Ocean The Coming Tide Surf Rescue

Throwaway Life Sins of the Father The Meeting The Lesson

Wisdom There is No Planet B Microplastic Fantastic

As in all previous competitions, the authors remain anonymous until after the final judging.

The winner will receive £300 and the runner up will get £100. Both stories will also be published by MAGS4DORSET in either Viewpoint or 4Dorset, or both.

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

Next year’s MAD day out in West Moors has been renamed Westival. The annual event organised by the parish council will focus more on music and activities. Money raised will be donated to Amelia’s Rainbow and the winners of two competitions – the design a village logo for children aged 4-18 (costing 50p to enter) with a £50 prize, and the adults (18+) poetry competition ‘Why I Love West Moors’ with £100 prize – will be announced at Westival on 13 July. For more details about how to enter the competitions contact the West Moors Parish Council on 01202 861044.

Young musicians compete A local heat of the Rotary National Young Musician Competition was hosted by Forres Sandle Manor School in Fordingbridge on 6 November.

The competition is designed to support and encourage the development of musical talent. It is open to all levels, grades and styles of young instrumentalists and vocalists.

By running the competition, the Fordingbridge Rotary Club aims to offer young people the experience of performing on a public stage, an opportunity to showcase their musical talent and impartial feedback and assessment of their performance by adjudicators.

Seven schools were represented by 11 children and acts varied from Adele’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’ and Charlotte Church’s ‘All Love Can Be’ to Handel’s ‘Lascia Ch’io Pianga’ and ‘Cavatine’ by Saint-Saëns.

Following the nail-biting deliberations by three Fordingbridge Rotary judges, Tessa Lovett (Godolphin) won the vocal category and Emma Close (Ringwood School) won the instrumental section, playing trombone.

Both winners will now take part in the Rotary District competition at Bryanston School. This starts at 2pm on Sunday 17 February 2019.

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Looking Forward to 25th year

charity of the year

With 2018 drawing to a close, Forest Holme Hospice is making plans for its 25th Anniversary next year. The hospice is part of Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and is supported by Forest Holme Hospice Charity, which needs to raise at least £850,000 each year to help enhance the NHS provision at the hospice and ensure that Forest Holme is there for patients, their family and friends during the most difficult time of their lives.

Paul Tucker, fundraising manager at Forest Holme, said, “We have been overwhelmed by the kindness and support of the local community generated during the last 24 years.

We would like to thank everyone for helping us enhance the lives of over 20,000 local people living with a life-limiting illness.”

Forest Holme provides end of life care and support to more than 1,000 people each year with advanced cancer and other life-limiting illnesses such as motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, heart disease and respiratory illness.

The hospice has a team of specialist doctors, nurses, counsellors and care teams who provide practical and emotional support for adults of all ages and their families in a variety of settings, such as their own home, nursing home, care home, in hospital or in the hospice itself.

Forest Holme also offer counselling and bereavement support to both newly diagnosed individuals and family members.

The hospice supports local communities in Poole, Wimborne and the Isle of Purbeck. It appreciates the space given in 4Dorset and Viewpoint each month over the last year to help raise awareness of what the charity does.

To support Forest Holme Hospice visit www. forestholmehospice.org.uk

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LAW SPOT Arranging to spend time with the children over Christmas

By Cath Porter, Partner and Head of Family Department, Harold G Walker Solicitors

F

or most parents, arranging contact with the children over the Christmas period can be a very simple process with both parents being able to agree to the times and dates. However, unfortunately, in some cases this is not so simple and agreeing contact with your ex-partner can be very difficult.

There are no definite rules as to how, or when, Christmas contact should take place, each case is different. However, the key consideration is “what is best for the children” and perhaps in some cases it is appropriate to ask what the children would like.

It is always best for parents to be pro-active to plan contact over the Christmas period sooner,

rather than later, by either discussing the plans directly, or in writing. Think about alternating Christmas so the children will be with Mum on Christmas Day one year, and with Dad the next.

Alternatively, consider dividing Christmas Day between both parents to allow the children to see both. Communication is key to making arrangements, try to put your differences aside and work together. If you cannot communicate directly with your partner, then seek help from a family lawyer who can assist you with this.

If, in the unfortunate event contact arrangements cannot be agreed, then both parents may wish to consider family mediation. A trained mediator will be present to assist you and

Channel Islands from Bournemouth Airport

help guide you towards a mutual agreement.

If mediation cannot assist, then you may need to seek the help of a court.

However, this should really only be done when all other avenues have been exhausted as court proceedings are timely and costly.

If you need advice about family arrangements Harold G Walker’s Family team can help. Please contact Cath Porter on 01202 692448 or email cathporter@hgwalker.co.uk

Law Spot is for guidance only.

This column is for information only and does not constitute legal advice

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

Two new seasonal routes from Bournemouth Airport to the Channel Islands have been unveiled for 2019.

Flights to Jersey and Guernsey are scheduled from April to October by Scottish airline Loganair – the carrier’s first operations from the regional airport on the South Coast.

Jersey and Guernsey will be served by Loganair’s 37-seat Embraer 135 jet, with the Jersey flight time at approximately 45 minutes and around 40 minutes for Guernsey.

As part of Loganair’s Summer 2019 schedule, Jersey flights will be three times a week – Monday, Friday and Saturday, and once a week for Guernsey on Saturdays.

Stephen Gill, managing director, Bournemouth Airport, which is owned and operated by Regional & City Airports (RCA), said, “We warmly welcome Loganair and its cabin crews to our growing regional airport, where 35 destinations in 15 countries are being served.

“We anticipate keen interest in flights to Jersey and Guernsey from holidaymakers, weekenders and the business community across Dorset, west Hampshire and south Wiltshire.

Awarded Airline of the Year 2018, Loganair has a range of fares, which all include 20kg of hold luggage, 6kg of hand luggage, assigned seats and complimentary drink and snack. There are also child discounts.

Lead-in fares are £46.99 one-way for the Jersey and Guernsey routes to and from Bournemouth Airport.

Full details on all-in fares at www.loganair.co.uk

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Award win for Tops At a glittering event at the BIC in Bournemouth as part of the Dorset Business Awards ceremony, the trophy for the first ever Best Dorset Environmental Business Award was awarded to Tops Day Nurseries.

The joint sponsors of the award are Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) and Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC).

This is the first time this award has been presented and it proved to be the second most popular category.

Judges from DWT, PHC and Kingston Maurward College shortlisted five candidates. Of these, three finalists were chosen: Tops Day Nurseries, Neil’s Yard Remedies, and Upton Country Park based on their exemplary work to protect Dorset’s environment.

This work included reducing plastics, engaging the public, protecting wildlife, or minimising impacts on climate change.

Head judge DWT chief executive Simon Cripps said, “This has been an exciting opportunity to raise the profile of nature and the environment with Dorset businesses at a time when environment is proving so

important underpinning successful development in the county. The quality of entrants and the level of enthusiasm has been incredibly high, many organisations could have won, but Tops Day Nurseries went the extra mile to protect the environment - from using bamboo toothbrushes, to eco-friendly nappy wipes, and nature exploration areas for the children to enjoy.”

On winning the award Cheryl Hadland, the managing director of Tops Day Nurseries said, “It is wonderful to receive this recognition for all the hard work our managers and staff have done. We take great pride in our environmental performance, which though it is good for business, we do because our whole team is passionate about nature and the future for the children in our care.”

Teachers inspired by sporting stars Teaching and support staff from across six Dorset schools came together for a special conference at AFC Bournemouth to learn from sport how ‘together, anything is possible’.

T

he conference was organised by the Holt Teaching Alliance, part of east Dorset’s Heath Academy Trust, to inspire school staff that together they can transform children’s lives.

The main guest speaker was Paralympian and GB wheelchair rugby star Aaron Phipps.

Aaron was just 15 when he contracted meningitis, which saw most of his fingers and both legs amputated to save his life. He did not let his disabilities get in the way of his love of sport and competed in the London Marathon and took up wheelchair rugby.

As part of the Wheelchair Rugby team for Great Britain in the London 2012 Paralympic games, Aaron scored more than half of the overall points for the team.

In 2016 Aaron set himself the ultimate challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, to raise money for

Meningitis Research Foundation. It was the first time a disabled British person had climbed Kilimanjaro without assistance.

Justine Horn, CEO of Heath Academy Trust, said, “We were honoured to hold our conference at AFC Bournemouth and hear truly inspirational stories from the world of sport.”

Aaron Phipps added, “It was a privilege to speak to a room full of teachers and school staff, all of whom work so hard to support young people.

“If, through my story, I have helped to inspire them even further then that’s an honour indeed.”

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Dorset Police encourage road users be #BikeSmart

Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre wins award

The theme of this year’s Brake Road Safety Week, which took place on 19 – 25 November, was for road users on both two wheels and four (or more) to be #BikeSmart and show due consideration for each other.

Dorset roads policing officers, including the No Excuse team, took part in and supported a number of activities during the week, all with the aim of improving safety on the county’s roads.

A Close Pass operation was carried out in an undisclosed location on Wednesday 21 November. Close Pass is an initiative intended to improve the safety of cyclists on the road by educating drivers on how to overtake these vulnerable road users safely.

During a Close Pass deployment volunteer police officers in cycling clothes, effectively ‘undercover’, take to the road on bicycles fitted with high definition cameras front and rear which record the behaviour of drivers who overtake them.

If a vehicle passes too close to the rider, the officer radios colleagues further down the road to direct the offending vehicle into a stop site where the driver will be offered roadside education using a specially designed mat that illustrates the safe passing distance.

Anyone refusing roadside education will receive a fixed penalty notice of £100

Service manager, Helen Stevens, said, ‘’The Helpline Listeners for DRCSC provide a confidential, nonjudgmental listening service for survivors of sexual violence and childhood abuse. The team come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences but are bound together by their Volunteer awards commitment to provide a listening ear for clients, who may otherwise, not access support services. In their role they show clients that they are heard, believed and support is available. They give their time selflessly and have often described feeling privileged to hold space for callers needing support. They never boast or shout about their work and I believe they are well deserving of recognition and our thanks’’ A helpline volunteer said, “Being a helpline listener is hugely rewarding. I’ve learnt new skills, met new people, learnt about myself and been there for people during a difficult time in their lives. DRCSC provides great initial and ongoing training, support and a warm, friendly environment in which to grow as a volunteer” Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre supports women, men, children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse, sexual assault or rape at any time in their lives. The services include face-to-face counselling, helpline listening services, ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) service and specialist children and young people services. A team of 80 volunteers supports their work.

To find out more about the volunteer opportunities available at Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre and how you can join this award winning team email simonegosden@dorsetrapecrisis.org

and three points on their licence for the offence of ‘driving a vehicle without reasonable consideration of other road users.

Road Casualty Reduction Officer Police Constable Heidi Moxam, said, “Initiatives like Close Pass, working in the wider scope of the road safety and roads policing strategy, which emphasises partnership working and intelligence-led policing will, we sincerely hope, reduce this level of casualties.”

The initiative is supported by the police and crime commissioners of both Dorset Police and Devon and Cornwall Police whose roads policing teams work together as part of the Alliance Operations department.

Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said, “With over 100 cyclists and motorcyclists injured every day in needless, preventable crashes, they are among the most vulnerable road users in the UK. It is therefore fitting that this year Road Safety Week is focusing on the safety of those who travel by either bike or motorbike.

“Road safety is an important issue for our communities and for a small Force, Dorset Police is punching well above its weight. I encourage everyone to think about the decisions they make while using our roads and to be considerate of other road users and their safety.”

Colten Care residents and team members with Pudsey Bear at their Strictly Come Tea Dance

Children in Need totaliser hits £5,000 Residents and staff at family-owned Colten Care including its 11 care homes in Dorset have raised more than £5,000 for Children in Need.

A Strictly Come Tea Dancing competition, a pyjama walkathon, a teddy bear picnic and a car wash were among the provider’s fundraising initiatives.

Other events included coffee mornings, bingo competitions, all day ‘spotty’ mufti days, raffles and quizzes.

Resident Hilda Snelling was one of the participants in the tea dance competition. She said,”It was wonderful. I used to be a professional dancer along with my husband and being up there on the dance floor was just as thrilling as it has always been.”

Fiona Pritchard, Colten Care’s Music and Arts Partner, said, “Our residents and team members really enjoy raising money for worthwhile causes. It’s a fantastic feeling to support Children in Need and so help disadvantaged children and young people in our region and across the UK.”

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

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LETTERS

Correspondence should be sent to the editor at the address on page 3, or email editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk

to the

EDITOR

Letter of the month While wishing Debbie Ward, ex-chief executive of Dorset County Council, a well-earned retirement, it does seem extraordinary that her employers at County Hall have to pay her £40,211 in respect of “payment in lieu of 13 weeks notice”. (“Chief Execs pay-out”; Viewpoint Nov 2018) Accepted that they want her office for someone else, nevertheless there must be much work she could have been engaged on while she was working through her notice period.

Not exactly setting a good example to everyone else who is being exhorted to make savings.

John Gooch | email

Continuing to raise our voices against hate According to recent Home Office figures, 8% of recorded hate crimes are disability hate crimes. I believe the actual number of this sort of hate crime to be much higher.

Six months ago I was speaking to a group of people with learning disabilities and I asked them how many of them had experienced a disability hate crime. In a room of 21 people, 21 hands went up.

I was staggered that every single person in that room that day felt that they had been targeted because they were disabled. And when I asked the inevitable question of how many of them reported their experience to the police, only one person had.

Unfortunately, I believe this is indicative of the wider problem – disability hate crime is hugely underreported and occurs much more often than we realise. It’s happening across Dorset, every single day.

We need to understand why this is the case. When I dug a little deeper as to why people in the group weren’t reporting incidents where they were targeted because of their disability, a common response was that they didn’t think it was worth reporting. It was so commonplace that they didn’t see the point in reporting it.

Do we really live in a society where it is acceptable to abuse a disabled person, or abuse any person because of a characteristic that is

fundamental to who they are?

Of course not, but it would appear that the message that such behaviour is totally unacceptable is getting lost.

In October, I joined my police and crime commissioner colleagues in uniting to say #No2Hate and to call on people to condemn the scourge on society that is hate crime. The campaign was part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week (13 - 20 October), an opportunity for everyone to come together, educate each other and raise their voices against hate.

I am pleased that the Home Office is also continuing to raise awareness as part of their updated Hate Crime Action Plan. The Home Office has launched a national campaign to raise awareness of hate crime and educate the public as to what it is. A hate crime is any crime where someone feels they have been targeted because of their disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender identity.

The awareness campaign is one of a number of new measures introduced as part of the action plan. I welcome the new commitments that will help tackle the root causes of hate crime. This includes the £1.5 million of new funding for initiatives working with young people to challenge prejudice, promote positive discussions and encourage reporting. In

IVD celebrates volunteers International Volunteer Day (IVD) is the United Nations’ designated day to celebrate the contribution of volunteers. It took place on 5 December. Each year hundreds of millions of people, worldwide, volunteer their time and skills to help improve the lives of others and, at the same time, gain a greater sense of belonging to their communities.

IVD is a unique opportunity for organisations to celebrate their efforts, share their values, and promote their work. Ringwood has a plethora of organisations run by willing and committed

addition, it is extending the Places of Worship scheme for another year amongst other measures.

There are some signs of progress though. The figures released by the Home Office show a 17% increase in recorded hate crime nationally.

Of those recorded, 76% are race hate crimes. Although, we don’t want to see more victims of crime, the overall increase and proportion of race hate crime suggests that more people are recognising race hate crime and feel more confident in reporting it to the police.

But there is still work to be done around other forms of hate crime, such as disability hate crime. We therefore need to continue to challenge the mindset of those who think it is acceptable to target people because of who they are and we need to keep sending a strong message that this behaviour is abhorrent.

I also want to tackle the perception, shared by the group I met with, that disability hate crime is not worth reporting. I want to delve a little deeper as to the reasons it is so underreported and better understand the relationship between our disabled communities and the police. This is something I will be looking into in the next few months.

Martyn Underhill Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner

volunteers who work tirelessly for the benefit of others. Ringwood and Fordingbridge Club for the Blind is one such club, and in keeping with many others, is always looking for more volunteers to help support and maintain this valuable service for locally visually impaired people. So, if you have a few hours a month to spare and would like to get involved, give us a call.

Kate 01425 476568 Russell 01425 476618.

Email rwfbclubforblind@hotmail.co.uk Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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Walking festival hits the spot The sixth New Forest Walking Festival has received a glowing response.

More than 1,500 walkers attended the two-week festival between 13 and 28 October, with 90% of those who left feedback saying they learnt something new about the National Park, and 99% saying they enjoyed their walk.

Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre, chairman of the New Forest National Park Authority that led the event, said, “We run this walking festival to help people learn more about the special qualities of the New Forest while enjoying a healthy stroll. So it is good to hear that so many people came away from their walk having discovered something new and interesting.

I hope each and every one of them was inspired to take care of this special place whenever they visit.”

The festival is funded by the £4.4m Our Past, Our Future Landscape Partnership Scheme backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund to make the forest fit for the future. It is run in partnership with many local organisations and will return next year from 12 to 27 October.

A New Forest Walking App has just been launched. It features 27 walks ranging from long hikes to short strolls for all ages and abilities. It’s available for free on Android and iPhone, visit www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/walksapp

Douch Family Funeral Directors invited to America A Dorset firm of funeral directors was among the prestigious businesses invited to the centenary AGM of the Selected Independent Funeral Homes in Salt Lake City, US. Nick Douch, managing director of Dorset’s Douch Family Funeral Directors, was among others from around the world who travelled to the meeting of what is the world’s oldest and largest association of family-owned funeral directors.

Sessions focused on important issues concerning the funeral industry, such as providing exceptional service, timely business advice and best practices.

Members of the association are expected to operate according to specific standards so they can provide the public with reliable, high-quality funeral services and funeral-related information.

“This was my first opportunity to attend an AGM,” said Nick Douch, “and I was thoroughly impressed with the ideas learnt from other funeral directors from around the world.

“It is interesting to compare the industry in this country with the way it works in other nations.”

At the event, he presented the president, Charles ‘Chip’ Billow, with a centenary collar, a gift from the European membership.

Robert J Paterkiewicz, executive director and CEO of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, said, “For 100 years our members have pledged to uphold the Selected Independent Funeral Homes’ Code of Good Practice and are committed to the important responsibility they have to the families and communities they serve.

“It’s a tradition of trust that Douch Family Funeral Directors has been a part of for many years.”

False TPS scam calls

Fraudsters are cold-calling people, falsely stating they are from a well-known UK telecommunication service provider. They claim to provide a ‘Telephone Preference Service’ an enhanced call-barring service, which includes barring international call centres.

The fraudsters will ask you to confirm/provide your bank details, and will tell you that there is a one-off charge for the service. Instead monthly debits will be deducted from your account, which you have not authorised. The fraudsters often target older people. The direct debits are set up without any written confirmation of instruction, which is supposed to be sent within three days. And if you attempt to call back or try to cancel the direct debit, it is likely that you will be unable to get through, or your request will be refused.

During 2017, there were 493 Action Fraud Reports relating to this fraud.

There is only one Telephone Preference Service (TPS). It is the only official UK ‘do-notcall’ register for opting out of live telesales calls. It is FREE to sign-up to the register. TPS never charge for registration. You can register for this service at www.tpsonline.org.uk. or call 08450 700 707.

For advice, or to report something to Trading Standards, call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06.

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

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ringwood NEWS Forest Forge Theatre Celebrates Milestone Ringwood-based Forest Forge Theatre Company has celebrated 21 years at its purpose-built building in Endeavour Park Industrial Estate.

R

ingwood’s mayor and mayoress and other attendees, including many who had been involved in the theatre, came together for a birthday celebration on 28 September.

The charity has enjoyed over 37 years creating theatre that reaches over 30,000 people a year. Its work within the community has aided well-being, mental health, and key skills for people of all ages and abilities.

In 1997 the theatre’s permanent residence was created through a National Lottery Grant in the business park off Crow Arch Lane in Ringwood.

It has a workshop for building and creating sets, with one of the largest paint frames in the UK, a wardrobe and costume room, a making room, backstage facilities, and an office space on the mezzanine floor.

CEO/creative producer Sharon Lawless said, “Forest Forge is above all a charity that relies on funding and support to help fund the important work we do. The building is the heart and home for everything we create that heads out to schools, tours to communities, and works with community projects.

It’s been a wonderful base for the past 21 years and we look forward to the next 21 years and more.”

The theatre will bring the story of Rumpelstiltskin to life this festive season. To find out more check out page 33.

What a busy band!

The Ringwood and Burley Band fulfilled 15 engagements through the summer and is now into its Christmas programme.

The Christmas concert at Greyfriars in Ringwood will be on Saturday 15 December and of course the band will be at the usual Father Christmas ceremony on Christmas Eve in Ringwood Market Place. Turn to page 14 for more details.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 13

ringwood NEWS

Christmas Eve with a twist Father Christmas loves Ringwood so much, he will be squeezing in another ‘last minute’ visit to the town on Christmas Eve for a very special occasion – not to give presents, but to receive them.

at The Furlong n u F Festive

This festive season at The Furlong shopping centre in Ringwood kicked off with a magical giant snow globe in early December. The next event to look out for is a Christmas Farmers’ Market and Carols on Saturday 22 December. Local producers from the Hampshire Farmers’ Market will be holding an extra special festive market. Enjoy yuletide cheer, carols, tastings and even an appearance from Father Christmas himself.

For more details visit www.thefurlong.co.uk

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

Organised by the Rotary Club of Ringwood, the Christmas Eve event starts at 6pm. Bring your singing voice and join in with Christmas carols as the Salvation Army Band and the Ringwood and Burley Band play the tunes.

Santa will make his way into the market place around 20 minutes later in a lovely carriage drawn by the impressive Percheron horses of Robert Sampson.

Thousands usually turn out to welcome Father Christmas to his grotto where, instead of handing out gifts, he will be

© Geoff

Timms

accepting presents, which will go to local children’s homes and special schools.

There will also be a nativity tableau provided by local churches.

The Christmas Eve event could not happen without the help of many people and organisations in the town and the Ringwood Rotary Club would like to thank not just the people who will bring gifts, but also all those who lend equipment and the many local firms that help out. The cost of the event has been financed by a grant from Ringwood Town Council.

“We hope to see as many people this year as we have had in the past and we are hoping for good weather,” said the members of the Rotary Club of Ringwood.

ringwood NEWS

Our why

You may have heard the term ‘find your why’. This relates to a process that great sports teams and businesses go through to understand the deeper reason why they do what they do.

After uncovering this, it allows the team to operate with complete integrity and almost always generates a positive winning culture because everyone is fully committed to the shared mission. It is a great predictor of success not just in business and sport but also in life. When we know ‘why’ we do what we do, it always leads to a positive outcome for everyone, not just the few.

Despite the massive value this brings to your life, it is still very rare that teams would do this work. Why? Because it’s hard and involves being 100% honest with ourselves and our teammates. Having gone through this ourselves, we have found a deeper meaning to what we do and how we can do it better.

Our Why is: to help people live their best lives and inspire them to help others along the way and to help make our world a better place to live for our children and friends. Its meaning is slightly different but very personal to each of us and fills us with pride.

Our Vision: our vision of forward thinking podiatry is a truly life affirming one

which genuinely excites us. We know that our feet are our foundations to the body that allow us to achieve our goals and live our lives. Without adequate foot health it can, and does, have a desperate effect on quality of life. The most tragic of cases are truly heart-breaking. Our vision is to not only fix the problem but help heal the entire bodily system from the foot to the mind because we know they are intricately connected.

Our Mission: we believe that healthcare can be done better and has the potential to truly inspire people to live their best life. The way we do this is by constantly investing in our technology, our service, our community and ourselves. We just happen to treat feet.

Thank you to all of our patients for helping us achieve this and allowing us to reach our potential.

Aengus Shanahan, Foot Focus founder

The overseas adventure Since my last article I was lucky as President of Bournemouth and District Law Society to lead the European Law Conference to Zagreb. It was a great event at which we were privileged to meet the British Ambassador to Zagreb, many Croatian lawyers and two glamorous Croatian judges. The event was a great success and as usual I found I never stop learning.

My first lesson, which I should have known already, is I need to be supervised when packing my suitcase and wearing my none work clothes. I packed what I thought would be appropriate to wear when exploring Croatia but this did not coincide with what my wife thought I should wear. One morning I mistakenly thought I was suitably dressed and I said to my wife, “I am ready to go,” and she took one look at me only for me to be sent back upstairs to try again.

I also find now that if my wife is not around, my daughter takes over as my fashion consultant, as teenagers can only do, with

cutting comments like, “You are not going out like that, you are so embarrassing and by the way can you give me £10.”

My second lesson is although Croatia is in the European Union apparently we persuaded them to join, is that they have their own currency rather than the euro. My euros only went as far as bureau exchange when I arrived at the airport.

My third lesson was when you are making a speech that follows the British Ambassador, you know it is going to be a hard act to follow.

I feel I passed that one with flying colours though, even if I did resort to telling stories of my student interrail adventures in Yugoslavia.

Overall be prepared, plan ahead and take advice when needed. When you need comprehensive legal advice we at Forest Edge and Meesons Solicitors are ready to help. If you require fashion advice we cannot help, although I know a teenager who may assist.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 15

health & care Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence A total of 310 guests celebrated the best and brightest from the air ambulance community on 12 November at the national Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence 2018.

Hosts Richard

Madeley and Angellica Bell handed out 12 awards to outstanding individuals and teams. The awards, which are independently judged, went to pilots, paramedics, doctors, fundraisers and volunteers who collected their trophies at a ceremony held on the night.

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance were shortlisted as finalists in two categories: Air Ambulance Paramedic of the Year and the Air Ambulance Special Incident Award.

The Air Ambulance Paramedic of the Year award went to critical care practitioner, Mark Williams Mark has worked with the South Western

Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust for 19 years and has been with Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance for nine years.

Over the past year, whilst working full time, Mark has successfully completed an MSc in Pre-hospital Critical Care. He was also accepted and trained as a pre-hospital examiner with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and he examined within the Diploma of Immediate Medical Care exam in July 2018.

He came across a serious road traffic incident; the result being five critically injured patients.

Mark took control of the situation by treating

Richard Madeley and Angellica Bell presented the awards

the seriously injured and enlisting help from members of the public both before and after the emergency services arrived.

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance team missed out on winning the Special Incident Award, however they were delighted when Mark Williams was announced as Air Ambulance Paramedic of the Year.

Bill Sivewright, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance chief executive officer said,“Mark’s contribution to improving care for critically ill and injured patients is substantial and we are thrilled that this has been recognised at a national level. He is a role model for compassionate paramedic practice and is greatly respected within the region.”

Funding for domestic abuse services £1.3m has been secured to help tackle domestic abuse across Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Dorset County Council is supporting Hart District Council in leading on an innovative project bid to prevent domestic abuse and support victims across the region, securing £1,297,125 of funding.

The funding has been awarded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to: • Introduce new initiatives focused on early intervention • Break down barriers faced by those in our most hard to reach communities • Support people experiencing domestic abuse and keep them safe in their homes

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

This new funding means that the success of Dorset’s Isolated Communities Engagement Project provided by the You Trust will continue to operate in the county for another 18 months. Learnings from the project will be shared with Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

New initiatives that will be adopted through the fund include early intervention in hospitals, GP surgeries and other community health care settings and increasing the number of specialist refuge bed spaces locally.

Dorset will also learn from Hampshire’s Making Safe Scheme, which provides security measures to homes of people threatened by domestic abuse to help keep them safe.

Cllr Steve Butler, Cabinet member for Safeguarding said, “We are pleased to have secured this funding to help people affected by domestic abuse in Dorset.

“It’s important that vulnerable people are reached early. I’m pleased that we are taking on new initiatives from Hampshire, as well as sharing our work with them. This is proving to be making a difference in helping to keep people safe across our communities.”

Anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse can contact the confidential, free 24 hour helpline on 0800 032 5204 or by visiting www. dorsetforyou.com/dvahelp

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health & care Brendoncare’s ‘Big Give’ For one week only, donation to Brendoncare will be doubled at no extra cost, doubling the doors opened to seven days of friendship and support for thousands of older people.

‘The Big Give Christmas Challenge’ is a matched giving campaign, allowing charities like Brendoncare to have the opportunity to raise even more vital funds. Over

the last two years they have raised an incredible £50,000 during this challenge.

Thanks to sponsors every donation is doubled, making the money go even further to support those in need.

All donations must be made online during the campaign from now until 12pm on 4 December 2018.

Brendoncare aim to

raise £20,000 in order to fund clubs and reach even more people in need of friendship.

With a desire to open the door to seven days of friendship and transform the lives of older people who are prone to loneliness and isolation, Brendoncare clubs provide a friendly place for over 1,400 members.

From Kurling to Keep Fit there is something for everyone at over 90 clubs that run throughout the

week.

If you need help making your donation email fundraising@brendoncare. org.uk for advice.

Donations must be made online during the

live campaign. Donations can be quickly and securely made via The Big Give website. Visit www. thebiggive.co.uk and search Brendoncare 7 Days of Friendship.

Spit guards to be introduced This December, Dorset Police will introduce spit and bite guards (SBG) to limit the number of assaults on officers and staff.

Chief Superintendent Colin Searle said, “The introduction of this kit is vital to support officer and staff safety. Biting and spitting is a vile act and the new SGBs will provide additional protection to help keep everyone safe.”

Assaults like these can have distressing implications for officers and staff and it is important that they have the right equipment to keep them safe.

Dorset Police will now be one of 24 forces that have developed SBGs in operational and detention settings to protect officers and staff. Furthermore, the Government is supporting the Assaults on Emergency Workers Bill, which will double the maximum penalty available for assaults on emergency workers, including spitting. This sends a clear message that attacks on emergency workers will not be tolerated. This is supported across the Alliance with the recent launch of the #unacceptable campaign, working with partners to spread this important message in our communities.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, Martyn Underhill said in his blog about the introduction of SGBs, “The principle that police officers and staff should not be spat at or bitten is beyond dispute; and I respect and accept the decision of the Chief Constable of Dorset, James Vaughan to introduce spitguards across the Force.

“I have, in the past, voiced genuine concerns over the use of spitguards.

I am however, reassured by the Chief Constable that there will be full and comprehensive training for all officers under the College of Policing National Personal Safety manual with regard to the use of the guards and that the guidance in that manual will be strictly adhered to.”

Spit Guard © Thames Valley Police

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 17

health & care

Seasonal Fitness To help you make time for your health during December Ferndown Leisure Centre are offering, from 1 – 31 December, pay the joining fee and get the first month free on premium, swim and gym only memberships.

Premium membership includes: • Places Locker app - for quick online booking, track your moves, join challenges, download programmes and more • 14 days advanced booking • Your Journey – 3 free one-to-one sessions with a member of the fitness team • Unlimited gym use • Unlimited classes • Unlimited pool use for Just Swim, Fitness and Fun sessions

Gym only includes: • Places Locker – the centre’s app for quick online booking, track your moves, join challenges, download programmes and more • 14 days advanced booking • Your Journey – 3 free one-to-one sessions with a member of the fitness team • Unlimited gym use

Swim only

Included in your membership: • Places Locker app – for quick booking, tracking your moves, challenges, exercise programmes and more • 14 days’ advanced booking • Unlimited pool use for Just Swim, Lane swimming and Fun sessions (does not include inflatable sessions) • Free use of SWIMTAG – wearable technology to track your swim performance and stroke

• Free use of SWIMTAG – wearable technology to track your swim performance and stroke

• Receive news and

• Receive news and promotional offers

Contact the swim admin team if you would like to be a swimmer or a better swimmer.

promotional offers

• Receive news and promotional offers

Swim Lessons

Ferndown Leisure Centre would like to wish all members and users a very happy and healthy Christmas and New Year.

To find out more about the offer or for details about the centre and other activities available call Ferndown Leisure Centre on 01202 877468 email: enquiries@ferndownleisurecentre.co.uk or visit www.ferndownleisurecentre.co.uk.

The Gold Standards Framework Bluebird care Ferndown Senior Registered manager Lorraine Maher is an accredited Gold Standards Framework professional trainer, which supports the provision of palliative care in a person-centred, caring and dignified manner.

Lorraine brings this dedication and passion to her role and is keen to ensure that the Care Professional teams enhance their skills in palliative care as well as in other fastchanging multi-disciplinaries care activities in the care sector. ‘’Domiciliary care staff play a vital role in caring for people at home towards the end of their life, and providing them with appropriate training is vital for all concerned, especially at this time. The GSF Domiciliary Care Training Programme helps domiciliary carers deliver a ‘gold standard’ of care for all people approaching the end of life at home.”

Lorraine Maher Senior registered care manager Bluebird Care Ferndown

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

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health & care “Book of memories” coming to St Ives Care South’s St Ives care home, located in Ringwood, is home to many residents. From those who need full time care to others who simply enjoy the peace of mind of nearby help if ever needed, it is home for many.

Working with these residents closely, most of whom have long and interesting lives behind them, is “inspiring” say members of staff.

Many residents come from fascinating careers or were once practitioners of unique hobbies and there are others who have travelled far and wide. Everyone at St Ives has a story to tell.

The staff at St Ives not only want these stories to be preserved but also shared to future generations. This is where the notion of a ‘book of memories’ came about as activities co-ordinator Laura Reynolds

spearheaded the idea after getting to know residents on a more personal level.

She spoke about the importance of sharing memories not only for the residents themselves but also visitors of the care home. Laura believes that the younger generation will benefit from reading memories, as they will be able to see a time before theirs through the eyes of another person and not just a history book.

The care home plans to have its first entry in the New Year and will be encouraging those at St Ives to take part in sharing their stories.

Tackle loneliness this Christmas

T

his time of year can feel as though it brings so much more added pressure than the rest.

This is mostly due to the amount of organising Christmas can take. From making sure all your gifts are bought, to planning to fit in visits from family

and friends during the December break, it can be easy to overlook what a privilege it is to have loved ones to think about.

Feelings of loneliness can be at their strongest during celebratory times, as it only emphasises the importance of being surrounded by others.

These feelings are not just unpleasant, but they can also contribute to health issues, especially for the elderly.

While it may be easy to get swept up in the December dash, checking up on those without family to celebrate with may make a big difference.

Laura Reynolds with residents of St Ives

This could mean calling a far flung family member for a catch up or inviting your neighbour over for a coffee. It can be surprising how the smallest acts can make the biggest difference to someone’s day, week or even their month.

With studies showing part of the growth in population in the UK can be attribured to the

increase in the average life span, the amount of those who are older and lonely will also increase and the ill effects of being alone can take their toll.

Gestures such as gifts or a cooked meal can make someone’s December far less dreary and help them, mentally and physically, get through a time when they cannot help but feel lonely.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 19

fordingbridge NEWS

Good Vibrations?

By Julian Hewitt | Fordingbridge Museum.

T

he current false news controversy and misleading ads in the American elections and Brexit campaign brings to mind earlier attempts to do the same.

In the 19th century, despite medical advances, people often suffered from things we now have simple remedies for.

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

Harsh working conditions caused back and joint problems; tight corsets put pressure on internal organs; fainting, nervous debility and anxiety were commonplace. This was a society in which unscrupulous individuals could feed on the hopes of the sick and the gullible.

Fordingbridge Museum has a device called a Pulsocon – a mechanical vibrator. Invented by Dr Gerald Macaura who travelled around promoting it.

He claimed it would cure arthritis, gout, lumbago, sciatica, neuralgia, paralysis, deafness, constipation, head noises, catarrh, heart and kidney disease, anaemia, bronchitis and asthma, piles and diseases of women. And more.

Labelled a quack, it was soon established that he was not a qualified doctor. Whilst in France he was fined 3,000 francs and imprisoned for three years for falsely practising medicine. Whilst incarcerated, he made over £60,000 profit from sales in England.

After his imprisonment he stopped referring to himself as a doctor but still stated he was “Late Member of the Royal Institute of Public Health, London.”

Convinced by his marketing, the public regarded his critics as spreaders of false news.

They continued to buy the vibrator and he continued to make large sums of money.

A parliamentary committee was established in 1914 to look at patent medicines. It noted that the Pulsocon was exorbitantly priced and of little medical value.

Today, we have the Advertising Standards Authority to protect consumers from misleading claims in advertising. However, the Internet is difficult to police, so it is still possible for devious people to play on the hopes of the desperate and naïve and to offer apparently easy solutions to complex problems. This is compounded by recent trends to be suspicious of people in authority, experts and empirical evidence. A case of history repeating itself?

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verwood NEWS In memory of Chris Gibbs

Top small business hails from Verwood Verwood-based Addiscotts Dog Food has been named as one the of the UK’s top ‘Small Biz 100’

by Small Business Saturday.

Addiscotts believe in making healthy dog life easy and specialise in grain free and hypoallergenic kibble for dogs of all ages and life stages. They were selected as a trail-blazer in the official countdown to Small Business Saturday, which took place across the UK on 1 December.

Set up by Claire Addiscott just a year ago, when she was unable to find a satisfactory food product for her dog who had consistent stomach problems, she developed a range of kibble which offers a balanced diet containing a wide range of nutrients, a large proportion of meat content and freshly prepared meats, vegetables and botanicals.

Claire said, “I’m delighted to be part of Small Biz 100, not only for my own recognition, but because of the encouragement and support small businesses offer each other. It’s all about collaborating and sharing skills and knowledge but also about encouraging the general public to shop local and support the small businesses around them, whether that’s an independent high street shop or one of the many hidden businesses that offer fantastic products and services working from home.”

Following the tragic death of cyclist Chris Gibbs on 3 October 2017, a group of his friends took part in the 5K run in Ferndown and raised £722 for Brake, the charity for road safety.

On Katie-Louise Guy’s Just Giving page she writes, “This charity in particular helped Chris’s family and we would love nothing more than to give back as a thanks to them and raise money to help others that are unfortunate to experience such a tragedy.”

Chris’ mother Debbie Turner also held a ‘Birthday Fundraiser’ in memory of her son and raised a further £254 for Brake.

Brake is a national charity working to prevent road death and injury and supports those bereaved and injured in road crashes. Every hour, a cyclist or motorcyclist is killed or seriously injured on British Roads. Visit www.brake.org.uk to find out more about the charity.

Hillside supports Children in Need Hillside First School in Verwood supported Children in Need again this year. The School Council, made up of representatives from each year group, decided to raise money by asking the children to bring in their soft toys for a 50p donation. They also arranged a soft toy raffle, charging 20p a ticket. The event was well supported and raised just over £200.

Grease fundraiser Verwood Rotary Club supported a charity film night at the Hub. The Grease sing-along attracted a packed house and £600 was made on the raffle with funds going to Macmillan Caring Locally, Christchurch; the Jigsaw Unit at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, and the British Heart Foundation.

Rotary’s Peter Strugnell was pleased with the success and said, “I plan to do another film night in six months or so.”

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 21

Howard and Thomas Bowden Verwood Beavers

verwood NEWS

VERWOOD’S POPPY PARADISE The knitting of poppies for this year’s Remembrance Day was organised by Clive Grove and Verwood Rotary Club.

C

live said, “The idea came about two years ago after the earthquake in Nepal and the Rotary Club suggested people could knit a hat for a baby. This generated thousands of hats and knitters said how fulfilling it was to take part. When we put forward the poppy idea, we were again overwhelmed by the support. Nearly 3,000 poppies were knitted to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day and around 400 balls of wool were donated by Irving and Sons Estate Agents.”

Nolan Irving said, “Everyone worked so hard and dedicated so much time to make this happen.”

Clive added, “Julia’s House Children’s Hospice has asked for the poppies and they will crochet them into cushions, blankets and other products. We had thought of drying them out and reusing them next year, but giving them to Julia’s

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

House is even better.” He said the Knit and Natter group had knitted the poppies at the Memorial Stone, where mainly red ones were joined by purple poppies, which represented the eight million horses and countless mules and donkeys that died in WW1. £1,000 in donations was made to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal by Verwood residents.

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foodie NEWS

at

Dinner The Crown

By Liam Parker

The heart of every town is a place where locals meet to catch up and newcomers visit to relax.

For Fordingbridge, that place is The Crown Inn. On a quiet, yet bustling, road that runs right through Fordingbridge, The Crown cannot be missed.

The classic village-style pub comfortably fits an abundance of people, and usually does on evenings and Sundays.

Having visited just after the clocks went back, it was already very dark when we arrived and cold to match. The Crown Inn was the best place to be visiting on a night like that.

From a quick drink to a full course meal, the pub and restaurant has much to offer. Going for the latter, we were seated in the cosy dining area. It was a separate part of the building that had more of a restaurant feel to it, while still fitting well with the rest of the place.

Since Fordingbridge is between my mother’s

home in Salisbury and mine in Bournemouth, I decided to take the opportunity to go with her for a rare meal away from our large family.

The waitress, Suzi, was so helpful and explained what was popular on the varied menu. To start with, I opted for Deep fried wedges of Brie while mum went for the Homemade soup of the day, which was a flavourful carrot and coriander.

The Brie was cooked just right, crispy and sturdy on the outside while the middle was soft and gooey.

The redcurrant jelly served with it countered the salt without being too sweet.

Waiting for my mum to finish her soup, which she explained had just the right amount of spice; I decided what I was going to have for my main course.

Having seen how nice the soup of the day looked, I chose the Pie of the day. Served with mashed potatoes or chips and a side of vegetables; that day’s pie was chicken and leek in a white wine sauce.

Both main courses came out quickly, each filling the plate. Mum’s order of Roasted Vegetable Lasagne came with garlic bread, coleslaw and mixed leaves, to create a hearty pub dinner.

The pie I ordered was no exception, taking up half the plate, with the crispy, chip-shop-style chips filling the other half. It could not have been more of a pub classic, the thick crust held together a pie full to the brim with a delicious filling.

Both of us were extremely full, so we skipped dessert and went for coffees instead. While

drinking our rich and foamy lattes (served with orange and chocolate chip biscuits) we spoke to landlady, Joanna, about The Crown and our delicious, yet huge, meals.

“We’d rather you be too full than still hungry,” she said referring to their menu that is well known for its hefty portions.

She continued, “We took a lot of time hiring a chef. We really wanted him

to know our menu and he really does.”

Having taken over at The Crown just eight weeks prior, Joanna and her husband Tony moved back from the United States and said that they fell in love with the pub when they saw how much the locals loved it. She spoke about how lively it can get at the weekends with families filling up the place for a Sunday roast.

With full stomachs and a dark drive home, my mother and I spoke about how much we enjoyed our meal and how we would certainly go back with our family for another, yet less peaceful, meal at The Crown.

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

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foodie NEWS

e p i c e r e i p e c n i M

For lots of us, nothing says Christmas like the food. From Christmas dinner to a box of chocolates, there is so much that we eat and drink that we relate to this time of year. One of the most well-known festive treats, along with Christmas cake, are mince pies.

Now a sweet treat, these small pies have a long history and were originally filled with meat. Oval-shaped to represent the manger baby Jesus slept in, the pies quickly became a Christmas party staple, especially for the rich.

Mince pies are now more commonly found in circular shape and are filled with delicious dried fruit and spices.

While buying them may be easy this time of year mags4dorset has a mince pie recipe for those wanting to make their own.

Please send us your photos of your mince pies once out of the oven to:

Ingredients

mags@mags4dorset.co.uk

The pastry

175g of plain flour • 75g of butter • 25g of caster sugar • 1 egg 1.

2.

3.

4.

Add the flour and the butter together, mixing them well.

Add the sugar and egg to that mixture, forming a dough.

With a light sprinkle of flour on your surface, roll out the dough.

Using 2 different size cutters cut 2 types of circle, one for the base and one for the lid.

When it comes to the top of your mince pies, the choice is up to you. If you want more bases than lids, you can leave some pies open on top, allowing for icing.

Alternatively an equal number of bases and lids will give you classic mince pies.

The mincemeat Making your own mincemeat is undoubtedly the most time consuming part when it comes to making mince pies. Mincemeat can be bought from almost any supermarket, which then gives you the freedom to add certain elements to make it your own.

One great way of doing this is by adding a grated apple and a finely chopped orange. Next (if you like) a splash of brandy with the final addition of raisins to stop the mixture becoming too soggy.

Bake at 200° degrees until the pastry is golden.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 25

foodie NEWS ION

COM P ETIT

1 2 MAGS4DORSET is offering the chance to win a ÂŁ60 dining out voucher for any of the restaurants featured on these two pages.

From traditional pubs to exotic restaurants there is something for everyone and for a chance to win all you have to do is match the names of these eight eateries with the correct photo:

Amarone Italian Restaurant The Old Thatch The Red Shoot The George The Old Inn Tiien The Alice Lisle Wimborne Tandoori 26 |

VIEWPOINT December 2018

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3

4

foodie NEWS

5

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7

8

How to enter Enter at www.mags4dorset. co.uk or send your answer on a postcard to DINE OUT COMPETITION, mags4dorset, Dana House, Spinneys Lane, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9BZ. Closing date is 7 January 2019. The first correct entry drawn will be the winner.

Employees of Pulford Publicity Ltd or the eateries included in this competition are not permitted to enter. There is no cash alternative. The editor’s decision is final. Personal data submitted when entering any mags4dorset competitions will be stored securely and will only be processed to determine the winner of the competition, which will be announced in the magazine. mags4dorset will only retain your personal details for as long as is necessary to process the data and for as long as is reasonably required for its lawful business purposes or to comply with a statutory or other legal requirement. Personal data will be treated confidentially and only the winner’s will be shared. For more information, please contact Janine Pulford, data protection officer on 01202 870270.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 27

BUSINESS | COMMUNITY BUSINESS | COMMUNITY | UNITY | UNITY

By Liam Parker and Janine Pulford

C

hristmas is an amazing time of year for many people.

Whether it’s a chance to see family, the joy of giving, a feast, or time for a long awaited break, there are countless reasons why so many of us love this time of year.

However, struggling to find the right gift can be a tricky part of Christmas, so here are some ideas on what to buy your loved ones this December.

NEW FOREST TREE OF LIFE

A one stop shop when it comes to shopping at this time of year. A browse of this one-of-a-kind store will give you all the gift inspiration that you need.

From treatments to clothing there is something for even the hardest to buy for and with the gift shop offering 10% off now until 24 December it’s the perfect time to start your Christmas shopping.

FOR HIM

A trip is often a good idea when it comes to a Christmas gift. From a weekend away to a brewery tour a present like this suits many, as there are lots to choose from depending on their interests. For those into keeping fit, or just wanting to reduce their carbon footprint, a new bike will likely go down well, from a mountain bike for the fitness fanatic to an electric one for those who just love to get outside.

Alternatively you could stick with the classics. A new aftershave, a razor or items of clothing are simple yet great gifts.

FOR HER While leaning towards the classics can also be a good idea here, such as perfumes, cosmetics and jewellery, reinventing your Christmas gifts can be a nice change. Spa days for your hard working partner or beauty treatment vouchers for that sister who just seems to have everything can be some of the most thoughtful gifts.

CREATION EXPRESS

As Christmas approaches, buying the perfect gift for your friends, family or partner can be a tricky task. When it comes to Christmas presents, many of us want to show how much our loved ones mean to us. What better way to do that than with a personalised gift?

Creation Express is on hand to create personalised gifts and cards as unique and special as those receiving them. With a wide range of products and creative ideas available from mugs and coasters to frames and cushions there is sure to be something for everyone.

Having been in the UK for 15 years Creation Express is creating one of kind products for customers making sure that every one of them get the gift they want to give, especially at Christmas time.

Excitingly, Creation Express can now be found in the new Ferndown Post Office and is ideal for anyone looking for a new type of gift this December or looking to make Christmas this year more personal. With baubles, pictures and cushions available you can add personal touches to this time of year even before the big day.

28 |

VIEWPOINT VIEWPOINT December December 2018 2018

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BUSINESS | COMMUNITY BUSINESS | COMMUNITY| |UNITY UNITY

WORLDSPAN

Choosing and booking a holiday is not always easy, with decisions about where, how long, hotel or self catering, but for most people it’s the cost and trying to get the best deal for the money available. Another important aspect is: where do I start my holiday from? If you live in the area, it has to be from Bournemouth Airport, or a cruise from Southampton to make it easy and less hassle. There is a huge range of options now available from Worldspan’s local airport. Worldspan Travel Ferndown has been advising and assisting people for over 35 years to get the holiday they want at the price they are happy with. If the course for your particular holiday is not available from Bournemouth, somewhere else will be found.

FOR KIDS –

TRY A PLASTIC FREE CHRISTMAS

Children are, arguably, the ones who look forward to Christmas the most, especially if they are anticipating a few new toys from Father Christmas or family members. However, it’s easy to forget what most toys are made of today.

Single use plastic is a hot topic lately and while many individuals and companies are changing their behaviours to better the environment, other types of plastic are often being overlooked.

Plastic has a purpose because it is durable and easy to keep clean. Toys are not as single-use as a plastic bottle because they are rarely thrown away after one usage, and are often handed down from one child to another, or sold on when they are outgrown. That being said it is true that often these days, children have too many toys and the big day brings more plastic to fill up your home and, sadly, the planet.

WE CAN ALL DO OUR LITTLE BIT FOR A PLASTIC FREE ENVIRONMENT THIS CHRISTMAS. HERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

1

BUY LESS

I know this is easier said than done when spoiling children and grandchildren because everyone wants to see the excitement on their faces when they open their presents.

But cutting down on the amount of toys bought is a simple way to reduce plastic purchases and do your bit to help save the environment.

2

AVOID PLASTIC

Many children’s gifts that contain plastic can be found made out of other, more environmentally friendly materials.

Toy swords and trains are frequently made out of plastic and can be easily replaced with wooden alternatives. Other toys such as plastic dolls and figures can also be found made out of less harmful material such as wool and cotton. And don’t forget, you can always give a book or a cuddly toy.

3 A NEW TYPE OF GIFT

Replacing physical gifts with money, vouchers or days out to a theme park can be a great way to not only reduce plastic waste but also extend the Christmas celebrations into the New Year, so reinvent the idea around what is given on 25 December and think beyond toys. A subscription to a wildlife charity, or eco charity could also be something that a child could enjoy all year round and will help them understand the importance of their environment.

Tag Viewpoint Magazine on FB: @viewpointmagazinedorset Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 29

Lest We Forget benches on the Petwyn provided by West Moors Parish Council to commemorate 100 years since the end of WW1.

100 years commemorated since the end of WW1 Remembrance services were held throughout the country on 11 November and beacons were lit in the evening to commemorate 100 years since the end of WW1.

In Verwood, nearly 3,000 poppies had been knitted to make this year’s Remembrance service extra special.

Hundreds of people gathered for the two-minute silence at the Memorial Stone on Ferrett Green, with many lining the roadside after the green became packed.

Following a moving service, Verwood Town Council thanked residents for knitting the poppies, and Irving and Sons Estate Agents for donating the balls of wool for the

community event.

Other Remembrance services and parades throughout the area were extremely well-attended as young and old gathered to remember those lost in conflicts throughout the world. In Wimborne, hundreds joined together in the morning for the two-minute silence on Minster Green. Later, at 3pm, the annual RBL service was held in the minster with over 600 people, and at least 100 more listening to the

service outside on the green. It was followed by wreath-laying. From 5pm, the minster bells joined the national ‘ring’ and at 6pm there was a procession from the square, led by the Dorset Youth Marching Band to the top of the town cemetery, where the lighting of the beacon took place.

In West Moors, the cleaning of the War Memorial gave a glimmer of light to replace the darkness of the war. In timeless tradition, The

Royal British Legion together with the parish council, organised the Service of Remembrance, which was led by Churches Together. It is believed that over 1,000 people were present to reflect, remember and reminisce.

The finale of the commemoration was a flourish of rainfall, but what followed was a beautiful rainbow shining over everyone who came to pay their respects. The rainbow was also seen in Verwood.

West Moors Parade © Roy Setchfield

Wimborne Minster Parade © Gordon Edgar.

Two-minute silence on Minster Green, Wimborne where a crowd of several hundred gathered © Christine Oliver 2018

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

Mayor of Verwood, Cllr Sandra Grove, with Scout

West Moors © Roy Setchfield

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Celebs back call to end “cruel” suffering

Mother’s disappointment at sentence as man claims he thought cyclist he hit was a deer

A

man has been sentenced following a fatal collision on the A338 Spur Road in Bournemouth that took the life of cyclist Christoper Gibbs.

Kevin Johnson, 58, of Thatcham in Berkshire, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on 2 November after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.

He was handed a one-year community order with 240 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Christopher’s mother, Debbie Turner said, “I was deeply disappointed at the sentence that was handed down to Kevin Johnson, the driver who killed my wonderful son.

“Dorset Police, and in particular my family liaison officer have managed my expectations very well during the year it took for this to come to court, and I knew not to expect justice.

“All I wanted was for Johnson to receive a meaningful punishment, and unfortunately that was not what we got. When the judge handed out a sentence of 240 hours unpaid work, my first reaction was that in the eyes of the law, that is all my son was worth. Johnson was also given an 18-month driving ban, which is not really relevant, as the DVLA have rescinded his licence anyway, due to an alleged ‘medical condition’.”

The fatal collision happened on the night of 3 October 2017 on the southbound lane of the A338 dual carriageway.

Johnson was driving a white Mercedes Citan van for his job as a courier. He collided with a bicycle being ridden by 30-yearold Christopher in the nearside lane around two miles south of the Ashley Heath roundabout.

The bike’s front and rear lights were illuminated.

Very sadly, Chris died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

Johnson initially stopped around 100 metres away before driving toward Bournemouth.

His windscreen was shattered on the passenger side and the bonnet, passenger side wing mirror, wing and bumper were damaged.

His vehicle was seen on Bournemouth Borough Council CCTV driving around with a damaged windscreen.

He continued to the Applewood Hotel to make a delivery and arrived almost half an hour after the collision. CCTV at the hotel appeared to show Johnson outside of his vehicle, photographing it and then wiping the front of it.

Johnson then requested recovery for his vehicle.

At approximately 11.50pm, a police officer who was at the southbound road closures on the A338, spotted the defendant’s damaged vehicle passing the scene heading northbound on the back of a GRS recovery truck. He noticed the vehicle had a badly damaged windscreen and passed the information on.

The recovery truck was traced and the van seized by officers at a garage workshop in Southampton. Johnson was arrested at around 6.20am the following day.

Subsequent examinations of Johnson’s electronic devices established Internet searches had been made between 12.02am and the time of his arrest for details on road closures and traffic information in Bournemouth. A piece of blood-stained tissue found in the van was examined. It was confirmed that the blood matched that of Mr Gibbs.

Johnson

In police interviews, Johnson claimed he had hit a deer and had he realised he’d hit a cyclist, he would have reported the matter immediately.

Police Inspector Joe Pardey, of the traffic unit, said, “This was a tragic incident that cost the life of a young man and my thoughts remain with Mr Gibbs’ family and friends.

“Kevin Johnson’s decision to leave the scene without reporting the matter to police could be considered as morally indefensible.

“I would like to praise the officer who spotted the vehicle that led to us quickly identifying the man responsible and allowed us to bring him before the courts.”

Heartbroken Debbie Turner added, “240 hours of unpaid work is no more than a slap on the wrist, and more hours than that were spent on the initial investigation.

“Dorset Police were let down by the judicial system, my family were let down, and most importantly, Chris was let down.

“This sentence sends out entirely the wrong message: that is okay to kill someone in a car and run away from what you have done. Either way you will get away with it.

“I have always said that I could accept and forgive the collision. But I can never forgive Johnson’s callous and selfish, self-centred actions both at the scene of the collision and afterwards. To leave Chris dead on the side of the road, and not own up to what was a terrible accident, was utterly despicable and totally unforgiveable.”

Did you know that Black Friday on 23 November coincided with Fur Free Friday? It gave celebrities the chance to speak out against the “cruel” suffering of animals killed for the fur trade.

Many have backed calls by ADI (Animal Defenders International) to consign this brutal industry to the past.

Gemma Atkinson, who reached the Strictly Come Dancing final last year and formerly starred in Hollyoaks, said, “We can all make a difference by making fashion choices that are kind not cruel to the animals. Don’t contribute to the suffering and deaths of millions of animals – say no to fur, forever.”

She joins a growing list of celebrities who are supportive of ADI’s campaign including Ricky Gervais, Joanna Lumley, Brian Blessed, Sara Pascoe, Peter Egan, Moby, Elaine Hendrix and Bob Barker.

Although the UK banned fur farming 18 years ago, it remains a major dealer. Last year, more than £63 million worth of fur was imported into the UK. ADI president Jan Creamer said, “Treated like a product, intelligent, feeling individuals continue to suffer for this brutal trade. Born in a cage, they die a terrifying and painful death. This is the real cost of fur – help end the cruelty and say no to fur.”

With a number of ‘fake’ fur products found to be real fur, compassionate shoppers are being tricked into buying real fur. ADI advises ethical shoppers to report items that are not labelled, or mislabelled, and is providing advice on how to identify the real fur being sold as ethical fake.

Drug driver banned for 18 months A motorist caught drug driving twice in five days has been disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Steven David Hicks, aged 37, of West Moors, appeared at Poole Magistrates’ Court on 15 November. As well as the ban, he received a community order with a 20-day activity requirement, a drug rehabilitation requirement,150 hours of unpaid work in the community and was ordered to pay £85 in court costs.

On 12 May, officers stopped a black Mercedes Vito in Poole. Hicks’ Hicks

speech appeared slurred. A drug wipe gave a positive reading for cocaine and he was arrested. A blood sample contained 22 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood and more than 200 micrograms of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, per litre of blood. The legal limits are 10 micrograms per litre of blood for cocaine and 50 micrograms for benzoylecgonine.

Four days later, Hicks was stopped again in the same vehicle on Richmond Park Close in

© Animal Defenders International

Bournemouth. A roadside drug wipe indicated a positive reading for cocaine and he was arrested.

Blood samples revealed readings of 40 micrograms of cocaine and 800 micrograms of benzoylecgonine – 16 times the legal limit.

Inspector Joe Pardey, of the traffic unit, said, “The fact that Hicks was caught twice in such a short period demonstrates the risk he poses to other road users and I am glad that thanks to this sentence he will not be able to get behind the wheel for a considerable period of time.”

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 31

Plastic Free Ferndown | We are the champions!

Molly Guy

Surfers Against Sewage, the charity spearheading the plastic free campaigns throughout the country, is now issuing beautiful wooden Plastic Free Champion awards.

The first three have been received

by Colten Care’s Fernhill Care Home at Longham, Ferndown Pharmacy and MAGS4DORSET. Sharon Pharoah who is spearheading Ferndown Pharmacy’s changes to reduce single use plastic said, “We are thrilled with this recognition. As an independent business we have been able to make these changes.” She encouraged people to support their local pharmacy.

One of the biggest changes Sharon was made was to swap plastic bags for paper bags for prescriptions. Pharmacy owner Rebecca Elmes fully backs the initiative.

Other business can follow in their footsteps if they make at least three changes towards freeing their business from throw-away plastic.

You’re never too old to tackle the plastic nightmare

Sharon Pharoah, Ferndown Pharmacy

Ben Pulford, MD of MAGS4DORSET

Gina Smith, Manager, Fernhill Care Home

To help you make changes now, PFF Surfers Against Sewage suggests the following: •

replace plastic straws with biodegradable ones

•

remove unnecessary bin liners

•

swap to milk in glass bottles (B&B Dairies in Ringwood make deliveries in Ferndown)

•

cut bubble wrap and use paper packaging instead

•

use paper bags instead of plastic ones

•

swap plastic cutlery for metal or wooden cutlery

•

switch to glass bottles or canned drinks

•

avoid the use of, and release of balloons at your events

•

use pencils more often to cut down on the use of plastic pens

Your plastic free leaders are Janine, Ben and Louis Pulford at MAGS4DORSET and Tony Brown, Y-not Finance. All are contactable through the Plastic Free Ferndown Facebook page, or call 01202 870270.

If you have made three changes or more, contact Plastic Free Ferndown now.

Let them know what you are doing to help your environment.

Prickles, lights and paper cups!

A large crowd turned out for the Christmas lights switch on in Penny’s Walk, Ferndown on 24 November.

The chamber, Rotary Club and town council put in a huge effort, and the covered bandstand was a pivotal place for live music and Christmas tunes.

Santa worked flat out in his grotto and one happy fouryear-old from Poole who clutched her gift tightly said, “This is the most wonderful present ever from Father Christmas.”

Mulled wine and mince pies flew off the chamber stand.

A conscious decision was made not to use plastic cups for the wine, which was just as well because the stall next door was promoting Plastic Free Ferndown.

The fish and chip van was a hit and another sensation was the hedgehogs brought into Penny’s Walk by Animal Mad House. For many it was their first opportunity to see hedgehogs up close and hold them.

When it came to lighting up time, the mayor, Cllr Mrs Jean Read, arrived to do the honours.

The magnificent Ferndown Chamber of Commerce hamper raffle sponsored by the chamber’s newest member, Mata Construction, was hugely popular.

Substantial hampers went to: Mrs B Brown (1st), Mrs S Fletcher (2nd) and Mrs M Leach (3rd), all from Ferndown.

Photograph y by CatchB

ox

32 |

VIEWPOINT December 2018

It’s not often that you get so incensed by something that you pick up the phone and make a complaint, but that is what 90-year-old Molly Guy did when the six ready meals she’d ordered from Parsley Box arrived.

They were left on her doorstep in a cardboard box.

Molly said, “It was rather a large box, but I realised the meals would have to be packaged well.”

She was in for a shock when she opened the lid. Inside were sixteen inflatable pouches of airfilled plastic bags holding the meals securely in place.

Each meal was in a plastic tray with a cardboard sleeve.

“I could not believe the quantity of plastic used to deliver to me alone,” said Molly.

She immediately rang Parsley Box to complain and was told that the company makes up to 150 deliveries a day using the plastic packaging. Molly did not discover if those 150 deliveries were in West Moors, Dorset, or the whole country. MAGS4DORSET contacted Parsely Box by phone and were told the data wasn’t available, and an email enquiry was required. So far, there has been no response other than an acknowledgement.

But let’s do the maths on 150. 150 x 16 pouches makes 2,400 plastic pouches a day. Parsley Box has confirmed the pouches are recyclable, but that’s a possible 12,000 pouches a week (working on deliveries 6 days a week) of single use plastic that will go straight in the bin. (624,000 a year).

Editor,Janine Pulford, who covered the story and is a community leader for Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Ferndown, said, “Using single use plastic for packaging at this rate is verging on the ridiculous. There must be something better for the environment than this.”

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Having a ball with Eddie Howe Premier League Football manager Eddie Howe, completed the annual lighting up event in Wimborne on 24 November when he tripped the switch to illuminate the town.

T

he day’s events kicked off with entertainment from the local area and schools.

Panto characters from Cinderalla pitted the crowd against each other and Father Christmas was there too. But as AFC Bournemouth supporters began to arrive in numbers, it was clear that Howe was going to be the star of the show.

A Militia Guard of Honour escorted him to a champagne reception at the Square Chinese where he talked to the town’s mayor and other dignitaries.

The mayor, Cllr Mrs Kelly Webb said, “What a superb day. Eddie was very generous with his time. After the switch on he signed lots of autographs and had photos taken with fans. We’re very grateful that he was able to make time for the town where he went to school. It was really appreciated by everyone.”

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

| 33

around & ABOUT

what’s on

this month 11 - 15 December

Disney Peter Pan Jnr at The Regent Centre. Tickets from £13. Call 01202 499199 or visit www.theregentcentre.co.uk

12 December 10am-1pm

Christmas Snowman Art workshop with Karen Coulson at Ringwood Library. Cost £15. Book on 01425 474255 or online at www.hants.gov. uk/shop.

12 December 2pm

Friends of Red House Museum and Gardens present ‘Exploring the Dorset Stour’ with John Coombes, wildlife photographer. At Priory House, Christchurch. £2.50/£4.50 Friends/visitors. 01202 482860 to book.

13 December

‘Blandford Otters and Coastal Cliffs in Summer’ by Dudley Higginson at Ferndown & District Horticultural Association at the Guide Hall, Spinneys Lane, Ferndown BH22 9BZ. Anyone is free to visit for £2.

Membership is £8. Tel 01425 276164.

15 December 7.30pm-10pm

The Verwood Concert Brass Christmas Concert at The Hub, Verwood. A selection of festive tunes to get you in the Christmas spirit. Tickets £10 (Under 19s £6). Call 01202 828740.

15 December 11am Shoppers Carol Service, Wimborne Minster.

15 December 10am – 4pm

Christmas Craft at Shire Hall.

Tickets cost £3 per child with all materials included. Suitable for ages 3+, no need to book.

34 |

Details were correct at the time of going to print but readers are advised to check before attending events

15 December 2.30pm

Regal Cinema Family Screening of The Polar Express – 35 Shaftsbury Street, Fordingbridge SP6 1JF. Call 01425 652602 or visit www. theregalcinema.org.

15 December 5.55pm

La Traviata. Met Opera NY. Live broadcast on screen at the Regent in Christchurch. £22.

Conc £20. Box office 01202 499199.

15 -24 December

Best Ever Christmas Show at The Minster Theatre, Allendale Centre. With professional performers and the same strength and ethos of any Christmas show in Dorset, it will be appealing and fun for all the family. Call 01202 887247.

16 December

Durlston Christmas Pudding Plod. Durlston will host a charity fun-run, with decorations enroute, fancy dress, festive music and a Christmas Pudding for participants.

Email dorsetcountryside@ dorsetcc.gov.uk

17 December

The Travelling Players return with Rumpelstiltskin.

Touring to communities and villages December 2018 – January 2019. Visit www. forestforgetheatre.co.uk.

18 December 7.30pm

Bournemouth Electronic Organ Society presents a concert of popular music by Brett Wales at Queen Elizabeth’s School, Wimborne. Visitors welcome. £5 payable at door. Info: 01202 895254.

VIEWPOINT December 2018

18 December 7pm

BJÖRN AGAIN at Bournemouth O2 Academy. For tickets and more information visit www. academymusicgroup.com/ o2academybournemouth

19 December 7.30pm

New Forest Jazz Workshop at Godshill Village Hall. For further information call 01425 650770 or email hippotrain@btinternet. com.

20 December

Festive charity trail in Poole with Santa and the Hamworthy Fire Fighters. Event in aid of the Forest Holme Hospice charity.

Telephone on 01202 670644.

21- 24 December 5pm to 7pm

Corfe Castle Winter Lights.

Take in the festive atmosphere with contemporary lanterns, braziers, beacons and lighting as you explore the castle grounds. Free admission.

21 December 6pm Carols in the Cornmarket, Wimborne Minster.

21 December 8pm

The ultimate Christmas retro party. Retro 60s’ night at Highcliffe Sports and Social Club.

21 December 6 January

Cinderella at the Tivoli Theatre.

The classic rags to riches tale is at the Tivoli through December and January. Box office: 01202 885566.

22 December 10-2pm

Christmas farmers’ market.

Stock up on fresh, in season, locally produced food, drink and festive treats at the Furlong shopping centre, 01425 475139.

23 December 6.30pm

The Minsters Carol Service, Wimborne Minster.

14 January 2.30pm

West Moors Horticultural Society illustrated talk “The Shady Garden” by Alan Edmondson at West Moors Memorial Hall. More details: Sue Hamlett on 01202 871536.

24 December 6pm

Christmas Eve in Ringwood Market Place, Santa’s last visit to before Christmas. Organised by the Rotary Club of Ringwood, this Christmas Eve event has a unique charitable twist and builds on the success of previous years.

28 December 10.30pm -1.30pm

Holes Bay Stroll: from heath to sea. A festive stroll to explore Upton Heath and Woods returning via Holes Bay which will be alive with wintering wildfowl and waders. Contact Ken Yeates at dwtpoole@ hotmail.co.uk

31 December 10.30pm

The Greatest Showman singalong. A special sing-along screening to The Greatest Showman comes to The Regent Centre this New Year’s Eve. Adult tickets start at £6.50 and under 16 tickets start at £5.50. Call 01202 499199 or visit www.theregentcentre. co.uk

5 - 7 January

Tree-cycle. Diverse abilities will collect your old Christmas tree for a small donation and recycle it. They advise booking early to avoid disappointment.

Visit www.diverseabilities.org.uk/trees

11 January 10am-3.30pm

Blandford Vintage Fair. Over 30 stalls selling vintage finds in the historic Shambles and Corn Exchange, Blandford. £1 entry (children go free).

16 January

Miracle of Migration exhibition begins at Durlston Country Park, Lighthouse Road, Swanage.

17 January 2.30pm

A fun quiz for members and friends of Verwood U3A. Verwood Memorial Hall, Ringwood Road, BH31 7AA. £2.50 per person.

19-26 January

Highcliffe Charity Players present the pantomime Cinderella at the Regent Centre, Christchurch. Call 01202 499199 or visit www. theregentcentre.co.uk

26 January 10.15am

West Moors Horticultural Society coffee morning at West Moors Memorial Hall. More details: Sue Hamlett on 01202 871536.

26 January 2.30pm

Kiplings India lecture by Andrew Lycett at The Old School, Sturminster Marshall.

Tickets £6. Tel: 01258857528.

30 January 7.30pm

New Forest Jazz Workshop at Godshill Village Hall. For more details call 01425650770 or email hippotrain@btinternet. com.

6 February 7.30pm

Vera Riddell ‘Vive la Différence’, Ferndown French Circle at the Barrington Centre.

Members £3. Visitors £5. More info from 01202 526918.

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around & ABOUT

BSO Resound strikes a chord

The Travelling Players return with Rumpelstiltskin Never promise something you can’t deliver.

You know how easy it is: “I promise to be good” “I promise I will never lie” “I promise my daughter can turn straw into gold…”

Forest Forge Theatre Company based in Ringwood is excited to be working in co-production with Bumblefly Theatre to bring the story of Rumpelstiltskin to life this festive season. This classic story adapted

by David Haworth will be touring across Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset to local communities, village halls, and schools until 19 January.

From the team that brought you The Frog Prince, The Elves and The Shoemaker, and Hansel and Gretel, this collaboration promises to bring a family show filled with madcap humour and a sprinkle of magic.

Be enchanted by the tale of the little man with the long name and the young miller’s daughter determined to keep her mum’s promise that she can spin straw into gold.

Meet characters from familiar fairy tales along the way and enjoy memorable songs that will have you singing all the way home.

In an ever-changing world, enjoy a twist on this classic children’s fairytale that will have both children and adults thinking, smiling and laughing. This year storyteller Michele O’Brian joins Dominic Phillips and Anna Harriott on stage as part of the Travelling Players team.

After it’s premier night at Forest Forge Theatre in Ringwood, the show will be touring at venues across Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this wonderful performance.

For more show information and details on how to buy tickets head to www. forestforgetheatre.co.uk.

The world’s first disabled-led ensemble, which forms a core part of a professional symphony orchestra, filled a school hall with the sound of music when it treated pupils to an inspirational performance.

Lockyer’s Middle School in Corfe Mullen welcomed the BSO Resound ensemble for a concert and question and answer session.

The musicians performed to a packed school hall for 45 minutes and then spent time answering questions and showing their instruments to the children.

Headteacher, Mark Legge, said, “It was an absolute honour to welcome BSO Resound to our school.

“Their performance was incredibly uplifting and a real inspiration. These talented men and women demonstrated there is no barrier that cannot be overcome - and what an incredible message to leave with our children.”

After performing seven pieces of classical music, including Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro Overture and Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, the musicians took part in a special Q&A session.

BSO Resound was formed from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s Change Makers project, which began in June 2017 when disabled conductor James Rose started an 18-month training placement.

A core part of the BSO Change Makers project was to create a professional disabled-led ensemble for James to curate and direct that would also be embedded in the Orchestra.

BSO Resound was formed a year ago under James’ leadership with

Siobhan Clough on violin/viola, Philip Howells on percussion, Roger Preston on cello, Kate Risdon on flute, Matthew Scott on clarinet and Charlotte Bott on LinnStrument.

Their formation saw the BSO become the first Symphony orchestra in the world to have a professional disabled-led ensemble as a core part of its activities.

Its mission is to take its work beyond the concert hall and BSO Resound’s visit to Lockyer’s was part of a wider tour of local schools.

James Rose, BSO Resound conductor, said, “It was a sheer delight touring schools in Dorset and meeting so many enthusiastic young people interested in our music.

“It is always a little uncertain as to whether there’s going to be any questions from students when it comes to the post-concert Q&A session.

However, at every school we played at last week, we couldn’t keep up with the number of questions being asked. It was fantastic.”

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around & ABOUT

La Nova Singers at

Highcliffe Castle and St Ambrose Acclaimed female vocal ensemble La Nova Singers are returning to two venues this Christmas; St Ambrose Church, Westbourne and Highcliffe Castle. They will be performing a mixture of traditional and modern Christmas songs with both programmes, having variations in content and soloists.

Sam Hanson will accompany on organ and piano, with the choir being joined by Parry String Ensemble at St Ambrose.

Christine Langton will

accompany on piano at Highcliffe Castle.

La Nova Singers are also singing with male trio Blake at the Regent Centre, Christchurch on Sunday 2 December. The choir will be performing four pieces with Blake and one Christmas song from their own repertoire.

Michelle Nova, musical director said, “I am thrilled we have been invited to sing with Blake during their Christmas concert in Christchurch this year. We have enjoyed performing

at The Regent Centre previously and are excited to be back.

“We are really looking forward to bringing a festive atmosphere to our audiences through our two Christmas concerts; a candlelit concert in Westbourne and the singing in the glorious surroundings of Highcliffe Castle.”

Award-winning women’s choir La Nova Singers was formed in 2004 by their conductor and musical director

Michelle Nova. Their distinctive pure tone and powerful sound are a result of the ‘Bel Canto’ technique that all the singers are trained in. They have gone on to perform in concerts across the South, as well as releasing two CDs and

being featured on BBC Radio 3.

To purchase tickets for the Wesbourne Concert on 15 December email tickets@lanovasingers. co.uk Tickets for Highcliffe on 19 December call 01425 278807

Big Dig at the Model Town A group of volunteers from Wimborne Waitrose Community Matters team joined forces with the garden helpers at Wimborne Model Town to clear and level the front garden area at the charity attraction prior to replanting for the 2019 season.

“We were delighted to receive help from our friends at Waitrose who have made such a big impact in a short space of time,” commented general manager Greg Hoar.

The Model Town is keen to hear from green-fingered helpers who would like to volunteer at the King Street site to assist with the garden maintenance programme.

Call 01202 881924 for more information.

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

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around & ABOUT

Regent Centre raises £1,562

Meet real reindeer at Santa’s Winter Wonderland

On Children in Need Day on Friday 16 November between 10am – 12 Noon, local ukulele band, Uke Box Glory, entertained the crowds in Christchurch High Street outside the Regent Centre.

Regent volunteers sold raffle tickets for a chance to win one of a number of special hampers that had been put together by donations from Regent staff, volunteers and some regular theatre and cinema goers at the Centre. These were all on display in the window of the Regent Information Centre and Box Office.

Later that evening, Uke Box Glory were invited to appear on BBC TV South’s special Children in Need show which was broadcasted from King Edward’s School in Southampton.

The organiser of the fund raising event was the Regent’s Information Centre and Box Office manager, Sara Stewart-Haddow, who has just announced that £1,562 has been raised for Children In Need.

Sara said, “This has been a magnificent team effort by everyone to raise £1,562 for such a good cause. I want to thank everyone who donated their time and the prizes to make the event such a success. I am just so glad that the weather was so good on the day for Uke Box Glory to play for us outside the Regent and it was brilliant of the BBC to include them on their show.”

Bring the whole family to meet Father Christmas and his friendly elves, a special visit that children will remember for years to come. With beautiful snow scenes, fun animations, great gifts for the children and a visit with Santa.

The real reindeer will be at Stewarts Christchurch and Broomhill Garden Centres to keep Santa company. Take home a great memory of your visit with a photo and experience the magic of Christmas at Santa’s Winter Wonderland.

Tickets to Santa’s Winter Wonderland sell quickly and must be booked in advance.

Tickets can be purchased online at santa.stewarts.co.uk for just £10.95 including a gift from Santa (7 months – 12 years), free for babies, 0 – 6 months (no present but ticket still required) and £1 for each adult.

Christmas at Stewarts Garden Centres is always very special. With inspirational gifts and decorations, a choice of beautiful flowering plants and a wide range of real or artificial Christmas trees. Between 1 and 24 December receive 10% off all tree lights when you buy a real Christmas tree.

Voucher valid for day of purchase only and while stocks last.

For more information visit www.stewarts.co.uk

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in the HOME

Keeping T plants alive through the winter

By Liam Parker

he spring and summer months are perfect for your houseplants, the humidity and seemingly endless hours of sunshine are plant heaven. You have probably noticed that they flourish during that time of year and maybe even bought a few whilst it was warmer.

However, now that the colder and darker months are here (with January, the coldest and darkest month looming) it can be a struggle to keep your plants healthy until things start to warm up again.

Before you accept the fate of your houseplants, there are simple tricks that can not only make them last through winter but also keep them looking green and full of life and mags4dorset has three for you:

1. Hold the water

While it is always a good idea to water your plants regularly, most need far less than they do in the summer.

This is due to both more moisture in the air as well as the lack of growth plants go through during the colder months.

Over-watering when it’s cold outside can attract bugs and mould which can suffocate your plant.

2. Double up on dusting

Dust build up on leaves can stop plants from photosynthesising. Winter means more dust (people stay in the house more) and less sun, so keeping your plants dust-free is essential to keep them thriving.

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

3. Musical plants Finding temporary new spots for the plants in your house is one of the best ways to keep them alive.

Places that have the most sunlight during these short days are ideal for your sun loving succulents, or any other type of plant, to grab as much as they can, even if it means moving them between a couple of spots every day.

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in the HOME

Purrfect landlords Cats Protection has launched a major new campaign to help more people living in rented housing own a cat.

T

he UK’s largest cat charity is offering free guidance to landlords and letting agents to help ensure that tenancy agreements reflect modern day living.

Issues over finding cat-friendly housing have been one of the top five reasons recorded by Cats Protection for cats being handed into the charity’s adoption centres over the past 12 months. Cats Protection’s research shows that less than half (42%) of private rented housing allows cats in the UK. Jacqui Cuff, Cats Protection’s head of Advocacy and Government Relations, said, “More and more people are renting their homes either by choice or necessity, yet very few rented properties accept cats. This means tenants are missing out on being able to own a cat,

while landlords may be losing out on responsible and settled tenants.”

The charity has launched a new website full

of guidance for landlords and tenants about allowing cats into their properties and addressing any concerns.

The website, at www.cats.org.uk.purrfectlandlords includes free, downloadable legal wording for landlords and letting agents to add to their own tenancy agreements, setting out simple conditions on cat ownership to protect and benefit both landlords and tenants.

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in the HOME

Beware of unwanted orders this Christmas

Virtual assistants such as Alexa, Siri and Google Home are ordering goods online automatically, and without their owners’ knowledge, after listening in to conversations.

With Christmas approaching and people discussing what presents to buy, cyber-security experts are warning families to be on their guard.

Matt Horan, security director of leading cybersecurity company C3IA Solutions, said he had come across examples of the devices making unwanted purchases.

Designed to be voicecontrolled ‘home helpers’, the Internet-linked boxes utilise voice recognition technology, artificial intelligence and machinelearning software to assist around the home.

They can be ordered to play radio stations, make lists, give reminders, find information – and also buy goods.

However, as they are always ‘listening’ it is possible for them to interpret conversations as

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

instructions to make purchases.

Matt Horan said, “I know of an instance where a conversation was being held regarding what model of tent to buy and where from, with particular emphasis on the model and type and cost.

“Their virtual assistant listened in, referenced the store’s online presence, searched Matt Horan of C3IA Solutions with for the details of a virtual assistant the product to buy and, as an added can imagine was somewhat bonus, dipped into the of a shock. voice purchasing functions “This is not an isolated and ordered the tent – all incident; there has been a this without the owner’s widely reported case in the knowledge.

US regarding a dolls house “Fortunately, an being ordered when a TV automated text had been anchor stated ‘Alexa order sent from the person’s me a dolls house’ – and bank account advising of multiple Alexas ordered the purchase, which as you dolls houses.

“If you do feel that life is so much better having your personal assistant at your beck and call there are some safeguards you can take.

“The most sensible is to disable the voice purchasing element of the device, or at least set up a passcode.

“At least this way you will have some say-so over what purchases you make rather than letting a machine on the kitchen worktop make ill-informed decisions on your behalf.

“And of course they can be turned off when you are having detailed discussions about potential items you might want.

“With Christmas approaching I can foresee many people answering doors to delivery drivers with packages that the person knows nothing about – and which their ‘home helper’ has ordered for them.

“Last year these virtual assistants were enormously popular Christmas presents and this year they might be ordering the families’ presents themselves.”

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specialist SERVICES BLINDS & CURTAINS

BUILDING SERVICES

DECORATING

DISABILITY PRODUCTS

FENCING

FENCING

GARAGE DOORS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

LANDSCAPING

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

FENCING

GARDENING SERVICES

LANDSCAPING

LOCKSMITH

specialist SERVICES LOGS

PLASTERING

TREE SURGERY

TREE SURGERY

TREE SURGERY

TREE SURGERY

WINDOW REPAIRS

WINDOW REPAIRS

What carol is heard in the desert?

O camel ye faithful How do you know if Santa has been in your garden shed?

You’ve got three extra hoes What does Santa suffer from if he gets stuck in a chimney?

Top tencker

Christmasecsra jok

Why was the snowman looking through the carrots?

He was picking his nose

Who is Santa’s favourite singer?

Elf-is Presley

WEB DESIGN

Why wasn’t one Who is Rudolph’s of Santa’s little favourite helpers very singer? confident?

Beyon-sleigh

He has low-elf esteem

Why did the orange take a prune to the Christmas party?

Because he couldn’t find a date Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?

A mince spy What type of motorbike does Santa ride?

A Holly Davidson

Claustrophobia

Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements

Dec 2018

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

Whilst the Publisher will endeavour to represent the best interests of the client in undertaking client’s instructions, it is fully understood that it is the agreed responsibility of the client to supply Viewpoint Magazine 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 Magazine. In no case shall the total liablility of the Publisher for any misprint, error or omission exceed the price charged by the Publisher for that advertisement. The Publisher shall not be liable for any damage or loss save as stated and, in particular, the Publisher shall have no liability to the Advertiser in any circumstances for any claim for damages to, loss, of, or costs in respect of any anticipated profits, revenues, business opportunities or for any other indirect or consequential loss.

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

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

Cancellation of an advertisement must be advised in writing 28 days prior to copy date.

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

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

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

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ASK THE EXPERT

By Nolan Irving, Irving and Sons Estate Agents

Q.

We want to move, but a friend told us that it is pointless to put our home on the market just before Christmas and that we would be better to wait for the New Year or even spring. What do you think?

A.

Well in my opinion you should make your plans to move and put your home on the market when the time is right for you and not worry about what other people say. Some people will prefer to move in the spring/ summer or may perceive that this time of year is better but generally the property market in our area remains active all year round, and the number of properties sold each month remains consistent.

If you are motivated to move home now, then now is as good a time as any. Historically, December is actually a good month for us in terms of sales agreed and new property listings. What we find in the build up to the festive season

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

is that we conduct fewer viewings giving the general impression that things are quieter, but the reality is that it is a case of quality over quantity. Potential buyers who have not sold tend to have other priorities, whereas motivated buyers still rush out to view new listings in December and over the festive period as finding a home to buy is their priority.

The more potential sellers that hold off for the New Year, or the spring market, the greater the opportunity for those who go ahead now. With fewer new properties coming to the market, that’s less competition for your own property sale.

If you’re serious about moving home then my advice is to get

ahead of the competition by securing a buyer for your home now which ensures that you are at the top of the list to make offers on properties to buy as and when they come to the market in The New Year.

The early part of the New Year is a really positive time in the property market because families spend time together over the festive period and make decisions like moving home.

Traditionally, Boxing Day is the busiest day of the year for property searches on rightmove which is why we spend a lot of our time in early to mid-December preparing the marketing for properties but holding them back to launch over the festive period

and early in the New Year.

My office is one of the few that still opens between Christmas and New Year but as the local property experts we want to make sure that we are available to deal with all the enquiries and to conduct viewings and property valuations.

If you are serious about selling, then give me a call now so that we can discuss all the options and tailor our marketing and timings to work for you.

I genuinely believe that there is little to gain by waiting and with Brexit around the corner, there is every chance that this year’s winter market could be more active than the spring/ summer market next year.

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Visionary city by the sea

With Dorset set to become the first area in a decade to undergo a unitarisation process, a new city by the sea covering Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is being created comparative in size to Bristol, explains Dorset LEP in its 20-year vision for growth.

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – the partnership responsible for driving economic growth and prosperity in Dorset – wants to: • • • •

double Dorset’s productivity and economic output to £35.6 billion in the next 20 years generate 80,000 jobs build around 78,000 new homes create a local economy that is sustainable, innovative and inclusive.

‘Horizon 2038 – A Vision for Growth’ outlines the ways in which it aims to achieve this. It also details the economic opportunities and ambition for Dorset’s key sectors including rural economy, health services, technology and housing.

As well as the city by the sea, Horizon 2038 explains that Dorset is a county with tremendous opportunities, but also points out that there are challenges ahead.

While Dorset is making a £17 billion contribution to the UK economy, its economic productivity is £2.5 billion below the national average, and the productivity gap has widened in recent years.

Lorna Carver, Dorset LEP Director said, “Horizon 2038 tells a compelling story

of Dorset’s economic strengths, whilst highlighting the opportunities available to boost our productivity and contribution to UK plc. Moreover, we spell out the specific challenges our unique region faces in the delivery of our vision and the sustainability of our growth.

“Horizon 2038 is a visionary document, looking ahead 20 years from 2018 to 2038.

It is designed to address our immediate priorities over the next five years in order to secure long-term economic growth.

The document provides the necessary framework to develop successful funding bids and seize on funding opportunities arising from the Government’s Industrial Strategy and elsewhere.”

A copy of the document is available to download from the Dorset LEP website at www.dorsetlep.co.uk.

Aerial view over Bournemouth streets and town centre

“One click”

crack fuels addiction The annual statistics released by Public Health England on 1 November, on the number of adults receiving treatment for drug and alcohol problems, has revealed a worrying rise in the amount of people needing treatment for the sole use of crack cocaine.

The report reveals that the number of people being treated for crack cocaine alone increased by 18% since last year’s report, rising from 3,657 in 2016/17 to 4,301 and by 44% since the year before that, from 2,980 to 4,301.

And the report shows that it’s not just young adults who are in need of help. The increase in people needing treatment during 2017 was seen in all age groups, except those aged 65 and over.

The report comes at a time when leading addiction treatment firm UKAT reveals that admissions for crack cocaine and cocaine addiction are at their highest level ever, and that their patients tell them that being able to order it “with one click” is fuelling the problem.

Eytan Alexander, founder of UKAT, comments, “What we’re seeing is that more and more people are entering treatment for crack cocaine because of its low price tag and ease of access to the drug. People can order crack with one click of their phone. It’s extremely potent and addictive, and we’ve no doubt that it will overtake our admissions for heroin and alcohol addiction in the near future.

“Treatment centres are overstretched and underfunded.”

UKAT’s seven treatment centres treated 254 people in 2015 for crack cocaine and cocaine addiction, jumping by 135% to 599 people this year so far.

Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news

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motoring NEWS Blown headlight could cost up to £846

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VIEWPOINT December 2018

A

blown headlight bulb can cost up to £846 to replace on some of Britain’s best-selling small cars, new research reveals.

A study into 13 popular models on sale today

by What Car? found headlight repair bills vary by several hundred pounds depending on whether the models have halogen or HID or LED bulbs. Of the vehicles examined, four came with High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs on some or all trim levels and three had LED bulbs.

HID and LED bulbs are far brighter than halogen lights and can last up to 10 times as long, but replacements can cost close to £1,000.

The complexity of HID and LED bulbs is partly to blame for the higher costs but in many instances manufacturers have also switched to sealed headlight designs, which cannot be opened up like a normal unit to allow for bulb replacement. As a result, customers have to buy a complete headlight unit to fix a blown bulb.

The cost of replacing a traditional halogen bulb on a Volkswagen Polo is just £18. However, buyers who choose the high-spec GTI model face a £846 repair bill for the car’s LED sealed headlight unit.

Similarly, Suzuki Swift owners with SZ3 or SZT trim levels only have to pay £4 to replace a blown bulb, while those with a highspec Swift SZ5 will have to pay £684 for a replacement HID unit.

Even if the headlight unit isn’t sealed, HID bulbs are still far more expensive to replace than normal halogen items. The HID bulb for a Vauxhall Corsa Elite costs £317, while a halogen bulb for a lower spec version is just £17.

Claire Evans, What Car? consumer editor, said, “The longevity of HID bulbs makes them a viable option on a new car. However, if

you are buying a used car as a second household vehicle or as a first car for a son or daughter, you – and they – could be landed with a massive repair bill for a blown bulb that could even render the car a write-off due to it being uneconomical to repair.”

Greg Whitaker, editor of What Car?’s sister title Car and Accessory Trader expects replacement costs of headlight units will fall in the future as the aftermarket sector catches up to the technology, “It’s happened in the past with a number of car parts.

The floating speedometer needle in the Mercedes C-Class was prone to breaking and AC Tronics created a fix for this. And the ECU in the Vauxhall Meriva had some fragile components that frequently broke, so a fix for this was also created.”

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