Viewpoint August 2020 by Dorset View

Staggering £980,000

COVID 19

Package

FOR JINDER

redundancy

POSITIVe

RESULT

40 year

ends on search Parley Common

Rare bird © Janine Pulford

Mid August 2020 Volume 44, Issue 10

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

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VIEWPOINT

Volume 44 • Issue 10 • August 2020

Dear readers

MAGS4DORSET

We have another farewell to say this month. Russell Harness, who has been with mags4dorset for eight years will be leaving at the end of August. We will miss him greatly and wish him every success in his new job. The move, sadly, was precipitated by lockdown and the dramatic change it has created within the business. On a lighter note, another change that has not gone unnoticed since March is the contents of my handbag. No longer does it contain a large bulky purse stuffed with loyalty cards, paper money and masses of coins for car parks. Instead one lonely contactless card is all I require. There is no lipstick – masks make rather a mess of it - comb or mirror and I realise I don’t need extra earring backs. However, that doesn’t mean that the bag is lighter – far from it. It is bulging with disposable gloves and masks, packs of tissues, hand sanitiser and disinfecting wet wipes. Not quite the PPE, but you get the picture. I don’t see this situation changing any time soon. Call me old fashioned but I do miss using real money. I do still carry a mobile phone, notebook and half a dozen pens – well you never know when they are going to run out, and better to be on the safe side. These changes don’t stop me spending ages rummaging for that vital item, as keys will always drop to the bottom of the bag. Enjoy reading this issue – we are pleased to be back with our second printed issue of Viewpoint since lockdown. Meanwhile 4Dorset has now become Dorset View, so keep an eye out for it. Feedback is welcome.

Marilyn Barber News editor

Ben Pulford managing director ben@mags4dorset.co.uk Louis Pulford creative director louispulford@brightboxdesigns.co.uk

Nick Pulford company secretary accounts@mags4dorset.co.uk

NEWS DESK Janine Pulford editor editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk Marilyn Barber news editor newseditor@mags4dorset.co.uk Karen Wyatt-Epapara deputy editor mags@mags4dorset.co.uk

ADVERTISING Mark Beechey account manager mark@mags4dorset.co.uk Russell Harness account manager russell@mags4dorset.co.uk Simon Thornton account manager simon@mags4dorset.co.uk Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

LOGISTICS

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

Mike Talbot Alexandra O’Neill

Ladybird © Louis Pulford

How to contact us 01202 870270 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/

Copy date 21 AUG 2020

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. The company’s privacy policy can be read at www.mags4dorset.co.uk

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

Fawley Waterside development approved A huge development proposed on the site of the former Fawley power station has been approved by the New Forest National Park Authority and New Forest District Council. It follows five years of detailed negotiation and is the most significant scheme to have ever been considered by the National Park Authority. The scheme includes the redevelopment of the former power station to create a new community including 1,500 homes, 96,500 square metres of new commercial, civic and employment space, with a canal and dock and a boat stack. All will be supported by new infrastructure and community facilities in the form of a two-form entry primary school, public open space, a new Nature Park and habitat enhancements. The development will be served by a new access off the B3053. "After five years of detailed negotiations we have secured a highquality scheme for this large redundant power station site that will bring lasting

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

Fawley Waterside - Artist impression of the proposed development (by Chris Draper)

benefits for the landscape, wildlife and the local economy,â&#x20AC;? said Steve Avery, director of Strategy and Planning at the New Forest National Park Authority. "Half the new homes in the National Park will be for local people in housing need. It is the most significant development to have ever been considered by the National Park Authority. "The benchmark we set is that any development should be of such an exceptionally high standard that there should be no reason why the whole of

the site should not be included in and be worthy of National Park status in the future." Once the outline planning permissions have been issued, detailed planning approval will still be required to agree the layout, design and landscaping for each phase of the new development. Fawley Waterside Ltd will start infrastructure development in 2021 with the first homes expected to be available by 2023.

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Dorset Council’s most expensive redundancy cost revealed

The accounts for Dorset Council in its first year of operation reveal that its most expensive redundancy cost the authority £980,000. The average redundancy package is £86,000. This is not the average amount received by the individuals concerned but rather the total cost of their package including the payment to the pension fund.  Dorset Council carried the costs of merging six councils into one new unitary authority, following Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). This resulted in a significant reduction in the on-going staffing costs, which has saved around £10m. A number of senior officers were made redundant, as the new council streamlined its management structures. Any employee over the age of 55 who is made redundant and is a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is entitled to receive their pension. When a pension is triggered there is an additional cost because the council has to make a payment to the pension fund to account for the fact it is being released early. While the individual receives only the redundancy payment that they are contractually entitled to, the overall cost to the council can be considerably higher. Currently, statutory pension rules allow individuals to transfer funds from private pensions into the LGPS. Councillor Peter Wharf, deputy leader Corporate Development and Change, said,

"We always knew that streamlining our management structures by making six councils into one would reap us long term financial gains, but that we needed to meet the one-off cost of doing this, in order to protect front line services. "Unfortunately, in this one specific case, our costs were higher than expected because of the way the LGPS is set up, allowing individuals to transfer private pensions into the Local Government Scheme. Legally, we had no choice but to honour this. It’s important to note that the costs outlined in the report do not reflect the amount we have directly paid these individuals. "The Government has, for a number of years, proposed to introduce a £95,000 cap on the cost of exit payments in the public sector. If they had brought this forward, then it would have seen these redundancy costs very much reduced. "As set out in the Council Plan – we are committed to being open, accessible and accountable, and we feel that by being honest about our exit packages and salary costs we are

being as transparent as possible." The report published also outlines costs to the most senior officers’ salary and pension schemes in the council’s first year. These figures have been available on the council’s website since 1 April 2019. Cllr Wharf added, "Councillors set senior officer salaries having bench marked them against other similar sized authorities. Terms and conditions are nationally set, and annual cost of living pay increases are negotiated nationally too. "Our senior officers play a very important role in leading our organisation through significant times of change, and, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown we have the right people in these roles to deliver critical services to our residents. "Added to this, we have to support the future needs of the council in attracting and retaining people with the right skills in Dorset." Councillors will scrutinise this expenditure at the council’s Audit and Governance Committee in November. The accounts are available on the Dorset Council website.

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Face coverings – be socially responsible From Friday 24 July 2020, government COVID-19 legislation changes meant it was mandatory to wear a face covering in all shops and retail premises. A further government directive made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 31 July extended the rule "to other indoor settings where you're likely to come into contact with people you do not normally meet such as museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship." The PM added, “We now recommend face coverings are worn in these settings and this will become enforceable in law from 8 August.” He also delayed the latest relaxation of the coronavirus lockdown due in England on 1 August for at least a fortnight. However, guidance that employers should let more staff work from offices again will still be in place. New official data shows rising infection levels of the coronavirus. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that if the large increase in medical waste such as single use plastic masks continue, the consequences will include public

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

health risks from infected used masks, and the open burning or uncontrolled incineration of masks, leading to the release of toxins in the environment, and to secondary transmission of diseases to humans. Because of fears of these potential secondary impacts on health and the environment, UNEP is urging governments to treat the management of waste, including medical and hazardous waste, as an essential public service. The agency argues that the safe handling, and final disposal of this waste is a vital element in an effective emergency response. The planet positive, sustainable label, Bags of Ethics is part of a joint project with the British Fashion Council ‘Great British Designer Face Coverings: Reusable, for People and Planet’. Face coverings such as those manufactured by Bags of Ethics can be washed, sterilised and reused. By choosing a sustainable option, you can help reduce the wastage of materials and pollution created by single use plastic masks.

Nicole Scherzinger is pictured wearing a reusable and sustainable face covering designed by Julien MacDonald.

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MAGS4DORSET

Charity of the Year Bournemouth and District MS Community Hub Hi there and welcome

Yes, we are still in a state of semi-hibernation, shielding or staying at home, even though lockdown measures have been eased. Our Hub is situated at the Osborne Centre, Church Lane, West Parley where we offer all local people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) physiotherapy in a fully equipped gym, craft workshops, library, hairdressing salon, support and advice. Bespoke transport is available and lunches are provided. We are normally open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, but like other organisations, the Osborne Centre has been closed for four months and it looks like it will have to stay that way for a little while longer as our members are vulnerable. At the time of writing we are waiting on guidance from health and safety experts as to when and how we can re-open. Our ‘communications’ team of volunteers continue keeping in touch with all our members for a regular chat on the phone making sure everyone is as well as can be during this testing times It is a hard time for us as a charity. With no external funding we are and always have been totally reliant on the generosity and goodwill of local people to enable us to provide the services to support those with MS and their families. One way you can help raise funds for us is by entering the mags4dorset poetry competition – details on this page. The entry fee of £6 is not huge and you will be supporting the Osborne Centre as mags4dorset will send the entry fees to us. Good luck with your poetry creation, it could also win a cash prize of £25, so go for it.

POETRY COMPETITION - £50 total prize money To help raise funds for the Bournemouth and District MS Community Hub, mags4dorset is running a poetry competition and putting up £50 in prize money. Using the following themes (use your own title) write a poem not exceeding 25 lines: (1) Effects of 2020 (2) Litter.

the Bournemouth and District MS Community Hub to help get the Centre back on its feet after lockdown. Send your entry(ies) to mags4dorset Poetry Competition, Dana House, Spinneys Lane, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9BZ with a cheque for the correct entry fee payable to

Pulford Publicity Ltd. Online submissions, payment by PayPal, will be taken from August onwards at www. mags4dorset.co.uk, so get writing. Poetry will not be returned, so keep a copy. Good luck. Judging will be carried out by mags4dorset. Closing date is Friday 30 October 2020.

The winning poets (one from each category) will receive £25 cash and their poem will be published in one of our magazines. Please note our magazines are also uploaded online, so if you enter, you must agree to your poem being published in print and online. The copyright remains with the poet. There is one entry fee of £6, but you can submit up to four poems for that fee. Poems must be your own work. Entry fees (less PayPal charges/ bank fees) will go to

Looking forward to seeing you all soon and keep smiling. Rod Slip Chairman

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law spot Harold G Walker Solicitors

Why should I make a Will?

Research carried out in December 2018 showed that 54% of UK adults don’t have a Will. It may surprise you that this has included some well-known names; Rik Mayall died in 2014, Amy Winehouse died in 2011 and Kurt Cobain in 1994 all without a Will. If a person dies without a Will the intestacy rules apply. This sets out the order of which persons inherit from the estate of the deceased. It is a common misconception that if you die without a Will, but you are married, your spouse will automatically inherit everything. If your estate is worth over £250,000 and you have children this not the case. Anything over £250,000 is divided half to your spouse and half to your children. The intestacy rules may not distribute your assets in accordance with your wishes. You may want to include gifts to people other than family. If you do not have a spouse, children or parents, then the next to inherit would be your siblings. However, if you wanted a friend or your nieces and nephews to inherit part or all of your estate this would be achieved by making a Will. Finally, taking advice from an expert in relation to a Will will help you to distribute your estate in the most tax efficient way. We understand that people are busy and time is precious and that is why our HGW experts can visit you or take instructions over the telephone if you prefer. Contact us at any branch for an informal chat and a no obligation quotation. This column is for information only and does not constitute legal advice.

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

Barn owl boxes – a breeding success Over the last two years 11 barn owl boxes have been installed in trees and barns on Dorset Council farms. When the boxes were checked last month a total number of six chicks were found in four boxes. Barn Owls have additional protection against disturbance while nesting. It is an offence to disturb a barn owl whilst it is building a nest or is in, on or near a nest containing eggs or young or to disturb a barn owl’s dependent young. These barn owl boxes were checked and birds ringed by volunteers under a British Trust for Ornithology ringing and disturbance license. The information gathered from putting these specially designed rings on birds’ legs means we can understand more about them including their survival and the condition of the birds. Barn owls have a distinctive heart-shaped face, buff back and wings and pure white underparts. They are nocturnal and eat mice, voles, shrews and some larger mammals and small birds.

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Doorstep Greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new teen play area The Mayor of Verwood, Cllr Mrs Pat Morrow, officially opened the new teen play area at Doorstep Green, Three Legged Cross accompanied by the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Philip Mann and Cllrs Jane Russell and Martyn Hudson. Cllr Jane Russell even took time to try out the new climbing equipment. The town council is upgrading and renewing all of the play areas in Verwood and Three Legged Cross.

The Mayor cuts the ribbon

Councillor Jane Russell tries out the eq uipment

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Obituary –

Nick Barber 18/10/1950 – 07/07/2020 Nick was very proud of his Dorset heritage. Born in Dorchester, for the first few years of his life, with his parents, and his older sisters Jacqueline and Sue, he lived in the village of Long Bredy. He always used to say that the beautiful countryside was his playground. It was only recently he learned that his four times Great Uncle was Vice Admiral Thomas Masterman Hardy who served as flag captain to Lord Nelson. And here there was a huge coincidence, as Hardy was born in Kingston Russell House in Long Bredy and was baptised in the same church as Nick! When he left school, Nick became an apprentice to Henry Lings Limited in Dorchester and embarked on a course at a print college in Bristol, to train as a compositor. He went on to have a very successful career in publishing, his last job being as book production manager for an online company producing medical books. Nick was very proud of his three sons with Christine, twins Dan and James, and younger son Stephen.

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

Nick at Hengistbury Head

A passionate rugby fan and supporter of Dorchester Rugby Football Club, Nick was a player, mini-rugby coach and mentor. As a player, Nick was known as ‘dancing Nicky’ due to his energetic style on the field. Nick and Marilyn were pen friends for some months before they met. Marilyn said she was impressed by the fact that his apostrophes were in the right place! They were together for 17 years and married for over 13 years. Nick was very supportive of Marilyn’s job as a news editor, and he accompanied her to numerous amateur dramatic productions, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

He notched up around 70 pantomimes over the years. He grew to love the town of Wimborne and was particularly fond of Wimborne Minster church and Wimborne Model Town. In his short retirement he enjoyed photography, capturing wildlife and interesting cloud formations. He also liked visiting historic houses and gardens. Nick and Marilyn enjoyed some wonderful holidays, travelling to India, Kenya and the Caribbean, but Nick’s favourite was always the Greek islands. The numerous cards and comments Marilyn has received have a common theme. That Nick was ‘a gentleman and had a dry sense of humour’.

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Purple Haze quarry public consultation Grundon Sand & Gravel held an online public consultation on its proposed development of land known as Purple Haze, which is allocated for mineral extraction in Hampshire County Council’s Minerals Plan. It followed a drop-in session held in March 2019. The online feedback facility at www.purplehazequarry.com/consultation was the second stage of the public consultation. It opened on 17 July and closed on 7 August 2020. All feedback from the online consultation will be considered before Grundon finalises its planning application for submission to Hampshire County Council later this year. You can contact Grundon by emailing estates@grundon.com or leave a message on 0118 9711 696.

An ornithologist’s dream (front cover photograph) By the editor, Janine Pulford With low expectations, I picked up my camera. I’d heard that a rare heathland bird had been seen on Parley Common. This little, dark brown bird with a long tail, a distinctive eye ring, and a dusky pink belly is relatively hard to spot. I’ve been looking for it on heathland and gorse bushes in Dorset for many years without success. Needless to say, I didn’t expect anything different this time around. In the 1960s, after a particularly harsh winter, the bird all but vanished from the UK and it was estimated there were only 10 breeding pairs left. Today, that number has risen to over 3,000. Even so, it still has an Amber ‘threat status’ in the list of Birds of Conservation Concern 4 (2015). I approached the heath through woodland and strode along the uphill path on high alert. The first gorse bushes I came to had a few silver birch saplings behind them and there was a little bird moving about. I swiftly focused the camera, but I must have been over-excited because the image was a blur. The bird was still there, I focused again, more sensibly this time,

and thought, ‘that looks like a warbler.’ I checked the camera, I zoomed in on the picture, my eyes grew wide and I looked in shocked surprise. “It’s a Dartford warbler,’ I exclaimed out loud, hardly able to believe that the first bird I had seen on Parley Common was one that had eluded me for the past 40 years. I am still pinching

myself – it’s not often I achieve such a fluky shot – but it’s now on our front cover. If you have achieved your dream during bird spotting, do send us your photographs, or you can post in our Facebook group. Peter Ashley posted a photograph of a rare Yelkouan Shearwater that he photographed off Portland Bill last month.

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verwood news Funding available from Verwood Town Council Community groups in Verwood and Three Legged Cross are invited to submit an application to Verwood Town Council for grant aid, particularly those who are struggling financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deadline is 1 September. Just download an application form from the town council website www.verwood. gov.uk or email: towncouncil@verwood. gov.uk. At the time of going to press the Verwood Town Council office is still closed to the public, but the authority hopes to re-open in Mid August. To contact a member of staff from 9am-1pm, phone 01202 820880.

All change at Verwood Rotary Despite the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, members of Verwood Rotary have continued to keep in touch using the web-based Zoom meetings. The Rotary year runs from July to the following June and at the latest meeting the outgoing president David Allen, handed over responsibility to his successor Roger Sweet. Roger will be supported throughout his year by president elect Louisa Hiscock. The club said a big “thank you” to David for the past year, and "good luck" to Roger and Louisa for the coming 12 months. Roger Sweet said, “I took early retirement from nursing in 2014 and moved to Verwood from Somerset. I was introduced to the Rotary Club and became a member in 2016.

"My interest in becoming a Rotarian was stirred at that time by a day at the Rustic Fayre, where I heard about Verwood’s Rotary Club, and how they support local and international charities and organisations. I also found it impressive to learn how since 1979, one of Rotary International’s main focus’ has been to take on the world-wide challenge of eradicating polio. I’m honoured to be leading the club in furthering these aims. “My priorities during and beyond COVID-19 are to continue supporting local charities where and when possible (this will be more challenging this year as our main fundraiser the Rustic Fayre, has regrettably been cancelled). To enable this, my aim is to increase the membership, sociability, and diversity of the club. "I hope we can add to our current 25 members; why not see if you could play a part?" Contact Membership secretary Martin for more information: phone 01202 825697

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

Rustic Fayre inspired president to join Rotary Club

Terrier racing

"Show" jumping

L-R Ben, Bee, Christine and "Rusty" Vern

Anyone for drinks?

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New deputy chief constable for Dorset Police Scott Chilton is to become the new deputy chief constable for Dorset Police in October, taking over from David Lewis, who is retiring. Scott’s most recent role was assistant chief constable (Crime, Criminal Justice and Intelligence) at Hampshire Police, where he was strategic lead across all investigations teams, custody, the wider criminal justice system and intelligence. He joined the Hampshire force in 1992, working his way through uniformed policing before joining the CID in 1996 and spending the next 16 years as a detective progressing through the ranks to chief superintendent. Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “Scott has a wealth of experience and will be a valuable asset to the chief officer team.” Scott holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Criminology from the University of Cambridge and has a strong background in intelligence, counter terrorism and leading investigations in serious and complex crime. Scott said, “I have always been a strong advocate of evidence-based policing and have a strong desire to ensure policing focuses its efforts on protecting the most vulnerable and targeting those criminals who cause harm and misery to our Scott Chilton communities.”

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

Joined up approach for county planners

Dorset Council is to transform its planning process. In April last year five district and borough councils combined with the county council to become a unitary authority, but each organisation had its own version of planning management software from two different suppliers. Consequently there is a backlog of planning applications and validations. An agency has been employed to concentrate on clearing the back log. They have made good progress clearing the validation backlog which was affecting the former West Dorset and Weymouth areas and will now look at the former Purbeck and East Dorset areas. Their progress will be monitored. There will be a review to improve validation criteria and to ensure that they are consistently applied, and a plan is being created to use technology to help prevent a return of the backlog. A new system will be in place mid-September. There will be phases of implementation for the different areas with a complete system by March 2021. All core planning, land charges and building control will use the same system, database and mapping data. In addition, work is continuing to improve communications. A clearer website, use of chatbots and automatic checking will help to achieve this. Cllr David Walsh, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Planning, said, “It is incredibly important to make sure all aspects of our planning process run as smoothly and efficiently as it can. It’s been a challenge to combine six different organisations processes and capabilities.” For more information visit www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ planning.

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health and care

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

Netley Court in Top 20 for third year running For the third consecutive year, Netley Court, a luxury care home in Southampton which is part of the Cinnamon Care Collection, has been recognised in the Carehome. co.uk Awards 2020 as a Top 20 Most Recommended Care Home in the South East – a particularly impressive achievement given there are over 2,945 care homes in the region. The awards are organised by Carehome.co.uk – the Trip Advisor of the care home industry – and are based on reviews by residents, their families and friends. Care homes were rated against a range of criteria including facilities, care and support, residents

being treated with dignity, staff, activities and value for money. Netley Court scored an impressive 9.9/10. In addition, Cinnamon Care Collection, which runs 13 care homes across the Midlands and South East of England, was named a Top 20 Mid-Sized Care Home Group. Mark Shockledge, Senior General Manager at Netley Court commented, “It is a huge achievement to have won a Carehome. co.uk Award for the South East region based on reviews from residents’ families and friends. This award follows on from our recent ‘Outstanding’ CQC inspection and is yet another great external endorsement of the exceptional

care and support that we pride ourselves on providing to every resident at Netley Court. “There is no doubt that, like all care homes nationwide, we have faced very challenging times recently. As part of the Cinnamon Care Collection, we have benefited from the Group’s strong leadership, which resulted in us putting in place safety procedures and barrier nursing at an early stage and having sufficient PPE

throughout. We have a comprehensive testing process in place, and recent resident test results have all been negative. The safety of our residents is our number one priority; working in partnership with the Group’s leadership team ensures that standards

at Netley Court continually remain exceptionally high.” Based on Victoria Road in Netley, with commanding views over Southampton Water, Netley Court provides residential care, day care, respite care and specialist dementia care.

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ringwood news

Live Music & Farmers Markets Return to The Furlong The Furlong shopping centre in Ringwood is gradually bouncing back after lockdown restrictions ease again, with nearly all retailers and businesses back open for business. Whilst social distancing measures are still strictly in place and of course the new regulations for face coverings, the centre is slowly returning back to some form of (almost) normal. The popular Hampshire Farmers Market has returned, albeit with a reduction in the number of stalls in order to allow social distancing and additional space for access to the shops. The July market saw a variety of seasonal and regular producers return; including Ambrose Sausages, Newhouse Game and Godshill Cherry Orchard. The management team have also booked some low-key live music events to create a welcoming summer ambience – with The Manhattan Trio performing on Friday 14 August (122pm) and then the String Quartet on Saturday 22 August (12-2pm). Looking further ahead, the event diary is still a bit uncertain but the

Antique & Decorative Arts market is returning again from 12 September at The Furlong and over at The Gateway (9am – 3.30pm). The Farmers’ Market will continue to feature on the last Saturday of every month, with some of the producers on rotation. The centre also has a new store opening (in the empty Oasis unit) – please keep an eye on their social pages @furlongcentre as this will be announced very soon. For full updates on upcoming events and centre news please check www.thefurlong.co.uk before your visit.

Ringwood man walks 727 miles for hospice charity Ian Thornton, 77, from Ringwood, was determined to help others during lockdown and to keep fit at the same time. The retired aircraft engineer earned his charity wings walking 727 miles in 100 days raising £1,090 for Macmillan Caring Locally. “I started off by walking around my local streets but I soon got bored and went for longer walks into the forest and nearby villages including Burley,” said Ian. “I’ve discovered so many new routes and footpaths in the beautiful forest. It has been a wonderful experience.” Barry Wilson, community and events fundraiser for Macmillan Caring Locally (not part of the national Macmillan charity) said, “Everyone at Macmillan Caring Locally is deeply impressed and appreciative of what Ian has done for the charity. The efforts and kindness of supporters like Ian is invaluable to us.” If you would like to help the charity, which has seen a significant drop in income due to lockdown, you can take part in the Lace Up challenge. Complete a walk, run or cycle ride of a chosen distance or time. Register at: www.macmillanlocal.org/donations/ donate-3/.

Team of amputee veterans takes on 1,000-mile cycle ride Ten amputee military veterans and firefighters will ride from John O’Groats to Lands’ End in support of a comrade with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Operation Ride UK will set off on 1 August and aims to complete the gruelling distance of nearly 1,000 miles in 13 days using bikes. The New Milton charity Pilgrim Bandits, who organise expeditions for injured service and emergency personnel, has teamed up 49-year-old John Chart who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) a year ago. MND is a fatal and incurable neurodegenerative disease. As a firefighter for 26 years, John said he was “devastated” by the diagnosis but determined to fight it. He will be using a specially adapted tandem and will be riding with various companions including his 14-year-old son Christopher. “Motor Neurone Disease is a demonic disease,” he said. "I want to raise awareness… but I also want to say to people don’t ever give up. You’ve got to keep going. Don’t ever give up.” Joining the team is Pilgrim Bandits patron, as well as former Lance Corporal Tyler Christopher, who lost both his legs after standing on an IED bomb in Afghanistan in August 2009. Follow their progress on the Pilgrim Bandits Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram and via John’s page Cycle Challenge for MND or on Instagram @cyclechallange4mnd. Donations can be made to Pilgrim Bandits via the Operation Ride UK Total Giving page: https://bit.ly/3fadwvw

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

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ringwood news

History and heritage of commoning brought together in New Forest project

Not much is known about this photograph, which forms part of the project other than it was taken by Ernie Mansbridge. If you have any information about it please email contact@nfknowledge.org

Do you remember when milk was delivered by horse and cart? Or when cattle were driven up Fordingbridge High Street? In a collection of memories and photographs, Through Our Ancestors’ Eyes features fascinating accounts of commoning life, brought together to secure the history and heritage of commoning, forestry and agriculture in the New Forest. The stories of 20 families and hundreds of photographs depicting commoning, forestry

and agriculture are included. The archive, which includes audio clips plus transcriptions, was created by the Commoners Defence Association (CDA) with help from the New Forest Heritage Centre. Volunteer Patrick Keane, with the help of Kerry Barrass, spent many hours preparing the records for publication.

You can hear members of well-known commoning families talk about their ancestors and life in the forest, as well as view hundreds of photographs. All the material is stored at the Christopher Tower Library at the New Forest Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst and is available on the New Forest Knowledge website: nfknowledge.org

Whose boundary is it? By Matthew Parker, Solicitor We trust everyone is continuing to keep well and doing what they can in the current circumstances to stay safe. We are doing all we can to help and accommodate people at the moment, whether that is video calling, out of hours discussions, meetings in gardens and so on. The office is arranged in a COVID-friendly way with sanitizer and masks available as required and all areas cleaned down after appointments. This month we have seen an increase in boundary queries. With more and more people spending time at home and being unable to go on holiday as intended, it has become apparent that people are looking at improving their gardens instead. Unfortunately this has sometimes resulted in issues arising over boundary fences such as who has responsibility for them, and when they are replaced there are occasional small land

grabs going on. With any boundary to your property it is important to keep an accurate record of the boundary from the moment you move in. If you or your neighbour are doing any work on the boundary take photographs and measurements before you start, including any identifying features such as trees and buildings. Where possible take the measurements from two fixed points. If you are in any doubt try to speak to your neighbours first as this is a good way of keeping a relationship moving forward. If that is not possible then seek advice to help resolve the problem. Boundaries are one of our areas of expertise so please feel free to call us for a free initial consultation on any queries you may have. Forest Edge Solicitors “Here when you need us”

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New album is a positive result for Jinder as he fought COVID-19 Arriving less than six months after Jinder’s warmly received eleventh album (‘The Silver Age’), ‘Almanac For The Failing Days’ is an urgent and impassioned record, crafted in the most turbulent and trying of times. After contracting COVID-19 shortly after the release of ‘The Silver Age’ in February, the protracted recovery period gave Wimborne-based Jinder both a change in perspective and vital time to write. The critically acclaimed artist summed up his harrowing experience, “Becoming seriously ill so quickly was deeply unsettling. I found myself staring my own mortality in the face, fighting for breath and wracked with such intense fever that I was unable to stand. In times such as this, you prepare yourself for the worst. Even when I began to recover, at the time so little was known at the time about a longterm prognosis, so I knew I had to act fast.

Jinder - ‘Almanac for the Failing Days’ was released on 7 August 2020 on Din Of Ecstasy.

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“Nothing focuses the creative mind quite like coming face to face with death itself. I had no idea how much time I had to get the work done, so the only option was to work quickly and dig deep to make the album of a lifetime. It took me three months to recover entirely, and I worked relentlessly during that time to make ‘Almanac...’. It’s a record I am immensely proud of, and an album that couldn’t possibly have been created under any other circumstances. It is immensely specific and personal, a musical document of a world falling apart around us.” Working once again with producer and long-time collaborator Pete Millson,

‘Almanac...’ was recorded remotely, in isolation, with Jinder and Millson playing all instruments, other than drums, percussion and sundry Gallic asides, which were all ably provided by creative foil Anton Henri. Sinuous opener ‘Settle Down’ paints a withering picture of a shattered government failing to make sense of a world suddenly changed, whilst at the other end of the sociopolitical telescope, ‘God’s Hobby’ draws a Venn diagram between religion and pandemic, finding utter theological and personal chaos between the two. Deep in the heart of the album lays ‘Agony (Night Comes In)’ and ‘Kamloops, BC’, two songs borne of intense hallucinatory fever dreams in the midst of Jinder’s battle with COVID-19. “I was out of my mind with fever, and in a moment of sleep paralysis I dreamed that Philip Larkin was sitting on the edge of my bed... I saw him as clear as day,” said Jinder. “He leant over me, put his hand on my forehead and said, ‘The day just serves to hide the stars, and the stars to decorate the darkness’. I woke up and wrote those words down immediately, which of course forms the basis of the chorus of the song ‘Agony’. It was a surreal and oddly beautiful experience, which we turned into a surreal and-hopefully-oddly beautiful song.” The second half of the album yields yet more diversity, with the driving powerpop of ‘Yer Life In Rain’ rubbing shoulders with the dark narratives of ‘Shawcross’ and ‘Trust, Josephine’, and epic kitchen-sink drama of ‘Canada’s Band’. Jinder said, “During my recovery period, whilst surveying the newly lockeddown world, I found myself fascinated with the emotional landscape of the human spirit in extremis, how some of us fly, some of us fall and the rest of us flap about somewhere between the two extremes. The entire album is rooted in this fascination, a study of humanity on the ragged edge. I think, under the microscope, we make an interesting study and scrub up remarkably well...”

To buy the album visit www.jinder.co.uk Follow VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/viewpointmagazinedorset

Dogs and canaries seek new homes! Ziggy

73 Victoria Rd, Ferndown BH22 9HU

Lily

COVID-19 has certainly thrown up lots of challenges for Waggy Tails Rescue, but the local charity is starting to home dogs again. At the beginning of lockdown a local family offered to foster Tinker and Smudge, a pair of collie cross Springers. As the weeks passed this lovable pair melted their foster familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hearts and at the end of July they adopted them. More unusual pets that have come to Waggy Tails recently are two pairs of canaries. So do get in touch if you love birds and can rehome them.

The Waggy Tails Ferndown shop reopened in June and has been well supported, bringing in much needed revenue. All donations have to be stored before being sorted and there is limited space, so please think about this if the shop is unable to accept a donation on a particular day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the shop has to follow government guidelines.

Spark

2 Pedlars Walk , Ringwood ,BH24 1EZ

For more information about Waggy Tails or any of the dogs or canaries featured, please call the office on 01202 875000. Wes

ley

69 Christchurch Rd, Ringwood, BH24 1DH

Dolly

Roma

Collingwood Rd, West Moors , Wimborne 21 6QQ

165 Station Rd, West Moors, BH22 0HT

Smud

ies

Canar

40 Ringwood Rd, St Ives, Ringwood BH24 2NY

1 Station Rd, Ve

rwood BH31 7PY

Unit 4, Verwood Trading Est, Blackhill, Verwood BH31 6HA

Ross

Tink e

116 Wareham Rd, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, BH 21 3LH

Marty

42 Churchill

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e olsbridg ry Cl, Wo rne 12 Vic to , Wimbo rk a P l Industria 2 1 6SX Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news BH please mention VIEWPOINT Magazine when you contact our advertisers

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foodie news / most of us are sorry for what we said when we were hungry.

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip by Dr Helen Flaherty, head of Health Promotion Heart Research UK

Lunch is an important meal for providing the energy and nutrients required to get you through the afternoon. On busy days, it is easy to grab lunch on the go without thinking too much about whether it is good for you. The key to a healthy lunch is to get a good variety of foods that will provide you with the nutrients you need to stay healthy. We have some tips for adding some heart healthy lunches to your weekly meal plan. Plan your lunches in advance Planning meals in advance will allow you to put a little more thought into what you are eating as well as saving you time and money. Try creating a weekly meal plan before the start of the week and shop for the ingredients you need in advance. If possible, prepare your lunch the night before or in the morning as this can stop you from filling up on less healthy foods when you feel hungry.

Keep it simple There are some quick and simple ways to prepare a healthy lunch without spending hours in the kitchen. Try cooking large quantities of homemade soup or stews and store single portions in the freezer. Simple meals, such as baked beans on wholemeal toast or wholemeal pita stuffed with hummus and salad are also quick and easy to prepare. On busy days, you could heat up leftovers from the night before to save time. Stick with wholegrain Wholegrain foods provide a good source of fibre, which is good for your heart. Try to regularly include a portion of wholegrain food in your lunches, such as brown bread, wholemeal pita, wholemeal pasta or brown rice.

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

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foodie news

Include plenty of fruit and veg Fruit and vegetables are packed with nutrients and fibre to help keep your heart healthy. Find healthy salad or vegetable soup recipes online or in recipe books to include in your lunch plan. Finish off your lunches with a portion of fruit and a low-calorie yoghurt.

Include lean sources of protein in your lunches Foods that are high in protein can help you to feel full for longer and this can prevent you from snacking on less healthy foods during the day. Lean sources of protein include grilled skinless chicken or turkey, canned tuna, soybeans, tofu and low-fat dairy products.

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Concrete Poetry Julian Hewitt

Fordingbridge Museum

Fordingbridge has many attractive and ancient buildings but I suspect most residents would find it difficult to identify a local example of cutting edge architecture. However, those readers who have passed by Fryern Court, the home of the artist Augustus John from 1927, might have caught a glimpse of an unconventional building set in the field in front of the old house. This was built as a modern well-lit studio for the artist to paint his portraits and later to produce sculpture. When Augustus John moved to Fryern Court in 1927 he used a studio in a small building in the orchard in the back garden. When the eminent architect, Charles Reilly stayed with John in 1931 to have his portrait painted he wrote to his wife, “I have suggested his building a large new studio, modern, in ferro concrete and he likes the idea.” The painter William Nicholson was a friend of Augustus John. His elder son, Ben Nicholson, was a painter who became well known for his modernist paintings and for his marriage to the fellow artist Barbara Hepworth. His younger son Christopher, always known as Kit, became an architect and it was he who John chose to design his new studio. In 1930 Kit had visited Paris and had admired buildings, including studios, built by the renowned architect Le Corbusier. In 1931 he drew up plans for a reinforced concrete studio, then a relatively new material. It was a one roomed high ceilinged studio raised on columns to make the most of the light in its setting surrounded by trees. The building was designed using a theory of geometric proportion based on a square and its diagonal. The paving stones on the terrace were 2’ by 2’ 10” and these measurements informed the proportions of the rest of the building’s grid of repeated rectangles.

The only thing to break the pattern was a full length curved glass window in one corner and a dramatic external spiral staircase. The windows were metal framed and factory made; the studio had radiators under the window seats and a trap door to lower completed paintings to a picture store on the ground floor. The concrete frame was painted white and the brick infill was painted pink. The contemporary German Bauhouse architectural movement believed that colour was an essential part of the architecture. The building became known as the north or pink studio.

John must have been impressed with Kit’s work because he later got him to design a library extension to the south sitting room, a large games room known as the ping pong room, and a new porch to the east front of the house. Despite this, when Kit brought a fellow architect down to look at the studio the cantankerous John was in a bad mood and refused to open the door to him. After the completion of his commission Kit, his children and his wife, the painter and fabric designer EQ Nicholson, rented for a time the miller’s house at Alderholt Mill. He was an enthusiast member of the London Gliding Club winning the national gliding championships in 1928 and 1939 but in 1948 at the age of 44 he was killed when his glider crashed into a mountainside in Switzerland. In the 1970s the ground floor columns of the studio were enclosed to make it a three-bedroom house and it was sold. It is now a private property but there are numerous photographs of it on the web that show that the mixture of geometric formality, unencumbered space and purity of line are still evident.

The Old Beams welcomes you back The family-run Old Beams near Ringwood is welcoming customers back as lockdown eases and the family would like to reassure all patrons, old and new, that they are following a rigid regime on protection for prevention against COVID-19. Further investment has been made in the new rear garden area, and a small children’s play area is now incorporated, which will be enclosed during the winter months for further enjoyment.

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The Old Beams is participating in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme throughout August on Monday to Wednesday, which you can enjoy all day. Not forgetting Steak Night – two steaks and a bottle of wine £25. A newly formed Monday night bike club has been well-received with bike celebrities such as ‘James Hillier’ paying visits. Please come in with your family or close group and join The Old Beams’ family for a ‘socially’ safe time out.

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in the home

Give your home a new postlockdown look

Something beautiful

By Marilyn Barber

You’ve had four or five months to do the de-cluttering – well you have, haven’t you? – and so now is the time to look at your home closely to see if its new pared-down look can be improved further.

A clutter-free bedroom

Remember the words of textile designer William Morris – ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’. Living room A fresh coat of paint is a good starter, making the room look clean and fresh. It is no problem if you’ve hung on to Granny’s occasional table, as vintage mixed with modern works well. You may not want to ditch your lamps, but new shades can give the room a whole new look. How about changing the positions of your favourite pictures or paintings? The most inexpensive way to update a room – because it’s free – is to re-arrange the furniture and perhaps you could also alter your bookshelf displays. And don’t forget to add a vase of fresh flowers. Bedroom This can be updated in an instant by altering the layout if is possible, and then treating yourself to new bed linen. The minimum of furniture plus the addition of mirrors can make the smallest bedroom appear so much larger.

Your small appliances such as kettles and coffee makers have probably been overworked of late, so why not replace them with a new colourful model? As you have recently cleared some of the work surfaces, you could brighten them up with a pot plant such as Aloe Vera or Spider plants. Bathroom Just small alterations could make all the difference, such as updating the flooring, improving the lighting, installing a unique mirror and treating yourself to fresh towels and bathmats and replacing the blinds. And if you have space, bring the outdoors indoors with an indoor plant on the windowsill.

Kitchen During lockdown you could well have spent a great deal of time in the kitchen, so it might need a mini makeover. If you have a blank wall you could hang a piece of art as framed pictures belong just as much in the kitchen as in the living room. New lighting also works well. Visit www.mags4dorset.co.uk for more local news please mention VIEWPOINT Magazine when you contact our advertisers

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specialist services / who to contact for the service you need. BLACKSMITH

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specialist services / who to contact for the service you need. TREE SURGERY

TREE SURGERY

WINDOW REPAIRS

More tree planting Additional trees are to be planted in Ringwood.

Plans for Ringwood cemetery

With Ringwood’s cemetery having only approximately two years’ worth of space remaining, the town council’s recreation, leisure and open spaces committee is looking at options for the future. Council officers are to engage experts in cemetery design to ascertain ideas and costs with a view to putting a plan in place a plan to maximise use of the land available at the cemetery. Another option would be the installation of a columbarium for the storage of cinerary urns.

Changes afoot Recent planning applications submitted to New Forest District Council include: • change of use of Café Velo at 2 Star Lane, Ringwood to become a self contained threebedroom flat with parking. • erection of a bungalow on land to the rear of 14 Shaftesbury Street, Fordingbridge. • a proposal to demolish outbuildings at 2 Nursery Road, Ringwood and to convert the front building to a two-bedroom cottage, and to erect six threebedroom and one two-bedroom house • an application to turn a disused dairy into a hand car wash by Newgen Hyper Cleaning Ltd. Lake House at Woolmer Lane, Blashford, Ringwood is to be demolished to make way for a new threebedroom bungalow. Planning permission was granted by NFDC subject to conditions.

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Ringwood Environmental Action Leadership (REAL) working party told the last meeting of Ringwood Town Council’s planning, town and environment committee that trees planted by the anglers’ fence on Poulner Lakes/open space at North Poulner Road, had suffered badly from the recent unauthorised encampment and lack of water. Some replanting was required and would take place in the autumn. Cllr Kelleher said that Poulner Residents Association had lots of volunteers and he believed there would be a lot of support available for tree planting in the future. Ringwood Town Council has said that 5,000 trees can be planted on its land and locations have been agreed for 4,200. It is proposed that a further 800 will be planted on either side of the Southampton Road flyover. In addition, when restrictions are lifted, wild flowers will be planted in and around the trees at various locations, including Poulner Lakes.

Pandemic has cost the council £60m

Additional spending and lost income due to Covid-19 have cost Dorset Council £60m.

Costs were incurred by increased demand for social care for adults and children, extra PPE for employees and support for people who were shielding. Income was lost from the suspension of car parking charges, closure of leisure centres and other commercial services, and lower than anticipated income from business rates and council tax. Dorset Council has so far received two rounds of funding totalling £21m from Government to support the council’s budget pressures. The Government recently announced a third round of £500m funding for local government in England, but Dorset Council has not yet received the full detail of its share of this financial support. It will consist of grant funding (Dorset Council will receive £2.7m), an income support scheme (details to be confirmed), and support for collection funds. However, it is highly unlikely that this will fully address the current year’s budget gap which is now forecast at £43.1m. Unless additional Government funding becomes available, Dorset Council says it will have to manage this forecast budget gap using its reserves. The General Fund reserve of £28m combined with other previously earmarked reserves are sufficient to enable the council to continue to operate throughout 2020/21. Cllr Tony Ferrari, portfolio holder for finance, commercial and assets, said, “While Dorset Council has sufficient reserves to survive this financial year, our overall financial position as a result of COVID-19 is of real concern. It will be unsustainable to take this continued level of expenditure into the next financial year, 2021-22. However, we will continue to explain the financial reality of the situation to government and seek additional funding to reduce the impact. “We will also need to enter into a really challenging budget setting round for next year and future years. This will identify tactical savings and will involve developing a transformation programme which enables the council to meet the needs of Dorset’s residents within the funding available. There are difficult decisions ahead.”

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motoring

Man outwits thieves

A man in Poole outwitted thieves after reports of a break in and people with torches at an address in Redwood Road on 26 July soon after 11.30pm. At the time nothing was reported stolen. It was subsequently discovered that a set of keys to the victim’s car had been taken. Two days later at 11pm a group of people were seen trying to get the car started. The attempt failed as the victim had disconnected the battery when he realised the vehicle’s keys had gone missing. Witnesses say they saw a large group of teenagers wearing hooded tops and dark clothing in the area. If you witnessed them running away or if you have any CCTV footage that may be relevant, please contact Dorset Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on Freephone 0800 555 111.

Highway Code consultation Your views on proposed changes to the Highway Code are needed to improve safety. The review is being held by the Department for Transport to improve safety for vulnerable road users, particularly: cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. The main changes being proposed are: • Ensuring that road users who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others

• Make rules on pedestrians clearer • Providing guidance on cyclist priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead • Creating guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists and horse riders. The consultation can be found online on the www.gov.uk website. Search for Highway Code consultation.

Park illegally in BCP area and your car could be towed away You have been warned. BCP Council says that thanks to new powers, vehicles causing an obstruction could face being towed away – and it has already happened – although vehicles will only be towed away if they are causing significant problems such as a dangerous hazard. The initial operation will run until the end of September before being reviewed ahead of a decision on whether to roll it out permanently. Cllr Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for Transport and Infrastructure, said, “This is a decision not taken lightly but as a result of the significant volume of illegally parked cars experienced, particularly at Sandbanks and Bournemouth seafront, we have no choice but to take action. I hope we rarely have to use the power and people instead choose to park

responsibly but everyone should be aware we now have this option at our disposal if they choose otherwise.” The option to tow has been rolled out across the whole area of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and not just in seafront locations. Vehicles which flout parking rules and are left on double yellow lines, across driveways, cycle lanes, on verges or too close to junctions blocking sight lines could be towedaway. Vehicles removed will be subject to the government-set fine of £150 and face up to £20 a day storage fee for every 24 hours their car is left before being collected. Enforcement officers will continue to patrol all areas including car parks to ensure everyone is parking appropriately.

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Library update Good news for the people of Ferndown and Wimborne. Your libraries are now open from 9.30am to 1pm, Monday to Saturday (excluding Wednesdays in Wimborne). The computers will be available for a 45-minute session but need to be pre-booked. Cllr Tony Alford, portfolio holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory Services, said, “Library services will look and feel quite different with signage to help users follow social distancing guidelines and some services will still be unavailable. We will continue to work towards reopening more of our buildings and will be assessing what services can be reintroduced as government guidance evolves.” There will be no access to toilet facilities and seating areas have been removed. Printing and photocopying, study spaces, print copy of newspapers and magazines, information or reference enquiry service and the reservation service are all currently unavailable. Government guidelines are continually changing, so please follow the current rules in place at your library.

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

Witness sought following fatal accident

A motorcyclist aged in his 20s from Salisbury sadly died at the scene of a collision in Bournemouth. The collision occurred at around 6.15pm on Thursday 30 July on Wallisdown Road at the junction of Alton Road and involved a white KTM motorcycle and a red Nissan Pathfinder. The occupants of the Nissan sustained minor injuries. If you witnessed the collision or have relevant dashcam footage, please contact Dorset Police on 101, quoting incident number 30:366. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on freephone 0800 555 111.

Theatre company goes online Determined not to be beaten by the pandemic, Forest Forge Theatre Company members have decided that if the public can’t come to them, they will go to the public. Established nearly 40 years ago, the company delivers participation classes, creates its own productions, delivers theatre and hosts visiting shows at its Ringwood-based studio. Recently Forest Forge created and ran a sixweek online theatre course called ‘See it, Be it, Write it’. It is now offering the six-week course in full to download in one, allowing participants to work their way through at their own pace. Forest Forge is also offering a series of free Artist Talks on Zoom. For more details visit: www.forestforgetheatre.co.uk.

156 new police officers As part of the government’s announced uplift programme, 156 new police officers will join Hampshire Constabulary, which has completed the last of its recruitment activity for the first year of this programme. A total of 3,000 applications were received with 13% being from diverse backgrounds.

Of the 156 new recruits, 113 will be deployed across 16 districts, including eight in the New Forest area. The remaining 43 will be deployed across local crime investigation departments, the contact management team, and specialist criminal investigation teams.

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As it “App-ens” Hopefully a new app launched by BCP Council will stop people ignoring social distancing on local beaches as happened in June when the authority declared a major incident after thousands flocked to Bournemouth. The BCP Beach Check app is free to download from Google Play and the Apple App Store and allows visitors to check which beaches across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are least congested. In addition, the app provides handy information on the beach lifeguard status, whether toilets are open and information on byelaws for cycling along the promenade and exercising your dog. Reviews on Google Play are mixed ranging from “Really useful...” to “Terrible” But one person found it “Life-changing” and gave it five stars, marking it 11/10.

Fed up with vehicle litter louts? If you see someone littering from a vehicle you can report the incident by logging onto https://dorsetself.achieveservice.com/service/DWP_Report_ litter_on_the_highway_or_pavement.

Farmers’ fears for road’s safety By Marilyn Barber The owners of a stud farm at Edmondsham fear that it won’t be long before someone is killed or seriously injured on the road adjacent to one of their fields. Sarah Coombs, whose father Stuart owns Bramble Farm, said that there have been many accidents over the 32 years the family has owned the farm. “We average one accident a month, and there was one just last week,” said Sarah. “We have had three in one day.” She said that they had spoken to Dorset Council and the Highways Agency, but both authorities said there was nothing else they could do about the road, which has a 60mph speed limit. “The road has a sharp bend with slow down signs and reflective bollards, but people are driving too fast,” said Sarah. “We would like the speed limit to be reduced.” Sarah said they have to repair the fence frequently, although sometimes

the motorist’s insurance covers the damage. “When it rains we can’t put horses into that field and we worry that one day a horse will be injured,” she added. The accidents are a real worry for the family. “We don’t know what we’re going to find when a car hits the fence. We’ve had a variety of injuries including whiplash and motorists are very shaken up. We’re good at dialling 999,” said Sarah. A Dorset Council spokesperson said, “We don’t currently have any plans to lower the speed limit on Edmondsham Road near Bramble Farm, and we have also had no requests to lower the speed limit in this area. “In the last few years we have installed additional chevrons and repainted the white lines to alert drivers to the bend in the road so they can take appropriate action.”

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Despite the parting, the legend lives on After his sudden departure from AFC Bournemouth, fans and players alike are mourning Eddie Howe’s decision to leave the club by mutual consent. The 42-year-old, who has managed the Cherries for more than a decade in more than 450 games across two spells at Vitality Stadium, made his decision together with club officials on Saturday 1 August. The mutual parting follows a season that led disappointingly to relegation of the Cherries from the Premier League. AFC Bournemouth chief executive, Neill Blake said, “Eddie Howe is synonymous with this football club, both as a player and a manager, and that will never change. “He is quite simply an AFC Bournemouth legend, having helped transform the identity and history of the club. “Myself, our owner Maxim Demin and the board’s gratitude and appreciation for Eddie’s achievements cannot and will never be underestimated.” In an open letter to supporters Howe said, “It is difficult to put into words what Bournemouth means to me, both as a town and as a football club. Having spent a total of 25 years with the club as both a player and a manager, this decision made together with the club - is one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make. However, although the affection and love I have for this football club will always remain, we collectively feel that now is the right time for the club to go in a new direction. “When I first took charge of Bournemouth back in January 2009, the club was second bottom of League Two and our objective at that point was a clear one. Survival in the Football League and the long-term survival of the club. We managed to achieve both in a remarkable manner with Steve Fletcher’s goal against

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VIEWPOINT August 2020

Eddie Howe, picture courtesy AFC Bournemouth

Grimsby and since that moment, although our objectives subsequently changed and continuously evolved, I’d like to think that our mindset and work ethic didn’t. “Survival in 2009 followed by promotions in 2010, 2013 and 2015, leading to five fantastic years in the Premier League, are of course some of the major highlights, but I am most proud of the culture of the club that everyone involved in AFC Bournemouth has helped to build and create during that time. It is that culture that ultimately enabled us to enjoy the success that we did.” He thanked everyone, including the fans: “You helped the club survive in its darkest hour and deserve every success. I now join you as a Bournemouth supporter and will be willing the club on in what I am sure will be a successful future. “Bournemouth will always be in my heart, but I firmly believe that now is the right time for the club to have a change. I have always ensured that every decision I have ever made as manager has been in the best interests of the club and its supporters, and this is no different.” Howe is looking forward to spending time away during the summer with his family and says he is looking forward to the next chapter in his life. Social media was flooded with accolades when the news broke. Charlie Daniels: The man who believed in me and pushed me to be better every day, the man who gave me my dream of playing

in the Premier League. We achieved what many thought was impossible. What a journey! Thank you for everything. Luther Blissett: When someone grows up with your club as Eddie has you believe they’ll always be a part of what you do. An exemplary manager & true inspiration for what can be achieved on journey from player to manager. Eddie’s been a credit to AFC Bournemouth & will always make them proud #legend. Nathan Aké: Thank you for everything gaffa. Callum Wilson: Forever thankful for everything you’ve done for me over the past 5 years Gaffer! You’ve helped me achieve my dreams and I’m proud to have played a part in an amazing journey for you! Some great memories that will never forget. Good luck on your next chapter.” Supporter Juliette Britton: What an amazing man you are in all fields, but thank you for continuous hard work in making the club what it is. You will be a very hard act to follow, but wish you all the luck in the world in your future success. Supporter Avi Moses: What a man, what a heartfelt letter… These are words of a man who genuinely loves this Football Club. Would have loved him to stay on and get back into the Premier League. What a journey though! Good Luck for the future, Eddie. Hope to see you back soon. Eddie Howe’s open letter can be found in full on the AFCB official website www.afcb.co.uk

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