February 2019 Forum Focus

FORUM FOCUS For Blandford and surrounding villages Issue No. 83

Gail’s laughing - all the way to the Foodbank! See Page 11

February 2019

New ventures give health a double boost HEALTH care in the Blandford area is receiving a two-pronged boost thanks to two ambitious new initiatives.

• A dedicated team - the Community Support Worker Service - has been set up to provide short-term care at home for frail and vulnerable people living in the most remote areas.

• And dozens of voluntary 'Health Champions' are working to try to ease the burden on Blandford's surgeries.

Dorset HealthCare's new Community Support Worker Service offers care for patients seven days a week, between 8am and 8pm in their own homes in a bid to prevent hospital admission, enable early discharge, and support people nearing the end of their lives.

Three teams of nine staff work from hubs at Blandford, Shaftesbury and Sherborne hospitals, providing a unique support network for community workers, including clinicians, physiotherapists, community matrons and nurses, as well as a palliative care specialist.

They can access any advice and

support they need, feed back concerns they may have about a patient and carry out basic nursing care, as well as offering help with everything from personal hygiene, food preparation and dressing to picking up medication and washing clothes.

Trust health and social care coordinator Tessa Bendell said: "We officially launched in December, and it is already having a positive impact on the local population.

"One of the main catalysts was giving people the opportunity to die in their own homes with their loved ones, and by providing this short-term care, we can also ensure the wishes of patients are respected during the final stages of their lives."

Access to the Community Support Worker Service is via referral by a health or social care professional, who will assess an individual's needs to ensure it is safe for them to stay at home with support before allocation of their own key worker, who will design a care plan tailored to them.

• In a separate development, Health Champions are helping Blandford's surgeries keep the

North Dorset Community Support Workers, with Dorset HealthCare chair Andy Willis and Trust health and social care co-ordinator Tessa Bendell. population healthy and cope with their conditions by setting up groups of fellow patients with whom they can share their experience.

Carol Tilley, practice manager at Whitecliff Surgery, said: "It really

is a very exciting development.

We have created a community of health champions, not just here but at Eagle House as well, and our volunteers are doing great things."

• Full story: Page 19.

Roadworks ahead WORK started on January 2 to remodel the junction of Black Lane with Wimborne Road in Blandford, making it wider to improve the flow of traffic by realigning the kerbs to alleviate the sharp turn for HGVs entering Black Lane.

The closure of the C13 Higher Shaftesbury Road and A350 through seven villages between Blandford and Shaftesbury has been impacting on motorists for some weeks and will continue.

More disruption is inevitable when work is undertaken to repair Durweston bridge, which carries the A357 towards Sturminster Newton, and the causeway carrying the road over the flood meadows.

• Details: Page 4.

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February 2019

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Copies can be picked up from any of our drop points below: Blandford and Blandford St Mary: Morrisons, Greyhound Yard; M&S Langton Road; The Post Office, Library and Parish Centre in The Tabernacle, the Corn Exchange, the Spar shop in Market Place, Gorge Cafe in East Street, Blandford Museum in the Market Place, the Tourist Information Centre in West Street, Chaffers in Salisbury Street, James Newsagents in The Plocks, the Coop in Salisbury Road, the 3Cs in Damory Street, the Damory Garage and One Stop in Salisbury Road, Cherry's hairdressers in Elizabeth Road, Blandford Leisure Centre in Milldown Road, the Central Shop in Heddington Drive, the Brewery Visitor Centre, Lidl in Higher Shaftesbury Lane, and Tesco and Homebase at Stour Park.

In the villages: Charlton Marshall Church Rooms and Charlton pub, Woodpecker pub at Spetisbury, Abbott Garden Centre, Langton Long, True Lovers Knot and St Richard Close bus stop in Tarrant Keyneston, Langton Arms in Tarrant Monkton, Anvil and Farquharson pubs in Pimperne, the White Horse Inn at Stourpaine, Iwerne Minster Post Office, Child Okeford Post Office, Shillingstone Garage, Okeford Fitzpaine village shop, Londis Shop & Royal Oak at Milborne St Andrew, The Crown at Winterborne Stickland, Post Office and Surgery, Milton Abbas, and The Cricketers at Shroton.

Diary events are updated regularly on our website so it is always worth logging on to stay up to date with what’s happening in the area. The website also carries additional pictures of local events and background information on stories.

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New name and new aims as church project pushes ahead BLANDFORD Parish Church's Cupola Project has been relaunched as 'The Big Church Project' following the Heritage Lottery Fund's announcement of a substantial grant to support the next phase of restoration.

The new name reflects the wider remit of the longer-term plans following completion of the cupola restoration, originally intended to be the finale to the whole project but brought forward in view of the danger of its collapse.

The change also recognises the identification of the landmark Georgian building by many members of the public as 'the big church in the market place', and the aim to restore and remodel it to extend its central role in the community.

The Cupola Project committee, now also retitled the Restore Working Group, met on January 8 to hear from HLF South West senior case officer Laura Joyner what had to be done with funds awarded towards the next phase costing a total of £1.2 million.

The grant of £78,000 announced just before Christmas is towards the restoration of the roof of the landmark Georgian church and meant the investigative stage could begin.

Once the investigations have been completed, application will be made for a much larger grant of £664,000 to complete the restoration. This work will see the removal and repair of tiles, the replacement of rotten timbers, the rebuilding of the apse ceiling and internal plastering and decoration

of the ceiling.

Rector, the Revd Canon Jonathan Triffitt, said: "Two years ago we restored the main cupola followed by improving the access to the building by extending the steps to enable wheelchair access.

"Once the roof has been done the building will hopefully be watertight and then the next phase will be an internal re-ordering. This will itself be quite challenging as a near-perfect Georgian church, with boxed pews, encompassing several levels within the building, is a beautiful but complex place."

Sara Loch, project manager, said: "All of us involved in the work are thrilled about getting this grant and are looking forward to putting together the paperwork needed to go after the second pass grant."

While it is hoped that the National Lottery grant will cover the majori-

ty of the project, other funding bodies will be approached to make up the shortfall to ensure all the work is completed.

Surveys and reports for the project will, hopefully, be submitted to HLF early 2020 to bid for the rest of the funding for delivery, which could see scaffolding go up in 2020 to make all the roofs watertight and plasterwork restored.

Ms Joyner was taken on a tour of the west gallery, tower, clock chamber and ringing chamber which were restored with HLF funding two years ago, and of the parapets by project manager and architect Marcus Chantrey.

She suggested that further application would need to be prepared for the walls, windows, internal redecoration, lighting, internal re-ordering and floors, all of which require attention.

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February 2019

Pearly pair deliver delight for charity THE Pearly King and Queen of Harrow gave Home Start North Dorset a helping hand by fundraising on their behalf just before Christmas.

David and Paula Hemsley visited a number of pubs with the help of Home Start volunteers and trustees in the Sturminster and Shaftesbury areas to raise over £300 each time.

They visited Lidl in Blandford, dressed in their magnificent pearly suits, to make a further six-hour collection which raised over £350, bringing the total past £1,000.

They now live locally, but David's grandmother, a Pearly Queen, originally came from Harrow and was evacuated during the Second World War. Paula married into the Pearly tradition of carrying out charitable work, and the pair meet regularly with other Pearly Kings and Queens in Covent Garden in London.

Trustee Caroline Salt said:

"Home Start North Dorset extends a huge thank you to them for giving up their time to help us, to Lidl and the publicans for allowing us to collect and to all the revellers and shoppers, some of whom put down their shopping to put something in the collecting bucket."

Home Start North Dorset is, like many charities, struggling to find funding to carry out its work supporting families in the district to give children the best start in life.

Volunteers with parenting experience are recruited and trained to provide tailor-made support through home visiting, and the charity needs to meet their training and travelling expenses. In 2018 they made 500 visits providing support to over 65 families and 150 children.

For more information about their work, to donate or volunteer, email office@home-start-northdorset.co.uk or call 01258 473039.

Pearly King and Queen, David and Paula Hemsley, in the foyer at Lidl.

Leisure centre donations sought NORTH Dorset District Council's Cabinet has agreed to instruct officers to negotiate an extension of the operating contract for Blandford Leisure Centre, which was due to end at the end of 2019, until the end of March 2022.

It would give the new Dorset Council sufficient time to design and implement new operating arrangements for leisure facilities across the county.

They agreed there should be an option to terminate the contract prior to that date to allow early implementation of any new leisure centre operating arrangement for facilities across the Dorset Council area.

The letting of the operating contract to SLM (Everyone Active) was achieved through partnership working with other local authorities, including Blandford Town Council and several parishes, to ensure sufficient financial contributions to help meet the cost of the management fee.

The partnership continues through Blandford Leisure Centre Consultative Group, which has representatives from county, district, parish and town councils, The Blandford School and Blandford Camp.

Dorset County Council has been contributing £33,000 a year from the sale of Sturminster Newton Leisure Centre, and has agreed

Hiring fees set to rise FEES and charges for most Blandford Town Council venues and services will be increased by three per cent in line with inflation in April.

Exceptions include the hire charge for a market stall, which is to be frozen for the second year running, rewarding loyal traders and attracting and retaining new ones, and charges for hire of the Corn Exchange complex due to its need of refurbishment.

It was agreed to make a small charge to regular hirers playing music as a contribution to the £1,443 cost of the PRS Music Licence but to freeze the cost of equipment hire, fax and photocopying.

to continue providing support, but at diminishing levels of £33,000 this year, £22,000 next year and only £11,000 in 2020-21.

Blandford Town Council gives an annual contribution of £50,000 and intends to continue its financial support until March 2021.

But only five parish councils contributed last year, the largest sum (£4,000) coming from Charlton Marshall, with £500 from Tarrant Monkton &

Launceston, £500 from Pimperne, £100 from Spetisbury and £50 from Farnham parish councils.

Requests have now gone out to parishes for support in the coming year. Blandford St Mary parish council at its December meeting agreed to discuss it in the new year. The clerk was asked to request more information on the number of residents from the village using the centre.

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February 2019

Road closures mean weeks of disruption CLOSURES of the C13 Higher Shaftesbury Road and A350 through seven villages between Blandford and Shaftesbury will continue impacting on motorists for some weeks to come.

An emergency closure of the C13 overnight on December 19 was brought into force to allow BT OpenReach to make urgent repairs to a dangerous manhole frame and cover at Melbury Abbas.

And on January 4 the A350 was shut for its entire length for three hours between Shaftesbury and Durweston Bridge after a vehicle crashed into a hedge, with no reported injuries, early in the morning, and there were reports of several other incidents and lorries getting stuck due to ice. A gritter was sent out to treat the route for a second time at around 9am after gritting had been carried out the previous night.

Three days later the C13 was closed at Melbury Abbas for works estimated to take 12 weeks to create a new pull-in and install vehicle activated signs (VAS) to prevent HGVs meeting in the narrow section in the mid-

dle of the village, where lorries regularly get trapped.

The road is closed from the top of Spreadeagle Hill, junction to Compton Abbas airfield, to the C13 junction with the B3081, but arrangements have been made to ensure residents and emergency, refuse and gritting vehicles have continued access.

Other works currently being undertaken include temporary signals being made permanent, hedge and tree trimming and pothole repairs.

The council has also committed to provide additional improvements to help traffic flow along the two very busy roads as a medium-term solution as part of a ÂŁ2.4m government-funded project to improve the two roads.

Traffic signal control shuttle working in Dinah's Hollow has operated since July 2015 after the slopes of the natural hollow were found to pose a risk of slippage.

The county council introduced an advisory route signage in the hope of persuading drivers going north to use the A350 and those travelling south to use the C13.

But the county is also continuing

to work with neighbouring authorities to push for a long-term solution for north-south connectivity from the M4 to Poole Port.

North Dorset District Council leader Graham Carr-Jones said: "We appreciate that while work is taking place on the C13 it will put pressure on the A350, as well as other local roads, and will affect many residents along the route.

"The work is vital to ensuring

these two roads work together, as best as they can, to serve our north Dorset communities."

On January 21, a temporary 40mph speed limit was introduced by Dorset County Council on the Blandford bypass to create a safer working area for Southern Gas to install a new gas main. It is hoped that work will be completed by February 22.

Junction improvement work WORK started on January 2 to remodel the junction of Black Lane with Wimborne Road, Blandford, making it wider to improve the flow of traffic by realigning the kerbs to alleviate the sharp turn for HGVs entering Black Lane.

It was planned so that a traffic management scheme could be in operation between January 2 and 7 during the roadworks when Blandford Camp and Archbishop Wake Primary School remained closed after the New Year.

Work after that date was carried out off road and was expected to be completed by January 18.

More repairs for Durweston bridge MORE disruption will be inevitable when work is undertaken to repair Durweston bridge, which carries the A357 towards Sturminster Newton, and the causeway carrying the road over the flood meadows.

A planning application for the work was submitted late last year and Dorset County Council's Cabinet allocated ÂŁ530,000 from the current and coming year's budget to replace three of the flood arch structures and carry out embankment works in a programme first mooted two years ago.

County Councillor Deborah Croney highlighted the importance and significance to the local area of the work being undertaken, since recent inspections had identified that the condition of integral structural elements of arches that support this section of the A357 were deteriorating at an increasing rate.

Between each of the flood arch structures are a series of embankments that support the highway and together they form the causeway across the flood plain. These embankments are narrow without an effective verge at the carriageway edge.

Deterioration of the embankment

slopes is beginning to undermine the highway, increasing the risk of a road surface failure. To address this, it is proposed to widen the footprint of the embankment and slacken the slope of the embankments.

The completed scheme will consist of new structures with a design working life of 120 years and widened embankments that provide adequate support to the highway.

The replacement and modification works will address concerns about the condition of the network and provide verges, improving the safety of this section of A357 highway network for users with a significantly lower maintenance demand.

Parishes are now waiting to be consulted on when the work will take place, when road closures will be necessary and the proposed route diversions so that mitigation for specific local issues and businesses in order to keep disruption through the villages and the local area to a minimum.

A shuttle system is likely to be operating whenever it is practical and safe to do so in order to keep access over the bridge open for as long as possible.

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February 2019

Mixed reaction as village homes plan gets the go-ahead APPROVAL by North Dorset District Council's planning committee of an application for 25 homes on the north-western edge of Milborne St Andrew has been welcomed by the council's cabinet members for housing and planning.

But it was not welcomed by residents in the village of under 450 homes which in recent months has seen applications for a total of another 157, in addition to the 40 they have allocated in their own draft Neighbourhood Plan.

Cabinet member for planning, David Walsh, said: "I am pleased that we have been able to give approval to more new homes in our area, providing a boost to our five-year land supply. I look forward to work starting on site."

Council leader and cabinet member for housing, Graham CarrJones, said: "The approval of more homes in the area is welcome. The increased rate of development is a key driver for our Opening Doors programme."

Planning committee members could find no reason to refuse the outline application from local developers Wyatt Homes for land at Huntley Down, where an application for 30 homes was refused last year.

They were told that the applicants had addressed the reasons for refusal of the earlier application by

reducing the density, increasing the distance between the new homes and existing properties, and better integrating the ten affordable homes offered as part of the proposal.

They were also now offering, in response to concerns from Natural England at the cumulative impact from the number of applications submitted in the village, a suitable alternative natural green space to compensate for the development on the hectare of grade three pasture land.

There will also be a local area for play, although Councillor Belinda Ridout highlighted that the nearest equipped area would be at the other end of the village, across the main road.

Neighbourhood Plan planning consultant Jo Witherden said "This may be better than 30, but the council was right to refuse that, and should not feel pressured into approving this."

She said there was no under-supply of housing in the villages, and only 70 parking spaces would lead to on-street parking. She argued that any decision would be premature in advance of examination of the Neighbourhood Plan which was submitted in October last year, but planning officer Robert Lennie said the plan was at a very early stage and little weight could be attached to it.

CONVERSION of a disused coach house at Stour House in East Street to residential use can only enhance the conservation area, town councillors agreed. The proposal by John Barroll Brown was to sub-divide the grounds of the Grade II listed property and create a new vehicular and pedestrian access off Common Lane to the restored coach house.

Julie Ann Booker with Graham Carr-Jones and colleagues.

Fond farewell to Julie Ann THE end of an era came to the team at Signpost House on Sunrise Business Park with the retirement of Julie Ann Booker, formerly Foster.

She held a number of roles with a succession of housing associations since she joined Signpost 11 years ago in neighbourhood services, having previously worked for Magna Housing.

She became divisional director of operations with Spectrum Signpost and retired as regional housing manager with Spectrum Sovereign.

Colleagues gathered and were joined by North Dorset District Council leader and housing portfolio holder Graham Carr-Jones to wish her farewell on her last day in December.

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February 2019

Paving work takes a step forward THEY have been a long time coming, but at last the replacement paving for uneven and broken flagstones promised by Blandford Town Council as part of the refurbishment of the façade of the Corn Exchange has arrived and been installed in The Shambles.

Availability of the correct materials delayed the work, which was finally carried out at the beginning of January when The Shambles were closed for a few days but reopened on schedule and in time for the successful vintage fair on January 11.

And the announcement by North Dorset District Council of a grant of £70,000 towards the enhancement of the Market Place has raised public expectations of further work to improve the town centre paving.

A report indicating that a decision was to be made on the award, which matches similar awards already agreed and pending to North Dorset's other four towns and to the North Dorset Trailway, states that Blandford Town

Council is developing the weekly markets to bring more people into the town centre.

"The area used by the market is a key part of the town centre, providing a space for the twiceweekly markets. It is also an important venue for open-air events and provides a valuable frontage space to the very special ensemble of the Corn Exchange and adjoining Georgian facades. This project would improve this area, including some pedestrianisation of the market area as well."

It identifies a project anticipated to cost between £220,000 and £340,000 to which the award would be a significant contribution and would act as match funding for other grants, depending on the decision on materials to be used.

County Councillor Byron Quayle said: "It is great news that the district council has decided to support the enhancements to the Market Place. This grant forms part of a larger programme I've been working on to replace the

slabs in Blandford. I will be working with county officers to put forward plans for these enhancements in the near future."

At the time of writing, details of the project had not yet been made public.

The town council at its meeting in November agreed to add to the list of projects, which might be funded by developer contributions, the part-pedestrianisation of the Market Place through purchase of the parking area on which the market is held from the highway authority.

Blandford Plus in their draft Neighbourhood Plan have stated that improvement of traffic flow in the town centre is not a matter for the plan but will be discussed once the plan is finalised.

The new flagstones in The Shambles.

More town projects set for grant funding POTENTIAL projects identified by Blandford Town Council in a list approved in 2012 for developer contribution grant funding and now confirmed with new ones, in addition to pedestrianisation of the Market Place, are a multi-purpose building on the Badbury Heights estate, extension to the pavilion and car park improvements at Larksmead and improvements to sports pitches and the creation of new ones.

Also included are contributions to public art, a town council storage facility, retention and improvement of the library, the Corn Exchange refurbishment, bus shelters, a scenic riverside walk and tourist attraction, including a footbridge over the river Stour from Bryanston, and a shelter and trim trail on the Milldown.

Councillors also asked for the inclusion of compulsory purchase of the ransom strip at Blandford Heights to allow access to Clump Farm industrial estate and allow Tinpot Lane to revert to its status as a bridleway, and agreed to seek the advice of the district council on the possibility of compulsory purchase of the former greengrocers' shop at 52 Salisbury Street.

Trailway wins the cash for new developments A SECOND grant of £70,000 from the 'retiring' North Dorset District Council has been agreed for the North Dorset Trailway, specifically for land purchase to extend the route between Sturminster Newton and Stalbridge.

But the report to Cabinet in January suggested it could also be used as match funding for other projects, and the North Dorset Trailway Network has a number of plans in the pipeline.

It is hoping to put together a business plan for the next five years focusing on Trailway improvements and raising its profile.

Preliminary ideas have included improving access to the Trailway

for mobility scooters, and volunteers are needed to help with newsletter production, membership recruitment, publicity, event organisation and fundraising.

The Rangers have worked on creating ramps at Charlton Mead and Spetisbury Halt, and signage for the Trailway through Blandford has been improved. Planting continues in the hope of providing a Trailway corridor for the rare Barbary Carpet moths.

The improved Little Lane between Okeford Fitzpaine and Shillingstone could be enhanced with a safer crossing of the A357, in negotiation with Dorset Highways.

• To Page 7

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February 2019

Trailway cash aid • From Page 6 The Network has commented in detail on the plans for development at St Mary's Hill, Blandford St Mary, and is maintaining a watchful brief on the work of the North Dorset Railway Trust to introduce an operational railway at Shillingstone, for which an application for LEADER funding has been submitted to divert a short section of the Trailway.

Network members were assured at their AGM by the Trust's chair David Caddy that safety, particularly for equestrians, will be paramount when the section of line becomes operational, and everything possible would be done to alert all users when rolling stock would be moving.

The aspiration for a visitor centre for which a successful declaration of interest for £200,000 was submitted to the Northern Dorset LAG for LEADER funding, has been handed over to the Rangers following a change in the rules, allowing Dorset County Council to bid for funding.

Historic arch to be restored GRANT funding has at last been secured by Blandford & District Civic Society for the restoration of an historic school archway and information boards

The archway in Damory Street which will be restored and grassed area beyond which was once a town burial ground.

for that and a former burial ground in Damory Street.

The restoration project for what was once the entrance to Blandford Secondary and Grammar School has long been an ambition for the society, which promotes the conservation of the town's heritage and works to bring it to public attention.

But the project has been extended to better present both the archway, remodelled in the 1920s to become a war memorial to those from the school lost in World War One, and the town burial ground next to it which was used for nearly 50 years in the first half of the 19th century.

Both now form part of Wessex Court, now owned by Spectrum Sovereign, who have given permission for the work.

Society chairman Terence Dear said: "The opportunity arose, through funding from the Rural Development Programme for England's North Dorset Local Action Group to restore and upgrade cultural heritage, to commission information boards for both features as well as the archway restoration, which will feature replicas of the memorial plaques now situated at the Blandford School."

An award of just over £15,000 will pay for the restoration by a local building contractor and installation of two interpretation boards which have been designed by a local artist.

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February 2019

Developers seek planning changes

Magic on the Masons’ menu THE mysteries of the Masonic Lodge were combined with the artistry of local magician Paul Hyland at the December meeting of the Lodge of Honour & Friendship No 1266 in Blandford.

The Worshipful Master (WBro Tony Daniels), his wardens, officers and fellow brethren welcomed as guest Terence Dear, chairman of Blandford and District Civic Society, to whom a cheque was presented towards the society's Damory Street restoration project (see page 7).

The funds had been raised at their farmers' night meeting in September.

Also present was Nicci Brown, Civic Society secretary and trustee of the Disability Action Group, for whom a raffle was held.

Civic society chairman Terence Dear receives the donation from Worshipful Master WBro Tony Daniels.

After the short private Lodge meeting they were invited into the Masonic Temple for some magical entertainment from Mr Hyland, which was followed by a festive meal.

A REQUEST by Blandford Town Council for double yellow lines to be introduced on one side only of Milldown Road has been turned down by the county highway authority, who have also resisted their suggestion that one or two pinch-points should be removed.

Residents asked for lines on both sides of the road to assist them in exiting their driveways and motorists in negotiating the pinch-points.

Councillors have now asked that the highway authority explain their reasoning and agreed that any changes to parking arrangements in the area should await the outcome of the town parking review.

BELLWAY Homes, whose application for 211 houses on the far side of Blandford bypass at Blandford St Mary is being considered by North Dorset District Council, have sought a 'nonmaterial amendment' to the outline planning permission they were given in 2016 for a much larger development of up to 350 homes.

The detailed application now submitted is for the first phase of the larger development, and their agents Savills have applied to change a condition of the original approval which lists the plans to which the detailed application should conform.

Savills associate Steve Clark says that many of the plans listed in the outline approval, which considered only the principle of development and the proposed access, were illustrative only and should not be binding on the detailed application.

"At a meeting with the planning officer on December 20, it became apparent that there was some uncertainty regarding the

details approved at the outline stage. This uncertainty arises due to reference in condition 4 to another plan submitted."

Only two of those plans related to the principle and access, he says, asking that the others relating to layout, scale, appearance, landscaping, which were illustrative only and listed in error, should be removed from the condition.

Blandford St Mary Parish Council held a special meeting on January 15 to consider the details of the scheme in view of what were considered discrepancies in relation to the outline approval.

The North Dorset Trailway Network has raised strong concerns about the proposed crossing of the A354, and Blandford Town Council has suggested the application should be refused if a footbridge or underpass cannot be provided for safe access between the new development and the town.

PIMPERNE residents voted by seven to one in favour of the village's Neighbourhood Plan on which the members of the Neighbourhood Plan Group have been working since 2014.

A total of 321 people, more than 35 per cent of the 917 electorate, supported the proposal, and only 46 votes were cast against it in the 40 per cent turnout referendum on January 10.

Parish Council chairman Peter Slocombe congratulated the Neighbourhood Plan Group, expressing huge appreciation for the time and hard work of all the group, and to the "vast experience, expertise and constant attention to detail� shown by consultant, Jo Witherden.

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February 2019

Housing register is a boon for home seekers THE Opening Doors programme launched by the Dorset Councils Partnership, of which North Dorset District Council is part, has a home ownership register for people who want to rent or buy rather than go on the list for social housing.

Cllr Graham Carr-Jones, North Dorset's housing portfolio holder and leader, said it was giving a real insight into the preferred type and location of housing wanted by residents, and meant they could direct new homes to them. "I would encourage anyone looking to own their own home to sign the register."

The programme has also recently launched a masterlist of affordable homes in North Dorset to help more people on to the housing ladder.

By drawing together the different types of affordable properties, including

shared ownership, rent to buy, help to buy, community land trusts, co-housing, discount to open market, social rented and properties designated as 'affordable' in new planning developments, it is hoped to make it easier for people searching for accommodation.

Mr Carr-Jones said: "Although Opening Doors is still at an early stage it is already making a major contribution in encouraging more much-needed housing while also helping to explain just why it is needed."

See the website at openingdoorsdorset.co.uk for more information on initiatives which aim to encourage the construction of 20,000 homes by 2033, and so tackle a persistent undersupply of housing in the area, which is leading to a low provision of affordable housing and contributing to rising house prices.

Celebrating Dorset food A 15-day celebration of all the great food and drink made in Dorset will coincide with Valentine's Day and the spring half-term holidays.

Dorset Food & Drink (DF&D) is organising what will be a fantastic opportunity to show their love for their favourites created in the county.

From February 9 to 23, the Love Dorset Food & Drink Weeks will include shops highlighting the best in local produce, producers running special competitions, and chefs cooking up special menus featuring favourite items from their Dorset larders.

For further details of events and activities, see their website at dorsetfoodanddrink.org/LoveDorset.

Steve Richardson, Laura Ellerton, a member of Rebekah's staff, and Rebekah Collett.

Real Bread Week THE last week of February sees Rebekah's Kitchen in Blandford teaming up with microbakery Blandford Bread run by Steve Richardson - to mark Real Bread Week with a different style of bread each day.

The Real Bread Campaign's annual Real Bread Week celebrates additive-free, locally made loaves and their makers, in a mission to find and share ways to make bread better for consumers, better for communities and better for the planet.

Rebekah's Kitchen will be offering a different variety of Blandford Bread each day - from Maslin Monday to Foccacia Friday.

Owner Rebekah Collett said: "We're really pleased to be working with Blandford Bread to inspire others with our passion for real bread in the town."

Steve Richardson said: "Real bread is made from flour, water, salt and yeast. We thought that this would be another opportunity for people in Blandford to taste real, local bread."

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10

Overhaul steams ahead THE overhaul of a steam locomotive has turned a corner at Shillingstone station.

After over a year of dismantling, cleaning parts and preparation, together with sending the boiler away for professional refurbishment, the overhaul of steam locomotive number 30075 is on track at the headquarters of the North Dorset Railway Trust.

Volunteer members of Project 62, which owns locomotive 30075 along with sister 30076, also at Shillingstone, left the station after their first Wednesday working party of the new year with fresh impetus after beginning the repainting process of the locomotive's parts.

It was only a small step with much more heavy work to do, but it was one in the right direction when two of the locomotive's 'sand domes' received their first

30075 stands in the yard at Shillingstone before restoration work commenced. Photo: Bob Bunyar - Project 62.

coats of new primer paint in the group's storage container workshop.

Now the slow process to prepare all the locomotive's parts along with the rolling chassis to rebuild the locomotive and return it to running order will continue while skilled work on the locomotive's boiler takes place at the workshops of Members painting sand domes in Vincent their workshop container at ShillingEngineering at stone. Photo. Dave Wallis - Project 62 Henstridge.

Updates on the overhaul are being posted on the group's website project62.co.uk where details of fundraising initiatives can also be found, along with information about purchasing shares in the group's locomotives. 30076 is in unrestored condition on static display at Shillingstone and work will not start on returning this engine to running order until 30075 has been successfully run.

February 2019

Video tours of the town PROMOTIONAL videos for Blandford commissioned by the Town Council from Skyfast Media have been launched online on the council's website, Facebook page and in other online media.

They feature a year in the life of the town, and are hoped to benefit local business, generate tourism and encourage visitors.

But councillors have realised that the footage filmed during the year does not include one of the town's most important buildings, the Corn Exchange, and have agreed to approve expenditure for a further half-day filming and full-day editing at a cost of ÂŁ370 so it could be included.

There is a five-minute tour of what Blandford has to offer and there will also be three short videos giving an overview of Blandford's heritage, events and facilities. The council plans to increase awareness of the town by making footage freely available to local groups and businesses for use in displays, on websites and in advertising.

February 2019

Lions’ efforts bring Foodbank delight THERE were more donations in December to the Blandford Foodbank's special Christmas appeal, including a collection made by the Blandford Garrison.

Blandford & District Lions presented £1,000 worth of meat vouchers enabling 50 local families to have meat on the table at

Blandford & District Lions’ president James Mayo presents the vouchers to Foodbank manager Gail del Pinto.

A new call for carers A DORSET foster carer is using her experience to encourage people to do the same, after a sharp increase in the number of children needing care.

Jo Thomson, 48, and her husband Mark have fostered seven children over the last four years, aged four to 16. She also hosts Dorset's Children in Care Awards, where foster parents, looked-after children and care leavers are celebrated.

So she was the natural choice to be fostering engagement officer in a new project for Dorset County Council, which needs to recruit many more foster carers directly to avoid high agency costs and meet a growing need.

If you have a spare bedroom and are aged over 21 and able to offer a placement for a weekend, month or longer term, whether you are a single or married homeowner or in rented accommodation, the fostering team at the County Council would love to hear from you.

For more information, see fosterindorset.com, call 01305 225568 or email fosteringenquiries@dorsetcc.gov.uk.

Christmas. The money was raised through a number of appeals initiated by club president James Mayo, who said: "We had a very successful Christmas in fundraising terms and the club felt that the Foodbank was a most deserving cause who should receive a significant donation."

The Lions, who can be contacted by email to blandfordlions@hotmail.co.uk or through their Facebook page, seek to support organisations across DT11 who they believe are worthy of a donation, raising money with bucket collections and by putting on various events.

Gail del Pinto, manager of Blandford Foodbank, said: "It was a very generous offer from the Lions which made a difference to so many families."

In addition to the vouchers, the Lions bought eight tickets for the pantomime at the Corn Exchange and two families benefited from the purchase.

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Above: Revd Stuart Turner and Lieut-Col (Retd) Bob Brannigan from the Blandford Garrison Support Unit present part of the Blandford Garrison collection to Blandford Foodbank manager Gail del Pinto. Below: Lieut Liz Law hands over part of the Blandford Garrison collection.

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Readers’ letters

Policing questions I SEE that Dorset residents are being asked for extra funding towards the Police.

I'm sure that most residents will agree that extra funding is worthwhile if it gives us the lawful society that we would hope for but many will object if we do not see this effect in the towns and villages of our county.

Many will also object when salaries of senior officers, as well as those of local government employees, are made known, particularly when these salaries exceed the salary of the Prime Minister.

In the national motoring press it has just been made public, due to Freedom of Information requests, that in the period 200918 there were 7,142 vehicles

February 2019 Please write to Forum Focus if there is something you'd like to comment on or share with other readers.

Email your letter, which should be as brief as possible, to: editor@forumfocus.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can call 01258 459346 or deliver your letter to: Forum Focus, c/o Colin's

stolen in Dorset. Of those just 1,512 were recovered which is a recovery rate of 21.17%.

In the same period Merseyside Police reported 35,624 vehicles stolen but had a recovery rate of 75.27%. Greater Manchester Police had 63,064 vehicles stolen but recovered 57.81%.

Surely there is a lesson there in the methods used for recovery that should be learnt by Dorset Police and then maybe the residents of Dorset might not feel aggrieved by being asked for more money. However, Dorset Police were better than the West Midlands region who only had a recovery rate of 11.73%.

It would be interesting to see figures for other crimes committed in the Dorset region and see how they compare with other regional forces. We read about Wild West Britain on a daily basis but I personally think the closure of police stations and the absence of policemen walking or cycling the beat day and night are major

Community Club, 49 Damory Street, Blandford DT11 7HD. Please mark your letter 'for publication' and remember to include your address, which will not be used in full. Forum Focus reserves the right to shorten or edit letters in the interests of clarity, brevity and style.

contributing factors to this current state of affairs.

If the Dorset force had amalgamated with Devon and Cornwall as they had wanted maybe their poor statistics would have been hidden by being incorporated in those of a better performing force.

Nicholas Smith, Blandford

Christmas was saved VERY many heartfelt thanks to the lady who handed my dropped purse to Blandford Tourist Office around midday on Friday December 21, and to the staff there who contacted Morrisons and also left a message on my phone.

I am truly grateful. It would have been a very difficult Christmas without it. A truly 'Christmas' action. Thank you.

Mary Collingborn Barrack Row, Durweston

Pop-in help is needed CAROL Bunnagar is retiring from Age Concern Blandford Forum at the end of March 2019 after setting up and running both the Age Concern Blandford office and the Pop-in for the last 20 years.

We desperately need a volunteer to run the Pop-in, which is held every Wednesday morning from 9.45 to 11.30am at the

Woodhouse Gardens pavilion in Blandford.

We regularly get 20 or more older people who come for a coffee, biscuit and a chat. For some it is the only time they get out and meet other people.

If you can help please contact our office on 01258 458250 or email ageconcernblandford@talk21.com Thank you Phil Allen Age Concern, Blandford

Medical concerns I WAS very interested to read the article headed 'A £4.2m shot in the arm for health care in Dorset' in your January issue.

May I enquire why, when reading the Blackmore Vale or your magazine, we only have the views of the practice manager of Whitecliff practice? There are two practices in Blandford, so when are we to hear from Eagle House? Is there going to be a merger of the two practices or is it a takeover by Whitecliff? I have already voted with my feet and changed practices.

If the GP surgeries are to be relocated to the Blandford Hospital, then the first question to be asked is where are the staff and the patients going to park?

The Clinical Commissioning Group does not use logic, but blindly pushes ahead with its blinkered views.

A good look at the working prac • To Page 13

February 2019

Letters extra

• From Page 12 tices in the hospitals could save much money, if only there was some real action.

Patients in Blandford do have the option to attend Salisbury Hospital, if this is more convenient for them, as Dorset CCG has a contract with the hospital to treat patients in Dorset. There is ample parking at Salisbury Hospital and you pay on leaving.

Mrs A A McIntosh Winterborne Kingston

The future of Nordon IT is refreshing to see that Weymouth and Portland Borough Council are holding consultation events where the public will be asked for their views on the redevelopment by a local housing association of their council offices site in Weymouth.

This is diametrically opposed to the actions taken by our own council, North Dorset District Council, where the plans for the redevelopment of Nordon were kept secret from the general public for well over a year before the planning application was lodged and the details of the scheme made public.

During that time, some of our local councillors were fully aware of the details, allegedly withheld for 'commercial' reasons. What are they hiding? Whatever happened to localism and local government transparency?

The openness of WPBC is to be welcomed, although the demolition of Weymouth's council offices cannot be in doubt as it is not of the same architectural and historic quality as the old house at Nordon.

Hats off to WPBC, although in my heart I know that the redevelopment scheme is already set in stone.

John Turnbull, Blandford

Take your partners OVER the past few months my wife and I have been going to the tea dances in the Corn Exchange. Although I can't dance at all really, it is a very enjoyable afternoon with great music and a few enthusiastic couples who

take to the floor.

The Soggy Biscuit Dance Band (what a great name for a band!) are excellent musicians and it is worth going along just to listen.

There is an interval with tea, coffee and cakes, and even a raffle.

As I said, I can't dance, but a few minutes on Youtube is all it takes to get the basic steps for the waltz, foxtrot and quickstep.

The health benefits of dancing are well known. The Soggy Biscuit Dance Band, and the tea dance, which takes place every third Monday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, has been supported by the Town Council through to the end of March. It would be a real pity if that support were to be discontinued due to lack of numbers so please shuffle along and join us!

Geoff Poskitt Queens Road, Blandford

Praise the volunteers I'M reminded, as I carry out my council work around town, just how fortunate we are in Blandford. In fact, not just in town but across the country, by the overwhelming support volunteers give to our communities.

An army of people get up every morning to help make a difference to so many people. In Blandford this support is vital to many residents. Furthermore, in Blandford, this support tends to go above the national average.

A local resident stopped me in the street to express her gratitude towards Gail del Pinto and the Blandford Food Bank for all their help and support. This is not the first time I've been stopped by residents expressing their thanks for the foodbank, a truly fantastic organisation with amazing people who go above and beyond.

Of course, there are many other charity groups in Blandford that go that extra mile daily for people in need. So, to all our volunteers, Thank You. Your hard work and dedication is the difference that changes lives. If you need help or would like any advice in accessing support through the council, please feel free to contact me.

Byron Quayle County Councillor for Blandford Forum Byron.quayle@dorsetcc.gov.uk or 07843 616 343

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Mark Woodhouse, chairman of Hall & Woodhouse, and Kate Fisher, SWASFT assistant community responder officer for Dorset, with the new defibrillator.

Round-the-clock help HALL & Woodhouse has funded the installation of a new defibrillator for the community at its brewery in Blandford St Mary.

The life-saving equipment has been installed by the Brewery Tap entrance, providing members of the community with 24-hour access to the machine.

The company has had a defibrillator at the brewery for six years and another at the Crown Hotel. Previously these machines have only been accessible during working hours for team members and visitors.

A free defibrillator training session for members of the public was held at the Brewery Tap on January 17, run by the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT).

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Conductor Sam Ryall, musicians and singers welcome the guests.

Time to be together BLANDFORD Rotary Club hosted its traditional Christmas Day lunch in the Sealy Suite of the Crown Hotel for those who would otherwise be spending the day alone.

A total of 64 guests included the elderly, disabled and other deserving members of the community, many of whom were transported to and from the venue by Rotarians and their supporters.

All were welcomed with a glass of sherry, juice or wine and festive music provided by Sam Ryall and his ukulele group joined by other local musicians and singers. There was also magical entertainment provided by Jana Bundy, who visited each table with her box of tricks.

Before the three-course meal of soup, turkey with trimmings and Christmas pud was served by Rotarians and friends, Rotarian and retired Canon Grahame Shaw gave grace.

Rotary president Andy Munden thanked Yogesh Patel and his wife and family who have, for two decades, been responsible for preparing and presenting the festive fare with the support of Blandford Rotary's business partners.

Mayor Roger Carter welcomed the guests, thanking Rotary for hosting the event and helped Santa distribute a gift to each of those present.

February 2019

Tommy’s dinosaur is a festive winner SCHOOL meals provider, Local Food Links, for the fourth year ran a competition for pupils in its schools to design Christmas cards.

A showcase of colourful and original designs were submitted. Key Stage 1 winner was Tommy Kay (Year 1, Milldown CE Academy), who submitted a charming Santasaurus (pictured right).

The Key Stage 2/3 winner was Isla Davie (Year 4 Winsham Community Primary School).

Chief Executive, Caroline Morgan, said: "The standard of entries this year was higher than ever and choosing winners was tremendously difficult. Our ethos is that we work in partnership with our schools, rather than just supplying them with school meals. We wouldn't want to buy Christmas cards when there is so much talent among pupils."

The social enterprise, which has recently opened a new hub kitchen in Weymouth and now works with 50 local schools, predicting that it will serve 1,534,000 meals in the 2018-19 academic year, was delighted to be a south

west area finalist in the Federation for Small Businesses' Scale Up Awards.

Ms Morgan said: "This is fantastic news and a wonderful start to the new year. Our Weymouth expansion has required a tremendous amount of hard work by the entire team. We are so pleased that this has been recognised and that we have been shortlisted for this award.�

February 2019

Playtime for tots TWO new pieces of play equipment have been installed on the play area off Chettell Way, Blandford St Mary, by the parish council.

Chairman Cllr Malcolm Albery said: "We are delighted to announce the installation of the two new exciting pieces of equipment on our popular play area, designed especially for younger children. This is in addition to a new pushchair and wheelchair accessible access."

The Willy Whale spring rider and Play Car Playhouse, together with a new access path and chamfered sleepers from Ministry of Play, cost a total of nearly ÂŁ7,000 and were funded from developer contributions and the play area maintenance budget.

Bus route changes A YEAR after it was launched, the route of the Damory X8A circular carrying passengers around the town between Lidl and the Market Place has been revised in the hope of increasing the number of users.

In response to a number of requests, the service now goes up Whitecliff Mill Street instead of Salisbury Street after leaving the West Street bus stop. The revision followed a suggestion from two of the bus operator's staff after feedback from customers.

Damory assistant operations manager, Bob Crutchfield, said: "We are pleased to be offering this route revision, which now takes in two doctors' surgeries, a health clinic, residential housing and Ryan Court retirement apart-

ments. “Two of my colleagues - husband and wife Brian and Teri Wareham - are local to the area and felt we could better serve our customers here by altering the route slightly.

"The result means people living in the area have easier access to key local services, and we are delighted to be able to make this positive change.

"We're always on the lookout for ways to make travelling by bus a more attractive option, and we expect the enhanced X8A to be well received by local people."

Adam Keen said: "It is something people have asked for. What we now need is for people to get on it and travel. It's so important that this bus is well used, to secure its future."

Concert to help raise the roof BLANDFORD Forum PCC is hosting a 'Songs in Wintertime' concert with Vox Serenata on Saturday, February 2, at 7.30pm in Blandford Parish Church.

Vox Serenata are a local vocal quartet which was started by two childhood friends.

The group have performed evening concerts at several Dorset churches and other oneoff events, including one in Blandford in September 2017.

The quartet will be performing music by Rutter, Cohen, Wood and Chilcott. For more information, see their website voxserenata.co.uk The concert is free to attend, and there will be a retiring collection in aid of the restoration of the church, which is entering a new stage - the roof.

For further information contact Sara Loch on 01258 450278 or saraloch@easynet.co.uk.

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16

The View from the Hill

by George Hosford More from George on viewfromthehill.org.uk

O

NE of our family members is working on a large arable farm near Stamford in Lincolnshire; early in January they were still lifting sugar beet. The beet can only be harvested while the ground is dry enough and not frozen, so when conditions are right they have to get a shift on. A queue of lorries on the farm road waits to be loaded with beet to take to the British Sugar factory up the A1 at Newark.

The beet harvesters work long hours lifting the beets out of the ground and shaking the soil off them. The sugar-packed roots are then piled up alongside a Collecting the beet. convenient track or road where the loading machine can pick them up and convey them into the waiting lorries.

The factory takes in the loads of beet, washes and processes it into sugar and other products, such as animal feed, in the form of sugar beet pellets. For every ton of clean beet you can expect 150-200kg of sugar - UK-grown

February 2019 plastered in mud. This means it needs a thorough washing after loading silage before it can go anywhere near clean grain. This a is a bit tedious for the operator, but at least the dog enjoys it.

The queue of lorries waiting for beet. sugar beet provides around 50% of the UK demand for sugar. It is a spring-sown crop, usually harvested in late autumn and winter, which farmers will hope to follow with a late sown crop of winter wheat.

Shortly after Christmas we had one of those amazing days where the sun shines on the hill dwellers, but the valleys are filled with cold and clammy fog. This (pictured) is what it looked like on December 27, looking across the Stour valley from the south towards Stourpaine, Hod Hill is lurking under the clouds in the centre of the picture. As we walked down into Websley wood, we found an eerie atmosphere in the edge of the cloud among the trees.

Our sprayer caused a bit of trouble last month. An oil leak was spotted emerging, somewhat ominously, from a rather expensive looking aluminium block taking the main flow of oil from the oil pump directly attached to the engine, which distributes it to the steering system and the boom folding mechanism. Every time we turned the steering wheel, or tried to fold or unfold the boom, oil spurted out under high pressure. Brendan first noticed there was a problem when the sprayer ground to a halt having run out of oil, the leak being impossible to see while driving. Being entirely

hydrostatic, it needs oil to drive the wheels as well as everything else.

It turned out that the flow of pressurised oil through the aluminium block, for the last six years, had worn away the metal in one place, so much that a small hole opened up to the outside world.

Being hidden by the bracket to which it is fitted, the actual leak was invisible. It took a great deal of dismantling and close examination with a torch to finally identify the problem. We had to call in a skilled man from Knight Farm Machinery, the company from Rutland who built the machine, to bring us a replacement part, and fit it.

That lump of aluminium cost more than ÂŁ1,000. On the same day he also carried out the sprayer's annual test, to ensure that it is fit for safe and accurate spraying, a requirement of the farm assurance scheme we belong to as part of the Red Tractor scheme.

Since the festive break, we have resumed loading out lorry loads of maize silage for an anaerobic digester, at a rate of two loads per day. This has caused a bit of a problem on days that we also have to load grain lorries, the chalk floor beneath the silage heap having got a bit churned up by the handler on wet days, so

Every load of silage taken by the lorry is accompanied by the arrival of a corresponding load of spent digestate, a lovely looking soil conditioner, which we hope will enhance biological activity in our soils. It has to be tipped on concrete in the yard, as there is no way you would risk taking an artic into a field at this time of year. Then we distribute it to heaps in various fields from where it will be spread later in the spring.

The current dry weather is very welcome after the soakings of November and December. We have been able to haul the digestate out to the fields without making enormous muddy ruts, the sheep have remained happy in the turnip fields and have not trodden too many into mud, and the cattle in the yards at Websley are not using up as much valuable straw as they would in wet weather.

Not only that, but it means that the chooks can do what chooks love best, and that is to have a good dust bath, unheard of in a normal January. Prepare to get wet!

Chooks in their element.

February 2019

Hunt attracts the crowds and a wave of protests DAYS after the Portman Hunt's Boxing Day meet outside the Crown Hotel in Blandford, police were asked to investigate an allegation by the League Against Cruel Sports that an animal had been chased and killed near Sturminster Newton the following day by hounds from the hunt.

The League, which has also asked the National Trust to revoke the licence granted to the hunt for trail hunting at the Kingston Lacy estate, said a 'disembowelled' fox was recovered following an incident witnessed by hunt saboteurs at Fifehead St Quintin on January 2.

But police later announced there was insufficient evidence to take further action. A police spokesperson said: "Many of the reports posted on social media are not referred to us and without this happening we have no ability to investigate."

Following the claims, the hunt said it operated within the Hunting Act 2004, which allows hounds to follow an animal scent trail left by hunt members, and was "regularly subjected to spurious allegations of illegal hunt-

ing". In March last year, the Portman's joint-master Evo Shirley was found not guilty of illegal hunting after police received footage of hounds chasing a fox.

There had been a strong turnout

by Portman riders and supporters at the Boxing Day meet and by members of the public eager to see the traditional event in Blandford's calendar.

Hundreds gathered on foot and on horseback with the hounds in the Crown Meadows, from where they departed after their meet to head off towards Bryanston over the bridge lined by onlookers.

Riders had arrived to cheers of support, but also to the protests from a number of members of Hounds Off and Weymouth Animal Rights, who congregated under the watchful eye of the police at the entrance to the meadows and on the opposite side of West Street crying 'Shame on you'.

They opposed trail hunting and called for the hunting ban, which makes it illegal to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, to remain in force.

DORSET Rape Crisis Support Centre is seeking volunteers to help deliver services for the charity which provides a confidential telephone helpline, face-to-face counselling and practical support to those affected by sexual assault.

For more information on volunteering as helpline listeners, counsellors, admin support and fundraising, contact the charity's volunteer co-ordinator Simone Gosden by emailing simone.gosden@dorsetrapecrisis.org, phoning 01202 308848 or visiting the website dorsetrapecrisis.org. Anyone affected by sexual violence seeking help can phone the helpline on 01202 308855.

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Above: The Portman Hunt is led out after its Boxing Day meet on the Crown Meadows by MFH Evo Shirley and the hounds. Below: Anti-hunt protesters in West Street.

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Mums’ lives changed with the gift of reading BLANDFORD Read Easy, a local charity which helps give someone the gift of reading, is looking for volunteers who can support the administration side of the reading programme or organise and support reading coaches in their work.

Research has shown that dyslexia, personal tragedy and difficulties at school can still lead to adults not being Shirley, left, with her Read Easy coach Jane. able to read. Years later, however, the will to succeed who she is determined will have and the current support being a different experience of educaprovided from Read Easy can tion, means she has made great change everything. progress with her Read Easy Making dinner for her kids wascoach Jane. When Shirley's eldn't just tough for Donna - it was est child started school he dangerous. Her eldest child has began trying out his newly a peanut allergy, and Donna, learnt phonic skills, 'h', 'u', 'g', unable to read food labels, which before Read Easy, could not be sure she was Shirley could not recognise. choosing ingredients to keep Now she can help with homeher child safe. Her children's work and read them stories at belief in her finally spurred her bedtime. to make a change - learning to Life has changed a great deal read has improved her self-confor not just these readers but for fidence tremendously and also many others. enabled her to read road signs If you want to help please get in and learn to drive. touch either by email blandShirley's will to succeed, motiford@readeasy.org.uk or phone vated by her two young children 07789 771999.

There's an arctic theme at half-term in Blandford Library, which is hosting a number of special sessions for children aged three to 11 in the week beginning Monday, February 18.

That day between 2.30 and 3.30pm they will be able to create their own 'Circle Snow Scene' with icebergs, snow and arctic animals, and on Tuesday between 10.30 and 11.30am they can make their own funny penguin to join the 'Penguin Parade'.

On Thursday February 21, they will be building their own polar bear mask, and taking part in an arctic-themed treasure hunt.

To book, call in to the library or call 01258 452075.

February 2019

The new Charlton Marshall village hall under construction.

New village hall shapes up nicely ANYONE passing through Charlton Marshall since last July, whether by bus, car or on foot, can't have missed seeing the building progress that's been made with the village's new hall.

The site has been a hive of activity over the months with foundations, base, walls, windows and roof going up in quick succession and with the roof completed before Christmas.

Work has now moved inside with plastering, flooring and the installation of the lift to the first floor on the schedule for February and March.

"It's been incredible watching the rate of progress," says village hall chairman, Margaret Chambers, "and it's the first thing mentioned whenever I meet people around the village or in Blandford.

Everyone is really looking forward to seeing the finished result in the summer of 2019."

While the cost of the main building work is covered by funds raised through the Big Lottery Fund and other stakeholders, finding additional money for new chairs and other equipment is ongoing, said fundraising co-ordinator, Pam Higgins.

She said: "Our 'buy a brick' scheme remains popular and our lovely villagers have been busy organising coffee mornings, supper evenings and Saturday lunchtime soup and baked potato events.

It's great seeing the community coming together for some fun social occasions in aid of the village hall."

For more information on fundraising events and 'buy a brick', visit charltonmarshallvillagehall.co.uk and Facebook.com/charlton-marshall-village-hall.

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February 2019

Meet the health champions DOZENS of Health Champions are helping Blandford's surgeries keep the population healthy and cope with their conditions by setting up groups of fellow patients with whom they can share their experience.

Carol Tilley, practice manager at Whitecliff Surgery, said: "It really is a very exciting development.

We have created a community of health champions, not just here but at Eagle House as well, and our volunteers are doing great things.

"It started in September with a couple of courses, and we now have about 30 health champions going out into the community and helping people to stay well.

"We can get criminal records checks for our champions, and help with promotion and public liability insurance, as well as introducing people to the groups and helping others set them up.

"People can join the groups whichever surgery they may be registered with."

Whitecliff reception team leader Sara Stringer said: "Our Health Champions have been doing amazing work over the past few months setting up groups.

"We are also working together with Blandford Befrienders and Blandford Health Coaching through 'My Health, My Way' at the Blandford Connect centre in Heddington Drive, to which patients can self-refer or book a course through their surgery.

"A series of 'Happy Healthy You' events at the library, leisure centre and in the Shambles of the Corn Exchange is helping to promote the activities, and we have had help from the Friends of Blandford Hospital and are now recruiting for them too."

An expert patient who has

Some of Blandford's new Health Champions who are promoting healthy living in the community. reversed his type 2 diabetes through exercise and diet shared his experience with patients in a talk on January 23, and the Fibromyalgia group for those with chronic pain has 85 members on their Facebook group, with up to ten people attending every week at the community centre.

One participant has lost weight and come off medication as a result of the 'Run for your Life' activities, run by another champion, with a beginners' walking group on Wednesday mornings, running at the leisure centre on Monday evenings, and the Blandford parkrun on Saturday mornings, with which Whitecliff is linked as a practice certified by Parkrun and the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Patients attending a leg ulcer group which meets in the Conservative Club are engaging well, starting to have fun and enjoy activities. An 'Incredible Edibles' guerrilla gardening group is being set up, and is currently seeking a suitable location for growing vegetables, and a group for Returning to Cycling is being developed with Cycling UK volunteer Dilys Gartside.

There is bereavement coun-

selling, Zumba, and the possibility of starting craft and Nordic walking groups, and there have been enquiries about setting up IBD/ Asthma/COPD/ scoliosis/ MS/ arthritis groups.

"For information on any of the groups, or if anyone would like to become a practice Health Champion or has something they could offer the community, let us know on 01258 452501," said Sara.

THIS year's 12th annual Blandford Hidden Gardens will be held on Sunday June 23, organised by David Rose for Blandford Stour Rotary. He has written to those who opened their gardens last year and raised more than ÂŁ2,700 for local charities, inviting them to take part again. He would like to hear from anyone prepared to open their garden of whatever type, size or standard at any time between 11am and 5pm on the day. He can be contacted at endellion@hotmail.co.uk or phone to 01258 451557.

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February 2019

Delight all round as school’s fine progress is maintained

THE Blandford School's initial delight at the quality of results achieved at both GCSE and post-16 has been confirmed by the release of the national picture for school performance, which showed that the school was in line with the top end of schools in the country.

The school's progress score at GCSE, which measures the rate of progress made from students' SAT scores to GCSE, was significantly above the national average and placed them in the top 27 per cent of schools in the country, including selective schools.

Their attainment score, identifying the quality of grades achieved by students, placed them in the top 26 per cent.

Head teacher Sally Wilson said: "Within these figures, we can also see huge successes by different groups of students. Boys bucked the national trend by closing the progress gap between boys and girls.

"Highly academic students achieved a rate of progress that was significantly above progress

made by highly academic students across the country, placing them in the top 20% in the country, and in the top 10% for the EBacc subjects collectively and science. For this group overall, 56 Grade 9s were achieved (the highest grade) and awarded to the top three per cent of students.

English and maths results were also above the national average, and at A-level, the progress score placed The Blandford School fourth among sixth forms in Dorset, including independent schools. In addition, chemistry, physics, economics, PE, RE and business studies achieved a level of progress from GCSE that was in line with the top 25 per cent of schools nationally.

THE hard work of ex Year 11 and ex Year 13 students was celebrated at The Blandford School's annual presentation evening in December at which the audience

showed appreciation of students receiving awards as well as those who 'entertained' them in between the presentations.

Prizes were awarded for academic progress, academic excellence and to those who have shown excellent commitment and talent within the local community and in extra-curricular activities.

On arrival, guests were treated to a buffet of food prepared by a selection of Year 10 food students and Miss Channon, food teacher. The evening was also an opportunity to showcase the immense talent from within the performing & creative arts department.

The guest speaker for the evening was former England international rugby player Scott Bemand, who spoke to the students about grasping every opportunity to reach their potential and dreams.

All those who donated and pre-

sented awards and attended were thanked by the school. Mrs Wilson thanked parents/carers for their support during the term and for the very high percentage attending recent parents' evenings, information evenings, the new Year 7 coffee mornings and meet-the-tutor evening for Year 7 parents, adding that a creche for those wishing to attend but struggling with childcare had now been trialled and used by ten parents, managed by sixth-form students and overseen by staff.

YEAR 10 student Mollie at The Blandford School won a number of awards at the recent Dorset Ladies' cricket awards. She was U15 player of the season and Batter of the Season across all age groups. Her total of 436 runs scored put her 10th in the country for highest number of runs in the U15 age group.

'IS it Wheely Wednesday?' is a new activity starting on Wednesday February 6 from Shillingstone Station on the North Dorset Trailway, suitable for slower or less confident cyclists wishing to enjoy the outdoors in the company of others. "It will be a chance to ride your bike, get fresh air, have a chat and a coffee stop and be back for lunch," said organiser Dilys Gartside. Contact her for details on 01258 860157 or email cyclewisesouthampton@gmail.com.

February 2019

Nativity fills the church St Peter's Church in Pimperne was packed for Pimperne Primary School's first reception Nativity Play.

The pupils reenacted the Christmas story and sang their hearts out.

Thanks were expressed to the Rev Belinda for narrating and hosting, Year 6 pupils for chaperoning the reception children and the reception staff for their hard work in putting the event together.

KS1 pupils raised the roof of the school hall with two outstanding performances of their Christmas production four days later, and the school choir sang at a St Peter's Church lunch on December 12 and at Tesco, Blandford, on December 17.

Support for panto pair THE entire Milldown Academy School was taken in a convoy of coaches in December to Lighthouse in Poole to watch the pantomime Dick Whittington, in which Year 4 student Finlay and former student Charlie, now in Year 7 at The Blandford School, were taking part.

They were members of The Young Company who played various characters throughout the show as rats, sailors and villagers, and Charlie was a rat called Roger.

Everybody - pupils, staff and adult helpers - had a fantastic time, and there Finlay and Charlie on stage at Poole Lighthouse in was plenty of booing Dick Whittington. and cheering and audience participation. The school was particularly proud of supporting two of its own as well as seeing an amazing production, and there was an ice-cream for all in the interval and lots of singing on the buses back to school.

STAFF are being sought for a new Forest school opening soon in Blandford.

Gemma Collis and Daniela Mark plan to set up 'Muddy Monkies' at Downlands Vineyard off the Wimborne Road near Ashley Wood Golf Club, and are seeking those keen to support children's development who love the outdoors and have a clear understanding of how children learn through play.

Daniela said: "We are renting land and woods at Downwood Vineyard, and it will be a full setting term time with the occasional holiday club days, but it will depend on finding the right staff."

There is a closing date of Friday February 2 for applications for one post requiring a minimum qualification at level 3 in early years childcare, and an apprentice aged at least 17.

For further information, email MuddyMonkies@gmail.com.

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STAFF, parents and children from Pimperne Pre-school visited Blandford Grange Care Home just before Christmas to sing carols and decorate biscuits.

Manager Clare Sully said: "In my 16 years working at the preschool it was one of the most rewarding experiences. We were made to feel very welcome and residents joined in singing, ringing bells and dancing. There were many people with tears in their eyes to see the joy the residents got from the visit."

The pre-school in the sports pavilion off Old Bakery Close, Pimperne, now operates from Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm.

TOWN councillors have welcomed proposals to replace and alter the shopfront of the listed building at 5 West Street (formerly CafĂŠ Soba) to make it more in keeping with its historic surroundings, but have expressed concern that the change of use of the first floor to cafĂŠ/restaurant might mean a lack of toilet facilities accessible to the disabled on the ground floor. The application by Max Perkins shows a new kitchen area at the ground floor rear, with toilet provision to mobility standards on the first floor.

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February 2019

A sign of times past Project manager Dean Cockwell, signal maker Mick Smith and volunteer Moira Connolly.

A WORKING replica signal is now in place at a station where no trains have run since 1970.

Members of the Spetisbury Station Project installed on the up platform a 2/3 scale disc and crossbar signal which has been made by Mick Smith, one of the volunteer members.

The original signal was installed when the station opened in 1860 and lasted until 1901, when more modern signalling was introduced in conjunction with the doubling of the Somerset & Dorset line between Bailey Gate and Blandford Forum.

The signal would have been rotated through 90 degrees to indicate if trains were required to stop at the station. There is some debate about whether the disc would have been red like the crossbar, so in the future it may have to be repainted. If any readers can shed any light on the actual colours, project manager Dean Cockwell would be very interested to hear from them by email to deancockwell@ntlworld.com.

Students to be the book award judges ON Wednesday February 13, keen readers from schools across the Wessex region will gather at Bryanston School to take part in voting for the 2019 WABA (Wessex Amazing Book) awards.

The award is unique, not only because it is run by school librarians within the region but also because it is the only book award for children's books which is voted for, by children, on the day of the ceremony.

The pupils will attend the ceremony having spent the last few months reading the five books on the shortlist - and not knowing which schools have put forward each book. They will spend the morning discussing the books before deciding their favourite.

They will then, in groups, deliver a presentation explaining why they believe their book should win. At this point, some may be persuaded to change their minds before the vote takes place.

While the votes are being counted, the pupils will hear a talk

from UK Patron of Reading (and previous WABA longlist author) Joffre White. He will then announce the winner, and the school that chose the winning book will be awarded a glass trophy to keep for the year. The pupils will all receive a special WABA judge certificate and engraved pen.

Blandford-based law firm Blanchards Bailey has been nominated for more honours and named as a finalist in every eligible category in the 2019 Dorset Legal Awards. Winners will be announced in March.

It is also on the shortlist of three for the prestigious Law Firm of the Year in the 50 to 99 staff category.

February 2019

Terry Hill: ex-soldier Panto run continues and Shroton stalwart A FUNERAL service was held in Shroton Parish Church on December 21 for Terence George (Terry) Hill (pictured right), who died suddenly on December 4, aged 84, after decades of service to the village in which he came to live in 1971 after service in the Royal Signals.

He became part of the village's identity, working for the parish council for about 12 years, and as an active member of the village hall committee as chairman or secretary between 1988 and 2013.

Born in Hackney, East London, he had left school at 16 to train with Post Office Telephones and joined the Signals for his National Service, training in radio mechanics.

There he met his wife Joan, who was working in the pay office, and they married in 1952 in Catterick Church. Their first son John was born in Malta, his first posting, and their second Paul was born after his return to Catterick.

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THE pantomime season continues this month with another chance to see Spetisbury Occasional Dramatic Society (SODS) present Aladdin at Spetisbury village hall on Friday and Saturday, February 1 and 2. Tickets: 01258 857515.

The ever-popular tale of Snow White will be presented by The Milborne Players, at Milborne St Andrew village hall on February 8, 9 and 10 at 7.30pm, with a matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday.

Tickets are ÂŁ7 and available from the Londis store in the village, or by calling 01258 839085.

The Durweston Village Players will, on Saturday and Sunday, February 16 and 17, present a pantomime version of Peter Pan. All proceeds will go towards the village playground and playing fields.

Performances 2.30 and 7.30pm on Saturday, and 2.30pm on Sunday, with more details and tickets from 07929 181611.

Teddy acts unveiled The family then went to Germany, where Terry worked on a NATO unit before his move to Blandford Camp. They moved to Shroton after Terry's mother came to live there, and he went alone to Berlin for his next posting.

When his wife, who passed away in 2003, became ill, he moved back to work at the Camp for another five years. He then sold business systems for ten years before taking up a career in life insurance.

TEDDY Rocks have announced the headliners and some of the other acts for the next festival to be held on the first weekend of May at Charisworth Farm for the third year running.

Now offering weekend camping, the festival opens on Friday May 3, running through to Sunday May 5, and the Saturday headliners are The Darkness.

On Sunday the Liverpudlian rockband The Zutons will take the stage, back after an eight-year gap. They'll be joined by Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, The Lounge Kittens, Dream State, Press To Meco, The Bottom Line, The Dirty Youth, Bang Bang Romeo, Cold Years and Saints Of Sin, to name but a few.

The festival has raised over ÂŁ250,000 with help from previous headliners. Festival founder Tom Newton said: "We are working harder than ever to keep growing the festival and to help make a positive impact on so many children's lives affected by cancer."

24 Friday and Saturday February 1 and 2: Spetisbury Occasional Dramatic Society (SODS) presents Aladdin, Spetisbury village hall, 7.30pm, details 01258 857515 Friday February 1: Blandford Forum Railway Club, The Scout HQ, Eagle House Gardens, 7.30 to 9.30pm, entrance £2, refreshments, parking Tom Langham's Hot Fingers The Banned Played On, Durweston Village Hall. 7.30pm, artsreach.co.uk Saturday February 2: Vox Serenata present Songs in Wintertime, Blandford Parish Church, 7.30pm, admission free, collection for The Cupola Project Sunday February 3: The Art Room - informal art session for beginners, 11am-1pm at The Kings Arms, Blandford, details blandfordartsociety.weebly.com Monday February 4: Blandford Floral Group meets for Birthday Lunch at the Ashley Wood Golf Club, 12.30 for 1pm Child Okeford Centre for Care and Learning, talk by Barry & Becky Gransden - "Five Thousand miles away - headhunting ..", The Ark's room, St Nicholas School, Child Okeford, 7.30pm, tickets 01258 860767 Wednesday February 6: Blandford St Mary Parish Council meeting, Brewery Hall, Hall & Woodhouse, 7pm Blandford Forum Film Society, The Blandford School, 7.45pm Loving Vincent (Dorota Kobiela & Hugh Welchman, UK 2017) Animation/Drama Thursday February 7: Square dancing, Spetisbury village hall, 4 to 6pm (and every Thursday) Wine evening, the 3 C's Club, Damory Street, from 7.30pm Thursday to Saturday February 7 to 9: The Milborne Players present Snow White, Milborne St Andrew village hall, 7.30pm (Saturday matinee 2.30pm), tickets 01258 839085 Friday February 8: Blandford WI meet, The Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, 7 to 9pm, 6th birthday celebrations, details blandfordeveningwi.com or on Facebook Wessex Acoustic Folk, Blandford Royal British Legion Club, Church Lane, 8pm, John Richards Saturday to Saturday February 9 to 23: Love Dorset Food & Drink Weeks, see dorsetfoodanddrink.org/Love Dorset Saturday February 9: Emily Hennessey & Sheema Mukherjee - Kali; the story of the World's Wildest Goddess,

What’s on this month Entries in this diary are free of charge. If you have an event you would like included, send details to Nicci Brown, 01258 459346 or email events@forumfocus.co.uk. This page is available and regularly updated on our website at www.forumfocus.co.uk. Readers are advised to check with event organisers before attending.

THIS spring Artsreach are collaborating with The Inn Crowd and Pub is the Hub to bring a series of spoken word events by writer and performer Jonny Fluffypunk to rural pubs across Dorset.

Shows crafted specially for pubs have helped landlords attract new and keep regular customers, reinforcing the pub as a central and vibrant part of the community. He is coming to the White Horse at Stourpaine on February 13.

Ashmore Village Hall, 7:30pm, bookings 01747 811364, artsreach.co.uk MINIMA - The Phantom of the Opera, Sturminster Marshall Hall 7.30pm, bookings 07903 057427, original film screening with new live music, artsreach.co.uk Monday February 11: Small Business Conference hosted by CBA Services Ltd, Corn Exchange, Blandford, 9am to noon, bookings 01258 840306 Child Okeford WI meets, Okeford Fitzpaine Village Hall 2pm: Feeling Sporty - Kurling, Darts & other indoor games Tuesday February 12: Weldmar Hospicecare Snowdrop Service of Remembrance for lost loved ones, Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, Blandford, 2.30pm Wednesday February 13: New Forest Ramblers meet 10am on Stour Meadows, Blandford, for 10.5-mile walk via Tarrant Crawford, Tarrant Keyneston and Rawston Down Play Reading, 'Boeing Boeing', Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford, 7pm, details 07596 959703 Dorset Moviola presents ‘Peterloo’, Fontmell Magna village hall, 7.30pm Jonny Fluffypunk - How I Came to Be Where I Never Was, The White Horse, Stourpaine. 8pm, free admission, 01258 453535 to pre-book food. Suitable 16+, art-

sreach.co.uk Thursday February 14: Forum Cancer Support Group, Woodhouse Garden Pavilion 2 to 4pm (every 2nd Thursday of the month), details 07561 114644 Saturday February 16: Cats Protection Coffee Morning & Stalls, Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford, 10am to 12.30pm Coffee morning, Child Okeford village hall, 12 noon to 2pm, in aid of Mercy in Action. Details and donations 01258 861055 She'Koyokh, Shillingstone Portman Hall, 7:30pm, bookings 01258 860319, artsreach.co.uk Saturday and Sunday February 16 and 17: Durweston Village Players present Peter Pan, 7.30pm (Saturday matinee 2.30pm) Monday February 18: Blandford Fashion Museum reopens for the season with new displays Mr Merlin & Okey Dokey the Dragon, Corn Exchange, Blandford, 11 to 11.45am Strictly Come Tea Dancing with the Soggy Biscuit Dance Band, Corn Exchange, Blandford, 2.30 to 4.30pm, admission £7.50 per person (£5 for non-dancers) Tuesday February 19: Child Okeford Flower Arranging Club 2.15pm, 'Four Weddings and a . .' with Lucy Ellis, Child Okeford

February 2019 Village Hall, Further details: 01258 863775 Wednesday February 20: Angel Heart Theatre - The Boy who Cried Wolf, Child Okeford Village Hall, 4pm, bookings 01258 861621, puppetry and storytelling suitable 3+ artsreach.co.uk 'Beavers in Devon - Restoring Wetlands the Natural Way', illustrated talk by Jake Chant, Devon Beaver Project, to North Dorset Group, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Fontmell Magna village hall, 7.30pm Valley Gardening Club meets Pamela Hambro Hall, Winterborne Stickland, 7.30pm social evening, raffle & refreshments, non-members £3, details valleygardening@gmail.com Thursday February 21: Open garden with plant stall & café, Springhead Trust, Fontmell Magna, SP7 0NU, 10am to 4pm: 01747 818853, admission £3.50, U16 & friends free, wheelchair assisted access and dogs on leads welcome Blandford Art Society Workshop with Mike Bragg - Acrylics and Other Media, 1.30pm, Pimperne village hall, non-members welcome - £4, details blandfordartsociety.weebly.com Blandford Museum Archaeology Group meets Milton Antiques, Bere's Yard, talk by Edrys Markham on 'Bryanston: evidence of Beaker migration circa 2400BC' followed by AGM, details 01258 452831 Thursday and Friday February 21 and 22: Community Kitchen, Blandford Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, from 12 noon Friday February 22: Charity quiz night for the Blandford Food Bank, Parish Centre, Blandford, raffle, bring your own wine, 6.45pm Film Night, 'The Bookshop' (PG), Child Okeford Village Hall, 7.30pm, bookings 01258 860518 Saturday February 23: Ridgeway Singers & Band - A Barnes Supper, Stalbridge Village Hall, 7pm, bookings 01963 362355, supper and celebration of the life of William Barnes - artsreach.co.uk Comedy Exchange with Steve Price, Corn Exchange, Blandford, 7.30pm, see b-cp.co.uk Wednesday February 27: Winter Warmer talk at All Saints Tarrant Monkton, Richard Kay from Lawrence's Auction House with ‘Ten Commandments’, 7pm for wine and nibbles, talk 7.30pm, tickets £5 Blandford Forum Film Society, The Blandford School, 7.45pm In Between (Maysaloun Hamoud, Israel 2016) Drama