New board members for theatre

purbeckgazette.co.uk

News Theatre board revamp is continuing

A MEDIA culture expert has been appointed deputy chair of the Lighthouse in Poole.

Monika Barnes worked in training and development for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 before setting up her consulting practice to provide organisational and strategic change, leadership development, EDI work and executive coaching to a global range of clients in the arts and media sector.

Now, she has been appointed deputy chair of the Poole Arts Trust Ltd, the charity that runs Lighthouse.

Her appointment comes alongside other changes, including four new trustees as the venture revamps its board.

“These appointments ensure that we have a strong, hands-on board that will ensure Lighthouse continues to be well managed, relevant and a true civic asset for our community,” said Lighthouse chief executive, Elspeth McBain.

“Monika joined the board in 2020, just weeks before the pandemic hit us, and since then has played an important role as a trustee.

“Our trustees are our unsung heroes, volunteering their time and expertise for the benefit of the organisation and for the arts and culture in the region.”

Monika designed and launched Career Savvy Women, a specialist training programme that succeeded in increasing the number of women in senior roles.

She now holds a portfolio career and as well as her role at Lighthouse she is a board member of both Goldsmiths College University of London and AECC, a specialist Health Sciences University based in Boscombe.

“Quite simply it is an absolute privilege to be deputy chair of Poole Arts Trust,” she said.

“I had always admired Lighthouse from my visits as an audience member and now that I get to see behind the scenes I know how passionate, hard working and committed everyone is who works there.

“The year round programming is phenomenal in terms of its range and accessibility and the new branding ‘Different Every Day’ captures the vibrant, positive energy within the venue.

“One thing is for sure, Lighthouse never rests on its laurels and is ever mindful of its role within the local community and broader region.

“The pandemic highlighted the fragility of arts organisations, as does the current energy crisis and no doubt there will be many more challenges ahead.

“Nevertheless, we have an excellent strategic plan and I know all Lighthouse staff and volunteers will do whatever it takes to ensure Lighthouse retains its place as the cultural gem of Dorset.”

Poole Arts Trust has also announced that joining the board are: Caroline Gitsham, Operations Director RNLI; retired Hospitality and Entertainment Operations and Development Director David Hoare; Tony Johnson, Chief Technology Officer at the Copyright Licensing Agency, a not-for-profit collective management organisation that works on behalf of authors, publishers and visual artists; and Channa Vithana, senior lecturer in Architecture at Arts University Bournemouth.

How to protect your home from care costs Advertisement feature

Nobody likes to think about getting old, but it is certainly worth thinking about if you value your home. That is because your house could very well be sold by the local council to pay for your care fees.

As an example, let’s say you own a home jointly with your partner and you live there until one of you dies. The surviving partner continues to live in the house until they must go into a care home run by the local authority. At that point, the local authority will assess the surviving partner for care fees. If their capital and savings are worth more than £23,250, they will have to fund their own care.

Councils place a charge on the property, which is paid when the house is sold. Alternatively, you may be required to sell the house immediately to raise the cash. Money raised from the sale of the house will fund your care until your savings get down to £23,250. That won’t leave much of an inheritance for your family and loved ones.

There are two solutions to the problem available to you. One is a will trust which protects 50% of the value of your home from care costs. The second is a living trust which shields 100% of the property.

Both are relatively inexpensive to put into place. Every trust is administered by trustees, the trustees can be the partners or surviving partner and children.

The situation won’t get better over time. The UK’s fastest-growing age group comprises those aged over 85. Councils will face even more pressure on budgets, leaving them with little choice but to continue to sell people’s homes.

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The main thing to remember with trusts is that because you do not own the assets held in the trust in your own name, it is more difficult for those assets to be taken away from you or from the beneficiaries of the trust.

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Help for young people having issues with drugs or alcohol

By Lorraine Gibson

IT’S a hard truth to face, but according to Young Minds, a charity that helps support young people with mental health, drug and other issues, the use of both legal and illegal drugs among teenagers and young adults is widespread.

Teenagers are likely to experiment, test boundaries and take risks – and smoking, drinking and trying drugs are among the most common ways in which they might do this.

Substance misuse is one of the most common risks to a youngster’s health and development, and all drugs have the potential to cause harm – some can be addictive and using them in combination can increase the risks.

Illegal drugs include cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin, but legal drugs – alcohol and tobacco – can be very addictive.

If you’re worried that your child could have or is already having problems with drugs or alcohol, help and advice is available and, as a parent, there are things you can do.

If you’re unsure about anything, Young Minds has lots of advice and its simple guides for parents talk them through things they might try, such as: n Be a good role model: You’ll influence your child’s attitude to drugs and alcohol before they even encounter them themselves n Be honest: When kids ask

Teenagers may indulge in risky behaviours such as smoking cannabis (above) and cigarettes, and Young Minds can offer advice about them, tell the truth. Why people enjoy them, find them relaxing etc, but also add the drawbacks like illness, being sick, being vulnerable n Make conversations about drugs an everyday thing rather than a big, one-off talking point n Be clear about the myths – like how they don’t boost self-confidence and suggest other ways of overcoming shyness, awkwardness and anxiety If you really think your child is using alcohol or drugs to help them cope with difficult feelings or mental health issues, speak to your GP for professional advice straight away.

WEBSITES WHICH CAN HELP

www.youngminds.ork.uk www.talktofrank.com www.edasuk.org/support www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support

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The benefits of being an all-through school

TALBOT Heath is an independent day and boarding school which offers a dynamic and holistic education to girls aged three-18.

Community, continuity and a coherent curriculum are just some of the huge benefits that being a through-school gives to every one of the students at Talbot Heath.

Staff get to know each and every pupil as they progress from kindergarten right through to sixth-form, forging long-term relationships with students; our ADVERTISER’S ANNOUNCEMENT

broad and innovative curriculum provides cogent consistency and progression across the year groups and key stages, and our dedicated staff build strong, supportive, nurturing relationships, having guided girls through all aspects of their development.

The younger members of our school benefit greatly from the support and role modelling the older girls provide, and equally, the older pupils can develop their empathy, mentoring and leadership skills while working alongside younger pupils.

Indeed, the latest initiative for students is ‘The Bridge’ – a volunteer mentoring programme where sixth-formers support younger Talbot Heathens in mathematics and through the Forest School.

Whole school events such as the Harvest Festival celebrations and School Birthday cement that sense of community through annual shared traditions.

Parents have regularly acknowledged how their daughters have developed a strong sense of security throughout their education as a result of being surrounded by familiar people and places.

Indeed, it is this sense of security that enables our pupils to look outwards and take on their future with confidence and conviction.

Pupils attending our Junior School will automatically be offered a place in our Senior School in Year 7 if they have a positive attitude to learning across the curriculum, alongside standardised and teacherbased evidence of progress being made in English, Maths and Science; this immediately eliminates the anxiety and stress of entrance examinations.

Pupils will benefit from the comprehensive and consistent approach to learning and the values and ethos of the school’s motto, ‘Honour before Honours’ embodied by each individual.

These values include: kindness to others, good behaviour, industry, contribution to school life and being a positive role model.

Book your place now on our kindergarten, pre-prep and junior school open morning, Friday 3 March, www.talbotheath.org/ openday

Talbot Heath Junior pupils are now guaranteed a highly sought after place in our Senior School

- see our admissions web page for criteria Now that is reassuring.

Talbot Heath is a happy, top performing through school for girls from 3-18.

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