MPs’ Round-Up

MPs’ round-up It’s time to stop current surge of immigrants

Bogus asylum seeking and illegal immigration are current political hot topics. The tragic loss of life in the Channel has focused attention on the urgent need to prevent the surge of migrants seeking a better life in the United Kingdom. We have a system of immigration control involving the granting of visas which is designed to ensure that there is an effective limit to the number of those seeking to live in our country. The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, in her statement to the House of Commons, said that it is illegal to cross the Channel in small boats. I intervened, however, to say that this was inaccurate because, since July this year, the Crown Prosecution Service has refused to prosecute passengers of boats and other vehicles unless they are repeat offenders or have previously been deported. I asked the Home Secretary if she would support my Illegal Immigration (Offences) Bill. This is designed to make provision for effective criminal actions against people who have entered the UK illegally or who remain in the UK without legal authority. The Bill would make entering the UK without authority a criminal act that would merit deportation, unless the Home Secretary determined that would not be in the public interest and submitted a certificate to the Court. Although there was no time for my Bill to be debated, there will be a further opportunity when the Nationality and Borders Bill returns to the House of Commons for its Report Stage in the week beginning December 6. I have tabled my suggestions as an amendment to make the legislation effective in deterring illegal immigration which is currently encouraged through the lack of any meaningful sanction. The latest Home Office immigration removal statistics show that the number of people subjected to enforced removal has continued to decline so that they are only 25% of what they were in 2014 despite the massive increase in illegal activity. With more than 27,000 people having reached the United Kingdom in 2021 in small boats and with fewer than 10 having been returned, it is not surprising that my constituents are utterly exasperated by the inability of the Government to respond. The French authorities have a point when they highlight the absence of identity cards in the UK, the ready availability of benefits and the easy access to informal participation in the black economy. This is in contrast to France where identity cards are required and the life of an illegal immigrant is less comfortable as a result. Criminal sanctions would redress the balance. For my next Parliamentary report, I hope to have better news about the Government accepting my proposals.

Christchurch & East Dorset: Chris Chope

Protestors flag up sewage discharge issue

Extinction Rebellion staged a colourful protest in Christchurch to highlight the regular discharge of untreated sewage into rivers flowing into Christchurch Harbour writes a spokesman. Christchurch Harbour is a popular spot for water sports and attracts tourism vital for the local economy. But Extinction Rebellion fear the health of locals, the harbour’s internationallyrecognised wildlife and Christchurch’s economy are endangered by untreated sewage. Raw sewage was discharged into rivers and off the coast across Dorset on multiple occasions in 2020, for example 43 times for a total of 593 hours into the River Avon at Christchurch in 2020, and 68 times for a period of 493 hours into the River Stour at Wimborne. Recently, raw sewage contaminated 12 Dorset beaches including Christchurch Avon Beach and Friars Cliff Christchurch, and Dorset sea swimmers said discharges of raw sewage made them ill. In 2020 Wessex Water discharged raw sewage into Dorset waterways 28,994 times for a period in excess of 200,000 hours. The nine English water companies pay billions in dividends to shareholders –in the past 10 years Wessex Water has paid out £1.1billion to shareholders. The Government recently missed an opportunity to put an end to this sewage scandal and instead introduced a watered-down amendment to the Environment Bill requiring English water companies to ‘progressively reduce’ the discharge of sewage. It is feared this amendment will let the polluters off the hook as it’s vague, lacks ambition and is unlikely to be enforceable. Last Saturday in Christchurch, Extinction Rebellion Wimborne and Extinction Rebellion BCP asked local residents to contact their MP to urge him to back the Climate & Ecological Emergency Bill. The CEE Bill is a private member’s Bill making its way through Parliament with the support of 118 MPs, 29 members of the House of Lords and 146 councils but neither Dorset MPs, BCP Council nor Dorset Council. Extinction Rebellion asked local residents to contact their councillors on BCP Council and Christchurch Town Council to urge their councils to back the CEE Bill. The CEE Bill would set targets to restore nature and deal with climate crisis. Sewage pollution is only set to get worse with climate change as the weather becomes more unpredictable.

Awelcome Christmas visitor

Night sky events with Bob Mizon MBE of the Wessex Astronomical Society

The cold nights of the Christmas season can bring good stargazing, as the air is often still and transparent in winter. Dress warmly and look east for a very welcome Christmas visitor, the large constellation of Orion the Hunter, with his brilliant shoulder, belt and leg stars. Compare the reddish hue of Betelgeuse (642 light years), an ageing red giant in the latest stages of its career, with the steely electric blue of Rigel, a younger and more energetic supergiant star 860 light years away. Binocular users can appreciate the misty Orion Nebula below the three stars of the belt. This region is a nursery of stars, and your binoculars will reveal clusters and multiple stars in this area rivalling the best of our seasonal decorations. The silvery stream of the Milky way, our galaxy seen from within, passes to the left of the Hunter and arches away through the star-strewn winter constellations. Clear skies!

Maintenance person sought by villagers

Godshill Village Hall is seeking someone to look after the maintenance needs of the hall. The task is to visit the hall once a month for a half-day, and work through a checklist to make sure the equipment in the hall is in good working order. Contact Marlene Williams at marlene.williams3@ btinternet.com or call her on 01425 650845 for further information. To book the hall, contact Anne Thomas on 01425 650716 or email Godshillhall booking@gmail.com. Current hire charges per four-hour session are £30 for non-residents and £20 for Godshill residents. godshillvillagehall.co.uk

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RAFFIA  PRIZE:  A stunning selection of raffia pieces

Pictures: GRUB  PRODUCTIONS

Handbags to gladrags, are you ready for

By Faith Eckersall

newsdesk@stourandavon.net From lampshades to handbags to wall-hangings and hats, raffia is having a bit of a moment. Maybe it’s the Scandi vibe. Maybe it’s the vintage and nostalgic connotations – many people of a certain age can remember aunts and grannies topped off with a coloured raffia pillbox or handbag, or making raffia items in school. Or maybe it’s the ecocredentials – raffia is a sustainably-produced natural product which will happily decompose at the end of its very long and useful life. Whatever the reason, it’s good news for Claire Richards of Christchurch because she has been producing handmade raffia items since she first tried her hand at making a hat, in 1993. “I’ve still got that hat,” says Claire, holding up the blue headwear, which she then squashes up, to show me how it travels in her suitcase. “I’ve packed it, I’ve swum in it, it’s got wet, I’ve put it out to dry and it’s still going strong,” she says fondly. “It’s a timeless material.” She was taught her craft by a visiting Australian who explained that because of the sun, raffia hats are very popular down under. Claire was immediately enchanted by two things. “Firstly, that I could actually have a hat that would fit my rather large head!” she laughs. And secondly, that creating raffia items is such a mindful, peaceful way to pass the time that doing it is a relaxation in itself. Despite working as a business lecturer at Bournemouth and Poole College at the time, Claire took up the craft, stopping in 2002 after having her son and re-joining in 2018. And there is nothing she doesn’t like about it. Raffia comes from Madagascar, from the leaves of the raffia tree, she says. It’s sustainably farmed and only picked at certain times of the year when it’s turned into guitar-shaped hanks, weighing about a kilo, and then shipped to people like her. Each hank will provide enough raffia for around three hats and Claire buys around 20 at a time. There are four grades of raffia and she uses the highest, which is also the most pliable. “One of the things people will often say when they pick up a hat is that it’s much softer than they thought it would be,” she says. “I’d always thought it would be drying, like paper, to work with but there’s a certain amount of natural oil in it and it has a lovely feel and smell. “For me, dyeing is one of the most exciting things to do with raffia,” she enthuses. “I sometimes use Dylon pots but I also love natural dyes; people are doing some lovely stuff with nettles or avocado skins and stones which create pinks and purples.” Because raffia leaves take up dye unevenly, it leads to a wonderfully subtle collection of hues. “Depending on how long I’ve submerged it, it will take on variations so one piece will have different colour tones through it,” she explains. “The product is unique, you could never replicate the same colour.” She holds up the blue hat which also contains wonderful shades of grey and near-green. Almost all raffia items are created from plaiting the leaf –

the raffia revival?

Claire uses a four-strand plait –and, she says, an ordinary sun hat will need an eight-metre plait which takes her around eight hours to complete. This is the part of the work that she really finds mesmerising. “It’s one of the most mindful things you can do,” she says. When she holds teaching workshops, she finds that those attending them will chat and get to know each other but by the time the plaiting’s started: “I suddenly realise the room is silent because they are all just concentrating on what they are making.” Through her company, allthingsraffia, Claire teaches the art of raffia-making at a number of venues in Dorset, including Wimborne’s Walford Mill and Sewjessalli at Blandford Forum. She also holds private workshops for those who belong to making or friendship groups. She also hopes to be teaching workshops as far away as Essex, the Isle of Wight and London next year. Some workshops are split into two sections of four hours as it can take longer than eight hours to make an item for a beginner. However, she’s also expanding her work to encompass more homewares and, for one client, an architectural-style lampshade to fill an enormous entrance hall “The homeowner said she needed something really dramatic for her hall, so I’m playing around with ideas for her, as well as for interiors, where raffia is really making a comeback,” she says. “Some people see it as a rather old-fashioned craft, others, as something completely new. “What’s important is that they all find it so enjoyable.” Visit allthingsraffia.co.uk allthingsraffia@gmail.com

Volunteer appeal for treecycling weekend

Volunteers and vans are being sought to join Diverse Abilities’ efforts for a sustainable Christmas as part of its Treecycling fundraising initiative. Taking place over Saturday 8, Sunday 9, and Monday 10 January 2022, the charity will be collecting East Dorset’s Christmas trees for recycling following the festive period. Volunteers are required for driving vans and wayfinding, as well as dropping off the trees at its nominated recycling points across the conurbation and beyond. Claire Cooper, fundraising officer at Diverse Abilities, said: “Treecycling is always a really fun weekend, and needless to say it certainly blows off the cobwebs following the festive feasting period. It’s one of our most important fundraisers.” Vans, of Transit size or larger, are required to help and businesses, families, or community groups with access to these are encouraged to get in touch. Claire continued: “There’s no need to give up a weekend, just providing a day’s help or even a few hours will help to make a massive difference.” If you can help, email treecycling@diverseabilities. org.uk or call 01202 711507. Alternatively, visit diverseabilities.org.uk/trees and book your tree collection for a suggested £10 donation.

TREEMENDOUS: Jon and Cat

Food bank at Christmas

Wimborne Food Bank has sent a huge ‘thank you’ through their website and Facebook page to everyone who has donated food directly to them or placed some in their donation boxes. This year, they would love to give an advent calendar, food, a chocolate selection pack and a Christmas present to everyone that comes in over Christmas – asking for help. Volunteer: They’re looking for volunteers to help set up ahead of sessions, pack away and move food donations. This involves lifting crates. Email Sharon at wimborne foodbank@gmail.com Donate food items: Most needed are: packs of sugar; coffee; long-life fruit juice; tinned meat meals; tinned corned beef or ham; tinned meatballs; washing pods; Christmas treats; selection boxes. Also pet food. Drop items into boxes at Waitrose Wimborne, Co-ops in Crown Mead and Colehill, Walford Mill, BP, Oakley Village Butchers, Merley and Furzehill Village Stores and A.H. Griffin Funeral Care Broadstone. Monthly collections are from Wimborne Rugby Club. Or go to Leigh Park Community Centre, Gordon Road, on Fridays from 12-2pm or on Wednesday mornings 10-12 and Fridays 2-4pm. Donate: By BACS using: Faithworks Wessex, 40-52-40, 00015300, ref: Wimborne. n wimbornefoodbank.org.uk org.uk