Salisbury & Avon Gazette - Issue 45

What’s inside this issue…

01963 400186

01963 400186

07850 529937

Pat returns to cathedral - almost 30 years after being ordained

ONE of the first women to be ordained as a priest at Salisbury Cathedral has returned for a personal visit.

Pat Stear, who has lived at Colten Care’s Newstone House in Sturminster Newton for the past four years, travelled with carers to the spot where her ordination service took place.

The trip came amid wider celebrations in the clergy to mark the 30th anniversary of the first women’s ordinations in the Church of England in 1994.

At the time of her service in 1997, Pat was aged 59 and one of only 12 female priests to be ordained at the cathedral.

She went on to minister in four parishes north of Dorchester: Bradford Peverell, Stratton, Frampton and Sydling St Nicholas.

Her time as a reverend followed periods living in Bournemouth and, for 13 years, in the United States. Her early life was spent in London.

Pat, now 86, journeyed back to the cathedral by minibus accompanied by friend and fellow Newstone House resident Ann Clarke, whose husband was a priest, and Ruth Telford, a member of the home’s companionship team.

Helped by a volunteer guide, the party had a tour of the cathedral and saw the area where Pat would have donned her robes for the ordination service.

“She would no doubt have been filled with nervous anticipation at that point,” said Ruth.

“Our lovely guide, Trish, then showed us exactly where Pat was ordained and pointed out the plaque showing which Bishop had taken the ceremony.

“Pat first became interested in the ministry long before women priests were ever considered.

“As a child she was evacuated during the war to stay with a family on the south coast.

“The father was a vicar and Pat says he was the influence behind her strong faith.

“She is a well-travelled lady and has lived in a number of places in her life, including New York.

“She expressed a wish to revisit Salisbury Cathedral and see again where she was ordained and we were only too happy to make this happen for her.”

After her trip back, Pat said: “I found it really lovely. The

Pat, seated left, at Salisbury Cathedral, with Ann Clarke, seated right, Nick Myles and volunteer guide, Trish

more we walked round, the more the memories came back.

I really enjoyed the visit.”

Salisbury Cathedral held a special anniversary service on June 15 to honour the first women’s ordinations 30 years ago.

The Bishop of Sherborne,

The Rt Revd Karen Gorham presided, and Bishop June Osborne, former Dean of Salisbury, gave a sermon.

The service was attended by four of the first female priests ordained in Salisbury along with others currently living in the diocese.

Pat during her ordination at Salisbury Cathedral in 1997

Pair released on bail after dramatic Stonehenge paint protest attack

TWO people arrested after a paint attack at Stonehenge have been released on bail.

The incident, which saw orange paint sprayed on several of the historic stones, happened on Wednesday, June 19, just days before thousands of people gathered at the historic landmark to celebrate the Summer Solstice.

Environmental campaign group Just Stop Oil said it was behind the act, with two people arrested.

Wiltshire Police said they had now been arrested “to allow

us additional time to work with specialists and progress our enquiries”.

“A man in his 70s and a woman in her 20s were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, damaging an ancient monument and deterring a person from engaging in a lawful activity,” a spokesperson added.

“It follows reports that an orange substance had been sprayed on some of the stones by two suspects.

“We also continue to work closely with English Heritage.”

Firefighters tackle blaze on Bemerton Heath

AROUND 20 firefighters tackled a blaze on Bemerton Heath.

The fire was reported at around 6.05pm on June 18, with four crews and a water carrier sent to the scene.

Firefighters from Salisbury, Shaftesbury, Trowbridge, Fordingbridge and a water carrier from Wilton were sent to tackle the blaze.

A Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “On arrival, the crews found a large area of heath alight and used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire.

“The crews remained on scene damping down until 9pm. Firefighters returned to the incident at 11pm to check for hotspots, there were none.”

A dramatic attack at Stonehenge was caught on camera

Two people were arrested after the incident

Salisbury snapper Charlene scoops top photography award

A SALISBURY photographer was snap happy after picking up a prestigious award.

Charlene Thornborough, inset, picked up the top prize in the Private Events category at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London, held by The Event Photography Awards.

The judges were wowed by her heartwarming image, Silence is Golden, taken at a Christening at St Thomas’s Church in Salisbury, shown right.

“I wouldn’t ever have thought, a few years ago when I first picked up a camera, that I would be in London receiving a national award.

“It just shows what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it and have the right people backing and supporting you and your goals.”

“I feel absolutely honored to not only have been shortlisted but to actually win my category and receive my award in front of so many talented photographers,” Charlene said.

The Event Photography Awards are the only awards worldwide dedicated to Event Photography and attracted more than 2,500 entrants with more than 130 being shortlisted and put on show at RIBA London on the night.

Charlene (Cleo_Capture Photography) is Salisbury city centre-based at the award-winning salon, The Hair Extension Cave, in Silver Street.

Waitrose booze theft

POLICE would like to speak to this person after eight bottles of Champagne and a bottle of Jack Daniels were stolen from a Ringwood shop.

The theft occurred at Waitrose, in The Furlong, on June 1.

Anyone with information – or who recognises the person pictured – should contact police on 101, quoting reference 44240239733.

Mayor’s vow to help Amesbury boom

AMESBURY’S new mayor has vowed to create a “strong and united town council” and to capitalise on tourism opportunities.

Town councillor Alan Hagger has been elected to the role for 2024/25, taking over from Cllr Dr Monica Devendran – the former mayor – becoming his deputy.

Cllr Hagger will is joined by his partner, Cllr Laura Knight, who is mayoress.

It comes after Cllr Tim Edwards, the former deputy mayor, resigned from the council as he prepares to relocate to the US.

Taking on the role, the new mayor laid out his plans for the coming year:

“I am honoured to have been elected as the mayor of Amesbury for 2024/25. It is an important and exciting time for the town.

During the next year we will see the completion of the Wiltshire Towns Fund survey.

Although it begins with people’s ideas and proposals for the town centre, questions do extend to the whole of Amesbury. I would like to use the survey as a basis for developing a plan for the future, with clear priorities for investment and development.

As mayor I will work to establish the following:

An annual grant round which will seek ideas and bids for the council’s financial support to achieve the ambitions that come from the survey. Amesbury Town Council is not poor. At

almost every town council meeting, councillors are asked to vote for an idea from a worthy organisation that has come forward seeking support. Given the ad hoc nature of this, we do not look for priorities, or how much the organisation needs the money. Instead, I would like councillors to agree priorities in advance and to ask for proposals against those priorities.

The completion of the Men’s Shed/pavilion. During my time I will aim to complete this long-awaited project.

To develop a plan for Amesbury to benefit from the potential tourism. This is particularly relevant given the proximity of Stonehenge, Woodhenge and Avebury. Amesbury has the infrastructure, with wonderful hotels and restaurants to be able to benefit from tourism. I will look to create a new approach to tourism agreed with the chamber of trade and others.

Work with voluntary organisations to develop service for young people.

We can achieve these things with a strong and united town council. I will use my time as mayor to achieve a unity of purpose and a consensus among councillors, businesses and other community groups.”

Couple’s effort to help others after tragedies saw their ‘world fall apart’

A COUPLE whose “world fell apart” when they tragically lost two babies in a year are raising money to help fund support for others.

Neal Riley and his wife Els lost their son Oscar in January 2023, and their daughter, Sophie, in November of the same year.

The Benson Suite, within the Maternity Department at Salisbury District Hospital, provides a dedicated, private space where families who sadly experience the death of a baby at birth can be cared for with their baby, away from the Labour Ward.

The specialist suite helps ensure the time these families are able to spend with their baby is as precious, dignified and personal as possible.

Neal and Els said: “2023 was unimaginable, totally devasting, and life-changing for all the wrong reasons.

“The Benson Suite provided a space where we could process the tragedy and come to terms with losing Oscar and Sophie. The staff were incredible, supporting us throughout and making us feel at ease.”

The Stars Appeal Bereavement Midwife, whose work is funded entirely by donations to the charity, helped the Rileys during and after the loss of their babies.

“Without this help, life would have been even more difficult, but to have someone who phoned us once a week, asked how we were getting on, and signposting us to other support groups was fantastic,” the pair, from Gussage St Michael in Dorset, added.

“The Benson Suite is so important. It provides a space away from the Maternity

Ward where you can spend time with your baby. You aren’t rushed and can have all the time you need.

“Although it is a hospital setting, the Benson Suite doesn’t feel clinical in the slightest. It meant the world to us both to have this support available.”

They have already raised more than £6,000 for the Benson Suite in memory of Oscar and Sophie.

Neal and his friends previously took on a 72-hole golf challenge, which raised more than £4,500. He is now planning a 100-hole golf challenge on June 23 at Rushmore Golf Club.

Money raised will contribute to the £50,000 the Stars Appeal, Salisbury Hospital’s Charity, aims to raise each year to maintain the Stars Appeal Benson Suite and fund the Stars Appeal Bereavement Midwife.

The couple said: “We want our children to be remembered in everything we do. Fundraising keeps their memories alive and will help families who go through the tragic loss of their child.”

To make a donation towards the Riley’s fundraising efforts, go to www.justgiving. com/page/rushmoregolfclub-100holecharityday.

Waitrose bids to open longer

WAITROSE in Salisbury is hoping to open for longer on bank holidays and other public holidays.

The supermarket giant, via agent Firstplan, has applied for permission to extend opening times on bank holidays and other public holidays.

Currently, the store, pictured inset, can open on those days between 8am and 6pm.

However, it is hoping Wiltshire Council will approve plans to extend those hours to between 7am and 9pm in order to “meet the changing needs of the modern customer”.

“Owing to increased competition from the rise of online shopping, other competing stores in Salisbury enjoying longer trading hours on these days, and numerous customer requests, Waitrose now seeks permission for new trading hours solely during bank holiday and public holiday

periods to allow greater flexibility for customers to shop at the store,” the application said.

“Given that bank holiday and public holiday opening hours make up only a small proportion of the store’s trading profile across the year, the proposals are considered acceptable and necessary to meet the changing

shopping needs of the modern customer.

Market is back home

SALISBURY traders moved from their Market Place pitches during the Covid-19 pandemic have returned.

On Tuesday, June 18, traders previously found on Guildhall Square moved back to their traditional site.

They were originally moved to comply with social distancing regulations.

“Please do pay them a visit in their new location,” a Salisbury City Council spokesperson said.

“Existing trading hours outside of bank holidays and public holidays will remain unchanged.”

For more details, and to comment on the plan, log on to wiltshire.gov.uk and search for application reference PL/2024/05353.

Salisbury Charter Market is open every Tuesday from 8.30am until 3pm and between 8.30am and 4pm on Saturdays, at Market Place.

The historical market has run since 1227 and comprises of approximately 70 stalls.

General Election Special

Meet the candidates ahead of polling day as Salisbury picks its new MP

ON Thursday, July 4, voters in Salisbury will head to the polls to pick their new MP.

The general election campaign will draw to a close and polling stations open at 7am, with people able to put their X in the box until 10pm.

The polls are predicting an election of change, with Labour hovering around 20 points ahead of the Conservatives, who have been in power for some 14 years.

Salisbury has been represented by a Tory for decades, but could things be about to change?

Current polling suggests it could be close.

Polling website and forecaster Electoral Calculus says the Conservatives have a 73% chance of retaining the

seat, with John Glen standing once again.

However, a recent poll by YouGove for Sky News showed the seat was only ‘leaning’ towards the Conservatives, meaning it could be closer than many expect, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats vying to take it.

To give you more of an insight ahead of the polls opening, we asked all candidates in the constituency to tell you why they are standing - and why you should vote for them. Their responses are on the

following pages. And remember, when you head to the polling station, this is the first general election at which you will be asked to show ID before casting your vote. A passport and driving license will suffice.

For more information, visit www.electoralcommission.org. uk.

The full list of candidates in Salisbury is:

Matt Aldridge (Labour)

Victoria Charleston (Liberal Democrats)

John Glen (Conservatives)

Chris Harwood (Climate Party) Julian Malins (Reform UK) Barney Norris (Green Party) Arthur Pendragon (Independent)

‘Vote for a brighter, cleaner future’

SALISBURY is a wonderful place. I was lucky enough to be born and raised here.

But after 14 years of austerity, economic mismanagement, partying and profiteering, Salisbury just isn’t the place we remember.

Our economy is flatlining. Our tax burden has reached 70-year highs. Our high streets are fading, our GPs and dentists struggle to provide appointments, and our iconic chalk streams now run with sewage.

I can’t stand by while Salisbury is taken for granted.

My name is Matt Aldridge. I’m a local dad, Army veteran, clean energy expert and a former Head Boy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School.

From developing national policy to delivering multi-million pound clean energy projects, I bring the skills, experience and local knowledge to get things done.

Salisbury needs change. That’s why I’m proud to stand on Labour’s practical, fully-costed manifesto for growth, ready to bring the new energy, local commitment and integrity we need to bring Salisbury’s shine back.

1. We can create a thriving local economy that backs local business and

MATT ALDRIDGE Labour

farms. Labour will replace business rates, roll out 5G connectivity, and ensure up to half of the food purchased in the public sector comes from local producers.

2. We can build an economy that works as hard as you do by implementing tough fiscal rules, cutting your bills and upgrading cold, draughty homes.

3. We will clean up our rivers and protect our environment. Labour will put failing water companies under special measures and strengthen regulators. We’ll create nine new National River Walks and three new National Forests.

4. We’ll build an NHS fit for the future by delivering 40,000 more appointments each week, doubling the number of NHS

scanners and bringing in a new Dentistry Rescue Plan.

5. We can skill everyone to thrive in a changing world, by recruiting 6,500 more expert teachers, broadening the curriculum and reforming Ofsted.

6. We can ensure a safer Salisbury and stronger Britain, by putting 13,000 more police in our neighbourhoods and bringing in tougher penalties for antisocial behaviour.

I’ll also fight to ensure Salisbury never again falls through a hole in our national defences by undertaking a national review, with a commitment to spending 2.5 per cent GDP on Defence as soon as possible.

This will be an historic election.

With Labour and the Conservatives polling neck and neck in Salisbury, we have a once-in-a-century opportunity to vote for change.

I’ve served my country on the frontlines of Afghanistan and at the forefront of the climate change crisis. Now I’m ready to serve Salisbury.

So if you want a brighter, cleaner future for Salisbury, please vote Matt Aldridge on Thursday July 4.

Experienced.

With Labour and the Conservatives neck and neck, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the change we want to see in Salisbury and South Wiltshire. So no matter how you voted in the past, please consider Labour this year.

I’m Salisbury born and raised. I went to serve my country on the front lines, and now I‘m ready to serve my community.

As a former Bishop’s Head Boy and Army veteran, I’m committed to serving Salisbury with a strong voice and steady hands. As an experienced civil servant who has developed national clean energy policies, I have the skills to navigate Westminster and get things done.

If elected as your MP, I’ll put Salisbury first. With Labour’s fully-costed, fully-funded plan for growth, we can buld a thriving local economy that brings down the cost of living and supports local businesses and farms. We’ll create an NHS fit for the future, starting with 40,000 extra appointments a week. I’ll also fight to stop sewage dumping in our chalk streams, protect the green belt, and strengthen our climate resilience.

Together, we can build a brighter future.

Major Matt Aldridge

General Election Special

‘I will be a community champion’

THIS week, the country will breathe a collective sigh of relief as we finally see an end to this chaotic and callous government. Everywhere I go across Salisbury and south Wiltshire, I meet people from all backgrounds and all walks of life, working hard, raising families, helping others and playing by the rules. But they have been let down and taken for granted for far too long by the Conservatives.

Families tell me how they are struggling with sky-high energy bills, food prices and housing costs. They tell me their stories of how the NHS crisis has impacted them personally: waiting for hours for an ambulance, weeks to see a GP or months for urgent cancer treatment.

Many people share with me their anger that the Conservatives are letting water companies get away with pumping filthy sewage into our rivers and lakes and onto our beaches.

After 14 years, it truly is time for change. Our communities deserve a local champion in Westminster and tackle these and many other important issues.

That is why I am standing to be the next Member of Parliament for Salisbury and

VICTORIA CHARLESTON Liberal Democrats

South Wiltshire for the Liberal Democrats.

Five years ago I stood to be your MP and I still want the opportunity to serve. I have worked tirelessly as joint leader of Salisbury City Council and I want to continue to support local people as your community MP.

My party has a bold, ambitious, fullycosted plan to ensure we all get a fair deal.

We will deliver a fair and functioning health system, ensuring you and your family can get a GP appointment within a week, or 24 hours if urgent, we have committed to free personal care for elderly and disabled people, and reforming the NHS dental contract, aiming to get NHS dentists back in Salisbury.

Locally, I want to build a network of community health hubs so people can access support on their doorstep.

My party also has a plan to ease the cost of living crisis. We will cut energy bills

FASHIONS & LINGERIE

through an emergency home insulation programme, Help families struggling with high food prices by extending free school meals, and bring down the cost of food for the long term through a national food strategy.

Locally, we need a supermarket on the west side of the city to help make it cheaper, and easier for families to do the food shop.

Salisbury is my home, my family settled here almost 20 years ago after a career in the military. I was married in St Osmund’s Church and my children were born in Salisbury District Hospital and attend a local school and nursery.

When I’m not representing our community at council meetings and events, I’m also the managing director of a national charity which aims to prevent stalking through education and awareness.

A vote for me on July 4 is our best chance at having new representation and sending a message to the Conservative Government that their time is up. With your support, I will be a community champion and strong voice in Westminster for Salisbury.

General Election Special

‘Always doing my best for Salisbury’

I HAVE been the MP for Salisbury since 2010.

I had a career in business consultancy before I entered politics, but I have wanted to be an MP ever since going on a trip to Parliament as a schoolboy!

My visit inspired me with a lifelong passion for public service.

I was born and brought up in Wiltshire and have had deep roots here my whole life. My grandmother married a Salisbury policeman, their wedding was in St Francis Church, and they brought up their family here.

Being the first person in my family to go to university has given me a great belief in the transformative power of education and opportunity.

I am also inspired by my Christian faith. It guides me in my daily life and strengthens my desire to make a positive difference in everything I do.

I have never been a ‘celebrity’ politician. I take the privilege of service incredibly seriously.

I do not go in for grandstanding and I resist tribal politics. I build positive relationships and work constructively with

JOHN GLEN Conservative Party

all people of good intent to get the best outcomes for Salisbury and the country.

If the polls are to be believed, voters elsewhere are about to bring massive change in Westminster. In uncertain times, you must ask yourself what kind of MP you want to represent you.

After 14 years as your MP, I know how to get things done in Westminster, and how to bring investment in Salisbury - like the River Park to reduce flood risk in the city centre, major improvements to Wiltshire College, the Fisherton Gateway, Porton Science Park and many more.

During that time, I have won the respect of colleagues from all parties and developed friendships across the aisle. I have built up strong reserves of credibility and influence in Westminster that will enable me to

continue to be a strong voice for Salisbury. I am a third generation Salisbury man. I know what makes this constituency tick. My friends are here, my home, the charities I support. I am committed to Salisbury for life.

In my ministerial roles, I helped the UK financial services industry recalibrate and thrive after Brexit, I worked on bounce back loans to keep businesses afloat during Covid. Latterly, I delivered the compensation scheme for those who received infected blood from the NHS in the 1970s and 80s.

But whatever I have been doing in London, I have always put Salisbury first. I hold advice surgeries on demand every single week, answer 200 emails a day and visit dozens of charities, businesses, schools, and communities every month.

If I have the honour of being re-elected on July 4th, you can count on me to:

Always work hard for Salisbury and be available to help you

Always use my national influence to do my best for Salisbury

Always fight to the country’s best interests.

‘Fight climate change - vote for me’

I WAS a Computer Science teacher in secondary school for 37 years.

During that time, there were many reports of global warming and the problems that it might cause.

As a science graduate, I could understand the graphs. I could see that for the last 800,000 years the amount of carbon dioxide was between 200 and 300 parts per million, and today it is 422 parts per million.

I could also see that planetary temperature has kept step with carbon dioxide density for all that time. 422 therefore means a LOT of excess heat energy in the atmosphere, and that is going to cause severe problems.

Simon Stiell, the CEO of the UN’s Climate Change Committee has said that there are “two years left to save the planet”.

We have had the “code red for humanity” and numerous other warnings, but we are now right at the brink. We can stop it, but as Wellington would have said, it will be a “close run thing”.

I am standing for election in the constituency of Salisbury. If elected, I aim to push fellow MPs hard to do what they

know they should.

CHRIS HARWOOD Climate Party

We can prevent the worst of climate change - we know what to do, but we are not doing it.

Our own High Court has twice now declared our Government’s climate plans unlawful.

Climate change has already started, and it is developing just as the mathematical models predicted. Horror stories of the later stages are the stuff of Hollywood disaster movies.

For the sake of my children and grandchildren, I feel that I must join the effort to prevent the disaster.

I am standing for the Climate Party, a single-issue party, focused on bringing Net Zero forward to 2030.

Some worry that the effort would damage the economy, but far from it, it

would cause a sharp rise in employment and attract significant investment. Higher employment plus strong investment equals greater wealth. Basic economics.

So that is why I am standing and how we can stop the problem. As a by-product, Net Zero 2030 will go a long way to tackling the nature crisis and provide us with the wealth to improve the NHS, and give councils the money to do what they need to do.

Most UK problems stem from the fact that we are not a wealthy country at the moment.

Some point out, correctly, that one country on its own cannot stop climate change just by achieving Net Zero.

But the beauty of it is that when others see the wealth generated by the rapid change to Net Zero, we will not have to ask them to do it, they will insist that they have a right to do it too.

You can fight climate change by voting for the Climate Party at the Election.

In the Salisbury constituency, that is me, Chris Harwood.

You can email me at chris@theclimate. party

‘Ditch the Tories - vote Reform UK’

MY father was an Army Chaplain, who served for over 30 years.

As a boy, I lived in Godley Road, Salisbury, and went to Harnham Primary School, before going to school in Codford St Mary.

I lived in Tidworth and then Bulford and finally in Manor Road, Salisbury. I worked the night shift at the Wellworthy Piston Ring factory in Harnham, toured Wiltshire selling ice creams and was the petrol pump attendant at Headquarters, UK Land Forces, in Wilton.

Why am I seeking election? I am not a career politician, I have a profession. But we all can see that our existing political parties have failed our country. I have three daughters and seven grandchildren. My generation has failed to pass on to our children and grandchildren, that same country of which we were proud and which we inherited.

I want to do something about that. Reform UK is the party through which voters can do something positive for Salisbury and our country.

In 2019, Salisbury’s 30,000 traditional Conservative voters had no choice but to

JULIAN MALINS KC Reform UK

vote Conservative. On July 4, Salisbury electors do have a choice. Labour is certain to win nationally but certain to lose in Salisbury. So a vote for Reform UK is not, in Salisbury, a vote for a Labour government. The question for Salisbury voters is this: who, as our Member of Parliament, will most effectively oppose a Labour government?

After 14+ years of Conservative government, our values have simply not been defended, let alone promoted. Immigration is at unsustainable and socially-dangerous levels. Pride in our country and in its history, is denigrated. British culture and its traditions are attacked. Gender ideology and all the other woke idiocies have been allowed to take root – especially in our schools and universities. Free speech is everywhere under attack, accompanied by the terrifying cancel culture.

This Summer @ This Summer @

Valerie Amos in conversation

Politician and diplomat, former UN UnderSecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

Tuesday 9 July, 19:00

Jazz in the Garden: The Schmoozenbergs

Electrifying gypsy swing, with bouncing rhythms, and playful improvisations to put a spring in your step

Friday 12 July, 19:30

In the policies in which we believe, such as, support for our armed services and law and order, the Conservatives have failed dismally. And what about the young? Massive debt and a low wage economy is the answer to that question.

And what of the behaviour of the Conservatives in government? Incompetence is a nice description. We have had Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and now Sunak as our Prime Minister. That is chaotic: imagine how many departmental ministers there have been. With that record, how can Conservative MPs effectively oppose Labour? They can’t.

As to the UK’s foreign and trade policies, these have been a walking disaster for the UK. So voting for a Conservative in Salisbury and expecting effective opposition to a Labour government in Parliament, would be the triumph of hope over experience.

Reform UK will be the true opposition to Labour. We could even form His Majesty’s Government. So on July 4 – when you do have a choice – I urge you to exercise that choice - ditch the Tories - and vote Reform UK.

Peter Pan: A Magical Open-Air Musical

Filled with catchy music, heaps of audience interaction, and a laugh-a-minute script Suitable for ages 4+

Sunday 11 August, 17.30

Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore

If you like your operas with a bit of tongue-incheek humour, you’ll love HMS Pinafore Will love prevail? Climb aboard to find out!

Wednesday 28 August, 19:30

Shakespeare’s funniest, most magical comedy of all! This hilarious adaptation sees the fantastical characters brought vividly to life

Thursday 1 August, 19:00 A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Talk: Japanese Woodblock Prints

Art historian Monika Hinkel will introduce the iconic Japanese printmakers whose works were collected by Sir Edward Heath

Thursday 19 September, 14:30

General Election Special

‘Keep fighting for our environment’

I’VE loved Salisbury ever since I grew up here, attending Harnham Junior School and Bishop Wordsworth’s Grammar School before studying at Oxford and Royal Holloway then becoming an award-winning writer.

Most of my plays and novels are set around this region, and I’m proud that what I love about our home has been seen and read in dozens of countries by hundreds of thousands of people.

In 2021, after years as a carer navigating the UK healthcare and justice systems, I found myself homeless, out of money and out of work, living in my car in the winter of the second lockdown.

It took a lot to come back from that place, but a big part of my recovery was coming home to Salisbury. The city put me back on my feet. I felt safe here. I rebuilt a career, bought a flat, and now I’m a lecturer at the University of Oxford and a writer, with a passion for helping others to recover just like I have.

I know first hand that Salisbury is a compassionate city, deeply committed to social justice and the cherishing and preservation of our environment. I’m standing to be the MP for this place because

BARNEY NORRIS Green Party

I’d like to place those values at the heart of who we are.

Pound for pound, this place has done more than most in the last fourteen years to stitch up the gaps in the increasingly ragged tapestry of the UK.

Ours is the city of Alabare; the Trussel Trust; Operation Nightingale. Time and again, problems the government couldn’t solve have proven not to be beyond the wit of this small cathedral city.

I’m proud to live in Salisbury because this place has been setting the standard, but I think it’s time our government came up to our level, and started offering Salisbury the

support we’ve been giving to others.

That means cleaning up our rivers; overhauling and modernising our transport links, which will allow more people to live here and contribute to our economy; and getting housing in the city fit for purpose. That’s what I would achieve, if I were to be elected as your MP.

I’m incredibly proud to be standing for the Green Party, the solutions wing of the environmental movement, who’ve stuck to the science for decades now, and consistently been proved right.

According to current polls, right wing parties will lose 9% of the vote share at this election. The right is making a lot of noise, but it’s not growing: Reform is an iceberg breaking away from the Conservative glacier as climate change bites, and drifting towards Russia.

Some of the voters the right are losing are heading to Labour, but it’s the Greens that will have the biggest rise in vote share at this election – our support nationally is predicted to double.

This is where politics is growing; with your support, we can keep fighting for our environment, and keep this world safe for our children.

‘Politics by, for, and of the people...’

AS we have all seen on the TV debates and read in the National Press, there are some good, heartfelt ideas coming from each of the parties, and if I may be so bold, some bad, and some downright stupid and dangerous ones as well.

Unfortunately, we as electors, can not pick and mix.

I, on the other hand, as an Independent, can.

Only an Independent, free of the party whip, may support a good idea or conversely, oppose a bad one, whichever side of the House, or party it comes from.

They are all promising what we want to hear but none of their sums add up. And we are not as niave as they believe, and we see through their empty promises.

I can’t promise to make your life better with the stroke of my magic wand. but I can promise, should you send me to Westminster, to make your life more interesting and less bland, standing up for civil liberties, fairness, the NHS, more social housing, and the environment, but more importantly common sense solutions, whoever comes up with them, and always

putting you first.

KING ARTHUR PENDRAGON Independent

Wherever you look in party politics you find claims of corruption and self serving, from all sides.

Here in Salisbury, both Labour and Lib Dems claim they and only they are in the best position to turn over the Tory majority, They can’t both be right can they? In truth it’s a seven-horse race, and I can guarantee I’ll be the ‘last man standing’ because I am the only man standing,

All the other candidates are ‘standing’ as representatives of a political party, part of a broken political system that ties them to the policies passed down from on high.

It’s about time we elected a champion to send to Westminster who represents and therefore may only take instruction from the ground up, the people who send them there. Independent politics by, for and of, the people,

When it comes to the main parties there is little more than a cigarette paper between them. Not that cigarette papers will exist for that much longer with the ‘nanny state’, whoever’s in charge increasingly telling us, what’s best for us, what we can and what we can not do, what we can and what we cannot say and where and when we may and may not say it,

You all know how passionately I have fought for free and open access at Stonehenge over the years and how I have been involved at the ‘sharp end’ of many environmental campaigns and protests.

Now give me a chance (I certainly can’t be any worse than what we have now) to represent you in Westminster.

If you are fed up with the political elite and their cliques like I am, then it’s not a tactical vote you need, it’s a protest one and who better to vote for than a protester?

Go on, it’s the Chinese year of the Dragon, elect one. King Arthur Pendragon, Independent for Salisbury,

Singers embark on European Travels

THE Athenaeum Singers finished an eventful year on a high with their European Travels concert at Christ Church, Warminster.

The audience enjoyed beautiful pieces of European sacred music which took them on a tour of the continent from Spanish and Italian composers in the south to Purcell (Remember not, Lord, our offences), Franck (Panis Angelicus) and Fauré (Cantique de Jean Racine) in Western Europe.

Central Europe was represented by Mozart (Ave Verum), Bruckner (Locus Iste) and Mendelssohn (Verleih uns Frieden), and Eastern Europe with Rachmaninov Bogoroditse Djevo and a song from Estonia, (Öhtul)

The tour was conducted by the Singers’ musical director, Thomas Mottershead, whose

informative introductions to each group of pieces described their origins and portrayed the meanings of the pieces – the singers sang in six languages.

The dates of the compositions ranged from Renaissance composers like Tomás Luis de Victoria (O vos omnes) and Orlando de Lassus (Adoramus te, Christe) to the contemporary Estonian composer, Pärt Uusberg (Öhtul)

The high point of the evening was the performance of the Singers’ accompanist, Dr Douglas Stevens, a composer and recitalist of note.

He delighted the audience with Waltz No 15 in E Major by Chopin and a piece written by a pupil of his, Adolf Guttman, Barcarolle from Le Chant Pecheur.

At the conclusion of the concert, the singers and audience enjoyed drinks and

Silver Salisbury

Silver Salisbury is recruiting to reach more older people.

•Do you know Wilton and the surrounding villages well?

• Do you participate in community events and can get around easily by car or public transport?

• Are you able to engage with older people individually and in groups?

We are seeking to contract someone to set up a new informal monthly drop in coffee morning for 48 hours freelance at £15 per hour to be worked flexibly within one year.

Silver Salisbury seeks a new trustee (voluntary role)

Committed to enhancing the lives of older people in South Wiltshire? Can you commit to regular monthly meetings to support and guide the organisation?

Do you have life or work experience of or with older people?

Interested in either of the above? Please contact Irene Kohler (chair) on Silver.Salisbury@outlook.com for more information and to arrange an informal discussion.

www.silversalisbury.co.uk charity number 1198019

canapés provided by the choir.

This year, with Thomas Mottershead at the helm, the Singers have also performed a Remembrance concert in November, a carol concert in December and the St John Passion in March.

The St John Passion was written 11 years ago by Bob Chilcott.

In February, Bob was a guest conductor at a Come and Sing event in Warminster where the singers and guests gained an insight into the mind of the composer as well as a fantastic day of singing.

Groups of singers have also

performed at residences in Warminster, including Ashwood and Kyngeston Court.

The Athenaeum Singers are taking a break for summer with rehearsals resuming on Tuesday, September 10.

The choir would love to welcome new singers to join its ranks.

The website, www. athenaeumsingers.com, provides information about the choir, including its plans for the new year and information for new members.

A trial period is offered before any payment is required.

Invitation to take part in Silver Salisbury’s Autumn Programme

Silver Salisbury is printing two Autumn brochures to promote free and low-cost activities in Salisbury, Wilton, Amesbury, Downton and the surrounding villages; places where older people, especially those arriving alone, will get a warm welcome. We aim to encourage older people to get out, meet new people and try new things.

1. The Festival Programme is a fun collection of events and activities happening between Tuesday 24th September and Saturday 12 October. If you have a one-off event or a special, promotional activity that you’d like to feature in the Festival programme then please contact thesilverproject@outlook.com to request a Festival form.

2. The Directory is a roundup of regular groups and support services running through the Winter into Spring. To add an entry to this directory then please email thesilverproject@outlook.com to request a Directory Form.

Please complete the forms and return them as soon as possible but by the deadline which is Friday 12th July

We’ll start distributing Festival programmes in the second half of August and the Directories in September. If you’re an organiser of a local group and would like copies for your group then please let us know by email to thesilverproject@ outlook.com

Irene Kohler

Irene Kohler

Salisbury Older People’s Champion and Chair of Silver Salisbury

The Athenaeum Singers are welcoming new members

Amesbury man, 58, jailed for six years after trying to meet child

A 58-YEAR-OLD man from Amesbury has been found guilty and sentenced for attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with a child.

A jury sitting at Winchester Crown Court found Kurt Anderssen guilty of three counts of arranging/ facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, encouraging/ inciting the distribution of indecent images of a child, as well as two counts of making an indecent image of a child.

He was handed a custodial sentence of six years and eight months.

The court heard how Anderssen engaged in conversation on social media in which he discussed paying to meet the seven-year-old

Safeguard Your Hard-Earned Assets from 40% Inheritance Tax, Looming Care Fees, & Potential Family Disputes.

Inheritance Tax Planning: Are you concerned about losing 40% of your already taxed hard earned wealth to the government? Our bespoke legal strategies, meticulously crafted using trusts and wills, ensure your assets stay where they belong – in your family’s hands. Fully compliant with UK law, we shield your estate from the grasp of inheritance taxes, giving you peace of mind and financial security.

Care Fees Protection: With average care fees hitting £2,000 per week and typical stays ranging from 3 to 7 years, these expenses can quickly deplete most estates. Our custom-tailored solutions offer a lifeline. While many believe protection is impossible, we’ve developed a tailored legal strategy fully compliant with UK law to safeguard your assets, including protection against care fees.

daughter of the person he was communicating with.

The meeting was for sexual activity, the court was told.

A meeting date was agreed but was cancelled by Anderssen.

The court heard he said he was not sure if the arrangement was genuine.

Anderssen was arrested by Wiltshire Police officers on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at his home address in Amesbury before being charged.

After his arrest, several electronic devices were seized from the property.

Officers found evidence on the devices of browsing terms for child sexual abuse material, as well as downloaded files with child abuse titles, the court was told.

Wills: Don’t leave your loved ones squabbling over vague wills! Oakwood Wills specializes in drafting crystal-clear documents that leave no room for ambiguity. No more family feuds. Just smooth, conflictfree asset distribution that honours your final wishes. Lasting Power Of Attorneys: Statistics don’t lie – the chances of incapacity rise with age. With our Lasting Power of Attorneys services, you can appoint trusted individuals to make financial and healthcare decisions on your behalf. No more court approvals, no more uncertainty in times of crises – just peace of mind knowing your interests are in safe hands.

For a complimentary consultation, reach out to Oakwood Wills.

Tel: 07832 331594 or Email: info@oakwoodwills.co.uk

Kurt Anderssen has been jailed for six years and eight months

Picture: Wiltshire Police

How couple trekked 92 miles in the quest for a nicer toilet...

NO matter the situation, walking 92 miles for the loo might seem a bit excessive.

But that is exactly what Lucy and Nick Barnwell did, raising money to improve toilet, kitchen and to create a warm space at their 12th century church – All Saints, in the Peak District village of Youlgrave.

The pair completed their pilgrimage from Salisbury to Exeter cathedral over the weekend, clocking up 92 miles over four days.

They are part of the Pommie Pilgrims group – named for the sound of the village band – who are walking to all 42 Anglican Cathedrals to raise money.

All Saints Church is a Grade One listed building and featured in Simon Jenkins’ book England’s Thousand Best Churches.

Although it has undergone many alterations since its founding in 1155, it lacks some key amenities to ensure its sustainability and to make it more welcoming to all: warmth, kitchen facilities and loos.

The arrival of the first group of 27 pilgrims at Derby Cathedral on March 26 marked the first milestone of the village pilgrimage with eight other cathedrals already reached including Worcester, Gloucester, Hereford, Chelmsford and Ely.

Manchester, Sheffield and Wakefield Cathedrals are next in their sights, with fellow pilgrims Lisa Bingham and Saffron walking from Southwell to Lincoln later in the summer.

Lucy grew up in the south west and spent time as a child in Salisbury for recorder concerts and competitions and a number of trips to Exeter for school uniform.

She and husband Nick were both born at Yeovil Hospital – a town they walked through on their Pilgrimage – and were married in Sherborne Abbey, where they received a special blessing of their pilgrimage and marriage on Saturday morning. Lucy was also confirmed in Sherborne Abbey, played the organ and sang in many a concert there too.

They also stayed overnight in Hardington Mandeville, visiting the church where Lucy was christened.

She said: “We are visiting places that have played important parts in our lives and I am excited to share them with Nick.

“To be able to walk through this wonderful part of the country and enjoy so many memories, while making new ones, meeting new people and old friends, all for such a wonderful cause is so special.

“It is 12 years since we were married but

also importantly 10 years since we started our love affair with long-distance walking, having completed the last 125 miles of the Camino de Santiago in 2014.

“Although I now live in Youlgrave, my connection with the city of Exeter gave me the inspiration to take on this leg of the pilgrimage linking our beautiful village with Salisbury and Exeter by our own footsteps and spreading the word about our ambitious village pilgrimage.”

The Pommie Pilgrimage aims to create a unique network of footsteps, linking Youlgrave with all 42 Anglican Cathedrals in England.

The walkers plan to raise £42,000 towards All Saints’ renovations, the full cost of which is still being researched.

Cathedral clergy are being invited to welcome pilgrims as they arrive and share in a service as well as making use of the facilities.

“We really didn’t know where to start with the huge task of modernising our church, so we went for a walk and had a think,” said Kate Heath, pilgrim and avid walker who has walked the whole of the English coast path over the last three years.

Pilgrimage is traditionally defined as journeying, on foot, to a holy place.

Lucy and Nick Barnwell are raising money to boost facilities at their local church

PROUD MEMBERS OF TRUST A TRADER

IMPORTANT, This needs to be removed

If spray foam is fitted to your property it can mean that it may be unmortgageable, meaning when you come to sell your property the new owners may not be able to secure a mortgage due to the spray foam installed between your afters. If you have spray foam fitted in your roof, if left it can cause rafters and timbers to rot. The spray foam in your roof can be removed by our professional roofing team, rafters will be sanded down and wood filled and treated. Spray foam will be removed from your

PLEASE CALL TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTE

Dear homeowner, my name is Carl Morris and I am the sole owner of Worksmart Roofing & Building Ltd. My team and I are professional roofing contractors. I am a great believer in prevention is better than cure. So my team and I are offering a moss removal service which entails all moss removed and to re-point any defective cement works from ridge line and re-cement any broken gables, we always allow up to 15 broken or slipped tiles. What this offer ensures is an overall roof clean and minor repairs, all gutters and downpipes will be cleaned once the job is finished.This service is from as little as £295 and will 100% prevent you from having large roof repairs or roof replacment.

Could a change of government bring about a change in thinking over controversial Stonehenge tunnel?

A CHANGE of government could bring a change in policy over the proposed £2 billion Stonehenge tunnel.

Rows over controversial plans for a tunnel near the World Heritage Site have been rumbling on for years, with work already underway on preparations for the scheme.

If completed, it would see a two-mile tunnel built on the A303, which passes the landmark site.

However, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has refused to commit to the scheme, while Sir Ed Davey, his Lib Dem counterpart, said he is “minded

to scrap it”, should he come to power.

The Conservative party is committed to the scheme and included it in their manifesto for the July 4 general election.

The news comes after the Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) group was granted permission to appeal against a decision to move forward with the plans.

Sir Keir told BBC Points West something needed to be done about traffic on the A303, but he would wait for court judgements before making a final decision.

“I think the current plan is

evidence of how long infrastructure projects take under this government. We’ve got to change that,” he said.

He went on: “We’ll have to wait for the court hearing, but then we’ll review after that.

“I want to see what the court actually says about it first because it’s now a decision from the court. But something has got to be done because the traffic situation there is intolerable.”

Lid Dem leader Mr Davey said the party was “dubious” about the plans.

“Everything I’ve heard would put me minded to scrap

Man, 41, fined more than £1,300 after

LUDGERSHALL man Thomas Cuss has been fined more than £1,300 for assaulting an emergency worker and obstructing police officers.

The 41-year-old, of Short Street, was sentenced at Salisbury Magistrates Court on Thursday, June 13, following an incident on

May 10.

it,” he said.

“We’re very dubious about the scheme. Whether it’s value for money, whether it’s good for the environment.

“Local people have raised a lot of concerns about it and we have to listen to those.”

In response, a Conservative spokesperson said: “It’s shameless for Keir Starmer to complain about the A303 being delayed, when one of the Labour Party’s biggest donors paid for the legal action delaying it. We’ve committed to dualling the A303 in our manifesto - but Labour has made no commitment at all.”

assaulting emergency worker

Wiltshire Police officers were called to an address in Short Street after receiving reports of a disorder and assault.

Cuss tried to prevent officers from entering his property and punched one of the attending officers in the face, causing a

black eye and a cut near the officer’s eye. He was fined £750, ordered to pay £300 Victim Surcharge, £85 in costs and £200 compensation.

PC Hammond said: “We will not tolerate assaults upon our officers and staff or other emergency services workers.”

Sir Kier Starmer, right, has not ruled out cancelling the controversial scheme

The Dorset Opera Festival

is undergoing a double celebration this year.

*Advertising Feature

2024 marks their 50th Anniversary and in November 2023 they were finalists at the prestigious International Opera Awards.

For their Golden Jubilee, they have commissioned an opera linking their anniversary to the county whose name they bear via one of our greatest authors, Thomas Hardy. His Majesty, King Charles III, (then His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales) attended the company’s first performance at Sherborne School in 1974 – a production of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride.

Popular composer, Paul Carr, who has been directing operas for the Dorset Opera Festival since 2012 and whose works are regularly featured on Classic FM, has created a new work based on Hardy’s poignant and heart-warming second novel, Under the Greenwood Tree, to a libretto by Euan Tait. Alongside the commission, the company will be performing Madama Butterfly to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death. The sets for both operas are designed by Dorset sculptor, Rufus Martin and, for the Hardy, he will create a whole Dorset village on stage!

There’s time to celebrate properly at the Opera Gala concert with the chorus of 60 and emerging artists at its heart. It will involve some of the great singers from across the world who have appeared in Dorset Opera over the years!

The cast for Greenwood is led by Canadian soprano, Jamie Groote with Felix Kemp, Ossian Huskinson and Dorset’s, Thomas Humphreys. Paul Carr will direct his opera and it’s conducted by music director, Jeremy Carnall.

Madama Butterfly will feature Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura, Argentinian tenor José Simerilla Romero, wellknown baritone David Kempster and (Dorset singers) Amber Reeves and Tim Bagley. José Miguel Esandi conducts: returning to the Dorset Opera podium for the seventh time in as many years.

Finalist in the 2023

World Première

An opera in four seasons

Composer: Paul Carr

Librettist: Euan Tait (After Thomas Hardy) 23, 25 July at 19.00 | 27 July at 14.00

Marking 100 years since the composer’s death…

Giacomo Puccini

22, 24, 27 July at 19.00 | 25 July at 14.00

The Golden Anniversary

Friday 26 July at 19:00

Coade Theatre, Bryanston, Blandford Forum Box Office: dorsetopera.com

07570 366 186

The home of Country House opera in South West England featuring renowned soloists, a full orchestra and a large chorus of emerging young artists

Andy taking on Stars Appeal Walk for Wards after staff ‘saved his life’

Andy during the walk in 2013

AN amputee taking on a 5k challenge at the Stars Appeal’s Walk for Wards, which he says will be “longest distance” he has walked with his prosthetic leg, is encouraging others to join him.

Andy Hockey’s “world was turned upside down” last year when he had to have his leg amputated.

The week before Christmas 2022, Andy was unwell but thought he had a bad cold.

On Christmas Eve he was rushed to Salisbury District Hospital where he was diagnosed with sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to an infection.

The following day he had his toe and part of his foot removed. He later underwent surgery to amputate his lower leg.

He spent 56 days in hospital, including time on Radnor Intensive Care Unit, where he was on life support and over five weeks recovering on Odstock Ward.

Andy was also supported by the Hospital’s Wessex Rehabilitation Centre.

Andy said: “On January 3, 2023 my whole world was turned upside down as I underwent surgery to have my right lower leg amputated.

“I was heartbroken, absolutely devastated. I thought my life is over at 52. “The following weeks were extremely

difficult, I was very depressed and would wake up, look down at my missing leg and cry.

“I was worried about the future, how I would manage in a wheelchair. I felt useless, trapped, broken and scared.”

But he says his physiotherapy team gave him “a reason to get out of bed every morning” and “instilled the iron-willed determination that has defined my journey”.

He said: “They made me believe I would walk again. I accepted my disability and focused on my abilities. I have a lot to smile about, my prosthetic is just an inconvenience.”

During his time in hospital, Andy

benefitted from quicker access to a CT scan thanks to the Stars Appeal’s second CT scanner, as well as the charity’s free Wi-Fi, which he says was a “lifeline”, enabling him to stay in touch with his family and friends.

He also says a “wonderful” chaplain would regularly visit him and was a “great comfort when I was struggling health wise”. The hospital’s chaplaincy service is supported by the Stars Appeal.

Andy, who took part in the 3k route at Walk for Wards last year, only six months after the amputation, will be upping the challenge by doing the 5k on Sunday, July 7 at Wilton House. He will be joined by his wife Sam.

He said: “I’m looking forward to the extra challenge. It will be the longest distance I’ve walked since I’ve had my prosthetic. It’s all about pushing myself.

“I owe Salisbury Hospital my life. I had the most amazing team of people looking after me who helped me through some of my worst days.”

Andy, who is from Warminster, is encouraging others to join Walk for Wards and said: “You can do it at your own leisure and it’s in a lovely setting. You will be supporting a fantastic charity for a wonderful hospital.”

Pictures: Spencer Mulholland

PVFF is a festival that’s loved by everyone because there’s loads for kids to do, loads for parents and loads for the old folkies!

As well as four evenings and three full days of outstanding, original young folk, roots and world music across five stages, Purbeck Valley Folk Festival brings music workshops, sessions, comedy, a massive craft area, a healing area, fire shows and loads for kids - it’s so much more than just great music!

Purbeck Valley Folk Festival has an amazing line-up again this year: This year’s highlights include TikTok shanty sensation The Longest Johns, African kora player Seckou Keita with his 8-piece Senegalese band, BBC 6Music favourite John Smith, and Gentleman Jack theme tune writers/singers O’Hooley & Tidow. There is absolutely loads for kids (all included in the ticket price!): storytelling, rock-climbing, archery, dinosaurs, crafts, circus skills, bouncy castles, fancy

LONGEST JOHNS

JOHN SMITH

*Advertising Feature

dress, maypole dancing and much more! The craft area is fantastic with workshops in cyanotype printing, tie-dye, blacksmithing, pottery, origami, and more.

A brilliant musical line-up, loads of stuff for kids, a huge craft area for adults, perfect location, and a great selection of real ales and ciders… Purbeck Valley Folk Festival is so much more than just a great music festival.

Tickets have been selling fast already with record numbers of festival-goers buying tickets for this year’s festival before they even left the site last year!

Great value at £175 (£85/£40) for 4 nights, including camping.

For more informationwww.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk

SECKOU KEITA

LE VENT DU NORD

DIRK POWELL - SAM KELLY TRIO - MICHAEL MCGOLDRICK & TIM EDEY - THE HENRY GIRLS 3 DAFT MONKEYS - O’HOOLEY & TIDOW - MEGSON - N’FAMADY KOUYATE

MARTHA TILSTON - RORY MCLEOD - THE BOOKSHOP BAND

THE SQUARE DANCE WITH DIRK POWELL & JOCK TYLDESLEY- FILKINS ENSEMBLE - JAEJA - MOSCOW DRUG CLUB - GOOD HABITS

ARTHUR COATES & KERRAN COTTERELL - STOMPIN’ DAVE - THE GREAT MALARKEY - DUEA - THE TROUBLE NOTES

TASHKEZAR - MARVARA - SUTHERING - HANNAH SANDERS & BEN SAVAGE - AMICA - THREEPENNY BIT - TWO MAN TING

GABRIEL MORENO AND THE QUIVERING POETS - THE ASHEN KEYS - DANGER GOAT - AAYUSHI - 14 WOLVES - THE BOMO SWING

HONEY KICK - ANNA RENAE - PISKEY LED - DEN MILLER - ARQUEBUS TRIO - RHOLBEN - DIRTY BIG CANAL DANCE BAND

IGLOO HEARTS - LAURA LOH - DEVON YOUTH FOLK ENSEMBLE - MEGAN LINFORD - MUSTARD ALLEGRO - RACHEL HILL ELI GREENEYES - OWL IN THE SUN - MURPHY’S LORE TRIO - KELP! - RAPSQUILLION - HIGH SHELF REMEDY + LOADS MORE!

Fears over council bankruptcy after

LOSSES of more than £460,000 in the last financial year have prompted fears “bankruptcy beckons” for Salisbury City Council.

The shocking claim was made by Councillor Charles McGrath (Con, Milford) after a full council meeting on Monday (June 24).

Councillors were told the authority made a £468,592 loss in the 2023/24 financial year, following losses the previous year.

Despite the figures, the administration said it is set to assume an “increased financial grip” to address the financial situation.

A spokesperson said it would focus on a “programme of savings, refocusing on the basics, and protecting areas which generate non-council tax

income are the priorities for the coming months”.

“We are the largest parish council in England and will have to report our finances in a new and more comprehensive way; a first for Salisbury and small councils,” they said.

“As part of this increased financial grip, the new senior management team are working with elected members to navigate the fiscal challenge and make choices which deliver quality services and make financial sense on behalf of the businesses, residents and visitors of our great city.

“A programme of savings, refocusing on the basics, and protecting areas which generate non-council tax income are the priorities for the coming months.

“We will look to protect

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

general reserves while wisely using increased balances in our capital programme, community infrastructure levy and section 106 contributions.

“Given this refreshed approach, the leadership team are confident of ensuring the financial sustainability of the council in the immediate and medium term.”

Following the meeting, Cllr McGrath said “bankruptcy beckons” for the council, and he would be submitting a statement of no confidence in the administration at the council’s next full council meeting, in September.

“The council has splurged £1 million of reserves since 2021, leaving £400k,” he said.

“If the council does nothing, a Section 114 notice will have to be submitted, essentially meaning the council will be

bankrupt and central government may have to intervene.

“This means that a significant precept rise (way above the 43% of 2023-24, which led to two parish meetings and a parish poll from angry residents) and severe cuts to the council’s services are on the way for next year’s budget for 202526.

“This is the result of the massive overspending and financial mismanagement of the council’s Labour/Lib Dem/ Annie Riddle administration.

“The new Tollgate Road depot project has overspent by £120,000; unrealistic income targets have been set for income streams such as the crematorium and council events and money has been wasted on green policies such

as leases on electric vehicles, still parked up at the council’s old depot in Harnham.

“This cannot go on. Leaving it until next May’s election will mean the council will punish Salisbury residents with eye-watering precept increases and a dirty, dilapidated city we won’t be proud of.

“I will be submitting a statement of no confidence in the administration at the council’s next full council meeting in September.

“While the council has no formal way of removing its leadership, I hope this will make clear residents’ frustrations with the incompetence and profligacy of the three-way administration led by Victoria Charleston, Ian Tomes and Annie Riddle.”

Tel: 07970-742741 STAINLESS STEEL TABLE, suitable for catering. 1m730mm long X 800mm wide X 900mm high. £50. Tel: 07771-616577. Salisbury NEW, 2 PVC GLAZED WINDOWS. Suiting for outbuilding. FREE to collect. Salisbury. Tel: 07771-616577

Any

or model. Any

Lib Dem councillor Victoria Charleston, left, and Conservative councillor Charles McGrath

Man jailed after stealing £75,000 from the person he was caring for

A MAN has been jailed for stealing £75,000 from the person he was meant to be caring for.

Allan Beacham, 66, of Wootton, Kent, was sentenced to sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison on June, 21, at Winchester Crown Court, after pleading guilty at a previous hearing.

In May 2016, Beacham worked for a care company and was sent to care for his victim, Alan Pattillo, a successful filmwriter in Scotland.

Mr Pattillo was registered blind, in a wheelchair and had Parkinson’s.

The following year Mr Pattillo moved to Salisbury and continued to employ Beacham.

Mr Pattillo’s solicitors appointed a paralegal to manage his overall finances and portfolio while Beacham managed his day-to-day finances, his care needs and he would liaise with the paralegal when funds needed to be transferred into the current account.

During the spring of 2019 the paralegal left the firm, and a solicitor was appointed. Mr Pattillo moved into a care home and concerns were raised about large amounts

of cash being removed from his bank account, and a report was made to Wiltshire Police.

Due to the large number of lines of enquiry needed to be investigated, including witness statements from as far afield as Australia and the Outer Hebrides, the scrutiny of banking information and files held by the solicitors, the investigated was long.

It was established that Beacham would request money from the Attorney for goods or services which should have been for the benefit of his patient but as soon as the money arrived in his account Beacham would withdraw the cash for his own benefit and his addiction to the National Lottery.

Unfortunately, his victim died during the investigation, however, it was deemed that it was in the public interest to continue with the investigation which culminated in charging Beacham with theft of approximately £75,000 from October 2017 to May 2019.

DC Nick Bishop, now of Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “Mr Beacham has been sentenced today and at long last

despite his continued efforts to frustrate and delay justice for the victim’s family has received a custodial sentence of three years and 10 months.

“It was obvious that Mr Beacham thought he could continue to procrastinate and make a mockery of the justice system for as long as possible in the vein hope that the crown would concede and let him off.

“Unfortunately for him he was the only person that thought this, after all his antics justice caught with him and he has been handed an appropriate sentence.

“His crime was against a very elderly and vulnerable man, who he had employed as a trained live in carer and who he totally depended and trusted to look after on him in his later years.

“Instead, Mr Beacham utterly abused this trust and position by stealing a vast amount of money from his employer for his own satisfaction and addiction.

“Wiltshire Police would like to thank everyone involved with their collaborative work including the Crown Prosecution Service and prosecution counsel Mr Evans to finally bring justice to the victim’s family.”

CCTV appeal after spirits stolen from Ringwood shop

OFFICERS investigating a shoplifting incident at Waitrose in Ringwood are keen to identify this person.

Nine bottles of spirits, valued at between £200 and £300, was stolen from the supermarket, in The Furlong, at just after 5pm on Saturday, May 18.

The woman is described as white, aged between 35 and 45, with blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, of skinny build. She was wearing leggings, a white top and trainers.

“We believe the woman in this image can help us with our investigation and would urge her, or anyone who knows her identity, to get in touch with us,” a Hampshire Police spokesperson said.

“Also, if you witnessed the incident, saw anything suspicious in the area at the time, or have any CCTV, mobile phone, dash cam or doorbell camera footage which could aid our investigation, please contact us.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident number 44240209106, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Animal charity in football nets plea

THE RSPCA is calling on the public to help save animals’ lives by putting away their back garden football nets after use – as England, Scotland and 22 other nations compete at Euro 2024.

The reminder comes as new data from the charity reveals that of the 1,644 reports received in 2023 of animals getting entangled in all types of netting, almost half of them (773) happened in the peak months of May, June and July.

Now, as footie fever soars with the Euros, the animal charity fears even more animals could be trapped, injured or even killed by these innocentlooking items.

So the charity is urging people to put away their garden football nets when not in use to help minimise the numbers of incidents.

RSPCA scientific officer, Rebecca Machin, said: “We know so many people will be getting excited about the start of Euro 2024 – and think it's great that many will be inspired by the action, and want to get outside and have a kick around themselves.

“But unattended football and

Home Euthanasia For Your Pet

*Advertising Feature

Angel Paws is a small and independently run mobile veterinary service based in Shrewton in south Wiltshire which provides peaceful pet euthanasia in your own home. Operating within approximately 20 miles of Shrewton, Angel Paws enables pet owners to have loving and dignified pet euthanasia in the privacy, security and comfort of their own homes. Angel Paws also offers a wide selection of cremation and memorial options for your pet’s remains through our cremation partners.

In Trisha’s experience as a practicing veterinarian she always found that having your family pet put to sleep in your own home was far less stressful for the pet. It is also far more comforting for the pet owners and family involved in comparison to the standard method of having to take your pet to the veterinary clinic to be euthanised. Angel Paws is specifically and thoughtfully designed to change this experience by providing a personalised home visit service for pets and their devoted owners.

other netting can trap, injure and even kill wildlife and pets, so it’s really important to put nets safely away when they’re not being used after the game is done.

“The problem is so serious that during this May, we dealt with 53 incidents of nettingentangled foxes – mostly cubs – and that sadly included at least one fox cub death.

“That’s even higher than the numbers for the previous May (2023), when there were 52 incidents.

“But it’s not just foxes that are affected – other wild mammals like hedgehogs and deer, and even domestic pet mammals, including cats, can become potentially fatally entangled. But ahead of a difficult summer for many animals, people have the power to make a real difference.”

The charity’s advice to the public is that if a small animal – like a bird or hedgehog – is found caught up in netting, the fastest way to help it is to gently disentangle the animal themselves – where it’s safe and possible for them to do so.

Check the RSPCA website for more information.

Compassionate Home Euthanasia Service For Your Beloved Pet

Saying goodbye to a cherished pet is one of life's hardest moments. Angel Paws offers loving and dignified pet euthanasia in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Let your pet find peace surrounded by familiar faces and their favourite place. Trisha, a fully qualified veterinarian, ensures the utmost care and respect during your appointment.

Big-name acts confirmed for Live At The Park

SCOUTING For Girls, The Artful Dodger and Symphonic Ibiza are set to take a Salisbury music event “to a new level” this summer, according to organisers.

Live At The Park - the largest independent outdoor music event in the city - is set to take place on September 6 and 7 in Victoria Park.

Organisers, Salisbury Live and The Immersive Group, have announced the line-up for the shows, and said they were “very excited”.

“Following the success of 2023, we have taken things to a new level,” a spokesperson added.

“Over two days, Friday and Saturday, September 6 and 7, we are bringing three iconic acts to town; Scouting For Girls, The Artful Dodger and Symphonic Ibiza.” And they promised activities and

attractions for the whole family at the event, alongside the music.

“As well as world famous artists, there will be some fantastic local talent, plenty of local food and drink, kids activities and big festival vibes,” they added.

“Children’s tickets will include unlimited use of rides/inflatables.”

And more is set to come, with additional acts and activites to be announced in the coming weeks.

“We are announcing plenty more artists and bands over the coming weeks,” the

spokesperson said.

“All updates will be shared on our socials. Don’t delay, we’re expecting this one to be a sell out.”

For more details, and to book early bird tickets, log on to www.skiddle.com/ festivals/live-at-the-park-2024.

Salisbury Cathedral event promises ‘passion and joy in its rawest form’

A UNIQUE musical event will take place at Salisbury Cathedral tomorrow (July 2).

Evening Songs - a collaboration between La Folia, Exeter House School, Able Hands Together, Salisbury Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral School - will take place from 5.30pm.

The ground-breaking project sees special needs students from Exeter House School in Salisbury and choristers from Salisbury Cathedral come together to devise new words and melodies for the traditional Evensong service.

While the format remains largely the same, much of the music is original, created from the young singers’ own experiences and suggestions.

Evening Songs was first created in 2016 and held again in 2019.

This year, the music and words have been created by students from Exeter House School, Exeter House Vocational Centre, co-farmers from Wilton-based Able Hands Together and choristers from Salisbury Cathedral. They have been led by musicians Howard Moody, Lynsey Docherty, Mark Padmore and David Halls, who is also organist for the service.

La Folia is a Wiltshire-based music charity that brings together musicians, writers and performers to create new music, in ground-breaking

collaborations and performances, under the leadership of Howard Moody. It began devising projects for making music with young people with special needs more than 20 years ago.

Able Hands

Together is a community farm, based at Little Wishford Farm, near Salisbury, offering lifechanging opportunities for young adults with learning disabilities, teaching skills to aid development and independence.

music created by the young students and choristers.”

Evening Songs has had three creative stages.

Howard Moody, artistic director of La Folia and creator of Evening Songs, said: “Since workshops began at the start of this year, there have been many extraordinary experiences.

“In the very first session with a student at Exeter House, we spoke of what it would be like to walk into the Cathedral at the end of the day and hear music.

“In response, the student started singing his own words and that incredible melody is one of several that feature in the service.

“It is exciting to be running Evening Songs for the third time and we are looking forward to sharing the new

Early workshops at the start of the year were very intimate, with small groups of students or individuals, listening to what everyone had to offer and writing down the musical score.

The second stage was to start rehearsing the music, still allowing for new ideas and for the students to find their own individual musical voices.

Then, in April, students and Cathedral choristers came together to devise the central part of the service, finally being joined by the lay vicars in final preparations for the service.

Josh Hamblin, assistant head teacher at Exeter House School, said: “Exeter House has had the privilege of working with La Folia for over a decade and what we have learnt is that the

work we do is more than a series of projects; it is a legacy.

“Evening Songs is beyond compare and I challenge anyone to sit dry-eyed throughout the entire evening.

“It is passion and joy in its rawest form.”

David Halls, director of music at Salisbury Cathedral, said: “Evening Songs spreads the good news about the healing and restorative power which making music together provides, and it is so appropriate that this special project culminates in an act of worship in the breathtaking space of Salisbury Cathedral.

“Once again it has been a privilege to se the results of what the Cathedral choristers and pupils from Exeter House have created together.”

Evening Songs takes place on Tuesday at 5.30pm. Everyone is welcome.

A BEATLES single which features a listing for ‘Paul McArtney’ was set to fetch up to £9,000 at auction - despite the error.

A 1962 demo pressing of the legendary Liverpool band’s Love Me Do and PS I Love You - one of only 250 in the world - was due to go under the hammer at a sale in Essex on Monday and Tuesday, June 24 and 25.

The rare single attracted interest from around the world and is unique as Sir Paul McCartney’s surname is incorrectly spelt as “McArtney”, according to vinyl specialist, Rob Smee.

The 7-inch was part of a select number of tracks pressed and distributed to TV and radio stations prior to the

record’s release in October 1962.

It had an estimated value of between £7,000 and £9,000 when it went up for sale.

Mr Smee said the auction house had received inquiries from Beatles fans across the world.

“This is an especially rare Beatles single from the very earliest days of the band’s career,” he said.

“Being one of only 250 it is of particular interest to Beatles’ collectors and the misspelling of Paul McCartney’s name is both authentic and interesting in itself.”

Next Sale

Saturday 13th July

Healthy fats are good for the brain, mood, memory, energy and skin

by Daisy Campbell

MANY of us associate fats with putting on weight and something we instinctively want to avoid. This is true with unhealthy fats, like trans fats, found in processed food, cakes, biscuits etc, but the good kind are beneficial in so many ways.

More and more studies are showing the link between consuming the right amount of good fats with a healthy brain, lifted mood, memory, energy and lovely supple skin. Fats are a concentrated energy source and are twice as efficient as carbohydrates in energy production.

They are fuel for the brain – which is made up of 60% fat – and for the cells.

They help regulate inflammation in the body, crucial for preventing disease and much more, and contrary to what we might believe, they aid in making us feel full and therefore help us to lose weight.

They also have a vital role in helping with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Rather annoyingly, the body cannot make the two essential fatty acids, omega 3 and 6, on its own, we have to include

them in our diet or take a supplement.

Omega 6 fats are not as beneficial to health as omega 3 – which are all antiinflammatory – so it’s important to get the ratio right. We want more of the omega 3s.

Vegans need to pay special

attention to this as many omegarich foods come in the form of dairy and meat.

Some excellent options for a plant-based diet are avocado, nuts and seeds, olive oil, flaxseed, spirulina and dark green leafy vegetables, but as this may become limiting, I would highly recommend a good supplement, too.

For meat eaters, grass-fed beef and organ meats are an excellent source of omega 3, wild salmon, sardines and tuna – not tinned if possible – are brilliant and, for vegetarians, organic cage free eggs.

A good tip is to fill a jar with mixed seeds, easily found in supermarkets, with organic mulled flaxseed, and get into the habit of sprinkling a bit of both onto porridge or fruit at breakfast, and salads or soups at lunch.

I find, particularly on porridge, the seeds give a lovely crunch that I have become very fond of.

A bag of almonds in the car, or in your bag when you go out, is an excellent quick snack to fill up on, and is also one of the cheaper nuts to buy.

So, if we can get into the habit of looking at our plate at every meal and just making sure we have a small fist full of healthy fat, we are doing ourselves a huge favour, we will feel fuller for longer, have more energy and be feeding our brain.

And, of course, let’s not forget all the delicious full fat cheese and unsweetened natural yoghurt!

For more information on healthy fats and all the benefits they provide, Patrick Holford has written many books on the subject.

n Daisy Campbell is a certified health coach. For gentle guidance and help to make changes, phone 07740 864 616 or email daisydundas@yahoo. com.

Avocado, salmon and almonds are among the foods which provide beneficial fats

The clue’s in the name: ‘Wort’ means herb has medicinal purpose...

by Fiona Chapman

ANY herbs with a “wort” on the end mean that it was at one time or another a herb that was used for medicinal purposes.

Many of these herbs have gone out of fashion and are not used in modern herbal medicine, which does not necessarily mean they do not work.

So much knowledge was lost between the 15th and 18th centuries when there was the purging of the witches.

Invariably these were women who were natural healers and midwives with skills that had been passed down by word of mouth for generations.

With the advent of more modern medicine, and male physicians, who felt they knew better, it became unfashionable and in some cases dangerous for these women to practice, so valuable information died with them.

So, as I was wandering the Dorset hills and fields and looking at pretty, white Greater Stitchwort on the verges and bottom of hedge rows, I wondered what it was used for – a stitch in your side – of course, hence the name!

It is edible, although it is said if you pick the flowers, you will cause a thunderstorm and upset the pixies – maybe that is why it is not used so much nowadays!

I was also curious about Herb Robert, which is growing abundantly with its little pink flowers on verges and rather a lot between the paving stones in my garden.

I don’t like the smell of Herb Robert (Geranium robertanum). It is as the name suggests, from the geranium family, and to me it smells of cat’s pee.

Traditionally it used to be carried around to bring good luck and fertility.

It can be eaten and the leaves rubbed on the skin to act as an insect repellent. It would certainly repel me, hence it being rather strange it was used for fertility!

Eating it is said to increase oxygen in the blood, which is obviously hugely beneficial, however, I was then rather horrified by one of its colloquial names, “death come quickly”.

This apparently is because of its connection to a German sprite who came to the British Isles and attached itself to Puck – Robin Goodfellow.

Although why such a sinister name, as Puck was a prankster, and the German sprite was Knecht Rupert, also known as Krampus, who was St Nicholas’s dark side?

He does punish children who have been naughty but death coming quickly is a bit excessive, I feel!

n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist; email Pellyfiona@gmail.com.

Greater Stitchwort was used for treating a stitch in the side

Homes & Garden

Short history of cottage garden favourite...

by Sally Gregson

IT can come as quite a surprise to learn that we British gardeners have been growing sweet peas for many centuries.

However. it all started in Sicily with the Moors in the middle of the 15th century.

They were known to grow the endemic sweet peas for their scent in those famous “paradise” gardens of Mediterranean Spain.

These gardens were places of retreat from the intense heat, with pavilions to provide shade from the sun, and the sound of cool splashing fountains.

The enclosing walls trapped scent within the garden and the

delicate pink and white Sicilian pea would have been cultivated for its perfume alongside roses and carnations.

In 1695, a Franciscan monk, Fr Cupani, noted that the sweet peas that were growing wild around the monastery in Palermo were producing larger flowers than usual.

He collected the seed and sent some to his friends, Caspar Commelin in Holland and to Dr Robert Uvedale, a schoolmaster of Enfield. The flowers were strongly fragrant, and purple and blue. Somewhere, somehow the wild Sicilian peas had crossed, or hybridised with a wild pea of a different colour.

Perhaps the Moorish

gardeners had been at work centuries earlier and the resultant hybrid had naturalised alongside the native pink and white forms growing around the Sicilian monastery.

The sweet pea’s ability to hybridise so easily endeared it to Dutch and English plantsmen and at the beginning of the 18th century the Painted Lady pea

made its appearance. It had light red and white scented flowers produced on short weak stems.

Slowly throughout the 19th century, larger flowers arose, then in 1899 at Althorp, the home of Earl Spencer, ancestor of Princess Diana, three seedlings of Prima Donna produced flowers with ruffled,

The sweet pea’s ability to hybridise so easily endeared it to plantsmen

or “waved” petals. They caused a sensation.

They were then crossed back to his other grandiflora hybrids and produced a whole race of

“Spencer hybrids” that wowed the gardening public from Althorp to California.

The gardening world trembled and changed.

Caravan

Sudoku 3D puzzle

Place 1 to 9 once into every black-bordered 3x3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.

Across

7 Merit as represented in musical experts (7)

9 Sluggish son goes off magazine supplement? (5)

10 Rental property abandoned with fellow gone (3)

11 Problem in debt, say (9)

12 Element in combatant, a long hooked claw (5)

Killer Sudoku Pro

14 Stop in hotel in the same place with appeal (7)

16 Italian cheese, ingredient in apricot tart (7)

18 Female relative spoke of Mediterranean resort (5)

19 Struggle in winter possibly to get meeting for broadcast? (9)

20 Support, we hear, for hot drink (3)

21 Foreign currency from bank or otherwise – not British (5)

22 More unpleasant variant of retsina (7) Down

Place numbers 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3x3 box. No digit may be repeated in any dash-lined cage, and all the digits in any cage must add up to the value shown in that cage.

1 Dress or amulet for rival (8)

2 Troublesome type in cheap establishment

3 Hot sweet German bread with only one line

4 Perfect last coat of paint (6)

5 Queen on reflection I label unusually steady (8)

6 Last check (4)

8 A soldier with country after one month showing resourcefulness (11)

13 Liberal with calling heading off for place

15 Lexicographical aids for all to see in this developed (8)

17 Threadbare car mat? It’s used to cover road (6)

18 Sheep kept by conservationists? That’s recent (6)

19 Repulsively sweet cake oddly in island yard (4)

20 Partner is secure after time (4)

Motoring

RAC lists priorities for incoming government it says would ‘improve the lives of UK motorists’

IN the week Salisbury heads to the polls to vote in the general election, motoring organisation the RAC has highlighted six key priorities it would like to see an incoming government focus on.

The RAC says the priorities would improve the lives of around 40 million drivers in the UK, and are backed by the company’s extensive and ongoing analysis of data and driver research – including from its own annual Report on Motoring that has provided an unrivalled view of motorists’ concerns and behaviours on the road since 1989.

The RAC’s six priorities for the next government are:

Better local roads

Fairer fuel prices

A road safety reset

Reduce the motor insurance tax burden

Support the transition to EVs

Ensure civil motoring offences are enforced fairly

n Better local roads – RAC research shows the state of local roads is drivers’ number-one concern

Support cash-strapped councils by guaranteeing increased funding for road maintenance over a long-term period – at least for the duration of the next Parliament – and commit to ringfencing some general taxation to pay for this Commit councils to significantly increasing the levels of proactive road maintenance – surface dressing and resurfacing – and move away from the symptomatic approach of merely filling in potholes. RAC analysis of government data found that council road maintenance is at its lowest point in at least the last five years

Work with local authorities to understand the skills

problems they’re facing when it comes to looking after the roads they are responsible for, drawing on best practice from the road maintenance industry.

The RAC is talking to the Road Surface Treatments Association, Road Emulsion Association and Institute of Asphalt Technology to better understand why so many of the nation’s roads are in such a poor state

n Fairer fuel prices – RAC research shows the cost of fuel is drivers’ second biggest concern.

Bring an end to the postcode lottery where prices for petrol and diesel can be wildly different from place to place and ensuring retailers pass on savings from significant drops in the wholesale price of fuel by quickly setting up the Pump Watch scheme and price monitoring body as legislated by the previous government.

The RAC regularly engages with the Competition and Markets Authority about its emerging regulatory plans, and analyses data collected from retailers on a weekly basis via RAC Fuel Watch

Maintain the current 5p duty cut – due to be reversed next

March – until at least Spring 2026 and ideally until such time as the Pump Watch scheme is up and running

n A road safety reset

Give road safety the attention and resources it deserves by reintroducing formal road casualty reduction targets, which were scrapped in 2010

Convert all-lane running stretches of smart motorway to either controlled motorways, with hard shoulders permanently restored, or to dynamic hard shoulder schemes – where a hard shoulder is in place for much of the day and night.

RAC research shows ongoing driver dissatisfaction with all-lane running smart motorways, with most drivers deliberately avoiding driving in the inside lane that used to be the hard shoulder

Launch a consultation on introducing a Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) scheme to keep new drivers safe. Young drivers, especially young men, are statistically far more likely to be involved in serious or fatal collisions. The RAC has previously supported a Bill by an MP to bring forward a GDL scheme

Follow through with the previous government’s commitment to fund independent research into the problems of headlight glare. The RAC is leading a campaign to address this issue, and secured a commitment from the outgoing government to conduct independent research into it

Work with police forces and road safety organisations to introduce a crackdown on drivers who speed excessively

n Reduce the motor insurance tax burden

Reduce Insurance Premium Tax from its current 12% which is compounding the recent rises in motor insurance, the burden of which is felt far more by younger and more inexperienced drivers who pay the highest premiums. Average insurance premiums are up by 33% over the last 12 months

n Support the transition to electric vehicles

Reintroduce a plug-in car grant aimed at stimulating the cheaper end of the new car market to make going electric more affordable. SMMT data, as well as RAC research, confirms a slowdown in private registrations of new EVs that

needs to be addressed

Reduce VAT on public EV charging from 20% to match the 5% levied on domestic electricity so those who can’t charge at home aren’t disadvantaged Government and charge point operators to adopt the RAC and FairCharge Charging Charter so that all chargers are accessible and safe for all, charger locations are clearly signposted and kWh prices are displayed prominently for drivers to see. The charter, the first of its kind in the UK, was referenced and recommended to the Government by the House of Lords committee as part of its recent EV inquiry

n Ensure civil motoring offences are enforced fairly Ensure councils use new moving traffic offence powers fairly regarding yellow box junctions – many are too large

which means drivers will be fined unnecessarily. A future government should update guidance for councils and ensure they follow it correctly. Analysis conducted for the RAC in March found most yellow boxes already enforced in London and Cardiff are bigger than they need to be to keep traffic moving, risking unnecessary fines

Prioritise publishing the revised Parking Code of Practice to prevent drivers being unfairly fined by private parking operators. Despite the code becoming law in 2019, it has been delayed by legal challenges from private parking operators. Private parking companies continue to issue excessive numbers of fines to drivers, with many simply paying up rather than contesting fines – even if they are in the right

Fairer parking payment –ensure drivers can always pay for parking by at least two different means, including contactless bank cards/via mobile phone. The RAC has previously surveyed drivers on the extent to which councils are removing parking payment machines altogether – forcing drivers to use mobile apps, much to their frustration

Introduce the National Parking Platform so that drivers can pay for parking with one app of their choice instead of having to download and use a myriad of different ones

RAC head of policy Simon Williams: “From potholes to pump prices, and from private parking operators to public EV

charging, there was always going to be a lot sitting in the new government’s in-tray come July 4.

“If our six key priorities, all of which are supported by data and research with drivers, are implemented over the course of the next parliamentary term they will bring meaningful benefits for road users up and down the country.

“We’ll be using this list to evaluate each of the main party’s election manifestoes as they’re launched this week and hope that ministers-to-be do indeed ‘deliver for drivers’ by taking heed of their most pressing concerns, not least those connected to the high cost of living.”

Crossword

NFU in call for action to protect supplies of the humble British spud

THE NFU is warning of the effect weather, input costs and trade are having on the great British potato.

The farming group is calling for urgent action to prevent a tightening of supply of the household staple, amid escalating problems.

It said the past three years have seen potato growers facing drought, flood and months of heavy rain this season, culminating in a perfect storm for the humble potato.

The average person in the UK eats around 33kg of potatoes each year.

Growers have reported significant delays in the lifting of the 2023 crop and a further delay in planting the 2024 crop, the NFU said.

At the same time, costs of key inputs like fertiliser and energy for storing potatoes have remained unsustainably high, with the compound cost of production in the sector increasing by 28% over the past two years, it added.

British potatoes are usually available for

people to buy all year round.

But the NFU says consecutive years of extreme, volatile weather and soaring costs have taken their toll on family businesses, leading to a tightening supply.

NFU Potato Policy Group vice chair, Alastair Heath, said: “The potato is versatile, nutritious and affordable, making it not only a national favourite but a staple part of most people’s diets.

“Yet the future of British potatoes is at risk.”

He added: “A number of growers have made the difficult choice to reduce production to minimise losses, and the relentless wet weather has put many more growers weeks behind schedule. For some, profits have been all but wiped out.

“Business confidence is low and investment has become a far-away concept, which is putting pressure on British potato supplies in the short-term.

“While it’s unlikely to lead to empty shelves this year, this pressure on the homegrown crop is an indication that we

need urgent action to prevent the situation getting worse.

“I believe we can and should be selfsufficient in potatoes.”

The NFU said in bid to reduce the impact on shoppers, supply chains have been working with growers to be flexible with specifications to use as much of the British crop as possible, and more imports are also being used so the public aren’t faced with empty shelves.

However, it warned the UK cannot rely on imports as a backup plan, as doing so comes with its own risks, such as potato supplies in the EU being tight due to a widespread shortage of seed potatoes and similarly poor 2023 harvests and planting conditions.

“Pre-Brexit, seed potatoes were imported from Scotland, but it is now becoming increasingly difficult to secure the future supply of ware potatoes,” a spokesperson said.

“A resumption of reciprocal trade of seed potatoes between the EU and GB would

help to address the current shortage in seed potatoes.”

Alastair continued: “War is raging in both Europe and the Middle East. Climate change is wreaking havoc on food production across the world.

“We can no longer assume that we will always have access to food imports to plug gaps in our own market. Given the volatile global environment we find ourselves operating in, this is not an effective contingency plan for our food security.

“Our next government – whoever may lead it – must focus on building resilience, confidence and profitability on farms at home, so products like the great British potato can continue to grace family dinner tables long into the future.

“As political parties vie for votes, I urge them to recognise this example of why policies to boost homegrown food production must be a priority – because it is for voters.”

Now, the NFU is calling for:

A plan for a proactive management of our watercourses to reduce the risk of flooding and enable access to water in times of drought, with potatoes a thirsty crop.

With growers facing increasing

resistance to pests and diseases, the next government should deliver a plan for the use and availability of plant protection products.

Deliver an agricultural budget of £5.5 billion for England and Wales that underpins business resilience.

This should include schemes to support potato growers to drive productivity and

National award for Synergy client

*Advertising Feature

Congratulations to Synergy Farm Health clients George Brown and Hallam Mills from Bisterne Farms, nr Ringwood, who are the winners of the prestigious NMR/ RABDF Gold Cup competition, one of the most coveted awards for dairy farmers in the UK. This award is made annually and we are very proud that one of our clients won this nationwide competition this year.

In May Bisterne Farms hosted a farm open day to celebrate this success, with farmers travelling from all corners of the UK to visit the farm. There were a large number of trade stands from agribusinesses that support the dairy farm’s operations. Synergy vets Josh Swain and Claire Rudd were invited as guest speakers, and led a discussion with the visiting farmers on how vets can work successfully with block calving dairy herds, with an emphasis on analysis of farm data and making good management decisions at key points in the farming calendar.

The excellent leadership qualities demonstrated by George, and the strong team ethos he has instilled in the staff, has been the backbone to this dairy farm’s performance and success. The award was well deserved, and we wish them a successful Autumn calving season.

adapt to climate change, particularly through funding for new and existing reservoirs and cold storage facilities, alongside enabling planning policies.

The NFU would also like supermarkets to continue to support suppliers by maintaining the relaxation of supermarket specifications of potatoes to ensure quality potatoes aren’t going to waste.

NFU Potato Policy Group vice chair, Alastair Heath

DORSET | DEVON | SOMERSET | HAMPSHIRE | WILTSHIRE | CORNWALL | LONDON

Chilthorne Domer Guide £525,000

A block of Grade 3 productive level arable land situated to the north of Yeovil, split into 4 parcels. Access from Oakley Lane. For sale by Formal Tender as a whole. Freehold.

Lucy Carnell | 01935 382901

Kings Stag Guide £65,000

2.77 acres (1.12 hectares) of level productive pasture land with a stable block, small yard area and direct highway access. Freehold.

Meredith Wallis | 01202 843190

Stour Provost Guide £100,000 9.94 acres of level and gently sloping pasture land off a quiet country lane with mains water. Freehold.

Will Cairns | 01258 472244

Hazelbury Bryan Guide £220,000 13.20 acres of productive pasture land located on the edge of Hazelbury Bryan village. The land has recently been utilised for grazing and mowing and has direct road access. Available in 2 Lots.

Will Wallis | 01305 236237

Kings Stag Guide £150,000 16.67 acres (6.75 hectares) of mixed mature broadleaf woodland situated between Kings Stag & Holwell. Freehold.

Will Wallis | 01305 236237

Buckhorn Weston Guide £155,000 14.14 acres (5.72 ha) of level pasture land in a peaceful location.

Freehold.

Will Cairns | 01258 472244

Beaminster Guide £55,000 (per lot) Two 3.55 acre (1.44 hectare) paddocks close to the village of North Perrott with attractive views to the south. Freehold.

George Whittaker | 01305 236237

Buckhorn Weston Guide £48,000 3.96 acres (1.60 ha) of pasture land off a quiet country lane.

Freehold.

Will Cairns | 01258 472244

For more information on other lots available in our July Auction, please visit our website or call 01258 473766

Auction 25 July

Auction 25 July

Auction 25 July

Auction 25 July

Auction 25 July

Auction