Salisbury & Avon Gazette Edition 22

Salisbury resident set to swim the English Channel for charity

LOUISE Campbell is planning to swim the English Channel in a relay team with Aspire, a national charity supporting people with Spinal Cord Injury. The original swim date (July 31) was postponed due to bad weather, so it’s a case of waiting for the right conditions before she sets out with her team.

Louise said: “I have always been a big fan of swimming but spent most of my time in the pool. Although I have dipped my toe into open water swimming, it’s not something I was very good at and, in all honesty, it scared me a bit.

“However, I was always envious of wild swimmers and thought it would be cool to be able to swim in open water all year round. This challenge gave me the perfect opportunity to tackle this head on and give me the push I needed to finally become a wild swimmer.

“Since November, when we signed up for this challenge, I have been swimming in lakes, rivers and the sea, and haven’t worn a wetsuit once, even in the colder months when the water temperature has been as low as 6C.

“As I thought I would, now that I have fully embraced open water swimming I really enjoy it – it makes me super happy. My eight year old daughter has been joining me in recent months and I’ve really enjoyed sharing this with her and she loves swimming in the river.

“The Aspire relay channel swim challenge just sort of fell into my lap. I am a partner at Moore Barlow which is a law firm affiliated to Aspire and I’m also a member of our charity committee.

“We have a well-established relationship with Aspire and I became aware of their various swimming challenges during a catch up with them.

“I was sure I could get a relay team together for the swim and sure enough, I did. Our relay team consists of six women from different departments and offices within our firm who all had very personal reasons as to why they wanted to join the challenge – all of them have achieved their own personal challenges.

“From a personal viewpoint, I joined Moore Barlow late in 2019 and the following March we went into lockdown and so I didn’t get to know my new work colleagues in the usual way. My teammates are now friends of mine and I have made more friends within the firm through chatting about the event (and forcing them to eat cake).

Wilton mayor receives scouting award for 40 years of service

Mayor of Wilton, Cllr Andrew Kinsey, received his 40 year plus Scouting Award from Phil Harding at The Salisbury and South Wiltshire District A.G.M. recently. Pictured alongside them is Andrew’s son Ben (on the right) who received his 20 years Scouting Award.

Andrew is currently group scout leader at 1st Wilton Scout Group and Ben is scout troop leader, also at Wilton.

Speaking in the run-up to the challenge, Louise said: “We are eagerly awaiting the green light to swim.

“Trying to keep the training going at the moment is difficult as we don’t know when we will swim.

“However, it’s probably good to have a bit of a break as we have been training hard since December with double and triple swims, swim qualifiers, swim weekends with the charity in Dover and night swimming.

“My record was swimming 17 miles in eight days which left me pretty tired but feeling prepared for what is to come.

“Our fundraising has been going really well and as a team we have exceeded our target but we really want to raise as much as we can to help improve the lives of those with spinal cord injuries.

“Aspire has been very supportive in our training and fundraising and with all of their experience, they have perfected the training weekends so that you come away from them full of confidence and knowing that you can smash this.

“Our boat leader, Bexy, is great – very positive and encouraging and we have all built a really good relationship with her.

“After our swim I had been thinking that I might give myself a bit of a break but have since had a bit of a rethink – I quite fancy signing up for a Chillswim next year.”

Sponsor Louise:

https://www.justgiving.com/team/aspireeagles

Salisbury residents to get say in budget as city council launches consultation

SALISBURY residents are being urged to have their say over the city budget.

The leaders of all political groups on Salisbury City Council have come together to agree on a consultation programme during the summer months (August and September) to help them better understand what the public is thinking.

The council wants to hear residents’ views on what its priorities should be when deciding what to spend.

The consultation will take the form of an online survey, but for those who would like a paper copy, they will be available from the Information Centre on Fish Row.

There will also be opportunities to meet informally with councillors to discuss what you think is important for both the council and the city.

These are being held on various dates in August, either on Salisbury Market Place or in the Guildhall. The next dates dates are:

● August 15 from 10am to 2pm, and 5.30pm to 7pm

● August 19 from 10am to 2pm

● You can also contact your councillors directly by phone or email, their contact details are on the council website.

Cllr Annie Riddle, an independent councillor, said: “I hope lots of people will take this opportunity to tell us what is important to them.

“Budget setting is a complex matter and whatever we do, we can’t please everyone.

“We’re elected to take decisions and sometimes they are difficult ones.

“But we guarantee we will look carefully at what you say, and we won’t know what you think unless you take part.”

Cllr Victoria Charleston, leader of the Lib Dem group, said: “We have committed to ensuring your voice is heard by this council.Consulting on the budget is just one of the steps

we are taking – please do get involved.”

Leader of the Labour group, Cllr Ian Tomes, went on: “I know from experience that when something is important to local people, they can get their voices heard – make sure your voice is heard if you feel strongly about local services from the city council and where the budget is spent.”

And Cllr Eleanor Wills, Conservative group leader, added: “Consultation is a vital way for residents to have their voice heard during the budget setting process.

“It has been really encouraging to sit down and work with the group leaders to develop these plans and I look forward to working with them in the future on similar schemes. It will be great to meet residents this summer.”

Salisbury’s residents should have received a leaflet through their door shortly with more information. The council notes although the leaflet shows a consultation on August 18, this will actually be on August 15.

Cyber attack affects two ambulance services in the south

ACCORDING to a report in the Health Service Journal and reported by the BBC, two ambulance trusts were left without access to electronic patient records after a recent cyber attack.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) and South Western Ambulance Service (SWASFT), which serve a population of 12 million people, were both affected by the attack that targeted a third-party technology company used by the trusts.

NHS England confirmed it is investigating the incident alongside the police.At the time of writing there was no information on either of the trusts’ websites.

South Central Ambulance Service Trust attends incidents in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, along

with non-emergency coverage for Sussex and Surrey.

South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust covers Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and the Isles of Scilly.

The service lost access to its electronic

patient records on 18 July, according to the Health Service Journal’s ambulance correspondent Alison Moore.

“This was due to a cyber attack which affected the supplier – a Swedish firm called Ortivus,” she said.

According to Ms Moore’s report, patients had not been directly affected, but ambulances were turning up without their usual levels of medical history, such as allergies, significant health incidents and medications.

An NHS spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident affecting a small number of ambulance services. Our Cyber Security Operations Centre is working with affected organisations to investigate, alongside law enforcement colleagues.”

Credit: Ian Taylor/Unsplash

Group leaders on Salisbury City Council, clockwise from top left; Victoria Charleston (Lib Dem), Ian Tomes (Labour), Eleanor Wills (Conservatives) and Annie Riddle (Independent)

All children deserve to play in the city’s park, says local charity chair

A SALISBURY resident is campaigning to change the face of accessibility for parks.

Kerry Adey, chair of Disability Interests Group Salisbury (DIGS), is on a mission to help make all green spaces accessible for all disabilities.

The community Interest group DIGS recently met with John Glen MP, who directed the group to the local council to discuss the need for both play equipment and the parks themselves to be made accessible for everyone.

After a successful meeting with the council, DIGS has launched a brand-new campaign – ‘Don’t ALL children deserve to play’ – to help fund this incredible programme of providing accessible play equipment across the city, starting with a wheelchair

accessible swing. Once the funds are raised, DIGS will donate the equipment

to Salisbury City Council, which will be responsible for installing it.

DIGS plans to raise funds by holding events and applying to outside funding streams.

The community interest group is also looking for any businesses or individuals who would like to sponsor equipment or donate to this incredible campaign, which will enable all children to play in the city.

Kerry said: “By the community coming together to help with this campaign we will be able to help more children access our beautiful parks in our city.”

If you would like to donate to the campaign or raise money yourself, you can contact Kerry at digsalisbury@gmail.com or visit: https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/disability-andaccessibility

Two views of play parks: left, the lack of a path at Bishopsdown, and right, the slope and lack of path at Parsonage

Bumper prize money, a Radio 2 DJbut minor disorder at city races

A CROWD of more than 2,500 was at Salisbury Racecourse on the evening of July 29 for six races - with over £40,000 in prize money up for grabs.

A total of 55 horses from all over England and Ireland made for some exciting racing and finishes.

After the racing was over, many of the race-goers stayed behind for a disco led by BBC Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills.

Unfortunately, two people suffered ‘face and head injuries’ during disorder on the makeshift dancefloor after the racing had finished on Police said the pair, two men in their

20s, were hurt in the disorder.

“During the incident, two men aged in their 20s sustained face and head injuries,” they said. “We are keen to speak to

Appeal after fire

POLICE in Salisbury are keen to trace these people in connection with an apparent arson attack in a crop field.

The picture was taken at around 4pm on July 23 of people in a field in Cheverell Avenue.

Police said the pair were seen with ‘smoke around them’ and they would be keen to trace them.

Anyone with information, or who recognises the people pictured, should contact police on 101, quoting incident number 54230077428.

They can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

anyone who may have witnessed the disorder.”

Anyone with information should call 101 and quote crime reference number 54230079889.

They can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

There are seven more meetings over the summer, including the Tattersalls Sovereign Stakes on August 17.

Wiltshire facing short supply of diabetes drug Ozempic

A REPORT on BBC Wiltshire has suggested that a drug used to help manage Type 2 diabetes is in short supply in the county.

Semaglutide, which has the brand name Ozempic, was approved by the NHS in March to help people with weight loss. Now, the UK Department of Health and Social Care has said that the UK was facing a shortage of the medicine, and the supply issues may not be resolved ‘until at least mid-2024’.

According to the BBC Wiltshire report, pharmacies in Wiltshire are also experiencing

problems with a “very short supply” of the drug. Ali Abass, a pharmacist in Downton, told BBC Radio Wiltshire that he had spent ‘most of this week’ trying to work around the shortages, but that the drug was going to be out of stock for the long term.

He told the radio show: “There is no alternative for most of these patients. A lot of people can’t use anything else but global supply is not meeting the current demand.”

The shortages appear to have begun when the drug was also approved to manage weight loss.

NHS England and medicines regulator, the MHRA, reported in July that “existing stock must be conserved” for people living with diabetes, while The Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) confirmed that the while supply of these medications would not return until next year, the safety and care of patients will always be the “top priority”.

Esther Walden, deputy head of care at Diabetes UK, said the charity was “very concerned” about the shortages, telling

BBC Radio Wiltshire: “These shortages have serious clinical implications in the management of people living with Type 2 diabetes, both on physical and mental well-being, and existing stock must be conserved for their use.

“People living with Type 2 diabetes should be reassured that there are a number of alternative treatments available to help manage their condition.”

If anyone has concerns regarding their treatment they are advised to contact their GP for further information.

A great day out at the races

Credit: Steve Kemp

£9m city improvement works startdrivers being urged to plan ahead

WORK is underway on a £9 million scheme to improve Salisbury city centre.

The cash, from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund, was secured in 2021 by Wiltshire Council for a range of works to improve the area.

They include widening pavements, introducing new street lighting, enhancing landscaping, improving street furniture and wayfinding, and introducing continuous footpaths at junctions to emphasise and improve pedestrian priority.

Now, work has started at Fisherton Gateway, with contractor Milestone Infrastructure setting up their site compound.

From Sunday (August 6), traffic barriers were being installed, creating a one-way system from the junction of South Western Road and Fisherton Street, down Fisherton Street to the junction of Fisherton Street and High Street, enabling work to continue safely. It will be in place for around 12 months - until the project is finished.

The work will be carried out in phases, with the first phase covering the area between Malthouse Lane and Summerlock

Approach, which started on Monday, August 7, and be completed around November.

Towards the end of August, a second phase of work will start between Summerlock Approach and South Western Road. It is anticipated this phase will be completed around December.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “One of our key priorities is to have vibrant, well-connected communities, and this scheme will deliver improvements for residents, businesses and visitors as well provide long-term economic benefits for Salisbury. Road improvements of this scale do cause some disruption and we apologise for any inconvenience

in advance.

“Our contractor will remain in close contact with businesses in the area that are most affected by the phases of works to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

“I would like to reassure everyone that Fisherton Street is very much open for business, and I would encourage residents and visitors to make full use of the retail and coffee shops available.

“Drivers should plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys as people get used to the one-way system and diversion route. This may also be an opportunity to consider alternative modes of transport, including our Park and Ride.

“For those using buses, Salisbury Reds have published

details of the Fisherton Street bus stops which will be temporarily moved from Sunday, August 6, on www.salisburyreds.co.uk.”

Entry and exit routes to Culver Street and the Old George Mall Car Parks are unaffected by the works in Fisherton Street.

Lewis Cowley, Milestone Infrastructure’s regional director, added: “We are delighted to be mobilising to carry out the works on Fisherton Street.

“This comes at the end of months of discussion with Wiltshire Council to ensure that we deliver a safe and costeffective construction phase to this project, while minimising disruption to Salisbury and in particular the businesses on Fisherton Street.”

Scouts dedicate Rowan tree to late Queen thanks to generous donation of 70th birthday present

THE 4TH Salisbury (Harnham) Scout Group held a tree dedication to Queen Elizabeth the Second in the Scout field at their headquarters in Lower Street, Harnham at the end of June..

A dedication service was held and led by Rev. Mike Badger, the Curate of Harnham Parish Churches.

The Rowan tree was donated by Jane Wainwright who had received the tree for her 70th birthday from two friends, one of which is Caroline Thompson.

Due to a house move the tree could not be planted and remained in a pot.

The two ladies approached the scout group to enquire if it would be possible to plant the tree, so that they could come and visit and and agreed that it could be dedicated to the Queen.

Both ladies attended the dedication service and talked about the history of the tree and their love of Rowan trees.

The Fisherton Street area will be revamped during the £9 million Picture: Google

Young people deliver sensory improvements to Bemerton Heath community garden

YOUNG people from a local school, Brunel College, formerly the WASP centre, have helped local youth charity Rise:61 improve its community garden by making it more ‘sensory’ and better for the environment.

The young people built a wood store and compost bin from scratch with waste materials such as pallets. They also planted a number of fruit trees, built a new veg bed with a strawberry patch and even built a xylophone made out of logs.

As well as maintaining the garden, which gets a lot of use from local people, they have also planted new shrubs and herbaceous perennials that will improve the biodiversity of the area. These improvements, made throughout 2022/23, were made possible by generous grants from Wiltshire Council of £2,500 through Salisbury Area Board and Wessex Water of £1,500 through their Environment Fund.

Mark Summerill, one of the youth workers on the project said: “The young people we work with from Brunel College have struggled in mainstream education but are talented and creative. They particularly thrive when engaged in building and fixing things outdoors.

“It’s been great to put their skills to positive use making the community garden an even better space for local people particularly those who have SEND.”

Rise:61 has big plans to make the garden even more accessible and inclusive for local people in 2023/24. Those plans include installing a gazebo which will be large enough to host bigger groups than previously possible, as well as having an accessible path and patio built so that the garden can be accessed and enjoyed by those with mobility issues.

An impressive £10,000 has already been raised towards the £30,000 project costs through generous grants of £5,000 each from the George Bairstow Charitable Trust and Salisbury Area Board.

Pedestrian left in critical condition after being struck by car on A36 near Codford St Mary

A MAN was in critical condition in hospital after being struck by a car on the A36 near Codford on July 31.

Wiltshire Police said the 43-year-old local man had suffered serious leg and pelvis injuries in the collision. He was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The road was closed northbound for investigation

between the A350 at Heytesbury and A303 Deptford, but reopened in both directions from 10.42am on August 1.

Sgt Rich Hatch, from the force’s roads partnership, said CCTV enquiries are being carried out and investigations are ongoing. No arrests have been made.

Witnesses to the collision have been asked to contact police.

The garden has been transformed with the help of young people from the local area who have thrived in learning new skills

The A36 near Codford St Mary, the road was closed overnight to allow police to carry out investigations Credit: Google

Tributes to boy killed in A303 tragedy

“HE will be missed forever. Rest in peace, my darling.”

The family of an 11-year-old boy killed in a crash on the A303 in Wiltshire have paid tribute to the ‘deeply loved’ youngster.

He tragically died after a crash near Stonehenge at around 7.30pm on Saturday, July 8.

“As the youngest of three wonderful siblings, Charles was the golden-haired centre of our family,” the family said.

“We will miss his life-loving and caring nature every day. It is impossible to imagine the future without him.

“Charles was deeply loved by his family, his friends and our dog Lettice, who magically survived the deeply tragic accident.

“He will be missed and remembered forever. Rest in peace, my darling.”

Police said the crash, on the westbound stretch between the Countess Roundabout and Stonehenge, involved a black BMW and a lorry which was parked in a layby.

The driver of the car, a man in his 40s, and a 15-year-old boy, both from London, also suffered potentially life-threatening

injuries in the incident.

The driver of the lorry was uninjured.

At the time, A/Insp Will Ayres, of Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “This is a tragic incident where a young boy has lost his life and two more people are in a serious condition in hospital.

“Their next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. Our thoughts are with them at this very difficult time.

“I would urge anyone who witnessed anything to please get in touch with us.”

Any witnesses, or anyone with dashcam footage, should contact the serious collision investigation team on 01225 694597, quoting log number 289 of July 8.

They can also contact the team directly by email to SCIT@wiltshire.police.uk.

https://salisburyandavon.co.uk/boy-11sadly-dies-after-a303-crash-nearstonehenge/

Royal Mail issues stamps celebrating Terry Pratchett’s Discworld saga

DEATH, Mort and Moist von Lipwig are among the characters from Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld who feature in a new range of stamps dedicated to the author - who has strong links with Wiltshire and Somerset.

Royal Mail has published the set, featuring eight special stamps to celebrate the author’s globally popular, fantasy Discworld novels, and the 40th anniversary of the release of the first book in the series, The Colour of Magic.

The stamps include characters Rincewind, The Librarian, Granny Weatherwax, Sam Vimes, and Great A’Tuin, as well as specially commissioned artworks of Death and Mort, Tiffany Aching and Moist von Lipwig by Terry Pratchett’s illustrator of choice, Paul Kidby.

Sir Terry, who passed away in 2015, is regarded as one of the UK’s greatest fantasy writers. Born in Buckinghamshire in 1948, he spent some time in Bridgwater,

Somerset, around 1957.

Then, in 1980, he became a press officer for the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) –including for the Hinkley power stations, bringing him back to the Bridgwater patch.

But in 1987, after finishing his fourth Discworld novel, Mort, Sir Terry gave up his job at the CEGB.

He lived in the Mendips for many years, at Rowberrow, before moving to Broad Chalke, near Salisbury.

In 2007, the author revealed he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and in March 2015, the ‘embuggerance’ as he called it, saw Sir Terry take a walk with Death, one of his most enduring Discworld characters.

He passed away at his Wiltshire home.

His defining work is the Discworld series, which spans 41 novels that have been

translated into over 40 languages, with more than 100 million copies sold worldwide.

Discworld is a flat, circular planet revolving on the shoulders of four giant elephants who stand atop a vast star turtle called the Great A’Tuin.

This turtle is 10,000 miles long and of the species Chelys galactica. Its shell is scarred with meteor craters, and its eyes are as big as seas.

David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said: “These striking stamps will be loved by generations both young and old. Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels remain as popular as ever and it is fitting that in the 40th anniversary year of The Colour of Magic, we celebrate with a set of stamps that honour the work of an iconic and globally admired writer.”

Royal Mail worked closely with Terry Pratchett’s estate, as well as Paul Kidby, who has

been illustrating Discworld for 30 years.

Paul began working with Terry Pratchett in 1993 and has designed the Discworld book jackets since 2002. He has illustrated many Discworld publications including The Art of Discworld, best-selling The Last Hero and the 2017 publication Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Imaginarium.

In 2019 he illustrated Good Omens, written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

The illustrator said: “It has been a huge honour to illustrate this set of stamps to commemorate 40 years of Discworld.

“I am delighted to finally be able to tell people about it as it has been a big secret to keep. It’s a wonderful celebration of Terry’s ongoing legacy and continued popularity.”

The stamps, which go on sale on August 10, are available at selected Post Office branches.

A Presentation Pack including all eight stamps in the set is priced at £13.50.

Dorset resident issued with fixed penalty for fly tipping in Wiltshire

WILTSHIRE Council is continuing its zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping and has issued a £400 fixed penalty notice (FPN) to a Dorset resident who gave household waste to an un-licenced person to dispose of. The waste was subsequently fly-tipped in Semley, close to the Wiltshire/ Dorset border near Shaftesbury.

The Dorset resident received the £400 fine because they were unable to demonstrate that they had used a legitimate disposal contractor to dispose of their waste. They had also not asked to see the contractor’s Waste Carriers’ Licence, and was unable to provide the contractor’s name, details, description or vehicle registration number, and had paid in cash without obtaining a receipt.

Everyone has a legal duty of care to ensure their household or business waste is disposed of correctly. If people are using a waste clearance service, they

should:

● Check they have a valid upper tier waste carrier licence

● Note their vehicle registration, make and model

● Get a receipt or waste transfer note

● People can check a Waste Carriers’ Licence on the Government website Waste

Carriers, Brokers and Dealers (data.gov.uk)

Cllr Caroline Thomas, cabinet member for transport and street scene, said:

“We take fly-tipping very seriously here in Wiltshire, and we will always look to prosecute or issue fixed penalty notices where we can.

“As part of our ongoing We’re

Targeting Fly-tippers (WTF) campaign, we have invested an extra £150,000 a year into tackling this environmental crime, including employing more enforcement staff to catch criminals, plus new technologies such as covert cameras.

“We encourage anyone who spots fly-tipping to report it to us using the MyWilts app, and we will investigate and arrange for the rubbish to be cleared up. We can also then look to increase patrols and install both signage and cameras in problem areas.”

Anyone who reports a fly-tipper to us could receive a reward of up to £200 in high street vouchers if the information leads to the successful prosecution of an offender or £100 if it leads to the payment of a fixed penalty notice. People can report fly-tipping online at MyWilts online reporting, or by calling 0300 456 0100.

Salisbury vs Guildford, why is one a city? Sarum u3a will find out

HAVE you ever wondered why Salisbury is a City, whilst nearby towns such as Guildford, with its cathedral, university and market, is only a town? Our next speaker Jeremy Nettle, former mayor of Salisbury, will explain all at our next meeting.

Jeremy’s talk, on Wednesday, August 16, will cover the history of the City Charter, its origin, and its preservation during local government reorganisation; the mayoralty in Salisbury, covering some interesting mayors and mayoresses over the last three quarters of a millennium.

We’ll also hear about some Royal visitors and some not so royal, the role of the chartered trustees in managing the city, as well as those famous tricorn hats and red robes.

Members and guests are warmly welcome to attend the meeting which will

start at 10am with coffee. Guests are invited to join Sarum u3a after two visits. Please come along to St Francis Church, Beatrice Road Salisbury SP1 3PN.

Parking is available at the rear of the church or in a car park on the opposite side of the main road from the church.

Sarum u3a is an organisation which welcomes people no longer in full-time employment to come together to learn, laugh and live. We offer a vast variety of interest groups led by members with knowledge, experience or simply an interest in the subject, meeting in their homes.

At Sarum u3a, we hold monthly meetings on the third Wednesday morning of the month with qualified professional speakers starting at 10am with coffee or tea.

Guests are very welcome and will be invited to join after attending their second meeting.

For more information, visit: https:// u3asites.org.uk/sarum/home

A City Charter gives Salisbury it’s status

Credit: Sarah Price/Pixabay

Vikings welcomed to Wessex - by the WI!

WELCOMING Vikings to Wessex may not have been popular in ages past - but it was the case for one WI group recently.

The ladies of Blandford Evening WI were at the Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne, to cater for Vikings, visitors and volunteers during a special event.

Hot dogs and burgers were cooked up on their outdoor barbecue, with home made cakes and beverages available from the Longhouse kitchen during the Dark Agesthemed open weekend, which ran across July 29 and 30.

“Dresses in their well known green checked pinafores they coped with the showery weather, record crowds, hoards of hungry Vikings and the loss at one point of their gas supply,” a spokesperson from the group said.

“Some members managed to tour the authentic buildings and activities but for those who could not, a site visit is to be arranged later this summer.

“All the ladies agreed that they thoroughly enjoyed their first time of helping with the Open Weekend at the centre and look forward to working at the next one, the Apple Days, on September 23 and 24.”

The WI met the dark ages at the Ancient Technology Centre, including the morning barbecue crew, left; Carol Denton, Sandy Disney, Jenny Wise, Peta Lys and Jan Drake

Salisbury schools are recognised for high standards in dyslexia provision

A DOZEN Wiltshire schoolsincluding a number in and around Salisbury - have been recognised for the high standards in education for dyslexic pupils.

Secondary and primary schools have been awarded the Dyslexia-friendly Schools quality mark, which recognises effective practice supporting pupils with dyslexia and literacy difficulties.

The British Dyslexia Association award is issued to schools or organisations that can demonstrate that they provide high quality education and/or practice for dyslexic individuals.

Obtaining the Quality Mark provides a framework for schools to improve their understanding of dyslexia and literacy difficulties and to develop strategies that support the achievement and engagement of dyslexic learners.

The schools have been supported by the Wiltshire Specialist SEN Service (SSENS) on a two-year project to become accredited.

Following the success of the project, Wiltshire Council has launched a second project which will train and support a further 15 schools to achieve the quality mark from September 2023.

The 12 schools who have been officially

salisburyandavon.co.uk

recognised as dyslexia friendly schools are:

n Malmesbury CofE Primary School

n Lyneham Primary School

n Kings Lodge Primary School

n The Clarendon Academy

n The Trafalgar School, Downton, Salisbury

n Zouch Academy, Tidworth

n Royal Wootton Bassett Academy

n St Mark’s CofE Junior School, Salisbury

n St Peter’s CofE Primary School, Salisbury

n Southbroom St James Academy

n Sarum Academy, Salisbury

n Wilton CofE Primary School

Cllr Jane Davies, cabinet member for SEND, said: “I’m delighted that 12 of our schools have been successful in obtaining

the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark.

“Achieving this award is a positive statement and lets everyone know that the school is a good place for dyslexic individuals.

“Wiltshire Council has supported these schools and is committed to the dyslexiafriendly schools project, with a further 15 schools across Wiltshire aiming to also achieve this quality mark in 2022-23.

“Becoming a dyslexia-friendly school requires the involvement and commitment of all of those within the school, and a review of the school’s approaches to: teaching and learning; monitoring and assessment; differentiation; and high-quality practice across the range of ability and need.

“Well done and congratulations to both schools and the council specialist SEN Service for all the hard work and commitment to supporting young people with dyslexia and their families.”

Anyone who would like to find out more about dyslexia in Wiltshire can attend a drop-in event to mark Dyslexia Awareness Week at County Hall, Trowbridge, on October 5.

Enter now to win tea and cake and an annual pass to the Museum of East Dorset

Flats plan for landmark shopping centre building

THE first floor of a landmark Salisbury building - dubbed a ‘flamboyant example of Victorian Domestic Revival’ - could be converted into flats, if plans are approved.

Llewellyn Harker Architects, on behalf of Quantum Salisbury Centre, has applied for permission to convert the first floor of Cross Keys House into two flats.

The Grade II listed building, which sits in the Salisbury conservation area, is part of the Cross Keys Shopping Centre.

The proposed flats matching the footprint of the two commercial units below, with the layouts altered using studded walls.

“The original Cross Keys House was built in 1878-9 as Pickney’s Bank and is perhaps best described by Pevsner; ‘a flamboyant example of Victorian Domestic Revival’,” the application said.

“Despite its listed status, extensive work was carried out in the 1970s that retained the north and west elevations and completely replaced the interior with a new concrete frame.

“As a result, there is no historic plan form or fabric to the interior and the only areas

of remaining historic fabric are located in the exterior elevations, which has inevitably considerably affected the significance of the listed building.”

Each proposed flat would have two

The application went on: “This arrangement may have been considered acceptable in the 1970s as retail storage or perhaps even office accommodation, but this arrangement is not compatible with modern office standards or residential use, which compromises the continued viable use of the building.”

It said ‘considerable harm’ was done to the building during work in the 1970s, introducing an ‘entirely new structure’ behind the retained facade.

The changes, the application argues, have enabled the prolonged use of the building, as would the proposals for the new flats.

entrances, from Queen Street and from the car park, the plans said.

The windows would be repaired and some replaced to allow natural light into the property, as currently in some places, it is impossible to see out.

“In the context of the 1970s facade retention and subsequent alterations, it is considered that the facade has the capacity to accommodate the level of change that would be incurred by the proposed scheme without causing harm to the appearance and character of the listed buildings or the conservation area setting.”

For more details, and to comment on the plans, log on to www.wiltshire.gov.uk and search for application reference PL/2023/06576.

The plans would see two flats created in Cross Keys House, in Salisbury city centre.

Below: The building in the 19th century

Freemasons’ £1,000 charity donation

A CHARITY helping the homeless in Salisbury has been handed a £1,000 boost thanks to the Freemasons.

Salisbury Trust for the Homeless (STFH), the city’s charity for the homeless, received the donation from Wiltshire Freemasons.

John Reid, head of Wiltshire Freemasons, visited STFH’s offices in Fisherton Street to make the presentation.

He met up with Gordon Pardy, head of fundraising for STFH, and Charlotte Davies, the charity’s service manager.

John said: “We asked members of our lodges whether there is a cause particularly close to their hearts and it was clear that tackling homelessness was high up their list of priorities.”

Part of the donation came from Wiltshire Freemasons lodges and part from the

Masons Charitable Foundation, a central fund that has distributed £33 million to good causes around England and Wales.

Gordon said: “We are extremely grateful to Wiltshire Freemasons for this very generous gift.

“We receive no funding from either central or local government and so we are very

much dependent on financial help from individuals and organisations in Wiltshire.”

STFH has helped hundreds of people turn their lives around in recent years.

Founded in 1987, originally providing rough sleepers with a bed for the night, the charity now provides a long-term solution by providing accommodation and support for

single people over the age of 18 who have become homeless. The charity helps them regain confidence and selfesteem, learn life skills, find education, training and employment opportunities, and access permanent accommodation, so returning to independent living.

Support needs include mental health issues, learning disabilities, emotional support, drug and alcohol misuse, anti-social behaviour, budgeting, benefits claims and tenancy support.

STFH owns five houses in Salisbury and rents another four.

Financially, it runs a tight ship, with only three support workers paid employees. Everybody else, from members of the board through to those responsible for fundraising, are volunteers.

John Reid, left, head of Wiltshire Freemasons, with Charlotte Davies, STFH service manager, and Gordon Pardy, STFH head of fundraising

History fans go back in time during special festival at Salisbury museum

HUNDREDS of history fans turned out to see some of the very best reenactments at an event in Salisbury.

The Rifles, Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum hosted groups from across the country who recreate conditions for soldiers through the ages as part of the Living History Festival.

A spokesperson said the event included the ‘Home Guard, Coldstream Guards, 32nd Regiment of Foot and the RAMC’.

“Plus the cooks, rations, guns and summer cricket for the ‘troops’,” they added.

“Much enjoyed by all.”

n All pictures by Steve Kemp

A VILLAGE war memorial is set to be restored - if plans are approved.

Alderholt Parish Council has applied to Dorset Council for permission to carry out restoration work on the village memorial, at the Church of St James.

The plans include a report from the War Memorial Restoration Co, which details issues with the current, three metre-high structure.

“The memorial was found to be

Restoration plans revealed for ‘leaning’ village war memorial

structurally sound, however it has subsided forwards by approximately six degrees, and is also leaning to the left by approximately 3.5 degrees from true,” it said.

“It was not possible to ascertain whether the sections of the memorial are secured using any fixings and so any prolonged and/ or increased subsidence is going to exert stress on these joints, possibly leading to catastrophic collapse of the main cross section.”

The report recommended the memorial be re-levelled, with ‘additional, more extensive’ foundations installed.

Permission for this work is now being sought by the parish council.

The memorial was unveiled on Sunday, September 19, 1920, commemorating 18 local servicemen who died in the First World War.

Following the Second World War, six additional names were added.

The names would be cleaned and re-enamelled as part of the work, the application confirmed.

Known as a ‘wheel-head cross’, the memorial stands in a square flowerbed on a

lawn to the west of the church.

“The war memorial is a simple example of the wheel-head cross type of war memorial in the Celtic style,” the application adds.

It added tat ‘no disturbance of ground’ would take place during the repair, other than directly beneath the foundations.

For more details on the plans, log on to www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and search for application reference P/LBC/2023/04103.

The memorial, outside of the Church of St James, is set to be restored

Police trade squad cars for saddlesin honour of fallen comrades

WILTSHIRE Police officers have returned from a 185-mile cycle in honour of fallen comrades.

A team of officers and staff from the county force took part in this year’s Police Unity Tour.

They were seen off from Devizes Police Headquarters on the morning of Friday, July 28, by Chief Constable Catherine Roper and a team of supporters.

The cyclists made their way, over three days, to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire – arriving on Sunday (July 30), where a special commemoration ceremony was held attended by officers and

staff from police forces across the UK.

The effort raised money for the COPSCare of Police Survivors - charity.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, who led the Wiltshire Chapter this year, said: “I feel privileged again to have been able to take part in another unity tour and to have led this one.

“I want to thank everyone from this year’s Wiltshire Police contingent for taking part and for playing their bit in honouring the memory of all those officers, in particular the 30 Wiltshire officers that have lost their lives since 1839 when Wiltshire Constabulary formed, to this current day.

“Now, more than ever, it is important for all police officers and staff, as well as the wider public, to acknowledge the everpresent dangers and risks of modern-day policing and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives while protecting our communities.

“Also - for those injured in the line of duty - the amount of money raised for the Care of Police Survivors (COPS) charity, is truly phenomenal.

“As the tour is in its tenth year, I am proud to say that cumulatively, over the 10 previous tours, more than £100,000 has been raised for COPS which is incredible.”

Road safety drive after 13 deaths on county roads

A TOTAL of 13 people have died on Wiltshire’s roads so far this year.

The figure comes after 29 people lost their lives on roads in the county in 2022.

In addition, the Serious Collision Investigation Team (SCIT) has already been called out to 19 of the most serious road traffic collisions since January – compared to 20 incidents for the entirety of last

year.

In response, across the summer, Wiltshire Police is making road safety a force-wide focus in a bid to reduce the number of fatalities on the county’s roads.

Most of the fatalities this year have occurred on the M4, A303, A338, A360, A3102 and A4.

Chief Supt Phil Staynings said: “A single death on our

roads is one too many and it is really important that we don’t look at these numbers as just a statistic.

“Each of these 13 fatalities is a person, somebody’s child, a brother or sister, a parent or grandparent. Each fatality devastates a family, a friendship group and a community.

“This summer, we are making road safety a focus for the entire Force through

enforcement and intensive awareness raising focusing predominantly on the fatal five offences which contribute to serious collisions. These are speeding, drink and drug driving, using a phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, or careless and dangerous driving.”

For more information and advice, log on to www.wiltshire. police.uk

The team set off from Devizes Police Headquarters on July 28.

Picture: Wiltshire Police

If only we had listened to Bill Bryson

RENOWNED for having an unerring eye for the idiotic, the endearing, the ridiculous and the scandalous, well-known travel writer Bill Bryson said of the HS2 rail project in 2015, “…The best it can ever be is a fast train to Birmingham…” Bestowed with remarkable vision and common sense, qualities sadly lacking in the current government, Bill has a lot to offer.

This week (30.07.23), the HS2 rail project was officially declared ‘unachieveable’ by the government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA). In a report to the Cabinet Office and Treasury, the IPA said it was in their view “...not deliverable in its current form…” It added “…There are major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable…”

Pretty brutal stuff. Hopefully local politicians John Glenn MP and Mark McClellend (Wiltshire councillor), currently working in the Treasury, will rise to the challenge, successfully redefining the project which apparently appears to be a lost cause.

Anyway, back to Bill for a moment. What was his suggested alternative to HS2 back in 2015? “Why not keep journey times the same, but make the trains so comfortable that people will not want the trip to end? Instead,

they could pass the time staring out the window at all the gleaming hospitals, schools, playing fields and gorgeously maintained countryside that the billions of saved pounds had paid for…”

The original budget for the entire project, set in 2015, was £55.7bn. The target cost, excluding the eastern leg from the West Midlands to the east Midlands, has risen to between £53bn and £61bn, at 2019 prices.

A DfT spokesperson this week stated: “Spades are already in the ground on HS2, with 350 construction sites, over £20bn invested to date and supporting over 28,500 jobs….”

Indisputably, that is an impressive number of jobs. However, returning to Bill’s suggestion of diverting the funding towards the education of our children and the health and well-being of the nation, how many jobs would building schools and hospitals have provided? Of course, schools and hospitals are public services and unlike the rail network do not generate income for shareholders (yet). But who knows what the current government might decide to do about that?

This week, Labour peer, Tony Berkeley also offered an alternative constructive suggestion “Everyone knows the money would be so much better spent on improving the existing rail infrastructure –particularly Northern Rail…” adding “…It should be cancelled tomorrow. This is the Treasury’s own report telling them that the scheme is unachievable. What more evidence do they need?”

All Bill Bryson quotes in this article were taken from his 2015 publication, The Road to Little Dribbling.

Water pollution putting off swimmers

A STAPLE of our summer is to head to Southbourne for the day, splash in the sea, get an ice cream and optimistically talk about tiring out the children enough that they will sleep through the night.

A poll published by the Liberal Democrats, however, says that almost one in four (23%) of sea swimmers in the UK say they will stay out of British waters this summer because of sewage dumping.

Sewage continues to be a hot topic this summer - and with swimmers at the world triathlon championships in Sunderland getting diarrhoea, there is continuing pressure on water companies to clean up their act.

The survey, by Savanta, found that around one third (31%) of UK adults say, like me, they regularly go swimming in the sea in the UK during the summer months.

Of these, 23% said they won’t do so this summer because of the dumping of raw sewage by water companies, while another 45% said they were less likely to do so.

This works out to an appalling 3.7 million people saying they won’t swim in

the sea this summer because of sewage dumping.

Some will say this is all hype but recent analysis of Environment Agency data by the Lib Dems revealed 1,504 sewage dumps on Blue Flag beaches in 2022.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for water companies to be banned from dumping raw sewage onto Blue Flag beaches and for them to be reformed into public benefit companies.

As for our water more locally, only a few short months ago, a dog became sick after swimming in untreated sewage in the Avon - in the exact stretch of river my dog will sometimes go for a swim in and where my daughter and I will try and spot some fish.

No one should have to go for a swim or build a sandcastle next to raw sewage.

This Conservative government needs to stop letting water companies off the hook and finally ban these disgusting sewage discharges and defend our tourism sector.

We cannot allow our water to be plagued by sewage for another summer.

Cllr John Wells Labour Chair of Environment and Climate Committee (Salisbury City Council)

Cllr Sam Charleston Lib Dems Wiltshire and City Councillor for Salisbury St Paul’s

The right plants for beach-like gardens

by Sally Gregson

THE beach is where everyone under the age of 10 wants to go for a day out or for a traditional English summer holiday at this time of year. And those of us who are older too like to bask in plenty of hot, sunny weather or lie in the shade of a parasol on the beach. The children are happy in the sea, fish and chips for supper and ice creams on tap.

But many of us gardeners would prefer to be inland in the cool of an English garden.

However, if your garden resembles a beach all summer – hot, dry and sandy – it’s a good thought to look at some privately-owned seaside gardens while you’re there. The most successful embrace the wild open shore, grow seaside plants such as sea hollies (Eryngium), Californian poppies and sea kale

(Crambe maritima), and disparage the lush shrubs, the herbaceous borders and the well-mown lawn of country gardens further inland.

Successful seaside borders are an extreme example of how to manage a well-drained, hot site. Drying winds are, of course, just as common inland and present problems which seaside gardeners tackle routinely. Those plants that survive the beach are well adapted to drought conditions.

Grey-leaved sub-shrubs such as santolina, lavender and rosemary are adapted to salt-laden air and dry, freedraining sites. They make a good framework for other, more ephemeral flowers.

Blue-flowered rosemary sits well alongside marigolds and borage can rest its blue head on its branches in summer. A stand

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of Crambe cordifolia – the cousin of the sea kale, with its starry, white flowers looks airy and light behind bearded blue Irises and old-fashioned pinks. And dog-roses intertwine merrily with perennial peas and Rosa rugosa hybrids. The tall, purple-flowered Rosa rugosa ‘Roseraie de l’Hay’ can make quite a statement throughout the summer, and its white-flowered sister, R. rugosa ‘Alba’ produces fat, red hips all

Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage at Dungeness

summer long. They would each need a dollop of well-rotted manure in winter, but these Japanese roses are very windtolerant.

The whole garden would still need the attention of someone to weed and feed in winter, and it would need a thorough soaking every so often in summer. But planting appropriate plants in such extreme conditions brings the reward of happy flowers and healthy shrubs.

How a former prime minister’s city garden is helping veterans adapt

THE vegetable patch of a former prime minister has been turned into a thriving community garden.

The plot, at Arundells, in Cathedral Close, Salisbury, was once the growing space of Sir Edward Heath - the former prime minister who lived at the house from 1985 until his death in 2005.

It has been reinvigorated by a group of veterans into a ‘fully-fledged and carefullyplanned community garden’.

A recent illustrated talk by Rebecca Twigg, project leader and community garden designer, and colleague Emma Golby-Kirk, detailed the progress to the Royal British Legion.

Rebecca highlighted how the regular time outside, building the garden from scratch and planting it, through to the harvest, can be the start of a really stabilising effect on veterans and the first ripple of many more that help them back to civilian life.

“Having something to look after, be that a seedling or a newly planted fruit tree, is known to have the positive effect of turning that care to oneself,” she said.

She illustrated the marvellous camaraderie and drive of the veterans to get stuck in and really leave their comfort zones, an RBL spokesperson said.

“I learned so much from the veterans,” she added. “It was truly one of the most wonderful teams I have had the pleasure of working with on one of my garden projects.

“It is so well documented now that green spaces and time outside can change us profoundly, even when deep emotional and physical damage has been sustained in life and it is my hope that all the veterans keep flourishing and striving to grow, just like the plants in the garden.”

The gardens at Arundells and inset, Sir Edward Heath

Charity offers students a free ticket to see the wonders of the natural world

By Morag Walker

WE all worry that our children and grandchildren are spending too much time on the distracting range of screens and devices that are now available to impressionable young minds.

Sharing these concerns, is a local Salisbury charity, the Salisbury and District Natural History Society (SDNHS), whose members are making it their mission to encourage young students to get more involved in nature by offering free membership to students from age six to 21.

To launch this inspiring new free scheme, the society is offering an exciting free taster day at the 54-acre River Bourne Community Farm in Laverstock, Salisbury, on Thursday, August 24. The event will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

This action-packed taster morning will offer many fascinating activities, all designed to whet the appetites of the students participating. These will include river dipping, which will investigate river wildlife, including aquatic insects and fish.

Other opportunities will include sweep netting to discover the insect life in grassland habitats, such as grasshoppers, ladybirds and spiders.

Moth trapping and being involved in releasing a catch of moths is also another immediate winner. Participants will be able to witness and perhaps hold some of the 2,500 colourful and sometimes huge moths that inhabit the UK.

The society will also have on hand a professional microscope. Peering into this highly technical piece of kit opens up a new world as the incredible detail of tiny insects or moths is brought to life.

Seventeen-year-old Izzy Fry is a typical example of a young student who has taken to natural history and the environment in a huge way and has even established her own photographic website devoted to wildlife.

She said: “Joining the society has been a game-changer for me and I just love being involved.

It has also helped me to decide on a future career path and a degree course.

“I would recommend joining the society to all young people as there are many experts working in a wide range of wildlife fields and they are all very enthusiastic to answer questions and to share their knowledge.”

Recent research clearly shows that having access to green spaces and getting down and dirty while learning more about our natural world has mental and physical health

benefits for the younger generation. This is the reason that the SDNHS is doing its bit to offer young students’ better access to nature.

Pete Thompson, chair of the society is a well-known speaker on wildlife and said: “This is a very exciting moment for us. Young people have a wonderful ability to absorb knowledge like a sponge and we hope by taking up our free membership offer it will benefit their health and mental well-being.

“Nature and the natural environment is a whole new world that can be enormously fascinating and beneficial for both mental and physical health. Come to our launch. Give it a go and see what floats your boat!”

This new initiative is particularly timely because in 2025 schools will start to teach a new GCSE in natural history. Joining SDNHS will stand them in good stead by learning about wildlife in its natural environment in a fun and informal way.

There are regular field trips organised with experts that will give students an opportunity to learn more about our wonderful wild spaces and to share the joy of experiencing all forms of nature.

Pete Thompson explains: “We hope that by becoming a student member of the society it will help to trigger a life-long love affair with nature and perhaps the impetus to develop an exciting career path in the future.”

The Salisbury and District Natural History Society (SDNHS) is offering free membership to young students aged six to 21. Eight-year-old Louis is a typical example of a young student who is benefiting from his wildlife experiences

Credit: Pete Thompson

Government misses another oppurtunity to protect country against climate change

The UK Government is missing yet another opportunity to protect against climate change, according to the RSPB, which says the Five-year National Adaptation Programme to combat the climate crisis is ‘disappointing and won’t adequately protect wildlife, habitats, homes and livelihoods’.

Almost a year on from the heatwave of 2022, when temperatures surpassed 40°C for the first time in the UK, the charity says that the government is once again failing to take authoritative action on the climate emergency.

The third National Adaptation Programme (NAP) was released at the end of July, after it was leaked to The Guardian

Defra is required by law to produce a NAP every five years. It provides the government with a key opportunity to take bold action and set out how the country will tackle climate change over the following five years.

In March, the government’s official advisers, the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC), claimed that this year’s NAP would be a ‘make-orbreak moment’ and highlighted that ‘the country is strikingly unprepared’ for climate change.

And yet, says the RSPB, the government’s latest NAP fails to go far enough to tackle climate change. It’s been widely criticised for re-announcing existing commitments from other plans, such as the Environment Act.

Where are

solutions?

the nature-based

As for nature-based solutions, which NGOs have been championing for some time, the RSPB says the programme fails to outline what actions will be taken by the government to realise their full potential.

Delivering high quality nature-based solutions would benefit our – and nature’s –adaptation to the effects of a changing climate.

The RSPB response states: “After another summer of soaring temperatures, water shortages and wildfires, this latest programme is another blow. Warm words are not enough from our leaders.”

Beth Chamberlain, RSPB senior policy officer said: “Recent headlines have been filled with climate changeinduced heatwaves and droughts, and yet the government has not heeded their warnings: climate change is here and we must adapt, fast.

“There has never been a more critical moment for ambitious action, and yet today’s National Adaptation Programme falls short of delivering a step change in how we will adapt to climate change across the country over the coming five years.

“When nature itself is restored and supported in adapting to the pressures of

climate change, high-quality nature-based solutions can help protect homes, businesses and livelihoods, and deliver for climate.

“The next five years will be crucial, and we urge the government to ensure that nature’s role in underpinning our response to climate change is embedded into ambitious delivery and implementation of the National Adaptation Programme.”

The government must make up for lost time

The RSPB has called for the government to:

● Put nature at the heart of the UK’s adaptation response

● Increase funding for a range of high-quality nature-based solutions

● Empower and support communities to adapt at a local level

● Set ambitious and robust targets, which are measured and monitored

● Ensure all areas of government are involved and collectively responsible, engaging with

devolved nations to ensure a coordinated UK-wide response

● Plan for levels of warming beyond 1.5°C to fully prepare for different scenarios

● The response is disappointing, but the focus will now turn to implementing the NAP, and we must see those responsible for delivery take every opportunity to maximise the benefits for climate, nature and people, as supported by research and monitoring.

Open letter

As part of its response, the RSPB joined forces with NGOs, including the National trust, Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust and Salisbury-based Plantlife, to send an open letter to Defra minister Trudy Harrison MP, calling on the government to take heed of ‘these stark warnings’ and to set ‘high ambitions in the Adaptation Programme’ to avoid another ‘lost decade’ of action.

Red Admirals take surprising early lead in 2023 Big Butterfly Count

WILDLIFE charity, Butterfly Conservation, revealed a huge surge in sightings of the Red Admiral, a migrant species of butterfly, as the Big Butterfly Count entered its final week.

At the time of the count, the Red Admiral was flying high with 170,000 sightings, an impressive increase of 400% on the same period last year.

It is definitely a ‘Red Admiral year’, with people throughout the country reporting seeing the butterfly while taking part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count.

The Red Admiral is a familiar and popular butterfly across the UK. It is a garden favourite and found in all types of habitat. However, what may come as a surprise to many is that this small but mighty butterfly is a migrant species, travelling to the UK from North Africa and continental Europe.

There can be no doubt that climate change is the driver behind a long-term increase in Red Admiral numbers.

Each spring, and continuing through the summer, Red Admirals migrate north where the females lay eggs. Consequently, there is an emergence of fresh butterflies from July onwards.

However, in recent years, scientists are seeing an indication that numbers have increased, and that the species is now overwintering in the UK, particularly in the south of England.

With temperatures increasing, the Red Admiral’s need to return to its southerly winter habitat is reducing, which means it is possible we will see a greater number of the

species spending the winter in the UK.

This year’s early results show why the Big Butterfly Count is so important in helping scientists to understand how the weather and changing climate are affecting butterflies.

Dr Zoë Randle, senior surveys officer at Butterfly Conservation

explains: “We’ve been surprised to see the Red Admiral taking the lead, however, with the increased frequency

of warm weather, the UK may well become a permanent home for this species.

Above: Red Admirals are by nature migratory but it is possible they may start overwintering in the UK

Left: Using the ID guide on the Big Butterfly Count app

“The results so far show just how vital the Big Butterfly Count is. We couldn’t get the depth and breadth of data we’re collecting without the help of the general public. With climate change here to stay, we need people to take part more than ever before and help us understand how extreme weather is affecting our butterflies.”

Credit: Mark Searle, Butterfly Conservation

Credit: Tim Melling, Butterfly Conservation

Tree wardens scheme set to be relaunched across Wiltshire

FOLLOWING a successful bid for almost £300,000 from a government fund, Wiltshire Council is relaunching the national Tree Warden scheme across the county.

The council, in partnership with Swindon Borough Council, received a £294,800 grant from the government’s Forestry Commission and DEFRA Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund.

The aim of the fund is to provide local authorities with financial support to bring on board the additional professional expertise they need to drive tree planting and woodland creation commitments.

The Tree Warden Scheme is a national initiative led by the Tree Council, and Wiltshire Council is looking to recruit volunteer tree wardens in each Wiltshire town and parish area, as well as across the Borough of Swindon.

Tree wardens will work with Wiltshire Council woodland officers and act as local tree champions who help plant, promote and protect trees in appropriate locations in their local area.

Projects that tree wardens can be involved in could include:

● Arranging local tree planting days

● Watering and caring for local trees

● Working with the local authorities and community groups to plant and care for street trees

● Rejuvenating local woodlands

● Raising funds and finding

land for tree planting projects

● Going into local schools to talk about the value of trees.

Cllr Tamara Reay, Wiltshire Council portfolio holder for climate change, said: “We’re delighted to have been successful in receiving this funding, which we can use to help us achieve our ambitious tree planting targets, while also promoting the enhancement of existing trees and woodlands

– all key themes in our Natural Environment Plan.

“We need to take action to ensure future generations can continue to enjoy the beauty that Wiltshire landscapes have to offer.

“Tree Wardens are local people who are keen to plant, look after and stand up for the trees in their local area. The role is voluntary, so anyone who is interested can decide how much time they dedicate to it and how it fits in with their normal routine.

“You do not need to be an expert to take up this role, as we will provide knowledge and training, all you require is a genuine interest in trees and the local environment.

I would encourage anyone interested in taking up this role in their local area, to have a look at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ trees-and-woodland-in-wiltshire or contact either their local Parish Council or the Woodland Grant Application and Planting Support (GAPS) team on GAPS@wiltshire.gov.uk for more information.”

More information can be found at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ trees-and-woodland-in-wiltshire.

Trees in Queen Elizabeth Gardens, Salisbury

Credit: Google

The cost of rural crime rose 22.1% last year, according to latest report

NFU MUTUAL has published its latest rural crime report, which reveals that ‘farmers and the rural community came under significant pressure last year as the cost of rural crime shot up 22.1% to an estimated £49.5m’.

The cost of rural crime in the south west increased by 16.6% in 2022, rising from £4.3m in 2021 to £5m last year. However, none of the counties in the south west were in the top 10 worst affected in the UK.

NFU Mutual is not only a rural insurance company, since 2010 it has invested in a dedicated police unit at NaVCIS, specialising in agricultural vehicle crime, to work with police forces on joint operations to disrupt organised gangs.

NFU Mutual shares claims intelligence with the police unit to highlight patterns that indicate areas of risk.

Last year, the NaVCIS police unit seized £2.3m worth of stolen vehicles and machinery and hundreds of police officers from across the country were trained in theft awareness and identification methods.

Earlier this year, the unit became the National Construction and Agri Theft Team under the new National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU), which will serve to coordinate rural crime reporting centrally for the first time.

Jim McLaren, NFU Mutual chairman, said: “This year’s rural crime figures make depressing reading but sadly will not come as a surprise to most farmers. Theft continues to blight our agricultural industry and many farmers have experienced the loss of farm machinery, vehicles, fuel or GPS units.

“Rural thieves are no longer opportunists from the nearest town. Today, crime is controlled by organised and often

international gangs, and world events and new illicit markets have an impact on the demand for stolen kit. As well as criminals trespassing on farms to scope out properties, NFU Mutual has also received reports of thieves using drones and other technology to identify targets.”

Hannah Binns, rural affairs specialist, said: “Criminals scoured farmyards and fields across the UK looking to take advantage of high inflation and the ready resale markets domestically and internationally.

“A survey of NFU Mutual Agents found 86% think thieves are cashing in on the limited supply of vehicles and rising prices. World events have triggered new illicit markets, creating more demand for stolen machinery. These thefts are hitting the rural community harder as it continues to battle with the cost-of-living crisis.

“After two years of NFU Mutual seeing a fall, it is concerning to see rural crime now reach pre-pandemic levels despite farmers’ best efforts to

protect themselves.

Shockingly, 70% of NFU Mutual Agents surveyed knew farmers who had been repeat victims of rural crime, with many feeling targeted and often vulnerable in what is not just their workplace but also their family home.”

Headline figures include:

Agricultural vehicles and GPS theft

The total cost of agricultural vehicle claims soared by 29% to £11.7m in 2022 as organised criminal gangs cashed in on the rising cost and limited supply of vehicles and machinery.

The cost of GPS theft increased by 15% to £1.8m in 2022, with thieves returning with a vengeance to steal these highly valuable and easily portable kits.

Early claim figures indicate the cost of GPS theft more than doubled in the first four months in 2023.

Quad and ATV theft

Quad bikes and ATVs were top targets for rural thieves. In

2022, quad and ATV theft reported to NFU Mutual cost £3m, a 34% rise on the previous year.

Theft can therefore be highly disruptive to the day-to-day operation of the farm until a replacement can be sourced, especially as the report suggests that continuing supply chain issues are adding additional pressure on farmers.

Trailer theft

Soaring second-hand markets and demand sent the cost of trailer thefts up 66% in 2022, totalling £2.9m.

Land Rover Defender theft

Although the cost of Land Rover Defender theft decreased slightly in 2022 to £2.4m, the report suggests that they remain high on rural thieves’ shopping lists.

Fuel theft

Theft of fuel from both farms and rural homes doubled in 2022 as high inflation turned organised and opportunist thieves towards the liquid gold sitting in fuel tanks across the country. With domestic oil and diesel hitting high prices last year, fuel theft also rocketed in 2022.

Livestock theft

At an estimated £2.7m (a rise of 8.7%), livestock theft remains one of the costliest crimes to farming, with claims reported to NFU Mutual regularly involving over 50 sheep taken in a single raid

Dog attacks on livestock

UK farm animals worth an estimated £1.8m were killed or injured by dogs in 2022.

Shockingly, the cost of dog attacks on livestock increased more than 50% between 2019 and 2022 as puppies purchased over the pandemic came of age.

Credit:ChrisRobert/Unsplash

Government announces new research and feasability competitions worth £14m

THE government has announced that more than £14m is to be made available to unlock innovation and develop solutions in the farming sector in two new research and feasibility competitions under the Farming Innovation Programme.

The announcement is part of the government’s commitment to invest £600 million in innovation and productivity in the sector over three years, and adds further support to its aim of boosting productivity and sustainability while meeting net zero targets.

The competitions are open to farmers, growers, foresters, research organisations and businesses involved in agriculture with the intention of collaborating on novel ideas and solutions.

Previous rounds have led to investment in a number of innovations, such as: automations to improve soft fruit yield; a ‘herd’ of lightweight, battery-operated, asparagus-harvesting robots; and the use of ultraviolet as a disinfectant in the dairy and poultry sectors.

Farming minister Mark Spencer said: “These competitions are all about encouraging collaborations between farmers and growers on the one hand, and research organisations and industry on the other, to help bring ideas from the planning stage into practice.

“The success of the previous competition rounds and the broad scope of ideas coming forward showcase the range of possibilities available for driving up productivity and solving some of the industry’s biggest challenges.

“I encourage everyone to take a look at what’s on offer in the latest competitions and apply.

Defra has published guidance

for the third round of the Small R&D Partnerships competition, which seeks to help businesses develop a new farming product or service and take it to commercialisation on the open market.

Worth almost £10 million, it has been developed in partnership with the Transforming Food Production Challenge and is delivered by Innovate UK.

The second round of the competition has already funded projects including exploring how to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint to help sheep farmers contribute in the journey towards net zero, and a project combining generation of electricity with growing berries to power operational processes such as automated picking, sensors and vehicles.

It comes alongside new guidance for a £4.5m Feasibility Studies competition which aims to support businesses and researchers through the difficult testing phase of an idea, checking whether it works in practice and helping them assess whether to invest in a project.

It looks for earlystage solutions that have the potential to substantially improve the overall

productivity, sustainability and resilience of farming, and move existing agricultural sectors to net zero.

Successful applicants in previous rounds include a study to identify fungal strains that can help fight against insect and fungal pests in wheat crops, reducing the costs associated with multiple applications of chemical pesticides, mechanical damage from repeated spray applications and crop yield losses.

Farmers, growers, foresters, research organisations and businesses are encouraged to read the guidance ahead of applications.

Applications for the Small R&D Partnerships competition open on 14 August and the Feasibility Studies competition window is open from 18 September.

Dr Katrina Hayter, executive director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said: “We look forward to supporting the next round of applicants and identifying promising partnerships that hold the potential to address the sustainability, efficiency, and net zero challenges confronting the UK’s agrifood industry.

“Feasibility studies mark the initial stage in researching an

idea that could improve farming, while small R&D partnerships are a vital step to empowering businesses to forge novel farming products and services, paving the way towards successful commercialisation.

“By fostering collaborations between farmers, growers, agri-businesses and researchers, these partnerships become the driving force behind transforming innovative solutions into practical applications.”

Since opening in October 2021, 16 competitions have launched under the government’s £270m Farming Innovation Programme and, as of August 2023, more than £123m in funding to industryled research and development in agriculture and horticulture has been announced.

The importance of innovation in the food and farming sectors was highlighted at the recent Farm to Fork Summit where the government announced a package of support for the farming sector, including new measures to ensure the sector remains at the forefront of adopting new technologies and techniques.

This included the On-Farm Environmental Resilience competition, which will see up to £12.5 million awarded to projects driving the development of new technology and innovative farming methods, with a focus on practical solutions to make a real difference on farms.

The competition closed at the end of last month and projects will be notified of the outcome of their applications in the autumn.

The Innovation Funding Service guidance can be viewed here: https://www.ukri.org/ councils/innovate-uk/guidancefor-applicants/general-guidance/ your-application/

Credit: Bedney Images/Freepik

Activities that will keep your dog happy and healthy on a summer’s day

The warm temperatures and long days make summer the ideal time for you and your dog to get out and about.

If you’re stuck for ideas about how to have fun and keep cool at the same time, check out these five great suggestions from Petplan.

Soaring temperatures mean we need to change our routines, especially as walks during the heat of the day should be avoided.

That said, your dog may want to go outside for a short while, and will still want to be entertained, which you can do inside where it is cooler.

We’ve taken a look at Petplan’s five handy activity ideas:

Splash around with water

Most dogs love splashing about in water, think of when you use a garden hose or try and water the plants.

Introducing some water into their play is a great way for you both to have fun while helping your dog to cool down.

Turn on a sprinkler or the hose and let your dog splash around and chase the spray.

Anyone who has children will know that their dog probably loves the paddling pool as much as their little ones.

Some people will keep an old, small paddling pool for exclusive use by their dog, somewhere to keep cool (not cold) water during a warm day.

Petplan also recommends adding toys and fetch sticks to the pool for added stimulation.

A walk by a river or lake (one where they are allowed to splash, check first) can also be refreshing, but do keep them under close supervision.

Create a treasure hunt

This can take place either indoors or outside. When we talk about treasure, we are of course talking about treats and toys, something your dog is likely to want to find.

Start easy and build the difficulty levels.

Let your dog see you hide the first treasure in a really easy to find place.

Reward your dog with praise and attention when they find the treasure.

Gradually make the hiding places more difficult to increase mental stimulation.

Play new games with your dog

As well as regular treasure hunts, agility and activity courses are great ways to keep your dog healthy and stimulated over the summer, taking into account the temperature and time of day.

Build tunnels, create jumps and obstacle courses, using what you have to hand.

You could also try other games, such as ‘temptation alley’ or a brain-training puzzle. These are perfect for playing inside the house on a hot day.

Make sure you take plenty of breaks and always ensure your dog has easy access to cool, fresh water.

Not sure what temptation alley is? Create an alley, whereby your dog can go up and down a path, away and back to you.Line the route with treats and toys at various intervals.

Send your dog up the alley and recall them.

The aim is for your dog to avoid the temptation of treats and toys. A real test of recall.

Organise a day trip

If the weather is not too hot, or if you can stick to cooler times of the day, going on a trip somewhere new will not only provide exercise and fresh air for your dog, the sights, sounds, smells and unfamiliar dogs will all prove stimulating mentally.

Take plenty of water and a means of providing shade in case the heat starts to get too much.

Take a break

Sometimes, you need to acknowledge that it’s just too hot and enjoy a well-earned rest.

A cool mat can help to keep your dog’s temperature regulated and provide plenty of shade (even indoors) and cool, fresh water.

Finally, a heat warning

Petplan offers this reminder: ‘It’s important to remember that while hot weather and sunny days allow us to spend more time outside with our pets, dogs struggle with excessive heat.

This is because dogs aren’t able to regulate their body temperatures as easily as we are.

This is especially true for flat-faced breeds, such as Pugs and French Bulldogs, as well as breeds with thick double coats, such as Huskies.

Always make sure your dog has plenty of shade and easy access to fresh water and never leave them alone in the car.’

Credit: McKayla CrumpUnsplash

No need to make an appointment, pop in for all your eyewear needs

SALISBURY Eyewear was first started in 1979 by Martyn, and his father Frank Sales, as Sales Optical Services, a spectacle lens manufacturing business. Martyn has continued to run the business to the present day.

The retail shop was opened in the early 1980s as part of Sales Optical Services and became Salisbury Eyewear in 2017.

Although we do not do eye testing, you can bring in your latest prescription and view our vast range of frames on display.

As everyone is watching the pennies due to the cost of living crisis, we are able to put new lenses into existing frames at no extra cost. This is dependent on the condition of the frame and is at your own risk, but we shall advise

accordingly.

We make single vision, bifocal and varifocal lenses and are experienced with difficult and high prescriptions. We make

prescription sunglasses, sports glasses, swimming goggles and diving masks, and can also supply prescription safety glasses.

We offer a repair service but can do adjustments and often small repairs on site while you wait.

We are a small, friendly team, always happy to discuss and give advice on your needs and requirements. We pride ourselves in our personal service and aftersales care.

We are located just outside of the city centre and have free parking on site.

There is no need to make an appointment.

Please feel free to come along and visit our showroom.

We are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.

Salisbury Eyewear can put new lenses into your existing frames

WELLBEING DAY

Saturday 14th October 2023 9.30am to 5.30pm chattyflamingo.com

SHILLINGSTONE RAILWAY

STATION 160th Anniversary

Celebrations - North Dorset Railway - August Bank Holiday

Weekend Sat Sun Mon

10.00am - 4.00pm Free entry

CREAM TEAS AND PRODUCE STALL at Sixpenny Handley st Mary’s church SP5 5ND on the 27th August at 2-4

CREAM TEAS BY THE RIVER IN AID OF ST GEORGE’S CHURCH, DAMERHAM

Every Sunday in August 2pm - 4.30pm Damerham Village Hall SP6 3HN

SIXPENNY HANDLEY CRAFT FAIR & TEAS

Village Hall, Common Road SP5 5NJ

Saturday 26 August 10am1pm, FREE entry

Crafts / Children’s activities / Homemade cakes.

Information: 6dhandleyhall@gmail.com

New steam show offers something for everyone

A NEW steam and vintage event celebrating Britain’s agricultural and industrial heritage will take place at Burgate, Fordingbridge, this month.

The three-day Steam & Vintage Fest will run from August 25 to 27, promising a large range of attractions for all the family to enjoy, as well as evening entertainment.

The stars of the show are the full-size and miniature steam engines, which will parade in the ring daily, as well as working machinery such as threshing machines and saw benches.

A wide variety of vintage and classic tractors, cars, motorbikes and lorries will also be on display, as will stationary engines.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Watercress Line there will also be a full-size steam locomotive on display and the Chuffley Light Railway will be in operation,” a spokesperson said.

“Heavy horses will feature at the show, both

working on the land and appearing in displays in the ring.

“Many of the familiar heavy horse breeds will be present, including Shires, Suffolks and Percherons, as well as the only 6-horse team of Canadian Belgian horses in the UK.

“The whole family will enjoy displays by the Sheep Show and Mower Madness, browsing the trade and craft stalls, visiting the small fairground and the opportunity to enter the family’s fourlegged friend into the fun dog show – with dogs on a lead welcome at the event.”

A wide range of food and drink vendors will be on offer, while the bar will host live evening entertainment with bands such as The Skimmity Hitchers, Trinity and Stomping Boondocks.

“The vision for the show is for everyone to enjoy exhibiting their pride and joy and share it with the public,” the spokesperson added.

For more information and to buy advance tickets, log on to www.steamandvintagefest.co.uk

The art of transience and imperfection in nature: a private exhibition

By Penelope Andrews

WHAT better backdrop could there be for art than art? On a humid, showery Saturday we drove west to visit the private view of Dina Bulavina, held within the house of Amanda and Jon.

Amanda is the art lover and Jon has been happy to embrace their growing collection. We were welcomed and ushered into the living space of their two-year-old home.

Dina’s current collection consists of well-framed and presented collage and ceramics.

At the time of our arrival, the frameless glass windows of the house were open despite the rain, and the remarkable warmth of the air created an inside/ outside flow that connected the art to the natural world framed in the windows for us.

The wet grey stone of the patio referenced the plates and miniature bowls displayed on circles of grey felt on the table, the most prominent of these depicting a distinguished owl who could have upped and flown out to join the view at any moment.

In these ceramics, natural clay is embellished with carefully added colour in shades of turquoise – the placement of this decoration is paramount. A singular line is etched across one plate, and a solitary blot of blue glaze on another.

Amanda’s art covers the walls and the perfectly placed furniture, and yet it was clear to see what was for sale today as Dina’s collection carries such coherence. The work is arranged in sets. Dina tells me that the common ground between the work is Wabi Sabi. “The instant, the flow, the faults and imperfection – that’s what is interesting to me.”

The mixed media collages are made predominantly of paper and card scraps, expertly delineated, a mixture of torn and

clean-cut edges. There are whisps of newsprint, an oddment of a magazine from 1938 and indeed all the papers used look aged. There is an old journal cover, the spine of a book, a lace-like strip of machined metal as delicate as silk. As you look into these pieces patterns can be perceived.

I can’t help feeling that every piece tells a story. The varied scraps each seem to have their own personality. The more you look into them, the more the story starts to tell itself to you. The light-bleached square on one piece, mirrored in the bi-coloured blotting paper slipped underneath.

I ask about the antiquated nature of the fragments. “Using old paper allows me to bring time into the present. It combines past and present and gives that extra level of connotations. There is something deep and beautiful in fading colours.

“I use Wabi Sabi principles in my work. It’s a fantastic concept of fading beauty and perfectly imperfect results. Sometimes, if I need the right colour, I age paper deliberately

but usually I am quite happy with the naturally aged papers and found objects.”

One piece is a print of a collage made solely from corrugated cardboard alone. It is a celebration of form, texture, the card laid and twisted in varying dimensions, referencing the ploughed fields that lie behind us.

The gentle slope from the house draws you into the vista which is a mass of texture –grasslands, trees, hedges, telegraph poles and lines dotted and traced across.

What creates value in art? Is it the signed name on the bottom right, the mounting board, the glass and wood borders? Can you put anything in a frame and that will give it value? These works are just scraps of paper placed and glued. But that is just it, the placing. Dina’s artistry is in her assemblage of these disparate oddments into an object that speaks coherently. They are seductively appealing and proportionally perfect.

Each piece has been designed to the point of completeness. Each balances perfectly in all the many dimensions of art –

form, colour, finish, etc. They work individually, or as a group. You could buy as many or few as you like and they will create the perfect set.

“For me, what is more interesting are the concepts of time and transience, temporal dimension of layers of memories, archives of variables: past, present and future,” Dina explains. “We can easily get lost in that.”

Another cluster of ceramic plates positioned on a long Ercol coffee table form a rough circle. There is a dash of coloured glaze on each in a trout-like pattern of surface dark dots above the splash of lighter blue glaze. A few of these have obvious leaf patterns. “I love pottery – it’s such a grounding experience. It’s a very happy medium for me. Very mindful, very earth -related thingy.”

Balance is the key to everything here.

“Collage is a fantastic medium. It’s not too serious but neither is it shallow. It gives you the opportunity to bring together my past and some artefacts from Victorian times or further.

“It manifests dualities of formal arrangements, creation, structure and de-construction at the same time. It is an attempt to construct my world with different notions, concepts and ideology.

“Bring it together in peace. Peace of mind is very important to me. Calming rather than disturbing, putting together rather than deconstructing. In my practice collages are some kind of search and exploration of ephemeral harmony between the form, colour and space.”

Dina Bulavina’s work will be part of the “Summer Invitation” exhibition in the Vanner Gallery, 45 High Street, Salisbury from August 18 to September 16, along with the work of other established and emerging artists.

Over the roofs: art in Waterstones

IF YOU have walked up the front stairs in Waterstones Salisbury recently you will have seen an exhibition of original acrylic paintings, called ‘Over the Roofs’ by Diliana Nikolova. The exhibition also contains prints from some of the artist’s favourite works.

Diliana Nikolova works in many areas of the arts. She works in the sphere of caricature, satirical drawing and illustration. She has written several scripts for animated films and documentaries.

A big part of her creative career is connected with Small Puppet Theatre SLON. She has won many awards for her artistic achievements in theatre and film arts, as well as for her work in caricature.

In her painting endeavours the main subject is the human, existence and faith. Talking about her latest work, Diliana says about her latest work: “I love people. Each human as an

individual. There isn’t a person that isn’t interesting. There isn’t a person that isn’t important. Every person is someone distinctive, inimitable and amazing.

“I have heard people say that the human is a universe. I don’t quite agree. I think the human is a tiny particle, which has been blessed with intellect and free will but also with stubbornness and senselessness which gives the ability to carry the abyss of one’s life that we don’t just lead but also create for ourselves.”

Diliana works in acrylics, her work is bold and bright but at the same time has a lot of detail, with each painting or character carrying a message which is sometimes very clear but mostly open to interpretation by the viewer, where one can often see themselves in some moment or other in their lives.

If you are quick, you can take some time to catch her work in Waterstones Salisbury until August 19.

First glimpse of the Cathedral offers in-SPiRE-ation to local artist

A FLEETING glimpse of Salisbury Cathedral’s magnificent spire from the surrounding landscape is often the first sign that you are approaching the city.

‘SPiRE’ is a collection of mixed media plein-air drawings, begun in January 2022 and documenting that ‘first glimpse’ from 32 compass points, as far as possible beyond the city. These vantage points allowed Nick to capture Salisbury’s stunning wider landscapes.

Each drawing has a written narrative of things experienced, while the drawing was being made, such as wildlife, birdsong, sounds, and weather, across the different seasons.

Nick describes ‘SPiRE’ as: “...a wonderful excuse to explore the beautiful and varied landscapes around Salisbury, guided by the 32 points of the compass. These drawings from downland, wooded ridges, hill

forts, farmland and ancient sites discover views of the SPiRE so distant that it appears no bigger than a thorn glinting in the sunlight.

“Take in the south-southeast view from the National Trust

grounds of Phipps House in Dinton, nine miles away, or the view from windswept Figsbury Ring, five miles to the northeast. Closer views, with hints of urban surroundings, include north-northwest at

Fisherton Farm allotments, just a mile and a half away.”

Nick’s usual studio practice is as a landscape painter, but he also undertakes plein air drawing projects in both rural and urban environments. Fisherton Mill was host to Nick’s successful 2021 exhibition ‘A Gap in the Market’ which documented 18 months in the life of the historic Salisbury Charter market through a series of 35 mixed media drawings.

You can view images of the collection at www. nickandrewdrawingprojects. wordpress.com/spire

Free admission and you can meet Nick in person as he will be drawing at the Gallery every Saturday during the exhibition’s opening hours.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9.30am-5pm; Saturday, 9.30am-5.30pm. www.fishertonmill.co.uk

Nick’s description begins: Friday, 17 June 2022, southern Avon branch at Britford

Playhouse set for a Murder in the Dark

ORIGINAL Theatre, Trafalgar Theatre Productions and JAS Theatricals have announced full casting and extra dates for the new Torben Betts thriller, Murder in the Dark, directed by Philip Franks.

The production will tour to Salisbury Playhouse from October 2-7 as part of its wider tour of the UK and Ireland..

Joining the previously announced Tom Chambers as Danny will be Susie Blake as Mrs Bateman, Rebecca Charles as Rebecca, Jonny Green as Jake, Owen Oakeshott as William, and Laura White as Sarah.

The events take place on New Year’s Eve… a car crash on a lonely road brings famous but troubled singer Danny Sierra and his extended family to an isolated holiday cottage in rural England. From the moment they arrive, a sequence of inexplicable events begins to occur… and then the lights go out.

Acclaimed writer Torben Betts’ thriller will thrust you into that darkness and promises to have you on the edge of your seats until the final chilling twist.

Director Philip Franks said: “Horror films have been my guilty pleasure since I was a morbid child. Now is the time to find out whether many years’ worth of jump scares and terrible nightmares can be put to good use.

“We’ll also see whether my more adult theory – that horror often puts its finger on what worries us most as a society at any given time – will also hold true.”

Torben Betts’s previous work with Original Theatre includes Invincible, Caroline’s Kitchen and the online play Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon. Other work includes Get Carter, an adaptation of The Seagull for Regent’s Park Open Air, The Unconquered (Best New Play 2007 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland), The Company Man, A Listening Heaven (nominated for Best New Play at the 2001 TMA Awards) and Mummies and Daddies (shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award 2000).

Tom Chambers is known for his roles as Sam Strachan in Holby City and Casualty, Max Tyler in Waterloo Road and Inspector Sullivan in Father Brown.

He also won the sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing with his partner Camilla Dallerup. In theatre, he most recently appeared in the West End, in Elf the Musical. He originated the role of Jerry Travers in Top Hat, which earned him an Olivier nomination.

He also starred in Original Theatre’s lockdown film of Torben Betts’s Apollo 13:

The Dark Side of the Moon.

Susie Blake has recently delighted audiences across the country with her highly acclaimed portrayal of Miss Marple in The Mirror Crack’d. She is perhaps best known for playing the Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, as well as her regular roles of Bev Unwin in ITV’s Coronation Street and Hillary Nicholson in BBC’s Mrs Brown’s Boys.

She has recently appeared in series one and two of Kate & Koji (ITV), Not Going Out (BBC One) and The Real Marigold Hotel (BBC One).

Her films include Fierce Creatures and Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?!

Her theatre credits include Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical (Hall for Cornwall), Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (UK Tour), My Fair Lady (Grange Festival), Grumpy Old Women Live 2 & 3 (UK Tour), When We Are Married (West End), Pygmalion (Chichester Festival Theatre), Madame Morrible in Wicked (West End) and Belinda Blair in Noises Off (National Theatre).

Rebecca Charles’s recent theatre credits include The Dresser (Theatre Royal Bath), An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre), The Graduate (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Father (Duke of York’s/Wyndham’s/ Tricycle/Theatre Royal Bath), Les Liaisons Dangereuses, (Salisbury Playhouse), The Old Country (English Touring Theatre/ Trafalgar Studios), Julius Caesar, (Barbican and Tour) and Great Expectations (Manchester Royal Exchange).

Her film credits include The Heart of Me, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Shakespeare in Love and Mrs Brown.

Jonny Green can currently be seen as Charles in Count Abdulla on ITVX. He was previously seen playing Jonathan Ellacott in Strike: Troubled Blood on BBC 1, Martin in Russell T Davies’s critically acclaimed series It’s A Sin for Channel 4, and Young David in the Netflix series White Lines, alongside Laura Haddock and Danny Mays.

Owen Oakeshott’s theatre credits include Witness for the Prosecution (London County Hall); Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Two Gentlemen of Verona (Guildford Shakespeare Company); A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Wars of the Roses (Rose Theatre Kingston); Market Boy, The Royal Hunt of the Sun (National Theatre); Roots (Manchester Royal Exchange); Way Upstream (Derby Playhouse); Antony and Cleopatra, Timon of Athens, The General from America, Henry VI parts 1, 2 and 3, Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company); The Iceman Cometh (Almeida Theatre); An Inspector Calls (West End). Recent television credits include House of the Dragon, Outlander and You Me & Them.

Laura White until recently played the regular role of Dr Princess Buchanan on BBC 1’s Doctors. Other TV credits include Aysha in Silent Witness. Film credits include Gladys in The Colour Room about the famous potter Clarice Cliff.

Her theatre credits include Nats/Ms Almi in Home Girl (Derby Theatre), Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong (UK Tour), Sarah in the immersive promenade show C-O-N-T-A-C-T (London) and The Play That Goes Wrong (West End).

Murder in the Dark will be directed by Philip Franks (for Original Theatre: The Mirror Crack’d, The Habit of Art, The Haunting of Alice Bowles, The Croft and A Cold Supper Behind Harrods) and designed by Simon Kenny, with lighting design by Olivier Award-winner Paul Pyant, original music and sound design by Max Pappenheim, sound associate Johnny Edwards and assistant director Bethany West.

The UK & Ireland Tour will be produced by Alastair Whatley and Tom Hackney for Original Theatre with Trafalgar Theatre Productions and JAS Theatricals.

Age guidance for the production is 14+ https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/ autumn-winter-23-season

For one night only, special run of events to welcome the new year

IT’S never too early to plan your theatre attendance, especially when it gives you something to look forward to in the depths of winter at the turn of a new year.

If you do like to book ahead, you are in luck, as Wiltshire Creative has just announced a programme of seven onenight-only performances and events to run at Salisbury Playhouse through early 2024.

The wide-ranging programming will provide entertainment on quiet winter nights in late January and early February, and includes comedy, cabaret, music and burlesque.

These performances will follow the highly anticipated return of Plested, Brown and Wilsher’s pantomime Dick Whittington from November through to January 2024.

Highlights from this new winter programme include:

A tribute to the late music legend George Michael with Fastlove: The Tribute to George Michael. Taking place on January 25, Fastlove offers a journey through his greatest hits, such as Careless Whisper, Faith, and Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.

Comedian Tom Davis is set to unleash his wit and humour in his latest show, Underdog at Salisbury playhouse on January 27. Known for his unique style and brilliant storytelling, Davis promises an evening of laughter that will leave you in stitches.

Cabaret trio Fascinating Aïda will take the stage for an evening of laughter, music and biting social commentary. The UK tour celebrating their 40th anniversary year will arrive in Salisbury on February 2.

Experience the mesmerising fusion of classical music and spoken word as Lucy Parham performs the breathtaking works of Clara Schumann in I, Clara on January 30. Dame Harriet Walter’s compelling narration of Lucy’s words adds depth to the performance, creating an unforgettable and emotionally rich experience.

Now in its 18th year and seen by over a million people, it’s no surprise that this show is one of the biggest success stories in British theatre history.

So get ready for the biggest Motown party of the year as the Magic of Motown takes you down memory lane on January 31 with Motown classics from artists such as Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson and many, many more.

A night of laughter, cabaret, mystery and glamour on February 1 with An Evening of Burlesque. The UK’s longest running burlesque show returns and promises to be bigger than ever.

The ultimate variety show blends stylish cabaret, comedy, music, circus and burlesque, featuring world-class entertainers and stars of the stage and screen in an extravaganza of glitz and glamour. Expect the unexpected.

Celebrating 40 years on the road, Dillie, Liza and Adèle, Britain’s raciest and sassiest musical cabaret trio, are bringing their brand-new show to Salisbury on February 2.

Fascinating Aïda have racked-up millions of internet followers, performed in the world’s most prestigious venues and have been showered with awards and plaudits since they sashayed onto the scene back in 1983.

Uniquely charming with diamond-sharp satire, filthy, hilarious, belligerent, political, poignant and outrageous, this indomitable trio are still the mistresses of their craft. Marking this astonishing milestone, the show will feature much-loved favourites and some wickedly hilarious new songs.

If you’ve been delighted by “Dogging”, sung along to “Cheap Flights” or shared their rudest ever Christmas song, don’t miss the chance to celebrate with these

unstoppable performers in their glorious prime.

Thirty years of shift work and being punched in the face has left ‘Fair Cop’ Alfie with a ‘face for radio’.

A face not so much ‘lived in’ as inhabited by squatters with little regard to property maintenance… A surprising career shift turned middle-aged Alfie from street cop to BBC radio star.

But when TV fame beckoned, could he grasp it or was it past it?

Alife Moore: A face for radio visits Salisbury on February 3.

Clockwise from top: A Face for Radio; Fascinating Aida; Lucy Parham; Tjhe Magic of Motown; Fast Love; An Evening of Burlesque

Arrow words

Crossword

Wordsearch

Sudoku

Brain chain

Jumbo sudoku

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.

Killer sudoku

Brain chain (hard version)

Cryptic crossword

For the solutions, turn to page 55

Hospital appeal lots coin in cash

ACREMAN St Auctioneers had a successful two-day auction at the end of July.

A small Chinese gilt Buddha sold for £950 and jewellery also performed well with an antique 18ct cross set with topaz making £1,700, an impressive 14ct star sapphire and diamond ring selling for £2,600, and an antique 18ct snake bracelet set with diamonds and ruby eyes for £1,200.

Watches also achieved good prices with a 1964 Rolex stainless steel Oyster Perpetual wristwatch with original box making £2,800, a vintage 18ct gold cased Jaeger-LeCoultre wristwatch in its original box £1,000, and a bi-metal gents Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso wristwatch £2,200

Acreman also sold more than £4,000 of jewellery and watches

on behalf of the Yeovil Hospital New Breast Cancer Unit Appeal. The total achieved so far is more than £150,000.

Acreman’s next two-day auction is on Thursday and Friday, August 24-25. The catalogue and bidding are available online through easyliveauction.com and Thesaleroom.com

Anyone who has anything they would like to consign should contact Gill Norman on 07908 333577 or 01935 50874, or email auction@ acremanstreetantiques.co.uk

Acreman holds a valuation day every Wednesday 10am4pm, where it offers free valuations on items being considered for auction at Acreman Auction, 121 Acreman Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PH.

Henry Fawcett: Postmater general and advocate for women’s suffrage

IF YOU have walked through the market square in Salisbury, the chances are you will have walked past a quite remarkable man.

One who you might not notice on his lofty perch just off Blue Boar Row. Indeed, there are times that his statue is slightly obliterated by trees, which is a shame, because this Salisbury-born has a story that is worth knowing. In fact, it is quite a remarkable story.

Born in 1833, the son of a draper, Fawcett studied at Cambridge University where he was influenced by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, who were considered politically radical at the time, pushing for equal rights for women. Their views and friendship would have profound influence on the life and work of Fawcett.

However, at the age of 25, Fawcett suffered an accident that would have stopped most

men of their time from achieving anything of note. Out pheasant hunting with his father, he was blinded by stray

shot from his father’s gun, one piece in each eye.

According to Fawcetts’ contemporary, Edward Carpenter: “It was his father who told me that as soon as Henry knew that he was permanently blinded he said “Well, it shan’t make any difference in my plans of life!”

In 1861, at a meeting of the British Association in Manchester, Fawcett defended the theories of Charles Darwin, which was said to be influential among those in attendance.

Far from being deterred, Fawcett pressed on with his education and in 1863 was appointed as Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge University.

He had the opportunity to enter Lincoln’s Inn, but removed his name from the lists. The next few years were to be momentous. In 1865 he entered parliament as the Liberal MP for Brighton, where he once again came under the influence of John Stuart Mill.

Left: Detail of Fawcett’s memorial on Victoria Embankment, London

Above: HIs name on the Reformers Monument, Kensal Green Cemetery

Credit: Stephencdickson/ CC BY-SA 4.0

Above: Detail of Fawcett’s statue in Salisbury, with the description also available in braille

Credit: Tristan Ovington

As part of a group of radial MPs he campaigned for women’s suffrage.

During this time he met Elizabeth Garrett who was attempting to become a doctor. It was thought they would marry, but she decided to focus her effort on a medical career. In 1867, Fawcett married Garrett’s younger sister, Millicent, 14 years his junior.

Fawcett encouraged Millicent’s writing and politics and she would later become the leader of the National Union of Suffrage Societies.

In 1874, he was elected as MP to Hackney and appointed Postmaster General by William Gladstone. During his tenure, he introduced the parcel post, postal orders and the sixpenny telegram. He also used his

power to start employing women medical officers.

Fawcett later clashed with Gladstone over his refusal to

give women the vote in the 1884 Reform Act. He abstained from the vote, which provoked fury from his prime minister. However, he had been taken ill two years earlier with diptheria, and died from pleurisy in 1884.

Salisbury’s statue of Fawcett is not alone in remembering the man and his work. There are memorials in both Salisbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, as well as a statue on the Victoria Embankment in London. We may pass by him as we hurry through the market square, but Henry Fawcett deserves much more recognition for his works and influence.

Meet Lucius the Roman soldier at Rockbourne Villa this summer

By Faith Eckersall

HIS outfit weighs more than the average English bulldog. And he’s on duty for five hours at a time.

But that’s just the way John Smith, costumed interpreter at Rockbourne Roman Villa near Fordingbridge likes it. So much so that he’ll be standing to attention in his legionary dress and answering questions at the villa every weekend, from now until October 1.

“I’ve been doing this for 30 years,” he says, explaining how he worked in the civil service and in aerospace and was studying for an archaeological qualification when he met some ‘living history’ people.

For John, who lives near Cranborne, something clicked. “I’d always enjoyed presenting information to people and finding interesting ways to do it and this gave me a fascinating way to accomplish that.”

His legionary name, Lucius, doesn’t represent an actual soldier who lived at Rockbourne, although his uniform is historically accurate, based on

remnants of genuine Roman remains that can be seen in around 12 different museums in the UK.

“If you could assemble all these pieces of equipment you would see it complete and when you wear the garments and armour you can tell people how it feels, and then about life as that type of person,” he says.

His outfit would be familiar to anyone who has seen the Russell Crowe epic, Gladiator. However, John warns: “You see him in a cavalry charge but in a set of armour like that, you wouldn’t have been able to ride a horse, it’s more what an infantryman would have worn.”

People ask him all manner of questions which he tries to answer as honestly as possible.

“The most common question is ‘isn’t that heavy?’ and the answer is yes,” he says. “In all, the equipment I wear is about 28 kilos. The first time I pulled it on I experienced the nearest thing to claustrophobia that I’ve ever known – you have literally sewn yourself into a metal corset.”

He also had to learn how to walk in hob-nail shoes. “We take

heels for granted – if you’ve got a flat shoe with hobnails, you do walk more like a toddler. It’s very up and down although you need those hobnails to fully engage with the smooth floor surfaces, like flags.”

Despite all this, he heroically mans his post at the villa every summer weekend. For John, the most interesting question he’s ever been asked came from an eight-year-old girl. “She wanted to know how they would light the fires here,” he remembers. “She’d seen where the kitchen was, seen the classic Roman heating system and the bathhouse.”

He had to say he didn’t know and it sent him on a long trail to retrieve the information as: “The number of archaeologists I phoned about this was well into double figures.”

He believes children between the ages of five and 12 ask the best questions and he tries not to use archaeological terms in his answers but to engage instead by using everyday language – certainly not Latin.

He also aims to be as fair and accurate as he can be. His own

family were infantry soldiers and Royal Marines, so he has a natural empathy for soldiers, he says. “I do feel I’m trying to give soldiers a better press,” and in doing this he’s very keen to answer the age-old question: ‘What did the Romans do for us?’

According to John, far from having to fight their way through the entirety of England, native people probably appreciated the fact that the invaders were also bringing with them new innovations that would bring a better lifestyle and possible benefits.

These could be basics, such as the famous Roman roads, which made travel far more possible, or the opportunity to experience fabrics such as silk or cotton, as well as different food. In the end, he says: “That’s what archaeology is – it shows you how people improved their lives and my work is part of that.”

More information about John at Rockbourne and the dates he appears can be found here: https://www.hampshireculture. org.uk/rockbourne-roman-villa

Above: Henry Fawcett, author unknown

Left: Henry Fawcett’s statue in Salisbury Market Square Credit: Tristan Ovington

Boost for women and girls as Women’s Health Strategy turns one

A YEAR on from its Women’s Health Strategy, the government has announced a package of new measures to boost the health and wellbeing of women and girls.

The new measures include:

● First ever dedicated area for women and girls on NHS website, including new content on adenomyosis, periods and HRT

● Support for bereaved parents who have experienced pregnancy loss, with voluntary certificates and work to provide appropriate 24/7 care

● £25m distributed nationwide to help create women’s health hubs.

Hundreds of thousands of women have already directly benefited from the strategy and, building on its success, the

government has announced the launch of a women’s health area on the NHS website.

To support women’s health at every stage of their lives, the new dedicated area will bring together over 100 topics on women’s health. It will sit alongside a brand new hormone replacement therapy (HRT) hub on the site, and will enable women and girls of all ages to access important information about their health easily. It will provide information for women on a range of health issues including periods, gynaecological conditions, fertility, pregnancy, heart health and cancers.

Acknowledging the work of BBC presenter Naga Munchetty and patient groups to raise awareness of the condition, the

government has also ensured the NHS website now contains a page specifically on adenomyosis (which causes heavy or painful periods) – including information about symptoms and the treatment currently available.

The brand new hub for HRT has been launched on the NHS website to help women manage menopausal symptoms and it will also help those who need it to easily find information on different types of HRT and decide which medicine is most suited to them.

Alongside the new website, to further boost women’s and girls’ health and wellbeing, the government has announced:

● The development of a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool to identify early risks in maternity units.

● Greater IVF transparency through an accessible new tool on GOV.UK to allow people to look up information about NHSfunded IVF treatment in their area

● The Women’s Health Ambassador for England, Professor Dame Lesley Regan, has formed a new network of women’s health champions. Minister for Women’s Health, Maria Caulfield, said: “A year on from the launch of our women’s health strategy, we have much progress to celebrate. But there is plenty more to do.

“We will keep working and investing so girls and women across the country can benefit from the world-class healthcare they deserve.”

Bite-sized volunteering won’t take a big chunk out of your busy life

Wessex Community

Action supports charities and voluntary groups through training, guidance and representation.

This monthly volunteering column looks at all aspects of volunteering and how people can give up their time for the benefit of their communities

THERE is a myth that volunteering means committing to giving up hours and hours of your time and one of the reasons many people decide against it is that they think they are too busy.

But an increasingly popular form of helping your community is ‘bite-sized’ or ‘micro’ volunteering. Charities and voluntary groups welcome volunteers who can only commit to a one-off piece of work or a very limited time, which could be just an hour or so weekly or even monthly, to take on jobs that free others up to concentrate on more time-consuming tasks.

Robin Imeson at youth charity Rise: 61 on Bemerton Heath in Salisbury says his group has around 40 volunteers, half of which do bite-size volunteering.

“We have volunteers who come to our clubs regularly but some of them can’t be as regular as they’d like to be because of work or family commitments,” he said. “They help out at our after school clubs to provide youth work support.

“We also have people who can’t

volunteer during term time but come along in the holidays. It’s good to be flexible because it means we can take advantage of the skills people have to offer. We are very happy to take what people can give because you never know where that might lead.”

There has been a marked increase in ‘virtual’ volunteering – work that can be done remotely either online or by phone –which really lends itself to people who want to help but can only commit a limited time.

Research by NCVO has shown it now accounts for 31% of all volunteering, taking on tasks such as writing letters, emails or grant applications, filing, bookkeeping, checking compliance or organising rotas.

It means less travelling time and being able to fit the work in when it suits the volunteer.

The huge advantage of virtual volunteering is that it can be done anywhere, so volunteers are not restrained by having to do work locally and can take up opportunities that meet their interest.

It is also ideal for people with disabilities, without transport, living somewhere isolated or with little time to spare.

An ideal place to look for such opportunities is Wiltshire Together, Wessex Community Action’s online portal. It is a free and easy to use community platform for voluntary groups and charities to advertise their services and support as well as community events and activities and for people to search for volunteering opportunities. The site now has a new Volunteering in Wiltshire page.

Wessex Community Action is developing a Volunteer Centre for Wiltshire.

To find out more and to register interest in volunteering, please contact Sarah Pickering at volunteerdev@ wessexcommunityaction.org.uk for information.

Robin Imeson of Rise:61 on Bemerton Heath, which runs after school and bike clubs, as well as a community garden

‘Objections to Stonehenge scheme are illogical, verging on hysterical...’

THE article on the decision to give the go-ahead to the Stonehenge tunnel quotes the leader of the opposition to the scheme, Tom Holland, a professional historian.

So am I, and I find the opposition illogical verging on hysterical.

Leaving aside the selfevident fact that the A303 is the main traffic artery between London and the Westcountry, and that the thrombosis arising from its stop-start state wouldn’t be allowed in any other major European country, Mr Holland claims that the ‘disgraceful’ scheme will ‘permanently disfigure Britain’s most significant and sacred prehistoric landscape’.

Quite how this will result from removing a trunk road with nose-to-tail fume-belching traffic from the setting of Stonehenge and putting it out of sight in a two-mile tunnel is completely beyond me.

The tunnel solution was produced as a response to a previous scheme that would simply have widened the existing road to a dual carriageway – good for traffic flow but certainly bad for the setting – and one which rightly attracted a lot of opposition.

The tunnel scheme has been long in preparation and has the support of relevant bodies such as English Heritage and the National Trust. It will not be a ‘monstrous white elephant’ but a very necessary and long overdue infrastructure scheme. Why look this gift horse in the mouth?

ROGER WHITE Sherborne

Denial won’t wash

Fact of the fortnight...

WHILE many of us are glued to following England’a exploits at the FIFA Women’s World Cup - one partcularly important fan can claim a unique link to ‘the beautiful game’.

The oldest known surviving football dates from the sixteenth century, found at The Queen’s Chamber in Stirling Castle, Scotland.

And who should have been visiting Stirling Castle at around that time? The infant Queen Mary, better known as Mary, Queen of Scots.

So it turns out, the oldest known football may well have been owned by royalty.

The Queen was known to love her sports; golf and tennis to name but two.

She also had a liking to an extremely early form of football.

Finding herself at Carlise Castle after her loss at the Battle of Langside, she’d watch

WHEN are we going to wake up to the very real threat of climate change?

We have had record-breaking temperatures (every year now), huge fires in Europe and more, but people apparently want to make it a point of contention, even at a general election!

It is the height of irresponsibility for a political party to use climate change denial as a wedge issue in a desperate bid to maintain power, which is what it looks like the Tories are doing, to me anyway.

Is there really anyone left out there who denies the existence

football matches played on the green.

And it is quite possible she watched the first ever footballing encounter between Auld Enemy rivals, England and Scotland.

The royal link with football continues today with William, Prince of Wales, the president of the Football Association.

of climate change - and that it could have a severe impact on us all?

I can’t believe that’s true. But it appears the Tories do, and want to hoodwink people into denial, in the hope they can keep power.

I am an older person, I have grandchildren, and have voted for the Conservatives in the past.But this will not work on me or lots of my friends. It’s nothing but shameful and I think someone should ask our MP if he believes in climate change.

Please don’t put my name in,

as I will no doubt get abuse from ill-informed and gullible naysayers who would rather find excuses and put their heads in the sand, than actually do something to help future generations.

NAME & ADDRESS SUPPLIED

A big thank you

I WANTED to use your magazine to say thank you to the person who helped me when I fell in Salisbury last week.

I didn’t get your name, but it was a young person, and you

Planning application for four new units at Solstice Park in Amesbury

FOUR new industrial units could be built alongside another commercial development in Amesbury.

The plan, for Sunrise Way on the Solstice Park, has been submitted to Wiltshire Council by Maddox Planning.

The application said units 1-11 already have planning permission, with new units - 12-15 - on land to the north east of the plot.

“Units 12-14 will be single storey industrial units with ancillary first floor mezzanines. Unit 15 will have a second

floor mezzanine.,” it said.

The application went on: “The units will be of steel frame construction with low pitch roofs covered with trapezoidal built-up metal cladding systems and rooflights to add daylight into the warehouse areas.”

Access would be via access routes created by the first phase of development, the plan said, with a total of 151 parking spaces and eight electric vehicle charging spots.

“Cycle parking spaces are provided in

line with the Amesbury cycle parking standards and a total of 56 spaces are provided under external shelters,” the plan added.

The application said a number of benefits would come from the development, including making a ‘positive contribution to local employment opportunities’.

For more information on the plans, and to comment on the proposal, log on to www.wiltshire.gov.uk and search for planning application reference PL/2023/04997.

Popular businessperson passes away

WELL-KNOWN businessperson Peter Douch – formerly managing director and chairman of the family’s funeral group – has died, aged 76.

Peter stepped down as chairman of Douch Family Funeral Directors last year, saying he wanted to watch more sport, which was his passion.

And on Friday, August 4, he had been watching Gloucestershire play Northants in a one-day cricket match in Cheltenham – and died the following morning.

Peter had been involved in the family funeral business since 1994, after a career as a chartered accountant.

Founded in 1909 by Peter’s grandfather Fred in Wimborne, what became known as Douch Family Funeral Directors was initially a furniture and furnishing business.

Furniture led to coffins and coffins led to funerals and when Peter joined as finance director in 1994 it had just two of its furniture shops left and three funeral branches.

It is now dedicated to funerals with seven branches across Dorset and an award-winning funeral plan.

In 1994, Peter’s father Jack was running the family business and he moved down to join the company as finance director. Later, he became managing director and chairman in 2011.

What better than a sorbet on a sultry summer heat-filled day

I MADE the mistake, sometime in June, if I remember correctly, of saying that it looked like the summer had arrived.

Fake news. I’m sorry, I should have known because here I am about to embark on a holiday, a staycation, and well, it’s just been a bit rainy, hasn’t it.

Not wanting to tempt fate too much, but I live in hope that by the time this is in print (and my holiday is over), the sun will have returned and then we’ll be looking at all sorts of ways of keeping ourselves cool again.

While ice creams are synonymous with the summer, I maintain that they aren’t actually all that cooling (it’s the carbs, you see), although I would never knowingly turn one away.

A fresher alternative is the often overlooked sorbet. Probably only ever heard in conjunction with the phrase, ‘palate cleanser’, this does this simple, but delicious dessert a disservice.

You can pretty much turn anything into a sorbet: fruit, coffee, tea, prosecco, flowers, you name it. And while the basic recipe is very similar regardless of what flavour you make it, each variant will differ slightly when it comes to ingredients and methods.

Taking the simplicity one step further, another refreshing and ridiculously easy dessert to make is the granita.

So simple to make and vanishingly refreshing – like

eating snow, is one comparison, and while your parents always warned you not to eat yellow snow, a lemon or pineapple granita should be a very notable exception.

Here, we’ll look at a number of sorbet recipes we’ve enjoyed and a granita from Jamie Oliver that you really must try.

Mango or honey dew melon sorbet

Ingredients

3 large, ripe mangoes or a large honey dew melon (though you could probably choose your favourite)

200g caster sugar

200ml water

Juice of one fresh lime

Method

You want to remove the skin of the fruit and retrieve as much of the flesh as you can. Easier with the melon but worth taking some effort with the mango (though this can get very messy!).

Put the flesh in a blender and add the sugar, lime juice and water and pulse until the fruit is smooth and the sugar has dissolved. A good tip is to spoon a little out and rub it between your fingers (thanks BBC Good Food), if it feels gritty you need to keep blending.

Once the sugar has dissolved, pour the mixture into a freezer-

proof container and freeze for a few hours.

After two or three hours, scrape the sorbet back into the blender and pulse until the mixture becomes slushy, then pour back into the container and return to the freezer for another hour. You want to repeat that process once more.

Then scoop into serving dishes and enjoy.

Vodka

Lemon sorbet

Add a touch of decadence with a shot of vodka, or leave it dry to enjoy a simple, but probably the ultimate refreshing dessert. Unlike the mango/melon sorbet above, this BBC Good Food recipe requires a stock syrup to be made (don’t worry, it’s fairly easy).

Ingredients

250g white caster sugar

250ml water

A thick strip of lemon peel (plus some zest to serve)

The juice of 2-3 lemons (approx 100ml)

2 tbsp vodka (optional)

Method

In a pan, heat the water, sugar and lemon peel until the sugar has dissolved, then bring the mixture to the boil. Cook for three minutes then turn off the heat and leave to cool.

Pick out the lemon peel and

discard (once cool, no burnt fingers please).

Next, measure out 100ml of lemon juice and add to the sugar mixture along with the vodka if using.

Pour the cool mixture into a freezer box and freeze for 1hr 30 mins. Remove from the freezer and mix up with a whisk to break up and incorporate the ice crystals (which should be forming at the edges) before returning to the freezer.

Keep mixing the sorbet once an hour for four hours to help break up the ice crystals – if you don’t it will turn to a solid block of ice.

Stop mixing when it becomes firm but still scoopable, then store in the freezer for up to a month. Serve the sorbet decorated with a few curls of lemon zest for added zing.

Fork-free granita

Jamie Oliver offers a lovely basic granita recipe on his website. Like the sorbet above, it involves making a base syrup.

Usually, a granita is formed by raking the freezing mixture with a fork, before refreezing and re-raking.

The final texture is rougher than a sorbet, more rustic perhaps. You can remove the need to fork by following the steps below:

Create a base syrup by dissolving 100g sugar in 300ml water over a low heat.

While the syrup cools, blitz your chosen fruits in a blender until smooth. Then combine with the syrup and fill ice-cube trays with the mixture.

You can take these out just before you are ready to eat and blitz them for a few seconds in a blender to your chosen consistency.

For added fun, why not combine different flavoured cubes in your final blitz?

salisburyandavon.co.uk

Dried apricot sorbet

If you’ve got a half used packet of dried apricots in your cupboard, and we all have, even if we’ve never bought one.

Go on, check, I bet there’s one lurking there somewhere.

Where it came from, who knows, but they’ll probably still be in date and therefore perfect for using up in this delicious and simple recipe.

Ingredients

150g dried apricots

110g caster dugar

500ml water

Method

To get those dried apricots up to speed you’ll need to soak them

Credit: luis_molinero on Freepik

with the sugar in the water for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, blitz them until smooth.

Now employ the same method used for the vodka lemon sorbet, i.e. freeze, whisk/beat, repeat two or three times until the sorbet is firm but scoopable. It’s a good idea to soften in the

fridge for 10 minutes before serving.

Pineapple and vanilla sorbet

Ingredients

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

100ml lime juice (approx 3 limes)

Mango slices to serve

500g caster sugar

1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways

1 cinnamon stick

Method

To make the syrup, put the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla pod and cinnamon stick in 500ml of water and bring slowly to the

boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

While cooling, put the pineapple chunks into a blender and blitz to a purée.

Tip the pineapple purée and the lime juice into the syrup and stir well.

Leave to cool, then strain and place in a container and freeze until it starts to set, then every hour or so break up the ice with a fork.

Serve the sorbet scooped into dessert glasses with a few slices of mango.

The verdict: compared to ice cream, sorbets and ganitas are easy to make and so much more refreshing.

Recruitment

Skills shortage persists despite hiring slowdown, says recruitment firm

DESPITE a recent fall in overall jobs in the UK, certain sectors in the UK are battling for talent, according to a network of jobs boards.

Data from Broadbean Technology shows a 2 percent decline in vacancies in June when compared to May’s figures, indicative of a broader slowdown in hiring.

While a fall in jobs will result in fewer applications, the 30 percent decline in the number of people applying for jobs does point to a growing skills shortage, the firm said.

This is further evidenced by the sector job and application figures, they added.

According to Broadbean’s data, engineering accounted for the lion’s share of the jobs, with 11 percent of all vacancies falling in this remit. IT claimed second spot (10 percent) while education and training accounted for the third highest number of vacancies (7 percent of the total).

The demand for resources in engineering represents a 3 percent increase in jobs month-on-month. Applications, meanwhile,

fell 32 percent.

While IT saw a month-on-month decline in new jobs (-4 percent), the number of active candidates saw a sharper decline (-25 percent).

Alex Fourlis, managing director at Broadbean Technology, said skills shortages are still plaguing many firms despite the overall slowdown in hiring.

“Although the market is slowing down, the skills crisis is far from over,” he said.

“The UK simply doesn’t have enough of the highly trained and highly skilled professionals it needs to fill the demand.

“It’s imperative that employers stay focused on the skills agenda and continue to invest in talent attraction and development

DRIVERS WANTED ARMISHAWS REMOVALS LTD

are currently looking to recruit experienced class 1 (Class C+E), class 2 (License cat C) and 7.5t, (C1) Removals drivers to join our teams in Salisbury SP2 8RA.

Driving our 18 & 21 ton rigid lorries and smaller vehicles as required, as well as being involved with the packing and loading / unloading of your vehicle.

Experience in the removals industry is desirable although consideration will be given to drivers with the right aptitude.

The job also involves some working away from home during the week.

* Salary on application

* Monday to Friday working with very few weekends

* Opportunity of Progression

* Opportunity of overtime

* Guaranteed hours (following probation)

Tel John on 01963 34065

Or email transport@armishaws.com

if they are to grow their competitive standing.

“The lack of candidates isn’t going to be solved overnight and is already a big issue for firms.

“Those that can get in front of the right people quickly, and via the right channels, will be the ones in a prime position to win the war for talent.”

Workshop assistant and site fitter required for busy joinery workshop in Stalbridge. Assisting with fitting on site, and in the unit with glazing and possibly spraying of joinery. Previous experience not essential as training will be given, but some carpentry knowledge would be useful.

Full time, 42.5 hours per week.

Telephone Mark on 07719 636450

Experienced tractor driver/stockman required on large dairy farm, near Shaftesbury. Most work undertaken in house. Full range of modern equipment.

Good maintenance skills. Regular time off. Good remuneration for the right candidate. Contact: 01747 852195 or 07970 925507.

Recruitment

Part - Time, experienced and enthusiastic gardener required to help look after lovely gardens near Gillingham. Please telephone: 07788 536890

HERDSPERSON REQUIRED

We are a 4th generation dairy farm near Castle Cary Milking 300 autumn calving cows @ 7500 litres in a 10 week block. 28/28 parlour, fantastic grazing infrastructure and simple housed winter routine, grazing for 9 months of the year. We are Looking for someone to help us out with all livestock work Must have good attention to detail and a passion for livestock. We provide a good salary, house & a great place to work alongside our settled team Please call or email George - 07934407915, gjwagriculture@gmail.com

FUNERAL DIRECTORS WANTED

PLUMBING, HEATING & DRAINAGE

SCRAP METALS

WINDOWS

Drivers heading to Europe warned

DRIVERS planning on driving in Europe this summer are being warned to get an emissions sticker before they go - or they could face a fine of up to £154.

Local air quality regulations in France, a popular destination for UK drivers, apply in 12 different parts of the country, restricting car movements based on how polluting vehicles are, with some locations much stricter than others.

Unlike cleaner air zones in the UK, visitors to these parts of France must also ensure they have a specific sticker – called a Crit’Air Air Quality Certificate – displayed on their windscreen.

Whether a car is permitted to drive into a low emissions zone or not depends on how polluting it is, and therefore which of six different stickers it needs.

The cleanest electric and hydrogen vehicles require green Crit’Air ‘0’ stickers, while at the opposite end of the spectrum the most polluting diesel vehicles need dark grey Crit’Air ‘5’ ones.

As of July, two new locations – the cities of Bordeaux in the south-west and Clermont-Ferrand in central France –

require drivers to display the right Crit’Air sticker for their vehicle.

But in 10 other locations, stricter regulations mean that only vehicles that have specific stickers, and are therefore deemed clean enough, are permitted.

Paris is the strictest city, allowing only cars that bear Crit’Air ‘0, ‘1’ or ‘2’ stickers to use certain roads and certain times from this summer, followed by the Aix-Marseille-Provence region, Toulouse and Reims that permit only vehicles with Crit’Air ‘0’, ‘1’, ‘2’ or ‘3’ vignettes.

UK drivers have to ensure they have the

right Crit’Air vignette displayed on their windscreens before they leave for France – and these need to be ordered in advance via the official French Government website as they cannot be bought locally.

of fines over emissions stickers

The cost is €4.61 (around £4), and the sticker is valid for the life of the car.

The RAC is aware of unofficial thirdparty sites that charge six times as much for the same sticker, which drivers should avoid.

Any driver found to be driving in a low emissions zone and not complying with the local regulations – by either not displaying a sticker at all or by driving a car that’s too polluting – risks a fine of €68 (£58), which rises to €180 (£154) if not paid within 45 days.

Fines will increase up to €750 (£640) next year, when camera-based enforcement begins.

And while France has the Crit’Air vignette scheme, it’s far from being the only other European country with increasingly strict emissions regulations.

Switzerland has the Stick’Air vignette scheme – similar to that in operation in France – while cities in Spain require ‘DGT’ stickers.

Puzzle solutions

One country’s sticker is not valid in another, so if a driver plans a road trip covering several nations they need to ensure they have the appropriate sticker for each.

RAC Europe spokesperson, Rod Dennis, said: “Many UK drivers will be familiar with clean air zones such as the London Ultra Low Emission Zone, but they should also be ready to encounter them abroad this summer.

“It’s vital anyone travelling to Europe does their homework to see whether an emissions-based windscreen sticker is needed – and give themselves enough time to order one before their trip.

“In France, six years after Crit’Air emissions stickers were first introduced in a bid to improve air quality, there are now 12 locations where British drivers’ movements can be restricted based on how much their cars emit.

“As time goes on, the regulations also get stricter and within a few years all but zero-emission vehicles will be banned from

Edition 22

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some city centres.

“So, every driver visiting a region covered by the Crit’Air scheme needs to ensure they’ve bought the right sticker for their vehicle from the official French government website and displayed it on their windscreen before they leave the UK.

“Stickers correlate with the Euro emissions category of the vehicle they’re driving and are valid for the life of the vehicle.

“Anyone without the right sticker or driving a non-compliant car into a lowemissions zone, risks an on-the-spot fine. These €68 penalties are issued by local police officers in France but as early as next year camera-based enforcement will begin meaning maximum fines will rise to a holiday budget-busting €750 (about £640).

“Drivers visiting cities in other European countries, including Spain, Italy and Switzerland, also need to check whether they’re affected by any low emission zones before embarking on their trips.”

(from pages 38-39)

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