Salisbury & Avon ED 14

Tributes paid to Bryn Parry, founder of Help for Heroes charity

TRIBUTES have been paid to Bryn Parry, the founder of Downton-based Help for Heroes, following his death from pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.

Mr Parry and his wife Emma founded Help for Heroes in 2007 after learning of the difficulties ex-servicemen had trying to access rehabilitation treatment.

A statement on the charity’s website read: “Everyone at Help for Heroes is deeply saddened by the death of our co-founder Bryn Parry CBE following a short illness with pancreatic cancer.

“Without Bryn, this charity wouldn’t be here. Without him, over 27,000 veterans and their families wouldn’t have received life changing support. Bryn was instrumental in changing the focus of the nation and the way we regard both military service and wounded veterans.

“Those who knew and worked with Bryn saw at his core an incredibly kind, earnest, and passionate soul, whose energy was contagious.

“Supported, encouraged and advised by Emma, he was

unstinting in his total, unwavering commitment to making the lot of the wounded servicemen and women as good as it could be.

“Bryn’s founding principles and his no-nonsense approach of doing everything humanly possible to help our heroes, remain at the heart of all we do.

“We offer our deepest sympathy and love to Emma,

Sophie, Tom and Louisa.” Tributes were also paid by The Prince of Wales who said on Twitter that “he was deeply sad to hear” the news and described him as: “A lifeaffirming, inspirational man, his work with @HelpforHeroes made a difference to so many and his legacy will be its continuing impact.”

In a statement on the website

of the Invictus Games Foundation, Prince Harry also expressed his condolences: “Today is a truly sad day for the military community as we bid farewell to a man who, alongside his wife, completely transformed the UK charity sector for the benefit of those that have served.

“His vision, determination and brilliance provided a lifeline for thousands of veterans, as well as their families, when they needed it most.”

The minister for veterans’ affairs, Johnny Mercer, said: “He will never be forgotten.”

Mr Parry had served with the Royal Green Jackets. He told the BBC in 2010: “The problem was, people were concerned about the politics and the rights and wrongs of the wars,” he said.

“We said it’s not about the rights and wrongs of war, it’s about a 22-year-old boy who’s had his legs blown off. That allowed people to get behind the movement. It’s just been a humanitarian desire to do something, and not stand around and feel helpless.”

Police chief offers update on progress being made

WILTSHIRE Police chief constable Catherine Roper has re-affirmed her commitment to overseeing dramatic improvements to the force in the county.

This follows her appearance earlier this month before the Policing Performance Oversight Group (PPOG) following last year’s HMICFRS PEEL inspection.

The inspection had graded Wiltshire Police as ‘inadequate’ in a number of key responsibilities: strategic planning; its ability to respond to the public; and its ability to protect vulnerable people.

The report also described the force as ‘requiring improvement’ in a number of other areas and made a series of recommendations.

Chief constable Roper said: “While there are some early signs of improved delivery in our policing service across Wiltshire, this has yet to achieve consistent and sustained performance improvements across the board.

“My officers and staff are working extremely hard. However, we still have much more to do to achieve our ambitions of providing the best possible service to our

communities and re-build trust and confidence in Wiltshire Police.

“We need to now embed the changes we have made to date and adopt a culture that is truly victim-focused.

“To assist us in continuing with our improvement journey, I have developed a single, clear plan for Wiltshire Police, which will be supported by explicit delivery plans. I have also appointed a dedicated senior member of police staff who will be instrumental in improving scrutiny, oversight and accountability across all departments.

“I have established three key priority areas for operational delivery: safer public spaces; violence; and burglary.

“These priority areas respond directly to the concerns of our communities – and ensure people feel safe both inside and outside of their homes. They are also key features of the Police and Crime Plan as set out by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon.

“I will be expecting my teams to provide the best possible response to all demands for service, but these three areas will be our focus. Nothing less will do.”

Bryn Parry pictured with his wife and co-founder, Emma

Road improvement projects to start soon in Salisbury city centre

TWO improvement projects supported by a £9 million investment from the government’s Future High Streets Fund are due to start in the city soon, with full details set to be confirmed shortly.

Public events will be held to present the plans to residents and business owners who might be affected by construction work. The first scheme, known as the Fisherton Gateway, will improve the road network and public spaces along South Western Road and Fisherton Street. The public will be presented with the final road designs later this month with work set to take place in the summer. During the event, residents will be able to ask any questions they may have regarding the work.

The second scheme will be the redesign of Salisbury Station Forecourt, which aims to make it more attractive and

accessible for visitors and residents. Main construction work is due to take place later in the year.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, Wiltshire Council cabinet

member for transport, said: “A lot of hard work has gone into developing these detailed designs since last year’s public consultation and I’m pleased we will soon be able to share these,

together with some of the construction plans currently being worked on, with the public over the coming weeks.

“It’s exciting to know that after all the hard work both of these important schemes for Salisbury will be starting on site soon. These schemes support Wiltshire Council’s Business Plan and our aim of creating and supporting vibrant city centres that help the local economy and encourage the growth of business activity in a sustainable way.

“They will also help ensure Salisbury remains a thriving and vibrant tourist location where both residents and tourists can support local businesses, especially the fantastic independent and creative artisans which this modern medieval city is renowned for.

Full details of the public events are expected to confirmed soon.

Patriotic postmaster will ring local church bells to mark the King’s coronation

A PATRIOTIC postmaster has decorated his Coombe Bissett Post Office and village shop and will be ringing the local church bells to mark King Charles III’s coronation.

Charles May has been Coombe Bissett’s postmaster since 2008 and throughout that time he has regularly rung the bells at the nearby church, including to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee and to mark her passing.

Now Charles and the other bell ringers from St Michael and All Angels are preparing their special bell peal to mark the crowning of his namesake.

Charles said: “I normally put up bunting and flags at the Post Office for special royal occasions, including last year’s platinum jubilee for the Queen. Now we have extra decorations

for the coronation showing our new King Charles III.

“Coombe Bissett is only a small village but we like to show our support for the royal family.

“It was a very sad day when the Queen died. It was an honour to follow royal protocol to ring the bells to mark her death and it will be a privilege to peal the bells to proclaim the crowning of our new King.”

Coombe Bissett Stores and Post Office in Homington Road will be open as normal until 1pm on Saturday, 6th May.

It will then be closed on the Sunday and the Bank Holiday Monday so that Charles and his team can watch the coronation and join in with the community celebrations in the village.

Looking toward South Western Road from Fisherton Street Credit: Google

Charles May pictured in front of Coombe Bissett Post Office’s royal display

City flag flown at half mast in honour of former mayor

SALISBURY’S former mayor, Kathleen Cooper-Joel, has passed away at the age of 96.

She was city mayor between 1990-91 and as a mark of respect the city flag will be flown at half mast on the Guildhall until sunset on the day of the funeral.

The city council expressed its condolences to her family and friends.

Current mayor, Cllr Tom Corbin, said: “Kathleen maintained her love and interest in seeing the best for Salisbury and its people. She was very well known and respected and many will mourn her passing.”

Originally from Liverpool, she moved to Salisbury as a 21-year-old and became a successful businesswoman. Motorists who fill-up at the Tinkerbell Service Station in Barford St Martin may not realise that it was opened by Kathleen and her husband, Cecil, in 1955.

She played an active role on the planning committee during her time as a councillor and recently successfully campaigned to replace credit card-only parking in the Salt Lane Car Park with the ability to use both cash and cards.

Market trader pleads guilty to selling vape to a child

A TRADER who operates across a number of markets around Wiltshire, including Salisbury, has pleaded guilty to selling an age-restricted product to a child.

Anthony Rose, who lives in Salisbury and who is the sole director of AN Rose Ltd, pleaded guilty at Salisbury Magistrates Court on 11 April to the charge of selling a disposable e-cigarette to an under 18 trading standards volunteer at his market stall in August 2022 without asking for proof of age identification.

Mr Rose had previously been warned that he would be subject to a test purchase at his stall following a visit from trading standards officers in February 2022, following a complaint that he was selling agerestricted products to children. At the time, he was given advice about how to prevent future illegal sales.

However, during the test purchase, a 16-year-old was able to buy a disposable e-cigarette for £6.

Mr Rose was fined a total of £701.96, including costs.

Cllr Nick Holder, cabinet member for Public Protection, said: “As per our Business Plan,

we want to promote our safe, compliant and successful traders as examples to others. It is illegal to sell vaping products to anyone under the age of 18.

“We have seen a large increase in vaping products being sold to children, with the products available at pocket money prices and regularly featured on social media channels.

“Trading standards officers work to enforce legislation which prohibits the sale of all age-restricted goods, such as tobacco, alcohol and e-cigarettes, and as this case shows, anyone found doing so could be prosecuted. Penalties can include a fine or even

imprisonment.

“Businesses have a responsibility to ensure that staff do not sell age-restricted products to people under the legal minimum age. Effective systems that can be used include, age verification checks with ID cards, Challenge 21 or Challenge 25, staff training and using till prompts.”

If you suspect a business is selling age-restricted products to children you can report it by email to tradingstandards@ wiltshire.gov.uk or by phone at 0808 223 1133.

Mayor receives card from the King in response to his letter of condolence

SALISBURY’S mayor, Cllr Tom Corbin, has received a card from HRH King Charles III in response to the letter of condolence he sent following the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The condolence letter was sent at the end of September 2022 on behalf of the people of Salisbury and included the following passages:

‘I write to you on behalf of your loyal servants in Salisbury in sharing our most sincere

condolences at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Throughout so many years of loyal service, we have been honoured to host numerous visits by The Queen; most notably when she met with so many local people who warmly welcomed her to Salisbury Cathedral as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.’

The card sent in response from HM King Charles III features a picture of the late Queen smiling with a young King Charles

looking out of a window. The message with it says:

‘It was so very kind of you to send me such a wonderfully generous message following the death of my beloved mother. Your most thoughtful words are enormously comforting, and I cannot tell you how deeply they are appreciated at this time of immense sorrow.’

The card is currently on display to the public in the Crown Court of Salisbury Guildhall.

E-cigarettes are a vaping product that look like real cigarettes

Support your local lifeboat in the run up to the RNLI’s 200th birthday

IN 2024, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) will celebrate its 200th birthday and will be celebrating the occasion through the year.

The local RNLI fundraising organisation is the Salisbury, Wilton and District Branch. Most of the money raised by the branch is used to support the nearest lifeboat based at Mudeford at the mouth of the River Avon. In particular, to fund the crew’s training needs.

The branch is run by a small committee of volunteers under the chairmanship of Ray Stedman. Money is raised in three main ways – box collections at specific events in the Salisbury and Wilton area; boxes placed in pubs and shops; and specific fundraising events.

For example, the branch will

have a stand at the Downton Cuckoo Fair on Saturday, 29th April and a box collection at Salisbury Racecourse on Thursday, 18th May.

One particular source of local support comes from the local Sea Shanty Group, The Navy Larks, who will be giving a concert in aid of RNLI at Wilton Church on Wednesday,

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21st June. Later in the year, the branch is also holding a Golf Day at High Post Golf Club on Monday, 9th October.

Last year was a period of recovery after the branch’s activities were curtailed during Covid. However, the chairman was pleased with the fundraising efforts that took place. He said: “The Branch

raised over £11,500, a 20% increase over 2021. The box collections in pubs and stores and the Golf Day were particularly successful.

“We also received a similar amount from In Memoriam donations.

“We hope we will raise even more in 2023 and look forward to the 200th birthday events.”

The branch is always looking for new members and fresh ideas for fundraising activities.

To find out more or to receive the regular branch newsletter, contact Ray via rnliwilton@ gmail.com or 07900 493215.

To find out more about the RNLI and its plans, and how you can help to support it, visit: www. rnli.org.

Mudeford B Class inshore lifeboat

In brief

Toaster blaze tackled FIRE crews from Salisbury tackled a blaze started when a toaster fire spread to a worktop.

The incident unfolded at a property in Stonehenge Walk, Amesbury, at around 11.41am on Tuesday, 4th April.

A spokesperson for the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Two crews from Salisbury mobilised to a toaster fire that had spread to worktop in a domestic property kitchen that was out on arrival.”

No one was injured in the incident.

Man released on bail following manslaughter arrest

A MAN who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in Salisbury on Saturday, 13th April has been released on bail.

Police responded to the incident at around 10pm after reports of a woman in her 40s being found unresponsive in the car park in Culver Street. Sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of the emergency services.

The following day, a man in his 20s was arrested and later bailed with conditions.

Wiltshire Police made reassurances that there was no further threat to the public following the incident.

Keyless vehicle owners warn of thefts

POLICE are urging drivers who use cars with keyless entry to keep their keys in a special ‘Faraday’ bag after two Range Rovers were stolen on 17 April.

The thefts were achieved by someone near the vehicles using a device to capture the signal used by the key card or fob. These ‘relay thefts’ are preventable by using a special carrier with a metal lining – a Faraday bag.

Wiltshire Police were able to trace and return the vehicles to their owners with the aid of colleagues from Hampshire.

Train changes for Salisbury as new timetable revealed

SOUTH Western Railway has released details of its new timetable that will come into operation from Monday, 22nd May. The timetable includes a number of changes that are designed to provide better onward connections for customers at various stations, including Salisbury.

The timetable reflects current demand from passengers, with numbers at 78% of prepandemic levels, and peak travel recovering to 61% of pre-Covid demand.

The changes at Salisbury involve the route to Yeovil via Westbury. They are designed to improve the spread of services between Westbury and Yeovil Pen Mill and to better integrate with Great Western Railway’s new timetable on its Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth route.

Two changes will be made:

● The 11:37am Basingstoke to Yeovil Junction via Westbury will start one minute later at 11:38am and will terminate at Salisbury instead of Yeovil

Junction.

● A new service will leave Salisbury at 12:51pm for Yeovil Junction via Westbury.

Steve Tyler, performance and planning director for South Western Railway, said: “We are confident that our service levels match demand on the network, but have monitored changes in customer flows and made some minor changes to our timetable.

“While the majority of our

timetable is the same as the one in place, we have made alterations to improve performance and provide better onward travel, such as in Lymington, where our services will offer better connectivity with ferries to the Isle of Wight.

“Our advice to customers is to check before travelling as those changes mean a small number of services will depart slightly earlier, or later, than the December 2022 timetable.”

Two Bridges Care Group holds AGM

THE AGM of the Two Bridges Care Group took place at the end of March, a bunch of local volunteers who take infirm and elderly patients to and from hospital, dentists and the surgery.

The photograph depicts the new banners, feathers and flyers that have just been delivered, all bearing the corporate colour of yellow.

The new committee was proposed and nominated, including Karl Jung, as the new chairman, Derek Ayling as the new vice-chairman, Val Rogers as secretary and Tony Parker agreed to carry on as Treasurer.

The minutes from last year were agreed and carried and committee then decided how any surplus monies would be distributed to other local charities. It was emphasised yet again how much

the group is always on the lookout for more volunteer drivers and coordinators.

For further information, contact, Karl Jung and/ or Derek Ayling via 0845 838 5902 or Hippotrain@BTInternet.com

New high sheriff for Wiltshire sworn in

A NEW High Sheriff for Wiltshire has been sworn in.

Pradeep Bhardwaj made his Declaration and acceptance at St Mark’s Church, Swindon, taking over the role from Lady Lansdowne in a ceremony on Friday (March 31), in a ceremony dating back to Saxon times.

More than 200 guests attended the ceremony and the following reception, which included some cultural showcase displays.

Mr Bhardwaj is a senior strategy director and head of industry standards in the mobile industry, working for Syniverse, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, an expert in leading-edge technologies such as 5G with over 30 years’ experience.

He has been a part of a few historical moments, including setting up India’s first public email service, public internet service and electronic data interchange service.

He also set up mobile and international telecom services in the Seychelles, after which he had a stint in Australia designing a mobile satellite-based telecommunication system.

He is a trustee of three local charities and governor of New College, Swindon.

“Pradeep has received many awards, but he takes most pride as a social worker and as a community champion for the cause of equality and diversity, with a passion to bring people together,” said a Wiltshire Council spokesperson.

“The accomplishment he cherishes the most is establishing the first Hindu Temple in Swindon and Wiltshire, to enhance the lives of thousands of people.”

Mr Bhardwaj has chosen the theme of inclusion for his High Sheriff term, promoting and celebrating equality, diversity, and inclusion in every aspect of our society to bring a positive change.

Through the years, he has worked relentlessly to connect individuals and communities, to increase societal inclusion and create opportunity for all.

During his shrieval year he aims to bring a sharper focus to empowering and promoting social, political, and economic inclusion by breaking down barriers for participation and involvement, the spokesperson added.

Pradeep Bhardwaj took over from Lady Lansdowne at the end of March

Coronation celebrations in Salisbury will span the Bank Holiday weekend

SALISBURY will be paying tribute to King Charles III across the whole early May Bank Holiday weekend, through a vibrant mix of culture, craft and community.

From a live screening at Salisbury Cathedral to The Big Gig in the Guildhall Square, featuring The Deloreons, the weekend will have something for everyone to enjoy.

Before the big day… Salisbury Cathedral is kickstarting the fun on 29 April by inviting people to pop along and make some colourful coronation bunting – ready to go on display in The Cloisters over the ceremonial weekend.

There will be a special ‘Encounters with Kings’ exhibition in the cathedral library at the same time.

From 2 May, the cathedral will put a magnificent replica of the Queen’s coronation robe on display in the St Lawrence Chapel.

The cathedral also has activities for young children –on 5 May, toddlers are invited to a craft workshop where they can make a crown fit for royalty before posing on a throne for a

super-sovereign-selfie.

The activity continues on 6 May when older children are also invited to get involved.

Coronation Day – Saturday, May 6

Salisbury Cathedral will be the place to be to watch the coronation live on the big screen.

The refectory will also be serving food and drink, with the gift shop will be open as usual – this would be the perfect time to grab a souvenir to remember such a significant day in royal history.

From 1pm, residents and visitors are invited to join Swing Unlimited and their singers on the west lawn for some musical fun and a tasty outdoor barbecue in the afternoon.

Harnham Community Sports & Social Club is hosting a live music celebration with The Deloreons, supported by local band Signature Vision.

Starting from 6pm, the award-winning party band will have the dancefloor filled as the Coronation Day draws to a close. Tickets cost £7.50 and are expected to sell out fast.

Sunday, May 7

The Big Lunch – Queen Elizabeth Gardens will be home to a traditional British ‘Fête in the Gardens’ from 11am. Hosted by Salisbury City Council, there will be a variety of fun games and activities for the whole family to get involved in.

The event will also feature live music, a puppet show, community stalls and food vendors. Alternatively, residents and visitors are welcome to take a royal picnic along and spend the afternoon relaxing by the river in celebration of our new King.

The Big Gig –after an afternoon by the river, head over to Salisbury Market Square at 3pm for

Swing Unlimited will be entertaining visitors to Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday, May 6

the Big Gig! With a selection of brilliant bands lined up, there will surely be something that’ll have you dancing the night away…

Headliners, The Deloreons, will end the evening in style to top off Sunday’s celebrations. Salisbury Cathedral finishes off its weekend of celebration with an afternoon service to celebrate and give thanks to the new King.

Monday, May 8

The Big Help Out – King Charles III has asked us all to help those in need on Bank Holiday Monday.

The ‘Salisbury Foodie Network’ will be out in force from 12pm to 4pm, collecting as many food items as possible. If you can spare anything, be sure to pop down to the Market Square to make your donation.

Further activities and events, promotions and offers will be posted on Experience Salisbury’s Coronation Hub (www.experiencesalisbury.co. uk/what-s-on/coronationcelebrations).

Major broadband upgrade for New Forest to benefit thousands

THOUSANDS of homes and businesses across the New Forest and surrounding areas will benefit from high-speed full fibre broadband after a government contract worth nearly £14 million was awarded to Wessex Internet.

The three-year contract is part of the UK government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit, which aims to provide lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities across the UK.

Wessex Internet’s fibre optic network will be rolled out to communities around the New Forest including Brockenhurst, Burley, Beaulieu, Godshill, Hordle and Sway, transforming broadband speeds and reliability for approximately 10,500 local residents and businesses.

Wessex Internet will work closely with Forestry England and the Verderers of the New Forest throughout the three-year programme of work and expects to start network construction in the first communities by the end of this year.

The first properties could be connected to lightning-fast broadband as early as February 2024.

Digital infrastructure

minister, Julia Lopez said: “Thanks to this latest multimillion pound contract for the New Forest, thousands of hard-to-reach homes and businesses in this stunning area will benefit from a state-of-theart network ready to provide the speed and reliability we will all need in the decades ahead.

“The Prime Minister has put growing the economy as one of his five top priorities, and this investment will go far in delivering on that mission here in the New Forest by equipping rural areas with the infrastructure they need for the digital age.”

Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO at Wessex Internet, said: “This is great news for homes and businesses in the New Forest who will be able to access world-class connectivity and the many economic and social benefits it provides.

“We will now work closely with the residents and communities across this beautiful national park to deliver this exciting programme.

“We’re delighted to be awarded our second contract under Project Gigabit. It is testament to the hard work

and dedication of our team, and their strong track record of rolling out gigabit-capable connectivity to even the hardest to reach countryside communities.”

Project Gigabit is the UK government’s flagship £5 billion programme designed to enable hard-to-reach communities access to lightning-fast gigabitcapable broadband. With gigabit-capable broadband, households will no longer have to struggle with limited bandwidth, while

businesses will be able to improve their productivity, and public services will become more accessible to people in remote areas.

Forestry England’s local spokesperson said: “We very much look forward to supporting Wessex Internet’s delivery of ultrafast full fibre broadband on sensitive land managed by Forestry England over the next few years and hope this will have a positive impact on many residents across the New Forest.”

Salisbury man jailed for rape and controlling behaviour

A SALISBURY man has been jailed for 12 years for multiple counts of rape and coercive and controlling behaviour.

Terry Newman, of Cherry Orchard Lane, was arrested after police were called to an unrelated incident in 2020.

During the incident, the victim disclosed historic sexual assaults and controlling and coercive behaviour by 52-yearold Newman.

The allegations include one occasion when Newman raped a woman while forcing her head down into a pillow.

On another, Newman assaulted the victim and controlled where she could and could not go, as well as controlling her finances.

Det Con Ryan Churchley, of Wiltshire Police, said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victim for the bravery she has shown in contacting police in relation to her ordeal.

“Not only that, but I’d like to commend her for the bravery she showed in the court room during the trial. After Newman pleaded not guilty, his victim was forced to relive her ordeal

in a court room while being cross examined.

“I hope this sentence will provide her with some closure, however, I understand that no sentence will ever compensate for what he did to her. Newman

would often consume alcohol before being violent and manipulative – nobody should ever experience what this woman has been through.

“I hope this case encourages anyone else in a similar position to come forward and report it to us. You will be fully supported by our officers and we will also be able to direct you to support agencies who can provide further, long-term support.”

To report any sexual offence, no matter how much time has passed, contact Wiltshire Police on 101.

Wessex Internet installing full fibre broadband

Terry Newman

Salisbury homeowner enjoys independence and security of over 55s community

A Salisbury homeowner loves the freedom and security she experiences within an over 55s independent-living community.

Gwen Brocksom moved to Platinum Skies’ Chapters community, based off Wilton Road, following the death of her husband after 67 years of marriage. Gwen couldn’t face returning to the home that she shared with her husband, so she looked for an alternative option. She wanted to keep the freedom of living in her own home with sociable neighbours and onsite activities.

Gwen said: “My husband and I downsized from a three-storey Victorian house to a modern house to make it easier for me after he had a stroke, and we lived there for 10 years before I came here after he died. It was just too big, and I rattled around in it.”

Chapters has two dedicated Community Managers who organise fun activities. These can include wine-tasting workshops, yoga, coffee mornings, quizzes, and crafts, as well as the Community Managers providing practical and emotional support to the homeowners. Chapters boasts a range of exclusive onsite facilities including a bistro, bar, homeowners’ lounge, treatment room, and activity room.

Gwen added: “We have a super community at Chapters. I have a single-bedroom apartment and it was surprising to find all my needs met in one place, and to know I could cope with it by myself. I’ve got a key and my own front door, and I’ve kept my independence. I know that I can go downstairs, where I am sure to see somebody to talk to, as I’m a bit of a chatterbox. I’m not isolated here.

“Another benefit is that when you’re getting ready for bed here, you know that you are safe. Whereas in that other house, I wouldn’t have felt safe at night because anybody could have walked along the road and through the gate, but here you don’t have that feeling and instead you feel safe.

“I can also ask the Community Manager for assistance with something, and I know somebody will come and help as soon as possible. That’s worth having as it means that I don’t have to worry my family.”

The Salisbury-based Chapters community comprises of a choice of apartments, houses and cottages which start from £135,000 with the Platinum Skies flexible shared ownership option.

To book an appointment to view a home in Chapters, go to Platinumskies.co.uk or call the Platinum Skies team on 01722 626 373.

Ringwood burglary: second arrest made

A SECOND man has been jailed over a burglary in Ringwood.

Quincy Rufus Digby Hopkins, 26, of Hightown Road in Ringwood (pictured), appeared before Southampton Crown Court Monday (April 3), where he was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

The court heard how on 14 February last year, Hopkins forced entry into the annex of a property in Cloughs Road, Ringwood, and stole cash, cigarettes and several watches.

The 26-year-old was identified after blood left at the scene returned a positive DNA match.

Residents urged to stay safe when litter picking

KIND-HEARTED residents are being reminded to stay safe when picking up litter across the county.

Thanking communityspirited groups for their efforts, Wiltshire Council reminded people to stay safe by not collecting litter on busy roads.

Both the A303 and A36 are busy main roads that are managed by National Highways, but Wiltshire Council has a statutory duty to collect litter, the authority said.

To collect litter on these roads, the council has to seek permission from National Highways and put measures in place to minimise disruption to road users.

Sometimes, this may require traffic management such as stop/go signalling or even full lane closures to keep teams safe – and it’s for this reason that the public and community groups should not look to pick litter along any main road.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, cabinet member for Streetscene, said: “I’d like to thank all those

high-viz heroes and community groups throughout Wiltshire who give up their free time to make our beautiful county a nicer place to live.

“However, it’s really important that they do so safely, and that means not litter picking on main roads.

“We work closely with partners such as National Highways and town councils to ensure safe and efficient litter collection throughout the county, and on the A36 our litter picking work will begin in April.

“Of course, if people didn’t litter our county, we wouldn’t need to collect anything – but unfortunately, there are people who just don’t seem to care about their community or the environment.

“It costs us £100,000 each time to collect litter on trunk roads; this is money that we could be spending on essential services for our communities.

“In our Business Plan we have committed to take responsibility for the environment, and we’d urge everyone to dispose of litter properly – it’s easy for drivers to just take it home with them and then put it in the bin.”

Anyone who would like information or support relating to a community litter pick should contact the Streetscene community engagement manager via wiltshirehelpdesk@idverde.co. uk.

To report litter, people can go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywilts.

William George Sheen, 26, of Clarks Close in Ringwood, was previously sentenced to 28 months in prison for this burglary and others.

Police Staff Investigator Stephen Hortin, from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Operation Hawk Team, said: “I am pleased with the result of this sentencing, and that both Hopkins and Sheen will be spending time in prison for this burglary.

“Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary work hard to protect our communities from all types of offences. Burglaries are a deeply damaging offence for the victims, and we take them very seriously.

“Getting justice for this victim and having two burglars off the streets is a positive outcome for the communities we strive to protect.”

Wiltshire Council shortlisted for award

EFFORTS to help Ukrainian refugees, cut homelessness and improve adult education have seen Wiltshire Council shortlisted for an award.

The council has been named among six finalists for the Local Authority of the Year gong at the MJ Achievement Awards 2023, an annual event to celebrate success and recognise excellence in local government.

The council’s entry referred to a range of achievements, including being one of the leading authorities in England for supporting Ukrainian refugees; innovating to reduce homelessness, adult education and children’s services rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted; creating teams to support people to thrive at

home, reducing hospital admissions and delays in discharge; and area boards supporting projects valued at more than £8 million.

The winners will be announced at an award ceremony on 23 June in London.

Cllr Richard Clewer (pictured), leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be

shortlisted for this award, and it’s testament to all the hard work put in by everyone associated with the council day in and day out – all in service of our communities.

“This sort of recognition puts us on a national platform and that can only help us as to achieve everything we’ve set out in our Business Plan.

“This shortlisting, coupled with our recent extremely positive Peer Challenge report, demonstrates that as a council we continue to head in the right direction and that our clear long-term vision is right for the county, providing a strong foundation for us to take the kind of action that may not have been seen elsewhere.”

Credit unions in Swindon and Wiltshire merge to form Acorn Community Bank

WILTSHIRE and Swindon Credit Union (WASCU) says a merger with two other credit unions and a rebrand as Acorn Community Bank will allow it to offer an even better service for members.

WASCU, which has around 4,000 members including around 1,000 in the south of the county, is joining forces with Clivey Credit Union in Swindon, which has 600 members, and Swan Community Bank in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire to relaunch as Acorn Community Bank from 3 April.

Credit unions, which are owned by their members and run on their behalf, provide affordable loans for people who are unable to get credit elsewhere to prevent them from going to payday loan companies or loan sharks. Members open savings accounts and, provided they meet loan criteria, can take out loans which are repaid monthly.

WASCU board chair, Nick Gallop, explained that the merger will make it even more responsive to members’ needs. “It will allow us to benefit from economies of scale and give us the opportunity to grow,” he said.

The community bank, which was recently voted Community Group of the Year at the Wiltshire Life awards, will continue to be based in Cavendish Square, Swindon, and support families and individuals across the county, as well as the much larger area.

Mr Gallop said the name change reflects a new focus on encouraging savings.

“We will continue to offer the same high level of service that earned WASCU the Best Credit Union (South) award in financial website Smart Money People’s 2022 Consumer Credit Awards,” he said.

“We want to reassure all of our members that savings and lending will continue as before.

“We thought long and hard about the new name and decided that one of the things we are supposed to do is encourage savings, which really isn’t in the old ‘credit

union’ title. We want to encourage people to save and protect their future and that fits much more neatly with the new name of Acorn Community Bank.

“The things the Acorn name stands for are growing, saving and a focus on the future. It’s about reliability and solidity and something that people can trust.”

WASCU grew by merging four credit unions from different parts of Wiltshire in 2016 and now lends more than £1 million a year. Mr Gallop said: “We have seen a steady rise in demand over the last few years, demand which is currently fuelled by the cost of living crisis.”

Its loans are used by people who struggle to get credit at high street banks for emergencies such as car repairs or replacement of white goods.

Its most popular product is its Family Loan, which uses members’ Child Benefit for repayments. You can borrow up to £500 and the credit union takes repayment directly from the benefit when it arrives before passing on the balance later on the same day.

Last year Acorn invested in a new IT system to modernise its systems and introduce new loans. It has already introduced a simple banking app and new types of lending will follow.

Mr Gallop said: “We are excited about our new technology, the name change and the merger. These take us to a new level and allow us to provide better, flexible and accessible services without losing the personal touch that has been a lifeline to so many people.

acorncommunitybank.co.uk.

From left: Member services manager Gemma Sadler, operations manager Bridget Shone, general manager Clive Henley, marketing and communications officer Phoebe Fernandes and loans officer Amy Haines

Live music and a big picnic at Fordingbridge Coronation event

FORDINGBRIDGE Events

Group and Fordingbridge Town Council have announced the full line-up for the Coronation Big Picnic event, which will take place on the 7 May from 2:30pm to 10pm.

The event will be a double celebration for the King’s Coronation and also to mark the 100th anniversary of the town’s Recreation Ground.

The picnic will be free to attend, with free event parking managed by Fordingbridge Rotary Club. New Forest District Council has confirmed that free parking will be available in the town’s car parks during the event

The family event has been jointly organised by the Fordingbridge Events Group volunteers and members of the town council. What’s on?

A ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Recreation Ground will take place at 2:30pm with the help of the town cryer. From 3pm, the picnic will take place on Fordingbridge Recreation Ground.

Entertainment including fairground rides, slides and bouncy castles. Live music will be performed throughout the day:

Timetable (all times PM)

● 2:30 – Re-dedication of the Recreation Ground

● 3:00 – Food and drink available

● 3:00 – DJ Bull as Event DJ / The Tennessee Two / Eliza Hope

● 3-6 – Non-Stop Kids entertainment – three shows and balloon modelling around the recreation ground in between shows

● 6:00 – Lighting of the town

Coronation concert in Sixpenny Handley

ON the evening of Tuesday, 2nd May, at 7.30pm, Simply Cecilia and Friends, a professional group of singers, will take us ‘Around the World in 80 Minutes’, with music from a number of Commonwealth countries and others from across the globe.

Their repertoire is drawn from across a variety of musical genres, including folk songs, light opera, traditional, popular, and more.

St Mary’s Church in Sixpenny Handley provides the best acoustics in town – and the setting provides the perfect venue for Simply Cecilia’s itinerant style of performance; don’t expect them to stand still for too long.

Knowing that there will be visitors coming to the church, and the nature of the musical

event, the village’s flower arrangers immediately took to the global theme. Each floral display will represent a country visited in song during the evening. Some displays will also reflect the King’s passion for nature and the environment.

So while you are having a glass of wine and nibbles, before and after the concert, you might like to look around the church and identify each display with a country.

The floral displays on display throughout coronation week.

All proceeds will go towards St Mary’s Church Fabric Fund.

Tickets are £7.50, children (under 16), £4.00. They can be bought from the high street butchers, W S Clarke & Sons, or from Maureen Lockyer (01725 552492). They will also be available to buy on the door.

beacon

● 6:15 – Stoney Cross Live Band – with special guest

Terry Nash as Meatloaf

Food and drink will be available on site, including a hog roast, but everyone is welcome to bring picnics and drinks to join

in the fun.

Note: portable BBQs and open fires are not permitted.

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/ FordingbridgeEventsGroup/at fordingbridgeevents.com

Choral society joins forces to support BBC Singers

Members of Fordingbridge Choral Society took time out from their rehearsal recently to join with nearly 100 choirs from around the UK, Canada, USA and south east Asia to create a montage on social media in support of the BBC Singers.

The Singers have been face with the threat of closure after 99 years of performing and broadcasting, something that would be immensely detrimental to choral music.

Their efforts have recently led to a reappraisal of the decision by the BBC. Two million or more people in the UK sing in some form of choir each week and the BBC Singers are a beacon of excellence and inspiration to choirs everywhere.

Fordingbridge Choral Society perform regularly in the town and the local district.

On 1 April, the society held its ‘Come and Sing Workshop’, which was open to anyone interested in trying out singing for the first time, or for those more experienced.

There were over 25 guests attending and it was a very enjoyable and rewarding afternoon. The next event is the mid-summer concert on 10 June. All details can be found at www.fordingbridgechoral.org.

Watch a Save the BBC Singers video here – youtube. com/@savethebbcsingers

The Recreation Ground will be re-dedicated before hosting Fordingbridge’s coronation festivities

Credit: Google

Nursing home takes a blindfold water challenge to raise funds for foodbank

ASHLEY Grange Nursing

Home in Downton wanted to support the great work of the Downton Baptist Church who run the Larder, which provides food for free to our local community and the overstretched foodbank.

Always up for a bit of fun, the team picked the blindfold backwards water challenge.

In short, this entails sitting blindfolded with a bucket on your lap and then passing four litres of water over your head into the bucket behind you.

The team with the most water at the end wins. What could go wrong!

On 17 April, the Home welcomed a local community team made up of members of the Downton Baptist Church, staff from the Salisbury

Foodbank and a representative from the Downton Co-Op. The other team consisted of staff from Ashley Grange.

After four rounds, the score was tied at two wins apiece, resulting in a tie-break challenge. The community team was duly crowned outright winners – a trophy will be engraved and presented.

An additional team from Hartford Care, the group Ashley Grange is part of, also took the challenge and had a great time.

“Over the next few weeks and months, we hope that more people will feel this is a worthy reason to have fun and to take the challenge themselves,” said Steve Hinsley, from Hartford Care’s central team.

“Both the Downton schools are looking into how they can

take the challenge once they have settled into the new term. Fun and fundraising were the main aim, and as everyone

departed with smiles and laughter, they asked several times what the next challenge would be… watch this space.”

FASHIONS & LINGERIE

Walking must be the priority if we are to be a healthier, greener society

OUR future councillors need to prioritise improving our streets in their upcoming term to help people choose cleaner and healthier ways to travel.

The benefits of people walking more are plentiful, from increased physical activity and better health to reduced congestion and cleaner air.

Ahead of local elections and National Walking Month this May, walking charity Living Streets has set out seven steps to create better places for walking in its ‘Blueprint for Change’. Steps include maintaining pavements, improving pedestrian crossings and investing in public transport.

You can read more about this at livingstreets.org.uk/blueprint.

All these measures can make walking a safer and more attractive option and help bring our communities and streets to life.

It’s time to give walking the priority it deserves.

DAWN DAWSET Salisbury

‘How many is enough on homes?’

WHEN is enough, enough?

Housing seems to be out of control in local areas. Every way you turn, there is another estate or another field pulled up. Who are all these people that need these houses, I hear asked.

A lot of us in the local areas have moved, or lived here, because we enjoy the small towns and villages. But these towns and villages are now under threat.

Our schools are packed, no one can get appointments at their doctor’s and our roads have now come to a standstill in many towns.

The infrastructure simply was not built for this.

Picture of the week

The developers take options on land around every town, and the landowners have been just as greedy, knowing they will gain a great deal of money by doing this. Surely the landowners are also responsible, selling to the highest bidder but having no interest in conservation of the local area?

Developers greedily build inside the planning lines and outside them. They know no council can stand in their way – what they want, they will get. After which, these developers walk away with full pockets, leaving the council to sort the failing infrastructure, which undoubtedly means higher council tax.

I am unsure on the point of councils these days. If they refuse a planning application, the developers move up the chain until they get the ‘yes’

they want. So why bother having them if they have no power to protect their villages and towns?

So the question to everyone remains, when is enough, enough? Answers on a postcard please.

I know we are British and though we complain to each other, we rarely do anything about it, but at some point we must say, ‘Stop, let us decide how many new homes we want each year in our communities’.

Or could communities buy the land with councils, to protect it, or develop it as we see fit?

Maybe the Blackmore Vale could ask our MPs and councillors how much housing is enough.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

We are lucky to have so many local societies

READING through the pages of the Gazette, I am delighted to see so many local societies on offer in our area.

From history to the arts, from health and well-being to technology and sports.

While we are blessed in this respect, I wonder if the young people in our area are well enough catered for?

I guess there are plenty of sports clubs around to keep our younger generations fit, healthy and occupied, but what of other ventures?

I recall a younger member of our wider family talking of board game clubs, which do sound fun, though I guess not everyone’s cup of tea!

NAME SUPPLIED

This picture of Myles Place, near Salisbury Cathedral, a location for the recent BBC adaptation of Great Expectations, was sent in by reader, Emma Clarke-Smith

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Having a fireplace in your home provides an amazing source of natural heat as well as being a great source of natural light. A fireplace can also transform a room by becoming the focal point and accenting the surrounding décor.

Whether you are looking to buy a new home, building or renovating, an addition of a fireplace is often considered. There are many different options, firewood, natural gas, propane, wood pellets, coal, or electricity are all options.

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Outdoor canopy and awning products provide you with shade and comfort as well as reducing the likelihood of sun damage on your furniture and interior spaces. At Shutters & Blinds, our range of canopies and awnings are ideal for helping you to create a comfortable, shaded area of garden or patio to relax, entertain, dine and enjoy the weather. Our products feature:

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Horatio’s Garden to host Chelsea Flower Show plant sale at Longford Castle

Longford Castle and the surrounding Longford Estate, home to patron of Horatio’s Garden, The Countess of Radnor and her family, who have supported Horatio’s Garden since 2012

THE landmark Longford Estate will host a special Horatio’s Garden plant sale featuring perennials from the charity’s prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden on Sunday, June 4 from 10am to 2pm.

Stunning and rare large perennials, including contemporary favourites, such as geums, sanguisorba, rodgersia, baptisia, irises and lilies, as well as unusual species of aquilegia, ranunculus, and thalictrum will be available.

Grass species will also be for sale, alongside unusual hydrangeas and roses. All the plants have been grown in the UK especially for Horatio’s Garden Chelsea and hand-picked by the garden’s award-winning designers Harris Bugg Studio,

Everything will be available to purchase on a first-come, first-served basis. All profits will support Horatio’s Garden, helping the charity to continue nurturing the well-being of people after spinal injury.

Light refreshments, artisan crafts handmade by the charity’s volunteers and a full collection of the charity’s bespoke merchandise will also be on sale.

The array of plants will all have featured within the charity’s show garden Horatio’s Garden Chelsea at the world-leading flower

show, designed by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg from Harris Bugg Studio and funded by Project Giving Back.

The garden will then move to its permanent home at The Princess Royal Spinal Injuries Centre at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, becoming the eighth beautiful sanctuary created by the charity which nurtures the well-being of people after spinal injury. All proceeds from the sale will be reinvested to re-purchase the plants when Horatio’s Garden Sheffield & East is created in 2024.

Although the formal gardens will not be open, visitors will have the unique opportunity to enjoy the stunning grounds of the Longford Estate, the private ancestral seat of the Radnor family for over 300 years. The estate is currently home to patron of Horatio’s Garden, The Countess of Radnor and her family, who have supported the charity since 2012.

The Countess of Radnor said: “Horatio’s Garden charity continues to grow and to offer support in many areas to patients with spinal cord injuries. It is such a huge privilege to be Patron of such an inspiring charity. Long may the gardens grow and all that they have to offer.”

The plant sale will be the perfect

opportunity for people across Salisbury, Wiltshire and the south west to celebrate with Horatio’s Garden in their most exciting year to date. Featuring so many unique plants, everyone attending will have the chance to take home a living memento of the charity’s RHS Chelsea appearance – one that will simultaneously plant hope for people facing life-changing injuries and long stays in hospital.

Horatio’s Garden South West was created by six-time RHS Chelsea gold medal winning landscape designer Cleve West at Salisbury District Hospital in 2012. Since then, Horatio’s Garden has opened a further six gardens across the UK. The charity’s seventh garden is currently being built in Northern Ireland, with an eighth in development for Sheffield. The charity’s vision is to sustainably grow thriving communities and biodiverse gardens in all 11 NHS spinal injury centres in the UK Admission is £5 per person on entry (parking included).

Please note that the formal gardens at Longford Castle will not be open for this event.

To find out more about the event, visit www. horatiosgarden.org.uk/longfordplantsale

Birds can once again be allowed out amid falling bird flu levels

A REDUCTION in bird flu levels means poultry and other captive birds will no longer need to be housed and can be kept outside, unless they are in a Protection Zone.

The decision also means that from 18 April, eggs laid by hens with access to outside range areas can return to being marketed as ‘Free-Range’ eggs.

The enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will remain in force, however, as infection may still be circulating in the environment for several more weeks.

Dr Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s chief veterinary officer, said: “While the lifting of the

mandatory housing measures will be welcome news to bird keepers, scrupulous biosecurity remains the most critical form of defence to help keep your birds safe.

“It is thanks to the hard work of all bird keepers and vets who have played their part in keeping flocks safe this winter that we are in a position to take this action.

“However, the unprecedented nature of this outbreak has proven it’s more important than ever for bird keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease and maintain stringent standards of biosecurity.

“Those who intend to allow their birds outside are advised to use the upcoming days to prepare their outside areas for

the release of their birds. This will include cleansing and disinfection of hard surfaces,

fencing off ponds or standing water and reintroduction of wild bird deterrents.”

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Wild Isles locations revealed as spectacular new series explores British wildlife

VIEWERS of the BBC’s latest wildlife series, Wild Isles, will have marvelled at the footage of hobbies hunting dragonflies over Langford Lakes on Sunday, 2nd April.

The episode focused on freshwater habitats and the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve in south Wiltshire was shown at its best. It was the second Trust reserve to feature in the series, which is presented by Sir David Attenborough, following Clattinger Farm at the Lower Moor Farm nature reserve appearing in the opening episode.

Gary Mantle, chief executive of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We are delighted that two of our fabulous nature reserves, Clattinger Farm and Langford Lakes, have been showcased in the BBC’s Wild Isles series. They are two of the finest examples of our county’s wild places, offering people the chance to have some unique

experiences in nature.

“The Trust manages 43 nature reserves spread across Wiltshire and Swindon. They represent some of the finest examples of wildlife habitat to be found in Britain, where people can directly experience our rich natural world.

“We hope this series will

inspire people to value and take action for nature at a time when the diversity and abundance of wildlife is in decline.

“Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and its supporters are working tirelessly to protect and restore our county’s precious wild places. We aim to double the

land we manage for nature in Wiltshire by 2030, so that future generations can grow up able to enjoy more wildlife spectacles such as those captured in the series, like the hobbies soaring over Langford Lakes as they hunt dragonflies.”

Langford Lakes is an excellent place to see birds, all year round. In spring, it’s possible to catch sight of the famous courtship ritual of great-crested grebes as they dance and shake their heads at each other.

Reed warbler, waders and terns drop in on their summer migration, and as winter advances, shoveler and wigeon join the other ducks present all year round. White-tailed eagles can sometimes be seen and otters are regular visitors at this Wiltshire Wildlife Trust haven.

The BBC series, Wild Isles, presented by Sir David Attenborough, is available on BBC iPlayer.

Hobby flying over Langford Lakes

English Heritage partners with Plantlife to create 100 meadow sites

TO celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, English Heritage will partner with Salisbury’s Plantlife to enhance and create one hundred meadows at its castles and abbeys, prehistoric stone circles and palaces.

From Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain to the Jewel Tower right in the heart of Westminster, over the course of the next decade, the charity will create a natural legacy at its historic sites – establishing flower-rich grasslands right across England, restoring those that have been lost and enhancing those that already exist.

In the local area, both Stonehenge and Old Sarum have been selected for meadow sites.

Since the 1930s and the advent of post-war modern farming practices, the UK has lost 97% of its meadows. Prior to this, much of England’s grassland – from meadows, road verges and lawns – would have been home to a much more diverse flora than exists today.

While the English Heritage estate is relatively unusual in not having been subject to changing agricultural policy, the grassland surrounding its historic monuments has become ‘municipalised’ over the past century; diminishing the botanical diversity enjoyed by earlier generations.

There is an abundance of sites where – with the right management – meadows (both big and small) can be created and flourish. The creation and enhancement of wildflower-rich grasslands across England will not only benefit nature, but healthy grasslands are proven to tackle pollution and permanently lock away atmospheric carbon below ground.

As well as the benefits to the

environment, for visitors to the sites, it is hoped that the grasslands will evoke a sense of the experiences the historic occupants of those sites would have had.

Kate Mavor, English Heritage’s chief executive, said: “The King’s coronation is a significant moment in history and we wanted to mark it in a meaningful way, in a way that combines two of His Majesty’s passions – nature and heritage. We’re creating more natural spaces at the heart of our historic properties, ensuring that wildflowers and wildlife can flourish there once again, and helping our visitors to step back into history and experience something with which the sites’ historic occupants would have been familiar.

“In a decade’s time, our coronation pledge will be an inspiring legacy of established, restored and new meadows at 100 of our historic sites – big and small – right across England. We hope that it will encourage local communities to get involved and help transform their local heritage sites into flower-rich meadows, which, in turn, will improve the quality and diversity of other grassland in the local area.”

English Heritage is partnering with Plantlife –Europe’s largest charity dedicated to saving wild plants and fungi – on this initiative. Plantlife will support English Heritage by providing resources and expertise, skills development training and knowledge exchange opportunities as the project progresses.

A key component of the initiative is to involve and engage with local communities around each of our meadow sites. Working with wildlife groups and volunteers local to each site, English Heritage will source seed from existing

meadows in the area to ensure the reintroduction of viable, local species of wildflower to each site.

The range and diversity of the charity’s sites, on different soils and geology, will enable this national programme to enhance a unique range of landscapes – from damp acid grasslands to dry chalk grasslands with shallow soils –thus enhancing local character and biodiversity. This will not only benefit local wildlife but also provide a more authentic historic experience for visitors.

Ian Dunn, Plantlife’s chief executive, said: “Plantlife is delighted to be working with English Heritage on meadow

creation. This new and exciting partnership offers a lifeline to a hundred key grassland sites and their associated wildlife, and focuses on a chapter of English natural history lost and all but forgotten.

“Together, we look forward to a future where England’s best historic sites boast the highest quality grasslands, supporting a myriad of diverse meadow plants and wildlife. With so many of our grassland wild plant species facing severe risks, this insightful initiative is unquestionably a step in the right direction.”

Field

Stream

Craftastic fairies for all occasions

VICKY Romain is the founder of Craftastic by Yixie based in Salisbury, prides herself on creating fairies to spread joy, hope, and strength.

Rafiki brings multi-use studios to Salisbury centre

Words by Tristan Ovington

THE RESIDENTS of Salisbury have something new to look forward to as Rafiki Studios will be Salisbury’s only multi-use double-studio space in the town centre.

Ilona Burns, the owner of Yoga Stuff yoga supplies shop in The Maltings, gave us the details on her new venue.

“I started making my needle-felt fairies by hand during the lockdown,” explains Vicky, “but I officially launched it as a business on 29 March. Now they are on Etsy and at the Stuff Emporium shop on Winchester Street.

“Eventually, I want to expand to offer cards and other items. There is a lot of scope, as the fairies represent different elements. One is called Elementis, which represents water, earth, air and fire. She comes with her own story, and her hair is made of merino wool.

“Each fairy is unique. They all have different sizes, face shapes and appearances, each comes with a personalised story.

“They make great gifts for people in hospitals. I will be doing custom fairies soon to reach people’s specific needs and inspire comfort and love between family and friends going through challenging experiences.

“They can mean different things to different people, bringing people a message of hope.

“I made a fairy for my friend once. I personalised it with a story relevant to her mother’s passing, which put a smile on her face at a very difficult time.”

Vicky advises people to contact her with any special requests on 07892861588, craftasticvicky@ yahoo.com

“The spaces are accessible and large enough to host various classes, workshops and talks. They will be available for hire for anyone interested in using the spaces for regular classes, one-offs, and everything in between. I will teach yoga classes and run regular sound baths in Studio 1.”

The venue is not just about yoga. “The studios are not just about one discipline,” continues Ilona. “It’s about creating a community-building space where people can explore something new, talk to likeminded people, and know that they are in a safe, nonjudgemental space.

“From a teacher’s perspective, the studios offer a purpose-built space designed to cater to many well-being practices. And it’s not a draughty village hall.”

Rafiki Studios is in Priory

Square, central Salisbury –where the old party shop, Party Seasons, used to be. Sandwiched between The Maltings and The Playhouse.

“Easy access was paramount when looking for the perfect venue for our studios. Not everyone drives, so having a space outside the city centre wouldn’t have made sense.

“In the same breath, having the central car park a few paces away makes life so much easier for those driving in from outside the city.

“Being based in Salisbury, we have a wonderful group of independent businesses supporting each other.

“We’re also blessed to have an excellent well-being community of all kinds, so we’d like to bring them all together.”

Studio 1 will be available to hire from the beginning of May, with an early booking promotion.

If you’re interested in having a look around, drop them a line at: rafikistudiossalisbury@ gmail.com

Bonallack & Bishop appoints experienced solicitor

SALISBURY law firm, Bonallack & Bishop, has welcomed highly experienced solicitor Elizabeth Webbe to its team.

She joins the firm with 30 years experience in tax planning, wills, trusts and family wealth succession planning and is a member of STEP – the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

Elizabeth had previously spent 18 years at Trethowans as a partner in the company’s Private Client team.

Senior partner Tim Bishop commented: “It’s really exciting to welcome Elizabeth on board. She is an exceptionally good and highly experienced very senior solicitor and is simply an enormous asset.

“And I believe that the fact

she’s chosen to join us is a reflection of how the firm has grown in recent years.

“Elizabeth’s experience in advising individuals and business owners with regard to tax and estate planning hugely strengthens the services we offer our clients.

“Her recruitment is a real boost to our continued growth plans.”

Bring back the ‘bobby on the beat’

STROLLING through the Market Square last week (6 April), it was a pleasant surprise to see a police officer on duty in the city centre. Following reported incidents of anti-social behaviour and drinking near the library, PC Catterick had taken to the streets to resolve the problem.

Whatever the problem might have been, PC Catterick appeared to have everything reassuringly under control. Wiltshire Police said that combating this type of behaviour is a “force priority” to promote safer public places, and many people were pleased to see ‘a bobby on the beat’.

This week, a very different story emerged in the Salisbury Journal online on the same topic prompted by a rant by an outraged Cllr Hocking. Concerned by an “…increase in rough sleepers in the Culver Street and Central Car Parks…” as well as “… street drinking and anti-social behaviour…”

He added: “… I am sure we will hear the usual bleating… Waagh Waagh, It’s the Tories, it’s the Tories… but it’s frankly high time the Leaders of this City started to take responsibility for their actions and do something about those issues which had

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

been dealt with for years, but through their own deliberate interventions are now returning to haunt us all…”

This view does not take into account the bigger picture and is not consistent with the view of the Wiltshire Council Conservative administration on tackling anti-social behaviour.

In July 2022, Wiltshire Police commissioner, Paul Wilkinson, presented a more enlightened view of the situation and indicated the police force had a key role to play. He said: “… I am very aware of the incidents that have been happening in Salisbury and inspector Tina Osborn, who is head of the community policing team, is

on the case. I have asked her to give priority to solving it…”

Mr Wilkinson stated: “You can’t say there is a general rise…” in ASB across the board, hot spots suddenly form as more crimes ‘flair up’. This could be because of “all sorts of social and underlying economic reasons.”

His approach aims to address the methods police have been using previously. He said: “ …Traditionally, the police are trying to figure out who to talk to. The job of my office is to facilitate police action and deliver a multi-agency approach…”

He also acknowledges there is still a need for a police station in Salisbury, like many other cities who lost theirs during widespread government cuts to the force.

Last month, the prime minister said that a £160 million plan will “stamp out” anti-social behaviour “once and for all” as he pledged more police patrols and swifter punishments for those blighting communities.

This is another government ‘sticking plaster’ solution for a national issue. Clearly, a parish council has an obligation to work with the police, but has neither the capacity nor the budget to take the lead responsibility.

‘Police struggling, outlook not good’

LAST weekend, I spent a day at Great Ormond Street Hospital talking about stalking with their Young People’s Forum.

For those of you who don’t know, I work for a leading national stalking charity, the Alice Riggles Trust.

It was a hugely insightful day. We discussed at length what it might feel like to be stalked, the importance of talking about what you are going through, and how to report any incidence of stalking to the police.

I also asked participants to critique a new webpage I am building on reporting crimes and they did not hold back!

Some comments were unsettling though, especially when they touched on these young people’s lack of trust in the criminal justice system, such as whether they would be taken seriously by police or if anything would actually come from reporting a crime.

Unfortunately, I was not really able to reassure them.

Data from the House of Commons Library showed that between January and September last year, 10,147 investigations

Victoria Charleston Lib Dems Parliamentary Spokesperson for Salisbury

into reported crimes in Wiltshire were closed by the police without a suspect identified.

This is equivalent to 37 crimes going unsolved every day.

In 2022, 439 reported burglaries in Wiltshire went entirely unattended at all.

Meanwhile, only 2,043 or 6% of all crimes reported in Wiltshire resulted in a charge or summons - meaning hundreds of criminals are let off the hook as victims are denied justice.

A great number of our officers work

incredibly hard to serve our residents. But they are stretched, under-funded, and mismanaged.

Unfortunately, the outlook isn’t promising, as the Conservative government is set to miss its target of recruiting 20,000 more police officers by the end of next month. Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) numbers have also dwindled under the Conservative’s watch, falling by an average of 33% in England and Wales since 2015.

In Wiltshire, this is all against the backdrop of the force being graded as inadequate in areas including how the force responds to the public, how it protects vulnerable people and strategic planning and value for money less than a year ago.

We need a reset on policing and a return to community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and have the time to focus on preventing and solving crimes.

I hope next time I am invited to Great Ormond Street, young people can have a more positive outlook on policing.

Cllr

Government plan will ensure fairness across pig sector supply chain

Regulation for written contracts will provide fairness and certainty for the sector

THE GOVERNMENT has provided a boost to the UK’s pig sector by committing to regulate pig contracts to support the supply chain and provide greater certainty across the whole sector.

These new regulations will help to bring stability and security to the pig supply chain, strengthening the sector’s ability to deal with the challenges currently being faced around the world, such as rising costs and labour shortages caused by global pressures.

The move follows a public consultation, which received nearly 400 responses from producers, processors and others in the supply chain.

It revealed popular sentiment in the sector that legally required written contracts would remove uncertainty and ambiguity, with the majority of respondents supporting the government’s approach to implement this through legislation.

Farming minister, Mark Spencer, said: “The pig sector has faced unprecedented challenges over the last year, with rising costs and global labour shortages putting real pressure on producers and processors.

“We are committed to working with the sector, and the regulations set to be introduced will ensure fairness and transparency across the supply chain – from pig to pork to plate – to help the sector to thrive in the future.”

The regulations will be developed according to section 29 of the Agriculture Act 2020, with further engagement with the industry scheduled to ensure that they meet the needs of the sector and properly address the challenges the sector faces.

As well as regulation on written contracts, the government will develop regulations to collect and share more supply chain data, particularly in relation to wholesale price transparency and national slaughter numbers.

Increasing the availability of this sort of data within the supply chain will help market reporting services be more reflective of the entire UK

market, and will therefore help to further reduce ambiguity for all within the supply chain.

The consultation also revealed pig producers’ concerns about market consolidation in the processing sector, and the impact this has had on producers. In response to this, the government has committed to share the consultation’s findings with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

As well as regulation on written contracts, the government will develop regulations to collect and share more supply chain data Credit: Calum Hill/Unsplash

Farming

Livestock haulier guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to calves

A LIVESTOCK haulier who transported 35 calves from a Dorset farm to a slaughterhouse in Wiltshire has been found guilty of causing them unnecessary suffering.

John Edward Pritchard, of Shaftesbury, Dorset, appeared before Weymouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday (April 5) for sentencing having previously pleaded guilty to two charges under the Animal Health Act 1981.

The prosecution was brought by Dorset Council following an investigation by their Trading Standards team.

The court heard that on November 3, 2021, Pritchard collected a group of calves from a farm near Sherborne in his doubledecked livestock trailer.

The trailer was designed to carry sheep when both decks were in use, due to insufficient headroom on the lower deck for calves to stand.

However, Pritchard transported the calves on a two-hour journey to a slaughterhouse in Wiltshire.

When he arrived, the calves were unloaded by a member of staff who immediately noticed the calves on the lower deck had injuries on their backs where they had bumped against the roof supports of the upper deck during the journey.

Some of these injuries were up to 10cm long and an examination of the carcasses after slaughter revealed deep bruising.

The official vet at the slaughterhouse examined the calves and concluded they had been caused unnecessary suffering.

CCTV footage of the calves being

unloaded was shown to the court and this also revealed that the ramp angle for the upper deck was far too steep for calves to safely walk down. The maximum permitted

angle for such a ramp is 20 degrees, but Pritchard’s was over 40 degrees. As a result, the CCTV footage showed the calves stumbling and falling down the ramp.

The court heard that to transport the calves safely and legally, Pritchard should have only used the lower deck on the trailer with the upper deck folded away.

This would have meant doing two journeys to the slaughterhouse but instead it was deemed that he decided to put profit before animal welfare.

Pritchard was given an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £6,495 plus a £22 court surcharge - a total of £6,517.

Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for culture, communities and customer services, said: “Our Trading Standards team work with all people involved in the livestock industry to ensure the welfare of the animals in their care is their priority.

“Where basic welfare standards are compromised, formal action can and does follow.

“All livestock transporters have a clear responsibility to ensure that whilst the animals are in their care they are protected from harm. Where there is evidence of unnecessary suffering we will intervene and consider formal enforcement action.”

For health and welfare advice on keeping and transporting farmed animals or to report an animal welfare problem in Dorset, residents can call the Trading Standards animal health line on 01305 224475.

Rural communities to benefit from funding support

COMMUNITIES across rural England are set to benefit from an extra £110 million in local authority funding to support rural business and community groups.

Eligible local authorities will receive the funding, which they can invest in initiatives such as farm diversification, projects to boost rural tourism, and community infrastructure projects, including electric vehicle charging stations.

The funding will also help people start up local businesses

to supercharge growth and create employment opportunities for rural areas.

The confirmed allocations are spread right across the country. Dorset and Wiltshire each receive more than £2 million, while New Forest will receive over £500,000, over a two-year period.

The Rural England Prosperity Fund is a rural top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which is £2.6 billion of new funding for local investment to support

levelling up across the UK. It marks a change from previous bureaucratic and fragmented EU funds, allowing England to take back control of its own growth investment and giving local leaders a greater say in where funding is best spent.

Environment secretary, Thérèse Coffey, said: “Driving investment in rural areas is a vital part of our vision for levelling up the country. The new Rural Prosperity Fund replaces the bureaucratic EU funding system – allowing us to

work closely with local leaders to direct funding where it is most needed to close the rural productivity gap, create job opportunities and protect the English countryside.

“This confirmed spending will allow local authorities to deliver on their plans to level up businesses and communities in rural areas from today, in line with their residents’ priorities.”

The money will be spent on two key areas: projects to improve community facilities; and supporting local business.

Top: CCTV images showed calves struggling Picture Dorset Council Above: The court was told the calves suffered injuries during the journey Picture Dorset Council

Chamber choir’s new director recalls first solo sung at Cathedral

As reported in the last issue, the Salisbury Cathedral Chamber Choir has a new director – Dr Elizabeth Stratford. Elizabeth, who is the first woman to take on this prestigious role, shares her thoughts on the appointment with Katrina ffiske.

THE CHOIR is the Cathedral’s mixed-voice adult choir and is formed of singers who work and live around Salisbury.

Elizabeth will be working a few days a month in Salisbury. “I am honoured to have this position,” said Elizabeth. “And I am thrilled to be back here as I actually came here when I was only 15 years-old. I won a scholarship through a charity to attend a choral course. It was such an inspirational time, studying among this majestic architecture, and being surrounded by such a high standard of music.

“My first solo was sung here, so it really does feel that this is my spiritual home and some of my firmest friendships were made on that course and others which followed. It is a very special place for me.”

Although love of music was in Elizabeth’s family, her talents were not discovered until quite late. “I did play the flute when I was 10-years-old but we did not have the money for lessons. My

Special event brings religious communitiies together

THE DEAN of Salisbury, the Very Reverend Nicholas Papadopulos, will give the address at a ceremony to mark a tragic event in the Middle East.

Christians, Muslims and Jews will gather to remember the Palestinian catastrophe – known as the Nakba – at the Friends

Mum was a single parent and really quite poor with no extra money for out-of-school classes. My aunt played the church organ and mum had sung in her parish church choir as a child, they were both an inspiration to me.

“I began studying voice and piano aged 17, but it wasn’t until I played the organ at university that I knew I had found my true vocation.”

Elizabeth obtained her Bachelor of Music from the

Meeting House, Salisbury, on the evening of Monday, May 15.

That is the date when Palestinians all over the world mark the time when they were driven from their homes, never to return.

A noted Jewish activist will take part alongside Muslims and Christians from Palestine.

Canon Jonathan Herbert, from Hilfield Friary in Dorset, who will lead the service said it was important to remember the Nakba. “Three quarters of the population of Palestine left their

University of Huddersfield. After graduating with honours she undertook postgraduate studies in the form of a Master of Arts in Liturgy and Music at the University of Leeds, specialising in organ performance, choir training and composition.

The role of director will continue alongside Elizabeth’s position as organist and master of the choristers at Arundel Cathedral where she was appointed aged 23.

“I went to the interview

homes during the fighting when the State of Israel was set up in 1948,” he said.

“But that was not the end of the story– the Nakba continues to this day. The descendants of those who did not leave are suffering under a brutal military occupation where every aspect of their lives is strictly controlled.

“Homes are routinely demolished to make way for illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, soldiers burst into houses in the middle of the night to kidnap children who are

thinking that I would not have a chance of being offered the job,” Elizabeth said. “I was to work with so many older, more established people so it was such a surprise and honour when I was offered the position. Some of the members turned to me and commented that I was young enough to be their granddaughter but still put their trust in me.”

Elizabeth went on to take the Arundel choir participating in Children in Need and Songs of Praise as well as the BBC’s live broadcast of Midnight Mass as well as tours, recordings, concerts and more.

Would you like to join the chamber choir?

The first task for Elizabeth is to work with the current members of the choir and put in place an audition system for potential new members.

“We aim to have about 20 people singing at each event so there may be a need for a waiting list to be created. This choir clearly has a strong sense of community, a family of musicians who look out for each other. It is enormous fun and the choir is highly regarded. There is no fee to join.

If you would like to know more, please contact Catherine Mitchell: c.mitchell@salcath. co.uk

alleged to have thrown stones.

“The youngsters are often kept in solitary confinement and made to sign confessions in Hebrew – a language they don’t understand. Farmers have to get a permit to access their own land – and the permits are frequently refused.

“I bore witness to all this and more when I served as a human rights’ monitor in Palestine.”

The event begins at 7.30pm and will be followed by a chance to reflect and chat over Palestinian food.

Dog owners urged to spot symptoms of parvovirus following outbreak

DOG owners are being asked to keep a close eye on their dogs after an outbreak of parvovirus in Essex.

Although there are currently no known cases in the local area, PDSA, the vets charity for pets in need, wants all dog owners to be aware of the symptoms of the potentially fatal illness.

Parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that damages the lining of the guts and attacks cells in the bone marrow that help to fight infections, effectively weakening the immune system. It can lead to severe diarrhoea and vomiting, and in some cases, death.

The virus is shed in the faeces of infected dogs. This occurs three to four days after they have been infected and for a couple of weeks after any symptoms clear up.

The virus, however, can remain in the environment for many months, which means it is easy for other dogs to become infected and can be transported from the place it was first shed

to pretty much anywhere.

According to PDSA, symptoms include:

● Severe diarrhoea (foul smelling, watery and bloody)

● Vomiting

● Severely low energy (lethargy)

● A very high, or very low temperature

● Pale gums

● Abdominal (tummy) pain

● Reduced appetite. There is no cure for parvovirus, but vaccinations are available and should form part of your

dog’s health plan from when they are a puppy. Immunity does not last a lifetime, so regular vaccinations will be needed.

These will not always prevent a dog catching the virus but will reduce the severity of the symptoms.

This means that unvaccinated dogs are particularly vulnerable to the virus, as are puppies yet to be vaccinated.

If you believe your dog is showing signs of having contracted parvovirus you should contact your vet immediately.

You must tell them that you think it is parvovirus so that measures can be taken to prevent the virus spreading to other dogs.

The sooner you take your dog to a vet, the better its chances of survival.

Treatment might include a fluid drip, antibiotics, cleaning and feeding. After care is also important to ensure your dog does not get reinfected and to build up its immune system.

Vaccination can significantly reduce any illness resulting from exposure to parvovirus

Credit: Freepik

Sale of memoirs to give something back to those who helped author

LOCAL author Sue Devereux always wanted to give something back to Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust after the excellent care she received there throughout her life.

Following her previous experiences authoring academic and self-help literature, she realised that her light-hearted memoir, ‘Looking on the Bright Side: A Vet’s Tale’ was the way to generate funds for Salisbury Hospital through the Stars Appeal.

“It all began in October 2009 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” explains Sue. “Writing about my experiences was a way of coping and finding strength. The first half of the book is about my experience of becoming a vet and my passion for the job, with some sad, touching and funny stories along the way.

“The second half is about what it was like being diagnosed with cancer while working as a vet and being a single mum of two teenage children.”

Sue believes that she couldn’t have written this or her previous books without help and encouragement from friends and family.

“When I wrote a previous book about horse care for horse owners, my friend Liz Morrison made sure the book was accessible for horse owners.

“And when I showed the first draft of ‘Looking on the Bright Side’ to my son he wrote a note saying, ‘It’s really good, mum. Go for it!’ and I didn’t ask anyone else for feedback because his words gave me enough encouragement to know I could be

successful.”

Sue’s memoir touched more hearts than she expected. “In the book, I mentioned that I loved yellow roses.

“One day I noticed a lady in my garden walking with a big bouquet of yellow roses and when I came out to speak to her she gave me the flowers and told me that my book really helped her get through her breast cancer treatment. I was really surprised and touched.”

I started veterinary training in 1978 at Bristol Vet School and it was my love of animals and desire to help them when they are ill or in pain that motivated me.

“Working in healthcare, whether for animals or people, is challenging, and I hope that my book will help them to see the challenges of people who work in caring professions.

“All the profits from ‘Looking on the Bright Side’ go to Stars Appeal, to make a real difference to patients in Salisbury Hospital.”

Looking on the Bright Side: A Vet’s Tale is available on Amazon or signed copies from: equineacupuncture.co.uk/book.html

Cinderella star wins prestigious pantomime award

JASMINE Triadi has won the Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Lead at the UK Pantomime Awards 2023 for her performance in the titular role in Cinderella at Salisbury Playhouse.

James Button was also nominated for his costume design in this production.

Jasmine took her place among a number of theatre luminaries, with Su Pollard and Ian McKellen also picking up awards at the ceremony which took place on 11 April at Trafalgar Theatre, London.

Artistic director of Wilshire Creative, Gareth Machin said: “We are thrilled that Jasmine’s wonderful performance has been recognised at the UK Pantomime Awards. As a producing theatre, it is hugely

acknowledgement as we begin preparations for this year’s panto.

“Dick Whittington is one of the great panto stories and, penned by the same writers as Cinderella, promises to be a spectacular, fresh and sparkly production full of music, dance and laughter.”

Wiltshire Creative’s pantomimes are produced in-house, with sets designed and made by the workshop department on-site.

Tickets for Dick Whittington are already on sale. It runs from 25 November to 7 January, 2024.

Box office: 01722 320 333 / ticketsales@wiltshirecreative. co.uk

Sue wants to inspire others while raising funds for the charity that helped her when she was diagnosed with breast cancer

exciting to see our in-house productions garner this national

Jasmine Triadi performing in Cinderella earlier this year

Credit: The Other Richard

Fisherton Mill filled with colour for resident artist’s latest show

ANNMARIE Thomas has a studio at Fisherton Mill from where she runs regular painting workshops.

Colour plays a large part in her motivation to paint and since last exhibiting at the gallery in 2022 she has been experimenting with colour, looking for the beauty in unlikely combinations.

Ever passionate about mark making and continually inspired by nature, Annmarie reflects on this new collection of work as being ‘a joy to create’.

She has a background in architecture and construction and has spent, “what feels like a lifetime”, drawing straight lines; at first by hand and in later years on computer, so painting in an abstract way allows her to break free from constraints and to express her happier self.

Fisherton Mill is delighted to be hosting Annmarie’s latest collection of vibrant, abstract paintings created especially for the exhibition.

Her style is instantly recognisable and her work is much sought after.

Annmarie will be in the gallery for three consecutive Saturdays – 3, 10 and 17 June, from 11am to 4pm.

Visitors will be able to view a selection of her sketchbooks, find out more about the work on display and enquire about her painting workshops.

Simply Colour – a solo exhibition by AM Thomas Paintings runs from Saturday, 27th May until Saturday, 24th June 2023. Free admission

Opening hours: Monday-Friday, 10am to 5pm; Saturday, 9.30am to 5.30pm

www.fishertonmill.co.uk

Following the Wylye Valley Art Trail

EVER wondered what an artist looks like? Come and meet them all on the Wylye Valley Art Trail, which this year runs from Saturday, 29th April to Monday, 8th May.

The trail promises to deliver a wild and wonderful mix of arts and crafts shows all around the southwest corner of Wiltshire, from Westbury in the north down as far as Donhead St Andrew in the south.

Over 250 exhibitors –painters, sculptors, jewellery designers, furniture makers, you name it – will be strutting their stuff. Among those exhibiting you will find grizzled practitioners and fresh-faced graduates, all eager to talk about their art.

You can grab a free brochure from many of the shops, cafés, libraries, pubs in the area, which will equip you with all you need to know to be able to follow the Wylye Valley Art Trail.

Most of the venues are open daily from 10.30m to 5.30pm, unless stated otherwise in the brochure.

Last year, the volunteers of the trail were awarded the

Winterbourne players are dying for a leek

The Newbourne Players, based in the Winterbourne Valley, are staging the murder mystery play, Dying for a Leek, on the 12 and 13 May.

The Players, who were established in 1966, will be asking audiences to help solve the murder of a gardener at The Glebe Hall, Winterbourne Earls.

The mystery was written by Ian McCutcheon.

Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

For more information please contact info@wvat.co.uk or phone 07730 400784. www.wvat.co.uk

Early bird prices are £15 until 1 May, when they rise to £16. The price includes entry, a ploughman’s support and dessert. A raffle will be held and a bar will be open.

To purchase tickets, call: Yvonne on 07730 603 812 or Graham on 07311 333 252, email: thenewbourneplayers@ gmail.com.

Annmarie has an instantly recognisable style that is inspired by both nature and colour

Arrow words Wordsearch

Movie Stars

Crossword

AMY SCHUMER

ANGELINA JOLIE

CHARLIZE THERON

DANIEL CRAIG

GEORGE CLOONEY

HUGH JACKMAN

JAKE GYLLENHAAL

KEVIN HART

LIAM NEESON

MARK WAHLBERG

MELISSA MCCARTHY

NATALIE PORTMAN

ROBERT DOWNEY JR

SANDRA BULLOCK

TOM HANKS

Brain chain

www.poolelightingfactoryshop.com

Cryptic crossword

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)

Across

Across

1 Threatening look in lake behind flat-bottomed boat (5)

1 Threatening look in lake behind flat-bottomed boat (5)

4 Learned type beginning to hide amid discordant carols (7)

Down

2 Reason about treatment (5)

4 Learned type beginning to hide amid discordant carols (7)

3 Spring almost gets to arrive for reception

5 Strange inaction from seal (12)

9 New summary report round, say, at home (8)

6 Readily available – like some beer? (2,3)

10 Dupe kept back stolen goods (4)

9 New summary report round, say, at home (8)

10 Dupe kept back stolen goods (4)

11 Change concerning group of students (6)

7 Article by doyen misjudged as harmless

12 Hint merely with seconds to go (5)

11 Change concerning group of students (6)

12 Hint merely with seconds to go (5)

8 Information about element from a bin commuter ransacked (6,6)

13 Expert about mass provides perfect example (4)

15 Charm oddly in English river (3)

16 Tiny duke gets undesirable plant (4)

19 Servant new yet volatile (6)

21 Request parking by meadow (4)

22 Bad store sadly is very expansive (8)

13 Expert about mass provides perfect example (4)

14 One working at last? (7)

15 Charm oddly in English river (3)

16 Tiny duke gets undesirable plant (4)

16 Reportedly feeble US lawyer over year, period for work? (7)

17 Tree not quite revealed in marshy offshoot of lake (5)

18 Long for twelve months close to sun (5)

20 Some din as allowed regarding a hooter?

19 Servant new yet volatile (6)

17 Tree not quite revealed in marshy offshoot of lake (5)

21 Request parking by meadow (4)

22 Bad store sadly is very expansive (8)

23 Agricultural storehouse managed by Arab in borders of Germany (7)

24 Road transport in recurring series of changes (5)

23 Agricultural storehouse managed by Arab in borders of Germany (7)

24 Road transport in recurring series of changes (5)

Across

1 Threatening look in lake behind flat-bottomed boat (5)

4 Learned type beginning to hide amid discordant carols (7)

9 New summary report round, say, at home (8)

10 Dupe kept back stolen goods (4)

11 Change concerning group of students (6)

12 Hint merely with seconds to go (5)

13 Expert about mass provides perfect example (4)

Place 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and boldlined 3x3 box. No digit maybe repeated in any dashed-lined cage, and each dash-lined cage must result in the given value when the stated operation is applied between all of the digits in that cage. For subtraction and division operations, start with the highest number in the cage and then subtract or divide by the other numbers in that cage

15 Charm oddly in English river (3)

16 Tiny duke gets undesirable plant (4)

17 Tree not quite revealed in marshy offshoot of lake (5)

19 Servant new yet volatile (6)

21 Request parking by meadow (4)

22 Bad store sadly is very expansive (8)

23 Agricultural storehouse managed by Arab in borders of Germany (7)

24 Road transport in recurring series of changes (5)

Down

2 Reason about treatment (5)

3 Spring almost gets to arrive for reception (7)

5 Strange inaction from seal (12)

6 Readily available – like some beer? (2,3)

7 Article by doyen misjudged as harmless (7)

8 Information about element from a bin commuter ransacked (6,6)

14 One working at last? (7)

16 Reportedly feeble US lawyer over year, period for work? (7)

18 Long for twelve months close to sun (5)

20 Some din as allowed regarding a hooter? (5)

For the solutions, turn to page 55

City council confirms awards of supplementary grants for year ahead

SALISBURY City Council awarded supplementary grants to Wiltshire Creative (£22,470) and the Salisbury Museum (£8,000) at its Finance and Governance Committee meeting held in January.

The council has now confirmed these awards.

Wiltshire Creative and Salisbury Museum were invited to contact the City Council towards the end of the financial year to see whether any funds could be made available for a supplementary grant in 2022/2023.

Thanks to better-thanexpected bank interest earned by the council and a reduction in some business rates for one of its buildings, the funds were available for these extra grants.

This allowed a supplementary grant to be awarded to these two local bodies. The supplementary grants will be paid in 2022/2023 but the activity will take place in the following financial year.

Salisbury Museum director, Adrian Green, said: “Salisbury Museum is delighted that the City Council has been able to award

us a supplementary grant. This funding goes towards our popular family events programme which includes Under Fives Fridays, family Discovery Days and big free events, such as our Spring Fayre on 1 May.

“These activities are important for supporting our relationship with the local community, particularly while we are undertaking major redevelopment works and are partially open.”

Sebastian Warrack, Wiltshire Creative’s executive director said: “We are delighted that Salisbury City Council has been able to award Wiltshire Creative a supplementary grant of £22,470 in 2022/23, to top up our reduced grant in 2023/24.

“This is wonderful news and we are hugely grateful to Salisbury City Council for listening to our heartfelt statements about the huge financial challenges we face.

“This supplementary funding will go towards our community work (inc. Family Fiesta), our Young People’s programme, led by our Young Ambassadors and our Mind the Gap programme for older people, all benefiting

the people of Salisbury.”

Cllr Victoria Charleston, one of the leaders of the City Council said: “The 2023/2024 budget was extremely tough to set with some difficult choices to make.

“The desire for Wiltshire Creative and the Museum to receive additional funding was strongly supported by many councillors when the grants were once again considered as part of the 2023/2024 budget setting.

“After lengthy conversations between Wiltshire Creative, the Museum, councillors and

officers I am pleased that this grant can be confirmed.

“The careful management of this year’s budget has allowed these supplementary grants to be awarded to two local organisations which provide entertainment and education for local residents.

“I encourage everyone to look up what is going on locally at the Museum or in the Playhouse or Arts Centre and get involved in the fun.”

Weekend of fun promised at Downton Cuckoo Fair

DOWNTON Cuckoo Fair returns on 29 April. The famous fair offers a wide range of activities for all the family, including rural craft demonstrations, Punch and Judy shows, clowns, fairground attractions and street entertainers.

More traditional entertainment includes a 40-foot maypole, Morris and other traditional dancers, plus the crowning of the Cuckoo Fair princess. The princess must either live within the parish boundary or attend a local school. Although there used to be a Cuckoo Fair prince, difficulties with recruiting

suitable candidates meant that this tradition didn’t last.

Music comes from the Downton Brass Band, as well as

a host of live bands performing in a number of venues, including the Memorial Gardens where the majority of the events take place.

A wide selection of food and refreshments will be on offer, as well as a produce market, which will be held in the car park behind Co-Op.

Car parks for visitors will be run by voluntary organisations and charities, with the option of a park and ride service available from the Barford Lane car park. All proceeds from the car parks are ploughed into meeting the costs of hosting the fair.

In its current format, the Cuckoo Fair has been held in

Downton for more than a quarter of a century, regularly attracting 20,000 to the village.

However, fairs were first recorded in 1249 and 1289. Although these early fairs didn’t last, in 1676 during the reign of King Charles II, two annual fairs were granted, one in April, the other in September.

The First World War saw the end of the fair until it was revived in 1979.

The fair opens at 10am and closes at 4.30pm, car parks are £7.

A full list of entertainment can be found at https://cuckoofair. co.uk/events

Salisbury Museum will benefit from the grant

Credit: Joanna Ramsay Horbury

All Tops Day Nurseries and staff awarded SchemaPlay accreditation

TOPS Day Nurseries, with a nursery onsite at the Salisbury District Hospital, is proud to announce that all of its nurseries have achieved accreditation from SchemaPlay, a Community Interest Company.

Accreditation involves a rigorous assessment process, which evaluates the quality of teaching, the level of understanding of children’s play patterns, and the effectiveness of the curriculum in supporting children’s learning and development.

Tops Day Nurseries has been committed to providing high-quality early years education and care for over 30 years, and achieving SchemaPlay accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of its staff.

The accreditation also reinforces the nurseries’ focus on child-led learning, where children are encouraged to explore and learn through play, and staff work collaboratively with parents to ensure every child’s individual needs are met.

Paula Phillips, director of quality and audit, said:

“Gaining SchemaPlay Accreditation is a huge achievement for all our Tops settings. I am very proud of everyone who has been on this journey, it is making such a difference to the children at nursery.

“It is a real skill for a practitioner to be an effective observer, really tuning into what the children are interested in

finding out, whilst also identifying what they ‘can-do’.

“Through successfully completing a case study for their SchemaPlay submission, the staff have proved they understand what it is children are investigating, and how to support these young enquiring minds to find out more”.

Lynnette Brock, co-Founder and director of SchemaPlay

Community Interest Company said: “Reaching SchemaPlay accreditation by the whole of the Tops Day Nursery team is a huge achievement.

“It demonstrates their long-term commitment to professional development in this pedagogy and their dedication to providing children with the best possible start in life through their Early Education and Care.”

Tops Day Nurseries provides eco-sustainable Early Education and Care for children aged from three months to school age. It has over 30-day nurseries across the south and south west, including Tops Salisbury, onsite at the Salisbury District Hospital.

Tops also offers before, after-school and Hi5 holiday clubs for children up to the age of 11. It has also recently launched a Hi5’s Forest School, a way for children to have fun and learn whilst being outside.

For more information on Tops Day Nurseries and the SchemaPlay accreditation, visit atwww.topsdaynurseries.co.uk

Latest figures show 96% of Wiltshire families will receive first choice of primary school for September

THE LATEST figures from Wiltshire Council reveal that 96% of parents have been offered their preferred primary school choice for the forthcoming school year, with 99% offered one of their first three choices.

Most parents now apply for school places online, accounting for 5,133 of the 5,172 applications made.

Parents and carers who have applied online will be sent an email confirming the school place offer for their child unless they have selected to receive

their decision by the Parent Portal – in which case they will need to log into the Parent Portal to view the outcome.

Parents who have submitted a paper application should have received a letter confirming the outcome of their application as they were posted on 17 April.

All parents and carers have until Wednesday, 3rd May 2023 to confirm if they wish to accept or decline a place. Parents will need their user ID and password to do so.

Cllr Laura Mayes, cabinet member for education and skills

said: “We know that families across the county will be eagerly awaiting today’s news, as their child prepares to start school.

“I’m pleased to be sharing such high figures once again, with 96% offered their first preference. I’d like to thank our officers for their hard work to ensure we have sufficient places across the county for all our pupils.”

The right to an independent appeal is open to anyone who has not received an offer at one of their preferred schools.

Parents who wish to appeal for a place at a voluntary controlled or community school should visit the council website for details of how to appeal.

Parents who wish to appeal for a place at a voluntary aided, foundation school or an academy should contact the school directly to lodge an appeal.

Parents who have any further general queries regarding admissions can email admissions@wiltshire.gov.uk or contact our customer services on 01225 713010.

Tops Day Nurseries has a site at Salisbury District Hospital where all staff are now trained and accredited in schema play

Local children’s provider celebrates prestigious Gold accreditation

LOCAL social enterprise, Five Rivers, has secured a prestigious We Invest in People Gold accreditation for the second time running.

Five Rivers, which has operated in Salisbury for over 30 years, runs specialist fostering services, children’s homes and independent schools in Wiltshire.

The accreditation comes at a time when there is a national recruitment challenge for social care staff and foster carers, and the highest ever recorded number of children in care.

This independent judgement reveals what it’s like to work at Five Rivers. It opens by saying: “Iit is evident from the assessment that people believe Five Rivers to be a great place to work,” and gives numerous examples of how and why this organisation values its staff.

Investors in People use a stringent framework to understand how organisations lead, support and develop people at work.

Gold status was awarded following a robust assessment, which included interviewing a wide range of randomly selected employees from across the company and an anonymous survey to all staff.

Kate Bromfield, head of HR said: “Our Gold re-accreditation demonstrates the unwavering commitment we uphold to developing and supporting our employees. Investors in People have a simple vision and that is to make work better, something we wholly subscribe to.

“We’re delighted not only to have been awarded Gold status, but the icing on the cake is to have strengthened performance

across several key areas.”

“The assessment is wide reaching and covers many areas, including leading and inspiring people, reward and recognition, building capability and continuous improvement.

Five Rivers is committed to this regular independent judgement to ensure their workplaces are the best they can be.

Pam McConnell, chief executive and founder of Five Rivers, said: “I am so proud to see Five Rivers get a strong Gold, awarded by Investors in People. I am particularly proud as despite the last three most challenging years, we have seen an improvement in our overall grading, with clear improvements across six important categories.

“Everyone knows how hard it is to recruit and retain the

right people to work with children and this is one way of measuring what we can do to make a difference.”

Five Rivers has a strong focus on creating the right environment for staff to feel cared for, so they can do the important work with vulnerable children in care.

Pam added: “We are committed to continuous improvement and this independent review highlights so many areas of excellent leadership and development. It’s been lovely to have something to celebrate and enjoy as an achievement.”

“Now we turn our attention to the areas we can improve on further to ensure we keep building a welcoming, learning culture.”

CEO, Pam McConnell and Head of HR, Kate Bromfield with the gold plaque award

Tutankhamun and the Splendours of Ancient Egypt at the Arts Society

THE ARTS Society Salisbury’s April lecture was given by Christopher Bradley on Tutankhamun and the Splendours of Ancient Egypt.

Fifty years ago, many of us were captivated by the 1972 exhibition of Tutankhamun’s treasures at the British Museum. Last year was the centenary of the discovery of those treasures by Howard Carter and Lord Caernarvon and 2023 will celebrate the anniversary of the opening of the tomb for the first time in 3,000 years.

The darkness revealed vast riches from antiquity which, among other influences, spear-headed the design iconography of the emerging art deco movement. Tut-mania affected everything from jewellery and fashion, to architecture and design.

In life, Tutankhamun ruled for just a few years during a chaotic period of upheaval and was so unimportant that he did not even make it onto the famous List of Kings created less than a century later. Yet, in death, the more than 5,000 precious objects crammed into the smallest royal tomb in the Valley of the Kings, have become some of the world’s most iconic works of art.

Prior to the father of Tut becoming Pharaoh, every king was depicted as looking pretty much the same. Amenhotep IV changed all that and statues became more of a likeness. More importantly, he removed worship of all the ancient gods, changed his name to Akhenaten and declared himself the only god.

He married Nefertiti, left Thebes to establish his rule from a new ‘garden city’ of Amarna where he ruled for 10 years. He had six daughters with Nefertiti but one of his concubines gave birth to Tutankhaten.

At the time of his father’s death, Tutankhaten was just 10 and in the second year of his

reign, he changed his name to Tutankhamun and restored the ancient gods. His reign was short as he died aged just 19.

Howard Carter had no education but loved art. At 17, he was employed as a tracer of Egyptian art and hieroglyphics and was the first to add accurate colour to his tracings.

He went to the excavations at Amarna and introduced himself to Flinders Petrie, an archaeologist. He worked for some years as an overseer and when a contract finished would sell not only his paintings but also antiquities.

Theodore Davis held the contracts to excavate the Valley of the Kings between 1905-14 at which time he considered the Valley to be finished.

Lord Caernarvon, who spent his winters in Egypt, was an amateur Egyptologist who employed Harold Carter for general work. Carter persuaded

him to purchase some of the unused concessions.

After WWI, Carter returned to the site and in 1922 he discovered the first step leading to the tomb. When asked what he saw, the first time he looked inside the tomb, he said it looked like some backstage props in a theatre.

Only 20% of the items found in the tomb were specifically attributed to Tut, the rest had probably belonged to Nefertiti. It took Carter 10 years to catalogue all the artefacts and it was his meticulous approach that ensured that they were in such good condition.

There was, of course, much mention of the tomb’s ‘curse’. Not so much a curse as a fungus… wall paintings were not put onto plaster but straight on to the limestone which encouraged a fungus which would last for 3,000 years. On the ground, pieces of bread had also caused spores. Undoubtedly, some of the deaths would be as a result of their inhalation.

Howard Carter died in 1939 of Hodgkins Lymphoma: not the curse.

The Arts Society Salisbury’s next talk will be given by Dr

Art from the life and death of Tutankhamun: The famous golden funerary mask; the king and his queen, Ankhesenamun; King Tut opening the mouth

David Haycock on The Art and Life of Paul Nash at 1:55pm on 9 May at St Francis Church, Beatrice Road, SP1 3PN.

Dr Haycock is an established freelance art historian and curator who is best known for his 2009 book, ‘A Crisis of Brilliance: Five Young British Artists and the Great War’.

Paul Nash was one of the most important British artists of the 20th century. He united the pastoral and mystical tradition embodied by English artists such as William Blake and Samuel Palmer, with the modern European movements of Futurism, Surrealism and Abstraction.

Based on the lecturer’s books, Paul Nash (2002) and A Crisis of Brilliance (2009), this lecture explores Nash’s life, from his discovery of the English landscape as a young boy, through his artistic education at the Slade, to his experiences as an official war artist during both world wars.

For further information, visit www.theartssocietysalisbury. org.uk and facebook: The Arts Society Salisbury.

Credit: Commons Wikimedia

Antiques & Collectibles

No longer embarrassing relics - vinyl collecting is now big business

IT WOULDN’T be too much of an exaggeration to say that the resurgence of interest in vinyl records in recent years has been little short of phenomenal.

Back in the early part of this century nobody seemed to want them, now they are all the rage.

And perhaps most surprisingly, they are collected by those of all ages.

It’s not just the old sixties rockers and erstwhile hippies that are going back to fill spaces in their collections.

A whole new, much younger generation is getting involved too. What does all this mean for values? For the market?

Well, there’s a veritable mountain of material for sale

out there and it must be said much of it of little or no value.

However, in some areas there seems to be an almost insatiable appetite that craves to be sated.

Progressive rock, punk, new wave is all good news. Some early blues and jazz maybe. Classical music is complex and a different market.

Big names, such as The Beatles, are highly sought after. But one must add a caveat; collectors are choosy and only want the best or rarest.

Condition is critical, both the record and the cover. Posters, stickers and associated material can be crucial.

Completeness is a buzzword. The same goes for rock and pop related ephemera; concert programmes, autographs and so forth. And here, of course, the key word is provenance. Why not get your collection valued, now could hardly be a better time.

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FearLess recommissioned to provide vital domestic abuse support

WILTSHIRE Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner have jointly recommissioned FearLess to provide domestic abuse support throughout the county.

FearLess, formerly known as the Splitz Support Service, has been working across Wiltshire for more than 30 years and following a recommissioning process they will be continuing this work through its new domestic abuse service.

The new service will build on and expand the existing offer, delivering holistic support to victims, survivors, their children and those who behave in a harmful way.

Research indicates that up to 80% of perpetrators were victims of abusive behaviour as children, with FearLess working proactively to break the cycle of abuse. The new provision includes safe accommodation services delivered through its partners GreenSquare Accord, high risk support services, group-work, and recovery services.

FearLess will also be developing its whole family

approach to addressing domestic abuse, through a new Children and Families Team.

In addition, the service will provide specialist services to victims of stalking through an Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworker (ISAC).

The service will support victims through the criminal justice system, with the introduction of a specialist Court Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA).

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for Public Health, said: “We have enjoyed a very positive working relationship with FearLess over the years and we’re pleased to be continuing this partnership and developing it even further so that together we can support as many people as possible.

“One of our most important responsibilities is that Wiltshire is a place where we are safe. So, the work we do with FearLess is vital and together we’ll look for innovative ways to ensure that the people who need it get the support quickly.”

Wiltshire Police and Crime

Credit: Tiago Bandeira/Unsplash

FearLess will offer new support services

Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, said: “It’s absolutely crucial that the support networks are in place for victims and our strategy has been to increase the availability and accessibility of these services across the county, especially for those who may feel uncertain or unable to make contact with our criminal justice partners.

“FearLess has proved they can deliver these programmes and through our funding alongside Wiltshire Council, we hope that they can continue to make Wiltshire a safer place to live.”

Director of service at FearLess, Emily Denne, said:

“FearLess is incredibly proud of our Wiltshire service, which recently achieved its Leading Lights accreditation, evidencing the exceptional service it delivers to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

“We look forward to developing and expanding it over the coming years.”

More information about the services that FearLess provide can be found at https://www. fear-less.org.uk/

Salisbury GP interview on junior doctor strikes

As the junior doctor’s strikes continue, Tristan Ovington caught up with a GP in Salisbury to get their view on how the strikes are impacting healthcare provision for Salisbury residents.

THE GP, who asked to remain anonymous, began by stating that the strikes seem to be about pay, but that they are also about conditions to a lesser degree.

“Most of the headlines and rhetoric have been around the demand for a 35% pay rise,” they said. “I think the logic is that if doctors are paid less than they feel they are worth, fewer people will choose to enter or

remain in the profession, leaving the NHS short of doctors and even less able to provide good, safe care than we should. It’s worth noting that doctors in many other high income countries are relatively higher earning than UK doctors.

“It was close to a unanimous decision to strike, although there are junior doctors who chose not to participate.

“The other side of the discourse hasn’t had much public airtime and I think non-striking doctors have felt unable to speak freely for fear of how it will be received by the medical community.

“I feel that the timing of the recent strikes has compromised patient safety. Four days of strikes immediately after a four-day bank holiday weekend has resulted in 11 consecutive days of skeleton staffing for hospitals. If I was still a junior doctor I would have found it difficult to support this particular strike action in view of the timing.

“Had it had less of a significant impact on patient care I may have felt more in support of the strike.

“The 35% pay rise is highly unrealistic, and I think inappropriate given the dire

financial challenges many other individuals in the UK face. Most junior doctors are still very much better off than the average UK adult.

“I wonder if they would accept a reintroduction of other benefits which junior doctors have previously enjoyed, such as free hospital accommodation or fully reimbursed travel expenses?

“If the desired outcome for junior doctors is not reached, it’s possible that many may leave the profession or go abroad to continue working as doctors in better conditions, so I hope a conclusion can be reached which everyone is satisfied with.”

No need to make an appointment at Salisbury Eyewear

SALISBURY Eyewear was first started in 1979 by Martyn and his father Frank Sales.

Originally called Sales Optical Services, the company started out as a spectacle lens manufacturing business and Martyn has continued to run the business to 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 don’t test eyes, 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 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 is a family business run by Martyn Sales. Martyn is an experienced lens maker and has been manufacturing lenses for the trade and supplying glasses to the public at discount prices since the late 1970’s. Our showroom and factory are located on Ashfield Road Trading Estate, Salisbury. Some of our key services that we offer are:

• A friendly team only to happy to help, just bring in your latest prescription.

• We have a large selection of frames and sunglasses, which you can browse at your leisure.

• The lenses are made in our factory onsite enabling a quick turn around.

• Some repairs are done in-house, such as nose pads and screws.

• More complex repairs can be done, they are sent away.

• We will put your new prescription lenses into your existing frame (condition of the frame dependent).

• With Martyn’s experience, we are able to produce more complex prescriptions and requirements.

Chiropractors to the rescue as waiting lists put Brits off seeing GP

NEW data from The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) shows the impact NHS waiting lists are having on patients with musculoskeletal issues (MSK). MSK conditions impact joints, bones and muscles and sometimes associated tissue, such as nerves. According to the NHS, over 20 million people in the UK have an MSK condition, such as arthritis or back pain, and they account for up to 30% of GP consultations in England.

New findings from the BCA, have reported that 56% of British people feel put off seeing their GP because of NHS waiting list times. As consequence, 48% of British people are using over-thecounter (OTC) medication to treat their MSK issues.

While OTC medication has its place in helping patients to resume physical activity, these medications are best used in the short term. Along with side effects, they do little to address potential functional issues which have led to the MSK condition.

The research also found that:

● A third of British people (33%) haven’t seen a GP to treat their MSK issue as they struggled to get an appointment

● Nearly half of British people (43%) have avoided seeing their GP when dealing with an MSK health issue

● Over half (53%) of British people are considering turning to private healthcare for MSK help manage pain

● 38% of British people thought their MSK issue would go away on its own, without seeing a GP

● Over half (52%) of British people have lived with an MSK issue for longer than 12 months.

The research, conducted with OnePoll and the BCA, surveyed 5,000 people across the UK to

understand the impact NHS waiting lists are having on MSK health.

Chiropractors can provide those suffering with MSK conditions an alternative solution, giving patients choice when faced with long waiting lists.

They offer patients a wideranging package of care which is patient-centred, supported by evidence and results in great patient reported outcomes.

More people are turning to chiropractors to manage poor mobility, pain and wider health concerns arising from MSK issues before they worsen.

Following the findings, the BCA is showcasing how chiropractors are an integral part of UK healthcare, supporting the NHS as part of an integrated system.

By giving patients proactive options and choice, chiropractors are well placed to help relieve the strain on the NHS.

The BCA is championing greater patient choice, improving patient experience, and avoiding MSK issues developing into chronic conditions due to a lack of physical activity and further impacting the NHS later down the line.

Ian Palmer, 52, from Wiltshire, started feeling discomfort in early

January 2023, which quickly developed into severe pain in his neck, shoulder and arm, leaving him unable to carry out any normal function or continue to work and turned any hope of sleep into a nightmare.

Exhausted and in pain, Ian’s mental health declined. He turned to his GP, but was not able to be seen for almost four weeks, with even longer waiting times for an MRI scan.

Eager to decrease the level of pain he was experiencing while waiting for further assessment through the NHS, Ian sought out local chiropractor and BCA member, Philippa Oakley (pictured above). Working with Ian to understand his issue, Philippa developed a personalised treatment plan which included twice weekly sessions and an exercise routine which have not only helped Ian physically, but also mentally.

Philippa was also able to write to Ian’s GP, organise a private MRI scan and send this on to the orthopaedic specialist at his local hospital, while offering an immediate solution to manage his symptoms.

Speaking about his experience, Ian said: “Philippa has been so supportive and helpful to both myself and my wife, helping me

with hands-on treatment to relieve my symptoms.”

Speaking about the subject, Philippa said: “I believe chiropractic has gone far beyond its previous position as a complementary alternative healthcare and is rapidly becoming mainstream healthcare.

“As a member of the British Chiropractic Association, we are dedicated to providing evidence-informed and patientcentred care, similar to our NHS counterparts. It has been a privilege to help Ian on the road to recovery and help him with the care he needed.”

Cait Allen, chief executive officer at The British Chiropractic Association, added: “These findings identify how there is a significant opportunity for more patients to consider chiropractic as a credible option.

“Chiropractors are regulated healthcare professionals and patients can feel confident that this protected title guarantees high standards of education and continued professional development.

“We’re seeing more people turn to the private sector to alleviate pressures on NHS primary care services.

Ultimately, the private sector has an important role to play in providing patients with this choice, particularly when the NHS is suffering with extended GP waiting lists.

“It is encouraging to see an increasing number of GPs and FCPs suggesting that patients seek care privately for these common MSK complaints.

“Over 30 million working days are lost due to MSK conditions every year in the UK. Integrated healthcare is essential to ensure more people receive treatment, and both the economy and NHS are better supported.”

Financial instability has a major negative impact on worker health

WORKERS who report instability in their income are more likely to also suffer insomnia, headaches and stomach issues, according to new research.

The findings, from a study by the Emlyon Business School, show a lack of financial security for an employee can have a negative impact on their physical health.

Gordon Sayre, professor of organisational behaviour at Emlyon, investigated the impact that pay volatility has on the health of gig workers’ and those who rely on tips.

Prof Sayre conducted three separate studies, surveying 375 gig workers across three weeks, 85 tipped workers each day for two weeks, and 252 higher-paid workers in sales, finance, and marketing across two months.

The findings revealed that workers who had more volatile pay reported experiencing more health symptoms such as headaches, backaches and stomach problems.

“Dealing with an unstable income means never knowing how much money you’ll make in a given week or month and that

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insecurity makes it difficult to cope with ordinary expenses,” Prof Sayre said.

The research also revealed that workers who rely on tips, such as restaurant servers, hairdressers and bar staff, didn’t feel physically better on days where they earned more money.

One thing that gig and tipped workers have in common is that they often have a lower-than-average income, raising the question of whether the harmful effects were simply due to low pay, instead of unstable income per se.

However, the results of a third study on workers in sales, finance, and marketing, where commissions and bonuses are common, revealed while the effects are not as strong, they still experienced health issues.

Prof Sayre said the research should encourage companies to consider whether the perceived benefits of performance-based pay policies that generate instability outweigh the costs to workers’ health.

Instead, he said companies should look to strike a balance by reducing workers’ reliance on volatile forms of pay, instead offering more substantial base pay.

The paper was published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Duties will include serving customers, picking orders, loading vehicles, goods in and general yard duties including maintaining a safe working environment.

Proven track record in the Timber / Merchanting / Construction industry is essential. Forklift experience would be preferred, but training will be given to the successful candidate.

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- Friendly outgoing personality

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In return we offer a generous remuneration package including paid annual leave and a company pension plan. All correspondence will be treated in the strictest

Stealth speed cameras set to be rolled out on UK roads following trial

NEW ‘stealth’ speed camera vans are set to be rolled out on roads across the UK.

The vehicles will be matt grey, as opposed to the current vans which are white, or even sport luminous orange and yellow stripes.

It is not currently a legal requirement for drivers to be warned of speed cameras.

The unmarked vans are being trialled by Northamptonshire Police, and should it prove to be a success, they could be introduced across the country.

This will be achieved by rewrapping the current range of police-marked speed vans with the matte grey colour.

It is hoped the move will stop drivers slowing down, before accelerating once they have passed the device.

Following the trial announcement, founder of car tech company Road Angel, Gary Digva, said: “Introducing these

undercover mobile speed camera vans is a positive step forward in reducing the amount of speeding drivers on UK roads.

“Motorists should be aware that other police forces across the country, too, could be rolling out these covert camera vans and should watch their speed wherever they travel.

“The safest way to drive is to assume that every van you see on the road is carrying a speed camera - then you’ll never break the limit, avoid fines and stay safe.

“For motorists that need that extra bit of help keeping within the limit there is technology available that provides drivers with key speed information and safety alerts.

“Although there is certainly still a long way to go to stop speeding vehicles and the number of fatalities and injuries it causes, I hope that deploying these vans will mean motorists will think twice before putting their foot down.

“Not only will you be slapped with a hefty fine and points on your licence, you’re also seriously putting your own and other road users’ lives seriously in danger.”

Army veterans helping to keep Britain’s roads moving

DID you know, many of the signs you use to help navigate your way around the roads of Britain are produced by an army of veterans and people with disabilities?

The signs are being worked on at Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), through its social enterprise, Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company (BBMC), at a factory in Kent.

Used on England’s motorways and major A-roads for National Highways, the

signs are not just helping drivers but also helping veterans and disabled people.

And thanks to a new pledge from Vinci (Ringway), Amey, Colas, H W Martin, Chevron and Highway Traffic Management, the factory will be able to continue operating and supporting the people who rely on the support it provides.

Michelle Ferguson, managing director of RBLI’s social enterprises, said: “As the country faces ongoing challenges with the cost-of-

living crisis, it is more important than ever that businesses come together to make meaningful choices that have a demonstrable, positive impact on peoples’ lives.

“This ongoing commitment from National Highways and their supply chain means we have been able to promote military veterans to more senior positions, hire more people with disabilities and for the whole of RBLI to become a real living wage employer.

“We cannot thank National Highways enough – together we will genuinely change peoples’ lives.”

Roads minister, Richard Holden, said: “We owe our

veterans a great debt of gratitude and we’re proud of the work National Highways is doing to boost employment opportunities through its road sign partnership.

“We have a long history of supporting those who serve in our armed forces and together with the additional £33 million funding for veteran housing and accessibility equipment, we are continuing to offer our support.”

National Highways executive director of commercial and procurement, Malcolm Dare, said: “We’re pleased to be supporting such a great cause, and in turn helping to support veterans and disabled people that rely on this vital work.”

Sole Aston Martin Heritage Dealer in the South West

We remain proud of our factory appointed Heritage dealer status and respected worldwide reputation.

Meticulously caring for the post war models right through to the very latest

System helps us identify problems quickly and efficiently.

A family run business spanning over three generations, every car is

to major full restorations of the classics. Forever at your disposal, our services are designed with you in mind as well as your Aston Martin.

OUR EXTENSIVE SERVICES INCLUDE:

n Parts Manufacturing Service Workshop for annual maintenance through to major restoration

n Technical knowledge and advice

n Over 4,000 individual parts in stock for the Feltham era cars alone with more being added every month, all made to the original drawings

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Fashion event celebrates local fibres

HAWKERS Farm, Stour

Provost, is hosting the first of what is hoped to be an annual event – it is called Defashion Dorset .

The event will be an opportunity to celebrate local fibre growers and makers and a local clothing culture.

We buy locally grown food to support farmers so why don’t we consider buying locally grown clothing?

According to Climate Words, “To ‘Defashion’ is to combat the fashion industry’s role in the climate crisis and transition to regenerative and fair clothing systems.”

We will be welcoming 20 or so exhibitors, including: Jo Nash Textiles, Tamarisk Farm,

Snooks Farm Alpacas, Blue Barn Life, Townhill Studios –Shibori tie-dye, Vintage Maid, Haberdashery, Second to None and Joanna Jenkins vintage clothing.

Workshops will teach methods of enhancing, embellishing and mending clothing, including a weaving workshop with Tabby & Tweed. There will be talks, films, refreshments and on the 26th, a solar powered disco.

Friday, 26th May – 10am to 5pm, plus evening film and a solar disco that runs from 6pm to 10.30pm

Saturday, 27th May – opens at 10am, closes at 5pm Jennifer Morisetti: defashion. dorset@gmail.com

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Digger and dumper wish comes true for building site fan John, 84

NOT everyone can say they had a wish come true on a building site, but that’s exactly what happened to 84-year-old Salisbury care home resident John Parfitt recently.

John, who lives at Braemar Lodge in the city’s Stratford Road, was granted his birthday wish when he donned a hard hat, hi-viz jacket and tough boots for the chance to sit at the controls of a digger and a dumper truck.

The visit was a hands-on opportunity to check progress on the Colten Care home’s forthcoming extension, Stratford Court.

In his working life, Watfordborn John did a range of jobs including being an agency worker on various building sites, hence his interest.

With all safety precautions followed and under close supervision, he was thrilled with the visit.

“I’m happy as Larry,” he said after a few minutes sitting at the controls of the eight-ton digger. “I’ve been looking across from Braemar Lodge, keeping an eye on how it’s all going and seeing the guys driving round.

“On my birthday in December I asked if I could come on-site and see it for real at a suitable stage and when the weather was good enough. Sitting here, I just feel I’m in the right place at the right time. It’s comfortable and you have a sense of the power it can deliver.”

After being in the digger, John next took his seat in a three-ton dumper truck. He said: “This is lovely, a great chance to see everything from a different angle out in the fresh air.”

John, who has lived in Salisbury since the 1980s, was accompanied throughout the visit by site manager Paul Findlay who explained how the

controls on both vehicles work.

Paul said: “It was a real pleasure to give John such a great experience. I could tell he had been on building sites before. He had all the site banter.”

While John was enjoying himself in the digger and dumper, fellow Braemar Lodge residents Catherine Brighty and Pamela Rees were turning ‘detectorists’.

They took a metal detector to search for items under the rubble and mud in a small, safe area well away from the main construction site.

Although no treasure was revealed, they found various pieces of metal including screws, nails, coins, wire, a drill bit, a tap and a battery.

The residents’ visit provided an opportunity to see how the build is developing since groundworks began in November 2022.

Stratford Court is on the site of a former charity-run care home which had been lying vacant before it was demolished in 2020.

The new extension will house 36 bedrooms, each with an en-suite wet room, split over three floors, including a garden floor.

Accommodation will extend to 2,700 sq/m or 29,052 sq/ft.

As well as bedrooms, there will be plant, training and staff rooms and a second-floor guest suite. The main entrance and reception area will be accessed from road level.

The build programme is expected to last around 18 months, with interiors and fit out due in spring 2024. Overall construction is expected to be completed in summer 2024.

When it is ready, some Braemar Lodge residents will move in while the original home undergoes a phased refurbishment with 49 new bedrooms, taking the combined capacity to 85 bedrooms.

Ian Heard, group director of construction at Colten Developments, said the construction will involve

around 30 sub-contractor companies employing around 250 tradespeople.

“Everything needs coordinating to ensure the project is delivered on time and on budget,” he explained.

“Every construction project has its challenges but we are a compact professional team operating under one roof and have the ability to make dynamic decisions to overcome any challenge.

“This is an exciting project for Colten Developments and we are looking forward to delivering another fine home to Colten Care.

“The most important thing on this project is to ensure that we keep any disruption to Braemar Lodge to a bare minimum so that our residents aren’t impacted.

“Our site manager is in regular contact with the home to keep them informed on progress and any activities that may cause any disturbance.”

Braemar Lodge resident John Parfitt, 84, sits in the dumper track on the building site for the care home’s forthcoming extension, Stratford Court. With him is site manager, Paul Findlay

Dreaming of moving to the coast, look north for the best bargains

A DORSET location has been knocked off the top of a list of the UK’s most expensive seaside hotspots.

Sandbanks, in Poole, was previously the most expensive area when buying a seaside house in the UK.

However, the latest figures from the Halifax Seaside Town Review show it has been bumped off the top by Salcombe.

Homes in the Devon town cost an average of more than £1.2 million, with Sandbanks reaching £952,692, according to the data.

Aldeburgh, in Suffolk, makes up the top three with an average price tag of £794,492.

Across the UK, the average cost of a seaside home more than doubled between 2012 and 2022, rising by 56%.

In Salcombe, the increase was 123% (from £558,538 to £1,244,025).

At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest seaside homes are available in Greenock, Scotland, where properties cost an average of £97,608.

Nine of the top 10 cheapest locations are in Scotland, with only Newbiggin-by-theSea, in the north east of England, making the list from elsewhere.

Looking at growth, Yarmouth, on the Isle of Wight, showed the largest increase in 2022 compared to the previous year, with prices rising 53% to £611,816.

Kim Kinnaird, mortgages director at Halifax, said: “For many, owning a home by the sea is an aspiration, with coastal living offering beach walks, clean air and other health benefits.

“But this comes at a price in many locations and Britain’s most expensive seaside spot, Salcombe in Devon, will set buyers back over £1.2 million on average.

“When we delve deeper into the cost of Britain’s seaside homes, it’s clear that there is a broad spectrum in house prices.

“While million-pound properties are abundant in the South West of England, in contrast, homes in Greenock in Scotland are valued on average at less than £100,000.

“Second home ownership undoubtedly plays a role in driving up prices in the most desirable locations.

“While house prices in any location are driven by factors such as supply and demand and interest rates, there are also socio-economic factors at play.

“Some of these factors are more acute in Britain’s coastal communities, and many

British towns most in need of investment also sit near the shore.”

The top 10 priciest seaside locations:

● Salcombe, Devon: £1,244,025

● Sandbanks, Dorset: £952,692

● Aldeburgh, Suffolk: £794,492

● Padstow, Cornwall: £790,847

● Lymington, Hampshire: £663,474

● Yarmouth, Isle of Wight: £611,816

● Dartmouth, Devon: £567,985

● Kingsbridge, Devon: £556,659

● Wadebridge, Cornwall: £548,669

● Budleigh Salterton, Devon: £537,681.

Sandbacks (above) is still expensive, but it has been overtaken by Salcombe (main pic)

Le Nouveau Crossword Francais

HORIZONTALEMENT

LE NOUVEAU "CROSSWORD" FRANÇAIS

VERTICALEMENT

3 Le TGV est le Train à Grande...? (7)

Test your knowledge of France and language skills at the same time with our all-new French crossword!

Test your knowledge of France and language skills at the same time with our all-new French crossword.

5 Ville en Normandie où le “Barfleur” arrive (de Poole) (9)

7 Il y a un musée dédié à ce grand artiste à Giverny (5)

9 Région française où la série “Death in Paradise” est filmée (10)

10 Grand producteur de pneumatiques et de cartes, basé à Clermont-Ferrand (8)

13 Deuxième ville de France; réputée pour sa gastronomie (4)

15 Palais royal fameux situé juste à l’ouest de Paris (10)

17 Ville provençale fameuse pour son festival cinématographique annuel (6)

18 Paris ............. , club de foot où joue Kylian Mbappé (5,7)

19 Tour fameuse située dans le 7ème arrondissement de Paris (6)

1 “Je ne ............ rien”, chanson célèbre d’Édith Piaf (8)

2 Nom du scientifique français qui a inventé le vaccin contre la rage (7)

4 Troisième couleur du drapeau français (après le bleu et le blanc) (5)

6 Boisson alcoolisée à base de pommes produite en Normandie (8)

8 Prénom du Président actuel de la France (8)

9 ...... le Conquérant, vainqueur de la Bataille de Hastings (9)

11 Montagnes séparant la France et l’Espagne (8)

12 Viaduc énorme dans le sud de France conçu par le Britannique, Norman Foster (6)

14 Adversaire de la France en finale de la Coupe du Monde de football de 2022 (9)

16 Capitale de la Bretagne (6)

The first 5 correctly-completed crosswords emailed to tim@fantastiquefrenchtuition.co.uk will each win 3 FREE FRENCH LESSONS (worth up to £57!) in Salisbury

HORIZONTALEMENT

TGV est le Train à Grande...? (7)

VERTICALEMENT

Puzzle solutions (from pages 36-37)

Ville en Normandie où le "Barfleur" arrive (de Poole) (9)

y a un musée dédié à ce grand artiste

Giverny (5)

Région française où la série "Death in Paradise" est filmée (10)

Grand producteur de pneumatiques et cartes, basé à Clermont-Ferrand (8)

Deuxième ville de France; réputée pour gastronomie (4)

Palais royal fameux situé juste à l'ouest Paris (10)

Ville provençale fameuse pour son festival cinématographique annuel (6) Paris ............. , club de foot où joue Kylian Mbappé (5,7)

Tour fameuse située dans le 7ème arrondissement de Paris (6)

Brain chain (hard)

1 "Je ne ............ rien", chanson célèbre d'Édith Piaf (8)

Edition 14

2 Nom du scientifique français qui a inventé le vaccin contre la rage (7)

4 Troisième couleur du drapeau français (après le bleu et le blanc) (5)

6 Boisson alcoolisée à base de pommes produite en Normandie (8)

8 Prénom du Président actuel de la France (8)

9 ............ le Conquérant, vainqueur de la Bataille de Hastings (9)

11 Montagnes séparant la France et l'Espagne (8)

12 Viaduc énorme dans le sud de France conçu par le Britannique, Norman Foster (6)

14 Adversaire de la France en finale de la Coupe du Monde de football de 2022 (9)

16 Capitale de la Bretagne (6)

5 correctly-completed crosswords emailed to tim@fantastiquefrenchtuition.couk will each win 3 FREE FRENCH LESSONS (worth up to £57!) in Salisbury.