The Salisbury & Avon Gazette (28/11/22)

Feeling lucky? £1,000 prize up for grabs in Stars Appeal Xmas raffle

A CASH prize of £1,000 is up for grabs in this year’s Stars Appeal Christmas Raffle.

The annual competition sees funds raised for the charity, which funds a range of projects at Salisbury District Hospital.

Second prize in the festive draw is £500, third prize £250, with more cash prizes also on offer.

Tickets cost £1 and are only available online, via www. starsappeal.org.

Money raised by the raffle

will help towards the £1 million that the Stars Appeal aims to raise this year to fund projects helping thousands of patients and the NHS staff who care for them.

These include state-of the art equipment, hospital chaplaincy, free WiFi, accommodation for parents of babies and children, entertainment and companionship for older people, and support for the hospital’s hard-working staff.

Graham Branagan,

consultant surgeon at the hospital and chair of the Appeal Ambassadors, said: “The raffle is a brilliant opportunity to support the Stars Appeal, our hospital’s charity, with the chance of winning some cash this Christmas.

“The money raised will help make a difference for our patients and staff. Thank you for your support and wishing you a very happy Christmas.”

Jo Maslen, volunteer fundraiser, added: “We hope

Xmas card competition

BUDDING young artists put pen to paper to create their best Christmas designs.

The Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Tom Corbin, is checking out entries of festive pictures from children up to the age of 13 for this year’s Christmas card competition.

The winning artwork will take pride of place as the cover of the mayor’s card.

It will also feature the winners name and age and will be sent locally and to overseas destinations such as the sister cities in Maryland USA and the twin cities

of both Xanten and Saintes.

The deadline for entries was November 18.

Cllr Corbin said of the competition: “I want to encourage creativity with the theme Christmas in Salisbury which can take any form and I am really looking forward to seeing all the different colourful entries.

“The winning design will be sent across the world so this is the your chance to show off your artistic talent.”

that our thousands of supporters will buy tickets, and help us spread the word by inviting their friends, families and colleagues to take part.

“It only takes a minute to buy your tickets. You could win £1,000 and you’ll definitely be making a difference for patients and staff in our hospital this Christmas.”

Entry to the raffle closes on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. The draw will take place on Thursday, January 12.

Stars Appeal ambassadors from hospital wards and departments gathered to launch this year’s Christmas raffle. From left to right: Dr Rowena Staples, Consultant, Children’s Unit, Dr Peter Collins, Medical Director, Dr Susie Lewis, Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Sebastian Gray, Consultant, Children’s Unit, Mr Roger Humphry Consultant, Eye Clinic, Dr Richard Smith, Consultant, Rheumatology, Mr Simon Dennis, Consultant, ENT Picture: Spencer Mulholland Photography

Bob’s off the beat after retirementand gets honour at Windsor Castle

A RETIRED Wiltshire Police officer has been honoured with the Queen’s Police Medal for his work on rape and serious sexual offences during 30 years of dedicated service.

Detective Sergeant Bob Cooper received the award from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in an investiture at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, November 8.

The award is given to police in the United Kingdom for distinguished service or bravery in the face of danger.

DS Cooper joined the Force in 1991, and –following a career in major and serious organised crime –spent the final four years of his time with Wiltshire Police as the tactical lead for rape and serious sexual offences and then for investigative crime standards.

This work involved improving how the force managed investigations into rape and serious sexual offences, improving the victim’s experience through the criminal

justice system, improving justice outcomes for victims of sexual violence, and working with the Crown Prosecution Service to raise standards and set a new culture.

He also worked closely with community policing teams on improving practices in the first contact with victims and provided advice and support to senior investigating officers and investigators.

DS Cooper, who now works for the National Crime Agency, said working within the VAWG (Violence against Women and Girls) space had been incredibly challenging but that it was a time ‘where you genuinely felt you could make a small difference to people going through the worst moments of their lives’.

“I wanted to make that difference wherever I could,” said DS Cooper. “Whether that was improving services, finding money for SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre), working with uniformed officers improve the way they engaged with victims on first contact or

working with detectives on improving the qualities of their investigations.

“It was that ethos of making a difference.”

In honour of his work, DS Cooper attended Windsor Castle to receive the Queen’s Police Medal – an experience he labelled as the pinnacle of his 30-year career.

He described his emotions as “proud” and “humble”, and paid tribute to his wife, Tania, and their daughters, Emily and Evie, for their patience and support over the years.

Wiltshire Police Chief Constable, Kier Pritchard, said: “Bob has been an outstanding colleague over the years and has made a huge difference in the VAWG space.

“He had a transformative impact on the way the Force handles investigations into rapes and serious sexual offences.

“He worked tirelessly to improve the victim’s experience, all the way from the point of first contact with officers through to their experience through the Criminal Justice System.

“The Queen’s Police Medal is a just honour for the selfless career that Bob had and the hours and hours of work he put in to improving the experiences and outcomes for victims of rape and serious sexual offences.”

Flats plan for 16th century building

A HISTORIC building in the heart of Salisbury could be redeveloped into flats and a shop.

Number one Poultry Cross, also known as 12-15 Oatmeal Row, is a grade II*-listed building which dates back to the early 16th century.

Formerly home to Electronics Boutique, Game and Bohemia, the building has been empty since 2018.

Now, a planning

application submitted on behalf of owners Arlington Ltd of Wimborne outlines plans to refurbish the ground-floor shop and create four flats on the two floors above.

The application outlines a scheme that would create two flats on each floor - a one-bedroom flat and a two-bedroom flat on the first floor and two two-bedroom flats on the second.

Of the ground floor, it

said: “The aim is to create a lock-up shop, complete with its own sanitary accommodation.

“The only entrance will be via the present shop doorway. The rear access door will be removed and blocked.”

For more details, and to comment on the plan, log on to www.wiltshire.gov.uk and search for planning application reference PL/2022/08850.

Det Sgt Cooper with wife Tania at Windsor Castle and, left, on his last day after 30 years in the police

The building at Poultry Cross

Council’s invite to visit city is

Man dies after being hit by car on A345

A PEDESTRIAN has died after a crash near Woodhenge. The incident happened on the A345

Tidworth Garrison comes together to pay respects on Remembrance Day

OVER 600 soldiers and officers from across Tidworth Garrison came together on Friday, 11th November for a service of reflection.

The service included observation of the two minute silence which marks the moment when the guns fell silent in 1918 ending the First World War.

In what was an unusually large gathering, a traditional drumhead service was performed, and wreaths laid by representatives of the Royal Tank Regiment, Queen’s Royal Hussars, King’s Royal Hussars,

and 4th Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and the Mechanical Engineers.

Major (Reverend) Gavin Smith, Padre to 12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team, who led the service said: “It went well bringing the regiments together as we don’t have enough padres to go around because they are either deployed or in training, but actually what it did was bring us together for a collective feeling of remembrance which is a good thing.”

Major Smith, who was born only a stone’s throw from the garrison in Tidworth, added:

“For

Telephony expert calls in to Probus Club of Sarum

AT ITS November 11 meeting, Probus Club of Sarum welcomed Andrew Larkham who gave a lecture about the development of telephony. His talk spanned from Graham Bell calling his assistant Watson on March 10, 1876 to the present.

The first telephone book in the UK was issued on 15 January 1880, while 1912 saw the first public telephone exchange in the UK.

Growing numbers of switchboard operators were

needed for the expanding system.

Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) was introduced in 1958 to allow subscribers to dial trunk calls without operator assistance. These were mechanical and slow.

The invention of dual tone multi frequency much faster (DTMF) superseded STD. This was soon followed by pulse code modulation (pcm). Resulting in the installation of Empress on 11/12/1961, the first pcm exchange in the UK.

Now a single pair of wires carry up to 24 calls in parallel. Despite these enormous changes over the years there was no let up in development. This is now culminating in modern day fibre-based broadband systems..

The club meets every other Friday at the White Hart Hotel. Its members are retirees who value intellectual stimulation as well as a sociable atmosphere. New members are always welcome.

Archaeology book launch

SALISBURY archaeologist Phil Harding has launched his first book.

‘Joining the Dots’ is an exploration of the archaeological evidence that tells the story of the cathedral city.

Harding launched the book at Waterstones in Salisbury where he was joined by fellow archaeologist Francis Pryor.

He is a familiar face from his many seasons working on Channel 4 TV programme Time Team and more.

When not appearing on our screens, Harding is a fieldwork archaeologist at Wessex Archaeology.

me seeing 600 hundred plus soldiers in one place

observing and remembering was really important.”

Credit all photos: Craftsman Raymond Mensah

Playhouse theatre reveals ‘huge loss of revenue’ due to Covid pandemic

THEATRE fans in Salisbury are being encouraged to use a city venue facing a ‘huge loss’ in revenue due to Covid-19.

Salisbury Playhouse suffered losses throughout the pandemic and says audiences have been slower to return than hoped.

A drop in ticket, food and drink sales represented a ‘huge loss of revenue’, a spokesperson for Wiltshire Creative, which runs the theatre, said.

The news came as the Playhouse prepares to open its panto, Cinderella, hoping the show will give the coffers a welcome boost.

“The pandemic has had a devastating impact on audiences around the country, including here in Salisbury, they are slower to return than we all would have hoped,” they said.

“This has, in turn, resulted in a huge loss of revenue through ticket, food, and drink sales, which support the running of the whole organisation.”

Audiences were only one

part of the problems being experienced, they said, with energy bills also spiralling.

“Wiltshire Creative’s utility costs are due to increase by 400 per cent and inflation is now at 11 per cent,” they added.

“We are extremely grateful to receive funding from the Arts Council England, Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council but the dramatic rise in the rate of inflation, as well as the rocketing cost of utilities

Cinderella

January 8 next year.

For more information, and to buy tickets, log on to wiltshirecreative.co.uk.

Jasmine Triadi, left, is playing Cinderella in panto at the Playhouse, above Pictures: Google/Playhouse and materials, continue to eat away at that funding.”

opens on November 26, running until

List of warm spaces and foodbanks launched to support those in need

A NEW online directory to help people find warm spaces and community food providers has been launched.

The list, put together by Wiltshire Council, aims to help residents find places they can warm up and where they can find food support as the cost of living crisis continues.

It has been created using information collected by the council to establish what support is already up and running in the county.

The Interactive Community Directory allows visitors to input their postcode, which then generates a list of what’s available.

The council says the directory will be updated regularly and those who have set up warm spaces or community food provider services are invited to fill out a short survey to be included.

Visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/

cost-of-living for more details.

Anyone wishing to make donations to the community food providers can also find contact and website details on how best to do so.

Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “At this challenging time, people don’t need the added stress of not knowing where to go to find support should they need it.

“Our interactive directory is a simple, user-friendly tool to provide important information quickly to those who need it.

“We once again thank everyone for doing their bit to support residents throughout these ongoing challenges.

“Quite frankly, that community spirit has been required far too often over the last few difficult years, but it certainly provides comfort and reassurance to people going through a really challenging time.

“We’ll continue to do what we can to guide people through these cost of living pressures.”

The council has also collated a range of information and guidance on a variety of cost of living related topics such as energy, council tax and benefits,

housing information, the support of local partner agencies, and advice on mental health.

There is also a section dedicated to support and advice for businesses at wiltshire.gov. uk/cost-of-living.

Police raid suspected cannabis farm

A SUSPECTED cannabis factory in Amesbury was raided on the morning of Friday, November 17.

Neighbourhood officers from Wiltshire Police, supported by CID and specialist officers, carried out a drugs warrant at the Beacon Centre industrial estate.

A spokesperson said approximately 500 plants were discovered, in various states of cultivation.

A man in his 30s and a teenage boy, who were found at the address, have been arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis and being concerned in the supply of class B drugs. They are currently in police custody.

Colleagues from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service attended in support to ensure the safety of officers attending the scene.

Inspector Tina Osborn said:

“This was an excellent example of teamwork in response to information supplied by members of the public.

“It appears that a significant quantity of Class B drugs have been cultivated at this location which will now be removed from circulation.

“Drugs blight our communities and cultivation, and dealing is linked to exploitation of vulnerable people and other crimes.

“We rely on members of the community to act as our eyes and ears. We would urge anyone with concerns about possible drug dealing to report it to us as a priority.”

Anyone who suspects a crime, or believes someone is being exploited, should contact Wiltshire Police on 101. They can also report crimes anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council

An estimated 500 plants were found at the scene

Picture: Wiltshire Police

Salisbury Foodbank distributing more food parcels than ever before

SALISBURY Foodbank has revealed that 3,594 emergency food parcels were provided to people across the Salisbury and District Area in the last six months with 36% of these going to children.

Between April and September 2022, Salisbury Foodbank distributed more food parcels than in the same period last year and anticipate that this rise in need will continue as they prepare for what is expected to be the toughest winter yet.

Maria Stevenson, food bank manager at Salisbury foodbank said: “Low income remains the top issue people are facing in Salisbury and surrounding areas. Average base salary in Salisbury is far below that of Wiltshire and the surrounding counties. Salisbury is a desirable and therefore expensive area to live. We have seen and anticipate more working people and working families reaching out for help as they struggle to afford the essentials: heating; rent; food; toiletries.

“As a foodbank, our biggest challenge is to ensure food continues to come in at the rate we issue it out. We, like many other foodbanks have been buying in food to keep our shelves winter ready.

“To help address the increasing number of visitors, we are working alongside key partners to ensure that we offer the best service to the people we

support, with income maximisation and advocacy being top priorities in addressing the root cause of the crisis.

“In addition to our standard emergency food parcel, and on top of the figures calculated above, we are working with a local green grocer to deliver fresh fruit and veg direct to people’s doors. This pilot project has been running since mid-September and already up to 700 households have already benefited from the additional complimentary support.”

Salisbury Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust’s network, which has reported record levels of need in the last six months, with more than 1.3 million emergency food parcels given to people struggling to afford essentials between April 2022 and September 2022. Almost half a million of these parcels went to children.

The charity has warned that food banks are at ‘breaking point’, both physically and mentally, and are set to face the hardest winter yet as they expect to provide more than 7,000 emergency food parcels a day on average in the next six months.

Furthermore, research recently published by the Trussell Trust revealed that during August 2022, more than two million people had skipped meals across the previous three months to keep up with essential costs. In addition, 38%

of people said they’d gone a whole day with no food at all or just one meal, in the last month, because they couldn’t afford to buy enough food.”

Emma Revie, chief executive at the Trussell Trust, said: “These new statistics show that, even in summer months, people are struggling to afford the essentials and we are expecting that this winter will be the hardest yet for food banks and the people they support. This is not right.

“We know that with the right support and a stable and sufficient income, people don’t need to turn to food banks for support. Over the last few years,

Spire U3A welcomes new members to a welcome meeting in mid-December

IF YOU are no longer in work or perhaps looking forward to an active and healthy retirement, Spire U3A would like to welcome you to join them at Harnham Memorial Hall on Monday, 12th December for some coffee and a talk by

Bill Fairbairn.

Spire’s monthly meetings are always preceded by tea and coffee. As well as the main meetings, smaller interest groups also run under the U3A umbrella.

The picture to the right shows the Art & Craft group

learning how to make decorations for Spire’s entry in the St Thomas’s Christmas Tree Festival.

Membership secretary, Mary Robson, will be at the December monthly meeting to welcome anyone who wants to see what U3A is all about.

the government has acted to protect people who are struggling, and this action has made a difference. They must act again: with swift support to help people through the winter, and with vision for the longerterm to ensure that social security is always enough to weather challenging times.”

If you are in a position to donate, you can support the Salisbury foodbank Appeal Found now by donating vital funds to help the charity support local people this winter.

Visit https://www.justgiving. com/campaign/ SalisburyFoodbankFoodFund.

Foodbanks are busier than they were 12 months ago, including in Salisbury

Campaign to tackle issue of fly-tipping is launched

A NEW campaign has been launched to combat fly-tipping in the county.

Wiltshire Council’s initiative focuses on three key areas: warning people of the penalties of fly-tipping including unlimited fines, prosecution and seized vehicles; encouraging residents to report fly-tipping; and educating and informing people about how they can safely and legally dispose of their waste, particularly highlighting the dangers of using ‘tip run’ style social media advertisements.

The campaign is part of the council’s investment of an extra £150,000 each year for the next three years into tackling fly-tipping and environmental crime in the county. The bulk of this funding is being spent on more officers and equipment such as state-of-the-art cameras to catch these environmental criminals in the act.

Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member for Transport and Waste, said: “We’re serious about tackling fly-tipping, and that’s why we’ve launched our new We’re Targeting Fly-tippers campaign, which builds on the success of this eye-catching brand. We have made a significant investment into tackling fly-tipping over the next three years”.

“Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated enforcement team, we have had some excellent results in catching fly-tippers during the past year, and this investment will help us to build on that, to prosecute more offenders, to educate people about how to safely and legally dispose of their rubbish, and to ultimately see the blight of fly-tipping decrease in Wiltshire..

For more information or to report fly-tipping, visit: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping

Charities fear impact of the cost of living crisis: Survey

A SURVEY of more than 100 Wiltshire charities has revealed that two thirds worry about the impact of the cost of living crisis and a third are uncertain about the future.

Salisbury charity Wessex Community Action’s third State of the Sector survey was returned by 114 groups from across Wiltshire and Swindon during May and June in collaboration with Voluntary Action Swindon to gauge their situation, post-pandemic.

Two thirds, when asked about concerns for the future, said the cost of living crisis is a worry, while 80% said they have been impacted by Covid in some way.

More than half (51%) said they are moderately concerned about the viability of their group, while 15% said they are extremely concerned.

More than a third of groups who responded said they had seen income from fundraising events fall since Covid, while a similar number said money coming in from the likes of sales of goods, services or venue hire has dropped. Over a quarter said their donations from individuals have fallen.

Nearly 60% of groups have applied for grant funding in the last six months. Two thirds were successful, with the rest waiting to hear the outcome, but 15% said they either don’t have time to make bids or couldn’t find a suitable source of funding.

Asked about increasing demand, 45% of respondents said the most common demand is from people with anxiety or mental health concerns, while 34% said more demand is coming from people who are feeling isolated, lonely or cut off from services and support.

A third of charities said since Covid they either have fewer volunteers or are finding them more difficult to recruit and a quarter are concerned they will not be able to meet increasing demand for support.

Wessex Community Action supports smaller groups across the county with training and guidance to help make them more resilient, represents the voluntary sector in dealings with council and health leaders and runs forums for small groups and charities.

Partnership and Engagement lead Anita Hansen, who

oversaw the survey, said it is part of the charity’s remit to ‘take the temperature’ of the voluntary sector.

She said: “We carried out similar surveys in May and December 2020 but this current survey aims to measure how the sector is faring as the country has emerged from the pandemic and explore the new wave of challenges facing the sector.

“It’s important to note that the survey was carried out in the late spring and summer, before the impact of the cost of living and fuel price crisis had been felt, and the situation is likely to be far worse now.”

She said it is a concern that many have seen donations and income fall.

“We know that groups are facing the same cost of living challenges as the people they aim to help – with energy, food, rent and transport costs rising,” she said.

“It is also a worry that 15% don’t have time to apply for funding – or can find suitable sources of funding – to support their work.”

Read the full report at wessexcommunityaction.org.

Wessex Community Action chief executive Amber Skyring, right, presents a voucher to South Wilts Mencap trustees Linda Lane and Nigel Afford. All survey respondents were entered into a draw

Tiny Martin Club receives roof repairs boost from council funds

THE VILLAGE of Martin has received a boost with an award of £25,000 for roof repairs to its ‘tiny’ club.

The village, which is seven miles north west of Fordingbridge, sits within the New Forest district on the very western edge of Hampshire, close to the borders of both Wilsthire and Dorset, and is home to approximately 425 people.

The Martin Club Ltd is a Community Interest Benefit Society that was founded in the 1930s. It provides opportunities for social interaction to improve the wellbeing of residents and those from further afield.

The current roof is unstable, so the club applied for funding from Hampshire County Council. Despite being located

in a small village, the club acts as a social hub for a wider area and has been rated as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ by New Forest District Council.

The roof repair will form the first phase of a wider programme of works that will make the club more energy efficient and sustainable.

Repairs will not only ensure

that the club remains operational but it will allow the next phase to go ahead, which includes the installation of solar panels. The wider programme of works should be complete by 2025.

The club’s main room has a capacity of 200 people and activities include social events

such as quizzes, discos, local history exhibitions, talks and film nights, along with a number of activity classes such as yoga, Pilates and table tennis.

It can be hired for private events and weddings and hosts meetings for community groups such as the local parish council.

The roof repairs form the first part of a wider programme of work Credit: Google

New laser weapons being tested on Wiltshire ranges by army boffins

NEW ‘laser weapons’ have been tested in Wiltshire - using a £100 million weapon called DragonFire.

The Ministry of Defence’s Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hosted the UK’s first high-powered, long-range laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) trial on its ranges at Porton Down recently.

DragonFire uses advanced technology to track a target and focus a high-powered laser beam at it, ultimately destroying it.

The Wiltshire trials involved firing the UK DragonFire demonstrator at a number of targets over a number of ranges, demanding pinpoint accuracy from the beam director.

Dstl’s technical partner, Ben Maddison, said: “This trial is the culmination of design, development and demonstration

activity over a number of years.

“DragonFire has already successfully demonstrated an ability to track targets with very high levels of precision and to maintain a laser beam on the selected aim-point.

“This trial has assessed the performance of the laser itself

– the outcome shows that the UK has world-leading capability in the technologies associated with laser directed energy weapons (LDEW) systems.”

The MoD says laser-directed energy weapons have the potential to provide lower cost lethality, reduced logistical burden and increased effectiveness when compared to other weapon systems and could revolutionise defence operations.

The technology has been developed in partnership with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.

Chris Allam, UK managing director and executive group director of engineering at MBDA, said: “These successful trials are the latest step in

accelerating delivery of a UK sovereign laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) capability.

“MBDA, Leonardo, QinetiQ and Dstl all working together are putting the UK at the forefront of research and technology in laser domain.

“The results from these trials have verified analysis and given the team confidence that DragonFire will offer a near term and unique capability.”

Mark Hamilton, managing director electronics UK at Leonardo, said: “The DragonFire project draws on our decades of high energy laser and beam director heritage to put the UK at the very forward edge of what is possible in laser technology. The results of this live trial, which saw our beam director integrated into the DragonFire system, were impressive.”

QinetiQ chief executive, Steve Wadey, added: “We are delighted to have been involved in the trial, which has brought together the best of UK industry expertise in the complex weapons environment to work in close collaboration with Dstl.”

Dstl is now seeking innovations to better understand the next steps necessary to develop and introduce the weapons to the military.

The new laser weapons have been tested in Wiltshire

Picture: MoD

Healthcare education on agenda in bid to boost staff recruitment

SALISBURY NHS Foundation Trust has opened talks with Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire College and global education provider, Coventry University Group, about developing healthcare education in the area.

Senior leaders from Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Coventry University Group, Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire College & University Centre met at Salisbury District Hospital on Friday, November 4, to discuss an opportunity to work together to support the expansion of health education in Wiltshire.

Stacey Hunter, CEO of Salisbury Foundation Trust said: “This is an outstanding opportunity to bring the experiences and knowledge of Coventry University Group in developing higher education in Wiltshire.

“Coventry University has a track record with a number of important developments both in the UK and abroad. We are committed to taking this opportunity to work together with our partners to make major improvements in south

Wiltshire by providing an expanded training offer, helping recruitment and retention for local employers, and increasing economic activity.

“The development of improved higher education will be a major element of the Trust’s plans to make improvements to the Salisbury Hospital site.”

Coventry University Group has over 50,000 learners studying in more than 40 different countries and collaborations with 150 higher education providers worldwide and Coventry University vice-chancellor, professor John Latham, CBE, is looking forward to continuing the discussions.

He said: “Our aim is to deliver transformational change for our students, collaborators and communities across the globe and we were honoured to be invited to share our expertise with local NHS, education and local government leaders at Salisbury District Hospital.

“We have a track-record of working with NHS Trusts in areas with higher education

gaps to address staff shortages, with the majority of our latest nursing graduates from our CU Scarborough site going straight into the local workforce.

“We have more than 5,000 students currently studying healthcare courses in Coventry, Scarborough, London and online who will ultimately join the NHS and other care providers.

“We have also expanded our health offer in London, working with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and other collaborators to offer courses for professional registered health qualifications at our Hudson Building.

“We look forward to continuing discussions into the

possibilities of helping people in the Salisbury and Wiltshire area gain access to high-quality education.”

Iain Hatt, principal & CEO of Wiltshire College & University Centre, said: “We are delighted to be talking with Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Wiltshire Council and Coventry University Group regarding the prospect of further developing healthcare education in Salisbury and Wiltshire.

“We hope that these discussions will lead to exciting new opportunities for healthcare students from the area and also allow us to ensure the provision of our own healthcare courses meets the needs of the workplace.”

Silver Salisbury already making plans for next year

The Silver Salisbury programme for older people living in the City and in the surrounding area including Amesbury, Downton and Wilton has now ended for 2022.

Silver Salisbury is a new and developing organisation. Its main activity is to deliver a three-week programme of activities and events in celebration of International Older People’s Day on 1st of October each year.

The programme is full of things that older people are involved in, contribute to and enjoy.

There are activities to support people in maintaining their independence and opportunities for those who would like to be getting out and about more but do not know where to start. Silver Salisbury is a chance to try different things, join new groups and make new friends.

“We were delighted at the quality and range of the programme and hope you enjoyed the events you attended whether a concert in the library, an afternoon tea with live music, a fitness and friendship group, a history talk or walk, the special day at the Guildhall or have become a new member of a walking group as I have heard that Ramblers groups have some new members,” Irene Kohler, chair, Silver Salisbury Group said.

“A big thank you to all the groups that opened their doors to offer free taster sessions during the programme or supported or contributed to the programme in other ways. You may have organised an event, distributed brochures, baked cakes, washed dishes, circulated information or encouraged an older person to try something new and helped him or her to get there. Thank you all very much.

“So that we can plan for 2023, we need your feedback on the events or activities you attended or were involved with this autumn; or suggestions for events you would like to see in future programmes that might offer new opportunities for people to get involved in a new activity or interest. We need to know what matters to you so we can improve, extend and enhance the programme.

“Feedback is welcomed whether you participated in Salisbury, Amesbury, Downton, Durrington or Wilton events, please get in touch.

“If you need to refresh your memory, the programme is on our website – www. silversalisbury.co.uk.

Please email your feedback to silver. salisbury@outlook.com putting Silver Salisbury feedback as the subject.

IN our modern world it can feel as though the charm of shopping has been stripped out of the retail experience.

As huge chains fight for our attention with cut price fastfashion pieces ripped from the most in-vogue looks, smaller businesses and independents struggle to attract and retain a steady customer base.

The situation has undoubtedly worsened since the Coronavirus pandemic, and the impending cost-of-living crisis will be keeping business owners up at night. Is it any wonder that there are so many empty stores on our high streets? Yet, behind a delightful Victorian shopfront, in the heart of Salisbury, a quiet revolution is taking place in fashion retailing.

While it’s only a stone’s throw away from Salisbury

Cathedral, you could almost be forgiven for missing the Regent store.

Founder and owner Jason Regent, said: “Regent is a modern styling experience and we prides ourselves on offering something for everyone. But, to get the most out of your visit you should really book yourself a free styling appointment, with no obligation to buy anything.

“Over a lifetime, we all transition through different styles and we have the expertise to guide our customers through those stages and help them find what suits them best. Good clothing can have an incredible influence on how we feel about

ourselves.”

With seven rooms, set across three floors, the family business is packed with carefully curated clothing, accessories and lifestyle items.

Each brand is selected to reflect the business’ ethos and passion for heritage products and, above all else, quality.

Regent stocks brands such as Gloverall, Baracuta, Wrangler, FjallRaven and YMC alongside smaller, independent and local brands. Regent’s own line of apparel is underpinned by the simple notion of getting the best quality for the best price.

“We believe that if you buy quality and spend your money

well, you should really only have to buy once.” Jason added “The right coat should last you a lifetime and there’s no reason that shirts, shoes and trousers shouldn’t last you for years. All of this is especially important now as families are beginning to feel the pinch.”

With an already established reputation for their made-tomeasure suit service, Regent has expanded over the years to provide casualwear, ladieswear and lifestyle accessories, including vinyl records, books and, most recently, eco-friendly cleaning products.

The shop wouldn’t feel out of place in Shoreditch or Williamsburg but it is the fact that it is located in Salisbury that adds to the charm of the place.

Regent is far more than a clothing store: it’s a philosophy.

Wilding thanks its customers after announcing it will be forced to close

Words and photo by Tristan Ovington

SALISBURY’S Wilding restaurant and wine bar announced that, due to increasing costs of food, utilities and labour, it will be forced to close its doors just 15 months after opening on the High Street.

On its social media platforms, a spokesperson for the restaurant announced that it would close on Sunday, November 20th.

Salisbury’s diners took to social media to offer support and state that they will miss the business, with several saying that the news of the restaurant closing is “such a shame”.

One resident said: “That’s such sad news, another brilliant independent is gone. Tough

times, however, and what you brought to Salisbury was so fresh and innovative, not to mention delicious. You will be missed!”

On social media, a Wilding spokesperson added: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the news of our closure. The current market conditions and increased food costs, utilities, and labour have made it impossible for us to continue.

“Thank you to everyone who supported us during our time in Salisbury. It was brief, but it was beautiful. The gorgeous space, the incredible wine list, innovative cocktails, and of course, the delicious, seasonal food.

“Huge thanks must go to head chef Jason for creating dishes full of love and, most importantly, always hitting the spot. We feel

What are Lasting Powers of Attorney and why do I need one?

Like Wills, lasting powers of attorney (LPA’s) are an essential part of estate planning. Why? While wills only come into effect once a person has died, LPAs are effective if someone is still alive but no longer able to function normally.

LPAs allow you to nominate a trusted person called an attorney. They can make decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to do so.

An LPA gives the attorney the authority to act on your behalf. Both financially and with matters pertaining to your health and care. It goes without saying that attorneys must be people you trust.

But what happens if someone doesn’t have an LPA? If you lose mental capacity a bank would freeze all accounts – including any in joint names. Even family members would not be able to access them at first.

Obtaining access to the accounts requires a long, drawn-out application to the Court of Protection, and this is a far more expensive process than getting an LPA in the first place.

There are two types of LPA document – one that covers financial matters and the other health. You should get both types of LPA drawn up as soon as possible, well in advance of when – or if – they might be needed.

Book an appointment with a Maplebrook Wills by calling 07832 331594

“Without a ‘lasting power of attorney’ document created in advance, families can find themselves locked out of an ailing loved one’s finances and facing a complicated court process to be appointed their ‘deputy’, with fees running into many thousands of pounds.”

Chris Tennant, Oakwood Wills

so much gratitude to all the talented people in our kitchen and front of the house – thank you. “We’re sad to say goodbye… but we’re not totally gone. If you’re not too far away or ever

in the area, we’d love you to visit Wilding Oxford or Eight Stony Street in Frome.

“From Kent, Sarah, Jason, Adrian and all the team, past and present, we bid you farewell.”

Pritchetts Butchers leaves Fish Row after 150 years

AFTER 150 years, Pritchetts Butchers is set to leave its shop premises on Fish Row, Salisbury.

The good news is that the business will continue to supply its quality meat products to the people of the city and surrounding areas from its new site in Churchfields, which will offer more space for the business to grow.

In an address to customers on Facebook, Mark and Charles Aldridge explained the reasons behind the move.

“We made a very big, tough decision on the future of the business. We’re leaving our shop on Fish Row after 150 years, to move to a purpose built unit in Churchfields.

“The recent access issues have made us look at our business and an opportunity has arisen to improve our service and give our customers easier access and parking.

“This is a beautiful building but we’ve got to a point where we can’t get any bigger, we’ve struggled for space.”

Pritchetts will still trade from its mobile butchers shop at Salisbury market and customers can order online to collect either from the mobile shop or the new unit on Churchfields.

“We’ve got through some difficult times, from BSE, foot and mouth, novichok and recently COVID, but the biggest thing is access for our suppliers and deliveries.

“We’ve got so many memories here. But we’ve got to move on.”

The new shop will be at 3, Paxton Business Centre, Whittle Rd, Churchfields, Salisbury, SP2 7YR. There are eight free parking spaces available for customers.

Honeycombers is bringing a buzz to city shopping

ANTHONY HABERT recently opened the first honey shop in Salisbury. Honeycombers, located within Fisherton Mill, his first retail endeavour.

“I spent 25 years in the wines and spirits trade,” said Anthony.

“ I lost my job during the pandemic as the head of beverage for a company that supplied spirits and wine for P&O Cruises.

“I always had the idea in my head about honey.

“When I was in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney in July 2019 I got a jar of honey there, and then I also got one from Melbourne.

“When I got home, I lined them up next to four kinds of honey I got from Salisbury. I arranged them in colour order, as you would with wine, and I tasted them all. I was blown away by the results. I had no idea honey could be so varied and exciting.

“That experience stuck with me; I thought now was the time to do something with honey.”

Anthony began selling the honey online in September 2021 and attended several events. After seeing the popularity of his honey at Chalke Valley Food Festival and events at Hampton Court and Beaulieu, Anthony decided it was time to open his shop.

Since opening on October 20th, Anthony says the response from customers has been overwhelmingly joyful.

“People have enjoyed the look of the shop and have been thrilled that there is a shop in Salisbury dedicated to honey.

“I have also had a lot of mead enthusiasts, who often attend historical reenactment events set in the Tudor or Viking eras.

“These people like to buy or make their own mead. Chalke

Valley Food Festival was great for that.

“Mead is a whole separate category of alcoholic beverage. There are hundreds of different styles. There is a dry, sparkling mead similar to prosecco or champagne.

“There is also a sparkling raspberry 12% melomel, the term for fruit juice and honey fermented together in a cask with vanilla pods.

“Melomel can be drunk like a dessert wine. There are also

easy drinking Wyke Valley meads that are 4%.

“We have lots of little stocking fillers like small beeswax candles and honey drippers that are all under £10. And we have larger items like books about bees.

“Plus, of course, lots and lots of different types of honey. We always offer free honey samples, so don’t be afraid to ask.”

honeycombers.co.uk

Words and photo by Tristan Ovington

Anthony Habert with some of the products on offer

Fisherton Mill offering workshops, exhibitions and endless variety...

Words and photo by Tristan Ovington

Despite being opened as a gallery over 30 years ago, Fisherton Mill, located near Salisbury train station, remains fresh and vibrant.

In her seventh year at Fisherton Mill, manager Lauren McQuaid describes the themes of the exhibition she helped set up, some of the newer artists, and festive workshops.

“We have a lot to offer, despite the year nearly being over,” said Lauren. “Lots of our workshops are perfect as Christmas gifts. Like the Festive Polar Bear Needle Felting workshop, for example, or the “crochet a cactus” workshop in December.

“We are also excited to have taken on some great new shops and artists recently,” Lauren continues. “Honeycombers

opened just a few weeks ago and sells many different kinds of honey and beeswax products.

“Exploring the first floor is always exciting, where Rob and Robyn’s painter and printmakers studio ‘Peg knife’ are always busy with prints and are currently doing Christmas card workshops.”

“We currently have an exhibition about the animal world called Not Just Camels which started on November 5 and runs until the end of December.

“The theme is animals, not just for Christmas but all year round. Everyone has a favourite animal, so there is something for everyone in this exhibition.

“We have art by Tanya Hinton from Amesbury and ceramic mosaics by Dorset artist Colin Davis. The ceramic animals by Colin are especially

interesting because some are made using beautifully printed plates that give a historical feel. But the eyes of the deer are more cartoony, giving it a clever, humorous touch.

“It’s always fascinating to see how our artists respond to the theme. Throughout the exhibition, we have a good mixture of media, such as paint, ceramic, various printing

techniques, jewellery, and stained glass.”

“Christmas is always a busy time of year for us, so we encourage people to see locally made art or chat with our artists. If you cannot visit us Monday to Saturday, we will also be open 11am to 3pm on the 4, 11 and 18, which are all Sundays in December.”

fishertonmill.co.uk

Manager, Lauren McQuaid in front of the animal-themed exhibition

Politics

‘Statement heralds economic winter’

‘WHERE are we going?’ is the question raised in my mind in the aftermath of the eagerly awaited Autumn Statement.

I am grateful to Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies, for at least part of that answer.

“The truth is we just got a lot poorer. We are in for a long, hard, unpleasant journey; a journey that has been made more arduous than it might have been by a series of economic own goals...”

While this not something we wanted to hear, we at least now know what the immediate future is likely to hold.

How much longer will it take for the British public to realise there is something fundamentally flawed in the approach to governance by the Conservative Party?

There can be no doubt their judgement has repeatedly come under scrutiny and been found wanting. Like it or not our politicians have the even tougher than usual task of governing and leading a nation, one that is increasingly divided on a number of key issues, through the toughest times since the Second World War. The difference then was there was a common enemy, a shared goal and circumstances requiring strong leadership.

As the Conservative Party disintegrated in the vacuum left by the demise of their populist leader this summer, the party has struggled, not only to lead the country, but to establish leadership within its own party. Party

WE are at the start of the UN ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Against Women & Girls’ - an international, civil society-led campaign that takes place each year to highlight the violence 51% of the world’s population experiences simply because of their gender.

I work for a charity myself that has joined the call to “UniTE to End Violence against Women & Girls!”

It is 2022 and yet we live in a country where a woman is killed by her male partner or former partner every four days. Femicide Census is a website dedicated to recording and cataloging every woman who is killed - 85 this year so far.

The abuse women face, be it physical, emotional,

Chair

These difficult circumstances have had a huge impact on our world, but the lack of integrity, leadership, poor decisions, and a lack of vision for our future, is leaving the public feeling disillusioned, and in many cases, demoralised or angry.

members opted to elect Liz Truss. Having wreaked havoc with the economy, the government lost more ground in the period required to elect a new leader.

One of the most frustrating aspects of politics has always been the disproportionate amount of time and effort invested in the trying to allocate blame for the current prevailing aspects of our everyday lives causing the greatest concern or distress.

With that in mind let us get that out of the way first, if only to provide the context for the current crisis and also establish the conditions required to enhance our capacity to thrive.

It is becoming apparent ‘getting Brexit done’ is emerging as part of the problem.

The handling of the pandemic was a triumph for the NHS, often in spite of, not because of decisions made Johnson’s cabinet.

The energy crisis precipitated by the war in Ukraine has caused economic mayhem and misery for the majority of the population while energy companies never had it so good.

We deserve good public services and to be able to enjoy a reasonable quality of life, but the distribution of wealth has been, and will continue to be under this government, skewed in favour of the very wealthy.

• We are always going to be economically dependent on energy production, so the absolute priority is to invest much more in the development of renewable sources of energy.

• Fossil fuel dependency is damaging to our economy and to the environment

• The transition to renewable energy is not only crucial in slowing down global warning, but ultimately the only long-term solution to energy security and economic stability.

The potential is there, the technology is there, but the political will is evidently not. We simply can’t expect to thrive and prosper if energy companies, and the likes of Putin, are calling the shots.

The way forward is to ensure tax concessions to energy companies are awarded exclusively for investment in the development of renewable energy, or perhaps simply impose taxation to fund government subsidies for greener energy suppliers and domestic insulation for all homes and public buildings.

against women’

economical, or psychological, is endemic within our society and one of the most pressing issues our Government ought to be tackling.

As the cost of living crisis worsens, history indicates that incidences of abuse will increase. According to the End Violence Against Women coalition, many women face the unthinkable choice of ‘staying in an abusive situation or experiencing financial hardship or destitution’.

Our latest Conservative Prime Minister wants to tackle the violence women face because he has a wife and two daughters and “that brings it home”. Forgive me for thinking that you shouldn’t have to invoke female relatives in order to justify efforts to tackle this tragedy. The fact 144 women in the UK were killed by men last year alone ought to be enough to ‘bring it home’.

The Domestic Abuse Act was a step forward, but sustainable funding is still not accessible for many services supporting women. It is no coincidence that rape prosecutions continue to decline.

To make further progress, profound, systemic change is needed starting with the education of children into healthy and unhealthy relationships.

We need a generational shift in understanding of what a respectful relationship ought to look like. This must be underpinned by secure, long term funding for services needs to be the norm.

Currently, charities compete constantly for short-term funding pots that value innovation over the ‘business as usual’ of keeping women and girls safe.

Finally, too many women are falling through the bureaucratic cracks, and a joined up response from all our public services is vital.

Violence Against Women and Girls does not have to be normal, we can change societal attitudes and create a world where fewer women are scared walking home.

Cllr John Wells

of Environment and Climate Committee (Salisbury City Council)

New Progress Bar offers safe space

Words and photo by Tristan Ovington

MAYOR of Salisbury - Cllr Caroline Corbin - who is also director of Salisbury Pride CIC opened the inclusive Progress Bar on November 18.

Caroline established the bar after listening to the needs of residents of the LGBTQ+ and other communities in Salisbury. She describes the events leading up to the opening.

“We have had two festivals in Lizzie Gardens in the summer,” says Caroline. “Then we had a shop that didn’t serve people’s needs as it wasn’t a good place to socialise.

“I work at Salisbury District Hospital on the switchboard, and in that role, I learnt how important it is to listen to people. I have listened and concluded that what people need is a safe place, but also somewhere they can go to socialise, have a drink,

have something to eat, and feel safe and comfortable. That’s why we now have Progress Bar.

“A lot of the organisations for people in Salisbury are church-led, which doesn’t suit

everyone. That’s why I have been working hard on the bar for a month with 10 volunteers to establish the bar.

“One of the members of Socialise Salisbury came in to do the tabletops, sanding and finishing them. And we will have an artist paint a mural on the blank wall near the pool table. It’s been a fantastic team effort. We wanted to be open for Christmas and we succeeded!

“We want to integrate with other community groups and use our sizable upstairs space to allow them to do events.

“It is not ready yet, but I have applied for £250,000 funding to enhance the space and facilitate events.

“This money will also allow us to do outreach to support people in the community and let them know what we offer.

“Outside right now, we have a volunteer painting the external

back door. He has been so helpful in setting the place up.

“Last night he was in the bar, and everyone came in and interacted with him perfectly normally.

“Afterward, he was moved to tears and said, ‘This is exactly what I wanted to achieve. I feel like this is my home.’

“He very much needed this place, and we are excited to offer this environment that anyone can come to and call home.”

The opening has met with some controversy after Wiltshire Council recommended it not open on November 18 as planned due to an issue with changing its status from restaurant to bar premises. The Gazette was not able to establish whether the issue was resolved prior to opening. https://prideinsalisbury.wixsite. com/progressbar

Cllr Caroline Corbin

Council funding will help adults improve their numeracy skills

Wiltshire Council has been awarded £2.1m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to help adults improve their maths skills through the provision of new courses.

The tailored support is part of the roll-out of the government’s Mulitply programme which offers free courses for adults who have not achieved a Level2/Grade 4 (formerly Grade C) in maths. The funding has been allocated over a three-year period (2022/23 to 2024/25).

Officers from the council’s Employment and Skills team have already begun working with local organisations and businesses to develop courses and provision using the Multiply funding.

These include: Wiltshire College offering courses to develop confidence with

numeracy; Wiltshire Citizens Advice will provide support with money and budgeting to assist with the current cost of living crisis; Libraries will be offering numeracy courses across Wiltshire.

Grant funding of up to £10,000 will also be available to small businesses or organisations who wish to help staff members develop their numeracy skills and who would not normally have the funds to do so.

This could be through bite-sized courses or interventions directly targeted to support individuals.

The idea behind the funding is that improved numeracy skills can help employees become better at their roles, boost productivity, increase profits and improve retention.

Projects could also target those individuals and

Longford Primary School

Make our dreams come true. Places available for September 2023.

Visits most welcome. Come and see our friendly village school set in beautiful surroundings.

communities who have not traditionally engaged with maths skills, perhaps because of previous poor experience, lack of confidence or lack of opportunity.

Cllr Laura Mayes, cabinet member for Education & Skills, said: “Maths and numeracy skills impact on all of our daily lives. Taking small steps towards improving our maths doesn’t have to be scary and ultimately it can have a big impact on our work and life prospects.

“Our officers are working with organisations such as Wiltshire College and Citizens Advice to develop and roll out courses and encourage people to take the first steps to develop confidence with numeracy and budgeting, whether this is for work or home.

“With the current cost of living crisis and the need to balance household budgets, learning new skills has never been more important.

“As part of our business plan, we have committed to ensuring that Wiltshire residents have the right skills to prosper and to support in improving confidence and knowledge.

The additional funding available to businesses will also cater for employees who are looking to upskill and further their careers within their current workplace environment.

The council is encouraging organisations to come forward with their proposals and to take advantage of this great funding opportunity.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, chairman of the Local Government Association’s People and Places Board, said: “We are pleased to see the government working closely with councils and devolved authorities to get the Multiply programme up and running at speed, as they know how best to deliver this muchneeded investment and tailor it to local need.

“Local government is best placed to engage residents who would benefit from increasing their numeracy skills to get on in life and work.”

Further information on the Multiply scheme and courses offered, plus guidance for business applications is found www.wiltshire.gov.uk/multiplygrant-scheme.

Longford Primary School High Road, Britford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5

“Securing this funding and developing free numeracy courses will be key in meeting this target. Courses will be tailored to encourage people to take that first step at a pace and level suited to them.

Applications for a Multiply grant must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday, 30th November via the online application form.

Applications will then be reviewed and assessed by a panel with grants being paid from December onwards.

Credit: Green ChameleonUnsplash

Litter bins are temporarily removed from city centre to save money

A NUMBER of litter bins are being removed from city streets - in a bid to save money.

Salisbury City Council has announced it is temporarily removing some containers.

The move comes as the council takes over some services from Wiltshire Council and contractor, Idverde.

A spokesperson for the council said a lack of staff amid the takeover - and saving money - were behind the removal of the bins.

“There are sound financial reasons for doing this, and ultimately it will make the service more efficient and effective for Salisbury residents,” they said.

“We are taking on some of

the Idverde staff.

“However, not all of them wish to transfer to a new employer.

“We are advertising for staff.”

The spokesperson said the bins being removed were not the most commonly filled.

“In the meantime we don’t have the manpower to empty all the bins and we do not wish to see them overflowing onto the streets,” they added.

“The bins that are most commonly used will remain in place, along with our new recycling bins in the city centre.”

People are urged to dispose of their rubbish considerately, the spokesperson said.

The bins are being removed from Salisbury streets

Wildlife Trust encouraged by Prime Minister’s climate action pledges

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has responded positively to Rishi Sunak’s address to global leaders this week, in which he stressed the importance of ending dependence on fossil fuels and acknowledged that “there is no solution to climate change without protecting and restoring nature”.

The Trust was encouraged by the new Prime Minister’s attendance at COP27, where the issue of “loss and damage” felt by poorer nations as a result of historic emissions is taking centre stage.

It also welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to reduce the UK’s emissions by at least 68% by 2030.

Gary Mantle, CEO of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We cannot address climate change without nature’s recovery. Natural habitats have a critical role to play in storing carbon and helping us adapt to the impacts of climate change. As UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, we need urgent action by all nations, working together to avoid catastrophic warming.

“We are now urging the UK government to build on the Prime Minister’s commitments

by taking action at home and supporting nature’s recovery.

“If the government increases efforts to protect at least 30% of land and sea by 2030 by strengthening environmental protections and setting ambitious targets, as promised under the Environment Act, we can both restore many of our wild places and mitigate the effects of climate change.”

In the 12 months since COP26, England experienced the driest July since 1935 and temperatures over 40˚C were recorded for the first time ever.

The hot and dry weather brought about by climate change left nature under pressure. Habitats across the country were left parched with wildlife suffering from overheating and a severe lack of water.

Water levels in chalk streams and ponds were exceptionally low, with water temperatures much higher than they should be, adversely impacting food sources for species such as otters, water voles and kingfishers.

Ponds and sections of streams dried up across Wiltshire, including a large pond at Wiltshire Wildlife

Trust’s Conigre Mead nature reserve in Melksham and tiered ponds at Kings Farm Wood near Wroughton.

The rainfall seen in recent months has not been enough to fully replenish reservoirs, aquifers, ponds, rivers and streams.

There were also reports of wildfires breaking out across the UK throughout the summer and even into autumn.

In August, the remnants of a fire were discovered close to an ancient oak tree just 50m from the edge of the Trust’s Green Lane Wood nature reserve on the edge of Trowbridge.

Even as late as October, another small fire had to be put out at Hagbourne Copse nature reserve in Swindon as dry leaves provided fuel for flames to spread.

Gary Mantle added:

“Protecting nature and prioritising climate resilience is becoming even more critical in the wake of this recent extreme weather.

“Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is undertaking a raft of projects to help tackle the climate and ecological crises, including restoring wetlands, rivers, chalk downland and wildflower meadows.

“There are also simple actions that everyone can take at home and work, which are good for the planet and good for the pocket, from limiting water and electricity use, to reducing waste and gardening for wildlife.”

To find out more, visit www. wiltshirewildlife.org/actionsfor-climate

Coombe Bissett nature reserve during a hot period

Credit: Louise Hartgill

Burnt grass near Green Lane Wood

Credit: WWT

Nature centre opens at Langford Lakes adding café and gallery

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has more than doubled the size of the Brockbank nature centre at its Langford Lakes nature reserve near Salisbury, with the creation of a new café area and a dedicated space for an art gallery and private functions.

The new developments were made possible through the generous support of key funders The Hills Group and the European Social Investment Fund.

The transformed Kingfisher Café now extends out over one of the lakes, affording stunning views of the reserve and its wildlife spectacles. The Brockbank Centre is also a great resource for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust events and a focal point for the local community to use for everything from meetings to weddings. Most importantly, with the added capacity and improved facilities, the expanded nature centre and café are drawing in more visitors to the Trust’s Langford Lakes reserve, including people new to exploring nature.

The wetlands at Langford Lakes are home to a variety of wildlife, including otters and approximately 150 resident and migratory bird species. The nature reserve offers visitors a circular route around 31 hectares of lakes and wet grassland, with level paths and five bird hides for avid bird watchers.

Chairman, Alan Pardoe, and chief executive, Mike Hill, of The Hills Group opened the Brockbank Centre at an event attended by Lord Talbot, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Trustees and a small group of the Trust’s major stakeholders.

Alan Pardoe, said: “Hills is extremely proud of its long-standing relationship with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust that goes back over

30 years. The Trust and Hills were the first to make use of funding from the Landfill Communities Fund and it is fantastic to see how much this reserve at Langford Lakes has developed over the years. The exemplar habitat that has been created is tremendous for wildlife.

“The nature centre is not only an asset for the local community who now have access to this site, but also for other Wiltshire residents and all the people who are able to come and enjoy the new facilities and spend time outdoors in nature.”

Attendees of the official opening event had the chance to learn about how Langford Lakes has been transformed for the benefit of wildlife and local people since the reserve was created in 2001 from a presentation by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s CEO, Dr Gary Mantle MBE. Damian Haasjes, head of Business Development & Community Engagement for the Trust presented on how

the Brockbank Centre provides a host of new opportunities for people to enjoy and learn about nature. On a guided tour of the nature reserve, guests also heard about the exciting plans for more enhancements to the reserve, including a new sand martin nesting bank.

Gary Mantle, CEO of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: “This fantastic new facility will enable people to enjoy nature whatever the weather, from cosy indoor seating or out on the café’s new veranda. It is a place where people can meet friends, host events and learn more about the Langford Lakes wetlands, the wildlife they support and conservation in Wiltshire.

“We are very grateful to The Hills Group and other generous funders who have helped us to transform Langford Lakes into a true flagship site for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The remarkable support from The Hills Group over the years has been key in helping us to achieve our vision of a sustainable future for wildlife and people.”

Langford Lakes is one of 41 Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserves spread throughout the county covering nearly 1,200 hectares, with all of Wiltshire’s habitats represented, from chalk downlands to woodlands. The Trust also has visitor facilities at the Dragonfly Café, located at Lower Moor Farm nature reserve in the north of the county.

www.wiltshirewildlife.org/reserves

Chairman of The Hills Group Alan Pardoe opening the new Brockbank nature centre at Langford Lakes with chairman of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Mark Street; accompanied by The Hills Group chief executive Mike Hill, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire Lord Talbot, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust chief executive Gary Mantle and Trustees

The new nature centre at Langford Lakes Credit: Ellie Dodson

Farming

NFU hosts first-of-a-kind workshop on emerging environmental markets

On 1 November, the NFU hosted an innovative ‘Environmental opportunities for agriculture’ workshop at its London office to explore the opportunities for farmers and growers to engage in environmental markets from a farming, policy, and financial perspective.

The event brought together representatives from many key stakeholder organisations that shape the development of these markets. These included farmers, farmer clusters, investors, financial institutions, project developers and policymakers.

“This multi-stakeholder event was the first conversation of its kind and we hope this can act as a springboard for further discussions for the long-term benefit of the farming community.”

Collaboration is crucial

NFU President Minette Batters opened the event with an address that highlighted the importance of defining new markets ‘on our own terms’.

She explained that engaging collaboratively in the development of environmental markets will be critical to finding solutions for delivering food production and environmental outcomes in a way supported by both public

and private financial funds.

NFU chief economic adviser Rohit Kaushish provided a useful and concise outline of the NFU’s activity on environmental markets so far and offered greater clarity on what it means for farmers and growers.

He explained that market development and investment will have an effect on future generations of farmers and producers, so it is important to get this right.

As a result, the NFU has carefully designed its ‘5 Key Environmental Market Principles’.

Balancing the opportunities and challenges

Based on these principles, the workshop was divided into a series of focussed sessions.

Identifying the opportunity: This allowed participants to reflect on what constitutes a viable opportunity for investment and development.

Financing the opportunity:

Following on from this clarification of suitable opportunities, the workshop moved on to discuss mechanisms for getting new and alternative markets off the ground and ensuring that any market development is sustainable.

The role of government policy: Important to this workshop was recognition that government needs to be involved for any environmental markets to develop successfully. Participants explored how public policy initiatives can support emerging markets and inspire confidence.

The top three opportunities and challenges: Bringing together the insights of the preceding sessions, the workshop evaluated the opportunities to seize and the most pressing challenges for agricultural businesses and investors.

Following each session, there was a collaborative feedback process in which ideas were

exchanged on how farmers and growers can best engage with the environmental markets. If structured correctly, investment through such markets presents an opportunity to support long-term resilience in the businesses and natural systems that underpin British food production.

Bringing the event to a close, Minette reflected that the workshop had been a great success and paid tribute to the willingness of all stakeholders to begin to work together on an area that can be complex.

She recognised that, if structured correctly, the potential benefit to farmers, growers, and agri-food businesses of engaging with environmental markets could be significant and that the incentives for industry-based collaboration had never been stronger.

Environmental markets pose a potential source of income for farmers and growers and exploring opportunities to engage with them will be critical for food production and environmental outcomes

The potential benefit of engaging with environmental markets could be significant Credit: Chris/Unsplash

Farming remains highly vulnerable

NFU President Minette Batters has responded to the Chancellor’s Autumn statement.

She said: “There is much to be welcomed from today’s announcement particularly on investment in research and development and the roll out of gigabit broadband technology to the hardest to reach rural communities.

“While we await further clarity, these commitments would enable Britain’s farmers to be more productive and efficient, while continuing to produce sustainable food and achieve ambitious net zero goals.

“Like other businesses, it’s rocketing costs for energy –central to producing our food – as well as huge hikes in feed, and fertiliser, which is putting Britain’s farmers and growers under the most intense pressure.

“We expect an announcement on future support for businesses before Christmas and it is vital

this new targeted approach for business beyond next April includes UK food production and the food supply chain.

“With a safe, affordable domestic food supply being central to our nation’s success, we believe there are robust grounds for the government to classify our industry as a vulnerable sector when it comes to energy provision.

“We also heard the Chancellor committing that government departments will have their overall budgets increased in real terms.

“We trust this will allow

Defra to deliver a properlyfunded Agricultural Transition Plan to ensure Britain’s farmers have the confidence to invest and grow their businesses, in turn enabling British food, farming and the country to thrive.”

Ahead of the Autumn statement, Batters had written an open letter to the Defra Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey, outlining the many challenges faced by the sector, highlighting pledges the current Prime Minister made to an NFU hustings event earlier in the year. Mr Sunak pledged to:

– Establish a new food security target, including a statutory duty to monitor and report on domestic food production levels annually.

– Chair a UK-wide annual food security summit at 10 Downing Street, in partnership with NFU and stakeholders.

– Introduce a new target for public sector organisations to buy 50% of their food locally.

– Use the powers in the Agriculture Act to ensure that supply chains are made fairer.

– Review planning rules to ensure that high-quality farmland is sufficiently protected.

– Make farmers a priority in all future trade deals…[and] build on existing support mechanisms to help farmers export to the world’s emerging markets.

– Reintroduce the role of the UK Rural Advocate and increase representation of farmers at all levels of government.

Credit: Belinda Fewings/Unsplash

Growing vegetables in December

It might be a bit wet, cold and miserable but December is a very good time to start sowing for a return in the spring, Planting at this time of year brings your garden to life earlier than if you wait for the spring

Think of lettuce and you think of lovely summer salads with crunchy, fresh leaves. However, now is a great time to sow them.

Winter Gem was bred especially bred to not only grow at low temperatures but to also provide a harvest. It might well be too cold and wet to plant straight outside, but it will work well in cold frames and in pots in unheated greenhouses. It’s pretty hardy for a salad leaf.

Another variety that works well in the greenhouse in the colder months is Lamb’s Lettuce. So called because the leaves resemble a lamb’s tongue, though I am not sure that adds anything to its delicious, crunchy taste. Keep the lower leaves clean while in the pot and start gathering after four or five leaves appear.

Other leaves to consider at this time of year include mustard greens and microgreens. They can both be grown on

the windowsill indoors and you can grow them easily to add a bit of flavour and colour to your meals. Mustard greens might go dormant if it gets too cold where they are being grown, but will start up again when the temperature increases.

Even during mild winters, birds will be feeling a little peckish as their food sources dwindle. It’s a good idea to protect vulnerable fruit and vegetables from hungry animals. Kale, cabbages and other brassicas can be covered with netting.

While you are seeing to your brassicas, remove leaves that have started to turn yellow

to prevent disease taking hold. If you haven’t already, cane your sprouts to improve their sturdiness against strong winds.

Onions and garlic can be sown in December. It is a tradition to sow onion seeds on Boxing Day. It would certainly be an excuse to get outside and avoid the in-laws or if ‘another’ game of charades is not an option you’re willing to accept. Onion seeds should be started in pots indoors before planting out in the spring.

If it’s a mild December then garlic sets can be planted outside 10-15cm apart as long as the soil is well drained. If your soil is heavy or waterlogged then start them in a greenhouse.

Talking of soil, December is good month to dig in some well-rotted manure. The worms will love it and so will your plants.

Again, in mild conditions, you can sow broad beans outside. Don’t be alarmed if they germinate and then stop. They will enter a dormant phase until the spring, but will be ready for harvest much sooner than those sown in the spring. If the weather turns colder you can protect the young plants with cloches or fleece. They can also be started indoors.

Pets

Cut flowers look beautiful in your home but are they safe for your pet?

Words by Suzanne Kennedy

A LOT of pet lovers will have heard about the hazards some of our garden plants can pose to our furry friends. Daffodil, hyacinth and tulip bulbs are known to cause trouble in both dogs and cats.

But danger does not stop at the garden gate: When ingested by your pet, cut flowers in your home can be a source of discomfort and pain, too.

Chewing leaves and petals, or even just drinking the water from a vase containing poisonous flowers can result in very serious medical issues for our feline and canine companions.

Among the most common cut flowers poisonous for pets are some of our all-time favourites at Milston Flower Barn: Chrysanthemums; Hydrangeas; Tulips; Sweet Peas; Carnations; Foxgloves; Iris; Dahlias; Lily of the Valley and Daffodils, to name just a few.

Lilies, as many cat lovers will know, are particularly dangerous, as all parts of the

plants are deadly to our feline friends – the petals, pollen, leaves, and even the water in vases that hold cut stems. Cats who eat lilies need immediate veterinary care!

If your pet is known to be a bit of a grazer, or just a curious youngster, it is best to avoid bouquets containing poisonous stems (ask your florist). If given a bouquet with troublesome flowers as a gift, make sure they are placed where your furry family members can’t reach, or best, donate the flowers to a pet-free home.

The safest way to prevent poisoning in your pets is to stay clear of poisonous flowers in your home and avoid planting them in your garden.

Plants that are considered hazardous for domestic animals can cause a range of symptoms, some more severe than others. Most common signs that your dog has eaten a dangerous plant

(apart from the remnants of the plant) include vomiting, diarrhoea, extreme salivation, lethargy and twitching. If you are concerned that your pet has ingested a poisonous plant or flower, or they are showing symptoms of poisoning, contact your veterinarian immediately.

As wedding florists, we are regularly asked to provide bouquets for little flower girls, throwing petals, cake flowers or even floral dog collars. Knowing about potential toxins

in our arrangements is key to the safety of our customers.

At Milston Flower Barn we care about the world we live in. In all our different floristry workshops we raise awareness about the origin of plants, toxicity and their ecological impact.

Learn more about flowers and plants safe for cats and dogs at www.rspca.or.uk or www. bluecross.org.uk.

For current workshop dates and personalised classes: www. milstonflowerbar.co.uk

Keeping your guinea pigs warm during winter weather

IF YOU keep guinea pigs outdoors you will want to esnure you do everything you can to keep them warm during the winter weather, especially when night falls.

We’ve rounded up some top tips and advice to help keep your little ones safe and warm.

First, if you can, bring them indoors. If you can’t have them in the house, a porch, garage, shed or conservatory will help to keep the worse of the elements away from their hutch.

Don’t keep their hutch in a garage that is used to store a car as the fumes can be fatal.

If you are wondering how cold is too cold for guinea pigs, they prefer temperatures that humans tend to feel comfortable in. If you feel the chill, then so will your guinea pigs.

You want to weather proof the hutch as much as you can. If indoors isn’t an option, then is there a place that provides shelter from rain, snow and wind chill.

A rain cover will also provide some comfort from the winter elements.Under the cover and over the hutch, an old blanket or piece of tarpualin will hep to keep some of the cold out and heat in.

Inside, a hideaway that has only one entrance will help to reduce the amount of draughts getting in, while retaining heat generated by the guinea pigs and other sources.

If you can, try and attach foil bubble wrap to the inside of the hutch. Again, this will hep to retain warmth. Cardboard is another good insulator and makes a good liner. Always ensure that there is good air

flow for the guinea pigs.

Provide extra bedding hay for them to snuggle into, keep it fresh and clean and make sure it is regulalry topped up.

This can be combined with a heat pad that is specially designed for small animals.

Keep an eye on water bottles as they are likely to freeze. Either wrap them in insulating material or by unblocking any ice that has formed each day.

Guinea pigs still need to exercise during the winter months so ensure they have access to an outdoor run. However, avoid putting them on damp grass as they will get cold very quickly.

How do you spot early signs of poisoning?

Credit: Eric Han/unsplash

Guinea pigs do not like the cold

Credit: Karlijn Prot

Could you give a forever home to one of these potential best friends?

DAISY

Breed: French Bulldog Age: 8+ Sex: Female

Daisy is a sweet little lady, almost nine years old and is looking for companionship in a loving, relaxing home.

She struggles when left alone so would love her new family to be around most of the day to help her settle.

Daisy could live with another calm dog of a similar size after successful introductions at the centre, she has also previously lived with a cat and hamster and could do so again.

She would prefer a home with calm, sensible children

BUFFI

Breed: German Shepherd cross Age: 8+ Sex: Female

Beautiful Buffi is a sweet older lady who is looking for a calm and quiet adult only home. She’s an anxious girl who can find things quite overwhelming but once she’s built a bond, she’s a loyal companion who loves to be with people.

She struggles being left so would love her new owners to be around for company and

PARTI TOY POODLE PUPPIES

Boys & Girls available, Mum & Dad can be seen Please call: 07503 905659

COLLIE X LURCHER PUPS

Mum and dad can be seen both have beautiful temperaments Will make great agility dogs 5 boys £500 - 1 girl £550 07871 573745

PEDIGREE BRITISH SHORTHAIR KITTENS

Ready to leave. Vaccinated, vet checked, insured, microchipped. Chocolate bi, tortoiseshell,cream £750 07759 297655

aged 12 and above and is deaf and has struggled with housetraining so would benefit from patient owners who can work through this with her. For this reason Daisy will also need her own, secure garden.

BOOGIE

Breed: Beagle Age: 8+ Sex: Male

Boogie loves food a little too much and often becomes uncomfortable at the possibility of sharing, so it is advised any new home isn’t open plan and he can have a room such as a utility of his own for mealtimes.

Typical of his breed he is quite the scavenger! Boogie is happy to have dog friends out on walks but would ideally be the only animal in the home so

he can have all the attention.

He would love his own garden so he can continue his hobby of sunbathing, but he would prefer a quieter set up so would be better suited to an adult-only home.

For more details about all of the dogs featured, log on to www.dogstrust.org.uk, or contact the Salisbury Dogs Trust centre on 0303 003 0000

ARCHIE

cuddles.

She is sound sensitive so a quiet home environment away from lots of hustle and bustle would be ideal. She could potentially live with another dog pending successful mixes at the centre.

Breed: Crossbreed Age: Two Sex: Male Archie is looking for an experienced adult-only home, with owners who are used to a sensitive dog and has the time to give him the chance to turn into the most amazing dog.

He could share his new home with a confident calm dog, that does enjoy playing, after successful meets. Archie has shown previous guarding behaviours so is not suitable to be around children, but is having training to help him feel more relaxed around resources and reduce the fear of them being taken away.

MUCKY PUPS DOG GROOMER

Friars Moor Sturminster Newton Contact Gloria 07784 332682 muckypupsfrance@yahoo.com http://muckypups-bee-online.com 15 years experience in dog grooming

ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL PUPS.

Liver and White. 4 bitches and 4 dogs. Kennel club reg. Legal doc with certificate. First vaccination and micro-chipped. Ready after 24/11/22. 3 generation pedigree. Would make good workers or family pets. Further details and pictures 07932 061202. Westbury, Wiltshire. £850

Companions at Peace Pet Cremation

Independent family run business offering a very personal, caring pet cremation service to bereaved pet owners.

Collection Service Farewell Room Out of Hours Service provided

Located in a rural countryside setting on the Somerset Dorset border

Contact us on: 07900 654 440 www.companionsatpeace.co.uk

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.

Cryptic crossword

Nimble pair in the Seychelles (4)

TV worker supporting crude reforms (8)

Enter tripe for translation close to poor linguistic aide (11)

Down

1 Answer about odds on Germany (7) 2 Dark home supported by Kentucky (4) 3 Mistake producing Czech beer? (4,2) 4 A big book about hotel in reception (2-4) 5 Pretext by writer to make polite request 6 Means of guidance not right to get source milk? (5)

10 9 8 12

Nimble pair in the Seychelles (4) 11 17

8 14 11 12

7 7 12 8

Sailors occupying part of ship? That’s the heart of the matter (6) 11 16 13

Enter tripe for translation close to poor linguistic aide (11) 12 6

Recognize as valid account with learning (11)

Track showing old racing driver depressed (4,4) 19 Strength, we’re told, in very small amount (4) 20 Place by Russian river of more than single character (6) 21 Most senior English lieutenant entertaining some French (6)

Track showing old racing driver depressed (4,4) 21 17

Wife with journalist wearing short upper garment, a posh jacket (6) 12

Strength, we’re told, in very small amount (4) 10 18

Across 7 Sailors occupying part of ship? That’s the heart of the matter (6) 8 Wife with journalist wearing short upper garment, a posh jacket (6) 9 Nimble pair in the Seychelles (4) 10 TV worker supporting crude reforms (8) 11 Enter tripe for translation close to poor linguistic aide (11) 14 Recognize as valid account with learning (11) 18 Track showing old racing driver depressed (4,4) 19 Strength, we’re told, in very small amount (4) 20 Place by Russian river of more than single character (6)

12 Two films about Cuba over time – and the rest (2,6)

13 Selfish sort obtained in site at work (7)

15 Fool to improvise on a jazz instrument (6)

Most senior English lieutenant entertaining some French (6)

16 Former British film director, one collecting awards? (6)

17 Being aware of having done wrong brings type of security, we hear (5) 19 Almost exemplary way of acting (4)

TV worker supporting crude reforms (8) 10

Place by Russian river of more than single character (6) 15

Most senior English lieutenant entertaining some French (6) 15 7

Recognize as valid account with learning (11) 33 21

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

Down 23 24

Answer about odds on Germany (7)

Mistake producing Czech beer? (4,2)

Pretext by writer to make polite request (6,2)

Means of guidance not right to get source of milk? (5)

Selfish sort obtained in site at work (7)

Fool to improvise on a jazz instrument (6)

Former British film director, one collecting awards? (6)

Being aware of having done wrong brings type of security, we hear (5)

Almost exemplary way of acting (4)

Glaciers, stone and marble bring primal Iceland to gallery event

Words and photos by Katrina Ffiske

The exhibition, Tonia Gunstone X Jonathan Loxley: 63° N 19° W Coordinated, was previewed at the Vanner Gallery, Salisbury, at the beginning of November. There was a buzz the moment the doors opened, everyone welcomed in by David and Nic Christie, the owners of the gallery, with a glass of ice-cold prosecco or elderflower.

Both artists, Tonia Gunstone and Jonathan Loxley, were there to talk about their art, inspired by the landscape of Iceland. The paintings show artworks by Tonia who spent time in Iceland a year ago – the title of the exhibition showing the coordinates of where her time was spent.

Interested in the wilderness, Tonia has travelled to many places around the world. “I have always loved the landscape and our connection to it. I was drawn to Iceland because I am fascinated by the atmosphere and the geology of the country. The area I went to is linked with

the glaciers and mountains. Glaciers are very primal and I was blown away by it.”

“I saw Tonia’s work during the Wylye Art Trail,” said David. “Once I heard about her trip to Iceland I knew this was an exhibition we wanted to have at the Vanner Gallery. Having seen the complete work I invited Jonathan, a local Salisbury sculptor, to come and see and respond to the paintings. They are two very talented artists that I feel honoured to have introduced.”

Once Jonathan had seen the artworks he set to work and created seven new works. He used a range of stone and marble. The works are a wonderful counterbalance to the sharp, crystal-clear works by Tonia. The movement and carving in the cold stone echoing the glaciers and mountains. The Italian marble pieces are smooth and finely finished while others, like the square work from Kilkenny stone, are more immediate and impulsive.

Like Tonia, Jonathan is passionate about the world around him. “It is a moving moment when I start work, the first impact of a tool, the first strike into a piece of stone which has been intact for tens of millions of years.”

One person who was pleased to be at the preview was Tom Corbin, the Mayor of Salisbury. He is a great champion of the arts: “Salisbury is thrilled to have the Vanner Gallery here showing the works of local artists. The city really does have a vibrant art

The best artist graduates are coming to Salisbury

will include artists recently graduated from the leading universities in the UK.

In total, 38 universities took part in a nationwide selection process for the annual London exhibition in October. Over 200 graduates submitted their work, of which 48 artists were chosen to exhibit at Zari and Woolff galleries in Fitzrovia.

community and as a council we do encourage many art groups and artists.” Jacquiline Cresswell, former arts curator of The Salisbury Cathedral, said: “This is an impressive exhibition, both Tonia and Jonathan have created inspiring works that complement each other.”

The exhibition runs until December 24, 2022. www.vannergallery.com

A Christmas Carol

Olivier Award winner, Guy Masterson, veteran of many smash hit solo works such as Under Milk Wood, Animal Farm and Shylock, presents Dickens’ classic festive fable.

The

David visited both galleries during Frieze London, and with co-founder of the Graduate Art Show, Victoria Charlton and Salisbury-based curator Dina Bulavina has selected 24 artists to bring to Salisbury, including the recipient of the judge’s award, Lauren Goldie (pictured left).

David can be contacted on: 01722 501 551 or at hello@vannergallery.com https://www.vannergallery.com

Famed for bringing multiple characters to vivid life, Masterson gives us Scrooge, Marley, the Fezziwigs, the Cratchits, Tiny Tim et al in a riveting, one-man performance that will dazzle, enchant, and linger long in the memory.

Guaranteed to get you into the Christmas Spirit - in many more ways than one.

8-10 December www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/

Tonia was inspired by the geology of Iceland

Photo by Ash Mills

Graduate Art Show will be at the Vanner Gallery, Salisbury next February opening on February 23 for two weeks. Invited by David Christie, director of the Vanner Gallery, the show

Local artist group holds annual winter exhibition

The Salisbury Group of Artists is holding its annual winter exhibition at Salisbury District Hospital from November 25

through to January 6, 2023.

Local landscapes and a variety of original artworks will be on display along the corridors.

The Salisbury Group of Artists is a vibrant, friendly and active arts group within and around the city.

Top: Walk in the snow by Lyn Ryder

Left: Mount Cook, NZ by Paul Ryder

In the run up to the festive season there is a chance to view and purchase a unique Christmas present and commission on all sales is used by ArtCare to fund creative projects for the benefit of patients, staff and visitors to the hospital.

Artwork is free to view on the level 3 and 4 main corridors. www.artcaresalisbury.uk www.salisburygroupofartists. co.uk

Cinderella cast put the finishing touches to this year’s pantomime

Pantomime at the Playhouse is a Christmas tradition like no other. A special event for the festive season. This year’s show, Cinderella opened on November 26 and will run until January 8.

If the rehearsal photos are anything to go by, it promises to be great fun and another family favourite.

Previous award-winning pantomimes include Robin Hood (2019/20) Beauty and the Beast (2018/19) and Jack and the Beanstalk (2017/18).

This year, the tradition returns with a show packed with songs to sing along to, plenty of adventure, sparkle and laughs (all the family will enjoy this rags to riches tale).

Will Cinderella make it to the ball? Will the Fairy Godmother save the day? And will her step-sisters ever give her a rest and help her with the housework.

Gareth Machin, Wiltshire Creative’s artistic director, once again directs, having previously directed Snow White and the Happy Ever After Beauty Salon, Robin Hood, Little Robin Redbreast and The Night Before Christmas, at the Playhouse. www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/ whats-on/christmas/cind-2022/

From top, clockwise:

Samuel Ashall (who plays Male Swing) and Dani Hardy (who plays Female Swing); Jasmine Triadi (who plays Cinderella) and George Olney (who plays the Prince); Gareth Machin director of Cinderella, going through the script during rehearsals with the cast; Jade Johnson (who plays Fairy Showbiz)

Credit Rich Lakos

Celebrate Voice makes festive return to Medieval Hall for Christmas show

Celebrate Voice Festival is back for its magical Christmas celebration, with leading singers at Salisbury’s Medieval Hall for two performances on Thursday, 8th and Friday, 9th December at 7.30pm.

For its final showdown of the year, the popular festival returns to the enchanting Cathedral Close venue for the first time in three years, with Friday night’s performance almost sold out at the time of going to print.

Joining festival director, Lynsey Docherty and co-host, baritone Philip Smith will be hugely popular lyric tenor,

Stephen Aviss (Cavaradossi 2019) and one of the UKs leading sopranos, Ellie Laugharne, straight from a UK tour with English Touring Opera, together with music director David Gostick.

The show also promises other exciting guest performers on the night.

Festival director, Lynsey Docherty said: “Following a brilliant festival in October we are delighted to return to this beautiful and historic venue.

“We know our audience love the Medieval Hall, especially at Christmas, and we have a

fabulous, uplifting programme of opera, show songs and festive delights, with our ever popular audience participation and performances from youth singers and other guests.”

The festival enjoyed critically acclaimed sell-out shows with international performers, full workshops and participatory events for all ages last month.

“Despite the difficulties facing the arts, our audiences packed out the venue event after event, showing the support for quality

music making and our festival.

“Happily, this has been carried through to our Christmas celebration, with one show already nearly sold-out. We are incredibly grateful to our fiercely loyal audience.” Docherty added.

Tickets are available online: www.celebratevoice.co.uk

Clockwise: Philip Smith; Ellie Laugharne; Stephen Aviss; Lynsey Docherty

Celebrate Voice Festival returns to the Medieveal Hall for the first time in three years

Preventing rural crime

Helping you to protect your farm and equipment through the winter

You will not have failed to notice how early it gets dark these days. For some it shortens the working day and for others it lengthens it along with the chance to use the cover of darkness to commit opportunist crimes.

It doesn’t matter if you are in an urban or rural area there will always be someone who has their eyes open to get something for nothing.

It is a sad fact that the darker evenings have traditionally meant more thefts from farms. With the substantial increase in the cost of living the Wiltshire Police Rural Crime Team are asking farmers, landowners and those who live in isolated rural areas to be extra vigilant.

PC Pete Simmons who covers the south of the Force area said: “Crime prevention is one of the most important things you can do to help reduce farm crime as a whole. Some simple measures can help you protect your equipment, livestock and home.

“Some are simple and will cost you nothing apart from your time and others will require investment in security systems.”

Here are some of the things you can do to help prevent becoming a victim:

● Lock gates into farmyards at night to deter drive through thieves

● Lock doors into outbuildings and farmhouses

● Fit CCTV and flood lights activated by passive infrared sensors

● Ensure alarms are working and properly maintained

● Use signage stating CCTV is present or alarm systems in place

● Don’t leave keys in farm machinery

● Keep keys in a secure cabinet after working hours

● Lock tools and other machinery securely away after use

● Consider using a steering wheel lock on vehicles

● Using a hitch-lock on a trailer is cheaper than replacing the whole trailer

● Record serial numbers and take pictures of more expensive kit – especially unusual marks caused by wear and tear. This makes it easier to ID if is stolen and recovered

● Use a security marking system, such as the DNA product we promote as part of Op Siege, which is a burglary deterrent initiative on power tools, machinery or GPS systems (see below)

● GPS systems should also be removed from vehicles overnight and locked away securely

● Use trackers on items such as Quads/ATVs

● Ensure bulk fuel tanks are securely locked at all times when nobody is using them

● Don’t leave scrap metal or old batteries out in view. Lock them out of sight or in a secured skip

● Think about using the CESAR agricultural equipment security and registration scheme – www.cesarscheme.org

● Set a procedure/guidance for farm workers to follow should they see an unknown person or vehicle on the farm estate. Ideally report this to Wiltshire Police

Top: Using a hitch-lock on a trailer is cheaper than replacing the whole trailer

Left: Use signage as a deterrant

Words and photos from the Police Rural Crime Team

● Join a local farm watch or rural watch group to keep updated about local rural crime trends and suspicious sightings

● If you haven’t already done so, sign up to the Farm Watch group on Community Messaging www.wiltsmessaging.co.uk

Op Siege

Launched in the summer of 2022, Op Siege is intended to act as a deterrent to residential burglars and could also be a useful tool for farmers to use on the farm or in their homes.

The Force has chosen to work with a Secured by Design nationally policeapproved company, called SelectaDNA. The company manufactures a unique product marking kit that links to a national database that is accessible by all police forces.

The product is a clear liquid that contains unique data tags only visible under an ultraviolet light. Each bottle of liquid is unique and can be used to mark up to 50 items. Although envisaged for household valuables such as antiques, electronics and jewellery it is also being used by tradesmen to mark their power tools.

Once you have marked an item with the liquid you enter that on a national database so that if an item is stolen it can be

identified as yours if recovered. This also makes it easier for the Police to get your property back to you.

Wiltshire Police has agreed a special low rate for those living in Wiltshire and Swindon – you can buy a discounted home kit directly from the manufacturer using this link only: www.selectadna.co.uk/nhw

Use discount code NHWAWILTSHIRE and get a SelectaDNA home kit at the reduced price of £25.00 inclusive of VAT and postage.

You do not have to be a Neighbourhood Watch member to do so.

Wildlife crime

Another unsavoury aspect of criminal activity at this time of year is illegal poaching.

So far this year we have seen a fall in hare coursing and this is partly due to the new equipment the Police and Crime Commissioner has invested in for the Rural Crime Team – night vision goggles, digital binoculars with recording facility and drones are all part of the armoury to help prevent hare coursing.

If you see hare coursing taking place call 999 immediately, do not approach the people involved. If you can see how many people and dogs are involved, the type and

Preventing rural crime

colour of the vehicle being used –registration plate too – it can help to catch them. Hare coursers can do thousands of pounds of damage to a field and farm property in a very short time.

Whenever possible keep field gates locked and use capping hinges to help prevent theft.

Wiltshire Police helps prevent hare coursing across force boundaries as part of Op Galileo. Information is exchanged between forces to help identify persistent perpetrators and exchange other intelligence to help prevent this crime.

Contact Wiltshire Police

In an emergency, always call 999. Or call 101 the non-emergency number.

In other circumstances you can report a crime online here: www.wiltshire.police.uk/ Report_a_crime

RSPCA reveals latest crime report

THE RSPB published its Birdcrime 2021 report recently which revealed that birds of prey continue to be illegally killed in high numbers in the UK.

In total there were 108 confirmed incidents in the UK, 80 of which were in England – the second highest on record.

Many of the cases, over two thirds, were related to land managed for game bird shooting, where birds of prey are seen by some as a threat to gamebird stocks and illegally killed.

The total includes 50 buzzards (pictured), 16 red kites, seven peregrines and three goshawks. Rare hen harriers and white-tailed eagles also continue to be affected. The majority of the birds were either shot, trapped or poisoned.

Scientific papers, intelligence and satellite tagging studies for key species such as hen harrier suggest the annual Birdcrime

totals are only the tip of a far larger iceberg, and that many killings go undetected and unreported.

All birds of prey are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Two of the worst counties based on 2021 data – Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) – are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting. The third worst county was North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting.

One shocking incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire.

The worst individual case occurred in north Wiltshire. On June 1, Swindon Magistrate’s Court handed gamekeeper Archie Watson a 12-month community order to carry out

180 hours unpaid work and told to pay £393 costs after he pleaded guilty to offences relating to the possession of five buzzards and three red kites. This followed an investigation in August 2020 carried out by RSPB Investigations Officers following a tip-off.

On land near Beckhampton, the officers found an innocuouslooking manhole cover on the edge of a field. They installed a remote, covert video camera to monitor the site.

Three days later, they returned under the cover of darkness and lowered an action camera and light down into the well.

A complex recovery

operation involved photo comparison of corpses, detailed feather analysis and skull examinations carried out by the Natural History Museum.

The body count was at least four red kites, 11 buzzards and one large gull. This makes it the largest number of birds of prey ever involved in an English raptor persecution investigation. Officers feared that other remains were in too poor a state to allow identification.

Mark Thomas, RSPB head of investigations UK, said: “The data in this report clearly show that raptor persecution remains at a sustained high level,.

“The illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of birds of prey has no place in modern society. The time for reform is now long overdue.”

The organisation has also called for stronger sentences to be handed out to better protect birds of prey from persistent illegal killing.

Trethowans launches headline partnership with Salisbury Marafun

Leading Salisbury-based law firm Trethowans has announced it will be the headline partner for the city’s new half marathon event for 2023, to be named the Trethowans Salisbury Marafun.

Set to take place on Sunday, 8th October 2023, the event will see around 2,000 runners hit the streets of Salisbury.

With a mix of historical streets, landmarks and countryside views, the route will showcase the city, with highlights for runners including passing through the grounds of Salisbury Cathedral and crossing the finish line in the heart of the city centre by the Guildhall.

The Trethowans Salisbury Marafun is organised by ReesLeisure, which also manages the ABP Southampton Marathon and Winchester Marafun.

Local community groups, sports clubs and charities are invited to enter and volunteer at the event and ReesLeisure will provide donations to volunteer groups and support individual charity runners raising key funds for their chosen causes.

Mike Watson, managing partner at Trethowans, said: “We’re excited to announce our

partnership with this new half-marathon in Salisbury, which is bound to be a great day and a chance for runners from all over to enjoy this scenic route through the city next autumn.

“Several members of our team have already signed up to take part. We’ll be there to cheer them on and hope to raise lots of funds for our chosen charities.”

An evening with rugby legend Richard Hill MBE

Bishop

Hill is the current England Rugby Team Manager. Among his many achievements in the game, he is perhaps best known for being part of England’s Rugby Union World Cup winning team in 2003. Hill played his club rugby for Saracens and made 71 appearances for England.

He will share a wealth of entertaining and hilarious stories about his time on and off the pitch. Following the talk there is an optional dinner in the Dining Hall, which will be attended by Hill.

All proceeds from the event will help the school raise funds to build a multi-use games area at Britford Lane in Salisbury. Tickets are available from www.bwspa.org.uk

Chris Rees, director of ReesLeisure said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Trethowans for the Salisbury Marafun. A huge thank you to Trethowans for their support of this new event in the city.

“We look forward to developing the partnership over the year. We are excited to be taking our Marafun brand across to Salisbury and

welcoming all of the runners next October.”

Registration for the Trethowans Salisbury Marafun is now open. For more information and to sign up, please visit: www.runsalisbury.co.uk.

For Trethowans, visit: www.trethowans.com

Results round-up

Salisbury FCs seasons continues slowly. New boss Brian Dutton has brought in a number of players to help implement his style on the team.

A 0-0 draw with Yate Town followed a 2-1 defeat to Chesham United. The team next plays at the Ray Mac Stadium on December 3rd against Hendon having played two games in quick succession on the road.

Salisbury FC Women sit in third place in the Wiltshire County Ladies Premier League after winning three in a row, the latest a 4-1 victory against Trowbridge.

Shrewton FC find themselves in 13th place in the Wiltsshire Senior League Premier League following a tough run that has seen the team suffer three defeats in a row.

Bemerton Heath Harlequins drew 1-1 with Horndean recently, with Reece Rusher grabbing the goal, his 15th of the season. They are currently 2nd in the Wessex League Premier Division.

Trethowans and ReesLeisure announce Marafun partnership

Wordsworth’s Grammar School is welcoming back former pupil and rugby union legend Richard Hill MBE on the evening of Thursday, 15th December.

Young carers learn to cook healthy meals during special culinary lessons

YOUNG carers were given a helping hand in preparing tasty, healthy meals during special lessons. Carers aged from 17 to 25 were handed the kitchens at Wiltshire College to try out new culinary skills using tips from experts.

The sessions came to help young people who have caring responsibilities at home and may have the responsibility to cook up the meal for their families.

Wiltshire Council’s public health team invested in the cooking sessions with Phunky Foods, demonstrating some tasty dishes with tips and advice on how to best serve up a good healthy meal.

Phunky Foods is part of the commissioned communitybased programme, which has seen the service support the council’s health improvement programmes including the accessibility Healthy Us programmes, supporting adults with learning disabilities in Wiltshire.

Carer Shannon said: “My dad tried the food and said ‘that was absolutely delicious you can cook that for me again’.”

Fellow budding chef, Joe, said his sausage casserole was gratefully received by his grandma who has dementia and receives care.

Another of the young carers, a 17-year-old, said: “I learnt a lot today, especially what is a safe temperature for cooking meat.”

Cllr Laura Mayes, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We provide a range of support for our young carers as we know they step up and care for their families when parents are not able to do so.

“These young people take on adult responsibilities all the time which can include making meals for the family.

“We held this event to show them how they can cook healthy meals for themselves and, when needed, for their families as well as helping to save money in the cost of living crisis.

“This will support them to develop the skills to use in their own homes, including safe food preparation, preservation, cost cutting, as well as cooking methods. Some of these young

people have been asked to attend by their care coordinator as cooking is part of their caring role.

“We provide support to all our carers and we hope to be rolling this out to more young carers in the future.”

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, the cabinet member for public health, added: “Having the ability to cook simple healthy meals is a valuable life skill, even more so for young people who have extra responsibilities placed on their shoulders.

“We’re pleased to have provided these sessions and equipment and hopefully it’s given the young people who took part that little bit of extra confidence and eased the pressure on them a little as they carry out their important role.”

The public health team also provided slow cookers for the six young people attending the event, while the Weinstock Foundation provided food vouchers.

Two ingredients for a slow energy release heaven

Are these cakes or biscuits, or something in between? I’m not sure, what I know is that they are super easy to make, taste great and hit the right spot at this time of year.

Pre-Christmas is a tricky time. It’s getting colder and darker and if you are anything like me your body will be craving all that is sweet, stodgy, carby, fatty and downright unhealthy.

But it’s also the time when conversations turn to what food, drinks and treats need to be bought for Christmas and the New Year. And how it might be a good idea to eat healthily for a couple of weeks before the festive period.

Literally, all you will need for these is: two bananas and approx 165g rolled oats. Talk about slow release energy!

Add some chocolate for a less virtuous treat Nicola Varela/Unsplash

Preheat your oven to 180C (350F/gas mark 4) and line a baking tray.

Crush the bananas with a fork until they are mushy, add the oats and mix. Form the mixture into round cookie shapes (they will

not flatten) and bake for 10-15 minutes or until they take on a golden colour and are set firm.

You can allow them to cool before eating but I like them warm.

Now, the great thing about this recipe is that it can be customised at almost every turn (not that there are many).

Riper bananas will be sweeter. If you blitz the oats the cookies will be smoother, although too blitzed and you will end up with a paste.

You can add honey, chocolate chips, dried fruit, cinnamon, chopped nuts, anything really but make sure it is not too big when added to the mix.

They can be kept in an airtight container for a few days, if they last that long.

The cooking sessions were provided by Phunky Foods

A beginner’s guide to drinking port

CHANCES are you will have enjoyed a port after dinner, perhaps with cheeses, often around the Christmas season.

The most common port on sale and drunk in the UK is ruby port, but other versions are available, including white and the increasingly popular tawny.

In fact, you will begin to see articles about port and other fortified wines in all the glossy Sunday supplements very shortly if you haven’t already.

What is port?

Simply, it is a fortified wine, produced in the Douro Valley region of Portugal. It can only be produced there, nowhere else, to be called port.

There are three wine growing regions in the valley, each with a slightly different climate producing wines of slightly different character.

But essentially port will be a mix of wines from different grapes, of which six –Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, and Tinta Amarela – are considered classic port varieties, though many others are grown in the region and will be used.

All ports start with the grapes being crushed and left to ferment for a few days. Often, this crushing is still done by foot.

Once half the sugar has turned to alcohol (7%abv), a grape spirit (referred to as ‘brandy’) is added to kill the yeast and stop the fermentation process. It also bumps the alcohol level up to 20%abv.

The wine is transferred to oak casks (sometimes metal) and left to age for a minimum of two to three years.

It is then that the port is assigned a ‘type’, i.e. whether it will be bottled or

transferred to smaller oak casks known as pipes and left to age further.

Obviously, that is a very simplified version of the port production process. What follows is a simple, brief guide to the different types of port you might enjoy this month.

Ruby port

Made from red grapes, this port will be blended from various wines from vineyards across the Douro region. They are often aged for three years in casks before being bottled where they can last for a few years.

Ruby ports labelled ‘reserve’ may have been aged for four to six years. Serve at room temperature and enjoy in the classic way, with cheese.

Tawny port

Tawny Port starts out as ruby port, but is aged in oak casks for an extended period – between 10 and 40 years.

The ageing process oxidises the port producing its mellow colour and a taste that is smoother than its ruby cousin. This is very popular in Portugal.

Tawny port can be enjoyed with cheese but can also make a nice aperitif with pudding, especially something sticky and indulgent.

If the port is the result of a single harvest it is known as Colheita port and is sometimes aged for only eight years.

White port

This is basically a white grape version of ruby port, ranging in

taste from very sweet to very dry and everything in between. It can be aged slightly longer in the cask. Although it is a lovely drink on its own, it can also be used in cocktails, or with tonic and lemon added.

It is worth noting that you can get a Colheita version of white port.

Late bottled vintage port

Known as LBV ports, these can be seen in very basic terms as the step between ruby ports and Colheita ports in that they are from a single harvest but are aged longer than ruby ports (though not as long as tawny ports).

They are generally filtered and so can be enjoyed poured from the bottle like a fine red wine.

Vintage

Vintage ports are rare. A vintage is only declared after an exceptional year and that does not happen often, perhaps only two or three times a decade.

Some estimates state that as little as 1% of all ports sold is a true vintage.

It is bottled after only two years in the cask and left to mature in the bottle for a number of years – some will hit peak flavour after 15 to 20 years, although they can be enjoyed when young.

The process will leave a sediment in the bottle which means it is best to decant it before enjoying it and it won’t last long after opening, so you need to enjoy it quickly.

It’s taste is full and holds up well against robust flavours.

Top: A late bottle vintage port

Left: Pipes, used to age port

Families learn to plan low-cost healthy meals

FAMILIES in Salisbury are being helped to create tasty and cost-effective during weekly cookery classes.

Wiltshire Council housing tenants have been taking part in lessons with The Pantry Partnership CIC, aimed at giving those involved the skills and confidence to eat healthily and on a budget.

The six-week course, held weekly at St Michaels Community Centre, in Bemerton Heath, is aimed at helping families plan low-cost nutritious meals to help with household budgets.

The Pantry Partnership is a social enterprise based in and around Salisbury who work with the local community, providing low cost, nutritious meals from surplus food that normally would go to waste and offering cooking workshops and food related activities that engage people around food and the benefits of low cost and healthy cooking.

Cllr Phil Alford, cabinet member for housing, said: “Supporting communities to live safely and healthily is a key priority in our business plan and with the current cost of living crisis, and the ever more important need to save money and budget effectively, we are delighted to team up with The Pantry Partnership to deliver these cookery courses to some of our Salisbury families.

“Participants have benefited from learning knife skills and all about food hygiene and, importantly, are also gaining some great budget advice, healthy recipe ideas, shopping tips and techniques.

“They also have the added benefit of taking their freshly prepared and healthy meals home to their families after each

session. Participants are also provided with aprons and knives to help to get them started back at home.

“Our housing resident engagement officers are always looking to work with residents to provide opportunities to be involved in positive activities that promote skill development, as well helping them to adopt healthy behaviours while keeping costs down.

more of these courses in the future.”

Partnership, Fiona Ollerhead, added: “The course has been designed to include both parents and their children, helping families to make finances stretch to meet smaller budgets as well as aiming to ensure healthy eating is not only experienced but enjoyed by young people.

we aim to instil is a love of food using basic and simple (and often also low cost) ingredients to create delicious food, thus inspiring people to continue to cook easy, yet tasty meals at home, on a budget.

food from going into the bin, so we show people through demos and activities how to make the best of fruit and vegetables, bread and odds and ends and to create healthy meals from them.”

participants, said: “Thank you so much for such a great start to the cookery course. We love our aprons and knives.”

Council’s cost of living support, including energy cost advice, housing advice and financial support, can be found at www. wiltshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living.

Antiques & Collectibles

All set for bumper Christmas auction

CLARKE’S Auctions at Semley is preparing for its bumper Christmas sale to be held from Wednesday to Friday 28-30 December and is expecting more than 2,000 lots to be consigned.

This is historically Clarke’s busiest sale and lots of interesting items will be sold.

Among the furniture for sale is a George I walnut and laburnum inlaid chest-on-stand, a ladies late Victorian walnut kidney-shaped writing desk, 18th century oak side table, period oak mule chests and 17th century bible boxes.

The collectibles section features 17th century and later portrait miniatures, a novelty Edwardian silver jockey’s cap pin cushion, an antique autograph book belonging to master ship builder Oliver Lang with signatures cut from letters

This George I walnut and laburnum inlaid chest on stand is estimate to make £300-£500

including Sir Thomas Hardy and engineer James Watt.

Clarke’s is taking entries for all future sales and any enquiries should be made to Richard Clarke or Karen Marshall on 01747 855109 at the main offices on Kingsettle Business Park, Station Road, Semley, Shaftesbury.

Lady Eccles looks to tour again

AN 89-year-old caravan affectionately known as Lady Eccles is looking for a new owner in the next three-day Charterhouse auction.

“What a great-looking vintage caravan, full of old charm and she even has lead lattice windows for that quaint English country cottage on wheels look,” said Richard Bromell. “Sadly, the owner passed away recently and now she is looking to be re-homed.”

Lady Eccles was born in 1933 as an Eccles Model 35. Her first owner was Sir Rouse Boughton, who bought her from The London Caravan Company in Bond Street.

At the outbreak of war, she was commissioned into the war effort being used by the Observer Corps until the end of

the conflict. Sir Rouse died in 1962 and left the caravan to his daughter. She died in 1992 after which it was discovered by the vendors parents in a very sorry state and restored to its former glory.

Lady Eccles is estimated at £4,000-5,000 and will go under the Charterhouse hammer on Friday 2 December at The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne (DT9 3BS).

She is part of a massive three-day auction with model trains and other toys on 30 November; coins, medals and stamps on 2 December followed in the afternoon by Christmas gifts such as Omega, Rolex, other watches, silver and jewellery; and then antiques and interiors on Friday 2 December.

All the lots and viewing times will be available on www. charterhouse-auction.com

Charterhouse is taking further entries for its January specialist auctions of pictures, books, Beswick, Doulton and a selection of decorative arts and mid-century modern furnishings.

Jewellery and watches at Duke’s

LOOKING for the perfect Christmas stocking filler? Duke’s of Dorchester is holding its biannual Jewellery and Watches auction on 8 December, featuring more than 750 lots of jewellery, wrist watches, pocket watches, cufflinks, designer couture and more.

Highlight jewellery lots include a Cartier art deco sapphire and diamond brooch, an emerald and diamond cluster ring and a diamond tennis bracelet.The auction also includes iconic watches – a gold

Royal Oak Audmars Piguet, stainless steel Rolex Daytona and an Omega Speedmaster Alaska Project.

But the sale is not all expensive watches and diamonds, and has a collection of Dunhill silver cufflinks with charming details, Scottie dogs, leopards and penguins.

Semi-precious stones and pearls can carry a more attractive pre-sale estimate without compromising quality. A pair of cultured pearl earrings are estimated at £50-£100, a leather shoulder bag by Aspinal at £40-£80 and a five-stone garnet dress ring set on a 9ct gold shank at £60-£100.

Viewing is from Saturday 3 December at Duke’s Dorchester Fine Art Salerooms in Brewery Square. A fully illustrated catalogue is available online at www.dukes-auctions.com

History

Harnham Scout group celebrates 90th anniversary of first meeting

Scout Group

This year, the 4th Salisbury (Harnham) Scout Group celebrates its 90th anniversary of continuous scouting. The group meets in Lower Street, Harnham and has won a number of district competitions. Although the anniversary is taken from 1932, the group’s history goes back further.

Its first mention appeared in the minutes of the Local Association in July 1910, when an application was made through the secretary by Sergeant Hall of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry for permission to form a fourth Salisbury troop.

The committee approved the offer, but pending certain enquiries permission was withheld, and the secretary was authorised to make known to Sergeant Hall the requirements necessary before a Scout Masters’ Warrant could be issued.

On September 27, 1910 the Tower House Troop had applied for registration and had paid the fee. Leave to register was granted under the name of the ‘ 4th Salisbury’. The 1st Troop helped the new Troop’ but soon Mr Hold

handed in his resignation as Scout Master, which was accepted. He continued to instruct the troop as no fresh appointment was made and, in November, it was reported that the 4th Salisbury Troop was making satisfactory progress.

July 4, 1911, representatives of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Salisbury, together with Downton and Whiteparish Troops attended the rally and were inspected by H.M. King George V, the funds being provided locally.

December 1914, Mr Bevan reported that a West Harnham Troop had been formed and that Mr Chittenden was prepared to act as Scout Master aided by Mr

Bevan as A.S.M. The committee approved of the arrangement and suggested that it might be found convenient to combine this Troop with the 1st Harnham Troop whose S.M. Mr Maton was about to leave Salisbury. The first Court of Honour of this newly formed Troop was held on December 2 when rules were drawn up and the first outdoor activity was held on Boxing Day, 1914.

January, 1915 saw the amalgamation of the 1st Harnham and West Harnham Troops, becoming the 4th Salisbury Troop, and on February 16, they moved into new headquarters at Harnham Hollow by kind permission of Mrs Radcliffe.

On August 2, 1915, at a scout rally and inspection, held in Victoria Park, Salisbury, General Sir William Pitcairn Cambell, commander in chief, Southern Command, honoured the troop by becoming its patron – the Troop was then known as General Sir W. P. Campbell’s Own, 4th City of Salisbury (Harnham, Odstock and Bodenham Group).

During these years it appears that the Troop possessed a band.

The S.M. Mr Chittenden resigned in September, 1917 as he was leaving the city, (although this was not the last we were to hear of him). The next S.M. was the Rev. D. Macpherson and very little is known of the Troop and it finally ceased to function between 1923-25. However, the cub pack was in existence between 1927 and 1929, the C.M. being Mr Edmund Brown of St Nicholas’ Hospital.

The group was reformed in 1932, with the help of Mr PJ Southon, Mr WA Chaplin and the late Mr King, each taking it in turns to run meetings in the Parish Rooms or the Old School, West Harnham. The first meeting was held on May 3, 1932, run by Mr PJ Southon.

Top: 4th Harnham Scouts in 1916, inset: General Sir William Pitcairn Cambell becoming the troop’s patron made the news

Left: the troop in 2022

Mark Warner, Scout Leader 4th Salisbury, provides a history of the 4th Salisbury (Harnham)

For Stan, the Castle Street spitfire brings back memories of service

Words by Faith Eckersall

There are very good reasons why the Spitfire is the most famous British plane ever made. But, during World War II, they also became the best-kept secret in Salisbury.

After their manufacturer, Supermarine, saw its Southampton factory destroyed in the Blitz – 110 people were killed in two daytime Luftwaffe raids in September 1940 – there was a desperate race to find suitable alternatives.

Sensibly, it was decided to spread production over a much wider area. Which is how 16-year-old Salisbury lad, Stan Gordon, found himself dispatched to London in 1941 to learn the art of aluminium welding.

“I’d left school at 14 and worked at various jobs, including the Salisbury Electric Light Company, but when you were 16 you were eligible to be called up for war work,” he says.

Stan, 95, who lives near London Road, was employed at Watt and Vincent, now A J Waters Garage, in Devizes Road. “I was sent to the British Oxygen Corporation in London to learn how to weld aluminium,” he says. “It was a good start for me, because not many people could do this type of welding at the time.”

In an era where people sincerely believed that: ‘Loose lips sink ships’, secrecy was all.

“In a vague sort of way, we all knew what we were working on,” he says. It was a feeling that many hundreds of people in must have had, as production took place over a number of locations, while the Merlin engines were produced in the North of England by Rolls-Royce.

“They built the fuselages in New Street, wings at the Wilts & Dorset Bus garage in Castle Street, and at night they’d take all the components up to High

Post, where they’d put them together,” says Stan.

He worked with many older women who had trained as riveters which, he says, was: “A bit of an education!” However: “To this day, I still don’t know where the parts that I welded went to. When I joined the Spitfire Society and went inside one, I couldn’t identify which part of the plane might have been mine!”

So successful were the secret factories that Salisbury had the distinction of having provided more than 10% of all Spitfires ever produced, sending more than 2,000 to the Royal Air Force.

Thanks to the Secret Spitfire Society, a memorial replica of the aircraft was unveiled at Salisbury Rugby Football Club last year, close to one of the former manufacturing sites.

Stan’s war service didn’t end there, however. He was a messenger boy during bombing raids, going out on his trusty bike with only a tin hat for protection, to convey important messages when the alarm sounded.

“I had to report up the road to the post,” he says. “We were lucky in that we only had three bombing raids in Salisbury – I remember cycling down the Wilton Road during one in 1941 and spotting what I thought was a German plane. Sure enough, a bomb came down on the gasworks.”

By the amazing courage of the foreman at the time, who, Stan says, climbed up and plugged the ensuing gas leak, a giant tragedy was averted.

He also remembers the cherished occasion of his father receiving the British Empire Medal from King George VI, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s father.

“Father was in the Navy in both wars – on a Dreadnought during World War I and then at Haslar Hospital in Hampshire during the Second World War,” he says. “He was recognised for his service at the hospital during the Blitz and my mother and I went to Buckingham Palace with him to receive the honour.”

Stan wore his cadet uniform, his mother her Sunday best, and both watched proudly as the King, who had served in the Royal Navy himself, spent so long chatting to his father that the ceremony ran late.

“My mother was jumping up and down, it was certainly something to tell the neighbours as very few people ever got to go inside Buckingham Palace in those days,” he says.

He ended his war service in the Royal Greenjackets, then got a job with Wessex Motors as a panel-beater and welder. He married his girlfriend, who sadly died in 1950, then re-married, becoming a beloved stepfather to his wife’s two sons.

He still takes a keen interest in Spitfires and their story, having visited Duxford and Biggin Hill airfields to see, up close, the iconic plane he helped to build. “Nothing sounds like a Spitfire and nothing looks like one,” he says. “They are the most beautiful planes ever made.”

secretspitfiresmemorial.org.uk/

Stan during his service days (left) and today (right)

Channel Island Deans complete pilgrimage to Salisbury Cathedral

THE two Deans of the Channel Islands embarked on a pilgrimage from Winchester Cathedral to Salisbury Cathedral recently, as a symbol of the islands’ journey to join the diocese of Salisbury.

The Dean of Jersey, Mike Keirle, and the Dean of Guernsey, Tim Barker, are the most senior Anglican clergy in the Channel Islands.

Their walk symbolized the transfer of the oversight of their churches to the Bishop of Salisbury. The Islands were formerly under the care of the Diocese of Winchester.

Salisbury’s links to the Channel Islands go back to the 15th century when, in 1496, Pope Alexander VI endorsed a connection. The first bishop to make a formal visit to the Islands in the modern era was a bishop of Salisbury, in 1818.

Their pilgrimage followed the 27 mile route of the Clarendon Way, through Hampshire and Wiltshire.

The Very Revd Mike Keirle said: “This pilgrimage is a way of saying farewell to the Diocese of Winchester and heading to our welcome in Salisbury. For the people in the islands, we are looking forward to belonging to the diocese of Salisbury and being part of something much bigger. We know our priests and

people will be able to flourish in the diocese.”

The Dean of Guernsey, the Very Revd Tim Barker, said: “Our new relationship with the Diocese of Salisbury is important, both for accountability and because we all have much to give and receive, that will enhance and strengthen our common life in Christ.

“The pilgrimage which the two deans are undertaking is a recognition that there is much for which we give thanks in the long relationship with the Diocese of Winchester and its bishops, and that the two bailiwicks are looking forward to continuing our journey together with the Bishop of Salisbury and the wider diocesan community.”

Speaking ahead of the service, the Bishop of Salisbury, the Very Revd Stephen Lake, welcomed them into the Cathedral. He said: “The addition of the parishes of the Channels Islands has grown the diocese by 13%. We are very pleased to be able to join with them, and to work with them, to serve the needs of our communities, together.”

The two Deans were made canons of Salisbury Cathedral during Evensong on Thursday, 13th November, which was conducted by The Right Rev Stephen Lake, Bishop of

Salisbury. During the service, both Deans took their respective stalls in the Cathedral Quire, Faringdon (Jersey) and Grantham Australis (Guernsey).

The service was attended by clergy from the Islands’ former Diocese, Winchester, and by civic representatives and clergy from the Channel Islands, including The Lieutenant-Governor of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, Lt Gen Richard Cripwell and Mrs Louise Cripwell, and His Excellency Vice Admiral Kerry Kyd CBE, Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey and Dr Karen Kyd.

The Very Revd Stephen Lake added: “This is an important

symbolic moment, giving visual identity to the new and happy relationship between the diocese and the Bailiwicks, set within the cathedral church we share. Mike and Tim are already valued colleagues, and it was a pleasure putting them in their place.”

The Dean of Salisbury, The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos said: “I look forward to building on the new relationship between the two Deaneries and the Cathedral now that they have become part of the extended family of senior clergy and laity. We already have a strong relationship with both islands and this will cement it further.”

Alternative carol service in support of Holy Land peace

FROM Advent to Christmas: An Alternative Carol Service will be held by Sarum Concern for Israel/Palestine at the United Reformed Church, Salisbury on Tuesday, 6th December.

The evening follows on naturally from Travellers Tales that was held in the summer and that featured talks from Alison Orman and Nick Papadopulos, the Dean of Salisbury, about their respective journeys through the Holy Land around Easter time.

Established in 2008, Sarum Concern for Israel/Palestine is an informal network of people in and around Salisbury, with

or without a religious affiliation, working for peace with justice and reconciliation in Israel and Palestine.

The service will be led by Canon Jonathan Herbert, from Hilfield Friary, with Revd Hilary Bond and Revd Nicky Davies (formerly of Church House) and will feature special messages from Bethlehem.

The event starts at 6pm. A selection of Palestinian refreshments will be available on the night.

https://www.sarumconcern.org

The Deans of Jersey (left) and Guernsey (right) were installed as non-residentiary canons into Salisbury Cathedral’s College of Canons Credit: Finbarr Webster

Canon Jonathan Herbert

Amesbury chiropractor crowned as the best in the business at awards

AMESBURY-based chiropractor Philippa Oakley has been named Chiropractor of the Year, the most prestigious award presented by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA).

This award is presented to one chiropractor each year in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the chiropractic profession.

Of the award, Philippa said: “This award comes following an exciting year for me, after relocating my clinic to Amesbury at the beginning of the year.

“I am thrilled to have been recognised as chiropractor of the year for my contribution to the promotion and understanding of healthcare inequalities and the impact these can have on people’s health and wellbeing, which has seen me support healthcare organisations from around the world to improve their services in this area.”

Catherine Quinn, president of the British Chiropractic Association said: “Philippa has been chosen as a worthy recipient of the award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion and understanding of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and for inspiring all BCA members to learn and develop their skills in this area.”

Philippa graduated from the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic in 2012 with a Master of Chiropractic degree, and her commitment to clinical excellence has been recognised through the awarding of several prestigious accolades. She began her career working with NHS patients, before establishing her own clinic, Acorn Health, in 2014.

Acorn Health has received awards from the Royal College of Chiropractors in recognition of their commitment to patient care and clinical excellence.

In addition to her role as a Chiropractor, Philippa is also a qualified coach and mentor with the NHS Leadership Academy, supporting individuals in meeting their professional and personal

goals, and is a professional member of the Royal College of Chiropractors Pain Faculty. acornhealth.org.uk

New chair will join Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust in February

Ian’s appointment was approved by the Council of Governors following a robust and successful recruitment

Ian will bring a great deal of experience to the foundation

process. He has been appointed for a term of three years in line with the Trust’s constitution.

He will succeed Dr Nick Marsden, whose term of office will end on December 31, 2022.

Ian has a wealth of experience and knowledge gained from his current role as chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, and from non-executive director posts within the NHS over the past

15 years, including the South Central Ambulance Trust Board.

This broad experience has provided him with an excellent grasp of the challenges of healthcare delivery and of those specific to Salisbury.

Ian emphasised the importance of working with partners to ensure population health needs are being met, in a safe and effective environment.

Mr Green said: “I look forward to working with colleagues and partners to deliver our vision of providing an outstanding experience for our patients, their families and the people who work for and with us.”

He will join the Trust as its Chair on February 1 2023.

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust has announced the appointment of Ian Green as its new Trust Chair.

Philippa receiving her reward on the night

Running for Movember, mental health and to raise awareness

Words by Cllr Rich Rogers, Winterslow & Upper Bourne Valley Division

AS I have grown older, I have started to enjoy running. It is known that physical activity releases feel-good hormones that make us feel better in ourselves, enables us to handle stressful situations better and gives us more energy.

More recently, I have taken to running in organised events. I have also used this opportunity not only for personal health and wellbeing reasons, but to also raise funds for some tremendous charities.

So it was that I found myself on a cold November day, donning a fake moustache, headband and running shoes to take part in the ‘Mo-Run’ on behalf of the Movember charity. The Movember cause throws a

spotlight on men’s health, both physical and mental, with particular focus on mental health.

Thankfully, the stigma associated with mental health is starting to reduce, but we are not always able to spot the signs in ourselves or others. We all go through difficult situations, and the complexity of our differing circumstances, environment and personalities means we cannot always fully understand what triggers mental health problems.

Certainly, loneliness and isolation, relationship issues, money worries, traumatic events and life changes are just some of the causal factors, but it is not always apparent how people will react, and there are those who will still try to mask their problems, particularly from the loved ones.

As we face the the cost of

living crisis, mental health and its causes should be at the forefront of our thoughts.

Moreover, living in rural areas can often bring a unique set of circumstances that exacerbate social isolation, especially for older residents, leading to poor health, loss of independence and lower quality of life.

What Covid demonstrated was a real sense of communities

coming together, ensuring the most vulnerable were supported and protected and we are starting to see more of that with the Cost of Living crisis.

Identification of those in need is not always easy, but we will continue to do all we can so they and all our communities receive the care and support needed to ensure we weather this storm.

It is important to support charities like Movember, Mind, the Mental Health Foundation and others who do fantastic work in highlighting and tackling issues like mental health.

Hopefully, their considerable efforts will continue to tackle these problems, to improve understanding and help to ensure that we as a society are better prepared. If, by putting on a pair of running shoes, I can help that cause, I will keep on running.

KFC teams up with charity to offer disadvantaged young people a path

FAST food chain KFC has teamed up with a leading youth charity to help disadvantaged young people.

The chicken restaurant is working with UK Youth in a partnership focused on helping young people, particularly those who have missed out on traditional employment opportunities and who may not have had the best start in life.

The programme aims to break cycles of inequality, disadvantage and unemployment facing today’s generation of young people, which has exacerbated through the pandemic.

High rates of job vacancies in the UK economy are not currently translating into opportunities for young people, with the Office for National

Statistics reporting that more than 700,000 young people aged 16 to 24 were not in education,

We are a small children’s home for children 7-17 years, we are situated in Salisbury city centre. We are looking for Residental Childcare Workers to join us.

If you feel you can be part of a team that creates a safe, nurturing, therapeu�c approach, with a caring family environment for young people, crea�ng a fun and loving home, giving our young people opportuni�es to develop and grow ensuring outcomes are at the forefront of all that we do, this is the job for you. We encourage development and support of our care team to get the best from them and for them.

Based on 37.5 hours a week.

Experience preferred but not necessary, for those not qualified we provide a fully supported Level 3 Diploma in Residental Child Care which is a mandatory qualifica�on that has to be achieved in role.

£20,000 - £24,000 a year. 24-hour shi�s, extra pay for sleep ins - equa�ng to approx £3000 per year on top of your salary.

employment or training as of May 2022.

Together, KFC and UK Youth have developed new youth employability programme, Hatch, delivered through youth work, to help disadvantaged young people into long-term employment and build their work skills and confidence.

Hatch is focused on empowering young people aged 16 to 24, who are ready for work but have struggled to access roles because of circumstances beyond their control, be they care givers, care leavers or young people who haven’t had the best start in life.

Delivered in partnership with local youth organisations, Hatch provides 1-2-1 support, group training and work experience placements for disadvantaged young people. Each young person will also be guaranteed an interview with an employer on graduation.

The programme is currently being piloted with 100 young people in Manchester, with 17 KFC restaurants taking part, before being scaled up in 2023, with young people being recruited in KFC locations across the UK.

said: “Young people are the lifeblood and future of our country and the KFC brand. That’s why we are delighted to be partnering with UK Youth to support and empower young people and help them unlock their potential.

“Today’s generation of young people are resilient beyond belief, facing the current economic climate and job market with a positive, engaged, and motivated attitude. It is so important that we give them the opportunities they deserve and invest in their future.”

Maddie Dinwoodie, chief programme officer at UK Youth, added: “The pandemic and now the cost of living crisis are having a huge impact on the employment prospects of this generation of young people. Supporting young people into work has to be a priority – they are our future leaders and the changemakers of tomorrow.

“We are enormously proud of our Hatch partnership with KFC, which is connecting young people to youth workers who are giving them the confidence, skills and the tools to navigate those first steps in their careers.”

Be part of a team that are changing young people’s life’s.

Neil Piper, interim UK general manager at KFC,

Secretary Wanted

For The Mere Forest & Allotment charities to start in 2023. This is a part time, self employed administrative position that comes with a generous annual payment.

Applicant skills required: Computer literate. Able to use online banking. Knowledge of Microsoft Office including how to mail merge. Have a basic underst anding of bookkeeping.

If you’re interested in applying, please send over a CV and /or covering letter to mereforest@gmail.com

Part-time Housekeeper

Shaftesbury area.

Includes large social area, kitchen and offices. High standards of cleaning/presentation required with the ability to work independently.

Hours Monday 9am-1pm. Friday 12-4pm Some flexibility with working hours is possible. Please email ashofficesp5@gmail.com

Gillingham School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates This check will be part of a safeguarding check and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimina�on a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share informa�on if and when findings are relevant and of concern

Recruitment

PART-TIME CARER / PA

East of Shaftesbury. For busy mother in wheelchair. Cheerfulness, kindness and flexibility more important than qualifications. Varied role as part of small team, with housekeeping, admin, personal care, meal prep, dog walks included. Strictly no smokers. 07790 524 241

Domestic and Catering Recruitment Open Day 9.30am – 12.30pm on Friday 16th December 2022

The school is looking for enthusiastic team members to join our domestic and catering teams. We are looking for:

Cleaners

Mealtime supervisors Cooks Kitchen porters Waiters / Servers

Various full time and part time opportunities are available. Competitive rates of pay. All roles are term time only. If you are interested please attend our Recruitment Open Day. Transport can be provided from Shaftesbury, Blandford, Wilton and their surrounding villages. Please turn up on the day or appointments can be booked by email to lcoombes@sandroyd.com .

Sandroyd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This post involves contact with children and is classed as “regulated activity” by the UK government. As suc h, a number of mandated pre employment checks (including an enhanced DBS check) will be undertaken to ensure that the successful candidate is suitable for work with children. Additionally, suitability for work with children will be assessed by taking up appropriate references and at interview. Finally, candidates should be aware that this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

The Gillingham

New trial will see drivers fined £130 for breaking 20mph speed limit

DRIVERS found to be exceeding a 20mph speed limit could soon be fined £130. A first-of-its-kind speed enforcement trial has begun, being run by Wandsworth Council, which will see the them issue the fines rather than the police.

According to the council, once in force, motorists will be penalised if they exceed the speed limit on two busy residential roads in the borough, which are subject to numerous complaints from residents about speeding drivers.

The pilot scheme is going to work alongside existing Met Police speeding enforcement.

Council leader, Simon Hogg, said: “Speeding traffic is one of the biggest sources of complaints we receive from our residents.

“Ensuring drivers stick to the 20mph limit not only improves safety levels and encourages more people to walk or cycle, it helps reduce harmful emissions too.

“Until now, only the Metropolitan Police have had powers to enforce speed limits, but they tend to concentrate their resources on main roads and dual carriageways, whereas most of the complaints we receive are about people driving too fast along quieter residential streets. Our pilot scheme will focus on two residential roads where excessive speeds are known to be an issue.

“If judged a success, we will look to make it permanent and carry out enforcement in other parts of the borough where we know vehicle speeds are excessive.”

The scheme will start this month, and will last for eight months, using a ‘experimental traffic order’.

Offenders caught on camera could receive a penalty charge notice with a £130 fine. This will be reduced to £65 if paid

within 14 days. Drivers will not be given points on their licence or made to attend a speed awareness course.

RAC road safety spokesperson, Simon Williams, said: “One of the biggest complaints about 20mph limits is the fact they are rarely enforced which leads to poor compliance. This scheme, on two stretches of road which currently have far too many speeders, has the potential to dramatically improve compliance which has to be a positive road safety step.

“While the thought of councils beginning to enforce speed limits instead of the police may be worrying to some, it could be just what’s needed to make 20mph limits more effective. We would, however, like to see those drivers who speed excessively referred to the police for prosecution as they present a much greater risk to pedestrian and cyclist safety.”

Should the pilot scheme be a success, councils elsewhere could follow up with their own.

RAC calls on supermarkets to lower the price of fuel at the pumps

AMID the worst cost-of-living crisis in four decades, drivers are being denied cheaper fuel by the UK’s biggest retailers, according to the RAC.

RAC Fuel Watch data shows supermarkets are currently enjoying margins of around 15p a litre on both petrol and diesel while hard-pressed drivers have to fork out for petrol at an unnecessarily high average price of 160.96p and 184.41p for diesel – which is only 2p lower than the UK average of 163.24p for unleaded and 3p lower for diesel (187.42p).

If the supermarkets were to be taking a lower average margin of 10p a litre on both fuels, they would be selling petrol for 152p and diesel for 173p – around 9p less for petrol than they are currently and 11p less for diesel, the motoring

group claims.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “With many people struggling to put fuel in their cars it’s very sad to see the biggest fuel retailers taking advantage of their customers by charging far higher prices than they should be.

“This is unfortunately a perfect example of prices falling like a feather, the opposite of them rocketing up as soon as the wholesale price rises significantly.

“The supermarkets dominate UK fuel retailing, primarily because they have traditionally sold petrol and diesel at lower prices due to the large volumes they sell, but sadly there is now a remarkable lack of competition among the main players which means prices are far higher than they should be.”

Average house price fell for second time this year so far in November

THE average cost of a home in Great Britain has fallen for just the second time this year.

Prices fell by an average of 1.1% (-£4,159) in November, to £366,999, according to the latest data - although the month has not yet ended.

But why is it happening?

“The slight drop is in line with the trend we usually see at this time of year, and is in line with the five years before the pandemic,” said a spokesperson for Right Move.

“One of the reasons we often see a drop in house prices around now is because sellers will price more competitively at this time of year, to increase their chances of finding a buyer before the New Year.

“But even with this dip in prices, the average house price is still 7% higher than this time in 2021.”

The main reason for the strong house price growth we’ve seen over the last two years is because demand for homes far outweighed the number of homes for sale.

As home-movers were faced with less choice and chased too few properties for sale, prices were pushed to an all-time high. The good news for homehunters is that more homes are being listed for sale.

The number of new sellers putting their homes on the market was up 13% this month, compared to the same period a

year ago.

And the stamp duty savings put in place in September are set to stay until March 2025, as announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, the guidance is to make sure it’s priced competitively from the time it’s listed for sale, in order to attract interest from buyers, according to Right Move’s Tim Bannister.

“We’re hearing from agents that both existing and new sellers understand that to sell in the current market they need to price competitively,” he said.

“During the market frenzy many agents said that they had to rip up the rule-book on valuing properties due to bidding wars, but now they’re back in more familiar territory, and pricing right first time is even more critical to securing a quick sale.”

Andrew Marshall, regional director at Hamptons, also said

that it’s important to price your home competitively from the time it’s listed for sale.

“We often find that the most critical time to find a buyer is during the first couple of weeks of a property being marketed,” he said.

“By agreeing a price with your agent from the beginning that is in line with the market as a whole, it can help generate more viewings and could lead to a quicker sale, without the need for a reduction.”

What’s happening with mortgage rates?

Recently, lenders have tightened the rules around mortgage affordability. This is to make sure people will still be able to afford their monthly mortgage repayments, along with other outgoings, should their payments increase.

Higher interest rates also mean that it’s now more expensive to borrow money, so monthly mortgage payments

are, on the whole, higher than they were just a few months ago.

While mortgage rates have begun to fall over recent weeks – down from the highs they reached just after September’s mini-budget – it can mean that your mortgage options might be more limited at the moment, especially if you’re a first-time buyer.

Tim Bannister added: “The era of historically low interest rates and the buying frenzy are over, which could make way for a more normal market that opens up potential opportunities for those who were put off entering the frantic market over the past two years.”

If you’re turned down for a mortgage with one lender, it doesn’t mean you’ll be turned down by all lenders.

You can speak to a qualified mortgage broker or adviser to work out what your options are moving forward.

Salisbury & Avon

How much stamp duty can you expect to pay on your new home?

ANYONE moving house, or considering a purchase, will need to consider yet another cost on the list - stamp duty.

The tax has undergone a number of revision in recent months.

But if you’re thinking of moving home, it is one of the costs to consider.

In September, some cuts were made to how much stamp duty home-buyers will pay in England and Northern Ireland.

And in October, changes were made to the amount you’ll pay if you’re buying a home in Wales.

The amount of stamp duty you might pay varies, depending on where you live, and if you’re a first-time buyer.

In England or Northern

Ireland, you won’t have to pay any stamp duty if you’re buying a first home priced up to £425,000.

If you’ve owned a home in the past, you’ll pay stamp duty

on the portion over £250,000. The percentage of stamp duty you’ll pay is also based on the price bracket your home falls into.

And if you know the cost of

the home you’re buying, you can work out exactly how much stamp duty you’ll pay using our stamp duty calculator.

In Wales, buyers pay Land Transaction Tax (LTT), and first-time buyers pay the same amount as other home-buyers. No LTT is payable on homes priced up to £225,000.

Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is payable in Scotland.

Homes priced up to £145,000 are exempt from LBTT.

If you’re a first-time buyer, you can apply for first-time buyer relief, and won’t pay LBTT on a home costing less than £175,000.

This could reduce your LBTT payment by up to £600.