What’s inside this issue…
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Five years of giving household items a new lease of life
MORE
than 1,000 treasured items have been saved from landfill since Salisbury Repair Café was first established.
The repair café, part of a global network, celebrated its fifth anniversary last month, and organisers said more than £10,000 has been raised for charity in that time, amassing more than 4,000 volunteer hours.
Set up in 2019 by Jimmy Walker and Benji Goehl, skilled volunteers carry out repairs to clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, jewellery, toys, books, and more at each session, which takes place at Bemerton Methodist Church on the second Saturday of each month.
Cafe in 2019, when the café celebrated its fifth anniversary in November.
Cllr Hocking and Ron presented the original team of 13 volunteers with a commemorative pin to celebrate their service and their contribution to the community.
Volunteers are always needed at the repair café, organisers have said, including skilled repairers as well as people with experience in customer service, administration, or hospitality, to contribute to the smooth running of the sessions.
“A third of the volunteers are in non-repairing roles, so volunteers don’t necessarily need repairing skills,” a spokesperson said.
to empower consumers by enabling them to explore the possibility of how they can repair a broken item before deciding to throw it away.
This has the potential to help them save money, reduce waste, and conserve the resources and energy needed to manufacture new items.
For more information, visit salisburyrepaircafe.org.
WINTER SALE! MEGA
Café organisers said they are keen to see more young people at the sessions to see if their item can be saved rather than throwing it away.
Salisbury Mayor councillor Sven Hocking was joined by the guest of honour, the decorated war veteran 103-year-old Ron Collins who was a customer at the first ever Salisbury Repair
“Anyone who has visited Salisbury’s Household Recycling Centre on Churchfields will have seen the eye-watering amounts of electrical goods, toys and gadgets being discarded.
“Some have only minor faults and may be given a new lease of life with a little time, skill and care.”
Salisbury Repair Café aims
Another Salisbury vape store closed after selling illegal products
ASALISBURY vape shop has been ordered to close after selling illegal cigarettes.
Smoke World has been served with a closure notice after illegal tobacco and vapes were seized from the premises by trading standards officers and police.
It came after Wiltshire Council’s Trading Standards team received reports suggesting the store, in Brown Street, was selling cheap cigarettes, while disposable vapes were being sold to children.
Despite guidance being provided to the shop, an officer purchased a pack of illicit cigarettes.
A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said: “The council had received a number of complaints about the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes.
“Smoke World was raided by officers, assisted by Wiltshire Police, on December 10, where more than 340 tobacco products were seized, including illegal cigarettes, plus pouches and tins of hand rolling tobacco.”
At Salisbury Magistrates Court on Friday (December 13), a three-month closure order was granted for the premises.
It means only those who are named habitual residents and authorised persons are permitted to enter the address.
Anyone else entering the premises is committing a criminal offence and on conviction may be sentenced to
Officers seized a range of illicit products during a
51 weeks imprisonment and/or a fine.
The notice on Smoke World comes after Red Power, in Minster Street, was found to have sold a vape to a 15-yearold and made the subject of a closure order.
Councillor Dominic Muns, cabinet member for environment, said: “We are working hard to act on our business plan commitment to tackle businesses that aren’t complying with the law and ensure that Wiltshire is a safe place to live.
“Unfortunately, businesses are sometimes tempted to sell non-compliant vapes and illegal tobacco products with little regard for the impact on their customers’ health.
in Brown Street
“Illegal tobacco is not regulated or manufactured to the same standards as normal tobacco and is often found to contain higher levels of harmful substances, as well as chemicals which are not normally permitted.
“We hope our actions this week serve to deter other businesses from taking part in similar activities.
“I’d like to thank Wiltshire Police for their collaboration this week in getting these positive results, we will continue to work with our partners to keep the public safe.
“Also thanks to our colleagues in the Public Health team who helped with the funding for the tobacco detection dogs that we use in the raids.”
Kate Blackburn, director of Public Health, added: “There is no safe level of smoking, and the availability of cheap illegal tobacco keeps people trapped in a lethal addiction and we’re pleased to support our Trading Standards colleagues in their efforts to reduce this.
“Stopping smoking is the best thing an individual can do to improve their physical and mental health – as well as save money. Quitting is easier with the right support and there are so many options and combination of tools for stopping smoking."
For more on free support, contact the health coaches on 0300 003 4566, or email health. coaches@wiltshire.gov.uk.
Appeal after antique toys stolen from Salisbury shop
THREE items were stolen from an antique shop in Salisbury.
Police said the three items were stolen from the Phoenix Emporium, in Tollgate Road, on October 2.
“We would like to speak
with anyone who was sold any of them in the last two months,” a Salisbury Police spokesperson said.
“If you believe you can help with our ongoing investigation, please call 101 quoting crime reference number 54240117844.”
visit to the store,
Picture: Wiltshire Council
New cots help make coming into the world a bit more comfortable!
BABIES born at Salisbury District Hospital are sleeping even more comfortably thanks to the arrival of 20 specialist cots funded by generous donations to the Stars Appeal.
£38,000 was spent on the new cots, which will now support the 2,200 babies born at the hospital each year as well as making things easier for their mums.
The cots are height adjustable and have drop-down panels, so mums are able to sleep right by their baby’s side in comfort.
First-time mum Lizzie Johnson and her baby Noah have benefitted from the new cots.
She said: “The cots are brilliant as they turn into a ‘next to you’ crib.
“This was fantastic especially when I was finding it painful to bend and I couldn’t lift Noah
out of the cot. It meant I could sleep by his side and keep him settled through the night.”
Mum Charlotte Harryman also praised the specialist cots for making her time in hospital with her baby Matilda a more comfortable experience.
“It was lovely to be closer to Matilda and not have to stare at her through a plastic screen,” she said.
“It also felt safer to co-sleep with her and getting her in and out of the cot was so much easier. The cot made it more comfortable to be with my baby. Matilda loved being in the new cot.”
Maternity matron Becky Roberts said: “We want to thank the wonderful Stars Appeal supporters for their generosity, which is providing babies and their families with the best equipment possible for their care and comfort.
“These new cots give mums the chance to sleep side by side with their babies, which enables greater bonding in the first few hours and days of life.
“They can feel closer to their babies even when they are unable to get out of bed. We look forward to seeing even more babies who are born in Salisbury resting well in enhanced comfort.”
Many of the cots were funded by individual donors, who gave £1,900, and were given the opportunity to have their cot named in recognition of their support.
Jan Sanders and her family were one of the generous donors who funded a cot.
She said: “It means such a lot to me and us as a family to fund one of these cots. We have a very close connection to the
maternity unit.
“I had my two sons at Salisbury Hospital, my granddaughter, who was born premature at 26 weeks, was cared for on the Neonatal Unit, and I trained and worked as a midwife here.
“The cots are super; lots of mums are going to benefit and their babies will be so much more comfortable.”
Ms Sanders, who was a midwife on the hospital’s maternity unit for 30 years, recently visited the postnatal ward with her husband, Bill, to see the cot named after her family in recognition of their support.
n To find out more about the Stars Appeal, Salisbury Hospital’s charity, visit starsappeal.org.
Lizzie and James with baby Noah, above, and below left, Charlotte Harryman with her baby, Matilda Pictures: Spencer Mulholland
Find perfect pints with new beer guide
BEER lovers in Salisbury can embark on a pub crawl of all the pubs that serve real ale in the city, thanks to the release of a handy map.
The Salisbury branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has launched a map of all the real ale pubs in the city, which can be visited in a circular route from the railway station.
The guide, which also includes brief details of the 27 city centre pubs listed and information about local beer festivals, is intended for use both by local beer enthusiasts and
tourists visiting the city.
The city centre map and guide, with a drawing of the historic Haunch of Venison by Salisbury artist Fred Fieber on the front cover, has already been distributed to pubs and the Information Office at the back of the Guildhall.
The plan is to make it available at all the points where visitors arrive or stay in Salisbury.
The map already features on the Experience Salisbury webpages, has won support from local bus company Salisbury
Reds and has been welcomed by hoteliers.
One hotelier said: “I am often asked by guests – particularly German and Dutch visitors – where they can get traditional British beer and now I will be able to give them this guide which contains the information that they need.”
The guide is the brainchild of Andrew Ward, a member of the Salisbury and South Wiltshire branch of CAMRA, who felt that the city lacked a simple user-friendly map showing its pubs.
He enlisted the support of well-known
EARLY JANUARY GETAWAYS
Salisbury artist Fred Fieber, who provided the illustrations of the pubs and the artwork.
“We are very grateful to Fred whose contribution has transformed the guide from a factsheet into a very attractive document,” said Andrew.
The walking tour, which can easily be followed from the coach station and city centre bus stops as well as the railway station, features pubs that will usually be open during daytime.
The guide also contains information about Salisbury’s beer festivals –Summerfest and Winterfest - organised
by the city branch of CAMRA, as well as two festivals held by the Winchester Gate pub.
QR codes on the back of the leaflet can be scanned in to obtain information about pubs in and around Salisbury and CAMRA events in South Wiltshire.
Mr Ward added: “Life is not easy for pub landlords at the moment and the local economy in Salisbury has been through tough times in recent years so CAMRA wants to promote the city’s pubs and the real ales that they sell.”
Charities get a boost after festive window competition winners revealed
TWOSalisbury businesses donated £50 to charity after being crowned winners of the Fisherton Street Window Decorating Competition.
The contest, organised by Fisherton Street Traders, sees businesses get creative with their shopfront displays ahead of Christmas, with prizes awarded to one large business
and one small business.
This year’s competition saw 35 entries, and the winners, Esdon Architecture and Mylor and Mawes, were presented prizes by Lottie Mae O’Kill on Wednesday, December 11, who is currently starring as Princess Stella in Wiltshire Creative’s Sleeping Beauty. Each winner received a
certificate and £50 donated to a charity of their choice by Fisherton Street Traders.
Esdon Architecture’s chosen charity is the Stars Appeal, a charity supporting Salisbury District Hospital, and Mylor and Mawes’ charity is Julia’s House, a hospice supporting children with life-limited, life-threatening or terminal conditions.
The theme this year was Salisbury City of Stars.
Esdon Architecture displayed handmade stars from large-scale architectural paper plans, repurposed as window decorations, to create a vibrant display, while Mylor and Mawes used their own furniture decorated in Christmas colours to fill their display, which made for a festive and homely but stylish look.
“Both businesses won due to their great attention to detail and creativity, with a thoughtful connection to their own
business highlighted in their decorations,” a spokesperson said.
MD of Fisherton Mill, Deborah Fox, said: “We were thrilled to have our neighbours at Wiltshire Creative’s Salisbury Playhouse come along to award the prizes in our window decorating competition this year. With Fisherton Street having such a wide range of small and large shops, it was the perfect occasion to give a warm welcome to shoppers this festive season.”
A Wiltshire Creative spokesperson added: “We are proud to support Salisbury’s local independent businesses on Fisherton Street and spread the panto cheer this festive season.
“With many of the patrons dining at nearby restaurants before they experience the magic of Sleeping Beauty, it’s a joy for them to bring some of the panto magic to the streets of Salisbury."
Lottie Mae O'Kill and the Esdon Architecture team
Picture: Wiltshire Creative
Lottie Mae O’Kill and Deborah Fox Picture: Wiltshire Creative
Zoe becomes first to enjoy superfast broadband as part of rollout
ANEW
era of ultrafast broadband is underway in South Wiltshire - with one villager enjoying state-of-the-art speeds.
Internet service provider Wessex Internet has connected first customer - Zoe Hallett, in Bapton - as part of the Government's £18.8 million Project Gigabit initiative in the county.
Zoe is the first to benefit from a full fibre broadband connection as part of the contract, awarded to Wessex Internet, to bring gigabit-capable broadband to around 14,500 rural homes and businesses across South Wiltshire.
Project Gigabit aims to deliver lightningfast broadband to hard-to-reach communities.
The rollout in South Wiltshire will expand the Wessex Internet network across the Wylye Valley and beyond, including the Salisbury Plains area and villages around Amesbury.
Once complete, the company says it will provide some of the fastest, most reliable connections available, bringing rural
Wessex Internet’s Wiltshire Regional Delivery Manager Ed Carter with Zoe Hallett, the first customer installed under Project Gigabit South Wiltshire
communities into the digital fast lane.
The full-fibre infrastructure, also known as Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), reaches directly into homes and businesses rather than stopping at a nearby cabinet, delivering speeds of up to 10Gbps.
Telecoms Minister, Sir Chris Bryant,
said: "Project Gigabit is all about giving people the infrastructure they need not only to live, but to thrive in the place they call home – no matter how rural or isolated.
"These connections will make a significant difference to thousands of families and individuals, who will find it easier to stay in touch with loved ones and speak to their GPs on video call.
"Plugging connectivity black holes in hard-to-reach areas isn’t only helping this government achieve its mission to kickstart economic growth, but is also allowing us tackle digital exclusion, something which continues to hold back far too many communities across the UK."
Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO at Wessex Internet, added: "We’re excited to welcome the first South Wiltshire residents to our network under Project Gigabit.
"This is just the beginning of an important upgrade that will impact thousands of homes and businesses, empowering them with reliable, full fibre broadband."
Care home catwalk styles wow fashion fans
Models and fashionfans alike donned some stunning styles for the show
FASHION
through the decades was on show during a special event at Salisbury care home.
A 'Winter Wonderland' Fashion Show was held at the Milford House Care Home, giving residents, family, friends and staff the chance to take in a range of outfitsmodelled by staff including general manager, Aga Musial.
A range of vintage fashion from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s was on show, with expert runway commentary provided by Di Hampstead of Vintage Shuffle and Alice Madicott, from The Salisbury Museum.
Red carpet catwalks were set up in the home's dining room and conservatory, which were both packed with guests and fashion fans, showcasing their own stylised hats, scarves and accessories.
Aga said: "This was such a great way to spend an afternoon and indulge ourselves in a bit of glamour and fun and it was wonderful to see our audience so involved in the afternoon and discussing all the great fashions.
"It was also a fantastic Milford team effort from our activity, housekeeping, kitchen, and care teams to make the whole event come together and a special word of thanks must go to our volunteers, comperes and everyone who lent us their expertise and outfits."
NFU Mutual Salisbury and Wareham agency: A year of community engagement in 2024
ADVERTISING FEATURE
In 2024, we have demonstrated a commitment to supporting our local communities through various initiatives, including nominating our chosen charity to receive a donation from the NFU Mutual Agency Giving Fund and sponsorship of Celebrate Voice. Our agency has made a significant impact on the lives of the community.
Here is a look back at some of the key highlights from our remarkable year.
NFU Mutual’s Agency Giving Fund: supporting local charities
The NFU Mutual Agency Giving Fund formed part of a £3.25m funding pledge for local and national charities in 2024. During the year, £1.92m has been distributed to local charities across the UK through the initiative. Our agency nominated local charity Julia’s House, to receive a donation of over £3,000 Julia’s House look after the most seriously ill children in Wiltshire and Dorset. These children need 24-hour care for their complex and often rare medical conditions. A dedicated team of nurses, carers, therapists, family support workers and hospice doctors provide a lifeline of care.
Sponsoring Celebrate Voice 2024: promoting arts and culture
In addition to our charitable efforts, we have proudly sponsored Celebrate Voice, a renowned local festival that celebrates the power of the human voice through diverse musical performances from opera to jazz. Celebrate Voice has become a cornerstone of Salisbury’s cultural calendar, attracting audiences from near and far. Our sponsorship ensured that the festival could continue to offer a rich programme of shows consisting of opera, jazz, and musical theatre, fostering a vibrant cultural scene in the Guildhall Salisbury.
Future sponsorship of Wiltshire Creatives Spring season
Looking ahead, we are excited to sponsor Wiltshire Creative’s Spring season at the Salisbury Playhouse. This includes the thrilling productions of ‘’The 39 Steps’’ and the ‘The Da Vinci Code’’ performances. These sponsorships will help bring captivating stories to life, enriching the local arts scene and providing unforgettable experience for audiences.
Supporting local sports: Salisbury RFC and SFC sponsorships
We have also continued our sponsorship of Salisbury RFC and Salisbury FC, demonstrating our commitment to supporting local sports. These sponsorships not only help the clubs thrive but also promote healthy living. By backing these teams, we can help ensure that local athletes have the resources they need to excel, while also providing fans with exciting sporting events.
Employee volunteering: making a hands-on difference
Beyond donations, we also encouraged our employees to volunteer their time and skills to support local causes. One example is we had 2 colleagues volunteering their time at Celebrate Voice, where they both played a crucial role of helping during the performance. Additionally, at the Field to Food Open Day at the Royal Bath and West Society on April 17, 2024, where a further 2 of our colleagues helped engage with school students and promoting agricultural education.
Welcoming James Bennett as the new senior Agent
We are pleased to announce that James Bennett has been appointed as the new Senior Agent of NFU Mutual Salisbury and Wareham agency. James brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to our values and customers. His vision and leadership will be crucial as we navigate the future, continuing to build on the strong foundation laid by Steven and Rob. We are confident that under James’s guidance, the agency will continue to thrive and make a positive impact in the community.
Looking Ahead: A Continued Commitment to Community Engagement
As 2024 comes to a close, we remain dedicated to our mission of supporting and enriching the local community. The community engagement undertaken this year has laid a strong foundation for continued engagement and impact in the years to come.
Through the NFU Mutual Agency Giving Fund, sponsorship of Celebrate Voice, and various other community-focused initiatives, we have demonstrated that we are more than just a financial services provider—we are a vital part of the community, committed to making a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.
We are pleased to announce that James Bennett has been appointed as the new Senior Agent of NFU Mutual Salisbury and Wareham agency. James brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to our values and customers. His vision
In addition to these community efforts, 2024 has also been a year of growth and new beginnings within the agency. We had colleagues retire, as well as welcoming several new colleagues who have already made significant contributions and recent promotions, displaying their dedication and talent. Their enthusiasm and fresh perspectives are driving the agency forward, ensuring we continue to provide exceptional service to our customers.
For more information or if you would like to discuss your insurance needs, call us on 01722 331062 or email
salisbury_agency@nfumutual.co.uk
J D Bennett, S C Hedges & S J Godding is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982).
WE’RE ON YOUR DOORSTEP
Having a local office means we’re accessible, whether you need to make changes to your policy or make a claim.
We offer insurance products and financial planning services including:
• Car • Farm • High Net Worth Home • Home
Cyber
Directors and Officers • Business
Equine • Commercial Vehicle
For more information, contact Salisbury and Wareham agency on 01722 638899
salisbury_agency@nfumutual.co.uk
2 London Road, Salisbury SP1 3HP
J D Bennett, S C Hedges & S J Godding is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982). And an introducer to NFU Mutual Select Investments Limited, a member of the NFU Mutual group of companies.
Scouts take on driving challenge
ACAR
racing challenge with a difference saw young people's driving skills put to the test.
Salisbury District Scouts held a slot-car challenge - which saw 'drivers' attempt to complete as many circuits of a Scalextric track as they could in 15 minutes.
The challenge was held at the scouts headquarters, in Dennis Marsh House, Westminster Road, on November 30.
And after a gruelling challenge, Alfie Townsend took top spot on the podium, completing 132 laps in his 15 minutes.
The challenge was more complicated as it involved using old-style cars with a two pence coin taped under the bonnet to weigh them down.
Alfie, of the 10th Salisbury Scout Troop, managed his impressive total driving a silver Porsche.
Assistant District Commissioner (Scouts), Mark Warner, said: "Using the older cars without magnets meant that
much more skill was involved in manoeuvring the cars around the course and completing 132 laps in the time was fantastic."
There was also a leaders’
competition, where Nich Brown achieved 137 laps, but he was pipped to first place by Mark Warner with 151 laps driving a red TR7.
Singing groups unite to create and perform new Christmas carol
Pictures: Sounds Better CIC
THEsweet tones of a newly-composed Christmas Carol filled the air at a special festive event in Salisbury.
Members of four singing groups run by the Sounds Better CIC joined forces for a special performance at the St Thomas’ Church Christmas Tree Festival opening night, on December 3. It was the first time the groups had united in song, having worked together to compose the ditty especially for the occasion.
Called Memories Round the Christmas Tree, each Sounds Better group took part in composing it.
The Downton Downtime group, for people living with Dementia and those who support them, meet on a Tuesday morning and began by composing a verse.
The Salisbury Breathless Singers group, for those living with lung conditions, meets on a Tuesday afternoon in Wilton – and composed the next verse.
Four singing groups united to create and perform the new carol
Harmony for Health, also for those living with lung conditions, meets in Mere each Thursday, and composed the chorus.
Finally, Salisbury Singing for Parkinson’s – which meets on the first and third Mondays of each month at St Francis Church – put together the final verse.
Liv McLennan, director of Sounds Better CIC, said the concert was a big success.
“It’s certainly been a
challenge to organise that many people, not only to compose and learn a new song but also to get to the church and perform – but I’m so proud of what our groups achieved. They sounded amazing,” she said.
The Sounds Better CIC organisation also runs six-week Sing and Breathe introductory courses - in partnership with Salisbury’s Parish Nurse - at various venues around the city, as well as online, via Zoom, for those who can't get to them.
Wiltshire elections could be delayed by new mayor plans, council says
PLANS
to introduce a mayor for a new 'Heart of Wessex' region in a bid to boost investment and devolution in the region have been welcomed by leaders in Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset.
The Government has published proposals for 'devolution' in a number of regions, including the West Country, which would involve creating new mayors. And the Leaders of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Councils said they are "optimistic that they can work with Government to progress proposals for the Heart of Wessex Mayoral Strategic Authority" following the publication of the Devolution White Paper.
A joint statement by Cllr Nick Ireland, Cllr Bill Revans, and Cllr Richard Clewerleaders of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Councils - said: "We welcome the publication of the Devolution White Paper as a significant step forward in our journey towards achieving devolution for the Heart of Wessex region.
"This milestone reflects the Government’s commitment to empowering local communities and enabling regions like ours to collaborate on our shared vision. Government has made it clear that if strategic authorities are going to maximise the funding opportunities available devolution deals will require a mayor and ministers will be able to impose mayors and geographies on local councils.
"The establishment of the Heart of Wessex Mayoral Strategic Authority represents a fantastic opportunity to have a champion for the Wessex region who will be able to deliver meaningful change for our residents and advocate for our interests in Westminster.
"This will also offer the likely opportunity for increased funding and investment to our council regions.
"We want to make the Heart of Wessex a thriving region whose unique interests are heard and understood by central government."
They said the plans would create "clear, accountable
leadership to drive economic growth, improve public services, and invest in vital infrastructure".
"This model will see additional powers handed down from central government and redefine local decision-making, unlocking significant opportunities for our residents and businesses," they went on.
"The Heart of Wessex encompasses real strengths in sectors such as defence, digital, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and clean energy, and devolution offers the opportunity to secure additional funding for the critical infrastructure needed with the ability to attract additional private sector investment.
"We have made clear our strong desire to be considered in the first tranche of devolution agreements. We look forward to working with Government to discuss how quickly we can progress devolution to lead change in local government."
If the devolution proposal is approved, Dorset, Somerset and
Wiltshire councils will continue to exist and are expected to have the same responsibilities as they do now.
If the scheme progresses quickly, the plan could see next year’s local elections could be postponed to be aligned with mayoral elections in 2026. Elections in Wiltshire are currently scheduled for May 1, 2025.
Lucy Townsend, returning officer at Wiltshire Council, said: "At this stage the Government has advised that they are actively considering postponing local elections for those areas progressed in the first tranche of devolution deals so that they can be held alongside mayoral elections in 2026.
"We will continue to plan for our elections on May 1 until a decision is made as to whether this will include the Heart of Wessex. If it does, then we would support the decision to postpone elections in Wiltshire to allow them to take place alongside the mayoral elections."
Council leaders Bill Revans (Somerset), Richard Clewer (Wiltshire) and Nick Ireland (Dorset) have welcomed the proposals
Toy appeal provides presents for hundreds of Salisbury children
MORE
than 600 children in Salisbury, who may have otherwise gone without, had a present to open on Christmas morning thanks to the success of a toy appeal.
This year’s Great Toy Appeal, put together by Shaun and Cathryn Osmond from Ozweld International, saw more than £5,000 raised through cash donations, used to purchase toys at Smyth Toy Superstore in Salisbury.
Hundreds of other presents were donated by individuals and businesses and were dropped off at collection points around the city, meaning the total value of toys distributed was estimated to exceed £10,000.
Around 900 presents were donated to families struggling financially by the Salisbury Pantry and the Old Sarum and Longhedge Pantry, with surplus toys also being distributed by other organisations to families known to them.
The appeal was launched in mid-November and smashed its original target of helping 500 children.
The cost-of-living crisis has left many families relying on food banks and pantries to help them get by each week.
“With hundreds of families registered at the two pantries covering Salisbury and Old
Sarum and Longhedge, the gifts donated are helping relieve some of the financial pressure,” a spokesperson for the appeal said.
The team at Old Sarum and Longhedge Pantry has also wrapped all of the gifts donated to them.
They, and a group of wrapping volunteers, gathered at Salisbury FC’s Ray Mac stadium on the morning of Sunday, December 15.
They made short work of wrapping hundreds of gifts, completing the task in a little
over three hours.
Salisbury Radio has helped promote the appeal and, through their advent calendar, raised £2,000.
Breakfast show presenter Craig Hicks said: “The response has been phenomenal.
“Once again, Salisbury has shown its generosity and community spirit when others struggle in many ways.
“The amount of toys that little people around the area will unwrap because of the toy appeal this Christmas is amazing.
“A huge thank you to Shaun and Cathryn for being the driving force behind this; without them, Christmas would have been a little less magical for so many.”
Appeal co-founder Cathryn added: “It’s just mind-blowing what has been achieved in such a short space of time; the number of toys and presents being distributed is amazing.
“We want to thank everyone who has supported the appeal. Individuals, local businesses and other organisations. Amazing.”
Around 300 people turned out for a presentation event after the fayre
Pictures: Spencer Mulholland
Emmie is Bishop for a day and makes memories for a lifetime!
SALISBURY had a new bishop for 45 minutes on Sunday (December 8) - 13-year-old youngster, Emmie.
The teenager, a Year 8 pupil at Salisbury Cathedral School, is in her final year with the cathedral choir and was chosen as this year's Chorister Bishop as part of a traditional dating back to medieval times.
It previously saw a chorister hold the office of bishop from the Feast of St Nicholas (the patron saint of children) until the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
During her brief reign, Emmie delivered a sermon during the Evensong service, wearing replica robes and borrowing the Right Revd Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury's staff and mitre.
The tradition is based on raising the lowest in society to the highest, in order to practice humility and Jesus' gospel.
The ceremony ceased after the Reformation during the reign of Henry VIII, but the practice was revived in its present form in the 1980s.
And this year's event was a real family affair, with Emmie's younger brother, Arthur, who is also a chorister and gave a reading at the service.
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21st century parking payments now on offer at historic Stonehenge
VISITORS
to historic Stonehenge for the Winter Solstice were able to pay for their parking with a 21st-century app for the first time.
Mobile parking payment firm
PayByPhone has been appointed as provider for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, taking on the running of online parking payments at the Wiltshire site from December 17.
It came ahead of an expected influx of visitors for the Winter Solstice celebrations, which took place at sunrise on Saturday, December 21.
Stonehenge was built to align with the sun on the solstices; on the Winter Solstice, the sun sets to the south-west of the stone circle.
This year, the company said visitors –whether pagans, druids, spiritualists, locals, or simply tourists - could take advantage of cashless payment at the Stonehenge car park.
PayByPhone’s Maps feature also allowed
drivers to locate the car park at the visitor centre before they started their journey to
Stonehenge and to pin their vehicle location once they parked.
Adam Dolphin, UK MD for PayByPhone, said: "We are thrilled to launch PayByPhone at one of Britain’s most iconic sites – Stonehenge.
"PayByPhone will make the parking experience as hassle-free as possible for visitors so they can start their visit to the famous stone circle as quickly as possible rather than queue at a parking payment kiosk. I would encourage people planning to visit to download the app now.
Registration takes less than 30 seconds."
For the Winter Solstice, the Stonehenge car park opened at 5.15am, with hundreds descending on the monument to welcome the sunrise.
CCTV appeal after theft from city DIY store
MORE than £400 worth of stock was stolen from a Salisbury DIY store.
Police are investigating after a theft from B&Q, in Southampton Road.
The theft took place on November 11 and police have released an image, far right, of a person they believe could help with their investigation and urged anyone who recognises the person to contact them.
Anyone who recognises them, or has information regarding the incident, should contact police on 101, quoting crime reference number 54240133251.
Reports can also be made via the Wiltshire Police website at wiltshire.police.uk, or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
'Why
not make volunteering a New Year's resolution?
Wessex Community Action is the council for voluntary services in Wiltshire and provides practical support for community organisations on funding, governance, planning, policy development, recruiting and leadership. This monthly volunteering column looks at all aspects of volunteering and how people can give up their time for the benefit of their communities.
ASthe curtain comes down on 2024 and we think about 2025, what better time to try something truly transformative and making volunteering a New Year’s resolution?
Volunteering offers the perfect opportunity to step out of our routines and embrace a new challenge that benefits others – and also ourselves. It’s a chance to meet people from different backgrounds and learn new skills – or hone the ones you already have.
It also doesn’t mean surrendering countless hours, there are flexible opportunities to fit busy lives. Many organisations offer roles that can take up just an hour or two each week, or even a month.
Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance is looking to add to its 98 volunteers with a recruitment campaign set to be launched in early 2025. Volunteers Manager Cas Louden said the charity has a range of roles to suit all ages, skills and availability – from doing gardening and odd jobs at its base in Semington to collecting and helping at events, working in its shops or going out doing talks about its work.
“We value them and make them feel part
of our Wiltshire Air Ambulance family because without them, there's no way we could do what we do,” she said.
All applicants are asked about the time they have to spare, their skills and their likes so they can contribute in a way that suits them. They receive regular training and are invited to quarterly meetings at the charity’s airbase, although many of them in pop in much more often.
“They love coming in because we look after them, we give them tea, coffee and biscuits and if we've got any training going on, we give them a bit of lunch as well,” said Cas. “Our crew will always say hello because they appreciate what they do – it’s one base, one team and everyone makes them feel welcome.”
She said volunteers are not just important for the work they do. “We're always asking for feedback, anything they think we could improve on because they're our eyes and ears when they're out and about doing events and talks,” said Cas.
“We work hard to retain our volunteers and they love being out and about and being part of the charity and they know we're at the end of the phone for them.”
The charity’s New Year volunteer drive
will focus on Salisbury and Bath but volunteers from anywhere across the county will be warmly welcomed. Cas said: “New Year is a great time to volunteer with us and we’ll be delighted to discuss opportunities with anyone.”
Wessex Community Action works with charities and groups to help them support their volunteers through training and recruitment ideas.
An ideal place to look for New Year volunteering opportunities is Wiltshire Together, a digital community platform hosted by Wessex Community Action. It’s free to use and allows users to browse and pledge interest for the opportunities listed. Users can also set up a member profile that allows them to log their volunteer hours, which can help with CVs and employability prospects.
The site now has a Volunteering in Wiltshire page at wiltshiretogether.org.uk wiltshire-volunteering.
n To find out more about trustee training and support or more about the volunteering support WCA can offer, contact Abby Lynch at info@wessexcommunityaction.org.uk.
Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance volunteers and staff at the Middlewick Open Garden in June
Patrols to tackle shoplifting
POLICE
have been on the streets of Salisbury city centre over the Christmas period to deter shoplifting.
Officers from the Salisbury Response and Neighbourhood Team were out on foot patrol, meeting shoppers and advising businesses.
The patrols will continue into the New Year, with officers in both plain clothes and uniform, Wiltshire Police said.
"We are pleased to report that
a number of individuals were disrupted, one person was issued with an out of court disposal for shoplifting offences, a vehicle was seized for no insurance which is believed to have links to shoplifting, officers seized an electric scooter that was being ridden in the city," a spokesperson said.
"In total the team covered a total of 80 miles on foot patrol."
Report crime on 101.
Vital support of CFRs explained in visit to Salisbury Rotary Club
COMMUNITY
First Responders (CFR) joined a recent Salisbury Rotary Club meeting to teach members some life-saving techniques.
David and Julie Netton, both CFRs, taught Rotary members how to properly use defibrillators, which can double or quadruple the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest - 80% of which happen at home, according to the British Heart Foundation.
A spokesperson said: “Julie and David brought with them an
impressive array of kit and modern technology and encouraged club member participation in using defibrillators, how to give, and practising CPR, the use of a Raizer Emergency Lifting Chair, and Pulse Oximeters.
“An inspirational, fascinating and educational talk and demonstration from a service that, put simply, saves lives.”
Salisbury Rotary Club recently committed to funding a defibrillator at the One Stop shop in the Bishopdown estate
CFR’s are volunteers, trained and dispatched by UK ambulance services to provide essential life-saving treatment and support in those crucial moments before the ambulance crew arrives.
This includes responding to patients suffering a lifethreatening emergency, such as a cardiac arrest, chest pain, strokes, breathing difficulties, diabetic emergencies, seizures, and allergic reactions.
Some specially-trained CFRs
also respond to less urgent calls for patients who have fallen, pendant alarm activations, or where there is concern for their welfare.
CFRs were introduced in 1990, and there are now more than 600 in the South West, funded locally by South Western Ambulance Service.
They are not paramedics but do have to sit qualifications, are available 24/7, and must commit to volunteering for a minimum of 12 hours per week in the role.
Smokers offered support to quit for the new year
SMOKERS in Wiltshire are being offered support if they make quitting a New Year's resolution to improve their health, wealth, and wellbeing.
Wiltshire Council is launching its New Year 2025 quit smoking campaign in a bid to encourage the county’s 42,000 smokers to make a quit attempt.
Anyone who smokes is offered a free 12-week programme of stop smoking support, with friendly and specialist Health
Coaches, along with free access to the Smoke Free app.
Research shows that using personalised support from a dedicated stop smoking service means that people are three times more likely to quit smoking than with willpower alone.
The 12-week programme reinforces the council’s commitment and drive to support people in their quitting journey.
Residents can also get six months’ free
access to the Smoke Free app which helps people control cravings, monitor health improvements and money saved, and even chat to a stop smoking expert 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It is estimated people quitting could save an average of £2,480 per year.
To contact the stop smoking service visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/smokefree, call 0300 003 4566 (select option 1) or email health. coaches@wiltshire.gov.uk.
in Salisbury.
Community First Responders, David and Julie Netton
Picture: Salisbury Rotary Club
Slimming World
Slimming World
SALISBURY AND SURROUNDING AREAS
Tuesday 9.30am
Dennis Marsh House (Scout Hall)
Westminster Road Salisbury SP2 7DG
Trudie: 07734855569
Tuesdays 5pm & 7pm Harnham Memorial Hall Harnham Road
SP2 8JH
Trudie: 07734855569
Wednesdays 5.30pm & 7.30pm
St Andrews School 16 Church Road
Laverstock SP1 1QX
Trudie: 07734855569
Thursday 5.30pm
Downton Memorial Hall
The Borough Downton SP3 3NB
Trudie: 07734855569 Friday 10am The Reading Room Stratford Sub Castle
Salisbury SP1 3LL
Trudie: 07734855569
TIDWORTH, LUDGERSHALL, AMESBURY AND SURROUNDING VILLAGES
Monday 9.30am, 4pm and 5.30pm
Wellington Academy The Brigadier John Wright Suite Ludgershall SP11 9RR
Sharon: 07969699340
Wednesday 9.30am, 11.30am, 3.30pm, 5.30pm & 7pm Christ the King Church 4 Lordscroft Amesbury SP4 7EP
Sharon: 07969699340
Tuesday 9.30am
Wellington Academy
The Brigadier John Wright Suite Ludgershall SP11 9RR
Sharon: 07969699340
*
*
Looking forward - a plan for change
THELabour landslide victory in the General Election was a clear indication, from the margin of victory, the population of the United Kingdom had lost confidence in a conservative government in every respect.
In the six months following the election it was hardly surprising the right-wing press were quick to pounce on the incoming Labour government. Controversial decisions about the winter fuel allowance, and more recently the WASPI women compensation, which even caused unrest within the Labour Party, provided them with plenty of ammunition.
How quickly the mood of the nation can change. The unavoidable reality of the situation is that a newly elected government immediately becomes responsible everything that is currently not working or has already gone wrong, even if those long-term issues were the consequence of decisions made before taking office. The role of any opposition is to challenge the actions of the current government, that is how
Cllr John Wells Labour chair of Environment and Climate Committee (Salisbury City Council)
democracy works. So when I was told by a local resident this week “everything is a mess”, they were expressing a feeling that everything is going wrong. It is not for me to contradict how people feel, but it seems unlikely that everything is going wrong, or that everything that has gone wrong is “a mess” created by a government which has been in office for a mere six months.
Change does not happen that quickly. It takes a long time to allow the NHS to go into decline, for our rivers to become polluted, or for our roads become riddled with dangerous economically damaging potholes. It could also be reasonably argued that the vast majority of electorate
were sufficiently dissatisfied with “the mess” which existed in July to vote for new government.
Rather that wallow in pessimism I prefer to look at what Keir Starmer has determined to be the priorities his government will focus on for the next four years. Given that not everybody has the exactly the same priorities or agree on the best way of achieving those aims it is inevitable there will be some anger and frustration.
I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister refer to ‘milestones’ last week because that implies a clear vision of the priorities. The ‘milestones’ provide a benchmark upon which progress can be measured but does not set out the constraints of stating specifically how they will be achieved. It provides a robust direction of travel, and initial plans, but allows the flexibility to adjust the plan when unexpected circumstances, unforeseen events, or even
creative and fresh ideas emerge. In case you missed it, amid the deluge of political ‘noise’, this is what we can expect to happen.
• Putting more money in the pockets of working people
• Building 1.5m homes and fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects
• Treating 92 percent of NHS patients within 18 weeks
• Recruiting 13,000 more police officers, special constables and PCSOs in neighbourhood roles
• Making sure three-quarters of five-year-olds are schoolready.
• 95% clean power by 2030 This is by no means an exclusive list, but you can rest assured the current government will be working hard to achieve these priorities.
n Please note: In the last edition of your Salisbury & Avon Gazette, we incorrectly headlined Cllr Wells' column. This was entirely our error and we apologise for any confusion.
Writing on the wall for newer Labour
KEIR
Starmer and ‘even newer Labour’ seem to be going out of their way to insult and thereby fall out with the US President elect.
Mandelson? I ask you. A totally political appointment as US Ambassador, without the usual scrutiny of the House, seems to me although he and his team have thrown as many insults as they can Trump's way, they seem to be taking a leaf out of his book and ‘riding roughshod’ over the norms of politics. As for loading the Lords with Labour peers whilst stating their intention to disband it, what’s that all about?
In the Last issue, John (Wells) was writing in his column about Labour's house-
King Arthur Pendragon Former and proposed Independent Parliamentary candidate for Salisbury
building programme, and expecting us to listen to Angela Rayner lecturing us about the need for more social housing and better safeguards against what was the Thatcherite sell off of council Houses.
You ask me, “That’s rich,
coming from someone who made money out of buying and selling their own council house”. So tell us John, why should we be asked to listen to such hypocrisy?
The writing is on the wall for even newer Labour. And it
won’t be long before we are subjected to even more of the Ed Davey stunts, Victoria claimed to be so fond of, also in the last issue.
Remember John Glen, our Tory MP? What’s he up to in opposition? In fact, what exactly are the Tory policies under their new leadership, or do they now rely on the Reform party to set their agenda?
I don’t know and more to the point, I don’t think our politicians know in which political direction these Isles are going, but I do know I, or any other Independent, could not do any worse than the representatives we have in Westminster at the moment. Until Next Time.
salisburyandavon.co.uk
Reform UK launches city branch
REFORM UK has officially launched a Salisbury branch – and members plan to start hitting the streets in Salisbury to speak to voters ahead of the Wiltshire Council elections next year.
Around 30 people attended the first meeting of the group, on December 2 at the Old Sarum & Long Hedge Community Centre, where members voted for a range of officer positions.
Business owner and Salisbury Chamber of Commerce director, Byron Logue, was voted in as the chairperson and Salisbury’s Deputy Mayor, councillor Ed Rimmer – who defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK in June – has been confirmed as deputy chair.
Lifelong Salisbury resident and retired company director Simon Lever was voted in as treasurer.
Nigel Knowles, who spent 12 years as a parish councillor in
Fovant, was announced as secretary and Jerry Wraith was voted in as the campaign coordinator.
Reform UK saw the election of five MPs and received more than four million votes at the July general election.
The party fielded a candidate in Salisbury - Julian Malinswho finished in fourth place, with 5,235 votes.
Mr Malins was in the national spotlight prior to the election after he said Russian
President Vladimir Putin “seemed very good”, later clarifying he meant the leader was a “good Russian president”, but not a good man “in the Christian sense”.
Mr Malins is no longer involved with Reform UK Salisbury, a spokesperson for the branch said, adding that his campaign was not backed up by a formally established branch with officers.
A spokesperson for the new branch said members are aiming
to hit the streets to speak to voters soon ahead of the upcoming Wiltshire Council elections on May 1.
Mr Logue said: “Reform UK Salisbury are an insurgent force against the decades of neglect inflicted upon us by the legacy parties.
“We are the voice of the public who have declared that they will no longer accept diminishing services and ever-increasing taxes while their votes are taken for granted. Join us to declare that enough is enough.”
Deputy Mayor, Ed Rimmer, said: “Reform UK offers an alternative to the tired politics of the past.
“Our core aims relate to family, community and country and we want to represent people at all levels of UK government.
“In the 2025 Wiltshire Council elections, we offer a change of approach; we think that tax payers should see real value for money.”
Council hits out at financial settlement
WILTSHIRE Council has reacted with "disappointment" to news of how much money it will receive from central government in the coming 2025/26 financial year.
Announced earlier this month, the local government finance settlement showed an increase of 4.3% for Wiltshire's Core Spending Power.
However, county chiefs said this is lower than the average increase across large rural unitary and county councils, which is 5.6%.
The Government, meanwhile, said the new proposals would bring about a "more effective and efficient system", while "ending postcode lotteries meaning everyone gets the support from public services they deserve".
Cllr Richard Clewer, leader of the council, said he was
"extremely disappointed" with the provisional settlement.
"We work tirelessly at Wiltshire Council and plan ahead so that we can be as self-sufficient as possible," he said. "The new Government has demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of the challenges faced by rural areas, treating them as places to build in rather than communities to support, this reduction in funding is just another facet of that.
"If we were over-reliant on government funding and always assumed that we'd get a certain amount then that might put us in a tricky spot. However, we have a long-term preventative approach, that should any unforeseen issues emerge then we are well equipped to deal with them.
"Having said that, we were particularly disappointed on the
recent news that the Rural Services Delivery Grant will be removed, a grant designed to support the 20% most rural authorities in England in delivering services that are made more expensive by the extra travel time to move between our many villages.
"Like many other councils we are still facing huge challenges, such as increasing costs and demand for adult and children social care services, and the continued unpredictable nature of inflation and impact of government policy changes such as the changes to National Insurance which is not covered by government funding in most areas, and what that will mean for our suppliers and providers.
"Therefore, we will continue to keep a forensic eye on our finances and monitor our situation prudently, robustly and in a transparent way."
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said: "Local leaders are central to our mission to deliver change for hard-working people in every corner of the country through our Plan for Change, and I know our councils are doing everything they can to stay afloat and provide for their communities day in day out.
"We won’t take the easy option or shy away from the hard work needed to rebuild a more effective and efficient system. These kind of reforms won’t happen overnight, but we are determined to deliver fairer funding, ending postcode lotteries meaning everyone gets the support from public services they deserve."
A consultation on the settlement will run until 11.49pm on January 15, 2025.
Members of the newly-launched Salisbury branch of Reform UK at the group's first meeting
The 10 most expensive art pieces sold at auction around the world in 2024
DESPITE pieces by some of the biggest names in the art world going under the hammer in 2024, the total spent on top-table items this year fell when compared to previous periods.
It would appear the cost-ofliving crisis that for most of us means pressure on household budgets, has extended to the high-class world of art collecting.
In 2024, art website Artsy reported the top-priced 100 lots which went under the hammer raised a total of $1.8 billion in sales. While a lot of money, clearly, it compared to $2.4bn in 2023 and a whopping $4.1bn in 2022.
Only one work - René Magritte’s L’empire des lumières (1954) - sold for more than $100m, compared to two in
1. René Magritte, L’empire des lumières, 1954: $121,160,000 (pictured above)
A century after André Breton published his Surrealist Manifesto, René Magritte’s L’empire des lumières (1954) became the most expensive Surrealist artwork ever to sell at
auction, with a hammer price of $121.16 million when sold at Christie’s New York in November.
2. Ed Ruscha, Standard Station, Ten-Cent Western Being Torn in Half, 1964: $68,260,000 (pictured below)
Standard Station, Ten-Cent Western Being Torn in Half (1964), broke the artist’s auction record when it too sold for $68.26 million at Christie’s New York in November. Estimated at $50m, the piece far exceeded expectations.
3. Claude Monet, Nymphéas, 1914–17: $65,500,000
A 17-minute bidding war broke out when this Monet piece went up for auction at Sotheby’s November evening auction in New York.
Part of the French Impressionist’s renowned Water Lilies series, it was a rare chance for collectors to snap up such a well-known piece.
4. Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (ELMAR), 1982: $46,479,000
2023 and six in 2022.
Basquiat’s 8ft-wide painting sold for $46.48 million at Phillips’s modern and contemporary art sale in New York.
5. René Magritte, L’ami intime, 1958: $42,123,969
A rare example of Magritte's portraits featuring his signature bowler-hatted man that remained in private hands, L’ami intime (1958) sold for $42.12 million in March at a standalone sale held at Christie’s in London.
6. Andy Warhol, Flowers,
1964: $35,485,000 (pictured above)
Another famous piece from a famous series - produced in response to the assassination of JFK in 1964 - the work, above, sold for $35.48m at Christie’s 20th-century evening sale in May.
7. Claude Monet, Meules à Giverny, 1893: $34,804,500 \ (pictured below)
One of Monet’s final haystack paintings, Meules à
Giverny (1893) reached $34.8m at Sotheby’s modern evening auction. It was first brought to the United States by American landscape painter Dwight Blaney in 1895, where it was lent to the Museum of Fine Arts,
2,500 lots at fourday Clarke's sale
CLARKE’S
Auctions, after launching its catalogue, has extended its sale between Christmas and New Year to four days.
It will be offering more than 2,500 lots on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, December 27, 28, 30 and 31.
Among the lots is a stunning collection of beautifully intricate and delicate 24 carat gold-plated copper wire tree sculptures made by Trowbridge artist, Patrick Drinkwater.
Patrick crafted 42 of these trees over a 20-year period and exhibited them in London in 2016 with prices ranging from £500-£20,000.
Clarke’s is auctioning six of his sculptures, each estimated at £100-£200.
Boston.
8. Vincent van Gogh, Coin de jardin avec papillons, 1887: $33,185,000 (pictured below)
Perhaps the most famous name in art, van Gogh’s Coin de jardin avec papillons (1887) sold for $33.19m when it went under the hammer at Christie’s 20th-century evening sale in May.
The total broke the record price of a Van Gogh painting made during the artist’s Paris period, which spanned from 1886 to 1888.
9. Mark Rothko, Untitled (Yellow and Blue), 1954:
$32,474,502
This Rothko piece, from 1954, sold for $32.47m at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in November and marked the first Rothko oil painting to appear at auction in Asia.
10. Vincent van Gogh, Les canots amarrés, 1887: $32,189,041 (pictured below)
Part of a rare trio of paintings made in Asnières, France, this van Gogh piece sold for $32.19m at Christie’s Hong Kong in September. It is recognised as one of the highlights of Van Gogh’s time in Asnières, the suburb where he frequently traveled from his home in Montmartre, Paris.
Clarke’s Auctions
Auctioneers & Valuers
Antiques
& Collectibles Sale Friday 9th & Saturday 10th August
28th, 30th & 31st December 2024
Friday 27th 10am start at lot 1 to lot 712
Clarke’s is inviting prospective buyers to see the lots on viewing days and enjoy a mince pie, and is open for viewing and live bidding on the sale days. It is taking entries for future sales and enquiries for consignment into its 2025 sales.
n For probate or insurance valuations, part and full house clearances or home visits should be made to Richard Clarke or Karen Marshall on 01747 685592 or 01747 855109 at its salerooms at The Old Glove Factory, Buckingham Road, Gillingham SP8 4QF.
A colour catalogue is available at the-saleroom.com and easyliveauction.com. A variety of antique and collectable items such as jewellery and silver, ceramics and glass, period and designer furniture, rugs, artwork, Oriental items, paintings and taxidermy will be for sale.
Saturday 28th 10am start at lot 713 – 1428
Monday 30th 10am start at lot 1429 – 2132 Tuesday 31st 10am start at lot 2133 to 2534
100 lots per hour and invoices emailed at the end of Tuesday.
Viewing:
An original Fry & Sons 'Fry's Pure Concentrated Cocoa' enamel sign. Sold for £1,600. Clarke’s Auctions o er free home visits and verbal valuations. Now accepting items for this and future sales e Old
A mid-century Danish design Svend Dyrlund teak sideboard Estimate: £200-£300
Units 1 & 2 Kingsettle Business Park, 01747 855109 enquiries@clarkesauctions.co.uk
Youngsters help plant King's trees!
YOUNG Cubs and Scouts in Laverstock have been working hard to improve the land and environment in their community.
The workers have been learning how to dig the perfect hole and give trees the best start in life while working with the Devonshire Bradshaw Trust.
The trust has been working to improve the land and environment over the past month, planting a new orchard in celebration of the coronation of King Charles III.
The trust was awarded £2,000 from a special fund set up by the Monarch to help commemorate his rise to the throne and leave a legacy.
The money was used to purchase 33 fruiting trees, with the long-term vision of creating an orchard on the 60-acre farm, off Cow Lane.
Youngsters involved used the experience to earn elements of
their World Challenge badge and Chief Scout’s Gold award.
"The Scouts enjoyed their outdoor adventure and were
glad to be among community groups engaging with the ongoing improvement scheme, which will see trees dedicated
to the groups who helped create the space," a spokesperson said.
n Pictures by Russell Sach
It’s winter time - and shrub is ready to party as the garden sleeps!
by Sally Gregson
JUST when the garden is beginning to go to sleep for the winter, or at least so it seems, there is a startlingly beautiful shrub showing off, in full berry – Callicarpa bodlinierei ‘Profusion’ that is shrieking its very purple message.
The berries have been working up to this crescendo all summer and autumn. And now that the leaves are off and the winter weather is here, it’s ready to party. The violet colour is so strong that if the berries were any bigger it would be ‘over the top’.
Callicarpa associates well with other sun-lovers such as evergreen, variegated Pittosporum tenuifolium. The bright, white variegated leaves set off the zinging colour well and both shrubs thrive in a well-drained soil in sun – or try growing it next to Pseudowintera colorata. Its evergreen, khaki leaves make an unusual contrast to the purple berries.
Callicarpa is relatively easy to propagate. Take softwood cuttings in June or July when
the current year’s side shoots are about 10-15cm long. Remove the lower leaves; tip out the cutting to avoid any soft growth that would fade quickly; and dip the cut end in hormone rooting powder. Insert the cuttings around the edge of a short pot filled with a 50:50 mixture of sharp grit and potting compost; label them with the name, number of cuttings taken; and date; and water the pot from above to settle the soil around them. Put the pots into plastic bags. Blow your CO2 into the bags to keep the sides away from the leaves; and put them somewhere slightly shaded where you can keep an eye on them.
Once they have rooted really well, pot them up individually into 9cm pots of compost with a little grit and slow-release fertiliser added. They should fill the pots by the end of the summer when they can be transferred to a cold frame or greenhouse for the following winter. In spring, move them into bigger pots and they should be ready to plant out or give to your friends by late summer.
Spire Motorhomes and Caravan Services
15
Laws Named After People
Across
PLACE 1 to 9 once into every black-bordered 3x3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.
Killer Sudoku Pro
8 Feat shown in old narrative about Italy (7)
9 First sign of ice and lot of darkness in Arctic residence (5)
10 A French hairstyle is not subject to restriction (5)
11 By the sound of it, feeble climax in period for relaxation? (7)
12 French award given to US actress and to date concerned with now (4,3,2,3)
KILLER Sudoku Pro
16 Page commuter turns to get technological diversion? (8,4)
Down
1
Meeting place even altered around university (5)
2 Detailed description of requirements by president largely showing vivid range? (8)
3 German entering Belgium and Malta last
4 Lodge in Sweden with cut off community
5 Most astute fellow is established? Not altogether (6)
(4,3,2,3)
6 Sticky stuff starts to get left under everywhere (4)
7 Worthwhile extra farewell (7)
20 Small pastry later cooked in middle of butter (7)
23 One who has gown, ermine in part (5)
24 Theme is mostly leading film (5)
Place numbers 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3x3 box.
25 Opposed to a profit by revered figure (7)
No digit may be repeated in any dash-lined cage, and all the digits in any cage must add up to the value shown in that cage.
13 Copy primate (3)
14 Powerful man I don’t upset (8)
15 Excellent art gallery producing clear film
17 Free article in Le Monde by rugby player
18 See graduate engaged by good league worldwide basis (6)
19 Fine US novelist making something trivial
21 Prepared meat dish with time gone ready eat (4)
22 Group of workers gets to abound, we hear
Motoring
Litter teams have cleaned up more than 1,800 miles of Wiltshire roads
MOREthan 1,800 miles of Wiltshire roads have been litter-picked in the last three months.
As part of a bid to clean up county roads, Wiltshire Council said nearly 15,000kg of rubbish has been collected from A, B and C roads by teams carrying out daily patrols and regular litter collections on roads and verges.
Among the routes targeted were the A303 and A36, which are managed by National Highways, who put measures in place to ensure the safety of workers and minimise disruption to drivers.
"Areas across the county that are identified as litter hotspots are cleared more frequently and may also be subject to additional measures to help prevent litter and catch offenders, such as enforcement cameras," a council spokesperson said.
"The council also encourages and supports local communities to set up their own litter collection initiatives, with a large number of regular events already happening throughout the county on a monthly basis.
"Community groups are encouraged to focus on residential areas and open spaces and to report litter found on any main roads, so this can be dealt with by safely and efficiently by our teams."
Cllr Nick Holder, cabinet member for highways and Street Scene, said: "One of
our main focuses in our Business Plan is to take responsibility for the environment, and to keep Wiltshire a beautiful county with unspoilt views and landscapes.
"As well as being unsightly, litter can also be a danger to wildlife and drivers on our road networks. Therefore ensuring our road networks are regularly litter picked is a crucial job for us to complete.
"Our crews work in potentially dangerous conditions when carrying out the roadside collections so these are carefully planned and managed to ensure safety of them and other road users.
"We really appreciate the efforts of our community groups and thank them for all the work that they do to help us, but it’s really important that they do so safely, and
by not putting themselves at risk, that means not litter picking on main roads.
"Ultimately, I want to remind everyone that if we all dispose of our litter correctly when out and about, or take it home with us, there would be no need for litter collections. Don’t Mess with Wiltshire, dispose of your litter correctly."
n Anyone who would like information, support or equipment to assist with a community litter pick should contact the Streetscene Community Engagement Manager via wiltshirehelpdesk@idverde. co.uk
And to report litter in Wiltshire, people can go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/litter.
Worrying trend over mobile use behind the wheel
YOUNG drivers continue to use their mobile phones when behind the wheel, according to new data.
The proportion of young drivers illegally making and receiving calls - without hands-free technology - while at the wheel is at its highest rate in eight years, according to data from the RAC.
The figures come 21 years
after using a mobile while driving first became punishable by law.
Figures from the RAC’s 2024 Report on Motoring showed half (55%) of drivers under 25 admitted making and receiving voice calls behind the wheel, compared to 27% of the overall driving population and just 16% of those aged 65 or older.
This is up six percentage points on 2023 and three percentage points since 2016 when the data was first recorded.
Four-in-10 (43%) younger motorists also said they have listened to a voice note while driving without using handsfree while 40% have recorded such a message.
The findings come 21 years
after the Government first made it an offence to use a handheld mobile phone or similar device while driving. Meanwhile, in all age groups, 15% of drivers have checked messages on their phones, and one-in-10 (10%) said they have used their phones to write texts, emails or social media posts while driving, with an increase in drivers taking photos.
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Do’s and dont’s of the hard shoulder explained after new driver survey
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Puzzle solutions
A SURVEY has revealed how one in five British drivers risk a receiving a fine and points on their licence for stopping on the hard shoulder to rest while driving.
What is more, a further one in 10 respondents said they would stop on the hard shoulder if their child needed the toilet.
According to rules in the Highway Code, it is illegal to stop on the hard shoulder unless it is an emergency, or if the driver is told to do so by the police, traffic officers, an emergency sign or red flashing lights.
The hard shoulder can be used if drivers have a puncture, medical emergency, mechanical breakdown or if items transported on their car or in a trailer have come loose.
In contrast, it should not be used for bathroom breaks, to take a nap when the driver is tired or to stop and make or receive a phone call.
Stopping on the hard shoulder for reasons such as these could result in a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points on the driver’s licence.
In the event of feeling tired while driving, the best thing to do is to find a safe place away from the motorway to stop and rest.
The findings were revealed after a survey of UK drivers by Regtransfers.
(from pages 34-35) Edition 58
37-years-long cathedral repair programme scoops top award
THEculmination of a major 37-year repair programme at Salisbury Cathedral has been recognised with a prestigious award.
Skilled work was carried out on the high east end gable, and the north and south pinnacles of the cathedral were repaired, which formed part of larger work to restore the spire, tower and main body.
The 22nd Natural Stone Awards recognised the skilled work that has taken place on the high East End gable of the cathedral.
Clerk of works at the cathedral, Gary Price, and head mason, Lee Andrews, recently attended an awards ceremony in London to collect the award and celebrate the very best of the natural stone industry.
Chicksgrove Limestone provided by Lovell Stone Group, came from a quarry close to Tisbury and was used to complete the repairs, the same seam which was used when the cathedral was built 800 years ago.
The collaboration was celebrated by the judges, providing a welcome relief when the construction industry
has become so globalised.
Salisbury is one of only 10 cathedrals to have an in-house team of skilled stonemasons who still use original carving techniques to conserve the cathedral for future generations.
Speaking on the final repairs, the judges said:
“The work at the east end is of a consistent and exemplary representative quality that has been achieved throughout the entire project and it is fantastic to see the cathedral sans scaffolding at last.”
heritage excellence has been acknowledged on a national stage.
Clerk of works, Gary Price, said: “We are delighted that our work on this incredible building is being recognised by The Stone Federation. It has been a privilege to oversee the major repair programme.”
Canon treasurer Kenneth Padley, who is responsible for the fabric of the building said:
“We are delighted that our amazing Works team has received this honour, and that the track record of Salisbury Cathedral to delivering
“The cathedral remains, as it was built, a beacon to the glory and eternity of God.”
Although the scaffolding on the outside of the building was removed in September 2023, work on the cathedral is never over.
The newest project is the restoration of the cathedral cloisters. The largest in England, they are made up of some of the most elaborately carved stones on the cathedral, using the same Purbeck and
Chicksgrove limestone.
In order to repair and restore the space, the cathedral has launched an opportunity to sponsor a stone in the north cloisters, where people and businesses can have four characters carved into the stone before it is set in place and help to preserve and protect this precious heritage.
For more information on sponsoring a stone and learning about the work the works team does, visit www. salisburycathedral.org.uk/ discover/conservation-andrestoration/sponsor-a-stone.
Work on the high East End gable was recognised at the 22nd Natural Stone Awards
