E E FR Issue 176
February 2022
for Whitechurch, Whatcombe, Clenston, Stickland, Houghton, Turnworth & Milton Abbas
Helping to inform and unite the Community Picture by Lynne Rainford
growing wild. Such a cheery sight after a long winter. Such a harbinger of Spring. Such a small thing to give us such Hope for the time to come. Because February is always associated with Valentine's Day it surprises people when they find out that roses aren't actually the official birth flower of the month. In the Middle Ages, the violet was a symbol of humility, chastity, faithfulness and modesty, and was a symbol for Mary, Jesus’s mother, who is known for these attributes. It is easy to see how these traits became associated with this plant when you look at a violet in bloom. The blooms are pretty much under the dark green, heart-shaped leaves, and appear to peek out from under the leaves. The plant is small in stature and not bright in colour. Violets are also self-pollinators, meaning that a bee or other plant is not necessary for the violet to bloom. This symbolises the belief of the virgin birth. The violet also has meanings of immortality, resurrection, and spring. A real love story, with violets, is that of Josephine and Napoleon Bonaparte. The favourite perfume of Josephine was violets. Violets were planted in the beautiful gardens that Josephine planned in France. When Napoleon visited Josephine’s grave he picked violets to leave on her grave. When Napoleon died, in his locket were violets and a lock of Josephine’s hair. That is real romance. Perhaps that is why violets were chosen for the month that celebrates love and romance in a single day called Valentine’s Day. In the Victorian era, words of romantic expression were discouraged, so the language of flowers was very important. Purple violets meant “I’ll always be true.” Thank you, Lord, for giving us these tiny signs of hope. In these peculiar times we are living in, we all need these small signs of nature’s renewal to give us Hope. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Blessings, Rev Sue
Editorial It was sad to read in the Forum Focus that it may well have to cease production. This magazine has been a good read for local people, both those who live in Blandford and those like us who live in the villages surrounding the town, as it has carried useful information (and adverts) about events and local decisions made by elected officials. In our small way, the Valley News has tried to do the same kind of job (indeed we were doing this before the Forum Focus started!) with information and adverts that will help keep everyone informed. It is somewhat difficult to do this as we rely completely on our readers to help us out - we have no ‘roving reporters’, we are all volunteers, and all the copy we get is from you. This is why the magazine is your magazine - we couldn’t do it without your contributions. Let’s hope we can continue to attract these so that we can keep publishing the Valley News and make it as relevant as we can. While thinking about what to write for this editorial it became apparent that there was little commentary needed on local events; it has been a quiet time over Christmas and New Year, the COVID pandemic has continued and national politics is again centre stage with ‘partygate’. The omicron variant has proved to be highly infectious but appears to be less virulent, but very sadly the number of people dying from the disease has not slowed down as much as hoped. It is clear that despite many national voices calling for an end to ‘Plan B’ and restrictions, for some people COVID continues to be a pall over everyday life. Whether the deaths occurring now are of those who are unvaccinated or not, each one represents a family suffering; we should not forget in the excitement of a promise of ‘returning to normal’ and ‘living with COVID’ that for a significant number of people it is far from over. It’s right to be excited about the prospect, but let’s temper it with an appropriate amount of care going forward. As previously reported, Anne and Nick Donnelly are going to be relocating to Devon. Anne’s responsibility has been looking after advertising for the Valley News, and it has been an important job that she has done really well. We are very lucky that we have already received an offer to take over the advertising role, and would like to thank Carolyn Walsham most warmly for volunteering to join our team. We are sure she will be made to feel welcome as she slots in to the new responsibility. February is not everyone’s favourite month - it is so often cold, damp or positively wet, and occasionally snowy. Perhaps it might help us to be a bit more positive about the month if we consider some alternative names for it - in Old English it was called Solmonath (mud month) and in Finnish, the month is called helmikuu, meaning "month of the pearl"; when snow melts on tree branches, it forms droplets, and as these freeze again, they are like pearls of ice. Such a positive way to describe the month! We might not suffer from as much ice and snow as Finland, but we can all appreciate that the days are getting longer and the nights shorter; it won’t be long before we can really appreciate spring being here. Stay positive! The Valley News Team
Winterborne Valley & Milton Abbas Benefice Dear Reader With the lengthening days which distinguish the third month of winter from its predecessor, come ardent desires for spring, and longings for the time of birds and flowers. An adventurous swallow too early flying from the south, a vision of snowdrops in the snow, a day of April warmth lit by a slant February sun, are all hailed with pleasure as harbingers of a more gracious season on its way. As a child my walk home from school would take me past Ealing Broadway Tube Station. Opposite the Station, standing on the bridge, there would be a lady selling flowers from a small wooden cart. For 6d I could buy my Mum a small bunch of violets. My Mum loved violets, but she also knew that my weekly pocket money was 6d. A tanner, as my Grandad would have said. You can do lots with a tanner. February birth flowers are violets and primroses, and we are so, so lucky that around our Valley here in Dorset both can be seen 2
Polly 'Bs'
BRYANSTON design
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Chartered Architects Building design work Planning and Building Reg. Applications Listed Building works Feasibility studies
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Ring Pauline on 01258 880084 / 07760 303332 Gift Vouchers available.
Jenny Barnes & Co Chartered Accountants & Chartered Tax Advisers
Accounts and tax returns for self-employed, companies and personal tax. Initial meeting free of charge. The Studio, Cothayes House, Ansty, DT2 7PJ admin@jennybarnes.co.uk Tel: 01258 268050
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If you are struggling with heating costs, you may be able to claim financial and practical help with heating your home. Please speak with the Citizens Advice Energy Advice Team by calling 01929 775500 or email energyadvice@cabnet.org.uk. Covid Booster Vaccinations As most of the population is being offered a booster vaccination to protect against covid, the demand is very high. Mid Dorset PCN, which covers the Dorchester area, has undertaken booster doses for patients who are housebound as well as those living in care and nursing homes. Booster vaccinations are being offered locally by Pharmacy2u and an additional NHS site has been added at Vespasian House, near ‘The Keep’ at the top of town. Patients are asked to go on line https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronaviruscovid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/ or call 119 to book. More appointments are frequently added so if there is nothing suitable when you first try, please look on a regular basis. Note that the practice is not able to book your vaccination appointment for you.
Milton Abbas Surgery Send a Card to a Friend Day – February 7th 2022 Everyone loves and appreciates their friends, and we all just assume that they know how much we care and that we are always thinking about them. Sadly, many of our friends will experience loneliness and some may be struggling with their mental health. A small gesture could be all that is needed to make their day! If you are struggling with feeling isolated or your mental health, please do not feel that you are on your own. We all need support at one time or another, and we are here to help. So, if you would like a listening ear about anything that is worrying you, please contact the surgery and they can put you in touch with Kelly, our friendly Social Prescriber. Urinary Tract Infections We have recently changed our surgery policy for patients with symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Rather than just dropping in a urine sample for the Nurses to dip, our GPs would like to examine you. So if you think you have a water infection, please contact the surgery on 01258 880210 at 8.30am and we will book you in for a face to face appointment with a clinician. If you could also bring a urine sample along to your appointment that would be very helpful. Blandford Community Fridge You may or may not be aware but a community fridge for Blandford was set up in May 2021 for all to benefit from free food and to reduce food waste. It can be found at the Blandford Youth & Community Centre, Milldown Road, and is open 9.00am to 11am on Wednesdays. You don’t need to be referred to use the fridge the idea is to reduce food waste, so it’s open to anyone! Why not pop along and take a look? Blood donation Blood donors are urgently needed. If you haven’t donated before, or not for a while, please consider doing so if you can. Blood donation saves lives. You could make a real difference. NHS Blood Donation needs almost 400 new donors every day to meet demand. If you haven’t given blood before, could you? The most local blood donation venues are in Dorchester and Blandford, but you can search for somewhere local to you at: https://www.blood.co.uk From January New Year’s Resolutions Are you interested in making a lifestyle change but not quite sure where to start? Why not have a chat with the friendly team at LiveWell Dorset? Whether you are looking to lose weight, stop smoking, cut down on your drinking or simply become more active, they can create a plan to help you achieve your goals. For more information phone 0800 840 1628 or go to www.livewelldorset.co.uk Keeping Warm this Winter With January and February often being the coldest months of the year, here are a few reminders for keeping warm and safe over those months: Dress in layers to keep warm. Several thin layers work better than one thick layer of clothing. Use hot water bottles, electric blankets and wheat bags. Do not use both a water bottle and electric blanket at the same time though! Heating your home. If you are not very mobile, are 65 or over, or have a health condition, heat your home to at least 18C. Draw curtains at dusk and keep doors closed to block out draughts Make a list of emergency numbers. It can be useful to have numbers like electric and gas companies by your phone or on your mobile. Eat the right foods. Make sure you are eating well, with at least one hot meal a day. Try to eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg to get nutrients. Keep as active as possible. This is a great way to keep warm. Be prepared if you are heading out. Wear warm footwear with non-slip soles, and keep hands, heads and faces warm. Check on older neighbours and relatives. Make sure that they are safe and well, are warm enough (especially at night) and have enough food and medicines so that they do not need to go out during the very cold weather.
The Blandford Group Practice Changes to our e-Consult service (7th January) Due to significant demand across our sites, the Blandford Group Practice e-Consult service is now available Monday to Friday during the hours of 8am to 8pm. This change will enable us to better balance how we deliver your care, and allow us to continue the life-saving COVID-19 booster programme. We are still committed to offering patients appointments in the most appropriate way for them, be that face-to-face, by phone, or video chat. If you require medical advice outside of practice opening hours, NHS 111 is always available online (111.nhs.uk) and by phone. Trained operators can direct you to the most appropriate service for your needs. If you are in an emergency or life-threatening situation, please call 999. Thank you for your continued patience as we work through these unprecedented times.
View the magazine online at
issuu.com/valleynewsdt11 Artsreach The Time Machine - Saturday, February 12th. We are excited to be bringing live, professional theatre to the Pamela Hambro Hall on Saturday, 12th February commencing 7:30pm. "An eccentric Victorian inventor travels into the planet's distant future, where he discovers an idyllic garden-earth and quickly bonds with the peaceful inhabitants. But when, in the still of night, his Time Machine disappears the traveller is forced to confront the true fate of humanity's future and must overcome a subterranean horror in a desperate escape back to his own time. Utilising spoken word, puppetry and a fully working Time Machine, H.G Wells' classic Victorian sci-fi is transformed into a neon-electro adventure for the entire family." Are you a new resident in the valley, or maybe you have lived here for a while but never attended an Artsreach show? Why not give this show a try - you are guaranteed a warm friendly welcome, bar and refreshments, home-made cakes and a unique evening's entertainment not normally available in rural village halls...... Artsreach is Dorset's rural touring arts organisation, bring highquality, professional events to rural locations, and we promote these shows in Winterborne Stickland. This show is suitable for ALL the family (7+ yrs) and full details can be found via the advert in this issue, or by going to www.Artsreach.co.uk Would love to welcome you, The Gale Family 4
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EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS Artsreach presents ‘A Journey into French Music’ featuring FiFi La Mer & Oliver Wilby Friday 18th March • 7.30pm • Ibberton & Belchalwell Village Hall DT11 0EN www.ibbertonvillagehall.co.uk Adult bookings £10, U18 £5, Family £24 A French themed evening with French buffet £4.50 and a bar. email: newman638@btinternet, phone: 01258 817269 CHURCH SERVICES IN FEBRUARY SUNDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 9:00 Turnworth (Communion) 10:30 Whitechurch (Communion) 10:30 Stickland (Morning Worship with live-stream to FB) SUNDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 9:00 Stickland (Book of Common Prayer Communion) 10:30 Milton Abbas (Communion) 10:30 Clenston (Book of Common Prayer Communion) 4:30 Houghton (Cafe Style) SUNDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 9:00 Milton Abbas (Book of Common Prayer Communion) 10:30 Stickland (Communion with live-stream to FB) 11:30 Whitechurch (Cafe Style) SUNDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 10:30 Whitechurch (Morning Prayer/Worship) 10:30 Houghton (Communion with live-stream to FB) 10:30 Turnworth (Morning Worship) 6:00 Milton Abbas (SoulSpace) ASH WEDNESDAY - 2ND MARCH 7:00 Whitechurch (Communion Service with ashing with livestream to FB) SUNDAY 6TH MARCH 9:00 Turnworth (Communion) 10:30 Whitechurch (Communion) 10:30 Stickland (Morning Worship with live-stream to FB)
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Winterborne Stickland Parish Council
For Sale
What is a Parish Council? The Parish Council is a local authority that makes decisions on behalf of the people in the Parish. It is the level of government closest to you, in the community. Above us is in the hierarchy is Dorset Council. As the authority closest to the people, it is intended and are invariably the first port of call people go to with their concerns or ideas. For this reason, we are a vital part of any community. If you’ve never been to a Parish Council meeting before, you may be forgiven for thinking that Parish Councillors are a group of (probably older) people who meet now and then in a draughty village hall. That may be true for some, but your Parish Council has a mix of younger as well as older Councillors, and a good mix of both genders. Most of our councillors also have a full time paid job and are not retired. There are a maximum of 9 Councillors (we have 2 vacancies at present) in total and 1 Clerk – Councillors are volunteers and are not paid The Council meet every month, (except December) rain or shine at Pamela Hambro Hall. All residents are invited and are always appreciated. The meetings have specific time allotted for Democratic discussion (open forum) that residents wish to raise, make the Council aware of or have topics that they wish their Council to pursue. The Parish Council also look after a website at www.winterbornestickland.org.uk. What decisions do your Parish Council make? Probably the most common topic that your Parish Council gets involved with are planning matters (Parish Councils are statutory consultees, which means we do not make the final decision, but can influence the decision made at County level), crime prevention, managing open spaces and campaigning for and delivering better services and facilities, such as the Play Park. On their own, Parish Councils have limited powers to make decisions. However, we do have the ability to negotiate with, and the power to influence, those other organisations that do make the final decisions and, in this respect, your Parish Council can be extremely powerful. We do this regularly with the Environment Agency, Highways Agency, and Dorset Council etc. These organisations, which make the final decisions, know that a Parish Council represents how a community feels about something and our views should be taken seriously. For this reason your Parish Council are always looking to communicate and engage with the community. How is your Parish Council funded? The Parish Council gains a small budget (known as a Precept) each year from your Council Tax. In 2021 this was a little over £9000. From time to time we apply for grants to supplement our income to undertake projects in the community. We own the top part of burial ground and receive income from burials, headstones etc. We also receive a small rent from Winterborne Stickland Sports & Social Club (WSSCC). Each year we set a budget, which we are doing right now, then ask Dorset Council for the money in January. It gets added to the council tax charge that you pay. The total precept is divided by the number of houses in the village. This varies according to which band the house is in, so D band pays less than E etc. The budget is detailed on your Council tax bill as a separate charge. The Council also has a number of assets which we manage on your behalf: 1. Parish burial ground 2. Village green 3. Village green sign 4. War memorial 5. Seats/Benches: War memorial, Village green, Village green picnic tables, Village green bench, Burial ground bench 6. Sports field (with a rental agreement with WSSCC) 7. Play area & equipment 8. Downfield land 9. Stream/river 10. Defibrillator at Crown 11. SID device 12. Millennium Orchard
Genuine Bosch S4 000 car battery. Brand new. Still in original packaging complete with transit bungs. Fits Fiat 500, (not stop/start models), Toyota Aygo, Citroen C2 & various other vehicles, however, please check for compatibility. Was sent in error & I am unable to return it, hence the sale. £40. Tel. 07874 266213
Pamela Hambro Memorial Hall 100 club Jan 1st 145 Mr B Harlock 2nd 156 Mrs R Cannell 3rd 170 Beth Young
Feb 1st 133 Mrs Z Mills 2nd 121 Mrs J Pitman 3rd 120 Mr J Jeffery
Your Bell Tower Needs You! Why not come and have a try at ringing bells? We are now a small band, due to previous members retiring, and would love to see some new or returners to ringing. We ring at the churches of Stickland and Whitechurch for Sunday services or any extra occasions, when possible, and at Milton Abbey for weddings. We are a friendly, jolly group and practise on a Thursday evening 7.30 - 9.00pm. If you would like to have a go please contact any of the people below, we would love to see you: Kevin Oakley 880445; John Close 880457; Hazel Harlock 881290
Scam Information - NHS Covid Pass Criminals are using the NHS COVID Pass to target the public by convincing them to hand over money, financial details and personal information. REMEMBER: The NHS COVID Pass is FREE and available through the official NHS app (which should only be downloaded through your usual app store), the NHS website or by calling 119. You can find more information by visiting www.nhs.uk/nhscovidpass. The pass is not mandatory and you won’t be fined for not having one. If you suspect you have been contacted about a fraudulent NHS COVID Pass, follow these steps: If you’ve received a phone call, hang up If you’ve received an email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk If you’ve received a text message, forward it to 7726 If you’ve fallen victim to fraud, report online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. You can find more information about the NHS COVID Pass scam on the Action Fraud website: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/covidpassfraud Dorset Police / Dorset Alert
Scam Information Please be wary of scams involving messages which seem to be from a family member/friend asking for money or vouchers. Criminals try to contact victims by email, WhatsApp message, and other forms of messaging, purporting to be known to the recipient and giving a storyline for a (normally emotive or emergency) reason why they need money. The fraudsters normally pretend to be in a hurry, most likely to entice their victims to take immediate action, asking for money to be transferred or for vouchers to be purchased and for the codes to be given to them. This is a scam, please be wary of any similar messages of this type. If you receive a message asking you to financially help someone or asking you to purchase something please make contact with them in person or via a telephone call to verify they are who they say they are. If you believe you may have been a victim to fraud please contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk If you have any concerns please email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or via the Dorset police website. Dorset Police / Dorset Alert 8
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Compiled by Nick Donnelly There are two sets of clues, Cryptic and Concise, but remember, you cannot mix the clues as the cryptic answers are different to the Concise ones. Answers will be given in the next edition.
CRYPTIC Across 6. Record rim term of no lasting value (8) 7. Bird tangle (4) 9. Uncool snowflake stripped drape wrapped in doctor love (8) 11. Bond one hundred European adult males to lose nothing (6) 12. Gareth, say, mixed up island (4) 13. Typically uniform, impressive stain (9) 15. Twee finger (7) 16. Travelling from Cordoba by London Underground to discover City (7) 18. Damn ropes get mixed up as I said to the Queen (4-5) 21. What Stratford has in common with Newcastle? (4) 22. Slight rotten wind up (6) 24. Rubbish Spain backs the old centre (5-3) 25. Voiced marine creature failing to start (4) 26. Strongly wrap temporary accommodation with back half of suet pudding (8)
CONCISE Across 6. Type of apple (8) 7. Information (4) 9. Joining (8) 11. Injuries (6) 12. Indian mystic (4) 13. Pain killer (9) 15. Putting on (7) 16. Attribute (7) 18. Pure (9) 21. Change (4) 22. Outside meal (6) 24. Recognise as a saint (8) 25. Battery (4) 26. Birds (8)
Down 1. Odds even Auntie discarded, stripped cards - Dali is one (8) 2. Unkempt border frayed, holding line (10) 3. You'll need a hankie for this little savoury (6) 4. Mineral obtained retrospectively from Arabic latex (4) 5. Stretched out a novel on central Cambodia (6) 8. Activity for those who enjoy a hobby (11) 10. Taking into consideration every outstanding pro (8, 3) 14. Transit Mercury, say, excluding it and without energy to relocate (10) 17. Euros fly around okay (8) 19. Food from Spain, Luxembourg, Italy following Greek letter (6) 20. Alternatively drills south fields (6) 23. Put party before Europe, fool (4)
Down 1. Moving by lorry (8) 2. Mistaken (10) 3. Desk (6) 4. Again (4) 5. Overwhelm (6) 8. Shore feeders (6, 5) 10. Not standing out (11) 14. Living places (10) 17. Very hungry (8) 19. Historical records (6) 20. Boats (6) 23. Country (4)
ANSWERS FOR THE LAST CROSSWORD CRYPTIC Across 1. Carols 4. Epiphany 9. Doomed 10. Habanera 11. Itinerant 13. Metal 14. Candlelight 18. Organically 21. Loose 22. Retrained 24. Windsock 25. Mojito 26. Robustly 27. Beagle Down 1. Codpiece 2. Reorient 3. Liege 5. Plantagenet 6. Pragmatic 7. Averts 8. Yearly 12. Allegorical 15. Lionesses 16. Slanting 17. Syndrome 19. Flower 20. Hobnob 23. Alone CONCISE Across 1. Bright 4. Absentee 9. Oblate 10. Domicile 11. Suspended 13. Choke 14. Oarsmanship 18. Timblerlands 21. Pooch 22. Cash point 24. Outsells 25. Angela 26. Bulls-eye 27. Satyrs Down 1. Bookshop 2. Illusory 3. Hythe 5. Broadsheets 6. Episcopal 7. Tailor 8. Eyelet 12. Dynamically 15. Matchless 16. Entirely 17. Ashtray 19. Aplomb 20. Postal 23. Panda 10
C.W. ABBOTT & SON
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G P Lewis
D.YOUNG GENERAL BUILDER & MAINTENANCE
Interior/Exterior Painter & Decorator
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All aspects of painting and decorating undertaken including Domestic, New builds, Refurbs and Commercial. Qualified and with over 30 years experience,will offer friendly advice if needed.
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1st class finish Free written quotes Fully insured No job too small or big No VAT If you require a job done hassle free, by an honest friendly tradesman, please give Gavin a call, Winterborne Kingston 01929 471704 or 07977 047314 Email g.lewis515@btinternet.com
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Valley News Information
The Winterborne Stickland Solar Fund Committee would like to remind residents of Winterborne Stickland that funding is available for community projects. Applications for funding should be emailed to sticklandsolarfund@yahoo.com Decisions are made every 2 months. The basic criteria are that ideas should have benefit to the community. A committee of volunteers select successful projects.
VN Team: Advertising: Treasurer: Distribution: Layout: Printing:
Graham Case and ….. Anne Donnelly 01258 881261 ads@valley-news.co.uk Janet Snook news@valley-news.co.uk Sue Eggar & Angela D'Silva news@valley-news.co.uk Mark Steele news@valley-news.co.uk Purely Print 01258 459977 www.purelyprint.co.uk
Payments:
All advertising to be pre-paid. Cheques payable to ‘Valley News'. Internet Bank Transfers now accepted. Private sellers only. Small ads will be included for a donation and confirmed for publication when the donation is received. Events in the Valley News area will be included for free with a basic listing. Normal advertising rates will apply for boxed ads. Send by email to news@valley-news.co.uk or by hand/post to Jageroma, Clenston Road, Stickland DT11 0NP Please include name & contact number in case of any queries. For Advertising : 10th of the prior month. For all other submissions (articles, pictures etc.): 15th of the prior month. Late items may not appear until the next edition. More information at sites.google.com/site/valleynewsdt11 Editions can be viewed at issuu.com/valleynewsdt11
Small Ads:
Events:
Articles:
Deadlines:
With an expanding business, we are always on the lookout for extra help with our cottage ‘change-overs’. We can offer variable and regular work especially on Mondays, Fridays & Saturdays, to suit. All you need to bring along is a sense of humour and a ‘can do attitude’.
Websites:
© VALLEY NEWS 2022 • CONTENT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE CONTRIBUTOR
Tel 01258 880558 • Mobile 07789 376588
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email: helpinghands.ruraldorset@gmail.com
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Stickland and District Table Tennis Club
Do you know where to report Scam Messages?
Last year was a successful season for the club despite the rigours of the covid situation. We managed to restart the club when this was allowable under regulations and we enjoyed renewing friendships and rivalries! However, the latter part of last year was tinged with sadness as we heard the news that one of our members had died from cancer. Colin Lucas was a very popular member of the club and he loved coming. He was keen to improve his skills and had made very good progress, and his absence has left a hole - especially as he enjoyed the times spent chatting almost as much as playing! The club was very well represented at his funeral at Ham Down Woodland Burial Ground, near Shillingstone, with many members attending. In the following weeks as we reminisced about Colin we decided that we should honour him in some way and decided that a mini tournament in his name would be a good idea. We held the inaugural event and after a series of matches, three players tied on points and had to play a round robin of singles matches.
Fake emails and text messages are a common tactic used by cyber criminals, their goal is often to convince you to click a link. Once clicked, you may be sent to a dodgy website which could download viruses onto your computer, or steal your passwords and personal information. In order to try and convince you that their messages are legitimate, criminals will pretend to be someone you trust, or from some organisation you trust. This could be your Internet Service Provider (ISP), local council, even a friend in need. And they may contact you by phone call, email or text message. Reporting suspicious emails: If you have received an email which you’re not quite sure about, you can report it by forwarding the email to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service at: report@phishing.gov.uk As of 31st October 2021, the number of suspicious email reports stands at more than 8,100,000, with the removal of more than 67,000 scams and 124,000 URLs. Thank you for your continued support. *In a small number of cases, an email may not reach our service due to it already being widely recognised by spam detection services. The vast majority of reports do reach our system so please keep reporting any suspicious emails you receive. Reporting suspicious text messages: You can report suspicious text messages to your mobile network provider, for free, by forwarding the text to 7726. If you forward a text, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and take action, if found to be malicious. If 7726 doesn’t work, you can find out how to report a text message by contacting your provider. (On many Android devices and iPhones, pressing and holding on the message bubble should present the option to forward the message.) For more of the government’s latest advice on how to stay secure online, visit the Cyber Aware website: ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware Action Fraud / Dorset Alert
The eventual winner was Graham Case, and the photograph shows him being presented with the trophy by fellow club member Phil Deeming. We look forward to more tournaments in Colin’s name in the future.
The Valley Gardening Club Thank you to everyone who has renewed their memberships so far. A reminder that memberships are due by the Spring Show and that these can now be paid electronically. We still have a few discount cards for February available to members. Please contact Karen Marchant or email us if you would like a card. We are purchasing a card which members can use to get 30% off entry fees for two people for any RHS garden. We will have further information when it’s received and have a system in place to manage it. Depending on the situation, we are hoping to have ‘real’ shows this year. If you were a cup winner back in 2019, please could you return it to myself (at ‘Jageroma’, opposite Quarleston Farm, Clenston Road) Please keep an eye on our website for all the latest information - sites.google.com/view/valleygardeningclub Email: valleygardening@gmail.com Mark Steele, Chairman
Book Review At Night All Blood is Black, by David Diop This is a remarkable and compellingly readable howl from a man descending into madness amidst the brutality of trench warfare in World War One. The man, Alfa, is Senegalese, 135,000 of whom fought in Europe in World War One. However, in my view, Diop’s work is not so much a racial protest as a lament against the capitalist, dehumanising pressures which produce war. The novel’s recent translation into English won the 2021 International Booker Prize. The style is mantra-like, teetering on the edge of being simplistic, but it works well for a short work, mesmerically weaving back and forth across a few key episodes. Alfa, the narrator, has been driven to extreme savagery by the general violence and the particular circumstances of the death of his ‘more-than-brother’ Mademba, for which he blames himself. Alfa does frightful things to captured Germans in no-man’s-land, revisiting on the enemy the death that he had not granted to the disembowelled Mademba. Gradually, Alfa starts to understand what is really of value in humanity, even as he tips slowly over the edge, ‘hearing the others who were afraid of me, becoming the sorcerer’ they fear, ‘the devourer of souls’. His Captain – even, perhaps, the village chief back home – wants ‘furious madmen’ to wage war on the enemy, but this must be only ‘temporary’. As soon as the fighting ends, he and the other soldiers, black or white, must somehow ‘file away our rage.’ The first half is sonorous and almost folk-loric, though raging. This stark tale becomes more personal in the second half as we are taken back into Alfa’s childhood, in particular to his mother and her unexplained disappearance, which has severely afflicted Alfa: ‘It was only once Mademba was dead that my mind opened enough to let me see what was hiding in there… a new suffering joined with the old one.’ Mark Hudson
DEADLINES for the MARCH Edition Adverts (Business and Events) THURSDAY 10th FEBRUARY ads@valley-news.co.uk Articles and all other copy TUESDAY 15th FEBRUARY news@valley-news.co.uk Late submissions may not appear until the following edition
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