Valley News November 2022

Awards for local Scouts

Our Cub Scout Pack at a recent awards ceremony. This pack meets at Whitechurch school hall (next door to the village hall) on Friday evenings at 6.30 and currently has spaces for new members to join.

Thursday

Tuesday

Editorial

We have been made aware recently that some readers did not realise that we are rapidly approaching the final edition of the Valley News. This will be the next one - the December edition will be our final one. No one has come forward to say that they might be willing to start a new magazine of some kind and so we are making preparations to cease production. Whilst this is obviously a disappointment for some, we hope that those who have enjoyed reading and supporting the magazine will look fondly on the past sixteen and a half years and be pleased with what has been achieved. Not only was the magazine produced regularly (with a small hiatus during COVID lockdowns), we have also been able to make some generous financial donations to local groups and churches. All this has been possible because of two things: we have been supported by our advertisers, and we thank them most sincerely; and by a significant number of volunteers, who have produced, managed the adverts, organised the finances, collected, sorted and delivered the magazines every month. We are sincerely grateful for this support. And just a quick reminder that we are committed to reimbursing any advertisements that have been paid for and scheduled to run after Christmas, so that no advertiser is out of pocket.

We anticipate that there will be an amount of money left over after we publish our final edition; this will be distributed equally to our local churches.

Please don’t forget that the final deadline for advertisements for the Christmas edition is November 10th, and for articles, November 15th. The Valley News Team

Milton Abbas Surgery

To encourage staff to be more active, the Mid Dorset Primary Care Network challenged all nine practices to an Around the World event in October – each practice was to see how far around the world they could travel by walking, running, or cycling.

If you would like to know how we got on, please see our surgery Facebook page for updates or ask one of our members of staff.

Food banks

Calling all the wonderful people of Milton Abbas, Milborne St Andrew and surrounding villages! We would like to do a special ‘support your local food bank’ shout out.

No one wants to have to choose between fuel, food, or cleanliness. And that’s why we would like to encourage everyone who feels they are able, to give a donation to the local food bank when doing their weekly shop. It doesn't have to be much, and it doesn’t need to be an expensive brand – if all of us pulled together and donated just one tin, packet, or tube of toothpaste it would soon add up!

Useful items to donate are tinned meat, tinned veg, tinned fruit, long life milk, loo rolls, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, washing detergents, nappies, and sanitary products. There are collection points in Tesco, Morrisons and Lidl, or you can add to the collection box in the Milton Abbas Surgery foyer.

Thank you for anything you can donate. Just remember: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together” –Vincent Van Gogh

Moustaches in Movember!

The Movember Foundation has done heaps to boost awareness of men’s health issues, bringing attention to potentially serious conditions like prostate and testicular cancer, as well as mental health and suicide prevention.

We would like to remind all our patients that we are here for you, and to encourage you to call us to make an appointment with one of the doctors if you are concerned about anything or if something doesn’t feel right. Knowledge is Power - Moustache is King!

Autumn Covid Vaccination Clinics

If you are eligible for the Autumn Covid vaccination, we will be running dedicated clinics throughout November.

Please call us on 01258 880210 after 10.30am to book your appointment. Please visit our surgery website www.masurgery.co.uk to read the vaccination information leaflet, alternatively please ask at Reception and we can give you a paper copy.

Flu Vaccinations

If you are eligible for a flu vaccination and have not yet had one, please call the surgery to book in for one.

Around the World Challenge

By the time that you are reading this magazine, Milton Abbas Surgery will have taken part in a challenge of epic proportions!

If you would like to kickstart your journey to becoming more active, the Wellbeing Team here at the surgery run walking groups and a beginner’s line dancing group. There are also other activities run locally such as Kurling and Tai Chi. Why not pick up a copy of our Milton Abbas Surgery Wellbeing Team Bulletin in our surgery waiting room to see highlights of groups and activities happening in your area?

From all of us at Milton Abbas Surgery

Winterborne Whitechurch Village Hall

We have had a busy month at our hall with lots of private events including children’s parties, craft/tabletop events and private kurling evenings. Steve Marks provided a fabulous evening of entertainment that was enjoyed by many, the evening included a delicious buffet. We also had our annual AGM and thank goodness everyone wanted to stay on the Committee! If being part of our team interests you, please contact us.

Every month we have Cash and Prize Bingo at our hall. Upcoming Bingo events are Saturday 19th November and Christmas Bingo on Saturday 10th December. This is a popular event with residents from Whitechurch and the surrounding area. We open our bar for this event and serve tea and coffee. So do please pop down and join us. The bar stays open after bingo so please feel free to stay or pop down after which is around 9.30pm. We hold Pop up Pub nights, bar open, music, darts, so please keep an eye on social media for updates.

Kurling is on Thursdays at 10am, come have a go - it’s lots of fun. Crafty Natter is fortnightly, pop along with or without a craft, chat, drink tea, make friends. Learn to crochet, knit - we have crafters happy to show you how. Next sessions are November 4th, 18th, December 2nd, 16th. We are also running a Crafty Blanket Square Make Along, please see our main advert. Keep warm this winter and make your own blanket. All welcome, we can show you how to knit or crochet if you are a beginner. We can also provide you with the yarn, hooks, needles. Next session 26 November, 2pm or come to Crafty Natter.

Events coming up: Wreath Making Saturday 3rd December, 2pm, £35, this event must be booked by Thursday 10th November. See our main advert.

Matt Black Friday 9th December, £10, includes refreshments, booking essential, please see main advert.

We have completed some maintenance work including new LED lights throughout the whole hall and various aids to help wheelchair users.

We still have some maintenance work to carry out including a new fire exit pathway, new entrance porch, a new arch window and painting the hall. We have some quotes coming in but if you would like to provide a quote please get in touch.

Just to remind you we have a lot of hirers, and we thank them for their continued support of our hall. These include Zumba, Tai Chi, Keep Fit, Pilates, line dancing and Puppy Training. Please see our main advert for details of events & activities.

If you would like to hire our hall and want to check our calendar you can view it on our new website.

100 Club Winning numbers are: Sept 01, 50, 64 Oct 13, 31, 28

Thank you for reading. WWVH Committee, info.wwvh@gmail.com

NEW WEBSITE www.wwvillagehall.com

Cake for your break?

Do you work from home on Monday mornings? If you fancy a lovely home-made cake or cheese scone for your morning break why not pop in to St Mary’s Church, Winterborne Stickland any time between 10.30am and 12 noon. You can choose something delicious to take away for just £1. Or stay and have a coffee and a natter if you have the time. Mondays are always tough after the weekend so why not treat yourself?

Stickland Harvest Lunch and Church – So many thank yous!

Thank you very much to everyone who attended our Harvest Lunch on 2nd October. It was a joy to see so many people chatting and enjoying the company of their fellowvillagers, friends and family, whilst eating a delicious lunch. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the lunch, cooking, preparing and serving such wonderful dishes. Thank you also for the wonderful donations to our raffle, including from local businesses in Stickland. St Mary’s Church was beautifully decorated by our talented team of flower arrangers once again, our thanks to them for all their dedication, not just for this event, but throughout the year. At our Church Harvest Festival service we collected a wonderful selection of food donations for the local foodbank, and the collection that morning was also donated. Thank you for the support you gave to this much needed local resource. See you all next year!

St Mary’s PCC Winterborne Stickland

Croquet Champions

Winterborne Valley Croquet Club, based in Winterborne Stickland, has “Doubled the Double”. An explanation of what that actually means will follow, but in practice it means that in this valley we have the best croquet club in the entire South West. Twice!

The South West Federation of Croquet clubs extends over seven counties in England (Gloucestershire, Avon, Wiltshire, Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset) and a bit of South Wales. There are thirty-eight croquet clubs from Truro to Worcester, but who would have thought that the pinnacle of all that croquet might be on an ex-football pitch in Winterborne Stickland?

There are two “codes” in Croquet, Golf and Association. Think of it like pool and snooker – the same equipment is used, but the games are very different. Winterborne Valley were victorious 14-2 against Camerton-and-Peasedown in the final of Golf Croquet on the 18th of September, and beat Bath 5-0 in the final of Association Croquet on 24th September, thus “doing the double” – for the second year in a row!

Almost everyone has a notion of what croquet is; lawn, hoops, coloured balls and mallets (not flamingos) but very few people have ever actually played. The premise, as in most sports, is simple; individuals, or pairs, try to get their balls through all the hoops in a certain order before their opponents.

Golf croquet works like match-play golf, where both sides compete to “run” a particular hoop. When that hoop is done, they move to the next. The winner is the side which runs the most hoops. It’s a vicious game where it is allowed, even encouraged, to strike your ball into your opponent’s, scudding them off to an impossible shot from the boundary. Imagine that being allowed on a golf green!

Association Croquet is a game of different tactics where one side attempts to set up a “break”, running multiple hoops in succession. A player earns extra turns by hitting their ball into the other balls, and earns grudging appreciation from their opponent by leaving them in a hopeless position. The winner is the first to run all the hoops and hit the peg in the centre of the lawn.

Croquet is a brilliant sport to get you outdoors, be social and keep active – it’s not unusual to walk a mile during a game of Association Croquet. All ages and abilities are welcome. If you would like to have a go, courtesy of the best club in the South West, then please do contact the club at wvcroquet@gmail.com

You can also find out more at www.wvcroquet.co.uk or drop in to the club on a Monday during the season and see for yourself.

Energy Bill Scam texts

Action Fraud has received 139 crime reports relating to fake text messages purporting to be from the UK government. The texts state that the recipient is “owed” or “eligible” for an energy bill discount as part of the Energy Bill Support Scheme. The links in the emails lead to genuine-looking websites that are designed to steal your personal and financial information.

How to protect yourself

Energy Bill Discount : £400 off energy bills for households in Great Britain from October 2022. You do not need to apply for the scheme

and you will not be asked for your bank details.

Spotted a suspicious text message? Forward it to 7726 (it’s free of charge). If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it’s found to be malicious.

For more information on how to stay secure online, please visit www.cyberaware.gov.uk

Pamela Hambro Hall 100 Club

September October

1st 193 Jane Robbins 1st 123 John Jeffery

2nd 104 Hans Hoff 2nd 141 Jilly Spencer

3rd 153 Sue Egger 3rd 106 Jim Fisher

Nature works better when it's connected

Set in the beautiful Hooke valley, Kingcombe Meadows is one of the finest examples of lowland meadows in the country, a rare mosaic of habitats and open for visitors to explore. Dorset Wildlife Trust purchased the Kingcombe land at auction in 1987 following a national appeal to save 'the farm that time forgot'. From 1917, the land had been farmed by two generations of farmers in the traditional way, resulting in an unspoilt landscape. Having retained its patchwork of meadows, thick hedgerows and ancient green lanes, the land teems with an abundance of wildlife. Over the past 35 years, Dorset Wildlife Trust has managed the land as an organic working farm grazed by cattle and sheep; there are few comparable unimproved grassland areas ofthis scale in Dorset, orindeed England.

Wildlife needs the chance to breed, feed and move freely beyond the boundaries of nature reserves. Together with local landowners, farmers and communities, Dorset Wildlife Trust is working across 5,000 hectares, in and beyond Kingcombe, to establish an ambitious nature recovery programme and enable Kingcombe's wild energy to spread out through wildlife-rich corridors across West Dorset. By replanting hedgerows, managing ponds and allowing billions of seeds from wildflower meadows to spread and grow, mammals, insects, amphibians and plants can thrive again and the landscape can recover. A win-win for nature and for humanity.

As the President of The Wildlife Trusts, Sir David Attenborough said, "Everything works better when it's connected."

Kingcombe's wildlife

The woodlands, wildflower meadows, ponds and streams of Kingcombe Meadows are home to some of the rarest plants and animals in the UK. Yellowhammers and linnets make their home here and the ancient trees drip with lichens. The chalk slopes burst with spring cowslips, harebells and bee orchids whilst many species of waxcap fungi can be found in the acid grasslands, and in summer you can see clouds of marbled white, meadow brown and ringlet butterflies.

Common today - Rare tomorrow.

Not only have we lost 97% of the UK's species-rich grassland in less than a century, an estimated 3,000 miles of hedgerows were destroyed each year between 1946 and 1963. Species like the grey long-eared bat, water vole and marsh fritillary butterfly are already on the verge of disappearing forever. Common wildlife like blue-tits, bumblebees and grasshoppers, plants and trees like bluebells and oaks could be next. Making more space for nature is the key to reversing these declines.

Wildlife corridors

Part of Dorset Wildlife Trust's strategy to create a Wilder Dorset by 2030 is to establish Nature Recovery Networks on land and sea by working closely with neighbouring landowners, partners and stakeholders to agree long-term management to make space for nature and support communities and livelihoods. The designation of Kingcombe Meadows and Powerstock Common nature reserves as a National Nature Reserve (NNR) provides a unique opportunity to tackle the ecological crisis by transforming the diversity and abundance of nature in West Dorset.

To find out more about Dorset Wildlife Trust's trailblazing Wild Energy project at Kingcombe NNR, and how you can help reconnect nature, visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/WildEnergy

On Behalf of Dorset Wildlife Trust

of

and

Potting Compost

Large selection of Pots

Open daily 10am to 3pm

Langton Long, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 9HR • 01258 452513

Jenny

Colorado Beetle

WW2 had ended. My mother, my three younger brothers and I were still living in the schoolhouse of a small village in Normandy. My father had just returned from captivity in the concentration camp of Buchenwald. He was very poorly indeed. For the first few weeks after his traumatic return, my mother had dispersed us amongst friends and villagers so as to keep the house quiet while he was beginning his long recovery and trying to adjust to a civilised life. My brother Jacques and I, aged five and six respectively, were staying in a smallholding in the next village. The farmer and his wife were very proud of housing the children of the schoolteachers, never mind the son and daughter of a war hero.

We took part in everyday life on the farm, Soon, we were shown how to milk a cow, I still remember the huge teats (huge compared to our small hands), and the warm feeling of the enormous udder, the smell of the animal and the joy of filling the enamel bucket with frothy, steamy delicious milk.

Back in the house, the farmer's wife emptied the bucket of milk into a large saucepan and slid in a little glass disk that rattled for ever while the milk boiled. That rattling disk would somehow stop the milk from boiling over. The next day, a thick crust of cream had formed and we would have ladles of it spread thickly (bits of straw, dead flies and all) on an enormous slab of coarse farm-made bread, sprinkled with granulated sugar. Sometimes, our teeth would crunch on tiny specks shed from the grinding burr stone used by the miller down the road.

Occasionally, we would have a shower in the garden, in good weather (no bathroom in the house!) A watering can was filled with warm water from the cooking range in the kitchen. This was hung up from a branch of an ancient apple tree, with a cord to make it tilt at will. We would stand in a tin bath under it and soap ourselves with carbolic soap before pulling on the cord. Synchronising the whole operation was rather difficult since I always fought my brother for the privilege to pull the cord. Somehow, we always ended up smelling clean and looking very rosy indeed.

Our main "job" on the farm was to collect as many colorado beetles as we saw in the potato field. We had a large lidded Kilner jar each and competed to see which of the two of us would fill it first.

French to blame the old enemy for the new calamity ruining the much needed crops. A few people had forgotten that the Bordeaux area in the South of France had become badly infected even by the end of WW1, the beetle first having been spotted close to the American bases nearby. By the end of WW2, the infestation had reached Belgium, the Netherlands and of course Spain.

So, there we were, squatting in the long rows of the potato field, picking yellow and black striped, ladybird-like beetles. It was great fun to start with but we soon had to have lots of “encouragement" to carry on, particularly when we were told to also pick off and collect any leaf that harboured clutches of the beast's elongated yellow eggs. We were also supposed to hunt around for the beetle's nasty, squirmy, red, voracious grubs that were hiding in the top soil.

Some days, weather permitting, we were joined by friends. Some days, the whole class turned up. I cannot remember how long we were on beetle duty but I still recollect the bright yellow liquid exuded by the frightened insects (reflex bleeding, I'm told). There was also the sickly smell of the jar contents full of wriggling creatures striving to escape. I can picture how stained our fingers were with the beetle juices by the end of the day, some on our faces, some on our clothes.

We were told that we were little heroes. That pleased my brother! Our reward? A few sugar lumps from the family rations kept under lock and key. We used to press the sugar lumps against the cooking range to turn them into delicious caramel. Homemade sweets! My brother burnt his tongue a few times. I was more patient of course! To this day, Colorado beetle is not totally eradicated from Europe and is classed as a notifiable species by the authorities.

Annie Thom

A day in the life of a Postie

Polly was to be born on a blustery day. Her mother, Esme, in labour and oblivious to the conditions outdoors was as surprised as the postman, Dwayne, who had arrived to deliver a parcel. Esme, in pain and breathless, opened the door to the unsuspecting young man.

Although Dwayne had no children and no experience with labour, he took in the situation very quickly. Stepping out of the howling wind, into the hallway, he raised one finger in the air to exude an air of confidence, then announced, “I will call for an ambulance.”

With his phone to his ear Dwayne ran next door in an effort to get more immediate help. Esme’s neighbour, Susan, had three children and would be a very good surrogate midwife, he was sure. He hammered a second time and with a sinking heart he ran back to Esme announcing that he hadn’t been able to raise any immediate help but an ambulance was on its way.

Esme’s legs were buckling, and her face was a shade somewhere between crimson and purple. Dwayne didn’t think he could just walk away from this escalating emergency, so he suggested Esme retreat into her lounge. It was obvious to Dwayne that he would get no help from Esme as she was to be a first-time mother, so he announced that having watched Call the Midwife on many occasions, he would get her some boiling water and fresh towels. The despairing expression on Esme’s face did nothing to take away his motivation as he rushed to the kitchen to boil a kettle.

Colorado beetle. Picture: Wikipedia / Scott Bauer, USDA ARS

I loved the looks of those ladybird-like beetles with their vibrant yellow and black stripes, ten of them, five on either side. I could play "fly away' games for hours with my brother till he got fed up with me making ridiculous rules and always winning. Colorado beetles had become a serious problem in the potato fields both in France and in Germany. Earlier in the war, Nazi propaganda had claimed that the American forces had dropped the beetles on Germany. Hearing of laboratory tests conducted on the beetle in America and France, the German Government believed that the Allies were preparing for Biological Warfare. So, experiments were started in Germany, particularly to estimate how far and how fast the beetle would spread when they were released from the labs. Unfortunately, the German experiment backfired and the pests spread so much that by 1950, almost half of the potato fields in East Germany were infested.

Once the news had reached rural France, it was easy for the

Returning with a handful of T-towels and instructions that she should lie on her sofa, Dwayne again pointed his finger skyward and said, “pant like this,” and, whilst wagging his finger rhythmically he proceeded to tap one foot, in an attempt to distract her from her situation. Esme so desperately wanted to punch his lights out, but was frustratingly incapacitated. Where was that ambulance?

In his eagerness to assist in Esme’s situation, Dwayne had been unaware that the emergency call-handler was still on the phone, until he heard a voice from his pocket. He pressed the phone to his ear and re-engaged in conversation. The handler was asking for updates, giving Dwayne instructions, which was confusing for him because there was no mention of towels and boiling water. Esme was unimpressed, desperately hoping the paramedics would arrive before her baby. She didn’t want her postman to be her birth partner, under any circumstances.

The sound of hammering on the front door was a relief to Esme and Dwayne, but also disappointing as Susan arrived, waving

&

Dwayne’s ‘failed to deliver’ card with the words: ‘Esme’s baby is arriving – COME QUICK’.

Susan, with her three children in tow, reassured Dwayne that if an ambulance is on the way, she can take over for now, but it would help if Dwayne could distract her children for the moment. Dwayne was visibly relieved to have switched roles and proceeded to escort Susan’s children into the kitchen on a cookie search expedition.

Dwayne had no desire to return to the ‘birthing room’, so he settled down on a dining chair, with a plate of hobnobs, and, with the children gathered around, he proceeded to tell stories of ‘A day in the life of a postman’. He was part way through ‘The postman, the dog and the shredded letter’, when there was a hammering on the front door. To Dwayne’s relief the paramedics had arrived and were heading instinctively towards the lounge. It was too late for transportation to hospital, as Polly was almost here, so Dwayne continued his dutiful task of entertaining the children, who were more than a little impressed by his stories, hteir favourite being ‘The dog, the postman and the trouser repair’.

Susan, also relieved that her midwifery responsibility had come to an end, thanked Dwayne for his help with her children, and they all made theirway out of the house to resume their day. Susan smiled as she watched Dwayne stride away, positively upright, against the howling wind with a distinct spring in his step, unfazed by the extreme conditions of this veryblusterywet day. ChrissyAdamson

Nora’s Kitchen

There are plates, cups, knives and forks all over the place. Pans piled up in the sink ready for washing, but this cannot yet be dealt with because Norah’s two-year-old grandson is visiting for the day and needs to be observed at all times, partly for health and safety reasons but also for her visual and audible pleasure.

At two, going on three, he likes to dance to the music Alexa provides, shimmying around the kitchen whilst munching on a packet of wotsits (Norah doesn’t approve of wotsits) but she does find him, quite simply, a joy to have around.

He likes to go to the nearby playground, where he has graduated from using the equipment himself, to getting pleasure from insisting that grandma Norah is his plaything and must return to her childhood, and slide, crawl through small spaces and play on the swings until her head spins, just for his own visual pleasure. Grandma Norah would not be able to do this if he weren’t here, so she enjoys it whilst she can.

Someone who may not like Grandma Norah’s kitchen

“Your kitchen would be so much tidier if you didn’t have pets Norah,” said Sylvia. "What made you want a dog? They bring mud into the house, so it never looks clean. We had no house pets as children so what possessed you to acquire a dog, and a cat?”

“Your cat jumps on the surfaces, licking the dirty plates you have failed to wash because you are too busy walking the dog! Look at your new slate floor! Paw marks all over the place. I know it will dry soon and be less obvious, but I know they are there and even though it may look clean I know it’s not! Have you wiped the surfaces?”

Norah’s brain is feeling slightly ‘giddy’ at Sylvia’s ongoing barrage, but she is concealing it well, having had years to become accustomed to it. Sylvia then states that she has no time to stay for lunch and makes good her escape.

When Norah visits her sister’s house she enjoys and admires the military precision of cleanliness. Sylvia never appears to be busily tidying but the place is always immaculate, and Norah envies Sylvia’s hidden skill. She’s tempted to run a finger along her surfaces but that would be rude, so she resists the urge. At times like this Norah wishes her home could be equally immaculate, but wouldn’t that mean that there would be no grandson? No pets? An unthinkable prospect.

Norah’s grandson is now almost 5 years old and things have changed to her advantage. He still likes to dance a little, but his interest has gravitated to how ‘things’ work. It’s possible that Norah’s vacuum cleaner could be taken apart if it was left unattended, so she has to cut him a deal by allowing him to vacuum the whole house instead. He doesn’t get bored of vacuuming; in fact, he does a really good job (Norah would like him to visit more often).

Norah has been scolded by her grandson for her lack of care in relation to maintaining her electrical appliances. He complains that she hasn’t changed the filter on her vacuum, and when she protests, and insists that actually she has, he points an accusing finger in the direction of an area to which she is not familiar! “That one,” he states with a stern expression, on what would normally be his smiling face.

Far be it from Norah to understand what lies beneath the little trap door type rectangular shape on the uppermost part of the head of her vacuum! With a frustrated sigh, he goes on to educate Norah in all aspects of vacuum cleaner care, and, when she is totally baffled at how he can possibly know all this, he announces that he got the information from YouTube! “But there must be hundreds of vacuum cleaners on YouTube,” she states, “how did you know which was mine?” “Because it says ‘Sebo’, right there.” At this point Norah’s head is feeling somewhat ‘giddy’ but in a much more amusing way than on previous occasions.

Considering the positives of tidy or untidy kitchens, Nora makes a confident decision that she would not sacrifice her lifestyle for an immaculate home. And, if her sister had had children, she too could easily have had a grandson, but if she had, it’s quite possible he would be rather bored in her perfect home, with no imperfections and nothing to repair.

Chrissy Adamson

Warning to public following WhatsApp scams

Dorset Police is urging the public to remain vigilant following an increasing number of reports of scams involving WhatsApp messenger.

The unsuspecting WhatsApp user receives a message on WhatsApp purporting to be from a family member in need of urgent help.

The message comes from an unknown number and states something similar to ‘their phone is broken’, ‘dropped down the loo’, ‘microphone doesn’t work’ etc and they cannot access their online banking - they need to urgently transfer money to another bank account to pay a bill, fine or similar.

The victim transfers money to the bank account details, which have been provided by the scammer. Then they receive another message requesting another bill is paid, then another. It is at this point the victim realises that these requests are out of the ordinary and suddenly realise they have been scammed.

If money has been paid, then contact your bank immediately.

This is a ‘push payment fraud’, where the victim has authorised the payment to another party. It is up to the bank whether the payment can be recovered.

Investigations Officer Martin Forder, of Dorset Police, said: “We would like to make the public aware of this scam and encourage anyone who has been a victim of a similar incident to please report it to Dorset Police and Action Fraud.

“If you receive this type of message, please check the authenticity of it – make a call to that family member on a number you know to be theirs, or alternatively go and visit them if this is practical. If you are in any doubt, do not engage with these messages or send any money.

“We would ask people to look out for family members or neighbours and make sure they are aware of this potential scam.”

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by scammers is asked to report it to Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk/contact or by calling 101. Please also report it to Action Fraud at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

CRYPTIC

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Farm

Crown

Polly 'Bs'

Local lady doing: Holistic Treatments, Massage, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Ear Candling.

Also Beauty Treatments

Facials, Waxing, Eyebrow/Lash tinting.

Manicure and Pedicure

Nail cutting and Hard Skin Removal.

Appointments available during the day and evenings. Some treatments can be done in your home.

Ring Pauline on 01258 880084 / 07760 303332

Gift Vouchers available.

designs

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.

Chimneys

Professionally Swept

J.P.L Gardens

Garden Services

Mowing

Maintenance

Hedge Cutting

Garden Clearance

Landscaping

fencing Small

Jerry Legg

07940

May Grove, Charlton Marshall, jplegg48@googlemail.com

Complete Pest Solutions

Winterborne Whitechurch Old School Room is available to hire. This beautiful large room, ideal for parties, meetings and family or community gathering. Come and visit to appreciate the charm of this lovely venue. Full kitchen and cloakroom facilities. Disabled friendly. Booking charges £7 per hour. Liz Platten 881650 lizplatten@hotmail.co.uk

Stickland Framing

& contact number in case of any queries.

Road, Stickland DT11 0NP

Deadlines: 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.

Websites: More information at sites.google.com/site/valleynewsdt11

Online Editions at issuu.com/valleynewsdt11 © VALLEY NEWS 2022 • CONTENT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE CONTRIBUTOR

Working together to Fix the Future

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset is delighted to launch the ‘Fix the Future’ Community Fund to help support projects and initiatives which will benefit young people and their local community.

Grants are being made available to community groups and organisations for projects and initiatives that reflect the needs of younger people, give them development opportunities, add value to the community and ultimately, make Dorset a safer place to live. Applications from £100 up to £5,000 are welcomed, the projects must meet the funding criteria and have a local focus. The fund is particularly hoping to help those from deprived or isolated areas.

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: “I am delighted to introduce a brand-new community fund aimed at helping young people in Dorset. I have seen the great work that awardees of the Op Relentless Fund have done across the county, and I am very much looking forward to seeing what we can do to help the younger generation.”

“I want our younger residents to have safe spaces to gather and activities available which help them develop and become resilient adults. I want them to have opportunities to use their spare time constructively and help prevent those who may be at risk from getting involved in crime from doing so.”

So, if you are a charity or local project and you fit the criteria – I would encourage you to bid for funding. Together, we can Fix the Future and make our county safer for everyone.”

Find out more about the Fix the Future Fund at https://surl.co/M40BAA

NPCC home burglary announcement welcomed

Dorset Police has welcomed the NPCC’s announcement that police forces will now attend all home burglaries.

The Force recognises how deeply traumatic burglary can be and is one of the police forces that already has a policy in place where an officer will attend an incident where your house is broken in to.

Dwelling burglary offences in Dorset are currently at an all-time low with a decrease of 10.2% in 2021/2022 compared to figures in 2019/2020.

Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: “I understand how upsetting is to have your home burgled and how distressing that is for victims. Our intent is to always attend home burglaries and where there any possible forensic opportunities, we will automatically arrange a visit from a crime scene Investigator.

View full article here: https://www.dorset.police.uk/news/article/2bf511a5-6445-ed119bc6-005056019adf

Force launches new hate crime awareness campaign

Dorset Police is reminding its communities and visitors that there is No Place for Hate in the county to mark Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The aim of the national week, which runs from Saturday 8 October to Saturday 15 October 2022, is to raise awareness of hate crime and to encourage victims to report offences, as well as those who witness it.

Hate crime is defined as any criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s race; religion/belief; sexual orientation; disability or because they are transgender.

View full article here: https://www.dorset.police.uk/news/article/9cb247b2-2b4a-ed119bc6-005056019adf

You can report hate crime by going online at www.dorset.police.uk/hatecrime, calling 101, SMS/Text 67101, minicom/textphone 18001 101 or Sign Live (via BSL interpreters). More information and support can also be found on our website.

Fun in the Field 2022

A great afternoon was enjoyed by more than 350 people who attended Fun in the Field at Whatcombe House on Saturday 24th September. The activity was organised by the Parochial Church Council of St Mary’s, Winterborne Whitechurch, Blandford Scouts, and an army of volunteers who ensured that visitors were fully entertained throughout the afternoon at a community event aimed at adults and children alike.

Visitors were able to enjoy the music provided by Tim Kingsbury and his band, Other activities included beat the goalie, hook-a-duck, a raffle, coconut shy, skittles, and a bouncy castle, plus many other stalls.

Todd Platten supplied a mobile bar and villagers manned a delicious bbq, with the ladies from the Whitechurch Cup and Cake team serving lovely tea and cakes. Kevin Oakley, who was MC for the day, assisted with the judging of the bug hotel competition and organised several tug of war competitions and races, which were very popular with both adults and children.

The Great Ball Roll took place on the higher ground: prepurchased balls were raised high by the telehandler and dropped in spectacular fashion, assisted by 2 men with leaf-blowers, and the ball travelling the furthest winning first prize, which was a family ticket to Lulworth Castle.

The final activity was the lighting of the huge bonfire bringing proceedings to an end. Tributes have been coming in since then to thank the organisers for a great community event that was much enjoyed -- but they say thank you to everyone for coming over to support it, and especially to the generous sponsors who donated fantastic prizes and all the amazing volunteers.

Winterborne Whitechurch PCC

The Queen’s funeral

We read with interest the Valley News’s reflections and acknowledgement of the life of Queen Elizabeth II in the recent edition of Valley News and thought that readers might like to know that a member of our community was very much part of the funeral arrangements for Her Majesty.

Our son Will, who has lived all his life up to now in Winterborne Whitechurch, attending the Montessori school followed by the Dunbury and was in the Cubs and Youth Club, joined the army in 2021. After passing out following his basic training he joined his chosen trade, as a member of the Signals Regiment. In the summer of 2022 he completed the next stage of training and was awaiting his next posting, and as a result was “without portfolio” and available for any duty.

He was called late on the evening of Saturday 10th September and was instructed to be on parade first thing Sunday morning, as he was one of some 30 Signallers who would form part of the Queen’s Funeral parade. The next morning the soldiers were moved to Pirbright barracks, where a lot of the ceremonial rehearsals take place. They were very much “locked down” from that moment onwards, and were kitted out with their “Number One’s”. They learnt a new special drill, and how they would march to their locations and what they would need to do on the day of the funeral.

Several overnight time deployments were made to London to rehearse with all the other soldiers involved, with the Signal Regiment basing themselves near to Parliament Square. Will and his colleagues on the day were lining the route near to The Cenotaph, marching to each allocated location using their newly learnt drill.

It was a huge honour for Will to be part of this unique event and his memories will last for a long time, and he is very proud of the fact that he has been part of history. We hope that readers will agree that this is also something for the Winterborne Valley to be proud of, in that one of “theirs” was there serving Her Majesty in these final moments.

Less that a week after the event Will found himself at Aldershot barracks being presented to the Princess Royal, who met with a number of soldiers to thank them for their work during the period of mourning, and the funeral itself.

Deena and Paul Ritchie

The regiment marching out through Whitehall. The soldiers of the Signal Regiment in front of the MOD offices in Whitehall – Will is in one of the back rows. Will on the far left in conversation with the Princess Royal. Will is the circled soldier facing the coffin of Her Majesty.