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Village turns out to cheer their European Champion Ruby Else-White!

By
LauraHitchcock
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0

Early in April, Stalbridge’s Olympic hopeful, 17-year-old Ruby Else White, travelled to Croatia for the EUBC Youth European Boxing Championships in Poreč. Fighting in the Under 48kg category, Ruby beat the French junior champion, Mathilda Fragnieres, in the final by RSC*. Reporting on the bout, the French Boxing Federation’s website FFboxe, commented ‘The young Frenchwoman was dominated by an excellent English boxer, undefeated and reigning European junior champion, who surprised her with her left hook and her speed of execution.’

Ruby White is crowned 3 x European Champion

Coming home to Dorset, a swift ‘meet-and-greet’ was organised so the village could show their pride and affection for the teenager who has grown up in their midst, and whose stepdad is the village butcher.

Crowds greet European Champion Ruby Else-White in Stalbridge. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock

As the crowd lined the pavement of Stalbridge’s High Street, they couldn’t help but chat about Ruby:

‘What an accomplishment. I remember when she was a little thing at Stalbridge Primary – and now look at her! Second in the world! What an amazing girl she is, she’s worked so hard,’ one Stalbridge resident was heard to say. Another agreed: ‘Its not easy, with all the distractions a teenager faces. What a moment for her! The whole village is so proud of what she’s achieved.’

‘She’s amazing,’ chimed in a third member of the waiting crowd. ‘To come from a little place like Stalbridge, and be second in the world, and that’s really something!’

Ruby Else-White in Stalbridge. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock

Ruby walked up through the village with her mum, and hesitated when she saw so many people cheering and applauding – seemingly overwhelmed that so many had turned out to congratulate her on her win. Later, as she signed cards for well-wishers she said, ‘This is mad! It’s like I’m a celebrity!’

In an exclusive interview with The BV last month, coach Shaun Weeks had warned Ruby would find the European tournament tough: ‘She could be coming up against girls who are well into their 18th year,’ he said. ‘She could be giving away nearly two years to the oldest girls in her new age bracket.’

Ruby (left) in the final against Mathilda Fragnieres of France

Ruby is now ranked second in the world for her weight, and has been named Great Britain’s most hopeful Olympic athlete for 2028.

Julian Else with Ruby Else-White. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock

Julian Else, Ruby’s stepdad, couldn’t disguise his joy as he wrapped her in a hug.
‘We’re just all so, so proud of her!’ he told the BV. ‘It’s amazing to see everyone out, supporting her. She’s worked so hard, and most of what she does goes unseen, so to have everyone turn out like this, it’s amazing. We just couldn’t be more proud of her.’

‘I’m just so full of pride for her. I’m still not sure she realises just how good she is!’ added Heidi Else, Ruby’s mum. ‘My famous saying is “let’s see what happens” … and it keeps happening! Her focus is now on the Tri-Nations – if anyone will get in the ring with her! – and then it’s her dream, the Worlds in November.’

Ruby White with her family. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock

While letting Ruby enjoy her win, Shaun is also looking firmly to the big year ahead: ‘After the Tri-Nations, we have our eyes firmly fixed on the World Championships. We’re hoping Ruby will be boxing for a world title at the end of the year.’

Ruby Else-White Honours:
3 x MTK Lonsdale Box Cup Champion
5 x Western Counties Champion
National Cadet Champion
Bristol Box Cup Champion
Riviera Box Cup Champion
National Schools Champion
2 x National Junior Champion
2 x GB Tri-Nations Junior Champion
European Nations Cup Junior Champion
2 x Women’s Winter Box Cup Champion
National Youth Champion
4 x Golden Girls Box cup Champion
2 x European Junior Champion
1 x European Youth Champion

*Referee Stops Contest: if a boxer, in the referee’s opinion, is being outclassed or is receiving excessive punishment or hard blows, the bout is stopped and the opponent declared the winner of the bout by RSC.

From D Day to Douglas Adams

By
Editorial team
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0

The Sturminster Newton Literary Festival, now in its fifth year, is presenting an ambitious lineup from 8th to 16th June, including a special D Day event.
Highlights include Kevin J Davies discussing Douglas Adams’ early work, Bridport Prize winner Fiona Williams on her novel The House of Broken Bricks, and Colonel Guy Deacon sharing his epic solo adventure driving from London to Cape Town while battling Parkinson’s Disease.
A unique exhibition at The Exchange, enriched with local D Day testimonies, will be opened on 9th June by Taylor Downing and James Porter, focusing on D Day deceptions and the Dorsetshire Regiment. The festival also celebrates Far From the Madding Crowd’s 150th anniversary with a special film screening and actor meet-and-greet, alongside literature-themed walks in Bere Marsh, Marnhull, and Bagber.
A Crime Writing Day on 15th June promises intrigue with a workshop, competition, and talks from authors like Mark Bridgeman, Jane Labous, and Paula Harmon.
Diverse talks range from Celia Brayfield on Anna Sewell’s animal welfare contributions to Jim Carter’s naval insights, Emily Wilson on Inanna and Gilgamesh, and Robin Walter’s nature poetry.
Joanne Burn will discuss The Bone Hunters, set in Lyme Regis, via Zoom.
Festival chairman Pauline Batstone said: ‘Each year the Sturminster Newton Literary Festival gets better and better and we look forward to greeting even more visitors to our fifth Festival. | sturlitfest.com

A dog kills a lamb – should the farmer display it to walkers?

By
LauraHitchcock
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1
Laura & Courtenay Hitchcock award ceremony

In the first of the April BV podcasts (just hit the PLAY button above to listen), we of course start with all the letters – including editor Laura’s exciting news.
Then, in his monthly round up, Chris Loder MP takes a look at how rural Dorset will gain from the latest NHS dentistry reforms, and the latest record funding of £408,022 for Adult Social Care reforms in the county.

For the Green Party, Ken Huggins takes a sideways look at the blurred lines between party funding and policy making, offering an alternative to those disillusioned by their usual voting.
Gary Jackson of North Dorset Labour says when you look at the water companies, it’s double the sewage, and triple the stink. And Gerald Davies of the LibDems looks at how Dorset Council’s housing policies are failing local people.

In the April issue, Andrew Livingston reported on one Sturminster Newton farmer’s dramatic response to a lamb’s death by dog attack. It fuelled a viral online debate – and a call for prosecution

lamb killed by sheep worrying in Dorset
Jules Bradburn Dorset markets

Lastly, Jennie chats to Jules Bradburn – circuit judge, event organiser and whose market empire expands to Dorchester this month as it becomes the latest Dorset town to benefit from a new 200-stall monthly artisan market.


April’s BV is OUT NOW … grab a coffee and jump in to this month’s Dorset-ness. News, opinion, people, wildlife, art, farming, what’s on, SO many horses … and frankly stunning photography. Did I mention it’s FREE? Why *wouldn’t* you want a flick through? You can click here https://bvmag.co.uk/Apr24  to dive straight in. Frankly, it’s so jam-packed with Dorset goodness, it’d be rude not to.

The BV is the ‘glossy’ monthly digital magazine from Dorset, shortlisted in the 2024 Newspaper & Magazine Awards for ‘Best Regional Publication in the UK’.

(*don’t forget, we’re proud to be purely digital. The only way to read us is right here online!)

Dorset bluebells walk | 8.8 miles

By
LauraHitchcock
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0

This is a lovely woodland walk at any time of year, but if you’re looking for a Dorset bluebells walk, then this is the one to do when the bluebells are in bloom – I promise you won’t regret it.

Parking is simple in Winterborne Stickland – there’s plenty of roadside parking in the village, but do be considerate to residents. The route itself is very easy to follow, with a few sharp hills, but nothing too long or too arduous. It is also endlessly adaptable – the woods are criss-crossed with tracks, and it’s a simple matter of choosing a different path if you want a different length route.

Dorset bluebells walk

Dorset is spoiled for choice when it comes to seeing bluebells – the rural heart of the county has them flashing their rich blue from every copse of ancient woodland, with swathes of them coating much of our countryside. However, many are in smaller copses – worth a visit, of course, but they do not a decent walk make. So we set out to plan a route inside a large, ancient forest, allowing for as much of it as possible to have a good chance of seeing the famous English woodland’s spring carpet. And having walked it at the start of the bluebell season in early April, we can confirm: at a guess, around 80% of this Dorset bluebells walk you’ll be utterly surrounded by a deep, sweeping scented blue. Every turn, every stretch of woodland will have that long endless expanse of hyacinth stretching away among the dark trunks and splashes of fresh acid green of new spring leaves on the beech trees.
And on the bit where it’s not present, wild garlic takes over and provides an endless snowy alternative.

It’s not all bluebells – there are vast carpets of wild garlic too

One small warning, however – if you are walking this when the bluebells are out, expect to take much longer than you normally would.
Unless, of course, you’re dead inside, and won’t enjoy simply standing and staring and breathing in the heady scent of the Dorset bluebells, or taking endless photographs as you desperately try (and fail) to capture their magic on your phone.

See all previously-published Dorset Walks by The BV here. You can also find every route we’ve walked (including many which are unpublished in The BV) on OutdoorActive here (just zoom in/out on the map) – all include a downloadable gpx file. 

The nightingale sang… on vanishing scrub

By
Editorial team
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0

says wildlife writer Jane Adams

The British Trust for Ornithology estimates that nightingale numbers have probably reduced by more than 90 per cent since the 1960s

They are part of our natural heritage. We hear recordings of their melodic songs on the radio and social media. Their name appears in literature, poems and WW2 love songs. They feel familiar, as if we should somehow know them. Yet how many of us have ever heard, much less seen, a living, breathing nightingale?
I found an old handwritten notebook in a local library recently. Dating back to the early 19th century, it documented the wildlife that once thrived in our village. The dormice crawled through the hedgerows. There were red squirrels in the woods and thousands of butterflies flitted over the flower-rich meadows. Yet, it was the mention of nightingales singing at night in the nearby fields that made me realise how much we have lost. Back then, I would have heard nightingales from my garden – all I hear now is the traffic.

Due to their small size (about the size of a robin) and rather drab brown colouring, spotting a nightingale is a challenge

Where did they all go?
Along with other summer migratory birds, such as cuckoos, nightingales are now frighteningly rare. The British Trust for Ornithology estimates their numbers have probably reduced by more than 90 per cent since the 1960s – there are likely to be fewer than 10,000 nightingales visiting our shores this spring.
Due to their small size (about the size of a robin) and rather drab brown colouring, spotting them is a challenge in their preferred coppiced woodland or scrub.
Sadly, suitable habitat is also hard for them to find.
Modern landowners don’t have much tolerance for scrub, and our woodlands don’t have the dense understory of foliage nightingales need.
A few years ago, I was told about a spot where nightingales had previously nested. In a clearing, next to blackthorns iced with blossom, and long after the sun had disappeared, I waited.
The song started softly.
Gradually it grew, becoming more confident, much louder and more urgent. There was a brief silence. Then more lingering tones, and short, sharp notes. On and on it went, holding me captive, unable to move. Perhaps I perceived a desperation in this bird’s song? Or was I acutely aware of its rarity? Or maybe it was my menopausal hormones.
Whatever the reason, I cried.

  • Ten years ago, on a warm April night, we were on our way home around midnight and surprised to hear loud birdsong through the car window. Pulling into a layby on the usually-busy A-road, we simply sat – silent and still – listening to my first nightingale. You can hear a minute of that utterly magical moment in the video below – Ed

Could rewilding initiatives in Dorset be the lifeline nightingales need?

Rewilding initiatives like Wild Woodbury, Mapperton Wildlands, and West Dorset Wilding, with their hands-off approach to land management, may be just what nightingales need to survive in Dorset, and hopefully to thrive in the future. After conservationists spotted a nightingale at Wild Woodbury last year, hopes are high that nightingales will return to breed in 2024. At other established rewilding sites, such as Knepp in East Sussex, nightingales have made a welcome comeback.

The church tent helps local students

By
Editorial team
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0

A reliable fixture at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show is the Church tent – a refreshment marquee run by the Church of England in Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Stour Vale. They provide a welcome opportunity to sit down and enjoy a coffee or tea and homemade cake. All profits are given to selected rural community charities.
One recipient in 2023 was The Student Fund, founded by the G&S Show itself in 2020. The fund helps to remove some of the financial barriers faced by students and trainees embarking on new careers in land-based industries such as agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Their needs are varied, from safety boots and laptops to travel expenses. Nothing is off the table – one student, with exemplary practical and technical skills but who struggled with dyslexia, was helped with private tuition to achieve the higher level courses.
The image is of Matthew Price, chairman of the Student Support Fund, accepting the cheque with a helpful band of Ouessant Sheep. The Church Tent will be at the G&S Show ithis summer and welcomes all to visit and ‘rest a while’. Please let us know if you have a favourite rural charity that we may be able to help.

Sponsored by Wessex Internet

Get ready for some muddy good fun!

By
Editorial team
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0

This year’s Dorset Mud Run is proudly supporting Diverse Abilities, the county’s dedicated disability charity. The event, to be held Saturday 18th May at Stock Gaylard near Sturminster Newton, promises a challenging 6km obstacle course – swinging over ditches, a scramble up mud hills, crawling under cargo nets and wading through ponds. There’s plenty of mud, stunning scenery … and it finishes on the best obstacle course in the UK.
Diverse Abilities participants benefit from entry discounts and fundraising support, with proceeds aiding over 1,600 individuals with disabilities and their families in Dorset. Francesca Potton of Diverse Abilities said, ‘We are incredibly grateful to the Dorset Mud Run organisers for supporting Diverse Abilities’ through their event.
Taking part is a great way to fundraise for us, as well as having a great day out.’
Entry is priced at £25, with perks for Diverse Abilities fundraisers including a Mud Run t-shirt, a charity goody bag, and a complimentary beverage post-race. For registration and more details, visit Diverse Abilities

Dorset Spring Show debut: crafts, demos, and family fun

By
LauraHitchcock
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0

The sun is actually shining, and spring has finally sprung in Dorset. With it comes the first-ever Dorset Spring Show – and this family-friendly event packs a punch with a variety of attractions that celebrate the very best of the season and the county.

The Hogg Show

The Dorset Spring Show will be at Kingston Maurward near Dorchester, and it ’swings open its farm gates’ on 27th and 28th April, from 9.30am to 5pm both days: tickets are currently just £12 (KIDS GO FREE).
The show offers a variety of attractions for the whole family, from Extreme BMX and Mountainboarding performances to the appearance of the 2024 Great Pottery Throw Down finalist (and Weymouth resident) Dan Sandham, who will be joined by his fellow Throw Down contestant Ed King for demonstrations as well as leading hands-on workshops.

BMX Bike Skills

The Sheep Show (a ewe-nique crowd-favourite which introduces you to nine different breeds of sheep … that dance!), the Hogg Show (learn about some of the rarest pigs in the world, and witness pig agility to see just how intelligent pigs are!), interactive farm experiences and sheepdog demonstrations are all not to be missed. Kitchen and garden enthusiasts can enjoy expert talks and food and floral demos in the demonstration theatres. The Food & Drink village will be filled with local artisan produce.

Event Organiser James Cox says: ‘We welcome in the new season with a brilliant spring get-together for the whole county. Whether you want to indulge in delicious Dorset foods, purchase local artisan goods, enjoy watching extreme sport, meet a lamb or watch local craftspeople, Dorset Spring Show has it all when it comes to celebrating spring!” 

Dorset Spring Show map 2024 – click to embiggen

The show is set in the picturesque grounds of Kingston Maurward, making it a perfect day out for families.

  • Dorset Spring Show tickets are currently just £12 (KIDS GO FREE) – but ewe don’t want to delay, the discount ends 20th April! Get yours here dorsetspringshow.co.uk
  • 27th and 28th April, from 9.30am to 5pm
  • Gate price is £15 per adult.

Business Insights and Data Analyst Officer | Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance

By
Editorial team
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0

About the Charity

Our life-saving charity, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA), provides relief from sickness and injury for the people of Dorset and Somerset, by the provision of an air ambulance service, with an air and road delivered critical care capability.

DSAA is a well-loved and respected charity, which relies on the generosity of the public to raise our operational costs of over £10 million per year. Every mission we are tasked to costs approximately £3,500 and the enhanced skills of our team, specialist equipment and drugs that we carry, along with the speed of our response, can make the difference between life and death.

Our people are at the heart of our Charity. Whether you are a member of our Charity, Clinical or Aviation Team, everyone plays a vital role in helping us to be there for our patients and supporters across Dorset and Somerset.

Job Description

We are now seeking to appoint a Business Insights and Data Analyst Officer to support the Senior Leadership Team to help provide insights and analysis on the different data sources. Initially this will be looking at supporter behaviour and trends and to provide evidence on which teams base their decisions relating to fundraising and strategy and help to increase engagement with the charity and income generation.

This is an exciting new role where you will be instrumental in assisting in the new Income Generation Strategy that DSAA are about to embark on.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement a data analysis process or reporting program to better understand our performance and supporters, including fundraisers and regular donors 
  • Create and produce data dashboards, graphs and reports and provide feedback to the wider team through a range of formats and in key performance areas
  • Analyse and interrogate data through various formats and make recommendations based on the analysis and conclusions.  
  • Working closely with our Fundraising and Comms team analysing data from various digital channels, such as websites, socials and email
  • Identify and develop supporter insight and analysis to drive direct marketing strategies and future income generation initiatives
  • Present key findings confidently to colleagues our wider group including to the SLT and Trustees providing actionable insights to inform on future decisions
  • Reviewing existing databases and make recommendations
  • Implement and measure and regularly report on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that can be used to monitor fundraising and marketing activity
  • Support the budgeting and forecasting process and generate forecasted future income data
  • Support Data Analysis on anonymized patient data and other sources to support development of the service

Person Specification

  • Excellent IT skills, particularly Excel, databases, query and reporting tools
  • High standard of literacy, numeracy, organizing and planning
  • Strong analytical and problem solving skills
  • High degree of accuracy and attention to detail
  • Excellent oral and written communicator, able to talk to technical and non-technical audiences
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
  • Full clean UK Driving license. 

Education and qualifications:

Essential: Good education standard, A Levels or equivalent, related degree advantageous

Desirable: Formal qualifications in Business Analysis

Previous experience:

Essential: Minimum of 1 years’ experience of working in business intelligence, data analysis or related field

Desirable: Experience of working with a charity

The successful candidate will receive: 

  • Competitive salary: £32,000 (depending on experience) 37.5 hours per week
  • 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
  • Generous pension scheme (8% Charity Contribution) and benefits package

If you have the right skills, experience and knowledge, and would like to join our passionate and friendly team, we would love to hear from you!

If you would like to ask for more information or have an informal chat, please contact Sarah Davies by calling: 01823 669604.

Recruitment Process 

Closing Date: Wednesday 8th May

Interviews to take place: 22nd & 23rd May

How to Apply

To apply: Please email your CV and a covering letter to: [email protected] or post to: Julie Plowden, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Landacre House, Chelston Business Park, Castle Road, Wellington, TA21 9JQ.

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