Stress responses are as old as the human race – but even without the threat of actually being eaten, we still sometimes struggle with the effects of a stress response, says Dee Swinton of Dorset Mind.
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Stress Awareness Month is fast approaching (April), and it’s a chance to take stock and check how we’re doing. Thanks to the pandemic, many of us have been experiencing a heightened level of stress and anxiety. Understanding this and being able to manage our stress is an important tool that can help to mitigate the effects stress has on our mental and physical wellbeing.
What is stress?
Stress is what happens as a result of our body’s ‘Fight or Flight’ response to a threat. Back in the stone age this response would help us to quickly get away from predators. Nowadays, despite the lack of saber- toothed tigers, this response can still be triggered. It will of course be due to a wide range of less feral life stressors: work, money, family… just life in general. It is important to note that a little bit of stress in our lives can be helpful; it’s what drives us to achieve our goals.
However, when our stress levels rise and we find ourselves moving towards being overwhelmed, it is important to reduce symptoms by using and utilizing various resources and techniques. One of the best of these is learning about our ‘Stress Container’ which can help us to visualise and contextualise our stress.
The Stress Container
As we go about our lives we’re exposed to a wide range of stressors, some of which we unintentionally keep with us and collect as we go, just like a sink collects water. This ‘sink’ represents our stress container, and the water is the stress. This stress can come from different ‘taps’ – different life stressors; one tap for example could denote our anxiety surrounding the recent pandemic, one could represent having to adjust to new restrictions. Another could be a difficult relationship. If not managed, our containers can overflow, which is when problems arise. The amount our sink we can hold differs from person to person. One person maybe be able to collect more water before overflowing than another.
How to release the pressure:
Unblocking our sinks and letting some water out, even only a little at a time, is possible. When we feel that our containers are getting too full, we can take positive steps to reduce it. This can be achieved through positive actions such as getting active, connecting with nature, talking to friends and family. Or why not try out a new hobby or mindfulness/ yoga and see how it affects your stress levels?
Support
If your stress levels become unmanageable, or your mental health starts to affect your daily functioning, the first step is to contact your GP. You can also find our support via this link.
If you reach a crisis, or need emotional support, ring the Samaritans FREE on 116 123, 24 hours a day.
Most of us are ‘followers’, according to socioligists, and these fall into five categories. But only one is the most effective, argues North Dorset Lib Dems Parliamentary Spokesman Gary Jackson.
We all know leadership when we see it, but much less is said about ‘followership’ – especially about the people who can change our government’s direction.
Until the next general election these ‘followers’ are Conservative MPs. Back in 1988, Professor Robert Kelley wrote about the importance of followership to organisational success, and described five types of followers. First are the unthinking, docile followers who are the ‘sheep’. A second group are the ‘alienated’; independent thinkers who have been turned off. They are cynical, give only grudging support, but seldom openly oppose their leader. Third are the ‘yes people’ who completely depend on their leader for inspiration and are aggressively protective. There is a fourth type that sit in the middle; ‘survivors’ who blow with the wind and seek only to survive change. I don’t see too many sheep in parliament, but I’m worried by the numbers of the alienated, the yes people, and the survivors on the Government’s benches.
The most effective follower!
But there’s one more type of follower, the last and best type is described simply as “effective”. Active, independent, critical thinkers. They manage themselves. They are courageous, honest and credible. They are engaged, well- balanced and responsible adults who succeed without micro- management. Volunteers with a purpose tend to be in this camp. These are the people that get things done and improve their communities.
Organisations only thrive when they have effective followers, as well as leaders. We surely want our political representatives to be the effective type. So, my call to all of us is to follow with independent, critical judgement and a will to make things better. Make sure you’re following the right vision and the right leader. As Liberal Democrats, we’d be really pleased to see you join us.
The word millionaire is an abscenity when so many are literally having to choose between eating and heating argues the Green Party’s Ken Huggins.
The rise in energy prices for consumers is driven by fossil fuels, notably gas, and reflects an unstable political and economic environment. It illustrates the need to build better insulated houses, accelerate the switch to renewable energy, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels with their wildly fluctuating prices. Few people would argue with that, but there is less awareness that there is no such thing as fuel poverty, food poverty etc – there is simply across-the-board poverty for households whose income falls below their needs. Needs, not wants.
How is this possible in a rich country like the UK? It stems from our wildly inegalitarian society, and the Green Party believe the words millionaire or billionaire should be viewed as an obscenity when so many people are literally having to choose between eating and heating. We will never get society-wide support for the radical measures needed to halt global heating unless they go hand in hand with a much fairer and more equal society. Currently the rich squander the world’s resources on ostentatious overconsumption, while the poor cannot afford to be part of a ‘collective effort’ when they have so little already.
A solid, far-reaching plan
In the short term a responsible government would bring in windfall taxes on the large energy companies, raise taxes for rich individuals and use much of the revenue to help struggling households through the crisis. The focus should then move to funding retrofitting of home insulation at zero cost for households in need, along with regulation requiring all new construction to be fully insulated, not reliant on gas boilers, and fitted with solar panels. Locally we need to put aside reservations about solar farms and windfarms, and start approving them on all suitable sites. Energy produced and consumed locally helps protect us from global shocks.
Why have we closed the door to the Ukrainian refugeees?, asks Labour’s Pat Osborne
People in North Dorset, especially the families of British service men and women, will have breathed a sigh of relief at Defence Secretary Ben Wallace’s announcement that we won’t be sending British troops to fight the Russians in Ukraine. Not least because most of us recognise that it would be madness to consider going to war with Russia when there is such a high risk of coming off second best. But it is important nonetheless that the world stands united against Putin’s war, and the hefty economic sanctions that the international community have now imposed on Russia will hopefully go some way in encouraging Russia back to the negotiating table. While ordinary Ukrainians are being issued with guns and civilians conscripted into doing their bit to defend their country, their democratic freedoms and the country’s abundant natural resources, the British Government have pledged that they will be supported to “fight every street with every piece of equipment we can get to them”.
No asylum for Ukrainians
At the same time, the UK has stopped accepting visa applications from Ukrainians, meaning that there is no safe or legal route for them to seek asylum in Britain unless they have British relatives. Priti Patel’s Nationality and Borders Bill will seek to make this even more difficult by effectively criminalising refugees attempting to find a way through to safety.
It would seem that for the Tories, standing united against Putin’s war means fighting down to the very last Ukrainian while putting a double bolt on their routes to safety. Our history shows that time and again we can be better allies than that. The Ukrainian people need better allies and the British people deserve a better Government.
Cllr Pat Osborne Labour’s former Parliamentary Candidate for North Dorset
As the Love Local, Trust Local Awards enters its third season, founder Barbara Cossins is excited to announce the launch of the 2022 Awards
Though we celebrated the 2021 Love Local Trust Local (LLTL) awards back in November, the work didn’t stop. Instead, we instantly began planning an even bigger & better 2022 event. With so many fabulous Dorset food & drink producers, fishermen and farmers wanting to take part in the LLTL annual awards, we have consulted with our supportive sponsors, reviewed the categories, polished the trophies and are ready to announce our new 2022 dates.
The Love Local Trust Local Food & Farming Awards 2022 All the classes have now been finalised, and we are happy to give BV readers the heads up on this year’s opening date for entries – 1st May 2022. Perhaps you have a fabulous Dorset food or drink product that you’d like to enter? Or your business is keen to support the small food businesses of the county & become a sponsor?
It’s the stories as much as the food
We tell the stories of Dorset’s wonderful farmers, fishermen and food producers; and also of a food movement that is going from strength to strength. We want to get the British public behind supporting local businesses, encourage them to eat locally and seasonally, and also to reduce the environmental impact on all our lives.
There are 14 LLTL 2022 award categories:
Dairy
Cheese
Honey
Jams
Chutneys & Condiments
Meat
Fish
Bakery (Sweet)
Bakery (Savoury)
Farm Shops
Drinks
Innovation & Diversification
Conservation & Environmental Impact
Business Development Award
There are a few changes & tweaks from last year, all strongly supported by the LLTL sponsorship team and we are very pleased to have the brand new category of Farm Shops on the category list. Entries open on the 1st May, and are entirely free to enter. You are welcome to enter one product in each category, alternatively multiple products into a single category.
The LLTL awards are fast becoming the ‘food & farming family to be part of’ as they recognise the hard work and dedication of the people behind the food on our plates, working hard to put Dorset food & drink on the map.
Deadline for entries is 1st September, but don’t delay, or you will suddenly realise it’s the end of summer and time has run out! In order to qualify for entry, you need to be producing your food or drinks in Dorset, within 30 miles of your business HQ, have less than 30 employees working for you, share in the ethos of full provenance and traceability in what you are producing and of course, taste exceptional.
If you’re interested in getting involved or want to find out more, visit lovelocaltrustlocalawards.co.uk or call 07831 184920 and talk to Barbara Cossins, the founder of Love Local Trust Local
There are news headlines pointing out absurdities in our world that frequently make me laugh. A while ago I turned on the radio and heard that Saudi Arabia has announced a new ‘liberal’ law which would ’allow women to drive’. I genuinely thought I’d caught some satirical show and laughed dutifully (I hadn’t realized women were banned). The announcer went on to explain the conditions to this amazing act of liberalism and inclusivity by saying women drivers had to cover their heads, there must be a male adult in the car (well, of course!) and women weren’t allowed behind the wheel after 6pm. By the time we got to the curfew bit it struck me that I was listening to Radio 4 news and that this was genuine. Still laughed at the sheer audacity of Saudi males banning women from driving. I know a little about Saudi males’ driving – it’s dangerous. There is little road discipline. For example, if a driver has passed his turning on a six lane motorway, he’ll simply do a U-turn and drive back through the oncoming traffic in a blaze of blaring horns and curses.
Terrible death toll
According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety, Saudi Arabia (population 34.8 million) had the highest death rate associated with road injury of any high-income country in 2016, with a total count of fatalities at 9,031. The population is 34.8 million, so that’s 0.028% of the population. Let’s put this into context.
In the UK there was an estimated 1,390 reported road deaths in the year ending June 2021, a decrease of 11% compared to the year ending June 2020. With a population of 65m, that’s 0.002% of the population.
My simple solution
Now my contention is that if Saudi simply banned all males from driving – and only allowed women behind a steering wheel – than the fatality rate would plummet immediately.
I would like readers to mail in their views on this to the editor – [email protected]
City of Roses and Nightingales
My family also lived in Iran in the late 70s and that was an eye-opener. For example, road menders in and around Shiraz (known as the ‘City of Roses and Nightingales’ – the reality was somewhat different) would dig a big hole in a road to find a pipe. They’d knock off at dusk and just leave the hole – no signs or flashing lights. In our morning walks to Pahlavi university, we got used to walking past a twisted car in a hole in the road with a smashed windscreen adorned with ominous dark splashes – ‘only cissies wore seat belts’.
And on sexuality
Another bit of information from the news made me laugh (in a rather perplexed way) as I write this in mid-January: apparently, homosexuality was illegal in Britain’s armed forces as late as the year 2000. Got that? Illegal! How can it be illegal to be homosexual? What’s the rationale?
We’ll leave aside the fact that any woman or man joining the armed forces is prepared to put their lives on the line to serve their country.
The plain illogicality of ‘banning homosexuality’ is stupefying. We’ll also leave aside ‘how can you police it’. But above all why? Put very simply, and I apologise to readers who don’t fall into this over simplified categorisation, you are either heterosexual, or you are homosexual, you drift somewhere in between, or you just are asexual. That’s who you are! It’s how you are born, or how you develop as a person. It’s your natural disposition.
You may as well ban people having blonde hair, or liking blues guitar. Or make it illegal to dislike eating broccoli and sprouts (all of which I have and do).
“…my mother made me eat it. And I’m president of the United States. And I’m not gonna eat any more broccoli!”
The broccoli war!
Well, that’s all a bit serious so here’s a funny: US president George Bush senior famously didn’t like broccoli. He made this world-shattering declaration abundantly clear.
But there are always some little souls who love to be ‘offended’ at the most innocuous statement, and in this case, the US Broccoli Growers’ Association took a dim view.
To which Bush, rather amusingly stated: ‘I am the US president,’ probably adding ‘…and leader of the free world’ (you need to assert your authority when dealing with uppity broccoli traders), ‘and I if don’t want to eat broccoli, I won’t eat broccoli.’ Then he invaded the wrong country. Again.
(I generally get a ‘furious’ letter from a reader when I touch upon ‘politics’, so please, if you’ve got a low irony threshold, do feel free to write in to the editor and demand that she fires me from this successful magazine (which she won’t, as I took her some cakes on her birthday – good investment, that).
Or feel free to write in if you agree with me – we’ll compare the mail bag and report back. Hit the link on the opposite page to send your views to Laura. Should I stay or should I go?
Henstridge’s cold war
Cookbooks: I love ‘em. So does Kae. We’ve got a lot – about 200 really good ones – most of which will soon be in Stur’s Emporium’s bookshelves at fantastically low prices (four books for a quid – beat that Sherborne charity shops). One book that’ll stay on our shelves is ‘The Man’s Cookbook,’ which my dad wrote about 10 years ago. It was outstandingly successful in avoiding getting on to any bestseller list.
Dad was an oddity: his professional work included him designing defence systems for the UK, and the Shah of Iran in 1977-9. In the UK, dad was part of the team that developed the sonabuoy at Plessey in Henstridge. Readers would further be astounded to know that UK and US intelligence were aware that Soviet Intelligence knew of the Henstridge research plant, and attempts were made to penetrate it (a US Navy officer told my dad that somewhere in Moscow there’d be a file on him and his fellow boffins). They were warned to be aware of ‘strangers’ trying to befriend them and talk about their work.
At the peak of the Cold War, a Dorset pub was at the centre of a real Russian spy scandal. In what became know as the Portland Spy Ring, Harry Houghton and his girlfriend Ethel Gee used the Elm Tree at Langton Herring to await phone calls from his KGB masters on certain nights, before disappearing to spy on the nuclear submarine fleet based at Portland.
Fancy all this Cold War knife and dagger stuff in our Blackmore Vale! I can just imagine heavily bearded men in fur caps with strange accents turning up at the Virginia Ash pub in the 1970s, asking for goulash and cabbage soup, but settling for cheese toasties.
The sonabuoy was clever: the deal was this: it’s the height of the Cold War. A Russian submarine, ready to launch nuclear missiles at Mappowder and Verwood (therefore bringing us Western capitalist dogs to our knees) is known to be lurking in the North Sea. An RAF Nimrod flies over the sea, drops a sonabuoy.
When the sonabuoy hits the water an aerial emerges from the top, and a sonar transmitter from the underside starts bipping radio waves. These bounce off the Russian submarine and its coordinates are transmitted to the Nimrod which then drops guided torpedoes that give Ivan a grim time. Bad for Ivan: good for the inhabitants of the Blackmore Vale. Our imperialistic lackey lives can go on as usual without gulags, secret police and evil dictators. I write the above to show that dad wasn’t as barking as he may now sound. Although the ‘Bark- Ometer’ will now go into the red zone… Dad was entranced by the limitless possibilities of food dye. We kids were used to blue scrambled egg. We become accustomed to green rice pudding. Red omelettes didn’t faze us. Purple mashed potato was a given. But he crossed the line when he served lobster a la marmalade steamed in orange juice. “Dad, can we have normal food?” Then mum, an infant teacher at Stalbridge, banned him from the kitchen. Life resumed as normal. Or as normal as it could be with such a father.
When Biscuit the family terrier wouldn’t leave an old antler alone, John and Sandra Palmer-Snellin spotted a new eco-business venture opportunity.
John Palmer-Snellin and Biscuit in front of their antler stack
John Palmer-Snellin had a sudden lightbulb moment when he picked up a piece of naturally fallen off antler from his wife’s tame deer. Biscuit, the family Border Terrier, wouldn’t leave the antler alone and began chewing on it; Staglers, the dog chew specialist, was soon founded. Staglers now provides sustainable and eco-friendly shed deer antler chews. John is passionate about nature, photography, falconry, and of course his beloved dogs – Biscuit and Dodger. The Stagler business catchphrase is ‘Just Ask John’. John served in the Royal Marines, and went on to be a Personal Protection Officer to RT Hon Edward Heath for three years before joining Dorset Police, where he was the first, and only, full-time force Wildlife Officer, speaking at local schools and educating young children on the importance of nature.
The issue of dog chews
Finding the right chew is an issue many dog owners tussle with. Raw bones carry bacteria (and smell), but cooked bones beome brittle and cause choking hazards. Leather hide chews can contain all manner of chemicals – and swiftly become soft, stinky and messy. Commercially packaged chew sticks don’t last long, especially for bigger dogs, and many are filled with unnecessary sugars. Staglers think they have the solution.
Farmer Palmer’s deer
John’s wife Sandra, Director of Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park, grew up on a farm surrounded by animals. 23 years ago she and her brother, Philip Palmer, opened the farm to the public for family-friendly days out. Sandra owns a herd of red deer that children often meet and feed at the family-run farm, a firm favourite activity. Like many species of deer, only stags have antlers and they shed on a seasonal basis, allowing new ones to develop (the antlers are a ‘status symbol’ in the mating ritual). Although Staglers don’t use Farmer Palmer’s deer antlers to form their business, they were inspired by these local Red Deer.
The right Stagler for your dog?
“Choosing the appropriately sized antler is important for your dog” John Palmer-Snellin commented “our ‘Just Ask John’ service allows the customer to receive a bespoke cut, weight and sized dog chew depending on their breed and chewing habits. “Staglers are rich in protein, so dogs do not need to chew more than a half-inch or so per day; this is what makes them last a whole lot longer than your average dog chew. My passion has always been with animals, wildlife and nature – so to be working directly with people and their beloved pets makes it all worthwhile”.
The local couple are often branded ‘The Dog Whisperers’ as they supply eco-friendly, non- smelly and natural dog chews that outlive the lifetime of an ordinary dog chew.
Trying to access important data locked into the phone of a deceased relative can be a nightmare. But Apple has launched a new ‘Digital Legacy’ programme to overcome this problem. Senior Associate Solicitor Adam Hillier reports.
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Advances in phone technology have seen us progress from ‘just a mobile telephone’ resembling a small brick into the sleek multi-purpose devices that most of us now use. There really is an app for everything, easily downloadable, straight onto your phone. All this data remains locked safely within the phone through a combination of passwords, unique thumbprints, or other security measures. However such protection can mean that without careful forward planning, a sudden unexpected death of a family member could lead to their mobile phone blocking access to their personal or professional material. Under the iCloud Terms of Service, the deceased person’s data would effectively die with them.
A new solution
Apple is now attempting to simplify this problem for users of iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and other such devices. In its recent iOS update (15.2), it has introduced its new Digital Legacy program. Digital Legacy allows the individual to select and send a message via their phone to a maximum of five people requesting that they become Legacy Contacts. They are most likely to be family members or friends but could also perhaps be trusted professionals like solicitors or accountants who may have been appointed as Executors to act in their Will.
When the Legacy Contact is notified, the message shares a unique access key with them, and this is then automatically stored in their Apple ID settings. Additionally, Apple do still require proof of death via a death certificate; meaning that nobody can attempt to access the data whilst the individual is still alive.
Easy access when needed
It would be prudent to check with your Legacy contact that they are happy to have this responsibility before sending the message and if they do not own an apple device themselves or perhaps it is too old to update to iOS 15.2, you can instead print a copy of the access key for them or leave such information with your Will. After you have died, your chosen Legacy Contacts would be able to access your Apple account data from the phone in a simplified and organised manner, rather than a timely, expensive, and likely unsuccessful legal battle with Apple, who would fight to protect their customer’s privacy. I would suggest that when you prepare new Wills or update existing ones, careful consideration is given to your digital data and suitable precautions put in place to assist loved ones after death.
For more information contact Adam Hillier: [email protected] 01935 846165
Enjoy big views with ever-wide skies on Dorset Walks as you complete the circle from Lower Ansty – starting with easy parking in the village, then a few simple climbs to enjoy the best of Hog Hill looking out over The DWT’s now wildlife reserve at Lyscombe Bottom and then down via the Dorsetshire Gap ridge.
To follow this route using the Outdooractive App, please find the route here.
The view from Henning Hill, looking north across Melcombe Bingham to Nordon Hill and the Dorsetshire Gap to its left.
Bingham’s Melcombe is a beautiful estate – do wander out of your way to visit the church and pause to enjoy the view of the gardens.
At this time of year there are swathes of snowdrops on the Bingham’s Melcombe estate
Don’t forget to pause and look back towards the coast as you approach Nettlecombe Farm on the front edge of Hog Hill
Don’t carry on up the apparently very obvious path over Henning Hill; you turn right BEFORE the barn to get to this view. We admittedly go straight on through the gate (wrong) Every. Single. Time.
Perhaps also opt to walk the footpath around the front of Nordon Hill from the Dorsetshire Gap – the views are spectacular, but the rough path runs awkwardly across a steep hill: you’ll potentially spend all your time trying not to break an ankle. We did it once, but now always opt for the simpler-going route around the back, and sadly miss the view!
The view north from the Dorsetshire Gap ridge – it’s after this point you will bear left round the back side of the ridge, and miss out on the amazing right hand views!
This route is filled with great lunch spots, but my top two would be the cross dykes on Hog Hill – one of my favourite spots to sit and enjoy the view – or from the Dorsteshire Gap ridgeline, with spectacular views both sides.
The Dorsetshire gap crossroads – it’s never not muddy! But the trees on your right at this point
NB the Gap crossroads is always muddy – do watch your footing as you descend.
All of our monthly ‘Take a hike’ features of Dorset walks can be seen here. The routes we feature have always been created and walked recently by ourselves, so you know you can trust them – we aim for unpopulated routes with as little road and as many views as possible! You can always see the route and follow it yourself via the free Outdoor Active app – see all our routes in the app here. All images Laura Hitchcock
