Support Worker – Mental Health (Shaftesbury) | Bournemouth Churches Housing Association

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8 November 2023

(Permanent, full – time, £22756.50 – £25,038 per annum)

Based Shaftesbury Dorset

Company Description

BCHA is a forward thinking, dynamic and vibrant place to work. We employ great people who are committed to our values and want to achieve the best outcomes for those most in need of our services to ‘find a way forward’.

We look for enthusiastic, passionate, caring people who thrive on delivering effective services and going the extra mile. In exchange for your commitment, we will make sure you get the rewards, training and benefits you deserve. Our aim is to create a professional environment in which you can thrive: we want you to be able to be your best self in the workplace.

Position

Are you passionate about promoting mental health and well-being? Do you have the expertise to create programs and initiatives that support mental health? If so, we want you on our team! As a Mental Health Support Specialist, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our culture and ensuring our access have access to the support they need.

Key Responsibilities:

Innovative Program Development: Develop and implement innovative mental health support programs and initiatives tailored to our customers’ needs.
Confidential Support: Offer confidential, one-on-one support and guidance to customers facing mental health challenges, ensuring their well-being.
Assessment and Personalized Plans: Conduct mental health assessments for customers and create personalized support plans, connecting them with relevant mental health resources.
Training and Workshops: Organize and lead mental health awareness sessions and workshops to provide valuable information and reduce stigma.
Collaboration: Collaborate with internal teams to ensure a customer-centric approach to mental health support.
Documentation: Maintain accurate records and documentation related to customer mental health support.
Resource Hub: Act as the primary resource for customers seeking mental health assistance and resources, offering guidance and referrals.
Continuous Improvement: Evaluate the effectiveness of mental health support programs and make data-driven improvements.
Committee Participation: Participate in relevant well-being committees and initiatives.
Compliance: Ensure compliance with company policies and legal requirements regarding mental health support for customers.

Requirements

Strong understanding of mental health assessment and intervention techniques.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Empathy, compassion, and a commitment to customer confidentiality.

Apply today for immediate interview – https://bit.ly/BCHASupportBV

BCHA Safer Recruitment: Safeguarding children and adults is our first priority and we will ensure we follow safer recruitment procedures.As an employer, we will do everything possible to prevent unsuitable people obtaining employment with BCHA. Our overall aim is to ‘deter unsuitable applicants from applying for roles with children and adults, and we will ensure that all candidates are treated fairly, consistently and in compliance with current legislation.BCHA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of people, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

From Hamas to Israel: seeking balance in Middle East relations

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Editorial team

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7 November 2023

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Amid tensions in the Middle East, MP Simon Hoare advocates understanding and International co-operation in the work towards a peaceful two-state solution

It’s usually sensible when writing articles for a local publication to remember the old advice that ‘all politics is local’, and therefore to write on local issues. However, there are times when events overseas are of such magnitude that they command everyone’s attention. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one such example (and that horror continues without much media attention recently), and the situation in the Middle East continues to unravel and develop, absorbing virtually the whole bandwidth of our news and information sources.
My inbox has been full of people expressing heartfelt views from all perspectives. So allow me to set a few initial baseline points which I believe to be fairly basic and uncontroversial:

1. The attack by Hamas was inhuman, cruel and a large scale terrorist act
2. Israel has the right to defend herself within the parameters of International Law
3. Hamas is not the Palestinian people (any more than the IRA was all Northern Ireland nationalists)
4. To criticise elements of some of the Israeli Government’s actions does not make one an anti-Semite, in the same way that condemning Hamas does not make one an Islamophobe
5. A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes
6. The most likely outcome is a deepening and widening of the mutual mistrust between countries that exists in the region with the disastrous consequences that flow from that.

Ten questions, 12 answers
I am, as constituents will know, not a black and white populist politician. To solve problems, one needs to sit on both sides of the table, to see the issue from the eyes of your opponent and to try to find a solution that broadly works from both or all perspectives. Most politics and international relations are the product of accommodation of the ‘other side’.
It is for this reason that I am both a supporter of the Conservative Friends of Israel and the Conservative Middle East Council. If – and sometimes it is a huge IF – we are convinced that we want to see a peaceful Middle East where international boundaries and the Rule of Law are upheld, one cannot be 100 per cent pro one and 100 per cent anti the other.
The best solution remains the two-state solution. The benefit of that solution is that it de-fangs Hamas. Talk of killing off (in a physical sense) or destroying Hamas is for the birds. Surely, if we learned any lessons from the fight with ISIS and the Taliban, it is that one cannot kill off an idea/dream/mindset/ideology?
All it takes is a few people to keep that ember aglow and it is always fan-able at some future point. The creation of two, mutually respecting, states removes the need for Hamas as the Palestinian homeland would be established and secured. However that hope seems more distant than ever. Why? How would any Israeli leader take part in such talks following the outrage perpetrated by Hamas on innocent civilians?
So, what should happen? Ask ten people and you will get 12 answers. I started with some basic points of principle so let me conclude with some:
1. The normalisation of Israeli relations with the wider Middle East should continue. No-one should let extreme fanatics knock evolving understanding and diplomatic relations off course.
2. The United Nations should strain every sinew to secure the unconditional release of the hostages
3. Hamas rockets and Israeli military action should then cease and the Gaza Strip become a UN-enforced protectorate or enclave, en route to the creation of the two-state solution
4. Humanitarian aid must be allowed through
5. As I said in the Commons, to maximise humanitarian relief Egypt needs support – and confidence that it will not become another permanent, terrorist-infested refugee camp
6. (and this is the really hard part) The government of Israel needs to be the ‘bigger man’, articulating that two wrongs do not make a right and that an ‘eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth’ is an out-of-date and irrelevant thought. Israel, as the democratic champion in the region, should always aspire to the higher calling that that status bestows.

A swift way forward
Much of that is easier said than done. President Biden’s words were important, when he said, in terms: the US naturally lashed out after 9/11 – the doing so met a pressing need for retaliation and vengeance. It is, however, not always the right thing to do.
As I said, easier for me to write this in the comfort and safety of North Dorset than, say, for my brother-in-law’s family in Tel Aviv to domestically advocate for.
We all know how we would like the Middle East to be. We just don’t know how to make it so. Let us hope, and pray, that a route map becomes clear – and soon.

Admissions Officer Visits, Events and Pupil Registry | Milton Abbey School

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Editorial team

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7 November 2023

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Milton Abbey is seeking an organised, efficient, and enthusiastic individual to support the Deputy Head (Development and Admissions) who will contribute to the day-to-day running of the admissions.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and positive person, with excellent communication and IT skills and a high level of attention to detail and accuracy in their work and capable of dealing confidently with a range of people and situations, and able to work independently and as part of a busy team.

The department can become very busy, therefore the capacity to work effectively under pressure in a busy office is a must. You will work in a supportive team and full training will be given.

The successful applicant will be required to assist in ensuring that all admissions enquiries are handled professionally, courteously, efficiently, and effectively.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team, and training will be available to enhance skills. Staff also benefit from 25 days annual holiday plus bank holidays, free parking and a free refreshments and three course hot lunch during term time.

Further details may be obtained from our website or from HR on 01258 882306 or email [email protected]. Applications must be submitted on the school’s application form. The closing date for applications is Friday 8th December 2023.

Please note that we are not accepting applications for this position through any employment agency and all applications should be made direct to the school.

Milton Abbey School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The appointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Additionally, please be aware that Milton Abbey School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. To avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.

Please note that our school is a no smoking site.

Accounts Maternity Cover | Milton Abbey School

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Editorial team

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7 November 2023

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£25,000 – £30,000 Pro-rata dependent on experience.

Milton Abbey is seeking to appoint an experienced Accounts Assistant within the school’s small, friendly but busy finance department to cover a period of maternity leave.

You will be responsible for managing the school’s billing ledger, assisting with bill production, dealing with bill queries and assuming central responsibility for credit control. You will also assist the School Accountant with general accounting duties covering a variety of areas and so adaptability and flexibility will be necessary.
We are looking for enthusiasm, excellent communication skills, a high level of attention to detail and accuracy in your work. The successful candidate will ideally be part or fully AAT qualified however formal qualifications are not essential. We do need a minimum of two years accounts experience ideally covering more than one of the ledgers and ideally some credit control experience.

The salary for this role will be £25,000 – £30,000 Pro-rata dependent on experience. Staff also benefit from 25 days annual holiday plus bank holidays, free parking, free refreshments and three course hot lunch during term time.

Further details may be obtained from our website or from HR on 01258 882306 or email [email protected]. Applications must be submitted on the school’s application form. The closing date for applications is Friday 8th December.

Please note that we are not accepting applications for this position through any employment agency and all applications should be made direct to the school.

Milton Abbey School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The appointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Additionally, please be aware that Milton Abbey School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. To avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.

Please note that our school is a no smoking site.

Dorset Mounties

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Editorial team

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7 November 2023

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Riding into the fight against rural crime: Andrew Livingston spoke to one of Dorset’s new rural mounted volunteers

Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick (right) with new Rural Mounted Volunteer Tamsin Doar on Stella, the sassy Welsh Cob

You’ll struggle to find a village that doesn’t have a Neighbourhood Watch scheme or a collection of community Speedwatch volunteers. These initiatives allow for a greater number of eyes on those who are breaking the law in residential areas.
But how can you help catch criminals who operate out inn Dorset’s vast countryside?
‘I want the countryside to be as protected as anywhere else when it comes to tackling criminals,’ says Dorset’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Sidwick. ‘I’m very clear that the police can never have enough resources to be everywhere, all the time. That’s why we as the public also need to do our bit. It’s why we have the other Watches, but we had a gap. We didn’t have a mounted Neighbourhood Watch and that’s effectively what this is. It is about all of us together, taking on the criminals who cause issues in the countryside.’
Now Dorset has its own team of Rural Mounted Volunteers.
Dorset is not the first county to encourage the public to saddle up and help combat crime by becoming a Rural Mounted Volunteer. But David says his initiative ‘is just one more weapon in our armoury to take on these criminals who plague our countryside’.
With six volunteers currently signed up, the Dorset Rural Crime Team is looking for another 18 volunteers across the county to ensure greater coverage. ‘Their job will be to help the police by giving us evidence and improving visibility in those areas,’ David says. ‘For me, this is just the next step in our journey to tackle rural crime.’
When David Sidwick was elected in 2021 there were only three people in the Dorset Rural Crime Team. ‘When I came into office I was very clear that the people of Dorset wanted rural crime tackled and I made certain that there was investment available.
‘Now we have 18 people on the rural crime team and in the last 18 months, they’ve retrieved more than £1.3 million pounds-worth of stolen goods – tractors, ATVs, generators and farm machinery – and given it back to the victims.’
The statistics show that the PCC’s investment has paid off. The 2023 NFU Mutual Rural Crime report showed a 22 per cent national increase in rural crime. In the same period, Dorset saw a 20 per cent drop.

David Sidwick with some of the Dorset Rural Crime Team

The first Dorset Mountie
Tamsin Doar is one of the six volunteers currently signed up. The 27-year-old, who patrols around Milton Abbas, first rode a horse at the age of two and has a strong farming background. oth her parents and her partner in the industry. It is neither of those, however, that makes her the perfect candidate to be a Rural Mounted Volunteer. There is another thing that makes her the perfect candidate to be a Rural Mounted Volunteer.
‘I actually already work for Dorset Police, in the control room. I heard they were advertising internally through a colleague who was working on the Rural Crime Team.
‘I thought it would be a good way to combine my personal equestrian interest and, from a professional point of view, try to help combat rural crime a little bit – or at least raise awareness and make sure it’s reported.’
As a Control Room Supervisor, Tamsin is usually either handling 999 calls or despatching radio messages to officers to respond to the information phoned in from the public – plenty of experience to help her spot rural crime.
During her 25 years on horseback, there have already been occasions where she has seen crimes that would be worth reporting in her new role. She says: ‘I’ve seen livestock worrying – dog walkers with their dogs off the lead, upsetting sheep and cattle.
‘Sometimes you see injured wildlife, which most of the time has just been hit by a car. But when you’re out in the middle of a field it can look a bit suspicious. Also, certain vehicles … sometimes you might see a car or a vehicle that looks a bit out of place. it’s crawling along looking into farmyards or smallholdings – it just doesn’t quite look right.’

Car vs horse
As a rider, one of the rural crimes she most often spots involves interactions with motorists.
‘It’s the way they respond (or don’t!) appropriately to horse riders. But also farmers have issues where they’re crossing their cattle and a motorist won’t want to wait. That can escalate into an argument.
‘I’ve personally had a few run-ins with motorists who don’t want to slow down.
Particularly at this time of year, when the sun gets quite low, it can take a few extra seconds to see them, which can make a big difference. It’s worse if a rider hasn’t got hi-viz.’
Thankfully, the Rural Crime Team is issuing all of its volunteers with Dorset Police issue high reflective wear for both rider and horse, to make sure they are visible at all times. Plans are also in the works for all Rural Mounted Volunteers to have body cameras on at all times for further evidence collecting when someone spots a crime being committed – or even something suspicious that may require further investigation.
As in all the best police shows, a good cop needs a good partner – Starsky & Hutch, Turner & Hooch, Riggs and Murtaugh … and now Tamsin and Stella.
Any potential criminals in the Milton Abbas area should beware – Tamsin says that her homebred Welsh Cob can be quite sassy!

Dorset Police are looking for 18 more volunteers across the county, especially in the Blackmore Vale area. If you are interested in becoming a Rural Mounted Volunteer, apply by emailing [email protected]

Feeling the season turn | The Voice of the Allotment

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Editorial team

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6 November 2023

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October’s activities on the allotment included harvesting even tender plants and the start of a new season’s harvest, says Barry Cuff

Barry’s root veg crop from a single day in October

October was a warm month, with the temperature rising above 20ºC on some days and only two slight white grass frosts around the middle of the month. It’s not been cold enough to kill off the tender plants such as courgettes and French beans – they slowed down but still kept producing.
The soil was still workable, allowing plots to be cleared of weeds and old crop material; we aim to have all vacant parts of the plot clear and ready to be manured and mulched with homemade compost in November.

October’s allotment diary:
On the 29th and 30th September we staked and tied our Brussel sprout plants, dug our first leeks, harvested carrots, beetroot, runner and French beans, winter radish and cut some excellent side shoots of Ironman calabrese.
We also sprayed our whole brassica area with boron, as the plot is deficient in this trace element – we have observed symptoms of this deficiency over the last few years.
1st – Clearing weeds and plant material from this year’s pulse area, and we lifted two celery heads.
3rd – Harvested carrots, oriental salad leaves and winter radish, plus some nice raspberries.
4th – Cut the grass paths. Worked on our new strawberry bed, removing weeds and runners (potted up about 30 of the runners).
5th – Picked tomatoes and a few sweet peppers from the greenhouse.
6th – Dug our first parsnip and celeriac. Harvested courgettes, salad leaves, French beans and raspberries, and weeded the leeks.
7th – High temp of 24ºC! Removed all the sweetcorn plants and weeded the area.
8th – Had our first parsnip for lunch; good, but they need frosts to improve their taste. Ordered our seed from Kings Seeds.
10th – Cut our first Snow Prince cauliflower and our first Rossa Di Treviso radicchio – also picked a few more raspberries.
11th – Weeded the winter salad patch and staked and tied the purple sprouting broccoli plants.
13th – Harvested calabrese, leeks, runner beans and courgettes.
15th – The first grass frost of the season. Harvested winter squashes – seven Crown Prince, five Butterfly butternut and five sweet dumpling.
16th – Cleared the squash area of plant material and weeds and dug an area for garlic.
17th – Planted 40 cloves of garlic. Cut our first Chinese cabbage and picked calabrese. Cut the grass paths.
20th – Harvested carrots, parsnip, leeks, celeriac, winter radish and salad leaves.
22nd – Picked the last few runner beans and removed the plants and canes.
25th – Dug a few leeks and pulled a few spring onions, plus a Green Utah celery.
26th – Exciting day: the seed order arrived! We had 45 packets in total – 39 vegetables, two herbs and four garden flowers.
During the sunny days this month it’s been lovely to see that the ivy flowers in our hedge have been alive with bees, flies, wasps and butterflies.

The three lives of the 130-year-old ‘temporary’ building

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Editorial team

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6 November 2023

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The Ibberton, Belchalwell and Woolland Village Hall – from a tin church to a thriving community hub, with state of the art big screen facilities

Nestled in the tranquil embrace of North Dorset lies the Ibberton, Belchalwell and Woolland Village Hall. The unassuming building has constantly evolved over the course of its 130-year existence to continue meeting the ever-changing needs of its three small rural communities.
In 1892, when the roofs of the local churches in Ibberton and Belchalwell had crumbled, local carpenter George Loder, undertook the construction of a temporary corrugated-iron church on glebe land at Ibberton. The simple structure served as a place of worship and community gathering while Reverend L. S. Plowman began extensive fundraising efforts to restore the churches. In July 1909, Ibberton and Belchalwell welcomed back their places of worship, and the temporary church took on a new role as a Church Room for meetings, clubs, and entertainment. The hall’s altar was transformed into a makeshift stage, and was the setting for much homegrown entertainment including singing, handbells and acting with improvised costumes. Christmas parties were a much-loved regular event and they continue to this day.

A Village Hall
In 1948, the hall and its surrounding glebe land were sold to the Pitt-Rivers Estate, ushering in a new era as the Church Room became the official Village Hall, with its own committee and trustees. In 1977 the hall was finally purchased for £250.
The hall’s story took another turn in 1996 when ‘temporary’ centenarian was discovered to be leaning. With grants and local fundraising efforts, steel girders were installed to strengthen the structure. Three years later the 107-year-old windows were needing attention. At the same time grants allowed the electric heating and the 1950’s kitchen – complete with a butler sink and camping gas stove – were updated, and a disabled toilet and ramp access were added.
In 2001, a grand reopening marked a new chapter in the hall’s history, with the modern amenities creating a vibrant community hub.

Popcorn and ice cream,
bar and raffle
[email protected]
or 07771 561099 for tickets

Another facelift
The latest hall project has just completed – a major upgrade of the audiovisual equipment, with LED stage lighting, and an electric film screen and projector.
This new upgraded equipment will enable the trustees and committee to offer new ways to bring the community together through films, theatre and live music, bringing the big screen into the small hall.
The hall also has a new gigabit fibre broadband connection supplied by Wessex Internet, which will enable streaming of live arts performances, talks and training. They will be further enhanced by the energy efficient, maintainable, stage professional lighting.
As it looks forward to the next 130 years, the Ibberton, Belchalwell and Woolland Village Hall stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of rural communities, and is still here thanks to the dedication of its residents and the support of generous organisations.

A decade of helping to unlock the digital world!

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Editorial team

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6 November 2023

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For ten years, Dorset’s Digital Champions have been inspiring digital inclusion and transforming lives. Rachael Rowe reports

Digital champions at work in Sturminster Newton

Dorset Council is celebrating a decade of award-winning by its team of digital champions, in getting more of the county to use the internet.
Most of us are quite comfortable with online shopping – or even opening a copy of the BV Magazine. But in an ever-more digital world, what about those people who find accessing the internet a challenge?
In the first ten months of 2023, Dorset Council’s digital team were contacted by almost 2,000 people and a further 900 calls were made to the hotline. The Lloyd’s Consumer index identified that 63 per cent of the UK population has a very high or high ability to use the internet, but 27 per cent has low or no ability – and that’s exactly where Dorset’s Digital Champions have their focus.

A trailblazing project
Lyndsey Trinder is the Route to Inclusion project officer at Dorset Council, focusing on getting Dorset people confident in using the internet. She has worked with the team for five years and credits the project to one person’s ’tremendous foresight.’
‘When I joined it was known as the Superfast Dorset Team and concentrated on getting superfast broadband to everyone. However, my manager saw that the basic skills and abilities to be able to adapt to broadband just weren’t there – we were only doing half a job.
She had the foresight to ask the then Dorset County Council to look into and develop this area – and she was given free rein to get on with it.
‘Our digital inclusion work in Dorset was way ahead of its time. It’s quite an achievement – no-one else is celebrating ten years.’

We are the champions
One of the pivotal elements of getting more people to use the internet was the introduction of Digital Champions into the community. Lyndsey is incredibly proud of the group of volunteers:
‘Oh they’re lovely … amazing. Around three-quarters of them have a background in IT or software, and they come from all walks of life. They really need strong people skills as well. One of the big things they have to do is to win the trust of those people who don’t really want to be online – they need patience plus patience plus patience.’
Mark Jago has a military and technology background and volunteers as a Digital Champion in Gillingham. He runs a session each Saturday morning in the local library.
‘I got involved because I saw the frustration on social media, people not able to get things to work with their computers. I saw there was a need to help people with IT issues ‘People generally know more than they think – it’s often just a confidence issue.
‘There are all sorts of things we can help people do. For example, we’re helping a couple of Ukrainian refugees at the moment – they just need some support to use the internet. We’ve also helped people with Excel spreadsheets, and we have saved people money by showing them how to look online for better deals one energy bills. We saved one person around £600.
‘And then the other day we helped someone complete an Australian visa online so they could go and see their son.’

The Sturminster Newton sessions are held at The Exchange

Changing lives
There are 45 Digital Champions spread across Dorset in 39 locations. All the libraries have support, and two GP Surgeries, in Poundbury and Weymouth, have a Digital Champion.
Lyndsey says: ‘We work very closely with the NHS and we can help people use the NHS app, for example. But that isn’t very exciting! If we want to engage people in using the internet we have to find something that interests them. One of our champions had a reluctant gentleman come to see them – he just didn’t seem interested. But then he mentioned that his son was in a rock band in the 80s, so they started looking him up. Sure enough, they found lots of mentions of his son – and that got him interested!’
The team has helped many people over the last decade. Lyndsey remembers one case in particular that still gives her goosebumps today.
‘It was in 2020 when we were distributing IT equipment. It was near Christmas, and one of the social workers came to me because she had just met a deaf man – she could sign, and she realised that she was the first person he had communicated with since the start of the first lockdown.
We gave him a smartphone and at the time I wondered why we were giving a deaf person a smartphone – but he used it to video call other signers and joined a WhatsApp group with signing friends.
‘It changed his world.’

Digital champion Mark Jago in his Gillingham library session

Being left behind
Lyndsey is concerned about how to meet the offline population.
’Things are changing so fast. I worry these people will be left behind. A lot of things are going exclusively on line and people are missing out.’
Mark also recognises that even people who are online don’t always realise the extent of things they can do.
‘We were at a meant’ health event recently and, although people said they used the internet, we were able to say: “But do you know this?” It really helps if you can enable them to look more widely at what is available to them.’
The team has just won a Connection Britain award for its work on spreading and embedding digital knowledge. They trained other teams, including librarians and social housing staff who can also help people with online tasks so that they become more confident.‘A simple five-minute interaction can make a significant difference,’ says Lyndsey.

Find out where your nearest session is, and more about Dorset’s Digital Champions here.

Falling back in love with autumn

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Editorial team

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5 November 2023

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Join wildlife columnist Jane Adams on a nostalgic journey as she rediscovers the magic of autumn, sharing the joy of re-connecting with nature

Sometimes the best days come from the simplest things
Image: Shutterstock

As a chill breeze ruffles the undressed trees, it brings with it a sense of excitement for the month ahead. At least, it used to … when I was young.
Which got me wondering – how can I recapture that love?
Because I really did love autumn when I was young. I couldn’t get enough of it.
With the ground a canvas of russet, amber and gold, pavements turned into a rustling playground. A gang of us would spend hours searching for conkers, stuffing them into already-bulging pockets, and even though conker competitions left our knuckles bruised and our shoes without laces, we couldn’t have cared less.
Then, as temperatures dropped, we’d crunch through frozen puddles, revelling in the feel of the ice exploding as it cracked deliciously under our feet. Autumn was fun – and having fun stimulated our imaginations, encouraged questions, and sparked a deep (unrecognised) connection with nature.
This is probably how many of us remember autumn.
But then we grow up.
We become serious and sensible. Find partners and set up homes. Bills, jobs and responsibilities weigh us down. We suffer setbacks, heartbreak, grief and loneliness. I’m not saying life is all doom and gloom, but when you’re an adult, autumn can sometimes feel … well, a bit gloomy. I groan as the days get shorter and the sun loses its warmth. The other day I even caught myself comparing hot water bottles on Amazon!
However, I have friends who still love autumn – and I mean they really love autumn. What if I could love it again?
So, for the last few weeks, I’ve given myself a challenge. Every day I search out piles of leaves, kicking them into the air, making myself (and passers-by) laugh. When I put the bins out, I’m stopping to appreciate the dazzling stars and moon before rushing back inside.
I pause and listen when I hear tawny owls and foxes calling, and I call back (even getting a reply sometimes). After it rains, I slosh through puddles in my wellies, and I’ll be jumping onto them after a frost just to hear the satisfying crack of the ice. Welcome back, nine year-old me. Having fun, being silly and not worrying about what others might think, as well as really appreciating nature and the season around me, has helped. Try it. You might enjoy it.

Puddle jumping – guaranteed to cheer up the gloomiest of days.

Wildlife walks and treats
Red Squirrel walks and a cream tea
Brownsea Island
Visit the island out of season, enjoy a guided walk, see the red squirrels – and finish with a delicious cream tea at Brownsea Castle.
12:40 to 4pm on 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th November
£30 includes ferry, entry, guided walk and cream tea
Booking on National Trust website here

Welly Wednesday walks
Kingcombe Nature Reserve
A regular meeting – join the Dorset Wildlife Trust group for a walk on Kingcombe Meadows followed by an optional visit to The Kitchen at Kingcombe for a restorative cuppa.
10:30am to 12pm on 8th and 22nd November – FREE
Booking on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s site here