Passed away peacefully at Dorchester Hospital on the 25th March aged 84.
Doreen will be sadly missed by her Husband Michael and all her family and friends.
Funeral service to take place at Poole Crematorium on Friday 26th of April at 1pm.
Family flowers only please, donations, if desired for the Friends of Blandford Community Hospital, may be made online by visiting www.close-funeral.co.uk or cheques payable to the charity c/o Colin J Close Funeral Service, Peel Close, Salisbury Road, Blandford DT11 7JU. Tel: 01258 453133
Grade 13-12 – £20,460 – £22,625 (relative to experience)
(based on 37 hours per week, Term Time only)
Fairmead Community Special School transforms the lives of pupils aged between 4-19 years with additional learning needs (MLD and ASD). The school works in partnership with parents/carers and other stakeholders to develop our pupils in becoming positive individuals who make a valuable contribution to their community.
We are looking to recruit an examinations officer who will be responsible for the organisation and smooth running of both internal and external examinations. The officer acts as the primary liaison between the school and external examination bodies. They will be familiar with the requirements and regulations placed on schools by both awarding bodies and the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and will ensure that the school is compliant with these before, during, and after examination periods.
We are seeking a branch secretary in the North Dorset/South Somerset area for a national friendly society, required to start in June/July.
Would ideally suit a newly retired or semi-retired person.
This is a paid position and you will work from home with hours to suit, but also to attend regular meetings and social events, therefore own transport is essential.
Computer skills a distinct advantage.
Full training will be given.
For an application form and job description please email: [email protected]
Pauline Batstone shares her monthly round up of what’s happening among the town’s collection of community enterprises and events
1855 now has more than 100 traders offfering a wildly diverse choice for every budgetThe ladies’ pre-loved Boutique is once again open six days a week
Spring has arrived, and thanks to our wonderful volunteers, our ladies’ pre-loved Boutique is once again open six days a week, and British Summer Time means longer opening hours – from 10am to 5pm, stocked with new items perfect for the season. Our Furniture Store is now mostly staffed during operating hours – if the door is closed, feel free to pop along to the Emporium for assistance. And don’t forget the free school uniforms hub upstairs – there to help any parent, with good secondhand unforms vauilable for all the local schools. 1855, our boutique shopping experience, is now close to reaching 100 traders, offering a diverse range of intriguing items and attracting visitors to the town, especially during holiday weekends.
SturAction is ready with a warm welcome for any new members to the volunteer family which covers all our community shops. A Volunteer Day will take place at Stour Connect, Bath Road, on Saturday 13th April from 11am to 3pm. The annual event invites local voluntary groups to showcase their activities and provides the community with an opportunity to explore available volunteering options, regardless of the time they can spare.
Car and bike enthusiasts will gather in town as usual on the first Saturday of the month.
Car and bike enthusiasts will gather in town as usual on the first Saturday of the month. It’s free, no need to register if you’d like to bring a vehicle, just turn up. Your car or bike must be roadworthy, taxed (where required) and insured. The meet will be at the Station Road car park if the weather dictates, otherwise on the Recreation Ground. On these days, parking is free in all our car parks, courtesy of SturAction.
We’re excited to announce the return of the Car Boot Sale – it will be on the Recreation Ground on the first Sunday morning of each month until 1st September, with all profits going to support local charities. Though still recovering from the Easter Weekend festivities, we’re already gearing up for Sturminster’s Big Weekend, 31st May to 2nd June. The Exchange will host a Beer & Cider (and Music) Festival over the weekend, alongside a Garden Fair and Market on the Saturday, Cars and Bikes in the Recreation Ground, and the Big Lunch on the Sunday, thanks to Rotary. Keep your eyes peeled: plans for the event are continuously evolving. On 6th June, the town will commemorate D-Day and the sacrifices made for our freedom with a beacon lighting ceremony in The Railway Gardens at 9pm. Throughout the week, The Exchange will host an exhibition featuring local stories of D-Day.
The Sturminster Literary Festival has curated a series of events for the second week of June, including its own D-Day event on 9th June, showcasing stories of our local soldiers and the deceptive tactics used against the enemy regarding invasion plans. For the full event programme, visit sturlitfest.com or pick up a brochure available around town.
This summary only scratches the surface of what’s happening in Stur and the surrounding area – for comprehensive information, refer to What’s Happening in Stur for April and May, distributed around town by David Shepherd and his team, sponsored by The Town Council.
Dorset musicians Emily Burridge, cello, and Karen Wimhurst, clarinet, will be joining sound artist Adrian Newton for All Trees Are Clocks, a multi-media performance celebrating ancient trees and woodlands, at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Sunday 21st April at 2.30pm. The musicians will play live, accompanying field recordings and video curated by Adrian Newton, documenting how ancient woodlands are changing over time. All Trees Are Clocks was recently featured on the Cerys Matthews show on BBC Radio 6. The piece follows ancient trees as they change through the seasons, but also explores the potential impacts of climate change. ‘For many people, climate change is something remote that doesn’t affect them personally,’ says Adrian Newton, who is producing the event. ‘Yet many of our ancient trees, which people love to see, are already suffering because of it. We hope that this piece will remind us just how special ancient trees are, not least because of their great age. Perhaps they experience time differently than we do.’ Emily is a virtuoso cellist, whose improvisational skills create exquisite and spiritual music, fluidly crossing classical and contemporary genres. Her recent work has explored the soundscapes of the Amazon rain forest and the legacy of JS Bach. Karen is a widely commissioned composer, whose work ranges from chamber pieces to musical theatre, embracing folk and jazz influences alongside classical music. Recent compositions include Jump, in which she plays the clarinet alongside the sounds of insects and amphibians. She also plays in the folk and new music trio Coracle, who are coming to Shaftesbury Arts Centre on 12th May. The performance will use the Corn Exchange’s surround sound system, providing an immersive listening experience. Tickets from Dorchester Arts Centre.
Bingo halls to community calls – Shaftesbury’s Rotakids, a new generation of community champions, lead the charge in innovative charity work
Ronnie is the 11-year-old resident bingo caller
There’s a burst of laughter from the hall in Abbey Church of England VA Primary School. Above the sound of excited children, a lone voice clearly calls a set of numbers. ‘On its own. Number seven.’ It transpires that the caller in charge of the hall is an 11-year-old called Ronnie. The Shaftesbury RotaKids are busy raising money for a good cause – and apparently having a lot of fun too. It’s just one of several events in and around the town in which children are actively getting involved with the wider community in an innovative citizenship project. RotaKids is a fun and exciting way for young people aged from seven to 12 to make friends and get involved with important activities in the community, and it is a part of the wider Rotary Club movement. RotaKids clubs are based in schools, youth groups or community centres, and with the help and support from teachers, youth leaders and the local Rotary Club, young people gain valuable experience in helping others and learning interesting, new things. Peter Sale is president of Shaftesbury Rotary Club and established RotaKids in one primary school in 2023. ‘Last year, we started with just one club in Abbey Primary School. This year we are working with Shaftesbury Primary School as well. Each child who wants to take part has to apply for a place through their teacher. That shows how committed they are,’ he says. ‘And just like an adult Rotary group, the children have a president and a treasurer. They make the decisions about how they use the money they raise – with a little help from us, because sometimes their ideas are difficult to implement! ‘The children tend to be aged between seven and ten. ‘We don’t take the reception class because they are a bit too young. They are wonderful, so motivated and so willing to learn.They have helped us with the North Dorset Cycle Ride and they are planning some gardening at the community hospital in Shaftesbury. They also raised money to get the patients some small toiletries. ‘What has surprised me is the level of motivation and commitment from them. They want to do everything! It’s also wonderful how the schools have embraced it. These children are not just championing RotaKids in Shaftesbury, but in the wider district.’
Fundraising and having fun Back in Abbey Primary School, 11-year-old Ronnie is still calling the bingo numbers, clearly and confidently, to a large group of children. He’s obviously a natural and remains calm despite excited children shouting as they tick off the numbers, trying to win a coveted Easter egg. ‘I just grew up learning from my Mum – she does bingo calling,’ he says. ‘You need to be confident and focused, and you need to be able to see what’s going on in the room. And you need a loud voice!’ Amid the chatter in the hall, there’s something more subtle happening. Each younger child (below year six) is paired with an older pupil who keeps an eye on them – helping to make sure they mark the numbers and keep up with the bingo caller. It’s fostering leadership and support skills in a subtle but fun way. ‘We think it helps with their maths skills,’ says head Michael Salisbury. ‘A bit like darts! We have some Ukrainian children here and they have picked bingo up very quickly. They love being involved.’ Nine-year-old Edith is the current president of the Abbey RotaKids: ‘I joined last year. I wasn’t sure, but Mum encouraged me as she had done something similar when she was young. On my first day I was very nervous but I really enjoyed it. Last year I wanted to be the president but didn’t get it. This year I am the president! We donate the money we raise for a charity or give it to the PTSA. Today I think we have raised £230.10.’
Nine-year-old Edith is the current president of the Abbey RotaKids
Joint working Pupils from both Abbey and Shaftesbury primary schools are starting to work together, which is significantly beneficial. Ben Smiley, a teacher at Shaftesbury C of E Primary School said: ‘The RotaKids worked together recently to pick up litter along Bimport, the Park Walk and down St James Hill. They were amazed by the sheer amount of rubbish. ‘But when they reflected on the exercise they began to see that, by working together in the community, they could achieve a lot more than working on their own. It has really affected their outward thinking. We’re seeing that in the discussions we’re having with them about fundraising. ‘What’s really beneficial is it gives us an opportunity to have that wider involvement with the community. Also, when the children are voted into positions by their peers, that can be a huge boost for them. It’s really good for team work.’ It’s something echoed by Michael Salisbury: ‘It really gets children involved with the community and they learn the value of volunteering. We always say the parents are volunteers too, because they have to bring them to meets. The potential for the children for learning is very high and they love it.’
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Wiltshire is extending a warm invitation to you and your guests to join in a celebration of our planet on Saturday, 20th April, from 2pm to 5.30 pm. Nestled in the heart of Steeple Langford, the Langford Lakes Nature Reserve – a haven for nature lovers and environmental enthusiasts alike – serves as the perfect backdrop for an afternoon dedicated to appreciating and learning about the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world. Dr. Suzanne Keene, Chair of the CPRE South Wiltshire Group, will kick off the event with a welcome address, setting the stage for a series of talks. The speaker lineup boasts experts passionate about various aspects of environmental conservation, including Robin Leech, a farm ecologist and facilitator for the Wylye Valley Farmers’ cluster group, who will share insights into sustainable farming practices. Alex Atkinson, Conservation Lead for the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, will delve into the critical work being done in river conservation, while Peter Thompson, a seasoned agronomist formerly associated with the Game & Conservancy Trust, will discuss wildlife and agronomy’s interconnectedness. This event is not just an opportunity to learn but also a chance to connect with fellow members of the CPRE community and like-minded individuals who share a commitment to preserving the beauty and biodiversity of our countryside. Whether you’re a long-standing member or a newcomer interested in environmental issues, you’re encouraged to come along – and bring a friend too! Tickets, which include refreshments, are £12 per adult. Admission opens at 1.45pm, allowing attendees ample time to settle in before the festivities begin. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate Earth Day in one of Wiltshire’s most picturesque settings.
