Maureen Harty
Passed away suddenly, with family by her side, on May 1st 2021, aged 87 years.
Devoted Wife to Gene. Dearly loved Mother to Paul, Michael and Barry. Devoted Gran and Great Grandmother. Much loved Sister and Aunty. ‘Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts’
A private family funeral has already taken place.
The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) created Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) to demonstrate the importance of the role of the Veterinary Nurse. VNAM is held every May and helps educate pet owners about the role of the Veterinary Nurse.
Being a vet nurse is not just about cuddling puppies and kittens (although this is a perk of the job.) Becoming a veterinary nurse takes 2 to 4 years of study with a combination of working in veterinary practice and demanding exams demonstrating both theoretical knowledge and practical ability. Like Vets, Veterinary Nurses also have to learn about a variety of species unlike our ‘human’ nurse equivalents who only have to deal with one species!
However, like human nurses, Registered Veterinary Nurses are highly skilled in their own right. Once qualified you gain the title Registered Veterinary Nurse and are included on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) register.
Nurses must also make sure that they keep their skills and knowledge up to date. Once they have qualified nurses must provide evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) of at least 15 hours per year and pay an annual fee to remain on the RCVS register. Being on the register allows nurses to carry out schedule 3 acts under the direction of a veterinary surgeon which includes minor surgery such as suturing wounds, lump removals and descaling teeth.
The Veterinary Nurse role consists of many other skills including anaesthesia, phlebotomy, radiography, laboratory technician, nutrition, theatre nursing, consulting nursing, dental hygienists – Veterinary Nurses must master all these skills, and more! We are also involved actively in 24 hour emergency care.
There are many opportunities for veterinary nurses to gain further qualifications in a particular area, especially when working in large referral centres. Subjects include: oncology, radiography, emergency and critical care, surgery/theatre, anaesthesia, behaviour and equine. Within the nursing team at Damory we have nurses that have gained or are studying towards the following further qualifications: Feline nursing, Anaesthesia, Surgical nursing, Exotic nursing and an Advanced nursing degree.
What do Veterinary Nurses do?
In a routine day (not that any day is routine!) nurses start by admitting day patients for surgery or medical work ups, we have an inpatient nurse who is dedicated to caring for both day patients and hospitalised patients. Theatre nurses will pre-medicate patients, take blood samples, place intravenous catheters and prepare for surgery ready for the Veterinary Surgeons.
As theatre nurses we monitor the anaesthetised patients during their procedures before handing the patients over at recovery to the inpatient nurse to monitor. We are also responsible for disinfecting theatres and surgical instruments. We assist the veterinary surgeon with taking x-rays and monitoring sedated patients. There is also a consulting nurse carrying out nail clips, post-operative checks, taking blood samples and bandaging. Throughout the day the nursing team must also complete lab work including blood work up, cytology of skin and blood, urine testing and worm egg counts for equine and farm animal patients. We also assist the veterinary surgeons with consultations and dispensing medications for patients.
At the end of the day we are involved in discharging the patients to go home following their procedure. We must then prepare for the surgery for the next day leaving the night nurses to continue caring for the hospitalised patients and deal with any emergencies.
Veterinary nurses are the unseen workforce in practice and VNAM aims to educate pet owners about the importance of veterinary nurses to their pets care and wellbeing.
Ref: ISFM & BVNA
By: Damory Vets
Frosts, cold winds from the North and East and no rain made April a rather trying month.
Blackthorn put on a spectacular show in the hedgerows. This cold dry spell is known as ‘Blackthorn Winter’ in Dorset, but was much more prolonged this year.
Our March planted potatoes needed frequent earthing up as they emerged to protect the tender young growth from the night frosts. A neighbour lost seedlings of courgettes and French beans in her greenhouse when the temperature dropped to minus two one night. Many nights saw temperatures dropping between minus one and plus two degrees celsius.
Our greenhouse ranged between zero and thirty eight on sunny days!
Decisions when to sow and plant during this unusual weather had to be made, and we decided to delay most until the end of the month hoping for better conditions in
May. So during the last week we have sowed two lines of Hurst Green Shaft Peas and lines of
carrot, beetroot and parsnip.
We also planted out four lines of Golden Bear onions from plugs – these were sown with two to three seeds per cell at the beginning of March.
All these new sowings and plantings were into undug soil, conserving moisture from the Winter rains. By the end of the month the top few inches of soil was exceptionally dry, whereas
just below there was plenty of moisture.
April is one of the ‘hungry gap’ months when there is very little in the way of fresh vegetables
to be had from the plot. Our sprouting broccoli finished mid month as the flower buds quickly became flowers in the bright sunshine. We now relied on stored and frozen vegetables. The only fresh vegetable being chicons of Witloof chicory and some mixed salad leaves from the greenhouse.
Sowings were made in the greenhouse of lettuce, leek, celery, celeriac, parsley and Brussels sprout.
We now look forward to warmer conditions and some much needed rain as May is one of the main sowing and planting months.
It’s humbling to think how far Thorngrove has come in just a few short years.
With the pandemic effectively halting business for many people around the country these past 12 months, we count ourselves fortunate to have been able to operate in limited circumstances when others could not.
We took steps to ensure we didn’t abuse this privilege, and put the safety of not only our staff and customers first, but that of our Employ My Ability students too. Those who know us will be well aware of the ethos we have at the centre of our brand, and we always do our best to ensure this remains apparent.
Setting ourselves apart as a business is important – we hope our products say that for us, but truly our focus is on protecting those values of the wellness and sustainability of our team and the local community.
There was a point where our plans for continued development at Thorngrove felt like they may not come to fruition this past year.
The future was looking very uncertain, but it has been with immense gratitude to our customers and supporters in the community that we have been able to keep the wheels turning on these plans, and this past month saw the big opening of our brand new gifts and lifestyle shop space.
We’re not stopping there either…work continues and you’re going to see more from us in the coming months. As the world slowly gets back to normal, and we embrace the changes needed for us to operate safely, we’re so excited to share more new things with you soon, and perhaps this time next year, we’ll be celebrating a new milestone in Thorngrove’s history yet again.
We’re open 7 days a week, and we look forward to seeing you soon. Visit www.thorngrovegardencentre.co.uk today, or find us on Facebook for info on our latest products and help keeping your garden looking its best!
The main topic of conversation in the UK farming world at the moment has been tha lack of rain this spring with virtually no rain being recorded in Dorset during April. Our farm diary from 1921 ,100 hundred years ago states that the year was one of the driest on record with the river Tarrant drying up in July and not flowing until January. Also many crops failed to make it to harvest. Let’s hope history does not repeat itself. I am sure all farmers ,growers and gardeners are hoping for some warm rain.
Related of to the weather of course is the debate around climate change which is constantly in the news. The possible reasons are very complex and very varied depending on which scientist you listen to. Farming is trying to do its bit by setting out to measure what effects farming practices have on the environment and how we can reach net zero. Through our milk cooperative Arla all producers have been encouraged to carry out a climate check audit to find out the good and bad in our farming activities. The process involves giving information on how much produce was sold off the farm and how much inputs were required to produce these goods. It was designed to measure the efficiency of the farm. As we operate a mixed farm of livestock and crops both can benefit from each other by producing home grown feeds and creating it’s own fertiliser from the animals , thus saving on inputs that need to be purchased. Over we ended up with an average score compared with similar types of farms. I think this showed us that there is still plenty to do to help benefit the climate. The good points showed that a high proportion of the milk produced came from home grown forages and the crops benefitted from the manures the cattle produced thus reducing the requirement for purchasing so much fertiliser. Impovements suggested were in perhaps covering slurry stores to reduce ammonia emissions also to produce more of our own protein thereby reducing the need to import so much .It is early days in this process but at least we are beginning to take the aim being net zero seriously.
The pictures for this month show how far the process of crop sraying has come forward in the terms of safety for the operator and the crop. One picture was taken in the 1970’s with virtually no protection for the driver and limited means of apply the product accurately compared to the modern equipment with tractor cabs and GPS driving assistance to allow for a very accurate application of the products.
By: James Cossins
“In recent articles I have considered ‘Sense of Place’. An elderly friend of mine, who wishes to remain anonymous, sent me a poem which captures a journey in the Vale. To me it is an excellent example of how people express their love for, and are inspired by, place. Enjoy.”
White and woolly clouds flying high and fast
Wind roaring in the trees as we walk past.
Shining through the clouds the sun is still full out
Casting light and dapple shadow all about.
The noisy wind creates a silence of its own.
Blows away all man made noise; just the quiet of us alone. Husband, wife and family dog strolling in natures protected zone.
Absorbing sights, sounds and smells all in a world of our own.
We haven’t paid some vast sum to be here in the open air.
‘’Tis something we have inherited but don’t always remember it is there.
Look at that tree. Can you remember when it was only up to my knee?
Now ‘’tis just about a lovely full grown tree.
Josh is enjoying this new walk. You can tell by the action of his tail.
He dashes this way and then that, picks up a smell which, for a while, stops that tail
Now he
ambles back to take a sniff at some old sack. Marks it with a cock of the keg.
Come on you two, he seems to say.
I’m off ahead. Don’t lag.
From fields and tracks we are now in country lanes but what a show,
Veils of dog roses and swags of honeysuckle in every hedgerow.
Cow parsley – past its best, purple blue vetch in profusion climbing high.
All things you will never see as you drive by.
We have left the lanes for a shadowed track where boyhood memories come flooding back
That beech tree with a fallen branch is where I
carved my initials a long way back.
A squirrel takes off with Josh in hot but useless chase…
legal games for him, so no disgrace.
But at six years old he is no match for the squirrel with his turn of pace.
A gateway with lush growth of grasses and clover forms a pleasant place for our stopover.
Orange juice for us, water for Josh and a while to talk and mull things over.
A lovely spot but must not stop too long or aches and stiffness will set in,
so we heave ourselves to our feet and set off along our path again.
Home now across that dreaded Major road onto a wide green lane of dried compacted mud.
Usually when we walk this way ‘’tis really very sticky mud as this lane is prone to flood.
On either side undergrowth is thick and we know the pheasants are in plenty hereabouts.
Josh is tracking hard to flush them out. We are waiting for him to give a “shout “.
Last phase now, through a field of standing rye to a stream where Josh is standing by.
Stream is very low with just a pool for Josh to paddle in – the sun will get him dry.
Through apple orchards with fruit forming in abundance to make the cider later in the year.
This does epitomise our walk so we should raise a glass and say “ Good Cheer “.
Back through a housing estate where once we walked through a quarry.
An ugly sign of mans unrelenting need for change but we mustn’t worry.
‘Tis fact of Life we all need somewhere in which to live.
So let’s say our thanks to God for we can think of no better place to live.
Thank you ‘DorsetPeasant’.
William Wordsworth
Tucked away past verdant rugby and hockey pitches, in the shadow of Hambledon Hill, is Clayesmore School’s magical lake.
Originally built in the 1920s, it is a corner of calm, tranquility and reflection in the bustling school. The lake is home to many animal species including badgers, otters, ducks and a famous pair of swans. A little known fact is that the lake was built in the shape of a swan; maybe that’s why the resident swans feel so drawn to it!
The lake has been enjoyed by pupils for many years, from ‘Lake Warfare’ in the 1940s and 1950s to raft building, pond dipping, kayaking and sailing.
With ‘outdoor learning’ being so fundamental at Clayesmore, the team have been working hard to enhance the space, and with grand plans afoot, it’s set to be even more glorious than ever. The first job for the hardy grounds team was to clear the scrub and vegetation that had built up around the lake over the last few decades, and also undertake some essential woodland management.
Prep pupils were engaged in planting trees as part of Environment Day, earning them a Woodland Trust Gold Award last year. They have also been busy building bird boxes in DT lessons too, and had great fun putting them up in the last week.
Jo Thomson, Head of Clayesmore says, ‘Our commitment to developing outdoor learning experiences is clearly evident; we want all of our pupils to nurture an appreciation and respect for nature and all that is living. We want them to look after our environment and understand that we are guardians of the planet for just one generation, and we must hand it on to the next in good health’.
The ‘Lake Project’ commenced with a pontoon in 2019, funded by the Old Clayesmorian Society, a legacy for the next generation. Pupils are able to pond dip and study new life, and ooh at the layer of frogspawn in spring.
Since we emerged from this latest lockdown, the outdoor classroom has been built lakeside. This really will be a huge enhancement to the way pupils are taught about the environment.
So what’s next for this space? Clayesmore’s Development Manager, Sarah Kerr explains:
‘We have huge plans for the future; installing a ‘reflection bench’ that will snake through the trees, where students can enjoy moments of mindfulness and calm; and for exhilaration, the development of the mountain bike track, along with a bushcraft area, bringing fun and extended learning opportunities. A nature trail is in the works too.’
Clayesmore is keen to share the space when work is finished and restrictions are lifted. They will be inviting local school children in to enjoy the lake, and will also be holding musical events there for the local community to enjoy. What a joy that will be, so watch this space!
Workflow and Admin Co-Ordinator 37.5 hours per week **Closing date 28.05.21**
We are looking for an enthusiastic Clinical workflow and administrative coordinator to join our diverse team to help us manage the clinical flow of correspondence.
This is a key role within the practice and will free up clinicians to see patients and provide the care required.
You will be located at The Blackmore Vale Partnership surgeries in North Dorset.
For information about the role and to apply, please follow the link to our website.
https://www.blackmorevalesurgery.co.uk/vacancies
If you have any further questions about the role, please email: [email protected] Tel: 01747 856706
A new school with fantastic facilities will improve the lives of Dorset children with SEND and reduce future costs, after ambitious plans were last week given the go-ahead.
Plans to convert St Marys into a new school for around 280 pupils with SEND, (special educational needs and or disabilities) and a leading national centre of excellence have been approved by councillors.
Local people overwhelmingly voted for the site to continue to be used for education. Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio holder for Children, Education and Early Help, said: “We have seized a unique opportunity to create something amazing for Dorset.
“The good news is that creating a new SEND school with fantastic facilities will not only improve the lives of Dorset children and young people, but will also save money in the future.
“We will reduce spending in the longer term because it costs almost three times as much to send a child away for private educational provision. We currently have to do this because our own excellent special schools are over-subscribed. This site has wonderful facilities, it would have cost a great deal more and taken several years, to build such an amazing school.”
Currently more than 250 Dorset children have to be sent away to independent special schools – at a cost of around £14 million a year.
It costs around £60,000 per child, per year for independent provision, compared to around £22,000 for high quality provision at one of Dorset’s own excellent special schools.
St Mary’s will be at the heart of a new centre of excellence, with facilities for vulnerable children, young people and adults. The centre will also be used to provide short breaks and respite care for vulnerable children and adults, as well as great facilities for Dorset children in care.
Plans are also being drawn-up to try and create opportunities for local ‘people in need’ to benefit from the site’s amazing facilities. Nothing has been comfirmed, but it is hoped that people who have been prescribed activities by the NHS to boost their mental and physical health will be able to access some of the leisure facilities, though public access will have to be carefully managed in order to safeguard the vulnerable children and adults who will be at the site.
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