All the fab acts and shows on at the Exchange in Sturmnister Newton throughout January and February 2022
To book any show visit the box office here – The Exchange
The Small Hall with the Big Reputation
A fantastic community arts organisation hosting great music & theatrical acts, and home to Petherton Picture Show.
Saturday 22nd January 8 pm Willie and The Bandits
This 4 piece band have toured with artists such as Deep Purple through to the John Butler trio and played major festivals across Europe. £18 / £17.
Wednesday 26th January Coffee Morning 10 am
Pop in for a cup of real coffee and a chat. Look around the book and bric-a-brac stalls and more often than not, listen to some live music.
28th January Petherton Picture Show Film presents Cruella (12A) 2021 8:00 pm.
A live-action prequel feature film following a young Cruella de Vil.
Saturday 29th January 8pm The Churchfitters.
The three flamboyant characters that make up Churchfitters present their uplifting and entertaining show with a unique dynamism and describe their music as ‘Folk Unlimited’.
Sunday 30 January Acoustic Night – 7:30pm Donations Only.
Live at the Hall. Do please book ahead rather than, as previously, just turning up. A great night for all.
Details of all shows, plus online booking at www.thedavidhall.com
Little Red Riding Hood Is Coming To Town
Shaftesbury Arts Centre’s 2022 Pantomime is Little Red Riding Hood, a family show filled with comedy and music. In these challenging times, we all need our spirits lifted and this performance will have you smiling, dancing and howling with laughter.
Come along and enjoy a traditional story with many twists along the way.
Shaftesbury Arts Centre from Thursday 27 January
Tickets available from www.shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk or the Box Office 01747854321
Beautiful coastal circular with stunning views! 7 miles | Dorset Walks
The Dorset coastal path is always super-busy in the summer, but there’s nowhere more glorious on a sharp and sunny winter’s day.
Extra note this month – while walking the coastal path section in November, I foolishly didn’t stop moving as I checked the route on my phone. I immediately clattered into a very low and frankly insignificant bush, and a ridiculous amount of pain bloomed in my shin, despite there being no visible damage.
Three days later I was in A&E with a serious infection spreading up my leg thanks to a single deep puncture wound in my shin from that blackthorn bush.
Apparently it’s a common issue – so beware the blackthorn!
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 here. (you’ll need to create a free account to see them).
To follow this route using the Outdooractive App, please find the route here.
Starting from the small car park in Worth Matravers (honesty box) you walk past the smallest pub I know, the Square & Compass (which has been in the same family for 100 years), and then follow the path through a gorgeous gully straight down to the clifftop (the relatively steep downhill is mildly treacherous in wet).
In the central section, if you’ve never visited, it’s worth leaving the route to clamber down to Dancing Ledge for an explore.
The eagle-eyed, and those following our tracks on the app, will notice that we managed to miss the path which leads away from the cliff edge to the one running parallel but slightly inland. We wound our way up to it following small paths presumably made by countless others who did the same!
Wear good footwear in the winter – the coastal path is narrow and busy, and therefore gets incredibly muddy. Also do please keep dogs on leads, the cliff edge is suprisingly close in sections. The route back along the Priest’s Way runs parallel to the coastal path. It’s an ancient track taken by a local priest as he travelled back and forth between the churches at Swanage and Worth Matravers.
The first glimpse of the sea appears just a few minutes after leaving the car at Worth Matravers
Looking back across Dancing Ledge (seen in the foreground), from the half way breathing point of the toughest uphill section of the route – the views are all the reward you need to keep plodding upwards
On a sunny winter’s day, a hike on Dorset’s coastal path takes some beating.
The track inland from the coast to pick up The Priest’s Way doesn’t take much map reading to follow…
Even away from the breathtaking coastline the views are constant and beautiful.
Kitchen Assistant | Clayesmore School
Kitchen Assistant – 34.5 hours per week, all year round.
Clayesmore has an exciting opportunity for a Kitchen Assistant to join our team of talented and experienced staff in the heart of Dorset. Clayesmore prides itself in providing a comprehensive, in- house fresh food service to all its pupils and staff.
The successful candidate will be well presented and a hard-working team player with a good sense of humour. Experience within the catering trade would be an advantage but not essential as full training will be given.
The catering provision provides a 7 days per week service to the school. The hours worked will be 5 days per week over a 7 day shift pattern.
For further information and an application form, please go to:
https://clayesmore.com/work-for-us/
And click on Support Staff Vacancies
Closing date is: EXTENDED until 8am on Wednesday, 9 March 2022. 2022.
Parties make for happy puppies
Puppy Parties are a perfect way to introduce your puppy to the vets in a fun and playful way. Mandy Walters, Small Animal Practice Manager & Head Nurse at Damory Vets explains why they’re important.
In the next couple of months, we will start Puppy Parties at Damory Vets. Puppy Parties are a perfect way to introduce your puppy to the vets in a fun and playful way.
After your puppy has had their first vaccination and before they have their second, they can join up to two parties. The parties include playtime to help with socialisation, discussion with the Veterinary Nurse about flea and worm treatment, training, food and feeding, and anything else that we can help you with.
Puppies have a lot to learn about the world in a short amount of time, and it is our job as owners to guide them as best as we can so that at the end of the day, we have a happy and confident puppy.
It is important to think about what a puppy will experience in their day-to-day life with you, whether it is gunshots, traffic, school playground and so on. It is important that early exposure is started as soon as possible in a safe and controlled way.
Puppies are not able to socialise freely until they are fully vaccinated, so these parties help them to socialise in a safe environment. It is important to socialise your pup from the moment you take them home, however, after 16 weeks of age new things and situations may take them longer to get used to and are more likely to be initially scared of them. We try to make the parties fun and interactive for both puppies and owners, encouraging training, grooming, general handling as well as playing with the other puppies. The nurses are happy to discuss further socialisation with you as well. We want the puppies to have a fun and enjoyable experience at the vets and to make happy early memories.
Damory Veterinary Clinic
Patient Services Team Member | The Blackmorevale Partnership
Patient Services Team Member – Part time Up to to be discussed
***Closing Date 04.02.2022***
We are looking for a new patient service team member to join our dedicated team to work across our busy GP practice.
£20,355.25 – £21,548.01 Pro rata
Job Summary:
- To offer general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
- Receive, assist, and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient, and effective way.
- Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice including the provision of clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the practice team.
- Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care, and other associated Healthcare agencies.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
- The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice reception and administration team may include any or all of the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the Senior Receptionist/Administration Manager, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels.
- Maintain and monitor the practice appointments system.
- Process personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations and ensure callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional.
- Direct visitors to the correct place, ensuring they sign the visitor’s book on arrival and departure.
- Process repeat and acute prescription requests from patients, Pharmacies and on line in accordance with practice guidelines.
- Take details of home visits, record, action and pass on to the appropriate member of staff as per the Practice guidelines.
- Deal with urgent phone calls as per Practice guidelines.
- Take messages and relay information to the appropriate member of staff.
- Register new patients and temporary patients, making sure all the relevant paperwork is completed and new patient appointments are made.
- Record new patient’s notes on arrival and tag them as per Practice protocol.
- Register patients for on-line services.
- Computer data entry/data allocation and collation, plus processing and recording of information in accordance with Practice procedures.
- Update patient’s personal details.
- Initiate contact with and respond to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare agencies and providers.
- Take in parcels, log in book, inform and deliver to the relevant person.
- Take in urine and other samples and deliver to the appropriate place.
- Provide clerical assistance to Practice staff, including photocopying and scanning.
- Deal appropriately with any forms handed in by patients.
- Keep the reception and administration area tidy and free from obstructions and clutter.
- Record blood pressure readings on the patient’s notes, dealing with any high readings as per Practice protocol.
- Hand out any correspondence to the patients. Collect any money (cheque or cash) from patients for services provided, issuing receipts, and recording on the computer.
- Provide an efficient scanning service.
Confidentiality
While seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carer’s, practice staff and other healthcare workers.
They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Health & Safety
The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others’ health, safety and security as defined in the practice health & safety policy to include:
- Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines.
- Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
- Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.
- Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards.
- Actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised.
- Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
- Reporting potential risks identified.
Equality & Diversity
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers, and colleagues, to include:
- Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
- Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers, and colleagues.
- Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Communication
The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with other team members.
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
- Recognize people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Personal/professional development
The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:
- Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
- Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
Quality
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:
- Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
- Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
- Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance.
- Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients’ needs
- Effectively manage own time, workload, and resources.
Contribution to the implementation of services
The post-holder will:
- Apply practice policies, standards, and guidance
- Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work.
- Participate in audit where appropriate
For further information about the role and to apply, please click on the link below to our vacancy page:
Vacancies Careers Jobs (blackmorevalesurgery.co.uk)
The nimble woodland resident with the acrobatic swift exit.
As Dorset’s most widespread deer species, you might be lucky enough to spot a roe deer or two tentatively emerging from woodlands or bounding across frosted fields this winter. But how much do you know about the lives of these mysterious wild mammals?
Roe deer live a mostly solitary life during the summer, but in winter they may come together and form small, loose groups. They are most active at dawn and dusk, and live in areas
of mixed countryside where they can be close to woodland, farmland, grassland and heathland. They eat buds and leaves from trees and shrubs, as well as ferns, grasses, brambles and heathers.
Is it a roe deer?
Be prepared to look out for the roe deer’s identifying features; if you do glimpse one, it may be on the move and disappear swiftly. They are a slender, medium- sized deer with short antlers (males) and no tail. Roe deer are mostly brown in colour, turning reddish in the summer and
darker slate grey in the winter, and you’re most likely to spot the flash of their pale buff rump as they dash away from you with dramatic leaps and bounds! Their eyes are large and black, and they have black noses and mouths, with large ears atop their heads and a white chin.
The animated Disney character Bambi is thought to have been based on a roe deer – roe deer fawns, just like the film’s title character, are born with white spots on their back and sides, which disappear with age.
A male’s antlers are quite small, typically have three points each and undergo a cycle of growth and re-growth that takes a full year. They begin to grow their antlers in November, shedding the velvet from them in the spring. By summer, they are
ready for the rutting season. After mating, they shed their antlers in October and begin
to grow a new set. Adult roe deer have no natural predators. However, their young can be taken by foxes.
Spotting tracks
If you don’t happen to spot a deer itself, you might spy some tracks left behind. Their hoof- prints will be around 4cm long – remarkably small for such a substantial animal (an adult roe deer can be up to 1.3 metres in length and 75cm in height) – and they tend to follow the same paths regularly.
To find out more about deer and more wildlife you might spot around Dorset at this time of year, visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org. uk.
The joy of growing from seed
Charlotte Tombs, an experienced Dorset flower farmer at Northcombe Flowers in Sturminster Marshall, shares her growing year and seasonal thoughts with us.
I use January as a month to plan and dream about my new year’s flowers and vegetables, says Charlotte Tombs, who explains why a garden diary is a great idea.
New beginnings, new start, new catalogues, new varieties, new compost, new trays, new gloves, new seed markers, new tools (it’s always their fault)… all the things I love about growing from seed. We get another chance to try again each year, we can wipe clean all those gardening mishaps and go in with a clean slate, a new approach, a determination to do things better or differently – like Groundhog Day but with us in control – almost!
My slow start in January
I don’t start seed sowing in earnest until February, when the natural light levels improve, but I will sow a few sweetpea seeds somewhere warm then put them in the greenhouse as soon as they germinate. Or I’ll soak
a few anemone or ranunculus corms and claws and get them to sprout, plant them and put them in my little zip-up greenhouse next to the back door so I can monitor the new life emerging.
Don’t throw old seeds!
I use January as a month to plan and dream – but mainly to procrastinate.
Did you know that seed, if stored correctly, only loses 10% of it’s viability per year? Do the maths: nine year old seed will have a 10% germination rate. So never give up on an interesting old packet of seeds found in your grandparents’ drawer – you may just get a successful outcome, even if only partial. If you sow 50 seeds, then you could get five healthy and attractive plants.
It’s also worth remembering that if you can save seed from your own plants, that seed may grow better for
you – it could have adapted to your soil type and growing conditions. That’s often why those self- seeded seedlings in your gravel path are so much healthier than the ones you mollycoddled last year.
So check what seeds you have left, pore over those seed catalogues, make a list of everything you want to grow, (and check with a fellow seed geek – you may be able to share or swap seed varieties, or your acquaintance may have grown it before and advise that it was a waste of space or time).
Then if you are anything like me, you’ll need to cut your list down considerably as you never have as much space for what you want.
Clever use of January
Use this ‘down-time’ time to finally tidy and organise your seed trays and pots: take an old brush to clean out all the old soil if they are lying around outside and have been buried under a pile of leaves like mine.
At the back end of Autumn we were all meant to clear up, wash the trays/pots in warm soapy water and put them away for the winter as there may be slugs and snails (or their eggs) hiding; the last thing you want is a slug chomping through your newly emerging germinating seeds. I love the theory, but the practise takes discipline, which frankly I don’t possess.
I don’t however buy new plastic pots – all gardeners have hundreds and they can be re-used time and again.
Make 2022 the year you begin keeping a garden diary
If you haven’t done so, think about keeping a gardening diary or making notes. It will be a very useful aid.
And if you have gardening geek tendencies like I do, you’ll find it fascinating that last New Year’s Eve the temperature was -3o C, and this new year +14o C and we had snow at the end of January 2021. Yes I know, crazy!
I simply keep a note of when I sowed a seed and when it flowered. Some gardeners go further; they will record dates of germination, potting on, planting out, flowering and then when they were ripped up and another flower grown in its place. The RHS have a great five year diary and you can start it at any time in the year.
Charlotte Tombs, an experienced Dorset flower farmer at Northcombe Flowers in Sturminster Marshall
