Cheselbourne Village School was excited to be the first school to visit the new KUKA Titans at Loop Technology Centre in Dorchester. The children were buzzing with excitement as the robots were switched on to show everything that they do. The school provided some creative artwork to be displayed at the centre and received a guided tour to help inspire the next generation of engineers.
Just before half term, children at Wardour Primary enjoyed an action-packed week of sport.
It began with a team of power-chair football experts teaching the children a variation of the sport they all love. Using adapted electric chairs, they learned how to control a large football and had a go at playing a 5-a-side game. The coaches came from Nova Sport, which organise a variety of sports for people with physical disabilities to play on a regular basis.
As part of the school’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, there was a sponsored walk that involved dressing up in red, white and blue and walking around an obstacle-laden course as many times as possible, raising money for school resources. Later that afternoon, the whole school enjoyed a traditional tea party, wearing home-made crowns, eating sandwiches and cake.
This year’s guest speaker was Olympian Aerial skier Lloyd Wallace. He showed them how his training involved jumping onto a trampoline and into a swimming pool – with skis on! As well as sharing with them his passion and dedication for the sport, he also showed them a very damaged helmet from a not-so-successful landing on the slopes. Lloyd encouraged them to embrace and do their very best at whatever they loved doing, whether a sport or academic subject.
The week ended with Sports Day. Parents picnicked on the field, while the children prepared to run a variety of sprints and novelty races. The points were added up to declare this year’s winning house – Old Sarum.
The BV Podcast is the ‘best bits’ from each BV magazine. A warm and chatty monthly catch up, read by Jenny Devitt and Terry Bennett – perfect for when you’re baking, driving or walking.
BV June ’22, Part 3 – just hit ‘play’ above!
In the third and final of June’s episodes:
To commemorate the event’s 60th anniversary, one team from The Gryphon School took part in the Ten Tors Challenge last month wearing original 1960s kit.
As per Ten Tors rules, students covered either 35- or 45-mile distances, carrying all the equipment needed for the two-day hike across Dartmoor.
The ‘1960’s team’ of Ed, Ed, Leon, Ewan, Malachi and Louie wore original items that were sourced over the past year to ensure an authentic experience of what the Challenge was like for the original participants.”
Ed Smith, 17, said: “Our outfits consisted of lightweight pale green trousers, black boots, puttees/gaiters, base T-shirts, army shirts and smocks and an authentic headdress.
The clothes proved to be surprisingly comfortable as well as practical. However, the rucksacks were painful and incredibly hard work. Two members in my team, Louie and Leon, had frame carriers which were by far the hardest to pack and carry, as they required endless adjusting and were susceptible to breaking.
Despite the uncomfortable rucksacks, we had the time of our lives doing Ten Tors and felt over the moon to cross the finish line after the endless hours of training and planning.”
The team was honoured at the end of the challenge to be greeted by six veterans of the original Ten Tors.
Geoff Cooke, Gryphon Challenge manager, said: “It is a huge achievement to complete the Ten Tors. We support students to take part as it builds confidence, teamwork, resilience and independence – qualities that will serve them well in the future. The Army organisation of the Challenge is outstanding and of course none of this would be possible without the volunteers, who support all our training and practice walks – parents, staff and members of the community – so a big thank you to them!”
Aged 81 years, sadly passed away peacefully on the 19th June 2022 after a short illness.
Much loved wife of Leslie, and mum of Helen, Gary, Wendy, Grant and the loving mother in law of Stephen, Jack and Hayley. Also will be greatly missed by all her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Love and miss you always xxx
(Mike) Died peacefully on 17th June 2022 at Salisbury Hospital after a short illness.
Much loved husband of Gillian. Loving father of Kate, Anne and Henny and Grandad of Nathaniel, Eve, James and Jack. Caring brother of Roger. Michael will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends and those whose lives he touched as a teacher in Bristol for many years.
Donations if desired to Macmillan Nurses
Passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on 15th June 2022, John, aged 87, formerly of Swindon
Much loved Husband of the late Eileen, devoted Dad of Lorna and Sarah, Father-in-law to Glenn & Darren and loving Grandad of Ciara, Freya, James & Libby.
Treasured Brother-in-law, Uncle and Friend.
Donations, if so desired, can be made to Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis via Much Loved.
On Tuesday 10th May, Witchampton primary school’s Badgers Class (Years 1 and 2) had a wonderful visit to Launceston Farm to enhance their learning in Science and Design Technology.
They began by looking for signs of spring, noticing that the calves had been born and many plants were beginning to bloom. Next they collected different petals and leaves to create their own spring bracelets.
The class had fun tracking the journey of a wheat seed and seeing it grow in the field before making bread themselves. No pesticides are used at the organic Launceston Farm. This meant that there was a wide variety of plants and insects to observe among the wheat.
The group also made their own butter by shaking a container full of double cream. They were then able to spread their homemade butter on their own still-warm fresh-baked bread and enjoy it – the perfect end to a wonderful morning on the farm.
Many will have seen in the media that disputes about loved one’s estates are increasingly common, making juicy tabloid stories such as “Brother wins £1million inheritance fight after sister told dad he was a criminal” or “Bitter inheritance battle over £2m share of family farm”.
While most publicised cases involve a challenge to a will or a claim for provision from an estate, the majority of our recent enquiries don’t actually involve people unhappy with what they have been left by the deceased.
Instead, more often they relate to being upset with the way the estate is being administered, how long it is taking, or wanting to keep a particular asset.
We wanted to dispel a few myths and answer some common questions.
Who can administer an estate?
Where a will has been made, it is the named “executors” who can act. If there isn’t a will, the intestacy rules dictate who can deal with the estate, usually based upon what relatives are left behind. If the job falls to a group, say the children of the deceased, then there is no priority amongst them. Either they have to agree who will act, or it is a case of who gets the grant of probate quickest.
How long does a personal representative (‘PR’) have to administer an estate?
There isn’t any fixed time limit, and it depends on how large and complex the estate is. Many, though, refer to ‘the executor’s year’.
Essentially, if it hasn’t been completed within 12 months of the grant, questions can start to be asked and action potentially taken.
What are the duties of a PR?
Ultimately, the job of administering an estate is to: sell or encash all the assets, pay off the liabilities, and
distribute to the beneficiaries.
It is only if all the beneficiaries agree that something different can happen. Therefore, if someone wants to buy out others’ interest in a property, or keep a family heirloom, then everyone has to agree. If not, then the asset will have to be sold on the open market, and the money then distributed.
Options & Actions
The assistance we can provide in these situations include: finding out what is going on with the estate administration, ensuring the PR is doing their job properly, suing a PR if they have caused a loss to the estate or acted wrongly, applying to remove a PR from the role, appointing an independent professional to ensure the estate is administered properly, usually where executors or PRs can’t play nicely together, and
avoiding any unnecessary delay on inheritance being received.
We’re here for you
Porter Dodson Solicitors has a designated Contested Wills, Trusts and Estates Team who can provide advice and assistance where an inheritance question or dispute arises.
To find out more, call 01823 625841.
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