Are you alone, or are you lonely?

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28 May 2022

Mental Health Awareness Week is 9th – 15th of May. The theme is particularly relevant as we emerge from the pandemic – it’s loneliness, says Izzy Anwell of Dorset Mind.

Research by the Mental Health Foundation has revealed that people across the UK became a lot more lonely during the pandemic. Loneliness can have damaging effects on physical and mental health. Not only can loneliness contribute to, and exacerbate, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, but some research suggests that loneliness can be as damaging to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Loneliness is a unique experience. Someone can be lonely due to social isolation, where they have little
contact with others, such as an older adult with no family. It is also possible to feel lonely in a room full of people. This is because loneliness can stem from not feeling heard, understood, or cared for by the people around you. Equally, it is possible for someone to feel content being alone. Everyone is different and all emotions are valid.

So how to combat loneliness? One option is to make a concerted effort to meet new people. Although this can be daunting, it is worth giving yourself a little push, remembering that you can leave if you feel overwhelmed. This may be through joining a club or activity – somewhere you can meet people with similar
interests.
Alternatively, you can sign up to volunteer for a cause (such as Dorset Mind!) where you can meet people with similar passions whilst giving back to the community. There’s a charity for every interest, and I guarantee they’re ALL crying out for more volunteers. Helping others can help combat loneliness as it can make us feel more connected to society. Research suggests that ‘giving back’ is one of five proven ways to improve your mental health.
Another strategy would be to appreciate and strengthen your existing connections. Sometimes we can be too focused on what we believe are active demonstrations of caring (i.e. regular phone calls) but not recognise other gestures, such as a friend who is always willing to help with errands. Additionally,
sometimes we are reluctant to make the first move, such as initiating plans. Even if it doesn’t work out as you hoped, you can feel comfort in the knowledge that you tried.
It is possible to become better at managing and accepting the experience of loneliness. The first step is to accept the feeling, learn to sit with it and know that you can survive it. Try to learn to enjoy your own company by making an effort to do enjoyable things. Follow a routine of self-care or start a new activity – rediscover the benefits of enjoying your own company. You can also learn strategies to better manage difficult emotions such as loneliness through various talking therapies and psychological treatments.

We’ll see you at the show!

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Editorial team

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28 May 2022

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Monthly updates from the various North Dorset Police Teams. This month’s news from Sturminster Newtons’s PCSO Mandy Robinson.

The North Dorset team enjoy working the local shows, says Sturminster Newton’s PCSO Mandy Robinson – and look forward to more this summer.

North Dorset Rural Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) attended the Spring Countryside Show at the Shaftesbury on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24h April. NPT were joined by members of the Rural Crime Team on the Saturday. This was our first large community engagement event for 2022.
It was great to see so many people out and about enjoying the demonstrations, craft and food stands as well as the weather. Leaflets, stickers, lost child badges, card police hats, pens and reflectors were handed out to members of the public.
Questions were asked and advice was given.
We will also be in attendance at the following events;
Three Okeford’s Preservation Society Steam and Vintage Show 21st and 22nd May at Shillingstone, and Shaftesbury and Gillingham Show on Wednesday 17th August at the Turnpike Showground Motcombe.

Beauty spots
When visiting beauty spots please do not leave valuables in your vehicle whilst you go for a walk – whether you are walking the dog or out enjoying the countryside. Do not place items under your car seat, or put them in the boot as the would-be thieves know all the hiding places. Best by far; don’t take valuables out with you and leave them at home! There is nothing more frustrating than returning to your vehicle after a
lovely walk to find that your car has had a window smashed and your valuables are gone.

For details on your local team’s future engagements please refer to our website. As always, if you wish to contact us follow the links. You can report non urgent matters via 101, and remember if you see a crime in progress or a person in danger call 999.

A spring in our step!

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Editorial team

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28 May 2022

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A lovely April has meant Thorngrove is buzzing and much-loved community events are finally back, says a happily tired Kelsi-Dean Buck.

What an absolutely stunning April we had. The weather over Easter felt like Summer had arrived early on some days, and we just could not get enough. At the garden centre, the warmth and sunshine meant that many of our plants began to spring into life as they sought to soak up some of them golden rays!
We also saw our first children’s event since late 2019, as we hosted Easter Crafts at Thorngrove, and it was a huge success with a brilliant turnout. We want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended
and spread the word about our event. We look forward to putting on more as the year goes on.

The Thorngrove team proudly attended the Spring Countryside Show, with a selected range of plants for the show visitors to browse

The furniture’s out
Our brand new range of garden furniture went on sale in April too. We had a few available last year but this time we’ve really extended the range and there are so many beautiful items to choose from, whether it’s a fire pit, hanging chair, rattan dinging set and more – there’s something for all tastes and needs! (browse the range on our website today).
At the time of writing, it’s the Monday after the weekend of the Spring Countryside show, which we attended proudly, offering a selected range of plants to the show visitors, while also taking some time to have a wander around and see all the fantastic local businesses and entertainment all coming together again for this important community event. We can’t wait for the Gillingham & Shaftesbuy show later in the summer which we’ll also be at!

Thorngrove’s got basket
Let’s see…what else is going on… oh yes, that’s right, our famous hanging basket workshops are back for late spring! There will still be time to book your place once this issue hits your inbox.
Thorngrove expert Chris Francis will be on hand to help you get creative, and create a beautiful and unique handing basket full of seasonal plants of your choice. These events always fill up so please book to avoid
disappointment.
Phew… I think that about covers it for now. Right, where’s our ‘To Do’ list…the roses need watering (they’ll be blooming soon!!). Stop by Thorngrove this May for all your gardening needs. We’d love to chat about ideas and how to make the most of your garden space. See you soon!

Kelsi Dean Buck Thorngrove Garden Centre

We work out every day (yes you do – you just don’t call it that!)

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Editorial team

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27 May 2022

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Fundamental movement is your body’s unthinking, necessary ‘work out’ as you go about your day, explains expert Mel Mitchell.

When it comes to training in the gym, I always encourage people to incorporate ‘functional movements’ as opposed to isolated exercises, which only train specific muscles. It’s important to train the muscles that we
require for simple everyday tasks, such as picking things up from the floor – it’s easy for these basic movements to become difficult as we get older if we don’t keep using those muscles properly. There are seven established basic movement patterns, the most common five I’ve outlined below, with tips on practicing them:

1. The Hinge
The hinge is the movement we perform when picking things up from the floor – and we all know how hard that gets as you age! Training this movement (for example with deadlifts or kettlebell swings) can not only
help strengthen the muscles involved but also allow you to develop the capability and perfect the form required to lift without damaging your back.

2. The Squat
This is a movement that we do more often than people think. You are essentially squatting whenever you are sitting down in a chair, or coming back up from it again. Even sitting on the toilet is a squatting motion, so why would you not train this movement! Exercises such as front and back squats are a great addition to any gym program.

3. The Lunge
Lunging is a single leg movement. Everyday movements such as climbing stairs or stepping forward to throw a ball for the dog are all forms of lunging. It’s important to note that lunging is not one dimensional, and should be trained in all directions in order to improve balance, strength, flexibility and overall mobility.

4. Push
Pushing objects away from our body is another fundamental movement that we use every day. Movements such as pushing ourselves up from the floor or lifting objects above our head to place on a shelf are common examples of this movement pattern. Adding exercises such as press ups and the overhead press are a great way of strengthening this movement.

5. Pull
Obviously this is the opposite movement to push, literally pulling objects towards your body. Although we don’t necessarily do much of this movement everyday – other than pulling people in for a good old cuddle (run through that again, Ed) – this movement is essential for training and maintaining good posture. Any of the row exercises, and gym machines such as the lat pulldown are brilliant for this movement pattern.

by Mel Mitchell

Belle’s journeyto work alongside Veterans with Dogs

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Editorial team

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27 May 2022

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Veterans With Dogs specialise in helping Veterans lead independent lives by training assistance dogs in task-specific skills relevant to mental health.

Veterans with Dogs trains and provides assistance dogs for current and former members of the British Armed Forces with service-related mental health conditions.
Veterans with Dogs was founded for the purpose of training fully accredited assistance dogs to help mitigate the symptoms of mental health difficulties for Veterans and active-duty service members. Veterans who qualify through the programme have partnerships that they can depend on to help them recognise earlier the increasing symptoms of their difficulties. The dogs are trained to intervene with interruptive
behaviours to help their Veteran with emotional regulation, grounding and to remain safe.
It is commonly recognised and accepted, a Veteran suffering from a condition such as PTSD can become extremely isolated – and their life can become dominated by conditions such as anxiety and depression. Introducing a specially trained dog into the life of a Veteran who is suffering from PTSD has been shown to have hugely beneficial outcomes, increasing their quality of life and regain independency.

Local girl Belle
Belle is a three-year-old black Labrador and a much-loved family pet. To help raise awareness of the charity, she has recently passed her assessment to be a Veterans with Dogs Community Support Dog. She is now able to wear her Community Dog coat with pride.
A Community Dog provides access to the public within group activities and represents the charity at public
events. These dogs need to be trained and are assessed before they are accepted as a Community Dog. They can be playful and fun, but also have the ability to be very relaxed and settled when required. They need to be calm and confident in many different situations and be able to bring their natural benefits of physical interaction to the public.
Belle’s training is continuing so that she can further the support she can give to the charity. She is now learning to carry out tasks which might be required of an assistance dog to support their veteran. She will then be able to demonstrate these to the public as an example of what these highly intelligent and special
assistance dogs can do. Belle, and her humans, Carol and Andy, are happy to attend any local events to help raise awareness of this much needed charity. They can be contacted through Veterans with Dogs.

Damory Vets in Blandford have very kindly agreed have a collection tin in the reception area from the end of April in support of Veterans with Dogs. For more details of the charity, please visit their website (veteranswithdogs.uk) and support the charity in any way that you can.

Arts Centre Marketing & Front of House Assistant | The Exchange Stur

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Editorial team

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27 May 2022

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Sturminster Newton DT10 – £19,500 full time 37.5 hours per week or £9,360 part time 18 hours per week.

Full Job Description

Do you have a passion for live music and events with a grounding in marketing and promotion? Looking to work with a supportive team of staff and volunteers? Enjoy being creative? This might be the role for you!

The Exchange is an award-winning Community Arts Centre based in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. We have a 301-seat venue that hosts an impressive range of local and international performers including live music, theatre and cinema. We have a suite of rooms available for private hire, a range of community groups and activities, such as the Country Market, who base themselves at the Exchange and a programme of art exhibitions. There is also a community café and a bar available for evening performances.

Ideally we are seeking a full time employee working 37.5 hours per week and five out of six days (Mondays to Saturdays). We will also consider those looking to work part time providing they can work at least 18 hours a week.

Marketing:

Essential – You must be experienced in producing creative copy and content writing, designing of brochures/posters etc., social media marketing & email marketing. Use of Microsoft, Outlook, Word Excel, Publisher, and PDF.

Desirable – You will have some expertise of social media, design software, be open-minded, a good communicator, well organised and hopefully be used to working with Mailchimp and Canva.

You will be able to maintain excellent relationships with regional press and media to raise the profile of The Exchange through timely press releases and effective advertisements, features, and listings.

Front of House and Box Office:

You will need to also provide cover for the Box Office and Front of House, including evenings and weekends when required. This should be no more than one Saturday and Friday evening and one Saturday morning per month. Duties will include taking bookings and payments, greeting visitors and dealing with general enquiries over the phone and in person.

General:

The ability to work within a small team of staff and with volunteers.
Ability to communicate with all members of the community at any level
To work in accordance with current legislation and our policies and procedures.
Any other responsibilities that may reasonably be required by the Manager.
To provide cover for other areas of responsibility from time to time when exceptional events occur.

To apply please email your CV and covering letter to [email protected]

or call Sharon on 01258 475137 for more information

House Pastoral Assistants Clayesmore School

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Editorial team

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27 May 2022

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House Pastoral Assistants

Full Time, Term Time, Permanent – And Part Time, Term Time, Permanent

These roles require enthusiastic, well organised individuals with a warm and welcoming nature to assist the House parents in 2 of our boys’ boarding houses, and the duties associated with the boarding operation, and to oversee the pastoral wellbeing of all the pupils in their care.

The successful candidates will have experience of working with young people and an understanding of safeguarding and child protection responsibilities, along with the ability to deal calmly with sensitive situations.

Role 1 Is a term time, full time role, working 10.00am until 6.00pm Monday to Friday

In addition to the House Pastoral Assistant role, the successful candidate will have the opportunity of undertaking the HPA Team Leader role for which an additional salary allowance will be paid – details of this role can be found with the application pack.

Role 2 Is a term time, part time role, working 14.5 hours per week and the hours are 3.00pm – 6.30pm Tuesday and Thursday, and 4.00pm – 6.30pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

For further information and to apply please go to:

https://clayesmore.com/work-for-us/

Closing date: 8:00am on Friday 10th June 2022

Clayesmore is committed to the safeguarding and promotion of children’s and young people’s welfare and expects all staff and volunteers to share in the commitment.

www.clayesmore.com

An in Depp-th look at defamation

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Editorial team

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26 May 2022

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The Johnny Depp and Amanda Heard trial has sparked an interest amongst most. The case is centred around the ever-growing law of defamation, explains expert Wingwai Tam of Blanchards Bailey.

With increased social media usage and the ease of posting statements/comments about other people and businesses publicly, we are seeing an increased level of defamation claims. How do you know if you have crossed the line between harmless banter and a statement damaging one’s reputation and character?

What is Defamation?
The Defamation Act 2013 protects people and businesses from injury caused by words spoken or written by another. The statement made, needs to be damaging to your reputation/ lowers your integrity to others, be largely untrue and misleading.

How much is my claim worth?
Depp has claimed $50 million for the defamatory statement and Heard has Counterclaimed $100 million.
The value of your claim will largely depend on the seriousness of the statement. For example, Heard wrote an article in the Washington Post alleging she was the subject of domestic abuse. The Washington Post is a worldwide news outlet which has the potential to cause much greater damage than one that is published to a smaller group of people.
Your claim will also depend on the person’s livelihood the statement has affected. Heard and Depp are public figures in which Depp’s professional reputation has been seriously affected. The court in this
scenario will most likely look to the value of the work lost by him (such as the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film) amongst a whole host of other aspects of his career and personal life the statement has affected. It will then be for the person that made the statement to prove what they said is true. Currently, Heard is presenting to the court her evidence of the alleged domestic abuse suffered and evidence to show Depp’s explosive behaviour.
Evidence both sides have shown are photos of injuries, witness evidence from people that have an insight into their relationship such as friends, family and bodyguards and their own personal evidence. It will then be for the court to assess the evidence presented and whether the damage correlates with the monetary
sum suffered.
The aim of the compensatory damages is to restore you to the position you would be in if you had not been defamed.

What if I/my business suffer?
Your first point of call should be to contact the person who made the untrue statement to ask them to retract it.
Remedies include involving the court to issue an injunction order to stop the person making the statement from making any further statement, and compensatory damages.
Other remedies can also include removal of the statement from publication, withdrawal of statement, written public apology and/or amending the statement.

Can Blanchards Bailey help? If you’re looking for help or advice, please get in touch on 01258 483609 and speak to Wingwai Tam about the facts surrounding your potential claim.

Helping our farmland birds to return and thrive

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Editorial team

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26 May 2022

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Birds living and breeding on the UK’s farmland saw numbers decline by almost a tenth in just five years, says Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Farmland bird populations have declined by 56% since 1970, largely due to agricultural changes including the loss of mixed farming, a switch to autumn sowing of crops, a reduction in hay meadows and the stripping out of hedgerows.
Image © corn bunting by Luke Massey 2020VISION

From chattering flocks of linnets, buntings and finches, yellowhammers singing from thick bushy hedges and skylarks hovering above fields, farmland has traditionally provided key habitats for some of our most
beautiful and melodic native farmland birds. However, changes in farming practices have led to the loss of many such habitats. According to the bird indicators produced jointly by the British Trust for Ornithology and the RSPB for Defra, breeding farmland birds declined by more than half between 1970 and 2019.
Dorset Wildlife Trust works with landowners across the county to provide guidance and advice on managing their land with wildlife in mind. From unplanted patches for skylarks to nest, to designating grassy margins
for ground-nesting birds such as corn bunting, birds can be encouraged to return and thrive. Making space for nature and in particular, these traditional birds has never been more important.

What to look out for in Dorset:

Yellowhammer
The yellowhammer is a sparrow-sized, bright yellow bird that feeds on seeds and invertebrates. They are often seen perched on top of bushes singing their ‘a little bit of bread and no cheese’ song. Whilst the numbers of this bright yellow bird have declined in recent years, surveys have identified yellowhammer
at our recently acquired Wild Woodbury rewilding project at Bere Regis. By changing the way the land is
managed, we hope to build the numbers of this red list species.

The yellowhammer has declined in number in recent years. Spot this bright yellow bird singing from the top of a bush or fence, or in a mixed-species flock in winter.

Skylark
The song of the skylark has been the subject of many great musical and literary works. They are easy to spot rising almost vertically from farmland and grasslands singing and hovering effortlessly at a great height
before parachuting back down to earth. Despite their aerial activities, skylarks nest on the ground laying three to four eggs. Fontmell Down is a great place to spot the skylark, a streaky brown bird, with a crest.

Corn bunting
A streaky brown, thick-billed bird which is similar to the skylark but with a thicker bill and no crest. Male corn buntings are often seen perched on top of bushes singing loudly – a song that sounds just like a jangling set of keys. The corn bunting often joins mixed flocks of buntings, finches and sparrows feeding on seeds on farmland in the winter.

To find information on birds, visit the Dorset Wildlife Trust website at dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk.