Planning scandal, angry farmer, the UK’s top farrier – it’s all go this month. Plus … THE FOALS ARE BACK! And you know this bit by now – we’re digital only. You won’t find us in a shop. Just right here online!
The village bites back – Henstridge residents launch legal challenge after Somerset Council’s actions raise questions about systemic planning integrity and accountability
We have a profile on the president of the British Blacksmiths and Farriers Association, Dorset farrier Abby Bunyard. She never set out to break barriers, she just forged her own path by refusing to accept them
The green farming dream lies in tatters – George Hosford writes this month with a barely-contained fury that’s impossible to ignore. The Government pulled the plug on the SFI, and George explains why the very real consequences will be felt far beyond the fields.
In local history, we’ve the genuinely fascinating trail of five centuries of lives lived in what is now the Museum of East Dorset, plus the BRUTAL CONDUCT OF A STEPMOTHER (in 1906)
Meet Jim Freer, 100 this month. He’s had a busy century, but he’s not done yet: ‘Be nice to people – it’s infectious! I don’t really have any ambitions now … Well, I suppose I have, actually. I want to enjoy life with people. And there’s always something new to see or to learn.’
The foals are back! Wobbly legs, daft ears, whiskery noses – brace yourselves, equestrian fans.
Defashion Dorset’s Jennifer Morisetti has sparked a grassroots fashion movement in rural Dorset rebelling against the fast fashion industry.
The Farming Community Network were thrilled to receive a cheque for £10,000 this month. Dorset Training was set up as a farmer-owned membership in 1998 to provide training to the agricultural community. The money donated to FCN is the remaining membership funds following its merger with Newlands Training, and recognises the ongoing strong links with the farming community. Newlands Training, run by Anna Chambers, provides rural and agricultural training throughout the south of England, including on pesticides, plant and machinery, Health and Safety, forestry and horticulture. BASIS Soil and Water and FACTS agronomy courses are also run each autumn/winter.
Working closely with the relevant accrediting body each course is led by a fully trained instructor, and the students receive recognised industry certificates. All courses can be held on site or at one of their training centres across Dorset. All enquiries 01305 848454 or to [email protected]
The confidential, national helpline is open every day of the year, from 7am to 11pm. Volunteers provide free, confidential support to anyone who seeks help: call 03000 111 999
We are seeking to appoint an HR Officer who has the technical knowledge and experience of the full range of HR requirements consistent with a small independent school employing just over 100 staff.
The role will be based on our school site working 40 hours a week all year round with remuneration dependent on experience and skills, but likely to be in the range £30-35k.
The successful applicant will:
• be responsible for all stages of an employee life cycle – from recruitment to exit
• act as liaison with the school’s external payroll provider
• largely autonomously manage routine HR matters such as staff absences (sickness, maternity, paternity), flexible working requests
• provide HR guidance together with procedural and administrative support to school senior managers including occasions where contentious HR matters arise such as disciplinary procedures
• be the owner of all HR filing and administration records and processes including the Single Central Record and related safeguarding checks
You will be part of a friendly and supportive team, and training will be available to enhance skills. Our staff also benefit from free parking, free refreshments, and a free lunch.
Experience of school HR processes and an understanding of the Single Central Record would be desirable, but full training will be given a successful candidate whose experience has been gained in sectors other than education.
Further details may be obtained from our website or from HR on 01258 882306 or email [email protected]. Applications must be submitted on the school’s application form. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 23rd April 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Please note that we are not accepting applications for this position through any employment agency and all applications should be made direct to the school.
Milton Abbey School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The appointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Additionally, please be aware that Milton Abbey School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. To avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.
Please note that our school is a no smoking/vaping site.
Director of Finance (for: payroll, contracts & legal HR matters)
JOB PURPOSE:To undertake all HR duties consistent with a small independent school employing c100 staff and act as payroll liaison with external payroll provider
Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
Duties and Responsibilities:
Human resources
• Management of all staff recruitment (from authorisation to recruit through to appointment)
• Drafting to agreed templates and distribution of
o Offer letters, contract of employments and variations
o pet license agreements
o service license agreements
• Working closely with line managers, supervise all aspects of the lifecycle of the employee within agreed policies including (without limitation):
o Induction and probation
o Appraisals
o Flexible working requests
o Sickness absence
o Maternity and paternity
o Retirement
o Leaver protocols
• Owning employee data and files (electronic and hard copy) to include annual audit and archive of ex-employee files together with ownership of the School’s Single Central Record of safeguarding information as required under statutory guidance KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education).
• Preparation of and issuing references when requested in compliance with school policy
• Ownership, organisation, maintenance and distribution/publication of the employment manual and HR policies (subject to senior leadership approval) and other HR documents.
• Management of the online DBS disclosures site.
• Issuing annual leave cards for relevant staff members and recording annual leave carry forward entitlement.
• Preparation and submission of DFE workforce census and provision of information as required during inspections and audits (e.g. Independent School’s Inspectorate).
• Acknowledgement and response to ad-hoc vacancy requests.
• Management of HR@miltonabbey email inbox.
• Taking advice on routine HR legal matters from the school’s appointed legal advisors, acting consistent with such advice and recognising when to refer contentious matters to Head of Operations and/or Director of Finance
Payroll
• Maintenance of the staff pay database
• Central liaison with the school’s external payroll provider to ensure all staff are paid correctly and on time to include
o starter information
o leaver information
o statutory leave (maternity, paternity etc)
o sickness
o variations
o timesheets for additional pay, subject to authorisation procedures and protocols
o liaison with accounts as regards staff expenses
o net pay deductions (e.g. staff common room subscriptions)
• Administrative oversight of school pension schemes working closely with school payroll provider who will manage joiners, leavers and monthly contributions to include
o Opt outs
o Periodic auto-reenrolment
• Supporting the finance director in the annual pay review and awards, preparing and distributing pay review letters
Budgets
• Manage HR and payroll budgets within agreed limits, always assuring best value.
Miscellaneous Assistance
• Support line managers with HR knowledge and experience across full range of HR issues
• Support to the Head of Operations relating to whole staff wellbeing
• Support the Head of Operations and Senior Leadership generally in meeting all statutory and otherHR compliance requirements (including particularly inspection readiness and policies).
Any other reasonable duties as requested by the Head of Operations and Finance Director.
____________
Skills, Experience and Personal attributes required:
• Significant experience of HR processes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to work accurately with attention to detail and an understanding of the role and importance of appropriate procedures and policies and compliance therewith.
• Discretion and clear understanding of confidentially requirements.
• Polite manner and smart appearance.
• Excellent IT skills across several relevant platforms, including word, excel, zoom, teams, outlook,and PowerPoint.
• Attend relevant training courses internally or externally as requested.
• As for all staff responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the children and young people in School.
A Dorset songwriter is celebrating the ‘miracle’ release of a new album on 4 April – more than 50 years after it was recorded.
Graham Dee 1973
Mr Super Cool is the long lost 1973 album by Graham Dee, an unsung hero and fixture of the 1960s London session scene, as well as a prolific songwriter and producer.
“I thought only a couple of tracks had survived on a battered old acetate disc that was made at the time – but by some miracle we now have the entire album,” says the 82-year-old musician who lives in Bere Regis.
Graham has been enjoying a 21st century career reboot after signing to Acid Jazz Records for the 2011 release of The Graham Dee Connection: The 60s Collection and its follow up Carnaby Street Soul & West Coast Vibes in 2020. Both collate recordings made during the 1960s and 1970s, mostly from his time as an in-house producer for Atlantic Records in the UK.
Graham Dee Super Cool
He made other recordings as well before relocating to the United States, where he combined successful songwriting sessions with Prince Phillip Mitchell and work at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound studio in Alabama, moonlighted with The Allman Brothers Band, and even spent time as a snake wrangler!
With his record label eager to release more archive recordings Graham shared the acetate of side one of an album he had recorded in 1973.
“The master was in a state and, at best, only two tracks would be salvageable,” explains Acid Jazz boss Eddie Piller.
“This is where events took a weird turn…”
Around the same time, Piller was contacted by a record collector after coming into possession of 15 master tapes in a house which had once belonged to the songwriter Gerry Shury, whohad worked with the likes of The Bee Gees, Barry Blue, Lynsey De Paul, The Rubettes and Graham Dee whose name appeared on some of the tapes. Only a few of the tapes were good enough to be digitised.
“Remarkably, what came back were both sides of Graham’s original lost album!” adds Eddie.
“It sounds like some long lost film soundtrack. Highly evocative of its time, it offers a fascinating insight into early 70s record-making and is a reminder of Graham’s unique talent, and the joys of serendipity.”
Graham had recorded the album, titled Mr Super Cool, in 1973 at Sarm Studios in East London. It featured the talents of guitarist Colin Pincott (Eric Burdon, Joan Armatrading), bassist Phil Chen (Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart), and drummers Barry de Souza (Lou Reed, Labi Siffre, Kate Bush) and Henry Spinetti (Bob Dylan, George Harrison).
Graham Dee a little older!
“I could hardly believe it, hearing those songs again after all this time has been such a thrill,” says Graham. “I’ve always felt very at home in the countryside, especially now in Dorset where I live pretty quietly these days with my friends in the village, but this blast from the past reminds me of another life.”
Graham Dee was a prominent guitarist for hire throughout the 1960s, moving alongside the likes Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck with his skills as a session player. After beginning his career playing on the Small Faces’ first single, stints followed playing for John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Jerry Butler, Them, The Walker Brothers and Carl Perkins. He filled in for Syd Barrett in the early Pink Floyd, appeared on TV with The Rolling Stones, and played in front of The Beatles as part of the Bobcats, the house band at famed 60s night spot the Scotch of St James.
Dorset Council has announced a new delivery plan to improve the county’s bus services and infrastructure as part of its ongoing Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), backed by £3.3 million in government funding.
Approved on 20 March, the plan outlines projects for the 2025/26 financial year, including increased service frequencies in urban areas, trialling a new electric community minibus, and upgrades to real-time information displays and bus stops.
Dorset Council unveils ambitious bus service and infrastructure improvements
Key service enhancements focus on:
Weymouth: More frequent services on routes 2 and 10, improving access to key areas including Portland and Mount Pleasant Park and Ride.
Dorchester & Bridport: Improved weekend services.
Bournemouth – Wimborne corridor: Continued enhanced provision in partnership with BCP Council.
For rural North Dorset, the headline change is the reinstatement of Saturday services on three routes:
CR2 (Gillingham – Shaftesbury)
CR3 (Gillingham – Sturminster Newton)
CR6 (Bridport – Yeovil)
Dorset Council says these changes reflect public feedback from its Local Transport Plan engagement, where better public transport was ranked the top priority, particularly among rural communities.
Cllr Jon Andrews, Cabinet Member for Place Services, said:
“These projects are an exciting step forward in delivering more accessible, reliable and sustainable public transport for Dorset residents and visitors alike.”
However, some local campaigners have voiced concern over the limited nature of the rural improvements, particularly the lack of weekday provision for more isolated communities. Dorset Council has acknowledged funding constraints and is continuing to lobby for a fairer allocation to support further development of the bus network.
Sign up now for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance 5K Twilight Shift
Participants undertaking Twilight Shift 2024
Lace up your trainers and head to Henstridge Airfield on Saturday 5th July 2025 as the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance 5K Twilight Shift returns for its fourth year – and it’s set to be extra special.
Held around the operational base of the charity’s critical care team, the 5K Twilight Shift invites participants of all ages and abilities to run, jog or walk the course in support of the life-saving work of the Air Ambulance. Whether you take part solo, with family, or as a group of friends or colleagues, the event promises a brilliant afternoon of fitness and fun. Businesses are encouraged to use the day as a team-building opportunity – or maybe to spark a little healthy competition.
This year also marks the charity’s 25th anniversary, so it’s the perfect moment to get involved. Fancy dress is welcomed for a splash of fun – or, for those after a bit more of a challenge, why not carry some extra weight in solidarity with the air ambulance crew and their heavy kit?
The 5K Twilight Shift isn’t a race – go at your own pace and enjoy the atmosphere, all while raising funds for a vital service that’s on call every single day.
Places are limited to just 500 participants. The first 100 adult entries will receive a free event t-shirt, and the charity hopes that everyone taking part will aim to raise at least £50 in sponsorship.
Alana Hardy, Fundraising Events Officer at Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, said: “We’re so excited to welcome people back to Henstridge for our 5K Twilight Shift. It’s always such a fun and uplifting day – and this year’s event is extra meaningful as we celebrate 25 years of saving lives. Whether you walk, jog or run, you’ll be helping us continue our life-saving work. We hope you’ll join us!”
Register now at: www.dsairambulance.org.uk/twilight Entry fee: Adults £15 | Under 16s £10 (Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult)
This Sunday, 6th April at 2pm, all eyes will be on Gillingham School Astro as Gillingham Hockey Club hosts the semi-final of the England Hockey Club Plate. In a huge moment for the club, the Ladies Second team will face off against Eastbourne Thirds in a bid to secure a place in the national final.
Gillingham Ladies Second Hockey Team
For a small, passionate club rooted in North Dorset, reaching this stage of the competition is a remarkable achievement – and a moment the whole community can get behind.
“We’re incredibly proud of how far the team has come,” says Ladies Seconds coach Kerry Reynolds. “Reaching the semi-finals is a testament to the hard work, dedication and resilience of this team. We know it will be a tough match but we’re excited for the opportunity and welcome Eastbourne to Gillingham.”
Supporters are warmly encouraged to come along and cheer from the sidelines – the energy from the home crowd could make all the difference. Gillingham Social Club will be open for refreshments, making it a perfect Sunday outing.
Whether you’re a long-time fan, a former player, or simply looking for a great community event, this is a brilliant chance to support local sport at its finest.
Gillingham Hockey Club caters for all ages (from 4 to 70+) and all levels of experience. For more information, contact Steve Way on 07786 894586 or email [email protected].
Passed away peacefully on 25th March aged 92 at Nazareth Lodge Care Home in Sturminster Newton.
Carol, Christine & Keith would like to express their gratitude to everyone at Nazareth Lodge, the Blackmore Vale Partnership and members of the community in Sturminster Newton, who showed her kindness, love and care.
A funeral service will be held at 3pm on Wednesday 16th April 2025 in The Barn at Harbour View, Randalls Hill, Lytchett Minster, Dorset BH16 6AN
Family flowers only please.
Donations, if desired, to Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. For full details of the service and donations please visit www.harbourview.co.uk
