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Free training courses in skilled trades for Dorset adults

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Bournemouth & Poole College are offering adults in Dorset the chance to upskill or re-train through government-funded skills bootcamps.

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#Train4Tomorrow offers free, high quality, digital and technical training to employed and unemployed adults. The training is designed by industry to meet their open vacancies.
Ten training providers across
the South West, including Bournemouth & Poole College, are offering adults access to 12-16 week intensive training courses to help them to boost existing skills or retrain for free.

Who can take part

The courses are open to all adults aged 19+ who are employed or self-employed, career returners or those who have been unemployed for less than 12 months and looking to upskill or re-train.

Free welding and marine electrical bootcamps
The Bournemouth & Poole College is offering free 12-week bootcamps in welding and marine electrical. Both courses are taught two days a week, and offer a guaranteed interview with a local employer upon completion.

The bootcamps have been developed alongside industry partners to upskill adults who have no prior experience in the sectors, and are looking to retrain for a new career.
During the Bournemouth & Poole College bootcamps, learners will gain practical skills and knowledge in welding or marine electrical to prepare them for progression onto an apprenticeship, further study, or employment.

No experience necessary

Simone Tyrie, Employment & Skills Project Coordinator at Train4Tomorrow, says: “The programme offers adults in Dorset access to free and flexible training programmes with little or no experience required.

The courses, worth up to
£3,000, have been developed in response to regional skills gaps and help people access secure and well-paid employment.
The free courses run for an intensive 12-16 weeks, meaning people juggling employment, and or caring responsibilities can gain skills quickly, and start putting them into practice as soon as they complete the course.”

A new career

One learner who has taken advantage of the opportunity to retrain in welding is Jac Bunney. Jac reflects: “I loved metal work when I was at school in the 80s, but a career in welding just wasn’t something which was considered an option for girls back then.
“Now that my children have grown up and left home, I felt it was time to do something for me. I absolutely love it and it’s definitely the way I want to take my career.”

Nigel Smalley, Director of Learning for Engineering & Construction at Bournemouth & Poole College, says:

“The bootcamps are crucial in helping employers meet industry demands, and encouraging more people in the area to develop in-demand skills. We are delighted to be partnering with local employers Sunseeker and Iracroft to fast-track our learners to interviews, and meet local labour needs.”

If you’re looking to learn new skills or to update your existing knowledge visit train4tomorrow. org.uk to discover a range of digital and technical courses. Digital and Technical Skills Bootcamps are open for applications for January and February start dates. If you’d like to apply directly to the courses at Bournemouth & Poole College, starting on the 18th January (welding) and 19th January (marine electrical), go to www.thecollege.co.uk/skills-bootcamps

What’s on at the Exchange Jan/Feb 2022

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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

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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

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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

Little Red Riding Hood Shaftesbury Arts Centre

Beautiful coastal circular with stunning views! 7 miles | Dorset Walks

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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.

image by Laura Hitchcock

The first glimpse of the sea appears just a few minutes after leaving the car at Worth Matravers

image by Laura Hitchcock

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

image by Laura Hitchcock

On a sunny winter’s day, a hike on Dorset’s coastal path takes some beating.

image by Laura Hitchcock

The track inland from the coast to pick up The Priest’s Way doesn’t take much map reading to follow…

image by Laura Hitchcock

Even away from the breathtaking coastline the views are constant and beautiful.

Kitchen Assistant | Clayesmore School

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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

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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.

Puppy parties will resume at Damory Vets over the coming months

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.

Puppy parties are a safe way for your puppy to learn to socialise – and not fear a trip to the vet!

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

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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.

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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 – Bertie Gregory 2020Vision

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.