Milton Abbey School Farm Manager Required

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26 August 2021

Milton Abbey School are urgently in need of a School Farm Manager and Land Based Studies Technician.

Milton Abbey are looking to appoint a qualified and enthusiastic School Farm Manager to support the teaching and delivery of co-curricular activities in the Land Based Studies Department. The successful applicant will be responsible for the management and maintenance of the School Farm. A passion for high standards of animal welfare is essential and we are very interested in applicants with equine or shoot management expertise, although this is not essential.

The role is full time and all year round. The successful applicant will have experience of managing farm livestock and maintaining machinery. Qualifications in land-based subjects is an advantage, as is licenses for equipment like RTV and chainsaw.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities include the following, although this list is by no means exhaustive:

The daily running of the School Farm including (but not exclusively):
- the full responsibility for the care and feeding of all livestock and poultry, keeping welfare logs as required
- administering veterinary medicines as required and keeping records for welfare purposes
- ordering feed, bedding, veterinary items and consumables as required
- ensuring the safe storage of farm machinery and equipment, medicines and chemicals
- working in line with budgetary constraints

To contribute to teaching lessons and the delivery of co-curricular activities as appropriate either through assisting and supervising practical work, work experience pupils or sharing technical knowledge. This may include the completion of witness statements.

Assisting teaching staff in preparation for practical lessons – preparing tools and materials, setting up tasks and clearing away at the end of the lesson.

To work with the pupils and staff in the Land Based Studies Department on practical environmental/estate skills work and shoot management work to meet the requirements of the management agreement with Forestry England and the academic curriculum.

Complying with relevant legislation and codes of practice in all respects.

To organise and facilitate the movement of livestock on and off the farm including the keeping of accurate records for audit purposes. Arranging the slaughter of livestock and the sale of farm produce.

To organise and facilitate the planting and growing of crops / vegetables including the keeping of accurate records for pupil assessment purposes. Arranging the preparation of crops / vegetables for sale, and the sale of farm produce.

To keep the School farm and stables facilities clean and tidy at all times.

To assist with visitor tours of the School Farm and Stables facilities as required. Provide support and liaison as required for department development projects.

To carry out paddock and infrastructure maintenance for the farm and stables and assist the Director of Land Based Studies in maintenance planning.

To be responsible for the planning and carrying out practical work surrounding the Land Based Studies areas of the School.

To keep the Land Based Studies store tidy and maintain and audit stocks of equipment necessary for delivering the BTEC courses. Ensure that all equipment, manual and motorised, is safe and suitable for use by pupils and staff and arrange servicing/repair as required.

Comply with relevant health and safety requirements and assist the Director of Land Based Studies by updating and keeping of records in the Land Based Studies Health and Safety files. This includes the legionella logbook for the Land Based Studies areas.

Provide basic instruction and training to all Land Based Studies pupils in the use of hand tools and motorised equipment such as strimmers and keep records of such training in the Land Based Studies Health and Safety files.

To attend department and School meetings and Inset days. These specifically include a weekly department meeting, the weekly full staff meeting and flagging plus any relevant Inset training sessions.

To occasionally provide cover, where deemed reasonable, for the management of the stables and care of the horses.

Where deemed reasonable, to assist the Estates team with wider estate management tasks.

Embark on Continuing Professional Development when the opportunity or need arises and attend Inset training for staff as directed by the Senior Deputy Head.

To carry out such other reasonable duties as might be directed by the Director of Land Based Studies, Deputy Head (Learning Development), the Senior Deputy Head or Head.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT:

This is a full time all year-round post to meet department and School requirements.
Appropriate training will be provided in support of Continued Professional Development.

Click the link below to download the application form:

Application-Form-Milton-Abbey-2021Download

Further details may be obtained from Milton Abbey on 01258 880484 or email [email protected].

Applications must be submitted on the School’s application form. The closing date for applications is noon on 12:00 noon on Thursday 2^nd September 2021.

Milton Abbey School is committed to safe guarding and promoting the welfare of children. The appointment will be the subject of an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The Exchange Sturminster Newton – Sept 21

By

Editorial team

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26 August 2021

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Upcoming events for your diary

Box Office – 01258 475137

www.stur-exchange.co.uk

Voice of an Estate Agent August 2021

By

Editorial team

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24 August 2021

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Regular monthly Blackmore Vale property commentary column in the Blackmore Vale from Susie and Brad the North Dorset Team at Meyers

The Post-Pandemic Housing Market

The current property market “resembles a supermarket in the early hours of lockdown: the shelves are bare”.

The demand for houses is still very high; we have a huge list of applicants on our books looking for a home – to no avail.

The ratio of sold to available properties is at its lowest ever level since 2002, and it has been a very difficult few months trying to manoeuvre our way through this new market, which simply cannot be maintained long term.

However, a steady return to normality is predicted after September when the final stamp duty relief ends and the market becomes less frenzied. This should encourage more sellers to list their properties for sale and therefore initiate a greater balance to return. This is welcoming news to those in rented, first time buyers and investors.

Until such time, and while the market remains in its current state, we have a few tips to help you secure your next home:

Get an Agreement in Principle from your mortgage advisors so you are ready to go if the perfect house comes on the market.

Ring around your local estate agents and register as an applicant, at the moment, we are often selling our houses to our registered applicant before they even hit internet portals.

Set up portal alerts (on sites such as Rightmove) so that you are notified as soon as a new property within your budget and location comes on the market.

If you are a current homeowner looking to move, ensure your home is either sold or up together on the market ready to be sold as soon as possible.

On another note, we are delighted to announce that Meyers Shaftesbury won The British Property Gold Award 2021 and have been nominated for a number of further national awards!

Please get in touch for any property advice or a free expert valuation on your home:

Ever wondered how hard it is to pull a Boeing 737?

By

Editorial team

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24 August 2021

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No, neither had we, but some of the team at Blanchards Bailey are going to find out this August.

The Dorset-based law firm have put together a team of twenty professionals to pull the 35,000kg aeroplane 50 meters in as fast a time as possible. Of course, there is a great reason for this plane pull challenge; the goal is to raise as much money, as possible, for the firm’s charity of the year, The GAP Project run by Dorset Mind.

The GAP Project provides eco-therapy support services to help improve people’s mental health by connecting with others and tending to allotments in Dorchester.

The aim is to get people outside and more active by gardening and maintaining the charity’s allotments. The GAP project has been set up by Meyers Estate Agents and Dorset Mind.

Dorset Mind are independent and responsible for their own funding – so when you donate, you know that your money benefits people who live in Dorset.

Their support groups educate people about the signs and symptoms of mental ill health, and how to develop new coping skills. The charity also run an accredited one-to-one befriending programme, designed to help people regain confidence and social skills.

Ben Jones, Partner at Blanchards Bailey said:

“Mental health awareness is so vital, now more than ever. Our lifestyles have been considerably different over the last eighteen months and the restricted contact we have endured has had a huge impact on people’s mental wellbeing. The GAP Project helps overcome those difficulties by facilitating safe interaction with others in a relaxing outdoor environment which is conducive to positive mental health.

The team at Blanchards Bailey will also be volunteering at the allotments to make sure they are in tip-top condition! What’s more, the GAP project has recently taken on a second premises at Red Cow Farm in Dorchester to form a new eco therapy garden. We’re looking forward to helping the GAP project get the land ready for the next phase of this exciting initiative.”

By: Laura Hitchcock

60 Miles of Man v Lakes!

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Editorial team

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24 August 2021

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This article comes off the back of completing one of the most challenging races I have done both mentally and physically.

The weekend of the 17/18^th July saw me and a handful of my fellow Dorset Doddlers travel up to the Lake District to tackle the last ever Man Vs Lakes in what was the hottest weekend so far this year with temperatures reaching 28/29°C.

The race started with us crossing the quicksands of Morecombe Bay before heading off into what was a rollercoaster of hills and forests. This included Rat Races infamous ‘vertical kilometre’ as well as the opportunity to take a quick dip in the lakes themselves, which I have to say was quite refreshing in the blistering heat! As always the company of my fellow Dorset Doddlers was without question one of the reasons I completed day 1 of this epic adventure, crossing the finish line in Coniston like the 4 musketeers.

With 28 plus miles already in my legs, waking up and getting ready for the second day was in itself a mental challenge. In the bus on the way to the start line it dawned on me that I may have to face sea to Scarfell on my own. I was the only one crazy enough to upgrade to the second day. Pretty sure there was alcohol being consumed at the time of booking! For those that know me, I’m renowned for getting lost, so with the second day being self-navigating I was immediately a little nervous. I mean, 32 miles is long enough, I didn’t want to make it any longer. Thankfully I found a fellow runner to buddy up with, which was a massive relief for the both of us, keeping each other going through the picturesque views and gruelling climbs.

If you had asked me 5 years ago whether I would ever be running the distances I do now I would have said ‘you must be joking!’. It just goes to show that your body and mind is capable of so much more than you think it is. If you believe you can, you will.

By: Mel Mitchell

Sherborne Cstle is Open again!

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Editorial team

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23 August 2021

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The Wingfield Digby family is delighted to announce that Sherborne Castle re-opened it doors on Friday 23 July.

Visitors can walk in the footsteps of royalty & Sir Walter Raleigh, see magnificent staterooms and nationally important collections of art, furniture and porcelain. The key episodes of history come to life through the “Great Stories of the Castle” series.

New for 2021: the recently restored billiard room, plus a new museum showcasing family curios such as

Lord Digby’s false teeth a skull with a bullet that was lodged in the eye socket from the Civil war 17th Century Deed boxes – lined with ‘the last sayings of a mouse, lately starved in a cupboard’

This immersive and interactive experience includes smell boxes to bring the displays to life.

Children can take the Castle Quiz and enjoy the Garden Trail.

Explore acres of ‘Capability Brown’ landscaped garden surrounding a lake – a free-to-download garden audio tour is available to intriduce you to 30 garden features including a cascade, fossil house, orangery, folly and Raleigh’s seat.

And when you’re finished exploring, treat yourself to a West Country cream tea in the tearoom or a chilled glass of their very own Sherborne Castle wine?

The Castle & Gardens are open seven days a week:
Gardens from 10am,
Castle from 12pm

(last admission to Castle 3pm).
Up to four children free under 16 with every paying adult.

There is no need to pre-book.

www.sherbornecastle.com

Freedom Day isn’t feeling very free

By

Editorial team

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23 August 2021

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Hello and welcome to my August column. I hope this finds you well and enjoying the summer. This month I’d like to reflect on the opening up of the economy now that Freedom Day has taken place – albeit it felt very different to the huge celebratory day Boris originally talked about. With infection rates rapidly rising, Freedom Day wasn’t the big mask-tearing off celebration Boris was talking about a few weeks ago. In fact we’ve seen a huge shift in the approach from Government in recent weeks with the message changing in several areas.

The ‘everyone back to the office’ call has been diluted and businesses are now encouraged to think about bringing staff back – as opposed to the big return Boris was originally talking about. The ‘irreversible’ Freedom Day relaxations also do not seem to be irreversible and many businesses we speak to have real concerns as we look to the future. We recently undertook a snap survey with over 50 businesses attending an event and the results highlighted the nervousness many are feeling.

71 per cent of people would rather not shake hands/have physical contact at business events at this time. Eighteen per cent were relaxed about it and 11 per cent were undecided.
28 per cent thought the government was right to relax requirements such as face masks and social distancing but 56 per cent thought it was the wrong time.
78 per cent thought there was inadequate guidance for businesses regarding Freedom Day.
62 per cent are concerned about the possibility of future restriction being introduced after Freedom Day.

We are of course very keen to see all businesses open up after what has been a truly dreadful time, particularly for those businesses that have been mandated to close. But common sense is absolutely vital within this and we believe a sensible and cautious approach is required. Infection rates are surging and we are now facing the ‘pingdemic’ as the app tells people they need to self-isolate. We are already hearing about businesses that are having to temporarily close due to staff having to isolate – add this to the huge challenges businesses are facing in terms of recruitment – it’s clear our road to recovery will be a long one.

One service that has been vital during the pandemic and is there to benefit and support all businesses across Dorset is the Business Gateway service. Funded by Dorset LEP and delivered by Dorset Chamber, this is a free information, advice and signposting service, open to all businesses in Dorset. You can call for advice on support for your business and this service helps businesses navigate the complexities of publicly-funded business support. Whether it’s information on grants, loans or advice for your business, we can help. Call 01202 714800 and select Business Gateway.

Until next time

Ian

By: Ian Girling Connect on LinkedIn

Sladers Yard – Contemporary Art & Craft Gallery, West Bay, Bridport

By

Editorial team

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23 August 2021

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Summer Prints and Drawings Show

Before the television series Broadchurch was filmed in West Bay, the little harbour near Bridport barely featured on the tourist trail – though locals have always claimed that the best fish and chips in Dorset could be enjoyed by the quay.

However, it was buzzing with holidaymakers on the sunny morning of my visit to Sladers Yard Gallery. Housed in the historic Georgian rope warehouse, its flower-filled courtyard is also home to the delicious Café Sladers. The Gallery itself opened in 2006 and has flourished under the ownership of Norwegian furniture designer Petter Southall and his wife, Anna Powell.

Anna’s parents were both artists and although she is now curator and gallery director, initially she took up book publishing. She met Petter when he was studying sustainable design in wood at John Makepeace’s Hooke Park College. Over the years they have developed a reputation which means their work is sold worldwide: their customers return regularly and Anna has built up a close relationship with her stable of artists. Her enthusiasm and motivation have never wavered from the moment she saw a customer fall in love with a painting, make a connection and become transfixed.

Their Summer Prints and Drawings Show (which runs until 12th September), now brings together seven acclaimed local artists and aims to explore the economy and discipline of the printing and drawing processes: Sally McLaren’s drypoint, aquatint and carborundum monoprints and Julian Bailey’s drypoint prints join Martyn Brewster’s silkscreen, linocuts, etchings and pen and ink drawings, Michael Fairclough’s aquatint prints, Vanessa Gardiner’s pencil drawings, Janette Kerr’s mixed media drawings and Alex Lowery’s drawings with pencil, gouache and acrylic. The warehouse setting is an appropriate location for their works which are set off by stunning examples of Petter’s furniture.

The atmospheric building was built in 1805 as a warehouse for Georgian merchants who were importing flax from Russia for the rope and twine trade in Bridport. The wooden pulley wheel has been restored by Petter with hemp ropes to lift examples of his furniture up to the first and second floors. Under the timber ceiling on the ground floor, my eye was immediately drawn to the brilliant colours of leading British print-maker Sally McLaren’s Rock Surge. An artist who has become even more connected to the landscape through the recent lockdowns and subsequent release, her most recent prints are celebratory, exploratory, light in touch and brilliant in colour.

Surrounded by customers enjoying coffee and delicious cakes, we viewed Julian Bailey’s greatly loved landscapes, particularly of the Dorset coast. These are in private and public collections throughout Britain including those of HRH The Prince of Wales. Julian studied art at the Ruskin School while attending New College, Oxford, followed by the Royal Academy Schools where he was awarded the Turner Gold Medal and later the Landseer Scholarship.

Over the last three or four years, Julian has been developing his life drawing in Drypoint etching. “I am so very excited to be giving a selected number of these Drypoints their first outing at Sladers Yard this Summer.” He has produced a new hardcover book, “Hold the Pose”, to coincide with the exhibition. I loved the sensitive expression in ‘Mermaid on a West Country shore’, which is based on a family friend, and set at Ringstead Bay. The viewer is left to fathom out the mythical overtones for themselves.

We negotiated the narrow stair case to the upper gallery floor where I was immediately drawn to two huge dramatic black and white mixed media works, beautifully lit on an end wall. ‘The Ebb and Flow That Goes on Forever’ almost exudes the salt and thrilling sublime essence of the waves. West Country artist Janette Kerr is the ultimate painter of the fierce power of the sea: her bold, expressive work is so exciting. To gain a real understanding of her subject matter, Janette begins on location (recently in the Shetlands and in Svalbard, Norway), responding directly to the elements, with the sea heaving and crashing around her, the wilder the better. She talks to meteorologists, scientists and with the locals, looking for the stories of people who have lived, fished, explored or even died there.

Vanessa Gardiner is a well-established Charmouth painter who has been working as a professional artist for many years. She paints in a dramatically contoured style enlivened with lyrical curving lines. The vibrant cobalt turquoise of the sea is glimpsed in inlets through the rocks. I also loved her series of Headlands study pencil drawings which explore the raw beauty of these particular places. Vanessa initially draws on site so always stays true to the harsh, barren landscape as she sees it. Typical of her respectful attitude to the natural world, this discipline keeps her work fresh and vital.

Martyn Brewster is one of Dorset’s major artists. Inspired by the natural landscape and sea on the Dorset coast where he lives, his atmospheric, abstract paintings combine seductive combinations of colour with vigorous lyrical compositions exploring the coastal light. He has developed his own silkscreen techniques which set colours against one another in abstract compositions.

Michael Fairclough’s subtly coloured aquatint prints explore the immensity of sun, sky and sea. He masterfully portrays the effects of light emerging from clouds and playing on the water. In Lyme Bay II – Burton Cliff he captures the wonder of nature as the colours of the sky and sandstone cliffs fade with the setting sun. ‘To me painting is about glimmering reflections of sea and wet rock or colossal shafts of light through clouds – and always, always changing texture, structure, rhythm and light. The texture and structure are in the paintings. The rhythms are those of the wind and the waves, of bird wings and calls, drawn out and slow or sharp and frenetic like the music of Donegal. The light is all-pervading.’

Alex Lowery’s strong, distinctive gouache studies of Portland and West Bay show the marching patchwork of rooflines against the lyrical contours of cliffs stretching away in the background. In the charcoal study of Wynford Eagle, the use of this medium to control the light as it falls across the contours of the West Dorset village is superb. The manor house and chapel nestle into woodland while the sloping contours of ploughed fields and ancient strip lynchets fall away below the winding lane reaching into the distance.

With a little more freedom to roam this summer it will be well worth a trip down to the sea to visit this iconic gallery and exhibition – and of course enjoy wonderful seafood, coffee and cake in the courtyard!

Gallery open: Wednesday – Saturday 10 – 4.30pm

CAFÉ SLADERS open: Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 4.30pm

www.sladersyard.co.uk email: [email protected]

Dates for your diary! Child Okeford Art Trail on Fri 27th Aug – Mon 30th Aug

11 am to 4 pm.

There are 15 artists taking part in venues throughout the village. Free admission. Art Trail leaflets available in local shops. Refreshments available at Gold Hill Café.

By: Edwina Baines

The Pillars of Creation

By

Editorial team

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23 August 2021

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Any keen Astronomer or Astrophotographer born before the early 90s will remember seeing the iconic image of the Pillars of Creation taken by Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope in April 1995. These elephant trunks of interstellar gas reside in the Eagle Nebula (M16), specifically the Serpens (the serpant) constellation, some 6,500–7,000 light years from Earth. Dubbed the Pillars of Creation, because the gas and dust are in the process of creating new stars, while also being eroded by the light from nearby stars that have recently formed. The image is easily among the top ten images taken by Hubble, and was revisited in 2014 to create an even more detailed high definition image of these incredible structures which can be seen here The Pillars of Creation | NASA. Whilst my telescope is no where near as powerful as Hubble, and with the Earths atmosphere and weather to contend with, I set out this month to capture this region of space as it has been on my ‘bucket list’ of objects to capture since I started astrophotography last year. Over a few nights at the end of July, as astronomical darkness returned to our skies for just an hour or so each night, I set about collecting data on the Eagle Nebula which is relatively low in the night sky. The resulting image shows the Pillars of Creation nestled in the heart of the Eagle Nebula. The image was taken using a Skywatcher 200 PDS Newtonian Reflector Telescope and dedicated Cooled Astro Camera. I also used a Tri-band narrowband filter to reveal the fainter nebulosity within the image. At around 3 hours of total capture time, I’m ecstatic to have captured this amazing region of space from my very own garden in Dorset to add to my own collection!

The sky at night this month – August 2021 (443 words)

August is always a great month for Astronomy, and we have some fantastic events coming up! Kicking off with the Perseid meteor shower peaking on the 12^th August, one of the most reliable displays of shooting stars to enjoy. In addition, the neighboring giants of our solar system Saturn and Jupiter are at their closest and brightest to Earth, making it a great time to grab that telescope and start exploring!

As this months image shows, the Serpens constellation is easily viewable this month and home to the Eagle Nebula (M16) discovered by Jean-Philippe Loys de Cheseaux in 1745. Through binoculars, you’ll be able to identify the bright infant stars developing in this star forming region, but a telescope will help to reveal the nebulosity within this amazing Nebula.

Saturn reaches its nearest point to Earth on the 2^nd August at a mere 830.8 million miles, but can be easily observed throughout the month. A small telescope can reveal the famous rings as well as the brightest moons out the its 82 strong collection. Look to the middle of Capricornus in the southeast to find and explore this amazing world.

On the 10^th August at around 8:45 pm, the crescent Moon will be form a line with Venus, Mars, Regulas and Mercury. Look to the West low on the horizon.

On the 11^th August, a beautiful sight to behold is the crescent Moon teaming up the evening star, Venus as you look to the West.

During the second week of August, the Earth runs into a stream of debris left in the wake of comet Swift Turtle. The specks of cosmic dust smash into our atmosphere at a speeds of 130,000 mph which burn up causing the bright display. The meteors appear to diverge from the same part of the sky, lying in the constellation Perseus. Stay up until after midnight on the 12^th for a free fireworks display! The Moon will also be setting before 10:30pm, ensuring a great show.

On the 20^th August, Jupiter is at its nearest this year and opposite the Sun. Look towards Aquarius in the southeast. At distance of 372.8 million miles, with a pair of binocular held steady, you will be able to see Jupiter’s 4 biggest moons. Switch to a telescope and you’ll be able to see the cloud patterns on this blazing Gas Giant.

On the 21^st August, a full Moon will team up with Jupiter, the second brightest planet.

On the 28^th August, the Moon resides to the right of the Pleiades, with the Moon passing below them on the 29^th, above the Hyades and Aldebaran transiting to the left on August 30^th.

By: Rob Nolan RPN Photography