Grade 13-12 – £20,460 – £22,625 (relative to experience)
(based on 37 hours per week, Term Time only)
Fairmead Community Special School transforms the lives of pupils aged between 4-19 years with additional learning needs (MLD and ASD). The school works in partnership with parents/carers and other stakeholders to develop our pupils in becoming positive individuals who make a valuable contribution to their community.
We are looking to recruit an examinations officer who will be responsible for the organisation and smooth running of both internal and external examinations. The officer acts as the primary liaison between the school and external examination bodies. They will be familiar with the requirements and regulations placed on schools by both awarding bodies and the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and will ensure that the school is compliant with these before, during, and after examination periods.
We are seeking a branch secretary in the North Dorset/South Somerset area for a national friendly society, required to start in June/July.
Would ideally suit a newly retired or semi-retired person.
This is a paid position and you will work from home with hours to suit, but also to attend regular meetings and social events, therefore own transport is essential.
Computer skills a distinct advantage.
Full training will be given.
For an application form and job description please email: [email protected]
Pauline Batstone shares her monthly round up of what’s happening among the town’s collection of community enterprises and events
1855 now has more than 100 traders offfering a wildly diverse choice for every budgetThe ladies’ pre-loved Boutique is once again open six days a week
Spring has arrived, and thanks to our wonderful volunteers, our ladies’ pre-loved Boutique is once again open six days a week, and British Summer Time means longer opening hours – from 10am to 5pm, stocked with new items perfect for the season. Our Furniture Store is now mostly staffed during operating hours – if the door is closed, feel free to pop along to the Emporium for assistance. And don’t forget the free school uniforms hub upstairs – there to help any parent, with good secondhand unforms vauilable for all the local schools. 1855, our boutique shopping experience, is now close to reaching 100 traders, offering a diverse range of intriguing items and attracting visitors to the town, especially during holiday weekends.
SturAction is ready with a warm welcome for any new members to the volunteer family which covers all our community shops. A Volunteer Day will take place at Stour Connect, Bath Road, on Saturday 13th April from 11am to 3pm. The annual event invites local voluntary groups to showcase their activities and provides the community with an opportunity to explore available volunteering options, regardless of the time they can spare.
Car and bike enthusiasts will gather in town as usual on the first Saturday of the month.
Car and bike enthusiasts will gather in town as usual on the first Saturday of the month. It’s free, no need to register if you’d like to bring a vehicle, just turn up. Your car or bike must be roadworthy, taxed (where required) and insured. The meet will be at the Station Road car park if the weather dictates, otherwise on the Recreation Ground. On these days, parking is free in all our car parks, courtesy of SturAction.
We’re excited to announce the return of the Car Boot Sale – it will be on the Recreation Ground on the first Sunday morning of each month until 1st September, with all profits going to support local charities. Though still recovering from the Easter Weekend festivities, we’re already gearing up for Sturminster’s Big Weekend, 31st May to 2nd June. The Exchange will host a Beer & Cider (and Music) Festival over the weekend, alongside a Garden Fair and Market on the Saturday, Cars and Bikes in the Recreation Ground, and the Big Lunch on the Sunday, thanks to Rotary. Keep your eyes peeled: plans for the event are continuously evolving. On 6th June, the town will commemorate D-Day and the sacrifices made for our freedom with a beacon lighting ceremony in The Railway Gardens at 9pm. Throughout the week, The Exchange will host an exhibition featuring local stories of D-Day.
The Sturminster Literary Festival has curated a series of events for the second week of June, including its own D-Day event on 9th June, showcasing stories of our local soldiers and the deceptive tactics used against the enemy regarding invasion plans. For the full event programme, visit sturlitfest.com or pick up a brochure available around town.
This summary only scratches the surface of what’s happening in Stur and the surrounding area – for comprehensive information, refer to What’s Happening in Stur for April and May, distributed around town by David Shepherd and his team, sponsored by The Town Council.
Dorset musicians Emily Burridge, cello, and Karen Wimhurst, clarinet, will be joining sound artist Adrian Newton for All Trees Are Clocks, a multi-media performance celebrating ancient trees and woodlands, at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Sunday 21st April at 2.30pm. The musicians will play live, accompanying field recordings and video curated by Adrian Newton, documenting how ancient woodlands are changing over time. All Trees Are Clocks was recently featured on the Cerys Matthews show on BBC Radio 6. The piece follows ancient trees as they change through the seasons, but also explores the potential impacts of climate change. ‘For many people, climate change is something remote that doesn’t affect them personally,’ says Adrian Newton, who is producing the event. ‘Yet many of our ancient trees, which people love to see, are already suffering because of it. We hope that this piece will remind us just how special ancient trees are, not least because of their great age. Perhaps they experience time differently than we do.’ Emily is a virtuoso cellist, whose improvisational skills create exquisite and spiritual music, fluidly crossing classical and contemporary genres. Her recent work has explored the soundscapes of the Amazon rain forest and the legacy of JS Bach. Karen is a widely commissioned composer, whose work ranges from chamber pieces to musical theatre, embracing folk and jazz influences alongside classical music. Recent compositions include Jump, in which she plays the clarinet alongside the sounds of insects and amphibians. She also plays in the folk and new music trio Coracle, who are coming to Shaftesbury Arts Centre on 12th May. The performance will use the Corn Exchange’s surround sound system, providing an immersive listening experience. Tickets from Dorchester Arts Centre.
Bingo halls to community calls – Shaftesbury’s Rotakids, a new generation of community champions, lead the charge in innovative charity work
Ronnie is the 11-year-old resident bingo caller
There’s a burst of laughter from the hall in Abbey Church of England VA Primary School. Above the sound of excited children, a lone voice clearly calls a set of numbers. ‘On its own. Number seven.’ It transpires that the caller in charge of the hall is an 11-year-old called Ronnie. The Shaftesbury RotaKids are busy raising money for a good cause – and apparently having a lot of fun too. It’s just one of several events in and around the town in which children are actively getting involved with the wider community in an innovative citizenship project. RotaKids is a fun and exciting way for young people aged from seven to 12 to make friends and get involved with important activities in the community, and it is a part of the wider Rotary Club movement. RotaKids clubs are based in schools, youth groups or community centres, and with the help and support from teachers, youth leaders and the local Rotary Club, young people gain valuable experience in helping others and learning interesting, new things. Peter Sale is president of Shaftesbury Rotary Club and established RotaKids in one primary school in 2023. ‘Last year, we started with just one club in Abbey Primary School. This year we are working with Shaftesbury Primary School as well. Each child who wants to take part has to apply for a place through their teacher. That shows how committed they are,’ he says. ‘And just like an adult Rotary group, the children have a president and a treasurer. They make the decisions about how they use the money they raise – with a little help from us, because sometimes their ideas are difficult to implement! ‘The children tend to be aged between seven and ten. ‘We don’t take the reception class because they are a bit too young. They are wonderful, so motivated and so willing to learn.They have helped us with the North Dorset Cycle Ride and they are planning some gardening at the community hospital in Shaftesbury. They also raised money to get the patients some small toiletries. ‘What has surprised me is the level of motivation and commitment from them. They want to do everything! It’s also wonderful how the schools have embraced it. These children are not just championing RotaKids in Shaftesbury, but in the wider district.’
Fundraising and having fun Back in Abbey Primary School, 11-year-old Ronnie is still calling the bingo numbers, clearly and confidently, to a large group of children. He’s obviously a natural and remains calm despite excited children shouting as they tick off the numbers, trying to win a coveted Easter egg. ‘I just grew up learning from my Mum – she does bingo calling,’ he says. ‘You need to be confident and focused, and you need to be able to see what’s going on in the room. And you need a loud voice!’ Amid the chatter in the hall, there’s something more subtle happening. Each younger child (below year six) is paired with an older pupil who keeps an eye on them – helping to make sure they mark the numbers and keep up with the bingo caller. It’s fostering leadership and support skills in a subtle but fun way. ‘We think it helps with their maths skills,’ says head Michael Salisbury. ‘A bit like darts! We have some Ukrainian children here and they have picked bingo up very quickly. They love being involved.’ Nine-year-old Edith is the current president of the Abbey RotaKids: ‘I joined last year. I wasn’t sure, but Mum encouraged me as she had done something similar when she was young. On my first day I was very nervous but I really enjoyed it. Last year I wanted to be the president but didn’t get it. This year I am the president! We donate the money we raise for a charity or give it to the PTSA. Today I think we have raised £230.10.’
Nine-year-old Edith is the current president of the Abbey RotaKids
Joint working Pupils from both Abbey and Shaftesbury primary schools are starting to work together, which is significantly beneficial. Ben Smiley, a teacher at Shaftesbury C of E Primary School said: ‘The RotaKids worked together recently to pick up litter along Bimport, the Park Walk and down St James Hill. They were amazed by the sheer amount of rubbish. ‘But when they reflected on the exercise they began to see that, by working together in the community, they could achieve a lot more than working on their own. It has really affected their outward thinking. We’re seeing that in the discussions we’re having with them about fundraising. ‘What’s really beneficial is it gives us an opportunity to have that wider involvement with the community. Also, when the children are voted into positions by their peers, that can be a huge boost for them. It’s really good for team work.’ It’s something echoed by Michael Salisbury: ‘It really gets children involved with the community and they learn the value of volunteering. We always say the parents are volunteers too, because they have to bring them to meets. The potential for the children for learning is very high and they love it.’
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Wiltshire is extending a warm invitation to you and your guests to join in a celebration of our planet on Saturday, 20th April, from 2pm to 5.30 pm. Nestled in the heart of Steeple Langford, the Langford Lakes Nature Reserve – a haven for nature lovers and environmental enthusiasts alike – serves as the perfect backdrop for an afternoon dedicated to appreciating and learning about the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world. Dr. Suzanne Keene, Chair of the CPRE South Wiltshire Group, will kick off the event with a welcome address, setting the stage for a series of talks. The speaker lineup boasts experts passionate about various aspects of environmental conservation, including Robin Leech, a farm ecologist and facilitator for the Wylye Valley Farmers’ cluster group, who will share insights into sustainable farming practices. Alex Atkinson, Conservation Lead for the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, will delve into the critical work being done in river conservation, while Peter Thompson, a seasoned agronomist formerly associated with the Game & Conservancy Trust, will discuss wildlife and agronomy’s interconnectedness. This event is not just an opportunity to learn but also a chance to connect with fellow members of the CPRE community and like-minded individuals who share a commitment to preserving the beauty and biodiversity of our countryside. Whether you’re a long-standing member or a newcomer interested in environmental issues, you’re encouraged to come along – and bring a friend too! Tickets, which include refreshments, are £12 per adult. Admission opens at 1.45pm, allowing attendees ample time to settle in before the festivities begin. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate Earth Day in one of Wiltshire’s most picturesque settings.
It’s every gardener’s favourite month – April’s when it finally all starts to get exciting outside the back door, says Pete Harcom
April is the month for planting up the hanging baskets – but don’t hang them out until the frosts are done
April at last! Things really do get going in the garden in April, so grab your gloves – we have lots to get done this month:
Deadhead your daffodils to stop them wasting energy on producing seed. Just allow the leaves to die back naturally.
Seed sowing can be started in earnest, especially in a heated (or even a cold) greenhouse. Annuals and biennials can now be sown – why not try some nigella (better known as love-in-a-mist), foxgloves, hollyhocks, nemesia, rudbeckia or French marigolds?
Plants from seeds are an easy way to encourage wildlife – especially birds – into the garden. Scatter wildflower seeds thinly over finely raked soil and water sparingly. Even if the days are warm, watch out for frosts at night, and resist the temptation to sow and plant out too early. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and wait a few days if necessary. Protect your early sowings with fleece if frost feels possible.
The growing lawn will possibly need attention now, including sowing fresh grass seed on any bare spots.
Primroses can be increased now by lifting and dividing – these delicate-looking little plants are actually quite tough and can easily be split up and spread around the garden.
Sow your sweet peas outdoors now at the base of their supports. If you’re already growing them in the greenhouse or cold frame (and as they grow outside), pinch out the tip as this encourages more flowers.
There is still time to prune hydrangeas – cut them back to a strong stem and then why not push the cuttings into a sheltered area of soil? hey root very easily.
Hanging baskets can now be made up in a cold greenhouse. Use a pot to stand the basket in while you plant it up. When it’s done, either hang the basket up in the greenhouse or you can leave it standing on the pot for support. Only hang the basket up outside when the danger of frost is over. The soil in hanging baskets can be mounded up, creating a large basket. If the sides are also planted, it can create a fantastic effect. Ensure the basket brackets are strong enough to take the weight of the extra soil in the basket.
From neighbours to award-winning booksellers, FOLDE’s founders transform their dream into a literary haven at the top of Gold Hill
Amber Harrison (right) and Karen Brazier, co-founders of FOLDE
‘I just want to say that your shop is magic. Each time I come in I get tingles all down my spine.’ FOLDE customer, 2024
FOLDE, in Shaftesbury, has won the British Book Awards Independent Bookshop of the Year competition for the South West, organised by The Bookseller magazine and judged by a prestigious panel of industry specialists, authors and journalists. It’s a remarkable achievement for a business started during the pandemic by two women, Amber Harrison and Karen Brazier, who had never sold books. Or owned a shop. ‘We’re neighbours. Our gardens back on to each other. Amber was Head of Sustainability for a global tech and aviation company. I was a director of marketing for a local independent school,’ says Karen. ‘We had both reached a point in our careers where we wanted to do something different. One night in the pub I realised that Amber felt the same way. ‘We started talking about what our lifestyles could be like if we did something different. We sketched out this dream of walking to work, opening the door to a nice shop. Then we discovered we both liked the same kind of nature writing, the same kind of artwork. We both found solace in the natural world and thought if we could meet like-minded people, there might well be potential.’ Amber adds: ‘We knew we wouldn’t open until 10 o’clock in the morning. That was our first business decision! It’s all about lifestyle. The name FOLDE means a community coming together. It’s also Old English for “the land”. So we had our brand. ‘We launched as an online journal in the summer of 2020 to test the concept. It was lockdown, but we went for walks together. We talked a lot about values, what it would be and wouldn’t be. It was a manifesto. ‘Then we started to sell things and launched the website. We were delivering bundles of books by hand, and decided if a suitable shop became available we would look at it. And then this place on Gold Hill came up. It was a dour white space with brown carpet and we thought “that’s fine for us!”. Before we knew it we had keys and started renovating. ‘We opened on 12th April 2021. It feels like a lifetime, but it’s only been three years.’
Early learning ‘Because people hadn’t been able to go shopping, there was a real sense of anticipation when we opened,’ says Karen. ‘That first week, we were really busy, and we thought “this is easy!”. But then we had the terrible thought that maybe everyone had now spent all their lockdown money, and they wouldn’t buy any more. However, people were genuinely interested in the books and we soon became more confident in what to stock. When we started it was a minimalist shop. ‘Now, if you breathe in, we’ll put a book in the space!’ There have been tough moments. The pair had very little prior experience of either bookselling or retail and they were also dealing with a niche subject. Amber says: ‘I’m a numbers person – I like to look at reports. You might have a really great week and then a really quiet week. It was hard during our first year to get a sense of continuity – we’ve finally come to realise there isn’t much of one! You have to look at three month blocks. There were days we wondered what we were doing – a wet Tuesday with only three people coming through the door. That first year in business you have to teach yourself to look at the big picture. For us in Shaftesbury, the weather can dictate a lot. You mustn’t panic, just take the wider view. ‘And then there was one galling moment when we did an event in Stourhead for a big name author, and a big tub of magenta ink spilled over the books. That was a low point. We got it fixed, but that was tough. ‘We’ve brought skills from our previous jobs and a good budget to the business. We set out knowing what we would do and particularly what we wouldn’t do. Knowing what we stood for, what we wanted to be. And when to take a risk and when to say no.’ Karen says; ‘Having a clear vision from the start is important and having a niche helps – really understanding our USP and being clear about communicating that. And not compromising, though it’s tempting sometimes. All the non-book items we sell are locally made – around 80 per cent are made within ten miles, by makers who celebrate the natural world, and they have to be sustainably produced. When it comes to planning things like Christmas stock, for example, we want our regular customers to find something new. But when you are trying to find different things that meet these very strict criteria, you start to think “we’ve made things very difficult for ourselves!”.’
More than a transaction ‘We’ve become a bit of a community hub for like-minded people and also a destination,’ says Karen. ‘You think a shop is all about transactions but it isn’t. Bookshops especially lend themselves to this – there’s a legitimate reason to come in, browse and just hang out. I love that people feel they can come in for a chat. We get asked about sleepovers too! Last year a group of Australian artists came here because they had seen our Instagram and were staying nearby. And a lady from Illinois came in and hugged us because she followed us on Instagram. ‘The Shaftesbury community has really embraced us. Since the award, we’ve had congratulatory messages, home made biscuits, people stopping us in the street … That’s very typical of Shaftesbury. We’re careful to not stock what others do, and to be aware of what the other shops have, so we can recommend them to others. We’ve also been involved with the Shaftesbury Book Festival, Reading the Land, which we are thrilled has sell-out audiences.’ Karen got to interview acclaimed author Raynor Winn to a packed out room: ‘When we started we thought we were too small to have the big authors here,’ she says. ‘I’m a big fan of Raynor Winn. I spent ten months negotiating with the publisher and then I had the great privilege of interviewing her. Publishers now approach us.’ For their current book recommendations, Amber is reading Hunt for the Shadow Wolf by Derek Gow, about the reintroduction of wolves to Britain. Karen recommends Weathering by Ruth Allen, who will be speaking in Shaftesbury this year. Amber is excited for the next chapter for FOLDE: ‘We’re sensing Shaftesbury is beginning to be the place for conversations about nature and conservation. There’s momentum and it’s a delight to see. It’s easy to get gloomy about the world. I can see that, in our own way, with this shop we can start to nudge people’s feelings. There are some really important things here that can change people’s mindsets. Someone might come in thinking they have seen a pretty lampshade in the window and leave with a pile of books on soil or biodiversity. We’re gentle in approach but we have big conversations here. ‘At this stage in our lives, we have never felt more purposeful. It feels as though we’re on a bit of a mission – I hope we’re part of Shaftesbury’s success story.’ FOLDE is now a finalist for the Independent Bookshop of the Year Award, which will be announced at The British Book Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House London on 13th May. The overall Independent Bookshop of the Year winner will also be in the running to be crowned the UK’s Book Retailer of the Year.
