A new priest-in-charge, the Rev Andrew Gubbins, has been installed to serve the Okeford Benefice in the Blackmore Vale – comprising Child Okeford with Manston, Shillingstone, Okeford Fitzpaine and Hammoon. Parishioners have waited nearly two years since the departure of the Rev Lydia Cook.
The Rev Gubbins is married to the Rev Mary Gubbins, the new vicar of Sturminster Newton. The licensing of the Okeford Benefice’s new part-time minister by the Bishop of Sherborne, the Rt Rev Karen Gorham, and installation by Sherborne Archdeacon the Ven Penny Sayer, took place at a special service with a packed congregation in Holy Rood Church, Shillingstone, on Thursday 29 June.
Andrew will be close to some of his childhood haunts of the 1970s, when he visited relatives near Shaftesbury and in Winterborne Zelston.
Andrew worked in Yorkshire as a civil servant dealing with benefits and employment issues. He says: ‘I am shaped by my parents who, with personal steps of faith, local action and global vision, have never rested on their laurels.’

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The much-loved children’s playground in Walnut Road Mere has now open, thanks to the improvements made by Mere Town Council. The council received a grant from The Hills Group Limited, made available through the Landfill Communities Fund.
All the old equipment has gone, and there’s a range of new and exciting apparatus. The reopening of the park was celebrated with a tea party on June 22nd. Libby Raynes, a year 5 pupil at Mere Primary School, won a competition to design a new sign for the park, and Katheryn Lamb, a children’s author and illustrator, chose the winning design. Mere Town Council has overseen the entire project, and co-ordinator Roger Pipe expressed gratitude to The Hills Group, Wiltshire Community First, the Duchy of Cornwall, and the Walnut Tree Hotel for their support and for the tea!

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A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues.

Q: ‘I received an email telling me I needed to pay money in order to get a parcel delivered. I didn’t think I ordered anything and, when I checked the email address, it didn’t look legitimate.
Was it a scam?’

A: Probably.
New research from Citizens Advice reveals that 40 million people have been targeted by scams already in 2023, with parcel delivery scams being by far the most common. Citizens Advice Consumer Service received over 9,000 reports of scams between January to April 2023. Anyone can be targeted by a scam and sadly anyone can fall for one but there are steps you can take to better protect yourself and your loved ones.

Here are some top tips to spot scams:
It seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect.
You’ve been pressured to transfer money quickly.
You’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way – like by an iTunes voucher or a transfer service.
You’ve been asked to give away personal information such as passwords, PINs or verification codes.
You spot signs that the organisation or person you are dealing with isn’t genuine – for example, if the email address doesn’t seem quite right.
Always take a step back and double check if you have any doubts at all.

If you’ve been scammed:

Don’t ever be embarrassed. It can – and does – happen to absolutely anyone.
Talk to your bank or credit card company immediately if you’ve handed over any financial and sensitive information, or you have made a payment
Report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 204
You can also contact the Citizens Advice consumer service 0808 2233 1133 for help with what to do next.

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