Based on a 30-acre care farm Salary Range: £14 – £15.50 an hour Between 30-37 hours a week
The role can be offered as Full Time, Part Time (minimum of 30 hours) or Term Time Only as a degree of flexibility over the hours may be possible for the right candidate
Start Date: November 2025 or soon after
Do you want to support young people and help to deliver positive outcomes? Do you have a love and passion for animals?
Based in rural West Dorset, Future Roots is a long- and well-established provider of complimentary education and re-engagement services for children and young people. Working with schools and Local Authority Children’s Services we use a farm environment and our animals to offer young people learning and therapeutic experiences to help them overcome trauma and challenges.
We are currently expanding so are now looking for someone to join our team who can bring demonstrable skill and experience from a background of working with children and young people, and who has an affinity with the outdoor environment and animals.
For further information about the role contact Julie Plumley (Director Future Roots) on 01963 210703 or via email: [email protected]
Please visit our website www.futureroots.net to see the full range of what we do.
We are a fast-growing, innovative Internet provider, delivering full-fibre broadband across rural areas in the Southwest, including Dorset, Somerset, New Forest, and now expanding our network into Wiltshire. Dedicated to delivering lightning-fast broadband to thousands of countryside homes and businesses, we are different to most Alt Nets in that we design, build, and operate our own network to ensure every connection meets our high standards. Late last year, we celebrated an exciting milestone in connecting our 10,000th customer to our full-fibre service. This achievement highlights our commitment to exceptional customer service and is reflected in our customer reviews and trust pilot scores. We’re a growing business built on teamwork, where each contribution is valued and has a part to play in our successes. With a focus on personal and professional growth, we offer endless opportunities to make an impact. As we continue to grow, we are seeking passionate individuals to join our team.
The Role Wessex Internet have a new & exciting opportunity to join us as a Senior Digital Marketing Manager. You will report into our Head of Marketing. You will lead the development and execution of comprehensive digital marketing strategies that drive lead generation, increase sales, and enhance brand visibility. This role involves managing and optimising a range of digital channels, including SEO, PPC, and social media across Google, Meta, and Bing. The ideal candidate will collate the data to continuously refine marketing tactics for improved ROI and performance. You will also need to have a good analytic background in paid media.
Responsibilities include overseeing content planning and execution, managing relationships with digital marketing and web development agencies, and implementing A/B testing to improve lead generation and conversion rate optimisation (CRO).
You will also be responsible for the day-to-day management of the CMS, it’s integration with Salesforce deploying updates and SEO best practices.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and execute comprehensive digital marketing plans that drive leads, sales and enhance brand awareness
Manage and optimise digital marketing channels, including SEO, PPC, organic and social media across Google, Meta and Bing
Continuously optimise strategies and make data-driven adjustments to improve outcomes and ROI
Ability to create a digital marketing content plan across channels and execute this using a test and learn approach
Work closely with our digital marketing agencies optimise PPC, display, and paid social campaigns
Ensure best practices for online creative, implementing A/B testing to optimise ad performance
Oversee the day-to-day management of the company website, ensuring content updates and optimisations using Umbraco CMS
Collaborate with our web development agency and Salesforce developer to deliver website change projects, bug fixes, and enhancements that cannot be completed within the CMS
Increase organic traffic by ensuring the website adheres to SEO best practices and conduct regular keyword research and optimise website content for search engine visibility
Lead, mentor, and develop the Digital Marketing team, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment
Requirements:
3+ years experience in digital marketing with hands-on experience of managing search, display and paid social campaigns
Strong knowledge of analytics including knowledge of Google Ads (Search and Display), Facebook Ads, Microsoft Ads and Google Analytics
Strong Excel skills and ability to create and update reports, drawing out useful insights
Experience in conversion rate optimisation and using data to improve website performance
Commercial/analytical mindset
Experience of using website content management systems
Previous knowledge/experience using Salesforce or other CRM system would be advantageous
Previous experience of managing agencies desirable
Good understanding of Search Engine Optimisation and previous experience using SEO tools
Proactive and enthusiastic – keen to take ownership of projects
Benefits
A starting salary between £40,000 – £45,000, dependent on experience
25 days annual leave + bank holidays with the option to buy/sell up to 5 days.
Daily free breakfast.
Private medical, life assurance, income protection
Cycle & Tech Schemes
Enhanced family leave
High street discounts on over 100 big name brands.
Career progression in a growing company.
Christmas and Summer social events
75% staff discount on our broadband
Find out what it’s really like to work at Wessex Internet from some of our team by visiting https://www.wessexinternet.com/careers/ and watch our short video https://youtu.be/5U1j7GzB3Cc
Salary: £40,000 to £45,000 per annum, depending on experience Role Type: Full Time/ Permanent Hours: 40 hours per week Location: Office based Nr Blandford Forum, Dorset 8am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday. Hybrid work, minimum 3+ days in the office per week. Holiday: 25 days plus bank holidays
About Wessex Internet We are a fast-growing, innovative Internet provider, delivering full-fibre broadband across rural areas in the Southwest, including Dorset, Somerset, New Forest, and now expanding our network into Wiltshire. Dedicated to delivering lightning-fast broadband to thousands of countryside homes and businesses, we are different to most Alt Nets in that we design, build, and operate our own network to ensure every connection meets our high standards.
Late last year, we celebrated an exciting milestone in connecting our 10,000th customer to our full-fibre service. This achievement highlights our commitment to exceptional customer service and is reflected in our customer reviews and trust pilot scores.
We’re a growing business built on teamwork, where each contribution is valued and has a part to play in our successes. With a focus on personal and professional growth, we offer endless opportunities to make an impact. As we continue to grow, we are seeking passionate individuals to join our team.
The Role Wessex Internet have an exciting opportunity as we are seeking a Digital Marketing Executive to join us on a 12 month MAT cover. You will support the digital side of the marketing team across multiple channels.
You will be responsible for managing and updating website content, ensuring it’s accurate, SEO-friendly, and aligned with our brand. You’ll assist in delivering digital campaigns, creating landing pages, and optimising lead generation efforts—particularly through Meta lead forms and paid search activity on Google and Bing.
Additionally you’ll help identify performance improvement opportunities, analyse keyword data, and track key campaign metrics. You’ll also stay on top of the latest digital trends, bringing innovative ideas to enhance our online presence. Additionally, you’ll support digital build projects, including QGIS area mapping and launching targeted posts across social media platforms.
The position is to cover a Maternity cover which should last around 9-12 months. There maybe future positions available within the marketing team at a later date.
Responsibilities:
Website content: manage day-to-day content updates across the website, creating landing pages, ensuring content is accurate, on-brand and SEO-friendly
Campaign support: assist with the delivery of campaigns across our ads and website
Lead gen: own the meta lead gen form and optimise (test & learn) and support the DMM on identifying opportunities for improvements across our search and paid google [& bing] search engines through updating metadata and analysing keyword performance
Analytics: help monitor and report on the performance of digital activities
Trend awareness: keep up to date with digital trends and bring fresh ideas to enhance our digital presence
Build projects: be responsible for supporting build projects through QGIS area mapping, implementation of new search areas in to google, bing and meta and putting posts live across social platforms
Requirements:
1-2 years experience in digital marketing with hands-on experience of supporting search, display and paid social campaigns
Working knowledge of Google Ads (Search and Display), Facebook Ads, Microsoft Ads and Google Analytics
Strong Excel skills and ability to create and update reports, drawing out useful insights
Understanding of using website content management systems (umbraco would be advantageous)
Previous knowledge/experience using Salesforce or other CRM system would be advantageous
Previous experience of managing agencies desirable
Understanding of Search Engine Optimisation and previous experience using SEO tools
Proactive and enthusiastic – keen to learn and take ownership
Full UK driving licence- Due to the rural nature of this role, the person will need a full UK licence and their own car to commute into the office.
Benefits
A starting salary between £25,500 – £28,000, dependent on experience
25 days annual leave + bank holidays with the option to buy/sell up to 5 days.
Daily free breakfast.
Private medical, life assurance, income protection
Cycle & Tech Schemes
Enhanced family leave
High street discounts on over 100 big name brands.
Salary: £25,500 to £28,000 per annum, depending on experience Role Type: Full Time/ Temporary. Hours: 40 hours per week Location: Office based Nr Blandford Forum, Dorset 8am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday. The candidate must live within the area & happy to commute to the office. We are unable to accept candidates who are out of area. Working Type: Hybrid. Minimum 3 days in the office per week. A driving licence & car us required. Visa: The company are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
Postcard sent to Herne Bay in Kent, on 17th June 1973 – I’m fascinated by the chap in the foreground looking VERY hot and bothered in his shirt and trousers, socks and shoes among all the sunbathers!
Weymouth – Monday. Dear Mum & Dad, Although we’re coming home on Wednesday, we’re still enjoying ourselves in the tent life. We’re both looking well – Sue’s got a red nose & I had to buy a hat to protect my scalp. Haven’t shaved yet – getting quite bristly. Sun has been very warm & we’ve been on the beach most days. Sea is still a bit cold but we’ve been in most days – only for a paddle sometimes though!! We’ve done all the local high spots like playing golf – Sue beat me yesterday – & the amusements. Going Go Karting today. See you later in the week. Love Sue & Rex xxx
Postcard sent to Fernhill Heath, in Worcester, on 23rd June 1970 (lovely to see that Maud, in 1970, is thrilled with a coloured television at the hotel!). The card shows the SS Caesarea, which was a British Rail cross-channel ferry that operated the Weymouth to Channel Islands route, including Jersey. Built in 1960, the ship was one of the last traditional passenger steamers constructed for the Channel Islands. The coming of the car ferry to the islands in 1973 sounded the end of the classic service: Caesarea made her final scheduled sailing to the islands in October 1975.
23/6/70 Fairhaven Hotel, Esplanade, Weymouth. Dear Edie & Bill, Having a nice time, weather warm and dry, but rain Monday. Hotel excellent, nice bedroom with Radio, Lounge, Coloured telly, and Lounge Bar separate. Hope you are both feeling better. Lovely this morning. Love from Maud
There’s never a dull moment in Sturminster Newton – and this August proves it. Whether you’re into vintage vehicles, live music, artisan markets or just a decent cup of tea, there’s something happening for everyone! The month kicks off on Saturday 2nd August, when the Recreation Ground plays host once again to the ever-popular Car and Bike Enthusiasts’ morning from 9am to midday. With over 300 vehicles expected, it’s a great opportunity to admire classic motors and chat with their passionate owners.
Inside 1855
Also on the 2nd and 3rd, it’s time to spice things up – the Stock Gaylard Chilli Festival returns, complete with a mouth-cooling assist from Shroton Gin and Dorset Ginger. Throughout the summer holidays, the Vale Family Hub at Butts Pond is open to all ages. Alongside excellent coffee, tea and light meals, visitors can enjoy craft sessions, children’s activities and good company – check their website valefamilyhub.co.uk or their Facebook page for up-to-date listings. Mid-month brings a moment of reflection as Sturminster Newton marks VJ Day on 15th August. Formal commemorations begin with the Proclamation and flag raising at 10am in the Railway Gardens, followed by a Civic Service at 7pm, and the Lighting of the Beacon at 8.30pm. Free afternoon tea will be served at Community Connections in the Stour Connect Café.
The official opening of Forgotten Frowns by Pauline Batstone, Sturminster Newton myor
The following day (16th August), the Riverside Family Festival returns for its third year. This friendly, low-cost day of entertainment is organised by a local family and their friends – and always draws a good crowd. Later in the month, on 23rd and 24th August, The Oak Fair returns to the Stock Gaylard Estate for its 18th year. What began as a small woodcraft fair has grown into a major countryside celebration, featuring crafts, countryside skills and live demonstrations, with a strong environmental and family focus. Meanwhile, the town centre remains vibrant. SturAction continues to thrive with its five pre-loved shops, selling everything from clothes and books to furniture and collectables – plus a free uniform exchange. The 1855 Artisan Market hosts more than 100 local makers, offering everything from cheese and gin to ironware, art and handmade cards. Two traders have even used their space at 1855 to grow their businesses into their own shops, and another is expanding into a dedicated workshop – exactly the kind of success SturAction was set up to support.
The Green Lake Studio is a new crochet and craft space in Station Road
There’s also a warm welcome to Irina at The Green Lake Studio, who has opened a new crochet and craft space in Station Road, repurposing a tiny unit that had long been vacant. And congratulations to Forgotten Frowns Aesthetics and Beauty, the latest addition to Market Cross. Sturminster Newton is buzzing this summer. Come and see what’s going on – you might just find yourself staying longer than you planned …
So the madness of summer is upon us: the long working hours and the constant checking of the weather forecast. After endless months of winter rain, we now find ourselves seriously short of water. The livestock sector is struggling with limited feed stock, and any passing shower or thunderstorm is heartily welcomed. Harvest is well under way, with many having cut a good area before the end of July – unusually early. Yields are varied, depending on soil type and how much rain fell in May and June. All of this puts added pressure on farmers and their teams. Remember: we at the Farming Community Network are always here if needed.
Getting together In June and early July, we hosted two farm walks, welcoming around 100 people over the two evenings. The first was held at my own farm in Winterborne Kingston, where Bournemouth University is conducting an archaeological dig exploring Roman and Iron Age rural life. As well as viewing the dig, we discussed current farming practices – balancing environmental schemes with the need to maximise production. Two weeks later, we had a fascinating visit to Hemsworth Farm, enjoying a guided tour of their organic dairy and regenerative farming system. Alongside these, our Walk & Talk evenings have continued around the county – visiting the Piddle Valley, the Fleet area, Sherborne, Winyard’s Gap and Tollard Royal. Do come and see us at the agricultural shows this summer: We’ll be at Gillingham & Shaftesbury on 13th and 14th August, Melplash on 21st, and the Dorset County Show on 6th and 7th September. And we’re already preparing for our Harvest Festival service at Sherborne Abbey. Book it in your diary: 28th September at 6.30pm. [email protected]
Aged 90 Passed away peacefully at Dorset County Hospital after a very short illness surrounded by her family. Beloved wife of the late Barry. Loving mother to Melanie and Corinne, grandmother of Charlotte, Jake , Lewis & Tom , and great grandmother of Esme, Toby , Hallie and Indie.
Funeral to be held at Weymouth Crematorium on Friday 15 th August at 11.30 am. Family flowers only please, but donations in Jo’s memory may be given to Alzheimer’s society via Grassbys Funeral Directors .
Barry Cuff takes a look back at what happened on his Sturminster Newton plot last month
It was another very dry month with little rain, high temperatures and drying winds. The little rain we did have only amounted to around 0.6 of an inch. Water was in great demand across the allotment site, and we pumped from our 12 foot well most days to supply the tanks and troughs. Vegetables on our own plot were watered every day, including the maincrop potatoes. Some planting was held back until after the 0.3 inches of rain on the 20th. We have been picking tomatoes from the greenhouse most days, and we have lettuce available all through the month.
All images: Barry Cuff
3rd – The haulm (the stalks or stems) was dying back on the Jazzy, Sagitta, Maris Bard and Charlotte potatoes.
4th – Removed three more onions with white rot. Harvested courgettes, beetroot and blackcurrants (Val made a blackcurrant pavlova!). Gave four rows of Desiree potatoes 40 litres of water per row.
6th – Hand weeding.
7th – Dug Maris Bard (good) and Charlotte potatoes (very good!). Prepared the ground for leeks – it’s currently very lumpy.
8th – Dug two rows of Jazzy potatoes (excellent). Helped strengthen and put in new supports under the water-holding tank. Cut haulm off Sagitta potatoes. Harvested peas, courgettes, beetroot, blackcurrants and gooseberries. Fed the strawberry plants.
9th – First big tomato harvest: Akron, St Pierre, Rainbow Blend, Santonio, Santa Victoria and Ailsa Craig. Planted out lettuce from a plug tray.
10th – Weeds looked stressed from lack of rain.
11th – Picked the first Nairobi snap peas and Carrouby de Maussane mangetout. Harvested French beans, peas and a few onions.
12th – Picked courgettes, gooseberries and blackcurrants. A very hot day (31°C).
13th – Stored garlic: now totally dry. Dug five Harry potatoes (a new variety to us – good, but we won’t grow it again). Picked a punnet of bird-sown cultivated blackberries from the hedge.
15th – Harvested peas, snap peas, mangetout, gherkins, French beans and our first outdoor cucumber. Sowed Sweet Williams and Wallflowers in trays for 2026.
16th – Planted out Rudolph and Claret purple sprouting broccoli from plug trays.
17th – Planted out two rows of Musselburgh leeks from pots. Sowed Palla Rossa radicchio in a plug tray.
Caledonian rose pottaoes harves
18th – Hand weeding. Fed celeriac and strawberries. Harvested mangetout, snap peas, peas, gherkins, beetroot, onions and French beans. Had a big tomato and sweet pepper pick.
20th – 0.3 inches of rain! Sowed beetroot and carrot.
21st – Hand-weeded brassicas.
22nd – Planted out lettuce from a plug tray. Fed celeriac. Planted out Navona romanesco. Cut haulm on the four rows of Caledonian Rose potatoes (dying back). Harvested peas, snap peas, mangetout, gherkins, cucumber, beetroot and French beans.
23rd – Sowed Vitimo Chinese cabbage and the next batch of lettuce in plug trays.
24th – Removed cloches from the seven lines of brassicas, then hand-weeded, watered, sprayed for caterpillars and boron deficiency, and erected pigeon-proof netting. Large numbers of Large White butterflies on the wing.
26th – Harvested about 50 per cent of onions and laid them out in trays to dry. Picked cucumbers, gherkins and courgettes. Dug first good-sized carrots. Hand-weeded remaining onions.
27th – Dug two rows of Caledonian Rose potatoes – a good yield, but many were small due to drought. We now need some decent rain for the remaining crops.
During hot, dry spells, choosing drought-tolerant plants is better for bees, butterflies, your water bill and your summer display
Following on from last month, where we talked about saving water in the garden, perhaps we should consider native plant varieties and species which naturally need less water – including those with grey or silver leaves that reflect more of the sun’s radiation, such as succulents. Many species that thrive in dry conditions and yet are helpful to bees and butterflies are available. Here is a list of drought-tolerant plants that may be helpful. This list is not restrictive, there are lots of others: Agapanthus, Anchusa azure, all succulents including Cotyledon orbiculata, Geums, hardy geraniums, Bearded irises, Mexican feather grass, Nepeta, Pittosporum, Trachelospermum jasminoides, Sea hollies,, verbascums, artemisia, sedums, lavender and heuchera.
A small bird enjoying a bath in a stone birdbath, surrounded by splashing water droplets in a lush green garden setting.
Check your pots Also, do choose your pots with care, as some lose water more quickly – metal heats up fast, and unglazed terracotta is more porous than glazed, so it loses water faster. And think about where you place them – avoid the midday sun. Plants in containers may well need watering twice a day in the summer – in the early morning and evening! Hydrangeas, particularly in containers, may need to be monitored. Keep feeding all container plants with liquid fertiliser – once a week if possible.
In hot spells Thin out overgrown pond plants. A water feature that trickles water into the pond will probably help aerate the pond water. Failing that (and assuming no hosepipe ban), water from a hosepipe can be trickled into the pond to help aerate it instead. Solar pond fountains may also help. Remember to top up ponds regularly. While you’re there, ensure bird baths are full to give garden birds a place to bathe, drink and cool down. Create an amphibian refuge by placing some logs in a shady area, and stuffing the lower layer with fallen leaves and moss. This will make a cool, damp location for frogs, newts and toads. Keep deadheading flowers, particularly roses, and summer-flowering shrubs to remove the faded blooms and help continue their display. Sweet peas are at their best this month, and they really do benefit from constant picking for vases in the house. This helps prolong the flowering period.
