The coolest news around

New minibus arrives!

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Age Concern Verwood took delivery of their new 16-seat minibus on 28 July 2010.

Read about it in the next issue of Viewpoint Magazine due out on 12 August 2010.

Age Concern Verwood provides activities, refreshments and lunches on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Verwood Band Hall, Moorlands Road. If you know of anyone who is less able or housebound who would benefit from this service, contact Val on 01202 821954.

PHOTO: l-r Mayor of Verwood, Cllr Jean Hazel, Cllr Mike Daymond, Chairman of Age Concern and former chairman Roy Slade

Blooming jubilee barrels

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

East Boro Housing Trust has supported Wimborne in Bloom by donating flower barrels within Wimborne town centre.

The sponsorship of the two flower barrels is just one of many activities/events during 2010 to mark East Boro’s Golden Jubilee, which celebrates its fifty year history within Wimborne.

East Boro’s Chief Executive, Kevin Hodder comments: “The sponsorship of the flower barrels acknowledges this important year for the organisation and will hopefully provide enjoyment for local people for several years.”

PHOTOGRAPH: East Boro’s Chief Executive Kevin Hodder presenting a sponsorship cheque and plaque to Wimborne in Bloom’s Chairman Anthony Oliver

Discover Dorset’s sea secrets

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Kimmeridge Bay’s Fine Foundation Marine Centre has unveiled a new series of marine wildlife displays.

Specially designed for Dorset Wildlife Trust, the displays give visitors an exciting and in depth look into the wildlife of Dorset’s seas.

Dorset's Jurassic Coast geology extends beneath the waves, creating a spectacular diversity of seabed habitats and wildlife, which for most people remain hidden from view. Using stunning images, the new displays help bring the colour and variety of this underwater world into focus, from the huge basking shark to the delicate seahorse, delighting visitors of all ages and abilities.

For more information about the Marine Centre contact 01929 481044.

Read six books this summer

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, helped to launch the 2010 Summer Reading Challenge at a special reception held in the House of Commons earlier this month. The popular and successful initiative aims to keep children reading throughout the school summer holidays.

Now in its twelfth year, the challenge was created and is run by The Reading Agency and is supported by children’s publishers. Every year it reaches 750,000 children aged four to twelve via the UK library network.

The challenge is simple. Children are encouraged to read six or more books of their choice during the holidays with collectable incentives and rewards. Children can sign up to the challenge at their local library and librarians are available to offer advice and guidance.

At the reception, Annette Brooke said: "I was very pleased to support the launch of the 2010 Summer Reading Challenge. It is a great way to keep children entertained over the holidays, but more importantly, we know that children who take part read more books and read more widely than those who don't, with potentially life-changing results. The challenge introduces children to one of the best free resources for their minds that they have on their doorsteps - the local library - and focuses on the development of skills that are vital for their life chances and life skills – reading."

PHOTOGRAPH: Annette Brooke MP

Dorset's top four!

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Run by Dorset Wildlife Trust and The Gardens Group, the competition was judged in a range of categories, including a community and ‘large extended’ category for those with additional land such as a wood or meadow. The winning wildlife gardeners are:

Mrs J Maccarty from Christchurch (best community garden)
Annie Christopher from Bournemouth (best medium-sized garden)
Michael & Valerie Evans from Wimborne (best large garden)
Anita Rich & Dennis Lynch from Blandford (best large ‘extended’ garden)

The awards were presented at Castle Gardens, Sherborne, by the internationally recognised wildlife-friendly garden expert, Clive Farrell of Ryewater Nursery, creator of the world’s biggest butterfly park and research centre, Butterfly World.

The event was sponsored by The Gardens Group, with winners receiving award plaques and wildlife friendly gardening prizes including nest boxes, wild flower seeds, bird feeders and gardening vouchers for The Gardens Group’s garden centres at Poundbury, Yeovil and Sherborne.

For more information about wildlife gardening, see www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-gardening.html or ring Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01305 264620.

Photo: Mrs J Maccarty with Clive Farrell © Tony Bates, Dorset Wildlife Trust 2010

Park & Ride for Bournemouth Air Festival

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Bus operator Wilts & Dorset will operate the Park and Ride services during the Bournemouth Air Festival (19-22 August) for the third consecutive year.

The service will operate from three sites within the town at:

King’s Park
Bournemouth University
Littledown

Last year the park and ride service was used by over 35,000 people.

Alex Carter, Managing Director of the Go Ahead Group of bus and coach companies in the south said, “We will use a fleet of twenty-two single and double deck buses for the Park and Ride and a team of thirty-two drivers.”

He said that the company has been working closely with police and authorities to ensure that buses have the ability to operate through the peak time traffic congestion.

Information on the park and ride services can be found by visiting www.bournemouthair.co.uk

Optimist tack to mark Olympic countdown

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) Open Weekend took place at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) at the weekend.

On Sunday, 25 July, three hundred Optimist sailors took to the water to attempt a challenge of simultaneously tacking on a whistle. They provided a stunning spectacle on the 2012 Games waters as they successfully co-ordinated eight tacks in a uniquely engineered sequence that has never been attempted before.

It took place before the practice race which kicks off an exciting week of sailing in the Volvo Musto Optimist British National and Open Championship. The youth regatta welcomes 498 sailors across three classes from Europe, Asia and even Oceania.

The Academy was basking in sunshine as family members, locals and press, including mags4dorset, eagerly awaited the challenge which has been the cause of much hype. The anticipation was well worth the wait as the successful optimists provided a magnificent scene for all to witness.

It was a great way to start the week which can only get better for the Optimist sailors. Later in the week they will be treated to a visit from Olympians Sarah Ayton and Saskia Clark who will be taking time out of their busy schedule to go out on the water with the youth sailors and offer advice and tips. Triple Olympian champion Ben Ainslie began his journey to the top of the sport in an Optimist and he will be making an appearance during this special week to inspire the young sailors to become the future racing stars.

The Volvo Musto Optimist British National and Open Championship sailors have brought a large amount of visitors to the area with an estimated £1.5 million pounds being injected to the local economy. Many young sailors using their skill to successfully complete the Tacking on the Whistle Challenge will have aspirations of Olympic sailing one day like many of their predecessors from the Optimist class.

John Tweed, Chief Executive at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, said, “The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy was the perfect location for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to host this Open Weekend Challenge. The Optimist fleet managed an impressive eight tacks on the whistle as a group providing a stunning display for those watching.”

John told mags4dorset, “It was a wonderful event and marked the countdown to the Olympic Games, which begins on Tuesday. Many of the Olympic sailors are based here and the Open Championship has attracted nearly 500 competitors from all over the world."

Lady president in waiting

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Ferndown Rotary is on its way to having a lady president, the first in its 36-year history. Ann Banks has joined the club’s top team for 2010/11 as president nominee, the first step to becoming president.

Speaking of Ann’s appointment, incoming president Keith Puttick said: “Hopefully, Ann’s success will not only encourage many of the growing numbers of lady members to take up a senior position within Rotary, it will also prompt even more ladies to consider becoming a Rotarian and thus play a greater role in supporting their local communities."

Floraltastic

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Green-fingered pupils have scooped a top floral award with the generous help of a Christchurch organics recycling company.

Sylvan First School was declared winner of the school section in this year’s Poole in Bloom contest.

Eco Sustainable Solutions donated a tonne of its multi-purpose compost to the school in Livingstone Road, Parkstone.

Pupils used it to plant out borders, hanging baskets and even old tyres with flowers and vegetables, turning a previously barren outside area into a riot of colour for their ‘Blooming Marvellous’ project.

“The transformation has been amazing and we’re very grateful to Eco for their generous help,” said Year One teacher Angela Wallington. “The award from Poole in Bloom is the icing on the cake and we’re absolutely delighted.”

Peter Hardy, Eco’s Sales Manager, said: “As a former Sylvan pupil I was only too pleased to help out. The staff and pupils are to be congratulated on their fantastic efforts.”

Wild about Wimborne!

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

You can find out about the River Allen at the Wild about Wimborne! event on the Minster Green on Saturday 24 July from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

Have moped, will travel

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Community First New Forest has taken delivery of a new supply of mopeds for its ‘Wheels to Work’ scheme. The latest additions bring Community First New Forest’s fleet of mopeds to thirty-six. The successful Wheels to Work scheme covers the New Forest, Test Valley, East Hampshire and Winchester City Council regions.

Wheels to Work is designed to help young people living in these areas, aged 16 to 25, who are actively job seeking or are finding getting to work difficult due to a lack of public transport. The young person needs to have a licence and to be able to pay a small weekly hire charge. Community First New Forest supplies everything else including CBT training, helmet, maintenance and servicing, and fully comprehensive insurance.

During the last twelve months, Community First New Forest’s Wheels to Work scheme has helped over fifty young people locally either find work or enable them to access vocational training.

For further information, telephone Graham Hartless at Community First New Forest on 01425 482773 or email mopedadmin@cfnf.org.uk for the New Forest and Test Valley or mopedloan@cfnf.org.uk for Winchester and East Hampshire.

Massive turnout for Relay for Life

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Ferndown Relay For Life community event raised a magnificent £45,000 for Cancer Research UK. Forty teams with over 500 team members took turns to walk around the track behind Ferndown Leisure Centre for 24 hours. The first lap was led by sixty cancer survivors aged between 7-91.

For the full report see the August issue of Town and Village Community Magazine.