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With living costs rising all the time, everyone is looking for ways to save some money, so Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is highlighting some areas where a saving could be a false economy – and a fire risk.
The Service is asking people to #SaveSafely, and there is a wealth of information about staying safe at home and on the roads at www.dwfire.org.uk/save-safely. This includes energy saving tips, cooking safely advice, how to stay warm safely, staying safe when cutting costs, cutting the costs of driving, and signposting to financial help.
Some top tips include:
The Fire and Rescue Service offers free Safe & Well advice, which can include a home visit and the provision of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. To request this for yourself, a family member or a vulnerable person, please call 0800 038 2323 or visit www.dwfire.org.uk/safe-and-well-visits
If British Summer Time and warmer days means you will be visiting one of Dorset & Wiltshire’s local heathlands or outdoors spaces to enjoy the wildlife and wilderness, please take a picnic.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) are encouraging residents and visitors to take a picnic and not BBQ. Warmer and breezy weather increases the risk of accidental or deliberate fires in our open spaces. A wildfire can move at speeds faster than an Olympic sprinter, so we are asking people who are out and about to follow some simple steps:
During 2021, DWFRS dealt with 494 fires in the open. In 2022, we have already seen large wildfires in Dorset & Wiltshire and firefighters across the UK have dealt with more wildfires between January and May than in the whole of 2021 (243 compared to 237 in 2021).
Area Manager Marc House, Head of Prevention at DWFRS said: “As we move into the summer, with longer daylight hours and warmer weather, understandably more people want to get out and use Dorset & Wiltshire’s natural environments. There is a trend that the number of deliberately set fires and fires caused by BBQs and bonfires in these open spaces, increases.
He added: “I cannot stress enough how important it is to take extra care when enjoying our beautiful open and forestry areas. If you are a smoker, please extinguish them fully before disposing of them responsibly – never ever just throw them away lit, similar to throwing them out from car windows – the result could be 50 or 100 firefighters tackling the subsequent blaze.”
Anyone caught starting a fire on a heath will be prosecuted whether it is a case of deliberate arson or neglect, for example an unauthorised camp fire or a disposable BBQ that gets out of control. Wildfires cost lives not only to endangered plants and animals but also put people and houses in danger.
We need your help to protect our countryside. Please #BringAPicnicNotABBQ
Blandford Community Hospital is running a walk-in for Covid-19 vaccinations on Saturday and Sunday, 18/19 June 2022. Please check if there are other dates arranged.
The hospital details are;
Milldown Road
Blandford Forum
DT11 7DD
01258 456541
Helen Hunt
Parking is available on-site and located at the rear of the hospital
The walk-in is signed from the side entrance going into the Out-Patients area.
Booking are also possible through the NHS Covid telephone number 119.
12 Apr 2022
In October last year we launched the Dorset Education Advice Line – an advice line for parents and carers who are worried their child might not be making the progress they should be, or who may believe their child might have emerging special educational needs.
To date, we’ve spoken with approximately 60 Dorset families, talking to them about their worries and concerns, and making sure they get the right help, at the right time.
Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Children, Education, Skills and Early Help said:
“The Education Advice Line will help to ensure that families and professionals work together at the earliest opportunity to engage in early identification and universal support for families in Dorset.
“If you are concerned about your child’s academic progress, or social and emotional development, then please do get in touch. Our Special Educational Needs Family Workers are here to listen, offer advice and can talk through your concerns with you.”
Get in touch
You can book a 15 minute appointment with one of our SEND Family Workers by using our online form, this is the quickest way to contact us.
If you aren’t able to do so, contact us and someone can make this booking for you over the phone. Call freephone 0800 14 040 41.
Our lines are open:
Rian Davies
rian.davies@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Use these assets for you own DEAL publicity:
Key Messages
If this information doesn’t cover your concerns or you need help responding, please e-mail wasteteam@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and they’ll be very happy to help.
Your questions answered
The census is a survey that happens every 10 years and gives us a picture of all the people and households in England and Wales. All kinds of organisations, from local authorities to charities, use the information to help provide the services we all need, including transport, education and healthcare. Without the census, it would be much more difficult to do this.
When should I fill in my census questionnaire?
Census Day is Sunday 21 March – but you can fill yours in as soon as you get your access code in the post. Your answers should be about the people who usually live in your household on this date – even if you’re filling it in before then. If you need help, visit www.census.gov.uk
Do I have to take part?
If you live in England and Wales, you must take part in the census – it’s a legal requirement. Census information helps inform how billions of pounds of public funding is spent. By taking around 10 minutes per person to fill in the census questionnaire, you will help make sure your community gets the services needed now and in the future.
Will the government use the information I provide to identify me?
No. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which is an independent public body, carries out the census in England and Wales. It only ever publishes anonymous information from the census. In fact, it’s a crime to share personal census information and everything you say is protected.
How will the census make a difference to me?
The census makes a difference to everyone. It’s a once-in-a-decade chance to have your voice heard and help inform the future of your local area.
What if I do not identify with the census options?
The census asks you about your ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, religion and national identity. It’s up to you to decide how you would like to answer each question. Some questions allow for a free text response rather than having to use predefined categories. Do it in the way that you feel best represents you.
Could information I share affect my benefits or immigration status?
No. The information you share in the census cannot be used to influence benefit claims, a residency application, immigration status or your taxes. Officials dealing with payments or services you receive cannot see your census information.
What if I cannot fill in my census questionnaire online?
The ONS can help with a wide range of support services to make it as easy as possible for you, whatever your needs. Services include:
• guidance and support in many languages and formats
• help over the phone, in a web chat or on social media
• a paper version of the questionnaire, if you prefer
• accessible census guidance, for example in braille
In addition, there will be four library based Census Support Centres in Ferndown, Gillingham, Weymouth and Dorchester to provide help with online completion. The contact details for this will be available very shortly.
Where can I get this information?
Everyone will receive a postcard followed by a letter with their digital access code which will contain both the website address and phone number for census support.
What other local support is available?
If you run a local community group or organisation and would like more information for your website or newsletter or if you are holding any online events or meetings and would like to receive a presentation or the opportunity to ask questions, you can also contact the ONS Census Engagement Manager for Dorset, Philip Eades, at philip.eades98@field.census.gov.uk or on 07452 948119.
Why is the census asking me about my gender and sexual orientation?
This census asks voluntary questions about sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time. This is to give us more accurate information on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations. This will help organisations combat any inequalities these groups face and show where services are needed. The census will only ask people aged 16 years and over these questions. If you do not feel comfortable identifying on the same form as the rest of your household, you can request an individual census questionnaire and answer separately.
Can I help friends and family fill in the census?
Yes. If a friend or family member needs support, help them if you can. Always fill in your own census first. You can also ask for help for yourself, or for someone else.
Is it safe for the census to go ahead at present?
Yes. The ONS has planned and built a flexible operation which can adapt to the changing circumstances of the pandemic. It will continue to review and adapt these plans to ensure census staff and the public can be kept safe and everyone can be safely counted. It is important to note that the ONS hopes that about 75% of the population will complete the census online without the need for any additional support.
Census 2021 will also be crucial to our understanding of how the people of England and Wales have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and it will give us detailed information on the health, social and economic impacts on all of us. It is essential we understand the needs of different groups and communities and the challenges people are facing in order to inform future decisions and policy making.
Where can I get more information?
Judy Jakes advises the November Benefice Magazine, here, is also being placed online for the next three months.
Worth considering aggregating our Vouchers towards getting Fibre to the Premises through Wessex Internet:
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