Category: Information

Dorset Police Advice For Safe Online Social Networking

Dorset Police is continuing to educate the public on the threat of cyber-crime and is encouraging Dorset’s residents to ensure they are safe online while social networking.

The internet is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends, with many of us using Facebook, Twitter, Skype, online dating sites and others on a regular basis.

Superintendent Mark Callaghan, Director of Intelligence, said: “Many of us enjoy sharing the details of our lives with our online friends, but do you really know who you are communicating with and who can see your posts?

“Make sure your privacy settings are set to the highest level so that only your friends can see your details.

“It is easy for a cyber-criminal to get personal details from social networking sites. Posting details and photographs of your summer holidays while you are away may seem innocent enough, but to a burglar you have just advertised you have an empty house.

“Be wary about who you invite or accept invitations from on social networking sites and internet telephone services. Do not accept friendship requests from complete strangers. You would not do this in real life!”

Dorset Police is advising people to be wary of publishing any identifying personal information either in a profile or in posts – such as phone numbers, pictures of your home, workplace or school, your address or birthday.

Think twice before clicking on any links. These can lead to hoax pages and sites designed to defraud you or steal your identity. Choose safe passwords – careless use of passwords can lead to an account being hacked.

The risks are becoming the victim of online bullying, trolling or other forms of abuse such as revenge porn or extortion.

What goes online stays online. Do not say anything or publish pictures that might later cause you or someone else embarrassment.

Detective Superintendent Mark Callaghan continued: “I would urge everyone to visit GetSafeOnline and cybersafe.dorset.police.uk for help and advice on online safety.

“Together we can ensure all Dorset’s residents are CyberSafe.”

Dorset Police is encouraging everyone to visit GetSafeOnline and cybersafe.dorset.police.uk for help and advice on online safety.
If intimate photos or videos of you are posted online against your will report it to Dorset Police by calling 101.

Cranborne Chase Woodfair

The Cranborne Chase Woodfair is a bit special. It has a unique atmosphere that reflects the landscape from which it takes its name. The Woodfair has the same wide appeal as the broad vistas of the Chase and, just as secluded villages and country pubs can be discovered throughout the area, the Woodfair is the perfect place to discover hidden gems such as a delicately turned bowl or pitch-perfect cider. The special atmosphere is not the only thing that sets it apart. It is organised by the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); a partnership of charities, public bodies and other organisations who work together to conserve and enhance this quintessentially English landscape. The event makes a little money that goes towards projects that care for the countryside, so rest assured that your ticket price is put to good work.

Wherever you turn you will find someone willing to show you something or tell you something that you did not know about the area. The Woodfair is so much more than the bland “shopping experience” that you find in some country shows. Throughout the day you will see wood being milled, sawn, chopped, sculpted, joined, twisted and twirled into an amazing variety of things from tent pegs and toys to baskets and buildings. You can watch while a craftsman’s hands create a tiny bird in front of you or have a go at making a walking stick. You can experience the feeling of being hoisted up into the canopy of an oak tree, or watch as a steam-driven saw screams its way though a tree trunk. One of the main attractions is the chainsaw carvers. Amidst a blizzard of woodchips and the howl of the saws, they transform huge tree trunks into works of art that are auctioned off on the last day.

This event is a shop window for the locality. More than half of the traders come from the immediate vicinity of Cranborne Chase: Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset. The trade stands are carefully selected to ensure variety and a consistently high quality of product and service. One of the really great things about the Woodfair is that if you want to buy something, taste something or just find out about it, the person you speak to will probably be the person who made it or grew it. Unlike many other events, at the Woodfair you can have a go at doing things: shooting an arrow, climbing a tree, making a pot, smelting bronze, turning a chair leg … the list goes on!

At the Woodfair, you can taste the landscape. Although the cuisine on offer is varied they have a few things in common like top quality locally-sourced ingredients. Whatever your tastes may be; game, organic, vegetarian, meaty, traditional, novel, fast or slow, you will find something to delight you.

Once you have got something to eat, the best thing to do at the Woodfair is to wander through the heritage exhibitions or pull up a straw bale and watch the show ring performances. The performers and experts at the Woodfair come together to open a door to the culture, history and way of life of Cranborne Chase. Be prepared to be amused and enthused as well as educated because we choose the exhibitors with great care and, as always at the Woodfair, there is an open invitation to have a go and take part.

The Cranborne Chase Woodfair is held in the setting of Breamore House near Fordingbridge over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of October. To find out more and get the special rate on tickets, go to www.woodfair.org.uk. We very much hope to see you there.

Help & Care – Training Workshops for Carers

Are you a carer?

Do you care for a family member of friend?

Caring for a family member or friend can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. However it can also present challenges, especially when faced with new situations. Most carers at some point will need help and advice, so that the best care can continue to be given.

Help & Care in partnership with Dorset Healthcare will be running free informal training workshops during September 2015.

Please follow the link below for more information –

Help & Care Training Workshops 2015 to 2016

Dates for the remainder of 2015/16 are to follow

Dorset Police – Important Information

We have been made aware by Wiltshire Police of a couple of scams farms in their force area are suffering.
One scam is the caller says they are from the rural crime team and goes on to ask for details of machinery at the farm and if it is data tagged. This may be a precursor to thefts of farm machinery.
The other scam is of a similar nature but could be under the guise of farm safety around machinery and goes on to ask for donations.
Please do not disclose any details over the phone.

And

Overnight, there have been breaks to outbuildings, vehicles and garages within the East Orchard area although they may have occurred in a wider area.

Officers have two males detained on suspicion of theft and a vehicle seized. They are currently helping us with our enquiries.

We are requesting that local residents check premises and vehicles to ensure they have not been victims. If you believe you have anything missing, please contact Dorset police on 101 with  information.

Many Thanks,
North Dorset Safer Neighbourhood Teams

 

Action Fraud – Beware: Cloned National Savings & Investments website is offering “investments”

Fraudsters have set up a bogus website claiming to be the official site of National Savings & Investments (NS&I) and are contacting members of the public, cold calling them and offering them the chance to invest in 65+ Bonds (also known as Pensioner Bonds).

Members of the public who are searching for the official website (for example on search engines) may be directed to the fake one which then asks them to supply contact information.

Victims are then receiving a follow up e-mail and/or phone call from the fraudsters who are requesting evidence of identity documents and bank account details either over the phone or by sending the victims fake forms to fill out. A common name that appears on the emails sent by the fraudsters is ‘Kevin Archer’.

Avoid being a victim of fraud:

  • Do not pass personal or banking information to companies that cold call you.
  • Please note that the only domain name (website address) that is legitimate is www.nsandi.com
  • National Savings & Investments (NS&I) do not make sales calls to potential customers (cold calls) so do not enter into discussion with cold callers claiming to be NS&I.
  • The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau is committed to tackling all types of fraud and the Cyber Prevention and Disruption Team aims to do this by disrupting and taking down fake and fraudulent websites.

If you have been a victim of fraud or suspect a company of fraud please contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via the online reporting tool at www.actionfraud.police.uk

Election of Parish Councillors for Stourpaine

Please follow the link below to see the Notice of Uncontested Election of Parish Councillors in Stourpaine –

Results of the uncontested election for Parish Councillors in Stourpaine 2015

With effect from the 7th May 2015 your Parish Councillors will be –

Councillor Scott Norman

Councillor Keith Yarwood

Councillor Peter Partridge

Councillor Mark Farwell

Councillor Louise Webb

Councillor Gill Cowie

Councillor David Meaden