A350 Community Group

Dear Stourpaine Resident

As you may know the government has announced new funds for rural bypasses. There have been plans to bypass Shaftesbury and the A350/C13 for many decades but no money was available. This is a rare chance to get something done to reduce the number of HGVs on the A350.

At the same time North Dorset District Council (NDDC) are asking local people their views on the council plans to 2031, called a Local Plan. Part of this consultation asks whether the land currently identified and safeguarded for the Shaftesbury Outer Bypass should continue to be safeguarded. Your parish council, Shaftesbury Town Council and all the other parish councils on the A350 would like your help to keep the land safeguarded for a possible future bypass otherwise any future options will have gone forever.

What do I need do to ?

The NDDC consultation asks whether you agree with a specific set of questions. We are interested in Question 29 which asks:

Q29. Do you consider that the land which is identified and safeguarded for the Shaftesbury Outer Bypass and the Charlton Marshall and Spetisbury Bypass should continue to be identified and safeguarded for such purposes?

You have to reply via a form which we have attached. We would ask that you fill in your name, address, postcode, telephone number and email address in Part A and then just click on the “Yes” box for Question 29. If you want to answer any more questions that’s fine but when you are finished please send it to:

planningpolicy@north-dorset.gov.uk

This must be done by 5.00 pm on 22nd January for your opinion to count.

If you wish you can see the whole Local Plan at:
https://www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/north-dorset-local-plan-review

Thank you so much for your help.
Stourpaine Parish Council

Marianne Wheatley
Parish Clerk – Stourpaine Parish Council
Tel: 01305 873838

Lindyhop Dance Class – 13th January

Lindyhop Dance Class on 13th January

Strictly Swing in Stourpaine – Sunny Side of Swing, jazz/swing/blues band played in Shroton Village Hall after an introductory Lindyhop class and this was a great success, with dancers (experienced and beginners) attending from as far as Chippenham and Axminster. So Claire & Peter will be offering Lindyhop classes once a month (2 classes and social dancing with a DJ), with the band playing every 3rd month (with one class).

The next dance classes evening will be on Saturday 13th January at 7.30 p.m. [doors open 7.30, class starts at 7.45] at Stourpaine Village Hall, cost £6.
Bring your own drinks (and food, if you wish).  Some soft drinks will be provided.

Lindyhop is a partner dance that originated in the 1920’s and 30’s in Harlem. It continued its popularity well into the 40’s during the Swing era and draws from earlier Charleston and Jazz steps and precedes jive and jitterbug. The Charleston routines on Strictly include several of these and are often choreographed by  one of Claire & Peter’s dance teachers.

The name ‘Lindyhop’ comes from Charles Lindbergh flying solo across the Atlantic to Paris in 1927. It’s great fun and there’s no need to come to classes with a partner.

Tel: 07708 473568 or check www.sunnysideofswing.co.uk

New Tea Room and Gallery opens in Stourpaine

New Tea Room and Gallery opens in Stourpaine

Tea Room and Gallery
Edie-Mae’s

Saturday 2nd December saw the Mayor of Blandford opening Edie-Mae’s brand new Tea Room and first floor Art Gallery.

Now with over 30 Artists, Designers and Makers showcasing their wares in-store , the addition of a tea room is very welcome!

Shortly to be offering Breakfasts, light Lunches and full Afternoon Teas.

email: essentialediemaes@gmail.com

Are you prepared?

Preparing for the future is often something people put off thinking about. This autumn sees Dorset County Council launch an adult social care campaign called ‘Prepare to live better‘.

The campaign aims to educate people about the changing landscape of social care and encourage them to make provisions and plans for their future care needs.

Dorset County Council’s Cabinet member for Health and Care Jill Haynes said:

“Prepare to live better is all about encouraging people to stay active and keep as independent as possible.

“We naturally become more independent as we progress through life. But as we get older, it is even more important to stay independent.

“When it comes to adult social care we want to help people stay in their own home for longer. By thinking about the future and preparing for the costs of care, you can have more choice and control over the care you want.”

Eight-five per cent of people aged 51 to 75 have no plans for how they will pay for their care. One of the hardest things is knowing when to talk about care, but it’s never too early to have those conversations with family and friends.

In Dorset we have a high number of older people who are isolated and lonely. By coordinating the efforts of social care, health and other agencies, we are striving to help people remain happily independent in their own homes and able to make informed choices about their support needs.

Staff will be out and about over the next few months visiting towns across the county and talking to people about planning for their future. You can find out more about living better at dorsetforyou.gov.uk/livebetter

My Time – support for carers in the Blandford area

My Time – support for carers in the Blandford area

Are you looking after someone who wouldn’t manage without your help? Or would you like to help others by sharing your experience of having been a carer? If so, did you know that there is a drop-in session called My Time for you on the first Tuesday of every month?

It doesn’t matter who you care for – partner, parent, child, neighbour, sibling, neighbour or friend – anyone who has been, or currently is, caring for someone else is invited to these monthly My Time drop-ins. These take place at Blandford Community Centre on Heddington Drive which is easily accessible by bus or by car – the X8 service passes every half hour and there’s plenty of free parking.

You can come together or on your own. Either way you will be met with a warm welcome, a drink and cake, other carers and professionals who can help with advice and information about anything you might need some support with. Very often the questions that carers ask to are those that other carers have already found answers to, so you will find that friendly advice is freely shared!

All too often, carers report that they feel isolated and alone. The My Time drop-ins are intended to ensure that no-one in the Blandford area feels that they don’t know where they can get help or advice, or that they have no-one to support them as a carer.

For more details call the team at Blandford Centre on 01258 480762.

Keith Harrison
North & Mid Dorset CCG Community Health & Wellbeing Officer
c/o Sturminster Newton Medical Centre
Old Market Hill
Sturminster Newton
Dorset
DT10 1QU

07825 691508

Blandford Area Development Trust

Blandford Area Development Trust
Invitation to a Public Meeting Blandford Parish Centre
Friday 02 June 2017, 19:00 – 20:30

Community and civic groups, local government and business representatives are invited to attend a public meeting to be held in the Blandford Parish Centre (as above). The meeting will provide an update on progress so far and enable those attending to contribute to the formation of the Blandford Area Development Trust.

The trust would take the recently closed DT11 Forum Community Partnership onto the next level by providing a representative and independent focus to attract investment and grant funding into the Blandford area (the DT11 postcode). The trusts objectives will include support for businesses, training, start-up funding and young people, projects to promote the town and the DT11 area, and collaboration with and support for community, civic and leisure group actives and local government community initiatives.  Significantly, it will also aim to provide an essential bridge between re-organised local government and the Blandford area community.

Please come along to contribute to the discussion and register your support.

RSVP to nicnicolnms@aol.com if you are attending.

Nic Nicol
Co-founder with Alison Moore

Blandford Area Development Trust
email: nicnicolnms@aol.com
mobile: 07793 048075

Stourpaine Spring Fair 2017

Come along to Stourpaine House 10:30 to 12:00 on Saturday 27 May 2017 for the Stourpaine Spring Fair.

For those who are driving, parking is in the Playing Field/Village Hall car park.

Contributions Welcome:

  • Plants – Peter Palmer 453470
  • Books – Barrie Waterman 450669 and Ted Atkinson 455778
  • Tombola – Julie & Blue Dunk 07976 939585
  • Raffle – Graham Kene 446466 and Anna Bogue 450746
  • Cakes, Jams & Chutney – Fran Rough 45297 and Catherine Kene 446466
  • Children’s stall – Judy Jakes 07957 607111 or 03301139805
  • Silent Auction – Mike Warren 450649
  • Bric-a-Brac – Jo Jakes 03301139805 and Barbara Thomson 454191

The event is hosted by by kind invitation of Simon and Annabel Elliot.

Alternative Broadband Services

Be advised that BT is now offering BT Infinity for Stourpaine. Five years on!

It has a 25% Welcome Discount, which I have checked applies even if you have “Unlimited Broadband” (not fibre) already.

Visit: http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/products/broadband-packages/#packages

We do have an alternative using wessexinternet (wireless): https://www.wessexinternet.com/superfast-home-broadband/?pp=content
wessexinternet offer VoIP (Vonage Phone), which could replace your BT (or other) landline.

The choice (at last) is there but you should consider, upload and download speeds, latency, tied services (Landline, current email provider) against the cost (or saving) for each service.