Dorset

A woman shopping in Bournemouth was offered a makeover by the hate-crime attacker.

Pets took part in agility games and a doggy lucky dip before meeting Santa Paws.

A homeless man who was worried about his dog has been helped by the council’s patrol officers.

Bonnie and Mike with our patrol officer

Mike, who is homeless, was concerned that his beloved spaniel Bonnie could fall behind with her vaccinations and become ill. The borough council’s uniformed patrol officers got in touch with Street Vet, a charity that helps homeless people take care of their pets. They arranged her veterinary care.

Mike said: “Bonnie is everything to me, she is all I’ve got. She keeps me going, we keep each other going. It really does mean the world to me that people were willing to help us. I don’t need to worry so much now, if Bonnie needs help, help is there. It is so important, especially when you are both homeless that they stay well, especially in this weather. I want to thank Street Vet for their kindness to us.”

The patrol officers, who began work this autumn under a new Community Safety Accreditation Scheme, have also received a large donation of dog food from Pets at Home, which is available at homeless charity the Lantern in Ranelagh Road.

Senior Patrol Officer Karoline, said: “I first met Mike and Bonnie sleeping rough about eight months ago. Bonnie is such a sweet well behaved girl and always happy to see me. Mike takes care of her really well, keeping her clean and knot free, exercised, warm and up to weight.

‘Mike takes good care of her’

“I am glad we’ve been able to help them and alleviate worry. Living on the streets is a hard life for anyone, especially with the anxiety and worry of keeping a beloved companion in tip top condition.

“Sadly, having a pet can make it much harder for someone to find accommodation. The owner may be eligible for housing, but a dog may not be accepted. In many cases the bond is so deep that a homeless person will choose the company of their pet above a roof over their heads. They’ll turn down accommodation and just hope that something else comes up, where they can be together. I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I failed to recognise this and didn’t listen and help where possible.”

‘I will keep hoping for our own place’

Mike added: “I have met so many wonderful people in Weymouth, made some friends and even been offered some work when we manage to get on our feet again. I’m hoping Bonnie and I can stay and make a positive contribution to the area, I will keep hoping for our own place in Weymouth one day.”

The scheme covers a wide area and the patrols tackle anti-social behaviour by deterring, educating and enforcing. The scheme is managed by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, who have worked with Dorset Police, the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, British Transport Police, Dorset County Council and Weymouth BID to set it up.

The patrol officers have the power to gather evidence and be involved in the enforcement of Community Protection Notices, which place restrictions on individuals that persistently act in an anti-social manner. Their role isn’t directly to help the homeless. This is done by an outreach team, a service currently provided for the borough council by Julian House. However, they do engage with homeless people and work with other agencies to try and signpost them to services that can help them get off the streets.

Mike Byatt, Community Safety Briefholder at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said: “I am glad that Bonnie and Mike have been helped. Weymouth is a fantastic town with a lively day and night time economy. We are working hard to make it even safer for people to enjoy.”

More information about community safety is available here:

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Check your journey before you travel this festive season. 

The number of roadworks or activity on site will wind down as contractors and highway maintenance teams take a well-earned break from planned work, but emergency responses will continue, so unplanned work may still pop up at any time over the holidays. There are also some events taking place around the county and roads and parking may be affected. Traffic management has been lifted on the A338 Bournemouth Spur Road and work will resume 7 January 2019.

Bus and train services will change over Christmas and New Year and you’re advised to check the times of the last ones to ensure you can get to your destination.

24/7 live travel disruptions | @TravelDorset Travel summary

We’ve summarised the expected service levels on public transport, but do check the detail with operators themselves.

First | Damory | More | Yellow Buses | South Western Railway | Great Western Railway | CrossCountry Trains

Christmas Eve – Monday 24 December

• First – Saturday service until 8pm. Route 6 on a non-school weekday timetable
• Damory – normal Monday service
• More – Saturday service on all routes, with the exception of extra early morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14 and 16, a normal weekday service on X1, X2, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193, Ringo and Cango, the termination of the 11pm X3 from Bournemouth at Ringwood, the cancellation of the 0.10am X3 from Salisbury and no service on Nightbus N1 and N2
• Yellow Buses – Saturday service with the exception of routes 1b (Somerford Estate), 18, 33, 36 and 737 on weekday services. Early finish around 8pm
• South West Coaches – Saturday service on most routes
• South Western Railway – revised service from 7pm, planned cancellations, trains stopping short of normal destinations and no trains from 10pm
• Great Western Railway – services finishing early between 9.30pm and 10.30pm. Engineering work at Westbury
• CrossCountry Trains – early close down

Christmas Day – Tuesday 25 December

• First – no service
• Damory – no service
• More – special timetable on routes m1 and m2 only between 8am and 8pm extended to Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Christchurch
• Yellow Buses – no service
• South West Coaches – no service
• South Western Railway – no service
• Great Western Railway – no service
• CrossCountry Trains – no service

Boxing Day – Wednesday 26 December

• First – Special Sunday service until 8pm. No service 7
• Damory – no service
• More – Sunday timetable on routes m1 (starting at 6am from Poole and 5.50am from Castlepoint), m2 (6.15am from Poole and 6.34am from Southbourne), 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 40, 50, X3 and X8, only
• Yellow Buses – special service on routes 1/1a, 2, 3, 5/5a and 6
• South West Coaches – no service
• South Western Railway – no service
• Great Western Railway – no service
• CrossCountry Trains – no service

Thursday 27 December

• First – Saturday service on most routes. No night bus on service 1
• Damory – normal weekday service
• More – Saturday service on all routes with the exception of extra early morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14 and 16, a normal weekday service on X1, X2, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193, Ringo and Cango, the termination of the 11pm X3 from Bournemouth at Ringwood and the cancellation of the 0.10am X3 from Salisbury
• Yellow Buses – Saturday service on all routes with the exception of a weekday service on routes 1b, 18, 33, 36 and 737
• South West Coaches – Saturday service on most routes
• South Western Railway – industrial action. Engineering work at London Waterloo
• Great Western Railway – engineering work at Westbury
• CrossCountry Trains – normal service expected out of Bournemouth

 Friday 28 December

• First – Saturday service on most routes. No night bus on service 1
• Damory – normal weekday service
• More –  Saturday service on all routes with the exception of extra early morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14 and 16, a normal weekday service on X1, X2, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193, Ringo and Cango
• Yellow Buses – Saturday service on all routes with the exception of a weekday service on routes 1b, 18, 33, 36 and 737
• South West Coaches – normal weekday service
• South Western Railway – engineering work at London Waterloo
• Great Western Railway – engineering work at Westbury
• CrossCountry Trains – normal service expected out of Bournemouth

Saturday 29 December

• First – normal Saturday service on most routes
• Damory – normal Saturday service
• More – normal Saturday service
• Yellow Buses – normal Saturday service
• South West Coaches – normal Saturday service
• South Western Railway – normal service except for planned engineering work
• Great Western Railway – engineering work at Westbury
• CrossCountry Trains – normal service expected out of Bournemouth

Sunday 30 December

• First – normal Sunday service on most routes
• Damory – no service
• More – normal Sunday service
• Yellow Buses – normal Sunday service
• South West Coaches – no service
• South Western Railway – normal service except for planned engineering work
• Great Western Railway – engineering work at Westbury
• CrossCountry Trains – normal service expected out of Bournemouth

New Years Eve – Monday 31 December

• First – Saturday service on most routes until 8pm. Route 6 on a non-school weekday timetable. No route 7
• Damory – normal Monday service
• More – Saturday service including nightbus N1 and N2 through to the new year with the exception of some extra early morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14 and 16, a Monday service on routes X1, X2, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193, Ringo and Cango, the termination of the 11pm X3 service from Bournemouth at Ringwood and the cancellation of the 0.10am X3 service from Salisbury
• Yellow Buses – Saturday service with the exception of routes 1b 18, 33, 36 and 737. Early finish around 8pm
• South West Coaches – Saturday service on most routes
• South Western Railway – industrial action. Special timetables for New Year celebrations
• Great Western Railway – engineering work at Westbury
• CrossCountry Trains – normal service expected out of Bournemouth

New Years Day – Tuesday 1 January 2019

• First – no service
• Damory – no service
• More – special timetables operate on routes m1/m2, 8/9 and 13 and a Sunday service on routes 5, 6, 16, 17 and X3, only
• Yellow Buses – special service on routes 1/1a, 2, 3, 5/5a and 6
• South West Coaches – no service
• South Western Railway – no service
• Great Western Railway – engineering work at Westbury
• CrossCountry Trains – normal service expected out of Bournemouth

Wednesday 2 January 2019

Normal service restored on all operators with the exception of Yellow Buses with some routes on different timetables for the following week.

Industrial action

Ongoing RMT Industrial Action is expected to take place on Saturday 22, Thursday 27 and Monday 31 December affecting South Western Railway.

Sandbanks Ferry

Ferry expected to return to service follow annual-refit during week commence Monday 17 December.

On Christmas Day, half-hourly service from 8am until 6.10pm. Leaving Sandbanks at ’00 and ’30 and from Shell Bay at ’10 and ’40 minutes past each hour.

The post Travelling this festive season? Summary of travel and transport across Dorset appeared first on Dorset news.

On Monday 17 December, set up for improvements works to the Lyme Regis Harbour Master’s Office is scheduled to begin. The works will start on Thursday 3 January and will be completed in May 2019. We don’t expect any disruption and the harbour will be accessible to everyone as normal.

The project will see the existing structure modernised and extended. You can read more about the project here.

Increasing custom at the historic harbour

The number of customers received at the Harbour is increasing. The designs for the new building will have additions to ensure that these growing numbers are well facilitated.

Contractors CG Fry will be updating local residents and businesses regularly with progress on the project.

The post Lyme Regis Harbour masters office works set up due to start appeared first on Dorset news.

Preview followed by live coverage of Saturday's Premier League game between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth.

Gemma Mitchell, who founded and runs Victoria Community Boccia Club despite having cerebral palsy, is South's Unsung Hero winner for 2018.

Young and vulnerable people are being exploited by drug gangs from large urban areas in a practice called County Lines.

A review finds extended hospital journey times make "no difference", which campaigners say "beggars belief".

Burglars stole machinery and tools that were being used to build a beacon for Armistice Day.

Purbeck District Council has welcomed news that the Secretary of State for Transport has refused an application for toll increases for the Sandbanks to Studland Ferry.

 

Following objections to the increases by local residents, businesses and councils, the application by the Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company was referred to the Secretary of State who decided that a local Public Inquiry should be held.

Six local councils* worked together to object to the proposed increases, and a barrister presented their case to an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State at the public inquiry in September 2018.

The Inspector has now reported to The Secretary of State and, on 12 December 2018, confirmation was received that the application had been refused.

The Secretary of State agreed with the Inspector’s conclusions that, although a replacement ferry will be necessary at some stage, there was no confirmation that a toll rise would result in this being achieved.

The Secretary of State also agreed there is no assurance that the ferry replacement reserve would be safeguarded and reach the level required to enable a replacement vessel. He said the fact the ferry replacement fund was not ring fenced and did not provide for an assured separate fund was “a significant area of concern.”

The Bournemouth Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company must wait at least another 12 months before it can make another application.

Councillor Gary Suttle, Leader of Purbeck District Council said:  “We welcome the Secretary of State’s decision to refuse the application.

“We had grave concerns that the proposed increases would only benefit the ferry company, whilst leaving residents who rely on the ferry disadvantaged.

“The increases would also have a detrimental effect on our local economy and the district’s already-congested roads, so the company needs to radically alter its approach to its ferry replacement fund before it makes another application.”

* The six councils were Purbeck District Council; Swanage Town Council; Corfe Castle Parish Council; Studland Parish Council; Wareham St Martin Parish Council; and Worth Matravers Parish Council.

The post District Council welcomes toll increase decision appeared first on Dorset news.

The RMT union says South Western Railway workers will hold 24-hour strikes on 27 and 31 December.

The government has turned down permission for Sandbanks Ferry to increase its fares by 2021.

After the extreme weather of last winter – which saw 24-hour working to keep strategic roads open – the 10 largest vehicles in the Dorset Highways gritting fleet have been named by residents.

Martin Hill of Dorset Highways said: “During the snow events of February and March quite a number of people got in touch and asked whether we could name our gritters like other authorities have, so we challenged residents to come up with Dorset-themed names for our dedicated vehicles.”

We enjoyed reading through the many suggestions, and the names are now being unveiled:

• Chillingstone
• Cold-Harbour
• Gold Chill
• Spreadisbury
• Ice Maiden Newton
• Osmington Chills
• Wooly Monkey
• Wimborne Monster
• Polar Bere Regis
• Cerne Giant’s Chilly

The final names were chosen by the gritter drivers and, where possible, the vehicles are being named after the route they serve.

Dorset Highways’ winter service started on 1 November with more than 80 drivers on a shift pattern to ensure 22 drivers can jump into action for any 12-hour period.

Twenty-two main routes cover the 680-miles of road that make up the gritted network, which accounts for 27 per cent of the county council’s roads.

Follow @TravelDorset to stay up to date with this winter’s gritting action. You can also find all gritting information online.

The post New recruits hitting the road appeared first on Dorset news.

A restaurant and a cookery school feature in the plans for the historic seaside museum site.

Members of the public and the media attended a public engagement event last week about the new Harbour School at the former Bovington Middle School site.

It was a chance to learn more about plans to turn the site into a new day school for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The Harbour School will be a new Free Special School on the former Bovington School site, in partnership with the Delta Education Trust.

It will meet the needs of children with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs, from the ages of 10 to 19.

At full capacity, the completed school will be able to accommodate 160 pupils, and will employ at least 80 people.

Dorset County Council, along with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole councils, has significant demand for additional special school places. Currently, some children require residential provision as their education is provided so far from home. The Harbour School will provide an opportunity for children in Bovington and surrounding areas to access education closer to home, eliminating excessive travel for some, which can be stressful for pupils with additional needs.

Cllr Andrew Parry, Cabinet member for Education, Learning and Skills said: “Dorset County Council is committed to providing ‘Great education, close to home’ for as many children as possible. Local education means that children can be part of their community and parents can more easily engage with their child’s school.”

The Harbour School is expected to open in temporary buildings on the Bovington site, accommodating 25 children, in September 2019. There will then be a phased occupancy of the new school once it has been completed, which is expected to be at the end of 2020.

The new school will engage with the local community, developing positive relationships and providing a new resource for the residents of Bovington and the surrounding area.

The event was attended by Cllr Parry, as well as Assistant Director for Children’s Services at Dorset County Council, Andrew Reid, and Chief Executive of the Delta Education Trust, Jo Perry.

The post New Bovington SEND school – public meeting appeared first on Dorset news.

The centre was part funded by an auction of classic vehicles and opened by actor Martin Clunes.

Michael Simpson was stabbed to death in Shanghai by his Chinese wife whose family kept the children.

The LED lights will replace lasers installed on the seafront for the 2012 Olympics.

The Dorset History Centre has received a grant of over £56,000 from the Wellcome Trust – the UK’s leading medical research charity.

The funding will support a year-long project to fully catalogue the Herrison Hospital (the county asylum) archive.

The archive dates from 1832 and is of great interest to researchers and family historians alike. It will be made available to the general public through the Dorset History Centre website. In addition, the funding will allow a significant amount of conservation work to take place – cleaning, repairing and packaging the archive to assist in its long-term preservation.

Cllr Andrew Parry, Cabinet member for Education, Learning and Skills said:

“We are so grateful to the Wellcome Trust for their support. Securing this vital funding will enable the completion of work to catalogue the fascinating history of Herrison and create accessibility for anyone researching important aspects of hospitals work over a 160 year period”

The archive consists of 300 boxes of material, including thousands of often poignant individual patient records, as well as a wide range of other material – from the hospital’s farm to building plans, and even social activities such as the rounders society.

At its peak, Herrison Hospital was home to nearly 1000 patients and only closed its doors in 1992. The archive is a fascinating and important resource for medical and social history and Dorset History Centre has been working closely with academics from Bournemouth University and the University of Exeter who intend to use the collection for their research as the project unfolds.

Can you help?

It is thought that some of Herrison’s archives were retained by hospital staff when the institution closed its doors. These records could add a further fascinating dimension to the history of the hospital.

Only very recently, Dorset History Centre received some records that had been rescued by a former employee, whose son brought them in to join the rest of the archive.

If you know of any records such as these, Dorset History Centre would like to hear from you. To get in touch: email archives@dorsetcc.gov.uk or call 01305-250550 and ask to speak to an archivist.

The post Dorset History Centre receives £56K grant for Herrison Hospital archive appeared first on Dorset news.