Month: May 2020

Natural England approve seven new badger culling sites, including Dorset.

Badger by bluebells

 

It is reported that the new areas cover parts of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall.

License holders are allowed to control badger numbers in designated areas between 1 June and 31 January.

Three existing control areas have also been re-authorised for culling to resume in Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset.

Natural England has confirmed to the licence holders the minimum and maximum numbers of badgers they can kill.

Government guidance states “all reasonable precautions must be taken to ensure that no badger is subjected to unnecessary suffering” and licence holders must keep a record of their activity.

This follows an announcement made by the government in March, that it would be phasing out culling in favour of vaccinations.

Along with gradually phasing out “intensive culling”, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said trials of a vaccine would take place over the next five years.

On Wednesday, 13th May a bid by the National Farmers’ Union to overturn a government decision not to introduce badger culling in Derbyshire was thrown out of the High Court.  The cull was set to go ahead last winter but the government refused to grant licenses to farmers.

Important message from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and RescueWe are currently experiencing dry weather and it is only natural to want to go outdoors and enjoy it with members of your household, but it is also important to stay fire-aware when out and about.

With the AMBER Wildfire Alert set to be in place for at least the next 10 days, we are asking the public to be vigilant and follow these few simple steps to help reduce the chance of a wildfire in the countryside.

Staying Safe Do’s & Don’ts:
➡️Extinguish cigarettes properly, don’t throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of car windows – take your litter home.
➡️Avoid open fires in the countryside. If you must have them, then ensure they are fully extinguished before leaving them unattended.
➡️If you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately to the Fire & Rescue Service. Early detection can prevent it from developing into a large wildfire incident.

When calling the Fire and Rescue Service:
✅Get to a safe place
✅Note the fire location
✅Call 999
✅Meet the Fire and Rescue Service at the entrance.
✅Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water – leave the area as quickly as possible.

Landowners and Land Managers are also advised, where possible, to be prepared for fires and ensure that fire breaks are cut and well maintained with any cut grasses and vegetation removed from the site.

#Wildfire #Heathfire #Heaths #ProtectYourCountryside #Dorset #Wiltshire

Blue lights for our church tonight!

Broadwindsor ChurchOur St. John the Baptist church will be lighting up blue from 8.30pm until 11.30pm this evening 🙂

JSW Entertainment Group in association with Rev. David Baldwin are lighting the church blue as part of the clap for carers and the light it blue campaign.

Certainly worth the stroll if you can’t see it from your window! Photos will definitely be posted up!

 

Recycle your crisp packets!

Recycle your crisp packetsThere are many innovative ideas that can be done with recycled crisp packets: once collected, the crisp packets are separated by plastic type, cleaned, and extruded into plastic pellets to make new recycled products.

There are many people out there being creative with crisp packets too . . . These include fashion clothing and jewellery as Vicky Myers creates and a woman from Hastings, East Sussex who ironed together 150 empty bags to create one sleeping bag and went on to make many more for the homeless.

Vicky Myers Creations

Please make good use of this bin!

Praise our Post Office services!

Praise Your Post Office🙌 It’s time to praise your Post Office 🙌

Please nominate Crewkerne Post Office who provide our Outreach service.  Here’s their message:

We’d like to offer you the chance to win a One4All gift card worth £100!

The big bosses at Post Office are looking for Postmasters and counter staff who ‘go the extra mile’.
If you are happy with how we’re doing, please visit https://www.postoffice.co.uk/feedback and let them know. You will be asked for our seven-digit branch code, which is 4325494

Alternatively you can give feedback over the phone by calling 0800 0472322 📞

Thanks very much for all your support and best of luck 🤞

Here it is with a pretty picture & gentle music!

HM Government’s New Guidance on spending time outdoors: Click HERE

 

 

Check if you can claim a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

Covid-19 Support for the Self-EmployedWho can claim?

You can claim if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and:

  • you traded in the tax year 2018 to 2019 and submitted your Self Assessment tax return on or before 23 April 2020 for that year
  • you traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020
  • you intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020 to 2021
  • you carry on a trade which has been adversely affected by coronavirus

Your business could be adversely affected by coronavirus if, for example:

  • you’re unable to work because you:
    • are shielding
    • are self-isolating
    • are on sick leave because of coronavirus
    • have caring responsibilities because of coronavirus
  • you’ve had to scale down or temporarily stop trading because:
    • your supply chain has been interrupted
    • you have fewer or no customers or clients
    • your staff are unable to come in to work

There is an online tool you can use to find out if you’re eligible to make a claim.  You’ll need your Self Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and your National Insurance number – Start HERE.

For further information – Click HERE

#StaySafe #StayAtHome #SaveLives