World Autism Awareness Week 29 March to 4 April 2021

World Autism Awareness Week is from 29 March to 4 April 2021 with World Autism Awareness Day falling on Friday 2nd April. Of course we should be aware all the time and not just the day or a week. The Coronavirus has brought ever-changing guidelines and restrictions which can be confusing to understand and extremely difficult to implement for autistic people with high support needs.

For 2021 they invite you to take on their Super 7 Challenge. From walking and swimming to creating music or gaming – choose your own 7-themed activity.

Please note: By signing up to this challenge, you are agreeing to pay a non-refundable registration fee of £12 to the National Autistic Society to secure your place in the Super 7 Challenge.

They’ve got lots of ideas to help you raise money in a safe and enjoyable way during these difficult times. In 2020 with World Autism Awareness Week during Lockdown, hundreds of new and creative ways to raise awareness and money. Fundraising suggestions include:

Facebook Fundraisers – more HERE.
Gaming – more HERE.
A Virtual Quiz – more HERE.
A Virtual Home Contest – more HERE.
Sponsored Haircuts & Colours – more HERE.
Sponsored Family fun – more HERE.

Autism Awareness is represented by the colour light blue and multicolour puzzle pieces. The light blue colour is the organisation’s primary colour, and is associated with a calm feeling and acceptance in an otherwise loud and busy world for people on the spectrum. The puzzle pattern reflects the complexity of the autism spectrum. The different colours and shapes represent the diversity of the people and families living with the condition. The brightness of the ribbon signals hope — hope that through increased awareness of autism, and through early intervention and access to appropriate services/supports, people with autism will lead full lives able to interact with the world on the own terms.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#2021,#NationalLockdown,#AutismAwareness,#NAS,#SuperSevenChallenge,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

The Final Midweek Motivator Quiz – Wednesday 24th March

This week is the final online gathering for Margery’s Midweek Motivator Quiz. It has been running every Wednesday for the last 10 weeks with Margery facing 15-18 squares on her screen each week, most containing two or more faces. Margery is hoping that “…the next time we do a quiz together will be in the pub or Comrades Hall“. We all hope so!

On Wednesday, Margery will present 3 rounds of 5 questions and one picture round of 10 questions. Time is limited as Margery is using the free version of Zoom.

Zoom is Free for everyone! – Sign Up and get it HERE.

To Join the Zoom Meeting (the Quiz) – Click HERE.
Meeting ID: 754 7100 3869
Passcode: u6y5qr

No prizes! it’s simply a bit of time out, seeing familiar faces and breaking the monotony of Lockdown. 🙂

Put it in your diary!
Set an alarm to remind yourself 15 mins beforehand!
Refreshments at the ready.
Wednesday, 24th at 8pm.
Have a laugh!

Thank you for the fun Margery!

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#Village,#MidweekMotivatorQuiz,#Lockdown,#2021,#Zoom,#StayAtHome,#Fun,#Laugh,#Final,#SaveYourSanity,#TestYourBrain,#ThankYou,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Today’s The Day! Census 2021

The census is a survey about all the households in England and Wales. It is much more than just a record for the Government’s National Statisticians – it is creating a snapshot of our lives at this time, on this day – our history. Anyone who has carried out historical research, will appreciate the importance of such details being recorded.

Everyone must complete the census and provide accurate information. It helps decide how services are funded in your area. There is a £1,000 fine for not completing the census but although today is the day – for those who haven’t or can’t complete the census by March 21st, they should ensure they do so “as soon as possible after”.

For the first time, this year’s census asks about your gender and gender identity – these new questions are voluntary and do not need to be answered.

Complete the census 2021 HERE.

Advisors are available:

Telephone:

Call 0800 141 2021
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, 8am to 1pm
Census weekend (20 – 21 March), 8am to 8pm

Online Webchat:

Click HERE.
Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm
Saturday, 8am to 1pm
Census weekend (20 – 21 March), 4am to 8pm

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#Census2021,#DoItNow,#GenderIdentity,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Who Visits & Who Follows Broadwindsor.org? The Year In Review

It has been just over a year since Broadwindsor.org launched in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

The aim always has been to provide the ever changing rules and information for local people within our village, the parish and to support local commercial businesses throughout the ongoing pandemic.

After one year, Broadwindsor can reveal the following fun facts & statistics – all of which are correct at the time of publishing:

The website, Broadwindsor.org now has 6,500 visitors each month.
On Twitter, Broadwindsor.org currently has 730 followers.
The Shrewsbury Morris Dancers whose mantra is “Dance, Have Fun, Laugh, Repeat” are Broadwindsor.org’s biggest follower on Twitter this month with 1.3K followers.
On Facebook, Broadwindsor.org has 750 followers.
Although almost as many followers on Twitter, Facebook refers 75% of visitors to the Broadwindsor.org website!
68% of visitors to Broadwindsor.org reside in the U.K.
28% of visitors to Broadwindsor.org reside in the U.S. of A.
The remaining 4% reside in all the continents of our world as the diagram below shows.

The website also demonstrates a wide demographic –

How do you access the website?

Desktop 21%
Tablet 16%
Mobile 63%

After this last 12 months when everybody has suffered and struggled, Broadwindsor.org will now evolve into a new and independent, not-for-profit local community organisation – purely to generate enough revenue to cover the essential operational overheads in order to keep it going. The Editor’s labour continues to be voluntary.

Consequently, from April 6th 2021, all the commercial advertisers who are listed and have been promoted and supported on the website throughout this past year will be asked to pay £15 a year for their inclusion on the website’s local business listing page and with features throughout the year 2021 – 2022. Businesses will be emailed directly in due course.

£15/year works out as £0.04 per day.
Where else will you get such personalised advertising reaching all corners of the globe?
Broadwindsor.org needs you to keep it going!

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#LocalBusiness,#NotForProfit,#Community,#2021,#Village,#ShrewsburyMorrisDancers,#Twitter,#Facebook,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Happy Solstice – Vernal Equinox

Today celebrated the Vernal (Spring) Equinox – the first day of Spring which occurs when the sun passes the equator moving from the southern to the northern hemisphere.

The North Pole begins to lean toward the sun again. Day and night have approximately the same length and the days will become longer.

The clocks will go forward next weekend on March 28th signifying Summer is definitely on its way!

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#VernalEquinox,#Sunshine,#Daylight,#SpringHasSprung,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Dorset Boom! Updated

Just after 3pm today, a very loud ‘sonic boom’ was both and heard and felt by households in the county.

Social media sites are full of people enquiring and speculating what this noise was. Broadwindsor, Mosterton, South Perrot, Eggardon, Salway Ash, Crewkerne, Yeovil, Chard, Exeter, Weymouth & Portland.

Updated Sunday, 21st 14.50hrs

The BBC confirmed the report that it was a meteorite. Read their full report HERE.

Updated @ 18.30hrs

ITV are reporting it as a meteorite which was also spotted in Jersey – see their report HERE.

Earlier . . . It has made BBC News – but no answer yet.

In 2014 – “A controlled explosion was carried out by the Royal Navy EOD this afternoon on the beach between Lyme Regis and Charmouth after a member of the public reported finding a suspicious looking item on the beach. The item was found to be a phosphorus flare.”

In December 2018 – a similar incident occured which took a couple of days to resolve. It turned out to be, a US Royal Air Force public affairs spokesman at Lakenheath confirmed, an oversea exercise with F-15E Strike Eagles aircrafts, which were travelling at supersonic speed!

Typhoon aircraft were sighted earlier in the week.
A sonic boom occurs when an object – usually a jet – travels faster than the speed of sound and breaks the sound barrier.

Could it be an earthquake?

The cause will be here once officially confirmed.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#SonicBoom,#NotThunder,#MilitaryTesting,#Oops,#ITV,#BBC,#Meteorite,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Why Give Way To Horses When Driving?

In our rural community, horses are adored and common place. In 2020, there were 1,010 road safety incidents reported to the British Horse Society, 46 horses were killed with a further 118 horses and 130 riders injured on the roads.

Today, the Dorset Rural Crime Team have released the following 15 minute video by Sergeant Owen Messenger, an officer from London who is unfamiliar with horses. He learns about the Dead Slow campaign from Alan Hiscox of the British Horse Society Safety Team and Dorset Police Constable, Heidi Moxam. Can he then answer the question ‘Why should we give way to horses when driving?’. Please watch.

Local Employment: English Teacher At Beaminster School

Beaminster School have a vacancy for a 2nd in English Teacher who will have respnsibility for KS3 children. Required to start in September 2021 on the Teacher’s Payscale + TLR 2.1 (£2,873). Closing date for applications is Tuesday, 20th April.

To Apply:

Please note that they cannot accept CV applications.

Visit HERE to download and read

Teaching Job Application Form.
Full Job Description 2021.
English Teaching Person Spec. 2021
English Department Information 2021
Notes to Applicants 2021.

Here is what they are seeking:

We seek a dynamic, highly motivated and inspirational English teacher to join us in September 2021, who will also take on the role of 2nd in department, responsible for leading the continuing development of KS3 English.

Over the past two years the English department has undergone a period of rapid improvement in which all department policies have been reviewed and modernised. This includes developing a new set of assessment criteria for reading and writing that underpins the KS3 curriculum and bridges the gap between KS3 and GCSE, KS3 assessments that mirror the demands of GCSE, an updated feedback policy that aims to ensure students understand their targets and how to improve, along with many other improvements. As KS3 lead, you will review the current KS3 Improvement Plan as well as our newly created resources and will be responsible for using this plan to drive further development in the department.

As a collaborative team, who work together efficiently and will always support each other, we look forward to welcoming an ambitious KS3 lead as they seek to improve the department. We offer personalised induction and support programmes for new staff, with many opportunities for professional development.

This is an excellent career opportunity for a colleague who firmly believes in the entitlement of young people to a rich, engaging and stimulating English curriculum. Working within a vibrant and highly successful faculty, you will be an outstanding classroom teacher who is totally committed to the progress of all students in our popular and fully comprehensive school.

You will have an unwavering belief in the potential of every student, and a contagious enthusiasm for your subject which will excite and motivate all students to achieve their very best. You will:

Engage, inspire and enthuse students through a genuine passion for your subject and for learning
Have high expectations of student achievement and behaviour
Be a great classroom practitioner
Be forward thinking, creative and well organised
Be enthusiastic, resourceful and fully committed to securing student progress.

This popular and successful 11–18 school stands in beautiful open countryside on the edge of Beaminster, a Dorset town with great charm and historic interest, just 6 miles from the World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

We have a joint Sixth Form with our partner school, the Sir John Colfox Academy in Bridport, offering a broad and developing range of courses including English Language and Literature. Sixth Form numbers are buoyant and our results are some of the best in Dorset. Knowledge of, or an interest in, teaching A level English Language would be beneficial although certainly not necessary.

Visits to the school are welcomed and encouraged, and the Head of English will be happy to meet with you. Please do get in touch if you would like to arrange this.

We value the diversity of our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Beaminster School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants are required to have appropriate medical and enhanced DBS clearance.

Completed applications should be returned to Mrs. Nicola Chalkley by the closing date Tuesday 20th April 2021

Contact: Nicola Chalkley
Head’s PA and Office Manager
Beaminster School
Beaminster
Dorset DT8 3EP

Email: NChalkley@beaminster.dorset.sch.uk
Tel: 01308 862633

Closing date: Tuesday 20th April 2021
Interviews: Week Beginning 26th April 2021

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#2021,#EnglishTeacher,#SecondarySchool,#Jobs,#BeaminsterSchool,#Permanent,#KS3#LocalEmployment,#NewJob,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Easter Egg Cheesecakes From McKenzies Cake Bakery

Tucked away in Orchard Mead in Broadwindsor is the kitchen of McKenzies Cake Bakery.

Village resident, Lisa McKenzie is producing the most delightful Easter Egg Cheesecakes in 3 varieties 🙂 The main picture shows the Easter Egg Cheesecake. There is also Malteser Easter Egg Cheesecake and Biscoff Easter Egg Cheesecake…
Available in two sizes:

MALTESER EASTER EGG CHEESECAKE — Malteser Easter Egg Cheesecake

The large ‘sharing’ size cost £5 each.
(Sharing is optional)
The small ‘single portion’ size cost £2.50 each.

BISCOFF EASTER EGG CHEESECAKES — Biscoff Easter Egg Cheesecake

Collection: available from 19 Orchard Mead, Broadwindsor, DT8 3RA
on Thursday 1st, Friday 2nd or Saturday 3rd April.

Lisa creates far more than Easter Egg Cheesecakes. She bakes cakes for all occasions – cupcakes, giant cupcakes, mini cakes, layer cakes, wedding cakes, Christmas cakes and more – whether it be a birthday, wedding, special anniversary, celebration or you are simply in need of cake!

Lisa specialises in cupcakes with a wide range of styles and flavours. Also available is a range of mini cupcakes especially for little ones!

Delivery is available to the local area.

You can text or call Lisa on 07812 757 547

Visit her Facebook page HERE.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#Cheesecake,#McKenziesCakeBakery,#Cupcakes,#Celebrate,#Easter,#2021,#Delicious,#SocialDistancing,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

Give Dorset Council Your Feedback On SEND Services

Parents and Carers of children with a Special Education Needs Disability (SEND) are being asked to give their feedback on how they view the services provided by Dorset Council.

You can read a previous post published at the end of January on SEND‘s report into remote education HERE.

The aim of their survey is to gather your views and experiences of the services and provision in Dorset for children and young people aged 0 – 25 years with additional needs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can choose to feedback on the sections relevant to you and your child or young person. The survey is open until 31st March 2021. They state that it should take about 20-30 minutes to complete, depending on the number of sections you choose to answer, so please take the time out, along with a well deserved cuppa perhaps and complete the survey.

If you have more than one child with additional needs or a disability, you will need to complete a separate survey for each person aged 0-25 yrs.

Your comments are valued and will be taken into consideration in order for them to:

Update the Dorset SEND strategy
Help both Dorset Council and the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group to continue with their improvement work.

Take this opportunity to have your say.

Complete their survey HERE.

For those who submit their contact details – you will have the opportunity to win 4 x National Trust family memberships.

Any queries on the survey, please direct to: Kim Saint, k.l.saint@dorsetcc.gov.uk.

#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#SEND,#Education,#SpecialNeeds,#Feedback,#UseYourVoice,#Disability,#NationalTrust,#GovernmentResearch,#DorsetCouncil,#DorsetClinicalCommissioningGroup,#StayAtHome,#StaySafe

Month: March 2021

World Autism Awareness Week 29 March to 4 April 2021