This week West Parley has hosted 2 events as part of the Sting in the Tale storytelling festival, and a ranger-led Nuts About Nature event as well!
Sting the Tale - Story Telling Festival 2015
On Monday 10th August, Sorry teller Graham Rogers entertained over 50 children with his version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Pig
On Saturday 15th August, Lizzie Bryant told of Pillywiggins in Peril at Parley Wood. 25 Children joined in the tale of Curious Jack and the magical Colepixie as they went looking for clues, finding objects, making traps to catch the Boggarts, saying spells to make the grown ups fall asleep and find messages to read out. The children were enthralled by this interactive story walk around the secret of West Parley, that is Parley Wood.
Nuts About Nature
On Wednesday 19th August, 30 children and accompanying grown ups had 2 hours of fun in Parley Wood, going Nuts about Nature with the Moors Valley Rangers.
There was Moth Bingo, fungi spotting, frog catching, den building and re-stocking the nearby Bug Hotel.
Thank you to Marcus and Jack from Moors Valley.
11 August 2015 Here's to Richard at The Owls Nest
The West Parley Volunteers would like to show their appreciation to Richard at The Owls Nest. Whilst we were clearing the pavement nearby, it started to rain. Richard invited us in to the bar, gave us tea and coffee, and a huge plate of bacon and sausage buttys. We will never criticise a man with a pony tail again!
6 August 2015 Councillors Pat & Stuart Couper resign
After last night's Planning Committee meeting, Councillors Pat & Stuart Couper sadly handed in their resignations. They have contributed a huge amount to the village, with particular attention to the appearance, improvements in Parley Wood and the glorious floral displays. We are sad they are leaving West Parley and wish them well on their next adventure and bid them Au Revoir, not Goodbye.
4 August 2015 New Road resurfacing
New Road between the Porsche garage and Parley Cross currently has lane restrictions due to resurfacing. Please allow extra time or find an alternative route.
31 July 2015 See inside All Saints Church, West Parley
The main church in West Parley is normally closed except for services but as part of the annual Dorset Architectural Heritage Week there are 2 tours arranged for anyone who wishes to see the inside of this interesting C12 church with Saxon and probably earlier origins.
Tours will be led by the Rector, Rev. Charles Booth at 12 o'clock on 10th September and at 2.30pm on 15th. Tickets are from the Booking Office at Allendale House, Wimborne on 01202 888992 or online at www.dahw.org.uk
This is a fantastic opportunity to see the inside of this ancient church, one of the leading heritage treasures in the village. There are only 15 tickets for each tour and applications need to be in by 14th August.
29 July 2015 DCC Mineral Sites Plan and Draft Waste Plan, consultation starts today
If you plan to subscribe to this fortnightly service, please note that you need to apply by the end of July. If you miss this deadline, Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) are not allowing new joiners to the scheme, until April 2016. The expected annual cost of this service is £45.
26 July 2015 BBC Launches its Public Consultation on Local Radio
The BBC Trust has just launched its Public Consultation on Local Radio, and the Dorset Broadcasting Action Group (DorBAG) is campaigning for an additional all Dorset local station. You may well know that we are the only county in the south of England that does not have its own full time BBC county radio station! Albeit, we do have the part-time weekday breakfast programme (0630 to 0900) on 103.8FM and the Saturday morning Big Breakfast Brunch(0800 to 1100) also on 103.8FM, but they only reach areas mainly around Dorchester (where the BBC Studio is), and Weymouth and Portland. The programmes are good, but as far as reception is concerned, when you move outside the official (limited) coverage area it is very much pot luck if you can get it at all.
Firstly therefore, they clearly need to improve the existing transmitter coverage such that everyone in the county, wherever they are, can actually receive the programme. Then presumably, the BBC would upgrade the existing, part-time programmes to a full county-wide radio station (which should then be called "BBC Radio Dorset") - and not as it is at the moment, a part-time "opt-out" from BBC Radio Solent from Southampton. Presently, Radio Solent tends to focus most material and its sports reports on Hampshire. It is time we had our own programme that would then be able focus on all of Dorset’s news and sport right across the county!
Without our own local BBC Radio Station, we do not have warning information in the event of traffic delays, severe weather, major accidents/events/disasters etc. It is also rather frustrating, to be told on BBC TV to "listen to your local BBC radio station for more information" when we don't have one! Apart from very limited FM reception, we don't even have an online stream for the Breakfast programmes, so there is just no way the broadcast can be heard in all of the county. Why should we be treated differently to Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire etc?
Regarding the questionnaire, after having read through the preamble, click on "contribute to the consultation online," then at the bottom of the new page click on "Give Us Your Views - Online Survey" which takes you to the questionnaire itself. You will notice that Question 5 lists all their county radio stations - Dorset is noticeable by its absence!! Clearly the form is essentially designed to get feedback from those who can receive their own local county radio, which clearly does not include us! So this is a great opportunity to respond to the questions emphasising the lack of BBC Radio Dorset and make our case for a full BBC Radio Dorset station at every opportunity.
26 July 2015 A338 Spur Road works to start in September, time to think ahead
Dorset Highways is releasing more detail about the traffic restrictions on the Bournemouth A338 starting in September to get drivers planning ahead.
Work will move anti-clockwise around the Bournemouth Spur Road between Ashley Heath Roundabout and Blackwater Junction, with the reconstruction starting on the main southbound stretch of road.
Councillor Peter Finney, Cabinet member for Environment, said: "This is a big operation with big machinery - we're recycling over 90,000 tonnes of material on site which will help us greatly reduce our CO2 emissions through less material delivered. We have to carry out the work safely, but as quickly as possible, so for the duration of the work the A338 will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Bournemouth and Christchurch are open for business as usual, but drivers will have to alter their habits and think more carefully about how they are going to get to their destination on time – alternative travel methods, car sharing and travelling outside peak hours will all help."
From 6 September for two weeks, there will be day time and night time lane closures on the northbound and southbound carriageways, there will also be some overnight closures. During these two weeks work will concentrate on removing any remaining trees or vegetation obstructing the work, installing traffic management, speed cameras and CCTV and resurfacing works around Blackwater.
From the 21 September until Christmas, the southbound carriageway will be reconstructed between Blackwater Junction and the QinetiQ access, with a 40mph contraflow on the northbound carriageway. In the New Year work will focus on the northern end of the scheme, with the reconstruction of the roughly one-mile stretch between Ashley Heath Roundabout and the QinetiQ entrance. Work will start on the southbound side, with traffic remaining in the northbound contraflow, and then the works area and contraflow will swap sides - with traffic switching over to the newly built southern carriageway to allow the northbound one-mile section to be reconstructed.
There will also be speed restrictions on the A31 in this area during this phase of work.
From March until the end of May, the northbound carriageway will be reconstructed with the contraflow traffic on the newly built southbound side.
Throughout the work there may be times where additional overnight closures are required for surfacing work and to rearrange traffic management.
A section of Hurn Road in Christchurch is being widened ahead of the A338 essential maintenance scheme to help the flow of traffic.
Work will start on Monday 27 July, for six weeks, to widen a "pinch point" on the B3073 Hurn Road between its junction with Hillside Drive and the southbound Blackwater junction.
Engineers hope to carry out the work by narrowing the southbound lane (Christchurch direction) but there may be occasions where the road is reduced to two lanes – one in each direction – out of peak times. By widening the carriageway 1.4m drivers heading north along Hurn Road toward the airport, or wanting to take the A338 northbound, will be able to pass drivers waiting to turn right onto the southbound A338.
Councillor Margaret Phipps, county councillor for Commons division, said: "This small section of widening will make a big difference to drivers using this junction.
There is never an ideal time to carry out this type of work but it's essential that it is finished before the A338 major scheme starts in September, when this route will no doubt become busier."
Dorset Highways has been inspecting alternative routes in the area to ensure they are ready for the increase in traffic likely during the Bournemouth Spur Road maintenance. Many roads have been treated in the last five years and drainage work has recently been completed on Matchams Lane to tackle known flooding hot spots.
