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July 2020 July 2020
Council to urgently check the trees on site and see if any need to be protected
with a Tree Protection Order which would then stop it being removed. Dorset VIEW FROM MY WINDOW ….
Council are dealing with this as quickly as possible. If there comes a stage where
any applications for development or a licence has to be applied for and is put
forward to us, then we will publicise this and respond accordingly. Paul J Openshaw (May 2020)
When I woke up on Thursday morning, the view from my window, was blurred and
fuzzy. It stayed that way for most of the day. The reason for this was because, with
Black Hill SSSI
much on my mind, and having tried everything from counting sheep to mentally
We were grateful to Amy Gallagher from the Urban Heaths Partnership for giving regurgitating song lyrics, sleep had been spectacularly elusive.
up some of her time to talk about what the Urban Heaths Partnership do, I had recently left employment, following a period of long-term sickness. In the
managing the land on behalf of Natural England and the landowner. Amy retirement process, I had fallen foul of what could be described as, no more or
confirmed that following the recent discussions, they have now put notices in less than, a Human Resources box ticking exercise, which meant that I was being
place on the land, making it clear to all users that bikes are only allowed on the denied a payment of several thousand pounds.
bridleways and nowhere else. Amy discussed the various wildlife which inhabits
the SSSI and the importance of protecting that. They are happy to help us I felt extremely disappointed in myself because it
investigate any alternative areas locally for bike users and work on education for did not seem as though there was a lot I could do,
everyone on the benefits of the SSSI and the need to look after the area. We other than take it on the chin and move forward to
agreed that we would also like to help produce some larger signage to go up in concentrate on all the many good things in my life.
the area, to help inform on the value of the area. When I came to list the positives, they far outweigh
the negatives, of which the most significant, at the

moment, is the fact that I cannot find my bedroom
Play Park Improvements slippers, which disappeared at the start of the
week. In spite of checking every wardrobe,
Whilst we await for the green light to reopen the play park, we are continuing
with our programme of improvements and upgrades, with new rubber “bark” cupboard, nook, cranny and crevice, they cannot
due to arrive soon, and metal brackets being fitted to the feet of most of the be found for love nor money. It is only when you
equipment to help preserve its life. We hope to have these measures in place for lose something as simple as slippers that you
when it reopens and will continue to monitor and fix any problems as they arrive. become aware of what a big part these things can play in your life. This facet
seems to be blown, out of all proportion in retirement and can be a frighteningly,

problematic distraction.
Open Spaces
Having spent a lot of time trying to retrace my steps, my current thinking is that
On Souls Moor, the ponies are back and doing they have been “scurried away” in a flurry of tidying up, in which I was not
a great job again. The benefit of the grazing involved. That can be the only solution.
on the wet part which floods in the winter has To get back to my financial issue, as the day wore on, I started to wonder whether
already helped the wildlife. This year for the first “scurried away” is what had happened to my money, as a flurry of e mails went
time since the ponies were introduced into the back and forth, with Human Resources. When I went to bed on Wednesday, in my
field again 3 years ago, we have a good head I was blaming myself for being dilatory, and perhaps rash. Having said that, I
number of Southern Marsh Orchids which are a have never been particularly good with form filling and small print. By the time I
'protected' wild flower. This type and other got to Thursday afternoon, I was beginning to realise that, in actual fact, I was not
orchids were most likely very common in the the only one who struggles with that sort of detail. It transpires that there were
fields near the stream in years gone by. This is significant inconsistencies and shortfalls in the Human Resources camp.
one of the main reasons why the Parish Council
purchased the field and set it up as a nature At 10pm on Thursday, I clambered up the wooden hill to go to bed, having spent
reserve. We are concerned that it looks as a day, mostly in the garden. On top of being sleep deprived, I was totally spent,
though someone has dug up one of the but my head was filled with positive resolve. I felt strongly in my mind that, in time,

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