Dorset

The South West Dorset Multi-Cultural Network, supported by Dorset Council and Dorchester Town Council is hosting its annual Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) next week to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

The free event is being held at the Corn Exchange in Dorchester on 24 January from 12.30pm -1.30pm and is open to everyone.

Holocaust memorial day remembers victims and survivors

The theme for HMD 2020 is ‘Stand Together’. The anniversary represents a significant milestone and is made particularly poignant by the dwindling number of survivors who are able to share their testimony. It also marks the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.

Cllr Pauline Batstone, Chairman of Dorset Council said: “At this event we ask people to learn lessons from the past to create a safer, better future. The theme ‘Stand Together’ gives everyone an opportunity to stand together with our local communities, across boundaries of faith, age and ethnicity.”

Gillian Walnes Perry, the honorary Vice-President of the Anne Frank Trust is guest speaker and pupils from Sunninghill Preparatory School will share poetry they’ve been inspired to write having learnt about the Holocaust and genocide. Betty Billington-Smith from Kushti Bok will read a poem written especially for the event by poet Ray Wills.

The event will conclude with a lighting of candles, and a minute’s silence. Free refreshments will be served afterwards.

Rachelle Smith, secretary of the Multi-Cultural Network, said “We are looking forward to our local community coming together to remember victims of the Holocaust and those whose lives have been affected by exclusion and hatred in subsequent genocides.”

The Corn Exchange will open from midday to allow time to view exhibits before the event starts at 12.30.

Several Dorset Council Libraries have exhibitions about Holocaust Memorial Day including Weymouth, Dorchester, Portland, Wareham and Sturminster Newton.

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Dorset Council is looking for the relatives of the WWII Ferndown Auxiliary Unit. This group of specially trained volunteers were members of the Home Guard and practised their drills at their secret Operations Base at the Belle Vue Bunker on Poor Common in Ferndown.

The bunker was recently rediscovered by the Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team and an excavation of the site took place earlier this year. Sadly, due to its current state, it is not possible to rebuild and restore the bunker to its original condition. Most of the materials excavated have been replaced but a section of the bunker has been left exposed so visitors can see a small part of what lies beneath the ground.

Dorset Council would like to hear from relatives of any of the men from the Ferndown Auxiliary Unit and invite them to an official opening ceremony which will also be attended by representatives from the Royal British Legion and other local organisations and historians.

The names of the men in the Ferndown Auxiliary Unit were:

• Sargent John Geoffrey Tice – local garage owner
• Corporal Alfred Cecil Talbot – carpenter
• Private Eric Alfred May – sales rep and auxiliary fire service officer
• Private William Harry Feltham – baker
• Private Percy Lloyd Blic – architect’s assistant
• Private Douglas Gabe – engineer and local Scout leader

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said, “The Belle Vue Bunker is a significant historical find and we extend our thanks to Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team for bringing the bunker to our attention. It is also very important for us to remember the vital role the Home Guard played during World War II.”

If you are related to any of the men from the Ferndown Auxiliary Unit, please contact the Coast and Greenspace Team on 0790 0137881.

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A specially trained ‘digital dozen’ team of volunteers are ready to help you claim Universal Credit and manage your claims online.

The volunteers are part of a group of over 75 Digital Champions who help and support people in the local community to use the internet and gain online skills.

Around 21% of people are not confident using the internet – that’s around 150,000 people across Dorset, and 70,000 of these have never been online. All Universal Credit claims and most job applications are now online.

Dugald Lockhart, Programme Manager, Superfast Dorset said: “Working with colleagues in Dorset Council’s benefits team and Citizens Advice we have trained up this new team with specialist skills.  Tell your friends and family if you think they would be interested and book now.”

Digital Champions providing support with general digital skills and Universal Credit are based in:

• Beaminster
• Cerne Abbas
• Dorchester
• Gillingham
• Shaftesbury
• Verwood
• Weymouth
• Wimborne

Dedicated Universal Credit support and help to get back to work (CV, job search, company research) at:

• Job Centre Plus, Weymouth – (Mondays 10am – 12 noon)
• Job Club Bridport – Skills and Learning (within Bridport Children’s Centre) (Fridays 9.30 – 12.30)
• Dorchester Library – working alongside Citizens Advice (Wednesdays 10.00 – 12.00)

We are looking for more volunteers in Poole, Blandford, Wareham and Swanage.    If you have good people and IT skills, patience and a desire to help people then we are waiting to hear from you. Travel expenses are paid.

Digital Champions can help with laptops, tablets, phones or smartphones. Come along with or without your device to get started.  Call 01305 221048 or visit your local library to book.

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Dorset Council is looking for your thoughts on how to financially support the voluntary community sector beyond March 2021.

A total of £1.9 million has been invested this year into the voluntary community sector (VCS) by all six predecessor councils in the Dorset Council area. Grants were given to a cross section of topics including advice, museums, heritage, community, leisure, arts, culture and environment.

The council are reviewing their direct financial contributions to these community resources. They want to gather opinions from the organisations themselves, the people that use them and also other Dorset residents.

The current funding arrangements are unequal, with some areas of Dorset receiving significantly more funding than others. This review will ensure grants are fairly distributed across the county. This consultation will provide the VCS with the opportunity to share their views about potential future options and to comment on the grant’s selection criteria.

Cllr Tony Alford, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory Services, said:

“We want to hear from people across the Dorset Council area. Not only from those involved with voluntary bodies working in the community, but also those who benefit from their activity and also those who have no direct connection

“We have already written to current grant recipients explaining what we are doing. Their funding has been extended for another year, giving us time to review and put in place a supportive grant system from April 2021.”

Find out more about the Voluntary Community Sector Grants Review 

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