July edition of the Dorchester news now available to read online via www.dorchester-on-thames.co.uk

The “Dorchester News” newsletter

The much-loved Heavenly Host Angels will be returning to Dorchester this year, arriving in December. The project, begun in 2017, provides handmade angels for keen-eyed people to discover in the village and to place in their homes during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

This year’s Angels will be signalling the “Follow the Star” Advent initiative, which will be the Abbey’s theme during Advent and Christmas.

If you have yarn to donate it would be most welcome. Please leave a message for Denise Line on 07596 524335.

If you are a crafter there will be yarn and patterns available at the back of the Abbey for you to collect from September.

A date for your diary – Sunday, 29th September, 10.30 service at the Abbey will include the launch of Heavenly Host (Follow the Star) 2019.

(Visit the Heavenly Host Facebook page for updates.)

For those that enjoyed the walk and camp setup for the festival (and those that missed it), the open day is coming up

Sylva Foundation House of Wessex

House of Wessex: Anglo Saxon Open Days

Activities for all the family

• Raising the timber frame
• Cooking
• Weaving
• Thatching
• Bone Carving
• Leather Working
• Games
• Storytelling

 

Just one minute of sitting with your car engine running and the vehicle not moving produces the equivalent of 150 balloons of harmful pollutants into the air.

This is why South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils have launched a joint campaign to help improve air quality across southern Oxfordshire.

The campaign called ‘Turn it Off’ – www.southandvale.gov.uk/turnitoff – which has been endorsed by Public Health England – is aimed at drivers who leave their engines ‘idling’ – still running even when the vehicle is not moving. This often happens when a vehicle is parked but the driver is still inside, waiting for someone outside a school or a shop.

The councils will be promoting the campaign on Clean Air Day Thursday June 20 at a stall at Henley Market in the morning and at Old Station Yard, next to Stert St, in Abingdon in the afternoon. These will be followed by more awareness events across both districts.

Air pollution has been identified by a number of organisations including the World Health Organisation, United Nations and the Royal College of Physicians as the biggest environmental risk to health. A recent report from Public Health England estimated that within the UK, air pollution is linked to up to 36,000 deaths each year. Older people and children are most sensitive to air pollutants.

Keeping the engine running while parked contributes to an increase of air pollutant levels. Schools, traffic lights and bus stops are most likely locations for idling.

The councils’ new campaign ‘Turn it off’ aims to educate people about air pollution and the links to engine idling and promoting cleaner ways to drive.

• Switch off when the car is likely to be stopped for more than 1 minute
• 1 minute of idling produces twice as many emissions as a moving vehicle
• 1 minute of idling produces the equivalent of 150 balloons of harmful pollutants
• Excessive idling is a waste of fuel (and money)
• People inside cars are exposed to high levels of air pollution, with children especially at risk of harmful effects

Vale of White Horse District Council cabinet member for Environmental and technical services Cllr Jenny Hannaby said: “Vehicles produce pollution and idling produces unnecessary air pollution and wastes fuel. We invite people to join our campaign and do something personally to help improve air quality in our area.”

South Oxfordshire District Council cabinet member for housing and environment Cllr David Rouane said: “The message is simple – if you are in your car and stop for a minute or more then you should turn off your engine for cleaner air.”

On Thursday 20 June – Clean Air Day – we will have stalls promoting the campaign at the following locations:

• 10am – midday Henley Market
• 2.30pm – 4.30pm Old Station Yard near Stert St in Abingdon