Link2Nature Coordinator Role Available

A new Coordinator for Link2Nature, the Wiltshire and Swindon Local Nature Partnership, is being recruited – please note the closing date for applications is Monday 3rd June at 12 noon.
The post is based at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in Devizes; the full advertisement is below and further details are on the WWT website: http://www.wiltshirewildlife.org/who-we-are/workingforthetrust/LNP_Coordinator_Vacancy 

Please circulate this advert widely within your organisation, networks and other contacts to help us reach as many potential candidates as possible.

----------------------------------------------------- 

Local Nature Partnership Coordinator

-----------------------------------------------------

• Salary : £26,969 pro-rata per annum
• Hours : Fixed term to 31st March 2014 / Part Time 4 days/week (30 hrs)
• Based : Devizes

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to play a key role in the development and implementation of the Wiltshire and Swindon Local Nature Partnership. You will play a pivotal role in liaising with a wide range of organisations and stakeholders across a diversity of sectors, including NGO’s, Business, statutory agencies and local communities.

The successful applicant will be able to work at a strategic level and demonstrate a practical understanding and experience of the complex relationships and agendas which exist in a partnership led initiative. A confident individual, you will communicate with a diversity of people across a range of levels of understanding and experience.

Organised and efficient, you will possess the ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, with a desire to succeed and deliver high quality outcomes. A track record of successful partnership management and co-ordination is required.

This post is funded by Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council and hosted by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. For more information about the Partnership, please visit: http://www.link2nature.org.uk/

Closing Date : Monday 3rd June 2013 @ 12 noon

Interviews : Friday, 14th June 2013

If you are interested in this position, please download the application pack from the right hand column, complete and return to recruitment@wiltshirewildlife.org. Or post to: Recruitment LNP Coordinator, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Elm Tree Court, Long Street, Devizes. SN10 1NJ. If you would like to discuss this opportunity informally, please contact Stephen Davis on 01380 725670.

Cranborne village becomes a Vodafone local “Champion”

The Dorset village of Cranborne is the latest rural community to receive a helping hand from technology giants Vodafone in an effort to improve 3G mobile phone coverage. Cranborne has become one of a cluster of local Champions to use the new Vodafone ‘open femto’ technology which provides vital connectivity in rural areas battling with poor broadband and 3G signal coverage. Low or no connectivity makes economic growth impossible given all the other problems that these areas share with urban communities.  

In 2011 Ofcom released a report highlighting the poor state of the UK’s communications infrastructure. Ofcom found 3G coverage was concentrated in urban areas and revealed that typically 2G signals reach only 66 percent of the country, with 3G signals reaching only an almost unbelievably low 13 percent.

In an effort to tackle these mobile not-spots, Vodafone has launched 12 trials for community-wide femtocells; the Dorset village of Cranborne being one of these to benefit. “These trials present a very real opportunity for rural communities to play a positive role in extending mobile coverage locally,” said the operator.

With the help of a Community Champion the Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs AONB, local MP Bob Walter and the local Parish Council, Cranborne village put together an application to be w trail community, fighting off some stiff competition which resulted in 170 initial applications that in turn were shortlisted to 20 from which the final 12 were chosen.  As a result Cranborne now hosts 5 village Metro Cells which generate a Vodafone mobile signal which will doubtless be of enormous benefit to those living and working in the area. This will help everyone from delivery drivers, the local vet or doctor out on their rounds, the local B&B helping its residents to the local teenager wishing to use their social media apps.

On the 15^th March a celebratory event launching the Cranborne village femto programme will be held.  Bob Walter MP and Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, together with members of the local Parish Council, and key local businesses and residents will meet to celebrate; almost certainly with mobile in hand. Bob Walter commented in his letter of support that, “bringing a mobile phone signal to the area will not only make the day-to-day lives of residents, considerably easier, but will also help to sustain the economy of this rural village and create jobs and growth at a time when many rural villages are stagnating.”

Sure Signal

Vodafone is one of the few operators in the UK to offer femtocells to customers in order to solve the vexing issue of poor mobile phone reception. Otherwise known as Vodafone Sure Signal this small device, about the size of a broadband router, is available relatively cheaply from the operator for householders or businesses suffering signal failure. Whilst it does completely transform the mobile phone signal within a building, its coverage is limited and it only works with Vodafone handsets.

This ground-breaking femtocell technology has now been extended to make a real difference to rural communities similarly suffering. The open femto boxes are slightly bigger in size, and are more robust for the outdoor environment. Boxes are mounted on the outside of buildings and enable a signal to be generated within 300 meters, although the signal can be weakened by trees, walls, or anything else that gets in the way, hence the need for this new pilot study.

In time Vodafone hope the process can be rolled out to many more communities although it does require a lot of community co-operation. Unfortunately though this new technology will not be a green light to solving connectivity issues across the UK as by its very nature, open femto technology is only suitable for small areas, so ideal for small communities, especially public meeting places or focal points which are being called 'community hubs'. For coverage over a wider area, the installation of mobile phone masts remains the best option. 

Could you use the bus to get to work, but it’s too far to walk to the bus stop?

The council has won funding to install cycle parking at bus stops in Southern Wiltshire which is likely to be a smart-card accessible compound for around 5 bikes, or a couple of lockers. Some examples of the places we might investigate are Codford, Steeple Langford, Amesbury, the Winterbournes, Nunton and Downton.  

If you know of any locations in southern Wiltshire which would benefit from cycle parking at bus stops, please send suggestions to Transportation@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Please be as specific as you can about the locations (e.g. Winterbourne Gunner – Policeman’s Corner for example), and tell us how often you might park your bike there.

Dorset residents are being urged to register their interest in superfast broadband ahead of a planned roll-out next summer.

The plan to improve network speeds across rural areas of Dorset is being finalised at the moment with Dorset County Council apparently close to determining a supplier for the infrastructure.


Dorset residents can improve the chances of the new network reaching their area by filling out a short questionnaire on DCC's website.
Under the Superfast Dorset project, all areas of Dorset are to receive a minimum of 2megabits per second (Mbps) by the end of 2014. 90-95% of Dorset will be able to purchase packages from their supplier of at least 24Mbps (current average is 6Mbps).
Robert Gould, Dorset County Council Cabinet member for the environment, said: "We need to demonstrate to suppliers that people in Dorset want this. The more people who register their interest from a particular area, the more likely that area will be included. Please register now, at www.dorsetforyou.com/superfast or by ringing 01305 221048."

Help needed for young people in care in Wiltshire

Wiltshire Independent Visitor Scheme is looking for volunteers in the Devizes, Salisbury and Warminster areas to visit, listen to and support young people who are living in care.


Wiltshire Council, who helps run and fund the scheme, is looking for volunteer adults (aged over 21) who communicate well with young people, understand their issues and interests and have some regular time to spare. Independent Visitor’s are for young people living in care who have little or no contact from their parents or family.

The scheme is particularly looking for volunteers in the Devizes, Salisbury and Warminster areas, and male volunteers are currently under-represented.

Sheila Lupton, Wiltshire’s Independent Visitor manager, said: “The scheme is great for both volunteers and young people. We match young people with volunteers according to their interests, personalities and preferences, this means they usually get on really well together and young people can build up a strong trusting relationship with their volunteer visitor.”
Training and ongoing support are all provided. For more information contact Sheila Lupton on 01373 859485.

Hugely Exciting AONB Countryside Centre Proposal

The team is very pleased to announce that we’ve been successful in the the first stage funding bid for the proposed ‘AONB Countryside Centre’ which was voted through by the Local Action Group of the Sowing SEEDS funding programme on Wednesday!

 

 

The detailed second stage bid will now be put together for the SEEDS Executive in September. It is envisaged that the planned ‘Countryside Centre’ will offer accredited and vocational training courses in countryside and associated skills. It will also be the base for an AONB-wide volunteer force. The third element is to be an AONB information hub for local communities and visitors alike.

 

Your feedback is important:

 

• If you are a nearby countryside / environmental skills training provider who may have an interest in, or indeed a concern about, the proposal, please get in touch  

• If you are involved in a volunteer group who might be interested in using such a Centre as a base, do get in touch

• Finally, although the proposal for an ‘AONB volunteer task force’ may be a little way off, it would be extremely helpful if you could let us know if you would be interested in volunteering in the future. Tasks could range from building, practical conservation, guided walks / event planning, research or simply office / administration tasks.  

Get in touch by email, telephone answer phone or respond via our comments board below. We will hold your details on file until we have further information.

 

AONB office: 01725 517417
Email: office@cranbornechase.org.uk