Latest news with #Blandford
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Puppies rescued from breeder named after AFC Bournemouth players
Twelve large cross-breed puppies have been rescued from an unlicensed breeder in eight-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog x German Shepherd pups were taken to Margaret Green Animal Rescue, near Blandford, by Dorset rescue centre said the animals had not been receiving the appropriate standard of care or 12 have been named after AFC Bournemouth's players and manager, as the rescue centre works to find them suitable, loving homes. Margaret Green CEO Nigel Mason said that Adam, Antoine, Dango, Evanilson, Illia, Kepa, Lewis, Marcos, Marcus, Ryan, Tyler and Adoni had shown "incredible resilience"."These puppies were brought into the world without thought for their welfare, their health, or the challenges that come with raising large-breed mixes," he charity said the footballers' namesakes had undergone "veterinary checks, vaccinations and care" and were now "receiving plenty of love and attention".Mr Mason said: "We're now doing everything we can to make sure they have the best starts in life and go on to find safe, loving homes." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
New Himalayan bat blurs India-Pakistan divide
A new-to-science Himalayan bat has blurred the India-Pakistan divide. A team of Indian scientists documented 29 species of bats during a series of surveys in the Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand segment of the Western Himalayas from 2017 to 2021. These included the Blandford's fruit bat, Japanese greater horseshoe bat, Chinese horseshoe bat, Nepalese whiskered bat, Mandelli's mouse-eared bat, Kashmir cave myotis, chocolate pipistrelle, and the eastern long-winged bat. One of these 29 species, however, did not fit the taxonomic descriptions of the others or any other bats elsewhere on earth, apart from belonging to the genus Myotis or mouse-eared. A specimen of this undefined species was collected from Ansuya in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district in May 2021. An investigation revealed that this undefined specimen was the same as the one collected from Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by Gabor Csorba, a Hungarian scientist, in 1998, but it was not previously described. Dr Csorba of Budapest's Hungarian Natural History Museum is one of the five authors of a study that described the Himalayan long-tailed myotis (Myotis himalaicus) as a new species of bat. The others are Uttam Saikia from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in Shillong, Rohit Chakravarty of Mysuru's Nature Conservation Foundation, Mostaque Ahmed Laskar of St Anthony's College in Shillong, and Manuel Ruedi of the Natural History Museum of Geneva. Their study, describing the Himalayan long-tailed myotis and 28 other bats documented from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, was published in the latest edition of Zootaxa, a zoological mega-journal. 'Our team recorded the Himalayan long-tailed myotis during previous surveys in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, but we did not collect any specimens,' Dr Saikia told The Hindu. According to the study, the new species belongs to a group of morphologically similar species called the Myotis frater complex, which has a wide distribution from eastern China, Taiwan, central and southeastern Siberia, Korea, Japan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. 'Apparently a native of the southern slopes of the Himalayas, the newly described bat species was thus far encountered in the deodar, pine, or cedar forest and appears uncommon,' the study said. Addition to India's bat fauna The study also resulted in the globally data-deficient East Asian free-tailed bat (Tadarida insignis) being added to India's bat fauna. Earlier, this species was mistaken for the European free-tailed bat (Tadarida teniotis) in all existing literature in India. Based on a detailed study of the specimen collected from Uttarakhand and genetic analysis, the researchers concluded that this species is distributed in the Himalayan region of India, besides China, Taiwan, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula. The documentation of the East Asian free-tailed bat in the Western Himalayas extended its range eastward by about 2,500 km. Another highlight of the study is the validation of the species status of another poorly understood species named Babu's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus babu). This species was recorded more than a century ago from the Muree hills in present-day Pakistan. Due to morphological similarities, subsequent researchers considered it a synonym of another species, the Javan pipistrelle (Pipistrellus javanicus), a resident primarily of Southeast Asia. The new study conclusively proved that Babu's pipistrelle is a species distinct from the Javan pipistrelle and is distributed in Pakistan, India, and Nepal. The study also provided the first specimen-based confirmation of the presence a few other bat species in India, namely Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii) and Japanese greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus nippon). 'This study is expected to have significant implications in the documentation and conservation of small mammalian fauna in the country and boost further studies in the Indian Himalayas,' ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee said. The revisionary study across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand took the tally of Indian bat species to 135.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Adult social care shake-up 'rethink' after protest
Plans to shake-up adult social care in Dorset are being "re-evaluated" following protests and feedback from users and their families, a council has said. Dorset Council is considering changes to adult social care services at six centres in Blandford, Swanage, Wareham, Ferndown, Shaftesbury and Sherborne. About 100 people staged a protest opposite one of the centres - Blandford Community Centre - in May, against the proposed reorganisation of where and how services are delivered amid fears some of the centres could close. Dorset Council said it wanted to move to a "hubs and spokes" model but insisted "no decisions have been made". A consultation runs until Monday. North Dorset Conservative MP Simon Hoare said the centre in Blandford should be left out of any reorganisation. "It's easy for people to get to, it serves not just the town but the villages around it," he explained. "We have the hub and spoke model, it's working. My view is - if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Pauline Saville, from Blandford, has a grown up son with learning disabilities who has received day care in Blandford for about 20 years. She said it was "vital" the service was protected and not moved to Sturminster Newton, as proposed. "It's very important to my son. It's where his friends are... If he didn't have it he'd be at home vegetating, and it's vital for me because it's my respite." Councillor Steve Robinson, cabinet member for adult social care at Dorset Council, said it was now "re-evaluating" its initial proposals. "The opportunity that people have got at the moment to contribute [to the consultation] online, the demonstration that we've had, or the letters that we've received, all go in and inform the decision making process," he explained. "This is not about what happens with our buildings, this is about how we provide services for people in our community." He added all consultation responses would be considered throughout June and July ahead of a decision in the autumn. 'Save vital day centre for wife who has dementia' Dorset Council
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Dorset adult social care shake-up 'rethink' after protest
Plans to shake-up adult social care in Dorset are being "re-evaluated" following protests and feedback from users and their families, a council has Council is considering changes to adult social care services at six centres in Blandford, Swanage, Wareham, Ferndown, Shaftesbury and 100 people staged a protest opposite one of the centres - Blandford Community Centre - in May, against the proposed reorganisation of where and how services are delivered amid fears some of the centres could Council said it wanted to move to a "hubs and spokes" model but insisted "no decisions have been made". A consultation runs until Monday. North Dorset Conservative MP Simon Hoare said the centre in Blandford should be left out of any reorganisation."It's easy for people to get to, it serves not just the town but the villages around it," he explained."We have the hub and spoke model, it's working. My view is - if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Pauline Saville, from Blandford, has a grown up son with learning disabilities who has received day care in Blandford for about 20 years. She said it was "vital" the service was protected and not moved to Sturminster Newton, as proposed."It's very important to my son. It's where his friends are... If he didn't have it he'd be at home vegetating, and it's vital for me because it's my respite." Councillor Steve Robinson, cabinet member for adult social care at Dorset Council, said it was now "re-evaluating" its initial proposals."The opportunity that people have got at the moment to contribute [to the consultation] online, the demonstration that we've had, or the letters that we've received, all go in and inform the decision making process," he explained."This is not about what happens with our buildings, this is about how we provide services for people in our community."He added all consultation responses would be considered throughout June and July ahead of a decision in the autumn.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Mother, 58, kept her weight-loss jabs a secret from her daughter, 27 - but was left shocked at her reaction when she finally confessed
A mother has revealed how she hid her decision to start taking weight loss drugs from her daughter, because she thought she might consider them 'extreme' and encourage her to try another diet. Gill Foster, 58, from Blandford in Dorset, weighed in at 17st 10lb and says she'd tried every diet in the book when she decided to finally take action. In August 2024, Gill, who, at a dress size 20, had hit 'breaking point', started Mounjaro injections with NHS-backed healthy eating plan Second Nature. Worried that her daughter Ellie Wescott, 27, would disapprove of the weight-loss jabs, Gill, a driving instructor trainer, kept it a secret for a month. But when the pair met four weeks later - and Gill had already shed 12lbs - she finally confessed to her daughter. And, much to her surprise, instead of being annoyed, Ellie was so impressed by her mother's weight loss of almost a stone in as little as a month that she too decided to give Mounjaro a go. Ellie, who weighed in at 16st 2lbs said that she's 'always had an unhealthy relationship with food', began the same programme in September 2024 and, like Gill, found that the pounds began to fall off. Now, mother and daughter have shed more than nine stone and eight dress sizes between them since last summer. Spurred on by a friendly rivalry, they've transformed their bodies - and their health. Having spent half a century dieting between them, both mother and daughter had tried a number of traditional weight loss programmes - but neither Gill nor Ellie had experienced lasting results. Gill, from Blandford in Dorset, said: 'I have battled with my weight for 30 years. I'd tried everything and even had success, but the weight would pile back on. 'Medication was a last resort because it was getting to the point where my weight was affecting my health. Since they began, the mother and daughter have lost a total of nine stone, with Gill's weight dropping to 12st 11lbs and Ellie's falling to 12st 10lbs. While before both mother and daughter wore a dress size 20, Gill is now a size 14 while Ellie wears a size 12-14. Reflecting on her weight loss journey, Gill said: 'I did my research and found Second Nature. I was a little sceptical and didn't want to tell anyone I was doing it'. Having initially kept it secret even from her daughter, Gill soon realised that she would have to be honest. 'I didn't want her to think that I was doing something extreme,' Gill said. 'But after four weeks on the programme, it became impossible to hide.' Ellie, who's based in Pimperne just outside of Blandford, added: 'I've always had an unhealthy relationship with food. 'The only time I remember being slim - but still thinking I was fat - was back at school when I did extreme exercise to fit in my prom dress. Like her mother, Ellie had also tried a number of different diets before finding success with Mounjaro. She said: 'Growing up with a mum who also dieted, it's easy to learn those habits, and we obviously love food! 'But the day after taking Mounjaro for the first time, I texted mum to say that I hadn't been thinking about food at all, and my day seemed to feel quicker, because I wasn't constantly looking at the clock thinking "what am I going to eat next?"' GILL'S STORY Gill, who was always naturally curvy, struggled with body dysmorphia as a teenager and, as a 'picker', didn't have a good relationship with food growing up. Eager to find some support in making more healthy choices, she tried to join a weight loss programme at 19 but was turned away because she didn't weigh enough. When Gill started university, she ate whatever she wanted and her weight spiralled - but it wasn't until the mother-of-three was 28 (and her eldest son 18 months) that she made another attempt to diet. Diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in 2003, Gill's health was suffering as a result of her weight. From the early 2000s onwards, she tried a number of traditional diets but always ended up putting the weight back on - and usually a little more than she'd lost. Gill said: 'I've always enjoyed healthy, good-quality food, but whenever I was cooking, I'd help myself to a mouthful here and there - kind of one for the pot and one for Gill - but I've never been a big portions meal person. 'As my children got older and I worked as a driving instructor, time became my biggest issue. I would skip breakfast then grab something on the go. 'It's difficult to make healthy choices at the petrol station and when hunger struck the temptations won. I was finding it harder and harder not to give up all hope.' Gill would arrive home after a busy day and eat whatever she could find in the fridge - from cheese and cold meats to pickles an leftovers. She added: 'I would have good intentions; portioning a healthy meal for dinner, sometimes spaghetti bolognese or homemade curry, but every time I went back into the kitchen, I'd help myself to another mouthful.' Ellie is pictured before her weight loss (left) and after shedding 4st 6lbs (right) Aged 58 and squeezing into size 20 clothes at her heaviest of 17st 10lbs, Gill hit 'breaking point' and knew she had to do something 'drastic'. Searching online, she discovered Second Nature, an NHS-backed healthy eating plan that draws on behavioural science to 'rewire' eating habits. For 10 years, Second Nature has helped more than 250,000 people in the UK lose weight and, crucially, keep it off. While it also offers medication-assisted programmes, including Mounjaro or tirzepatide, as well as Wegovy or semaglutide treatments for type-2 diabetes and weight loss, these can be accessed only after potential users have completed an online test to determine their suitability. Having administered her first Mounjaro injection at the end of August 2024, Gill found that her hunger began to subside almost immediately. 'When I had dinner that night, I wasn't hungry anymore,' Gill recalled. 'It felt like a switch had flipped.' Yet, unsure how she was 'supposed to feel', Gill wondered if she might have simply experienced a placebo effect. She was similarly anxious about the potential side effects of the jabs - but didn't suffer with any. While Gill initially kept it from daughter Ellie, it became impossible to hide after she dropped 12 pounds in the first four weeks. ELLIE'S STORY Ellie had also struggled for years with her weight. Having been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), she had tried everything from intermittent fasting to intense gym workouts and walking her dog daily. Despite all her efforts to shift the pounds, the dial on the scale rarely moved and, at her heaviest, size 20 Ellie weighed 16st 11lbs. But, encouraged by her mother's quick progress since starting Mounjaro, Ellie joined the Second Nature programme in September 2024 - although she had some doubts. Ellie recalled: 'I was terrified of actually putting a needle in me and was on FaceTime to mum. I thought, "What if I'm allergic?" - but it was nowhere near as bad as I expected.' Ellie, who saw her appetite quickly decrease, added: 'I definitely eat less because I'm able to control myself now - and with my portion control.' The benefits have been far reaching, with Ellie's health improving significantly. She said: 'I'm losing weight and have had my first period in five years now, which is amazing. I'm healing!' While Ellie would have previously reached for a chocolate bar if she was craving something sweet, she now opts for a handful of strawberries. And, importantly, she no longer makes her way through the whole punnet in one sitting. During her work breaks, Ellie used to scroll Instagram looking for food. For lunch, she would eat a Tupperware pot filled to the brim with pasta, followed by a snack from the vending machine in the afternoon. Now, she naturally puts less on her plate. A FRIENDLY RIVALRY Since starting her programme in September 2024, Ellie has lost 4st 6lbs, bringing her weight down to 12st 10 lbs. As a dress size 12-14, she feels comfortable in her body. Gill's weight loss is equally impressive. Having lost 4st 13lbs since August 2024, she now weighs 12st 11lbs and wears a size 14. Gill (left) and daughter Ellie have lost a total of nine stone and eight dress sizes between them And, the mother and daughter have now turned their weight loss into a friendly rivalry, checking in with each other's progress and encouraging one another to keep going. 'I just want to weigh less than my mum!' Ellie said. Still, the pair agree that it's been beneficial to go through the Second Nature programme together, supporting each other through the highs and lows. Gill said: 'We send each other screenshots of our scale progress every morning, and we share pictures of the meals we're eating. 'In the early days, when Ellie wasn't seeing as much progress, I felt like she needed some reassurance and we'd talk about it. That kept us going.' Now, Ellie is focused on achieving her goal of being a small size 12, which would enable her to finally delve into the box of clothes that has been gathering dust above her wardrobe since lockdown. Gill's target is to weigh less than 11st and maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). Gill added: 'Now, I feel like a "normal" person again - I eat what I want, when I want, without feeling overwhelmed by food. We're healthier, happier, and we've made it through this journey together. 'The absolutely liberating part is I have zero guilt around food. I just have to make sure I do whatever it takes to keep that going!'
