JustGiving celebrates the power of giving back

Nominations open for JustGiving Awards 2012

NOMINATIONS are now open for the JustGiving Awards 2012, celebrating the achievements of over 380,000 fundraisers, and 8,000 charities who have used the site to raise over £200 million for good causes over the past year.

Now in their third year, the awards will be given out in 13 categories, from Most Popular Fundraiser, to Endurance Fundraiser of the Year, to Most Creative Charity of the Year, to Best New Charity.

The awards will be judged by a panel of leading fundraising, philanthropic and digital figures, as well as winners of previous awards, and finalists will be invited to a red carpet awards dinner in London on 1st March, 2012.

The JustGiving Awards are free to enter and open to anyone who has used JustGiving to fundraise and every charity that is registered on the site.

To nominate an individual or charity, or to nominate your own fundraising achievements, go to www.justgivingawards.com or call the JustGiving Awards helpline on 0845 123 7588 for details. Entries must be completed before 6th January 2012. 

Work starts on Oxford Court expansion

Granby Industrial Estate, Weymouth

10th June 2010

WORK has begun on the phase 2 expansion of Oxford Court – the high-end business development on the Granby Industrial Estate in Weymouth. The scheme by DJ Property will transform a derelict plot into more flexible modern units ideal for business and light industrial use, bringing the total at Oxford Court to 23 units.

Specialist builders, Mildren Construction, are working with the environmental remediation experts, Cognition, to prepare the brownfield site for building work in a few weeks’ time. The three units will be up and ready for lease in the autumn and can be configured in sizes ranging from 1,400 to 4,200 square feet.

The first phase of Oxford Court was completed in 2008 and was snapped up fast by both local and national businesses. The courtyard design offers masses of parking and the units themselves are highly secure and virtually maintenance free. They can be configured in a vast number of ways to suit individual businesses.

DJ Property says that despite the recession, there’s a growing need for commercial space in South Dorset. Chief Executive Mickey Jones said: ‘Over the next two years, the region is set to benefit from numerous converging factors such as traffic improvements, investments at Osprey Quay, the Olympic spotlight, plus a fast growing tourist and industrial sector.

These will have a substantial impact on firms expanding in the area. DJ Property has invested £3.5 million in Oxford Court because we want to provide South Dorset businesses with the facilities we know they need to thrive and grow.’

The new development will follow the same successful template as the original Oxford Court design with a modern courtyard-style layout and flexible, low maintenance, highly secure units. All will have fast internet access and substantial parking facilities.

They also will come with power-floated floors designed to a high loading capacity allowing tenants to install their own free-standing mezzanine level – effectively doubling their floor space with no additional lease charge.

‘South Dorset has massive opportunities to grow and prosper. Despite the rest of the country putting expansion plans on hold, this new extension will offer more companies the space and facilities to capitalise on the opportunities unfolding in the region over the coming months,’ added Mickey Jones.

Over the years DJ Property has helped many businesses establish themselves – the firm’s hands-on experience and straight-talking approach has won the trust of scores of new and relocating companies.

The late David Jones, founder of DJ Property, built much of the Granby Industrial Estate in the 1960s. Since then there has been steady growth and the estate now covers more than 30 acres. The Chickerell Link Road, completed in 2006, has improved the estate’s accessibility, making it the commercial centre of South Dorset.

Today the Granby is the home of many local, national and international firms ranging from Europcar and DEK to Paragon Skills. 

New tug boat in action

The Maiden Castle

10th June 2010

PORTLAND Harbour Authority's new tug, the Maiden Castle, in action on the South Coast of the UK. The Maiden Castle is a useful addition to the Dorset port's service for commercial shipping.

Open Farm Sunday

TV Presenter Jimmy Doherty teaches kids about the countryside and where their food comes from

9th June 2010

THE nationwide charity event Open Farm Sunday takes place this weekend (June 13th).

The video below features TV presenter and farmer Jim Doherty showing a bunch of kids around his pig farm, whilst teaching them where their food comes from and how a work farm operates.

Hundreds of Farms across the UK are opening their doors to members of the public for Open Farm Sunday. Local participating farms include Washingpool Farm (North Allington, Bridport), Kingston Maurward College (near Dorchester) and Fancys Farm (Southwell, Portland).

The annual charity event gives everyone the opportunity to meet the farmers who grow their food and care for the countryside, as well as teach people how their food is produced.

For more information, visit www.farmsunday.org

Why West Dorset District Council has to downsize

22nd February 2010

West Dorset District Council has launched a video to explain why it needs to downsize and move to modern new offices.

Its chief executive David Clarke is the face of the six-minute film telling people that:

• It’s cheaper for the council to move than to stay where it is.

• New council offices and a possible library will mean better access for customers.

• Public parking spaces in the town centre will be freed up, in addition to 484 car parking spaces remaining in Charles Street.

• The council's carbon footprint will be reduced.

• The Old Crown Court would be developed as a heritage attraction.

The video is available to view now on YouTube. Mr Clarke said: “As part of its continued search for savings the district council has decided that it makes no sense to continue to invest taxpayers’ money into the existing buildings which, when built, were never designed as offices. 

“It is cheaper for us to downsize and move to modern and efficient offices than to stay. The new building will be less than half the size of current campus.

“Importantly, the new offices will reduce our carbon footprint and will save the taxpayers between £140,000 and £160,000 a year.

“The new offices will be better for customers because they will be able to access all services in one new convenient place rather than at the various different receptions we have now.

“As the first phase of the redevelopment, the offices will also be a key boost to secure the £60m private investment in the Charles Street retail, housing and hotel development.”

The costs of building the new offices will be around £10.7 million. The district council can fund this by selling the Stratton House complex, which it expects will fetch around £3.5 million. The authority has already built up £3 million in reserves to meet the high costs of maintaining Stratton House over the next few years.

The council can afford to either use current reserves or borrow up to £4.2 million to fund the rest of the new building costs, because it will not be paying huge utility bills, cleaning and maintenance at Stratton House. The cost of borrowing for local authorities is at historically very low interest rates which can be fixed for the period of the loan.

The council will also ensure the continued use of the existing Stratton House site, made up of several historically important buildings. In particular, negotiations are ongoing with the National Trust about the future of the Old Crown Court and Cells, based in the Shire Hall part of the council offices.

West Dorset District Council’s Head of Corporate Resources and Health Adrian Stuart said: “Moving to new offices will help us improve efficiency and provide further savings to maintain front line services in the longer term. 

“If the proposals get planning permission, we expect to move in to the new offices during early summer 2012.”

He added: “The council needs to move because the alternative is to make a significant investment in our current Stratton House site.  

“Even after making such an investment we would still be occupying buildings that are wholly unsuitable to their current use as offices, will cost more to maintain, clean, heat and light than is reasonable to expect, and prevent us from working effectively and efficiently as a single organisation.”

View From to be new sponsors of Weymouth FC stadium

1st October 2009

The struggling Blue Square South club launched a Terras Saviour scheme to prevent the club going into administration.

View From were one of 100 local businesses and individuals who donated £500 to raise £50,000 to keep the club in business.

The club put up 100 different sponsorship packages and View From, publishers of the View from Weymouth and four other free papers in Dorset, won the high profile stadium sponsorship.

The Weymouth stadium off Radipole Lane, formerly known as the Wessex Stadium, will be called the View From Stadium for the rest of the year.

The Dorset Echo, our opposition in Weymouth, were not so lucky. They won the man-of-the-match award for the Dover Athletic fixture.

View From chief executive Philip Evans commented: “We were pleased to be among the 100 Terras Saviours helping to keep Weymouth Football Club going.

As a newcomer to Weymouth we are more than delighted to have won such a high profile sponsorship.”

Terras Saviour 100

Lyme Regis Carnival 2009: Walk of Light Parade

14th August 2009

Hundreds of people gathered at Langmoor Gardens for this year's Walk of Light Parade for Lyme Regis carnival week.

The event was a huge success with organisers selling out of torches within minutes.

The parade was led by Lyme Regis Town Crier, Phil Street, and town mayor, Councillor Michaela Ellis.

Bringing traffic to a standstill were townspeople and holiday makers, carrying flaming torches, as they paraded through the town and along the Marine Parade, accompanied by the Exeter Street Heat Samba Band.

For more on the Lyme Regis Regatta and Carnival 2009 click here.

Walk of Light Parade

View From staff take to the seas

28th July 2009

View from Publishing recently entered a team into the Lyme Regis Bathtub race, part of Lifeboat Week, following are a few of the best videos taken on the day, for the full story click here.

Lauching the 'Summertime in Lyme' boat

Chezzie struggles to board the boat and Tom comes to the rescue

The finish line is in sight

Celebrations at the finish