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The April Chase & Chalke Newsletter

The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership is a group of organisations working to protect and enhance the special landscape of Cranborne Chase and Chalke Valley. With Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as the lead partner, and with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this 5-year partnership is working with local communities to better connect people with the landscape.

Free training in Oral History available for 16-25 year olds

We are actively encouraging young people (aged 16-25) to take part in our oral history project, Memories Captued.

Perhaps you, or someone you know, might have an interest in media studies, journalism, history, local farming life or tourism. If so, this may be a great opportunity for you to gain knowledge and training in oral history. You’ll get free training and hands-on practical experience in capturing audio and visual content, get experience of interviewing techniques, and learn about the experiences of people living and growing up in the Chase & Chalke area. The training sessions are:

• Saturday 21st May, 10am-4pm @ Gold Hill Museum Gold Hill Shaftesbury Dorset SP7 8JW

• Monday 30th May, 10am-4pm@ Coombe Bissett Village Hall, Shutts Lane, Homington Road, Coombe Bissett, Salisbury SP5 4LU

If you’re interested in this amazing opportunity you can register for the training through the Chase & Chalke Volunteer Hub http://bttr.im/cnmw2. This is where we post free training and volunteer opportunities.

Introducing Our New Community Poet

Chase & Chalke is delighted to welcome Akulah Agbami as our new Community Poet as part of our Words in the Landscape project.

Over the next few months the Chase & Chalke team will be working with Akulah to set up workshops in various locations in and around the Chase & Chalke area. Working with the local community and with school groups we’ll be bringing groups of people out to our area, visiting some of iconic locations to explore the flora, fauna or archaeology to help inspire and capture people’s responses to the wonderful landscape of Cranborne Chase.

You can follow news of these workshops through our social media channels and our website where we will be posting updates.

Apply Now: Community Heritage Grants deadline 30th April

Only a few days left to apply for a grant to support your local heritage project.

We are inviting you to make an application for funding through our Communities Caring for Heritage Grants Scheme to create interesting and exciting projects which involve people in learning about, celebrating and improving their natural and cultural heritage. If you have a great idea for a project that you think is suitable please visit our website and complete the Expression of Interest form in the first instance.

The deadline for applications is the end of the month, 30th April, so get your ideas to us quick.

Photograph: Richard Budd

We’re hiring!

Fancy joining a great team? Chase & Chalke has a vacancy. We’re looking to recruit a Project Support Officer to join the team until June 2024.

The Project Support Officer is an exciting and varied role covering aspects of administrative support, financial and office management, bookings, team support and ensuring the successful day-to-day running of a busy working environment.

We are looking for a knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic team member to support the delivery of the Chase & Chalke Scheme working 22 hours a week.

The closing date for applications is Monday 2nd May so get your application in soon.

Free survey training on the River Ebble

If you’re part of the communities who live along the river, are interested in wildlife surveys, have an interest in practical conservation or fishing, or would just like to learn more about life on the Ebble then this project could be for you.

With the Crystal Clear Ebble project we’re working in partnership with Wessex Rivers Trust and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to enhance the health of this beautiful chalk stream for now and future generations, and we need your help to achieve this.

The project team have already carried out some surveys along the river and in the coming months we have lots of new opportunities for training and volunteering for you to get involved in. Register as volunteer today at the Chase & Chalke Volunteer Hub http://bttr.im/cnmw2 and sign up for the free training sessions in May and June on Habitat Features & River Morphology, Macrophyte Survey, and Water Vole Surveys.

You can also get involved by downloading the Wildlife Sightings App. With this you can upload your wildlife sightings and help us monitor life on the river. Scan this QR code to download the App:

Thank you to the Tree Adopters

We would like to say a big thank you to all of those that adopted a tree during our Hands-On Heritage event at the Ancient Technology Centre in Cranborne.

Your adopted sapling is not very big so will need gentle care and handling at first. When it is a larger we are going to create a new woodland area with your help. Find a place outdoors to put them where it is light, but not too sunny, and out of the wind. But don’t leave them somewhere dark and windy or damp, cold and frosty as this will not help their growth. Water the roots (not the leaves) regularly in the spring and summer; daily if the weather is dry (and especially if dry and hot).

We will contact you with more tree care tips and when we are planning to plant them out! Thank you again and see you soon.

Photograph: Richard Budd

Volunteers Needed: Roman & Iron Age Weekend

Chase & Chalke are pleased to be working in partnership with the Ancient Technology Centre in Cranborne to hold a Roman and Iron Age Weekend on Sunday 1st and Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May.

The team needs volunteer support to help run the event, so if you are able to give a few hours of your time to assist we would be grateful - the rest of the day is yours to meet Romans and Celts, get some warrior training under your belt and even help build a Roman road!

To volunteer please go to our volunteer hub: http://bttr.im/cnmw2 and select the opportunity from the list.

Photograph: Richard Budd

Learn about the Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership

The Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership is a group of organisations working to protect and enhance the special landscape of Cranborne Chase and the Chalke Valley.

We work with Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as our lead partner. We will be sending out updates on our projects and activities. Learn more about Chase & Chalke here.

Learn more about who we are, what we do, and the projects of the scheme on our website.

You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to our lead partner Cranborne Chase AONB’s email list.