Author Archives: Liz Wainwright

The Christmas Market comes to Bournemouth.

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Wallis Edwards selling stockings in the run up to the big Christmas Shop.

Bournemouth’s Christmas Market opens today – and traders are hopeful of a good season despite the recession.

Despite the latest unemployment and inflation figures, and amidst the backdrop of recession, people are enjoying the festive atmosphere and already starting their Christmas shopping.

Stallholder Wallis Edwards, 21, who runs a stall selling Christmas stockings and other festive gifts, said:

“This is our second year of being at the market. We’ve tried to keep more of a range of prices this year, to reflect the recession – but if people want something I think they’ll buy it anyway”.

The annual festive offering runs through until Christmas Eve.

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Solar subsidies cut

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A solar panel company in Bournemouth says it’s already feeling the impact of a Government plan to halve tariffs payable to householders who generate energy and sell it to the grid.

Andrew Burley, Managing Director (right), and Paul Younger, Operations Director, outside the Dorset Solar office. Thr company is already seeing the impact of the governement's announcement of cuts to solar feed-in tariffs.

Dorset Solar, based on St Michael’s Road, was launched at the start of 2011. Andrew Burley, Managing Director, says solar energy took off fast in the area.

He said: “Around 5,000 people in the Bournemouth and Poole area will be disappointed by this announcement. It’s a knee jerk reaction; but it has already affected the industry. Around 50 percent of companies will have to shut down.”

Greg Barker, Minister for Climate Change, yesterday announced that the amount payable to households who generate solar energy and sell it back to the grid will be halved on installations made after December 12.

The Government claims the cut in feed-in tariff is justified, because the price of installation has fallen.

 

 

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Reef life

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Bournemouth University students David Bray, 21 (left), and Michael Strowger, 21, volunteer at the Marine Wildlife event, run by a partnership led by the University. Photo (c) Elizabeth Wainwright

 

 

 

 

Bournemouth University is showcasing its marine research and the diversity of life on Boscombe’s surf reef with an event at the bay.

Following Bournemouth Council’s announcement yesterday (October 24) that repair work on the damaged reef will continue, the event will tell the public about life on the Surf Reef.

Michael Strowger, 21, and David Bray, 21, (pictured), are Masters students volunteering at the event. Michael said: “Recent damage removed some of the habitat, but biodiversity is increasing because of the reef”.

The event runs until 26 October.

Surfers and marine life share Boscombe Reef. Photo (c) Elizabeth Wainwright

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Unemployment not the only big issue in the recession

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As unemployment reaches its highest level since 1994, a Bournemouth Big Issue seller is predicting more people will end up becoming homeless.

Michael James Kimber, 49, or ‘Mikey’ (pictured) has been selling The Big Issue for seven months, having previously been made redundant from his work in a factory.

“After I was made redundant, I slept in a car on Queensland Road for three years. I hit the bottom pretty hard.” Mikey ended up begging and sleeping on the streets, and was eventually directed to the local Big Issue office by PC Greenwood, a liaison officer for the area.

“I managed to get somewhere to stay through Bournemouth Churches Housing Association. This, and the Big Issue, has been very helpful. But I think less people have jobs now. And anyone can end up in my position.”

Mikey grew up in the country and would like to find permanent farm work in the future.

Official figures released today show 2.57 million people were out of work between June and August this year.

 

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