A little ray of purple

This barrel of  flowering crocuses is just outside the CJS office windows, it gives us a lift to see them so bright in the spring sunshine, almost glowing. 

It's been a little busy here, HB still has the flu ("if you're no better in a week come back and see us" say the doctors, that'll be three weeks) and today TB is moving house so we're a little short handed - hence a very short blog post.  However, there is good news on the horizon for us it's that the building work is finally finished; for postal subscribers it's that we will be able to absorb the latest increase in postage rates so no subscription increase this time around.

Thank crunchie it's Friday, and your CJS Weekly is (almost) done.  Postal copies are now being printed, digital ones are being prepared and emails will be sent soon. It's quite large - 22 pages including lots of news, 64 adverts for paid posts and another 20 for volunteers.

Depleted Team

The CJS Team is somewhat depleted this week, a bout of the lurgy (very nasty) and a sudden house move - not totally unexpected but nine days notice to pack up all your worldly belongings and move to a new location is a bit tight.  It means that it's all hands on deck to make sure your weekly edition is out as usual - which it is, phew. 16 pages this week with 42 new paid posts of which 20 came direct to CJS.   However, the accounts are in a state of disarray along with various other bits of behind the scenes admin and it's good job we don't skype with subscribers and advertisers because my desk on Wednesday had to be seen to be believed, that is always assuming you could find it under my not so small mountain of paperwork! - I think I've filed it all correctly and not let any small black labradoric helpers recycle it.  We'll find out in the fullness of time....

Half term and it's "not busy", well not overmuch anyway...

Did you see the article on the Huffington Post this week about the applicant for a job a a museum who was called lazy by the employer?  She 'got her own' back by tweeting the whole sorry saga. 

It promoted us to add another entry into our occasional blog series, Musings on the Moor.
A how not to guide for recruiters and candidates, click through read our thoughts on it all.
And perhaps to avoid making similar mistakes have a look at our Helpful Hints pages, here.

Other than that it's been pretty not busy (don't mention the q word) here, AW is away spending half term with her littlies whilst HB is bemused, befuddles and bewildered by  the arrival of two small puppies into the household ("I now understand why you take a week off with new puppies" was all she said as she fought back yawns and struggled to get words in order).  Everything else carries on as normal or as normal as it ever gets.

One Weekly edition is now online and postal copies will be ready for dispatch before too long.  It's quite large this week at 21 pages including the Training Calendar for April. There are 59 adverts for paid posts plus 14 for volunteers.

All new

I finally gave in and bought myself a new pair of walking boots.  Same brand, even same style - they fit well and wear well, my last pair have given sterling service for a couple of years as you can see! However, I had literally walked the tread off the soles and one started squeaking in the wet which was, I discovered, a warn through hole letting water into the undersole, but not the boot itself so feet were still dry.

guess which is the new boot....

AW has a new puppy - called Edmund (already lengthened to Edmunduado, although I can talk, Dido has the nick name of Dee-Dee-Di-Di-Doh-Doh), he's a predominately black with a bit of white sheep dog, companion to Bill (he's not sure yet) and friend to the two small W's. HB is currently puppy sitting her brother's miniature Jack Russell puppy (he's teeny-tiny) and on Sunday is collecting their two new Sprolies, that's springer spaniel x collie.  so lots of new dogs around.  My two pups and older Hebe are helping me break in the new boots, which don't look quite so pristine now. 
Not that there has been much 'proper' walking this last week, just one word - weather, which can be summed up as wet, white, windy and wild.  Although this morning Master B got all bouncy and insisted his Mum look out of the window pointing excitedly, "What? What am I looking at?" she asked, "the sun" was his reply. It's such a rare occurrence and for all of five minutes produced a magnificent pink sunrise which rapidly faded back to washed out blues and greys before disappearing not to be seen again.  (and now it's hurling lumps of ice at us, frozen rain - niice)

CJS Weekly has gone to print, not much news for you this week, everyone's preoccupied with floods and storms; however, there are 58 ads for paid posts and 11 for volunteers. Digital editions are being edited and should be emailed / live shortly.

CJS Professional: February edition (including CJS Focus)

The latest edition of CJS Professional is now online, read it in full here: www.countryside-jobs.com/Professional/current.htm   You may need to refresh your browser.

Subscribe to CJS Weekly for a weekly newsletter like this one. Receive details of all vacancies advertised with CJS: Email from £1 per week, Post from £2.05 per week, Online access from 75p per week 
We've increased the coverage for CJS Weekly, we check every county council and metropolitan borough council vacancies list each week, we also have a range of new searches in place to source the widest range of vacancies for our readers.  Since the first edition in January we have published 319 adverts for paid posts, less than half of those appeared online.
Find out more here or click through for theonline shop to subscribe now.

Jobs advertised in this Month's edition:
Arboricultural Consultants - TEP, office in Warrington, Cheshire
Reserves Officer, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, based Stirley Farm, Huddersfield
Seasonal Ecologists and Temporary Licensed Ecologists, RSK, working on sites nationwide
Deputy Head Ranger, Nene Park Trust, Peterborough
Seasonal / Casual Field Ecologists, SLR Consulting, various locations
Outdoor Classroom Officer, Essex Wildlife Trust, based Abbotts Hall Farm nr Colchester
Potteric Carr Programme Manager, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre Manager, Beds, Cambs & Northants Wildlife Trust
Site Officer and Corehead Community & Education Officer, Borders Forest Trust
Sales / Marketing / Ticket Officer; Boat Crew / Photographer; Boat Crew / general hand, all Sea.fari Adventures (Oban)
Great Fen Ecology and Recording Officer, Beds, Cambs & Northants Wildlife Trust, based Great Fen, Peterborough
Fisheries Management Advisor x 3, Angling Trust, home based working across England
Senior Ecologist, Baker Consultants, office in Cromford, Derbys

CJS Notices
CJS Focus on Volunteering.
30 pages in total, this Focus has several interesting articles including one from Dartmoor National Park Authority, who detail how their volunteer management programme has changed for the better. Do graduates have the practical experience to get the job they want, Groundwork describe one of their graduate volunteer schemes. Would you go out in the driving, freezing rain to help mend paths? A volunteer at Fixing the Fells project with the National Trust tells us why he regularly does. This edition also includes 90 specific volunteer positions most included only in the Focus and many adverts for projects, websites, work days & volunteering offers

Top headlines from the past month: Click here to read

Training Calendar for April is 5 pages Click here to read
Don't forget to send details of your courses and events for 2014 to Helen (training@countryside-jobs.com) for inclusion in the Directory, basic listing is free.

Now published: CJS Focus on Volunteering endorsed by CMA, Natur & SCRA

The first CJS Focus on Volunteering of 2014 runs to 30 pages and includes articles, 90 adverts for specific voluntary positions and lots of adverts for work days and conservation events.

Dartmoor NPA decided to change the way they deal with volunteer requests to better try to full-fill the win-win feeling volunteering should give, Orlando Rutter describes what they now do. Groundwork run graduate volunteer programmes because many graduates in the conservation sector lack the practical skills to secure paid work, they detail how important these programmes are to the sector. Would you want to mend paths in the driving, freezing rain? Barry Capp, a volunteer with Fix the Fells project in the Lake District tells us why he does. MARINElife offer volunteering opportunities on-board ferries, freight ships, cruise liners & recreational boats on many marine routes. Find out how to get involved & hone your cetacean & seabird ID skills. We have précised a report from IVR (with NCVO) about the rise of micro-volunteering, some interesting research showing how important this bite sized type of volunteering is to charities in today's busy world. Read it here 

A ray of sunshine

In the midst of the gloom and wetness the garden is striving to convince everyone that spring is just around the corner.  The first snowdrops began showing white tips this week and a solitary aconite is trying to flower.  However, the hazel catkins are positively glowing in the darkness.

One confused plant is the Christmas box which as the name suggests should have been at it's best at the end of December but for whatever reason the buds stay tightly closed until this last week when they've all opened flooding the area around the front door with a heady honey scent. Another boon is that it's hardly rained for the last two days, a most peculiar but very welcome development! Even better is that that means the builders have been able to mend the hole in the roof!!

The constant news of the ever worsening floods in the south west triggered many office debates about the management of the area and also of the impact of climate change - which led me to put fingers to keyboard and add an entry on our occasional Musings series, read it here.

AW has been busy and has put together a very impressive CJS Focus on Volunteering, Weekly subscribers get their copy today, online readers will have access from Monday and there will be a copy in with this month's CJS Professional.
CJS Weekly has just gone to print all 18 pages with 61 adverts for paid posts (42 direct to CJS) plus 6 for volunteers.

Musical accompaniment

Usually the CJS office is an oasis of calm with a soothing balm of light classical music. However, these last couple of weeks our internet has been less than reliable and the first thing to break is the internet radio so the playlists have come into operation.  We have discovered that shuffling classical music doesn't always work and that being hurled from the middle of Sibelius's Swan of Tuonela into the Dance of the Knights (Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet) is somewhat disconcerting, but at least we've not had the 1812's cannons to contend with!  AW gave herself a headache with a few hours of dance, the constant boom of the bass she said, so we've avoided that one since; and we're all agreed we'd rather sit in silence than have CMH's pipe music (Barren Rocks of Aden anyone?).  A lot can be gleaned from the music on offer, when there's rock music it usually means that the internet is being particularly annoying - the heavier the metal, the worse the connection and when we get to Black Sabbath it's 'abandon hope all ye who dare enter'...   It's proving quite a useful early warning system, although perhaps not one to be recommended.
So apologies if you've had some unusual background noise when you phone us, as the internet improves (when the fibre network is finally installed, if not switched on, in a few weeks) we'll go back to our usual gentle lilt, not a lot we can do about the rumbustious, very vocal puppies though, so we'll just keep the bowl of distracting treats to hand.

And while we're giving more information that you really wanted about life here in the CJS Office we have a small thermostatic problem. The office has central heating, an oil-filled radiator for boost and is kept generally ticking over by the heat from the wood stove which trickles through the whole ground floor. However, some of us don't like the heat and others are real hot house flowers - I mean, mid to high twenties hot. The timing and the thermostatic valves on the radiators vary according to who's in the office - more when the hot house flowers are in and significantly less when they're not. AW feels the cold but because she is frequently the only tropic dweller when the arctic crew are in means that she's often outvoted on temperature control so to ease the problem we've invested in a snuggle blanket with a lovely tiger skin pattern. A report in The Guardian this week says "UK homes kept 4C warmer than 1970, report shows" read the article here. Now 13C may be a wee bit too cool for an office even for this polar bear but 16 to 18 is just about right. At home, that's a different story... we don't often get ice on the inside of the windows but it's not unheard of; however that's probably because the replacement windows which had to be thermo-double glazed for energy conservation are rarely closed - not sure how that works with energy conservation! We much prefer heavy curtains, thick wooly-pullies and a warm labrador or two.

Despite our internet issues (currently a nice piece of Handel, so it's all OK I assume), grumbles about temperature and doggy distractions we have put together this week's edition of CJS Weekly, a sizeable 18 pages with 60 adverts for paid posts plus 13 for volunteers and the Work Days and Conservation Tasks list for February which for the first time is under regional headings making it easier for you to find something suitable nearby.

Big Garden Birdwatch

Although we've had days of heavy rain it has also been fine and clear so we approached this year's big garden birdwatch expecting to go cross eyed counting finches.  But just as the strains of Sailing By started out of the radio speakers it began not just raining but heavy sleet!  Armed with pad, pencil, mugs of tea and fresh waffles we were determined to count birds - even if we did have to keep demisting the windows!

The weather certainly affected the numbers which are lower than previous years and also less than at the same of day on any other day during the past week.
This is what we counted:

Blackbird - 1

Blue tit - 1

Brambling - 2

Chaffinch - 17

Coal tit - 1

Dunnock - 2

Great tit - 2

Greenfinch - 3

Robin - 1

Song thrush - 1

The wren may have been busy under the herb bed and amongst the pots but then again the little flash of brown could have been the back of the robin or a dunnock so we're not including her this time.

Notable absentees included both sparrows, goldfinches (who were there in great numbers earlier in the day), siskins, starlings and wood pigeon; these all visit daily but just not in the middle of a sleety blizzard apparently - and who can blame them?

Others who stayed away were the collared dove, nuthatch, long tails, the willow tit and our reasonably regular spotty woodpecker. 

We quite liked the idea of a commercial flight simulator as a desert island luxury, our first choice luxury of canine companionship is already disallowed so our list currently has options of a never ending supply of champagne (laurent perrier if we're being choosy), mountains of paper and pens / pencils and an updated tablet / tv stream of premiership rugby and tennis.  We're not sure the last one is permitted but then I doubt we'll ever be castaways so it doesn't really matter!

The dance must go on

Whatever the weather; last year in snow this year in near constant drizzle interrupted only by heavy rain!

However, stots did their thing, swords were woven into stars, ploughs were not needed to dig up front lawns (I think they'd have got bogged down if they'd tried) and the lake of soup disappeared into cold, wet but mostly happy dancers and followers but HB doesn't think she can face another pan of soup for at least a month or more!

Friday morning and HB and KH are in Australia for the morning - in spirit only more's the pity, one keeping an eye on the yellow fuzzies at the tennis and the other tracking the hard reds with the cricket, small squeals and muttered exhortations were heard as games were won and lost along with damped down cheers when England actually won a cricket match.  Poor AW, she really doesn't 'do' sport.


Two things to note this week: 
First - we have a new fax number: 01947 896048 replacing 01947 896474
Second - we have received notification from Royal Mail of changes to postal rates. No indication of what changes just that they will be announced at the end of February and they will come into effect 28 days after that. We've requested early notification and as soon as we know what they're planning we'll look at how that may affect postal subscriptions. As ever if we have to change the rates we'll give you four weeks notice.

This week's edition has just gone print - after a little last minute shuffling (duplicate jobs and an extra volunteer). This week it's 18 pages, including the Training Calendar for March, there are 42 adverts for paid posts of which 23 came direct to CJS there are also 7 for volunteers. Digital editions will be live very soon.

End of week two

And it feels more like end of month two! A few new office protocols are taking a little longer than anticipated and large increase in the number of sources used to create the Digest is highly time consuming.  But we think we're getting there and the second edition of the year has gone to press, digital editions are already available.  This week it's 20 pages with 63 adverts for paid posts, 39 of them direct to CJS plus a further 17 for volunteers.
On my way out to top up the bird feeders this morning I noticed that the late summer / autumn flowering, annual gazanias in the half barrel by the back door are in full flower again, too gloomy for photos but I'll try to get some next week.  The rest of the country may be heading into an early spring but apparently we've reverted to autumn!
HB is making an early dart, tomorrow is the Day of Dance when the village long sword team, the Goathland Plough Stots, will dance around the village outside, not quite every but almost, every house.  HB's house is "support central" providing warmth and dry towels to the wet, cold and soggy, and sustenance to all concerned so she's gone home to finish off the soup which at last count was around 12 gallons (yes, gallons not litres) some made using part of the mega-marrow and other veg from AW's garden. And tomorrow morning she's cooking 40 baked potatoes - well there will be over one hundred dancers and supporters through the kitchen during the day.

CJS Professional: January 2014

The first edition of CJS Professional for 2014 is now online - and it's a big one, read it in full here: www.countryside-jobs.com/Professional/current.htm   You may need to refresh your browser.

Jobs advertised in this Month's edition:
Branch Support Officer, Butterfly Conservation (East Lulworth office)
Publicity Officer (regions) and Head of Project Fundraising, Butterfly Conservation (East Lulworth office)
18 Heritage Training Bursary placements, LEMUR Project, co-ordinated by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, placements in various locations.
14 Seasonal Ranger, National Trust for Scotland, various Trust properties across Scotland
Heartwoods Project Officer, Small Woods (based at Green Wood Centre, West Midlands)
Free one week course in the Canary Islands run by Operation New World
Biologist / Zoologist, Microbee Group, based London
Ranger (South), Lee Valley Regional Park
Permanent Ecologist, 2 Temporary Field Ecologist and one full time Team Assistant, Energised Environments (Glasgow based)
Trainee Tree Officer, Peterborough Environment City Trust
Countryside Operatives, Three Shires Ltd., (Leicestershire)
Plantlife Cymru Programme Manager, Plantlife (Bangor or Cardiff office)
Marketing and Development Manager, Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (Cardigan or Bridgend office plus some home working)
Biodiversity Project Officer, Essex Wildlife Trust
Seasonal Assistant Education Officer, Suffolk Wildlife Trust (Foxburrow Farm Education Centre)
Ecologist / Senior Ecologist / Principal Ecologist, Aspect Ecology (North Oxfordshire base)
Access and Recreation Officer, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Andover)
Assistant Ecologist / Field Team Coordinator, Aspect Ecology (Oxfordshire based)
Seasonal Education Assistant, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (lower Smite Farm Centre)
Ecologist and Assistant Ecologist, Envirotech NW Ltd (Based South Cumbria)
Riverfly Monitoring Initiative Co-ordinator, The Riverfly Partnership (office space available London or Fordingbridge, Hants)
Instructor - Agricultural Engineering / Motor Vehicle Maintenance, Plumpton College
Instructor / Assistant Programme Leader Agriculture, Plumpton College
Lecturer/Programme Leader Higher Education Agriculture Lecturer/Programme Leader Higher Education Agriculture, Plumpton College

CJS Notices
CJS Focus on Volunteering.
Endorsed by Countryside Management Association (CMA), Natur, the Welsh Institute of Countryside & Scottish Countryside Rangers Association (SCRA).
Published Monday 10 February, deadline or adverts Friday 31 January.
Including articles from: Dartmoor National Park Authority, Groundwork, Fix the Fells, MarineLife & NCVO.
Boost your volunteer numbers, increase the size of your work parties, grow your friends of organisation or simply let everyone know you have voluntary placements available.
As ever basic advertising is free but paid bigger and better options are available and with a 50% discount on usual rates - because it's for volunteers.
Find out more and submit your adverts here.
If you have any questions or are not sure if your advert / project is suitable please contact Amy by email at focus@countryside-jobs.com

Top headlines from the past month: Click here to read

Training Calendar for March is 4 pages Click here to read
Don't forget to send details of your courses and events for 2014 to Helen (training@countryside-jobs.com) for inclusion in the Directory, basic listing is free.

First Friday CJS Weekly

For many years, has gone to press and the digital editions are already live.  Being the first edition of the year it's rather large! 24 pages with 93 ads for paid posts and nine for volunteers a little bit of training news and news from across the sector from over the Christmas break and this past week.
And we're done (in) - fruit cake has kept us going this week - what will next week bring?

Happy 2014

We trust you all had a lovely relaxing, refreshing break - however the server logs show that some of  you (not many granted) were on our website on Christmas Day.

Talk about hitting the ground running, we feel as if we're completing a marathon at 100m pace!  It's only Wednesday and HB is already planning her holiday. Jobs adverts keep arriving (which is very good for everyone, keep them coming), we're posting online at a steady rate although the editing team for CJS Weekly is sagging somewhat under the weight of all the ads for the Digest.  There were over 2000 press releases to be filtered through before the first news updates today.
And then, just for fun, the webmaster decided to move the online jobs which languished in the folder with the antiquated name of cjsdailyonline - that's what the online 'publication' used to be called. The main list now has the much more sensible address of: countryside-jobs.com/Jobs so would you all please update your bookmarks?  For now there are redirects on the main pages and all ads are now in two locations so that the shared links will still work.

Right then seconds out round something, I lost count a while ago!