FOUR Dorset organisations shared details of their Olympic preparations to encourage others to get ‘Games ready’. Representatives from McDonalds, Universal Engineering, Job Centre Plus and Fish’n’Fritz were panellists at the final travel advice workshop
THE Weymouth Relief Road has been nominated for an award. Skanska’s scheme for Dorset County Council, which was completed last year, has been nominated for the regional Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) Civil Engineering Project of the Year Award.
AN ICONIC Dorchester band could be forced to pack up its instruments as it faces the prospect of becoming homeless. The Durnovaria Silver Band, which was formed 76 years ago, is set to lose its existing practise hall in November. The band has practised
There’s a public meeting on Tuesday 26th June at St. Francis church to discuss what the local community safety services are doing to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour and to hear any issues and concerns residents may have. There will be updates from
TALES of childhood misdemeanours came our way when Michael Puffett came in with these photographs. They were taken by Radipole Lake in Weymouth and show a dredger and its crew at work. Michael, who now lives in Bournemouth, said: “When I was a child
RITA Knott from Charminster near Dorchester sent in this photograph of telephonists at the GPO Exchange in Dorchester enjoying a reunion in 1984. She was prompted to send in the photograph following the death of Doris Barrett last month, who was exchange
THESE wonderful pictures were sent to us by Dorchester researcher John Pidgeon, who is hoping readers will help him unearth more details of the Dorset Home Guard. He has been collating details and photographs on the county’s Home Guard and Auxiliary
STUDENTS from the Level Three Extended Diploma in Agriculture raised more than £2,000 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance at their annual Kingston Maurward College charity Muckathon. Their challenge was to spread, plough and cultivate 24 hectares
JUST in time for the 2012 Olympics, the completely rebuilt Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre, half-way between Weymouth and Portland, will open its doors on July 21. The aim of the Dorset Wildlife Trust centre is to open people’s eyes to the wonders
FOR its latest concert, Yeovil Chamber Choir, conducted by musical director Helen Brind, has chosen a programme of music to reflect the heritage of Great Britain, especially the great maritime tradition. They will be singing madrigals in praise of Elizabeth
AN ENSEMBLE production by students of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is a regular, popular fixture on the Artsreach summer programme, and this year is no exception as they take on Cold Comfort Farm. Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm has found a place
SHOP staff in Weymouth had a shock when an assault victim covered in blood ran in to hide. A fight broke out in the street outside Derby Stores in the Park District yesterday morning. Derby Stores owner Kevin Bennett said his mother-in-law Barbara Bebbington
MORE than 500 people turned out to celebrate the life of a Weymouth teen who was killed in a collision. A special night at Banus on The Esplanade raised more than £2,000 for the family of 19-year-old Lewis Monks. Lewis, a former Budmouth Technology
A YOUNG boy who was airlifted to hospital in Dorchester after a crash on the A31 near Bere Regis has come face to face with his rescuers. Robbie Gibson, seven, was a passenger in a car when it was in collision with another vehicle on the A31 near Stag
EDUCATION in the Dorchester area is set for a shake-up after three middle schools announced their conversion to academies. Dorchester Middle School, St Mary’s Middle School in Puddletown and St Osmund’s in Dorchester have made a joint move to academy
CALLS were made today for an independent review into a controversial junction in Weymouth. The town needs ‘reassurance’ the harbour crossroads at the bottom of Boot Hill is as safe as it can be, locals say. Borough councillor Mike Byatt heard of drivers
A FORMER MasterChef finalist is opening up a pop-up restaurant for the Olympics. Claire Hutchings, who reached the finals of MasterChef the Professionals last year, is taking over Cafe Vie D’Amour in Weymouth town centre with her partner Ibraheem
CONCERNS have been raised over businesses ‘cashing in’ on the Olympics. Weymouth College has been granted permission to change its facility in St Mary Street over a three-week period during the Games. Meanwhile, a former MasterChef finalist
A PROJECT to build an extinct species monument on Portland will be officially launched tomorrow with the sounding of a bell. Plans for the Mass Extinction Monitoring Observatory (MEMO) have been on the table for a while and earlier this year the proposal
A DEVOTED clerk is looking forward to her retirement after 37 years of service to her parish. Viv Swatridge was thanked as she stepped down from her role as clerk to the Frome Valley Parish Council, a post she had held since 1974. At an open evening
A PARTY for friends and family in their adopted home town was a golden opportunity for Elizabeth and Philip Pattimore to celebrate 50 years of marriage. Former Lyme Regis butcher Philip, and Elizabeth, who worked as a dispenser in many Lyme chemists
A SIMPLE life and good food – that’s part of the secret of a long life for Gertrude “Min” Ascott, of Bridport who celebrated her 100th birthday. A party was held for friends and family to mark the occasion, with a cake baked by good neighbour Vera Brown
I wonder what the visiting sailing teams thought as they crossed Ferrybridge recently – I am referring to the remnants of the wind sock fluttering forlornly in the wind. I do hope that a new one can be fitted for the forthcoming events. Perhaps it
Judging by the steady stream of letters on the subject of the offices for West Dorset District Council (WDDC), now under construction in Charles Street in Dorchester, it would appear that WDDC leader Robert Gould’s wish that we should put this matter
I REFER to a letter in your paper of June 14 bemoaning the ‘constant negative press’ about the laser lights, the stones, the road system in Weymouth. All I can say is that, in going along the prom every day, from the old Bandstand to the Pavilion I am
A FAMILY will be selling a ‘lifetime of treasures’ to raise money for charity after losing their dad to cancer. Chris Taylor, 65, died on May 12 just three weeks after he was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer. His widow, Fran Taylor, of Martinstown
WARREN Byerley will be erased from Brendon King’s plans unless the striker makes a definitive decision on his future in the next couple of days. The Terras have given the 27-year-old huge support this summer in their quest to keep him, offering him
ANYTHING young Fern can do we can do better – that was the message rapped out by Wessex Golf Centre pair Jon Bevan and Michael Watson in the only 36-hole one-day Pro-Am on the West Region circuit at North Wilts. Days after their assistant Fern Grimshaw
DORSET 179-9 beat CHESHIRE 102 by 77 runs DARREN Cowley led the way for Dorset as they booked their place in the last four of the Minor Counties Knockout Trophy at Toft Cricket Club. The powerful middle-order batsman produced a well-crafted half-century
BEAMINSTER 248-4 (19pts) beat DORCHESTER SECONDS 123-8 (4pts) on rain reduced target BEAMINSTER bagged their first win of the season with an impressive performance against rivals Dorchester Seconds. Despite going into the local derby without a victory
BRIDPORT 124 (16pts) beat PARLEY SECONDS 55-9 (5pts) on a rain reduced target A FINE display in the field saw Bridport pour further misery on rock-bottom Parley Seconds in a rain-affected clash. Despite being bowled out for 124, and seeing the home
FORMER Plymouth Argyle and Yeovil Town Ladies’ chief Steve Phelps has joined forces with Tim Davis in a bid to guide Weymouth Ladies to the next level in women’s football. Working alongside Davis, Phelps has become joint-manager of the Terras following
