THIS week the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy has been playing host to some of the top British youth sailing talent. They have been competing in the Youth National Champion-ships and have been joined by teams from Ireland, New Zealand
WEYMOUTH 53 WINCHESTER 40 WEYMOUTH didn’t really know what to expect going into the game but came out of the traps flying. Early scores from Scott White and Josh Turner solidified Wey-mouth’s strong first quarter and they kept up the intensity
OFFSHORE competitor Rich Mason has arrived in Plymouth along with the 11 other Artemis Academy “rookies.” They were familiarising themselves with the stretch of water separating the UK and Northern France in preparation for the 2014 ‘Solitaire
Wednesday is World Book Night and to celebrate this event there will be a Book Swap at both St. Francis church and the library. If you have recently enjoyed a good book and think other people would like to read it then all you have to do is go
IF you are looking for activities that will appeal to youngsters but will also be a delight for adults during the Easter holidays, you should choo-choo-choose Swanage Railway. The station operates a heritage steam and diesel timetable offering
THE Bridport Musical Theatre Company is taking to the stage at the Bridport Arts Centre tonight and tomorrow with Showstoppers 3. The company, which has recently been awarded a NODA South West District Achievement award, was also nominated for
AMERICAN comedian, writer and musician Rich Hall is calling in at Lighthouse, Poole, as part of his UK tour. An Evening with Rich Hall is on Thursday, April 24 from 8pm. Award-winning Montana native Hall is renowned for his expertly crafted
BUSINESSES are being urged to help to make it a bumper Easter in Dorset as the economy springs into life. Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which represents 700 members employing 37,000 people, said the county needs to send an upbeat message
Members of the Lyme Regis and Barfleur Twinning Association held a French-themed lunch to help raise funds for the group. The lunch was held at the Hunter’s Lodge on Raymonds Hill. A total of 16 members enjoyed the event, which helped fundraise
The Dorset Kidney Fund has been informed that the Kidney Care Team Patient Information Day on April 22 is not open to patients unless they have been formally invited. Anyone with concerns should contact the DFK directly on 01305 269293. The information
A Dorset hospice is set to be officially reopened this month after a £1million refurbishment. Forest Holme Hospice in Poole will be reopened by fundraiser Ada Newman, 92, who did a parachute jump in support of the hospice when she was 89.
All are welcome to a spring craft fayre at St Nicholas Church, Dorchester Road, Weymouth on Saturday, April 26 from 11am to 3pm. Admission will cost £1.50 for adults and children go free.
A BRAVE fundraiser had a close shave for a cause close to her heart. Victoria Udell said goodbye to her flowing locks as she took on a charity headshave to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. Nearly 100 people turned out at Puddletown Rugby
HOMEOWNERS are being urged to spring into action and clean up their gardens. It comes as a study reveals one in three people in the South West have admitted to never cleaning them. Despite on average spending four hours each week cleaning our
An Easter egg hunt being organised by the Isle of Portland Riding Club will now be open to people riding bicycles. The event takes place this Saturday from 2pm in the field at the top of Sweet Hill Road. Entry costs £15 per pair and entry forms
Mapperton Gardens in Beaminster is putting on an Easter Sunday Children’s Easter Trail from 11am to 4pm on Sunday April 20. Normal adult admission £6. £3 admission for children.
THE songs of The Kinks will be the focus for an innovative new ukulele workshop to be held on Saturday, April 19 at the Electric Palace, Bridport. The three-hour workshop will include a guest appearance from Hester Goodman of Ukulele Orchestra
Fundraisers are asking if anyone is up for fancy dress tennis on Saturday April 26 at Weymouth Tennis Club. A fun charity tennis tournament is being held in aid of the Will Mackaness Trust from 9.30am to 2pm. Men’s, women’s and junior doubles
A plant and general sale will be held on Saturday, May 17 at Bradford Peverell Village Hall from 10.30am. All proceeds will go to charity and admission is free.
SOME extraordinary talent is emerging from a pioneering ‘Love to Sing’ project run by two volunteers. Singer-songwriter and music production duo Eddie Adamberry, 66, and Heather Hamer, 61, conceived the idea to entice shy, amateur singers to come
FIND out what the day in the life of an NCI Coastwatch volunteer is like. The Portland Bill lookout will be holding an open day on Sunday May 4 from 11am to 4pm. Visitors will be able to meet the volunteer team and look round the watch room
AN ONLINE film has been launched to help promote awareness of local accident and emergency services and how they should be used. It is the brainchild of local healthcare partners NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group and Dorset County Hospital
VOLUNTEERS from West Dorset have been on a spec-tacular mission to help needy people in the third world see. Members of the Bridport, Dorchester and Weymouth and Portland Lions Clubs handed over 6,500 pairs of used glasses – collected over the
WEYMOUTH and Portland Chamber of Commerce are celebrating the return of summer by hosting a soirée at Pennsylvania Castle on May 22. The event is a new take on the annual President’s Dinner, hosted this year by Julie Cleaver, who took up the President
A MEMBER of the European Parliament says Dorset businesses could lose out if the United Kingdom were to leave the European Union. South West MEP Graham Watson says that hundreds of thousands of jobs across the region depend on the EU and claims
A PAIR of sporty youngsters are taking on an epic challenge for charity. East and Phulmaya Bhusal are peddling 80 miles to raise funds for Cancer Research UK as they fight back against the disease that has affected their family. They sadly
THE RNLI has revealed the ten short-listed images from their My Coast photography exhibition. The winner will now be selected via the charity’s Facebook page. A panel of judges at the RNLI reviewed all 107 entries, including all the Dorset
WEYMOUTH Sailing Club will get a new training room thanks to a funding boost of nearly £50,000 from the National Lottery. The club received a grant of £48,354 to help finance its ‘Longshed training room’ project after making the application to
Learn about plants that changed the world with a talk by the Chesil Bank Garden Club. It takes place at Portesham Village Hall from 8pm on Tuesday, April 22.
Hunt for Dinosaur eggs this weekend. The Dinosaur Museum, in Dorchester, will see children hunting throughout the museum to spot the dinosaur eggs on display and solving the Dinosaur Mystery. It runs until Monday April 21 every day from 10am
Upton County Park, near Poole, is holding an Easter craft show on Sunday, April 20, 10am-4.30pm. Browse handmade gifts for sale at Upton house with the Friends of Upton Country Park. £1 per adult, accompanied children free, Details from 01202 262753
A MAN is still in hospital in a critical condition a month after he was found with burns at a Weymouth beauty spot. The man, who has not been named, was left fighting for his life after the incident that occurred on Friday March 14. Police,
MUSEUMS will be joining forces this summer to celebrate the dinosaurs that once roamed the Jurassic Coast. A new project called the Jurassic Coast Museums Partnership will see nine museums from along the Natural World Heritage Site work together
Here we go again about Weymouth FC, yet again there is no mention of the Weymouth Speedway being relocated at the new stadium if it ever happens. Is it not possible for the them to consider the speedway? Don’t forget not everyone likes football
I really cannot let Cllr Huckle’s claim that the first most councillors knew about the decision to close the cash office at North Quay was when the public received a recent letter as reported in the Echo on April 12. That decision was taken by
At a sitting of the district court, the local authority prosecuted a Weymouth man and his father for rescuing wild animals and providing them with shelter, under a breach of planning rules. They were hoping to see maximum fines for this, plus all
An evening with well-known television antiques expert Paul Atterbury will be held at Wyke Regis Memorial Hall. It is taking place on Saturday, May 3 from 7pm. Tickets cost £5 and a bar is available. Money raised will go towards All Saint’s
Dorset passengers have been urged to speak out against drink drivers as part of the national THINK! Easter Drink-Drive Campaign, which is launched today. A quarter of respondents to a recent survey said they would be too self-conscious to say anything
FALCONS Murphy and Dizzy are giving the seagulls in West Dorset a run for their money this season. The Watch House Café at West Bay is employing a falconer to control an increasingly dangerous problem. Emily Attrill said they had decided to
FORMER Chief Constable of Dorset Police Jane Stichbury is the county’s new High Sheriff. She has taken over the role from Catriona Payne. Mrs Stichbury was the first woman chief constable of Dorset Police, appointed in 1999. Her new role
WHO will have the most well travelled balloon in the RNLI’s new race? Weymouth lifeboat station will be hosting a sponsored balloon race on May 5. Thousands of balloons will be released from Weymouth Harbourside at 2pm. The three ‘most well
The Bridport Jurassic Coast Run will return this summer, and this time it will include a 10k, a 5k, and a new one-mile race. These are all timed events with prizes in different age categories, plus a family treasure hunt. The Bridport Jurassic
The West Dorset branch of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis group’s next meeting is on Thursday, April 24, at the Dorchester Day Centre in Acland Road, Dorchester at 7pm. The speaker will be Cindy Shaw-Fletcher from the NHS clinical commissioning
Be bright, be seen and be safe at a road safety event in Weymouth today. There will be a road safety advice event for cyclists, walkers and motorists outside Debenhams from 11am to 3pm.
Haydn’s ‘Seven Words on the Cross” is being performed at 6pm tomorrow at the church of St Candida & Holy Cross, Whitchurch Canonicorum. The Parochial Church Council does not wish to charge for a devotional occasion on Good Friday but would
A recent survey has revealed that people who live in the South West are the savviest savers in the country. The survey, conducted by Scottish Friendly, shows that 61 per cent of people living in the South West will put aside or invest money from
Pet owners are being urged to keep their animals away from chocolate Easter eggs this weekend. The British Veterinary Association says chocolate can be extremely poisonous to pets, especially dogs because it contains theobromine. For more information
More than 100 representatives of healthcare and social services joined forces at a one-day workshop about how to streamline care for the elderly. Representatives from commissioners, the voluntary and independent sectors, education providers and
A teenager is set to receive a Youth Award from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for turning £10 into £2,300 for the charity. Rachel Matthews, 14, from Corfe Mullen, pledged to play Mozart pieces on the piano every day for a month
A spring art show will be held this weekend at Upwey Old School Village Hall from 10am to 5pm, Friday to Monday. Paintings, drawings and ceramics will be on show and the pottery workshop will be open. Pottery ‘have a go’ sessions will also be available
Salway Ash is holding a potato competition. Competitors need to sign up at the Salway Ash Big Breakfast Easter Monday event in the village hall from 9am to 1pm. Entrants can also contact Rob and Liz Brown on 01308 488216. Entry is £2 and
A NEW grant scheme has been launched for organisations and individuals who provide opportunities for people living in West Dorset. Supported by NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and West Dorset District Council (WDDC) the scheme is
NURSES at Dorset County Hospital failed to change the dressing of a man suffering from leg ulcers in the weeks leading up to his death, an inquest heard. Holidaymaker David Renault was admitted to the Dorchester hospital in June last year before
BEACH volleyball is coming back to Weymouth’s golden sands. The Royal Air Force Careers Weymouth Beach Volleyball Classic will take place from August 1-3. Visitors and residents will also be able to make the most of two free volleyball courts
The West Dorset branch of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis group’s next meeting is at the Dorchester Day Centre on Thursday April 24 at 7pm. The speaker will be Cindy Shaw-Fletcher from the NHS clinical commissioning group.
THERE are still places available at upcoming events for local people affected by diabetes to try out glucose monitoring meters. The events have been organised by NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group as part of a review of existing arrangements
More than 40 firefighters battled a heath fire at a country park in east Dorset. Hard work by crews ensured the fire at Moors Valley County Park did not spread on Wednesday.
YOUNG sailors are showcasing their talents in front of a royal audience today. Princess Anne is visiting Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy to watch the penultimate day's action of the RYA Youth National Championships. The Princess
HOWEVER painful and frustrating this season has been, Dorchester Town chairman Neal Butterworth is confident the club now has the opportunity to build for a successful future. The Magpies’ relegation from Skrill South was confirmed on Tuesday night
TOURISTS flocking to the county for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend are being urged to take extra care on the seafront and cliff areas. Thousands are expected to descend on to the county’s beaches and tourist attractions over the weekend to enjoy
A SPATE of vandalism at a Dorchester garage used as a base for a taxi firm could land owners with a repair bill for up to £1,000. Damage was found at Poundbury Garage based on the Poundbury West Industrial Estate by the manager Ben Galloway who
CONDOR Ferries may abandon Weymouth and move its operation to Poole. The Echo has learnt that the future of the firm in the resort remains uncertain following plans to replace its existing vessels with a new and larger hydrofoil. A Weymouth
WEYMOUTH Hockey Club are gearing up for their annual Easter Hockey Festival at Redlands, starting tomorrrow. The club will be hosting around 35 teams at the event over the weekend, who will be competing in the men’s ladies’ and mixed competitions
