CERNE VALLEY RON Martin, the new full-time Chaplain at Dorset County Hospital needs your help!

Ron, a Methodist minister, and his team are looking for volunteers to help with enabling patients to attend the Hospital Chapel on Sundays.

If you have thought about taking up a volunteering task in the New Year, this might be the answer!

The role involves identifying patients who would like to go to church or receive communion and subsequently collecting them from their wards for a half-hour service, starting at 10am.

This is not very time consuming but can make all the difference to some patients!

To find out more call Ron on 01305 255198 or e-mail ron.martin@dchft.nhs.uk.

NETHER CERNE CELEBRATE “The Feast of the Epiphany” with a candlelit service!

This takes place in Nether Cerne Church on Sunday, January 8 at 3pm.

Everyone is warmly welcome to attend and share some spiced cider and stollen afterwards.

SYDLING ST. NICHOLAS SHORT Mat Bowls – a great hobby for many!

If you fancy giving it a try, why not contact the Sydling St. Nicholas Short Mat Bowls Club?

New members are always welcome and who knows, you might be the new bright spark!

Bowling will recommence on Wednesday, January 4 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm so pop in and For further information contact William Lorimer on 01300 342173.

CERNE ABBAS COFFEE, Cake and Chat is back!

Come and attend this informal get together which is proving exceedingly popular!

The next coffee morning takes place on Wednesday, January 4 from 10:30am – noon in St. Mary’s Church.

For further information or if you require transport contact Moira Pinder on 01300 341255.

TWO new initiatives are currently taking place within the NHS and Cerne Abbas Surgery would like to point everyone towards the following: Annual Patient Survey: This is in planning at the moment and the surgery would like to know what key priorities you think it should have.

These could be Clinical Care, ability to get an appointment, medication dispensing or any other service you wish to highlight.

Please e-mail the surgery with your ideas and suggestions: cerneabbas.reception@gp-j81053.nhs.uk.

Alternatively call Lynne Dolder, Practice Manager, on 01300 341666.

Patient Reference Groups: The surgery is currently identifying approximately 150 patients to set up a representative patient group.

This is happening as part of a government programme to encourage the setting up of effective Patient Reference Groups.

The role of these groups is to provide local views by completing an online questionnaire.

The aim of the Patient Reference Groups is to encourage patients to engage more actively to fulfil their needs within the NHS.

If you are interested in being part of such a group e-mail the surgery on the above address please.

MINTERNE MAGNA THREE bicycles, welded together, have managed to raise a record £ 365 during last year’s Dorset Historic Churches Trust cycle ride!

A huge thanks goes to John and Christ Tite along with Tom Carter who visited ten churches on their newly constructed vehicle “The Mobile”.

NOT to be outdone, The Soup Lunch managed to raise almost as much for St. Andrew’s Church - £ 300 in total.

An impressive number of seven soups plus tea, coffee and biscuits were on offer, many thanks go to the visitors and all the volunteers who made this excellent result happen.

BUCKLAND NEWTON CONTRIBUTIONS wanted!

The Lydden Vale News magazine services Buckland Newton amongst other surrounding villages, with the community very much in mind.

Would you like to enrich the magazine with a regular article or perhaps an occasional one?

Do you have another suggestion as to how the magazine could be improved?

Any content of wider interest is welcome - nothing too contentious please.

If so, Editor Carol Mason would love to hear from you – e-mail lyddenvale@btinternet.com with your ideas.

BUTTERFLY Conservation: A Conservation Action day at Alners Gorse takes place on Sunday, January 8.

Everyone is very welcome to attend and continue with the woodland and scrub management work.

This helps greatly in improving the habitats for butterflies and the Nightingales.

The day starts at 10am and ends around 4pm but these times don’t need to be strictly adhered to.

Refreshments may be provided, please call Nigel Spring (01963 23559) for further information or e-mail nigel-spring@yahoo.co.uk.