You should already have got your tickets for this year’s Strictly Come Valentine event in the village hall on Saturday, February 12 from 7.30 to 11pm. If not, act now!! The theme is “Dancing through the Ages”, with a great variety of music, dancing, drinking and general jollity, including a professional dance demonstration. There will, naturally, be a bar and hot snacks will be on hand. Come and dance the evening away to the Pegasus disco.

Tickets only cost £7 a head, with all profits going towards Village Hall upkeep. To book your tickets call Sandy Jordan on 07734 254619, or e-mail santiques1@yahoo.com.

  • All Osmington jazz fans who were disappointed at the cancellation of last October’s concert by the amazing Sunset Café Stompers can now smile again as they return for what is becoming their traditional Spring visit. For those who have not met them before, they are a highly talented group of musicians playing blues, ragtime and foot-tapping traditional jazz in the New Orleans style, with a great following from all over the county and beyond.

So make a date for Saturday 12 March at Osmington Village Hall. Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 from Keith Pratt, Buttress Cottage Church Lane, Osmington, Tel: 01305 833847. Licensed bar and hot snacks will be available. All proceeds go towards the maintenance of Osmington Village Hall. Don’t delay – it’s always a sell-out!

  • Normal life for the Osmington Recorded Music Society was somewhat disrupted over the Christmas/New Year period. Because of the weather conditions, the December 20 programme, which should have been a members’ “Bring a Disc”, had to be cancelled. This was closely followed by the closure of the village hall for redecoration. Fortunately, a temporary home was found in the new Methodist church in Weymouth’s Melcombe Avenue, which has been most welcoming. The first programme there was given by Dudley Harris and was entitled “The Great 19th Century Romantics”. The next programme, on January 17, by Laurence Knight, had the title “Requiems and Remembrances”. January 31 should see members back in the regular venue to hear the society’s treasurer, Michael Hart, present “Colonials and Others”.

Programmes for February include “Pick ’n Mix” with Arthur and Margaret Werrett on Monday, February 7 and a visit on February 21 from Ken Stone of Wimborne Recorded Music Society who will present “Fortissimo, Pianissimo, Fortissimo”.

The society, now in its third year, offers a warm and friendly welcome to all who enjoy listening to great music played on high quality equipment in comfortable surroundings. New members are always welcome, and anyone joining at this stage in the season will pay a reduced subscription. For more information call Brian Bishop on 833225, or e-mail blbishop@waitrose.com.

  • The Osmington Community Plan, on which a dedicated team of volunteers has been working for the last two years, is now at its final draft stage before publication, and is being circulated for comment to the authorities involved, before its final publication and launch.

In the meantime a dedicated website www.osmingtoncommunityplan.info, containing extensive background material, has been set up as a major means of interacting with members of the community as the action plan unfolds. This will help in ensuring that all those in the parish can play their part in taking forward actions to improve their local environment and services.

  • IF you have ever been enthralled by the deeds of Robin Hood or the success of the Agincourt bowmen, why not try your hand at emulating them? Osmington’s archers cannot claim to be quite as expert as the mediaeval heroes, but they have an enjoyable time trying - with very varied levels of success.

If you might be interested in practising the up-to-date version of this ancient sport, why not come along to Osmington Village Hall any Wednesday at 2pm for a free sample session? Age and sex pose no limitations, no previous experience is needed, and club-owned kit is available for tuition. For more information you can contact Chris Hubbard (01305 833460), Nigel Hayes (01305 833672) or Bill Norman (01305 832378).