Bere Regis

  • THE scout group held its annual general meeting at Buddens Scout Activity Centre, followed by a barbecue for all the members and guests, some of whom were camping on the site for the weekend.

Group chairman Ian Ventham welcomed everyone, and said how very nice it was to welcome Bet Moss and her team who organised the fortnightly scout bingo.

Ian introduced group scout leader Chris Gall who spoke of the successful year the scout group had had with high numbers of members.

There had been several camps through the year including a family camp in June with 120 people, he added, and there had also been lots of activities for all the groups during the year.

Ian Ventham gave his report and began by reflecting that the scout movement remains the biggest youth movement in the world.

Biggest does not always mean best, he acknowledged, but we must be doing something right!

Two things are needed to run the scout group, he went on. Money is needed - around £6,000 each year, and leaders and helpers to run the group.

Fundraising in various ways has enabled the first phase of the improvements to the scout hut to begin.

Parents were asked to contribute to a list of possible skills they could offer to help from time to time.

This new scheme was to be called Bere Regis Active Support or BRAS. This proposed acronym was created by delighted laughter from the audience.

The meeting concluded with the presentation of a five-year service badge by district commissioner Alan Oxley to scout leader Christine Whitfield.

Christine also had the pleasurable surprise of being asked by Alan to make her promise for her warrant for assistant group scout leader.

  • KINGSBERE Allotments, the newly-formed allotment association has allocated vacant plots on the site opposite the Royal Oak to those on the waiting list

There are still two vacant allotments, and it would be great to see them all worked.

Anyone interested should contact Julie Govier on 01929 472319.

Affpuddle

  • HISTORIES of Affpuddle, Briantspuddle and Tonerspuddle - the time has come to write a small book on the history of these three villages.

Sue Taylor , Mary Nesling and Audrey Grindrod would be grateful for your help in gathering information from the earliest times to the present day.

Reports of archeological excavations and finds, stories of the lives of people probably from the seventeenth and eighteenth century to the present day, folklore or really true, will help to build a picture of how these villages evolved.

Great care will be taken of anything entrusted.

Contact Sue on 01929 471328, or Audrey on 471214 or email Audrey at auds@gotadsl.co.uk Puddletown

  • FRIENDS of Puddletown school invite you to the annual First School and Pre-school summer fayre on Friday, June 18 from 2pm until 4pm at the First School.

Entrance is free.

Bring along your family and friends for a fun-filled afternoon with entertainment by the children.

There will be lots of new stalls and games, cream teas, a barbecue, tombola, silent auction and a plant sale.

  • IMPROMPTU award winning ladies choir, finalists in the Radio 3 choir of the year competition in 2008, are in concert on Saturday, July 3 at 7.30pm at St Mary's church.

Special guests will be Dulcima.

This is a charity concert in aid of the church.

Tickets are £7 to include a glass of wine and canapes.

Telephone Margaret MacLeod on 01305 848161 or Diana Wilson 848510.

  • JOHN Willows gave a fascinating talk on Dorset Water to the countrywomen's club in May.

The competition for a pretty jug was won by Doris Jones.

Second was Joan Hawkiss and third Barbara Scanlon.

The July meeting of the countrywomen's club will be a strawberry cream tea in the village hall at 3pm.

For all information, contact Wendy Cox on 01305 848360.

Tolpuddle

  • MARTYRS Day this year is on Sunday, July 18 this year.

This is the major fund-raising event for the village hall, and help is very much needed with the refreshments served all day.

A minimum of 10-12 people each hour are needed between 9am and 4-5pm.

Can you spare an hour or two of your time to help set-up, serve food and drinks, clear tables, sell souvenirs or to wash up or clear up and generally assist in the hall?

Donations of homemade cakes, scones, sandwiches, wraps, quiches, flans, pizzas, etc are most welcome.

This is always a good team effort and much enjoyed by everyone who helps.

If you can offer help in any way, please contact Liz on 01305 848464.

  • PETER Scaife thanks all the villagers of Tolpuddle for their generous sponsorship for his entry into this year's London Marathon.

Peter raised over £900 for Oxfam, and his time was four hours 24 minutes.