FAREWELL, Mike the Milk.

For 35 years, Mike Lee has been serving Upwey’s daily milk supply, along with other dairy products, general groceries, compost, birdseed and almost anything else you could think of.

His Dairy Crest cart has been an essential part of life for many Upwey and Broadwey residents as he has fought the Dorchester Road traffic – one of his main regrets on retiring is that he will not be there to enjoy the peace of his route when the new road opens – navigated floods, snowfalls, traffic jams and almost any other problems which daily travel can bring.

What a change there will be in his life after March 28th when he brings us our milk for the last time. Up at 2.00am, Mike rarely finished his round much before midday, and often later. He’s looking forward to being able to watch whole programmes on TV - so often it’s been beginnings and no endings, he’ll have Saturdays off and be able to go to shows and fetes and indulge his steam train enthusiasms.

More than most things he looks forward to, though, is being able to spend more time in his garden. Look out for Mike’s runner beans in due season – he’ll grow lots and sell them at the gate – and no doubt lots of other vegetables and plants.

Good luck, Mike, we’ll miss you but look forward to seeing you at Open Gardens, and , thank you.

BEWARE, there’s a beast about! There have been several sightings of a very large, sleek, black, catlike creature roaming the quarries and woods on the hillside above Upwey.

Unidentified, reports vary regarding the size of this animal, but it’s big. If you should just happen to be strolling around this area at dusk or dawn, keep an eye open and, please, let us know if you see it – Merrily Harpur would be grateful for any news for inclusion in her next book about the big wild cats of Dorset .

GOULDS Bottom park is not well-known, but should be.

A small piece of land was made available to the village some years ago, found opposite the junction of the Friar Waddon Road with Goulds Hill.

It’s peaceful, pretty with good views, and nicely cared-for – a good place to stop for a while on a walk down to the village.

THE WORKSHOP and Exhibition season is almost upon us, when Upwey Old School Village Hall comes into its own as an arts centre.

There’s a wood-carving workshop (Contact Mark Vyvyan-Penny on 812125) on the weekend of April, 4 and 5, followed by the Spring Art Show over Easter, April, 10-15. Immediately following that, there will be an exhibition of Nicola Cooke’s paintings, April 16-19.

Do make time to come and enjoy the work of local artists and craftspeople, have a springtime walk around the village and visit the excellent Wishing Well cafe.