THERE’S’s been a spate of Christmas Fairs just lately with great opportunities for locals and visitors to find original gifts.

ST LAURENCE Church Fair held at the Old School Village Hall attracted lots of people who just could not resist the bacon butties and lively well-filled stalls with the very satisfactory result that over £1,000 was raised for church funds.

A GROUP of people got together at the Old Ship Inn to stage a fair to raise funds for Julia’s House, the Dorset children’s hospice and were delighted with the response – nearly £250 has been sent there.

The organisers would most especially like to thank Pam who not only provided excellent food and live music at the Old Ship but also made a grotto for Santa Claus. And thanks to everyone who worked to make it all so good – perhaps there will be a repeat performance next year?

SOMEWHAT different and with a very topical theme, the Weymouth and Portland Transition Towns held their second Autumn Fayre at the Memorial Hall recently.

Their aim is to encourage people to seek practical solutions to the environmental problems, which we all have to face.

Sustainability in the community is their theme, demonstrated by the benefits of solar heating, energy-saving devices, local products, home-cooking, gardening, development of practical skills and community cohesion. In fact, there’s an enormous variety of ways in which we can all help to save the planet - and our own wallets.

Contact David Smith on 01305 815965 for information on your local transition towns organisation.

TALKING of environmental matters, there has been shown recently, in Upwey, a film The Age of Stupid which describes very graphically the way in which the earth is being damaged and what can be done to protect it.

Well-attended, it’s hoped that the film will be screened again soon.

Ring Bill Crumbleholme on 01305 812030 for information. Lively discussion follows the show.

UPWEY has lost one of its special people when Phil Tocock died recently aged 92.

Phil was bellringer supreme and had first rung the bells at St Laurence’s in the 1930s.

Coming back to the village in the mid-80s, Phil restored the tower, recruited and trained ringers and was still ringing there up to two weeks before he died.

He’ll be sorely missed by bellringers up and down the country.

OUR WI ladies met, as always, on the second Thursday of the month at the Memorial Hall to hear the news of WI doings home and away, plans for the future and matters of general interest.

After tea, there was a presentation with photographs and printed material about a voyage to Antarctica.

With a trading stall, a gigantic raffle and all the fun of a party, with guests from other institutes and some local entertainment, at the next meeting the members will celebrate Christmas.

THE CHRISTMAS season has well and truly begun and the shopping and preparations well under way – with luck.

Amongst these, St Laurence Church has just published its schedule of services.

Bring the children to the Christingle service on Monday, December 21, 6.00pm. The ladies of Batchfoot will, no doubt, have been busy preparing the traditional oranges for distribution to all the children.

Then, on Tuesday, December 22, there will be the much-loved candlelight Carol Service at 6.30pm. It’s a good idea to arrive early for this and make sure you bring your candle and good voice to join in. The choir, under the baton of Sue Bruce-Payne, have been practising hard and the music will be wonderful.

There’s Midnight Communion at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day there will be a service of Communion and Carols at 10.30am.

FROM UPWEY we wish everyone a very Happy Christmas.