Rug arrives

THIS Sailing-themed rag rug is now in pride of place at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

The Royal Manor Rag Ruggers from Portland made a presentation of their specially-designed Olympic Sailing themed rug to the London 2012 venue.

An academy spokesman said: “The rug is made entirely of recycled materials and will be on display in our cafeteria until the lockdown period.”

Arts and Crafts

GET arty and crafty today on Portland with a free community event that is making decorations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Olympic Torch Relay celebrations.

The Let’s Make It! workshops, sponsored by Synergy Housing and run by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, are open to all ages.

Sessions will be held today between 10am and 12.30pm or 1.30pm and 4pm at the Old Brackenbury Centre, Underhill Portland.

Next week, workshops will run at the same time, at Littlemoor Church Hall, Weymouth on Wednesday and the Community Fire Station, Radipole Lane, Weymouth on Thursday.

An event at the RSPB Centre Radipole Nature Reserve on Saturday April 21 will include a nature walk and forage for natural materials.

To book a place, email letsmakeitproject@hotmail.co.uk or call 01305 838497 and leave a message.

Seafront lasers

ONE of the last parts of a £2.5million seafront regeneration programme is nearing completion in Weymouth.

Contractors erected seven columns onto pre-prepared bases on the Esplanade on Monday and Tuesday evenings this week.

The artist-led Veils of Light project involves 15-metre-high illuminated sculptural columns, situated from Alexandra Gardens to the Pier Bandstand, which will provide ‘subtle and changing laser generated illuminations’ across the beach into the sea.

Head of Weymouth and Portland 2012 Operations Simon Williams said a period of testing and programming of the lights was scheduled to start yesterday and apologised for any inconvenience caused.

He said: “The Seafront Regeneration Programme has improved the promenade and esplanade and has brought exciting new features along the seafront that everyone will be able to enjoy now and well beyond the Games this summer.”

An official launch will happen in early May after testing is complete.

Catering

AN EXTRA 14,700 food inspections are set to take place to try to drive up safety standards at snack joints and restaurants during the London 2012 Games.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has released £1.5million for the inspections by environmental health officers.