Tolpuddle ORCHARD Meadow, Tolpuddle’s new open space is making good progress. Grants of over £70,000 have now been received to establish the site. This includes £27,300 from Community Spaces (part of the national lottery funding), £15,000 from Viridor
A VERY big thank you and well done to everyone involved in our charity fashion and hair show held last month at Dorchester football club. The generosity of people and businesses of both Weymouth and Dorchester enabled us to raise the fantastic amount
PUB campaigners are calling for pubs across West Dorset to be brought back into use. More than 150 people attended a meeting at the Electric Palace in Bridport to voice their concerns about the number of pubs at risk in the region. The Community Alert
A WEYMOUTH school is flagging up its green credentials after scooping a national award. All Saints School has become only the second in Dorset to receive an Eco School Green Flag award from the environmental campaigning group Encams. It recognises the
A BABY boom at a Dorchester fence company has left a third of its workforce expecting tots in the coming year. Six fencers and labourers out of 15 members of staff at the Stag showroom have announced that they are eagerly awaiting new arrivals. First
AS RUNNERS pounded the streets of London in aid of charity four soldiers held their own, harder marathon in Iraq. Weymouth’s Lance Corporal Ralph Purring-ton was among the men to set off on a 26.2-mile course – seven laps of their camp – to coincide
A PARISH councillor who threw water over another member at the end of a heated meeting has escaped suspension. But Crossways councillor Abi Scard must go for training, the chairman of West Dorset District Council’s standards committee said.
PLEASE keep your gifts rolling in for soldiers serving on the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq. That’s the plea from returning soldiers who said that the parcels were a ‘morale booster’ and transformed the atmosphere of the camp. So far the Echo-backed
WE British rightly pride ourselves on our love of history and heritage. Our patronage of the National Trust knows no bounds and no sooner has someone of note died than we slap a blue plaque on their home and flock to visit. By comparison our horticultural
LEARNERS and companies from across Dorset swept the board at the South West Skills Awards. The prestigious awards ceremony was organised by the Learning Skills Council (LSC). The event recognised the outstanding successes of individuals and organisations
DORSET County Council comes under a financial spotlight this week when a councillor investigates the salaries paid to its top brass. Coun Mike Byatt wants the public to have easier access to the council’s financial details relating to jobs, salaries
SEEING son Tom score the goal that kept Dorchester up was “worth every penny I’ve put into this club” according to chairman Eddie Mitchell. Mitchell junior’s first goal in black and white proved to be the winner in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat of Bromley. And
A WEYMOUTH school and a host of community groups in Dorset are celebrating after scooping grants. They are among 89 organisations in the South West sharing a handout totalling more than £650,000 from the Lottery’s Awards for All programme. Holy Trinity
TRAVEL agents in Dorset are waiting with ‘trepidation’ to see how the swine flu outbreak will hit business. Dozens of flights to Mexico were cancelled yesterday as operators took decisive action in the wake of advice to restrict travel to the country
NICK Crittenden scooped two awards at Dorchester Town’s end of season presentation. The Magpies handed out this season’s awards immediately after their 2-1 win over Bromley on Saturday, a victory that keeps them in the Blue Square South for another year
WEYMOUTH Under-18s’ boss Tim Davis believes his side’s South West Counties Youth League triumph proves the club has some “quality young players”. The Terras wrapped up the Divison Two title at the Wessex Stadium when they claimed a 1-1 draw against rivals
PLAYER-MANAGER Chris Wilson has admitted that Easton’s season is in danger of fizzling out following a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Wareham Rangers. The determined boss is not willing to let that happen but claimed that his side’s performance at
WEYMOUTH Sports co-caretaker manager Steve Alcock has admitted that it is very unlikely that the club will be playing Dorset Premier League football next season. The Seasiders, who have already wrapped up runners-up spot in the Senior League
THREE brothers in arms are set to fight side by side in Afghanistan. The MacKenzie clan, from Portland, are all members of Corunna Company 6th Battalion Rifles along with 480 other reservist soldiers. Eldest brother Clive MacKenzie,
PORTLAND Red Triangle will unveil another new chapter in its history with the first girls only coaching session being held at the Osprey Leisure Centre in Castletown. The sessions, to be held on Thursday, May 7 (6-8pm), will cost £1 with the initiative
THERE was plenty of success for the Tornadoes of South Dorset at the first round of the Southern Junior League at Bath Leisure Centre. Teams from Ferndown, Swindon, Bradford-on-Avon, Thornbury and North Dorset Turbos also made the trip to the Somerset
MORE than 112 children from Weymouth, Portland, Dorchester, Bridport and Lyme Regis took part in a badminton talent day at Redlands Community Sports Hub. Children received free coaching sessions with top Olympic players Tracey Hallam and Helen Troke.
THE Tornadoes of South Dorset enjoyed a success-filled trip to the Bournemouth Dolphins’ annual Level Two Open Meet, returning home with an impressive 43 medals. The Littledown Centre competition attracted 21 clubs from as far afield as Northampton,
Under-9 League Cup Final DORCHESTER RAIDERS 3 WIMBORNE TOWN 1 DORCHESTER Raiders wrapped up their season by lifting another piece of silverware with a hard-fought win over Wimborne Town in the Dorset League Under-9s Cup final. The Raiders
Under-16 County Cup Final WEYMOUTH 3 BLANDFORD 2 BIANCA Randall struck two minutes from the end of extra-time to earn Weymouth the County Cup at Canford Arena. In a swirling wind these two evenly matched teams fought out a thrilling final
