Affpuddle

  • HENRY Hogger reports on the annual Briantspuddle open golf competition traditionally held on August Bank Holiday:

Eleven stalwart golfers pitted their skills against the challenging main course at the Dorset Golf and Country Club to compete for the title of winner of the Briantspuddle Open.

For a change, the sun shone and the wind eased off, leaving players with few excuses other than their own shortcomings - plus some dodgy bunkers.

Despite some strong performances from relative newcomers – in particular the youthful Edward Beardsley – it was the seasoned regulars who carried the day, with last year’s winner, Patrick Sheahan being pipped for first place by recent DGCC monthly Medal winner Dave Lambell, making a dynamic comeback after recent absences from this event due to grandparenting duties.

Prizes for longest drive and nearest the pin went to Patrick and Briantspuddle local Robin Gainsford respectively.

Thanks are due to Patrick Sheahan for expert organization – ably assisted by competition secretary and scorer James Tucker, to the Dorset Golf and Country Club for the usual excellent lunch, and for sheer good sportsmanship to the golfer-formerly-known-as-Tiger Bob Holman, bringing up the rear of a wide-ranging field of talent with style and good humour.

Dave has already booked the tees for August Bank Holiday 2011 – so may as well start practising… Puddletown

  • CONGRATULATIONS to Puddletown church for having gained a Highly Commended in the new entry class of the Dorset Wildlife Trust's Living Churchyard competition.

The judges spent a long time listing all the over forty different wild plant species in the churchyard, and were very helpful and encouraging.

Credit must go to the volunteers have worked so hard in the churchyard this year, and it is hoped that some of them will be able to come to the prize giving on Saturday, October 9 at the Dorset Wildlife Trust's headquarters at Brooklands Farm.

  • YETTIES are coming to Puddletown village hall on Friday, October 29 at 7.30pm - a last chance to hear them here before their retirement.

There will be a bar and ploughman's supper

Tickets cost £10, and are available from Tina on 01305 848216 and Glad on 848646.

  • GLAD would like to remind all her loyal customers that she will be setting up her Christmas cake and pudding production line soon.

Please contact her as soon as possible with your orders on 01305 848646.

  • HARVEST thanksgiving will be celebrated at a service on Sunday, September 26 at 6pm.

This will commemorate 150 years of the Agricultural Benevolent Institute.

It will be followed by a harvest supper in the village hall.

Offers of food will be gratefully received.

Please contact Jo Crankshaw on 01305 848405.

Produce will be taken on Monday, September 27 to the women's refuge in Dorchester, and store cupboard items are welcomed as well as fruit and vegetables.

  • A WORLD'S biggest coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support will be organised by Lizzie Peckover and Shirley Hart at the regular pop-in coffee morning on Thursday, September 23 at 10am at the church room.

Please come and give them your support.

There will be a bring and buy stall.

  • A TEA party was held in the church room on the last day of July to celebrate the significant birthdays of those villagers in their eighth and ninth decades.

It was a happy and well-fed gathering of old friends.

The local age-detectives may have missed one or two who qualify, so have word with Jean or Glad and be included in a future party.

  • THE play area at the recreation ground is to get a new safety surface thanks to Viridor Credits and the parish council.

The cost is being met by a grant of about £11,000 from Viridor Credits, through the Landfill Communities Fund, with the parish council making up the £1,200 balance.

The existing bark chippings are difficult to keep tidy and in the right place so they are being replaced by resin-bonded shredded recycled rubber.

The shreds are coloured to give a natural look, and once laid will stay put.

Work is planned for September or October depending on the availability of the materials, and should take about a week.

During the time of the work, the play area will have to be closed for public use to allow access to the contractors.

Tolpuddle

  • SOUP and sweet lunches resume on Friday, September 17 from noon until around 1.30pm.

Everyone is welcome to this great social occasion.

  • THANK you to Richard King who offered supplementary parking on Martyrs' festival Sunday.

With the help of some willing marshalls, a much-needed magnificent £1,050 was raised for church funds.

Thank you also to the breakfast preparation team on Martyrs' weekend who raised a grand total of £806 to be divided between the church and the village hall.