the community news that matters
Dorchester developments agreed
by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Dorchester is set for a wave of development during 2026 after Dorset Council granted permission for a series of projects in the town offering new homes, business upgrades, and heritage improvements.
One of the ...
Conservation work proposed for historic Priest’s House
by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporting Service.
An urgent programme of conservation work is being proposed to stabilise and safeguard the crumbling Priest’s House at Lyscombe, a Grade II‑listed 16th‑century building.
The roofless two‑storey ruin, located in the Dorset National Landscape ...
Burglary in Weymouth – witness appeal
Police officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following a burglary at an address in Weymouth.
Between Thursday 8 January and Monday 19 January 2026, entry was gained to an address inside a block of ...
by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Booze sales could be allowed on Weymouth beach with an application for a new licence for a kiosk on the sands opposite Marks & Spencer.
Wintertime Events Ltd has applied for on and off ...
Against all of the forecasts lowly Southern Premier League club Weymouth emerged victors at the Bob Lucas Stadium beating runaway league leaders Walton & Hersham by three goals to one.
All of the Terras’ scores came in the first half, two from striker Brandon Goodship and the third by ...
Witness and dashcam appeal following road traffic collision in Weymouth
Dorset Police received a report at 3.13pm on Friday 9 January 2026 of a collision involving a red KIA Ceed and a pedestrian at the junction of Portland Road and Parkmead Road and they are appealing for witnesses or ...
Rich Gabe, Press Officer, West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale, sends this report:
It’s not long to go now until Dorchester Corn Exchange opens the doors to welcome customers from near and far to the 37th Dorchester Beerex. The annual ...
Recent news items
Delightfully Different, every time
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Is your organisation running an event which the community needs to know about? You can promote a charitable or non-profit event on our popular What’s On page, FREE OF CHARGE, to boost interest.
Below are the next 5 upcoming events. There’s much more in the Local Events Diary…
Sat 24 Jan to Sun 25 Jan
Open Day at Dorchester Bowls Club
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Location: Dorchester Bowls Club, Armada Way, Dorchester, DT1 2TNFree taster of Bowls with complimentary coffee/tea and cake. All equipment provided. Wear thick walking socks. Free parking and disabled access. All ages welcome.
Contact: Dorchester Bowls Club | 01305 260817 | Email | Web | MapSat 24 Jan
Choral Evensong
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Location: St Peter’s Church, High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1XAYou are warmly invited to our monthly, cathedral-style service of Choral Evensong on Saturday 24th January at 4.30pm in St Peter’s Church, Dorchester. The music includes Tallis’s ‘Salvator mundi’, the ‘Preces & Responses’ by Richard Seal, Brewer’s ‘Evening Canticles in D’ and ‘Blessed city, heavenly Salem’ by Bairstow. Admission is free and there is a glass of wine to follow. All are very welcome.
Contact: Music at St Peter’s | 01305250719 | Email | Web | MapMon 26 Jan
Dragonflies and Bird Feeders
Location: The Sleeping Bear Hotel, High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1UP2:00 pm. Windrush Willow at The Sleeping Bear Hotel. Come and join in our workshop, learn to create willow dragonflies and bird feeders. Cost £35.00 refreshments provided.
Contact: The Loyal Hand in Hand Lodge of Oddfellows | 07788436797 | Email | MapMon 26 Jan
Willow Weaving with Windrush Willow
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Location: The Sleeping Bear Hotel, High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1UPWindrush Willow are a husband and wife team who are dedicated to growing 140 varieties of willow. Come and create your own Bird feeder or Dragon fly to later enjoy in your garden. Refreshments provided. Cost £35.00.
Contact: The Loyal Hand in Hand Lodge of Oddfellows | 07788436797 | Email | MapTue 27 Jan
Film night: Les Choristes
Location: Corn Exchange, High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1JF7:30 pm. A much-loved and charming film from 2004. This is the story of an inspirational music teacher in a correctional boarding school for boys. Set in 1948, it relates the power of music and kindness. Beautiful and touching! 12A Musical/drama, 1h 37m.
Contact: Dorchester Bayeux Society | 01305 854915 | Email | Web | MapOn demand, at your convenience
Urgent brain tumour fundraising required for 23 year old medical student son
Weymouth’s Ian and Indira Warwick are facing every parent’s nightmare. Their 23-year-old son Alex, a medical student at Liverpool University, has been diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive brain tumour. NHS treatment hasn’t worked, but there is new ...
Remembering 60 years of broadcasting from Dorchester
2026 marks the 6oth anniversary of radio broadcasting in Dorchester which started with the hospital radio in 1966. Peter Foster, one of the founders of the hospital radio service in the county town, joined us to introduce his audio ...
A visit to KeeP 106 by Pastor Mark Topp
A regular visitor to the station is Pastor Mark Topp from the Storehouse Church in Cambridge Road. Amongst other topics Mark explained to Andy Senior that the church is looking to expand their meetings to Weymouth and have found ...
Daytime Brass – a new way to allow musicians to rehearse during the day
Daytime Brass is a new community brass band, formed in 2025 to give musicians from across South West Dorset the chance to rehearse during the day. The band aims to put on free afternoon concerts in a friendly, relaxed ...
Traditional Dorset music and readings
*This item has been updated with the full-length version of ‘Seasonal Readings’ at the Dorset History Centre.
Each year the Ridgeway Singers and Band perform a Christmas concert at various Dorset venues including a packed Dorford Centre here in Dorchester. ...
Countryside Matters 52, 22.12.25
In the final Countryside Matters of 2025, presented by Jenny Devitt, Mike Burks of the Gardens Group talks about how important it is to get children interested in gardening, and shows Jenny some of the scaled-down garden tools they ...
