the community news that matters
Chesil Bank Country Fayre to Celebrate Grand Opening of Refurbished Recreation Ground
Chesil Bank is set to come alive this summer as the parish prepares to host the Chesil Bank Country Fayre on Sunday, 16 August 2026, from 12pm to 4pm at the newly refurbished Chesil Recreation Ground. This much-anticipated community ...
Council leader reacts to resignation of Keir Starmer
by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland say he has little hope for improvement to the county’s position after the Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he was to step down.
The council has suffered financially at both ...
Congratulations go to the players who completed a 24-hour walking football marathon at the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester, kicking off at 6:00pm on Friday evening and ending 24 hours later at 6:00pm on Saturday evening.
The event was held to ...
UPDATED: Man in his 20s from Poundbury arrested on suspicion of Weymouth rape
Detectives investigating a report of rape in Weymouth town centre are issuing an update.
Dorset Police received a report at 2.44am on Thursday 18 June 2026 that a man had raped a woman aged in her 20s, with the incident ...
by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
Dorchester residents have seen a series of planning applications approved, ranging from house extensions and shopfront changes to new homes and works to listed buildings.
Dorset Council has granted permission for a larger illuminated fascia ...
SEND transport costs questioned
by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
Questions are being asked about Dorset Council’s annual £18.5million budget to take children with additional needs to and from school.
A breakdown show some taxi firms and bus operators being paid staggering sums – one ...
Former Dorchester Town striker Shaq Gwengwe, who left the County Town club to move to Poole Town last season, has been recruited by League Two side Newport County.
The ex-Magpie secured the move to the English Football League outfit after ...
Recent news items
- Man who went missing near Dorchester has been located
- Witness appeal following rape of woman in her 20s in Weymouth
- Witness and dashcam appeal following reported dangerous driving incident
- Better Care Fund progress
- Learning Disability Week – Meeting the transport needs for people with learning disabilities
- Appeal for information following burglary at Maiden Newton Fire Station
Delightfully Different, every time
Click this image to enlarge it
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…
Wed 24 Jun
Carvery lunch at The Sun Inn
Location: The Sun Inn, Lower Burton, Dorchester, DT2 7RZ12:30 pm. Come and join us for a midweek carvery lunch. Cost £16.50 with a £5.00 subsidy for members of The Oddfellows. Please confirm by 17th June if you would like to join us.
Contact: The Loyal Hand in Hand Lodge of Oddfellows | 07788436797 | Email | MapThu 25 Jun
Evening Echoes: Bird and bat safari on Brownsea Island
7:20 pm to 10:30 pm
Location: Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Poole, BH13 7EEA nocturnal safari looking at birds settling down for the evening there will also be bat detecting and we will be looking out for the mysterious nightjar. There will be plenty of moths on the wing too. There are 2 sailing times with the second boat leaving at 19.50 and returning at 22.50.
Contact: National Trust | 03442491895 | Email | Web | MapSat 27 Jun
Wild wetland bird walk
10:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Poole, BH13 7EEBrownsea Island is a haven for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Our guided walks, led by an expert Dorset Wildlife Trust ranger, take you through the island’s beautiful wetlands. Brownsea Lagoon is one of the best birdwatching sites in England. The lagoon’s shallow, nutrient-rich waters draw in thousands of birds annually, creating an ever-changing avian spectacle.
Contact: National Trust | 03442491895 | Email | Web | MapSat 27 Jun
Dorchester Choral Society accessible, open rehearsal
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: United Church, South Street, Dorchester, DT1 1BYYou are warmly invited to drop in on Dorchester Choral Society’s open rehearsal featuring a wonderful collection of short, tuneful choral pieces with an American theme in recognition of the 250th anniversary of American Independence. This is a free, relaxed and casual event, designed to be accessible to all – stay as long as you wish.
Contact: Dorchester Choral Society | 07979350116 | Email | Web | MapSat 27 Jun
Choral Evensong for the feast of St Peter
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 for the feast of St Peter on Saturday 27th June at 4.30pm in St Peter’s Church, Dorchester. The music includes Duruflé’s ‘Tu es Petrus’, Ayleward’s ‘Preces & Responses’, Kelly’s ‘Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in C’ and Sumsion’s ‘They that go down to the sea in ships’. Admission is free with a glass of wine to follow.
Contact: Music at St Peter’s | 01305250719 | Email | Web | MapOn demand, at your convenience
Information about child vaccination
Today Alison Booth from Dorset HealthCare called in to the studio to talk about vaccination programmes across Dorset schools and the important role they play in protecting children’s health…
Reporting from the Armed Forces Day in Weymouth, with pictures
Weymouth proudly hosted a weekend celebration honouring our Armed Forces—past, present, and future from the 19th to the 22nd June 2026. This annual event recognises the dedication of serving personnel and veterans, highlights the work of veterans’ associations, and ...
A hike with a difference to raise funds for MND
Today we heard from from Graeme Lloyd and John Kelly who will be taking part in a charity walk with a difference. On 18th June, they will be walking from Bovington to Portsmouth wearing specially created 3D-printed models of ...
Reporting from Kushti Boc in Dorchester
Kushti Bok, the leading, and award-winning, Gypsy and Traveller advocacy charity in Dorset formed in 2002, hosted a Roma History Day in Dorchester on Saturday, 13 June 2026. The event took place at Borough Gardens and featured traditional crafts, ...
Mark Topp is the Pastor at The Storehouse Church in Cambridge Road, Dorchester and he regularly calls into the studio with news of the latest goings-on at the church and elsewhere, Messy Church being one topic. Once again Mark ...
Countryside Matters 64, 08.06.26
This programme’s theme is almost entirely plants. First, Mike Burks, Managing Director of the Gardens Group, reveals some of the more fascinating and secret ways that plants communicate – and defend themselves from enemy predators!
then Dr Stuart Thompson of ...
