News Archive

The Prime Minister’s ban on gatherings of more than six individuals in England last night has led Weymouth & Portland Chamber Of Commerce and Weymouth BID to remind businesses and customers of the area’s new hospitality app. ‘Capp’ is free for smartphones, allowing businesses to show in real time their capacity and how many spaces are ...

Is your child due to start Secondary or Upper school in September 2021? You need to apply by 31 October 2020 for the best chance of getting a place at their preferred school. Finding the right school place for your child is an important concern for any parent/carer. The admissions pages on the website give you with all ...

A graduation celebration has been held to mark the success of nine Dorset Care Leavers who gained their degrees this summer. The event, which had to be held online this year, was arranged to recognise their academic achievements. A dinner was held via Teams for the new graduates and short speeches were given by Theresa Leavy, ...

Responding to the news that a Police Covenant is to be enshrined in law, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill has issued the following statement. Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said: “The news that a Police Covenant is to be enshrined in law is excellent news for the thousands of police officers, staff ...

St Marks CE Primary School in Swanage is taking precautionary measures after a staff member at the school tested positive for COVID-19. We can confirm that there has been a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 involving a member of staff from St Mark’s school. The member of staff was in the school premises at the end ...

Transition Town has been offered a grant of £500 by The Tree Council via their ‘Branching Out’ programme. This has been matched by a similar grant from Dorchester Town Council. With these two grants, plus the 420 trees which the Woodland Trust will be giving them in November, Transition Town will have 1200+ young trees to plant ...

During lockdown a great deal of fundraising had to be put on hold, but Dorchester Lions are pleased to announce that their annual Charity Golf Day is going ahead on 30th September. The main beneficiary this year will be the Dorset County Hospital Covid-19 Appeal as well as other local charities and organisations which continue ...

As part of the government’s distribution of funds to charities, Diverse Abilities’ Coping with CHAOS service has received a grant of more than £22,000. The funds will aid six months of operating costs, which helps to provide play opportunities for children with special education needs, as well as those with profound physical and learning disabilities. Funding from ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following an assault in Dorchester. At around 1.50am on Sunday 6 September 2020 officers received a report that a woman had been assaulted by a man and woman in the Co-op car park on Trinity Street. The victim – a 19-year-old woman from Bournemouth – ...

Weldmar Hospicecare’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing has completed his own demanding challenge in aid of the charity – a fifty mile walk in 24 hours. Matt Smith, along with his dad Steve and expedition leader and Weldmar supporter Jon Forman, started at 8pm on Friday 4th September from Ladram Bay in Devon, and crossed the ...

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has voiced disappointment after learning that Dorset Council planners have recommended that permission is refused for the multi-storey car park which would unlock the development of clinical services on the Dorchester site. Dorset County Hospital has been allocated £62.5million of Government funding to expand key clinical services on its Dorchester ...

During Organ Donation Week, September 7 to 13, NHS Blood and Transplant are urging people to talk to their families about organ donation to increase the number of people whose lives can be saved or transformed by an organ transplant. Last year, 41 people in Dorset had their lives saved by a transplant. If more people ...

Local campaign group, Stop Portland Waste Incinerator, are organising a protest to be held on Saturday 12 September at 11am. Lucy Grieve, former Portland Town Councillor, who currently runs the campaign, told KeeP 106 “we are hoping that crowds of people from Portland and Weymouth will turn out to show their opposition to the massive waste ...

Emergency services personnel and members of the public who experienced stress and other issues during the pandemic are to benefit from free mental health workshops. The interactive sessions will be delivered online by Dorset Mind from 14-19 September. These will be funded by a Safer Dorset Fund COVID-19 grant, provided by the Office of the Police ...

Dorchester Christmas Cracker has been cancelled this year in line with current Covid-19 guidance and future uncertainty. Steve Bulley – Chair Christmas Cracker Committee said: “The Dorchester Cracker event will return in 2021 and we have a provisional date Sunday 12 December. We intend to make this an all-day event with more stalls and entertainment for ...

Dorset Mind has been awarded sizeable funding from the National Lottery to help expand their support programme for young people’s mental health across Dorset. The charity will receive the grant over three years. This will enable them to roll-out its programme to nine middle schools and eighteen secondary schools. In addition, they will deliver ...

The Jurassic tennis ladder that has been running through the summer is due to finish with the top 4 due to play finals on September 13th at the Borough Gardens tennis courts. It has been highly contested with over 150 matches being played this year, giving over 20 people the chance to play competitive tennis, many ...

Chris Loder MP is encouraging employers from businesses of all sizes and sectors across West Dorset to apply for grant incentives from the Government, to help them take on new apprentices and get more local people trained and into work. The MP told KeeP 106: “Apprenticeships are a great way to get ahead in a wide ...

Officers investigating an alleged assault in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. At around 2pm on Tuesday 1 September 2020 it is reported that a woman was standing outside of her vehicle that was parked on Frederick Place when she was approached by two men. It is alleged that one of ...

All children from The Prince of Wales School in Dorchester returned to learning on Wednesday 2nd September 2020 following their Summer Holiday Break. Headteacher Mr Gary Spracklen speaking about the children’s return said, “The start of a new school year is always an exciting time for both children and staff. This year, more than any other, ...

Businesses across the UK which have had to make changes due to COVID-19 are being urged to make sure fire safety remains a top priority. The call comes from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) as many have had to implement new ways of working due to the current pandemic. The NFCC is reminding businesses about ...

Talbot Village Trust donated £30,000 to Julia’s House to help the charity’s nurses provide an enhanced level of care for vulnerable children with life-shortening conditions during lockdown. In response to COVID-19, the charity needed to adapt its care system by safely delivering its services in the home. A portion of the Trust’s funding was therefore used ...

Officers investigating a fail-to-stop collision in Bridport are appealing for witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward. At around 8.45am on Saturday 29 August 2020 a male cyclist – aged in his 60s and from Somerset – was riding along the B3162 when a small lorry turned out of Donkey Lane and collided ...

Dorset based cancer charity is launching a campaign “Women’s Health Matters” to raise awareness of all five gynaecological cancers as part of September’s Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month. Every year 21,000 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer and sadly 21 women die every day. Many women are ignorant of the symptoms of these cancers which can ...

At 08.16am this morning, the fire service received calls to a suspected property fire in Hereford Road, Weymouth. One crew from Weymouth initially attended but on arrival found a fire in a first floor flat and requested support. At the height of this incident fire crews were in attendance from Weymouth (x2) and Portland. Firefighters used four ...

One fire appliance from Bridport was mobilised to Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock just after 8am Saturday morning after reports of a cliff fall. The police were in attendance and required Fire Service teams from Bridport Fire Station to provide specialist equipment to ascertain whether any casualties might be underneath. A spokesperson said, “Crews carried out a ...

Litter Free Dorset has released a video with real footage and information from the recent Wareham Forest Fire to illustrate the severity of impacts and damage that can be caused as a result of a heathland wildfire. Film on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LitterFreeDorset/videos/317966162847079 The Wareham Forest fire, started accidentally on 18th May 2020, by campfires and disposable BBQs, resulted ...

Oncology nurse and chair of cancer charity, GO Girls, has won a prestigious national award. Hilary Maxwell, a gynae-oncology clinical nurse specialist at Dorset County Hospital and CEO and Chair of GO Girls has been awarded Oncology Nurse of the Year 2020 by the British Journal of Nursing for the significant contribution to supporting women with ...

On 24 May the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHCLG) announced that £161m would be made available in 2020/21 for 3,300 homes for rough sleepers in the next 12 months. A month later, it was announced that a further fund of £105m to enable local authorities to best support the nearly 15,000 people placed ...

Dashcam footage submitted to the Force is being released in a bid to encourage more people to get involved with the scheme. Operation Snap is a secure online facility that allows submissions of video and photographic evidence relating to driving incidents that members of the public have witnessed. Since it was launched in July 2019, around 567 ...

A heavy band of rain that hit Dorset today has caused chaos for homeowners and businesses across the area this afternoon. The A35 Dorchester bypass was also flooded in a number of areas causing widespread delays on routes across the town. Residents across the town found their properties and cars submerged with businesses also underwater. KeeP 106 was ...

A Dorset based cancer charity is launching a campaign “Women’s Health Matters” to raise awareness of all five gynaecological cancers as part of September’s Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month. Every year 21,000 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer and sadly 21 women die every day. Many women are ignorant of the symptoms of these cancers which ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following a reported assault and public order incident in Dorchester. The incident occurred at around 9.50pm on Thursday 20 August 2020 in Kings Road. It was reported that four people – two men and two teenage girls – were approached by a group of ...

A digital project to help schools quickly alert the council when children are missing out on full time education has been shortlisted for two national awards. The ‘Supporting children and young people to access education’ project is in the running for the Digital Leaders 100 Awards in the Digital Public Service Innovation of the Year category. ...

Tourists coming to Dorset are being urged to plan ahead and respect communities across the region as the Bank Holiday weekend getaway begins. Many thousands of visitors, some already in the region, are expected to be residing in the county over the three day holiday with congested roads and demand on all emergency services resources expected ...

Dorset Police is asking local residents and holidaymakers to know the signs of county lines and help keep Dorset safe. Superintendent Rob Chalkley, of Dorset Police, explains: “County lines refers to a process where drugs gangs exploit children and vulnerable adults and make them courier drugs and money across the country from the gang’s base to ...

A cyclist seriously injured in a road traffic incident on Portland has sadly died in hospital. The incident occurred at around 1.45pm on Tuesday 4 August 2020 on Sweet Hill Lane and involved a brown Ford Mondeo and a cyclist. The cyclist, a local man aged in his 70s, sustained serious injuries and was flown to Southampton ...

Dorset Council is working hard on planning how to get nearly 8000 pupils back to school when term starts in September. The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is making an already complex situation more difficult. Routes change from year to year to ensure that all children, who are entitled to free school transport, can get there safely. These ...

Anyone interested in becoming a firefighter with Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service can find out more at a special Facebook Live event being held on Tuesday (25 August). After the success of the previous live Q&A which formed part of a virtual open day last month, another event will be held on the Service’s ...

Dorset Police is calling on residents and those visiting the area to behave sensibly and respect other road users. The Force wants those getting behind the wheel to take extra care, ensure your vehicle is roadworthy and that you are fit to drive, as well as modifying your driving behaviour in response to local conditions. Chief Superintendent ...

The Dorset & Wiltshire Fire control room received a call at 08:08 this morning about a potential dangerous structure on Bridport Road, in Dorchester A crew from Dorchester fire station were mobilised and found a window on the first floor of a property, above the retail units, hanging off by a hinge. Due to the nature ...

Officers in Dorchester are appealing for anyone with information to come forward following a spate of criminal damage. Three incidents occurred on the night of Wednesday 19 August into the morning of Thursday 20 August 2020. Three vehicles were damaged on the forecourt of Westerly BMW in Prince of Wales Road. Damage was caused to a windscreen, ...

Officers are appealing for information following a burglary at a charity premises in Dorchester. Shortly after 6am on Tuesday 18 August 2020 Dorset Police received a report of a burglary at the British Red Cross on Parkway Farm Business Park in Poundbury. The break-in is believed to have occurred around 11.55pm on Monday 17 August 2020. A ...

Dorset is now home of MOXSE, the world’s first ever handmade adapted hooded towel. They have developed two hooded towels that are both made entirely out of organic cotton, down to the threads and labels. MOXSE was started by Rosie and Isla during lockdown, to provide sustainable adventure gear that makes it easier for more ...

Officers investigating a fatal road traffic collision near Blandford are appealing for witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward. Dorset Police received a report at 4.30pm on Tuesday 18 August 2020 of a two vehicle collision on the A354 near Thornicombe south of Blandford. The collision involved a purple Peugeot 107 and a ...

Local partners have today launched a survey to get people’s views on mental health services within their communities. The survey is open to anyone aged 16 or over and asks people what they think is good about services, what could be improved and what ideas or hopes they would have for services in the future. Dr Sudipto ...

A new strategy that aims to provide a route for sustainable aquaculture development across Dorset has been launched this week. The Dorset Sustainable Mariculture Strategy has been written by Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) following extensive consultation with stakeholders in the county. Dorset already has a thriving aquaculture industry and Poole Harbour produces the largest volume of ...

After a rapid increase in demand for mental health services across the county during recent years Dorset Mind recognised the importance of storing its data required to run its service safely and securely. Working with over 30,000 people, the charity successfully applied for £28,000 worth of funding from Talbot Village Trust towards the implementation of a ...

Clinicians at Dorset County Hospital are asking local residents to register their support for the first phase of plans to expand key clinical facilities on the Dorchester site. The plans include the expansion of the Emergency Department (ED) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as well as the establishment of an Integrated Care Hub as part of a ...

Hundreds of children and young people with complex physical and learning disabilities will be able to take a break during the school holidays, thanks to a grant from Dorset Freemasons to the Diverse Abilities charity’s Coping with CHAOS programme. Children with complex disabilities tend to be excluded from other holiday activities due to unwelcoming attitudes, parents’ ...

Joint statement from IRONMAN, Weymouth Town Council and Dorset Council. With the health and safety of our community being an utmost priority, and after further discussions with and direction from Weymouth Town Council and Dorset Council in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, we regret to confirm that the IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth triathlon originally scheduled for Sunday ...

Best wishes to everyone who recieved their A Level results in Dorset today! Congratulations to all students for their hard work and resilience during the pandemic. Advice on education, work and training, including information for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), is available for anyone unsure of their next step. Advice and emotional ...

Families can explore SafeWise’s learning village and complete a quiz as part of a new virtual Junior Safety Inspector tour this summer. After completing the tour children can download a certificate and discover bonus material bursting with extra activities and loads more fun things to do this summer all based on the tour. As well as essential ...

Nearly 2,700 people have given their views on anti social behaviour in Dorset as a major survey into the issue reaches its halfway point. The survey, launched last month by Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill, seeks to find out more about residents’ experiences of anti social behaviour, how much of a problem they think ...

During the afternoon of Saturday 8th August Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service responded to reports of an unattended Camp Fire in Wareham Forest. Appliances and crews from Bere Regis and Wareham rushed to the incident which had been  reported at 13:45 and dealt with the fire safely. A quote from the Fire Service read: “People of Dorset ...

Visitors and local residents alike are reminded to take their rubbish home with them, respect social distancing rules and not to use disposable barbecues, in an effort to protect Dorset for everyone. During the summer months some of the area’s beauty spots and beaches become extremely busy. Local residents and tourists are encouraged to act responsibly ...

MP Chris Loder says a Government announcement on the 5th August of yet another major investment in West Dorset schools is “brilliant news for local education and proves that a strong voice in Westminster gets results”. Speaking in the House of Commons last month, Chris Loder said West Dorset needed to receive its “fair share of ...

Officers searching for a woman who went missing from Dorchester have very sadly found a body. Laura Dodon, 43, was reported missing on Monday 27 July 2020 after failing to contact her family. She had last been seen by family members in Weymouth on Tuesday 21 July 2020. As part of ongoing searches, officers discovered a body ...

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) would like to remind the public to stay vigilant as the South of England is set to experience an Amber wildfire risk over the weekend. This alert means that, should a wildfire be experienced, it could spread quickly and easily due to the dry and windy conditions. As ...

With possession hearings due to restart on 23 August, Dorset Council is urging people struggling to pay their mortgage or rent to seek help as soon as possible. When lockdown started, some people were unable to earn a full salary. Many were furloughed on 80% of their wages, with not enough money to cover rent or ...