News Archive

All 23 Dorset Council libraries will be open from Wednesday 2 December. All the opening times can be found at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/libraries and customers are advised to check the times for their local library before setting off. Although not back to their full pre-COVID opening hours, nine locations will also be open some afternoons. These are: Dorchester, Ferndown, ...

Officers investigating a fail-to-stop road traffic collision in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward. At around 8.30pm on Sunday 29 November 2020 a collision occurred in Rodwell Avenue in which a parked Audi A3 was struck by another vehicle. The Audi sustained scratches to its side and damage to ...

For a fourth consecutive year, Weldmar Hospicecare will be collecting and recycling real Christmas trees from across Dorset in early January. In return for a suggested donation of just £10, trees can be collected from home and business addresses, between Thursday 7th and Sunday 10th January. This year, the initiative is being supported by Trinity St. Christmas ...

The Fire Investigation Report from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) has detailed how the major fire at Crookhill waste depot, on Sunday 15 November, occurred. The report concludes that the accidental fire started around 1:20pm under the bonnet of one of the waste collection vehicles, most likely caused by the heavy rainstorms and ...

The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole has welcomed the opening of a storage unit by Poole Food Bank on Kingland Crescent, which previously housed Argos. The unit will be used as a storage facility for the charity, due to a rise in demand for food across the county. Nick Bold, Project Manager at Faithworks, said: “This new ...

In March 2020 just before the UK went into lockdown a conversation between strangers on WhatsApp snowballed into an emergency Covid food relief scheme that reached thousands across Dorset. The group became known as Dorchester Community Kitchen and, with Christmas fast approaching, has now grown in to something even stronger – Community Share, a space ...

More than half of the older population in the South West are concerned they won’t see friends and family. Age UK North, South & West Dorset calls for vital donations so it can be there for those who have no one to turn to. New findings show the public has stepped up to support older people ...

A second lockdown has been made a lot easier for some of Dorset’s most clinically vulnerable residents, thanks to the gift of free tablet devices. Earlier in the year Dorset Council teamed up with Everyone Connected to identify people who were previously shielding and would most benefit from receiving free tablets. Beryl Davies from Sturminster Newton ...

Bryanston School near Blandford has been highlighted as one of the top ‘Rising Stars’ in a new report that assesses the role played by a school and its teachers in helping to determine future high achievement of pupils. Significantly, the report from Keystone Tutors, entitled ‘Does alma still matter – The schools educating the nation’s elite’, ...

The Government has announced that the Dorset Council area will exit out of national restrictions (lockdown) into Tier 2 (High Alert) on Wednesday 2 December. The main restrictions under Tier 2 are: no mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles pubs and bars must remain closed, unless operating as restaurants We understand that the Government will review ...

The Christmas Lights and Reindeer Experience, a new festive event is fundraising for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance after the organiser was saved by the emergency service. Anne Roots, who is staging the month-long light show with her son Julian Hubbuck at Nutley Farm, near Winfrith Newburgh from 3rd December, is helping to give something ...

Officers investigating a fail-to-stop collision in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. At around 3.55pm on Sunday 22 November 2020 a green Volkswagen Golf was involved in a collision with a silver Volkswagen Golf on Spa Road near to the junction with Kings Road. It is reported that the silver Volkswagen ...

The residents of Queens Avenue, Dorchester are adding a bit of extra Christmas Community Cheer and Festive Fun to their road this year! 23 households plus Dorchester Middle School are each designing and decorating a window that can be seen from the road to create an Advent Calendar. All the windows will be on display from Tuesday ...

A burglar caught by officers after he broke into a Weymouth store has been jailed. Jonathan William Tagart, aged 41 and of Park Estate Road, Portland, was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 20 November 2020 after admitting offences of burglary and possession of a bladed article in a public ...

Officials from Public Health Dorset, Dorset Council and BCP Council will be broadcasting together this Thursday night (26 November), after the Government has announced which tier the area will be in once lockdown ends on 2 December. Director of Public Health Dorset, Sam Crowe, Aidan Dunn, Executive Director for Corporate Development at Dorset Council and Cllr ...

A consultation to help develop the future of Dorset Council’s Tourist Information Centres (TICs) has been extended until Sunday 3 January 2021. The consultation covers the three centres – based in Dorchester, Sherborne and Wareham. The consultation was originally planned to run until the end of November. However, the current national lockdown has led to further travel ...

Dorset Police will be sharing live real-time updates of calls to service and enquiries received by the Force during a 12-hour Tweetathon. The event will run from 2pm on Friday 27 November 2020 and will highlight the significant and varied demand the Force faces on a daily basis – particularly while policing the COVID-19 pandemic. In the ...

The construction of Wessex Water’s Martin’s Down service reservoir near Dorchester has advanced since the project began earlier this year. The new service reservoir, which will hold 1.5 million litres of water, is replacing an existing smaller tank and will be buried out of sight in the picturesque countryside. Construction began in April and is expected to ...

Dorchester’s Brewery Square has announced it is switching up its annual Christmas lights event this year with a special virtual celebration, hosted by Mr Bloom from CBeebies. The Brewery Square Virtual Lights Switch On will take place on Saturday 28th November at 5:15pm, where shoppers can tune in to watch the broadcast on the Square’s official ...

Every year thousands of people die from the flu. The best way to keep yourself and your loved ones protected from flu is by getting a flu vaccine. Many people are eligible for a free flu vaccine as they are more at risk of getting the illness. People eligible for a free flu vaccine are: adults over ...

The licensing of the new Team Rector for Dorchester and the Winterbournes, the Rev’d Keith Magee, went ahead as planned at St Peter’s Church on Sunday 22nd November at 3pm. The service was conducted by the Bishop of Salisbury, and only 5 others attended – the Archdeacon, St Peter’s Churchwardens, Patron’s representative and Keith. The service was ...

Let’s Talk is a way that parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can discuss new developments, voice their opinions, and help decide future plans that effect their families. The next event will be held online on Wednesday 2 December at 10am to 11am. This event will cover ...

The work has been brought forward to take advantage of quieter roads while drivers stay at home during the current restrictions, with the resurfacing originally scheduled to take place in January 2021. From Monday 23 November, Bridport Road will be closed in sections throughout the week. On Monday and Tuesday, Bridport Road will be closed from 9am ...

Dorset County Museum is appealing for donations to help save part of a mosaic which was found in a Roman villa in Dorset. The 1,600-year-old Roman floor panel showing a leopard attacking an antelope was unearthed by archaeologists in Dewlish in 1974. The mosaic, measuring 2m by 2.4m, was discovered in the grounds of Dewlish House and ...

Poundbury-based Key Digital are facilitating a virtual panel discussion on 1st December 2020 to help businesses share lessons learnt from two national lockdowns and thrive in 2021 and beyond. Key Digital have opened their doors in the past for their Unlock networking events which are normally held at the company’s headquarters in Poundbury. This time the ...

Businesses in Dorset can now sign up to be part of the new South West Cyber Resilience Centre (SWCRC), established to help businesses and charities better protect themselves against cybercrime. The police led initiative, in partnership with the private sector and academia, is part of a network of centres being established across England and Wales to ...

Dedicated COVID-19 police patrols are now operating across Dorset in a bid to reassure our communities and maintain public safety during the pandemic. Operation Tattoo will see a dedicated COVID-19 car operating across the Force, seven days a week to deal with any COVID-19 related issues, provide support to partners and encourage the public to abide ...

Dorset Police is reassuring members of the public that a full and detailed policing plan is in place to prevent unlawful protests in the county. The planned protest at Bournemouth Town Hall on Saturday 14 November 2020 did not take place as a result of positive action by officers, which included cordoning off the area and ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is proud to have received Community Awards from the High Sheriff of Dorset, George Streatfeild, and the High Sheriff of Wiltshire, Major General Ashley Truluck. These were presented at the Service’s virtual awards celebration held on 3 November. High Sheriffs customarily make awards during their year in office, to recognise ...

Dorset Council is pleased to announce that bin collections in Weymouth and Portland will begin to resume from tomorrow (Tuesday 17 November). Following the major fire at our Crookhill depot in Chickerell, all bin collections were suspended as 16 collection vehicles were destroyed or heavily damaged in the blaze last Sunday. However, Council officers have worked tirelessly over ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is working in partnership with several other organisations to support National Road Safety Week, which is running between 16 and 22 November. The Service is actively involved in both the Wiltshire & Swindon Road Safety Partnership and Dorset Road Safe, and leads on the delivery of the Safe Drive ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a fatal collision in Weymouth. Dorset Police was called at 9.41am on Monday 16 November 2020 to reports of a very serious injury road traffic collision on Lynch Lane involving a pedestrian and a lorry. Very sadly, the pedestrian – a local woman aged in her 50s – ...

Following yesterday’s (Sunday 15 November) fire incident at our Crookhill waste depot in Chickerell, we have begun the process of clearing the site and planning for waste collections in the Weymouth and Portland areas. In total, 21 vehicles were destroyed or heavily damaged. 16 of these were collection vehicles for rubbish, recycling and garden waste. The ...

Are you really worried about how your child is coping with the coronavirus crisis and lockdown? Do you need someone to talk to about how you can help your child and your family? If your answer is “Yes!”  to any of these questions, telephone 01258 474036 to make an appointment for a telephone consultation up to 30-minutes ...

Officers investigating a serious road traffic collision near Bridport are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. The incident happened at 9.40am on Sunday 15 November 2020 on the Coast Road near to the junction of Cogden Beach car park. It involved a red Citroen Berlingo, driven by a local man in his 70s, ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue are dealing with a significant fire in Weymouth at the waste transfer depot involving multiple vehicles. The Fire & Rescue Service are advising residents in the area to keep doors and windows closed. 15 fire crews on scene working hard to prevent the fire spreading further. Residents in the town have ...

COVID-19 cases in the Dorset Council area: 365 cases in the last 7 days, 96.4 rate per 100,000 in the last 7 days, trend in cases is decreasing slightly. Public Health update on COVID-19 cases in Dorset New national restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have been in place for a week. It will take a ...

Businesses in the Dorset Council area which have been ordered to close from 5 November 2020 due to the current national COVID restrictions may be eligible for financial support through the government’s Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG). Dorset Council is administering the grant on behalf of the government. An online application form and further information is ...

Prince of Wales first School raised over £400 today in aid of Children in Need. Headteacher, Gary Spracklen, told KeeP 106: “It’s been a year like no other and at The Prince of Wales School we have all been moved when talking to charities about the challenges they have faced as they have lost vital income ...

NHS Blood and Transplant is appealing to blood donors to make appointments to donate blood at the following venue: Rembrandt Hotel, 12-18 Dorchester Road, Weymouth, DT4 7JU on Tuesday, November 17. The sessions run from 12:30am – 3:30pm & 4:30pm – 7:30pm. Currently this session is 76% full. Blood donation saves lives. Patients at local hospitals rely on people ...

Working closely with Dorset-based company Event Security Southern LTD, the Council is using recently awarded government funding to fully train and deploy dedicated staff to work with the public and business owners in specific local areas to ensure they are “COVID-19 secure”. Dorset Council has spent most of the year supporting local businesses with their COVID-19 ...

The Member of Parliament for West Dorset, Chris Loder, removed the Extinction Rebellion protest wreath depicting the words “climate change means war”, from the Cenotaph on Whitehall yesterday evening (11Nov). The MP, who laid a wreath at the Cenotaph yesterday morning on behalf of his constituents who were restricted from attending Whitehall over the last few ...

Detectives investigating two reported knifepoint robberies at shops in Weymouth and reported burglaries have arrested a fourth person. Investigations remain ongoing into reported robberies at the Hidden Gem Kebab takeaway shop in Littlemoor Shopping Centre at 6.53am on Sunday 8 November 2020 and the Co-op store in Preston Road at 9.20am the same day. Detectives from Weymouth ...

A team of dedicated volunteers is on hand to help hundreds of Dorset residents stay connected during lockdown. Dorset Council’s Digital Champions, who used to hold regular surgeries in libraries, have continued offering their expertise throughout the Coronavirus crisis via the Digital Hotline. Now with another lockdown underway and winter just around the corner, the ...

Anyone struggling to pay their bills or worried about money is urged to get help straight away. Dorset Citizens Advice has a team of advisers ready to talk through the options available for managing debt and unpaid bills. Daniel Cadisch from Citizens Advice Dorset said: “It’s important you get help straight away if you are already ...

A man has been jailed after being convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl in the Dorchester area in the 1980s. Eric Alan Amey, now aged 92 and of Puddletown in Dorchester, was convicted at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday 1 October 2020 of four counts of indecent assault of a child aged under 12. The ...

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Prince of Wales First School were not able to take part, as normal, in Dorchester’s Remembrance Sunday Commemorations yesterday (Sunday 8 Nov). Instead, four Year 4 children and two members of staff conducted a small and socially distanced Act of Remembrance at the war memorial in Dorchester this morning (Monday 9 ...

Every year, thousands of older people call on Age UK NSWD for practical and emotional support. Before the outbreak of coronavirus, we were already facing a loneliness epidemic amongst older people. But as a result of the pandemic, this crisis has intensified, and this Christmas will be the loneliest yet for the older people most in ...

“Can you help us find a fly-tipper?” is the plea from Dorset Council Waste Services after waste was dumped in two locations in the West Stafford area last Thursday night (29 October). One was on a farmer’s land and the other in the middle of a public road, putting road users and local horse riders at ...

Detectives investigating two reported knifepoint robberies at shops in Weymouth have arrested two further people. Dorset Police was called at 6.53am on Sunday 8 November 2020 to reports of a break to the Hidden Gem Kebab takeaway shop in Littlemoor Shopping Centre. It is alleged a man smashed a window to gain entry. He was confronted by ...

Dorset Museum has today launched a campaign to raise the remaining funds needed to finish its two-year £16 million redevelopment project. Supporters of the museum are being asked to give what they can to enable the team to tick the remaining items off their shopping list. Since 2018, builders, architects, electricians, gallery designers, and curators have ...

Detectives investigating two reported knifepoint robberies at shops in Weymouth have made an arrest. Dorset Police was called at 6.53am on Sunday 8 November 2020 to reports of a break to the Hidden Gem Kebab takeaway shop in Littlemoor Shopping Centre. It is alleged a man smashed a window to gain entry. He was confronted by a ...

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue service sent crews from Poole, Weymouth and Wareham to an incident at Lulworth Cove earlier today (Sat 7 Nov). They responded with other services, which included the coastguard helicopter, and rescued a male who got in to difficulty climbing up one of the cliff faces. The fire and rescue service explained ...

With winter upcoming, and a second national lockdown now in effect, loneliness is a growing problem for older people. To keep local older people connected, Age UK North, South & West Dorset (NSWD) is launching a new online ‘café’ next Friday, 13 November at 11am. The new virtual café will be held via Zoom twice a ...

Officers investigating a series of break-ins at commercial premises in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. The incidents occurred in the early hours of Friday 6 November 2020. At around 2.50am Dorset Police received a report of a break-in at Hair Moda in Marsh Road. It was reported that a man ...

With local agencies now playing a lead role in identifying and responding to local coronavirus outbreaks, Public Health Dorset (PHD) are publishing weekly updates on their website to keep residents, businesses and partner agencies informed of the latest COVID-19 situation in the county. The updates will include the number of cases in both the Dorset Council and ...

Dorset Council is appealing to the public to take personal responsibility in line with the latest national restrictions, which are set to last until 2 December. The public has been asked by Government to stay at home, avoid non-essential travel and go out only for food, medical reasons, exercise, education or work. Leader of Dorset Council, ...

The supermarket is planning to cut costs – and posts will go at Argos, which it bought in 2016. It says it will try to find new roles for those affected – but admits they may not be in the right location or at suitable hours. It’s understood, from their statement, that the 120 standalone Argos stored ...

For this year’s Guy Fawkes Night, Litter Free Dorset have collaborated with Litter Free Coast and Sea, the Urban Heaths Partnership and Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, to launch the ‘It’s Not Rocket Science’ social media campaign. This campaign aims to encourage residents and visitors to Dorset alike, to have a fun but ...

All 10 of Dorset Council’s Household Recycling Centres (HRCs, or “the tip”) will remain open daily during the latest lockdown period, but restrictions will apply on site. Latest government guidance puts strong restrictions on travel to help reduce non-essential journeys. Therefore, householders should only take waste to a HRC if it cannot be stored safely at ...