The November 2025 edition of the Bride Valley News can be read HERE

The deadline for copy for any month’s issue is mid-day of the second Thursday of the preceding month. All material for publication must be sent to the Village Correspondent. For Litton Cheney this is: John Firrell, Tel: 01308 482313 email: jfirrell20@gmail.com

The Bridport Local Area Partnership (BLAP) is here for the community. Current members of the partnership include Bridport Town Council, 10 Parish Councils and more than 80 community organisations and individuals working to improve the social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of Bridport and surrounding areas. For information or if you have a piece you would like included in the BLAP Bulletin, please contact Jo Hughes by email at jo.hughes@bridport-tc.gov.uk Remembrance Sunday - Sunday 9th November This year's Remembrance Parade and Service in Bridport will be held on Sunday 9th November. The Parade will move off from East Street at 10.40am. Please note that South Street and East Street will be closed from 10.30am - 1.00pm. Road closures will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so. Bridport Literary Festival The 21st Bridport Literary Festival runs from Sunday 2nd – Saturday 8th November and brings an exciting and varied programme which takes place at venues all across town and as always, we hope there is something to appeal to all members of our community and beyond, in a celebration for all those who read books and love literature. The brochure can be downloaded here. Home Start Wessex - Bridport Haven Free family support group to help parents and carers with young children, Tuesdays 1.00pm - 2.30pm at the Bridport Family Hub, DT6 5LA - referrals and drop-in. • Our support is designed to help parents and carers with young children (under 5 Years) to develop essential skills to give them the best start in life • Our objective is to provide holistic emotional support and practical help that makes a lasting and positive impact for the whole family. Empowering families to build confidence, strengthen relationships and connect with their community. • Our Family Groups Leader and trained volunteers, deliver a programme of weekly structured sessions which are aligned with the Early Years Foundation Stage and Home-Start UK’s school readiness principles- designed to improve child development and parent/ child attachment. Weekly groups provide: • 1:1 physical, mental, and emotional support • Parenting skills to increase confidence and self esteem • Information and support around child development • Advice and guidance on relevant topics • Strategies leading to improved child and parent relationships • Access to information and signposting to other local/specialist support services • Meeting other parents with shared experiences while feeling heard and listened to Visit our website for further details including the referral form. Jurassic Coast PCN - Diabetes Support Group Living with diabetes or pre-diabetes can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. The Jurassic Coast Primary Care Network (PCN) invites you to join a free monthly Diabetes Support Group. Held at the WI Hall, North Street, Bridport DT6 3JQ, the group meet on the first Tuesday of each month from 3:30pm - 5:00pm. This supportive community offers a safe space to share tips and strategies for managing diabetes, get inspired by others’ successes, and build a network of friends on the same journey. Participants will also learn new ways to live healthier lives with the guidance of peers and professionals. For more information email: jcsocialprescribing@dorsetgp.nhs.uk West Dorset Community Orchestra The West Dorset Community Orchestra is a group meeting weekly in Bridport. Our members are mainly adult players with some previous playing experience. If you are a player interested in joining the orchestra please get in touch through our Contact page. We give concerts twice a year – in the summer and before Christmas. We often join with ‘Local Vocals’ a Bridport-based community choir for these events. We aim to perform to the best of our ability whilst having fun and without pressure in rehearsals. Rehearsals take place weekly on Wednesdays between 6.30pm and 7.45pm in the Christian Fellowship Hall, East Street, Bridport, during term time. New members are offered the chance to just listen or play for their first rehearsal. The first four sessions are free for new members, thereafter we make a small charge which goes towards the running costs of the orchestra. Refreshments are available at the start of rehearsals. Short Mat Bowls Short mat bowls at Loders Village Hall, DT6 3SA on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 7.30pm - 10.00pm, cost £3.00. For more information, contact Carol Hall by email: carol.a.gribb@gmail.com or phone: 01308 485259. Tea & Chat - Broadoak Village Hall Create lasting memories cup by cup with tea and chat at Broadoak Village Hall, Broadoak, DT6 5NL on Monday 10th November 3.00pm - 5.00pm. If you need a lift or could help us with transport, please ring: Sue (01308) 425332Alison (01308) 421818Georgina (07855) 801637 Loders Local History Group - AGM & Video 'Winter on the Farm' Loders Local History Group AGM followed by video “Winter on the Farm” on Wednesday 12th November, 7.30pm at Loders Village Hall. Refreshments will be served. All welcome. Bridport History Society - Talk The next meeting of Bridport History Society is on Thursday 13th November when the Society will be welcoming Dr Mark Forrest who will give a talk about the Black Death in Dorset in the fourteenth century. The talk will be held at the United Church Hall on East Street, Bridport. Doors open at 2.15pm for a prompt 2.30pm start. All are welcome, members £1pp, visitors £5pp. Bridport History Society meets on the second Thursday of each month (except July and August). Membership is open to all (£12 individual / £18 couple). For more information visit: www.bridporthistorysociety.org.uk. Netherbury Nature Group - Talk The Netherbury Nature Group presents 'The Brit Valley Project', an illustrated talk by Dr. Sam Rose, Director, West Dorset Wildling on Friday 14th November, 7.00pm (doors open at 6.30pm) at Netherbury Village Hall, DT6 5LR. All welcome, admission £3.00 and cash bar. Christmas Makers Market The annual Christmas Maker’s Market held at Martin’s Bar & Restaurant, Highlands End will take place on Saturday 15th November, 9.30am - 3.00pm. There will be lots of stalls from local artists, craftspeople, photographers, bakers, makers and more, as well as seasonal treats, breakfast and hog roast baps as well as a festive bar! There is a £1 admission fee per person, 100% of which goes to Julia’s House – Dorset & Wiltshire Children’s Hospices. Bridport Ladies Circle - Baby & Children's Nearly New Sale Bridport Ladies Circle will be holding a baby and children's nearly new sale on Saturday 15th November, 10.00am - 12.00pm at Bridport United Church Hall. Quality children’s toys, clothes, shoes and more! Don’t forget your cash! Sellers: £10 per table. Please contact Bridport Ladies Circle via Facebook or email bridportlc@gmail.com to book a table.Colbert Crafters - Christmas Craft Fair Pop in and find a lovely array of gifts for all the family as well as something handcrafted to decorate your home for Christmas on Saturday 15th November at Burton Bradstock Village Hall, 10.00am - 4.00pm. Colbert Crafters – all handmade in Burton Bradstock. West Bay Discovery Centre - Talk and Book Signing Think you know Dorset? Think again. Join Karen Heaney and Jeni Bell as they share highlights from their book '111 Places in Dorset that you shouldn’t miss’ – a lively tour of some of the county’s hidden gems. Whether you’re a local, a seasoned traveller or first-time visitor, beautiful quirky Dorset will surprise and delight you. This guide will introduce you to 111 off-the-beaten track (and sometimes off-the-wall) locations that make this slice of the West Country such a wonderful place to live and a great place to visit. Thursday 27th November 2.30pm - 4.00pm at Bridport Town Hall, East Street, Bridport DT3 3LF. Tickets cost £7.00 and are available by clicking here or visiting Bridport Tourist Information Centre West Bay Discovery Centre - Winter Opening Hours After a busy 2025 season, we’ll be moving to our winter opening hours: November: Saturdays and Sundays, 11.00am – 4.00pm. December: Selected days between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, 11.00am – 4.00pmJanuary: ClosedFebruary: Open daily during Half-Term, 14th – 22nd February, 11.00am – 4.00pm Thank you to all our volunteers who help run the Centre each day, making it possible to welcome and inform all our visitors. Allington Hillybilly Volunteers - Celebrate 2026 Allington Hillbilly Volunteers in partnership with Bridport Town Council, Celebrate 2026 programme of events is starting to take shape. “Living in the shadows of Allington Hill,” is a social history project, gathering people’s personal memorial and stories handed down through the generations. We will be inviting people to a talk at St Swithun's Church Hall, on Sunday 22nd February at 2.00pm. During the refreshments afterwards, people will be able to share their memories and photos. The project will then be displayed during the Easter Holidays at the Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre. The gallery will also hold art workshops using materials from nature. The final events will be held on Friday 1st May, a community event of evening entertainment, food and bonfire and on Saturday 2nd May a Country Fair. If you would like any more information, please email, allingtonhill@gmail.com. Bridport Area Neighbourhood Plan (BANP) Review The Bridport Area Neighbourhood Plan 2020 - 2036 has been a valuable resource for the local community and has been drawn on extensively in planning related matters. It is good practice to review the plan every five years and as part of the review process, comments from the public are sought. Come and hear how the BANP review shapes the next chapter of our community. Paper copies of review documents will soon be available in Bridport Library, Bridport Tourist Information Centre and Bridport Town Council offices or at the Ward events detailed below: West Bay Ward - Wednesday 12th November, 6.30pm at the Salt House, West Bay, DT6 4HB Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward - Tuesday 18th November, 2pm-3pm at Bothenhampton Village Hall, DT6 4BP Bradpole Ward - Saturday 22nd November, 11am-1pm, at Bradpole Village Hall, DT6 3JA Central Ward - Tuesday 25th November, 3pm, at the WI Hall, North Street DT6 3JQ To avoid confusion, a fuller promotion of the Bridport Area Neighbourhood Plan review will commence once the Local Plan consultation has ended. Dorset Council - Garden Waste Survey Dorset Council are committed to providing a reliable, efficient, and environmentally friendly service - and your feedback helps them improve. This quick customer satisfaction survey will take just a few minutes. Share your views on collections, customer service, and value for money to help shape the future of the service. If you would like to respond in a different way, like a paper survey, please contact us at gardenwaste@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or 01305 228650. Age Friendly Dorset Dorset is on a journey to become an Age-friendly County and the first step is to survey people from across Dorset and understand what life is like for older people in the community. The survey is for adults 50 years and older and covers 8 key areas of life from health and housing to social life and employment. The results will provide a well-rounded picture of what life is like as people grow older in Dorset. The survey runs until Friday 19th December and can be completed here. Bride Valley News This month's edition of the Bride Valley News includes updates and events from Burton Bradstock, Litton Cheney, Shipton Gorge, Puncknowle & Swyre. Chideock News The November edition of the Chideock News is now available and includes updatesand events from Chideock including Seatown and North Chideock. The Bridge Magazine This month's edition of the Bridge magazine features the Allington Arts Weekend, Parish Green Day, Remembrance Day, Bridport Big Band, reports from the five Bridport Town Council Wards and upcoming events and community groups. Eggardon & Colmers View Magazine The November edition of the Eggardon and Colmers View magazine features updates from local parishes and villages including Askerswell, Broadoak, Dottery, Eype, Loders, Powerstock and Symondsbury.

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