The September 2024 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

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Litton Cheney Parish Council – Next Meeting Tuesday 10 th September – 6.30pm – LATCH The next meeting of the Parish Council on Tuesday 10 th September will begin at 6.30pm with a presentation on Rural Housing Enablement – please note the earlier timing. The bi-monthly PC meeting will follow. Parish Clerk – Sadly, due to personal circumstances, our Clerk, Lucy, has found the need to step back from her role, but will remain in post while we search for a new Parish Clerk. Whilst it is a task requiring a fair degree of organisation, it is not onerous in terms of working conditions and time. This would suit someone who perhaps has spent some time in administration and would like to put their talents to further good use. We are hoping to recruit someone who can take on both Litton Cheney and Shipton Gorge parish councils as indeed Lucy has done with some success. This situation provides the Clerk with the ability to interact between the two councils, allowing both organisations to learn from each other, and work in conjunction. If this position interests you, we would be delighted to hear from you. In the first instance, contact Clerk Lucy Beasley at littoncheney@dorset-aptc.gov.uk Full Fibre Update Full fibre creeps ever closer, and there are small pockets in the village that are being informed by Openreach that it is now available. We hope to keep you up to date via the village website and Facebook. Those who have pledged their vouchers are likely to be connected in the first instance, with others to follow in slower time but it is hoped that villages in the immediate vicinity will be fully connected within the next year or so. Chilcombe Bridge Update Isambard Kingdom Brunel originated the design of the Clifton Suspension Bridge that spans the Avon, opening in 1864, and also the Tamar Railway Bridge that opened in 1859. Our ambitions are somewhat smaller, but with the potential to be just as significant, given Chilcombe Bridge spans a tributary that eventually merges with the mighty Bride as it courses its way down to Lyme Bay and the English Channel. Many thanks to everyone who has pledged a donation to the bridge fund. We are now awaiting a positive response from Dorset Council and will keep you all informed. In the meantime, further funds most welcome. Contact: Quentin Blacke 07919905588 q.blacke@outlook.com Events at Litton and Thorner’s Community Hall (LATCH) Weekly: Mondays: 3.30 – 4.30 pm Big Q Church (Term time only) Wednesdays: 4.45 pm - Table Tennis (Ron Davidson 01308 482661) 7.00 pm – Mindful Movement with Jane Hutchins (07882 527697) Thursdays: 9.15 – 11.15 am First Steps Toddlers (fortnightly, term time only) Special: Tuesday 10 th : 6.30 pm in Meeting Room: Parish Council - Presentation on Rural Housing Enablement followed by bi-monthly Parish Council meeting Monday 16 th : 7.00pm Gardening Club Village Cafés: The hall is available for hire free of charge on Saturday mornings for a Café to raise funds for any group. It’s a good social event for the community and always popular – contact me to book a date. Hall Bookings/viewings: Wendy Firrell 01308 482532 wtlitton@gmail.com Flu Clinic – October – LATCH A flu clinic will be held at LATCH on 30 th October. Bride Valley Films THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER - ONE LIFE ‘a remarkable true story’ Starring Antony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn and Helena Bonham Carter, the film tells the true story of Sir Nicholas 'Nicky' Winton, a young London banker who rescued 669 predominantly Jewish children from the Nazis on the brink of World War II. Nicky visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living in desperate conditions. How many children could he and the team rescue before the borders closed? Fifty years later, it’s 1988 and Nicky is still haunted by the fate of those he wasn't able to bring to safety. It’s not until a live BBC television show, ‘That’s Life’, surprises him by introducing him to some surviving children – now adults – that he finally begins to come to terms with the guilt and grief he had carried for five decades. The film has two narrative strands. Johnny Flynn plays the younger Nicholas, then Sir Anthony Hopkins, the 1980's Nicholas. Cert. 12. I hr.45min Doors Open: 7.00 p.m. Films start 7.30 p.m. TICKETS: £5.00 (to include a glass of wine) Tickets in advance from: Sally Dyke 482752, Elizabeth Kingston 482162, Bella Spurrier 482367 or on the door. (All nos. 01308) Look out for further details on posters, on the website and in the BVN. Save the date! VR from Wales are three musicians with ‘a magic chemistry’ (Folk Wales). VR means ‘lifting’ and ‘uplifting’ in Old Welsh. Meet Patrick Rimes, Jordan Price Williams and Aneirin Jones at LATCH and enjoy their unique old and new songs drawing on Welsh identity and struggle - SATURDAY 12 TH OCTOBER AT 7.30 PM If you would like to help with this or other Artsreach events in any way, please contact Patricia Scholfield on 01308 482514 or email patriciascholfield@phonecoop.coop

BLAP Steering Group meeting The next Steering Group meeting will take place on Thursday 5th September at 2.15pm, in the Committee Room, Mountfield, Bridport and via Zoom. It will include a short update by David Dixon of Wessex Community Assets on flax and hemp field trials and the Bridport area's bio-economy. All members are welcome to attend. Lend a Hand Scheme – Volunteer Bridport Good Neighbours in collaboration with the Jurassic Coast Primary Care Network Social Prescribing Team are looking for volunteers who can give one or two hours a week to support those in need in the community. This will involve driving someone to and from their home to GP, hospital or dental appointments (as available) or to a local group activity within Bridport (once weekly for six weeks). Health and safety training, DBS checks and mileage expenses will be included. For more information please email the Social Prescribing Team or Bridget Bolwell. Alternatively please call Bridport Good Neighbours on 07778 211140. The Friendly Food Club - Get Dorset Cooking A 1-day training course is available for community and voluntary groups to support staff and volunteers to plan and safely deliver their own cooking sessions. For those operating in the Dorset Council area only. The course will be held on Friday 6th September from 9am - 4pm at Bridport Youth and Community Centre, Gundry Lane, Bridport. The training will looking at identifying the needs and understanding barriers for your community; choosing the right recipe; planning effective and safe sessions; practical cooking, facilities & equipment; and funding. To book a session please complete the form. Heritage Open Days Heritage Open Days take place between Friday 6th September and Sunday 15th September. Venues across the area will be open for free, including Bridport Town Hall, Bridport LSi, Bridport Museum, Lyme Regis Guild Hall and lots more. To search the directory please click here. Bridport Hat Festival Bridport's annual Hat Festival will take place on Saturday 7th September from 10am - 4pm in Bucky Doo Square. There will be music by young local musicians until the mass photo at 1pm, followed by the judging of the various competitions. Please note that South Street from the Town Hall to Gundry Lane will be closed to traffic from 8am - 4pm. There will also be a Hat Fest Garden Party. This commences at 10am at the Millennium Green where there will be folk music, Hat Hurling, Best Hatted Dog competition and other attractions. The full programme can be viewed on the website. Bridport Clothes Bank Bridport Clothes Bank offers free clothing, shoes and bedding to anyone in need. Come and browse their stock and meet the volunteers at St Swithun's Church House, North Allington, Bridport on the first Saturday of each month. The next session will be Saturday 7th September from 10.45am - 12.15pm. All welcome and everything is free. For further information please email BridportCB@outlook.com Bridport Community Orchard On Sunday 8th September The Bridport Community Orchard will be holding a free apple tasting event. The event will be held in the Orchard from 10am until 12noon. Refreshments, cakes, fresh juice and apples will be on sale. There will also be music and volunteers from Dorset Wildlife Trust. Weather permitting, please note that the event will be postponed to the 22nd September if rained off. Charmouth Nurdle Hunt The Nurdle Hunt is back on Sunday 8th September at 11am - 12noon. Meet outside Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre and please bring gloves. Data is being collected for citizen science and last year volunteers collected 60,000 nurdles (that is, small plastic pellets used to make plastic products, which cause pollution). Asker Meadows Management Plan - Consultation Walkabouts Bridport Town Council working with the Asker Meadows Nature Reserve Group are undertaking a review of the 2019-2025 management plan. Bridport Town Council will hold a number of walks around Asker Meadows to explore some of the key management needs that will be addressed in the revised management plan. Walks will last about one hour and the dates/times for the management plan walks are as below. Meet at the entrance to the Meadow by Morrisons car park. • Monday 9 September 6pm – 7pm - introduction to the management plan review with Town Councillors • Thursday 12 September 10am – 11am - All about water with Will Yeates and Henry Quinney from the Environment Agency • Tuesday 17 September 12noon – 1pm - All about wildlife with Nick Gray from Dorset Wildlife Trust • Wednesday 25 September 5.30pm - 6.30pm - All about access with Dana Assinder from West Dorset Wilding For more information and to view the current management plan please click here. Dorset Police - Bridport Neighbourhood Policing Team The Bridport Police Team covers the towns of Bridport, Lyme Regis & Beaminster and smaller, dispersed communities of West Dorset. Residents will have the opportunity to speak to PCSO Alex Bishop on Wednesday 11 September at 10.30am – 11.30am at Burton Bradstock Village Hall. For a full list of events and details on the Neighbourhood Policing local priorities please click here. Bridport History Society Bridport History Society's next meeting will be held on Thursday 12th September at the United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport. Doors open at 2.15pm for a prompt 2.30pm start. This month's topic is The bells of Saint Mary's Bridport; their story in the context of the history of the church. Visitors welcome £5pp. Membership is £10 individual/£15 couple. To find out about the Society’s next talk, and much more, visit: www.bridporthistorysociety.org.uk The poster can be viewed here. Bridport Town of Culture - events As part of the Bridport Town of Culture event programme the Small World Festival will be held on Saturday 14th September. Activities will be taking place in the Bridport Community Orchard with free food, performances, art, demonstrations and drumming workshops. On the Bridport Arts centre forecourt there will be world food stalls & crafts. In the evening the arts centre will be hosting a number of performances. For information and to book tickets please visit Bridport Tourist Information Centre or call 01308 424901. Bridport Health and Well Being Festival - The People's Health Alliance The People's Health Alliance will be hosting a health and wellbeing festival on Saturday 14th September at St Mary's Church House Hall, South Street, Bridport from 10am - 5pm. Free entry. Volunteer Centre Dorset - Recruit, Retain & Reward workshop; and Befriending Network Volunteer Centre Dorset are holding workshops looking at the recruitment, retainment and rewarding of volunteers. The workshops will be an opportunity to share and learn what groups are already doing, look at what is working and what the challenges are; and discuss new ideas. The first session on volunteer recruitment will be held online on Tuesday 17th September at 2pm - 3.30pm. For more information and to book a free ticket please click here. Volunteer Centre Dorset are also holding a free online befriending network session on Tuesday 24th September from 2pm - 3.30pm. Aimed at community groups or organisations who engage volunteers as befrienders. An opportunity to come together to share best practice, ideas, ask questions and provide peer-to-peer support. To book a space click here. Uploders pop up post office The weekly pop-up Post Office located at Uploders Chapel will now be open every Tuesday from 2.30pm - 4pm. This is instead of the previous Thursday open hours. Bridport Literary Festival Bridport's Literary Festival will be held from Sunday 3rd - Saturday 9th November. There are 39 events taking place and the brochure can be downloaded here. Tickets are available from the Bridport Tourist Information Centre 01308 424901 or online. Bridport and District Citizens Advice Bridport and District Citizens Advice is looking for new volunteers to join their friendly team who provide advice and support to those in our local communities. We are starting a training course for new advisers in September, and we would be happy to talk informally if you are interested in joining our team. We are based in South Street, Bridport. If you want to stretch yourself, learn new skills and help others, then please call John Freeman on 07921 587877 or email johnf@bridport-cab.org.uk. Healthwatch Dorset newsletter The August edition of the newsletter includes how Volunteer Centre Dorset are helping patients return home from hospital, changes at University Hospitals, Dorset Young Ambassadors, the autumn covid-19 vaccination and share your views on GP practices. The Living Tree The Living Tree newsletter features upcoming workshops & sessions, a recent talk from Allington Hillbillies, the allotment, healthy eating, the Living Tree's book of words and cards, amblers walk and support. Eggardon and Colmers View MagazineThe September edition of the Eggardon and Colmers view magazine is now available. This includes updates and events from Askerswell, Broadoak, Dottery, Eype, Loders, Powerstock and Symondsbury. Bride Valley News The latest edition of the Bride Valley news includes updates and events from Burton Bradstock, Litton Cheney, Shipton Gorge and Puncknowle & Swyre. With parish council updates, information on a wide range of groups, coffee mornings, community apple pressing in Burton Bradstock, Harvest Festival events and more.