Litton Cheney Parish Council – Next Meeting 7.00pm Tuesday 13th January 2026 – LATCH At this meeting we will decide the amount of the Parish Precept for 2026/27. Inevitably decisions being made at national and local government level will affect funding for town and parish councils, i.e., us. The message being received indicates rural communities will suffer at the expense of metropolitan and urban regions. If we want something, that in the past has been provided by the state or unitary authority, it will need to come out of parish funds. The Parish Council wishes everyone in Litton Cheney and the Bride Valley a very Happy New Year. May 2026 be all that you wish it to be. Parish Plan – Looking to the Future In 2005, Litton Cheney produced a Parish Plan which set out the hopes and wishes of village residents as to how Litton Cheney might develop and grow over the coming years, much of which came to fruition. Now 20 years later we are updating the Parish Plan and during 2026 we will be seeking your thoughts and involvement via a steering group operating outside of the Litton Cheney Parish Council. Eventually it is envisaged a new Parish Plan will emerge looking to the future and what then needs to be put in place to achieve its objectives. The Parish Plan Steering Group will need to recruit village residents who have a genuine wish in converting the collective constructive thoughts of their fellow residents into eventual reality. Are you one of those people? A copy of the 2005 Parish Plan will be placed on the village website littoncheney.org.uk – give it a read please; you will find it quite illuminating. If it inspires you to put your name forward with reference to your involvement with the new Parish Plan, then we would be delighted to hear from you. More to come on this in February’s BVN and village website. What’s on at Litton and Thorner’s Community Hall (LATCH) in January REGULAR EVENTS Tuesdays 4.45 – 5.45 Short Mat Bowls (Ron Davidson 482661) Wednesdays 4.45 – 5.45 7.00 Table Tennis (Paul Kingston 482162) Yoga with Jane (Jane Hutchins 07882 527697) from 7th Thursdays 9.15 – 11.15 First Steps Toddlers (fortnightly, term time only) OTHER EVENTS Thursday 15th 6.45 BV W.I. Greek Dancing Saturday 17th 10.45 – 12.45 Dance Connection class (07795 431004) Sunday 18th 10.00 – 13.00 Yoga with Nadiya Wynn Sunday 25th 4.00 Community Church Coming up…… Thursday 5th Feb Film Night -The Salt Path 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. Hall Bookings/viewings: Wendy Firrell 01308 482532 wtlitton@gmail.com Bride Valley Films at Litton Cheney Village Hall After due consideration we have decided that this film based on Raynor Wynn’s bestseller would be a topical one to show, particularly because of its setting... THURSDAY 5th FEBRUARY (2026) THE SALT PATH ‘thought-provoking and emotional’ The Salt Path tells the emotional and life-affirming story of a couple whose connection with the natural world helps them overcome challenges and ultimately reconnect with one another. Capturing the beautiful scenery of parts of the South West Coast Path. Starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. 2hrs. Cert.12 Doors Open: 7.00 p.m. Films start 7.30pm, TICKETS: £6.00 (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)

The Bridport Local Area Partnership (BLAP) is here for the community. Current members of the partnership include Bridport Town Council, 9 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 West Bay Discovery Centre - West Bay in 40 Postcards Join John West this Thursday 22nd January at 2.30pm for a captivating illustrated talk revealing the rich history of West Bay. Through a collection of 40 vintage postcards, John uncovers the stories of the places, and events that shaped the area and explores the evolution of the postcard as a powerful means of communication. The talk will take place at The Salt House, West Bay DT6 4HB. Ticket Price £5.00 available from Bridport Tourist Information Centre 01308 424901 or online here - please book in advance. Proceeds will go to West Bay Discovery Centre. Messy Church - Bridport United Church Crafts, story, food and fun this Thursday 22nd January, 3.30pm - 5.30pm at Bridport United Church, East Street, Bridport DT6 3LJ. Free for children up to 11 years of age, accompanied by a parent/carer. River Char Action Group - Understanding Bees Supported by the River Char Action Group, The Dorset Bee presents 'To be with the Bees' - a film about our relationship with bees - and with life. The film will be followed by a Q&A session with the natural beekeepers from The Dorset Bee - all questions about bees are welcome! The film will be screened at St Andrews Community Hall, Charmouth DT6 6LH on Friday 23rd January at 7pm. Tickets cost £6 and can be booked here. Bridport Artisan Market Your chance to buy direct from the market at the pop-up Bridport Artisan Market on Saturday 24th January, 9.30am - 3.30pm at St Mary's Church House Hall, Bridport DT6 3NN. Golden Cap Trust Association of the National Trust - Talk The Golden Cap Trust Association presents a talk by Lt Col James Porter on 'The German Occupation of the Channel Islands' on Monday 26th January, 2.30pm at Bridport United Church Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend, £5 for non-members. For more information call 01308 459855. Western Area Transport Action Group (WATAG) Meeting and AGM The WATAG General Meeting and AGM will be held on Thursday 29th January at 6.30pm in the Committee Room, Bridport Town Council, Mountfield, Rax Lane, Bridport DT6 3JP. The nearest car park is Wykes Court, Rax Lane DT6 3JL (free after 6.00pm). The meeting can also be accessed online (to join online, please use the Zoom link which is available in the WATAG link above). Anyone interested in public transport issues is encouraged to attend. Bridport Seed Week - Sat 31st Jan to Sat 7th Feb Bridport will become a much seedier place in 2026 following the opening of the brand new Bridport Seed Library in February – part of the first ever Bridport Seed Week! The programme of activities for the week can be found here. Based in Bridport Library on South Street, Bridport DT6 3NY, the Seed Library will be offering over 100 varieties of vegetable and flower seeds - absolutely free to everyone. The seeds have been donated and packaged by several local seed savers, and will be available all year, whenever the main library is open. Bridport Youth & Community Centre - Community Cook-up Join Kate and Eileen for a new season of free Community Cook-ups!! All ages, cultures and backgrounds coming together to share all the things we have in common, prepare food and eat together and make our own Community Cook-up Cook Book. Everyone is welcome to attend the Community Cook-up at Bridport Youth & Community Centre, Gundry Lane, DT6 3RL: • -on the first Thursday of the month - 5th February, 5th March and 2nd April, 3.30pm - 6pm • -and on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month - 12th & 26th February, 12th & 26th March and 9th & 23rd April, 10am - 12pm Drop in or stay the whole time and no need to bring anything. For more information, please contact Kate or Eileen on 07903 279713 or via email: rippleworkshop.cic@gmail.com. Nature Buddies - Free Webinar Join Dorset National Landscape on Wednesday 11th February, 10:00am to 11:00am for a free webinar introducing the Nature Buddies Network – a volunteer programme helping people overcome barriers to enjoy nature and heritage through a buddy system. Discover how hosting Nature Buddy volunteers can benefit your organisation with new skills, reach and opportunities. Register here. Event link Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Bridport History Society - Talk The next meeting of the Bridport History Society is on Thursday 12th February when the Society will be welcoming Prof. William Gibson who will talk about ‘The West Country and James II.’ 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 and visitors £5pp. Bridport History Society meets on the second Thursday of each month (except July and August). Annual membership is open to all (£12 individual/£18 couple). For more information visit https://www.bridporthistorysociety.org.uk Bridport Community Charter Fair Planning is underway for this year's Bridport Community Charter Fair organised by the Charter Fair Committee and Bridport Town Council. The event will be held on Saturday 16th May at the Millennium Green, Mountfield, Bridport from 9.30am - 3.00pm. This event is a great opportunity for organisations to promote their work. If your organisation would like a stall please call Bridport Town Council on 01308 456722 for an application form. Bridport Clothes Bank - Volunteering Opportunity Would you like a new challenge in 2026 and have some spare time? Bridport Clothes Bank are always happy to welcome new volunteers, if you have a couple of hours a week or every so often, hours to suit - as much or as little as you are able. Our unit in Bridport is open every weekday morning and Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Contact us via email: BridportCB@outlook.com or phone: 07596 077385. Volunteer Centre Dorset - Training & Development 2026 Our new 2026 Learning, Training & Development programme is ready for bookings. Whether it is learning something new, doing a refresher, or joining a workshop on business planning or funding applications – please take advantage of this FREE training, learning and development for any of your team. This offer is open to staff or volunteers in the voluntary and community sector. Mayor of Bridport Blog The latest edition of the Mayor's Blog is now available and features the United Church Christmas Tree Festival, Bridport's Christmas Cheer Event and Bridport Young Performers performance of Beauty and the Beast. The Bride Valley News The January issue of the Bride Valley News is now available and includes updates and events from Burton Bradstock, Litton Cheney, Shipton Gorge, Puncknowle and Swyre.

The Puncknowle, Swyre and West Bexington History Group hold monthly meetings to discuss the local history of our area, and during the spring and summer months also organise history walks. Recently there was a presentation by our own historian-in- residence Paul Kingston on Litton. If you would like to know more about the group, and learn more about your local surroundings please contact Paul Bullen 07527141560 paul.bullen@icloud.com