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Purbeck Christmas Tree Festival 11th – 14th December 2025
This year, the Purbeck Christmas Tree Festival will be held on Thursday 11th, Friday 12th and Saturday 13th December from 10am-6pm each day, at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 160 Victoria Avenue, Swanage. There is also a special Remembrance Service called ‘Lights of Love’...
New Forest Walking Festival Marks 20 Years
The New Forest Walking Festival returns this autumn to celebrate and share the special qualities of the National Park in its 20th anniversary year. People are invited to go behind the scenes with a variety of walks led by rangers and expert guides, touching on...
New Forest National Park Authority welcomes new members
The New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) is pleased to announce three new board members appointed by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Ella Mason, Adarsh Parekh, and James Wylor-Owen join the Authority’s board of 22 members, who...
Mayor’s Message – November 2025
Welcome to November, and even though winter is on the horizon, Weymouth still has so much to offer, with many exciting events to come. Reflecting on the past month, it was one of great variety. We welcomed the magnificent Nao Victoria to our harbour as part of this...
Local care provider launches ‘Social Circles’ service to tackle loneliness
A new initiative designed to tackle loneliness among older people has been launched by GoodOaks Homecare, Dorchester and Weymouth. The service, called Social Circles, offers small-group day sessions to help local residents build friendships and stay connected within...
Life-changing foster carers recognised at awards ceremony
The life-changing work of foster carers across Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole has been recognised at an inspiring awards ceremony. With more than 200 fostering households across our three towns, the event offered the perfect opportunity to celebrate the lasting...
It’s gold! Lighthouse wins top Dorset Tourism Award
Lighthouse Poole scooped a coveted Gold award at the Dorset Tourism Awards last week, being named Business Events Venue of the Year. The award, which saw Lighthouse retain the title it had won in two of the last three years, came at the end of a three-month judging...
Brockenhurst Park restoration boosts nature and climate resilience
A major restoration at Brockenhurst Park Estate, supported by the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA), is reviving lost historic parkland features and local biodiversity. The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, run locally by the NPA, has provided...
Feathers that catch the winter sun
The glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a migratory wading bird, breeding in southern and southeast Europe before traveling great distances to overwinter here in the UK. Twenty-five years ago, they were a rarity in the UK, but in recent decades, sightings have grown...
Generous donation brings vital support to Christchurch families
Diverse Abilities, Dorset’s Disability charity, has received an incredible donation of £5,303 from The Christchurch Magdalen Trust, which provides charitable funds to help Christchurch residents who are in need or have an illness or disability. The donation will be...
Campaign launched to restore Dorset’s rivers and wetlands
Dorset Wildlife Trust has launched Water for Wildlife, an urgent campaign to protect and restore Dorset’s rivers, wetlands, and coastal habitats. The campaign highlights the importance of water for both wildlife and people and calls on the public to support vital...
Councillor’s Column – November 2025
Rough sleeping affects our community. Together, we can change it. That’s our message as Test Valley launches a new ‘Report to Support’ campaign to mark the recent World Homelessness Day. To get help to individuals who are sleeping on the streets as quickly as...