By Sophia Long Volunteers are urgently needed to lend a few hours at the popular community café at Radipole Lake Nature Reserve in Weymouth to keep it thriving. SWRAC, a specialist SEN college in Dorchester, runs the café, with many of its students gaining valuable life skills and growing in confidence. The café was previously […]
At 4am on Sunday, May 3 a jar of chutney made by Amber Rosenthal began its 86-mile journey along the Dorset coast in a unique and poignant fundraising challenge. Amber died in January 2024. She loved to make a chutney to use up all their spare allotment produce and jam jars. Her partner, Woodroffe teacher […]
St Giles’ Church in the tiny village of Hooke, near Beaminster, is celebrating the restoration of its beautiful stained glass east window. With just 38 households in the village, fundraising was a significant challenge. But the community rallied and raised an impressive £13,000. A successful application to Dorset Historic Churches Trust secured the rest of […]
A brilliant line-up of music legends are to appear at Bridport’s fabulous Jurassic Fields Festival from Friday, August 14 until Sunday, August 16. Multi-million selling chart toppers Scouting For Girls, whose hits include This Ain’t a Love Song, She’s So Lovely and Elvis Ain’t Dead, headline as they build towards a massive 20th anniversary weekend […]
Celebrity chef Lesley Waters led 80 people from across the county in a mass cook-along at Dorchester Corn Exchange to promote simple healthy cooking. The Friendly Food Club (FFC) was funded by Dorset Council to host the event, which included community groups, families, and carers and people from local charities including The Bus Shelter in […]
A new portrait of Mary Anning has been donated to Lyme Regis Museum. The original oil painting, by celebrated local artist David Manners, will go on permanent display at the museum, which stands on the site of the famous fossilist’s former home. David, who grew up in Lyme Regis, was inspired to create the work […]
Pop-up Pride Dorchester is back for its second year with a fabulous and packed programme. The initiative, led by Dorchester Town Council, brings together events happening throughout Pride month in June, hosted by a range of local businesses and organisations. Events include talks, films, music activities, a drag act, poetry, craft, an art exhibition, writing […]
The Electric Palace cinema in Bridport is on the market, as its high-profile entrepreneur owner seeks to reduce his business commitments. Alasdair Warren, who owns The Pursuit of Hoppiness in West Street, Bride Valley Wines and The Electric Pub Company in Rax Lane, bought the Grade II listed building nearly 12 years ago. He bought […]
A young artist from Dorchester is exhibiting his work until Saturday, June 6 – and we urge you not to miss it. Thomas Hardye pupil Lucas Greenfield is just 14, but you would never know by looking at his paintings, which display a distinctive style and a level of humour and perception beyond his years. […]
We are Bird Media – two experienced journalists who have decided to break free and launch
their own news publication The West Dorset Magazine.
Editor Miranda Robertson has worked for a number of local papers, including the Dorset Echo, Salisbury Journal and The New Blackmore Vale. She lives in Maiden Newton with her husband Peter, son Robert, jug PugsieMfanwy, pug Hugo and the ginger ninja Kitten Mitten.
Karen Bate has worked for the Salisbury Journal, Wiltshire Living Magazine, Bournemouth Echo and The New Blackmore Vale. She lives with husband Stuart, daughter Florence, dogs Sir Alfred Sticks and Buddy and cat Milton. There’s also a bonkers horse called Mars in her menagerie.
