Old news items

13 November 2019 - Karen's coffee morning

Dear all,

Karen tells me that there will be a Charity Coffee and Cake morning this coming Saturday, 16 November between 10.30am and 3pm at the Springhead, with free hot beverages and cakes/pastries on offer. The event is being held in memory of her dad, John Owen, and donations in aid of the Fortuneswell Ward at Dorchester County Hospital will be greatly appreciated. I have personal knowledge of the marvellous care and attention that the Fortuneswell Cancer Ward provides, and there is no more deserving cause. Coffee, cake, chat and a good cause, what more could anyone want? I’ll see you there.

Best regards

Chris

30 October 2019 - Coffee Morning and Murder Mystery Dinner

Dear all,

The November coffee morning is this Friday 1 November between 10.30am and noon in the Mission Hall. It only costs £3 to get in, and this entitles you to tea/coffee, a piece of delicious homemade cake and all the conversation you can cram into 1½ hours. And haven’t we got a lot of things to talk about! Oh yes, I must mention that after the October coffee morning someone left a small Bakelite camera behind. If it’s yours, seek out Peter Riley who has kept it for you. See you there.

I gather that there are still a few tickets left for the Murder Mystery Dinner in the Mission Hall on Saturday 16 November. You will have to be there to join in the fun, as you will not be able to watch it later on iPlayer or purchase a box set of the series. The Dorset Nomads Community Theatre are presenting ‘Next of Kin’ which features murder most foul, though I don’t think the meal involves chicken (sorry). The action starts at 7 pm prompt, with scenes and courses following thereafter in rotation, while you try and guess who dunnit – not giving anything away if I tell you it isn’t me. The play is set in the 1960 and you can dress up in appropriate 60s gear if you like but it is not mandatory (personally I shan’t bother, as it wouldn’t seem right to be wearing anything too flamboyant with Wales dumped out of the Rugby World Cup final). The cost is £15/head, with meal, and you can bring your own liquid refreshment. Tickets are available from Sue Smith on 07813 267 788 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. See you there too.

Regards

Chris

22 October 2019 - Scout Jumble Sale reminder

Dear all,

Don’t forget that the Weymouth East Scout & Guide Autumn Jumble Sale takes place this Saturday, 26 October at 2pm in the Scutt Hall. There is still time to get your donations of clothes, bric-a-brac, books, toys, household goods or anything saleable (is there such a word?) to Mo and Dave Martin. The Jumble Sales raise funds to maintain the Scutt Hall for the use of our local youngsters, so please contact Mo/Dave on 836322 if you have anything that they could use. And spread the word to anyone who likes a bargain, for there will be plenty on offer on Saturday in the Scutt Hall.

Regards

Chris

18 October 2019 - Next of Kin, a murder mystery evening

Dear all,

It will be absolute murder to sit down for dinner in the Mission Hall on Saturday 16 November. This is because some of those taking part will be members of the Dorset Nomads Community Theatre and one of them – I don’t think that I am giving too much away – will be done away with by a person or persons unknown during the course of the courses. Set in 1967, the dinner is the launch party for a new Distillery, built on the site of the Springhead. It must have reverted to the Springhead pretty quickly after that, because I remember it well when we came down to Weymouth in 1971. But I digress. The Nomads, who serve the meal and interact with us diners, are presenting ‘Next of Kin’. Is the title a clue, I wonder? The start of this Murder Mystery Dinner is at 7 pm prompt, with scenes and courses following thereafter in rotation – starter, main course of chili and jacket potato, dessert. After the last scene at 8.45 pm you can ask questions of the cast and make your own mind up about who done it, before the dramatic denouement. Bet I guess before you do. Black and white - dinner suit and little black dress - are as acceptable as green flares, ruffled shirt and miniskirt (not necessarily all on one person). Just break out those boxes in the loft and have a good rummage. You know you kept your 60s gear for a reason. The cost is £15/head, and you should bring your own favorite tipple, perhaps Blue Nun or Mateus Rose. Tickets are available from Sue Smith on 07813 267 788 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. but contact her quickly as seats are limited.

Regards

Chris

14 October 2019 - Closure of Plaisters Lane

Dear all,

Sorry for the delay in Newsbites, but due to the inadequacies of Sky in switching my broadband I have been off line for over a week.

This is an urgent notification that Plaisters Lane will be closed outside Purbeck Lodge – that’s on the opposite side of the road just below Dot and Simon in Wyndings – this coming Wednesday, 16 October. The official notice says between 0930 and 1500hrs, but unofficially it will only take them a couple of hours. Depends of course on when they start, but usually it’s first thing in the morning. The obstruction means that if you live above Purbeck Lodge and want to go in the Weymouth direction you may have to go up then down Coombe Valley road, and if you live below Purbeck Lodge and want to go to Dorchester you may have to go via Preston Road.

Regards

Chris

6 October 2019 - Ladies who lunch

Dear all,

I am reliably informed by an unimpeachable source who wishes to remain anonymous that the Ladies Lunches will be restarting on Wednesday 9 October at 12.30 in the Springhead. There’s no need to book in advance; just turn up on the day at the allotted time and everyone will be very pleased to see you. The lunches take place on the second Wednesday in every month, so for example the November lunch will be on Wednesday 13 November. But first go along to the one this coming Wednesday. I would say see you there, but I’m not a lady.

Regards

Chris

3 October 2019 - Surplus produce and Coffee Morning

Dear all,

Tony Ferrari tells me that this Sunday he will be making his final collection of any surplus fruit and vegetables you might have, including any last apples or the odd pumpkin not needed for Halloween. The Lantern Trust, the Weymouth Charity which helps people in times of difficulty, will use it to provide delicious meals for their clients. Please pop anything you can spare into the wooden box with a white lid by the phone box and Tony will deliver it on Monday morning. Tony is very grateful, as are the Lantern Trust, for all your support.

And don’t forget the Coffee Morning tomorrow, Friday, in the Mission Hall at 10.30am, and bring along that item which was, in its day, at the forefront of fashion (in the widest sense of the word) but was overtaken by time. I think I’ll enter myself. See you there

Regards

Chris

28 September 2019 - Coffee Morning, Driver Awareness Forum and Scout Jumble Sale

Dear all,

The first Coffee Morning of the Winter season is this coming Friday, 4 October, in the Mission Hall between 10.30 and 12.00. The cost is only £3/person, and for this you get the three vital Cs - coffee, cake and conversation. Peter Riley has suggested that on this first occasion you might like to bring along something from years ago – or, given the pace of modern life something from 2018 – that at the time represented the height of technology, fashion, art or whatever, and which, despite it being superseded or outmoded, you have just not had the heart to throw away because it was special at the time. My garage is full of such items, so I will probably be able to bring a couple along. No special preparation needed – just place them on the table provided when you arrive. Oh yes, and be ready to explain what they meant to you, or even what they are! See you there this Friday, 4 October,

Further to the Newsbite about the Older Drivers Forum at Weymouth Community centre on 2 October, our own Joyce Peel, President of the SP Village WI and the Driver Awareness Tutor for Dorset Police, will be one of the presenters, so we are sure of at least one welcoming face. She says that it will be a very informative evening. See www.olderdriversforum.com for full details.

And last but not least, the Weymouth East Scout & Guide Autumn Jumble Sale will take place on Saturday, 26 October at 2pm in the Scutt Hall. Mo and Dave Martin would be grateful for donations of anything they can sell - clothes, bric-a-brac, books, toys, household goods etc - to raise funds to maintain the Scutt Hall for the use of our local youngsters. Please contact Mo/Dave on 836322 if you have anything that they could use. All the money for the Hall comes from the two annual jumble sales, so each one is very important. Please help.

Regards

Chris