Local Events Diary

02 Kingcombe Centre Day Course - Where Do Insects go in winter? Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum, Tutor Bryan Pinchin. Cost £50 - £55, Inc. coffee, lunch and afternoon tea and cake. Please book on 01300 320684 or www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

03 Flog It The Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, 9.30am - 4.30pm. The popular BBC2 antiques show presented by Paul Martin comes to Dorchester. Admission free. Sorry no trade. www.bbc.co.uk/lifestyle

04 The Garden Centre Year Stratton Village Hall, 7.30pm. Stratton and District Home and Garden Club - speaker from Castle Gardens, Sherborne. Members and non-members all welcome.

04-06 Milborne Players present Dick Whittington Milborne St. Andrew Village Hall, 7.30pm nightly plus Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. 01258 837453 www.milborneplayers.org.uk

05 DWT lecture: 'Corsica-Mountains in the Mediterranean' Friends' Meeting House, South Street, Bridport, 7.30pm.
An illustrated talk by Mike Read, Wildlife Photographer. 01305 264 620 mail@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

05 Snowdrops at Kingston Lacy Kingston Lacy, Nr Wimborne, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from February 5th onwards 10.30am - 4pm. 01202 883402 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kingstonlacy

05 Town Band Concert Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne. Concert features the Sherborne Town Band, Sherborne Youth Band and the Aveley and Newham Band. www.sherbornetownband.co.uk

05-06 Dorchester Beer Festival - Beerex 2010 Corn Exchange, Dorchester. Friday and Saturday lunch and evening sessions.. No music at the lunch sessions. Treefellas Fri pm and Who's Afear'd Sat. pm.Tickets £3 - £5 depending on session - from The Blue Raddle, Tom Brown's, Dorchester TIC 01305 267992 or The Boot in Weymouth. www.dorchesterroundtable.co.uk

06 National Trust Talk - "City of London" by Michael Kerr Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne, 2.30pm. Tel. 01747 838810

06 Mah - Jong Workshop St John Ambulance, Bridport Road, Poundbury, 10am - 3.30pm. A fun and informal day with tuition suitable for beginners & improvers. Tickets £14 inc. refreshments & ploughman's lunch. 01305 751167

06 Publik Transport presents 20,000 Leagues Under the Office Martinstown Village Hall, Martinstown, 7.30pm. 01305 889059 www.artsreach.co.uk

06 Dorchester and Weymouth Greenpeace Riverside walk in front of the allotments, Dorchester. The planting of an apple tree twinned with one at Heathrow on the site of the proposed third runway. www.airplot.org.uk dorchestergreenpeace@yahoo.co.uk

06 Snowdrop Service of Remembrance St. George's Church, Dorchester, 2pm. 01305 767527 Please see
www.weld-hospice.org.uk for details of more snowdrop services around the county.

06 Illustrated Talk - The Living Story Burraton House Conference Centre, Burraton Square, Poundbury, Dorchester, 10.30am - 1pm. Realism and neo-realism in cinema and TR. Tickets £6.50 from Words Etc, Cornhill, Dorchester. 01305 263536

06-07 Kingcombe Centre Residential Course - Practical Hedge Laying Weekend Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum,
Run by The Dorset Wildlife Trust. See Website for details and prices. 01300 320684 www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

07 Ramblers Walk: Bridport to Burton Bradstock Meet West Street Car Park, Bridport, 10am. A 12 mile walk organised by Somerset Ramblers . Please contact the organiser to confirm details. All welcome. 01935 826089 www.somersetramblers.co.uk

07 20,000 Leagues UnderThe Office Halstock Village Hall, north of Beaminster. 7.30pm. 01935 83347 www.artsreach.co.uk

07 Muddy Wellies Volunteer Day Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum, 10.30am - 4pm. First Sunday of the month from January 2010. More details on the website. 01300 320684 www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

08 Philip Scriven - Celebrity Organ Recital St Michael's Church, Lyme Regis, 7.30pm. Celebrating the new Skrabl Organ, the first of a series of concerts. First recital free with retiring collection but tickets required, from Lyme Regis TIC 01297 442138

08 Kingcombe Centre Day Course - Garden Structures in Willow Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum. Tutor Norah Kennedy. Cost £50 - £55. Inc. coffee, lunch and afternoon tea and cake. Please book on 01300 320684 www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

09 Snowdrop Service of Remembrance Bridport United Church, East St, Bridport 11am. Organised by Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. 01305 767527 www.weld-hospice.org.uk

09 Transition McFilm Night screening ' McLibel ' Dorset County Museum, High West Street, Dorchester, 7.30pm - 10pm. Film screening followed by an open discussion.. 01305 262735 http://transitiontowndorchester.org/food.html

10 Oliver Everett Lecture on Treasures of the Royal Collection Bridport Arts centre, South St, Bridport, 2.30pm. Lecture by the West Dorset Decorative & Fine Arts Society looking at 50 of the finest items that make up the Royal Collection. 01308 897209

10 Local Lunch and Knit & Stitch Monkton Wyld Court, Nr Charmouth - arrive at 12.30 for an informal tour of house and grounds, and enjoy a delicious organic lunch for only £6. Knit & Stitch is from 1:30 to 4pm in the Piano Room, refreshments available. Note the Knit & Stitch group also takes place on 24th Feb. 01297 560342 www.monktonwyldcourt.co.uk

10 & 24 Wednesday Winter Work Party Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, 10am-3pm. Practical volunteering work to help restore the habitats important for local wildlife. Tools, gloves and drinks supplied. 01305 816 546 mail@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

11 Braga Tanga Wooton Fitzpaine Village Hall, 7.30pm. BragaTanga presents an exotic mix of world folk music, Eastern European gypsy tunes and mesmerising melodies from near and distant lands. 01297 560948 www.artsreach.co.uk

11 Diabetes UK West Dorset Support Group Dorchester Community Hall, Acland Road, Dorchester, 7pm. AGM and cheque presentation followed by an expert panel question and answer session.

11-14 Jurassic Coast - A Complete Petroleum System Victoria, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis . First of a series of Natural Science Field Study Courses, residential & day places. www.field-studies-council.org/2010/walkingaaaaandgeology/jurassiccoast.aspx

12 Another Comedy Night by Stand Up Dorchester Corn Exchange, Dorchester, 8.30pm. Geoff Whiting, Liam Mullone and Sarah Pearce. Compere Craig Murray. Tickets £7.50. All profits to Dorset People First Friendship Club. Licensed bar. Cabaret style seating around tables. Dorchester T C 01305 267992 or 0751 643 1657 Email - standupdorchester@live.co.uk

12-14 Kingcombe Centre Residential Course - Identifying trees and shrubs in winter Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum, Tutor John Bebbington. See Website for details and prices. 01300 320684 www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

13 William Morris - Illustrated talk Church Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne, 10.30am. Illustrated talk on the life and work of this true Victorian by Michael Parry. Tickets £10 - proceeds to St Michael's Church in Blackford. 01963 441005 chrisakroyd@talktalk.net

13 West Dorset Group, The Somerset and Dorset Family History Society Loders Village Hall, near Bridport, 2-4.30pm Various talks by Jane Ferentzi-Sheppard's Family History History Students. 01935 812347

13 Valentine Barn Dance Askerswell Village Hall, nr Bridport

13 Dorchester Bowls Club Open Day Sandringham Sports Centre, Armada Way, Dorchester, 10am - 4pm. Please bring thick socks - bowls provided - all ages welcome. First lesson free. 01305 260817

14 Classic Car Meeting Salwayash Village Hall, near Bridport. Winter charity classic car meeting with soup and a roll and drinks from 12pm until 3pm. £3.50 per person. Richard on 01308 488241 www.cancerresearchuk.org

14-19 Love Nature Family Week Monkton Wyld Court, Nr Charmouth Children will enjoy gathering floral treasure, making and decorating fossil casts, fashioning clay seed bombs of wildflowers and herbs, meeting the bats and other creatures of Monkton, planting seedlings in their own mini-greenhouses and much more . 01297 560342 www.monktonwyldcourt.co.uk

14-19 Circus Skills at Lulworth Castle Lulworth Castle, Nr. Wareham, 10.30am - 4pm. Learn circus skills with Fiery Jack - lots of activities come rain or shine! Normal admission charges apply. Under 4s free. 0845 4501054 www.lulworth.com

15 Annual Soup & Ploughman's Lunch The Alexandra Hotel, Lyme Regis, 12pm-2pm. A Rotary International Project in aid of 'Polio Plus'. Cost £7.00

16 The Selfish Giant Thorncombe Village Hall, 4.30pm. 01460 30247 www.artsreach.co.uk

17 DWT lecture: 'Bees in Crisis?' Memorial Church Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne, 7.30pm. An illustrated talk by Ian and Ruth Homer. 01305 264 620 mail@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

17 Caterpillar Kids: 'Tracks and Signs' Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, 10.30am - 12.30pm. A family event exploring tracks and finding out what animals made them. £1.50/child. No unaccompanied children. Activities for younger children also.
01305 816 546 mail@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

17 Goldilocks Powerstock Hut (Village Hall), 4pm. Hand to Mouth Theatre present an original adaptation of this well-loved tale. 01308 485205 www.artsreach.co.uk

18 Young Peoples Conservation Task Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, 10.30am-3pm. Practical volunteering work for 12-16 yr olds. Tools, gloves & drinks supplied. 01305 816546 mail@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

18 Euro Travel Evening Catholic Church Hall, Westbury, Sherborne, 7.30pm. An illustrated talk on Prienai & Lithuania by Michael Peart. Entry £5 inc. glass of wine and snacks 01935 812779 kevin.waterfall@btinternet.com

19 Bridport & West Dorset Music Club Concert - Marylebone Trio Sir John Colfox School, Ridgeway, Bridport, 7.45pm.
Single tickets £12, membership £45. 01308 424673

19 Caterpillar Kids: 'Nesting Birds' Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, 10.30am - 12.30pm. A family event looking at why birds build nests and what they make them from. £1.50/child. No unaccompanied children. 10.30am-12.30pm. Activities for younger children also. 01305 816 546 mail@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

19-21 Today and Yesterday Whitchurch Canonicorum Village Hall, Nr Bridport, 10am - 5pm. Exhibition of life, work and history in the Char Valley. Entry £2 children under 16 free.

19-21 Kingcombe Centre Residential Course - Renaissance Music for singers and instruments. Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum. Tutor Nancy Haddon. See Website for details and prices. 01300 320684 www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

20 Market at Broadmayne St. Martin's Community Hall, Broadmayne, 10am - 12 noon. Produce, cakes, plants, craft, fair-trade goods, local sausages, children's books, library etc 01305 852886

20 Lorton Meadows Open Day Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, 10am-4pm. 01305 816 546 mail@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

20 Moulid Corn Exchange, Dorchester, doors open 7pm. A modern Egyptian Dance Show inspired by a traditional festival. Raising money for Break Through Breast Cancer. Tickets £10 from Dorchester T I C or 01305 813179. www.raqssharqidorset.co.uk

20 Vinyl Saturday Various venues around Bridport. Now a popular quarterly event, Vinyl Saturday brings many hundreds of record collectors to Bridport - records for sale in many local shops, stalls etc. 0788 239 2508 www.vinylsaturday.co.uk

21 Ramblers Walk: Powerstock to Loscombe Meet Powerstock Common Car park GR 547974, 10.30am. A 12 mile walk organised by Somerset Ramblers. Please contact the organiser to confirm details. 01935 862229 www.somersetramblers.co.uk

21 Bridgend Male Voice Choir St Michael's Church, Lyme Regis, 3pm. In aid of the organ appeal www.lymeregisorganappeal.com

22 "Managing The Cerne Giant" Bridport United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport, 2.30pm. Illustrated talk by Rob Rhodes, Head Warden, National Trust West Dorset. Non - members welcome. 01308 863577

23 Women In Agriculture Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Road, Beaminster, 3.30pm. It all started with the Land Army - a talk by Elizabeth Gale. 01308 863577

23 Dorchester Wildlife Garden Work Party High East Street, Dorchester (behind All Saints Church opposite the Kings Arms Hotel) 10-12noon. Light gardening work 01305 264 620 jwallis@dorsetwildlife.co.uk

24 'Get all the Smells Ye May' - talk by John Willows for the Friends of Bridport Museum Bridport Town Hall, 2.30pm. John Willows (Curator of Wessex Water Authority Museum, Sutton Poyntz) gives a talk on how the water industry developed nationally and locally.

25 Ramblers Walk: Burton to West Bay Meet Burton Bradstock National Trust Car Park, 10.30am. A 5 mile walk organised by Somerset Ramblers. Please telephone organiser to confirm details. All welcome. 01935 881317 www.somersetramblers.co.uk

25 - 28 Geology of the Jurassic Coast Victoria, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis. Natural Science Field Study Course - residential and day places. www.field-studies-council.org/2010/walkingaaaaandgeology/jurassiccoast.aspx

26 Sherborne School for Girls Madrigal Society and Chamber Orchestra concert St Mary's Church, Beaminster, 7.30pm. Works by Purcell, Vivaldi, Faure and Britten. Tickets £6.00 from Church Office, Hogshill St Beaminster 01308 862320 or on door

26 Hats to be had! - Day workshop Highway Farm, West Road, Bridport, 10.30am - 4.30pm. A day workshop making Cloche and Trilby hats with tutor Fiona Neyland. With the help and guidance of Fiona add feather, buttons, bows, ribbon and create a unique hat that fits! 01308 424321 www.highwayfarm.co.uk

26 Quiz Night Church Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne, 7.30pm. Tickets £8 per person including fish & chip supper. Organised by the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital. Tickets from Marsh's in Cheap Street. 01935 814985 / 812961 thehomes@clara.co.uk

26-28 Perspective - A Philosophical weekend in West Dorset Various locations visited during the week Patrick Harpur and Jules Cashford will explore the purpose and meaning in life from the first century BC up to modern times. This weekend will be repeated on April 9th. 01300 320064 or email contact@mythicimagination.info www.mythicimagination.info

26-28 Introduction to Permaculture with George Sobol Monkton Wyld Court, Nr Charmouth. Permaculture is a practical design system for sustainable living . 01297 560342 www.monktonwyldcourt.co.uk

27 Purbeck Big Band Corn Exchange, Dorchester. Celebrate 40 years of the Purbeck Big Band. Guest vocalists Tanya Lonergan & Sam Merrick. Tickets £6.50 from Dorchester T I C All proceeds to Dorchester Scout Funds. 01305 267992/262158

27 Rag Rugs and more Arty Crafty - workshop with Tania Cash Highway Farm, West Road, Bridport, 10.30am - 4.30pm. £35 materials incl. option to buy hook. 01308 424321 www.highwayfarm.co.uk

28 Ramblers Walk: Burton to Uploders Meet Burton Bradstock Nat Trust Car Park, 10am. A 13 mile walk organised by the Somerset Ramblers . Please telephone organiser to confirm details. All welcome. 01935 88317 www.somersetramblers.co.uk

28 Rafting Down the Colorado River Bethany Chapel, Combe Street, Lyme Regis, 4pm. Audio visual presentation followed by traditional Sunday tea.

28 Kingcombe Centre Day Course - Fossil Hunting expedition Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum. Tutor Chris Pamplin. Cost £50 - £55. Includes coffee, lunch and afternoon tea and cake. Please book on 01300 320684 or www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

28 Kingcombe Centre Day Course - Archaeology talk and walk - Eggardon Hill. Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum.
Tutor Chris Tripp. Cost £50 - £55 inc. coffee, lunch and afternoon tea/cake. 01300 320684 www.kingcombecentre.org.uk

28 - 2/3 An Introduction to Fossil collecting Victoria, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis. Natural Science Field Study Course, residential and day places. www.field-studies-council.org/2010/walkingaaaaandgeology/jurassiccoast.aspx

Special Interest

The Dorset County Museum and the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society host a programme of events, including lectures, study days and concerts. Tel: 01305 262735. www.dorsetcountymuseum.org

Sherborne Science Café has a programme of presentations, talks and meetings and provides a forum to discuss all aspects of science. www.sherbornesciencecafe.co.uk

The Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum offers an engaging array of natural history, archaeology, craft and art courses throughout the year. www.kingcombe.org The Dorset Wildlife Trust runs a programme of walks, talks, workshops and other wildlife events. Tel: 01305 264620. www.dorsetwildlife.co.uk

There are many other special interest clubs, societies and groups across West Dorset -
for a full list see www.dorsetforyou.com or contact your local TIC.

Coming up next month...

March 6-7 & 13-14
March 27-28

Lambing Weekend at Kingston Maurward, nr Dorchester
Spring Bulbs & Daffodils, Sherborne Castle