News & Views

CHARDSTOCK

Save village shop and post office

Over eighty residents attended an information surgery in Chardstock Community Hall in February trying to save its shop and post office. The community needs to raise nearly a quarter of a million pounds over a period of just two months which ends shortly. Over £40,000 was raised on the day with more promised over the following days. “We still have a long way to go,” said one committee member, “If we don’t manage to raise the remaining £70,000 by our deadline, the community will still lose its most essential amenity - the beating heart of our village.” To help contact: Paul Spearing 01460 221024 Rob Wheeler 01460 220115.

MARSHWOOD VALE

Landlord’s ‘terrifying’ journey

The landlord of the Shave Cross pub in the Marshwood Vale found himself helping ferry people across the border from Ukraine to Poland after delivering aid for refugees last month. After dropping supplies in Poland, Tom Littledyke, who also runs the Shave Cross cellar in Lyme Regis, used his 16-seater bus to collect people from the train station in Lviv in western Ukraine and bring them to the Polish border. He described the drive over the border as ‘terrifying’. A Just Giving page has been set up to raise money to help refugees at: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ thomas-littledyke. Tom is continuing to organise and help deliver aid to refugees from the conflict.

SHERBORNE

Popular garden reopens

Paddock Garden in Sherborne has reopened after a refurbishment that included the use of unique and environmentally sustainable materials in it’s paths and maze. Made from a resin bound solution which uses a mix of stone and aggregates and recycled waste plastic (in this case the equivalent of 2,364,000 plastic straws), the solution is called Recycle Bound and was innovated by and is exclusive to Oltco, a company founded in Cornwall. It is said to be a world first and comes with a 20 year guarantee.

UPLYME

Lighting the colours of Ukraine

St Peter and St Paul Church, in Uplyme, part of the Axe Valley Mission Community, has lit up its building in solidarity with Ukraine. Every night the tower can be seen in blue with the rest of the building in yellow. Team Vicar Rev Nicky Davies says: “As the church is on a hill, it makes a great statement that we stand in solidarity with the Ukranian people at this horrendous time. In our prayers we pray for both Russians and Ukraines and for an end to this horrific invasion.”

BRIDPORT

Huge response to appeals

Volunteer groups throughout the South West have reported a huge response to appeals for donations for Ukrainian refugees. Many groups are now asking for donations to be more specific to help target essential needs. Claire Nuttall from the St Michael’s Trading Estate group in Bridport says items needed include: Non-perishable foodstuffs; personal hygiene products; kitchen cleaning products and essential medicines. They also need sleeping bags, blankets and towels as well as telephone charging cables type-c. For children they need various educational toys, wet wipes and diapers. Donations can be handed in at St Michael’s Trading Estate behind the Euronics Burwood electrical building.