REGULAR EVENTS
GILLINGHAM COUNTRY MARKET
Every Friday from 8.30am-11am at the Methodist Church Hall (next to Lloyds Bank), High Street Gillingham.
Gillingham Country Market offers a truly local shopping experience and a warm welcome. We sell genuinely home-produced foods, plants and crafts. Buy direct from our local producers. It is a place to meet friends for coffee, home-made cakes and biscuits.
COFFEE COMPANION HOURS
Platform One, Station Road, Mondays, 2-3pm
The Phoenix Inn, High Street, Mondays 3-5pm
The Buffalo Inn, Wyke, Tuesdays – Thursdays, 5.30pm – 6.30pm
The Café @ RiversMeet, Wednesdays, 11am – noon
The Wine Bar, Queen Street, Wednesdays 7.30pm-8.30pm
Orchard Park Garden Centre Café, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3pm-3pm
The Dolphin Inn, Peacemarsh, Fridays, 2pm-3pm.
GILLINGHAM FLOWER CLUB
First Tuesday of each month
Flower demonstration by a qualified demonstrator
Vicarage School Rooms (opp St Mary the Virgin church), 7.30pm
Visitors welcome. Contact Jan Preen on 01747 825 927
MINDFUL CAFE: SUPPORTING LOCAL PEOPLE WITH MEMORY PROBLEMS
Every other Tuesday, 10am – noon
This month: September 12 and September 26
St. Martin’s Grange, Gillingham, in the Circle Community Room
Admission and refreshments are free.
GILLINGHAM LADIES PROBUS CLUB
The second Thursday of each month at the Royal British Legion Hall, Gillingham.
Meetings start at 10.30am with coffee available from 10am
At the next meeting, on October 12,, the speaker will be John Smith and his subject is The Romans.
Further information from Janet Dann (01747 822256) or Carola Foster (01747 825424
RHYME TIME
Come along to clap, tap, wiggle and jiggle together – fun for you and your baby
Gillingham Library, every Monday 10.15am – 10.45am
CODE CLUB
Fun and creative computer programming for children 9-11 years old
Gillingham Library, every Tuesday 4pm-5pm (term-time)
GILLINGHAM YOUTH CLUB
Every Wednesday, term time, 7pm-9pm for Year 8 upwards
Every Thursday, term time, 6.30pm-8.30pm for Years 6& 7
Bones Youth Club, corner of Le Neubourg Way and Cemetery Road
CAR BOOT SALE
First Saturday of every month
The Mellowes, 9.30am – 12.30pm
QUIZ NIGHT
Every Thursday, 7.30pm
Dolphin Inn
SEPTEMBER 29
* GMS Lions coffee morning
The Grove Building, Mere, 10am-noon
* Carnival Concert – Last Night of the Proms with Gillingham Imperial Silver Band
Methodist Church hall, 7.30pm
Includes the crowning of the Carnival Princess and Attendants.
Adults £5; accompanied child, £2
* Talk: the history of Milton-on-Stour church talk
Church warden Sam Woodcock gives a presentation on The History of Milton-on-Stour Church within the village community,
7pm in Milton-on-Stour School Hall. Refreshments available. Free Entry.
SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 7
* Gillingham Carnival
Concert, treasure hunt and parades. See page 17 for full details.
SEPTEMBER 30
* Shaftesbury Carnival Day
3pm children’s procession from Coppice street
6.15pm band parade; 7pm illuminated parade
* Mere Autumn Fair & Family Fun Day
Mere Social Club, 11am
Bands, bbq, stall, cafe, kids’ activity room, raffle and tombola
In aid of Stars Appeal’s Little Lives Fund
* Macmillan Coffee Morning
The Community Church, Station Road Gillingham, 10am-2pm
As well as coffee, tea and soft drinks, there’s a surprise tombola, bric a brac, stalls selling handmade items and cake stalls for adults and children. The event is being opened by David Wathen.
OCTOBER 1
* Harvest Festival service conducted by Bishop Nicholas Holtam, Bishop of Salisbury
10.30am at St Michael’s Church, Mere, followed by a Harvest Lunch at noon at the Grove Building.
Tickets: adults £7; under 12s £4; available from Jenny 01747 821335 or Sandra 01747 861980
OCTOBER 3
* History talk– King Alfred
King Alfred expert Professor Barbara Yorke on this iconic figure and his importance to Shaftesbury. The talk launches Shaftesbury & District Historical Society’s autumn talks
Shaftesbury Town Hall, 7.30pm. Free to members; £5 for non-members
OCTOBER 7
* Gillingham Fun Palace
Gillingham Library becomes a hub of fun activities and experiments.
10am-4pm. See page 20 for more details
* Gillingham Walkers
Meet at 2pm at Peacemarsh Surgery carpark for a two hour (four mile) walk.
* History talk: Nathaniel Ireson of Wincanton, Architect, Master Builder and Potter by Peter Fitzgerald
Mere Historical Society talk about Nathaniel Ireson who rebuilt much of the centre of Wincanton following a fire in 1707.
30pm, Grove Building, Mere. £3 entry for non-members who are very welcome
OCTOBER 9 -15
* Mere Literary Festival
This year’s festival offers books and authors of local interest, readings, history and gardens, the community lunch, film, a children’s event, poetry and poets, and the award ceremony for this year’s competition. More details here. www.merelitfest.co.uk
OCTOBER 10
* Talk: ‘Popham- a 16th century lawyer who made good’ by James Bradnoch
Mere Historical Society (part of the Mere Literary Festival)
10.15am for 10.30am, Grove Building. A collection will be atken.
OCTOBER 11
* Gillingham Action for Nature Group (GANG) – Traveller’s Tales talk
A talk by Bob Messer, with tea, coffee and cake
Shreen Room at RiversMeet, 3pm-4.30m. Recommended donation: £4
* Gardening talk: Not Just Gertrude Jekyll
Christine Stones talks about Gertrude Jekyll and other women gardeners in the history of gardening
Mere Gardening Club in association with Mere Literary Festival. Donations towards Mere Literary Festival (Link Scheme)
7.30pm, Grove Buildings, Mere
OCTOBER 11-14
* Stage performance of Osar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest
Bursting with music and deliciously barbed comment, explore a world inspired by one of Wilde’s contemporaries, Aubrey Beardsley. Music is provided by the Spoonfed Barbershop singers and David Grierson. The Palm Court Orchestra will playing music of the era during the interval.
Each night at 7.30pm at the Shaftesbury Arts Centre; book online, by phone or at the Box Office. Tel 01747 854321; www.shaftesbury artscentre.org.uk
OCTOBER 12
* Gillingham Ladies Probus Club meeting with speaker John Smith on The Romans.
Royal British Legion Hall, Gillingham, 10.30am with coffee available from 10am
OCTOBER 13
* 80s/90s Party Night
At the Olive Bowl in aid of the Mayor’s charity, the North Dorset branch of the MS Society
Doors open from 8pm; DJ and host from 9pm-1am; bar open with nibbles on tables
Silent auction and grand prize raffle.
Tickets £7 per person in advance; £9 on the door. Buy at Gillingham Town Council, Allum & Sidaway and The Original Factory Shop, or at theolivebowl.co.uk
* Screen Bites Food & Film Festival
The first of 13 events, in this comedy theatre performance Kate McNab (Ministry of Entertainment performances) and John Telfer (Rev Alan Franks in The Archers) turn the clocks back to the days of the first ever TV celebrity chef, Fanny Cradock, and her ‘husband’ Johnnie, also known as Bon Viveur. Kate and John will demonstrate food a la Fanny in between courses devised by the chefs of Orchard Park.
Only 113 tickets are available, and must be booked in advance. Contact Orchard Park on 01747 835544; www.orchardpark.biz
OCTOBER 14
* Spring bulb planting
Meet at 10am at Gyllas Green, Peacemarsh (by Downsview Drive/Thurstin Way)
Please bring a spade/bulb planter and gloves
* Barn Dance
Barn dance led by Sam Skey and his Merry Band!
Motcombe Memorial Hall 30pm. Doors open 7pm.
Bar open throughout. Tickets £12 (includes a Ploughman’s served in the interval) from Motcombe Community Shop.
* Reading of the children’s story Hairy Maclary, a treasure hunt and lots more fun
Gillingham Library, 11am
OCTOBER 14 – 15
* Help for Heroes Tesco collection
Help for Heroes has been invited to hold fundraising collections in Tesco stores throughout the country to mark the charity’s tenth birthday. The collection will be held during the weekend of October 14/15, and the charity is calling on the people of Gillingham and Shaftsbury and surrounds to take part in the special one-off event, either as a volunteer team leader or a collection volunteer, from a couple of hours to a whole weekend. For more information, call Help for Heroes on 01980 846459, or email campaigns@helpforheroes.org.uk, or visit collectforheroes.org.uk
OCTOBER 20
At 7.30pm on Friday 20th October, Music at GMC at Gillingham Methodist Church will be bringing their 14th series of Summer Organ Recitals to an exciting conclusion. Professor Ian Tracey (Organist Titulaire at Liverpool Cathedral and Organist to the City of Liverpool) will be returning to the church to star in a spectacular concert entitled ‘Sound the Trumpets!’ Ian is no stranger to GMC and this will be his 13th visit! He will be accompanied by Crispian Steele-Perkins, one of the world’s best known trumpet soloists, renowned for the quality of his performances and his wide-ranging musical experience. Together with GMC’s famous trumpet stop they are sure to produce an amazing and unforgettable sound! Tickets are available from 07817 379006 or online at www.wegottickets.com/event/386096
OCTOBER 21
* Swimathon – organised by Rotary Club of Gillingham and North Dorset Swimming Club
It begins at 11am. To be opened by Simon Hoare MP; sponsors include Farnfields solicitors.
Entries (no fee) are invited from teams of six swimmers of any age from schools/swimming & sports clubs/ scouts, guides. Familes, youth & social clubs. For entrey and sponsorship forms contact swimathonndt@gmail.com
OCTOBER 26-27
* RNLI MICHAELMAS FAIR
Stalls plus a children’s entertainment room, circus skills, family cinema, Dorset Button workshops, live music, RNLI heritage exhibition and RNLI talk on the part lifeboats took in the 1940 evacuation of Dunkirk.
Port Regis school, Motcombe Park; Thursday 12pm-7pm and Friday 10am-4pm. Entrance £5 and children under 15 are free.
OCTOBER 27
* Pumpkin carving workshop
Choose from a selection of fun designs to carve into a pumpkin that you can take home with you. Hollowed pumpkins supplied along with carving tools and refreshments.
Orchard Park, 10.30am- 11.30am & 12.30pm- 1.30pm. Tickets are £7 per child and must be pre-booked on 01747 835544; www.orchardpark.biz
OCTOBER 28
* Gillingham Community Cinema shows ‘Their Finest’
Film starring Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy.
Gillingham Methodist Church Hall, High St, 7pm
Tickets from 07817 379006
* Halloween Party
Disco, raffle, tombola, best fancy dress costume competition, games, freaky food
Bones Youth Club, 5pm-8pm. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Free entry.
NOVEMBER 3
* Gillingham Action for Nature Group (GANG) Grand Supper Quiz
Teams of six; 7.30pm start (doors open at 7pm)
At the Olive Bowl. Tickets cost £10 including lasagne supper. Quiz Master Bob Messer
Bar, raffle, small prizes
Tickets from Scenes or from Sheila, tel 01747 821 269
* ‘The Earth is the Lord’s weekend’ – Harvest Festival celebration from the Gillingham Baptist Church
The weekend begins with a presentation in the Baptist Church Hall at 7.30pm by Dominic Statham of Creation Ministries International. The title of the presention is ‘Overwhelmed’ – The Rocks & Fossils confirm the Bible. All are welcome and admission is free.
NOVEMBER 15
* History talk: The Search for the Durotriges
Gillingham Local History Society’s illustrated talk by Martin Papworth
7.30pm, Gillingham Methodist Church, High Street.
Members free. Visitors welcome; £3 donations requested.
In support of Gillingham Museum.
NOVEMBER 18
* Gillingham Town Twinning Association Dinner/Dance to celebrate 40 years of Twinning friendship between Gillingham and Le Neubourg
The Olive Bowl, 6.45pm. Tickets £30
Further details from Muriel Shean 01747 821604 or email cliff@hotmail.com
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