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TOLPUDDLE AND SOUTHOVER NEWS 2026

2026

July 2026
Village Hall Update:

The upgrading of heating and lighting in the village hall has at last been completed. A few teething problems, including tripping of the new ceiling lights in the main hall, have been resolved (apologies again to any users affected by these problems). The new systems will particularly come into their own in the winter, with more responsive heating and configurable lighting.

It is hoped to carry out redecoration of the lower walls inside the Hall during August when there is less Hall use. If anyone wants to help, please get in touch with Peter Walton or Jonathan Van Baars.

Meanwhile, a regular Saturday morning community café (9.30 -11.30/12:00 noon) has been established to provide an opportunity for local people and visitors alike to get together and have teas, coffee and a cake or two. As part of this we are also planning to have Bacon/Sausage Butties on the occasional Saturday, the first one will be on 4 July. The plan is to augment this periodically with produce and artisans’ markets. Already, each Saturday, a local baker delivers pre-ordered bread etc.

Dogs in the Hall Unless specifically excluded by the nature of the event, well-behaved dogs are welcome in the Hall provided they are kept on a short lead and under control. On no account are dogs to be taken into the kitchen. Owners are responsible for their dogs at all times while they are on the Hall premises, including cleaning up any mess they cause, whether inside the Hall or in the garden.

We are also looking at having a community summer party at the Hall, hopefully making use of the garden, towards the end of August. Watch out for details in due course.

JULY 2026
News from the Parish Council from Parish Councillor Robert Patterson

Firstly, a big thank you to all the people who responded to our request for feedback on outline plans to introduce speed restrictions between Tolpuddle and Burleston. We received a number of detailed and helpful comments which have been useful for our future deliberations with Dorset Council

Parish Council Grants The Council can offer modest grants to charitable and voluntary groups within the Parish. Normally these grants are more usually used for one off capital projects with a clear community benefit rather than on going revenue support. For example, this year we are making a £4000 contribution to the village hall towards new heating and lighting. Applications for such grants (over £250) for 2027 need to be made to us by 1st October so we can consider them before we set our budget. We can receive applications for grants under £250 at any time. For an application form which provides more details and eligibility criteria please either contact clerk@puddletownareaparishcouncil.gov.uk or you can download a copy of the policy and grant application form from our website. www.puddletownareaparishcouncil.gov.uk then click on Forms (Grant Application and Bookings)

Parish Council Precept You will have seen from your Council Tax bills that the element for the Parish Council has been increased by 6.5% for this year. In percentage terms that sounds a lot but a reminder for the average property in the Parish our element amounts to £1.65 a week and the increase is about 10p a week!. The reason for the increase is that it will help ensure the Parish Council can continue to maintain and care for parish facilities and community spaces, support local projects and grants, and meet rising day-to-day costs. It also helps ensure the Council is in a position to respond to issues affecting the Parish as they arise, whilst continuing to plan responsibly for the future.

You are no doubt aware as part of the Governments new housebuilding policy, targets for new homes have been imposed on Dorset Council which in turn may have implications on our Parish. Dorset Council is currently objecting to the increased figures. However, the Parish Council believes it is important to be prepared and able to represent residents’ views on any future development proposals affecting our area.

Puddletown Area Parish Council has a Neighbourhood Plan, which gives the Parish greater influence in planning matters and in the consideration of planning applications within our area. The Plan is now due for review and updating and, without this work being undertaken, the Parish risks losing some of the influence and weight it currently has when responding to future development proposals. Ensuring the Council has the resources to undertake this work is therefore another important factor in this year’s precept increase .

Contacts:
clerk@puddletownareaparishcouncil.gov.uk
www.puddletownareaparishcouncil.gov.uk

JULY 2026
Update from Wessex Internet:

Ultrafast Internet is coming to Tolpuddle If you are fed up with a poor internet connection, then we’ve got some good news for you. Wessex Internet is bringing full fibre broadband direct to homes and businesses in parts of Tolpuddle and surrounding areas in 2027. Connectivity to fast, reliable broadband is being made possible due to the government-funded Project Gigabit contract. This five year project aims to provide lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities across Dorset and South Somerset.

Wessex Internet has been at the forefront of bringing full fibre broadband to rural and underserved communities in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset. Properties will benefit from full fibre connections, which is also known as Fibre to the Premise (FTTP). This means a fibre optic cable goes all the way to a home or business directly from the provider’s network, rather than stopping at a cabinet down the road, which is known as Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC). Full fibre delivers far superior speeds and reliability compared to copper or partial fibre networks.

If you haven’t heard of Wessex Internet, they are an independent Dorset-based internet provider, who have built their own future-proofed fibre network and who specialise in bringing ultrafast broadband to rural areas. We have over 17,500 customers and provide a local friendly, human support from their HQ in Blandford.

We encourage anyone who hasn’t yet registered their interest, to do so now. It will only take a few minutes to enter your details online or to give Wessex Internet a call, a member of the sales team will talk through the options available. To register your interest please visit www.wessexinternet.com call 0333 240 7997 or email your details to vicky.missen@wessexinternet.com

June 2026
The Community Cafe and Burnt Squash Cookhouse

Delighted that a Community Cafe is now running on a Saturday morning from 10am til 12 noon in the Village Hall....... when the Hall is available (see Facebook and also the events list on this website for the dates it is open).

In conjunction with the community cafe, The Burnt Squash Cookhouse, Kitchen and Bakery is taking orders (by 6pm on a Wednesday) for collection at the Cafe in the Village Hall on the following Saturday morning. If the cafe is not running on that Saturday arrangements will be made for collection in the Village. Any orders must be placed via text message to 07834 519742 with your full name and clear quantities of each item required. A payment link will be sent in reply.

June 2026
In Post Lockers at the Martyrs Inn Car Park

You will have noticed, we are sure, the new InPost Lockers in the car park of the Martyrs Inn. These are now fully operational and provide what will be an invaluable asset to the village.

Full information about how to use the lockers can be found by visiting: www.inpost.co.uk/lockers

May 2026
Church of St John the Evangelist, Tolpuddle

The church of St John the Evangelist is a beautiful historic building with a long-standing connection to the village. However, we know and understand that for some people, the work of the church is not something they want to be involved in. But the church belongs to the whole community, an integral part of the village as it has been for hundreds of years. Going forward, might it be used in the same way the village hall and the old chapel currently are? It is already open every day for people who want a quiet space to sit in, reflect, pray, read or just have some time out - a valuable resource for our mental health.

Over the next few months we will try to share what is happening in our church affairs so that, hopefully everyone in the village can feel a connection.

The Reverend Canon Sarah Hillman will be known to most of you. She works hard around the four villages that form our benefice, running our church services, conducting weddings, baptisms and funerals, supporting the two schools as well as acting as Rural Dean. Her role in Tolpuddle is not just about church life, she is also available to the whole community for pastoral care.

My name is Jayne Brayshaw and I am the churchwarden responsible for taking care of the church currently. I live in Athelhampton, so I may not be familiar to all of you. There is also a small team of people working with me on the PCC - Parochial Church Council - who do all live in the village, so may be more recognisable to you, Heather Saunders, Julie Batchelor, Ian Bishop and Morten Vilhelmsen.

Please get in touch if you want to ask anything of us - 07739100181 or jayne.brayshaw9@yahoo.com

Services at St John's in May and June 2026

May 3rd - Parish Communion 9:30am (traditional communion service)

May 10th - Evening Reflection 5:30pm (a quiet service of readings, poetry and music)

May 17th - Parish Communion 9:30am

May 24th - Go Fourth 10:00am (a lively, family orientated service)

May 31st - Benefice Service at Warren Hill Farm, Puddletown 11:00am, followed by Bring-&-Share lunch

June 7th - Parish Communion 9:30am

June 14th - Evening Reflection 5:30pm

June 21st - Parish Communion 9:30am

June 28th - Go Fourth 10:00am

See also our Church pages on this website: St John the Evangelist

May 2026

Tolpuddle Village Hall

Tolpuddle Village Hall's Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 26 May at 6.30pm at the Village Hall. The annual report and accounts will be presented and there will be an opportunity to put questions to the Trustees.

During April, the heating and lighting in the Hall were upgraded with a generous contribution to costs from the Parish Council. New wall heaters, controlled by thermostats and a people detection system, will rapidly heat the Hall when necessary and when it is occupied. This will mean much better temperatures in winter months. New LED lighting will be brighter and more configurable to suit events taking place. Overall, the changes should also help keep a check on electricity usage which is a big expense for the Hall. There have been a few teething issues with the heaters which are in the course of being fixed.

The first draw for the Hall’s 100 Club (monthly lottery) took place as usual in the Martyrs Inn on the last Friday of April. There are still unsold tickets (available from Jonathan Van Baars or Andy Turner) with prizes each month of £20 (£50 in November), £10 and £5 and the surplus goes to help with the running costs of the Hall, so it’s a worthwhile cause.

May 2026
News from the Parish Council from Parish Councillor Robert Patterson

We thought we would provide you with regular updates on the work of the Parish Council and how you can help us. This month a look at roads and highways.

Reporting Highways Incidents We are looking at potential road improvements particularly on the Dorchester Road between Tolpuddle and Puddletown. This comes under Dorset Council. One issue we have is that there is an absence of reported incidents and data on roads in the Parish. We particularly believe there is an under reporting of ‘near miss’ road accidents and we would urge residents to use the Dorset Council website (www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk) to report highway incidents under the Roads Highways and Maintenance section of their website and particularly the ‘Road Safety’ option.

Speed Restrictions We are currently investigating the option of extending the 40 mph speed limit back from Burleston to Tolpuddle. This is in response to road safety – particularly for walkers and joggers who use the Dorchester Road. Before we approach Dorset Council we need to survey speeds on this road and would like to undertake a preliminary straw poll of residents as to what you think of this idea. As such could you let us know what you think of this proposal. Contact us at: clerk@puddletownareaparish council.gov.uk

Bus Shelter You may be aware we had plans to erect a new shelter to the east of the village. Unfortunately, the estimates for the design came in at £35,000. As such we have put this on hold and are looking for other options.

2026
The Martyrs Inn
Thrilled to announce the Martyrs Inn are now in The Good Beer Guide 2026

March 2026

Looking for Community Speed Watch Volunteers
Puddletown and Area Parish Council

February 2026

Tolpuddle Village Hall
The Village Hall Committee recently welcomed a new Trustee, Anna, to the team and we are looking forward to working with Anna who brings a wealth of event experience and new ideas to fund raise for the hall as well as events for village residents to enjoy.

As a result, we have started planning events for the next few months.

The first will be the return of the Quiz & Chips evening which has always been a Tolpuddle favourite. The first one will be held on Saturday, 18 April with doors open at 6:30 pm and the quiz starting at 7:00 pm. Pre-ordered Fish & Chips (or similar) will be provided at about 8:00 pm. Watch out for posters, Facebook posts and of course this Website about how to book………….

We are also planning a Farmers’ Market in the Hall in the early summer hopefully, again watch this Website for details and also the newsletter once dates are known.

We are pleased the Parish Council has generously provided a grant towards an upgrade to the hall heating as well as improved lighting.

The parish council is kindly contributing towards the cost of improved heating and lighting. Work on this is planned to be undertaken during the school Easter holidays 2026 when regular users tend to take a break. With thanks to the Parish Council for its contribution.

We also hope to carry out some redecoration at lower levels during the coming months when it can be arranged. We will be needing to get a working party together to do this and are therefore looking for volunteers……. if interested contact: Jonathan Van Baars 07887 657256.

Puddletown Area Parish Council
Robert Patterson has now been co-opted onto the Council to represent Burleston and Tolpuddle. Robert Patterson has lived in the village for over 2 years and is a retired local government and charity finance professional and is Treasurer / Trustee of the Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust.

St John's Church
Easter Services
29 March Passion Sunday - 10am
22 March Go Fourth Service, 10am St John's
Palm Sunday - 11am United Benefice Communion at Dewlish Church followed by a bring-and-share lunch.
3 April Good Friday - 10am - a solemn service, the church is stripped of decoration to mark the sadness of the day.
5 April Easter Sunday - 9.30am - a Holy Communion service of joyous celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.

January 2026

Christmas Market and Light Up 2025
Thank you to all that supported the Christmas Light Up and Market last year, it was lovely to see more houses taking part. So many people have said how they enjoyed walking through the village seeing the lights during December. The Christmas Market raised £700 and after expenses we had £460 to buy gifts for children in need in our DT post code. These included toiletries, stationery, underwear, chocolate and cinema tickets. Thank you to you all that supported the afternoon market and to the people that helped leading up to and on the day.

Tolpuddle Old Chapel
Tolpuddle Old Chapel launches its Sunday sessions in February followed by four more over the coming months. The idea behind the sessions is to offer alternative music and drama in a small and atmospheric location for which the Old Chapel is ideal. Go to the Events Listings Page to keep up to date with what's coming and how to book......

Puddletown Area Parish Council
Sue Oakley has now been co-opted onto the Council to represent Burleston and Tolpuddle.
The Parish Action Plan remains scheduled for release in May 2026 setting future priorities. Draft currently under review.

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