Around the Village

There’s plenty to do around the village, from clubs and groups, regular and one-off events to Keep Fit and Pilates classes and scheduled walks. Whatever your interest, you are almost certain to find activities or groups to suit. We have a fine Village Hall, a well-stocked village shop (The Old Chapel Stores), The Gaggle of Geese pub, Primary School, Pre-school and Toddler group and an historic parish church. Use the buttons below to find out about other activities and facilities in and around the village:

General Information

Buckland Newton’s Holy Rood Church at risk?

Major problems have been identified in the structure of the church roof. Please see the item on the Holy Rood Church page.

Rural Family Hub

There are plans to set up a Rural Family Hub in the Village Hall. For more information, click here or on ‘Rural Family Hub’ in the menu at left.

Severe Winter Weather Preparation and Response

Dorset Council have issued a document describing Council and Parish Council response to severe winter weather.

Environment Agency Advice in case of Flooding

The Environment Agency have issued updated advice on What to do in case of flooding.

Switch off of analogue telephone lines

People may have seen a small amount of information about the intention by Openreach to change all landlines to digital by 2025. There is no national publicity about this changeover, but it will have quite a big effect for some people. Please click for more information about this changeover from Councillor Jill Haynes.

Other Local Websites and Publications

Buckland Newton Community Facebook Page

• share & promote positive news relating to our village & its

surroundings.

• support our thriving local groups, societies, committees &

businesses.

• buy, sell, swap pre-loved possessions.

• enable the village community to advertise their skills, to promote

their events, ask for trader recommendations or get advice on a local issue.

Anyone can join the community page, and once you do you can post your

event or views. A team of moderators oversees the site and makes sure

that all those posting respect the rules of the community page. At present

your moderators are Amanda McKenna, Keith Darbyshire and Simon

Colquhoun.

Buckland Newton Parish Council Website

Lydden Vale News

The local printed Newsletter, the Lydden Vale News, is delivered free to

every household in the village. Editorial: lyddenvalley@gmail.com

Advertising: lyddenvaleadverts@gmail.com

NEW… The on-line version of the Lydden Vale News (December 2024) is now in ‘Flip Book’ format, showing two pages side-by-side. To move through the on-line magazine either swipe from left to right to turn the page, or use the left and right arrow keys (  and  or Page Up/Page Down ) if you have a keyboard. The downloadable version, if you wish to print the magazine, is still available - Click Lydden Vale News (pdf file) There is also a rolling 12-month Lydden Vale News Archive, so that you can refer back to earlier issues.

Food and Drink

Old Chapel Stores

Sue, Pete and their family welcome you to their village shop. Opening

Hours: Monday to Saturday 7.00 am to 6.00 pm, Sunday 8.00 am to 12.00

noon. Meats from Butchers Roger Else (Stalbridge). Plus all sorts of

tempting bakery goodies from Evershot Bakery as well. Plus: Hardware

Department upstairs. Pop along for more information on what is available

and support your local shop.

Christmas Opening Hours: Christmas Eve 7.00 am – 6.00 pm Christmas Day closed Boxing Day 8.00 am -12.00 pm Then normal hours New Years Eve 7.00 am – 6.00 pm New Years Day 8.00 am -12.00 pm then back to normal hours Meat orders from Else butcher Bread from Evershot bakery which will need to be in by Saturday 21st December

Gaggle of Geese

Simon and Sarah at the Gaggle of Geese (Winner - Best Pub Garden 2023) welcome bookings from those looking for a venue for special occasions - such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, children’s parties, fundraisers etc. Just get in touch for a chat about how we can help you celebrate at the Gaggle. How to contact The Gaggle: Aside from popping in to the pub, you can also reach us or leave a message on 01300 345249 or e-mail on hartandhops@gmail.com Latest news and details of events can be found on our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/gaggleofgeesepub/ - website at https://gaggleofgeese.co.uk/ . Opening Hours - We are closed on Mondays & Tuesdays for the winter months. This is to help with our work / life balance and family time! Open from 11.30am Wednesdays and then throughout the week. Christmas Opening Times: Monday 23rd December – closed Tuesday 24th – Christmas Eve – open for drinks and an evening of carol singing from 4.00pm Christmas Day – open for drinks from midday until 2.00pm. Christmas jumpers optional! Boxing Day – closed Friday 27th to Sunday 29th – normal hours. Booking recommended if you would like to eat. January Break – to give us and our team a break, the pub will be closed from Monday 29th December. Re-opening from 5pm on Thursday 23rd January 2025. Sunday Roasts - you may have heard that our Gaggle Sunday Roasts are very popular. Just a reminder that if you would like to eat at the Gaggle on a Sunday then always best to book in advance. You can do so in person, by calling, emailing or via social media. Don't miss out! Tikka Curry Van generally visits Buckland Newton on alternate Wednesdays.

Ultrafast internet is coming to Buckland Newton

Wessex Internet is bringing full fibre broadband direct to homes and

businesses in Buckland Newton and surrounding areas. Connectivity to

fast, reliable broadband is being made possible due to the government’s

Gigabit Voucher scheme. This enables communities to request

government backing to bring ultrafast broadband to their area, making it

viable for internet companies to bring their networks to harder-to-reach

communities with the help of government subsidies.

Wessex Internet has been at the forefront of bringing broadband to rural

and underserved communities in Dorset and neighbouring counties, and it

has now reached a stage where around 200 homes and businesses in the

Lydden Vale will be able to receive the service. All these 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.

They have over 8,000 local customers and provide friendly, human support

from their HQ in Blandford. You may have spotted the Wessex Internet

team out and about, either working with landowners to lay long-distance

cables across fields or finishing the door-to-door build in and around the

village. The final stage is to connect customers to this ultrafast network.

This requires an initial visit - that the customer does not need to be present

for - when a team will carefully lay a cable under gardens or using existing

ducts. Then, on installation day, an engineer will talk about where the cable

should enter the property, installing and testing all the required kit. For this

appointment, the customer must be present.

We would encourage anyone who hasn’t yet registered their interest, to do

so now, so that they can be connected as quickly as possible when the

service ‘goes live’. It will take a few minutes to enter your details online or

to give Wessex Internet a call, which will allow them to talk through the

options available and to set an install date if you decide to go ahead.

To register your interest please visit www.wessexinternet.com or call 0333

240 7997.

Outreach Post Office The outreach Post Office is open in the Village Hall on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon.

Prescriptions

Prescriptions are delivered from Cerne Abbas Surgery to Old Chapel

Stores, usually after 3.30 pm, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Defibrillator

The village has its own defibrillator, housed in an unlocked cupboard on an

outside wall of the Village Hall by the kitchen door, under the veranda. In

an emergency, ring 999, then click here for list of runners who will bring the

defibrillator to you.

Recycling and Refuse Collection and Calendar

You can find details of your rubbish and recycling calendar at

https://mapping.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/mylocal/

Travel & Traffic / Road Closures

See Parish Council Travel & Traffic page

Weather Forecast

The nearest Met Office Weather Forecast location is Minterne Gardens.

Click for a 7-day weather forecast.

Flood Warden

Some homes in Dorset are at risk of flooding. Please see the Parish

Council website for information and advice. The village Flood Warden

(01300 345707) or e-mail floodwarden@sky.com In case of flooding, the

village now has a supply of sandbags. If you are unlucky enough to require

use of these at some time in the future please contact the Flood Warden to

find out how to obtain sandbags.

Regular Events

Buckland Newton Pre-School. This operates 8.45 am to 3.15 pm, Monday to Friday in term time. Breakfast Club available from 8.00 am. All at Buckland Newton School during term time. It caters for children aged from 2 years, if space available. For further information, contact the school office on 01300 345393 during school hours or e-mail the School Office. Lunch Club. A 2-course meal with tea/coffee on the second Friday of each month, at Buckland Newton Village Hall or a Pub. Over 90 or 80? Maybe in your seventies? Living alone and no longer driving, except to potter around the village? You have a disability or long-term health problem, and would love to get out to meet old friends or make new ones? If so, we would be delighted to see you. Village Cafe. 10.30 am to 12.00 noon, every last Friday in the month (except August and December) in Buckland Newton Village Hall. A great opportunity to meet people in the village if you are new to the area or just meet your friends for an hour to catch up with them. £1.50 buys you cake and coffee/tea.

Dates for your Diary

Below is a list of events taking place over the next few weeks. You can also check the Buckland Newton Community Facebook page for last- minute news of events. If you want your local event publicised here, please e-mail Webmaster ; also please e-mail if you have to cancel your event so that the events diary can be kept up to date. Buckland Newton Charity Christmas Card 2024 Would you like to join in and help raise funds for the Joseph Weld Hospice and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance again this year? Also, save yourself the last-minute dash around the Village delivering cards to your friends and neighbours. Once again and with the kindness of Sue at The Old Chapel Stores, the Christmas Card will be available to sign at the shop from Sunday 1st December. To refresh memories and for newcomers to the Village, the idea is to sign the card and leave a donation in the box. A list of participants will be posted on the Buckland Newton Community Facebook page at various times during December and the finite list at the beginning of January 2025. Last year we shared the total of £374.75 between the two charities – can we top that figure More details – contact Maree 01300 345349. Sundays 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 24th December, 5.30 pm, Gaggle of Geese. Christmas Carols. Fantastic to be supporting the community in carol singing practices at the Gaggle, Sunday evenings throughout December from 5.30pm. All ages welcome! And then on Christmas Eve, an evening of carols, mulled wine and festive cheer! Wednesday 4th December, from 10.00. am, Gaggle of Geese. Christmas Willow Weaving. Join Andy as he teaches you to make various Christmas themed willow decorations. A day course from 10.00 am. Includes tea, coffees, lunch & cake! £65 per person. Tickets available from the pub and via www.ticketsource.co.uk/gaggle Thursday 5th December, 7.30 pm, Buckland Newton Village Hall. Artsreach presents “After All” with Solene Weinachter. Click on graphic at left for more information. Friday 6th December, 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm, Buckland Newton Primary School. Friends of Buckland Newton (FBNS) Christmas Fayre. BBQ, Bar, Raffle, Stalls, Crafts, Games, Face Painting, Santa’s Grotto and much more. Free entry. Saturday 7th December, 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, Pulham Village Hall. Christmas Coffee Morning. In aid of Pulham Church Fund. Come and enjoy a cuppa, home-made cake and a catch-up with friends. Plus the Pulham £1 stall. Help preserve our lovely historic Church building. Sunday 8th December. Service at Holy Rood Church. 9.45 am Holy Communion. Refreshments will be seerved after the service, all welcome. Thursday 12th December, 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm, Gaggle of Geese. Knit & Natter. At the end of October we celebrated the second anniversary of the Knit and Natter group with a lunch at the Gaggle of Geese. 16 of us enjoyed lovely food and very convivial company before our usual session, and then we had delicious cake - what’s not to like ?!! We have just one session in December - on Thursday 12th. If you would like to know more, please do call one of us Lyn Cox 01300 345739 and Jane Willis 01300 345477. Friday 13th December, Buckland Newton Village Hall. Second Friday Lunch Club. If you are wondering about joining us, why not give it a go? This month we will be enjoying Christmas lunch in the Buckland Newton Village Hall. There will be traditional turkey with all the trimmings, or a Nut Roast followed by Christmas Pudding or Trifle. You may be new to the area and what better way to meet others and get in the Christmas spirit than over a convivial lunch with new friends. As well as a splendid lunch, there will be the ever-popular Secret Santa. It's a chance to surprise others at how imaginative you can be while spending £5 on a gift. We know how to party!! Our 2025 lunch in January will again be in the village hall. See next month for more details. As always, if you haven't already done so, please call Bridget on 01300 345493 if you would like more information. Sunday 15th December. Service at Holy Rood Church. 4.00 pm All-Age Family Service. Our service will be will be a Christmas Celebration. A service and a party. Everyone welcome who is young in years and heart. Wednesday 18th December, 8.00 pm start, Gaggle of Geese. Pub Quiz. Our popular Gaggle pub quiz returns. Fun evening of head scratchers, cryptic clues and general knowledge. Teams of up to 6. £2.00 per person or free if you dine before the quiz. Booking required. Saturday 21st December, 10.30 am to 12.30 am, Pulham Village Hall. Christmas Coffee Morning. Click on image at left for more details. Sunday 22nd December. Service at Holy Rood Church. 9.45 a. Holy Communion. Refreshments will be seerved after the service, all welcome Tuesday 24th December, 4.30 pm, Holy Rood Church. Christmas Carol Service. This is a service that is made very special each year by the children and young people who take part, by singing, reading or by acting out the story of the Nativity. Children are invited to come dressed as a shepherd, an angel or a King, or a sheep or donkey if they prefer! There will be a rehearsal for readers and others taking part in this service in the Church on Monday 23rd December at 4.30 pm. If your child would like to read or take on a leading role, contact Helen Simpson 01300 345401 or Jon Sulkin 07971 277584. After the service you are invited to ‘process’ to the Gaggle for more carol singing led by musical director Anthony Ingle. Tuesday 24th December, 5.30 pm, Gaggle of Geese. Christmas Carols. An evening of carols, mulled wine and festive cheer! Wednesday 25th December. Service at Holy Rood Church. Christmas Day. 9.45 am Christmas Holy Communion. Friday 27th December. No Village Cafe this month. Sunday 29th December. No service at Holy Rood, but 11.00 am Benefice Communion at Godmanstone Church Saturday 18th January 2025, 7.00 pm, Buckland Newton Village Hall. Mexican Train Evening.

Buckland Newton Community Website

in the heart of rural Dorset