© 2024 Buckland Newton Community Website Committee Last updated 2nd December 2024 12:15 Website design and update by Jeremy Collins
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
• 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
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.
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
Travel & Traffic / Road Closures
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.
More from the Village…
Bonfires - please consider your Neighbours
Please be considerate if you wish to have a garden bonfire. Smoke from
bonfires can be a real nuisance if neighbours have washing out to dry.
Particularly with coronavirus, smoke can also cause extra difficulties for
those with breathing problems, such as asthma sufferers - please think
before lighting a bonfire. For more advice from Dorset Council on bonfires
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