© 2025 Buckland Newton Community Website Committee Last updated 13th February 2025 09:30 Website design and update by Jeremy Collins
The Village People
(Extract Taken from records) On January 12th 1994
nine ladies met at the Village Hall to discuss the
possibilities of setting up a group to meet regularly.
They were Joyce Swan, Jean Franklin, Joyce
Warne, Wendy Emberley, Thora Worters, Wendy
Morris, Muriel James, Lyn Cox and Janet Burt.
Several others sent apologies but expressed a
desire to join us.” And so the Lydden Ladies was
formed.
Since then, the list of activities, days out, talks,
meals, theatre trips etc is endless, but an example
of the events organised from the first year are
various talks ranging from Gardening to Health food
and Wine and a visit to the Octagon in Yeovil to see
‘Barnum’. Antiques Roadshow, a visit to a Cheese
making farm and, of course, the traditional
Christmas meal, which is one of the things that still
happens today.
When I moved to Duntish in 2014 I was invited to
afternoon tea at Mo Sherry’s home (another annual
summer event in one of the ‘ladies’ gardens). This
was a fantastic way for me to meet and make
friends. Jane Collins was Chair at this time, but,
after 10 years had decided she wished to stand
down. The Lydden Ladies managed to continue
without a Chair, with, instead, a small organising
committee who met for ‘Lunch and Prosecco!!’ And
somehow put together an itinerary for the year.
In 2019, as the organised events evolved it became
apparent that we wanted to make things more
inclusive and informal and those included partners,
husbands, friends, family – in fact, anyone who was
interested in coming along. So, it was decided that
instead of a Ladies only membership group paying
‘subs’ every year, we would advertise under a new
name – hence ‘The Village People’. Terrible name,
but it sort of made sense. We were all about
Friendship, Fun, Fabulous Food (and Drink) and
lots of laughter.
If you are interested or have any thoughts or
ideas, please get in touch
amandat62@outlook.com.
.
Buckland Newton Community Website
in the heart of rural Dorset