BBC Dorset

Petition triggers debate on future of Solent Meads golf course

Petition triggers debate on future of Solent Meads golf course

A petition urging a local authority not to close a golf course has triggered a council debate after gaining more than 6,000 signatures. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council confirmed the lease at Solent Meads, which has been used as a golf course for 64 years, was due to expire in November 2026 .It said this provided a "natural opportunity" to consider how the land could be used in the future and that it was "proactively working on…

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Volunteers across the South honoured with King’s Award

Volunteers across the South honoured with King’s Award

Curtis LancasterSouth of EnglandPop in Place Bere RegisThe volunteers at Pop in Place in Bere Regis were among the awardeesAn inclusive football club and the team behind a community festival are among the groups to be given an award by the King.Volunteers across the South of England join 232 awardees nationwide that have been honoured with a King's Award for Voluntary Service.The highest UK accolade for local volunteer groups recognises exceptional contributions to communities.Each winner will receive a…

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Children in Need 2025 fundraising in the south of England

Children in Need 2025 fundraising in the south of England

Stephen StaffordSouth of EnglandVikki EkemaA 12-hour dance marathon was one of the fundraising events for BBC Children in NeedFundraisers of all ages across the south of England have been going the extra mile to support BBC Children in Need.From Hampshire and Dorset to Oxfordshire, Berkshire and the Isle of Wight, people have been baking, cycling and rattling collection buckets as part of the BBC's annual charity appeal.Schools, care homes, leisure centres and community groups have embraced the challenge…

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Man, 24, charged after woman raped in Bournemouth

Man, 24, charged after woman raped in Bournemouth

A man has been charged in connection with a reported rape in Bournemouth.Dorset Police said the attack, in a wooded area off Maxwell Road, was reported on 5 November at about 21:20 GMT.The force said specialist officers were supporting the woman, in her 30s, and had updated her on the latest development.Mohammed Fathi Eltbie from Bournemouth has been charged with rape. The 24-year-old is due to appear before Poole magistrates on Friday. Source link

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Hunt for Holt Heath fly-tippers using nature reserve as a dump

A multi-agency effort has been launched to catch fly-tippers who have been using a nature reserve as a rubbish dump.At least 20 tonnes of waste was illegally dumped on National Trust land at Holt Heath, Dorset, over a matter of days in October.Forestry England land has also been affected, with piles of rubbish left in White Sheet car park and nearby gateways.Dorset Council Waste Services appealed for information to trace those responsible but said it had already found…

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‘Big surprise’ as Sherborne almshouse artwork valued at £3.5m

‘Big surprise’ as Sherborne almshouse artwork valued at £3.5m

Marcus WhiteSouth of EnglandThe triptych was hidden for centuries by the almshouse brethren to save it from religious purgesA triptych painting that was kept in an almshouse chapel has been valued at up to £3.5m by auctioneers.St Johns' Almshouse, in Sherborne, Dorset, said it received the shock news after giving the altarpiece to Sotheby's auction house for safekeeping during renovation work.Experts identified it as the only surviving work of an unknown painter who was active in Brussels in…

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TikTok video that saved Dorset pub earns award nomination

TikTok video that saved Dorset pub earns award nomination

The team behind a viral video that helped save a village pub from closure has been nominated for a TikTok award.Friends of The Elm Tree began posting on social media after The Elm Tree Inn in Langton Herring, Dorset, shut its doors in November 2023.Their Gen Z-inspired TikTok clip has reached millions worldwide, attracting support from countries including Brazil, Singapore, Australia and South Africa.The video is shortlisted for Video of the Year at the TikTok Awards UK &…

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