Ham Hill visitor centre on Iron Age fortress opens its doors

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Somerset
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Chris LockyerSomerset, Ham Hill Country ParkBBCThe new visitor centre has been openedA new £2.5m visitor centre at what is thought to be the biggest Iron Age hillfort in the country has opened its doors.Based at Ham Hill Country Park near Yeovil in Somerset, the new site features a gallery, museum, cafe and shop.The centre, which was paid for using money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Wolfson Foundation, will also host community education sessions with park…

Swanage Mowlem theatre leaking roof repairs to start in new year

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Dorset
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Work to fix the leaking roof of a seaside theatre is set to begin in January following a fundraising campaign.The Mowlem Theatre in Swanage, Dorset, started a six-week appeal in October to raise £10,000 to fix the flat roof.Executive director Kate McGregor said it had exceeded its target, with money donated from people all over the UK."It's galvanised the community and shown us how important the Mowlem is to residents and visitors," she said.The theatre said its programme…

Man develops dog walking app in Devon after being made redundant

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:Devon News
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A man from Devon has turned losing his job into a dog walking adventure with a new app.When Christian Jones from Bideford adopted his Staffordshire terrier Bud, he wanted an app that would give him ideas for new walks and when he was made redundant in April 2025, he realised he could make his own.Mr Jones said: "The idea is that it has all the information which I find useful as a dog walker like livestock, for if…

no further action after man injured

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Dorset
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No further investigation will be carried out after a man suffered a broken leg when he was knocked over by a motorcyclist who police officers were trying to stop, the police watchdog has confirmed. Joe Hart was injured in a car park near Bournemouth seafront during a Dorset Police operation to prevent an illegal procession of motorbikes and e-bikes on 13 December. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed no independent investigation was required after Dorset Police…

‘Famous’ cat has his own book and is social media star

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Somerset
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Anna DavisKnown as the Fonz of Frome, the popular cat has inspired a children's picture bookThe owner of a "very sociable" cat whose trips to shops and pubs have made him an online star, says he "cries like a baby" if he is kept inside.Anna Davis, from Frome in Somerset, said Frodo, 13, is so popular the ginger cat features in a kids' book, has his own charity Christmas card, and has been voted Frome's "purr-son of the…

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra plays Christmas music to shoppers

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Dorset
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When you think of orchestral performances, you might picture musicians dressed in tuxedos on a grand stage, before rows of people in the audience. But the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is stepping away from the stereotype to bring its music into the community.Members have taken to a slightly smaller stage than they are used to, performing for Christmas shoppers at Boscombe's Sovereign shopping centre in Dorset.It is part of a community outreach programme to share its music with…

Family fundraise for quiet room after son’s stay at Bath’s RUH

Post published:December 23, 2025
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Georgia EadieWest of EnglandBBCBen spent a week at the Royal United Hospitals in Bath after his type 1 diabetes diagnosisThe parents of a seven-year-old boy who found his stay on a children's hospital ward "overwhelming" are fundraising for a new quiet room. Ben, from Wells in Somerset, spent a week at the Royal United Hospitals (RUH) in Bath after he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in April.Ben's family is aiming to raise £5,000 towards the development of…

Devon mum wraps 50 gifts a day for mental health charity

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:Devon News
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A Devon mum has extended her love for wrapping to strangers to help raise money for a mental health charity.Kirsty said had been wrapping on average 50 presents a day since the beginning of December in the lead up to Christmas, with the help of her eight-year-old daughter, Harper.The mum-of-two, from Plymouth, said she was raising money for Mind after the charity supported her through her postnatal depression.Kirsty said she posted on social media asking people to help…

New urgent accommodation opens for young people in Devon

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:Devon News
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BBCAndy Fletcher said the charity gave him similar accommodation New homes have been created to help young people in need of urgent accommodation.YMCA Exeter said the new homes on Cliff Road in Paignton, Devon, would help people between the ages of 18 and 25 develop independent living skills.The charity said the homes were available to young local people who urgently needed to move on from higher supported accommodation and foster placements.Andy Fletcher used to be homeless and said…

Cornwall libraries remove Humphrey books over phishing web links

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Cornwall
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Cornwall's librarians have removed a range of children's book from shelves after a website link printed inside them was found to lead to malicious websites.Book publisher Faber said the funwithhumphrey website link printed in editions of the Humphrey book series pointed to a range of phishing websites which changed each time the link was refreshed.A Cornwall Council spokesperson said the books had been temporarily withdrawn from libraries so the back page could be removed or covered.A Faber spokesperson…

New Downderry community hub is the ‘heart of the village’

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Cornwall
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A community hub has opened in the centre of the seaside village of Downderry in Cornwall which had been feeling the loss of its original shop almost three years ago. The new shop includes a cafe and a visiting post office twice a week and it is hoped to provide a meeting place for groups.Local people have designed, built and created a website all free of charge with the inclusion of local schoolchildren who had a lot to…

A closer look at Christmas travel in the South

Post published:December 23, 2025
Post category:BBC Dorset
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Chiltern RailwaysTrain services will finish earlier than usual on Christmas EveTimetable changes will affect travel across the south during the festive period, with most services on land and sea reduced on and around Christmas Day.South Western RailwayTrain services across the network will end earlier than usual on Christmas Eve, and will not run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.Major engineering work to tracks, switches and crossings, signalling systems, and electrical supplies, will take place between London Waterloo and…