Dolway Lane, Winterborne Whitechurch, Blandford Forum, DT11 0AW Registered Charity 209082
THE BAR
what a hit
the very first THE BAR EVENT on Sunday 26/10/25 was a smashing success, it was fantastic to welcome some new faces and reconnect with familiar ones over good vibes and great conversation.
special shout out to our 3 four legged guests with wagging tail and happy grins, clearly the doggy treats were a hit
The feed back on Facebook has been overwhelmingly positive and thank you all for your kind words and enthusiasm, all the committee, thank you
Here's to many more events
The next Sunday 23th November from 12:00 to 15:00 . Each session will feature a unique theme, ensuring a fresh experience every time. MEET and GREET you parish councillors,
Whilst I was down the hall the other day, I met two charming strangers engrossed in an animated discussion about the window above our porch. Curiosity got the better of me, so I wandered over to see what was happening. To my surprise, they revealed they were geocaching, and, incredibly, our little window was a secret part of their adventure! Suddenly, the ordinary became exhilarating, and I was swept up in the thrill of the hunt.
Established 23rd Febuary 1937
Winterborne Whitechurch is situated in the Winterborne Valley at the point where the stream intersects the road between Dorchester and Blandford Forum which lies five miles to the north.
Recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 within the ‘Hundred’ (County sub-division) of ‘Combsditch’, along with Blandford, Charlton, Bloxworth and Thornicombe, Winterborne Whitechurch was registered as “Wintreburne” with a total population of 3 households.
The Hall was established in 1937, the following is an extract of the Constitution adapted from the original deeds dated 23rd February 1937:
‘The Hall shall be held upon trust for the purposes of physical and mental recreation and social moral and intellectual development through the medium of reading and recreation room, library, lectures, classes, recreations and entertainments or otherwise as may be found expedient for the benefit of the persons resident in Winterborne Whitechurch…… without distinction of sex or political or other opinions.”
“The Hall is for All”
What a frightfully fabulous evening it was! The place absolutely buzzed with witches, ghosts, cackling clowns, and a parade of spooktacular guests, all adding to an atmosphere brimming with mischief and magic. With haunting melodies drifting through the air all night, the boldest dared to take to the dance floor, and boggled to the monster mash or a bit of thriller cobwebbed decorations. The treat table was a ghoulish treasure trove, heaped with devilishly delicious delights that lured even the most courageous guests well past the witching hour.
And as for tricks? Our resident rascal—the ever-mischievous elf—was spotted red-handed, plotting a sneaky heist for a bottle behind the bar! His cheeky antics only stirred up more giggles, making the night all the more enchanting.
The kitchen became a scene of vanishing acts, as bloody finger rolls and mummy dogs disappeared quicker than you could say ‘Abracadabra!’ Not a crumb left behind—one might swear the monsters from the shadows had swooped in for a feast. It was a proper midnight munching mystery!
We even had a ghostly guest of the four-legged variety. With a wag and a woof, this magical pup fit right in amongst the witches and spirits, spreading a little extra tail-wagging enchantment through the crowd.
THE STORY OF NATASHA AND THE SPIDER
OR IS IT THE STORY OF THE NAUGHTY ELF
 |
|---|
 |
|---|
 |
|---|
 |
A spot of back story – the committee have been on a mission, bravely battling their way through the hall, clearing out decades' worth of mysterious junk (seriously, who needs broken rails and a box of single socks?). Today, we rolled up our sleeves and tackled the loft, armed with bin bags, hope, and an ever-dwindling sense of how big is that loft MORE!!!!
(WHEN a blood-curdling scream that could have woken the ancestors – yes, that was our beloved chair, Natasha Someone (not naming any names, Chris M) decided it would be an absolute hoot to present her with a spider. Well, if you’ve ever wanted to see someone attempt the Olympic standing long jump from a standing start, Natasha’s performance would have bagged gold. Honestly, the poor spider looked more traumatised than Natasha. I reckon it’s still telling its mates about “the time it nearly got crushed by a flailing clipboard and a flying shoe”.)
Now, to the main event – picture me about to flop down for a well-earned dose of Strictly (yes, yes, I can hear you all groaning, but come on, it's Halloween week – there are sequins and questionable dance moves, what more could you want?). Disaster strikes! My glasses have vanished. “Oh FUDGE,” I mutter, realising I’ve left them at the hall. So, off I dash to the hall, and claim my prized parking spot right in front of the Astra recycling bin (prime real estate, if you ask me).
But wait! As I pull in my prized parking spot who do I spot? That cheeky little elf, caught red-handed with a lollipop bigger than his head! Whose sweeties has he pilfered this time? I barely had time to whip out my phone for a photo before he vanished, leaving only a faint scent of mischief and sugar in the air. Honestly, you can’t leave anything lying about with that elf on the loose – not even your dignity!
The roar of the crowd meets the rhythm of hooves.
RACE NIGHT
Apologies for the tardy race night blurb, blame a week of family chaos and the rare luxury of breakfast in bed (yes, it’s my birthday, and yes, I fully intend to milk it). As I wait for my coffee and bacon butty to arrive, I thought I’d fill you in you all in with the tale of race night, a grand evening full of surprises, shouts, and, as it turns out, criminally underappreciated nachos. Mental note to myself next time, I’ll advertise them louder than the race itself. If at first you don’t succeed, add more cheese and try again, I say!
Now, I confess, I’d never been to a race night before, though my “children” (fully grown adults who still pilfer my fridge) are seasoned pros. They assured me it was brilliant, and with all the positive feedback on Facebook,
I must say, the pay-outs had them grinning wider than the Cheshire Cat.
At the start, you can decide how much of the winnings you keep for your cause. As a committee, we chose to pump up the prize pot, which made us less Scrooge, more Santa, and set aside a modest profit for our next project, (details coming soon!) We’re this close to funding our glass washer, and with the next two events, that shiny new bit of kit will be ours.
For those new to the scene: all the jockey’s shirts are flashed up on the big screen and punters place their bets. Natasha and Sue got positively giddy with the tote computer, think kids in a sweet shop, but with a lot more shouting. Then the lights dimmed, the commentary got cheeky, and the races began! The room was filled with the sort of hollering usually reserved for free bar announcements or penalty shootouts, nothing like the thrill of cheering on your horse!
Of course, Neil couldn’t resist unleashing his inner dad-joke machine. When there was a horse called “Just the Ticket”, he sidled up and said, “I’ll have a bet on number three, please… that’s just the ticket.” Cue groans. And with a runner named “Meatloaf”, he couldn’t help himself “Hope it goes like a bat out of hell!” That’s two groans, and I’m still recovering.
Big shout out to Natasha, who always thanks the committee for our hard work—right back at you, Natasha!
It was such a good evening we are think of repeating it next year, Now, if you’ll excuse me, my bacon butty has arrived, and nothing stands between me and a good breakfast. Mmmmm.
The second THE BAR event was absolutely buzzing with activity! The ‘Meet the Parish Council’ gathering proved to be a real hit, as we brought out all the games—including crowd favourites like table tennis. It was wonderful to welcome back some familiar faces and to see the community coming together. Once again, our legendary toasties were a crowd-pleaser, and we even kicked off decorating for Christmas, bringing plenty of festive cheer. It’s truly heartening to witness so many people joining in the fun.
Looking ahead, there’s plenty more excitement in store! The next THE BAR event will be our special Save the Children Christmas Jumper Fundraiser on 21st December. Don’t miss out on the fantastic meat draw—make sure to grab your raffle tickets at any event, run by the committee. But the fun doesn’t stop there: we’ve got Bingo night coming up on 6th December, the children’s party on 13th December, and then we’ll round off with a festive THE BAR gathering on 21st December. Mark your calendars—you won’t want to miss any of these brilliant community events!
13th December 2025
The committee of the village hall would like to express their absolute gratitude to the parish council for their exceptionally generous donation, which will make a significant difference in supporting the Christmas party for the village children. Their kindness and support are truly appreciated by all involved.
While rummaging through the dusty archives of an old records unit, I stumbled upon a treasure trove of minutes dating from 12 October 1981 to 20 November 1996 place rumoured to be haunted by old agendas and the lingering scent of dry sherry (incidentally, I was 27 years young on the day the last minutes were enter in the book, proof that some things do improve with age, like good jack Daniels and committee gossip).
Let’s rewind to 12 October 1981: the infamous standing bar made its debut, orchestrated by the then, secretary for a special function. It was such a smash hit that, come 24 February 1982, the chairman’s report practically bubbled over with excitement, suggesting we install a permanent standing bar. Devenish Brewers were to be courted, and the Milton Arms approached about fitting a permanent bar in the hall’s corner. Debate raged: would the committee run the bar or let the Milton Arms take the helm? In the end, the verdict was unanimous, the committee would keep the reins firmly in hand.
Thus began the legendary saga of our beloved bar.
Fast-forward to 31 March 1992: a generous local (blessed with both wisdom and a toolbox) offered to transform the west wall into a sanctuary for a lockable bar, free of charge! The committee, eager to lend a hand (or at least a glass), agreed.
Moving on to 28 April 1982: the chairman gleefully announced that construction had begun, seeking permission to acquire building materials as required no doubt dreaming of future toasts. On 27 October 1982, the bar was officially added to the agenda for the first time. A small step for this little bar.
The ever-optimistic Chairman voiced his hope that, at long last, work on the illustrious bar area would soon be completed.
By 24 November 1982, Chairman was still valiantly negotiating completion of the bar, Fast forward to the 22 December 1982 meeting, and he was tasked with ensuring the bar’s grand debut in time for the AGM, no pressure!
On 23 February 1983, a joy full update: the Chairman had sourced the necessary materials, spirits were high, and by 30 March 1983, it was decided that, if all else failed, our local builder would ride to the rescue. come 27 April 1983, work was well underway, courtesy of a local builder, and the committee’s spirits soared with each passing plank.
The 25 May 1983 minutes recorded the bars near completion, save a lick of paint. One industrious committee member volunteered her brushwork, armed with paint supplied by the committee, with the final bill for bar works still as mysterious as the contents of a well-shaken cocktail. On 29 June 1983, Chairman and committee member were spotted wielding paintbrushes, transforming the bar’s interior with gusto.
By 28 September 1983, the committee settled the local builder bill £244.93 (a bargain, given the only charges were for labour, and many materials had been donated or supplied at cost). A hearty vote of thanks followed; his craftsmanship was as appreciated as a cold drink on a hot day, A month later, two more committee members joined in on the final paintwork, proving that when it comes to bars, too many hands rarely spoil the brew. thus, not only was the bar established, but it was well on its way to self-sufficiency, ensuring that the committee’s deliberations would remain well-lubricated for generations to come. It took two years, an epic saga of planks, paint, and persistent committee members, before the bar finally emerged triumphant, ready at last to quench thirsts and inspire legends.
The bar took a well-deserved hiatus from the spotlight in plodding along in the background, 1985 rolled in, and on 25 July 1985 the bar made a comeback for a country and western night—tickets priced at a pocket-friendly £1 each. (Cowboy hats optional, enthusiasm mandatory) , on 27 August 1986 the Milton Arms took charge of the bar for the legendary pumpkin disco. offering half-price entry to anyone who arrived with a pumpkin, because who says vegetables can’t party?
On 5 August 1987, faced with regulations demanding hot water behind the bar, the committee agreed it was high time to call in an electrician to install a power point. No drama here, just a power point, emergency lighting, and a slot meter, all in a day’s work. And thus, the legend of the bar
Not content to rest on its laurels (or its beer mats), 2024 saw the bar embrace the future with 3 shiny new fridge and a cash register and card machine so savvy. The bar is still marching boldly onward, fuelled by big dreams, small innovations, and overflowing with ideas (and perhaps the occasional cocktail). Stay tuned, because when it comes to this bar, the best stories are always on tap! by Carole burgess
2025 December Recap
I’m almost lost for words (a rare event, as you know!) trying to express just how grateful the committee is to everyone. Last night was absolutely smashing! Since we took over in September, we’ve cooked up all sorts of wild ideas for an event to give back to the community—everything from fancy dress roller discos to synchronised swimming in the car park. But we thought, when better than New Year’s Eve to throw a party? So, we hope you all had as brilliant a time as we did!
From the suspense-filled rounds of pass the parcel (I definitely clocked someone clutching the package with a steely determination, praying the music would stop right on their lap), to the quiz with a twist, and a new game to me thank you Teresa for bring the game and running the game with your helper, although I’m still not convinced I’ve got the game’s name right—‘last card’, was it?
Then there was the raffle, the epic 100 club draw, and enough dancing to make your FitBit gasp for air. Not to mention chatting away with friends, and mountains of delicious food.
Laura, Neil, and Chris were on top form, gliding through with trays of canapés. There were only two aprons, so Neil and Chris somehow ended up sporting them—although I’m fairly sure Neil forgot he was wearing his and almost walked off with it at the end! After the nibbles, we tucked into a main meal with a bottomless supply of prosecco (we may have made the recycling team’s job a little harder), followed by enough puddings to start a second New Year’s resolution. Tea, coffee, and a final round of dancing—fuelled by more drinks, naturally—carried us right up to midnight for the big countdown and a raucous welcome to the new year.
DECEMBER FUNDRAISING
December was absolutely buzzing with festive cheer and generosity! Our Christmas charity fundraising was a cracker this year with the Save the Children jumper event taking centre stage. Throughout the month, we hosted a variety of brilliant activities, from the hilarious character game to the legendary Christmas jumper competition. Everyone’s jumpers were truly spectacular, but there were a few that stole the limelight and had the whole hall roaring with laughter. Using only the most advanced ‘high-tech’ voting system (aka, the loudest cheers!), Andy’s jumper had us all in stitches, while Susan’s clever creation was pure genius. The meat raffle went down a treat, and we rounded off the festive season with a show-stopping New Year’s Eve raffle. and a lovely donation from a rambles club, Thanks to everyone’s energy and enthusiasm, we raised a fantastic total of £200 for a great cause!
CPR DEMO
