The Bridport Local Area Partnership (BLAP) is here for the community. Current members of the partnership include Bridport Town Council, 9 Parish Councils and more than 80 community organisations and individuals working to improve the social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of Bridport and surrounding areas. For information or if you have a piece you would like to be included in the bulletin please contact Claire Peters-Way by email at: Claire.Peters-Way@bridport-tc.gov.uk BLAP Housing Needs Working Group The next BLAP Housing Needs working group will be held on Thursday 17th September at 2pm, Mountfield. If your organisation or group might like to join this working group or wishes to find out more about it please contact Claire Peters-Way. BLAP Annual Members' Assembly The BLAP annual Members' Assembly will take place in Committee Room, Mountfield, (Bridport Town Council offices) on Thursday 24th September at 5.15pm (doors open at 4.45pm). This year's guest speaker will be Sam Crowe, Dorset Council's Executive Director for Housing, Communities & Prevention. Sam has responsibility for the Council's plans to engage better with communities and involve them more in decision-making, as well as its work on housing, adult services and public health. All BLAP members are welcome to attend the Assembly but if you are unable to attend, do please offer this invitation to someone else within your organisation or group. We are keen to have as many BLAP members represented as possible. BLAP Nominations - Chair and Vice Chair A reminder that nominations are now invited for the role of BLAP Chair and Vice Chair for the coming year and any BLAP member who wishes to stand should complete the nomination form. Candidates will need one other person from amongst the BLAP membership to support their nomination, but by all means ask if you need help finding someone to do that. All nominations should be sent to Jo Hughes (jo.hughes@bridport-tc.gov.uk) no later than Friday 18th September. The BLAP annual Members' Assembly will include the election of the BLAP Chair and Vice Chair. Dorset Council - Reporting highways issues Dorset Council's online forms to submit non-emergency highways issues will not be available from the 15th September to 22nd September 2026. The temporary pause is to allow a new highways asset management system to be in place. Highways issues can still be reported by contacting Dorset Council on 01305 221000 or email customerservices@dorsetcouncl.gov.uk Snook's the mad hatters of Bridport Sue Outhwaite of T.Snook will be giving a talk this coming Thursday 17th September at 2.30pm, in the WI Hall, North Street, Bridport. The talk is in support of Bridport Millennium Green. Entrance costs £6 (£5 for members), cash only. Miles Cross – Road works • The next phase of works has now been confirmed to take place from Thursday 17th September to Friday 2nd October. • Thursday 17th and Friday 18th September: Overnight closures of the A35 to install the traffic management required for the next phase of works – closure from 8pm to 6am both nights. • Friday 18th September to Friday 2nd October: The B3162/West Road junction at Miles Cross will be fully closed. The A35 will remain open, but there will be no access onto or off West Road at this location. Drivers will be diverted through Bridport town centre to access West Road. • Monday 21st September to Friday 2nd October: 24/7 works at the West Road Junction. During this period, the A35 will run as normal. • Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd October: Overnight closures of the A35 to enable traffic management arrangements to be removed – closure from 8pm to 6am both nights. Please note that the A35 will not be closed for the full duration of the works. The main closure during this period relates to the West Road Junction, with the A35 running normally between the planned A35 closure dates. Heritage Open Days Heritage Open Days take place until Sunday 20th September. Venues across the area will be open for free, including Bridport Town Hall, Bridport Museum, Mapperton Gardens, Belmont Lyme Regis and lots more. To search the directory please click here. Bridport Youth & Community Centre - Open Day Bridport Youth and Community Centre is holding an open day on Saturday 19th September from 10am until 2pm to celebrate their 10year anniversary. Open to everyone for come and find out what the centre has to offer. There will be music, an art exhibition, games, refreshments and the best decorated 10th birthday cake celebration (please click here for details on how to enter). Bridport Quakers Meetings People's Emergency Briefing Bridport Quaker Meeting is hosting a community screening of the People's Emergency Briefing, a film setting out the evidence on the climate and nature emergency and what it means for everyday life in this country. The screening takes place at the Quaker Meeting House, South Street, Bridport on Thursday 24th September at 6.30pm, followed by a discussion and refreshments. Everyone is welcome. To find out more, click here. Quaker Week at Bridport: Coming to Worship Bridport Quaker Meeting is marking Quaker Week 2026, which runs from 26th September to 4th October with the theme 'Coming to Worship', by opening its doors for a series of short meetings for worship for anyone curious to try it for the first time. All are welcome, with refreshments and a chance to find out more afterwards, at the Quaker Meeting House, South Street on: • Tuesday 29th September -12noon – 12.15pm. • Wednesday 30th September -10.30am – 11am. • Saturday 3rd October -11am – 11.15am To find out more about Bridport Quaker meeting, click here. Puncknowle Harvest Festival The harvest festival will take place on Sunday 27th September at St Mary's Church. The service begins at 11am and is followed by a bring and share lunch. Proceeds raised from the service will go to Bridport Food Bank. Bridport Museum Bridport Museum are working in partnership with The Keep Military museum in Dorchester on their latest temporary exhibition 'Bridport at Arms'. The exhibition tells the story of the local volunteer movement, from the late 1700’s. The museum also have an exhibition called 'Lost Properties' showing old local buildings from their fine art collection. Bridport Stage Company Bridport Stage Company are a local group which is now in its 10th year! They are an inclusive group with all ages and experience levels and many of the group have had challenges of all kinds. Raising money for Samaritans with every production with the total £10,000+ at this point. Members are currently rehearsing for their November (22nd, 23rd and 24th) production of 'Cabaret' at The Bull hotel. This is a completely revised version of the play/film with all new script and modified songs. Tickets £10 on the door with all proceeds to Samaritans. The Local Government Boundary Commission - Dorset Council area A consultation on some recommendations for ward boundaries in the Dorset Council area is now open. The draft recommendations are to alter Dorset Council ward boundaries in ways that affect parts of the following parish and town councils areas: • • Chickerell Town Council • • Dorchester Town Council • • Symondsbury Parish Council • • Weymouth Town Council • • Wimborne Minster Town Council To view the draft recommendations and have your say on the proposal please click here. The closing date is Monday 9th November 2026. Dorset Council - Electoral Register Every household in the Dorset Council area should have received an email or paper form asking residents to check whether the information on the electoral register is correct. A response is required from every household. Further Canvass Forms will be sent in September to properties where Dorset Council believe there are no changes to the registered electors, but they do not have email contact details. If you have any questions, you can contact the elections team on 01305 838299 or email elections@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Dorset Council Community Transport Grant 2026-2027 The aim of the Dorset Council Community Transport Grant is to help Dorset residents respond to ongoing cost of living pressures by supporting investment in the development of Dorset's community transport network. The grant forms part of the council's wider programme to strengthen community transport, improve rural connectivity and create a more integrated transport system. The fund aims to support organisations that can improve accessibility, reduce isolation and strengthen the resilience of Dorset's community transport network. Projects could include volunteer driver mileage support, community minibus operating costs, accessible vehicle adaptations, booking and scheduling software, volunteer recruitment campaigns or pilot services serving poorly connected communities Organisations can apply for either a capital grant of up to £5,000 (20% match funding required), a revenue grant of up to £2,500 or a larger revenue grant of up to £20,000 (20% match funding required). Applications close at midnight on the 20th October 2026. Volunteer Centre Dorset The latest Volunteer Centre Dorset newsletter can be viewed here. This features funding opportunities, Dorset Council community conversation dates, training opportunities and much more. Rural Services Network - Rural Funding Digest This month's edition of the Rural Funding Digest features community garden grants, new allotment site fund, heritage revival fund, project grants, grass roots grants and National lottery awards and more. Dorset Police - Fraud Protection Dorset Police's fraud team have introduced a service called Ask Damian. The service is available by calling 01202 144688 and is available 24/7 from Dorset Police. Residents can receive instant fraud prevention advice to help residents to make informed decisions before responding to suspicious calls, emails, texts, websites, or requests. The service can answer questions on all types of fraud. The service is unique to Dorset and provides immediate, practical guidance. In addition to the telephone support, users receive a text message containing the advice provided, allowing them to refer back to the information when needed.

The Puncknowle, Swyre and West Bexington History Group hold monthly meetings to discuss the local history of our area, and during the spring and summer months also organise history walks. Recently there was a presentation by our own historian-in-residence Paul Kingston on Litton. If you would like to know more about the group, and learn more about your local surroundings please contact Paul Bullen 07527141560 paul.bullen@icloud.com