Welcome to the Chideock and Seatown Community Website. This website belongs to ‘the community’ and is all about Chideock, North Chideock and Seatown. We hope these pages will be of interest to both local residents and visitors to our village.
Chideock is an amazingly busy village with lots of groups that anyone can join and lots of entertainment and events that are happening so please take your time to look through our website – not forgetting our stunning Photo Galleries.
If you are a visitor to this beautiful part of West Dorset please check out our Accommodation Guide.
- W.I. OCTOBER MEETING REPORT
Chideock WI October Meeting
Turning Fact into Fiction Laura Wilde
Author of historical and contemporary fiction, Laura Wilde
entertained us with a light hearted but most interesting account of her reasons for writing historical fiction and her processes in doing so, while using the example of her novel: The Ladies of Llanfairpwl, about the establishment of the first WIs, initially in Canada and then in the UK.
Laura explained that accounts of historical events in newspapers, court reports etc, have often been provided from a male perspective. She endeavours to engage with the female point of view, using artistic licence to weave a story together. Laura explained that the first WI was established by Adelaide Hoodless in Canada. Further to her son’s death from drinking contaminated milk, Adelaide set out to educate other women through giving talks and in time the WI grew from this initiative. Adelaide died in 1910 but her companion, Madge Watt, emigrated to the UK following a family scandal and with the support of Colonel Stapleton Cotton, in 1915 the first ‘Society’ was established in Wales. Both ‘ladies’ and farmer’s wives joined together to support good causes: children’s homes, The Red Cross and provision of clean water among them.
Laura talked us through her own process, as an author and the stages she follows: initial research, visit relevant locations, establish her characters, work out a plot, draft and redraft, proof reading, cover design and publication. She has 17 novels to her credit and these can be accessed mainly via her website www.lkwilde.com and from social media and Amazon.
Laura’s talk struck a strong resonance within our group as our own Diane Benjamin has herself documented the establishment and development of our WI in 1919 when 62 women, a real cross section of Chideock society, first came together. Diane used the well documented meeting minutes to construct her most informative summary which is currently available in Chideock Museum. Over a hundred years later our group continues to thrive with two new members having joined this month and people bringing friends along for a taster.
We meet from 2pm at Chideock Village Hall on the first Tuesday of every month and in between in a variety of sub groups. This month our tireless committee organised an evening out with delicious food, live music courtesy of two ‘Lost Souls’ and dancing. I’m not sure the ladies of Llanfairpwl would have been indulging in quite the same way! Curious?……Do Come Along!
Continue reading → - CHIDECK FILM NIGHT TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER IN THE VILLAGE HALL
CHIDEOCK HALL FILM NIGHT
Tuesday 17th November – 7.00pm for 7.30pm
Song Sung Blue is a 2025 American biographical musical drama film starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as Mike and Claire Sardina, who performed as the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder. The story follows Mike, a struggling musician and recovering alcoholic, who initially performs as a Don Ho and Buddy Holly impersonator. He meets Claire, a hairdresser and part-time performer, and together they form a tribute act to Neil Diamond. Their journey explores romance, musical ambition, and personal tragedy, and dramatizes their rise, setbacks, and the emotional bond that sustains them through challenges. Based on a true story they prove it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams.
£5.00 Entry – cash or card payments accepted which includes free tea/coffee & popcorn
wine by glass or bottle, beer, cider & choc ices on sale during interval.
Continue reading → - Cider Tasting and Cheeseboard Supper – Sat 24th October 2026
- FILM NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE HALL. 20TH OCTOBER. ‘BELFAST’
CHIDEOCK HALL FILM NIGHT
Tuesday 20th October – 7.00pm for 7.30pm
Belfast is a 2021 coming-of-age film written and directed by Kenneth Branagh. The film stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan and Jude Hill. The film follows a young boy’s childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the beginning of The Troubles in 1969 where family warmth and youthful adventures are shadowed by rising social unrest. His stable and loving community and everything he thought he understood about life is changed forever but joy, laughter, music and the formative magic of the movies remain.
£5.00 Entry – cash or card payments accepted which includes free tea/coffee & popcorn
wine by glass or bottle, beer, cider & choc ices on sale during interval.
Continue reading → - QUIZ NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE HALL
QUIZ NIGHT
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CHIDEOCK VILLAGE HALL
Friday 30th October 2026 7.30 pm prompt start!
£10.00 a head INCLUDING SUPPER
B.Y.O. drinks, glasses, tipples & nibbles
∙ PRIZES FOR TOP FIVE TABLES ∙ RAFFLE
BOOK YOUR TABLE (max 4 people)
EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!
CALL OR MESSAGE 07852 332938
IN AID OF ST.GILES’ CHURCH
CONTRIBUTIONS OF FOOD & RAFFLE PRIZES WELCOME
(please tell us when booking) - ROAD CLOSURE UPDATES FOR MILES CROSS, CHIDEOCK AND BRIDPORT OCTOBER 2026Continue reading →
Update from the Foundry Lea Consortium.
We wanted to let you know that the full closure of the B3162/West Road junction at Miles Cross which commenced on Friday 18 September 2026 has been extended until Wednesday 7 October 2026. The road will be fully reopened from 8am on Thursday 8 October.
This means the existing traffic management arrangements will remain in place until then, with the A35 will remaining open, but no access onto or off West Road from the A35. Drivers will be diverted through Bridport town centre to access West Road.
On Tuesday 6 October and Wednesday 7 October, we’ll need to implement overnight closures of the A35 to enable our traffic management arrangements to be removed. The closures will be in place from 8pm to 6am both nights.
To keep disruption to a minimum, while also maintaining our construction programme, we have cancelled all non-essential operations and deliveries during this closure. However, a small number of essential deliveries will need to travel through Bridport Town Centre. Wherever possible, we have instructed our contractors not to make deliveries on Wednesdays to avoid adding to traffic on Market Day.
We’ll do everything we can to minimise disruption during this period.
Thank you for your patience and continued cooperation while we complete these essential works.
- CHIDEOCK NEWS – OCTOBER 2026
- update from National Highways.
Further to our previous communications regarding planned electrical works on the A35 in Morcombelake and Chideock as part of our safety scheme, I wanted to provide an update and confirm the rescheduled dates for these activities, following their postponement in August due to higher-than-anticipated seasonal traffic levels.
The following dates have now been confirmed:
Upcoming works
- From 9am on 12 October until 6pm on 14 October, temporary two-way traffic lights will be in place outside Knapp Cottage, Morcombelake, to allow electrical works to be carried out safely.
- The works and traffic lights will then move to outside Felicity’s Farm Shop, Morcombelake, from 14 October until 6pm on 16 October.
- From 9am on 19 October until 6pm on 23 October, temporary two-way traffic lights will be in place in Chideock to allow electrical works to be carried out safely on the carriageway.
Please be aware that, at times, no workforce may be visible on site while materials cure, equipment is tested, or work is completed remotely. However, the temporary traffic lights will remain in place where required to maintain the safety of road users and our workforce.
Help us spread the word
Please help us raise awareness of these works by sharing this information, or signposting people to our safety scheme webpage, through your networks and communication channels.
Any questions?
If you have any queries or comments about the work, or would like further information, please contact National Highways’ Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 or by email at info@nationalhighways.co.uk.
We apologise in advance for any delays these works may cause and thank road users for their patience while we complete these improvements safely.
Many Thanks,
Sophie
Sophie Smith (she/her), Assistant Project Manager
Operations SW Scheme Delivery
National Highways | Brunel House | 930 Hempton Court, Aztec West | Bristol | BS32 4SR
Web: nationalhighways.co.uk/
Continue reading → - Chideock WI September Meeting
Chideock WI September Meeting
Here we are, back from summer, or baked from summer….!
In a change from the listed talk, what a truly inspirational talk we received from John Preston, representing Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Since his retirement as a Coast Guard Rescue Officer, during which time he was involved in 700 rescues, John has volunteered for D&S Air Ambulance. He told us that the 21 Air Ambulance services that cover the UK respond to over 45,000 missions per year, on average 126 missions every day. Since its establishment in 2000 The D&S Air Ambulance service has grown in size, now owning 2 helicopters and 2 critical care vehicles, each hosting 2 medical staff and a range of excellent equipment, now moving to an airbase provided free courtesy of Leonardo. Overall the service operates every day and is working towards 24 hour cover. Attending road traffic accidents, trauma (eg falling from a cliff), cardiac arrests and other medical emergencies, as well as transfer of patients to specialist units (eg for burns) and delivering blood, the service does, without doubt, save lives.
John’s talk was responded to with spontaneous and heartfelt testimonies from those present who had themselves benefitted from the D&S Air Ambulance service. It costs £10 million per year to run and is funded entirely as a charity. John outlined a range of activities which support fundraising: through talks, events, sale of merchandise, legacies, collection and even clothes recycling. The Bridport Co-Op has raised £50,000 over 10 years through sale of second hand books. John also described the D&S Air Ambulance Lottery, entry costs £5 per month and yields excellent cash rewards. John encouraged us to get the WHAT3WORDS app on our phones as it enables the D&S Air Ambulance service to pinpoint the person(s) in need and rapidly find a suitable landing place. John’s talk was very well received, we are so lucky to have such a wonderful service in our area.
Continue reading → - Need help with the cost of travelling to School or College this September?
Need help with the cost of travelling to School or College this September?
The Chideock Village Trust can help
As part of a new scheme, the Trust will provide a flat rate grant of £500 to all young people in years 12 and 13 who are resident in the village. These grants are designed to support students to get to school, college or work placements, particularly vital given that public funding for school transport stops after year 11.
All you need to do to access the grant is to send an email to :
chideockvillagetrust@gmail.com
The trustees would also welcome applications for grants, to support school trips, educational courses at any age and from people wishing to enhance our historic village.
The trustees meet quarterly to discuss applications so you won’t have long to wait to learn if your request has been successful.
The Trustees
Chideock Village Trust
Charity no. 1084576
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