• Recently a group of Preston ladies, part of Team Daisy, held a Soup Lunch to raise funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital. About 35 people ate a soup lunch, bought cakes, entered a raffle and enjoyed the sunny spring day and in the process raised £550. Daisy Locke, a granddaughter of Sue and Ian Locke, has a very rare brain condition and may require surgery at Great Ormond Street. Team Daisy consists of the friends and relations of Daisy who have set out to raise as much money as possible to help the pioneering work of this marvellous, world renowned hospital. Sue and Ian wish to thank everyone who contributed in any way to raising this excellent sum, to which will be added the £750 raised at a similar lunch before Christmas hosted by Ainsley Burgess. Daisy's father is also running in the Brighton Marathon in April as a further fund raising exercise. We wish them all the best in this very worthwhile cause.

• The Spring Jumble sale of the Weymouth East Scouts and Guides raised the magnificent total of £368 towards the upkeep of the Scutt Hall. Mo and Dave Martin who now organise these events would like to thank everyone who provided items to sell, helped on the day or turned out to buy the goods on offer. Without such support, and the hard work of Mo and Dave, the Scutt Hall could not be maintained for the extensive use made of it by our local youngsters, with Cubs at 6.30pm on Wednesdays, Brownies at 5pm and Explorers at 7pm on Thursdays, Beavers at 5.30pm and Scouts at 7pm on Fridays.

• A while ago I mentioned that as Terry Marsden is moving away from Preston he would be stepping down as Chairperson of the Preston Village Hall Management Committee after 22 years in the post, A replacement was needed and I am delighted to be able to say that Dave Geary has volunteered, and hopefully he will be voted in at the AGM on Wednesday 13 May to continue Terry's sterling work. I'll remind you of the date nearer the time and also provide a report on the meeting.

• AGM of the Sutton Poyntz Society will take place in the Mission Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 15 April. The business should only take a short while - the usual agenda only contains about six items - and it will be followed by a quiz and nibbles, bring your own favourite tipple. I am assured that the quiz questions will be easy - provided you know the answers!

• In Sutton Poyntz an Open Garden Committee are hard at work making plans to display no less than 17 gardens plus one whole street where the residents will welcome everyone to view all their front gardens. With a host of other events - an Art Exhibition, Children’s Hunt the Butterfly Competition, craft stalls - with a full range of refreshments available in the Mission Hall garden.

The Open Garden Weekend will be on Saturday June 27 and Sunday 28 from noon until 5.00pm each day. The proceeds will go to Cancer Research UK and Water Aid and entry will be by programme purchased in advance from local venues and on the day in the Mission Hall. Parking will be free! I know it seems a long way in advance, but now is the time to put it in your diary, and to encourage others to attend. More details to follow, but it is sure to be a great weekend.