BISHOP Tim Thornton led a team of committed walkers on a one day 50 mile route in aid of a new church for Crossways. Together with the Archdeacon of Sherborne Paul Taylor they made a pilgrimage from Sherborne Abbey to St Aldhelm's Chapel.

  • Plans for a new church in Crossways have been drawn up and estimates of the cost of the building are in excess of one million pounds. That's a lot of coffee mornings and bring & buy sales ! However it is hoped that the sponsored walk undertaken by the two intrepid clerics will add a further £4,000 to the fund.
  • The day started at the Abbey at daybreak and the weather was kind on the walkers as they embarked on the 50 mile journey through the Dorset countryside to the sea. The significance of St Aldhelm is that it is proposed that the new church will be named after this saint who has great connections with Dorset.
  • The proposed site is on the junction between Warmwell and Dick O'Th Banks Road and will be a modern design. The Parish Council recently made a donation to purchase the first golden tile' for the roof.
  • Many Villagers are collecting their loose change under the pennies from heaven' scheme. At regular intervals a special thanksgiving service is held when the gifts can be offered or can be handed at any time to the Recotr, Jacquie Birdseye.
  • Bishop Tim speaking about the project said: It's about enabling the church to be part of the community and to provide a resource which will support and help the life of the people of Crossways.'
  • The Chapel of St Aldhelm's was reached at 8.30pm with a chance for quiet prayer and contemplation in an emotional end to an extraordinary day. Villagers from Crossways were heavily involved in the behind the scenes work.
  • There was a small matter of transporting 100 bananas and 100 mars bars, liquid refreshments and providing first aid back up for blisters and strains. It sounds like quite a logistical undertaking.
  • When the weary and footsore pilgrims arrived at the chapel on St Aldhelm's Head there was a short thanksgiving service led by Archdeacon Paul Taylor, after which Bishop Tim Thornton summed things up by saying: We're all very tired; it's been an extraordinary emotional and physical experience, but the people of Crossways are very special, and that's why we have done this.'
  • REMINDER to regular bingo players in Crossways village hall that the parish council is meeting a week earlier than usual. This means no bingo on 22 May but an opportunity to play the following week on 29 May.
  • A piece of interesting information has been given by the village webmaster. For good or not so good reasons the hits' on the site have soared in recent months and average between 26,000 and 32,000 per month which is an extraordinary figure.
  • VILLAGERS will get the opportunity of voting in a by-election to fill the vacancy which has arisen on the parish council. Official notices will appear in the notice boards shortly giving details of the election timetable.
  • The vacancy was caused by the recent resignation from the council of Geoffrey Northcote who was elected in May 2007. This will be the first election to take place since the contest which took place when the council was originally formed.