THE Portesham WI held their annual summer cake sale on the first Saturday in August but due to an unsettled morning for weather the sale took place in the foyer of the village hall and not, as planned, on the village green.

When I arrived within the first few minutes of opening the table was weighed down with a grand selection of large and small cakes, bread and also additional preserves and produce.

Within a short while the cakes were vanishing with a rush of customers snapping them up as soon as they were put out on the table.

About an hour later the table was empty and everything sold with late customers and visitors disappointed to have missed out.

  • THE VOLUNTEERS held the most recent village café for raising funds to buy more plants, seeds and bulbs for planting up during the autumn in cleared areas.

A great deal of organisation and planning, plus advertising and leaflet drop was done prior to the café, which really paid off as the hall was packed all morning.

Display boards with detailed plans of work done and future plans for clearing and planting were on display with pictures of the many plants they hope to buy, which have been very sympathetically thought out to blend in with the village and surrounding environment.

It is hoped that some donations will come from local residents for any excess plants, bulbs or seeds to assist with the overall costs.

The bacon and sausage baps were selling as fast as they could be cooked and the bottle tombola trade was brisk and the library books in demand as usual, the choice getting better and better with each café as people donate books they have read.

The produce tables were heaving with every choice of cakes imaginable, bread plus preserves, home grown vegetables, bunches of flowers and a selection of plants, all sold out by the end of the morning.

The raffle table was stacked high with prizes from bottles of wine, box of groceries, basket of fruit and many types of chocolates, cosmetics and stationery items.

This café had so much to offer and the excellent planning really proved what a popular venue this can be.

To add to its success this café broke all records for overall takings that will now be put to good use to improve and enhance our village.

The amount of cakes sold over the past two Saturdays gives one the impression that the residents of Portesham have a very sweet tooth!!

  • PORTESHAM PLAYGROUND has been out of the news for some considerable time but thanks to several years of hard fundraising enough money has been accumulated for the start of work on building this playground.

Andy Horne tells me that they have been awarded lump sums from “Community Spaces” (Groundwork UK and the Lottery Fund), Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council apart from £3,000 being raised from local fundraising and donations.

A local contractor has been awarded the tender to install the playground and work is already progressing.

The playground is due for completion at the end of August and there will be a “grand opening” on Friday, September 17 at 3.30pm in the Portesham School field - all are welcome, but there will be limited parking.

Andy would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Action Group to say a big thank you to all who have supported and donated to this playground to help raise funds for this vital addition to our village.

It will provide many years of fun play for the younger members of our community.

  • THE NEXT Village Café will be held on Saturday, August 28 from 10-12noon in the village hall when villagers have been invited to hire a table for selling their own produce.

This will be a great opportunity for residents with large gardens or allotments to make a profit on some of their excess vegetables, fruit and flowers or any other produce like eggs, preserves and homemade food items (dare I say cakes!!).

I have only a small patch for our back garden so I will be eager to buy up some local produce, so come along and help these hard working gardeners and cooks to raise some money - see you there!