Abbotsbury and Langton Herring

Abbotsbury

VERY SADLY, Abbotsbury Music Festival has staged its final production.

AT the beginning of the month Abbotsbury Music brought The Garden Opera Company’s production of La Traviata to The Electric Palace in Bridport where it was well received.

Abbotsbury Music has been bringing classical music in some shape or form to the village for about 25 years.

In the beginning monthly classical concerts took place in St Nicholas Church when there was a dirth of such culture in the area.

Over the years as music became more available in this part of Dorset, Abbotsbury Music broadened its scope and took music and related art into schools and staged concerts in different venues.

Over the past 10years or so they have brought the top class touring Opera Company Garden opera to the village with productions being held in the garden of Abbey House.

These performances were magical and drew large audiences from far and wide.

Now, sadly the Committee, all volunteers who have has served long and faithfully for a good number of years, has decided to close the Festival.

I served on this committee for 6 years as the PR person and know just how much hard work is involved in staging performances especially as the date approaches.

Now as people drop out, usually through extra family duties, the group has found it hard to replace their skills and commitment.

That, coupled with the increasing difficulty in finding funding/sponsorship to enable them to offer affordable tickets, and the worsening and unpredictable summer weather they have decided to quit while they are doing a good job.

The committee thank all the local people who have helped over the years by providing B&B and other services and the audiences for their continued support in spite of rain or other difficulties.

Who can forget those lovely opera evenings with picnics in the garden?

Abbotsbury Music we will miss you.

ON Thursday, October 21, 19 members of the joint benefice of Abbotsbury, Portesham and Langton Herring had a Quiet Day at Hilfield Friary a few miles from the Kincombe Woods in rural Dorset.

The Friary is a small community of Brothers and lay people with visitors on gap years and those in need all working together.

The Anglican Society of St Francis aims to bring together people of different faiths and of no acknowledged faith to share in the Franciscan values of peace, justice and the integrity of creation.

Do look at their new website www.hilfieldfriary.org.uk. Set in 19 acres of gardens, meadows and woodland the Friary is the perfect place for peace and reflection.

ARTEMESIA Gallery has a new exhibition of paintings on view from November 5 – December 24

The exhibition is entitled Phenomena and the Sea.

Philomena Harmsworth paints in oils on canvas and all her paintings are connected to the sea.

The gallery is situated halfway down West Street, look out for the topiary trees outside, and is open from Monday to Friday and by appointment on Saturdays and Sundays.

REMEMBRANCE Sunday falls November 14 this year.

There will be wreath laying at St Nicholas Church, Abbotsbury at 10.15am and a Divine Service at St Peters, Portesham at 10.50 am with wreath laying at the war memorial afterwards.

THE Royal British Legion (RBL) Branch Annual General Meeting will be held in Strangways Hall, Abbotsbury on Thursday, Nov 4 at 7.30pm

THE next Chesil Bank Parish Council meeting will be held in Strangways Hall, Abbotsbury on Monday, November 1.

All are welcome to attend.

The democratic half hour for the public is held at the end of the meeting.