Abbotsbury GARLAND Day took place on Friday, May 13 with the two garlands being paraded around the village raising funds for the RNLI.

These are large and heavy and take two people to carry.

The garlands are a real picture and are made from flowers, cultivated and wild, from our village gardens by village ladies.

This is a traditional old custom, which used to bring good luck to the many seine net fisher folk of the village.

The garlands were then cast into the waves off Abbotsbury after a service of dedication on the beach.

These days they are placed beside the war memorial in the churchyard.

Thanks go to Claire and Loraine for dressing the garlands.

PREPARATIONS are in full swing for the Flower Festival in St Nicholas Church over the late May Bank Holiday weekend.

The church will be open for visitors between 10.00 am and 6.00pm.

The theme of the festival is Roofs! The arrangements will depict roofing methods as diverse as thatch to tents and many more.

All proceeds will be for the Roof Appeal.

At the moment the churchyard is showing its own ‘flower festival’. The early warm weather has brought with it a spectacular display of wild flowers.

Prominent is the unusual Rosy Garlic, supposedly brought back from the Mediterranean by one of the plant hunting Earls of Ilchester in the 1700s.

THE result of the local elections for the Abbotsbury parish of the Chesil Bank Parish Council (CBPC) were Dave Stevens 176 votes, Henry Ford 168 , Nigel Melville 112 , Graham Roper 118 and Chris Wade 93.

Therefore the status quo is maintained with the first four aforementioned councillors representing Abbotsbury on the CBPC.

AT the Annual General meeting of the CBPC John Coombe from Fleet Parish was voted Chairman again and Stuart Bainbridge from Portesham Parish as Vice chairman who will now replace Henry Ford who had served as vice chairman for many years.

THIS year the Royal British Legion is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its founding.

News from Malcom Pugh tells me that to commemorate this occasion the Legion is hoping to raise £90million for their welfare activities.

As part of these celebrations the Abbotsbury and Portesham Branch are holding a concert given by Weymouth Concert Brass in Portesham village hall on Friday, June 10 at 7.30pm.

Tickets priced at £6.50, which includes refreshments in the interval, will be on sale at the door on the night or from RBL members.

The proceeds from the concert will be shared between the Poppy Appeal and the Women’s Section Benevolent Trust.

Please come and support this very worthwhile cause.

THE concert in St Nicholas Church on Sunday, May 8 raised about£249 for the Roof Appeal.

Thanks go to Jean Channon for organising it.