Noticeboard
Live Music at The Fox & Hounds on Easter Sunday!
Kash Folding will be returning to the pub on Easter Sunday, playing between 4 and 7pm!
Please note we will be open on easter Monday.
Tennis Club Coffee Morning & Open Day
Please read the attached details of a Coffee Morning and Open Day, being organised by the Cattistock Lawn Tennis Club.
Book Signing Evening in the Fox & Hounds – 25th April
CCF AGM – Minutes from the recent meeting now available
Update from Annual General Meeting of the Cattistock Community Fund
The Minutes from the recently held Annual General Meeting of the Cattistock Community Fund held on on 26th March 2025, are now available HERE
Thank you to those residents that came along to the meeting and gave invaluable feedback.
The Cattistock Community Fund (CCF) builds funds, makes grants, and acts as trustees for specific community projects, all of which are for the benefit of the village.
Anyone is welcome to apply for a grant for a community project and this can be done by filling out an application form, available on the CCF page of this website.
St Peter & St Paul’s Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Folk Club
The Fox and Hounds hosts a monthly Folk Club, and if you would like join in or watch a very talented and welcoming group of performers, please see the attached details.
New Figure Drawing Group – now starting Wednesday 30th April 10am – 12pm
Patient Participation Group’s latest news
Please see the attached for the minutes from the PPG March meeting, as attended by Colin Fulton, Cattistock’s PPG representative.
Cattistock Open Gardens
Cattistock 200 Club
Please review HERE for the details of the March winners.
Dorset Wildlife Volunteers
Volunteering with Dorset Wildlife Trust
The attached article is from Colin Fulton, and provides a valuable insight to the work being carried out by the Dorset Wildlife Volunteers.
Please read the article, and maybe even consider going along to see the team in action.
Bees in the Churchyard!
We have a wild colony of bees in the eves of the north side of the church. In the summer months you can see large numbers buzzing in and out. We understand there are records of a colony being there for almost 100 years; and probably they have been there a lot longer. They choose a site like this as it is both protected from the weather and they like to fly from shade into the light. They do no harm, and indeed, are very welcome assets to our community.
In 2019, as part of our making the churchyard more wildlife friendly, we bought a beehive log. This was paid for by the CCF and the PCC – 50% each. Beehive logs have been proven to be much more thermally efficient than modern thin-walled hives. Better insulation reduces stress and energy consumption, maintaining warmth during winter; it also helps to prevent overheating in hot weather.
The cavity in the log corresponds to the natural tree cavities’ shape and size that bees naturally use. As a result the heat is usefully concentrated at the top of the cavity during the construction of a new nest. Colonies then are able to build long uninterrupted combs and to sit under their honey stores during the winter; thus avoiding isolation starvation.
The log hives are fashioned from trees blown down in storms or felled when at risk of falling. The log is fitted with a top cover board and rain cover. Bees like to be off the ground, ideally 12-15 ft . Matt Sommerville (the maker of our log) installed it for us and gave a fascinating talk to the village on helping bees in the wild. Giving our bees an ideal residence and not interfering with the colony in any way (including leaving the honey entirely for the bees) means we are likely to be helping the bee population grow and become more resistant to the diseases that farmed bees are susceptible to.
The log was installed with a thatched “hat”; largely for cosmetic reasons but it did also provide additional insulation. As thatches do, it deteriorated over the years and has now been removed. We are looking into a replacement before next winter. Bees began to populate the log within a few weeks of it being installed and has been very active ever since. If you would like further information on bee-logs please see www.beekindhives.uk.
Cathy Evans
Ben Waters Live at the Savill Hall!
On 2nd March the Savill Hall rocked to the sounds of Ben Waters on his piano.
Ben is a local lad and many in the audience, remembered him as a teenager playing in various locations around the area.
Along with his fascinating stories of world – known musicians he played with, he blew the audience away with his skill and energy, playing requests with great good humour.
Singing and clapping along, we all had a great evening and were so lucky to have such a talented musician, used to playing huge venues, entertaining us in our more modest hall.
After contacting Ben, he kindly replied and wrote this:
I began learning piano at the age of fourteen (1988), after watching Fats Domino’s 60th birthday celebration on TV – it was a moment that completely changed my life. The show featured Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lee Lewis. My amazing parents, Ann and John, who live in Upwey, wanted to watch it, and with only one TV and three channels, I had no choice but to join in. But the moment I heard that music, it made me incredibly happy – I was hooked and couldn’t get enough of it. After playing around the house for a year, I started gigging in Weymouth, at The Fox in Corscombe, and The Fox and Hounds in Cattistock.
After 35 years, I decided it would be a nice full-circle moment to return, and I was deeply touched by the turnout. I didn’t advertise the concert much – just listed it on my website – so to have 70 of you there was a wonderful surprise. I can’t thank everyone enough for coming, and for making me feel so welcome.
Cattistock holds a very special place in my heart, and it was truly heartwarming to be back after all this time. I’m hoping to return soon, hopefully with the whole band.
A special thanks goes out to everyone who helped make the event possible, particularly the team at The Fox and Hounds.
I look forward to seeing you all again in the future.
Very best wishes,
Ben
Chiming again
Chiming again
Please see the attached for the latest news about the clock of the Church of St Peter & St Paul.
Bell Ringing
We all enjoy the sound of the church bells, and the attached reminds us of some of the local team’s Bell Ringers, led by Gareth Evans,
Valentines Dining & Live Music – Indigo Blues Band at the Fox & Hounds with Dining from 7:00pm!
Image by Freepik
See below for the evenings menu, and then book a table on: 01300 320444.
Indigo Blues Band –
playing a mixture of old and contemporary Blues and R&B ranging from Muddy Waters through Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, Gary Moore, Jonny Lang and many more. Designed to appeal to discerning music lovers of a “certain age” who will be guaranteed to exclaim, “Blimey, I haven’t heard this in ages!”.
Alternatively, they may just be 5 old blokes banging out some rocking tunes to try and recapture a lost youth that probably never happened in the first place!
Old enough to know better but doing it just the same!
News about an upcoming workshop with Lulu Allison
January Update from the CCF Trustees
Thank you to all those that donate through EasyFundraising, which at no cost to you, helps to ensure monies are available when projects are needed.
Sign up to support us on #easyfundraising and you’ll enter us into a prize draw to win a £250 donation. From then on, you can also raise free donations for us when you shop online with all your favourite retailers! That’s right, you can raise money for us every time you shop online at no extra cost. Join here
Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising free donations for Cattistock Community Fund with easyfundraising? There are over 8,000 retailers on board ready to make a donation – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis & Partners, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds. All you need to do is:
1. Go here and join for free.
2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping.
3. After you’ve checked out, the retailer will make a donation to Cattistock Community Fund at no extra cost to you whatsoever! There are no catches or hidden charges and Cattistock Community Fund will be really grateful for your donations. Thank you for your support.
The CCF Trustees are keen to hear from anybody who wishes to deliver benefits to our village and its community, either by getting involved or by applying for funds. We consider every application on its merits, giving guidance and support where appropriate, either directly or alongside other potential funders.
The CCF Trustees
Did You See the Article on the Restoration of the Village Telephone Box When First Posted? If Not, You Can Read It Now!
Read how a dedicated group of villagers restored the Telephone Box to become a home for the defibrillator, by clicking here!
Forthcoming Events at the Fox & Hounds!
16th January: Quiz Night every 3rd Thursday of the month with Quiz masters Neil & Roma
7.30pm teams of up to 6 people, £2 per person with half going to the winning team and to the CCF.
25th January: Burns Night
14th Febuary: Indigo Blues Band play the Fox & Hounds Cattistock
Indigo Blues Band – playing a mixture of old and contemporary Blues and R&B ranging from Muddy Waters through Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, Gary Moore, Jonny Lang and many more. Designed to appeal to discerning music lovers of a “certain age” who will be guaranteed to exclaim, “Blimey, I haven’t heard this in ages!”.
Alternatively, they may just be 5 old blokes banging out some rocking tunes to try and recapture a lost youth that probably never happened in the first place!
Old enough to know better but doing it just the same!
Folk Club Returns to The Fox & Hounds!
After a brief spell at the Chalk & Cheese, the Folk Club has returned home. Click here to read more
Community Hub Reopening Friday 10th January!
The Community Hub will reopen on Friday 10th January from 10:30am until 12:00 noon.
Children’s Carol Singing – Sunday 15th December
Live Music! – This Coming Saturday at the Fox & Hounds!
See “Kash-Folding” playing music through the decades. Starting at 9pm Saturday 14 December, free entrance.
Christmas Eve Carols Around the Tree
Carol Service – St Peter & St Pauls Church Cattistock
Cattistock Advent Windows are back!
Cattistock Community Christmas Lunch 2024
Please have look at the attached memories of another superb Community Christmas Lunch, laid on by Roma, Barbara and all their hard working helpers.
Fox & Hounds – Christmas Opening Hours.
Palmers Brewery is excited to announce the reopening of The Fox & Hounds, Cattistock, under the stewardship of new business owner, Amanda Lewis.
Amanda, who grew up locally in Chilfrome has a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry and is passionate about providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere for locals and visitors alike. The pub will offer a range of delicious homecooked food and drink, including a selection of Palmers fine ales…..and all in time for Christmas!
Amanda and her team look forward to welcoming you to The Fox & Hounds for her soft opening on the 7th December from 12noon until 11pm.
Cattistock’s 2024 Christmas Tree
Robert Atkinson has again generously donated a super Christmas Tree to the Cattistock community, and the finished, beautifully lit tree, stands outside the Savill Hall.
A team of Cattistock volunteers met outside the Savill Hall, to raise the tree and add the lights.
See here for some photos of the team in action.