Features & interviews from the magazine

October 2022 ‘The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.’  In the spirit of this proverb, and fully aware that there’s no time to lose, the green-fingered people behind the Bridport Tree Planting (BTP) group got together three years ago with a mission to bring more…

October 2022 When Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the watching world knew that millions of people would be displaced.  During the first month of the war alone, around a quarter of the population fled their homes, moving either within Ukraine or across the border to neighbouring countries, and the exodus has continued. To…

October 2022 As the Royal Naval Association holds its Trafalgar Day service on 23 October, our regular contributor Robin Stapleton takes a look at a colourful naval character with a local connection…  Bridport Town Hall’s clock tower and cupola were added about 20 years after the hall itself was built, and were donated by Sir…

September 2022 Ahead of this autumn’s series of organ recitals at St Swithun’s Church, we take a look at the history of this special instrument and its maker… The current St Swithun’s church in North Allington was built almost 200 years ago, and many Bridge readers will be familiar with its exterior. If you’ve ever…

September 2022 Dorset Council has announced that from 1 April 2024 there will be significant changes to the way local councils work in Bridport. The new structure will see: • a single town council area incorporating most of the existing parishes of Allington, Bothenhampton & Walditch, Bradpole and Bridport; • a total of 20 councillors,…

July/August 2022 The Bridge: Tell us a bit about your career and what led you to this job. Liz Bryant: I’ve had a pretty varied career. I worked in gardening, then I did admin for a publishers in Poundbury, then my partner and I started a shipping consultancy together. We sold that business in 2019,…

May 2022 The Bridge: Tell us a bit about your career and how your work experiences prepared you for your responsibilities as a school governor. Martin Warne: My whole career was in social work and I spent 30 years in children’s services in London, Hampshire, Somerset and Dorset. It was front-line work: safeguarding, child protection,…

April 2022 Libraries are a wonderful free resource, bringing a world of learning and imagination right into readers’ hands, so for anyone who loves books, the thought of not being able to get to the library is pretty upsetting.  Whether they’re housebound through illness or limited mobility, live in an isolated spot with no bus…

April 2022 The Bridge: Why did you decide to become an osteopath? Liza Adams: I’ve always been interested in health and I realised quite young that I wanted to soothe people, to help them avoid pain and have a healthy life. I was brought up by my grandma and I was also a young carer,…

March 2022 In the pod this month is the Revd John Yarrien, superintendent minister for Dorset South & West Methodist Circuit. Since October his responsibilities have included Bridport United Church (BUC) and Uploders Methodist Chapel, following the retirement of the Revd Peter Clark. He lives in Dorchester with his wife, Cora. The Bridge: What are…