PREPARATIONS are in full swing for the eighth annual apple day which will take place next weekend.

The popular event will return to Bridport Community Orchard on Saturday, October 17 between 11am and 3pm.

The community event will include live entertainment and refreshments, along with children’s activities.

Entertainment will include ukulele performances, as well as Wyld Morris dancers, story telling, acoustic music – along with displays and stalls for visitors to enjoy.

A host of locally sourced refreshments will also be on offer, including cider, apple pressing and juice, ploughman’s lunches and a cafe open in Church House.

The event will also allow the Bridport Community Orchard to support itself financially.

Bridport Community Orchard Group chairman Jill Lloyd, said: "This is a great community day, and also our main fund raiser of the year which enable us to be financially self supporting for all normal running costs.

"We only seek funding for special projects or new equipment.

"However, it is essentially a free day out for people. The only things charged for are food and drink, and then at low prices."

As well as support from Dorset Wildlife Trust, the event has gained the backing of a number of local businesses including Groves Nurseries, Elwell Fruit Farm, West Milton Cider and Dorset Nectar Cider, Transition Town Bridport and Communities Living Sustainably (CLS).

The Walditch branch of the Women's Institute will be running lunches in Church House.

"Leakers and Ford Farms will kindly be providing bread and cheese," added Ms Lloyd.

"Entertainment will run all day, with performances by local ukulele players, Wyld Morris, the Yellow Room and other musicians - as well as story telling by Martin Maudsley."

The Bridport Community Orchard was established in 2008. It is a public green space, owned by West Dorset District Council and leased by Bridport Town Council.

The area is managed in partnership with the Bridport Community Orchard Group (BCOG). The orchard is freely available for everyone to enjoy informally, and also for public events organised either by the orchard group, or other local groups, on application to BCOG.

For more information, please visit bridportcommunityorchard.org.uk