SEPTEMBER

BRIDPORT Hat Festival brought the town alive with colour and creativity for the ninth annual festival. ‘Haturday’ attracted thousands of people to the centre of Bridport.

n Volunteers Carol Chapman and Majorie Lathey were rewarded for their combined total of 100 years of service at Bridport British Red Cross.

n Fundraisers took to the sea in Lyme Regis for Lyme Splash. Around 200 brave participants swam more than 3km to Charmouth in a bid to raise money for Dorset charities.

n Former soldier George Short received the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour) from the French government for his services to France.

n The Allington Hillbillies won the Environmental Champions Award at the Dorset Best Village Awards. The award highlights the best green initiative, which was given to them for their work at Allington Hill and Cooper’s Field.

n The Pilsdon Community celebrated 60 years of providing support for those in need and the Golden Cap Association marked 40 years of the group and the acquisition of Golden Cap by the National Trust.

OCTOBER

POLICE Constable Scott McGregor was honoured at the Dorset Police Awards in recognition for his work serving Bridport and helping crackdown on the supply of drugs.

n Bridport’s quirkiness was recognised with south, east and West Street being given a Champion Special Mention in the Great British High Street Awards.

n Bridport Mind Fest returned to the town for its second festival, which was another great success. It aims to raise awareness and help those with mental health issues.

n A new look Bridport Charter Fair took over the streets in the town centre with free entertainment.

n St Mary’s Church in South street opened to full capacity, three years after part of the ceiling collapsed. More than £100,000 was raised for repair works.

n Bridport Community Orchard held its 11th annual Apple Day, attracting hundreds of people to the South Street orchard.

n Bridport Lions Club held their 25th annual Swimarathon at Bridport Leisure Centre, raising more than £4,000 for local charities.

NOVEMBER

WEST Bay Days held its annual Bonfire on the Beach, lighting up the sky with fireworks and warming the crowds on the coast with a large bonfire.

n Remembrance Day is marked across west Dorset. Six silent soldiers were unveiled at Harbour Green in West Bay and events also included Pages of the Sea at Lyme Regis and Colmers Hill being adorned with a river of poppies.

n Bridport Literary Festival brought a stellar line-up of writers to the town, performing for sell-out audiences.

n Workers in the food and drink industry across Bridport were recognised and rewarded at the annual Bridport Local Food Group’s Service Awards.

n Lyme Regis resident, Clive Juster, picked up the Special Award at the BAFTA’s British Academy Children’s Awards for his contribution to children’s television.

DECEMBER

BRIDPORT Christmas Cheer, Lyme Regis Christmas Lights switch-on, Bridport’s live nativity and Bridport United Church’s Christmas Tree Festival got

residents into the Christmas spirit.

n St Austell Brewery confirmed it would be taking over the Rock Point Inn in Lyme Regis, as well as the adjacent Cobb Gate fish bar and kebab house.

n A new film about Lyme Regis palaeontologist, Mary Anning, and her fictional relationship with another woman, was announced to start production in March.

n The West Bay Wallow and Charmouth Christmas Day Swim attracted thousands of people who took the plunge and enjoyed a dip in the sea.

n The development for 30 affordable homes in Beaminster was given the green light by West Dorset District Council.

n Dorset County Council’s regulatory committee recommends approval for a pedestrian

crossing in Lyme Regis, which led to the town council retracting its support for the scheme.

January to April

May to August