There have been many column inches written about 'Storm Dennis' and I am pleased to report that the flood plain did exactly what it was designed to do during the unprecedented rainfall over the weekend. I have no inside knowledge about when the next storm is due, but my money is on it being named 'Eliza'.

The West Bay Discovery Centre had nine applicants for the position of seasonal manager. Liz Bryant was successful and begins her season's work on March 16. She has previously worked in publishing, as a well as in her own share of a business. Particularly keen on volunteers, she has worked in that capacity herself for both the National Trust and the Dorset Wildlife Trust.

As expected, the beach clean scheduled for Sunday morning was cancelled due to the weather. This means a reprieve for the nurdles and biobeads. Two years ago over 5,000 were picked up from the West Beach during beach cleans. A nurdle is a small pellet of plastic the size of a lentil, used as a raw material in the production of nearly all our plastic products.

Next Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday and I expect there will be plenty of pancake day offers various eateries around the Bay. The following day marks the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. There will be a service at St. John's at 6pm followed at 7.30pm by the first of this year's sessions of the Pilgrim Course, which this year looks at the bible over several weeks. If you would like to take part then please contact the Reverend Pete Stone at pete@bridport-team-ministry.org. If you are passing St. John's on a Wednesday evening during the next six weeks and see the lights on then this is what is taking place.

Today, Thursday, February 20, at 11am, the funeral service will be held in St. John's of Gwyneth Taylor, aged 88, formerly of Bramble Drive on the Meadowlands estate. Everyone who knew Gwyneth is welcome to attend.