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Meeting Dates & events

Meeting dates for Trustees, Countryside Forum, Planning Group, Local Groups and events.

Get involved and come to one of our local events. Member events include exclusive visits to local gardens, farm visits and talks by experts. We also host conferences which are open to non-members.

Monthly Planning Group Meeting

We discuss the Dorset Council Local Plan, BCP Local Plan, consultations and planning related matters. The next meeting is on Wednesday 5th March 2025, 10am.  The meeting is open to Dorset CPRE members. Please contact us for the Zoom link if you would like to join the meeting.

Countryside Forum Meetings 2025 – Fridays
Four meeting dates: 7th February (via Zoom), 16th May, 5th September and 31st October (via Zoom).

Trustees Meetings 2025 – Fridays
Four meeting dates: 21st February, 6th June, 26th September & 28th November.

 

Annual Branch AGM 15th November 2025, 11am, at Cerne Abbas Village Hall
Our President, Kate Adie, chaired the 2024 meeting, held on 16th November 2024. Please view copy of 2024 AGM Minutes.

 

Summer Garden Party: 12th July 2024
Garden Party near Blandford Forum. Booking details were posted with our spring magazine in May 2024. Details on 2025 event to be added when confirmed.

Summer Planning Conference – ‘Dorset’s Affordable Housing Crisis?’
We held an online conference on ‘Dorset’s Affordable Housing Crisis’ chaired by Lord Richard Best, Social Housing Leader, on 20th June 2024. We have added links to the presentations and recordings on the Planning Conference 2024 event page. Details on a 2025 Conference to be added when confirmed.

Farm Visit
Members visited The Orchard, Chalmington, on Saturday 18th May 2024. Please visit the Tour and Tastings event page for more details.

 

The Sherborne and District Society
2025 Committee Meetings: Generally every other month.
AGM: Friday 27th September 2024 at Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne, 6pm for 6.30pm. Address by Kate Adie, Dorset CPRE President. 2025 date to be confirmed.

 

North Dorset Group
Committee Meetings 2024: 6.30pm start, zoom and in-person.  Meetings were held on 12th February, 15th July and 11th November 2024. 2025 date to be added asap.
AGM: 1st April 2025 North Dorset AGM, 5.30pm, at Clayesmore School. Guest speaker is, Kate Adie, Dorset CPRE President.
2024 guest speaker was George Hosford, ex-Chairman Dorset NFU, who gave a talk about the Future of Farming in North Dorset.

 

Oak Fair, Stock Gaylard  August bank holiday 23rd and 24th August 2025
We have a stand at the fair which has a conservation and country activities bias for those who have not been before. Stock Gaylard Estate is a small traditional country estate just over 4 miles from Sturminster Newton and 8 miles from Sherborne.

 

Purbeck & Poole Group
Committee Meetings:  Meet at CJ’s in Lychett Minster, BH16 6JE.

 

West Dorset Group
Last open meeting was held on Wednesday 15th February 2023 at Willowbed Hall, Chickerell, to discuss concerns about the vast solar farm and battery storage proposals. Rupert Hardy, Chair of North Dorset CPRE and David Peacock, our Topic Leader on Renewables, spoke at the meeting.

 

2025 Induction Day with National CPRE for new volunteers
The online induction sessions are a great opportunity to find out about CPRE’s history, vision and strategy, and to learn about the support National CPRE teams can offer.
Wednesday, 22nd January, from 5-7pm
Monday, 31 March, from 2-4pm
Thursday, 15th May, 10am
To book a place please email volunteeringteam@cpre.org.uk.

 

2025 Planning Inductions with National CPRE for new volunteers

These online inductions are held 4 times a year, and are particularly targeted towards new CPRE planning volunteers; however, members are welcome to come along and get involved.

Wednesday, 29th January, 1-2:30pm
Thursday, 1 May, 9.30-11am

Star Count 2024
With a general election expected in 2024, this year will be make or break for our countryside. For this reason, National CPRE has decided to pause Star Count for 2024. Although there will be no CPRE Star Count in 2024, CPRE will remain an active member of the dark skies community and continue to advocate for reductions in light pollution. The Star Count 2023 results were published in April 2023.

 

‘The Dorset Review’ magazine
Deadlines for articles are 28th March (Spring edition) & 15th September (Autumn edition).