We ran the RFL yesterday, see our pictures and so far I've raised £155. My web page will be open for a while yet so if anyone wants to donate they still can.

Many thanks
Ann

At Martinstown Village Hall from Sat 3rd May...
(See posters and news item) CLICK HERE

What is it?
‘Connecting Dorset’ is an innovative countywide project, delivered by Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils and Dorset Community Action, in partnership with Citizens Online. The project aims to connect all Dorset Parish and Town Councils and 120 of Dorset’s 200 village halls to broadband, provide a ‘package’ of hardware, software and training, and encourage halls and local councils to work jointly and separately to develop the advantages of Internet access for the benefit of their communities.

What will be supplied by the project?
The project will supply the package of a broadband wireless router (hall telephone connection if needed), laptop with extra monitor, keyboard and mouse, choice of multifunction colour or black & white laser printer, standard email address, training, ongoing support and, for village halls only a contribution towards the first year’s running costs.

Council’s equipment will be located with the Parish Clerk

What will the Council or Village Halls contribute?
The Council or Hall will be responsible for the running costs (phone line and broadband). Halls will need to provide a secure space for the router plus volunteers to act as administrator and mentors as well as allowing a few hours a week for public access.

What will it mean to our community?
Local people can make use of the equipment in village halls for a huge variety of reasons, for example:

Information – access to the World Wide Web, e.g. help with homework, research family history, read the paper….. the list is endless.

Communication – email friends and family all over the world, use instant messaging, join special interest forums, and much more.

Education – learn about IT and increase skills, online and distance learning such as learndirect.

Local clubs, the Parish Council and other hirers can use the Internet for meetings, training sessions and presentations in the hall. This could make your hall more attractive to hirers and generate extra income.

For more information go to: www.connectingdorset.org.uk/index.html

Artsreach in Martinstown

Artsreach is Dorset’s rural touring arts organisation, giving rural communities all over Dorset the opportunity to see and participate in high quality arts events in their own villages. We offer large and small scale theatre, live music, dance, comedy, literature film and puppet shows as well as visual arts exhibitions. Project work and workshops are a key part of our responsibility, bringing professional artists and local communities together.

We are a charitable organisation (reg charity 1058198) and aim to make ticket prices accessible to everyone. To enable us to do this we receive regular funding from Arts Council England, Dorset County Council and the 4 District Councils in west Dorset. Although this funding allows Artsreach to subsidize events we also need to attract good audiences to help cover the costs.

Each venue can have 4 performing arts events per season. When holding an event, venues keep a percentage of the ticket sales, usually 20%, and any profits from the sales of raffle tickets and refreshments.

This season, 2007/2008, we have had 4 performances at Martinstown Village Hall. Two small scale theatre productions, a cabaret band and a dance company. The attendances have all been over 80% with the last two shows being sell outs. We have been able to give the Village hall just under £570.

For more information please see www.artsreach.co.uk

On a more personal note I would like to thank the happy band of volunteers who have helped to ensure the smooth running of each show, the pub, shop and farm shop for selling the tickets for me and the locals who have very kindly donated gifts for the raffle. I could not manage these events without all of you.

At the end of this month I will be attending the Promoters Event to learn about the shows I could book for the 2008/2009 season. Please let me know if you would like to hear more about these. I need to get our choices in by early June 2008.

STOP PRESS
I have just had a phonecall from Geraldine Canniford to let me know that The Blanchard Trust have granted me £250 to buy equipment for the Artsreach Shows. I am chuffed to bits as this will buy a mirror, clothes rail, gaffer tape, non-slip matts and a stool for the lighting/sound engineer.

Ann Salmon Volunteer Local Promoter