#WillDoes
We are a charity fundraising and supporting young people’s mental well-being through activities. We cover Dorset and the surrounding area.
To promote any charitable purpose (including the promotion of education, physical health, mental health and social inclusion) and contribute financially to charitable projects for the benefit of young people in Dorset and the surrounding areas.
Introducing young people to sports and other activities to help them connect and engage socially, rather than retreat to more insular gaming and social media pastimes and to develop coping mechanisms to help manage anxiety and emotions, increase self-awareness, developing trust and relationships.
All Things Bright and Beautiful
For carers and those they care for – every Tuesday at 2.30pm at St Mary’s Church Swanage, a short simple service followed by tea, cake and chat.
Art Workshop
Gently therapeutic art and craft, suitable for beginners and improvers. People with disabilities and life challenges especially welcome.
Welcoming and supportive community. £6.50 per session payable for a half term in advance. Introductory session £8.
People on income-related benefits can apply for a Bursary – £2 per session. Friday Mornings in term time 10am–12pm.
All Saints Hall, Ulwell Road. Please ring to check we have space.
BFN Infant Feeding Support Group
Friendly peer led infant feeding support group offering free infant feeding support, specifically around breastfeeding, pumping and mixed feeding. Refreshments available and activities provided for older siblings, Swanage have an outdoor area and some lovely helpers who can do activities with older children while you sit and feed your baby or chat. A fun social group for mums to meet and support each other.
Weekly group runs at Swanage Children’s Centre on Fridays from 9.45-11.15. Please come along for friendly mother-to-mother peer support, chat, coffee, tea and biscuits and fruit snacks (Often more 🎂).
Wareham group runs at Wareham Youth Centre Wednesday 10-11.30
Overseen by The Breastfeeding Network (BfN), peer supporters have had training from Real Baby Milk (RBM), the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM) or Families and Babies (FAB). Peer supporters can signpost to specialist support when required.
Outside of group meetings, support can be accessed via the usual routes (midwife or health visitor for early days) or the National Breastfeeding Network helpline 0300 100 0212
Citizens Advice East Dorset and Purbeck
Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck is an independent charity that provides free, confidential and impartial advice and support. Their goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever their problem.
Help available online but also in person at the following drop in sessions:
Herston Hall, Jubilee Road, Swanage, Monday 10-12
The Focus Centre, 107, High Street, Swanage, Tuesday 10-12
Swanage main beach car park bus Friday 9.30-12.30
CAB, 2 Mill Lane Wareham Tuesday and Thursday 10-12
Dorset Blind Association
Social clubs, mobile equipment service, home visits and telephone befrienders.
Swanage Social Club meeting every 4th Tuesday (not August).
The Rectory Classroom St Mary’s Church 2:30pm-4:30pm.
Contact Velleta Cracknell 07761 459997 or 01202 712860
velleta@dorsetblind.org.uk
Dorset Council Family Information Service
Dorset Family Information Service (FIS) is a free, impartial information service for parents and carers of children and young people aged up to 19, or up to 25 years for those with special educational needs or disability (SEND).
Find activities and things to do for families. Support and services, Health and Wellbeing.
Dorset Home Library Service
The Home Library Service offers a free regular delivery of books and talking books, chosen individually for each person. It is available to those who cannot easily get to the library due to health or mobility issues, including carers.
We provide a regular supply of reading materials, as well as a much looked forward to visit by a trusted volunteer.
Covering all of Dorset (our volunteers deliver books and talking books from Swanage, Corfe Castle, Wareham and Wool Libraries across the whole of the Purbeck area).
Deliveries are made every 3 weeks on a regular day and time; people can contact the Home Library Service on 01305 236666, or speak to a member of staff at any library to apply for the service.
Durlston Country Park
Durlston Country Park: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday between 10am-1pm meeting at the learning centre.
Shed Sessions: Monday 2pm-4pm, Tuesdays 2pm-4pm, Wednesdays 2:30pm-4:30pm and Fridays 2pm-4pm.
Email us to let us know you would like to join a work party beforehand. Thursday volunteers will need to book on to a dry-stone walling course email for details.
Tuesdays: Pleasure Grounds Project: Enhance the heritage, accessibility, and habitats throughout the Victorian landscape of the park.
Wednesdays: Reserve Conservation: Help care for our stunning National Nature Reserve. Habitat management, scrub cutting, path clearing, hedge-laying, fencing, and more!
Thursdays: Dry-stone Walling: Volunteers help maintain over six miles of dry-stone wall across the Country Park.
We welcome new walling volunteers to get started with a training session held once per month.
Please email durlston@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk for details.
Everyone needs a shed! Durlston Country Park
Everybody Needs a Shed’ was launched as part of the lottery-funded ‘Durlston Pleasure Grounds’ project. It is an accessible community work base which enables people of all ages and abilities to socialise, learn new skills, and volunteer in support of Durlston Country Park.
We welcome people with disabilities, dementia, and other long-term health problems to try a variety of wood-working, gardening, crafts, and DIY projects. No commitment or experience needed – you can even just pop in for a chat.
- Mondays 2pm-4pm – for Cuppa & Chat – enjoy a cuppa and make some new friends in the lovely woodland surroundings. Just drop in and say hello!
- Tuesday 2pm-4pm – join a ranger to help out with practical tasks to support the park – you could be painting, fixing signs, creating crafts or taking part in other DIY projects.
- Wednesdays 2.30pm-4.30pm – join our team of Lead Sheddies to take part in various activities including arts, woodwork, gardening, and more.
- Fridays 2pm-4pm – our gardening group meet to look after our vegetables, plants, and flowers, which we sell for donations on the plant stall as fundraising for the project.
FAB Dorset Breastfeeding Support Charity
Breastfeeding support for pregnant and breastfeeding families including support with expressing milk and hire of breast pumps.
Social and support coffee mornings as well as virtual support for families as well as virtual support for families who may not be able to make it to a group.
Video support is offered every weekday morning. All support is free.
Wareham in person drop in on Tuesday mornings 9:30am-11:30am FAB Charity Shop, 12, West Street, Wareham, BH20 4JX. For other Dorset locations see their website.
Food for Thought Purbeck
A mobile larder based at the Children’s Centre on Chapel Lane on Wednesdays between 9.30 am and 10.30 am throughout the year.
Anyone can become a member of FareShare, with only proof of ID and address required as there is no means testing, nor a need to be in receipt of benefits. Residents can just turn up on a Wednesday morning with their ID to join the scheme.
Once membership has been processed, customers pay £2.50 as a single person, £3.50 for a two person household or £5 for a family, and food worth at least three times as much will be selected for them.
Help and Care – Dorset Self Management Service
We offer a non-clinical social prescribing service. Clients can access sessions offered by our teams throughout Dorset who will help address issues that are affecting day to day life.
Helping a person to have more good days and feeling able to address the things that get in the way. People may have a long- term health condition, caring responsibilities, work uncertainty or money worries for example. The service helps people to self- manage the action they might decide to take and help build resilience.
On a more practical level, the service can also identify activities and support groups that may be of interest and where appropriate they can introduce them or even accompany someone to a group for the first time. We can offer telephone, video or face to face appointments or a mixture of all.
Following receipt of a referral, an initial conversation providing more details about the service and how it might help will also include agreed method of future contact. Dorset Wide Service 9am-5pm Monday to Friday 18+ Must be registered with a GP in Dorset.
NSPCC
Support and tips to help you keep children safe. From advice on drugs and alcohol to staying safe online and what to do if you’re worried about a child.
Advice and support for parents and families too.
Planet Purbeck
Coming together to care for our countryside, coast and communities. Planet Purbeck are a young organisation, ‘the new kids on the block’ if you like, connecting with the community and developing wonderful friendships as they go.
They’re from all walks of life, with teens through to those in their 80’s getting involved. Coming together like this is creating incredible energy and a nice, tingly feeling of joint purpose.
Public Health Dorset
Improving health and wellbeing across Dorset – lots of information and links to help around Dorset.
Purbeck Furniture Bank (Previously Besom)
We collect donated furniture, white goods, bed linen, crockery, cutlery, kitchen items etc from the good people of Purbeck, and offer anything needed to set up a home or replace items to those on benefits or low income.
We cover Purbeck — Upton/Lytchett Minster to the Bere Regis area and all locations South.
We deliver and collect on Thursday mornings, but the phone is available Mon-Fri
Phone: 07519 977732
Email: purbeckfbank@gmail.com
Purbeck U3A
There are groups that meet on every day of the week, please see website: purbecku3a.org.uk
There is no age limit to join, the only proviso is that members should not be in full time work. Therefore most members are over 60.
To join PU3A, there is a subscription of £16 per annum (rising to £20 on 1 September 2023). For this, members can join any of the 50 groups offered by PU3A – these range from activity groups such as cycling, walking, badminton, table tennis to language groups (French, Italian, Spanish, Latin) several book groups, art and music appreciation and also Tai Chi.
Whatever your interest there will be a group for you. Also, once a month on a Thursday morning, at Harmans Cross village hall, there is a series of talks by eminent speakers on a range of subjects. About 100 members attend these. It is an opportunity to meet other members and to hear about group activities.
Information about joining is on the website.
Steps2Wellbeing Southampton & Dorset
Steps2Wellbeing is a free, NHS talking therapies service for adults over 18 years old in Dorset and Southampton City.
The service is part of Dorset HealthCare, an NHS trust which specialises in mental health support and treatment.
Accepts referrals and self-referrals – details on the website
Swanage & Langton Matravers Folk Dance Club
Langton Matravers Village Hall. We meet every Tuesday evening from 7.30 pm-9.45 pm, usually for 13-week terms, with a summer break from Late July to mid-September.
No need to book just turn up. We offer physical and mental exercise for men and women – £2 per person per night, or £1 if you sign up and pay a small annual membership subscription of £5.
Swanage Communty Café
Mondays 10am till 12pm at Herston Village Hall, come and join us for a cuppa and a friendly welcome. Citizen’s Advice Drop in every week. Also IT help from a Digital Champion.
There is usually also food from the Community Pantry – free, but donations welcome.
Swanage Cricket Club
We provide cricketing opportunities for all whether you are an experienced player or new to the game. Swanage and Purbeck area.
There are different training sessions and matches for different groups.
Just get in contact to find out more – there are various memberships depending on your level of interest.
Swanage Croquet Club
Swanage Croquet Club was formed in 2005 and we play Golf Croquet seven days a week at the playing field in Bon Accord Road. Golf Croquet is a sport that can be enjoyed by all and played very simply or involve lots of tactics and subtle shots with games often lasting between 40-60 minutes. We welcome anyone interested in playing the game, regardless of age or ability, and we provide all equipment and guidance necessary to help you enjoy gentle exercise and mental stimulation in good company. We’ll even ‘buddy’ you up with a member to help you learn the game. So, if you’d like to try a taster session simply get in touch and let us know when you are available and we’ll get back to you.
Swanage Disabled Club
We have our social meetings/outings for local elderly/disabled residents with transport provided.
We meet every Monday at All Saints Church Hall, Ulwell, 2pm till 4pm £2 per meeting.
Contact: Sue Payne, Secretary
Swanage Food Bank
Based at United Reformed Church, 112 High Street, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2NY
Open Mons, Weds, Fridays 12pm-2.00pm.
Referrals (inc. self-referrals) by phone (07759230313) to arrange Home Delivery or time of collection from premises.
Swanage Linking Lives
Befriending service aims to reduce loneliness and improve involvement in the local community. Drop in centre for coffee and conversation.
Swanage Town and Herston Football Club
Swanage Football Club Days Park – Times and locations vary, best to email, or contact us through website/social media.
Walking football for women and men.
Adults Football for women and men.
Youth football from 6-16 for girls and boys.
Saturday morning sessions for 2-6 year olds.
T-Pot Drop in
Every Wednesday 10am-12.30am at the Rectory Classroom, Church Hill Swanage.
Everyone welcome especially those lonely or bereaved.
The Loft Swanage Community Centre
Regular Wednesday home cooked lunch: 12:30 for food, open until 4pm. Free/small donations. No need to book. Dogs welcome
1st Floor, no lift or disabled toilet
17 Commercial Road, Swanage (opposite Chococo)
For hire by various groups
