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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 For Fun
Join us at Andy Knill Art Studio, 21 Commerical Rd, Swanage, between Chococo and The Little Garden Gift Shop.
We are here Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays between 10am and 5pm.
Suitable for all ages and abilities – Parent/carers must stay with children.
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.
Belverdere Singers
We are a non-auditioning mixed choir with 4 voice parts. We have a professional Music Director and Accompanist and learn a wide range of music to perform at 2 concerts per year.
We are a registered charity and each concert supports a nominated charity via a retiring collection. All ages and abilities are welcome. We rehearse at Emanuel Baptist Church, Victoria Avenue, Swanage.
We perform concerts at St. Mary’s Church, Kings Road, Swanage.
Rehearsals are at Emanuel Baptist Church on Tuesdays 7:30pm-9:30pm, roughly following school term time dates, so we meet September to December, January to Easter and post Easter to June, with breaks.
Anyone can come to try us out for 2 weeks before joining. Subscriptions are paid in 3 termly parts and equate to roughly £5 a week.
Besom in Purbeck
We collect donated furniture and household items and deliver them to those on benefit or low incomes who are referred to us by the Helping Agencies. We are based in Swanage and cover the old Purbeck District Council region.
We meet on a Thursday morning at the warehouse, but are available by mobile or email Monday-Friday. There are no costs involved.
Citizens Advice East Dorset & Purbeck
Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck is an independent charity that provides free, confidential and impartial advice and support. Our goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever their problem.
We have offices in Wareham and Wimborne and have outreach centres across East Dorset and Purbeck and are part of the Citizens Advice network in Dorset and across England and Wales.
Outreach in Swanage:
Herston Village Hall, Jubilee Road, Swanage, BH19 2SF
Monday 10am-12pm drop in
Swanage Library, High Street, Swanage, BH19 2NU Wednesday 10am-12pm drop in (except first Wednesday of the month)
Drop-in Wareham:
Wareham Office, 2 Mill Lane, Wareham BH20 4RA Tuesday & Thursday 10am-12pm
Community Pantry
A food waste project collecting good quality food that would otherwise go to waste from supermarkets. Based at the community café at Herston Village Hall on a Monday morning 10am-12pm.
With pop up pantries when there is surplus food – free to collect bring a bag!
Follow our Facebook page for information.
Donations of surplus food is always welcome.
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 Leah Cross 07789 997620.
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 Durslton 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.
Families and Babies 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 a Tuesday mornings 9:30am-11am Not just Sundaes Community Café.
Food for Thought Purbeck
We work with FareShare to offer good quality surplus supermarket food at low cost to Swanage and Purbeck residents.
The first FareShare larder, hosted by St Mark’s School, aimed to support families identified through Isle of Purbeck schools. However we hope to get a second FareShare larder located more centrally in the Town where there will be a more open system to join. Watch this space!
For any enquiries please contact our Secretary: Cllr Debby Monkhouse.
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.
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.
Sea Horses Toddler Group
Weekly Term time playgroup for preschool children and their carers. Lots of fun and games, healthy snack. Everyone welcome no need to book.
Wednesday 9.30am-11am term time only.
Herston Village Hall Jubilee Road, Swanage.
Studland History Group
We have talks on the local area looking at it’s history. To preserve local history. Studland Village Hall.
On the third Wednesday of the month at 2.30pm. Annual membership £17 or visitors £3.50.
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 Breavement Group
This is a group counselling session helping those affected by bereavement. We offer attendance for up to 10 people per session for a maximum of 10 sessions per person. The group is led by Cindy Weller, a fully accredited counsellor.
Based in the rectory classroom, Church Hill, Swanage, the meeting takes place on the first Monday of every month (except for bank holidays) and is from 11am to 12:30pm.
Space is limited to 10, and places must be booked by telephoning James Smith funeral directors on 01929 422445. We cover the Isle of Purbeck.
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.
Swanage Cricket Club
We provide cricketing opportunities for all whether you are an experienced player or new to the game. Swanage 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 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 Salvation Army Lower Hall, King’s Rd East, Swanage BH19 1ER.
Area covered: BH19 postcode area.
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 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.
Swanage Linking Lives
Befriending service aims to reduce loneliness and improve involvement in the local community. Drop in centre for coffee and conversation.
Place of Welcome Tuesday and Thursday 10am till 12 noon. No need to book.
Find us at 103 High Street Swanage, next to the Methodist Church.
Swanage WI
The WI welcomes women of 18 years old and over. Speakers are invited to our monthly meetings. We also have a number of interest groups such as walking, cookery, book group, craft, gardening and walking netball.
Additional events are organised at local and county level. The WI also campaigns on matter of local and national importance.
Annual Membership £46.
Swanage Youth Club
A youth club for young people year 6 to 10 in Swanage aiming to help the young people develop their potential and find their purpose. Gaming, football, crafts, cooking and tuck.
Please contact for a registration form – we currently operate a waiting list.
Bereavement Support
National Charity helping people through one of the most painful times in life – bereavement support, information and campaigning.
Resource Type: Website
Dorset Council Cost of Living Support
Money worries take up lots of headspace, leaving you with much less mental energy and time to make good decisions about your money. Remembering to look after yourself can also be hard. Talking to someone can help point you in the right direction and provide the strength to tackle problems. Reach out early for whatever help you need if you are struggling in any way. If small problems have already become bigger ones, get support now.
We can offer free, confidential and impartial support on:
- Money worries
- Accessing affordable food
- Housing and employment rights
- Looking after your Physical & Mental Health
Resource Type: Website
Dorset Council Housing Support
Local council support and advice for housing needs.
Resource Type: Website
Dorset Health Care NHS
We provide specialist support for people living with persistent pain, helping them to lead as fulfilling and independent lives as possible.
Our community pain service deals with all forms of chronic pain, including musculoskeletal (muscles, bones and joints), neurological (nervous system), internal organs and unexplained pain.
Resource Type: Website
Dorset Mental Health Forum
Our Mission is to increase understanding of Physical & Mental Health, to support people’s Recovery and to build capacity within services and communities to bring about change.
We deliver our mission through four Strategic Aims:
- Increasing understanding of Physical & Mental Health through Recovery Education and Co-production.
- Supporting and enabling people to live the lives they wish to live.
- Developing capacity and building connected communities across Dorset.
- Influencing and transforming local services with the collective voice of lived experience.
- Over the years, we have been able to bring lived experience expertise and people’s voices to the heart of statutory service design and delivery, influencing and driving culture change throughout local Physical & Mental Health services in Dorset.
We are proud and honoured to be making a positive difference to thousands of people’s lives across all of our projects and activities every year.
Resource Type: Website
Dorset Pain Management Service
To help you with your pain, we’ve actually set up our four pillars model, and that’s to help you get a greater sense of control about how to live with and manage your pain. So we help people understand their body, their brain, their spinal cord.
We help them think of how to become more fit in themselves, how to work with their diet and their sleep. Also how to make better life choices in terms of taking up hobbies that might have fallen by the wayside, the skills you might have, and finally help to deal with the anxiety and depression that just goes hand in hand with living with pain.
So if you think we can help you in some way, please get in touch; we would be delighted to help you.
Resource Type: Website
Dorset Recovery Education Centre
The Recovery Education Centre (REC) is delivered in partnership between Dorset HealthCare and the Dorset Physical & Mental Health Forum, a local peer led charity.
We offer a wide range of educational courses across Dorset which focus on recovery and wellbeing.
Resource Type: Website
Durlston Country Park and Nature Reserve
Local country park offering opens space, opportunities for volunteering and wellbeing.
Resource Type: Website
East Dorset and Purbeck Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck is an independent charity that provides free, confidential and impartial advice and support. Our goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever their problem.
Resource Type: Website
Live Well Dorset
Our mission is to help people living in Dorset lead healthier, happier lives. Our coaching, support and advice is absolutely free and part of your council’s commitment to improving public health. Weight Management, move more, stop smoking and drink less.
Resource Type: Website
Mosaic supporting bereaved children
Local charity supporting children and Youth and Parenting throughout Dorset.
Resource Type: Website
National Trust
National Trust Purbeck information on the first ‘super’ nature reserve in Purbeck Heaths.
Resource Type: Website
Planet Purbeck
Coming together to care for our countryside, coast and communities. We’re a young organisation, ‘the new kids on the block’ if you like. We’re connecting with the community and developing wonderful friendships as we go. We don’t all go wild swimming at 5am before knitting a vegan breakfast out of leaves…!
We’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.
Resource Type: Website
Public Health Dorset
Improving health and wellbeing across Dorset – lots of information and links to help around Dorset.
Resource Type: Website
Reach - EDP Drugs and Alchohol Service
We’re here to help you cut down or stop your drug or alcohol use.
We’ll help you regain control of your life, by building on your strengths and supporting you to make healthy changes.
You can access our help directly – there is normally no waiting time to get started.
Resource Type: Website
Stepping into Nature
Have you ever had that feeling of just wanting to get out in the fresh air, have a change of scenery or do something different?
Our beautiful Dorset landscape is full of opportunities to enjoy nature in fun, social and creative ways. For some of us though, finding opportunities to enjoy nature that suits our needs are harder to come by.
Ability, confidence, and age can all influence what we can and can’t do. The Stepping into Nature project is about listening to our community in Dorset and working in partnership to enable everyone to enjoy nature.
Resource Type: Website
Sustainable Swanage
Our founding mission was to positively support the community of Swanage in reducing its waste, with an emphasis on plastic, but we have since expanded our work to include biodiversity and energy. We provide a link between different local organisations and groups and are working together to find solutions to issues that affect our local environment.
We provide a central point of information for the community on these issues and provide a means of sharing good tips and connecting people. We are a positive group looking to the future and how we can all live more sustainably and become resilient to future stresses and challenges that we face in our community.
Resource Type: Website