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St Nicholas' Church Christmas Tree Festival
St Nicholas' Church celebrated the Feast of St Nicholas with its first Christmas Tree Festival over the weekend of 5/6 December. Groups, businesses and organisations in the village were invited to come and decorate a Christmas tree to a theme of their choice - and they came up trumps! There were seventeen trees on display, each one decorated in a creative and imaginative way - lots to build on for future festivals!
Highlights of the weekend were the St Nicholas Tea Party on Saturday 5 and the Patronal and Gift Service on Sunday 6, to which the congregation brought Christmas gifts for the residents of North Dorset Women's Refuge.
Christmas Services at St Nicholas' Church
Tues 22nd Dec at 7.00pm - Carol Service
Christmas Eve at 6.00pm - Crib Service
Christmas Eve at 11.30pm - Midnight Mass
Christmas Day at 10.00am - Family Communion
Gallery of Photographs taken of the Christmas Tree Festival
Images by kind permission of local resident Gordon Ede
Click on an image for a larger view. Navigate the Gallery by clicking left or right of the image.
 Messy Church |
 The Baker Arms |
 View of church |
 Cross stores |
 St Nicholas School |
 The Okeford Minstrels |
 Badminton Club |
 The Saxon Inn |
 The Wives Group |
 Lauren Radburn |
 Church xmas tree19 |
 Mothers & Toddlers |
 The Wives Group |
 Lauren Radburn |
 Christmas Arrangement |
 The Saxon Inn |
 Gardeners' club |
 Village Hall |
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Village Welcome Day
Another succesful Welcome Day was hosted on Sunday the 15th Novemer 2009 by the Parish Council in Child Okeford Village Hall. 
The sun came out after all the wind a rain and it encouraged a number of people to pop in and see what our village has to offer. Not only families new to the village but also prospective villagers, coming from a distance just to see what Child Okeford has for them, I'm sure they were not disappointed. Many 'longer term' residents also looked in to say hello and enjoy refreshments and a chat.
Most of the organisations in the village had a display and even before the doors were open there was a buzz of voices enjoying the 'get together'.
Thank you to the Parish Council for hosting the Welcome Day and giving us a chance to showcase our village.
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Dorset Village of the Year Awards - Child Okeford with the winners again
The annual Dorset Village of the Year Awards took place recently in Pimperne Village Hall. The competition consisting of The Calor Gas Community Village competition and W & S Recycling Best Kept Village awards. Thirty nine villages entered for the awards this year and competition as always was keenly fought.
Child Okeford were well placed again in a number of the competition sections and indeed won the North Dorset District Council special award for previous winners of the large village section. Chairman of the Child Okeford Parish Council, Sylvia Holdeman was there to receive the award from Colin Kaye of North Dorset District Council, Tony Knowles of W & S Recycling and James Targout of the Dorset Echo.
Chairman of the Child Okeford Parish Council, Sylvia Holdeman
receiving the Winner of the Large village previous winners award.
Child Okeford village were also winners for the Environment category.
A third place was also awarded to Child Okeford Village in the Best Community Village category. Halstock village were first with Leigh village second in this category.
Our thanks should go out to all involved in this venture as the awards has given some £400 for improvements and funding for the village in the future. We should all be proud of our village and appreciate the people who spend their time to make it what it is today.
Chairman of the Child Okeford Parish Council, Sylvia Holdeman
receiving the Winner of the Environment category of the Calor village awards.
Chairman of the Child Okeford Parish Council, Sylvia Holdeman
receiving theThird prize in the Best community village category.
Categories and their winners
Calor Village Awards:
- Best new entrant: Corscombe
- Judges special prize: Corscombe
- Best Village: Halstock
- People category winner: Leigh
- Environment category winner: Child Okeford
- Business: Halstock
- Communications category winner: Durweston
Best Kept Village Awards
- International Tree Foundationl large village: Sturminster Marshall
- International Tree Foundationl small village: Studland
- West Dorset District Council special environment awards: Charlton Down & Frampton
- Dorset Echo & North Dorset District Council special award for previous winners small village: Winterborne Zelston
- Dorset Echo & North Dorset District Council special award for previous winners large village: Child Okeford
- Hamlets award: Affpuddle
- Best kept small village: Briantspuddle
- Best kept large village: Fontmell Magna
- Best new entrant: Shipton Gorge
- Winner of the West Dorset Seat: Shipton Gorge
- Hamlet's winner plaque: Affpuddle
- Dorset County Council plaque for small village: Briantspuddle
- Dorset County Council plaque for large village: Fontmell Magna
- Calor Village of the Year plaque: Halstock
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Party in the Park
The Party in the Park at Child Okeford Manor took place on Saturday 27th July and proved to be a very successful evening
©2009 Low Level Aerial Photography
©2009 Low Level Aerial Photography
