Dorchester-Bayeux Society

Last update to this page: Wednesday 17th April 2024

Sister event - Piddle Valley Twinning

Friday 26th April, 7pm for 7:30pm in Piddletrenthide Memorial Hall DT2 7QF

£10 on the door

Richard Kay: 'An Auctioneer's Ten Commandments'

A light-hearted and convivial evening, with bar. Richard is a director at Lawrences Crewkerne, with a wealth of experience and many stories to tell. thornton742@btinternet 01300 348670

2024 exchange visit:

Friday 13th-Monday 16th September 2024

Arrangements are well in hand for an exciting four days. We're now delighted to learn that the Mayor of Dorchester will be joining us!

2023 exchange visit

What a fantastic weekend we all had! See the Photographs page for photos.

Earlier this Autumn, Members of the Dorchester Bayeux Twinning Society were pleased to host a weekend visit from over 40 of their French twinning partners from Bayeux. This was the latest in a long series of reciprocal twinning visits that have taken place every year since the 1960s and this year it was this turn of the Dorchester side of the partnership to host our Bayeux friends for this return visit which had been delayed due to COVID.

The importance of maintaining the twinning relationship is recognised by Dorchester Town Council who gave an excellent civic reception in the Victorian Hall of Dorset Museum, with a welcoming address from the Mayor, Alistair Chisholm, and a response from Bayeux’s Maire Adjoint, Madame Lydie Poulet, and the French twinning President, Patrick Benoist.

The day continued with an afternoon visit to Sherborne castle where more than 80 hosts and guests appreciated a very informative and well-presented tour of this magnificent castle which was once home to Sir Walter Raleigh.

The evening was spent catching up with friends and family news at the homes of the hosts. The Dorchester Bayeux society was delighted to welcome new Twinning Society members from Poundbury who were hosts for the first time, and which afforded them the opportunity to show their French guests this distinctive part of Dorchester.

After a leisurely Sunday morning, the Twinning Society committee laid on an excellent three-course meal in the delightful Pengelly rooms at Kingston Maurward house where guests and hosts enjoyed a traditional English roast Sunday lunch with which our guests were suitably impressed.

Finally, on the Monday morning our French friends gathered in Poundbury where they sampled the wide range of refreshment opportunities and were able to find souvenirs and stock up on some of their favorite English foods before setting off to catch the ferry home.

Gareth Jones, Chairman, Dorchester Bayeux Twinning Society

French Conversation Coffee Mornings:

Our French Conversation Coffee Mornings were revived in August 2023, led by Barbara and Ian. More information on the programme page.

Pétanque Club

DBS members are invited to join the U3A group to learn the game and take part in some practice matches. More information on the programme page.

Vivre à Bayeux

The latest copy of a community magazine published by Bayeux town council called 'Bayeux à Vivre' can be found here. The Dorchester-Bayeux Society featured in the one-hundredth edition, see extract below.

The December 2023 issue includes an interesting article celebrating the history of Bayeux, with 2024 marking the 1,100th anniversary of its connection to the Duchy of Normandy and eighty years since the Normandy Landings (see page 12).

The magazine can be downloaded (télécharger) or viewed online (consulter).