Beer war hero honoured at ceremony. Read this and more news

SHOPPING: The late-night shopping in Beer will take place on Friday, December 9 around the village. Father Christmas and the Regatta Princess will switch on the Christmas lights at 6.30pm, and shops will be open until 9pm, serving mince pies and mulled wine. There will also be craft stalls, farm produce, cakes and a raffle, with tables costing �10. Contact Carole Arnold on 07710 809765.

-----

WI: On Tuesday at 7.30pm in the Village Hall the Branscombe Women’s Institute will be given a talk by Lucy Morton, the local National Trust Ranger on ‘Apples in Branscombe and other National Trust Properties’ at 7.30pm. Cider and apple cake will be served

-----

DONATIONS: Beer Puffins are again running the Bags to School fundraiser this year. Pupils and parents at Beer Primary School have been given a blue bag to fill with any unwanted clothing, bric-a-brac, bedding, soft toys, shoes, hats etc. The group can then use the items to raise money for the pre-school.

-----

TALK: As part of the Branscombe Project’s autumn exhibition on the village and the Second World War there will be a talk on Monday, October 17 at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall. Entitled, ‘Branscombe – A Parish at War’, it will be given by Sue Dymond.

-----

CONCERT: The next Beer Wurlitzer concert is with Michael Wooldridge tomorrow at 2pm. He will be playing music from the shows, big band music on England’s oldest Wurlitzer cinema organ at Beer Congregational Church on Fore Street. Admission is �6 including interval refreshments, proceeds in aid of the Wurlitzer refurbishment fund.

-----

COUNCIL: Due to a lack of business, Branscombe Parish Council cancelled its meeting scheduled for last night. The clerk confirmed the next meeting will instead be on Thursday, October 27 at the usual time of 7.30pm in the Village Hall, unless anything urgent comes up.

-----

WAR: A new name will be added today to the war memorial in Beer, some 96 years after the death of the soldier concerned. There will also be a special exhibition commemorating all those from the village who fought in the two world wars in Beer from November 11 to 13. Allan Newton, who was born in Beer in 1891, was killed on the Western Front in 1915, and does not feature on the Beer war memorial. Allan’s family were all from the village, but because his father was a sea captain, the family eventually moved away to Cardiff, which was then one of the busiest ports in Europe. But since his death there is no known grave. The exhibition will commemorate him and the 38 others who died in the two world wars, together with those who served and returned. The organisers would like to hear from any Second World War veterans and surviving relatives of those who served in either war, and would be very grateful for any recollections, photographs, documents or other items which could be featured in the exhibition. Photos and documents could be copied so that precious originals need not be displayed, contact either Richard Scott on 01297 24157, or Peter Anderson on 01297 23507.