NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

Welcome to our November newsletter. Grab a cuppa, relax and enjoy reading what we’ve got in store this month.

As autumn progresses, a gentle reminder to all staff, volunteers, and guests not to attend with any cold or flu symptoms or if you are feeling unwell. Also, please leave 48 hours after any stomach bug symptoms before joining us.

Join the Jolly Quiz

When: Friday 29th November, 7 pm start

Where: Sixpenny Handley Village Hall, Common Road, SP5 5N
Cost: £12.50 (includes food)

Our Jolly Quiz nights are always very popular – it’s a good idea to book early to avoid disappointment.

Teams of six are invited to take part and clever, witty team names are positively encouraged. We hope to see you all there for a hilarious evening of quizzing. All profits go to support our Jolly Days.

To book or for more details call or text James on 07921 398969

Roll up, roll up for our Jolly Christmas raffle!

We have our raffle tickets for sale at lots of local events and venues.

There are fabulous prizes to be won, including End Of The Road Tickets 2025, a two-night stay in a Pepper Pot Lodge on the St Giles Estate, lunch at the Smokehouse at Compton Abbas Airfield and a tour of Dorset Star Cider Orchard in the spring. Plus, many more.

Tickets are selling fast at just £2 each and are also available at many local shops in Dorset including Chettle, Fluffetts Home, Antsy PYO & Farmshop, Prime Cuts Butchers, Greenacre Farm Shop, T Butling Family Butcher, Buds & Beans Florist Cafe, WS Clarke, Station Hair.

The draw will take place at our Jolly Christmas Concert with Jubilate Choir on Friday 13th December. Doors open at 7 pm for a 7.30 pm start. Tickets £10 on the door to include mince pies and mulled wine.

Our Jolly Winter Lunch deliveries begin! 

November 20th marks the beginning of our weekly Jolly Friendly Winter Lunch delivery service.

  Working in partnership with The Friendly Food Club, who cook the food, our lovely dinner lady Kate delivers 30 free meals. These meals are for people living in and around rural East Dorset. If you are finding it hard to cook for yourself or know someone else who could benefit, please get in touch, sarah@injollygoodcompany.com

Fun fundraising events for your diary

Coffee Morning & Festive Pop-up Shop

Saturday 23rd November 10 am - 12.30 pm
Snows Barn, All Hallows, Wimborne St Giles
(parking in the barnyard, W3W precise location: retraced.charmingly.binder)

Lisa Osman from All Hallows Cookery School is kindly hosting a coffee morning to raise funds for In Jolly Good Company where she’ll be serving unlimited coffee and tea plus a slice of homemade cake or a cheese scone at the bargain price of £5.00 per person. Please bring your cash donation on the day. More refreshments will be available to purchase.

Christmas Market at the Forestry Bar

Friday 6th December from 5 – 10 pm

Tis the season to shop local! Explore an array of unique Christmas market stalls featuring unique gifts from talented local vendors.

As you browse the market, enjoy live seasonal music to get you in the holiday spirit. This is the perfect opportunity to cross off your gift list while discovering amazing products from businesses in our community. Food and drink will also be available to buy on the night.

This event has been kindly organised by the St Giles House Team and to benefit In Jolly Good Company.

Our Step Outside Garden Group is closed for the Winter

We had a glorious last hurrah at our Step Outside allotments.

We were joined by special guest, Gary Jarman from Pageant Film Productions, who was filming us for our new Jolly film. He’s visited several of our Jolly Days interviewing guests and staff in order for the film to capture everything that makes the Jollies so wonderful.

We were treated to Anni’s warming soups made with veggies we’d grown on our allotment, cheese scones made by Sandra, who also made some very tasty spiced shortbread and a delicious carrot cake made by Celia.

Kate Robson (one of our trustees) and Duncan Ray, a jolly volunteer, sang and played for us – it was lovely to be treated to music as we worked! We also thanked and celebrated the amazing Anni who has worked so hard on our 'Step Outside' allotment. Her experience as a gardener has been invaluable and made the allotment even better than ever.

All our guests have thoroughly enjoyed spending time there, and we look forward to welcoming you all back in Spring 2025.

We are growing!

We are delighted to be welcoming more new guests to all groups, particularly Step Outside allotments, Jolly West Moors, Jolly Shaftesbury, Jolly Blandford, and Jolly Museum in Wimborne.

This is thanks to the work of our Jolly Ambassador Max Bridger who is doing a grand job of getting the message out there. We still have spaces available at all groups if you know anyone who is interested in joining us, please give me a call or email sarah@injollygoodcompany.com

Our wonderful volunteers

We’re holding a ‘thank you’ day to show our Jolly Volunteers how grateful we are to them for all they do.

This will take place in Wimborne St Giles village hall on Tuesday the 5th November. We’ll start at 10 am and finish at 3 pm.

In the morning there will be tea, coffee and biccies followed by a talk on safeguarding. We’ll then enjoy a delicious soup lunch together, followed by a yummy pudding. In the afternoon we’ll have some fun getting creative with a winter crafts workshop, using lovely candles kindly donated to us by Lush. 

For more details – please contact Sarah, sarah@injollygoodcompany.com

What’s on in November

Wimborne St Giles

Wimborne St Giles Village Hall, BH21 5LX
(12 pm - 4 pm)

Monday 4th
Lunch with the Friendly Food Club – sausage and mash followed by a lemon and blueberry tray bake with cream. Visit from Caroline Pugh of Creating Musical Participation for an afternoon of Abba, Elvis, and the Beatles.

Monday 18th
Lunch with the Friendly Food Club – Swedish Meatballs and Banoffee pie. Plus, sadly the last visit for now from Sandi Macy Heart dance.

Wimborne

Museum of East Dorset, 23-29 High Street, BH21 1HR
(2 - 4 pm)

Thursday 7th
’Bit of a Tonic’ with Clara and Colin, plus poetry corner.

Thursday 21st
Bird talk with Ecologist. Paul Beatson.

Blandford

Woodhouse Gardens, DT11 7DN
(2 - 4 pm)

Monday 11th
’Bit of a tonic’ with Clara and Colin.

Monday 25th
Music and song with Kate.

Shaftesbury

Royal British Legion, Coppice Street, SP7 8PF
(10 am - 12 pm)

Tuesday 12th
Music with Paula Fleming.

Tuesday 26th
’Bit of a Tonic’ with Clara and Colin.

West Moors

The Guide Hall, 24 Ashurst Road, BH22 0LS
(2 - 4 pm)

Wednesday 13th
Creating Musical Participation with Caroline Pugh – Abba, Elvis and The Beatles.

Wednesday 27th
Piano and song with Kate.

Never miss another Jolly Day!

Our Jolly Calendars will be on sale soon at all groups and events.

Please get in touch if you would like one but can’t come to any of our Jolly Days. They cost £12 each.