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Packed Weekend of events in Dummer
18/May 26: Tribute Bands, Spring Party, Plant Sale & Motorbike Rides - Dummer was the weekend place to be!
Although Dummer is a small Hampshire village, it offers plenty to do. This weekend proved just that, with three busy days and evenings full of events for all ages.
The weekend began on Friday evening at The Queen Inn, where tribute bands played hits of Buddy Holly and The Beatles. It was a lively and successful night, with guests dancing along to favourite songs from the era.
Saturday brought two linked events at Dummer Down Farm. The day began with Worthy Earth’s annual plant sale, while their café and shop were also open, finishing at 2pm just as the farm’s annual Spring Party got underway. Despite the weather, children enjoyed crafts, magicians and entertainers under Worthy Earth’s colourful Moroccan tent, the Kazbah. Live music from Graham Steel productions filled the barn, followed by Worthy Earth’s vinyl DJs on the small stage in the evening, while the brewery kept refreshments flowing.
On Sunday, the Distinguished Gentleman’s charity Motorbike Ride brought riders from across the UK and beyond. This annual worldwide event raises awareness and support for men’s mental health and prostate cancer. More than 100 riders travelled a 30-mile route through local roads and villages at 30mph before returning to Dummer Down Farm for a well-earned rest and refreshments from Honesty Café, Dummer Down Brewery and the Son of a Bun pop-up food truck.
Dummer's Home Grown England Ice Hockey Elite Level Junior Player
By Daniel Ball - Proud Dad of Joseph
15/May 26: Dummer's very own England Ice Hockey Player Joseph Ball, aiming high
With the warmth of spring finally setting in and summer now around the corner, it seems an age ago that the nation was captivated by the excitement of the Winter Olympic Games. Cast your mind back though, and you may recall that few events matched ice hockey in the popularity ratings.
For 2 weeks, the world was treated to an exhilarating showcase of speed, power and lightning-fast reactions from the world’s most elite players, many of whom were superstars from the NHL (The sports most prestigious league). It’s easy to see why the stadiums were packed and so many fans and first-time viewers were drawn into the excitement.
Unfortunately, there was no Team GB representation, but this doesn’t reflect the growing momentum of the sport in the UK right now, so much so that we have our own home-grown elite level Junior player right here in Dummer! Joseph Ball (12) has been playing ice hockey
for 6 years and notably was selected for the England Under 12 team at the start of the 2025/26 season.
Joseph developed a love for the ice at just 5 years old, and within a year of taking his first strides had completed an 8-level figure skating course. Shortly after his 6 th birthday, he picked up a stick and puck, and it wasn’t long after mastering the basics that he was invited to join the Basingstoke Junior Bison team where he went on to enjoy 3 fun-packed seasons in the under 10 age group.
In 2023 with the closure of Basingstoke ice rink becoming more likely, Joseph was offered a place at Guildford which is a highly competitive junior club with a strong reputation that attracts talent from far afield. At the end of the 2024/25 season, Joseph and team won the under 12 national championships for the club for the first time in decades after being undefeated all season. At Guildford, Joseph has developed significantly and has established himself as one of the top defencemen in the country within his birth year which has contributed to his successful entry into the England team programme.
This exciting step in Joseph’s hockey journey has so far involved training sessions with his national teammates in Sheffield, and an England vs Scotland tournament in Dumfries over Christmas where he was proud to receive the ‘Most Valuable Player’ award for England for his team-first attitude. In April Joseph travelled to a tournament in Helsinki, Finland, and earned the accolade of being named Assistant Captain. This was his first experience of ice hockey in a country where the game is so intrinsic to the national culture and, unbelievably after a challenging tournament, the England team won their group and came home with a trophy!
Developing as a competitive youth ice hockey player in the UK is very challenging. Unlike other sports, getting extra training isn’t as simple as heading to the back garden or the local sports field to hone your skills. Any opportunity to get on the ice must be taken when possible, which in Joseph’s case means training 4 out of 7 days in a typical week, including a 6am on-ice slot in Guildford most Sundays! Club league matches are played at weekends as far afield as Cardiff, Peterborough and Chelmsford so life is very busy.
Next season Joseph will move into the under 14 age group where full body contact becomes part of the game, and giving and receiving deliberate pushes and shoves is expected. Ice hockey is not a sport for the fragile or faint-hearted, so Joseph will need to focus on his physical and mental robustness in order to take his game to the next level.
Who knows where this journey will lead, but like participation in any competitive sport, ice hockey is teaching Joseph about the rewards that come from being a team player, developing resilience and determination and ultimately working hard to achieve your goals. So, although we’d rather not be setting the alarm for 4:30am on Sunday mornings, we know it’s an investment worth making!
We’re always on the lookout for sponsorship for Joseph to help him access more development opportunities, so if you know of any individuals or companies that might be interested in supporting him then please get in touch. Also, if you have been inspired by Joseph’s story and would like to give skating a try, the newly refurbished ice rink in Basingstoke is now open again and details of how you can have lessons or just skate for fun can be found on the Planet Ice website.
Worthy Earth's Veg Boxes & Flowers - Local Delivery Service Available
13/May 26: Home Delivery of Worthy Earth’s Organic Vegetables and Flowers
Worthy Earth is relaunching its weekly veg boxes, now offered with flowers and a home delivery subscription.
New Home Delivery Service
From 11 June 2026, the market garden will begin delivering its Veg Boxes, filled with locally grown organic vegetables and herbs. Delivery is available only to residents of Dummer and nearby areas.
Box Details and Pricing
Veg Boxes start at £15 per week and include six portions of seasonal vegetables and herbs. Deliveries are made on Thursdays, or subscribers can collect their boxes from the market garden on Fridays between 10am and 3pm. Friday collection also allows customers to swap produce and enjoy a complimentary tea or coffee.
Customers can also add extras such as freshly cut flowers, chutneys, eggs, and other seasonal produce.
Flower Subscriptions
Flower subscriptions will be available for Thursday delivery or Friday collection from the market garden shop, starting at £15 for seasonal bunches, hand-tied bouquets, and bespoke arrangements. On Fridays, bespoke flowers can be picked and arranged to suit your preferred colours and styles.
During June 2026, customers can receive £5 off when ordering flowers and veg together.
Subscription Options and Charitable Donations
Weekly subscriptions and one-off purchases are both available. If you are away and unable to use a preordered box, you can gift it to a neighbour, or Worthy Earth can donate it to a local food bank or charity.
How to Order
More information, including ordering details, will be available soon on the Worthy Earth website. Customers can also visit Worthy Earth on Fridays to place an order and enjoy the garden café.
By Worthy Earth, Dummer Down Farm, Dummer RG25 2AR
Pub Quiz Winners for May 2026
13/May 26: May Pub Quiz night raises another £108 for Cure Parkinson's UK
The May 13th pub quiz at The Queen Inn Dummer raised an additional £108 for Cure Parkinson's UK, which is the chosen charity of Liz Nelson, Landlady of the pub.
Martin, monthly quiz master, introduced a new format of 40 questions with a random collection of questions and topics followed by ten music quiz questions. Total points up for grabs were 50.
Six teams competed for a bar tab of £30.
Scores for the night were:
Brad & Pad: 32 Points
Cruz Campo: 34.5 Points
Becky's not doing higher or lower: 37.5 Points
We are the brothership: 40 Points
Terms & Conditions: 41 Points (Runners Up)
And the winners are....: 44 Points - WINNERS
During the interval Liz ran the popular 'Play Your Cards Right' game again but with no winners after three rounds. Wendy G provided a little sing along once again to accompany the change of cards.
Next Pub Quiz in Tuesday 10th June, 8:30pm start. To book your table and team please call 01256 397367 or website Make a Reservation | Book Your Table Today — The Queen Inn
Dummer's Inaugural Wine Walk
12/May 26: Dummer's Inaugural Wine Walk will take place on Saturday 4th July 7pm-Late
Dummer is holding its inaugural village Wine Walk on Saturday July 4th, from 7pm. The whole village is invited to join friends and neighbours for a pleasant evening wandering through the village and calling at three host houses (host details on tickets).
Each host will run a paying bar, and all money raised from ticket and bar sales will go to Dummer Village Hall, to help maintain and improve facilities there.
Tickets are £14, which includes your first drink free and as many nibbles and canapés as you can eat, provided at each house!
Neighbouring villages hold their own wine walk, and it has proven to be a hugely popular, fun and successful community event.
So, tell your neighbours and please do come along to the first Dummer Wine Walk and make it an evening to remember!
Contact: dvhwegs@gmail.com or 07815 900593 for tickets.
By Dummer Village Hall Committee
Dummer Cricket Pavilion Officially Opened
11/May 26: Dummer Cricket Pavilion officially opened
On Sunday 10th May 2026 the Dummer Cricket Pavilion in Farleigh Lane was officially opened by Lady and Sir Crispin Davis of Dummer House. Lady Patty cut the ribbon for the opening before the match.
The Pavilion, kindly built and donated by the couple saw Dummer Cricket Club challenge Sir Crispin's XI.
On a very cold day, Dummer Cricket Club managed to beat Sir Crispin's XI with an innings of 210 against 160.
Crispin and Patty were thrilled to be able to make a meaningful contribution to the village. Lady Patty said after the match:
"The Pavillion is extremely special to us. We also appreciated the Ferguson’s and Rod Brangrove for making such generous artwork and memorabilia. Special thanks to Justin - the village framer for doing such an excellent job getting everything sorted. He’s a real pro. We are looking forward to having many matches to attend and enjoy."
Despite the cold everyone had a wonderful afternoon of fun and the Cricket Club extends a huge thank you to Lady and Sir Cripsin for providing the village and club with such a wonderful asset.
May Dummer 100 Club Winner
06/May 26: May Dummer 100 Club Winner Announced
The 5th monthly draw of the Dummer 100 Club took place today, 6th May 2026, at Dummer Village Hall during the monthly coffee morning.
Residents watched as Draw Officer, Penny, who is also the Treasurer of Dummer Village Hall, administered the draw with Chair of the Parish Council, Sheila Harden, picking the winning ticket.
The winning number was No. 75, Ian M, who wins £45.00.
There were 81 entrants to this draw.
The next monthly draw will take place at the coffee morning on Wednesday 3rd June, between 11am - 12pm.
Entrance is £24 per year with one entry per month. The funds are split between the monthly winner and the village hall for ongoing maintenance costs.
For more information and to join the village draw please see below.
More than just a gym - see what else is available
30/Apr 26: Paul Weatherall's gym "Your Body Guru" offers more than just a gym
Just a quick update on what’s now available on site at the Gym on the Farm.
We now have an osteopath available on Tuesdays & Thursdays (helping with back pain, joint issues, posture, mobility and general aches/pains).
A physio available on Saturdays & Sundays (injury rehab, recovery plans, strengthening and return to sport/work).
And personal training available throughout the week with myself (Paul Weatherall), Rosie and Sarah (fat loss, strength, fitness and general health).
If anyone is interested or wants more info, just drop me a message.
Worthy Earth reopening this Friday
30/Apr 26: Worthy Earth opens it's cafe, shop and garden for the new season this Friday
Worthy Earth reopens it's shop, cafe and garden this Friday serving some home made bakes and produce from the market garden including their beautiful flowers.
If you want to escape to a piece of undiscovered Dummer and listen to the birds and watch the gardeners at work then there is no better place.
Worthy Earth will also soon be offering their popular Veg Boxes again and for local customers will be offering delivery.
Cafe open Fridays 10am-3pm weekly.
Dummer Golf Day in the glorious sun
25/Apr 26: A Perfect Day for the Inaugural Challenge
We couldn't have wished for better weather for the first Dummer Golf Day Challenge, which turned out to be a truly enjoyable day for everyone who took part.
Four teams competed at this year's event, held at Test Valley Golf Club. The teams comprised two groups of four and two groups of three, all matched according to their handicap ratings. This proved to be a winning formula, ensuring fair competition and plenty of excitement throughout the day.
After the game, everyone headed home for a quick change before gathering at The Queen Inn for a curry evening and the prize presentation.
Winners were determined using Stableford points scoring and Waltzing Matilda format i.e. 1,2,3, 1,2,3 and so on.
Awards were given to the Winning Team (Alan, Mary, Len & Jim), as well as for two closest to the pins (Clive Hole 5, Stuart Hole 13), one straightest drive (Dave), and for the top ladies (Ange) and gents golfers (Dave). The overall winner (Dave) picked up a half hour tuition at Basingstoke Golf Club provided by Carl Crown. 2nd Place team were Ange, Clive, Julian and Stuart. 3rd Place Lawrence, Cathy and Dave, and last but no means least Matt, Mark and Elwyn. The winning trophy shield will be displayed in the Pub once engraved and has space for the six years running, so dust off your clubs to join next year.
Prizes were handed out by Sheila Harden, Chair of the Parish Council. Sincere thanks go to Sheila and to Liz, Landlady of the pub, for ensuring the day concluded on a high note. No one left empty handed—everyone received something, even if it was just a wooden spoon.
Next year, we hope to host our challenge at Basingstoke Golf Club. If you would like to join in the fun, please do let me know.
By Mary Stevens, Dummer Golf Day
Crumbs...what a success!
24/Apr 26: Theatre Night another hit with locals
Thursday night's theatre production by Bad Apple Theatre Group, "Crumbs", proved a great success at Dummer Village Hall.
Organised by Jackie Pryce, the show saw actress, Ellen Carnazza, cook up a delightful evening of comedy and entertainment depicting the rise and fall of a TV Baker.
Everyone who attended really enjoyed an evening of laughs and even got to taste some of the baking at the end.
Jackie will sadly be leaving the village for pastures new shortly. The village extends a huge thank you to her and Mark who have worked on village entertainment over the years and especially making full use of the village hall. You will both be sadly missed!
If you would like to help the Village Hall and organise further theatre nights, music, shows and more please do contact Dummer Village Hall as they are keen to get volunteers on board to support the committee as much as Jackie and Mark have over the years.
10k Race Success
20/Apr 26: 10k Race at Dummer Down Farm Huge Success
The Annual Ales For Trails event, organised by Andy from Race Line Running Ltd, saw 400 runners compete in a 13.1-mile course through Dummer, Woodmancott, Popham, and back to Dummer Down Farm. Family and friends watched as participants—grouped by age and dog accompaniment (known as Canicross) —finished safely. Honesty Cafe provided hot drinks and refreshments as well as Dummer Down Brewery operating two bars, and Earth to Oven serving brunch.
Race Line Running also provides a donation to Dummer Down Farm's chosen charity for the event: Sebastians Trust.
Andy plans to expand next year's event; check RacelineRunning’s website for updates and early bird discounts.
Sports Events organiser | Racing Line Running
Anneka Pettenburger-Perwald Health & Wellbeing
Anneka provides a broad range of holistic therapies and approaches and will be contributing regular articles to the Dummerlife website focusing on different areas such as health, wellbeing, movement, and supportive approaches to things like hormones, meditation, stress, and general day-to-day balance.
15/Apr 26: Spotlight - When the Body Asks for Something Different
In a world that moves quickly, it’s easy to lose connection with how our bodies are meant to feel. If you’re living with ongoing pain, tension, or your body simply isn’t working as it once did, there is another way forward — one that is gentle, effective, holistic and rooted in understanding.
You’re very welcome to message me on WhatsApp: 07956528671
With over 15 years of experience in the wellbeing space, my work centres around helping people return to a place of ease — whether that’s easing long-held pain, rebuilding strength after injury, or navigating the quieter but significant transitions of life such as hormonal changes.
I draw on a blend of gentle, evidence-informed equipment Pilates, core restore work, myofascial release, yoga therapy and kinesiology, shaping each process around the individual rather than
following a fixed approach.
For many, it’s simply about getting back to what they love — walking comfortably, sitting with ease, spending time with family, and feeling more like themselves again.
As one client shared, following serious back and neck issues…
“She gave me my life back” — Eleanor
Anneke Pettenburger-Perwald
SHIFT MIND AND BODY THROUGH MOVEMENT
WHATSAPP +44 79 565 28671
Pub Quiz Winners for April 2026
15/Apr 26: April Pub Quiz night raises another £130 for Cure Parkinson's UK
The April14th pub quiz at The Queen Inn Dummer raised an additional £130 for Cure Parkinson's UK, which is the chosen charity of Liz Nelson, Landlady of the pub.
Nine teams competed for a bar tab of £30.
Martin was back as quiz master with the format changed this month with just six rounds covering, history, literature, music, sport amongst the regular themes.
Scores for the night were:
Only The Lonely: 29 Points
Bus pass: 39 Points
Quizzy Bear Brothership: 42 Points
She just don't care does she: 47 Points
Two Diva's: 48 points
Georgia Watermelon: 50 Points - Joint Runners Up
Parkers People: 50 Points - Joint Runners Up
Call me Al - 54 Points - WINNERS
During the interval Liz ran the popular 'Play Your Cards Right' game. The winners completed the game in the first round and won £20.
Next Pub Quiz in Tuesday 12th May, 8:30pm start. To book your table and team please call 01256 397367 or website Make a Reservation | Book Your Table Today — The Queen Inn
Golf Business in Dummer
07/April 26: Spotlight on Dummer independent golf business - ProGolfOnline
Our village is fortunate to have several residents operating independent businesses. Among them is Clive Riches, who manages a number of golf-related websites, including Pro Golf Online. This platform provides an extensive selection of products for both experienced and beginner golfers, from clubs, bags, and trolleys to apparel, accessories, and more.
Following his departure from the corporate sector in 2006, Clive dedicated himself to transforming his enthusiasm for golf into a full-time profession. By acquiring comprehensive knowledge of golf equipment, he established ProGolfOnline in 2011. Over time, Clive has earned recognition for his expertise in the building, repair, and fitting of golf grips and shafts. Operating from his home, his business is now a Certified Golf Pride Grip Centre. Additionally, Clive maintains a specialised website, justgolfgrips, which focuses on grip shafts and grip fitting services.
Local residents interested in learning more are encouraged to contact Clive directly, as he offers a generous discount through a designated code. Furthermore, any local business owners wishing to be featured are invited to email: enquiriesdummerlife@gmail.com.
Choir Taster Evening Success!
If you’d like to join in the fun, please email enquiriesdummerlife@gmail.com. Once Sue has her own email for the group she will let everyone know. By Mary Stevens, Dummer Life
03/Apr 26: Wow! Choir taster evening huge success!
What a fabulous evening of fun we had at Dummer Village Hall on Thursday 2nd April, with 17 participants turning up for an evening of communal singing.
Sue Williams, Choir Master, provided the taster evening for the newly formed village choir, which will be singing numerous genres of music including rock and pop.
The evening started with a brief introduction from Sue, who is head of music at a local school in Winchester, explaining that she has managed and been part of choirs and orchestras for several years and is excited to start the Dummer village choir from scratch with the focus being on fun and friendship.
She started by introducing some basic warm up and breathing exercises to ensure we were all relaxed, and with no hunched shoulders.
Five short chorus’ from five different songs then followed with Sue teaching us how to rise and fall our voices in high and low pitch and in split groups. She then mixed it up by swapping the order and at one point had us all singing different songs all at the same time to the same beat….and didn’t we sound good! Anyone would have thought we’d been singing for years. Lots of smiles ensued as we then moved on to singing ‘Africa’ by Toto and ‘Lay all your love’ by Abba.
The evening concluded again with lots of smiles and encouragement from all keen to sign up. Sue provided a sample list of proposed songs to sing in the future and asked everyone to provide a few of their own choices so she can make sure we sing a good selection.
The name of the Choir has changed also as ‘Rock Choir’ is not allowed due to copyright, so we are now officially ‘Vocalize Dummer’ that’s deliberately with a 'Z' by the way to make us a bit edgy! A Vocalize Dummer Whatsapp group has been set up for everyone who joined the evening where Sue can provide song choices, lyrics and sheet music if required in advance of each session and any updates.
Sue explained that the idea is to run the weekly sessions from Thursday 30th April during term times only. Payment will be weekly to start until the end of term and then from next term a monthly standing order payment will likely be the way forward to make life easier for all. She will advise cost but is thinking around the £8 mark per session to make it affordable for all. Also, the timing is now earlier with sessions starting at 7pm until 8:30pm with a break halfway. Any dates that change will be advised via the Whatsapp group.
April Dummer 100 Club Winner
01/Apr 26: April Dummer 100 Club Winner Announced
The 4th monthly draw of the Dummer 100 Club took place today, 1st April 2026, at Dummer Village Hall during the monthly coffee morning.
Residents once again, filling two large tables watched as Draw Officer, Penny, who is also the Treasurer of Dummer Village Hall, administered the draw with visiting guest Colette choosing the winning ticket.
The winning number was No. 4, Mark K, who wins £45.00.
There were 81 entrants to this draw.
The next monthly draw will take place at the coffee morning on Wednesday 6th May, between 11am - 12pm.
Entrance is £24 per year with one entry per month. The funds are split between the monthly winner and the village hall for ongoing maintenance costs.
For more information and to join the village draw please see below.
Local Lad Launches New Electrical Business
30/Mar 26: Tom Lake has launched a new home electrical service
Local lad Tom Lake has launched his own electrical contractor business.
Many of you will know Tom well as he lived in the village for while.
Lake Electrical offers numerous domestic services in Hampshire and the surrounding area.
So, if you need electrical services such as rewires and extensions as well as new consumer units or upgrades then Joe and his new business will be keen to help.
Contact Tom at info@lakeelec.com
or call on: 07713 974500
Cricket Club Membership Open
11/Mar 26: Dummer Cricket Club Membership renewals due and new members sought
As we start to see more sunshine, the days starting to get brighter for longer & the new cricket season is fast approaching.
Dummer Cricket Club would like to invite current social members & new social members to join us for this coming season!
This year will be an exciting season with the new pavilion fully finished and ready for the traditional season opener on Sunday 10th May, Dummer CC XI v Sir Crispin’s XI, as many of you know the new pavilion has been kindly built & paid for by Sir Crispin and what a way to open this magnificent venue in our village!
The social membership (Donation) is only £10 for the full season and provides us with funds to keep our traditional village cricket team going and upkeep of essential grounds equipment!
During the season social members will be able to enjoy the new pavilion and enjoy the odd cup of tea or coffee with the odd treats along the way!
Please email matt@precisionrehab.co.uk if you would like to renew or become a new social member.
Pub Quiz Winners for March 2026
11/Mar 26: March Pub Quiz night raises another £100 for Cure Parkinson's UK
The Monthly pub quiz at The Queen Inn Dummer raised an additional £100 for Cure Parkinson's UK, and which is the chosen charity of Liz Nelson, Landlady of the pub.
Six teams in total entered what can only be described as a very difficult quiz...who knew that 'Vulgate' is the Latin name of 'The Bible' and not as team Wendy's thought 'The Karma Sutra'!
Six teams battled it out closely all scoring over 40 points in total. 4th place was 'Five Wise Women two of them Wendy' with 43 Points. Third Place 'Dumb and Dummer' with 44 Points and second place 'The Smiths' with 46 points. Despite these teams being very close, team 'L'armata Del Conghiazi' translated to Italian 'Wild Board Army', were outright winners with a massive 55 points. They walked away with a winning prize of £30 bar tab.
During the interval Liz ran the popular 'Play Your Cards Right' game. Four rounds, and a impromptu a cappella vocalist spot from Wendy Gay singing 'My Way', with much applause and the pub joining in, sadly saw no winners.
Next Pub Quiz in Tuesday 14th April, 8:30pm start. To book your table and team please call 01256 397367 or website Make a Reservation | Book Your Table Today — The Queen Inn
Oil Prices Rise Steeply
09/Mar 26: Oil Prices - What can we do?
I'm sure it hasn't gone unnoticed that oil prices have more than doubled as a result of the war in the Middle East.
We have a very small tank, 650 litres in fact, and with the minimum order being 500 litres we're at the mercy of heating oil prices, which are traded daily. We're trying not to panic at the moment but it won't be long before we need to place another order. We're monitoring the prices and cutting back on our heating levels and hot water hoping we can manage for a few weeks before we need to order our next delivery of oil, whilst praying for an early heat wave.
What can we all do?
Not much as it stands other than support calls for the Government to look after the rural communities in this predicament! But we can stay informed. It's worth noting that many of the oil companies are saying lead times can be up to 30 days (4 weeks) for deliveries and some have ceased taking orders. You can check the daily heating oil prices on numerous charts. We monitor via Boiler Juice. Also if you are aren't aware and are new to the heating oil game you can join a syndicate or "Oil Club" that can buy in bulk therefore reducing the price slightly. There are a few around but we belong to the Dummer and Preston Candover Oil Club, which issues prices weekly and also provides useful comment on current trends. Additionally, if you don't have a lock on your oil tank, it's certainly worth getting one fitted if things continue this way.
All common sense I suppose and I would hope as a village we can all pull together if things get any worse.
Mary Stevens - Dummer Life
New Rector picks winning ticket
04/Mar 26: New Rev'd Jennifer, picks winning Dummer 100 Club Ticket for March
The third monthly draw of the Dummer 100 Club took place today, 4th March 2026, at Dummer Village Hall during the popular monthly coffee morning for residents.
Residents filling two large tables watched as, Draw Officer, Penny Reynolds, who is treasurer of Dummer Village Hall, administered the draw with our new Rector, Rev'd Jennifer Wright, choosing the winning ticket.
The winning number was No. 52, Kirsty B, who wins £45.00.
There were 81 entrants to this draw. (Since announcing the winner Kirsty has kindly donated her winnings to the Village Hall to fund future coffee mornings and activities, so a big thank you to Kirsty for this kind gesture)
The next monthly draw will take place at the coffee morning on Wednesday 1st April, between 11am - 12pm.
Entrance is £24 per year with one entry per month. The funds are split between the monthly winner and the village hall for ongoing maintenance costs.
For more information and to join the village draw please see below.
Dummer Rock Choir - Join us!
25/Feb 26: Dummer Rock Choir - New group forming
We have had interest from a Choir Master who would like to set up a Dummer Rock Choir in the village with practice once a week at the Village Hall.
It would most likely be a Thursday evening from 8pm for an hour to start and longer if needed.
You don't need to be able to read music to join in as the Choir Master will conduct and teach you all how to perform. This is about fun and participation and community to start.
We have eight people so far and ideally would like 10 singers to start this off.
If you fancy having a go then please dm Wendy G or email enquiriesdummerlife@gmail.com.
Website Update - Nerd Alert!
19/Feb 26: Dummer Life Website - Nerd Alert!!
I just wanted to give everyone an update on the Dummer Life website, which was launched just over three and a half months ago.
I'm pleased to say that it's been a huge success so far with usage stats proving much higher than I could have imagined. Whilst it doesn't hold personal details of users, it does say where visitors come from, which pages are popular, number of unique visitors and returning. For example 88% of visitors come from the UK and local area of Basingstoke.
I won't bore you all with each page visit. Suffice to say since its launch on 1st November 2025, there have been 1969 site sessions with 4418 page views from 760 unique visitors. The "Bounce Rate (The percentage of of visitors that view one page and leave) is just over 50%, which is considered average to good, and directly linked to the fact that I push people to these direct pages from Whatsapp and Instagram.
In order of popularity the Home Page scores 34% total visits to date; News 32%; Events 20%; Village Life & History pages 10%; Gallery 3%.
Once again a big thank you for Dummer Parish Council for supporting the website that is providing very popular and ensuring everyone in the village stays connected and informed of news and events....long may it continue!
By Mary Stevens, Dummer Life Website Coordinator
Pub Quiz Winners for Feb 2026
11/Feb 26: Another fun quiz night at the Queen Inn Dummer
Last night's pub quiz proved very popular once more with ten teams competing for first place and the monthly prize pot.
Martin was the usual quizmaster, and in his own charismatic way, entertained the audience with music questions related to Valentine's Day, general knowledge and more.
A hard contested quiz saw the overall winners named as "Love Shack" or otherwise know as local residents Alex and Ray plus friends, who scooped a £30 bar tab.
Along with the interval game of 'Play your cards right' , which was won by the "Hairy Wendinis" team, the evening raised a total of £153 for Cure Parkinsons UK, which is the chosen charity supported by the pub.
The next Quiz will be Tuesday 10th March. Later in the year Liz, Landlady, hopes to run another guest speaker fun evening and dinner.
Reintroducing PCSO Andy Jones
"Please do not report crime to Andy directly as he is unlikely to be in a position to create the incident quickly and efficiently but please feel free to keep him in the loop."
06/Feb 26: Reintroducing our local PCSO, Andy Jones
We met Andy at the coffee morning on Wednesday and we're pleased to say he will be joining us at the Dummer Village Fete on Saturday 27th June and bringing along a police car and some give aways.
Andy has kindly given a short write up about himself and team.
"Hello, my name is PCSO 13301 Andy Jones. I joined Hampshire Constabulary in early 2007, so now in my 19th year of service.
"On joining the constabulary I was the Beat Officer for Basingstoke Town Centre before being asked to join the Basingstoke rural team working from Tadley in around 2015.
"I work alongside PC 21091 Ross Holdsworth, who also joined the Basingstoke Rural team in 2015 and PC 28235 Lionel L`Ecuyer, who is very new to the team. We are all points of contact for an area in excess of 150 sq miles approx, from as far as Hurstbourne on the outskirts of Andover to the border of Alton, including Old Basing , Whitchurch Overton & Oakley, around 50+ parishes."
My contact details are:
Andrew.jones1@hampshire.police.uk
Force Mobile: 07775 542021
Second Dummer 100 Club Draw - Winner revealed
04/Feb 26: Second draw of Dummer 100 Club - Winner announced!
The second draw of the newly introduced Dummer 100 Club took place today, 4th February 2026, at Dummer Village Hall during the monthly coffee morning for residents.
Draw officer, Penny Reynolds, who is treasurer of Dummer Village Hall, administered the draw. As PCSO 13301 Andy Jones was in attendance he was roped in and asked to chose the winning ticket.
The winning ticket was No. 69, Sarah R, who wins £45.00.
There were 83 entrants to this draw.
The next monthly draw will take place at the next coffee morning on Wednesday 4th March, between 11am - 12pm.
Entrance is £24 per year with one entry per month. The funds are split between the monthly winner and the village hall for ongoing maintenance costs.
For more information and to join the village draw please see below.
Brewery recruitment drive
03/Feb: Dummer Down Brewery is recruiting
Dummer Down Brewery is looking for friendly, enthusiastic Bar Staff to join its brewery taproom team.
This is a customer-facing role in a relaxed but busy taproom environment, serving our own beer alongside guest beers and creating a welcoming atmosphere for visitors.
You’ll be working with other team members at various events and some weekends.
Plants and Plates for Village Fete
02/Feb: Plants, bric-a-brac, bottles & tea sets required for Dummer Village Fete
DUMMER FETE - PLANT STALL & CREAM TEAS! Saturday 27th June
Hello to all you keen and not-so-keen gardeners and cake makers.
If you are sewing seeds, dividing perennial plants or for example, changing decorative outside pots for new ones, PLEASE CAN YOU PUT SOME ASIDE for the stall?
Should you need plant pots, Dummer Garden Centre has a supply of free discarded pots.
Also we are doing cream teas at the Fete so if you have any unused old crockery or tea sets please let us know.
If you have any spare bottles also for the tombola, Full of course :-)
It would be fun to have a couple of helpers to make this year’s stalls the best ever, so please let me know if you’d like to join in.
Contact Christine Northam (Plants) and Sam K re cream teas and Jo S for Tombola and bric-a-brac.
New Logo for Dummer Life
28/Jan 26: We have a logo for the Dummer Life Website
I'm delighted to share the new logo for the Dummer Life website.
I've tried to design a logo that reflects what we have as a community.
It shows our roots in agriculture by depicting farm machinery and crops as well as hikers reflecting walks, such as Wayfarers and The Confraternity of St. James, which is part of the Camino Pilgrimage. The church silhouette also represents All Saints' Church and the deep history it has dating back to the Doomsday Book, as well homes and trees in the village. The logo is circled in green to embrace the village, as the strap line says.
The logo acts as the website icon, which is more commonly known as a "favicon"...who'd have known!
Favicons, deprived from the words Favourite & Icon, and are displayed within the browser tabs and bookmarks bar. So next time, (once Google and the likes have processed it, which may take two days) you save the site to your browser our sparkly new logo will be displayed and you'll know all about favicons.
By Mary Stevens, Dummer Life
Brewery adds serving vessels
27/Jan 26: Dummer Down Brewery improvements for the new season ahead
Dummer Down Brewery closed to customers in December for it's winter break but is soon to reopen for the new season, on Friday 20th March at 4pm, with three brand new serving vessels installed.
Recommended and installed by the brewer, Iain, ably assisted by Andrew and Ben, the specialised stainless steel serving vessels, which will store, carbonate and dispense the finished beer directly to the taps in the Tap Room, will replace the need for kegs.
The three impressive horizontal tanks ensure high volume, and bright beer tanks (BBT) for final maturation. They are designed for pressure, hygiene and direct-to-glass service.
Work is also ongoing, and should be ready by the brewery reopening date, on the three farm toilets, which have been long overdue a refresh.
Work begins on new dance floor
12/Jan 26: New flooring for the Village Hall
Work has been completed on the replacement floor at Dummer Village Hall.
Funded by Dummer Parish Council it is hoped the new sprung floor will attract a variety of new hirers.
Contractors, ACC Leisure Maintenance Ltd, started installation on 12th January, with the work taking just a week to complete.
The sprung floor will offer a more professional feel and be warmer for yoga classes and more.
Amazing job and it looks great too!
First Dummer 100 Club Draw - Winner revealed
7/Jan 26: First draw of Dummer 100 Club takes place at coffee morning
The first draw of the newly introduced Dummer 100 Club took place today, 7th January 2026, at Dummer Village Hall during the monthly coffee morning for residents.
Draw officer, Penny Reynolds, who is treasurer of Dummer Village Hall, administered the draw and along with hall trustee, Jeffrey Northam, choose master of all things raffle, Jenny Padmore, as the first ticket picker.
The winning ticket was No. 57, Naomi, who wins £40.00.
There were 57 entrants to this months draw.
The monthly draw will take place at future coffee mornings, between 11am - 12 noon (first Wednesday of each month - excluding August).
Entrance is £24 per year with one entry per month. The funds are split between the monthly winner and the village hall for ongoing maintenance costs.
For more information and to join the village draw please see below.
Dummer Parish Housing Needs Survey 2026
6/Jan 26: Dummer Parish Housing Needs Survey 2026
Action Hampshire have been commissioned by Dummer Parish Council to find out the current and future housing needs of local people. The purpose of the survey is to obtain information from
households in Dummer for all types of housing, whether it be for first time buyers, renters, upsizers, downsizers or affordable housing.
The survey will run until 8th February 2026 and will be available online and in hard copy. Extra hard copies will be available from the Queen Inn. The online survey can be found by going to www.surveymonkey.com/r/dummerhns.
If you are a local resident or have a local connection to the Parish, please complete and return this survey when it becomes available.
At this stage, no decisions have been made about moving forward with any type of housing scheme. That’s why your feedback is so important, this survey will help determine whether there’s a genuine need for development of new homes, what type and how many.
Part 1 of this survey is for all households to complete, including those who do not live but work in the parish. Part 2 is for completion by those who have an affordable housing need.
If a close family member has left the Parish and is in need of an affordable home in Dummer, please ask them to complete this survey, or complete the survey on their behalf.
In many rural areas, providing a small number of affordable homes for local people has helped villages remain vibrant and inclusive. It allows younger generations, families, and older residents to stay close to their roots, preserving the character of the community and supporting local services. If a need for affordable homes is identified through Part 2 of this survey, any homes delivered would be reserved for local people in perpetuity and could be provided by a specialist Housing Association or the Borough Council. This type of development is considered an exception to standard planning rules because it meets a proven local need, something that can be demonstrated through surveys like this.
Action Hampshire follow UK GDPR and data protection rules to make sure your privacy is protected every step of the way. The raw data collected through this survey will only be viewed by Action Hampshire staff in relation to creating a report on local housing need. Your individual responses will not be shared with any third party (including those who commissioned the survey) and will only appear in the final report as general statistics.
Dummer Parish Clerk
Wendy Reynolds
Xmas Party at Dummer Down Farm
22/Dec 25: Dummer Down Farm & Brewery along with Worthy Earth celebrate the end of the season in style
Dummer Down Farm & Brewery along with Worthy Earth hosted their combined annual Christmas Party at the Brewery on Saturday 20th December.
The event, which was free to attend, was a huge thank you to customers and staff, and a celebration of the years' achievements. It welcomed everyone with a mix of jazz band on the outside stage, vinyl dj inside the tap room and food supplied by Worthy Earth and Son of a Bun. An outside bar was also available for those who huddled around the large firepit.
Customers danced the evening away and celebrated the Christmas period in true style.
Dummer Down Brewery is now closed until Friday 20th March 2026. Next year numerous events will be on offer again at the farm and brewery, with many already listed on the events page of this website.
Dummer Down Farm& Brewery and Worthy Earth wish you all a very Merry Xmas and Happy New Year and will see you all next year.
Christmas Quiz success
17/Dec 25: Charity Christmas Quiz at The Queen Inn hailed great success
Last night's Christmas Quiz hosted by Liz Nelson, Landlady of The Queen Inn, has been hailed a great success by all that attended.
The Christmas themed quiz, which was in aid of the Cure Parkinson's Charity, saw nine teams battle it out. The Teams were made up of a maximum of six players in each, from villagers, their families and others from the local area.
Martin Hughes was the usual quizmaster, who in his unique and entertaining manner, posed 20 questions in each round on various topics with the regular general knowledge, music questions, TV & film, music listening round (10 songs). There were five rounds in total with a maximum score available of 90. It was a high scoring evening with the actual winners, The Gallaghers, scoring well in to the 70's.
At half time Liz provided an additional game of Play Your Cards Right, while Martin totted up the scores so far.
In addition to the quiz Liz also auctioned a Fortnum & Mason Christmas Hamper in aid of the charity and kindly donated by Jim Harwood. The hamper raised an additional £200 care of the Wendy's.
The whole evening raised a grand total of £350.
Liz, extended a huge thanks to all that attended and for Martin the pubs quizmaster who runs the monthly quizzes. To find out all events in the village including the next quiz keep an eye on the Dummer Life Events Page.
By Mary Stevens
Theatre Nights - 'Crumbs' by Badapple Theatre Company
Dummer Village Hall Theatre Nights are back with comedy 'Crumbs' by Badapple Theatre Company
Dummer Village Hall and is excited to announce that Badapple Theatre Company will be performing ‘Crumbs’ at its hall on Thursday 23rd April at 7:30pm.
‘Crumbs’ follows the life and times of our heroine, an ex-TV baking show host who has recently been “let go” from a high-profile TV show under dubious circumstances. Now trying to re-style herself within the fast-paced and cut-throat world of influencers and social media millionaires, we follow her hilarious slips and trips in her live baking show as she tries to keep the lights- and the oven- on in the face
of almost certain doom…
This is a hilarious one-person show from the pen of Kate Bramley (York Theatre Royal/ Badapple Theatre) so expect much comedy AND baking for the audience to taste at the end. Bad Apple Theatre Company which has been touring for 25 years has long-awaited this comedy with its clowning and live baking sequel to their previous hit show ‘The Daily Bread’.
Jackie Pryce, events committee member, is delighted to have found this fabulous theatre company and welcomes you all to another evening of entertainment and fun at the village hall.
Tickets are £15 Adults and £8 for under 16’s. A bar will be on offer also and guests are asked to arrive promptly before the show starts to grab refreshments.
Please contact Jackie Pryce for enquiries & tickets at eventsdummervillagehall@gmail.com
Christmas Lunch at the Queen Inn
11/Dec 25: Dummer Lunch Bunch met up for their annual Xmas Lunch this week
The Dummer Village Lunch Bunch met up for it's annual village lunch at the Queen Inn this week. So that more people could come this year's event was spread over two lunchtimes, Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th December.
Liz Nelson (Pub Landlady) along with her new chef Paul, who has 21 years cheffing experience, put on a Christmas Menu to be proud of.
Lunch Bunchers enjoyed starters of: Parsnip & Thyme Soup, Smoked Salmon & Beetroot, Goats Cheese Panna Cotta or a Pressed Game Terrine. Main courses included: Traditional Turkey feast, Roasted Venison, Pan Fried Cod Loin or a cranberry and chestnut roast. Deserts swiftly followed of: Salted Caramel Popcorn Cheesecake, Chocolate Orange Roulade, Traditional Xmas Pud, Chocolate Fondant, Vegan Banoffee Cheesecake and Icecream.
Judging by the smiles all around this was another special moment in the village shared with friends and neighbours.
The Lunch bunch started in April 2024 and quickly grow in number with 47 members now in the group. It's been a hugely successful with many new friendships formed between villagers. The group sends a big thank you to Liz and her team for accommodating them once again.
If you'd like to join the Dummer Lunch Bunch, then we meet four times a year to blow away the winter blues in January or February, enjoy Easter, autumn and Christmas. Please message Mary for more info as she gathers the troops and menu choices for each meal.
By Mary Stevens
Village Hall Encourages New Hirers
9/Dec 25: Dummer Village Hall is looking for more hirers
As the new year looms, Dummer Village Hall is currently looking for more hirers to complement existing activities. Discounted hirer rates exist for villagers with the standard rate being £22.50 per hour with a minimum of 1.5 hours hirer. Discount for block bookings applies.
The Carpark has recently been slightly extended for more capacity and in January it will have a brand new floor which is designed to improve dance abilities and warmth.
Current availability exists as follows*:
Mondays (One exception of one evening per month from 6:30pm)
Tuesday - Afternoon
Wednesday - Afternoon
Thursday - Afternoon & Evenings
Friday - All Day & Evening
Saturday - Afternoons
Sunday - All Days
(*Some one-off bookings may exist currently for single events - Check the online booking system for more information)
About Dummer Village Hall
The hall has a capacity of approximately 100 people and is 7 x14 metres in size. It has a fully fitted kitchen with dishwasher, fridge, cooker and various other appliances as well a large supply of crockery and glasses. Additionally it has stage lighting, free wifi, three toilets, including a separate disable access toilet as well as comfortable padded seating and matching tables.
Contact dvhwegs@gmail.com or
Lyn on 01256 397507
Christingle - Brings community together
7/Dec 25: Christingle 2025 brings community together
This year’s Christingle service at All Saints’ Church lit up an otherwise wet and windy afternoon with families across the village coming together to celebrate.
Christingle is a joyful celebration that brings families and communities together to share the light of Jesus and spreads a message of hope.
Christingle celebrations are named after the Christingles that are lit during the ceremony. Christingles are oranges wrapped in red tape, decorated with dried fruit or sweets, with a candle on the top. The children had made the Christingles on Saturday 6th December at the workshop in readiness.
The service at All Saints' Church was led by Alex Holden aided by Melanie Gill and others from the local community.
After the service, families followed Storm the pony to the stables and nativity at Manor Farm, where refreshments were served and toasted marshmallows were the order of the day. Residents then sang carols around the fire, making the afternoon and early evening a wonderful experience for all.
Thank you to to Manor Farm for hosting the nativity and Camilla for making this years Christingle so special with Storm and to all the helpers who made the children's afternoon.
Local Resident Celebrates 80th at the Village Hall
6/Dec 25: Lyn Hardy at 80 years old
Long-time resident Lyn Hardy celebrated her 80th birthday this weekend with friends and family at Dummer Village Hall with entertainment provided by The Down Street Boys, a newly formed village band made up of local residents.
Lyn’s two daughters and grandchildren attended and helped serve food, travelling from Fleet, Hampshire and even as far as France. Reverend Jennifer Wright also joined the festivities, taking the opportunity to meet more villagers. Guests enjoyed a selection of refreshments, and sparklers added a festive touch to the celebration cakes. Also the newly decorated Village Christmas Tree added even more sparkle.
For those who don’t know Lyn, she has been an active part of the village since moving here in August 1973 (52 years ago) with her husband, who transferred from the Birmingham branch of the AA to Head Office in Basingstoke, and their two young children—a two-year-old and a five-month-old.
Lyn soon joined the Dummer Village Hall Committee as a representative of young mothers and continues to serve on the committee today. By 1977, she had also become a member of the Parochial Church Council, where she is now the second longest-serving member and currently acts as church warden for All Saints’ Church. Throughout the years, Lyn has experienced four interregnums, co-taught Sunday School with Elisabeth Hutton, helped introduce the Family Service, and still serves as a lollipop lady at St Mark’s Primary School in Hatch Warren, Basingstoke.
As her children grew, Lyn went on to form a Junior Choir and Junior Orchestra, and Advent services were often themed around music. The Junior Choir even performed at wedding ceremonies.
Here's to the next 80 years!
Village Christmas Tree Has Arrived
5/Dec 25: DVH Xmas Tree has arrived and will be decorated this weekend
Dummer Village Hall Committee are delighted to announce the arrival of the Village Christmas Tree, kindly donated by Dummer Parish Council.
This weekend there is a lot happening in the village with the Annual Christingle service on Sunday at All Saints' Church.
Tomorrow, (Saturday 6th December) there is a Christingle workshop for children to make all things Christmassy too.
The tree will tie in with these activities with decorations and a lighting-up session taking place later in the afternoon (weather permitting).
Huge thankyou to Dummer Parish Council for lighting up the village.
By Wendy Gay - On behalf of Dummer Village Hall Committee
Yoga at Dummer Village Hall
5/Dec 25: Yoga at the Village Hall By Bethan Buchanan
As many local residents know I have been teaching yoga classes in Dummer, on behalf of Debra Mann, since 2017. In September this year, and as she eases into retirement, Debra passed the whole business over to me.
A bit about me
My journey as a yoga teacher began in 2007, when I qualified at the Ananda Kutir Ashram in Cape Town, South Africa. Since then, I have been teaching yoga both intermittently and consistently. After relocating from South Africa to the UK with my husband in 2009, I initially took up administrative work in central London. In 2013, following the birth of my daughter, I was able to return to teaching yoga and re-establish my business.
Yoga Classes and Workshops
The yoga classes I offer in Dummer Village Hall are open to all, welcoming both beginners and those with more experience. The hall accommodates up to 25 people per class, and I teach both women and men aged between 16 and 100. The style of yoga practised is Hatha Yoga, known for its focus on both physical postures and breathwork. Classes cost £9.50 with first class Free to see if you like it.
Contact Beth to book your place:
bethan@khusheeyoga.com
07447 915 313
Natasha for Thursdays
07950 314 636
The Book Club at Dummer
2/Dec 25: The Book Club at Dummer
We’re a lively group of around ten people who meet at the Clifton Room in Dummer - some of us are locals, others are from Basingstoke.
Our objective is to read, enjoy and discuss books including classics, fiction and non-fiction, ranging from Daemon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver to Precipice by Robert Harris.
Works by writers such as William Boyd, Isobel Allende, Ann Patchett, Ian McEwan, Pat Barker, and Hilary Mantel have in the past been chosen as our ‘book of the month’ and have stimulated chats about all sorts of related topics including the book itself!
It is not deadly serious as occasionally someone won’t have had time to read but would like to hear what others have to say about the previous month’s choice or tell us about another book they’ve read and would recommend. We say that belonging to the Club gets us reading new authors and topics we might not otherwise have selected.
We meet on a Friday every month or so at 12.30 – 2.30 pm.
If you like the sound of this then please come along - ‘phone or email me for dates.
Christine Northam - Book Club Contact
Dummer Village Hall Improvements
28/Nov 25: Village Hall Improvements Underway
Watch this (parking) space!
We are thrilled to confirm that we are having the Village Hall car park resurfaced and will be increasing the width slightly to allow room for another two vehicles.
Work will commence today 27 November (Great British Weather permitting, of course) and is expected to take 5 days. During this time all existing groups and events will continue, with access through the side door on the right-hand side of the hall.
While work is underway, could our hall users please be alert and park safely and considerately on the road. Leave room for residents and emergency access and avoid blocking driveways.
Thank you for your patience as we improve our facilities for everyone!
Stay tuned for updates and photos of our new look soon.
This is were we are so far...
Jeffrey Northam - Trustee Dummer Village Hall
DVH Xmas Fair Success for 2025
24/Nov 25: DVH Xmas Fair Success By Rachel Beresford-Davies
On Sunday 23rd November Dummer Village Hall once again hosted their Christmas Fair. Plenty of villagers and folk from the local community donned their coats to come down and enjoy the festivities.
There were a variety of stalls, selling everything from vintage posters and curios to hand-sewn fabric items and jewellery, block printed cards and stationery, as well as home-made chutneys, Christmas puddings and chocolates. There was a jolly ‘cafe’ area where customers could enjoy a cup of tea and cake, or really get into the festive spirt with a mug of mulled wine. The free children’s craft table kept young ones busy making festive decorations, and Lyn ran her usual Secret Santa station, where children could go up on stage and select and wrap a present for their parents behind the curtain.
It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and neighbours from across the village, mooch around the stalls getting some Christmas shopping done, whilst all the while supporting the Village Hall.
The raffle, organised as always by Jenny Padmore (described by one of the sellers as “an absolute hoot”), did a roaring trade and was responsible for raising about a third of the total profit, all of which will go to the Village Hall to boost it’s coffers and enable it to improve and offer more for the community.
Thanks go to the Dummer Village Hall Committee and the many helpers who baked, hauled tables and chairs around, covered themselves in glitter glue and generally gave up their time to help.
It’s always a worry when organising such events that not enough people will have noticed the increasingly soggy posters displayed around the village, or skipped over the village WhatsApp messages, but the community did themselves proud, and made it a successful and wonderfully wholesome village event!
AGM Sees Changes at Dummer Cricket Club
19/Nov 25: AGM Sees Changes at Dummer Cricket Club
Following the clubs AGM on 18th November major changes were made as follows:
"Mervyn Mann after 17 years as Club Chairman is standing down. We all wish to thank him for his tireless work for the club and behind the scenes he has been a major factor in helping the club progress.
Ultimately, pushing through, the building of the new pavilion with his wealth of experience.
"Filling Mervyns boots is the charismatic Richard Russell, who is bringing in a Five Year Plan for the club. His enthusiasm and energy will bring exciting times ahead for the Club.
"Also standing down is Jack Ballard who has done this role like a true pro, as well as all the other work he does for the club. The new secretary will be Martin Reed, we look forward to his Yorkshire wit!
"With his love of commenting on Dummer Village WhatsApp group, Matt James is now Membership Secretary so we are hoping he can drum up some social members within the village.
"We also welcome on to the committee, Harry, Penny alongside David Prickett."
This was reported on DCC Facebook page by the Captain, Steve Heath, and edited by Matt James.
Explorer Scouts have a go at Bell Ringing at All Saints' Church
17/Nov 25: All Saints' Church Bells Ring Out For Explorer Scouts
A chance meeting in Down Street Dummer with a group of young map wielding Explorer Scouts from Brighton Hill in Basingstoke, and lead by Rob Dicks, (Lead Volunteer), resulted in this Monday's bell ringing demonstration at All Saints' Church.
Scout Leaders and Guild Ringers organised the special event with Bell Tower Captain Sheila Harden, in attendance on Monday 17th Nov, 7pm - 9pm with a presentation provided by Martin Barnes.
16 Explorer Scouts arrived complete with notebooks and pens to listen to how the bells work and to even have a go! Having 16 scouts, leaders and six+ ringers all in the confined space of the ringing room is a sight to behold, but eight were quickly dispatched up the ladder to see the ropes in action and another four climbed right to the top to see the actual bells in their frame in the up and down positions. The church looked stunning with lights glistening right to the top of the tower, which is a rare occurrence (View Gallery).
Sheila produced two very interesting leaflets for all in attendance (See attached) and to take away, which included the history of bell ringing Pre 1500 to the 1990's, and an information sheet about All Saints' Church bells, which were refurbished in 2011. Sheila even included some creepy bell ringing stories! The scouts were intrigued by the whole experience with two even wanting to come back but sadly their troop meeting is also on a Monday evening.
Much needed, and well received hot chocolate and biscuits, were supplied by Jan Marks and the Deane Ringers. Special thanks to Sheila and her trusty team as well as the scouts and their leaders who thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Well done to all involved!
Dummer Village Beats North Waltham 3-2 To Win Annual Football Trophy
15/Nov 25: Dummer Village Beats North Waltham in Annual Charity Football Match
The 3rd Annual Dummer Vs North Waltham village charity football match kicked off at 2pm at Dummer Down Farm Football Pitch on Saturday 15th November.
The first half saw Dummer take an early lead with a goal scored by Sandro Agozzino, swiftly followed by a North Waltham equaliser from David Williams (assisted by Matt Austin). North Waltham then went head with a goal by Chris Webb, to lead 1-2. Dummer hit the crossbar and posts three times in quick succession just before half time. In the second half Dummer Village then equalised with the first of two goals scored by Ethan Waspe. Ethan's second spectacular goal put Dummer in the lead. Despite being pressed hard by North Waltham the final score was a win for Dummer Village, 3-2. This puts Dummer 2-1 up overall for the last three years. Short pitch side presentations then followed with Man of The Match named as Morgan Hyndman.
The event is organised by Matt Austin who does a brilliant job each year. Thanks go to Andrew Ferguson also for providing the pitch and facilities.
Martin Masefield, who rallied the Dummer troops along with Steve Heath, said after the match, "It’s a fantastic annual fixture of increasing stature and significance with amazing support from both villages, originally conceived by legendary NW captain Matt Austin, around which some great history is now developing and local footballers of all ages across the two parishes are looking to become a part of."
The event was in aid of Bluebells (respite centre in N Waltham giving free breaks and day visits for families of seriously ill children).
Roll on the next match and maybe we can even tempt some other local villages to join in to form our own village league!
Handy Pony Judging at the RDA Dummer
13/Nov 25: Judging 'Handy Pony' at the RDA Dummer By Sheila Harden
Back in the day, I was a regular volunteer at Dummer RDA. I was used to tacking up, side-walking, heaving equipment around, dung clearing, making coffee, eating the biscuits and anything else that needed doing. I’ve retired from active service now, so I was delighted to be asked back to judge the handy pony entrants this year.
I was given an excellent plan of the arena as it was laid out, prepared and printed by a volunteer. I also had a list of the various activities that I needed to score during the round, a clipboard, several biros (they always run out at the critical moment) and the real necessity – a sunhat. I took up position in the centre of the arena, which is where you get the best view of what is going on.
The handy pony is not a competition. Each child’s round is scored against the list of things to be tested. Side walkers and leaders are there for safety, but it’s really a chance for the child to show what they have learnt during their classes. Did they stop when they were meant to, did they drop the bean bag, did they do neat corners or knock the poles they stepped over? Most importantly, of course, did they remember to salute the judge at the end!!
I was impressed. They took it very seriously. They’d practised. They’d learnt the route around the hazards. As they started their rounds you could see the confidence increase. They were all nervous, some more than others but all keen to do their best and demonstrate their skills. The volunteers with them were encouraging and cheerful helping to add to the fun of the activity but letting them show what they
could do.
As a judge, I was really interested watching them do their circuits – so much so that my writing on the forms deteriorated as they progressed. Watching and writing at the same time is, I discovered, tricky. They didn’t seem too bothered that I was there and they were all smiling when they finished. I was proud of them all.
If I behaved myself well enough, I might be invited back next time to do the same thing. If not, I shall turn up anyway, carry on eating the biscuits and watch the children to see the progress that they have made over the coming terms.
Remembering those who made
the final sacrifice on our behalf
9/Nov 25: Remembrance Sunday
By Paul Simpson, Dummer Branch, Chairman, Royal British Legion
As the churchgoers arrived at All Saints’ Church Dummer on Sunday morning, they were greeted by the sound of the church bells.
Just before 11 o’clock the Dummer Branch of the Royal British Legion, under the command of Bernard Cazenove, formed up in front of the lych gate. Those parading were welcomed by the Reverend Stephen Mourant.
A wreath was laid at the lych gate. This was followed by the Last Post, two minutes silence and Reveille. This gave everyone time to pause, remember and reflect. Stephen then invited all present into All Saints’ Church for the remainder of the service.
The congregation, who filled the church, was comprised of visitors, churchgoers from the parishes of Cliddesden, Dummer, Ellisfield and Farleigh Wallop. The four villages making up the parish of Farleigh, with All Saints’ Church forming part of the Church of England Benefice of Farleigh, Candovers and Wield.
The Belles of St. Martins, Ellisfield, accompanied the congregation during the hymns, and they also performed one of their own pieces. During the solemn and moving service, the names of those, from within the parish, who had lost their lives during WWI and WW2 were read out. Over £750 was collected to support the work of The Royal British Legion.
After the service, all were invited back to Dummer House for refreshments at the kind invitation of Sir Crispin Davis. Many thanks to Sir Crispin and all those who worked behind the scenes to make the service such a memorable day and enable us all to remember those who made the final sacrifice on our behalf.
Thanks also to the bellringers who summoned us to the service. The ringers included Ian Robertson, Ian miller, Peter Willis, Jo Butler, Sharon Lewington, Sheila Harden with Jan Marks acting as the Tower Secretary.
Dummer Bonfire & Fireworks Event Success!
9/Nov 25: DDF Bonfire and Fireworks Hailed Huge Success
Last night’s Bonfire and Firework Display at Dummer Down Farm was a great success, with a lively atmosphere enjoyed by all ages.
Dummer Cricket Club ran the busy BBQ, while two additional food trucks offered flatbreads and pizza.
Basingstoke East Scouts managed parking, tickets, and additional lighting, and treated guests to toasted marshmallows and hot drinks.
St John Ambulance attended, but thankfully their help wasn’t needed. Better to be safe than sorry as they say!
Dummer Down Brewery kept everyone refreshed with two bars and a local vinyl DJ provided music.
Special thanks go to Andrew and Flo for organising the event and supplying the impressive fireworks, as well as to all volunteers who made the evening run smoothly.
Dummer Down Brewery & Farm Receive Verification
4/Nov 25: Dummer Down Brewery & Farm Receive Basingstoke Business for Good Verification
Basingstoke Business for Good verification is a collaboration between Destination Basingstoke and Brevity Marketing and is supported by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council. From a business perspective, customers, suppliers and employees are increasingly looking for companies that put people and the planet on an equal footing with profit.
On Tuesday 4th November, 7pm, the Brewery & Farm received its verification plaque, which now takes pride of place in the brewery. The plaque was presented by Luke Murphy MP for Basingstoke.
The plaques were made by students at Basingstoke College of Technology.
Congratulations Andrew & Flo.
Date & Venue set for Village Fete
4/Nov 25: Dummer Fete Committtee Update
We held the initial planning meeting for next year's fete on 3rd November.
The date has now been confirmed as Saturday 27th June at Dummer Cricket Ground. We will have access to the new pavilion and its amenities.
Patty has kindly offered to oversee the event and anyone willing to help should join the newly set up WhatsApp Community / Group, to keep abreast of further meetings and plans. Please pass on your mobile number to Jane or me if you would like to be added to the group. (NB it is split into sections so you won’t be bombarded with irrelevant chat.)
Regards,
Penny
Dummer Life Website Launch
1/Nov 25: Dummer has a brand new website -
"Who knew there was so much going on in our village!"
We are delighted to launch this brand new website for the village called "Dummer Life".
The site pulls together all current communication avenues for the village and visitors and aims to keep you up to date with news, events, activities, church services, special occasions, business news as well as being a quick point of reference for household queries, emergencies and research. It doesn't replace other websites such as the Parish Council, All Saints Church or the Village Hall but it is hoped it will be your first point of call for all those questions and queries about recommended services, what's going on, when and where.
It's a work in progress so if you spot anything missing, broken or that needs amending please email us.
Dummer 100 Club to launch soon!
20/Oct 25: Introducing the Dummer 100 Club!
Dummer Village Hall is launching a Dummer 100 Club to support the village hall and its maintenance.
A brand new local mini lottery, launching in January 2026.
Monthly cash prizes, it's simple, it's local, and best of all, every entry helps fund our local village hall.
It's likely the draw will take place monthly on 1st Wednesday of the month at the village coffee morning 11am at the village hall.
To take part and be in with a chance of winning request a form by email:
Xmas Lunch Menu Released
16/Oct 25: The Queen Inn releases Xmas Menu
Liz Nelson (Landlady) of the village pub The Queen Inn, has released details of this year's Christmas Menu and very tasty it looks too!
On offer is a full three course or two course menu offering traditional dishes. Many dishes are Gluten Free and a choice of Vegan.
The Dummer Village "Lunch Bunch" plan to all meet up for lunch on Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th December at 12:30pm. Anyone interested please email Mary below. There are 18 places available on each day and plenty of space at the moment.
If you wish to book a table any other time and enjoy the hospitality at the pub and a meal or your own Christmas Lunch at
The Queen Inn - please call 01256 397367
Oktoberfest success
7/Oct 25: This years Oktoberfest event held on Saturday 4th October was a huge success
The Annual Oktoberfest, held at Dummer Down Farm, was once again a roaring success and raised much needed funds for the Village Hall maintenance pot, totalling over £1200.
Von Hit Vonder Bunde's talented musicians, led by band leader Sue Williams, brought the house down with classic oom-pah band tunes and entertainment. Games were the order of the evening from musical hats, to who can play the longest note, which saw the whole venue rocking.
DJ Steve from The Ultimate Disco Company filled the gaps with some classic bangers. Food was supplied by Earth to Oven and The Kenyan Pig Farmer.
The interval saw a very entertaining auction of a charitable hamper brimming with goodies for Xmas, although we are not sure if all of the content made it home that night, it raised an incredible £240.
A huge thanks to Dummer Down Farm and Brewery for supporting the annual event and providing the bar to keep guests well oiled for the evening.
Next years' Oktoberfest will be back on Saturday 3rd October 2026. We'll keep numbers at a maximum of 180 to ensure everyone can continue to enjoy the whole event.
Rev'd Jennifer Wright installed as
new Rector
15/Sept 25: We are delighted to share news of our new Rev'd who joined the benefice on 15th September 2025.
Speaking about the Institution Service Lyn Hardy (Church Warden) said:
"What a privilege it was to be involved in the lovely Institution Service of our new Rector, Rev'd Jennifer. In the time I have been a resident of Dummer, I have witnessed many changes in our clergy. Rev'd Basil (Dummer was ordinally part of the North Waltham Group), Richard Chattell and Stephen Mourant with able assistance from Geoffrey Armstead and Ian Thacker.
"This Interregnum has, I believe, brought the north and south of the Benefice more closely together with exchanges of ideas and support and we hope that this will aid Rev'd Jennifer as she administers to her new Benefice.
"The service in St Johns Church, Northington, was very friendly and devotional. Many of Jennifer's friends from Lichfield arrived to support her and it was a pleasure to meet and help her. The Right Reverend Philip Mountstephen, Bishop of Winchester led the service, a massed choir from across the Benefice of Farleigh, Candover and Wield led us in praise."We welcome you, Jennifer and your lovely daughters and hope that you will be with for many years."