2018 was a record breaker of a year for an event that has grown and grown in popularity locally.  The event (including the associated Grand Raffle) generated income of £10,027, resulting in a net profit in the region of £9200.

The 2019 event was busier than ever but with different items on sale and less of the high value goods.  We didn’t quite reach the figures of 2018 but were astonished to record 1128 visitors throughout the day supporting our local charity.  The event raised a net profit of £8047.

More importantly, the Autumn Fair takes our charity in to its home town.  Council Members and volunteers received countless compliments on the Fair itself but also, and most importantly, on the work of the charity both in supporting our wonderful community hospital but also the services we are able to provide locally.

To quote one visitor, “Your Fair is the best event in the Corn Exchange all year and we look forward to it every year”!

Many a visitor had to make a return trip to the car or the cashpoint with their bargains and advance Christmas Shopping!

This event is a prime example of teamwork and how important it is amongst the Friends of Blandford Hospital Volunteers.  Over 60 volunteers are involved over 2 days to stage the event and many of those put in countless hours throughout the preceding months gathering and pricing goods. Without that teamwork the event simply wouldn’t happen.  Without a wonderful team, all working so hard and happily together for the cause the charity would simply not be the same.

This year the Corn Exchange is being refurbished so we will be holding a Spring Fair in 2026. Date and time to be confirmed.

Record footfall at the 2019 Cheese Festival in Sturminster Newton meant a very busy weekend at our stall and at our shop in the town.  The stall raised £749 and our volunteers thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.  We look forward to being there again this year 2025.

The Friends of Blandford Hospital held their “New to You” Fashion show in The Exchange, Sturminster Newton on Friday 16th March 2018.  The event, organised by a team of volunteers led by Linda Prior, was very well supported and proved to be a most entertaining evening.  Previous volunteer models were joined by some very entertaining debutants to the cat walk to show a wide selection of clothing.  Everything on display had been donated to the Charity’s very successful shops in Barnack Walk, Blandford and Innes Court, Sturminster Newton. The Clothing and accessories, and much more, was on sale after the show and also on the Saturday morning.

Not only was the event a great opportunity to showcase just what the hospital charity shops have on offer every day, it was a very profitable weekend for the charity raising in the region of £1750.  As with all of the Friends of Blandford Hospital events, it would not be possible without the support of a great number of volunteers working as a team and the Charity would like to thank everybody that was involved in so many ways.

We staged our last Fashion Show at the Exchange in Sturminster Newton on Friday 13th March 2020.

The recent Affordable Art Exhibition at our  Blandford Charity shop in Barnack Walk, raised an incredible £2302.  This year’s exhibition was the third organised in aid of the Hospital by the incredibly talented local artist and regular shop volunteer, Joan Capron. Since her first exhibition for “the Friends” she has raised a grand total of £4585. However, prior to this, Joan had done similar Exhibitions for Julia’s House.  All of her Exhibitions have been on the basis of 100% donation.  There are no costs to the charity at all, so every penny will be put to very good use.

£2302 is an astonishing figure to raise in just a week when prices were from 30p to a maximum of £30.  Joan sold 73 paintings, 40 prints and 261 greetings cards throughout the week and was adding new work every day, to keep up with demand, on top of spending most of the week in the shop to talk to the customers about the different styles and techniques, the pictures, and the inspiration behind them.

The Friends of Blandford Hospital are extremely grateful to Joan for everything she did to make the exhibition such a success.  Her talent in so many different styles has brought pleasure to locals and tourists alike and many a wall now hosts a “Caproni”!