For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community.

Today we’d like to shine a light on the amazing team of volunteers at the Dorset Blind Association charity shop in Easton.

The shops team, namely Andrew and Zoe, have created a warm and friendly addition to Easton, greeting every customer with enthusiasm, positivity, and attention.

What’s more, every item donated and bought makes a real difference in helping the Dorset Blind Association achieve its mission to support people living with visual impairment across the county through practical help, the provision of specialist equipment, social groups and emotional support.

Because of the commitment of the shop’s volunteers, individuals and families facing sight loss can access the services they need to stay independent, confident and connected.

Portland Youth Council made the very wet trip up to Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens to explore their Illuminate at the Subtropical Gardens installation and gain some insight from Charlie at O T Event Technicians LTD about the planning, hard work, time and money that goes into pulling this amazing spectacle off.

This trip makes up a full programme of training to empower the group to pull off their own event for other young people in July 2026!

For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community.

On behalf of our community, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible volunteer team behind the Portland Leg Club. Their dedication, kindness and commitment have made an extraordinary difference to the lives of so many people on the island.

Each week they offer vital support to those dealing with leg and circulation problems, providing care, advice and reassurance in a safe and welcoming environment.

The Club’s offer goes far beyond medical help. For those who are isolated or lonely, sometimes not seeing another person from one week to the next, for example, the Leg Club provides a lifeline — a place to talk, laugh and feel part of something, and to know they are not alone.

The Club’s volunteers give their time generously, treating everyone with dignity and compassion and, in doing so, they bring comfort and increased confidence to those who attend.

Thank you for all you do, and for making our community a stronger, kinder and more connected place.

Royal Manor Health Care

We would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to Portland United Service Lodge 3473 for their incredibly generous donation of £1,500 towards our services for older and vulnerable people on Portland.

In particular, we are hugely grateful for the fundraising efforts of Freemason Richard Fagan (front), seen here with colleagues John Hancock (left) and Ben Cartwright (middle) + members of the ICA staff and volunteer team.

This contribution will certainly make a big difference to the lives of our most vulnerable clients.

Happy Christmas to you all xxx

For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community.

Today’s nomination is Portland YMCA. This amazing team of volunteers and the space they work in is a true hub and community asset for Portland, offering support through their Baby Bank, hosting events, classes, and activities, and providing facilities like their gym and affordable lodgings.

Their welcoming space, high standards, and the dedication of their volunteers creates an environment where everyone feels supported, connected, and valued.

The pride and care they put into everything really reflects Portland’s ‘can do’ spirit and not only makes the YMCA a genuinely uplifting space to visit, but also reminds us of the importance of the places we all come to meet in to create memories, build skills and share information.

Thank you for being a team that supports a real pillar of our community!

For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community.

A huge thank you to the incredible b-side and Friends of b-side teams (staff and volunteers).

Your imagination, compassion and creativity have transformed our community in ways that words can barely express. Through every project, festival and workshop, you show how art, place and people can come together to create something truly special — enriching lives, renewing connections and turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

From commissioning site-responsive artworks that celebrate the history and spirit of our island, to offering opportunities for residents, young people and visiting artists, you’ve built spaces where creativity thrives. Your commitment to nurturing talent and sharing community stories makes the Isle of Portland (and beyond) feel more alive, connected and valued than ever.

None of this magic would be possible without the amazing volunteers who work front of house and behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly!

Massive thanks to you and your volunteers for evidencing what art can do, for the environment, heritage, wellbeing and the social fabric of our community.

You certainly help our community’s creativity flourish.

For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community.

The volunteers who started Hooked have been recognised by members of the community for taking the initiative to tackle loneliness in the 20-40 year age group by starting a local crochet group.

Since it launched, members have worked together to handmake items to donate to a number of community projects. This includes creating items for Dorset Council’s Christmas Stocking Installation, which raises awareness of children and young people in care; creating a beautiful woolly campfire for the local Beavers group, so they could learn camp songs, and helping turn Easton into a Woolly Wonderland, bringing joy to 1000s. Some members have even helped teach children the skill of crochet.

In addition, the group have worked behind the scenes on many other projects, including creating gifts for those who have lost babies.

All this, as well continuing to provide a safe space for those who have found it hard to meet people their own age.

What an amazing group they are!

For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community. 

After multiple nominations, we want to express our deepest gratitude for everything the team and volunteers at The Sanctuary Crisis Intervention Hub CIC do for the people of Portland, as they work tirelessly to provide their wide range of support for those in need.

Their low-cost essentials The Sanctuary Community Shop eases the pressure on local families, offering dignity and relief during difficult times. Whilst the Cozy Corner (completely volunteer run) provides a safe, inclusive and friendly place where people can get a warm drink, share a meal, chat and feel part of something special.

At a time when mental health services are stretched and support isn’t always easy to access, the organisation’s dedicated and trained team members offer compassion, patience and care. They help individuals to understand themselves, if they’re feeling lost and isolated, providing hope and a path to improved mental health and wellbeing

The whole team at The Sanctuary are a real source of strength, stability and inspiration to our community. 

For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community.

A huge thank you to the incredible volunteers and Michelle at the @Weldmar Hospicecare shop here on Portland.

This small but big impact charity shop raises vital funds to help Weldmar provide outstanding care across Dorset to those living with life-limiting illnesses or needing end-of-life care. The support they provide includes everything from help at home to compassionate inpatient care at their Dorchester-based hospice.

For local people, Weldmar Portland is much more than a charity shop; it’s a welcoming community space filled with friendly faces and familiar customers, marking it as a cornerstone of Easton.

The energy and commitment of those who work/volunteer within the shop is fantastic, and the difference they make both locally and further afield is clearly evident. And, outside of the shop, their annual Pirate Fest (organised by the Weldmar volunteers – shoutout to Pat), brings the community together for a day of fun, joy and fundraising!

We’re so grateful for everything you do.

For 12 days leading up to Christmas, we will be highlighting a charity, organisation or community group that has been nominated by members of our community.

Handmade with Love are a group of volunteers, headed by Colleen, who knit, sew and crochet items for sale at Portland and Weymouth craft fayres and online.

Colleen started fundraising for a cancer charity back in 2019, selling items to friends and neighbours. COVID put things on hold but when restrictions were lifted Colleen and her team came back with renewed energy and created, ‘Handmade with Love’.

ALL proceeds raised annually (no expenses taken) are divided between three charities – Weldmar Hospicecare, Dorset County Hospital’s Fortuneswell (Cancer) Ward, and a third charity decided upon by the group.

To date, the charities that have received the final third are The Air Ambulance Service, The Three Ells Trust, Dorset Blind Association, Portland Hedgehogs and WillDoes.

This year the chosen charity is Muscular Dystrophy, as a fitting tribute to one of the groups volunteers who sadly passed away as a result of the condition.

In the seven years that the group have been running, they’ve managed to raise a whopping £26,000 for charity.

We are astounded by this groups generosity and drive to do good, even when they’re dealing with personal hardships themselves.