Community invited to celebrate Chase and Chalk with packed day planned for July

Locals have been invited to join volunteers for a day packed with entertainment, talks and hands-on activities to celebrate the incredible achievements of the Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership Scheme.

Project leaders and volunteers will be welcoming attendees at the Larmer Tree Gardens on Wednesday, July 24.

Since 2020, the National Lottery Heritage Funded Partnership has delivered twenty projects in Cranborne Chase National Landscape to benefit communities, heritage, and the landscape.

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This special all-day event will have something for everyone, whether you are a family, or have a special interest in nature, archaeology, or the arts. Discover the outcomes of the Chase & Chalke projects delivered by partners, local community members, volunteers, and colleagues.

What’s on:

• Interactive nature and creative activities.

• Talks on local archaeology, reviving ancient walking routes, conservation and more.

• Live in-character performances bringing to life figures from the past to delight and entertain.

• Guided walks and experiences including butterfly walks, sketchbook making, dusk bird spotting, evening bat walk and more.

• Music and exhibitions on Roman Britain, local wildlife organisations, artwork, practical conservation and more.

There will be an array of delicious food and drink available from Dorset Lamb, Dorset Pizza Kitchen and Larmer Tree Cafe, as well as delicious ice creams from Joanna’s Gelato.

You can also bring your own picnic to enjoy in the beautiful surroundings of the Larmer Tree Gardens on the Wiltshire and Dorset border, first created by General Pitt Rivers as a Victorian Pleasure Ground in 1880.

Director of Cranborne Chase National Landscape, Linda Nunn, said: “With the Chase & Chalke project sadly coming to an end this September, this event is the perfect opportunity to celebrate its successes with our volunteers, partners and wider communities.

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Pitt Rivers performance at Larmer Tree (Image: Cranborne Chase National Landscape)

"We thank the National Lottery Heritage Fund enormously for their support in making this Scheme possible.   The National Landscape Partnership is indebted to all the volunteers who offered their time and passion to the myriad of projects over the last five years.

"It also offers its thanks to the thousands of people who attended events, undertook training or simply discovered more about this stunning landscape. The over-arching aim of the Scheme was always to engage with as many people as possible, young and old, from near or far, to explore, learn, discover and enjoy this special area and all it has to offer.

"The Cranborne Chase National Landscape team is fully committed to ensuring a lasting legacy for the project by continuing to offer opportunities for volunteering, exploring and enjoyment.”

Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership Scheme Manager, Robert Lloyd, said: “The Landscape Partnership project has worked on twenty exciting projects to protect and enhance the special landscape of Cranborne Chase and the Chalke Valley celebrating the natural environment, historic landscape and cultural heritage.

"Over 600 volunteers have signed up and helped make the Scheme a success and our legacy will be to ensure the momentum continues after the end of September.

"The event in July will be an opportunity to celebrate the successes with all that have been involved with the project and to make connections to take things forward into the future.”

The event will take place from 10:00am to 8:30pm on Wednesday, July 24 at the Larmer Tree Gardens, Tollard Royal. Tickets are free, but booking on Eventbrite is essential.

To book, go to eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrate-chase-chalke-tickets.