Community groups

Wilding Wimborne's aim is to help the reversal of dramatic insect and wildlife loss by bringing the community together to 'Take Action for Insects'. There are 7 objectives derived from Professor Dave Goulson's report on 'the decline of insects'.

Wimborne Repair Café are all about fixing things. A place to bring along your items in need of repair that would otherwise be wasted.

This event not only provides repair services but is also a space for people to come together for a social chat and to pass on skills.

What do we mean by Plastic Free?

The banner 'Plastic Free' can be puzzling, even misleading, how can we ever be Plastic Free?

The concept of the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) Plastic Free communities campaign centres on SINGLE USE plastic such as bottles, bags, coffee cups and straws.

We are winning on waste - Save your waste and help good causes!

Fairtrade puts more power into the hands of sustainable, small-scale producers in developing countries and demonstrates that there are alternatives to large-scale trade - alternatives that work for the producers and for us as consumers.

The Fairtrade Foundation certifies products as fairly traded and awards the Fairtrade Mark and awards Fairtrade Town status.

DorsetCAN (Dorset Climate Action Network) is a network of community groups and individuals working together for a shared vision of a clean, green, sustainable Dorset.

Dorset 2030 is a comprehensive report setting out this vision. Compiled by a team of volunteers, with input from the general public, academics and sustainability professionals it highlights more than 120 case studies of positive steps already taking place by councils, businesses, schools, universities, colleges, and most importantly community groups across the county.

Our aim is to improve and reduce the church’s environmental impact. We recognise that the world is changing fast and it is important to support action to reduce global warming and maintain biodiversity.

We care because it is God’s creation, not ours, and as a church we are committed to safeguard the integrity of creation and to sustaining the life of our planet.

The Minster has twice held Eco-Congregation Awards and since 2017 holds the Eco Church Silver award, which assesses all aspects of church life and management.

Let’s Go Eco is a Facebook Page set up by enthusiastic environmental campaigner Torin. 

“I want to help people become more eco friendly and make the World a happy place to live in.”

Torin’s aim is to help people make a difference to the World, however small. Indeed, his slogan is “Every little thing makes a difference”. 

On his Facebook page you will see lots of hints and tips about living Greener so why not check it out!

In 2018, St John’s gained its first (Bronze) Eco Church* award, thanks to features like solar panels, a ‘Give & Take’ board, no disposable cups, Toilet Twinning and effective recycling.

A small Eco Team continues to encourage progress towards the next, more challenging (Silver) award. We have created a pollinator-friendly flower-bed, installed vegetable beds in the church office garden, have fitted a bird box, and have plans for bird feeders and wildflower planting.

Fair Ground - Wimborne's fair trade shop - not for profit, run by volunteers and found in the Cornmarket. 
By buying gifts, food, crafts, cards, accessories & jewellery you are supporting us and our global fair trade partners.
Open Monday to Saturday 10-4pm
Tel 01202 849898 
Email fairground21@gmail.com

Wimborne Community Theatre creates original site-specific performances in 
unusual outdoor venues or non-theatre buildings. We develop and perform stories inspired by local places and the lives and concerns of residents, past and present, real and fictional.
 
Two recent productions were inspired by local rivers: 
·      Timeless Stream – 2021, set on the banks of the river Allen at Walford Mill https://www.wimbornecommunitytheatre.co.uk/productions/timeless-stream/)
 

The Eco-Church Sub Committee is answerable to the PCC in providing a think tank on ecological matters, overseeing our involvement with the Eco Church Project and its effects on Church and Congregation. This would include monitoring of grounds management, sustainability, transport, community links, buildings, fairtrade compliance, carbon footprint, sustainable purchasing, lifestyle challenge and input of ideas into worship and informing and empowering the congregation. 

Step into our historic house and discover the fascinating stories of the people who lived and worked here over the centuries. During your visit, we invite you to explore the numerous collections and themed exhibitions, and find out more about Wimborne Minster and the surrounding areas of East Dorset.
Here at the Museum of East Dorset, there really is something for everyone, from the stunning Roman wall paintings and ancient archaeological artefacts to the beautifully preserved kitchen that takes you back in time.

Wimborne Community Garden

A place for the community to come together, share skills and grow food. We will be growing fresh produce for the Beaucroft cafe and the local food bank. 

Everyone is welcome. Gardening open times.

Wednesday 9am-12pm, Friday 1pm-4pm, Sunday 2pm-4.30pm

Contact us at wimbornecommunitygarden@gmail.com

Save the date for our 2025 Festival:  11th - 18th October 2025

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Our 2024 festival : 12th - 19th October 2024.

Come along to Planet Wimborne's annual Green Festival to meet local groups and hear about all the great environmental activities going on in the town and surrounding area.

Corfe Mullen Climate Change Working Group is made up of residents and Corfe Mullen town councillors working together to help address climate change and the ecological emergency.
Our vision is for Corfe Mullen to become carbon neutral by 2030 and we are assembling a Climate Change Action Plan.

Little Green Prom Dress provides affordable dress hire on a not-for-profit basis. There is a deposit of £10 and a small hire cost £5 to cover costs of cleaning and possible repairs/replacements. Photos and information about all the dresses will be posted on our Facebook page (Little Green Prom Dress Wimborne). If you have any questions please visit our Facebook page or email littlegreenpromdress@gmail.com

Established in 2019, a group for volunteers who care about the town and want to reduce waste and single use plastic. Volunteers created enough fabric bunting to cover the town in 2019 and made red white and blue jubilee bunting in 2022. In 2023 the group has made over 500 Boomerang Bags. These have been donated to Wimborne Food Bank and to some of our independent shops in town. 

Wimborne Minster Bunting and Bag Group's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2267929280130869

Trees for Wimborne considers that it is important that our town plays its part in contributing towards the need for more trees across Britain. We would like to see an increase in tree numbers with the aim of attaining a minimum of 20 % canopy cover in Wimborne and the surrounding areas.  We believe that these trees will create multiple benefits: mitigation against climate change, provision of habitats for wildlife, a more interesting landscape reflecting the changing seasons, and as a joy and comfort for those who live, work and visit Wimborne.

Makers + Shakers is a Wimborne based group that carries out environmental campaigns using its hand-crafted items. These crafted items are intended to influence people towards supporting a more environmentally sustainable society.

They provoke individuals and organisations to think and act in new ways to counter the environmental crisis.  Working together to create items we hope we can foster mindfulness and give the makers an outlet for their feelings of anxiety and despair about the state of the environment.

 “In a gentle way, you can shake the world” (Mahatma Gandhi)

Wimborne Gardening Club is open to all those interested in growing and learning about growing produce, growing flowers and growing their own knowledge. We were formerly Wimborne Horticultural Society but we have taken the decision to reform, to encourage all ages and abilities. As a young expanding group we will welcome all members of society in the hope we may learn, make new friends and discover plenty of new knowledge and skills e.g. composting or recycling, all in a relaxed friendly environment.

Wimborne Food Bank provides emergency food parcels for people who are unable to afford food. We can also assist with money advice, clothing, grants for furniture & appliances, free events, we have a community garden & we also provide weekly cook bags to encourage trying new recipe's & cooking with fresh food.

Swifts have always been a feature in our skies above Wimborne. Their distinctive screams as they zip around the Minster, across the square and neighbouring streets, but their numbers have dwindled and they NEED OUR HELP. 

Wimborne Allotment Association is a non-profit making Association, set up to promote and protect allotments in Wimborne. We welcome members from any of the allotment sites in Wimborne. We offer members discounts on seeds, and provide opportunities to socialise, and attend visits and speaker events. The Association is aware of the part we can all play in protecting our environment, and maintaining our soil by using sustainable and regenerative methods of growing. We want to encourage our members with information and new ideas to help us adapt to our changing  climate.

The DIY-Library is a local Tools and DIY appliances, BorrowNotBuy scheme.

It enables its users to borrow any number of tools that are in stock, any number of times.

The core aims of the project are to enable people to save money and reduce their carbon footprints.

As of June 2024, having been running for 12months, we have a concervative estimate that we have saved users some £17,000 and in doing so, and reduced our collectibve carbon footprinf by 20 tonnes.

Wimborne Contemporary Arts is an informal association that organises a series of occasional contemporary music, sound art and multi-media events in the area of Wimborne, usually with an environmental theme. The aim is to keep alive the spirit of experimentation embodied by Wimborne’s most famous musical son, Robert Fripp. Wimborne Contemporary Arts is part of the national experimental music network, Outlands.

Merley Nature Group is a small group of residents passionate about our local wildlife. Our aim is to get the community involved in managing wildlife habitats around them, help enhance and protect wildlife habitats, meet like-minded people and at the same time improve their wellbeing by being outdoors. 

We are a local  group making, dresses and shorts for charity, meeting on the first Wednesday of every month in the home of the founder member. Our aim is to encourage and enable volunteers to join together to have a fun time, to chat, make new friends and share sewing skills  whilst making clothes for children in areas of poverty where we have links, ie. orphanages in India, Africa and Cambodia.  Many of these children have never received new clothes.  
Inspired by and loosely based on “Dress a Girl Around the World” 

To promote the interest of birds and birdwatching in Dorset.  To collate bird records and produce an annual Dorset Bird Report.  To maintain a database of current and historic bird records which is accessible on request to all national and local research and conservation bodies. To provide comment on and support local conservation issues. To promote and support local regeneration and conservation projects. To support and encourage participation in local and national surveys. 

Poole Harbour Canoe Club CIO - Wimborne Paddlesport

We are not just a cycling club but a campaign run by elected volunteers covering the whole of Dorset including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

We are a consultation group used by local authorities on cycling proposals and we work with them. We lobby the councils to improve cycle facilities, especially on behalf of people who cycle to school, work and to the shops.

We work with other organisations with compatible aims.

We help to identify cyclists’ needs such as safer junctions, secure parking, better signs etc.