Full House at Our Inaugural General Meeting!
- jerrycooke87
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 26
What an evening! On September 18th, Damers Hall buzzed with energy as our community came together for the Community Association of Poundbury's first-ever General Meeting. Your turnout and engagement made it a truly memorable milestone in our transition from the Poundbury Residents Association to the CAofP.
Keynote Inspiration
Architect Ben Pentreath set the tone perfectly, sharing why Poundbury matters not just locally, but as a model for communities everywhere. His insights into how thoughtful design fosters genuine community spirit reminded us all of what makes our home so special.
Celebrating Our Progress
The numbers speak volumes about our community's enthusiasm: 570 members registered (and more joining daily), over 4,000 social media followers, and remarkable engagement across all our platforms. With a healthy balance remaining after setup costs and growing partnerships with local businesses offering more member benefits, we're building on solid foundations.
Heartfelt Thanks to Our Volunteers
None of this would be possible without our incredible volunteers who make everything happen—from Sue and Jerry Cooke managing membership and noticeboards, Jerry Cooke and Trudy Ritsema for our informative Newsletter, to Tim Wilmot's communications expertise and hard work on the Virtual Hub, from Laura Hirst coordinating our growing volunteer team to the specialist contributors like Emma Taylor, Mary O'Flaherty, Claire Lunnen-Kay, and Antonia Wilmot bringing Poundbury Good Things to life. Thanks also to Paul Coggins and Norman Reid for the doggy bag dispensers project, Phil Read for photography and website testing, and our governance advisors Mike Stear, Eiri Jones, and Charles Palmer. Our distribution heroes Dawn Russell, Jean-François Vanham, Jill and Robin Rowles, and Lesley and Paul Clark help ensure our communications reach every corner of Poundbury. Your dedication and expertise are the heartbeat of this association.
Listening to Community Voices
A major highlight was our pilot stakeholder Q&A session, where over 50 questions submitted by residents were consolidated into key themes addressed by representatives from the Duchy, Dorset Council, Dorchester Town Council, MANCOs, Talk About Trust, local police, and business. Ground rules ensuring respectful, solution-focused dialogue created exactly the constructive conversation we hoped for.
Topics ranged from road adoption and public space maintenance to planning concerns and community safety. While most issues cannot be solved overnight, the session established a framework for ongoing dialogue between our community and key stakeholders. Detailed responses on individual issues will be published in due course in our Virtual Community Hub's FAQ section – watch this space for comprehensive answers to the questions that matter most to you.
Poundbury Good Things: Beautiful Things. For Good.
Emma Taylor and her volunteer team unveiled our exciting new fundraising initiative, Poundbury Good Things. Featuring beautiful designs by local artist Mary O'Flaherty, inspired by our Roman heritage and natural surroundings, the collection includes tea towels, canvas bags, cards, prints, and candles – all available now at Brace of Butchers Brace of Butchers. Every purchase supports PIP's vital youth and community programs at the Pavilion in the Park https://pipspoundbury.
Looking Ahead
Our immediate priorities are clear: recruiting more volunteers—especially a CIC Secretary and project leaders, expanding member benefits, and securing sponsorship for 2026 developments. With initiatives like Poundbury in Bloom and a Photography Competition waiting for volunteer champions, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
The success of this association depends on all of us. Whether you can volunteer time, suggest new initiatives, or simply spread the word about membership, every contribution matters.
Save the date: Our next General Meeting is January 27, 2026.
Ready to get involved? Visit lovepoundbury.org or email volunteering@lovepoundbury.org. Together, we're building something special – a vibrant, inclusive community that truly enhances life for everyone in Poundbury.
Thank you to all for participating!