A brand new exhibition is coming soon to Dorset County Museum. Entitled Hats to Handbags, it showcases the Museum’s extensive costume and textile collection to show what was worn, made and bought in Dorset from the eighteenth century onwards.

Illustrating how fashions adapted to keep pace with the change in women’s lives, the exhibition covers the history of women’s fashion in shoes, bags, gloves, fans and parasols.

As many items in the collection are extremely fragile, the exhibition is a fantastic opportunity to get a close-up view of items of clothing and personal accessories usually only seen in period films. Visitors will appreciate the traditional workmanship of decorative accessories, inspired by Paris and London designs, which were largely hand-made and exclusive to the elite until industrialization in the nineteenth century allowed mass production and distribution to every local high street.

From their origins as functional items of protection against the elements, accessories have become fashion essentials, often achieving cult status as indicators of class and wealth. Hats, handbags, shoes, gloves, parasols and fans have evolved to adorn, flatter, disguise and complete the ‘look’ of an outfit. As previous textile exhibitions at the Museum have proved extremely popular, this one is expected to appeal to many local audiences and more widely to specialist groups interested in the history of textile, stitch and costume.

Many iconic artefacts are included in the exhibition. They are much loved and well used individual objects, used and worn by real people. By including personal stories, the rich social historical significance of these objects can be highlighted. Only by illustrating the connection between object and wearer can their true value be revealed.

The exhibition runs at Dorset County Museum from Monday 13 February to Saturday 14 April 2012.

In addition, the Museum is holding a Hats to Handbags Day School on Saturday 31st March. Tickets cost £15 per person and are available now from the Museum shop. Please phone 01305 756827 or email shop@dorsetcountymuseum.org to buy your ticket now as numbers are limited.

For more information please Tel: 01305 262735
Dorset County Museum is supported by Dorset County Council
Dorset County Museum High West Street Dorchester Dorset DT1 1XA
Tel: 01305 262735 www.dorsetcountymuseum.org

Age UK Dorchester has need of experienced welfare benefits volunteers to join its Welfare Benefits Team to provide information and advice regarding welfare benefits to older people by way of home visits in Weymouth, Portland, Bridport & Lyme Regis & Wareham & Swanage areas.
Welfare Benefits Volunteers interview clients, identify entitlement to benefits, assist with completion of benefit claim forms e.g. Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit and Disability Living Allowance; act on clients’ behalf, help with letter writing, undertake diagnosis, and provide information with options.

Volunteer Centre Dorset are looking for Advice Point Volunteers
to support the digital TV switchover in Dorset.

Volunteers working in Dorchester will provide a friendly and supportive environment where the public can get help, advice, and information about switching their TV to digital on the day of, and day after the digital switchover dates, (7-8 March 21-22 March).

A Training session will be held on the 27th February (venue to be confirmed) and Further roles may develop as the programme progresses.

Normal out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed for volunteers including travel and Lunch.
For more details contact Volunteer Centre Dorset On 01305 269214
Email c.womble@volunteeringdorset.org.uk

Bridport Lions are organising a fabulous blues evening on Friday 9th March at Freshwater Leisure Complex. Appearing that night will be not one but three very popular local blues groups – Fat Marrow Blues Band, C Sharp Blues Band and Custers Last Blues Band. The event will be hosted by Tom Glover, locally known as the talented compere of the Bridport Arts Centre Comedy Café.
Proceeds from this extravaganza will go to support our local RNLI and EDP – both very worthy organisations.

How can you get a ticket for this great night out? They are on sale for a mere £10 at the Bridport Information Office or at the music shop in Bridport. If you are feeling lucky on Saturday11th February you can look for our Lucky Lion who will be waiting for you in one of our local charity shops. Just find him, ring the number on his tag and our lions will rush to you with two absolutely free tickets for the extravaganza. Simple!! Good luck!!

HALF TERM WORKSHOP

This half-term, on Friday 17 February, creative kids can have fun devising a puppet show with professional puppeteers from Bridport company Stuff and Nonsense.
Discover how they create the puppets used in their shows, make your own unique puppet and learn the skills to bring it to life in this one- day workshop. All materials will be provided.
DORCHESTER ARTS CENTRE 10am – 3.30pm. Please bring packed lunches.
£20 / £23 with a ticket for the show – MUTTNIK: THE FIRST DOG IN SPACE
- on Saturday 18 February. To book phone: 01305 266926 www.aloadofstuffandnonsense.co

SATURDAY 18 February

NIKI McCRETTIN: MUTTNIK – THE FIRST DOG IN SPACE

For children and anyone fascinated by outer space there’s a treat in store with Niki McCrettin’s show MUTTNIK – THE FIRST DOG IN SPACE.
Muttnik is a stray. She lives on the streets of Moscow, cold and hungry until one day she is captured. To her surprise she finds herself in a new home with food, water and adventures better than dreams; she is living at the Russian Space centre and is to become the first dog in space!

She learns to fly a rocket, to dance in zero gravity and to go ‘where no dog has gone before’. Will she skate on the rings of Saturn, what will be her first message home and what will it be like to dig holes on the moon?

Based on Laika, the dog sent into space aboard the Russian Sputnik 2 rocket in 1957, Muttnik has dance, music and puppetry, a huge blast off and a happy ending! www.nikimccrettin.com

DORCHESTER ARTS CENTRE 11am and 2pm For ages 3+ £7 adults / £5 children / £22 family
Box Office 01305 266926 or Tourist Information Centre 267992