Chairman of East Dorset District Council, Cllr Toni Coombs, will be hosting a Civic Service of Thanksgiving at Wimborne Minster on Monday 4 March at 1.45pm.

The service of thanksgiving will be held in celebration of East Dorset ahead of the creation of the new unitary authority, Dorset Council, on 1 April 2019. Many community representatives have been invited, however, the service is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

The sermon will be delivered by the Bishop of Sherborne and the Right Reverend Karen Gorman. It will include a handover of the area for safekeeping to the Shadow Dorset Council chairman, Cllr Hilary Cox.

Local schools from across East Dorset will take part, with pupils from Ferndown Upper School, Queen Elizabeth, St James’ CE First School, St Mary’s First School, West Moors, Wimborne First School, Cranborne First School and Ferndown First schools.

There will be a retiring collection in support of the chairman’s charities: Macmillan, Mosaic (who support bereaved children throughout Dorset) and Wimborne Minster.

Wimborne Militia will end the service with a ceremonial gun salute on the Minster Green. Refreshments will be available.

Cllr Toni Coombs said, “This is an historic occasion as after 31 March, East Dorset District Council will no longer exist. Although this is the right decision to protect services for the community, it is still hard to let go of our local history. We should mark this last civic service in a special way, by thanking all of those who have made a difference to our district.”