The Upwey Society – Over 50 Years of Village Life
A Society Created for Upwey
The Upwey Society was formed in 1974 with a simple but important purpose: to help protect the character of Upwey, improve the village and bring local people together.
Its original objectives were to maintain and improve the amenities and natural characteristics of Upwey, provide social and informative meetings for villagers, and raise funds for activities and projects. Those aims have evolved in wording over the years, but the essential purpose has remained remarkably consistent.
More than fifty years later, the Society remains part of Upwey village life, organising events, taking an interest in local planning and conservation, supporting community initiatives and providing opportunities for residents to meet one another.
The Beginning – 1974
The first Annual General Meeting of the Upwey Society took place on 20 February 1974 at the Memorial Hall.
It was an extraordinary time to establish a new village organisation. Britain was in the middle of the miners' strike, and the original account of the meeting recalled concerns about whether there would be heating, lighting or even enough paper for voting.
Nevertheless, the meeting went ahead.
The proposed Constitution and Rules were discussed and adopted, and the annual subscription was set at 50p per household, with a reduced rate of 10p for pensioner households.
At that stage around 50 households had joined the new Society.
The First Chairman and Committee
The Society's first officers were:
Chairman – Major Flint, who lived at Hurstfield in Church Street.
Secretary – Ted Kestin
Treasurer – Tony Jarvis
A further twelve residents formed the original committee. The Society's later historical account records Betty Childs, Phil Cooke and Charles Foot among those involved in that first committee.
From the beginning, therefore, the Society depended upon local residents giving their time voluntarily — something that has continued throughout its history.
Conservation Was Important From the Start
One of the most striking things about the Society's first year is how quickly it became involved in protecting the appearance and character of Upwey.
At that first AGM there was considerable interest in proposals for establishing a Conservation Area, and the matter was subsequently considered in detail by the committee.
That concern for the village landscape, historic buildings and spaces between development has continued through successive generations of the Society.
In more recent years the Society has continued to examine planning applications where they might materially affect Upwey. Its stated approach is not to object automatically to new development but to consider whether development respects the character of the area, accords with planning policy and avoids placing unreasonable pressure on local infrastructure.
Some Traditions Began in 1974
Two ideas discussed at the Society's very first AGM were:
a Midsummer Barbecue and Bonfire Night celebrations.
Both would become familiar features of Upwey community life for decades afterwards.
It is a lovely example of continuity: events enjoyed by residents today have their origins in conversations held by the Society's founders more than half a century ago.
Bringing the Village Together
Alongside conservation, the Society has always had a strong social side.
Over the years its programme has included village celebrations, talks, meals, competitions, garden events, barbecues, fireworks and family activities.
Among the best-known events have been:
Upwey Open Gardens
Bonfire Night and Fireworks
Summer barbecues
The Upwey Big Affair
Village picnics
Scarecrow competitions
Talks and illustrated presentations
Christmas gatherings
Social evenings and quizzes
Local-history exhibitions and activities
The balance between conservation and community life has been one of the Society's defining characteristics.
The Upwey Open Gardens
Open Gardens has become one of Upwey's most recognisable events.
Residents open gardens of many different styles and sizes to visitors, allowing people to explore parts of the village that are normally private while meeting local gardeners and exchanging ideas.
The event has never been limited to formal or show gardens. A 2014 newsletter specifically encouraged gardens of all shapes, sizes and states, emphasising that visitors were ordinary gardeners interested in meeting others and sharing ideas.
In 2024, 27 gardens took part, ranging from small courtyards and cottage gardens to larger formal gardens and vegetable plots. A minibus operated around the village and refreshments were provided at Mill House in Church Street. A proportion of the proceeds was donated to the local charity STARS.
Open Gardens therefore combines three things that have characterised the Society for many years: community participation, enjoyment of Upwey's surroundings and fundraising for worthwhile causes.
Bonfire Night
Bonfire Night has an especially long connection with the Society because the idea was already being discussed in 1974.
By 2014 it remained one of the major annual events, with the Society reporting that more than 400 people had attended the preceding Guy Fawkes fireworks.
The event continues today and remains an established part of the Society's annual programme.
The Upwey Big Affair
More recently, The Upwey Big Affair became another significant summer event.
The event has brought together entertainment, food, children's activities, live performances and local organisations.
The 2025 event included sea shanties, Anglo-Saxon demonstrations, Punch and Judy, donkey rides and local food providers, illustrating how the Society's events have developed while retaining the traditional idea of a village gathering.
In 2026 the Society returned to another older tradition by bringing back the Summer BBQ, demonstrating once again how ideas from different periods of the Society's history are revived for new generations.
Talks, Education and Local History
Informative meetings were part of the Society's original objectives, and talks have continued throughout its history.
Subjects have ranged widely.
In recent years these have included local history, First World War nursing in Dorset, long-distance travel, glassmaking, Thomas Hardy and walking Hadrian's Wall.
During 2025, regular talks returned to the Old School Village Hall. One of the first was an exhibition by local historian Sue Virgin on the Upwey Flood, followed by a talk about nursing in Dorset during the First World War and an account of a motorcycle journey from Panama to Cambodia.
This educational side of the Society is an important part of its story and links the organisation not only with social events but with the preservation of local memory.
Recording Upwey's History
The Society's newsletters have themselves become an important historical resource.
Over many years they have recorded:
local people, village events, wildlife, gardens, farming, historic buildings, community organisations, planning issues and personal recollections.
The Society's online archive now preserves newsletters spanning many years, including editions from the 2010s and 2020s together with AGM material and other documents.
A particularly valuable example is the Spring 2014 newsletter, produced during the Society's 40th anniversary year. It reproduced memories of the first AGM and recorded the names of some of those who established the organisation.
Without those newsletters, many small but fascinating details of Upwey life might otherwise have been forgotten.
Forty Years – 2014
In 2014, the Society celebrated its 40th anniversary.
At that time Chairman John Huggins reported that membership had risen to around 250 households, representing perhaps 500–600 residents.
The membership subscription was then just £3 per household.
The anniversary AGM was celebrated with "bubbles and nibbles", and some residents who had attended the inaugural meeting in 1974 were still members four decades later.
That continuity between the founding generation and newer residents is one of the most interesting features of the Society's history.
The People Behind the Society
Like most village organisations, the history of the Upwey Society is really a history of volunteers.
Hundreds of residents have contributed over the years by serving on committees, opening gardens, organising events, preparing food, clearing up afterwards, producing newsletters, arranging talks, raising funds and simply turning up when help was needed.
A 2014 newsletter paid tribute to several long-serving volunteers.
Sue Mountjoy was remembered for years of work at barbecues, Open Gardens, Christmas meals, Bonfire Night and many catering events.
Gwen Nayler and her late husband Lindsay were recalled for their strong interest in the conservation and history of the village and their support for both the Society and the church. The article also recalled how Gwen persuaded newcomers Mike and Helen Goodman to become involved — Mike subsequently becoming Chairman and Helen Membership Secretary.
Stories like these reveal something that lists of officers cannot: village organisations survive because individuals quietly give enormous amounts of time.
Chairmen Through the Years
A complete chairman-by-chairman record from 1974 onward does not appear to be published in one place, but the surviving newsletters and documents allow a number to be identified with confidence.
Major Flint
First Chairman – elected 1974
Major Flint of Hurstfield, Church Street, became the Society's first Chairman at the inaugural AGM on 20 February 1974.
Mike Goodman
The Society's 2014 newsletter recalls that Mike Goodman became Chairman after moving to the village, although the precise beginning and end dates of his term still need confirming from older records.
John Huggins
Chairman by 2014
John Huggins was Chairman during the Society's 40th anniversary year and wrote the Chairman's message in the Spring 2014 newsletter.
Richard Sams
Chairman approximately 2017–2019
Richard Sams served as Chairman for two years before stepping down at the 2019 AGM. He was also representing the Society on planning matters in 2018.
Mike Davis
Chairman 2019–2023
Mike Davis was elected Chairman at the March 2019 AGM.
In the Spring 2023 newsletter he announced that he would step down after four years in the role. His final period as Chairman included the difficult years of the Covid pandemic and the return of major community events afterwards.
Steve Shine
Current Chairman
The Society currently lists Steve Shine as Chairman.
There are still gaps in the chairman chronology, particularly in the earlier decades. These could eventually be filled from older AGM minutes, surviving newsletters and information from long-standing residents.
Presidents of the Society
The office of President has also recognised long-standing service to the Society and the village.
Angela Lousley
Angela Lousley served for many years as President of the Society.
She died in December 2018 and was remembered in the Spring 2019 newsletter as the Society's long-standing President.
Evelyn "Eve" Price
At the 2019 AGM, Eve Price became President in recognition of her long service and interest in the Society.
She was still referred to as President in 2023, when she joined Chairman Mike Davis in presenting a donation to the local food bank.
Helping Others
Fundraising has always been one of the Society's objectives, but money raised has not only benefited Society activities.
In 2022, proceeds from Open Gardens helped enable a donation of more than £4,000 to the local food bank.
In other years, portions of event proceeds have been donated to local charities. The 2024 Open Gardens, for example, supported STARS.
This charitable aspect has allowed village events to benefit people beyond those attending them.
The Covid Years
The Covid pandemic created one of the most unusual periods in the Society's history.
The planned 2020 AGM was postponed because many residents understandably had concerns about attending a public gathering.
The next AGM was eventually held on 10 March 2021 via Zoom, serving as a combined 2020 and 2021 meeting.
Later in 2021, the Society organised an outdoor Summer Picnic at Upwey House paddocks, including music, children's activities, competitions and a tug of war — an opportunity for residents to meet again after a difficult period.
The Society's later newsletters reflect how outdoor events became especially important as normal community life gradually resumed.
Improving the Village
The Society's contribution to Upwey has not been confined to meetings and events.
Practical improvements have also featured.
In late 2022, for example, volunteers planted more than 2,000 bulbs to make the village more attractive.
Projects such as these are small individually but collectively help explain why the Society has remained relevant across several generations.
Planning and the Character of Upwey
Protecting Upwey's distinctive character has remained one of the Society's central concerns since its founding.
The Society has taken positions on developments where it considers the landscape, conservation area, infrastructure or separation of settlements could be affected.
A 2018 representation concerning land at Chesterfield Place, for example, argued for the importance of retaining open countryside and gaps that contribute to Upwey's rural setting.
Its present planning policy recognises the need for new housing but says developments should respect the character of the area, comply with the Local Plan and avoid unreasonable pressure on roads, sewerage and other infrastructure.
This concern can be traced directly back to the Conservation Area discussions at the Society's first AGM in 1974.
Membership Through the Years
Membership has changed considerably since the original 50 households joined in 1974.
In 2014 the Society reported around 250 member households.
Today the Society states that it has more than 100 member households, with membership open to households in Upwey.
The current annual subscription is £5 per household. Members may attend and vote at AGMs and special meetings, stand for election to the committee and raise matters for committee consideration.
More Than Fifty Years
The Society reached its 50th anniversary in 2024.
The contrast between 1974 and today is striking.
When the Society began, communication meant meetings, printed notices, newsletters and word of mouth.
Today it uses a website, Facebook and digital newsletters alongside traditional methods.
The Autumn 2023 newsletter itself reflected on this transformation, noting that newsletters had once been one of the main ways residents learned about local affairs whereas websites and social media now provide information continuously.
Yet the Society's central purpose has changed surprisingly little.
It is still about Upwey: its character, its environment, its people and its community.
A Timeline of the Upwey Society
1974
The Upwey Society is formed.
20 February 1974
First AGM held at the Memorial Hall during the miners' strike. Major Flint elected Chairman, Ted Kestin Secretary and Tony Jarvis Treasurer. Around 50 households are members. Conservation, a summer barbecue and Bonfire Night are already being discussed.
1970s onwards
The Society develops its conservation role while establishing social and fundraising events.
1990s and 2000s
Village events, talks, fundraising and community activities continue, supported by successive generations of volunteers.
2014
The Society celebrates its 40th anniversary. Membership has grown to around 250 households and John Huggins is Chairman.
2017–2019
Richard Sams serves as Chairman.
2019
Mike Davis becomes Chairman and Eve Price becomes President.
2020
The AGM is postponed as the Covid pandemic prevents normal meetings.
2021
A combined 2020/2021 AGM is held by Zoom. Later that year residents gather again for a Summer Picnic at Upwey House.
2022
More than £4,000 from Open Gardens proceeds is donated to the local food bank, and more than 2,000 bulbs are planted around Upwey.
2023
Mike Davis completes four years as Chairman and a new Chairman is elected. The Big Affair, Open Gardens and Bonfire Night continue.
2024
The Society celebrates fifty years since its foundation. Open Gardens features 27 gardens and continues its charitable fundraising tradition.
2025
Regular talks return to the Old School Village Hall, while Open Gardens, the Big Affair and other community events continue.
2026
The Society's programme includes Open Gardens, a revived Summer BBQ, Bonfire Night and a series of talks. Steve Shine is listed as Chairman.
Did You Know?
The Society's first household subscription was just 50p.
Pensioner households paid only 10p.
Only around 50 households belonged at the Society's first AGM.
The Society discussed both a summer barbecue and Bonfire Night at its very first AGM.
By 2014 membership had reached around 250 households.
More than 400 people attended one of the Society's Guy Fawkes celebrations around that period.
In 2022 Society volunteers planted more than 2,000 bulbs around Upwey.
Open Gardens has grown sufficiently large that a hop-on, hop-off minibus has been used to carry visitors around the village.
The Society Today
Today the Society continues to organise events, examine important planning matters and encourage residents to become involved in village life.
Its current officers listed publicly include Steve Shine, Chair; Tara Williams, Membership Secretary; Diane Crumbleholme, Secretary; and Dave Mountjoy, Treasurer.
The Society's programme continues to mix traditional events such as Open Gardens and Bonfire Night with talks, exhibitions and new activities.
The Story Continues
More than fifty years after that first meeting in the Memorial Hall, the Upwey Society remains part of the story of the village.
Buildings, committees and methods of communication change. People arrive in Upwey and others leave. New challenges replace old ones.
But the basic idea behind the Society in 1974 — local people working together to protect and enjoy the place where they live — has endured.
The history recorded here is therefore not simply the history of an organisation. It is also part of the wider history of Upwey itself and the generations of residents who have contributed to village life.
