Home-grown talent from Blandford took to the stage of the town’s Corn Exchange in Fabulous Forum, organised by Sam James and his team in support of local charities
by Nicci Brown.

Young and not-so-young artists from the Dorset Rural Music School included Gracee Seeley, Dairy Turner, Charlotte Haines, Brooke Wareham, Mary Chamberlain and John Goodman, who performed solo performances of songs from musicals including Chicago, Cats and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
And there were return visits from two of the performers in the last such concert in 2018 – solo artist and singer-songwriter Asha Menon (pictured) and stand-up comedian Boyd James, who were then aged 12 and 11 respectively.
Other highlights included the pre-teen Dolly Mixtures, who closed the first half, and local favourites The Rokit Choir (pictured), with a rousing finale.

Another star performer was a special guest from Ukraine, now living in Dorset, 18-year-old pianist Denys Voitsekhovsky, who stunned the audience with music from his home country.
The show also featured the announcement of the dates and name of the forthcoming return, at pre-pandemic prices, of pantomime to the Corn Exchange stage. The Wicked Witches of Oz is on stage on 13 and 14 January 2023, and the Fabulous Forum audience was treated to a special preview from two of its stars, Grace Seeley and Lizzy Chaisty, in a duelling duet.